METAMORPHO THE ELEMENT MAN #5 DC COMICS
This title just keeps getting weirder and goofier and I wouldn’t have it any other way! The Thunderer has returned to do battle with the Sun’s champion and a whole new explination of the origins of Metamorpho. But Metamorpho has collected the whole Metamorpho family to fight. (Except for Ahk-ton from the 15th century – see JSA #43 2003!) But at the end of the day, it’s the stunning reveal of the mysterious villain that will really make you think! Writer Al Ewing has out done himself on this one and Steve Lieber’s art is totally all in here. I wonder if the late great Ramona Fradon knew what she was creating with this character when she was coaxed out of maternity retirement to work on the original series? 9 out of 10 Grahams.
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #6 DC COMICS
Annoyed. Annoyed and confused. I’m not saying that comic title crossovers are bad but Justice League Unlimited and Batman/Superman World’s Finest? World’s Finest is an amazing title that should be left in its own little universe with the vaguest hint of continuity. So to pair it off with the big All In title seems almost sacrilegious. Present Day JLU Grodd has mentally travelled into the past to join with his past WF self to come up with the ultimate plan? What?! Huh?! And the newest incarnation of the Legion of Doom are his partners in crime? Oy Vey, what a fiasco. And aside from wasting a perfectly good World’s Finest Annual (part 3) in the mix, we’ve got to mess with Air Wave? I love Air Wave! Whether it was the original Air Wave who skated across telephone lines on literal roller skates during the 1940’s or his son (and cousin to Hal Jordan. Yes, THAT Hal Jordan!) or that one time that Air Wave’s wife Helen took over the role, this character is a beloved reminder of the disbelief that comic readers used to have. I put forth that this ‘crossover event’ is not necessary. Certainly not for a six parter that eats up three issue of World’s Finest. And this is how we want to start out All In’s flagship title? Not cool, DC. Not cool at all. 5 out of 10 Grahams.
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #60 FACSIMILE EDITION DC COMICS
At least DC remembers it’s long history and shares it with nostagic flashbacks in their facsimile edition line. And this week, we are jumping back to April 29, 1965 and one of DC’s tryout titles, the Brave and the Bold. By no, we’re in 60 issues and the powers that be decide to revisit the junior Justice League who had popped up a few issues earlier in issue #54 but without the groovy Teen Titans logo. And this time, we get that swinging chick Wonder Girl as a bonus fourth member. Just one problem … Wonder Girl didn’t exactly exist yet! (If you believe the rumor.) Wonder Girl’s first appearances in the Wonder Woman title were stories involving Wonder Woman during her teen years, not a seperate character. Much like what was happening over on the Superman title, this would lead to imaginary stories featuring Wonder Girl (along with Wonder Tot!) Eventually, Wonder Girl simply stopped being a teenage version of Wonder Woman and became a seperate character. Which still can’t be explained to my liking no matter how many times they try to reboot the poor girl! But let’s get out of that rabbit hole. The imaginations of writer Bob Haney and artist Bruno Premiani bring us a series of destructive body parts. An eyeball that cries fireballs, a giant hand that tears houses apart and a disembodied mouth with super breath. These detacted body parts make for a weird look but also was quite clever as it saved the artist from drawing the villianous Seperated Man until the very end. While parts of this story are definitely dated, the overall issue is a fun read. And would be the beginnings of the super team that we all know and love. 8 out of 10 Grahams.
