Green Lantern #55: This issue must have been the easiest bit of Green Lantern that Geoff Johns has ever had to write. I can think of about five different bits of dialogue that feel like they were ripped straight from the Internet, but it makes sense given that the issue focuses on the Ultimate Troll, Lobo, who is really only in this story as a plot device. While ultimately nothing new happens, it was still worth the $2.99 to watch Mahnke kill it on the art. Dex-Starr squares off against Lobo's dog, and we get some killer spreads as well. Also included is the Secret Origin of Dex-Starr, which no one really asks for, but was a fun little thing to read. I imagine this was probably a bit of a breather issue for Johns, given how much he has on his plate right now and while the plot doesn't advance too much, the issue still exudes quality. B+, would be higher with some forward plot motion although the J.T. Krul joke makes me want to give it an A.
Invincible #73: Another great issue from Kirkman and it has been great to see him picking some things up as a writer. No real surprise how last month's cliffhanger plays out, but what made this issue so enjoyable was how the fallout is handled. I remarked either in a review or to someone a while back that now the Viltrumite War is here, no one really cares because there are so many other interesting things going on with the book and I think the creative team agrees. The structure of this issue allows for plenty of plot to be on-going while also dedicating plenty of time to fleshing out Oliver, who has been apart of the book for almost two years now but never really gotten face time, and letting him interact with Nolan, developing their father/son bond. With some clever narration, our boys are already ready to return to what will no doubt be the climax/deciding moment of the war and the story can go forward from there. Ottley really is a great artist and this issue was an excellent break for him to just draw characters and backgrounds without having to pour so much detail into the hyper-violence that has been so prevalent in the series lately. I really look forward to this book each month and highly recommend it. A-
Secret Avengers #2: The Avengers family is so hot right now that it may be the best franchise in comics. Academy is highly enjoyable, Bendis is in rare form in the main book and New Avengers, and Ed Brubaker's fresh take on a "stealth" Avengers continues to be both fresh and refreshing. Continuing right where SA #1 left off, Cap's team continues the search for Nova and clues to understand what is going on on Mars. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Sharon Carter deals with the fallout of last month's cliffhanger. Secret Avengers across two issues has been the perfect blend of action, dialogue, mystery and plot that so many books strive for, but to few seem to reach. My only complain is that Valkyrie disappears in this issue, but given that she is primarily there as muscle thus far, I can forgive it. Artistically, Mike Deodato is drawing absolutely out of his mind. His layouts are great, his action is awesome and although his art is often heavily shadowed and darkly colored, it still looks spectacular. I'm also really digging his Beast, giving him the perfect blend of cat, ape and man. This series is only two issues in, so I really hope people are hopping aboard. It is accessible, fun and continuity free. A
Flash #3: I really dig Geoff Johns on the Flash. I had no interest in the character before I read his Wally West run, and so I was stoked to get the opportunity to follow a second run as it happened. Johns does a great job of handling the time travel and of writing the Rogues, so seeing him merge those two to produce the Renegades has been very enjoyable, especially with Francis Manapul's art. Each Renegade looks immediately evocative of his particular Rogue, but the designs are fresh and different enough to set them apart. Likewise, their tweaked abilities are also a lot of fun and will be curious to see what else this new police force has up its sleeve for dealing with Speedsters. My biggest complaint though is that while everything has been about speed thus far, the plot hasn't actually moved anywhere. The Mirror Monarch died in issue one, and we're no where closer to understanding how or why it is going to happen. There is still a lot of story left to go and no doubt there will be plenty of clues as we build towards Flashpoint. So while I'm a little disappointed, I'm not giving up yet, especially with Fran Man on art. I absolutely love what this guy does, from his little details, to his action scenes, to his fantastic use of splash pages. It is put together brilliantly, and looks top notch. It feels good to be buying The Flash each month, but I wasn't in a rush to read this issue. B
Wonder Woman #600: The third anniversary issue to drop this month, Wonder Woman is the tie-breaker to whether or not these have been a success, and after reading it, I definitely wish I hadn't. While Batman #700 had the luck of being written by Grant Morrison, the Superman and Wonder Woman issues have been giant anthologies of snippets and quick stories to illustrate why these heroes are so great. Admittedly, I only purchased the issue to get a taste of JMS's upcoming run and the Diana's new outfit, which I'll comment on elsewhere and was a bit nervous to see that 20 different people are credited on the cover. A collection of five stories and a handful of pin-ups, the stories ranged from a lot of fun (Amanda Conner's story which is a bit of a prologue to her work on Power Girl) to groan worthy (Gail Simone's Diana is great! story) but didn't really leave me satisfied in any particular capacity. The JMS prologue has me interested enough to buy the first issue, but I'm going to be disappointed if these pages are replicated. I was expecting a great deal of "cheesecake" in the pin-ups, but even Greg Horn and Guillem March managed to keep it fairly reined in. My biggest disappointment was the inclusion of some preview pages for Cornell's upcoming Action Comics run. It is just a personal gripe but in an issue that is supposed to be a celebration of the character, I would think everything in it should be included to ensure some bit of timelessness and tribute to it, so that it can be picked up in 2010, or in 2040. Overall, not real great, but not absolutely horrible. My only regret was paying $4.99. C+
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