I hope you are enjoying your week - a new Booster Gold related release makes it easy for me to enjoy mine, in addition to a little vacation to sunny Florida. The weather here has been great, as has the beach. I am on the Atlantic coast rather than the Gulf coast, so my stay has not been oily in the least bit.
But you aren't here to read about me.
This issue was a huge step in the right direction. We get a few answers, but we have even more questions. This review may be a little more stream-of-consciousness than prior ones. I'm going to try to dig in to a lot of the subtext here (though I'm no literature teacher), so some of the sections that I had will be gone and integrated into other sections. This may end up being the method for JL:GL, with my "traditional" format for the Booster Gold main title.
In any case, enjoy!
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The Cover:
I like it; makes me think of a poster that you'd see in a dystopian sort of atmosphere. Now, the figures don't look anything like the Rocket Reds do in the book, but it doesn't necessarily HAVE to be them on the cover. No complaints here. Moving on.
What is going ON anyway?!
The first two pages are quite interesting. It gives a glimpse of Max that, based upon other reviews of the book, many fans felt was sorely needed. It seems that Max's mind control powers are on the fritz, turning his targets into deceased Black Lanterns. My thoughts echo those of dear Maxwell - "Why the hell is this happening?" Could it be a side effect of his resurrection? A leftover from his becoming a Black Lantern? Whatever the case, this is truly something to ponder. I haven't been reading other Brightest Day titles, so I can't speak to the experiences of other resurrected characters in comparison with Maxwell.
This seems to manifest itself when he is attempting full-scale control over another individual. His powers of persuasion and manipulation are obviously well in hand - see his deceit of Captain Atom and Fire for that, as well as the cops at the beginning of this series, and of course that minor matter where he made everyone forget that he ever existed.
Moving forward, we discover that the Rocket Reds were not targeting the de facto JLI, but were actually going after a rogue Rocket Red named Gavril Ivanovich, who desires the return of communism to Russia. While he is clear as day about his anti-capitalist feelings, he is nonetheless pleased to see the members of the JLI, who got involved once they realized the damage done to civilians.
In the midst of all this, we have a splash page where this renegade Rocket Red declares the arrival of the Justice League International, and we again clearly see Ice's nipples beneath her halter top. Let me again say that as much as I like boobs, I find this unnecessary and while I understand the element of fan service, I think it is wasted here. But, I digress.
After moving the battle to more isolated ground, the group deals with the Rocket Reds (in a battle not shown) and moves on to more pressing matters.
Rocket Red is convinced that the JLI is here, reassembled short of having a Green Lantern present. Booster quickly realizes that he is right. The team takes his turn as a fate/meant-to-be sort of thing. The OLD Booster may indeed have done that, and would have tried to assert himself as a leader or something. This is exactly what the current group expects. Booster, however, has become a little more of a grizzled veteran than that. He turns and calls them all morons, himself included. The confused facial expressions are priceless at this point, and I must say that, aside from Blue Beetle looking worried about 90% of the time, the faces have been spot on throughout these four issues so far. Kudos to the artistic crew.
I'm going to pause here and mention that Booster is clearly the go-to guy in this grouping of heroes. While the bonds that hold these six together is still tentative at best, he is the one who is making many of the decisions. He has convinced Ice of her duty each time she expressed a desire to quit (however reluctantly she responded). He deduced Max's plan and found him in the embassy in the first issue. He is the first voice in the decision to avoid involvement in the altercation in the first place (and the one to offer the explanation). While he defers to Captain Atom on the decision to get involved, he is clearly checking for agreement with his own train of thought. Finally, he is the one to put the pieces together that Max has pulled the strings once more and reassembled the core of the JLI - minus, as Rocket Red astutely observed, a Green Lantern.
I assert again that if a Green Lantern does not get involved here, it will be a massive oversight on part of the writings team. We know that artificial intelligences remember Maxwell Lord, we know that GL Rings are artificial intelligences, and that the Green Lantern's trust their rings for accurate information. It must come to pass.
In any case, no sooner does Booster shout a challenge to Max than we hear his voice come from a Rocket Red's uniform. It sounds as if we are about to get some answers from him. By the way, I found it hysterical when he said "I'm having kind of a bad day too" and we saw him surrounded by dead Black Lanterns. His powers are DEFINITELY on the fritz.
Now we know many things - Maxwell Lord was directly involved in getting this team together. He, then, was responsible for the JLI signal that read as Ted Kord, which also likely meant he was the hacker of Jamie's armor. The OMACs were to drive the original four and Jamie together. The random transportation to Russia was to put the Rocket Red traitor (and one who held Vladimir Pushkin in some esteem) in league with the team. Now the bigger question is: Why? What will Maxwell Lord gain from this?
As I said in an earlier post, I know that Keith Giffen would like to reclaim some of the past Max Lord persona rather than the man who killed the Blue Beetle. I can't see that coming to fruition. There is no way that Booster Gold will accept Max, not after the murder of his best friend Ted Kord. It would take some serious amounts of retcon to make that work. Now, with Max Lord, that isn't anything new, but I'd hate to see it spill over onto these characters - especially Booster, who has grown much in the wake of Ted's death.
A few thoughts about what is to come:
- Fire will discuess her encounter and the team will look into Checkmate for answers...
I'd put that at about a 75% chance. It's the best lead they have so far, though it could have been a mental trick of Max's. One thing is for sure, if this glitch in his powers continues unabated, it is going to be harder and harder for Max to hide.
- Batman COULD get involved, at least in a minimal capacity.
His exchange with The Black King was quite telling. He seems to lend some degree of credence toward what this group is doing. Grayson is one of the few who has knowledge of, and therefore respect for, what Booster has been doing. Perhaps he feels a little more inclined to trust what is going on, especially given the involvement of Captain Atom, who is pretty level-headed, Fire, who lives up to her name, and Ice, who has been rather reluctant throughout all of this. There is diversity in this group, and it isn't something that would just happen without a reason. Batman is intelligent and must know this - while he can't see it specifically, there is SOMEthing going on here.
- I'm not getting my hopes up that Max gives any major answers.
Let's face it, we know that Max is a manipulator and has been from day one - apart from any leanings that he has had, this has been his role. He got the Justice League together in the first place back in the late 80s and has made it happen again. It is possible that something extra will slip out that he didn't want to - his problems with his powers will likely have him off-kilter - but he's a pretty disciplined guy.
Max will tell the team what he wants to tell them to try to get them to jump the way he wants them to jump. His answers will not be trustworthy at most and will be variations on the truth at the very least.
- Something is going to happen to give this group a little more of a bond.
The story won't survive for 24 issues if it doesn't. It doesn't need to happen soon, but it needs to happen by about half to 2/3s of the way through the story arc.
- Issue 5 will come out in less than two weeks, as will the next issue of Booster Gold.
Duh!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The new Justice League has me seeing red!!! A first look.
Just finished with the issue and while I am currently on vacation, I nonetheless plan to have the full review posted within the next couple of days.
I think that #4 was exactly what it needed to be. We're seeing more of Max and we're getting closer to his plan - whatever it may be. The whole group is in one place, so no diversions next issue. We will be getting some answers - true or otherwise - from Maxwell Lord.
Once again, we find some answers in this book, but many more questions.
We now know how the team was brought together - it was Max's direct interference. But why? For what purpose? If we are to believe Maxwell's diatribe to Booster when he was discovered in the former JLI embassy in New York, he looks fondly on those days and claims to regret shooting Ted Kord... what could the reason possibly be? These people have no reason to trust him.
I know that Keith Giffen would like to right the ship as far as Max Lord goes; I'm not certain how much that can happen. Can anyone imagine, barring a severe retcon (and for Mr. Lord, that would not be the first), how Booster could ever get past the murder of his best friend? I can't see it. The reason for Booster's developing maturity has been his dedication to the memory of Ted Kord.
Anyway, I'm going to have to force myself to stop here, because I don't want to make my formal review too redundant! My format may change a bit this week, as now there is much more to discuss four issues into the strip. I'm also going back and reading the trade paperbacks of the old Justice League run from the late '80s just for fun as I do this.
Until my next post, have a Boosterrific day!
I think that #4 was exactly what it needed to be. We're seeing more of Max and we're getting closer to his plan - whatever it may be. The whole group is in one place, so no diversions next issue. We will be getting some answers - true or otherwise - from Maxwell Lord.
Once again, we find some answers in this book, but many more questions.
We now know how the team was brought together - it was Max's direct interference. But why? For what purpose? If we are to believe Maxwell's diatribe to Booster when he was discovered in the former JLI embassy in New York, he looks fondly on those days and claims to regret shooting Ted Kord... what could the reason possibly be? These people have no reason to trust him.
I know that Keith Giffen would like to right the ship as far as Max Lord goes; I'm not certain how much that can happen. Can anyone imagine, barring a severe retcon (and for Mr. Lord, that would not be the first), how Booster could ever get past the murder of his best friend? I can't see it. The reason for Booster's developing maturity has been his dedication to the memory of Ted Kord.
Anyway, I'm going to have to force myself to stop here, because I don't want to make my formal review too redundant! My format may change a bit this week, as now there is much more to discuss four issues into the strip. I'm also going back and reading the trade paperbacks of the old Justice League run from the late '80s just for fun as I do this.
Until my next post, have a Boosterrific day!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
BG#33
Obviously this issue came out a week ago; I'm still considering how to balance the pace of the blog with two BG-centric titles coming out the same day each month.
This is the second issue in the new authorship of Booster Gold. It was solid, if not necessarily memorable, from start to finish. Many things that I felt took away from the previous issue were lessened in this one, and that's quite good. I liked that Booster went back to the old JLI (as we knew he would through interviews) but did not yet encounter Ted Kord. I'm thankful for that, as that encounter may deserve an issue by itself.
I find it pretty neat that we will get to see a little of the old school Blue and Gold even as a new Blue and Gold partnership seems to be developing in Justice League: Generation Lost. I think some of the parallels (and the differences) in the relationships will make things interesting.
That may be another post for another time. For now, though, Booster Gold #33.
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Continuity:
I'm adding this section in to the reviews only because with three featured roles a month, Booster is getting a little crowded. I want to make sure that I keep this all together.
This issue could only fit in during the middle of JL:GL#2... that one ended on a cliffhanger, and #3 picked up right there. My guess is that these events take place during the side stories in JL:GL#2 where the various characters are asking their fellow superheroes about Maxwell Lord.
The Cover:
I like it. The cover is a reflection, in my mind, that Booster kind of got the hell beaten out of him in two out of three issues last month, which is further made funny/ironic given its similarity to the cover of #32... at the beginning of last month, Booster was fine, smiling, self-assured. In the time since then, he witnessed the destruction of Daxam, got his suit busted up, saved a litte girl, found out that Max Lord is still alive, got the crap beaten out of him by Max Lord, and by the end of JL:GL#2, was ready to square off against some OMAC drones. Yeah, Booster looking boat-raced is about right.
The Story:
This issue is bookended by some Rani moments. They're a little funny, especially because her messing around with Rip's board must drive him mad - longtime readers know how much jargon he keeps there. Largely, this was just purely for an intro and conclusion and had little to do with the story - though we must ask now if it is possible that Rani is of the Carter bloodline, given that she said that Rip looks like her grandpa.
At first, I thought of the Big Bad that Booster is battling as pretty ridiculous. Upon reflection, it occurs to me that as random as Brigadoom's appearance in the middle of the city seems, that's simply the conceit of the classic super hero story. Sometimes, a baddie just appears. The purpose of this fight, of course, was to set up his encounter with Cyborg and get his mind going about the JLI.
When you think about it, Booster's plan isn't a bad one. If he can find the proper piece of evidence of Max's existence, he may gain a little more support - perhaps at least Batman, who has sympathy for Booster's mission and situation.
So Booster's foray back into the old JLI managed to be pretty interesting... His interaction most especially. The exchange with J'onn was funny - leave it to him to see through the deception just in passing - especially when he grabbed Booster by the collar. We know that our writing team is planning on going back to those days with some degree of regularity, so I wonder if this will set up future strife between the two...?
The bit with Black Canary was funny, but it really felt pointless. Did we need two panels of Booster listening at the door for her to leave? In any case, the most significant thing, in my mind, was Booster's encounter with Max. After everything that happened, Booster was right on - it WAS the old Max there, right before him.
In any case, Booster goes to look for DNA for Max Lord briefly before realizing that it won't be any good in the future. Then he had a fantastic idea - the JLI recruitment tape. Booster takes it and zips back and immediately begins cursing up a storm - the tape was gone. Rip's reasoning for this is sound - solidified time means that since the artifact was important to Power Girl joining up, he can't take it.
I understand that and it fits with the canon so far. That's fine. So what about:
1) Copying the tape
2) Going to a time when said tape was no longer important.
I mean... duh? Obviously it's one of those things that will be ignored because otherwise, there won't be a point to the rest of the story. Sort of like if the gunner had bothered to destroy the escape pod with R2 and C-3PO on it at the beginning of Star Wars... no more movie after that.
I like the artwork in these so far. I was a big fan of the artwork before the new team as well, but this good; perhaps in a slightly different way, but good nonetheless.
What I Liked:
- Could Rani be a Carter? This would be an interesting twist; I'm struggling with whether or not it would be a predictable one, but I think it would be a good direction to go. I know that JMD played the question lightly in an interview, but I don't necessarily believe him!
- It's nice to know that Booster, like the rest of us, needs his coffee.
- Booster slapping down Cyborg was great. First, I'm not big on Cyborg (no real reason why, I guess the Titans just annoy me sometimes). Second, for all of his shenanigans back in those days, the JLI really did mean something to Booster.
- Brigadoom? Seriously? What a terrible name. I love it.
- Still lots of word bubbles, but the things that were said felt more relevant and it was not nearly as crowded as last issue.
- Once again, Keith and J.M. alleviate my fears of the "Bwa-ha-ha" taking too much precedent (until we start seeing more of Ted Kord).
What was "ehhhhh..."
- The issue felt a LITTLE rushed.
- There were a couple of situations that really didn't feel necessary (Black Canary)... not everything needs to be story, but I'd like it if the filler felt a little less forced.
- Would it have been THAT much trouble to go back again and copy the VHS tape? Or to go back after the tape's significance had ended and grab it then?
- I fear that Rani's remark about Rip looking like her "Boppy" is going to end up a red herring just to make her parts seem significant until there's no more use for her. JMD said it was just a joke in an interview, but I'm not sure there wasn't a *wink wink* there.
To sum it up...
I don't want to be a cheerleader, but I did like this. I'm pretty optimistic, after all, and since this is a Booster-themed blog, I'm in a position of WANTING to like it! It was a solid issue, not a particularly memorable one, but it met expectations in most cases and exceeded them in some instances. Despite all of the changes, 33 issues in to this series, Booster is still in good hands.
Hopefully, we can still say that in another 33 issues!
This is the second issue in the new authorship of Booster Gold. It was solid, if not necessarily memorable, from start to finish. Many things that I felt took away from the previous issue were lessened in this one, and that's quite good. I liked that Booster went back to the old JLI (as we knew he would through interviews) but did not yet encounter Ted Kord. I'm thankful for that, as that encounter may deserve an issue by itself.
I find it pretty neat that we will get to see a little of the old school Blue and Gold even as a new Blue and Gold partnership seems to be developing in Justice League: Generation Lost. I think some of the parallels (and the differences) in the relationships will make things interesting.
That may be another post for another time. For now, though, Booster Gold #33.
-------------------------
Continuity:
I'm adding this section in to the reviews only because with three featured roles a month, Booster is getting a little crowded. I want to make sure that I keep this all together.
This issue could only fit in during the middle of JL:GL#2... that one ended on a cliffhanger, and #3 picked up right there. My guess is that these events take place during the side stories in JL:GL#2 where the various characters are asking their fellow superheroes about Maxwell Lord.
The Cover:
I like it. The cover is a reflection, in my mind, that Booster kind of got the hell beaten out of him in two out of three issues last month, which is further made funny/ironic given its similarity to the cover of #32... at the beginning of last month, Booster was fine, smiling, self-assured. In the time since then, he witnessed the destruction of Daxam, got his suit busted up, saved a litte girl, found out that Max Lord is still alive, got the crap beaten out of him by Max Lord, and by the end of JL:GL#2, was ready to square off against some OMAC drones. Yeah, Booster looking boat-raced is about right.
The Story:
This issue is bookended by some Rani moments. They're a little funny, especially because her messing around with Rip's board must drive him mad - longtime readers know how much jargon he keeps there. Largely, this was just purely for an intro and conclusion and had little to do with the story - though we must ask now if it is possible that Rani is of the Carter bloodline, given that she said that Rip looks like her grandpa.
At first, I thought of the Big Bad that Booster is battling as pretty ridiculous. Upon reflection, it occurs to me that as random as Brigadoom's appearance in the middle of the city seems, that's simply the conceit of the classic super hero story. Sometimes, a baddie just appears. The purpose of this fight, of course, was to set up his encounter with Cyborg and get his mind going about the JLI.
When you think about it, Booster's plan isn't a bad one. If he can find the proper piece of evidence of Max's existence, he may gain a little more support - perhaps at least Batman, who has sympathy for Booster's mission and situation.
So Booster's foray back into the old JLI managed to be pretty interesting... His interaction most especially. The exchange with J'onn was funny - leave it to him to see through the deception just in passing - especially when he grabbed Booster by the collar. We know that our writing team is planning on going back to those days with some degree of regularity, so I wonder if this will set up future strife between the two...?
The bit with Black Canary was funny, but it really felt pointless. Did we need two panels of Booster listening at the door for her to leave? In any case, the most significant thing, in my mind, was Booster's encounter with Max. After everything that happened, Booster was right on - it WAS the old Max there, right before him.
In any case, Booster goes to look for DNA for Max Lord briefly before realizing that it won't be any good in the future. Then he had a fantastic idea - the JLI recruitment tape. Booster takes it and zips back and immediately begins cursing up a storm - the tape was gone. Rip's reasoning for this is sound - solidified time means that since the artifact was important to Power Girl joining up, he can't take it.
I understand that and it fits with the canon so far. That's fine. So what about:
1) Copying the tape
2) Going to a time when said tape was no longer important.
I mean... duh? Obviously it's one of those things that will be ignored because otherwise, there won't be a point to the rest of the story. Sort of like if the gunner had bothered to destroy the escape pod with R2 and C-3PO on it at the beginning of Star Wars... no more movie after that.
I like the artwork in these so far. I was a big fan of the artwork before the new team as well, but this good; perhaps in a slightly different way, but good nonetheless.
What I Liked:
- Could Rani be a Carter? This would be an interesting twist; I'm struggling with whether or not it would be a predictable one, but I think it would be a good direction to go. I know that JMD played the question lightly in an interview, but I don't necessarily believe him!
- It's nice to know that Booster, like the rest of us, needs his coffee.
- Booster slapping down Cyborg was great. First, I'm not big on Cyborg (no real reason why, I guess the Titans just annoy me sometimes). Second, for all of his shenanigans back in those days, the JLI really did mean something to Booster.
- Brigadoom? Seriously? What a terrible name. I love it.
- Still lots of word bubbles, but the things that were said felt more relevant and it was not nearly as crowded as last issue.
- Once again, Keith and J.M. alleviate my fears of the "Bwa-ha-ha" taking too much precedent (until we start seeing more of Ted Kord).
What was "ehhhhh..."
- The issue felt a LITTLE rushed.
- There were a couple of situations that really didn't feel necessary (Black Canary)... not everything needs to be story, but I'd like it if the filler felt a little less forced.
- Would it have been THAT much trouble to go back again and copy the VHS tape? Or to go back after the tape's significance had ended and grab it then?
- I fear that Rani's remark about Rip looking like her "Boppy" is going to end up a red herring just to make her parts seem significant until there's no more use for her. JMD said it was just a joke in an interview, but I'm not sure there wasn't a *wink wink* there.
To sum it up...
I don't want to be a cheerleader, but I did like this. I'm pretty optimistic, after all, and since this is a Booster-themed blog, I'm in a position of WANTING to like it! It was a solid issue, not a particularly memorable one, but it met expectations in most cases and exceeded them in some instances. Despite all of the changes, 33 issues in to this series, Booster is still in good hands.
Hopefully, we can still say that in another 33 issues!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Generation Lost #3
Watch out! We are OFFICIALLY 3/26ths of the way in to the Generation Lost storyline! Hard to believe, isn't it?
Ok, maybe not. Issue 3 doesn't sound like much of a milestone, but I did enjoy it. This issue was interesting, and overall a step up from #2. We learned a few key pieces of information as well, one of which I think is significant and I fear that the writers may forget about, and the other is clearly going to advance the story to the next step.
Chronologically speaking, this story picks up right after issue 2 and therefore happens AFTER the latest Booster Gold issue. However, with another one coming in less than two weeks, I wanted to get this done now.
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The Cover:
No complaints. I like it. Jamie Reyes with Ted Kord as a watermark. The new Blue Beetle taking over, finally, for the old - alongside Booster, where the Blue Beetle belongs. Finally, there is no Fire or Ice on the cover so I can't complain about how Fire's outfit is wrong, or how Ice looks pudgy. Or how Booster looks like Jim Carrey. This is the first cover of the three that I like, hands down, no issues.
The Story So Far:
I'm going to handle each arc separately rather than do it exactly the way it is done in the book.
Fire is off to Checkmate to determine what has happened to her status in this organization. She meets a lot of resistance along the way - namely, a squad of troops attempting to deny her access to the facility. The Black King comes out and explains that she has failed her psychological evaluation two times. She is befuddled - how can this have happened - when the answer peeks its head out of a doorway. Max Lord.
My first thought was that this was deceit much like what Captain Atom experienced last issue. My last thought is... well, just as uncertain. The man on fire at the end appears to be one of the shock troops rather than Max. However, even if this encounter was mentally charged, it still "happened." The conversation took place whether it was Max intruding on Fire's mind or it was truly Max standing in the middle of Checkmate.
So that brings us to our first key piece of information - Max may be hiding within Checkmate. That wouldn't be a terribly bad place to set up shop. Further, it makes sense considering the image at the end of the first issue - Max, with a drink, standing on what appears to be a castle. As you can see from this issue, Checkmate's HQ is a castle. So whether Fire's encounter was real or mental, Max is or was there.
The other portion of the story deals with Booster, Ice, and Captain Atom's rescue of the Blue Beetle from the OMACs. A lot of this is simply fighting. Jamie talks to his suit a lot, setting up the fact that the scarab is a form of artificial intelligence.
The OMACs are transported away, with the group going with them. Ice is reluctant for the second time in as many issues, and Booster again reminds her of their duty. Score another for the bloggers making the case that the JLI has reformed and Booster is the leader.
For reasons that I'm still completely unsure of, the gang ends up in Russia. There is no sign of the OMACs, so this probably wasn't the place that they were taken to. Why Russia? It's entirely too convenient a meeting place for the Rocket Red Brigade, which of course is what ends up happening. Still, I'm about as confused as Jamie Reyes here. How DID they "teleport all the way to nowhere with the cyborgs from hell and still manage to lose them...?" It really doesn't make sense.
The scarab then fills Jamie in on all things Max Lord. I LOVE the look on Booster's face on the bottom of this page while this is going on - head cocked, one eye closed, pursed lips - HILARIOUS depiction. Even though he knows that Jamie communicates this way, it still looks like he's talking to himself. Still, at least Jamie seems to have bought in - he's "along for the ride."
What or why something was hacking Jamie's suit is probably for another time. The more significant thing here is...
THIS PART IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH FOR ITS OWN TITLE:
Skeets' theory that the scarab remembers because it is a form of artificial intelligence. AMAZINGLY USEFUL piece of information, but one that I fear will be used inconsistently.
Can anyone think of another form of artificial intelligence that is in the DC Universe? A very significant one that we've dealt with quite a bit lately...?
THE GREEN LANTERN RINGS.
I quote the Book of Wikipedia: "Power rings also appear to be highly advanced computers; they are able to talk to and advise the wearer as to various courses of action, as well as act as a universal translator. The ring can also scan for energy signatures or particular objects."
The Green Lantern Corps trusts their rings; it is their tool for everything - all of their powers, their protections, their information. We see Lanterns communicating with their rings all the time. Surely the rings must remember. I hope that this plays in to the story at some point. It is too significant to be ignored, especially considering how much the Corps has played into the DC Universe of late.
Then, the Rocket Red brigade enters... I quote again from the Book of Wikipedia regarding the powers of a Rocket Red: "Their abilities included super strength, invulnerability, flight (through rocket packs/boots), the ability to project powerful energy blasts and "mecha-empathy" — the ability to sense and control computers and machines (though to what extent it's not clear)."
Clearly this computer stuff is going somewhere.
Questions Old and New
- Will Rocket Red join up? More than likely.
- Who hacked Jamie's armor? Why? How did it trigger Ted Kord's JLI signal?
- Who else can be convinced by artificial intelligences? I still say that a Green Lantern shouldn't be out of the question. Guy Gardner...?
- Jamie joined up as guessed earlier. It wasn't a tough one to decipher, but it was nice to see.
- WHAT is Max up to? I suppose if Maxwell Lord's continuity made more sense, this would be an easier question to answer.
In Conclusion...
Honestly, this review is long enough, and while I would normally do a "what was good/what was ehhh" segment, I can't. I really liked this issue; I found it solid from start to finish and don't have a lot to complain about. While I find Russia ridiculous, I'm willing to suspend the disbelief a little bit.
Ok, maybe not. Issue 3 doesn't sound like much of a milestone, but I did enjoy it. This issue was interesting, and overall a step up from #2. We learned a few key pieces of information as well, one of which I think is significant and I fear that the writers may forget about, and the other is clearly going to advance the story to the next step.
Chronologically speaking, this story picks up right after issue 2 and therefore happens AFTER the latest Booster Gold issue. However, with another one coming in less than two weeks, I wanted to get this done now.
-------------------------
The Cover:
No complaints. I like it. Jamie Reyes with Ted Kord as a watermark. The new Blue Beetle taking over, finally, for the old - alongside Booster, where the Blue Beetle belongs. Finally, there is no Fire or Ice on the cover so I can't complain about how Fire's outfit is wrong, or how Ice looks pudgy. Or how Booster looks like Jim Carrey. This is the first cover of the three that I like, hands down, no issues.
The Story So Far:
I'm going to handle each arc separately rather than do it exactly the way it is done in the book.
Fire is off to Checkmate to determine what has happened to her status in this organization. She meets a lot of resistance along the way - namely, a squad of troops attempting to deny her access to the facility. The Black King comes out and explains that she has failed her psychological evaluation two times. She is befuddled - how can this have happened - when the answer peeks its head out of a doorway. Max Lord.
My first thought was that this was deceit much like what Captain Atom experienced last issue. My last thought is... well, just as uncertain. The man on fire at the end appears to be one of the shock troops rather than Max. However, even if this encounter was mentally charged, it still "happened." The conversation took place whether it was Max intruding on Fire's mind or it was truly Max standing in the middle of Checkmate.
So that brings us to our first key piece of information - Max may be hiding within Checkmate. That wouldn't be a terribly bad place to set up shop. Further, it makes sense considering the image at the end of the first issue - Max, with a drink, standing on what appears to be a castle. As you can see from this issue, Checkmate's HQ is a castle. So whether Fire's encounter was real or mental, Max is or was there.
The other portion of the story deals with Booster, Ice, and Captain Atom's rescue of the Blue Beetle from the OMACs. A lot of this is simply fighting. Jamie talks to his suit a lot, setting up the fact that the scarab is a form of artificial intelligence.
The OMACs are transported away, with the group going with them. Ice is reluctant for the second time in as many issues, and Booster again reminds her of their duty. Score another for the bloggers making the case that the JLI has reformed and Booster is the leader.
For reasons that I'm still completely unsure of, the gang ends up in Russia. There is no sign of the OMACs, so this probably wasn't the place that they were taken to. Why Russia? It's entirely too convenient a meeting place for the Rocket Red Brigade, which of course is what ends up happening. Still, I'm about as confused as Jamie Reyes here. How DID they "teleport all the way to nowhere with the cyborgs from hell and still manage to lose them...?" It really doesn't make sense.
The scarab then fills Jamie in on all things Max Lord. I LOVE the look on Booster's face on the bottom of this page while this is going on - head cocked, one eye closed, pursed lips - HILARIOUS depiction. Even though he knows that Jamie communicates this way, it still looks like he's talking to himself. Still, at least Jamie seems to have bought in - he's "along for the ride."
What or why something was hacking Jamie's suit is probably for another time. The more significant thing here is...
THIS PART IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH FOR ITS OWN TITLE:
Skeets' theory that the scarab remembers because it is a form of artificial intelligence. AMAZINGLY USEFUL piece of information, but one that I fear will be used inconsistently.
Can anyone think of another form of artificial intelligence that is in the DC Universe? A very significant one that we've dealt with quite a bit lately...?
THE GREEN LANTERN RINGS.
I quote the Book of Wikipedia: "Power rings also appear to be highly advanced computers; they are able to talk to and advise the wearer as to various courses of action, as well as act as a universal translator. The ring can also scan for energy signatures or particular objects."
The Green Lantern Corps trusts their rings; it is their tool for everything - all of their powers, their protections, their information. We see Lanterns communicating with their rings all the time. Surely the rings must remember. I hope that this plays in to the story at some point. It is too significant to be ignored, especially considering how much the Corps has played into the DC Universe of late.
Then, the Rocket Red brigade enters... I quote again from the Book of Wikipedia regarding the powers of a Rocket Red: "Their abilities included super strength, invulnerability, flight (through rocket packs/boots), the ability to project powerful energy blasts and "mecha-empathy" — the ability to sense and control computers and machines (though to what extent it's not clear)."
Clearly this computer stuff is going somewhere.
Questions Old and New
- Will Rocket Red join up? More than likely.
- Who hacked Jamie's armor? Why? How did it trigger Ted Kord's JLI signal?
- Who else can be convinced by artificial intelligences? I still say that a Green Lantern shouldn't be out of the question. Guy Gardner...?
- Jamie joined up as guessed earlier. It wasn't a tough one to decipher, but it was nice to see.
- WHAT is Max up to? I suppose if Maxwell Lord's continuity made more sense, this would be an easier question to answer.
In Conclusion...
Honestly, this review is long enough, and while I would normally do a "what was good/what was ehhh" segment, I can't. I really liked this issue; I found it solid from start to finish and don't have a lot to complain about. While I find Russia ridiculous, I'm willing to suspend the disbelief a little bit.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
New Booster and JL:GL
Oh how I love the second Wednesday of the month! Two new issues featuring Booster Gold. I won't give too much away here - and I'll probably get to the first of the reviews later this week - but I wanted to put down some preliminary thoughts.
!!!POSSIBLE SPOILERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
I've actually had the chance to read them both already, and I'm not disappointed by either. We find out two key pieces of information in JL:GL, the issue does a lot with Blue Beetle (though the cover is kinda a giveaway there), and pits our newfound JLI against an old ally...
BG#33 was fine. I was thankful that the crowded speech balloons were lessened this issue and the humor was toned down just a teeny bit. Seeing a snapshot of Booster from back then really underlined just how much he's changed (and for the better).
So, the reformed JLI looks like this so far:
Booster Gold
Captain Atom
Fire
Ice
Blue Beetle
Could Rocket Red join back in? I think it'd make sense - why else pit the team against the brigade?
!!!POSSIBLE SPOILERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
I've actually had the chance to read them both already, and I'm not disappointed by either. We find out two key pieces of information in JL:GL, the issue does a lot with Blue Beetle (though the cover is kinda a giveaway there), and pits our newfound JLI against an old ally...
BG#33 was fine. I was thankful that the crowded speech balloons were lessened this issue and the humor was toned down just a teeny bit. Seeing a snapshot of Booster from back then really underlined just how much he's changed (and for the better).
So, the reformed JLI looks like this so far:
Booster Gold
Captain Atom
Fire
Ice
Blue Beetle
Could Rocket Red join back in? I think it'd make sense - why else pit the team against the brigade?
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Waiting A Week // Blue & Gold Reunited!
I almost wish that JL:GL was released on the opposite two weeks than what it is... that would mean only one week off a month rather than two!
That said, a new comic book day is here, and no new Booster. Of course, that means only one short week until we have a new book to gobble down!
The guy at Boosterrific has a link to an article in USA Today... it seems that Judd Winick was interviewed about the new bi-weekly series.
I like what he says about the new relationship between Blue Beetle and Booster. While it will certainly be a different dynamic than Ted and Booster, Jamie has grown quite a bit since he acquired the scarab; Booster is way more "in the know" than Jamie and that could make for more of a master/student thing, though in a very Booster-like way. Sort of a lighter Batman and Robin (actually I have some thoughts there that I'll share later).
Regardless, I've felt that their relationship has been underplayed ever since Infinite Crisis. Booster is, in a lot of ways, the reason that Jamie is a superhero. The scarab had some nasty influences working on it, and had Booster not grabbed him right away and put him in with the white hats, who knows what could have happened?
I was very hopeful when he showed up in the Blackest Night tie-in, but then we saw nothing more after that. This is why I was quite encouraged at BB's appearance at the end of last week's Justice League issue. Also (SPOILER ALERT!), note the cover of next week's issue - featuring Jamie Reyes' BB in the foreground and the Ted Kord BB as a background. All signs point to it -
The Blue and the Gold will rise again!
That said, a new comic book day is here, and no new Booster. Of course, that means only one short week until we have a new book to gobble down!
The guy at Boosterrific has a link to an article in USA Today... it seems that Judd Winick was interviewed about the new bi-weekly series.
I like what he says about the new relationship between Blue Beetle and Booster. While it will certainly be a different dynamic than Ted and Booster, Jamie has grown quite a bit since he acquired the scarab; Booster is way more "in the know" than Jamie and that could make for more of a master/student thing, though in a very Booster-like way. Sort of a lighter Batman and Robin (actually I have some thoughts there that I'll share later).
Regardless, I've felt that their relationship has been underplayed ever since Infinite Crisis. Booster is, in a lot of ways, the reason that Jamie is a superhero. The scarab had some nasty influences working on it, and had Booster not grabbed him right away and put him in with the white hats, who knows what could have happened?
I was very hopeful when he showed up in the Blackest Night tie-in, but then we saw nothing more after that. This is why I was quite encouraged at BB's appearance at the end of last week's Justice League issue. Also (SPOILER ALERT!), note the cover of next week's issue - featuring Jamie Reyes' BB in the foreground and the Ted Kord BB as a background. All signs point to it -
The Blue and the Gold will rise again!
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