
Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

52: Week Forty Eight
Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 4, 2007Cover 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
Reviewed by: Neal Bailey
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
Story - 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?
Art - 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.
Back-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.
Back-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!
Cover 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
- Action Comics #845
- Superman #658
- Superman/Batman #31
- Superman Confidential #1
- Supergirl #12
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #24
- 52: Week 26
- 52: Week 27
- 52: Week 28
- 52: Week 29
- 52: Week 30
- Justice League of America #4
- JLA Classified #29
- Justice League Unlimited #27
- Krypto The Superdog #3
- Action Comics #846
- Superman #659
- Superman/Batman #32
- Superman Confidential #2
- Supergirl #13
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #25
- 52: Week 31
- 52: Week 32
- 52: Week 33
- 52: Week 34
- Justice League of America #5
- JLA Classified #30
- Infinite Holiday Special #1
- Justice #9
- Justice Society of America #1
- Justice League Unlimited #28
- Krypto The Superdog #4
- Superman #660
- Superman/Batman #33
- Superman Confidential #3
- All Star Superman #6
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #26
- 52: Week 35
- 52: Week 36
- 52: Week 37
- 52: Week 38
- 52: Week 39
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #1
- JLA Classified #31
- JLA Classified #32
- JLA Classified #33
- Justice Society of America #2
- Justice League Unlimited #29
- Krypto The Superdog #5
- Action Comics #847
- Superman #661
- Action Comics Annual #10
- Superman Confidential #4
- Supergirl #14
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27
- 52: Week 40
- 52: Week 41
- 52: Week 42
- 52: Week 43
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #2
- Justice League of America #6
- JLA Classified #34
- JLA Classified #35
- Justice #10
- Justice Society of America #3
- Justice League Unlimited #30
- Krypto The Superdog #6
- Action Comics #848
- Superman #662
- Superman/Batman #34
- Supergirl #15
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28
- 52: Week 44
- 52: Week 45
- 52: Week 46
- 52: Week 47
- Justice League of America #7
- JLA Classified #36
- Justice Society of America #4
- Justice League Unlimited #31
- Superman Confidential #5
- All Star Superman #7
- Supergirl #16
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #29
- 52: Week 48
- 52: Week 49
- 52: Week 50
- 52: Week 51
- World War III - Book One: A Call to Arms
- World War III - Book Two: The Valiant
- World War III - Book Three: Hell is for Heroes
- World War III - Book Four: United We Stand
- Justice League of America #8
- JLA Classified #37
- Justice #11
- Justice Society of America #5
- Justice League Unlimited #32
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #1
- Action Comics #849
- Action Comics #850
- Superman #663
- Superman/Batman #35
- Supergirl #17
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #30
- 52: Week 52
- Countdown 51
- Countdown 50
- Countdown 49
- Countdown 48
- Justice League of America #9
- JLA Classified #38
- Justice Society of America #6
- Justice League Unlimited #33
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #2
- Action Comics #851
- Superman #664
- Superman/Batman #36
- Superman/Batman #37
- All Star Superman #8
- Supergirl #18
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #31
- Countdown 47
- Countdown 46
- Countdown 45
- Countdown 44
- Justice League of America #10
- JLA Classified #39
- Justice #12
- Justice League Unlimited #34
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #3
- Action Comics #852
- Superman #665
- Superman/Batman #38
- Supergirl #19
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #32
- Countdown 43
- Countdown 42
- Countdown 41
- Countdown 40
- Justice League of America #11
- JLA Classified #40
- Justice Society of America #7
- Justice League Unlimited #35
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #4
- Action Comics #853
- Action Comics #854
- Action Comics #855
- Superman #666
- Superman/Batman #39
- Supergirl #20
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #33
- Countdown 39
- Countdown 38
- Countdown 37
- Countdown 36
- Countdown 35
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #1
- Justice League of America #12
- JLA Classified #41
- Justice Society of America #8
- Justice League Unlimited #36
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #5
- Action Comics #856
- Superman #667
- Superman/Batman #40
- Superman Confidential #6
- Supergirl #21
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #34
- Countdown 34
- Countdown 33
- Countdown 32
- Countdown 31
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #2
- JLA Wedding Special #1
- Justice League of America #13
- JLA Classified #42
- JLA Classified #43
- JLA/Hitman #1
- Infinity Inc. #1
- Justice Society of America #9
- Justice League Unlimited #37
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #6
- Action Comics #857
- Action Comics #858
- Superman #668
- Superman #669
- Superman/Batman #41
- Superman Confidential #7
- Superman Confidential #8
- All Star Superman #9
- Supergirl #22
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #35
- Teen Titans #52
- Countdown 30
- Countdown 29
- Countdown 28
- Countdown 27
- Countdown 26
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #3
- Justice League of America #14
- JLA Classified #44
- JLA Classified #45
- JLA/Hitman #2
- Infinity Inc. #2
- Justice Society of America #10
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Cyborg Superman #1
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Superman Prime #1
- Infinite Halloween Special #1
- Justice League Unlimited #38
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #7
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2007.