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| This is from 2099 Alpha. It's dope. |
Spoiler Warning for: Action Comics #1018, Young Justice #12, The Flash #85
Action Comics #1018
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Colors: Brad Anderson
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Cover: Romita Jr., Janson, and Anderson
This comic has no idea what it wants to be. This issue is split into three parts told in nonchronological order for seemingly no reason. It also works as a tie in to Year of the Villain and Bendis' own “Truth” story in Superman. Also we get the origin of Red Cloud. This comes after the prior two issues functioned as a bridge between Naomi’s titular miniseries and her appearance in Young Justice (More on that in a moment).
Robinson Goode was a character with a ton of potential when she was introduced in Man of Steel. She seemed shady but not evil. The first eight or so issues of Action featured her as Red Cloud, the primary threat. Since then, she has been hanging out in the background not doing much except occasionally losing control of her powers. That changed when Lex Luthor offered Robinson a power-up that would allow her to control her powers as well as be more powerful. This issue features the origin of her powers: STAR Labs was doing something sketchy and Robinson found out. When she confronted some researchers, they threw her into they're experiment and out popped Red Cloud. That's interesting, ties into the ongoing STAR Labs plot, and makes me wonder what's actually happening in Robinson’s mind.
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| This is... Not what you want |
This issue also features the Legion of Doom fighting the Justice League. Couldn't tell you why or how but it's happening. But the Legion is winning and hope appears to be lost. Also, they're working with Leviathan. Again, I couldn't begin to explain why, but it is a thing that happens in this comic.
The final section is a flashback to two days prior. Clark runs into Fire Chief Moore and they take a walk and catch up. Moore is another character from Man of Steel that hasn’t lived up to her potential. The difference between her and Robinson is that Moore has had very little screen, although that may be changing. You see, this talk has Moore reveal to Clark that she is going to be running for Mayor. When Moore wonders if Superman will endorse her, Clark reveals that he is Superman. They share a truly sweet moment where Moore tells Clark that he is her inspiration. It's fantastic and Clark's humility really shined through in this scene.
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| Robinson is funny though |
If this was a better, more focused issue I would have started with the art. Romita’s story telling is clear and has some fun and exciting “camera work.” It's too bad everything is so ugly. The line work is both very loose and very tight I'm the same scenes. Clark has the most insane cheek bones I've scene in my life. The colors are flat and do nothing to accentuate the rest of the art. It's just not a good looking book and combining that with a middling story makes for a week issue.
Verdict: Pass
Young Justice #12
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: John Timms
Colors: Gabe Eltaeb
Letters: Wes Abbott
Cover: Timms and Eltaeb
Brian Michael Bendis is not firing on all cylinders right now. Young Justice has been a comic adrift since it left Gemworld. The story hasn't progressed. The characters haven't moved forward (with a few small exceptions). And yet, the team just keeps growing.
We get four (4!) new team members in this issue. The kids from Dial H and the Wonder Twins. On it’s surface that’s not a problem. They’re fun characters and Young Justice seems to be leaning in “Justice League but for Wonder Comics” way. The problem there is that most of the cat doesn't have their own series. If the seven characters this series originally starred can't get any develop meant, I have little hope they will now that there are so many new faces around. Also, STAR Labs is hanging around, being shifty. But our now giant sized team going to get to the bottom of it. I guess.
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| Where's Naomi? |
At least John Timms and the gang are here. This is consistently one of the best looking comics I read every month. I always know what’s happening and everything looks exquisite. My only problem is that everyone has the same body type. Well, Bart is short but everyone else looks the same. That can be overlooked, though, because the art is carrying this comic.
Verdict: Borrow (For the art)
The Flash #85
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Christian Duce
Colors: Luis Guerrero
Letters: Steve Wands
Cover: Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, and Tomeu Morey
The current storyline has been quite hit and miss. With an interesting premise and compelling lead in, I was in. Then the story arrived and nothing was explained. There weren't any real characters beats outside of King Cold monologuing to himself. But that all changes today!
This issue starts with Team Flash being trained by the Rogues. There are some fun interactions, especially between Heatwave and Wallace. But the highlight of this is between Barry and Golden Glider. Barry is trying to figure out how to control his new powers without any help. It’s almost working. That’s when Glider finds him. Barry reveals that he doesn’t know how to ice skate after Glider tells him she can’t return to her dreams of skating professionally because of the life she’s had. What she can do is teach Barry to skate.
This is clearly the true purpose of this arc. To explore the idea the Rogues and Flash Family could be friends if their lives had taken different paths. This idea was touched upon in the prior issue but the scene between Glider and Barry is the pinnacle. Glider reveals the secret to ice skating is to stop thinking so much (I can’t do it so I can’t confirm if this true) and Barry realizes that’s going to be the secret to controlling the supercharged Speed Force. It’s too bad Barry can’t read the room and makes a bad joke about having to arrest Glider once they fix Central City.
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| Lex have Cold a power boost |
Mirror Master lures the gang into a trap and takes them to Cold. It’s here Glider explains that she had a plan to take over the city with minimal conflict. But Cold took it too far because he has daddy issues that made him want to prove that he is more than nothing like his father told him he would be. So the King is a tyrant that has to stop this insurrection. He freezes everyone except Barry (Presumably because he’s the only with control of their speed powers).
Prior to this story arc, I don’t think I had ever seen Christian Duce's work. It’s phenomenal. The story telling is fluid and clear. Characters are always on model. Facial expressions are top notch. Shouts to Luis Guerrero for keeping the look of this comic mostly consistent despite every arc having a different penciller.
Verdict: Buy
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