Cover to Cover: did we ever actually marry???

What a week this was!

You had the marriage -finally- of Dinah and Ollie! The return of Marvel's Man-Thing! The conclusion to Simone's first Wonder Woman arc! The first annual for Marvel's Green Lantern - Nova!

Unfortunately, I haven't gotten my hands on the middle part of Guggenheim's arc for Amazing Spider-Man, but that doesn't mean I can't review everything else!



Green Arrow and Black Canary #5
by Judd Winick and Andre Coelho

That cover is a total lie. Firstly: Amanda Conner doesn't provide ANY interior art, so why is her name below Winick's? Secondly: How can you get "Broken Vows!" when you actually make them inside the comic (as you marry!)?

Oh yeah, Dinah and Ollie finally marry in this issue! It was great. Before that, though, Ollie had to pine about his past, which was kind of overdramatic on his part, but the flashbacks were very insightful.

They say about Ollie, "Hey. This guy was a jerk. He didn't care about anyone but himself. He was a spoiled billionaire. . . BUT, he changed. He feels guilty about his past, and he wants to make things better."

I really liked that.

So Ollie gets very emotional and says that he doesn't want to be Green Arrow anymore, that he just wants to stay with Connor and be a good father. . .

. . . and then Dinah comes in to console Ollie, realising that they haven't really married! So they marry!

And the ceremony doesn't get interrupted by anyone! And then they hold hands! It's unbearably cute!

They come back home to discover that Connor's been kidnapped, and there's an amazing panel where Ollie resolves to find Connor. . . as the Green Arrow! GA/BC team-up is GO!

FOUR out of FIVE arrows pointed at Connor's kidnapper! I am definitely excited for issue 6. Cliff Chiang is coming back on art duties! Nice character work for Ollie, and maybe we'll get to see Dinah kick some ass next month?

It was also nice to see that the artist, Andre Coelho, was the same guy who drew Bloodrayne: Automaton! He's right up there with Terry Dodson and Paolo Siqueria in my book. What I wanna know is, why is only Terry Dodson high-profile? The other two are just as fantastic, and it was great to see one of them on a book I read.

However, Andre's dirtier art was a bit jarring from Chiang's clean art. Maybe Andre could have reduced some of the lines around everyone's noses.

Nova Annual #1
by Abning, et al.

My mind was boggled at this awesomeness. Not much happens in the way of plot, but we get three separate stories about Marvel's Green Lantern -- Nova, AKA Richard Rider.

One of them is a "dream" story where Richard, years in the future, is still struggling against the Transmode virus, a virus that takes your mind over and forces you to the bidding of its creators, the Phalanx.

It's really, really cool, because in this reality. . . the Earth's mightiest get infected with the Transmode virus!

There's a really, really touching moment where Rider meets a fledgling Nova Centurion and faces them for one final battle, but you'd have to have read issue 6 to get it. It's totally worth it though! I plan on making a special Nova feature so you guys can know All Things Nova!

Another story in the annual is a flashback to Richard Rider inheriting the Nova Force as a teenager. It's just great:

The team of Abnett and Lanning really makes a great teenage voice for Richard. It sounds real, and it's hilarious. Another thing that was pretty cool is that Rider's just an ordinary guy. The more experienced Nova Centurion explains to him: The ordinary citizens of a species are often the most grateful, loyal and trustworthy of their kind. "They understand the responsibility. They appreciate the trust. They embrace the duty.

"They are the honest bedrock of the [Nova] Corps."

Isn't it uplifting when even a bunch of average joes can mean something to the world? (hint: the correct answer is yes.)

The third story is the actual one, where Richard at last makes it to Kvch. This was the birthplace of the Transmode virus, and hopefully, this is where Nova can end the war against the Phalanx.

I'm definitely looking forward to Nova #11, which sees the introduction of new cover artist Alex Maleev.

Death to the phalanx!

Wonder Woman #17

by Gail Simone and Terry Dodson and (blech) Ron Randall

It's very, very off-putting to see Dodson on one page, and then Ron Randall on the next.

I know that this is your last issue with Wonder Woman, Mr. Dodson, but that doesn't mean you get to be lazy. You're a fantastic artist (I love the way you signed your name on the cover to the left), but it's very disappointing for the fans to see this.

Anyways, once you get past the art, this is a very well-done issue of Wonder Woman.

Honestly, I kind of wished Gail Simone's humor showed up more in this arc, but she at least makes up for it in really, really bad-ass moments.

She takes her wound, and wipes the blood on her face in a "W." That's what you call an AMAZON, guys.

I didn't get to reviewing last issue, but the main point from that was: the eagle on Diana's chest means something now. It represents her majesty, the hope that she can inspire, and the wonder that is in her power.

There's a great moment in issue 17 where Wonder Woman talks to the Amazon who wants to murder her. She knows who she is, and she knows who other people are, and she's always willing to look for the peaceful way first. I admire that.

That same moment (on your right) is powerful and sexy. I don't know if it's the hair in the rain or what, but Wonder Woman is absolutely gorgeous. And no, the sexy doesn't have to come from exploitation, Marvel, DC. The sexy can come from power. Wonder Woman should be portrayed as anything but weak.

If you still don't get it, YES: Wonder Woman is in some very capable hands right now . . . and next issue?

Next issue is Wondie -- in spaaaaaace.

Pay attention, guys. Now is the time to look at the female third of DC's Big Three.