Superman Annual #1
I love Kenneth Rocafort's work. So hearing he'd be coming on Superman got my hopes up. Those hopes were dashed when I opened the annual and found FIVE different artists, NONE of them named Rocafort. Actually none of them I've ever heard of before.
So despite somewhat of an art letdown, the first half of this book was really good. If this is a peek of what I can expect from Scott Lobdell, I'll be happy. The second half loses some steam as it gets pretty wordy (evil monologues and all), but his take on Clark/Superman is awfully close to the "write him more like Peter Parker-style" I was just preaching to $oss about when it comes to how I think Supes should be written.
The art was hit or miss. The credits page doesn't say who does what so I can't give proper dues. Lets say, the first 16 pages (I'm assuming by Pascal Alixe) were pretty impressive. More messy and inky than I prefer, but it matched what Lobdell was doing perfectly. The other credit goes to whoever did the Starfire pages. I could read an entire issue by that artist. Not just cause they draw a super hot lady. Wish I could give credit where it was due.
I was worried about this new team on Superman. But if the writing team can bring to the book what they brought in the first half of this issue, Superman may be in good shape.
The Flash Annual #1
Like the Superman Annual above, The Flash Annual is littered with artists that AREN'T the series' regular artist. Again, somewhat of a disappointment. At least this time I recognized three of them.
Francis Manapul's art is something I look forward to each month. This issue had his breakdowns, but that was it. The highlights of the artwork (which were broken down into 5 chapters) were Marcus To's pages. Always a pleasure to see. The other artists, including the overrated Scott Kolins didn't come close to touching Manapul's elegance.
The story continues to impress as Manapul and Brian Buccellato really know what they're doing. The Flash hasn't had many DC guest stars, but unlike other books, I haven't noticed. The creative team keeps Barry Allen and his surrounding cast interesting enough that they don't need a guest star to liven things up.
Despite just okay artwork the Annual lives up to the standard previously set over the first year of the New 52.
Aquaman #12
Week of the Annuals offers up a standard Aquaman issue. And while Justice League juggles a few inkers (see below) Aquaman juggles three and does it with nary a break in the flow.
Arthur, Mera and the Others confront Black Manta who now controls what looks like Ocean Master's trident. Vostok of the Others gets killed in the process and Aquaman is pissed. Next issue he's going to kill Black Manta. F'reals.
Art and story really work hand in hand to create an issue that's really smooth.
Justice League #12
During Week of the Annuals Justice League is still a regular issue. But a pretty great regular issue.
This week Superman and Wonder Woman do some lip locking if you hadn't heard already. The bulk of the story is The JL taking out David Graves but with some moral consequences. The once revered League is being questioned by the press and the world. Someone needs to be the scapegoat and Hal Jordan takes the first mature steps in to being the guy we read in Green Lantern.
Jim Lee does his usual fantastic work on art, but NINE INKERS kind of takes some of the shine off. You can tell where Scott Williams' pages stop and where the other eight inkers start. Williams knows how to ink Jim Lee like nobody's business. Some of the other eight need a few more lessons.
In the last couple pages Geoff Johns does his patented previews setting up teasers for the coming year including Shazam vs. Superman, an Atlantean invasion and a traitor on the team. Justice League has rounded into a must-read book and next year looks to be in great shape.
Green Lantern Annual #1
Well, at the least, Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver know how to tell a Green Lantern story. For as well as Johns writes other characters, he doesn't write anyone like he writes Hal and Sinestro. Its that reason alone that I'm not worried about Hal and Sinestro staying dead. Well, mainly because Johns has a boner for Sinestro I can't imagine him keeping him dead. So help him God if Hal really stays dead again I'll mess him up in the face.
So yeah, the Guardians have officially traversed into bat-shit crazy town. The plan is to eradicate Free Will to maintain chaos in the Universe. That involves creating their own Third Army made of themselves and their minds. Its actually kind of gross how this army is created and replicates. In order to do this they need Black Hand who they supercharge and have kill Hal and Sinestro. The ring they split and were sharing presumably goes and finds this new Baz, the Arab-American 5th Earth GL. Whatever.
Van Sciver does some great work. Some great gross, gory work. I wanted a great issue and that's what I got. Johns and Van Sciver are a hell of a team.
So here's to year two of Green Lantern and the rest of the GL books in the New 52, and here's to Hal Jordan's eventual return... if Geoff Johns knows what's good for him.
Panel of the Week:
TONS of great art this week with names like Lee, Van Sciver and Reis being thrown around. But its Pascal Alixe's Daily Planet globe that really got my attention. For real. That's good work.
-Gint
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