Action Comics #890 (August, 2010)
"The Black Ring, Part One"
Writer - Paul Cornell
Artist - Pete Woods
Colorist - Brad Anderson
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Editors - Wil Moss & Matt Idelson
Cover Price: $3.99
So, whattaya do when Superman decides to "take a break" and walk across America? I mean, he's got two ongoing titles... it's not like we need to check in with his stroll twice a month (believe me... nobody wants that!). So, whattaya do with that pesky... other Superman book?!
Do you put it on hiatus? Do you cancel it outright? Or... do you hand it over to Superman's worst villain? Well... to be fair, between J. Michael Straczynski and Lex Luthor... I'm not sure who's worse!
What I'm getting at is... Action Comics has now become Lex Luthor's book. How could that ever work? Well, read on...
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We open with Lex Luthor being dangled off the edge of a building by his feet... record scratch, I bet you're all wondering how he got himself into this mess. Well, let's go back in time a few days and find out. Ya see, Lex has been working with his team with the hopes of locating a Black Lantern ring. One of his lab-geeks told him it was a fool's errand... and so, Lex fires him on the spot... and promises to ruin his reputation so he'll never work again. We're about to learn that that's a moot point... but, we'll get there.
The fired guy lashes out, and rings Lex's bell with a... blunt heavy object of some sort. Looks like a candlestick... but it's probably some lab instrument. That night, Lex licks his wounds while sharing a dinner with... Lois?! Wha--? Read on, all will be explained.
After a brief chat, Lex decides he doesn't suffer fools... and order the fired guy killed. Man, don't step to Lex.
After the deed is done, Lois applies some concealer to Lex's bruise. As she does this, she too tries to reason with him about his Black Lantern ring-hunt. And so, he tells her about the great power he felt during the Blackest Night when he wore the Orange Ring.
He claims the ring "changed" him... and he has a pretty good idea of what he'd be capable of if he was able to find more. Ya know, like making Superman kneel at his feet... stuff like that. But alas, once the Blackest Night ended... all of the Black Rings disintegrated.
The following day, Lex holds a meeting with a man named Spalding. He mocks Superman's "walk across America" (as well he should) and reveals that he's using sensors to monitor the Superman-Family.
Growing tired of not getting his desired result, Lex decides to use the Isopod... which troubles Spalding greatly. This... pod, hasn't been tested, so getting inside is rather dangerous. When did that ever stop Lex Luthor though? He hops inside, and finds... something?!
Later, he shares his findings with Lois. Turns out the very pattern of the universe has changed due to the destruction of the Black Lantern rings.
With this new knowledge, Lex decides it's time for a field trip... and one that Lois will accompany him on. It's here that we learn that this "Lois" is actually a Brainiac-built synthezoid of sorts... which, duh, makes a lot more sense than this actually being Lois Lane.
At this point, the goofs from the beginning break in and start wrecking the joint. Lucky for Lex, Lois has a "smash" mode!
The baddies (well, the non-Lex baddies, anyway) decide to flee... but not before grabbing Mistuh Luthah. Which brings us back to where we started.
All looks to be going well for the goofs... until they start bleeding out their eyeholes. Looks like Lex has got a friend... in the form of Mister Mind?!
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I remember being kind of annoyed when this was first announced. I mean, Lex Luthor taking over Action Comics... while Superman effed off across America?! I think "I hate this" was already in the back of my head when I first cracked it open... but, I gotta say... I thought the was pretty nice! It aged well too... which cannot be said for it's "Grounded" counterpart.
I suppose we can get my complaint out of the way... and it's not even the fault of this issue. I hate this "new look" Mister Mind. I don't see why he needed to be "darkened" or "grossified". I thought his old "cute" look was more iconic... and in a way, more disturbing that something so harmless looking was so powerful. Maybe that's just me.
I'm glad the Lois-bot reveal came pretty quickly. I think dragging that on would have been majorly confusing... so it was nice to get it out of the way. In reading back today, even I was confused... I'd forgotten about the reveal entirely... just knew it didn't feel "right".
Speaking of not feeling "right"... and again, this is no fault of the issue, and not even a "bad" thing... but what is up with the ads (see below)? These look to be aimed at a younger audience than DC's regular output. I feel like this isn't one of the books you should aim at the tots. I mean, our "protagonist" actually put out a hit on a guy! Had him murdered at the family dinner table! Ehh, I'm probably thinking too hard... just found the ads a bit of a mismatch for the story.
Overall though... this was pretty great. Lex is depicted as cocky, while at the same time, somewhat meek. I think this is about as perfect a portrayal as we can hope for with a character like him. He's goal-oriented... but his motive is... morally muddy at best. This feels like the start of a redemption arc for our man... just a shame that it's coming a year before the cosmic toilet flush. Certainly worth mentioning, Pete Woods is on fire here. Beautiful work! I especially love little details like tilting the Orange Lantern emblem a bit to make it look like an "L".
This issue has been collected in trade, and is available digitally. I'd definitely recommend checking this one out.
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Blackest Night: Superman #1 (October, 2009)
"A Sleepy Little Town"
Writer - James Robinson
Penciller - Eddy Barrows
Inkers - Ruy Jose & Julio Ferreira
Colorist - Rob Reis
Letterer - Steve Wands
Editors - Adam Schlagman & Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99
Was in the mood for something a bit "darker"... and didn't wanna wait until October for a little #boohauntedblog.
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We open cold on Kal-L from Earth-Two's hands jutting from his grave after being summoned to "Rise"... which, if you recall, was kinda the thing that gimmick of Blackest Night. From here we shift to Smallville, where it's really just another quiet day around town. We join (former President of the United States) Pete Ross sweeping outside his shop and chatting with the locals. It's a real illustration of the pleasant mundanity of small-town living. Their discussion is briefly interrupted by a shadow crossing overhead. Was it a bird? Nah, it was probably nothing.
We briefly visit with the Sheriff's office where a bored Smallville Officer claims to have applied for a position on the Metropolis Police Force. While the Sheriff tells him what a dumb idea that was, a black hole appears below him. The Sheriff plummets and the entire dealie results in elevated levels of fear.
We shift over to a diner where more folks are going about their mundane Smallville lives. "Regulars" are enjoying their "usuals", we learn that poor Tom Hardy lost his thumb in an accident... stuff like that. A man enters in shadow... resulting in even more elevated fear-levels.
Across town at the drive-in, a couple enjoys a Friday the 13th-esque horror flick. Guess what? Elevated levels of feeeeear (and love, cuz they're making out).
After our Smallville tour, we finally arrive at the Kent farm where Ma, Clark, and Ma's new housemate Conner Kent are sitting down to dinner. While they discuss how well Kon is adjusting to his new digs, one of Krypto's ears perk up... there's something sinister in Smallville. Superman and Superboy "supe-up" and head out to see what might be lurking.
They arrive at the graveyard where they discover... Black Lantern Superman (of Earth-Two), and it would appear that he just finished... digging up Pa Kent's body. Yikes. I suppose I oughtta mention that he appears to have used a shovel... which is a very silly visual in my head.
It should go without saying... a fight is on. Kal-L lunges at Superboy, and mentions that he was just recently dead... and with L's help, he could be dead again! As Black Lantern Superman and Superboy soar across the sky, real-deal Superman (though, I suppose in a situation like this, your mileage may vary) gives chase, with heightened levels of Fear, Hope, Will, Rage, and Love!
Back at the Kent farm, Ma is attending to the dishes. Upon first blush, it seems kinda silly, doesn't it? Then I remember that Clark being out dealing with dangerous situations is nothing new to her. Suddenly, one wall of her home is demolished and Krypto goes flying... when the dust settles, she finds herself stood before Black Lantern... Lois Lane (of Earth-Two).
Back at the Super-Fight, Kal-L really starts getting his digs in on Kal-El. He suggests that he is no Superman, as he couldn't even save his own father. Instead of reminding the baddie about Kal-L losing both parents to a silly tropical disease, he just seethes then socks him so hard his anatomy goes wonky (see below). Though, to be fair, he probably doesn't know about that.
L continues, comparing and contrasting their disparate upbringings. L claims that he was never scared of his powers... even as a child he would "leap tall buildings" and whatnot as Superboy. Speaking of Superboy, Kal-L just hurled him toward the ground... I may not have made it clear, this battle has been happening in the sky.
We take a brief detour to... New Krypton. It's been a long time since I tried reading through the New Krypton saga, so I'll leave my pithiness out of it. By the way, "Krypton" has gotta be one of the least typing-friendly words known to man. I never backspace more than when I'm trying to type that word. Anyhoo, Supergirl and her mother are paying their respects to her fallen father Zor-El... when he is fitted with a new piece of jewelry and summoned to "Rise!"
Back on Earth, Superman and Superboy return to the Kent farm. They find it in all sorts of disarray... the front porch is completely destroyed and Krypto has been wounded. A quick scan tells them that Ma is no longer there. They head down Main Street, and note that things have grown even more ominous... nobody is around. It's silent, not even the crickets remain. They do eventually find Ma... unfortunately, she's being held captive by Black Lantern Mr. and Mrs. Superman!
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I'm not sure if it's because I've been reading (and covering) so much 1970's material lately, but... boy did this feel decompressed.
These quick little vignettes... shots of the town, and the townsfolk interacting with small talk took up far too much of this issue. I mean, I get why they did it... but I feel like too much time was spent on it. Much of it could have been summed up in a single page. Instead, we get a full page of a couple at the drive-in movie. Seems wasteful to me. It reminds me of a Vince McMahon quote I see bandied about when folks get annoyed at the current state of Professional Wrestling, "We're makin' movies, pal!" This feels more like it's playing toward a cinematic feel rather than just being a comic book.
Blackest Night was one of my blindspots in DC history, as it landed smack-dab in the middle of a really rough financial patch in my life. It was an event that felt as though most of its tie-in miniseries' were actually warranted. I remember being excited about this one in particular, as I wasn't sure if they were going to revisit Clark's own death, or if we were going to see more of the Earth-Two folks, who made their return a few years earlier during Infinite Crisis.
I appreciate the ideas presented here... Kal-L appears to be going around Smallville killing Smallvillians. At least that's what I think it occurring at the end of the vignettes. That's all well and good, but again, I think far too many pages were spent on this. I'm intrigued to see what Kal-L and Kal-Lois are planning to do. Not a bad start here, just took a bit long to "get there" for my liking.
The art here is rather good, if not a bit inconsistent at times. Being pretty familiar with Eddy Barrows' work, I'm gonna blame most of that on the inking. Some of the Smallvillians here look positively ghoulish... even moreso than the Black Lanterns. I'm looking at Pete Ross' evil-looking mug expecting him to sprout horns and a tail and be revealed as the devil or something. Kinda off-putting, and something I'd have imagined they'd work hard to avoid. I'd assume they'd want the "mundane" scenes to appear to be as clean and un-scary as possible to contrast with the Lantern threat.
Overall, I really want to recommend this... however, with a caveat. I'd say if you haven't read this, and want to... maybe grab the trade. After reading just the first issue, I'm left a bit cold... it doesn't feel like enough has happened. Feels like I got the same amount of story from this that I would have if I read 3-5 pages of a Bronze Age comic.
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Blackest Night #0 (June, 2009)
"Death Becomes Us"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Penciller - Ivan Reis
Inkers - Oclair Albert & Rob Hunter
Colorist - Alex Sinclair
Letterer - Nick J. Napolitano
Associate Editor - Adam Schlagman
Editor - Eddie Berganza
When I first decided to do this Boo Haunted Blog thing, I had figured that I'd cover a whole lotta Blackest Night. That didn't really turn out to be the case, but I definitely want to get at least one issue from the main series in here... so here we be.
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We open with Hal Jordan paying his respects at Bruce Wayne's unmarked grave. He takes the opportunity to reflect on his rather rocky relationship with his caped and cowled pal. They had different ways of "doing business", and often didn't see eye-to-eye. Perhaps they were both just headstrong enough to drive the other, ahem, batty...
With a flash of lightning, the newly returned Barry Allen arrives on the scene. He laments the fact that without the Bat-Signal being illuminated with any sort of regularity these days, Gotham City has turned into an even worse cesspool of crime.
Barry notices that Bruce's grave is not marked, and feels bad that there was no ceremonial funeral for his friend. Hal informs him that it was Bruce's wish for there not to be. He continues by revealing that while Batman is "officially" dead, Bruce Wayne is not. He continues by saying Robin believes Bruce is still somehow alive. In a cute moment, Barry's mind immediately goes to Dick Grayson... Hal corrects him, and it's the first time I considered that there's an entire generation of heroes that Barry's never met!
The pair then compare their own funeral stories. Barry died a hero... or a saint. Being the insanely popular and beloved dude that he was, his funeral was standing-room only. Hal's, on the other hand... was quite the opposite. He died a villain... and his tombstone was even desecrated... by another hero.
The conversation turns to other friends they'd lost in the not so distant past, including Aquaman and Martian Manhunter. They talk up the revolving door of death in their particular universe, and believe if there's any possible way to come back from death... Batman will figure it out. We then get a cute scene between Hal and Bruce where they discuss losing their fathers. It's really a nice little scene.
The pals take their leave... and we see that they were being watched. A zombified arm reaches into Bruce Wayne's burial site, and pulls his very skull from the ground. The Black Lantern oath starts ringing throughout the universe... but who could this be?
Why, it's Black Hand! The very embodiment of the Black Lantern. We close out with the end of the oath, promising that the "Dead Shall Rise"... and a scarred Guardian of the Universe with a satisfied smile.
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How about that... a Free Comic Book Day issue that actually mattered! Not some reprinted piece from a continuity (or two) ago, not some animated series tie-in originally published in the early 1990's... and not a preview catalog disguised as anthology. An actual, honest to goodness story... that leads to something. Let's do more of these, DC!
For the story itself, I really enjoyed it. I feel the time between Flash Rebirth and Flashpoint was criminally short. Just as it appeared that Barry was getting comfortable back among the living... bada bing, welcome to The New-52! Here we actually get to experience Barry and Hal doing a bit of reconnecting, and getting... ahem... up to speed on current events. It's brief, but I really dug it.
Especially interesting (and eye-opening) was Barry's mind immediately going to Dick Grayson when he hears the name Robin. I'd completely taken for granted that he'd never met Tim... hell, I'm not sure he even met Jason. Such a neat thing for Johns to include here... really puts things into perspective insofar as just how different the world was when Barry last walked... er, ran... it.
The Batman/Hal Jordan relationship was cool to see on display as well. I can't really speak for much in the pre-Crisis as it pertains to their level of chumminess... but, I do know that ever since Green Lantern Rebirth, Batman has been particularly cautious with how he deals with Hal. I like them being at-odds... not extreme like the Green Arrow and Hawkman relationship... but, still not seeing eye to eye is a pretty neat dynamic.
We get a pretty good idea of just who's "coming back" via the Black Lantern rings, which was a great way to whet the appetite of DC fans. I mean, at this point who didn't want to see the Dibneys alive and well? Or Firestorm or J'onn? This was such an exciting time to be a fan... part of the reason why I (and presumably many others) were so salty when this universe was swept under the rug just two-years later.
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Emotional Spectrum Tour:
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