Countdown #44 — Writers: Paul Dii and Adam Beechen; Pencils: Carlos Magno; Inks: Jay Leisten
You know, the thing about 52 was that we knew it was telling a complete story — the story of that missing year — and so had a beginning, a middle and an end. That left room for satisfying character arcs: the Dibnys, Montoya, Isis (well, OK, that deathbed philosophical reversal was really stupid), the Steeles. With Countdown, though, we’re moving toward a beginning, so whatever happens to the characters is only a start; nothing’s going to be resolved.
Is this worth 51 comics? Well, no, but after 52 the idea was that there had to be another weekly comic. Too bad, because if this was, say, a six-issue monthly prestige-format title, without all the padding and slow build-up, it might work (it worked OK when it was Infinite Crisis, right? Well, except for the scheduling…).
Amazons Attack #3 (of 6) — Writer: Will Pfeifer; Artist: Pete Woods
I know Pfeifer and Woods are talented, but this just does nothing for me — If you read Wonder Woman and Teen Titans, you don’t need it. It’s not like anything actually happens, either — the whole Kansas-on-fire thing gets resolved in a panel of Superman with his back to us doing something unclear (for all we can tell, he’s using his super-peeing-on-a-fire power). Plus, I’m sorry, but the entire plot depends on Diana’s mom being a Skrull or something. Pass.
Silent War #6 (of 6) — Writer: David Hine; Artist: Frazer Irving
This got better as it went along, and the parts with Maximus manage a suitably-creepy Hannibal Lector feel (especially about the Things in His Head), but although this rearranges some of the relationships among the characters, it doesn’t resolve the story; it’s just the end of Book One. Also, there’s way too much of Sad Pouty Black Bolt, whom the expressionistic art makes look really stupid in a few panels.
She-Hulk #19 — Writers: Dan Slott and Ty Templeton; Penciler: Rick Burchett; Inker; Cliff Rathburn
I probably should have bought this, but it’s always seemed a little too soap-operaish. It’s often funny, though; there’s a fight here where the weapons are boxes of comics, whose labels (“F.O.O.M.,” “ARRGH!,” “WHAT THE-?!”) become the scene’s sound effects. They even scan in the actual cover to ARRGH! #1, which spills out of one of the boxes, and that deserves some sort of award.
Ultimate X-Men # 83 — Writer: Robert Kirkman; Pencils: Pascal Alixe; Inkers: Danny Miki, Allen Martinez and Victor Olazaba
I think my problem with this book is that we’re now up to the Morlocks, so it’s generated almost as many complicated characters and backstories as it was originally created to avoid. If I have to keep dozens of subplots straight while reading a book, it might as well be the “real” X-Men.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #31 — Writer: Tony Bedard; Penciler: Kevin Sharpa; Inker: Robin Riggs
Everyone starts searching for Cosmic Boy, with Supergirl having won the election as leader and opting for the old split-the-group-into-three-smaller-teams trick. Starting a new epic right after the end of the previous one might not be the best idea, especially since the readers already know where Cos went (unless, you know, it was a lie, but that would make things even more murky and complicated), and with both a new writer and new artist, this seems like a good time to put away this title for awhile.
Wonder Woman #10 — Writer: Jodi Picoult; Artist: Paco Diaz
Yeah, Hippolyta’s definitely a Skrull, or whatever DC equivalent you use to explain someone acting completely out of character so that you can get your plot to work. Pity Picoult, who’s been saddled with all this meta-continuity crap since she started the book, and has yet to be able to show what she can do on her own. The Wonder Woman/Nemesis byplay has some moments, although when you’re dealing with devices like a box of magic Amazonian killer bees there’s only so much you can do.
World War Hulk: Frontline #1 — Writer: Paul Jenkins; Artist: Ramon Bachs
The Civil War: Frontline series, also by Jenkins, actually turned out to be pretty good, especially with its focus on the reporters (their confrontation at the end with Tony Stark, where they accused him of arranging a murder to further his political agenda, and he all but admitted it, might have been the most significant event of the whole Civil War storyline). Here, so far, it’s the same characters’ groundlevel reaction to New York being occupied by the Hulk and his forces, and not much otherwise actually happens. We’ll have to see.
Wolverine: Origins #15 — Writer: Daniel Way; Artist: Steve Dillon
Blah blah Cyber blah blah Wolverine’s kid blah blah Tinkerer blah carbonadium — this comic goes through my eyes, into my brain and out my ears so quickly that it’s hard to remember anything about it
Silver Surfer: Requiem #2 — Writer: J. Michael Straczynski; Artist: Esad Ribic
Surfer teams up with Spider-Man, who’s in the blue-and-red costume, although the eyepieces are all black for some reason. It’s possible that’s just some weird artistic choice by Ribic, although I’m starting to wonder if maybe it’s a clue that this whole Surfer’s-dying story is actually set in a future or alternate timeline, one where JMS can actually kill him off (there’s a throwaway line by Spidey near the end that sounds like it’s going to be hard to reconcile with regular Marvel continuity otherwise). In any case, it’s mostly just talking, and the old give-humans-a-taste-of-cosmic-consciousness-so-they-realize-what-jerks-they-are routine; halfway through the story, it’s offering no compelling reason to keep it.
Phil Mateer
