Batman #665
I have to be honest, I’m not quite sure what Morrison is doing with this title. I get the feeling there’s more going on than what I’m getting from it, but what that might be…I just don’t know.
However, going on my purely surface perspective of the book, I like it. I think it is Morrison-lite or Morrison slumming it or however you want to put it, but it still has a sense of fun and adventure that I enjoy.
One thing Morrison does do here is give a sense of an underlying thread in his work so far. Batman apparently has a Black Casebook that is a collection of all the bizarre, paranormal stuff he has encountered. One of the entries concerns a dream (prophecy?) Bruce had once involving a gun wielding version of himself, a steroid enhanced behemoth version, and a Batman who sold his soul to the devil (see Batman #666, presumably) leaves Gotham to its destruction. It’s a neat bit of Silver Age randomness given new life, a technique that Morrison seems to excel in.
Also good, in no particular order, was Bruce wiping himself down with a business shirt to achieve Alpha Male status (it plays better than it sounds), Batman and Robin working together (brief though it might’ve been), and Batman and Jim’s issue closing conversation.
The biggest problem with the book is it feels disjointed. Yes, there is a thread connecting everything so far, but the revelation doesn’t really feel revelatory. Even within this issue, it feels like a collection of scenes just barely knit together.
Like I said, there feels like there is more here, around the edges. I’m not getting though and until I do the best I can do for this issue is a…
B-
Checkmate #14
Checkout (worst crossover name ever, by the by) Part 3 is here and it too is good. It reminds me, in a way of late 80’s early 90’s crossovers where they were enjoyable, but didn’t necessarily have to be about universe shaking events. You could have two books crossover just because you had a neat storyline to do it. I like that feeling.
Anyway, the Outsiders and the Checkmate folk break into mini teams and storm Oolong Island. Everything looks to be going great, but then, we see that things are not as easy as initially expected.
Yup, it is a pretty simple plot. But The Rucka works it and makes it look good. He lets the events take place and echo into the book, ensuring that Checkout will have ramifications and is not just a way to blow off three issues of each title. Of particular excitement is Captain Boomerang the Second letting the cat out of the bag on Amanda Waller’s covert Suicide Squad-ing. Can’t wait to see how that plays out.
B
Countdown #50
I will say that I liked this issue better than the first one. Which is, of course, damning it with faint praise, but there you go.
Week 2 of my month long “Giving Countdown a Shot†Campaign was marred by my distaste for New Earth where, apparently, everyone knows everyone else’s secret identity. Jimmy Olsen, like Duela Dent before him, knows Red Hood is Jason Todd. Additionally, however, he knows Jason was Nightwing for a bit and the “real†Nightwing is a fella named Dick Grayson. When on earth(s) did this happen?
And more to the point, does this mean Jimmy is amongst those who knows Batman is Bruce Wayne?
Wasn’t the point of Identity Crisis to show the dangers of a poorly kept secret identity? Why then has the DCU gotten more free with it, not less?
Although there is a very good chance that Jimmy is such a lousy reporter that he couldn’t put together Batman’s identity from those huge clues. After all, he is the same dope that heard Duela Dent’s costumed name is “Joker’s Daughter†and just instantly assumed that it was accurate. Odd that Superman wouldn’t give him a heads-up on that, huh?
The Joker bit was okay because I do enjoy him. Also, it gave a glimpse into my pet theory (following last issue) that somehow the crazy folk of the DCU (Joker’s Daughter, Joker) are aware of the multiple earths where everyone else is not. It’s a neat idea and Joker seems to be expressing it here, but then he backs off and taunts Jimmy instead. I’m probably putting too much faith in the Countdown folk (or in my guessing skills).
Looking beyond Jimmy, Jason Todd’s characterization remains problematic (wait, so he is a guy who kills, even though last issue he claimed he wasn’t?); Mary’s plotline is fine, but less involving than last week; Heatwave’s superior attitude just gets weirder as other Rogues pop up this time and don’t call him on it either; and what the hell is up with the very stilted depiction of the Batman-Karate Kid fight sequence from the JLA-JSA-LSH crossover that’s running right now?
So yeah, better than last week, but still not good, you know?
C-
Justice League of America #9
You know how, every now and again, you see reviews that cover a book page by page? Well, I’ve never done that before, so here I go. Be sure and have your copy of the book at the ready to follow along at home.
Page 1: That is cute Michael! Also, when did Mr. Terrific get all sort of creepy and ready to dissect fellow heroes? Batman, sure. Mr. Terrific? Not so much.
Page 2: For some reason, I like that Karate Kid is enjoying a cup of coffee. It is a nice touch.
Page 3: “Life is never randomâ€? I liked it better when he said, “I don’t believe in coincidences.†That made sense. This doesn’t though. Because, honestly, Batman exists purely based on a random act of violence.
Page 5: Always a fan of gorillas. Except for JLApe. A long delayed boooooooo for that, DC.
Page 7: Jay must be getting really old. He just barely outruns a cheetah now?
Page 8-9: This is the most excellent sport ever created.
Page 10-11: What a bizarre choice of panel layout. Why is the Javelin conversation between Red Arrow (ugh) and Power Girl broken up by the conclusion of the previous scene? Is that for dramatic effect? Because, if so, it doesn’t deliver.
Page 13: Oh good, more painfully unfunny flirting between Red Arrow and Hawkgirl.
Page 14: See above. I like Roy, no matter what he’s calling himself these days, but this whole going after Hawkgirl thing is making me hate him. Is it wrong that I really would’ve liked to see Hawkman give him a good braining courtesy of one of those ancient maces?
Page 15-16: WHA?! Power Girl and Hawkman?!!!!!!!!!!! Man, I miss everything.
Page 17: Wow, that’s three panels of a woman missing the top of her head. Good times.
Page 18: Despero’s fin is running side to side again instead of front to back. Somewhere, someone cares.
Page 20: Hey, Dawnstar’s a lesbian! Good deal. Any LSH fans pissed about this?
Page 21: Nice suit, Dream Girl. Sorry to see you didn’t have enough for that last bit of fabric though.
Page 22-23: I swear to God this would be cool if you were a Legion fan. I’m not but I know the reference. There was an old Legion story (Adventure Comics #312) that depicted members of the LSH gathered around a glass coffin containing the body of Lightning Lad. Each one has a lightning rod and one is commenting something about how this will bring back Lad but kill one of them in the process. Being as I’m not a Legion fan, I have no idea what happened that issue. But this appears to be a modern day rehash of that.
Also, the title of this issue, translated, is Suicide. Foreboding, right?
So, did I like it? Well, like each previous issue, not unequivocally. There is some good (Red Arrow’s skepticism), some bad (anything involving Red Arrow and Hawkgirl talking) and some eh (anything involving the Legion as I just don’t know them and certainly not this incarnation of them).
B-
Ex Machina #28
Apparently, all DC related books have caught alternate world fever! Or that’s my guess given what Mr. Diving Bell has to say for himself. However, in this book, I don’t so much mind it. In fact, I’m excited for it. From a story aspect certainly, but also from a storyteller aspect. So far, despite his lead having the ability to “talk†to machine and having a now deceased enemy who could “talk†to animals, BKV has kept the series rather grounded in reality (alternate though it may be). So, I’m interested to see how he pulls off this tap dance when he is writing about something so very unreal (alternate dimensions visiting ours).
Honestly, though, I have to admit that my favorite thing in this issue is Mitchell doing his best bad ass impression and drawing down on the visitor. That’s one powerful moment.
B+
