Broken Frontier

Welcome to Broken Frontier’s weekly issue by issue roundup of events from every corner of the DC Universe. This is where to come to catch up on what’s been happening with your favorite DC characters and how events in their books affect the DCU’s recent "Bigger Picture". We also point out any interesting continuity tidbits, link to suggested background reading and examine any pertinent questions raised by events in the week’s releases.

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

Batman: Battle for the Cowl #2

The Black Mask continues to manipulate events as the gang war between the Penguin and Two-Face escalates and a daring attack is made on Gotham police department by Mask’s operative Jane Doe. Nightwing and Damian Wayne identify the gun-wielding Batman, who has been murdering Gotham’s underworld as Jason Todd, although this remains unconfirmed for certain. The violent Batman claimant shoots Damian Wayne in the chest in their struggle and, later, when Tim Drake and Catwoman track him down to his "Batcave" he stabs Tim in the midriff with a batarang.

Crossovers: Battle for the Cowl

The Bigger Picture: Tim taking on the mantle of the Bat was foreshadowed in the final issues of Robin. Dick Grayson’s mentorship of Damian Wayne was predicted in the "Origins and Omens" backup in Nightwing #153. Commissioner Gordon mentions his ordeal at Mr. Freeze’s hands which we saw in Batman: Battle for the Cowl: Commissioner Gordon #1 a couple of weeks back.

Tim Drake gave Jason Todd another chance by freeing him from prison in Robin #182. Unless it's deliberate misdirection DC’s solicitation for Battle of the Cowl #3 confirms Jason is the violent Batman seen in #2:

With the destruction of Arkham Asylum, the return of the Black Mask, and dozens of Gotham City's most lethal villains rioting through the streets, Nightwing, Robin and their allies seem to have their hands full. But when you add a deadly Jason Todd masquerading as a gun-toting Batman to the mix, things have definitely spiraled out of control!

Could this have anything to do with the last message Bruce Wayne left for Jason Todd in Robin #183?

Continuity Corner: Jane Doe, one of the Arkham escapees working for Black Mask, is a female serial killer who first appeared in the 2003 limited series Arkham Asylum: Living Hell.

Questions: Is the murderous Batman really Jason Todd or is this a very elaborate red herring? Is there any significance to the gun-toting Batman’s red eyes which are very reminiscent of the Azrael/Batman’s from the Knightfall  storyline (note also Black Mask’s red eyes!)? If this is Jason why has he become so ultra-violent again after all the character development he went through from Countdown onwards? Will the words "Jean Paul Valley Lives! That’s not him!" on Rip Hunter’s chalkboard in Booster Gold #10 finally find any resolution in Battle for the Cowl? Who is the new Black Mask and what is his ultimate agenda?

Green Lantern #39

On Okaara a group of Controllers seek out the orange light to form their own Corps but are slaughtered by Larfleeze the "guardian" of the orange flame (identified on the cover as "Agent Orange"). Over on the planet Odym, Hal Jordan attempts to reject the power of the Blue Lantern Corps although, ultimately, even the Guardians cannot remove the blue ring from his left hand. In response to the Controllers’ intrusion in the Vega system the avaricious Orange Corps enters the conflict between ring bearers, leading to a confrontation between Larfleeze and the Guardians of the Universe.

Crossover: Blackest Night

The Bigger Picture: Rogue Guardians Ganthet and Sayd seek to unite the Blue and Indigo Corps ("Hope and compassion must work together"). They also mention the "Brightest Day" (that follows the Blackest Night?) and point to a major confrontation between Hal Jordan and Sinestro in this summer’s crossover. Hal Jordan’s "leadership" of the Blue Corps will be as a GL (blue rings only work in the vicinity of Green Lanterns after all).

In response to the reignition of the orange light, and Larfleeze’s demands, the Guardian of the Universe Scar proposes a change to the Book of Oa and another new law – the Vega system is no longer outside Green Lantern Corps jurisdiction.

Continuity Corner: The Controllers have a confused backstory but, post-Crisis, they are basically an offshoot of the Oans who took a more proactive approach to destroying evil than their cousins the Guardians of the Universe. Their most memorable attempt at forming their own Corps came in the wake of Emerald Twilight  and Hal Jordan’s destruction of the GLC when they formed the Darkstars to fill the gap the Corps had left behind. The Darkstars ran for 39 issues (including a #0) between 1992 and 1995 and included ex-Titan Donna Troy amongst their members. The Controllers were also responsible for creating the Kyle Rayner GL villain Effigy, who first appeared in super-powered form in Green Lantern #113. Apparently the Earthly Effigy was just one of a platoon of similarly powered characters who failed as rivals to the GLC.

Questions: What is the nature of the "Orange Corps"? Is Larfleeze their Guardian figure or is he the sole wielder of that power? Why did the Guardians agree to ignore the Vega system? What was the true nature of their pact with Larfleeze? What next for the Controllers in recruiting their own Corps? Is there a link between the orange power and the Controllers’ former agent Effigy (killed by The Spectre in Final Crisis: Revelations #1)? Who were the Controllers’ Beta Men? Do they have any link to the Omega Men?

Superman: World of New Krypton #2

Kal-El struggles to find his place in New Krypton’s brutal Military Guild but still manages to find a humane solution to stopping a herd of rampaging Thought-Beasts from accidentally destroying two of the planet’s atmosphere generators. His acceptance of Kryptonian culture, though, is sorely put to the test when the downtrodden Labor Guild demand equal rights and take Alura and the Kryptonian assembly hostage. In response General Zod sanctions Commander Gor’s threat to execute innocent Labor Guild members in retaliation...

The Bigger Picture: Supergirl appears here after her mission to bring her father’s murderer Reactron to justice as shown in an ongoing plot in the recent Supergirl #39.

The Guardians of the Universe, from the Green Lantern books, identify New Krypton as a potential threat to the universe.

Continuity Corner: The Thought-Beasts are an updating of the pre-Crisis Kryptonian Thought Monsters depicted right on the cover of Superboy #102 (Jan 1963).

Questions: What was the outcome of Supergirl’s mission on Earth? Did Kara get revenge on behalf of Alura and, if so, what is the final fate of Reactron?

Titans #12

The Teen Titans join their adult counterparts the Titans as Jericho’s threat grows. Haunted by visions of his father Deathstroke grip on sanity continues to weaken. Concerned that the violent Vigilante may kill Jericho before they can get to him they draw out the violent anti-hero by pretending that Cyborg is still possessed. Their plan goes awry though when Cyborg is shot in the face by Vigilante and seriously injured.

Crossovers: Deathtrap Part 1

The Bigger Picture: Jericho’s father Deathstroke was last seen in Faces of Evil: Deathstroke #1 in a story where he deliberately set out to push his daughter Rose/the Ravager away from him.

Jericho has been out of control for some months now in the DCU beginning with his attacks on Presidential candidates in DC Universe: Decisions #s 1-4 and assault on his former team-mates in Titans #s 8-11. This issue follows on directly from his attack on the Teen Titans in last week’s Teen Titans Annual #1. His actions have also been investigated by the eponymous hero in an ongoing storyline in the latest Vigilante series.

Questions: Just what is Jericho’s ultimate plan beyond his "revenge" on his former allies and how does it tie into his murderous attacks on the Presidential candidates? Which of the absorbed personalities in his mind is truly pulling his strings?

Join us tomorrow for the second part of this week’s roundup when we look at events in Secret Six, Solomon Grundy and re-enter the lost world of The Warlord...