52 #16 should be another excellent issue. DC has done a great job on this title and the Revolution is definitely enjoying the ride. 52 #16 looks like it will be focusing on Black Adam and Isis. That is fine with me. After last issues’ death, I expect this issue to probably not be as exciting or action packed. All right, let’s hit this review.
Creative Team
Writers: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid
Penciler: Joe Bennett
Inker: Ruy Jose
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Synopsis: Week 16, Day 1: The issue starts with Black_Adam acting rather lovey-dovey with Isis. Black Adam drops on one knee and offers Isis a diamond bigger than the Bunker here at the Revolution and then asks Isis if she will marry him and be his wife and queen. (With a rock that size, how will she ever say no?).
We then cut to the Question and Montoya hiding out in a container at the docks of Khandaq. Montoya tells the Question that she figured out why there were so many boxes of rat poison. That Intergang is going to use a suicide bomber to take out the crowd during Black Adam and Isis’ wedding. The rat poison is an anti-coagulant so that suicide bombers use to coat the shrapnel. That way the victims who aren’t blown apart will bleed to death. (Nice.) Since Intergang can’t hurt Black Adam, they are going to hurt his people instead.
We then cut to Isis slipping into her incredibly slinky and sexy wedding dress. (Why didn’t my wife wear something like that at our wedding?) Mary_Marvel is helping Isis. Mary agreed to be Isis’ Maid of Honor. Mary does her best to try and talk Isis out of marrying Black Adam. Mary says that Black Adam is an evil killer and hasn’t changes. Isis counters that Black Adam has definitely changed and is a new man. (Women always fall for the bad boy.)
We see Captain Marvel helping Black Adam get ready. Black Adam thanks Captain Marvel for using his authority as Keeper of the Rock to wed Black Adam and Isis. Captain Marvel laughs at Black Adam for acting unusually bumbling because of him being so nervous over the wedding. Black Adam mentions that since his family is all dead that he wants to make the Marvel Family his new family.
We then see the Question and Montoya in the crowd trying to find the suicide bomber. We see Captain_Marvel_Jr. and Mr. Tawny providing crowd control while the wedding ceremony gets ready to begin. Black Adam and Isis then meet to exchange their vows up in the sky over the city square. Captain Marvel gives a nice little touching service and then weds Black Adam and Isis. During the wedding ceremony, Montoya finally spies the suicide bomber. It is just a teenage girl. Montoya can’t get to her in time to take the bomb from her, so Montoya has no choice but to shoot and kill the girl before she can set off the bomb. The Question tells Montoya that she did the right thing and had no choice. Montoya is obviously upset.
We then cut to Isis and Black Adam back at their palace. They exchange some loving dialogue and then proceed to consummate their marriage with plenty of S-E-X.
Week 16, Day 7: We see our heroes lost in space assembled in the newly repaired space craft. Adam Strange says everything is ready and they blast off into space on their way home. End of issue.
We are “treated” to a two page origin of Black Adam. End of issue.
Comments
The Good: 52 #16 was another great read. The boys of 52 just continue to crank out quality issue after quality issue. 52 #16 was nicely paced. It was slow, but it allowed the reader to catch his breath after a big issue in 52 #15. 52 #16 also laid the foundation for a “new” Black Adam and turns up the intensity of Intergang’s vendetta with the King of Khandaq.
I liked all of the scenes with Isis and Black Adam. The beginning of the issue was nicely done. It was rather odd to see Black Adam smiling and actually gushing with his love for Isis. He certainly seems to be a changed man. Is this merely the quite before the storm? I think it just might be. There is no way that Black Adam continues to be the loving Boy Scout that he is slowly transforming into.
The scene between Mary Marvel and Isis was well handled. Mary Marvel is viewing this marriage much like the reader is at this point. Mary is skeptical of Black Adam’s turning over a new leaf and remains confident that Black Adam is still a villainous killer. Mary wants to make sure that Isis knows what she is doing and to think if she is making the right decision. It is nice to see Isis have so much faith and love in her man. However, Isis may be seeing what she wants to see in Black Adam rather than what he truly is. At any rate, the dialogue was well written and it was nice to see Mary ask Isis the same questions that the reader wants to blurt out at Isis.
The scene with Black Adam and Captain Marvel was perfect. The dialogue was just right and was very humorous at times. Especially the comment about Black Adam’s receding hairline and how his hair never moves. It was neat to see the ever egotistical and confident Black Adam actually nervous and slightly flustered. This scene did a lot in making Black Adam seem more human than he ever has before. The writers are doing a great job further developing and growing Black Adam’s character.
The marriage scene was cool. I like seeing the Marvel Family all together again. Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel, Jr., Mary Marvel, Mr. Tawny and Uncle Dudley combined with the new additions of the Marvel Family in Isis and a reformed Black Adam. The Marvel Family is a great cast of characters and I am glad to see DC giving them some attention.
I liked the scenes with Montoya and the Questions. As always, these two have excellent chemistry and wonderfully crafter dialogue. I like how the Question is starting to rub off on Montoya. Her detective skills are growing and she was quick to piece together Intergang’s plot to send a suicide bomber into the crowd during Black Adam’s wedding.
The scene with Montoya and the Question in the crowd at the wedding ceremony was an excellent contrast with the heartwarming and happy wedding ceremony scenes with the Marvel Family. Montoya having to kill a child in order to stop the suicide bombing was powerful. You could really feel for Montoya and the pain that she was in over what she had to do. This scene with its starkly contrasting emotions was well done and made for a great scene.
It was nice to see Animal Man, Starfire and Adam Strange finally fix their space ship and get off the planet they were stranded on for the first 15 issues. Of course, we are teased with the return of Lobo with the next issue. I remain highly skeptical of the return of Lobo, but am willing to give the benefit of the doubt at this point.
The artwork was solid, but not spectacular. This has been the case with the entire run of 52 so far. This comic isn’t about incredible art. It is about an incredible story with artwork that doesn’t get in the way.
The Bad: The origin of Steel back up story was pretty much a waste of two pages. I say this every week and I’ll say it again. I’d rather get two more pages of the 52 storyline than these origin back-ups.
Overall: 52 #16 was another quality issue. No, it wasn’t as faced paced or as “explosive” as the last issue. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist on that pun.) But, this was still a well written and nicely paced issue that furthered the development and evolution of both Black Adam and Isis. Plus, it gave some nice love to the Marvel family. This issue might be too slow for some people, but I enjoyed it.