Comic Reviews: Detective Comics, Prelude to Schism, X-Factor

Holy Freakin’ Wow! Detective Comics # 875 - Lost Boys I loved this issue from cover to cover! First time I can say that in 2011! Wow! I loved Bullock’s section even though it didn’t really have anything to do with the story. I loved how it was drawn and coloured and how his narration squares were drawn. And Gordon’s story was insane. I loved how slow and methodical it was - perfect for a book called Detective Comics! I also loved the backstory into his life. And the shock ending! Man! I can’t wait to get to the next one. Snyder really hit the ball out of the park on this one!

Another Good One Detective Comics # 876 - Hungry City, Pt. 1 of 3 It’s just not fair to have this follow the previous story. It was just too awesome. But that’s life. This is a good story and a good setup for a climax. It’s a shame to see Dick getting into Batman’s role so well when he’s just a few month away from relinquishing the cowl. I enjoyed his time with Gordon in this issue and his reflections on the case. Once again, a good use of Detective Comics for this type of story. Keep the other ones in the other Batman series.

Another Solid Issue Detective Comics # 877 - Hungry City, Part Two of Three Snyder is getting me so spoiled! I’m definitely going to have to follow his creative team to whatever book(s) he’s doing after the DC revamp. So Dick/Batman has to find a way out of the predicament from the previous book. After that it’s mostly exposition as it’s pretty clear the true climax is going to be in the next book. I absolutely loved his confrontation with Roadrunner. The quips were great. His style was classic Batman without being too imitative of Bruce. I also love the part where we see his relationship with Red Robin near the end. Another reason why you should have Detective Comics on your pull list.

Good….but I’m a bit lost X-Men: Prelude to Schism # 3 - Part 3 OK, I only started reading X-books last month. I’ve got X-Men #11 and forward, X-Men: Legacy #248 and forward, but no Uncanny yet. (The last 5-6 are on the way in the mail) So I’m kinda wondering if I’m supposed to know what this thing they’re freaking about is or if I haven’t found out in the main books and Marvel just didn’t want to stretch out the Prelude books after we were introduced to the problem in the main books. I feel like this MIGHT have to do with X-Men Giant Size and X-Men #12, but I don’t know. So it’s kinda hard to sympathize with this super tough decision that Scott has to make without knowing what the threat is.

That said, it’s certainly an interesting dynamic in the X-Men these days, isn’t it? I last stopped reading just short of Onslaught (although I’m currently reading it via trade paperbacks) and back then Onslaught’s criticism of Cyclops was on the money - he was just Xavier’s lapdog. He wasn’t a bad leader in the field, but he did whatever Charles asked. Something has changed. I don’t know if it was the sense of betrayal from the Onslaught episode or if Prof X had further boughts of bad judgment, but somehow even Charles answers to Scott now. And I think that’s really neat: two of the most powerful mutants, Prof X and Magneto, answer to Scott.

The book continues along the same format as the others - interspersing the present with memories from the character’s past. I never knew this part of Scott’s past. So it was neat to see what happened to him and his family. I have to re-read the book because at first it seems that he’s referring to Jean in the beginning when he says he needs someone who’s not there anymore. But near the end I wonder if he meant his mother? Or maybe he goes back and forth, I’m not sure.

The present day parts with all the bickering amongst the other top mutants rings true. It reminds me of other works of fiction where people who are used to being men and woman of action are forced to wait around - things usually get rough - and this issue doesn’t disappoint.

The only part that I thought was weird was when Scott has Emma tell him if he’s ready to go. Woudln’t he know? It just seems a little weirdly insecure. But then again, given what he’s about to lead his crew into (which is what?!?! back to my first point!) he is justified in feeling paranoid.

Anyway, it’s a good book and it’ll probably feed well into the actual Schism books.

OK X-Factor # 221 - I really liked issue 220. This one just seems like a tedious repetition of the end of 220. Yes, I get it, demons are after her. Yes, they can’t really be killed. I got it. I think this is one of those issues that’ll read better in the trade paperback. (Especially when combined with the investigation that led to her pregnancy by an Asgardian god) Because it’s literally one undefeatable demon after another. They disable one, run a bit, and get hit by another. Meanwhile, back at HQ, some of the other members of X-Factor are scribbling signs to keep demons out. So, obviously in the next this keeps the baddies chasing Rahne out - the possible shocking reveal is that it keep her out because her baby is a demon? (That’s just a guess it’s not mentioned anywhere that it is) But otherwise it lets them barricade in there - so what? - she’s stuck in there until she delivers? I don’t know, this issue just didn’t do it for me. You could probably buy 220 and then jump to 222 without really missing any exposition.

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