Weekly Comic Review for 5/13/15
Time to get caught up. Next weekend will be crazy with Phoenix Comicon so time to get in what time I can.
Convergence #6 of 8 – Things are starting to come together. The heroes of the New 52 (The Justice Leagues,the Red Lanterns, and such) look into a planet that’s jutting into their universe, a planet that is being observed by the large space alien who goes around watching stuff. Meanwhile, down on the planet, some of the heroes start to gather where the Titans were fighting the Extremists. After the villains retreat, the group heads off to Diemos. The only problem is that the champions of some worlds have taken up his offer. The issue ends as the champions from Earth 2 and the mini-series for Titans, the Flash, Speed Force (including Fastback), Batgirl, some Superman title, some Batman title, Supergirl, Superboy, Blue Beetle, Justice League International, Justice League of America, Harley Quinn, Steel, and the Legion of Super-Heroes start to face off against the champions from Kingdom Come, Flashpoint, the Crime Syndicate, the Extremists, Captain Marvel’s team, and other random characters. Next issue:obvious battle royal.
Convergence: Green Arrow #2 of 2 – Where everyone else is trying to kick ass, this issue comes in as a reunion. Oliver tries to equate what happens on Dinah’s world with what will happen to him though that’s not necessarily a given. Connor and Olivia get along pretty well. This is until they realize that they are the only ones there and that they are meant to fight. And fight they do to save their own worlds. In the end, the women win and get sent home but earthquakes are starting and Arrow’s team is still alive after their loss.
Divergence back-up story: Green Lantern Corps: Lost Army
Convergence: Green Lantern : Parallax #2 of 2 – Hal is attacking Electropolis and Kyle is just waking up and finding out what’s going on. Kyle flies off to talk to Parallax and get both sides at peace but the council in Electropolis betray Kyle and continue the attack on his city. Hal ships Kyle back to his city only to discover they are still attacking it. Thankfully, Parallax takes out Electropolis causing the princess and her army to disappear.
Divergence back-up story: Lobo
Convergence: Justice League International #2 of 2 – It’s pretty much just the teams battling (despite Blue Beetle trying to get them not to) throughout the whole issue. The Beetles of both worlds ant to stop the fight but the JLI gets overpowered anyway. Of course, the earthquake happens and they don’t disappear. At the the end, Ted gets back to the headquarters to find out that while no one else did, BoosterGold remembered his birthday. (Not sure how he happened to find the right city or which Booster it was.
Divergence back-up story: Justice League 3001
Convergence: Suicide Squad #2 of 2 – More jumping back and forth between the battle and what happened back before they even left. In the end, it turns out it was Captain Cold who was going to kill Waller but before he can, she blows up the whole base Green Lantern created and kills everyone. (Does that make her the winner? I don’t think it really matters at this point.)
Divergence back-up story: Aquaman
Convergence: Superboy #2 of 2 – Kingdom Come Superman vs. Superboy. What a battle but I think we all know who’s going to win. Superboy is powerful, but he’s still no Superman, especially one who’s been around that long. Superman convinces Superboy to give up after they’ve destroyed a decent part of the city already. Flash and Robin try to do damage control during the fight, saving who they can. No earthquake this time which is interesting.
Divergence back-up story: Action Comics
Convergence: Superman: Man of Steel #2 of 2 – The kids go after Gen 13 who ares till fighting the Parasite. When John wakes to find this out and also finds out he can’t move, he has the professor put him through the same treatment as the cat. How he can change shape and make rocket packs right out of himself and more. When he gets to the battle, he convinces the Gen 13 kids to allow him to create a portal to send them back to their home. I noticed the Steel in Convergence looked different than this new techno-organic one. I guess they didn’t communicate too well between art teams.
Divergence back-up story: Bizarro
Secret Wars #2 of 8 – At least this issue had an “of issues” part on it. Looks like 8 is the popular number of issues when destroying universes. So, everything is gone. Where do you go from there? How about right into the middle of a new storyline. No? Not the best idea? I didn’t think so either but it seems Marvel did. (Maybe that’s why I read more DC than Marvel.) So, we’re in the middle of a new universe called Battleworld. Most people saw the map of this and probably thought that it would just be each reality separate like in Convergence but it’s really all one world with each area being like it’s own country. The areas on the released map are now revealed to be Doctor Doom related. He is the leader, monarch, god, and anything else you want to call him in this world. The Thor Corps (not just the 3 or 4 there were before but now a whole army) are his police. Captain Britain’s family (including his brother who is sane here) play a role as royalty of Higher Avalon. Steven Strange is the Sheriff of Agamatto and the right hand of Doom (who wears all white). Sue Storm seems to be his consort and even Valeria is there You see people from other regions like Sinister, Konshu, the Goblin Queen, the Hellfire Club, S’ym (from Limbo) and more. Alex Power finds the life raft that Thanos and crew were in so they are there to cause trouble. Lost yet? I am too. This is like trying to figure out Flashpoint only less interesting.
I find it interesting that, for the most part, the defeated world didn’t seem to get destroyed unless they were of no real consequence like Electroplis or the one with the cowboy JLA that we saw disintegrate a couple weeks back. Worlds like where Superboy, Green Arrow, and the JLI got defeated still exist. Talk about empty threats.
But on to the top 3. I think I’ll go with Convergence, Convergence: Green Arrow, and Convergence: Justice League International. I’ll actually be glad once this is all over. I’m going to go finish reading last Wednesday’s comics so I can report on them ASAP and then I’ll look forward to the end of this and seeing what happens. (I’ve really got to find this out since I’ll be on a panel at Phoenix Comicon about Convergence on Friday.)