“Lost Boys”
Writer: Peter J Tomasi
Artists: Carlo Barberi, Matt Santorelli
Happy belated Halloween. It’s at this point, four issues into the run, that I need to learn to let myself go on the wild ride. The most rewarding thing about the far and wide DC Universe is that you can get violent or noir stories and the truly whimsical like this, and have them not feel out of place. I’ll be the first to defend two dangerous, lost boys, in a haunted house on the run from tiny supervillains in space. It’s completely normal… and not anything. Right? Isn’t it?
Fun as the issue may be, it takes a while to get into the real thick of things. When we last left the Super Sons in issue 3, they were close to losing, and fortunately saved by the turncoat in Rex’s crew. Within the issue the tiny Joker, JJ, completely backs up that effort to save the two. JJ then makes certain decisions that invalidate that whole saving. I find this troubling, as it’s probable that changing the character’s actions are there just to create a conflict. Also, there is a moment on page 12 which should look like JJ is jumping down from the ship, but is instead tiny and jumping in front of the cab driver’s face.
Tormenting Voice
The last landscape you’d find on an uncharted planet in deep space. The haunted house you see the boys being dragged into on the cover. It has everything you would ever want in a creepy house – right down to the ghostly voices mocking the two. Robin questions why it’s there. It’s very easy to let yourself find the whole thing absurd, as I nearly did. We readers need to remember that whimsy keeps the heavier stories from weighing us down.
Conclusion
The Super Sons don’t know how dire their situation is, as they’re faced with the most unlikely thing possible in this haunted house. Each ending leaves us as befuddled as the boys are.
Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment
