Crimebuster
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Post by Crimebuster on Jun 24, 2014 10:37:14 GMT -5
Arisa weeping on her knees and holding a gun to her head on the opening panel of the first page of this issue came as a bit of a surprise to me. Sure, it was an imaginary segment (Hal imagining what would happen if he died) Hal sure thinks pretty highly of himself. How could anyone want to go on without him?! |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 24, 2014 10:45:20 GMT -5
Arisa weeping on her knees and holding a gun to her head on the opening panel of the first page of this issue came as a bit of a surprise to me. Sure, it was an imaginary segment (Hal imagining what would happen if he died) Hal sure thinks pretty highly of himself. How could anyone want to on without him?! Or maybe the gun was because she finally realized she'd been the victim of statutory rape all this time. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 24, 2014 10:54:02 GMT -5
It's a trick! It's got to be! She's probably holding it between her legs!
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 24, 2014 11:28:53 GMT -5
It's a trick! It's got to be! She's probably holding it between her legs! I have no idea how to read this statement other than in a thoroughly disturbing way  |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 24, 2014 12:19:42 GMT -5
Adventures of Superman #447  writer/penciler: Jerry Ordway inks: Dennis Janke letters: Albert DeGuzman colors: Petra Scotese asst. editor: Renee Witterstaetter editor: Mike Carlin grade: B A few traditions that appear to be continuing with this issue: Ordway changing his mind part-way through a story. This issue is entitled "Over the Edge". Heck, even the cover states this, but nothing within the issue reflects the title. This is neither an issue that focuses on Superman losing control of his dark side and, thus, going over the edge, nor is it an issue that gives all that much focus to Morgan Edge (though he's a big player in the background of what's occurring). Carlin, meanwhile, seems to have made it a mission statement to continue to reference Byrne's continuity while moving forward. Maybe I was off-base about my speculation that it all tied into contractually agreed upon appearances of characters for which Byrne would receive royalties. No such characters appear here, yet we are repeatedly reminded of past continuity (both Byrne's and Wolfman's) as Superman reflects upon the fallout from his previous meddling with Qurac, and Luthor mentions the genesis of his conflict with Perry White having been when Luthor still owned the Daily Planet. Neither reference is superfluous, but it's impressive that a conscious effort is being made to adhere to past continuity here. Superman's internal conflict about letting out his dark side gets hinted at again here, though it's not pronounced. He even falls into Pre-Crisis characterization when he addresses a sailor as "son;" something Byrne's Superman never would have said. Instead, the real focus is on continuing to bait us with the mystery of how Gangbuster has returned. Delgado has regained the ability to walk thanks to a research lab that we know is secretly controlled by Luthor, but this issue casts serious doubt on whether Delgado is actually the one under the helmet this time. My guess -- it's Superman subconsciously taking on a dual identity to vent his darker, more vigilante-like side. I particularly like Luthor's characterization in this issue, practically obsessed with finding out who saved his life because he cannot stand being in someone's debt. Important Details: -1st Post-Crisis reference to Intergang. Luthor knows Morgan Edge is working with them. -Revealed that Morgan Edge is clearly trying to take down Luthor. Minor Details: -Again, we see that Cat Grant now works for Morgan Edge, but we saw her on assignment for the Planet with Clark in Superman #24. -Metropolis has a harbor on the Atlantic Ocean, in addition to being on the West River. Again, the city appears clearly based upon New York City. -Luthor hastily built a medical facility in order to do some sort of brain operation on Milton Moses (the hypnotist possessed by Brainiac). Is this the simple PR stunt Clark thinks it is, or is Luthor up to something more sinister with Brainiac? -There was a reference to New York rock radio station Z100 in the previous issue. In this one, we outright get a billboard advertising their morning show. Talk about invasive advertising! plot synopsis in one sentence: Superman rescues an aircraft carrier returning from the Middle East when it runs across a minefield in Metropolis Harbor, the mines appear to be Quraci, Gangbuster commits some form of espionage against the Quraci office at the UN, an assassination attempt is made against Luthor, Clark anonymously saves him, leaving Luthor obsessed with finding out who he owes for his rescue, Gangbuster is framed for murdering Luthor's assassin (who was working for Morgan Edge), something weird happens to the real assassin that will inevitably be explained next issue, and Gangbuster leaps a 30 story wall, leaving us to wonder if that's because of Luthor's technology or something else entirely. Good writing, good pacing, good adherence to continuity. Not an exceptional story by any means, but its quality abounds all the same. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 24, 2014 12:26:15 GMT -5
I have a few of these, but I don't recall them much.. I bought them for Nightwing when I was reading NTT and I don't have them in order... I was thinking of going back and filling them in, but you're quickly dispelling me of the desire  |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 24, 2014 12:29:49 GMT -5
Questions of quality aside, the saddest part is that they're not Nightwing stories. The conflict and characterization all center on Roy Harper and Cheshire, with Dick as little more than a supporting character.
It's an odd choice on Wolfman's part, frankly.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 24, 2014 12:57:37 GMT -5
Roy's story with Cheshire and his daughter is pretty interesting, though (even if they ruined it later). It is weird to call it a Nightwing story, though... did DC decide Arsenal couldn't sell, but Nightwing could?
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 24, 2014 13:17:25 GMT -5
I like how DC thought the name "Speedy" was stupid. So they called him "Arsenal."
I know there's dumber names that that, but "Arsenal" is pretty darn dumb.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 24, 2014 14:00:01 GMT -5
Roy's story with Cheshire and his daughter is pretty interesting, though (even if they ruined it later). It is weird to call it a Nightwing story, though... did DC decide Arsenal couldn't sell, but Nightwing could? Could simply be that DC wanted to do more with Nightwing, figured ACW was the place to try it and that Wolfman was the one to write it, and then when they turned control over to him, he thought, "Hey, I'd like to do more with Speedy." Was Teen Titans Spotlight done by this point? Maybe Wolfman envisioned using Nightwing as a team-up vehicle for giving more attention to individual Titans, new and old. |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 24, 2014 14:02:08 GMT -5
Yup. Just confirmed that Teen Titans Spotlight concluded five months earlier. Maybe that's the answer, then.
Or perhaps this was simply a storyline Wolfman had intended to tell for TTS and decided to use this opportunity to finally tell it.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 24, 2014 14:42:19 GMT -5
Action Comics #618  A better issue of ACW all around, though most of it is still only tolerable: Green Lantern is simply generic at this point. Not good, not bad; just basic superhero fare. I can swallow it, even though Richard Howell's pencils leave something to be desired. Blackhawk is gaining a little more personality as we get to know the team, but the plot feels pretty predictable even at this early stage, and Blackhawk himself has been pretty underused thus far. Wild Dog keeps trying to lighten the mood (odd for a story in which the protagonist is a vigilante bent on crossing the line), but Collins and Beatty just can't get the tone right. It's awkward instead of cute/funny. Deadman returns with Kelley Jones and Tony DeZuniga turning in some really compelling art, and the zombie master premise is somewhat interesting (especially as Boston inhabits the body of one of the walking dead), but Baron still fails to make Deadman's personality likable. His wry humor feels too forced and not at all endearing. Nightwing is the true surprise of the issue. I really got into this climactic chapter that was full of heart, and also included one jaw-dropping moment that made me exclaim "WHOA!" out loud to no one in particular. It's still not a Nightwing story, but Dick does get to be the active player who brings about the awesome climax and resolution. Fan rankings for this week reveal Deadman significantly increasing in popularity over the last two weeks (from #4 to #3, and now to #2) while everything else remains the same. And then there was Superman... "Out on the Town" writer: Roger Stern pencils: Curt Swan inks: Murphy Anderson letters: Bill Oakley colors: Tom Ziuko editor: Mike Carlin grade: B This makes for a surprisingly fun installment at first. Swan and Ziuko turn in a first rate product for the first time in weeks; it's truly visually stunning stuff. Meanwhile, Stern gets to provide us with a laugh for a change as faithful worshipper Bob wanders out on the town, assuring Clark in a note that, "Don't worry...Superman will protect me!" It's adorably frustrating stuff. But then Swan feels the need to introduce the obligatory cliffhanger at the end of the installment, so he has Bob threaten a store owner for selling an image of Superman's chest logo on t-shirts (most devout faiths do not oppose the sale of their religious symbols and, seriously, doesn't Bob understand he's in a culture that doesn't share or even know about his beliefs yet???), and the store owner then (more unlikely still) pulls a gun on Bob. It all feels so forced. I think that WAS the plot synopsis. Oh well. |
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Post by dupersuper on Jun 24, 2014 21:19:04 GMT -5
The whole Exile arc was actually pretty interesting Agreed. Jun 23, 2014 18:16:12 GMT -3 !Pharozonk! said: and was one of the few highlights of the post-Crisis Superman. Disagreed. |
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Post by dupersuper on Jun 24, 2014 21:19:58 GMT -5
I've been thinking more about the oddity of Stern's stories focusing so intently on Byrne's characters when all the evidence clearly suggests Byrne left on bad terms with DC. Why give such attention to his characters in light of this? I'm beginning to wonder if there wasn't some clause in his contract, or perhaps something agreed upon as part of the terms of his leaving, that characters from which he would receive royalties would get a certain number of appearances in the book. I think he and Byrne may just be friends. They've worked together often... |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 24, 2014 21:40:17 GMT -5
John Byrne has friends??
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