BRIGHTEST DAY #17-18Based on Martian Manhunter finishing next to last ahead of the Hawkman & Hawkgirl in a Newsarama poll of reader's reaction to this series' segment stars, I'm guessing I'm not alone in being disenchanted. Aquaman stole this show.
Written by GEOFF JOHNS & PETER J. TOMASI
Art by IVAN REIS, PATRICK GLEASON, ARDIAN SYAF, SCOTT CLARK & JOE PRADO Covers by DAVID FINCH & SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:10 Variant covers by IVAN REIS
The BRIGHTEST DAYS are numbered as this best-selling series heads toward its shocking conclusion, and fans won’t want to miss a single page of the action! “Aquawar” breaks out with Aquaman, Mera, Aqualad and a surprise guest star facing off against the terrorist forces of Black Manta and Siren to keep the vast waters of the world from sinking the United States!
Retailers please note: These issues will ship with two covers each. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
Issue #19 on sale FEBRUARY 2
Issue #20 on sale FEBRUARY 16
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #1-2Hey look! Another bi-weekly mini-series that will feature J'Onn J'Onzz! That's like, weekly Martian Manhunter... except considering J'Onn wasn't on that "theatrical trailer" and only very recently was even visually confirmed as being in the game (go-go Martian Man-thong) that might be an overstatement.
Written by TONY BEDARD & MARV WOLFMAN
Art by HOWARD PORTER & LIVESAY and ADRIANA MELO & NORMAN LEE
Issue #1 wraparound cover by ED BENES
Issue #1 1:10 Variant cover by RYAN SOOK
Issue #2 cover by ED BENES
The DC event of the year begins, coinciding with the release of the wildly anticipated DCU MMO! Get ready for the ride of a lifetime with this immense, 26-issue biweekly series!
In issue #1, Lex Luthor’s obsession with destroying Superman reaches fever pitch when he cuts the ultimate Devil’s deal with Brainiac...but with the shake of a hand, has Luthor consigned humanity to genocide?
In the startling second issue, The Lex Luthor of a post-apocalyptic future scrambles to escape Brainiac’s invasion of Earth, but he must gather an army to stop the invasion. Who will he recruit? And in the present, Brainiac’s first assault on Earth has begun, which recaps the incredibly rare DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #0!
Comic book legend Marv Wolfman joins fan-favorite writer Tony Bedard and artist Howard Porter to tell the ultimate DC Universe Super Hero tale of good versus evil!
Retailers please note: Issue #1 will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
Issue #1 on sale FEBRUARY 2
Issue #2 on sale FEBRUARY 16
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #53So this thing is still going on, presumably with the retro JLofA back-ups. The art inside wasn't as bad as the covers, but still a far cry from Bingham's best.
Written by MARC GUGGENHEIM
Art and cover by JERRY BINGHAM
Indebted to a super-powered team called The Zhuguan, Bruce Wayne repays the life-altering favor they bestowed upon him by joining their ranks against their most deadly foe! Marc Guggenheim (JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA) and classic Batman artist Jerry Bingham (BATMAN: SON OF THE DEMON) present “Super-Powers” part 4 of 5!
On sale FEBRUARY 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
The Art of Vintage DC Comics: 100 Postcards
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of DC Comics, these 100 all-different postcards feature the incredible art of DC's comic book covers from the 1930s through the 1980s.
Miss Martian
YOUNG JUSTICE #1I realize this is really the second issue, but why bother with a #0 scheme if your #1 is going to carry such a weak cover?
Written by ART BALTAZAR and FRANCO
Art and cover by MIKE NORTON
Based on the highly anticipated, all-new hit animated show from Warner Bros. debuting in January on Cartoon Network!
It’s moving-in day for Superboy and Miss Martian as they choose their rooms at their new headquarters! But the Boy of Steel is haunted by the Cave’s memories and strange visions of his past…
On sale FEBRUARY 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
TINY TITANS #37
Written by ART BALTAZAR & FRANCO Art and cover by ART BALTAZAR It’s a Shazam Family super special! Mary Batson makes her way to the tree house for a Pet Club meeting with her adorable talking tiger! That’s right! A big, talking tiger named Tawky Tawny who wears a suit and tie and a pair of glasses! Guest-starring Freddie, Hoppy and Billy, too!
On sale FEBRUARY 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Lobo
WEIRD WORLDS #2Why does a book with nothing but swell interior art have such a crap cover?
Written by KEVIN VAN HOOK, AARON LOPRESTI and KEVIN MAGUIRE
Art by JERRY ORDWAY, AARON LOPRESTI & MATT RYAN and KEVIN MAGUIRE
Cover by MARIO ALBERTI
DC’s eccentric anthology continues as Garbage Man seeks the secrets of his origin – with Batman hot on his heels! Elsewhere, Tanga tangles with some most unsavory characters in one of the galaxy’s most disreputable saloons! And how about Lobo? You’d better believe he’s doing what he does best!
On sale FEBRUARY 2 • 2 of 6 • 40 pg, FC $3.99 US
R.E.B.E.L.S #25With two monthly titles and no fights with Martian Manhunter in ages, I'm rethinking Lobo's inclusion here. Please comment on whether to dump the Main Man, as left up to myself alone, I probably will...
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art by CLAUDE ST. AUBIN & SCOTT HANNA
Cover by AARON LOPRESTI
Starro the Conqueror returns to rebuild his empire, and his first act of revenge against super-genius Vril Dox is to turn him into a mind-slave. Meanwhile, with his rebel crew in hot pursuit, Lobo thinks he’s discovered another Czarnian! But he’s the last of his race…isn’t he?
On sale FEBRUARY 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Audio
DC Comics Final Crisis [Audio CD]Will they still kill Martian Manhunter in this one, or just not Batman?
The novelization of the superhero event starring Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the heroes and villains of the DC Comics Universe Victorious at long last against his enemies on the world of New Genesis, Darkseid has unleashed the forces of Apokolips on Earth. With the secret of the Anti- Life Equation at his command, Darkseid now possesses the ability to eradicate all free will from humanity-and usher in an end to the age of super heroes. Facing an ever growing army of mindless slaves and corrupted heroes, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the remnants of the Justice League of America find themselves consumed by the ever spreading darkness. They remain humanity's only hope-the only light that will not be extinguished in the world's darkest hour. Copyright (p) & © 2010 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved. All characters, their distinctive likenesses, and related elements are trademarks of DC Comics.
MSRP: $19.99
Video
Secret Origin: The Story of DC ComicsAny significant Martian Manhunter material in here, for those who've seen it? I need to send back these Netflix rentals I've been sitting on for two years and check this out...
Behind the amazing tales of legendary super heroes is the equally amazing story of the company that told them. So many heroes, so many stories to tell--stories of DC Comics' 75 years of challenges, creativity and triumph. This DC Comics Original Documentary is both a compelling insider's tale and a celebration seen through the inkwell of those who created and lived it, balanced with insights from key historians and filled with interviews, archival footage and a dazzling parade of riveting and splashy DC covers. From the bans to the breakthroughs, from humble pulp beginnings to the literary rise of the graphic novel, the story holds a mirror to an ever-evolving enterprise and the society reflected in its comic book pages. It's an American story.
I like seeing Lobo around, especially because I never heard of Weird Worlds and wouldn't have given it a second thought if I hadn't seen it here. But I can see how keeping him around is a bit of a stretch.
ReplyDelete"Will they still kill Martian Manhunter in this one, or just not Batman?" My question: Will it make sense this time around?
Is J'onn definitely in Batman Confidential #53, or is that just speculation?
I didn't know there was any doubt that J'onn wouldn't make the DCUO cut. Now I'm worried about Adam Strange, even though Wikipedia listed him as playable. Then again, I'm not going to pay $200 a year for a game, even if it is cool, so why am I even paying attention?
If I get to see Secret Origin before you, I'll let you know if he's even mentioned. But I have to return the Netflix DVD that's been sitting around for two months first.
Well, J'Onn is definitely in Batman Confidential #50, almost certainly in #51, and then it sort of trails off from there.
ReplyDeleteI'm confident J'Onn is in the DCUO game (as pictured,) but are any of the actual characters playable? I was working under the assumption players created new characters to interact with DC's.
I will again voice my general lack of disapproval of J'onn in Brightest Day. Aquaman has definitely been stronger, but I feel Firestorm has been as lame as not, Deadman, despite being pretty, just feels done-been-had, and the Hawks have been almost as enjoyable as the MM feature, even though I'm far from the biggest Hawkman fan.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, my disconnect from humanity is painfully apparent.
M.C., I feel your pain at feeling alien amongst the tastes of normal humans. I cannot fathom a poll awarding Liveman the second best spot in Brightest Day. Reis makes it pretty, but Hawk & Dove have sucked as characters for over forty years straight. Deadman is alright, but there's a reason he's better known by his artists than his writers. I like him in small doses, but he's been so passive here, he bores me completely.
ReplyDeleteMy rankings as follows:
1) Aquaman
2) Firestorm
3) Martian Manhunter
4) Hawkman & Hawkgirl
5) Deadman, Hawk & Dove
I've never liked Ronnie Raymond, nut Jason Rusch is cool, and his supporting cast has been present. The Firestorm art sucks, and Darkstorm is laughable, but as a whole it's okay.
I don't care for the "Hawkman as Conan" analogy. I'd much prefer more along the lines of a sci-fi Solomon Kane. Just as in the Johns series, the emphasis has been on fantasy trappings where I think Hawkman needs to be contrasted as the fantastic, savage element against a more mundane/refined environment. It isn't enough to be a barbarian that flies, but Johns writes dumb characters, and that's all he (or Tomasi) is offering here. It's the same problem I have with the Martian Manhunter strip, being that J'Onn and Katar need to be among the smartest men in a room, instead of the most gullible/rash. Hawkman needs to be less Dubbya and more Dick Cheney, while J'Onzz more John Stewart and less Keith Olbermann.
I agree that Lobo's inclusion in the blog for regular updates is a bit of a stretch. Also, I think that Carter and J'Onn as two of the more seasoned heroes should be voices of reason not flying off the handle. (Of course, I wonder if the writers know as much about the character history as the fans.)
ReplyDeleteGood political analogy there. And I agree that it would be cooler if the Hawks were smashing ray guns out with maces instead of fighting manimals.
ReplyDeleteI feel like J'onn is actually not far off right now, as gullible is something of a defining character trait to me. He is very trusting, since he is both a very nice, genuinely good guy, and also so incredibly powerful he can afford to be trusting because he can probably wrap a Buick around your head if you mess with him. It's been a recurring theme: Bel Juz, the Apokaliptian knife in the back to Mars from "In my life", and the criminally overlooked Elseworlds mini "Flashpoint." (No relation to the upcoming Geoff Johns crossover du jour) Those are examples just off the top of my head. J'onn has always been one to take a sucker punch right on the chin, and I find it additionally interesting that he's being duped by a more powerful telepath.
We'll see where it ends up, but I think this is easily the best J'onn story since JLI.
I just looked it up and no established characters are playable. I was still operating under the assumption that they were, based on early rumors, and never checked up on it. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely liking the Martian Manhunter story the least in Brightest Day. Aquaman and Deadman rank high on my list, though the latter might just be because of the art and the occasional wry humor. I'm kinding of enjoying the Hawks' story as well, only becuause I know so little about them.
Dick Cheney with nth metal wings? Someone please write that comic.
m.c., I agree with you about J'onn's naviete and its irony. Plus it's also a recurring theme in noir stories as well--a hero whose trust allows him to be duped. Too bad vulnerability and naviete weren't stronger themes in the storyline...then I'd probably like it better.
ReplyDeleteWrapping a Buick around one's head is a pretty cool mental image, might I add.
Does Cheney still have any of his original body parts? He may as well have artificial wings to go with the artificial everything else. Not that we really need a meaner, older version of Spidey's foe, the Vulture.
ReplyDelete