WGTB Reviews Green Arrow #17

The creative team of Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino began their run on DC's Green Arrow this week and it certainly got off the ground with a bang. Now, I had been looking forward to this team's work since I first heard about the change in late autumn. Lemire is a writer who I've been enjoying to increasing levels over the past few years and recently happened upon his graphic novel The Nobody, finding it a quirky and odd science-fiction story that could've happened (okay, not really) in any of the small Southern Ontario communities in which I spend my youth. Lemire is also responsible for one of the sleeper hits of the New 52 and Animal Man was another reason to get me optimistic about Green Arrow #17. 

DC's Green Arrow #17 (April 2013) Written by Jeff Lemire, art and colours by Andrew Sorrentino, letters by Rob Leigh, edited by Joey Cavalieri & Kate Stewart

(Warning: Some Spoilers Below)

This is also the first Green Arrow book I’ve bought since I left the title sometime in 2011. The previous teams were okay, but just didn’t seem to mesh with what I wanted from the comic. I understood the Q-Core/high-tech Seattle-based Oliver Queen and thought it was a great modern spin on things, but I just found those books devoid (in both art and writing) of the gritty enmity that has long defined the Green Arrow and made him such an innovative character in the Bronze and early Modern ages. 

Sorrentino's menacing art is a stand-out...

...feature of Green Arrow #17 (April 2013)

So did I like #17 and did Lemire and Sorrentino live up to the hype? The short answer to this question is a resounding "Yes". It begins with a quick recap of the series which was of marginal value, but then quickly transitions into a conflict between Oli and his corporate boss, who is subsequently murdered by a flying arrow. The rest of the comic tells the tale of the Green Arrow looking for the culprit, until he comes face to face with him only to learn that every step along the way he has been two steps behind. Just when the book is about to end, Oli is saved, but it's very clear the arc is only in its early stages. 

 

Lemire and Sorrentino’s Green Arrow #17 is a well-crafted first effort and certainly has the booster-shot of grittiness I had been craving. The enemy, Komodo, is much better than anything I've seen from past Green Arrow efforts and without question Sorrentino's fantastic art made the book enjoyable on multiple levels. Indeed, the art (as you can see) makes a quicker impression on the reader, but overall, the Trent Reznor-esque tonal intensity to the writing tells me Lemire has brought his 'A' game and I'm already looking forward to the next issue. This is a must get for the week of February 6th and I think we can expect great things in the months ahead. 4.5/5 STARS 

WGTB reviews Phantom Stranger

Unlike most of DC's books during 'Zero Month', The Phantom Stranger #0 is the start an ongoing series with #1 arriving in early October. Not being a big ghost/vampire comics fan, I'm not normally one to pick up supernatural books. Yet for some reason the Phantom Stranger has always fascinated me and I always enjoy reading his stories when I can. 

(Warning: some spoilers below)

DC Comic's Phantom Stranger Vol. #3 #0 (November 2012) Written by Dan Didio, Art by Brent Anderson and Inks by Scott Hanna. $2.99

Maybe it's because the Phantom Stranger is one of DC’s most established yet mysterious characters. First appearing in The Phantom Stranger #1 (September 1952) he was created by Silver Age legends John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and is one of those comic characters who seems to pop up every decade or so in an ongoing or mini-series. All along he's had a relatively simple yet effective modus operandi: appearing to someone in need of assistance and providing them with some guidance before they make a catastrophic error in judgment.  

Image from The Phantom Stranger #34 (Vol. #2 December 1974) This issue saw the Stranger showing up bandy wits with Organized Crime and included a cyborg. Classic Bronze Age.

Which is how The Phantom Stranger #0 proceeds for the most part. It begins with a short account of the trial found in The New 52 Free Comic Book Day Special Edition #1 in which it is explained where the Stranger received his supernatural abilities and further establishes his origins in that era of time and area of geography where people spoke Aramaic. At his trial he is condemned by the Council of Wizards to wear silver coins around his neck and the humble robe of the person he betrayed. The Roman Catholic in me saw this as pretty obvious, but at the same time it wasn't so over the top as to be a distraction. That said, I would have preferred his origins were not tied to a certain religious creed-story which might make him less accessible to people not of that specific religious bent. But the point is made: the Stranger did a terrible wrong to someone who was both good and had powerful friends. 

From DC's The Phantom Stranger #0 (Vol. #3 November 2012)

We then fast forward to contemporary times where the Stranger helps someone about to make a grievous error. Because I wasn't able to get the Free Comic Book Day edition, I wasn't exactly up to speed with everything in this previous Stranger story. But that wasn't too problematic as the plot generally followed the familiar pattern of many The Phantom Stranger stories, except towards the conclusion we see another DC supernatural stalwart and a conflict is set up between the two. This will undoubtedly be carried forward in the next issue.

For the most part I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the series. While Dan Didio's writing didn’t knock my socks off, it was neat seeing the account of the Stranger’s origins, something DC has long kept close to their chest. As mentioned, the Jesus connection was a little too religious-specific for my tastes, but that aside, it was an okay origin story. Long-time comic book artist Brent Anderson's work was mature in its tone and despite the fact that there wasn't anything to exclaim 'Wow!' about in art, it captured the cool and creepy of the protagonist and worked well with the mature theme of the story. 

Great Modern Age art from Mike Mignola in The Phantom Stranger #1 (Vol. #3 October 1987) In this story the Stranger heads to Gotham City. 

So pick up Phantom Stranger #0 and see if you like it. I know you have already if you're a fan, but for non-fans the $2.99 price-point makes it an easy purchase for a brand new series. I can't guarantee you'll get past issue two or three, but #0 is a decent story to start it off and The Phantom Stranger may just be a strong addition to the cache of DC's supernatural books. 

4/5 STARS

WGTB reviews Justice League #12

I’ve been reading Justice League somewhat regularly for the first year of the New 52. But because of the higher price-point and my somewhat limited budget, there had been a couple issues that I missed. This was remedied at FanExpo Canada two weekends ago, when I was fortunate to find all the missing back issues and I'm very glad I did. This has been an overall enjoyable comic since it started the New 52, and I was quite pleased to hear recently that Geoff Johns and David Finch will be working on another Justice League title – Justice League of America – in the near future. 

(Warning: some spoilers below)

Justice League #12 (October 2012) Writing by Geoff Johns, pencils by Jim Lee & art by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado & David Finch. $3.99

This issue will sell well because it received significant media attention due to a kiss between two of DC’s most iconic characters: Wonder Woman and Superman.  And while this may only get comics temporarily back into daily newspapers, the collectability-factor isn’t the only reason to pick it up. This issue also saw the culmination of the relationship conflict between Colonel Steve Trevor and Wonder Woman and a battle between the League and the spirit-driven villain David Graves has become. It also marked a falling-out between Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, with GL appearing to leave the team just in time for the upcoming Rise of the Third Army event over in the Lantern books. Suffice it to say, it was a busy issue and because of this didn't have space to put in a continuation of the Shazam story which I've also been enjoying.

Green Lantern heads back to space in Justice League #12

It was a good book and very emblematic of both the New 52’s move away from the previously established continuity and the freedom the creators have taken with new stories for their tested characters. Research tells me that this wasn't the first time Superman and Wonder Woman have kissed, but it will be interesting to see how these two go forward in the mainstream universe. The cynic might see this as a way of making sales, and to a degree that is true. But the battle and stress relating to David Graves and his 'Pertas' ('hungry ghosts') and Steve Trevor's ended relationship with Wonder Woman was good enough to convince me that this wasn't a flash-in-the-pan event and some serious character development could result from the kiss. We're also given an indication toward the end that it's not completely over with Graves and we should give us something to look forward to in the next issue. 

'Two lost souls, swimming in a fish bowl' in Justice League #12

Regarding the artwork, like most of Jim Lee’s, I find it precise, active and fun. I still think he's one of those artists who captures the medium’s vitality and entertainment value well and is among the best in the business. 

4/5 STARS

The New DC Comics logo

I’m not sure. 

Part of me really likes it. It’s clean and modern, giving DC a mature look that should appeal to older readers. On the other hand, it doesn’t much look like a comic logo and that takes something emotionally from the corporate representation. So, sorry, if you’re looking for an opinion I can't yet offer one -- and will probably have to see it on Swamp Thing or Batman to really make the call.  

But let me know what you think. I'm not that conversant in the methods behind corporate logos, so please share your opinion. 

NB: I'll be back with some new blog postings soon -- including one I'm currently researching about copyright law and comics, along with the usual reviews, etc. Thanks for reading (and following!) and I will talk to you soon.

Random Thoughts: November 2011

What a month November 2011 has been for comics! And due to time constraints I’m not even including the Nov 30 releases!

 

To begin, Scott Snyder’s Batman #3 was absolutely fantastic and continues to be the jewel in the crown of the New 52 titles I’ve stuck with. Moreover, I also have to say how impressive it is that Snyder continues to churn out two quality books – Batman and Swamp Thing – each month. I’ve been enjoying Swamp Thing (including #3) since the reboot, but Batman #3 was quite probably the best of the New 52 I've read. As I was reading I couldn’t help feel he was channelling Watchmen – the mystery, the history and the Owls – and advise you to get it immediately.

From DC's Batman #3, November 2011

Captain Atom #3 offered some good comic fun too, as did Superman #3. And while I’m not entirely convinced the guest appearance by Flash was necessary, I think J.T. Krul and Freddie Williams II are about to take the gloves off the Captain, and it will be interesting to see this nearly omnipotent character unleashed: especially now that he’s run afoul with the US government. Superman continues to establish itself as the contemporary Superman title and while #3 was more about establishing relationships I think the title will explode soon -- and that will be interesting. 

From DC's Captain Atom #3, November 2011

This should be my Facebook photo! From DC's Superman #3, November 2011

On the Marvel side of things, Wolverine and the X-Men was good and I really like the new Iceman/Bobby Drake. Chris Bachalo’s art has finally started to grow on me after a couple Regenesis issues, but unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by Alpha Flight #6 which seemed like a filler story. Of course, this could be chalked up to residual bitterness over the October cancellation announcement, and now that everyone’s favourite Headmaster has returned to Canada, I may be forgiving next month. Snikt!!!   

Bobby and Kitty in Marvel's Wolverine and the X-Men #2, November 2011

From Marvel's Alpha Flight #6/8, November 2011

And finally my most anticipated book this month: Fantastic Four #600. In it, we learn Jonathan Hickman didn’t actually kill off Johnny Storm, but kept him alive in the Negative Zone where he’s performing as a caged gladiator. I have to say, it was good seeing Johnny again and I’m curious to see how this near death experience alters the character. I’ve always believed Johnny’s more...youthful...personality has held him back, so perhaps we’ll see him return with a gravitas that would make him one of the most interesting and powerful characters in the Marvel Universe. Of course, it wouldn’t have been a momentous edition of the ‘The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine’ without Reed Richards striking up a deal with Galactus, but perhaps the most interesting part of the 100 page book was an artistic interpretation of the extraordinary powers of Franklin Richards. This actually provoked the same sort of reflection a good Arthur C. Clarke novel does. Bravo Marvel!

Hickman is taking these books (FF and Fantastic Four are splitting into two) into interesting directions, and while I know Marvel has been cancelling books and doesn’t have the market dominance it had before the New 52, it's good to see renewed vigour with the Fantastic Four. In my opinion, it's still the best comics property out there. 

Good to have you back, Johnny! From Marvel's Fantastic Four #600, November 2011

From Marvel's Fantistic Four #600, November 2011

Regarding other media, my favourite comic podcast, World Balloon with John Siuntres, released a two part interview on November 16 and 23 featuring a remarkable interview with industry stalwart Rob Liefeld. Here, Liefeld speaks candidly about the state of the industry, his work with Hawk and Dove, the New 52 and the fascinating intellectual property and licensing issues surrounding the recent Marvel films. The second podcast also features a free-wheeling conversation with Matt Fraction, which while being less about comics than popular culture, is interesting too. All in all, it was a fascinating couple hours of podcasting and I highly recommend you take a listen.

So that’s it for November 2011. I'll be back in December and am currently working on a couple feature-length pieces about ROM Spaceknight and the Laws of Warfare and  the Insanity defence and comic book villains.  Yep, a little light reading for the Christmas season! In any case, have a good  December and feel free to drop me a line with any suggestions or comments. Cheers!

SuperSoundtracks #5: Black Adam and Blue Oyster Cult

Welcome to another of my ongoing series titled SuperSoundtracks! SuperSoundtracks are inspired by Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, the film by legendary director John Hughes. I thought of the idea when watching the director’s commentary where Hughes spoke to how he didn't use ‘Top 40’ music for this film. He didn’t say why, but I suspect it was to because he knew different and unique music would add to the overall character of the movie in a way Madonna or Michael Jackson's couldn't.   

From DC's Justice Society of America Vol.3 #25, November 2009

Personally, I thought this simple move was a brilliant idea. Not only did it contribute to the movie in a whole new way, it also gave pop culture a number of memes that are still with us today. SuperSoundtracks aims to do something similar by taking a relatively unknown song and matching it with a comic book character. Naturally, this is somewhat  subjective, but I hope you enjoy it and by the end see why I chose the particular song. Today’s SuperSoundtrack is for one of DC’s greatest villains/anti-heroes: Black Adam. 

From DC's Shazam: A New Beginning #3, June 1987

Black Adam is a fantastic character. Not only does he have an amazing costume, he also has an amazing origin story that plays very well with the overall mythic and archetypal elements found in comic books and superhero stories. Originating in Fawcett Comics Marvel Family #1 (1945), Adam would be a minor and rarely seen character until -- in the early 1970s -- Fawcett’s Marvel Family were  legally absorbed into the DC Universe. In 1987, in co-operation with a larger company crossover titled Legends, Black Adam’s origin was revised in a four part miniseries created by Roy Thomas and Tom Mandrake titled Shazam: A New Beginning. Here, Black Adam was returned from an alternate dimension by nefarious acts taken by Billy Batson's familial enemy, Doctor Sivana, and squared off against a ret-conned Billy Batson/Captain Marvel, who eventually defeated him.

From DC's Shazam: A New Beginning #2, May 1987

From DC's Justice Society of America Vol.3 #24, October 2009  

Black Adam would later appear in other books including another Captain Marvel reboot titled The Power of Shazam and soon we saw Black Adam acquitted of  his earlier crimes against the Batsons and started to see the new Black Adam emerge. In the early 2000s, writers Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer would further alter Black Adam's story, at one point even giving him provisional membership in the JSA.

From DC's 52 #45, May 2007 

And it would be this character -- with his hard edge and rigidly defined moral code -- that would make Black Adam a perfect candidate for a starring role in DC’s series of 2006-2007, titled 52. Not only did he feature in one of its most intense and tragic story lines, he also made what was is one of the best covers in the history of comic books. In 52, he is the (somewhat) benevolent dictator of Kahndaq, a middle-eastern state, whom marries and settles down, only to see his wife killed and be driven to a state of madness. 

The amazing cover of DC's 52 #45, May 2007

From DC's 52 #45, May 2007 

In the New 52, one of the most conspicuous omissions was the Marvel and Black Marvel families of characters,  although in an interview about Stormwatch #1, writer Paul Cornell mentions Black Adam will be one of the villains in that book. Personally, I hope we don’t have to wait too long to see this amazing character again. Black Adam is quite simply the best of the Fawcett Comics flagship group and deserves to be front and centre in the newly relaunched DC Universe. 

From DC's Action Comics #821, November 2005

For Black Adam’s SuperSoundtrack I’ve decided on The Blue Oyster Cult’s Veteran of a Thousand Psychic Wars. This fantastic track; with its driving beat, mystical overtones and intense lyrics tells the story of an angst-ridden warrior who has been through too many battles to count, yet always seems to be called to to another -- just like Black Adam. 

Hailing from Long Island, NY, Blue Oyster Cult was founded in the early 1970s and is,  quite simply, one of those quintessential late 70s, early 80s hard rock bands. One of its most famous and iconic songs, (Don’t Fear) The Reaper charted at #16 in the UK in 1978, but is perhaps best remembered by modern audiences for being featured in one of the funniest Saturday Night Live skits of recent years titled  ‘More Cowbell’ with Will Farrell and Christopher Walken. 

Take a listen to Veteran, look at some of the images of Black Adam and let me know if I’ve hit the mark with this one. Also, if you have any ideas of your own for a SuperSoundtrack, please let me know as I’m always looking for ideas.

Reviewing the New 52: Dark Knight, Justice League Dark, Savage Hawkman, Blackhawks & Superman

And so it ends: the last of the New 52 arrived in stores this past Wednesday and here's what I thought of the $2.99 titles: Dark Knight #1, Justice League Dark #1, Savage Hawkman #1, Blackhawks #1 and Superman #1 I picked up.

 

We start our reviews today with Batman: Dark Knight #1, the third of the solo Batman titles of the New 52. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by this issue. The story starts with playboy Bruce Wayne doing his charm/disarm thing, and then all of the sudden he’s off to stop a riot at Arkham Asylum. I’m not quite sure if I missed something, but I do know that even Batman isn’t omnipresent and it was a stretch to have him do this. The comic ends with Batman in  the middle of the riot and a Hulked-up Harvey Dent challenging the Dark Knight to battle. Honestly, this book felt rushed and although the art was solid, the disjointed storyline was distracting and I will probably not buy the second issue. Of course, this is a Batman title so it's impossible to say I won't be back in the future.

Our second title is Justice League Dark #1. This is a supernatural book that ties the Justice League to some of DC's occult and supernatural characters, many of whom came over from Vertigo. It wasn’t a bad comic and although it featured some of the mainline Justice League, the relatively unfamiliar (to me) main characters and the story's multi-character intensity meant it was still tough to follow. Not being a big ‘ghost and ghoul’ reader, I'll probably not buy the second issue, but I can see it as an occasional pick-up every now and then – especially when it features John Constantine. 

 

 

The third title today is Savage Hawkman #1. This was a good book. The art was strong and while I’m not overtly familiar with the Hawkman background story, the introduction into a reluctant hero Carter Hall, the alien Nth metal and an extraterrestrial undersea relic turned ‘symbiote’ was well done and quite manageable, even for a neophyte reader like me. The comic didn’t grip me like Captain Atom or Swamp Thing, but it kept me interested and because of that, I will probably buy the second issue.       

Blackhawks #1 was okay, but I’ll probably not buy it again. Of all the titles I purchased this month, this is the one I knew the least about. The art was good, and there were parts that seemed like they would eventually lead to to some promising action mixed with global politics, but the large cast meant I wasn’t sure what was going on and felt the story a tad disjointed. Like some other group titles this September, Blackhawks would have been better with a  manageable Justice League style introduction rather than the Legion of Super-Heroes approach we saw here.

Finally we come to Superman #1. There has been a lot of talk this month about Superman losing his red briefs and before my review I'd like to say that having seen Superman in a lot of places these past weeks (Justice League, Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark) I like the changes to the costume. The red belt works well on the blue suit, and losing the old circus strongman look modernizes the Man of Steel in a positive way. 

With regard to this comic, George Perez's story and drawing were very good. It portrayed a modern Metropolis, corporate takeovers and media-based intrigue in an interesting fashion and gave us an interesting Kryptonian fire monster that gave Superman a challenge, but without the distracting high drama that a Brainiac, Darkseid or Lex Luthor would have brought to this establishing story. The best part of the comic was the final page when we see Clark Kent and Lois Lane in an awkward situation and reminded me that the key element of the Superman story is the alienation this exiled Kryptonian feels when trying to make his way in a human world. I will definitely buy the second issue.  

So there you have it. The New 52 has wrapped up and we are now on to the second issues. All in all, it was an interesting month and has given me something to think about with regard to DC. Consistent readers of the blog will notice that I usually lean towards Marvel. But that's about to change because the New 52 exposed me to a number of new titles that I'm already looking forward to reading again. Whether this is sustained, remains to be seen – my favourite characters are still overwhelming Marvel – but there’s no reason why Captain Atomic, Swamp Thing or Superman won’t soon find their way beside FF and Alpha Flight on my long-term pull list.

So well done DC and congratulations! Let's hope this leads to further success for all comic publishers and retailers and a brighter future for our industry. 

Reviewing the New 52: Green Lantern Corps, Legion of Super-Heroes, Blue Beetle & Captain Atom

Week four of the New 52 arrived in stores last Wednesday and here's what I thought of the four $2.99 titles that caught my eye: Green Lantern Corps #1, Legion of Super-Heroes #1, Blue Beetle #1 and Captain Atom #1.

Beginning with Green Lantern Corps #1, this is obviously a Justice League style team story for the Green Lantern group of titles. John Stewart and Guy Gardner star, but the host of other exotic looking GL's mean it will obviously blend the sci-fi and superhero themes that are characteristic of all Green Lantern comics. 

 

It was a well drawn comic and had some pretty serious story matter. That said, I’m not sure I'll go back -- so far I see my Green Lantern interests being filled by the Hal Jordan storyline of Green Lantern #1. But the art was good, the conflict poignant, and because of that it deserves a positive review.  

Our next book is Legion of Super-Heroes #1. I’ll be honest; I hadn’t the foggiest of what was going on in this comic and shouldn’t have bothered buying it. I’ve read Legion before and understand it’s a title with a lot of diverse characters, but this reboot was just difficult. Unlike Justice League #1, which introduced us to a small number of characters at the beginning, thereby giving us a manageable way to grow with the title, Legion threw us into the deep-end and because of this I had no idea what was going on. I will not buy the second issue.

Our next book, Blue Beetle #1 brings us the BB of Jaime Keyes, but also gives us a Green Lantern-style science-fiction introduction to the origins of the Blue Beetle's scarab, an alien device that gives this young man his powers. All in all, it was a decent comic and although I've never been a Blue Beetle fan, I might flip through the second issue to see if it's worth buying again.

Finally we have Captain Atom #1. This was a fantastic comic and hearkened back to Alan Moore’s Doctor Manhattan which was, in a word, awesome. This story gives us Captain Atomic, gifted with extraordinary powers, but  also powers that could destroy him. Because of this, he must use them sparingly and although he does, we see it will also severely limit him. The non-polished art gives the book a gritty Frank Miller feel and the cover is absolutely fantastic and already up on my home office wall. For my money Captain Atom is one of the best super-heroes out there and if you haven't already figured it out, I will definitely buy the second issue.