(w) Andy Diggle (a) Tony S. Daniel
Of course...of course Andy Diggle left Action Comics after only one issue...
Because there is no sarcasm expression in written form (yet), I'll make it clear: DC editorial is letting some of their BEST talent walk out.
Action Comics #19 is a great issue. Seriously; after Grant Morrison's 18 issues of crazy, Andy Diggle gives readers a story that's incredibly interesting without having to unwrinkle your brain afterwards. It's Superman battling giant alien monsters. And the best characterization of Lex Luthor I've seen so far in the 'New 52'.
This is supposed to be the flagship Superman title (until Superman Unchained, of course), and keeping Diggle would have been in DC's best interests because this man knows how to write the Man of Steel. Morrison stretched Superman to limits we've never seen before, and now Diggle is bringing him back to reality a little bit. Besides Action Comics, the only other solo book is Superman, which Scott Lobdell has driven into the ground. If you're looking for straightforward Superman action, Andy Diggle's Action Comics is for you. Action Comics #19 balances Clark's life as a reporter (and human) against his life as Superman more organically and smoothly than any issue of Superman or Action Comics before it. Diggle understands the need for this balance and he approaches it with a "less is more" attitude that simply works.
UNFORTUNATELY, Diggle is yet another casualty in DC's iron-fisted editorial rampage. It seems that unless you are Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Scott Snyder, or Jeff Lemire, DC is going to edit the every-loving hell out of your work to the point that you'll want to no longer be associated with said work. So all we get is this singular issue from Diggle. Arc artist Tony S. Daniel will be taking over scripting duties from Diggle's plotting, but it's not going to be the same because Daniel is not as strong a writer as Diggle.
Action Comics #19 shows such great promise from such a fantastic writer that it's hard not to think about Andy Diggle's problems with DC editorial while reading. First, his timeframe was pushed back a whole month to accomodate Grant Morrison's desire for an extra issue, then he was given the "WTF" directive (something many DC writers had to contend with by shoehorning a 'major revelation' into their stories) that became his first issue for the title, then he and editorial butted heads even further which caused his departure from the title.
In the end, all we can do is appreciate Action Comics #19 for what it has become: a sign of amazing potential that won't be fulfilled.
GRADE
9/10
(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Tony S. Daniel
Justice League #14 brings the conclusion to "The Secret of the Cheetah", last month wherein Wonder Woman's best friend, Barbara Minerva, was possessed by the Amazonian goddess of the hunt and driven crazy by the power. I'd never read too much that included Cheetah in the pre-'New 52' days (probably saw her in crossovers, etc.), but I can't imagine she was anywhere near as cool as Geoff Johns' reinterpretation -- it's like going from tofurkey to a honest-to-goodness Thanksgiving bird! This month, we discover how Barbara Minerva's actions are more nefarious than we previously believed.
At the end of JL#13, Cheetah sank her teeth into Superman and turned him into a rabid man-cheetah bent on taking down his comrades. This is a cool plot development -- the Cheetah is either as strong or stronger than the Man of Steel -- but it's not given the opportunity to go anywhere before the League discovers the Cheetah's weakness and uses it on Clark. The appearance of the ancient tribe who worships the Cheetah as the goddess of the hunt isn't interesting enough. Sure, they've got a lot of insight on the Cheetah as a deity, Barbara Minerva's intentions, and how to save Superman's life, but it all comes at the cost of too much expository monologue.
Instead of making this story arc a bit more fluid and organic -- perhaps with a full issue of cheetah-controlled Superman hunting the League members -- "The Secret of the Cheetah" feels rushed and compressed. Promotional material form DC states that the "road to 'Trinity War' is paved through Justice League #14'. With nothing else to go on, I can't really say what that connection might be. Then again, Johns is a master as subtle build-up to explosive results, so there's a big possibility I'll be reading "Trinity War" next year, and I'll come back to JL#14 only to see something I'll tell myself should have been obvious.
GRADE
7.8/10
(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Tony S. Daniel
(i) Richard Friend and Batt
It's not often that Geoff Johns takes a breather. Usually, the man is constructing some massive arc that has major ramifications for the entire DCnU, and then some. It's not a bad quality at all. In fact, Johns' ability to make nearly anything he writes feel epic is what makes him such an amazing storyteller. For the past 13 months, Johns has worked magic with Justice League, a series that many journalists have criticized for having a lackluster opening arc and a mediocre second. Here's the thing - nothing is perfect, not even the Justice League. Fanboys - and increasingly, journalists - are becoming hardened against different interpretations of established continuity, no matter the situation. Why does it matter that Hal Jordan is a huge jerk? Why can't that be part of the variety of personalities on the team? Is it really a huge deal that only three members of the League appear in the first issue, even though it's the beginning of an origin story that spans six issues? Are we that jaded against change? Sure, Hal says annoying things from time to time, but I'd rather have him cracking bad jokes every once in a while than a set of seven perfect examples of human ingenuity and dedication who say the right thing every time.
Justice League #13 starts a three-issue arc focusing on the Cheetah, a classic Wonder Woman villain reimagined with a much better backstory. I mentioned Johns' penchant for the grandiose earlier because this issue proves how well he can write a smaller-scale narrative, as well. This isn't a planet-wide threat, or even a nation-wide one - "The Secret of the Cheetah" is a personal tale about Wonder Woman and Cheetah's past. It's also about a team willing and ready to help their fellow teammate without a moment's hesitation. Cheetah is largely considered to have been Wonder Woman's arch-enemy in the pre-'New 52' universe, so it makes sense that Diana's relationship with Cheetah cuts deeper than the team could know. Johns is applying his multi-layered narrative style to a more minimal stage, resulting in heavy interpersonal relationships and emotionally-driven plot advancement.
Tony S. Daniel is stepping in for a few issues before Ivan Reis and Joe Prado take over in a few months, and his style is a breath of fresh air. Jim Lee was doing some great issues for the first few months of the 'New 52', but the quality steadily feel through the summer and into the fall. It's nice to see more crisp detail and solid inking, and honestly, the artwork goes a long way in making Justice League #13 such a good issue.
And while DC's website claimed that Johns' "Shazam" back up was still happening, in actuality, it's a story penned by Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire about Steve Trevor and Oliver Queen. Trevor is done working for A.R.G.U.S., and decides to drink himself into a stupor when Ollie Queen shows up to deliver some bad news that looks to be of some importance in the upcoming Justice League of America starting next year.
GRADE
8/10
(w) Andy Diggle (a) Tony S. Daniel
