Smallville Season 11, it"s happening...

[CorporalClegg]

Well it was enough to remind me to get 15. I really liked it. Might be my favorite one to date. It's definitely the first time the cliff hanger has left me really anxious for the next one.

One thing I forgot to ask last week and am still a bit confused about: is that supposed to be Sawyer with Turpin? (I assume it is.) I don't remember anyone saying the woman's name and I tried to go back and find a still where she had her name bag showing. But I may have missed either.

If it is, then it sure seems like her career is going backwards. When she first appeared in "Insurgence," she was a captain. Then when she came back in the later years she was downgraded to detective. Now she's ridding patrol?

Still, it's nice to see them together. I was a little disappointed when they couldn't fit Teed into "Bulletproof" somehow.

[Admiral_Young]

I believe it was supposed to be Sawyer yes.

[Admiral_Young]

After a week on hiatus we're back with issue 16, I believe part three or four of "Detective" already. This is just awesome! Chloe is on the monitor with Emil who gives her information regarding the Earth Two Chloe's black box, and it would appear she has not recovered from seeing her alternate self die in front of her at the end of the "Guardian" arc. Ollie attempts to console her and ask if she's okay, Chloe in Chloe style shrugs him off but it is make clear she's still affected by what she saw, and also that she could be hiding something from Ollie.

Meanwhile Superman and Batman continue their fight. We learn about the abilities of Bruce's suit. As I expected it seems to be designed specifically to counter Superman. Bruce reveals Clark's entire backstory pretty much, while Clark figures out who Batman is. We also see a Nolan-esque Batman suit in one of the flashback panels. Finally Batman reveals that the fight is a distraction. He needs Bruno Manhiem and explains that he possesses information regarding the death of his parents. Nightwing encounters Ollie as Green Arrow and the two scuffle, and we end as Superman picks up Bruno and asks if he can borrow him for a few moments.

Oooooh how I love this book.

[Mike Farley]

Jamal Igle's art really stepped the book up with #16.

[Admiral_Young]

Smallville Season 11 #17 : This continues to just flow awesomeness...one of the most impressive things about Miller's writing style is his pacing. At no time during any of the seventeen issues have I been bored. I click through each page and devour everything on screen. The art continues to improve as well. I think this is Igle's best issue that he has worked on...and the Batwing...oh man.

[Admiral_Young]

Smallville Season 11 #18...this maybe was the best issue so far. Ingle's art keeps improving with each passing issue. I thought Superman looked the most like Tom Welling yet in this issue. I loved the fact that Clark built a Bat Signal to contact Batman because of Luthor's tracking device. The two of them finally working together...and the scene where Batman finally confronts an aged Joe Chill was pretty powerful and was obviously meant to be a homage to Batman #47 I believe. Lex and Otis are just awesome, and Miller has not forgotten about Tess either. Best season ever!!!

[Agent Richard07]

I like how they Smallville-ized Batman. He's got a bat symbol that glows like a red sun to keep Supes at bay if need be and they gave him black/dark grey make-up for his lower face. Never seen that before. I also liked how they communicated to the reader that Batman uses the Christian Bale voice. The "whiskey and cigarettes and razor blades voice". Nice. Now, I wish we'd get a sense of how old this Bruce Wayne is. Is he Lex's age? Older? He looks to be considerably older than Clark.

[Admiral_Young]

Bruce is probably older than Lex. He mentioned to Superman and we know from Chloe's previous statements, that he has been Batman for some time considerably longer than Clark has been publicly active as either the Blur or Superman. I'd say Bruce was probably in his early 30's.

[Caretaker]

I could swear that I remember reading somewhere that Bryan Q. Miller indicated Bruce has been in his role as Batman for 10 years at this point. I'll post a source/link if I can find it.



Addendum: The link -

This isn’t Year One for Batman. We’re somewhere between year 5 and 10 for him.

[Admiral_Young]

I wouldn't be surprised. It might have been in one of his interviews when "Detective" began.


No issue this week. I guess we're on hiatus again

[Admiral_Young]

Finally got to read issue #19...it was delayed for some reason it seems. I thought this was probably the most weak issue of the "Detective" arc so far but still fairly entertaining. Lois is given a chance to shine as she visits The Toyman in jail for information on Loomis (The Prankster). Batman and Superman take on Prankster and Mr. Freeze, who is simply referred to as Victor Fries in this. There is another continuity shout out as Lois and Toyman reflect back to their previous encounter and Lex's condition before he was blown up in the truck. The art has improved with every issue in this arc as well. Issue #20 is out today...I'll have to get that later though.

[Trekker4747]

IIRC in "Smallville" there was an episode where Chole, trying to encourage Clark into taking on more of his hero role, told him about a "billionaire with some wild gadgets" and even made a similar hint about Wonder Woman being out there. (I think by mentioning and Amazonian princess or something.)

[Admiral_Young]

Yes, that has been touched upon in the thread before Bruce's knowledge of Clark's past could be seen as a possible follow up to the line from Chloe. She mentioned Woman Woman as well. I'm fully expecting Diana to show up just in time for Miller's Crisis to unfold.

[Admiral_Young]

Finished issue 20 yesterday and again fantastic. The pace is picked up a bit as Batman and Superman continue their fight against Prankster and Fries. Lois' continued investigation hits a snag as she tries to help out Clark, and Ollie and Chloe attempt to hack into Lex's satelights in an effort to most likely prevent Lex's continued tracking of Clark. Batman decides to help Superman whom is dying from the Kryptonite bullets that were shot at him in the previous issue (just as he himself freed himself from Fries's ice blast) and wants to study the Kryponite. We see the Batmobile (which actually looks like the Batmobile from Morrison's Batman Inc) along with Green Arrow aiding Lois. The issue concludes with Lois chasing the Batmobile on a motorbike! They all think Batman has taken Superman rather than wanting to help him.

This was tremendous, and Chris Crosses art continues to improve which each issue he has worked on, just as Ingle's has. Really looking forward to next issue. Also there was an amusing conversation between Ollie and Lex and Luthor's expression as he mentioned his conscience This is just great stuff.

[Procutus]

Wow, have I got a lot of catching up to do!



The last issue I had added to my account was #13, back before we left for Boothbay Harbor. Last night, I downloaded the last eight issues and began reading. Only got as far as 15, but man, is the action picking up! Like the rest of you, I've been waiting to see Batman in the Smallville universe for like, well, forever. I was sort of expecting some Nolanesque influence on this version of Batman/Bruce, but he seems to have some Hulk-like anger management issues. Not real sure yet what to make of Nightwing.

All that aside, I'm still enjoying this series, though I've more than a bit peeved at the lack of Chlovage in these last couple of issues.

I'll be back as I progress with my reading.