DCU Comic Book Reviews

WEDNESDAY COMICS #3

July 22, 2009

Written by Various

Pencils by Various

Inks by Various

Cover by Various

A Brief Introduction by Binkley (e-mail)

When this weekly series was first introduced, I immediately started to brainstorm how I would review these issues.  There were 15 stories per comic, so it seemed to make some sense to write reviews for each of the 15 stories.  I came up with a variety of different ways to present the text, but ultimately I decided to wait until I actually read the first issue before making a decision.  After reading it, what struck me the most is that a single page of a story is not enough to write a review.  There just isn’t enough to critique the plot, structure, or character.  And then it hit me.  I can provide my impression of the stories, my thoughts and ideas of what struck me as I was reading.  So, that is what you’ll get each week.  However, when the weekly series is done, I will go back and review the entire story, much as I do for a single issue of a comic.     

Impressions by Binkley (e-mail)

This week, Deadman takes the big spot on the cover.  That is not one of the ones I would’ve guessed to the spot.  Last week’s cover boy, Hawkman, switches places with Deadman.  All of the other circle pictures and logos are in the same spot.  It looks as if the highlight circle will changes places each week, creating a shifting rotation.  This means one of the front cover spots will probably shift to the back cover.  I doubt, however, that Batman or Green Lantern will go to the back.  Probably Deadman or Kamandi. 

At this point, a lot of the strips have settled into a comfortable pattern in the sense that the ones that struck a chord with me early have remained that way while the ones that didn’t grab me have yet to do so.  With one exception. 

For the first time, the Metamorpho strip didn’t work for me.  Actually, it wasn’t really a strip and more like a single panel.  There was very little in that panel, either in terms of the dialogue or the visuals.  I think I finished it in one second.  The bottom panel worked the first time, but not this time.

I still enjoyed Supergirl, but plot rears its head this time, so there were less shenanigans than the previous weeks.  But I still enjoyed the final panel with Streaky chasing the rat. 

I love the visuals for Deadman, there is a surreal quality that works well with the story and each week Heuck manages to create something new or different each week. 

The Flash Comics structure and story becomes a little more linear, despite the time travelling as one bleeds into the other to make it seems like a single story.  Yet, the art is slightly different for the two parts, emphasizing they are different.  I really like this one. 

Superman is still beautiful artwork, but Superman himself is too much of whiny wimp.  The one panel of Lois with Superman behind her makes it look like Superman has a goatee.  It is actually Lois arm superimposed over Superman’s chin, but I saw a goatee on first glance.  Maybe it is just me. 

I really like Batman, but it reminds me too much of 100 Bullets.  Perhaps if Azzarello and Rizzo (the creative team behind 100 Bullets) were using the Batman family and/or villains it wouldn’t be so apparent, but the two characters in this week’s strip could’ve easily been two characters from 100 Bullets. 

This week, Hawkman gets the nod for the strangest creatures (alien bugs!), although both Kamandi and Strange Adventures still have their quotient (dog with goggles and more blue gorillas).  It is interesting to note that these three strips are plot heavy compared to the others.  I wonder if there is a correlation between plot and creatures.  Is it a coincidence that the plot for Green Lantern strip finally came into focus just when we get alien bugs? 

The Demon/Catwoman strip got a little weird, but there was no Demon.  I wonder where this is one is going?  In contrast, Sgt. Rock and Easy Co. becomes a little clearer.  I am not sure we needed this long to get to this point, but I am glad we got there. 

In Teen Titans, what exactly is Trident shooting at the hospital/clinic ship.  Is that blast of water (which makes sense coming from Trident) or is that some kind of energy beam.  And why are the medics wearing ear plugs?

I liked the beginning of Metal Men, but the ending left a sour taste in my mouth.  For a project like this, with the format and the look, I don’t think kidnapping and threatening a child is the right content.  I much prefer the happy-go-lucky, pun-infused Metal Men, not this turn to darker material. 

Finally, I have to confess, I didn’t read Wonder Woman.  I took one look at the dense, overcrowded, and overflowing page and I think I had a brain aneurysm.  For a single page, it is too much.  The word balloons crowd out the art. 

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