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[Darryl The Hitman]

Blackest Night: The Flash #1 Review
Barry Allen takes on the Black Lanterns in the latest Blackest Night tie-in.
by Iann Robinson
Dec 04, 2009

Blackest Night: The Flash #1 is a great example of how interpretation has a lot to do with the effectiveness of a comic book. The elements of this book vault back and forth between what works and what doesn’t to a point that what the reader brings to the table will decide if they like it or not. It took me a couple of reads before I came down on the side of enjoying Blackest Night: The Flash, and it was only barely that I did.

Blackest Night: The Flash #1

As with the other Blackest Night titles, The Flash opens as all hell breaks loose on Earth with the Black Lanterns. Barry Allen is trying to hold these undead zombies at bay while Hal Jordan and his team is off trying to attack them at the source (this is pre-Blackest Night #5). In the course of Barry’s attempts he goes up against the undead Black Flash as well as learning a terrible truth about his old buddy Solovar from Gorilla City. Outside of Barry’s trials and tribulations, The Rogues Gallery is also facing the return of long dead original members hell-bent on destroying them.

The first problem I had with Blackest Night: The Flash comes from a long-standing issue I have with how Geoff Johns is writing Barry Allen. It may seem to Johns he’s designing Barry to be a troubled hero suffering from some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder but Johns’ Barry Allen is mostly just whiney. I don’t remember Barry Allen bitching as much as he has since his return from the Speed Force. Most of this issue is Barry’s inner monologue that has an overdeveloped sense of “whoa is me”. I get it Barry, you’re bummed, now shut up and deal out some justice please.

At that same time though I found myself really enjoying how Johns used Barry’s stand-offish nature to battle the Black Lanterns. Barry takes his innate ability to control his emotions and turns it on the undead Eobard Thawne (the original Black Flash). I was also impressed with how Barry’s emotions betray him when forced to face the truth about Solovar. Johns writing goes back and forth in such a bizarre manner it felt like he’d written this book in several installments over a period of months.

Part of what makes this Flash title annoying is the timing. Clearly you’re supposed to have finished The Flash: Rebirth before reading this, except that Rebirth is still an issue away from completion. Add that to how the Rouge Gallery stuff seems tacked on and once again you’re in the court of disliking Blackest Night: The Flash #1. Hold it though, because while it is tacked on, the Rogue stuff is still so cool that you’re intrigued to see where it will lead. Once again the issue is back and forth leaving the reader to decide for him or her self if they like it.

Art-wise Blackest Night: The Flash is good but not great. Drawing a great Flash comic means everything is streamlined, with lots of movement and pacing. Artist Scott Kolins can draw but his art is extremely clunky which keeps it from gathering any real motion. Just when the panels come to life, a clunky drawing will bring it to an absolute halt. I also wasn’t a fan of how the undead Black Flash had a real Grinch vibe to him. It removed any menace the character might have had replacing it with a chuckle.

While overall I enjoyed Blackest Night: The Flash #1, I would have to admit it’s the least gripping of all the tie-ins. The writing is spotty but effective when it works, as is the art. Nothing in this issue pops off the page the way it did with Blackest Night: Superman or Batman. It’s not quite as boring as Blackest Night: Titans but it isn’t Geoff Johns’ best work on any level. I’m also finding myself less interested in the fate of Barry Allen; something I never thought would happen.

[Darryl The Hitman]

The wheels of the DCU keep on turning as after their exciting announcement of Earth One original graphic novels yesterday, they have another big announcement for fans today: War of the Supermen.

Spinning out of all the Super-madness that we've been seeing in the Super-books for well over a year now, New Krypton and Earth are at odds with one another, and Superman is caught in the middle, Earth being his adopted home world and New Krypton being his heritage. DC has been teasing 2010 as having a huge magnifying glass over the Man of Steel, and War of the Supermen has made those teases come to fruition.

War of the Supermen #0

DC was noticeably shifty in their wording of the announcement, not saying who is writing and drawing the series, but only saying that the team of Blackest Night: Superman, writer James Robinson and artist Eddy Barrows (along with a cover by JG Jones), will be tackling the debut issue #0. With Robinson having such a huge role in the Superman world for the last year and a half, I think it's quite safe to say he'll be tackling this event as well.

Much like they did with Blackest Night, War of the Supermen will kick off on Free Comic Book Day (May 1) with issue #0.

"War of the Supermen is the culmination of literally years of stories in the Super-books, all building to a destructive conflict which can have no victors. This Free Comic Book Day #0 issue is going to show the readers that no cows are sacred, and that they don’t want to miss this event." said Superman Group Editor Matt Idelson.

When asked about tie-in series by Techland, Idelson said "Right now, we're taking the concentrated approach, limiting the war to the main mini-series and logical titles (i.e. Superman, Supergirl, etc.), but much like Blackest Night, it's very possible the story will expand to touch upon other titles." Idelson also teases that we'll "definitely be seeing a lot more characters with an 'S' on their chests, but not the characters you might be thinking of."

I think it can be safely assumed that DC will be taking the streamlined approach to this event, just like they have with Sinestro Corps War, Final Crisis, and most currently, Blackest Night.

[Darryl The Hitman]

After the last round of Blackest Night tie-ins, I can honestly say I was excited for the next wave, which includes The Flash (read our review of Blackest Night: The Flash #1), JSA, and Wonder Woman. After our own Iann Robinson found The Flash to be mediocre at best, I had a slight hesitation in reading Blackest Night: Wonder Woman, but am happy to say that aside from the initial disappointment of the first issue taking place pre-Blackest Night #5 (I'm seething for some Black Lantern-ized Diana action), Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott deliver an entertaining, if not intellectually challenging, first issue.

Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1

I know many of you were ecstatic for Greg Rucka's return to writing Wonder Woman, albeit in a three issue mini-series, and he delivers, though there is not much time for anything resembling character development. As soon as this issue opens, we are off and running as Rucka pits Diana against the Black Lantern rendition of Max Lord, murderer and victim of Diana's own badassery, who is currently attempting to raise the dead in Washington, DC. This issue is an action scene from start to finish, accompanied by intermittent narration from Wonder Woman that provides mostly obligatory exposition background info. Dialog is sparse as well, with most of it consisting of the undead Max Lord's taunting of Diana and her Amazonian retort.

However, just because this installment is chock full of action doesn't make it any less appealing in terms of character appeal. Rucka adds some gravity by reminding us of Wonder Woman's notorious history with Maxwell Lord as well as her own brush with death. In addition, his unexpected inclusion of a certain "unknown" someone as a Black Lantern makes the otherwise standard "punch/kick/discuss" a little less form-fitting.

Since such a huge chunk of the issue is action-heavy, Secret Six artist Nicola Scott comes from and center with plenty over oversized panels and double page spreads. In comparison to her stellar work on Secret Six, Scott's work appears a bit disappointing here with inconsistencies abounding from page to page. Notice I said appears, as upon closer inspection of the credits page, you'll notice that this book has not one, not two, but four different inkers, which surely surmount to the jarring differences that sometimes occur from page to page. I'm not sure what happened there, but the effect is noticeable. In general though, Scott's pencils are as satisfying as ever, gloriously pacing the action and aggression of the characters, and she makes sure that every panel of movement feels kinetic.

Of course, we can't go without mentioning Greg Horn's photorealistic cover piece. Known for his pornstar-inspired female characters with tons of boobage, Horn instead uses his great talents to construct a terrifying rendition of the Black Lantern Maxwell Lord and a Wonder Woman in peril. Even more so than an Alex Ross painting, you'll catch yourself double checking this cover time and again to prove to yourself that it's only an illustration.

Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1 is an aggressive start to the tie-in mini-series, though it could have easily excelled beyond above average had the artistic inconsistencies been nipped at the bud. Hopefully issue #2 will remedy this issue.

[Darryl The Hitman]

Try and think for a moment the last time there were more JSA books on the shelves than JLA. If you can think of a time, you are either much older than me or that much more astute, because I don't think it's ever happened. With the launch of JSA All-Stars, written by Matt Sturges with art by Freddie Williams II, the Justice Society stand one book up on their Justice League counterparts. But of course, the real question: is it worth it?

From a logistical standpoint, absolutely. The main JSA book, at the time of All-Stars' release has a cast upwards of twenty characters, so a spin-off book feels quite natural. The cast is eclectic, featuring the likes of Power Girl, Magog, Stargirl, Citizen Steel, and a few other of the younger members of the main JSA team, which will hopefully give these newer characters a time in the spotlight and a chance to evolve on their own without sharing a team book with twenty other people. Sturges hints at these developments throughout issue #1, though no characters really get their footing and take off. If I had to choose a "central" focus for both this issue and seemingly the coming storyline, it would be Stargirl. She not only gets the most significant character moments in this issue, but her role on this team comes to light through the events that occur.

JSA All-Stars #1

Though I like the idea of an upstart splinter team of one of the DCU's longstanding organizations (Justice League International, anyone?), Sturges spends way too much time with the expected cliches of naming the team and establishing the "workplace" relationships of its members. It's clear from the get-go where things are heading: Magog and Power Girl butting heads over the leadership role, Damage and King Chimera as two alpha-male macho douches that ultimately learn to trust and respect one another, and of course, the obligatory outcast that winds up being the key to everything, Stargirl. It's not that the presentation wasn't efficient, it's just that a regular reader will be able to pick up on these beats almost immediately, leaving Sturges negating the very point of giving these characters their own book. Of course, Sturges is obviously a talented writer, or he wouldn't have the volume of work he does; I'm willing to bet that cliche personality clashes or not, the future of JSA All-Stars will be a bright one.

As expected, Freddie Williams II delivers a very solid comic book, with standard layouts that reek of 90's flair, but very decisive action and facial expression that make the narrative easy to read and a joy to observe. And as always with a Power Girl appearance, Williams has no shortage of gratutous T&A, like it or not. One character that really surprised me in Wlliams' pages was Magog, whom I haven't muched cared for since his debut in the JSA, but I found his appearance in All-Stars to be entertaining, particularly in the visual sense. Perhaps it's just that Williams' work is so littered with the 90's style that Magog's potential is truly utilized, or perhaps I'm just turning over a new leaf on the character.

I can't say I agree with this issue being over-sized and billed at $3.99, but it is a promising, if mildly flawed, start towards an expansion of the most long-standing superhero team in the DC Universe.

[Darryl The Hitman]

Newswire DC to revamp Batman and Superman for new graphic novel series
by Noel Murray December 8, 2009

In what looks to be an attempt to court the increasingly lucrative bookstore market, DC Comics has announced a new series of original graphic novels, beginning in 2010, featuring the company's two biggest characters, Batman and Superman. Batman: Earth One will be written by the ubiquitous Geoff Johns, with art by Gary Frank, while Superman: Earth One will be written by J. Michael Straczynski, with art by Shane Davis. Both series will take place in an entirely new continuity, and will tell the heroes' stories from the beginning, in ongoing adventures.

So how will this series be different from the countless other reboots, revamps, retcons and retellings? Well, the format is new; perhaps that'll free up Johns and Straczynski to think more in terms of straightforward, long-form storytelling, without the complications of crossovers and convoluted backstories. But can a lifelong superhero devotee make a humble request? Get the origins and set-up out of the way quick and get the hell on with telling new stories. The last thing the genre needs are more drawn-out revisitations of old mythology. ("Oh look, Krypto's back. Again. And here's how Clark Kent met Lex Luthor. Again.") Enough with the nods and winks to the fans. Here's hoping that if this series is really aimed at new readers, it'll actually be new.