Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #33

Batman/Superman World's Finest #33 came out last week, the finale to the Eclipso story arc which has been a tidy three issues. That length is unusual for this title (typically 5 issue arcs with a done-in-one every 6 issues) and comics in general these days which are either trade length mega-stories or just ongoing narratives.

I do wonder if this story is three issues because writer Mark Waid really wasn't sure what he wanted to do here. For sure, this has been the least cohesive story on this title which I have routinely said is the best on the rack. But there is a lot going on here and much of it not really fleshed out. There are some plot elements that happen almost magically making me thing Waid knew what he wanted to have happen but wasn't sure how to get there. There is Eclipso and the oddly possessed Bruce Gordon trying to rule the world by controlling satellites. There are heroes quickly possessed by Eclipo's evil and then just as easily shaken from the possession. There is a subplot of the JSA and the JLA trying to figure out how they relate to each other. There is a fantastical rescue early in this issue and a fantastical conclusion at the end. I don't know ... it is sort of blurry.

Could Waid be overworked? He has this book, the upcoming JLU, Batman/Robin year one, and any other titles he is on. 

Artist Adrian Gutierrez is again on art but even his work, in places seems less polished than prior issues. Still solid but it did make me miss Dan Mora a little. 

That said, the story is over. 

On to details. 

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #32

I continue to chip away at a backlog of reviews after a brief vacation. So today I am reviewing Batman Superman World's Finest #32, a book released 2 weeks ago!

Writer Mark Waid has used this book as a sort of team-up title with Superman, Batman, and a young Dick Grayson Robin interacting with some classic characters from the DCU. This is the second issue in an Eclipso storyline with our heroes teaming up with the JSA. The Satellite Era JLA have been trapped. Our heroes have been possessed and are now pawns of Eclipso. And so the JSA needs to step in and try to save the day and the World's Finest duo.

I have loved this title since its inception but this storyline seems a little bit looser than I am used to. Eclipso is pretty cool. Seeing the JSA, including many of my faves, is also fantastic. But I don't know if I understand how Eclipso is doing what he is doing. I have had to stop overthinking the insanity and just sort of roll with it. Waid usually feels 'tighter' than this. This is still a very good book and a good story. But the bar is high.

Adrian Gutierrez is on art, stepping into Dan Mora's huge shoes. I like the style as it has a little frenzied feel to it which works with the story. I admit I sometimes have a hard time following the action on certain scenes. But overall, I like what I am seeing and glad he has been named the ongoing artist here.

On to the book.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #31

World's Finest #31 came out last week, beginning a new arc with our heroes fighting Eclipso. I have sung the praises of this title since it's inception. But I have to admit, this was the most muddled issue of the book for me. It was difficult for me to follow exactly what was happening here.

If you told me that Waid was going to give me a satellite era story involving a classic JLA (goateed GA! Red Tornado!) fighting Eclipso, I'd say that this was going to be gold. But the plot traveled fast, with key points being a bit quick or quirky so that the whole thing unfolds almost too quickly. 

This was one of those issues I read a couple of times to make sure that I wasn't missing something!

Dan Mora gives us his usual tremendous art on the cover. Adrian Gutierrez brings tremendous energy to the story. Gutierrez has big shoes to fill on this book. Mora is a marvel. I really liked the work here, crisp and kinetic.

But this book fell a little short.

On to details.

Leviathan Wednesday: Eclipso #11, #12, And #13

We are rushing to the end of my Leviathan Wednesdays. Checkmate is coming out in two weeks. We will see just what Mark Shaw is planning on doing as Leviathan. 

Last week I covered Manhunter #14 and #15 in which we learned just how broken Mark Shaw was, just how devious the DEO was, just how horrible Shaw was used by the various espionage agencies in the DCU. No wonder he rebelled.

In that review we were shown how Manhunter was killed by a thrall of Eclipso. But that Manhunter was not Mark Shaw; it was another DEO agent programmed to think he was Shaw, including all the backstory.

Given I knew that Manhunter wasn't Shaw, I thought I could skip reviewing the Eclipso issues. But the truth is, if I was deep diving into Shaw's history, I thought I should cover it. Moreover, I ran a twitter poll asking if I should run it. God bless the 16 people who voted! 12 said cover the issues.

So here we are. Eclipso #11-13 was written by Robert Loren Fleming with art by Audwynn Jermaine Newman and Ray Kryssing. Succinctly, it is a bloodbath. Fleming has a unofficial Suicide Squad invade a tropical island under the complete control of Eclipso. Not many make it out.

Now I will try to look at this story from the perspective that this is Mark Shaw. I'll also look at it from the viewpoint that this is that nameless DEO agent thinking he is Shaw. Either way, Shaw has reason to be angry.

The art is very much 90's extreme. Newman and Kressing have a style that looks like a perfect amalgam of Erik Larsen and Bart Sears. Somehow it works for this story and it's crazy plot. 

On to the book. Settle in.

Review: Justice League 3001 #11

You can't have a Rebirth without some death I suppose.

And unfortunately Justice League 3001 has been cancelled. This doesn't really surprise me given the sales result. But it does sadden me. This book (and its predecessor JL3000) was a nice melange of all the crazy corners of the DCU.

Justice League 3001 #11 came out last week and is the penultimate issue of the series. Writers Keith Giffen and JM DeMatteis are unfortunately faced with something of an impossible task. They have to try to wrap up this pretty complex, multi-layered comic in 40 pages. And as a result, this issue felt somewhat rushed. There are a lot of questions that I am hoping will be answered. There are a lot of questions I think won't be answered. And there is a ton of backstory, explaining everything about this universe and these characters, that I don't think I will ever get. And that is a shame.

Scott Kolins does an admirable job on the art bringing the grime of this flawed future. I also like the design of the heroes here as well as the corrupted Legion and the other aliens. Kolins' look definitely fits the title perfectly.

I promise not to curse the darkness here. I got 2+ years over two titles to read these characters. That's a light I should celebrate. On to the issue.

Review: Justice League Of America #59

Justice League of America #59 came out this week, the end of the Rise of Eclipso story arc and the second to last issue for James Robinson on his JLA run. There have been a lot of versions of the League over its history. Robinson's was another version without any of the Big 7, let alone one of the big three.

But this team was a sort of quasi-Big 7 with some analogues of the old time League as members. And what it had was an old-school flavor to it as the League fought one major threat after another. They didn't fight Amos Fortune here. They fought galactic threats, universal threats, deicide threats. Nothing was easy. And, after saving the world for the last year, this team will fade in the mist of the DCnU.

I feel for Robinson. For one, I really think he was just getting his feet under him in how these characters were interacting with each other. I also think he probably had to rush to end this Eclipso story before the September reboot. I suppose he could have used the last 2 issues of this run to complete this story. Instead he wraps up the story in this issue allowing himself an epilogue for the team next issue. The former would probably be easier. But I am glad he did the latter because I think this team needed an issue to pause, breathe, reflect.

But that decision to finish the Eclipso story here means that things happen fast ... fast and without much room for explanations. The story suffers a bit for it. But it would have been hard to wrap this up in many ways no matter what. Once you get into dealing with near omnipotent beings, it is a challenge to reach a satisfying conclusion.

And Brett Booth isn't here for the art, most likely sent away to get ahead on the new Teen Titans. Daniel Sampere steps in and does solid work here, less stylized than Booth but with more weight to his characters.

Last issue ended with Donna being impaled on Eclipso's sword. She was supposedly the hero's last chance here. And with her death we open up to this scene of Eclipso, seated on a throne made of his enemies, gloating about hisvictory. I have to say that having Eclipso sitting on the Spectre's cloak, one last insult thrown to God's Angel of Vengeance, was a nice touch.

Over the next few pages we see that the death of Donna turned the tide for Eclipso. We see pages of the moon falling, then the Earth, then the universe. Darkness has swept over everything.

Now the 'death of God' aspect to this plot seemed a little but over the top. But the moon's destruction did cut off the Earth from God's love leading to this victory for evil. It again shows the scope of Robinson's stories. The JLA vs someone who can kill God? Crazy.

We again go back in time to hear the League's plan, including the discussion with Donna. This is the third (maybe the fourth) time we have seen this scene, each time with more and more added.

Once again, we hear how Donna is the key. Since she has overcome much darkness in her life, she can bring the power of light to Eclipso. One thing I have said I did not like in Robinson's run was just how crass Donna had come, cursing and walking a fine line between heroism and barbarism. Those are now dismissed as simple defense mechanisms. Robinson made Donna the hero in Cry for Justice. Glad to see that same respect for her here.

But then we get the first little stretch in this issue, the first thing that seems too easy, to come out of left field. Saint Walker now not only can show people their biggest hope (I didn't know they could do that) but given the Starheart boost he is enjoying, he can make that hope appear to have been obtained in the mind of the person too! It makes him almost like a walking Black Mercy flower. That was a bit too simple. It also somehow diminishes Donna's role. Now she isn't the last hope, she is merely a diversion for Saint Walker to do his Jedi mind trick.

Neither Donna nor Saint Walker will be able to do much if the Shade continues to aid Eclipso with his shadow-controlled army. That is where the Atom and Starman come in to play. Remember, they were shot into the Shade's mind to rid him of Eclipso's control. With a couple of blasts the shadow-spiders are disintegrated and the Shade is free. I thought it was amusing that one of the spiders is wearing a top hat.

But once the Shade is freed, Eclipso's army regain their free will. Suddenly Eclipso is alone, with no support.

Everyone is freed. Even Jade, another one of the big guns under Eclipso's control. This was just a great near splash page showcasing Sampere's work. I really thought this was beautiful.

Jade has had a role to play in all the JLA stories. I just wonder if she was meant to have a bigger role in the DCU given her spotlight in Brightest Day.

Without his troops, without their psychic strength, and caught in a mind trip where he thinks he has won, Eclipso is suddenly vulnerable.

All the light based characters on the moon blast away while the physical characters pummel him. And just like that Eclipso is defeated.

Again though, we see how things are happening fast here. Here we learn that Jessie Quick has recovered her speed. We don't get an explanation now. Was this to have been a reveal down the line? A longer story? The basis of a whole other arc? We'll never know. My guess is this is one of the things that Robinson simply needed to truncate. Hopefully we will get some explanation next issue.

Blasted by light, Eclipso fades and his human host Bruce Gordon re-emerges. I have to say this was my favorite part of the book. Gordon delivers a great line about how he is being punished, cursed as the host of Eclipso and forced to keep him at bay. It is ominous. It sounds like Gordon might snap under the pressure.

Too bad this won't be explored any time soon.

And here is another quick leap forward. Jade and Obsidian hug, suddenly not compelled to merge and become an agent of chaos. This without much explanation. This despite a whole issue devoted to showing how they were cursed forever, every timeline where they touch ending in disaster.

I doubt this was how Robinson intended this plot point to end. Did he have bigger plans here?

And on cue Supergirl arrives to catch up with everyone.

Remember though, the moon was cracked in half last issue. The heroes fly off and ... surprise ... the moon is fixed! Off screen! Again, was this just too easy??

After the clean up, the Atom pauses to once again praise this team for everything they have done. This moment has happened a couple of times in this run. It is as if Robinson needs everyone to hear that this roster is worthy of being called the JLA. I don't know if we needed to hear it again.

Still, it was nice to hear the Atom talk about how the other heroes just weren't around to take on these threats. Superman was Grounded. Bruce was funding Batman Inc. Wonder Woman was in another timeline. Hal was on Oa or in space. Someone needed to be there to fight the CSA, Omega Man, and Eclipso. This team did! And won!

The last page is Dick calling a meeting of the JLA to disband it.

While this issue felt rushed with a lot of slapdash plot endings, I still have to say I enjoyed Robinson's run. These were big stories with a 'Little 7' team fighting big threats. This whole run was better than I expected, certainly better than the League was portrayed in Cry for Justice. And all these characters ... Supergirl, Bill, Mikaal, Jade ... they were all treated as top tier heroes. Not sidekicks or offshoots of main characters.

Frankly, I can't wait for next month's epilogue issue. It will be time to say goodbye to this group. Heck, it'll be time to say goodbye to these characters as they will change or be gone in the DCnU. Will there be a Donna, Jessie, Jade, Bill, and Mikaal in the DCnU? Will the new Supergirl resemble this one at all. I am sure Robinson is going to send them off well.

Overall grade: B- (but with expected A+ next month)

Review: Justice League Of America #58

Justice League of America #58 came out last Wednesday, the penultimate chapter of the Eclipso Rising storyline. The second to last chapter of story arcs like this are crucial for me. I have to feel at the end of these issues that the arc is teed up to be completed. If there is too many plot threads hanging, I worry that the conclusion will be rushed, that plot points will be glossed over or unanswered.

James Robinson does a good job here lining everything up for next month's conclusion. He even adds a number of small flourishes that show just how extensive his knowledge of the DCU is. I enjoy hearing some of the crazier or more esoteric DC stories referenced in stories like this. And they are never crucial to the story; the newer reader can just move on without wondering what is going on.

But more importantly, Robinson continues to show just how this League is growing together. There has been something of a formula in these stories, the team regrouping somewhere in the middle of the arc and Dick coming up with a great plan. But here, Dick uses his knowledge of prior adventures as well as characters other skills to put together a solid plan. And Robinson plays out the plan slowly, flashing back to the strategy discussion and then moving to the actualization of that part of the plan. It works better than hearing the whole plan and then seeing it play out.

Miguel Sepulveda (who did the recent Superman/Batman Annual) and Daniel Sampere split the art here, presumably to give Brett Booth some lead time for his new Titans book. It is a very different look than Booth's but it is solid, with a lot of wide action shots of the brawling on the moon.

We only have 2 more issues of this JLA moving forward ... heck we only have 2 more months of 'this' DCU ... but I have enjoyed this group a lot.And how wonderful has it been to have Supergirl in the League!

Now last issue ended with Eclipso splitting the moon like an avocado, the culmination of his plan to destroy Earth and therefore kill God.

As I have said before, Robinson has really ratcheted up the threat levels that the League has fought. From the Starheart to the CSA and the Omega Man to Eclipso, it has been world threatening to universe threatening to deity-threatening villains that need to be squashed.

In one of those small moments, Robinson shows us that the Eclipso's ascendancy to ultimate Shadow power has effected the universe, the people of Talok VIII (and long lost LEGION member Lydea Mallor) are suddenly overwhelmed with bliss, succumbing to the evil shadow wave. I know this was a page taken away from League action but it showed just how encompassing Eclipso's plans are. This truly is a universal threat. I thought this added something to the story.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the splitting of the moon is wreaking havoc on the planet. We see heroes scrambling to save people from all manners of disasters while Eclipso sits smugly on the moon. That is, until the League comes over the hill for one last assault.

While we see most of the Leaguers struggling against Eclipso's army, we flash back to Batman discussing his plan.

He realizes that The Shade and his mastery of Shadows is how Eclipso is controlling so many people. And the Shade, who has turned over a new leaf, must be being dominated by Eclipso in a more subtle fashion. The Shade seems like he is self-aware but Batman realizes that is a sham. The Shade is under Eclipso's control ... and if that control is broken, Eclipso's army will stop fighting.

So how to stop the Shade? The first step is to get the Atom up to the moon.

And then shrink the Atom and Starman down, put them into a blue energy bullet, and have Congorilla shoot the Shade in the head. Again, I like how Dick uses Bill's skills as a hunter to his advantage.

Dick reminds the Atom how he 'kick started' Batman's brain waaayyy back in The Brave and the Bold #115, an issue from the 70s where The Atom keeps Batman from brain death with direct physical intervention. Maybe the same can be done to the Shade's brain.

While I think it is silly and awesome that Robinson brings up this pre-Crisis story as though it happened a short time ago and is in continuity, I am pretty sick of the Atom (or others using his powers) walking on people's brains.

Didn't we see enough of that in Cry for Justice and Identity Crisis? And kicking the brain into right thinking?

Once in the brain, Starman and the Atom begin walking, trying to find the focus of Eclipso's control. Again, Robinson drops a nice Silver Age reference, the Atom meeting Edgar Allen Poe way way way back in 1964's The Atom #12 ( 'The Gold Hunters of '49'). How does Starman know about that story?

I don't know what the heroes are breathing in there ... but if I can buy that they were shrunk, put in an energy bullet, and shot into a super-villain's brain, I guess I have to buy that they can breathe something when shrunk and walking inside someone's skull.

And I wanted to include the panel below where Batman talks about how while the Atom and Starman are dealing with The Shade, the rest of the League will try to free Zauriel.

I include it to show that the panel and some dialogue is repeated ... this time with the added element that Zauriel is not the goal, but a decoy. Again, by slowly revealing the plan, Robinson let's the reader be as surprised as Eclipso is when the League changes tactics. Up until that point, I thought Zauriel was the goal. But I was wrong. Nice use of repeat panels and dialogue ... I usually find it lazy but this time it worked.

And it turns out that the real plan is to get Donna one on one with Eclipso. Remember last month, Saint Walker said he detected that someone had the power to defeat the villain. It turns out it is Donna. Walker knows that Donna can unleash her anger and pain onto Eclipso, let her 'bright energy' shine.

Now I have been a Donna fan since forever. I thought she was such a steady influence in the Wolfman/Perez Titans, probably where I really latched on to her. I really think that putting her through the mill has become almost cliche with every possible tragedy foisted upon her. And yet, through that, she has remained a fierce hero. Even when bristling with anger, she has always channeled it into heroics. Robinson had her defeat Prometheus in Cry for Justice. I am glad she had a chance to be the big hero here.

While I guessed just about every female character last month when Saint Walker talked about this hope, I did think it would be Donna. Here were my thoughts last month:

My best guess is Donna. Somehow it will come out that her ability to persevere and carry on, to continue to look to the light despite the horror in her history, is able to dispel Eclipso. Okay, it's a stretch ... but I am a Donna fan.

Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Now another comic tradition I like is having germs or body-invading organisms take on human or animal characteristics. Here Eclipso's control of Shade takes the form of large spiders. So the Atom and Starman have to eradicate these things to free the Shade. It is sort of reminiscent of the climactic battle in The Incredible Shrinking Man.

My favorite version of this is when the Kryptonite germs in Superman's body in 'Critical Condition' took the form of K-Supermen. Look at how beautiful that Matrix costume is!

And for a second, it looks like Donna might win. She just takes it to Eclipso, focusing all the negativity in her life into her fists.

I have to say, I thought this was great. I was really hoping that Donna would stop being the cursing, always angry hero we saw. I wanted her to have the quiet dignity I have seen in her before. And it looked like this might have been some catharsis. Donna-tharsis??

Until this ...

Donna dies ... again!?

Well, she is pictured on the cover of Justice League of America #60 so maybe not? Maybe somehow she survives this? And, of course, there is no mention of her in the reboot! Knowing we might not see her in the near future, I hope she survives this and leaves the current DCU on top, as a hero. But if she dies here, at least Robinson has treated her as the warrior she is.

So the table is set for next month's finale. The Shade will get freed. Eclipso's army will desert him. And then, I think, Jade has to be the one to ultimately defeat him. She has been trumpeted throughout this run as stronger than ever, massively powerful. Freed from Eclipso's control and seeing Donna, I bet trounces him. Now, as for the moon, I bet the Starheart somehow undoes the damage to recreate the mystic city.

As much as I am looking forward to seeing how all this wraps up, I actually am looking forward to JLA #60 more, Robinson's epilogue/love letter/finale to this team. I constantly remind myself that I only came to this book because Supergirl was on the team. I am glad I came because this has been a year plus here, bringing this quasi-'Big Seven' team together.

Overall grade: B

Review: Justice League Of America #57

Justice League of America #57 came out last week, the next chapter in The Rise of Eclipso arc by writer James Robinson and artist Brett Booth. This is the fourth chapter of the arc which has been building in momentum.

This issue certainly moved the story forward as we learn a bit more about Eclipso's ultimate plan. We also get some movement on personal storylines as Alan Scott, Jesse, and Obsidian's stories all progress a bit. But I have to say that as we turn the corner of this arc, I feel that this issue actually lost some momentum, mostly around Eclipso's plan.

It is true that Robinson has done a very good job making sure that this League fights big threats. We have seen the League fight the Starheart, Omega Man, and now Eclipso. But the problem is that sometimes the threats can feel so big that the story can veer towards lunacy. When I see what Eclipso is up to, the power he wields, I have to wonder just how Congorilla and Batman are going to defeat him. I wonder what Congorilla and Batman are even doing in this fight?

The truth is though that this is probably Robinson's last arc on the book, at least with this team. So I guess why not go out with a bang. Still, I wouldn't have minded seeing this team beat the snot out of the Royal Flush Gang for a couple of issues, if only to catch my breath and see the characters interact when the FATE OF THE WORLD was not at stake.

I do have to say that Brett Booth's art is just wonderful. I have really enjoyed his linework throughout his stint on the book. Very nice stuff here.

I don't know too much about the back story of Mikaal Tomas Starman so I enjoyed this single panel where he remembers his home world and culture. I didn't realize he was from Talok III but I liked that a lot given that Shadow Lass is from Talok VII. Nice.

Starman is seeing his life flash before his eyes but he is only unconscious after the shock of being rescued by Obsidian at the end of the last issue. Obsidian has shunted them to a protected area on the moon, a place shielded by Alan Scott. The link between Scott and the Starheart has been severed. He is up and about again, healed, but with only what energy he has in him. Like a battery, his power will eventually dwindle. The Starheart's power now flows into Eclipso.

And the news keeps getting worse. Jesse Quick is suddenly slow. I don't know exactly what is going on here. Why would she suddenly be cut off from the Speed Force? She still has the Liberty Belle aspect of her powers but no speed. Hmmm ...

One thing I did like was that Jesse's first concern is for Jade rather than her own loss. That is the selflessness of a hero.

Unfortunately, we see Jade under Eclipso's complete control. In fact, she seems more like an automaton.

Jade's plight was detected by Obsidian and that's why he showed up, his evil banter last issue a ruse. In a prior arc (JSA Princes of Darkness) Obsidian became immune to Eclipso's control. I didn't read that arc, so any information on what went down there would be appreciated.

With the Starheart dumping all it's power into him, Eclipso is more powerful than ever. His weaknesses like light and holy power (Dr. Light, Zauriel) don't bother him any more. And his plan is still unknown.

Obsidian, as a shadow, can somehow link to the hive mind of the shadow army and hears the plan.

Somehow the chaos energy of the Starheart has opened up Eclipso's mind to grander ideas than he usually has, he has a better idea about the grand order of the universe.

But to accomplish his goal, Eclipso needs even more power. And to get that power to come to him, he needs Zauriel to release a distress signal. And what better way to do that than to torture the angel.

Okay, nice imagery there, the fallen angel gutting the warrior of the faith. And thankfully, not too gratuitous. We don't see intestines, blood, etc.

Obsidian realizes that Eclipso wants to kill God.

Kill God.

Okay, Robinson may have just lost me. Just because we are starting to veer towards the absurd. How can any JLA defeat something that nigh-omnipotent? Chuck a batarang at it? Punch it in the face?

Well, in a nice twist, it turns out that The Shade is the keystone to the whole thing. The Shade has the influence over the Shadow energy, the power that is giving Eclipso control over everyone (like Jade) and everything (like the Starheart). Sever the Shade's link and Eclipso will suddenly not be a threat.

That's why the Shade was so important to Eclipso's plan. But it makes him the weak link in the chain.

And just like that a plan hatches. Batman needs to get a hero from Earth up to the moon to bring down Eclipso.

And St. Walker thinks someone on the team can negate Eclipso's evil.

We know that future solicits say a woman is the last standing team member. So who is it going to be? Let's start guessing.

My best guess is Donna. Somehow it will come out that her ability to persevere and carry on, to continue to look to the light despite the horror in her history, is able to dispel Eclipso. Okay, it's a stretch ... but I am a Donna fan.

I suppose somehow Jesse's power loss is somehow linked to this St. Walker idea. Maybe Eclipso is trying to keep her away from doing whatever she needs to be doing, robbing her of her powers to keep her at a distance.

Or maybe it's Jade. The truth is, she probably has the power to drain Eclipso, or at least turn off the Starheart energy spigot.

But I still hope it's Donna. Remember, she was basically the hero of Cry for Justice, freeing herself from being crucified to take out Prometheus. Maybe Robinson likes her just as much.

 

 

Zauriel's distress call brings the Spectre to the moon.

Eclipso provides some exposition ... which I don't know that I necessarily follow ... that the Earth is God's most favored planet. That God needs the love of Earth to sustain him, and so to destroy the Earth will kill God.

Now, again I don't know if I follow it necessarily, but somehow the Spectre begins to lose his powers on the moon. His power begins to feed Eclipso. Somehow the Shadows and the Starheart is effecting the Angel of Vengeance. Ummm ...

Anyways, the resulting shift allows Eclipso to kill the Spectre and gain all his power.

(Yawn) ... the Spectre loses again.

So, when exactly was the last time the Spectre won a big fight? I can't respect the Spectre as a big threat anymore. He is now in the same category as Lady Shiva ... a yard stick.

And frankly, it has gotten to the point of being overused. I am bored with the 'Spectre losing' panel. The last great one was way back in Alan Moore's Swamp Thing #50.

And now, flush with power, Eclipso breaks the moon in half, exposing the gooey center.

It just felt like too much. I mean where is there to go from here? How do you fix that?

Anyways, there are 2 issues left in this arc so plenty of time to explain things. There are some hooks I am interested in ... Batman's mystery hero, which Leaguer has the power to take out Eclipso. But have we really come to a place that we need to split the moon and try to kill God to get a reaction from the readers?

Still, I have come to like this JLA as a team so I will sad to see this roster dismantled.

Overall grade: B/C+

Review: Justice League Of America #56

Justice League of America #56, written by James Robinson with art by Brett Booth, came out last week. A middle chapter in the current Rise of Eclipso arc, the issue is something of a big slugfest with very little movement in the overall plot. The art is beautiful, there are a couple of nice character moments, and the plot revelations are all interesting. But in many ways this felt like a sort of pause in the story.

Last issue, Eclipso and his army came to the moon and kicked the snot out of the citizens of the Emerald City and the JLA. This issue Eclipso and his army, which now includes a possessed Jade, continue to kick the snot out of the characters. And that is sort of the bottom line.

The one thing that I have said about the last year of this comic it is that Robinson really has done a great job of putting together huge threats for the team to battle. There isn't Doctor Destiny and the Materioptikon vying to control a city. We have had the CSA, the Omega Man, the Star Heart, and now Eclipso. And Robinson does a very good job of justifying these threats as real threats. So maybe an issue like this is done to prove that once again this JLA is up to the challenge.

With Batman and Starman away in space with Supergirl dealing with Doomsday, Donna Troy is stuck holding her own. And now she is facing off against Jade.

Jade has certainly showed a dark side to her persona, especially since she absorbed some of the Star Heart's energies. So her being possessed so quickly makes internal sense to me. She also has been shown to be extremely powerful since her resurrection. So this can't be good for Donna.

And Donna realizes that the Emerald City is now ... crap city. Really ... Donna called it crap city?

Now I am a big Donna fan and I remember when she was the voice of reason in the Titans. And I know that she has gone through a lot since then ... retcons, loss and gain of powers, death of husband and children, death and rebirth herself. I know that her history has made her angry and fierce. Robinson has definitely shown this aspect of her throughout his stay here. And I know that he has shown that she is self-aware of her anger, and how she is sick of being angry.

But when she has been reduced to anger and punches and cursing and lines like 'crap city' we are veering just a little bit too close to Lobo territory. I hope that once this 'dark' adventure is over, Donna can come to terms with some of the things inside herself.

As much as I am kind of annoyed at Donna's characterization, I am thrilled with the new World's Finest of Batman and Supergirl. Robinson really has done a great job of showing Dick and Kara's relationship, how it has grown, and how much they care for each other ... the same sort of loyalty and friendship seen between Bruce and Clark.

Batman learns that St. Walker cannot detect where Supergirl went and he also learns about the Eclipso attack. With  some reluctance, Batman knows he is needed more on the moon than searching aimlessly in space. And he hopes Supergirl can hold her own ... wherever she is. It is a nice moment.

In one of the revelations in the issue, Donna is stopped from defeating Jade by the Shade, a Shade who still seems to have his faculties about him. Unlike the silent drones fighting for Eclipso, the Shade still has his debonair voice. But despite this free will, he tells Donna that he is serving Eclipso.

Why do I get the feeling that he was really saying 'I serve my lord .... for now.' There definitely is going to be some sort of turnaround by the Shade in this arc.

Before Batman, Starman, and St. Walker can get to the moon, Congorilla shows up with some JLA reserves: Cyborg, Dr. Light, Animal Man, and others.

Eclipso mocks the team as the 'oh so mighty JLA'. We saw in the earlier arcs here that Robinson seemed to be going out of the way to say that the current roster is *the JLA* going as far as having Superman say it and a throng of heroes cheer the team when they defeated the Omega Man. Is this another jab at this team? A way that when it is over they can say 'yes we are the JLA'? Or is it more a comment on these reserves?

Now you would think that Dr. Light would be an excellent hero to have fight the shadow army. But unfortunately these heroes not only get beaten ... but possessed! It seemed too quick.

Even Zauriel is brought up to the moon to fight Eclipso. It would make sense. Eclipso is a formed spirit of wrath. Zauriel is formerly of the heavenly host.

Unfortunately, I think that Zauriel has become a 'yard stick' character, his only purpose to show how tough a how is when they defeat him. I suppose I am supposed to say 'wow, Eclipso is so tough he beat Zauriel'. But I can't do that for him anymore than I can for the Spectre. I can't remember the last fight either of them one.

Finally Batman, Starman, and St. Walker arrive and join the fray. Unfortunately, the team is woefully outnumbered. Eclipso's army has only grown on the moon.

Another nice piece of characterization here is Robinson's use of St. Walker. Even in this situation, he doesn't lose hope. And he is so disgusted by Eclipso that he jumps for the chance to fight him one on one. I don't recall that sort of pro-active nature in Walker before. It was refreshing.

What's more is that for some reason his ring is able to manifest constructs on the moon. Is that because of Jade? Or the vicinity of the Starheart? Or the fact that Alan Scott is somewhere in hiding on the moon.

I have never been a fan of St. Walker before this issue. This is the first time I actually cared about what he was doing.

Just when it looks like all hope is lost, the JLA surrounded, they are engulfed in darkness by Obsidian. It looks like he might be working for Eclipso with the 'as you command' but the comic book veteran in me says this is a last second rescue.

Since we know what will happen if Jade and Eclipso merge, I am glad he is going to take off with the crew. Unless merging with the possessed Jade is some way to save her ... hmmmm.

I was sort of disappointed that we did not see any of Jesse Quick this issue. Her revelation last issue that she is slowing down was the most interesting hook from that book. She must be the hero of next issue. I just hope she doesn't get depowered or worse ... killed.

Anyways, this was a decent issue although it felt like a sort of 'treading water' issue. Overall I am enjoying this arc but I was hoping things would progress a bit more. Still, some new threads were added to this storyline.

Brett Booth continues to do an excellent job here, conveying the action in a very dynamic, high-octane way.

Overall grade: B

Review: Justice League Of America #54

Justice League of America #54 was the opening chapter of the Rise of Eclipso story arc and as such, doesn't read much like a JLA comic at all. That's not to say it isn't a good book. But outside of a couple of splash pages and one panel late in the story, the League isn't seen at all.

This book is part primer on Eclipso, reviewing his origins and incarnations, and part whirlwind tour of the DCU as Eclipso forms his Shadow Warriors. As someone who knows mostly the 'older' Eclipso stuff, has no knowledge of 'The Darkness Within' event, and barely knows about Jean Loring's manifestation, I thought this issue sort of brought me up to speed. I usually think of Eclipso as a sort of 'yard stick' character, a powerful being who always gets beaten up so another character can then be measured as being 'tough enough to beat up Eclipso'. He has never really been written in a way that makes me think he is worth all the fuss.

As a side conversation, I hate when good characters devolve into yard-stick characters. Poor Prometheus went from almost beating the JLA single handedly to having Huntress beat him in combat (okay we later learned it wasn't *the* Prometheus). Poor Lady Shiva who is touted as the deadliest martial artist in the DCU ... but I can't remember the last time I saw her win a bout. The worst 'yard stick' character is the Spectre, the 'most powerful being in the DCU' who has been defeated recently by Atrocitus. I can't remember the last time the Spectre showed up and just destroyed someone. And sadly it looks like the Spectre is going to get defeated in this arc as well. Okay ... enough of a rant.

The thing is, I would rather that this had been a one-shot Eclipso book rather than fall under the JLA title. I mean, the Starman/Congorilla one-shot is more deserving of the JLA moniker than this book. Maybe I am splitting hairs. I mean, the purpose of comics is to entertain and this issue, for the most part, did.

So here is the splash page showing the current roster of the JLA. But it comes after a page showing the big seven and other incarnations of the League. I just think we have come far enough with this team that we don't need to be hit over the head anymore. They are the League. I wholeheartedly accept it. Heck, I like this lineup. So I don't need to hear anyone else in this book say 'This is the Justice League'.

But once we have that introduction out of the way, we are immersed in the Eclipso story. Bruce Gordon once again houses the demon inside him and is back on Diablo Island to try to investigate Eclipso's origins, again in hopes of controlling the evil within.

What is strange is that Eclipso manifests himself in the bright noonday sun. Usually he needs an eclipse of some sort to break into this plane. While this transformation isn't explained, it does provide a bit of a mystery and therefore a hook, or potential way to defeat the villain. I hope that this is explained at some point.

Once back on this plane, Eclipso begins an internal dialogue with Gordon, allowing Robinson to review the variety of ways Eclipso has appeared on Earth.

I love the one panel explaining Jean Loring's stint as Eclipso. She was simply 'too Jean' to be Eclipso. I thought that was perfect. Poor Jean Loring. I never thought she was a good fit to be Eclipso so I was glad to see that go away.

And then we get a little bit more Eclipso history, showing him playing chess with Darkseid, and this shot right from the 'Darkness Within' event where a possessed Superman fought Captain Marvel.

One thing I did like was Eclipso's grudging respect for Gordon, how this simple solar scientist has done more to deny Eclipso his desires than any of the more powerful figures in the DCU.

But reviewing these failed attempts at conquest makes Eclipso see the error in his tactics. No longer will he try to possess metans to do his dirty work. He has a bigger idea.

So with the past reviewed and my knowledge of him at an all-time high, Eclipso begins traveling through the DCU and possessing select people to form his army. The first of his agents is the Shade.

Next is Nightshade. He possesses the Shadow Thief. In fact he gathers everyone with shadow-based powers. That includes some characters I have never heard from.

One of these is Acrata, a young hero from Mexico.

The Bete Noire from France.

And Crow-Brings-Darkness from Canada.

All meta-humans with shadow powers. I don't recall reading about any of these characters before so I don't know if Robinson is being extremely creative in making these characters, or extremely thorough in his dredging of the DCU. Either is possible. Maybe it's both?

My favorite 'new' character that joins Eclipso's army is Syththunu, a very Lovecraftian elder one, feared even by Arion.

Now I am going to have to dig out my old Arion comics to see if he uses the name Syththunu in any incantations. That would be slick.

So why all these shadow based characters? My guess is to plunge the Earth into some sort of shadow realm which will augment Eclipso's powers. But who knows.

But Eclipso has one more person he needs to gather to his flock. Someone 'tainted by darkness' ... Jade!

Throughout Robinson's run we have seen Jade wielding black tinged energy, losing control at times, nearly killing villains. I am not surprised that she might be someone who could be corrupted by Eclipso. In fact, I think it is a great twist to the story ... and that makes me happy.

So Eclipso is almost ready to launch whatever plot he is going to launch. And yet next issue we know will include Doomsday. Should be a wild issue.

Perhaps the best thing about this issue was the addition of Brett Booth to the book as artist. His stuff leaps of the page, detailed, stylish, lush. I cannot wait to see his work on this book ... especially given the 'bigger than life' stories that Robinson has been bringing us here.

So, while it's not really a JLA issue, this did set up the next big arc nicely and filled in some knowledge gaps about Eclipso. Add to that these newer characters and Booth's spectacular art and I would say this was a success.

Overall grade: B+/B