Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Three OYL

Vandal Savage 1 JSA Classified 10
I have 2 problems with this issue.
  1. On the cover: "Featuring Green Lantern." Now, I get that they mean this arc features him, but if you put it on the cover, it's a reasonable reader expectation that we'll see the character in the story somewhere.
  2. No JSA. It's the JSA's book. Shouldn't one or two of them have shown up? Did they miss the bus? Not get the memo? Take a wrong turn after Infinite Crisis?
Seriously, I get the whole prologue to fill folks in re: Vandal Savage, but a whole issue devoted to that? With dull flashbacks that didn't add anything needed to understand the character. Maybe one would've been okay, but all the flashbacks accomplished was kill any sense of pacing or urgency, and forget about suspense. At least, in The Outsiders, some Outsiders showed up before the issue ended. This was just a waste of my time. Even the art failed to enthrall me. Is Gulacy incapable of drawing normal sized chins?

Hawkgirl 50
Interesting that they kept the numbering despite the title change. Especially since some books, like Wonder Woman, will start with #1. Ah well. Apparently, Carter is gone. Not dead. Or so it seemed to me. Kendra's dream of him to open was a cheat and beneath Walt Simonson, IMO. However, once things got going, they intrigued, although the pacing seemed a bit abrupt in places and following the dialogue was a bit tricky with the placement of panels. Chaykin's art still thrills me, but I wish all the characters didn't look like they were grimacing when speaking. All that baring of teeth would make an oral hygenist proud. At least things happened here and I'm looking forward to the next issue.

Catwoman 53
This was the OYL title I've been most eager for. No surprise, and therefore, no disappointment, as to the new Catwoman's identity. It was nice to see Slam. The cover is more stunning than the previews hinted at. The interior art was nice. Selina grew her hair out. She named the baby Helena, which was pretty cool for some reason. Bruce is still Bruce and no word, naturally, on Helena's daddy, or even why Selina got pregnant, went to term, and is keeping the baby. But, as with Hawkgirl, things happened, story threads were set in motion, and things look to get very interesting. I've been having conflicting feelings re: books getting all new teams vs keeping at least the writer. In this case, I'm glad Pfeifer is staying on. He's got a nice feel for Selina.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:07 PM EST

    I agree the missing JSA was odd, but I liked the issue. Guess because Savage is new to me.
    Chris at 2 guys said all Chaykin's characters look like they are passing kidney stones.
    The new Catwoman is a redhead- good issue all around.

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  2. I figured you'd like the new Catwoman. :)

    My fav Vandal Savage appearance was in the Arsenal mini-series when he was after Lian, who apparently is one of his descendents.

    And that's a great line about Chaykin's art. I'll be thinking about it from now on when I look at Hawkgirl! heh

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