Superman: Secret Origin Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank

As of late I've been in a real Superman mood, and ever since watching Man of Steel I've been going through some of my favourite Superman stories, having already read, and reviewed Superman Earth One Volume One, and Volume Two (links to reviews).

Plot

Growing up in Smallville Clark Kent learns that he's not from this world, and after a while embraces this, vowing to help wherever he can. Once grown up Clark moves to Metropolis, where former Smallville acquaintance Lex Luthor rules, and when Clark reveals himself, Luthor makes it his goal to destroy Superman.

Review

This was a brilliant story, and a very fun, and entertaining read, but there were a few points where it disappointed, and this overall lowered the overall quality of the story. None the less Geoff Johns continued to do what he does best with this story, and that's take the heroes that we love and make them shine in a modern market. During this story Johns showed how well he understands the Superman character, and why he's such a good writer in general, as it was spot on character wise. Johns also did a great job with the emotion in this story, as there's a brilliant sequence during the first issue where Clark is upset at learning of his alien origin, and saying, "I want to be your son," to Jonathan Kent with Jonathan replying, "Clark... you are my son." I found this very touching, and it really showed how much love Clark got growing up, which was brilliant. Johns also did a great job with the older Clark, showing him as the bumbling, and clumsy reporter that he pretends to be, which was also fabulous. Johns did however not do so well with the action, as although there were some brilliant action sequences, there were others that felt anticlimactic, and disappointing. Johns did however overall do a great job of re-telling Superman's origin, with some great additions of his own added on top, making for a very fun, and enjoyable story.

The art for this story was done by long time Geoff Johns collaborator, Gary Frank, and like always it didn't disappoint. I just loved how he made Clark look like Christopher Reeves, and although I'm not usually a fan of movies influencing changes in comics, this was a nice addition for this story, and it went perfectly with the tone of Johns' writing, as it looked, and felt like the clumsy Clark from the films. Before I continue with the positives, I will say the one thing that slightly annoyed me, and that was how Clark whilst smiling looked slightly like a chipmunk, which wasn't bad for the younger Clark, but looked silly on the older, and although that is the point of the Clark disguise it didn't appeal to me. The rest of Frank's art was however wonderful, and the layout, and detail was simply perfect, with very few, if any imperfections. What was probably the best thing about Frank's art in this story was probably the way he showed the character's emotion, as whether it was the upset young Clark, or the angry Lex, or even the happy Jimmy Olsen, it was easy to tell what the character was feeling, and it added much more depth, and tone to the story. The action sequences were also perfectly handled, being very exciting, and although they weren't the best fight sequences, Frank still made them look amazing.

The start of this story focused on the young Clark, and how he grew up in Smallville having to watch what he does, as well as deal with the truth behind his powers. Now I already talked about the emotional sequence where Clark gets upset, and is comforted by his father, but there was a lot more interesting things during this. The most noticeable being the relationships that Clark built in this small town, with him having his best friend Pete Ross, and his childhood sweetheart, Lana Lang. The development of these relationships was very well handled, and they were very dramatic, and interesting, livening up the first half of this story. It was however also interesting seeing Clark's reactions when he discovers new powers, as it felt like a child's reaction, making it more lighthearted.

Now during the early part of this story we see Luthor growing up in Smallville along with Clark, and the two interacting. It is also shown that Luthor is a troubled individual, who cares mainly for himself. This would follow into Metropolis with the older Clark, and Luthor meeting each other then. Anywya, the relationship between the two over this story was nothing short of amazing, and Johns really handled this well. You could tell that Clark wanted to see the good inside Luthor, trying to be his friend, whereas all Luthor wanted was to be rid of Superman, and be the attraction of Metropolis once more. I also loved how you could see the maliciousness in Luthor, which really added more tone to his character, showing him for the evil villain that he is.

This issue would also feature the Legion of Superheroes, who came back in time to meet the younger Clark during his Superboy days. Now I won't go into any more detail as to what happened, but I will say my thoughts on the events, and the Legions appearance as a whole. Now although I'm a relatively big Superman fan, I have never been too fond of the Legion, and haven't read much on their background, bar the fact that they're from the future, and are influenced by Superman. Well their appearance in this story, whether necessary or not was very interesting, and fun, and really added more excitement. The way they were written was also brilliant, and the dialogue between them and Clark was perfect. The only slight problem I have is that it does slightly retract from the main story, feeling like a interlude, and it made the story feel less whole, affecting the structure. None the less it was a nice addition, and didn't take much away from the story, whilst also giving to it as well.

The story eventually shifts to Metropolis, showing Clark join the Daily Planet, becoming acquainted with Lois Lane, Jimmy White, and Perry White. Now besides the emotional first issue, this was the part of the story that really appealed to me, and was when it started to become a proper story. As I said earlier I found the way that both Johns, and Frank handled this clumsy Clark to be amazing, as it really added humour, and reminded me why Clark has one of the best secret identities out of any superhero. Besides this the way he interacted with the other Daily Planet staff members, as well as the way he saw Metropolis as a whole was brilliant, and although this wasn't the most exciting part of the story, it was one of the more fun parts.

Besides Luthor there were another couple of villains to feature in this story, with the first being Parasite (Rudy Jones), and the other being Metallo. Now I'll start with Parasite, and although I found the art, and the way he was introduced to the story to be brilliant, the way he was handled as a whole wasn't good. Now I'll try not to give away spoilers, but if I do I'm sorry. See this as a warning if you don't like potential spoilers. Anyway this was the classic showing of Parasite as a B-List villain, which he shouldn't be, as like Superman: Earth One Volume Two showed he can be a force to be reckoned with, instead of the joke that he usually is. Metallo on the other hand was handled perfectly, and I loved the development of him going from Sgt. John Corben to this heartless monster in Metallo. The fight between Metallo and Superman was also much better, and very exciting, and entertaining.

Final Verdict

This was a very good story, and a fun re-telling of Superman's origins. It did however have a few problems that affected the overall quality, and rating, but it was still a very interesting read. It also had plenty of humour, and emotion, with brilliant dialogue, and amazing artwork. There was also some decent action, and although it wasn't the best action ever, it was entertaining, and amazing to look at. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this story, as even with it's flaws it's an outstanding story, and well worth the read, whether you're a Superman fan or not.

Rating: 4/5

Justice League #21 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank

Since it started almost two years ago this has been an amazing series, and although it's had it's ups, and downs, it's overall been a very fun book. The Shazam! back-ups have also been a key part of this series for well over a year now, and I'm sad to see it end, but excited at the same time.

Plot

As Black Adam threatens to kill his friends Billy Batson has to make a huge choice in whether giving up his powers to save his friends, or stopping Black Adam.

Review

This was a great issue, and although it wasn't the best instalment in the Shazam! storyline, it was a brilliant way to end it. Geoff Johns has been doing amazing work on this series, as well as Aquaman, Justice League of America, and Green Lantern (which he left recently) over the last couple of years, and although this hasn't always been the best of those series, it's been one of the most important ones. The Shazam! back-ups however have been brilliant, and one of the best things about this series, and although I'm sad that it's now ended, it was a brilliant ending. Johns' has taken Billy Batson and turned him from a mistrusting young boy into a hero, and I've loved being along for that journey. Johns' has also handled Billy's family perfectly, as well as the villain Black Adam, and overall he seems to really know what he's doing with these character's, although that's no surprise coming form Johns, who's made nearly every character he's touched turn into gold. This issue also had a lot of drama, and suspense, as well as excitement, which was all brilliant, giving a great atmosphere. The action was also amazing, and although it wasn't isolated, with not just one big action sequence, it was still brilliant. The only thing that I hope now is that Johns manages to start a Shazam! series, as I'd love that.

The art in this issue was also fantastic, and Gary Frank has once again produced some phenomenal artwork, and has been doing so throughout this entire story. Frank's best work always seems to come whilst working with Johns, as although he's done great art with other writers, his art with Johns on the likes of Superman: Secret Origin, and Batman: Earth One seem just that little bit better. His style however also suits this story perfectly, as he makes all the character's look amazing. Besides that he also does amazing layouts, making everything look so much more dramatic, and dynamic, which is always a joy. Frank also draws some of the most amazing action sequences, and he seems to have saved the best till last in this story. The action was simply outstanding, being explosive, and exciting, whilst also being dramatic, having lots of depth to it. Frank also has an amazing ability of showing the character's emotions perfectly, and this couldn't be shown any better than on the faces of Billy, and Black Adam, as you can see the hate, and remorse in Black Adam's face, and the hope, and hint of fear in Billy's which makes the story feel that much more alive.

This issue saw the Seven Deadly Sins return, and chose their host. Now I won't go into any more detail as to avoid spoilers, but this was awesome, and although it took away from the Shazam!/Black Adam sequence, it was still brilliant, and allowed the story to have more than just one setting. Although I won't name who the Deadly Sins chose as their host, I will say that it was a very interesting choice, and that what that person turned into was simply amazing, and one of the coolest monsters I've seen for a while.

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD!

Now I don't like giving away spoilers, but it's hard to say my feelings about this next topic without doing so, and it's something that I really enjoyed in this issue. That of course was Billy sharing his powers. Now he was originally meant to give them to Black Adam, but instead he landed up sharing them with his foster siblings, turning them into the Marvel Family. Now I haven't read many Shazam! stories prior to this, but I do know about the Marvel Family, and although I kind of hoped that they'd stay out of the Shazam! story, possibly turning into the Marvel Family in a later story, it was still nice that it happened. I loved seeing them use their powers, and I especially loved seeing Tawky Tawny return, as I love that tiger.

Talking of family we got to see a lot of family values in this issue, as with the lives of his family in the balance Billy finally starts to show feelings for them. Now unless you already knew about Shazam!'s pre-Flashpoint you'd be surprised that this was the same character, as he hated them at the start of this story. It is however nice that he has started to show his feelings, as although the broody, loner role works for certain character', it doesn't for Shazam!, who needs to be a friendly person, with people around him for support.

Now finally we get to the big fight in this issue, which was obviously between Shazam!, and Black Adam. Now we've seen the two fight briefly in previous parts of this story, but this was the first time they got into a proper fight. Now I'll start by saying that this was neither the biggest, nor the most explosive fight that I've ever seen, but it was brilliantly written, and had ton's of emotion. The main thing that appealed to me about this fight was that although there was action, and excitement, it was more a fight of morals, with emotion being the key focus, and this made for a much more deep, and dramatic fight. The dialogue during the fight was also outstanding, and overall although it wasn't phenomenal, it was brilliant.

Final Verdict

This was a excellent way to end this origin story, and although it wasn't the best, it was still brilliant. It had action, humour, and emotion, also being very dramatic, and I will seriously miss this back-up story. I would highly recommend it to anyone, but if you haven't been following this series it'd probably be best to get the hardback collection that's coming out with just this story in it.

Rating: 5/5

Batman: Earth One Volume 1 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank

After reading Superman: Earth One just over a year and a half ago I was really looking forward to the future of Earth One and when I hear that Batman was the next one to come out, and that Geoff Johns and Gary Frank were working on it I was counting down the days till it came out. I've always wanted to see how Johns would handle a Batman story as well, as after getting me back into Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Aquaman, I'm sure he'd do a great job with the Caped Crusader.

Plot

After his parents are killed, Bruce Wayne trains to become Batman, investigating the deaths of his parents, hopefully to bring the person behind it to justice, with the his "butler", Alfred. Meanwhile Harvey Bullock arrives in town, and soon notices the corruption in the Gotham City Police Department, which answers to Mayor Oswald Cobblepot.

Review

This was an amazing book, and one of the best re-telling of Batman's origin story that I've ever read. The reason I feel I love this re-telling so much is that Johns went bold, deciding to change a lot of things, and although they weren't huge changes, with the main principles being the same, they were noticeable. Don't get me wrong I'll always prefer the original origin, but for a modern era this seems much more suited. Besides this the best thing about Johns writing was the character development, and especially in the likes of Bruce/Batman, James Gordon, and Bullock, as Johns showed that although he is making changes, that he knows the fundamentals of these character's perfectly. The dialogue was also amazing, and the interaction Bruce/Batman had with people was brilliant, and I especially loved the relationship development of Bruce, and Alfred, and how although it was the fundamentally the same, it was still something different. The way Johns handled the villains in this book was also brilliant, and although I'll go into a bit more detail later, I felt it was perfect for an opening book, as you don't want a villain that's too far in the spotlight, as it takes away from the development of the hero, Batman. There was however one possible negativity that I could think of, and that was the time it took to read, which was little under an hour, whereas most graphic novels usually take me a couple, to a few hours. Now for me this wasn't a bad thing, as it showed how exciting, and interesting the story was, as well as the fact that it was paced perfectly. There will however be some that will feel cheated by this, which isn't a good thing, even though I'm not one of them.

The art from Gary Frank was nothing short of outstanding, and I really enjoyed it. I feel that his style really suited his story, and he always seems to work wonders alongside Johns. First off I'll talk about the amazing cover that Frank produced, which shows Bruce, and Alfred standing at Bruce's parents grave, with a morbid, rainy surrounding, and a silhouette of Batman's head behind them. Now I loved this, especially the morbidness, showing that this is a terribly painful time for Bruce. With the silhouette in the background it also shows that this is the moment when Bruce became Batman, as although he'd probably never thought of becoming Batman, he would have been wanting justice, and vengeance, so the symbolism was nice. I do however find it a bit cliché how it always rains at funerals in media, but none the less this was still a fantastic cover. The interior was just as outstanding, and I loved the tone, and layout that Frank produced, giving real drama, and depth to the story. I also loved how Frank showed the characteristics of the character's, as you could tell that although Gordon was turning a blind eye to certain crime, that he was still a good guy just as easily as you could tell that Bruce was an angry, misunderstood person, and that Cobblepot was a despicable, evil man, which was brilliant. Besides this Frank did an excellent job of drawing the character's as a whole, as although there were some changes, they looked as close to the character's us Batman fans love, whilst still being something new, and unique. The way Frank handled the action in this issue was also amazing, as it was really dynamic, and gave more life, and excitement to the story, and overall his art was fascinating.

The start of this story deals with the death of Bruce's parents, Thomas, and Martha Wayne. Besides this we also saw a different side to the two, as Thomas was the sure winner of the current Mayor election against Cobblepot, and Martha drives for the rights of the mentally ill. It was however the later that interested me the most, as the reasoning for this change in Martha's background was that instead of being a Kane prior to marrying Thomas, Martha was an Arkham, who's family history is haunted with mental instability. I loved this change, as it would help shape other things that would come in this story, showing that although Johns was re-telling Batman's origin that he was also showing his creativity as a writer. The death sequence itself was also as usual very emotional, and although this isn't the best showing of this classic sequence, it was still very well handled.

This story also showed a more inexperienced Batman at the start, which I loved. I just loved how this showed a mortality to Batman, as with being used to seeing Batman escape from nearly anything, it's nice to be reminded that this wasn't always the case, and that there would have been a time where he was less experienced, and more clumsy. In following this we also see how Bruce plans on resolving these early mistakes, and how he can become better. I also liked the fact that Alfred appeared to have learned Bruce how to fight, as although there is no outright definitive proof of this, we do see the two fight, showing that Alfred can more than handle himself, which leads me to believe that he probably taught Bruce, which was a nice addition.

Talking about Alfred I was very happy with the changes that were made to him, as although I love the Alfred we know from the ongoing series, I enjoyed seeing a new side to the character, which was much more fitting to a modern take on Batman. Anyway, Alfred starts as Thomas' planed head of security, having previous military experience. Upon Thomas, and Martha's death, Alfred becomes Bruce's guardian, and tells Bruce that he's his butler. This was also a very clever way of making Alfred something different, whilst ultimately having him as a butler, and I really enjoyed this. The new look in design was also a nice change, and Frank did a great job of that as well.

Alfred wasn't the only person to have a change in characteristics, with the other noticeable change being to Detective Harvey Bullock, who in this version is a slim, cop from Hollywood that had his own TV series called Hollywood Detective. I found this a very fun change to this character, as although there will be some that dislike this, I personally enjoyed it, as although there were a lot of changes to him, Johns would show hints of the character we all know from the ongoing series. I also enjoyed seeing the way he interacted with Gordon, and the development in their relationship was almost as interesting as the development of Bruce, and Alfred's. It was also interesting to see Bullock adapt to the different environment of Gotham, and overall Johns did a brilliant job with this character.

This story would follow in the same footsteps as Superman: Earth One, as we get the introduction of a new villain in the form of the Birthday Boy. The Birthday Boy is a serial killer who has a fascination for girls of a certain age, calling them Amanda. To be honest there isn't a great deal to like about the Birthday Boy, and although I still feel that it was best to have a low level villain for this first book, he won't be one that I'll remember in years to come. I did however also like that he was a big muscular enemy for Batman, giving him a proper challenge, and when it came to fighting he was decent enough, and although the fight was exciting mainly due to Batman, he did give Batman one hell of a fight.

Although the Birthday Boy is the villain that we see Batman up against in this story, the true villain is none other than Mayor Cobblepot, who Batman fans will know better as the Penguin. Now although Cobblepot doesn't get his hands too dirty, relying on goons, and the Birthday Boy, he is every bit the villain that we know from the ongoing series, and besides that fact he's mayor there wasn't many changes to him. I did however like the fact that he wasn't called the Penguin in this story, making it seem that much more realistic, as well as slightly unique, as although Batman fans will know Cobblepot as the Penguin, it makes it slightly different. I also loved how Cobblepot was maniacal, and really didn't seem to care for anyone bar himself, which although not surprising, did add more character to him. The fact that Cobblepot used his positions as mayor to his advantage was also interesting, and I loved how he'd manage to have every cop in his pocket, even the less likely of candidates like Gordon, showing the level of power he'd amassed.

Final Verdict

This was a phenomenal story, and although some long time Batman fans may be upset by this, I'm sure most people will like it. I'd also say that if you enjoyed Superman: Earth One, then you should at least try this, as it's just as good, and just as exciting. The changes were also very interesting, and the overall story was very dynamic, and dramatic. Johns also showed a great level of understanding for the character's, as although he made the changes I talked about, deep down every character was the exact same on the inside, with the same fundamentals. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this book (and Superman: Earth One if you have already read that), and can't wait for the sequel, especially after the fabulous teaser at the end of this book.

Rating: 5/5

Justice League #20 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Gene Ha, Andres Guinaldo & Joe Prado

Since this series started the New 52 it's been nothing short of amazing, and although it may have had the odd blip along the way, it's always been fun, and unique, and well worth the purchase. With Trinity War creeping ever so closer I really look forward to seeing what's in store for the Justice League, and what causes them to clash with the Justice League of America, and Justice League Dark.

Plot

After getting food for the Justice League, Element Woman returns to the Justice League Watchtower to find the rest of the new recruits being attacked by Despero.

Shazam! Chapter 12

Now captured by Black Adam, Billy Batson finally learns the truth about Black Adam.

Review

This was yet another brilliant issue, and although the series is still not quite to the highest level that it's been in the past, it's still much better than it was a couple of issues ago. Geoff Johns has been doing an excellent job with the Justice League over the last couple of years, and although it's not always been perfect, most issues have been very enjoyable. I loved how in this issue Johns was able to make it fun, and lighthearted in places, whilst also making it very dramatic, and suspenseful in others, and he found the right consistency in this issue. I also liked how Johns managed to add some mystery throughout this issue, as there were things that left you speculating as to what's actually going on, which was nice, and really added another layer of drama to this issue. I did however find it slightly disappointing that the Justice League didn't feature as much as I'd have liked in this issue, as although I know that Johns is currently trying to focus more on the new recruits to the Justice League, which is nice, I'd still like to see more of the Justice League that I've enjoyed reading over the last two years. Johns did however also do an amazing job with the action in this issue, and overall he did a great job on the issue, and I'm sure it will get even better with Trinity War.

I wasn't entirely sure what to think of the art in this issue, as although I was upset that Ivan Reis once again was missing an issue, it wasn't the worst art that I've seen, as Gene Ha, Andres Guinaldo, and Joe Prado's pencils were decent, as was Zander Cannon's layouts. Having not seen much art from any of these artists I'm not entirely sure about who did what in the issue, so I'll refrain from naming anyone when talking about a specific piece of art, and most of my comments will be about the collective in general. The art that I probably liked most in this issue was during the fight against Despero, as although it wasn't excellent, it was very dynamic, and dramatic, and really helped to make the sequence feel more alive. I also felt that along with this, Cannon's layouts were the next best thing about the artwork in this issue, as it really made the whole story flow smoothly, and yet again added more drama to the story. I did however notice that due to having multiple artists working on the same issue that the artwork was a little inconsistent, as there were parts that were very smooth, and others that were much rougher, and although none of these were bad, it would have been nicer if the art was more consistent.

This issue opened with one of the new Justice League recruits, Element Woman, ordering food for the Justice League. Now prior to her appearance in this series I've known nothing about Element Woman, and with her having not had a huge role until now I still didn't really know anything about her until this issue. I have to say she's one of the most wackiest character's that I've seen in recent years, and if there wasn't character's like Howard the Duck, and Doop out there I may have even classed her as the wackiest. I did however find her very interesting, and loved how she added a bit of fun to the issue, especially with the fact that she was buying food for the Justice League, which was a bit mad in itself. I do however question whether she'll be a valuable member to the team in the long run, but only time will tell.

The big thing about this issue had to be the presence of Despero, who was shocked with what he found at the Justice League Watchtower. Now Despero isn't one of my favourite villains, but there's no denying that he's a force to be reckoned with, and that's shown in this issue. The fight that Despero put up against these recruits was brilliant, and easily the best thing about the issue. I also loved how this gave the recruits the chance to get used working as part of a team, as they've not really had experience in that field in the past, so to have a villain of this magnitude face them was no mean feat. I won't go into any more details about this fight, as I'm afraid I'll spoil something, but I will say that it was very enjoyable, and especially the ending.

One of the things I notice whilst reading this issue was that Atom (Rhonda Pineda) kept thinking about a secret that she had, and how she didn't want it getting out, as well as feeling guilty about it. Now in fact it was during a second read through that I really noticed this, and was surprised that I didn't notice it the first time round (couldn't have been paying enough attention). Anyway I won't go into any details about this secret, as to yet again avoid spoilers, but the mystery that it added to the issue was brilliant, as it really added more drama to the issue, and I really enjoyed speculating what it was.

As I said a little earlier, the Justice League don't appear in this issue as much as I'd have initially hoped they would. Whilst the recruits handle Despero, the League are still in discussion as to how Batman got the Kryptonite Ring in the first place, and why he felt it his duty to plan for the worst case scenario. Now most of this didn't really do much for the issue, as the main chunk of the entertainment came from the Despero fight, but it was nice to see that the League wasn't sitting doing nothing, and I really look forward to seeing if any of them change their minds on Batman's actions, or whether things will stay as they are.

One of the things I've loved the most over the last year has been the Shazam! back-ups, and it will be a shame to see them end with the next issue. This wasn't the best chapter in this back-up story, not by a long shot, as although it was very entertaining, it was nowhere near as good as some of the previous chapters have been. The story in this chapter actually went along fairly quickly, as although each chapter only lasting about eight pages, this one felt a bit shorter, even though it wasn't. That was probably due to the story only focusing on one thing instead of a couple, with it mainly telling the true origin of Black Adam. Now I found this issue very interesting, and loved how Johns rectified the things that I questioned about the previous instalment, which was nice. The art from Gary Frank was also once again amazing, and I've been very happy that he's worked on this story, and look forward to seeing him produce a full issue worth of art in the next issue. His style just suits all the character's, especially Black Adam, and Shazam!, and his layout really makes the story that more dramatic. He also adds ton's of emotion to the character's, and he's truly a wonderful artist, and I will miss seeing him on these back-up chapters.

Final Verdict

This was an excellent issue, and a brilliant issue in the lead-up to Trinity War. This issue was very fun, and entertaining, whilst also being dramatic, and serious, also having a hint of mystery to it, which really made the issue diverse. It also had some amazing action, and dialogue, and if this is a sign of things to come, Trinity War should be amazing. I'd highly recommend this issue, and the entire series, as although it's had the odd poor issue along the way, in general it's been amazing.

Rating: 4/5

Justice League #19 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

This has been an amazing series, and although it's not always hit the top mark quality wise, it's always been interesting, and overall the series is amazing. Also with the upcoming Trinity War which will also include Justice League of America, and Justice League Dark it's a very exciting time to be a Justice League fan.

Plot

Someone breaks into the Batcave, and steals something. Also Superman, and Wonder Woman travel to Kahndaq to help the people, and Firestorm, and Atom (Rhonda Pineda) wait for the Justice League in the Justice League Satellite.

Shazam! Part 11

Billy Batson travels with his friends to try and get rid of the power of Shazam! but Francesca tells him the origin of Black Adam.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and the series is back to being brilliant again. Last issue was a little poor, and although it was interesting it let the series down, but thankfully Geoff Johns has managed to bring the quality back up to what I expect, by producing an amazing issue. Johns did an amazing job of giving something that was not just exciting, but interesting, as there was plenty of action in this issue, but also mystery, and drama. There was also fun moments in this story as well, which was nice, as it added another layer to the overall tone of the issue. I also loved how Johns has managed to continue previous story plots like the development of Superman, and Wonder Woman's relationship, as well as introducing new elements. This issue however wasn't quite perfect, as at times it felt a bit slow, and it also felt like too much was going on at once, but overall it was still amazing.

The art was amazing, and I was ecstatic to see Ivan Reis back on the series. Now I know that it was only one issue that he was absent for, and Jesus Saiz didn't do a bad job of filling in, but it was solicited that Reis would be doing the art for the last issue, and I was disappointed when it wasn't the case, also questioning if the solicits for the following issues were also true or not. Anyway, Reis did a phenomenal job of the artwork, and he really seems to suit this series, as I've never seen a bad piece of art from him so far. I also love how Reis is able to draw vast amount of characters in one sequence without losing any detail, as the detail is amazing, with everything looking perfect. Reis' art is also very dramatic, as the way he lays it out, it really gives more depth. The emotion on the character's expressions are also fabulous, as he even manages to show emotion on Red Hood (Jason Todd), and considering he's got a helmet covering his face that isn't easy.

I'll start by talking about the cover, and although I don't usually talk much about covers unless they're amazing, this time I'm talking about it cause it's misleading. The cover show Batman using his Kryptonite Ring against Superman, which suggests that there's a reason Batman needs to do this, Batman's getting controlled somehow, or that there's an imposter Batman. None of these were the case, as it was actually that someone stole Batman's Kryptonite Ring from his Batcave. Although this made it more interesting, and mysterious it was still slightly disappointing.

When the robber stole the Kryptonite Ring, it appeared to be from a box with Superman's emblem on it, and there appeared to be a box for each Justice League member. Although I've not actually read JLA: Tower of Babel, I have read the plot online, and this appears to be in a very similar vein, as Batman appears to have contingencies against all the members, but with actual objects being stored instead of computer files. I do like it when the New 52 throwback to a previous story from pre-New 52, but at the same time I always question whether it's necessary, and the right thing to do. I'm still not quite sure whether this is the right thing, as Johns probably could have thought of something a little more unique, but with the team still being fairly new, and Batman being mistrusting it's an interesting element, and with Trinity War coming up it makes the build-up more exciting. This also made me question how Batman got the Kryptonite Ring in the first place as pre-New 52 he was given it by Superman himself, but it appears that this is no longer the case.

The introduction of Atom to this issue was brilliant, and although she's appeared before this is the first real time we get to see more of her. I liked how she was introduced in a fun way, and although I won't spoil it, I will say that it was very clever, as well as fun. The interaction between Atom and Firestorm was also interesting, but I found Firestorm taking to himself out loud a bit confusing, as usually it's obvious that they're two people in one, whereas this just looked like one person with a split personality. I don't however follow The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men so I don't know if there have been any developments there that would explain that, but I still found it a bit weird, and confusing.

The development in Superman, and Wonder Woman's relationship was brilliant in this issue, and I was happy to see it continue. We've had their relationship develop on and off since their famous kiss in Justice League #12, but with there always being something happening in between there hasn't been a lot of chance for proper development, so it was nice to see some in this issue. Seeing them working together was brilliant, but the thing that interested me the most was how Batman felt on the subject. It was revealed in Justice League #14 that Batman knew of Superman, and Wonder Woman's relationship, but we've never actually seen his opinion on the subject. I won't go into any details as to avoid spoilers, but it was very interesting, and I look forward to seeing how it develops in the next issue.

The Shazam! back-ups have been one of the best things about this series over the last year, and although the series itself has still been awesome, with Throne of Atlantis being exceptionally brilliant, this has been the thing that I look forward to the most. This was not the best chapter in the story so far, but it was still brilliant, and very interesting. I really liked the emotion that was shown throughout, especially from Billy, as he seemed to be a bit frightened at the star, but changes gradually throughout. I also loved seeing the backstory to Black Adam, as it showed brilliant insight into the character, and why he's possibly the way he is. I did however also like that there was mystery left with this, as although it revealed certain things about Black Adam's backstory, it still left with me questioning whether there was more to it, which I'm sure there is. It was also nice to see Francesca back, and although I don't know much about her personally, I found her an interesting character last time round, and was happy to see her make another appearance. Gary Frank's artwork on this chapter was also brilliant, and like always it was amazing, with fantastic detail, and also showing brilliant character emotion, and drama.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue, and although the series is still not quite as good as it was during Throne of Atlantis, it's still very exciting, and interesting, and the way the series is going in the build up to Trinity War is fantastic. I also loved the mysteriousness of the issue, and the Shazam! back-up story continues to be an amazing addition, and one of the best things about the series. Although last issue was disappointing I'd highly recommend this one as the series is back to it's average level of quality, and this issue itself was amazing.

Rating: 4/5

Justice League #18 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jesus Saiz

Coming of the breathtakingly brilliant Throne of Atlantis story, Justice League has big shoes to fill, and with the upcoming Trinity War story coming it needs to show that it can continue being brilliant, especially considering within two issues Justice League of America has been a better series (although it's only been two issues).

Plot

After the events of Throne of Atlantis the Justice League agree that there needs to be new members that can act on a more permanent basis in case something prevents a current member from acting, so Cyborg uses the Grid to find candidates.



Shazam! Part 10

Mr. Bryer comes to Billy Batson's foster home with the police wanting him arrested, but with Billy not being there he is dismissed. After that the remaining children in the foster home follow Freddy Freeman in searching for Billy.

Review

This wasn't the best issue in the series, so far, but it wasn't the worst. Geoff Johns had a lot to live up to after the brilliant Throne of Atlantis story, but I never expected this issue to match that. I did however find the issue very interesting, and liked how Johns handled the whole Grid situation. Although not very exciting, Johns did however do a good job on the issue besides that, as it had some very interesting sequences, and concepts, a well as leaving some interesting teasers. I also liked that Cyborg had a bigger role in this issue, and felt Johns also handled this well, but I'll talk more about this later on in my review.

The absence of Ivan Reis was noticeable from page one, and I was disappointed as he was solicited as bring the artist. Jesus Saiz did however do a very good job of the art in this issue, and although I'd prefer Reis working on the art, Saiz did do better than a lot of other artists who have worked on Justice League titles in the past. Saiz' art was very detailed, and I actually liked how he drew the characters. Although his art wasn't as beautiful as Reis', it was still very lively, and showed a lot of dynamic. Saiz' also did a brilliant job of the characters facial expressions, and the odd action sequence that featured in this issue was drawn perfectly, giving a very dramatic feel. I do however hope that the solicits are true for the next few issues of Justice League, and that Reis is doing the art, as I really missed it on this issue.

What is the Grid? The Grid is what Cyborg uses to find the potential superheroes to be members of the Justice League. He uses this to find their phone numbers, and homes, and I personally found this controversial, and something unexpected of Cyborg. I'm not surprised that Cyborg is capable of this, as to be honest it's something that I'd imagine wouldn't be that hard for him to do, but I do question whether it's morally right prying into the affairs of other hero's, as some may hold their secret identity close. I would expect this sort of thing from Batman, and when it was revealed that he was involved in some way I wasn't surprised, but at the same time I never thought that Cyborg would do such a thing without consulting the League, although I understand him using it during the Throne of Atlantis storyline, as that was a life an death situation for the planet, let alone the League. I do however wonder if the League will follow up on this, showing their feelings towards it. It was however a very interesting concept, and Johns handled it brilliantly.

Despite finding it morally wrong, I like how the Grid was put into effect, with hero's receiving random messages from the Justice League telling them that they could help. What was most interesting about this was the reaction from the characters on the receiving end, as the shock was obvious, and Saiz' art showed it well. I also liked that Johns took the time to delve into the normal lives of some of these hero's as having not read any of the series the featured characters receiving messages are in, it was nice to see their world.

The meeting at the Justice League Satellite was very interesting, and so was the discussion between the League before that. What I really liked during this conversation was actually that Flash (Barry Allen) made a reference to not being present in the Throne of Atlantis, and why, which helped show that the timelines were in sync. The sequence where the selected hero's arrive in the Satellite was interesting, but not as interesting as I'd have hoped. There were some conversations that were more interesting than others, like Firestorm's conversation with Superman, but overall it wasn't as interesting as I'd have hoped. I did however like Nightwing's (Dick Grayson) reaction to the meeting. Zatanna's appearance was also interesting, as she was a member of the Justice League Dark, but apparently John Constantine's removed her permanently from the team. I've never read Justice League Dark, but I have recently acquired most issues from issue 9, so I don't know exactly what happened with the JLD, and Zatanna, but this makes me more interested to find out.

As I said there wasn't much action in this issue, but the small sequence to feature action was exciting. I won't go into details as it happens late in the issue, and I hate spoiling anything, but I will say that it was an interesting turn of events, and the attentive reader will see it coming. The way everyone reacted to the event was also very interesting, as due to the circumstances most would be shocked about it even happening. Another thing I liked about this was the aftermath, as it provided a brilliant conclusion to the issue, and has me interested in the next issue.

The Shazam! back-ups featuring Billy Batson as the magical Shazam! character has been the thing I've loved most in this series over the last year, and although this wasn't the best chapter in the story so far, it was still very good, and very interesting. There was two things that I really liked about this issue, and the first of them was the involvement of Mr. Bryer. This showed that the development of character, with Billy standing up to Bryer wasn't for nothing, and also that it wasn't forgotten, as it showed the characteristics that made Billy the perfect candidate for becoming Shazam! The other thing I liked was that the rest of the foster family, and more importantly Tawky Tawny were involved. I've not read a lot of Shazam! prior to the New 52, but I have read-up on his history, and from what I have read, the tiger, Tawky Tawny was my favourite character, bar Shazam! himself, so it was nice seeing him featured. I also loved that it showed that Billy wasn't an idiot, and that he was afraid of Black Adam. The art from Gary Frank was once again fabulous, and it's really detailed, making Johns amazing story look phenomenal.

Final Verdict

This wasn't the best issue in the series so far, but it was interesting, and it does have a very interesting conclusion. It didn't have much action, or excitement, but I never expected it to, but it was still interesting, and still better than a lot of series out there. I would still recommend this issue, as it was interesting, but I would advise newer readers to tread with caution, as it isn't the best issue to entice you into the series.

Rating: 3/5

Justice League #16 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

Initially I wasn't going to review this issue, or the remaining issues in the Throne of Atlantis crossover due to not being able to review everything I wanted to. I however wanted to review the final issue of the crossover, and thought that it wouldn't make sense missing a couple, so went back to review this issue.

Plot

Aquaman has to fight between both sides, and the rest of the Atlantean army coming to play, leaving little hope for the surface dwellers.

Shazam! Part 9

In the backup story featuring Shazam! (Billy Batson), Shazam!, and Black Adam finally meat each other in an epic fight.

Review

This crossover has been truly brilliant, and although the first two parts weren't perfect the storyline is finally becoming strong. I've loved most of Geoff Johns work over the last few years, and although this series has had a few rough patches, it has been one of my favourites. The way he integrates all these characters is just brilliant, and he knows exactly when to add some development to the team. After the gripping conclusion to last issue I was really looking forward to this issue, and where Aquaman's allegiances lie. What I've especially loved about this storylines is how Johns has been able to connect the two series together, and how he's taken every character into consideration, even though it mainly centres around Aquaman.

Although I'm still slightly upset that Ivan Reis won't be drawing Aquaman any more I'm very happy that he's moved onto this series, and overall I think he's more suited here. Although Aquaman is a brilliant comic with all the additional characters floating about in this series it needs a brilliant artist, especially now that Jim Lee won't be on it any more as he will be working on a new Superman series with Scott Snyder. This was also the best storyline to do the switch, as due to Aquaman being the main character it makes the transition from both series a lot smoother. Anyway Reis once again blows my mind with his artwork, and everything looks amazing, and I truly think that Reis can jump on any series and make it look beautiful. The fight sequences in this issue were epic, and Reis really produced the goods, making them look even better than they were. The detail in his artwork is also outstanding, and it doesn't matter if it's a vast picture with many characters, a fight sequence, or an emotional sequence, the detail's always perfect.

As I said earlier the conclusion to last issue really set the tone for this issue, but it was the fight sequences that really made this issue as good as it was. To be honest most of the issue is a gigantic fight, and although that's not always a brilliant thing this time it was. Although epic giant fight sequences don't really tend to push a story forward much, and usually are added to give some excitement, and add to the page count. Johns however was able to progress the story through the fight sequence as the dialogue was brilliantly written. Besides the dialogue the art in the fight sequences really shone through, and between both the art, and the writing it lead for a very exciting, and dramatic sequence.

The thing that really showed in this issue was the Ocean Master's characteristics. Although Aquaman fans will know that Ocean Master is a villain it is this story that shows this for the first time since the New 52. This issue shows that Ocean Master isn't willing to listen to anything that Aquaman has to say, and it looks like he's using this as the perfect opportunity of attacking the surface more than actually wanting to protect Atlantis.

The most interesting part about this issue was how the Justice League and Aquaman got along together. As I've already said the ending of the last issue was very interesting, and it was mainly due to finding out where Aquaman's allegiances lie, so seeing him fighting the League (all be it half-heartedly) was interesting, and what was more interesting was how little the League understood Aquaman. You'd have thought that the League would have supported Aquaman, and although at the end of the day they need to think of the rest of the world first they should have left Aquaman to try and sort things out for a bit longer. This however really eat into Ocean Master's hands, and Aquaman decided what side he was on, although I won't spoil that.

Another thing I loved during this issue was when Superman got really angry. Although Superman has been angry in the past I can't recall ever seeing him as mad as he is during this issue. The art from Ivan Reis, as well as the colouring from Rod Reis is in my opinion what really helped to show this as it was simply amazing, and showed that they can even make this very angry expression look beautiful.

Whilst all this is happening Cyborg takes Dr. Stephen Shin and Vulko to the Justice League Watchtower I don't really want to talk much about what happens in this sequence as it will most likely spoil the ending of the issue, but I will say that it's very interesting, and the ending of the issue is awesome.

The Shazam! back-up story continues to get better and better, with this being the best part yet. I've really been looking forward to the fight between Shazam! and Black Adam finally happening. Gary Frank continues to do an amazing job on the artwork, and it really bring the right tone to the story, as it's full of brilliant details, and great emotions. What I liked most about this part of the story was that for the first time since becoming Shazam! Billy realizes that he's not quite as invincible as he thought he was. What I liked better though was that Billy wasn't just going to sit back and take it, and that he stuck to character by standing up to the bully. The issue once more has a terrific ending which makes me want to see the next part of the story.

Final Verdict

A brilliant issue, and the best part in the Throne of Atlantis storyline yet. I would highly recommend this issue to anyone, as well as the story so far, as it's been a very good story.

Rating: 5/5

Justice League #15 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

I have been a fan of this series since the start, and although it's had a couple of rough patches it's still been an excellent series, and one of my favourites in the New 52. Geoff Johns has done an excellent job writing this series, and although I was a little upset when I heard Jim Lee wouldn't be doing the art after issue12, his replacement Ivan Reis is just as good. Reis addition to this series does however mean that he will no longer be doing art on the brilliant Aquaman series, but Aquaman's loss is Justice Leagues gain.

Plot

After being accidentally attacked by missiles, Atlantis initiate the Atlantean War Plans, and engulf Gotham City, and Metropolis, as well as other locations in water killing people. This issue also sees Superman taking Wonder Woman on a date.

Shazam! Part 8

In the backup story featuring Shazam! (Billy Batson), Shazam stops multiple robbery attempts and also learns that he can fly.

Review

This was a brilliant start to the Throne of Atlantis crossover. It isn't the best issue of Justice League I have ever read, but it is slightly better than the last issue, and very good considering that it's starting a brand new story, which crosses over into another series. I liked how Johns continued this from the last issue of Justice League with Superman and Wonder Woman continuing their discussion from the last issue, and how this new story is slipped in during this. I also loved how the Justice League was split into smaller groups, with Aquaman and Batman working together, Superman and Wonder Woman working together, and Cyborg in the Justice League Watchtower. The location of Flash is also questionable during this issue, but I just assume that this didn't affect him, or he was preoccupied with something else.

As I said I loved the art, and warmly welcome Ivan Reis as the new Justice League artist. His art in Aquaman, and Blackest Night was brilliant, and having already drawn most of the Justice League members in the past, whether in the regular universe, or the cover of Earth 2 #1, so he was the perfect choice to replace Jim Lee as the artist on Justice League. Don't get me wrong I loved Tony Daniel's art over the last couple of issues, as I said in my reviews, but Reis' art has something more appealing towards it. He's also the perfect choice for this story because he's been drawing Aquaman for over a year now, and with this story mainly focusing on him and Atlantis, it makes sense to have Reis. Besides this Reis art is simply beautiful, and has ton's of detail. Rod Reis also does a brilliant job with the colouring of this issue, and he really makes Ivan Reis' art even more beautiful. I especially like how he get's the shine on the costumes, mainly Superman's S.

Aquaman in Gotham

Aquaman visits Gotham in this issue to ask Batman for help. I wouldn't have seen this coming, as with both characters being very proud and stubborn I'd have thought that Aquaman would have only asked for help at the last resort. I did however like that Aquaman starts by helping Batman, and that he acknowledges that they don't always see eye to eye. It was also interesting in this issue, as Batman appears to be sorry for Aquaman when he tells him about being torn between the land and the sea. I also found it funny when one of the cops who's cousin works in Boston (where Aquaman's from) makes jokes comparing Batman and Aquaman after another Cop asks if his cousin works with Aquaman, like James Gordon works with Batman.

It was also interesting seeing at the start of the issue the reason why Atlantis put it's War Plans into effect, and it also leaves a lot of questions about who changed the co-ordinates of the missile. This did however give Ocean Master the perfect excuse for attacking the land, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was somehow behind it.

Superman Explaining to Wonder Woman
why Clark Kent is his Mask

Superman continues explaining to Wonder Woman about why Clark Kent is his mask, and not Superman. Although there was all the Throne of Atlantis stuff going on in this issue this was the sequence that I liked the most. Any Superman fan knows the reason for Clark Kent being Superman's mask, but it was interesting seeing him explain it to Wonder Woman, who doesn't know much about secret identities, as she's always Wonder Woman. The date between Wonder Woman and Superman in this issue was also interesting, and I loved that Clark showed her how to hide her identity like he does, by putting glasses, and a suit on her, and having her hair tied up.

Shazam Can Fly

The Shazam! backup story was once again brilliant, and always worth reading. Although it's not been the best part in the Shazam! story it was still very fun and the set up for the next part was brilliant. Gary Frank really does a terrific job on the artwork, and really brings this story to life, with ton's of detail. I also enjoyed seeing Shazam! fly for the first time in this issue, and how he reacted to the prospect of being a child again. Freddy Freeman has also been a brilliant friend to Billy and it's nice that Billy becoming Shazam! has made them closer friends, as they were far from friends at the start of this story. It was also nice to see Shazam! stopping robbers, and I'm really looking forward to the next part, which should be the best yet.

Final Verdict

A good start, and I hope that this will be a great crossover. I would highly recommend this issue, as well as Aquaman #15, which was also out this week, and am looking forward to Justice League #16, and the continuation of the Throne of Atlantis storyline.

Rating: 4/5

Justice League #14

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Tony Daniel

I have enjoyed this series so far and although it has had it's ups and downs it has overall been a good series. I have loved what Geoff Johns has been doing with the series and although I was slightly disappointed with how he used Darkseid in the opening story he has done a brilliant job since adding some surprises along the way. The other thing I have loved about this series for a good few issues is the Shazam! backup story which was nice to see back after not making an appearance last issue.

Plot

This issue sees the Justice League trying to cure Superman from Cheetah's attack (which turned him into a Cheetah like creature). Meanwhile Wonder Woman along with the Flash and Aquaman try to capture Cheetah.

Shazam! Part 7

In the backup story featuring Shazam! sees Black Adam with Dr. Sivana aiding him tries to understand this world and starts by dealing with a rich man who's taken pensions away from his workers. Meanwhile Billy Batson along with his friend Freddy Freeman decide what to do with the money that's left from Billy saving a woman.

Review

This was a good issue, but I felt that it was a bit of a disappointing ending, which was nothing like I expected. This issue was kind of rushed and Johns used the space to continue on the Superman, Wonder Woman relationship, whereas it would have probably been better leaving that for a later issue. He did however add a few added questions and bonuses to the issue which left the door open for future stories but as I said I'd rather it was focused on finishing what was the start of a good story. His work on the Shazam! backup story was a lot better in this issue, and probably the best thing about the issue, although I'll talk about that more further on.

Tony Daniel's art in this issue was amazing and I'm happy to see him back at what he does best. His art over the course of the last two issues have been fantastic and although some of the panels haven't been as good as some of his previous work it's still very well done. I like how he adds elements from the style he used on Batman during Detective Comics and prior work whilst adding both something new and something that fitted with the style Jim Lee had already established for the series. Seeing Daniel's art on these two issues have made me remember why I'd buy a comic cause his name was on it and I'm looking forward to seeing him work on Action Comics next year. I am also looking forward to seeing Ivan Reis join this series next issue and look forward to seeing his skills utilised on this series, although I will be sad to see him leave Aquaman and hope the series doesn't go down hill after that. Gary Frank's art on the back up story is brilliant and I love how he draws all the characters, whether Billy, Freddy, Black Adam or Dr. Sivana, and love how his unique style along with Brad Anderson's colours make this a brilliant back story.

The fight between the Justice League and Cheetah in this issue was very short and it felt like no effort was put into it at all. I was expecting a huge blown out fight that would be epic whereas we got a fight that wasn't really a fight and fizzled out not long into it. It is teased that Cheetah might not be gone and I hope if she features in this series again that we will get the fight we deserved to see this time.

After the fight with Cheetah we see Wonder Woman questioning her judgement and Superman trying to console her. Superman eventually takes her to a cafe in Smallville, which any Superman fan will know is where Superman grew up. This was a fun scene and although I still would have preferred a better fight between the Justice League and Cheetah I've also wanted to see where the Superman/Wonder Woman kiss from issue 12 would lead. The reaction from both the people who owned the cafe and the customers themselves was brilliant and it was nice to see that even in a small quiet town like Smallville the presence of Superman and Wonder Woman can bring a crowd. I look forward to seeing where this leads and was only disappointed that it took away from the story last issue set up.

The issue ends with a page showing Batman casually looking on at Superman and Wonder Woman's trip to Smallville. This leaves the question of what Batman thinks about the possibility of Superman and Wonder Woman the most powerful man and woman in the world getting together as a couple. This page also made me think of the events from JLA: Tower of Babel where Batman had collected information which allowed him to construct contingency plans in case any Just League member went rogue so he could take them down. These plans landed up getting into the hands of a group of villains and the Justice League where in a bad situation thanks to Batman. Although I haven't read the story itself I have read the summary due to watching Justice League: Doom which had an similar/adapted plot. This probably won't land up being anything like Tower of Babel but it does appear that Batman doesn't fully trust the Justice League and that he's going to keep a close eye on them without them knowing. It will be interesting to findd out if this leads anywhere and what Batman will think of Superman and Wonder Woman's relationship.

The back story in this issue was brilliant and one of the best things to have come to the series. I've never been a huge fan of Shazam! prior to this not knowing much more than he says Shazam! to become Captain Marvel, he uses magic and his enemy is Black Adam. Since this story started featuring as the back story I have learned a lot more about the character and get more and more interested to find out the development of this story. I like how this issue more focused on Black Adam as since he was introduced a few months back now it's mainly been about the development of Billy becoming Shazam I liked how despite the fact Adam has been imprisoned for thousands of years he still sees the world as something that needs destroyed and rebuilt and that he will be the one to do it. Although he only featured for a few pages it was nice that Shazam was still acknowledged and look forward and hope to see him next issue. This back story has also made me want to see a Shazam! series come out and although I've long wanted Cyborg to get his own series due to him being the only Justice League member without I'd much prefer a Shazam! one with Johns and Frank working on it as we know what we'd get.

Final Verdict

This was a good issue but a slightly disappointing and funny way to end what looked to be a brilliant two part story. The backup story featuring Shazam! is probably the best thing about this issue and although the story's slow progressing it's still very good. I would recommend this issue for the Shazam! backup but if you're not bothered about that and missed last issue I'd recommend waiting till Throne of Atlantis starts next issue (Prelude to Throne of Atlantis in Aquaman #14 next week).

Rating: 4/5

The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk

Writer: Greg Pak
Artists: Carlo Pagulayan, Aaron Lopresti & Gary Frank

Hulk has been one of my top rated characters since I was young and I loved this big giant unpredictable character who deep down is just a very misunderstood character and not the monster he was made out to be. Greg Pak has done an amazing job with Hulk over the years and both this book and World War Hulk were what got me into reading Hulk comics when I started collecting.

Plot

This story starts with Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Black Bolt sending Hulk to a planet where there is no intelligent life form that Hulk can harm or be bothered by. However Hulk's ship goes through a portal which takes him to the planet Sakaar were he is made a gladiator. He angers the Red King when he tries to kill him and is put in the Maw. There he becomes Warbound with Miek , Korg, Hiroim, Elloe, and No-name of the Brood. Hulk plans to escape his slavery and kill the Red King and during his journey it is asked whether he is the Sakaarson who is prophesied to bring life and piece back to the planet or the Worldbreaker who is prophesied to destroy the planet.

Review

This was a brilliant book and probably the best Hulk story ever told (in my opinion). Pak has done an amazing job in this book and I don't think it could have been any better than it was. This book has tones of great things about it but the thing I probably loved most about it was the emotion. It was nice to see the transformation in the Hulk's feelings throughout this book and it was also nice to see him have proper friends for a change. I also liked how we see some traits form the Hulk's past shown and that due to him being betrayed by friends in the past he is wary whether to fully trust his new friends.

The art throughout this book was amazing and think Pagulaya, Lopresti, and Frank were brilliant on this story. Pagulayan's art in particular was very nice and he did an excellent job of drawing all these different characters, whilst keeping detail in the backgrounds. Although I like Frank's work in general I don't think his contribution to this story suited the story itself, and that his line shading art is very different to Pagulaya or Lopresti's art. I also loved Jose Ladrönn's covers throughout this book and he did an amazing job at showing the events in the issue without spoiling it.

I also thought it was great to see all these new characters be introduced and although Hulk has had a brilliant cast of allies and villains in the past it was nice to see something fresh. I also thought Pak did a great job writing these new characters and was happy that he went into detail about there background and didn't just chuck them into the story without explaining where they're from or what's happened to them. The two new characters I especially liked were Miek and Korg. I liked Korg because he was the soul of the team providing encouragement to the group. He also is a very good companion for Hulk as both are brutish characters with tones of strength. I enjoyed the Miek character because he added humour to the story and character wise is a lot different to Hulk, as he's weak and naturally a coward but with Hulk as a friend becomes braver whilst finding strength within.

The fights throughout this book were amazing and I loved how Hulk was made a gladiator. I did however feel that some of the fights were a bit short and although Hulk can defeat most things easily it would have been nicer for them to have longer. Ending some of the early fights quickly story wise was probably a good thing as not only does it add surprise (as in you'd expect a huge fight for it to end in seconds) whilst showing from an early point that Hulk is extremely powerful and possibly the strongest being to ever set foot on planet Sakaar.

The addition of Silver Surfer during this story and although he wasn't in it long it was nice to see someone Hulk knew on Sakaar. The fight between Hulk and Surfer was immense and possibly the best fight in the book. I also liked how Hulk recognises Surfer as a friend and the pain he shows when Surfer attacks him due to the obedience disc. I also enjoyed that even though the other members of Hulk's Warbound tried to fight the Surfer that the fight was mainly focused on Hulk and Surfer. I also liked how you can see that Surfer doesn't really want to fight Hulk but that due to the obedience disc in his chest he has no option but. I also thought it was a very smart idea to have Surfer use his board as a shield during the fight.

The Red King was a brilliant villain and loved how like a true villain he only cared about himself and would do anything to get what he wanted. I also loved his reaction towards the Hulk throughout this story as before and during Hulk's arrival the Red King has dictated over Sakaar with no one questioning him living and that now Hulk is here there is actually someone that can pose a threat to his reign.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing story and will probably be one of my favourite Hulk stories for years to come. I would highly recommend this book as Pak has done an excellent job, and it has tones of violence, emotion and unpredictability. Also if you are a new to the Hulk character this is a brilliant story as you don't need any prior knowledge of the character to enjoy it.

Rating: 5/5