New Beginnings - Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing

Following the massive events of Blackest Night, and subsequently Brightest Day, a new three part aftermath series has been born and is set to re-introduce two notable characters from the DC roster - Swamp Thing and most intriguingly John Constantine.

Initially Jonathan Vankin may seem an odd choice considering he has written for TV, graphic novels and his own books, but he is a senior editor at Vertigo. This may have also been a factor paving the way for Constantine to cross over into the DCU, but I am just speculating.

The story he has written is an interesting one. The title, as it suggests, is all about the hunt for Swamp Thing now he has returned and Constantine is a great vehicle for this as he made his first appearances in the Swamp Thing comics (as an occult specialist). If you’ve been reading Brightest Day then there is really nothing to give away here, as it is exactly as it says on the cover. This is really about finding the Swamp Thing in the aftermath, however, and here is the cynical side of me showing, I found it more about showcasing Constantine, especially in the knowledge that he is being brought into the DCU in Justice League Dark (by Peter Milligan who brought us 5 Ronin most recently).

Having also not read Hellblazer prior to this I’m not sure if the stereotypical “British” language, which is a coarse mockney sprinkled with mild profanity, is the general speak of Constantine. It’s been liberally used throughout the issue and has to be the one thing I got bored of whilst reading. In smaller doses I would have said palatable but I felt there was a bit of overkill here. It was also good for comical effect, such as when he had somehow gained access to the Batmobile!

Marco Castiello has pencilled the issue and outside of work on Witchblade I’m not familiar with his work. I was surprised when I looked him up as his style is not what I would say is the Top Cow normal. There is a lot of fine line work with uncluttered visuals. Great attention is taken to facial details conveying a lot of emotion and thought through minimal touches and additions. There is a lot more detail in the cover work (not by Castiello) but I am left wondering why the inclusion of Superman has been made seeing as he’s nowhere to be seen inside.

I’ve enjoyed this issue and I’m looking forward to others for a couple of reasons - I like the artwork for one, the story holds well (barring the fake accent) and the plot is good. More importantly I’m looking forward to the 2 potential spin offs that this is creating as they are characters that are new to me and opening doors. If there is anyone like me, who doesn’t know much about Constantine (aside from the Keanu Reeves film) then I would really suggest taking a look at this one. A good introduction and one that has piqued my interest in him. Roll on the other two issues and also let’s take a look into Hellblazer...

Matt Puddy often sprinkles his reviews with mild profanity, but they get edited out. Funk yeah!

A DC 2010 Retrospective - Flash

Over the course of this year DC has gone from strength to strength. Without a doubt I know that if I had not been a fan back in January not a fan, I would be one by now.

Of note I have found a love for Green Arrow which has really grown on me and given a new perspective for me. It's become a great title and it was incredibly hard to not pick it for this!

But instead I felt the limelight needed to shine in a different direction.

The Flash is back and getting better by the issue, culminating in my favourite so far in The Reverse Flash Rebirth.

Starting out with Flash Rebirth - a cracking miniseries in itself - the Flash was reborn into the DCU. A fantastic start point (or place to go back to) for fans new and old alike. The art was smooth, the colours bright and bold and the actual comics themselves felt sleek yet full.

The Flash is now back on the scene was thrown headlong into a fight for justice. Not only in his work life, but the combination of his super life and personal one too, spanning four centuries and an initially confusing return of villains as futuristic cops!

There have been crossovers into Green Lantern including a slightly lacklustre possession by Parallax. We've also followed a Flash villain through Brightest Day, Captain Boomerang - a man who is struggling to understand his new place in the world since back from the dead.

Ultimately everything leads back to one fact. Barry Allen is the fastest man on the planet but he cannot outrun destiny.

Newton said that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and issue #8 of the Flash explains this beautifully. The who, the how and the why behind Eobard Thawne, the Reverse Flash.

Released by Captain Boomerang in the previous issue, Geoff Johns has taken the time to write a finely tuned story about possibly the strongest villain the Flash has ever faced. It may only be a single issue but it is so well done that I am now eagerly anticipating 2011. The story almost drips the seething hate and rage that drives Thawne - much more than any Red Lantern - and yet at the same time you feel the desperation behind the man.

It’s a short, sharp history of the man who would be and all the possibilities that made him. Inciteful, informative and delving this was the issue that brought the title back for me. It’s not a point to jump on as it's not part of anything, but it is worth seeing and reading.

You can see why Johns was 2010 Spike TV Scream award winner and I hope that his work continues to grow to uphold that accolade in next years work.

Matt Puddy is the fastest cyclist alive. Apparently!

Proud Lion Recommends Brightest Day #1

Brightest Day settles into its groove with issue #1, reminiscent of the pace of its spiritual predecessor 52.

For me, Countdown and Trinity struggled to get that same style. 52 was a complex comic book weaving multiple story arcs together. Some issues would only have a few pages to the different threads, but each narrative had momentum.

Brightest Day #0 established that the now alive Deadman would be our guide. His white ring continues to make him skip between the other returnees, yet leaves him invisible to them. And now we discover he is unable to intervene too, as he witnesses modern day pirates and slavers about to brutalise children.

Thankfully, Aquaman and Mera are back. Words I never thought I'd type by the way. Fishboy - sorry, Aquaman - was always a character I mocked, but Brightest Day #1 makes him a bad-ass. Something is not right in Arthur curry's world, but it certainly makes him a much more interesting character.

We also see Martian Manhunter's continuing renovations of Mars, when a psychic flash pulls him away and onto the next leg of his journey. One panel also hints that things aren't quite right for J'onn J'onzz either.

There's also a look at Hal, Carol and Sinestro and the White Lantern battery becomes akin to something from English legend. Plus, more of Hawkman and Hawkgirl - who are also characters I never really liked until Brightest Day #0.

What is telling, is that certain characters are notable by their absence. If you want to see what Maxwell Lord is up to for example, you'll need to keep buying.

Thus - as I said at the start - the rhythm from 52 returns. I have no doubt that this will be a fine addition to the DCU.

DC Comics certainly have a distinctive art style that many of their artists use and it certainly makes their comics accessible if somewhat homogenised compared to the distinctive artistic styles on offer at Marvel. That said, at least DC never makes me suffer through Humberto Ramos and his quirky brethren.

Brightest Day is recognisably a DC Comic, but this is one of those cases where it works very, very well. Five different artists worked on this issue, yet rather than lurching from one style to the next like Brian Michael Bendis' Daredevil #50, Brightest Day #1 is a smooth ride. Some panels simply sing, the rest do the job nicely.

If you loved Blackest Night, 52 or you're a fan of any of the twelve returnees you have to buy this title. For more info, check out the special minisite DC have set up.

Brightest Day #2 is out May 20th.

Ben Fardon is the owner, proprietor, manager and filing clerk for Proud Lion. Bascially, Ben is Proud Lion is Ben. He often uses the personal pronoun 'we', in an attempt to not feel like a man alone. In that context 'we' refers to Ben, the bricks and mortar, the stock and the branding that comprises Proud Lion. It also makes him sound kind of crazy. 'We' are OK with that.

Ben has been reading comics since he was five years old and his Dad bought him a Transformers comic at the local newsagent. In the same comic were reprints of Iron Man in the red and silver armour. To this day, Tony Stark is his favourite superhero.

He likes eating, swimming and science fiction Tv series. He recently became addicted to The West Wing.

One day, he'll finish a script for something.

Ring In The Changes

DC Direct have this wonderful set of Lantern rings available in July.

Featuring all nine (yes NINE!) rings from the pages of Green Lantern, Blackest Night and the forthcoming Brightest Day, these wearable and adjustable rings are made of durable PVC and light up when worn!

These will retail at £60.00 and stocks will be limited.

If you definitely want one, contact us now and confirm your order.

This isn't the only way to get a White Lantern ring however.

Brightest Day #1 comes out (currently May 7th in the UK, due to the Bank Holiday Monday), customers buying it from Proud Lion will receive a FREE White Lantern plastic ring, completing the set.

This joins the Flash ring customers will get FREE with issues of Flash #1 (due out April 15th in the UK). This is while stocks last as the Flash ring is slightly more limited.

We're good to you.

If you definitely want a White Lantern ring or a Flash ring, contact us now and confirm your order.

Green Lantern #52 Covers Revealed

Well, I guess it was inevitable. All Power Ranger and Captain Planet jokes jokes aside, these are some pretty cool designs.

I present these images without further editorial, because I know not everyone has read Blackest Night #7 yet.

Slackers.

GREEN LANTERN #52
On sale MARCH 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE & CHRISTIAN ALAMY
1:25 Variant cover by SHANE DAVIS & SANDRA HOPE
BLACKEST NIGHT’S penultimate chapter is here, and you do not want to miss this issue. Trust us on this one.


If you definitely want Green Lantern #52, contact us now and confirm your order.

In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight...

At the time of writing we have two issues left of the titanic Blackest Night crossover.

The dead have risen, heroes have died and joined the ranks of the undead and hearts have been broken. Or literally torn out of chests. This has possibly been the most brutal story I've ever seen DC, and yet it still finds it's emotional core.

Even the inevitability of combining the different Lantern lights to defeat the Black Lanterns was well handled, complete with a critic-silencing post-modern call out to the animated Captain Planet cartoon of my childhood.

Combined with his work on Superman with Gary Frank and Richard Donner, Geoff Johns has cemented himself for me as one of the finest talents DC have. Green Lantern has been consistently brilliant since Rebirth and Blackest Night has brought that intensity of storytelling to the wider DCU readership. No character has been unaffected by Blackest Night.



After the dust settles, things will have changed. In April, Brightest Day begins. This is a biweekly, 26 issue series starting with issue #0.

Written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi, the writers behind Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps. Art will come from Fernando Pasarin, Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, Ardian Syaf and Scott Clark with covers from former Marvel exclusive talent, David Finch.



Speaking to Newsarama Geoff Johns said, "Brightest Day is about second chances. I think it's been obvious from day one that there are major plans for the heroes and villains from Aquaman to take center stage in the DC Universe, among many others, post-Blackest Night. Brightest Day is not a banner or a vague catch-all direction for the DC Universe, it is a story. Nor is Brightest Day a sign that the DC Universe is going to be all about 'light and brighty' superheroes. Some second chances work out...some don't."

If you loved Blackest Night, why not join us for the next phase of the adventure. Starting in April.

In related news, during the coming months Green Lantern Corps will have a new writer in the shape of R.E.B.E.L.S.-scribe Tony Bedard. The book's new line-up will include Kyle Rayner, John Stewart and Ganthet. Current GLC writer, Tomasi, will be starting a new Green Lantern title called Emerald Warriors. This will star Guy Gardener and Killowog. Personally I worry that this is one Green Lantern title too many. We shall see.