Comics

The Flash Annual #2

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The Flash Annual #2The second Flash Annual gives a look back at the first meeting between the Flash and Green Lantern, their first mission together to Arena World, and the pair’s return a couple of year’s later to make due on the promise Hal Jordan made to save the two heroes and the dozens of Earth’s children kidnapped to be turned into future gladiators.

Although the annual is missing the ongoing series’ artist and co-writer Francis Manapul (who does give us the issue’s cover), writer Brian Buccellato and Sami Basri offer up a strong Flash/GL team-up longtime fans of both characters should enjoy complete with their trademark banter.

The aliens return to hold GL to their deal and the pair of heroes are stuck fighting in a gladiatorial combat. When the Flash’s speed slowly begins to wane and Green Lantern gets taken down, Hal offers Barry the use of the ring. Although his super-sped-up brain allows him to master it relatively quickly (which is pretty cool), he’s unprepared for how much a single will-power-induced construct can take out of a guy (by targeting the enemy’s crotch).

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Morning Glories #29

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Morning Glories #29Reset. Early in Season Two the events begun in Season One come to a tipping point as Irina‘s coup, Hunter‘s time travel, and Casey‘s past adventures all bring the Morning Glories students to a single event and sacrifice. This really, really isn’t a good issue to jump in on for new readers, but this issue closes the door on several ongoing arcs allowing for a fresh start, and the fallout of the events covered in the last few issues, to begin next month.

Even as the issue wraps up Casey’s story, and steals her memories of her life in the past, we get a few more glimpses of that lost life including the comic’s ominous theme written out by our protagonist and a revelation of who David really is (although we don’t know how he became the academy’s weird ghostly figure).

Although Irina is stopped, Jun (really Hisao) much deal with the death of his brother, Jade is no mood to forgive Ike for threatening her life, and Hunter’s weird time reset (and meeting the future Jade) leaves him with several questions, none of which have easy answers. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

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Uncanny X-Men #9

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Uncanny X-Men #9As a covert operative the Dazzler kinda sucks. Hand-picked by Maria Hill to learn more about Cyclops and his team, Dazzler knocks Fabio‘s family unconscious (but not before they recognize her), kidnaps the young man, leads the X-Men straight to S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s secret detention facility, and then uses her close personal relationship with her fellow mutants to insult Scott Summers and make a new enemy. Oh, and then she gets poisoned and replaced by Mystique. That’s not a great first day.

Aside from the intrinsic humor of S.H.I.E.L.D. recruiting a former disco star, Dazzler is largely wasted here. Since her relationships with her fellow mutants are not really capitalized on any number of characters could have performed her role. I’m also a bit disappointed that we get the suggestion of Hijack did to the Helicarrier (the only real action of the entire comic) but it takes place all off-panel.

Those complaints aside, Brian Michael Bendis provides another solid issue. I’m happy to seen Gold Balls sticking around and I’ll be curious to see just what role Mystique has to play in the larger picture (and whose side she’s really on). Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #24

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #24“City Fall” continues as April and Angel get some good news that Casey should be able to recover from his wounds (although the doctor states he may never play hockey again). The Turtles, however, have a far worse night. With Leonardo still missing the Turtles have no choice but to trust Old Hob who, to absolutely no one’s surprise double-crosses Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Splinter and leads them right into the Shredder‘s trap.

Although prepared for the trap the Turtles are shocked to find their brother fighting alongside the Foot Clan. Leonardo makes short work of the rest of the Turtles who are only saved by the arrival of Slash and are forced to fleeing knowing their leader is now working for their enemy.

With Leonardo on his side, the Shredder and the Foot (whose gang war attacks for total control of the city have increased as well) look almost unbeatable. The issue puts my favorite Turtle at the forefront and gives his brothers the unique problem of trying to stop the brainwashed Leonardo who is now out to destroy them all. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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G.I. JOE #6

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G.I. JOE #6Although this one-shot opens the idea of storyline that will no doubt continue to be played out over the next several months (whether or not Duke may be the traitor with the JOE ranks), the main focus of the latest issue is to offer readers a primer on a single member of the team: Cover Girl.

Told mostly through a prolonged flashback, G.I. JOE #6 humorously examines the career of a somewhat lost Courtney Krieger who found herself on an extreme reality-TV survivor show and how the events on a small tropical island let the Krieger to discovering an entirely new skill set and being recruited by G.I. JOE.

Other than Cover Girl’s suspicions about her boyfriend and her discovery of the wife he neglected to tell anyone about (including Cover Girl), the issue is mostly a self-contained story to help new readers get a better feel for another member of the team and explain how a supermodel became a member of G.I. JOE. It works really well, and I hope we see more of both Cover Girl in the months to come as well as similar issues featuring other JOEs. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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