DCU Comic Book Reviews

TANGENT COMICS:  SUPERMAN'S REIGN #6

Chapter Six

October 2008

Written by Dan Jurgens

Pencils by Jamal Igle

Inks by Robin Riggs

Cover by Matt Haley

Synopsis

On Tangent Earth, Batman infiltrates Core Station to learn more about the world.  There, he talks to Halo, who tells him about Harvey Lee Dent (aka Superman), the leader of the Tangent Earth.  When Halo is finished, she raises the intruder alert.  Elsewhere, the Tangent heroes hear the alarm and decide now is the time to attack Superman.  Meanwhile, Batman makes his escape from the Core, with a little help from the Tangent Batman, who takes him to the headquarters of the movement hoping to oust Superman:  the Outsiders.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

More exposition.  Each time I open an issue of this series I keep expecting that the exposition is over and the plot will kick in and we’ll get a story rather than a history lesson.  Yet, here we get it again as Halo explains the origin of Superman.  Sadly, it feels a little redundant given the history lesson that appeared in the previous issue.  However, I must admit that at least the scene with Halo led to an important piece of information:  the status of Superman’s first wife.  Granted, it feels like Jurgens is setting up the method in which New Earth Batman will defeat Tangent Superman (or rather his wife will convince him that he is wrong) and given that I am a little annoyed, but at the very least the scene meant something rather than just another origin story. 

Having said that, I am enjoying this series.  It is interesting to see new characters attached to old names (and I loved Batman’s reaction to Tangent Superman’s real name).  I love the basic concept of the Tangent universe and Jurgens is crafting an interesting story based on that universe.  Actually, given the detailed history of these characters and its world, I think DC should create its own Tangent line of comics, creating stories and events set strictly on that Earth.  Personally I think it would be cool, but I am not sure if DC would want to have two books out there featuring two different Supermen. 

HISTORY LESSON:  Chapter Six

Written by Ron Marz

Pencils by Fernando Pasarin

Inks by Mark McKenna

Synopsis

Guy Gardner (aka Detective Chimp) wants to know why he is sitting in an old Nightwing government facility.  Before he is told anything, however, they force him at gunpoint to relate the history of the Green Lantern.  When he finishes, Guy us told they want his help to overthrow Superman.

Review

Just when you think the history lesson has stopped, it continues.  I thought last month was the last one.  Hopefully, this month will be the last one.  At this point I think the reader has enough information that the story can start moving forward.  At the very least we now know why Guy Gardner has been taken on this trip, even if we are uncertain what his role is supposed to be.  I don’t know if I wrote this before, but I contend that eventually the back-up strip will stop and the final issues of this series will have one feature per issue.

After getting on the cover last month, Marz’s name is missing this month.  Weird.