DC's NEW 52-second issue critiques

SPOILERS FOLLOW!!! You have been warned!!!
 
I have neither the time, money nor patience for all of DC's NEW 52. Time and money is a given and patience...well: some of the titles just didn't do anything for me. So, out of what's left, here's what issue #2 had in store. Please note: some of these books are still on the bubble, so these issues are critical to me continuing with a series.
 
ACTION COMICS: Superman has been captured by Lex Luthor and General Lane and he's been tested and tortured. Doctor Irons, he of Steel fame, and Sergeant Corben, he of Metallo fame, are introduced. And he's seriously being tortured-Sarin Gas and everything. He gets free by using microwaves from his eyes to fry their equipment. He finds the rocket that brought him to Earth and hears voices from Krypton. Before it's through, Corben makes his plans for the future and an alien ship arrives. Looks like a Brainiac to me.
 
Much, MUCH better than issue #1. Superman is a bit more humble. The fact he's getting the crap kicked out of him to the torture chair helps. Lots more action, lot of plot development and great art from Rags Morales and Brent Anderson. Keep this up guys and it's a keeper!
 
ALL STAR WESTERN: Masked men are heading for a holed up Arkham and Jonah Hex and Hex is just mowing them down pretty savagely. We find out the masked guys follow the teachings of the Crime Bible(nice!). Gotham's most influential plot and plan at what is now a house on Blackgate Isle.Hex and Arkham arrive with plans to waste everyone and find they have to free Police Chief Cromwell. But Hex finds himself in a monster headlock. This issue also has n El Diablo backup that introduces the character to the NEW DC Universe.
 
Yeah...this one still rocks! The backup is nice, but I really wanted more story. Still on the must read list.
 
ANIMAL MAN: Buddy and Maxine decide to make a trip to the Red Place and save the tree. Monkeys are behaving weird and the hippos are very pregnant and not in a good way. And the zoo keepers are possessed and hungry for visitors...also, not in a good way. In the Red Place, Maxine and Buddy travel through and it's very trippy.
 
More great stuff here that is very reminiscent of the best of Vertigo. This is so old school 
SWAMP THING it's scary. This book brings creepy to a whole new level. Great read!.
 
AQUAMAN: Fishermen are becoming lunch for some long toothed sea creatures. And there are more on shore(food that is!). The local sheriff (well, he's not but says he is) shows up at Aquaman and Mera's place and asks for help. At the docks, confusion ensues and someone opens a cocoon and out comes the sea creatures. There's a little bit of a slaughter and Aquaman gets told he's food and needs to go to "The Trench".
 
Not as much fun as the first issue, but still a really good book. Some nice quiet moments with Mera and Arthur and there is still some highly insulting comments made to our pair. For my money, it's still a winner. But make this storyline work, guys so it doesn't become a remake of HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP.
 
BATGIRL: Batgirl is still fighting The Mirror, who killed a cop last issue. Commissioner Gordon gets called in and is stunned to find out that Batgirl is back in town. She tussles with The Mirror in a graveyard and pisses him off when she reveals she has some of his personal papers(guess she figured out who it is, huh?). Barbara borrows some clothes from her roommate so she can go out on a date. Following the date, she puts the pieces together and finds out that The Mirror has a death wish. he was saved from a car crash while his family dies. Now he wants everyone who is a Good Samaritan. His next target: a train full of people.
 
Still fun. Still no major revelations on how Barbara can walk after so long, but I'm okay with that. The payoff will come at some point. And the banter between Babs and her roommate is great, especially how she is known as G.B.G.(you had to read issue #1 for that). Still liking this a lot. I hated the idea of Oracle getting out of her chair but damn: I MISSED BARBARA GORDON in the suit!
 
BATMAN: Book begins with Bruce Wayne taking a long fall from a really high building. Then comes the flashback. In a nutshell, we discover that the John Doe with Dick Grayson's DNA was because grabbed Dick's arm at an event and that's how the DNA got under his fingernails. The guy was pin cushioned by someone from the Court of Owls, who attacks and attempts to kill Bruce. He dies in the process, but apparently...not really.
 
Fun issue! The introduction of this mysterious villain and his issues with Wayne and people who may or may not be connected to him has me guessing. Nice script with a lot of incidental back story dialogue by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo delivers another artistic performance. This one definitely stays on the list and is probably quickly earning a spot as the top "core Bat" books.
 
BATMAN AND ROBIN
 
The issue was okay. Patrick Gleason's art is dynamic as always and Peter J. Tomasi's story was nice. A few plot points delivered and a lot of time spent on Robin's anger management issues. Need to pick up the story pace in the next few issues to maintain any kind of momentum on this book. It's on the reading bubble right now, but it is the only place to get a major dose of the Boy Wonder.
 
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT: Batman is getting the you-know-what kicked out of him by a super string, mutated Two face. Eventually, he just collapse to end this battle. I guess some of Arkham's inmates are claiming they were injected with something, which we get told resembles Scarecrow's Fear Toxin,  and saw a woman dressed as a White Rabbit. Robin and Nightwing go up against someone who thinks he's The Ventriloquist and he too has been mutated. In fact most of Batman's allies are up against villains who have turned into something more deadly than before. batman interrogates Harvey Dent and ends up fighting some of the Joker's gang on a moving train. he ends up inside and meets the White Rabbit and...a highly mutated Joker!
 
As always, great looking art from David Finch. And the story from he and Paul Jenkins isn't that bad. It has a ton more action than last issue and that's because most of the allies were involved in one way or another. We REALLY don't need another solo Bat book on the shelves. A team book? Now that WOULD be cool! So here's a suggestion: lose the idea of bringing back BATMAN INC. and let this be the team book. It'll up the action quota and eliminate one more duplicating title.

BATWOMAN: Batwoman and her faithful ward beat up the bad guys while Kate tells how she turned down Batman and his offer to join Batman Inc. Detective Sawyer and Chase have a confrontation. Kate and Maggie go on a date. The ghostly woman kills again. Batwoman breaks into Sawyer's office to look for clues, gets caught and Maggie calls the D.E.O.. And Batwoman, well she's in a tidal wave of trouble.
 
Yeah...I still love this book. The artwork is great, the story is funky and we get a lesbian romance in a mainstream book. Rock on, folks: this book is still having the makings of a major cult classic.
 
BIRDS OF PREY: Starling and Black Canary survive the explosion at the airport and Canary scoops up some DNA before they split in one of those golf cart things they use at the airport. Katana arrives and begins speaking with her dead husband. The dead guy has the effects of a drug called Stroke and drug labs have been getting hit. So the trio go to check it out, bust up the place and take a prisoner. And they bring her to Poison Ivy. Meet the newest member.
 
I know that some people bailed on this book after issue #1, but I'm still a fan. It's not Gail Simone and it's not Oracle in a wheelchair. But this is a wild ride down a bumpy road and it's still on the list for a while.
 
CATWOMAN: we start with the end of some pretty hot sex between Catwoman and the Dark Knight. After  meeting with her friend Lola, she heads out to a dance and hooks up with Bruce Wayne(wait...didn't she...oh yeah...this is Selina and Bruce not Catwoman and Batman).She finds the Russians from issue #1 and does a number on them with Bruce almost pursuing her. When she returns home, she finds Lola tied to a chair, beaten and a bloody bullet hole in her head. Looks like Bone and his men are responsible.
 
Woah! This book hits on all cylinders! It's got rough sex, funny lines, bloody deaths and looks great too! Judd Winick may have hit his finest hour. This is one of my favorites, despite the controversy about the whole Batman/Catwoman sex thing in issue #1. Save your pennies for this one. This is truly a hot book in more ways than one!
 
DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS: Deadman has a conversation with Rama and learns his true place in the universe. He goes back to the distraught veteran and hooks him up with a nice lady in a bar. And then he moves on. He weasels his way into the Moonstone Club-a place where supernatural folks hang. He starts a fight and ends up in the Library where he learns his final fate.
 
Okay...still uncertain here. I like the fact that we're finally giving old Boston Brand some depth and establishing his place in the world. If this whole search for his future continues, the book will be really good. If too much time is spent watching him body hop and help people, well...we have had nearly 40 years of that already. Give me something new. So...I guess another issue will have to come out before I decide to keep or dump.
 
DEATHSTROKE: Slade meets with Mikel, concerning last issue's little debacle and the nuclear secrets. Mikel has his own trick up his sleeve: a bunch of hired guns to take Slade down. And what do you think happens next? Gratuitous blood and death. We have beheadings, people being run through, knives to heads, bodies cut in half...FACES cut in half! Yeah-good stuff! Mikel runs and Slade is in hot pursuit. We get an armed helicopter thing and more guys. More bodies and more bloodshed. Hey wait: here comes a guy in a battlesuit. Yeah-he gets short circuited. The chopper crashes and cuts Mikel in half too. Slade talks with the big guy in charge and he gets told this was all done for show. Send someone better next time.
 
Gratuitous violence and little plot. yeah-a fanboy dream! It's not always about hard hitting stories and deep meaning. Sometimes you just need some blood, guts and mindless entertainment. Yeah-this is the book. Blood, guts and crazy action. It's a roller coaster ride down the silly slope but it's fun. Picture your favorite action movie that, no matter how stupid it may be, you just love. This is that action movie. Yeah-this goes on for the long haul with me.
 
DEMON KNIGHTS: Nothing like a little battle with a dragon in a tavern. Vandal Savage likes the idea of eating one. The Demon goes inside and causes it to explode! Morgana and Mordru plot and plan. The Knights visit the local town and warn them of bad tidings. Etrigan and Xanadu head off on a date and run into barbarians riding flying dinosaurs. The Shining Knight, still androgynous to us all, jumps into battle. Xanadu runs out of energy and makes the ultimate sacrifice.
 
Yeah-totally cool. I'm a huge fan of all these characters, at least those we have seen before. In this settings, they are that much cooler. Love the dialogue too! When was the last time you heard a hero facing a danger mutter the phrase "Oh dung!" Put this high on your reserve list as it is a fun ride down the comic roller coaster. Definitely approved as a good read!
 
DETECTIVE COMICS: Bruce discusses business with Hugh Marder. Bruce gets physical with Wendy Rivers.Gordon discusses the state of affairs with Dr. Arkham. Batman chides Gordon for his nicotine habit. Gordon shows off a photo his the suspect from the murder last issue. Batman goes after the suspect and finds him dead. Batman gets attacked by some crazy family led by a guy named The Dollmaker. Gordon gets stitched up...literally!
 
Not a great issue. Far too much useless dialogue and not a whole lot of plot development. Well, unless you figure that the guy who helped Joker last issue was this villain and possibly the guy with part of his face removed is The Joker. But that's just a guess. After such a great first issue, this one is a dud. But it IS Batman and I don't see me canning this one anytime soon...unless they keep stinking up the joint like this one did!
 
FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E.: Frank and the gang evacuate the kids from their captor then dive into the lake to take out the monsters that appeared last issue. We get Nina Mazursky's origin story, which is weird and VERY troubling! Also troubling is that they rip the brain out of a creature and learn that the townspeople have been sacrificing kids to the creatures for years. When the team head off to join up with Mrs. F. they learn there's a whole lot of bad news going down!
 
Strange little book. Best thing about it is the J. G. Jones cover. no, seriously: you either like this or hate it. There is no in-between. I like it because it is weird. Again, not a huge fan of the art by Alberto Ponticelli but I guess it fits the book. I can't say I totally recommend this book because it is so weird.
 
GREEN LANTERN: Hal Jordan teams up with Sinestro in an attempt to get his power ring and career back. Unfortunately, Sinestro controls all and makes Jordan look like a fool as he attempts a rescue. Seems that Sinestro is now gathering all the accolades. Korgar shows up and Sinestro slays him. He enlists Jordan to help him free his home world which has been enslaved by the Yellow Lanterns.
 
Well, the plot thickens. Geoff Johns turns in another great story and Doug Mahnke's art is still killer. This book always entertains and, although this issue was a bit light, it's still better than a lot out there.
 
GREEN LANTERN CORPS: The team finds itself still trying to deal with an entire civilization being slaughtered. They go off to defend the planet Xabas. A  major battle ensues, Isamot arrives with his limbs removed and the entire army of the enemy comes bursting through the protective barrier.
 
The first issue of this book was a major surprise for me as the writing, specifically the great dialogue, held this book aloft. This issue is more what I had expected from this series. No substance at all. So disappointed in it. Fernando Pasarin's artwork continues to dazzle, but Tomasi's script falls totally flat this time around. There's a ton of action but not much else. I'm giving this book issue #3 and that may be it. I'm just so bummed by this follow up to such a great beginning.
 
I VAMPYRE: Mary, Queen of Blood rallies her followers in the forthcoming war with her former lover and now enemy Andrew Bennett. They meet, he takes out a bunch of the followers. They debate the moral ramifications of being a vampire. She leaves him to fight off her zealots. She declares herself ruler of the planet.
 
Slow second issue here. We went from a fitting modern era sequel to the classic 1970's series and then we get this. Disappointing is a mild description. I had hoped for more than a lengthy "I used to love you but now I want to kill you" sappy TWILIGHT love story. Sure, there's some blood and guts but not enough to fill this book. Is the third time the charm? Hope so because this book is on life support with me after this issue.
 
NIGHTWING: The book starts where we left off last month with Nightwing getting a beating from this mystery baddie. Upon defeating him, but he flees in the process. Not long after, as Dick is trying to get some sleep, Raya Vestri shows up at his door saying she needs him to take her to Atlantic City. She tells him that he needs to visit Mr. Haly: his first boss and owner of Haly Circus. Turns out the old guy is dying and gives Dick the deed to the circus. On the flight home, Dick and Raya get busy(this is a Bat Book after all and there seems to be a sex scene of some sorts in almost every title). The mysterious baddie calls Dick, threatening to kill Haly. So the usual fight ensues, Haly's house burns down and he dies in Nightwing's arms. But not before he reveals the secret: he knows Dick is Nightwing.
 
Interesting book that I never expected to like. Yeah, it's Nightwing. I used to be Robin and a Teen Titan. I'm a second banana in a main book and now a second banana in my OWN book. but this title rocks! The whole concept of Dick revisiting his roots and then all these little bits dropped in. hell, as far as I'm concerned the mysterious bad guy, who will turn out to be someone connected with the circus, is secondary. The core story of Dick, Raya, Haly, the Circus and all of that gives Dick Grayson a new life and new meaning as a character. If he truly ends up running the circus, it leads to some many different avenues that this could follow. I look forward to future issues.
 
More #2 musings next time.

DC's NEW 52-the final five

Okay, so here is the last last five of the first issues for DC's NEW 52 books. It's a mixed back of titles and a mixed bag of reviews.

Created by Jim Lee, STORMWATCH first appeared in 1993 and through it's many incarnations, has been a cornerstone of what once was the Wildstorm Universe. The were run by the United nations and were overseen by The Weatherman. Over the years, the series was written by such notables as Ron Marz, James Robinson and a notable run by Warren Ellis.

Issue #1 begins in Hyperspace where a horn is noted. yeah...the same one from SUPERMAN #1. Meanwhile, in Moscow, Jack Hawksmoor former member of The Authority and currently the leader of Stormwatch and his team(Projectionist-a new character, and the Martian Manhunter) are trying to convince Apollo to join up. Apparently Apollo is an Internet sensation as he has become famous due to a video of him killing a child molester. Well, Apollo splits leaving the team's mission as a failure.

Back in space, one of the team gets attacked by the moon and is dragged below the surface where he comes face to face, so to speak with a huge eyeball that proceeds to  ear-probe our hapless team member. We see visions of the Demon Knights, an early "Stormwatch" team and a "Shadow Cabinet"(a nod of sorts to the old Milestone book perhaps?). Consequently, the poor guy is now taken over by...the beast.

Meanwhile, off in the Himalayas, Jenny Quantum tests her powers on The Horn which she attempts to teleport to the deck of the headquarters. And the hunt goes on for Apollo, complete with Martian Manhunter transforming into some kind of hideous monster.Apollo is told he could be the most powerful man on the planet and soon after, the team is taken out in very short order by Midnighter. At last: lovers reunited.

Okay, I am a huge fan of the original book, especially after Warren Ellis got his hooks in it. And I have high hopes for this book, but it's just not where I want it to be yet. I understand it's the first issue and since about six people actually read the previous version of the title, you have to set it up for the newcomers. I'm cool with that, but let's not spend the first six issues setting things up.

Let's get to the good stuff! Paul Cornell has great experience, being responsible for some DOCTOR WHO material, YOUNG AVENGERS, "War of the Supermen" and is currently doing DEMON KNIGHTS. It's a well paced tale and drops enough bits to keep me interested. And Miguel Sepulveda's art is nice and reminds me of the art when Doug Manhke was doing the book.

I still have high hopes for the book and will hang with it for awhile. Hey: maybe we can even find a way to bring back Rose Tattoo...hint, hint, hint.

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is in the first panel of page 13, right before Apollo meets the Stormwatch team for the second time.

Priscilla Kitaen is VOODOO, or at least she was when introduced in WILDC.A.T.S. #1 back in 1992. True to form, she is an exotic dancer, just as she was in the original series. And she's being checked out by this guy and a girl who we assume work for the government or some other shady organization. The guy gets a private lap dance and threatens to have her cut up like something from Area 51. Voodoo turns into her true form and shreds him, then becomes him and goes off to meet his partner. In between, the female partner kicks some thugs asses and we get some interesting chatter between the exotic dancers.

Yawn...never thought a book about an alien stripper could be so lame. Shame on you Ron Marz for turning in this truly awful book.But Sami Basri's art is awesome...sure knows how to draw exotic dancers! How much does this book stink? Well, DC has announced that they want a "change of direction" of the book and, starting with issue #5, Josh Williamson will take over as the writer and there will be a crossover with STORMWATCH and GRIFTER. And the book's editor, Rex Ogle, is leaving DC Comics altogether. Gee...if I was DC, I'd make the book a four issue mini-series and cut it off at the pass. This book is so bad, I didn't even waste time to do a cover scan for this review.

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is in the next to last panel of page 8, right after the thugs get beat.

The TEEN TITANS have a long and storied career. From the earliest days, through the George Perez/Marv Wolfman era that became the NEW TEEN TITANS, through the most recent incarnation, which had two teams. Now we revisit the past and present the future.

Metahuman teenagers are popping up all over and the newest one, Kid Flash, tries his hardest to help a situation but manages to totally screw it up in the process. gee-the media is treating these guys like their mutants or something. Tim Drake, the former Robin, is monitoring this when some bad guys come in-bad guys who have been capturing metahuman teens. So what does the ever resourceful Red Robin do? He blows up the joint! Really? Not something he learned from Batman. At least not the Batman we know.

Cassie Sandmark, once known as (and don't ever call me) Wonder Girl, gets stopped driving a little fast by an alleged police officer. Actually, he seems to be connected to N.O.W.H.E.R.E., which seems to be one of the major bad guys in this new DC Universe. Red Robin comes to the rescue and forces her to show her hand and display the powers she claims she didn't have.

Back somewhere else, a certain redhead and her boss are in discussion regarding releasing...Superboy.

This is different. I mean, it doesn't come at you full on. It kind of creeps up on you. We don't get a lot of characters here, with only appearances by Red Robin, Kid Flash and(don't call me) Wonder Girl. Oh...and Superboy at the very end. So we don't have a full team yet. In fact, we don't even have an offer to MAKE a team. But I can assume that the various heroes pictured on the cover will band together and form that team.

Good job from Scott Lobdell, as usual(although one of his other books was a clunker in my opinion). Brett Booth rocks. I love his work, going back to his co-creating BACKLASH. His style is clean and his facial expressions are great. Keep this book on schedule and keep Booth on it!

Since this book is just starting to put pieces of the puzzle on the table, I'll give it a few issues. For now, let's just say that it doesn't suck.

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is in the first panel of page 12, just over the police officer's left shoulder.

The last two books are new DC titles, but not bearing the NEW 52 logo, so it's uncertain if you consider them NEW 52 titles. If so, then that makes 54. Either way, here's a couple of quick ones on THE HUNTRESS and MY GREATEST ADVENTURE.

In a nutshell, The Huntress breaks up a shipment of girls who are being put on the White Slavery market and heads to Naples for further investigation. Again she foils one of the bad guys and, just like the messenger after the first bust up, this guy pays for his failure with a bullet to the head. Boom...roll credits.

Paul Levitz redeems himself on this book with a nice tight, action filled story. A little background is offered, like she has connections at The Daily Planet and some references to Batman. But the fact that she is referenced as "the suit" leads me to believe that this is at the early days of her career and we can wash away the whole Earth 2 connection and the Birds of Prey. Or can we? Could this be the first appearance of Earth 2? Anyway, Levitz' story rocks and the icing on this cake is Marcus To's art. His pencils are clean, inks by John Dell enhancing and then Andrew Dalhouse adds the colors and the whole book just explodes off the page. It looks as great as it reads.

This is a mini-series and it's a winner. Thanks to my friend Jeff T. for recommending it. We don't always agree on titles, but he hit this one on the head!

MY GREATEST ADVENTURE is a six issue, three story anthology.

The first tale features an old favorite of mine, Robotman. Robotman got his start in the original MY GREATEST ADVENTURE series as part of the now legendary Doom Patrol. It seems his story continues from his most recent story in DOOM PATROL. He works at a detective agency, he's a robot with Cliff Steele's brain inserted and he fights bad guys. Well, better than the storyline where he was dating a bisexual, post op transsexual, I guess.

The second story, Garbage Man, picks up from where his tale left off in WEIRD WORLDS, which ended with issue #6. The back story, for those unfamiliar, has Attorney Richard Morse experimented on by folks connected to Titan Account. Thinking their experiment a failure, Morse gets dumped in a swamp and, much like Swamp Thing before him(in fact creator Aaron Lopresti has claimed the character was created to fill the void left by Swamp Thing), the chemicals in him react with the swamp and turns him into Garbage Man. Anyway, the short tale here has his somewhat girlfriend pining for him and our hero turning up in good old Gotham City to begin his work anew.

The third tale, Tanga, also hails from WEIRD WORLDS which kind of makes sense as Tanga was designed to be a 12 issue storyline in a book that only ran 6 issues. To describe Tanga is to use creator Kevin MacGuire's own description: she is a purple space girl with great cosmic powers, trying to connect with folks and usually stuff goes wrong. That's true here too, as she meets with a space alien and, before the tale's end, stuff hits the fan.

I really haven't fathomed a full opinion on this title yet. I love the Robotman character, but he seems under utilized here. Garbage Man is Swamp Thing redux and Tanga? Star Sapphire with issues? Great creators working hard on their creations. I'll give it a couple and see where it goes. maybe if I had READ WEIRD WORLDS, I might have more of a connection with Garbage Man and Tanga but unfortunately I don't. May be time to hit the back issue bins, huh?

So thus ends the NEW 52 reviews. Next time, I'll give you a taste of how issues 2 and beyond on the series I'm sticking with are. Will I continue past #2 on these titles? Tune in and see!

DC's NEW 52-The LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES franchise

I'm a long time fan of the Legion of Super-Heroes, going back to the days when a 14 year old kid by the name of Jim Shooter crafted their stories. I moved through the days of Cary Bates, Gerry Conway and the now legendary run of Paul Levitz. During those days, artists like Dave Cockrum, Mike Grell and James Sherman became known to me and I followed their respective careers after they left the title. I suffered through the numerous reboots, following ZERO HOUR, the "threeboot" in 2004 and the 2007 Post Crisis reboot. I even suffered through the sometimes confusing FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF 3 WORLDS series. 

But now the team is back in two distictively different books, one of which is crafted by longtime scribe Paul Levitz.
 

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES picks up its' continuity from the series that began in 2010, with Levitz again at the helm, this time with Francis Portela handling the art chores. The story begins with some of the team on the planet Panoptes, where they're involved on a mission on the planet Panoptes. High above the planet, Colossal Boy is bumming that he's not in action and that his wife  and some of the others are in another book(he doesn't know that, but we do). Chameleon Boy becomes a fly and infiltrates the military installation on Panoptes.
 

At Legion Headquarters, Brainac 5 and Mon-El are conferencing with some of the other Legion embers and this is where we learn that the "Flashpoint effect has definitely closed off time travel to the past". Well...at least SOMEONE recognizes that Flashpoint happened. On the planet, Chemical Kid and Dragonwing swap some bodily fluids and get captured. And we learn that the Watchworld is sending out messages to the Dominators, which is not what it was designed to do.

Things go from bad to worse when a pretty pissed of Daxamite appears. Okay, when I first read this I thought it was awful! I'll be honest, I haven't read that much of the Legion books in the last few years because of the convoluted and changed continuity. So I came into this kind of in the dark. On second read, it's a typical Levitz script and I'm cool with that. While I don't know ALL of the characters, I know enough to get by. Portella's art is great and hearkens to images of some of the great who have had their pencils on the Legion over the years.
 

So here's my advice: if you're a fan of the the Legion, you will probably like this book. If you have never read the Legion, then you probably will be confused but have no history to get tripped up on. Either way, give it a shot. I may actually do the same.
 

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman, who may or may NOT be Legion member Glorith, is on the catwalk in the Panoptes control room, first panel on page 7.
 

The sister book to LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES is LEGION LOST. In it, a group of Legionaires have travelled in their time bubble from the 31st century chasing future terrorist Alastor. Unfortunately, the Flashpoint Effect has screwed things up and they all land in 21st Century Earth. Alastor trashes Red Lakes Falls, Minnesota before the stranded Legion members capture him. But not before he releases a pathogen which guarantees they can't go back to their present. Alastor detonates and apparently takes two of the Legion with him. So the team is still stuck in the present and now missing two more members.

Fabian Nicieza is a great writer and this is not one of his better works. I can't say it's his story or just what he's been given to work with. Not the most exciting of Legion members here and the whole lost in space and time story was boring to me. I don't care about the characters or if they ever go back. Sorry Fabian: don't think it's your fault but you're stuck with it. On the plus side, Pete Woods art is dynamite, as always!
 

Can't recommend the book just because I found the story boring. If you like the Legion and need to read the WHOLE story, then grab it. Otherwise, save your pennies for the core book.
 

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is in the background of the first panel on page 10, where Alastor is rampaging.

DC's NEW 52. Some of the classic heroes rebooted

DC has done quite a bit revamping their classic heroes. So here's some reviews of core Justice League heroes who have also benefited(or not) from the "reboot".
 

As most comic fans know, SUPERGIRL is Superman's female cousin. She has had different appearances, origins and series over the years. here's the newest.
 

It begins with meteors dropping in the Heartland, as the commentary says "not all that different from the Kansas event" from some time ago(so, we have to assume this is in present day as the Kansas event refers to Superman's landing on Earth). One meteor goes straight through the Earth and comes to rest in Siberia. And from out of that crater comes a very confused Supergirl. And the classic suit she's wearing? I guess she's not supposed to wear it until she graduates in a year or so.
 

It isn't long before she finds herself accosted by a bunch of battlesuit wearing folks who try to take her in. They also notice the logo on the suit. Suddenly, our heroine realizes she's not on Krypton anymore and goes berserk, spending the remainder of the book trying to cope with her new powers. She rips one guy out of his battlesuit and , still trying to figure out where she is, her cousin arrives.
 

Okay...still not certain on this one. We've taken the existing origin and tossed it and left the Maiden of Steel pretty confused in the process. Michael Green does a nice job of laying the groundwork and Mike Johnson's artwork is very reminiscent of another Micheal: the late Michael Turner. The book has premise and is worth hanging onto for a few months to see how this all develops.
 

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is next to a battlesuit's foot on page 14.
 

Supergirl's cousin SUPERMAN has had his book rebooted too. It's written by comics legend George Perez, who also provides the breakdowns, with pencils and inks by Jesus Merino. This book is set in present day, as opposed to ACTION COMICS which is set at the beginning of Superman's career.
 

The book begins with the razing of the old Daily Planet building in favor of a new, modern one. Next we meet Morgan Edge who looks like Samuel L. Jackson from the Marvel movies, minus the eyepatch. Yeah, Edge is no longer the middle aged guy of Jack Kirby's creation. In fact Perry White now looks more like the Edge we all know and love. but, they say change is good. So I'll continue.
 

The first glimpse we get of Superman is with him looking pretty pissed at the destruction of the old Planet building. Part of the renovations is due to the fact the the Planet is now owned by Edge and his Globe. We also learn that Lois Lane, formerly the wife of Clark Kent(in old continuity) is now the Executive Producer of the P.G.N. Nightly News and Executive Vice President of New Media. Anyway, his basic story in this book is the foiling of a bunch of terrorists and defeating a fire breathing monster by using the old Planet globe as a weapon.
 

The book ends with Clark showing up at Lois apartment unannounced. He should have called first because she's been entertaining her date, if you know what I mean.
 

Did I also mention there is this creature with a horn that ties into STORMWATCH #1? Okay-then go read STORMWATCH #1 so you don't get too confused.
 

As with SUPERGIRL, the verdict is still, out on this one. Let me just say I ABSOLUTELY HATE the new costume. Okay, it's Kryptonian but I was raised on the underwear on the outside look and that's that! Perez' script is great...the usually dialogue filled stuff that George is know for. And it's tough to tell how much is breakdowns and how much is Merino's actual artwork. If it's mostly Merino, the guy is good.
 

As with SUPERGIRL, I'll give it a couple of months to see where it goes.

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is standing in front of one of the Daily Planet globes on page 3.
 

While Boston Brand's alter ego Deadman may not be a household name, his character has been around for many years. His initial stories  with art by Neal Adams, are classics. And, during BRIGHTEST DAY, he came back to the world of the living...sort of. So what does the dead guy do now? He appears in the opening arc of the new anthology series DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS.
 

We get a nice recap of Deadman's origin and some new info regarding his mission and his first meeting with Rama, who was always depicted in the original stories as the mysterious voice. She kind of looks like she should be in AVATAR. He spends most of the book bouncing from troubled soul to troubled soul before ending up at the circus he died at, trying to meet with Madame Rose the Psychic. He eventually convinces her that he IS Boston Brand inside all of the people he inhabits. And she tells him how crappy a person he was when he was alive.
 

We get glimpses of all the people Brand has inhabited before he jumps back into the body of a legless veteran. He picks up his service revolver and Rama arrives. Obviously, all of his methods to call her to him failed until now.
 

A third book I'm on the fence about. I have always loved the Deadman character, initially because part of his journey was finding the person who shot him. But he has always been intriguing as written by a number of creators. Paul Jenkins has the making of a great story here, once we figure out where it's going to lead. I like the supporting cast, sparse though they may be. And Bernard Chang is a talented artist and this is some of his best work.
 

As with SUPERGIRL and SUPERMAN, I'll give it a couple of months to see where it goes.
 

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is standing with the circus folk in the background of panel 3 on page 2.
 

Hawkman has had more origins than you can count. Thangarian, classic troubled character who is forced to die and be reborn throughout history. He even spent time on Earth, in space and as a member of both the JSA and the JLA. Now we have THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN.
 

The book begins with Carter Hall attempting to destroy the Hawkman costume. Unfortunately, the suit and the Nth metal that resides in it have different ideas. Meanwhile, the Shining Knight Research Vessel(like that one guys!) finds an ancient spaceship and they wonder where their cryptologist has disappeared to. Yeah, that would be Carter Hall, who awakes in his home in New York City with no idea how he got there.
 

Hall ends up with the rest of the archaeologist who are examining some kind of space mummy. No sooner can you say "plot point", this inky black organism comes forth and kills two of the scientists. That's when Carter transforms, whether he likes it or not. Apparently the Hawkman costume now resides within him. And it's pretty high tech-a far cry from the old green mask and such. We learn the creature is called Morphicius and he's pretty much consumed with stealing the Nth Metal from the life force of Hawkman.
 

This now makes a fourth book leaving me with a so-so taste. Tony S. Daniel weaves an interesting story, but I find it differing so far from the Hawkman I know and love that I couldn't really latch onto it. Philip Tan's art is typical Philip Tan: nicely painted with some great full page work, which is where he excels. But the thought of Carter Hall not wanting to be Hawkamn, wanting to be rid of the Nth metal and the fact we have no mention of his life partner(unless "Emma" is going to turn out to be her) or his continual resurrections.
 

Unlike the other reviews today, I won't be giving this book a second issue. I just don't like where it has gone thus far,
 

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is hiding in the background of a beautifully painted full page 16.
 

WONDER WOMAN is the legendary Amazon who has also had more origin stories than I can count. She's been a warrior, a secret agent and had issues with gods and men. Her last version by the driving force behind BABYLON 5 was revered by some and hated by others. How does this new version stack up?
 

The book starts with a bang as the "sun of a King" kills three lovelies in a hi-rise in Singapore. Next, we're in Virginia and a mysterious woman wearing a cloak of peacock feathers beheads two horses with a sickle. Back in the house, a mysterious blue skinned man wearing a WWI style army helmet implores the woman residing there, a woman named Zola, to leave thew house. Sounds like good advise as two centaurs, arising from the bodies of the beheaded horses, burst in an attack. The blue man is wounded but not before he gives Zola a key.
 

She awakes in a bedroom in London. And the woman she wakens in that bedroom is none other than Wonder Woman. The pair transport back to Virginia where the centaurs attack the pair. They are driven off and the mysterious man, who we learn is Hermes(ahh...the helmet!) revels that Zola is pregnant by Zeus. Oh Snap!
 

Back in Singapore, Zeus' "sun" is conversing with the three dead girls. yeah-very Macbeth like...you know: the witches and all. He is told that one of Zeus' children will take his place but he isn't born yet. Yet? Okay-I see where this is going.
 

Do you like Brian Azzarello's work? Well, think of this as 100 BULLETS with an Amazon for the lead character. This book is so screwy it demands more reads. The plot of pretty interesting and just enough has been divulged to make you come back for more. Again-just like Azzarello's other major work, which constantly kept you guessing. Cliff Chiang's artwork is quirky but I like it. Of course, I come from the school of Independent Comics where quirky is cool, so it works for me.
 

This book has the making of being a sleeper hit. It's is weird enough to appeal to fans of TV shows like LOST and, at the same time, has a hard edge to catch those people who like their mysteries dark and...well: mysterious! Grab this an give it a whirl. There's no gray here: you'll either love it or hate it!
 

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is hiding behind a tree in the 4th panel on page 17.

Books from THE DARK in DC's NEW 52

DC's NEW 52 Universe is divided into segments representing core titles. They are JUSTICE LEAGUE (which encompasses most of the classic heroes like Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, etc.), THE EDGE(encompassing the former Wildstorm titles along with DEATHSTROKE, SUICIDE SQUAD, OMAC, BLACKHAWKS, MEN OF WAR, and ALL STAR WESTERN), YOUNG JUSTICE(the next generation of heroes like TEEN TITANS, the Legion books, STATIC SHOCK, HAWK AND DOVE and BLUE BEETLE), and THE DARK(the supernatural books or, as I like to call them, Vertigo Lite). This time around, I'll examine those books. NOTE: FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E., RESURRECTION MAN and ANIMAL MAN have already been reviewed, so see those reviews elsewhere).
 

DEMON KNIGHTS brings together some of my favorite characters into this weird melange of genre twisting goodness. It all begins on the last night of Camelot with who we assume to be Lancelot tossing Excalibur back to the Lady of the Lake. Well, someone has thoughts about that and Madame Xanadu, in a previous incarnation, jumps off the boat bringing Arthur to his final rest in an attempt to purloin it. Meanwhile, Merlin is busy toying with the demon Etrigan who he proceeds to bind to young Jason(the once and future Jason Blood). And, of course, half his hair turns white.
 

Time passes and Mordru is up to his old tricks(actually, new tricks as the Mordru we know and love ends up menacing the Legion of Superheroes in the distant future) trying to do something or someone. He channels a demon through a baby, which explodes(yuck!) and decides his army most proceed to the town of Little Spring. As it so happens, that is where Madame Xanadu and Jason O' The' Blood are heading. When they get into town, they hook up with Vandal Savage and also The Shining Knight, who is now a woman or a really effeminate man. Then Exoristos shows up and it's pretty obvious she has probably come here from Paradise Island. Mordru's troops arrive, Etrigan busts loose from his human form and he swaps some spit with Xanadu(literally!).
 

And when the going gets tough for the bad guys, what do you do? You throw some dinosaur at our heroes.

This book rocks! I was kind of scared when I thought of taking the Demon from his modern day roots and thrusting him back into Medieval times. But I admit I was totally wrong. And by throwing in some of the classic magical characters, it adds that much more depth to it. I love Paul Cornell's story, especially some really creative dialogue! And Diogenes Neves artwork is equally as impressive. This book is one of my favorites and can't wait to see where it goes from here.
 

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is hiding in plain sight on page 7.
 

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK also features Madame Xanadu but in a modern setting. She is watching the changes in the world and awaiting the end of all things. So, through manipulation, she manages to bring together a team of mystical heroes. June Moone is one of many June Moones and she arrives at Dove's door seeking the help of Deadman. Shade the Changing Man dissolves his made up girlfriend and heads to Xanadu's. John Constantine drops in to the middle of London...literally! Zatanna, in a much hotter outfit than we are accustomed to, informs the Justice League that The Enchantress is responsible for all the changes occurring in the world. 

Oh, did I also tell you that the Justice League gets it's backside handed to it? Yeah, when Superman gets shredded by witches' teeth, you know things are bad.
 

Madame Xanadu has seen the way the world ends and it ends with a lot of bodies, including the soon to be formed Justice League Dark(and Etrigan...is this tied into DEMON KNIGHTS somehow).
 

Intriguing little book. Take some classic Vertigo heroes, some classic DC Universe heroes and blend them together into a superhero team and you get something magical. Oh wait: it's Peter Milligan writing it!!! Mikel Janin's artwork is cool enough too. This book has some lofty goals and it looks like it can attain them. Buy it. It's a better read than the "real" Justice League title.

BTW: The mysterious hooded woman is standing next to the Enchantress' house on page 11. 

The legend of the Swamp Thing has taken many different forms, moving from scientist turned into plant creature to plant elemental that absorbed the consciousness of scientist Alec Holland. In the NEW 52 SWAMP THING, Alec Holland has been recently resurrected, as he was at the end of BRIGHTEST DAY: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING. He has some memories of his time as a plant elemental but has given up his career as a scientist and become a construction worker.He gets visited by Superman, who references how he knows how hard it is "coming back"(okay...so SUPERMAN #75 DID HAPPEN!?). Holland confesses having memories including one of a white haired woman(long time fans all know who this is...).
 

Some major weird and creepy stuff goes on with three scientists getting their heads twisted around by flies and there's this big ugly creature leading them. Meanwhile, at Totleben's Motel(nice nod to one of Swampy old creators), Alec is troubled by dreams of his first death and rebirth as the creature. When he awakes, he decides to get rid of his batch of the Bio-Restorative formula. But before he can chuck it in the swamp, the Swamp Thing stops him. So, I guess they truly are separate entities.
 

SWAMP THINGMillar, Rick Veitch, Brian Vaughan and Andy Diggle, it created a tapestry of brilliance. Scott Snyder starts the ball rolling right away with some big shoes to fill. But it looks as those he's on the right track. Yanick Paquette pays tribute to the styles of Bernie Wrightson, Tom Mandrake, Steve Bissette, John Totelben and others with his work. It's eerie where it needs to be and crisp and clean in other places. The whole book has that classic feel right out of the gate.
 

Can't wait to read more of this. And I truly can't wait to see what kind of a wild ride Snyder and Paquette take us on. Save some of your comic money for this book. As a fan of horror comics, I think you'll find this right up your alley.
 

BTW: The mysterious hooded woman is standing in front of the pickup truck in the third panel on page 5.
 

I, VAMPIRE appeared in HOUSE OF MYSTERY for two dozen issues back in the early 1980s. It told the tale of Lord Andrew Bennett: a vampire who turned his lover into a vampire queen named Mary, Queen of Blood. She followed him into the modern day era and the stories told the tale of Bennett's attempts to take down Mary and her coven known as the Blood Red Moon. DC has resurrected, pun intended Bennet for a truly weird take on this classic character.
 

The story weaves back and forth between present day and a time in the past. In the present, Bennett is in Boston and hunting vampires sent towards him by his former lover. In the past, the pair debate their differences: Mary kills humans and Bennett only animals.
 

Okay, so it doesn't seem like much on the surface, but this is a book with layers, just like the original series did. But this is much darker and much more violent, owing more to TRUE BLOOD than it's Gothic roots. Joshua Hale Fialkov does a nice job of setting the table for future issues while Andrea Sorrentino does a nice turn on the moody art. Again, the first issue pretty much is the setup and I would expect future issues will have some sort of payoff. Either way, it's temping enough to keep me reading for a while anyway.
 

BTW: The mysterious hooded woman is truly well hidden in this book. She is standing in front of a tree in the upper left corner of the first panel on page 11.

Some Bat Books in the NEW 52

The Dark Knight has a long and storied career in the history of comics. He's had numerous partners, faced thousands of villains and had a romance or two. He's been very much alive, kind of dead and thrown through adventures in the past, the present and the future, not to mention on different Earths and in different timelines. DC has now seen its' way to drop the legendary Batman into the world of the NEW 52. So here's some reviews of Bruce Wayne and some of his cohorts.

BATMAN #1 begins with Batman teaming up with the Joker, of all people, to combat a riot at Arkham Asylum. GREAT, GREAT splash page hits you right in the face featuring some of Bats' greatest villains. In actuality, it's former faithful ward Dick Grayson wearing an E.M.P. mask to turn him into the maniacal clown. Seems that someone inside Arkham has been playing outside of the rules and our dynamic detectives have been doing their own investigation.
 
Later we see the family Batman getting dressed up to go out to a Wayne Foundation black tie affair. Here they all are: Bruce, Dick, former Robin Tim Drake and current Robin and Bruce's son Damian. Bruce makes a lengthy speech and shows the crowd what the future Gotham will look like.Soon Batman is called away to join Harvey Bullock at a murder scene. Seems a John Doe has been turned into a human pin cushion by hitting him with throwing knives.On the wall of this dingy room is a message painted in linseed oil. When lit up, it blazes the phrase: BRUCE WAYNE WILL DIE TOMORROW. A little NA under the victim's fingernails comes back as a match to...Dick Grayson.
 
Nice little cliffhanger here. All in all, not much has changed in the world of Batman. This NEW 52 version is a little younger, but most of the continuity remains the same. Scott Snyder's story is nicely done, with no major plot drops except how Dick Grayson is involved in the murder of someone. Greg Capullo's art: hey-it's Greg Capullo. It's great.
 

Yeah, this cornerstone of the DC Universe continues to entertain. Be interesting to see how the Dark Knight Detective figures this one out.
 
BTW: the mysterious hooded woman appears in the first panel of the first page, huddled around some homeless folks who are hovering around a burning trash can.
 
BATMAN AND ROBIN, until this new continuity, was the team of Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne. But now that Dick is Nightwing again(that review is also included in this post.), it's father and son now. The book begins with an ally of "The Bat" being killed by a mysterious assailant. Next, it's a lengthy father and son chat on the anniversary of Bruce's parent's wedding anniversary. They head to Gotham University where three guys by the name of Robbie, Reggie and Ronnie are trying to drain irradiated fuel at the Research Reactor. The Dynamic Duo break it up but Robin has a few different ideas of justice and his actions save the day but lead to the death of the trio.

Back in Moscow, the mysterious assailant from the beginning of the tale shows up again, dropping his captors into what could be a vat of acid. Next on his/her list: The Bat and his son.
 

Cool and creepy is the best way to describe this one. The bantering between Bruce and Damian is fun and works much better than the Dick/Damian pairing. The idea of this being father and son just makes it work that much better. Nice story from Peter J. Tomasi and equally detailed artwork from Patrick Gleason. This book is a keeper. It's fun, funny and I really like the mysterious villain plotline.
 
BTW: the mysterious hooded woman appears along poolside at Gotham University.
 
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT is David Finch and Paul Jenkins place in the Bat Universe. Following the previous incarnation, they hit the ground running. Literally as the plot moves at the speed of light. In a nutshell, Bruce gets quizzed at a fund raiser by a Gotham Police Internal Affairs Officer who seems to think that Wayne is funding a certain bat wearing vigilante. In short order, we get exposed to a very violent and bloody breakout at Arkham Asylum and Bats runs into a highly mutated Two-Face. That's it...
 

Finch' artwork is beautiful, but the story is a little lacking in the plot department. In fact, it's almost non-existent. You've seen how short my synopsis is. Well, with the exception of meeting the woman hosting the fundraiser and a little small talk between them, that's all there is. I'll see how issue #2 is but, without a payoff soon, I'll be dropping this title. Give me some meat, guys! Please!
 
BTW: the mysterious hooded woman appears at the front gates of Arkham Asylum during the breakout.
 
One of Batman's former partners was Jason Todd. Hey was a punk, the readers voted to kill him and the Joker did. Unfortunately, he didn't do a very good job, as Jason Todd came back to life with the help of a Lazarus Pit. Now he's a vigilante with his own way of doing things. And he's getting help in the form of the partner formerly known as Speedy and Starfire: the former Teen Titan. But these three aren't much like you remember them. This is RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS.
 
Roy Harper is stuck in Qurac where he showed up to help the people overthrow their dictator. Red Hood is masquerading as a priest and manages to bust Roy out. Not without some help, as Starfire shows up to take down the tanks barring their full escape. And she apparently has "been" with Jason, if you get that drift.
 
Some time later, three weeks to be exact, the trio are relaxing on St. Martinique. Jason gets visited by Essence who informs him of an appearance by The Untitled, which leads Jason to a new mission. While this is going on, Starfire asks Roy if he wants to have sex with her. What? Really? Okay...check the cover...nope: it's not Teen+. Wow...okay, anyway, Roy obliges as he learns that "love has nothing to do with" making love to her. Jason ends up in the Well of the All Caste in the Himalayas and in a world of trouble.
 
Okay, we have a Scott Lobdell book with some action, some innuendos and a whole bunch of mature themes. I like it! No really: if I wanted cheap titillation, I could buy an Avatar title. No, this is a fun little ride with. And Kenneth Rocafort's art is neither grating or great and reminds me of early Whilce Portacio...although the pin-up of Starfire in the tropics is pretty amazing stuff! 
 

There are worse books out in the NEW 52 than this one. I'll give it a few and see where it goes from here.
 
BTW: the mysterious hooded woman appears in the top panel of the scene in Chicago, where someone realizes a Tamaranean has appeared on Earth.
 
And then there's the original Boy Wonder, back in his NIGHTWING persona, although his costume is pretty ugly. Give us back the classic costume instead of this slightly bastardized Robin look.Anyway, our boy Dick Grayson discovers that Haly Circus is in town and of course he wants to check in on old friends. And it's not long before he's renewed old friendships, including one of the female persuasion. he even takes a turn on the trapeze and purposely screws up. hey-the guy has a cover to keep. Then we get some claw bearing costumed Wolverine wanna-be trying to kill Grayson, who he claims to the "fiercest killer" in Gotham. Really? News to me and apparently Nightwing, who looks to be on the receiving end of those claws.
 

Quick little tale with a lot of potential. Putting Grayson back to his roots is a cool concept and could be a load of fun. Let's see where issue #2 goes. Kyle Higgins crafts a nice tale here and Eddy Barrows artwork is nice in an Alan Davis sort of style. It reads well, looks great and could really be a fun ride. But lose the ugly costume!
 
BTW: the mysterious hooded woman appears on page 12, in the stands at Haly's Circus.