By: Bryan Q. Miller (story), Chris Cross (pencils), Marc Deering (inks), Carrie Strachan (colors)
The Story: I hate to say it, Batman, but people have a habit of getting shot around you.
The Review: With all the news coming out of DC about upcoming new series, it’s made me start thinking about my reviewing future. I have a pretty sizable stack of series I cover, somewhere upwards of thirty a month, and anyone who’s followed my work since I joined this site knows I have never once skipped a review unless I’ve Dropped it first—which means I’ve never actually skipped a review. So adding titles to my list is always a fraught, juggling act.
So let’s say I want to cover Vibe, Katana, and Justice League of America next year (and there are even more I’m looking at). Do I really want to do 33+ reviews a month (including weekly coverage of Arrow and Young Justice—if and when it ever comes back)? I do have a life, difficult as that is to believe. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m giving a good hard look at the things I’m reading and it looks like Smallville may be one of the expendable items.
The fault has little to do with the merits of the title or its writer. Smallville’s biggest obstacle has always been the competition. In a market bursting with Superman material, a comic book continuation of a live-action adaptation that few people watched and no one considered canon just doesn’t scream, “Must read!” And although Miller has done a few enjoyable issues since his run began, he has not once delivered a truly excellent “episode” this whole time.
I do feel bad about the situation, though, especially since here Miller gives us one of the better issues he’s written for the series. You’ve got plenty of action going on, what with Clark getting gunned down and bleeding all over the bottom of the Batmobile while Bruce tries to perform surgery on the run from the feds. The intervention of all the principal characters adds that much more excitement to the happenings, and reminds us how much work has gone into developing their relationships over ten years.
Touching as it is to see Ollie and Chloe immediately drop everything they’re doing to help out, the really heartfelt moment of the issue comes courtesy of—who else?—Lois and Clark. If recent flings with Amazons have made you doubt whether these two are meant for each other, just look at Lois speeding on a motorcycle to gaze anxiously into the Batmobile while Bruce operates on her husband. It’ll restore your faith in ways that no Superman title has done since the relaunch (and prior, probably).
And of course, there’s always that trademark Miller humor. Though I’ve frequently knocked him for going overboard with the jokes, this issue shows him at his very finest. With such serious stakes going on, it’d be inappropriate to bring the funny the way he usually does, and he recognizes that. Instead, he throws in a gag or two to keep the action lively and break the tension. Lois shows Ollie a first aid kit she’s dragged along during their high-speed chase. “I brought this.”
“For Superman,” Ollie replies dubiously.
“What did you bring?” she snaps back.
“…Arrows.”
This title has always been hampered by inconsistent art. Chris Cross has a very distinct style that works for him on certain projects, but I don’t know if he’s ever rendered a truly pleasing, memorable image in all the work I’ve seen from him. For all its looseness, his linework doesn’t quite succeed in conveying a truly dynamic image. Strachan keeps the colors pale and light, which is the best approach to not overwhelming Chris Cross’ already shaky lines.
Conclusion: I’ll be around for one more for the road, but after that, it’s regretfully down to the Drop List.
Grade: B
– Minhquan Nguyen
Some Musings: – Between this issue and the Bat-cycle of The Dark Knight Rises, the ever-increasing agility of Batman’s vehicles just won’t stop, won’t it?
Grade
Conclusion