Wednesday’s Loot – 7 March 2007 (late)

52 Week 44
Was it me or was the art a bit off this week? I do like Black Adam keeping it real and taking on the four horsemen of the apocalypse but the “big reveal” of hunger, although not a complete cheat, wasn’t what I was hoping for. At least there were enough mild hints at the situation throughout the storyline. I do like the idea of Black Adam taking on the world because he was trying to make nice and it wasn’t allowed. I think it works more than that other company’s attempt at division. This at least has established motive. Also, I think that Montoya interlude was the backup this week.
I rate this comic: Good plot, not so good art.

Shazam and the Monster Society of Evil #2
Man this is a good comic. It really is one of the high water marks in current superhero comics. There were a few panels that seemed sketchy to me, but it could just have been me trying to read through a haze of beer. Still, I expect more from every single panel Jeff Smith produces which is unabashedly unfair of me. I think this miniseries is now how I’m going to forever see Cpt. Marvel and family. Mary Marvel was a great addition to humanize Billy a bit more, and Talky Tawny was amazing artwork. This is what comics are like in my memories.
I rate this comic: Grrrreat!

Manhunter #29
Wow, a character from 52 used extremely well, I’m glad that happened and I’m not surprised it happened in this book. I finally get to see Kate in her costume, fighting evil and whatnot which is also nice because I jumped on this title really late (i.e. for this last arc) and she’s really never been fighting crime with her secret identity. I’m thinking Andreyko needs to take over a JLA book or at least have a go at JLA: Classified because the big three as presented in this book are pretty much my ideal. He captures their essence perfectly in really limited space. Wonder Woman is noble with all the good traits of loyalty and idealism but also the mere pigheadedness of never doing thing a different way than hers, Superman is a big presence who is confident and impressive in his calmness, and Batman is imposing, even over the telephone, and brilliant with his Bat-science. Plus there’s a guest appearance by Firefly’s costume. I feel like this comic was allowed to build it’s own toys out of the broken bits of the rest of the DCU and when it actually started to have fun with them and make a new game that was better than the store bought contraptions the cool kids were then allowed to come over and play.
I rate this comic: Always good since I’ve been buying it.

Detective Comics #829
So is Dini off this to work on Countdown now? I was a bit disappointed, but I should probably keep better track of the DC website or something for this comic and Batman to see when the creators aren’t creating it. That being said, I did enjoy it. I like seeing more of Bruce Wayne trusting Robin and then showing up as Batman only near the very end. Some of the plot felt a bit heavy handed, I don’t remember exactly what at the moment but I remember thinking that as I read it. And my initial reaction to Andy Clarke’s art wasn’t warm but the hints of Moebius and Frank Quietly won me over in the end and I really quite liked it by the time I finished the book. I realized I actually do like artwork in my comics that doesn’t look like the norm.
I rate this comic: A decent first half of a two part filler.