I was going to review Final Crisis #6 this week, but after I'd finished reading it, I just thought why bother? Regular readers know my views on FC thus far (check the archives if you don't), and this issue doesn't fundamentally change them - a Big Event happens (you'll probably know what it is by now), we're shown the path to a neat-and-tidy deux ex machina solution that'll undo all the pointless destruction the series has been wallowing in, and anyone who didn't read the Superman tie-ins gets a slap in the face. If you loved it, hey, more power to ya, just don't try to talk to me about it. Anyway, onwards:
Manhunter #38 ~ Well, that's that - this is Manhunter's final issue, and unlike previous times when it's been canned and later given a reprieve, or just 'gone on hiatus', I really doubt it'll be back again this time. This issue actually managed to perk up a little bit, with some amusing dialogue, and some neat character writing in the soap opera moments, but... it's just not what it once was, and instead of going out with a big, impressive finale, we get a conclusion that's really more like someone's fanfic devoted to Kate and her family. Which is fine if you're a fan, but 'Kate and her family' has gone through so many arbitrary and unexplained changes over the years that I have trouble imagining anyone really caring about them any more - sure they're nice people, but so are my neighbours, and I don't spend US$2.99 a month to find out what's happening with them. The supervillain side of things consists of Sweeney Todd and his girlfriend showing up, which tells you right away how disposable it is. I wonder what'll happen to Manhunter now - with Birds of Prey finishing there's not a lot of venues for stray superheroines in the DC universe, so it looks like she'll be consigned to the heap of occasional-cameo characters who turn up in the big crowd-of-superheroes panels in event books, but never get much attention otherwise. A sad fate, but in the end, this title brought it on itself.
Soulfire: Shadow Magic #2 ~ Odd thing with this title, I keep forgetting that there was an issue zero, which puts all of my expectations one step ahead of the comic - which is disquieting, as the comic seems to be very much conceived within the conventional structure I'm expecting. This issue, for instance, advances the storylines of the various leading figures somewhat, picking them up on whatever journeys they'd set out upon and giving them a whack in the head to send them off in a direction they didn't really expect - which is exactly what 'part two' normally does, but because I was mentally reading it as part three, I felt a bit unsteady that these character stories weren't being solidified more. No matter; I'm still enjoying the read, though it's still a lot more about style than it is substance - although there are undercurrents that suggest that Vince Hernandez, the writer, has worked everything out in a lot of detail, and is slowly building up to the 'revelation' of the story the way a painter might, a bit here and a bit there, seemingly random until it all comes together. The silent panels featuring the dragons are a minor treat, coming across quite vividly, and the way the big war storyline and the small-scale story of the forest fairies are starting to intertwine is promising.
I Hate Gallant Girl #3 ~ It all wraps up this issue, in a fairly predictable manner - I don't really feel like going into detail with the plot and characters, because (sorry if this sounds harsh) it doesn't feel like the creators did either. It's straight-forward enough in its storytelling, and the heroine, Renee, has a few neat moments (though there's a nasty tendency this issue for her 'big character moments' to be really poorly shoehorned in), but... well, put it this way: the editorial page in back recaps the 'Who Wants To Create A Superheroine' contest that this comic originated from, reminding us that its intention was to create a superheroine who would rival the popularity of supervillain Bomb Queen. Bomb Queen is all about the concept of 'supervillain' - it's genuinely based in supervillainy as a concept, and a driving force behind its stories. The same (switching 'villain' to 'heroine') just isn't true here - this is just a story about a basically decent person who's got superpowers, and who winds up having to fight some bad guys with them. I'll probably be accused of sour grapes, since I entered the contest myself and didn't make the cut, but regardless of who won, I was really hopeful of seeing a comic that was rooted in the concept of superheroism just the way Bomb Queen is rooted in supervillainy. This isn't it - I'll be honest, if it hadn't been for my interest in the contest, I might not have bought it based on its solicitations alone, and I guess now I can look back and say that would've been a good choice. It's not really bad, but what qualities it has are qualities that I'm not much interested in as a reader. Heigh-ho.
Shrugged #8 ~ My random pick for this week - as I've said before, unless I'm hard up for cash I like to take a quick browse around the shelves when I pick up my regular comics just to see if anything catches my eye (and this week, knowing that Final Crisis and Manhunter and I Hate Gallant Girl probably weren't going to do much for me, I figured I could use something else to read besides Soulfire). Normally I go for issue ones, but there weren't any handy, so - for no particular reason - I would up getting this, which is actually the last issue of the title. Luckily it begins with a quick little recap of the basic concept - that the metaphorical angels and demons that sit on your shoulders and guide your moral decisions are real - and while there's obviously much more to the story than that, the recap is enough to get you by. The writing is fast-paced and amusing - though some of the dialogue is a bit stilted here and there (not just in the case of the angels, who I gather are meant to sound a bit stuffy) - and the art is lively, so I was kept entertained well enough to get through the issue, despite being in the dark regarding a lot of the plot, and now I'm looking at getting the trade paperback when it comes out. One of the villains of the piece, Ember - that's her on the cover - is the subject of an upcoming Aspen Showcase issue, so that's something to look forward to as well.
