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Mild Mannered Reviews - DC Universe

DC Universe Online Legends #22

DC Universe Online Legends #22

Scheduled to arrive in stores: January 25, 2012

Cover date: Late March 2012

"The War Begins"

Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciller: Howard Porter
Inker: Livesay

Jeffrey Taylor Reviewed by: Jeffrey Taylor

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Brainiac's attack on Thanagar is proving successful, but the populace begs not to be destroyed. Brainiac points out that planets offering meta-resistance have always been eliminated while those that do not are always harvested for new warriors. He finishes them off and acknowledges that he has now conquered most of the universe. So he's ready to approach his final target.

The Daily Planet heroes on Earth break into a Wayne Enterprise building where they are confronted by some of Brainiac's robots. At the same time, Batman leads the villains Lex Luthor, Deathstroke, Black Adam, Giganta and Circe into a Queen Industries building where they may be able to triangulate Brainiac's location. Giganta makes a comment about wanting to kill the aliens, so Lex shoots her in the shoulder.

Circe casts a spell that paralyzes all the enemy aliens and allows Luthor and Batman to get to the computer. Batman acknowledges that Lex has changed, leading to his introspection and admission that he used to be filled with anger and jealousy, but now that Lois Lane, the woman he thought he loved, has died, he's just ashamed. Lex starts playing around on the computer.

Brainiac sees that this is happening and attacks with sound waves.

We jump cut to some time later in the Batcave where Batman and the Green Lanterns give a pep talk to the new heroes as they prepare to battle Brainiac.

We jump cut again to space where even the heroes without powers seem to have no trouble breathing, flying or communicating. Dr. Fate separates the magic users into two teams where one will clear a path for an attacking force of heroes and others will create a "mystic shield."

They begin the attack and take casualties, but Luthor manages to use the old access codes that Brainiac forgot he had so everyone can get into the ship. They make it past a few robot guards before they're confronted by Brainiac, but they take him out easily and realize that he's just another facsimile. The real Brainiac beams in front of them and announces that he's ready to take on Earth and their planet will die.

To be continued...

1Story - 1: This story continues to be all over the place. I can only assume the creative team has completely stopped caring. First there's the Daily Planet team breaking into Wayne Enterprise and we see that fight begin, but leave it without explaining why whatever they were doing was important. Then we get the same thing with Batman and the villains. What was the point? There's a chance we'll learn more in a later issue, but I'd still prefer to see scenes with endings.

We jumped to the Batcave with all the heroes and villains, but we were in the middle of a scene and there was no indication what had happened or even if this was supposed to take place later or be a flashback. That's followed with another jump to the start of the battle in space. There are no segues or explanations. It simply is.

Now that Batman has changed his mind and no longer intends to commit multiple genocide, he has no problem getting on his high horse about how easy it will be to convert Brainiac's prisoners/soldiers. Then Batman mentions how much Luthor has changed, which means he's probably the only hero in the DC Universe who's buying it.

3Art - 3: I may have gotten more used to this art team. I'm not sure. I keep having to say over and over again how this isn't my style and I don't care for it, but the art itself seems to have improved, at least a little.

On the other hand, we know that these issues are being banged out on a bi-weekly basis and they're full of 30-40+ character designs, so they work fast. Then we have some heroes breaking into a Wayne Enterprises building with a company sign that no self-respecting business would put on a building. Follow that on the next page where Batman and the villains are breaking into Queen Industries and it looks like their sign was ordered from the same company.

3Cover Art - 3: Wonder Woman's facial design on this cover accentuates all the things I don't care for in the interior art. Again, it's just not my style. The rest of the cover is fairly dynamic though. This actually makes me think of the comics DC had put out in the past based on their various 1990s animated series. There's some good use of depth in the background, mid-ground and foreground. I really dig how the closer the object or person is supposed to be, the thicker the outline is and the bolder the color comes out. It's like taking a camera trick and applying it to drawing.


Mild Mannered Reviews

2012

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

January 2012

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