This week: DC All-In continues to look at who’s watching the new Justice League Watchtower. (Hint: I’m Renee Montoya.) Meanwhile, the Milestone Universe gets a new miniseries, Catwoman goes on the run for her life, and Batman & Robin: Year One solidifies itself as a classic dynamic duo Group story status.
Question: Always at Watchtower #1
writer: Alex Segura
artist: Cian Twomey
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Writer: Willy Schubert
Cover artist: Tommy and Little Fajardo
Question: Always at Watchtower #1 It’s the big debut of this week’s DC All-In, and it can be really big at times. For example, pages two and three offer a nice double-page splash of the new Justice League Watchtower – with Renee Montoya now serving as the station’s head of security.
However, it’s the intimate moments in this issue, and Segura’s take on Renee Montoya, that make this book worth reading.
When DC announced this six-issue miniseries, I had two initial reactions. The first was, “Yes, Renee Montoya got her own book!” The second question was, “Why on earth did Montoya take this job?” Segura answered quickly and deftly answered my question, and within the first few pages we are told about Renee’s recent turbulent past. But he also made it clear that Renee was thinking the same thing. Question is unsure why she is in the Watchtower, or if she should be there, which affects her attitude toward her new position.
People who work with Question, including Animal Man, Blue Beetle, and ex-girlfriend Batwoman, find her a bit rough. This rudeness is both a cover for Renee’s insecurities and a reaction to the absurd circumstances in which she finds herself. Moving from Gotham City to outer space would put the game on hold for most people, even if they weren’t just fired from their previous job. So, like us, Montoya found her own way on the subject—and in true Renee Montoya fashion, she wasn’t always all glamor and grace.
Renee’s descriptions and reactions to her new surroundings, along with Segura’s cool PI-style narration, are the main strengths of this issue. Its main weakness is the incompletely sketched mystery and murderous plot that Renee attempts to unravel. Someone is trying to weaponize the Watchtower (exactly what that means, it’s up to the reader to decide), and so far they’ve caused some power surges and recruited a facsimile villain to help them. In the first chapter, there aren’t many clues as to what exactly is going on or who is behind the plot. The cliffhanger of this issue also felt a little flimsy for me, but I’ll probably still come back for more, mostly just to check out Montoya and see more of Tommy and Fajardo Jr.’s beautiful art.
Overview
Also launching this week is the new Milestone Universe miniseries, Milestone Universe: Shadow Cabinetfrom the writer Joseph Ilitchartist Darryl Banks and Atagon Ilhancolorist Christopher Sotomayorand engraver and world design. It’s been over a minute since I checked out the Milestone book. Did you know Brainiac invaded the Milestone Universe? I don’t. But thankfully, the book’s review page effectively hooked me in, and it gave me enough information to appreciate Milestone mainstays like Rocket and Hardware, whose worlds had been turned upside down by Brainiac. Ilitch does a great job of giving us an inside look into Rocket’s head, showing us why she remains a superhero despite the public’s distrust of her. The creative team’s portrayal of Rocket and Hardware’s complex and not-quite-forced alliance is a major selling point of this issue. However, fans of other Milestone characters and concepts may also find something to latch on to, as the issue sets up clues and suspense that bring other familiar groups into the fray.- Catwoman #70 continue writer Torren Grunbeckartist Fabiana Mascolocolorist Patricio Delpeshand engraver Steve Wants A bold and stylish story of international intrigue. If you’re like me and missed the first chapter of this story, don’t worry. You can delve into this issue to get a quick overview of Selina’s troubles. A smooth combination of effects. The question almost never stops, this is exactly what I want in an action thriller.
at last, Batman & Robin: Year One #2 This is the second installment in the soon-to-be classic Batman and Robin story. artist Chris Samney and colorist Giovanna Niro’s The art is filled with delightful character performances, crisp lines, and bold colors that are worth the price of admission alone. But Samnee and co-planner/writer Mark Waid’s The story is equally effective, highlighting the differences in attitudes between Bruce and Dick and their commitment to each other. This series is a must-buy for Dynamic Duo fans. (For those who missed Samnee’s Batober post, DC also posted Batman & Robin: Year One – Black Edition #1 This week, the first chapter of this story is reprinted in black and white.
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