The New 52: Futures End #43

By Brian Azzarello, Jeff Lemire, Dan Jurgens, Keith Giffen, Andy MacDonald, Hi-Fi

“–Enough! Now, while you two may look like turds in stolen suits–” – Red Robin

“Huh?” – Key

“It’s a Batman thing.” – Plastique

Also this issue – they make a Dick joke! Dick Grayson…but…just read it (I laughed, you will too).

Writer Brian Azzarello along with Jeff Lemire, Dan Jurgens, and Keith Giffen take this issue to turn the threat of Brainiac into overdrive (because…haha…he’s driving…you’ll see). Between Brainiac and Brother Eye the world is in complete and utter chaos, Superman on one end of it and Batman on the other – but don’t mention Bat’s name around the big blue boy scout (he doesn’t want to hear it…and he has very good hearing). We also get to see the pairing of Red Robin along with Plastique – and her antics don’t fly with him as they to with Terry – what will happen with the Terry and Plastique romance at the end? The drama!

On the artwork side of this week’s issue is Andy MacDonald rocking pencils and inks with colors by Hi-Fi. The style fits very well to previous entries in the series, and is that Batman…smiling?

In a great scene, the one that kicks off the issue, you can see the giant Brainiac, with great details by MacDonald standing in the background as a wounded Superman tries to get up from a massive crater in the foreground. The background emitted in the pink hue of the shield that covers the city – and also matches Lois’ text boxes as she talks and tries to tend to the wounded hero.

There’s just something about seeing Superman in a t-shirt and jeans that makes him appear even more of a heroic icon, I mean, he’s wearing the same shirt I wore when I was ten for three days straight during a vacation at Myrtle Beach – it made me feel cool. I may not have had the beard back then, but I do now…and it’s time to put that shirt back on…just…maybe a larger size now.