Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #3

     Aquaman's secret weapon is accidentally sent into overload and now threatens rip the planet in two.
     I somehow forgot to review this one in order. It happens folks.
     A good tale that seems to focus more on Wonder Woman. It's really odd- Emperor Aquaman deals more with Wonder Woman and her super-powered army of Furies while the Flashpoint Wonder Woman tie-in dealt more with Aquaman's side of the story. Was this intentional? I'm really not sure but it makes for some uneven reading no matter how enjoyable these miniseries are.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #3

     Hal Jordan prepares for the suicide mission upon the Amazons on New Themyscira. Armed with a Queen Industries Green Arrow missile, Highball Jordan is the human race's last hope in stopping the Atlantean/ Amazonian War that's taken half of Europe with it and threatens to split the earth's crust in two. But he's not going alone as Carol Ferris will be his wing-man on this mission. Will she be an asset or Jordan's greatest distraction?

    A very good conclusion to this Flashpoint tie-in with fantastic art by Cliff Richards (All-Star Western) and I'm really digging the cover by J.G. Jones (52.)

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Booster Gold #47 (A Flashpoint Tie-In)

  Booster Gold comes face to face with the man in control of the monster, Doomsday: General Nathaniel Adam. For Booster, whose from the unaltered DC Universe, it's like seeing an old friend and wondering whatever did he do to piss him off. For Adam, as a member of the Flashpoint, he's never seen Booster before in his life and the Air Force officer is convinced that this newcomer is a shock trooper from Emperor Aquaman's Atlantean forces. Now bound with metahuman resistant chains, how will the Hero You Never Heard Of find the ket to reversing the Flashpoint- Barry Allen!
    The thrilling conclusion to Booster Gold is not without it's detractors. For one thing, I hate that in the New 52! Booster Gold was merely a footnote as a member of Justice League International. I hope with Rebirth, he'll be a major player again. So, parts of how this book ended was bittersweet. I did however, LOVE that it's revealed who, how, and why those mysterious phrases were written on the chalkboard in Rip Hunter's base (see Time Masters: Vanishing Point #6.) Why they had to be written in code is still a mystery. But I at least was happy with how that plot point turned out. 

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #3

  After facing down a mutiny aboard his ship, Deathstroke uncovers a key piece of information that will finally reunite him with his daughter Rose. But to save her means that the pirate will walk into the most deadliest trap he'll ever have to face. Woe to those who hold his daughter captive because like they say 'hell hath no fury like a father scorned!'

    This was a very action packed closer to this Flashpoint tie-in. But it was also a little bit confusing. There were so many plans and then secret plans and then back-stabbings that I had to re-read this issue twice. Plus, it doesn't help having a character die and then have them come back for a couple of panels and then disappear again as if nothing happened. 
   I couldn't tell if this error was an accidental oversight on the part of legendary writer Jimmy Palmiotti (Marvel Knights) or the artists- or if maybe the editor dropped the ball. It could've been a subterfuge on the part of Deathstroke. But then why would he say that this character died in the captions, which are supposed to be thoughts contained in Slade's head? 
   I'm even confused writing all of this...
   Not my favorite closing chapter and by no means was it my favorite of the tie-ins. That's really disappointing because I thought the opening chapter was really strong. But it just went downhill from there.

   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.
 

Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #3

Frankenstein and his Creature Commandos have survived the assault in Gotham City but it wasn’t without casualties. Now the team, along with the Bride of Frankenstein, must race to a secret lab in Romania if they have any hopes of saving their dying comrade. But the journey will not be easy as General Sam Lane has activated the J.A.K.E. 2.0, the ultimate GI Robot and it will stop at nothing to achieve its mission: TO DESTROY ALL MONSTERS!

    I loved this miniseries. It was really a fun read and it just felt right. It captures the spirit of the old Weird War Tales and War That Time Forgot adventures (from Star-Spangled War Stories) of the Golden and Silver Age of Comics really well. I enjoyed it so much that the short-lived New 52 series Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. is now on my wish list.

   There was one little problem with this story and it comes down to the smallest of nitpicks. In issue #2 of Project Superman, I mentioned that Gen. Lane disappeared. So, when does he come back? DC issued a suggested reading list and Project Superman #3 is down on the list as one of the last things I am supposed to read if I want to read the entire Flashpoint storyline in order (which I am attempting.) So, is having Sam Lane appear in this story a spoiler of things to come in PS #3 or does this story take place before Lane disappears?

   Right now, that’s a mystery that’s unclear but hopefully will be cleared up in the few remaining tie-ins I have left to read.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

  

Flashpoint: Abin Sur-The Green Lantern #3

 Sinestro, seeing the control of Barry Allen as his chance for ruling the galaxy, has Abin Sur on the ropes. His hand severed and his power ring out of reach, can the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 ever find a way out of this deadly scenario? He’ll have to muster all of the willpower possible to overcome his former best friend and possibly save the universe.

   Another dynamic Flashpoint tie-in finale. This one really kept me guessing- but in a good way. I must say I’m slapping my forehead not figuring out the identity of the mysterious entity that the Guardians hid deep inside the earth’s core. But the finale was so awesome that I didn’t want it to end.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Batman- Knight of Vengeance #3

  Relive the terrible night in crime alley when a cowardly lugger pulled his gun's trigger and murdered young Bruce Wayne!

   The dramatic close of Knight of Vengeance with such an incredible twist as to who is the Flashpoint Joker.

  When it comes to spoilers, what's the rule of thumb before you can let slip a major plot point? This issue is 6 years old and I still don't feel right letting the ending slip. So, you'll just have to goggle it do yourself a favor and read this crazy storyline for yourself.

  Worth Consuming.

 Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Project Superman #2

  

 Meet Kal…

       In another life, everything would be perfect for him. An adopted ma and pa who loved him very much. A devoted girlfriend who was nosy as she is beautiful. A best bud and a beloved dog with whom he could share his inner secrets with without fear of exposure to the outside world. It’s an ideal life.

      But this is the Flashpoint and life for the young Kryptonian boy, Kal-El is anything but.

      In the Flashpoint, Kal is put under the microscope by researchers affiliated with the US military, constantly tested in hopes of becoming America’s greatest weapon. Life is scary for the alien child. Project head, General Sam Lane is doing his damndest to make Kal’s life a little bit easier, seeing the lad as the son he never had. Playing catch, reading him bedtime stories, and allowing Kal time with his puppy Krypto, Lane is trying to give the youth the life he deserved, in another life.

      But when the General suddenly disappears, a new commander will assume ranks and any hope of a normal and compassionate life for young Kal will be a thing of the past.

     The origin stories are the best part of Flashpoint. This chapter of Project Superman is no exception. In Flashpoint #3, you see Kal’s life in the modern day Flashpoint universe- he’s extremely timid, fearful, and as gaunt as a starving man who’s been marooned at sea for months. After this big reveal,  you wonder ‘how did ‘the Man of Steel’ get this way?’

     This issue explains that and so much more.

     Plus amazing art from Gene Ha! (Top Ten.)

     What more can you ask for?

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Secret Seven #2

   Shade, the Changing Man recruits another wayward member of the Secret Seven. This time, it's Amethyst, hero of the Gemworld, that has been magically summoned. Only now she's a 12-year old girl trapped in a 20-something's body and she's wary of the good intentions of Shade. She's even more distrustful of Shade's new mistress, the formerly evil (or so she says) Enchantress!

    Meanwhile, another former member of the Secret Seven has decided to expose the rest of the team to the world. Only, there's one little problem- the magician calling for a press conference, Abra Kadabra, has never been a member of the Secret Seven before. What sinister plan does he have up his sleeve and how do sorceresses Zatanna and Raven fit into this all-encompassing mystery?

   I'm still not 100% sold on this Flashpoint tie-in. This issue was way better than the premier issue. But things are so convoluted with mystery and with new players being added to the mix at a frantic pace, that I'm not convinced that series creator Peter Milligan (2000 A.D.) can wrap this up in the 20 or so pages of issue #3. 

    I love the artwork in this series, however. It's by one of my all-time favs, George Perez (Wonder Woman). The drawings are clean, it's classic and every panel adds that touch of whimsy that all of DC's magic related titles should have.
  
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #1

   Hal Jordan- Green Lantern of Sector 2814. He's been so hit-and-miss with me. As a child I loved his costume and above all else, his power ring and all the funky things that he could create with it led to the character being such a favorite of mine. For quite some time, he was in my top-5 superheroes. Then when I started collecting comics again 10 years ago, I bought up a fair share of Green Lantern books and I was completely unimpressed. Then I discovered Darwyn Cooke's tribute to the DC Silver Age, The Final Frontier, and Jordan captured my heart again. That was until Ryan Reynolds took on the mantle in the 2010 film, I mean,  stinker of the same name. Why can't the character be executed consistently?

   Well, Adam Schlagman (Flashpoint: Abin Sur- The Green Lantern) was able to craft an opening chapter in this 3-part mini-series tie-in and capture that child-like wonder and Silver Age goodness that I loved about Hal Jordan's character. It felt like I was reading a vintage classic filled with action, adventure, and above all, it was fun!

   Hal's been haunted by his father's ghost as a hot-shot pilot since I can remember. Here, with Hal Jordan being the East Coast's first line of defense as a combat pilot contracted out through Ferris Air and NOT a Green Lantern, I felt like this was a comfortably familiar but completely original take on the DC Universe's Man Without Fear. Plus, the smart-ass that is Oliver's Hal Jordan is what Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern should have been!

    Added to this issue's brilliance was the artwork by Ben Oliver (Ultimate X-Men.) His airbrush painted quality style was amazing. His character's looked like I was looking at photographs and then there's the action scenes. From opening the book to the very first page, every dogfight scene was action packed and breathtaking.

     So good, I'm tempted to read ahead for more action and thrills instead of waiting until after reading about 2 dozen other tie-ins.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
    

Flashpoint: Reverse Flash #1

  Another story published under the Flashpoint banner but set outside the Flashpoint Universe. This issue examines further the lengths and depths Eobard Thawne, AKA the Reverse Flash, AKA Professor Zoom, will go to to give Barry Allen hell. In many ways this issue is a sequel or continuation of The Flash #8 from 2010. Titled The Reverse Flash Rebirth, that issue explored Thawne's life in the 25th century and what led up to him becoming the futures most deadliest villain. Here, we get a good look at the Reverse Flash's dalliances with the speedsters of the past in his quest to become history's only Fastest Man Alive!
    The story was one of the best in the Flashpoint series. But that does not mean that this book is not without it's flaws. The most obvious issue is the artwork. Joel Gomez's (Witchblade) pencil work is rough at best. Many of his characters look dis-proportionate. Now I am not one to really talk, the guy obviously more talent than I, but many scenes just look out of sorts. 
     The second problem with this comic is a little more unforgivable. The cover states that this is issue #1 of 3. Well, I am here to tell you that there is no issue #2 or #3! This was one of the last things off my Flashpoint wish list and the main reason is for months I looked and looked and looked some more for those non-existent titles. Flashpoint: Reverse Flash is a one-shot no matter what the cover says.
     And now you my friends have been fairly warned.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons #1

Haly's Circus. In the DC Universe, it's a travelling show that has had more than it's fair share of tragedy. It's where the Flying Graysons met their tragic end. It's were a sniper made Boston Brand a Deadman. Flowing through the tarps of beleaguered carnival's big top is deception and corruption so deep, many of its employees have faced mortality, including the owner, Mr. Haly.

   But this is the Flashpoint Universe and one of it's few bright spots is the success of Haly's Circus. The Graysons are one big happy family. Boston Brand is a Deadman in name only. Even sideshow act, Kent Nelson, under the stage name of Doctor Fate is doing pretty well, except for the hour or so it takes for his mind to recover from wearing the mystical Helmet of Nabu.

   Unfortunately, the circus has run into a little problem. Haly's Circus was performing in Central Europe when Aquaman decided to unleash his fury on the human race and flooded much of Eastern Europe. The performers find themselves stranded overseas and must venture from town to town in hopes of making ends meet and eventually earn themselves a way back to the US.

  If the voyage home wasn't treacherous enough, during their last stop, Kent Nelson accidentally tapped into the timeline and has learned that there is another reality trying to burst through the Flashpoint. It's the time stream of the DCU and it's trying to correct whatever made history change into this fractured universe. However, Kent's contact with the real timeline has made an even more deadlier force aware to the circus's presence as Wonder Woman's Furies are on the hunt for the Helmet of Nabu!

  The Flashpoint tie-ins just keep getting better and better. There's not much action per se in this issue. But I think that this issue was essential in showing the effects of the Atlantis- Themyscira War on Europe. Having it seen through the eyes of the performers of Haly's Circus helps to make the struggle familiar and more grounded to the reader. A great job by writer J.T Krul!

  Equally impressive is the artwork. The realistic looking poster by Cliff Chaing (Secret Six) was really cool looking. But the cover wasn't the only visually stunning material. Mikel Janin’s (Justice League Dark) almost painted approach captured both the magic of the big top while exposing the cramped and dirty conditions of life on the road.

  All around excellent stuff. I can't wait for issue #2.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

 

Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies #1

   We've seen the beginnings of Atlantis's war with the surface. Now witness the origins of the Atlantis-Themyscira War in the pages of Wonder Woman and the Furies #1. Love lost, treason, deception, and murder. This issue has everything and a Kraken too!

    If you don't read Flashpoint in the order DC listed all of the tie-ins in the pages of Flashpoint #1 and #2, you'll be doing yourself a disservice. There are some many cliffhangers, crossovers, and shocking reveals that require reading everything in order for maximum effect. I've been doing pretty good job of that myself, with exception of a couple of mix-ups, and I must say that doing so has really blown me away with the level of quality and excitement in every book.
    Up until this point, this issue is perhaps my favorite of the bunch. The storytelling of Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett was spectacular. But really what did it for me was the artwork. Scott Clark's (Batman Incorporated) mix of CGI imagery of the landmarks of Altantis and Themyscira and swift pencil strokes crafting younger versions of Wonder Woman and Aquaman were stunning. And look this the cover by Ed Benes (Batgirl)! The level of detail put into the ruins of London are breathtaking. 
   Excellent Stuff!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #1

   With Emperor Aquaman controlling the seven seas with an iron grip, the only humans brave enough to sail them are pirates. Amongst the most feared are the Warlord aboard the Skartaris and ruthless Slade Wilson, AKA Deathstroke and his converted whaler, the Ravager. Right now, Deathstroke has the Skartaris on his radar, as it is rumored that the Warlord has his kidnapped daughter. But his search my be short as the Ravager has just run afoul of a certain King of Atlantis...
    Another exciting chapter in the Flashpoint universe. Normally, Deathstroke is a bad-ass assassin and the constant scourge of the Teen Titans. Never in 100 years if you asked me to come up with an alternate timeline variation of Slade Wilson, I don't think I would ever come up with making him a Somali-style pirate. 
     I don't have a clue where this is going and I actually like that! Having over 36-years experience as a comic book enthuiast, I've read my fair share of storylines and quite a few have become quite predictable. Well folks, the Curse of the Ravager is anything but! 
     A great opening segment! 

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #1

  World of Flashpoint is an interesting addition to the Flashpoint tie-ins. While the other miniseries focus on a very small aspect of the Flashpoint universe, particularly a character or a city, World of Flashpoint gives a more global perspective to the numerous crises the leaders of the free world face in the midst of the Atlantis- Themyscira war. And it's all seen through the eyes of one young girl

    Eight months ago (prior to Flashpoint #1), life seemed very good for young Traci Thirteen and he family. She lived in Paris with her siblings and parents. Her mother has mystical powers and has been teaching Traci to use the powers she's inherited and Traci's getting quite good at it.

  Things seem perfect until one day, Traci and her father are teleported away to safety. As a result, Traci's mother, exhausted from her protective use of magic, cause her and Traci's siblings to become victims of Emperor Aquaman's tsunami which floods eastern Europe.

      Now living in Switzerland, Mr. Thirteen is a high-ranking world government official tasked with finding a way to end the combined Atlantean and Amazon threats to the planet. The only answer the governments of the world can decide on is the use of a massive laser that will destroy Aquaman and Wonder Woman's forces. But it will also mean the death of millions of innocent lives. With her father poised to push the laser's firing button, can Traci Thirteen prevent another massacre of innocents in time?

      This first issue was quite different from the other tie-ins. There's a ton of cameos from DC's B and C list of characters. Instead of being a dull issue, the insertion of minor DC characters only made the Flashpoint storyline seem all that more widespread and encompassing. I know everyone wants the comics they are reading to star Batman or Superman but it's the minor (but oh so familiar) characters that make a story like this stand out that much more. It's probably why Crisis on Infinite Earths is my favorite comic of all-time.

     Ben 10 Classics' Rex Ogle really did his homework including characters like Clarion the Witch Boy and China's Iron General in August in creative ways in this story. I can't wait to see who he recruits in issue #2. Featuring some pretty good (but a little too-much Rob Liefeld for my tastes) art by Eduardo Francisco (Assassins School) and Paulo Siqueira (Batman Eternal) this was a very good opening segment to a vital part of the Flashpoint storyline you must not miss!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #1

 A truly horrifying issue that grabs you by the throat from the very first page.

  Learn the tragic origins behind the Atlantis-Themyscira war. Witness an alliance between water breathers and surface dwellers be torn asunder. Experience the destruction of Eastern Europe! This is 32-pages of non-stop action that must be seen to believe.

Tony Bedard (Birds of Prey) pens amazing tale, but it's the artwork that really makes this issue worth paying more than cover for. Batgirl's Adrian Syaf did a phenomenal job. The art is rough, gritty, and Syaf doesn't pull any punches in his breathtaking views of the spoils of war.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Abin Sur- The Green Lantern #1

  You would think that with a title like Abin Sur: The Green Lantern, that would mean that the Lantern who preceded Hal Jordan ( in the Pre-Flashpoint universe) is the only member of the Green Lantern Corps. Alas, this is not the case. Instead, due to inaction on the part of the Guardians, Abin Sur has become withdrawn from his fellow Corpsmen. Abin Sur blames the Guardians for the death of his beloved sister and has become a loose cannon, often making the rules up as he sees fit and just. Sinestro sees this and hopes to make Abin can ally when the conniving Thaal makes his move to overthrow the Guardians.

 Initially, Abin Sur rejects an alliance with Sinestro. But when the Guardians demand that Abin Sur destroy an entire planet in his sector, the gritty Green Lantern may finally side with the conspirators. For the Guardians have ordered Abin Sur to destroy the Earth!
There's a lot of questions that need to be answered in this Flashpoint miniseries tie-in. Why are the Guardians so weak to act in interplanetary conflicts, like the one that killed Abin Sur’s family, but willing to destroy an inhabited planet? Where are the other Corpsmen besides Kilowog and Sinestro? And most importantly where is Hal Jordan and how does he fit into all of this?

A very intriguing issue to a miniseries that hopefully will only get better.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Secret Seven #1

    Imagine that you are the only surviving member of a group of superheroes with supernatural powers. You are to blame for their murders and you find yourself on the lamb. You jump at every shadow, expecting it to be the local authorities who have specific instructions: "Use deadly force!" Making your plight even worse is that you're hallucinating visions of your fallen allies everywhere you go.
    So when an alluring Enchantress comes to you for assistance in helping her overcome her dark side, what do you do? Trust that this mystic is who she says she is? Or treat her like another delusion or threat in disguise and run for your life?
     Thus begins the opening chapter of Secret Seven. I wish I could expound more on this Flashpoint tie-in, but I am not very familiar with the main character of this comic: Shade, The Changing Man.
     What I know about Shade probably couldn't fill a fortune cookie. I know that he was a creation of the great Steve Ditko for DC in the 70s and that the Shade comic didn't last very long. I also know that their was a couple of Shade comics series in the 90s but if they are about the same character- dunno. That's really all I know about Shade...
       So when Shade is kidnapped by creatures that claim to be the same race as him and that they believe that his malfunctioning 'vest' may be behind the death of his cohorts, I can't tell you if that's accurate to the Ditko version or not. 
       The Shadowpact and Suicide Squad sometime member, Enchantress is a slightly different story. I remember reading her origin in the pages of something like Secret Origins or House of Mystery. The Flashpoint version of her in this book that involves a beautiful woman going to a costume party at a castle and being transformed into an evil witch is pretty spot on to the DC Universe version. But other than that, there's not much else on her I can allude to either, since her role in this issue is very limited.
       Of the dozen or so issues of Flashpoint related works that I have read, this is perhaps the weakest. I'm sure much of it has to do with my lack of a priori knowledge of Shade or if this just wasn't my thing. Getting my hands on a copy of a issue of either Shade series isn't really something I'm interested in pursuing. But in order to be more prepared for issue #2 of Secret Seven, I think I will at least research the character online. (It might even boost my rating for this issue or at least the next one, as well being able to make some better connection with the character.)

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Booster Gold #45 (A Flashpoint Tie-In)

   Stranded in the Flashpoint, Booster and his drone sidekick, Skeets, are mistaken for an Atlantean scout unit. Fearful of an attack from Atlantis, the Army has thrown everything at the time-stranded heroes. Though Skeets has been rendered inoperable, Booster's been able to fend off everything Uncle Sam has in his arsenal, for now. But all bets are off when Booster comes face-to-face with the one being that still haunts his worst nightmares- Doomsday!
     

Another great tie-in chapter to Flashpoint. Filled with twists and turns, this issue is so shocking, you've got to read it to believe it. So, I'll just leave it at this- Dan Jurgens is a freakin' genius and if you are a fan of the Kryptonian killing machine known as Doomsday, then you must read this issue!
  
    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Booster Gold #44 (A Flashpoint Tie-In)

Booster Gold experiences a temporal shift and finds himself stuck in the Flashpoint. Seeking answers, Booster and his drone sidekick Skeets travel to the closest community, Central City. But instead of being welcomed, the duo are attacked. Mistaken as an Atlantean scout, Booster tries to reason with the soldiers. But the time for conversation is over when Booster comes face to face with his worst nightmare- Doomsday!

The events of this issue immediately follows the miniseries Time Masters: Vanishing Point. In that story, a group of heroes lead by Booster Gold and Rip Hunter seek to rescue Bruce Wayne from being stranded in the time stream. After completing their mission  Rip and Booster return to their base of operations and find a chalkboard scribbled with tons of forewarnings to the coming Flashpoint event. That final scene is the beginning of this issue and the two books flow together seamlessly,

   Booster Gold creator Dan Jurgens did triple duty on this issue. His writing was both humorous and intriguing, his artwork masterful, and look at this cover- man, does it rock! A great tie-in to Flashpoint.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.