Review: Doomsday Clock #7

“Blind Spot”
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Gary Frank & Brad Anderson
Review by Steve J. Ray
Shocks, revelations and surprises abound in the latest instalment of Doomsday Clock. The series is now in its second half, and issue #7 features the return that every fan of the original Watchmen series has been clamouring for. I don’t know how many readers follow comics accounts/creators on social media, but the cover art at the top of this review should give a hint as to who I’m talking about. (As should the visage that Marionette and Mime are in awe of, featured below).
The amount of work, passion, blood sweat and tears that artist Gary Frank puts into these pages is clearly evident. The sheer quality of the art produced makes the seemingly interminable wait between instalments worth it. Heck… I waited decades for Miracleman, and for V For Vendetta to get completed, so what’s a couple of months between friends?

The Doomsday Clock Is Ticking

Last month we left Ozymandias in the company of the new Rorschach and two Arkham Asylum escapees. For fans who may not be familiar with Imra Ardeen or Johnny Thunder, let me give you a quick intro. Two of DC Comics’ greatest super teams (who I miss immensely) are The Legion Of Superheroes and The Justice Society Of America.
The Legion are an army of heroes from the far future, made up of members from a multitude of alien races. They were inspired by the superheroes that you and I read about every month. Imra Ardeen (A.K.A. Saturn Girl) was one of their founder members.
The Justice Society (yes, Society… not League) was the daddy of all super teams. This group was formed in the 1940s and was the Golden-Age precursor to every single collection of World’s Greatest Heroes that has followed since. Johnny Thunder and his lightning genie Cei-U (pronounced “Say you”) were part of that group.
Geoff Johns’ inclusion of these two old favorites is just another reason that I am completely invested in this series. Hook, line and sinker. Batman and Joker also appear centre stage in this issue, and that’s always a bonus.
I LOVE DC Comics, but their constant reboots, resets and ret-cons can be confusing and annoying. I’m one of those old fuddy-duddies who would’ve left things alone after the Crisis On Infinite Earths…
I need to stop now… you really don’t want to get me started on that subject.

Conclusion

When you get a comic that is clearly a labor of love the end result cannot help but satisfy. From the reactions of her comrades to Imra’s revelation of her background, to Rorschach’s meltdowns… every page is brilliantly written and superbly drawn. Brad Anderson’s colors add even greater depth to the proceedings. Bubastis’ glow, Batman’s gas bombs, Green Lantern’s light and Joker’s flamethrower… these are the tip of a technicolor iceberg.
I’m looking forward to the future… if there actually IS one.
Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment
(This review was originally published on the Dark Knight News website on September 27th 2018)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thought Bubble 2024 convention & festival dates announced

Image
Article by Steve J. Ray Thought Bubble  is, without a doubt, the UK’s best entirely comic-based convention and art festival. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the show for the last three years, and have been anxious to see what’s in store this year. Well, the wait is over, as the team behind the event has announced the Thought Bubble 2024 convention & festival dates. THOUGHT BUBBLE ANNOUNCES 2024 COMIC CONVENTION & FESTIVAL DATES ACCLAIMED COMIC ART CONVENTION AND FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS YORKSHIRE THIS NOVEMBER THOUGHT BUBBLE FESTIVAL LEEDS & ACROSS YORKSHIRE 11 -17 NOVEMBER 2024 THOUGHT BUBBLE COMIC CONVENTION HARROGATE CONVENTION CENTRE 16 & 17 NOVEMBER 2024   https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com “Thought Bubble is the place to be. This is the show where everyone feels and is treated like family” –  Dark Knight News “Thought Bubble is the most important comic convention around” –  Popverse Returning to the Harrogate Convention Centre,...
Read more

Mystic Muses: A D&D Podcast

Image
Article by Philip Clark An all queer cast. An all femme ensemble. A non-binary Dungeon Master. Throw in some quality story-telling and role playing too, this sounds like a whole lot of fun! If any of the previously mentioned things has piqued your interests, then I implore you to check out Mystic Muses. You can find this wonderfully crafted podcast where you can find all your other favourites including Spotify. There are currently four episodes out. Episode 0 is the prologue and character introductions, and I have to say it is very well put together! The intro to each episode is cleverly crafted, with the players and DM each sounding off a sentence to bring us into the game space. Speaking of bringing us into the game space, Adam, the talented DM sets the scene for the story very nicely. A descriptive, yet concise introduction to the environment gives both the players and audience a vibe of what we're in for. Then come the delicious character introductions that give vivid descripti...
Read more

Fantastic Universes Interview: Madison, Matthew and Macsen Lintz From 'The Walking Dead'

Image
Interview panel led by Steve J. Ray, with a gathering of Comic/TV Media Journalists. I've spoken to some amazing people over the last couple of years; writers, artists, costume designers, and actors from some of my favorite TV shows. It's no secret that I'm a huge comic-book fan, and one of the TV series that's based on and inspired by a comics title - but has gone on to be so much more - is The Walking Dead . At a recent Comic-Con in London, I had the great opportunity of leading a panel where some fellow journalists and I spoke with Madison, Matthew and Macsen Lintz, three siblings who played Sophia and both iterations of Henry on the show. The eldest, Madison Lintz (born 1999) played Sophia Peletier - Carol's daughter - in the first two seasons. She's also well known for playing Maddie Bosch in the Amazon series Bosch . She started acting at the age of six, filming commercials and voice-overs. Matthew (born 2001) took over the role of Henry from ...
Read more