So C.A.R.L has all left for the summer and I have to enjoy my comic mania all by myself. Our last meeting was fun, we didn’t get around to discussing Will Eisner’s Life Force, but we were just kina all saying good bye and in particular good bye to Josh who leaves for China in the coming months and will not be returning to Memphis next year. So we just had fun, discussed comics in general, and we watched Thor. Thor was great. I’m a DC guy and thusly have never read a Thor comic, but it was extremely well done. I just hope Green Lantern can live up to the challenge Thor posed to the comic based movie world.
It’s been a good time for comics recently, at least the ones that I read. This blog is a little behind as far as recent stuff (I think all the stuff I mention is at least two weeks old), but oh well. Maybe I’ll get caught up soon. Here are the issues that I sat down recent with: Justice League of America # 57, Red Robin #23, Hellboy: Being Human, B.P.R.D. : The Dead Remembered #2, Batman Inc. #6, Flash # 12, and the highly anticipated Flashpoint #1.
Justice League of America #57
Justice League is one of those books that’s been struggling for Identity for a while. In the past two years the team has been switched up and bounced around without any real driving narrative. Their stories to date haven’t been great and have usually relied on some other story plot to push them forward, blackest night, brightest day JSA plot lines. I read an article on newsarama.com where the author was expressing their want for more Grant Morrison type stories and less Geoff Johns type stories. Johns is much more character focused and driven and Morrison is more story centered with sometimes little concern for character development for the sake of the character.
When James Robinson took over the book I was super excited. I heard announcements about some of the new characters he was adding to the group and thought it would make for some interesting narratives. I like the character Congorilla, I think he has lot of potential. However, until recently I was afraid that the same criticism of JLA Detroit was going to apply this current incarnation of the team. That criticism being that no one wants to see B-list heroes. We want a team that’s the best of the best, not second stringers. Robinson has said that its his goal to prove that these current members are worthy of being the Justice League. So far he hasn’t quite done this.
I am not a big fan of Eclipso has the main villain. But most of that is because I’ve always thought of him as kind of lame and have never understood why he’s posed such a threat to the DCU so many times. He kind of looks like a rip off of the green goblin. Having said that, I’m really digging this arc. It’s dramatic, dire, and so we can finally have enough circumstance to flush out what makes this team the JLA. Hopefully though they can get past all the problems with their powers (Jessie Quick, Alan Scott, and establish what are Saint Walkers new ring abilities) after this arc and go into some more great stories.
I recently read a review issue 57, two actually, that criticized it for it’s bad theology. This question has arisen because in the plot Eclipso reveals that his master plan is to kill God. In the previous issue he fights and defeats God’s angel Zauriel. And apparently when angels are in danger they release a sonic sound that a summons to other of God’s cosmic servants for help. Eclipso uses this to lure the Spectre to the moon and the embattled forces. During this fight Eclipso tells his host that the earth is God’s most cherished planet. This is why the white lantern was housed here and why earth was the beginning and center of creation, and also why the spectre (God’s spirit of vengeance) is always human as is the phantom stranger and Eclipso himself. He states that God’s energy flows out feeding the universe and that this energy flow is not one way. So by destroying the earth he can kill God. All these things have caused some to make a fuss about this fuzzy theology.
Come on people, it’s a comic. I doubt that Robinson is making religious statements via his characters. Eclipso isn’t Robinson’s theological mouth piece. Besides the fact that its fiction, his argument would then rest on things that don’t exist, IE White Lanterns, the phantom stranger and ect. I’m a theology student and even I didn’t find it off putting. But whatever, it’s a good comic and it’s finally propelling JLA into a book I’d recommend to others.
Red Robin #23
Red Robin is another one of those books that’s finally coming around. Tim Drake was one of my earliest read characters, way back when he had his book Robin, but with all the exciting things happening within the bat-family Tim Drake has a lot of competition for readership. He just like the JLA is in fictional fight for identity and the right to have a place in the DCU. Early in his run he was angsty about nobody believing him about Bruce being alive but now he seems to have calmed down. Issue 23 starts off with him having another confrontation with Lynx, who is the leader of the Golden Dragons, a gang in Gotham’s little Asia. She and Tim have a romantic fling type thing going on that is reminiscent of Bruce and Selina. I’m all for the nerdy types getting the slightly rebellious, good looking gals. Reminds me of Steph and I haha.
The issue centers around Tim trying to find out who is behind several attempted assignations. It had a good interchange between Commissioner Gordan and Tim that highlighted their often overlooked dynamic. Though Red Robin isn’t as iconic as Batman or Robin but the book is finally going to the core of Tim’s character: a great detective and master strategist. If the writer (Nicieza) continues to hone in on these aspects of Tim Drake he will make sure that Tim is seen as an equal and important part of the bat-family. But these last two issues of Red Robin have made sure I will continue reading, even though I do miss his old costume.
Hellboy: Being Human
Yet another piece of Sequential Art that I was fortunate enough to read this week was the one shot Hellboy: Being Human. Hellboy is always a great read. The B.P.R.D isn’t as steady but Hellboy never fails. Being Human is no exception. It’s a story of one of Roger and Hellboy’s early team ups (Roger in current continuity being dead). Hellboy one shots are one of my favorite things to share with new comic readers. They are always written well and they stand alone as great short stories without needing to explain exactly who and what Hellboy is. Mignola through the actions in the story let you know that Hellboy is a paranormal investigator who fights evil…and who is also a monster of sorts. This Particular one shot takes place in a cemetery and abandoned house in South Carolina. They fight against an old voodoo using woman who is bring back a long dead rich southern family to exact her revenge on them. And there is a good snipet of dialogue between Roger and Hellboy (both non-human) at the end about what it means to be human.
I’ve never been really crazy about Richard Corben’s art. I just don’t think it’s as sharp or developed as Mignola’s or Davis’ work. But it really works in this comic as well as one of my all-time favorites, Hellboy in Mexico. If you want to recommend a single comic to get someone interested in the medium let them read either of these one shots.
B.P.R.D: The Dead Remembered #2 of 3
The next thing I read was also in the Hellboy universe, The B.P.R.D: The Dead Remembered 2 of 3. This mini-series centers on a young Liz Sherman in one of her earlier cases with Professor Trevor. Like the comic previously mentioned it is set in the past and not a part of present day story line in B.P.R.D (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense). So far it’s been a good story. It centers on the haunting of home by the spirit of a woman who was killed for being a witch by puritans. It also gives a lot of background to Liz. When she was younger she didn’t have control of her ability to generate fire. There is a flash back where Liz accidently incinerates here friends and family. This proves to be a defining and haunting moment for the character. But I like the mystery aspect of the story more than all the emo Liz background stuff.
Batman Inc. # 6
When Batman Inc. started up I wanted so much to hate it. Grant Morrison was irritating me with the whole “I want to make Bruce Wayne more like Tony Stark” madness. And the first five issues were really good. With issue 6 I dropped this book from my monthly pull. I may still pick it up, but I don’t want to have it ordered for me. I really didn’t like the art and the story is getting really odd and convoluted. It reminded me of Batman and Robin. The first couple of issues were really good with Professor Pyg and all. Then he was this whole lead up to what supposed to be the most feared assassin ever and it turns out to be a pink flamingo themed motorcyclist! In all fairness Morrison’s stories should be read over time so I’m not totally counting Inc. out but still I’ve had enough for now. Bruce is gathering his forces together to face some global international threat with, as always, a massive worldwide plot of destruction. Hopefully it will get better, but I’m not holding my breath. Morrison is a great story teller (see his run on JLA or more recently, All Star Superman) but I’ve just not been too impressed with him as of late.
Flash and Flashpoint
In the last couple of issues of the Flash the Character Hot Pursuit has been introduced. Hot Pursuit is an alternate version of Barry Allen who has a motorcycle that runs on the speed force (so it’s superfast) as it can apparently travel to different time variations. He shows up looking for the greatest threat to time as we know it. The Flash comic takes on a great mystery feel because of all this. Well I won’t reveal all the ends and odds of this mystery but the consequences and the villain (a little predictable), cause Barry to wake up in an alternate time line that has severely changed his world. It’s different than an elseworlds tale because those are alternate universes. This is the same universe but drastically changed because of…well you’ll have to find out. But it’s great.
Flashpoint #1 was the favorite comic that I read in the stack. In this comic Geoff Johns introduces a ton of new characters that are either truly new or different takes on ones we are familiar with. This has spawned many, many, MANY one shots or 3 part miniseries tie ins that are not essential to the story, but that expand on these newly introduced characters. The only ones I’m reading are the batman one and the green lantern one. Batman is not who you think he is and in this timeline Hal Jordan isn’t but Abin Sur (who never died in his crash so there was no need to pass on his mantle).
There has been a lot of talk about the whole cheesey multiverse stuff, but I kinda dig it. Not only does it give you a chance to change it up as far as storytelling, origins, and who the character is, but it then gives you the ability for characters to meet different versions of themselves and interact. It’s a good way to expand the fictional world they inhabit.
