2018.033 Aquaman: The Legend Of Aquaman

Aquaman: The Legend of Aquaman
Written by: Keith Giffen, Robert Loren Fleming
Illustrated by: Curt Swan, Eric Shanower, Al Vey
DC Comics

179 Midnighter: The Complete Wildstorm Series

One of my favorite characters, especially when he's written correctly.  This book was mostly fun, but then we came to the Keith Giffen era.  His stories were fine, but they were NOT Midnighter stories.  He doesn't get the character and it shows.  Garth Ennis GETS the character and that's why his stories more than make up for the Giffen stuff.

Midnighter: The Complete Wildstorm Series

Writer: Garth Ennis, Keith Giffen, Christos Gage, Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, Brian K Vaughan

Artist: Chris Sprouse, Lee Garrett, Karl Story, Rick Burchett, others

DC Comics

069 Green Lantern: Hal Jordan

Green Lantern: Hal Jordan collects both Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn mini-series.  So I'm not quite sure why the title isn't Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn, but whatever.  Emerald Dawn and Emerald Dawn II were mini-series that came out in between Green Lantern having a regular series.  Maybe this was the Green Lantern: Rebirth of the time.  

In a nutshell, these mini-series retell the origin of Hal Jordan.  And take a bunch of liberties.  Most of the liberties I don't believe are canon any longer.  Hal was responsible for the death of one of his friends and ended up going to prison for it.  I really don't recall that being part of his history any longer.  The first series deals with him becoming Green Lantern, the second series is his first encounter with Sinestro.  Honestly, both series aren't all that great, nor are they all that memorable.  It was an attempt by DC to bring Green Lantern back to the forefront.  It did result in him getting his own book again, but that series ultimately led to his death.  A volume collecting the first year or so of that series was solicited by DC, but cancelled shortly thereafter because the writer, Gerard Jones, was arrested on child pornography charges.  The timing was unfortunate.  I'm sure the book will be re-solicited somewhere down the road, but for now, this volume will be all of that era of Green Lantern in print.

Green Lantern: Hal Jordan

Writer: Gerard Jones, Keith Giffen, Jim Owsley

Artist: M.D. Bright, Keith Giffen, Romeo Tanghal

DC Comics

068 Blue Beetle Vol 1: The More Things Change

I have to admit that I don't know too much about this version of the Blue Beetle.  I do know that DC likes him a lot.  They keep giving him chances, but his series don't seem to last.  This is at least his third series, if my memory is correct.

Since I haven't been a BB reader, I don't know how Rebirth has affected him and his history.  I do know that Ted Kord is a part of the supporting cast, so that's new, at least since the New 52.

This was a decent enough read, but I was kind of lost.  I just don't know who any of these people are.  I do like the dynamic between Jaime and Ted.  I love the art by Scott Kolins.  But storywise, it felt no different than just about anything else Keith Giffen has written in the last ten years.  Not fantastic, not awful.  Just Giffen.

Blue Beetle Vol 1: The More Things Change

Writer: Keith Giffen, Scott Kolins

Artist: Scott Kolins

DC Comics