Comic Book Case

Green Lanterns #13 (doubt is the death of will)

Simon and Jessica are overwhelmed by Frank wielding the power of an Orange Lantern but fortunately, Frank leaves to rejoin Volthoom who seems to be sapping strength from Rami. Volthoom helps Frank refocus his emotional center as he began switching between red and orange. Meanwhile, Simon and Jessica try to track Frank down while at the same time try and calm down themselves. Neither of them seem to be really 100% when it comes to dealing with Frank as they now feel they shouldn't be green lanterns and thinking again that maybe they should have the Phantom Ring. They later get a bead on Frank, he's at Memorial Park which was built by all the GL's of Earth and he tries to essentially get some praise. When Simon and Jessica apprehend him but he again fights back, this time using the Yellow Lantern power to manifest their fears to attack them.

This was another fun and solid issue that again shows us more about Frank and the mindset of Simon and Jessica. Frank seems to really really want this to work but like I thought before he wants to be a hero for reasons that aren't exactly heroic. He wants to be a Lantern, not because he wants to hep people but because he wants to feel like he's important. Simon and Jessica meanwhile feel once again that maybe they aren't cut out for willpower, wondering what qualifies them for it. This is an interesting question as we have seen people like Sinestro, Hal, and Kyle (especially Kyle) who have the potential to have other rings and fit that spectrum. It's like those personality tests you take online or when your astrology sign personality and profession doesn't really match up to you. How Simon and Jessica deal with their problems and what exactly Vothoom is doing with Rami is a mystery (the latter looked totally creepy).

Unworthy Thor #2 (Such an awesome tease)

Odinson stands in front of Beta Ray Bill and without a second glance refuses the hammer, saying to himself that he wasn't worthy of his own hammer, so he isn't worthy of Beta Ray Bill's. After a little bit of talk, the two begin looking for Old Asgardia or rather, where it was taken. It turns out Old Asgard was taken by the Collector but only because he couldn't lift the hammer so he took the entire place with him. The Collector demands Odinson tell him how to lift it as it strikes down anyone who touches it, even spellboks older that Odin and cranes that can lift moons out of orbit. Odinson tries to get him to understand that the hammer chooses who is worthy but the Collector isn't buying and threatens to kill the last of an alien species. Odinson grows desperate and threatens to kill the Collector if he kills the boy which seems to awaken the hammer slightly as it strikes down the gunman. Odinson senses the power of the hammer and the memories of the Thow who wielded it but before he can grab it, he is shot by the Collector who later shoots the boy and has Odinson put in chains. Meanwhile, a shadowy figure speaks to unknown figure about forming an alliance, the unknown figure is revealed to be THANOS!

This issue was pretty fun and everything I liked about Thor when I read Jason Aaron's God of Thunder. While I'm not 100% on the whole "not Thor" thing, when you hear the guy who actually was Thor it feels really sad. I really like the dream he had this issue had where he is being crushed by Mjolnir and being met by the God Butcher who asks him if they as gods are even needed in this world. The scene with the hammer wielded by the other Super Thor was awesome, especially with how it seems to respond to Odinson's emotions and mindset but whether or not that means he actually IS worthy is up in the air. The question is if Odinson is worthy of the hammer or will it take longer than he thinks to get it, especially with Thanos apparently coming to the picture along with the Collector.

Detective Comics #946 (DAMN IT SPOILER!)

Three months earlier, Batman and Red Robin stand in the old Wayne Tower building and talk about Batman's plan but Red Robin has bigger ideas, how Batman's plan for a team can totally change everything. More heroes on the street, more medical treatment, turning Gotham into the safest city in the country, Fast forward back to the present day, Batman and team have arrived to do battle with the Victim Syndicate with Batman engaging the First Victim. Meanwhile Harper is trying to figure out where Stephanie is who now is avoiding her while talking to an A.I. of Red Robin. She tells him what the First Victim asked her, "Why do you fight?" and it's been wracking her brain because she honestly doesn't know why she's still here. All she wanted was to stop her dad but Batman made her want to do more, and it felt good but to her it never feels like they've ever stopped to ask if they should stop, if they do more harm than good. The A.I. asks her what does she want and what world she wants to create and Stephanie doesn't answer. Meanwhile Clayface goes against Mudface/Glory, he tries to talk her down and gives her the device Batman gave her to help him focus his form and while it works and seems to bring her to her senses, it was a trap designed to knock her out. Batwoman also dispatches Madam Crow and Mister Noxious with a little help from Batwing but it seems the two are still on rocky terms. Batman brings his fight with the First Victim to a close as he refuses to hurt him/her, that the only person who will get hurt will be him and tells FV to reveal himself, but FV isn't budging and goes on a tirade about how they are every person ever scared or hurt by Batman's crusade to which Batman just tells Batwoman to call the police. It's all interrupted by a loud radio frequency and Spoiler who appears and says something is wrong and she may be the only one who can fix it.

This was a great issue that I felt came a bit too early but at the same time didn't feel rushed. The Victim Syndicate feels like they shouldn't have been taken out this early but when you think about how straightforward and watered down their abilities are, it makes sense that it would be that easy to take them down. Looking back on it, this entire thing has felt more like something out of the Batman Animated Series. It has really fun, short stories that just have that feel to it, namely like the origin of Two-Face two parter. I honestly want to say that Stephanie was the character of the issue this time but it honestly went to Clayface, it doesn't hurt that he is the only one with an actual connection to a member of the Victim Syndicate and seeing him deal with her is awesome enough. With Stephanie, I dunno, I kind of get why she had quit at one point in Pre-Flashpoint but the question the FV asked her is a good one, why DOES she do it. Stephanie didn't put the suit on for some great reason, she didn't make some vow, she just wanted to stop her dad and like Tim and Harper, she doesn't really want to do this forever. At the same time, I wonder what she will do, will she expose all of them, or will she just expose Batman for the FV? It's really exciting.

Wonder Woman #12 (DON'T BE LAZY WITH ARES!)

New of Diana being a total badass dealing with those terrorists is circling the news and internet while Barbara Ann and Etta try to figure out where they are from while also flirting because why not? Meanwhile, Diana and Steve explore her powers more and now that Diana is able to pick up English easier they actually are starting to talk and even bond, especially when Steve finds out she can never go back home. Later Diana learns about the word terrorist and tries to get them to talk courtesy of the Golden Prefect and we find out that they have what is called the Maru Virus, a virus that awakens aggression and violence in others and what Steve was looking for in his plane. Barbara Ann calls Diana aside and talks about the Sear Group and the tree which Diana and Barbara Ann both saw earlier and how the word "Sear" can be rewritten into a name in English, Ares who is not listed as one of the Patrons who gave her her powers. Diana says Ares is a big no no to the Amazons and sure enough they are attacked by Ares.

There were a lot of things I liked about this issue, namely involving Diana and seeing her interact with Steve, learning to use her powers, and trying Coke for the first time.  Seeing her try to get answers out of the terrorist group also shows how affectionate she can be as she comforts one of them who seems to have awakened from whatever trance he was under. The interaction with Barbara Ann and Etta was fine, it gave the characters something to do more than anything else and I admit to laughing at the Lesbos joke. My issue is really with Ares. One thing I REALLY liked about Azzarello's take on the book was how they made Ares essentially the coolest god there with Hephastus and it was a different take on the character I felt. In Wonder Woman, Ares is rarely anything but this sort of Darth Vader, Lord of Darkness reject and I get why, but I'm really hoping we don't just make him the bad guy because it's just kind of lazy, or at least don't make him THE bad guy.

Earth 2 Society #19 (It's a whole new world AGAIN!)

Our Wonder find themselves on a new Earth, a new Metropolis and with some quick help form Flash they are able to procure clothes and a newspaper to get their bearings. It seems that this Earth has no Wonders (people with powers) and that this Earth has it's own history and sense of community, which they aren't a part of because they were outside of this Earth's creation. Meanwhile, Huntress, Batman, and John (dubbed Boy Wonder by Batman) meat Sergeant Steel who tells them he is fighting against Central Control, a group within the government trying to stop Wonder from becoming a thing and using Sandman Operatives, actually led by Dodds. We later go to a secret place where a mysterious figure tells Sandman that he needs to take down the Wonders though he himself is apprehensive and has to effectively be forced to follow orders. Team Wonder is then attacked by the army of Sandman and we later get a full closeup of the mysterious figure, the Ultra Humanite.

So I like how this just keeps repeating itself. Earth 2 started out as being a totally new Earth, then it was destroyed and we had to deal with getting a new Earth, and then that Earth was faulty so we got this one. It's honestly getting a bit tiresome, though we keep getting a new reason for getting a new Earth each time that is different I'm really hoping that this is it. I like how the Pandora Casket seems to have totally changed everyone's memories, save those who were not part of the Earth. I wonder if the Ultra Humanite actually knows who the Wonders are or if Sandman actually knows who they are. He and Steel seem like the ones from the other Earth and while it's nice to see Sandman LOOKING like Sandman, I wonder how this is going to play out. John seems to have some sort of latent connection to Ultra Humanite who looks like he is wearing Lex Luthors classic armor. This book has been rather tepid lately, It often feels like it's trying to survive the initial first story with Darkeside and I kind of wonder if maybe it should have gone a different route before heading here. Maybe they should have been knocked into other worlds, sort of like Convergence but with more focus on them being on other Earths, having moment like Earth 2 Thomas Wayne meeting Earth Prime Bruce Wayne. Something to help flesh out the characters a bit more.

Superman #12 (FRANKENSTEIN!)

Lois starts her new job at the Hamilton Horn and it all seems pretty easy as she meets the editor who gives her the rundown of working at a small paper but all of that goes out the window when FRANKENSTEIN busts through the wall trying to kill Candice. He talks about how he's been looking for her for a while and that S.H.A.D.E. (Super-Human Advanced Defense Executive) has a special place in Hell reserved for her. Candice tries to convince him that she isn't who she thinks he is but he isn't buying it and would be shot down if not for Lois using the Hellbat Gauntlet she took from Batman's Moon Batcave to knock him through the wall and she takes Candace onto his hover bike to escape. Before Frankenstein can catch them he is struck by Superman and the two throw down with each telling the other to stand down before Lois accidentally HITS SUPERMAN WITH THE BIKE while trying to get away from them. Frankenstein grabs Candice and lifts his sword, Superman tells Frankenstein that no one is getting killed to day which Frankenstein scoffs and cuts Candice's head off, revealing Candice to be someone named Kroog.

This issue was more show than tell and it was a fun show watching Superman fight Frankenstein which takes up most of the book. It reminds me a big of the previous issue with Swamp Thing but a bit different in some way, namely in intent of the new character. There is a lot going on but at the same time nothing happening to report on. Points to Lois for keeping her cool but I felt the image of Candice really should have given something up in regards that something wasn't quite right but that may have just been a little nod for the reader. It was nice to see Frankenstein again, I haven't seen him since Tomasi did Batman and Robin and that was a good while ago, I'm hoping we will see more of him in the next issue and maybe more of S.H.A.D.E.