Spoilers!!!
This book continues to bring the goods and, in the process, is forcing many readers to reevaluate which comic is the rightful bearer of “Brightest Day” title. Yet, I still don’t quite fully understand why this book exist. Four months into the whole Brightest Day line of books and all I can say is that don’t see these books tethered together by anything encompassing, plot or thematic, other than being a collections of Geoff John’s loose ends. From Hawkworld to Magog to Booster Gold, all these stories seem to have their genesis in some John’s stories that were left up in the air. In that regard JL-GL can be considered a follow-up on the status quo that was established post-Infinite Crisis.
Whatever the reason, I am glad this book exist. It’s so refreshing because it read almost as if Judd Winnick and Keith Giffen were told this was going to be part of a line of books called “Brightest Day” and naively took that label at face value. At its heart this book is simply about 6 heroes trying to act heroic and the authors commitment to that simple theme is what makes this book. It’s not that these character don’t face humiliation, horrors and their own small little tragedies; quite to the contrary we find Booster Gold’s unfair treatment by the superhero community, Captain Atom’s sojourn into a post-apocalyptic future, and Ice’s waxing anxiety about life and death. However these moments aren’t treated with some melodramatic tragic pathos rather Winnick treats them as absurd and comical thus side steps the cynicism that seems to pervade the other bi-weekly comic.
For instance, this week sees the not-team breaking into Checkmate Headquarters disguised as Rocket Reds. Hilarious Hijinks ensue:
Sidebar:
- Gavril Ivanovich has really warmed his way into my heart and I like the pairing with Fire that Winnick seems to be heading to. However he is still in need of some further character development.
- While I love Jaime and am excited he’s in this book I have no idea why he has agreed to be on this team. He has barely had any lines this last couple issues. Jaime needs some screen time real soon to develope what role he actually plays/will play on this team. I really wish Winnick would explore the Booster Gold/ Blue Beetle Connection a little more thoroughly.
- Aaron Lopresti is fantastic in this issue and is turning to be my favorite amongst the rotating artist on this book.
- Is it just me or did Taleb Ben Khalid seem unusually small?
- OMFG, is it good to see Checkmate again. I miss you Rucka.
- Checkmate seems to have a new White King, Alton Janus. It seems pretty telegraphed that this is in fact Maxwell Lord but it could be a red hearing. None-the-less, kudos for the Checkmate reference (The Janus Directive).
- I find myself surprisingly satisfied with Winnick portrayal of Ice. Although she is definitely on the whiny side its refreshing to see a character actually have feelings about their experiences with death.
Final Grade: B
I’ve been wanting to wrte this up and haven’t had a chance (I’m catching up on my comic backlog though!)
I agree with you that the book has been a very pleasant surpise.
Yeah I had the pleasure of reading 4 of these issues back to back. I think its flowing really well.
I let most of my comic reading slide this summer. But I kept up with this title all summer long. It’s not a great book. You can easily poke holes in the plot. But it’s fun. I’ve been surprised how much I’ve enjoyed just about every issue.
It reminds me of Winnick’s Exiles which was also a fun read. Back before the day’s when people saw Winnick’s name and just started shouting “hack”. The guy actually can write. He just doesn’t always deliver. He had a long run of bad comics that actually had me wondering if he had become the hack everyone always accused him of being. But it turns out, he’s still got the goods sometimes.
Totally agree about Lopresti. I became a fan while he was on Wonder Woman. Gavril may be the break-out character of the year. Here’s hoping he doesn’t wear out his welcome.
People seem pretty split in Ice. I see your point. It’s refreshing to see a character have any realistic fear of death in comics and not be a villain. But I also can relate to fans who want to see her more heroic. Especiallly since she’s always been such a bright character.
Either way, I just want to see Winnick do more with her. I’m guessing she’ll embrace her bright take on life again before it’s all said and done.
Yeah I think Winnick’s Titans is up there with Countdown and Rise and Fall as benchmarks of terrible comics. However one of the first things i read by him was barry ween so I always new he could write. I started to doubt whether he could write superheroes comics though.
As for ice, I am confident this series will be about her going from this to that. Anyway regardless of whether you like it or not I think at the very least we can agree that the characterization is a believable one. And beyond just the refreshing of her attitude its good to have a foil that holds everyone else back from throwing their balls to the walls. I know fans want non-stop superheroics but what distinguished real writing from fan fic is that you don’t try to fulfill the fancy of your readership. you give them stuff they didn’t want at all but manage to convince them it what is good for the story and characters in the long run.
[...] were even a few neat twists along the way. Obviously, this book is looking to line up with Generation Lost in the near future. And the teases there were [...]
[...] Read/Rant has some thought provoking comments about this series and its relation to Brightest Day – including the suggestion that these are all Geoff Johns unfinished business from his old projects (Hawkman, Booster Gold, Magog, etc). [...]
[...] Winick continues to build on his new Rocket Red, Gavril Ivanovich. First there is a fairly entertaining dialog withe Skeets (in which Gavril refers to Skeets as “little plane”). But then Winick shows the character’s heroism as he battles a mind-controlled Fire despite having received thirs degree burns last issue. [...]