Stargirl: The Lost Children #3 – Geoff Johns, Writer; Todd Nauck, Artist; Matt Herms, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Long before Geoff Johns was writing the biggest event books DC has ever put out, he was writing some fantastic smaller books dealing with legacy. He seems to be bringing that legacy back through Stargirl: The Lost Children—a wonderful revival series for Johns’ most personal character that throws Stargirl into a mystery involving a group of young heroes who disappeared from continuity. Last issue saw Courtney and her friend Red Arrow arrive on a mysterious island where Emiko was quickly kidnapped by a bizarre group of robot eggs working for an unseen villain. Courtney, meanwhile, encountered some other lost sidekicks—who informed her that they were all trapped there, and now so was she. As they dodge the enemy, they eventually find their way to a hidden sanctuary where this lost-in-time kids have built a life for themselves—along with some surprising faces like the Newsboy Legion.
This is a fascinating use of characters who have fallen out of use, although some of them—like a mysterious new sidekick for Dr. Fate and a Golden Age version of John Henry Irons—are original additions to continuity. But as strange as Courtney’s adventures are, Emiko is definitely getting the stranger end of the deal. She wakes up in a cell, with another unseen girl in the cell next to her, and it’s not long before she encounters the horrific Child-Minder. This gruesome villain has been collecting the lost kids, and seems to be working for another would-be “Father” who is arriving soon. The identity of the other girl in the cell has been heavily teased, but it’s still a great reveal. The art by Todd Nauck is perfect, very reminiscent of his work on Young Justice, and in only three issues Johns has done a fantastic job of establishing the bond between Courtney and Emiko. This is easily Johns’ best work in years, to my eye.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
