Capsule Reviews - Week of May 3

Infinite Crisis #7 - The big, 3000 pound gorilla of the DCU comes to a close. Overall, I liked this series, but the ending just has this rushed feeling I’m not too keen with. Oh, it touches all the bases and generally gives some closure to the story. But... for all the build up Infinite Crisis was given, the final payoff just seems too compressed: a big, messy, confusing battle, the purpose of which is just not adequately explained. Still, all the threads are brought back together, and the DCU has now been relaunched in yet another new, exciting direction. I guess we’ll have to wait and read 52 to decide how exciting a direction it turns out to be.

Teen Titans #35 - Still my favorite title in DC’s lineup, just as it was 20 years ago. This issue we learn what it is the Brotherhood of Evil is after (they’re trying to clone a new body for Brain), who the new members of the BoE are, a lot more character moments for Kid Devil and Ravager, and a glimpse of the new Doom Patrol. I’ll probably comment more on the DP when we get a better feel for them next issue, but for the moment the “new” group looks pretty good. My only complaint, as most of you know, is that I’m not liking Beast Boy’s new, animated series-modeled, uniform (bring back the McKone purple & white, please!!). I’m also not too keen on Bumblebee looking exactly like her animated counterpart (although Herald’s new look isn’t bad). But in truth, I guess I can live with them if I have to. I’ll just grumble about it periodically. Anyway, from a ‘shippers standpoint, no new information on what happened to Gar & Rae in the One Year; I’m still holding out hope that it isn’t over, but its becoming apparent that its going to be a long time before we get any answers.

Outsiders #36 - So far, Outsiders is the one OYL title I’ve been the most disappointed by. We have a new team sans almost all the characters I used to like, but three issues in and we still have almost no idea who any of them are. This first arc has basically been one long series of extended fight scenes, with about half an issue of set up in the first issue of the story. That’s it. This time, the team is fighting a speedster of unknown origins, and while the fight scene is well played it takes up just about the entire issue. Grumble. Time was that an issue long fight scene was justified only if you had three or four issues of story leading up to it; nowadays, it just seems par for the course. Like any DC fan, I still want some answers - what’s happened to Shift and Arsenal, why the team has suddenly become a black ops style group, etc. I know we’re going to get some of those answers in 52, but c’mon, we can at least find out something more about these characters and just why it is they’ve decided to throw their fortunes in with each other. Anyway, I’m not finding this series as interesting as it used to be. At present, the only reason I’m planning on staying with it through the summer is because the next story arc involves the Brotherhood of Evil (and probably fits in with whatevers going on in Teen Titans), but if by the end of that story things don’t look up I’m probably going to drop this book. Maybe put it back on the TPBs Only list, if I hear its improved any.

*****

Next week, 52 kicks off. Very much looking forward to that one.