DC Comic Updates

Here's a quick run-down on some comics I've been following for the past few weeks:

Justice League of America #11 - Despite the B-List heroes, it's easily one of the best one-shot superhero comics out there. Perhaps what I love about it is how Brad Meltzer and Gene Ha make full use of the medium. I mean Meltzer could have probably pulled it off in prose but it wouldn't have been as effective compared to its present format. Sure, it's minimalist in a lot of ways (two heroes, a lot of dark artwork, no super-villain) yet it manages to convey a lot.

Justice Society of America #8 - Another great one-shot, and if Meltzer mastered the art of the comic format, Geoff Johns mastered the art of storytelling and characterization. And that's all there is to say about it really. This particular issue isn't about saving the world but about the characters. And it accomplishes it in a great way.

Countdown #39 - Okay, let me get this off my chest. Countdown for a comic series has been horrible, not because of its nature but because us readers weren't aware of its nature. If I could have dropped this title, I would have but I'm on a subscription. Basically DC's "Spine of the Universe" thing actually means "Cliff Notes for the DC Universe" and you know, I didn't buy the comic for Cliff Notes, I thought I was buying something along the lines of 52 (which when I look back isn't as great as some people make it out to be... read some manga people!). In that context, however, Countdown is doing great, with all its cross-referencing and relation to a lot of comic titles (both existing and not-yet-existing publications). This week's issue however has been great for me, mainly because enough pages were focused on one story, namely that of the Trickster and the Piper. The Karate Kid angle was okay and the rest were doing their job, devoting two pages to beats that will be covered either in future issues or in other titles.