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| Jaime, trust me: Booster Gold is not a good measure of recognition. |
Sunday = comics!
Booster Gold appears on TV, asking Blue Beetle to get in touch and put his side of the story forwards and, being the trusting guy he is, Beetle takes him up on the offer, Trouble is, Booster's convinced Jaime's a member of the Reach and is out to conquer the Earth which leads to a big fight. Thankfully, Jaime's grandmother - a tough old gal - turns up and stops it. Meanwhile, Paco and Brenda are in New York looking for Jaime but before they find him, Mr Bones and the DEO catch them and inadvertently turn Paco back into Blood Beetle.
Not a bad issue on the whole - though Blood Beetle has to be one of the worst villain names ever - but you can't help feeling this is wrapping up in readiness for the cancellation.
Oh, and when did Sundollar, the coffee franchise in the DCU, become Moondollar? Did Starbucks threaten to sue or something?
While the Nate side of Atom is off enjoying a romantic evening with Ranita, the Captain part is essentially comatose back at the lab. Trouble is, while Nate's enjoying ice cream, a barefoot walk in the park and a smooch with his lady friend, the staff of the Continuum suddenly find themselves gaining (or regaining) their heart's desire. A dead mother returns from the grave, childhood toys appear and Dr Megala's mind goes soaring into the cosmos. While it may see like a good thing, when the toys burst into flames and consume their owner, you know something's not right.
Again, a sense of finality runs through the issue which is still pretty good, nonetheless.
Vaughn wakes from an alcohol induced slumber to find Ghost in his living room. He attempts to work out what she is, partly for himself, partly for her as she seems surprised by what she can do such as when the fingers of one hand ghost through a book she's holding in her other. Realising it has something to do with the box that was activated before her first appearance, Vaughn is then interrupted by a pair of thugs who have obviously forced Tommy to bring them to regain said box. While one of them makes off with it, the other remains to execute the others but Ghost has other ideas.
Another nice, short tale with gorgeous art from Phil Noto - clean and simple, though the backgrounds are perhaps a little lacking in detail. Looking forward to the mini-series.
The other Lanterns continue to run interference with the Alphas on behalf of John Stewart and Guy Gardner who complete their breakout, heading into Oa and the ring foundry, last seen when they were fighting Krona. There they find abandoned projects of the Guardians, including Manhunter androids which gives Stewart an idea. The Alphas torture the captured Lanterns, seeking the location of Gardner and Stewart before they arrive to break out their friends, bringing with them hastily assembled Manhunters, now programmed to defeat the Alphas. Salaak alerts the remaining Corps members who are also urged to attack the Alphas and all the while, the Guardians simply watch.
This is good stuff, again showing the fomenting distrust between the various Lantern factions, all of which is part of the Guardians' plans to allow them to bring in the Third Army.
A sort of origin tale of Jennifer Blood before she even became Jennifer Fellowes, this is a nasty, nasty story that features not a single likeable character. You'd expect that given that it focuses on the brothers Blute, the villains of the original six issue arc of Jennifer Blood that Garth Ennis wrote. In those issues, Jennifer was seeking vengeance against her uncles, in part for the killing of her father which is what this story leads up to. In those circumstances, it was easy to have sympathy for Jennifer as she was on the side of the angels. True, her methods were vicious and cold blooded, but she had a motive. Here, and indeed in the previous issue of the main series, she's shown to be an unfeeling, mentally unhinged psychopath.
Having been unhappy with the direction of the main series lately, particularly the last issue, this annual is enough for me to drop it.
The League recover from Graves' attack while he heads off to see Steve Trevor's sister Tracy. There he taunts her that any suffering her family endures with be the fault of the League who arrive just as he fades out. With a lead on his location, Wonder Woman stomps off intending to kill Graves, which forces Jordan to use a ring-bubble to stop her. Cue her breaking free and brawling in public with both Lantern and Superman while Graves uses the cell phones of the bystanders to broadcast the images. Boom tubing out to Graves' writing cabin, they find clues to the Valley of Souls where they find the ghost of loved ones, including Steve Trevor.
Yet again, this team acts like they've been together for five weeks rather than five years. Wonder Woman is, again, just dying to stab someone while Jordan is a hot headed idiot. And the whole broadcasting Wonder Woman losing it scene? Didn't Max Lord do that back before Infinite Crisis?
Shazam! - written by Geoff Johns with art by Gary Frank.
Black Adam's free once more and is willing to listen to Dr Sivana who intends to help him find the Wizard. Meanwhile, Billy and Freddy attempt to trash the car belonging to the rich kids' family that gave them trouble last issue. It ends with Billy running on to a subway train which changes in a flash before letting him out at the entrance of the Rock of Eternity.
Not a bad issue - Billy forcing Freddy to hide and using himself as bait so Freddy wouldn't get beaten up by the rich kids is a nice touch, it shows something of the old Billy Batson is still kicking around.
And what made me smile:
That is, I think, a perfectly reasonable response to the situation.
Oh, Booster's in Blue Beetle? I may have to take a look. As for Moondollar, I'm sure I saw Sundollar in some DC comic lately ... quite possibly a Dan Jurgens book.
ReplyDeleteBooster's appearance here basically leads to a quick fight and then an agreement to meet with the JLI which leads into the JLI Annual.
DeleteYou're not missing much.