gotta hand it to you, Arthur

i still don't know where Brightest Day is headed, but just to keep our attention from meandering from the meandering series, they give us some (regurgitated) shock and awe. in 2028, some other villain will use telekinesis to rip off Aquaman's hand once again.

the Devil makes work for idle hands, while God cuts them off - wait, what?

purple reign

drive-by readings

Green Lantern #57 (DC) "What Happens in Vegas" Geoff Johns Doug Mahnke Christian Alamy Tom Nguyen Keith Champagne Randy Mayor Gabe Eltaeb Nick Napolitano Mahnke/Hi-Fi (cover) Ryan Sook/Fernando Pasarin/Joel Gomez/Mayor/Carrie Strachan (variant cover)

what we learned: after a brawl stretching from Minnesota to the Sin City, Star Sapphire of Sector 2814 (a.k.a. Carol Ferris) corrals "The Love Predator" (which is definitely different from Ah-Nuld's nemesis) and makes a stand about it, earning here the title of queen of the Star Sapphires, whose erstwhile queen conveniently decides to croak at that particular moment.
oh shit moment: Carol kisses the Predator (John Walsh and Chris Hansen just tore their hairpieces out) and Hal's jaw tenses. for one moment there, he was going to go Parallax again. or not.
what's next: next time you get arrested for stalking your ex-girlfriend or your crush, you can blame the Love Predator. no, really.


you don't have the proportions, Larfleeze.

still haven't found what they're looking for

drive-by readings

Brightest Day #9 (DC) "Lost and Found" Geoff Johns/Peter Tomasi Patrick Gleason/Ivan Reis/Joe Prado Rebecca Buchman/Keith Champagne/Tom Nguyen Peter Steigerwald Rob Clark Jr. David Finch (cover) Reis/Hi-Fi (variant cover)

what we learned: ah, so the black dude with the eel tattoo is Black Manta's son. why did it only take this long for him to get up his butt and look for him? J'onn's search for the telepathic black hole lands him in Oliver Queen's enchanted forest and they needed to hightail it out of there before the forest ate them up.
oh shit moment: never saw Black Manta this cool and aggressive. but that costume is still funny.
what's next: message in a bottle, yeah.


Ollie didn't like his first session with The Mentalist.

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 ...

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?

rogue rage

drive-by readings

The Flash #4 (DC) "Case One: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues, Part Four" Geoff Johns Francis Manapul Brian Buccellato Sal Cipriano Scott Kolins/Michael Atiyeh (variant cover)

what we learned: one of the future Rogues break protocol and actually tells Barry Allen why they're arresting him (of course there's a reason why he would even kill a Rogue - and its one of those damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't things). not far from the formerly washed-up Boomerang's heels, are the present-day Rogues, who apparently can't sit still while watching the conflict unfold on TV.
oh shit moment: the fact that i am reading a Flash comic without Wally West. i mean, i love Geoff Johns and all, but ...
what's next: who's Rogue Leader? i don't know, you tell me.


listen ... somebody has to ink Manapul quick. these pencil sketches are becoming stale.

dead like them

drive-by readings

Brightest Day #6 (DC) "Dead Zone" Geoff Johns/Peter Tomasi Ivan Reis/Patrick Gleason Scott Clark/Joe Prado Vicente Cifuentes/David Beaty Mark Irwin/Christian Alamy Peter Steigerwald/John Starr Rob Clark David Finch/Scott Williams/Steigerwald (cover) Reis/Dave McCaig (cover)

what we learned: Mera is from an Atlantean tribe tasked to assassinate Aquaman. Firestorm has multiple personality issues (there's always something with the powerful ones. Molecule Man, The Sentry ... ). J'onn is looking for a killer who's just like him. and Deadman hasn't eaten yet, because he's been Deadman for so long. may i recommend: Red Robin ... yummmmm.
oh shit moment: could the killer J'onn is hunting be his ... wife?
what's next: does anyone want M'Gann to live, or bite the dust? call 1-800-DIE-ALIEN to vote now!


Arthur's best gift was 20/20 vision ... in water.

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.

snaps: Blackest Night #8

... where the Rainbow Riders finally get to defeat Nekron and the Black Hand (as if there was any doubt). and in a complete reversal of a cookie-cutter comicbook event, NO ONE DIES (well, except the bad guy and the jury is out on that, and because they were fighting dead people to begin with), and A FEW DEAD PEOPLE COME BACK (not just all you hoped for). all in all, i'd still rank Blackest Night below The Sinestro Corps War, primarily because there were no more surprises after the first issue. plus with the Internet talk these days, you basically get a preview of what's going to happen anyway ... what's that? Brightest Day is going to be a gay musical starring our DC heroes? for sure?

"and that's for not getting my back when i got captured by that loser Libra!!"


why do you have to be a heartpuller?


coming soon to Broadway: Brightest Gay Day!


"uh, J'onn ... are you gonna reimburse us for that funeral we threw you?"


goodbye, Infinite Crisis!


goodbye, 90's!! farewell, beard and hook!!


William can't even wipe off his drool with his Hand.

atomic fate

drive-by readings

The Atom & Hawkman #46 (DC) "Bye Bye Birdie" Geoff Johns Ryan Sook Fernando Pasarin Nick Napolitano Hi-Fi a presumably one-shot following the final issue (#45) back in November 1969, The Atom & Hawkman #46 begins with a recap of what Ray Palmer's life's been so far (new fans will remember the Identity Crisis period) and details the moments as he becomes deputized as an Indigo Lantern deep in the midst of Blackest Night. his best friend Hawkman (with Kendra), now a Black Lantern, attempts to bring him over to the dark side, and is saved momentarily by his sponsor, Indigo-1. to enable her to contact the rest of her tribe, Ray has to protect her from all comers including his bitch of a wife Jean Loring (who makes him relive that night she kills Sue Dibny). his success fittingly puts him back into major player status, something i've been looking forward to, with all due respect to Ryan Choi. Geoff Johns makes hay while the night is still young, and Ryan Sook's fluid art complements him perfectly. now if only Sook also drew the X-Force issues of Necrosha ...

and here we have another case of DC's adeptness in typos.


does AIG work for you, Ray?


ironically, Ray refines his ex-wife's tested killing method.


in the land of tinier people, the Atom is king.


my, my, Mr. Palmer, what language.

Superman's first hickey

and it wasn't LANA!!!

aaaaaaaaaaand ... we're back.

the DC Universe is so circular. who are they gonna bring back next??



/uhh ... Batman?

hi, i'm Luthor ... Dick Luthor.

imagine if you had some form of terminal cancer. and Lex Luthor cured you. then he gave it back to you after five minutes.

dick.

snaps: Blackest Night #6

... where we learn that Lantern rings can deputize another for 24 hours. the question is, how sure are we that that timeframe would be the limit? and once someone gets deputized, they would be willing to give up the ring? also, a bunch of other characters become the second Rainbow Seven.

1) Nok! Nok! who's there? see below.


2) it's the Ultimate Warrior Atom!!!


3) mermaid got your tongue?


4) no tongue, no jaw - how the hell does she talk? amazing.


5) uh uh. sure. are you gonna be the "villain" in the next GL crossover?

snaps: Adventure Comics #5

... where the fantasies of a solid majority of disgusted DC fanboys almost come true. and they all ended up being a lot more disgusted. oh, and Conner meets Luthor again.

1) oboyoboyoboyoboy!! SuperBrat Prime to be torn apart by Blackest Night zombies! sweeeeeeeet!!!!


2) even better - SuperBrat Prime going after The D Man!! wooohoooooo!!! tear him a new one, then kill yourself!!!!


3) Schlagman and Berganza probably got a kick out of this.


4) we all know a lie when we hear one ... or do we??


5) not sure if she's saying she sucks a lot better or a lot less. moving on ...



Marvel's Assistant Editors Month back in the '80s still rules!!!

snaps: Blackest Night: Flash #1

... where still more dead people mess with both our speedsters and rogues. and Skott Kolins' art makes it a lot more ... dirtier than it already is.

1) as opposed to the number of people you've killed over the years. thought i'd bring that up.


2) hmmm ... maybe you should ask the next guy on this list ...


3) ... only because he "raids rainbows" and he might be able to create white light all by himself, instead of waiting for all those Lanterns to come together. oh wait, he's dead too.


4) sure. would you like Left 4 Dead 2 or Dead Rising 2?


5) Scott Kolins' art is just .... amazing. NOT.

snaps: Blackest Night #5

... where everyone has a grand old time with dead people.

1) ok, who was the joker in the cave then???


2) your name is Bartholomew Henry. you're 53 years old. you're kinda old.


3) i believe she was referring to this.


4) i'd wager its the second, Mr. Jordan.



5) oh, shoot ... here we go again!!