Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Rating: 4/5
Filed under: cxPulp.com, DC, DC Retroactive, DC Universe, Superman: The 1990s | Tagged: 1990s, Comic Reviews, cxPulp, DC, DC Comics, DC Retroactive, Jon Bogdanove, Louise Simonson, Retroactive, Superman | Leave a comment »
Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing
Writer: Jonathan Vankin
Pencils: Marco Castiello
Inks: Vincenzo Acunzo
Art (Issue #2): Renato Arlem
Colors: Barb Ciardo
Letters: Sal Cipriano, (Issue #3) Dave Sharpe
Cover: Ardian Syaf, Vicente Cifuentes, Ulises Arreola
Editors: Rex Ogle and Eddie Berganza
Published by: DC Comics
I haven’t finished Brightest Day yet, but I know that the big hubbub over the final issue was the return of Swamp Thing and John Constantine–after a lengthy absence–to the mainstream DCU. And waiting for the collected volumes of Brightest Day, I opted to pass on this series. But this weekend, I found myself looking for something “extra” to pick up, and the comic shop I was at had all three issues, so I decided that rather than spend only $3.99 for a one-shot, at “only” $2.99/issue, I’d snag this entire 3-issue mini.
John Constantine finds himself the butt of his pal Chaz’s jokes for having bought a newspaper–though this particular newspaper had literally called out to him, the Swamp Thing’s attempt to make contact with him through the plant fibers in the paper. The trouble apparently caused by the Swamp Thing draws Constantine into a quest for his old acquaintance. After all, John saw the Swamp Thing through a couple other major events, so only fitting to be part of whatever this latest go-round is. Constantine makes contact with Batman to enlist the detective’s aid. When this doesn’t go as planned, he finds himself in Metropolis seeking the Man of Steel’s brand of assistance. Upon realizing what may actually be going on, John finds himself on a path that neither Superman nor Batman can condone as he seeks to set things right in a way that only he–John Constantine–can do.
It’s been ages since I’ve read any Hellblazer stuff–at least a year and a half, maybe 2+ years–so this was a welcome reading experience. Vankin has a good feel for the character, I felt like I was reading Hellblazer…except this is set within the DCU, with John interacting once more with a world that includes Superman, Batman, and other super-powered people, unlike the world the character’s Vertigo counterpart inhabits. This version of Constantine is younger, though still quite recognizeable as the character he is. There’s plenty of reference to the past to establish the character’s roots, to remind those familiar with the characters past of what they are. And if one is unfamiliar, it serves to establish that this character has a past in the DCU, though he’s not cropped up in a DCU book in quite a few years.
Though the series’ title emphasizes the Swamp Thing, this feels fully like a DCU-based John Constantine/Hellblazer story, and does so far more than I’d anticipated, expecting there to be a lot more focus on Swamp Thing (especially with Swamp Thing being one of the “New 52” in DC’s relaunch in September). Of course, I’ve long been more a fan of Constantine than Swamp Thing, so this focus didn’t bother me and I think my enjoyment of this series was higher than it would have been if it actually did focus more on Swamp Thing).
The story itself felt pretty basic, and even a bit choppy, almost as if it should have been stretched to at least another issue. Given its timing at the very end of this version of the DCU, though, there seems to have been a need to compress it into only three issues. The first two issues had a nice build, reintroducing us to Constantine, as well as putting him back on the map for Batman and Superman. The third issue held a good bit of promise to it, but after 2 1/2 issues’ build, the end seemed to be anticlimactic, almost negating the purpose of having this series to begin with. This could change depending on the status quo in the new Swamp Thing ongoing, but that would almost make this series seem a prologue and worthy of an altered title.
The art was a sort of mixed experience going through the three issues. Offhand, I’m not familiar with the art team(s) behind this series. The style was not unattractive, and seemed to fit the characters involved. Batman and Superman, if only for the amount of Vertigo Hellblazer that I’ve read seemed a bit out of place by existing, though the artists had a good blend that allowed them to visually work with Constantine and Swamp Thing (or vice-versa). Though the second issue had a different artist, the style’s similar enough to the first and third that I honestly didn’t even notice until pulling the credits to write this review.
As I have not yet finished reading Brightest Day, this doesn’t honestly seem or feel connected to that, except that it would sort of explain an apparent resurrection that lies at the core of this story (even as it reminds me a bit of The Spectre’s character shortly after Green Lantern: Rebirth). If this ties to the new Swamp Thing series as I think it might, I’d hope to see this collected either as a Swamp Thing vol. 1 or 0, or somehow simply not as just a Brightest Day companion volume. If you’re a fan of Hellblazer, this series presents a chance to see a younger Constantine interacting with the DC Universe he came from, and get away from the intricate mythology that’s built up over the last 200+ issues of Hellblazer. If you’re interested in Swamp Thing, this wouldn’t seem a horrible story, but Swamp Thing seems a bit player at best, though you’ll find plenty with Constantine, a character with some key ties to Swamp Thing’s past.
Recommended.
Story: 7/10
Art: 8/10
Whole: 7.5/10
Filed under: Brightest Day (Event), DC, DC Universe, Search for Swamp Thing, The | Tagged: Aftermath, Ardian Syaf, Barb Ciardo, brightest day, Brightest Day Aftermath, Comic Reviews, Constantine, Dave Sharpe, DC, DC Comics, Eddie Berganza, Hellblazer, John Constantine, Jonathan Vankin, Marco Castiello, Renato Arlem, Rex Ogle, Sal Cipriano, search for swamp thing, Swamp Thing, Ulises Arreola, VIcente Cifuentes, Vincenzo Acunzo | 4 Comments »
Reign of the Doomsdays Finale
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist (pp 1-16): Axel Gimenez
Artist (pp 17-20): Ronan Cliquet
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Cover: Kenneth Rocafort
Associate Editor: Wil Moss
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Comics
Hard to believe it, but this is the final issue of Action Comics. Sure, Action Comics (vol. 2) #1 comes out in a couple weeks, but that’s a whole different thing. It’s not this same title. It’s not the actual title with its roots in the dawn of the comics industry, the dawn of the super-hero, going back to even before World War II, touching on eight decades. But that’s mostly a discussion for the new Action Comics.
This issue wraps up Superman, and Action Comics, and is basically the send-off for this title and these characters, at least for what I’m currently reading (I have not read Superman #714, nor the final issues of Supergirl or Superboy).
We open with Superman discovering that the current threat to the world still ties back to Lex Luthor’s recent actions in the Black Ring arc. Talking with this willed-to-existence entity, Superman is restored to solid existence, to lead the heroes in a final attack on the Doomslayer to save their world. While Superman and the Eradicator (in a different but familiar form) take on Doomslayer, the others attend to the multiple Doomsdays. When all’s said and done, Clark and Lois talk over dinner, bringing this era of Superman, and aspects of the character going back a quarter-century, to a close.
The main story seemed to wrap up a little too quickly for my preference. It’s not bad, mind you–but it just seemed a little quick. Perhaps it’s the time between issues combined with all the other stuff I’ve (as an individual) had on my mind and looking toward with the pending relaunch–but it doesn’t feel like the potential with this Doomslayer really had a chance to take off, and the heroes (as with a couple years back in New Krypton) handle the Doomsday threat a little too easily for what the character was created to be. That said, I found the closing to be a great touch and appropriate epilogue to this lengthy Doomsdays thing, which has been going on all year now, since that Steel one-shot back in early January.
Given that it was the Death and Return of Superman “trilogy” that most firmly brought me back into comics in a way that I’ve never truly left since, it’s rather satisfying that Supergirl, Superboy, Steel, the Eradicator, Doomsday, and the Cyborg Superman were all brought into what turned out to be the final story of this title, and these characters.
Visually, I’m not really impressed with the art on the main story segment. I’m not really disappointed, either…it’s just not a style that clicked well with me in reading this issue–something about it just felt off. The characters and action isn’t hard to follow, everyone’s recognizable and all–so it does its job as it should. The epilogue segment worked quite well, though–I’ve mostly enjoyed Gary Frank‘s work on Superman, and Cliquet does an excellent job of emulating that style.
All in all…this issue’s for the longtime/ongoing readers. This is the end of Cornell‘s run on this title; this caps off a quasi-crossover sort-of-“event.” This is the end of Lois & Clark, at least the Lois & Clark of the last 15 years. This is likely the last of a lot of other familiar elements and possibly actual characters that have been part of the Superman story for a generation of readers. This goes out with neither whimper nor bang…but leaves things so that maybe someday, this iteration of the characters can be revisited.
Story: 7/10
Art: 7/10
Whole: 7/10
Filed under: Action Comics, DC, DC Universe, Reign of Doomsday (Event) | Tagged: Action Comics, Axel Gimenez, Brad Anderson, Comic Reviews, DC, DC Comics, Doomsday, Doomsdays, Doomslayer, Eradicator, Finale, Kenneth Rocafort, Matt Idelson, Paul Cornell, Reign of Doomsday, Reign of the Doomsdays, Rob Leigh, Ronan Cliquet, Superboy, Supergirl, Superman, Wil Moss | 1 Comment »
I’ve just emailed my comic shop with my list of the #1s I want to commit to at present for checking out.
Waited til the last second because 1. time’s flown far faster than I ever anticipated and 2. I’ve been of several minds about all this, and finally decided to just make this decision for now and see what happens.
Though I’d at one point considered going “all-in” with the 50% with purchase of all 52 from Discount Comic Book Service, I quickly realized there’s no way I cold afford even that…nor did I actually particularly want to.
As it is, I’m buying into the “hype” HERE. But whether the issues I’m passing on are good or not–(and there are some that I’m just simply not interested in–if there’s good buzz, I may check ’em out; and there are some that I’m actively disinterested in–though again, if there’s good buzz, I might check ’em out).
Action Comics, Batman, Detective Comics, Firestorm, Green Lantern, Justice League, Justice League Dark, Resurrection Man, Superboy, Superman, Swamp Thing, and Static Shock.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: Action Comics, Batman, comics, DC, DC Comics, DC the New 52, DCnU, Detective Comics, Firestorm, Green Lantern, Justice League, Justice League Dark, New 52, new DCU, picks, Resurrection Man, Static Shock, Superboy, Superman, Swamp Thing | 1 Comment »
What’s the last book you were really EXCITED to read?
And, were you excited about it in advance? Or did the excitement bloom while you were reading it?
Are there any books you’re excited about right NOW?
Probably The Perks of Being a Wallflower. At least, I was excited enough to finally purchase the thing, 9 years after having first read it. I’m pretty sure this was my third time through. (Oops…I seem to have left that out of a prior post…)
I had never heard of the book until a friend handed me a copy to borrow back in 2001. This time through, it was in advance as I knew I wanted to RE-read it.
Offhand, can’t say there are any books I’m particularly excited for right NOW. It’s been over 3 months since I purchased The Lost Hero, and while it’s a good book, it hasn’t engaged me as much as I’d hoped–I even took it on VACATION with me, and only read about 60/70 pages–I’m still only about 3/4 through, if that far. I’ve been easily and highly distracted with other stuff, though…and my sister suggested recently that one can’t read much AND have an active Netflix Streaming subscription–which WOULD tend to hold a lot of merit looking at my Netflixing this year.
I’m looking forward to whatever Grisham‘s next “main” novel is, and Brad Meltzer‘s. Probably even Stephen King‘s, though I have yet to get all that far into Under the Dome; I enjoyed Full Dark, No Stars as an audiobook.
Comics-wise, I’m looking forward to getting back into the Ultraverse comics. I’m currently gathering up what issues I own, and intend to track down those I don’t in order to attempt a personal reading project of starting with the June 1993-released issues and read the entire line in publication-order to simulate what the original experience would have been, following the entire line. (This journey is being chronicled in my Ultraverse Revisited blog). I’m also looking forward to the new TMNT comics from IDW, and DC Comics‘ RetroActive: 1990s – Superman issue.
Filed under: Booking Through Thursday, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: booking through thursday, DC Comics, IDW, Lost Hero, perks of being a wallflower, reading, Superman, TMNT | Leave a comment »
Back in 1992, a friend shared with me a new Superman #1 issue. It had some new villain, was a #1, AND he’d gotten it at a store that SPECIFICALLY SOLD *COMICS*. Such a novel thing to a kid who’d only been able to find comics at the local Waldenbooks or a spinner rack at the grocery store.
But that Superman comic was Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #1, part of the Eclipso: The Darkness Within crossover through that year’s DC titles’ annuals. Not long after, I tracked down the other Superman annuals, as well as Eclipso: The Darkness Within #2; among my earliest “back issue hunting” was Eclipso: The Darkness Within #1. This was also when I was introduced to the Direct Market, the world of comic stores.
Even though I read a handful of the Eclipso annuals, and wound up with a few others from bargain bins here and there through the years…it wasn’t until a package arrived today that I finally have the complete event.
19 years after they came out, I’ll finally be able to read the whole story.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: 1992, Annuals, DC 1992 Annuals, DC Comics, Eclipso, Eclipso the Darkness Within, the darkness within | 1 Comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 3.5/5
Art: 3.5/5
Overall: 4/5
Filed under: cxPulp.com, DC, DC Universe, Superman | Tagged: A Tale of Krypto the SUperdog, Brad Anderson, Carlos Pacheco, Clark, Comic Reviews, Comicraft, Connor, cxPulp.com, Dave Stewart, DC, DC Comics, Infinite Crisis, Jesus Merino, Jonathan Sibal, Krypto, Kurt Busiek, Lost Boy, Matt Idelson, Nachie Castro, Rick Leonardi, Superboy, Superdog, Superman | Leave a comment »
With the relaunch of DC’s superhero line in September, things start off with 52 #1 issues. Justice League August 31st, and the other 51 in September. The titles for this initial launch have been reported as follows:
Filed under: Checklists, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: Action Comics, Agent Of Shade, All-Star Western, Animal Man, Aquaman, Batgirl, Batman, Batman & Robin, Batman the Dark Knight, Batwing, Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Blackhawks, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Catwoman, DC, DC Comics, dc reboot, dc relaunch, Dc Universe Presents, Deathstroke, Demon Knights, Detective Comics, Frankenstein, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: The New Guardians, Grifter, Hawk & Dove, I Vampire, Justice League, Justice League Dark, Justice League International, Legion Lost, Legion of Super-Heroes, Mister Terrific, Nightwing, Omac, Red Hood And The Outlaws, Red Lanterns, Resurrection Man, Sgt. Rock And The Men Of War, Static Shock, Stormwatch, Suicide Squad, Superboy, Supergirl, Superman, Swamp Thing, Teen Titans, The Flash, The Fury Of Firestorm, The Savage Hawkman, Voodoo, Wonder Woman | Leave a comment »
As I knew would happen, listening to one single podcast (a Comic Geek Speak special), I found my views on the DC announcement this week if not 100% changed, at least far more “open” with some positive thrown in. Plus, the whole thing is such a HUGE announcement with so many unknowns and waves of implications that it takes more than a few minutes to begin really processing.
Some more thoughts, questions, ideas, and musings:
Since there’s going to be day-and-date digital release…many people will acquire “issues” electronically without ever setting foot in a comic shop. BUT…what if each digital issue came with some sort of way to get ahold of a local comic shop for a print edition, or “for more information” about related material?
What if buying digital-only means any given issue is only 99 cents? BUT–if you buy the print edition, you get some kind of card or code good for a “free” copy of that issue in digital format? That way–the casual reader never going to a comic shop gets a cheap digital comic…the new generation of comic reader. But for the old generation of fans, who prefer to buy the print edition, there’s that chance to access an electronic edition, which might spur one to try buying issues that way.
The social networking thing would definitely need to be addressed. Have something where at time of purchase/download, one can send a post to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and so on. “I just got BATMAN #1, written by _______ and art by _______!” (and associate a cover image, and perhaps the equivalent of solicitation text for the issue). Perhaps even allow a user to go back in and “rate” the issue and write a short review…which could then be posted the same way. Let the things go “viral” or some such.
I wonder what the relaunch and pursuing of the digital crowd might mean for the collectability of the comics. If “anyone” can simply acquire a “copy” of the issue digitally–does that largely remove the collectability even of a first issue (at least among “the masses”)? (Surely a certain amount of people will still see value and collectability in the print editions).
I am a collector in the sense of getting the long runs, and having full stories as single issues if I haven’t simply waited for the collected edition. I’d prefer to see the things enjoyed rather than hoarded for supposed value. (I thoroughly enjoy buying 25 or 50-cent copies of various issues that were THE big sellers and “hot items” in the ’90s, now relegated to bargain bins and otherwise forgotten.)
I don’t like the idea of the renumbering, but…they’re gonna do what they’re gonna do, and I’ve made my views on renumbering and variants quite well known…and will SURELY post to address my thoughts on that front as the general announcements are made in the coming months.
That said…I hope that WITH this relaunch, they take it all the way. Yeah, events and stories (Blackest Night, for example) happened, or can be referenced such that the reader who is new doesn’t need to read the other story/event…but where it might add depth to things for the older reader that did.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: DC, DC Comics, dc reboot, dc relaunch, reboot, relaunch | Leave a comment »
Comic Reviews by Walt 