Justice League of America #14
It's...good. It's definitely...good.
But it's also boobs kinda empty. The most I remember out of the whole issue was Luthor making witty banter at people. A lot happens in the panels boobs and people get stuff to do, but plot-wise the issue was over practically before it even started.
And Supes and Lightning are all kinds of dumbassed for thinking boobs that they could take on the entire Injustice League by themselves. Jeff said something about calling for help, but I guess he forgot or something 'cause help certainly never came. At least the two of them were actually boobs dispatched in a pretty believable and fitting manner as opposed to, oh for example, the sorts of circumstances that the cartoon was liable to give us.
It's an acceptable issue, but I'm kinda bummed that the Wedding Special was the best that McDuffie boobs has given us and that quality has been slowly decreasing since then, where everything was so colorful and clever and fun to read. This is still that, but...less. Notably less.
(6.9 out of 10)
The Brave and the Bold #7
I've been eagerly waiting for this issue for a while. Mark Waid writing Wonder Woman, with George Perez on art? Now, don't get me wrong; in the past -- the distant past to be sure -- Waid has done some things to Wonder Woman that have been...let's just call them iffy and leave it at that. But with this he totally redeems himself in my eyes. I dunno, maybe it's just a variation on the whole theme of "You could write Diana like horsedick and it'd still be slightly better than the average this year," but he really does get to respect her in ways that make me think Perez might have thrown in a suggestion or two. She's understanding and open-minded and wise, but also fierce and direct has no patience for foolishness. She's tolerant but not vulnerable, and no one should mistake that distinction. And Waid seriously writes the second-best use of the invisible plane that anyone has ever used it for, here. All in all, I'm very happy with her in this issue, which is such an unfamiliar feeling these days.
Unfortunately, by comparison Power Girl's depiction suffers a lot. Now, I realize that this story simply wouldn't have worked if both women here were level-headed and strategic the whole way through, but turning Power Girl from a brash subcharacter known for only two things -- can you guess what they are? -- into a capable and focused leader figure was one of Geoff Johns' many great tricks of recent years, and at this point it's actually really, really jarring if she reverts to any lesser characterization. Especially when it's laid on so very damn thick here. Her whole RAARR KARA SMASH mindset just makes her feel like a completely different (and less likeable, it has to be said) character than the one we've actually been getting in continuity. And this whole series hardly needs any help feeling more out-of-continuity than it already does.
All in all, though, a great issue with a straightforward, enjoyable story.
(8.6 out of 10)
Birds of Prey #111
Heheheh, "Nerds of Prey." Best title pun ever.
So which wall did Superboy punch this time to turn Calculator from a middle-aged blue-collar stiff into a fresh-faced college TA? Don't get me wrong, I think I almost prefer this change, and it works great for the story. But it is a change, and a noticeable change at that, one that throws a cog into a lot of gears, so to speak. Calculator supposed to be the information pimp of the DCU villains, the one that plans the big evil and stages Teh Grand Schemes...and I just can't see Luthor or Deathstroke taking this bellboy very seriously.
But the story here? So good. Charming and funny and brings a smile to my internet-worn soul. Which actually suprised me, 'cause "Oracle vs Calculator" is one of those novel ideas that got denovelized around the third or fourth time they used it in a single year. The last time was in Countdown, I think, which...yeah, you can guess how that went down. But Bedard brings it around in a really clever manner that not only utilizes continuity from over a year ago in this series, but continuity from over a year ago in other series as well. And hell, they're at a computer expo! It was cute. And that ending was...cheesy, but clever. Another satisfying standalone issue from Bedard. Heheh, I just typoed his name and it came out Betard. Anyway, I get the impression that he could conceivably write this series forever and it'd be a great run...too bad he's leaving both this and Supergirl.
(8 out of 10)
Checkmate #19
Niiiice. Well, technically, it's bad news for the good guys but still, the way it was all carried across? Niiiice. I'm calling it now. I'm probably wrong, but I'm calling it now: Trautmann is J'onn.
I'm surprised that the "Fall of the Wall" arc only has one more issue to go. The series has pretty much been leading up to his point from the beginning, and there seems to be a lot of loose ends left to tie up in a single issue...especially with all the fan-smacking sht that just now got introduced. Which makes me all the more excited to see how it finally pays off.
(8.9 out of 10)
It takes a slight lead over X-Factor right now.
