The Dark Lex-God

Action Comics #899
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Jesus Merino

 

UH what just happened in this comic?! Lex Luthor puts his mind into some sort of Phantom Zone prisoner that hates negative emotion. I loved it don’t get me wrong but I am not sure if I followed exactly what happened. I am glad that Brainiac did not end up being the big bad after all. That would have been too easy. Now what shall become of Lex hmmm.

Super Speed

Superman #709
Written by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Roberson
Art by Eddy Barrows and Allan Goldman

 

This was a cute little meet up with the Flash that allows Roberson to explore super speed and further the plot about the strange things that have arrived on earth from New Krypton. I enjoyed it. Although the whole thing makes me miss the days when Wally was the default Flash instead of Barry.

Action 897 and 898

Action Comics #897
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods

 

Lex goes to the Joker’s cell to find the black sphere there and have a little talk with the Clown Prince of Crime in this amazing look at the difference between the two DC mega-villains. Really everyone should read this issue because Cornell should definitely be writing the Joker more often.

Action Comics #898
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods

 

So the person controlling Lois-Bot is Brainiac. Hmmm interesting? I wonder what he wants and what Larleeze saw in the sphere that even he did not want that?? I was hoping they wouldn’t bring Brainiac back so soon but this should be interesting.

Crossover Mode

Secret Six (Volume 3) #29
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Marcos Marz

 

This is the conclusion of the crossover with the Action Comics that began here. It was pretty good but still confused the hell out of me at some points just as the last part did. Maybe I am just not following things correctly but anyways the best moments were the Six of course and it Scandal’s background is fleshed out quite nicely. Not much else to say. I can’t wait for this to get back to non-crossover mode.

Maggie Mxyzptlk

Action Comics #896
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Co-Feature by Nick Spencer
Art by RB Silva

 

I was utterly confused at what exactly went down in the boardroom at LexCorp here. Could it be the art? Did I read too quick? I don’t know but I am not sure why everyone was freaking out at the end. I liked the back-up a lot more as Jimmy goes in a date with Maggie Mxyzptlk! Awesome! It’s sad that this Jimmy Olsen co-feature won’t be continuing. I can’t believe I actually loved a Jimmy Olsen co-feature!

Fallen For This Book

Action Comics #895
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Co-Feature by Nick Spencer
Art by RB Silva

I have seriously fallen in love with Action Comics. This is a book starring Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen. I never would have guessed I would be loving it this much but I have to say that this book has stole my heart. Everything about it is good. The Jimmy back-up was hilarious. The Lex story made great use of continuity. In other words, buy it.

Timing

The Flash (Volume 3) #6
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul

The opening arc of Barry Allen’s return to the Flash comes to the end with this issue as the Big villain turns out to the the future version of the Top and it’s a decent ending. I just expected bigger…and the something is wrong with time thing just kind of annoyed me. I hope Flashpoint doesn’t fuck with continuity again. I want to see Wally West soon!

Every Page Is Filled With Awesomeness

Action Comics #894
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Co-Feature by Nick Spencer
Art by RB Silva

 

When did Action Comics get this good? I mean every page of this book is just fun awesomeness from Lex Luthor’s meeting with Death to Jimmy Olsen’s party with Aliens. Whatever I say will not do justice to how good this issue is. I loved every moment and Death stays true to her character in Sandman. I loved how Blackest Night was something she kinda noticed and found amusing – the Endless characters are so above and beyond the main DC Universe characters things that seem huge to the superheroes are very minor to them.

Put Josh Williamson On A Monthly Book

Superman/Batman #77
Written by Josh Williamson
Art by Ale Garza

 

This was an amazing filler issue by Williamson! I read an interview – I forget where- where he talked about this issue and even then I could tell he really cared about these characters and DC Continuity – I was not disappointed by the issue one bit. Williamson pulls in elements of both Supergirl and Robin’s recent continuity including Blackest Night and New Krytpon but keeps it accessible for new readers and really explores the two characters in a profound way. DC better keep this guy on the payroll! I loved the final scenes with Robin and Batman discussing Supergirl….actually I loved everything about this issue. Very good.

Grodd And His Battle Spoon

Action Comics #893
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Sean Chen
Co-Feature by Nick Spencer
Art by RB Silva

 

The main feature was pretty awesome – although I don’t remember Grodd eating brains or having a giant spoon before this issue – that was weird and kind of annoying if its just being introduced here and I didn’t miss something. The end was fantastic but I almost wish DC hadn’t announced her appearance beforehand it would have been even more exciting! I was skeptical about the Jimmy Olsen back-up as I was never a huge fan of the character but it rocked as well! It helps that Chloe is in it too! Welcome to the DCU Chloe Sillivan!

Superman Batman 75 and 76

Superman/Batman #75
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Jerry Ordway

 

The anniversary issue has a bunch of tiny back-up features that I won’t cover here cause most are not in continuity but the main story was an epilogue to Levitz’s previous arc as a future Lexor citizen comes back in time to kill Superman and the Legion and Batman team up to stop them. It was good and Ordway’s art was great but nothing to get too excited about. I am kinda sick of the same four Legionnaires always being used – let’s mix it up a bit Levitz.

Superman/Batman #76
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Marco Rudy

Now this was great! We finally get to see Superman’s reaction to Batman’s “death” during Final Crisis and it was a really great. Winik could have made this cliche and dumb as hell (imagine if this was written by Meltzer) but instead we get a look at how Superman views death and the fate of his friends as well as some awesome moments between him and Wonder Woman. I loved it!

Mind Space

Action Comics #892
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

 

Lex discovers the spot where the black rings dissapated I take it and it is able to mess with minds. This is deep stuff involving quantum physics and the mind as part of the space-time continuum. Not what I expected when I heard this book would star Lex Luthor but I like it! Cornell has proven to me this will be a good run! Deathstroke is overused and now even has a book he stars in so I think his inclusion here was completely unnecessary but what can you do. The Superboy Co-Feature which is really just a preview of the upcoming Superboy book was interesting to say the least. Why is Raven half-naked throughout it?

The Mind of Lex Luthor

Action Comics #891
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods

 

Lex is led to fantasies by Mister Mind but ultimately defeats the worm by gaining control. This was a good story to show how envious Lex is of Superman and how he fears his own self. It was interesting. I am enjoying this Lex starring role more then I thought I would and I think that has a lot to do with Cornell’s writing. I was slightly annoyed to see Deathstroke at the end of the issue though. I mean he has his own book now does he still have to guest star in every DC comic!

Chicago Pizza in Gotham

Superman/Batman #74
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Jerry Ordway

 

This arc ends by Superman simply threatening Lex and telling him to stay away from the planet Lexor. Yes, it is not much of an ending but it works and it really is all that could be done with a villain like Lex. Everyone here is written in character and the art is beautiful. I love that they have Giordano’s in Gotham! Mmmm Chicago Pizza.

Superman Batman 72 and 73

Superman/Batman #72
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Jerry Ordway

 

Levitz and Ordway present the start of a clever little tale here where Lois is kidnapped by Superman worshippers mad she chose to marry Clark Kent over Superman! Brilliant! Superman saves a planet full of people who end up resenting him and Lex is interested in this planet. There is one continuity problem with this issue and that is that Identity Crisis is mentioned and Lex hasn’t been in charge of LexCorp since before Identity Crisis except for currently (But Bruce Wayne is is not around right now) and during 52 when Superman was powerless. Hmmm….maybe this takes place after Bruce returns? I don’t know but kind of annoying.

Superman/Batman #73
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Jerry Ordway

 

Superman, Batman, and Lois confront the cultists at their meeting and discover they are being led by a giant fire creature who seems to have been created or something Lex. Ordway’s artwork is beautiful and filled with detail it is breathtaking to look at. The story is top-notch too as Levitz is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. I wonder where this will go now with the planet Lexor. Cool stuff.

Directions

Titans (Volume 2) #25
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

The new Titans battle Facade and defeat the shape-shifter in this rather bloody issue. The over-the-top violence works in Secret Six because the humor balances it out – but it really does not work in this book. Yes, they are villains, but it’s hard to read something so violent and take it seriously. I am still not sure if this was the right direction for this book and I hope this is building to something.

Action 889 and 890

Action Comics #889
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trauttman
Art by Jose Perez
Co-Feature by James Robinson
Art by Cafu

 

The main story ends Rucka and Trautmann’s run on the book by having Chris and Thara defeat the false Rao. It was a kind of a wimper of an ending. I have to say that I have grown to like these two characters as they have starred in this book – but not enough to really miss them. I like the mythology of it all but I think it is just time to move on. The finale to the Captain Atom back-up was more exciting as Mirabai is defeated and Captain Atom’s reputation restored. I really thought this back-up was a neat idea all-around and I’d say it was successful.

Action Comics #890
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods

Wow that was unexpected. I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard Lex Luthor would be the new star of Action Comics but damn this was awesome. Lex is an evil bastard and Cornell writes him that way. He has an employee killed just for embarrassing him, he builds a robot Lois to be his companion haha, and he is obsessed with finding the secrets to the Power Rings. Great start!