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.
Forever Evil #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Illustrated by David Finch
Brian’s Thoughts: I was really, really, looking forward to this and then…well, this feels like a prologue to the event. Which is sort of a bummer, as “Trinity War” was sort of a prologue to this event. I am excited by the Luthor story, and intrigued to see where Johns is taking this, as this seems like almost the most Johns-ian event that could happen in the New 52. I am not a huge fan of Finch’s work, typically, but his overly dark style works really well here. Overall, I wish this had more substance, but that isn’t a new event book complaint.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Vince’s Thoughts: Right out of the gates, “Forever Evil” is a better story than “Trinity War” was. The stakes are clear: the Justice Leagues are M.I.A., the rest of the (lesser) heroes are either in hiding or incapacitated, and the Crime Syndicate have formed a Secret Society of Evil to rule the new world they’ve found. Good stuff. Johns writes a hell of a Luthor, and we’re already getting some really terrific characterizations of the Earth 3 Syndicate. Unfortunately for me, a major barrier to enjoyment was the murky art. The spreads looked pretty good, but most of the book looked overly dark, with character renderings either unclear or just sloppy and unappealing to look at. I get that “Forever Evil” is going to be a dark-looking event – it’s a fitting tone. But there’s a difference between a dark visual aesthetic and heavily shadowing over otherwise detailed renderings of characters and drawing lines all over everything.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Zach’s Thoughts: As you can read in my review for “Forever Evil” #1, I found the issue to be really enjoyable overall. As an event, it feels quite different from most of what the Big 2 have done in recent years. The potential for B- and C-list characters to get their moment in the spotlight is strong. Johns portrayal of Lex Luthor and Ultraman were particularly noteworthy, setting up an interesting swap on the traditional Supes/Luthor relationship. Finch’s art is particularly strong, overcoming some shortcomings witnessed in his work on “Justice League of America.” Though a bit on the slow side, I think this series is off to a great start.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Action Comics #23.1 – Cyborg Superman
Written by Michael Alan Nelson
Illustrated by Mike Hawthorne
Brian’s Thoughts: While I can appreciate this more streamlined, Super-family connected Cyborg Superman, I have a real soft spot for the Hank Henshaw version – especially because he was a relatively singular villain throughout comics. While I suppose DC could still merge the two (especially because Henshaw has appeared, as a scientist, in the New 52), I totally understand the decision to re-cast him this way. The art by Hawthorne was expressive and surprisingly versatile – the scenes pre and post-destruction of Krypton each had their own tone, and both worked remarkably well. If only the post-“rebirth” story wasn’t so dull, this could have been a really special issue.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Action Comics?” – Certainly – since Andy Diggle’s one issue run as sole writer, the title has suffered. This is more in line with “Supergirl,” which has been the most consistent Super-book.
Continued belowVince’s Thoughts: It looks like a lot of these are going to be origin stories for villains. I actually enjoy this version of Cyborg Superman more than the Hank Henshaw version. I think it’s a more compelling choice to tie it back to the Superman Family like it’s done here. At the same time, the villain “causing” natural selection around the solar system is something that’s been done plenty of times before, to better effect. Hawthorne’s art was solid throughout, but especially good in the Cyborg Superman origin scene. Daniel Brown made Krypton wonderfully colorful.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Action Comics?” – “Action Comics” as written by Tony Daniel or Scott Lobdell? Sure.
Zach’s Thoughts: I’m with Vince, I do enjoy this new take on Cyborg Superman. It gives the character a more concrete tie to the Superman mythos. That said, as a fan, I’m sad to see the Henshaw version completely done away with. Hawthorne’s art is great, especially during the scenes on Krypton. Cyborg Superman’s mission, and the way he carries it out, on the other hand, is a total snoozefest.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Action Comics?” – As it’s essentially an issue of “Supergirl,” yeah, it’s better.
Batman #23.1 – The Joker
Written by Andy Kubert
Illustrated by Andy Clarke
Brian’s Thoughts: I don’t hate the idea of a light-hearted Joker story. I really don’t. However, the flashback scenes of a Joker childhood are distractingly cliche and attempt to add logic to a character that’s greatest strength is a total disregard of logic. In addition, the Joker presented here is so diametrically opposed to the Joker we’ve seen in the New 52, it sort of blows my mind. As you’ll soon read Vince say, this reads like some sort of funhouse mirror “Batman ’66.” This could have been an interesting, weird, sideways glance at Joker, but instead it is a mishmash of both the worst and the most iconic aspects of the character, and it comes out just leaving the reader confused and frustrated. Andy Clarke did some really nice work, though.
Verdict: Two-Faced, but the bad side is really in focus.
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman?” – Nope.
Vince’s Thoughts: Where to begin? First of all, a selfish personal preference: I don’t need to see a Joker “origin story”. Ever. It was just a handful of pages, but I immediately threw it out of my personal internal “continuity” for the character. But beyond that, it was just about the hokiest execution of the “bad parent” villain trope that you could get. His aunt beats him mercilessly for no reason, which now makes her a better “Joker” than the Joker is, if we’re to take this issue as canon. The aunt’s puns about him being “funny” and a “comedian” shouldn’t have passed by Kubert’s internal editing mechanism. And finally, the Joker training a gorilla to cause mayhem with him is just an odd direction to go in. I suppose it’s funny in a modern take on “Adam West Batman” way, but I’m not sure that’s what they were going for and it doesn’t really pay off anyway. Andy Clarke’s art was nice, as usual.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman?” – Not even close.
Zach’s Thoughts: If this issue was just Joker raising a baby gorilla to commit nefarious crimes, I would be over the moon for it. However, the completely unnecessary flashback really ends up hurting the issue. I’ll just pretend that it’s some bogus story the Joker made up for lols. Otherwise, this is “fun” Joker story, a great palate cleanser after the dismally dark “Death of the Family.” Andy Clarke has been doing some phenomenal work on various Bat-titles, and he absolutely kills it here. The panel were Joker looks longingly into the gorilla cage is possibly the best of the week.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman?” – No
Batman and Robin #23.1 – Two-Face
Written by Peter Tomasi
Illustrated by Guillem March
Brian’s Thoughts: I liked this one quite a bit. So many times writers ignore the coin-flip’s import in Dent’s life, and Tomasi wisely does not do that here. One of the thing that DC has in spades is iconic villains. One thing DC constantly does is misuse said villains. Not the case here, though. Dent is presented exactly as he should be – of two minds, ruthless, obsessed with his own version of justice. I am an unabashed fan of March’s work, and he does some really nice stuff here as well. This also vaguely reminds me of an idea I’ve had for a Two-Face story for years…so, DC, if you want a good Batman story, I am surprisingly available and affordable.
Verdict: Killer (Croc) – even if Two-Faced would have been more appropriate.
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman and Robin?” -It is about the same, for me. Solid but unspectacular.
Vince’s Thoughts: This one was refreshing because it was apparently occurring in the current events of the DCU and didn’t deal with Two-Face’s origin much, outside of a flashback panel or three. There was nothing here that gave a new dimension to the character or anything that really excited me in particular – it was just a fine “Two-Face goes Punisher on Gotham” story. Guillem March’s work wasn’t as lush and refined as it was on early issues of “Catwoman”, but his take on the mayhem that Two-Face spreads through Gotham was dynamic.
Verdict: Two-Faced (fittingly)
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman and Robin?” – It’s about the same.
Zach’s Thoughts: To my surprise, this ended up being one of my favorite books of the week. Not only does it feature gorgeous Guillem March art, but it breaks free from the week’s trend of needlessly complicating the villain’s motivations. Dent just lives and dies by his coin, and the consequences make for an interesting read. This leads to a trend to watch out for while reading the Villain’s month books; the simplest ones are the real winners.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman and Robin?” – Equal
Batman: The Dark Knight #23.1 – The Ventriloquist
Written by Gail Simone
Illustrated by Derlis Santacruz
Brian’s Thoughts: This is a well written/illustrated story about a character that I could not give more than a fraction of a shit about. Simone does what she can to make this story work, but this suffers from a seriously overinflated sense of how much people care about the Ventriloquist. The story is extraordinarily violent, in a number of ways, and is reflective of the month as a whole, at least so far, which is this: if you were sick of the New 52 heroes not doing heroic-enough things, come watch the villains be horrible monsters! As a parent, there is no way I would let a child not yet in 7th or 8th grade read some of these issues. This issue casually kills a couple of kids, but since they aren’t Lian Harper, no one’s going to notice. A brutal, but ultimately boring, story.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman: The Dark Knight?” – I’d say about equal.
Vince’s Thoughts: Gail Simone writes a funny and twisted issue. I can’t imagine a story about a goofy novelty villain like the Ventriloquist turning out much better than this did. The Ventriloquist is naturally a tough character to nail, but while I can’t say that the villains weren’t annoying at times, it was mostly an enjoyable affair. Best of all, there’s actual tension to the story. I wasn’t sure where things were headed, but when everything was said and done, we got a solid 20-page story out of it. It was grim-dark as anything else in ‘The New 52’, but it’s hard to argue that that’s not the right tone here.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Continued belowIs this better than the average issue of “Batman: The Dark Knight?” – Yes.
Zach’s Thoughts: This is one creepy, messed up story. Simone delivers what inessentially an unabashed horror comic, and the result is pretty good. Like the “Two-Face” issue, “Ventriliquist” uses the “Forever Evil” remarkably well. That said, I still don’t care much for the character by issue’s end, and I don’t think I can forgive Simone for dummifying that kitten.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Batman: The Dark Knight?” – Yup
Detective Comics#23.1 – Poison Ivy
Written by Derek Fridolfs
Illustrated by Javier Pina
Brian’s Thoughts: I hate to be a broken record here, but why does DC insist on taking what makes their characters unique and shoving it to the background? Poison Ivy the eco-terrorist is an absolutely fine character. Why does she have to be the eco-terrorist who has an affinity for flowers because her mother took solace in gardening after her father would beat her? That adds nothing to the character – I really think people are smarter than to instantly feel sympathy for a villain just because of a messed up childhood. That is the oldest trick in the book, and one that really fails this story. Pina’s artwork is nice, even if the whole “making Gotham a jungle” angle seems to happen in just about every other Ivy story. This isn’t a bad comic, it is just an unnecessary one.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Detective Comics?” – No.
Vince’s Thoughts: Derek Fridolfs has been kicking around Gotham City for a while now in a variety of corners of DC Comics’ extended line. He gets what makes Poison Ivy tick and shows some nice glimpses into her past and the way its shaped her psyche. I’m trying to look at each of these issues individually and not focus on how many of them utilize “bad parents” and tortured childhoods. This might be one of the more subtle and character-driven takes on that trope. Unfortunately, the “present day” plot line that frames these insights isn’t very interesting at all. There’s no arc to it and no real conclusion. Javier Pina’s art is nice, if not a little less refined than usual.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Detective Comics?” – It’s about the same.
Zach’s Thoughts: I’m with Brian on the unnecessary rationalization for Ivy’s plant obsession. Otherwise I found this issue to be pretty alright. Javier Piña does a fantastic job artistically, especially when illustrating Ivy’s abilities. Also, I get that Bruce was taking the moral high ground, but did he have to be such a douche about it? Who’s the real villain here?
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Detective Comics?” – About the same.
Earth 2 #15.1 – Desaad
Written by Paul Levtiz
Illustrated by Yildiray Cinar
Brian’s Thoughts: Things you will find in this issue: Desaad at the beach, the continued Mumm-Ra-fication of Desaad’s look, Jack Kirby as a character (seriously), a weird Strong Guy lookalike, and Desaad bitch-slapping Cutter. What you won’t find? Anything resembling a good comic. Cinar is one of my favorite artists working today, but this Desaad redesign really hamstrings him, and the visuals in the book can’t hold up when that terrible looking Desaad is in the middle of them all. And Paul Levitz, usually solid on “Worlds’ Finest,” really does his best to make me hate a character I have a lot of affinity for. Ick.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Earth 2?” – Dear God, no.
Vince’s Thoughts: A cameo appearance by Jack Kirby in an homage to Darkseid and the Fourth World can’t save the rest of this issue from being a boring mess. It’s not very interesting to watch Desaad go from place to place, making typical villainous declarations. There’s nothing insightful here, regarding a villain that has been pretty thin in the ‘New 52’ so far. I’m a big Cinar fan, in general, but the story doesn’t do him justice and he doesn’t elevate it either.
Continued belowVerdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Earth 2?” – No.
Zach’s Thoughts: Many of these books fill in a character’s background over the “5 year gap.” That’s a lot of ground to cover in just 20 pages, which means there’s a lot of abrupt jumping around. “Earth 2” #15.1 has a lot of that, has Levitz moves haphazardly between plot-relevant moments. These scenes have little connection to one another, leaving the issue feeling cobbled together. Also, apparently Jack Kirby is a threat to Desaad’s domination of Earth. If that isn’t meta, I don’t know what it is. Yildray Cinar’s art is fantastic, but this issue itself is a bit of a letdown.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Earth 2?” – “Worlds’ Finest?” Unfortunately, yes. “Earth 2?” No.
The Flash #23.1 – Grodd
Written by Brian Buccellato
Illustrated by Chris Batista
Brian’s Thoughts: The Flash has some of the best villains in all of comics – Grodd can be one of them, but he is usually written just like he is here, which is a sanctimonious prick without the slightest hint of empathy. What I liked about this issue was that it feels essential to what “The Flash” is doing right now, but the title suffers from the lack of Francis Manapul art (although Batista does a fine job – I’m just partial to Manapul), but someone needs to write a better Grodd than just a cheap Terrance Stamp doing General Zodd in a gorilla suit.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “The Flash?” – No sir.
Vince’s Thoughts: Maybe it’s because I’m not a Gorilla Grodd fan, but I feel like I’ve read this story before – and more than once. What separates this issue from the ‘Flashpoint’ tie-in “Grodd of War”? I haven’t read that story since ‘Flashpoint’ ended, but I feel like it was the same as this. I guess I’ve just had enough of Grodd stories where he just stomps around and yells about how worthless human beings are. I think I’m just not the audience for this one and I’ll admit to some bias.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “The Flash?” – No.
Zach’s Thoughts: I haven’t followed “The Flash” in a while, so I’m not up on the events of the “Gorilla Warfare” arc, which this issue builds on heavily. The concept behind the issue, humans and intelligent apes forming diplomatic bonds, is fun and more than a little silly, until Grodd comes in and ruins everything. Grodd’s rambling narration makes the issue a chore to read, as the story itself could’ve likely been told in half the pages. The story itself doesn’t resolve, but rather builds towards next month’s “Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion.” Chris Batista’s art is spot on, but that’s about it.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “The Flash?” – No, because no Francis Manapul art.
Green Arrow #23.1 – Count Vertigo
Written by Jeff Lemire
Illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino
Brian’s Thoughts: Lemire and Sorrentino are an inspired pair on “Green Arrow,” and when they turn their attention to a darker character, they shine even brighter. This is a really beautiful comic, with lots of tragedy and pathos in there as well, but it never feels heavy handed. Was I the only one hoping that the home Vertigo was in was the same one that held William Arcane in “Swamp Thing?” Maybe it was just me.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Arrow?” – On par.
Vince’s Thoughts: Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino make this an extension of their regular run on “Green Arrow” – fans of that book should definitely pick this up, but outsiders should too. They’ll get a look at Sorrentino’s superlative artistic stylings that have been crafting one of the few truly visually daring titles of the ‘New 52’. There’s some first-person perspective sequences that are pretty interesting and other visual tricks that fans of the series have already come to know. This is, for my money, the only essential Villains Month book of this first week, for regular pullers of the series it’s replaced this month.
Continued belowVerdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Arrow?” – Just as good.
Zach’s Thoughts: With the regular “Green Arrow” creative team at the helm, “Count Vertigo” has a leg up on a lot of the other Villain’s month books. Neither Lemire or Sorrentino could be accused of phoning it in, as both deliver a level of quality consistent with their work thus far. In a way, this feels like just another issue of the series, albeit one lacking the titular Emerald Archer. Vertigo’s origin is, no surprise, a tragic one. It’s made all the more affecting by Andrea Sorrentino’s dark, dingy art. If anyone is fit to craft a villain centric issue, it’s Sorrentino. Lemire does a good job of making Vertigo relatable, but not sympathetic, a solid middle ground. The characters are well developed, with strong individual voices. Overall, this is one of the better crafted titles of the week.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Arrow?” – It pretty much is an average issue of “Green Arrow.”
Green Lantern #21.1 – Relic
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Rags Morales
Brian’s Thoughts: This is the issue that we disagree on the most. While maybe a bit heavy on the exposition, and with its revelations teased all over the Lantern books, this is a damn solid comic. Morales does great work, and Venditti has created a really unique character. As Zach notes, this ties in an insane amount of DC lore, and manages to take a story you already knew (sort of) and make it clearer and more relatable than expected. This has me pumped for “Lights Out.”
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Lantern?” – Venditti’s run has been solid – this is equal to his other issues.
Vince’s Thoughts: Basically, this is “Green Lantern’s upcoming crossover for Dummies.” Venditti re-explains the different sources for the lantern corps and re-introduces Relic as a being from a previous universe that’s been closed off forever. Venditti tries to make Relic into a sympathetic character, but he’s just not been very compelling at this point. The Green Lanterns themselves are the far more interesting band of characters, while this villain commits the ultimate crime of being boring.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Lantern?” – No
Zach’s Thoughts: After a few months of hints and teases, Relic’s origin is a tad bit on the predictable side. It’s a minor complaint, but I feel the Lantern teams might’ve tipped their hands a little too much, somewhat robbing the impact of this issue’s revelations. That said, Relic’s tale is an interesting one, wrapping in pieces of Johns’ lantern mythos with echos of Kirby’s Fourth World and the destruction of Krypton. More than anything, this issue makes Relic seem like more of a misguided hero than a villain, which should make “Lights Out” a very interesting story.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Green Lantern?” – No better, no worse.
Justice League #23.1 – Darkseid
Written by Greg Pak
Illustrated by Paulo Siqueira
Brian’s Thoughts: This is a harmless enough attempt to give an origin of Darkseid. Some characters just don’t need origins, and ol’ Darkseid is one of them. However, as my co-horts have noted, this isn’t some maudlin, sad story. It is a rather appropriate origin, and with Siqueira’s art, given a certain gravity, without attempting to make a sanctimonious comic. This is about as good as I felt this issue could be, which is to say it isn’t great, but it certainly isn’t bad either.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League?” – No, but not too far off.
Vince’s Thoughts: I love that Greg Pak is savvy enough not to give Darkseid any sort of sob-story origin. He’s just a pissed off guy before he’s Darkseid, and he’s a pissed off guy after. That said, the issue only sort of satisfies, because there’s not really anything in the way of a plot. It’s basically a character summary for Darkseid. A character this big, with repercussions that are apparently as important as they seem probably deserved a longer, more robust telling of the tale and more outstanding art. It was fine.
Continued belowVerdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League?” – No.
Zach’s Thoughts: The origin of Darkseid, as presented here, is relatively simple. There’s no underlying pathos, no deep seeded emotional issues. Uxas, as he was known, was simply a cranky, selfish, downright evil guy. In a week where villain’s motives have to be explained, almost justified, that’s actually kind of refreshing. Of course, the origin is only half the story here, with the other half dealing with Darkseid’s discovery of alternate realities, and his subsequent invasions, leading us to the first arcs of “Earth 2” and “Justice League.” Pak also ties the story in to the events of “Batman/Superman,” with the character Kaiyo playing an interesting and crucial role in these proceedings. The final page cliffhanger was a bit of a surprise, and should definitely get fans of the three previously mentioned books talking.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League?” – Better than issues drawn by Ivan Reis? No. Better than issues not drawn by Reis? Probably.
Justice League Dark #23.1 – The Creeper
Written by Ann Nocenti
Illustrated by ChrisCross, Fabrizio Fiorentino, Tom Derenick
Brian’s Thoughts: First of all – does this mean that the Creeper seen on the first page of a comic released the first week of the New 52 (“Justice League International”) is a different character all together? Are we going to have a Crisis of Infinite Creepers? Or is this just another sloppy editorial decision that DC hopes we won’t notice? I like to imagine that the story was pitched by DiDio to Nocenti this way:
“So, the Creeper is a demon from 16th century Japan who has been trapped in a sword…let’s call it a Soultaker…and the sword happens to be Katana’s! Yeah! And…let’s make it sort of like The Demon where the human side doesn’t know what the Creeper is doing. Also, remember how the Creeper was part of the Outsiders once, that fourth-string team book? Let’s make a few references to that! And let’s make the Creeper look more like a Chupacabra…and…let’s make tornados a leitmotif throughout! Genius!”
Of course, I know that Nocenti probably had to write 50 drafts of the script because DiDio was calling forty times a day with new crazy ideas. This is such a fucking mess.
Verdict: H’el-ish.
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League Dark?” -Hahahaha. This isn’t better than oral surgery.
Vince’s Thoughts: Any one-shot that boasts a plotter, a writer, and three different artists is probably an indication that this particular project was thrown together haphazardly. The resulting issue certainly feels like it. Nocenti’s voice is all over the place and there are no clear motivations for anything going on in the issue. I don’t mean I need a dramatic origin story – I just need a reason that this story exists. Completely inessential for anyone, and not a good representation of the book it’s supposedly replaced this month.
Verdict: H’el-ish. The most H’el-ish of all.
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League Dark?” – It might be the worst issue of the ‘New 52’ so far.
Zach’s Thoughts: I’m sorry, I just can’t. I don’t want to be mean, but I don’t even know what I just read.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League Dark?” – No.
Justice League of America #7.1 – Deadshot
Written by Matt Kindt
Illustrated by Sam Basri and Carmen Carnero
Brian’s Thoughts: This is a true mixed bag. The art is nice, the “origin” of his name is inspired, even the way his family’s death is portrayed is relatively unique. However, despite all of this, I just can’t say I care that much. Sometimes, the more you humanize a character, the less you actually care. However, this origin is far less “family drama” than his original origin, so we have that to be thankful for. If the present-day sequence had a little more drama to it, this could have been much, much better. That sequence basically just got readers to find out that “Suicide Squad” was going to be a ‘Forever Evil’ tie-in.
Continued belowVerdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League of America?” – No.
Vince’s Thoughts: I actually liked this issue well enough. Kindt gave a unique spin on the “coldblooded assassin” archetype and the unique philosophy that Deadshot harbors. The plot itself is formulaic for sure, but Kindt clearly has a good grasp on the “Suicide Squad” characters (which doesn’t soften the blow of Ales Kot’s leaving, mind you). The art is a mixed bag, with Sami Basri’s contributions clearly standing above the rest.
Verdict: Two-Faced
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League of America?” – Yes, I thought so.
Zach’s Thoughts: Unfortunately, Kindt’s Deadshot origin is about as formulaic as it gets. The writer adds an interesting layer to this basic revenge story by weaving in an element of twisted wish fulfillment gone awry, but it still falls flat. The issue sets up Kindt’s upcoming run on “Suicide Squad,” which also serves as a “Forever Evil” tie-in. Kindt’s a great writer, and hopefully this issue isn’t indicative of his work on “Suicide Squad.” On the plus side, Sam Basri and Keith Champagne turn in some nice art in the present day sequence.
Verdict: H’el-ish
Is this better than the average issue of “Justice League of America?” – Not by a long shot.
Superman #23.1 – Bizarro
Written by Sholly Fisch
Illustrated by Jeff Johnson
Brian’s Thoughts: The same issues are present here as there were in many other issues this month, and it leaves me with the same question – if a character isn’t broken, why does DC feel the need to fix it? Bizarro is a character that worked quite well on his own. Sure, he’s a bit goofy, but HIS NAME IS BIZARRO. C’mon! Luckily, the great Sholly Fisch and the great Jeff Johnson combined to make this mistake an absolutely entertaining one. Granted, this is barely a Bizarro story – it is really a Luthor story – but it was sad without being grotesquely violent, it was far removed from the typical DC house style (in other words – characters don’t appear to be brooding all the time), and left me wanting more. That’s a win, folks.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Superman?” – Oh hell yes.
Vince’s Thoughts: This isn’t really “Bizarro Superman”, is it? Regardless, this was a fun issue. Sholly Fisch writes a terrific Lex Luthor. There’s a guy that should be getting to write one of the Superman-centric ongoings. This is basically like getting a Lex Luthor issue on top of something that resembles a Bizarro issue. It’s a plenty twisted issue, especially in the conclusion, but not overly dark and grim. This type of approach to Superman and his surrounding cast would severely improve the Superman line in the ‘New 52’. Weird pseudo-science and core Superman themes are present. And Jeff Johnson is a pretty suitable and similar replacement for Chris Sprouse (who used to draw some of Fisch’s “Action” backups).
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Superman?” – Yes, indubitably.
Zach’s Thoughts: This turned out to be one of my favorite issues of the week. Sure, it’s more of a Lex Luthor issue than a Bizarro spot-light, but it was still a joy to read. Fisch has a great grasp on Luthor’s voice and frame of mind, and Jeff Johnson’s art (with Jordie Bellaire colors!) is phenomenal. There’s a great nod to “All-Star Superman,” so that helps too. If there’s one strike against the issue, it’s that we don’t actually see the Bizarro that’s on the cover. Where and when that story is told remains to be seen, but I’d love for this team to tell it.
Verdict: Killer (Croc)
Is this better than the average issue of “Superman?” – Absolutely!
Final Thoughts for the Week:
Vince: Predictably, I was disappointed this week. There was nothing on the shelves that I would rather have read when compared to the regular issues of the ongoing series that appear there every other month. If you look at the breakdown of my mini-reviews, I’ve got 2 recommendations, 5 absolute bombs, and the rest I thought were average. I’m quite frankly not looking forward to 3 more weeks of mommy/daddy issues, re-heated origin stories, and slapdash creative teams. I would have really appreciated more one-and-done villain stories where they just dropped us right in the middle of a caper or showed us an esoteric side of the character that we don’t get much of otherwise. I don’t need to see the Joker getting beaten by his Aunt.
Continued belowEven the 2 recommendations, All of the other books either made me shrug my shoulders or left me scratching my head as to why anyone thought they were stories worth telling. What happened with the Joker or Creeper issues is a complete mystery to me, when this company is apparently being so editorially micromanaged by Dan DiDio and Bob Harras. So those unreadable issues are acceptable, but the supremely talented J.H. Williams III (of all people) can’t write the “Batwoman” story he wants without 11th hour interference?
I hate to say this as a real fan of DC’s characters, but this kind of stuff doesn’t happen at Marvel. Editors have their say and get their way, sure, but not at this level. Not since the 90’s. Not since certain people who are employed here were employed over there. The way week 1 of “Villains Month” turned out is as much of an indication of the problems at DC Comics as anything else. And that’s not even mentioning the covers.
Zach: The week is pretty much a wash for me, which is about what I expected. I liked most of the books I expected to, same with the dislikes. I was pleasantly surprised by a few issues, particularly “Bizarro” and “Two-Face.” Yeah, the “Creeper” is one of the worst things I’ve read. In contrast, “Darkseid” and “Relic” left me extremely excited for the stories they set up. This week had the largest concentration of books I was looking forward to, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the month. Nevertheless, I remain cautiously optimistic.
P.S. I think the 3D covers are nifty but unnecessary.
Brian: I can’t say I’m surprised by anything I read this week. Writers and artists I typically admire did work that I felt was strong, if not stilted by the demands of the month. Writers and artists I don’t particularly enjoy did work I didn’t particularly enjoy. I wish that the editorial staff decided to focus on what makes these characters unique, instead of making so many of their issues parent related.
The one surprising part of this week was just how brutally violent all of these stories were. Part of me applauds DC for taking a chance with the unusual formula of sympathetic past and unceasingly horrible present. But the more rational part of me realizes that this probably wasn’t their intention – instead, they want to have their cake and eat it, too. They want you to write off most of these characters as troubled souls, but not feel enough sympathy to root for them, or feel conflicted when reading comics featuring them. The best Luthor stories, or Riddler stories, or Black Adam stories, all involve seeing what could have been if they didn’t go down that path. None of that is present here; you’re not supposed to wonder “what if?” Instead, you’re supposed to say, “Oh, that poor person. Hey look, a baby is dead! Sick!”
I really hope that this week is the weakest of the bunch, but somehow I don’t see things, overall getting too much better.
