The Fury of Firestorm #5 – Jeff Lemire, Writer; Rafael De La Torre, Artist; Marcelo Maiolo, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: As we get closer to the grand finale of this fascinating reinvention of the Firestorm mythos, Ronnie Raymond is still stuck within the Matrix, living out an ideal Silver Age life where he and Dr. Stein are teaming up with the Justice League. And on the outside, the Firestorm matrix runs rampant, terrorizing the world in odd tests of physics. Dr. Stein has been recruited by Lorraine to try to free his former student, and Stein seems to be genuinely repentant for what he caused – but will it be enough? As Lorraine travels inside the Matrix and tries to break through to Ronnie, the Matrix notices her presence and begins to warp the whole thing around her. There are some fantastic visuals here, but the moments where we focus on Ronnie and his memories of the past are among the most powerful. It’s hard to say what can be left of Firestorm after this story, but this has been a fascinating journey.
Barbara Gordon: Breakout #4 – Mariko Tamaki, Writer; Amancay Nahuelpan, Artist; Tamra Bonvillain, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: This story has a lot of parallels to the recent plots in Daredevil: Born Again on Disney Plus where Fisk’s police state could sweep up anyone at any time. Commissioner Savage has begun rounding up his enemies, and Barbara was only the first. In this issue, she starts to collect her allies, starting with a former police officer declared an enemy of the state for trying to protect a teenager from brutality. They get word that a powerful councilwoman has been arrested and will be transfered to the prison next, and Barbara’s mission becomes to protect her long enough to testify against Savage. But as the killings in the prison escalate, it becomes clear that it’s not just Savage’s enemies being picked off. The decompressed, claustrophobic nature of this comic isn’t going to be for everyone, but I think Tamaki is doing a pretty good job building the tension with every issue.
Green Lantern Corps #19 – Morgan Hampton, Writer; Fernando Pasarin, Juan Jose Ryp, Artists; Oclair Albert, Inker; Arif Prianto, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: The search for the emotional spectrum entities has led Guy Gardner to become more central to the Corps than he has been in a very long time, taking on the title of the All-Sight as the only one who can communicate with them. And in the final issue of this storyline, he’s finally gotten them all in one place – amid a massive surge of Manhunter attacks led by the possessed Aya. As he safeguards the future of the Corps, Aya wages an epic battle inside her head against the Manhunter Code, which can duplicate itself endlessly. This is a large-scale issue for sure, but it also has more than enough time along the way for some great character moments, particularly towards the end. Adams and Hampton have done a lot of work with Guy over the years, reminding us that he’s more than just the rude-and-crude dude he’s often shown as, and the new power players introduced at the end are an interesting group.
Emperor Aquaman #20 – Jeremy Adams, Writer; John Timms, Artist; Rex Lokus, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Aquaman has been transformed into the God of the Sea – but as we know, there’s already one of those out there, and it was only a matter of time until Poseidon took notice. As the Greek God descends, he gives Aquaman an ultimatum to renounce his powers over the sea – and when Aquaman refuses, the battle of the seas begins. This issue takes place on a huge scale, with Aquaman narrating as his rival unleashes his full power. But that’s about all there is to this issue. It looks great, and it’s pretty interesting to see Aquaman test his skills against someone who has been doing this for eons. As the issue ends, the two rivals are able to come to terms and discuss the coming threats, and it becomes clear that Aquaman’s true nature has changed in a way that even he doesn’t fully understand. The Tidal War is coming next, bringing in an army of iconic Aquaman villains old and new.
Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #2 – Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Writer; Fran Galan, Artist; Patricio Delpeche, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Now that the real Basil Karlo has discovered his impostor, he’s returned to Hollywood – ready to kill his way through it. He’s currently impersonating an old man who used to live in an apartment before his heart attack, and befriending a young waitress who lives in the building. But at the same time, he’s stalking his impostor, entering the studios where he used to work, and turning the town into his personal hunting ground. Karlo has been taking on other identities for so long that it’s second nature to him, and he views just about everyone as disposable – as does his doppelganger. That makes me wonder if they’re one and the same, split somehow, especially given a conversation he has with his neighbor in this issue. This installment also features some incredibly creepy art, as the creative team does an amazing job of slipping into full-on body horror.
Bleeding Hearts #7 – Deniz Camp, Writer; Stipian Morian, Artist; Matt Hollingsworth, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: A new arc begins for this fascinating zombie thriller, as Poke made his choice – turning on his best friend to protect Rabbit and her mother. But things aren’t all happy in the new status quo. Rabbit resents her mother for the horrible decision she was forced to make last issue, and is spending more and more time with her zombie friend. Poke’s heart continues to act up in strange ways as he becomes more and more human, and that makes him start to realize disturbing things about the world he inhabits – and all the things he used to do. But there are still bigger threats out there, ruthless zombie hunters with no such hesitation, and the end of the issue is a shocking gut punch that almost has to be a fake-out but is no less effective. Of all the Vertigo books that have launched, this is probably the one that distinguishes itself the most from its inspirations every issue.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
