The new art team of Reis,Prado and Frank joins Geoff Johns in this issue. It is the start of the crossover story line, The Throne Of Atlantis. From the very start it promises to be a stunning book. Reis' pencils are amazing, and with his colorist and inker, the art bursts with life and vigor . Having never read Aquaman I can imagine how beautiful that book must have looked. Geoff Johns also seems to have hit his stride here.
It's clear that someone wants a war to break out between the surface world and Atlantis and the story is set up with a missile test being sabotaged and sent to hit Atlantis. The Atlanteans retaliate by sending in tidal waves to Gotham and Metropolis. We have team work between Bruce and Arthur and a nice scene between Vic and his dad.
The best scenes in this issue are with Clark and Diana. Amid action and drama, we get some wonderfully humanizing scenes, which I feel was needed for both. Diana, in her own book, has been very in control and protective of others and there have been few instances of vulnerability and expressing personal wants and desires. She is only twenty three and should be allowed to enjoy her youth. Superman himself has been stoic in Justice League and maybe Geoff did that on purpose. We finally see Clark opening up and showing us who he is. They have their first date in civvies and Clark has to persuade a reluctant Diana to try the glasses. It's a bit funny too since the Diana Prince alter ego has been such a huge part of Wonder Woman's history.
To me makes sense that the guy who has lived intimately with a secret id, understands the need to sometimes take time out. Diana's life as Wonder Woman and even in her own book has not been full of much joy recently, has it? Having been hounded by the press when with Steve, it comes as a surprise to Diana they can just be together, share a nice meal and not have people gaping and gossiping. Her giggle and joy at it is one of my favorite panels.
Unfortunately their date is interrupted by one of those waves and we get to see some great sequences of them working together to stop an air craft carrier borne in by a huge tsunami.
We get the lasso transformation too! And the manadatory almost predictable Lois and Jimmy scene. While the pair of heroes try to save people and stop the ship from doing damage, Lois is on the street with Jimmy trying to get pictures etc. (Why is she even there? Isn't she the head of her divison now?)
She's there to seeing them work together, show a little jealousy, get swept away and need saving. Of course lucky Lois gets saved while thousands of others drown. Not by Superman but by an Atlantean called Vulko who is looking for Arthur to warn him of his brother.
Great issue. 4.5 out of 5.
I really liked the "glasses" scene in the restaurant.I think Lois and Jimmy were just out on the street when the tidal wave hits.
ReplyDelete