Trouble from the Past

Detective Comics #858

We’re finally going to be treated to Batwoman’s origin. Most of this story is set 20 years in the past, when Kate Kane and her twin sister Beth were army brats living with their butt-kicking military parents. Unfortunately, the family gets moved to Brussells for an assignment with NATO, and one day, Kate, Beth, and their mother are all kidnapped by a terrorist group. In the backup feature starring the Question, we finally get the end to the first storyarc, as Renee Montoya escapes from the kidnapping ring and then tracks the smugglers down to a freighter preparing to sail with a cargo of abducted women. Can she manage to take down the whole crew by herself and save everyone?

Verdict: Thumbs up. The Batwoman story is simple and straightforward, and in a way, predictable. But it wouldn’t be a Bat-origin if there weren’t tragedy involved. And as always, mad kudos to J.H. Williams III’s artwork, which is richly painted in the present and more simply penciled — but still beautiful and emotional and thrilling — for the sequences in the past. The ending of the Question story is perfect as well — Greg Rucka wrote both, and he’s doing an outstanding job with this comic.

Green Lantern #47

The Blackest Night rages across the universe. On Ysmault, the homeworld of the Red Lanterns, four of the demonic Five Inversions have risen as Black Lanterns, and we get a rare bit of good news — the Black Lanterns can’t kill the Red Lanterns — since their rings keep them alive, tearing out their hearts doesn’t affect them at all. Things aren’t going so well on Korugar, where Black Lanterns Abin Sur and Arin Sur are giving Hal Jordan, Sinestro, Carol Ferris, and Indigo-1 a good fight. On the reborn undead planet of Xanshi, John Stewart is walking into one colossal ambush. And on Okaara, Agent Orange is badly outnumbered by Black Lanterns — and he may not want the help that’s on his way.

Verdict: Thumbs up. As dull as the main “Blackest Night” book was, this one is much, much more interesting and exciting. Though the Black Lantern zombies are everywhere, it’s all a great deal less silly here. It also helps that Doug Mahnke’s artwork is so freakin’ awesome.