Teen Titans (vol.5) #1 (September, 2014)
"Blinded by the Light, Part 1"
Writer - Will Pfeifer
Artist - Kenneth Rocafort
Colors - Dan Brown
Letters - John J. Hill
Associate Editor - Rickey Purdin
Editor - Mike Cotton
Group Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99
Before we start, I want to preemptively apologize for anything I say today that winds up not making much sense... or if I ramble, ya know, more than usual. Turns out, ya boi is sick... second day in a row waking up with a decently high fever, and what feels like a 45-lb. head. But, we don't take sick days here... yet. So, mea culpa in advance!
I recently heard that DC would be cancelling Titans (vol.3), which was one of the books I was most looking forward to post-Rebirth. I remember even writing a review where I expressed concern that it would eventually get cancelled... something that, at the time, I found rather troubling. Fast-forward a couple of years, however, and the cancellation feels more like a mercy-killing. Overlong crossovers and events have really stifled the forward momentum of so much of DC's output... and Titans, really hasn't been all that great since around Metal.
Now, I say all that, so that I might say this... cancelling a book is sometimes the right call. I remember when I heard that The New-52! Teen Titans (vol.4) was being canned... I, as a completionist who absolutely loathed the book, could not have been happier! I've read a fair amount of bad New-52! comics, but, lemme tell ya, Teen Titans was probably the worst of the worst. As a Titans fan... and a Scott Lobdell fan, that really sucks to say... but, really, I can't even put into words how much I hated that book.
So, when they announced a couple months later that Teen Titans would be coming back with a brand-new volume... my hopes weren't all that high. Could anyone salvage this team? Would anyone even want to? Well, let's take a look at the first issue back.
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We open with Cassie Sandsmark walking through Times Square. She's on the phone with somebody, when suddenly she loses her cell signal. Moments later, a hooded figure appears on her screen... promising to give a "little excitement"... which makes me assume he's going to show up and hand out Slim Jims. Instead of beef sticks, however, this hooded figure introduces us to their "compatriots" on board a school bus out of Wilmington, Delaware. Ya see, they're loaded down with explosives... and that bus is going to head directly for S.T.A.R. Labs... so, ya know, bummer times. Cassie checks in with Red Robin, then Wonder Girls up to stowaway atop the bomb-bus.
Tim asks that she make sure nobody gets hurt during this exercise, then checks in with Beast Boy and Bunker. He asks Beast Boy to inconspicuously board the bus, while sending Bunker straight over to S.T.A.R. Labs as a last ditch effort if they need him.
Speaking of S.T.A.R. Labs, they're getting the same video call... only it's somehow even more annoying than the one Wonder Girl received. The hooded figure goes off about Black Holes and the Singularity. Those are them kinda words that makes ya feel smart! The S.T.A.R. Board of Directors round-tables the situation... including Manchester Black and a Mr. Power... as in, Josiah Power?
Back aboard the bus, one of the goofs threatens to kill a child... which, of course, leads to Cassie having to interject. She pulls the dude out by his neck and hurls him off the bus. Doesn't look like it kills him though.
Next, the terrorists decide to just toss that little girl out the back of the bus... luckily, Red Robin is there to swoop in for the save. Ya know, I still think the wing-suit is one of the lamest things to come out of The New-52!, though, in fairness, it's a pretty long list.
Then Gar inconspicuously transforms into a Bengal Tiger to scare the terrorists. What he doesn't realize is that, a tiger on a bus is likely to scare just about anyone... good guy or bad!
Next, Raven makes an appearance, taking a pair of baddies into the "Nightmare Realm". Upon return, the lead hoodie triggers the explosives on the terrorist's vests as a way of winning at any cost.
Cassie tackles the triggered terrorists and flies them out the back of the bus... where they go boom!
At this point, Gar tries to stop the bus from crashing into S.T.A.R. Labs... but it's a no-go... er, a no-stop. The gas pedal has been locked in place, even removing the keys doesn't help. Lucky for everyone, Bunker is in place!
Miguel explains that the smaller he makes his "bricks", the softer they are... which is why the bus crashing into his construct wasn't a whole lot messier. One dude they saved though, isn't too keen on a gay kid coming to their rescue. Well, he never actually says that, but it's what Bunker assumes he's about to say... and so, Bunker smashes the dude into a wall with some construct bricks... and hops onto his soapbox for a bit.
Gar tells Miguel to cool his jets... because, it's "current year", and everybody is carrying a smartphone armed with a video camera!
We wrap up at a different S.T.A.R. Labs building, where the original hooded figure (who somehow made it off the bus... if they were ever there to begin with!) kills a dude, and vows that this isn't over.
--
Well, I'll say this much... it's better than what came before it! At least here, the team appears to actually like each other! I keep thinking back to the first New-52! volume... woof, these were some awful people. Awful brats who treated each other like garbage. Could never understand why they'd even try and stay together.
I remember when this came out, I really couldn't get a "bead" on where people stood on it... most of the comments made online were in reference to the cover... and how over-sexualized Cassie was depicted as being. I think that really affected the way a lot of folks "received" the book. Their perceptions were already tainted before even opening the thing.
I try not to concern myself with such things as the latest internet outrage. Hell... who could even keep up anymore? I look at that cover, and I'm more annoyed with the shoe-horned social media garbage that I barely even noticed Wonder Girl's shape! Oh well.
Let's talk story. I'm not sure if it's the fever talking, but I really don't know why the hooded terrorist would warn the Titans about their bus-go-boom plan. Maybe I missed something there, but it just seems fishy. I'll concede that, though I enjoyed this issue far more than the previous volume, it wasn't enough to get me to continue reading. I still bought the book, because I'm an idiot... but, outside an issue here and there, I didn't read all that much of it. What I'm saying is, this might all become clear in the next couple of issues... I just wouldn't know.
Miguel's outburst at the end... might've been him jumping to conclusions a little bit. The dude who they rescued didn't outright say anything about being saved by a gay kid... for all we know, his next word could have been "kid" or "freak" (considering one of them is green). Sure, he was probably going to say something anti-gay, but this makes Bunker look a little too anxious to use his powers on ordinary folks. Though, I'm sure that's kind of the deal they're going for here.
Overall, a tremendous improvement on the initial volume of New-52! Teen Titans, but I feel like I'm being beaten over the head with all this social media stuff. I suppose I shouldn't hold that against the book, considering that "kids these days" are all about their smartphones and social media applications. Maybe I'm just annoyed that this is the first volume of the Titans to make me feel old. This issue is available digitally.
Now, back to bed.
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Justice League 3000 #1 (February, 2014)
"Yesterday Lives!"
Plot - Keith Giffen
Dialogue - J.M. DeMatteis
Art - Howard Porter
Letterer - Sal Cipriano
Colorist - Hi-Fi
Editors - Kyle Andrukiewicz & Joey Cavalieri
Group Editor - Matt Idelson
Cover Price: $2.99
Already bracing myself for social media feeds full of "Best Movie Ever" and "Worst Movie Ever" missives. Seems when it comes to superhero movies, it's all about the extremes.
I just shake my head, and wish we were still that passionate about the comic books they were based on...
Anyhoo... if you're headed to the theater, I hope you enjoy what you see!
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It's the early 31st Century... and it's been ten years since a group of nogoodniks referred to as "The Five" arrived on the scene to cause all sorts of havoc. It's really quite the bad scene. Not everyone is willing to just sit back and deal with it though. It's here we meet a woman named Ariel Masters, and she's on the run... from Cadmus? She narrowly escapes capture, before we...
Switch scenes to Cadmus itself. Well, themselves... if we're talking about the (wonder) twins that are currently the focus of the place. Oh, and it's not just a lab in Metropolis anymore, a thousand years from now, Cadmus will be it's own planet! So, we've got that to look forward to.
The twins, Terry and Teri... are the worst. I feel like we're going for a Maxwell Lord vibe here, but unfortunately without any of the charm. We learn that Ariel Masters was once their friend and mentor. They bicker back and forth about the state of the universe... and how they might intervene, and perhaps even profit in saving it.
By using... the Justice League?!
We join the League as they do battle with a member of The Five known as The Convert. It has the ability to convert a whole bunch of people to fight for its cause. The Wonder Twins have its potential pegged at about 30-40 converts... but Batman's math is far different, he counts the converts in the hundreds!
By the way, this League is full of awful people. Batman seems to lack focus (except when it comes to competing with Superman), Superman is a conceited showboat jerk, Flash and Green Lantern are confused and noncommittal milquetoasts, and Wonder Woman... well, Wonder Woman is barbarically (is that a word?) insane.
The League eventually come out on top... and begin to interrogate the final of The Converts... converts. Right when it appears as though he's gonna squeal, Wonder Woman punches him into next week. By the time the fella comes to, The Convert will have long evacuated his body. This, of course, prompts another Justice League argument... which nearly ends in Superman punching Batman's head clean off his shoulders.
The Wonder Twins break things up, and order their team back to base. Terry and Teri have different views on how successful this battle was... but rather than argue til the cows come home (assuming there are still cows in the future), they decide to debrief the team... which provides further insight as to how terrible they all are.
The Wonder Twins then give us the quick and dirty on this League... looks like they're clones! It's always clones, isn't it? In an interesting wrinkle, it's made clear that the originals from a millennium prior were made up from more than just powers. I mean, we know all that... but it's still neat to see it mentioned.
We wrap up with the Twins discussing how much is riding on their plan... and also learn that Ariel wasn't chased out of Cadmus... she split town!
When the subject of getting the Justice League members to work together against The Five is raised... we get those famous last words... "how bad can it get?"
--
Well... there's a lot to like here, but also a lot that I didn't.
Let's get the bad out of the way... with some full disclosure. Back when this first came out, I actually considered dropping this book around issue six. That might not sound like a big deal, however, for a lunatic like me to get to the point of "dropping" a book... it's a bit bigger than that.
I am, like many (I assume/hope) comics enthusiasts of my vintage, a completist/completionist... however ya wanna put it. So, when I'm collecting, say... Justice League... I'm collecting everything in the "family". Same with X-Men, same with (God help me) the Avengers... you get the drill. I'm also pathetically loyal... and hopeful that "rough patches" in a comic will pass. This is why I have several YEARS worth of unread contemporary Marvel cluttering several longboxes. It's my inability to "let go" and my hope that things will return to (my perception of) greatness, that I hang on to books for so long. So... Yes, I'm part of the problem.
With Justice League 3000... all I needed was a handful of issues to realize it wasn't for me. These characters had no redeeming qualities... there was no "heart" to the humor... and the far-flung future left me feeling detached and uninvested in the stories. (Wanting to) drop this book was doubly bad, as... not only am I a Justice League completist... I'm also a sucker for Giffen and DeMatteis.
Ever since "discovering" their post-Crisis Justice League, I've tried to grab everything with their names on it. It feels like post-Flashpoint, however... their collaborative efforts are just missing something. I bought their entire run on Larfleeze... and didn't like it. Scooby Apocalypse... same deal. It feels like rather than writing about unpleasant people in pleasing and charming ways... they're just writing about unpleasant people. It's hard to point to exactly what "heart" is when it comes to story... or characterization, but it feels as though, post-Flashpoint... it's definitely missing from much of their work.
It's no different with Justice League 3000. The humor is mean and the characters have no redeeming qualities. I know... that's the whole point. That's fine... it's just not for me. The only reason I actually stuck with this book... and this is going to sound silly... was the rumor that this was actually occurring in the future of the pre-Flashpoint DC Universe. I recall Giffen saying in an interview that these stories might be taking place in a universe where Superman "wore his underwear on the outside"... and that's all it took for me to stick it out. Added to that... issues #9 and #10 shipped without The New-52! emblazoned on the cover. That sent my mind reeling! When it came back with #11, I was a bit annoyed.
Okay... the bad went on far longer than I thought... let's get into the good!
The book looks fantastic. Howard Porter turns in some characteristically wonderful work. Always love it when Hi-Fi colors his work too! They were definitely the bright spot of the aforementioned Scooby Apocalypse.
As for story... it's always neat to see that the heroes are made up of more than just their powers. The idea that a Superman raised without the love and homespun wisdom of the Kents could turn out to be a braggadocios jackass is quite interesting. Obvious... but interesting, and certainly worth exploring. A Batman who didn't have to deal with the loss of his parents is a similarly obvious... but interesting concept to delve into.
I didn't mention it during the synopsis, but there's a time where Batman refers to Superman as Clark... which kinda sets him off. Superman refers to "Clark Kent" as "a fiction"... which, isn't completely untrue... but kind of sobering to see coming out of the Man of Steel's mouth... and not something we'd ever imagine our Superman saying!
This raises the question... how reliable are historical records? The Wonder Twins were concerned that their Batman and Superman weren't getting along... because, the history books depict them as super-pals. Well... what if history isn't entirely true? Perhaps Superman was always a jerk... maybe Green Lantern was always a wishy-washy wimp... maybe the Justice League never got along! These are definitely interesting ideas to pursue... and even resonate a bit in real-world history. They say it's written by the victors... so, who can say what really happened millennia ago?
Overall... I'm on the fence. I'd say this book is a difficult read, but that it's still worth reading. In revisiting this opening chapter, I still can't commit to saying that I like it... but, I definitely didn't hate it. This is probably a big fat "your mileage may vary" kinda deal.
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Batman: Legends of the Dark Night Halloween Special Edition #1 (December, 2014)
"All Hell Breaks Loose!"
Writer - Jeph Loeb
Artist - Tim Sale
Colorist - Gregory Wright
Letterer - Todd Klein
Editor - Archie Goodwin
Cover Price: FREE
Here we are in mid-October, and boy-howdy have I been neglecting the spooky stuff for #boohauntedblog!
To remedy that, at least for today, let's take a look at this opening bit to Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's "Fear" story from Batman: Haunted Knight (this story in particular originally published in 1993) which was reissued as a Halloween ComicFest freebie in 2014.
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It's Halloween in Gotham City... and after recounting what other locales may do to celebrate the occasion, we get a look at the fella likely to prove to be this caper's baddie... the Scarecrow. From here we jump to a late-night poker game going down between a group of nogoodniks at what appears to be a dilapidated warehouse... surely this is on the up and up! The lights go out... and looking skyward out a large window, the geeks find themselves in the shadow... of the bat.
Batman calmly asks for the whereabouts of Jonathan Crane... but they're not keen on spillin' those beans. This doesn't work out all that well for them... and Batman ultimately comes away with the information he sought.
We learn that for the past week the Scarecrow has been blowing up GE (that's Gotham Electric) relay stations, allowing his men to loot the city while the power's out. It's just a matter of Batman finding out which relay he's looking to take off the grid, and wouldn'tcha know it... with his newly-gotten information, he does just that.
Crane throws himself from the top of the relay... and rides a wire safely to the ground. Batman gives chase, giving the 'crow one last chance to come quietly. To which, Scarecrow nails him with a triple-dose of fear toxin... which he's shocked to find is ineffective. He's likely just a shocked to get socked in the nose.
A moment later Jim Gordon (I can't recall if he's Commissioner or not by this point) and the GCPD arrive to make some arrests. Gordon and Batman break off to the side to talk. We learn that Batman is really very tired at this point... and so, Jim suggests he take a load off and go to Bruce Wayne's costume party that night... at least that'll give him someone to talk to. Ya see, Jim is being dragged there by his wife, Barbara.
Speaking of Bruce Wayne... we check in at the Manor with Alfred trying to talk Masta Bruce into cancelling the soiree due to the fact that he hasn't slept in three days. Bruce's reply consists of a blank stare... which is all we really need, right? Bruce enters the main hall, and we see that it's crammed with a whole lotta costumed humanity... including several nods to independent comics, like Milk & Cheese, Cerebus, Bone and Madman... and even silly things like Hobbes and Waldo!
Jim Gordon, dressed like a Musketeer (or thereabouts) starts to chat Bruce up when a Dalmatian wanders into the scene... Bruce jokingly refers to it as "Barbara" and asks if she's having a good time. There chat is soon interrupted by the arrival of a striking redhead... who Bruce does not recognize.
Remember the Scarecrow? Let's check in on him. He's been loaded into the paddy wagon and is being taken to whatever correctional facility might take him. Along the way, he plucks a single hair from his shaggy head... and before we know it, the entire van is lousy with fear toxin. The Scarecrow is back on the loose... and a certain signal flies in the skies of Gotham once more.
Back at the Manor, Bruce and the redhead... in red are dancing and getting to know one another... sorta. That is, until they hear a crash coming from another room. Turns out those Dalmatians from earlier belong to her... and they got into some mischief. As they survey the damage (it's a broken flower pot, est. value: skatey-eight million dollars), Alfred breaks in to inform Bruce that the "light" is on... although with not all that much in the way of subtlety. Before jamming out, Bruce instructs Alfred to "get her number".
Back at "work", we learn that Scarecrow is back at it... blowing up relay stations. While watching an area of Gotham burn, Batman notices Billy Bear (whoever that is) robbing a convenience store. It's a fairly one-sided affair, ending with Batman kayoing the geek with a solid right... however, he notices that he's not entirely without damage himself... Billy Bear managed to get in a slash!
That morning, we return to Wayne Manor... where we see Bruce trudging up the stairs to his bedroom. It's a really cool scene... it's as though he strips off one piece of his costume with every step. He crashes onto his bed... and moments later, there's a knock at the door. He's expecting it to be Alfred with his breakfast... however, it's actually the redhead from last night. What's more, we finally get a name to go with the face... Jillian Maxwell. Oh, her! Wait, who?
They don't get long to chat, unfortunately, as there's always an emergency that needs to be dealt with in Gotham City.
--
Man, it's been a long time since I've revisited any Loeb/Sale Batman... probably too long. This really feels like it's going to be something special.
There isn't a whole heckuva lot to sink our teeth into here... given that this is a freebie prelude in hopes that we'll care enough to pick up the whole magilla at some point down the line... but what we do get is pretty dang good. Stylish, moody... somewhat sinister... really good (somewhat decompressed) comics here. Can't hold that against it... as this is literally just a piece of a completed story.
We've talked a bit about what makes a good "freebie"... and I've complained a whole heckuva lot about some of the lousy non-advantageous ones we've been given over the past several years... from DC and Marvel alike. I feel like this chunk of Haunted Knight makes a great "gift" to new (and lapsed) readers... because, best case scenario here... you dig this story, and only have a single trade collection to buy to get the whole story.
This isn't DC putting out a pre-Flashpoint Superman story for Free Comic Book Day in 2013... which, jeez... what would a new reader think of that??? This is a self-contained piece of Bat-business... and one of DC's "evergreen" books. It's nearly always going to be in print, and easily obtained. A perfect way for a new/curious reader to dip their toe into Batman's world... and hopefully find something they enjoy. Looking at it that way, I'd say this freebie-special is a success. Hell, it's making me want to re-read Haunted Knight... so, it's got that going for it!
As mentioned, Haunted Knight (1996) is an evergreen... and is available from just about anywhere. There is even a hardcover Absolute Edition if you're really brave/have an extra Benjamin burning a hole in your pocket (though this includes Loeb/Sale's Catwoman: When in Rome six-parter as a piece of the package). If you're not keen on all the extra ink and paper clogging up your house, it is also available digitally. No matter how you go about it, it's certainly worth a read!
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The New 52: Futures End #0 FCBD Special Edition (June, 2014)
Writers - Brian Azzarello, Jeff Lemire, Dan Jurgens & Keith Giffen
Pencillers - Ethan Van Sciver, Patrick Zircher, Aaron Lopresti, Jurgens & Jesus Merino
Inkers - Art Thibert, Mark Irwin & Dan Green
Art Consultant - Keith Giffen
Colors - Hi-Fi
Letters - Carlos Mangual
Assistant Editor - Kyle Andrukiewicz
Editor - Joey Cavalieri
Group Editor - Matt Idelson
Cover Price: FREE
As I rapidly approach one solid year of daily blogging, I figured I may as well discuss one of the books that brought me back into the "Greater DC Universe" fold. When this book was announced, it was rumored that it would ultimately lead to a return to the old (er, real) DCU. I was down to my last few titles and was planning on dropping DC altogether, but I'll go into further depth after the usual spoilery synopsis.
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We open in Central City, 35 years from whenever you read this. An aged Flash is working alongside some of his Rogues... and he enters their compound with his quickness. It is revealed that he is running from... Wonder Woman... at least it's something that resembles Wonder Woman. It is made (relatively) clear that she has been assimilated by Brother Eye... and is looking to "spread the love". She chops off Captain Cold's hands, and the Flash proceeds to pound her into the ground.
After regaining his bearings, the Flash finds himself stood before... Frankenstein. He gives Flash the choice of joining Brother Eye, or... ya know, dying. Flash tells Frank to eff-off, which leads to the big guy opening his vest... revealing Black Canary's head grafted to his chest. Her sonic scream turns Barry (I think it's Barry) to dust.
We next get a look at many DC Universe locales in this sorta-kinda far-flung future... Brother-Eyed folks have, for most intents and purposes, taken over the Earth. In Metropolis, we join Green Lantern John Stewart and Blue Beetle Jaime Reyes running through the sewers. Outside we see several assimilated heroes, including Booster Gold. Jaime is the first to fall.
John looks like he might be able to hold his own... but then, Superman shows up. It's pretty much academic from there.
Next up, we join the oddball team of Grifter and Amethyst. They have been tasked by Bruce Wayne to infiltrate the Brother Eye... Compound (?) and disconnect Firestorm, which would sever its link to the assimilated heroes via satellite uplink... or something. They run afoul of Superman and the newly cybery-John Stewart... and get atomized pretty quick.
We shift to the man who gave them the task... Bruce Wayne, at Wayne Manor. He is alongside Terry McGinnis, ya know... that other Batman... from the cartoon. Anyhoo, Bruce is planning on going back in time to stop this dark future from happening.
Before he can, however, the Assimilated Batmen of All Nations infiltrate the Manor... and before we know it, it's a pretty bad time. The Knight slices off Bruce's right arm before he can hop into the time-travel portal device.
Terry is able to better the Batmechs, and heads over to tend to Bruce. He is given the time-travel watch thingie, and instructed to stop this Brother Eye present, by heading to the past... and so he does. Next thing we know, Batman Beyond is standing in Times Square, five years from now!
--
Well... this was, interesting... right? I remember really not knowing what to make of it... but felt as though it wasn't so ingrained in "New 52ness" that I could still get something out of it. Like I mentioned in the preamble, in early 2014 I was down to about 4-5 DC books a month... and I was only really enjoying Justice League. Batman was kind of hit or miss for me... though, definitely more hit than miss... but I still could've dropped it without losing much sleep over it.
With Futures End, there was that rumor... as slight as it might've been, that the weekly series was going to end with either the return of the Multiverse... or simply a return to the pre-Flashpoint DCU. Well, that was enough for me. Suddenly I was sorta-kinda back with DC... even picking up other titles I didn't normally read if I felt there was the slightest possibility that there'd be some "old" DC hinted at... which kinda paid off during that Superman: Doomed storyline...
Overall, this issue wasn't half bad. Like I said... there wasn't that "New 52" feeling to it, title notwithstanding... it could have easily taken place in ANY DC Universe... hell, the "Brother-Eyed" Superman is cut off at the waist... for all I know, he could've been wearing the red trunks before he got assimilated... right? I guess he's still got that horrendous collar though... ehh...
The art here is almost scarily consistent... I actually had to take a second look at the list of creators at the end... I thought there might have been two pencillers... but didn't expect for this to have been a jam-issue at all.
We get ourselves a great opening mystery... in both the sorta-far flung and the near futures... with ramifications promising to change the outcome of one to affect the other... all told, not too shabby. Perhaps a bit too dismembery for my tastes... but, whattayagonna do. For a Free Comic Book Day issue, this was a great one. Sure beats the hell out of the outdated reprints we're accustomed to from DC...
Of course, hindsight... that horrible thing... tells us how all of this works out... but, let's not worry about that for now. I was hoping to be able to direct folks to grab the digital version of this issue... and I was sure DC would have it available seeing as though it was a FCBD book... but, damned if I can find it on readdcentertainment.com! Not sure I can recommend actually paying for this issue... though the Futures End series, ending and (lack of?) fallout notwithstanding is some pretty decent comics.
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