While all of us at Multiversity are fans of a wide spectrum of comics, there are a few of us that tend to self-identify as “DC guys.” We’ve cried for justice; we’ve been through the blackest nights and the brightest days. And now, we’ve been culled together for a new column to focus on some of the bigger goings on in the world of Detective Comics Comics. If you’re wondering who is going to stand up and discuss what is happening at DC – don’t worry:
This month, the DC3 will be looking at each and every book DC releases that ties into Villains Month, and grading them on a three point scale: H’el-ish means bad, Two-Faced means so-so, or Killer (Croc) means great! And be warned, there are some minor spoilers discussed.
Action Comics #23.4 – Metallo
Written by Sholly Fisch
Illustrated by Steve Pugh
Before he became Metal-Zero, John Corben had two great loves: his country and Lois Lane. Awakening from a coma after the events of ACTION COMICS #8, Corben finds himself betrayed by both—and now his Kryptonite heart beats only for revenge! And when he joins up with the Secret Society, there’s no limit to the destruction he can cause!
Brian’s Thoughts: Sholly Fisch is one of the most under-utilized writers in DC’s stable right now. Sure, he can handle all-ages stuff, but he can also do a damn fine Superman story, as his “Action Comics” backups showed, as did both of his Villains Month stories (Brainiac and this). Metallo, in his hands, is a sympathetic monster, and one whose threats seem real and dangerous. Aided by the great Steve Pugh (who was not solicited as artist), this tells a complete story, without belaboring a tired origin. Pugh’s art strikes that delicate balance between menace and hope, and his underwater sequences make me excited for the Namor scenes in his upcoming “All New Invaders.”
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Action Comics?” – Yes
Vince’s Thoughts: Like Brian, I’m a big fan of Sholly Fisch and wish that he’d get more of a profile in ‘The New 52’. Hell, he’d be an upgrade on any number of current ongoing titles. That said, I didn’t find as much to like with the “Metallo” issue. I found the political explorations of the issue to be interesting, but those were quickly dropped for a knock-down, drag-out fight between robots and another Secret Society recruitment scene. I guess I’ll say it was a fine issue that just didn’t end in a satisfying way, for my tastes. Steve Pugh’s art, to me, is much more suited to a book like “Animal Man” (anecdotally, a surprising number of people disagree with me on that), but he turned in fine work as always.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Action Comics?” – Yes.
Zach’s Thoughts: I’ll back Brian and Vince up on the Sholly Fisch praise. Get that guy on an ongoing book STAT! While I didn’t enjoy “Metallo” quite as much as Fisch’s “Bizarro,” it was still pretty enjoyable. I fall in the group Vince mentioned about not enjoying Pugh’s “Animal Man” work, but I found his work here to be a great fit. It’s crazy to think that the New 52 Metallo is just now getting his kryptonite heart, two years after his introduction. That kind of restraint and patience isn’t particularly common at DC of late. Still, as Vince mentioned, this issue doesn’t do anything particularly noteworthy.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Action Comics?” – No
Aquaman #23.2 – Ocean Master
Written by Geoff Johns and Tony Bedard
Illustrated by Geraldo Borges
Ocean Master is freed from Belle Reve and wants no part of the Secret Society—he just wants to go home to Atlantis. But he has a long bloody journey across the surface world in front of him, and he might not make it back!
Brian’s Thoughts: Ocean Master is a character that has very few unique qualities going for him. He’s basically Namor, without the quick wit. This story, beautifully illustrated by Borges, really does nothing but chronicle a bastard walking ten miles, helping as few people as possible. The ending attempts to redeem the character slightly, but nothing about the book is particularly interesting or new. A not unpleasant read, but not a very interesting one either.
Continued belowVerdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Aquaman?” – About the same, with the standard Bendis-level decompression
Vince’s Thoughts: The Ocean Master issue’s main flaw is that it continually tries to come up with moments where its villain can look layered or complicated (so much so that a police officer basically says “Ocean Master is morally complex” at one point), but never gives a decent argument that his viewpoint is anything other than deplorable. Every chance Ocean Master gets to take a high road is kind of set-up to look like we’re supposed to see why his actions might be justified, but those actions are never anything but entirely sinister and self-serving. A skewed worldview is not complex when it almost always ends with Ocean Master murdering somebody or letting them die. His character was treated better than this in the ‘Throne of Atlantis’ event, and the scripts were better too. I didn’t hate the issue, which was a solid villainous road trip from captivity and into the “Forever Evil” events, but I think it misfired on Ocean Master’s characterization.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Aquaman?” – No – it misses the mark by a little bit.
Zach’s Thoughts: As someone who consistently enjoys Johns’ “Aquaman” and thinks ‘Throne of Atlantis’ is the best arc of “Justice League” thus far, it’s great to see Johns take one more turn with Ocean Master before his departure from the title. This issue isn’t as strong as its “Black Manta” counterpart, but it hits some nice story beats. Geraldo Borges art falls in line with the styles of Ivan Reis and Paul Pelletier, especially under Rod Reis’ colors. Unfortunately, like a few other books this week, it just doesn’t do much.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Aquaman?” – No, but not far off.
Batman #23.4 – Bane
Written by Peter Tomasi
Illustrated by Graham Nolan
Batman is gone, and the inmates of Arkham Asylum are running wild in the streets! Bane is in Gotham City with one goal…to take it over no matter who he has to break!
Brian’s Thoughts: This book’s contents were already revealed in the “Detective Comics 23.3 – The Scarecrow” issue – we knew Bane was going to take control of Blackgate and attempt to take over the city. Therefore, this issue just gave the umpteenth telling of Bane’s origin, along with some hilarious visuals, like Bane throwing a dumbbell through someone’s head. Beyond the quasi-retro, 1996-style art (I mean that as a complement), there wasn’t much to enjoy here.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman?” – Not a chance.
Vince’s Thoughts: As Brian alluded, “Bane” is home to what could be the most violent images of “Villains Month” so far – though not the most disturbing. I guess this issue succeeds at reflecting Bane’s characterization keys: his brute strength, his lack of empathy, and his status as a villainous folk hero. It doesn’t make for an essential Bane story, however, because it regurgitates a lot that we already know. Every comic is someone’s first comic, so someone who knows nothing about Bane could feel okay about picking this up. For everyone else, this is another “Villains Month” story that acts as a non-required lead-in to a “Forever Evil” tie-in book.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman?” – No.
Zach’s Thoughts: Forming the other half of last week’s “Scarecrow,” “Bane” continues to pave the way for next month’s “Arkham War” miniseries. While Tomasi did a pretty good job of piquing my interest in “Scarecrow,” “Bane” goes a long way towards defusing it. This is a pretty simple, extremely violent, villain origin rehash, and little more. Nolan’s art is suitably appropriate, however, and probably the best part of the issue.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman?” – No
Continued belowBatman and Robin #23.4 – Killer Croc
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Francis Portella
As the battle for Gotham City continues to build, the scales become unbalanced when the ferocious Killer Croc enters the fray!
Brian’s Thoughts: Despite a different look than he had just a few months ago in the pages of “Red Hood and the Outlaws,” Killer Croc gets a combo origin story/set up issue for “Arkham War.” I know that retconning is pretty common, but this barely seems to be the same guy who is Roy Harper’s AA sponsor in “Red Hood,” and that was a New 52 addition to his origin. Why can’t DC just let its characters be consistent? Anyway, Tim Seeley, in his DC debut, crafts a clever story about adaptation and regression, and Portella does a fine job making Croc seem ferocious one minute and sympathetic the next. As a stand-alone issue, this was a fine, if unspectacular read, but as part of a shared universe, this is a big ol’ waste.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman and Robin?” – About the same
Vince’s Thoughts: This is how you do a single issue villain story, folks. While I see Brian’s point about the ‘New 52’ Killer Croc that was established in ‘Red Hood’ – forgive me for not giving one good goddamn about anything that happened in that series. In 20 pages, Seeley juggles a little bit of origin, with a little bit of “Forever Evil” relevance, but most importantly, has time to craft a real arc for the dirty GCPD officers going up against Croc too. This is a jam-packed issue with very precious few missteps. And Francis Portella’s art? It’s practically revelatory for a guy that found his “Legion of Super-Heroes” issues to be a little too goofy and puffy for my tastes. He nails every page in a really strong collaboration of script and art.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman and Robin?” – Yes, since Damian’s death.
Zach’s Thoughts: While this was primarily an origin issue, Seeley does a great job of making the origin thematically relevant with the present, something several Villain books have failed to do. Francis Portella is a very underrated artist, and he turns in some wonderful work here. This odd creative team-up had me really excited for this issue, and while it (ironically) doesn’t quite live up to Killer (Croc) status, it’s still one of the week’s best reads.
Verdict: Two-Faced (but on the high side)
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman and Robin?” – About the same.
Batman/Superman #3.1 – Doomsday
Written by Greg Pak
Illustrated by Brett Booth
Long before Superman fought the unstoppable monster known as Doomsday, the beast’s reputation for death and destruction haunted The Man of Steel’s home world of Krypton.
Brian’s Thoughts: This is an example of DC clearly wanting a Doomsday story, but having no idea how to fit him into the New 52. So, Pak and Booth do the next best thing, which is to create a story set in the past which prophesies about Doomsday. Booth’s art fits the story quite well, and his over the top style works both in the Kryptonian sequences as well as the prophetic parts. However, no matter how nicely scripted or kinetically drawn the book, the truth here is that this is yet another wasted tale. The Zod stuff, clearly, is important in DC’s mind, and so I see that a bunch of these (especially the Pak-written) stories are building Zod up to be the next big Super-bad, but the Doomsday stuff (which, you know, is what this is supposed to be) falls flat.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman/Superman?” – No
Vince’s Thoughts: Dammit, I like Brett Booth’s art. Yes, there’s a bit of the “bad 90’s” in there, but it’s much more cartoony and dynamic than what you typically image from the “90’s Image” style. He’s been saddled with less than stellar books in the ‘New 52’, but I think he rises to the occasion here. Look at those “storybook” pages and tell me they’re not gorgeous. Alright, I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I’ll turn my attentions to the story. It’s really hard to do something with Doomsday. Hell, it’s really surprising that they continue to reference the death of Superman in the current continuity. That said, Greg Pak does a decent job with an era that probably doesn’t need to be remembered, except as a news story and a cheesy reminder of some 90’s ‘Big Two’ tendencies. By taking Doomsday head-on, but not really doing anything new or different with him, you come out with a pretty plain, but inoffensive issue.
Continued belowVerdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman/Superman?” – No.
Zach’s Thoughts: This issue left me with a lot of mixed feelings. On one hand, this is some of Booth’s best work in recent memory. The prophecy scenes, drained of color, are really kind of beautiful. The bits with Kara and Zod were surprising, and the entire issue was exciting and dynamic. However, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. The prophecy thing feels extremely shoehorned (who would even prophecy something like on Krypton, or when?). Even in an issue centered on Doomsday, DC continues to dance around the status of the iconic ‘Death of Superman’ in New 52 continuity. I certainly hope Pak picks up some of these threads in “Action Comics,” as there’s a lot of potential here, but it’s squandered as it is.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman/Superman?” – No
Batman: The Dark Knight #23.4 – The Joker’s Daughter
Written by Ann Nocenti
Illustrated by Georges Jeanty
The Gotham Underground is quickly becoming a base of power in the DC Universe! After the destruction of Arkham Asylum, The Joker’s Daughter is gaining hordes of followers across the terrifying and brutal landscape! In a world where ugly is considered beautiful, what dark initiation rites befall this madwoman’s new recruits?
Brian’s Thoughts: Ick. What happened to the Ann Nocenti who did incredible work on “Daredevil?” This bizarre mashup of Duela Dent, Harley Quinn, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles results in one of the poorest stories of this month. The woman who is called the Joker’s Daughter just so happens upon the Joker’s face in the sewer, because why not? The fact that she has a self-mutilated face is supposed to make her sympathetic and add a dose of poetic justice to her adopting the Joker’s face, but it just takes a stupid Tony Daniel story to an even stupider place. Jeanty tries to add some gravity to the story through his art, but when you’re drawing things like a coat made of pennies or a homemade crescent moon/smile brand, there isn’t enough talent in the world to make this a worthwhile read.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman: The Dark Knight?” – No.
Vince’s Thoughts: It’s easy to just take this issue and crap all over it as a typical ‘New 52’ Nocenti mess, but Brian really said everything that needs to be said about the content itself. I will, however, add something to the questioning of writer Ann Nocenti. I, too, have read at least what I think must have been a decent-sized chunk of her “Daredevil” run, but I don’t remember her dialogue being this wonky. In the ‘New 52’, it seems like her every character narrates or speaks in obtuse half-thoughts and riddles. It makes for a bunch of sequences that, even if they were interesting ideas on their own, feel tossed together and ultimately ridiculous. I admired her work before ‘The New 52’ – now I’m just glad all that old work is still easy to find!
Can I also address the problematic fact that “The Joker’s Daughter” was the hottest, most sought after issue by fans and speculators in villains month? This sort of wild support based on what I assume amounts to nothing more than a halfway cool cover gimmick, a little bit o’ internet hype machine, and the inclusion of the name “Joker” is a pretty disheartening phenomenon. Fans had no way to gauge the quality of the issue before its release (except for the past works of its creative team), anecdotally seem to hate the actual story now that it’s out there, and yet it was easily the most talked about and successful sale of the month.
We’ll be extremely lucky if that sad fact doesn’t encourage more of this trash.
Verdict: H’el-ish, though I still think the ‘Trigon’ issue was the bottom of the barrel, scraped.
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman: The Dark Knight?” – No.
Zach’s Thoughts: I don’t know how this got published. Nocenti makes no attempt at rationalizing the absurd series of events and leaps of logic made within the pages of “Joker’s Daughter.” I spent the entire issue asking myself “why?” Georges Jenty’s art is pretty good, but this is among the worst Villain’s Month has to offer.
Continued belowVerdict: The most H’el-ish of all
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman: The Dark Knight?” – No
Detective Comics #23.4 – Man-Bat
Written by Frank Tieri
Illustrated by Scott Eaton and Jaime Mendoza
Dr. Langstrom has given in to the Man-Bat side of his personality. Left unchecked in a world without heroes, he brutally stalks his prey in Gotham City! If Langstrom won’t stop himself…who will?
Brian’s Thoughts: Man-Bat is a great character when used well and, thus far, the New 52 has been relatively kind to him. This story, seemingly, begins his unraveling into true villainy, instead of the more heroic aspirations he’s shown in the past. Eaton does a really admirable job showing the descent into madness, and takes Man-Bat from terrifying to insanely terrifying slowly and cleverly. Tieri’s story requires a little bit of Man-Bat knowledge going in, but that’s not a bad thing. This very much feels like part of a bigger story, and one that I’d actually like to keep reading.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Detective Comics?” – Maybe a tad.
Vince’s Thoughts: John Layman and Andy Clarke have been doing this story in the “Detective Comics” back-ups and I can’t help but feel that this issue adds absolutely nothing to that. Scott Eaton’s art is detailed, creepy – terrific, really. Frank Tieri’s script is fine. The fact that the issue isn’t bad doesn’t prevent the story from feeling a little regurgitated next to the ongoing Man-Bat tale that’s already being told. Even though it’s in line with that story, it feels inessential, but you also won’t be upset if you pick it up.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Detective Comics?” –
Zach’s Thoughts: I’ve enjoyed the stuff John Layman has been doing with Man-Bat recently in “Detective Comics,” even if it flies in the face of Morrison’s Batman. This picks up from that, and details Langstrom’s apparent evolution (or de-evolution) into the monster we know and love. That said, Tieri plants a glimmer of heroic hope for the character, something I would love to see someone like Layman pick up and run with. Scot Eaton’s art is solid, but ultimately, this issue just feels lacking.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Detective Comics?” – About the same
Green Lantern #23.4 – Sinestro
Written by Matt Kindt
Illustrated by Dale Eaglesham
Years ago, Sinestro used his Green Lantern ring to utterly dominate his home planet of Korugar, all in the name of “protecting” his people. It’s the mistake that turned his name into a curse, and brought down the greatest Green Lantern of them all…but one never-before-seen moment from those dark days holds the key to his future!
Brian’s Thoughts: Dale Eaglesham drawing a Lantern book is an amazing thing of beauty. Just look at these pages – this is a match made in heaven. Perhaps DC will tap him for the eventual Sinestro book. And they could do a lot worse than Kindt, who presents an even more ruthless Sinestro than before. Everything about him gets turned up to 11 here, which is an unfortunate consequence of branding an event around villains. That said, there are some really nice moments here, and Kindt continues to find ways to work his style into the fabric of the New 52, rather seamlessly.
Verdict: Two-Faced, but almost Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Lantern?” – About the same.
Vince’s Thoughts: I’m fully aware that this is self-indulgent of me and a cardinal sin when reviewing a comic book, but I didn’t care for this because it’s not what I wanted. That’s an approach that I didn’t want to take with any of these villains month reviews, but with this one I feel like I can’t help it. I’ve been reading “Green Lantern” for a long time. I’ve seen Sinestro taken to immense depths by Geoff Johns, which includes plenty of information about what Sinestro was like before Hal’s ring ever left Abin Sur’s finger. He’s probably off the table for right now, but I would have found much more novelty and value in seeing what Sinestro is up to now, rather than another Sinestro origin story – no matter how competently told. That said, Dale Eaglesham’s panel work was a ‘New 52’ revelation. DC Comics should get this guy an ongoing job, like, yesterday!
Continued belowVerdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Lantern?” – No
Zach’s Thoughts: Dale Eaglesham almost sold this comic on his own. This guy was made for drawing Sinestro, and even his panel boundaries are gorgeous. Unfortunately, this is essentially just another origin retelling. Kindt does a good job of making things interesting, and uses the inspired choice of Lyssa Drak as the story’s mouthpiece. It’s surprisng that Kindt doesn’t take the chance to set up Sinestro’s imminent return in “Forever Evil,” which still feels weird to me, consider the way Johns’ “Green Lantern” ended.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Lantern?” – No
Justice League #23.4 – Secret Society
Written by Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates
Illustrated by Szymon Kudranski
An army of super villains has been built throughout The New 52 during 2013—but for what purpose? Learn about the villains that have paved the way for the world of FOREVER EVIL.
Brian’s Thoughts: This look at the Outsider’s past is instructive for those who have never read a Crime Syndicate story before, as it gives a pretty clear look at what Earth 3 was like. The downside to this is that if you’ve ever read a story featuring these characters before, you know exactly what is going on, and nothing is particularly interesting or exciting about it. I love Kurdanski’s art, and I’m glad he replaced the solicited artists on the book, and his moody style certainly fits the Earth 3 aesthetic. But Gates and Johns don’t really offer anything all that new here and, outside of the last page, nothing that feels all too important for “Forever Evil,” either.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League?” – Not quite.
Vince’s Thoughts: I guess I don’t share either of your enthusiasms for Kudranski’s art anymore. I’ve said this over and over, but I thought he did a terrific job on “Penguin: Pain and Prejudice.” His dark, moody look was so very fresh. I can’t help but look at these pages and feel as if visual storytelling choices are being made haphazardly and, in some cases, corners were cut. Heavy shadows often obscure things, rather than imbue a mood or tone. It’s really gotten indulgent as his work in the ‘New 52’ goes on. Objects are layered over one another or thrown into panels without smoothing the page as a whole into something visually homogenous. At one point we see a silhouette of Superman punching Darkseid, and the two images are presented as simply layered over one another with no sense of impact. Later, a barrage of randomly assembled and oddly-spaced floating heads surround The Earth-3 Pennyworth as he assembles his Secret Society. So many of the issue’s images are awkwardly staged that it made for a difficult read, and an art style that I once enjoyed greatly appears to have regressed, at least as far as my own tastes are concerned. I no longer see the gains in tone that the style once provided.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League?” – No.
Zach’s Thoughts: I get where Brian is coming from on “Secret Society,” and it may seem hypocritical for just criticizing “Sinestro” for rehashing familiar stories, but I absolutely loved this issue. I’m a DC multiverse nut, and getting the first glimpse of the New 52 Earth 3 was great. Johns and Gates do a lot in a short amount of time, conveying the relationship between Owlman, the Outsider, Talon, and the Joker of Earth 3. They even explain Outsider’s white skin and “Ha” tic. Furthermore, Kudranski is an extremely inspired choice for this issue. The issue’s cliffhanger sets the stage for some really interesting conflicts in “Forever Evil,” making it essential reading for fans.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League?” – About the same.
Continued belowJustice League of America #7.4
Written by Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates
Illustrated by Edgar Salazar
Where is Black Adam? And what series of events is triggered when the Secret Society attacks Kahndaq? Discover all of this and much more in this issue!
Brian’s Thoughts: Getting me to enjoy a Black Adam story isn’t hard at all – he’s one of my favorite characters in all of comics. This story is ably handled, and returns Black Adam to the New 52 after a brief death (perhaps the briefest death in the New 52, to be honest) and plants the seeds for a return of the Black Marvel family (who knows what they’ll be known as in the New 52 – the Adamites?). Salazar does a nice job fitting his style to Gary Frank’s “Shazam” backups in Justice League, giving these characters a consistent look across the DCU.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League of America?” – Yes
Vince’s Thoughts: The strong design continuity between Edgar Salazar’s work on this issue and Gary Frank’s original ‘New 52′ introduction to the “Shazam” property was very impressive. This issue would fit right alongside the backup story that ran in “Justice League” for 10 issues. That said, the script – while absolutely capable – was not as deliciously droll in its sense of pure villainy as Geoff Johns’ were when he was writing Black Adam. While the visuals certainly held up their end of the bargain, the villain himself was used too sparingly and with less of the rich characterization I was used to.
Verdict: Two-Faced (but mostly on the handsome, Harvey Dent side)
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League of America?” – Yes
Zach’s Thoughts: I’ll second Brian and Vince on commending Edgar Salazar’s art, which comes strikingly close to Gary Frank’s distinctive style. I chalk this up as another win for Johns and Gates this week. While the issue isn’t as strong as Johns’ and Frank’s run, it does provide a fitting continuation of that storyline. I found it a little disappointing to see Black Adam come back, as is, so soon after his demise. Several other options, making Amon the new Black Adam/Osiris, or casting Billy as Black Adam, as suggested in ‘Trinity War,’ seemed far more interesting from a plot standpoint. Still, as Villain’s Month issues have gone, this one is pretty great.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League of America?” – Yes
Superman #23.4 – Parasite
Written and Illustrated by Aaron Kuder
Parasite: Noun.An organism that lives in or on another organism.
Preferably Superman.
Brian’s Thoughts: One of my hopes for this month would be unique artistic experiences. And while a few of the books have looked really nice, this is the first that felt idiosyncratic in the way that, say, Manapul’s “The Flash” or Allred’s “FF” are. Kuder absolutely owns this issue, and being the sole creator on it really lets him unleash his talents. The layouts are killer, it is funny (and appropriately cheesy at times), and it tells an origin story that feels fresh. Maybe when Lobdell departs, Kuder can move from drawing “Action” to writing and drawing “Superman.”
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Superman?” – Yes. Much.
Vince’s Thoughts: I have to echo Brian’s thoughts on the art and storytelling. DC tends to have a certain approach to their ‘New 52’ books and even the best titles don’t go too far outside of that. “Wonder Woman” gets a little poppy from time to time and Andrea Sorrentino is doing something else entirely in all of his work, but we need more of it. Aaron Kuder looks like he’s just the guy to bring it. There’s a page here that’ll remind you of a “Hawkeye” page or something of that ilk. It’s good because it looks good, but also because it’s different. What made “Parasite” so refreshing was that it was disgusting and creepy at times, while using only as much violence as it needed to tell the story and highlighting the comedic potential of such a villain. I love the offbeat take and wish we’d have seen more of it this month.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Superman?” – Yes, by far. And hey, Boy Blue even showed up for a little bit!
Continued belowZach’s Thoughts: I was extremely excited to see Kuder take the route that artists like Francis Manapul and J.H. Williams III have taken in the New 52. As we’ve seen, when talented artists are given control of the story, the synergy often results in something far quirkier than an average mainstream book. This issue should definitely call to mind the likes of “Hawkeye” or “FF,” which is among the highest praise you can give a comic these days. If Villains Month has done one thing right, it’s that it has gotten me unbelievably excited for Pak and Kuder’s “Action Comics.”
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Superman?” – Absolutely
Wonder Woman #23.2 – First Born
Written by Brian Azzarello
Illustrated by Aco
The First Born son of Zeus—Wonder Woman’s oldest brother—has returned to claim the throne of Olympus! But it’s been a long and bloody road to reach his destiny…and you won’t believe the horror when you meet the rest of Wonder Woman’s extended “family”!
Brian’s Thoughts: It is a real shame that DC shoehorned “Cheetah” into a “Wonder Woman” numbering, because that felt completely out of place in Azzarello/Chiang’s world. This, on the other hand, is a perfect complement to that world. This is as essential an issue of “Wonder Woman” as any in the series thus far. Nothing but kudos to Aco, an artist I am not at all familiar with, but who does a really nice job here. He brings an almost Sean Phillips style to the Olympic proceedings, and manages to really dazzle in the process.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Wonder Woman?” – On par.
Vince’s Thoughts: I know we’re getting Goran Sudzuka in here pretty soon, but if he, and Cliff Chiang, and Tony Akins aren’t available – Aco can stop by Brian Azzarello’s “Wonder Woman” and I won’t bat an eye. His bold-lined style meshes with everything else that we’ve seen from the series. Because of that, and because of Brian Azzarello’s approach to the story, this just feels like a villain being featured in the current “Wonder Woman” ongoing, rather than just another shameless villains month issue. Azzarello’s frames the “First Born” origin with a snappy narration and makes things rather painless. I’d rather have a straight-up issue of “Wonder Woman” any day, but if “Villains Month” was going to be the bottom-line for September at DC Comics – Azzarello navigated it pretty well.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Wonder Woman?” – The same – it fits right in.
Zach’s Thoughts: “First Born” sits up there with “Count Vertigo” for feeling like a Villains Month issue that 100% belongs in the series that spawned it. Aco’s art fits in perfectly with the distinct style set by the rest of the rotating “Wonder Woman” team. As we saw in last year’s Zero issue, Azzarello does a great job of making these “bridge” issues matter, setting up plot threads that will carry over into the next year’s worth of stories. We just got the payoff for #0 in #23, and it was incredible. I can’t wait to see what comes in this new struggle between Apollo and the First Born. While I think the issue suffers a bit by not featuring a majority of the task, this is still a perfectly solid issue of “Wonder Woman,” which means it’s pretty freaking good.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Wonder Woman?” – The same.
Final Thoughts for the Week:
Zach: This week had the least bad, an average amount of pretty good, and a whole lot of average. I would at least put this week on par with week 3 for strongest batch of books. Johns’ books, Wonder Woman, and Parasite would be strong titles any month, not just during Villains Month, which is something very few of the Villains books can lay claim too. However, I have absolutely no clue how someone in the chain of command at DC didn’t put a stop “Joker’s Daughter.”
Continued belowBrian: This week, while featuring only one H’el-ish book, got a few things right, but mainly just churned out some meh books without offending. That is certainly an improvement over Weeks 1 and 2, but falls a little short of week 3.
Vince: Like every other week, and whether out tastes match or not, if you held yourself to about 3-4 books you probably did pretty good. Regardless of my distaste for the event as a whole, I’m being honest with myself and with you when I say there were just a couple of really bad issues each week, a few really good ones, and then a bunch of titles that I could take or leave. This week, the best books were ones that tried something different: Aaron Kuder’s unique approach to panel work and visual humor, Tim Seeley coming at a DC property for the first time, or Brian Azzarello treating this like any other month (hey, for “Villains Month” that is different).
Final Thoughts for the Month:
Vince: It didn’t occur to me until this very last week of the month what one of my unsung problems with “Villains Month” ultimately was: an utter lack of heroes.
That sounds like some snarky response to the fact that the month is supposed to be about the villains, but I don’t mean it like that. Let’s look at The Joker and why he’s comics most popular and enduring villain. Isn’t it mostly because he’s a great foil for his hero? Because he tests the limits of our hero, whose character we probably know more definitively and deeply than any other?
Is it as much fun to see the Joker running around committing crimes freely, gorilla in tow and Batman nowhere to be found? I submit that it’s not – not by a long shot. I would submit the same thing for almost any villain you could name. Just as great heroes have good rogues galleries – those rogues galleries are nothing without the heroes that ultimately find a way to thwart them. By taking every hero off the table (with only a couple of them making scant flashback appearances in maybe a panel or two in any given book), “Villains Month” has zero opportunity for a breather from the darkness. Darkness already infects superhero comics in the modern era to such a degree that going even darker usually didn’t sit well with me. So on a philosophical level, it was just hard for the villains to win with me this month. Probably about 10 of them did – the rest were throwaway issues, at least in my book.
That relatively minor point out of the way, I just don’t think there was a good creative effort put forth here as an event. As Brian and Zach have said, the creators who make good books in the standard ‘New 52’ are the creators who made good villains books, with only a couple exceptions. That’s comic books. And it’s all the proof I need to support my belief that creators matter more than anything else in comics.
Was This Better Than The Average Month of DC Comics? No. Despite following DC Comics closely, I find myself dropping more and more of my books. For me, “Villains Month” gave me an opportunity to get almost completely out. After reviewing the books in full, I’m just as comfortable with my decision to drop down to an all-time low number of monthly DC Comics, because as mediocre as I’ve been finding ‘The New 52’ in its second year, “Villains Month” made me want to read their titles even less.
Allow me to be perfectly frank: whether it was retailers getting shafted and getting caught holding the bag for DC, or the decision to minimize their acknowledgement of the contributions of creative teams, “Villains Month” always had its eye on DC’s bottom line first. Every company wants to turn a profit, but none of them have half-assed an entire month like DC Comics just did. Not in a long while, anyway. If they used this monetary win to support great projects in the future, then I’d be ecstatic about it. My deepest fear is that the financial success of this month will only encourage more like it.
Continued belowWe get the comic books that we deserve.
Zach: I appreciate that DC wants to celebrate the launch of the New 52, as well stimulate increased sales, every September. While the first two attempts have proven to be wildly successful financially, they have both come at the cost of story. Villains Month, and Zero Month before it, failed to live up to the potential of the concept, delivering mostly filler stories. Even the technically good ones add very little to the overall reading experience. In fact, I would argue that interrupting the monthly serialization of DC’s ongoing stories hurts that reading experience.
If DC wants to something to celebrate the launch of the New 52, they should do something really crazy. Like, what if they started planning now, picking their absolute top talent, to tell a complete story. How about, instead of 52 one-shots, DC brings back the prestige format for a handful of groundbreaking stories, at a discounted price. Think “Countdown to Infinite Crisis” on an even grander scale. I can’t think of a better way to increase interest in a brand than by doing interesting things, and getting those things into the hands of as many people as possible. I still think DC missed a great chance at the start of the New 52 by making every #1 issue $1. We’re coming to a point were it’s harder and harder to sustain 52 books a month, even with yearly publicity stunts and an absurdly large amount of Superman/Batman titles. If things keep going the way they’re going, that’s literally all we’ll have soon.
In the end. I dug the 3-D covers, I picked up the handful of books I knew I would like, and I had a bit of fun doing it. But more than anything, I’m ready to get back to my regular books. Maybe that’s DC’s real intention, to show us how much worse things could be.
Was This Better Than The Average Month of DC Comics? Definitely not. It was a pretty great experiment, but it felt shoddily prepared and half-heartedly produced.
Brian: Despite being a DC3er, I don’t read most of what DC puts out, so it is hard to compare this month to too many others, but I think that, from DC’s perspective, they probably see this month as a win. It got big sales, it got people talking, and it set up some interesting storylines going forward. Imagine what could’ve happened if this was a regular, functional company?
One of my overriding thoughts has been “shit, Batman has a lot of villains!” For the most part, his adversaries were handled well – they are pretty solid creations, so it is unsurprising that they’d inspire solid stories. I hate to be this guy, but most of the issues I took real issue with were creations of the New 52 – H’el or Joker’s Daughter, or perfectly fine characters who got their origins/personalities shaken up for no good reason (Creeper or Deathstroke). When the creators (and editors) respected the character’s essence, decent stories came out of them.
For next year’s September gimmick, I suggest something revolutionary, something DC would never in a million years do. I recommend they put their best writers and finest artists on their most important books, and let them tell brand new stories.
Dream on, I know.
Was This Better Than The Average Month of DC Comics? I don’t think so, but it wasn’t as universally bad as I expected it to be. I really was expecting 52 “Joker’s Daughter” issues, and I didn’t get that, so I’m relatively satisfied.
But I agree with Vince – I can’t wait to get back to the heroes.
