Smallville Season 11, it"s happening...

[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.

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ Chloe has been prominent in the last couple of issues. Issue 21 was fantastic again as Miller tells a beautifully paced story. We get some terrific Batman and Superman moments in the Batmobile (we also discover that it is a hover Batmobile as well). We're getting pretty close to the conclusion of the arc I believe as well. The art continues to improve as well.

 

[Procutus]

^


Yup, just read your comments on the previous page. I not only had to catch-up on the issues themselves, but all the commentary since August. Looking forward to reading more over the weekend (and seeing my girl in digitized comix again!)

 

[Admiral_Young]

Just finished reading #23...and 22 is possibly one of my favourite issues. It is fascinating to see all of these different artists on the book, and yet it doesn't detract from the story telling. The art has remained somewhat consistent over the course of the arc. This issue focused on Babs and Lois taking on the mercs invading the boat, while Clark and Bruce deal with Loomis, and Ollie attempts to take down Fries (Boxing Glove Arrow!!!). We're coming down to the conclusion of the arc now.

 

[Procutus]

AY;

At long last, I was finally able to sit down with my laptop last night and catch up, plowing my way through #19 to #23. And what a ride it was. Finally, after years of us watching the show and kvetching, no make that bitching, about how this show could've been so much more than it was, at last we're seeing Smallville's potential (both the show and Clark) come into being.

The artwork is quite amazing really; I love the full panel pages, especially with the Batmobile. And one drawing in particular in all of this made me stop and stare (for quite a few seconds!): The shot of Chlo in Issue 20, Page 5, the final panel. For the first time since I began reading this back in the summer, I felt like I was really looking at the real character, or Ally herself.



That said, this has become quite the roller-coaster, and I can't wait for more. With my schedule the way it is, I most likely will let the next few issues pile up again, then read them during vacation, along with the first ish of Countdown to Darkness.

 

[Procutus]

Added Issue 24 to my collection yesterday, and was quite pleased with the conclusion of the 'Detective' story arc. Nice touches at the end with Bruce and Clark, setting up, I presume, future interaction between them and possibly BM becoming part of the JL. Chloe's secret did not come as a huge surprise, given what we know from the S10 finale. The timing is right, I guess.

Speaking of the JL, I hope that we get to see the other members in future stories, given that Miller pretty much bring in anyone he wants, without worrying about schedules and actors' pay. It would be great to see AC, Bart, Cyborg, Canary, John Jones and Zatana back again, and working all together.

Or am I getting ahead of myself here?

 

[Admiral_Young]

I was extremely pleased with the way Miller concluded "Detective", we get everything tied up in a neat bow and set up for the next arc. I agree with the art. I thought having multiple artists in such a huge arc would be troublesome, but each issue improved over the next and the last two or three issues had a nice consistency. I'm expecting a little bit of a hiatus now, haven't read anything from Miller about the next arc so this is a bit of a mystery. I think this will be collected in print form in February.

 

[Procutus]

I'm expecting a little bit of a hiatus now

Yeah, I was thinking much the same thing, being it's both the end of the arc and now the holidays. I'll be just as happy if the new story doesn't start until after the first of the year, when I'll have a bit more time to stay on top of it. Plus, it'll give me the opportunity to re-read the first 24 issues.

 

[Admiral_Young]

The hiatus is over as of Friday...and we have some major news from Miller who has announced a digital spin off series that will feature J'onn! Along with a change in the schedule.


http://ca.ign.com/articles/2012/12/14/smallville-season-11-building-the-justice-league

 

[DarKush]

^
Thanks for posting. Not too interested in the upcoming "Haunted" Impulse arc. But I am intrigued by the interludes and the Martian Manhunter/Batman story.

As for the concluding "Detective" arc, I thought it was okay. I didn't love it like I wanted to. I do wish that Miller had been allowed to make Nightwing Stephanie Brown instead of Barbara Gordon. I know this is a Smallville take, but the Nightwing character felt more like Stephanie than Barbara to me.

I liked the take on Mr. Freeze quite a bit. Prankster was okay. Though I sort of like the nod to the movies with Otis, it doesn't make much sense for Smallville's Lex to keep Otis around. Hopefully Miller will tell us the how and why Lex does.

Overall I think the "Detective" arc started out strong but I started to lose interest. And I really, really wanted to like it more than I did.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I agree regarding the Barbara Gordon Nightwing...she too reminded me of Steph at times. I read issue #25 which kicks off "Haunted" and wow what a start. Bart makes his return, in a pretty cool moment. We return back into the demented mind of Luthor as he attempts to make Tess reveal what she knows about Superman to him. The art was really fantastic in this issue.