Wednesday Is R.E.B.E.L.S.ious For All I Care #42

Batgirl #2
R.E.B.E.L.S. #6 (2009)
R.E.B.E.L.S. #7 (2009)
R.E.B.E.L.S. #8 (2009)

I'm so very behind on my floppy comic book reviews, and unlike being very very behind on my trade paperback reviews, these little bitches seriously lack for shelf life. Fuck it though, as if you're reading this, you know timeliness ain't never been my bag.

Batgirl #2 (DC, 2009, $2.99)
So let me get this straight: We've got this well regarded, solid selling, decade strong ongoing series about a diverse group of strong, intelligent super-heroines. We're going to cancel that shit, and replace it with a book about the buttocks of three Gotham City femme fatales. Oh, and I guess we'll turn the star of the old series into a bitchy nag supporting character in a new series about a kinda dumb, fairly mediocre former Robin flame with shitty art and generic writing. The only thing keeping this a notch above fanfic is the lack of sex, extraneous guest appearances, and low caliber villai... The Outsiders? Scarecrow? Just the lack of sex and actually beating anyone decent then-- yet. Just to doom this up but good, let's start her off in the same costume as the last Batgirl from a tepid, poor selling series, then give her the lousiest, clunkiest new get-up we can design on a cocktail napkin at three in the morning. Yeah, DC is chock full of dicks for us to eat these days.


R.E.B.E.L.S.#6 (DC, 2009, $2.99)
Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Frazatta's Death Dealer running around outer space conquering planets with his battle ax is even more goofy and ridiculous than a giant star fish controlling folks' minds. If this is our direction, we really need Lobo back on the team, because cerebral it ain't. There is however a sense of scale, and an opportunity for Vril Dox to pull resolution for the first trade paperback collection out of his ass.

The regular fill-in art by Claude St. Aubin remains nice, the story is okay, but I'm still having trouble pulling for this book. My single most-hated member of L.E.G.I.O.N./R.E.B.E.L.S. v1.0 (discounting Garv) is the only other returning cast of note, seeing as the Khund was the most minor of figures previously. Out of the new lot, I only halfway like Wildstar, and even then her borrowing a name from the old Al Gordon/Jerry Ordway Image series (Does their trademark still stand?) I can't believe I'm repeating this, but really need Lobo back on the team.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #7 (DC, 2009, $2.99)
This was a solid, standalone "breather" issue to orient people reading the hypothetical second trade paperback collection. Andy Clarke is back on art, but between his pulling back over the long haul and St. Aubin aping him as best as possible, the look is surpringly consistent.I still dislike most of these characters, and referencing classic Legion material only goes so far, but I'm begrudgingly carrying on with this.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #8 (DC, 2009, $2.99)
Well shit. Just as I'd resigned myself to tolerating this series until its inevitable cancellation (either personally or at the corporate level,) the book goes balls deep into old continuity I actually care about. I saw solicitations for upcoming Blackest Night tie-ins, and was wondering "when did that former member I wish was on the new team die? At least death is a good excuse for the absence." Oh wait, they died in a flashback right here, so they really should have been in this book instead. Maybe use Black Lantern Garryn Beck instead, or something.

Anyway, the best character in the first R.E.B.E.L.S. run is back, but neutered. Sadly, Lyrl also reminds me how pale an imitation this current series is. Even with Andy Clarke, I still wonder whatever happened to the criminally unappreciated art of Derec Aucoin. Besides, for some reason Clarke's art this issue looks a might too much like that Ian Churchill wannabe who does Vertigo's Air series. What's up with that?

On a positive note, with old acquaintences returning, and respectable new members promised, I'm finally starting to appreciate this book again.