Divine Right Preview (1997)

Divine Right Preview (July, 1997)
"First Drafts"
Story/Pencils/Editor in Chief - Jim Lee
Inks - Scott Williams
Colors - Joe Chiodo w/Martin Jimenez
Computer Color - WildStorm FX
Letters - Amie Grenier
Design - Emilio Medina
Editor - Rachelle Brissenden
Executive Editor - Mike Heisler
Special Thanks - Trevor Scott, Sal Regla & Rich Friend

Weird one today.  Remember a couple weeks back when we discussed Divine Right #1?  I kinda complained about just being dropped into the story... and had a sneaking suspicion that we had "missed something".

Well, we sorta did!  It wasn't a Divine Right #0 like I alluded to in the piece, but... the Divine Right Preview!  There's also a Wizard #1/2... but that one might not have anything to do with "backstory" and I still need to track it down.

So... before we go into the synopsis, I want to thank Jim Lee personally for reaching out and... okok, that didn't happen.  I'd actually like to thank my city for having some of the best 50-cent bins this side'a the Mississip'.

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We open with Christine Blaze infiltrating a secret base in Jerusalem.  Worth mentioning, this woman has the most interesting/infuriating hair.  It seems to go from long to short (and back again) each panel.  I didn't mention that last time, but it was a "problem" there too.  One panel she has a giant bun, the next... none!  Maybe it's all part of her secret agent (if that's what she even is...) training?  Yeah, we'll go with that.  Anyhoo, she reaches a command room called the Succubus Unit.  It is where the Creation Equation is being kept... apparently, in binary.

She kills all of the guards, then pops her thumbdrive CD-ROM into the computer tower (sure hope it's RealPlayer is up to date!).  She copies the Creation Equation... and deletes it off the server sends it to the Recycle Bin.

We shift scenes to our generic WildStorm baddies, Mr. Talk-to-the-Hand, and Cardinal Whatshisface.  They're displeased with losing the Equation... the latter even performing the ol' Darth Vader "force choke" on a nearby yes-man.

And so, they summon the "Rath"... which is the thing that would eventually emit a blue light and destroy the internet cafe Christine visited in the first issue... and boy howdy, is it's design a bit of a mess... it's like someone took a Predator action figure, a Stryfe action figure and a Warwolves action figure (are those even a thing?) and threw 'em in the microwave for a minute!

We next shift to Avignon in Southern France.  A Papal Court called the Ministers of Mercy call forth a trio of generic WildStorm heroes referred to as The Fallen.  They are Brande, Tobruk, and (sigh) Exotica... and the energy needed to summon them was enough to kill the summoner.

We wrap up with an epilogue.  An epilogue for an eight-page story?  Okay.  Anyhoo, this is where we meet our hero, Max Faraday.  It's midnight and he is woken up by his sister Jenn so he can get to work on time.  Does dude really deliver pizza at midnight?  Well I guess we'll never know, cuz that's it!

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Huh.  Well... that cleared it all up, di'nt it?

Let's start by talking about the cover.  Now, I'm not one to judge... but, we get that classic, "Mrs. Robinson you're trying to seduce me..." pose... which is always a fun visual.  Thing is, the only woman we saw with Max here was... his sister!  That conjures up some odd imagery, doesn't it?  Never mind the fact that he's also looking at porn while his sister (maybe) attempts to seduce him.  Maybe they should've called this book Depraved Right!

Okay, enough about that...

Let's talk about some of the characters we're introduced to.  Last year, Reggie and I discussed WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #1 on the Cosmic Treadmill...




... and toward the end, we talked about how Jim Lee characters had this "stock" quality to them.  They all feel so dispassionate... I said something along the lines of "You have the generic-looking leader, you have the hulking brute, you have the badass, you have the magic girl, and you have the 'one with claws'."  They just don't feel like characters that Lee was dying to write about... just characters he knew would "work".

I feel the same way here... we don't know enough about them to say whether or not they're just 90's comics archetypes, but I'd bet dollars to dingbats that they are.  I mean, look at The Fallen.  I mean, if I were to show you that panel... you'd never be able to place 'em... they're just so generic, and could have been heroes (or villains) in any Jim Lee work from Uncanny X-Men on 'til today!

The bad guys... also stock.  Shadowy pseudo-religious organization led by a powerful man with a stubbly, chiseled face and long white hair.  Let's not even get started with The Rath.  Aye yai yai.

Now even with all that said (plus the irritating inconsistencies on the Christine Blaze model), I can't say that I'm all that mad at this issue.  It's kinda dumb, it's kinda generic/cliche... but, it's not all that bad.  I don't think I'd encourage anyone to break their backs or banks finding it... but, I wouldn't advice avoiding it either.  Decent enough mid-late 90's fun.

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Et-Cetera:

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So... let's advertise Divine Right #1... by using the cover to Divine Right #2!
Brilliant!

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Action Comics #871 (2009)

Action Comics #871 (January, 2009)
"New Krypton, Part 2: Beyond Doomsday"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Artist - Pete Woods
Colorist - Brad Anderson
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Editor - Matt Idelson
Cover Price: $2.99

Today we're going to pick up where we left off... late last Summer.  For a bit of context on just what New Krypton is, go 'head and check out our discussion on the Superman: New Krypton Special #1 (2008).  For even more table-setting, check out our (more recent) chat on the Brainiac storyline.

Let's get ready to meet our new stars of Action Comics: Nightwing (not that one) and Flamebird?!

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We open with a pair of drabbly-dressed Kryptonians (Gor and Mur) walking the streets of New York.  They appear angry, and feel as though Krypton requires a measure of vengeance... from the Earth?  They're irritated that Kal-El would rather play diplomat than warrior... and consider how much different this would be if Zod were around.

We shift scenes to Lex Luthor's holding cell... where he is greeted by General Sam Lane.  He escorts Lex out of his cell, and tells him all about the Kryptonian "invasion".  He questions him about his knowledge of Kandor... which, being Lex Luthor... of course he knows about that!  We get a bit of a quick and dirty to explain that this Kandor is the real one, and it's the first time Superman has dealt with it.

Luthor is then led to where they have been holding Brainiac.  Lex asks to be unshackled... but Lane doesn't oblige.  They begin a pretty fun passive-aggressive back and forth about how both of them work so hard to gain Lois' favor... and the person she holds most dear is the "naive spellchecker" Clark Kent.

Lane responds by... well, shooting Lex in the shoulder.  Just a slight overreaction there, no?  Lex agrees to help Sam "break open" Brainiac's mind... but warns that that likely won't stop the "invasion".  Sam's all "that's okay...", after all he has more "bullets" at his disposal, such as...

Doomsday?!  Okay, we head to Metropolis where Superman is getting ready to fight... Doomsday?!  Just like that?  Just like that.

Supergirl rushes in to give her cousin a hand.  Her folks look on for a moment before deciding to get involved.  Elsewhere, the Guardian... or is that Agent Liberty... or is that Codename: Assassin... whoever he is, he's leading the President of the United States safely onto a helicopter.

The fight pours into Centennial Park, where Doomsday rips the Kon-El Memorial out of the ground and hurls it toward the Supers.

Superman manages to catch it... then decides, enough it enough... he plows into Doomsday and takes him into orbit.  The Kryptonians then dog-pile the poor murdering monster...

... until he cannot continue to fight.  Wow, y'almost feel bad for him here.

We rejoin Gor and Mur at the Fortress of Solitude.  They scan the Fortress and seem annoyed to see that Kal-El collects "trinkets" from his "terrestrial experiences".  I just wish they got a closer look at 'em!  Love seeing that stuff!

Unimpressed by their visit, Gor and Mur deduce that they're going to need General Zod... and proceed toward the Phantom Zone Projector.  Well, not so fast, kemo sabe(s)... first you're going to have to go through... Nightwing and Flamebird?!

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This was pretty fun... and a neat way to introduce the "stars" of this title moving forward (that's Nightwing and Flamebird, by the way).  I know precious little about these two, besides that they are basically the Batman and Robin of Kandor... and Dick Grayson took his post-Robin codename from the former.

I'm sure I've said this before, but I didn't stick around with New Krypton the first time through... I was out of work, and any "fun" money had to be wisely spent.  So with what little dosh I was able to get my hands on, I probably bought X-Men comics (jokes on me!).  That being said... I'm not sure if I'm supposed to, but every time I dip my toe into this New Krypton mishegoss I find myself walking away intrigued... and even entertained!

The very idea that they'd remove Superman from his two "home" titles shows how strongly DC felt about getting this concept "over"... they were going to go as "all in" as they could.  Guess that shows some guts... perhaps poor business sense, but guts nonetheless!  Gotta give'em that.

Now the baton hasn't been officially handed over to the Kandorian Dynamic Duo just yet, but it's coming... and with how they've been eased into the story, it doesn't feel terribly forced (at least not yet!).  I'm looking forward to spending some time with these two, and getting to know them better.  Really dig their designs too!

Speaking of design, this is a very good lookin' book!  Looking at it quickly, I'd have sworn this was Scott Kolins... though, that might have to do with the more pastel-y color palette.  Still... really nice looking book!

Can't say I'm a fan of jobbing old Doomsday out... but, I guess if you're going to do it... this is as good a way as any.  I mean, if Superman alone can (eventually) take him down, what hope does the monster have against a gaggle of Kryptonians?  The fight scene looked great too... awesome action, and a real feeling of destruction.

If I had to pick a favorite scene, I'd probably go with the Lane/Luthor back-and-forth.  These two are pretty great together.  You can tell they're both sickened being together in the same room... but decide to work together anyway.  The passive-aggressive mentions of Lois were pretty spectacular too.  Lex is pretty good when it comes to "pushing buttons" and he ain't shy about showing that off.

Overall... I quite enjoyed this!  Not sure I'm ready to go "all-in" on a New Krypton read-through, but I'll admit to being quite tempted!  This issue has been collected, and is available digitally.

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Justice Society of America (vol.3) #22 (2009)

Justice Society of America (vol.3) #22 (February, 2009)
"One World, Under Gog, Part VII: Thy Will Be Done"
Story/Script - Geoff Johns
Story/Painted Pages - Alex Ross
Penciller - Dale Eaglesham
Inker - Nathan Massengill
Colorist - Hi-Fi
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Harvey Richards
Editor - Michael Siglain
Special Thanks - Mark Waid
Cover Price: $2.99

"Thy Will Be Done"  Okay, folks who had the bet that they'd use that title for this issue?  Oh, all of us?  Well, fair enough.

That's right... after a very long time, we're finally going to wrap up the Justice Society of America spectacular Thy Kingdom Come!

If you need/want to be caught up... maybe use the handy-dandy Search Box to the right that I'd forgotten was even there!  Here's a quick link: Thy Kingdom Come Search.  Hopefully that worked!

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We pick up right where we left off last issue... Gog's ticked, and is in the middle of taking back all the gifts he'd given.  He decides, however, to give his herald Magog, one more chance to "come around".  He doesn't... but thankfully, by this point the cavalry has arrived!

Gog fights through the onslaught... and proceeds to mocks those he'd just taken from, including Damage.  Remember, he made Damage handsome again... well, not anymore.  At this point, poor begotten Citizen Steel steps to the plate...

... and punches Gog square in the shin!

This is, surprisingly, enough to get the big man off his feet.  The Society swarms!  Cyclone whips up a... er, cyclone to cover the baddie in rocks.  Alan ties him down with green energy, then Magog... er, decapitates him!  Looking at it quickly, I thought for a moment Alan had garroted him with a green-beam! 

Superman-22 hoists the severed head over his, um, head (picture included, because this is a pretty awesome shot).

Then, he and Starman take the head of Gog on a one way trip... to the Source Wall!  All the while, Gog lambastes Superman for leaving his Earth... and dooming it to die.

This makes Superman realize that... Gog's right!  He needs to return to Earth-22... he has to try and make things right.  He has to try and stop the bomb.  And so, using the Multiversal Map on Starman's costume... does just that.

He arrives on the battlefield, just after the United Nations' nuclear strike.  He sees the bodies strewn before him, including that of Kara.

Back on Earth, the Justice Society reconnoiters and licks their wounds.  It looks like most of Gog's "gifts" have been rescinded... Damage is ugly, Dr. Mid-Nite is blind... strangely, however... David Reid is still Magog!

On Earth-22, Superman heads to the United Nations building, and welds all of the exits shut... and he looks to be getting ready to topple the building with all the Delegates inside!  He is stopped by Norman McCay... you know, that old guy from Kingdom Come.  He appeals to Clark... telling him if he goes through with this act, he'll only be proving the U.N. right.  Further, he tells him he must first forgive himself if he has any hope of moving forward.

Superman thinks on it a bit... and realizes the old feller is right.  Just as he comes to this decision, he is reunited with the superheroes who did survive the bomb.

We wrap up our Earth section with Starman returning to the Justice Society and informing them that Superman decided to head back to his own Earth.  But not to worry for him, because Starman already knows that Clark Kent's future... and in just a matter of moments, we will too!

One year later, Earth-22 time, Clark turns Kansas into a memorial for all those lost.  He is joined by Wonder Woman, who gives him a pair of glasses to improve his sight.

Ten years later, the next generation is born.

Twenty years later, his best friend Bruce Wayne passes away.

One Hundred years later, Clark and Diana ship their son off Earth as civilization undergoes something of a... great disaster?  A hundred years after that... it's beginning to look a lot like Kamandi.  And finally... One Thousand years later, the Legion of Super-Heroes takes flight... and they appear to have one very special fan.

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Now that's one heckuvan ending!  I apologize for being so picture-heavy toward the end there, but, c'mon... not only is it some beautiful work by Alex Ross, it also gives us over a millennia worth of story for the Superman of Earth-22.  It ties just a perfect bow on that timeline/Earth... and is a great way to let us just put it back onto the shelf.

I've said throughout our reread of Thy Kingdom Come that it felt like "decompression done right".  That is to say, there were chapters in which very little seemed to happen, however at the end of each one, I walked away satisfied.  I feel the same way here... and was beyond happy that the ending and epilogue were fit into a single issue.

So often these days we fill an entire extra issue with epilogue-matter.  Sometimes that's the right thing to do... but often it results in some sparse and empty-feeling issues.  I think of recent "epilogue" issues, and remember thinking that the first 2-3 pages were pretty spectacular... but the rest kinda just "happened".  I think if this were to come out today (or from Marvel) the Alex Ross bits would have been a standalone book... with a price tag of at least $4.99.

Enough about that... what of the story?  Well, Gog was dispatched with the quickness.  I feel like maybe they took him down a little too easily.  The entire fight only lasted a handful of pages... which after nearly a year's worth of build-up feels kind of weak.  Not that I wanted this entire book to be a giant (pun!) fight scene or anything... just expected a bit more than this.  Perhaps some emphasis on brains over brawn... ya know?

The real "meat" of the story is the second half though.  We were given some brief scenes of the Justice Society licking their wounds... which is fine, because they'll actually be coming back next issue.  The main focus is squarely put on Earth-22... and it's pretty great.  As mentioned above, this really feels like an Earth that can just be put back up on the shelf and left alone.  If a writer really wanted to revisit it... well, there are a thousand years worth of stories they could tell.  If nobody ever decides to?  Well, that's fine too.

Overall... brevity of fight aside, this was a pretty spectacular issue.  Excellent writing from Johns... and wonderful art from Eaglesham and Ross.  This is the kind of "single issue" I look at and become even more annoyed when I see people dismissively refer to them as "floppies" (can we please stop that?).  Highly recommended... Thy Kingdom Come is must-reading.

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