DC Rapid Reviews: DOOMED #4, MARTIAN MANHUNTER #4, SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #21, WONDER WOMAN #44

DOOMED #4

Writer:  Scott Lobdell
Artist:  Javier Fernandez
Colors:  Ulises Arreola
Letters:  Corey Breen
Publisher:  DC Comics

Reiser has gotten on S.T.A.R. Labs’ radar, and they have sent Wonder Girl in to subdue him.  There’s nothing like a good ol’ superhero misunderstanding.

What I Liked

Letterer Corey Breen sprinkled humorous sound effects throughout the issue.  With two heavyweights battling it out, their blows (mostly Wonder Girl) caused lots of WHAM’s and K-POW’s.  Artist Javier Fernandez and Ulises Arreola made Doomed and Wonder Girl’s fight explosive, with just enough property damage.  The majority of the issue takes place at night, so you get the reflection of street lights mixed with a shadowy sky.  Fernandez even excelled at the lighter moments, like when Reiser was freaking out that he would be stuck in his Doomed-state.  Imagining going on dates and navigating life as this supercharged monster was fun to see.  Kudos also to Scott Lobdell for adding these lighter moments.

I liked that Wonder Girl and Doomed didn’t fight long.  Of course it started as a misunderstanding (as all superhero fights tend to do), but Wonder Girl quickly realized Doomed wasn’t a threat.  She even gave him some life lessons as a fellow “monster.”

I am really looking forward to next issue’s guest-star.

What I Didn’t Like

I was hoping the three Teen Titans we saw on the last page of issue #3 would all appear, but we got just Wonder Girl instead.

The series is ending in November!!!!  And we still don’t know much about Reiser.

MARTIAN MANHUNTER #4

Writer:  Rob Williams
Pencils:  Eddy Barrows
Inks:  Eber Ferreira
Colorist:  Gabe Eltaeb
Letterer:  Tom Napolitano
Publisher:  DC Comics

We start to learn more behind the mystery of who or what the Martian Manhunter is.

What I Liked

Readers learn that Martian Manhunter dispersed himself into different bodies.  All the various supporting characters we’ve met through the zero issue to now is a different personality.  My favorite among them is Mr. Biscuits.  He is the breakout character of the book.

Martian Manhunter is the best work of Eddy Barrows’ career.

An Aquaman cameo!  Just like with the appearance of the Justice League, this shows that the comic ties into the larger DC universe continuity.  At least the Justice League side of it.

It was fun seeing the various characters use their martian abilities, with J’onzz there as a coach.

What I Didn’t Like

Even though we see the humans use their powers, it feels like a more subdued issue than the previous ones.  Subdued in the sense that there was action non-stop, it missed the mystery and clues that made the other issues compelling.

SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #2

Story and Words:  Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils:  Doug Mahnke
Inkers:  Maime Mendoza, Mark Irwin, Sean Parsons, Scott Hanna
Colorists:  Wil Quintana, Ulises Arreola, Tomeu Morey
Letterer:  Rob Leigh
Publisher:  DC Comics

Superman’s closest friends are being held by the government.  The government believes they are a part of Clark Kent’s master plan to deceive the world.  Superman and Wonder Woman are on separate missions that are about to collide.

What I Liked

Lois Lane is very defiant while she is under the influence of Wonder Woman’s lasso.  She knows she is to blame for Clark’s secret being out in the world.  You can tell her frustration is from being held against her will, along with anger at herself.

Doug Mahnke does a nice job of storytelling.  Whether it is wide shots to show a background, or closer shots to convey emotion.  One key image is a zoomed in shot of Superman gripping Wonder Woman’s lasso with a firm grip.

During a fight with strange energy-seeking creatures, all of Clark’s friends aid in the battle.  Even for someone like Perry White, who doesn’t trust Clark anymore, this was respectable to see.

There is a real disagreement taking place between Clark and Diana.  For one, Clark didn’t want Diana to get involved.  With them dating, that’s a hard request to keep.  But Clark is also mad that Diana is questioning his friends with her Lasso of Truth.  That puts everyone cooperating in a bad predicament.  Are they doing it to be helpful, or because they don’t have a choice?

As much as I like to clown Firestorm, his quick cameo was interesting.  We don’t really learn the point of him showing up, but it looks to tie into the epilogue and events in other Superman-related titles.  Speaking of those Superman-related titles, it seems a future crossover is on the horizon?

What I Liked

Artist Doug Mahnke is a pro at defined facial features, especially on men.  However, every man that is drawn looks to have the same face when they express emotions.  Sneers and grunts all look the same to me.

Also, a little more information on what took Firestorm and a group of incarcerated villains would have been helpful.  As of right now, they are generic shadow monsters.

WONDER WOMAN #44

Writer:  Meredith Finch
Penciller:  David Finch
Inker:  Jonathan Glapion
Colors:  Brad Anderson
Letterer:  Rob Leigh
Publisher:  DC Comics

Wonder Woman is on the hunt for Donna Troy in London.  Also, something is happening to The Fates.

What I Liked

Great opening splash page by David Finch of Wonder Woman laying in an alley with an arrow in her shoulder.  You can almost feel the raindrops falling from the sky.  Plus the arrow is illuminated in a bright golden orange color, with light reflecting off of it.  So good job by Brad Anderson on that.

There were a couple of pop culture references that were cute.  We got mentions of Arkham Knight/PS4 and Xena, Warrior Princess.

After a Google search, a man with a string of bad luck (Aegeus) is from Greek mythology.  It seems he’s been living a double-life, stealing credit cards and identity theft.  Watching each stolen identity crumble on him possibly ties into The Fates dying.

The Fates were the key to the God’s immortality.  As people stopped believing in them as deities, the Fates aged, got weaker, and more vulnerable.  This is how Wonder Woman was able to kill Ares to become the God of War.  The only safe place is on Olympus.

While Wonder Woman recovers at her apartment, she is greeted by Hera and Hephaestus, who fill her in on the Fates and the arrow lodged in Wonder Woman from earlier.  Hephaestus brings up Deathstroke’s God Killer Sword, which is another weapon that can harm the Gods.  Synergy among DC books.

Donna Troy makes a friend, which results in her gaining civilian clothes.  Not a bad look for her.

What I Didn’t Like

I really am not a fan of Wonder Woman and Donna Troy’s armor/outfits.  Maybe the more I see them, the more they will grow on me.

The girl that befriend’s Donna Troy speaks with a Southern twang.  I would think that would be hard to find in London, but maybe she’s just visiting?

With the new creative team, Diana has come across totally lost and clueless to what her enemies have been plotting.  Each new threat she gets frustrated and is scrambling for answers.  We need to see a more confident Wonder Woman.