Comics this week

Earth 2 #20- Whereas James Robinson’s Earth 2 focused on Jay Garrick and Alan Scott, Tom Taylor’s Earth 2’s focus is on alternate versions of Batman and Superman. You can now add Lois Lane to his list as this issue was on character development amidst worldwide destruction. Yes, I know Aquawoman got her moment in the sky here but the meat of this issue was on Lois Lane/ Red Tornado. Not only did Taylor showed how important the character was to the team, he also made sure Lane’s love for her husband shone through amidst the gloom. This issue is far quieter than the boom-boom action of the past few issues, but it was every bit as good.

Forever Evil #5- A normal human among gods, that's Batman's place among the Justice League and some would (rightfully) call Batman slightly delusional. This issue, writer Geoff Johns took this aspect of his character and ran with it to a touchdown! When Batman told Lex Luthor, Bizarro, Black Mantra, Black Adam, Sinestro and Captain Cold he’s in charge, I was shocked no one burst out laughing. It was the funniest scene thus far in Forever Evil but so in line with Batman's character, you can actually see him doing it. Add that to the surprise death Power Ring (Go, Sinestro, Go) and you got one hell of an issue!

Ms. Marvel #1- Inhumanity has thus far been a disaster for Marvel. It’s almost a non-event, a sad fact when the potential of the event was enormous. The new Ms. Marvel hopefully will be just the first step in saving the event. A lot of the news had been on the fact that the new Ms. Marvel was a teenage Muslim girl named Kamala Khan and in this issue, writer G. Willow Wilson showed a good handle on cultural aspect of the story. Kamala is a high school girl who is obsessed with the Avengers and want to party with the popular kids but can’t due to her faith and strict parents. The superhero aspect of the story is handled far less well because until the last panel, there is no superheroics. Don’t get me wrong; this is a solid start to the series, but with a title like Ms. Marvel you expect some superheroics right? Not so, and maybe it would have been better if Marvel chosen a new name for the character instead of using Ms. Marvel. This issue showed some promise but as it is, I’m still on the fence on this one.