Comic Books: November 2005 Archives

I caught this newsflash from Dan Didio after Turkey Day about a new title spinning out of Infinite Crisis: Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes. Long time fans know this is a nod to the 1970s comic titled "Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes." These were the classic years, drawn by Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell, and the Legion became so popular as a result that they kicked Superboy out of his own series. Supergirl made regular visits to the future as well.

There was an ongoing plot related to the romance between Braniac 5 and Supergirl. Kara was able to do what no other woman could: get Braniac to think with his Johnson instead of his head. In this opening scene to one tale, we see Braniac's ultimate wish fulfillment, going away forever with his super beautiful girl (from S&LOSH #204, "Braniac's Secret Weakness").


I like the current Legion series by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson. I like it, but I don't love it. I don't feel really engaged by it yet, but I hope that will change. In looking at these hot-n-heavy scenes between Brainy and Kara, I think I know why. When I think back about the Legion, I remember a few key things. One was the romance angle, like this hot-n-heavy kiss. In looking back it may have been juvenile, but wouldn't it be cool to feature romance in today's Legion?

The second thing was the costumes the women wore. Those skimpy, skin-tight, suck-in-your breath outfits. My favorite was Saturn Girl's classic 70s number, leaving just about everything exposed. She wouldn't need to read my mind if I saw her wearing this in real life. I really wanna see this costume return to the present series. I'll buy five copies per issue to support sales. And get Frank Cho and Adam Hughes to draw Saturn Girl as well!

And last, the classic battles, like the Great Darkness Saga that had the Legion squaring off against Darkseid. It was the first time that I had ever seen Superboy and Supergirl with the Legion at the same time.

Re-reading this issue, in a few pages you really get the sense of Supergirl's character. Noble, self-sacrificing, and smart in combat, like in this scene where she throws Darkseid around a few times (click to expand). The newest Supergirl is a fierce warrior, but I haven't seen much character yet, like I said in my article last week covering Supergirl's first three issues.

I hope that changes in this new series. Apparently it doesn't replace Supergirl's solo series, since another article mentioned that Greg Rucka will take over as writer. At least Rucka realizes what needs to be done, but I can't say I've read too many straight superhero comics from him that I enjoyed. Will Waid write Supergirl and the Legion? Will the new Braniac 5 fall head over heels and maybe even have sex? Only time will tell. Nuff said.

Technorati : DC Comics, Legion of Super Heroes, Saturn Girl, Supergirl
Ice Rocket : DC Comics, Legion of Super Heroes, Saturn Girl, Supergirl

Wow. That's all I gotta say after reading Daredevil 79. Best appearance by Bullseye in years. I always wanted to see DD and Elektra fight him at the same time. The issue ends in a very surprising climax which I won't spoil, save for the fact that we have a nice little guest appearance from an old DD friend. Wilson Fisk has a deeper plan in mind that we ever imagined. Good stuff.

Not everything is perfect: I have some problems with the fight scenes. Maleev doesn't have the Miller chops to carry off what the script calls for in terms of visuals. Daredevil beat Bullseye once; Elektra beat him once in Elektra Lives Again graphic novel. Should Bullseye last that long in a fight, and does he know kung fu that well? I guess that costume is permanently ditched for the target scar on his forehead. Minor quibbles, I love this book. Nuff said.

Technorati : Bullseye, Daredevil, Elektra
Ice Rocket : Bullseye, Daredevil, Elektra

The new Supergirl series is a mess. The only thing that could save it now would be another series of puzzle pieces that falls into Infinite Crisis. I really like Jeff Loeb's writing on most of his other projects, and I did like the Supergirl arc in Superman\Batman. The first three issues of Supergirl's new series are a compendium of super-powered fight scenes; I'm reminded of Scott McCloud's one-shot called Destroy!

In the first issue, we see Supergirl's recollections of her escape from Krypton; her name is Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin. She's discussing her past with Stargirl, when Power Girl shows up and they start fighting. For no apparent reason, Power Girl just keeps going berserk and hitting Supergirl! After a few double splash pages of battling super-fems, Mr. Terrific figures out they are "…like the same person trying to occupy a single space." In the end, they resolve to keep their distance, but Power Girl tells Kara: "I felt something dark inside you. Something you might want to look into."

The second issue wastes no time at all-Supergirl immediately slugs it out with Connor (Superboy) above Smallville. Just when they decide to become friends, the Teen Titans storm in and Supergirl fights all of them. This incarnation of Supergirl is truly powerful. In taking on some of DC's greatest heroes, you start to wonder what villain could ever give her a challenge. Then we see Luthor in his super-suit, equipping his gloves with Green, Red, Blue and Black kryptonite.

In Supergirl #3, we immediately find Kara, bound with Kryptonite chains, getting pounded on by various members of the Outsiders. We have no idea what this is all about. Is it to show how tough Kara is? You do get to see a lot of super-fems fighting each other. Once Nightwing shows up (in a cute sequence where Supergirl has a crush on him), the battle stops and she's given her next puzzle piece: where to find Luthor.

Luthor subdues Supergirl pretty easily and unleashes the black kryptonite. What happens next is really weird: Supergirl lapses into a coma. What arises from body can only be described as…Dark Supergirl! Huh? First of all, I thought she was pretty bitchy already. I never heard of Black K before this story. Wikipedia's Kryptonite entry says that Black K was created in an episode of Smallville. Loeb worked on the show that year; this is its first appearance in DC Comics. This seems premature to me. Usually we see these "Dark" characters long after the primary "Light" characters have been long established: Dark Phoenix, Dark Scarlet Witch, etc.

After the Superman\Batman arc and these first three issues of Supergirl, I still have no impression of Kara's personality. What are her redeeming qualities? What happened to Jeff Loeb's talents with character building? And what's the point of that tiny skirt, she's probably just wearing a thong underneath anyway! I just see Kara punching her way through a tour of the DC Universe. Next issue: more of the same as she fights the JLA. Is this series really meant to go the distance or is it going to change One Year Later? I'm kind of hoping that after OYL, this Kara gets replaced with Karen Star (aka Power Girl): her heart is even bigger than her chest. Nuff said.

Technorati : DC Comics, Lex Luthor, Supergirl
Ice Rocket : DC Comics, Lex Luthor, Supergirl

I've got conflicted feelings about the new Green Lantern series. So far, I haven't really like the stories-it's not up to par with Geoff Johns' usual fine work. I could forgive Johns a lapse or two during Rebirth because he was bringing back ol' Hal. In the fourth issue, we've got Jordan fighting a giant mutated shark. I can't imagine this lasting more than a minute with the power ring and all. However...

...Ethan Van Sciver's artwork is really outstanding. He's one of the best artists working at DC today. I loved the 2-page splash (above) where Jordan dives underwater to find the killer shark. The coloring effects work perfectly with Sciver's drawings to accentuate the power ring's effects.

I've thought Van Sciver was great ever since I read Iron Heights. Nuff said.

Technorati : DC Comics, Ethan Van Sciver, Green Lantern
Ice Rocket : DC Comics, Ethan Van Sciver, Green Lantern

The multiple Earths at DC had a nice purpose: when the heroes of the previous generation became too old for most readers to connect with, they were given their own space. In this case, a separate Earth, where they could grow and change in ways that were quite extraordinary at the time. Batman of Earth-2 was a prime example.

An excellent writer named Alan Brennert (who didn't work nearly enough in comics) produced a chapter of "The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne" in Brave and Bold 197. This told the story of how the Earth-2 Batman finally fell in love with Selina Kyle (Catwoman). One of the few Batman stories at that time told in first person, we see Bruce Wayne realizing that he's aging. With few friends to stand beside him, he wonders if he will wind up all alone. The damage his playboy persona had done troubles him: "…along the way, Bruce Wayne became frozen into someone I'd never intended him to be!"

The story features the Scarecrow as the villain, which plays into the emotional heart of the story. Scarecrow knows that Batman is afraid of losing everyone and concocts various drugs to make his friends disappear before him. Batman has no choice but to ask Selina Kyle (now reformed) for assistance. In the climax of the tale, even Selina begins to disappear in Batman's vision. She unmasks herself and asks him to do the same. When Batman does, they kiss, and it's at that moment that Batman retires and Bruce Wayne begins to live again. He's finally overcome the emotional demons that have dogged him since his parents were killed.

Paul Levitz (now the publisher of DC Comics) wrote the rest of Bruce Wayne's final years across a number of series. In DC Super-Stars #17, featuring the origin of the Huntress, we see Batman's wedding to Selina on the first page. Wayne becomes Police Commissioner while Robin becomes an adult, adopts a more mature costume, and takes care of Gotham City. Meanwhile, Selina gives birth to their daughter Helena Wayne. They all presumably have happy lives until Selina becomes a young woman.

Of course, happiness can't last forever. A criminal blackmails Selina into pulling one last job, because she killed a man many years earlier, and never told Wayne the full truth. During a museum robbery, things go haywire when Wayne becomes Batman temporarily to stop it (Robin is out of town) and accidentally causes a stray bullet to hit Selina. She falls to her death and dies in Wayne's arms. It's this event that propels Helena to become the Huntress-her first mission avenges her mother's death.

Bruce Wayne becomes a supporting player in the JSA's series in All-Star Comics that ran during the 70s. When that series was cancelled, the team appeared in Adventure Comics for a few issues. The story that took place in Adventure 461-462 was the final story of Bruce Wayne. The JSA is attacked by Bill Jensen, an ordinary criminal suddenly gifted with magical powers. Jensen demands to see Bruce Wayne-he thinks Wayne framed him years ago. Wayne becomes the Batman one last time, and faces down Jensen. His homicidal rage consumes both of their lives.

Wayne's funeral is attended by the heroes of Earth-2 and Earth-1. At first Robin wants to become the Batman, but Helena tells him: "There was only one man who could be the Batman, Dick, and my father is dead. We can carry on his work-you as Robin, me as the Huntress…but the Batman is dead. Only legends live forever…not the men who make them." Nuff said.

See Also: Why I Loved Earth-2, Part I: JSA and World War 2

Technorati : Batman, Catwoman, DC Comics, Earth-2, Huntress
Ice Rocket : Batman, Catwoman, DC Comics, Earth-2, Huntress

Successful comic-book characters nearly always demand a female doppelganger: Spider-Woman, She-Hulk, Supergirl, Batgirl, etc. Dracula was so popular in the 70s that Marvel spun off Lilith, his undead daughter, in a series of tales. They were scattered around various hard to find magazines, but fear not—I’ve got them all here!

Lilith debuted in Giant-Size Chillers #1, in a Dracula story by the regular team of Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan. The cover is by John Romita, so I must assume that he created the costume. For a female vampire, a sexy costume is a given, and this skin-tight number with a cleavage split certainly is appealing. I don’t care for that tiara—did Lilith die after winning a beauty pagent? In a way, this costume is almost the inverse of Vampirella’s red-strap band-aid outfit.

Lilith isn’t your usual garden variety vampire. In the first few pages, we see her soul rise from the grave. She’s summoned by the hatred that another woman, Angel O’Hara, feels for her father—who has just killed her husband.

It all goes back to before Dracula was a vampire. He was forced to marry Lilith’s mother. As soon as he can, Dracula dumps his first wife by threatening to have her impaled. Nowadays this would get you locked up for a long time, but back then Transylvania was a man’s paradise.

Lilith is taken to a gypsy, who raises the girl after the mother commits suicide. After Dracula becomes a vampire, he kills all the gypsies he can find—including this lady’s brother. In retaliation, she puts a whammy of a curse on Lilith to punish Drac. Lilith will be a vampire, but never fear the cross or the sun. If Lilith dies, she’ll be reborn in the body of a woman who wishes death to her own father.

Nothing much happens in Lilith’s first appearance. She tracks down Dracula, they take in a soccer game together, and Drac spurns her offer to rule the world together. From there, I had to hunt the black and white magazines to find Lilith’s adventures: Vampire Tales #6, Dracula Lives 10 & 11, Marvel Preview 12 & 16. Her solo tales contained 70s elements that are extremely kitsch thirty years later.

Marv Wolfman plotted the first solo outing in Vampire Tales #6, while Steve Gerber finished the scripting. We meet Martin Blank, an unpublished writer who lives in Greenwich Village, at the very same moment that his common-law wife is being murdered. Martin, who is innocent, is taken into custody by the police. He is released in a few hours after the same M.O. (axe murderer) is repeated in another part of the city.

Looks like it's curtains for Hawkman again in issue 49...

Look, Hawkman is indestructible now, you can't kill him. Just shuffle him off to limbo again and you can pull him out after a year, OK? And if Hawkgirl takes over this title I want her to have an enchanted mace and a new costume--like that Hawk lady that attacked Animal Man...

Yeah, this little number with the straps covering her tits. I also like the red underwear and thigh-high boots. DC, I am telling you now: put Kendra in this costume when the title changes to Hawkgirl and you will see sales rise 200%! Remember what Seven of Nine did for Star Trek: Voyager. Nuff said.

Technorati : DC Comics, Hawkgirl
Ice Rocket : DC Comics, Hawkgirl

There's a whole lotta smackin' going on in DC's Feb. 2006 titles as they prepare for the One Year Later gap. Click on the pics to expand the cover images.

Supergirl feels the need to pummel Superman mercilessly in Supergirl #6. The blurb for this one says "They've thrown down before, but now Superman has to stop Supergirl - even if it means the most unexpected death of all!" I don't quite like this Supergirl, please, please let her be the one to die.

Batman gets a mild smack on the cover of Green Lantern #9. Who knows what kind of asshole Batman will really be in this story. Supposedly they work together and Bats gets a power ring. I really dig the cover art--they have 2 covers, this one looks like it's by Simone Bianchi.

Green Arrow really lets Batman have it in JLA #125. This is just crap sensationalistic filler material. Why should GA be so mad at Bats? Bats got his memory wiped; it should be the other way around. A lot of this conflict between the big three heroes is too artificial. Nuff said.

Technorati : Batman, DC Comics, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Supergirl

You know why I miss Earth-2? It was the fact that DC had the first super-team ever created, the Justice Society, and they allowed them to change over time. They banded together shortly before World War II. After the US got involved in the war, the cover to All Star Comics #12 proclaimed the JSA's patriotic spirit.

With such powerful members as Dr. Fate and the Spectre, how come Hitler and Tojo didn't crumble immediately? We wouldn't find out until 40 years later, when Roy Thomas created the All Star Squadron. The A.S.S. (ok, go ahead and laugh) assembled all the DC heroes who existed in the 1940s (including the JSA) to help defend the United States at home. Mystical objects prevented the heroes from travelling to Europe and Japan.

The A.S.S. had a super-cool headquarters that utiltized buildings from the famous 1939 New York World's Fair: the Trylon and Perisphere. Thomas was a history buff and constantly wove historical events and landmarks into the series.

All Star Squadron hit a creative zenith with issues 20-30 when Thomas was paired with Jerry Ordway on the art. Ordway had started out as an inker with the first issue, and you could tell that his embellishments created some fine artwork. When he started pencilling, the book was ignited with his energy. Ordway's dramatic cover of Green Lantern standing in a devastated Japanese city was astonishing.

Thomas and Ordway teamed up later on to produce Infinity Inc. 1-10. Infinity Inc. was the next generation of the Justice Society, set in 1983. You will recognize that many of these characters in the modern era, appearing in JSA, Outsiders, Infinite Crisis, etc. The initial adventure was spread over 10 issues and featured the young heroes in a conflict against their parents.

Roy Thomas loved the Earth-2 characters and spun a great mythology around them. What did he get for his troubles? When Crisis on Infinite Earths appeared, he was told to get rid of the aging JSA. One reason for this is that DC didn't want 2 versions of various heroes running around. "The Last Days of the Justice Society" special consigned everyone (except Spectre and Dr. Fate) to Valhalla, where they would battle Ragnarok for eternity. On a text page inside, Thomas wrote: "This is the JSA story I really never wanted to write."

In a way, Thomas did a sneaky thing. He didn't kill the Golden Age heroes, he merely shuffled them off to the side. Thank god, because another writer got them out of there and we have some of the JSA still around today. Nuff said.

See also: Why I Loved Earth-2, Part II: Batman Wasn't an Asshole

Technorati : DC Comics, Earth-2, Infinity Inc, JSA, Jerry Ordway, Justice Society, Roy Thomas
Ice Rocket : DC Comics, Earth-2, Infinity Inc, JSA, Jerry Ordway, Justice Society, Roy Thomas

What a throw-down this should be: Superman v1 vs Superman v3 (click on image to expand). I don't know why but I find myself rooting for Superman I. There have been years of repressed rage over the destruction of Earth-2, Huntress, Robin, etc. Payback is a bitch. OK, let's get this settled, then we will bring back Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway to finish off All-Star Squadron!

I know I am hoping for way too much with the return of multiple Earths. The reason they got rid of them in the first place was that it was too confusing for kids. Nowadays kids play RPGs, have cell phones, and steal all kinds of shit off the Internet with computers. Multiple Earths? Piece of Cake. Besides, not a lot of kids don't read comics anymore. This thing is targeted to the old-timers. Nuff said.

See also:
Newsarama Article on Infinite Crisis #5

Technorati : Infinite Crisis, Superman
Ice Rocket : Infinite Crisis, Superman

There's an article over on Newsarama about Paul Levitz's upcoming six-issue arc in JSA. The story takes place after the "one year gap" which all DC Universe books will leap across in February 2006. If you look at the pictures in Newsarama's article (and make sure you click to expand), you can determine what will exist in a few months time:

Is this giving away part of the resolution to Infinite Crisis? We still don't know which Earth they are residing on. Nuff said.

Technorati : DC Comics, Infinite Crisis, JSA, Justice Society, Paul Levitz, Superman
Ice Rocket : DC Comics, Infinite Crisis, JSA, Justice Society, Paul Levitz, Superman
Buzznet : DC Comics, Infinite Crisis, JSA, Justice Society, Paul Levitz, Superman

Finally got around to reading Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #1. From the first page you know that this is a comic full of cheesecake (see above). But wait, this is Grant Morrison, has he ever done flat out cheesecake? No. Bulleteer has a sexy leading lady with a healthy bust, but she's a little deeper than Pamela Anderson. Her husband has invented a substance called "SmartSkin" which protects the body and provides super strength. The opening pages are jarring, as we see Alix (the Bulleteer) and her husband suffering from the first application of SmartSkin on human beings. Alix's relationship with her husband is fascinating in terms of superhero worship and the desire to stay young forever.

I love Seven Soldiers. Every time I think I have it figured out, it goes off on another tangent. At first I thought this is a brand new DC Universe that will make sense after Crisis. It couldn't possibly be in the main universe. But in this issue they show the old 1940s Bulleteer and Bulletwoman. Zatanna referred to the JLA in her series. WTF? Nuff said.

Technorati : Bulleteer, DC Comics, Grant Morrison, Seven Soldiers
Buzznet : Bulleteer, DC Comics, Grant Morrison, Seven Soldiers

Hmmm…what's up with Dr. Fate? I've never really cared for Dr. Fate since Kent Nelson passed on. Hector Hall as Fate has had some interesting moments, but he just seems too naïve to be effective. Could DC be getting rid of him?


In JSA #79, we saw Hector and Ayla Hall, separated from the helm of Fate in a nether-region, struggling for their lives. Hector is badly wounded and near death.


At the end of this issue, Dr. Fate shows up on the last page to confront Mordru. Notice that there is no body in the costume! Helmet and gloves are connected to an invisible form.


In the forthcoming DAY OF VENGEANCE: INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL (Jan. 2006), there is this panel when Fate shows up to join the Shadowpact for a confab. It looks like Fate's bodiless condition will continue until then.


Gotta say this reminds me of Phantasm, the ethereal character that Marv Wolfman created in the latter days of his Teen Titans run. Whatever happened to this guy anyway?

Can't imagine this will be a permanent change-it's hard to care about a phantom. I won't be surprised if at the end of this Crisis, Kent Nelson comes back as Fate. Then if Jim Corrigan becomes the Spectre again, we'll have the JSA's magical icons back in their original form. Nuff said.

Technorati : DC Comics, Dr. Fate, Infinite Crisis
Buzznet : DC Comics, Dr. Fate, Infinite Crisis

The debut of the Sony PSP this year? Forget it. Ditto Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Serenity, and the Xbox 360 launch. This is my ultimate geek-out moment of 2005 that sent chills down my spine…

Yeah, baby, yeah! Infinite Crisis #2 and JSA Classified #4 fit together perfectly like jigsaw puzzle pieces. I love the recap here of the old DC Multiverse and what happened during the first Crisis—perfectly summarized in a few pages. I love the last page and I wholly support Superman I’s plan. Where can I sign up to enlist in this holy cause? I’ll give my life to bring back the Huntress and Adult Robin.

BTW, here’s a list of the music I listed to while reading Infinite Crisis #2:

Doctor Doctor! – Thompson Twins
Der Kommisar – Falco
Turning Japanese - The Vapors
Melt With You – Modern English

I’m one sick puppy, stuck in the 80s. For some reason, Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” reminds me of All Star Squadron. I’m so fucking glad you guys don’t know my real name. Nuff said.

See also:
WHO'S THAT (POWER) GIRL: EXPLAINING POWER GIRL'S HISTORY

Fear-fans will probably want to pick up the latest “Bart Simpson’s Treehouse of Terror” from Bongo Comics. The parodies in this issue have A-list talent. Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson did a story called “Squish Thing.” Homer gets transformed into a muck monster through his greatest weakness: beer.

The story by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan is an homage to their great Tomb of Dracula series. You will see how Bart’s family fills out the roles of the vampire slayers. Homer is Quincy Harker and Lisa is Rachel Van Helsing. Colan’s art makes Bart look almost three dimensional in some scenes.

John Severin does some quality work on another tale. I love Severin. I wish Mark Millar would write the granddaddy of all westerns for Severin to illustrate. Nuff said.

All the Rage previewed this cover to a rumored upcoming special, Marvel Legacy: The 60s Handbook. Blair Marnell says it’s going to be written in that titanic true believer style with art by Our Pal Sal Buscema. Damn, I love those old X-Men and Captain Marvel costumes. Nuff said.

I enjoyed Jonah Hex #1 immensely. It’s a throwback to the non-superhero genre comics that DC used to make. It’s a pure western: no horror gothic stuff thrown in, so it’s not Vertigized. It’s a neat little done-in-one issue story about Hex going out to find a boy that has disappeared. There are flavors of Fleisher in here. Gray and Palmiotti don’t pull any punches when it comes to blood and unlike the old series, they show Hex’s facial scar all the time. We don’t see Hex’s origin in this issue, so I’m assuming it’s the same as it was before. One thing that has fanboys talking is the way that Luke Ross draws Jonah Hex—like he’s Clint Eastwood with half his face ripped open. He does like look Eastwood, especially the younger version when he was the Man With No Name.

Memo to the Jonah Hex editors and writers: when sales are low, don’t transport him to a future post-apocalyptic Mad Max/Road Warrior world. It was tried before in 1985 and lasted for 18 issues before it was mercifully cancelled. Nuff said.

Buddy Baker is back in the page of Infinite Crisis #2 in this Newsarama preview. Johns seems to write him just like Morrison did. I’ll be interested to see why Donna Troy selected him to go to New Chronos and figure out the mystery of the Crisis. There’s been a ton of rumors concerning post-Crisis events—one of them said that Morrison would do a new Animal Man series. I find that hard to believe, as Morrison doesn’t believe in repeat performances. This appearance by Buddy does make me think DC wants to do more with the character.

Animal Man’s revival by Morrison was spurred by the first Crisis, if you recall. Buddy was one of the “Forgotten Heroes” that investigated various mysteries. Nuff said.

Spoilers ahead; read it if you want to save time and money. OK, I think Bendis is great but House of M sucks. It wasn’t a very exciting story. Essentially it’s a dream/holodeck/alternative reality story where things pretty much get set back to the origin point. House of M #7 was the climax; HoM #8 was the aftermath to Wanda’s little phrase “No More Mutants.” The conclusion did have some interesting after-effects:

- Hawkeye is back from the dead. Yay.
- Wolverine knows his entire past. About time.
- Bobby Drake is permanently defrosted.
- Peter Parker still prefers Gwen Stacy to Mary Jane.
- Doc Strange screwed the pooch on this one.
- Magneto gets the worst blow of all: he’s human now.
- Only a few hundred mutants are alive in the Marvel U.

On the last point, I wonder: if there are so few mutants, would Marvel please cancel all these friggin’ third-tier mutant books? Nuff said.

The longest Elektra appearance (with Daredevil) in decades. She appears and interrupts Matt and Milla during post-coital sex. Elektra talks, too. Talks a lot of Bendis dialogue about the Kingpin’s secret stash of evidence that proves Murdock and Daredevil are the same person. Then the Black Widow shows up with issues left over from Wolverine: “If you and this ninja are back together, I’m killing you both.” I’ve always wanted to see a Widow-Elektra catfight, but it’s not happening here. Love the last page, what a cliffhanger.

I've been catching up to the previous Comic Geek Speak podcasts, and episode
52 had a very good interview with Michael Lark. I've always thought of Lark as an artist suited for non-superhero books like Gotham Central or Vertigo series. Same with Ed Brubaker. His Sleeper series was so good, even though it involved metahumans, I just saw him as guy who wouldn't fit in the "mainstream" universes.

How wrong I was! Part of the reason Brubaker left DC was to get involved in the thick of the action. Brubaker's Captain America is so good, and it works on so many levels. In the interview, Lark says that he really wants to do superheroes. He wants to do Daredevil in bold superhero action. Both Brubaker and Lark want to break away a bit from Bendis and Maleev's talk-talky version. Kingpin will be a badass motherfucker again. Jesus Christ, now I am excited about Daredevil when these two take over. Nuff said.

A while back Cousin Dick rambled on about Bucky being back, but we really didn’t believe it. In Captain America #11, Brubaker pulls the trigger and Bucky is the Winter Soldier! I never thought I would buy this angle. It’s superbly done: Brubaker lays out the way this happened and it makes a weird, logical kind of sense. As long as you believe that freezing people in suspended animation has been no big deal since the late 40s. It is Bucky—and yet it’s not, because he lost his memory. Brainwashed by the Russkies—Cousin’s gotta be pleased that the Red Menace is behind the whole enchilada.

I can’t wait to see where this goes. Will Bucky get his memory back? Will we get to buy Captain America and Bucky #1? Wouldn't you question your sexuality if your name was Bucky? Nuff said.