Superman: Sacrifice Review (Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Part 6)

 

[ACT VI - Sacrifice]

• Superman #219
   - Sacrifice, Part I  : "Touch" = Mind-donk? How about mind-gangbang! This was crazy schizo storytelling, but I'm hoping they'll reveal how the heck Lord was able to augment his power to this big of an extent. Benes art is great and Verheiden's dialogue is growing on me. Was it all a hallucination or was he tricked into seeing someone else as Brainiac? I'm assuming the Daily Planet sequence happened besides him seeing Brainiac since Lois mentions it on the first page. Did he even go to the bottom of the Mariana Trench? Who did he attack? Whose blood was on his hands? Who went to visit Lois during the intro?
• Action Comics #829
   - 

  Sacrifice, Part II : "End of Identity

  " = This mystery is irritating my mind! Purposely withholding information not only from Superman, but from the readers! Don't really care for the little snippet of the assassin coming for Lois, but I guess Simone has to set something up for the remainder of this title once this crossover is over. When Supes looks at Bruce's comatose body, does he see him or just another illusion? How far does Lord's control go?
• Adventures of Superman #642
   - 

  Sacrifice, Part III : "

  Remembrance" = DANG! Greg Rucka comes in to save this crossover from mundanity! Very interesting that Max pretended to be Jonathan Kent to mind blast Clark. The moment when I realized Superman's doubt was artificially implanted, I swear I almost ripped the page by turning it so fast. The layouts with the all-star SOB Max Lord and his god damn nosebleeds were brilliant. I feel so bad for my big blue boy scout, and I'm going to feel worse as he comes to blows with Athena's champion. Watch out Maxy, Diana has god-vision!
• Wonder Woman #219
   - 

  Sacrifice, Part IV : "Tygers & Lambs

  " = Oh my god. I need Rip Hunter to take me back to 2005 so I can read this alongside everybody else during the countdown hype. This was freaking fantastic. I cannot sing praises to Greg Rucka enough. This man knows how to write a comic book. I have to stop writing so I can continue reading.
• The OMAC Project #4
   - "The King Is Dead..." = Bro what? No way they killed Sasha off, I'm sure her secret not-OMAC power will heal her and be Brother Eye's Achilles heel. Crazy to see the fall of Checkmate as well as the OMAC Project activated to the highest degree. Even the little things are so cool, like Brother Eye scrambling the League by manufacturing various mini crises across the world as he cleans house. A crippled Bruce is finally confronted by the manifestation of his paranoia, his sins have been found out, and all will suffer because of them. 
• Wonder Woman #220
   - "Affirmative Defense" = Absolutely heartbreaking. This is the darkest hour of the trinity. The glue of the superhero community has eroded and been pulled apart by distrust and moral strife. The Black King has raised his kingdom of tears; the League is over. It's really tragic to think that Diana lost her best friends in an attempt to save them and the world. As much as I wanted to kill Max Lord, I do agree with Clark and Bruce; there is a better way, they could have kept him alive somehow. Even without the foresight, the vision of Pallas showed Diana the way to end this fight, regardless of the aftermath. I'm glad we finally resolved the Jonah/Checkmate plot, though it leaves us with a sense of Kafkaesque dread; there is nothing Diana can do, only wait for the tempest to unfold.
• Adventures of Superman #643
   - "Fragmentation" = Greg Rucka is bringing on the depression man. Every word spoken has the weight of an entire planet. The worst thing is that Rucka has devised this entire scenario to provide equally sympathetic viewpoints for all of the Trinity. Superman was under mind control, Batman was mind-wiped and beaten half dead, Diana had to kill someone to save the world. All of it maintains credence, all of it has ground to stand behind. I agree with each of them, but I disagree with each of them too. Greg Rucka is a genius.
• Villains United #4
   - "A Weapon To Unify" = Still a lot of fun. Highlights were definitely the opening sequence and the revelation of the Society's true plan, which all in all could be an event unto itself. The fight and Firestorm reveal were great too, as well as the backstory for Catman's metamorphosis. I definitely think Cheshire is the mole for the Society now, there have been way too many panels with her eavesdropping menacingly throughout the last couple issues. Either her or Deadshot who would be the most unexpected, but most likely Cheshire.

COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS REVIEW [PART FIVE]

 

[ACT V - The Purge]

• Day of Vengeance #2 - "Some Enchantress Evening" = We finally get the flashback revealing how Spectre was tricked by Eclipso, though Willingham comes up with some excuse for Spectre's susceptibility via amnesia mumbo jumbo since he's untethered to a host. We also see how Stranger got mouse'd as well as what happened to Hector and Lyta in the pages of Black Vengeance. I enjoyed the flashbacks and expo-dumps, but this issue was mostly banter and character devs to grow the reader's interest in the team which I get, but I want to see some magical chaos! The highlight was probably the Ragman/Enchantress sequence where she explains the monkey's paw to her powers, even if the awkward kiss killed the vibe.
• Day of Vengeance #3 - "A Hot Night In Budapest" = 
  Enjoyed the Blue Devil spotlight! No Justiniano on pencils, but Wagner still did a good job. Painful to see false hope for the magic users as Marvel gets the upper hand since we know it's not going to be that easy going into Infinite Crisis. Last issue they set up the Enchantress dilemma and I have a feeling that's what's going to bite them when they need it the most. Who is this Lori that Detective Chimp and Nightshade are trying to find?
• Day of Vengeance #4 - "Monkey Business" = 
  Underwhelming! Intro to Black Alice was fine enough, but unfortunate that the entire plan was neutered by Enchantress having DID issues. At least the art was good, but it's a shame that my interest has significantly decreased since the first issue.
• JSAC #1 - Power Trip, Part I : "Point of Origin" = Finally! The mystery we've been waiting for begins to unfold! We get a flashback showing us that Power Girl did in fact escape a dying Krypton only to end up on Earth with no memory of her point of origin. With no weakness to kryptonite and the Arion connection being debunked, what is the true genesis of the platinum blonde powerhouse? Who sent the vision of Garn Daanuth after Power Girl? Is it the same individual who spawns these three Legionnaires on the final page?
• JSA #76 - "In Search Of..." = Aftermath! One of the main things I have a problem with since the OMACs started popping up in tie-in issues is that they seem pretty unbeatable. If Superman, Batman, or the JSA heavy hitters can't take one single OMAC out how the heck is the entire superhero community supposed to beat an army of them? I enjoyed the angle they tackled with Mister Terrific's tech invisibility, great set up for how valuable he will be in stopping Brother Eye. Fun snippets with the JLI remnants recruiting Power Girl as well as some flirting between her and my boy Pieter Cross! Happy that Al comes full circle but now worried about the absolute problem that is Amanda Waller. What is the rumor Calculator mentions? Could it be about the mindwipe of Batman? How will Nabu help Rick?

COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS REVIEW [PART FOUR]

 

[ACT IV - Insiders]

• Superman #218 - "Power" = I get it. They're trying to put Superman into a difficult space emotionally by turning the people against him. But jeez can you at least make a good story out of it? Black Rock is added to the long list of lame Superman villains, we get Lois talking about roleplay, and Superman OOC hurting people with his powers without realizing. At the end of the day, I only read this for that last panel with Max Lord, everything else is forgettable. It was the same with last issue, but hey there was an OMAC in it! That's all I care about. I have no regard for the clean-up of Azzarello's stupid story, since Infinite Crisis and Sacrifice are literally knocking at the door.
• Adventures of Superman #641 - "Innocence" = Yes! I believe that Pete isn't Ruin, but we did see Hamilton with a weird tech glove on his hand, the same hand that Superman injured in #637. That would explain why the guns he gave to Lupe's team ended up charging him in that same issue! And I'm sure he had a way of breaking out Pete too. As for the OMAC stuff, my understanding is that in OMAC Project #1, Max Lord set Brother Eye to autonomous mode which is why he has been sending OMACs all across the DCU to eliminate threats. That's why Supes was attacked this issue, as well as why the OMAC got rid of the green parasite (maybe also Rucka cleaning the board before "Sacrifice" starts). I'm actually really intrigued by the sniper mystery, and I love the fact that Lois gets help from Bruce (and we see him looking at Brother Mark I satellite blueprints?). I do wonder what Clark's attitude will be to Lupe after seeing her police brutality to Pete.
• The OMAC Project #2 - "There Is No 'I' In Team" = Don't get me wrong, I love Rucka on Supes and Wondy, but he is on a whole other level in this. Brother Eye is terrifying, especially in this day and age with surveillance states and all that Snowden/NSA stuff. The opening sequence with Bats explaining his process of unlocking the mindwipe was great, especially with Saiz recreating panel mimics of Rags Morales but with Batman villains! The page layouts are fantastic, and Brother Eye's code input green text is very cool. I especially loved the coup scene, a prime demonstration of the danger of Maxwell Lord. When Batman shows them the goggles, it broke my heart: this is Defcon One everybody, one of their own is dead, the Trinity have failed the superhero community.
• The OMAC Project #3 - "The M-E In Team" = The calm is over! Max Lord is such a fascinating villain, and I love his dynamic with Brother Eye. Even though he's a psychopath, Rucka conveys his insecurities and doubts extremely well. I enjoyed the banter between Diana and Guy, but I found it really interesting that the JLI members all have a sort of bond, a union outside of the OG seven and satellite teams. What is Max Lord's plan with Superman? Why didn't Max's powers work on Sasha? Who else did Max believe can resist his powers? What is the secret of the OMAC virus? Why does Superman call him "father"?
• Wonder Woman #218 - "The Calm" = There are poisons that will blind you, but there are poisons that will open your eyes! I'm not sure if it had been mentioned before that Lyta was daughter of both Circe AND Ares, but I guess it makes for a good segue into setting up the final arc in the midst of Countdown/Infinite Crisis. Nice check in with Cale, Cassie, and the Embassy crew. Is Jonah an OMAC? Is that how he was able to take down Ferdinand? Given the hints from the previous issues, we can assume he's been connected to Checkmate but this is pretty game changing. Will Athena's orders and refusals push Diana further to the brink?
• Teen Titans #24 - Insiders, Part I : "The End Begins" = I love Matthew Clark, but sometimes I have no freaking idea what the heck is happening in each panel. I really wish there was more communication on what is happening from writer to artist on this because that Superboy fight was schizo as mess. Then again, maybe that was the point and it's one more layer of immersion into the story; you are meant to feel like the Teen Titans, you are meant to be confused at the random attack from one of their most trusted allies. It's funny to see how two authors tackle the same group of characters since Johns and Winick have two completely different voices for the Outsiders. I'm assuming it was Luthor who turned Conner bad and possibly Indigo as well. That fight was brutal, everyone got maimed. Is Raven dead? Is Vic dead? Is Shift the mole on the Outsiders? Is Indigo/Brainiac-8 the mole?
• Outsiders #24 - Insiders, Part II : "I Am Your Destruction" = This just got a lot more interesting than I was ever expecting! This answered a question I had back in the previous arc, and Luthor's partner is revealed to be none other than Brainiac! What is Brainiac's plan? Why is Luthor involved? Indigo mention that it has something to do with Colu's survival, but why would Lex care? Nice little Graduation Day recap, but none of the Titans are too messed up besides Vic and Tim's arm. I don't really care about the banter between the Outsiders or Indigo's OP nature, but that last page reveal pretty much saved the issue for me.
• Teen Titans #25 - Insiders, Part III : "Sons & Daughters" = Jeez, seeing Connor regain control for a couple panels was heartbreaking. Burnt, bleeding, beaten, and yet Lex takes away his freedom with a mere phrase. I could care less about Indigo, but I definitely want to see good ol' Brainiac do some damage. I wonder if this Colu/Donna Troy stuff will come up either in the "Return" mini-series or after the Crisis?
• Outsiders #25 - Insiders, Part IV : "It Was Real" = Even though I did not read Judd Winick's Outsiders run, I will give him props for making me feel sorry for Shift and Indigo after only a couple pages of an intro sequence, and a well-executed death. The highlight of all of this is the Luthor/Connor stuff, especially Lex having some affection and desire to help Connor. I hate the aggressive and moody Nightwing (who is completely different than how he is in Winick's Batman), and I also hate getting scuffed on Brainiac. That dude was a total non-factor, the greatest bait of all, only used to legitimize the threat of Indigo/Brainiac-8. D'Anda was hit or miss on every page. Also, why the heck didn't Tim have a cast on his arm when it was literally snapped in three directions at the beginning of this story? Mid crossover overall.
• Teen Titans #26 - "Soul Searching" = So good! Superboy has easily been one of the highlights of this run, and when you have Geoff Johns on script and Tony Daniels on the canvas there isn't much that can go wrong. Very cool that we got a Raven and Connor spotlight since I don't believe they've interacted that much in this run. Both of their pathos are so engaging and easy to empathize with. This is a true Teen Titans thematic fulcrum, a focus on discovering identity that is so common among adolescents. Who is Brother Blood's mother?

Green Lantern: No Fear Review (Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Part 3)

 

[Green Lantern - No Fear]

• Green Lantern Secret Files & Origins 2005 - "Flight" = Beautiful. Darwyn Cooke man, doesn't get better than him. Scheduling a reread of New Frontier once I'm finished with this Infinite Crisis business.
• Green Lantern #1 - "Airborne" = Love it! So I'm assuming this new alien murderer arrived in the yellow vessel above Nevada, and he's searching for an older version of the Manhunter. The color scheme on the jet engine makes it seem like they're using manhunter tech to augment these new planes. The intro to Cowgirl and Shane Sellers was awesome, and I loved Hal's brother as well. Johns does a great job of hooking you into Hal's world, and I'm so excited to see how it flourishes over the course of his run.
• Green Lantern #2 - "No Fear" = Damn bro, RIP to Carlos Pacheco. His art in this brings such a Silver Age quality; a revitalization of the Gil Kane and Carmine Infantino art that brought these heroes to life 60 years ago! Having John pop up is awesome, and the interaction with Jim brings some much-needed introspection to Hal that dismantles any "cardboard-cutout" slander directed towards him. Who is the new Manhunter Grandmaster? Why is this new manhunter trying to destroy its predecessor? How did the military rebuild Abin Sur's ship?
• Green Lantern #3 - "Flight Delay" = The Lost Lanterns! Highlights had to be Jordan and the old Manhunter before detonation and his monologue when he returned to Coast City about fear. I also thought it was so great that they tied this into Engleheart's Millenium, such a weird but fun event! Johns is at home in this title, and I feel so much more passion in this and JSA then I sometimes do Flash. Green Lantern is just so much fun!
• Green Lantern #4 - "Alienated" = Holy final page! Loved this one, a triptych knitting three stellar sequences into the prime example of what a monthly comic should be! We get more context on the Guardians and the rebuilding of the GLC which will be tackled in Recharge, Hal pays a visit to his very own Doctor Psycho, while two unlucky skinny dippers turn into the Shark's midnight snack! Great opener as well with the Grey Alien turned into roadkill, but the best scene in this was Sonar's cameo in Belle Reve. So the aliens that sent the meteor that mutated Hector Hammond also created the Silver Age Shark (Karshon)?  
• Green Lantern #5 - "Feeding Frenzy" =Extraterrestrial horrors unbound! Black Hand enters the mix after getting Jaime Lannister'd by Spectre/Hal in Rebirth, but after a gremlin upgrade he's eager to genocide a whole hospital. Battle against the Shark was super dope, and I'm seeing a reoccurring theme of evolution and survival of the fittest across this entire volume, from the Manhunters purging inferior models to space gremlins evolving and experimenting with natives. After using the power of Google Translate, are these gremlins working for Thanagar?
• Green Lantern #6 - "Black Sheep" = Would have loved Van Sciver to have finished this arc, but Bianchi has a certain quality that I appreciate, been a fan ever since he did Shining Knight with Morrison. Love that Johns tied this into the Rann-Thanagar War, but the hinting this early to Blackest Night from Black Hand was surprising as mess. He even made some deep comments about the emotional spectrum that I caught. The flashbacks were tragic as heck, but I'm interested to see how these snippets get put together once we reach Secret Origin. Hal and William are both Black Sheep from their own families! What changes occurred to Hammond as a result of the experimentation?