Writer: Paul CornellArtist: Pete Woods, et al
Publisher: DC ComicsCollects: Action Comics #890-895
There was a time when it was a treat to see characters from different series together. When seeing Green Lantern fight the Joker, or Batman fight Sinestro would have thrilled and delighted in idea alone. But such things are taken for granted now. The bad guys team up every year, and nobody sticks to the confines of their own territory for long. We seek other thrills now.
It seemed like such simple wonders were behind us, and naught but shadows of a "less sophisticated" time.
And then a terribly entertaining Englishman called Paul Cornell swam the channel between Marvel and DC, and between past and present, to bring us The Black Ring.
Feeling cheated out of a Power Ring after the events of Blackest Night, Lex Luthor greedily seeks to acquire universal power for himself. With Superman walking the Earth (see Grounded, out this August), he sees the perfect opportunity to scour the planet, uninterrupted, for unique energy signatures which he believes will lead to his goal. But just because the Man of Steel is out of the picture doesn't mean that Lex won't face threats from other antagonists along the way.
And that's my dirty little secret about this story: I actually enjoyed the DC villains' parade a lot more than the actual "cosmic scavenger hunt" plot, that feels a little bit overdone at this stage. Paul Cornell, fresh from Captain Britain and straight onto America's longest-running and most famous on-going series, dives right into his task with all the charm, confidence and surreal humour of the best British writers.
The momentum of the story, right from the first panel, never lets up. Not a single page is wasted; hitting us with action, imagination, or (a surprisingly refreshing) characterisation of Luthor as necessary. But it is indeed the interactions between Lex and the "villain of the month" that is the real treat.
Cornell's take on Mr. Mind or Gorilla Grodd is just as different and exciting as his take on Luthor. They never feel hindered by years of continuity, now do they stray from established consistency. Like James Robinson on Starman, Cornell is clearly having a lot of fun with characters he enjoys writing (and reading too, I'd conjecture). And like his fellow Brit's work, his run on Action Comics will no doubt be the subject of meaningful debates and suchlike, but deep down, it's just good, old-fashioned crossover highjinks.
Perhaps the only thing that could be dragged down into the bowels of scrutiny is Cornell's take on Lex Luthor. As I said, it is refreshing to see a more upbeat, but still arrogant version of the character. It is said that smart people are only happy when their minds are engaged, and that is precisely what is happening here. Given a problem to solve, and unmolested by superheroes, Luthor is finally able to seek some pleasure in his work, and is not afraid to do it, alongside his robot Lois Lane "assistant". Which will never, ever stop being creepy.
The scene where Luthor examines his past is an excellent example of this story's nostalgic elements (how many stories can you spot?), Cornell's light examination of the character, and Woods' art. A little bit looser in layouts than I usually like, but his placement and posing are spot-on for the snappy, electric tone of this tale. Particularly in the Frankenstein scene. Very retro.
I'm impatient to see what villains are brought in next (especially considering that cliffhanger), but if I were you I wouldn't expect anything to0 revelatory. This is pure entertainment weaved through some punchy character pieces. Or are you too old for that kind of thing?
Rating: 3/5
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