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| Adam shows he's not best at forward planning. |
It's Sunday afternoon so grab your drink of choice and let's look at comics, shall we?
Okay, hands up who saw that coming? I sure as heck didn't and if you say you did . . . I'm afraid I'm going to have to doubt you on that one.
For the first time in ages, spoilers on so highlight to read: President Dakota Bob Schaefer is killed this issue, not by the machinations of Vought-American but rather by the wolverine called Tommy that graces this issue's cover. Spoilers off. Nothing more or less than a ghastly accident caused by the brain addled Vice President which upsets the apple cart and pushes Vought-American closer to their goal. Meanwhile, Butcher and the Boys have to try and help Mother's Milk while the Homelander discovers what Queen Maeve's been up.
Splendid stuff.
The villain Rush and his gang attempt to take down Green Arrow while over three million people watch the fight via web-cam. Needless to say, it doesn't go Rush's way and Ollie fights back including a little James Bond moment where he uses his latest trick arrow that he was given just last issue. He gets to deliver two sermons, one to the people watching the fight, the other to the news and assembled great and good of Queen Industries before we''re treated to a teaser of the new villain.
And, despite what it said at the end of last issue . . . no Black Canary!
So J.T. Krul leaves Green Arrow and, honestly, I'm not that sad to see him go. As I've said before, his work on this title has always been lacking something although (ironically) I've enjoyed the relaunched title more so than his previous run. Still, Captain Atom's still working for me and next month we get Giffen and Jurgens on this book so win-win.
Just like the old days, the team splits into groups and tackles the threats at the same time, giving us the opportunity to learn a little more about them. Batman still thinks Booster can handle the job of leading the JLI which is nice; Rocket Red fancies Fire so that's a nice hold-over from Justice League: Generation Lost; Ice is a lot more confident than the last time Jurgens wrote her; Fire and Vixen bond a little, though Fire's still a bit bland; August General comes across as a solid soldier but with compassion; Godiva for the first time does something other than flirt with someone; and while Guy Gardner steps in to save the day, that doesn't go as planned.
This title's good fun and I'm really enjoying it.
Should have picked this up last week but a shipping error delayed it. Hawkman fights Morphicius for most of the issue before we're introduced to Dr Hogarth Kane who is being set up to be the bad guy for this story if not the series. Emma Ziegler, the (presumably) prospective love interest tries to connect with Carter but is rebuffed and the issue ends with Dr Kane portentously announcing his mission.
It's not bad on the whole, but neither is it setting my world alight. I've always liked Hawkman, particularly the angry Carter Hall version but his rejection of Emma's compassionate concern left me thinking "What a dick." and that's not how you want readers thinking about your main hero. Dr Kane's vaguely reminiscent of Hath-Set - maybe it's the widow's peak? - so feels like nothing new and though the cover claims to introduce "the menace of Morphicius" he apparently dies at the end of the issue.
So-so, I'm afraid.
The Eminence of Blades proves he's more than his name implies and is clearly someone to be watched. Meanwhile Adam One actually tries leading the team successfully, pitting Apollo against the meteors heading to Earth while relying on Hawksmoor to save the day. Unfortunately, his lack of a plan B is cause for concern when Hawksmoor's unable to do what he needs to and the whole team are subsumed by the monster they're fighting, leaving Midnighter alone against them all.
It's another fast moving issue that goes further in establishing the team and the threat they're up against.
We get a complete change of pace from last issue's cliffhanger, introduced to a boy in a square bubble who's allergic to chlorophyll. Threatened by the other kids in the hospital, he's a poor lost soul you can't help feeling sorry for. Then we're staight back to the new, short-haired, gun-toting Abigail Arcane confronting Alex Holland before we return to William and find he's not so innocent after all. He's Abby's half brother, William Arcane and as Alec is the contact with the Green, so William is the contact with the Rot, the disease and decay of the world.
This was a good issue, the gorgeous art counterpointing the horrific images while the story established that at least some of the old Swamp Thing stories still counted.
And what made me smile:
William Arcane's Wonderfalls moment.
Damn, I wish that show had received a second series.
the writing in Swamp Thing continues to be good but i really want to know about the mystery surrounding Alec Holland.
ReplyDeletei didn't know JLI #3 is out already i guess i'll have to pick that up tomorrow too along with Suicide Squad #3. issues 1 and 2 of both those titles have been really enjoyable so far no real complaints to speak of.
Swamp Thing's improving with each issue, I think; far as Alec Holland goes, I'm taking him as divorced from the Brightest Day version until we hear different.
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