Fighters

“Convergence: Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters” by Simon Oliver and John McCrea has a “What If?”-like hook for its premise: New York is taken over by Nazis while the city is under the Dome and Plastic Man and his pals lose their superpowers. Unfortunately, a lot of the inherent interest of this idea is flattened because of Oliver’s dull approach to the exposition. Plastic Man’s life before the Dome and the whole year under it are told in first-person flashback. Both the action and dialogue are weighed down by lots of information dumps and Plastic-Man’s first person narration through textboxes. Even more so than other “Convergence” titles with heavy exposition burdens, “Convergence: Plastic Man and the Free Fighters” #1 relies on telling instead of showing. The result is a lack of excitement and narrative suspense, despite how Plastic Man has more to deal with than heroes in other Domes. The Nazis are part of the narrative sluggishness, unfortunately. The Nazi Commandant in cha

“The end. . .or the beginning?” That is how DC decides to deliver the wrap up of “Freedom Fighters.” That beginning/ending (middle?) leaves Black Condor and Ray searching skyward, wondering what is to become of one of their teammates. The final issue is an odd place to thread in a subplot, especially one that doesn’t really payout before the final page. Prior to that point, the Freedom Fighters all struggle with their newly-minted freelance status, as the government has ceased funding the hero team. While most of the other heroes have a purpose or a promise beyond the Freedom Fighters, this issue focuses on the Human Bomb and his paralyzing inability to merge with society independent of the Freedom Fighters. Travis Moore and Trevor Scott fill this issue with the same caliber of work that has been on this book from the start: solid work that borders on great in spots, but never really goes beyond that. The script calls for laboratories, meth labs, demonic attackers, and some quieter

Quick: how many comics have you read this week that open with seven-panel pages that carry nineteen word balloons? That’s how this seventh issue (and the seventh installment of this storyline) of “Freedom Fighters” opens, and it ratchets up from there. This issue puts the Freedom Fighters on the path of finding the third artifact that will be used to ransom the Vice President back. Last issue ended with Miss America storming Dollman’s house with a phalanx of S.H.A.D.E. soldiers. Here we find out they’re not attacking Dollman, but arriving to protect his family while the Freedom Fighters recruit Dollman for this mission. The exposition where Dollman reunites with the team is mishandled, as Ray gives him a shout out, but couldn’t possibly see Dollman, who is perched on the far shoulder (other side of her head from Ray) of Miss America. As I already mentioned, there is a lot that happens in this issue. The team goes looking for the third artifact and happens across their foe which, na

These Dave Johnson covers continue to amaze me. Does anyone else see the “75” hidden (or maybe not-so-hidden) in the cover image we use here? It’s obscured on the (much more radiant) printed cover, but the tradeoff there really lets the composition breathe. Inside the covers, “Black Condor and the Ass-kickers of America” continues to push forward, like a plow wiping a parking lot clear of underestimated snowfall. Maybe that’s a bad title, as the other characters don’t get as much of a chance to kick behind as Condor does. Personally, I’m OK with that. Condor, as Palmiotti and Gray deliver him here, is a compelling character worthy of headlining stories. He’s determined and headstrong, powerful and iconic. That said, Palmiotti and Gray do give other members of the cast opportunities to step up, such as the spotlight thrown onto Miss America and her desire to fill Uncle Sam’s sizable commanding shoes in this issue. Phantom Lady is given a chance to show her own determination and ste

DC may have resolved to keep its prices down line-wide in 2011, but “Freedom Fighters” was at the price from go. Still, with the expectation that new readers might be lured in by DC’s January cover designs, Palmiotti and Gray drop in a handy “Previously in ‘Freedom Fighters'” caption box that serves the purpose of bringing new readers up to speed. The first page declares that this is “Part Five!” This isn’t “Part 5 of X installments,” however; this is a new issue in the ongoing adventures of the “Freedom Fighters.” Gray and Palmiotti don’t dredge up the powers, skillset, secret identities, and origins of every character in every issue, but they certainly provide enough relevant information to the story to keep it moving forward while being approachable. Readers bouncing in here aren’t going to feel like they’ve stumbled upon a secret club and missed the handshake, but they will get an issue full of story. The opening page beckons to the comics of yesteryear that would open with a

The Dave Johnson cover is iconic. I fell in like with this cover the moment I saw it and immediately nominated it one of the best covers of 2010. While the “Terror Wins!” message is intimidating and unsettling, the simplicity of the cover in composition and color defines its brilliance. Johnson has a knack for crafting spectacular images with this team. I hope we get to see more for a long time to come. Ideally a fill-in issue would be welcome too. Like many DC series, “Freedom Fighters” steps in to investigate the legacies within the DC Universe. In this issue, the new focus is the legacy of the Jester, a story that crosses the history of the Freedom Fighters and blends in the mystery of the artifacts the Freedom Fighters have been chasing in their hopes of meeting the ransom demanded for the safety of the Vice President. This issue is an “Ah-ha!” issue as the seemingly divergent plot lines begin to weave together. The adventure leads us to Enclave A, a metahuman prison that speci

From my initial review of this series, I said, “The problem I had with this first issue, however, was the sheer volume of information jammed into it. There is a casino rumble, a meteor hurtling towards the Earth, the kidnapping of the Vice President, and hints of a secret society so secret, it makes the Freemasons look like Girl Scouts. This, naturally, leads to an adventure fit for Indiana Jones or Benjamin Gates.” I’ll admit it; the first issue intimidated the hell out of me. I can only surmise that it might be due (in some small part) to the sheer volume of decompressed stories I’ve subjected myself to in recent years, either through free will or out of duty to review. Whatever the case, this issue is just as full of story, character, and adventure. Palmiotti and Gray produced a story that reveals the origins of the Renegades, four demon-possessed shamans who bear the names Tall Trees, Fire Horse, Windstorm, and Thundercloud. These shamans have been held captive in Devil’s Tower,

Earlier today, Justin Gray tweeted, “‘Freedom Fighters’ #1 drops into stores today. Lots of punching and flag waving. Feel free to purchase.” That little offering, combined with the enthusiasm for the book that was present at the DC Nation panel in Baltimore this past weekend, convinced me to grab this one, read it, and review it. It didn’t hook me right away, but it sure feels like a fine substitute to scratch my “Atlas” sized itch. The formula is not dissimilar: great writing, great art, characters that are offbeat so they can be played faster and looser. The problem I had with this first issue, however, was the sheer volume of information jammed into it. There is a casino rumble, a meteor hurtling towards the Earth, the kidnapping of the Vice President, and hints of a secret society so secret, it makes the Freemasons look like Girl Scouts. This, naturally, leads to an adventure fit for Indiana Jones or Benjamin Gates. If that wasn’t enough, Gray and Palmiotti jam in six charact