Reviews: Authority, Detective Comics, and Atomic Robo

Authority #11 by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, Detective Comics #854 by Greg Rucka, and Atomic Robo #1 by Brian Clevinger
Authority #11 Detective Comics #854 Atomic Robo #1

Erica Gives This Comic Four StarsAuthority #11 by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

The rule is be careful what you wish for. I’ve been saying for a while that I wanted to know what happened with Apollo, since he’s been missing for several issues, ever since he was infected with the Warhol virus. And of course, the first page with the ‘I love you’ balloon tugged at my heart strings. I’m a shipper. A big shipper of Apollo and Midnighter and messing with them is an easy emotional pull for me.

Of course, I’m still holding out hope that Apollo will be okay at the end of arch. I’m just a sop like that. (I also think there would be a good amount of backlash from the LGBT community if Apollo died, turned evil, etc. We know our stereotypes.)

I do think making the virus sentient is interesting and beatable without the aid of the Doctor. Perhaps more original if Jason hadn’t been trying to get me to read Alan Moore’s Wildstorm Spotlight with sentient syphilis.

Erica gives this comic five starsDetective Comics #854 by Greg Rucka

Finally, the cast of characters I care about has another book. And another DC book to add to my pull list, which is always heavy with Marvel comics.

This comic is gorgeous; J.H. Williams III’s art and Dave Stewart’s colors are brilliant. The contrast between Kate’s life and Batwoman’s is brilliant in art style and choice alone. I love the reds and the textures. Some of Kate’s life reminded me of Evey V for Vendetta. This issue is work of art.

Rucka’s writing is as crisp as ever. Yes, it builds on his plots from 52, Crime Bible, and Final Crisis: Revelations, but I’m not sure that you’d have to read those to follow the story. (Opinions? I’ve read all those titles so I’m already bias.) I love Kate’s father as her sidekick and supplier of military weapons, and of course, Rucka’s research about weapons is as diligent as ever.

I’m so happy to see the Question feature story as the companion to this title. I love Renee, and I’m looking forward to seeing how her life moves into its next step. Plus, I’m happy to see that she has more practical short hair (as Batman pointed out to Kate); though it probably would’ve been better for her to chop it off in 52. Just saying.

Erica gives this comic five starsAtomic Robo #1 by Brian Clevinger

I picked up this title directly due to reading the Free Comic Book Day issue about Robo fighting a crazy genetically engineered dinosaur who thought he was from the past. Atomic Robo is hilarious and wacky.

This storyline is about Robo’s early days at the university with his creator, Nikola Tesla. But not to be boring, the crazies show up: that is H.P. Lovecraft and Charles Fort. Robo thinks they’re drunk, but soon engages them when they tell him that they know Tesla. Then they mention fighting the Great Old Ones and Robo remembers his orders from Telsa to kill them. (Obviously, Robo hasn’t attached himself to killing things like in the FCD issue.) Then it’s Cthulhu fun.

Of course, the most brilliant thing about this comic is drawing on history and literature as layers to the story, not necessarily the entire interest to it.

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