Kevin's Superlative Saturday Reviews

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52 Week Twenty-One
DC Comics
Writers: Waid, Morrison, Rucka, Johns
Artists: Giffen and Bennett

Lots to cover in this segment of 52. For starters, it appears Ralph is not as insane as one would think, unless he’s imagining his entire reality, which seems unlikely given how compacted this series must be. It would be a huge waste of space and pages to have one of the leads so utterly deranged that he’s begun inventing his own reality. That’d be an easy way for this series to go to hell (snicker). Elsewhere in the DCU, Team Lex AKA the new Infinity Inc. has a memorable outing, quite possibly for all the wrong reasons. If readers didn’t loathe/respect the post-President Lex, they will now. And there was that odd closing interlude involving at least part of the Red Tornado. Quite honestly, I’d rather have had another nifty character profile, as RT really hasn’t done anything of note in this series save get wrecked. But it’ll probably go somewhere soon enough, right? Everything else in this book moves along well enough.

Score: B

Blue Beetle #7
DC Comics
Writer: Johns Rogers
Artist: Cully Hamner

This book finally begins fitting in the missing pieces that readers have wondered about since the end of Infinite Crisis. The revelations include some great Batman/Beetle interactions (a nice nod to Hitman), the actual fight on the Brother Eye satellite, and a bit of JLA humor. More importantly, Jaime’s family finally believes and sympathizes with their suddenly super heroic son. Those connections are part of what makes Jaime unique as a protagonist, and watching them develop past the initial shock and trauma was excellent. This series really has a lot to offer, and this is the sort of well-rounded entertaining issue that proves it.

Score: A

Batman #657
DC Comics
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Andy Kubert

This arc has made two decisions for this reviewer. First, I hate the new Robin outfit. If Andy Kubert can’t make it look good, it’s just no good. Second, rococo plots are okay if they’re enough fun that you overlook the occasional gaps in logic they require. This plot is bizarre, and quite a few of the details are sketchy (Robin being beaten by a nut half his age and size for starters) but it’s such a romp it’s hard to care. Logically, Robin and Alfred will both be okay, but their peril this issue was dramatic enough to cause genuine alarm. This is good if goofily adrenalized writing backed by some of the best art in the business. Tough to quibble over details in that case.

Score: B

JSA Classified #17
DC Comics
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artist: Scott McDaniel

This is jus the sort of thing this series should do: highlight JSA team members in an entertaining and original context. Pitting Rick Tyler against Bane is crazy like a fox is crazy. Pushing the chemistry angle makes it even better. Having Scott McDaniel (formerly of Nightwing, Batman) illustrate the thing elevates it to near genius. All experienced readers expect Bane to double-cross our hero, but their interplay with the gloves on has been fun and in character for both. It’ll be great to watch everything go wrong in the finale next issue. Why can’t all the Classifieds be like this?

Score: A

Secret Six #4
DC Comics
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Brad Walker

Our favorite misfit band of villains has another exciting outing this issue. There’s sex, violence, vegan cannibalism (not a contradiction here either), and Lawrence Welk. If that’s not a manic and eccentric ride, I don’t know what is! The Six seem to be slipping their assassins’ nooses with casual alacrity, which hurts the momentum of the overall plot, but this book has such verve in the team interplay that it almost is unnoticeable. Nothing except the recently improved Thunderbolts over at Marvel can touch this book for intrigue, backstabbing, and well-written psychos. And the art is improving as this series progresses. There’s nothing to complain about here.

Score: A