Comics Reviews: Week of July 27th, 2011

A bit of foreword: This is the first venture of a new weekly column wherein I read and summarize/review the comics that I get every week. Since this is the first time I've done this, it'll probably need a lot of work. These reviews will be mostly spoiler-free and quick. Many stories will be re-read and re-reviewed in trade format (sometimes it's easier to understand the entire story when you can read it all at once).

I don't buy comics in a timely manner, so some of the books may not have been released the week of the review. And yes, there is a large focus on DC Comics at the moment. But I do stray. If you have any suggestions of titles, I'd love to hear them.

Now, let's get started!

For reviews of Wonder Woman related comics from July 27th, 2011, check out Champion of Themyscira, my Wonder Woman blog. Two issues were reviewed: Wonder Woman #613 and Retroactive: Wonder Woman - The 1970s.

Zatanna #15
Written by Derek Fridolfs
Art by Jamal Igle (pencils), John Dell (inks), John Kalisz (colors), Pat Brosseau (letters), and Adam Hughes (cover)
Witch Hunt
Released July 27th, 2011
DC Comics
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Zatanna's voice is taken out of commission*, and she must rely on her wits and non-magical training in order to take out a group of Hunters (people who hunt and destroy "Warlocks, vampir, werebeasts, sasquatchen" and witches).

It is pretty fantastic to see Zatanna not rely on her magic and still manage to kick ass. I've always felt that Zatanna was an oft-overlooked character in the DC Universe (they tend not to focus on the magical aspects of their universe). But this Zatanna solo series has never disappointed me. While the writers and artists have changed, the quality of this series has never dropped. Fridolfs' writing is clever and the story is engaging. Igle's art truly captures the magic of Zatanna. It's nice to have a book that is so consistently good that you never worry about picking up an issue. This series will be sorely missed when it ends next month. Hopefully, the DC higher ups will find a place for a new Zatanna solo book.

* For those not familiar with Zatanna's power base, she tends to cast spells by saying phrases backwards. It has been shown that she is able to perform some minor magic without the help of her voice.

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #02
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art by Gianluca Gugliotta (pencils, inks), Hi-Fi (colors), Dave Sharpe (letters), Eddie Nunez, Sandra Hope, and Hi-Fi (cover)
Live and Exclusive
DC Comics
Released July 27th, 2011
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

I'm not reading all of Flashpoint. In all honesty, I don't care about most of what is going on. The two things I do care about are the Amazon v. Atlantean war and all of its ramifications, and the magical aspects of the DCU. Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance takes place behind the Amazon's lines. In issue one, we saw how Lois came to be in the position she was in, as a woman taken hostage by the Amazons. In issue two, we meet up with the Resistance. This group, including Grifter, Canterbury Cricket, Godiva, The Demon Etrigan, and Hyde, fight through a contingent of Female Furies (from New Themyscira, not from Apokolips). Both the Amazons and the Resistance are looking for the Royal Navy's prototype technopathic Britannia weapon suit. The Resistance discover the location of the suit; however, before they make it, one of their own turns them in to the Amazons.

I really enjoy Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning's writing. They balance all the elements of the story very nicely, without making it seem dull or overly serious. It takes a talented writer (or team) to pull off making jokes during serious moments. The art is, for the most part, very beautiful. It has a very painted feel to it. My biggest complaint with the art was the outfits the Amazonian Furies were in. When we see them briefly in Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #02, they are clothed in their normal costumes. In this issue, they are far more scantily clad (except Hawkgirl and Artemis), with many of them barely wearing a small piece of fabric. I don't know if that was the choice of Gugliotta or the editors. Either way, it was distracting and unnecessary. Also, there is a scene in flashback where you seem Amazons descending on Trafalgar Square. And they're doing it literally, descending. None of the Amazons, other than Diana, have ever had the ability to fly. Yet here they are, flying. I do not understand, and there is no explanation.

I did enjoy getting to see two of my favorite characters in a minor cameo. Kate Kane (Batwoman) and Zinda Blake (Lady Blackhawk) appear in Grifter's flashback about the first time he met Penny Black.

While I found this issue enjoyable, I am very glad there is only one more issue of this series (and many of the Flashpoint series). Honestly, the more of Flashpoint I read, the more excited I am about the New 52 coming in August/September.


More reviews coming soon!