Ion #2

May 30, 2006

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Torch Bearer Part Two

Kyle fights for his life – but what has he been doing with that life?

Writer: Ron Marz
Pencils: Greg Tocchini
Inks: Jay Leisten
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Eddie Berganza & Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: Kalman Andrasofszky
Publisher: DC Comics

As word reaches Oa of the destruction allegedly caused by Kyle Rayner, Kyle finds himself face-to-face with a Thanagarian bounty hunter out for his blood. The battle reveals some unpleasant questions to Kyle, and he’s forced to wonder about the true nature of his new powers.

This issue goes by really quickly – the battle is swift and the things Kyle finds after he leaves go by just as quickly. It’s issue two and it still feels very much like setup. The good news is, the setup is intriguing. The questions about who really destroyed an entire world are lingering, and even Kyle has to question whether he could possibly be guilty. The nature of his new powers gets a little more explanation this issue, about what exactly the merging of Jade’s powers with his own Green Lantern abilities means, and it’s that merger that seems to be throwing things into question.

Last issue, Greg Tocchini handled the artwork solo. This issue he’s joined by inker Jay Leisten, and the improvement is dramatic. A lot of the problems Tocchini had with muddy characters and unclear forms are done away with. The art still isn’t perfect, however – in particular, Kyle’s face still isn’t working. Tocchini swings back and forth between a sort of cosmic effect and Kyle having a strange, “melting” mask, and neither look really works all that well. I find myself wishing they would just settle on a traditional mask.

As this is still the second issue of this 12-issue maxiseries, I can forgive it for being setup heavy – but that’s a card that the writer can’t play much longer. It’s imperative that Ron Marz get into the meat of the story, and soon, if he wants to keep his readers with him to the end.

Rating: 7/10

Ion #1

April 24, 2006

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Torch Bearer Part One

It’s a new universe for Kyle Rayner… what’s his place in it?

Writer: Ron Marz
Art: Greg Tocchini
Ink Assist: Jay Leisten
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editors: Eddie Berganza & Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: Ivan Reis & Marc Campos
Publisher: DC Comics

A year after the Crisis, Kyle Rayner is still struggling to find his new place in the universe. He has accepted what he was intended to be all along, and knows he now has a new role with the Green Lantern Corps – but somewhere in all that, Kyle Rayner himself got lost.

Let’s face it, Kyle’s luck has sucked since early in Judd Winick’s run on the previous Green Lantern series. He goes into space, his girlfriend leaves him, he’s replaced in the Justice League, and even though he’s instrumental in the resurrection of the Green Lantern Corps, he soon watches his third girlfriend since getting the ring killed – and this time, he gets her power to add to his own. He’s been through the wringer, and even though it’s a year later, it’s not far-fetched to believe that Kyle still doesn’t know who he’s supposed to be anymore.

Marz was a fine choice to guide Kyle Rayner once again – he created this incarnation of Green Lantern, after all, and turned him from a green rookie (pun intended) into a proud, capable hero. Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but since Marz left him the first time, he’s been put through hell. Hopefully the point of this series will be to bring him back.

Marz’s characterization and setup is fine, but I’m afraid I have to take off points for Greg Toccini’s artwork. He has a definite style, but I don’t think it works for this story. It’s too scattershot, too disjointed – kind of like a less-refined Bill Sienkiwicz – and the issue suffers as a result.

This issue isn’t a knockout, but it’s a solid setup. The real question is going to be, of course, where it goes from here.

Rating: 7/10

52 #33

December 21, 2006

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Nightwing brings Batwoman a gift, Luthor plays Santa, and Ralph spends Christmas on memory lane.

Writers: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid
Breakdowns: Keith Giffen
Pencils: Joe Prado, Tom Derenick
Inks: Jay Leisten, Rodney Ramos
Colors: David Baron
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Origin Art: Tom Mandrake
Editors: Stephen Wacker & Michael Siglain
Cover Art: J.G. Jones
Publisher: DC Comics

It’s Christmas in the DC Universe’s missing year, and this week the 52 crew is taking the time to touch base with most of our ongoing storylines. As Batwoman holds her vigil over Gotham City, Nightwing pays her a visit and gives her a very important gift. Back in Kate Kane’s apartment, Renee Montoya is keeping a quiet vigil over her friend Charlie (alias The Question), whose cancer is quickly eating away at him.
Ralph Dibney, meanwhile, has elected to spend the holidays in Central City, visiting the Flash Museum’s Elongated Man exhibit. Ralph is on a mission here, but the way we see him makes on worry exactly what path he’s headed down. Back in Metropolis, Lex Luthor has Christmas gifts for the members of his Infinity, Inc. team. One of the team is down, though, and in him Luthor may find the key to unlocking the Everyman project for everyone. Meanwhile, the Black Marvel family makes a gesture to prove Black Adam’s change of heart to the world.

It’s rare for an issue of 52 to touch upon so many of the ongoing storylines in one issue, but this issue balances things very well. None of the scenes feel superfluous and, in fact, each of our many storylines contains genuine development for the plot. The writers even manage to work in a quick two-page montage demonstrating what other characters from across the DCU are doing on this Christmas.

This week’s origin two-pager is the Martian Manhunter, with art by Tom Mandrake (whom longtime DC fans will remember was the regular artist on J’onn’s last chance at a solo ongoing series). As usual, the origin is a neat, concise summation of the character. On the bad side, this issue confirms for me that it isn’t just the Martian Manhunter artist’s rendition of J’onn’s new look that I don’t like – if it doesn’t look good with Tom Mandrake drawing it, I doubt any artist could get me to like it.

Rating: 8/10

The Legion #32

April 24, 2004

Quick Rating: Great
Title: Notorious

A victim of Element Lad’s rampage has come to take his revenge, and only one Legionnaire has what they want.

Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Pencils: Chris Batista
Inks: Chip Wallace & Jay Leisten
Colors: Sno Cone
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Editor: Stephen Wacker
Cover Art: Eric Wight
Publisher: DC Comics

Legion continues to be one of the best comics you’re not reading month after month – although if you haven’t been reading this isn’t a great place to jump on. Back in the Legion Worlds miniseries, the hero named Element Lad lost his mind and nearly laid waste to an entire universe. Founding member Live Wire seemingly gave his life to defeat his former teammate, but was recently reborn in Element Lad’s body. This issue, an army of survivors of Element Lad’s rampage come to the Legion’s territory, giving a good thrashing to Mon-El in the process. Since he’s potentially more powerful than Superboy, this is something that makes our heroes kind of nervous.

Ever since his return, Live Wire as been forced to sit on the sidelines. He finally gets a spotlight this issue, showing what makes him a real hero in the faces of some very heavy odds. The rest of the team isn’t ignored either – Kid Quantum and Superboy each get many good moments… just none as good as Live Wire.

Chris Batista is one of the finest artists in Legion history. He is a fantastic artist, giving each character distinctive faces so that even without their trademark costumes you could pick each of them out easily. He does the costumes well, though, as well as the costumes of our villains. He has to share credit with our ink and color team, though, as Live Wire’s crystalline form looks really impressive – cold, crystalline but human all at the same time.

I love this title, month in and month out. The Legion is one of the longest-running teams in comics, and if you can’t tell why by reading this issue, you just aren’t paying attention.

Rating: 9/10

X-Men: Phoenix-Warsong #4

December 9, 2006

Quick Rating: Fair
Rating: T+

The Phoenix takes Celeste!

Writer: Greg Pak
Pencils: Tyler Kirkham
Inks: Sal Regla & Jay Leisten
Colors: John Starr
Letters: Troy Peteri
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Cover Art: Marc Silvestri
Publisher: Marvel Comics

While not quite as good as the first X-Men: Phoenix miniseries by Greg Pak, this title has shown some interesting ideas. As the X-Men try to chase down the remaining Stepford Cuckoos, Celeste becomes engulfed in the power of the Phoenix, and only Emma Frost may hold the key to stopping her.

If there’s one thing about this comic that I’m particularly not fond of, it’s the idea that the Cuckoos are all, in essence, Emma clones. (Come on, Marvel, is more clones ever a good idea?) Once I manage to get past that little caveat, though, this is a pretty solid action issue. The mindscape battle of words between Emma, Celeste and the Phoenix itself works pretty well, and the Beast (my personal favorite X-character) gets a few chances to show off, which makes me happy. The last page is a nice setup to lead into the final issue as well.

Tyler Kirkham’s artwork is okay, but it still feels very much like he’s trying to mimic Marc Silvestri rather than trying to find a style of his own. I am happy to note, though, that he manages to give the Cuckoos relatively realistic bodies for girls their age. They aren’t bulging out like Playboy Playmates anywhere, and although some of their costuming is a little revealing, its not so much that it seems preposterous.

Overall, this has been an okay series that’s given a much-needed new direction to the whole Phoenix concept. The last issue, though, is what will determine how concretely that new direction sticks.

Rating: 6/10