I remember how excited I was reading about Scott's gay counterpart in "Earth 2," and I was thrilled when DC decided to make him gay in the main universe (or whatever we're calling it these days). This series' mission is clearly to show that we're not dealing with the usual retcon here: we just didn't know Alan's history as well as we thought.
Sheridan starts making this point from page 1, as J. Edgar Hoover blackmails Alan with evidence of his homosexuality to get him to play a more active role in the Justice Society of America. Anyone who's ever held that secret likely felt Alan's fear as viscerally as I did here. As I said, this issue is intense.
Hoover's evidence comes in the form of a diary and photos that the Army's Project Crimson recovered. The photos show Alan's lover, Johnny, in his arms in a motel room, bringing us to a flashback to 1936. Sheridan shows his thoughtful approach to Alan as a character when he underscores that the fear we saw Alan display in his meeting with Hoover isn't just that people will discover he's gay. It's that he is gay. He pauses fooling around with Johnny because they're committing a sin. Asking if it's because they're not married, Johnny alludes to what my husband dubs the Republican cul-de-sac, pointing out he'd marry Alan in a minute if the government let them. Realizing Alan isn't just talking about marriage, Johnny puts his arms around Alan and asks him how he could love him if God didn't want him to do so. (He also asks how God could make him look so good in a ring, introducing Chekhov's gun, i.e., his college baseball ring.)
We move from the motel room to a ship, where we learn Alan is part of the Army Corps of Engineers and they're all on a mission to recover the "Crimson Flame" amid "rumors about the new German leader." Alan and Johnny have built a container for the Flame, which would give the United States the power to stop any war before it starts. That night, Johnny uses his ring to propose to Alan, who panics since someone might've seen him do so. Suddenly, though, they see a red glow, the story of which, annoyingly, is apparently told in "DC Pride: Through the Years" #1.
Back in the present (i.e., 1941), Scott is telling this story to his manservant, Derby, who, like me, doesn't get why Alan's links his reticence to join the JSA to his homosexuality, since it isn't like he's going to fuck a guy at headquarters. Derby presses, and Alan appears more afraid about joining any team given what happened the last time he was on one. (Alan is giving very drama queen here.) At any rate, they hear sirens, and Alan changes into his costume and is gone.
Returning to 1936, Alan narrates that his obsession with the Flame came from his hope that successfully recovering it could be his and Johnny's tickets to leave the Army, where he could make it the subject of a doctoral dissertation and a few books and build a life with Johnny. They capture the Flame in Alan's device, but it gets angry and attacks the ship. Alan saves Johnny from falling into the sea, and someone manages to save Alan before they both go overboard, too. Alan releases the Flame to save the ship, but, as it departs, it grabs Johnny.
In 1941, Alan arrives on the scene of the crime and is confused when the lieutenant insists that he was already there. The lieutenant asks where the "loon with the gun" was, adding to Alan's confusion. The lieutenants notes that Alan and the loon, who was only wearing shorts and combat boots, are hard to mistake for someone else. Before he can get more information, Alan stops a crimson blast from attacking the area and finds the aforementioned "loon's" body on top of a building. Flash is on the scene and notes that the man looks like he drowned, given the froth around his mouth and nostrils, and has second-degree burns on his arms. Flash wonders aloud how someone can burn and drown at the same time. Looking at the body, Alan realizes that it's Johnny.
In 1936, the Flame takes Johnny from Alan, and the men restrain him as Alan hears the Flame's voice saying, "Firrssst we bring deathhh..." In 1941, we see people holding down Alan in an Arkham jumpsuit as he narrates that he's heard that "booming, raspy, maddening sound" every since.
All in all, it's a great start. As I mentioned, it really centers Alan as a creature of his era, explaining why this part of his life remained a secret for so long. Unless DC retcons Jade and Obsidian's existence, it's clear that Alan doesn't resolve his struggles with his identity, eventually marrying a woman and trying to put his homosexuality behind him. For now, though, we get to see Alan living his life authentically. It's sad that time will end, but we'll see where we go from here.
Blade Runner 2039 #8: This issue reminded me of how title card in "Cyberpunk 2077" doesn't appear until you're about 25% or so into the game. Johnson establishes the stakes for the first time here, as Ash realizes that she has to kill Niander Wallace, Jr. if Isobel and, by extension, Cleo are ever going to rest. That said, she only gets the opportunity to take on Wallace, Jr. after Isobel swipes Luv and Rash's spinner and opens fire on them and Mack sacrifices himself to give Ash time to get in the spinner. Along the way, we're treated to Rash discovering what pain is and becoming obsessed with it, an awakening just as creepy as it sounds.
Void Rivals #5: Kirkman veers into an area that we don't often see in "G.I. Joe" or "Transformers" comics, implying Zerta's worshippers are connected with some sort of mystical power. It's an interesting addition to the Energon Universe, as we're calling it.
This revelation comes shortly after Solila warns Darak that they're going to torture him and the guards promptly arrive to do so. (She's like Liam Neeson in "Taken.") After the guards leave with Darak, a purple cloaked woman named Mistress Vill and her two acolytes enter the cell. Solila isn't pleased, telling them that she turned her back on "you zealots" long ago. Vill tells Solila that, once someone bathes in Zerta's light, it can't be undone. She asserts that Solila will also be a Keeper of the Light at some point. Solila accuses Vill of following her own will, not Zerta's, and Vill comments that Solila sounds like Zalilak. Solila asks Vill why's she's tormenting her, as if her imprisonment isn't enough, and Vill tells Solila it's just another trial (like the "Caverns of Rall") that will teach Solila something. Telling Solila that her destiny isn't to die in darkness, Vill pledges to help her and gives her a "unique item of power."
Meanwhile, on Quintessa, Skuxxoid has brought the Quintesson with him to try to extort some cash from the Quintessons who are furious the Quintesson failed in his mission to bring a scorpia (the beast we saw last issue) to the fighting arenas on Dominus as planned. After they have the Sharkticons drag away the Quintesson, the Quintessons order Skuxxoid to stand trial. He starts babbling about how he'll be in their debt if they let him survive and they can have all his ships, mentioning the one containing Agorrian and Zertonian rare metals. Interestingly, the Quintessons stop him at the mention of "Zertonians."
Back on the Ring, Darak endures his third day of torture. After the torturer leaves, a young boy arrives with Darak's equipment and tells him to come with him. Darak notes that the boy isn't surprised to see his face, and the boy informs him that he's from a small group with use for him. Darak then finds himself face to face, in his words, with "some kind of underground resistance." Its leader, Kanela, confirms that she and the other "Unifiers" seek to unify the Ring. Darak tells them that he won't help unless they rescue Solila, prompting Kanela to tell him that he has no idea who she really is. (I'm guessing it has something to do with Villa previously calling her the "First Chosen.") We close with Solila staring at a green-colored USB-like device, likely the "item of power."
All in all, Kirkman really manages to strike a great balance with this series. It moves quickly without making you feel like you're dragging your way through too much exposition while at the same time keeps you guessing at every turn. Good stuff.
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