Krypto returns in Superman #712, plus other comic book reviews
There was a bit of internet outcry over why the planned “Grounded” storyline was interrupted for an issue to instead run a “Krypto” story by Kurt Busiek that was originally planned to run around five years ago.
I’m not sure why the decision was made, but I’m glad to see the story, now published in Superman #712. Written by Busiek (“Astro City”) with art by Rick Leonardi (“Spider-Man 2099″), the story features Krypto after the death of Conner Kent, aka Superboy. Anybody who’s ever owned a dog will sympathize with the story, which would have likely had an added oomph had it been published in the aftermath of Superboy’s death in “Infinite Crisis.” As it is, however, it’s still a great issue.
Also read recently:
Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #1. Writer Sterling Gates and newcomer artist Oliver Nome show what Kid Flash is up to in the “Flashpoint” universe. He’s in the future, in a Matrix-like construct being run by on of the DCU’s biggest villains. He knows there’s something wrong with the timeline, but can he fix it? Fast-paced, energetic story that makes me hope that Gates, an OU graduate, will get handed the keys to a Kid Flash series long term.
Flashpoint: The Outsider #1. There’s a brief Oklahoma shout-out from writer James Robinson, who visited the Sooner State last year, in this issue. But that’s just a nice bonus in this well-crafted issue, by Robinson and artist Javi Fernandez. Who is the Outsider? He looks to be an all-new character who has become a high-profile villain in the “Flashpoint” world. The character gives a brief note of his tie to the Alfred Pennyworth Silver Age “Outsider,” but overall this is the introduction of a bold new villain who works on several levels – it’d be cool to see if he can somehow be integrated into the DC Universe when Flashpoint ends.
Flashpoint: The Reverse Flash one-shot. Mislabeled “1 of 3,” this is actually a one-shot featuring the Reverse Flash. While the issue,written by Scott Kolins and drawn by Joel Gomez, is a “Flashpoint” tie-in, it appears to be set in the regular DC world. It’s possible this has future significance to the events of “Flashpoint,” but I didn’t immediately put it together. It’s mostly about the Reverse-Flash’s mad hate for Barry Allen.
Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing #1. Written by Jonathan Vankin, drawn by Marco Castiello. John Constantine was shuttled off to the Vertigo “universe” when it was decided to split off those characters from DC’s main, four-color superheroes. But now that decapitations and the like are relatively fair game for DC’s main line, Constantine is back, searching for his old buddy, the Swamp Thing. (The “Hellblazer” series continues at Vertigo, and I have no idea if it will line up with the DCU appearances at all. I’m going to guess no.) It sort of felt like the 1980s, with Constantine bumping around Gotham City and hanging out with Batman and Zatanna. Sort of an odd fit, but I think DC’s trying to reclaim their magical characters for its main line, and this is part of that process.
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