So, this is what Saturday morning looks like …
Only two comics purchased this week, so let’s take a quick look at them.
Authority: Revolution #11
In which Bendix reveals how he has controlled things from the beginning, with the aid of The Evolutionaries to set up Midnighter, and warp him with nanites. It’s easy to say now that the alternate future vision didn’t seem enough to convince Midnighter, which is how I felt, and Brubaker seems to understand that, suggesting that Midnighter was easy to convince of this. But this hasn’t been the most original plotting from Brubaker, just picking up on what has gone before, with the inclusion or mentions of Rose Tattoo and Krigstein from previous incarnations. In fact, Brubaker seems to be trying to channel Ellis and Millar, with his attempts at the dialogue: ‘I’m going to skullfuck you while you’re still alive, you piece of shit …’; ‘That’s right, cock-head …’
Nguyen’s art doesn’t seem as natural as his run on Wildcats. Any artist should evolve, as is their right, but the linework seems a little harsher, the anatomy more blocky and enigmatic, and the panels not as fluid. It should be the big fight scenes at the end that it should open up and show off his obvious talent but it seems more restrained and harsher. The combination of Nguyen and Brubaker on Authority should have worked some magic but this is quite a traditional super-hero story, just with swear words. There are nice touches and it’s nice to see Jenny Quantum like her old self but the story as a whole hasn’t really spread its wings and soared.
Seven Soldiers: Klarion #3
In which Klarion discovers that Melmoth is a villain who is going to destroy Limbo. This seems a detour for the story, with Morrison having some fun with teenage dialogue and throwing in references for long-time DC fans (I don’t have huge knowledge, but even I recall that it was a Dr Erdel who brought J’onn J’onnz to Earth, making it a nice touch in the Erdel Gate, and there are easter eggs in the museum). Irvings’s art seems more comfortable drawing Klarion and Melmoth but not quite so at home drawing the teenagers, who look a tad bizarre, making for a not completely satisfactory package. However, it is a minor blip in a huge tapestry of storytelling and it will still be interesting to read the whole maxi-series in one sitting.
