Green Lantern (vol.4) #1 (July, 2005)
"Airborne"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Art - Carlos Pacheco, Ethan Van Sciver & Jesus Merino
Colors - Moose Baumann
Letters - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Harvey Richards
Editor - Peter Tomasi
Cover Price: $3.50
Last week, we took a look at the first issue of Green Lantern in The New-52!, and I was pretty surprised to discover that he hadn't already covered this Green Lantern #1. Could'a sworn we had.
I was actually hoping to cover all of the Green Lantern #1's... but, we won't be able to cover vol.3's... for obvious reasons. You can probably do some Googling if you're unaware.
Anyhoo... who's ready for a "Cooler than Most" Hal Jordan?
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We open in the way back when, where we meet Hal Jordan of Ferris Aircraft. A couple of pilots are discussing some stunt he'd pulled... and how it's pretty clear that Carol Ferris has the hots for him. Also, they don't think Hal will ever be cleared to fly again. Little do they know that he's about to be zapped by an emerald beam... and delivered deep into the desert. As he is nyoinked, a voice tells him that the Brightest Day will become the Blackest Night. Hmm...
We know where this is headed, right? Hal is plunked down right before a dying Abin Sur, who offers him the gig... and he takes it. I feel like I've gotta mention, Hal comes across as almost too cool during the post-Green Lantern: Rebirth retelling of his origin. This was one of the bigger criticisms at the time, though, I'm sure those arguments have been lost in the digital sands by now.
We jump back to the present, and join a five-card dogfight between Hal and his buddy Shane. This whole thing seems like the absolute worst way to play a hand of cards... but remember, this Hal is too cool for school.
We jump ahead a bit, and join Hal and Shane at a bar inside Edwards Air Force Base. They catch up a bit, Hal learns that Shane's done some "adulting" since their last visit... got married, started a family, ya know... that sort of stuff. Shane mentions that they'd all thought Hal perished during the decimation of Coast City... which is, probably the best way to casually write off Hal's disappearance.
Later on, Hal retrieves his ring from his locker... just as John Stewart is attempting to get a hold of him. Apparently, there's an abandoned spacecraft lingering in orbit, and so Hal decides to join him to check it out.
With Hal away, we head over to Barstow, where a Private is hauling a covered load. A waitress playfully inquires about what's under the tarp... and it's one'a those "If I tell ya, I'd have to kill ya" sort of propositions. The waitress's meathead fiance, Chris (no relation) butts in to make sure the flirting ceases.
Back outside, the Private checks in with an associate named Johnson, who is trying to get a peek at the cargo himself. He claims that there's a "moaning" sound coming from it. The Private pulls the ol' "If I tell ya, I'd have to kill ya" once again... and they leave.
We rejoin Hal (with John) deep in space. They discuss such matters as restarting the Green Lantern Corps. Hal thinks it's a silly idea, considering there are only five Green Lanterns left (Hal, John, Guy, Kyle, and Kilowog... if I'm remembering right). Eventually they come across the abandoned spacecraft... and it's completely yellow. Hal posits that whoever it is didn't realize the yellow impurity was a thing of the past.
The Lanterns bust in, and discover... nothing. Just blackness. Not even a seat to sit in. Hal checks the fuel cells... and they're empty. Looks like whoever used this rig was only planning on it being a one-way trip.
Back in Barstow, the waitress and her meathead fiance get into an argument. Eh, I guess they're not actually engaged... more like, engaged-to-be-engaged... which sounds kinda "high school" to me. Anyhoo, they are approached by... a strange-looking fella, who kills them both! Kills the dude first, probably because he doesn't want to be accused of "fridging".
Next stop, Coast City... which is in the middle of it's grand rebuild. Hal's narration clues us in that there are big government incentives to live there... but, not so many people have taken the bait. Really can't blame 'em, considering. Also, there's gotta be some radiation still lingering, right? Not all of us have Power Rings to protect us.
Hal heads inside his apartment, and is greeted by his brother, Jim. They have a touching, though contentious, reunion. They talk about their parents, as well as the all-new Coast City. Jim ain't keen on moving the family back to town... which, again... can't blame him!
Suddenly, a low-flying plane produces a sonic boom that shatters all of the windows. Hal scurries off to Lantern-up and check out
what's goin' on.
Hal takes off, and catches up to the damaged aircraft. Upon getting a closer look, he deduces that the engine on this rig is clearly of extradimensional origin.
After helping it to land safely, we meet the pilot... Captain Jillian Pearlman, otherwise known as "Cowgirl". They flirt for a bit, because that's kinda what Hal does.
We wrap up back with that tarped load coming out of Barstow. From under the cover, we can see a glowing-red eye. Then, we hear it... "No Man Escapes--" Oh dammit.
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Alright... not a bad start to the new volume!
Gotta get it out of the way. It's been said, and it's certainly true, Hal does come across a little "too cool" here. He doesn't seem like a dude who goofs up from time to time... a guy who second-guesses himself, which I guess works in that it makes him a more fitting Green Lantern candidate... but, it also causes him to become a little less relatable. This is the "Fonzie" Hal Jordan, less a guy you'd wanna have a drink with, and more the dude you mutter under your breath about anytime he walks by.
Even in our opening pages, we've got a couple of pilots coming across as very jealous of Hal... his ability, courage, and how much it seems that Carol has a "thing" for him. I mean, I don't need Hal to be a complete boob... but, this feels like something of an over-correction.
I'm guessing that much of this has to do with undoing Emerald Dawn... ya know, the whole drunk-driving incident. That's fair enough, I suppose. I wasn't around when that series came out, so I couldn't say how it was received, at least initially. Not sure how the Hal-Faithful cottoned to the idea that he'd nearly killed a bunch of folks while driving drunk. I'd imagine it'd be at least somewhat divisive.
I'm somewhere in between, I guess. On one hand, I don't mind heroes having flaws... but on the other, actually driving drunk is a choice one has to make. It's such a stupid thing to do... and I could totally see people coming away from that miniseries with some pretty hard feelings toward Hal. Especially those affected by some jackass who chose to drive drunk.
So, while I'm a big "lore" guy... and a proponent of "everything matters", I get why that story might be a problem for some/many. I suppose at the end of the day, I don't have much of an issue with them wiping that bit away.
Hal's disappearance after the decimation of Coast City is handled about as well as it could be here. Basically, after the event in question, Hal just "hit the road". It's an easy enough excuse, that sorta fits with his character. I mean, old Hal was something of a roaming vagabond from time to time, right?
This issue does a great job of setting the table for what's to come. I mean, there's a mention of Blackest Night... a story that wouldn't actually happen for nearly a half-decade. Bits and pieces of Hal's "Secret Origin" are dropped... which is a story that would be fleshed out like 2-3 years later too! I mean, there's just so much planning going on here... which, to me, is a great thing!
What's never so great is... the Manhunters! Now, we've discussed these goofy robots a whole lot here over the years... but, I don't think we've ever looked at them under Johns' watch. I look forward to revisiting this era, to see how he handled them.
Overall, despite some of my misgivings about Hal's "coolness", this was a really good issue. It's been collected in Green Lantern: No Fear, and is available digitally (for 99-cents!).
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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.
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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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Flash (vol.2) #31 (October, 1989)
"The Comfort of a Stranger"
Writer - William Messner-Loebs
Pencils - Greg LaRocque
Inks - Larry Mahlstedt
Letters - Tim Harkins
Colors - Glenn Whitmore
Editor - Brian Augustyn
Cover Price: $1.00
Hey everybody... today's a very special day because it is the return of the MIGHTY Super-Blog Team-Up! It's hard to believe it's been five-hundred and fifty-three days since our last time out! Heck, this blog was only 536 days old at that point!
The theme this time around is... Redemption.
Now, when I think about "redemption" as it pertains to the DC Universe, only one name comes to mind... Hal Jordan. But, uh, we did him already. Like a whole bunch of times.
The next name that comes to mind, and yes, this is pretty silly... is the Pied Piper. Ya know, they say you never forget your first... and when I started to make a conscious effort to collect and follow Flash comics, Geoff Johns was on the book. One of Wally's supporting cast was Hartley Rathaway... the Pied Piper!
I didn't know much about the guy, and recall thinking it was really cool that he had gone from being a Rogue (among the goofier of Rogues) to an actual ally to Wally. I think I over-romanticized the notion of Hartley's "redemption arc"... I mean, I suppose redemption arcs are very seldom not romanticized. But, in this case... as we're about to find out, I might've put a little too much stock in the "face turn" of the Pied Piper.
Before we get into it, I wanna preemptively thank all of my fellow Super-Bloggers, it's been a fun time as always... and I hope it doesn't take another year-and-a-half for our next "go round"!
Also, big thanks to Chris Bailey (Charlton Hero) for having me on board, and for making the SBTU announcement on an episode of the Chris is on Infinite Earths podcast!
Okay, enough vamping. Let's get right into the Redemption... of the Pied Piper!
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We open with a homeless woman and her son walking down a back alley... which is never really a good idea, regardless of your social standing. Over the past few months after leaving her abusive husband, she'd lost everything. Her son is hungry... she's scared. It's a pretty lousy time. They find themselves approached by a kind gentleman who offers them some grub, which they gleefully accept. Just then, however, they find themselves staring down a pale giant of a fellow... who introduces himself as "the Comforter". He grabs the Good Samaritan... and kinda "cooks" him from the inside out. He then turns to the rest and asks "Who's Next?"
Speaking of "comfort", we switch scenes to Wally West lounging on the couch while Mason Trollbridge repairs his television set. Ya see, Wally lost his fortune (remember, he won the lottery back in issue #1) and was forced to move into an apartment with his mother... and, I mean, that's gotta hurt. Anyhoo, the tee-vee gets fixed just as Linda Park is reporting on the strange homeless murders.
Just as she's about to sign off, she is interrupted by... hey, there he is... the Pied Piper! He vows to track down the murderer and dish out some justice. Before Linda even leaves the air, the Flash arrives on the scene. Really neat use of panel-progression here.
Wally and Linda do their whole passive-aggressive deal, and the only thing missing is if he'd tug on her pigtails as they contentiously chatted. He calls her out for being heartless... and only after "the story". Seems like Linda's been taking her Lois-pills.
Back at the pad, Mason lets Mary West know that he's heading out to meet up with his daughter and her "yuppie" family. Now there's a word that needs to make a come back. Anyhoo, he ain't exactly happy to go, but family's family, ya know?
Wally checks in at the police department to find out if they have any leads about the homeless murders. To which, he's informed that the Police just... doesn't have the time to look into it! He does get a tip, however... to head over to St. Jude's Shelter and chat up Sister Mary Elizabeth. And so, he does just that!
We rejoin Trollbridge, who is sitting in the living room of the unsubtlest family in the world. They're really laughably lame... Yuppies to the Nth degree.
Back at the news station, Linda Park is bending the ear of her boss. Ya see, she really hates the Flash. Like really. If you're around her and want to talk about Wally West... just don't. She might just really want to make out with him (as he does her). I'll tell ya, hate's a complicated thing. Anyhoo, as she flies off the handle, she's reminded that she hasn't always been objective in her reporting... which gives her a fair amount of food for thought.
We shift scenes, and Wally arrives at a sorta-kinda halfway house for squatters, a place that Sister Mary Liz told him about. He rushes inside, and winds up skidding on some wet wallpaper that had been laid out. Inside the room is... The Pied Piper!
They argue for a bit... with Piper going full-blown "college freshman back for Thanksgiving Break". I mean, he says "property is theft", oy. Flash doesn't get the opportunity to haul off and slug him, because they are interrupted by a child... who has read far too many comic books. Or, maybe just one or two.
The kid recounts the old trope of a pair of costumed folks with the same goals having to duke it out before coming to some sort of agreement and working relationship. We in the biz call that the "Marvel Meet Cute". I wanna die. Either way, Flash and Piper decide to skip the scuffle and join forces straightaway.
Wally is then introduced to a young boy... it's the Son of the woman who was killed by the Comforter during the opening pages! Wally considers calling in a favor in order to entrap the baddie.
Speaking of the Comforter... let's find out a little bit more about the man himself. Ya see, he's been hired to kill the Flash (by the Turtle), but he's got this real vendetta against homeless people. He calls back to (I wanna say) Batman: The Cult, when Deacon Blackfire mobilized homeless people into an army... which ultimately resulted in his wife being murdered. I could certainly see that rattling a dude.
As he floats in and out of flashback-land, Linda Park pops up on his television screen... and she's reporting that some homeless are being moved into a building for re-hab. Like a moth to a flame, the Comforter will very likely have to do a "pop-in".
We jump ahead a few hours, and rejoin Mason Trollbridge (and family) in the subway. They happen upon The Comforter (in his civilian duds) who is more than happy to tell them that he's off to kill him a bunch of homeless! The Yuppies act yuppyish... and Mason initially writes the fella off as a subway-crackpot.
Not too long later over at the "sting" building, Wally and Linda have a less-contentious chat. She actually calls him (and Piper) brave for putting themselves on the line like this. Mason pops his head in to warn Wally about the crank on the train... and before we know it, that very same Comforter arrives!
He attacks Wally... his speed being the only thing that saves him. With the Comforter preoccupied with the Speedster, Pied Piper reminds us all that he's here too when he toots on his horn! Tell ya what, the baddie did not like that. Everyone's a critic!
Comforter then turns his sights to Linda... who calls out to the Flash for help. It seems as though it's only at this point that the Comforter realizes that the dude in red with a lightning bolt on his chest is the Flash! C'mon, really?
The Comforter reaches for Wally... but when he does, Wally's speed causes the baddie's powers to backfire... instantly killing him! Annnnd, that's all she wrote!
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So, whattaya think folks? Did I over-romanticize the redemption of Pied Piper? Well, yeah... of course I did. The strangest thing is, I've actually read these issues before, and still thought there was a lot more "oomph" to his becoming one of the good guys! But, alas... here, Piper barely even gets any panel time! I do like the idea of Piper being a hero of the oppressed. His work with the homeless would kind of define his redemption arc, and would eventually lead to the blossoming of a friendship and working-relationship with Wally West.
For the issue itself, it was a great little "done in one" that progresses Wally's own overarching character-building endeavors. Wally had been given the opportunity to mature during these early years of his ongoing title... and that continues in this issue. His having to turn to Linda for help when he knows they've got this weird relationship shows that he's willing to put personal feelings aside, so long as it serves the greater good.
The Comforter... is a bit of a goofball character, though one whose origin story is rooted in tragedy. He's a "done in one" character (he's dead, ya see... like really dead. Dead-dead) who fills his role well. His motivations, though extreme, are explained... though, his powers are still a little bit nebulous to me. Not that it matters so much, mind you... because, as mentioned... he dead.
Really, the only part of this issue I feel kinda "ehh" about is Trollbridge's extended yuppie family. They came across not so much like yuppies, but this odd satirized version of stereotypical yuppies. No subtlety at all... and for such minor/throwaway scenes really kinda pulled me out of the story.
Overall... I gotta recommend this if you're looking for a great little Flash story. If you're looking for more information on the redemption of the Pied Piper... well, you get a little bit of that here, but not all that much. Certainly not as much as I was expecting! This issue is available digitally.
Now, this is where we usually stop for the day, but today I'm going to beg your indulgence and offer up some links to some great blogs also taking part in Super-Blog Team-Up! I highly recommend checking them out. Super-Blog Team-Up day is very special to we in the comics blogging community, and I hope that comes across when you're reading, viewing, and listening to our offerings! Thanks!
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