Category: DC’s Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

Written by Mark Russell.  

Art by Michael Allred; Laura Allred; & Dave Sharpe.

Collection Cover Art by Michael Allred & Laura Allred.

SUMMARY:

Released by DC Comics in 2023, this 264-page hardcover compiles 2022-23’s Superman: Space Age # 1-3.  Per the onset of 1985’s Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Superman of Earth 203495-B sadly realizes that his universe’s annihilation by the Anti-Monitor has commenced. 

In a flashback to the fateful November of 1963, farmer Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas, decides it’s time to reveal his existence after President Kennedy’s shocking assassination.  With the United States and Russia agitated to the brink of war, Clark’s naivete ironically almost causes World War III.  After fighter pilot Hal Jordan shoots Clark down as an ‘UFO,’ the future Man of Steel discovers his Fortress of Solitude at the North Pole.

In 1964, Clark joins The Daily Planet as a rookie reporter and gradually develops a friendship with his colleague, Lois Lane.  Meanwhile, industrial rivals Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor pursue a vital U.S. defense contract to build the country’s future war strategy.  Outmaneuvering Wayne, Luthor’s chilling arrogance soon precipitates the nuclear annihilation of Coast City.  Superman and Wayne’s Batman unknowingly aid each other in averting another close call with World War III.  Luthor is sent to prison for mass murder for the next two decades. 

In the subsequent years, a Justice League forms, though no one realizes that its most secretive member is their benefactor: Bruce Wayne.  While Lois becomes the guiding light exposing Watergate, Clark’s encounters at a Metropolis bar finds him in sporadic contact with Pariah.  Despite Clark’s skepticism, Pariah matter-of-factly prophesizes that the world is doomed in a matter of years, due to the Anti-Monitor. 

In the meantime, Clark and Lois finally acknowledge their mutual love and marry.  Both have previously acknowledged being influenced by their fathers’ own wartime experiences.  Lois and Clark soon have a young son: Jonathan, raising him at the Fortress with help from Jor-El’s hologram.

In Gotham City, Bruce Wayne’s ironic feud with his own corrupted company tips his beloved Gotham City’s breaking point.  Subsequent clashes with Maxwell Lord and the Joker may prove too much for even Batman.  Considering the Justice League’s tragic encounter with Brainiac, Superman realizes his Earth’s time is now rapidly running out.  It’s up to him to make a desperate bid to save humanity, even as a gloating Lex Luthor returns to the free world.  Meanwhile, an expanded Justice League makes a last stand in Washington, D.C., without either a Man of Steel or a Dark Knight.

Elsewhere, the Superman of Earth 832654-Z is again the lone survivor of his planet – it’s conveyed by a collection of Brainiacs that this depleted Earth might still stand a partial chance of survival.  With humanity forever lost, this other Superman grimly awaits any cosmic sign that his existence isn’t for nothing. 

Note: This title is also available digitally; its trade paperback edition is set for release in 2025.

REVIEW:

Visually, Michael Allred and Laura Allred’s low-key artwork is far more endearing than it is aesthetically impressive.  Still, their simplistic visuals provide an ideal accompaniment to the storyline’s heartbreaking content, making Superman: Space Age a DC must-read. 

Apart from ingeniously spinning off Crisis on Infinite Earths in a historical narrative reminiscent of Forrest Gump, writer Mark Russell devises a down-to-earth brand of storytelling.  Though his Batman and Justice League are glaring underachievers (in comparison to DC’s primary versions), Russell’s take on this alternate-reality Superman and Lois Lane’s maturing bond is a treat to explore.

Russell’s balance of poignancy and a bleak plot isn’t without fault, however.  For instance, the main characters’ aging over twenty-two years doesn’t make much sense from the get-go (i.e. how is Clark a ‘teen’ as he claims in 1963, but Bruce and Lois are evidently twenty-somethings? Or how could Lois then only be 28 at the time of Watergate?).  It’s one of several questions in plain sight that Russell doesn’t address. 

Case in point: Why isn’t Supergirl (or even a Krypto) in this reality? Why wouldn’t Martha Kent be with Clark’s family come the world’s end?  Why doesn’t Russell divulge the fate of seven abducted Gotham City children?  Lastly, why is this Justice League’s mindset so ridiculously passive for years awaiting a cosmic cataclysm?  Even with such plot holes, Russell’s tale still makes a gripping read. 

The Space Age Superman’s fate presents, in effect, a timeless philosophy lesson.  The conveyance of hope as merging one’s inner peace with selfless bravery – even in the face of imminent death – makes an apt analogy for the human spirit’s resiliency. Russell and the Allreds offer a thought-provoking exploration of a doomed world (echoing Krypton) where super-powers can’t surpass reality’s worst nightmares. If anything, this Space Age Superman’s solution for saving his beloved world leaves room for some thoughtful debate, as to what actually constitutes life after death.      

Another argument is that DC Comics’ crass reliance upon style (and even sleaze) over substance has been its own worst enemy for nearly forty years since the first company-wide Crisis.  Fittingly enough, this nostalgic tribute to its Silver Age/Bronze Age is a reminder that DC Comics can still generate excellent work.  A gem like Superman: Space Age delivers welcome proof.  

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

All three Michael Allred & Laura Allred covers are included in a full-page format.  In a full-page cover gallery, there are variants for Issue # 1 (1. Michael Allred; 2. Nick Derington; and 3. Steve Rude); Issue # 2 (1. Derington; and 2. Dave Johnson); and Issue # 3 (1. Derington – a Dean Cain homage; and 2. Joe Quinones – a Superman III homage). 

Also included are Michael Allred’s black-and-white cover and sketch work; and the Allreds’ full-page Action Comics # 1050 variant cover.  The last page is an advertisement for other DC works by Mark Russell.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                8 Stars

Note: Another thoughtful Superman title worth discovery is 2004’s Superman: Secret Identity (written by Kurt Busiek).  In an alternate reality reminiscent of DC’s original Earth-Prime, this Clark Kent/Superman ages in real time during his life’s journey.

Written by Chip Zdarsky.

Art by Mike Hawthorne; Miguel Mendoça; Belén Ortega; Jorge Jimenez; Mikel Janín; Jorge Corona; Adriano Di Benedetto; Tomeu Morey; Roman Stevens; Romulo Fajardo Jr.; Ivan Plasecenia; & Clayton Cowles.

Collection Cover Art by Jorge Jiménez.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2023 by DC Comics, this 240-page hardcover compiles 2023’s Batman # 131-136.  A seemingly fatal shot by the Failsafe robot using Toyman’s high-tech blaster had made Batman vanish before a horrified Tim Drake’s eyes. Immediately robbed of his utility belt, a battered and semi-conscious Dark Knight now finds himself stranded in an alternate-reality Gotham City. 

Initially haunted by a ghostly Commissioner Gordon, Bruce Wayne discovers that this bleak reality had no Batman, as its own Bruce Wayne met a grim fate.  Batman’s probe also confirms countless others from Gotham City and beyond have been abducted as test subjects for ghastly experiments conducted beneath Arkham Asylum.  Donning a makeshift uniform, Batman soon suspects the insidious research is linked to this Gotham’s reclusive billionaire philanthropist: Darwin Halliday.    

With help from his new young friend, Jewel, Batman senses that he must thwart this world’s Joker counterpart: the Crimson Mask.  More so, with such limited resources, Batman’s presence as an anomaly from another universe is a dire predicament he can’t resolve alone.  He must then take a chance that this world’s Alfred Pennyworth and mercenary Selina Kyle will become his allies rather than enemies. 

Shocking twists unfold, as a depleted Batman must later pursue the Crimson Mask out into DC’s multiverse.  In each different Bat-reality he encounters, the Dark Knight seeks a final showdown with his elusive adversary, who is chaotically bringing Joker variants to life.  

Upon finally returning home, Bruce Wayne acclimates to the changes that occurred in his absence, including Selina’s escape from prison.  Reuniting with Tim, Selina, and others in the Bat-Family, the Dark Knight resumes his relentless nocturnal mission.  The Failsafe crisis has seemingly ended for now.  Reeling from multiple surprise revelations, Bruce’s increasingly fractured psyche, however, is taking a bizarre turn for the worst.     

The four-part back-up arc is “The Toybox.”  After consulting Jon Kent’s Superman and Nightwing, Tim Drake’s Robin goes on a solo multiversal quest to find the missing Batman.  Utilizing Mr. Terrific’s technological wizardry, Tim pursues a supposedly dead Toyman into another reality.  Tim believes this villain may be the only answer to saving Batman.  After rescuing innocent civilians the Toyman abducted, Tim can’t resist chancing a reunion with his mother from a parallel world.  It’s conveyed that, off-screen, Tim’s multi-dimensional journey has him encountering as many different Batmen as his mentor has. 

With Alfred alive, the storyline concludes with an eight-page, back-up tale entitled “The Plans Below.” Seeking inspiration to better concentrate, Batman wearily descends from the Batcave into a private chamber.  Awaiting him is a reinvigorating workout versus his Failsafe robot and an opportunity to update the machine’s programming.   

Note: This title is also available digitally. Its paperback release is presumably in the works.

REVIEW:

Deeming writer Chip Zdarsky’s “The Bat-Man of Gotham” a glorified (and overstuffed) Elseworlds epic is a fair assessment.  The concept of Batman, Robin, Mr. Terrific, Toyman, and Crimson Mask all vaguely dabbling in multiversal energy residue, detectors, retracting coils, etc. comes off as outlandish nonsense.  Had Zdarsky instead been writing Mr. Spock, such scientific miracles might be plausible … for the 23^rd Century.  In this century, however, Zdarsky pushes far too many multiverse-driven contrivances trying to pass his Bat-Man of Gotham off as a compelling read.

If Zdarsky had simplified his premise (i.e. challenging Batman to escape from an Elseworlds alternate reality) and incorporated a less-bonkers take on science fiction (i.e. the supposedly true purpose for Batman’s existence), a more efficient storyline should have clicked. From a reader’s perspective, the plot’s credibility suffers a significant hit when only Tim Drake is openly worried about Batman’s apparent death. With others (i.e. Nightwing) presumptive that the Dark Knight will resurface on his own like he always does, it seems peculiar that the Justice League isn’t bothering to investigate Batman’s disappearance.

Hence, why shouldn’t readers conclude the same outcome and recognize that Zdarsky’s storyline is backing itself into a corner? Tim Drake’s valiant search inevitably impacts the climax, but it ironically also mutes the imminent suspense — i.e. how does one think Batman will escape? The Bat-Man arc’s resolution, therefore, is telegraphed by the events of “The Toybox.”

Zdarsky also pitches a seemingly shocking injury, which merely duplicates the same device used for Luke Skywalker and Aquaman.  Such dramatic impact would have been sufficient for an Elseworlds Batman, but Zdarsky’s gambit of disfiguring DC’s primary Batman is an unnecessary eyeroll.  Undoubtedly, DC will ensure that Batman’s ‘irreversible’ loss is reversed in a matter of time – sooner than later.    

As for the pop culture parade of familiar Batmen (i.e. Michael Keaton’s Batman ’89), the ‘wow’ factor is obvious.  The one iconic Batman oddly excluded is his Golden Age incarnation (from DC’s original Earth-Two).  Though this creative team’s Bat-homages dangle fun fan-bait, it doesn’t take long for one to realize how superficial the gimmick really is.  These guest spots don’t sidestep an exceedingly convoluted storyline beyond a series of wink-wink optics.      

The artwork, otherwise, treads a consistent B-range resembling most Elseworlds Bat-projects – that is, until Issue # 136.  That installment’s artwork is hampered by some glaring visual discrepancies.  For instance, in the previous four issues, Bruce Wayne/Batman is exceptionally well-toned.  Issue # 136 oddly depicts his physique as now nearly Hulk-sized (resembling his appearance in The Dark Knight Returns). 

Hence, Batman is shown towering over a far smaller Selina – as if she’s a foot shorter (which doesn’t make sense, given their established heights).  An ultra-petite Selina Kyle is also drawn as if she’s barely twenty years old, let alone dresses as such.  Either way, this issue makes for a wonky transition into the next arc reviving Zur-En-Arrh. 

Batman, Volume 2: The Bat-Man of Gotham packs several intriguing moments; its excesses, however, translate into a merely okay read given its hefty page count.  Over-reliance on DC’s multiverse and a horde of ridiculous plot elements, ultimately, does Batman no favors.  Frankly, the most practical option is finding this Bat-title at the library.                     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Preceding each story is Jorge Jiménez’s full-page cover and then Stanley “Artgerm” Lau’s own full-page variant.  In the cover gallery, one can explore a ridiculous glut of full-page variants: 

• Issue # 131’s second printing: artist – Jiménez.

2^nd variant: artists – Joe Quesada & Richard Isanove.

3rd variant: artists: Jason Fabok & Brad Anderson.

4^th variant: artist David Nakayama.

• Issues # 132 – 134 2^nd variant: artists – Quesada, Kevin Nowlan, & Isanove.

Issue # 132 3^rd variant: artist Derrick Chew.

                   4^th variant: artist – Mike Hawthorne.

                   5^th variant: artist – Nathan Szerdy.

                   6^th variant: artist – Szerdy.

Issue # 133 3^rd variant: artist – Chew.

Issue # 134 3^rd variant: artist – Clayton Crain.

                   4^th variant: artists – Frank Cho & Sabine Rich.

                   5^th variant: artist – Tom King

• Issue # 135 (two-page spread): artists – Quesada, Nowlan, & Isanove.

                   3^rd variant: artist – Gabrielle Dell’Otto.

                   4^th variant: artist – Karl Ngu

                   5^th variant: artists – Jim Cheung & Jay David Ramos.

                   6^th variant: artist – Lee Bermejo.

                   7^th variant: artist – Neal Adams.

• Issue # 136: artists – Quesada, Nowlan, & Isanove.

                    3^rd variant: artist – Dell’Otto.

                    4^th variant: artist – Stjepan Šejić.

                    5^th variant: artist – Bermejo.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          5½ Stars

Written by Bryan Q. Miller & Grant Morrison.

Art by Pere Perez; Dustin Nguyen; Derek Fridolfs; Ramon Bachs; Cameron Stewart; Lee Garbett; Trevor Scott; Guy Major; Nathan Fairbairn; Travis Lanham; Dave Sharpe; Carlos M. Mangual; Sal Cipriano; & John J. Hill.

Collection Cover Art by Dustin Nguyen.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2018 by DC Comics, this 328-page trade paperback completes Stephanie Brown’s initial journey as Batgirl — that is, prior to DC’s New 52 continuity reboot.  This volume collects Batgirl # 13-24; Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Batgirl one-shot; and Stephanie’s overseas team-up with Bruce Wayne’s Batman in Batman, Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes # 1 — all originally released between 2010 and 2012.  With Issue # 24, DC Comics cancelled this series, as its subsequent New 52 reboot would restore Barbara Gordon to the role as the original (and again teenage) Batgirl.

After Volume 1, Stephanie Brown’s on-the-job training as the newest Batgirl resumes, as she tries evading her prior rookie mistakes.  Juggling her second semester as a Gotham University freshman, Batgirl must help enigmatic GCPD Detective Gage thwart a homicidal Clayface’s bank heist.  Another team-up awaits Stephanie, as fellow teen Supergirl flies into Gotham City for some downtime with her new friend.  Hence, they spend a wild Friday night pursuing twenty-four 3D clones of Count Dracula that have escaped from Gotham University’s campus movie screen into reality. 

Stephanie’s combat and sleuthing skills are then tested by a mysteriously stealth-powered adversary, who is the person she least expects.  Meanwhile, with Bruce Wayne still missing, a determined Vicki Vale confronts Barbara Gordon to confirm the original Dark Knight’s secret identity.

With Barbara and Wendy “Proxy” Harris providing her tech support from the Batcave and now the hidden ‘Firewall,’ Stephanie gains an unwanted ally in the ‘Grey Ghost’ in her pursuit of the sinister Reapers cult.  Worse yet, an injured Batgirl finds herself a prime suspect after being framed in the cult’s homicide of one of her own classmates. 

Stephanie, in the meantime, teams with Damian Wayne’s Robin in an undercover sting to rescue kidnaped children from their abductors. As his surrogate big sister, she later tries to demonstrate to ten-year-old Damian that he is still a child capable of innocent playtime.

Set amidst Valentine’s Day, Stephanie unexpectedly meets Klarion the Witchboy in Gotham City.  Helping Klarion find a romantic playmate for Teekl (his feline mascot), Batgirl reluctantly finds herself undercover in Limbo Town.  One friendly favor merits another, as Stephanie takes Klarion to a Valentine’s Day festival at Gotham University.  With Detective Gage and ‘The Grey Ghost’ at her side, Batgirl next faces the first of the Reapers’ techno-mercenaries: Slipstream.  Another of these techno-operatives, Harmony, subsequently challenges Batgirl.  At the same time, months after her brother Marvin’s grisly homicide, Wendy is now haunted by his zombie-like ghost.           

Assigned overseas to London by Bruce Wayne’s Batman, an undercover Stephanie teams up with her fellow teenage vigilante, the Squire, to rescue hostages.  The Knight makes a cameo appearance in this adventure.  Taken captive while probing a British boarding school, Stephanie confirms it’s an elitist front for a Leviathan terrorist recruitment center. 

With Batgirl vastly outnumbered, it’s up to the original Dark Knight to help even the grim odds.  Upon her return to Gotham City, Stephanie resumes her feud with The Reapers’ legion of armored thugs.  With an ally fatally struck down, Batgirl must re-double her efforts.  Hence, she summons the right kind of all-star firepower for this job: Supergirl, Miss Martin, Stargirl, and Bombshell.        

As the series comes to an end, Stephanie is stunned by the return of her supposedly dead father: the Cluemaster.  Rendered comatose, Batgirl’s life is saved by her beloved friends and the last person she wants discovering her secret identity.  Having dreamt possible future adventures awaiting her, Stephanie makes peace with her life as is.  She’s as ready for tomorrow as Batgirl as she’ll ever be.   

Notes: This title is also available digitally.  The prior volume complies Issues # 1-12, including a two-part crossover with Tim Drake’s Red Robin.

REVIEW:

Despite inevitable turnover with this franchise’s artistic personnel, Volume 2’s visuals are still well above-average.  In particular, Dustin Nguyen’s distinctive artistic charm is an ideal fit for Stephanie Brown’s Batgirl.      

In sync with a reliable visual look, writer Bryan Q. Miller proves consistently on his game progressing Stephanie’s “Lesson” as a rookie Batgirl.   Not only is Miller’s storytelling a fresh take on a college-age heroine, but he plays up Stephanie’s exuberance and self-confidence for what it should be – i.e. she’s a plausible teenager. 

Hence, energetic team-ups with Supergirl, Damian Wayne’s Robin, Klarion the Witchboy, and Stephanie’s British counterpart: the Squire, blend DC’s formulaic elements with the playful advantages this new Batgirl brings with her.  Ending an issue with a bounce house scene with the skeptical Damian, for instance, demonstrates how Miller has made Stephanie an appealingly relatable character to readers.         

With Barbara Gordon’s Oracle and Wendy Harris’ ‘Proxy’ leading the supporting cast, Miller ensures that his youthful protagonist isn’t overshadowed by a preponderance of too many Bat-characters crossing over.  That even includes the Dark Knight himself, as his team-up with Stephanie in the “Leviathan Strikes” crossover is a welcome treat. 

To Miller’s credit, he effectively phases in potential castmates that could stick around awhile or possibly prove expendable – it’s a welcome nod to unpredictability.  More so, DC Comics evidently paid attention to how Miller had revitalized Batgirl’s significance to the Bat-Family, even after this series was regrettably cancelled. 

One can recognize how many of Stephanie’s fun-loving traits were lifted for the New 52 Barbara Gordon to update the most famous Batgirl’s well-established persona with extra dimension.  It’s unsurprising given how another New 52 consolidation tweaked Barry Allen’s Flash to more closely resemble Wally West’s hyperactivity.  Hence, two Silver Age icons received contemporary personality makeovers while temporarily relegating both Stephanie and Wally to DC’s continuity dustbin. 

Nearly fifteen years later, Miller’s take on this underrated Batgirl still hasn’t received its due reward – let’s just say the poignant series finale speaks for itself.  Batgirl: Stephanie Brown, Volume 2, ultimately, is a teen-friendly gem well worth re-discovery.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The original cover is presented in a full-page format followed by a posed Batgirl portrait taken from the interior artwork to precede each story.  The cover artists are: Stanley “Artgem” Lau (Issues # 13-14); Shane Davis & Barbara Ciardo (Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Batgirl); Dustin Nguyen (Issues # 15-24); and Chris Burnham & Nathan Fairbarn (Batman, Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes # 1).

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    8½ Stars

Written by Grant Morrison.  

Art by Frazier Irving; Pasqual Ferry; Ryan Sook; Mick Gray; Yanick Paquette; Serge LaPointe; Doug Mahnke; Billy Dallas Patton; Michael Bair; Freddie Williams II; & J.H. Williams III.

Collection Cover Art by Ryan Sook.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2011 by DC Comics, this 381-page hardcover concludes the 30-issue Seven Soldiers of Victory epic originally published in 2005-2006.  With Seven Soldiers # 0 and Seven Soldiers # 1 serving as its bookends, the saga’s seven primary characters are each showcased in his/her own four-part, interrelated mini-series playing off the premise that none of these Soldiers interact with one another, let alone realize their link to an ancient prophecy.

Presenting writer Grant Morrison’s storyline by each issue’s chronological release rather than each individual mini-series together, Volume 2’s contents shift between Klarion the Witch Boy # 4; Mister Miracle # 1-4; Zatanna # 4; Bulleteer # 1-4; and Frankenstein # 1-4 before concluding with Seven Soldiers of Victory # 1.  Grim revelations of The Sheeda’s magical invasion of Earth become more specific, as the destined Seven Soldiers rise against their common enemy. 

Notes: As with Volume 1, this title was subsequent re-released as as a trade paperbacks and in digital form.  Other formats include: a full-scale, nearly 800-page hardcover Omnibus assembling the entire series and the original Seven Soldiers Books 1-4 trade paperbacks (i.e. Volume 1 combines Books 1-2 and this Volume 2 is the combined  Books 3-4).

Klarion’s series finale begins with the Witchboy nearly burned at the stake by Limbo Town’s incensed inhabitants, including his own mother and sister.  With the sinister Mister Malmoth and his mercenaries invading Limbo Town, dark secrets are revealed.  It’s up to teenage Klarion and his feline familiar, Teekl, to save his underground home from Malmoth’s diabolical plans for ‘updating’ Limbo Town. 

Elsewhere, a re-imagined a ‘Mister Miracle’ named Shilo Norman emerges as possibly Earth’s greatest escape artist (note: the existence of Scott Free’s Mister Miracle isn’t addressed).  Like his unacknowledged predecessor, the slippery Mister Miracle finds himself targeted by a cadre of otherworldly threats, including the ominous ‘Dark Side.’ Even his extraordinary talents escaping the inescapable may not be enough to overcome these odds.  

A possibly powerless Zatanna Zatara and her young apprentice, Misty, arrived in Slaughter Swamp in search of its mysterious Seven Unknown Men.  A lethal showdown awaits Zatanna in the form of the evil magician, Zor.  The ethereal prize awaiting their battle’s victor is the truth of her late father’s elusive four magical books: the Libri Zatarae. 

Stunned by her husband’s reckless death, Alix Harrower has reluctantly become the hero-for-hire Bulleteer – a Bullet Girl for a new generation.  It’s revealed that Alix was the unidentified no-show in Seven Soldiers # 0, who had avoided the prior team’s gory annihilation.  Forced into battle by a personal foe, Alix refuses the summons of a persistent ghost pressing her acceptance as one of the prophesied new Seven Soldiers.  Another ominous link to the prior team has targeted this rookie Bulleteer for assassination by The Sheeda.

With help from his estranged secret-agent wife, The Bride, Frankenstein’s Monster faces multiple grisly missions in his pursuit of the immortal Mister Malmoth following the villain’s escape from a defiant Limbo Town. The legendary undead monster senses he must hunt down Malmoth first in order to destroy The Sheeda. 

To thwart The Sheeda Queen and her insidious forces, desperate solo gambits must be made by Frankenstein’s Monster; Zatanna Zatara and Misty; Klarion the Witchboy; Sir Ystina the Shining Knight; and Shilo Norman’s Mister Miracle.  Also converging on the scene are Jake Jordan’s Guardian and the Bulleteer, as one of the Seven Soldiers will make the ultimate sacrifice to secure victory.  The epilogue updates the fates of some of the survivors.

REVIEW:

Explaining Grant Morrison’s strange Seven Soldiers of Victory, Volume 2 to non-fans would be the equivalent of fathoming Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five as a graphic novel.  Perhaps Morrison was aiming for a Vertigo Comics audience that deems weirdly subversive sci-fi/fantasies like Robert A. Heinlein’s Number of the Beast as top-caliber entertainment.

Given the artistic talent involved (and their varying degrees of murkiness), Volume 2’s visuals are consistently stellar – no matter how incomprehensible Morrison’s storyline often is.  Before proceeding further, Volume 2 concocts some cleverly devised plot twists, and a few well-written segments (i.e. Zatanna # 4) are easy to follow – scoring some rare poignancy at welcome moments.  Yet, that’s more the exception than the rule.  While Klarion # 4 and Frankenstein # 2-4 contribute necessary depth to The Sheeda invasion angle (and mostly make sense), the same doesn’t apply so much to either The Bulleteer # 1-4 and Mister Miracle # 1-4.       

Case in point: The Bulleteer’s sub-plots include some supernatural characters relevant to Seven Soldiers # 0 and # 1, which generates well-played intrigue.  However, the primary arc constructs an inevitable showdown between likable heroine Alix “The Bulleteer” Harrower and the woman her late husband was having a cyber-affair with. Aside from their terrific visual quality, Alix’s adventures are, therefore, mostly irrelevant. 

There’s also no mistaking the talented art team’s fixation on displaying the Bulleteer’s blatant sex appeal vs. crafting her a compelling origin tale.  While Alix’s mini-series is actually a fun read, her contribution is far more padding than any substantial one. More so, Alix’s cameo in the Seven Soldiers finale surely doesn’t add much to Morrison’s mixed-bag finish line. 

As for Morrison’s Mister Miracle, his re-imagining of Jack Kirby’s New Gods (including Darkseid) is a high-concept homage that baffles far more than it dazzles.  Readers will find that they have to operate on the same wavelength as Morrison to follow Shilo Norman’s confusing four-part tale.  Mister Miracle is prime evidence of how muddled Morrison’s saga becomes when Volume 2 is absorbed as a whole.  The glorification of horrific, R-rated plot curveballs (off-screen or not) makes their creative justification throughout this wonky project seem even more tasteless.

Note: Volume 1’s grisly surprises are more repulsive than in Volume 2.      

Ultimately, Volume 2’s high-caliber artwork and pristine production values are its two best and most enduring assets.  Morrison’s bizarre plotting, by comparison, is overrated, as his impressively grand ambitions tend to fall short of the actual content.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

A two-page summary conveys the events of Seven Soldiers of Victory, Volume 1.  The original full-page cover precedes each story.  Cover artists are: Frazier Irving (Klarion # 4); Pasqual Ferry (Mister Miracle # 1-2); Freddie Williams II & Dave McCaig (Mister Miracle # 3-4); Ryan Sook (Zatanna # 4); Yanick Paquette, Michael Bair, & Alex Sinclair (Bulleteer # 1 & # 4); Paquette, Serge LaPointe, & Sinclair (Bulleteer # 2-3); Doug Mahnke & Dave Stewart (Frankenstein # 1); Mahnke & John Kalisz (Frankenstein # 2-3); Mahnke & Nathan Eyring (Frankenstein # 4); and J.H. Williams III (Seven Soldiers of Victory # 1).

Morrison, at the end, presents six pages of insightful script notes preparing Seven Soldiers of Victory # 1.  Presented in a full-page format, the collection covers for Seven Soldiers of Victory, Book Three (cover artists: Paquette, LaPointe, & Stewart) and Book Four (cover artists: Mahnke & Stewart) are included.  In a full, double-page montage (essentially, a poster), Sook’s collection cover artwork for Seven Soldiers of Victory, Volumes 1 & 2 is saved for last.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      6½ Stars

Written by Joe Casey & Joshua Williamson.

Art by Scott Kolins; Ardian Syaf; Jay Fabok; Vincente Cifuentes; David Enebral; Norm Rapmund; Marlo Alquiza; Prentis Rollins; Rebecca Buchman; Derek Fridolfs; Walden Wong; Michael Atiyeh; Ulises Arreola; Pete Pantazis; & Rob Leigh.

Collection Cover Art by Ardian Syaf; Vicente Cifuentes; & Ulises Arreola.

SUMMARY:

DC Comics, in 2010, released this 144-page paperback compiling Superman/Batman # 64 and # 68-71 from 2009 and 2010.  Thousands of years before, homicidal Durlan terrorists aboard a hijacked Kryptonian vessel flee local justice through a space-time portal.  The shape-shifting Durlans intend to exterminate all Kryptonians to finally achieve victory in their intergalactic feud. 

In the present-day (amidst the aftermath of Our Worlds At War), Batman & Superman grimly investigate this same vessel they have found now derelict in a secluded asteroid belt.  Given a missing escape pod and the ship’s uneasy proximity to Earth, they conclude that an alien hostile is apparently now hiding somewhere on the planet. 

What confounds the World’s Finest Duo is how this Kryptonian ship could have jumped through time – more so, the reason why.  Meanwhile, in the Himalayan Mountains, reclusive billionaire (and STAR Labs silent partner) Anderson Gaines evidently makes a sinister discovery. 

A seemingly routine assignment weeks later for Clark Kent has him interviewing the enigmatic Gaines.  Soon afterward, an incendiary assassin named NRG-X launches fiery attacks targeting Clark Kent at The Daily Planet and then the Man of Steel in his own Fortress of Solitude.  Having probed his own suspicions of Gaines’ unusually public activities, Bruce Wayne contemplates the identity of NRG-X’s shadowy employer.  Whoever it is knows Clark’s secret and is unleashing a very personal vendetta to kill Superman.    

Against two formidable adversaries, the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel must go on offense to end a predator’s wrath bent on finally destroying Krypton’s legacy.   

Note: This title is presently available in a trade paperback format only.

REVIEW:

Considering this title’s brevity, readers could construe Big Noise either as a tight, plot-driven space/action thriller or a fast and forgettable read.  Squandering excellent artwork (specifically, Issues # 68-71), one makes a more convincing case for the latter.  Suffice to say, Big Noise’s storyline is, at most, superficially entertaining. 

A lack of depth is glaring, such as the absence of pivotal supporting characters  – apart from Alfred Pennyworth making some contributions, the plot leaves one wondering: where is Clark’s spouse, Lois Lane?  Or Perry White, for that matter, especially if The Daily Planet’s upper deck has been firebombed?  Writer Joe Casey doesn’t provide any answers, let alone seems to care.

As adequate compensation, Casey might have pitched some welcome plot twists, but the Superman-targeted-for-death storyline doesn’t bother with a single surprise.  Minimal creativity isn’t a deal breaker, but this story’s business-as-usual outcome has no impact.  The predictable Superman/Batman: Big Noise, if anything, is strictly a library find.  

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The full-page cover precedes each story.  The cover artists are for Issue # 64: Scott Kolins & Mike Auyeh; and for Issues # 68-71: Ardian Syaf; Vicente Cifuentes; & Ulises Arreola.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     4½ Stars

Written by Mark Waid.

Art by Dan Mora; Tamra Bonvillain; & Aditya Bidikar.

Collection Cover Art by Dan Mora.

SUMMARY:

Released by DC Comics in 2023, this 160-page hardcover reprints 2022’s Batman/Superman: World’s Finest # 1-5 and material from Detective Comics # 1050 (its cover isn’t included). 

Though the exact DC continuity is murky, this ‘flashback’ tale is set in the early days of the World’s Finest team-ups.  With Poison Ivy & Metallo attacking The Daily Planet, Batman & Dick Grayson’s Robin are unable to stop Metallo from poisoning a defenseless Man of Steel with a syringe containing multiple different pieces of red kryptonite. 

Teaming with Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and the original Doom Patrol, the Dynamic Duo are able to contain a gravely injured and ultra-volatile Superman.  Emergency intervention by Dr. Niles Caulder and Negative Man at the Doom Patrol’s mansion is subsequently necessary to save Superman’s life.

Batman and Superman are then advised by Caulder’s Doom Patrol that they have been targeted by an ancient immortal sorcerer, Nezha, who has somehow escaped eternal imprisonment.  Between Elasti-Girl, Negative Man, and Robotman, they reveal Nezha’s purported origin from more than a millennium ago, which involves his cursed blade.  Afterwards, the heroes split into teams. 

The Doom Patrol seeks out word on Nezha’s lost Tomb in Mont Blanc, Switzlerand, where their perennial foe, General Immortus, may (or may not) have the necessary answers.  Amidst a time-traveling mission to China of 1579 B.C., teenagers Supergirl & Robin allude to an awkward first date they had shared.  Consisting of a team of magical Chinese super-heroes, Nezha’s ancient enemies might reveal the only possible means of thwarting the sorcerer a second time. 

Near Philadelphia, Superman & Batman must save a terrorized Billy Batson from Felix Faust.  It becomes readily apparent that Nezha is amplifying the heroes’ current foes as pawns to try and destroy them.  Nezha’s corruption expands, as he resorts to mind-controlling Justice Leaguers and Teen Titans as well.  Appearances include: Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern; Wonder Woman; Barry Allen’s Flash; Black Canary; Martian Manhunter; Firestorm; Wally West’s Kid Flash; Donna Troy’s Wonder Girl; and Red Tornado.

Already bearing mixed news, Supergirl is unable to save Robin from plummeting somewhere into the timestream amidst their return to the present-day.  It is now desperation time against Nezha, as the combined firepower of Superman, Supergirl (guilt-ridden over losing Robin), Batman, and the Doom Patrol is no match against this magical adversary’s onslaught.  An ultimate sacrifice is seemingly the last option, but the question is: who will do so?  Cliffhangers further linger, as to the unresolved fates of Robin and Wonder Woman.

Notes: This title is also available digitally.  Presumably, DC Comics will release it in trade paperback form in the future. Despite their presence on the collection’s cover, the following do not appear in this book: Catwoman; Commissioner Gordon; Bane; Scarecrow; the Joker; Brainiac; and Darkseid. Lex Luthor only makes a brief cameo in a hallucination.

REVIEW:

Writer Mark Waid conjures up a timeless and entertaining ode to Silver Age DC nostalgia.  Not only is Waid absolutely on his storytelling game, his unpredictable plot twists should keep readers engaged from start to finish. 

Among this books’ gems is a welcome opportunity of catching the original Doom Patrol in all its glory.  The same applies to a rare chance for this underrated trio (along with Niles Caulder) to interact with DC’s mainstream icons with worthwhile depth.  Waid further demonstrates his knack for making a variety of characters simultaneously shine by distinguishing their familiar personalities spot-on.  Suffice to say, Waid’s snappy dialogue ensures that these characters are neither interchangeable nor simply talking cardboard.  They all serve specific plot functions as he intended them.

Aside from Waid, this book’s art squad also deserves kudos for supplying terrific visuals ideally matching this storyline’s adventurous tone.  For all Batman and Superman fans, World’s Finest, Volume 1: The Devil Nezha concocts a first-class treat for DC fans.  Definitely recommended!     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

In a full-page format, each of Dan Mora’s five covers and then an additional replica darkened in blue precedes its story.  As full pages, there is a twenty-page variant cover gallery.  Issue # 1 consists of these artists: 1. Jim Lee, Scott Williams, & Alex Sinclair; 2. Stanley “Artgerm” Lau; 3. Jason Fabok & Brad Anderson; 4. Evan “Doc” Shaner; 5. & 6. Chip Zdarsky; and 7. Lee Weeks & Brad Anderson).  Issue # 2 has these artists: 1. Tim Sale & Dave Stewart; 2. Pete Woods; and 3. Jorge Jimenez & Alejandro Sanchez).

For Issue # 3, the artists are: 1. Lucio Parillo; 2. Rafael Sarmento; and 3. Jorge Corona & Matt Herms.  Issue # 4 has artists: 1. Derrick Chew; 2. Freddie E. Williams II; 3. Riley Rossmo & Ivan Plascenia; and 4. Dan Mora.  Finally, the fifth issue has these artists 1. Francesco Mattina; 2. Pete Woods; and 3. Alexander Lozano.         

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       8½ Stars