Comics of the Week (11/14/07)

Teen Titans East Special - Cyborg can't get his old teammates back into the group, so he decides to train some second-string teens into a new unit. However, a little training exercise ends in very very disastrous results! The first half of the book is more like a flashback or untold tale of the New Teen Titans line-up from back in the 80's. Still, it didn't feel "right" - even down to the teaming of Joker with Bizarro (why why why team those two up?). Since this special is a prelude to a new #1 issue coming soon with a team returning to the classic line up, I am concerned that the writer can make it work given this issue's look at his using those characters. I'll give the first issue a shot, but it will be with a wary eye.

Captain Carrot and the Final Ark #2 - Frogzilla is back! And so is Alley-Kat-Abra! This middle issue of the mini-series moved things along, but there are lots of elements going on in this book. In fact, it might be too much and that's making this return to a classic a little less fun than expected. It is almost like the writer knows he only has a mini to work with, so he's throwing everything and the kitchen sink in just in case the book doesn't do well enough to warrant a new ongoing title.

Salvation Run #1 - The premise behind this seven issue mini-series is that DC's nastiest villains are gathered up by the government and deposited upon an alien world, left to their own devices. They can either work together or take each other out. It starts with the Flash's Rogues Gallery, a group of villains I've always enjoyed. Before the end of the first issue, we get a lot more villains on the playing field as well. And the final panel hints at who is really behind this whole operation (I'm looking forward to finding out why they are doing it). I felt the art worked well enough and the writing was good. Since I've always enjoyed spotlights on the villains (I wrote enough fanfiction starring many of them for years), I think I'm in for the long-run on this run.

Countdown to Final Crisis #24 - as much as I wasn't thrilled with the book last week's issue, this week's offering redeemed this book in spades! The story focuses mostly on Superman Prime, a sole hero from a parallel Earth long since gone. He continues to search the multiverse, looking for the perfect one that is close to his own home. However, when he fails to find it, look out! He is so unworthy of the Superman title it is not funny. How he destroys a world's heroes and people is a textbook example of power gone wild. A very solid story with great art and the introduction of a true threat to this storyline that could make the finale next year huge.



Booster Gold #4 - Booster run into, literally, the Flash (Barry Allen) and Kid Flash (Wally West) as part of his time-travel adventures. These two guest stars work well in the story - to serve as a catalyst for the events - without any overshadowing of the book's main stars. Booster, Skeets and Rip Hunter all get into the action as they fight those who are trying to obilterate the JLA members from the timeline. There are more ongoing subplots as well, and that final page has a gorgeous pin-up picture of one of my favorite heroes ever! I can't wait to see how next issue plays out - I'm really hoping for a certain kind of ending, though I might not get it as it would totally throw the status quo of things. I hope they deliver - that'd be an awesome Christmas present for 2007.