Review: Convergence Superman #1

Convergence Superman #1 came out last week and was the hit of the week for me. Writer Dan Jurgens and artist Lee Weeks have the luxury of going back to the pre-Flashpoint Superman, a more classic interpretation of the Man of Steel, one in love with Lois and trying his best to fight the never-ending battle.

While I enjoyed Morrison's Action Comics, and have seen glimpses of greatness in Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder's run with the character, I feel as if the New 52 Superman isn't the Superman I need. It seemed that the places that had a classic Superman were the out-of-continuity places - Superman Unchained, Adventures of Superman, and Smallville. Heck, even The New Avengers over at Marvel had a more traditional Superman analogue than the New 52.

So when I heard that Convergence was bringing back this Superman, I was thrilled. And Dan Jurgens, one of the main creators surrounding Superman in the 90s and 00s, doesn't disappoint. I'm not surprised. Lee Weeks on art brings a more classic appearing Superman as well, a big brawny guy without a steroid bulk and definition so popular in comics these days.

But no introduction to this book could be complete without mentioning how big a part Lois is in this book. Here she is brave, smart, devoted ... a true partner to Superman. And she's pregnant!

Much like all the other Convergence books, we start in Gotham City. Clark and Lois just happened to be there attending a journalism convention when the dome dropped. Given the timeline we saw in Convergence Justice League, we are probably a year into captivity. And crime seems just as prevalent in Gotham even in the dome.

With a deadly drug trade sweeping the streets, a depowered Superman decides to go all Gangbuster, dressing up like a ninja and fighting crime. Even without powers, Superman feels the need to right wrongs, even if he is at risk.

But even better than that is the fact that Lois is 'Oracle', on line with him and talking to him throughout the encounter.

Of course, he isn't Batman. Taking on a gang armed to the teeth is dangerous.

As luck would have it, Telos drops the dome at the exact time that one of the crooks blasts Clark with a flame thrower. With his powers back, the ninja suit burns away revealing the Big Red S.

'He's fine.'

Yes! And he's back!

See what I mean about Week's Superman? He looks thick and strong but not musclebound.

With his powers back, Superman is able to fly home for the first time in months.

And there is Lois, quite pregnant, ready to great him.

For those of us waiting for Lois to return to a place of prominence in the Superman mythos, this was wonderful. Seeing her greet him as 'my Superman' and hugging him was great.

And while the dropping of the dome and Telos' monologue about cities battling cities is a pressing matter, even Superman knows that it can wait a moment.

Instead, he decides to just enjoy a quiet moment with Lois.

Fantastic. Just fantastic.

But this is tournament is a fight for ultimate survival. Of course some of the darker Earths might decide to be proactive about this whole thing.

And one of the darkest universes is the Flashpoint universe. That Earth's League decides to strike first.

Now I didn't like much of Flashpoint but the Scott Snyder/Gene Ha Project Superman was a highpoint. So I liked that this scrawny Clark is present, a dissenting view. And even though he was hidden away for years, he still saw 'plenty of bad'. That war torn world is an abattoir. And remember he fought a Super-Doom himself.

That said, I don't like this universe. So I can't believe I have to read about them in two of the Convergence mini-series I am buying.

Superman decides he needs to investigate this crazy planet with its other cities. While flying over the barren landscape between cities, Captain Thunder and the Flashpoint League ambush him.

But this is old school Superman and he isn't easily vanquished.

I love this panel. You can feel that punch delivered by Superman. There is a sort of Wayne Boring barrel-chest look to Superman as he rocks Thunder.

And despite being attacked, he doesn't want to fight these versions of his friends. He doesn't want to take part in this arena-style death match. And that is completely consistent with what I want in my Superman. He shouldn't be punching first. He should be trying to reason things without violence.

I love this Superman.

This is the Superman I want to read.

But there is one more interesting wrinkle in this story.

The Flashpoint Superman loved  and lost his Lois. That Lois died in the battle with Doomsday. Much like the Flashpoint Aquaman wants to be reunited with any version of Mera in Convergence Justice League, this Superman wants to be with any Lois. But unlike the creepy Aquaman, this Superman just wants to be with Lois and protect her.

Still, this is creepy ...

And the pre-Flashpoint Superman is too busy in battle to fly here to intercede.

I very much felt sympathy for Project:Superman so I hope he isn't portrayed to badly here. I  think the ethics of Superman exist in this guy. He is just hurting, emotionally fragile, and immature. He hasn't had a lifetime of interactions to help guide him. He might not realize that this could seem threatening.

I loved this issue ... every part of it. So far, this is the winner of Convergence in my mind!

Overall grade: A

Review: Convergence Justice League #1

The Convergence event started in earnest this week with Convergence #1 and a bunch of the Convergence mini-series being released. I have been trying to wrap my head around this whole event for some time. The cynic in me thinks it is a simple money grab, a way to deal with the physical move of offices, and a way for DC to try to showcase some of its history to older fans while snubbing those same fans by bringing back the 'New 52' universe when its over.

And yet, the fan in me is thrilled to see some of these characters again. I have been wanting to see a classic Superman, old/new school Supergirl, and a Steph Brown Batgirl. So how can I not be excited. And Supergirl is a big part of 2 of the series.

Convergence Justice League #1 came out this week and showcases the James Robinson era Justice League, a book and a time that I really enjoyed. This was truly a legacy League. Dick Grayson was Batman. Kara was 'Superman'. Donna Troy was 'Wonder Woman'. Jessie Quick was the 'Flash'. Jade was 'Green Lantern'. Oh, and there was the blue Starman and Congorilla too. It was different and fun and fresh. And even though there was a 'Dark Supergirl' turn, Kara was treated well, in line with the post-New Krypton sensibilities and emotions that Sterling Gates was doing in Kara's main title.

So I was looking forward to this book. I was hoping to love this book. But, like Convergence, I need to wrap my head around it. Because I think it is something of a mixed bag. Writer Frank Tieri brings these characters together and has them square off against the Flashpoint world. And Vicente Cifuentes does the art. There is definitely an Ed Benes feel of cheesecake here.

We start with a nice Supergirl moment as she speeds Jessie to a Gotham hospital. When the Justice League comic was canceled, Jessie was pregnant. Here, she is in active labor and Kara needs to get her to the hospital as quickly as she can.

It is a fun opening scene and it shows how just how much of a friend Supergirl is.

Now she is sporting a pretty tight shirt, a skirt with slits up  the sides to the waist, and her high heels magically become boots in the span of 3 panels. Skimpy outfits is definitely a theme in this book.

But the sentiment is nice.

It turns out that Kara, Zatanna, Jade, and Vixen were all in Gotham to have a baby shower for Jessie when the contractions started. At least we have a reason for all of them being in Gotham when the city is captured and placed in the dome.

Under the dome everyone loses their powers. Jade reverts to a more human skin tone. And suddenly everyone is trapped.

One year later ... one year. Interesting. Even though the city is domed, life has gone on normally. People work, eat, and party despite being trapped. I am surprised that chaos hasn't ensued. Or that people haven't questioned where the water and food comes from.

But our first shot of this world is Kara beating someone up. This guy grabbed her while at a bar and she is defending herself. Despite being powerless, she is able to put him into the wall with one hand.

And even though this was her defending herself, it just smacked a bit too much of the barely clothed, angry, 'punch first' Supergirl that we had moved past when this League was together. I suppose when averaged out with everything else in the issue, I can try to tolerate this moment.

This picture screamed 'Ed Benes' to me. I keep seeing some page from 'Candor' in my mind. Was this a swipe? Do I have to skim 'Candor' to see? I don't want to skim 'Candor'!!

There is a funny moment. The women leaguers are out on the town leaving Congorilla to have to babysit Jessie's son 'Little Johnny'.

Still, if Kara's personality is a bit too edgy and angry, it is still better than Mera who really gets treated pretty badly in this issue.

She was also in Gotham at the time of the doming. (Was she a guest at the shower?)

Mera is depressed because she misses Aquaman soooo much. She is supposed to be having a good time with the rest of the gang but instead she is moping on the balcony of the club. Now I know that this would be a sad time for many. But I hope there is more to Mera than just this sadness.

I was hoping to see some strength or determination in her.

It turns out that the nearby Gotham is the Flashpoint Gotham.

And, as per usual in the Flashpoint world, everyone is gritty, dark, and stabby. And so we see Aquaman torturing and ultimately killing an unnamed man for daring to mention Mera's name.

I forgot just how much I disliked the Flashpoint universe.

So, as in all the Convergence books, Telos arrives and drops the dome. Everyone's powers return. And the concept of a tournament of timelines is established.

Again, I like that Kara's first thoughts here are to make sure that the people of Gotham remain safe. It is suddenly clear that this is one of many Gothams on this planet. They aren't on Earth anymore. And the safety of the people is paramount.

She almost sounds like the leader of this group!

Meanwhile, the Flashpoint Aquaman has used his technology to peek into this Gotham and sees that a Mera lives there. Obsessed, he sends his flunkies who kidnap her, bringing her in a submarine back to the other Gotham's harbor.

To cover the getaway, Aquaman has sent a Kraken. Kara says 'I got this' and basically bashes it away with one punch.

I loved that Supergirl was the 'muscle' of that JLA. So seeing her eliminate the threat quickly was perfect.

But that outfit. Or lack thereof. It reminds me of a line from the old movie 'The Sure Thing'. "She has beautiful skin ... and so much of it!"

And are the boots a call-out for the Earth Angel Supergirl? (That's not this one.) Or some nod to Wonder Woman?

Now over the last decade Mera has been shown to be one of the strongest, steeliest, intelligent leaders in the DCU. She was fierce and independent. So here, seeing her on her knees before Aquaman, squeezed and kissed, responding only with a slap and a 'my friends will save me' is just wrong. This isn't the Mera I am used to seeing. And I can only imagine what hard core Aquaman fans and Mera fans think of this.

Kidnapped in an alley. And then manhandled like this? Terrible.

So what to think of this? I, for the most part, like Supergirl here. Although there is a bit of that edginess from the earliest adventures of this incarnation that rub me the wrong way. I really don't like the treatment of Mera. And the art skews to cheesecake.

I guess that means overall it is something of a mixed bag.

Overall grade: C+

Review: Flashpoint: Lois Lane And The Resistance

After reading the well executed Project Superman #3, I read Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #3.

I have to say that this mini-series has never grabbed me. Part of it might be that there was some buzz before this came out for DC to give Lois her own book. There was some serendipity that suddenly in the Flashpoint world, Lois was going to star in a mini-series. Even the first cover, Lois clad in a black trench coat, all spy-ish, made me think this book was going to be just what Lois fans like me were looking for.

Unfortunately, the first issue felt rushed with Lois more reacting than acting, more telling rather than doing. The second issue was more about Grifter and Penny Black with Lois spending most of the time in the background. Could DC have added the Lois Lane name and amped up her presence here figuring sales would be better than a Flashpoint:Britannia and the Resistance book? Hmmm.

And this issue was more of the same. Sure, there is one pretty good moment for Lois. But this is mostly about the Resistance and their efforts to purge the UK of the Amazon forces. Lois wasn't the star here at all. She was a member of the Resistance, a member of the team.  Unfortunately, I bought this book thinking it would be a Lois book. It is hard for me to look past her limited role and grade this book.

The book also suffers from the fact that there is no clear art direction. Oliver Nunez did the interiors of issue #1. Gianluca Gugliotta penciled last issue. This issue we get yet another team on art - penciller Christian Duce and inker Walden Wong. The art is fine but the lack of stylistic consistency throughout the mini also weakened the story.

The issue starts with a quick origin story of Penny Black. She was a member of British Navy serving on a boat with some prototypical technology for an engine. The ship's tech was stronger than expected, teleporting the ship and fusing with Penny's body.

Now armed with some sort of technology telepathy, Black was given the Britannia armor and became a local hero.

It is a relatively standard 'comic book' origin but it at least gives us more back story for Black who I felt was the real star of the book. I do wonder if she somehow survives into the DCnU Relaunch, making her way into the Stormwatch book. Or maybe one of the Abnett and Lanning written books.

Last issue ended with Resistance member Hyde (her human form Bobbie that is) revealed as a traitor, setting up the resistance to be ambushed by Artemis and the Amazons.

In what I thought was a good plot point, Bobbie's alter ego Hyde is not a traitor, regains control of their shared body, and begins thrashing the Amazon assault squad, freeing the Resistance force. I like the idea of two halves of a personality at war with each other. Too bad there wasn't enough time in the book to explore this more.

Lois and Black make a break for the Britannia armor hoping that will turn the tide.

Artemis follows, striking Penny in the back with an arrow. Lois has become something of a soldier in the book and she tries to hold off Artemis with a machine gun without much success.

Luckily, Black is able to fuse with the armor, healing herself in the process. One thing about Flashpoint, it is a violent world and as readers we have seen plenty of this violence with some over the top gratuitous panels. Here, Britannia flies through Artemis torso, splitting the Amazon's body in half, blood splattered all over the book.

I guess this is war. But I think that sometimes these scenes of violence are better handled off screen, letting my imagination fill in the gore.

Britannia immediately takes to the air and is confronted by Wonder Woman. The two battle with Britannia able to just hold off Diana's powerful attacks.

Black is able to bring Diana to one of the concentration camps that have been set up for men, finally showing Wonder Woman the horrors of the Amazon land. With a surge of conscience, Diana swears she didn't know and frees the men.

For me, this is the weakest part of this series. How could Diana not know anything about the concentration camps, the mutation camps, the reeducation camps, the slaughter. Could she really be that oblivious? I mean there are camps! There are ships coming in with 2 lines - one for men, one for women. There are new troops added to the Amazon forces, former humans suddenly bulked up. Even the outside world knows about the camps! Could Diana really not even hear the rumors, not run across these things during her time fighting? Did no other Amazon ever mention these things to Diana during these years of war ... even in passing? It seems wrong. Diana is a smarter woman, a better leader than this.

In an even odder turn of events, she simply flies off to confront Penthesilea. No word to the troops. No taking to the airwaves and asking people to stand down.

Here is the best Lois moment in this issue. Luckily Lois is able to stumble across a working Emergency Broadcast System studio. (I know, lucky find!)

Despite knowing it will be dangerous, Lois courageously takes to the airwaves telling everyone within earshot about the Amazon camps and the need to keep fighting on.

This is the Lois I like to read about, not only reporting but fighitng for justice.

As expected, the Amazons don't really like Lois' news report and find her.

I have to assume the 'boom' is Kal finding Lois and rescuing her.

And here is the sad part about Diana flying off. With no new orders, the Amazon troops come out in force to surpress the Resistance's forces which now include the very men Diana freed! This should be a time where arms are put down and preliminary discussions of peace and reconciliation happen. Diana should be there to tell her troops to stop, that she has learned new information and is deciding on a new course of action.

Instead the last page is the two sides of the battle charging at each other, guns blazing, spears thrusting.

Did this mini-series show us what the Amazon-run UK look like from the point of view of the oppressed. Yes. Did it introduce Grifter into the DCU? Yes. Did it introduce Penny Black? Yes.

But did it star Lois? No. And did it give me enough of the Resistance to make me actually care for those characters? Not really. And did it have a lot of death and carnage? Yep - Hawkgirl, Cheetah, Huntress, and Artemis all die violent deaths on screen.

So I can't say that this satisfied my need for a great Lois story (although James Peaty and Kelly Sue DeConnick did some solid Lois stuff in the last year of Supergirl, so at least I have that).

Overall grade: C

Review: Flashpoint: Project Superman #3

Flashpoint: Project Superman #3 came out this week and brought this story of the Flashpoint world Superman to a very satisfying close. I haven't been too keen on the Flashpoint world and in particular, found the Atlantean/Amazon war stuff to be pretty tedious. But I have enjoyed both Kid Flash Lost and Project Superman as they were really more character driven series and (for the most part) tangentially involved with the war storyline.

As I have said before, I have read plenty of Superman Elseworld stories before so I am used to these sort of arcs, seeing what would come of Superman if he wasn't raised by the Kents and taught to cherish life. This mini-series has shown a different sort of Superman, sheltered and abused for most of his life, but suffering from that torture rather than angry. For me, the most interesting part of the book has been how big a presence General Sam Lane has had in Kal's life, a position in stark contrast to the one he held in the non-Flashpoint DCU.

Writers Scott Snyder and Lowell Francis do a good job giving Kal some depth here, despite having him say few words. They also do a great job conveying just how horrible this world is, whether it be the torture lab where Kal was kept or the war torn areas of the world.

And Gene Ha's work here really is perfectly suited for the book, thick lined and kinetic, and somehow conveying both a roughness as well as remarkable detail (I know that makes no sense). When words and art mesh, comics are gold. Ha's work meshes here ... wonderfully.

The damage  by the Flash and Batman that freed Kal from his laboratory prison unfortunately destroyed the power supply that was keeping Sinclair/Doomsday and General Lane in the Phantom Zone. Suddenly freed, filled with Doomsday's rage and decades of frustration, Sinclair goes straight to work.

He was built to 'defend' the world from enemies. But now he looks at everyone as his enemy. Fueled by hate and flush with power, Sinclair decides to carve a bloody path across the world, starting with General Lane. There are great moments for Sinclair too. He doesn't allow Lane to even get any 'defiant last words' instead pulping him immediately. Unlike much of Flashpoint, Lane being crushed is done off panel. Here it works.

Through the issue we see Sinclair killing, destroying, absorbing energy from the original Doomsday (who I guess is subject number 3 ... not Supergirl), and tracking down Kal.

And this is why Lane being killed off screen works.

Kal has fled from the compound and heads straight to Europe. He comes across the horrific sights of the war-addled continent. People, dead by their cars as they tried to flee, food for the crows. If Kal thought his prison in the sterile sunless cube was Hell, he has learned a new definition. Look at the horror on his face.

But from a story telling point of view, the crow eating the corpse carries a quiet power to it, something that would have been lessened if we had seen Lane's brains splattered over the previous page. This stands out as terrifying because there wasn't something more terrifying immediately preceding.

Now whether Kal has simply fled and luckily runs into Lois or if he is tracking her, he finds her in the UK, fighting for the Resistance.

I have to say Lois is a bigger presence, a better character in this mini-series than in her self-titled Flashpoint mini.

To Kal she represents something good in this world ... maybe the only good thing. He wants to protect her and the best way to do that is to simply leave the area.

I love Lois' response. First, she states she can't just leave. She has to 'do something' to better the world. That's the Lois I am used to seeing, that I want to see. But then she realizes that Kal is damaged goods, traumatized, and afraid. She softens, realizing that she probably needs to protect Kal at least emotionally. Ha's facial expressions work so well here.

But before this conversation can continue, Sinclair arrives. He is massive, maybe 10 feet tall, towering over everyone like the monster he is.

Again Lois shows her mettle, picking up a weapon and firing on Sinclair. She even tries to talk to Sinclair, telling him that the right thing to do is stop the Atlantean/Amazon war, not mete out his revenge on General Lane by killing her and Kal.

I love the last panel, a sort of homage to the car-crushing cover of Action Comics #1, Kal smashing an auto in Sinclair's face.

Their skirmish attracts the Amazon army forcing Sinclair to wade into battle. It is clear that he is an unstoppable monster, casually crushing the women as he makes his way to Kal and Lois.

As noted in the earlier issues of this mini, it is interesting that General Lane plays the role of Pa Kent in this book, the loving father figure teaching Kal just what a hero does. Despite being overpowered by Sinclair, Kal knows the right thing to do is protect people from monsters. It is a rare look of determination and courage on Kal's face in this Flashpoint world.

Great work by colorist Art Lyon, driving home the fact that Sinclair is a monster, is 'other', by coloring him in blue, the blood soaked area around him bright red.

Now I don't know if I quite understand what happens next but Superman begins absorbing energy from Sinclair, draining him of all the power he has. And in dramatic fashion, Kal ends the fight by punching through Sinclair's chest, causing a massive explosion.

Superman doesn't kill. But Kal on Flashpoint Earth realized that this creature needed to be put down.

But there are consequences to violence like that. It is never as simple an answer as people believe.

Lois is within the blast area of Sinclair's death explosion and is killed by its force. This Lane does get some last words. And her last words are that Kal needs to help the people of this Earth because it is the right thing to do. And then we get a pieta-like panel, reminiscent of Crisis #7.

Man, I love Lois in this issue. Such a strong character, a strong will. It is time for Kal to become Superman on this Earth.

And I like the journey that this Kal has gone on. It would be easy for him to simply hide out after escaping but instead he goes to help Lois. And then makes the logical next step, if Lois deserves protecting then everybody does. So is it nature that makes Superman a hero? Or nurture? There is no denying that even here it is a human loving presence teaching Kal right from wrong that is a big part of who he is. Here it is General Lane.

In the past DCU, it's Ma and Pa Kent. In the new DCnU? Dan Didio says he has no 'human tether'. So what will we see?

Snyder and Francis do a great job showing us enough snippets of Kal's life and Sinclair's devolution to give us a strong sense of who they are, what their motivations are. And it leads to a prefect denouement, with Kal suddenly thrust into the role of world saver. And Gene Ha's art complements that script seamlessly. This miniseries was a bright spot in the Flashpoint universe.

Overall grade: A

Review: Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #2

With this post on Flashpoint:Kid Flash Lost #2, I have finally caught up with last week's comic reviews. Unreal! That was one heavy week.

After looking at the unrelenting dystopia of Flashpoint, I have come to appreciate thus series. Writer Sterling Gates does a great job mixing Bart's upbeat, frenetic, impulsive personality into the dismal future of Flashpoint. It is an odd mix and a tricky balancing act, but it works. Bart needs to remain Bart despite all the horror around him. And the Flashpoint world needs to remain a dark and cheerless place. It would be easy to have Kid Flash become grim when faced with this world, maybe too easy. But then ... it wouldn't be Kid Flash. And with the occasional humor that is injected into the story, it is a welcome respite from the harshness of the Flashpoint event.

And Gates only has 3 issues to get through this story and provide us some characterization to contemplate. While there are times Bart's silliness can shine, he also has to eventually step up and become a hero. There is some subtext here, some feeling that Bart needs to channel Barry, needs to live up to the legacy of the Flash family, and I liked that a lot. I love the idea of the Flash family, the legacy of the speedsters, and this story adds to that.

As for the art, Oliver Nome continues to shine. I wonder if inker Trevor Scott adds a rougher feeling to his pencils than he would if he inked himself. Francis Manapul does his usual stellar job on the cover. It took a while before I noticed that this is actually a cover of Hot Pursuit's helmet, Bart being a reflection.

Freed from his Brainiac pod, Bart is slowly fading away as history is rewritten. And he is cut off from the Speed Force so there is little he can do but hide in the bowels of Brainiac's ship.


As always, for me the hero's journey is a story that I enjoy. Something that I enjoyed in the book is the tiny moment that Patty Spivot gets discussing her drive to be a hero. She couldn't sit and let life pass her by. She needed to do something to better the world and the Hot Pursuit tech gave her that opportunity. That sort of personal resolve, the desire to be a hero, is such a fertile place for stories.

Looking to get some information, Bart slaps the Hot Pursuit helmet on, hoping to learn what has happened to the world. This is a great double page spread by Nome as we see elements of both the 'real' DCU timeline as well as the Flashpoint world. Seeing the two versions of Aquaman and Wonder Woman as well as everything else works. But it is too much for Bart to absorb. It is overwhelming.

But I love the perspective here, a large Bart in the background, the history spilling out onto the page.

With some luck, the two heroes escape Brainiac's satellite. It is a fun moment with Bart driving the time cycle while Patty clutches and curses. Again, that fun part of Bart's personality in the middle of Brainiac's technological nightmare is a nice contrast.

But that doesn't change the fact that the two need access to the speed force to power the Hot Pursuit cycle to go back and change time. Brainiac has the fuel tank. It seems hopeless.

But I love how Patty gets Bart re-focused by reminding him of the symbol he wears What would the Flash do? He would defeat Brainiac and set things right.

Ironically, Bart has a plan! Even he admits that usually means trouble.

Bart figures out that the only place he has had superspeed was in the VR world of the Brainiac's 'Matrix'. He allows himself to get captured and plugged back in. But of course, he needs to do it in a classic Bart way. Has anyone every said 'nyaaah' to Brainiac before? Wonderful!

Once plugged in, his access to superspeed allows Bart to rewrite Brainiac's codes. It is a nice reminder of Bart's origins of being raised in a VR world, a world he was constantly challenging and out-thinking. Once he knew he was in Brainiac's phony world, Bart had all the power and authority he needed to change Brainiac's defenses. Again, how great to see Bart say Brainiac is pwned.


This allows Patty to get in and grab the speed force tank while Bart extricates himself.

Despite these flashes of fun, Gates reminds us that this is Flashpoint. Patty gets perforated by Brainiac.

I suppose this is Bart's story but I was sad to see this happen. Patty was a 'normal person' trying to better her world. I would have loved to see more of her story. There is so much death in this world. It is a villains world. I hope Patty appears in the DCnU.

As she dies, she puts her faith in Bart, releasing the speed force stored in the tank, hooking Bart back in at least for a while. Even dying, she did what needed to be done.

Powered up, Bart is now running a race to find the Flash to go back in time and set things right. Again Nome shines here with this extreme perspective, Bart practically running off the page. I do like the ominous skull behind him. This is a race against death and that is a nice image to invoke that feeling.

But I think I know where this is going. A skeletal Flash, racing against the clock to try to save the universe?

Crisis on Infinite Earths #8. Will we see Bart go back in time trying to get to Barry? Is this a way of Bart fulfilling the legacy of the Flash? Becoming the Flash?

So this mini-series continues to rise to the top of the Flashpoint world along with Project Superman. It is such a satisfying and odd mix of despair and humor. That isn't an easy cocktail to make. Add to that the heroism of Patty and this was a very entertaining issue. It makes me lament the 'hinted at but never materialized' Speed Force comic Gates was supposed to write.

Overall grade: A

Review: Flashpoint Lois Lane And The Resistance #2

Do you remember when a huge crossover event took place in one title? Sure, Crisis on Infinite Earths invented the idea of the crossover issue, but you could read Crisis and not have to look elsewhere for explanations. Since then, every mega-event has spread its roots out farther and farther. The entire Marvel rack is stamped with 'Fear Itself' these days. I think it limits purchases and leads to 'event fatigue'. I don't want to have to read an enormous number of books to see what happens to the universe. And if I do, I am simply shifting money away from other titles.

Okay, sorry for the rant in what is supposed to be a review of Flashpoint:Lois Lane and the Resistance #2. While DC has done a decent job of keeping Flashpoint out of its monthly titles, it has poured out a lot of mini-series around the main Flashpoint title to help flesh out this new timeline. I don't know if I can read Flashpoint and understand it without having read some of these other books which explain all the major events of this world. As it is, I am only collecting a couple of these minis. So I am probably still going to end up confused. If Traci 13 shows up in the main book and saves the day, I'll be lost. I am not getting Flashpoint:World of Flashpoint.

That isn't to say I'm not enjoying some of these separate mini-series. Project Superman and Kid Flash Lost are both working for me.

Unfortunately, this Lois book isn't grabbing my attention the way those ones are. I was really hoping that this book would be a true Lois Lane book, a chance to see her shine as a character on a more solo stage. But this is more a team book. In this issue, the Resistance takes center stage and Lois plays only a small part. In some ways, this seemed to be an issue to promote these other characters (especially Grifter) rather than showcase Lane.

It doesn't help that the Flashpoint world is an ugly world with brutal affairs. This is not a pleasant comic. It is hard to know who the heroes are in this book. And there is a rather cavalier approach to death in all these books. Writers Dan Abnett and Andy Landing are able to show us the horrors of the Amazon controlled UK and allow Lois the opportunity to be part of the Resistance movement. But it is hard to know if the Amazons are the 'villains' here. Atlantis seems just as culpable in this war. But this series doesn't touch on Atlantis. We only see the 'evils' of Themiscyra.

Eddie Nunez is not on art here. Instead Gianluca Gugliotta is on interiors. The art is engaging enough. But Gugliotta draws eyes in a creepy wide-eyed way which sometimes distracts.

Last issue ended with the cliffhanger of Lois escaping the Amazon training camp with the help of British agent Penny Black but facing an Amazonian attack squad.

This issue opens with Grifter and his group of Freedom Fighters battling with the same Amazonian group. The resistance is a ragtag group of Metans - Godiva, Etrigan, the Canterbury Cricket, Hyde, and Grifter. They are fighting a unit of Furies - Hawkwoman, Cheetah, Vixen, and Huntress.

There are several pages of this firefight with the Furies and other Amazonian troops slaughtered. Am I supposed to be cheering when I see Grifter impale Hawkwoman? Because it didn't seem like a nice moment to me. In fact, the only people who die in this book are Amazons, their corpses scattered on the ground.

After defeating the Furies, the Resistance take to the sewers and happen to run into Lois. At first the group is wary of Lois but then they welcome her to the resistance. I still don't know about this. Lois was in a re-education camp for almost 3/4 of a year being fed Amazonian ideals day and night. Isn't a bit trusting to take her into your secret lair, even if a taped message from Penny Black says Lois is on the right side of this war?

I also didn't like that Lois is suddenly in a black pant suit and trenchcoat. What happened to toga she was in at the end of last issue? Did she really stop to get clothes or change while on the run? With the issue not picking up where last issue left off and with Lois dressed differently, I had a disjointed feeling as a reader.

At least we get an explanation of how Lois and Penny escaped the Amazons. Penny threw concussion grenades which caught the Furies by surprise.

Penny Black seems cool, a tough spy risking life and limb for country. But I don't quite get while Lois is wandering around away from her? Did they split up? Did Lois decide to explore on her own? Seems odd.

Lois does praise Black for saving her life and Grifter agrees. He talks about how she also saved him in Afghanistan. He was part of an elite covert ops squad that included Lady Blackhawk, Kat Kane (in a modified Batwoman outfit), and Jon Stewart (no Green Lantern ring). That would be an interesting book to read more of. I wonder if this means anything about Lady Blackhawk in the DCnU. Is she in it?

Grifter's team is rescued by Black who is wearing an organic armor and calling herself Britannia. It is a powerful telepathic armor with which she is able to blast away the terrorists.

The armor and Grifter's telepathy makes the two have a sudden link. After healing, he goes to London to find her. He happens to be in London when the Atlantis/Themiscyra war hits the UK. He has been hiding since then, helping to fight the Amazonian control as part of a resistance cell.

He even rescues Black from a Amazonian prison ship. Somewhere along the way, Black lost the Britannia armor. Despite helping out as a spy, the resistance have been looking for a hidden Britannia v2.0 armor which might turn the tides, freeing the UK.

Will Penny Black be part of the DCnU? There are plenty of War books coming out where she might fit in.

In a bit of deus ex machina, Lois bracelet, the Cyborg communication device is able to link with Penny's built in tech. It is somehow is able find the Britannia armor, hidden in Westminster.

Too easy? It felt that way.

But as I said, Lois is really in the background of this issue. Here is her one big moment. She demands to join the Resistance as they storm Westminster for the armor. I like that she declares that she is part of the story now, not just reporting it. Glad we got some characterization of Lois here. This is supposed to be her book.

Unfortunately, it's a trap. Hyde wants to join the Amazons and so tips of the Furies that the Resistance is coming. Lois gets taken at knife point. Another cliffhanger.

So I had some problems with the pacing and focus of the first issue. Here I again don't like the focus of the book which seemed written as if Grifter and Penny Black are the stars here. I don't know if I was expecting too much here. Maybe it all comes down to the title. This isn't Lois Lane. This is the Resistance. Maybe I need to reset my expectations.

The cover of next issue shows someone wearing the Britannia armor, presumably Black. Does that mean Penny Black will be the hero of this mini? That would seem off to me. I hope we get to see Lois shine in that issue.

But I am glad that this Flashpoint world is going away soon. It is a cheerless place.

Overall grade: C