**Spoilers** **Spoilers** **Spoilers**
After finally achieving success
in conquering my comic backlog, in terms of the monthlies anyway, I can now
focus on a weekly summary blog where I go over a few titles I have read over
the last seven days.
This week’s titles:
Earth 2 #16
James Robinson – Writer
Nicola Scott – Art
And so ends James Robinson’s run
on Earth 2.
As with most recent DC departures,
his exit seems oddly timed, not to mention clouded in mystery. Whilst it is
good news that artist Nicola Scott is staying with the title, this goes against
DC’s habit of a whole new creative team and indicates something went awry with
DC / Robinson relations. I won’t harp on this topic for too long as that is a
blog in its own right, however DC could learn a lot from Marvel and Image in
how to keep their writers happy.
The main coverage of the issue is
very much based on the World Army and it heroes attacking Steppenwolf's foces in Dherain. Scott's art in this issue is off the charts in the amount of detail that is placed into each battle scene, in particular the double-spreads. The title is far better for her staying on. Despite this, the focus will be on the conclusion as
Brutal, one of Steppenwolf’s charges, kills his leader, only then to reveal his
true identity. The revelation plays to the Darkseid villain’s month issue and
results in one rather large cliffhanger.
I have stuck with Earth 2 as I feel
it will eventually lead to having a major impact on the DC Universe and signs
of this are starting to show. Whilst Forever Evil is taking centre stage, I do
think there is a large multi-universe, Darkseid event looming somewhere down
the line.
I wish new writer Tom Taylor
well, however he may have wished for an easier time to join Earth #2 as it
seems it is all about to hit the fan for the World Army.
Rating: 4/5
Forever Evil #2
Geoff Johns – Writer
David Finch - Art
Forever Evil continues after last
month’s introduction and highlights the Crime Syndicate from Earth 3 settling
into their new home and causing general carnage. The Justice League are still
presumed dead and Earth’s saviour takes the unlikely form of Lex Luthor as he
unveils a half-complete, half-dead, part-kryptonian 'thing' to lead the fight.
Other than raising questions over
the identity of the father of Superwoman’s child and the initial signs of some
dissention within the Syndicate, this issue didn’t really do much for me this
month. It seems very ‘by the numbers’ and, even though the ending, indicating
the Justice League are maybe not so dead as initially thought, was well done,
it was to be expected.
The combination of Johns / Finch
is one I struggle to appreciate as I think their styles contrast too much. The
shaded, almost stressed, approach by Finch doesn’t seem to fit well with the
tone of such a mainstream title.
On a side note, I don’t personally read Teen
Titans however, if I did, I would be somewhat annoyed at how easily they get
brushed off in an all-too-brief encounter with Evil-Flash.
At the moment, this lagging behind when compared to Infinity and Battle of the Atom.
Rating: 2/5
Green Arrow #24
Jeff Lemire – Writer
Andrea Sorrentino – Art
I have enjoyed Green Arrow since
Jeff Lemire has taken over writing duties and this issue sees Oliver return to
Seattle only to find Count Vertigo has followed him all the way from Vlatava.
After Vertigo’s issue in Villains month, I expected this to be the start of a
multi-issue arc however it all seems to wrap itself up by the end of the issue.
If this has made anything apparent, it is that Green Arrow does not have any
major historical villains that can be used for a long storyline.
We do see the first character from
the Arrow tv series, Diggle, make an appearance although it is debatable what
similarities the two will have.
Green Arrow continues to be a
title very much left to its own devices which is no bad thing. Oliver may also
be in the JLA, however this solo title has a distinctly unique feel to it, in
no small way down to Sorrentino’s art which gives it an indie feel.
On a separate matter, I do wish
they would make Oliver look older. Whilst all DC characters have all been
re-booted with the New 52, Queen looks especially young and can occasionally
look like a pissed-off teenager which diminishes the overall quality of the
comic at times.
Rating: 3/5
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