THE BEST OF DC
Arrow #1 (writers: Marc Guggenheim & Andrew Kreisberg; artist: Mike Grell)
This miniseries ties in with the TV show currently being plugged across the top of every single DC comic. It’s a pretty bare-bones account of the first episode of the show, and I’ve pretty much only included it so I have an excuse to rave about how amazing the show is. It’s pretty amazing. They go to some pretty dark places (for instance, Speedy’s drug habit) which make damn sure to distance this show from Smallville, and Ollie provides a voiceover that sounds like it comes from a young Dexter Morgan. It takes the current trend for dark, gritty reboots and ramps up the grit and darkness as far as it can while still staying just this side of family-friendly. I’m a little dubious about some of the changes to continuity -Speedy is now Ollie’s little sister, for example- but it’s a great stand-alone series with a pretty intense twist at the end.
Batgirl #13 (writer: Gail Simone; artist: Ed Benes)
One of my favourite things about superhero stories is when they show us how damn hard it is. That moment where the hero is bruised and bleeding, and hauls themselves up off the floor for another round. Batgirl is just made of this. This issue opens with her dragging herself up to face the baddie who’s been knocking her down for the past few months, and earning herself a sweet, delicious victory. Where the story really goes above and beyond, is in its portrayal of the villain, Knightfall. Her backstory has enough of a twist to still be unexpected even to all us jaded comic fans, and the reveal of her masterpiece sucker punches the reader- not only because of Benes’ unflinchingly graphic art, but because of the dilemma that Simone places before us: there’s no denying that her victim deserves punishment, but does anybody deserve… that?
Batman #13 (writers: Scott Snyder, James T. Tynion IV & Greg Capullo; artists: Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion)
After a whole year of absence, Joker has finally returned to destroy the entire Batfamily! I was sceptical at first, as it doesn’t feel like Joker’s been gone that long, and they pretty much ripped the entire concept from previous continuity, just condensed it into one arc. BUT! They did a good job. Well, of course they did, it’s Batman and it’s Scott Snyder, you can’t go wrong. I think Joker’s body count in this issue alone is higher than his total for all appearances since 1940 (but don’t quote me on that) and they’ve changed his dialogue font to a truly unsettling creepy font which I will use on my Halloween cards… well I would if I gave out Halloween cards. And if all you Joker fans out there still aren’t convinced that he’s a complete monster who should be lynched, Harley Quinn’s heartbroken face says it all. Poor, poor Harley. I won’t be sleeping tonight, just in case.
Before Watchmen: Dr Manhattan #2(writer: J. Michael Straczynski; artist: Adam Hughes)
The first issue of this miniseries, as you may recall from my earlier review, was a bit too full of smug cleverness for my liking. It settles down in #2, however, to just simply getting on with it’s plot themes of multiverse theory and Schrödinger’s cat. It’s quantum physics simple enough to grasp but complicated enough so we feel smart for understanding it. All intellectual circle-jerking aside, it actually presents quite an interesting story: every small decision Jon Osterman makes sets off a parallel chain of events, with little to no relevance to the actual decision made, but whatcha gonna do? Overall, I think it’s an entertaining way to get teenagers into quantum physics, but then again I’m very much aware that few people will consider this a good thing.
DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON
Deathstroke #13 (writers: Rob Liefeld & Joshua Williamson; artist: Eduardo Pansica)
I always mistype the title of this comic as ‘Deathstorke’ which makes me imagine a stork flying through the sky, carrying a little bundle in its beak, and people look up and gasp in awe and say “Look, a stork! Is it bringing a baby to some lucky parents?” and the stork says “HELL no, I’m bringin’ DEATH, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!” (because the stork speaks with the voice of Samuel L. Jackson) and then it drops the bundle which is full of bombs, and then, apocalypse.
Which would be so much better than the “creative output” of Rob Liefeld. But he’s left DC in a temper tantrum that the kid with a crayon wedged firmly up each nostril looks upon with patronising scorn, so insulting him now feels a little pathetic, like I’m muttering “Yeah you better run” after the guy has thrown a table at the wall and stormed out of the saloon.
What was my point again?
Deathstroke isn’t particularly good this month, mostly just fighting and people occasionally mentioning how according to plan everything is going. Slade gets a few good lines, mostly in the narration, so I credit Williamson with this as he was in charge of the dialogue. Everything else is Liefeld’s fault. This sounds vindictive, but if you get top billing you must bear the burdens as well as bask in the praise. OK, I just can’t let this go- Liefeld has Grifter and Deathstroke, and he doesn’t even write them by himself like a big boy, he’s in charge of “plot” and he openly admitted that’s all basically mandated by DC anyway. HOW IS HE EMPLOYED IN THE COMICS INDUSTRY???
Oh wait, he’s not any more. Never mind.
ALSO
Hate Joker? Wish Batman was fighting zombies instead? Check out Batman & Robin #13!
Nobody messes with Amanda Waller’s nana! Find out why in Suicide Squad #13!
Raven! Pandora! The Phantom Stranger #1!
