Thursday's Reviews

Well, this was a fine little crop of comics for the last week of the month. Heck of the year! So let us begin.

All Star Western #4

Man, Jonah just can't seem to get clear of Doctor Arkham. He's out minding his own business, hunting down bounties, when he's approached by a gentleman who is missing a child. Hex isn't interested until he offers an ENORMOUS reward, and then he's all ears. He ends up at an orphanage and is being given the bum's rush by a nun, when the good doctor shows up and vouches for him.

It turns out that there have been an awful LOT of kids gone missing over the years, but since they were from the wrong side of the tracks, nobody has bothered looking for them...'till now. Jonah and the Doctor end up going underground, and find what appears to be a monstrous construction site with the kidnapped children as slaves. Hex is quietly going around picking off the overseers, while Arkham tries to shepherd the kids out of there, but naturally, he gets caught. Lots and lots of fun as usual. There is a second story as well, of the "Barbary Ghost" with a Chinese girl looking for the man who killed her family and she has eerie powers. Nice.

Aquaman #4

It's always just so nice seeing Ivan Reis's artwork. Arthur and Mera head down to the Trench,which is the home of the nasty nasty baddies who have taken all those nice surface dwellers home with them. They are a little startled to discover what appears to be a centuries-old ship embeddened in the wall of the Trench...from before Atlantis sank. Pressing on, they discover a whole slew of the creatures, and they aren't doing that well. Their offspring are weak and mutated, the Queen can't breed, and Mera thinks they should be exterminated. Arthur is more concerned about getting the kidnapped people back to the surface. He breaks off the whole wall where they are imprisoned, and Mera takes it back,while he stays to run interference.

Naturally, the critters aren't too happy about seeing their meal tickets disappearing and attack. He's about to be eaten by the Queen, when he hurls his trident at the volcanic vent, and things immediately go sideways. The ensuing volcanic eruption collapses the Trench, and the lava seals it off...presumably. They are able to return the townspeaple to their homes, with only two fatalities, which is pretty good all things considered. The sheriff is still being a bit of a jerk, but a little boy tells Arthur that he is is bestest most favorite superhero.

Awww...!

So, Arthur and Mera end up back at the Lighthouse, which does seem to have just the purtiest sunrises and sunsets. And the other nice sheriff shows up with the dog that they had rescued a couple of issues ago, and now they have this nice Golden Retriever who can't swim.

Double Awwww...!

Now Arthur and Clark can play frisbee together with their puppies.

Flash #4

God, I am loving this book. The things that Francis Manapul is doing with the art boggles the mind. It is beautiful, it is innovative, deceptively simply in line, but oh, the craftsmanship is there, and it is amazing. The story isn't too bad either. Barry's friend is still a bit of a jerk, and his clones are still trying to get him back, and all sorts of things are going on, and Iris is captured, and she thinks the Flash is a menace, and it just zips along, and Flash decides that he needs to run, and...It's Just So PRETTY! And fun!

Green Lantern: New Guardians #4

I'm finally getting involved in this book. Larfleeze showing up certainly helped, and he brought Sayd with him! Man, we haven't seen her in ages. Too bad that Ganthet can't appreciate it,since he's been brain-washed by the other Guardians. Bummer. Larfleeze is kicking the Guardians collective tiny wizened blue asses with astonishing ease, and Ganthet is trying to persuade Kyle to dump these losers and stay with HIM, because he's just so exceptional, and by the way, can they study him?

Kyle wavers for a minute, because after all, he does owe a lot to Ganthet, but Ganthet isn't precisely in his right mind at the moment, and Kyle tells them all to stuff it, and they ALL take off for Okaara. The are getting along about as well as one would expect them to. St. Walker tries to calm down Arkillo and creates a Hope version of Sinestro, who restores Arkillo's tongue, which had been ripped out by Mongul. Arkillo can talk again! He's not particularly grateful, but hey.

Sayd keeps getting in these little digs at Larfleeze, which is fun. But she's discovered a huge threat in the middle of an even huger black hole, and they all apparently need to get their colorful asses over there. Good. Pretty darned good.

Justice League Dark #4

I'm also enjoying this book. June Moon is still running around with Deadman, Dove is still pissed, and even more pissed to come home and find John Constantine in her kitchen, looking for Deadman. Shade is having some problems, Madame Xanadu is looking for drugs,and Zatanna is in a bit over her head. The story is interesting, and the art by Mikel Janin is quite beautiful. So definitely worth your while.

I also picked up DC Comics Presents: Elseworlds 100 page Spectacular! As I recall, this is the one that they pulled years and years ago because of the baby in the microwave bit, although I do have to say that having read that story, it is QUITE amusing. This is bizarre and crazy and absurd, and I enjoyed the heck out of it. It also includes some spectacular Superman dickery, which is always a plus.

Not a bad week, not a bad week at all!