[[{“value”:”
Have you ever had the feeling that DC owns a character who is popular among a decent chunk of their fanbase but has no idea what to do with them (insert Tim Drake fan joke here)? And as such are desperate to try anything in the hopes that something works (repeat the previous joke).
Yeah, that’s the feeling I got after reading this issue of The Question: All Along the Watchtower.
It’s not just Renee either. This series seems to be the trendy new place for the C-Listers to hang out as we get Animal Man as the League’s zookeeper, Ted Kord as the League’s forensic scientist, Bulleteer as the League’s inventory manager, Nightshade as the League’s bartender, and Tawky Tawny as the League’s middle management who does not care about your personal life. If it seems like I’m exaggerating, I can only wish that I was.
As for the murder mystery plot, it looks like Batwoman let a space tiger into Renee’s room, where one of the Challengers of the Unknown (now working as the League’s janitorial staff) gets mauled by the alien leopard. But oh no, it was actually the Eradicator who used his mental abilities (someone checked the wiki for that one) to mind control Kate into releasing the interstellar panther to kill the Challenger Kenn Kawa (who, for the record, is an existing character). But don’t worry, Kenn doesn’t actually die – I guess the galactic jaguar got bored mid-mauling – so the Eradicator is here to finish the job. Except someone is pulling his strings. DUN-DUN-DUUUNNNNN
You may have noticed that I barely mentioned Renee throughout the review of the comic whose lead she is supposed to be. That’s because she doesn’t leave much of an impact on it. She doesn’t solve anything related to the attempted murder, nor does she help stop the Eradicator unless you count heroically getting the stuffing knocked out of her as something useful. As the head honcho of League security, she seems always to be the last one to know everything. Also, why are fellow heroes like Blue Beetle and Nightshade not giving her straight answers? Did they get a copy of the script and realize they had to be vague and dramatic to create an artificial atmosphere of suspense?
How…is any of this…allowed?
I feel writer Alex Segura is trying to give her an arc where she learns to trust people and let her walls down, especially since she apparently gave her ex a hard time because she saw her committing murder. But as head of security, I think it might be important to be a bit suspicious of people who may have committed murder, despite any personal relation to them. Then again, what do I know?
Hey Kate, remember that time you killed Clayface? Or do your rules not apply to you?
The art continues to be a mixed bag, with scenes like the full-page spread of the Eradicator looking good, while Nightshade seems to have either aged drastically like Jaime in the last issue or spontaneously generated a forcefield around her.
Recommended If
You wanted to see your favorite C-Lister taking stock of the League’s inventory or running a bar (I still can’t wrap my head around that one)
You wanted to see drama between Kate and Renee (oh boy, do I !!!)
You remembered the Eradicator had telepathy.
Overall
The only thing this issue confirmed for me was that sometimes it is best to leave characters on the proverbial shelf once their arc was completed in a satisfactory manner. How many times can we talk about Renee’s alcoholism and struggles in her love life without turning them into punchlines? I know she has self-doubt about her job, but do we have to wait till the 3rd act of the movie for her to overcome it? I’m glad DC is giving characters like Renee and Cassandra their own series, and I love that Jenny Sparks and Black Canary have gotten some love as well, but it still needs to be a comic worth reading.
Score: 3/10
Disclaimer: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of review.
“}]] Have you ever had the feeling that DC owns a character who is popular among a decent chunk of their fanbase but has no… Read More