Habemus Papam: Pope Leo XIV

Habemus Papam. Robert Cardinal Prevost of the United States has been elected Pope Leo XIV.

Review: Shazam #16 thru 21: Final Issues

I let my reviews of the current Shazam series slide as I found reviewing this series to become more and more of a chore. But just as I predicted, the series was cancelled with issue 21.  Never the less I can review the final 5 out of 6 issues* with one word: mediocre. 

(* issue 20 for some reason was an awful Shazam-Superboy team up fill-in issue that did not need to be there.)

This series started out so promising with issue 1 only to fall off a cliff, reverting back to the abysmal new52 status quo.  To be fair, this series did make progress in one area: giving the Captain a distinct and more mature personality from Billy.  But really, it is too little too late. I doubt this current take on the classic character will ever become successful, and DC can attempt as many series and movies as they want, but it will all ultimately end in failure.  

What needs to happen is to scrap the entire New52 Curse of Shazam continuity and history, and establish the Multiversity: Thunderworld Adventures continuity as the main DC Captain Marvel.  And yet part of me thinks even if DC were to do this, unless they had a truly dedicated editor such as Carl Shinyama or Alex Ross guiding the series, DC would still find a way to screw it up, blow it off course, and end up giving Captain Marvel another failure in his column.

Review: Batman '89: Echoes #5

As with the previous issue, there is a whole lot of plot crammed into this issue.  The story opens with Barbara interrogating Alfred at Wayne Manor.  Bruce surprises both of them by showing up.  There is exposition explaining the break out. 

Meanwhile Dr Q is attempting a publicity stunt hostage scam using the other escaped inmates that backfires, as her producer double crosses her, and convinces her TV network not to give in to terrorism.  

Bruce plans out a trap to get Crane, and exhibits a residue of Batman fear from his earlier treatment by Crane.  Dr. Q fully embraces the Harley Quinn persona to exact revenge.  As Batman is about to capture Crane, a mob associated with the comatose Kashif character that was introduced an issue or so back, challenge Batman by saying they are taking Crane.  

This is a very brief and simple synopsis but Sam Hamm's script is very dense. It also includes a cameo by the Joker's moll Alicia, whom supposedly jumped out a window, perhaps with the Joker's help, to her death off screen in the first movie.  

The artwork in this issue may be the best yet, and it is note worthy that artist Joe Quinones is assisted with another penciller, Stacey Lee, and inker Paolo Rivera.  This issue earns a B+.

Review: Shazam #15

This issue continues the story.  While Mary and Uncle Dudley and Mr Tawny do their best to fight off the sub-men invading the earth, Freddy in a desperate attempt to get his powers back, goes with they mysterious girl in green to the Rock of Eternity.  Meanwhile, Zeus, disguised as the toga wearing infant, uses psychology to get Billy to talk himself into realizing he needs to become the Captain again.  He does, and is able to quickly defeat all the sub-men.  As The Captain and Mary reunite, King Kull makes a last ditch effort attacking them, but they are saved by .....

 

 

(SPOILER ALERT)

 

Freddy, who now has his powers back.  This issue advances the story, but is nothing special.  The Saturday morning sit-com tone is lessened for this issue.  Overall, this issue earns another C.

Review: Batman '89: Echoes #4

This issue picks up with "Lowery" aka Bruce undercover, being escorted back to his cell after the fear gas treatment with Dr Crane. Bruce tells his guard, who has been working with him, to get a message to Drake. We find out Selina Kyle is a patient of Dr Quinzel's, and she's not happy to learn Harleen is giving up her private practice to host her TV show. Meanwhile, the item Bruce wanted from Drake was an amnesia pill, that Bruce took, and he needs Maynard to fill him back in on the day his forgot, telling him about Kashif (who looks like.... Joel Schumacher???) and Hugo Strange.  

Meanwhile some US Marshalls, including one who looks a lot like Gary Oldman's version of James Gordon, use fingerprints to find out Bruce really isn't the Firefly.  They head to Arkham to interrogate him.  Meanwhile Crane is juicing up Blockbuster (played by... Arnold Schwarzenegger??) and sends him into Dr Q's clown themed group therapy session with Bruce and Maynard.  Blockbuster is triggered by clowns and goes berserk. 

Escaping Blockbuster, Bruce tells the group to head to the roof while he goes to look for a sample of the fear formula and Maynard goes to look for Kashif.  Crane, in full Scarecrow regalia attacks the Police.  Dr. Q decides to pull of a publicity stunt.  Meanwhile Bruce and Maynard get to the roof and meet Drake, in a pesudo-Nightwing costume.  He brought Bruce's Batman costume, and he suits up in a very Iron Man-Tony Stark kind of way.

Again this issue, there is a lot of plot to process.  I think Sam Hamm might be putting too much plot into each issue. Joe Quinones artwork, as usual is great.  This issue earns a B-.