Man, we really saw both ends of the comic book spectrum this week. The good and the really bad.
Superman #710
God, this issue is a mess...
Let's start with my personal belief that Superman and Batman don't need to have met when they were kids or early in their careers before being Superman and Batman. Its a lot more likely that they meet for the first time as their alter-egos fighting in Metropolis or Gotham. Not fighting off a Vandal Savage attack in Bhutran.
That brings us to our current issue. Batman comes looking for Superman during his walk across the country and they reminisce about the good 'ol time they had in Bhutran.
Eddie Barrows does the pencils for the scenes in the present and Travel Foreman does the flashbacks. Never being a big Eddie Barrows fan to begin with I was surprised when I found myself wishing he'd drawn the whole book. Foreman's work is real sketchy with a LOT of cross-hatching. A lot. Some panels look like he could have a nice Leniel Yu style, others not so much.
As far as the story goes, its just boring. Clark and Bruce save a little village in Bhutran. If I was Vandal Savage, I'd have just waited until they went back home and raided the shit out of that village.
At least the present scenes were tolerable despite a real Full House moment between Bats and Supes. The only thing missing was Dave Coulier.
This book gets an F. I was going to give it a D, but fuck that. It gets an F.
Superboy #6
Doomsday is dumb. He was a plot device created in the 90s to kill Superman and that's it. The character has no redeemable value and I'd like to see him go the way of some other characters that were long forgotten.
Superboy #6 is a Reign of Doomsday tie in. And its right in-line with DC's apparent "Bad Art Week 2011." Pier Gallo has been drawing this book and while he's not phenomenal, he's at least consistent. Our new artist, Marco Rudy, is not. Some panels are inked, some are not. Some look like watercolors, while some look like your standard comic coloring. While the coloring isn't Mr. Rudy's fault his work is still our prime offender.
As for the story, it's nice to see Tim and Connor get some face time. Other than that I haven't been following the Doomsday storyline, so the bulk of the story, Connor and Doomsday fighting, is meaningless to me. Its also confusing. Its not choreographed well and some panels you can't tell what the hells happening.
Two books-in this week and I'm pissed. While I hate to give out such harsh justice this week, Superboy #6 gets an F also.
Red Robin #22
Thank Jesus someone knows how to write and draw a damn comic book this week.
Even though this issue of Red Robin is a tie in to some other story taking place in the Bat-books, Fabian Nicieza does a good job explaining what's going on. This could have been the beginning of a Red Robin story and I wouldn't have been the wiser. Its a cool issue that's introspective of Tim's faith. Nicieza gets this character and it shows.
Freddie Williams II is back on art for at least this issue. This makes me incredibly happy. I don't know for how long, and no offense to Marcus To who has been doing a fantastic job, but I fell in love with Tim Drake (in a totally hetero way) when Williams II was drawing the book. It was DAMN good seeing him draw Tim again.
The Flash #10
The Flash title is being cancelled in May. I believe issue 12 may be the last. That's a shame because its been a good book.
It hasn't blown me away, and sometimes I think Geoff Johns likes the Rogues a little too much, but this issue really grabbed me. Johns really lays down the groundwork for Flashpoint and, since his rebirth (Barry's not Johns'), showed me a side of Barry Allen that I really sunk my teeth in to.
What makes me upset about this book is that right when it seems some plot lines start coming together we're going to jump in to the much larger, less personal Flashpoint. I shouldn't doubt Johns though. Some seeds were planted with Bart and Patty Spivot that I'd really like to see play out on the personal, character driven level.
Francis Manapul owns every page of this issue. He's also responsible for our Panel of the Week:
Manapul pulled out the emotion in Barry's eyes and the black and white bottom 1/3 highlights how alone Barry is though he doesn't know it.
This was a fantastic comic book. Shame it'll be over in 2 more issues.
Just so its not a total Geoff Johns love-fest, I think the name Hot Pursuit is stupid.
-Gint
No comments:
Post a Comment