GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1 DC COMICS
DC returns to space and may be playing it smart with this title. Ever since the 1950’s, DC had created a whole new universe of alien characters and stories featured in space. As soon as Superman was accepted on Earth, more and more space based heroes appeared. Of course, we had Hawkman, members of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and the Martian Manhunter but there were hundreds more. And while a lot of these characters took up back up placement, they still proved their popularity through the ages. And while I still can’t help but grip about the fact that there are soooo many human Green Lanterns, we get to see a few alien race GL’s here. We even get to witness the induction of Vexar’u of Tamaran (you know, the planet where Starfire is from!) into the Corps. Kanjar Ro pops in for a cameo. And while John Stewart is trying to steer clear of Blackstar, he runs right into Thangarian Hawkwoman! Right now, Hal Jordan is laughing out loud at poor John’s female trouble. Can writers Jeremy Adams and Morgan Hampton keep it up? Can poor artist Fernando Pasarin keep drawing those overflowing pages of characters and backrounds? Time will tell but for now they are off to a good start. 9 out of 10 Grahams.
AQUAMAN #2 DC COMICS
While I am still annoyed but Aquaman’s confusing new power set, writer Jeremy Adams and artist John Timms give a take on Aquaman that I haven’t seen since the late 1960’s. You remember those weird psychadelic covers by Nick Cardy. This time, instead of being shrunk down into a microscopic world in a ring, he’s been teleported to a strange dimension looking for his lost Atlantean subjects but finding Arion, Lord of Atlantis! And just who is Dagon? (Unless you happen to remember Justice League of America original series #35 from 1965.) So we have some interesting story points on what could have been a disaster. Interested in seeing where this one goes. 7 out of 10 Grahams.
DC FINEST THE DOOM PATROL TPB DC COMICS
Just when you thought that the DC Finest Legion of Super-Heroes was the be all – end all of collections, we get this sweet not so little volume of the World’s Strangest Heroes. Introduced in the My Greatest Adventures title, the story of the Chief, Negative Man, Elasti-Girl, and Robotman has become legendary. Their adventures told by such classic storytellers as Arnold Drake and Bob Haney were creative and popular enough to get the titled changed to the Doom Patrol with issue #86. Heck, their popularity continues to this day even earning them a streaming service television program! We get a great collection of the original stories including the introductions of Mento and Beast Boy (Yes, that Beast Boy!) And like any good title back in the 1960’s, they got their very own crossover story with the Challengers of the Unknown! And ending the volume with Aqualad and Robin putting out a call to the fans to decide if Beast Boy should become a member of the Teen Titans! (From 1966!) Yet another amazing collections from the Silver Age of Comics. 10 out of 10 Grahams.
