Wonder Woman #9 Review

War and Strife meet in Damascus and discuss Diana's approaching nuptials with Hades. Strife wants an escort. War is not interested. But what was most telling in this scene was how they sat causally among the carnage of human flesh and blood and suffering.

Hermes, Zola and Lennox sit with Hephaestus and Eros and they discuss Diana's situation. I don't know why but one moment I really love Hephaestus and then the next I am wondering if he is really trying to help or sink Diana. Part of me feels he gave her those pistols knowing full well she could not deflect them. Anyway he has been invited and he is going to take the others as his guests.

We go to the underworld and see Diana. Is she a willing bride to be or is she playing a role? It is difficult to say especially when she reacts to seeing her home in hell and the way she shows concern for Persephone.

We get a glimpse of Aphrodite. Must say I like the way the Goddess of Love speaks. Especially to Zola about being beautiful.

In his lair, Hades seem to be a little disappointed many of the "family" are not turning up. Though Strife makes it her business to appear.  Her banter with all her siblings is always amusing to read. And then we have one of the best scenes. Diana being dressed and made up for her wedding by three gorgon like dogs, who address Hades as "father". Diana is macabre and beautiful.

Hades meets his bride-to-be but he does not trust her one bit. And he is going to subject her to a test. It reminds me of the water and the witch test. Sink or swim. In this case, bind for all eternity or hang.

I continue to really enjoy this title. It is so creative and although there was no Chiang, Atkins once again did a commendable job.

I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Best panel: I love seeing Diana in those Grecian gowns.

Action Comics # 9 Review

We meet a Superman from Earth-23. This is an African-American Superman, who oddly follows the same path as most other Supermen ...ie raised by the kindly Kents as Calvin Ellis...but he grows up to become the President of the United States.  We start off with him fighting his same nemesis, Lex Luthor and discovering a Musical Meta Machine,which I think is like a portal/window to the multiverse.

He meets a Lois, Clark and Jimmy. A creature called Superdoom is following them. It is the curse of Superman. Luthor helps him stop it.

This issue seems just a chance for Morrison to perhaps commentate on the current state of Superman and his status as an icon and brand as opposed to what his creators wanted him to represent. While I enjoy seeing this courageous, honorable, never say die Superman...I am not sure I care about all the metaphors and the multiverse right now. Where is MY new 52 Superman? It's really so distracting and tangential to what I want to read. Isn't Morrison writing Multiversity? Couldn't he have left this for that? Or least later in this run? Did I really want to see an eye patch Lois weeping that she sold out? Not really. I don't care for her corner of the multiverse that much.

The back up story by Sholly Fish was much better. Not so much because Nubia ( Wonder Woman) was in it, but it felt so much more connected to this Superman and what he is about.

The wacky stuff that Morrison likes to write...sometimes I find really lacking in emotional resonance...whereas, this real world story, makes me understand the dilemma of Cal Ellis. I like how Nubia, even as she is a close ally, challenges him.

I give this issue 3 stars out of 5.

Best panel : The smile shared between Cal and Nubia as they deal with a dictator.

Earth 2 # 1 Review

The tag on the cover is :A Different World...A Different Destiny...so here I was all eager to see that come to pass. But this book was just a way to set up the JSA and get rid of the Trinity. I was interested to see how our heroes...if they are worthy of that epithet...even in the face of great adversity...rise above it all and carry on.

Just for once, I thought,we might see a ,Superman, especially capable of being that even after losing all he loves. Why? I guess, in my mind, the Earth ( he swore to protect and its inhabitants) still remain and it would be in this time that people would need him the most. Surely that is the true test of a hero? Superman at times really seems a kind of fair weather hero. He is the whiniest of the Trinity, as well.

The set up is: Apokolips has invaded and the earth is overwhelmed by its armies. The Trinity can end the war. But it is a suicide mission.

Juxtaposed against losing "everything" they hold dear, one might think...awww...let them die like martyrs. I guess, I expect a little more of my heroes. But then this book isn't for my heroes: it's a writer's device to get rid of them and use them as the inspiration for the JSA. Eh, whatever. The art is beautiful. Nicola Scott's art finally gets to really explode with the right inker and colorist. And there are literally a lot of Kal/Diana panels.

We see what it would take for Superman to finally want to kill. Must say love that new design for Steppenwolf. And I am wondering if Superman is really dead now? And if he did not die. What is DC's plan for him? I bet it is something very cliche involving Lois.

Just to add, we get to see a female Robin, who is Batman's daughter, Helena. Where her mother, (Selina Kyle?)  is I am not sure. Dead, perhaps. There is also a Supergirl called Kara. Both young ladies get boom-tubed across the multiverse and will end up on the new rebooted earth and will continue on as Huntress and Powergirl. It is now left to other heroes to pick up the mantle after the Trinity.

I give this a 3.5 out of 5 for story. It's not that the story was bad. It's just not what I hoped for. 5 out of 5 for art.

Best Panel: Is it possible the writer is trying to get Superman to realize he whines too much?

Superman and Wonder Woman by Michael McDaniel

by

MMcDArt

Call Him. Bring Him To Me.

Our shippy moment from the DC Universe Online gaming trailer. It's interesting Luthor knows exactly who to go after to lure Superman into a trap.