The Smoking Lamp #73

I'm still working on the Smoking Lamp's future format. So there will be small changes in the way they are done over time.

JLU-2001

Martian Manhunter #10

by Brent Lambert

Best line and scene are Circe's "We want to sink Themyscira" and the reactions that engendered.

Wish there were more on what happened between the time Captain Atom was discovered in the box in the warehouse and his being a "member of the team" as he appears in this issue.

Hope when J'onn comes out of DG we loop back to the red carpet walk that was shown in the transition to the DG-verse in MM #8.

I liked the story. 6 1/2 Cigars.

Superman #27

"Trapped Inside One's Head"

by Steve Crosby

Best scene may be...

“No!” Lar Gand’s eyes blazed red. At a speed approaching light, the last Daxamite in Darkseid’s universe slammed into the robotic shell that Eradicator wore and shattered it. Living metal flew across the room and flowed into the walls.

or...the squishy Superman-Superboy amalgamation...ick.

Overall a pretty good story...8 1/2 Cigars.

Young Justice #11

"Young Rebels: Part 4: Surviving War World and the Final Fight!"

by Alex Hayden

Long issue. A couple of scenes jumped out at me here.

The white tux, top hat, tails, and fishnets and backward talking...excellent imagery there.

The flaming Azrael kneeling before Grayven.

Connor enjoying the carnage in the attack on the Justifier's HQ.

Rocco charging the ring.

And...

the Wow! moment...SHAZAM!

Cool imagery. The dialogue needed some work in a few places, but overall the plot and flow were pretty good. The rough spots drug the story down...maybe one more read through would have caught them. I give it 6 Cigars.

Wonder Woman #20

"Regaining Glory: Conclusion: Self"

by Matt Hrubey

The best scene in this story was the long fight with Artemis. Good flow and balance in the fight.

Fairly short story, but it hits all its marks and comes off well. 7 1/2 Cigars.

Legion Worlds #4

by Matt Pierce

“Are these the heroes I have awakened to? For a thousand years I have sat, waiting, contemplating and when the misguided finally appear, they are but babes? Earth has sent to me its children... Do not think for a moment, that I will hesitate to send them back... Earth's perished youth.” Dust and caked ash fell away from Him now, as He spoke and breathed. The years were caked on Him like dried mud and with every passing moment, the ages peeled away to reveal the terrible, old evil within:

Darkseid...

Setting the bar awfully high having an "Oh Wow" moment like that happen before the gatefold of the issue. That takes balls. Just worry about the possibility of anti-climax.

He turned and met Darkseid face to face and felt a vice like grip around his throat. Great line.

Darkseid on a Mobius chair...cool!

No anti-climax, just good stuff all the way through. 9 1/2 Cigars.

Dark Genesis #5

"Exodus"

by Curt Fernlund

The scenes:

Starfire vs. Blackfire in space...sweet.

The Infinite Man refusing Izaya.

Death crying.

But probably my favorite...

Darkseid glanced up as the skies sparkled at the horizon, the radiant blue split by a jagged flash of blinding white. Thunder rolled over the waves, the waters parting in their wake as they approached almost too fast to be seen; one red, one blue, brothers in blood if not in name. They were Gemini. They were Moses and Aaron come to free their people from a false god. Kryptonian and Daxamite…

Wow. It's a rare thing when I read something and think, "damn, I wish I had written that." On this one, I do. Great paragraph there.

Kara hanging. Her throat clenched in Darkseid's fist as he tried to strangle the life from her. Wow!

Great fight scenes all the way through. Excellent stuff.

Was there ever any doubt...10 Cigars