Superman #705

         The first issue in this series was outstanding, the second one was bad, (I must admit I never read the third one) and the fourth one was on the worse side of okay.  That is just a let down, the first issue showed so much promise for this year long arc, but no matter what issue I've read I've been disappointed.
        In this issue Superman is walking through Illinois. While in Chicago some people tell him that he is a loaded weapon, and they're scared of him. He then goes to meet Lois in a park, and one girl follows him. When Superman goes to sleep he dreams about Metropolis in flames, with a giant monster, and a voice saying "if you can't save them all, what's the point in saving any of them?"The voice belonged to the girl that has been following him. When Superman wakes up his face is bruised. After putting on some makeup he goes and walks through Mt. Prospect. Where a little boy tries to defend his mother from his abusive father. The father throws and locks the boy into the basement. Using his super hearing Superman heard the boy, breaks into the house and arrests the father. He gives the boy a number to call everyday, and leave a message, and if he doesn't call one day, he's coming back to see what's wrong.
       The first part of this comic would have been shocking and touching if it weren't for the fact that I've seen it so many times before. That is the classic problem with Superman he's too powerful, and why Straczynski decided to devote an entire monologue to it is beyond me. Two or three panels would have been sufficient. Those two pages would have been better devoted to the family with the abusive father. I absolutely loved the part with the boy, it was touching, powerful, entertaining, and in the same genera of problem that made Superman #701 so good. Crowds that are against superheroes, I've seen it many before. Psychic dream, again I've seen it many times before. But taking an all to real situation like an abusive father, and show people that this is a problem, not very often. It takes superheroes and puts them into the selfless situation they were made for, with out being juvenile. There is one thing that all of the grounded issues have done right. The covers have all been great. Simple and eye catching, and this issue was no exception.
        So, this issue wasn't great, but it does show promise that Grounded may become great again.





Grade: 7/10
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Action Comics #887

Unlike the issue before it, I can say more about this issue, because if you did read Action Comics number 886 the plot for this comic will be much less confusing.

This issue (which was a page turner) is Nightwing and Flamebird attacking the new Rao, created by Jax-Ur, also known as Vohc. There is a second story in this issue, and no not the one about Captain Atom (not very good) but instead one about Lois Lane. Lane's "superpower" is she gets what she wants, and in this comic she wanted two things: one was to have the Web fix her computer, and two was to fallow Nightwing and Flamebird as they were fighting Rao. During the fight it shows posts on a few blogs that tell how people are starting to understand that Nightwing and Flamebird are not there to hurt people, only to help.

I hope that New Krypton gets destroyed. As Brightest Day approaches, I have noticed a few things, all of which I like. Superman is returning to the Superman comic line, he will be the last son of Krypton again, Barry Allen is returning, and, best of all, the hunt for Bruce Wayne has picked up. People have been calling Brightest Day the rebirth of the DCU, (Detective Comics Universe) and there right.

Another thing I like about this comic is the ending [SPOILER ALERT] after the epic battle with Rao, and Jax-Ur/ Vohc, they shoot Nightwing (Lois Lane and Clark Kent's son) into the Phantom Zone, which will make for a cool next five or six comics.

Lois Lane has changed over the years, and the newly updated version is the best. She is adventures, and daring, and makes for a good comic. In fact someone could make a comic just about Lois Lane.

Grade: A-

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Justice Society of America: Blackest Night

The Justice Society of America faces it's biggest challenge when former (and deceased) members of the Justice Society return and cause mayhem. Allot of the story is a personal vendetta with Power Girl and Lois Lane of Earth 2. Usually I would not like this but they played it just the right amount and just the right amount of time. Featured in these three issues was another personal vendetta which I would have liked to see more of. Between The Liberty Bell and her father Johnny Quick. Some Black Lanterns when they arose told their previous loved ones that they love them. Johnny Quick did this too. They all turned against them. (Example: Lois Lane turned against Power Girl.) Johnny Quick never did turn against his daughter, which I thought was confusing. Even the reincarnated Mr. Terrific was evil. But Johnny Quick Died (again) telling his daughter that he loved her. Their were four major sections of the story.

1) Power Girl/Lois Lane

2) Johnny Quick/Liberty Bell

3) Fighting in the streets

4) Mr. Terrific, Dr. Fate, Dr. Midnight, Green Lantern/Sentinel and the Star Spangled kid making a bomb to defeat all the black Lanterns at once.

I know in a previous post, I said there was rarely any art in a comic that I would call better than average. This is one of those occasions. The way they drew the Black Lanterns was absolutely perfect, and on the cover the artist did something that made it all look very clean and nice. Which allot of artists can't do.

Grade: A

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Action comics #884 and McCarthy

Written by- Greg Rucka

and Eric Trautmann

Art by- Pere Pérez, and CAFU

I have only one word to describe the first part of this comic, dull. Nightwing was aging rapidly, Flamebird was crying, the Doctor treating him was corrupt, but eventually treats him. For a loss of a better expression, "Been there done that." I can't wait for Superman to return to Action Comics this April.

The second part of this comic was quite enjoyable. It stared Lois Lane, she wanted to run a story in the Daily Planet, about how Mon-El's death was fake and was done to create "to generate anti-Kryptonian hysteria and propaganda to further some government agenda." She is hunted down by

the police and put into custody. In jail we visit some of Lane's personal life, which I could do without but was harmless, and somewhat enjoyable, and you will never guess why Lois Lane quits the Daily Planet.

Action Comics have been translating McCarthy and the Red scare into the Comic book world. Just instead of Communists it's Kryptonians. What would happen to a communist sympathizer,

or someone who spoke out against McCarthy is what happens to Lois Lane. She gets shot, imprisoned and had her life threatened all for something she believed in, which is the exact opposite of what this country believes in.

Action Comics is doing justice to this and interprets it well.

Comic grade: C

Series/interpratation of communism and McCarthy: A-

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