Review: Superman House Of Brainiac Special #1

I've very much been enjoying Joshua Williamson's House of Brainiac. We're just two issues in and I am already clamoring for more. So I was pretty excited to see the Superman House of Brainiac Special solicited for a dreaded 5th Wednesday.

Now the first two issues sizzled. This one has three stories, two directly linked to the Brainiac arc and one catching up on Perry White's mayoral run. 

Joshua Williamson writes the two Brainiac stories. The first one covers how Brainiac got a hold of the Czarian city he controls. It also gives us another link to the uncertain thinking we have seen Brainiac suffer from in this arc. The second Brainiac story has a much better reveal, something that I really liked. Unfortunately it also involves the now ever-present Amanda Waller, a character I could do without. Edwin Galmon provides a sterile futuristic art style to the Czarnia story. Fico Ossio brings a much muddier, grittier art style to the last story.

But it is the middle story that I found lacking. Writer Mark Russell does two things which sat wrong with me. One, he puts forward a rough and rumpled version of Perry White. That's not my Perry. And Russell is known for the political leanings in his stories and this one is no different. This one is a bit heavy handed and rather simplistic in its approach to a real problem. Steve Pugh remains rock solid on art. 

So this felt like a little step back from the tsunami of the first two issues. On to some details.

Review: World's Finest #25

Batman/Superman World's Finest #25 came out last week and was incredibly entertaining, giving us two stories which shined. I love this book and I hope the current team never leaves.

One thing that Mark Waid has done on this book is follow a big story arc with a sort of rest issue, a done-in-one story before the next big plot begins. He also seems to like to explore the concept of World's Finest.  Who could forget World's Finest #12, the blighted date between Robin and Supergirl, a team I have dubbed 'the Next World's Finest'. He did a two issue story looking at the origin of the World's Finest team. And now, this issue, he gives us the opposite .. Lex Luthor and the Joker, The World's Deadliest.

This story compares and contrasts the two villains, their approaches to crime, and their world views. We have seen Waid use the compare/contrast grist to look at Batman/Superman. We get a very fresh peek into The Rock of Eternity, surely fodder for a future story. And, for an old timer like me, I got just a faint whiff of the plot of the Batman Vs. The Hulk treasury.  The art is a sort of realism occasionally tinged with insanity by artist Steve Pugh. If this was the only story in the book, I'd be thrilled.

But we also get a second story by the standard WF team of Mark Waid and Dan Mora. It is a delicious tease to what looks like a bonkers story bringing in the 5th dimensional imps. I'm ready for it!

On to the book!

Review: Superman Son Of Kal-El Annual 2021

Superman Son of Kal-El Annual 2021 came out this week and was a very entertaining read. We know that Jon has picked up the mantle of Superman. That means he probably is going to have to deal with his father's rogues. And no one is higher on the totem pole than Lex Luthor.

One of the things that I have been struggling with regarding this comic is the injection of real life social issues into the stories and the rather easy way that writer Tom Taylor has been dealing with them. There has only been superficial looks at complex issues. This issue also tangentially touches on a world crisis and the story-telling approach is different. More on that later.

But the bulk of the issue is looking at Lex. We see Luthor's relationship and interactions with Clark. And then we get the first interaction with Jon. Moreover, we see just how different Jon's dealings with Lex are from his father's. This would be something I would love to read every month. One thing I loved about the old Super Sons book was the contrast between Jon and Damian. Why not explore how Jon is different from his father when dealing with other heroes, villains, and the world.

The art is split by Clayton Henry and Steve Pugh. Henry covers a flashback that shows Kal dealing with Lex. The art is bold and vibrant and bigger than life. It works for the story. Pugh's work is more fine-lined and refined. I do like his take on Jon who looks young here.

Overall a fun read. On to the specifics.

Review: Justice League #65

Justice League #65 was released last week and as it has a strong crossover feel with Checkmate. That makes me happy.

The book basically has two plots running concurrently. One is Black Canary and Ollie hashing out his involvement in the new Checkmate and the reveal of Daemon Rose's identity. There is some great dialogue here. And the Daemon reveal is quite the eye-opener. There is even a super-villain sighting and a small mystery.

The second plot is the attack by Synmar Utopica on the JL. This also has some great dialogue and some fun moments. It once again shows how Synmar is a worthy foe of Superman as he brings down the house around the team.

I very much enjoyed the issue. So I won't bury that fact. I read comics to be entertained and I was very much entertained. But it felt to me like this was an extension of the Checkmate book and that the Synmar plot was sort of a filler to keep the rest of the League present in the pages. I don't mind that at all. But I wonder about others.

Steve Pugh is again on art and brings a lot of energy to the action here. We get both street level scuffling and super-powered throwdowns and both flow nicely. 

On to the book!

Review: Justice League #64

 

Justice League #64 came out last week and was another great character issue in this new run by Brian Michael Bendis.

 "Character issue" doesn't describe it fully. There is a new plot nudged forward. We do get the new United Order, a sort of Guardians of the Galaxy of the just started United Planets. And that is an interesting team to break down.

We get the return of the Synmar Utopica, one of the more puzzling villains introduced in Bendis' run. I don't think I ever quite understood its motives. 

We get the ripples of Checkmate into the League and specifically with Ollie.

But as usual, it is the quieter moments between the action where Bendis really shines. I like his Black Adam. I like the simmer of Naomi's powers and family (although I hope it comes to a boil soon). It is the on-again Ollie/Dinah romance and how cute they are as they flirt and fight. 

Steve Pugh is on art and gives a fine-lined, angular feel to the proceedings. This is a bit different from the smooth, organic offerings we have seen her by David Marquez. But the art does work. In particular, some of the panel layouts are slick. We do get several splashes as well.

On to the book.

Review: Future State Imperious Lex Vs Superman #3

Future State finally came to an end last week with Superman Vs. Imperious Lex #3. I have to admit, I enjoyed each issue of this mini-series more than the last and this ending was pretty much pitch perfect. I know I sort of was irked at the first issue as an 'agenda book with a story' but now I wonder if I just didn't have enough coffee that morning I wrote the review.

It is clear that writer Mark Russell is writing this with Lex as a Donald Trump analogue. It isn't subtle. But 20 years from now, with Trump hopefully less in the news cycle, you can read this simply as showing how a dictator and propaganda can warp people's minds. Still, with Trump still fresh in my head at least, the metaphors are obvious.

 

And while this is a one-sided story, Russell puts enough in the narrative to basically say that anyone inundated with one viewpoint of news is going to become lost. In fact, it is Superman who continues to be the beacon here, talking about mercy and keeping your mind on what you are fighting for, while still recognizing sometimes you need to fight.

Steve Pugh is solid on art. His page construction with panels and shadows is nicely done showing the craziness of the story and people's mindset. 

Get ready to dive into political allegory!

Review: Future State: Superman Vs Imperious Lex #2

Future State Superman Vs Imperious Lex #2 came out 2 weeks ago and continued a sort of political allegory look at Superman vs a very Trump-like Lex Luthor.

I thought the first issue of this mini-series was a bit heavy handed. The truth is I went into reading that first book expecting to be bludgeoned by political overtones. Maybe I was prepared to be preached to and as a result I was waiting to be underwhelmed.

I think I came into this issue a bit more accepting and a bit more ready to be entertained. So while the political overtones and metaphors are pretty evident, the book unfolds nicely and the plot is entertaining. Maybe I am maturing.

Writer Mark Russell does a good job at unpacking how someone of power like Lex could dupe everyone into believing he is a savior when it is clear that he is ruining the planet and the people. And even when you think Lex might be seeing the error of his ways, it turns out he is a self-serving villain.  What I really love about this issue is that Lois is the hero.

Steve Pugh's art is solid work here, giving us an older and wiser Superman, a smart Lois, and a crazy alien world. But the real art win here is Yanick Paquette's cover. This is a propaganda poster at it's best with Lex clutching a Lexor child, shielding him from Superman's evil boot which is trying to stamp out Liberty. This is how Lex is portraying things, as him being the last hope against a monster trying to remove freedoms. Just pitch perfect.

On to the book.

Review: Future State Superman Vs Imperious Lex

The Future State books have been a mixed bag for sure. One of the books I knew I would be checking out but with some trepidation was Future State: Superman Vs. Imperious Lex.  I guess my concern was that this was going to be what I call an 'Agenda book', the sort of title which has a political view to trumpet but doesn't have a solid story to tell. It's all agenda. As I have said before I don't mind a story with an agenda. I don't like an agenda without a story.

Writer Mark Russell is known for his progressive stories and I worried that Superman would be an afterthought. Luckily, this was a solid story but as a clear modern political parable to America these last few years. But rather than castigate, Russell actually sounds pretty even handed. 

Steve Pugh is on art and brings a sort of Curt Swan-ish feel to the proceedings.

Look, I am a middle aged lifelong comic fan. You bring in Lexor, I am probably going to be happy.

On to the story.

Review: Supergirl Annual #1

Supergirl Annual #1 came out this week, a middle chapter in the current Fatal Five storyline and boy, was this one busy. Writer Steve Orlando keeps things moving forward at a near incalculable speed, switching scenes, having characters move in and out, and revealing plot points in a machine-gun style. This was one of those issues that while I was reading I needed to flip back a couple of times to make sure I knew where the action was taking place. It also was one of those issues that I read twice in the same day to make sure I understood it all.

In some ways, that rat-a-tat style works well for a summertime annual. Like an action movie, the pacing was so brisk that it felt like a roller coaster ride. In some ways, it didn't work for me as the information flowing was happening so fast that I needed to pause and absorb it (or reread it), breaking that momentum.

Perhaps I am being too grumpy. There is a lot happening here. But I shouldn't complain when most of the time I am complaining that nothing happens in comics.

The art here is done by Steve Pugh. Pugh's art has certainly changed over time. His work on the Vertigo Animal Man back in the early 90s is the style that I have imprinted on. This seems a bit more straightforward than that thick-lined style.

Buckle up your seatbelts. We are moving on to the story.

August 2017 Solicits

The full August solicits for DC Comics were released last week and it looks like the summer season is going to go out with a bang, especially for Supergirl fans! I am pretty thrilled with the comics and can't wait to talk about them so I am going to jump right in.

For viewing all the solicits, here is a link to Newsarama:
http://www.newsarama.com/34577-dc-comics-august-2017-solicitations.html

SUPERGIRL #12
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art and cover by ROBSON ROCHA and DANIEL HENRIQUES
Variant cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
“EMERALD ERADICATION” part one! Emerald Empress’ attack on Supergirl begins as her new Fatal Five assembles. Empress’ plan to destroy Supergirl’s present to preserve her future goes into full swing as Supergirl tries to hold her own—but soon even her abilities are out of her control.

I spoke a bit about this before in terms of Robson Rocha coming on board as series artist. But there is a lot to love here. I like the idea of the Emerald Empress being a sort of Supergirl- specific Legion foe. Given the timey-wimey nature of these stories, my assumption is somewhere in Kara's future but Emerald Empress' past, these two have tangled.

I am wary of 'powers out of control' stories in general. But only one year into a new take on Supergirl might be too early, but we'll see.

But the cover ... wow! It took me some time to see that Kara has been shot through the left shoulder and is sliding down the wall. And who is that shadow? The art is beautiful and if this is what Rocha is going to bring,  I am going to be very happy!

On to the rest of the month!

Review: Action Comics #23.4 Metallo

My coverage of Villains' Month comes to an end with this review of Action Comics #23.4 Metallo.

I have to say I was looking forward to this issue a lot as it brought together a couple of my favorite creators. Sholly Fisch shined in the Action Comics back-up stories during Morrison's run and picked up where he left off with the Bizarro one-shot earlier this month. And artist Steve Pugh's murky style was dazzling years ago in the Jamie Delano Animal Man and continued to shine in the New 52 Animal Man.

Now this is a fine story, a look into the mind of John Corben and how it became twisted into the cyborg Metallo. There some great character moments that helped make this character more three-dimensional, even faintly sympathetic (faintly faintly). And the art is very solid.

But maybe these guys are victims of their own success. I read the book and thought 'nice little story'. Unfortunately, I am used to being wowed by Fisch and so even though I was entertained I felt a little let down. I just didn't feel the energy, the small extraordinary stuff, that usually elevates the issues into 'great' rather than 'good'.

Let me reiterate this. I was entertained by this book. And that means something.

The book opens up with a Metallo walking in darkness, closing in on some destination (we see a distance counting down in panels). He has been alone for months and he hasn't 'cracked'. We soon see that isn't exactly true.

And Pugh works his magic here with Metallo slowly emerging from the inky blackness. He certainly looks more machine than man here.

Even though it isn't explained here, I had a feeling he was at the bottom of the ocean, plodding on the sea floor towards some revenge. 

How did I know that?

Well, it was eerily evocative of the end of Metallo's first appearance on Superman:The Animated Series.

In that episode, Luthor has made Corben into Metallo. And Metallo, thought dead is slowly making his way to revenge. 

Knowing the background of this made me wonder if Metallo's 'destination' was to battle Superman ... or someone else.

We then flash back to eighteen months earlier where Corben is still comatose in a military base.

One thing I do appreciate with Fisch is that he links his stories to the Morrison run. For me, the Morrison run was sort of magical and the best Superman stuff since the reboot. So I am happy when creators build off some of those elements.

Another thing that I liked was how Fisch makes the moniker Metallo to be synonymous with villainy. Here, General Lane, Corben's superior officer, the man responsible for the Metal Zero test, is trying to save his soldier. Part of that means keeping him human. He calls him Corben.

After years of maintenance, Lane decides that maybe Corben needs a stronger energy source to snap him out of his coma. Putting in the 'Kryptonite heart' works, shocking Corben awake.

I liked these panels as I think they convey a slow erosion of Corben's humanity. Yes, he feels a rush from the K-charge. But that top panel makes it feel like he is lost in the Matrix, and the green eyes, and the monster on the ocean floor image all make us realize that 'Corben' is slipping away. Great montage by Pugh.

But just in case we missed it, Fisch makes sure we get it. Metallo feels like nothing can touch him while putting his hand on his heart. Does he mean physically? Or emotionally?

Still, a good soldier is a good soldier and Metal Zero is one powerful being.

But the army psychiatrists are worried about Corben's repressed emotions and excessive force.

Lane's response is perfect for him. How can you be worried about excessive force in a war zone. Lane is looking for a powerful soldier/weapon who will demolish everything put in front of him.

Lane unfortunately learns what that means. Sent into Qurac to stop insurgents, Corben handles it easily. He levels the building that the terrorists were hiding in killing them and the 110 innocent human shields they had with them. Now that is excessive force.

The lower panel is so perfect by Pugh, Corben smiling thinking 'job well done' while citizens grieve in the background.

With such a PR nightmare caught on tape, Lane is ordered to eliminate his own weapon. So over the ocean, the unmanned drone bringing Metal Zero home self-destructs dropping Metal Zero into the sea.

And so we catch up to the earliest pages. Metallo walks out of the ocean, terrorizing a beach, in a panel reminiscent of 50s monster movies when creatures from black lagoons did the same. We are slowly building an image of a monster.

The army and Lane arrive to put Corben down. The General talks about how out of control Corben has become despite everything Lane has done for him.

And then all humanity seems to drain from Corben. He threatens not only General Lane but Lois who he feels spurned him. Nice middle panel showing how monstrous Corben is towering over Lane. But it also shows just how brave Lane is to confront like this.

I do wonder why none of the infantry tried a head shot.

Lane then unleashes his secret weapon: Metal 2.0. This is Lane's new toady Sgt. Brizuela, a wide-eyed soldier who agreed to be changed. Brizuela is up front with Corben - he doesn't want to kill him. And that limitation is something Corben can take advantage of.

Corben skewers Brizuela, killing him. But before he dies, Brizuela self-destructs hoping to destroy Metallo in the process.

Lane knows the scoop though. Metallo isn't a Superman villain right now. Metallo is a Lane villain now.

Before the explosion, the Secret Society teleported Metallo away.

With no other place to turn, Corben understands that his old life is completely over. In a nice bit of pathos we see a withdrawn Corben realize that he now and forever more will be Metallo. The use of multiple sized panels, all askew, add to the feeling that order is lost in his life.

So overall a decent origin story with some nice flourishes. But I can't explain it. This felt like an 'ordinary' comic book story when I am used to extraordinary stuff by Fisch. And the art by Steve Pugh is very good. I would still love to see Fisch on some Superman book regularly.

This issue was still entertaining ... still worth buying and reading (as opposed to other Villains' month issues).

But just not dazzling.

Overall grade: B