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Young Justice (2011 Series) #10
June 5, 2012
Title: Hot Case
Writer: Kevin Hopps, Greg Weisman
Pencils: Christopher A. Jones
Inks: Dan Davis
Letters: Dezi Sienty
Colors: Zac Atkinson
Cover Art: Christopher Jones & Carrie Strachan
Editor: Jim Chadwick
Publisher: DC Comics
Last issue, as the Young Justice kids got a little antsy with their lessons in espionage, Captain Atom decided to give them a practical assignment: prove the innocence of late Air Force officer Nathanial Adam, convicted of murder during the Vietnam era. This issue, the kids have tracked down some of the people involved in the case, only to find them being murdered one at a time. As they face a foe with a sword that can cut even Superboy, the team has to wonder just what they’ve stumbled into.
This has been a strong two-parter. It’s nice to see the team sent out on a different sort of case, a chance for Robin’s detective skills and Miss Martian’s stealth abilities to really come into play. The story is hurt slightly with familiarity – there’s a reveal at the end that isn’t a reveal at all if you’re familiar with the characters in the comic books, and probably isn’t that big a shock even if you have no idea who Captain Atom is and never read a story with him in it before. Building it like a mystery feels a little anti-climactic.
Christopher Jones does a good job of keeping the characters on-model with the TV show while, at the same time, providing strong, dynamic pages that hold up compared to any other superhero comic on the market. This book exists in-between episodes of the cartoon show, but the creators have done a good job of telling original stories that explore the characters without feeling like they’re just marking time until the next episode begins.
Rating: 8/10
Recent Reviews: August 24 Releases
A lot of DC comic books last week. This week will probably be not so much…
Recent Reviews: July 27 Releases
I went to town on the reviews at CX Pulp this week, guys. Here’s everything I chimed in on…
- Action Comics #903
- Archie #623
- Avengers Academy #16
- Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search For Swamp Thing #2
- DC Retroactive: Justice League of America-The 70s #1
- DC Retroactive: Superman-The 70s #1
- DuckTales #3
- Fables #107
- Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #2
- Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #2
- Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #2
- Flashpoint: Project Superman #2
- Green Lantern Corps #62
- Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #12
- Invincible #81
- Teen Titans #98
- Terminator/Robocop: Kill Human #1
- X-Men: Schism #2
- Young Justice #6
Young Justice (2011 Series) #4
June 23, 2011
Title: By Hook Or By Web
Writers: Art Baltazar & Franco
Art: Mike Norton
Colorist: Zac Atkinson
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Cover: Mike Norton & Alex Sinclair
Editors: Jim Chadwick & Michael McCalister
Publisher: DC Comics/Johnny DC
The Black Spider and Hook have captured three of our heroes, but Robin’s got something special up his sleeve. Once he, Kid Flash, and Aqualad bust out, we get what amounts to a slam-bang action issue, as our three heroes tussle with the two villains. The action works very well, with the writers giving each hero a bit of a spotlight, showing off their powers and what sets them apart from their teammates. The villains are somewhat generic, but in truth, they mostly amount to living MacGuffins anyway – important only in that they give the heroes someone to fight and a way to show off what they can do. This is, sadly, Mike Norton’s last issue on this series. It’s a real shame, too – he’s got a perfect style and sensibility for these heroes. He’s long proven himself one of the most dependable and underrated superhero artists in the industry, and while I’m sure he’ll be happy to move on to more high-profile projects, this series is going to miss him.
Rating: 7/10
Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #1
June 23, 2011
Title: Kid Flash Lost Part One
Writer: Sterling Gates
Pencils: Oliver Nome
Inks: Trevor Scott
Colorist: Brian Buccellato
Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Cover: Francis Manapul
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Publisher: DC Comics
With the timeline of the DC Universe irrevocably altered, Kid Flash (himself a time anomaly) wakes up in a 31st century far different from the one in which he was born. He and Hot Pursuit – and not the same Hot Pursuit he met in the 21st century – are cut off from the Speed Force, fleeing the conquering forces of Brainiac, and in danger of having their own timelines changed irrevocably.
This is one of the better Flashpoint miniseries to date. Bart Allen is an exciting character to begin with, but this issue really puts him in a tough spot. He’s cut off from his friends, from his powers, from everything. This incarnation of Hot Pursuit raises a lot of questions as well, and the danger that they face together could serve to bond them in interesting ways. It makes you wonder if this Hot Pursuit, as opposed to the other one, will find a place in the new DC Universe come September.
Oliver Nome is a good artist, and I particularly like his version of Hot Pursuit. The devastated landscape of the 31st century looks good too, and even raises questions about how the dots can be connected from the present-day Flashpoint world to the world Bart is trapped in. Having Francis Manapul on covers is a treat any way you slice it. It’s a strong issue that looks at the crossover from a totally different angle than any of the other tie-ins.
Rating: 8/10
Superboy (2010 Series) #5
April 10, 2011
Title: The Superboy/Kid Flash Race!
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Pier Gallo
Colorist: Jamie Grant
Letterer: John J. Hill
Cover: Eddy Barrows & J.P. Mayer
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Comics
Races between Superman and the Flash have been a staple of comics for decades now, but this is the first time that Superboy and Kid Flash have buckled down for a contest of their own. As the Teen Titans come out to cheer on their teammates, all of Smallville assembles to see who will come out on top.
The feeling of this race is a lot different from all the Superman/Flash races we’ve seen in the past, and not just because the Phantom Stranger pops up out of nowhere to freak our heroes out. To be sure, we’ve seen the charity race thing before, and we’ve seen the heroes have to take a break from the race to thwart one monster or villain or what have you. But Superboy has been going through quite a bit lately, what with his break-up with Wonder Girl and finding out that his friend Lori is the niece of Lex Luthor, and Jeff Lemire takes the time during the race to talk have our heroes talk things over. Bart Allen has developed quite a bit since his Impulse days, and the character who pops in here actually shows a surprising amount of sensitivity towards his friend. Fortunately, he still feels like himself, and that helps keep up the feeling of joy that surrounds the race itself.
I will admit to being a little irritated at the race’s outcome, or lack thereof. Back in the Silver Age, DC never wanted to actually crown a winner in one of those Superman/Flash races, so there was always some sort of convoluted excuse to prevent them from crowning a champion. This issue’s convoluted excuse is a lot funnier, but the end result is the same. C’mon, guys, if you’re going to hit us with the race, give us a champion!
Still, it’s a strong character-based issue that works nicely for the characters. I liked it.
Rating: 8/10
The Flash (1987 Series) #208
March 30, 2004
Quick Rating: Great
Title: Red Carpet
Three generations of the Flash take on an army of Rogues on the streets of Keystone City.
Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Howard Porter
Inks: Livesay
Colors: James Sinclair
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Cover Art: Michael Turner
Publisher: DC Comics
At the end of last issue, the Flash Parade was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a mob of the Scarlet Speedster’s nastier foes. He isn’t alone in facing off against them, though – Jay Garrick, the original Flash, and Bart Allen, Kid Flash, storm onto the scene to help the current titleholder of the legacy they all share. The problem is, Wally West hasn’t seen either of them since the Spectre blanked the memory of his identity from the minds of the entire planet, and he doesn’t quite know what to expect.
It really helps that Geoff Johns is currently the one and only man responsible for safeguarding the legacy of the Flash (with Jay Garrick in JSA and Bart Allen in Teen Titans – only XS of the Legion of Super-Heroes falls under another writer’s pen, and she hasn’t fully embraced the Lightning yet). This issue accentuates that legacy and shows why the Flash has the greatest legacy in comics – from the comments of a few guards at Iron Heights about what the Flashes mean to the twin cities to the re-opening of the Flash Museum, this story shows you who the Flashes are and why they are important.
Johns does not gloss over the repercussions of the Spectre’s actions either – Wally’s painful admission that his wife has left him, his sorrow at the knowledge that people know longer know and proclaim Barry Allen as a hero, and a long-delayed confrontation with his teammates in the Justice League remind us that these things do not happen in a vacuum, that there will be consequences. Next issue promises to give us even more of them.
Howard Porter does a fine job with this issue, showcasing all of our Flashes, all of the villains and the high-speed action with great skill. It’s also nice that the man who redefined the Justice League during Grant Morrison’s run on the title gets to return to the characters here, with a beautiful double-page spread of the team.
People who are already reading this title know it’s one of the best superhero comics on the market right now. People who aren’t reading any superhero book with Geoff Johns’s name in the credit box… well… what are you thinking, man?
Rating: 9/10
Teen Titans (2003 Series) #10
April 12, 2004
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Raven Rising
Brother Blood has Raven, and the Titans want her back!
Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Mike McKone
Inks: Marlo Alquiza
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Cover Art: Mike McKone
Publisher: DC Comics
The Geoff Johns plot to slowly take over the world by writing the best superhero comics in America continues! Last issue, the Titans ran smack-dab into a plot concerning Trigon, the demon father of their former teammate Raven. Birds are going psycho, the seas are turning to blood, and things are getting seriously Biblical in San Francisco.
Johns does what he does best in this issue – working in characterization in the midst of action. When a spell causes the Titans to feel a wave of hatred for their fathers the way Raven hates Trigon, for instance, Robin’s anger is not reserved for Jack Drake. Later, as they rush in to battle, the younger Titans discuss the necessity of taking out Raven if the older members, her former friends, are unable to do it. All of these characters are unabashedly heroic, but their different experiences have given them very different priorities. The young Kid Flash gets to show off a little more of his newly-acquired knowledge, but again, doesn’t quite know how to apply it yet. The writing in this issue is almost flawless, save for one panel where Robin apparently forgets how to count. “I count five of them going into that room, and there’s five of us…”
Mike McKone, of course, does a fine job on the artwork. The image of a towering Trigon standing in a sea of blood to bring his vengeance down upon Titans Tower is one of the boldest images you’ve ever seen in comics. He does great “charging into battle” poses, which you’ve gotta have in a great superhero comic, and even the supposedly young and unimposing Brother Blood looks very menacing. The cover especially is good – Blood standing, appropriately, in a pool of blood while the younger Titans lie defeated. It’s a great image.
Between this title, JSA and The Flash, nobody is doing superhero comic books as good as Geoff Johns, and if you’re not reading this title (or those other two), then you’re depriving yourself of some of the greatest comics on the stands. Superhero fans have no excuse not to be reading this title.
Rating: 8/10
Action Comics #816
June 8, 2004
Quick Rating: Fair
Title: Superman Vs. Gog Part Two: Behold, I Am Against Thee
Superman and Gog tear apart Smallville, with the Teen Titans to pick up the rubble!
Writer: Chuck Austen
Pencils: Ivan Reis
Inks: Marc Campos
Colors: Guy Major
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Cover Art: Arthur Adams
Publisher: DC Comics
I have to admit, this issue is a far cry better than Chuck Austen’s first two issues of Action Comics, mainly because it is, in fact, 22 pages of straight action. It’s an extended fight scene between Superman, Superboy and Gog, with a little support thrown in by Wonder Girl and Kid Flash, leaving no room for the soap opera subplots or poor characterization that hurt the last two issues.
There are still a few logic gaps, however, the main one being how Superman can be utterly befuddled by Gog despite the fact that, I’m almost certain, they have fought before. (Someone get me the trade paperback of The Kingdom, I need to check on this.) Granted, it was only the one time, but it was during a caper where Superman encountered a possible future version of himself that he also ran across a few months ago in Superman/Batman while Gog was making it a point to keep killing Superman at earlier and earlier points along the timeline, so it’s not exactly like trying to remember the mugger he snatched at Fourth Street and Vine six years ago.
Like last issue, the best thing is Superman’s authoritative nature while dealing with the Titans. He still throws out a few bad one-liners, but not nearly as many as last issue, and there’s one bit I thought was rather clever where Superman and Kid Flash, each acting very rationally and very in-character, accidentally counter each other’s efforts and really amplify the danger.
The book gets a few demerits for the “cliffhanger” ending, which I won’t give away except to say I mark off for any comic book that leaves you asking if something will happen that nobody on the planet actually believes DC Comics would allow to happen. Come back on Wednesday, I’ll get more specific. Superboy also overreacts a bit, saying Superman is like a father to him, while reading virtually any comic book written in the past ten years will paint the picture of their relationship to be more like an older brother/younger brother, but I won’t judge too harshly for that line.
Ivan Reis and Marc Campos, again, knock one out of the park in the art department. They give us one of the proudest, strongest Superman interpretations in a long time, yet he still manages to look joyful even in the middle of a spectacular fight scene. Here’s hoping the artists stay on this title for a long time.
I have to admit, this issue wasn’t too bad. If Austen could stay away from the cookie-cutter subplots and awful characterization of the main character that he showed over the last two months and stick to straight action (as the title implies), this would be an okay, if not spectacular, installment of the Superman titles.
Rating: 6/10
Teen Titans/Legion Special #1
October 8, 2004
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Superboy and the Legion Part Two & Teenage Wonderland
Can even the combined power of the Teen Titans and the Legion of Super-Heroes save Earth from the Fatal Five Hundred?
Writers: Mark Waid & Geoff Johns
Pencils: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado & Barry Kitson
Inks: Marc Campos & Barry Kitson
Colors: Sno-Cone & Chris Blythe
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Eddie Berganza & Stephen Wacker
Cover Art: Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning
Publisher: DC Comics
Two weeks ago (in Teen Titans #16, if anybody is counting), the Teen Titans were plucked from the present and brought 1,000 years in the future by their teammate, Superboy. People who read Legion (and if you’re not one of them, you missed out) know that Superboy has spent months in the future with the Legion of Super-Heroes. Now the team is facing a threat so dire they need reinforcements from the distant past. Their old enemies, the Fatal Five, have found a way to tear holes in reality, collecting their counterparts from one alternate universe to another. With 500 supervillains attacking Earth, their numbers multiplying all the time, the two squads of heroes have to find a way to save the world.
The climax of this issue is a teeny bit too “Star Trek” for my taste – a quick application of gobbledygook science that we’ve got to assume works properly because none of us are as smart as Brainiac 5, but Johns and Waid nail the characterization of this special, and that’s where the book really shines. The scenes with Kid Flash and his cousin, XS, stand out as really powerful and true to life. Superboy struggling with the choice of which of his teams will claim him and the fear in Wonder Girl and Robin that he won’t choose them – all excellent.
The book closes off setting up the next arc for both properties, and I must say, it looks like the Legion will have more far-reaching consequences. When I first heard the direction their new series would take I was somewhat disappointed – I found it rather unnecessary – but the way this issue ends gives me hope that things have been planned out well.
Action Comics artists Ivan Reis and Marc Campos, along with Joe Prado, do a fantastic job on the art of this book. Very few artists can draw so many characters at once – not just all of the Titans and Legionnaires, but hundreds of different variations of the same five villains. A double-page spread of the “five hundred” swarming down at the camera is particularly good – shows off all of the variants the artists whipped up. I also really liked the version Superboy – he looks, in fact, like a young Superman. We also get an epilogue sequence with art by Barry Kitson, who will join Waid on the new Legion series – and it’s very, very impressive stuff.
This is a solid issue pretty clearly intended to help cross-pollinate the readers of the two properties – although Legion of Super-Heroes needs the help more. Hopefully, they’ll get it.
Rating: 8/10
The Back Issue Bin 