buildup

drive-by readings

Brightest Day #8 (DC) "Defiance" Geoff Johns/Peter Tomasi Patrick Gleason/Ivan Reis/Ardian Syaf Vicente Cifuentes/Rebecca Buchman/Mark Irwin Peter Steigerwald/John Starr Rob Clark Jr. David Finch/Scott Williams/Steigerwald (cover) Ryan Sook/Fernando Pasarin/Joel Gomez/Randy Mayor/Carrie Strachan (variant cover)

what we learned: Shiera fights for her life with her mommy issues, and while Carter finds himself an army to fight against Queen Shrike. meanwhile, J'onn tries to find out where's that Green Martian who jumped M'gann and it leads him to Star City. the White Ring is still messing with Deadman's, Dove's and Hawk's heads. i have no idea what its rapping about.
oh shit moment: how many creators does it take to finish a book? or should we just blame Blogger for having a 200-character tag limit???
what's next: they promised us an Aquaman/Black Manta rematch. they promised!!


and so Hawkman found himself leading the Thundercats AND the mutants ...

humanize

drive-by readings

Green Lantern Corps #51 (DC) "Revolt of the Alpha-Lanterns Part 4" Tony Bedard Ardian Syaf Vicente Cifuentes Randy Mayor Steve Wands Ryan Sook/Joel Gomez/Fernando Pasarin/Mayor/Carrie Strachan (variant cover)

what we learned: lemme get this straight: Cyborg Supes turned Lanterns into Alpha Lanterns so they would attract the attention of Ganthet so he can turn them all back into mortals, especially Cyborg Supes? and you thought Lost was convoluted. anyhoo, with the little juice his ring has left, Kyle grabs Lantern Hannu as an equalizer, and just in time because Boodikka shows up. her final sacrifice is to power up the GLs.
oh shit moment: Qward? White Lantern stuff? ooooooooooooooo.
what's next: for Stel! for Grenda! for the Corps!!


naaah, that's centuries of not eating healthy, you blue pig.

protect this house

drive-by readings

Brightest Day #7 (DC) "The Secret of Life" Geoff Johns Peter Tomasi Ivan Reis Ardian Syaf Scott Clark Joe Prado Vicente Cifuentes David Beaty Mark Irwin Peter Steigerwald John Starr Rob Clark Jr. David Finch/Scott Williams/Steigerwald (cover) Ryan Sook/Fernando Pasarin/Joel Gomez/Randy Mayor/Carrie Strachan (variant cover)

what we learned: apparently, the entity in the White Lantern has been the DCU's version of the Watcher (unlike the Watcher, it hasn't made any moves beyond watching - until now). the 12 revived characters are here to protect this world until the arrival of its "new protector". huh? like this world needs more protection, given the long list of DCU her- oh you mean this time, its a competent protector? are you suuuuuuuuuuuuuuure?
oh shit moment: we'll go with what a Deadman could feel ... eating a damn burger after far too long. ohhhh, man. that is the shit.
what's next: the White Lantern has issued instructions for each of them (burn what, J'onn? stop Magog, Max Lord?), so get cracking! move it, move it, move it!


why? what's wrong with the current crop of protectors?

resistance is futile. no, not really.

drive-by readings

Green Lantern Corps #50 (DC) "Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns Part 3" Tony Bedard Ardian Syaf Vicente Cifuentes Randy Mayor Carrie Strachan Steve Wands Patrick Gleason/John Dell/Mayor (variant cover)

what we learned: the Cyborg Superman (the anti-thesis of regular comic characters because he wants to die and he can't) is still up to his shenanigans (well, give him credit, he does want to kill himself) and goes through a convoluted plan to turning Lanterns into Alpha Lanterns just to attract the attention of ex-Guardian-now-Lantern Ganthet. hmmmmm, so who's the mysterious dude who told Henshaw these things?
oh shit moment: Ardian Syaf goofs on Ganthet's hand - i mean correct me if i'm wrong (see below).
what's next: paging Dr. Kevorkian!! we have been paging you since 1992, dammit!!


yes, you're right. no, your left.

snaps: Brightest Day #1

... where we find the resurrected heroes from Blackest Day go about their business. apparently, there's no big meeting with the rest of the DCU (maybe that happens in JLA?), especially Aquaman and the Hawks. there are mysteries in place that Johns and Tomasi dangles in front of us, though am not sure am sufficiently intrigued. i know its the White Lantern thing and all, but for something called Brightest Day, this thing's still a bit dark (pirate rapists and zombie sea creatures anyone? oh, and wait till you see the return of the real "egghead"). also, that character line intros are tolerable and kinda smart-ass sometimes in Matt Fraction's Uncanny X-Men, but here its becoming annoying.

man, that chin itself is a lethal weapon.


this is Sinestro defending himself from unpowered mortals.


here's a thought, guys: Ronnie, hang out with Jason, and be his girlfriend.


hey, isn't that the Infinity Gauntlet??


i don't really get that helmet. it screams L-O-S-E-R.

it could happen to you

... if you badmouth the Titans for not being good enough as the Justice League.



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Titans #23

drive-by readings Capt Britain & MI13 #14

Captain Britain & MI13 #14 (Marvel) "Vampire State, Part 4" Paul Cornell Leonard Kirk Ardian Syaf Jay Leisten Craig Yeung Brian Reber Joe Caramagna Mico Suayan / Morry Hollowell (cover)

along with Guardians of the Galaxy, this title does not disappoint month after month. kinda reminds me of early-Grant Morrison JLA. this month we learn that Dracula has not really taken over the Earth yet, and our heroes have laid such an elaborate trap, with writer Paul Cornell using previous plot devices to their clever advantage. a great aspect of this rebuilt Excalibur is the inclusion of B-list characters that make sense (Blade, the Black Knight, and now Killpower), and this is the team that it should have been years ago (no dis to Chris Claremont and Alan Davis). and with another cliffhanger on hand, i hope it draws in more readers than before.

anarchy in the UK

or would there be? because Dracula just took over, and everyone should be under his sway.



ok, hopefully we don't get a post-event narrative conclusion a la Secret Invasion.

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Captain Britain & M-13 #13