Hey guys! Guess who’s back! After a couple weeks off due to family issues, I’m back and ready to review some books. It’s a DC-Exclusive week with Justice League: Generation Lost, Superman: Secret Origin, Wonder Woman, and Action Comics. The rating system is as follows!
0: Uwe Boll will direct the adaptation of this comic
0.1 – 1: Burn upon touching
1- 1.9: Abysmal
2.0 – 2.9: Art. Writing. Editing. All bad.
3.0 – 3.9: You’d be a masochist to pick this up.
4.0 – 4.9: “I’ll give it another month…but that was not good.”
5.0 – 5.9: “Really? The Watcher? In the face? I guess it was fun.”
6.0 – 6.9: “Hmm. That was decent.”
7.0 – 7.9: Well made but a few problems
8.0 – 8.9: Nearly flawless
9.0 – 9.9: Outstanding
10: Perfection. Issue of the year contender
Check out the reviews followign the cut!
Justice League: Generation Lost
Written by JUDD WINICK
Breakdowns by KEITH GIFFEN
Art by AARON LOPRESTI
Covers by TONY HARRIS and J.D. METTLER
1:10 White Lantern Variant covers by RYAN SOOK, FERNANDO PASARIN and JOEL GOMEZDC’s biweekly JUSTICE LEAGUE event continues! Justice League International has re-formed and tracked Maxwell Lord to Checkmate headquarters. Their plan is simple: break into Checkmate — one of the most heavily guarded facilities on the planet — and capture Max so he can pay for his crimes. But Max has more than one trick up his sleeve as he turns the entire world against the JLI and shows Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire, Ice, Blue Beetle and Rocket Red what it truly means to be lost..
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Generation Lost is probably the best thing that has debuted due to Brightest Day. We’ve said that a lot, but it’s true. The main Brightest Day title has gotten better in the past issue or so, but it still suffers from disjointed storytelling and an overall lack of cohesion. Luckily this title, the other bi-weekly that spun out of Blackest Night doesn’t suffer that same folly.
That being said, this book was one of the weaker issues.
Why do I say that? Well, this issue really just wrapped up previous cliffhanger, they talked some, and then there was the set up for the next issue. While it’s a clever way to tell a story, it seems to follow the same pattern every issue, and it does get a little tiresome.
But at least it’s still pretty to look at. The art continues to be one of the best I’ve seen for a title that comes out so quickly (worlds better than Mark Bagley on Ultimate Spider-Man or JLA for instance). The characters all have their own personality and you can tell just by looking at them. There is a splash page with Fire that is just a gorgeous near pin-up of the character. It’s not exactly cheesecake, just a great moment.
And while I’m starting to tire a little of the format, the ending was still an “OMGWTF!” moment that really has me clamoring for the next issue as soon as possible. Two weeks can’t pass fast enough.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – Buy
Superman Secret Origin
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by GARY FRANK and JON SIBAL
Variant cover by GARY FRANKThe reimagining of Superman’s early days concludes as he faces his toughest foe yet — his childhood friend Lex Luthor! The victor will be Metropolis’s hero. If you think you know how this plays out, then you underestimate how much Luthor wants that title…
The oft-delayed yet terribly fun read has come to an end. Believe it or not, the hardcover was supposed to come out in June, but I suppose that Gary Frank needed the extra time to finish is pencils. It was well worth the wait. His pencils continue to prove why he’s one of the best in the business, if not THE best in the business. The colors also work really well for him, as they make the iconic superhero look even more larger than life than he already is.
Continued belowGeoff Johns even finished the story well. Everything came full circle, but progressed as well, giving us a satisfying ending to a remarkable retelling of Superman’s origin. Johns is one of the best writers on DC’s roster as well, so it comes as no surprise. It’s just a shame this book was relatively unbuzzworthy.
I suppose I can see why, it’s a retelling of an origin we’ve all known about for close to 75 years. A lot of it was lifted from previous versions, like Clark’s heat vision was lifted directly from Smallville, and so on and so forth.
That’s neither here nor there. A good story can be retold over and over again and it doesn’t lose its impact. This is one of those stories. It actually does something the other origins don’t. It sets up his rouges gallery at the minimum, centering on his relationship to Lex Luthor. We had the introduction of Metallo and Parasite, who have their origins tweaked and expanded to give them a closer relationship to the aforementioned Luthor.
The one thing that doesn’t really work, however, is Metallo. Before Infinite Crisis, he was this tragic robot trapped in a body that he was not born in. Now, he’s become a sort of weaksauce Iron Man, trapped in a suit. It was hinted at what he was during the New Krypton mega-arc, but I think I prefer the Metallo from before. I hope it’s not just me.
All in all, it’s a fine retelling and it should be read.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
Wonder Woman #602
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art and cover by DON KRAMER and MICHAEL BABINSKI
1:10 Variant cover by ALEX GARNERJ. Michael Straczynski’s epic Wonder Woman tale continues! In this issue, Diana takes the battle for her heritage to the enemy and discovers that the war may be over before it’s even begun! And she’s on the losing side…
It’s the All-New Wonder Woman! She’s got a jacket! She wears pants! There’s controversy! I mean…there still is a controversy, right?
Well, regardless of that, the story is in full swing. And while there doesn’t seem to be much explanation for what is going on quite yet, but we don’t need yet. Diana is here, and she’s kicking ass. Do you really need any more?
Not really. The story is like the antithesis of JMS’ run on Superman. Where Superman is plodding and preachy, Wonder Woman is oddly quickly paced and action packed. It’s as much fun as Superman…hasn’t been. Put simply though, men are assholes here. They’ve invaded and they’re being total dicks to the amazons. There are a lot of lovely fight scenes that really help pull the story along. The downside is, however, that when there aren’t action scenes, it plods a little bit, as if JMS relies on it to make the story progress. That’s not exactly the best way of telling the story in my opinion. The fights should be the culmination of the writing, not the cause of it. Oh well.
The art though, is awesome. The aforementioned action scenes look absolutely stunning and they accentuate the story telling. There are some tough scenes that would have fallen flat otherwise. It’s great to see it working so well. And if you read it, you Shoulder lovers will enjoy Wondy without her jacket! Yes! No 90’s era jacket! And she looks great!
Overall, the book is better than people think it is based on a jacket. You should be reading it.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – Buy
Continued belowAction Comics #892
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Co-feature written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by PETE WOODS
Co-feature art by PIER GALLO
Cover by DAVID FINCH and JOE WEEMS
1:25 “DC 75TH Anniversary” Variant cover by IVAN REIS and OCLAIR ALBERTLex Luthor’s all-consuming quest for power leads him straight into conflict with Deathstroke, the Terminator! What happens when the DCU’s most ingenious mastermind meets its most lethal killer? We don’t know, but it’s sure gonna be fun finding out … This issue also features a new Superboy story by Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and Pier Gallo (ADVENTURE COMICS) — the creative team of the upcoming new SUPERBOY ongoing…
While Superman is Forrest Gump-ing it up, Lex is doing his own thing as fallout to the Blackest Night, and it is working REALLY well. Lex, while being a badass villain, is one of the most likeable bastards in the DCU. Only he could be in a scene with such slime balls as Deathstroke and come out looking more badass than Slade Wilson. It’s a lovely thing to see.
Here he’s continuing his search for a Black Ring that powered the Black Lanterns. He seems to have found a clue, but it’s causing more trouble than it might be worth, and Lex and his cohorts might lose their lives while trying to learn more about death.
Pete Woods, the artist, has really stepped up from his run on the New Krypton story line. Where he was a little rough there, he really cleaned up his pencils and made the book look absolutely stunning.
This book is the best thing in the Superman universe right now, and if you’re not reading it, I’m sorry. I don’t know what to tell you.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – Buy
