Tom Strong 22 (December 2003)

Tom Strong #22 Moore brings it all together for the Tom Stone finale. He even gets around to a scene or two I really wasn’t expecting. It turns out there are drawbacks to a more emotional Tom Strong or Tom Stone. They play out unexpectedly for the characters, but maybe expectedly for the superhero comic book medium.

Ordway proves the perfect artist for the issue–and the arc–given the vast number of guest starring science heroes. They’re everywhere during some of the issue, with Ordway getting to do very different Bronze Age superhero action composition. It’s very cool, even if Moore’s successful at the scenes being emotionally devastating.

With all the time travel and alternate universes, it’s initially odd Moore wants to close off the Tom Stone storyline. The conclusion, where he actually gets to develop Tom Strong a little more, wouldn’t work without treating the arc rather seriously.

It’s excellent work.

CREDITS

How Tom Stone Got Started, Part Three: Crisis on Infinite Hearts; writer, Alan Moore; penciller, Jerry Ordway; inkers, Ordway, Sandra Hope and Richard Friend; colorist, Dave Stewart; letterer, Todd Klein; editors, Kristy Quinn and Scott Dunbier; publisher, America’s Best Comics.

Tom Strong 21 (October 2003)

Tom Strong #21 The Tom Stone story continues with Moore doing a combination alternate history lesson of the twentieth century–with Tom Stone and the good Saveen rehabilitating all the villains instead of fighting them–and wink at the traditional Tom Strong back story.

The most interesting part is how Tom Strong’s mother is basically the only villain in the issue. She’s the one knowingly endangering the fabric of the space-time continuum. But not really, because everything in the Tom Stone world is okay.

And Tom Strong gets to hear all about how he didn’t do things as well as Tom Stone would have done–the deciding factor seems to be Tom Strong’s dad not being as sympathetic as Tom Stone’s–and even he gets tired of it.

There’s not a lot of drama to the issue, something Moore saves entirely for the soft cliffhanger.

It’s competently done, but lacks any momentum.

CREDITS

How Tom Stone Got Started, Part Two: Strongmen in Silvertime; writer, Alan Moore; penciller, Jerry Ordway; inkers, Trevor Scott, Karl Story and Richard Friend; colorist, Wildstorm FX; letterer, Todd Klein; editors, Kristy Quinn and Scott Dunbier; publisher, America’s Best Comics.

Tom Strong 20 (June 2003)

Tom Strong #20 Jerry Ordway guest pencils for a special alternate history story. The shipwreck on the tropical island goes differently and so there’s never a Tom Strong. Instead, there’s a Tom Stone, son of Tom Strong’s mother and the ship captain. His understanding of racism firsthand–and still having the empathy to ignore it and help everyone–allows him to convince Saveen to become a science hero with him.

There’s a lot more, with Saveen marrying Dhalua and they have Tesla while Tom Stone marries some other chick. He’s actually nowhere near as important to the story; Moore realizes he can only get so much mileage out of that character and everyone else is more interesting.

It’s a constantly surprisingly comic, though the final reveal suggests Moore foreshadowed everything carefully throughout the issue. He’s not asking the reader to pay attention, he’s ignoring readers who do not.

It’s a tad manipulative, but definitely engaging.

A-

CREDITS

How Tom Stone Got Started, Part One; writer, Alan Moore; penciller, Jerry Ordway; inker, Karl Story; colorist, Dave Stewart; letterer, Todd Klein; editors, Kristy Quinn and Scott Dunbier; publisher, America’s Best Comics.

DC Universe: Legacies (2010) #8

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So, if Wein knew he had to cover the whole Green Lantern goes nuts thing, why is an earthling the best narrator for the series? In fact, the earthbound narrator is now the worst possible choice in a variety of ways.

It isn’t enough he wouldn’t know about the Oa stuff or Parallax (oh, Ron Marx created Parallax… things make so much more sense now), the narrator’s also blond. So the colorist is adding these hints of grey at his temples to show his aging. Because, given the series should now be taking place only a few years ago in DC Universe time… the narrator would be in his mid-seventies. His daughter’s age is even more inexplicable.

The issue also shows stupid nineties costume design should be forgotten, not repeated.

The backup—it’s the New Gods finally—is terribly written and makes no sense. Quitely’s efforts appear disinterested too.

DC Universe: Legacies (2010) #7

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It’s difficult to describe what Jerry Ordway inking Dan Jurgens looks like—Ordway definitely brings his sensibilities to it, but there’s the Jurgens underneath. Unfortunately, neither artist is in his best time, so the result is somewhat less than either on their own (in their prime). It’s like plastic-coated Jurgens and the last thing he needs is plastic-coating.

Wein skips over Millennium and some other crossovers and goes straight to Bane and Doomsday. Now, I never read the Batman storyline, but it seems goofy here. Especially with Bane running away in a mall. Not the most dynamic setting for a fight.

As for the Doomsday stuff… I haven’t read that issue since it came out, it seems like a reprinting. Boring. Lame melodramatics with the narrator too.

The backup, however, with Bolland art, is utterly charming. The Atom goes back to Camelot for a couple minutes. It’s wonderful.

DC Universe: Legacies (2010) #6

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Perez inking Ordway produces a good result and, even though Wein’s writing has weakened again, the issue is moderately successful. Wein’s basically recapping post-Crisis big events here—mostly Legends and the reforming of the Justice League. As far as a summary, it works pretty well—though I think they’re leaving out Millennium or whatever.

But the narrator again takes center and his story gets even lamer. First, his reformed crook brother-in-law is crippled, making the pair very annoying as they form this homoerotic codependency. Second, the timeline is all messed up again. The character looks like he’s in his mid-thirties, but if he was born in the 1920s… he should be in his sixties.

The backup, with Giffen and Milgrom on the art, is a Legion thing. The writing’s lame and Giffen draws teenage Superboy like he’s fifty. Maybe Giffen should be drawing the series protagonist.

Superman / Batman (2003) #75

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Levitz wraps up the arc with a Legion of Super-Heroes story guest starring Batman. Superman’s in a panel or two. Lex’s planet has paid-off (in the future), with a Kryptonite-infused Lex clone going through history after Superman (and Superboy).

The story’s unpredictable and funny. And Ordway’s mostly just drawing, not trying to look painted, so the art’s much better.

The rest of the issue is two-page anniversary stories.

Seagle and Kristiansen’s is pointless self-indulgence. Tucci’s actually funny. Hughes does a poster; great art, of course. The big surprise is the Krul one (with Manapul on the art). The writing’s actually funny. Thompson’s got a couple pinups. Green and Johnson (art by Davis and Albuquerque) are unmemorable.

Rouleau’s got a fantastic one, so do Azzarello and Bermejo.

Finch and Williams’s one is atrociously written.

Tomasi and Ha’s entry is pointless but looks nice.

Excellent feature though.

Superman / Batman (2003) #74

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Ordway tones down the new style here a little and this issue has the best art of the arc. Levitz also changes gears, totally removing Lois Lane and revealing why Lex is so important.

Well, actually, he already revealed Lex’s importance, he just didn’t reveal the connection. This issue doesn’t help in that regard. While Lex did bankroll the people to kidnap Lois, apparently he didn’t want them to burn her alive. And then he’s messing around a lot in Gotham….

The issue ends with Lex revealed (mostly) and Superman and Batman both giving him a stern talking to.

Levitz doesn’t have a single scene with Superman and Batman together–there’s a panel at the end–and the issue just feels generally off. The pacing’s weak–not much happens, with an emphasis on showing Lex’s grand plan on the logistical scale.

It’s not a disappointment, just a waste of time.

Superman / Batman (2003) #73

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Just like last issue, Levitz has a perfectly good handle on all the narration (it’s Superman, Lois and Batman again). Unfortunately, the plot doesn’t make any sense. Apparently, Lex Luthor is funding the Superman cult in order to get them to kill Lois Lane, but only if they get caught. Somehow, all of that business also has to do with Lex wanting to inspire an alien planet to worship him as a god.

What’s not clear is why the comic needs Lex Luthor at all. Levitz could have filled his pages with almost any other subplot (like the one he suggested in the first issue with Lois and a Planet coworker).

It’s actually rather confusing.

Ordway’s doing his paint-like thing again (he gets one great panel and then I realized it’s because Lois isn’t supposed to be moving).

It’s not bad… it’s just not good. It’s competent and disinterested.

Superman / Batman (2003) #72

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Interesting new art style from Ordway. It approximates the look of painted and has all the same problems of static figures and figures not matching their backgrounds. It starts well though, so when it quickly tanks (especially during conversation scenes), it’s a surprise.

Levitz splits the issue between Superman, Batman and Lois. Superman’s off in space, messing around with a meteor, pissing off an alien planet. It’s cool to see him going from world to world, but the art doesn’t match it. Lois is working on a story and then she gets kidnapped by… wait for it… a cult devoted to Superman, who want to burn her for spurning his advances. That revelation is the cliffhanger. It’s amusing.

Batman’s mostly along for the ride, thanks to Lois’s panic device (for when Superman’s out of town).

Decent first person narration from all three, but the dialogue is occasionally weak.

It’s fine.