We’ve all been in a situation where we had to put our trust in
someone we don’t even know. Most of the time (at least in my experience)
everything turns out okay and no harm done. However because life loves
to throw the occasional breaking ball, just when you think said
individual has your best interest that’s when it all goes to hell in a
hand basket. Given the cover for this issue it appears that Kyle may
have made a mistake by going with High Father. Let’s see if that is
actually the case with the latest chapter of Godhead.
If I could sum up this issue in one word it would sadly be
elementary. The outcome of the issue is exactly what one would expect
given the nature of how this crossover has been it almost takes the
dramatic element during the scenes between Kyle, Carol, and High Father.
I will admit that I kept getting Superman II vibes during this scene
due to Kyle wanting to be rid of the Life Equation (not the ring itself)
to protect Carol. It’s not an exact remake of the scene but the
sentiments ring through, especially once Kyle is ultimately left
ringless.
What is interesting about this issue is High Father’s
characterization in this issue itself. In previous chapters he’s been
shown as a leader who is operating on a macro level. His methods may be
harsh but it’s for the greater good so it justifies the means. The High
Father in this issue steps over the line into villain. Even Diogenes
Neves rendered fantastic maniac expressionin for High Father for several
panels. It’s not a surprise that this is the route they’ve put High
Father on but it just feels to sudden.
Sure you could argue that the descent was there from the first
chapter and I’ll agree it just feels like it was two sudden for him to
seem power hungry. Not knowing how High Father was a character prior to
this is possibly why I’m giving a pass on this, either way it still
feels to soon.
I am happy to report that Carol and Kyle’s dynamic is still just as
wonderful as previous issues, to bad they only get the last few pages of
the issue to shine the two continue to develop their relationship in
the most elegant of ways. At least as elegant you can by while being
stuck in another dimension.
Diogenes Neves returns once again for penciling duties but something
about his art simply looked off and it took me a while to realize it was
him. The characters faces in some panels just looked either stretched
out or if they were hoarding food for winter. Sadly his New Genesis
splash was lacking in spectacle, considering that this is the first time
the DCU is seeing it in this continuity. It’s not Neves’s strength, he
does tell a solid story from panel to panel and his best panels were the
one’s focused on High Father himself, more so the final one near the
end of the chapter.
New Guardians #36 pretty much steered the course with an occasional
bump in the road. The plot for Godhead moves along fine and it leaves
Carol and Kyle in an interesting place in whatever issue they show up
next during this crossover.
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Saturday, November 22, 2014
Justice League #36 Review
I have to admit, I’ve been rather excited about this arc, with the concept of Amazo’s
powers manifested in a virus having me well and truly intrigued. The
resulting narrative proves to be just as enticing as I’d hoped, as
though there are a lot of grey areas that need touched upon, the story
is still in early days. In saying that, the background narrative, and
interaction between the likes of Superman and Batman, and Luthor and Wonder Woman was extremely gripping.
Geoff Johns will always be one of the best writers at DC, as though the likes of Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire have given him a run for his money, the Chief Creative Officer hasn’t missed a step. The way that he builds suspense in this opening chapter is simply amazing, with the transition between sequences allowing for an exciting flow. Johns also builds tension between characters, with the mystery behind the Patient Zero being tantalising to say the least.
Jason Fabok has established himself as one of the best Batman artists in recent history, and now he’s transitioning these skills into Justice League. The result is something that makes his Batman work look average. I’m not sure whether it was the varied supes, or the fact that his pencils are contrasted by light for a change, but there is certainly something that adds that extra spark. Regardless, Fabok does an amazing job of the Leaguers, with Superman, and especially Wonder Woman looking awesome. Brad Anderson also delivers sleek colours, with the highlights, and boldness of his palette irradiating quality.
Justice League may have finally found the arc that will change its fortunes, with the suspense and character tension setting wonderful atmosphere. There’s also plenty of mystery, and wonderful background, making this issue easy to recommend.
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Geoff Johns will always be one of the best writers at DC, as though the likes of Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire have given him a run for his money, the Chief Creative Officer hasn’t missed a step. The way that he builds suspense in this opening chapter is simply amazing, with the transition between sequences allowing for an exciting flow. Johns also builds tension between characters, with the mystery behind the Patient Zero being tantalising to say the least.
Jason Fabok has established himself as one of the best Batman artists in recent history, and now he’s transitioning these skills into Justice League. The result is something that makes his Batman work look average. I’m not sure whether it was the varied supes, or the fact that his pencils are contrasted by light for a change, but there is certainly something that adds that extra spark. Regardless, Fabok does an amazing job of the Leaguers, with Superman, and especially Wonder Woman looking awesome. Brad Anderson also delivers sleek colours, with the highlights, and boldness of his palette irradiating quality.
Justice League may have finally found the arc that will change its fortunes, with the suspense and character tension setting wonderful atmosphere. There’s also plenty of mystery, and wonderful background, making this issue easy to recommend.
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Batman And Robin #36 Review
Peter Tomasi has taken Batman, and by extension the audience, on a
rollercoaster ride of action, emotion, allies, and more. Robin Rises
continues to feel very much like a grand crescendo to all of the events
that have proceeded since the tragic events of Batman Incorporated. The
newest issue is full of vicious action and exciting moments that no
Bat-fan should miss, and it features a conclusion that some fans have
been waiting for since the end of issue #6 of Justice League.
Justice League? You’ll see when you get the final page of this brawler of an issue. Batman takes absolutely no prisoner here, and his Hellbat suit continues to get an extreme workout. Batman has used a surprising amount of armored suits in the New 52, and while his new suit effectively turns Batman into a “superman,” Tomasi smartly focuses on the terrible toll that it’s taking on Bruce’s body. This adds a great deal of tension to the battle sequences beyond the incredibly fun action scenes themselves. Batman’s allies, team Robin, also get a lot of milage this issue. Along with Titus and Cyborg, the team manage to kick a little butt themselves and keep the team-up aspect of this book alive and well. There really isn’t much more to this issue other than a series of lively action sequences, and while it is a bummer that we don’t really get too much in terms of character development, Tomasi does give the characters the chance for some humorous interactions towards the end.
Patrick Gleason continues to provide some stunning artwork while being tasked with some pretty extreme scenes to portray. His action is a breeze to follow, and considering the scale of everything going on currently, that is truly an impressive feat. That said, there are a few instances where character faces look a bit rough, but it proves to be only a minor distraction.
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Justice League? You’ll see when you get the final page of this brawler of an issue. Batman takes absolutely no prisoner here, and his Hellbat suit continues to get an extreme workout. Batman has used a surprising amount of armored suits in the New 52, and while his new suit effectively turns Batman into a “superman,” Tomasi smartly focuses on the terrible toll that it’s taking on Bruce’s body. This adds a great deal of tension to the battle sequences beyond the incredibly fun action scenes themselves. Batman’s allies, team Robin, also get a lot of milage this issue. Along with Titus and Cyborg, the team manage to kick a little butt themselves and keep the team-up aspect of this book alive and well. There really isn’t much more to this issue other than a series of lively action sequences, and while it is a bummer that we don’t really get too much in terms of character development, Tomasi does give the characters the chance for some humorous interactions towards the end.
Patrick Gleason continues to provide some stunning artwork while being tasked with some pretty extreme scenes to portray. His action is a breeze to follow, and considering the scale of everything going on currently, that is truly an impressive feat. That said, there are a few instances where character faces look a bit rough, but it proves to be only a minor distraction.
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Batman Eternal #33 Review
Batman Eternal is having a really good
run as of late. The book is at its best when it’s less cluttered and
less pressured to tie multiple plotlines together. Lately, all of the
character development in previous issues (some of which I was convinced
was going absolutely NOWHERE) is really paying off for a couple of key
players.
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Well, when we last left our hero, Hush had just slipped past Batman and revealed the next step in his grand plan to level Gotham: blowing it up using Batman’s secret bunkers filled with explosives. Because Batman wouldn’t be Batman if he didn’t have The Most Horrible Thing Imaginable ready to go just in case of The Most Horrible Thing Imaginable. It occurs to me that for a guy that always seems to have a plan for every occasion, he NEVER seems to have a plan for someone coming along and stealing his plans. You never really have to have a plan for beating Batman. You can just use one of his. It’s not like he’ll see it coming. Anyway, now, Batman and Julia Pennyworth have teamed up to try and beat Hush to the punch and neutralize the bunkers before Hush can blow Gotham all to Hell. Kyle Higgins is quarterbacking the scripting on this issue and does a really good job of balancing action and exposition.
Having a smaller cast to deal with this time around helps him really flesh out characters and make some that haven’t gotten their due feel a bit more fleshed out. Jason Fabok’s visuals have definitely stepped up a notch from last week. He seems to be improving each week. The action beats feel twice as crisp, the facial expressions feel even more definitive than before. This, mixed with the improvement in script pacing, makes this chapter in the series one of the best yet.
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Well, when we last left our hero, Hush had just slipped past Batman and revealed the next step in his grand plan to level Gotham: blowing it up using Batman’s secret bunkers filled with explosives. Because Batman wouldn’t be Batman if he didn’t have The Most Horrible Thing Imaginable ready to go just in case of The Most Horrible Thing Imaginable. It occurs to me that for a guy that always seems to have a plan for every occasion, he NEVER seems to have a plan for someone coming along and stealing his plans. You never really have to have a plan for beating Batman. You can just use one of his. It’s not like he’ll see it coming. Anyway, now, Batman and Julia Pennyworth have teamed up to try and beat Hush to the punch and neutralize the bunkers before Hush can blow Gotham all to Hell. Kyle Higgins is quarterbacking the scripting on this issue and does a really good job of balancing action and exposition.
Having a smaller cast to deal with this time around helps him really flesh out characters and make some that haven’t gotten their due feel a bit more fleshed out. Jason Fabok’s visuals have definitely stepped up a notch from last week. He seems to be improving each week. The action beats feel twice as crisp, the facial expressions feel even more definitive than before. This, mixed with the improvement in script pacing, makes this chapter in the series one of the best yet.
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Batman Superman #16 Review
Batman/Superman “The Nemesis Objective” has mind wiped
itself of all the mind wipe hullabaloo that came before. We have a brand
new arc that is a good jumping on spot for new readers, much like Justice League this month. Also, like Justice League, there
is a new artist on board and I’m very excited about it. For all the
newness in the title, Greg Pak is still at the helm and guiding this
ship. While I don’t think this issue exemplified his finest writing
moments, I’m certainly willing to follow especially if we can keep our
new artist Ardian Syaf along.
The issue opens up with a set-up for something I found very momentous. What I’m talking about is the guys who dressed up as Batman and Superman to entertain those little kids in the hospital. I won’t ruin it, but it’s sad and that’s an emotion I rarely honestly have while reading comics. (Certainly most of us have been desensitized to the death of Martha and Thomas Wayne. Even though I know it’s sad, I don’t always feel it.) Superman, Supergirl, Steel and Krypto are saving some orca whales when suddenly something terrible happens.
Of course, Superman dons his glasses to do some investigative reporting. But as we all know, this is Batman/Superman and Clark just isn’t smart enough to figure things out on his own, so he goes to see the world’s greatest detective, Benedict Cumberbatch… I mean, Batman. After some moments at the hospital, they return to the Batcave where I believe some of the worst dialogue takes place.
Up until the cave I felt very strongly about this issue. It had heart, looked great, and was interesting. We get to the Batcave and Bruce just starts talking very strange. I’m not opposed to the root of what is said, but it’s presented to us -the readers- as it might have been presented to the editors at DC.
“Here’s an idea guys, what if Superman had to face a villain similar to one of Batman’s? What if, somehow, Bruce could use his intimate psychoanalysis of a certain nemesis that would come in handy when Superman has to deal with the same type of threat?” I felt like it was another case of telling us what was going on than showing us. The set-up with the volunteers was great to show a particular point: the villain is cruel and that guy was truly a hero. But there should have been hints at this too that would help the reader accept it and feel those tiny pieces of information fall into place. Instead, we get an opening transcript from Lois Lane about people feeling better. I’m all about what is revealed, but the process and way it was presented was lacking. That disappoints because I felt it had/has potential.
But not all the dialogue and flow of the story is off. There are sincere moments between Bruce and Clark that are written well. There is an element of danger that feels honest and not contrived. One page in particular really shows the potential for danger that is headed Superman’s way. I really want to see the next issue, so that is a plus for sure.
Recommended if:
I am thrilled to see Syaf’s artwork. I like the overall direction this arc looks like it’s taking us. I feel like the last quarter of the book had more potential than was recognized, at least in the writing department, though the rest of the book made up for it. It’s a good first chapter in a new story arc. I’d recommend it.
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The issue opens up with a set-up for something I found very momentous. What I’m talking about is the guys who dressed up as Batman and Superman to entertain those little kids in the hospital. I won’t ruin it, but it’s sad and that’s an emotion I rarely honestly have while reading comics. (Certainly most of us have been desensitized to the death of Martha and Thomas Wayne. Even though I know it’s sad, I don’t always feel it.) Superman, Supergirl, Steel and Krypto are saving some orca whales when suddenly something terrible happens.
Of course, Superman dons his glasses to do some investigative reporting. But as we all know, this is Batman/Superman and Clark just isn’t smart enough to figure things out on his own, so he goes to see the world’s greatest detective, Benedict Cumberbatch… I mean, Batman. After some moments at the hospital, they return to the Batcave where I believe some of the worst dialogue takes place.
Up until the cave I felt very strongly about this issue. It had heart, looked great, and was interesting. We get to the Batcave and Bruce just starts talking very strange. I’m not opposed to the root of what is said, but it’s presented to us -the readers- as it might have been presented to the editors at DC.
“Here’s an idea guys, what if Superman had to face a villain similar to one of Batman’s? What if, somehow, Bruce could use his intimate psychoanalysis of a certain nemesis that would come in handy when Superman has to deal with the same type of threat?” I felt like it was another case of telling us what was going on than showing us. The set-up with the volunteers was great to show a particular point: the villain is cruel and that guy was truly a hero. But there should have been hints at this too that would help the reader accept it and feel those tiny pieces of information fall into place. Instead, we get an opening transcript from Lois Lane about people feeling better. I’m all about what is revealed, but the process and way it was presented was lacking. That disappoints because I felt it had/has potential.
But not all the dialogue and flow of the story is off. There are sincere moments between Bruce and Clark that are written well. There is an element of danger that feels honest and not contrived. One page in particular really shows the potential for danger that is headed Superman’s way. I really want to see the next issue, so that is a plus for sure.
Recommended if:
- You want to see a Batman/Superman issue with good artwork again.
- You think there’s nothing better than the dualities between Batman and Superman.
- You’re looking to start this series. It’s a great place to pick it up.
I am thrilled to see Syaf’s artwork. I like the overall direction this arc looks like it’s taking us. I feel like the last quarter of the book had more potential than was recognized, at least in the writing department, though the rest of the book made up for it. It’s a good first chapter in a new story arc. I’d recommend it.
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