Steelworks #6 – Michael Dorn, Writer; Sami Basri/Vicente Cifuentes, Artists; Andrew Dalhouse, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: The final issue of this miniseries has the biggest threat yet for our heroes—a giant robot Steel armor, remotely controlled by deranged weapons manufacturer Charles Walker II. He’s a rather cartoony villain, but secondary villain Silver Mist has a slightly more sympathetic backstory—one that plays a key role when he decides to switch sides at the last minute and assist the floundering super-family against an enemy that seems to have their number in every way. There’s a clever reveal about why some members of the heroes feel so much more affected by the Kryptonian energy than others, and the issue ends on an ambiguous but hopeful note as Steel reviews his plans to transform Metropolis and rededicates Steelworks to his larger goals. This issue also has a surprisingly big focus on Lana Lang, who has her powers yet and is set to marry John, so it’ll be interesting to see where that’s followed up on.
Harley Quinn #34 – Tini Howard, Grace Ellis, Writers; Sweeney Boo, Steve Lieber, Artists; Tamra Bonvillain, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: This continues to be the most bizarre Harley run we’ve had yet—where else can you see Bud and Lou possessed by cosmic entities? As Harley kicks the hijackers out of her beloved hyenas, they return to Lady Quark, who creates another new attempt to bring Harley under control—a powerful Harley AI that travels the multiverse targeting her counterparts. Harley is forced to align with another bizarre ally—robot detective Lux Kirby, who takes her on a trip through the multiverse to find other Harleys who have been targeted. Despite the truly bizarre plot in this issue, I did enjoy a lot of the quieter moments, including the reunion between Harley and Ivy – even if the crisis is far from over.
The backup was bizarre in a very different way, as Grace Ellis and Steve Lieber take Harley into the comics—literally. She explores a comic about herself, going from ad pages to script pages before finally bursting out of the page itself to confront the source of her problems. It might just be the most meta comic around.
Power Girl #3 – Leah Williams, Writer; Eduardo Pansica, Penciller; Julio Ferreira, Inker; Romulo Fajardo Jr, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: After two issues setting up the threat of Blue Earth, Amalak, and a mysterious Kryptonian plague, this issue nicely dials things back for a fairly emotional issue as Paige holes up in the Fortress of Solitude seeking answers. While Omen deals with Blue Earth rioters back in Metropolis, Paige bonds with an elderly Kryptonian lion named Hamlet who is nearing the natural end of his life—and the inevitable extinction of his species. As the animal isolates itself before the end comes, Paige tries to offer it comfort and find some herself. But this is the DCU, and it’s never long before the outside world comes calling. The dark moments in this issue are nicely balanced by some positive concepts about the way we all play a role in the world, but I do think the creative team is still struggling to figure out where Paige fits in the DCU and in the Super-family—which is, of course, the meta point of the series.
Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic #5 – Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Writers; Max Dunbar, Artist; Rain Beredo, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: As Terry and Kyle reach the core of the Garden and are confronted by a trio of DC’s most iconic plant-based superheroes and villains, it becomes clear that this situation is far more than it first appeared to be. It’s not a simple case of missing children but rather a cosmic-level threat led by a surprising face. As the truth of John Constantine’s involvement in the world under Gotham is revealed, Kyle comes into his own as a hero. The cat-human boy hybrid has been the most interesting part of the story, as he might become Terry’s first real partner in the field—assuming that both of them survive a cosmic battle for Gotham. On the surface, Donovan Lumos, the corrupt metahuman corporate titan, puts his plan into action—and accidentally potentially unleashes an apocalypse just in time for the final issue. This series may be a bit too chaotic at times, but it’s definitely an interesting ride.
City Boy #6 – Greg Pak, Writer; Minkyu Jung, Artist; Sebastian Cheng, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: The last of the three Asian-American heroes introduced as part of a new initiative for DC, City Boy has flown a little under-the-radar but has a fascinating set of powers and a compelling backstory. While the main villain—whose name calls back to his true origins or identity—was a hateable figure, Cameron is both the hero of the story and its biggest threat, as his grief over his abusive mother passing away without giving him closure spirals out of control and threatens to envelop the world. As all the cast of the cities he visited—Batman, Superman, Nightwing, and Swamp Thing—unite to save their cities and guide Cameron out of the void, the Intergang plot almost feels forgotten, with the villains beating a hasty retreat. However, the final moments of the issue pack a real emotional punch as Cameron is finally able to find some peace with the help of his new allies.
Cyborg #5 – Morgan Hampton, Writer; Tom Raney, Travis Mercer, Artists; Michael Atiyeh, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: This series has been doing some very interesting things with the concepts of transhumanism and AI, as Cyborg finds himself up against a villain who comes from the brain patterns of his father’s rival Markus—all the while Markus is still alive and being hunted by himself. While the new entity Solace makes a powerful villain, it’s also hard to disagree with him—the concept of a being being created as a mental double, but confined to a robot body and forced to serve the “real” person is rather horrifying and just asking for a robot rebellion. And that’s exactly what Markus gets—causing Cyborg to call in backup from the Titans. The Fearsome Five, now with some reinforcements, provide the main threat this issue, but the larger plot involving Markus and Solace are in full swing by the end of the issue—leading to what’s sure to be a tense finale.
Static: Shadows of Dakota #7 – Nikolas Draper-Ivey, Vita Ayala, Writers; Nikolas Draper-Ivey, Artist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Nikolas Draper-Ivey brings down the curtain on his second Static miniseries with an issue that reveals the mastermind behind the Bang Baby hunters who have been torturing Rubber-Band Man and killed Static’s young friend Quincy—and it’s a surprising twist that casts a dark pall on the earlier issues of the series. As Static and Ebon confront the villains behind the entire plot, the two former enemies find an uneasy understanding—one that continues even after the immediate threat is vanquished. These two characters, on opposite sites of the law but driven by the same central goal to protect the innocent, have been the heart of this series and I’m hoping to see more of their dynamic in the future. The final scene, set at Quincy’s funeral, feels like it’s commenting on some very real and hard-to-talk-about things. I’m not sure what’s next for Static, but I’m hoping that Draper-Ivey is involved.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
