DCU Comic Book Reviews

The Brave And The Bold #22

Without Sin, Part Four

April 2009

Written by David Hine

Pencils by Doug Braithwaite

Inks by Bill Reinhold

Cover by Doug Braithwaite

Synopsis

At the Arcadia Hospital, terrorists are intent on blowing up the building to cover up a series of experiments.  At the request of the Phantom Stranger, Green Arrow responded to the threat, but was knocked unconscious.  He is awakened by Cora, one of the patients.  Green Arrow finds the bomb, saving everyone inside.  At that moment, Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger arrive, hot on the trail of the Purge, who seeks Cora.  As Green Arrow hunts down the terrorists, Green Lantern offers to make sure the children are safe.  However, Green Lantern is possessed by Purge.  When he finds Cora, he possesses her.  Phantom Stranger watches, declaring that the trap is sprung.  The Purge’s intent is to cleanse the universe of sin.  The Phantom Stranger then appears and tells the purge he is bound to Cora and when she dies, he dies.  And her body is weak and close to death.  Cora, however, comes to him and asks the Purge to let her live her life, if only to forgive the doctor who treated with experimental drugs that weakened her body.  Elsewhere, Green Arrow captures the terrorists and releases the hostage, including the doctor, who immediately runs to find Cora.  Meanwhile, Phantom Stranger senses the Purge has left Cora, but she lives.  And when the doctor comes to see her, Cora runs to him and gives him a hug.  

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was a decent ending to a decent story.  There was nothing outstanding to the issue, but I can’t really find fault with anything in it.  The issue plays out the way it should, providing a nice feel good ending.  Granted, I don’t particularly like the “I planned it along” aspect of the plot, but I think that is just on general principal (it smacks of lazy writing, creating artificial tension when there is none because the characters wanted the events to happen the way it happens) rather than the way Hine carries out its execution.  Hine tells a good story and I enjoyed it, but

I should also add that in the beginning the best parts, for me, were of the scenes with Cora.  I would have liked to have had more of her story.  This was reinforced with the ending and the way it played out.  Again, I think Hine does a good job with what he wanted to write, but I can’t help but wonder if Hine had been able to provided more with Cora (and the doctor), the ending might’ve had a more emotional impact.  As it is, we barely know Cora, other than someone with a strange connection to the Purge. 

Overall, for this issue as well as the entire four-part story, I think the biggest plus to this story has been Braithwaite’s art, which has been stellar from beginning to end.  The spiritual landscape of Cora’s mind particularly stands out.  Braithwaite’s art is not quite the painted art provided by someone like Alex Ross, but it is not the standard super hero either.  It is a mixture of both, but still its own unique style.  And it is beautiful. 

Once again, Green Arrow and Green Lantern don’t really team up.  The team-up is between Hal and the Phantom Stranger, but I guess it is difficult for DC to keep putting the same two characters and the same two logos on the cover for 4 straight issues.  When the book began, writer Mark Waid managed to tell a larger story while swapping different team-ups in and out depending on the story.  I think if this book is going to write storyarcs of more than two issues, I think the editors need to attempt to emulate Waid’s story structure. 

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