Review: Outsiders #37

Was it really just 4 months ago that I was collecting The Outsiders? At that time, the Eradicator was added to the team and there was a tangential connection to New Krypton. There were some parts of the book that I liked. Geo-Force was clearly insane as leader. Katana was having a hard time reconciling her Samurai loyalty to the irrational Geo-Force. And Philip Tan's art at times really shined, a bit skewed in perspective and with a thick ink line. But those things weren't enough for me and so I dropped the title.

But every time I think I am out, they pull me back in. The Outsiders #37 came out this week, the second chapter in the Reign of Doomsday storyline working it's way through the super-books.

In many ways, this issue sort of justified my dropping the title when I did. Sure, Doomsday stomps his way through the issue, facing off against the Eradicator. But basically that's all this issue was, a stomp-fest. And Philip Tan has changed his style, one I don't like as much as I did in the earlier issues.

It turns out that Markovia is still somewhat ostracized by the remainder of the world for siding with the Kryptonians during the New Krypton time period. And Geo-Force's continued friendship with the Eradicator isn't helping things. The other Outsider team members Katana, Halo, Looker, and The Olympian all think that Brion should simply rid himself of the Eradicator, an olive branch for the rest of the world.

Tan's new style is evident right from the beginning as it looks like he didn't ink the art at all, instead leaving it as pencils to be colored. As a result, the art looks soft or gauzy.

Geo-Force refuses to turn his back on his friend the Eradicator.

Ironically, the Eradicator comes crashing to the ground after having earlier flown off. The Eradicator isn't a lightweight. For someone to have trashed him like this, they must be extremely powerful.

No big surprise, it's Doomsday.

At first Geo-Force does the right thing, telling his teammates to leave him to fight Doomsday on his own. But they refuse, declaring their allegiance to the Outsiders, and swarm Doomsday. Seems like a suicide mission. I can't imagine Katana, Looker, or Halo scratching Doomsday.

I did think it was weird that Tan has Doomsday glowing yellow with some Kirby dots. Is this a manifestation of some new power?

Oh ... by the way ... the rest of the Outsider team are imprisoned by Amanda Waller for being traitors to the US for having lived in Markovia. She offers Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Freight Train, Owlman, Thunder, and Grace a choice - fight Geo-Force for the US or remain in prison.

At first they decline but the Black Lightning gives in realizing that the US next step against Markovia would be a nuclear exchange. It is implied that it's a bluff by Waller, but it worked.

It was nice to see Waller again, manipulating people as well as ever.

There is a nice blurb where writer Dan Didio talks about the heroism of the Markovian Outsiders, fighting Doomsday knowing they will most likely die. During the fight, Doomsday begins to exhibit blue energy powers.

But look at his spikes. Without ink, as just pencils, don't they look like powder puffs? Or frilly sleeves? Or a big feather boa? It looks like the Outsiders are fighting Liberace!

One thing I did like about this issue was seeing Doomsday kick the tar out of The Olympian. I think Achilles and the 'Manazons' (I can't believe I typed that) completely derailed Gail Simone's Wonder Woman run. So I was happy to see him get crushed.

There are several pages of all the Outsiders getting taken out like yesterday's trash by the rampaging monster.

But Doomsday's real objective is the Eradicator. Just as Doomsday sprouted armor when facing Steel, here the monster has blue energy bolts like the Eradicator. It is as if Doomsday is able to absorb the powers of the Superman stand-ins. Funny, here he did not grow armor ... maybe he can only use one power at a time.

The fight between the Eradicator and Doomsday is extremely brief, Doomsday ending it in dramatic fashion.

Does that look familiar?

I don't know. As soon as I saw it, I thought of Frank Miller's dramatic scene where Bullseye 'kills' Elektra.

I am sure there are countless images like this.

And with the fight over, Doomsday picks up the Eradicator's body and teleports away.

So much like the Steel one-shot, we don't get much in terms of information about Doomsday, why he is doing this, how he has new powers, or who (if anyone) is controlling him. Instead it is a lot of pages of some serious combat. But no real story ...

But now I am starting to think about this whole thing. I wonder if there might be more than one Doomsday ... one for each of Superman's 'replacements' when the Man of Steel was thought dead.

So, one more chapter of Reign of Doomsday is done without much new information. And I miss the old Philip Tan art.

Overall grade: C

Review: Outsiders #33

It's hard for me to believe but Outsiders #33 is the eighth issue of the title I have collected. I had never collected Outsiders before, even way back in the Mike Barr/Jim Aparo days. I started getting the title when Dan Didio and Philip Tan jumped on as creative team because of the addition of the Eradicator, a throwback to the Reign of the Supermen and a character I have always liked. Unfortunately, there was very little of the Eradicator in these issues and very little explanation as to how he has come back.

There were some things that I did like. One was the character of Katana, a samurai struggling between her loyalty for the mad Geo-Force and her common sense to break free from him and go Ronin. Another was the stylized art of Philip Tan. And, for the briefest moment, I liked seeing that Looker's diva exterior is simply a facade for a tortured soul. Despite these things, the title has always been on the verge of being dropped by me. There just wasn't enough Eradicator or Katana to keep me interested ... and frankly Owlman, Freight Train, Black Lightning, and even the Creeper didn't grab me.

The promise of this cover including Katana and Halo (?) gave the title a reprieve until this month. Will it remain on the verge of being cut? Or will I finally pull the plug?

The issue starts with terror in a tiny village in Markovia. Coming out of the mountains, a monster emerges from the darkness, proclaiming herself Queen of the land. Her internal monologue shows a completely disjointed and conflicted thought pattern. Half of her thinks the people love her. The other half screams that she is hated.

When the villagers react with fear, the monster does something monstrous, coldly killing them in their own home.

The early issues concentrated on the mad Geo-Force and his struggles to maintain any semblance if sanity, trying to rule Markovia but doing it erratically. And as I said before, I loved watching Katana and her conflicted thoughts. Should she stay true to her leader as a Samurai should? Or should she leave Geo-Force as the other Outsiders did realizing Geo-Force is walking a path to destruction? Her character really had the most depth, the most potential to tell a compelling story.

But then we had the side trip with Metamorpho and Chemo and we sort of left the Markovian characters behind.

Well at least we see Tatsu again in this issue as she nurses Halo back to health.

Geo-Force arrives and declares his love for Tatsu, saying he can feel she has the same feelings. I guess it proves he's mad since she kissed Owlman a few issues ago. I have to say this is not a plot I want to see. I would rather see Katana pushed to the brink of her loyalty by the deeds Brion wants her to do rather than have it come to a head over his love for her. If he kept ordering her into action she normally would not do, she would have to decide where to draw the line.

She at least rebuffs his advances ... or maybe delays them. She says her only concern now can be for Halo and she cannot think of anything else right now.

This is my first real experience with Katana, and I don't even know if Didio is writing her correctly, but I like her.

Remember the disgruntled fashion designer whose life was ruined by Looker several issues ago, the one given a magic horn to get his revenge? Well he is back again, acting as an agent of someone called Veritas. In Markovia, the designer (aptly named Winer ... like whiner) complains that he hasn't had his revenge yet. But Veritas says that Winer will ruin Looker ... along with the rest of the Outsiders.

With war raging on Markovia's borders (the nation is being attacked because they sided with the Kryptonians), Geo-Force and the Eradicator head into the heart of the country to investigate the village murders.

Brion can sense that Geode, the monster from the beginning was there. We then get a quick recap of her origins, the rejected queen who tried to earn her title by getting Earth-based powers only to have those experiments her warp her. It is a sad story including these panels showing her being locked away. I can understand her conflict. She was betrayed on all fronts.

For an Outsider newbie like me, I appreciated this retelling.

Geode was indeed there ... and is still there. She attacks the heroes with her powers.

Geo-Force doesn't do himself any favors by saying he had no choice but to end their marriage. Ummm ... isn't he King?

Geode doesn't like that answer, declaring she is no longer Denise, the woman she was.

There is some nice art here as Earth is flung all around during this fight.

At last I get to see the Eradicator I came to see. Realizing that Brion's emotional attachment might be interfering with his ability to act, the Eradicator tells Brion to stand down.

Cool and passionless, almost bloodless, the Eradicator fires his heat vision at full strength at Geode and lunges in for some fisticuffs.

This is my Eradicator. Look at how dispassionate he looks, holding the limp form of the defeated Geode by her hair. By not showing his eyes, he looks much more alien, more robotic, less human. In fact, he wanted to end this because he thinks the heroes need to be at the front fighting with the troops. He is one cold and calculating being.

But who is this Eradicator? Is he The Eradicator ... a being formed around Kryptonian knowledge and religious beliefs? Or someone else?

The heroes barely have time to rest on their laurels of this victory. Before they can leave, Winer shows up and blows his horn, incapacitating the heroes.

You know, before this I thought it was simply a magic horn ... like from a bull. Now I know it's a horn like an instrument. Maybe it's a horn made from a horn? Either way it's both powerful and silly.

The issue ends with a scene from that warfront. The Markovian army are being slaughtered by spears. Achilles and his Manazons have arrived. I'm not surprised to see Achilles here. I am pretty sure I read somewhere that Didio loved the character and sort of pushed Gail Simone to do that story in Wonder Woman.

So what of this issue? Well it was nice to see the Eradicator finally act in this book. And I am glad I felt a ripple of his original persona from way back. While I was glad to see Katana again, I feel that this Brion romance angle isn't where I want to see her plot go ... and she was the biggest draw for me on the book. I also don't like the team being so split. It's like buying 2 books ... Outsiders East and West ... when you read about one set you lose track of the other. And that's without knowing where Looker and Halo fit in.

I will again say that I really love Philip Tan's art. He does have a habit of connoting characters' emotions by doing an extreme close-up of their eyes. It feels like I am reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing #44 each issue. In that issue a serial killer remembers all the eyes of his victims. I know that comparing this book to that book is blasphemy ... but I wonder if Tan loved Bissette and Totleben's work on that book.

But the truth is there isn't enough here to keep me coming back. I think the Brion's declaration of love was the last nail in the coffin. So no more Outsiders reviews here.

Overall grade: C-

Review: Outsiders #32

Is this the end of my first stint collecting The Outsiders? Is this the last issue? Hmmm ...

To be honest, the only impetus to bring me here was the Eradicator, a character not seen for 3 issues. And one thing that was working here was Katana, struggling between the loyalty of a samurai and knowing that the one she follows, Geo-Force, is clearly insane. And we haven't seen enough of her recently.

So purchasing Outsiders #32, I wondered if I heard the bells tolling. I mean, how many times can I say on this blog 'I am giving The Outsiders one more issue'?  Dan Didio's writing just has been all over the map with some attempts that humor that fall flat, overly dramatic prose, and 'bad ass' lines. For me, it sometimes feel like he is trying to hard because the quieter moments of this book have been the best.

At least this issue was going to focus on The Creeper, one of my favorite underused characters.

Having rescued Metamorpho from being consumed by Chemo, Owl-Man, Freight Train, Metamorpho, and The Ray make their way back to the Stagg Industries secret lab where Chemo had been housed. As if Stagg is trying to cover up this debacle, the station is abandoned with no people and almost no equipment around.

The Ray tells the Outsiders that Sapphire Stagg was very sick and that despite some novel attempts by Simon Stagg to save her (including Black Lantern power - should Lex be worried), Sapphire has died. Interesting. But to be honest, I don't believe it. The only debate in my mind is whether Sapphire has been mutated into Element Girl or some sort of monstrous villain.

While Owl-Man realizes that Stagg is on the wrong side of the law and can't be trusted, Freight Train is a bit more naive. He activates a sensor in the abandoned lab, letting Stagg know that the group is there.

If Stagg wanted to erase the existence of the lab, he also would want to eliminate the witnesses. The lab is consumed in a massive explosion. Stagg as an overt villain rather than a conniving business man is intriguing.

As for the Creeper storyline, this part of the issue is pretty titillating. Maybe overly so. This is one of those places where it is so over the top that it almost reads like a parody.

First, Serene tells The Creeper that she needs his seed to repopulate the Creeper demon corps in Hell. So she has captured him in order to copulate. Of course, Serene hopes that this will solidify her place in Blaze's Hell.

Now our Creeper doesn't want to be forced into doing anything he doesn't want to. Nor does he want to be the father to a host of demon soldiers.

But his 'amusing banter' throughout this sequence, including 'death by sex' and penis jokes were more cringe worthy than humorous.

Realizing he needs a way out, the Creeper goads Segura, Serene's werewolf lover and guardian, into a jealous rage by discussing how 'slutty' she is and how prolific their amorous session will be. Angered by this speech, Segura attacks the Creeper, freeing him from his bonds.

Seems sort of like an easy out. A werewolf demon so in love and devoted to his succubus lover that he attacks a man who is threatening their monogamy (even if Serene is the one to initiate it).

The Creeper loses all control, angry not only at the situation but also his own damnation, and nearly kills Segura.

I didn't realize that the Creeper was this powerful ... maybe his abilities are increased in Hell?

As surprising as Segura defending Serene was ... it is more surprising that Serene stops the whole 'mating ritual' to tend to Segura's wound. She lets the Creeper walk out of Hell!

Hmmm ... I don't think Blaze will be too happy with that decision. Wouldn't it be wiser to have the hordes of Hell detain the Creeper so Serene can complete the deal at a later date? Don't you think Blaze is going to kill Serene based on this?

It seems a bit too easy.

In the one part of the Creeper story that worked, Jack Ryder slumps in his chair at home only to hear that he is being sent to Markovia as a reporter. Irony! Finally something that was understated and effective. Look at how exhausted he is ... and he has to head back to where he just came from.

On a whole, this issue just failed on many levels. The whole tenor of the Creeper story was wrong. The turn of events felt wrong ... too simplistic to bring the story to an end.

And Philip Tan's art, which usually is one of the draws for the book, wasn't his usual top notch material. In many places, it smacked more of 1990's Image than his usual hyperstylized way.

So is this the death knell for the title for me? Alas ... no. The next issue promises a plot involving the Eradicator, Katana, and Halo. Those are the reasons I bought this book. So I am still giving this book one more issue.

Overall grade: C-

Review: Outsiders #31

With New Krypton plowing forward, I was lured into buying The Outsiders when the Eradicator was added to the team. As a 'fan' of the Eradicator, I was interested to see exactly what he would add to the mix. Where would his loyalties lie? How did he come back? Who does he serve?

As I have said before, I have had little interest in the Outsiders as a group before. In some ways, I welcomed the lure. I hadn't read the comic ever. Maybe I was missing something.

With War of the Supermen over, and the impact of the Eradicator maybe lessened by the end of the War, would the book still interest me. Each month I have said that this book seems destined to be dropped by me. The question is when.

Outsiders #31, written by Dan Didio and drawn by Philip Tan, sort of nudged me one step closer to the drop date. I just don't know if enough is happening here to have me craving more. And with Superboy and Speed Force coming out soon, something might have to give.

As seen last month, Metamorpho was tricked into be absorbed by Chemo by Java, most likely at the behest of Simon Stagg. This absorption seems to be ripping Rex apart, killing him. However, in those death throes, Metamorpho's love of Sapphire Stagg surges in him, allowing him to take control of Chemo. However, the pain must be too much for Rex to keep his thoughts together; he goes on a mindless rampage, maybe with the thought of killing Simon.

I suppose that it is a nice moment for Metamorpho, showing how deep his love is for Sapphire.

After a verbal shoving match, Freight Train and Owlman nearly get squashed by Chemo and agree to stop the monster.

Freight Train is one reason the book is nearing the axe. He is such a caricature. I don't have much interest in reading the adventures of someone who keeps saying how he is going to 'kick ass'.

Meanwhile, Katana, the most interesting of the Outsiders, does not appear to be walking in lock step behind Geo-Force as she has before. While she stuck by him when he sided with the Kryptonians, she now seems to be questioning Brion's decisions more. Her story ... the conflict between personal ethics and loyalty as a samurai ... is the most compelling.

Just when it seems that Katana is going to break away from Geo-Force, he gives her something to keep her in his sway. He brings back an old ally, using a machine to 'find' Halo and bring her back to Earth.

This was a nice scene; I wish Katana was in the book more. That said, I am new to the characters. Where was Halo? Does she need rescuing? What is her story? I don't need the whole run-down of the character but a smidge of exposition might have helped make the moment more powerful (although it might seem cumbersome to old Outsiders fans).

With Chemo wrecking the countryside, Owl-Man and Freight Train find a bag of weapons that Stagg has appropriated and plan to use them. That's right, the 'crap' they find are clearly modeled on Thor's hammer, Daredevil's cane, Captain America's shield, etc.

If any moment fell flat, it was this one. This is the classic joke that bombs (at least for me). If you are Dan Didio, an embattled editor-in-chief, the target of many fans' ire, would you joke using the trademarks of the rival comic company that routinely has trounced you in sales during your administrative tenure? This just felt all wrong ... all wrong.

When the Marvel weapons don't work, Freight Train takes matters into his own hands, running full speed into Chemo's feet and bowling the monster over and into power lines. Defeated (I guess), Chemo regurgitates Metamorpho and goes inactive.

I don't know if I clearly understand any of what happened ... Train's ability to stop Chemo, Chemo's shutting down, or Chemo's vomiting up Rex.

Needing some help with the clean-up, Owl-Man is surprised to see the Ray show up. The Ray even knows that Rex was trapped. It is pretty clear that Stagg is somehow involved.

I don't know if the Ray has a history with the Outsiders or not.

The issue ends with a new subplot. The 'fan' of Jack Ryder, seen a couple of issues ago, turns out to be a demon of some sort. She says that the Creeper is the last of his race and she plans to procreate.

This seems like a new wrinkle to the origin of the Creeper (although I admit I did not read the Niles mini-series). As a Steve Ditko fan, and therefore someone always interested in the Creeper, this worked as a cliffhanger.

There seems to be more downs than ups in this book. And the Eradicator, the entire reason I buy the book, wasn't even in this issue. And that marvel joke just made me shiver.

One thing that is solid is Philip Tan's art. I don't know if he will be everyone's cup of tea but I have come to like his highly stylized stuff more and more.

Overall grade: C-

Review: Outsiders #30

How long can The Outsiders cling to the last spot on my pull list? That's the real question.

There are some things that are keeping me here. The presence of the Eradicator is what brought me to the book. The alternating art by Philip Tan and Don Kramer is eye-catching. And I haven't really read these characters before so their stories feel fresh to me.

The things driving me away are that the stories haven't really grabbed me. And I haven't really read these characters before so I don't have any attachment to keep me coming.

Outsiders #30 came out this week and as usual, it did just enough to make me think I'll be back next month. That said, it also wasn't a great book, lacking just enough 'oomph' to make me wonder (again) if next month's issue is my last.


The team has basically been ripped in half secondary to Geo-Force's madness.

Black Lightning, Metamorpho, and Owl-Man have been kicked out of Markovia and are trying to make their way back to the USA. Unfortunately, the War of the Supermen has started. Remember, Markovia has allied itself with New Krypton. As a result the other nations of the world have declared war on the tiny nation as well as the Kryptonians.

The heroes, flying in a Markovian jet, are fired upon by the Canadian air force and denied access to US air space. I did think it was funny that Owl-Man questioned the strength of the Canadian defenses when he seems incredulous that they have missiles to fire.

Even Alfred cannot use his pull to get the plane into the US. With no other place to go to, Metamorpho swallows his pride and calls his father-in-law Simon Stagg and asks for and is granted sanctuary. Stagg has always been one of those characters that seems self-serving to the point of crossing the legal line now and then.


The other half of the team, Geo-Force, Eradicator, and Katana, are trying to keep the peace in Markovia.

The citizens do not agree with the alliance with New Krypton and are near revolution. The Eradicator continues to espouse totalitarianism. He cannot believe that the citizens aren't walking in lock-step with the King. He makes the crowd disperse by firing his heat vision into the crowd.

I like the composition of the above panel, nicely crafted by Philip Tan. The up-shot angle gives it somewhat of a warped look, the buildings almost curving in on the Eradicator, drawing the readers eye to him. It gives it a surreal feel. The Eradicator, floating above the people with the sun behind him, evokes the feeling of religious iconography ... but the surrounding flames and smoke as well as his being deep in the shadows let's you know he is anything but holy and benevolent. Pretty nice.

Katana doesn't necessarily agree with the Eradicator's methods and actually draws her sword to convince him of the error of his ways. In the mean time, the Eradicator again seems shocked that Geo-Force even lets her speak as her station is so below theirs. My guess is their ideological differences will eventually lead to a physical confrontation.

Before they can come to blows, Geo-Force steps in. And then the Eradicator goes all 'Ben Kenobi when Alderaan blew up', doubling over in pain when thousands of Kryptonians are killed when the sun turns briefly red. Hmmm ... did he do the same when New Krypton blew up?

As I have said in prior reviews, Katana is the character that intrigues me the most. Like a true Shogun, she feels compelled to stay with Geo-Force even though he seems lost. Her motivations ... the grief she feels, her sense of what is right, and her obedience to Brion ... make her a cauldron of emotion. I think she has the most potential in this book.

Meanwhile, the other Outsiders land at the Stagg compound and are greeted by Stagg's new body guard, Freight Train. Train seems a bit too 2-dimensional to me. His first panel is basically a soliloquy of how he is going to kick the Outsiders ass. He seems young and cocky and brash but does anyone really talk like that all the time?

Sure enough, he transforms into a more metallic appearance and runs into the group, a large energy discharge engulfing them all. His powers aren't defined in any real way.

One thing the book does do very well is show just how fast the War of the Supermen was. We get the declaration of war at the beginning of the book and the end of the war announced here in the middle of the book. As a Superman guy, I thought this was the first time that I really felt the time crunch of the war. For these characters on the fringes of the battle, the war is over before it really began.

Despite the end of the war, these Outsiders are still associated with Markovia and are probably considered war criminals. They still don't have any where to go. I don't necessarily know if I buy it. These guys were fleeing the country when the alliance was announced. They have connections as high as the JLA. Black Lightning even fought the Kryptonians in the Arctic when Kandor was first enlarged. Should they really be political refugees now? Or is this just a way to make them true outsiders?


One thing that I haven't liked about the book is the characterization of Black Lightning. He has always seemed to be a level-headed guy, a peace maker more than a brawler. He lost his temper a few months ago, fought Geo-Force, and melted a Markovian village a couple of issues ago. Here, he goes after Freight Train after he says it must suck to not have a home.

Lightning takes the verbal bait and almost fights Freight Train. I don't know ... I don't think the Black Lightning I read in Metzler's and McDuffie's Justice League of America would talk or act like this. Maybe I am wrong.

But there is more malevolence housed in the Stagg compound besides Stagg himself, Freight Train, and (I guess) Black Lightning. Java, Stagg's Cromagnon assistant who has always loved Sapphire Stagg (and therefore hates Metamorpho) decides to take matters into his own hands.

Using the Orb of Ra, the magic item that gave Rex his powers, he knocks Metamorpho unconscious.

And then tosses the Outsiders body at Chemo! Looks like Stagg has got the chemical nightmare under his control. I think a Metamorpho/Chemo fight seems so obvious I am surprised I haven't seen it before.

So, overall, this was a middle of the road issue. The good (Katana, the time riff about the Supermen War, the Metamorpho cliff-hanger) just outweighed the bad (Freight Train and Black Lightning's characterization). It is enough to bring be back next month.

I will say I am enjoying Philip Tan's art and I was glad to see him do the entire issue here. His art is somewhat distorted or over-stylized in a way that doesn't distract but instead adds to the feeling evoked by the story. Those curved buildings in the Eradicator panel, Freight Train's ludicrous body type ... it just works.

Overall grade: C+

Review: Outsiders #29

It seems that every month I review The Outsiders, I wonder if it will be my last. As I have said before, the reason I came to this book was the inclusion of the Eradicator.

So far the book has been light on the Eradicator and heavy on team dysfunction. Last issue, the team basically got ripped in half by Geo-Force. Where will the characters end up? Is it the end of the Outsiders?

The answer will have to wait as this issue is devoted to the character of Looker and how she appears poised to rejoin the team. As someone very new to the Outsider characters, I know very little about the Looker character. I can recall that she was someone considered plain who suddenly became stunningly beautiful and equipped with some sort of mental powers. A quick read of her wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looker_%28comics%29) confirmed those thoughts as well as letting me know she is a vampire?

The early pages of the book show a very self-centered and superficial Lia backing out of a fashion show and ruining the designer's outfits. She complains that she needs to constantly be surrounded by beauty and those outfits didn't make the cut.

The scene feels absolutely gratuitous as Looker pads around the room removing her clothes, having her female thrall remove some of her clothes, and then asking her male bodyguards to help her remove her undergarments.

I suppose it sets the stage for me as a newbie to the character. She is immature, petulant, and superficial. What else ... sensual? Over-sexed? Obsessed with physical appearances?

It still felt a little too Cinemax for me.

Her actions are being watched from afar. A vampire hunter has been hired by a vampire clan to kill Looker, who has been killing vampires. His name is Stake. The name just sounds like it was ripped from the 1970s.

The character I have been the most interested in reading about in my short time on the title is Katana. She seems all the warrior woman, steeped in honor, following the Samurai code. As a result she feels bound to follow Geo-Force.

But she knows he is mad. And she clearly has feelings for Owl-Man, one of the Outsiders banished from Markovia by Geo-Force. She seems torn. She kisses Owl-Man and tells him that she is staying. I like the shocked look on his face as she leaves.

One thing that took away from the scene was the art. In one panel, her eyes are open and we see her irises. In the rest of the page, her eyeholes are skin-colored implying her eyes are closed. But it is somewhat off-putting. Are her eyes closed the whole conversation? It just doesn't look right.

But back to Looker.

Dolled up in her fighting clothes, she hits the nearest trendy clubs, again to surround herself with beauty. She does a quick recap of her origin ... her humdrum life with her boring husband. She wonders how she could have ever lived that life.

While in the club, Stake makes his move. He thinks she will be easy prey.

Surprisingly, Looker knows how to fight back. She is able to hold off his attack. I love this dialogue. She sounds like such a party girl ... lamenting the blood on her dress and calling Stake a bitch. Too funny ... even if unintentional.

Stake takes off telling Looker he knows another way he can get to her.

Unfortunately, mid-fight, the art chores change from Don Kramer's smooth style to Philip Tan's more stylized and smudgy art. It is a jarring change which interrupts the flow of the book.

Turns out that Stake thinks that he can get to Looker by grabbing her ex-husband, the boring guy who never locked the door. Based on everything I have read at the beginning of the issue, you would think Looker could not care less about this guy, that she has completely cut off all ties to her past life.

Looker might be protesting too much. She not only follows Stake to her ex-husband's house, she kills him. How ironic ... Stake is staked.

And then we get the best moment of the book. Despite immediately complaining about another battle-ruined outfit, she pauses and from afar sweetly says goodnight to her husband.

Maybe all of this superficial spoiled super-model behavior is her emotional armor. She lost her old life, became a hero, then became a vampire. Maybe she has some regrets. Maybe that quiet life as a plain bank teller had more depth than she wishes to remember.

Looking to get away from it all, she books a flight into Markovia, presumably to rejoin the team.

I wish the book ended there because frankly that one panel sort of struck me. It even made me rethink the earlier stripping scene. Maybe Didio was trying to show just how much of a front Looker is putting on to hide some sort of internal psychological pain. I love conflicted characters. If she had simply killed Stake and gloated, I probably would have dropped the book. Instead I am wondering just who the real Looker is. I am curious enough to keep the book on my pull list.

Unfortunately, the book ends with another sort of 1970s comics moment.

The fashion designer ruined by Looker's tantrum is drowning his sorrow at a local bar when he is suddenly given a magic horn from someone named Veritas and invited to become Veritas' herald.

A spurned fashion designer sought out by a higher power to become a super-villain? A magic animal horn?

Huh?

I have to say that the ending brought down the grade of the book a little.

The art in the book is solid if disjointed as described above. Kramer has such an organic style, all smooth round lines. Tan's work is distorted and scratchy in a good way. I even see a little bit of Chris Bachalo in his faces. Both styles work, just not shoved into the same issue. We have seen this before with Tan who just can't seem to stay on time.

And Didio's dialogue can be a bit ham-fisted at times.

But he has me intrigued with the internal conflicted natures of now Katana and Looker. That isn't even mentioning the insane Geo-Force. I guess I will stick around a bit longer.

Overall grade:B