Rann-Thanagar War

Rann-Thanagar War 

By Dave Gibbons, Ivan Reis & Marc Campos (DC Comics/Titan Books)
ISBN 1-84576-231-2

It’s sad to say that sometimes even the most talented creators have bad days. This tie-in to the DC Infinite Crisis publishing event features all the space-faring components of the company’s current continuity, butting heads as a galaxy-wide war breaks out in the chaotic period leading up to the crisis itself.

Despite the best efforts of all involved the uneasy mix of political intrigue, cosmic conflict and evil soul-sucking demons proves too much for the likes of Adam Strange, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Captain Comet, the Omega Men, Starman, the Green Lantern Corps and just about every other hero who’s had to suck hard vacuum in his/her/its career. The resultant morass of histrionics, ray-blasts and fist-fights is actually a chore to wade through by the end.

One more thing, and this I fear I’ll be saying an awful lot in years to come: I don’t much care for fashions or traditions in narrative and publishing, but I do think that some things should be treated as Givens. So when I get to the end of a book I expect there to be at least some semblance of a resolution to the narrative. I don’t like being told it’s not over yet and I need to read another book for an ending – especially when that succeeding book hasn’t been published yet.

Is that so unreasonable?

© 2005 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.