Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Booster Gold #28 & Justice Society of America #35

Since I can't wait to dig into the Green Arrow comics I've been reading the past few nights(I just finished the Longbow Hunters and the first two issues of the 1980's series, and they are GREAT!), I'm going to cut the small talk tonight, and jump right into the reviews. How's that for an introduction?

Booster Gold #28: Writer/Artist: Dan Jurgens.

This issue gets started with Booster Gold basically giving us a quick origin of himself and his mission to safeguard the timestream... Huh, that seemed unnecessary... After Booster is finished reminiscing(as well as beating the Royal Flash Gang), he gets summoned by Rip Hunter. From there, the scene shifts to a few years ago, where Booster's time-lost sister, Michelle, has taken up residence in Coast City, just prior to it being utterly destroyed by Cyborg Superman. Although Michelle feels there is something she should be remembering about Coast City during this time period, she can't figure out what. Back with Booster, he is informed by Rip that somebody is trying to prevent the space accident that ultimately turns Hank Henshaw into Cyborg Superman. Although Booster hates to do it, he travels back in time to protect the integrity of the timestream, which means he has to make sure Henshaw turns into the horrific Cyborg Superman. Booster winds up running into a strange time travelling woman who was attempting to sabotage Henshaw's ship, so it wouldn't take off. Before anything can happen between Booster and the woman, she is pulled away in a time portal, leaving Booster behind to watch Henshaw fly towards his macabre fate. This issue ends with Michelle finally figuring out that Coast City would soon be reduced to a hole in the ground, just as she bumps into the man responsible for all the destruction, Cyborg Superman.

Not bad, not bad at all. First off, props to me for working "macabre" into this review. That's one of my favorite words. Anyway, as a fan of Cyborg Superman(yeah, that's right, I like him!)I liked that this issue focused on him in two separate time periods. I've got to say, in light of this issue, I don't think I could possibly do what Booster is doing... Would it really have been all that bad if he had travelled into the past and somehow prevented Henshaw from taking off on that ill-fated flight? Really, how does preventing Henshaw from going insane and killing millions harm the timestream? I'll definitely be looking forward to the next issue(s), which should give us a Booster Gold/Cyborg Superman throwdown.

Score: 8 out of 10.Say what you will about the Reign of the Supermen storyline, but Cyborg Superman made one awesome looking Superman!

Justice Society of America #35: Writer: Bill Willingham. Pencils: Travis Moore.

This issue gets underway with Dr. Fate laying helplessly on the floor of the JSA's base(thanks to a paralysis spell from Mordru), while his teammates are trapped in various pocket dimensions created by Mordru where they'll be trapped until Mordru decides to kill them, one JSAer at a time. Mordru decides to start by killing the most powerful member of the team, Alan Scott, and the two battle high above the earth. Ultimately, Fate is able to shake off the effects of the spell, just as he figures out where Mordru stashed his teammates, which leads to him rescuing them from their plights. By now, Mordru and Alan's battle has reached the front door of the JSA's headquarters, and the team rushes outside to assist Alan. After some time(plus some quick thinking by Fate)Mordru is defeated, and this issue ends with the team locking him up in the pocket dimensions he created to imprison them.

Eh, this was an OK comic... I doubt I'll remember it past tomorrow, but it was an all right way to pass the time. I've never really been a big fan of Mordru, but he was written well enough here where he didn't become all that bothersome to me. Um, I guess that's all I've got to say about this one...

Score: 7 out of 10."It hurts when I do this." Well then don't do "this"! Ha-ha-ha... Ugh...

7 comments:

  1. "macabre" was a nice touch! Was the Cyborg Superman just standing in alley?

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  2. Yeah, there are certain words I like for pretty much no good reason, and macabre is one of them. It just seems like such a menacing word.

    Yep, strangely enough, Cyborg Superman was just standing in that alley as Michelle turned into it... In retrospect, that's kind of bizarre... What nefarious plot would involve CS simply standing in an alley?

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  3. Even evil killer cyborgs need to make pit stops now and then ;)

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  4. HA! When you have to go, you have to go!

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  5. It's like Iron Man - how does he go to the loo? Especially in the movies ;)

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  6. Thought BOOSTER GOLD #28 was one of the best comics in a long time. I'm surprised it's not getting more press. But who's saying anything bad about REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN? I think it's one of the best stories ever told in any medium.

    Scott - http://www.ultimatehikingguide.blogspot.com

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  7. Wow Scott, I guess you aren't one of the people saying bad things about Reign of the Supermen! One of the best stories told in any medium? Wow! I can remember enjoying it A LOT more then the Funeral for a Friend storyline, but I think I liked the Death of Supes story a touch more then the Reign story.

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