CC2K’s Comic Reviews: September 25, 2013
Written by: Gary M. Kenny, CC2K Comics Editor
This is a big week for comic book fans because Joker’s Daughter is premiering and that release has already sold out in most comic stores. I’m also going to talk about the new Justice League issue and Young Avengers.
ATTENTION: ALL REVIEWS NOT SPOILER FREE.
Justice League #23.4
Writer: Geoff Johns & Sterling Gates
Artist: Szymon Kudranski
This is the origin story of the Outsider, aka Alfred Penny-worth. It’s one the best of the Faces of Evil series and arguably one of the best comics of the week. We learn that the Joker (though not a good guy) over in the Crime Syndicate Universe is the king of chaos and Owlman is a creature of order and structure. The issue shows the history of Owlman, Penny-worth, and hints about other characters: Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, the Gotham PD; while a big fight between the Joker and Owlman runs through the entire issue. It’s holds an interesting ending which will be covered in the Forever Evil mini series.
“He never found the brother he’d always wanted, the brother he knew Bruce could never be.” This paragraph tells us that Thomas Wayne could really be Bruce’s brother. It’s clever that in the crime syndicate universe that the league of owls are the true protectors of Gotham. Dick Grayson was kidnapped and turned into their best Talon. It’s great that DC succeeded in using the modern bad guys: the league of owls in displaying their legacy throughout the old, non new 52, historical baddies: the crime syndicate.
4.0 out of 5.0
Batman: The Dark Knight #23.4
Writer: Ann Nocenti
Artist: Georges Jeanty
The issue most people have been waiting for since the Faces of Evil specials came out three weeks ago is here. The Joker’s Daughter! I will say, I’ve been looking forward to this for a while. Duela is an unique character and I wanted to see what the New 52 would do to her origin. Man, was I disappointed. This issue sucked and was a complete rip off.
Duela is no longer a Dent and she is for all intents and purposes a (x-men) Morlock. She lives in the sewer, is deranged with (the opposite of) beauty (ala Iron Man’s Madame Mask) and her only connection to the Joker is finding his face. She is a complicated character because she is fighting for woman’s rights down in the sewer (kingdom?), which is admirable but at the same time acting insane and calling the Joker mask a power mask. DC really screwed the pooch here. Nothing is new here. Like i’ve said she’s a Marvel rip off and there is already a female character with beauty issues within the new 52 : the Ventriloquist. For collectors, this issue is worth a pick up (to sell it later) but you can catch more Joker’s Daughter in Catwoman where maybe they do a better job with her character. As of right now, I would have rather had Stephanie Brown, Wally West, or any other character emerge into the new 52 then the Joker’s Daughter.
1.0 out of 5.0
Young Avengers #10
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie & Mike Norton
Is this a hipster-ish comic book? Hell yes. Is it really well written and completely unique from the rest of the Marvel Universe? Hell yes! The one problem I have with the issue is it’s slow tempo and that is hard to actually argue since plenty happens in the book. When I say “slow tempo” I really mean the book contains so much that one issue isn’t enough to really move the story. The book is 10 issues in and the 1st arc or mission really hasn’t ended.
Basically you have a team of sex crazed teens (though they don’t show it in the book, Kieron Gillen oozes their teenage hormones all over the place) each discovering who they are, an adolescent god who doesn’t know how NOT to use somebody, a creature who pretends to be a parent so it can eat the kid’s soul, a few crazed ex-girlfriends/boyfriends, and an imposter posing as a the Patriot. If you aren’t reading this series from the begging, it’s going to be hard to connect. Actually if you don’t know the characters from their other series, it’s going to be hard to connect. However, it’s extremely well written/drawn and one of the few Superhero comics that shouldn’t be missed.
This issue shows the tangled web that the Mother, Loki, the Patriot and Leah (Loki’s ex-gf). Basically all of them are planing to double cross each other and use every Young Avengers to do so. It’s a fun chaotic romp that keeps the reader guessing. Gillen’s smart wit plays with each character’s emotional state and keeps this reader eyes glued each crisped page.
4.5 out of 5.0