ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #605
"Syndication"
Not Recommended (2/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Joe Casey
Artist: Carlos Meglia
Colors: Rob Ro & Alex Bleyaert
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
Joe Casey and Carlos Meglia's "Mirror, Mirror" story arc comes to a close... thank God. There was a lot of potential in this plotline, and Casey shows that he could handle "widescreen" super-hero stories -- like those we've seen from Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, Mark Waid, Mark Millar and Joe Kelly. But the overexaggerated art not only makes for some confusing storytelling, but some laughable images when chilling ones are called for. This wasn't a worthy return of characters from Morrison's JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel.
Within the extra-dimensional confines of Superman's Fortress of Solitude, the Brainiac of an alternate universe inhabits a body as powerful as that of Ultraman, Superman's counterpart from that universe. The two men of steel, along with Owlman, face destruction at the hands of the newborn villain, as does the entire world. Brainiac has devised a way to inhabit the universe as a whole, and in the process, will wipe out all organic life.
Meglia's over-the-top, angular style is extremely difficult to follow throughout this story. There's little sense of flow from panel to panel, and his depictions of both the characters and the settings are so distorted that they never look the same. His exaggerations rob the story of a visual context as well. The worst part, though, is the antagonist, Brainiac. With his naked butt cheeks and single spit-curl of hair, he looks ridiculous, not threatening.
Casey provides some strong points in his script. The closing scene in the Phantom Zone is chilling and sums up the dark strength of Morrison's renewed Crime Syndicate characters. Casey's take on Owlman is clever and boasts a lot of personality, a perfect opposite number for the Batman. Mind you, the plot has its problems as well. For example, once again, Superman buries potentially dangerous technology beneath the icy landscape of the North Pole. Has there ever been a time such a move didn't come back and bite him in the ass? Why would be continue to do it? It makes no sense in the context of this continuity.
In the end, though, the strengths of the script are completely overwhelmed by the art. I've enjoyed some of Meglia's past efforts, but he really needs to reign in his style. He has a lot of energy in his work, but left unregulated, that energy explodes here with distorted and distracting results.
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