DC Comics have spent the last year and a bit in the midst of a huge crossover which is currently culminating in the Infinite Crisis miniseries. Whilst that is getting ready to finish the normal DC books have been flung into the future to show us the world after Crisis. It is One Year later and that year has seen no sign of Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman. It is a year that has seen tragedy and triumph and which will be covered in the weekly 52 series starting shortly.
In an interview at Newsarama Dan Didio, DC’s Senior VP and Executive Editor, had this to say:-
“There will be big scale changes. New characters, perhaps new series, new alliances, friendships, relationships, changing locations, and we might not even have some of the same people under the masks one year later.”
The Fractal Matter writers have assembled their own thoughts on the project and reviews of all the books associated with it.
Batman/Detective Comics One Year Later
Creative Team: James Robinson (writer), Don Kramer and Andy Clarke (artists)
Gotham has been without a Dark Knight for a year. Other heroes stepped up, but there is the distinct feeling that Gotham sank back into the mire again. Batman and Robin are not the only returnees as James Gordon is once more the Commissioner of Police and Harvey Bullock is back on the force. But someone out there is making their presence felt by killing villains.
Mark Peyton (MP): The Batman series are now down to just the two in continuity books with James Robinson writing an 8 part story to establish the new playing field and well we’re not sure what else yet. From the solicits and the first issue it also seems to be about clearing out some of the old bat villains.
Past the first story and we’ll have Paul Dini on Batman and Grant Morrison on Detective. The setup in the first issue does look very much like getting it back to the good old days and also setting it up very similarly to the Batman Animated Series. Batman is stoic, but not overly grim. Whether that changes with some rift with Robin in the offing is up for speculation.
Dustin Chadwell (DC): Detective Comics, on the other hand, was fantastic. The nice thing about OYL is the current writers don’t have to worry about over explaining why things are the way they are, they can leave that for “52″ for the most part (at least if I understand 52 correctly). So when this issue begins, and we see Gordon back as the Commissioner, and Bullock back on the GCPD, we don’t get a whole lot of explanation, but I didn’t feel that it was all that necessary either. I’m happy to see both characters back in their roles on the Batbooks, so I can wait for the explanation later. Also, the slight shift in Batman’s personality is nice to see, and goes a long way to establishing the DCU post Infinite Crisis as being less dark and dreary, even with its darkest hero.
James Dodsworth (JD): I really enjoyed Detective Comics. As someone who has avoided buying the Batman comics, I found this a very accessible book with some excellent characterisation. Interesting to see whether it can keep this level, or whether we drift back into pre-Infinite Crisis depictions.
DC: One other thing I wanted to note with Detective/Batman and Superman/Action is that both should appeal to people that were bigger fans of the Animated Series than they ever were of the comics. Detective in particular felt very much like T.A.S. to me, which is a plus. It’d be nice to see if DC can keep that feeling going. While before I’d read a Batman title to see how much they were going to screw with Bruce, I’m now looking forward to reading a Batman title because it just seems like good superhero fun. That probably won’t appeal to everyone, but its a nice change of pace.
MP: With Dini involved I do think that’s definitely the idea behind the rejig. Does that also mean that the Flash TV series is where they are heading the new Flash book towards given the new writers on that were the ones behind the series with Dawson’s dad in it?
Aquaman Sword of Atlantis
Creative Team: Kurt Busiek (writer), Butch Guice (artist)
A young man called Arthur Curry ends up in the ocean and is swept in a world of high adventure as he finds his future as a hero is prophesized.
Kurt Busiek and Butch Guice reinvent Aquaman as a sword and sorcery book without ditching him out of the DC Universe. This should appeal to old school Aquaman fans as well as those enjoying Conan.
Busiek plays up the mystery of why you have a main character with the same name and almost the same appearance as the Aquaman we’ve been reading all these years. Is it the same man or someone entirely new? The man himself seems to think he really is just plain Arthur Curry, though he can breathe underwater. What about that hand of water which the mentor of this new Aquaman seems to have? Isn’t that the same sort of hand the last Aquaman had?
Those mysteries are there to be had, but this looks to be a rollicking reinvention which should appeal to all wannabe Swashbucklers.
DC: Aquaman definitely looks to be interesting, and the art style really grabbed me with this issue. I can’t recall the last time I bought an Aquaman comic, but I’m on board for at least a few more issues, just to see the direction that the book is heading. It definitely looks like there’s some weird, cyclical thing going on, with the new Arthur’s mentor most likely being old “water hand” Arthur that we’re all familiar with. Also, I really dug the origin of Aquaman presented in this issue, with the whole illness being circumvented by giving Arthur the ability to breathe and live underwater. It just felt a bit more sci-fi/comic like than saying he’s the offspring of man and mermaid.
MP: There must be something about Aquaman that I like, but I cannot fathom (sorry) what it is. This seems to be the most interesting I’ve seen the book in a long time. Busiek’s argued that a large problem with Aquaman was that he was in the position for a while where good stories seek to end. He had the kingdom, the wife and the son, and that meant there wasn’t that much to do with him that would resonate with people. This revamp certainly has my interest peaked with the first issue and I love Butch Guice’s artwork.
JSA Classified
Creative Team (for first storyarc): Stuart Moore (writer), Paul Gulacy and Jimmy Palmiotti (artists)
FD: Smells like filler. Tastes like filler. It really was filler.
JSA Classified is the most pointless of DC’s large selling releases. There could be an argument for the series existance in that it serves the role of placing JSA miniseries in a home that would not carry themselves saleswise. Fanmen are repelled by miniseries. The want the regular mainlined crack.
The new issue takes place one year later as the reader gets up to speed on the current health and wellbeing of Vandal Savage. He was last seen in the last issue of Flash Volume 2, going to space. OYL, he comes back and is dying. So rather than search for his children and steal their organs and replace them like he norrmally does, he decides that he’s gonna go and get some blood from Alan Scott. The story did not need it’s own four part story. It needed to be a sub plot in JSA, Checkmate, or even 52. Are there any Vandal Savage fans out there anyway?
JD: Yes, there are. I liked this, Villians tend to make interesting characters and Vandal Savage is a character I learned to love in the pages of Justice League Task Force when Triumph and The Ray would have arguments over whether he was an evil genius or a tuna sandwich. In this first part we see Savage return to earth to find all his organ banks destroyed and a relative that stabs him rather than hand her own organs over. I would agree that it’s a little tenious as to why Alan Scott’s blood is going to help, but I guess it will be explained. Slightly misleading cover, I don’t think “featuring Green Lantern” really equates to one panel.
Matt Kamen (MK): I don’t think Alan’s blood is going to help in any way - just that Savage wants to exact revenge on one of his oldest living relatives. I suppose that Moore could connect the asteroid that affected Savage to being the one that eventually became Alan Scott’s lantern
MP: Both Savage’s comet and the starheart that is Alan Scott’s lantern have had stuff retconned with them so it’d be very tricky to connect them up.
Manhunter OYL
Creative Team: Marc Andreyko (writer), Javier Pina (artist)
FD: Kate Spenser is Manhunter. The latest of unrelated yet connected hunters of villians in the DC Universe. By day, she is a district attorney for the city of Los Angeles. By night, she is the government sanctioned Manhunter, the one woman who will do what the shiny happy superheroes will not do. Stop the enemies at any cost. No longer a rookie, she has grown over the past year. She’s even more bad ass because of it.
So what else has happened since we saw Kate and company? Kate’s best friend, Cameron Chase is her government handler. Her legal assistant is dating the superhero Obsidian. Manhunter’s tech guy Dylan is nailing her handler. Her Ex Husband continues to not be a jerk, even though he remarried and has a new child on the way. Kate’s son Ramsey is afraid of mommy’s adventures of life and death. She is also now aware she is the grand daughter of the Golden Age Atom. To top it off her new client is the Society’s Dr. Psycho. Manhunter is all about family believe it or not.
The good: Loved it. It’s nice to see Bones looking somewhat human. The thing with Chase is just wacky. It’s cool that we see Ramsey in on Kate’s secret and the kid is well composed with it. Obsidian is really likeable and I take it that Kate and Todd became really good buddies. The bad: The importance of Dr. Psycho on the cover is misleading to a fault. My only question is… Where is Mark Shaw (the former Manhunter and previous cast member)?
Andreyko and Pina deliver the good as always and the only ugly part is that people will over look the series AGAIN!
MP: I like Manhunter as a book, but I don’t think there was any real oomph behind the OYL switch. It seems to have juggled a few things around the edges, but I’m finding it difficult to find what is going to grab any new readers. Well maybe a few Obsidian fans, but that’s about it.
FD: The thing that caught me right away is that Manhunter, a series that really needs new readers, felt like a series that truly relied on what happened before the series in order to enjoy the book. For the people who read the series already, it was a good continuation of what happened before. Marc Andreyko and Javier Pina did a bang up job with the book and I loved the issue, and the series. For a hail mary attempt to get new readers on the series to starve off cancellation, it did not work at all. Many things could’ve been tried to add some flavor. A new artist, a radical change in direction, new outfit, Mark Shaw in the outfit because Kate got caught by the Society, anything would’ve worked here.
JD: Not a Manhunter reader. Not likely to be after this. Only interest to me was Doomsday in silhouette in one panel, hopefully that means more destruction in another title in the near future.
MP: Speculation tends to suggest that that ties in with the Villains United Special we’re still waiting for Infinite Crisis.
Hawkgirl
Creative Team: Walter Simonson (writer), Howard Chaykin (artist).
Kendra Saunders is Hawkgirl. She has been the romantic partner and confidant of the current interpretation of Hawkman for some time. Before that, Kendra was a hero on her own. Angry, bitter, lonely, without an anchor. Throughout the most recent Hawkman series she has changed from an angry woman who had too much drama on her plate into a confident partner and lover.
What happens here is that something happened and her lover and partner is gone. She is alone again, yet instead of anger, she goes on with her life after the loss of her man. This is the story and the main thrust of the retitled Hawkgirl.
FD: I was afraid of this one. It threw out Hawkman. It had a really weak cover by Howard Chaykin and I had no clue where Walt Simonson would go with the story. After reading the issue I have some thoughts.
1) Simonson and Chaykin click as a team. Simonson’s history lover voice was in full force and Chaykin’s sense of design on the outfits made them look like Howard Chaykin clothes should. Chaykin should redesign the costume into something more in tune to his style though.
2) The mystery of what happened to Carter is really secondary to what is going on in Kendra’s head. It’s a sympathetic voice of a young woman who has gone through the hell of losing THE GUY and moving on. I like Kendra though as a character more than I ever did Carter. I did not know that Walt Simonson had this type of romantic voice in him. It’s a good thing to see though.
3) I never thought of this until my lovely girlfriend flipped through the book, but she wondered why Kendra snarls all the time. This got me thinking about something. How often does Chaykin focus on teeth? This has me curious.
4) I really loved this book and I want more now. The one thing that got to me is the paper. I hope it gets slicker with the May price increase.
JD: A solid read, Simonson obviously has a very clear idea of how he going to take this series. Strong characters and a nice mystery or two, my only little niggle is the artwork. Chaykin is very good, but I got the feeling that almost every page had a close-up face shot of a character, sometimes two of them. And some of the panel flow is a little, well, off. And now I’ve read the comment above all I can see are teeth.
Blue Beetle
Creative Team: Kieth Giffen/John Rogers (writers), Cully Hamner (artist)
MK: Just as his predecessor Ted Kord was introduced to the DC Universe during Crisis on Infinite Earths 20 years ago, it seems the new Blue Beetle – a teenager named Jaime Reyes - is continuing that tradition for azure insect heroes too, having made his first appearance in current uber-event Infinite Crisis.
Spinning out of the main event, itself two issues away from completion, and launching with the first wave of “One Year Later” books, one assumes the new Blue Beetle is running concurrently with the rest of the DCU. Parts of the issue are certainly post-Infinite Crisis, though it is unclear just how long after. The cover doesn’t carry the “OYL” logo and no mention of the year jump is made in the book. DC has made such a huge effort to make the post-IC books feel like they’re in the same timeframe that to have this one so vaguely placed is somewhat distracting.
Publishing quirks aside, I found this debut issue a touch confusing and disappointing. Fair enough – this is a first issue after all and we wouldn’t want everything neatly laid out for us straight away, leaving no hook or mystery. Perhaps though, this title would have been best served launching after Infinite Crisis wraps up, so we’d have an idea of what the new Blue Beetle can actually do and where he’s been. As it is, it almost feels like we’re supposed to have some degree of familiarity with the character, when he’s only appeared in a few pages of the Infinite Crisis mini. After Jaime literally comes crashing back down to Earth, landing in the middle of a desert, the issue jumps back and forth between a fight scene with an inexplicably furious Guy Gardner, and flashbacks to the time Jaime finds the beetle scarab which grants him his new powers. These latter parts are by far the more enjoyable parts of the story, expanding on Jaime’s background and family. It’s nice to see a teen character that for once – and so far – has a stable family, good friends and no massive social dysfunction to deal with. John Rogers has a fantastic handle on the impenetrable-to-adults teen chatter between Jaime and his friends Paco and Brenda – I have to wonder how many people will be scratching their heads at the mention of a “spawn camper”. Hopefully we’ll see more of these characters when Jaime makes it back to civilisation.
Most credit for the issue though should be given to artist Cully Hamner. While not the most intricately detailed style around, Hamner manages to effortlessly convey the quietness of the small town life Jaime has before finding the scarab, the action of the fight sequences and the eerie-ness of the scarab and how it affects Jaime, all with equal skill. The imagery of the carapace retracting and the scarab burrowing its way back under Jaime’s skin to merge with his spine is enough to make the flesh crawl and the use of silhouettes to enhance the Blue Beetle carapace’s first autonomous motions is very impressive.
Given I have few complaints with Rogers’ dialogue or Hamner’s art, I’m going to have to lay the blame for my slight disappointment with the issue at Keith Giffen’s feet, as the plot or ‘flow’ of the comic just isn’t working for me. Giffen certainly has the experience and ability to make this title a smash and I can only hope that once the shadow of Infinite Crisis has passed, he is able to do so. The subplots he’s laid down so far – the nature and background of the scarab, Brenda’s home life, why others react so violently to the new Beetle, etc. – are strong enough to maintain interest and deserve to be explored more thoroughly. I’ll keep reading the first arc at least but as a first issue of an ongoing series, I don’t feel this is working to its full potential.
FD: The New Blue Beetle was introduced in Infinite Crisis, and has now been given a series after a scant pair of appearances is for all intents and purposes following in the footsteps of books like Starman and Manhunter where characters that have nothing in common with the past bearers of the superhero mantle go into battle and make it their own.
The Series is about a 16 year old kid from El Paso Texas by the name of Jamie Reyes. One day he is walking down the street and sees a blue scarab. Little did Jamie know is that it was the scarab that gave powers to the original Blue Beetle. The scarab was also alive and one night decided to bond with Jamie and he becomes the New Blue Beetle, and this may cause some problems.
Blue Beetle opens with Jamie as the Beetle fighting the Green Lantern, Guy Gardner. The audience is left wondering why they are fighting. As the fight progresses the first issue intercuts the action with the broad strokes of how Jamie found the beetle, what his life was before he was gifted as we meet his parents, kid sister and friends and start to see the background to the book before the heroics kick in.
I really liked the first issue. Keith Giffen and John Rogers bring a flair for the comedic, the mundane, and the mystery of how did we get here and what happens next. What is also nice is to see for myself is that the reader sees a story about a Latino in a positive light with a unbroken home. Cully Hamner’s art is as sharp as ever. His teens look like teens. The adults look like adults, the Beetle costume looks cool. I give special props to the Lucahador look of the Blue Beetle’s face. The first thing I thought of when I saw the outfit was masked wrestler with magical superpowers. The mask both reflects the rest of the outfit yet gives an ethnic identity to the reader that this Blue Beetle was going to be different.
I hope that the series launches and does well; then again I don’t see a lot of new characters given a chance.
MP: I bought this issue solely on the basis that I’d heard it was a nice little book in the vein of teen superhero books such as Ultimate Spider-man or Invincible, and because I like Cully Hamner’s art. I’ll admit to being confused as to when this book is set. The new Beetle turns up as part of the events in Infinite Crisis so I assume this is set in the past. If it is then they really should have released it a few months back and then had the book do the OYL jump forward when the rest of the books have.
I like the costume design, but the book as a whole really does nothing for me.
There is a preview and poster for the new book available at DC Comics Website
Nightwing OYL
Creative Team: Bruce Jones (writer), Joe Dodd (artist)
The state of Nightwing in the OYL universe is that of two men trying to find their way in the world. The original Nightwing had a difficult year before the OYL jump and it looks like thing did not get easier. He has been away for a year. He has something to prove and now he’s back but not to the city he protected for so long. Instead he’s in New York City. The reason he’s there: There is another Nightwing on the loose, Jason Todd, the second Robin now wears his own version of the Nightwing costume. Jason murders, he terrifies and he is out damaging the reputation of Dick Grayson. Batman’s two sons are in conflict and this conflict is the heart of OYL Nightwing.
FDBruce Jones’ story ignores Grayson’s pathos and brings back the whimsy of the Dixon/McDaniel years. Dick is happy, bouncing about battling crime, getting the ladies and getting into trouble. Like Detective it throws out the grim tidings from the last three years and reminds the long time reader why they read Nightwing in the first place. I am rather amused by the lightness of tone with the series juxtaposed by the violence. The tone of the series is retro, but it worked. Like a mouthwash after a heavy night of drinking, Bruce Jones, Joe Dodd and Bit brought back fun Nightwing. I’m very pleased by it.
The thing I noticed is that even though it looks like a lot happened it feels like old home week.
MP: Except half the reason I read Nightwing was because I liked the nicely played Oracle/Nightwing relationship.
FD: Y’know Mark, the thing is that I really dig the Dick/Babs relationship as a concept and in execution, but I can see why for story purposes that the engagement was cut short.
What I find funny is that Dick is happy while not being in a relationship. Has this ever happened in Dick Grayson’s history.
MP: Well I never liked Kory much so I wouldn’t mind her going.
FD: I always liked the Dick and Kory relationship because it was the first one I saw. It was filled with too much drama, and she always got flaky at the altar. Be that as it may, Dick/Babs worked because she was the grounding force to his energy. Then again I thought the Dick/Helena one night stand was cute too.
DC: I haven’t read the Nightwing OYL issue yet, but I will say I’m not a fan of the idea of tossing out Dick’s proposal to Babs if that is indeed what happened. I imagine we’ll get that explained at some point, or thru “52″ even.
JD: Haven’t read Nightwing since about, oh, issue 50ish. Felt a bit lost here, even though it seems blatant that he’s relocated to New York. Some of the dialogue is awful, and the artwork is not the best by any means. A disappointment, apart from the Nightwing copycat killer running around, the bloody violence seemingly at odds with the playful shagging central character.
Birds of Prey OYL
Creative Team: Gail Simone (writer), Paulo Siqueira and Robin Riggs (artists)
Birds of Prey OYL sees the Birds acting in opposition to the Society of Supervillains. There have been some obvious changes with a rift between Black Canary and Oracle and a new Canary on the team. Huntress is the new field leader which suggests a fair change to her in the last year.
MP: As with Nightwing it is disappointing to see no reference to the proposal by Dick Grayson to Barbara Gordon at the end of Nightwing pre OYL. It should be interesting to see how the group operates in Gotham given Barbara’s admission to her father of her secret identities.
The new team members are logical, but I’m not feeling the same sort of energy that we had during the Calculator arc just 2 issues ago. Obviously the new Canary (and we’re being good here and not blatantly saying who it is) will lead to various issues within the team. However it does fit in with the general theme of redemption and trying to get past your own history that has been part of the series since day one.
The new art team on the other hand is going to have to go some to impress me. The art is functional, but does look off which may be down to the inking. It just doesn’t seem honed enough. Whereas pre OYL this book was safe it is now on dodgy ground with me.
FD: Birds of Prey and Gail Simone took the thought that if it isn’t broke, (Which it is not.) why monkey with it. The introduction of The Jade Canary and new stealth member makes perfect sense and looks like something that Simone was working towards before OYL and it is believable. The side story with Dinah is curious because in the interest as a long term reader of the series, I’m wondering why Baba and Dinah had their fight, and the Huntress becoming the field leader makes me very happy. I must admit that I’m a sucker for the Huntress.
JD: Enjoyable, mainly due to trying to figure out how the team got to this point. 52 will have a lot to answer for. Simone is a solid writer, and the characterisations are what carries this through. The conflicting personalities of the team members pull the storyline through. The art is adequate, although Killer Croc appears to resemble a Martian for some reason.
Superman/Action Comics OYL
Creative Team: Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek (writers), Pete Woods (artist)
MP: The basis of 52 is that it deals with a year when there was no Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman around. Batman and Wonder Woman have no real ties so them being absent is far less bizarre than Clark Kent as his wife might not be too happy.
Well as the renamed Superman title starts out we have Clark Kent very much around. In fact this last year he’s managed to rebuild his life from the low point it was in during the last few years. He’s back at the Daily Planet, with Perry White happy with his work and very happily married still to Lois. It’s not Clark who has been missing this last year, but Superman.
Why would Superman give up his never ending battle? Well having no powers seems to be at the heart of that. Clark is just your every day hu… er Kryptonian with no powers. Supergirl is now looking after Metropolis and oh wait is that Lex Luthor back in charge of Lexcorp cleared of all charges against him.
What happened to Clark’s powers is the obvious mystery as it’s clear that we’ll see this storyline return Superman to Metropolis. Superman returns - hmm that sounds familiar.
It’s quite clear that this is returning the Superman setup to the basics though we’re promised three special words from Lois that will change Clark’s life. “I am pregnant” perhaps?
DC: Superman was very similiar to Detective, as far as setting everything back to the way it used to be (in a sense). You’ve got the supporting cast with Olsen, White, and Lane, Clark back at the Planet as a star reporter, and Lex back to being a business man. It’s definitely a good time for people that want to read Superman but have been put off by huge storyarc’s and crossovers to try and jump in. You’ll probably not see it get much more simple than this issue.
JD: Well, at least one thing has stayed consistent during all this Crisis malarkey: The Superman ongoing title is still rubbish. Awful artwork and what appears to be a rehashing of one of Bryne’s reboots from 20 years ago. I honestly don’t care that Clark has no powers, what would have been interesting was if he’d been killed in some accident during the past year, like getting hit by a car, or getting an incurable disease. Hmmm, might go against the new DC Universe ethic though. Tiresome.
MP: I’m not a big Superman fan, but I did enjoy this first issue. The only problem I had is that we’ve already had the Clark powerless story a few times post Crisis.
JD: Action Comics is a slight improvement on the first instalment, specifically for two reasons. The first is Clark discussing with Lois how it feels to have no powers. What I intially thought of as tiresome in the first part actually comes across well here. The second is the rather interesting offer that Clark gets on the last page. In between all this Luthor gathers more of Superman’s enemies, and apparently visits the memorial of a hero close to both him and Clark. A better issue, this could pick up a decent pace.
MP: The offer does make this rather interesting and I did like the interplay between Clark and Hawkgirl and Green Lantern when they show up to help him. Even with no powers the reason why people will help Clark is he’s fundamentally decent. I’m intrigued where this will go now.
Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes
Creative Team: Mark Waid(writer), Barry Kitson (artist)
FD: The Legion of Superheroes is an idea that dates back to the 1950’s. The series has been rebooted on many occasions, most recently in 2004. The series is about kids in the future being inspired to do heroic things. The current twist is that the series plays on the notion that adults never understand teenagers. The Legion of Superheroes takes palce 1000 years in the future of the DC universe, and is historically the book best suited for melodrama. With an expansive cast, the Legion in the hands of Writer Mark Waid and artist Barry Kitson mesh science, rebellion, and duty inspired by the 21st century DC heroes into a series that is more relevent than it has been in ages.
The thing that happens with the series OYL is that a big name young hero comes to the future. The appearance of this hero tosses a lot of questions into the existance of the team, the manner in which the hero arrives, the whys did this hero chose to surface now, and the nature of the heroes that inspired them is put to a test. Her Name is Kara Zor El. Supergirl. She is in the future. Maybe she just might have a team to belong to. They are just only 1000 years away.
It’s one year later from issue 14 and we see a spotlight on the duller characters in the book. The conflict between the Legion and the adults exists and is still amusing. The danger was a bit old school but fun to see. The book is now on shiny paper, but with a reduced page count. I hope that the letter columns come back in future episodes. Oh also… There’s Supergirl in the book for some pages. It turns out that the Legion is a figment of her imagination and that revelation the reader that they are wasting their time with this series.
MK: Nope, still not getting this, in either the paid-money-for-it sense or the seeing-the-point-of-it sense. I gave this a fair try when it launched, and I gave it another try with this first OYL issue, but it just doesn’t grab me. When I find that the best part of a comic is the letter column, then it’s time I stop buying.
There’s just something about the Waid/Kitson Legion that doesn’t sit right with me. I think partly it’s the names (if it’s supposed to be based on adjective-gender, shouldn’t Cosmic Boy be something like Magnetic Kid? Saturn Girl to become Psychic Lass? And who uses “Lad” or “Lass” nowadays, let alone 1000 years in the future?!) It’s also partly the way this Legion reboot complicates continuity with dozens of other characters. The idea of the Legion as a youth movement is interesting but I’d rather not have to sit through the re-introduction of characters that were already established before. The addition of Supergirl to the cast seems a bit random, but maybe Waid will be able to give her some degree of personality, unlike in her own series and Superman/Batman.
I was a bit confused as to whether there’s been a missing year for this book though. The cover has a “1001 Years Later” but it didn’t seem to have moved forward much. I do admit I’d not read the title since about issue 6 though……
Firestorm
Creative team: Stuart Moore(writer), Jamal Igle(artist)
MP: Out in space the new Firestorm, Jason, met one half of the old Firestorm, Professor Martin Stein and together they worked together to form the perfect Firestorm matrix. A year later and the Professor is missing and Jason is working with another old friend of the original Firestorm to try and find him.
The creative team from pre One Year later continue on the book and though there is the attempt at giving it a new twist with the new person in the mix as Firestorm and with the mystery of where the Professor has gone it does seem to be trying to once again appeal to old school Firestorm fans and at odds with the last few months on the book. We just had 4 issues about why Jason and the Professor should work together and we never get to see them in action.
Old school super heroics with some nice character moments, but nothing really that grabs you. Disappointing after the Infinite Crisis issues.
MK: I think this, like Manhunter and Legion, is one of the titles to suffer from the editorial mandate of the one year jump. As Moore has said in pretty much every interview of late, they did their seismic change before the jump, then had to throw another one in straight away. It is nice to see a certain fiery female character being used again but her inclusion does smack of being a last minute decision. I hope to see something of a return to Jason’s home and school life soon though, after about six issues worth of cosmic or crossover based stories.
JSA
Creative Team: Paul Levitz(writer), Rag Morales(artist)
JDJSA OYL sees Paul Levitz continue his return as writer in the DC universe. The basic premise of the story is that our heroes find themselves confronted with the ghosts of friends, relatives, and past secrets. Interlaced with this new mystery in the one year later landscape is what the Gentleman Ghost’s past (complete with some awful accented dialogue by Levitz).
Ironically, where we appear to have a lighter tone in some of the counterpart characterisations in books like Batman and Nightwing, Jakeem Thunder appears to have had an attitude implant. The other members of the JSA take it in turns to witness a visit from Ghosts past, the most striking being Mr Terrific seeing his wife who had died in a car crash and Dr. Midnite who suffers at the ethereal hands of former patients lost on the operating table.
This One Year Later JSA team consists of Jay Garrick, Mr. Terrific, Jakeem Thunder, Stargirl, Alan Scott, Stargirl, Wildcat and Power Girl. Distinct lack of Sand and Hourman appear to be the most glaring omissions. Not much is given away of the past year (wouldn’t want to steal 52’s thunder now, would we?) Although there is talk of magic not working on Earth since the crisis, an argument shot down by the Thunderbolt’s very existance in the room with the team.
It’s difficult to suggest at this stage whether the writing is just lacklustre, or if this is the status quo of JSA now. I kinda miss Johns or even Champagne.
FD: The thing about JSA is that it is a series that I get in trade normally. But I thought that Levitz’s arc would be worth the single buy and it is. I didn’t expect much.
This issue felt like it was a good opener to a fill in story. The Gentleman Ghost is a good concept. I’m always happy to see it around. Levitz’s script was great in that the entire issue was about interpersonal interaction. Each character had a point of view and I liked it.
Rags Morales and Luke Ross have grown a great deal over the last decade. Ross’s soft pencil is a radical departure from his work of the past and Morales still brings a good range of emotion to every character. The funny thing is that Power Girl sounded like the audience asking the team what was happening. It’s interesting that Levitz chose her as the reader identifier. Then again I have been reading some older JSA stuff as of late and the voice stuck with me here. Personally I would like to see Paul Levitz and crew stay, but I can live with the five parter here.
Robin
Creative Team: Adam Beechen(writer), Karl Kershel (artist)
Robin as a book has been at time painful times to be a fan. The concept is simple. Tim Drake is a young man who discovers Batman’s biggest secret and made an effort to get a job. Unlike the first two Robins, he chose to be Robin, because Batman NEEDS Robin. The thing, is that some of the drama that comes into the life of Tim Drake can be too soap operatic.
Founding writer Chuck Dixon made the action and melodrama work well. Everyone else has yet to fill the shoes that Dixon wore in the series. Other people have written the series since then and with the new issue I came to a realization. I love Tim drake the character. I really do not like the creators who tell his tales.
Adam Beechen’s script is functional. It sets up what’s going on. Tim’s alone. Everything has changed in his life. Karl Kershel’s fill in art is decent enough.
Here’s the big things that happened:
FD: Oh My God! They Killed Lynx in a Batgirl outfit… Uh who cares? The confusion of the death is the mystery, but there is never a feeling that Tim actually killed anyone. i tried to care, but I had no interest. The new Robin costume does NOTHING for me.
JD: I don’t mind the new costume too much, it could have been an awful lot worse. This book not only plunges the reader into the whole one year later concept, it also dumps them in the middle of a disorientating fight. The intention is to bring the readers along with the mystery that Robin finds himself in, which works in a functional sort of way. Hands down, the best part of the issue is the appearance of Batman. It’s a great scene that has hints of what they’ve been up to the last year.
Catwoman OYL
Creative Team: Will Pfeiffer(writer), David Lopez
It’s one year after Selina Kyle made a life changing decision to protect the East End, but she’s not living there anymore. The small matter of spending most of the OYL jump pregnant and opening this issue by giving birth have understandably forced her to give up her nocturnal identity and move to safer parts of Gotham. The East End is still under Catwoman’s protection though - a young, neophyte Catwoman, who looks to have inherited her predecessor’s enemies as well as her fetish wear. Meanwhile, a cop is still investigating a crime (the murder of Black Mask) from a year ago, despite his colleagues’ insistence he let the case drop and Angle Man is set on revenge against the only enemy he has left - Catwoman.
FD: The subplots left over from issue 52 are addressed, in addition to a whole bunch of questions. The good news is that Slam is alive and so is Holly. Gotham is peaceful and Selina is the mother of a baby girl named Helena. Very Earth 2 of Will Pfeiffier. The art by David Lopez is nice. Jeromy Cox did a fantastic job on the colouring. This has been a series where the reader wants to know the answers to the questions posed. I can’t wait for the next one. The best scene was Selina, Bruce and a teddy bear. That was so sweet.
JD: The Catwoman title opens with the start of a new life in Selina’s baby, and the start of a new career as the new Catwoman takes over. The first thing to strike you is the sheer inexperience of the new title character. She makes mistakes, hesitates, and generally makes a mess of things. This inexperience is actually well written, you find yourself seeing the potential problems Holly is about to cause for herself. This exposure of the character obviously serves the plot, but it feels right, even for a first issue. And again, Batman steals the show with his appearance, proving once and for all he really has lightened up a bit.
Green Arrow
Creative Team: Judd Winick (writer), Scott McDaniel (artist)
One year after the devastating bombings in Star City that decimated a third of the city, and Green Arrow’s home is still in need of rebuilding. As per most of the other heroes, Ollie has not been seen in costume for the past year, seemingly seeking other avenues in order to help revive the city he loves. The South End of the city has been sealed off as a lost cause, and a former gang leader stalks its streets handing out his own brand of justice. Meanwhile, in Spain, Slade Wilson is hired to kill the mayor of Star City…
JD: The last we saw of Ollie he had two arrows stuck through him as he witnessed the streets of Star City being destroyed around him. I think this issue is meant to have us all surprised by the big reveal of the last page, unfortunately the advance blurbs and even the issue’s own cover kind of spoil that little treat. McDaniel’s artwork is one of those love it or hate it types, and I think I fall into the latter category as it seems to be an approximation of Phil Hester’s run. Good to see Deathstroke turn up, and I’m sure the ensuing fight will be worthwhile.
Outsiders
Creative Team: Judd Winick(writer), Matthew Clark and Art Thibert (artists)
A team betrayed by its own and still trying to get ahead One Year Later sees the Outsiders take on a whole new MO. They have gone deep undercover with everyone supposedly thinking them dead. The team is a new mix of old and very old Outsiders with a new face who used to be a villain.
DC: The Outsiders has always been a hit or miss book with me. When it relaunched I really enjoyed it, but after a while it started to drag on and really lost my interest. OYL doesn’t really appear to change much outside of the core line up, except for making things a bit more serious and deadly. I always viewed this team of Outsiders as ones that were willing to get a bit dirty in the field, as opposed to the Titans and JLA. That doesn’t change much here, but they do seem a bit more hardcore (especially with Thunder’s undercover role). So far this is the OYL issue that I like the least. I’ll check it out for another issue to try and give it a fair shake, but I doubt I’ll be sticking with it.
Green Lantern
Creative Team: Geoff Johns (writer), Ivan Campos (artist)
Hal Jordan is the Green Lantern that once killed several of his colleagues when he was driven to claim all the power of the Green Lantern Corps for himself in a futile endeavour to bring back his destroyed home of Coast City. Now, well over a year after Hal’s return from the dead as Green Lantern someone has put a price on his head. Past sins are about to catch up with Hal, and on top of that, someone is on a recruitment drive…
JD: Geoff Johns continues the adventures of Hal Jordan one year later where the hero is defying international treaties on the use of powers, womanising and shooting the breeze with Green Arrow. The more things change… The back story to this arc appears to be the fact that Hal and two of his Air Force colleagues were shot down over enemy territory and stuck in a prisoner of war camp. Hal never flies a plane with his ring on, so when he did get shot down, he had no escape. An interesting little idea that will hopefully develop. On top of this we have the crowd pleasers, such as the return of a Green Lantern that Hal executed all those years ago, and the lovely little idea that Sinestro is starting his own version of the Corps. The artwork is rudimentary at best, the only real letdown in an otherwise good issue.
MP: More interesting than it has been, but I do wonder whether the back story is one that will be seen here or we’ll be forced to read in 52. That’s one of the downsides of this whole one year later. Some interesting changes to the world and this does feel like a world that has moved on.
More Next Issue!