Broken Frontier

Broken Frontier’s regular DC coverage resumes this week as we look at the DC line once more, highlighting all the important events and analyzing significant plot developments. During our hiatus we’ve seen Evil conquer New Earth, the true origin of Supergirl finally explained and Batman R.I.P. crossovers that ranged from the integral to those bordering on "Red Skies" syndrome. Let’s dive straight into this week’s crop of releases and see what’s been happening this week across the DC Universe - a week where we focus mainly on the major happenings for DC's Big Three.

But first a quick Spoiler Warning: Read no further if you’ve not had your DC fix this week and don’t want to read about key story elements.

Batman Family

The big talking point of the week was undoubtedly Batman #681 which ended up posing even more questions about the true nature of the Black Glove. Bruce Wayne and his allies have taken down the Black Glove at last but not before Batman and Hurt went crashing into the Gotham harbor via a plummeting helicopter. So who was Dr. Simon Hurt after all that? Was he the actor Mangrove Pierce as part of an elaborate and convoluted criminal enterprise? Or was he Bruce’s father – undermining the entire core of his mission/raison d’etre and making Batman R.I.P. a suitable title for the character’s spiritual death? Or perhaps, as some have surmised, a far darker, more primal evil seeking to corrupt the Dark Knight and manifesting in human form to carry out that end?

Although we do finally get the story behind the phrase "Zur En Arrh" it looks like we need to wait a little longer before we discover the final fate of Bruce Wayne. Shortly before their climactic tussle Hurt taunts Batman that the next time he wears his cape and cowl it will be the last and he will come to curse it. I’d look to the pages of upcoming issues of Final Crisis for both those events.

As the treacherous Jezebel Jet gets her comeuppance for betraying Bruce, courtesy of Talia Al Ghul and her Man-Bat army, it’s worth noting that Batman appears to be falling in love again in the pages of Batman: Gotham After Midnight #7. His failure to save Detective Clarkson’s partner from Killer Croc bringing the super-hero and the cop close to an embrace at issue’s end...

In Birds of Prey #124 the Joker’s alliance with the Silicon Syndicate proves to have serious repercussions for the team. While the bulk of the Birds take on the criminal businessmen face to face, back at their homebase Oracle is forced to confront not just the Joker but also her memories of the events of Batman: The Killing Joke. Although the tables are turned on the Clown Prince of Crime his knowledge of the BoP’s operations will force them to flee Platinum Flats.

Other points to consider here are the Calculator throwing his lot in with the Syndicate and the status of Gizmo in the DCU. Those who read the recent DC Special: Cyborg miniseries will know that the diminutive criminal’s son has also taken up the Gizmo name and modus operandi. With his father now resurrected and active again can a meeting between the two be far off?

(Extended) Superman Family

In Superman #682 the new Kryptonian inhabitants of Earth take the law into their own hands when they capture and imprison Superman’s Rogues Gallery in the Phantom Zone. With the aliens’ vigilantism leading to the deaths of a number of Metropolis’s Science Police, Jim "The Guardian" Harper is inducted into the S.P. Where this leaves the Seven Soldiers version of the Guardian remains to be seen. Those touched by Bizarro’s grief at Jonathan Kent’s death may want to check out the faux Superman’s appearances in Rann-Thanagar Holy War where he remains a major player.

Gog’s gifts begin to backfire on their recipients in the cumbersomely-titled Justice Society of America Kingdom Come Special: The Kingdom #1 as the Kingdom Come Superman worries that New Earth is moving further down the road to destruction that Earth-22 took. The fractures in the JSA increase with a knock-down fight between the Golden Age Atom’s "sons" Atom-Smasher and Damage. At the same time Sand makes a horrifying discovery – with each use of Gog’s God-like powers the planet is being severely damaged and Sand can hear the Earth’s soul screaming in pain.

There’s a peripheral thematic tie-in between JSA events and those in Trinity #26 where we learn more about the Earth’s consciousness. Tarot fully realizes her rapport with the Worldsoul and the long lineage of women linked to it through history; the last holder of the role being Sindella, Zatanna’s mother. Looks like it’s up to Tarot to restore the Trinity, put reality straight and heal the Worldsoul in the process. Expect this plot thread to converge with Krona’s storyline as the cosmic villain is also attempting to communicate with planetary souls. Also this week Konvikt shows awareness of reality’s twisting status and becomes more important to the "Troika"’s plans.

Wonder Women

The Wonder "sisters" face polarised changes to their status quos as big changes loom for both characters. In Teen Titans #65 Wonder Girl’s confronts Lycus, the son of her half-brother Ares, whose attacks on the team led to the death of Titan supporting player Marvin a couple of issues back. Jealous of the powers his father bestowed on Cassie, Lycus has been targeting her for revenge. Events backfire on the demigod this issue when Wonder Girl regains total power over her heritage and gains a new costume into the bargain.

Cassie’s father Zeus looks in with pride on his daughter at the end of TT #65, presumably just before he and the rest of the Greek Gods return to Mount Olympus in Wonder Woman #26 where their story continues. After the events of Countdown to Final Crisis the Olympians return home from their imprisonment to find Olympus in ruins and their godhood waning. Meanwhile on Earth, the Society are up to their normal scheming: the Cheetah having commissioned T.O. Morrow to create a "JLA Killer". However, Genocide, the creature Morrow has fashioned, is linked to the mysterious Ichor; a violent celestial force that existed before the Gods and its rampage is beyond even Wonder Woman’s power to stop. This issue kicks off the "Rise of the Olympian" story arc promising some big shake-ups for the Amazon princess.

Mainstream, Magic and Men of War

The civil war in the underworld throws up more questions in Reign in Hell #5. The continuing mystery of Lobo’s supposed long-term imprisonment there being something of a puzzler given how active he’s been around the DCU of late. Looks like we have some potential major retconning going on here as Etrigan reveals the Lobo active in the DCU was "a doppelganger construct conjured by the Lord Neron". So just how long has the one, true Lobo been missing? When it comes to the Last Czarnian we may have a few years worth of stories where "Everything you knew was a lie"... Etrigan/Jason Blood also play a significant role in Superman and Batman Vs. Vampires and Werewolves #4 this week.

And rounding up the other books on release there’s a team-up between the Teen Titans and Jaime Reyes in Blue Beetle #33 as we discover the aims of the deadly new Dr. Polaris. The War That Time Forgot #7 gives us more sightings of the aliens manipulating the kidnapped cross-time warriors. Not that I want to see him in a fantasy setting but if the War’s combatants really are the best of each historical conflict then just where is Sgt. Rock in all this? And for long-time LSH fans Legion of Super-Heroes #48 gives us a Threeboot-flavored helping of Legion tryouts – always a favorite for Legion fans!

Join us again in seven days for a roundup of the next batch of DC releases and we will be catching up with our Continuity Corner entries very soon. Thanks for reading!