Comics

The Multiversity #1

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The Multiversity #1I’m so starved for a Captain Carrot comic I’ll even read one by Grant Morrison. What has the world come to? The Multiversity launches here, and in typical Morrison fashion it’s big, messy, and jumps wildly from entertaining to pretentious and crappy.

The concept is pretty simple. There are 52 parallel Earths in the DC Universe, in-between them there exists a sort of weigh station where heroes from various worlds are assembled to deal with the threats which threaten the entire Multiverse (even if it is a stupid looking giant eye with bat wings).

The first dozen or so pages deal with events on Earth-7 where Nix Uotan (a Monitor dressed up like Static Shock for some unknown reason) falls to the grave threat of the eyeball-bat-thingy. Things pick up a bit with the introduction of President Superman of Earth-23 who is recruited into the Multiversity where he comes into contact with a variety of heroes including Captain Carrot (who thankfully is more similiar to the original character rather than the awful New 52 version).

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #37

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #37One of the staples of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon was the contentious partnership between the Foot Clan and the Utroms. Having kept the two sets of Turtle enemies separate until this point, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #37 brings the groups together as the Shredder makes an offer of an alliance with his old enemy General Krang. Not surprisingly, both characters plans on ruling the world leave little room for partnership as the meeting ends in bloodshed.

The battle with Krang means the return of Koya and the first appearance of Bludgeon as the comic’s mutant character pool continues to build. The comic’s B-story features Alopex still on her own after abandoning both the Foot and the Turtles, but after the fox is approached and bewitched by a vision of Kitsune it appears Alopex’s freedom will be short lived. As someone who would like to see her stay firmly on the side of the Turtles this isn’t a development I particularly like, but it should at least give us more of the character in the coming months. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Justice League United #4

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Justice League United #4The comic’s five-issue opening arc comes to a close with the team’s return from Rann, but two members don’t make the trip. I was surprised to see Hawkman‘s death not quickly reversed, and given his new connection to Alanna and the Zeta Beam the safest place for Adam Strange is Rann meaning the comic has lost two of its core members before ever getting started.

The Animal Man/Green Arrow relationship remains the best part of the book, but I am disappointed with writer Jeff Lemire’s choice in Supergirl‘s adversarial relationship with the team, particularly Stargirl. As the comic has already lost two of its major selling points (in favor of far-less interesting stand-ins like Miiyahbin), the only way for it to succeed is to build relationships among the group which aside from Ollie and are sorely lacking.

Although Justice League United #4 wraps up the arc it doesn’t do much to sell me to continue reading the title past this so-so issue which leaves the team and comic with holes to fill. For fans.

[DC, $3.99]

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures #14

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures #14Playing on the Donatello‘s well-established crush on April (both in the comic and current cartoon), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures #14 finds the smartest Turtle get into trouble in an attempt to create a pheromone spray to cause April to return his feelings. Things go wrong pretty quickly for Donatello as the spray doesn’t effect April but does cause the various bugs in the sewers and New York streets to seek out the Turtle leaving his brothers to clean up the mess.

The issue’s back-up story centers Michelangelo‘s short attention span which gets him kidnapped by Baxter Stockman and imprisoned in the mad scientist’s latest robot creation sent after Raphael, Leonardo, and Donatello. Mikey uses his brains (sort of) to save the day leaving his brothers both impressed and exasperated (as usual).

The pair of goofy stories both center around well-established character traits and fit well into the comic’s existing catalog. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Smallville Season Eleven: Chaos #1

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Smallville Season Eleven: Chaos #1The first issue of Smallville Season Eleven: Chaos introduces Eclipso to the Smallville Universe and relocates Superman and Lois Lane to a parallel Earth within the Multiverse (which sadly is populated with Manhunters instead of talking animals in spandex). There’s a lot to enjoy here including appearances by Ted Kord and Booster Gold (who, like his New 52 counterpart, feels a bit off without his gold pants and Elvis collar) along with Zatanna and a bit of old school super-villain mischief from Lex Luthor.

With Lex throwing a wrench into Ted Kord and Michael Holt‘s new super collider for his own ends to explore the existence of the bleed, Superman and Lois find themselves pulled into a depressing world where humanity is at the mercy of a Manhunter army. Back home, Superman’s quick takedown of one man possessed by the mysterious space gem isn’t quite finished as several become infected by the shattered gem allowing Eclipso to rise in a world without Superman. Better hurry home boy scout. Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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