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Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

52: Week Forty Eight

52: Week Forty Eight

Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 4, 2007

Cover date: April 4, 2007

"Asked and Answered"

Writer: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid
Penciller: Keith Giffen (breakdowns), Darick Robertson
Inker: Darick Robertson

"The Origin of Birds of Prey"
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Nicola Scott
Inker: Doug Hazlewood

Neal Bailey Reviewed by: Neal Bailey

Click to enlarge


Week 48, days 1-3:

Renee and Nightwing scour the city seeking Mannheim. In the lair of Intergang, they keep Batwoman sedated and prepare her for the ritual.

Nightwing and Montoya continue their search. They encounter many and varied beasts, who attack them as they find what appears to be a large machine. They fail to secure it, and Gotham erupts in flames that rise to the sky, flames that Kathy Kane's blood will supposedly enhance.

Daunted, Renee sends Nightwing to deal with the devices. She removes a pod from her belt, sticks it onto her face, adopts the disguise of The Question, and sets off to stop Mannheim.

The Question finds Mannheim, diving into the fray and blasting at the villains with her gun. In response, Mannheim stabs Batwoman in the chest. Question shoots at him, and he dives down, seemingly out for the count.

Batwoman, unmasked, tells her not to take out the knife.

From behind, Mannheim grabs Question and begins to choke her, pulling her gun away and preparing to shoot her. As he pulls the trigger, the knife from Kathy's chest hits him in the back, killing him.

Kathy collapses into Question's arms.

Week 48, day 5:

The Oolong Island scientists offer Black Adam up for bid.

"The Origin of Birds of Prey"
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Nicola Scott
Inker: Doug Hazlewood

5Story - 5: Like the Dibny resolution (if you can call it a resolution), this story ends with the unexpected, then the expected, and ultimately, the well scripted and plotted story you'd hope for.

I have been pounding a bit on the whole resolution of the Montoya storyline, just as I did with Charlie, a little, mostly because things felt a bit protracted. It wasn't like the space storyline, which I didn't care much for, but it was a desire to see the story come to the forefront and move forward. Now that the story has, for the most part, played out in the expected way (who knows what else is coming?), I'd probably have to say that even though it was obviously coming from very early in the book, I'd have to say Montoya stepping out into the night as the Question is probably my favorite moment in the book so far. Even beating the Luthor button press, which is a tough one. Mostly because, though we didn't realize it at the time, the protracted agony she's put through makes it all the more powerful when she ultimately decides to adopt her persona.

It's a very strong, character-driven plotline, and I'm sad that it's potentially over. That's the sign of a good story.

I'm curious about Black Adam, and I hope WW3 pulls it out. So far, still, so good. I'm just amazed that there was NEVER a lull.

This is my last 52 review, but I can't comment on the ending. Maybe we'll come together and say something as a reviewing consensus. Would you guys want to see that?

3Art - 3: This is the only thing in this issue, or any recent issue, that has stuck out. The art was a bit choppy, dark, and sloppy in places. It fits the dark context in ways, but there were other times where it made it so that you weren't entirely sure what's going on. Not all that bad, but not notable as previous artists have been, which is too bad.

5Back-Up Story - 5: I got caught up on the Birds of Prey despite being pretty much lost on the newer specifics, which rules, and it gave a very good, light summation of how they came to be.

5Back-Up Art - 5: A nostalgic look back at a period of time in comics I really enjoyed, especially with the original Oracle look, coupled with the Batgirl outfit, with a touch of the new... nice!

5Cover Art - 5: Another good reason I will be buying the collected cover edition for this book. Creative, innovative, neat, and heck, pertinent to the issue at hand instead of being sensationalist to sell books...

Mild Mannered Reviews

2007

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

January 2007

February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007

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