Jaw Dropping
HO. LEE. CRAP.
I got some comics this week that just FLOORED me.
Okay, Amazons Attacks #3 kind of treaded water and The Boys #8 had nothing like the first page of The Boys #7. And the most shocking page of Wonder Woman #10 was the DC Nation page where Matt Idelson is still asking what to do about late books in a book that's two weeks late, edited by Matt Idelson. Nice.
But the OTHER books I got were fast moving books chock full of character and plot, that then socked me in the gut.
She-Hulk 19, the one with the amazing cover, not only has a brilliant and surprisingly action packed trial of the villainous Leader, it also features the long in the works resolution of the She-Hulk/Jen Walters duel identity issue that's been the under current since Dan Slott's first issue three years ago. But I wasn't prepared for that last page reveal, the final fate of Stu Cicero, the comic book nerd too smart for his own good. What horror!
And Blue Beetle #16 is a running battle between Eclipso and Traci 13, last seen in Azzarello and Chang's mindblowing Dr. 13 back-up, with Blue Beetle caught in the middle. From the groan inducing pun title to the surprise call back to 52 (Remember 52? The weekly series everyone liked?) to Eclipso refusing to take the blame for something its host body, Jean Loring, did, this title is a hoot and a half. So I was not prepared when Eclipso unleashed "the THE MONSTER WITHIN THE BLUE BEETLE". I just did not see that coming, yet it made so much sense.
But of course, the real shocker this week, and my hands down pick, was Green Lantern: Sinestro Corp Special. How good was this issue? Well let me put it to you this way: out of curiosity I picked it up to read in the store, and was so impressed that I felt I ought to buy it AND buy Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, which I don't usually get, just because I HAVE TO KNOW what happens next.
And you know what, that's a great feeling. Well played, DC, well played.
It's a great jumping on book. Like I said, I haven't been reading any Green Lantern title, but I didn't need to because Geoff Johns has filled the book with expository dialogue. There is literally only one important character who isn't named and explained, and even he's introduced in the backstory.
And stuff happens! More stuff happens in one issue than Brad Meltzer's entire Justice League run. Seriously, a plot is investigated, a hero is captured and tortured, an immense army is discovered, Oa is attacked, villains (plural) escape, and the big bad behind it all is revealed, and it's not who you think (unless you're Diamondrock who called it some time ago).
And then there are those shocks. Yes, it's Johns's weakness to go to sudden, bloody violence, but damn if the attack on Oa didn't get real involving real quick, and the most disturbing moment was actually the least bloody, just many rings flying away to look for new Lanterns.
And the villains. Okay, some were given away in the ads, some were extremely guessable, but one or two I just did not see coming, or rather, coming so soon! Stuff happens in the book I thought would wait until the end of Countdown, but it happens here and I just don't know what's going to happen next. I really don't know how our heroes are going to get out of this one, particularly considering that last page spread, that grouping of monsters and gods, and just who is bowing to whom.
But the most surprising moment of all?
The acorn on page 36.
6 comments:
A guy at work made me read Sinestro Corps because it was so amazing, but while there are some awesome scenes (like the rings flying by that you described), I found about 60% of it was bogged down with characters and discussions that might as well have been in Chinese for as much as I understood them. Having not read Green Lantern in the better part of a decade and having skipped Infinite Crisis, I got the gist of the story, but outside of the 12 pages or so of awesome, over-the-top action and the Ion/Kyle Rayner thing that I don't want to spoil, I could have been reading a cookbook for all I know.
I could have been reading a cookbook for all I know.
"It's a cookbook! A COOKBOOK!"
"Lantern Green is people! PEOPLE! Tell the world!"
Well, it was an intro issue, which meant they had a lot of backstory to introduce, which bogs stuff down, true. I'm just glad they DID introduce stuff AND had stuff happen.
Unlike some writers we know who do neither.
I also thought it was good to see that acorn again.
Acorn?
(have counted pages to 36 three times looking. . .but afraid even if I see it I won't know the significance)
In the midst of all the chaos and mayhem, I must admit that the acorn was a hoot.
Dan, it is in the scene with Kilowog and Arisia fighting the Sinestro Corps on Oa. The little racoon/squirrel GL bonks the Ram-headed Sinestro Corp member with a large acorn.
Yes, this was magnificent, and yes things actually HAPPEN! It does help if you have been reading Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, not to mention Ion, but not absolutely necessary. And if you HAVEN'T been reading them, than shame on you!
Oh, I see it now, thanks. I guess that's Ch'p (?) the squirrel. . I've kind of lost track of how/why all the old members of the Corps are still around, but yeah, the late 80's "Corps on Earth" was one of my faves.
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