Hello again GEN readers! It’s Jill a.k.a. The Nerdy Bird back with this week’s installment of DoubleDCoverage. Krypto causes trouble for Conner and Gotham’s got some weird villains. Oh wait, we already knew that last one. Reviews for Adventure Comics #3 and Detective Comics Annual #11 are ahead. Also, check out my star ratings for my other pulls from last Wednesday!
ADVENTURE COMICS #3
Since coming back from the dead, Conner Kent has been doing some soul searching. He’s part Superman, part Lex Luthor but is worried about the villain’s characteristics he might be displaying. So what’s the best way to clear your head and get back to who you really are? A heart to heart with your best friend.
Conner is attempting a normal day at school when Krypto shows up with the best of intentions. He’s rounded up Superboy’s rogues gallery like a dog bringing the fox in from the hunt. Makes me think Krypto is the most powerful hero on Earth. They should let him take care of everyone. Of course this isn’t the most inconspicuous of activities and Conner must run off to cover up. He decides Krypto might be able to sniff out Luthor but when he can’t, asks him to find Tim instead. They find him in Paris on his own detective case – finding out what really happened to Bruce Wayne.
Currently, Tim is tracking an old Mother Box of Mr. Miracle’s. Since Bruce was “killed” by a New God, he believes getting to New Genesis could give him some answers. And just like that Adventure Comics succeeds where Red Robin has been failing. Even though it’s not a lot, it gives us some tangible leads for Tim to be following. This issue also succeeds by allowing Tim to explain his motivations and thought processes. It’s easier here since he has Conner to talk to but still, this is what I’ve wanted from Red Robin. This also gives Conner a chance to get some things off his chest. He tells Tim about his motives for finding Luthor and even gets a chance to say he’s ok with what happened between Tim and Cassie.
In the second feature, Legionnaires Sun Boy and Brek are tracking a Legion of Super-Villains reject named Cryo-King. They take him down but find a map of 21st century Earth on him which then leads him to reveal the Legionaires aren’t the only one’s with team members in the past. Everything is still working here and building slowly but I’ll tell ya, I’m really not looking forward to Geoff Johns stepping away from this title. “Vive la Revoltion!”
DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #11
We pick up here where the Batman Annual #27 left off. Damian has been kidnapped by an evil cult whose goal is to resurrect the 8th deadly sin. Also, that other story, about the vampire, is still pretty terrible. Lil’ Gotham however, rules my life.
Batman has called in the Question to help him figure out the few clues they have to go on to find the cultists. Damian, posing as the son of a wealthy Gothamite, is getting tired of playing the part and escapes his shackles. He’s got more than Amon to hold him there but the other cultists are equally ridiculous. One of them called Daystar is, and I quote, “Bedrock. But Ephemera. I am foundation, yet sky. Evil as good. And the tendrils of my robe…are lined with drug-laced razors.” Excuse me, what?! Moving on. Gotham Police and Azrael head to the family’s home where the deception has already been found out, the mother killed and their son kidnapped for real. Azrael takes Batman and Robin’s actions towards the cultists to work on his own agenda – destroying the 8th sinner’s body. Where he was coming from exactly isn’t clear but I’m sure those threads will eventually show up in his new ongoing.
“Darker Than Black” part two welcomes the vampire Looker into the story. Looker doesn’t know Barbara Gordon is Oracle so when she arrives at the most recent crime scene Barbara acts appropriately shocked. Afterwards, as Oracle, she guides Looker towards the Stygian. He manages to strike again before they can find him but Looker has a vision of him going for his first kill. She intercepts him before he’s able to murder the target but escapes nonetheless. No real conclusion to this one either unfortunately and who knows if it will ever be picked up again. The art remains mediocre.
I was relatively interested in the first half of both of these stories when they began in the Batman Annual but I feel like, for the most part, they both fell apart. Fabian Nicieza’s story was intriguing but fell flat with a gaggle of villains who weren’t explained well or explored. For holding the majority of the pages in the two books I expected more. Mandy McMurray’s story was disturbing yet bland. I actually didn’t think those two things could happen at once. Disturbing because there was a lot of blood licking and bland because it didn’t feel important at all. The drama was missing and the ending left me confused. Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen’s Lil’ Gotham Tale was the only thing that saved these two issues for me. Playful and humorous, it was the light touch these books needed.
ACTION COMICS #882 – Reactron takes it up a notch by murdering the leader of Squad K. Finally the Captain Atom’s second feature starts to make some sense.
BATGIRL #3 – Stephanie faces some inner demons and comes out on top, with a new costume to boot.
BATMAN #691 – I’m very disappointed the Two-Face Bat suit wasn’t real but the secret hidden inside Robin’s memorial has me excited.
BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #3 (OF 3) – And you thought community theater was bad, try Black Lantern theater. A very Batman way to deal with the BL’s but I could have done without this mini.
BOOSTER GOLD #25 – The end of this arc was a bit too cheesy and sentimental for my tastes. Blue Beetle’s second feature is much more interesting. “Oh well. I guess Ted will have to marry Booster Gold then.”
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #41 – I am DYING for Mogo to get in on the Blackest Night action! Also, Soranik gets to live out every girls dream – punching your boyfriends ex in the face.
RED ROBIN #5 – I didn’t care for the back and forth of the story. Actually, I still don’t care for this story at all.
SECRET SIX #14 – Some good reminders this issue of why the Secret Six are part of the Secret Six.
My pull list for this week:
BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #5
BLACKEST NIGHT: SUPERMAN #3 (OF 3)
DCU HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2009
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #38
THE OUTSIDERS #23
POWER GIRL #6
SUPERGIRL #46
Which two should I review for DoubleDCoverage #31?
October 22nd, 2009 at 7:26 am
Wow.
Adventure Comics #3 is at least a 4-star book. Johns tells an intimate and engaging story in the main feature coupled with Manapul’s consistently fantastic art. The co-feature does it’s part by dropping some interesting knowledge that impacts both the future and current timelines. All around solidness.
But I totally agree regarding Secret Six #14 and Green Lantern Corps #41. Good times to be a DC fan.
As for next week, Batman: Streets of Gotham #5 and Power Girl #6 from your list, but I picked up The Brave and the Bold #28 which coupled the Blackhawks with The Flash giving some interesting imagery and story beats. Maybe give that a try…