Wednesday Comics 3 (22 July 2009)

632687 This issue has even less good strips than before. Sgt. Rock in particular falls off, with Joe Kubert’s art getting way too loose. Gaiman and Allred’s Metamorpho doesn’t recover either.

In other words, at issue three, Wednesday Comics is already downhill.

Azzarello and Risso’s Batman manages to be worse, as does Arcudi and Bermejo’s Superman. Kamadi by Gibbons and Sook, however, is awesome. It’s perfect as a comic strip.

Nice Adam Strange by Pope, nice Metal Men by Didio and Garcia-Lopez. Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner’s Supergirl is rather cute; being well-intentioned and competent compensates for its lack of ambition.

Sadly, Kerschl and Fletcher’s Flash falters. They concentrate on a dramatic cliffhanger instead of an amusing one.

Kyle Baker quizzically turns his Hawkman into an “aliens were behind 9/11” thing. I hope that theme doesn’t stick.

The issue’s tiresome. The standouts don’t make up for the failures.

CREDITS

Batman; writer, Brian Azzarello; artist, Eduardo Risso; colorist, Patricia Mulvihill; letterer, Clem Robins. Kamandi; writer, Dave Gibbons; artist, Ryan Sook. Superman; writer, John Arcudi; artist, Lee Bermejo; colorist, Barbara Ciardo; letterer, Ken Lopez. Deadman; writers, Vinton Heuck and Dave Bullock; artist, Bullock; colorist, Dave Stewart; letterer, Jared Fletcher. Green Lantern; writer, Kurt Busiek; artist and colorist, Joe Quinones; letterer, Pat Brosseau. Metamorpho; writer, Neil Gaiman; artist, Mike Allred; colorist, Laura Allred; letterer, Nate Piekos. Teen Titans; writer, Eddie Berganza; artist and colorist, Sean Galloway; letterer, Nick J. Napolitano. Adam Strange; writer, artist and letterer, Paul Pope; colorists, Jose Villarrubia and Lovern Kindzierski. Supergirl; writer, Jimmy Palmiotti; artist, Amanda Conner; colorist, Paul Mounts; letterer, John J. Hill. Metal Men; writer, Dan DiDio; penciller, Jose Luís Garcia-Lopez; inker, Kevin Nowlan; colorist, Mulvihill; letterer, Lopez. Wonder Woman; writer, artist, colorist and letterer, Ben Caldwell. Sgt. Rock; writer, Adam Kubert; artist, colorist and letterer, Joe Kubert. The Flash; writers, Brendan Fletcher and Karl Kerschl; artist, Kerschl; colorist, Dave McCaig; letterer, Rob Leigh. The Demon and Catwoman; writer, Walt Simonson; artist and colorist, Brian Stelfreeze; letterer, Steve Wands. Hawkman; writer, artist, colorist and letterer, Kyle Baker. Editors, Chris Conroy and Mark Chiarello; publisher, DC Comics.

Wednesday Comics 2 (15 July 2009)

632686 So even some of the better ones from the previous issue are losers this week. Specifically Neil Gaiman and Mike Allred’s Metamorpho. They flop on the format.

Still strong are Pope’s Adam Strange, Baker’s Hawkman, Dan Didio and Jose Luís Garcia-Lopez’s Metal Men (no, really) and Catwoman by Walt Simonson and Brian Stelfreeze. Oh, and Kamandi by Dave Gibbons and Ryan Sook. The biggest surprise has got to be The Flash from Brendan Fletcher and Karl Kerschl. They split it between Iris and Barry and have a very unexpected, but fun, twist.

Deadman, from Vinton Heuck and Dave Bullock, is another nice one.

The lousy ones remain lousy (or worse). Azzarello and Risso’s Batman stinks; Risso’s art wastes the large size. Arcudi and Bermejo’s Superman is probably worse, just because it’s so poorly written. Berganza and Galloway’s Teen Titans has to be the worst one overall.

Another mixed bag.

CREDITS

Batman; writer, Brian Azzarello; artist, Eduardo Risso; colorist, Patricia Mulvihill; letterer, Clem Robins. Kamandi; writer, Dave Gibbons; artist, Ryan Sook. Superman; writer, John Arcudi; artist, Lee Bermejo; colorist, Barbara Ciardo; letterer, Ken Lopez. Deadman; writers, Vinton Heuck and Dave Bullock; artist, Bullock; colorist, Dave Stewart; letterer, Jared Fletcher. Green Lantern; writer, Kurt Busiek; artist and colorist, Joe Quinones; letterer, Pat Brosseau. Metamorpho; writer, Neil Gaiman; artist, Mike Allred; colorist, Laura Allred; letterer, Nate Piekos. Teen Titans; writer, Eddie Berganza; artist and colorist, Sean Galloway; letterer, Nick J. Napolitano. Adam Strange; writer, artist and letterer, Paul Pope; colorist, Jose Villarrubia. Supergirl; writer, Jimmy Palmiotti; artist, Amanda Conner; colorist, Paul Mounts; letterer, John J. Hill. Metal Men; writer, Dan DiDio; penciller, Jose Luís Garcia-Lopez; inker, Kevin Nowlan; colorist, Mulvihill; letterer, Lopez. Wonder Woman; writer, artist, colorist and letterer, Ben Caldwell. Sgt. Rock; writer, Adam Kubert; artist, colorist and letterer, Joe Kubert. The Flash; writers, Brendan Fletcher and Karl Kerschl; artist, Kerschl; colorist, Dave McCaig; letterer, Rob Leigh. The Demon and Catwoman; writer, Walt Simonson; artist and colorist, Brian Stelfreeze; letterer, Steve Wands. Hawkman; writer, artist, colorist and letterer, Kyle Baker. Editors, Chris Conroy and Mark Chiarello; publisher, DC Comics.

Wednesday Comics 1 (8 July 2009)

666638 Wednesday Comics really needs a stronger editorial hand. While some of the creators get the concept, others completely fumble it. The successes (and the mediocrities) make up for the bad patches.

In the “no idea how to do the format” section, the issue has Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso on Batman, John Arcudi and Lee Bermejo on Superman (thumbs down to Bermejo’s interpretation too), Eddie Berganza and Sean Galloway on Teen Titans (Galloway’s art is atrocious) and the Kuberts on Sgt. Rock. At least the art’s good on Rock from Joe.

The best entries are–no shock–Paul Pope and Kyle Baker’s. Pope does Adam Strange, Baker Hawkman. They both gleefully approach the newspaper sized medium, pacing their entries differently–though most of the better stories don’t spend this page setting up a plot. The worst ones do.

The issue’s interesting, but barely half successful. There are some real stinkers.

CREDITS

Batman; writer, Brian Azzarello; artist, Eduardo Risso; colorist, Patricia Mulvihill; letterer, Clem Robins. Kamandi; writer, Dave Gibbons; artist, Ryan Sook. Superman; writer, John Arcudi; artist, Lee Bermejo; colorist, Barbara Ciardo; letterer, Ken Lopez. Deadman; writers, Vinton Heuck and Dave Bullock; artist, Bullock; colorist, Dave Stewart; letterer, Jared Fletcher. Green Lantern; writer, Kurt Busiek; artist and colorist, Joe Quinones; letterer, Pat Brosseau. Metamorpho; writer, Neil Gaiman; artist, Mike Allred; colorist, Laura Allred; letterer, Nate Piekos. Teen Titans; writer, Eddie Berganza; artist and colorist, Sean Galloway; letterer, Nick J. Napolitano. Adam Strange; writer, artist and letterer, Paul Pope; colorist, Jose Villarrubia. Supergirl; writer, Jimmy Palmiotti; artist, Amanda Conner; colorist, Paul Mounts; letterer, John J. Hill. Metal Men; writer, Dan DiDio; penciller, Jose Luís Garcia-Lopez; inker, Kevin Nowlan; colorist, Mulvihill; letterer, Lopez. Wonder Woman; writer, artist, colorist and letterer, Ben Caldwell. Sgt. Rock; writer, Adam Kubert; artist, colorist and letterer, Joe Kubert. The Flash; writers, Brendan Fletcher and Karl Kerschl; artist, Kerschl; colorist, Dave McCaig; letterer, Rob Leigh. The Demon and Catwoman; writer, Walt Simonson; artist and colorist, Brian Stelfreeze; letterer, Steve Wands. Hawkman; writer, artist, colorist and letterer, Kyle Baker. Editors, Chris Conroy and Mark Chiarello; publisher, DC Comics.

Green Lantern (2011, Martin Campbell), the extended cut

The saddest thing about Green Lantern has to be the editing. Stuart Baird, amazing action editor of the last twenty or so years, cut together this malarky. It’s not Baird’s fault, exactly, how ugly Lantern plays—cinematographer Dion Beebe’s responsible for the shots not matching in lighting and Campbell composed them. But Baird’s always had a grace about his cutting. None of it is present here.

Or maybe James Newton Howard’s godawful score distracts from it.

The problem is Campbell and not because he can’t somehow make the shoddy CG work (though the fighter jets look okay… not real, but better than the space stuff). He isn’t directing his actors. If Campbell’s not taking the time to try to turn the crappy script into something good, why should anyone bother to see what he does with it….

I’m not talking about Ryan Reynolds. He’s terrible, sure, but there are a lot worse performances here. Blake Lively is atrocious, so is Mark Strong. Well, he’s more laughable than atrocious. Gattlin Griffith, as a young Reynolds, is hilariously bad.

More shocking than Reynolds is Campbell getting a phoned-in performance from Tim Robbins. I’ve never seen Robbins waste his time like he does here. Even Jay O. Sanders is bad, in what should be an easy role.

There’s no way Green Lantern would have been good with this script, but it could have been better. I hate blaming Campbell, who’s done excellent work; he should’ve taken an Alan Smithee on this garbage.

Green Lantern: New Guardians 3 (January 2012)

During the opening scene of this issue, Kyle Rayner–imbued with the powers of all the rings… well, not really but Bedard misses that plot hole–starts spewing like a Red Lantern.

He spews while speaking Bedard’s dialogue, which proves a nice metaphor for the issue in general and Bedard’s writing in particular. Obviously, not all of the problems are Bedard’s fault. He’s not the idiot who named the Orange Lantern leader Agent Orange, he just works for the idiot who did.

It’s a strange issue in how little happens. The ringless (but still able to survive in space and still possessing superpowers) supporting cast goes to Oa to confront Kyle. Except Kyle thinks they’re on their way to rescue him. Makes a lot of sense.

There’s nothing to recommend the comic.

Wait, there’s a funny fat ghost Lantern. It’s even kind of cute, like an orange Slimer from Ghostbusters.

CREDITS

Writer, Tony Bedard; pencillers, Tyler Kirkham and Harvey Tolibao; inker, Batt; colorist, Nei Ruffino; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, Sean Mackiewicz and Pat McCallum; publisher, DC Comics.

Green Lantern Corps 3 (January 2012)

Geraldo Borges is the “guest” penciller. I’m not sure he’s particularly welcome. He’s not terrible, but he’s not good either.

The issue is all action, taking place over a couple hours at most. Guy and John are in trouble, they call for backup, the backup Lanterns bicker then come and save the day. Then the lead up to the soft cliffhanger starts.

Along the way, Tomasi reveals more information about the bad guys and… Well, I think I just covered it all.

He writes this issue of Corps like it’s a Western and the pacing is a problem. None of the issue’s events are interesting enough to warrant twenty-two pages. It’s like a five minute battle scene in a Western, without the accompanying character moments and whatnot. One major thing happens in the issue, otherwise it starts in the same place it finishes.

Still, it’s harmless DC sci-fi fun.

CREDITS

Force of Will; writer, Peter J. Tomasi; penciller, Geraldo Borges; inker, Scott Hanna; colorist, Gabe Eltaeb; letterer, Pat Brosseau; editors, Darren Shan and Brian Cunningham; publisher, DC Comics.

Green Lantern 3 (January 2012)

Once again, Sinestro is the best thing about Green Lantern. Johns really ought to consider redoing the book with Sinestro as the lead and Hal Jordan as his flunky. Maybe because of the movie (and Ryan Reynolds playing the role), it’s hard to take Hal seriously. Maybe it’s just because Johns makes Hal out to be a complete moron.

Not sure if that development’s new DC Universe or whatever.

Johns has been so successful at making Sinestro a force through the narrative, the focus on him works. Hal’s just a tool. He’s the comic relief. Regardless of Johns’s intention, he’s made Lantern better for making the expected lead a toadstool.

There’s very nice art from Mahnke and company. Occasionally, the differences in inkers–they’re close, but not exact–become clear. But it’s never disjointing.

The issue’s third act is just a great time. Johns manages a predictable, but deft cliffhanger.

CREDITS

Sinestro, Part Three; writer, Geoff Johns; penciller, Doug Mahnke; inkers, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin and Tom Nguyen; colorist, David Baron; letterer, Sal Cipriano; editors, Darren Shan and Brian Cunningham; publisher, DC Comics.

Red Lanterns 3 (January 2012)

This issue is something special. It’s Benes objectifying a resurrected rape and murder victim. At first, I thought it was just his impulse, but then the issue moved on and it became clear Benes does it on purpose. It’s a little creepy. The new DC seems to be a bunch of creators you wouldn’t leave alone with your kid.

Oddly, it’s easily the best Red Lanterns issue. Milligan is able to write this female character, able to set her in opposition to the lead Red Lantern, and to do an impression of an eighties DC sci-fi book.

Benes rips off Phantom Menace for the alien planet this issue, bringing down the issue’s creativity, but Milligan has his own offenses too. In particular, he brings back the two quarreling humans. It’d be so funny if neither becomes a Red Lantern.

It’s not a good comic, but the writing’s not incompetent.

CREDITS

Higher Consciousness; writer, Peter Milligan; penciller, Ed Benes; inker, Rob Hunter; colorist, Nathan Eyring; letterer, Carlos M. Mangual; editors, Darren Shan and Brian Cunningham; publisher, DC Comics.

Green Lantern: New Guardians 2 (December 2011)

2061474-green_lantern_new_guardians__2011__02_super.jpeg
Yay for terribly written exposition flashbacks. Yay!

See, I’m trying to be positive about New Guardians and not laugh at Kirkham’s hair on Kyle Rayner. I mean, it’s some silly hair. But probably not as silly as his three day stubble… because Kyle’s a young, hip rebel.

Though I do like the new costume design on Kyle as an omni-Lantern (when he’s got on all the rings). Not sure if that one’s Kirkham or Harvey Tolibao. It’s very… well, it kind of makes Kyle look like a drag queen, which is funny.

Having one funny page in the issue helps, because there’s nothing amusing about the rest of it.

Frighteningly, Bedard’s plotting is even worse than his dialogue and he misses some great opportunities. Like when Kyle leaves psychotic aliens on earth assuming they won’t hurt anyone… Bedard misses a big opportunity.

New Guardians isn’t just bad, it’s boring.

CREDITS

Writer, Tony Bedard; pencillers, Tyler Kirkham and Harvey Tolibao; inker, Batt; colorist, Nei Ruffino; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, Sean Mackiewicz and Pat McCallum; publisher, DC Comics.

Green Lantern Corps 2 (December 2011)

All Tomasi can come up with for villains in the Green Lantern Crops is intergalactic ninjas. They have some mystery leader and teleporting powers, but they’re really just ninjas. It makes the comic feel like it’s from the eighties.

Maybe it also feels like its from the eighties because it all of a sudden reads like any other Green Lantern Corps comic I read back then. Once it’s revealed the team is saving a planet of adorable little creatures, I immediately thought back to the eighties comics.

Of course, being a straightforward DC Universe sci-fi book isn’t a bad thing. Tomasi does fine with all the writing. The action moves at a good pace and none of the characters are poorly written. There are a couple bad lines of dialogue but nothing too bad.

And the Pasarin and Hanna art is good.

Corps is completely unambitious and thoroughly readable.

CREDITS

Willful; writer, Peter J. Tomasi; penciller, Fernando Pasarin; inker, Scott Hanna; colorist, Gabe Eltaeb; letterer, Pat Brosseau; editors, Darren Shan and Brian Cunningham; publisher, DC Comics.