Batman #680 (DC Comics)
Either Grant Morrison is bloody brilliant or we the readers are all idiots – possibly both. Morrison gives more clues here in regards to the true identity of the Black Glove. It feels like the further this story progresses, the less I know what is going on. The Bat-Mite parts of this book were truly excellent, especially as the voice of reason in Batman’s ever deteriorating psyche. It also appears that since Batman has become a darker twisted version of himself, the Joker in turn has gone even further over the edge himself. Let’s face it – no one and nothing will probably top Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker, but Morrison and Tony Daniel do their best to create their own demented take on the Clown Prince of Crime. He is gangly and very disturbing to look at, especially after disfiguring himself for no apparent reason. Tony Daniel has shaped this very slender and creepy serial killer persona.
The Joker, even with his psychosis, at this point in the story has the mental edge over our beloved Batman, which makes this version even more terrifying than usual. Sure, he has his regular Joker moments, but the whole “you shot me in the face” portion stands out to me. Never have I been more disturbed then when reading this issue. Every possible thing that could go wrong worsens by issues end. Sure, some parts seemed obvious – Jezebel Jet was just too annoying to be good – but I genuinely have no idea how this story is going in terms of its villainous mastermind and just how much worse Morrison is going to make Batman’s world. At this point, you feel like the good guys are going to fail miserably. Things continually worsen this issue and there is no ray of hope on the horizon. This will arguably be the Batman story of the decade.
Red Mass for Mars #2 (Image Comics)
If you want any indication on whether or not Jonathan Hickman can handle a superhero team book, look no further than Red Mass for Mars. This book and the upcoming Secret Warriors, Hickman’s book that will be co-written with Brian Michael Bendis after Secret Invasion, share a character with the same name, Phobos. If Hickman can bring the kind of depth he has shown in all his books, then super hero fans are in for a real treat. The way Hickman touches on God in the form of Mars is intriguing. He has the power to stop the impending war and genocide, but has no interest in doing so. It would be like Superman telling Metropolis, “sorry I don’t really feel like helping today’” You are disappointed and frightened at the fact that someone or something so powerful could care so little as to allow the horrors to come to transgress.
At the same time, it is uniquely intriguing to see humanity turn their back on “God” and take fate into their own hands. It begs the question, why do bad things happen if there is a power capable of preventing it? Hickman is the master of insightful comics that deal with the human condition. Out of all of Hickman’s comics, this is the one that relies more on color and the art itself to tell his story. Easily this was the best comic to come out all week.
JLA #25 (DC Comics)
I want to really like this issue, I do. However, I cannot help but feel sorry for writer Dwayne McDuffie as DC awarded him one royally messed up book. It has taken a very long time but it feels as though real progress has occurred regarding the characters of Red Tornado and Vixen, though the former’s story needlessly dragged on longer then it should have. I am also glad he has left the team, and hopefully McDuffie replaces him with either new blood or long missing classic, iconic characters like the Flash. Hint, Hint. In regards to Vixen, I truly enjoyed what McDuffie has done. As of late, Vixen has not been able to properly use her totem powers to mimic animals but rather steal from super humans like the X-Men’s Rogue. Finally, after all these months we get the answer to why this has been happening in the form of Anansi, the trickster God.
Now this is the kind of foe I want to see the JLA face. In addition, his shtick with being the owner of all stories has very interesting potential, along with the way he went about achieving his desired goals with disastrous results. Anansi does not appear to be either bad or good, but bored, and he treats our heroes’ lives as if it was one big story for him to weave in and out of. To him, it really is, so I found that very compelling. The inclusion of Animal Man and his strange history was entertaining as well. McDuffie succeeded in capturing my attention with this. It does not read like an anniversary issue but at least for once, it does not tie in to some company wide event. If you enjoyed the Justice League Unlimited cartoon, then you will really want to pick this issue up.
House of Mystery #6 (DC Comics)
This month in the House of Mystery, we learn the history behind Ann the pirate. It was a quirky fun tale, but the art kept pulling me out of the story to double and triple check to see if multiple artists were drawing it. Even on the same page, characters would look wildly different. I am not sure if this was the most essential person to explore, as Ann still is not any better rounded than she was previously. All this accomplished was reinforcing what we already knew. She is a master swordswoman and also a pirate. Thus, when she trains Fig, we already understood the fact that she is the best and probably only one qualified to do so. If there were one issue of this series to skip this would be the one.
It is incoherent and bounces around from idea to idea. We learn more about the house and what is what, but the people we really want and need to know more about are not explored in great detail, meaning Harry. Ann’s ship is named the Harrier, which stuck out to me, and he is the person we know the least about who always seems to be in the midst of everything. I am hoping that in the long run or conclusion of this arc these seemingly random occurrences jell together to form one fully functional story. Still, it is too early to tell and this issue really did not deliver the way the previous five have.
Witchblade #121 (Image Comics)
Ever since last summer’s event, the First Born mini-series, the quality of this book has gotten gradually better. This issue in particular was really well done. The murder scene was gruesome and Ron Marz did an excellent job laying the groundwork of this neighborhood so that the murder’s tension has escalated beyond just the typical death, for this book anyhow, to something devastating. When the racial tensions flare, it feels real and the art by Stjepan Šejić only adds to the drama. Certain bit players get more attention this month to help flush out a much needed supporting cast. It also helps reinforce the fact that, yes, these strange things happen on a regular basis but the real world has no idea that they do. So, when the shocking yet predictable bad guy is revealed you feel the terror through the reporter’s eyes. The monster responsible for the carnage should have been obvious when the murder took place last issue. It’s a logical choice given the very nature of this book and where this murder occurred at. The re-interpreted design for the Golem is ingenious. Overall Top Cow has a winner on their hands with the Witchblade.
