Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Brightest Day # 9

By Koppy McFad
September 10, 2010 - 02:49

Green Arrow battles Martian Manhunter in the unnatural forest in the heart of Star City.

This issue finally picks up the plotline involving Aquaman, Black Manta and the mysterious youth who is apparently going to become the new Aqualad. Having multiple lead characters in one book does diffuse the story, to the point that readers may lose interest in one of the characters, unless the creative team reminds us why his story is so important.

The main focus of this issue however is the Martian Manhunter venturing into the mysterious Star City forest, where he promptly goes berserk, forcing Green Arrow to use extreme measures to pacify him. Frankly, it is hard to tell how this relates with the mystery Martian killer who is stalking J'onn. Again, the creative team should consider wrapping up some of these plotlines before people stop caring.

The whole trip to Star City just seems like a red herring-- or more likely, an attempt to drum up interest in the GREEN ARROW title, which needs all the help it can get. But for those who are waiting for more details on the main mysteries in this book, the side-trip to Star City just looks like a waste of space.

The art in this issue is quite uneven. The Aquaman portion is sharp and easy to follow but the Star City section is muddled and difficult to understand. Partly, this is because of all the smoke, fire and Martain shape-shifting but the artist should have compensated for this.

Frankly, the highlight of the book is the action scene with Black Manta, mainly because it is drawn so well and because the character's strength and anger make him much more captivating than all those confused characters who have been wandering throughout this miniseries.

 

Rating: 6 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12