52, Week 51
	Story Title: 'Homecoming' Writer: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid Art Breakdowns by: Keith Giffen Penciller: Joe Bennett Inkers: Jack Jadson & Belarino Brabo Colorist: David Baron Letterer: Ken Lopez Editors: Michael Siglain Cover by: J.G. Jones & Alex Sinclair
	Reviewed by: Bruce Logan

With 52 drawing to a close, (just one week left after this), my impetus for reviewing every issue is also waning away. That, along with my being away for the better part of the week is the reason why I am so late in getting this week’s issue reviewed. Moreover, had it not been for the sheer amount of content we have here I would have done a quickie and gotten it over with.

So, lets see what happened in this penultimate week of DC’s Year Long event, I mean, weekly series.

Day 1: This one starts with a scene that has been played out (in part) in an earlier installment, Week #47…or at least it tries to. Not only is Ellen Baker’s dress and hairstyle different from the first time around, and she is also not wearing the necklace she had on then, even the car she steps out of is different. Instead of a convertible this time it is a SUV, Jeep Cherokee. Come on guys (i.e. the Editors), it’s not even been a month and already you cannot keep track of such things. Minor as they may be, they do matter in their own way, especially for the civilian/non-costumed characters. Heck, even in this scene, one panel Ellen’s arms/wrists are shorn of any jewellery and the next she is has not one but two bangles.

As for what happens here, Buddy finally reaches home. Although a joyous and welcome occasion (for the Bakers’) this event does bring with it some foreboding mainly because of the Wonder Woman’s comment in JLA #1. Nevertheless, this is a day for happiness for Buddy, Ellen, the kids and of course for their pet dog, Skip. Let’s leave it at that.

Day 2: The DCU heroes get together for another round of mope-and-tell. From the 52 introduction of Diana (lame) Prince to Robin’s next step in creepy-friendship (“They were his colors.” They were his colors?! Aww blow me…punk.) and just about everything in between, its all there. Moreover, what I don’t understand is why the hell is everyone paying their homage to those who died in WW3 by putting laurels, wreaths and flowers at the Super-Bird-Crapper, I mean, statue in Metropolis. Why not make a different statue, foundation, whatever for those people…or isn’t their giving up of their lives a big enough sacrifice to warrant (at least) their own individual statues.

Day 3: Flash to Space and as with the Bakers on Earth the Stranges too have a reunion of sorts, one which thanks to some nifty science Adam is able to see with his own ‘new’ (and improved) eyes.

Day 4: Seeing as ‘tis the week of the Lost-in-Space plotline, next in line is Archbishop Lobo and in true Lobo fashion this day is little more than another killing in it.

Day 6: Having left Rann (after recuperating for a while) Starfire too reaches Earth heading straight for the Baker household to return to Ellen the jacket of her (to Starfire’s knowledge) ‘dead’ husband. Whether it is because of her not having recovered completely, Koriand’r loses consciousness soon after she saves Ellen from two of Lady Styx’s bounty hunters and hands over the jacket to her. All I have to say for this day is, ‘they better not kill Starfire off too.’

Day 7: This day belongs to the time-travel, Gold-Hunter plotline. Luring ‘Skeets’ into the trap the duo (and Professor Morrow) have the tables turned on them when the truth about Skeets’s going bad comes out. Having disappeared in the first week of 52 Mr. Mind makes a return…and that in his new Post-Larval Post-Pupae form. I think everyone who has seen/will see the revelation page will agree with me that that is one ugly bug. In addition, the truth about 52 (the number) also finally comes out and as expected it is the number of earths in DC’s new Multiverse. Yeah, big surprise there folks for this ‘possibility’ was predicted, oh, just about 51 weeks back.

Lastly ‘The Origin of…’ and this time it is the turn of the JLA. If things weren’t already confusing enough elsewhere DC’s head honchos work their magic on the League too by turning its origin too into a mish-mash. Even Ivan Reis’s art isn’t all that great here coming off as rather rushed and unfinished.

Speaking of art, Joe Bennett does a commendable job of providing the pencils for this week’s issue as do the inkers, Jack Jadson & Belarino Brabo and colorist David Baron. Still, apart from the mix-ups in the opening pages there is another one that involves Ellen Baker. In a scene with her daughter Maxine (where the child asks “Where’s Wonder Woman?” and that too in front of Agent Prince…yeah, real funny), Ellen seems to have long hair which is in direct contrast to the way she’s shown in the earlier panels, or for that matter (at least) in the recent past. One could say that it isn’t Ellen and Maxine but the teddy bear in Maxine’s hands says otherwise. Then again that could just as well be chocked up to coincidence but somehow that is stretching it a bit too far.

Conclusion: Although coming across with its share of pitfalls and tired clichés this week’s 52 manages to wheedle its way into my list of the Top-Ten issues of this series.

RATING: 8.5/10