THE MOVEMENT #9: Batgirl’s in Coral City hunting a guy named Reese, who quickly knocks her out with a blast of solar energy. When she wakes, people wearing masks and warning her to leave Reese alone surrounds her, allowing Reese to escape. Meanwhile, Virtue convinces Mouse to bathe himself and, once clean, asks Tremor on a date with him. Batgirl goes to visit Pastor Mike at the Angel's Hand Presbyterian Church. Virtue arrives, demanding to know what Batgirl is doing in Coral City. She explains she needs to bring Reese back to Gotham to face justice. Katharsis arrives and battles Batgirl for the first time since she worked for Knightfall in Cherry Hill. Mouse has his rats surround Batgirl, suggests they discuss things over doughnuts and milkshakes, which they agree to. Katharsis explains that she left the Disgraced after she saw Ricky get his leg amputated. Batgirl explains Reese had been acting as a vigilante and he’s being hunted for killing two criminals. Katharsis knocks her out and they take her back to the Sweatshop. Over at the Police Department, we find out that Virtue had a seizure at age eleven that killed her. Her was shot and killed by Captain Meers during an incident and Erik Yee that she’s been after him ever since. Not far away, two police officers encounter Reese and burns them to death with his solar fire-insisting HE is a hero.
Based on what sales figures were like, I am guessing I am one of the few dedicated fans who are totally disappointed that this title will end with issue #12. Gail Simone and Freddie Williams II have put their hearts and souls into this book Okay, so that’s a little bit on the corny side. But I truly believe it’s true. These issues, while being someone confusing at times , has introduced a great supporting cast of characters that I am sure will end up being used in another books from time to time. Kartharsis has already appeared in BATGIRL and could probably do it again. This has been such a fun book and I hope that it won’t lose steam in these last three issues.
NIGHTWING #28: Nightwing is in the middle of a battle with a shape-shifter named Spinebender, who is seeking revenge on Nightwing because of a battle some time ago with himself, Nightwing and Batgirl. Nightwing is forced to unleash the same electric jolt that wronged Spinebender in the first place, and the power of the current causes him to harden into glass and shatter. Later, Dick and Michael are at their job in the bar when Sonia Branch walked in. She had visited her father, Tony Zucco, in prison and he explained why he faked his own death. She explained how she planned to make sure he never gets out of prison because he killed John and Mary Grayson. She tells Dick that she was leaving Chicago, as she was let go from her job at the bank. When Dick returns home, he learns that Cheryl and Greg were both murdered. In private, Jen tells Dick she knows whom he is and she knows who killed her parents. He leaves the room and when he returns, she is gone to hunt their killer. Joey tells Dick that the police know who killed her parents: Victor Zsasz.
Kyle Higgins continues to do a great job of writing this book, even with the end coming in just two issues. Of course, he is also trying to juggle multiple storylines and wrap them up in a short amount of time. You’ve got poor Jen, having just lost her parents, knowing Dick is Nightwing and going off to hunt Zsasz because she thinks she can be his Robin (someone tell her Robin is DEAD!). You have Sonia Branch telling her father she will make sure he rots in prison for the Grayson murders. Then she’s leaving on Dick besides. Wait: didn’t she leave on him before? And isn’t the reason he came here was to put Tony Zucco behind bars. And where does this all fit into FOREVER EVIL? Obviously, it’s BEFORE that mini-series, as everyone knows Dick is Nightwing, not just this little girl. Russell Dauterman handles the art chores this issue and that is all he needs to do, as the glory days of this title, sadly, is long gone.
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #28: Isabel enters her house following a date and discovers robots broadcasting a hologram of Jason Todd in her living room. He invites her to go to Elysium, which she does, although she does so with much hesitation. Beneath the island, a man called Midas feels his criminal operations are being infringed upon, especially with the presence of the Red Hood there. Meanwhile, dancing at a club, Jason expresses his feeling for Isabel who reminds him that the problem they had was not with having fun, but with the danger involved in their relationship. Roy and Kori are also exploring their relationship with some guy steps in the dance with Kori and she breaks his arm. At this point, she and Isabel begin to dance, leaving the guys on the sidelines. Midas sets robotic members of his Army of the Golden Hand loose on the dance floor, but they are soon defeated. After all that has happened, Isabel knows this relationship can never work so she says goodbye and returns home to Gotham City. She calls up her date from the evening before she left and decides that maybe he’s more of the man who deserves to be in her life. Meanwhile, the Outlaws pursue Midas and his Army of the Golden Hand.
I really like James Tynion IV’s writing and have spoken great volumes about it on many occasions. But this is one of the WORST READS I have had to wallow through in awhile. There is nothing wrong with Tynion’s writing skills…but the story stinks! We bring back a minor character from a few months back, with the intention of patching things up between her and Jason. And then we spend an entire issue with the “kids” dealing with relationship issues while this crazy guy named Midas, who was once courted to be part of Suzy Su’s operation, comes out of the woodwork to break up the fun. REALLY? This is a fill-in issue after a great run in the last few months. And Stephen Segovia is another hired gun fill-in artist for the month. If you cannot give us consistent quality all around make the title bi-monthly and save me some money. Sorry guys: you know what I think of this title but this was a waste of my time.
RED LANTERNS #28: Guy Gardner and Ice arrive in Paris to save Skallox and Zilius Zox from Shadow Thief that they eventually do. Guy invites Ice out to dinner and she refuses…refuses to have a relationship too. So the Lanterns head back home and meet the Green Lanterns, from the closing page of GREEN LANTERN #28. That ends up in a battle with the Red Lantern Supergirl and theyt end up putting her in the river of blood. When she eventually arises, she explains to guy and Hal that she is Kara Zor-El and Hal thinks that means she might be related to Superman. Meanwhile Rankorr and Bleez defend themselves against a resurrected Atrocitus, Dex-Starr and Klarn.
This issue was the other half of the GREEN LANTERN #28 flipbook and is by the usual crew of Charles Soule and Alessandro Vitti. My problem with this issue is that we have three storylines running through it. Granted, the first one is the conclusion of the Shadow Thief fight from issue #27, but we still have the fight between Rankorr and Bleez and Atrocitus, and then bring in the story with Supergirl. Oh…and let’s not forget the ongoing NON-ROMANCE between Ice and Guy. I love the direction this title is going in but right now, it has more subplots than a telenovela.
SUICIDE SQUAD #28: King Shark and Kamo are battling O.M.A.C. while Amanda Waler has an online conversation with Kevin Kho, who begs her for help in regaining control over O.M.A.C.. Meanwhile, Power Girl and the newly rescued Suicide Squad, land on the roof at Belle Reve where they encounter Harley Quinn and James Gordon, Jr.. No one is trusting anyone right now, but they watch the battle between the trio below them. Power Girl, Unknown Soldier and Steel intervene, but are no match for the Thinker controlled O.M.A.C.. Harley and Deadshot make their way inside where they find a case of bullets filled with a super-powered serum. Finding Waller, she tells them the bullets will infect them with a nano-virus that will give them a chance against O.M.A.C. Deadshot shoots Harley in the chest, puts one in Waller’s chest, and then turns his gun on himself.
Okay, we all know that this series is finished with issue #30, but things are looking like they will not MAKE issue #30. O.M.A.C. is whipping everyone’s tails, and now we have three heroes with bullets in their chests that may OR MAY NOT give them super-powers. And where is James Gordon in all of this. He WAS with Harley but she’s with Waller and Deadshot. Anyway, I will truly miss this book when it all ends in two issues. Despite creative changes, this title has always had something different to offer-which is what the original SUICIDE SQUAD titles were all about. Matt Kindt continues to do a killer job-emphasis on the phrase “killer”-with the plot and the total script while Jason Masters keeps the book looking good.
SUPERMAN #28: We begin this issue with Lois Lane caught in the middle of a police ambush in Suicide Slums. When one of the officers takes a bullet, Lois uses her new psychic powers to stop the mobsters. Superman has discovered a doorway above the Earth and Dr. Shay Veritas has suggested monitoring it. When he returns home, he Jimmy Olsen sleeping on his couch. Jimmy claims that he doesn’t feel normal living as a billionaire, so he asks Clark if he can stay here and Clark agrees. Cat shows up telling Clark about Morgan Edge wanting to buy their website, which Clark convinces her not to accept. Jimmy comments that if Edge wants it, it must be because they are close to a story someone wants hidden. Meanwhile, General Lane and a female companion are subjected to a break-in and hostage taking. But Lane saves the day and is informed that he should spare the intruder’s life if he wants to learn about the Tower. Superman arrives at the Metopolis Police Department and interrogates one of the mobsters, who claims that someone gave them the power to destroy him. Just then, Starfire arrives claiming she needs to save the planet and needs him out of the way.
Scott Lobdell actually wrote an issue of this title that did not completely drive me nuts! Actually, maybe it was just the fact that I was blown away by the amazing art of Brett Booth. The plot was okay, although I still don’t get Lois having psychic powers after she has come out of her coma. And I don’t know if I’m going to like what looks to be a RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS non-crossover…perhaps just to get SUPERMAN readers into a book that is NOT BEING read. And the dialogue wasn’t as childish as it has been on most of his other NEW 52 writing assignments. All in all, it was an okay issue with some killer artwork!
SWAMP THING #28: With Swamp Thing back as Avatar again, he has brought several former avatars back to the real world with them, and they have reverted to human form. The Wolf isn’t happy about it but Brother Jonah is. Lady Weeds has decided to live in a tree and is wondering why he saved her. He reveals that he hadn’t intended to save her and she just happened to come along with the others. He sets them up in the house that was Abby Arcane’s and they get dressed. Alec takes the three to a Mardi Gras parade on Bourbon Street. After they get home, Alec goes out to search the Green for Capucine. He finds her at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Nevada. After she attempts to kill him by firing a rocket at him, he convinces her that he is not Woodrue and that he is the last Avatar. She proceeds to tell her story. Born in 1114 in France, she and her brother were given 1,000 years of life, along with enhanced strength and speed, by a strange man who we learn was Etrigan. They return home to find that a group of unsually dressed humans calling themselves The Sureen are there waiting for him.
Charles Soule continues to weave a nice tale of the TRUE Avatar of the Green. Now that Jason Woodrue is gone, it is nice to see some sort of sanity, if that can truly be said about Swamp Thing, come back to this title. We finally get the origin of Capucine and see that good old Etrigan is to blame for her problems. But what is going to happen now that there are former Avatars loose in our world? I personally think it’s going to go back and go bad quickly. Soule’s story is really good and Javier Pina’ art is great, starting at the cover and going all the way through the book. And will the Sureen REALLY make Alec’s fondest dreams come true? I’m thinking not and this could be an issue too. Come back next month and let’s all see.
TRINITY OF SIN PANDORA #8: Already reviewed as part of THE BLIGHT storyline. See earlier blog post
TRINITY OF SIN THE PHANTOM STRANGER #16: Already reviewed as part of THE BLIGHT storyline. See earlier blog post
WONDER WOMAN #28: Wonder Woman, Artemis, Hermes, and Hera go into the London Underground trying to find Zola and Zeke. In Provence, Dio chases Zola, who is also being by a minotaur. Dio controls the vines in the forest to stop the minotaur, but he breaks free and breaks Dionysus' neck. Zola watches as the minotaur leaves with Dio’s dead body, ascending into Cassandra’s ship. Diana and company arrive and she gives chase after the ship, holding on as it flies away. Cassandra tells Dio, who is not truly dead, that she just needed A God to gain entry into Olympus. On Mount Olympus, Apollo is battling the First Born, who has managed to escape the torture he was experiencing. Just as Cassandra's plane reaches the top of the mountain, Apollo sets off a huge burst of energy and destroys the tower.
I really cannot say a lot about this title, because, if you have been reading me at all in the last 28 months, you know how much I love this title and the work of Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang. And, since there are fans of this book and people who equate Azzarello’s work to that of J. Michael Strazynski, and hate his work as much, I won’t go any further. Have an open mind and try this title, before the team of Azzarello and Chiang pack it in sometime this summer.
WORLD’S FINEST ANNUAL #1: The Prelude to FIRST CONTACT. In Chapter One, set long ago on Earth 2, Helena Wayne(Robin) and her father, Batman investigate a brothel in one of the better neighborhoods in Gotham. Robin does most of the work, with Batman observing. Helena ends up taking out the pimp and ends up trying to convince the prostitutes that she was there to help. Batman arrived and explained they were suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. He insists she leave them for the police and caseworkers. In Chapter Two, Kara uses a fake ID to get into a club and is afraid that her cousin Kal will find out. She meets a guy named Ken and picks him up. They go for a walk and kiss. As she is about to revealk her secret to him, an explosion at the WorldGov tower deeply concerns him, as his father is the leader of Gamorra and AT the tower. As he raced to the tower, Kara put on her uniform and flew off to the tower. She saved many lives and fixed the building, she was too late to stop a falling piece of debris from killing ken as he went to search for her. In Chapter Three, Kara visits Helena and learns that Batman had recorded the whole incident. Watching the video, Helena discovers a blurry frame of a woman in the wreckage. Arriving at the scene, they are attacked by Fury and have to let her go when Helena gets trapped under rubble. They start investigating readings and head to a cave where Fury again knocks out Kara. Wonder Woman intervenes and tells her to go home, leading to a battle between Kara and the Amazon that allows Fury to go free. Wonder Woman explains they would all be killers one day and Fury was her daughter.
Although this is listed as the Prelude to the FIRST CONTACT storyline, (which runs through BATMAN SUPERMAN #8, WORLDS' FINEST #20, and BATMAN SUPERMAN #9), it really is just a tale from Earth 2 BEFORE the battle with Apokolips that resulted in the deaths of the super Trinity. The revealing piece, in this tale by Paul Levitz and Diogenes Neves is that Fury IS Wonder Woman’s daughter. So, if Fury is from Apokolips, just who did the Amazon DO to have a child of Apokolips? My bet is she was doing the horizontal bop with Orion, since she and he were a bit friendly on our Earth.
WORLDS' FINEST #20: In Part 2 of FIRST CONTACT, Batman, Superman, The Huntress, and Power Girl head to New Gamorra. Power Girl’s powers have returned to normal as it seems that Superman is now being affected by Gamorran Nanites. Batman buts the necklace with the Kryptonite ring around Superman in hopes that it will revert him to human power levels and counteract the Gamorran Nanites. A Gamorran Super Soldier arrives and The Huntress takes him out, since Superman is too weak. Batman and Power Girl infiltrate New Gamorra, where she discovers that the son of Kaizen Gamorra is Ken and he has been using Kara’s DNA to build an army Kryptonian Clones.
Okay, so I guess I need to go out and buy BATMAN SUPERMAN #8 and BATMAN SUPERMAN #9 to get the full story, like HOW they end up looking for New Gamorra in the first place. Anyway, Paul Levitz’ story is typical Levitz and now I DO understand why the Annual WAS a Prelude as it introduced Ken, who apparently DIDN’T die in that book. So Levitz’ story is cool but R. B. Silva’s art, based on breakdowns by Scott McDaniels, is so block that I had a hard time really enjoying it.
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