ACTION COMICS #968
Publisher: DC COMICS
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by TYLER KIRKHAM
Cover by CLAY MANN
Variant covers by GARY FRANK
“MEN OF STEEL” part two! Superman must find and protect his oldest, most conniving enemy. But are the Godslayer’s actions justified? Will stopping Lex Luthor prevent catastrophe later? Plus, Lois’ investigation of the human Clark Kent takes a startling turn!
On sale NOVEMBER 23 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Action Comics continues to be one of DC's most interesting superhero books. Jurgens has developed a knack for keeping readers -- especially long-time readers -- off-balance, by continually defying expectations that the series will return to the traditional status quo.
For example, in this issue, Lois Lane (who is not the one native to this Earth) thinks about the two men in her company as "Wrong Clark. Wrong Superman." And isn't she the wrong Lois?
What Jurgens has done is take the traditional status quo and put it in a blender:
- There's a native Superman, but it's not Clark Kent.
- Lex Luthor is a major character, but he's not the villain.
- There's a Lois Lane and a more traditional Superman, but they don't belong here.
- There's a signal watch, but Jimmy Olsen isn't wearing it.
- There's a Clark Kent, but he's not the one we know and nobody knows who he really is.
- And there's a son of Superman, a new element that hasn't been part of any status quo, which could go in any direction.
And that's just the standard question marks surrounding this series. In the latest storyline, now two issues old, we've seen two aliens attack Superman -- but the wrong Superman, as wrong Lois would say. Because they believe Luthor is going to succeed Darkseid (wrong Darkseid?) and be even worse. Which, they say, gives them the right kill him. Which puts Superman in the ridiculous position of defending Luthor.
As to the aliens' assertion ... well, isn't that exactly what the recent "Darkseid War" in Justice League set up? Apparently that wasn't just a throwaway plot development and has grim implications.
Hey, this is fun!
As to the art, it's of the Jim Lee school -- what I now consider DC's house style -- and is perfectly suited for superhero action.
FUTURE QUEST #7
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art and cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER
Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
Mysterious vortexes are appearing around the world, each unleashing a horrible threat! With Dr. Quest still missing and the leaders of the world beginning to doubt Inter-Nation, a new team of heroes must rise to defend California … The Impossibles! Meanwhile, fledgling hero Mightor begins his training with Birdman.
On sale NOVEMBER 23 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
This issue feels like a deep breath after a long run.
Parker and Shaner have been throwing a lot at us for six issues, introducing or re-introducing dozens of Saturday morning cartoon characters -- some in their original forms, some updated (like Mightor, who is now a modern kid who transforms into the hero, instead of a caveman). This issue doesn't introduce anyone new (unless you count Gargantuan, a huge Frankenstein Jr.-type robot, and I don't know if he pre-existed or not). Instead, the Parker takes the pieces he already has on the board and re-arranges them for what appears to be a showdown with Omnikron -- new alliances form, and one important character who wasn't on Earth finally arrives. I expect all the set-up here to start paying off next issue.
As usual, the Shaner art has an Alex Toth feel while being modern all at the same time. It's a heckuva trick, and much appreciated. He makes the material, already a delight, sing.
ATHENA VOLTAIRE AND THE VOLCANO GODDESS #1 (of 3)
Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: STEVE BRYANT
Art: STEVE BRYANT
Cover A: STEVE BRYANT
Cover B: MICHAEL ALLRED
32 pgs. • T • FC • $3.99 (reg.), $4.99 (var.)
The fan-favorite pulp heroine returns in an all-new miniseries written and drawn by Eisner and Manning Award-nominated creator Steve Bryant. When her father gains possession of a legendary necklace, Athena Voltaire must save him from both strange assassins and the Nazis, who want the power the artifact could unlock! Variant cover by comics legend Michael (MADMAN) Allred!
Globetrotting aviatrix Athena Voltaire takes on Nazis, occult science and mythical creatures against the backdrop of the 1930s. Now she’s bringing her knuckle-dusting style of pulp adventure to Action Lab Entertainment.
“I'm proud to add Athena Voltaire to such a diverse line of quality books,” said writer/artist Steve Bryant, whose all-ages series Ghoul Scouts debuts at Action Lab in June. “I’ve known the Action Lab folks for years, and after working with them on Ghoul Scouts, I knew they were the perfect publisher for Athena Voltaire.”
Athena Voltaire launched as part of the Modern Tales family of webcomics in 2002 and was nominated for a Best Digital Comic Eisner Award in 2005. The feature was included in St. Martin’s The Year’s Best Graphic Novels, Comics and Manga (2004 edition), and has subsequently garnered Manning and Harvey Award nominations, as well.
"I'm ecstatic for Steve to join the Action Lab family, and I can't think of a better home for Athena than Action Lab. We have a proud history of publishing strong female characters, and Athena Voltaire is sure to stand shoulder to shoulder with Princeless, Aero-Girl, Nutmeg and Fight Like a Girl," said ALE President Dave Dwonch.
A re-release of the hardcover Athena Voltaire Compendium will arrive in Decemer. Additional planned releases include a one-shot special and a prose collection.
Athena Voltaire is about lot of things, but mostly it's about magic.
She's like Lara Croft, in that she's a bad@$$ chick who is good in a fight, knowledgeable in esoteric fields and good at finding lost things. She's like Indiana Jones, in that her adventures take place in between the world wars. She's like James Bond, in that she constantly runs into a colleague/sidekick in her adventures, although the nationalities are reversed (Bond runs into CIA agent Felix Leiter, Voltaire runs into an MI-6 agent Desmond Forsythe).
But Voltaire works for an English lord in search of things that aren't just archaeological, they're very specifically magical things. Magic appears to work in her world, and all the people we've met so far accept that. We don't know yet if it's our world with a few magical objects hidden in ancient places (like in Indiana Jones movies) and only the people we've met are in the know, or if magic is more commonplace and everybody's in the know.
Magic is further a theme in that Voltaire's father was a stage magician, so she's plenty of tricksy in the field with escapist tricks, sleight-of-hand and the like. (I'm guessing stage magicians don't use real magic.)
Of course, the Nazis were interested in magic stuff. And Athena Voltaire is set in the 1930s, so once again like Indiana Jones, the Nazis keep showing up as ruthless and well-armed competition.
OK, now that I've explained the premise ... is Athena Voltaire any good? As I said elsewhere, when you're treading familiar ground like this, it's all down to execution. And the execution is ... OK.
The art is ambitious, but is only a shade or two above adequate. Bryant, who I've never heard of, may just need more seasoning. OTOH, it's far better than his work on Ghoul Scouts, a series I wanted to like but found cartoonish/amateurish.
The story is similar -- it wants very badly to be as good as James Bond or Indiana Jones, but isn't quite there yet.
And yet, I enjoyed Athena Voltaire #1. The premise is so familiar that I'm inclined to like what I see before I see it, like greeting an old friend. Plus, with Nazis you've got a built-in heavy with great fashion sense, and the magic aspect may lift the series out of the ordinary. It will certainly provide a contrast to the semi-bland, 1930s serial-inspired milieu.
So I'm going to give Athena Voltaire a few more issues to impress me. That's more than I expected going in, so that's a win.
DONALD QUEST #1 (OF 5)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writers: STEFANO AMBROSIO, PAT MCGREAL
Art/Cover: ANDREA FRECCERO
Subscription Variant: ANDREA FRECCERO
FC • 40 pages • $3.99
“Hammer of Magic!” A wild new Disney miniseries starts here! In the steampunk warrior world of Feudarnia, only the Magnus Malleus can save humanity from marauding Meteorbeasts! It’s an epic weapon for an epic hero ... so why is it up to Donald Duck to grab it before Magica De Spell, the Beagle Boys and the Phantom Blot get there first?
Fan favorite Andrea Freccero brings the Duckburg and Mouseton gang to a whole new world ... for an adventure with more thrills than Donald ever wanted -- too late, he’s stuck!
When I picked up this book, I expected a lot of quasi-medieval stuff like in Game of Thrones, Dungeons & Dragons and other popular fantasy entertainment. And sure enough, the mice and ducks are decked out in armor in a quasi-medieval setting, and have a quest.
What I didn't expect was Pokemon! The quest is to take a magic hammer -- no, not that one -- to Gyro Gearloose, so he can finish an invention that will defeat all "meteor beasts," which are rock monsters that arrive as meteors and transform into giant stone animals under the control of the Beagle Boys, Magica de Spell and the Phantom Blot (called the Meteormaster so far). The good guys are mostly all "Beastbusters" who gotta catch 'em all. And, yes, there are (in-story) trading cards.
Is it good? Sure! If you like the mice and ducks as they are currently presented, you'll like this. I'm a bit spoiled in that most of the ducks I've read have been by Carl Barks, and that's a pretty high bar. But for what it is, it's very nicely done.
WONDER WOMAN #11
Written by GREG RUCKA
Art and cover by LIAM SHARP
Variant cover by JENNY FRISON
“THE LIES” part six! In the conclusion to this epic tale, the lie is revealed as Wonder Woman returns to Themyscira in the company of Steve Trevor to find that nothing has changed—and everything is wrong.
On sale NOVEMBER 23 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Well, everything isn't what it seems for poor old Wonder Woman again. Maybe someday someone will write a Wonder Woman story that doesn't re-write her origin.
That being said, this rewrite has been interesting so far in its slow pace and multiple mysteries -- not to mention that there are two stories running simultaneously, one set in the past and one in the present. Unfortunately, both are involved in re-writing Wonder Woman's origin. AGAIN.
Well, maybe this one will stick. Anyway, it's certainly the best-drawn origin so far, with Liam Sharp knocking it out of the park again this issue. The guy draws everything in a hyper-realistic, textured way, all lathered onto a foundation of flawless fundamentals. Like it was once said of Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, the man never puts a line in the wrong place. Further, everything -- not just Wonder Woman -- is drop-dead gorgeous. I want to live in Liam Sharp's world!
As for the specifics this month, I finally realized that the Sasha that Steve Trevor reports to is Sasha Bordeaux from the pre-New 52 Checkmate and Bat-titles. And another pre-New 52 character arrives, Veronica Cale, who is so far your typical mystery villain -- but it's a mystery heightened by her choice of names for her dogs, which are clearly more than dogs. They're called "Terror" and "Panic," which all Wonder Woman (and Martian Manhunter) fans know are Deimos and Phobos in Greek, which also happen to be the names of Ares' sons. So there's that.
There's also a heel turn, and Etta Candy (whatever she's called now) shows some steel, and Steve and Diana share a kiss. (Which doesn't make sense -- they discuss her dating Superman, and isn't Steve old in those stories?) Also, a version of Queen Hippolyta appears with blonde hair, like in the Silver Age. Huh?
Oh, well. Everything about Wonder Woman isn't what it seems. Again.
Replies
Actually, the new robot in Future Quest is called "Gargantuan", not "Gigantor". "Gigantor" was the American name of "Tetsujin Nijūhachi-gō".
I'm really intrigued with the developments in Action Comics, after pretty much sitting out most of the run of the New 52 Superman, which was just too far removed from "my" Superman to appreciate. Killing the poor schmoe off though? Harsh.
Anyway, I'm definitely in for the mystery of who this Clark Kent really is. The rest -- Lois Lane impersonating Lois Lane, Luthor wearing the "S" shield, etc. -- that's gravy.
Oops! Evidently Gigantor made an impression on me!
The Baron said:
I've got to figure he's the old Superman reborn without his Super-memories, even though "wrong" Superman keeps emphatically saying he's not. But nothing in this series is what it seems, so I don't know. Another visitor from a parallel dimension? Clone? Durlan? Evil twin?
ClarkKent_DC said: