Comic Book Review: The Return of Bruce Wayne #6 (of 6)

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Grant Morrison

Penciller: Lee Garrett & Pere Perez

Colorist: Guy Major

Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher

Inker: Alejandro Sicat & Walden Wong

Cover Art: Bill Sienkiewicz

Editor: Mike Marts

Batman created by Bob Kane

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

There’s a lot of meat in this issue and it compels me to say something I don’t very often say.  There is a moment in everyone’s life where they have to own up to the fact that even the people they hate the most can accomplish something worth while.  It doesn’t pain me at all to say that Grant Morrison truly did bring us an issue worth the price you pay for it.

Morrison fans defend the writer to the utmost ends, always spurting out bits of rhetoric explaining why he is one of the best writers in comics to date.  But what these fans fail to realize is Morrison’s inability to bring a story together in a comprehensive fashion and leaving room for the future potential of a character to shine indefinitely.  Again I state, Morrison has shown he actually does have the ability to write a story with real depth and meaning to it.

The book opens up with Wayne lying on the archivist’s floor, ripped cloths, lingering flames and all from a gruesome trip back from the past.  Darkseid seems to have just as much ingenuity and cleverness that the Dark Knight has as everything that has transpired is an apparent plot to destroy Earth.  Through as series of flashbacks and events, we are not only giving a story to end the destructive conflict that began with Final Crisis, but we are also shown why Bruce Wayne will always remain the greatest fictional hero the world has ever seen.

This entire series has been nothing more than a huge disappointment.  Why?  Because, like I said in the beginning, Morrison is unable of bringing stories to understandable conclusions.  I’ve never understood why people like his writing so much, and the Return of Bruce Wayne was showing that same typical pattern that I hate of Morrison’s writing.  But what a pleasant surprise it was to see Grant finally make sense of the cluster fuck!  I don’t want to give anything away but each individual issue, as boring and horribly written as they were, truly does tie into this Batman installment.  It never occurred to me that the first five issues were mere explorations of Bruce Wayne’s qualities that make him who he is; a warrior, a fighter of the super-natural evils, a deceptive thief, masked avenger, and the greatest detective of all time.  This culmination of everything that Bruce Wayne is leads to this final, climactic issue where Bruce, once again, defeats evil with his cunning and never failing intellect.  I’m sorry Chuck Norris, but you officially have nothing on Batman

To give away the details of how and why Darkseid planned this all out would be a disservice to you as a reader, but keep in mind it’s something I think you all will enjoy.  But I was more impressed with the way Morrison handled Bruce’s amnesia.  I never quite understood how, when Bruce had no idea who he was, was still capable of leaving clues for his friends to find him.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought even Bruce could have outwitted the bad guy at this degree.  But now a question still lingers in my head…Is Darkseid still alive in some capacity, and will he return?

You have to be completely invested in this issue in order to see where the questions raised in this series come to light.  Morrison has never been one to simply give you the answers, you have to look for them.  Unlike most of his work, the answers are ACTUALLY there and make sense!  But this is no easy read.  You might even have to go back for a second reading, maybe even a third in order to understand all the clues and how they tie into this final chapter of Bruce Wayne’s return.  But make no mistake, this issue does bring everything together.

The action never stops!  From page one to the end you will always be grasping the pages waiting for the next thing to occur.  Not only can we thank Morrison in this effort, but also artists Garbett and Perez.  While not being the greatest artists in the world, there is certainly a quality that can’t be denied as beautiful and story-aiding.  There is no laziness or “rushed” feelings here, it’s all very seemless and detailed, and that’s all I can ask of any comic book artist.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Morrison really does outdo himself here, and I’m finally glad to see him write a story that is as captivating as the ads make it out to be.  I still think this miniseries is overall one of the worst that DC has put out, (with Brightest Day making that list as well) but #6 of 6 is a fantastic piece of work I’m glad to own. 

Now, how is Morrison going to keep this momentum up with Bruce Wayne being the “funder” of Batman?  Ugh, with every one good thing Morrison does, there are at least 50 bad things he does in return. 

Rating: 10 out of 10

Writing: 10

Art: 10

Themes: 10

+ 2 incentive points

Comic Book Review: Action Comics #892

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Paul Cornell

Artists: Pete Woods & Pere Perez

Colorist: Brad Anderson

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Art: David Finch, Joe Weems, Peter Steigerwald

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Again I say, it’s the bad guy comics that are making a huge statement in the comic book world.  Cornell’s Lex Luthor within the pages of Action Comics is the best characterization of the brilliant billionaire tyrant since Superman: Birthright.  Cornell is bringing us a redefined Lex Luthor, one that has a strange sense of insecurity and a lack of self control.  The events of Blackest Night have seem to really put things into perspective for Luthor and now he hopes to achieve all of his selfish goals without loosing himself again.

Cornell is doing a fantastic job with this new string of Action Comics, and being on the verge of hitting that proverbial 900^th issue, this is exactly the type of new direction this title needs.  As Luthor tries with all his might to use his noggin’ before jumping into a situation seems to be a rather difficult thing for him to accomplish.  It’s interesting to see how Lex deals with these character changes and how humbling it seems to be for him.  I even saw Lex as a good guy in certain moments of this issue.  That is, until Slade Wilson lost his marbles and went rushing after Luthor with murderous intentions, then the familiar Luthor came out with a smiling vengeance.  It was fun to see Luthor bounce back and forth from utter confidence to uncertainty.  DC seems to be going on a redefining shopping spree; Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, now Lex Luthor, they all are being recast and reformatted for a new generation, and it looks as if Cornell is right on track in giving us a new Lex Luthor.

Great storytelling and new literary direction can’t be the only thing that makes a comic great as you all know.  The layout of the book could have certainly used more planning and thought as the bulk of the panel transitions left me wondering what the hell was happening.  If it wasn’t for the dialogue, I would have been unsure as to what was transpiring.  I didn’t realize Slade Wilson had gone off the deep end until a few panels after his charge towards Lex Luthor.  This type of formatting continues through 50% of this book and is less than appealing. 

The art itself is very good; Pete Woods has always been a terrific character and scenic artist, and every action sequence can be described as top notch.  And that cover is an incredible piece of work.  Points to the artist team who worked on that!

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

I needn’t say it again, but this version of Lex Luthor is a wonderful new direction that Cornell is bringing to the table.  Action Comics is becoming a force to be reckoned with amongst DC Comics.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Writing: 10

Art: 9

Themes: 5

Comic Book Review: Action Comics #889

Book Information

Written by Greg Rucka & Eric Trautmann

Penciled by Pere Perez

Colored by Javier Mena

Inked by Bit

Lettered by Rob Leigh

Cover by Alex Garner

My All-Inspiring Opinion

Action Comics is predominantly a Superman book but has never been limited by that fact.  Many other DC characters have taking a starring role in the title if Superman was busy doing something else, but we always knew he would return next month.  I do believe this has been the longest stretch of time where Action Comics has gone without the Man of Steel.  And while the majority of Superman fans find the last year of Action Comics to be boring and stupid, I’ve rather enjoyed the reintroduction of Flamebird and Nightwing.

When it comes to dual writer team-ups, I’m never sure who the creative genius is and who is the right-hand man.  I want to say Greg Rucka is at the forefront of this project but Trautmann has done some spectacular solo work in the past.  The only conclusion I can come to is that both men are equally involved in the writing of this story.  The awesome finality of Nightwing joining in the battle was interesting as Chris seemed to become a whole new person while keeping some of those character traits we’ve become accustom too.  And having the JSA apart of this concluding chapter was a nice touch as well.

Since most of the mystery behind Flamebird and Nightwing was wrapped up in #888, there wasn’t much left to do except finish off the Rao clone and put an end to Jax-Ur’s reign of terror.  But I felt this arc ended rather timidly.  Yes, Rao fell to the ground, yes there was a fiery arena of chaos all around, and yes the entire issue was filled with non-stop action that would have completely obliterated the whole world in real life, but at the snap of a finger, Rao was finish along with Jax-Ur.  Maybe I was just expecting so much of a big booming ending that my mind just decided this wasn’t epic enough to satisfy me.  It just felt way to sudden and abrupt, especially with how much Rucka and Trautmann had built up the story from beginning to end. 

Did Pere Perez give up?  The art in this issue does NOT match up with the previous issues.  Last issue was filled with incredibly detailed and paint-like images that put Perez in the running for the top ten best artists of 2010.  Now he gives us visuals that are less artistic and dull.  It’s as if #888 was too much of a workout for him.  I would compare the art in this issue to that of a driver setting his car on cruise control, shutting his eyes, hitting the gas and hope that everything works out.  I really am disappointed with the quality of work by Perez in this comic.  On a lighter, more positive note however, Alex Garner produced the BEST cover of 2010 thus far.  I find myself picking this issue up over and over again just to gaze on the gorgeous artwork.

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion

For the most part, this is an entertaining read despite the less than satisfactory conclusion.  I’m debating on whether or not this entire run of Action Comics should be considered for best story arc of 2010.  Only time will tell.

Ratings

Writing: 7.5

Themes: 6

Art: 3

Overall: 5.50 

Comic Book Review: Action Comics #888

Book Information

Written by Greg Rucka & Eric Trautmann

Art by Pere Perez

Plot

With Nightwing trapped yet again in the Phantom Zone by the deceptive Jax-Ur, and Flamebird’s emotions at their breaking point, the clone of Rao walks closer and closer to achieving ultimate power.  Flamebird must do all she can to distract Jax-Ur while the JSA fight off the oncoming nuclear onslaught of the Pakistan and Indian military.

Also, Can Nightwing come to terms with who he really is and once and for all defeat Vohc-The-Breaker?

My Thoughts

Action Comics, in these last few months, has mustered itself up as being the mythological archetype for the modern comic book era.  The story surrounding Nightwing and Flamebird has developed so much in such a short amount of time that I wonder if this story was planned out years ago, waiting for the right moment to rise up.  While the comic itself isn’t the best I’ve read, it takes quite a few strides in further developing the story of the two Kryptonian legends.

Writing

The story in and of itself has its good points and low points.  The book’s setting goes from being on Earth, to the Phantom Zone.  While on Earth, Flamebird partakes in a knuckle bearing knock down with Jax-Ur…or Vohc-The-Breaker, I’m never quite sure what to call him.  While she does this, the two Eastern military forces armed themselves to take out the super-sized cloned God of a former planet Krypton, which was apparently his plan all along.  This plot development, while still used well, isn’t necessarily the strongest literary approach.  Personally I find it hard to swallow and a bit contrived (Boy, I love that word don’t I?!?) that Rao, in that short amount of time figure out that the missiles, after crashing onto the very spot he stands, would allow him enough power to grow an exponential amount.  It works for the story, but in and of itself is a bit unrealistic.

Speaking of unrealistic plots, how was that second trip to the Phantom Zone for our little Nightwing?  It was one of the most interesting and creatively done sequences I’ve ever seen in comics.  What I couldn’t tell was if Chris was actually talking with himself, or if the Nightwing and Chris somehow became two completely separate entities entirely.  The verbal exchange between the two was spot on perfect, allowing Chris time to realize who he really was deep down inside.

Rating: 7

Themes

The thematic scale is off the charts for me with this issue.  I’m not entirely sure where to start.  The moment Chris throws away the only piece of glass showing him the outside world as if all hope is lost, The amount of triumph that fills the pages as Wonder Woman flies in and breaks open Rao’s eye, this issue is almost too jammed packed to list everything that was good in one review.  But the theme that Greg Rucka wanted in the forefront of our minds was everything surrounding Nightwing and the Phantom Zone.

I think this was a much needed turn of events in the Nightwing and Flamebird mythos.  I wasn’t even sure if Chris was THE Nightwing or not, but the last page obliterated any doubts I might have had. 

Rating: 10

Art

Perez really outdid himself here.  The toggle from the scenes on Earth and the Phantom Zone were incredibly well contrasted, one portraying Perez’s typical style we see from week to week, the other presenting a much more painted look.  I sometimes forget the array of emotional impacts that using many shades of only one or two colors that can be presented in a piece of art.  The image of the Nightwing presenting itself to Chris was horrifically gorgeous.  The use of the dark, misty light creates such a deep emotional impact that both mystifies and horrifies. 

The cover could very well be one of the best covers of the year.  The feeling of heat radiates all throughout it as the three heroes displayed honestly look as if they can’t push through the flames shooting at them.  And this cover also achieves some incredible artistry by only using many shades of one color.

Rating: 10

Overall

While not the greatest piece of work on the literary side, overall this book achieved some masterful work within the genre.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming April 28, 2010

ACTION COMICS ships twice in April! In issue #889, with the fate of both New Krypton and Earth weighing on their young shoulders, are Nightwing and Flamebird prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice? And in the co-feature, Captain Atom has managed to find a way back to Mirabai's world, intent on confronting the woman who made him a tool of destruction — but what stunning revelation awaits him there?

Comic Book Review: Action Comics #887

Book Information

Written by Greg Rucka & Eric Trautmann

Art by Pere Perez

Plot

Nightwing and Flamebird take on one of the most powerful foes they have ever faced, the Kryptonian god Rao!  As last month’s issue took a religious and historical trip to help us prepare for the events happening in this story, we now have to watch Flamebird relive the past of loosing her loved one, Nightwing, at the hands of Jax-Ur.  Flamebird now faces the same set of decisions she was faced with centuries ago, and this time she may not have a choice.

My Thoughts

I broke my #1 rule again and read some reviews of this issue before writing my own.  I wanted to get a good idea of the general consensus of this particular comic to make sure I wasn’t regurgitating reviewer opinions.  Surprisingly enough, I found that most reviewer’s opinions of #887 were less than satisfactory.  I will not be sharing these sentiments as I found this installment of Action Comics to be quite entertaining.

I guess it’s the interest in the mythological side of comics that did it for me.  Before Nightwing and Flamebird came into the picture, Superman was always spouting Rao’s name like we do with God, as a term of surprise or awe.  But I’ve always had this desire to learn a little more about the religious history of Krypton.  So the last two issues have been like candy for me, as enjoyable as the best German chocolate bar.  However, I was confused about the god Rao as depicted in this book.  Jax-Ur claims that this is his concocted version of Rao and not the real one, yet the religious guild comes together and prepares for Rao’s return.  Is there something going on that Rucka and Trautmann are keeping secret, or was there a major oversight on their part with the writing and continuity? 

Keeping with the page-drafted narrative from last month, this issue presents Lois Lane writing a news article exposing her father, General Lane, and telling the story of Nightwing and Flamebird and their mythological importance.  While I did like the approach, it didn’t come off as well as I’m sure Rucka had intended.  I’m typically a fan of this type of narrative story telling, but this approach was a little less than satisfactory.  The writing was well done, but missing that needed edge.

One question that does ponder my mind is why these Kryptonian deities have now all of the sudden come out in the open.  Just as Nightwing and Flamebird have arisen, so has Jax-Ur, which I find very convenient. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but does make me wonder why all of the gods of Krypton are now on Earth at the same time.  And does Zod know his sleeper agent is the Builder?

The artwork certainly stays firm as the months progress, with the action scenes and exploding moments with the risen god Rao being the highlights of the book.  I’m very impressed by the incredible use of the light and shading aspects.  It’s just the right amount of flavor, not overdone or over inked.  The religious guild has always impressed me as their faceless glowing heads are blindingly gorgeous.  Overall, the art is great and worth the cover price.

One aspect that really outshines the rest of the story is how Flamebird relives her dreaded past of loosing Nightwing yet again and in almost the same way.  Nightwing is trapped in the Phantom Zone again, Jax-Ur gives Flamebird an ultimatum, Flamebird is torn apart by this, etc. etc.  It was a nice addition to the book and leaves a lot of potential next month for Flamebird in how she decides to counter Jax-Ur’s actions.

Overall

A fun issue.  If you enjoy mythological stories being applied to today’s world, this is definitely a book for you.  It has its flaws, but they are necessarily distracting flaws.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming April 14, 2010

ACTION COMICS ships twice in April! With Nightwing nowhere in sight, ACTION #888 finds Flamebird face-to-face with the rampaging Rao! But can she defeat him by herself? Luckily, it looks like she won't have to! Enter: Wonder Woman and the Justice Society of America! And in the co-feature, Captain Atom discovers that to complete his journey, he must first travel through the lost world of Skartaris!

Comic Book Review: Actions Comics #885

Book Information

Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann

Art by Pere Perez

Plot

Earth and New Krypton’s relationship is dangled in front of us in an enormous spread of storylines and plot devices.  Nightwing and Flamebird go on the hunt for Zod’s sleeper agents, but run into trouble when the Science Police, accompanied by Mon-El, corner them.  Can the two so-called mythological heroes of New Krypton convince the Guardian and Mon-El about the oncoming danger that within Metropolis?  And will General Lane finally be put in his place by the one closest to him?

My Thoughts

Rucka, overall, has done a great job with Nightwing and Flamebird; things seem to actually be coming to a successful resolution and tie-in with the New Krypton story.  In this particular issue we are given a few minor plot deviations along with the main one which involves our two headline heroes searching for the sleeper agents of Zods.  How interesting to find out that at least two of those agents have been in our heroes sights the whole time.  I figured it out with Doctor Pillings; however officer Romundi was a complete twist for me.  I commend Rucka for providing a pleasant surprise as most of the plot twists and turns in this arc have been fairly predictable, but not annoyingly so.

I did find myself in a suspended state when Lois Lane decides to confront her father to show him the error of his ways.  It was very short and only consisted of five panels on one page, but it’s still a very powerful moment.  To address one’s parents in a moment of corrective teaching is not the easiest thing in the world to do for a son or daughter.  But, as we all know, Lois Lane is no push over, and neither is her father.  It was a short, yet powerfully moving.

A lesser aspect of the story was the sudden change in loyalty portrayed by the Guardian.  He goes from thinking Nightwing and Flamebird are untrustworthy enemies of Earth, (displayed in his response to Flamebird’s promise to not fight back, “Your word, whatever that’s worth) to trusting them 100% and fighting against General Lane and his band of soldiers.  I’m not sure I entirely buy into the sudden side change, but it was minor flaw that didn’t detract me from the story very much.

I did enjoy the fact that there were only two one paged ads in this book.  This installment is literally jam packed with dialogue and story; very unorthodox for your contemporary comic book these days, a nice little refreshing change.  Maybe this trend will catch on in DC Comics sooner rather than later.

The art has very little flaws.  Perez does an amazing job with the pencils, but his colorists could improve on the color scheme of the book.  Its light tinted tone leaves very little to look at and creates a boring and wooden feel in every page turn.

Overall

Not too shabby of an issue.  Overall, the plot is great; it really pushes the story forward which will help the issue with New Krypton.  However, the art and a few tiny story defects have some effect on the enjoyability of the issue in its entirety.

Rating: 5.5 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming February 10^th, 2010

Nightwing and Flamebird race the clock to capture Jax-Ur, the most dangerous of Zod's sleeper agents. 

And in the Captain Atom co-feature, our hero explores the horrors of his past with the help of Mon-El and Starfire!