A Villain's Beauty is Only Skin Deep

Another DC Comics' villains month has come and gone.  After DC Comics' Faces of Evil concept disappointed me in 2009, I had low expectations for the latest villains month event/gimmick in September 2013.  Then came all the hype and positive reviews for the 3-D lenticular covers, the news of their limited availability, and the mad dash to collect them all, even if it meant spending ten to one-hundred times their "value" on eBay (see The Joker's Daughter #1).  

Fortunately, all of mine came pre-ordered, so I wasn't involved with all of the hair-pulling and name-calling. My monthly shipment comics arrived at the end of September, and I was mesmerized by the covers.  They really were pretty awesome.  I've almost finished reading all of them and all I have to say is that their beauty is only skin deep.  Some are origin stories.  Some are present-day stories.  Pretty much all of them, though, have been average storytelling.  There was no consistency or cohesiveness to them.  It would have been better if they were either (a) all origin stories set in the past or (b) all set in the present-day New 52 world.  The only good thing about them is that there has been some decent artwork from artists I've never heard of before. 

Two of the most interesting villains issues I've read so far have been Poison Ivy #1 and Killer Croc #1.  Both are set in present day with flashbacks to when they were young.  Both present terrible events in their childhoods that give us insight into why they've become the villains they are today.  I felt sympathetic toward them; the events humanized them.  Additionally, the Poison Ivy comic did something very creative with its flashbacks.  It presented the art with an old-timey look in pastel colors.  This is the kind of comic I'd love to see blossom into a regular series, as it really gives us an in-depth look into the life of Pamela Isley.  

Conversely, my most anticipated read, The Joker's Daughter #1, was a complete letdown, thanks mostly in part to writer Ann Nocenti's inability to actually, um, write. Nocenti's already killed Green Arrow, Katana, and Catwoman for me.  So, let's give her another title and see what else she can fuck up.  Does she have some sort of blackmail against DC Comics' Powers-That-Be that keeps landing her regular gigs?  What should have been an introduction to a new, reinvented, creepy character just turned out to be a big, convoluted mess.  Don't just take my word for it, though.  

Maybe one year DC will actually get a Villains Month right.   What a wonderful month it would be to have dazzling covers mixed with well-written stories and terrific artwork.  But, seriously, why limit it to a month?   Shouldn't we always get these things for our hard-earned dollars?  With the abundance of untapped talent that's out there, why waste time on spotty storytelling and crappy art? 

Green Arrow Misses The Target

When I was a teenager/young adult, Green Arrow was one of my favorite comic book series.  I'm sure it was in large part to the tremendous writing on the series from Mike Grell.  In fact, it was so good that it prompted me to write in with compliments (and have my letters published!) a few times.  Although it resided within the DC Universe, its stories stood apart from the rest of Earth One's superheroes.  They were a lot more than just battle sequences, which frequently get boring.  It involved Green Arrow/Oliver Queen's relationship with Dinah Lance/Black Canary, their flower shop Sherwood Florist in Seattle, Dinah's rape, Oliver's infidelity with Shado and the resulting son, etc.

When I started reading comics again in 2007, one of the series I decided to pick up was Green Arrow & Black Canary, to see what was going on with two of my favorite characters.  To my surprise, Oliver Queen wasn't the Green Arrow of the series.  His son Connor Hawke was.  I had never heard of Connor Hawke.  So Ollie had another kid out of wedlock...and it still wasn't with Dinah?  Sheesh.  Apparently, Ollie didn't believe in any form of birth control. 

Fortunately, soon into the Green Arrow & Black Canary series, Ollie returns to claim his rightful title.  I went and bought all of the back issues of wedding issues and specials to see what I missed.  I really liked this new team series.  It was fun and entertaining.  I even liked seeing Connor Hawke and the new Speedy, Mia Dearden, appear regularly.  They made a great foursome.  Then came the introduction of Cupid.  She was an interesting villain/character at first, but when she started appearing in EVERY issue, that's when my interest started to wane. Who was this series about anyway?  Green Arrow and Black Canary...or Cupid?  DC saw declining sales and so changed the focus (and title) of the book to only Green Arrow.  (Even I could have told them it was not because of Black Canary, but because of stupid Cupid.)  That's when Green Arrow started being serious again, with the killing of Prometheus and running off into the magical forest that once was Star City, following the events of Blackest Night.  The new Green Arrow solo series labeled with the Brightest Day banner was interesting, but I missed the fun of the early Green Arrow & Black Canary issues, and I missed seeing Ollie and Dinah together as a couple. 

Then came the infamous New 52 following Flashpoint.  Oliver Queen is now a young man (a boy, if you will).  He has no facial hair and, as far as I know, has never even met Dinah Lance!  [GASP!  The horrors!]  Because I like Green Arrow in concept, I've read the first 24 issues of the latest Green Arrow series (volume 4 of his solo series titles; volume 5 if you include Green Arrow & Black Canary).  I can honestly say that I don't think I've truly enjoyed a single issue.  Like most, though, I didn't attribute my initial dislike to the writing of J.T. Krul at the beginning of the series.  I think he did the best with what he had to work with, which wasn't much.  Following Krul's dismissal, DC turned over the reigns to Ann Nocenti.  That's when I came to discover that Nocenti is one of the worst comic book writers out there.  I realize she's been writing for many, many, many years, but maybe it's time to force her retirement.  Her storytelling is awful; her dialogue is worse.  And now she's dragging down Catwoman and Katana with her.  In fact, the solo Katana series has already been canceled.  Coincidence?  I think not.  Catwoman's sure to be on the chopping block next.  And don't even get me started about the disappointment with The Joker's Daughter #1.  Seriously...WTF was that about anyway?  Another lame reintroduction to another potential star (see: Amethyst). 

So I was thrilled that DC execs finally came to their senses and moved Nocenti off Green Arrow, giving the series to writer Jeff Lemire (Animal Man).  Sadly, the series is still too boring for me, featuring too many battle sequences and not enough characterization and character interaction/relationships.  I miss the days when Oliver Queen was a man (a sexy man at that), when he had a history and relationship with Dinah Lance/Black Canary, had a strong friendship with Hal Jorden/Green Lantern, had a bunch of rugrats from different babymamas, had a sense of humor, was a strong Democrat, and fought for the little people.   Now he's just this dopey boy who used to have a company similar to Apple and runs around with two associates who create his arrows and buzz in his ear.  Even the reintroduction of Count Vertigo was short-lived and lame.  And now, Ollie's just met the Shado of the New 52 Universe who had a child...from his father.  EW.  

So, I'm done.  For the first time in many, many years, Green Arrow is no longer on my monthly pull list.  It was a good run, but I can't stand to see a good character unnecessarily spin out of control, even where Count Vertigo is involved. 

Shooting for 9

Hawkeye #2 (2012)

Long before Hawkeye was a popular movie character played by Jeremy Renner, he was one of my favorite comic book characters.  It's not every guy who can pull off wearing purple.  I loved the West Coast Avengers so much more than the regular Avengers (wait, was I the only one?) and he was a big part why.  I also enjoyed his dynamic with Mockingbird.  Although Marvel will deny it, it was obvious that Hawkeye and Mockingbird were modeled after DC's Green Arrow and Black Canary, but they felt like a totally different couple.  

After numerous mini-series and short-lived attempts a couple of monthly series, with his popularity surging from the Avengers movie, Hawkeye finally gets his own solo monthly comic book series.  Again.  (Hey, to be a success and be his longest running series EVER, it only has to last more than eight issues.) 

Immediately by looking at the covers, you can tell that this is a different Hawkeye.  They have a retro-mod look to them.  The letters are all in lower case.  The colors are minimal, but there is that predominance of Hawkeye's signature color, purple.  I wasn't sure, though, how David Aja's minimalist cover art would translate to an entire comic.  And, upon starting the first issue of the series, I seriously had my doubts. The art seemed too rough and rudimentary.  However, after reading the first two issues, I really think it works. And I love the heavy use and different shades of purple. 

The issues introduce Hawkeye with the promise that the series will be about his non-Avengers adventures:

I hope that the writer, Matt Fraction, keeps this promise.  Hawkeye is a strong enough character that he doesn't need his teammates always stopping by.  He doesn't need crossovers.  He has stories that can be told without intertwining them with other series.  So far, with the first two issues, Fraction has kept his promise.  Hawkeye's biggest worry has been taking care of the other residents in his apartment building from the big, evil landlord.  Let's hope that he continues to deal with these more human issues and interactions.  And, of course, canine issues (Clint adopts an injured dog that he rescues). 

Kudos to the start of what I hope will be an 9+ issue series! 

Green Arrow shoots...and lands a little off-target.

Oliver Queen (AKA Green Arrow) is back on top.  He owns the company QCore (think: Apple in the DC Comics Universe).  Get it -- apple core?  Oliver Queen?  The company came up with the Qphone and Qpad.  Sound familiar?  Unfortunately, it looks like his staff would rather see him retire from his executive position since he's always off "on business" somewhere.  What they don't know is that his business is kickin' ass. 

The first issue of the new Green Arrow series was just kind of average.  It had a lot of random action and violence scenes, as well as generic bad guys, which didn't do anything for me.  As an introduction, it didn't really succeed.  I really want to know more about Oliver Queen, the person.  Is he dating/married to Dinah (Black Canary)?  Was there ever a Speedy sidekick?  Is Connor Hawke, his son, still around? 

The new Green Arrow seems to be younger, a little slimmer, and shows off his body (and abs) in his tighter suit.  In the first issue, he also has yet to grow the beard/goatee for which he's renowned; there's just the appearance of some stubble.  Fortunately, his look isn't too much of an extreme change.  He's still got that Robin Hood look and feel, including the hood, which I love.  

Green Arrow is one of my favorite DC characters, so I hope he's given some better storylines in issues to come. 

Holy hotness, Green Arrow!

And now...a break from our regularly scheduled comic reviews.  I bring you some of the latest Green Arrow covers by artist Mauro Cascioli. 

The Rise of Arsenal

I've always liked Roy Harper (Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow), formerly of the original Teen Titans group. Why? I guess because he's always been "real." The stories involving him have always been real and hard-hitting. Nothing is ever sugar-coated with him.

As the teen superhero Speedy, sidekick to Green Arrow, he joined the Teen Titans and was drawn to the only female on the team, Wonder Girl. Roy was cocky -- a "total guy" and a womanizer -- and screwed up the relationship time and time again. Later, he became the poster boy for drug addiction, something unheard of for superheroes who were supposed to be role models for kids. Roy was addicted to heroin and unable to stop using. He eventually did stop, went through withdrawal, and came out clean. Thankfully, DC Comics still references this ugly part of his past instead of just sweeping it under the rug. It's a part of who he is, and it has made him stronger for it. It also establishes him as a superhero with flaws. It makes him...real, in a sense.

As an adult, Roy was known to bed many superwomen...and a villain or two. His charm, confidence, and good looks go a long way. He's had flings/relationships with Hawkgirl and Huntress, and fathered a child with the Titans villainess Cheshire. Unable to care for the child as an assassin, Cheshire gave Roy custody of their daughter. Having a daughter in his life has made Roy grow as a person. He's matured and become a great father to his daughter Lian and a big brother figure to Green Arrow's son Connor Hawke and new sidekick Mia Dearden, the new Speedy. (Who, by the way, has her own tragic beginnings coming from the world of teenage prostitution and now living with HIV.)

Now with the Justice League mini-series Cry for Justice, Roy has lost an arm AND the daughter he loved and cherished. The storyline itself wasn't that great, but its significance in Roy's life is major. (See my review here.)

DC Comics' new mini-series, The Rise of Arsenal, gives center stage to Roy and follows him through the "what's next?" stage of his life. I've only read the first issue so far...but I am already hooked. In it, Roy wakes up in recovery and tries to deal with the loss of one of his arms (that was severed by Prometheus). Next, he's given the blow that Prometheus also killed his daughter. Ouch. Roy is angry, hurt, and lashes out. His superhero friends try to calm him down, but it's to no avail. J.T. Krul writes the story with superb realism. He deals with the tragic emotion of loss and even...addiction. Yes, folks, Roy Harper is heading down that road again. Gone are the heydays of heroin. In today's modern world, it's prescription pain killers. And Roy has plenty of them, having just lost an arm and dealing with the pain.

Throughout the issue, I kept feeling so many emotions swirling around inside me. Sadness. Empathy. Anger. Frustration. I felt SO bad for Roy. The amputation I can deal with. The loss of Lian was devastating because you could tell how much Roy loved his little girl and wanted to provide a safe environment for her.

I can't wait to see where this mini-series is going, but I hope it's eventually to an ongoing solo series featuring my favorite red-headed, muscled womanizer.

Miscarriage of Justice

What happens when you push a superhero too far? DC Comics' seven-issue mini-series Cry for Justice answers that question. So as to not give away any spoilers (as if you probably already haven't heard), I won't go into detail about the story's content. However, I will tell you that the book leads into a new roster for the Justice League of America and into some major character changes in the Green Arrow family.

While the series ended on a powerful note, the entire story throughout felt a little bit convoluted and pieced together without much thought of cohesion. I felt that the writer, James Robinson, wasn't quite sure what the story was, how to develop the characters, how to have the characters interact with each other, or how to get the characters from Point A to Point B. And I'm sure "scheduling delays" with the release of the comic didn't help with my waning interest either. The first five issues were issued monthly and then the second two every other month after that. Hopefully, the graphic novel as a whole reads better. But most likely, it doesn't, since the story doesn't naturally flow.

Anyway, besides the "shocking" finale, the best part about this series was the amazing artwork. AMAZING. And when I say "artwork," I literally mean works of art. Each panel by Mauro Cascioli felt like a well-crafted painting. I only wish the story was as well-crafted. This book's artwork is worth the purchase alone.

Hawkeye Returns! (Sort of...)

I first fell in love with the character of Hawkeye (Marvel's version of DC's Green Arrow) when the limited series of the West Coast Avengers came out in 1984. He was brightly clad, led the new (and, in my opinion, much better) Avengers team, and had an interesting love-hate relationship with Mockingbird (Marvel's version of DC's Black Canary). I followed him through the years until I stopped reading comic books somewhere around 1993.

Rejoining the world of comics books a year ago, I was excited to find a mini-series titled New Avengers: the Reunion coming out devoted solely to Hawkeye and Mockingbird. Yea! Unfortunately, Hawkeye (Clint Barton) is now called Ronin, whom I last recalled as being a samurai character in the DC Universe created by Frank Miller. It was jarring to say the least, but I'll roll with it, hoping that he'll lose that persona and go back to his original by the end of the series. Still, at least it's the same two characters, and I'm enjoying their reunion, as rocky as it may be.

Now (in Spring 2009) comes a mini-series called Dark Reign: Hawkeye. Yea! Come to find out, it's not Clint Barton in the blue and purple costume. It's Bullseye masquerading as Hawkeye in an attempt to discredit the Avengers. For example, Hawkeye (aka Bullseye) saves a woman from getting raped (yea!). When she asks him for an autograph, he stabs her in the eye with the pen (ouch!). The first two issues have been pretty good, but this is not your 1980s Hawkeye series. It's darker. It's grittier. And it's obviously much more violent! Here's hoping Clint Barton makes an appearance in the final issue and wrestles the Hawkeye title from Bullseye.