SWORD OF SORCERY #0

STORY: Christy Marx and Tony Bedard
ART: Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan

Okay, I'll admit it: I was seriously not ready to like Sword of Sorcery. The name alone kept it at a proverbial arm's length for the months leading up to this first zero issue. While I enjoy fantasy stories, I'm not into "hard fantasy", so I really just didn't pay this new series any mind. I offhandedly decided to review Sword of Sorcery #0 on "The Endless Reel" because I wanted to review all four of the "Third Wave" titles that DC is putting out this month, simply because there's a new one each week (unlike the "Second Wave" that dumped most of the new titles in the first week and left only two for the consecutive three weeks of the month).

I stand (or sit and writing, in this case) corrected. While the cohesiveness of the 'New 52' universe is nice, it's refreshing to see a series so far removed from the main line of books, similar to Dial H and Resurrection Man. I know, I know - a certain someone shows up in the final panels to put a slight damper on that notion, but "Amethyst" is such a cult favorite that I assumed it would be a total bust trying to interpret it for a modern audience, in a more modern comic book universe. It would seem like it's actually the perfect time for something like this.

Christy Marx does an excellent job setting up Amy Winston in the opening pages of Sword of Sorcery #0. The "cool kids" chatter in the halls of a high school is a passable way to introduce readers to Amy and her current situation, but it's also a little sappy. It really gets interesting when Amy's mom takes her out in the evening for what seems to be battle training. Why is she training? Why is her mother so adamant about it? Why does this training interfere with regular life? Marx skillfully navigates this narrative, revealing only small bits of information at a time, and switching focus from Amy and her mother to the Queen of GemWorld, a planet (I'm assuming) that doesn't get much of an explanation - it stands to reason that a bit more will be revealed in issue one. In this regard, Marx has succeeded in truly writing a worthwhile "Issue Zero". She's given us readers enough information about the beginning of this tale to keep us interested, knowing that Sword of Sorcery #1 will start to answer some of the questions brought up in these pages.

Similarly, I was originally put off by the prospect of the "Beowulf" back-up story. Why, for goodness sake, do we need another Beowulf story? Hasn't this tale been done to death already in every medium imaginable? Again, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Tony Bedard's first chapter of this epic. And really, all that interest comes from the fact that Beowulf apparently exists in an advanced cryogenics chamber within an abandoned laboratory, while the world outside is seemingly dated somewhere in the Dark Ages. It's utterly fascinating. Seriously. All the Beowulf/Grendel stuff aside for now, the dichotomy of technology in a pre-pre-pre-industrial civilization is just so cool, I'm going to keep buying Sword of Sorcery if only for this back-up.

GRADE

B+

UPCOMING REVIEWS (SEP 19-25)

Blue Beetle #0
(Bedard, Guara)
- Jaime Reyes is the current host of the Reach scarab Khaji-Da, but who wore it before Jaime? This "Zero Issue" brings a tale of the Reach solider that made Jaime's scarab a household name.

Captain Marvel #4

(DeConnick, Soy)

- Kelly Sue DeConnick has given Carol Danvers a whole new voice, and it's been for the better. After years of playing pawn to Marvel's major events, Carol is now getting the quality treatment she deserves from a writer who knows this character inside and out. I mean, DeConnick was recently given Avengers Assemble, as well, proving she has what it takes in today's comic industry. If you aren't already reading this one, I suggest you start.

DC Universe Presents #0
(Bedard, Robinson, Liefeld, Didio, CAFU, Mychaels, Derenick, Battle)
- In homage to some of the titles cancelled back in April to make way for the "Second Wave" of 'New 52' titles, DC Universe Presents #0 brings five stories about Hawk and Dove, O.M.A.C., the Blackhawks, Mister Terrific, and a special story about Deadman. DCUP has been an excellent anthology series thus far, so I'm excited to see how these smaller stories will fare.

Justice League #0

(Johns, Frank)

- Billy Batson is the focus of this Justice League origin issue, leading in from the "Shazam" back-ups in the pages of JL over the past few months. Will Shazam join the Justice League? How will Billy balance his attitude with his new responsibilities? Find out this week!

Spider-Men #5 of 5
(Bendis, Pichelli)
- After an issue a bit too stuffed with big battles, I'm hopeful Brian Michael Bendis can pull Spider-Men out from just being another fan-service series and turn it into something that affects both Earth-616 and the Ultimate Marvel universe.

Supergirl #0

(Green, Johnson, Asrar)

- Questions will be answered! In a true "Zero Issue", we find out who sent Kara to Earth on the eve of Krypton's destruction. Also, Kara discovers who murdered her father! Supergirl has been one of the most consistently impressive series DC releases, so I have high hopes for this origins issue.

Sword of Sorcery #0
(Marx, Bedard, Lopresti, Ryan)
- To be honest, I'm seriously not very interested in this series, but I'm still willing to give it a chance to win me over. I've never been a huge "dragons and magic" fantasy buff, and it's looking more and more like that is what Sword of Sorcery is going to be, albeit with an alien world thrown into the mix. Plus, the "Beowulf" back-up just seems silly. But who knows - maybe I'll be wooed by Christy Marx's writing and Aaron Lopresti's artwork.

4-Sentence Reviews

* Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #3 of 4

* Green Lantern: New Guardians #0

* Nightwing #0

* Red Hood and The Outlaws #0

* Wonder Woman #0

(FEATURE) NEWS, NEWS, & MORE NEWS!

It figures that the weekend I'm out of communication with the civilized world - sleeping in the fields of Manchester, Tennessee and attending four straight days of nigh-constant music - the comic book world gets bombarded with news concerning cancellations, new titles, and anniversary events! Well, here's a little rundown of DC's weekend activities and how they will affect "The Endless Reel"


'NEW 52' THIRD WAVE & ZERO ISSUES ANNOUNCED

Announced this weekend, September will be see every title under the 'New 52' banner receive their very own "Issue Zero" to commemorate the anniversary of DC's imprint relaunch. Every issue will get a 'Zero' issue in September, continuing with their 13th (or 5th, in the case of 'Second Wave' titles) issue in October. DC has also announced FOUR new series being added to the 'New 52' lineup, bringing the total number of titles to a whopping 55, seeing as Justice League International will be ending in August, with an Annual issue in September.

The first new title is Talon, a spin-off from Scott Snyder's Batman that will feature Calvin Rose, the only assassin to ever escape the Court of Owls. Snyder's work on Batman over the past year has been phenomenal and the Court's influence over Gotham is a vast entity that's only been scratched at the surface. Hopefully, Talon will be as good as Snyder's current work, though it will be written by co-plotter James Tynion IV. Second is the Dan DiDio-helmed Phantom Stranger, a character we were only offered a glimpse of in this year's Free Comic Book Day issue, The New 52 #1. The Stranger's connection to magic seems more overt in the 'New 52' universe, but his mystery will most likely be just as enigmatic and tight-lipped as before. Sword of Sorcery will be DC's newest mystical jaunt with a fan-demanded "Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld" tale coupled with a "Beowulf" back-up story by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz. "Amethyst" will be written by Christy Marx and pencilled by Aaron Lopresti, whose work on Justice League International has be great for it's entire run. Finally, Team Seven will merge the DC and Wildstorm universes even further with an - obviously - team-based series set in this universe's pre-superhero days with characters like a young Steve Trevor, Dinah Lance (Black Canary), Amanda Waller, a pre-Grifter Cole Cash, Alex Fairchild, John Lynch, and the Deathstroke: Slade Wilson. T7 will be written by Justin Jordan with art by Jesus Marino.

Come September, I'll be covering all "Issue Zero"s for Talon, Sword of Sorcery, Phatom Stranger, and Team Seven to determine which series (or two) I'll add to the list of regularly scheduled coverage in October. Based on page hits and '+1's, I'll make a decision.



GREEN LANTERN #0 TO POSSIBLY INTRODUCE ARAB GL

In DC's Free Comic Book Day offering this year, The New 52 #1, the final pages of the issue revealed a massive fight between some of the most iconic characters from the 'New 52' so far, along with an array of reintroduced characters like Elemental Woman (from Flashpoint), Black Adam (supposedly), the Atom, Vibe, as well as a mysterious new Green Lantern that seemed to have darker skin.

Now, with promotional art from Green Lantern #0 coming this September, we can see this new Green Lantern busting through the cover with an Arabic phrase tattooed on his right arm. Roughly translated to courage, bravery, or fearless - appropriately - the tattoo marks a second drive toward diversity for the Green Lantern brand in less than a month, considering Green Lantern Alan Scott's announced sexual orientation. While this new GL's first image also has him brandishing a handgun for some reason, it's safe to say DC isn't looking to make one of it's most iconic and famous characters a 'bad' person in any way. But everything is relative, and next year's promised "Trinity War" event seems to be part of this new GL's story.



DC CANCELS THREE MORE 'NEW 52' TITLES

After announcing four new titles being added to the 'New 52' lineup, bringing the total to 55 starting in September, DC quickly announced, just today and only one two days after it's initial announcement, the cancellation of three more titles on the heels of Justice League International in August. While they will still receive their "Issue Zero"s, Captain Atom, Resurrection Man, and Voodoo will all end in September, making way for the 'Third Wave' titles. While all three titles were performing poorly, Resurrection Man is a featured title here at "The Endless Reel" and will be missed, along withe Justice League International. Both JLI's Annual issue and Resurrection Man's "Issue Zero" will be covered here in September to give them proper send-offs.

In cancellation-related news, Dan DiDio did also announce that DC Universe Presents #0 will feature the Blackhawks, Hawk and Dove, O.M.A.C., and Mister Terrific, all characters whose series were cancelled during the 'Second Wave' back in May. This shows that DC is committed to it's characters, even if their series don't work out. This means that, hopefully, we'll see more of Mitch Shelley and the JLI in the future, somewhere in the pages of the 'New 52'.