Villains' Month pt. 4!

This is it! The final recap! Who's Joker's Daughter?! After I review these last books, I'll tally the points and write a conclusion piece about whether this event was worth anybody's time/money. There's less books this week than any other. Where's Forever Evil 2 already?!

Batman

Joker's Daughter (Batman: The Dark Knight 23.4)

This is the big one. The one DC undercut vendors on orders twice: oh yeah, 3-D covers baby. The one that's pre-selling on eBay for approximately $100--and I'm holding a 3-D with ungloved hands!). Is it because comic speculators are building false demand for a likely scarce quantity? Or, is everyone's excited to find out when Joker had a kid? Well... Before I give massive spoilers (which I will, so preemptive warning), this book is good. It's at times sad, exciting, and most of all, creepy. And it's written by Ann Nocenti, who wrote a lot of solid scripts this month (with this book being the highlight). Joker's Daughter seems to be based on a convincing reality of a teenage outcast high school girl. Especially when she's, (NOW! NOW ARE THE SPOILERS OF THE WHOLE ISSUE!) revealing her quietly abusive childhood. This girl (name yet to be revealed) was born abnormal to parents who praised normativity over everything else. Her face was covered in birth defects, she was obsessed with death and killing, her neurosis started manifesting itself in self-mutilation, and eventually she runs away from a family who already decided to abandon her to a mental institution. Before she leaves home, she cuts off her face. Yes, this is dramatic, but the way it plays out is actually pretty sad. An ugly girl thinks ugliness is the only identity she has to embrace. It reminded me of Dollface from Twisted Metal (but in her case, her male boss cut her face off as sexual punishment) and the protagonist of Chuck Palhinuk's Invisible Monsters (who, again spoilers but nbd, blows her face off with a gun because she thinks she's too beautiful). In short, Joker's Daughter is a new take on the face mutilation trope I've seen around, and an interesting take none-the-less. Then, she beats down the current Sewer Governer (leader of a small sewer-people tribe) and takes his Ruling Vest Made of Pennies (great detail). She mutilates all the men in the tribe and forces them to allow the women to become head of the house hold kinda like the Cheetah tribe from last week's Cheetah issue. Then she uses ugliness to control her subjects just like her father did to her. But wait? Why's she called Joker's daughter?! Joker had a kid, sent it to an unloving family in the suburbs, and is just waiting to take her back?!#$%! No, not at all. Before Joker's Daughter becomes governess of the sewer-trube, she finds Joker's old face floating in the sewer lake! Remember in Death of the Family when Joker's cut off face disappeared (I don't, but I assume that happened), well this girl found it. And, since she cut off her own face, she wears it perfectly. So she's not really Joker's daughter at all, more of a spiritual daughter, a kindered spirit? And to be honest, this character is not going to make a big impact on the DCU for at least a while. She's going to be a villain on Catwoman, which I suspect is the Batfamily's lowest read title (total guess here). So maybe one day Joker will meet his spawn, but that day won't be until at least 2014 (again, total guess). The only thing I didn't like was the cover, which makes the character's bust too big (the comic says she's anorexic and her bust is much smaller inside the book) and making her look like a dirty porn teen was weird. Plus the 3-D was bad. Regardless, 5 Severed Sewer Faces out of 5.

Bane (Batman 23.4)

People always joked that Bane looks like a Luca Librea wrestler--and now he is one! Or at least, he's Mexican, uses wrestling moves, and acts very theatrical. He is not, however, the badass Bain from the Dark Knight Rises. He's a militant Latin figure who steals chemical Bain-toxin from the military (because like all South American Communists, he wants our expensive chemical weapons). Then he commandeers a ship, sails to that super-jail that got broken into in Forever Evil 1 (was that Arkham?) and breaks everyone out. It's a set up to Forever Evil: Arkham War (of course it is). Really, the best part is the wrestling in the beginning and when Bane punches a little girl because she gently touches his hand. This book is pretty dumb, but funny too! 3 Skull Wrestling Masks out of 5.

Killer Croc (Batman & Robin 23.4)
This issue is kind of boring and definitely contradictory to the awesome Killer Croc plots set up in Batwoman (with art by Franco Francavilla). We get to see Croc as a little kid, as a circus performer, and a petty crook--until the end of the issue where Croc ascends to king of the sewer criminals! This is where the aforementioned Batwoman story picks up; Croc's king, and then finds out he's also the prophet of a strange race of reptile people who have been around for centuries. One of the reasons J.H. Williams quit Batwoman is because he couldn't pursue this storyline, which sucks because it seems like it'd make Croc a prophet to the Reptilian (David Icke's idea that the world is run by reptiles in disguise). To DC's credit, that's very similar to Night of the Owls; it'd turn Gotham into a city crawling with masonic-esque crime syndicates. The issue offers but a glimpse of King Croc, though we do see a lot about crooked cops that run the dock. It seems one of the cops was nice to kid Croc once. I don't care. I really only care about the sewer criminals and the Reptilian. Maybe the sewer territory will come back in Forever Evil: Arkham War. 2 Shapeshifting Alien Reptile Kings out of 5.

Man-Bat (Detective Comics 23.4)

I love Man-Bat. This issue was pretty perfect for a Man-Bat story, offering new twists on the character and amazing Man-Bat-Action! It starts with Man-Bat and She-Bat, continues to a humanization of the dude who actually turned into Man-Bat (yes, total Jackel/Hyde rip-off, but it's always been), and ends with Man-Bat the Vigilante! I like Man-Bat a lot: he's a monster with bat genes, yes--but he can be so much more. Usually, he's just a goon or a menace (or in video games, a substandard boss). He's hard to kill, and that's about as far as most writers take him. Then you get Grant Morrison making a bunch of ninja Man-Bat clones, which is interesting, but still making him a soldier. I like the freak of super-science Man-Bat--and making him into a vigilante ups the ante on this! Of course he'd try and do good, he was trying to do good when he made a serum that turns people into Bat-Men; likewise, of course he'd screw up, over do it, and kill people--because he made a stupid Bat-Men serum! Also, great art in this issue--some really great She-Bat on Man-Bat violence in those first pages. I'll stick around for the Detective run if it keeps up this quality. 5 Screeches of Justice out of 5. 

Superman

Metallo (Action Comics 23.4)
Metallo is a sad villain, as he is but a pawn of the military industrial complex. The US military wants to put a super soldier inside of a mecha suit. They do, and even pay to upgrade it for a painstaking three years. During this time, the soldier inside of Metallo is forced to sit in lonely isolation. Of course, he goes insane after three years. Then, he goes to Iraq, kills a bunch of innocent people--but it's not his fault! He internalized military doctrine, then went crazy after years of super-science experiments in sensory deprivation! So, the US general sets a new mecha suit solider (this one likely also crazy, but still follows orders) and the two "die" in a self-distruct explosion. If the comic ended there, it would have been a really refreshing one shot. But no, it somehow connects to Forever Evil: Arkham War, because Scarecrow comes and gives Metallo a coin. Whatever. Still a solid Superman one-shot, 4 Military Weapons Gone Awry out of 5.

Parasite (Superman 23.4)

Parasite used to be a deadbeat bike messenger who accidentally rode his bike into a living pile of evil goo. Then, after a trip to STAR labs, he was found to be Parasite! A really strong super-monster guy who can absorb energy. This is overall dumb. But, the fight between Superman and Parasite is pretty awesome. If Superman hits him with an attack, he absorbs it! Neat. But, it says this takes place between Superman 20-22 on the first page, implying that this story doesn't matter at all. It sets up nothing at the end. And, like I said, it's pretty dumb. But the art was good. Superman is in it, which is weird. I like how Parasite can be both a creepy alien looking dude, and a gigantic mass of digusting goo muscle. But honestly, is that a reason to spend $4 on this? No. 2 Bike Messenger Accidents out of 5. 

Doomsday (Batman & Superman 3.1)
Throughout this month, Greg Pak's been weaving together a really bad ass history for pre-explosion Krypton. I understand why Zod betrayed Krypton, started a false war, and harnessed Doomsday now. I see why the planet was on the path to extinction. In some ways, the New 52 Krypton is a warning: if you get too militaristic, too caught up in scientific progress, too modern for your own good, you die. Also, I love Pak's detailing of how Krypton came to be. Pictured below is the House of El, an old faction of Supermen who roamed the universe long before earth's creation. This is the perfect sounding book: I badly want a miniseries about these people. Also, it turns out Doomsday can talk through Zod, and the both tell their origin to baby Supergirl. I wish Pak was allowed to write every Villains issue, because then the Super universe could have done something really interesting in unifcation. Alas, there does not seem to be a Superman U. Forever Evil continuation. Whatever the case, at least we get Doomsday made of plasma energy. 5 Negative Zones out of 5.

Justice League

Secret Society (Justice League 23.4)

This book isn't about the old-school Secret Society, but instead the Earth-3 evil-versions of our favorite heroes that make the whole Villains month--and Forever Evil--possible. I liked what we learned here. How Owl-Man lost his Nightwing; why he imprisoned our Nightwing; what it's like for the Joker on Earth-3; how Evil-Alfred was able to plan the dimension swap that allowed Forever Evil. However, the story was told rather dryly. Also the art was weird, it looks like 2-D computer models placed in a 3-D background. I still haven't read Trinity War, but I assume there's more Earth-3 somewhere. I really hope that the world sticks around somehow, maybe the same way Earth-1 exists with occasional graphic novel releases. This issue balances progressing the event narrative, delves out backstory, and fixes old gaps. 3 Evil Alfreds out of 5.

Black Adam (Justice League of America 7.4)
How convenient is it that the Shazam hardcover comes out today and so does this great Black Adam one shot! With this issue, Black Adam becomes one of the most politically charged villains in the DCU. Some might argue, this interpretation of the character is questionably racist toward middle-eastern people. On the first page, we flashback to an unspecified Arab country where a brutal dictator is seen ruling with a spiked-club. He's a brutal despot putting these Arabian people down--until Black Adam comes to liberate them in the name of freedom and lighting! Uhh...well, thousands of years later, an Arabian man against the war between the Middle East and the US (again, it's vague, which makes it kinda racist but also kinda allegorical), finds a mystic scroll. He is accidentally killed by friendly fire from the Arabian army, and his wife yells Shazam! to make him into Black Adam. Black Adam beats up the Arabian army, storms into the Arabian palace, and smashes the leader of Unnamed Arab Country on the head with a rock. Then, he sits atop a throne and declares no rulers! Ultimate freedom! All of this stuff sounds like racist American propaganda--but might actually be astute American satire in consideration that Black Adam is a villain. See, perhaps the allegory could be, Black Adam is the USA. He's trying to "liberate" Arabia (is that even a real place?), but the only way he knows how is by electrocuting everybody with lightening. Yeah, that's about right. Overall, this month showed me, I need to stop ignoring Geoff Johns work. I just thought of a blog-post to rectify this. 4 Evil American Super-Villains out of 5.

Aquaman/Green Lantern/Wonder Woman

Ocean Master (Aquaman 23.2)
Ocean Master thinks he's the rightful heir to the Atlantian throne--though, I bet Aquaman begs to differ. I've never heard of this dude before, but he's actually pretty neat. He can do everything Aquaman can do, but he can also touch you and make you bloat and rot like a fish. It's gross. He breaks out of jail (as seen in Forever Evil) but can't help himself from saving humans he empathizes with. Like the guard who brought him water (he mercy kills) or a mother with an 8 year old son (he talks to). But all and all, the dialogue in this comic comes off sounding corny, like Ocean Master should gleefully cackle after his every line. I like the art, but I'm still not going to start reading Aquaman. No matter how hard DC tries, I doubt I ever will. 3 Ocean Oligarchies out of 5.

Sinestro (Green Lantern 23.4)

I finally understand the backstory of Green Lantern's "greatest foe?" I do not know if that's the case, but Sinestro is definitely cool. He's also a Fascist alien overlord, like all the other Green Lantern villains. In a way, the Green Lantern Federation is a United Nations-esque organization that defends against the tyranny of fascism throughout the universe. Matt Kindt pens an exciting and comprehendible origin for Sinestro, told from the character's point of view. Sinestro used to be a powerful Green Lantern. In his "brilliance," he decided to build a crime-free sanctuary planet instead of policing an entire galactic sector like a Lantern is supposed to do. To accomplish this crime-free planet, Sinestro creates super-powered police robots and constantly survailes all citizens, all the time, including their location, productivity and heartrate! It's like NSA times...uh, I dunno ten? Maybe twenty? Regardless, Hal Jordan freaks out and Sinestro is banished to the anti-matter universe. There, he creates the Yellow Lantern rings and becomes that nefarious purple bad guy we all know and love today. So where does Sinestro Corps fit in? Are they bad guys? And was the initial Sinestro Green Lantern title at the beginning of the New 52 in the past? Each week, my Lantern curiosity grows. 4 Yellow Power Rings out of 5. 

First Born (Wonder Woman 23.2)
This simple story was told well with great accompanying art. It was also written by Brian Azzerallo, so that's nice. Ares learns from three Oracles (who've shapeshifted into the bodies of three girls from the inner-city) that the First Born is just that. He's the first born child of Zeus and Herra. He was cast from Mount Olympus and condemned to earth. He quickly learned how to survive--through sheer hatred--and built a giant castle. Then, he challenged Heaven to a war. He lost and fell into a giant pit for 7000 years. Now he's back for a rematch with Heaven. This sounds like a passable Greek myth. I am not caught up on Wonder Woman, but I can only assume First Born will be the next story arc. 4 Abandoned Infant Gods out of 5.

Point Total: 45/60

Come back tomorrow for the overall point total and a event wrap up!