Comics Briefly: Action Comics #5, Animal Man #5, Huntress #4, Star Trek/Legion of Superheroes #4, Swamp Thing #5

Favorite Issue this Week: Huntress #4

All Issues new in stores on 1/4/12


Action Comics #5
Written by Grant Morrison, Pencils Andy Kubert, Inks Jesse Delperdang, Colorist: Brad Anderson
Backup Story: Writer: Sholly Fisch, Artist: ChrisCross, Colorist: Jose Villarrubia

Ha, I knew if you left Grant Morrison in charge things would get weird sooner rather than later. The beginning of this issue is pretty good, a quick and pretty retelling of the launch of Superman's rocket from Krypton, and his discovery by the Kents. This is elaborated on in the backup, which focuses on the Kent's marriage and desire for children. The end of the main story veers off into the zone of "this feels like it might make sense if I had a lot of obscure information." And who is that on the last page? Spoiler: Grown up Legionnaires? I... am honestly not sure how I feel about this. In the next issue, the level of insanity could turn awesome, or just get more disjointed and confusing. We'll have to see. Side note: does this have anything to do with last months' issue? Oh, right, the end of that issue said that storyline wouldn't return until #7.  Okay, whatever, I didn't like or understand that story anyway.


Animal Man #5
Written by Jeff Lemire, Art: Travel Foreman & Steve Pugh, Inks: Jeffrey Huet, Colored by Lovern Kindzierski

I really don't care about this book any more. I think the plot is silly, and the amount of gross-out horror really turns me off. It's explicitly crashing head-long into Swamp Thing now, although while the characters have been fighting the same bad guys for 5 issues, it still isn't technically a cross-over. I think that's part of why I've felt like both books are painfully slow. This had a little more action than last month, I suppose.


Huntress #4
Writer: Paul Levitz, Pencils: Marcus To, Inks: John Dell & Richard Zajac, Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse

Some nice humor and some well paced action in this issue. Nothing amazing, but solidly enjoyable, in my opinions. Although I have to know soon: Is this Earth 2, guys? Or are you just teasing me with all these sly little hints in the art and the writing? (Don't think I didn't notice that she hasn't once given her full name.) I loved Huntress pre-reboot, but if we're going back to Earth 2, this book just gained a bunch of brownie points from me, just because.


Star Trek/Legion of Superheroes #4
Writer: Chris Roberson, Art: Jeffrey Moy & Philip Moy, Color: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.

I'll admit it. As much as I love Star Trek, this sent issue sent me scrambling to the internet for info in a way that I didn't need to do for the DC side. As soon as I had that info, I laughed out loud. Okay, this crossover officially makes sense. You know, sort of. The reveal of the villain is half what I expected (and half I had to look up, but then it was obvious). Not much more to this issue though, besides the build-up to the reveal and a few cute bits of dialogue.


Swamp Thing #5
Writer: Scott Snyder, Art: Yanick Paquette, Colors: Nathan Fairbairn

I kinda liked this issue, except for the beginning and the cliffhanger. So I guess I'm saying the middle was decent. Alec acts super-heroic, finally, and the scenes between him and punk-style-Abby are almost sweet. Still, I'm hoping for some kind of resolution soon.