Green Lanterns #16 (April, 2017)
"Darkest Nights, Part One"
Writer - Sam Humphries
Pencils - Neil Edwards
Inks - Jay Leisten & Keith Champagne
Colors - Blond
Letters - Travis Lanham
Assistant Editor - Andrew Marino
Editor - Mike Cotton
Group Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99
Ya know, being a "content creator" (if you were to call anything I create "content") sometimes has its disadvantages. For one, I'm often too busy working on a post or a show to actually read new books as they're coming out.
Being a completionist (read: really bad with my spending money), I've bought upwards of 90% of DC's offerings since DC Universe Rebirth... and I might've read, a few dozen of 'em?
And so, in an attempt to... I dunno, familiarize myself with things going on "these days", and maybe get a little bit of a "return" (in enjoyment/entertainment) on my "investment"... let's take a look at a series I'd collected in its entirety... but never even bothered to look at!
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We open in Gotham City, where this one fella appears to have lost his mind. He's wildly swinging a baseball bat, fearful that "he" is coming to get them. The "he" he's worried about is... Batman, and wouldn'tcha know it, he was right! Batman swoops in, and tries to calm the situation.
Just then, Green Lanterns, Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz burst onto the scene (though, if you were to ask Batman, they're late). They snare the mad fella in a construct glob so he can cool his jets... and not get his butt beat by the Bat.
After the dust settles, Commissioner Gordon pops in to expound on Gotham's present crisis. It would seem that the most recent crime wave is rooted... in fear. People would go from even-headed to maniacally panicked... as though they'd just had the stuffin' scared out of 'em!
Simon's all "Psh, okay... let's go get the Scarecrow!" However, Batman's not so sure... actually, he's pretty much convinced it's not the Scarecrow they're after. He thinks this is more rooted in the Sinestro Corps (he references the yellow rings from Blackest Night... so, I guess that means Blackest Night was still a thing that happened now?). I guess the supposed Sinestro-ness of it explains why Batman enlisted the aid of a pair'a Lanterns.
As the Bat and Baz bicker, Gordon takes note of Simon's sidearm. He's not sure why a Green Lantern would ever need to pack heat. Simon explains that it's his "backup", just in case his ring were ever to fail. He calls it the "Robin" to his "Batman". Batman does the whole "Not in my town" thing... and before we know it, we're waist-deep in another argument.
Baz points out that so many of Batman's toys and gadgets are dangerous... and finds it laughable that a pistol would be the "bridge too far". He then suggests that Batman might just have a "problem with guns". Wait, we're not really gonna go there, are we? Oh, c'mon.
Yeah, we really went there... the graves of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Uh, they were shot dead, just in case you didn't know... and if you didn't know, how in the world did you wind up on this site? Anyhoo, Jessica turns her attention to the laptop the mad-fella was looking at before losing his marbles. After using her ring-a-ling to work out his Windows password, she discovers that he was watching a "Bad Batman" video on a YouTube-alike. Not sure if this is a commentary on all of those "Bad Cop" videos that pop up... whatever the case, these videos depict Batman as a threat.
The ring detects a disturbance in the Emotional Spectrum... coming from the laptop itself. Batman suggests that this could be useful information... especially when the screen begins to glow yellow.
We jump ahead to the Batcave, where Simon and Jessica act like kids in a museum. Batman continues his research, when suddenly Alfred (who is seeing one of the Bad Batman videos over Bruce's shoulder) goes nuts! He smashes a coffee cup into Baz's dome and sucker punches him in the much!
Simon's sidearm flies out of its holster... which really doesn't say much for the holster, now does it? Alfred picks it up and holds it against the Lantern's head. He says if he sees even a flicker of emerald energy, he's going to pull the trigger. He demands no one get in his way of... killing the Bat!
We shift scenes to a Call Center located in some abandoned retail/office space. A bunch of folks sitting in cubicles are being given the "Batman is a threat" treatment via their computer monitors, and it looks like their Supervisor... might be a little overqualified for this job.
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Alrighty... this was pretty good!
Fear has come to Gotham (again)... but this time, there's something more to it. Excellent callback to Blackest Night... and more importantly (to me), the confirmation that the event even happened in the first place! I'm still not sure where it fits in the miasmatic flow of DC Continuity... but it's there somewhere, and sometimes that's all it takes for me to call it a "win".
The Scarecrow as an "agent of fear"... almost makes too much sense. Never cared for the Scarecrow on his own, seemed kind of a one-trick pony, but this could be interesting.
My only complaint, and I suppose it might just be me... but, the dialogue feels a bit, I dunno... unsubtle? The argument between Batman and Baz is almost so blatantly passionate that you could mistake it for a pair of old friends pretending to be mad at one another. Just struck me as unnatural... I've been in plenty of arguments, with friend and "foe" alike... and, in my experience, they're never "zero-to-sixty" situations like it is here. I mean, these two just lit into each other... and it didn't feel genuine in the slightest.
Also... did we really need the callback to the gravesites of Thomas and Martha Wayne? Did we really? I mean, it was a tiny little sliver of a panel, and I'm sure any writer working at DC (or with aspirations of ever working at DC) gets goosebumps at the idea that they'll be able to write "Panel 1: The gravesite of Thomas and Martha Wayne", but... c'mon. If you don't know Batman's origin, chances are you're not going to be reading a Green Lantern spin-off book, right? An unnecessary refresher, which actually managed to pull me out of the story. It might've actually made me take notice of how unnatural the back and forth between Bat and Baz was too!
While I'm kvetching... can we get a "style guide" on what these oft-depicted tombstones even look like? Feels like they're different shapes and sizes every time we see 'em... and, as mentioned, we see 'em a lot.
The art here was pretty fantastic, though Edwards' Alfred does look a tad on the spry side. I get being maddened by fear, but that ain't gonna turn a frail body into an Olympian.
Overall, had fun with this... and I feel like this issue could be a really good "gateway issue" if you were interested in getting to know the new Lanterns, but weren't sure whether or not you wanted to dip your toe in on the series. This issue is available digitally... though, still at cover price!
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Dark Claw Adventures #1 (June, 1997)
"Face to Face"
Writer/Breakdowns - Ty Templeton
Finishes - Rick Burchett
Colors - Linda Medley
Letters - Tim Harkins
Associate Editor - Darren Vincenzo
Editor - Scott Peterson
Special Thanks - Dan Slott
Cover Price: $1.95
We've brushed up against the Marvel/DC co-promotions of the late-1990's from time to time here at the ol' blogstead... but never actually discussed an honest to goodness Amalgam comic.
And there's a reason for that...
I wasn't (and I'm still not) a fan of 'em! We'll ramble on about why in the "down below"... but, for now... heeeeeeeere's Dark Claw!
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We open with Patch Malone taking in his weekly poker game with a bunch of nogoodniks. He doesn't get to play long as he's approached by a pair of Cyber-Ninja Assassins... and before we know it, a fight is on. During the fracas, Logan is shot in the shoulder... however, he manages to win the day. Ya see, Dark Claw ain't no killer... but since these creeps are mostly-machine, he doesn't have to worry so much about holding back.
After taking care of business, he heads outside where his Clawmobile (don't call it that!) is waiting for him. In the driver's seat is, Sparrow... an amalgamation of Robin and Jubilee.
As the heroes take off into the night, we can see that their progress is being tracked by a woman called Lady Talia, an amalgamation of Lady Deathstrike and Talia al Ghul. Ya see, she's ticked off at Logan for the murder of her father... wait for it... Ra's-a-pocalypse.
We flash back to a desert duel between Logan and Ra's... that has something to do with a scorpion, but it's not really clear exactly what. Anyhoo, while Ra's-a-pocalypse makes his exit via jet, Logan grabs a conveniently-placed bazooka... and blasts the baddie out of the sky.
While Lady Talia admires her new Adamantium limbs, we shift scenes over to "The Burrow", which is, naturally, kinda like Dark Claw's Batcave. One neat touch is, instead of the giant penny, there's a giant Canadian Nickel.
Logan deduces that it's Lady Talia who's after him, and suits up for action. In order to prepare for battle, he initiates a training sequence in the Danger Cave, an amalgamation of... oh, you know. He faces off against the Two-Faced Goblin (Harvey Osborn), Cybercroc (Cyber + Killer Croc), Bloodcrow (Bloodscream + Scarecrow), Spiral Harley (oh, c'mon), and the Omega Beast (Omega Red + K.G.Beast).
Suddenly, the lights turn out. Dark Claw assumes that this is just the next stage of his training... that Sparrow kicked it up a notch... but, no... it's Talia. She claims that she knows him well enough to use his secrets in order to find him. As the wrestle around, Dark Claw pleads with her to cool off... Ra's gave him no choice but to kill him.
Finally, she backs off long enough for him to plead his case. He begs her to control herself, and expresses how important she is to him. Then he holds his hands out, and tells her that whatever her next move might be... he's not going to stop her. And so, she guts him!
As Logan lay dying, Talia heads over to Sparrow... she chooses to spare her, as she's nothing more than an innocent.
In her final act, Lady Talia decides she'll plunge her claws into her own heart... the only part of her that she still considers human. Before she does so, however, she soliloquizes about how much she regrets everything that's gone on between she and Logan over the past few years... and what she wouldn't do to have him back with her now. Uh, lady, are you really forgetting about the healing factor?!
Oh course dude ain't really dead. Talia rushes to his side, and they make nice.
Unfortunately, nobody ever untied Sparrow. Some say she's still there to this day.
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You familiar with "strain theory"? For a quick 'n dirty, it's a sociological concept having to do with why crimes might be committed... has to do with classism and racism, and it's predicated on the assumption/perception that resources (material/tasks/opportunities/capital) are limited. The "strain" is on resources, which leads folks to do whatever they can (legal or not) to get those resources. Ya follow?
Now, to completely bastardize and trivialize the subject, I can't help but consider talented creators and popular characters to be (relatively) limited "resources". I look back at the late-90's as a very small window where Marvel and DC were willing to "play nice" and put equal amounts of "skin" in the game in order to create something special. And what we get... is this.
Naturally, I'm not talking about crimes being committed or anything... but, look at the "resources": the talent involved in Amalgam... and look at the wonderful characters. This is really the best we can do? We get all the big brains at Marvel and DC together in a room, and "Hey, let's just mash 'em up!" is the best idea that comes out of it?
Amalgam Comics, while perhaps still to this day a novelty to some, and I'm only speaking for myself here, just reeks to me of a missed opportunity. Nothing more than a throwaway to fill a Fifth-Week, when (theoretically) any other kind of Marvel and DC co-promotion could've meant so much more. I mean, this looks like it took the same amount of care as Marvel Mangaverse... or Marvels Comics... just low-effort fluff. Time and shelf-filler... the fulfillment of a contract.
I compare it now to the DC/Looney Tunes or DC/Hanna-Barbera crossovers. Meaningless books that occupy creators and shelf-space that could be better used. I'll concede that they make for really good "retweet bait", but really... to me, with the "limited resources" we have, it's such misdirected effort. Heck, maybe I'm just "anti-fun". I've been accused of that a time or two.
With all that being said... it's hard to be objective about something like Dark Claw Adventures. For what it is, it's a "funny, ha-ha", and not much more. The art is strong, and (naturally) evokes the Batman: The Animated Series style well enough. People who aren't me, might get a giggle or two out of it.
Unfortunately, all I can do when I look at the Amalgam Age of Comics, is think: What could'a been. Of course, I'm coming at this as just a fan... I don't know what the legalities were, or the logistics of "reprint rights" or anything like that... but, speaking as "just a fan", I know I wanted something more special than this.
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Adventures of Superman #424 (January, 1987)
"Man O' War!"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Pencils - Jerry Ordway
Inks - Mike Machlan
Letters - John Costanza
Colors - Tom Ziuko
Editor - Andy Helfer
Cover Price: $0.75
Yesterday we discussed Superman (vol.2) #1... so I sez to myself, "Self, mebbe we ought to talk about that other Superman book coming out at the time."
If you read yesterday's piece, you'll know that one of my sole... well, not so much "complaint", but maybe "neutral observation" regarding Superman #1 was that it didn't feel like a real "#1" issue. I didn't mention it yesterday, but the cover for that issue (while I like it) didn't really feel like the start of a whole new volume either!
This issue, on the other hand, has a spectacular cover... totally worthy of ushering in a whole new direction. Let's see how the insides hold up.
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We open with the Lane family... that is Sam, Lois, and Lucy huddled around the hospital bed of Lois' mother, Elinore. Having been in an accident, she's in a pretty bad way... and it doesn't look like she's going to make it. There's definitely some tension between Lois and Sam... might be due to the fact that Lois addresses her folks by their first name. I know that would grind on my gears too! Meanwhile across town, a meeting of distinguished fellows regarding oil ends poorly... and so, a Quraci representative excuses himself... and blows up the building.
We shift scenes over to the Daily Planet, where Clark Kent has a chance meeting with a beautiful blonde woman. He "oafs" if up a bit, getting his foot caught in an elevator door... and when she helps wriggle him free, he winds up on top of her. If Kelly Kapoor can be trusted, I think the kids today would call that a "meet cute". If I ever use that term again, please shoot me.
Later that morning, Lois and Clark are called into Perry White office, where they meet the newest member of the Daily Planet staff... it's that same blonde Clark just went ass-over-teakettle for, Catherine Grant!
During this meet and greet, Clark gets a call from a Gunderson asking if he might be able to contact Superman. Before this goes anywhere, however, Cat swoops in and suggest the two of them grab lunch at the Cossak Tea Room... I hear their $30 cup of soup is to die for! This leaves Perry and Lois alone in the office... the Chief asks how Lois' mother is doing... but she ain't in the mood to chat.
On their way to a very pricey lunch, Lois and Cat drive by that building that was blowed up earlier in the issue. They hop out of the car and try and take a look around. An Officer shows them a note found at the scene, wherein an outfit called the Freedom League takes full credit for the boom. Clark uses his x-ray vision to scan the wreckage, and suggests that the First Responders keep digging for survivors.
As Clark and Cat hop back in the car, the former uses his telescopic vision to try and get a better read on the situation. He can see "grappler marks" on some of the stone, which tells him this wasn't an ordinary explosion. Speaking of explosions... City Hall is next!
A giant tank burrows from out of the ground and attempts to blast right through City Hall. A note wafting across the foreground implicates that Freedom League again. They seem really annoyed at America.
We return to Clark and Cat who are following up on a fellow in Suicide Slum. It's Professor Emil Hamilton, a sci-guy who was shunned and discredited by the United States Government. Ya see, he's got this invention that we's sure will keep the country safe... it's a force-field of sorts, which he demonstrates on Clark. Clark is shocked at the strength of the thing... even with his super-strength he is unable to break out. Then, Emil pulls out a gun and fires it directly into the field... which further proves its strength (good thing it didn't ricochet!).
While Cat and Emil chat, Clark overhears everything that's going down at City Hall... and so, he makes a hasty exit. Cat doesn't even notice until he's already gone. After "suping up" he rushes right in to punch up that tank. This doesn't go so well.
Inside the tank, we meet a bunch of Freedom League members. It's heavily implied (but not said outright) that these folks are on a suicide mission. They might not be expecting to come out the other end of this.
Superman continues to fight the tank... until it runs him over!
We shift back over to Lois, who is on the phone with her sister. Lucy is pretty frantic about what's going on with their mother... and Lois fears that if the worst comes to be, Lucy won't be able to get through it. As she leaves the Daily Planet Building, she is ushered forced into a Town Car by one of Lex Luthor's goons chauffeurs.
Back at City Hall, Superman pulls himself up out of the wreckage (seems to do that a lot post-Man of Steel). Before heading back over for Round Two with the tank, he pulls a survivor out of the debris.
After saving the Officer, Superman heads over to the Metropolis Police Department to chat up Inspector Henderson. It's there that he learns that the Freedom League is likely tied up with the Qaraci Government. He heads back out into the fray... somehow convinced that Lex Luthor is actually the one behind this. Seems our Man of Steel has himself a bit of a fixation.
Back to Lois. She's loaded into one of LexCorp's jets where she is met by a waiting Lex Luthor. He offers her champagne, and suggests that by the end of this chat, they might become friends.
Ya see, the accident Elinore Lane was in happened at a LexCorp subsidiary... a branch of LexCorp Mistuh Luthuh himself didn't even realize he owned! He feels, in part, responsible for what went down... and so, at his own expense, enlisted the aid of some top scientists to concoct a serum to keep Lois' mother alive and kickin'. Only catch is, she's gotta come to Lex once a month for the dose. Lois begrudgingly decides to have dinner with the man so they can talk out the particulars.
Back on the street, Superman continues fighting the tank... until other bits and pieces of terroristic tech show up... combine with the tank, and become like this giant mechanical hybrid of a grasshopper and scorpion?
We wrap up back with Lex Luthor, who is celebrating his "victory" over Lois Lane. Ya see, not only did Luthor know about the accident that nearly claimed Elinore Lane... he was responsible for it! He knew Lois would need him to come up with a cure... and, get this, the cure could have been administered in a single dose... but where's the fun in that?
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I tell ya what... they sure didn't skimp for story back in the 1980's! A story like this would take 4-6 months to tell nowadays... and would still wrap up with a non-ending! I really enjoyed the issue... though, like its "sister book", Superman (vol.2), it doesn't feel much like a "first issue". I mean, it's not a "#1", but still...
If you're a new reader to the Superman family of titles and were maybe lured in by the cover (it's certainly a strong enough cover to do so!), and didn't know to pick up Man of Steel, you're probably going to feel a bit lost. Whereas the Byrne book might've gone overboard with the exposition... this one may not have given us enough. I'm sure there could've been a happier medium between the two.
I've never been a fan of the Qarac stuff that seemed to worm its way into so many post-Crisis DC books. I get that they're going for a "real world" sort of thing, but really, I'd rather a more fantastical threat...
Speaking of threats... they sure did power Superman way down, didn't they? I mean, he's getting beaten up by everything in these early issues! I've read that one of the complaints about this era was the "Marvelization" of Superman... they reduction of his powers to make him feel more fallible. I don't have a problem with that... though, I could see why some might.
Keeping the threats coming... Lex Luthor.
Before we look deeper into him, I wanna talk about Superman assuming he's the "big bad" behind everything. I mean, it's only the once so far, but it just feels a bit silly. Inspector Henderson suggests that Qarac is (secretly) behind the bombings... but Superman is still sure it's Luthor. Not sure if any of you remember A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, that show where the Scooby Gang are all little kids? I don't remember much about it... but I do recall that anytime anything would happen, Fred would insist that a kid named "Red Herring" (get it?) was behind it. Of course, he never would be... but Fred just wouldn't give it up. I got definite "Red Herring" vibes from Superman's insistence here.
Now, Lex's plan to get a "win" over (and to "win over") Lois. It's a really good look at what a slimeball Lex is... and how he isn't above using people as pawns to get what he wants. The "accident" he orchestrated could've very easily resulted in Elinore's immediate death... but that didn't matter to him, so long as there was a chance he'd be able to get Lois under his thumb (to say the least). I like this Lex... sometimes a "heel" has just got to be a heel.
The art here is great. Love that Jerry Ordway was given the opportunity to be a part of this launch, he never disappoints! My only minor quibble (which has nothing to do with the quality of the art) is that his Lois looks different from Byrne's. What I mean is, they have completely different hairstyles... which, I mean... we're not even a month into this thing, and we've already got conflicting style-guides? Hey, maybe this really is the Marvelization of the DC Universe!
Overall, I had a lot of fun with this. I'd definitely suggest having a bit of familiarity with what went down in Man of Steel before jumping into this one, but even if you don't, I doubt you'd be all that lost here. This issue has been collected in one of those Man of Steel trades, and is available digitally.
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