State of the Multiverse 12

Friday, Aug. 21 2009 | Author: darrren

Dark Reign: The Hood #4

Not a lot released this week on the Big Two’s events. Blackest Night – Superman #1, the conclusion of the Dark Reign: Mr Negative mini and the penultimate issue of Dark Reign: The Hood.

I have to comment that the first two really didn’t grab me a lot. In Blackest Night – Superman we see the resurrection of various characters, Zor-El as I had hoped for, and a pair that really surprised me, the original Earth-2 Superman Kal-L and his wife Lois. Now there was a couple that I had hoped were truly laid to rest. I wasn’t happy with how they were used in Infinite Crisis, and even less so now. However, I suppose this did raise the feeling of moral outrage that accompanies the horror of the main series.

Other than that, very little appeared to happen in the issue, but then it was just another set-up issue. We could have spent a little more time on New Krypton, but then I suppose other than Zor-El, very few people have died there yet. It will be nice to see Alura realise that what is in the interests of Earth may easily be in the interests of New Krypton as well.

The Mr Negative mini was okay, but it had the feeling of a back up strip. It was nice to see Betty Brant in the foreground, as I have said before I do not often read Spider-Man, so most of this series was lost on me I think.

The gem for me has to be Dark Reign: The Hood, where we see Parker Robbins basically keeping his minions happy while also concentrating on the welfare of his family. The White Fang sub-plot moves along as the Fang in her civilian guise meets Mrs Robbins, and did I mention Satana is back? YAY!

Another thought before I go, I’m worried about the Justice League. Previously when we have had a League fall apart storyline, it has always led to dire times, not just for the league but for the readers as well. Despite the quality of Justice League: Cry For Justice (which I am really enjoying, I mean Starman Mikaal? Congorilla? What’s not to like?), I hope the main League resolves its issues promptly. The current storyline is okay, but not as great as the previous Star-Breaker/Milestone epic, but even as the writers attempt to turn the Royal Flush Gang into a credible threat, I don’t want okay from the League, I want Great! With a Capital G.

So it looks like out of this weeks comics that I have read so far, once more I will ‘Make Mine Marvel’, but only by default. Looks like I need to turn to the Indies for some inspiration.