Convergence #5 - Reactions, thoughts, questions....

[Weapon X]

So, if I understand what Deimos was telling Yolanda correctly, Convergence is DC's next Crisis event? Which would make sense since it's the 30th Anniversary of the original Crisis. My problem with that is that in a Crisis, we usually see all the heroes of the multiverse involved in the main story, not just those from one earth (Earth-2).

Also, wasn't it advertised that the main villain of Convergence would be Telos? Seems like it's Deimos and to some extent Brainiac who are the villains.

[Dzetoun]

Well, I'll use the spoiler guard for people that haven't read the tie-ins for this week:

spoilers:

Given the earthquake featured in many of the books, which Wally West described as feeling like a time shift, it seems they may be heading toward a resolution with a Mosaic World dropped somewhere in the multiverse. It doesn't line up with the events of Convergence #5, but it would be a resolution that kind of mirrors the outcome of COIE thirty years ago. It would also leave them with a toolbox they could dip into from time to time for storytelling elements as needed or wanted.

end of spoilers

[Rakzo]

This is not really working for me. Dialogue is simply awful.

[Charles Knight]

This is not really working for me. Dialogue is simply awful.

It's also clear that the mini-series mean less than nothing in regards to convergence itself.

[cxranger]

DC, can we stop killing off characters? There is probably another storytelling device out there.

[OBrianTallent]

The Warlord cast are among some of my favorites at DC and I have been hoping that DC would give them another run. So far, this Convergence series has been nothing short of pitiful for me.

[cranger]

Well, if nothing else the art was amazing. Although I did really enjoy this issue. The only part that was bugging me was when it looked like Yolanda would fall for the old "your friends left you behind, join me" trick, and maybe that might still happen. Of course there are other things happening, that could go either way, such as is Telos' identity really important? What happened to Brainiac? What do the earthquakes mean for the planet? What benefit is there to ruling the cities? Stuff like that, could go bad or good, but it is still fun finding all of this out.

[K. Jones]

A two issue story dragged into eight issues. I like Jeff King's interest in characters, don't mind most of his dialogue and like where his interests lie cosmically with the crisis mechanics stuff. But we always see this with TV writers entering comics - they can't not write decompressed comics, because they write for actors who take actual time to convincingly speak dialogue to one another and react.

And you can do that in comics in three panels. But that said, I think he's been integrating himself into comics better than let's say "most TV writers" do. My expectations for Convergence have been met because I never expected it to be anything more than what it totally is, which is a side-story with "some" continuity fallout, but frankly not much except some potential fan-service saves for future side-stories. But I mean, talking about expectations, go back and give COIE or ZH or IC a read, right? They're hot messes centered around one or two high-minded and neat cosmic story mechanisms. It's not that different, except that they deal explicitly with current mainstream characters instead of dead timelines, but "worlds live, worlds die, where do worlds go when they die?" is the whole premise here anyway.

So Convergence 5.

I liked it, though the last issue was better. Seriously this series has for me alternated a little where the even number issues have been pretty fun and the odd have been a little bit padding for time. But we got some nice Andy Kubert art here that I liked. I'd obviously read an Andy Kubert Warlord book if I got the opportunity. His dinosaurs and lizardmen are tons of fun. Knowing jack all about Deimos though, has he always had time/prophetic powers that make sense for why he'd be the character who uses Skartaris as a Time Master Vault?

Otherwise frankly not much happened, although I want to say here and now that I find the silliness of Dick-2 picking up a Batarang and sticking it on his quicksilver-covered chest to become a bat-emblem truly, truly amazing.

As for this weeks tie-ins? Well, no surprise there, The Question and Nightwing/Oracle rocked the house. Superman was surprisingly on-point bringing in details like Subject 1's intentions, or Tom Wayne having been a doctor, long ago, and making a big deal out of how well Superman knows Bruce. That was definitely the right call. Speed Force Wally was charming, and a powerhouse, and it's funny to see him deal with somebody Barry had to deal with pretty recently. The Atom was kind of hilarious - look I love Deathstroke as a nasty threat, but the Deathstroke I love most is currently featuring in the 1985 COIE era Suicide Squad issues. This is a little more specifically the complete douchebag Deathstroke from Identity Crisis and Titans, and he really had that coming. So a nice little piece of catharsis. Speaking of Titans; solid outing for Roy. Fabian gave us what he said he was going to. Ain't time-scoops grand (though seriously, that Angor guy's super-power could probably come in pretty damned handy against Brainiac and Telos, right?) And of course, Steve Pugh was on point in Harley Quinn, just loading it with Bugs Bunny references, hanging her upside down so she had bunny ears, and cracking wise about Animal Man, a title he just came off of recently (and totally rocked a pretty substantial and memorable run on).

The part twos for 2010 were definitely better outings for the most part than their part ones.

Worst move of the week? Frank Tieri fridges 2010-era Vixen. I get the logic of her power being just totally negated by Aquaman (it was something I never thought of, but liked, actually), but seriously, Mera just OOC stood there (surrounded by WATER) while it happened. That said, what Mera did as a result? Totally in-character. And right effing on. Flashpoint Aquaman? I bloody hate that guy anyway. Mera is not Wonder Woman. I don't think she would have waited to assassinate Aquaman.

Anyway in my head I'm like "Vixen Bantu-totems STARFISH at the last minute and gets regeneration powers". Because Tieri has one black character in his all-female line-up, and she's the one he picks to sacrifice to the Event Must Be High-Stakes Altar. (Luckily a cooler, more feral 1985 Vixen is still out there. Poor Vixen hasn't been as cool as when she was originally created in quite some time.)

[Oruncrest]

Well, technically Tieri didn't sacrifice this version of Vixen either (the panel after the shot has Mera say that Vixen was able to resist enough to pull away at the last second, with 'Aquaman' mockingly say that she'll remember it every time she looks into a mirror) but this makes the ending more... "ARRGHHH!!!"-worthy as Mera, Jade, and Supergirl walk out of the throne room with smirks on their faces... AND LEAVE A WOUNDED AND UNCONSCIOUS VIXEN BEHIND WITH A DYING AQUAMAN AND A SCHOOL OF SHARKS SNIFFING AFTER THE SCENT OF BLOOD ---WHAT THE HELL, TIERI? WHAT! THE! HELL!?

[kingaliencracker]

I think what's bothering me about the main Convergence mini is that at its core, it's an New 52, Earth-2 story rather than some great tribute to DC's past as it was built to be. Some of the tie-ins have been good, with a couple even being outstanding. But overall I have no connection to the main plot because it all involves characters I could really care less about.

[cranger]

Well, technically Tieri didn't sacrifice this version of Vixen either (the panel after the shot has Mera say that Vixen was able to resist enough to pull away at the last second, with 'Aquaman' mockingly say that she'll remember it every time she looks into a mirror) but this makes the ending more... "ARRGHHH!!!"-worthy as Mera, Jade, and Supergirl walk out of the throne room with smirks on their faces... AND LEAVE A WOUNDED AND UNCONSCIOUS VIXEN BEHIND WITH A DYING AQUAMAN AND A SCHOOL OF SHARKS SNIFFING AFTER THE SCENT OF BLOOD ---WHAT THE HELL, TIERI? WHAT! THE! HELL!?

I thought that was Vixen, not Jade, with the other two but the coloring makes it unclear and I do not remember seeing three faces with smirks. Jade is captured and is one of the ones they say they are going to go get.

[JasonTodd428]

I think what's bothering me about the main Convergence mini is that at its core, it's an New 52, Earth-2 story rather than some great tribute to DC's past as it was built to be. Some of the tie-ins have been good, with a couple even being outstanding. But overall I have no connection to the main plot because it all involves characters I could really care less about.

I don't believe the Convergence mini was built to be a that and that it was always intended to be a N52 centric story whether they used Earth 2 characters or the main Earth ones. Now what might have happened is that early on they planned to do these two shot stories that featured characters from DCs long history during their move but later plans were changed that resulted in Convergence. The tie-ins clearly are tributes to DC's past and those were always intended to be that but I saw no indication that the main mini would be anything other than what it is. "Where do worlds go when they die?" is the way it's been marketed but since Earth 2 did "die" I think they have a legitimate reason for being in the story whereas the main Earth really doesn't. YYMV.

[colonyofcells]

The Convergence main series does feature Warlord who is a pre flashpoint character. The Convergence main series would probably look better if it had both new 52 earth 0 and earth 2 heroes in most of the issues. The Convergence main series would probably look better if the pre flashpoint time travellers were involved in the fight rather than trapped.

[Blacksun]

Well, technically Tieri didn't sacrifice this version of Vixen either (the panel after the shot has Mera say that Vixen was able to resist enough to pull away at the last second, with 'Aquaman' mockingly say that she'll remember it every time she looks into a mirror) but this makes the ending more... "ARRGHHH!!!"-worthy as Mera, Jade, and Supergirl walk out of the throne room with smirks on their faces... AND LEAVE A WOUNDED AND UNCONSCIOUS VIXEN BEHIND WITH A DYING AQUAMAN AND A SCHOOL OF SHARKS SNIFFING AFTER THE SCENT OF BLOOD ---WHAT THE HELL, TIERI? WHAT! THE! HELL!?

that seemed to be Jade, not Vixen. unless colorist commited a mistake; The story was very contrived, Mera was around water, she would had fought not used a kiss to distract aquaman.

[LordAllMIghty]

It was a mis-coloring. Vixen lived. She walked out with SG and Mera.

Colorist just messed up the coloring. Jade was outside with Jessie and Zatanna.