Written by: Robbie Thompson Art by: Eduardo Pansica, Dexter Soy
Bloodsport’s first mission with the Squad goes pear-shaped as the Crime Syndicate captures Amanda Waller’s agent on Earth-3. By sending in a team to bring Bloodsport home, Waller may also be able to extract another Suicide Squad member for her new team, if she plays her cards right and doesn’t care who else she loses in the process. As part of the team heads into the Multiverse, Peacemaker gets a new assignment to track down and eliminate Levi Kamei-the new Swamp Thing!
With his spotlight in the upcoming The Suicide Squad, it was only a matter of time before we saw Bloodsport join the series. Suicide Squad #5 brings the character into the fold as he takes on a mission for Amanda Waller, one that involves the multiverse.
Bloodsport is on a mission. After a quick “origin” recap for those that don’t know the character we get into the thick of things. Hopping around the multiverse on his own, Bloodsport is looking for new recruits for Waller to join her Suicide Squad. Now on Earth-3 he has to deal with a world where all of the “heroes” are actually villains. There’s a lot of recruitment opportunities there.
Robbie Thompson does a fantastic job of taking us through Bloodsport’s thought-process as he explores a new world and explains his mission. We get a little more about his background and history and Thompson adds some small touches that add some depth to the character. What’s great is the character delivers what feels like a mix of danger, expertise, and a little off. The results are some deadpan humor that keeps the comic from being too serious.
A team delivers the art which isn’t too noticeable. Other than an opening sequence, the comic is smooth in its look and it looks good. Dexter Soy, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, and Joe Prado all provide the art. Suicide Squad #5 features some nice layouts that make Bloodsport look amazing with dynamic poses that you want to recreate with toys. Alex Sinclair‘s colors make the blues, reds, and greens pop on the page. Wes Abbott handles the surprising amount of dialogue and really makes Bloodsport’s journal unique and in his “voice”.
Suicide Squad #5 is a fantastic entry in a series that’s been entertaining the entire time. It almost stands on its own and can likely be picked up by new readers with few issues. What’s better for long-time readers is that there’s some major moments when it comes to the team’s dynamics that’ll have major implications going forward. At the end though, it left me wanting more Bloodsport.
Story: Robbie Thompson Art: Dexter Soy, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, Joe Prado Color: Alex Sinclair Letterer: Wes Abbott Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Written by: Robbie Thompson Art by: Eduardo Pansica, Dexter Soy
After the disastrous mission to Titans Academy and an ill-fated confrontation with Red X, Task Force X looks into the Multiverse for its next recruits under Amanda Waller. Assigned to investigate the status of Earth-3, the team’s field leader, Peacemaker, begins to question what Waller plans to do with her ultimate Suicide Squad, as the deadly Bloodsport takes charge.
Written by: Geoffrey Thorne Art by: Dexter Soy, Marco Santucci
A Guardian of the Universe lies dead, and the universe teeters on the brink of war. As the summit of the United Planets and the Green Lantern Corps falls into chaos, an even bigger threat looms. With John Stewart reassigned to the role of an ambassador, a surprise appearance by one of the newest Green Lanterns may be all that stands between the Corps and oblivion. (Spoiler: it’s Far Sector’s Jo Mullein.)
It’s been a while since I read a Green Lantern comic. The various shifts in focus and tone turned me off and I tuned out. With “Future State” refocusing DC’s line and the expansive omniverse on the horizon, I was interested to see where this series would go. Green Lantern #1 lays out those seeds. The United Planets is forming and have convened on Oa to discuss the future order of DC’s cosmos. It’s an action-packed debut with a political focus and its results are a bit mixed.
Geoffrey Thorne puts on the ring to guide the series and its various members to the future. Green Lantern #1 is an interesting comic that has to balance a lot and does so well. It’s just what it balances is a bit mixed. The United Planets is forming to figure out the new order for the various worlds of the DC cosmos. They have convened on Oa to discuss how things will work and if Oa should become a member. It’s an interesting question that I hadn’t thought of.
Unfortunately, Thorne rushes through things skipping over what could be a very interesting debate. Oa, and the Guardians, have been the center of so many issues that have plagued the universe. It’s a legacy that’s touched upon with a few speeches but isn’t debated enough. It’s a great concept that’s only an inch deep. It also has hampered by delivery and setup that’s a bit too Star Wars prequel. Even how the various groups are set up screams the Galactic Senate. It’s an odd visual that distracts and takes what could be a very interesting direction and makes it feel a bit short in how it’s been thought out.
There’s also some hints around those against Oa joining the organization. There’s something about “freeing a heart” and what amounts to a terrorist attack but that too feels all a bit odd. It’s like there was an idea of an attack but not really how it’d play out and some quick ideas were thrown out. There’s the “science cells” which we assume are filled but instead of just freeing a bunch of criminals, the terrorist attack frees an odd being that’s soon defeated. It all fills like something had to just get filled in instead of again being fleshed out.
What really works in Tween Lantern. Thorne’s writing of this relatively new character is great and the mystery surrounding her is great. She gives a spunk and energy to the comic which otherwise might play things a bit too straight and serious. This is a breakout character who deserves the spotlight (and a solo series).
The art by Dexter Soy and Marco Santucci is good. They’re joined by Alex Sinclair on color and Rob Leigh on lettering. The look of the characters is good and there’s a lot packed in. But again, things feel a bit short. The comic has so many worlds and alien races all on Oa but the art doesn’t feel like it takes advantage. It’s also too focused at times and falls short of the “cosmopolitan” feel it should.
Green Lantern #1 has some great concepts. There’s a lot of them. But, the details don’t feel fleshed out enough. They also feel a bit rushed. The debate about Oa joining this new order feels a bit short in debate. There should be far more discussion as to whether it should happen. There’s little doubt it would. The terrorist attack and action sequences too feel a bit too neatly wrapped up. This is a comic though could easily have been two or three issues worth of material. Instead, Green Lantern #1 is a start that has great ideas but not a great execution to go along with it.
Story: Geoffrey Thorne Art: Dexter Soy, Marco Santucci Color: Alex Sinclair Letterer: Rob Leigh Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Written by: Geoffrey Thorne Art by: Marco Santucci, Dexter Soy
As this new Green Lantern series begins, the newly formed United Planets and the Guardians of the Universe hold an intergalactic summit to decide who can best serve and protect the cosmos from danger. With the majority of Green Lanterns called back to Oa, John Stewart arrives alongside Teen Lantern Keli Quintela, whose powerful gauntlet could be one of the most powerful and unstable weapons in the universe. With the entire landscape of the universe in flux, is this the end of the Green Lantern Corps…or a new beginning?
Dark Knights: Death Metal is over and we’ve seen a possible future timeline in “Future State”. Now, DC begins to chart its path with the first crumbs teased in Infinite Frontier #0. The issue serves as a guide as to the various series and status-quo that awaits them. With a new omniverse to explore, anything is possible and the comic does its job to remind us of that.
The comic’s story is delivered in a narrative driven by two characters as our guide. It’s a spin on the classic Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life. Wonder Woman believes a threat is looming and wants to witness the state of things before making a major decision about her role in the DC Universe.
With Wonder Woman and Spectre as our guide, we’re taken on a tour of the characters highlighting the comics to come. The Justice League, Batman, Wonder Girl, Alan Scott, Teen Titans Academy, Superman, Green Arrow and Black Canary, Star Girl, Green Lanterns, and the Flash all get a moment to show off where things stand. All of it is good and interesting though few of what’s presented really excites. It feels like an extended teaser and preview. It takes its concept as a guidebook almost too seriously. The comic feels a bit more like the extension of the ending of Dark Knights: Death Metal where we saw many of these ideas initially teased.
But, what’s intriguing is what’s presented and doesn’t have a comic attached to them. Infinite Frontier #0 teases more than what’s already announced giving hope as to what we’ll see in July and beyond. There’s also teases through artwork of the various series DC teased at the recent ComicsPro. It’s interesting in that way that the stories feel less like the exciting first 15 minutes before the credits to get you pumped. Instead, the stories are a bit dry and more to lay out where things stand with the concepts thrown out being the hooks. The action isn’t the hook, the ideas are.
The art of the comic is solid. Each segment flows into the next and with a few exceptions, the styles work well together. There are some fantastic spreads with Wonder Woman as she talks to Spectre about what she’s witnessing. There’s a few panels and pages that’ll leave you lingering to stare at. The colors really pop on pages delivering a sense of energy that really fits the new status of the DC Universe.
Infinite Frontier #0 isn’t bad but it doesn’t quite excite. By the end of the issue I found myself more excited about concepts than the comics themselves. Very few of the segments left me wanting to immediately find out what happens next. Instead, it the comic feels like a short ashcan, teasing what’s to come with a few pages and back material to fill things out. It shows what’s to come but it never quite puts things over. Instead, it nails its role as a guide, a way to browse what DC has to offer.
Story: Brian Michael Bendis, James Tynion IV, Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Joëlle Jones, Tim Sheridan, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Joshua Williamson, Geoff Johns, Geoffrey Thorne Art: David Marquez, Jorge Jimeez, Alitha Martinez, Mark Morales, Joëlle Jones, Stephen Byrne, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Jamal Igle, Alex Maleev, Todd Nauck, Dexter Soy, Howard Porter, John Romita, Jr., Klaus Janson Color: Tamra Bonvillain, Tomeu Morey, Emilio Lopez, Jordie Bellaire, Stephen Byrne, Alejandro Sanchez, Hi-Fi, Alex Sinclair, Brad Anderson Letterer: Troy Peteri Story: 7.0 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Written by: Robert Venditti, Josie Campbell, Geoffrey Thorne Art by: Tom Raney, Dexter Soy, Andie Tong
Outnumbered but never outwitted or outfought, John Stewart leads the last of the Green Lanterns against insurmountable odds. Facing a bloodthirsty Khund cult dedicated to the “God in Red,” the onetime Green Lantern shows that even without a ring or the Corps to back him up, he’s still a force to be reckoned with! Plus, from the pages of Young Justice, Teen Lantern teams up with Mogo, and Hal Jordan reconnects with Oliver Queen after the power battery goes down!
Beginning on April 6, DC’s Green Lantern Corps are back in a new Green Lantern #1 by Geoffrey Thorne and Dexter Soy! Spinning out of Future State: Green Lantern and Infinite Frontier, John Stewart is at the center of the new series—plus Young Justice’s Teen Lantern and Far Sector star Sojourner “Jo” Mullein! As this new Green Lantern saga begins, the newly formed United Planets and the Guardians of the Universe hold an intergalactic summit to decide who can best serve and protect the cosmos from danger.
With the majority of Green Lanterns called back to Oa, John Stewart arrives alongside Teen Lantern Keli Quintela, whose homemade gauntlet could be one of the most powerful and unstable weapons in the universe. With the entire landscape of the universe in flux, is this the end of the Green Lantern Corps…or a new beginning?
As the new Green Lantern series progresses, Jo Mullein (Far Sector #10 arrives on February 2) joins the Corps to find out why the Central Power Battery exploded. Jo and Keli are on the case—are they the World’s Finest Lanterns?? What will this dynamic duo uncover as they investigate!?
This bold new story kicks off in DC’s Infinite Frontier #0 on March 2, where fans will see Dexter Soy’s incredible Green Lantern artwork for the first time.
Green Lantern #1, written by Geoffrey Thorne with art by Dexter Soy and a cover by Bernard Chang, plus a card stock variant cover by Bryan Hitch, arrives on April 6.
Dark Nights: Death Metal The Last 52: War of the Multiverses #1
Written by: Che Grayson, , Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson Art by: Dexter Soy, Alitha Martinez, Alex Maleev, Scott Koblish
What would it take to get every being left in the Multiverse to side together in the ultimate, final showdown? Total decimation and the complete undoing of all existence? The Batman Who Laughs has made his final move, bringing the most horrifying opposition to the battleground, and now every hero and villain left alive will stand and fight together. This epic battle book details every side of the last war across the Multiverse-Wonder Woman leading the heroes, Superman leading the villains, and Batman leading the dead-everyone has to play their part. Everyone and everything is at stake…so join here for the last of the DCU as we know it!
