Smallville Season 11, it"s happening...

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by ncc71877, Feb 9, 2012.

  1. Admiral James Kirk

    Admiral James Kirk Writer Admiral

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    Long live, Smallville: Season 11! Issue #53 came out today. It is the ninth and FINAL chapter in the Argo saga.

    What did I think of it?

    Well... I dug it. Really, I did. Big fuckin surprise right? But yeah, it was a damn decent conclusion to the storyline. Where do I start?

    First of all I made a bigass mistake and read it on it's own. Sure I've been following it every week and I know what happened last time but...

    Reading this issue cold fucks up the momentum of the story. It starts fast. Abruptly. Booster Gold on a stolen freighter teams up with the Legion and Earthgov to save the survivors of Metropolis.

    Now I will say that Booster's big moment where the Legion have to admit their respect for him is a tad underwhelming. The best the Legion give him is "Maybe there's hope for him yet." which is less than he deserves. He's doing everything he can powers or not to save the innocent people from the aftermath of the bombing while the Legion is just sitting around with their thumbs up their butt. At no point is Booster's heroism made as big as it really is.

    It's a bit of an emotional anticlimax and the story never gives him more than that. Disappointing but...

    The emotional CLIMAX and it is a true climax is Kara and the Legion risking their life to avert Superman's sacrifice. It really does show how very much Clark means to his buddies in the Legion that they would risk it all to preserve not only Superman's place in history but their friend Clark Kent.

    On Superman himself... the artwork of Superman fighting Doomsday as they twirl helplessly towards the sun is rather striking. On the emotional spectrum Clark telling Saturn Girl to give Lois his love is powerful stuff. I love the closeup of Saturn Girl's face as it crumbles, a lone tear running down her cheek. If I didn't know that this was a continuing series I probably would have cried. :D

    The sun sequence really does show the great advantage of a superhero working in a team and the chant of "Long live the Legion!" really ended it all on a great, great high.

    Besides the aforementioned Booster anticlimax there is another aspect to the climax that nags at me. For the whole of "Argo" we're seeing New Krypton and Earth at each other's throats. By the end however both sides suddenly give up the hostilities and all's well that ends well. I do realize the implication is that after the Doomsday attack on New Krypton and the gravity bombing of Metropolis both sides are sickened by the destruction and willing to put aside their differences and leave each other alone but...

    It felt kinda pat. Like Miller was running out of room to tie everything up and that's how it read. It's kinda unsatisfying. In the end New Krypton is still not a part of the United Planets and Earth is still full of xenophobes. Maybe we're supposed to see that as challenge that the Legion will have to deal with on their own but it's pretty damn disappointing that we don't get much more on it than we did.

    My favorite part of the story-which DID evoke a tear-is a cameo by a prepubescent almost-speedster named Bartholomew Allen. He and Superman run into each other. ;) When Bart's identity is revealed to Superman well...

    He and I had the same reaction.

    At least my suspicion that this Bart-as was true of the original-originate in the future was confirmed. I can't wait to see how this pays off later on in the season.

    What's left to say about this issue?

    Well there is a nice little moment between cousins where Clark invites her back to the 21st Century for Chloe's baby shower. I hope she doesn't go. I'm sure that's when the Crisis is sure to hit and the last thing I want to see happen is Clark burying Kara in this reality. Better she stay in the future with her people and the Legion.

    All in all Argo was a damn fine story arc but due to it's slip ups in the end run I can't say it was exceptional. I think Detective and Haunted were stronger. I will say that it did have the best cliffhanger of the series even though it was resolved-in classic Smallville fashion-weakly.

    I look forward to the Wonder Woman arc with bated anticipation and can't wait to see how Bryan Q will bring her into the Smallville U. If his Diana is even half as good as his Batman then we're in for something special!

    I can't wait!
     
  2. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I've decided to start buying books and comics again, and I'm trying to decide if this, the first arc of All-New X-Men, or the second collection of Wonder Woman will be first new comic.
    EDIT: I've decided to do one comic from each of the big two, so this will be my DC pick, and ANXM will be Marvel.
     
  3. Admiral James Kirk

    Admiral James Kirk Writer Admiral

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  4. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    This first arc takes up the first 12 issue, right?
     
  5. Mike Farley

    Mike Farley Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    12 issues digitally. I think maybe three in paper.
     
  6. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  7. Procutus

    Procutus Admiral Admiral

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    ^

    Thanks for that, AY. That pretty much confirmed what I was thinking in that 'Valkyrie' would actually been viewed/read after 'Argo'.

    As for what Mike said, it's funny, I have yet to see paper copies anywhere. To be honest, the digital format works out just fine for me; less clutter and I can take them anywhere on the wife's S-Tab.

    :techman:

    Very much looking forward to see WW appear (though I still need to finish 'Argo' first). I hope that she's drawn to resemble Lynda Carter, though since Carter played Chlo's mom, that might be a bit weird, I suppose.

    :lol:
     
  8. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Diana looks strangely enough like Erica to me on the cover from the solicits. I think she'll be drawn more like the comic version rather than based on Lynda Carter. Bruce didn't appear to be based on anyone either facial wise. Technology wise though we did get a combination of both Nolan and Burton continuities. Diana seems to be based in Washington , D.C. though...and I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't homages to the classic series.
     
  9. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Cool. Have they set up a big season arc yet, because most of the "episodes" I've read about so far have sounded fairly standalone. What about a Big Bad for the season?
    I've got Comixology on my Nook, so I'll be doing these digitally. I'm probably going to pick up all of Guardian next week.
     
  10. Admiral James Kirk

    Admiral James Kirk Writer Admiral

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    JD they're setting up the Crisis. We've already gotten a glimpse of the Anti-Monitor in Haunted.
     
  11. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Yep...AJK is correct. The major over arc seems to be Crisis on Infinite Earths and we've seen Anti-Monitor. As for a big bad well you'll have to read. We've already had a couple of them and most likely will get more as the season goes along.

    Someone needs to tweet Q we need a new update :)
     
  12. Admiral James Kirk

    Admiral James Kirk Writer Admiral

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    I'm wondering when Hank Henshaw will come back. I remember they were initially touting him as the BB of Season 11 but we haven't seen him since the first arc and it's clear that this is a role the AM will be filling. I'm also thinking that if Kara does come back later in the season that it could be curtains for her.
     
  13. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    OK, I was just looking through their "episode guide" for Season 11 on the Smallville wiki (don't worry I avoided major spoilers) and it looks pretty awesome. It'll definitely be my next comic purchase.
     
  14. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Q's use of her in "Argo" was basically a homage to "Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes" (the threeboot team and what Mark Waid's title was retitled as Kara travels to the future and remains with the team) as well as the little hints of Pre-Crisis Kara's relationship with Brainiac 5).

    I can see Brainy reluctantly sending Kara back to the present just in time to face the Crisis..."fixed points in time" and what not ;)
     
  15. Admiral James Kirk

    Admiral James Kirk Writer Admiral

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    Remember she's planning to go back for the baby shower. That should coincide with the Crisis.
     
  16. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Or the babyshower could be the prologue or lead in. We still have a LONG way to go before we reach that though. As indicated earlier...we're basically almost a third of the season in. We have a long time before we reach crisis.
     
  17. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    So are you guys expecting to see this moment recreated in the SV Crisis?
     
  18. Admiral James Kirk

    Admiral James Kirk Writer Admiral

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    I'm soitenly expecting something along those lines albeit with a Smallville twist applied. I'm also expecting an inversion of the Flash's fate in this version of the Crisis.
     
  19. Procutus

    Procutus Admiral Admiral

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    Almost caught up with you guys... Finished with my re-reading of the arc so far (Parts 1 through 6) and began reading Issue 51. Had to chuckle at Page 4 of #49; for a moment there, I thought that Remy Zero had made it into the 31st century!

    :lol:

    Hopefully by the end of the weekend, I'll finish 'Argo' and be ready for the next arc. I am psyched for the Wonder-Woman story. Q really is doing a great job of integrating the SV universe with elements of the DCU.

    :techman:
     
  20. wamdue

    wamdue Admiral Admiral

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    ok stupid question, but why does Smallville need a Crisis?

    My understanding of the need for the Crisis, was that there was so many characters, so many reality's, that a kind of reset was needed to bring it all into line and simplify it a bit.

    Smallville however, whilst the comics seem to have opened it up a bit, with a few more heroes (eg Batman) and the show has used alternative time-lines, I would not say that Smallvilles connunity is complex enough to need a reboot.