Review: Action Comics #984

Action Comics #984 came out this week and was another incredible issue, wrapping up the Revenge storyline in a very entertaining and satisfying way. I really feel like this was a big blockbuster movie of an arc. There was tremendous action. There were incredible character moments. There was a reclamation of a supervillain who I was tired of seeing. And best of all, there was the return of some Superman mythos, something that will be fascinating to follow.

Writer Dan Jurgens really weaved a wonderful story as the motivation of the villains completely flipped halfway through the story, keeping me very engaged and on the edge of my seat. I said it last issue and I'll say it again. This is the best General Zod story I have read in about 20 years. I have been bored with Zod prior to this arc where he suddenly became a deadly, strategic, and somewhat sympathetic character.

After seeing Jack Herbert and Viktor Bogdanovic play with all the Superman family, we get Patrick Zircher's take. The art here is stunning. As always, Zircher gives the proceedings a cinematic feel, delivering a well-paced and gorgeous book.

And we get more Mr. Oz ...

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #980

Action Comics #980 came out last week and was another chapter in Cyborg Superman's creation of a new Superman Revenge Squad. Written by Dan Jurgens with art by Patrick Zircher, the book is set-up chapter. Jurgens is taking his time putting this team together, perhaps in a way to build up suspense while filling in some of the gaps in these characters' back stories. There is definitely a need, in the post-Reborn super-world, to smooth out the rough edges of continuity here. So Jurgens uses this issue to make sure everyone is on the same page historically.

But there are all the other recent changes to main characters' lives that we need to be kept abreast of as well. So the move to Metropolis and the creation of Batman's Justice League of America are all covered here as well.

I have been very impressed with Jurgens' run on the title so far. And I am always impressed with Zircher's art. But this issue felt like something of a pause. We seemed to downshift a bit. And maybe that is a necessary evil in a middle chapter of a story. We need to set up the rest of the plot. But I feel like the story covered in this issue could have been covered in a fraction of the pages.

I will freely admit that I am a Harley Quinn fan. So I had to get this Gary Frank cover with Quinn is just impotently hammering away on the Cyborg's head. Frank draws everybody great but this Harley is just about perfect!

On to the issue.

Review: Action Comics #979

Action Comics #979 came out last week and was a good transition issue between the Reborn story and the upcoming Revenge Squad battle. As such, it was a very entertaining read as we toggled back and forth between a very happy Lois and Clark couple and an overly powerful group of villains eager for their destruction. That dissonance makes this a compelling read.

Writer Dan Jurgens is really amping up threat level of the Revenge Squad here. Any one of these villains alone has nearly defeated Superman. To put them all together makes this a true murderers' row.

I will say that I am hoping that the Cyborg Superman story will be fleshed out a bit. His origin is going to be relatively sticky in this post-Reborn universe. We know the Cyborg Superman and the Reign of the Supermen happened in this universe again. But we know that this Hank Henshaw is walking around, working for the military, and apparently human. How did that happen? The 'black suit' Superman stalked him in the Lois and Clark mini-series. Did that still happen? Was he cured? There is a lot to answer and I am hoping Jurgens realizes that.

But for me, the big win of the issue was the apartment hunting opening scene with Lois and Clark. Jurgens has such an ability to write these two in a very natural, comforting way. This whole scene made me smile. It even answered some 'real world' questions that have been nagging me!

Patch Zircher is on art and by now folks probably know I love his art. It is the small subtle things Zircher adds to his art that makes me really appreciate it, whether it be a pertinent background or even panel progression.

Review: Action Comics #974

Action Comics #974 came out this week and really ramped up one of my favorite recent storylines, the mystery of the new Clark Kent. Who is he? Where did he come from? I have a couple of theories ... a Mr. Oz creation, a normal human changed by a discharge of super-energy by the dying New 52 Superman, even some version of Matrix on this world ... but they are pure guesses. If writer Dan Jurgens has dropped any significant hints, I have missed them.

What is clear is that this Clark is more than what he says he is. And the way he has been drawn in certain panels gave him something of a malevolent feel. This issue puts that sort scary behavior on display for us front and center. This Clark has a temper and doesn't like to be made a fool of.

Do I have a better guess at who Clark is after this issue? No I don't. But I do know I am a little more frightened of him. And I am even more intrigued! That makes me happy!

The Clark mystery isn't the only plot in this issue. We get more of Superwoman's recovery and we get a new thread in the re-emergence of Blanque as a threat. So this certainly felt like a full issue, in a very good way.

Patch Zircher and Steve Segovia (with Art Thibert inks) split the art here. Zircher's work on the Lois/Clark pages are just wonderful. Zircher really gives us a wonderful Lois. And, as usual, his page layouts guide the reader's eye nicely. Segovia gets a bit of a more comic world canvas to work on with Fortress settings and alien armor. The different art styles on the differing locales made the whole thing feel pretty slick.

For me, the best thing about this issue was the slow turn of the fake Clark from mild mannered, clumsy, nice guy to scary threat. And nothing conveys that more than this cover by Gary Frank. Clark lurking in the background is eerie. This looks like a horror movie poster.

On to the book!

Last issue ended with a dying Lana being brought to the Fortress to be saved. Initially, it seems like nothing will be able to help Lana from death.

I am assuming that this takes place immediately after the end of Superwoman #7 when Lana just defeated Lena. And I suppose the 'I just saw you there' comment would be because she saw Clark frozen in one of Lena's chrono-cubes.

But that doesn't make sense if Lois is about to go out on that date with Clark, set up in an uneffected Metropolis.

So maybe this is after some other Superwoman adventure? But that doesn't sit right with me either.

These are the things that a group editor is supposed to oversee.

Meanwhile, Lois has set up something of a creepy wall about this new Clark. She is trying to figure out just who he is (aren't we all!!!). And she realizes the only way to get closer to figuring it all out is to get closer to him. We see her preparing for this date with Kent. Zircher shines in these quiet moments of Lois getting ready.

But Jurgens gives us all these new facts about Clark's backstory. His birth parents died in an explosion (interesting) and he was adopted by the Kents. But really what I want is a little more. How deep does this conspiracy go? Are there adoption papers? I suppose with Superman dead, all the existing Clark photos or papers could be attributed to this guy.

Clark shows up for the date ... early. Usually I would chalk that up to a faux pas or a pre-date nervousness. But somehow it comes across as a little bit dark. Was he trying to catch Lois in something? Or catch her off guard?

He then leads her out to an idling limosine. Whoever he is, he doesn't have the 'down to Earth' style of the real Clark. Lois says it. The limo heads to an expensive, exclusive restaurant. And inside, Lois is led to a private room, extravagantly decorated. And then Clark proposes! Proposes!!

Boy, this Clark has acted close enough to the real thing before this issue to have me perplexed. Even I have wondered if he might somehow be a version of the real thing.

But this display? And the quick proposal?

This isn't Clark.

So who is he?

Meanwhile, when all Earthly treatments fail to stabilize Lana, Clark turns to otherworldly cures. If her powers are somehow Kryptonian based, maybe Kryptonian medicine will help.

In a nice look back at history, Superman puts her into his old Battle Armor. That suit has a sort of  fluid matrix healing egg chamber. Thankfully, once inside, Lana stabilizes.

It is a nice callback to the Return of Superman arc from way back when. Given that Dan Jurgens was one of the drivers of that historic story, I guess it isn't a big surprise to see it mined again.

In that story, the 'dead' Superman did stay in the fluid healing chamber of Kryptonian Battle Armor while recovering from his fight with Doomsday.

Nice continuity!

Lois, of course, walks out on Clark after his proposal. She wants nothing to do with it.

And he seems genuinely surprised.

Some of what he says is interesting.

One, he promises to be good. That is an odd statement. Does he mean as opposed to being evil? That he won't do something wrong? It just sticks out as strange language.

But he also says that he feels they need to be together. Is he channeling the history of the real Clark? Does he sense they should be married? That would be specific to the current Clark and not necessarily the dead New 52 Superman who never really clicked with Lois. 

This made my theory about an energy avatar Superman both more and less likely.

When Lois leaves, the tone of Clark changes. And things get a little creepy.

First off, there is that line again about being good. Weird.

But then things change and Clark seems to dehumanize. Suddenly you don't see his eyes through his glasses anymore. He is something else. That look of confusion becomes a stern look, an angry look, a scary look. He vows to destroy who gets in his way.

And then we pan back to see that no one is driving the limo. Great slow reveal on the page. Wonderful art by Zircher,

Whoa.

Cue the Twilight Zone music.

So who is he? We know he has been scanned and is human. So no robot or Eradicator? And what's with the anger ...

Best page in the book! 

I've been ignoring one of the subplots coursing through the issue. Early on, Superman gets notified that Hank Henshaw's group is breaking into the Himalayan Fortress. However, his devotion to Lana and his confidence in his defenses lead him to stay in the Arctic.

I don't quite know how Henshaw's agent gets past the vaunted defenses but he does. And he is telepathic controlled to  release the ultraviolent psychic  Blanque who quickly blows the whole thing up.

In some ways I'm happy. The two Fortress world was confusing. Glad we're consolidating.

And Blanque was a big threat in Lois and Clark. He is a big threat. I'm excited to see what happens next.

Back in Hamilton, the Whites have a standard family dinner.

What is interesting is that Clark downplays what he did with Lana. And Lois doesn't even mention what she did with 'Clark'. 

It is odd to see these two maybe hold back on the truth. Maybe Lois thought that her Clark might be unhappy with the chance she took? Maybe Clark doesn't like to talk about any Lana with Lois?

Or maybe they just don't talk business in front of Jon?

Unfortunately the doppelgänger Clark followed Lois. He sees the real Clark and Jon and knows they are with Lois instead of him.

Suddenly this Clark looks outright violent. And blue energy spills out from behind his glasses. Does that make him more of a Dr. Manhatten construct?

Whatever he is, he is terrifying. Great cliffhanger.

I will say, if my guess of Mr. Oz being Vyndktvyx turns out to be true than this Clark could be a simple 5th dimensional construct. But I simply don't know.

In case you can't tell, I loved this issue. This 'Clark' plot grabbed me from the beginning. And this issue pushed the pedal all the way down. We are t seeing the well intentioned buffoon in this Clark. We seeing someone unhinged and almost unreal. What is he??

And the art shows that subtle transformation perfectly!

Dang, I love a good comic mystery!!

Overall grade: A

Review: Action Comics #973

Action Comics #973 came out last week and was a great little rest issue after the God-Killer arc that preceded it. Superman took a bit of a back seat in this issue, allowing Lois the chance to truly shine. And this also gave us a much closer look at the mysterious Clark Kent. For someone who has found the Kent mystery fascinating, I liked it. For someone who has been craving a strong Lois presence in the DCU, I loved it.

But as a long time reader, I couldn't help but feel that there was a wonderful Bronze Age patina to the whole issue. Maybe DC shouldn't be aiming their books at people of my age, a nearly elderly age bracket. There is no denying that there is something classic about this. And that is what #Rebirth was supposed to be about, getting back to the classic feel of these characters that have made them lasting.

Writer Dan Jurgens has a great handle on Lois, showing her in all her glory. She's a fierce investigative journalist. She's brave. She's willing to dust her knuckles if she needs to. And it is all in the name of truth, justice, and the American way.

The art is split between Patch Zircher on the Lois/Clark pages and Stephen Segovia on the Superman pages. Both artists put nuances into the pages to really make then visually engaging and complementary to the story. Great stuff!

And while I am a fan of Crisis #7 homages, I think this cover by Gary Frank  is the third in three months! From Doom Patrol to Superman to Action Comics, these are getting to be like ants. 

On to the issue!

Review: Action Comics #970

Action Comics #970 came out last week, the fourth part of the Men of Steel story arc. Written by Dan Jurgens with art by Patch Zircher, the book is also tagged as The Trial of Lex Luthor. I have to wonder if Dan Jurgens is thinking of this arc as a sort of companion piece for The Trial of Superman arc from the mid 90s that he helped write. In that arc, Superman is being held on trial for the sins of his ancestors, crimes he didn't commit! In this story, Luthor is being put on trial for crimes he also hasn't committed but for crimes he is fated to commit.

This story, I suppose, tries to help answer the old philosophy questions 'would you kill Hitler as a baby?' What will Superman do when he learns that Luthor might become a universal despot and kill billions? Does Luthor's prior actions make Superman debate things more? And does the incarnation of Lex this Superman is most familiar with being overtly evil make the decision even harder?

It becomes an interesting conundrum for Superman and one thing I like about this is that Superman vacillates a bit. Spare one person who is destined to kill billions across the cosmos? Or let him rot in prison? Or save him?  This is a hard question to answer ... that's why it is an age-old philosophy debate.

As usual, Patch Zircher brings incredible art to the proceedings. Given one scene in this issue, I hope that Zircher gets the chance to draw a New Gods book at some point.

Review: Action Comics #969

Action Comics #969 continues the Men of Steel storyline which explores Luthor's role as Superman and what the concept of justice. Writer Dan Jurgens and artist Patch Zircher take us to an alien world where warriors punish criminals before they commit their evil acts. And it is a decent, entertaining read.

Whether it is the conversation 'would you kill Hitler as a baby?' or Minority Report, the idea of pre-emptive justice has been explored a bit. But I don't think I have necessarily seen it in a Superman comic. I am also reminded of the mostly plodding 'Trial of Superman' arc in the 90s where Superman was put on trial for a crime he didn't commit, taking the blame for his race's actions in the past.

Luthor here is being charged with becoming Darkseid and being a universal threat. This is a heavy charge, one Luthor denies he would ever do. But the question remains, would you kill Luthor to stop the murder or enslavement of billions? Even the God-killers, like L'Call, give pause.

It is interesting to see Luthor acting as Superman here, pointing to the S-shield as a defense, and wondering why he is being hunted down for something he hadn't done. Irony!

As usual, Zircher brings a lot to the table here. From pacing of panels to point of view angles, Zircher is one of those artists whose work I try to dissect, trying to intuit what he was trying to say with the art.

U know 'decent, entertaining read' is damning with faint praise. Trust me, this is a good book and this plot is fascinating.

Review: Action Comics #964

Since Rebirth revamped the Superman books, a question that I have been mulling over is 'who is Clark Kent'? Now I have 40 years of comic reading under my belt to have a pretty good idea who Clark is. But in this new DCU, one that has been reborn, there is a new Clark. One that seems human. One that is vehement that he is not Superman. One that believes what he is saying. Who is this guy? Where did he come from?

In Action Comics #964, writer Dan Jurgens and artist Patrick Zircher begin to answer the question. We get this Clark's origin story, at least the one he is telling us. We get some clues into his humanity. We get to read his writing style. And we add some new clues and plot threads into a comic already pretty mysterious. Do I have some new guesses about who this Clark is? A couple.

I have to say I was thrilled with this issue. Much like Superman #7, this was something of a pause after the Doomsday story and before the upcoming Godkiller one. And yet this wasn't wasted space as the story and overall arc continued to move forward.

As usual Patrick Zircher brings some artistic heft to the issue. Everything is pretty bold and complements the words tremendously. My favorite panel, filled with portent, is probably one glossed over by many. I hope at some point this book ratchets back to monthly and Zircher signs some long term deal to stay with the character.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #963

Action Comics #963 came out this week and was something of a rest issue. After the brutal Doomsday arc, filled with action, the creative team of writer Dan Jurgens and artist Patch Zircher slow things down a little to give us a character issue. And the character is, cue dramatic music, Clark Kent.

The mystery of who is this Clark Kent has been as big a riddle in my mind as 'who is Mr. Oz?' Is he a clone? A creation by Mr. Oz? A robot? A Clark from another dimension? As readers, we haven't got much to work on. There haven't been many, if any, clues for readers to mull over.

One thing I have to say though. This Clark strikes me as what Superman would be like if he were robbed of his powers by Gold Kryptonite. He acts like 'Mr. Action', the rough and tumble investigative reporter willing to bend the rules if he needs to if that leads to justice. In some ways it reminded me of the old 'Private Life of Clark Kent' stories I read as back-ups or featured in Superman Family. This is all Clark.

But who is he?

Writer Dan Jurgens does a good job of mining this mystery, allowing Clark to tell his story and showing him in the field. But there hasn't been a morsel for me to chew on to figure out who the heck he is. I have some vague notions. But I'm grasping at air.

Patch Zircher continues to bring powerful art to the book. I will point out some subtle things that struck me. As always, I may be over-reading these things. But art is subjective. If it works for me, I'm okay.

Review: Action Comics #958

Action Comics #958 came out this week, continuing the ongoing restructuring of the Superman mythos in the post-Rebirth landscape of the DCU.

It is phenomenal.

This feels like Superman. There are great character moments. There are fascinating mysteries. There is high action. This was an issue that lived up the the title Action Comics.

Writer Dan Jurgens is doing a brilliant job of weaving in the 'old' Superman and his background into the 'new' universe where the New 52 Superman is dead and Lex is wearing the S-shield. That friction of being a strange visitor from another universe is palpable. But Jurgens also fleshes out that feeling by bringing in older elements like Doomsday and showing us what this Superman's Lois is going through. It is both reminiscent of the Death of Superman storyline while feeling very different.

Jurgens also is keeping me engaged with some of the unanswered questions the book raises. Who is this Doomsday? How did he get here? Who is that Clark Kent? Where did he come from? And who is the enigmatic Mr. Oz? These questions are really the foundation that this arc is built on. I suppose I could channel Vince Lombardi and just say 'what the hell is going on out there?' As a long time reader who loves mysteries I have to try to decipher, I am rapt.

On top of the great story being written, Patch Zircher is just bringing it to this book. Everything about this book looks epic. From the concern on Lois' face to Superman's classic jawline to page layouts that add to the kinetic feel of the story to the palpable blows Doomsday lends, I was floored by the art. Fantastic.

Suffice it to say, I loved the issue.

Review: Action Comics #957

#Rebirth as a special is behind us. But the concept of a DCU Rebirth, of a reinvigorating and a return to greatness for the characters, is very much ongoing. And the one of the first places that we could see that on display is in Action Comics.

The Superman Rebirth #1 book set the stage. The new 52 Superman is dead and buried. The pre-Flashpoint Superman (now just 'Superman' in these reviews) is still on this Earth, debating what his next steps are but intent on honoring the S-shield and this world's Superman.

Now in Action Comics #957 we get to see that all play out. From the issue's number to the montage pseudo-movie poster of a cover to the characters and plots on the inside, everything here read true. Everything here felt right. Everything was a rebirth of what a Superman book should be.

Writer Dan Jurgens does a great job giving us plot points and tropes that feel both classic and fresh. There are subplots, and character moments, and a great cliffhanger. There are subtle homages to more classic stories. There is a lot that happens in these 20 pages.

Artist Patch Zircher really brings his A game to the affair as well. I was very impressed with page layouts and panel selection. We get three splash pages, all worthy of big art. We get thin narrow panels in some times of great action making it 'feel' fast and claustrophobic. And the expressions on characters' faces adds so much.

Suffice it to say, I was very happy with this book. And here are the details.

June 2016 Solicits

The recent #Rebirth announcements shook up the landscape of DC Comics, bringing in new creative teams and new directions to just about all the DC titles. The transition to the new universe will occur over the early summer months. So June is sort of an odd month as some titles receive a Rebirth special while others wrap up their New 52 runs.

As a result, there will be just a few books for me to cover on this post. To look at all the solicits head to Newsarama here:http://www.newsarama.com/28585-dc-comics-full-june-2016-solicitations.html

Now there are a lot of titles in this month which I am probably going to sample that I am not covering in this post. But, amazingly, Rebirth is a jumping on point for me. This sounds like a more organized revamp of the universe than the New 52. I'm probably going to be checking out Flash, Titans, and Green Lantern. And I haven't read those properties in years. I'm probably back on board with Wonder Woman. So check out the whole solicits.

On to the super-stuff.

Review: Superman #50

Superman #50, the finale of the 'ground-breaking' storyline The Truth, came out this week. And like an untrained runner finishing a marathon, this book wheezes its way to the end.

I have been critical of The Truth over the last year. The idea of an exposed, powerless, brooding Superman was never embraced. It was never written well enough to make me want to explore this version of Superman. Superman was aloof and angry. He pushed his friends away. He wrestled for money. He battered shackled villains. It wasn't Superman.

On top of the premise, the arc seemed to lose its way about 4 months ago. It was clear than an ending was looming closer than expected. So suddenly, diverse plots were woven together into something that made little sense. The characters changed motivations and personalities quickly. And other plots ended crazily. Suddenly Smallville being razed is forgotten. Suddenly Wrath, an avatar of ire, became a sympathetic character trying to find her family. Suddenly

As a result, the ending is Superman and Vandal Savage having a philosophical debate, contemplating if might makes right. I doubt that writer Gene Luen Yang had this as the final act when he pitched it to DC. He wanted this Superman to be the new baseline.

But Superman fans want him interacting with his supporting cast. They want him to be powerful but restrained, an inspiring figure of hope. And the character in this arc was none of those things. The monster in Doomed isn't that guy. The jerk walking across the country isn't that guy. The guy who left Earth to head up the military guild on a New Krypton isn't that guy. None of the recent mega-arcs have leaned on Superman's strengths. Instead, the creators are trying to make Superman into something he isn't. And maybe those creators aren't the right people to be on these books.

The art on this book is lovely. We have Howard Porter, Patrick Zircher, Adrian Syaf, and Jon Bogdanove bringing great images.

My Future With Futures End Has Ended

This is something of a rant, so bear with me.

I have been on the fence about getting the mega-weekly DC Comics event Futures End. A weekly comic has to be fantastic for me to commit the cash (learned my lesson with Countdown). And after living through Flashpoint just 3 years ago, I didn't think I would be ready for another dystopia that needs to be averted.

But then I heard the names of the creators involved, creators whose work I have very much enjoyed recently. For writers, we have Brian (Wonder Woman) Azzarello, Jeff (JLU, Green Arrow) Lemire, Dan (Superman) Jurgens, and Keith (Legion of Super-heroes) Giffen. Those are some heavyweights in my book. And for artists we have Ryan Sook, Patch Zircher, Ethan Van Sciver, and Aaron Lopresti. Those are some of my favorite artists.

So I decided I would give Futures End a shot. DC would get me to look at the FCBD zero issue and the first issue of the ongoing. That is 2 issues to set the table and grab me. After all, supposedly this leads to the Five Years Later event and maybe will have more of an impact than the plodding, nonsensical, and apparently meaningless Forever Evil.

Now I'll be honest and I don't think I have hidden it here. I am sick of the grim dark bleak DC Universe these days. The whole line of comics is painted with the same brush. So maybe I was setting myself up; maybe there was very little chance I would like this book.

 The Free Comic Book Day sets the tone. In the future, Brother Eye has annihilated humanity, converting everyone into bladed horrific monsters. That includes this Shelob-like Wonder Woman.

On the third page of the issue, Captain Cold has his hands cut off.

 The Flash strikes back and seems to have a victory. But then Frankenstein shows up with the head of Black Canary sutured to his chest. He uses the head to kill the flash, flaying him with her sonic scream. (I guess Barry forgot he can outrace sound waves pretty easily.)

Of course ... I mean OF COURSE ... Batman has somehow survived this whole thing, training Terry McGinnis as Batman Beyond and setting up a last ditch plan to go back in time and stop this whole thing from happening.  For me, I am sick of Batman always ... I mean ALWAYS ... being the last guy standing. He is becoming a caricature of himself, so powerful that he seems invulnerable.

Well, almost invulnerable. The Brother Eye drones track him down, rip off his arm (man DC loves dismemberment these days), essentially killing him. Suddenly it is Terry who needs to go back in time and stop things.

And then, a somewhat expected twist. The past Batman might like this future. I mean between Tower of Babel, The Omac Project, and countless other paranoia-fueled arcs, Batman is all for complete order even if it means betraying his friends.

Okay ... so let's cover my complaints.

First, that is a lot of gruesome business in a free comic book that might have been grabbed by anyone. I mean, the cover has Batman Beyond on it, the animated show on the Hub. Maybe some parent, entering a comic store for the first time gave this to their kid.

Second, there is something called pacing. If the second page is hands being ripped off, the seventh page is a head sutured to someone's chest, and the second to last page is an eviscerated and de-armed Batman ... well then where do you go? What can top this opening chapter?What horror show will we see?

Third, this is Free Comic Book Day, a chance to showcase your characters! Instead we get the characters portrayed as killing cyborgs. If this was my introduction to the DCU, I would probably not come back.

But let's take a step back. After my initial disappointment I reassessed. After all, this was supposed to be bleak right? This is the terrible future we are hoping not to get to. So maybe they made it over the top to really paint how dire the picture is.

I took a deep breath and decided to grab the first issue as planned.

It turns out that Terry McGinnis didn't make it all the way back to the past at a point where he could stop things. Instead he is five years in the future of the current DCU. Brother Eye is already intrenched although there aren't killing cyborgs yet.

So maybe this is sort of dystopia-lite?

Nope.

In the middle of the book there is a scene that basically ended any chance that I would continue to buy this book.

Grifter enters a suburban house and goes about systematically killing a family. The father, the mother, the older sister ... all gunned down on the staircase.

Now it turns out the young girl racing up the stairs is an alien in our midst. And maybe that being deserved to be hunted ... maybe even killed.

But this family, unaware? They deserved better.

And the truth is this scene could have been written a million different ways where these innocents survive. Maybe Grifter knocks them out. Or shoots them in the knees. Or simply runs by them. There could be some drama seeing these people realize their daughter has been replaced.

Instead, DC hits the lowest common denominator.

 See, part of the problem here is I can't identify with any of the 'heroes' in this book. I can't pretend I want to be like Grifter.

In fact, the one person I identified with was this guy. I am a suburban dad with a family.

But things keep getting darker.

Ronnie Raymond doesn't want to be a hero but is forced into duty by Jason Rusch. The issue ends with a dead Green Arrow, skewered by construction rebar.

I can talk about pacing again. How do you keep this pace of non-stop death and broken bodies?

But let's talk about other stuff.

Now the truth is DC probably doesn't think I am an important demographic. They aren't marketing to suburban dads. But I do know they probably want my kids' dollars. They are being raised in a comic book house. But they don't read any DC books. None seem right.

And maybe someone is going to call me a hypocrite because I have been talking up Lemire's Green Arrow. And in the issue that came out as the same day as this one there is dismemberment and death. Hands get cut off. People get perforated with arrows. It is dark. But on a book set in the dark alleys of a city fighting organized crime (albeit with a little mystical wrinkle), that makes sense.

I am no hypocrite. What I am is someone who likes different things and different tones. Dark and grimy on a street level book like Green Arrow makes sense. Dark and grimy in a universe-wide, superhero mega-story. It just doesn't work. I don't want that here. In a world where people can destroy moons, a dark book can be overwhelmingly lurid. I want to see my heroes striving for good. (Honestly, I can only imagine what Crisis On Infinite Earths would look like today ... with all those deaths ...) I can't read 52 issues of this ... of dead super-heroes, of slacker heroes, of families being gunned down in their living room.

It is exactly why I can watch horror movies, and action movies, and dramas, and comedies and like them all. Because I like variety. And right now there is little variety in the DC Universe. Everything is cynical, jaded, sad.

And so I look at DC's dwindling sales and wonder when they will wise up ... if ever.

And I look at my pull list and the books I read from Marvel - All-New Xmen, Captain Marvel, Daredevil, New Avengers, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer. And I look at the indies I collect - Atomic Robo, Fatale, Flash Gordon, Ghost, Jupiter's Legacy, Rachel Rising, Satellite Sam. Look at the variation there. Fun books, lighthearted books, noir, horror, serious superhero stuff ... a whole palette of genres.

But I am done with Futures End. I get enough of this stuff everywhere else in the DCU.