Review: Justice League #67

Justice League #67 came out this week, wrapping up the Synmar Utopica storyline while further introducing us to the United Order. It also nudges the Checkmate story a baby step down the road. This is an issue that has a couple of very solid moments. But there are a couple of things about the story that don't sit quite right.

Writer Brian Michael Bendis continues to shine when it comes to Superman and Lois. I love the way Superman is portrayed here. He still wants to convince the villain to reform. He doesn't want to make his enemy suffer. And he can still rally the troops around him. But the defeat of Synmar happens a bit too quickly and a bit too familiarly. I still am rubbing my chin about Daemon Rose. 

The art here is done by Phil Hester and there is an appropriate sharpness to the works. Everything is angular and harsh, befitting an issue that is almost entirely a brawl. And he handles the different alien races of the United Order well.

Still, the Superman stuff is solid enough to nudge this book up a but in the grade.

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: Superman #27

Superman #27 came out this week and was another example of why I will be missing Brian Michael Bendis when he is off the super-titles. Throughout his run, we have seen Superman as a symbol of hope and goodness and this issue is a perfect example of that. You want to root for this Superman. You want to be this Superman. 

All that characterization is folded into the Synmar Utopica storyline. While this arc is an interesting way to compare and contrast the concept of super-men analogues, I haven't warmed up to the Synmar character yet. I don't quite understand his motives. I don't understand his powers. I don't know what happened in the conclave of his people that spurred this whole thing on. (Although I have a theory I will share at the end.)

I have complimented Ivan Reis and Danny Miki before on their art on the title. But they continue to stun me. This is a crazy issue in choatic dimensions and alien environments. This is a slugfest. And then in the middle we have a quiet scene between Lois and Lana. It all just sizzles on the page. Once again, I have to mention Alex Sinclair's colors. Synmar is vibrant. His halo energies dazzling. And there is one sequence of space travel which is just brilliant.

Just one more month. Will this all get wrapped up?

On to the book.

Review: Superman #25

 

It's hard to believe but we are over two years into the Brian Michael Bendis era on the Superman books. 

That's two very solid years of Superman books on the shelves. As someone who loved the preceding teams of Dan Jurgen and Tomasi/Gleason, I think Bendis has surpassed them. Yes, not every story has been perfect. But this has felt like Superman. And for the first time in a while, I feel like the supporting cast has been loved as well. 

But apparently all good things must end. Bendis has said that his time on the Super-books is nearing a close. In fact, Superman #25 was the initially planned swan song. But we are going to get a few more months ... thankfully.

Now Superman #25 is an interesting issue. First and foremost, at least for me, it brings Lana Lang back to the super-books. I am an unabashed Lana fan and so seeing her in this book, still working for the Globe, still friends with Clark, still with a history as Superwoman. So that half of the issue is brilliant for me.

But the main story is the introduction of Synmar, another galactic level threat to square off against Superman. Bendis run began with the introduction of Rogol Zaar. We've had Mr. Oz. We've had Mongul. We've had Apex Lex. Now we have Synmar Utopica. If there is one thing that I wish we had seen in the Bendis run is a re-invigoration of some of the classic Superman villains. What would I do for a Prankster story!

Synmar at least seems like an interesting character. Bendis dubbed him the anti-Superman somewhere (or something like that). And there is an interesting wrinkle in his background seen here that makes me intrigued. More on that later. 

The art in the issue is just incredible. Ivan Reis and Danny Miki really outdo themselves with the unique look of Synmar as well as the Earth-level Lana bits. But it is Alex Sinclair on colors that really deserves a medal here. The book's colors sing, especially the bright Synmar segments.

Okay, on to the book.