Christmas 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE FANBOY FILES!

(Cover artwork from DC Holiday Special 2009.)

Blackest Night iPods?

Now that is an awesome idea. 'Nuff said.

My Pull List: December 23rd Edition

Blackest Night: JSA #1
DC Comics
Written by James Robinson
Art by Eddy Barrows and Ruy José
Cover by Eddy Barrows

The mystery men of yesterday are back and they seek the hearts of their new counterparts! It's Mr. Terrific vs. Mr. Terrific, Dr. Midnite vs. Dr. Midnite, Sand vs. Wesley Dodds! Can the new generation of heroes survive the rise of the Black Lantern JSA? Find out in this all-new miniseries from original JSA co-writer James Robinson and rising star artist Eddy Barrows (BLACKEST NIGHT: SUPERMAN)!

Captain America: Who Will Wield the Shield? #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Butch Guice
Cover by Gerald Parel

Steve Rogers has returned, but Bucky Barnes is the current Captain America, and has come into his own in the role. Will there be two Captain Americas? Will Bucky go back to being the Winter Soldier? What will happen? Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Green Lantern #49
DC Comics
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and Cover by Ed Benes

BLACKEST NIGHT continues! John Stewart comes face to face with his greatest failures, the planet Xanshi and his wife and fellow Green Lantern, Katma Tui. Plus, what does Fatality truly want with John?

Teen Titans #78
DC Comics
Written by J.T. Krul
Art and Cover by Joe Bennett and Jack Jadson

An unexpected BLACKEST NIGHT team-up! Ravager has sworn to kill her father Deathstroke. But what happens when they're forced to fight side-by-side against their dead friends and relatives? Will they kill each other before the Black Lanterns do?

The Outsiders #25 Review

The Outsiders #25

DC Comics

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Art by Fernando Pasarin and Jay Leisten

Cover by Tom Mandrake

Well, this is it. This is Peter Tomasi's final issue on The Outsiders, a book that's become somewhat infamous for its directionless stories and its disappointing slew of creative changes. It's certainly no secret that The Outsiders has been one of the most beleaguered comic book titles in DC's superhero stable since its last revival, and as an avid follower of superhero team books (as well as Diamond's monthly sales charts), I'm kind of surprised that the series has been able to avoid cancellation for so long. Nevertheless, the fact remains that this title has been wallowing in mediocrity since its latest relaunch, and unfortunately, Peter Tomasi's twelve-issue run on the book hasn't really done a whole lot to change that. At the same time, however, I have to admit that Tomasi's run on this title actually started off strong and had tons of potential before it continued down the frustrating path that's come to define this series for the past two years. Indeed, Tomasi's first issue on the book, an extra-length one-shot entitled Batman and the Outsiders Special #1 that hit stands back in February, actually fired on all cylinders and made me a big fan of his new Outsiders team right off the bat. Unfortunately, that extra-length special was actually the high point of Tomasi's run. And even though last month's issue, the first part of a two-issue Blackest Night tie-in story, was surprisingly compelling and praiseworthy, there's no denying that, for the most part, Tomasi's run has been a baffling disappointment.

So, with ALL of that being said, how did Tomasi end his year-long run on this title? And, more importantly, did the fan-favorite writer go out with a bang or with a whimper? Well, simply put, this issue was just as frustrating and disappointing as the bulk of Tomasi's run on this book has been.

First off, unlike last month's issue, The Outsiders #25 extensively follows the same, exhausted formula as almost every other Blackest Night tie-in story that's been thrown at us so far. In other words, a couple of Black Lanterns with a certain connection to our heroes take center stage in the story, the heroes don't believe their eyes, the Black Lanterns make every effort to elicit an emotional response from the stunned heroes, the heroes unwittingly let their emotions get the better of them, the Black Lanterns attack the heroes, the heroes are pushed to the brink, and then the Black Lanterns are defeated by some sort of deus ex machina. Yeah, you know the drill. In this case, the main Black Lantern is none other than Terra, the infamous Teen Titans traitor and the brother of Geo-Force, the current leader of the Outsiders. Over the course of the previous issue, Tomasi portrayed Terra as a Black Lantern who literally wanted to rest in peace, but as this issue reveals, it was all a ruse to compel Geo-Force and the other present Outsiders to build up enough emotional energy for her to feed on. Naturally, I saw this plot twist coming a mile away, but Tomasi certainly could have made it more intriguing and innovative.

Sadly, the other major story thread in this issue is just more of the same as well, as Katana continues to battle the Black Lantern versions of her husband and children with the help of Halo, the Creeper, and Killer Croc. Tomasi does a great job of capturing the Creeper's charisma and eccentricity here, but unfortunately, it isn't enough to save this scene from falling into the kind of monotony that's come to define these Blackest Night tie-in stories. To make matters worse, this entire issue is chock full of bad dialogue, and Tomasi has almost all of the characters drop a few dreadful one-liners during the book's two main action sequences as well. And then there's this story's deus ex machina. Suffice it to say that one of the Outsiders ultimately generates a massive amount of "White Light" to obliterate all of the Black Lanterns that appear in this issue. Oh, and then that same character is beckoned into the so-called "White Light" and vanishes. Now, needless to say, not only did this particular plot point feel a bit forced, but it also seemed totally unnecessary. But, hey, maybe Tomasi just wanted to end his run on this book by getting rid of one of the team's most prominent members.

Anyway, as far as the artwork is concerned, Fernando Pasarin does a great job with his pages once again. Just like last issue, his engaging visuals pack an emotional punch, and his action sequences are particularly effective and well-executed. Sadly, Pasarin shares the art duties with Derec Donovan this month, and the art switch that occurs in the middle of this issue is jarring to say the least. While there's nothing wrong with Donovan's artwork per se, his cartoony style certainly clashes with Pasarin's cinematic visuals here.

And so Peter Tomasi's run on The Outsiders has come to an end. It was what it was, but I can't help but think that it could have been so much more. After all, given his success on critically acclaimed books like Green Lantern Corps and The Mighty, we all know that Tomasi is an extremely talented writer, and I truly believe that he has what it takes to write one hell of an Outsiders story. But, alas, his twelve-issue stint on this title just wasn't it. One can only hope that he gets a second shot at the book sometime down the road. As of now, however, the fate of The Outsiders title lies in the hands of its new creative team: Dan DiDio and Philip Tan. Will they be the ones to finally save this book from its downward spiral? Well, as always, only time will tell.

My Pull List: December 16th Edition

Captain America: Reborn #5
Marvel Comics
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art and Cover by Bryan Hitch

Steve Rogers is back...or is he? This is the action-packed finale of the best-selling series as the Avengers try to rescue their best and brightest from the Red Skull's darkest designs. Find out the fates of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes and what their futures hold in store!

Justice League of America #40
DC Comics
Written by James Robinson
Art and Cover by Mark Bagley and Rob Hunter

The JLA can't escape the BLACKEST NIGHT! Faced with the continuing threat of the Black Lanterns, Zatanna, Vixen and the rest of the team confront their pasts when fallen friends and foes return for blood!

The Outsiders #25
DC Comics
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Fernando Pasarin and Jay Leisten
Cover by Tom Mandrake

The Outsiders' loved ones are returning from the grave in this BLACKEST NIGHT tie-in, and the stirring turn of events forces the team to make some difficult choices as they struggle to survive the night and stop the Black Lanterns. But the battle will be a dangerous one, and the repercussions of this issue will be felt throughout the next year!

Adventure Comics #5 Mini Review

Adventure Comics #5

DC Comics

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Jerry Ordway

Co-feature art by Francis Manapul

Cover by Jerry Ordway

Superboy-Prime strikes back! Well, sort of. Superboy's infamous doppelganger from Earth-Prime doesn't exactly come up with a plan to defeat the menacing mob of Black Lanterns that are hellbent on ripping out his rage-filled heart in this issue, but he does decide to take the fight directly to the real "bad guys" behind his seemingly never-ending plight: the DCU Editorial Department! That's right. In Adventure Comics #5, the concluding part of the two-issue Blackest Night tie-in tale of Superboy-Prime, the bitter and bad-tempered super-villain (or should I say fanboy?) actually attacks and unexpectedly destroys the DCU Editorial offices in New York City in an attempt to make the publishing staff pay for everything they've put him through since his controversial return to the comic book world nearly five years ago.

Needless to say, Prime throws one of his patented temper tantrums here, but believe it or not, it's actually a fascinating thing to watch unfold this time around. He seriously spends a significant number of pages terrorizing many prominent members of DC's Editorial staff, and given the direction that his character has been taken in recent years, it's a meta-textual plot thread that makes perfect sense. Heck, Prime even comes face to face with DCU Executive Editor Dan DiDio and smashes the chief's desk in retaliation for the substantial role he played in his character's "fall from grace". And, yeah, it's pretty funny. Just like last month's set-up issue, all of the bending/breaking of the Fourth Wall business in this second part of the story is both clever and hilarious.

Overall, writers Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates are surprisingly able to craft a compelling Superboy-Prime story here, and they actually succeed in making the character seem more compassionate and sympathetic. I wouldn't say that Johns and Gates have totally transformed Superboy-Prime into some sort of tragic hero in this one issue, but it certainly seems that they've decided to take the character into a dramatic new direction for future stories. After all, let's not disregard the fact that this latest Superboy-Prime story ends with a cliffhanger rather than a conclusion. In other words, I think it's safe to say that we haven't seen the last of this character just yet. Not by a long shot. Let's face it: Superboy-Prime is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

My Pull List: December 9th Edition

Adventure Comics #5
DC Comics
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Jerry Ordway
Co-feature art by Francis Manapul
Cover by Jerry Ordway

Concluding the 2-part BLACKEST NIGHT tale of Superboy-Prime! The Black Lanterns have forced Prime to face his deepest and darkest fears, but what--and who--are they? And how will Superboy-Prime strike back after this devastating attack?

Plus, Conner Kent faces off with Superman's greatest enemy in an exciting co-feature by Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul. That's right: Superboy confronts Lex Luthor!