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Review Date: Friday, July 8, 2011
Here In Bongo Congo
Its another "All-DC Comics Week" Here
In Bongo Congo and as such Good King Leonardo has decreed
that we review two new Flahpoint event series titles
along with the latest issue of a regular DC monthly
title. So let's see how these new comic books stack-up
against each other: |
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Flashpoint:
Hal Jordan #1
Publisher: D.C. Comics
Adam Shlagman: Writer
Ben Oliver: Art
Allen Passalaqua: Colors
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Among the many limited-issue
new comic book titles under the wide umbrella of
DC's Flashpoint event series is issue #1 of Flashpoint:
Hal Jordan. As I've mentioned in previous Flashpoint
reviews, the concept of this alternate universe
series is that an enemy of The Flash has altered
the structure of the DC storytelling universe. In
this brave new world, Aquaman and Wonder Woman lead
their respective empires in world war against humanity,
resulting in millions of deaths in Western Europe.
In addition, the backstories and lives of most of
the major DC superheroes are radically different
throughout this series. The Hal Jordan mini-series
is scripted by Adam Schlagman with art by Ben Oliver
and colors by Allen Passalaqua.
Issue #1 is entitled "Rising Tide" and alters the
familiar origin tale of Hal Jordan becoming the Green
Lantern. In this revised origin story, instead of
working as a hotshot test pilot for Ferris Aircraft,
Hal and owner Carol Ferris are transformed into co-pilots
patrolling the Atlantic against Aquaman's forces,
as the company appears to be conscripted into military
service. Without being a detail spoiler, the pair
have a wild action adventure against some of Aquaman's
forces. In follow-up to the incident, Hal goes out
on solo flight patrol and by the end of the issue
#1 story segment encounters the crashlanded, dying
alien Green Lantern who we know will bequeath the
coveted Green Lantern power ring to him at the start
of next month's issue #2.
Its been a lot of fun this past month reading a selection
of the various Flashpoint titles; DC deserves a worthy
shout-out for adopting the strategy of unfolding various
alternate history segments of their wider superhero
universe via the production of these short-run mini-series
titles. The three-issue Hal Jordan title should provide
just the right length of story arc to introduce the
alternate version of Green Lantern and establish his
place in the Flashpoint event universe for further
action as the entire series evolves. Issue #1 in this
brief series definitely provides a mix of alternate
history freshness and entertainment as one piece of
the overall Flashpoint picture puzzle. It should be
a lot of fun to see how the creative team of this
title uses the Emerald Warrior within the world war
situation of Flashpoint. So a definite thumbs-up recommendation
to place Flashpoint: Hal Jordan at the top of that
ever-growing list of various Flashpoint series titles
to read over the summer.
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Flashpoint:
Project Superman #1
Publisher: D.C. Comics
Scott Snyder & Lowell Francis: Writers
Gene Ha: Art
Art Lyon: Colors
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Our second comic book reviewed
this week within the Flashpoint story universe is
issue #1 of the three-issue mini-series entitled
Flashpoint: Project Superman. Obviously, this branch
of the Flashpoint event establishes an alternate
tale of DC's favorite All-American superhero. The
series is based on a general plot outlined by the
writing team of Scott Snyder and Lowell Francis,
with Francis soloing on fleshing-out their joint
concept into a detailed story script. The title's
artwork is produced by Gene Ha with colors by Art
Lyon.
Issue #1 establishes a
prequel storyline in lead-up to the eventual issue
#2 arrival of Superman on the scene by focusing
on "Project Superman," a secret U.S. Army Project
managed by the infamous General Lane, whose goal
is to create a Captain America-style supersoldier.
The ultimate secret volunteer for this experiment
is Lieutenant Neil Sinclair, who in the standard
DC comic book universe is apparently the superhero
Apollo from the Wildstorm group of characters that
DC incorporated into their publishing world a few
years ago. The issue #1 plotline interweaves two
sub-plots; the decades-long intense experimentation
on Sinclair, as he steadily evolves the range of
Superman's well-known powers (x-ray and heat vision,
super-hearing, etc.), along with a parallel decline
in Sinclair's basic human compassion and value for
human life. By issue's end, the inevitable bloody
tragedy occurs, resulting in Sinclair being squirreled
away by General Lane in lock-up for the safety of
America. The issue #1 story segment concludes with
the rocket carrying baby Kal-El crashlanding in
Metropolis instead of Kansas, with the public attention
of the event leading Sinclair to scheme a plan for
the true eventual Superman to assist in his resurrection
and freedom.
While I'm giving this issue a well-deserved positive
review recommendation, its with the qualification
that it could have been a better-produced comic book
issue, on two counts. First, choosing to focus an
entire Flashpoint comic book issue on an alternate
version of Sinclair/Apollo was confusing for readers
like me who aren't experienced readers of the Wildstorm
hero character. A first page narrative or some other
explanatory device would have been helpful in providing
a clearer understanding of the standard and alternative
Sinclair storyline structure. Secondly, scripter Lowell
Francis just wastes too much time plotting at length
the evolution of Sinclair's Superman-like powers in
parallel with his decline in moral character. Given
the constraints of a three-issue mini-series, this
issue #1 storyline should have been condensed to the
first half of the issue, allowing much more story
space for evolving Superman into the mix right in
issue #1.
So in sum, while this is an interesting and entertaining
comic book, its just not among the very best of the
Flashpoint story titles. I'd keep it on my list for
Flashpoint reading, but suggest getting around to
reading it after such other titles as the main Flashpoint
mini-series, the Flying Graysons title and the Green
Lantern title reviewed above.
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Power
Girl #25
Publisher: D.C. Comics
Judd Winick: Writer
Hendry Prasetya: Art
Jessica Kholinne: Colors
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DC's Power Girl title is
up to issue #25 this month. I gave a very positive
review to an issue in the early run of this series
and a negative review to a follow-up issue, so I
was interested this week in returning to the latest
issue to see how this comic book is faring with
the current creative team. I was also attracted
to the fact that Batman guest stars in the current
story run. The series is currently scripted by Judd
Winick with art by Hendry Prasetya and colors by
Jessica Kholinne.
Issue #25 is the second
and final part of a two-issue story arc entitled
"We Can Be Heroes." The story quickly updates the
reader on plot progress to-date, in which Power
Girl and Batman have helped the government imprison
a meta-human named Rayhan Mazin. It turns out that
Mazin has been falsely profiled as a terrorist due
to his Arab-American background. In issue #25, Mazin
breaks-out of confinement to visit his dying father.
Without being a detail spoiler, Power Girl and Batman
have an extended confrontation with Mazin, which
alternates between heavy battle action and detailed
conversation throughout the issue. By issue's end,
the unjust and false accusation against Mazin is
resolved; the issue ends on a neat, two-page redirection
of the plotline, in which Batman and Power Girl
have an interesting conversation resolving some
lingering JSA business between the two heroes.
I enjoyed very much the
change-of-pace plot focus of this issue, as an alternative
to the big-time Flashpoint universe events dominating
this summer's DC new issues publication schedule.
Veteran writer Judd Winick does a stellar job in
blending the relevant political topic of racial/ethnic
profiling with a standard battle action subplot.
The artwork here is exquisite, with the art team
giving us some of the best action panels that I've
seen in a very long time, particularly a series
of panels that emphasize to great visual effect
just how superpowerful and ultra-invincible Power
Girl is in comparison to other, obviously less-powerful
heroes in the DC Universe. I also enjoyed the freshness
of the Rayhan Mazin character and hope that DC continues
to feature this meta-human character, who I personally
have never seen before this issue, in future issues
of DC comic book titles.
So I'm very glad to see that the current creative
team has successfully restored the Power Girl title
to a level of entertainment and production quality
on par with the early issues of this title that were
helmed by renowed comic creator Amanda Connor.
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Current
Contest Results!!!
We had no entries to our current
contest, which challenged you to pitch to us your favorite
episode of the long-running animation series The Simpsons.
So we'll just move-on to a new contest below.
New Contest Announcement!!!
We'll go back this week to our
ever-popular trivia form of contest challenge. And since
we're smack in the middle of the dog days of summer, what
better time than to offer-up a dog trivia contest! The Bongo
Congo panel of contest judges challenges you this week to
e-mail us at Gordon_A@msn.com
with the correct answer to the following challenge: Name
the correct popular television shows that each of the three
following famous dog actors appeared on:
Eddie, The Jack Russell
Terrier
Duke, The Blood Hound
Bullet The Wonder Dog,
A German Shephard
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As always, in the event of multiple
correct entries, the winner of the $10.00 first prize gift
certificate to That's Entertainment will be chosen via a
roll of the dice.
That's all for now, so have
a great dog-walking and comic book reading week and see
you again next week Here In Bongo Congo!
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