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Infinite Crisis #5

Infinite Crisis #5

Scheduled to arrive in stores: March 1, 2006

Cover date: April 2006

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Phil Jimenez, Jerry Ordway & Ivan Reis
Inker: Andy Lanning, Jerry Ordway & Art Thibert

"Faith"

Reviewed by: Nick Newman and Neal Bailey

Click to enlarge



Infinite Crisis #5 Mr. Terrific stares at the new Earth over the horizon, wondering why they aren't ripping each other apart. He moves inside of the nearby church where the heroes have gathered to prepare for the coming battles.

On Earth-Two, the transplanted members of the JSA try to figure out what's going on. In Metropolis, Superman and Lois celebrate the return of their planet. Now she'll be safe.

Booster Gold leads a blindfolded Jaime Reyes into the Batcave. Suddenly a trap ensnares both of them and Batman appears. Booster introduces Jaime as the new Blue Beetle, and to prove it he smacks Jaime. Provoked, the scarab covers Jaime in the armor of Blue Beetle. Booster tells Batman that historical records told him that he would go after the Brother Eye satellite, and that he wouldn't find it. But Blue Beetle is the one person that can see Brother Eye.

Lex Luthor visits Superboy, still recovering from his battle with Superboy Prime. He leaves his 'son' an information crystal, containing data about Alex Luthor's plans before teleporting away.

Lois looks around, shocked at the return of her Earth. She tells Clark that she loves him, but this isn't...then she collapses. He catches her, but she just tells him that she's lived a wonderful life with him, before she dies. Superman screams. On Earth-One the other Superman hears the scream and takes off.

In Boston, Wonder Woman attempts to stop some rioters, but they just yell at her for what she did to Max Lord. Then suddenly they turn and run. Diana turns to find another Wonder Woman standing atop an invisible plane.

Earth-One Superman lands and asks what's wrong, but Earth-Two Superman blames everything on him. Picking up a car he crushes it into Superman, yelling that he killed his wife. As E2 Superman hits E1 Superman again and again, Alex Luthor watches from his tower.

The new Wonder Woman introduces herself as the Diana who went to live with the gods after the first Crisis. She tells Diana that she has tried to fulfill too many roles, when what she really needs to be is human. As she vanishes away, the old Wonder Woman tells Diana to go help Superman. Diana finds herself on Earth-Two, with Metropolis destroyed around her. E2 Superman continues to attack E1 Superman, when she intervenes and traps him with her lasso. E2 Superman yells at E1 Superman, saying that he had the chance to make the world perfect, but he wasted the chance. That's why he had to create his perfect Earth again. Clark tells him that this can't be a perfect world, because a perfect world doesn't need a Superman. Suddenly E2 Superman realizes that it's not his planet. E2 Superman takes off.

At his tower, Alex Luthor explains his plan, to reform the multiverse and sift through the worlds until he finds his perfect Earth. Alex says he needed Superman alive, because for some reason he'll never understand, everything comes from Superman. As Alex activates his program E2 Superman finds himself split into many different versions of himself, and suddenly the multiverse is reborn.

Across the planet, heroes begin to vanish as they are returned to their proper planets in the multiverse. Nightwing tells everyone to gather at Titans Tower when the tremors cause him to look outside. Hundreds of Earths fill the night sky, some of them already ripping apart due to some unknown force. Superboy suddenly touches down next to Nightwing, and tells him that he knows where the villains are. Nightwing tells Superboy that it's just the two of them, but they'll do what they have to do and shut them down.

In Tokyo, Dr Light is fighting to save people when suddenly Barry Allen reappears in a flash of light. He tells her that she needs to warn everybody because he couldn't hold him. Superboy Prime has returned.

5Nick: Story - 5: This is one of the hardest comics I've had to rate in a long, long time. The previous four issues have been easy fives. Each one just blew me away. And I think that's the problem with this issue. There wasn't a "Grandpa" moment in this one, and given what I've come to expect from an issue of Infinite Crisis, that definitely hurts the issue. The final page with Superboy Prime might have qualified, but DC blew that months ago by releasing the image of the upcoming Superboy Prime action figure, complete with the new Anti-Monitor armor.

So after my first read through I wasn't feeling that strong about this one. Still deserving of a four without question, but it just didn't grab me like the others. It had it's good points, but I also felt like it was too slow for an epic like this.

I continued to love the story between E2 Superman and Lois, and I feel that Lois' death was very well handled. Booster's involvement with the new Blue Beetle is also great, and I really like how they are using his knowledge from the future to work for the story.

The most anticipated part of this issue, the Superman/Superman fight, was sadly kind of anti-climactic. We certainly see a lot of destruction, but after the great fight between Superboys last issue this was a let down. The exception is the use of the car. Pure genius. And a perfect world doesn't need a Superman, which is just great.

And if that wasn't enough for us, we get Alex telling us that everything comes from Superman.

The multiverse is back, at least for now, at that's really the only part I don't like about this book. I don't think there's any need for it, but we'll see where things go before I get too upset.

I love the panel of Nightwing standing alone. And then he's joined by Superboy, the only two who can save the world. The idea of the two characters carrying on the legacy of Superman and Batman teaming up is perfect. This issue, more than anything else really gets the feel of the important heroes right.

And Barry's back, again, and so is Superboy Prime. Time for another fantastic fight.

So I initially felt like a four, but after reading through it again I really can't give this issue anything but a five. Sure this one was a little slower than past issues, and the promised 'big event' of this one really wasn't that impressive, but it was still great. Plus, any comic that acknowledges Superman as the best is worth something.

4Neal: Story - 4: I waffled between a three and a four for quite some time, because the honest impression I have after this issue is a 3.5, but a 3.5 is far from fair. It's all a matter of context. In the context of Infinite Crisis, which is epic in every word so far, this is an easy three. Compared to everything else being put out right now, though, it's a 5. You see the dilemma?

So I'm going to explain in words the beefs and the good stuff, and you can take that 4 as a loose, obligatory exclamation of a whole number in a world that needs incremental integers based on mitigating factors.

Issues:

This book was late. Two weeks late. How hard is it to keep a mainline, epic event on time?

Probably harder than complaining about it in a review, that's for sure.

But to be honest, it's a factor. It really is. I would rather have the whole series in sequence and have to wait a few months than get to my store saying, "Woot! New Infinite Crisis today!" only to have the guy say, "Nope. Scratch, buddy. They're late."

"Again?"

"Again."

And it's just becoming the standard. Late books for the ones that people like the most, because the companies know we'll put up with it, and don't care. Do they lower the price? No. They add variant covers so collectors buy more. Artists shrug in interviews. This isn't just this book, it's an industry-wide indictment. But it hurts this story.

In lost storyline in the head of the reader.

In frustration at not getting gratification in an industry where the payoff on the feeder bar is far from instant (a month is a long time to wait in the internet world, and we do so diligently, with patience, only to be poo-poohed).

In projects that, in order to keep them from being more late, adopt additional artists.

And frankly (though not in this case) in artists crushed by deadlines that are insane giving less than their 100 percent.

So in other words: DC, get this stuff out on time, or make some conciliation. Dock the price. Wait to release. There's something to be said for all the books involved in "One Year Later" coming out at the same time, but there's also something to be said for it happening two weeks later in one issue, while the preceding events took six weeks to get to us.

I'm not saying it's not hard to do. I'm saying in a dying, fickle industry, it MUST be done. Especially on events.

Part of what makes this review so hard, for me, is the fact that for the first time in a long while, there are some holes in a Geoff Johns plot. I hardly ever find them, and I've enjoyed getting to know his work, but this issue had quite a few. The counterpunch to that criticism? Even in the midst of error, the characterization and the dialogue in particular are so strong that it's hard to turn a critical eye. Every criticism below is echoed silently with the caveat: "But the dialogue and the characters are so spot-on you believe the impossible/improbable."

It's ALL in the execution. Sitting here, looking back, I can see the plotholes. At the time, they were non-existent. The critic's curse.

In brief, this issue was awesome. The fight with Superman didn't pay out in fireworks. The climax is coming, and worth anticipating. Less occurred in this issue than in previous issues, but it sets up a LOT happening in the next sixty pages.

In specific:

The heroes meet for a prayer meeting in Bludhaven. Blue Devil fizzes, but finds himself so committed he stays. Ragman and Mr. Terrific have a conversation about their respective religions. It's all very awesome character work.

That said, why are heroes sitting around praying when people are dying? See the hole there? It makes logical plot sense, in that there MUST be a calm before the big, coming storm, but why heroes sitting as people die?

The next few pages have a pure filler quality to them, and antagonized me as I read it. We learn that the JSA are in Keystone, now transplanted, and that's great. It's given two thirds of a page. Then they give a page and a third to the closing splash of last issue, essentially. They already did that. Superman: "Lois, we're home, isn't it great!"

It's paraphrased, but even the dialogue is similar here. We already know this, why waste a page and a half in a VERY strategically paced story. It made my inner writer cringe. (As opposed to this outer writer? Anyway.).

Booster sneaks Blue Beetle into the Batcave. Again, it doesn't make sense, but it's a neat thought. Booster could likely contact Batman from previous situations, let him know he's coming. Instead, arbitrary drama. Well dialogued, neat pace, still, illogical situation.

Blue Beetle seems, and is played, as a cool, new, interesting reincarnation of the original dead Blue Beetle. Problem is, as I mention in the cover section, this new Blue Beetle strikes me as kind of inhuman, villain-y, and kind of scary. It's also a kid that just lucked into the suit who's being afforded the trust of Ted Kord. Who's to say he won't just start blowing the heck out of the Batcave? Batman is a bit trusting, just because the Blue Beetle can see Brother Eye.

And why CAN he see Brother Eye, for that matter? It's a technological implement, so if Blue Beetle is a magical entity, I don't see how he can see it over, say, Booster, who has future tech. I'll give that one the benefit of the doubt and hope it's explained and isn't just a plug for the new, improved Beetle, as a lot of DC seems to be organized around the new, improved Beetle and how awesome it will be when there has yet to be a real solid character hook beyond "Look! A suit found me!".

And then...

And then...

Excuse me for a moment. I'll be right back.

Okay. I'm back.

No. Wait. I have to go giggle again.

Okay.

Back. If you go to the next page...AHHHH! Wait.

(pant). Okay. Here goes. I can't lead up to this, just shout:

LUTHOR IN GREEN AND PURPLE SUIT! LUTHOR IN GREEN AND PURPLE SUIT! LUTHOR IN GREEEEEEEN AND PUUUUUURPLE SUUUUUUUUUUIT!

(angelic choir noises)

(fanboy giggling)

(Swan nodding in approval from a cloud/your afterlife of choice)

(Alex Luthor crapping himself verily)

And not just ANY, illusory, homage green and purple suit. Not half of the green and purple suit. THE, and I mean THE green and purple suit. Complete with worthless, arbitrary Superfriend pillboxes across the chest, the seventies collar, and the gloves.

I will pause here for a moment of silence for the awesomeness of Geoff Johns.

Okay. Now that I've calmed a bit, I just have to say, this whole issue, this whole series, everything was justified by that little costume change. Does it make sense?

I don't care. Green and purple suit. That's my answer to everything. If Chuck Austen, when asked about why he had Superman threatening to pop people's heads off, had simply held up a picture of Luthor and said, "Hey, man, green and purple suit", I might have laid off him in the reviews. Seriously.

The only thing cooler than Luthor in a green and purple suit is Ash when he's angry, House MD when he's about to make a diagnosis, or another Luthor in a green and purple suit with monkeys. And that can be trumped by a Luthor in a green and purple suit with monkeys wearing a green and purple suit.

End digression. Enough said.

Luthor is also masterful and well characterized in this scene. He starts going from getting his butt handed to him to, predictably, revealing that he got his butt kicked purposefully and for a reason. To get the tech of his adversary and have Superboy do the dirty work of kicking his butt before stepping in to steal the power.

THAT's my Luthor, Boy-yeeeeee! FINALLY, some motion with this post-businessman rigmarole. Onward!

The lone flaw is how Superboy was rescued by Luthor. I don't think I've missed a tie-in in this series, and the last we knew, Superboy was healed at the end of the Robin Titans tie-in story, correct?

At any rate, it may be explained, it may not. I hope it is. The best part of the Teen Titans was the Luthor claiming of his lost son...

Lois' death scene is where I think we should have come in on GA (Golden Age) Superman in this issue. It's powerful, crushing, heart-wrenching. It's horrible. It's really well written, and climaxed with a wonderful homage to the first Crisis. And an apt one.

There's also the issue of Lois' last words, and what they may indicate.

"It's not going..." (with a ton of ellipses I neglect).

GA Superman postulates, "It's not going to end this way?"

I postulate: "It's not going to work." Lois knows something about the critical flaw of having a bo-jillion universes, an insight gained upon heading for death. A reassurance upon finally realizing the error of their actions and the villainy of Alex. Either way, roll on, fanboy speculation.

At the instant of death, Superman leaving what he was doing and shooting for the scene was also chilling, and extraordinarily well paced. Great characterization for the moment.

Again with an extra scene that could have been cut, here. Wonder Woman staving off the looters was already done, and WELL, I might add, in the Rucka finale to the series.

Was it needed here? No. Not really. It establishes that Wonder Woman's great and inspiring, but we know that. That's why it worked so well as a finale.

It's an attempt, and a conscious attempt across multiple books, to bring exact moments from the Infinite Crisis in synch with the books involved. Usually it works, but it works better when it comes before the ancillary hero-dedicated book, and when it's not something that distracts from the flow of the narrative. A good idea, liable to fail at times. I prefer the Rucka version. By a lot.

Also, Diana Prince appearing is a great thing. I love seeing her again. It's neat, it's fanboy gold. Here's the hard question:

Is it necessary?

Well, we need an ex machina to get Wonder Woman and Superman reconciled. Very much so. We need something to stop Wonder Woman from being so down.

Is that something that would make Diana Prince sacrifice her very existence? I don't know. I'd lean toward doubt. In fact, why would the Gods reward Diana Prince for this selfless act with non-existence? Why not send Hermes?

Because this is the fate of the Universe? Perhaps. Still, it smacks, like the Superman fight, of a very arbitrary moment. Whereas Superboy and Alex and GA Superman coming back to try and rectify the world is a very cool and logical reason to strike fanboy gold by bringing back long-lost characters, Diana Prince, while great to see again, seems arbitrary.

Right off, the fight disappointed me. In the Superman comics, spread out over three issues, there was a great examination of character involved. The character examination is superb.

The fight itself fails on multiple levels.

One, raw force. These are two men who level planets, and yet their blows only lay waste to a city?

Two, motivation. There was very little reason for them to fight, and even if there was, neither Superman would destroy a city to enact a petty vengeance. Even if Lois got killed. Heck, Superman can't even kill Joker when he murders Lois, how's he going to literally almost level Metropolis and not take the fight elsewhere?

Three, details. Do they eye gouge, or is it straight, honest fisticuffs?

Four, definition. We want to know who's more powerful and why, and that ball is TOTALLY dropped. Whereas the Superboy fight delivered and made it clear who was far superior, and allowed for some nasty, gut moments (the Krypto attack) along with a key redemption via the Titans and Flash, this one ended with Wonder Woman throwing a rope over things and one comment from our Superman. A great comment, but still.

GAH!

This is BOTH Supermen, going all out, and all we see is building rubble and a few punches?

When two Super-beings of that magnitude go at it, you have the SACRIFICE fight. Wonder Woman and Superman, all-out. Or you have last issues Superboy fight.

And as Geoff shows, writing the last fight, he KNOWS this, so it actually hurt to go from such awesomeness to the keynote fight falling flat.

The reason for the fight is out of character, and irrational. You can argue that it's because Superman, GA Superman, is so torn by grief he's not acting rationally. I don't buy it. I think a man who spent his entire life knowing that if he breathes hard and isn't totally regulated, someone dies, would be less brash. And if he DID go off the deep end, that city would be GONE, not in a few flames. You have to go one way or the other. Hole in the Earth, or Superman would know better.

The logic is arbitrary, and based on a cheap misunderstanding. It reminded me of the kind of issues they'd put out in the 90s. Superman walks into a bar and spills Wolverine's beer. They begin fighting, and eventually team up to fight the real threat. Cliche.

Of course, Lois is much more than a spilled beer, but look at it like this:

Superman is torn by grief, yes, but has he ever seen the Superman of OUR Earth do anything to harm anyone purposefully, watching from his omniscience over so many years? Does he really see malice in Superman to the point of where he'd go to blows?

Maybe he honestly believes Superman of our Earth is causing the corruption and killed Lois. He'd tell Superman that he killed Lois, and then tell him to leave. If Superman of our Earth didn't, THEN we have blammo, fight to end all fights. Most likely though, being SUPERMAN (I mean, this is SUPERMAN we're talking to, not Guy Gardener or even Batman, handing out the blows without a reason), I say he'd probably try and figure out how to solve the problem with Superman, or at very least try and figure out what the heck was going on away from that Earth.

Instead, fight. It didn't work for me.

Also, the first homage, showing the Crisis pose, worked really well. The second, while neat looking, doesn't make sense. You attack the Man of Steel, you'd better go all out and at insane speeds. Hit him with a car, he'll just go into defensive mode and disappear. Of course, instead they fight and cause a few fires and collapsed buildings, which I don't buy, but still...gah. Frustrating. Especially given how epic the image is, and how much it pulls you to like it despite the sensibility. Character trumps plausibility, see what I mean?

Alex knowing that Lois would die, and Psycho Pirate's response, is incredible. I see it leading to Pirate betraying Alex and bad, bad things. What does Pirate have to gain from this? Revenge.

Wonder Woman appears, and the fight slows. Putting the lasso around GA Supes stops him. It causes them to stop, speak, and come to their senses. Superman makes the best comment in the whole book, that there's no need for Superman in a perfect world.

It snaps GA Supes out of it, and honestly, if you take the fight's quality out, it's an epic character moment to end the fight on. It makes total sense, and it would stop either of them flat. Even if you don't like the setup, that characterization moment is still one of the most masterful I've ever seen in a comic.

Why Wonder Woman is a reassuring force to either puzzles me, though. I know her character has made amends with what she's done, but to BOTH Supermen she's someone who just killed a guy. The GA Supes might like that, but our Supes would STILL be beyond ticked and mistrustful. Of course Diana will save the day. That's expected. She's still got that murder question over her head though...making her the CAUSE of strife rather than the relative solution to it. At least, to me, and in a character sense.

Another great line: "I don't need your magic lasso to tell the truth. It's what people from my Earth do!"

I expected Luthor in the green and purple suit to pop out and say, "Oh, snap!" before disappearing back into his lab laughing while both Supes crapped themselves in fear.

Interesting that Kyle Rayner would have been of Earth 8, and how Alex can see the swirls and eddies of the potentiality. That's an important later facet of his character's plausibility. As in, if later he doesn't foresee something, it might be a stickling point.

We then hit the build up to the all-out chaos I'm sure will occur in next issue. Superman rushes off to stop Alex and ends up the crux of all universes. Batman sets up his strike team to give some good ole Clear Eyes to Brother Eye. Wow (Ben Stein voice, minus any sarcasm). Alex starts dragging in Earths to find the perfect one, which could conceivably take a LONG time in an infinite universe.

You gotta wonder...what does a guy who would kill to get what he wants consider a perfect Earth? Kind of scary.

I keep wondering why no one at New Cronus is doing anything to try and stop the hands. I mean, they're out there, and they have been for all of this, but no one's doing anything? Rayner and Firestorm head into the breech, but what about Supergirl and Donna Troy and their strike force? Why is this being ignored by the series thus far, relatively speaking?

The first hero as the source of all change in that universe makes total sense. Nice. Neat.

I loved seeing Bizarro Earth. The huge splash, and the ensuing, following splashes, were all a bit much, sacrificing space that I see as potential resolution for the Superman fight that failed. We see a bunch of Earths appearing in a line, but how is that NOT intimated by the expansive scene outside of Titans Tower? Why do we need a two page spread of Nightwing realizing that the Earth is coming to an end in a quiet, stagnant image that is the Titans Tower? It's kind of desolate and sad, yes, but it's also established that the mood is downtrodden and sad with the church scene.

In other words, once something is established, beating us with a slow scene over the head with it while the story REALLY, REALLY progresses at warp speed is unnecessary.

It might work more, if the scene made sense.

Nightwing calls on the heroes, saying that he wants to take the fight to the baddies. Problem is, he has NO clue at all who they are, where they are, what their motivation is. Why would he assemble heroes who are busy praying and fighting without a clear agenda? He'd be more apt to throw in with Batman to stop Brother Eye. And post haste.

This could have easily been rectified by having the empty scene where Nightwing feels hopeless and without direction for his information, Conner appears, bango. They unite the clans. Instead, there's more attention to drama and the character at the sacrifice of plausibility again. Here, it's bad. Other times, it makes up for itself.

The splash of all the Earths above the Titans Tower, incredible, justified, and cool.

The ghosts of the Marvels are also incredibly cool.

Even still, it rules to see Nightwing and Superboy stepping up.

We have a real original Crisis moment with Kimyo and Rising Sun. I say that because, if you look at the dialogue, normally the best part of a Johns work, it's forced, and sounds like the original Crisis on Infinite Earths series.

"Hey, ELECTROSTATIC MAN!"

"Yes, POSTER BOY and RANDOM B HERO?"

"It appears the shadows have appeared to menace NIGHTWING, SUPERMAN, and FIRESTORM!"

"Burp."

"Why did you burp, SHELL SHOCK? ELECTROSTATIC MAN was speaking!"

That's exaggerated of course, I just speak to the trend in comics to define the obvious for ignorant readers, a concept long abandoned. When we speak to each other, good writers of dialogue know we hardly EVER, if you listen, say the name of the person we're talking to. In comics, it's sometimes used as an extrapolation crutch, in this case because few people know Kimiyo or Rising Sun.

It distracted me.

The next scene more than made up for it. Barry, and then Superboy, returned, guns blazing, wrapped in the suit of the Monitor modified, and with a black S.

How did he escape the Flash? How did he escape the speed force? What has he seen?

I want to know, and NOW. Great cliffhanger.

Does that mean Barry's back to stay, though? That was left ambiguous. And shouldn't he have no clothes on? He left his costume when he entered the speed force. Maybe I'm thinking too hard.

And at any rate, I've thought enough, as those of you who made it this far can see. And all whining aside, anything I've written this much about has got something going for it. Truly.

If this is the worst issue of Infinite Crisis, I still kiss the Geoff feet. With a dental dam, but regardless.

5Nick: Art - 5: As it has in the past, the art continues to be fantastic in this series. Jimenez's work is top notch, and full of detail, and I love Ordway on the Earth-Two scenes. Reis continues to impress as well. The aforementioned 'Action Comics #1' panel with the car crushing is a fantastic example of the great art in this book, and the shot of Nightwing standing along was also great. You felt his desperation there, as the world is crumbling around him. Finally, Superboy Prime looks like he's ready to kill everyone, which really gets me looking forward to next issue, because if the fight is anywhere near as cool as beheading Pantha, I'll be happy.

5Neal: Art - 5: Though several artists grace this story, it flows beautifully, maintains the tone of the epic, and carries you through with baited breath. I want this art on all books.

It's nice to see Ordway in there. The homage scenes are perfect. The drama is enhanced by this work.

I have very little to say, which is usually the best possible sign. Incredible work, as before.

5Nick: Cover Art - 5: Twin fives from me this month. I really love Lee's cover, with the new Blue Beetle spotlighted, as well as both Wonder Women up at the top. My only problem with that one is Booster's strange karate chop hands, but I'm not going to let something minor like that ruin an otherwise fantastic cover for me. Perez's cover wasn't as easy a rating for me. I really love the shot of E2 punching E1, and little touches like the shade of uniforms really adds a lot to the cover. The expressions on both of their faces are perfect as well. I also really like the concept of the shattering picture of the two Earths. My only problem with it, and something that does really bug me, is the ugly background color. They could have filled it with just about anything and it would have looked better. Again though, I really can't let that ruin an otherwise fantastic cover. Great stuff all around.

5Neal: Perez Cover Art - 5: Though the fight in the book didn't turn out to be incredibly epic (at least, in this book) until the end, this teaser caught us months ago and caused the fanboy giggle heard round the world. There's also the coloring, supreme, the recurring theme for the whole series, and just a general attitude that these covers have had on Perez's handiwork re: this is an epic piece. The work screams it. Easy five.

3Neal: Lee Cover Art - 3: Jim Lee has his good and bad with me, in a lot of ways. This cover dealt with a tangential force in this comic, it appears (even if not intended) to be a plug for the new Blue Beetle, and it also just generally is a frown-y pic. Usually, the fact that Lee's characters never really smile doesn't stand out too much. Here, it really, really does.

The coloring doesn't help. The red is very overbearing, stifling a decent pose for the three characters depicted.

The scene kind of happens in the issue, but this cover gives it a bit more of an ethereal quality than the brief side scene it was.

And just honestly, I'm not really digging the new Blue Beetle outfit. Maybe it's unfair, but it reminds me of the new Spidey outfit. He looks more like a villain than a hero, and the old Blue Beetle costume, while sorely in need of an upgrade, didn't require an anthropomorphic exogenesis from the scarab when the last guy did just fine with tights.

Another problem: Who IS it in the background. I'm pretty sure it's the two Wonder Women, but there's not really anything distinctive that tells us that beyond a mostly obscured star and the tiara, totally blocked by the logo to the point of where it's questionable.


Mild Mannered Reviews

2006

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

January 2006

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