Superman (vol.4) #22 (July, 2017)
"Black Dawn, Chapter 3"
Story - Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Artist - Doug Mahnke
Inks - Jaime Mendoza & Ray McCarthy
Colorist - Wil Quintana
Letters - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Andrew Marino
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99
Another two-new-books-in-a-row! Not sure what it means that I'm so excited to discuss so many new books. Is it that this is this the first time in a long time that I'm actually enjoying new books... or has it just been so long since new books were actually exciting?
Either way... today we're going to discuss a creepier-than-expected issue of Superman.
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We open with Lois Lane watching the events that occurred last issue (which I just now realized that I didn't review here) on her... er, Apricot-Phone? I dunno. She leaves the house and hops into their pickup truck before seeing the tree they buried Goldie the Cat under in flames. She calls out to Clark and Jon, but there's no reply. She then heads over to check with helpful neighbor and disturbing dairyman Mr. Cobb to see if he saw anyone set the fire.
She drives down to Main Street, seeing the destruction all around her. She recaps the events of the evening... Batman visits, and vanishes. Clark, Jon and Damian fight giant squid, and also vanish. On the sidewalk she sees Candice, and wonders how she could be out and about... and so, she decides to follow her. She enters town hall, and proceeds down a stairwell into what must have been one of the town's Cold War era bomb shelters... but it seems it has a far different use these days...
Lois sees that her family secret is out... and turns to find a gun-wielding Candice has joined her. She delivers a kick and flees back into the street, calling for her husband and son the entire time. Realizing she's going to need some backup, she drives home to use Clark's Justice League Communicator... however, upon return, she sees that Mayor Goodman (and Candice!) have beaten her there.
Lois runs to a back room where she opens a safe. The creepy townsfolk wonder aloud what the wife of Superman needs with a gun. Oh, but this ain't no gun... it's her souvenir Bat-Gauntlet!
Lois splits the scene delivering awesome gauntlet-blasts as she goes. Once outside, she finds that the Batmobile has arrived. This being an invite she can't turn down, she hops in. Thankfully, her wearing the gauntlet is all the identification her sweet ride needs to engage thrusters.
With the townsfolk out of the way, Lois request the Batmobile contact the Justice League. Before it can, however... it is rendered immobile. Lois exits the vehicle to see...
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| eep. |
We shift scenes to Superman, who has been exploring the miles of corridors which are hidden under the town. He happens upon a hatch, which he lifts to reveal a path that goes even further underground. What he finds there is rather eye-opening.
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This was one hell of an issue. It's not often that any comic gives me the actual "creeps", but this one did. When we were first clued in to the idea that our friendly Dairy Man was something nefarious, I thought it was a neat concept... but awfully convenient that this oddball lived so close to the Kents. Now, with the creepiness expanded to include the entire town... I'm really liking it.
This was like one of the good episodes of The Twilight Zone. Not one that was trying to make a weak commentary on how bad people are (They were humans all along!)... but one that was legitimately trying to make you squirm in your seat. The use of Lois as our point of view character for this was absolutely wonderful, in that (obviously) she has no super-powers... and her loved ones that do... are nowhere to be found. That feeling of helplessness and isolation really helps to give this already creepy story an even more sinister bent.
I also appreciate that she was treated like an actual "action hero" here. She relied on her wits, her access to cool weapons, and understood the value of fleeing when it was the best option. She was able to use her professional investigative reporter skills to lead her into... well, not the belly of the beast... that came later, maybe the "brains" of the beast. And, I gotta say... the last panel for her section... with the creepy Dairy Man standing there, all emotionless. That was the best and worst panel of the week... because it made me realize I gotta wait a fortnight to see where it's going!
The brief Superman scene was well done, and provided a great cliffhanger. When I first saw the Robin in the tube, I mistook Damian's cape was Tim Drake's Red Robin wing-things... gotta say, my heart raced a bit. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how this plays out. If I were to guess... which is normally a stupid thing for me to do... I'd figure that this story might be the way they facilitate the Kents returning to Metropolis. Gotta figure that with everyone in town knowing that Clark is Superman and Jon is Superboy... they're not long for this world. That's always the way when people learn secret identities, right? I'd hate to be the first guy to see Peter Parker under the Spidey mask... you just know your days (minutes?) are numbered at that point!
Overall... loved this issue, heck... loving this storyarc and era. The Superman books are, for me, the tippity-top of what DC is currently putting out. This, along with Action Comics, are books everyone should be reading.
Note: For the next three days I'm going to be outta town... but I've got a very special three-parter we'll be discussing here. It's a fairly divisive little ditty... I hope you all enjoy.
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Batman (vol.3) #22 (July, 2017)
"The Button, Part 3"
Story - Joshua Williamson & Tom King
Script - Joshua Williamson
Pencils & Inks - Jason Fabok
Colors - Brad Anderson
Letters - Deron Bennett
Associate Editor - Rebecca Taylor
Editor - Mark Doyle
Special Thanks - Geoff Johns
Cover Price: $2.99
Not much of a preamble today... just finished up my thesis, and I'm sort of in a daze. Ya know, it's strange how things that have the power to take over your entire life just... end. I hit the "submit" button... and then started thinking "Okay, what do I gotta do next?" and the answer came back... "Nothing."
Weird feeling. Anyhoo, mo' Button.
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After a quick and dirty Flashpoint primer, we pick up where we left off, with Batman and the Flash find themselves in a very different Batcave. They are also greeted by a very familiar individual... to both of them, Thomas Wayne... Batman!
Thomas sees his Son, and immediately thinks it's a trick. He lashes out at the Flash... demanding to know what's going on. Barry assures him this is no joke... but he's also pretty confused. The Flashpoint Universe was never supposed to have been... it's an alternate history not world. He deduces that there's something holding it together, just like the images he and Bruce saw on their way in.
He realizes he needs to fix the Cosmic Treadmill right away... and Thomas warns that time is not on their side. At that moment, the combined forces of Aquaman's Atlantis and Wonder Woman's Themyscira storm the cave.
The Bats don their cowls to hold back the baddies while Flash rebuilds the mill. They make relatively short work of them... which really doesn't say a whole lot about Arthur nor Diana's folks. Thomas asks Bruce if he remembers what he had said when he had rescued him from the cave when he was a child. At this point, it seems... the Bats realize that there is no joke, and they are Father and Son.
Flash completes the rebuild on the Treadmill... and not a moment too soon. The Flashpoint Universe begins to unravel... as though whatever was holding it together just decided to let go! Bruce informs Thomas that he is a Grandfather... and invites him to come back with them. Instead, Thomas shoves Bruce onto the Treadmill. Batman and Flash both reach out and implore Thomas to join them... but he refuses. He tells Bruce to be a Father to his Son, and to let Batman die with him...
In his last moments, Thomas recalls that time he'd pulled young Bruce out of the Cave. That day he told his Son that Waynes never stay down... instead, they rise! Gotta say, I was expecting something more poignant.
Back with Batman and Flash... they are on the Treadmill, when they are passed by... well, lookie here, Reverse Flash. What's more, he's still holding the Comedian's Button... so, somehow they have reentered the timestream before Thawne "saw God (with a capital G)". Flash calls out to him, warning him that he will die if he keeps running. Thawne ain't hearing it, however... he claims to know who the "power of the button" belongs to... and he intends to face him!
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While this was still a tremendous issue, I can't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. I was just hoping more would happen. I mean, don't get me wrong, any story that wipes the Flashpoint Universe out of existence is a-okay by me, but I guess I'm just ready to see where this is actually going. Patience was never a virtue I claimed to have...
For what it was, I did enjoy it. I feel like the meeting between Bruce and Thomas Wayne was handled decently... even though I'm pretty sure we already had them meeting in Convergence. Am I remembering that wrong? Was that a different Bruce? I dunno... I've eaten and slept several hundred times since I've read that.
The "whispered line" from Thomas to Bruce when he first rescued him from the Batcave? A little less poignant than I was hoping for. I thought it was going to be something heartwarming or profound... but, nope... just a "Waynes don't stay down" thing. Okay.
I don't think I've ever hid my thoughts on how I feel about Flashpoint. I wouldn't allow myself to enjoy the story/Universe because it was taking away everything I held dear about DC Comics. I never revisited it... so, it's been (yeesh) six years. I'm happy to see it wiped out, however... it kinda sucks that they're doing it just when something interesting is happening.
Overall, not a whole lot more to say... it's definitely not my favorite part of this crossover, however I suppose it was necessary in order to display the insane power of whoever is messing with the DCU.
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Lenticular Cover:
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Action Comics #814 (June, 2004)
"Another Day at the Office"
Writer - Chuck Austen
Penciller - Ivan Reis
Inker - Marc Campos
Colors - Guy Major
Letters - Comicraft
Associate Editor - Tom Palmer, Jr.
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.50
Shoot an arrow in the air... where it lands... is, well this issue of Action Comics. I'm still battling the dissertation demons, and decided to just grab a book at random to discuss here today.
I mean, what could possibly go wrong? Um, is that Chuck Austen?
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We open with Clark Kent riding the L Train to work one morning. Just as he finishes leaving a voicemail for Lois, the train is hijacked by a trio of goofballs. Clark confronts them, allowing himself to be thrown through the window, as he plummets toward the ground, he does a quick change of clothes... and returns to the geeks lickity split.
He mocks them for their poor grammar and vernacular... making me happy that Superman has (probably) never read this blog. He spears one of the goofs off the train, leaving him in the back of a garbage truck. By the time he returns, the other two immediately surrender.
Clark arrives at the Daily Planet, and finds that his cubicle is already inhabited. He asks Julio, the Office Manager why somebody else's stuff is where his stuff oughtta be... and gets a curt response, instructing him to talk to Perry about it. As luck would have it, Perry's in a meeting for the next hour... so Clark's got some time to kill.
And it's a good thing, too... because moments later, a woman drives her car through a barricade on a raised level of road. Ya see, she was busy disciplining her unruly children and wasn't paying attention... probably not getting her Allstate Safe Driver check for eighteen-cents this quarter. Superman saves the day (and the family) just in time to return to the Planet and learn that Perry's still in a meeting.
So, out on patrol we go again... and well, hot damn... the people of Metropolis oughta be super pleased that Perry White has taken such a long meeting, because right now... Kalibak and Friends are absolutely wrecking the city. I mean, they are not fooling around here.
Superman arrives to throw some punches and exchange some quips... including a particularly cringy one where he "defines" his name for the baddies. Woof.
This is all a lead up to the arrival of... Darkseid! Oh man, business is about to pick up... or is it? Superman, upon seeing... ya know, the baddest dude in the universe, just tosses Kalibak's body at him. Hmm... yeah, he actually says "Hey, Darkseid. Catch!" too...
Darkseid has no time for such foolery, as he has come to deliver some dire news. Apokolips has lost Doomsday. Uh-oh... that's like, really bad, right? Well, Superman ponders it for a minute... then decides his best course of action is to punch Darkseid in the face.
He then somehow whisks all of the Apokoliptians into a ball, and hurls them back through the Boom Tube. Once the tube closes, Superman slumps to the ground, and says... well, just look...
The issue wraps up back at the Daily Planet, with Lois confronting Perry White about his not telling Clark that he's been... dun dun dun, demoted.
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Welp, they sure jobbed ol' Darkseid out, didn't they?
I gotta say, up until Superman took out the Apokoliptian horde without breaking a sweat that I was enjoying this. Every now and again it's nice to have a one-off "day in the life" story. Here we are with a brand-new creative team... ushering in a "New Era" (if the cover copy is to be believed), and Chuck Austen spends his first outing getting his feet wet with the character. All well and good, got no problem with any of that. It gave Superman an opportunity to act a bit "lighter"... like he really enjoyed his "job" of keeping the people of Metropolis safe. That's the way it ought to be.
I suppose an argument can be made that some of the dialogue was kinda corny... Superman saying "dude" is a bit precious, but I kinda dug it. There's just something charming about Superman attempting to quip with his street-level baddies. Now, when he directs sarcasm toward, I dunno... Darkseid? That's where ya lose me. I'd think that Superman would know just what sort of hell the Earth might be in for if Darkseid shows his face... I wouldn't think he's see that as an opportunity for levity.
Darkseid shows up... tells Superman that Doomsday got away. We all remember Doomsday, right? He's the guy that killed Superman that one time. Superman's reaction? Punch Darkseid, and give him the "well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into" spiel. Just an awful scene... that doesn't make any of the characters involved look any better. I'd go so far as to say it kinda ruins the rest of the issue.
It also makes me reflect on the issue long enough to think about how fortuitous it was for the City of Metropolis (and the World!) that Perry White was in a long meeting to avoid talking to Clark Kent. Are we to assume that the woman driving off the road with her kids would have died if not for Superman? Are we to consider that Kalibak and Co. would have barbecued the entire city if not for Perry's long meeting(s)? Are we supposed to be thinking about all the lives Superman is unable to save on a daily (hourly) basis? If that's the plan, I guess I can dig it... but, I'm thinking that... I'm thinking too hard.
In Clark's civvie life, we learn that he's being demoted. It's been, well... 13 years since I've read this era of Superman, so I don't remember exactly what was going on. I know there was a time that Perry "fake fired" Clark so he could get some dirt on then-President Luthor... but I'm not sure if this is part of his return to the Daily Planet or not. It's an interesting subplot, to be sure... especially considering that Lois knows about the shake-up before Clark.
I never really had that frothing Chuck Austen-hatred that was so prevalent in "our" circles back in the early/mid-2000's. He certainly wasn't my favorite creator, however, I feel he got an unfair shake by fans overall. That said, he might not be the right guy to be writing Superman. I know his stint here would be cut short (with fill-ins toward the end that may or may not have been Austen writing under a pseudonym), but this just doesn't feel like a good fit. Speaking of good fits, the art here was fantastic. Reis, as we are accustomed, delivers some excellent work. Some of the panels of Superman in flight could've been used as covers... just really great stuff. Speaking of covers, boy oh boy... it's Art Adams! Art Adams just rules... really wish he did more interiors.
Overall... I'd say this isn't an issue you need to rush out and read. It's pretty to look at, and up until around the staples, it's a fun little one-off story. That Darkseid bit though... really hurts it for me. If you're interested, it is available digitally.
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Flash (vol.2) #62 (Early May, 1992)
"Flash: Year One - Born to Run, Chapter 1: Thunder Struck"
Writer - Mark Waid
Penciller - Greg LaRocque
Inker - Jose Marzan, Jr.
Letterer - Tom Harkins
Colorist - Glenn Whitmore
Editor - Brian Augustyn
Cover Price: $1.00
As I am still in the bowels of dissertation limbo (which is why most of these blog pieces this week are a bit later than usual), I figured why not slow things down with the fastest man alive?
Gonna give a reread to a "candy" book from the early 1990's. I refer to any book that just makes me happy and comfortable as a "candy" book. I'm needing that right now, before I jump back into the academic fray.
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We open with the Flash heading into the Central City Airport to find a bomb that had been left there by a pair of recently arrested terrorists. They wouldn't say exactly where they left it... only that it was about a half hour til it goes off. He rummages through nearly the entire airport before considering that the terrorists left it in a piece of nondescript luggage so the airport staff could "squirrel it away" in the Lost and Found.
Flash, bomb in hand, knows there isn't nearly enough time to bring the bomb to the squad for a disarming, so he instead decides to run up the side of an airplane to get some height before throwing the bomb into the sky... where it goes boom. The airport is safe.
Moments later, Wally West slumps into a booth at a nearby food court and asks for "one of everything". I always appreciate when it's mentioned that Wally's super speed burns so many calories he needs to reload. Anyhoo, it just so happens that his Grandfather Ira West is here as well. He's described as a Nobel Prize Winner who can solve the most complex of equations, yet doesn't realize that his glasses are on the tip of his nose. He is the father of Wally's father, Rudolph and Aunt Iris (also, Aunt Charlotte, but she's not terribly important right now).
Wally heads back to Ira's house, feeling guilty all the while. They live quite close, yet Wally never really thinks about stopping in. He begins to look through some boxes while Ira puts on a pot of coffee. These boxes belonged to his Aunt Iris, and among her effects are several scrapbooks dedicated to the Flash... there just so happens to also be one dedicated to the exploits of... Kid Flash!
We next join Wally in flashback mode, as he recalls leaving his dysfunctional parents one Summer to spend in Central City with his Aunt Iris. Central City was a hyooge deal to Wally, as it was the home of his favorite superhero, the Flash! As luck would have it, just moments after getting off the bus (a ride which lasted nine weeks, in kid speak) he happens to catch the Flash in action!
It looks like a few gunmen have robbed the diamond exchange, and so Iris heads off to "call it in" so she can report on the story. This isn't Barry's best outing as the Flash, as he slips on some scattered jewels... and lay prone, right in the cross hairs of one of the baddie's gun. Wally thinks quick, and undoes a nearby fire hydrant... which blasts the bad guy, saving the Flash's life!
Flash thanks Wally before quickly heading off. Moments later, (a still wet) Barry Allen saunters up for his date with Iris... and to meet her favorite nephew. They head out to dinner, and Wally is borrrrrred by Barry's blather.
After lunch, Iris leaves Wally with Barry so she can go to work. They head to Barry's house, where he reveals he's got a surprise for Wally. Barry's good friend, the Flash should be waiting for him in the back room lab. Now, we know Barry's not a creep... but there is something a bit off when we look at this through hyper-cynical 2017 eyes, right? Anyhoo, Wally heads back, and wouldn'tcha know it... there's the Flash!
Flash thanks Wally again, and tells him he'll answer any questions he might have (except one, naturally). Wally asks for his secret origin... and so, Barry gives it to him. Even going as far as to set the scene to the tiniest detail. He runs around the lab, and sorts the chemicals exactly as they were the night he was hit by the lightning. Hey, is it raining outside? That's probably not important.
Anyhoo, we wrap up with Wally wishing something like that would happen to him. Flash's all "lightning never strikes twice" and all that nonsense. Little could Barry imagine that the lightning had a different plan tonight.
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Well, it's a retelling of Wally West's origin. Probably old hat for most of us, especially in the days of DC Wikias and readily available trade paperback collections and digital distribution, but back in ye old 1992, we really didn't have all that. This sort of thing was a most welcome thing back in the day. I'm not entirely sure, but this might just be the first post-Crisis retelling of the Wally West origin story... six years after it all went down.
I really enjoyed this... and, I'm always a sucker for a good framing sequence. Having Wally happen upon Aunt Iris' box o' memories was a great way to facilitate this story. The airport scene which opened the issue was very well thought out, as it gives the issue the requisite action scene, and displays Wally going all out with his powers. About as pitch perfect a "jumping on" issue as you're going to get!
Of the retooled origin, I only really have one gripe. I don't like that Wally's parents are shown to be so dysfunctional and absentee... seems, I dunno, a bit cliche for the time period... perhaps a bit ham-fisted in it's showing that Wally didn't have an easy childhood. I guess the times were a'changing, and DC figured they didn't necessarily want Wally coming from an idyllic suburban family... plus, I guess it helps to give Wally more of an impetus to want to stay with Iris. Either way, I still fondly remember the pre-Crisis Wests, who cared for and supported their Son. Hell, I even remember Rudolph letting Wally carve the turkey that one time.
The art and coloring here aren't helped by the weird grade of paper DC was using at the time. I recall this being sort of a distinguishable thing between Marvel and DC books of the early 1990's. Marvel's paper, while a bit thinner, really made the art "pop". Across the street, DC's paper was a bit thicker... but made the art feel a bit "flat". I dunno, maybe it's just me. Greg LaRocque puts in great work regardless, and we've discussed probably dozens of books colored by Glenn Whitmore, who is always wonderful.
Overall... this is certainly a book that Flash (Barry or Wally) fans should check out. As far as I can tell... despite numerous reboots, this is still pretty much the way it all went down. I mean, it ain't the most creative "secret origin"... but, we in the science world always judge the reliability of an experiment on repetition... so far we've got two dudes hit by lightning and bathed by chemicals... with super speed being the result (not that we know that yet... considering the cliffhanger ending). Seems reliable to me! DC is currently releasing a series of trade paperbacks collecting Mark Waid's celebrated run (pun!) with the Flash (this was his first issue as writer). This issue (and collection) also available digitally. Definitely worth tracking down.
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