Manhunter v3 #5

2.50 USD/3.85 CAN @ February 2005

"Four Feet Under"

Writer: Marc Andreyko
Penciller: Jesus Saiz
Inker: Jimmy Palmiotti
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Colorist: Steve Buccellato
Editor: Rachel Gluckstern & Joan Hilty

Synopsis: In an empty Western style village north of Los Angeles, The Manhunter, Kate Spencer is training against robotic versions of Cheetah and Grundy. She destroyed both, and was then attacked by the previous Manhunter. She was taken down, but had her weapon ready to destroy him, thus earning a victory. And the previous Manhunter unmasked revealing to be Dylan Battles. UNmasked both walked back to the car to leave the village. Dylan touched a sore spot when Kate checked him and told him that her personal life is not a topic of discussion. Dylan then told him what he did to enhance her suit. He tuned up the suit to link with the wearer's nervous system, making it feel like a second skin. Her suit had some goop left from Shadow Thief from their last battle, and he converted it to be used as a tracking device, where the star on Manhunter's chest will light up brighter as the suit gets closer to Shadow Thief. He also upgraded her gauntlets to have super bright lights that will literally light up Shadow Thief when she touches him. They leave the village and she'll contact Dylan when she needs him.

We then have a short interlude of Shadow Thief talking to himself. Basically staying in the darkness.

Holding balloons and back in her lawyer suit, Kate Spencer is back at the hospital to visit her bedridden son. Unfortunately, her ex-husband is there and telling her visiting hours are over, and she cannot put the balloons in his room. He obtained a temporary court order to keep Kate away from their son and that he's suing for full custody of their son. Kate threw the gifts at him, and posted him against the wall and threatened him. He told him that this isn't about their son, and that something else is bothering her. Perhaps her fear of defeat. He told her to be a mother for once. Knowing he is right, she walked out telling him to tell their son she misses him and that she is sorry.

At the Los Angeles Federal Building she buried herself in work. An assistant was leading a group of people to her office and upon reaching it, opened the door and introduced the group to best federal prosecutor in America. He introduced them to her. The Justice League. Hawkman, Green Lantern John Stewart, Vixen, and Martian Manhunter was there to discuss recent events regarding the murder of Firestorm by Shadow Thief. They advised her Shadow Thief is in the Los Angeles area and has been seen with the new Manhunter. They are just extending a courtesy call to provide information. Kate responded that she will take Shadow Thief down in a court of law. Hawkman interjected that if he gets his hands on Shadow Thief before the law enforcement do, that there might not be anything left of him to be in a court. Martian Manhunter told her everyone is just upset about what happened and is feeling a raw nerve, and then they transported out of her office.

Later that night, Manhunter went on patrol in Hollywood, and various areas in Los Angeles. She entered the Hollywood Cemetery, and by Copperhead's tombstone, was attacked by a deceased Copperhead which was partially surrounded with Shadow Thief's goo. He's animating and controlling the dead corpse and attacked her getting the best of her. As Copperhead's hands prepared to choke her, she grabbed her laser-light dagger and severed the black goo from the dead corpse and grabbed a large rock on the other hand and waylaid a powerful punch send the corpse down. She then attacked Shadow Thief and got her gauntlets inside his chest and literally lit him up. His physical chest is exposed, and a part of him was asking for help, while Shadow Thief sent her flying through one of the graves.

The Justice League was on patrol that night over Los Angeles, and picked up Vixen unexpectedly.

Manhunter was about to emerge from the grave she crashed into when suddenly she saw Green Lantern attack Shadow Thief. She went back inside the grave and hid from the Justice League. Hawkman bashed Shadow Thief across the face with his mace, and Vixen was prepared to slice him up when she was held back by Martian Manhunter. The Justice League handed over a knocked out Shadow Thief to the law enforcement that arrived later that night. Kate Spencer drove away and a thought crossed her mind, that if she can't kill Shadow Thief that night, then she'll do it the old-fashioned way, by obtaining a verdict of death during a trial. Back at the cemetery, Martian Manhunter sensed a familiar thought.

Comments: Manhunter isn't just a superhero comic book. It's a commentary on the life of regular working people going through family difficulties. In this case, an ex-husband preventing her from visiting their hospitalized son. So it is not just a conflict between good and evil. There are grey area conflicts as well.

This issue is an "Identity Crisis" DC big event tie-in. And the four members of the Justice League making a brief appearance is a welcome addition to the cover and inside pages of this issue. We get to see illustrator, Jesus Saiz illustrate how he interpreted each J.L. member. It's always great to see various illustrators draw other superheroes with their own styles.

Grant Morrison did a good and decent job with Animal Man ... this series is whole lot better than his X-Men and one notch below of his JLA Masterpiece. I do enjoy his Animal Man Series ... sabongero and you captured it quite nicely.

Hitman #5

"Ten Thousand Bullets" Part Two

2.25 USD @ September 1996

Writer: Garth Ennis
Penciler: John McCrea
Inker: John McCrea
Colorist: Carla Feeny & Heroic Age
Letterer: Willie Schubert
Editor: Dan Raspler & Peter Tomasi

Synopsis: The violent vigilante, Nightfist broke up a drug deal, and violently dishing out unrestricted violence against the drug dealers. He didn't know one of them was an undercover Gotham City detective, who before passing out put a tracer on Nightfist, who walked away from the scene carrying the brief case containing the drugs.

At a burger joint, Tommy and Natt were talking about Nightfist as they ate and ordered their over the top meals.

At Lt. Lincoln's office, he received a call from Tommy Monaghan, and told the female detective, Tiegel to leave so she can't hear his conversation with The Hitman. He gave Tommy the update on Nightfist, who had a tracer placed on him.

Tommy and Natt went back to Pat's place, where it's not poker night anymore. Pat showed them the new pool table and that's the new game for the hitmen that gather up there to play. They told each other stories. And one of them was Tommy and Natt's story from the war. They were left alone for the night, and in the middle of it, they saw incoming soldiers and opened fire without asking for the password and lit them up. What they didn't know was they wiped out an S.A.S. patrol, and not the enemy. And they tried to bury the bodies before they were caught on the friendly fire.

Storied kept being told, but one of the hitmen, Hacken, smacked Pat for telling him off about how he messed up on his shot at the pool table. Tommy and another hitman pulled a gun on Hacken, who told Pat he's no good and only hides behind Tommy and the other hitmen. One of the hitmen cooled off Hacken and got him to leave with him, thus diffusing the situation.

Tommy and Natt went outside and continued their talk. A little later, Pat came out and handed them timer-grenades. And Tommy and Nat went to an alley where Nightfist is frequently sighted and they both repeatedly had Nat pull the gun on Tommy faking a mugging. Until they hit the jackpot and Nightfist showed up. And Nightfist went to prevent the mugging. Unknown to all three, Johnny Navarone was in the area and sees this happening. Natt and Tommy pulled their guns out and unleashed a barrage of shots at Nightfist. And when he was down, a grenade was thrown at Natt and Tommy, which exploded, and Johnny Navarone was seen approaching them.

Comments: Hired killers can be acquaintances and even hang out in the same place, but it's like a ticking time bomb and anything can set them off against each other.

You see a lot of the bottom part of the sewers and scum in Gotham City that populate the pages of Hitmen.

Johnny Navarone is a good antagonist for Tommy Monaghan. He doesn't come across as stupid, and has great intelligence and savvy as shown at the end of the issue where he knew where Tommy would be, and waited for the action to finish and attack them before they knew what happened.

Interesting stuff that you shared about Geoff Johns here and thanks for sharing it. I didn't know that Geoff did an internship with Richard Donner.

Manhunter v3 #7

2.50 USD/3.85 CAN @ April 2005

"Trial By Fire Part 2: Witness for the Prosecution"

Writer: Marc Andreyko
Penciller: Jesus Saiz
Inker: Fernando Blanco
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Colorist: Steve Buccellato
Editor: Rachel Gluckstern & Joan Hilty

Synopsis: There is a lot of hoopla surrounding the trial of Shadow Thief as hundreds of civilians are outside, and the media is in full force covering the trial.

Hawkman is sworn in court and gave his deposition. Then the defense counselor (Atty. Logan) knowing hos to push Hawkman's buttons, made his credibility get thrown out the window by citing there are so many different guises of "Hawkmen" since World War Two and wasn't Hawkman just arrested recently by the St. Roch police department in connection with a series of serial murders. Hawkman lost his cool on the stand, and had to apologize to the judge for his outburst and damaging the witness stand.

Superman is called next. And was sworn in despite the counserlor's objection. Superman gave his deposition. Again the counselor tried to dismember the superhero's credibility citing Superman died once and to answer yes or no. He answered affirmitively, so credibility still intact. Then the counselor asked him is legal identity and Superman refused to answer. He is under oath, and the counselor made mince meat of his "tag line" which was Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Superman's credibility is shot. By this time you can see smoke coming out of lead prosecutor Atty Kate Spencer.

In a mountain home, Dan Richards, the former Golden Age Manhunter is walking his dog, Thor. He entered his home, and his dog started barking sensing something is wrong and ran outside. The dog is then thrown through his window, dead. A shadowy figure entered his home and killed Dan Richards.

Security forces were moving Shadow Thief, who was incarcerated in his own "Pope Mobile" to keep his powers from acting up. Then the light in the hallway started flickering. Outside the federal building Kate entered her car and was looking for a cigarette before starting the ignition. Back inside, the building's lights went out, and something slashed the throats of all the security men with Shadow Thief now free, but confused. Outside, Kate decided not to smoke and started her car's ignitions and felt something was wrong and immediately jumped out of the car, and it blew up. Inside, we find out it was the villainess, Cheshire that rescued Shadow Thief.

Comments: In the pages of Birds of Prey under Gail Simone, Cheshire was almost as deadly as Black Canary and Lady Shiva. And when she took out all those security men in the dark, showed just what she can do as a formidable opponent. Kate's rigged car explosion outside was perhaps due to Cheshire's actions as well. It's going to be interesting when Manhunter takes on Cheshire in the future issues.

Superheroes are tough, and can battle and win slugfest against the strongest and craziest supervillains. However, in a court of law, a counselor can make mince meat out of them and have their credibility questioned, and make them look bad in front of the jurors. Even a boy scout like Superman was handed a smackdown by the wily defense lawyer. Winning a physical battle is one thing, winning a court battle against lawyers, is another. Here is a great lesson for the aftermath of a battle. Superheroes may have won the battle. But bring it in front of a trial, and lo and behold... their vulnerabilities in a court of law is multiplied many times over. Mark Andreyko makes a great showcase here by showing what actually happens behind the scenes in a DC Universe aftermath. And this is where reality in a superhero world takes center stage, and makes for a good show. We get the moral dilemma that superhero secret identities bring.

Jesus Saiz captures facial expressions in his illustrations. His renditions of the Justice League is impressive, and actually made Superman's faceial expression and body language show just how uncomfortable he was when the counselor made him squirm in being unable to answer a cross examination question. All those supervillains with unearthly powers couldn't make Superman squirm, but this counselor did, and Saiz nailed it.

Hitman #7

"Ten Thousand Bullets" Part Four

2.25 USD @ November 1996

Writer: Garth Ennis
Penciler: John McCrea
Inker: John McCrea
Colorist: Carla Feeny & Heroic Age
Letterer: Willie Schubert
Editor: Dan Raspler & Peter Tomasi

Synopsis: Corrupt cop, Nicky Lincoln arrived at mob boss, Moe Dubelz's mansion to let him know that Tommy Monaghan is still alive. And then nat and Tommy arrived crashing their car through the wall and crushing Nicky Lincoln. A gunfight ensued between Nat and Tommy with the goons of Moe Dubelz as hitman, Johnny Navaronne led Dubelz to safety. Outgunned, Nat and Tommy waylay most of Dubelz men. Crimefighter Nightfist arrived and crashed the scene but was gunned down and his body riddled with bullets from the combatting men. Nat went one on one with an overgrown chef and killed him. Meanwhile Tommy made it upstairs and had a shootout with Dubelz who even though was riddled with bullets managed to take down Tommy Monaghan. In a last ditch effort, Monaghan with his free hand drew one of his guns and blew Dubelz head off, thus killing the mob boss. Navarone was still around and shot Tommy in arm, but Tommy was able to let a shot off. And it took out Johnny Navarone's trigger hand. He tried to reason with Tommy not to kill him, but Tommy killed him anyway and then just sat on the roof. Nat came up and gave him a small lecture about life, and the two friends walked away.

Comments: This is the conclusion to this 7-issue storyline. And what a way to end it. A slam bang all out shoot out action from beginning to end. Violence and comedy all rolled into one. Hilarity ensued during the violent scenes when the crimefighter bursted in the scene to take down the bad guys and was riddled with bullets and was not even relevant in the issue. It just showed how much Ennis didn't like superheroes. At the end of the issue, one can't help bu feel sorry for Tommy who at this point lost a girlfriend and a best friend. And the two walking into the sunset at the end of the issue is a classic American Western ending where the good guys rode off into the sunset at the end of the movie.