I Admit I Continue To Be Curious

Teen Titans 1
DC Comics
Will Pfeifer, writer
Kenneth Rocafort, artist

I grew up with the members of The New Teen Titans in the 1980s. I don't pretend that I followed the team in their Silver Age incarnation (1966-1978), although I have since read and enjoyed most of those issues. I wasn't even on board in 1980 when the New team debuted in DC Comics Presents No. 26 between the pages of a Superman/Green Lantern tale. But I discovered the title in 1983 in a story I've told here before and followed the title going both forward and backward, eventually collecting the entire run.

I decided to try the next incarnation of the team (1996-98) led by a de-aged Ray Palmer Atom when Dan Jurgens relaunched the title shortly after Zero Hour, and I enjoyed the new characters he introduced to the team name, although in all honesty, my favorite issues were the later ones when the original team members came back into the narrative.

I liked even more when Geoff Johns relaunched the title (2003-2011) with the next generation of Teen Titans. A big part of the appeal of that version was the continuity that was established with the formation of Young Justice, and then those characters' "graduation" to the name Teen Titans, while the original group members dropped the no-longer-accurate modifier and became just the Titans for a couple more iterations.

But I dropped out when the New 52 came along. One of the goals of the relaunch was to shake things up and draw in new readers. Teen Titans was one of the titles that changed the most. Despite some early confusion, the entire history of the group was jettisoned, and the personalities of the existing characters were changed pretty drastically along with bringing in a number of newer characters. I'm not going to say the title after the makeover was bad, but I'd lost my connection to the characters and thus, the title.

Then, a few months ago, I reread the H.E.R.O. series from DC written by Will Pfeifer. Not long before that, I'd reread his fantastic run on Catwoman. After both those titles, I decided to give the fresh relaunch of the New 52 version of Teen Titans a try with Pfeifer at the helm. It's too soon to know much about the direction of Pfeifer's run with only one issue under my belt, but he does have me curious.

As far as I know, not having read more than an issue or two of the previous series, it seems that Pfeifer has elected not to drastically reboot the team again to start his run. I know some of the names, but that is about it with the members of the team so far. But in this age where real teens' lives are consumed by electronic devices, Pfeifer has chosen to make said devices a commanding presence in his story — the Titans use social media and electronic gadgetry to communicate with each other as they take down a group of terrorists holding a school bus of students hostage. Bystanders on the street also record many of the events using their own cellphones and tablets. It even seems that the leader of the terror group is using tech-savvy to lead and control his or her own minions (the lead villain's gender wasn't clear to me from the art, but I think the character was referred to as "she" once).

While I'm not familiar with the revamped history of older characters like Beast Boy, Red Robin, Raven and Wonder Girl or the back story for New 52 newcomer Bunker, I liked what I read in this issue. And Kenneth Rocafort's art, while not always to my liking, works in many scenes of this book. I'm sticking around for more before passing any kind of final judgment, but I'm sticking around.

Sowing The Seeds Of More War

Justice League 17
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Ivan Reis and Paul Pelletier, artists

For anyone who hasn't already read the "Throne of Atlantis" story arc crossing over between Justice League and Aquaman the past couple issues, things wrap up here and the conflict among all three sides in this battle is mostly resolved.

I don't want to reveal the identity of the mastermind behind the battle for anyone who hasn't read the issues yet, but it wasn't Ocean Master as past incarnations led me to first believe. In fact, I honestly feel a little bit of sympathy for Aquaman's half-brother as he was duped just as much as the heroes were, and he was only trying to protect and defend his people. When Orm surrenders to Aquaman, you almost expect a degree of leniency for him despite the many deaths Orm has caused on the surface. The real culprit here is the individual who caused just as many Atlantean deaths as human ones.

But these stories don't exist in a vacuum, so while the attack on the surface by the Atlanteans is halted and the Trench are sent back to their underwater domain, this isn't exactly the end of the story. Aquaman is set up to be the new ruler of Atlantis, but they rejected his leadership in the past, so they likely don't really want him now. Also, Mera refuses to go with Aquaman to Atlantis because of her people's history with the undersea kingdom, so they are at least temporarily separated over this issue.

Orm has been imprisoned on the surface for his role in the attacks on Boston, Gotham and Metropolis. As I said, I was pleasantly surprised to see he wasn't the mastermind behind all this, and was kind of looking forward to a reality where Orm and Arthur could be on good terms with each other, but I'm not sure that sentiment will last after his imprisonment. Likely, he will come out of prison with the hatred for his brother readers are used to from before The New 52.

And to top it all off, the general public is unsure of exactly what Aquaman's role was in the Atlanteans' attacks. His attempts to prevent Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman from retaliating against the Atlanteans when he was still trying to get those two sides to talk rather than fight were televised by surface media outlets. Many people fear Aquaman was behind the Atlanteans' attacks. And this comes at a time when some of the general public are uncertain if they can trust any members of the Justice League. All that distrust and fear is furthering the moves by Steve Trevor and Amanda Waller to form their own alternate version of the League.

And lastly, we get more hints that someone is forming a third team, this one composed of villains. We saw the first hints of this in the Cheetah Justice League arc, and saw more evidence of it when Cheetah spoke of recruiting Black Manta. It looks like the next name on the villains wish list is going to be Scarecrow. Could this be the formation of this incarnation's Legion of Doom?

The war with Atlantis is over, at least for now, but tensions are continuing to build.

It's Interesting, But Not Quite Cream Of The Crop

The New 52! Wonder Woman tpb 1: Blood
DC Comics
Brian Azzarello, writer
Cliff Chiang and Tony Akins, artists

The New 52! debut hit about the time I was deciding to seriously cut back on some of my comic spending. I knew I wanted to keep getting/trying out the new versions of my favorites: Aquaman, Nightwing and Green Arrow. I also decided to try a handful of the other titles I was pretty sure I was going to like. I've stuck with some and was proven wrong on others. Then in August 2012, when those 52 new No. 1 issues came out, I weakened in my resolve a little and tried a few extra titles I hadn't preordered. Wonder Woman No. 1 was one of those last-minute buys.

I've never thought of Wonder Woman as a character just for girls; I grew up watching her on "Super Friends" cartoons and in the live-action Lynda Carter series. I enjoyed and still own some of her adventures in pre-Crisis comics. And I absolutely loved George Perez's 1986 relaunch of her title after the Crisis On Infinite Earths changed her history. In fact, comics-wise, that Perez relaunch is still one of my all-time favorite Wonder Woman eras. I think the top Wonder Woman spot for me, however, has to go to Greg Rucka's fantastic run on the book just prior to Infinite Crisis. I love how what he did updated several elements from previous runs while still respecting what had come before. That run (Wonder Woman vol. 2 Nos. 195-226) was the absolute pinnacle of the character for me.

And to be honest, that is at least a part of why I opted not to pick up Wonder Woman's New 52 debut initially. Other writers have had good runs, but none had surpassed Rucka and Perez; why not quit while I was ahead in collecting the best of the best of Wonder Woman comics? But because those two had handled her so well, I weakened, hoping for more greatness.

I find Azzarello's take on Diana and her mythos different enough to actually warrant a reboot, unlike some other New 52 titles that relaunched for no discernible story reason. And it actually is a very interesting approach to Diana, Paradise Island and the gods and goddesses that are so much a part of the Amazons' heritage. And Cliff Chiang's art is gorgeous, as always; he is one of the all-time great comic artists. If I was still buying as many comic titles each month as I did a few years ago before my daughter was born, I would likely continue to pick up this title and enjoy it a lot. But as interesting as Azzarello's take on Wonder Woman is, this isn't the "iconic" Wonder Woman for my tastes. This won't replace the Perez or Rucka runs for me.

It Will Take Some Time To Tell

Green Arrow 17-18
DC Comics
Jeff Lemire, writer
Andrea Sorrentino, artist

After a great opening story arc, The New 52! version of Green Arrow started to falter. Apparently, DC got the message (eventually) and with this issue, a brand new creative team is debuting its brand new direction for the title and character. This is just the first two parts of a longer story arc so it is hard to tell much with any degree of certainty yet, but I'm willing to give these creators the benefit of the doubt, for now.

Some of the story beats in this issue are familiar territory for Oliver Queen from his pre-New 52 days. But that's not to say that Lemire is rehashing an old story, necessarily. It's more like a theme that is being repeated, one that worked well for the character in the past.

The tone of the book has also changed, but that can only be a good thing, as the previous tone seemed to be Oliver treating life and himself like a joke. How could the readers see him as anything different than the writer obviously saw him?

As for the art, I'm still on the fence. This artist's work seems similar in tone and look to Green Arrow: Year One from 2007 illustrated by Jock. It is a darker, grittier art style and that fits with the darker tone of this story. But there are a few panels that are a little too muddy to follow easily. That detracts from the story.

As today's header says, I'm going to have to give this new team some time to see what I truly think of the changes. But in the plus column for them, I'm willing, and even interested, to see where they are going. Time will tell.

************

Addendum: On a related note, I jus finished watching the season finale of the CW's Arrow, which aired last week.

Wow!

The television version of Green Arrow has been a bit uneven on the whole, but they have produced some really good episodes, and they have ended on a very good note. The finale was both gripping and moved the characters along. Well done for all those responsible.

Moving a character like Green Arrow from one medium to another, like television or film, often necessitates changes. This show is quite a bit different from the comic character, but it has often been better in its execution than the current comic title. The show gets my recommendation, for what that's worth.

Whetting Our Appetites A Bit More

Aquaman 14
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Pete Woods and Pere Perez, artists

This is the prologue to "Throne of Atlantis," the big Aquaman/Justice League crossover, but we go waaaaaaay back for our beginning. All the way back to 1820, where we see an Atlantean who looks a lot like Aquaman harpooned and captured by a sailing vessel's captain and crew. The captain of the ship taunts the wounded mer-man, describing how he had earlier captured and slain the Atlantean's mate. But the final, killing blow from the captain is interrupted by the arrival of many more Atlanteans.

From there we jump to the present day with a brief bit of detail about another Atlantean famous in the old DC Universe. The current king of Atlantis is sitting on his throne issuing his decision in the case of a young, purple-eyed boy named Garth, who has caused some fear among the more superstitious Atlanteans. In the old DCU, Garth was taken from his parents because of his purple eyes and legends that they were an evil omen. Garth's parents, lesser rulers in a kingdom of Atlantis, were killed and the child left to die alone. Instead, the young boy was found and raised by Aquaman. He grew to join Aquaman's adventures as Aqualad, helped found the original Teen Titans group, and later, like many of his original Titans peers, adopted a new identity as he neared adulthood, Tempest.

Here in the DCnU, the current king of Atlantis, Aquaman's half-brother, Orm, decrees that the child be returned to his mother, unharmed, and those who threatened him be held for trial. A small gathering of fish interrupts further court duties, bringing a message that Aquaman wishes to meet with Orm.

Next, we have a small interlude to check in on Black Manta, newly incarcerated at Belle Reve prison. Manta is offered a chance to have his sentence commuted by joining Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad, a team of former villains used in suicide missions in exchange for their eventual freedom, if they survive. Manta turns Waller's offer down by slaying one of the guards while still shackled and with one wrist and the other forearm in casts.

Much of the remainder of the issue is the meeting between Orm and Aquaman at the site of the sunken remains of the sailing vessel from the opening segment. It seems the mer-man captured in that segment was Arthur and Orm's great-grandfather. Both he and their great-grandmother were killed by the men of the vessel, and the ancient Atlanteans exacted a stiff revenge for those acts.

Aquaman asks Orm directly if he was in league with Black Manta's recent activities and if Orm is planning to attack the surface world. Orm denies both charges, but there is definitely something sinister in his bearing and the fact that he is almost always depicted in shadow. Obviously, more is afoot here.

She's Distracting Me!

Nightwing 14
DC Comics
Tom DeFalco, guest writer
Andres Guinaldo, guest artist

The regular creative team on Nightwing apparently decided to take a break before diving head first into the "Death of the Family" Bat-crossover, so we get this little diversion pitting Nightwing against the DCnU version of Lady Shiva. She's still a master assassin, Kiddie Cops, so don't worry about that. And despite their guest creator status, both DeFalco and Guinaldo do a nice job with this fill-in.

The Joker hasn't been forgotten; Nightwing makes mention of him several times in the issue, first letting readers know that he remembers Batman's alert about the Joker from Batman No. 13 and later wondering if Lady Shiva's activities have anything to do with the Joker's machinations. She IS an assassin for hire, so that could be, but DeFalco doesn't leave us wondering, giving full details by the end for the motivations behind Shiva's return to Gotham. And even Joker makes a small appearance in the issue, so all in all, not a bad effort, guys!

But He Does Have The Embers Within Him

Justice League 0
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Gary Frank and Ethan Van Sciver, artists

The last several issues of Justice League have included two stories, the main JL tale, followed by a shorter story providing readers a glimpse of the DCnU version of Billy Batson. This issue has Billy take center stage as his transformation into Captain Marvel -- excuse me, Shazam! -- is completed.

Some contemporary readers have complained that Captain Marvel and his child alter-ego don't quite fit into the modern era because their Fawcett City world is just too simplistic and fun for the grim-and-gritty world of modern comics. I don't share that belief, but in an effort to modernize the character, Johns and Frank have brought us a Billy Batson who no one would call a Goody Two-shoes. This Billy Batson has been toughened by his years in the foster-care system, where he has learned to care about little beyond himself and to trust almost no one. He is a smart-mouthed, street-wise kid, but he still seems to harbor a soft spot for anyone being bullied by others.

Billy is brought to the Rock of Eternity by an ancient wizard as his pre-New 52 version was. In that incarnation, the old wizard, Shazam, granted the boy mystical powers when he spoke the wizard's name. This time around, the wizard is the sole remaining member of the Council of Wizards seen in the 2012 DC Comics Free Comic Book Day one-shot, the group that condemned Pandora, the New 52 Question and the Phantom Stranger as the world's greatest sinners.

The wizard is looking for someone who is pure good to bestow his powers upon, for only someone pure good could hope to defeat the villainous Black Adam. Naturally, the wizard finds this version of Billy not quite so pure. But Billy isn't willing to be so easily dismissed. Upon a second look, the wizard decides that the young boy has the CAPACITY for good within him, and that will have to be good enough.

Once Billy has the powers and the adult body of Shazam -- apparently, he's no longer going by the hero name of Captain Marvel since so many non-comics fans think Shazam is his name anyway -- he is transported away from the Rock of Eternity and back to join Freddy, one of the other children living in Billy's current foster home. The two boys then proceed to do things young boys would do given this level of power -- torment bullies who have gotten the best of them before.

As I said, I don't think the old version of Captain Marvel was in need of fixing, but this new version is an interesting one, and Shazam is destined to be a part of the League soon, hence his taking over their Zero Issue.

Since the main story in this issue is Shazam, the backup feature this time needs another focus. Johns and Van Sciver give us a glimpse of Pandora and the new Question in a short story titled  simply "Questions." Readers still aren't given any answers about these enigmatic characters, just more questions, but they don't have their own books to star in like their fellow Trinity of Sin member, the Phantom Stranger.

I'll Keep My Eye On It, But ...

Team Seven 0-2
DC Comics
Justin Jordan, writer
Jesus Merino, Ron Frenz and Julius Gopez, artists

This DCnU title, launched during Zero Month along with a few others, promises a look back at the beginnings of the first appearances of superheroes in the New 52 DC Universe, much like Grant Morrison's Action Comics. Team Seven is a covert, government group put together as a response to the emergence of metahumans and extraterrestrials living openly among human society. It seems the government was a little fearful of these costumed adventurers popping up all over the place "five years ago."

Among the cast of this title are some very familiar faces. I confess I don't know the previous history of all of these characters, but the team is brought together under the guidance of John Lynch, a central character from the old Wildstorm title Gen 13. The operatives he assembles include Black Canary, Deathstroke, Grifter and Amanda Waller. Their first mission, as begun in these issues, pits this new team against an entire prison full of inmates and staff under the control of Eclipso.

The conceit of this premise is that story lines could (and presumably will) cross over into several other titles and characters' pasts, plus I thought the idea an interesting one. And this is an interesting and well-written title. The art is a little uneven as one might guess from three artists on three issues, but not bad. In fact, the book is good enough that I will likely keep my eye on Team Seven for times when they might cross paths with characters I continue to follow. But I'm just not sure I'm going to be a regular reader of the title. It's not bad, it's just not holding my interest enough to justify the expense right now.

To The Death

Aquaman 10-12
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Ivan Reis, artist

This book is getting intense as one might expect from the subject matter.

Previously we have learned that Aquaman was part of a group called The Others before joining the Justice League. We also learned that all of these heroes had run-ins with Black Manta and that much of the Aquaman-Black Manta antagonism stems from the fact that these two men each killed the other's father. That's all pretty grim.

Aquaman gets some small measure of redemption in these issues as we learn that he did not mean to kill Manta's father -- he thought it was Manta he was lashing out at. The Marine Marvel was enraged at the death of his own father at the time. His father died of a heart attack during a previous assault on the pair by Manta. In a rage, Aquaman tracked Manta to a vessel at sea and lashed out at the vessel's sole occupant. Unbeknownst to Aquaman at the time, Black Manta was diving below the boat, and it was his father who remained aboard.

We also learn the "secret origin" of Aquaman's trident. It is one of six Atlantean relics discovered by The Others. Each member of the team took one of the artifacts, which once belonged to the first king of Atlantis, the individual responsible for the sinking of that ancient continent. We learn that there was actually a seventh relic and that this piece is what Black Manta is now hunting, along with Aquaman and his Others comrades. That seventh item is the Dead King's scepter, the very device that was used to sink Atlantis, and thus more powerful than the other six items. And Manta manages to uncover the scepter before Aquaman, Mera and the remaining Others can stop him. Along the way, Manta manages to slay another member of that team, Vostok.

Also, I'm certain it is no coincidence that the Dead King's scepter looks identical to the weapon Aquaman's half-brother, Ocean Master, used to wield in the old DC Universe. I think it very possible that we will see the debut of the DCnU version of Ocean Master before this arc is concluded in issue No. 13.

But before we get to that issue, it is time for DC's Zero Month. We'll have the first of those books to look at next time.

I'm Sensing A Theme Here

Nightwing 10-12
DC Comics
Kyle Higgins, writer
Eddy Barrows, Geraldo Borges and Andres Guinaldo, artists

I'm not currently following Red Robin in Teen Titans or Red Hood in Red Hood and the Outlaws, but almost all of the other Bat-themed characters in the DCnU are located and mostly operate in Gotham City. That includes Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl and Batwoman. That's five separate heroes for one city. Now, out of those, I'm also not following Batwoman, Batman, Detective or Batman and Robin either. So, out of all those heroes, I'm really only currently following two, so maybe I'm just seeing a coincidence and falsely assuming it's a larger theme, but it still seems mighty odd.

The current story line in Batgirl involves a character named Knightfall and her minions who take a lethal approach to fighting crime. They see themselves as superior to the Bat crew because they deal with bad guys in a final way rather than sending them to jail or Arkham Asylum and allowing them the opportunity to escape and do evil again. There's also a cop involved who doesn't really much care for Batgirl but ends up working with her to help defeat Knightfall.

In these issues of Nightwing, a new character named Paragon has decided that the Bat crew isn't effective enough. He's decided to enlist followers for his Republic of Tomorrow, and they have targeted Nightwing. Why? Well, it seems two of their members were killed and one of Nightwing's escrima fighting sticks was found at the scene. Of course, we readers know Nightwing didn't kill anyone, so he's being framed. Chief suspect for framing Nightwing seems to be a Gotham police detective who has a grudge against Nightwing.

Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

Having said that, these issues of Nightwing are pretty good. First off, not everyone automatically believes that Nightwing is guilty of the murders. It's nice to see some of the powerful people in Gotham using their heads to figure out that a known hero likely wouldn't have killed someone. Also, Dick follows the clues to find out who the real killer is. The process he uses to dig up evidence and get at the truth is not only sound logic but takes us back to events in previous issues of the title. Well done, all!

Oh, and Merry Christmas to anyone who celebrates the holiday today!

Just Not Feeling It As Much As I'd Hoped

Batgirl 11-12
DC Comics
Gail Simone, writer
Ardian Syaf, artist

These two issues represent the middle of an arc begun in Batgirl No. 10 and to be concluded in Batgirl No. 13, which comes after the special 0 issue origin tale. Batgirl is facing off against a new villainess named Knightfall (Love how the DCnU is recycling all of these names from the old, especially when they put a completely new twist on them; for instance, Knightfall was the name of a story arc in the old DC, now it's a person.) and her small army of faithful lieutenants. These ladies believe themselves to be the good guys, stomping out crime in Gotham. But they cross Batgirl when they employ lethal means, even for the smallest infractions of the law.

Batgirl has determined the true identity of Knightfall, which leads us into her origin tale, a pretty dark and grisly one that might leave anyone a little twisted in the end. Along the way, Batgirl teams with a Gotham City police detective who has been less than friendly in the past and also comes into conflict with Batwoman.

This arc is a solid read. Simone delivers a great story built on wonderful characterizations. She has taken the Barbara Gordon character through some incredible adventures as Oracle in the old DC Universe and has transitioned her back to being Batgirl masterfully well. And Syaf's art is very nice to look at and easy to follow from panel to panel. His faces are recognizable as the same characters from panel to panel and page to page.

On top of that, I have always liked Batgirl. As much as I enjoyed Barbara Gordon's portrayal as Oracle after she was crippled by the Joker in The Killing Joke, I was one of the people who enjoyed the occasional flashback story to her time as Batgirl and looked forward to her return in the DCnU.

Really, it's not her, it's me. My new attitude on buying comics is to stop buying the stuff I'm not enjoying as much. There are just too many other financial demands with being a parent to buy anything and everything as I once did. I like this character and I enjoy this creative team, but I'm just not liking this book as much as I'd hoped I would. I've already ordered the title through the "Death of the Family" Bat-crossover event, but I think those will be my last issues of this title unless something changes soon.

Of course, the bittersweet part of that decision was the news just a few days later that DC has suddenly fired Simone from this title. Adding insult to injury, she reportedly found out about the firing via email. No details of why have been released to the public at this point, but I feel bad for this wonderful writer and am confused by this move by DC editorial. The news so soon after my decision to drop the title almost makes me feel guilty about the whole thing.

Addendum: In case anyone missed the news, the day this post went up it was announced that DC has rehired Gail Simone as the writer of Batgirl. So chalk one up for fandom united!

Who Are The Others And Why Do They Make Arthur So Angry?

Aquaman 7-9
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, artists

We're back around to this wonderful title today for the first three chapters of The Others arc. As "off" as Johns' portrayal of the Justice League feels to me right now, he is firing on all thrusters on this title, and Reis and Prado are turning in some truly marvelous artwork that just makes me smile. I will be sad to see this art team leave this title in a few months, but they definitely deserve to go on to bigger and better things if they can't stay here.

About the story: We start off seeing the vile evilness that is Black Manta hunting down and killing people, especially an Iranian woman who has visions of the future. After those brutal scenes, we switch to Aquaman and Mera going to consult with Dr. Shin about the Atlantean relic Aquaman found during the Trench story arc. Shin is the world's foremost authority on myths and lore concerning Atlantis, but he also has some ties to Manta that make Shin's and Aquaman's relationship strained. Talk of the Atlantean relic is interrupted, however, with the sudden arrival of a panther and its mistress, Ya'Wara, bringing news to Aquaman of the Seer's death at the hands of Black Manta.

It seems that both of these two women, the Seer and Ya'Wara, along with Aquaman and three others formed a team of sorts named the Others before the formation of the Justice League. (On a side note, it seems that some of the DCnU timeline is very muddled, even for chief creative officer Johns. Some of the flashback information provided in this arc takes place six years ago, which would place those events just one year before the formation of the League. Yet other events, chiefly Aquaman's time with the Others, are revealed to have happened one year after the events which were six years ago. Unless Aquaman helped form the League almost immediately after spending a fairly short amount of time as one of the Others, these time clues are not going to line up correctly.)

Getting back to the story, Manta is hunting down and slaying all of the members of the Others, presumably ending with a final confrontation between himself and Aquaman. While Ya'Wara and Aquaman go off in search of the other members and Manta, Mera stays with Shin and learns what she can about these events in Aquaman's life before her arrival. The reader, along with Mera, learns that when Aquaman began displaying signs of his powers, his human father, Tom Curry, took him to Dr. Shin, who helped the boy master his abilities. Shin also learned what he could from the pair about Atlantis and tried to cash in on that knowledge. We also learn that Aquaman blames Black Manta for his father's death. Tom Curry died of a heart attack while intervening on his son's behalf during a fight between Manta and Aquaman. Out of revenge, Aquaman killed Manta's father!

We are getting quite a grisly picture of the younger Aquaman through the course of this arc, which is an interesting contrast with the more calm man he was depicted as in the first issue of this series, walking away silently as he did from the taunts and jeers of some of the people in the crowd. There has also been no mention so far in this series about Aquaman and Mera's son, Arthur Jr., who was slain as a child by Black Manta in the previous DC Universe. We're not yet sure if that is still a part of the character's continuity in the DCnU, but the part about the deaths of both men's fathers certainly adds deep roots to the animosity these two antagonists have always felt for each other.

World-Hopping Ladies

Worlds' Finest 1-2
DC Comics
Paul Levitz, writer
George Perez and Kevin Maguire, artists

This is a companion book, of sorts, to Earth 2, which we discussed last time. On Earth 2 five years ago, Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman died repelling an invasion from the forces of Darkseid. Supergirl, Superman's younger cousin, and Robin, Batman's daughter, are powerless to prevent their mentors' deaths, and in the aftermath of that epic battle, they pursue what they believe to be one of Darkseid's minions, being swept into what may or may not have been a Boom tube, the means of traveling between dimensions for those from Apokolips.

The two teenage girls awaken on the main DCnU Earth shortly after the newly formed Justice League fights back a similar invasion, and the pair has no idea how to return to their own world. Robin, Helena Wayne, uses her training to secure the pair some money through Wayne Enterprise funding, and the two decide to keep their true identities secret, not knowing who on this new world they can trust. Supergirl takes on the civilian name Karen Starr and secretly uses her powers and smarts to amass a small fortune, which she is using to back scientists with theories about alternate dimensions and how to travel between them. Helena uses a variety of aliases as a civilian and continues to fight crime under the name Huntress.

Keeping with the other DCnU titles, it is now five years after the pair's arrival on this world. Karen and Helena are dining together, catching up as they frequently do, at a restaurant in Tokyo. They are in this city at Karen's request, as she has a promising piece of trans-dimensional tech she wants to show Helena, but the meal is interrupted when the research facility is attacked. Karen and Helena arrive to find the tech destroyed and an irradiated man wrecking what is left of the facility. Helena changes to Huntress, and Karen reveals her new costumed identity of Power Girl, and the two women pursue their quarry, whose attire Helena notices bears a striking resemblance to that of the Apokoliptian uniforms the invading parademons wore back on Earth 2.

As with the Earth 2 title, I'm liking this story so far, and I'm along for the ride for at least a little while. Keep up the great work, all!

Speaking Of Alternate Earths

Earth 2 1-2
DC Comics
James Robinson, writer
Nicola Scott, artist

Just a few days ago I discussed Action Comics No. 9, which took place entirely on a parallel Earth -- specifically Earth 23. Yes, longtime DC fans, the multiverse is back, and with this title, we have the return of Earth 2. But don't look herein for a rehash of the exploits of the Justice Society or other Golden-Age heroes, at least not like you might expect if you are familiar with their original tales. Don't forget, this is still the DCnU.

Teases before this series debut let readers know that some catastrophe befell this Earth in the past, robbing it of its greatest heroes. Just as the main DCnU's age of heroes began with the formation of the Justice League to fight off an invasion from Apokolips five years ago, this universe suffered from a similar invasion by the forces of Darkseid. While in the main DCnU, several heroes had been secretly operating for some time independently and came together to successfully oppose the invasion, on Earth 2, only five heroes that we know of existed: Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin and Superman's cousin, Supergirl. The three older heroes did what they could while trying to keep the junior pair out of harm's way, for the most part. But this "Trinity of Wonders" was not as effective in repelling the invasion as the larger group in the main universe. The world's human armies came together and fought as a single unit, and the brilliant tactical mind of Batman eventually devised a plan that stood a chance of success, but the three adult heroes died in the execution of that plan. (For more on the fate of Supergirl and Robin, come back next time.)

The ravaged Earth 2 tried to rebuild over the next five years without its heroes, always watchful that the forces of Apokolips might return to try again. A new, even darker threat to humanity is predicted, thus creating a need for a new age of heroes. Robinson seems to be taking his time establishing this new age of heroes as by the end of the second issue, we only have two definite heroes making their first appearances. The last of the old gods, the dying Mercury, appears to bestow his speed on a directionless young man named Jay Garrick. Jay doesn't so much take on the name of the Flash once he has his powers as the name is given to him by the first people he saves, a pair of civilians being attacked by rats mutated into monsters as an after-effect of the Apokolips invasion. Toward the end of this second issue, the new Flash literally runs into a winged woman I assume will be Hawkgirl or Hawkwoman. She is not named in this brief appearance nor are we given any history of the character, but she seems to have been expecting Flash's arrival.

A great deal of time has also been spent on developing the character of Alan Scott, a newsman who will become this world's Green Lantern, but as yet, he has no powers. The only other appearances by anyone with any powers in the present day scenes are Michael Holt and Terry Sloane. Michael Holt was the modern-day Mr. Terrific before the New 52 reboot. I did not pick up the title prior to this, but Mr. Terrific, starring Michael Holt, was also one of the initial 52 series that launched the DCnU in late 2011. That series ended after eight issues, but I'm guessing it ended with Holt mysteriously disappearing from the main DCnU Earth, since he mysteriously appears in the middle of Earth 2's Manhattan and isn't quite sure where he is. Upon his appearance, he is confronted by a man, again someone who seemed to expect his arrival, who introduces himself as Terry Sloane. Terry Sloane was the secret identity of the Golden-Age Mr. Terrific in the old DCU, but rather than being an ally as I expected, Sloane quickly attacks Holt, saying that Mr. Terrific is the only person who could stop his plans.

I'm trying to keep my pull list considerably shorter these days and be more picky about what I spend my money on now that I'm a father, but I'm going to stick around and see how this title plays out for at least a few months. I'm definitely intrigued right now. Oh, and I just love that Nicola Scott art!

Perhaps I Spoke Too Soon

Green Arrow 9
DC Comics
Ann Nocenti, writer
Harvey Tolibao, artist

I defended the DCnU version of Green Arrow here based on the first story arc; I thought it was a different but still good take on the character and especially enjoyed the technology-junkie, celebrity-craving villains. The next arc had some slight changes in the creative department, and those changes seemed a little for the worse because the story seemed a little lacking, as discussed here. But further creative changes were coming, I said with hope in my heart.

Frequent readers on this blog may have noticed that I haven't reviewed the title since. I'm still buying and reading the title as I enjoy the character, but I'm not liking the latest creative changes at all. The art used to be crisp and clean, and the covers, like the one from this issue by Howard Porter, still are. But the interior artwork on this title is less crisp, very sketchy and often hard to follow. Mostly the art is inconsistent as in one panel Green Arrow will seem to be standing on his feet like a normal human being, but then the next panel will make him look like maybe his knees are double-jointed and he's actually standing on his calves -- either that or his feet and/or boots have inexplicably stretched beyond recognition.

And the plot isn't much better, IMHO. I get that a new writer might mean a change in direction, but a wholesale change in characterization is a bit much. Green Arrow likes the ladies, I get that. Sometimes he even likes ladies who are dangerous. But this plot has him attacked by and then shacking up with three blondes, ending up in Alaska and presumed dead, losing control of his companies as a result of his disappearance, meeting the blondes' whacked-out dad, the mastermind behind the genetic engineering plot that spawned the three blondes and several animal-monstrosity hybrids, and the plot meanders between fight scenes and bedroom scenes for four issues, all the while making the supposed hero of the tale out to be a stupid, careless jerk.

As I said, I've still been buying and reading this title, and I already have the next few issues ordered, but I am NOT enjoying this title. So I'm not going to order this one in the future unless there is yet another creative change. The cost just isn't worth it for a book I'm not enjoying in the HOPE that it might get better.

I Thought Bats Was Acting More Sane In The DCnU

Nightwing 7-8
DC Comics
Kyle Higgins, writer
Eddy Barrows and Geraldo Borges, artists

These two issues of Nightwing bring the initial story arc to its conclusion, but also serve to springboard from there, tying Nightwing more closely to the “parent” title and setting up Nightwing’s role in the Court of Owls Bat-verse crossover.

We learn why Saiko believes Dick Grayson is the “fiercest killer in all of Gotham” and what has motivated him to stage this elaborate bid for revenge. Issue No. 7 brings Saiko’s threat to an end and continues to fill in the blanks for Saiko’s motivations through a visit to the Batcave. All of this serves to give a very personal reason for Nightwing to be included in the Court of Owls crossover because his family is a part of the conspiracy. Then issue No. 8 serves as a prelude for the Court of Owls crossover pitting Nightwing against one of the Talons, the Court’s assassins.

This book is still providing straight-on action and adventure with a Nightwing/Dick Grayson character I can still recognize and enjoy. My only complaint about these issues is the characterization of Batman/Bruce Wayne.

Admittedly, I have stayed away from the main Bat titles, and so I have no first-hand knowledge of Bruce’s DCnU characterization outside of Justice League. My understanding from things I’ve read online and backed up by Batman’s depictions in Justice League are that he is a more grounded individual now. He’s still a driven avenger, master detective and brilliant strategist, but he’s not quite the standoffish loner some writers in the last few decades have written him to be. That’s an improvement in my opinion. But his portrayal in this Nightwing cameo is of a secretive, angry, anti-social individual who trusts no one but himself. If that depiction by Kyle Higgins is not accurate with the other Bat-books, then an editor should have corrected it or encouraged Higgins to better explain why it was an accurate portrayal. Since that didn’t happen, I’m left feeling more glad than ever that I’m not buying Batman, Detective or any of the other Batman-focused books.

Don't Call Her Aquawoman

Aquaman 6
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Joe Prado and Ivan Reis, artists

This issue is a solo Mera story focusing on her activities while Aquaman had the solo adventure depicted in issue No. 5, and boy, was she busy. Mera steps out alone to get some dog food for the couple's new companion and finds herself immediately exposed to the dregs of humanity. First, she runs into a lecherous store manager. Then, that leads to a confrontation with the police who are both condescending and aggressive toward the former queen of Atlantis. While battling the officers who refused to listen to her explanations, Mera overhears a call for backup on their radios. She cleverly defuses her own situation and intervenes in a deadly domestic dispute, none of which redeems humanity in Mera's eyes. That moment comes when one person who witnessed the initial altercation between Mera and the store manager performs a simple act of kindness for Mera and offers a hand in friendship. The issue finishes up with Mera arriving back home shortly after Aquaman's return at the end of the previous issue, and the pair are set to investigate the mystery he uncovered in his own adventure.

Interspersed within the contemporary Mera story are some key flashback scenes to her DCnU history. As revealed in the earlier Brightest Day series, Mera's history has been subtly altered. She no longer came innocently from another dimension filled with water-dwelling inhabitants, but instead was sent here to kill Aquaman. She ultimately fell in love with the aquatic hero and betrayed her mission. These flashbacks reveal more of that back story and change in attitude.

All in all, a well-done, done-in-one tale well worth the time and cost. Kudos, gentlemen!

Beware The Dreaded Kryptonian Calf

Action Comics 5
DC Comics
Grant Morrison, writer
Andy Kubert, artist

This issue of Action Comics might seem a bit out of place at first glance, telling as it does the origin of Superman. But the events being related here by the on-board computer in baby Kal-el's rocket ship make a sort of sense, not to mention reveal the punchline of a joke begun in issue No. 2.

The issue opens on Krypton as that dying planet's final moments begin, as one might expect, but the differences in this continuity become immediately apparent. Kryptonian scientist Jor-el plans to save his entire family -- himself, wife Lara, infant son Kal-el and dog Krypto -- by sending all of them into the Phantom Zone. This plan quickly goes awry, however, when the Phantom Zone criminals -- inmates sentenced there by Krypton's Science Council -- try to exact revenge on the Zone's discoverer, Jor-el. There is little time to develop a back-up plan, and so the doomed parents try to save their baby in an untested model rocket, ordering the on-board Brainiac computer to find a suitable world to take their son.

The rocket also relays how it came to arrive on Earth, crash-landing in Kansas. We see the young couple who happen upon the rocket and discover the baby inside. And we see the military's quick response to an unidentified flying object entering Earth's atmosphere and crashing down in the middle of the country. (This is also where we discover the true origins of what the military brass think is the true appearance of Kryptonians, as revealed in Action Comics No. 2.)

So why place this story after we've seen Superman's public debut in Metropolis and after he's captured and tested/tortured by the U.S. Army and Lex Luthor? When Superman escapes from military custody in issue No. 4, he sees his rocket ship being held by the military. This is the first time Superman has seen the ship since he was a baby, and when he touches the rocket, it "awakens" from a dormant state and speaks to him. I like to think the ship is speaking in this issue to Superman. His touch caused it to relate his history to the young man who previously knew nothing of Krypton or his true origins.

We also see the aftermath of that encounter with the military as Superman must leave without the ship. He tells it to protect itself and that he will be back. The ship speaks next of events we have yet to see and a dawning age of superhumans. And then we see four strange visitors arrive and break through the protective layering surrounding the ship.

Before the issue ends, we are also given a small back-up story which gives more details of the lives of Jonathan and Martha Kent before the arrival of the rocket ship from Krypton. These details aren't of the everything-you-know-is-wrong variety, but rather serve to flesh out the early lives of these characters who are so important to Superman's story, but often overlooked in and of themselves.

All in all, not a bad issue, and certainly a nice segment in the masterpiece Morrison and company are weaving.

Plumbing The Depths

Aquaman 1-4
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, artists

This was the title I saved for last because it was going to hold the least surprises. I get too much Aqua-info from almost daily visits to Rob Kelly's Aquaman Shrine (and am typically behind enough in my reading) that sitting down with these four books brought little new information. They've all already been reviewed on the Shrine.

That doesn't mean these four books weren't a joy to read. Johns "gets" Aquaman in a way true fans have always appreciated the character. What's more, with his writing, Johns is not just showing why Aquaman isn't just a lame hero who talks to fish; he's taking those jabs and dealing with them head-on by including them in his narrative. This is a hero who lives in a world where many common folk DO think Aquaman is a joke and aren't shy about telling him that to his face. And Aquaman gets back at them not by fuming or shouting, but by showing them just how awesome and inspirational he can be.

Johns is crafting some truly original, highly imaginative stories that still manage to incorporate what other creators have done and build upon that foundation, much as he has done with other characters in recent years. It's no wonder Johns is the chief creative officer at DC. And Reis and Prado are doing simply beautiful work illustrating what Johns is writing.

If you aren't picking up this book, do yourself a favor and get it in back issues or trade. You'll be glad you did.

There's Promise, But Just Not Quite Enough

Teen Titans 1-4
DC Comics
Scott Lobdell, writer
Brett Booth, artist

This was another title that DC made pretty easy for me to drop.

The New 52 version of Red Robin/Tim Drake isn't too far removed from his characterization from before Flashpoint, but then, I think Tim/Red Robin was being written a little too dark, brooding and bossy -- a little too Batman at his worst portrayals -- for my tastes both in his own book and some of those later pre-New 52 Teen Titans issues. The new Wonder Girl/Cassie Sandsmark is just not likable at all, and the new Bart Allen/Kid Flash is Impulse-annoying at his worst. Add a Superboy regressed back into being a footsoldier for the bad guys, and the existing characters in this team aren't much of a draw for me.

The new characters introduced with the reboot show promise. Bunker is the only character who seems to have a sense of humor about anything, but he's also a bit too flamboyant for my tastes. I'm intrigued by Skitter and Solstice, but they're deliberately being kept mysterious at this point, so there's really not much draw in their promise, either.

Add to that the announcements (current at the time I read these four issues) of a major crossover between this book and two other existing titles I don't normally get which would lead into the creation of yet another tie-in title, and Teen Titans just seemed too expensive to follow for the very little bit of enjoyment the title was bringing me. This title got dropped before the pending crossover could begin. And if sales figures are an indicator, the new title springing out of the crossover, The Ravagers, is not doing so well.