Six sentence comic book reviews

A light week for comic books. And unfortunately not a very satisfying one.

Trinity #7
Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge #1
Flash #242
Hellblazer #246
Captain America #40
Ultimate Fantastic Four #56

Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1

Now THIS is what a Flash comic should read like. Oh, it’s not a Flash comic, it’s a Final Crisis tie-in? The premise behind this mini-series is that four of the Flash’s rogues gallery, Heatwave, Captain Cold, Weather Wizard and Mirror Master, have decided to give up a life of crime, but not before they pull one last heist, er, murder to atone for their role in the death of Bart Allen. After the end of his phenomenal run on the Flash solo title three years ago, it’s great to see Geoff Johns back in the driver’s seat writing the Rogues again. He’s able to transform this band of criminal misfits into complex characters, with a semblance of their Silver Age sensibilities, instead of just another bunch of gritty thugs. It’s enough to make a fanboy yearn for the heady days of 2005 when Johns was still working with these characters on a regular basis.

Captain America #40

I feel uncomfortable sometimes reviewing some Marvel comics because I’m not versed enough in the minutiae of their universe to make judgement calls on some of their creative directions. This universe just doesn’t have the same history and emotional resonance with me that the DC stable of characters has. In fact I initially only picked up this title because I wanted to take a look at what Alex Ross had done in Cap’s costume redesign. But I stayed because I’m enjoying how Brubaker is developing and redefining the Captain America mythos, pulling in disparate elements from across the character’s long publishing history. It’s unfortunate that the return of Steve Rogers is practically pre-ordained as Marvel has pulled off an excellent character transition here in the manner of a DC-esque legacy hero. That being said, once this particular story arc is finished, this title will be dropped from my pull list.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #56

What always appealed to me about the Ultimate universe is that it retold classic Marvel U stories in a streamlined fashion, without the baggage of decades of continuity. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your point of view, that well seems to have run dry and the universe chugs along on its own now, only occasionally checking in on the properties that birthed it. Which means that its just like any other regular Marvel title and I’m having problems figuring out why I should care about the Ultimate line anymore. To be honest, Ultimate Fantastic Four is the worst offender of the bunch. Ultimate Spidey and X-Men do a much better job staying true to their roots. In this issue, if you can keep your eyelids pried open, the FF fight a seven headed uber-germ based on the mythical Hydra.

Flash #242

The saga of Wally’s children continues. Iris continues to age rapidly and the West family is helpless to stop it. A last ditch effort to turn back the clock, thanks to some help from the Nzame of Gorilla City, ends in disaster as Iris prematurely ages to her death. I think this is purely a temporary comic death here. It’s meant as a convenient excuse to push Wally over the edge and have the character do something he regrets. Perhaps there’s another Flash standing in the wings who could take over for him?

Now get thee to a nunnery.

Six sentence comic book reviews

All right you insufferable bastards.

Enjoy your pound of flesh.

Trinity #6
Action Comics #867
Green Arrow\Black Canary #10
Justice Society of America #17
Ultimate Origins #2
Wolfskin Annual #1
Final Crisis: Requiem
Booster Gold #1000000

Wolfskin Annual #1

This was a surprise purchase on my part, especially since I’m actively trying to prune my pull list. But two things combined to encourage me to pull this number off the shelf. First, it’s written by Warren Ellis. Second, Wolfskin kills a man by hitting nails into his face as if he were practicing hammering fly balls into the outfield at Sky Dome. What’s not to like? Aside from some intentionally opaque dialogue I thought this was an amusing done-in-one story that sets the stage for the title character’s next story arc.

Booster Gold #1000000

I hadn’t realized that Johns’ final issue of Booster Gold was coming out this week. Regrettably with his departure this title moves into my drop pile. After the death of Ted, Blue Beetle II, time repairs itself and Booster begins to question what’s been driving him to be a superhero in hiding over the last twelve issues. That is until Batman shows him the photographs from the Joker’s camera, that he's apparently been holding onto for years, of Booster trying to save Barbara from being shot. I’m sorry, I’m not buying it. Even keeping the vagaries of a fictional universe’s timelines in mind I have touble believing that Batman is dick enough to hold on to those photos for so long without saying or doing something about them.

Final Crisis: Requiem

Hey, lookit that, Aquaman’s back. Um, I was never the biggest Aquaman fan, but the Internet tells me that the incarnation showing up in this issue is no more. Is this a scheduling goof that has now spoiled upcoming events from Final Crisis? Or was DC determined that all of their Big 7 make an appearance at J’onn’s funeral, throwing logic and continuity to the wind? Anyway, Requiem chronicles the life and death of J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter. Nothing about the way his death is presented smacks of permanence and I think it’s obvious that this is an editorial decision to remove him from the board for a while, for whatever reason.

Action Comics #867

Geoff Johns thrives in his role as DC’s chief continuity repairman for some of their more convoluted properties. This time out Brainiac is getting the Johns treatment. Rather than wait for Brainiac to discover his existence on Earth, Clark decides to turn the tables and bring the fight to him. So he heads out into space where he interrupts one of Brainy’s city smash-and-grab routines. Gary Frank’s art made this issue for me, I’ve never seen Brainiac, and Braniac related constructs, looks so evil and menacing. Now if only we could find some way to get rid of Steve Lombard again, another Crisis maybe?

Now get out of here. You can’t bother to leave me my dignity, so just leave me in peace.