Let’s get it in! Samantha of Neither Doormat Nor Prostitute, Ernie Estrella, Gavin Jasper of 4thletter!, and David Uzumeri of Funnybook Babylon!
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David U.: I think this issue is the single best thing Geoff Johns has ever written, playing perfectly to all of his strengths and working over his flaws. It lays its roots in a common dilemma - you know, when your best friend from high school meets your best friend from college and they each think the other dude is a total prick. In this case, Clark’s stuck between Lightning Lad and Batman, and the interactions are insanely natural. There’s also some stuff about Legion of Three Worlds, and a reuse of Geoff Johns’s new favorite narrative trick of a mysterious narrator who’s revealed on the last page, but the Clark/Bruce/Garth interactions are what really |
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Samantha: This issue was definitely filler between writers, and the overall plot lacked the energy of the previous 25 issues. That being said, the basics of what made Blue Beetle work for the past 25 issues were still there. He still had a loving family, was a generally upbeat and fun kid, and his interactions with both the Scarab and his supporting cast were witty and clever. I can only hope that Pfeifer can do as well when he takes over the helm next month. |
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Gavin: No matter how good a fill-in issue is, it could never really follow up on Blue Beetle #25. Luckily, this issue has a gimmick working for it. #26 here is written in mostly Spanish, other than several English exchanges involving Traci and Milagro. For a guy who has a faded memory of a couple years of high school Spanish under his belt, the whole thing almost comes across as one of Marvel’s ‘Nuff Said issues. It says a lot that without being able to understand most of the dialogue, I was able to understand the story Nitz and Norton were trying to tell. Thankfully, there’s a script at the end of the issue that translates the whole thing to English. Getting past the gimmick, it’s still a fill-in issue. Not a horrible fill-in issue, but it is what it is. At the very least, the aftermath of Beetle’s fight with Parasite shows a panel that can definitely hold its thumb down on Jaime’s future. Or not. It’s up to Pfeifer what he wants to do |
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SEMI-PAN! DC Universe #0 |
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Samantha.: I’m of two minds about this story. On one hand, the actual “story” (or On the other hand, the end page is almost worth the price of And the fact that the lightning struck behind a stripper joint makes |
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Samantha.: I suppose every big event has to take time out to lecture the readers about what exactly happened in their top secret past, and with Secret Invasion it was inevitable. But I’m not sure it should *feel* like a lecture, as this one unfortunately does. Worse yet, the big build up at the end just fell flat. I’m well aware of Spider-Woman’s complicated past, but to indicate that, out of all the heroes on the planet, impersonating her would do the biggest amount of damage…I just don’t buy it. The Skrulls can lecture about the need for secrecy and intrigue in the person’s past, but it still makes me roll my eyes and cry foul. My impression in going into Secret Invasion is that ultimately it wouldn’t matter, because no one of any importance would be affected. I was willing to set aside my pessimism when the first issue of Secret Invasion came out, because I was intrigued, but this issue? Has brought me right back to square one in my belief that the entire “event” is going to be a colossal pile of blah. |
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Gavin:I believe I echo the sentiment of many when I say that I’m sorry I got into this comic so late – or more accurately – too late. This issue, while by no means the best of its ten-issue run, shows in its portrayal of the team’s ultimate failure in staying power what it has ultimately succeeded to do. Yes, the series is canceled. Yes, the characters in the story realize that their adventure was nothing but a lead-in to an upcoming Iron Man adventure. Still, I believe that The Order will be remembered for being a launch pad for future Marvel mainstays. Sure, some characters will be forgotten about, but I can tell that it’s only a matter of time before a talented writer decides that he really enjoyed someone like Anthem and revitalizes the character the same way Bendis has taken a shining to the Hood. Just watch, someone on the team will be an Avenger within ten years. Funny thing is, within the last couple issues, I believe Fraction has done away with the two least usable characters. While Obadiah Stane’s son is a complete bastard and has a fun little scene with Iron Man towards the end of the issue, I’m still not totally convinced that he has what it takes to become a regular rogue. I feel that this issue was slightly rushed in storytelling and could have used another handful of pages to really get a better sense of closure. Here’s hoping Fraction’s Iron Man series keeps the quality but surpasses the success. |
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Samantha: It seems to me that a very basic strategy in writing a team-focused book is that you would focus on why that team works together as a group. Since Geoff Johns left the title, Teen Titans has defied that logic by showing instead why this group of characters completely fail as a group. The last couple of issues, and 58 in particular have reinforced that theory by not even bothering to focus on the team, and instead just show how the Titans individually fail as heroes. It’s an interesting approach, I suppose, though I’d like it much more if the McKeever could pull it together and actually show why I, or any reader, should care about these people. As for M’gann, I’ll start to care about her storyline and all of its angst when it stops being a bad rehash of the Raven/Trigon storyline. You know, the one that is also being retold once again in the grown-up Titans title? The only standouts in this story - and I don’t mean that in a positive way - are the completely gratuitous attempted rape that served absolutely no purpose to the storyline, and the bizarre characterization of Robin. Apparently the kid that stalked Batman when he was barely out of diapers is suddenly shocked and horrified at the idea of a little forgery to get his alien teammate an identity. Which is not only bizarrely out of character for a kid that worshiped Batman and fanboyed Oracle, it makes no sense in the world in which he lives. |
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Samantha: Reading this title, particularly next to the current Teen Titans, was such a breath of fresh air. Sure, the kids are still going through growing pains, but unlike the overdone melodrama in the regular title, the problems amongst the team in Year One actually make sense for them to have. Of course Kid Flash is jealous of Robin. Why wouldn’t he be? But he handles it by sulking to himself, not by throwing a hissy fit and proclaiming that he doesn’t need to be a Titan, or by trying to get Robin “fired” from the team. As a result, despite how wonderful it is to see Robin rush in and save the day (ah, if only Dick Grayson could be portrayed that competently in all his appearances) Wally’s problems are understandable, too. The only problem I have is with Donna. I know the kid’s full of hormones and has just came off an island full of women, but she really doesn’t need to fall in love with every boy she meets at first sight. It stopped being cute two issues back. |
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PICK! X-Men: Legacy #210 |
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David U.: This book has been an odd duck so far, which pretty well fits with Mike Carey’s sensibilities. Professor X having a solo book was an inevitable turn of events considering his central role in the mythos, but this is a different book due to the whole self-rediscovery angle Carey is going for. It’s a smart book by a smart writer about a very smart but very flawed man, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where it goes. |
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