Tim’s reviews:
Batman & Robin #10
Man, I’m loving Grant Morrison’s mad take on the Dark Knight. This issue is the first real payoff on Morrison’s plan to lose Bruce Wayne in time. As NightBats and Damian travel through Wayne Mansion, there are clues hidden all over the place pointing to Bruce’s exile in history. I love the way Morrison transforms Wayne Mansion into a foreign environment for the heroes to explore. Keep in mind that they’ve lived here for years, but now all of the sudden there are all these new clues and mysteries needing to be explored. It’s very exciting, and by linking the work back to El Sombrero’s traps during the Black Glove storyline. There are more callbacks to that storyline in Damian’s opening scene at Wayne Enterprises too. Damian’s sudden involvement with the Bat-family has an interesting development too, he’s actually not sure how he feels about Bruce Wayne coming back. Damian fears that this means he won’t be Robin anymore, a realistic and identifiable fear, I think it adds a lot to his character. This issue really makes it clear how the last few years have been part of Morrison’s master plan for the character. Once again, I’m amazed at the concepts Morrison just drops out there that could each support its own storyline.
I will admit that I’m hoping that the reason the weird new detective character, Oberon Sexton, feels familiar to Dick Grayson isn’t that it’s Bruce Wayne. He’s a neat new character and I love the idea of him taking Damian under his wing for a bit, but I hope that it isn’t that obvious an out.
Andy Clarke was destined for great things from his first book. He was clearly too big for R.E.B.E.L.S., and he fits right in on these big event books. His Batman is awesome and his Batmobile looks spot-on too. I’d love an ongoing rotation of Frank Quitely, Cameron Stewart, and Andy Clarke.
Grade: A
R.E.B.E.L.S. #14
Tony Bedard delivers a nice little payoff to the epic Starro storyline that has been running in this title since issue 1. I get the feeling the resolution was a bit rushed, though, since a lot of the items that Vril Dox spent time assembling into his Starro-killing gun don’t actually work. Fortunately, the Omega Men were on the case too. They actually discover a neurotoxin that takes out the starro-fish instantly. Dox gets the win, but it is a close call. I really liked the near-miss nature of the ending, with only three beings left in the sector with free will.
Bedard has populated the cosmic DCU with a great slew of new characters. Despero is reinspired and I love the Psions taking an important role again. The Dominator admiral will be a problem and of course, Vril Dox now wants his reward for saving the universe. I’m curious how the book will continue now, since the narration in this issue is split by Dox and Adam Strange. That could make for an interesting contrast.
Claude St. Aubin’s pencils are terrific. He and Andy Clarke established a wonderful look for this book. I can only hope it doesn’t get canceled.
Grade: B+
Mike Buzzell’s reviews:
S.W.O.R.D. # 5
The S.W.O.R.D. is sheathed this issue. Agent Brand, the Beast and Lockheed confront the aggressive aliens who have taken over the Peak, S.W.O.R.D.’s orbiting base of operations. Special guests, Beta Ray Bill, special-friend Warlock, and Runaway Karolina Dean (“Ch-Ch-Ch-Cherry Bomb”…not those Runaways) join the fracas. The Unit unveils his true allegiances and everything gets wrapped up rather neatly. With luck, Kieron Gillen’s five issue masterpiece will get the trade treatment. Goodbye S.W.O.R.D.; we hardly knew ye.
Grade: A –
The Twelve – Spearhead One-Shot
Artist-cum-writer Chris Weston, Michael J. Straczynski’s former partner in crime, sheds some background on the Twelve, a goofy group of WWII superheroes suspended in animation in a bunker beneath Germany. Weston’s pencils beautifully render a tale about the heroes before they were freeze dried for freshness. Lots of Marvel’s WWII celebrities show up for an epic battle against the Red Skull; Nick Fury, Captain America, The Torch, Miss America and the Whizzer (Lamest Superhero Name Ever). There’s a great visual gag with Miss America and her speedy paramour. Though well executed and interesting, this book only reminds us that these characters are in limbo until JMS comes back to Marvel or someone, like Weston, picks up the reins and finishes the modern story.
Grade: B
Powers # 3
A lot of $#!+ is going down in the latest issue of Powers. Detectives Christian Walker and new partner Enki Sunrise are pursued by a super-powered crazy woman who killed a famous WWII superhero, Z (another reference to World War Two…yeesh). Walker has a 1940’s flashback. Also, there’s lots and lots of cursing. Bendis thinks he is the David Mamet of the superhero set, but he’s more Neil LaBute. Both playwrights use swearing for shock value, Mamet actually has deep psychological subtext, whereas LaBute to swear and treat women badly. Bendis has an hysterical super-woman on a killing spree; her main target is her own bitchy daughter who is about to blab everything. See. LaBute. I am beginning to think Bendis hates women; he always roughs them up (Spider-Woman, Jessica Jones) or takes them out of the toy box (the Scarlet Witch, the Wasp, and Powers local Deena Pilgrim).
Grade: C +
Sean’s review:
Why did no one ever tell me about Atomic Robo? I’m going to say it’s a failing on the part of all my friends who knew about this comics, but for some reason didn’t recognize that this is exactly the kind of book that I LOVE to read. Shame on you. You’re off my Christmas card list. Props to my STAPLE tablemate Jenner Carnelian for letting me read his copy of the first issue, which led to my buying the whole series.
The concept behind Atomic Robo is one so simple that I’ve decided to make it my mission for the next year to pare back my own writing to this level of clear but wonderful wordsmithing. Nikola Tesla, mad inventor and genius, created an atomic-powered robot to safeguard the world from threats no one else could hope to defeat. It’s makes perfect sense for Brian Clevinger to write about Tesla and his inventions, being a genius himself. Robo’s speech is anachronistic at times – having 21st century levels of snark – but it doesn’t kill the mood of the story because it makes the character that much easier to relate to. Of all four volumes out, the third is hands down my favorite because H. P. Lovecraft and his mad gods play a huge role in it, and because the Star Trek levels of sciencespeak give Grant Morrison’s 9th dimensional devisings a run for their money. The fun of the book is in the throw-away lines like “…Edison would never let the likes of you or I near his necrophone.” The uchronology in the book reminds me of Helen Killer. It’s fantastic stuff.
Save yourself some time and postage, and buy all the issues at once. No sense in putting yourself through the torture of waiting for the next installment to arrive.
