Diamond Order Code: AUG110529

script DAVID BAXTER
art JAVIER ARANDA, GARRY LEACH & JESSICA KHOLINNE
cover TOMM COKER and DANIEL FREEDMAN

32 PAGES / FC / T
$2.99

ON SALE NOVEMBER 2ND

Drake, Hercules and Athena set out to free Heston, but there are times when great sacrifices must be made, and as war wages mercilessly desperate acts bring dire consequences for the Marksmen.

From www.youtube.com/benaroyapublishing

Written By:

Well I Feel Sheepish…
Ok, so last month in my review of Voodoo #1, I stated that, at the end of the book, Tyler survived Voodoo’s “slicing-and-dicing” of his innards.  I’m now sitting here slapping myself in the face for not figuring out what REALLY happened! But, of course, having never read the Wildcats series, much less anything from Wildstorm, I had no clue as to what Voodoo’s abilities were…so I just made an incorrect assumption based on my ignorance.  But it still made things a little awkward for Jess in the beginning, wouldn’t you agree?

But this is great!  It means I’m coming into this title with a clean slate! I don’t have any past knowledge of any of the characters, so the “newness” of it all is certainly exciting me to no end!  Voodoo’s motives are being realized while still maintaining a good amount of mystery.  Marz is certainly not revealing whether or not Voodoo is one of the bad guys, but it’s clear that Voodoo’s conflicted with her mission on Earth.  Why does she fear the humans and what they might do to her people?  It’ll not only be interesting and fun to see what the heck is going on with Voodoo, but how the humans are involved, and to what extent.

Of course, the question of how long the formula of this plot will continue to work lingers in my mind.  She’s slowly showing us, the readers, that she has multiple abilities and will most likely show more as the series progresses, but eventually the mystery has to be solved and a new focus will need to be developed in order to keep the title’s longevity intact.  There’s also the possibility of future issues becoming cliché and predictable with the revelation of Voodoo’s other powers.  In any case, however, Voodoo is one of the more exciting and dark titles in DC’s new line-up.

Now, for you complainers out there who feel DC’s barking up the overly sexual tree, you’ll be happy to know that Voodoo’s sex appeal was greatly diminished for #2.  Last month our eyeballs gazed on a lot of skin, stripping, and lightshowy wonder, which went right along with reader complaints.  However, #2 focuses more on the hunting down of Voodoo.  She’s still an attractive woman and definitely drawn for that sex appeal, but Marz and Basri were more concerned with the storyline rather than the sex.  So rest assured you worriers of “too much sex in your comics,” this issue shouldn’t piss you off TOO much.

Sami Basri, as always, delivers excellent work.  As stated, this issue is focused greatly on the story and not the sex, but everything Basri does in this issue is attractive and colorful.  At times I feel the characters are a tad too “wooden,” but not enough for me to say it doesn’t deserve a ten star rating.

Speaking of art, that cover by John Tyler Christopher blew me away!

I’m really surprised by how much I’m enjoying this series.  I wasn’t too keen on most of the horror titles post reboot, but decided to give the new books a chance.  So far, Voodoo and I, Vampire rank up there as some of the best horror fiction I’ve ever read…and there’s only been two issues of each!

10 out of 10 stars

By: Kieron Gillen (writer), Richard Elson (artist), Jessica Kholinne of IFS (colors), John Denning (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)

The Story: As the great battle event Fear Itself played across the Marvel Universe, Volstagg seemed to be MIA. Where was he? This issue tells us and gives a bit of emotional perspective on the Fear Itself event from a couple of key participants.

The Review: This issue is half buddy picture (Loki and Volstagg) and half Asgardian Uncle Buck (Volstagg) played by John Candy at his best. Heimdall opens the book saying “Asgard’s greatest weapon, the missing Destroyer, is brought back by its thieves.” Who would do that? Enter Loki and Volstagg, playing the classic fat-guy/skinny-guy dynamic with the secrets they both have to hide after the death of Thor and the end of Fear Itself. The amount of personality in the writing and in the art between these two is awesome. Loki is a natural scene stealer (aren’t most trickster gods?) and his efforts to get Volstagg out of a hole are heroically comic. And streetwise, affable Volstagg gets to be the responsible one of the two and deliver some great emotional moments that readers need to ease out of the Fear Itself event. However powerful that first scene, it is Volstagg’s homecoming which ends up stealing the heart of the issue, with what he tells his children, his wife and himself about what has happened. Multiple reveals. Multiple emotional hits for the reader. Multiple moments of growth for different characters. Good story-telling

Artwise, Elson and Kholinne slap down some great visuals broken into two styles: (1) the events of the present with Volstagg, and (2) Volstagg’s story told in possibly-inaccurate flashback. The framing narrative art was beautiful. I loved the goats (it sounds weird to say, but check it out and you’ll see what I mean), Loki’s expression, Volstagg’s physique and the visual characterization of the children. His wife, although traditional bordering on cliche in her story role, is also well depicted with some fine colors and shadowing to give her girth perspective. I didn’t enjoy the visuals in the flashback sequence as much, but I buy why it was done stylistically. I think that not only did it outline the flashbacks from the frame narrative, but some of the artistic exaggeration visually showed Volstagg to be an even more unreliable narrator than words alone could have done. Key message on art: goods delivered, effectively and attractively packaged.

Conclusion: This little issue was a hoot, whether you followed Fear Itself or not. It is self-contained and has enough information to work in new readers. Recommended.

Grade: B+

-DS Arsenault

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By: Ron Marz (writer), Sami Basri (artist), Jessica Kholinne (colorist)

The Story: She literally knows what dirty thoughts you’re thinking.

The Review: Women in comics are a hot topic lately, and with this DC relaunch, the focus has landed on their fictional portrayals.  Last week, both Catwoman and Red Hood and the Outlaws came under fire for putting their female stars into over-sexualized scenes (Catwoman’s last panel alone would have made you blush even in a men’s locker room).  With all the teasers showing its stripper-heavy first issue, Voodoo seemed well on its way to winning the prize for anti-feminism.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me just say: strippers are a fact of life.  You may see them as a moral travesty of varying degrees, but you can’t deny their existence, and it would be very false for fiction to do otherwise.  The important thing in writing them, just like writing any other class or type of people, is to make sure they don’t become mere instruments in the story, brought in just for the sake of having them.  Like anything else, if you write them well, they’re fair game.

And Marz writes them well.  Yes, you get plenty of bare skin and erotic positions in the first few pages, but as the issue moves along, he makes it clear all that stuff is mere gloss, and underneath is a living, breathing plot with conflict and tension that has absolutely nothing to do with an exploitive industry.  And anyway, by the end, the strip club setting becomes a non-issue; it is only one, temporary stop on this storyline’s train track.

Most crucially, these scantily-clad ladies eventually strip away their sexual glamour and become real women, for whom their exhibitionism is just part of their job’s grind.  This becomes clear when one of them—Abby; she has a name—asks the others, “My sitter for tomorrow just cancelled.  Can anybody watch Cody during my shift?”  The moment she mentions her son by name, you know immediately the intimacy these women share.

From that point on, the women cease to be “the strippers” and become true characters.  One excuses herself, saying she has class.  Another berates Priscilla, the “real” name of our titular protagonist, for not stepping up to the plate and helping out when her co-workers are in a bind.  They all have their personal for being here, but for Pris, we soon learn in dramatic fashion that with her limited experience of the world, a stripper was possibly the only job she qualified for.

Even if you don’t buy into any of this, you can still look to agent Jessi Fallon for your strong woman figure.  Annoyed by partner Tyler Evans’ unsavory interest in their current target, she vents her feelings by dispatching a gang of upstart fratboys without losing her cigarette.  But whatever her frustrations, she and Tyler have a mission to follow Voodoo wherever she goes.  As the issue’s climax (not that kind, sickos) shows, this series is no excuse for camp, but a genuine sci-fi thriller with a real conspiracy on its hands.

Basri draws beautiful women, but prevents them from looking as if they all came out of some standard hottie mold.  Some, like Abby, show clear but concealed signs of age and wear; others look youthful and strangely innocent.  Beyond that, Basri’s POV choices really drive the tension and pacing of the story, quickly turning from sultry to horrifying, though Kholinne’s dim, lava-lamp palette accented with rich lighting deserves equal credit for that.

Conclusion: In almost any other context, the content of this issue would be grossly and blatantly exploitive, but it all serves a natural purpose in the function of the story.  It’s not clear which direction this title will take, but it’s clear misogyny is not the endgame here.

Grade: B-

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - I would find it hilarious to know what kind of “research” Basri had to do to figure out all of Voodoo’s many, imaginative poses.

script DAVID BAXTER
art JAVIER ARANDA, GARRY LEACH & JESSICA KHOLINNE
cover TOMM COKER
32 PAGES / FC / T
$2.99
ON SALE OCTOBER 5TH
Diamond Order Code: JUL110535

New San Diego is betrayed and its heart is torn in two.  Drake and the Marksman scramble to face the assault on more than one front, but the Trojan Horse has already bolted.

Written By:

Voodoo, Created By Jim Lee & Brandon Choi

I LOVE Space Age Weirdness…
So I never really followed anything published by Wildstorm.  Every once in a while they produced good stories, but overall I wasn’t impressed.  Voodoo was one of those titles by Wildstorm that I always knew of and heard many good things about, but I was simply never interested.  Now, having picked up and read issue #1 of Voodoo’s transference into the DC Universe, I’m beginning to think I may have missed out on something really cool.

From what I’ve gathered, Voodoo (real name being Priscilla Kitaen) resembles very little of her Wildstorm character interpretation, apart from her looks and exotic dancing personality.  But hidden beneath that dark, sexy skin is a scaly, green, lizard-like alien whose purpose on Earth is unknown.  Enter Tyler and Jess, two secret agents charged with keeping an eye on miss Kitaen and, much to the enjoyment of Tyler, her night life.  When Jess leaves to go back to the hotel, Tyler takes full advantage of the private dance rooms and requests a little one-on-one time with Voodoo herself.

During the private dance, Tyler explains to Voodoo that he knows she’s an alien here to observe earthlings.  To what end, he doesn’t know, but his employers are determined to find out, which means Tyler is unrelenting with his inquisition. Voodoo turns all green and menacing, slicing Tyler up, leaving blood splattered all over the room.  As Voodoo walks out of the club, clothed and washed, we find Tyler walking close behind her, whole and unscathed.  And interesting turn of events I must say.

It’s All About The Sex And Violence…What’s Wrong With That?…
From what I’ve already heard and read on the internet, there seems to be a growing consensus that DC’s reboot is taking a step in the wrong direction with its “overly sexual” depiction of women.  It’s true that DC’s line of titles like Catwoman, Red Hood and the Outlaws, and now Voodoo have taken advantage of the immense artistic talent at their disposal created exotic versions of some of our favorite female heroes and villains.  While I disagree with the assessment made by fellow bloggers and reviewers concerning this assumed “negative” aspect in DC’s reboot, I can see why their concerns are merited for younger readers.  Maybe it’s time these critiques realize that the reboot isn’t SOLELY meant to bring in newer, younger readers, but also to more mature readers that can appreciate the artistry and intelligence it takes to created exotic literature.

Glamorous, wouldn't you agree?

Sami Basri and Jessica Kholinne offer the same quality artwork in Voodoo they brought with their time on Power Girl.  It’s attractive and eerie, and Kholinne’s colors shine with fantastic control and mastery of stage lighting and giving us the feel of what a strip club is actually like.  (Yes, I speak from experience, sue me!)  And Sami Basri does an excellent job at giving us just the right amount of sex appeal without becoming crude and/or overly revealing.

I Wish I Had More…
One negative side to the story is how little we learn of Priscilla.  It’s most likely the point, but when I finished reading #1 I was a little unsure about her character and where the story was going from here.  I would have liked a little more explanation into who she is and why I should care about this title.  Not to say this wasn’t a fun read, but there was definitely something lacking in the script.

Voodoo herself felt very much at odds with some dark past.  I almost get the feeling that her alien self is somewhat separate from her more “human” personality.  She seemed worried anytime she was asked to be a part of someone’s life; whether it be for babysitting, hanging out with friends, etc etc.  She always had a sorrowful look on her face, allowing us to feel sympathy for her character.  This makes me wonder about her intentions in being here on Earth; is she really here to observe humans to plan an invasion, or is there something else going on here?

Just like with I, Vampire, DC seems to have a theme going with its “darker” comics; pitting the gothic creatures of American folklore against the superheroes of the world.  There’s a deep undertone within DC’s reboot plans that seems to have superheroes as an unknown victim against Earth’s creatures of the night and supernatural evils.  Makes me wonder if, down the road, DC will break its promise of keeping things more accessible and hold an event where the metas war against vampires and werewolves.

In Conclusion…
Voodoo is another refreshingly new and exciting addition to the DC lines of titles.  I look forward to seeing where this mystery goes.

8 out of 10 Stars

By: Matthew Sturges (writer), Hendry Prasetya (artist), Jessica Kholinne (colorist)

The Story: You’ll have to excuse Power Girl; she doesn’t usually make waves.

The Review: If you’ve ever taken a philosophy or ethics class, you’ve no doubt experienced the fictional, but strangely fraught and disturbing perils of the hypothetical question.  You were likely asked to choose between two equally awful actions, and the moral acrobatics you take to do so will probably make your soul curl into a fetal position.  As the titular character from Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next says, “The only way to win the game is not to play.”

Power Girl takes that advice to heart in her last issue, which works on the ol’ ticking-clock gambit, the meatier sibling of the hypothetical question: some villain sets into motion a series of conflicts for the hero to handle in a limited time frame, both to ensure failure at some point and to test the hero’s priorities.  Karen, being no dummy and stranger to this kind of ploy, rises to the challenge by changing the rules of the game.

The success of these kinds of plots usually land fifty-fifty.  Some turn out truly tense stories which place the characters into some shady gray areas (see Secret Six #19), and others produce a functional story, no more.  This one easily lands in the latter category.  Suspense is impossible if the character in question feels no danger, and at no point, really, does P.G. even entertain the notion that she might fail—and neither do we.

So the only real entertainment to be had here is seeing the hoops she must fly through to get things done, and how she does it.  Unfortunately, our mastermind sets probably the least threatening obstacles in her way possible, including a werewolf and luchadore duo whom Karen accurately calls the “Laurel and Hardy of costumed criminals,” a muscleman named Da’ Bomb, and some Red Tornado-like gray dude who is actually a carrot-topped goon when depowered.

Granted, all comics operate on the suspension of logic in some way, particularly if superpowers come into play.  But I have to take issue with the allotted time to get all these things done, somewhere around fifty seconds.  This is ridiculous even by Power Girl’s standards, but it really only grows into a problematic logistical hole when Cyclone gets involved, because as far as I know, Maxine Hunkel has no power to get from Brazil to the Philippines in twenty-five seconds.

On top of all that, this whole mess comes to nothing, as it merely preludes the first step to a much grander scheme that now we will never see anyway.  Power Girl may have passed this test with flying colors, but she gains and learns nothing by doing so, which seems a pretty pointless direction for a character’s last accomplishment before cancellation.

Prasetya’s manga influence suits this light, unassuming story very well, though it can’t be said he ever goes above and beyond the line of duty where detail is concerned.  While the simplicity of his style makes the issue easily digestible, it also emphasizes the superficial quality of the story, turning the Leaning Tower of Pisa so smooth and regular in appearance that it looks more like an elaborately decorated cake than a piece of architectural wonder.

Conclusion: Ultimately, the final issue goes nowhere and leaves our hero stranded at a dead end, but honestly, such a finish is poetic considering this title never had much direction to begin with.

Grade: C+

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - And if anyone wants to contest my assertion of Prasetya’s neglectful eye to detail, I’d like to point out the lack of freckles on Cyclone’s face.  It’s the little things.

- Seriously—stupid cats.  I swear they make up half of our heroes’ workloads.  Which of them hasn’t had to drag some dumb feline out a tree at some point?

August 1, 2011

Title: Girl Power

Writer: Matthew Sturges
Art: Hendry Prasetya
Colorist: Jessica Kholinne           
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: Sami Basri
Editor: Joey Cavalieri        
Publisher: DC Comics

Power Girl doesn’t make a lot of scheduled public appearances, but an actual “Power Girl Convention” turns out to be too great an opportunity for her to speak to other young women about potential and empowerment. And, of course, it turns out to be lucky she’s there, since an alien shows up with the intention of kidnapping Power Girl and stealing her powers to become a superheroine on her own planet. It’s a wild kind of tale, with an almost Silver Age feel to it, but Matthew Sturges manages to bring in a decidedly modern sensibility. It is, at its core, a story about women standing up for themselves and taking action against those things they know to be wrong, even when (maybe especially when) someone like Power Girl isn’t there to cover their back. The last panel has one of those moments that’s both goofy and hopeful all at the same time, and it’s lovely for that. Hendry Prasetya and Jessica Kholinne do an absolutely wonderful job on the artwork here, imitating outgoing artist Sami Basri so well I didn’t even realize he hadn’t done the artwork until I looked at the credit box. I don’t know if either of those creators have a gig lined up in the DC Relaunch, but damned if they don’t deserve one. This is probably the title I’m going to miss the most as we stride into the new DC Universe next month, but I’m going to enjoy its last few moments while I can.

Rating: 8/10

SAMURAI’S BLOOD #3 (of 6)

Diamond Order Code: JUN110556

story OWEN WISEMAN
art NAM KIM, MATTHEW DALTON & JESSICA KHOLINNE
cover JO CHEN
AUGUST 17
32 PAGES / FC / T
$2.99

There are four ascending levels of suffering in the world and Mayuko is about to learn them all. With Katashi floating unconscious down the river, Mayuko is left to fend for herself against the vile Mistresses Kimori and Yamayuna, as they attempt to break her spirit and make her one of their oiron girls. But just as quickly–as the faintest glimmer of freedom appears—so, too, does it fade away. Innocence must pay the terrible price.

August 1, 2011                                                

Creator: Michael Benaroya
Writer: David Baxter & Dave Elliott
Pencils: Javier Aranda
Finishes: Garry Leach
Colorist: Jessica Kholinne of Imaginary Friends Studios
Cover Art: Tomm Coker
Editor: Dave Elliott            
Publisher: Image Comics/Benaroya Publishing

Good for Image Comics – they’re taking advantage of a policy of mine that far too few publishers exercise. I call the policy “If You Price Your Comic Book at a Dollar Or Less, I Will At Least Buy One Issue.” It’s kind of wordy for the name of a policy, but there’s really no room for ambiguity there.

Anyway, the one-dollar debut of Marksmen recently gave me the chance to exercise it. Following the collapse of the United States after a “massive recession,” a civil war has plunged what’s left of the country into chaos and devestation. In this unspecified future, New San Diego was rebuilt by a group of Navy Seals, whose descendants – the Marksmen — protect their city from the horrors of the rest of the continent.

As a concept, the book has promise. The whole “following a massive recession” bit may be a little on-the-nose, but the idea of one last bastion of civility in a wasteland is one that has promise. Sadly, the execution is lacking. The script is dull, the characters are totally unmemorable, and the revelation about “Lone Star” is even more on-the-nose than the concept. The artwork isn’t bad – Javier Aranda and Garry Leach can tell a story visually – but it isn’t enough to make me care about the rest of the book. Points to the crew for trying to do something different, but it’s just not different enough.

Rating: 4/10

By: Matthew Sturges (writer), Hendry Prasetya (artist), Jessica Kholinne (colorist)

The Story: Showing up somewhere in the same outfit as 5,000 other people sure is awkward, ain’t it?

The Review: I’ve said my piece about women and comics this week, but considering the story we get in this issue, let me put in a couple more cents.  Even though it’s a no-brainer that women should have equal standing to men, there should be a few conditions on that point.  The most important is we shouldn’t merely promote women for the sake of promoting women, an act as false as choosing a man over a woman simply because he is a man.

On that note, Power Girl’s fourth wall-breaking speech works on a lot of levels.  In context of the story, where she attends a convention dedicated to her, it’s a very appropriate speech for the attendees.  But her words have a lot of value to us readers as well, particularly those of you who are women.  Her advice is right on the money: “…be vigilant, be true to yourself, and have the courage to speak out and to confront evil…”

Left as is, Karen’s discourse would seem to encourage the self-righteous stridence that marks most feminists, but as the rest of the issue shows, this story is less about women as heroes, and more about what makes a hero.  Once the action gets going, gender becomes irrelevant.  Whether you or the characters are male or female, anyone can appreciate “ a hero doesn’t hurt people…to get what she wants,” and “I could do more than just wear the costume…I want to deserve to.”

All very well and good, and accompanied by a rather fun premise.  I’m always curious to know how our heroes would deal with the otaku culture that would undoubtedly spring up in their wake, and really, it all works out much as you’d expect.  P.G. acts the reluctant celebrity, coming as a guest only for charity, and deals with her adoring and at times awkward (love Marnie’s paralyzing shyness just as she gets the much awaited chance to talk to Karen) cosplaying fans.

That said, this issue really bets on the cuteness of its premise and the touching points it has to make, because the whole basis of the antagonist makes very little sense.  Not for one second do you believe Rana Arenta can be a whit sympathetic, even with a clearly underwritten sob story about her planet enslaved by the “overlords of Azar for over a hundred years.”  She immediately defeats her attempt to sell herself with her selfish, senseless, and unreasonable demands.

And while the idea of all the Power Girl cosplayers coming to the rescue sounds cute on paper, it feels like Sturges forced the scenes in there instead of letting them unfold naturally.  After all, Karen should be much more capable of handling herself, or what—we should believe some magical golems are all it takes to subdue her?  Anyway, the cosplayers end up underused, and predictably so, so the value of giving them such prominence seems a little questionable.

Prasetya’s manga-ish look for this series works very well, allowing Karen to look her usual strong and sassy self, but still retain a feminine girlishness, living up to both parts of her heroic name.  His style is to-the-point, not given to much depth, which somewhat works given the simplicity of the plots and emotions,  but still seems flat about half the time.

Conclusion: Charming in some ways, but clearly biding the time until this title disappears off the stands entirely.

Grade: C+

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - Honestly, more than being true to themselves and confronting evil, I’d appreciate it if certain girls would stop speaking in questions.  I’m talking to you, Kira.  “I guess I’m distracting you?…From that?”

Margo’s reasoning for wanting to be a superhero: “…you don’t have to wear pants.”  Well, being a girl, you don’t have to either.

SAMURAI’S BLOOD #2 (of 6)

story OWEN WISEMAN, art NAM KIM, MATTHEW DALTON & JESSICA KHOLINNE, cover JO CHEN

32 PAGES, FC, $2.99

Revenge should never be left to the young. As our three teenage samurai leave their ravaged home behind they search for ways to sustain themselves and execute their vengeance. But as young blood boils, rash decisions are made and the consequences can only bring hardship. There are reasons for the laws of Bushido…and Katashi is about to learn more than one of them at the expense of the one he loves most.

By: Judd Winick (writer), Hendry Prasetya (artist), Jessica Kholinne (colorist)

The Story: If he can make it rain, can we say it’s literally raining men?

The Review: Just because someone’s the star of the show doesn’t mean other people can’t take a turn in the spotlight now and then.  At a certain point along the road, you’ll find the lead just can’t sustain a consistent story output anymore.  But spotlighting a guest character requires some extra work; they really have to wind up making some lasting change to the story at large to make their temporary presence worthwhile.

So does Winick make the most out of Rayhan?  Well, his love of the character is obvious, as our Quraci friend gets quite a lot of solid scenes in the issue.  It seems the more down-to-earth the story, the better Winick gets at writing it, especially when it involves characters embracing their emotions.  Rayhan’s interactions with his father, both as a newly immigrated family and on his father’s deathbed, predictably pile on the sappiness, but you can’t deny the heart in them.

Actually, Rayhan’s unassailable virtues end up a kind of pitfall for the issue even as they esteem his strength of character.  He takes such extra pains to purposely not hurt anyone that the action never reaches the adrenaline-levels you’d expect from a brawl between a metahuman of his level (basically the male Storm) and a team-up of Batman and Power Girl.  The Dark Knight and the Mistress of Might do little more than chase after him in a distracted fashion the whole time.

As a result, our two established heroes become accessories to Rayhan’s story, which would be fine if you felt a real sense of resolution from his end.  But aside from some gratifying words from the duo that basically tried to keep him from seeing his dying father, you don’t get to see Rayhan get the justice he is due.  No one expects a Hollywood ending with Rayhan stepping down a courthouse in triumph into the sunset, but considering what his jailors put him through, a few vague promises of restitution fails to satisfy.

By the same token, we should’ve also seen P.G. introduce Rayhan to the Justice Society as she offers.  That scene would have both made Rayhan’s trials worthwhile and sell Kara and Bruce’s heartfelt moment at the issue’s end.  Instead, their talk comes off rather self-congratulatory (“Kara…you’re among the best, too.”  “Yeah…I am one of the best.”), which is just a tad laughable in the face of their enormous blunder.

Or two enormous blunders if you count letting Rayhan get put away in the first place.  Their suspension of trust in him still seems like an artificial tactic to prolong the story and add on to the wrongs Rayhan already has to deal with.  It just doesn’t seem possible Rayhan’s obvious acquiescence would be lost on their sense of fairness.

Prasetya’s clean, to-the-point work won’t get awards for boat-rocking creativity, but he gets the job done in polished fashion.  His real strength lies in his character work; he gives a little angularity and sharpness to the faces that instantly make them seem more dynamic.  Kholinne finally impresses with her colors as the previous washed-out quality is nearly all gone.

Conclusion: For such a controversial plot point, it lacks controversy, focusing on the emotional aspects of the story instead and doing so rather predictably.

Grade: B-

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - Who can offer me a reasonable explanation of how Rayhan manages to make it rain inside a building?

- Honestly, Kara, trying to use your heat vision to evaporate the rain is probably both the most futile and stupid tactic you’ve ever tried.  How about flying in a vortex counter to the hurricane’s spin to break up its force and then use your super-breath to dissipate it?

By: Judd Winick (writer), Hendry Prasetya (artist), Jessica Kholinne (colorist)

The Story: Don’t try to be a hero, man.  Seriously—you could go to jail for it.

The Review: Fiction has always been and will always be a product of its period; no surprise then that the stories you indulge in will have echoes in the current events of the year.  Lately Muslim-American relations are very much on the forefront of our consciousness, so small wonder we get treated to more fiction on that subject than we’ve been used to.  But considering the topic’s volatile nature, it’s that much more important for writers to tread carefully in their storytelling.

Winick falls into the trap of telling his story of a newly exposed metahuman Muslim-American the way we want to hear it, or at least, the way we expect to hear it.  This means the use of a lot of stereotypes—interestingly enough, less with regards to Quraci Rayhan Mazin, weather wizard, and more with his US federal captors.  Suspicion against the government has never been greater, so it’s quite the rage to portray any gov official as ruthless, controlling, corrupt, or all the above.

Just look at the unfair detainment and treatment of Rayhan (no lawyer, no outside access, etc.).  To his credit, Winick does set up a fairly sticky situation which would sensibly result in some woeful misunderstanding, especially on the crest of such primal emotions.  And he does allow Rayhan’s interrogator just a smidgeon of humanity, but his apparent total lack of sympathy or open-mindedness still leans on the military caricature side.

But in pursuing his agenda of demonizing the military and (figuratively) martyring Rayhan, Winick creates and ignores a significant point: Power Girl and Batman’s presence at the scene of the “crime.”  It stands to reason they would never simply let a brand-new metahuman villain of such power be taken into government custody, no questions asked, without confronting or researching him themselves (Bruce especially wouldn’t let that pass).  Most likely, Winick will play this out to wrap up this arc with a suitably just ending, but it’s still a major plot hole.

Winick’s oversimplified understanding of complicated real-life affairs also applies to corporate transactions.  He tries to make a headline out of Starrware’s acquisition of a news network (“Are they biting off more than they can chew?”), but it’s hard to take it seriously, even ignoring that in real life, any company can try to acquire any other company as long as it can justify its use.

We know so little about Karen’s pet business, especially what it actually does—“some very dangerous stuff” says Agent Teman, “pure science” as Batman describes it—that any plot involving Starrware lacks interest.  Despite all the talk about fleshing out P.G.’s civilian identity and job, Winick has only superficially addressed these things with flashy scenes, like Karen and Bruce’s red carpet run, when more in-depth focus on her personal life is needed.

Prasetya’s style doesn’t differ all that much from Sami Basri’s; both feature solid lines, focused foreground work, spare surrounding details (though Basri does better in this respect), and a manga-like character treatment (Prasetya has a slightly more convincing look).  Kholinne’s colors have improved (read: bolded) significantly, but still seem a touch pale most of the time.

Conclusion: Iffy treatment of what should be a more nuanced plot, though Winick delivers a passably believable story.  Whether he can elevate this beyond the predictable is questionable.

Grade: C+

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - Power Girl’s squinch-eyed, clenched-fist, disgruntled look is straight out of the school of Japanese comic female characters on the verge of a hissy-fit.

Written By:

Penciled By: Hendry Prasetya

Coloring By: Jessica Kholinne

Lettering By: John J. Hill

Edited By: Joey Cavalieri

Cover By: Sami Basri

The Plot

Starrware’s business is booming, and Karen Starr is becoming just as big of a business tycoon as Bruce Wayne.  Is this a good thing or a bad thing?  While this concern is steady on the ground, flying above the heads of innocent bystanders is an airplane ready to shoot down towards Earth…that is until a certain Middle Eastern man uses his super powers to bring the plane down to a safe and secure landing.  But the government doesn’t thank him for his efforts.  Rather he is taken into custody and treated as a terrorist.  How will this end? I’m sure you can figure this one out.

My Awe Inspiring Opinion

You know, I’ve read a lot of stories within comics that have terrorism as either its main plot or secondary sub-plot, and I keep thinking that I’m going to get tired of it…but I’m haven’t.  There’s still a sentiment going around that if you are Muslim, or from the Middle East, there is a high probability that you are a terrorist.  It’s frustrating to see Americans take every opportunity, even if it’s of their own doing, and use that to show the world why Middle Eastern men are evil.

In this issue of Power Girl we are introduced to Rayhan Mazin, an educated man with super powers he decided to never use as it would only strike more fear than necessary within the hearts of the feeble minded and the bigots. It’s not a constant thought that runs through my head, but every once in a while I’m reminded of the fact that, while there are those who choose to use their powers for the greater good, there are also those in the comic book world who choose to live normal lives and keep their powers hidden.  Of course, Mazin’s interrogation officer however views it as a terrorist plot against America.  But after all the interrogation and scrutiny, Mazin doesn’t give in and waits patiently for the government to realize he no threat to the states. That is until he discovers his father is sick and could be dying…and isn’t allowed to see him.  All Hell breaks loose and it’s one of the more powerful scenes in #24.  Just goes to show, don’t take a man from a country that values family connectivity over everything else and deny him his family livelihood…especially if he has super powers.

Power Girl takes on a very human role when she’s forced to deal with the advice and orders from a security agent sent by the government.  (hmmm, the government seems to have its hands in everything huh?)  While PG has always shown her more human side, this issue shows an even deeper humanity within her psyche.  Judd Winick has really taken Power Girl and given her more life than I had thought possible; the argument she has with Batman, the confrontation with Secret Agent Teman, the new enemies she’s acquiring, and the progressive move her company is making is pushing Power Girl into a much more unique personality that is causing her to have a much more identifiable character beyond being the big boobed Kryptonian.  After two years, Power Girl has become one of the stronger titles currently being sold by DC.

Hendry Prasetya does a fantastic job as a substitute artist in Basri’s absence.  Whether or not Prasetya is now taking over as the regular Power Girl artist, I’m not sure.  But if he is, I won’t complain.  Jessica Kholinne keeps doing great work with the colors and actually helps make Prasetya’s style feel not so strange and unfamiliar.  This might be one of the best artist transitions I’ve ever seen, and I couldn’t be happier.

Oh, and just a side note, I think Bruce Wayne and Karen Starr would make an excellent couple, don’t you?  Maybe I’m just crazy but they seem to click quite well.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Power Girl continually does great work month after month.  After two years it’s still one of my favorite titles to read.

10 out of 10 Stars

By: Judd Winick (writer), Sami Basri (artist), Jessica Kholinne (colorist)

The Story: This guy has to learn he can’t just punk people’s magic whenever he wants.

The Review: In my last review of Power Girl I got a little tough on Winick, mostly because I felt cheated out of a completed storyline.  Just know, however, it had nothing to do with the merits of the issue itself.  In fact, the new tone the title had set up felt like a much stronger direction for the series, and much more suited to P.G.’s character and Winick’s strengths.

This issue really confirms that feeling.  No longer saddled with his “Brightest Day” storyline, Winick doesn’t have to spend so much effort writing an action-drama, which he never quite pulled off.  Ever since this title launched, Power Girl’s been written as brassy and sassy, which doesn’t exactly mesh with the conspiracy/thriller mission she’s been forced into for the last few months, nor with the legal wrangling over her company ownership.

Winick has a clear comfort zone: lighter, less complicated plots which act as vehicles for his semi-juvenile sense of humor.  A Superman-Power Girl team-up to take down a magical moocher hits all the right marks: straightforward, silly, and upbeat.  Not only is it heartwarming to see the two Kryptonians get some bonding time—good to know they’re still close despite Clark’s real cousin in his life—they get a suitable challenge for their easygoing natures.

Even though Winick’s style of banter is still hit-and-miss and given to irritating repetitiveness (okay, okay, you’re dealing with magic, it’s tough for you guys, we get it, stop calling attention to it), he hits more often now than before.  His narration also feels tighter—the transitions from Power Girl’s voice to an omniscient narrator to Manuel’s dialogue to Zatanna’s conscious flows smoothly without missing a beat.  Winick’s writing probably won’t reach a level of subtlety on par with, say, Nick Spencer or Gail Simone, but this is as enjoyable as it gets with him.

Zee doesn’t get much of a speaking role, but Winick takes full advantage of her powers for some really fun results (the multiplying Sasquatches are a nice touch).  In some ways, he writes her magic more creatively than even Paul Dini, since he seems to get her spells are limited only by her (or, more accurately, his) imagination, ranging from the mundane (summoning thorny vines), to the wacky (giant glue cannon), to the awesome (releasing an ocean wave out of thin air).

On another note, with Karen’s company back in her possession, Winick has smartly decided to take a step forward in making her civilian identity a substantial part of her life.  Ignoring the fact that her makeover should fool no one who has already seen her blonde, non-four-eyed look (i.e. everyone who’s met her), it’s a nice connection to Clark’s double-life.  And it’s quite touching to see him smiling as one of the reporters at her company’s official launch and press conference.

Basri pulls out all the stops in drawing all the magical craziness featured this issue—the mastodon with fire coming out of its trunk, the pterodactyl using heat vision, the axe-wielding velociraptor in checked shirt and overalls—this is the stuff comics are made of.  When Kholinne goes bold with her colors, she’s great—when she goes pale, not so much.

Conclusion: There’s no sophistication to this kind of story, but it makes for a fun read and works to Winick’s strengths.  I would not mind seeing him continue this format for the rest of his run.

Grade: B

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - To be perfectly honest, I’m really not a fan of the suit jacket/cape thing that’s part of Zee’s get-up now.

- I’m also getting pretty sick and tired of her made helpless by a gag around her mouth.  By now, you’d think she’d have some failsafes for that kind of thing—only because it’s happened to her about a zillion times.

Written By:

Artist: Sam Basri

Colorist: Jessica Kholinne

Cover Artist: Sami Basri

Letterer: John J. Hill

Editor: Joey Cavalieri

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

So there’s a horde of magical dinosaurs rampaging the city while their creator, Siphon, is spending quality time with the sexiest woman in a top hat and fish nets who spouts out backwards magical jargon. He doesn’t want to hurt her…he just wants to have her powers.  After Supes and PG release Zatanna from her bondage, thus begins the wizard’s duel!  It will have you laughing and tilting your head to the side in bewilderment at the same time.

It’s been almost a year since Winick took over the writing responsibilities for Power girl and it seems he’s only JUST getting started.  Winick decided to throw everything out there (including the kitchen sink) and make this one of the most chaotic issues of PG since Power Girl #12.  One can only guess what the two year anniversary issue next month may or may not be.

I’ve honestly always loved any comic book which involves Power Girl and Superman teaming up to fight the baddies.  It’s interesting how two Kryptonians, both from different dimensions who don’t technically share a real family linkage can feel more like family than Superman and Supergirl.

Siphon is an interesting villain, only good for one issue and then maybe returning a few years down the road after Geoff Johns revamps him into a much more dramatic and angst filled character. In the meantime, what an amazing duel the two magicians have as the fight kept you wondering what the next daunting spell was going to be; From Sasquatch to rocky boobs, every spellbound attack gave me a joyous laugh filled with action and…well…awesomeness!

I have always liked Zatanna, but this issue made me LOVE her.  This in turn causes me to regret not picking up her regular monthly title from the beginning.  However, I was a little jolted by the Magical bras comment…until I saw the image of Zatanna, Supes, and PG standing triumphantly, with hands placed on their hips, in front of Siphon.  No wonder she has Magical bras, her boobs are just as big as Power Girl’s!  I guess now we know how PG has been able to live without too many back problems, she has Zatanna to make her super powered braziers.

I know, It's not the best picture to display her chesticles, but my scanner has broke and have no way of scanning my favorite panels.

Sami Basri is doing nothing but good things on this titled.  When he first began his anime styled take on Power Girl, it got a lot of criticism.  But #23 showed me that he is anything but a second rate comic book artist.  Jessica Kholinne only enhances what Basri puts to paper with her excellent colors and shading.

I’m not sure what I think of the whole new look for Karen Starr.  She did, in fact, look completely different with her red hair and business attire, but I have my doubts on its longevity.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Once again Power Girl one of the best comics of the month; Its consistent quality is always refreshing and fun to read.  However, it does make me wish that magical bras were real…I know my wife would love to have one.

10 out of 10 Stars

By: Judd Winick (writer), Sami Basri (artist), Jessica Kholinne (colorist)

The Story: Since when do two Kryptonians find it so hard to beat a herd of dinosaurs?

The Review: Power Girl is sort of special in the world of comics, as even though she is based off of and has similar origins to Supergirl, they’re incredibly different characters.  Her brash, gutsy attitude has earned her plenty of fans, but the fact remains: she’s a spin-off, and wherever her more feminine counterpart goes, Power Girl finds herself hard-pressed to forge an identity that can compete for attention.

Winick attempts to delve into that problem this issue, though he’s certainly not the first.  Plenty of writers have tried to give Karen some flesh beyond her buxom body, but nothing seems to stick for very long.  Even the start of this title reestablished her science R&D company with some fun ideas that soon got lost in her much wackier heroic misadventures.

The first arc of Winick’s run put Starrware back in focus, but its shutdown never felt very threatening, since you didn’t know exactly what it did and Kara never spent time there anyway.  Her sudden re-acquisition of the company similarly feels flat and less than triumphant, despite the celebratory mood she encourages.  Part of that scene’s lifelessness comes from knowing virtually no one involved in Starrware enough to care.

The other part comes from the totally abrupt jump from last issue’s loose ends to this issue’s new beginnings.  Apparently, Winick chose to conclude his last arc over in the other series he’s helming, Justice League: Generation Lost. It’s an upsetting choice on a lot of levels, not the least of which is if you don’t read that title (which I don’t), you just lost your chance to see the wrap-up of a storyline that’s been Power Girl’s main event for the last half-dozen or so issues.

Setting that aside, the rest of the issue shows promise.  It’s good to see Superman playing big brother to Kara (a relationship that feels all but abandoned since his “real” cousin crash-landed back into his life) and offering some solid advice about her identity.  Their interaction feels warm and genuine, though Supes’ talking points sound a little too much like Winick tackling fan criticism head-on.

It is true though that Power Girl (and, by extension, her writers) has handled her secret identity poorly up till now, so her choice to work on her civilian life and do something productive with her company are good choices.  It’s also a relief to finally shed the burden of this whole Max Lord plot in favor of hopefully more old-school stuff—like teaming up with Superman to take down some magicked T-Rexes.

Basri offers some strong artwork, but he’s clearly much more at home drawing the heroic stuff: that splash panel of a pack of prehistoric critters rampaging through downtown New York is good times.  Mostly it’s the colors that drag down the art a little.  Kholinne seems to be going for more natural lighting, but it has a weird effect of washing out or over-saturating skin tones.

Conclusion: It’s unacceptable to get sidelined out of a story arc’s ending for not reading Winick’s other title, so points off for an otherwise solid start to P.G.’s new outlook on life.

Grade: C+

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - If I was a Starrware employee: “Gee, thanks, Miss Starr, for this super-cool party, which is basically a banner and drinks.  It really makes up for how I was unemployed for the last few months because you got apparently too busy to show up to your own legal hearing.”

- Ugh—Zatanna’s one of the most powerful mystics on Earth.  Can we quit making her helpless simply by tying/gagging her up?

By: Judd Winick (writer), Sami Basri (artist), Jessica Kholinne (colorist)

The Story: She remembers every moment like it was yesterday…if only Batman will, too!

The Review: If you’re a writer, you’ll for sure have a moment where you realize all or part of your piece just doesn’t work.  When that happens, ultimately you have to face the option of cutting it.  Sometimes the choice is out of your hands.  One of the downsides of comics writing is once the idea is out there, you’re committed to it, even if it drags the story issue after issue.

In this issue, the sale of Starrware stands out as a plot thread that clearly should have been dropped a while ago.  By now, though, Winick has little choice other than to try to rework it and make it worth its page-time.  He brings in a new(?) antagonist in Ophelia Day, acquirer of Starrware, presumably to set up some motivation for Karen to take back what’s hers before it inevitably gets twisted in Day’s strident hands.

Still, it’s very difficult to summon up any interest in these developments.  You don’t really know much about what Starrware does, for one thing (tech R&D, yes—but to what end?), and besides Nico and Simon Peters, you’re not really in touch with anybody who works there.  Even Nico and Simon serve little more than as expository ciphers, when Winick needs to catch you up to speed on everything that’s not happening directly to PG at that moment.

Speaking as someone who works with legal cap now and again, I find the legalese in this issue slightly more credible than the bunk you usually get in comics.  Whether it pays off is more questionable.  After all, business/law drama seems like a niche interest even on television, where you get forty minutes to build the tension.  Comics just can’t offer that same kind of suspense, so basically the entire scene feels like filler.

In fact, most of the issue retreads old ground: the opening recaps the crossover events in Justice League: Generation Lost (a gimmick I always find distracting from getting to the present story’s goods); three pages of flashback to Power Girl’s last moments with Ted Kord; and some weird, vaguely amusing back-and-forth with Bruce-Batman convincing Dick-Batman of Max Lord’s existence.  This is all old material, so Winick really brings nothing new to the table here.

It all boils down to a gripe that is becoming very common for this title: nothing actually advances in the story.  This issue literally has no action; the whole thing is dialogue of varying degrees of forced intensity.  As a result, the pace suffers incredibly, and you’re just foaming at the mouth for something more animated to happen.  It’s not that the writing is necessarily poor, but it’s certainly not outstanding, and there’s little substance to give life to it.

With so little going on, it can’t be helped that all of Basri’s efforts go to naught.  You get one page where he basically repeats PG and Ted Kord’s exact same bland expression for three panels, which don’t do much to sell the tension in that scene.  But he also sells the opening gags so well, you know he can offer a great comedy title if given the chance.  Kholinne’s colors are more washed out than ever, which has officially crossed the line into off-putting.

Conclusion: It finally feels like the big finish for this storyline is near, although this issue sacrifices all sense of movement to set that up.  However, this title continues to linger in mediocre territory, and it’s unlikely anything short of a mind-blowing next issue will save it.

Grade: C

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Wonder Girl, Starfire, Nightwing, Speedy, Black Canary, Green Arrow, the Flash, Wildcat, and Dr. Fate—this is a group that take on Darkseid?  With the possible exception of Dr. Fate, I’m gonna say no.

- This whole Max-Lord-wiped-his-memory-from-the-whole-planet thing feels dangerously poached from Marvel’s Sentry premise.  And like the Sentry story, this feels like it’s leading to nowhere.

There’s so much I loved about this trade paperback.  Fall Out Toy Works does so much that’s come before, like Pinocchio, but modernizes it and gives enough of a twist to make it stand out.  We have the puppet that wants to be human, the maker who has a rather odd relationship with his creation and a lot of adventure and action.

A brilliant young toy maker risks his entire company for his factory’s newly produced android named Tiffany, but when he falls in love with his own creation and she has already been sold to the most powerful man on Earth, getting her back becomes his greatest passion and threatens to lead to his own destruction. Inspired by the ideas and lyrics of Fall Out Boy, Fall Out Toy Works brings the magic of innocence to life as both a toy maker and his invention set about learning the true secrets of life.

Created by Fall Out Boy, Darren Romanelli (Dr Romanelli DRx) and Nathan Cabrera, this collection also includes interviews with Pete Wentz and Darren Romanelli, plus a sketchbook section revealing the origins of the designs for the project.

The story by Brett Lewis just has so much I liked about it.  The story is familiar but the world and some of the ideas are so original and the ending is just heartbreaking (actually there’s a few spots that are).  The tension and fight for love is just a story I’m a sucker for, and this one delivers.

The art is fantastic.  The layouts and line art are by Sami Basri and Hendry Prasetyo and it’s beautiful.  A shout out has to be given to the colorists too.  Sunny Gho and Jessica Kholinne do a fantastic job.

I don’t even know how much I can praise the book.  It’s just a fantastic read and a story that tugged at my heart at times (I may hide it, but really I’m a big sap).  The ending is fantastic and story just solid as solid can be.  Overall, it’s message and look as to what makes some human is fantastic and an interesting debate.

This is an absolute buy and I hope someone’s smart enough to snatch it up and give it the anime spin it deserves.

Plot: Lewis puts together a beautiful story which just comes off as an anime/emo dream.  It’s Pinocchio meets Blade Runner and I ate it up.  It’s just a fantastic story that I can read over and over and wish I could see an animated version of it.  Rating: 8.5

Art: Basri, Prasetyo, Gho and Kholinne’s art and coloring is beautiful.  It’s an animated film in comic form.  It’s just so nice to look at and I found myself lingering on pages.  I love this art style and hoping I can see more of this team.  Rating: 9

Overall: I’m a sucker for this type of story, I’ll admit it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.  The tale is familiar but still touching.  The fact that this has volume one attached to it gives me hope there’ll be a second volume, but I guess I’ll just have to read this one over and over until it comes out.  Overall rating: 8.75

Recommendation: Buy

Page count: 160 pages    Price: $16.99     Release: 2/2/11

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with an advance copy of this issue for FREE for review.

By: Judd Winick (writer), Sami Basri (artist), Sunny Gho & Jessica Kholinne (colorists)

The Story: These monstrous cloned freaks are trippin’!  And Max Lord has a job for Power Girl to do—wait, what?

The Review: The decompressed style of comic book writing has its pros and cons.  Pro: richer exploitation of a storyline.  When you can spread out the events of a plot across a few issues, it allows for great character moments and interludes that would be hard to squeeze into a done-in-one-or-two.  Con: pointless dragging out of a storyline.  Sometimes, the premise just isn’t strong enough to support a story for that long.  That seems to be the case we’re running into on the current arc of Power Girl.

A key to making a decompressed storyline work are the incidental scenes, the ones that don’t really advance the story, but offer opportunities for the characters to interact and develop.  Judd Winick doesn’t sell these so well.  Most of the issue involves Power Girl shouting at people, whether it’s ordering her assistant Nicco to offer impossible technical support or bantering with her foes about villainous clichés (“sick maternal love for your scientific abominations” is a good one, I’ll grant you).  There’s some humor to it, but besides that, you’re not really getting to know any of the characters better.  They just seem to be blustering until the next storyline starts and they have more to do.

That’s another key to selling a decomp’ed story: action—specifically, action with some kind of point.  Despite all the flying around and monster-pummeling P.G. does, none of it gets her anywhere.  Once she gets inside Cadmus and discovers its secrets, there’s little reason to prolong her stay by having her take down two dozen assorted genetically modified freakazoids, other than to kill time.  In fact, that’s exactly what all these opponents so far have been about—distracting Power Girl.  Hence, the reason why you learn so little about anything each issue.

Over the course of this issue, the only new pieces of information you get is Cadmus has been performing genetic experiments (which it has only been doing in the DCU since forever), and who their mastermind is (which Winick has practically highlighted every issue since his run began).  It’s frustrating to think this whole time Winick has been dragging out the events on this series for as long as possible until he can intersect it with his bigger venue over on Justice League: Generation Lost.  In the process, Power Girl loses a purpose to call her own, leaving little reason to follow her adventures in her own title.

Sami Basri’s art ends up the biggest positive for this series.  Everything just looks clean and vibrant, offering some liveliness to the otherwise plodding script.  The designs for the monsters are particularly great, so it’s a shame that you don’t get to see more of them in action.  Basri still tends to offer little variation in the battle choreography—it gets a little dull seeing P.G. just punching everything in the face—but at least there’s a great sense of movement to the fighting.  Sunny Gho and Jessica Kholinne pale colors slightly washes out the imagery and dips the energy level from time to time, and the story really needs all the excitement it can get.

Conclusion: There’s still plenty of action and self-referential humor, but it’s become clear that there’s little direction for any of these things.  Winick’s attempt to cross storylines with Justice League: Generation Lost strips Power Girl of any development and mission personal to the character, which is too bad for a heroine who even considers herself redundant in the DCU.

Grade: C+

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: – This Batman wears the oval shield of the Bruce Wayne version, but I can’t imagine Bruce being breezy enough to anyone, especially Nicco, to reply to a request with “Sure.”

- No, no, no—I do not like Krypto with red eyes.  That’s Cujo you’re thinking of.

- Seriously?  Every single byte of data about Cadmus’ scientific work is unencrypted?  Talk about lazy.

By: Judd Winick (writer), Sami Basri (artist), Sunny Gho & Jessica Kholinne (colorists)

The Story: Power Girl remembers Max Lord!  No, wait—not anymore.  Or does she?  Meanwhile, PG’s search for her super-powered clone leads her to Professor Ivo, who’s back to making freaks for a living—that can’t be good.

The Review: Power Girl under the Jimmy Palmiotti-Justin Gray-Amanda Connor powerhouse team featured the title’s leading lady facing off against some of the weirder foes in the DC universe with a closed fist and a twinkle in her eye.  These antics set the series apart as one of the brightest, funniest spaces in the comics world.  When Palmiotti, Gray, and Connor departed, there was some concern that the title’s fun and games left with them.

Judd Winick’s takeover retains some of the series’ humor, although in place of wacky characters and situational comedy, Winick favors more Buffy-esque, self-referential, back-and-forth banter.  It has its funny moments, but seems a bit too proud of its own irony.  And it certainly doesn’t produce the same sustaining pleasure from reading Power Girl grossing out over Vartox the Space Pimp’s hairy calves.  Honestly, it probably will never get that good again (although PG kicking Ace of the Royal Flush Gang in the royal jewels is pretty good times).

On the other hand, scaling back the humor gives Winick the opportunity to write higher-stakes moments for Power Girl.  It’s obvious with each opponent Power Girl faces that Winick has a grand scheme for where he wants her character to go, and that her story will ultimately intersect with what Winick’s crafting over in Justice League: Generation Lost.  A final confrontation with Max Lord seems inevitable, despite the constant resetting of Power Girl’s memories.  Such a showdown with a fairly nefarious archenemy has a lot of potential to elevate Power Girl’s beyond the B-list she currently falls under, but that moment still has a ways to go, by the looks of things.

In the meantime, Winick keeps the present story lively by continually introducing formidable opponents for PG to rumble with.  Not so much in this particular issue, however.  Most of the issue touches on her past with Justice League International and her present mission to warn her super-heroic peers of Max Lord’s deception.  On this second point, Winick credibly executes the twists in trying to track down an enemy who can manipulate your memories freely, but that doesn’t prevent the scenes from coming off a little silly (nor our superheroes from looking a little goofy).  At least the final scenes set up the premise and opponents for the next issue, all of which look to be a little more imaginative than the last ones we’ve gotten so far.

It seems a shame that much of the supporting cast established by the initial run of the series have been set on the shelf in favor of this Nicco dude.  To follow up on the Buffy tone Winick’s brought to this title, Nicco has the sarcasm of Xander and the high-tech sense of Willow (before she reversed poles to becoming a lesbian witch-goddess—jump the shark much?), but otherwise doesn’t offer much in the way of a distinctive character or reasons why he’s so invested in Power Girl’s well-being.  So far, he acts as a convenient cipher to relay or receive information to and from PG.  Here’s hoping that he’ll take on a more distinguished role than PG’s personal Oracle.

The art is clean and works well in all the major areas—drama, action, character design, setting.  Sami Basri really sells those character expressions, but the details stop there.  He gives most of his attention to the foreground visuals, and everything in the background gets generic treatment.  So sum up, the art services the story admirably, but it’s nothing to write home about.  Sunny Gho and Jessica Kholine’s colors give a little depth to Basri’s precise lines, but are similarly unremarkable, besides being frequently too pale.

Conclusion: The series continues to proceed at a solid pace and direction, but has yet to get any real game-changing or wow moments to recommend it as something special.  There are signs, however, that a much bigger payoff is coming—let’s hope it comes soon.

Grade: B-

Some Musings: - “You monster!!  Why?!!  Why would you do that?!”  Um, didn’t you just say why?

- Honestly, the single-bullet headshot is getting old.  Let’s all move on from that exhausted trope, shall we?

- Changing the visual from a white man in a suit to a black dude in street clothes?  Max Lord, you are either a racist in addition to being a megalomaniacal murderer, or you are cleverly playing on ingrained social prejudices—or both.

-Minhquan Nguyen