10/15: Brightening Up the Day
Immortal Legend Batman #2 written by Mat Groom and Kyle Higgins with art by Erica D’Urso and Dan Mora
With the second issue of easily the coolest book on the shelves, our understanding of the world and the status quo surrounding this mysterious dark knight is gradually broadening. The worldbuilding this team is employing is really something brilliant. There are so many familiar names and faces that the reader can connect the dots of the plot while most of the worldbuilding is relegated to context and dialogue rather than huge swaths of exposition that would take time away from the story at hand. It’s an effective way to keep things moving without overwhelming the reader.
The issue kicks off with a hijacking. It’s amazing how even in deep space, in a world of shadow monsters and transforming superheroes, my first thought was that I was watching a cowboy movie. The western genre fits Batman like a glove and, again, uses familiar tropes as a way to keep readers on track with the story without overdoing the exposition. There is a person who appears to be the leader of this group of travelers. He encourages them to stay calm while he pays off the hijackers to let them go. Unfortunately, the gang is under new leadership and the new boss is far more ambitious than he is greedy. He wants the ship, he wants more able bodies in his crew, and he’s quick to put the new crew members to the test to make them as cruel as he is. It’s for that reason that he recruits a passenger named Malone, a name recognizable to longtime Bat-fans. It’s at this point that the story moves a bit back in time and we’re introduced to the Immortal Legend version of Alfred. Space-age Bruce Wayne having a snarky android butler should come as no surprise, but it did delight me. Giving Bruce someone to banter with is a helpful way to get to know him better and reveals a youthful recklessness that the cowl was hiding in the first issue. This is a Bruce Wayne who believes he’s more than capable of handling any situation he finds himself in and takes unnecessary risks as a result. We know from the first issue that he’s cut ties with the Immortal Legends and struck out on his own. Given that we know he’s correct about the Shadows evolving and, more importantly, the fact that he’s Batman, it’s easy to take it for granted that whatever he’s doing is the correct course of action. However, after getting a better look at his flaws in this issue, it becomes a question of whether or not his desire to correct whatever mistake he made is only going to make things worse.
In the present, Bruce is fighting through a gauntlet of gang members to get close enough to their leader. Unfortunately, the leader in question, a man who looks suspiciously like a more buff and shaven version of Bruce, is just as interested in our hero. There is still very little we know about the Shadows, moreso these strange sentient versions. However, they appear to be reflections of Bruce’s darker attributes given how the Bane of Man seems single-mindedly focused on proving he is stronger than anyone else. The subtle clarification also recontextualizes the Two-Faced Man of the previous issue as representing Bruce’s secrecy and the internalization of his own dual-identity. It adds an extra dimension to these conflicts, as not only is Bruce overcoming these evolved monsters, he is also overcoming his own weaknesses.
After last month’s backup, I was hoping that it wouldn’t be long before we got to spend some time with the Immortal Legend Nightwing and Robin, and it turns out I didn’t have to wait long to get my wish. We’re treated to a quick battle between the two and a bestial shadow. Not only does it add some insight into the power system of this world (which is the sort of thing that always lights my brain up), it is the first time I’ve ever been excited to see Nightwing’s red costume. That feat alone is enough for me to give this book the highest of marks.
The art of both the main story and the backup continues to be out of this world. Erica D’Urso’s expressive style helps endear us to characters we only get moments with and then fully explodes into frenetic chaos when the action starts. The Bane of Man is yet another fantastic example of how well the classic Bat-rogues are being adapted into these monstrous Shadows. The design is distinct and evocative of classic Bane, but also manages to feel of a set with the Two-Faced Man from the previous issue. Considering how flashy and full of various bursts of energy these scenes are, it’s easy to imagine them becoming cluttered or incoherent, but each panel is wonderfully composited, making the action feel direct and purposeful without losing the sense of chaos the scene requires. Dan Mora’s art in the backup adds a fun wrinkle by letting us see the light powers of the Immortal Legends in action. It provides a fun contrast with the shadow-powered hero and villains in the main story and gives some hints at how the two energies differ. Nightwing has always been my favorite member of the Bat-family, and seeing what Mora does with him here only makes me want a separate Immortal Legend Nightwing book. We’re given a glimpse of how his specific power set works, and it even uses the character’s own history in a very fun way.
This book continues to be a blast from start to finish. Not only is it a bold new take on the Batman concept, it’s full of delightful references to the character’s history which are sure to get a smile from any longtime fans. The slow burn on the worldbuilding only serves to pull readers in even more by hinting at the sheer untapped potential of this new world. This is the book that everyone should be reading, so don’t let yourself miss out. We’re only just getting started.
Absolute Green Lantern #7 written by Al Ewing with art by Jason Howard and Riley Rossmo
After the heavy lore drop of the previous issue, we’re taken into space to see the lore in action with this month’s issue of Absolute Green Lantern. Previously, John Stewart had hinted at the pending arrival of Mogo as an emissary of the black light, and now we get to see just how frightening such a thing would be as the sentient planet descends upon an unassuming world for the crime of hosting three Oans amongst their billion-strong population. The Oans fly out to defend the innocent world, but Mogo didn’t come alone as one of the Blackstars enters the fray. This issue features several faces that will be familiar to longtime Lantern fans, but much like the rest of the book, we cannot expect any prior knowledge to be applicable in this new world. The various lights also add complicated wrinkles to the characters. The lights of the mainstream universe were more about emotional drives than philosophical ideas. In order to use the power of the four lights of the Absolute Universe, the wielder must engage with them on several different philosophical levels. Helpfully, we’re also given the Blackstar counter argument to the perspective of the Oans presented by John in the previous issue. While the Oans desire to move away from chaotic action and towards understanding, the Blackstars believe that time spent with philosophy is wasted and the only thing that matters is one’s own will and the ability to act without hesitation. Self-serving as that viewpoint may be, at least there is more of logic to it which grounds the villains.
As the battle takes a turn for the worse, another figure joins the fight. Tomar Re is another iconic character from the mainstream universe, but even before he was introduced, we’d already been told in the previous issue that “Tomar” means anomaly in this world. While he’s certainly against the Blackstars, he also mentions having stolen the red light he wields from the Oans. Given that it isn’t even clear if the Oans can be trusted yet, we’ll have to wait and see if his status as an anomaly makes him a trustworthy ally or a problematic third-party. His fight also gives us a look at just how the red light can be used in battle. The mainstream lights are functionally the same with the exception of one or two quirks, but here the lights are bound by the rules of their philosophies and even if Re is an anomaly, he cannot deviate too far from the light’s nature.
The narration in the previous issue had created the impression that the Oans’ perspective was the dominant idea and the Blackstars were rebellious outliers who were disrupting the peace, but given that the heart of the universe is merged with Darkseid, the opposite may very well be true in this case. And if the monologue by one more familiar face is anything to go on, the Blackstars may be more aware of the status quo than the Oans realize.
Jason Howard and Riley Rossmo take over on art this time around and prove a perfect team for a book full of crazy action and weird alien designs. Despite being the most action-centric issue yet, the book is still not lacking any of the symbolism or clever panel layouts of previous issues. They’re also responsible for the re-introduction of several fan-favorite characters, and they make sure we get a nice look at them in their violent glory. In true Absolute Universe fashion, the fights are brutal and visceral, and we see that the various wielders are not afraid to be messy with how their powers are used. Jo has been on the back foot since she’s gotten her powers and it looks like there’s going to be a steep learning curve if she’s going to be able to hold her own against the forces heading her way.
This book is expanding the cosmology of the Absolute Universe in some crazy ways, opening up all kinds of storytelling possibilities. It’ll be interesting to see if the book fully refocuses back on Jo on Earth or if this is an indication of future plans to leave Earth behind and head out into the vast darkness of space. Either way, Jo and her friends are going to have to catch up on how their powers are used if they don’t want to have a sentient planet blasting their world to smithereens. Absolute Green Lantern remains one of the most compelling books in the lineup and a perfect fit for any fans of cosmic horror out there. With the next arc about to start, this is the perfect time to jump on, so do what an Abin Sur would do and choose the correct action.