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Tangent: Superman's Reign #3

Tangent: Superman's Reign #3

Scheduled to arrive in stores: May 21, 2008

Cover date: July 2008

"Superman's Reign - Chapter Three"

Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Jamal Igle
Inker: Fernando Pasarin

Back-Up Story: "History Lesson: Chapter Three"
Write: Ron Marz
Penciller: Fernando Pasarin
Inker: Matt Banning

Neal Bailey Reviewed by: Neal Bailey

Click to enlarge


Batman, Black Canary, and Black Lightning storm the Hall of Justice, finding Green Lantern and Flash missing. Batman hypothesizes that they're on another world.

Meanwhile, on Earth-9, the heroes debate Superman of Earth-9's demeanor when Green Lantern of Earth-9 realizes that there is a raid going on to save Atom. The heroes leave to aid them.

Lori Lemaris is pulled from class by a long-haired blonde stranger called Hex.

The heroes at the scene are decimated by Superman, starting with Green Lantern, and ending with Joker being turned back to dust. The rest of the heroes flee with Atom, leaving Green Lantern of New Earth at Superman's mercy.

Meanwhile, Hal Jordan tries to make contact.

4Story - 4: Still interesting, and still a strong story. I like the idea of the heroes of our world stopping tyranny in another, but I don't understand why this doesn't fall under the old Crime Syndicate rule whereby you can't change another universe. I'm guessing that'll be tested here.

I'm hoping the Batman team isn't a dalliance, and that they'll appear in the Tangent universe.

Seeing the characters of a strange universe interacting with the DC heroes is interesting, to say the least. I knocked one point because, while entertaining, not too incredibly much happens here. There's an attack, and then a retreat, and basically two characters swap spaces, but no real motion, per ce.

3Art - 3: There's a lot of character and heart here, but there are also a few things dragging the art down. Mainly it's a lack of complex background. A lot of attention is paid to the character, and that turns out great, but then the background is typically just lines. The action is compelling, but it feels very average.

Also, as a colorist and editor's concern, I can't take Batman very seriously when he's got a glaring yellow belt and is standing in front of the fricking HALL OF JUSTICE. But of course, that's not the artist's fault. But still, as part of the art, it made me take the story less seriously. Batman with a glaring yellow belt is a target, not a smart hero.

Back-Up Story: "History Lesson: Chapter Three"
Write: Ron Marz
Penciller: Fernando Pasarin
Inker: Matt Banning

The history continues, chronicling the tales of Nightwing and the Ultra-Humanite. Guy and his car finally stop.

3Back-Up Story - 3: This story was a lot less enthralling, and much more summative in its style as opposed to weaving into the story, creating less of a feel of story and more one of extrapolation through dialogue. It still held its own.

4Back-Up Art - 4: Very little to complain about here, particularly the Ultra-Humanite as a splash works well.

2Cover Art - 2: A TON of empty space, odd poses, oddly drawn characters, and who IS the red guy? Is that Batman in the Tangent universe? Either way, he doesn't appear in the story, so why a cover featuring him?

Yeah, looking back, they are doing the Tangent character with the main universe character. Still, the pose here is just really stagnant.

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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