52 has been an exciting title. I have come to the realization that 52 will never be a series that seriously will alter the DCU . Now that I have lowered my expectations for the role of 52, I am really enjoying this comic. I am interested in characters that I never really cared for before 52. I fully expect 52 #6 to continue the fun ride that we are on with this title.
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 6, Day 1: We see a news report that Booster Gold has just foiled the evil plans of an armored super villain called Manthrax. We then cut to Booster Gold paying this so called “villain” Manthrax. Manthrax is actually just an actor hired by Booster Gold. Booster takes the actor’s helmet and instructs him to return the rest of the armor to the storage locker that he picked it up from. Booster then tells the actor that they never met and never had this conversation. Skeets then tells Booster that he has finally located the last known address for Dr. Rip Hunter. With that Booster and Skeets take off.
We shift over to Hal Jordan and John Stewart in a brawl over Chinese airspace with five members of China’s new superheroes: The Great Ten. The two Green Lanterns were pursuing Evil Star into China’s airspace. The Great Ten members tell the Green Lanterns that they are violating Chinese airspace and have ignored the Chinese government’s request that they retreat. One of the Great 10 named “August General in Iron” (Wow. Now that is seriously one long code-name.) The members request for more members of the team from The Great 10’s headquarters. At the Great 10’s government HQ we see the Mother of Champions who is hours away from giving birth to their next army of supermen. Instead of more members of the Great 10 being dispatched, HQ decides to send coalition support.
We shift back to Hal Jordan in a total braaaawwwl with the other members of the Great 10. One member named Thunder-Mind (Cool code-name!) who is some type of telepath who uses Buddhist prayers as his weapons (And the Chinese Communist Party is down with a Buddhist member?) Hal tells Thunder-Mind that as a representative of the Green Lantern Corps, it is his job to rein in all alien activity that threatens the Earth. Hal says he is only interested in catching Evil Star. Hal then takes out Thunder-Mind.
We then cut to Professor Morrow in his cell meeting with Dr. Magnus. Morrow tells Magnus that the guards are taking away all of his research since he converted a guard’s iPod into a sonic disintegrator ray. Magnus says that Morrow should read the book on mediation that he brought with him. It helped Magnus after everything went wrong with the Metal Men. The guard finishes installing a camera in Morrow’s cell and then leaves. Magnus then tells Morrow that Morrow was right about the fifteen criminal scientists who have vanished without a trace since the big super hero crisis. Magnus says that he is trying to stay away from that whole world right now. That Lex has now figured out how to create metahumans. That everybody is watching everybody else. We then see through the new camera that was just installed in Morrow’s cell. The camera is feeding its video onto large monitors to some unknown location where we see a bald servant informing a person off panel that their agent has successfully installed the equipment in Morrow’s cell. The servant calls the person off panel “Great One.” “The Great One” tells his servant to “Tell these monsters to study their targets well…”
We then shift back to Hal Jordan and John Stewart blasting Evil Star’s ship to pieces. John catches and imprisons Evil Star with his power ring. Hal incinerates the remaining pieces of Evil Star’s ship. Suddenly, Black Adam swoops in and punches the crap out of Hal. Hal responds by blasting Black Adam. Black Adam says that he is a part of the recent coalition formed by Khandaq, North Korea and Myanmar. Black Adam continues that China just joined the coalition two hours ago. That when the Green Lanterns attack China, they attack Black Adam. He continues that the two Lanterns are violating the Freedom of Power Treaty and that they will retreat immediately. Black Adam chases the two Green Lanterns and is suddenly blasted by……a fleet of Red Guardians.
The Red Guardians form a line between the Green Lanterns and Black Adam and the members of the Great 10. The Red Guardians tell Black Adam that Russia has granted the Green Lanterns safe passage through their country. Hal then tells Black Adam that he saw his press conference where he tore a man in half just to make a point that the world is too soft on super villains. Black Adam says that the coalition is just beginning and that he is currently talking with Iran, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. He continues that Russia will also join the coalition soon enough. Black Adam concludes that the days of America using the world as their personal battleground are over. Black Adam then leaves since entering Russian airspace would constitute an act of war.
Week 6, Day 2: Booster Gold and Skeets are at a bunker (No, not mine) in Arizona that was Rip Hunter’s last known address. Skeets manages to hack into the lock system to open the portal to the bunker. Booster then walks into Rip’s main lab. We see a two page splash shot of the main lab. It looks like Rip Hunter has left the place in shambles. We see two large blackboards with tons of stuff written all over them. (I’m not going to write down everything on the blackboards because it is a ton. But, read it carefully, because you know there are many clues written on the blackboards.) Rip has written ”TIME IS BROKEN” across the blackboards. He has also written “World War II. Why? How?” “The Lazarus Pit Rises.” “The scarab is eternal.” Rip has also written “52” all over the place. There is tons of other very interesting little tid bits written on the blackboards. All pretty interesting stuff.
Booster Gold then sees pictures of himself with the words “It’s his fault” written next to the pictures of Booster Gold. Booster Gold looks stunned. End of story.
Of course, we are also “treated” to a back up store on the History of the DCU. The story takes us from the original Crisis on to Zero Hour. (Ugh, Zero Hour. I have just finally gotten that load of crap out of my mind, and DC goes and reminds me about it.) That Batman was harsher. That the recent “rewriting” of his history has made Batman more compassionate. (Um, no. The word is “wuss.” Batman is more of a wuss.) That Batman had his back broken. Superman was killed. That Steel, Superboy, The Eradicator and Cyborg Superman took Kal-El’s place. That Hal Jordan became Parallax. Then Kyle Rayner bevame the last remaining Green Lantern. And then the events of Zero Hour began. End of issue.
Comments:
The Good: 52 #6 was another great issue for this series! DC is really doing a great job with 52. I liked the scene with Booster Gold and the actor playing Manthrax. You knew that we were going to see something like this at some point. I’m not surprised that Booster would be paying people to play the role of a villain in order for him to further his career as a Super hero and spokesperson for various products and companies. I liked this. It shows how far Booster Gold sunk. Booster Gold is not only his old self, but he has gotten even worse than he ever was. I think that we are definitely going to see Booster hit rock bottom and then get exposed before he will begin that long climb back to redemption.
I loved the fight scene between the Green Lanterns and The Great Ten and Black Adam. I think the Great Ten have tons of potential. I love the design of the characters and I think they are pretty interesting. I really look forward to seeing more of the Great Ten. Still, I don’t think Communist China, who is anti religion and definitely doesn’t dig the Buddhists, would have a Buddhist member. But, I really dig Thunder-Mind. He has cool powers and a great code-name. I hope we get to see lots more of the Great. And just how many kids does the Mother of Champions pop out at one time?
Of course, I liked Black Adam. Yeah, he is annoying and arrogant, but he is still so cool! 52 has definitely gotten me into Black Adam’s character. 52 has also done a great job developing and fleshing out Black Adam’s personality. Black Adam’s coalition is also another new interesting storyline. I have a feeling that this coalition is going to continue to grow in numbers and power. And we know that Russia eventually joins the coalition since we have seen Hal’s problems with the Red Guards over in the One Year Later storyline in Green Lantern.
The scene with Morrow and Magnus was also well done. Once, again, the writers of 52 just continue to add more questions and mysteries with this unknown person, the “Great One” who has had the camera installed in Morrow’s cell in order to keep him under surveillance.
The ending scene with Booster Gold and Rip Hunter’s bunker (which, for the record, isn’t nearly as nice as the Revolution’s bunker) was pretty cool. The blackboards were just chock full of very cool clues. I spent plenty of time studying everything written on the blackboards. And of course, the ending with Booster Gold’s pictures and the writing that he is the one at fault made for a great ending. A nice hook that made me immediately want to read the next issue.
The writers for 52 have all done an excellent job. This is a highly entertaining comic book. It is amazing how many compelling storylines they are weaving in this comic book. It is impressive how with each issue, the writers keep introducing more and more little plotlines into the mix. And the pacing is perfect. The deliberate and slow pace in which these various plotlines are introduced and developed is perfect for this weekly format. It is making 52 a rather compelling read. The writers for 52 are doing an excellent job with this comic book.
Bennett’s artwork was solid, as usual. Bennett’s art is nice and makes 52 a fun book to look at.
The Bad: Seriously, I have absolutely no complaints at all. Well, actually, yeah, I do. The main 52 storyline is great, but the History of the DCU back up stories are absolute crap. I would much rather get to have 4 more pages of the entertaining 52 story rather than having to sit through these boring and uninteresting History of the DCU back up stories.
Overall: 52 #6 was a very good read. Great writing plus solid artwork makes for an enjoyable comic book. I am not shy about blasting DC when I think they have screwed up. So, I believe when DC does something right then I should praise them just as strongly as I blast them. DC is doing a wonderful job with 52. This is a captivating, complex, entertaining and well paced storyline. If you haven’t checked out 52 yet then I highly urge you to give it a try.