52 is always a great read. DC has done a fantastic job on this title. 52 is the first comic that I read each week. I’m like a crack addict when it comes to this comic book. I have no doubt that 52 #8 will be a great issue. I have already had several mugs of Café Bustelo, so I’m all jacked up and ready for this review.
Creative Team
Writers: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka & Mark Waid
Layouts: Keith Giffen
Penciler: Eddy Barrows
Inker: Rob Stull
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10.
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10.
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10.
Synopsis: Week 8, Day 1: Natasha is busy working on her armor. Since Steel won’t build armor for her and he won’t let her get Luthor’s gene therapy to get real powers, Natasha is determined to make her own armor and prove her worth. Steel then goes upstairs to watch TV. Suddenly, his chest starts smoldering and burning and then transforms into steel.
We then shift over to Star City where Green Arrow has met up with Elongated Man. Green Arrow bemoans the fact that Star City is in complete ruins due to the battle in Infinite Crisis. Ralph is meeting with Ollie because Ralph tracked down the Cult of Conner to a warehouse in Star City. The two find the warehouse and then enter it. They see the shrine to Conner, but the place is empty. They cult once again left before they could be discovered. Green Arrow asks what their belief is and Ralph responds that they think the dead can be resurrected. And with that Ralph gets an odd look on his face as he stares at Ollie.
Week 8, Day 3: We are over at S.T.A.R. labs where Steel is getting samples of his blood taken to try and determine the roots of his new powers. After analyzing the composition of the metal, it is determined that Steel is literally turning into steel. Steel then says that this is Lex Luthor’s idea of a joke. That when he met with Steel at S.T.A.R. labs a couple of issues ago when Steel was performing an autopsy on the fake Lex Luthor, that Luthor must have injected him when they posed for the cameras. Steel says that this means that Luthor can tailor the results of his metagene therapy. Steel says that Luthor’s program is designed so that he can control a group of supermen. Suddenly the machine running tests on Steel’s blood explodes and destroys the samples.
We then cut to various eye witnesses to a new superhero (Super Nova) talking about how this hero saved them from various dangers and disasters. We then see Booster Gold ranting to Clark Kent in an interview. Booster says that he has been smeared and rejected by Metropolis while, at the same time, everyone is embracing this new super hero. Clark mentions that he is going to find out the identity of this new hero.
We then shift back to Steelworks. S.T.A.R. labs calls and Natasha answers the phone. The scientist tells Natasha to give Steel a message. That the tests confirm that it is the Luthor metagene that is rewriting his DNA. Natasha hangs up the phone with a pissed off look on her face. She then sees a flier for LexCorp’s metagene project. Natasha mutters that Steel is a hypocrite. (Oh man. It is like a “Three’s Company” episode where we have a wacky misunderstanding that causes a huge problem! Does that make Steel Mr. Furley or Jack Tripper?)
Week 8, Day 5: Once again, Natasha is hard at work late into the night trying to finish her armor. A spark hits right in between her breast (That’s the money shot, baby!) and burns her causing her to trip and dump her armor onto the floor. Her armor is damaged. Steel enters to see if Natasha is ok. Natasha freaks on Steel. She says that he told her she had to earn her powers because they are earned and not given. Natasha throws her faceplate at Steel and his arms instinctively turn into steel to block it. Natasha shoves the LexCorp metagene program flier into Steel’s face and asks him if her earned his powers. Before Steel can explain, Natasha storms out of the basement yelling that Steel is a liar.
We then cut to our heroes lost in space. Animal Man and Adam are flying around in the night sky searching for Starfire. Suddenly, they see her unconscious and trapped in a net hanging high in the sky. Suddenly, Animal Man and Adam get caught in a similar net. We then see the cosmic armored giant holding the other end of the net in his hand.
Week 8, Day 7: We see a rowdy mob outside LexCorp all desiring to be picked for Luthor’s metagene therapy program. Lex croons that these people are all his slaves. He then sees Natasha arguing with a guard. Lex recognizes Natasha and asks her what her uncle would think of her applying for his program. Natasha says that her uncle can go to hell. (Awww, Natasha is so cute when she is mad!) Lex then congratulates Natasha and tells her that she is the first candidate of the day. Lex asks her who she really wants to be.
We then get a one page splash shot of Natasha bound and gagged into some type of bizarre machine. Lex tells his scientist to skip the regular screenings (uh oh. That doesn’t sound good.) and to give Natasha the entire package. End of story.
This issue has a 4 page History of the DCU backup story. It basically goes through the events from the end of Zero Hour up until the very beginning of Identity Crisis. End of story.
Comments
The Good: 52 #8 was a great issue. The writers are doing a fantastic job and really turned up the heat with this issue. I enjoyed the Steel storyline. It is incredible how the writers have taken two characters in Natasha and Steel that I didn’t care about before and turned them into characters that I enjoy and give them a storyline that I find rather compelling.
I like the clash between the headstrong rebellious youth versus the steady experienced man of knowledge. The fact that the writers built up this belief that Steel has that powers are “earned not given” and then they turn it on its head is great! It is understandable that Natasha would think that her uncle is a total and complete hypocrite.
The scene where Steel reveals that Luthor must have injected him with his metagene therapy was nice bomb to drop on the reader. It is nice to see the writers laying the foundation early for storylines that pop up at a later date. At first, I though that scene was kind of odd, but now it makes much more sense. This is a great plotline and I am excited to see where the writers go with it.
I liked seeing Natasha struggle and work so hard. This issue does a nice job showing Natasha’s grit and spirit. It is much different than the spoiled brat from the first couple of issues.
Obviously, the big hook was at the end where we see Natasha at LexCorp and being chosen by Luthor to get the metagene therapy treatment. The final shot was a good ending. Luthor eschews the normal regular screenings. This has got to cause a massive problem with Natasha’s powers at some point in the future. Plus, this plotline is going to really ratchet up the guilt that Steel is going to feel. He will be mad with Natasha undergoing the treatment in the first place. But, if and when, things go wrong with Natasha, Steel will certainly blame himself. Lex is such a devil. I love him.
The scene with Green Arrow and Ralph gave us a better image of the massive destruction done to Star City as a result of Infinite Crisis. Now, it makes sense that Ollie would feel the need to become mayor of Star City. We didn’t learn anything new about the Cult of Conner, but something important finally dawned on Ralph. That Ollie is a result of resurrection and maybe he holds a clue on resurrecting Sue. I’m surprised it took the World’s second best detective this long to figure that out.
And I liked the scenes that teased us with the appearance of Super Nova. Booster reacted angrily to this new hero stealing his spotlight and the hearts of everyone in Metropolis. I’m interested to join Clark on his journey to discover just who is Super Nova. I really hope this is Mon-El, but I’m probably wrong.
We didn’t spend much time on our heroes stranded in space. This cosmic armored giant now has all three of our heroes captured. I am very curious to find out more about this plotline.
It just amazes me how the writers have continued to make 52 a fantastic read. Every issue has been great. I love the pacing. I love the structure. Everything is so well plotted and planned. The stories are organically evolving building off prior clues and plotlines. I am really impressed how tight 52 is and how focused the various storylines are.
The writers also weaved some solid dialogue. The fighting between Steel and Natasha was perfect. Each character is so well developed and has their own unique voice.
But, most important of all, 52 is a total page turner that hook the reader at the end and leaves them eager for the next issue. That is a sign of a well done comic book.
The art is solid. Nothing great, but not bad. Basically, the art does what it needs to and doesn’t get in the way of a very strong story.
The Bad: No complaints with the main story. I still feel that the History of the DC Universe has been a waste of four pages that could be used by a much more entertaining 52 story.
Overall: 52 #8 is a great read. DC deserves a lot of credit for doing an excellent job on 52 which is quite a daunting task. I feel that DC really whiffed on Infinite Crisis. However, they are making up for it with 52. No, 52 is going to make sweeping changes to DC’s continuity and history. 52 is simply a very exciting and quite enjoyable comic book. I definitely recommend this comic book to anyone.