DC Universe Online Legends #1

February 5, 2011

Title: Legendary

Writer: Marv Wolfman & Tony Bedard
Art: Howard Porter, Livesay, Adriana Melo & Norman Lee
Colorist: Carrie Strachan
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Cover: Ed Benes & Randy Mayor
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Publisher: DC Comics

I’ve been enjoying the hell out of playing the new DC Universe Online video game, so I didn’t have any problem picking up the first issue of the biweekly maxiseries tying in to the adventure. This first issue, at least, seems to be all prequel. Using the opening movie that starts the game as its basis, we see as a future Lex Luthor finally succeeds in his long-time goal of destroying Superman and his allies. As he does so, though, his ally Brainiac turns on him, taking advantage of the power vacuum among Earth’s superhumans to launch an invasion. In minutes, Lex goes from world-conqueror to the leader of the rebellion.

The book is split between two timelines. In the future, we watch as Lex assembles the remaining heroes and villains to take a stand against Brainiac. In the present, we see Lex forging that alliance in the first place. Being a player of the game, I’m intrigued, but a bit confused. The game begins with this “future Lex” coming back to the present to warn the Justice League against the danger presented by his younger self. The dual timelines, though, make for a strange narrative. I can’t really tell what the thrust of this series is going to be – today or tomorrow? With luck, the next issue will make that clear.

The artwork is okay here. Porter and Livesay handle the scenes in the future, and the devastation left behind by Luthor’s war comes across really well. In the present, Melo and Lee don’t have as much action to illustrate, but their depiction of modern-day Luthor looks very nice. The Ed Benes cover is strong, except for (oddly enough) his Wonder Woman. It may just be the angle, but her face looks a bit off to me.

It’s not a bad way to kick off the series, but I hope it solidifies itself soon.

Rating: 7/10

Superman: Secret Origin #6

September 6, 2010

Title: The End

Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Gary Frank
Inks: John Sibal
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover: Gary Frank
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Comics

The latest retelling of Superman’s origin comes to a fantastic conclusion this month. Sam Lane’s troops are sent in to back up Metallo as he faces off with the Man of Steel on the streets of Metropolis, and if that wasn’t enough, Lane has a bombshell to drop on his daughter Lois – this “Superman” she’s become so enamored of is actually an alien. Who knew?

While I don’t know if there was really a need to re-tell Superman’s origin again (this is at least the third ground-floor retelling in my lifetime), I can’t deny that this was a good retelling. Geoff Johns’s interpretation not just of Superman, but of the rest of the cast, helps to bring them much more in-line with the versions we’ve seen in the Superman comics over the past few years. The Lex Luthor and Sam Lane bits in particular would have fit in very well with the recently-wrapped War of the Supermen series – shame, really, that this book was delayed. It would have been a good companion piece to that storyline.

Man, Gary Frank is one of the best artists ever to draw this characters. His Superman, of course, is intentionally evocative of Christopher Reeve, but he also does good work with the rest of the cast. Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane aren’t intended to look like any actors that I can think of, but they have a look that fits in with his Superman very well. Lex Luthor, on the other hand, just looks insane, and that’s perfect for the character.

This has been a fine retelling of Superman’s beginnings. Now, hopefully, DC will really use this opportunity to look forward.

Rating: 9/10