DC's NEW 52: issue #7, Part 1

ACTION COMICS #7:  Metropolis is trapped in a bottle and it’s up to Superman to get them out. He battles Brainiac, who has gone by many different names including Internet who gives him the chance to either save Metropolis or Kandor. In the back-up story, John  Henry Irons has to fill in for the missing hero.

And now we get back to our regularly scheduled story and right off the bat, get some of the dumbest dialogue since issue #1.Superman claims he has “zoom vision” and spouts garbage like “guns are for sissies”. SERIOUSLY! I almost peed my pants with that line and it’s in the second panel of the book! And Mr.Glenmorgan having a meltdown with a totally imagined barkeep is equally dumb. Okay, so we’re looking for a way to move him out of the story and such but this? And the back-up? A complete waste of space and a good reason to tack another buck onto the book. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT ISSUE!

ALL STAR WESTERN #7: Arkham and Jonah Hex head to New Orleans to track down child labor violator Thurstin Moody. But things start off with a bang when a bomb goes off and Hex gets injured saving people. We get to meet Nighthawk and Cinnamon in their non costumed identities. We also get to meet Z. C.Branke in an early version of armed pit combat. With Branke, she makes sure it is to the death. The tale ends with Hex winning his first ,match and preparing to “dance” with the murderess. In the back-up tale, he get Nighthawks’ origin tale sandwiched in the center of a Nighthawk and Cinnamon cliffhanger.

Yet again, I am forced to bitch out DC for giving me a 20 page main story with a back-up tale for $3.99. But I can’t completely bitch here as the main story is fun and the back-up, written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Grey and illustrated by Patrick Scherberger not only looks great but tells a beautiful origin story, set in good old New Bedford, Massachusetts!. Okay:four bucks it is. A fun little ride for the money..

ANIMAL MAN #7: The road trip away from home continues while the animals continue to revolt. A brief stop in town for supplies leads to some fan girls getting all dreamy-eyed over Buddy. That night, Buddy has a dream involving The Rot, Swamp Thing and Maxine, who is the superhero of the tale. When he awakes, the beasts are at the door.

It’s nice to see this title back on track again after a disappointing last issue. Creepy stuff from Jeff Lemire and Steve Pugh and it all is leading to the eventual team-up/crossover with SWAMP THING.

AQUAMAN #7:  Black Manta kills Kahina the Seer in Brazil, lifts a boxed artifact off of her body and promises to kill Aquaman too. Aquaman and Mera pay a visit to Doctor Shin but so does a mysterious woman who informs our heroes of the death of the Seer and tries to tie Shin to it. She also has some back story with Arthur as a last panel reveals.

Once again, we are in weird places It’s awesome to see a proper looking Black Manta who is a blood thirsty as he once was. And this issue features some of Ivan Reis’ BEST WORK EVER!!! He is a definite heir to the throne of Jim Lee as being one of DC’s most expressive artists. But let’s talk about the story here. Who is this mysterious woman. And, for that matter, who is this team pictured in a book. This is truly the Geoff Johns’ book to be reading!

BATGIRL #7: The issue begins with a battle in the sewers between Batgirl and a guy named Grotesque. Then we flashback to two hours earlier and a training session between Batgirl and Black Canary. James Gordon gets to meet his ex-wife and finds why she left the family. Grotesque is at the Cartier’s One Club and kills one of the folks there with a mace. We end up back at the beginning and find that one of Grotesque’s goons is one of the guys who was with the Joker the night he crippled our hero.

Here’s a nice Gail Simone story that introduces what we can only hope is more of a reveal to how Barbara Gordon can walk after three years paralyzed in comic time. The whole workout/pity session with Black Canary is kind of cool too, especially with some of  the stuff floating around with Canary in BIRDS OF PREY. More cool art from Ardian Syaf who continues to dazzle with each issue. Still one of my favorite books from the NEW 52.

BATMAN #7: Batman gets jump started back to life by a girl and a set of jumper cables…really! He ends up back at the Batcave and gets scared by the corpse of Talon, well preserved by the icy waters. Nightwing arrives and in a scene directly mirroring a scene in NIGHTWING #7, it is revealed the Talon is Dick’s great grandfather AND that Dick was meant to be a Talon. As the relationship between Dick and Bruce is forever altered, the Court of the Owls prepare to take back their city.

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo do a nice job of laying another stone in place for the upcoming Court of the Owls multi-title epic. The parallel tale with NIGHTWING works nicely too, especially if you read the other side of the story. Hold on tight: this should be a make or break storyline in the BATMAN titles.

BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #7: Batman spends the entire issue fighting with Bane, who is much stronger than ever before. He also gets a chance to release Poison Ivy, who promises revenge. Superman gets Flash to finally slow down, as he has burned the toxin out of his body. Bane ends up being victim to the antidote and crashes into the sea. And what of The White Rabbit? It appears that she and Jai are one and the same.

He we have another beautiful looking issue that gives David Finch a chance to continually shine. Finch again shares writing duties with Paul Jenkins. I love the surprise ending where we discover that The White Rabbit is Bruce’s paramour suffering with a Sybil syndrome.. This hearkens back to a character in a classic Steve Englehart/Marshall Rogers storyline in DETECTIVE COMICS. A great issue that leaves as many questions behind as it answers.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #7: Morgan is torturing Robin as part of a demented revenge play: Bruce was responsible for the death of the senior Ducard so he is killing Bruce’s son. That doesn’t go so well as the rest of the book becomes a major knock down drag out between Morgan and Bruce where Bruce eventually prevails. But it is Robin who gets the last word here as he reacts to Ducard’s taunts and murders him with a simple punch THROUGH the villain’s head.

Just when you think this book can’t go any higher, it does! A massive battle filled with taunts and name calling and it all ends with batman snapping just enough…only to be followed by Robin finishing the job with a beautiful Gleason illustrated last panel. “Forgive me, father, for I have sinned”.  You can say that again. Peter Tomasi has made this a great book to read as we watch the two vigilantes walk that fine tightrope between hero and madman.

BATWOMAN #7: Batwoman continues to battle with the big ugly guy with the hook. She rips the hook off and he becomes Rush again. This is all part of Falchion’s monster making plans. Jacob continues to stay by Bette’s bedside. Kate and Detective Sawyer have an interesting lunch date. Maggie also gets to capture a Medusa agent named Sune that Chase thinks could be helpful to the D.E.O.’s cause. Only problem is that Maggie will be transporting her and it’s up to Batwoman to get her. This could be a problem for their relationship.

Another strange PULP FICTION styled issue with timeline jumps galore. That means that, once again, this issue does not play in a lineal fashion. Amy Reeder again contributes the artwork and continues to improve. Not J. H. Williams but it certainly does fir this style of storytelling. Overall, this is still one of my favorite DC characters.

BIRDS OF PREY#7:  We finally find the identity of Choke and learn that Trevor is dropping post hypnotic suggestions into just about anyone, including some of the Birds. So how do you stop him? Well Tatsu has a solution-she beheads him. But not before he drops a bomb about how Canary was responsible for murdering her husband. Batgirl begins to dig through Trevor’s apartment and Canary arrives. There’s a quiet moment which will hopefully tell us the deal with Canary’s late husband. Then Tatsu reveals that the spirit in the sword isn’t Choke. Oops!

Holy cliffhanger, Batgirl! Yeah…love the way this issue plays out. But we still have what will now be going onto our eighth issue of this storyline and still no probable end in sight.  And what is the deal with Canary’s husband? So now we know she is single. Is this going to set up something down the road between her and Green Arrow? Or is there something between her and Barbara Gordon? Questions, questions, questions.

CATWOMAN #7:  Catwoman is doing a pretty good job of stealing fast cars and she and her new partner Gwen Altamont are doing an equally good job of relishing in their spoils. Detective Alvarez wants to dig deeper and his bosses are begging him off the case. It doesn’t matter to him as he decides to set her up. She gets sprung by a potential new partner named Spark. And someone is kidnapping Gotham City prostitutes.

A little change of pace issue here as the next story arc rolls on. Great writing from Judd Winick with art from Adriana Melo, who does a decent job of aping Guillem March. Overall, while not the blockbuster of the first six months, it still continues to be a rip roaring killer of a read.

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #7: Ace gets resurrected…at least his body is resurrected as his soul has been replaced by a forgotten lord. The CHALLENGERS TV show is hotter than ever and the survivors decide they need to find other stones that tie into the talisman. So all the survivors with the exception of Prof and Ken, head off to Teutoburg Forest in Germany to steal the second stone. And they get attacked by stone statues and Red saves the day. With the second piece in hand, they head back to Prof and Ken. Unfortunately, it looks like Ace has done then both in and may have taken the first stone with him.

Dan Didio takes this story into weirdsville, as the NEW Challengers head off in their new outfits and we apparently bump off old mainstay Prof. Jerry Ordway combines with Ray McCarthy for another great looking issue. While the thought of an extra three bucks a week in my comics spending account smarts, I almost wish this book was a weekly as I love the plot and the cliffhanger. I repeat what I said last month: give us a regular series down the road

DEATHSTROKE #7: The final epic battle between Deathstroke and his son Grant, who we discover is behind this whole thing all along. Well, not totally as the crazy revenge seeking parents decide that the only way Deathstroke escapes is to kill Grant. Change of plans for Slade as he stabs dad and put his blade through mom’s head. When all is said and done, three bodies lie in the snow and Grant walks away. Could this mean HE will be the NEW Deathstroke?

The team of Kyle Higgins, Joe Bennett and Art Thibert finishes this story in bloody and very satisfying fashion. But we are left with unanswered questions which may never be touched on as Rob Liefeld will soon be handling art and writing shore. And that is probably where I will drawn the line unless he can find a way to truly impress the hell out of me. Too bad: I will miss this title in my monthly reading lists.

DEMON KNIGHTS #7: Jason goes to hell and gathers Father Theod’s tears to bring Xanadu back to her vital self.  And then that battle continues with the Horse Woman helping to save the day. The Demon Knights are heroes but leave an entire village wasted when all is said and done. At what cost the victory?

Lots of action this month as Paul Cornell and Diogenes Neves conclude this storyline in nice fashion. It will be interesting to see where this book goes from here. Hopefully we will get more answers to the questions of who some of these people are and who they will become in the future.

DETECTIVE COMICS #7: Charlotte and Batman get out the ice with an explosion that rocks the ship. Jill and Snakeskin hatch their plot, even though he has lost his ability after being severely pounded by the girl with the eye patch. Snakeskin gets a double cross from Jill who then tangles with Batman, only to be interrupted by Penguin’s henchmen. Jill gets free and meets up with Penguin. It seems this double cross was planned all along. Too bad she didn’t realize HE had a double cross in mind for her too. But Batman saves the day and she ends up in prison…and Snakeskin pays his former partner a little visit with sharp greetings from the Penguin.

 A nice, satisfying ending to this story arc. Nicely written and illustrated(again with inks by Sandu Florea) by Tony Salvatore Daniel.  Next up: The Owls come to roost. I will be very curious to see how the creative team handles this.

FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #7:  While Frankenstein and his team head back to base from Vietnam, Lady Frankenstein gets attacked by her “children”. The humanoid revolution has begun and Brother Eye has dropped a virus into the S.H.A.D.E.NET system which is allowing the revolution. Frankenstein and his team engage in all out war and even Ray Palmer gets in the act with some atomic styled powers(when it’s suggested he get a costume he declares: “not my style”). The team gets together but not before Khalis is beheaded. There is a desperate attempt to keep him alive even as Father Time explains that one of the prisoners who is still alive and running free(Lady F. has apparently terminated the rest) is his son.

Another whacked out issue by the team of J.G. Jones and Alberto Ponticelli, now with Walden Wong doing the inks and that seems to just clean everything up a little more legibly. Frankenstein’s son, eh? I can’t wait to see where this goes. And, speaking of going, WE WANT THE ATOM!!! Put Ray into a costume and let him join the team!

GREEN LANTERN #7: Sinestro interrupts Carol and Hal during a little quiet time and demands he follow him. Make that he highly persuades him, as he threatens Carol’s life. It seems the Guardians are planning to eliminate the Green Lantern Corps and replace it with their own new vision. The Indigo Tribe arrives to take Sinestro and Hal, leading Carol to don the ring which makes her Star Sapphire .  And  Black Lantern returns too. Meanwhile, The Guardians prepare to deal with Lyssa Drak.

It’s nice to see this book back on track again after last issue. Here we have Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke doing what they do best: tell a wicked good story! And we get some of our old favorites from WAR OF THE LANTERNS and BRIGHTEST NIGHT sagas in the form of Black Lantern and Lyssa Drak. Where does this story go from here? Wait until next month and see!

I, VAMPIRE #7: Rise of the Vampires Part2 continues as Tig, the Professor and Batman fight Cain and Mary, who switches sides when she realizes that Cain is crazier than she is. And the Justice League Dark arrives to lend a hand. Meanwhile, Andrew Bennett is deader than dead and stuck in the in-between.

I pretty much say the same thing month in and month out: Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino are responsible for one of the best books out there, especially in this genre. And now that it’s crossing over into JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK just gives it that much more credibility as a Mainstream DC book versus being a Vertigo styled book. You must read this book…the vampires command it!

JUSTICE LEAGUE #7: The series shifts ahead to present day and the team, specifically Green Lantern and The Flash, battle a transformed Dr. Samuel Street. Colonel Steve Trevor goes before Congress and meets his new assistant Etta candy. He also web chats with the girl of his dreams, Wonder Woman. But just who is the mysterious narrator? We also get to meet the New DC 52 version of Billy Batson, who is a lying little punk who will become the World’s Mightiest Mortal.

Interesting change up kind of issue this month. The lead story is by Geoff  Johns and guest artist Gene Ha. Always loved Gene’s work and this issue is no exception. And with the introduction of Steve Trevor and Etta Candy(and we’re being diverse here because she IS African American), the fanboy in me gets all giddy! And then we get to the SHAZAM back-up story by Johns and Gary Frank and we take the whole Captain Marvel mythology and bend it around. Dr. Sivana seems to be a scientist out the the Lex Luthor mold and is searching for Black Adam. Billy Batson is the Eddie Haskell of the tale; one minute nice and the next a snotty brat. And what does that last panel show us?  This could be a very interesting tale indeed. 

 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #7:  It’s the first part of the RISE OF THE VAMPIRES cross-over with I, VAMPIRE. The team travels to Gotham to battle vampires with Batman, Batgirl and the rest of the cast. Meanwhile, Xanadu makes a deal in the Astral Zone of the Crystal One and Deadman and Constantine travel to the Land of the Dead. Somehow I don’t think this is all going to end nicely.

I found this a nice start to the  I, VAMPIRE crossover. Pete Milligan turns in a great story with help from Admira Wijaya(the first 8 pages of the book) and Daniel Sampere(the remainder). And it’s nice to see John Constantine behaving like his old gnarly self!  Don’t forget that Jeff Lemire takes over with the next issue. Thanks Pete for such a great beginning and now do the same in STORMWATCH!

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #7: The JLI didn’t die in the cliffhanger last issue…well, they ALL didn’t die. Andre Briggs and Emerson Esposito are victims as is Rocket Red. Not to mention that a good portion of the team is badly beaten and severely injured. We also find that Guy apparently has a thing for Tora because he keeps doting over her like a love sick boy. Somewhere in the middle of all this, we see that Lightweaver is to blame for much of this and he wails on Booster Gold. Who comes to save the day? Batwing! Batwing? REALLY!?

This is a nice second part to the current story arc and by taking out the two “human” members of the team along with Rocket Red is genius! Poor Gavril Ivanovich. He gets introduced in GENERATIONS LOST and now he becomes worm food seven issues in. Dan Jurgens turns up the heat and Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan roar back in style to show the aftermath. And what’s up with Batwing? Who let him leave Africa?