Quick review: Action Comics #1

Action Comics #1

By Grant Morrison and Rags Morales
Superman is an institution. What is regarded by many as the gold standard by which all other superheroes are judged, Superman is the alpha and omega of the man on tights ideal. You don’t mess with Superman… unless he’s not selling and you have no idea what he’s about. In that case you release several comics that show your best character in various stages of his life and you rebuild it from the ground up. That’s what DC Entertainment has done with Superman by handing him to the man with a plan, Scots mastermind Grant Morrison.

As he pointed out in a Rolling Stone interview, times are tough for the comics industry:

There’s always going to be a bit of that because comics sales are so low, people are willing to try anything these days. It’s just plummeting. It’s really bad from month to month. May was the first time in a long time that no comic sold over 100,000 copies, so there’s a decline.

Morrison is really the latest in a very long line of creators who think they can remake the most successful comic book character for a modern audience. I remember reading John Byrne’s run back in the day which was heavily influenced by the old TV and radio shows. Byrne wanted to bring the fantasy back into the stories but place the hero in science fiction rather than making him an all-powerful magical being. It remains a very appealing take on Superman for me. Morrison dug deeper back into the recesses of Superman’s past to when he was a crazy angry young man with super strength who would juggle crooks in the air while laughing.

He also decided that a skin tight costume was far too absurd and came up with the street clothes concept. It certainly reeks of ‘trying to keep up with the cool kids’ by placing Superman in torn jeans and combat boots, but it has gotten people talking about Superman again… and they didn’t have to kill him or electrify him to accomplish that.

Morrison went into detail on the costume when he was interviewed by CBR.com:

Sometimes, I think the costume just kind of gets thrown into the story. Or his mother made it. I started with that and had Superman developing the costume while he’s developing into a superhero. He would start, before he had his Kryptonian suit, with some kind of variant of the suit he’d create for himself. I figured, you know, coming from Kansas, he’d be wearing kind of work clothes — a pair of boots, some rolled-up jeans and a t-shirt. We’ve got a scene later where Superman goes into a store and is basically ordering up a whole bunch of Superman t-shirts, [Laughs] with Superman logos in all different colors. So that’s what he wears. I kind of liked that. To start “Action Comics” again, to take it away from the superhero concept and take it back to slightly more of a folk tale-ish type of a thing.

That’s why Superman looks a little bit like Li’l Abner, a little bit more Americana. We also have the cape that he wears, which is the one piece of material that he has from the planet Krypton. It’s indestructible, so it’s almost been his best pal or his security blanket as I’ve called it. I’ve been adding different meanings to some of the things we take for granted with him, hoping it might help people see Superman in a new light; a completely fresh light.

A rockstar of the comic book world, Grant Morrison has already worked miracles with Batman and All-Star Superman and brings with him a cult of followers from his creator-owned series the Invisibles and more. As it happens I disagree greatly with Morrison’s take on Batman (far too many ideas, not enough story) and have reservations on All-Star Superman (it’s a sweet story, but it’s been done before) so I fully expected that I would also dislike his latest take on Superman.

Color me surprised, but I like it a lot.

The issue does not feel like Superman… at all. Superman attacks a party of socialites and badgers a man until he admits that he’s crooked. The police that were bought off to protect the party arrive too late to stop Superman from dragging out an admission in public. Not content to stop there, Supes gives a warning to everyone around him.

As Morrison has explained in interviews, Action Comics is about Kal El’s journey to becoming the greatest superhero ever. Anyone can say that is their gameplan and just draft out an origin story or road trip of discovery, but Morrison has crafted something very different here. It is disturbing to see a Superman who so flagrantly uses his abilities on the weak and swings his ego around because might makes right, but it’s also quite provocative. It has gotten people talking about Superman again and that’s a good thing in the end.

Retreating to his decrepit apartment, Superman takes on the persona of weaselly but brave Clark Kent, a reporter who digs deep into the criminal underworld to expose their activities for the common good. Some have compared this Kent to Peter Parker, but I don’t see it personally. We don’t get to see Clark for long as he realizes all too late that his friend Jimmy Olsen and reporter rival Lois Lane are in danger. Lois has ignored Clark’s warning and gotten too close to some mob muscle on a commuter rail. Driving the train out of control, Superman must speed to the scene in time to save the futuristic speeding rail runner from destruction.

Lex Luthor makes an unexpected appearance as an adviser to the military. Using what appear to be explosive tactics, a number of tanks mount the streets to destroy the man of steel. The military are shocked to see that not only can Superman survive the attacks, he can give just as much damage in return. However, the tanks were just a softening up and Luthor uses Superman’s own morality against him. Attacking a building designated for demolition, Superman is trapped the rubble while helping the residents escape.

An astounding talent from Hawkman and Identity Crisis (just to name two) artist Rags Morales is in fine form in this issue. While I always enjoy his layouts, action sequences and such, it is his skill at depicting facial expressions that stands out to me. There really is no other artist like him. I hope that he plans to stay on Action Comics for some time as I cannot imagine who could follow him.

This was the most interesting and exciting Superman comic I had read in ages. There was no origin, no confusing off-panel continuity, no excessive violence or nudity (which plague many of DC’s other books this month). Morrison’s ‘Socialist Superman’ may seem out of left field (no pun intended), but it is actually very close to the core concept of the character. Parts of the issue do feel like pandering to the reader or trying extra hard to be cool, but if you can look past this and roll with it it’s actually a very progressive comic book.

Action Comics #1 is exactly what I feared when I heard of DC’s ‘New 52′ line. It pushes aside everything that came before and drops a character that is almost entirely new at the reader’s feet. But… and I’m just as shocked as anyone… I quite like it.

While the second print of Action Comics #1 was just released this week, it has already sold out at comic shops. Fortunately, it can be purchased as a download at Comixology.

Quick review Swamp Thing #1

Swamp Thing #1

By Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette

Swamp Thing is one of those weird creations of synchronicity. At almost the same time, both Swamp Thing and Man-Thing appeared on the scene and fans have disagreed on who came first ever since (actually, it was a confluence of both coincidence and living situations as both muck monster creators lived together at the time). Despite some really impressive early horror appearances, Swamp Thing is most commonly associated with Sir Alan Moore of V for Vendetta and Watchmen fame. It was under the watchful beard of Sir Moore that Swamp Thing became an existential adventurer and grabbed the comic book reading world by storm. There have been several creators following Moore’s run, but no one was capable of capturing the success that Swamp Thing enjoyed during the gravelly Englishman’s tenure (though I quite like the Rick Veitch material).

Young newcomer to the comics world Scott Snyder has already made a name for himself with Batman: Gates of Gotham and the new Batman comic released this month. He has a knack for the dramatic and Gothic that makes him an ideal writer for Swamp Thing and a sensitive touch that allows the story to flow quite well.

Joining Snyder on this series is another popular name in comics, Yanick Paquette whom I enjoyed on the underrated Young X-Men. The artwork is beautifully horrific. Dead birds fall from the sky in Metropolis, bats descend in bloody heaps in the Bat cave and gnarled fish carcasses float past Aquaman in the ocean depths. Yes, in the first issue alone three superheroes appear, this establishing that this Swamp Thing exists in the DC Universe proper, not some alternate Vertigo-verse as he has done in the past. It’s an exciting touch for me as it legitimizes the comic book and hints at all sorts of possibilities down the road.

One of the only gripes with this issue is that it relies on foreknowledge from other sources… I assume. Alec Holland is living in solitude, a retreat that is broken when Superman seeks out his help in dealing with the dead wildlife. Alex Holland is kind enough to recap his origin story involving a chemical compound that he became infected with when he attempted to destroy it after realizing that it was far too dangerous. The resulting chemical reaction created the Swamp Thing… but then he got better apparently and the Swamp Thing is no more.

The dialog hints at not only Swamp Thing’s return but Holland’s denial of the swamp creature and desire to never again join with The Green, the all-encompassing realm of the plant world. I cannot understand what’s going on there and as it’s a first issue and Superman is an all-new creation, this confuses me even more. At the conclusion, Swamp Thing appears to stop Alec from hurling a secreted container of serum into pieces. Again… confusion, but an inquisitive kind.

Despite these issues, I do highly recommend this comic and hope that it will become easier to read as it progresses. The writing is sharp and the artwork is great and spooky. It’s a good Swamp Thing comic and it’s new. Who knew such a thing was possible?

Swamp Thing has sold out at comic shops (I found my copy at a Barnes and Noble), but can be purchased as a download at Comixology.

Quick review Justice League International #1

Justice League International #1

By Dan Jurgens, Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan

Back in 1985, the Justice League of America had outlived its popularity. As strange as it may sound, the team of Superman, Aquaman, Batman, Superman, the Flash, Green Lantern and others had fallen from favor. In a desperate attempt to give the team some new personality, it was reborn in Detroit and led by Aquaman. The team was a mish-mash of heroes that would never be considered ‘League material’ from Vibe to Gypsy, Commander Steel and Vixen. The ‘Detroit JLA’ has its fans but by and large it is a laughing stock and often pointed at as a prime example of a comic book in dire need of a reboot.

J. M. De Matteis, Kieth Giffen and Kevin MaGuire assembled the most unlikely team of heroes as their new Justice League. It wasn’t just the line-up that was peculiar, the tone was humorous and absurd. The team members hates each other, were very inexperienced and more often than not stumbled their way through a problem. It was a massive hit with readers and remains a touchstone of the superhero team for modern fans of comics. When the comic transformed into Justice League International, it found its own identity at last and the series really took off.

The new JLI series is an attempt to recapture that rare commodity and in most cases it accomplishes that. An international team of heroes assembled by the United Nations, each member represents a different nation (or in the case of Green Lantern Guy Gardner, a different alien power). Booster Gold is team leader, but from behind the scenes, Batman advises (just as he had in the 1980′s run). There is a refreshingly large portion of female characters here, something that DC Editorial realizes that they must address. I can’t think of another book where the team is split down the middle gender-wise.  Hopefully that situation will remain constant in the months to come.

The team is an odd one, consisting of Booster Gold, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, August General in Iron, Fire, Ice, Vixen and Rocket Red. Even I have little knowledge of most of these characters which can be distracting, but it is their personalities and not their super abilities that are key here. For super powers, look at Justice League of America. Dan Jurgens (one of the chief architects of the Death and Return of Superman) is a workman like author, but he is no J. M. De Matteis nor is he a shadow on Kieth Giffen. Fortunately, he has no interest in impersonating the previous JLI run and instead offers up straight forward superheroic action with some added quirks.

I wasn’t bowled over by this comic, but it did just what it claimed on the wrapper and that’s not bad. With many of these new reboots I fear the need to start from square one and inject the authors’ own take on the way things ‘should be,’ but that is not the case here. This is by the books Justice League action. If you enjoyed the cartoon, you’d probably like this.

I remember when I picked up the 1st issue of the Justice League back in the day and was delighted at how bizarre and unique it felt. This series is just getting started but it is a perfect example of the 1st issue done right. Nothing is unexplained, everything is new and it’s all very appealing for a reader looking for a superhero team with a little something new.

I have been looking outside of my local comic shop where these issues are sold out and finding a few copies of the new 52 at scattered bookstores. If you don’t feel as adventurous, Justice League International #1 can be downloaded at Comixology.

Choose your own path in X-Men Destiny

Just released this week is the latest X-Men video game allowing players to chart their own path in the Mutantverse. With a plot written by X-Men Legacy’s Mike Carey, the game explores a world in conflict after the death of Professor Xavier. Players can control one of three distinct characters with different backgrounds and goals as well as mutant abilities. Throughout the game, power ups and enhancements are collected from other characters which can be used in various ways. As the Purifiers and sentinels strike against mutantkind, the player is free to join up with the X-Men or the Brotherhood.

Trailer

Walk-thru at E3 video

X-Men Destiny is available online and from select retailers.

X-Men Destiny- PS3

X-Men Destiny - DS

X-Men Destiny- XBox 360

X-Men Destiny- Wii

Superman’s Origin (1973)

Superman, as designed by Alex Toth in 1971

With the revised history of DC Comics, it’s important to remember the simpler days. This version of Superman’s origin comes from the 1973 episode of Super Friends. Closely based on the silver age comics version, this version includes the classic rocket, the poorly managed comedy orphanage and the super strong baby from Krypton. It’s awesome.

For my generation, the Super Friends cartoon was the most popular and revered form of superhero lore. It was in this series that I learned of Green Lantern, the Flash and more. More importantly, it presented a team of superheroes working together to fight a common foe. I had already watched my share of Aquaman, Superman and Batman ‘toons and even the obscure Hawkman, Green Lantern, Flash and the Atom ones as well, but seeing them all together was a trip. It’s incredibly hokey and only really comes into its own in the Challenge of the Super Friends series that introduced super villains led by Lex Luthor, but I have a soft spot for it.

One interesting note is that apparently America’s Top Forty disc jockey Kasey Kasum, well known for his voicing Robin the Boy Wonder and Shaggy, doubled up on several cartoons, especially this one.

Super Friend Marvin tells the origin of the man of steel.

Recommended:

Super Friends!: Season One, Vol. One

Challenge of the Super Friends

The Savage Hawkman soars once more

An archaeologist discovered his past life as an Egyptian Prince is brought to the present by a glass dagger and an insane killer from beyond time, Hath Set. Taking up the mantle of the Osiris (the image of the hawk) and the ancient weapons littering his museum, Carter Hall fought the forces of injustice as the Hawkman.

Heavily influenced by the pulps and the Mummy feature film, the early Hawkman book is just as nutty as it sounds. Not only did Carter Hall discover his true self, he also found his reincarnated love, Shiera, who took up the mantle Hawkgirl. They remain one of the few husband-wife superhero teams in comics. To add to the drama, Hath Set had a history of killing them whenever they attempted to find true love in each others’ arms.

Chasing a villain from the planet Thanagar, space policeman Katar Hol established himself as an archaeologist. Using the weapons of the past, the Nth metal of his planet and alien police methods, Katar Hol became Hawkman, defender of the skies. Much later after the Crisis of 1985, DC Comics released Hawkworld, a stunning book that delved into the world of Thanagar and depicted a much more flawed Katar Hol and a cold Shiera. The real problem lay in the continuity conflicts when this new Hawkman landed on Earth after already being there.

But that’s another story.

(In fact, I summarize much of Hawkman’s convoluted life in this earlier article)

At some point, a writer decided that these two creations from different periods needed to be merged. Rather ingeniously, Geoff Johns crafted Hawkman into a kind of Highlander, an immortal reborn time and again to resume his battle with his most dreaded enemy who chased him from incarnation to incarnation. However, when he found his Hawkgirl, she had no recollection of her previous lives and could not return his love. Their relationship was a strained one and along with the superb action by Rags Morales, made for an excellent monthly book.

A burly and headstrong man, this Hawkman was a brilliant tactician but often led with his mace and followed up with an axe. After Johns had established Hawkman, he left him in the hands of Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti whose run was no less extraordinary. The real problem arose when the title was renamed Hawkgirl and lead writer Walt Simonson wrapped up Katar’s battle with Hath Set, setting him free to chart his own course.

This is unfortunate because there were no plans for Hawkman other than a brisk death in the pages of Final Crisis. Hawkman recently returned in Brightest Day (along with Aquaman), but it is unclear what parts of that continuity have been held over to the new DC.

The new creative team have their hands full. Before taking over both Batman and Hawkman, Tony Daniel talked to ComicBookResources (I do hope they see the traffic I am referring to them because I adore their site) about his plans.

ComicBookResources: The copy for the first issue reads very much like an origin story. Is that the case? And if so, was it necessary to do an origin due to the character’s long, and sometimes convoluted, backstory?

Tony Daniel:It’s not an origin story, but the approach is, as if we’re meeting this guy for the first time. He’s already Hawkman. He’s already lost the love of his life. It took me several months to work through his initial arc. It was very, very hard work. He’s setting up new roots in NYC. I’m establishing a supporting cast of characters. Some are human, some are more than human. Some friend, some foe. I didn’t feel I had the luxury of a great rogues gallery, such as the likes of The Flash or Batman. I need to make challenges for Carter Hall/Hawkman from the ground up.

My first priority was to introduce a character who will eventually be his nemesis. His arch-enemy. I’m very excited about that.

CBR: What else can you tell us about “The Savage Hawkman” as it appears much more Indiana Jones in style than the gritty Bat-books you’re known for?

TD: Maybe a bit more Sherlock Holmes, the Robert Downey Jr. version, than Indy, but some of that too. Plus some savage beatdowns. It’s going to be very exciting. Lots of adventure. Lots of fun characters being introduced.

Daniel has made a name for himself for his Detective Comics run and I have high hopes that he can transform Hawkman into a real knock-out. The preview pages (below) look impressive and feature some impressive coloring.

The Savage Hawkman #1
By Tony S. Daniel and Philip Tan

Carter Hall’s skill at deciphering lost languages has led him to a job with an archaeologist who specializes in alien ruins – but will the doctor’s latest discovery spread an alien plague through New York City? No matter the personal cost, Carter Hall must don his wings and become the new, savage Hawkman to survive! Witness the start of a new action series from writer Tony S. Daniel and artist Philip Tan that will take Hawkman where no hero has flown before!

(preview via CBR.com)

Aquaman rises from the depths

Alongside Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, DC Comics has several second and third-tier heroes; Green Arrow, the Flash, Hawkman, Green Lantern and of course Aquaman. These heroes have their cult following but have never really broken through to the same level of popularity that the trinity of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman have. In an attempt to raise these characters to their deserved places of recognition, several attempts have been made to revitalize, re-write or replace them outright.

Most recently, writer Geoff Johns has successfully brought Hawkman, the Flash and Green Lantern up to superstar status (Hawkman has since fallen, sadly). In his ‘rebirth’ comics, Johns not only improved on the past but acknowledged the large body of work that preceded him on these characters.

In an interview last year, when asked what character he’d like to tackle next, Johns indicated that Aquaman was on his radar. The underwater monarch has undergone several revisions in his career but each time his series was canceled and the changes, from a hook hand to a water hand to being a sorcerer squid were undone. These changes were undertaken by some of the best and brightest in the industry, I should point out, from Peter David to Kurt Busiek, yet each time it failed to catch new readers.

Part of the problem, in my opinion, is that these other heroes had strong concepts backing them up while Aquaman was essentially a man who could talk to fish. Either a mutant bred by his father or a mutation of Atlantean genetics, it is unclear what the real point of Aquaman is. Rather than re-interpreting this character, Johns may have to start from scratch or dig deep to find some quality that not only makes Aquaman function but reveals how awesome he is, and always has been.

(check out my earlier article on Aquaman if you are interested in my 25 cents on the character)

Talking to Newsarama, Johns indicated that he envisioned a lighter touch for Aquaman. Given that his Hawkman, Flash and Green Lantern books were predominantly gritty and fierce, this should come as a relief to fans of the character fearful of a gruesome book centered on as brooding lead.

I think that he’s the ultimate underdog to me. I think that’s a good thing. He’s underestimated by everybody, except Mera. Balancing the perception of what Aquaman is, and trying to break that perception, is what the book’s all about.

We certainly don’t get goofy, but we do have fun with it.

The stakes are real. The Trench are nasty. And the things he faces are really tough, and what he deals with is serious stuff. But at the same time, I didn’t want to run away from the perception of him.

I’ve read a lot of comics with Aquaman in them, and they really go for the throat when trying to make him cool, sometimes. And I think Aquaman is cool. I don’t think you have to work that hard to make him cool.
But what you do need to do is address why people don’t think he’s cool. And just accept that — hey, you’re writing an Aquaman comic book.

I think that’s what I’m trying to do on Ivan and Joe (Prado].

And Ivan and Joe on art — you know how great they are. They bring a big, regal, epic, powerful feel to these characters. And I think that also legitimizes the character.

The goal is to find a good balance, and not run away from everything that people think about Aquaman.

__________________________

Aquaman is this guy who, on land, he’s kind of laughed at. But in the ocean, he’s supposed to be the king of this huge underwater society, so there’s a weird juxtaposition between those two roles. And he prefers to be on land, and his job is to protect the land from sea and the sea from land. So he’s literally caught in the middle of all these things.

I think everyone will be able to relate to Aquaman. I think he’s very, very human, because of all that. But he’s also admirable because he does step up and take care of business, and he doesn’t let what anyone says stop him. He lets it roll right off his back like water.

So I think the character himself, of Arthur Curry, is a very compelling character. It’s a very grounded, relatable take on Aquaman. But it will all take place within a struggle against The Trench and other epic backdrop stories as we go forward.

I think that it’s interesting Johns is taking the absurdity of Aquaman on board straight away rather than denying it. The short preview (below) is a prime indicator that Aquaman is going to be a heavy hitter, but even so the man on the street still views him as a ‘fish out of water.’

As Chief Creative Officer and one of the architects of the new DC, Johns has a lot invested in these creations. Talking to CBR.com, he revealed more details about his vision of the DC Universe and its various heroes. As someone who has revised not only Hawkman, Green Lantern and the Flash but Superman as well, this man knows of what he speaks.

“Justice League” is all about how the world perceives them as icons — but they’re people. We get to see the people behind the masks. “Aquaman” is the same way. I want to build these characters up and make them icons, but I want their stories to be big. The best thing about DC is that characters like Green Lantern and Aquaman and Flash have this massive tapestry to paint their stories across. Green Lantern has the whole universe to paint his story across, this big canvas. Flash has all of time and time travel and parallel dimensions and great villains. Aquaman has the oceans and the mysteries of the deep and the fabled city of Atlantis everyone’s heard about.

One of the big questions this first year of “Aquaman” is, who sank Atlantis and why did they do it? I think that fits the kind of epic, iconic stuff I want to capture, but at the same time, it really humanizes the character. It’s all about humanizing Aquaman and getting into what makes him tick, what he has to deal with, what he’s all about and what it’s like to be the biggest underdog in the superhero community.

I wager that Johns has been planning this one for some time and am excited to see how it pans out.

Aquaman #1
By Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado

The superstar creators from BLACKEST NIGHT and BRIGHTEST DAY reunite to take AQUAMAN to amazing new depths!

Aquaman has renounced the throne of Atlantis – but the sea will not release Arthur Curry so easily.

Now, from a forgotten corner of the ocean emerges… The Trench! A broken race of creatures that should not exist, an unspeakable need driving them, The Trench will be the most talked-about new characters in the DC Universe!

(Preview via CBR.com)

Is the King of the Seven Seas finally getting the 4 star treatment that he deserves? Find out today as the first issue hits the stands… but be fast.

For more information including character design, I highly recommend visiting The AquamanShrine.com

Quick review: Green Lantern #1

Green Lantern #1

By Geoff Johns, Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy

When Geoff Johns revamped Green Lantern in his Rebirth mini-series, it was a major event for comic book fans. This is a character who has a massive fan following yet hardly made a blip on the radar of the ‘guy on the street’ or even your standard comic book reader. Green Lantern: Rebirth not only brought back Hal Jordan as the emerald gladiator, it also acknowledged all of the questionable choices that had been made that caused him to turn evil and also serve a short stint as the Spectre. Respecting and using continuity is what Johns does best and that is why his first issue if the New GL feels so strange.

DC’s new 52 is being billed as the ideal point for new readers to jump on board and dive into some superheroes without fear of back-story or a need to have read the past 20 issues on the rack (of course DC could easily package and sell dowloadable bundles that brought readers up to speed, but never mind). In some cases, the new first issues of DC’s characters are restarts from day one. Action Comics, Wonder Woman and Batgirl fit the bill as jumping on points for new readers. Green Lantern, by contrast, is a bit more difficult.

I have collected the new Green Lantern series myself up to Blackest Night, which prompted me to drop the series as it had become far too convoluted for my taste. Even with that wealth of knowledge, the new #1 is a mystery to me. Sinestro, the evilest and most dangerous Green Lantern to turn rogue and don a yellow ring of destruction, has been brought back into the Green Lantern Corps by the Guardians of the Universe. It is unclear how Sinestro earned the opportunity to redeem himself in their eyes or if he is even interested but he does have a green ring again. Traveling back to his home world of Korugar (which he had attempted to rule using his Green Lantern abilities), he finds it over-run by members of his own former Corpsmen. He begins to kill them off then thinks better of it and decides to call on an old friend.

Meanwhile on Earth, Hal Jordan finds himself penniless, friendless and without a job. The only person to take pity on him, his ex Carol Ferris, leaves him in disgust when he asks her to co-sign a lease on a car so he can get his act together. I’m not sure how Hal found himself in this situation or how it jives with his appearance in the recent Justice League where he meets Batman for the first time. Nor do I know if this is a direct continuation of the previous Green Lantern run that I stopped buying.

It’s very frustrating to not know what is going on while the issue is a number one and it has been promoted as a good issue to purchase for new readers.

I will say that the writing and art are very strong. I’m not sure how long Doug Mahnke is planning to stay on board, but he is a superb artist and draws some incredible scenes. It is also interesting that the relationship between Sinestro and Hal Jordan is (so far) the prime draw for the series especially since Mark Strong’s red-skinned villain stole the feature film from Ryan Reynolds in this Summer’s un-stellar Green Lantern.

Sinestro not only dominates the regular and superb black and white variant covers, he’s also on the cover to the second issue fighting his Sinestro Corpsmen in space! Maybe DC is gambling on Sinestro being a far more interesting character than Hal Jordan. It may even work in the long run.

Preview cover of Green Lantern #2

At this stage I’m not sure what to make of Green Lantern in the new 52-verse which is proving to be even more confusing that the previous DC-verse that was deemed so impenetrable that it needed a fresh start. This may be a book for the already converted… who can take the rest of us out to lunch and explain it to us. Alternately, a digital bonus would have been a great idea that would have promoted the service while also filling in any knowledge gaps.

Green Lantern #1, much like all of DC’s 52 #1′s, is sold out at most retailers but can be downloaded at Comixology. Despite wavering reviews online, it remains the most downloaded comic over at Comixology, beating out Batman, Fear Itself, Spider-Man and the new Justice League of America.

Conflict returns to Naboo in Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Official press release below:

A Conspiracy from the Shadows of Naboo Threatens the Peaceful Planet

In “Shadow Warrior,” this week’s episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the peace and unity that followed the defeat of the Trade Federation blockade seen in Episode I are shattered as the Gungans inexplicably march towards war against the Naboo city of Theed. Padmé Amidala rushes to investigate, discovering that General Grievous and his droid army stand poised to invade the planet. An unlikely imposter standing in for an injured Gungan leader may help stop the growing conflict, while Anakin Skywalker’s search for answers takes him into the shadowy lair of the enemy. There, the Jedi hero enters into an epic battle against his sworn enemy, Count Dooku, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, September 23rd on Cartoon Network.

Superman and Green Lantern cast in Justice League: Doom animated movie

Official press release below:

Primetime Television Stars Nathan Fillion & Tim Daly join heroic cast of Justice League: Doom

Warner Home Video to distribute DC Universe Animated Original Movie in early 2012; Eight Justice League TV series alums featured in voice cast

Primetime television stars Nathan Fillion and Tim Daly, the reigning voices of Green Lantern and Superman, respectively, join an exciting group of actors reprising their famed cartoon roles in Justice League: Doom, an all-new entry in the popular series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies due in early 2012 from Warner Home Video.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

Superman in Justice League: Doom

Fillion, the star of ABC’s hit TV drama Castle, made his debut as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan in the recent Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Fillion made his initial DCU bow as the voice of Steve Trevor in the 2008 hit Wonder Woman.

Currently headlining the cast of ABC’s popular Private Practice, Daly originated the title character’s voice in the landmark cartoon, Superman: The Animated Series. He has reprised the role in two DCU films: the 2009 extravaganza Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and the 2010 thriller Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.

In addition to current primetime stars Fillion and Daly, the cast is a grand reunion of the original group of actors who provided the voices of the Justice League for the cartoon of the same name and its follow-up, Justice League Unlimited. Reprising their roles are Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Batman, Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Breaking In) as Flash, Susan Eisenberg (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) as Wonder Woman and Carl Lumbly (Alias) as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter. Bumper Robinson (A Different World, Transformers: Animated) joins the cast as Cyborg.

The Justice League faces two sets of villainous teams in the film – The Royal Flush Gang and a sextet of notable evildoers. The latter group includes three voice acting alumni of the Justice League animated series: Phil Morris (Smallville, Seinfeld) as Vandal Savage, Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years) as Star Sapphire, and Alexis Denisof (Angel) as Mirror Master. Also opposing our heroes are Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911) as Bane, Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files) as Metallo, and Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate SG-1) as Cheetah.

David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) also reprises his Justice League role of Jimmy Olsen.

Green Lantern in Justice League: Doom

The film is executive produced by Bruce Timm (Batman: Year One), and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Batman: Year One), who is also credited as producer alongside Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series). Justice League: Doom is the final script from the late Dwayne McDuffie (All-Star Superman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths). Casting and dialogue direction is once again in the capable hands of Andrea Romano (Batman: Year One, SpongeBob SquarePants).

Warner Home Video will premiere the Justice League: Doom trailer during its presentation at New York Comic Con on Friday, October 14 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the IGN Theater. Also premiering during that session will be the Catwoman animated short that is attached to Batman: Year One, the next DC Universe Animated Movie (streeting October 18).