Green Lantern #44
DC Comics / $2.99
It’s Black Lantern Martian Manhunter versus Hal Jordan and Barry Allen! Let’s face it, J’onn kicked their asses. “Why does everyone forget I’m as powerful as Superman?” Good question! If you’re reading Blackest Night, you should be reading this, too.
Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #2
DC Comics / $3.99
This issue was a lot better than the first one, but it still wasn’t deserving of the price tag. Inside you get a glimpse at the making of a Red Lantern, Carol Ferris has a conversation with a violet ring, and a “God of Hunger” gets devoured by Larfleeze’s power.
At the end of the issue, there’s a nice two-page essay by Ethan Van Sciver that breaks down the various Lantern symbols and what the thought processes were behind their creation.
This isn’t essential reading for Blackest Night, so feel free to skip it if you like.
Executive Assistant Iris #2
Aspen / $2.99
In Kill Bill-like fashion, we’re treated to a flashback of Iris as a child where she was locked in a cellar feeling quite trapped and angry, much like she is under the rubble of her employer’s home. This flashback leads to her anger exploding through the door with an intense kick, freeing her and her employer.
He has been dishonored, and now Iris must track down those responsible and punish them in kind. It’s here that we get a glimpse of how cunning and smart Iris is as she tracks down the man responsible for the attack.
She sneaks aboard his yacht and dispatches the guards with ease before encountering Rose, an assistant just like her. The fight is over much quicker than I thought it’d be, and Iris moves right along to complete her mission. If you get the chance, I recommend giving this series a try.
Project Superpowers Chapter 2 #1
D.E. / $2.99
Green Lama’s gang of heroes reach a stalemate at the Pentagon when they’re confronted by the President and his group of super-powered patriots. Black Terror gets tossed around a bit, but ultimately there’s just a lot of talking, which leads to Green Lama going off and confronting the Supremacy, a behind the scenes power organization) on his own.
Meanwhile, the kid sidekicks have all banded together as a team of their own vowing to expand into an army in order to intimidate their elders into giving up their current course of action that can only lead to ruin (apparently).
Their first recruit is Cat-Man, but he’s not the Cat-Man they once knew. Being trapped in the urn has changed him into a feral Man-Cat who lashes out at the kids with little to no comprehension of who they are.
We also get a glimpse at two Alex Ross original characters, Truth and Dare, as they confront the newly returned Captain Future, who is not who everyone originally thought, according to Truth’s ability to see the true nature behind everything.
Artistically, the book suffers a little from miscolored bits here and there. Perhaps if the line work were inked, such errors might be avoided. Then again, that might just be the old fogy in me.
The two-page ‘Devil origin is interesting, making me wonder who the narrator is and when we might see him/her.
Also included are some sketches from Alex Ross, showcasing character designs while giving readers a glimpse into what possibilities the future may hold.
