Good-looking Corpse Part 1

Written by: Nick Spencer & James Peaty
Illustrated by: Bernard Chang
Colors by: Blond
Letters by: Travis Lanham
Cover by: Amy Reeder, Richard Friend & Guy Major
Edited by: Matt Idelson & Wil-Moss
Published by: DC Comics

Spoiler Level:  Medium

A new chapter in the ongoing story of Supergirl begins here as a new creative team jumps on board after an amazing run by fan favourite writer Sterling Gates and artist Jamal Igle.  This new team has some mighty big boots to fill as the former pair brought Supergirl up from a raunchy, messy and disjointed book into a must read title starring truly rounded characters.  If this issue is any indication, then this is quite a big first step into another great run of stories and characters.  Nick Spencer and James Peaty present a number of interesting story lines and also give the reader a brief recap on Supergirl herself and what she’s all about, making this a great issue for new readers to come on board.

The new “villain”, Alex is introduced over the course of the issue as almost a new age Lex Luthor for Supergirl, even though the two never meet in this issue.  His method of attack is quite interesting as well; creating and uploading a free iPhone application called Flyover for people to download and use to upload superhero sightings instantly.  He basically makes everyone who owns an iPhone paparazzi and this allows for him to instantly track metahuman movements all over the globe as well as destroy what little privacy our boys and girls in tights have.

As much as I love the over the top feel of the superhero genre, it’s nice to have a bit of real world mentality creep in once and a while.  If superheroes were real today, there would defiantly be an application like this in existence and it would make being a masked avenger next to impossible.  Not only is a hero’s privacy threatened, but this also gives villains an instant by the minute update to where the heroes are so they can pick a fight, or to know that it’s ok to rob that bank since big blue is across town getting a cat out of a tree.

Spencer and Peaty also use the supporting cast well here, introducing Lois Lane’s next investigative story while in the same breath creating a new character whom is followed through the book after her encounter with Lois.  The three story lines set up a lot and give the feeling that they will somehow dovetail into one another even though there doesn’t seem to be any strong links between all of them.

Bernard Chang’s pencils are great in this issue, with panel layouts being used effectually in tandem with the pacing of the story.  His backgrounds are fairly detailed in most scenes as well, which is really necessary to distinguish between the three plot lines.  I never felt confused about where something was taking place, or with who was where.  Chang does a great job of getting the characters emotions across as well with body language and facial expressions.  I find that too many artists use generic expressions and it’s nice to see a bit of variance here.

The downside, however, is two fold.  Firstly, Lana Lang is no where to be seen in the book despite two pages of the Daily Planet staff.  Supergirl’s secret identity of Linda Lang is directly tied to Lana and she has been an integral part of the book and its supporting cast.  It seems very odd for Spencer and Peaty not to continue to use what has been set before with her, but perhaps (and hopefully) her exclusion is merely due to the amount of set up presented in this issue.

Secondly, Lois’s shock over what she discovers the Cadmus Project has been secretly doing seems really out of place considering it’s something that has been used repeatedly in past stories.  This is more off putting considering this is revealed after Spencer and Peaty use Perry White to explain the entire current goings on in the DC Universe through the use of headlines.  These guys seem to have a clear grip on continuity, but they dropped the ball on this one.

Overall, the book seems to be in good hands.  This issue serves as a great introduction to new readers and sets up what could be an interesting run.  While I will miss the former creative team and the remarkable work they did with the character; especially considering they had to work around the New Krypton story crossing over with the book repeatedly, the new team seems to have some long term plans to build on what has come before while breaking some new ground.

Comic Reviews DC Comics, Supergirl, Thought Balloon

The Death of Oracle Part 2:  The Gauntlets and the Guillotine

Written by Gail Simone
Illustrated by Guillem March
Colors by Nei Ruffino
Letters by Travis Lanham
Cover by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
Edited by Janelle Siegel
Published by DC Comics

Spoiler Level:  Medium

It is so rare to find a comic with at least one strong female lead character, but DC Comic’s Birds of Prey delivers five of the best female characters in its vast universe and there isn’t a Wonder Woman in sight.

Gail Simone presents a new villain in the form of Current, introduced last issue and who possesses the ability to make someone experience every regret they have ever had in realistic detail in the span of an instant with a mere touch.  Current and two other hired costumes crash the girl’s night out at a strip club, demanding that that the team reveal who and where their boss, Oracle is.  What’s great about this scene is that the Birds know they are in hot water and caught off guard, and so improvise to tag Dove as a target for Current’s power as she is the most likely to survive such an ordeal, being the squeaky clean member of the group and due to her roll in the Blackest Night series.

Another great twist to the standard “super-hero fight in a public place” set up is the small group of stragglers that are trapped in the bar whom the Huntress (in her secret identity) and Lady Black Hawk have to escort out of harms way.  This provides great character scenes such as when the Huntress stops to awe the tandem fighting displayed by Black Canary and Batman (when he shows up) and also adds a dramatic element as the safety of the stragglers complicates any counter attack plan.

Guillem March’s artwork is clean and clear, with exaggerations in just the right moments, such as when the Oswald Cobblepot is yelling at his cocktail waitresses and then snaps when one of them dares to call him by his underworld code name.  March’s best scene in the book however, is on page nine when Batman is speaking to Oracle while on his way to the fight.  What could have been a boring talking head scene he instead turns into a great little moment, having a couple parked on top of a parking garage excited to spot the fabled Batman swinging past them.

Understandably this issue is heavy on the superhero action considering it is entering part two of the Death of Oracle storyline, but it does not sacrifice any character or plot development to do so.  While Batman is the big guest star of the issue, he doesn’t take the spotlight off of any of the main characters of the book, and Simone ensures to show that Oracle is the one in charge between the two, asking Batman to do something that he is not going to be happy with.  This issue is fun and dramatic while still stacking the odds against the Birds of Prey making it one of the best books on the stands right now.

Comic Reviews Birds of Prey, DC Comics