Mini-Views - Flashpoint: Green Arrow Industries.

Flashpoint: Green Arrow Industries #1 (one-shot)
Written by Pornsak Pichetshote
Illustrated by Marco Castiello and Ig Guara
Cover by Victor Kalvachev

There's a definite appeal to an alternative reality story such as Flashpoint, as it offers a great deal of freedom to explore both an entirely new universe as well as the archetypes of the 'actual' universe on which the story is based. One of the reasons I think the trope has endured for so long is that it allows a writer to take a given character and place them at a different angle. Too often this has resulted in stunt-tactics (Batman in the Old West, Batman as a vampire, and so on) but occasionally you find someone exploring a given character in greater detail. With the Green Arrow Industries one-shot, we explore the story of an Oliver Queen who didn't become the champion of the downtrodden, but rather continued to be an entitled and oblivious corporate figurehead.

In the world of Flashpoint, the world is teetering on the brink. Atlantean and Amazonian military threats have left the governments of the world on edge, and in the wake of the conquest of the United Kingdom and the sinking of Paris, the armed forces of these nations are looking for something that can assure the safety of the people. Enter Green Arrow Industries, a corporate juggernaut that creates state of the art weaponry that is beyond bleeding edge. How? By retro-engineering the advanced weaponry taken from captured supervillains and selling it on the arms market for a tidy profit. In this universe Oliver Queen is a wunderkind, a man used to the art of the deal and is walking on air after securing a major deal with the U.S. government for his 'Green Arrow' missile defense system. But when his island stronghold falls under attack by forces unknown, can this spoiled rich boy step up to the challenge? Is there anything of the bold bowman of the normal DC universe inside him at all? The answer is yes. And no.

I'm not sure who Mr. Pichetshote is, but I will give him serious respect for coming up with an angle on big business in a superhero universe I never before considered. With all the gadget-based heroes and villains out there of course corporations in those universes would be working overtime trying to get their hands on the advanced weaponry and devices those heroes and villains use to try and retro-engineer them for profit. Reading Queen's presentation of GAI's successes with villainous devices for military application made me grin and think 'of course'. The overall story is brusque and a bit rushed (the unfortunate consequence of a one-issue story), but he manages to illustrate the similarities and the differences between this universe's Oliver Queen and our own Green Arrow. Whereas the DCU's Oliver lost it all and rebuilt himself into a liberal crusader for the underdog, this version simply shrugged his shoulders and rebuilt his company, becoming a major player and believing money to be his 'green arrow' to the future. They're both the same man, but one went on to better himself while the other did not. Pichetshote shows us the ghost of what this man could have been, what he briefly reaches for. . .and what he ultimately denies. It also explores the notion of the 'evil corporation' archetype and flirts with the notion of a "good guy' corporation. The story has action, but it's mainly a character piece, an exploration of a man who believes he's doing good but is painfully out of touch with the potential consequences of his actions.

The art is split between Castiello and Guara, but there's enough consistency that the transition between one artist's work and the other isn't jarring. They capture a lot with Oliver's expressions through the story which helps further illustrate his internal monologue and his growing discomfort throughout the story. There's some fun action featuring Oliver battling a would-be assassin with an arsenal of confiscated supervillain weaponry which was well-staged and entertaining, with a nice mix of tension and humor.

On the down side though, this is a one-shot. Any character development or exploration of potential is (seemingly, I can't say I've read the main Flashpoint storyline so I'm uncertain as to whether Ollie shows up there) confined to this one issue. While I liked that the character was an illustration of Green Arrow without his chance to better himself, it would've been nice to see Oliver given that chance here. As it stands, I doubt we'll be seeing the character leaping into the fray on the side of the good guys any time soon. It left the issue wanting; not enough resolution for closure, not enough hints of a potential redemption or further exploration.

A good read, though much like the previous Grodd of War one-shot, it's ultimately a personal call as to whether a reader wants to focus on these issues or something a bit more substantial in the Flashpoint line such as the various mini-series. I was entertained however, so I'll give it my stamp of approval. Recommended.

Stac

Mini-Views - Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1 of 3.

Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1 of 3
Written and Illustrated by Scott Kolins Cover by Kolins and Mike Atiyeh

There's an old saying in this medium, one about great power and the responsibility that comes with it. It's an admirable enough statement, but you can't help but wonder how another person in similar circumstances might behave, someone perhaps not raised by kindly parents or with an inherent inner goodness. Might they see their newfound abilities or gifts as a responsibility? Or rather find that with great power comes great opportunity to do anything they want?

In the standard DC universe, Central City is the stomping grounds of the Flash, fastest man alive and the only person to remember the DCU as it used to be. In the Flashpoint reality, the city has actually emerged relatively unscathed. It's not underwater like Paris, or conquered by Amazons or rampaging gorillas, it still has a bevvy of superhuman criminals who attempt to put one over on the city's resident champion, who handily dispatches them and sends them off to cool their heels in Iron Heights penitentiary. The twist however, is that the champion of Central is not a scarlet speedster. He's an inventor made something more than just the average citizen. . .now he's Citizen Cold.

Cold in the DCU is a member of Flash's 'Rogues Gallery'. Leonard Snart was a professional criminal who attempted to create a weapon that could counter the Flash's super-speed. Developing the experimental handgun, Snart accidentally irradiated it (it was the '50s, just roll with it) and found the weapon could freeze the moisture in the air. Donning a parka and a pair of goggles, he became the villainous Captain Cold! Silly? Yes, but that's the Silver Age for you.

In the Flashpoint universe Snart may appear to be the protector of Central City, but his character remains the same: a crook who stumbled in to the 'protection' business and is using it entirely for his own benefit. He protects the people, but he's got no love for them. He's a man constantly looking over his shoulder, preparing for the day someone finally connects the 'heroic' Citizen Cold with the hoodlum Leonard Snart. In the meantime though, he's got a nice apartment, a sweet ride, endorsement deals, and a date with Central City's top reporter Iris West. Things are pretty sweet for our 'hero'. Of course, a member of the Rogues presumed dead is working to release his fellows from Iron Heights, he discovers his niece is now an orphan and someone is snooping around his home trying to dig up dirt on the city's hero. Can Snart keep hold of his turf, or will he lose it all?

As I mentioned in my review of The Outsider a few days back, villain books tend to be a bit of a turnoff to me, but again I found myself pleasantly surprised. Cold, while by no means a nice guy by any stretch, is an understandable villain. Yeah, he's playing the people of Central City for chumps, but he's a haunted man, convinced he's going to exposed at any minute and constantly looking over his shoulder. And now, with his niece heading for Iron Heights after murdering her abusive father in self-defense, he's a man with considerably more to lose than merely his liberty.

Scott Kolins wrote and drew this one, and I like the consistency of Cold's portrayal from his run on the Flash comic with Geoff Johns. His art style is a bit grittier than my normal preference, but it works in this issue especially, with the rough-looking Citizen Cold and his equally rough-looking Rogues Gallery looking like people you'd most definitely not want to cross. I also liked how a longstanding rivalry between DC's two frozen fiends was handled most definitively in the book's opening pages. There's some nice bits of business here that allow longtime readers to play 'spot the differences', but enough vitality within the actual story to engage a curious newcomer who might have no idea who the character is or his backstory. This is closer to what I think the Flashpoint books should be shooting for. It's quick, engaging, and it leaves you curious to see how it pans out. Consider me in for the remaining two issues. Recommended.

Stac

Mini-Views - Flashpoint: Abin Sur Green Lantern

Flashpoint: Abin Sur: Green Lantern #1 of 3
Written by Adam Schlagman Illustrations and cover by Felipe Massafera

One of the great things about an alternate reality story like Flashpoint is the chance to take a character or concept and tweak it. With the recent release of the Green Lantern film, most pop culture fans are aware that before Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 was an alien named Abin Sur. In the traditional DC universe Sur crash-lands on Earth and, mortally wounded, has his ring seek out a potential successor. Enter Mr. Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of Earth and all-around badass.

This universe is most definitely not the traditional DCU, and here we find that the cosmic side of Flashpoint is just as messed up as the Earth, if not more so. Black Lanterns (undead servitors of Nekron, an avatar of Death itself) are running rampant, devouring entire space sectors and reanimating the dead to add to their ravening hordes. The Manhunters (robotic forerunners of the Green Lanterns who rebelled against the Guardians of the Universe when they decided Order was preferable to Justice) have quite logically reached the conclusion that emotions cause chaos, therefore the best thing to do to avert chaos is to kill any living thing capable of emotion. The Green Lantern Corps is stretched to the limit, just barely managing to hold their own against this war on two fronts. Abin Sur is a dedicated peackeeper with a feverent need to protect life in all it's forms, but even he's feeling the strain. It doesn't help that his entire world was wiped out in an as yet untold cataclysm either.

Sur journeys to Oa, headquarters of the Corps, and is given a task by the Guardians: journey to the primitive backwater world of Earth and retrieve the Life Entity, a being that embodies the essence of life much as Nekron does death. It was hidden on Earth in the hopes no one would look there, but with that world in a state of utter chaos (see my previous reviews for a sampling), the Guardians want it retrieved and brought to Oa for safekeeping. Abin Sur is glad to do it, and offers that while he's there, he'll save the Earth as well. To which the Guardians clearly inform him the retrieval of the entity is paramount and to let the planet die.

(. . .brrr. . .it just get chilly in here, or is that just me. . .?)

Being the badass he is, Abin Sur tells the Guardians where they can take that suggestion and rockets to Earth in a spaceship, the better with which to transport the entity across space. Unfortunately, his vessel is attacked and brought down near Coast City, California, in a sequence that is eerily familiar. Our comic Ends with Sinestro seeking information from a character familiar to recent GL readership, as he wants to learn more about the prophecy of. . .the Flashpoint!

This series is starting off with a lot of potential, but there were a few things here and there that give me pause. We'll start with the pros and work our way to the cons:

The Pros: Abin Sur is a total badass, but in a way that makes him relatable and (dare I say) human. He's a protector of life, but isn't afraid to knock heads together to see justice done. Given that in other series we've only ever seen Abin near the end of his career or at his death in the Jordan origin story it's nice to get to know this guy. He's a mixture of a knight errant and wandering penitent and I dig that.

- The art is engaging, the story moving at a brisk pace and it makes for a fun read that leaves you wanting more. I like this version of the Corps, one that has to work a lot harder to get half of what the 'real' GLC already has.

-Thaal Sinestro's characterization from the film carries over here, and I like that. In the movie (up until the baffling to me end credits cookie) he's a harried guy, but you understand where he's coming from. The best villains don't see themselves as such, and you can understand why this guy might well snap from all the strain he and his fellow GLs are under.

The Cons: Hey, did you guys know there's a Green Lantern movie out? 'Cause this book in no way resembles the designs for the characters and settings of the movie. Not at all. Why would you ask?

-All right, kidding aside I get it. I do. You want to tie in the GL movie that just came out to a series that might attract the casual reader that might be a bit daunted by the continuity of the regular Green Lantern comics. I understand that. But in that case, why incorporate stuff like Black Lanterns, or Manhunters, or the fellow on the last page reveal? Stuff that would require someone who hasn't read the comics and only seen the movie to do homework? If you wanted a continuity-light, moviegoer friendly series, go for that. If you want something that requires knowledge of Green Lantern lore and has the reader playing 'spot the differences', do that. Trying to blend them both is a bit clumsy here. Not a deal-breaker, but still.

-The whole'The Guardians of the Universe Are Dicks Who Are Always Wrong About Everything' thing has got. To. Stop. Look, I get it. In the Buddy Cop Movie archetype that is the Green Lantern Corps, they're the mean Lieutenant that read our heroes the riot act. But seriously, is that the only way you can portray them? Unconcerned about the fate of the cosmos and blase at the potential loss of life? Not mournful that Earth has to be sacrificed if all are to be saved? No? You want to go with the Dick thing again? I guess if it ain't broke, but still. . .a little conflict within the ranks, some debate between the Hawks and the Doves of the Guardians would've been nice to see. Again, not a deal breaker but you have to admit this trope is wearing a bit thin.

-Okay, this advertising thing is getting out of hand. I'll accept ads for the Green Lantern movie, the Flashpoint storyline overview and what's happening next in what issue, other books I might like to buy etc, etc, but you're really going to derail my enjoyment of the story with a 12-page comics tie-in to J.J Abrams' Super 8 in the middle of my comicbook reading? I don't care about Super 8. I don't want to see it. If you wanted to do a tie in, do a tie in somewhere else and give me those twelve pages as part of the issue itself. As it stands I read a twenty page story that could have been thirty-two if not for this informercial slapped into the middle of it.

On the whole I liked the book despite the odd qualm or two. I want to see where this story is going. Recommended.

Stac

Mini-Views-Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #1 of 3.
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Illustrated by Eddie Nunez
Cover by Eddie Nunez, Sandra Hope, and Hifi.

This one--in terms of concept alone--was just neat. The idea of taking two of comics most enduring females (Lois Lane and Wonder Woman) and setting them in opposition to one another is just plain genius, and the creative team of this series took a notion that I've had for years and played it to the hilt. That notion?

Lois Lane is a frickin' badass.

Yes, yes, all too often her typical portrayal has been that of the classic damsel in distress, but think about it. She's a crusading journalist out to bring the truth to the people, she's one of the first to leap into action (admittedly not always with a lot of forethought, but still) and try her best to help the underdog, and she's the one woman on the face of the planet who Superman struggles to keep up with. She is a gold mine of untapped storytelling potential, and in an alternate reality where the guy in the red cape with the spit curl is nowhere to be found, Lois has a chance to shine, and boy howdy does she.

In the world of Flashpoint, Europe is a mess. Themyscira (Paradise Island/The home of the Amazons for the uninitiated) has been sunk beneath the ocean waves and the native Amazons have conquered the United Kingdom, now New Themyscira under the reign of Queen Diana (Wonder Woman). After an attack by Aquaman leaves Paris a ruin, Lois Lane finds herself rescued by the Amazons and taken to the conquered UK, finding herself picking up where her late and lamented colleague left off as an agent of the United States government. Her goal? Contact the burgeoning resistance movement in New Themyscira and open a dialogue with them. In a totalitarian regime with few allies and inhumanly swift and skilled enemies, can our intrepid reporter escape the clutches of her warrior captors?

Fun. That's what this book is. It's an adventure story, it's a spy story, it's a pulp adventure/resistance fighter tale. It's Lois Lane vs. Wonder Woman! Writers Abnett and Lanning hit the ground running, writing this debut issue with the quick clip of an action movie while still allowing for small moments of characterization amidst the set pieces. Lois feels like the best parts of her cinematic and animated incarnations, and without the man of steel we quickly see that she's a character in her own right, not just the Woman Who Superman Rescues. We don't see much of Diana in this issue (we don't see her at all, save for some news footage), but that confrontation is coming and I for one can' wait. The art by Eddie Nunez is good, though a bit rough in spots. I do like his style overall though in that it reminds me of Todd Nauck, an illustrator of no small talent. The cover is great, putting it's mission statement out there for all to see: Lois Lane. Bad. Ass. Consider me in for all three issues.

Recommended.

Stac

Mini-Views: Flashpoint - The Outsider #1.

Flashpoint: The Outsider #1.

Written by James Robinson.
Illustrated by Javi Fernandez
Cover by Kevin Nowlan

This one intrigued me. The Outsider is one of the weirder Batman villains out there, and one of the more obscure so to take the character down off the shelf and provide a new take on the character for the Flashpoint crossover got me intrigued. My initial impression was that the character was actually a metahuman version of Lex Luthor or Alfred Pennyworth (the Outsider in the original comics was Alfred, resurrected from the dead and slightly mutated. He got better) but in point of fact the character merely shares the name and general appearance of the original.

This version of the character is Michael Desai, a metahuman mastermind with a penchant for fine suits, fine living, and a vast criminal network that allows him opportunities to remove any potential threat to his interests. Over the course of the first of this three-part series we see the character in his element, brokering deals and trying to play the chaos of the Flashpoint Earth to his best advantage. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your viewpoint) his efforts are (almost) thwarted by a group of vengeful fallen heroes who managed to breach his inner sanctum and cost him dearly in terms of resources and employees (plus they destroyed his suit, which is really just too much). Those expecting Truth, Justice, and the American Way to triumph are reading the wrong book. It doesn't end well for the would-be avengers.

This one was a pleasant surprise. Usually I find villain books to be a bit of a bore, or an uncomfortable read given the protagonists' anti-social (and psychotic) values, but the Outsider interests me. He's a businessman first and foremost, playing the 'good' and 'bad' guys off each other in ways that best benefit himself. He's no paragon of virtue, but neither is he a complete monster. He just. . .is. Even when enraged, he informs his enemies that what he's doing isn't personal, oh no. It's just smart business.

James Robinson handles the writing here and the pleasant surprises continue. His dialogue is actually solid, the characters engaging, and his sometimes overly florid turn of phrase is under control. Javi Fernandez's art is a suitable mix of bold and grim, and his designs for the Outsider, his underlings, and the would-be avengers (I won't spoil their identities but I have to admit I got a kick out of them) are all engaging. The cover by Kevin Nowland is, of course, utterly boss but saying a Kevin Nowlan piece is awesome is like commenting that water has been known to be moist.

The Outsider and his cartel would make for a great crime network in the DCU proper. Shame it'll all be swept under the rug in the wake of the upcoming reboot.

Recommended. I'm interested in seeing where this one leads.

Stac

Mini-Views: Flashpoint: Grodd of War.

Flashpoint: Grodd of War One-Shot.

Written by Sean Ryan Illustrated by Ig Guara Inked by Ruy Jose. Cover by Francis Manapul.

I love monkeys in superhero comics. There's just something so wonderfully fun about the archetype of the intelligent monkey/orangutan/gorilla that just screams Silver Age insanity at it's finest. In my perfect comics line there'd be at least one alternate reality in the multiverse populated entirely by intelligent apes. So when I heard tell that comics' original Sinister Simian, the wonderfully alliterative Gorilla Grodd, was getting his own one-shot in which he has seized control of Gorilla City and conquered the entirety of the African continent, I was like 'where, when, and how much of my money do you need?'

A single issue tie-in to the current Flashpoint storyline occurring at DC, the book is a snapshot of Grodd's rule in this alternative reality where Barry Allen never became the Flash, Superman isn't around, Hal Jordan isn't Green Lantern, Batman isn't who you think he is, and the entirety of the DCU has become a significantly different and not altogether nice place. Grodd is a Flash villain, a diabolical outcast of an advanced utopian society of intelligent gorillas, and a frequent enemy that the scarlet speedster has dealt with fairly handily despite the evil ape's impressive physical strength and potent telepathic abilities. So what happens when a villain who has yearned for nothing else than glorious conquest finally gets what he wants? Well, there's the old adage about being wary of what one wishes for, as you just might get it.

This book should've been a slam dunk, but it left me more than a little disappointed. Granted they only had so much room in the story to detail Grodd's rule of Africa, but I'm a little confused as to how the population of one remote city goes on to conquer the world. Yes, Gorilla City had advanced technology, but I'm not seeing much of it on display here. And the whole notion that Grodd managed to conquer the entire African continent seems a bit. . .much. I admit gorilla soldiers would be hell on wheels in a melee, but with enough armor-piercing rounds even the biggest 800-pound death machine is going to drop like the proverbial bag of dirt. Maybe it's my Silver Age sensibilities intruding on a contemporary one-shot but I can't help feeling this was a missed opportunity. Basically, I want my lasers and jetpacks, and perhaps a sense that Grodd is working his way up the ladder. I'm no military strategist, but last I checked Africa wasn't populated by redshirts from Star Trek.

Another problem was characterization. My memories of Grodd from the comics was always that of a scheming megalomaniacal type. This Grodd. . .well, he's a bit of a mope. Granted, he is in a position where he has everything he could ever want and it's lost all it's luster, but I can't help but feel writer Sean Ryan could've really cut loose and made DC's resident simian supergenius a delightfully batshit mix of Leonidas from 300 and Doctor Evil. It was a decent character sketch of the villain in the Flashpoint universe, but it struck me a waste of potential.

The art is gorgeous though. Granted there's no super-scientific apparatus to be seen, but Ig Guara draws some mean-looking monkeys (yes, I know. Gorillas are apes. Tell it to my inner 8 year-old), and he brings to life some brutal combat sequences. There's another Silver Age simian-themed character who shows up in these pages and. . .yeah. It doesn't end well.

Good, but not great. Let's see what else this crossover has in store.

Stac

Ps. Look, DC. . .I know you've got bills to pay but did we really need 11 pages devoted to advertisting merchandise for the Green Lantern movie and extolling the virtues of Subway sandwiches? Just sayin'.