Welcome, friends to another installment of “The 3cap,” our weekly recap of DC’s three weekly titles: “Batman Eternal,” “Earth 2: World’s End,” and “New 52: Futures End.” Each week, we will take a look at the each issue released, while recapping the action and asking the burning questions. If you spot something we missed, make sure to leave a note in the comments!
Batman Eternal #37
Written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, and Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Andrea Mutti
Reviewed by Zach Wilkerson
News, notes, and debuts:
The past few issues of “Batman Eternal” have led to a turning point for the series. The threat of Hush has (seemingly) ended, and Jason Bard has been dealt with as well. This sets the stage for “Eternal” to enter its final act. As such, issue #37 is very much a set up issue, repositioning and reestablishing characters while setting the stage for the final assault on Gotham.
The star of this issue is, without a doubt, Selina Kyle. We’re beginning to see the character firmly settle in her new role as Gotham’s Kingpin of Crime. I’ve said it before, but this is a fantastic progression for the character, one that I hope sticks around long after “Eternal” has wrapped. While we know from “Batman” #28 that things will eventually sour between the star-crossed lovers, it’s great seeing Bruce reacting and dealing with Selina’s newfound success in the Gotham Underworld.
Equally interesting, though not quite as well executed, is the small surviving group of Arkham rogues. There’s great potential for a “Sinister Six”-esque team up, with some of Batman’s greatest villains (well, sans Joker’s Daughter) teaming up to take on all of Gotham. With all the many players currently on the board, this ragamuffin team is the underdog, which makes them one of the most interesting to keep an eye on.
Finally, this issue kicks off a new subplot, building on one of my favorite parts of the book thus far. In the aftermath of the fall of Arkham, it seems the Spectre’s enchanting of Batwing’s armor has had an unexpected side effect; it’s haunted. I’ve particularly enjoyed the more supernatural elements of “Batman Eternal,” and am glad to see that thread continue.
Three Eternal Questions:
1. Has Scarecrow has been to Hell and back?
A few issues back, we saw Scarecrow experiencing some pretty nasty stuff. Now, in the aftermath of the fall of Arkham, Scarecrow claims to have “been to Hell and back.” Of course, this could just be big talk by a man trying to gain power, but it certainly seems likely that the villain was literally dragged to Hell during the botched resurrection of Deacon Blackfire. If so, how did he get back? Was he just poofed back once the ritual ended? How would an experience like that affect someone as deranged as Crane to begin with?
2. What’s up with Joker’s Daughter?
Last time we saw Joker’s Daughter, she was being led away from the ruins of Arkham by a mysterious figure. We’ve seen her conversing with something she claims to be her “father” and we know the Joker is alive and kicking once more. Is the Clown Prince the one pulling her strings? Honestly, it seems very unlikely. Which begs the question; just who is the man behind Joker’s Daughter?
3. Where is Harvey Dent?
To be fair, this question wasn’t directly brought on by this issue, but rather by conversations with the other members of the DC3. We’ve seen nearly every major Batman villain over the course of “Eternal” barring three; Ra’s al Ghul, Joker, and Two-Face. Ra’s can be excused as he doesn’t frequent Gotham, and Joker is currently plaguing Gotham in “Batman” proper. Harvey, however, is conspicuously absent. Granted, the character seemingly killed himself in the pages of “Batman and Two-Face,” although it was an off-panel death. In comics, off-panel death of a major character almost always equals “still alive.” With the list of possible suspects dwindling, the wait for sign of Two-Face becomes all the more significant.
Earth 2: World’s End #11
Written by Daniel H. Wilson
Illustrated by Paulo Siqueira, and Scott McDaniel
Reviewed by Vince Ostrowski
News, notes, and debuts:
– It looks like we got an answer to the “mystery” of Mister Miracle’s true father in the New 52: turns out it’s still High Father. Did we already know that through the New 52 “Earth 2” book already? They’ve been presenting it as if it were a mystery. To new readers, I suppose it was. And because of the mysterious build-up, I was wrongfully expecting a twist or a new origin for Mister Miracle. I guess it didn’t happen though, which is most definitely for the best.
– I just got done praising the work of the myriad artists that have made up each issue of “Earth 2: World’s End” and now here they go and do an entire issue with basically just Paulo Siqueira working off of the usual breakdowns by “World’s End” mainstay Scott McDaniel. It’s another really solid looking issue, too, with the focus being on Darkseid vs. Mister Terrific.
– What wasn’t as solid was the plot of the issue, which actually suffers from the breakneck pace that the story has been operating on. Over the course of 20 pages, “World’s End” #11 attempts a betrayal by Fury, which is later revealed to be a ruse (or is it?) – a ruse that Mister Miracle doesn’t initially accept, but then soon does, I guess? I mean, these are perfectly normal turns of events for a fantastical comic story, but the roller-coaster of trust and allegiance feels pretty crammed for one issue. Taken in quick succession, you’d think these characters were schizophrenic.
– The key to this book, which appears to now be mainly about Mister Miracle’s development and his relationship to Darkseid, is whether or not Darkseid is well-written or not. I think Daniel H. Wilson is doing a pretty good job with him. I saw Wilson say something about Darkseid not lowering himself to speak to human even once during “World’s End” – that’s a terrific tidbit that tells me that, while he will never be the definitive Darkseid writer, he “gets” the character and is sticking to what works with him.
Three Worldly Questions:
1. Who’s on who’s side?
With Barda having betrayed the heroes of Earth 2, and now Fury in the midst of a double (triple) cross, “World’s End” is turning into a regular clustercuss of confused allegiences. Are the writers playing the long con with Barda? Will she eventually come around? (come on! It’s Barda, after all) And what’s Fury’s deal? I’m guessing she’s actually on Mister Miracle’s side, when this all shakes down.
2. Are we going to get some Terry “Fair Play” Sloane, Mister Terrific action?
The Michael Holt version of Mister Terrific has been a “fabled” figure in the “Futures End”/”World’s End” backstory. But Terry Sloane has been playing a role in all of this too – just not in costume. Is there a chance we get a look at the classic Mister Terrific before this is all through? That sure would be fun, if we did.
3. Will New Genesis really leave Earth to die?
By the end of issue #11, it more or less seems like it’s the heroes of Earth 2 vs. the world, considering that Darkseid is free and High Father had previously taken his ball and gone home. Are the New Gods really going to sit back and watch this all happen? Or will “World’s End” kick it up a notch by getting the denizens of New Genesis in on the skirmish?
The New 52: Futures End #32
Written by Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens, and Jeff Lemire
Illustrated by Aaron Lopresti and Stephen Thompson
Reviewed by Brian Salvatore
News, notes, and debuts:
While this issue technically doesn’t have his debut, we finally have a name for the villain that Dr. Yamazake has transformed into: Doctor Polaris, a name with some substantial DC history.
Continued belowMainly a Green Lantern villain in the 60s, the character has, more or less, been around ever since, with two (now three) different people claiming that name. While I don’t think there is anything that really connects this Doctor Polaris to the others, it is interesting that this name was chosen.
Sgt. Rock returns for another, more or less, unnecessary cameo, discussing Fifty Sue with King Farraday for one page, before shifting our focus over to Sue’s adventures where, apparently, she is going through the change:
I’m not crazy, right? She appears to have aged a minimum of ten years since last issue? I am sure this isn’t a storytelling device, but rather an example of Stephen Thompson’s overwrought pencils.
The other artist on the issue, Aaron Lopresti, does his usual Lopresti-stuff – he is a fine draftsman, and doesn’t do anything noteworthy nor fall on his face.
In the Fifty Sue, er, rather, Sequel (her new title) sequence, we get our first look in some time at Justin, Grifter’s manservant/techie/running joke at comics bloggers. This sequence was, by far, the funniest the book has ever done, just for Cole’s reaction to hearing Fifty Sue’s voice. This isn’t exactly hilarious, but for a book that can be a little dour, it was a nice change of pace.
We also had the first off-island Brother Eye invasion of the series, although no one seems to realize it yet. We just see a bunch of tech get a red-line through it, on the way to powering up the mechanized android Plastique. Whether or not she was the target, or simply one piece of tech being linked in remains to be seen.
But the best sequence of the book – and I feel like a broken record repeating this so much, was the Stormwatch sequence. First of all, we got Black Adam doing this:
Then, we got the Atom taking charge, vowing to lead S.H.A.D.E., going into Father Time’s body to allow his ESP to broadcast Palmer’s commands, only to see what Father Time really looks like: the alien from The Puppet Masters?
Three Future Questions:
1. So what, exactly, is Father Time?
We all knew that he was some sort of regenerating creature who took on various forms, but now he appears to fully be some sort of alien spider-penis? Is he a parasite? That “true face” he speaks of – is that all he is, or is the body of his “host” also part of what he is?
The most interesting development that can come from this is the idea that Father Time could potentially graft on to another host. Let’s say he hops onto Palmer – would any of Palmer’s personality stick around? Or is it simply a husk to hold him?
2. Is there any way this ends with Batman Beyond not being wiped out?
I have said for a long time now that the series will end with “McG” (a truly horrid nickname that conjures up images of Terminator: Salvation and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle) stopping Brother Eye, but wiping himself out of existence. This gives DC the best of all worlds – this story “counts,” they can always revisit the “future” in an Elseworlds style book, and it can reboot Batman Beyond as a property however they see fit in the future, because while this iteration wouldn’t travel back in time, because there wouldn’t be a war to stop, surely Terry McGinnis will still be born, and can still be trained by Bruce Wayne.
3. Do we have any idea who Fifty Sue Sequel was going to see?
Who is this guy?
Does it matter?
