Following last week’s interview with writer Dan Jurgens on the New 52 Futures End last week, yesterday’s second Jurgens interview this time on his Aquaman work and Booster Gold solo book in September, and DC Comics’ release of all 41 of the New 52 Futures End 3D covers and solicitations for September 2014, the weekly series’ fifth issue hits stands today.
Before I go there, let’s get you caught up on the first month of Futures End:
- The New 52 Futures End #0 with the New 52 debut of Batman Beyond and death of one of DC’s trinity.
- The New 52 Futures End #1 with the death of a Justice Leaguer.
- The New 52 Futures End #2 with the debut of the masked Superman.
- The New 52 Futures End #3 with the return of a different hero thought to be dead.
- The New 52 Futures End #4 with Lois Lane confronting the long-thought dead hero in a very public way.
Spoilers follow for The New 52 Futures End #5.
You have been warned!
The free preview for this issue continues to establish the once morally pure and one of the smartest men on Earth Mister Terrific as a conniving narcissist thug. He’s released tech that has chilling implications for the human mind as its “back-up”. Wha? What is Mister Terrific up to? In light of the Grifter subplot – who can now “see” all manner of aliens and multiverse doppelgängers – is this even the real Mister Terrific?
Did you catch Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Alfred Pennyworth, a seemingly plain clothes Batman Beyond (Terry McGinnis), and the Justice League’s Cyborg in the preceding pages?
Grifter was shot and kidnapped by King Faraday last issue. He is paralyzed this issue and will be set on a mission that he can’t refuse with a super-powered child!
And, Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch finally separate from being Firestorm. They both no longer wish to be Firestorm for varying painful reasons.
The book is capped off with John Constantine, the Hellblazer himself, being summoned by a “Midge” and “Tommy” (are these new characters or Red Robin and Lois Lane from last issue in disguise) to a mysterious locale.
Ok, crop circles? Is that Brainiac symbol in the field? I did not expect to see John Constantine in these pages. Hmmm.
This issue was probably the weakest so far with no Batman Beyond – beyond what appears to be him n plain clothes stalking Mister Terrific in the last two issues – or the masked Superman. However, fear not, it sure looks like Superman is back next issue if the teaser for The New 52 Futures End #6 at the end of the issue is to be believed.
I feel like Futures End continues to advance its subplots, but I do feel that while characters Grifter, Firestorm and Mister Terrific are compelling characters (and I read all three of their failed New 52 series), this weekly series will be more successful if we see more Batman Beyond, the masked Superman or even War God Wonder Woman in its pages. They do not need to be together in each issue, but each Futures End edition should showcase an A-level hero/heroine to complement DC Comics’ refurbishing project with their lesser known characters featured in the series. Now, DC may have thought that Constantine / Hellblazer fits that marquee billing, but I don’t think he does; his New 52 incarnation is not viewed with critical acclaim as his Vertigo years. Anyhow, the new characters being introduced in this weekly series also need more time to find an audience as well.
This is still a compelling yarn, but this issue was not the strongest offering story-wise to date.
Thanks for reading. All feedback welcome.
