DC Comics Quick Takes for the Week of April 9, 2025
Sometimes, there isn’t enough to say for a complete review, but there is still something to be said. That’s what Quick Takes is about. It would be difficult to review EVERY comic I read in a week, but I’ll always have something to say. So, here’s to something new…Quick Takes for the Week of April 9, 2025. Be sure to comment on what you’re reading and enjoying this week and check out the full reviews for the week at DC Comics News!
Action Comics #1085
The basic premise for this Superman story is solid. Getting Clark to take Lois’ assignment for the Daily Planet is a neat idea. Unfortunately, Lois and Clark don’t sound right. Their interaction is awkward as doesn’t feel genuine. It almost feels like a caricature. There’s also a bit of disrespect towards Clark ability as a journalist which feels like a modern attempt at making him the butt of the joke. It feels as if this is an adaptation in another form of media that is playing with different iterations of the characters and pulling in disparate aspects that don’t quite mesh. The arctic camouflage Superman costume doesn’t make any sense. The art is decent, but almost feels like it’s going for an animation feel instead of a mainstream Superman comic. There is a timeless quality to this story, but the characterizations keep it from elevating the experience.
Fire and Ice: Hell Freezes Over #1
I suppose this comic is fine for its intended audience. Like it’s predecessor, Fire and Ice: Welcome to Smallville, it’s not for Justice League International fans or for fans of the characters who want to see some genuine character work on Tora and Bea. It doesn’t feel like a mainline DC Universe comic at all. The fact that it references Absolute Power, DC All In Special and Justice League Unlimited is really weird. It comes across as a YA Graphic Novel (except for the part where Bea spends the night with a guy). Putting out comics that are tonally and stylistically diverse in their line is a good idea, but I don’t think DC knows how to get this into the hands of the intended audience. Coupled with the fact that the comic itself isn’t really sure what its audience is will definitely pose a problem. There are too many characters in the series for Tora and Bea to get any quality attention, there’s too much time wasted on bad jokes and the ancillary characters. We’ve been here before with Welcome to Smallville, so there’s no reason to do it again. But, I guess there could be a small niche audience for this weird take on the DC Universe.
A Few Thoughts on This Week…
Outside of Aquaman and Green Lantern Corps, the DC releases are very weak. I couldn’t even get three for this column. The only reason Fire and Ice is here is because it’s a #1! I tried Absolute Batman #7, but it proved unreadable. It’s all hype, there’s nothing there that resonates with me. If I’m not the intended audience, that’s ok, but it’s not really a good sign for comics. If you’re enjoying the Absolute books that’s great, but it’s a huge disconnect for me. A real Existential Crisis….
What are you reading this ? What were your favorite DC Comics for the week of April 9? Be sure to leave a comment below!
