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Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

DC Universe: Decisions #3

DC Universe: Decisions #3

Scheduled to arrive in stores: October 15, 2008

Cover date: December 2008

"Chapter Three: Time to Take a Stand!"

Writer: Bill Willingham and Judd Winick
Penciller: Rick Leonardi
Inker: Dan Green

Neal Bailey Reviewed by: Neal Bailey

Click to enlarge


Wonder Woman flies to the apartment of the Republican-leaning candidate Ridgeway, and after a bit of persuasion, decides to endorse the candidate's ideas, leading to a spike in his poll numbers.

Superman saves Suarez from a bomb, only to be confronted by Lois Lane, who asks Superman to endorse a candidate. Superman declines, flying off and chiding Lois.

Flash tells them he's endorsing the bomber so the press will pay attention to the crimes, and they smear him for it.

Wonder Woman reveals that she endorsed Ridgeway as part of a plan. The trinity realize that the assailant has to leave the body they're inhabiting before it explodes, and that it's a possession villain.

Huntress and Lady Blackhawk argue over the candidates before Huntress goes on television to endorse her choice, McClellan.

Lois yells at Clark and puts him on the couch for trying to treat Lois like he would any other reporter as Superman.

Superman moves to meet Lois and address her concern as to who he would endorse, when Jericho, the villain, strikes. He takes Green Lantern, confronting the heroes.

1Story - 1: This is, top to bottom, a very typical story with lots of things that seem custom made to tick people off being played with. In other words, I spent most of the issue analyzing how I should respond to it instead of being swept up in the story.

Beyond the obvious fact that even if Wonder Woman endorsing a republican candidate is part of a plot, it shouldn't be done, given that people will then associate her with a given party over standing for everyone (as she herself states in the book), I see two ways to do this. Go all out and give all heroes a political affiliation and take a risk, or pussyfoot around it and accomplish nothing. Neither are productive, as politics for a hero have never really been much for aiding them in my opinion save Green Arrow (and that's Denny O'Neill, who could write pretty much anything and have it rock). Instead, we get a clumsy mismash that makes all of the heroes look like idiots married to a plot that we could give a crap about, because no one's being hurt or really challenged.

It's an excuse to try and be funny and controversial, and I know both of these writers to be better than that. I have enjoyed both of their work in the past. This is a major clunk for both.

And hey! You want some shrew Lois? You got you some shrew Lois! Win-win! Because a pulitzer prize winner married to Superman could in no way figure out why he would want to remain politically neutral when people try to kill in his name!

4Art - 4: Strong, but a little loose at times. It reminds me of Bogdanove meets Scott Daniels, which is cool. The coloring is awesome. It tells the story, but it also slips a little at times. An improvement.

3Cover Art - 3: Who is this guy, and why do we give a crap about him? Well, because he's the archetypical newsman, I guess. It's drawn well, but little to care for here.

Mild Mannered Reviews

2008

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

January 2008

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