JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE DARKSEID WAR – BATMAN #1: Now possessing the power of the Mobius Chair, Batman returns to Gotham City and explains to Jim Gordon that he is engaging in pre-emptive strikes to stop crime. While this is a good idea, he behaves a bit like the Spectre as he brings a man with the potential to murder his wife to Themyscira, He visits the scene of his origin and then has the chair bring him to Joe Chill. He takes Chill out of his prison cell and takes him back to Crime Alley, where he reveals himself to Chill, before eventually returning him back to his cell and declaring that Batman now is Chill’s bogeyman. He returns to the Batcave and decides to use his absolute power on only one criminal-The Joker.
I certainly hope the rest of these side stories connected to The Darkseid War are this good! This was an amazingly well written look at the darkness Batman has slipped into thanks to the always-amazing writing skills of. Peter J. Tomasi. Add into that Fernando Pararn’s amazing art, with inking by the always dependable Matt Ryan, and this book is an amazing read! When you get to the final page, filled with classic images of the Clown Prince of Crime, you will lose your mind! It is everything from Laughing Fish vintage to Killing Joke to the current incarnation. This was one of the best things I read all month long from DC. Absolutely a real treat that I didn’t mind paying four dollars for! .
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #4: Superman brings Cyborg some Kryptonian blood where he is working on a secret project for Batman. Meanwhile, Green Lantern is meeting with Rao 250,000 years in Krypton's past, where Rao is looking for Hal to accompany him on a peace mission to Argo City. He has some of his prophets give him part of their life so he can be young again. Back on Earth, Rao is gathering more prophets and they continue to spread his word. Aquaman and Mera watch all this on television and wonder how good an idea is was to leave a prophet in Atlantis. Part of Rao’s acts deposit protein markers in people’s blood that changes them and makes them calmer. That’s when Rao and some of his prophets arrive at Superman’s Fortress of Solitude.
As much as this book looks beautiful, it can’t end soon enough. Bryan Hitch’ story is so far out of continuity that I want to think of it as an imaginary tale. His writing is just so long-winded that I get tired reading it. Again, the art is beautiful but the story is so bogged down that it stops making sense. For example, Aquaman is watching television and NOT helping the League? What’s up with that?
JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #5: Guy Gardner is having a hard time not only adjusting to being a woman but having a roommate in the form of the Starro Consciousness and asks Firestorm for help in fixing her. Meanwhile, Fire and Ice take Jimmy Olsen to Area 13, where he will be locked up for the rest of his life. Supergirl and Batman battle the new armored Batman, which turns out to be a fifteen-year-old girl piloting the Batbot. When they take her away, a disgruntle Harley Quinn shows up and expresses her extreme displeasure about losing her playmate. Lois continues to plot and has Bane bring her old body to her, as she might want to switch back. That may be smart, especially since Superman just found out that to Ariel is working with the Injustice League.
Here’s a message to Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis and Howard Porter: thank you. Thank you for giving us a superhero book that is fun, action packed and silly all at the same time. If you have read this blog before, you know my feelings about this title. And again, we get another issue with all of those wonderful elements presented to us. Harley Quinn is here, Lois is insane, guy Gardner is confused and Bane likes to dress up Lois’ body and have tea parties! Yeah-it’s that kind of book!
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #14: Sgt. Rock and Easy Company have captured Vandal Savage but, lucky for him, Batgirl shows up with a smoke grenade and frees him. They run into a patrol of Germans, but manage to fight their way out, even as the Unknown Soldier watches them. Stargirl is still with the Enemy Ace when she realizes that her staff has fallen from the sky and impaled a poor GI. Not to worry as the GI is GI Zombie and he unleashes the Creature Commandos upon Cyborg and Robotman. Cyborg wrestles Stargirl’s staff from GI Zombie’s hands, wondering how they were able to shoot he and Robotman down. That is when the real culprit shows up to claim responsibility: the One Machine Attack Construct-OMAC.
You know: if you’re going to cancel a book, you may as well line everything up and have it go out with a bang. That’s what is going on here. I understand the lackluster sales on the book, as it was very uneven for the first dozen issues. But these last two issues have been fun and action packed! Thanks to Jeff Parker and Paul Pelletier for injecting some life into this book. Tune in next month for the last stand of the Justice League United.
LOBO #11: Atrocitus is in the process of creating new Red Lanterns while Lobo observes and decides that he will be the hardest Lantern to defeat. And then he attacks, slaying Dex-Starr first, before slaying the rest. But before he can destroy their power battery, Rage Mother gives birth to them yet again. Not only is Sinestro not going to be happy, this could be a problem.
If you want an all out action filled issue with lots of blood and guts, then this is your baby! Cullen Bunn and Frank Barbiere, along with artist Robson Rocha, turn this issue into what the old RED LANTERNS title was: a bloodbath! With a killer cover by industry legend Leonardo Manco, this is probably the best issue of the series to date. If they had all been this rocking, then the title wouldn’t be in the unenviable place it is.
MARTIAN MANHUNTER #5: Mr. Biscuits is trying to make his way through the airport, even if he is in multiple bags, while telling Agent Wessel that Mould is going to make everything okay. Wessel, Leo, Alicia and Mr. Biscuits and getting onto a flight out of Dulles International Airport. Biscuits puts himself back together and then says goodbye to Alicia, knowing that none of them will likely return from this mission. Immediately after, the Martians show up to abduct her. Meanwhile, Aquaman tries to awaken Pearl, who begins to make out with him before he beings her to Mould. They end up at a crater where it looks like Mars once landed in the past…and is ready to live again on Earth.
Rob Williams and Eddy Barrows are creating what I can only describe as once of the coolest and trippiest books on the market. If you haven’t figured it out yet, Wessel, Leo, Alicia, Pearl, Mould, and Mr. Biscuits are all parts of Martian Manhunter’s consciousness. So, Pearl is really J’onn J’onzz and she was making out with Aquaman. Like I said, TRIPPY!! You should be reading this book as I feel it is going to be looked at by future critics as one of the best titles to come out of DC in years. To be honest, it is so weird that it should be a Vertigo title.
MIDNIGHTER #5: Midnighter is in Hazan, where he and Grayson are battling the Russians while he is also chatting with his boyfriend back in the States. He handcuffs himself to Grayson and they end up on a train filled with "weaponized bears, werewolves and other creatures of folklore, leading to them eventually meeting Akakyevich. But he has some God Garden tech and makes a quick getaway. But Midnighter has a trick up his sleeve and teleports back to Akakyevich and paralyzes him. Akakyevich reveals that he was just the middle-man, so the hunt will continue. Later, Midnighter and his boyfriend are having Thanksgiving dinner while a sniper takes aim.
I am really starting to hate this series, although this issue did a nice job of tying Grayson, Midnighter and the whole God Garden tech thing together, as the God Garden stuff has been running in Grayson’s own book. The book gets silly as Steve Orlando has Midnighter talking with his boyfriend while he’s fighting the Russians. So silly! It was nice to see Stephen Mooney back on the art, but even that can’t save this from being an unintentionally silly book. When Midnighter and Apollo were together in The Authority, they had their relationship thing, but it didn’t account for most of the plot.
NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #13: A meeting in Rio with someone selling a new drug designed to give a random superpower goes bad and Boomerang and Deadshot have their cover blown, meaning Harley, Parasite and Amanda Waller need to come into save the day. The bad guys have taken the drug and have their own super powers now and Deadshot reveals to Waller that he is still having issues from being injured recently. Parasite begins to absorb the bad guys’ powers, which causes him to overload and explode. The riot police show up to arrest them, but Boomerang stirs up the crowd to riot, allowing the team to make a quick getaway. Waller gets away, hunts down the drug dealer, and executes him. Waller calls Bonnie and tells her the team is going off the grid. Bonnie immediately tells Sage, despite Waller telling her NOT TO, and he gets ready to explode the team’s neck bombs.
Sean Ryan gives us a brand new arc and that means, after what happened last time, Waller is part of the field team. I miss Reverse Flash. but He gave his life for the team because that is why they are called Suicide Squad. Sop, things look bad for our team except we all know they’re NOT going to die because there’s a movie coming! By the way, I am not a fan of Philippe Briones’s art. I really want Paul Pelletier on this book because his style fits nicely to these characters.
OMEGA MEN #5: Broot and Scapps are walking up the stairs of the Changralynian Temple and being hit with insults and dung, joins the rest of the Omega Men inside. This is all so there can be a peaceful exchange for the kidnapped Princess Kalista, who is actually part of the Omega Men. The Omega Men are here to gain the Key of Omega, which is their key to salvation. Since they are using Broot to try and get it, we learn that his name was Charis-Nar and he was raised by the High Pontifix. He accused the Temple of Sin of corruption and was branded a "Broot". The Pontifix has sold out the Omega Men to the Citadel. Brott gains the Key, but the rest of the team has been captured in the process.
Tom King and Barnaby Bagenda bring us another great issue in the series that was slated to die, but has been given new life…for now. This is such a strange and wonderful ride! And it is not your daddy’s OMEGA MEN book. I am totally thrilled this book is getting to finish it’s storyline, even if it won’t continue past twelve issues. I just hope the fan following increases enough to warrant going past 12.
PREZ #5: While the cat-flu epidemic continues to rage across America, President Beth Ross travels to Vietnam, Nicaragua, Japan, and Iraq to apologize for everything the United States did in the past. All accept her apology except Iraq who gives her a big F U. The World Apology Tour moves on to Pakistan, where she helps save the life of the Pakistani Ambassador by giving her a hot dog heart. Meanwhile, War Beast decides he needs to be forgiven and wants to be called Tina.
This is the next to last issue of what was originally solicited as a 12 issue series. I will be sorry to see it go, as it has been a fun biting commentary on our world while trying to pass itself off as a comic book. Mark Russell and Ben Caldwell have been doing a great job and hopefully this will get resurrected in the future. Until then, go find the first five issues and get ready for the ride. After all, the best part apart the upcoming political season is that we can read all the silliness here instead of watching it on television.
RED HOOD/ARSENAL #5: It’s Batman and the remaining two-thirds of the Outlaws battling Underbelly. We learn that Underbelly was born when the psychic siphon, that Arkham created to lobotomize patients, got broken. Underbelly went on to make multiple versions of itself all over the world. Back at the battle, Roy uses a special arrow that disrupts and destroys this particular Underbelly, which will eliminate all the other ones. While Suzie Su gathers her new team, known as Hero Manifesto, Jason goes to the Rec Center he grew up at and sees Bruce Wayne. Unfortunately, Joker’s Daughter sneaks up on Roy and puts a gun to his head. The last thing we see is a gunshot.
This was quite the cliffhanger from Scott Lobdell and Denis Medri. While I am not a fan of this series or of Lobdell’s writing in general, this was a really good couple of issues. I liked Medri’s art on it and the story flowed nicely…even if the whole concept of Underbelly was a bit weird.
ROBIN, SON OF BATMAN #5: Damian continues on his quest to redeem himself from all the wrongs that he did when Talia returns. As the two of them argue, we find out that Damian has inadvertently allowed the Lu’un Darga to be reborn. This leads to al Ghul Island being destroyed and Damian’s failed clone brothers sacing their lives by paying with their own. In the end, they all escape in a submarine Ravi had prepared.
Patrick Gleason does another great job with this title. His writing is crisp and so is his art. It was great seeing Talia return in the role of hero for a change. You know you’re a good writer when you drop in two pages where Damian’s cloned brothers appear and sacrifice themselves in the name of family and totally bring your reader to tears. Nice job Patrick!
SECRET SIX #7: We begin with a meeting between Deadman, Felix Faust, the Phantom Stranger, Dr. Thirteen, Zatanna, and Baron Winters, who wonder what they should do about Black Alice. It seems her super power is stealing the powers of the magical denizens of the Universe. Their solution, by the time Cheetah, Blue Devil, Klarion, and Eclipso show up, is to go to the hospital she is in and kill her. The team is split, as most of them have been off playing basketball and then miniature golf. But Etrigan has attacked them, so they can’t get to the hospital to help Dibney and Catman. Luckily Black Alice is awake and bearing the powers that she has purloined.
Gail Simone’s story is just a ton of fun, although I don’t get all these sorcerers and elementals getting together for a party…especially since some of them are villains. What’s the old saying: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. But Dale Eaglesham’s artwork is the true highlight of this book. It just gets better with every issue and Jason Wright’s vibrant colors just blow the top off the book. We all know there were delays and problems in the beginning getting this book out. But it’s here now and it rocks!
SINESTRO #16: Sinestro and his Corps come to Khandaq where he meets with Black Adam, asking who the Pale Bishop is and seeking advice on how to defeat The Paling. The two head to the Vaults of Wisdom and discover the mummified corpse of the Pale Bishop. It comes to life and everyone is surprised to see that it’s a Guardian of the Universe.
Without question, this is the BEST issue of this series to date! We get these two powerful individuals joining together for the first time since they battled the Crime Syndicate and they are fantastic together. They are such amazing and dynamic anti-heroes that there is no other need for the rest of the Corps to be involved, except for a page or two. This issue, superbly written by Cullen Bunn and illustrated by Brad Walker and Ethan Van Sciver, is about these two and their journey together. Add into it the last moment cliffhanger, and this is a winner!
STARFIRE #5: Starfire and Soren Hook are having drinks when she suddenly sees his creepy secret origin where he was a doctor who had the ability to absorb cancer out of people. Unfortunately for him, he began growing a tumor of his own and killed one of his colleagues in the process. This whole thing freaks her out. Later, she goes off to an interview at an aquarium, which she doesn’t get. But then she begins talking to the dolphin, so they hire her. That night, at a party to celebrate her success, Sol is found in a pool of blood and Soren needs to talk.
Ugh! Can’t this be a six issue series and we can be done with it next issue? Kori continues to be dumb, the plot continues to ramble from Point A to Point B and I continue to shake my head that a book this awful continues to sell enough for DC to keep it going. Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti have done for stupidity what they have done for insane former sidekick chicks. Meanwhile, the highlight, as it were, continues to be Emanuela Lupacchino’s art. Other than that, I cannot recommend this book. And yeah: that’s what SHE said!
SUPERMAN #45: Superman meets with Condesa to learn all he can about Hordr, which leads to him bailing on the meeting. Before he goes, she tells him about a company called Sungetix and that leads our hero literally hopping on a plane to Oakland, California. Once there, he makes his way inside and quickly discovers that it’s a secret Hordr complex. He gets attacked by by Apolaki, who is being controlled by Hordr_Root. This leads Superman to the Thousand One House, an underground Fight Club for super powered individuals and eventually results in him becoming one of the fighters. Welcome to Mythbrawl.
Gene Luen Yang and Howard Porter continue to weave a strange, twisted tale of the former Big Blue Boy Scout. I like where this book is going, even if it is taking our hero into strange new places. Porter’s art is his usual fine work and this is just a fun ride. Seeing our hero having to ride an airplane as opposed to flying from place to place is truly bizarre and I wonder how long his being depowered will last. For now, it’s a wild ride.
SUPERMAN LOIS AND CLARK #1: We begin with the history of how this Superman observed the New 52 Justice League battled Darkseid. He left the battle to head back to the home he shred with his wife Lois. This is all because their universe was gone and Telos and company, following the defeat of the Anti-Monitor during the Convergence event, reset things. But that was then and now, they now live in that same house with their young son Jon and Lois is a successful author. Reading the paper, a bearded Clark sees that the Excalibur returns to Earth today. In what was their universe, this event created the Cyborg Superman, which sends our black suited hero off to make sure it doesn’t happen here. What he discovers is that Henshaw is alone in the ship and the rest of the crew is gone. In the end, someone in a distant star system is pretty pissed off that someone has pilfered the Oblivion Stone.
Because…we really need another Superman title, right? Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks do their best to make this book interesting but it’s just not there. I mean, how many Supermen do we need? And why is this one flying about in a black suit? There are a bunch of dangling plots here and I cannot believe that not a single member of the Justice League has questioned that someone is stopping natural disasters and such. C’mon: these guys are all so super snoopy that someone farts and they know about it. So you expect me to believe that THIS Superman is getting under their radar? Yeah…so much for the suspension of disbelief here!
SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #22: A blood-splattered Clark Kent arrives on the Justice League satellite, knocks out the Flash, steals a shuttle, and flies into the sun in an effort to recharge the solar batteries in his cells. Wonder Woman follows him, as they get transported back to the satellite, he tells her that he is uncertain if he still loves her. They team up to attack a military helicopter heading towards Belle Reve and free Parasite. That leads to Superman grabbing Parasite by the throat and saying that it’s time to make a deal.
Wow! This is one of the best LOOKING books of the month. Thank you Doug Mahnke! Couple that with a great story from Peter J. Tomasi and this book continues to elevate to truly cool new levels! It has managed to make its’ way from being about the romantic attraction between these two super-powers to being about the crumbling relationship. And there’s a boatload of action too!
TEEN TITANS #12: Superboy wants his life back and Red Robin tells him that they all need to work together to figure out what’s going on. They discover that they have lost their powers and that’s when Harvest shows up and each Titan is forced to live a life from their past. Harvest explains that he tried to raise Kon as his son, leading Superboy to join Harvest. He then reveals that the team came together to fulfill their destiny: to join his army.
Well, that turns thing to an interesting place. First off, this book has becoming much more interesting with Will Pfeifer joining Scott Lobdell. His influence on the story is evident and the book just seems new again. It will never be where it was in the golden days of Wolfman and Perez, but it is probably the best this title has been since the launch of the New 52. Ian Churchill turns in another killer issue on the art side of the ledger. All in all, if this is where this book should have been twelve issues ago, I wouldn’t have spent the last year talking about how awful it was.
TELOS #1: Telos confronts Brainiac about how he feels that he was lied to regarding where he could find his family. Brainiac says that he lost most of his memories and that’s why what he told Telos was wrong. So he sends Telos off to fight Computo and rendezvous with the resistance leader, Techne.
There are so many plot holes in Jeff King’s story that I could drive several buses through it. The most notable is that Brainiac was still a giant when he told Telos where he could find his family. So the tale that he gave that information after his memory loss is either a lie or a bad plot point. The best part of the book, out side of Carlos Pagulayan’s art, is the appearance of LEGION OF SUPERHEROES favorites Computo and Validus. This is a horrible, wordy first issue that goes nowhere. Here’s hoping #2 goes somewhere better than this.
TITANS HUNT #1: Roy Harper suffers a bit of deja vu when Gnarrk sells him a bottle of booze. Meanwhile, Grayson is trying to stop a black market organ-selling ring. He gets help from Garth, who arrives and kills all those responsible, which leads to Dick having a deja vu moment. He later gets visited by a psychic projection of Lilith who tells him that he needs to find “them” because time is running out. We learn that Lilith is an addiction counselor and has a series of files on all the people that were once Titans in the Pre Convergence timeline. She breaks the Fourth Wall and declares that she will not let this hidden person get them.
Leave it to Dan Abnett to turn out a gem like this. Now, this book will mean NOTHING to you unless you were reading the Titans BEFORE the NEW 52 came around. But, for an old time fan like me, I’m blown away! We get a drunk Roy Harper, a modern day Caveboy, a confused Dick Grayson, a vengeful Aqualad, a protective Lilith and the potential for appearances by Donna Troy, Mal, Hawk and Dove and more. Paulo Siqueira and Geraldo Borges turn in a tremendous job on the art, which really helps to push the narrative along. This book was a treat and my favorite of the three new titles introduced this month.
WE ARE ROBIN #5: Robin Izzy is working as a waitress and got confronted by some gang members, when Riko and Duke show up and lend a hand. Turns out that the ringleader of the gang is her brother. Several years ago, he put her in a hospital because she wouldn’t join his gang. Flashing forward, we see the Robins meet for the first since Troy died, followed by the arrival of The Nest, complete with a huge Robin truck that is to be their Command Center. A disagreement between Duke and Dre leads to Dre and Dax leaving the group. The gang bangers show up and open fire on the team, hitting Duke in the process. A Talon arrives and carves up the gang members, calls himself the Robins’ new father and promises to show them how to dish out real justice.
I still have mixed emotions about this title, although this is one of the better issues. I truly wish that Lee Bermejo was drawing this, instead of Jorge Corona, but that’s not my problem with the book. My biggest complaint is that Bermejo is throwing all of these kids together and giving us so little to go on to actually make us LIKE these characters or even CARE about them. We don’t know enough about them to make us have a relationship with them. I have a problem with that. Sure, you need to have some mystery here. But these kids have so little back story, with the exception of Robina’s reveal this issue, for me to want to invest my time in.
WONDER WOMAN #45: Aegeus beats on Wonder Woman until Strife shows up, threatening to eat him, which leads to his quick exit. Back in London, Violet leads Donna Troy on a sight-seeing tour before bidding her goodbye, but saying that they’ll meet again. Violet forgets her purse and Donna tracks her down, just in time to see the poor girl’s pimp kill her. Wonder Woman shows up and Donna attacks her. Aegeus arrives and shoots a God Killer Arrow through Donna’s heart, seemingly killing her. Apparently, this was not part of the plan and Eirene, the Goddess of Peace, is not pleased.
Wha? While the art of David Finch makes this book look beautiful, the story by his wife Meredith is just a jumbled mess. It jumps from Aegeus wanting to kill Diana to saving her. We get a wonderful supporting cast character in the form of Violet get murdered by her pimp. And we bump off Donna Troy…maybe. This was just a really confusing issue, as has become common with this title since the Finch’s came on board. What was once a great title has slipped a lot.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Friday, November 6, 2015
DC YOU Month 5, Part 1
ACTION COMICS #45: Clark has set up camp in Talladega, Alabama and is still trying to track down Wrath when Hiro Okamura shows up at the door of his cabin. With the location compromised, Clark sends the kid away and blows up the cabin. Back in Metropolis, the residents of Clark’s old neighborhood are trying to put their world back together. And Clark is now known as Archie Clayton and he’s a truck driver who manages to work his way into Lyfegene Corporation where Supremacists have been kidnapping people infected by Wrath. He frees most of the folks, but finds the black goo has corrupted Lee and now so is he.
Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder give us another cool arc in the new life of Clark Kent. I’m not quite sure if I like Scott Kolins art on this title, but I guess I’ll learn to get used to it. The whole concept of DC books not being in a synced up continuity does have moments where I scratch my head, this being one of them.
ALL STAR SECTION EIGHT #5: Sidney wakes up to find a foul-mouthed Phantom Stranger and three very dead back-ups singers in the bar with him. They proceed to Heaven where an all-singing, all-dancing Etrigan greets them and proceeds to have a rap battle with the Phantom Stranger. Following that brief intermission, the Stranger introduces the deceased members of Section Eight, along with Hitman. They all pretty much blame Sixpack for their being dead and inform him that the old Dogwelder is in Hell. He and the Stranger end up back on Earth where he ends up in an alley cuddling with his own self. When he wakes, he’s back in the bar, Dogwelder’s family is on TV begging for him to come home and Superman is at the door telling Sixpack that it’s time to go.
With this penultimate issue, Garth Ennis and John McCrea totally take this book off the rails of sanity. Not that it was sane to begin with! This is one wild ride and, as I have said before, it should be in everyone’s library! It has been filled with tons of superhero guest stars, some really kinky stuff and now we let Etrigan and the Phantom Stranger rap together. Seriously-one of the funniest and funkiest books of the year!
AQUAMAN #45: Aquaman is wounded and finds himself on an alien world where he is attacked by alien creatures. Dispatching them, he comes across creatures and buildings from Thule. He collapses from his injuries, only to wake up in the care of the inhabitants of this world. Despite not being able to communicate with them, he learns that Thule has been out conquering worlds until they came here and these people fought back. Deciding that he now knows how to beat the Thulians, the alien Queen takes Arthur to a statue that belonged to the Thule people. It’s a statue of Earth before Atlantis sank and Aquaman is on top of on top it, like he is the ruler of the world.
Honestly, I don’t know where Cullen Bunn is taking this book. And Trevor McCarthy’s art is not my favorite, although this is probably his best issue to date. This was one of my favorite titles…no so much anymore.
BATGIRL #45: Barbara is helping Alysia get ready for her wedding when she is entrusted with the ring. She and Luke Fox are sharing a tender moment when Dick Grayson shows up, much to everyone’s disappointment. Babs and Dick head out onto the roof and he steals the ring, leading to a lengthy chase where they almost kiss. She also chews him out for the whole dying but not really being dead thing. She makes it back in time for the wedding and shares a wonderful date with Luke. Later, while she sleeps, a mysterious figure plots…
Okay, I’m a little confused. Didn’t we already see Dick and Barbara have this conversation, or at least a version of it, in the last issue of GRAYSON? So, I guess cintinuity IS less important than a good story. Only this isn’t a good story. Everything here good have been summed up in about half an issue and all the action involved the chase. The story by Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher goes back to the complaint about the “Batgirling” of DC’s heroes. And Babs Tarr’s art is just so cartoonish. I want my smart and sexy Barbara Gordon back!
BATMAN #45: We find Jim Gordon, in his Batman costume, taking a major beating from some of Mr. Bloom’s Devil Pigs disciples when his Mechanized Batsuit comes to his rescue. Elsewhere, Bruce Wayne is taking a bunch of old Joker props, like the super large card and the giant T-Rex, and turning them into a playground at the Rec. Center. Duke visits his friend Daryl to have him do so investigating into one of Bloom’s seeds. As it turns out, Geri Powers forces Gordon to resign because of what went down with the Devil Pigs, but that doesn’t get a chance to happen publicly as Mr. Bloom shows up at the press conference.
Well, it’s nice to be back to the story at hand here. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo continue the story of Mr. Bloom and throw us the curveball that has Jim Gordon getting the axe. So, does he save the day and that leads to Powers reversing her decision or does he continue to fall on his sword and somehow Bruce comes back into the costume? We hear that DC wants to make changes to the DC You project and maybe that is one of them. We shall see. Until then, it is still THE BATMAN title to buy!
BATMAN AND ROBIN ETERNAL: #1-4: In issue #1, Grayson, Red Hood, and Red Robin tem up to help Dick complete a non Spyral related mission. Undercover at GSU’s Tower of Enlightenment Grand Opening, he recalls an early mission where he and Batman first tackled The Scarecrow. They were forced to battle Crane’s class of students in the process. In the present day, armed GSU students attack Dick, forcing him to escape as they tell him that Orphan is coming to kill him. But Poppy shoots at him and tells him that Mother says "Hello", before she reports to Orphan. He then gets attacked by Cassandra Cain, who hands him a USB stick while saying the word "Mother" to him repeatedly. In the Batcave, he sees the stick has a list of names that are Mother's Children, who are marked for execution. A hologram of Batman appears, explaining Mother is his greatest sin and that he had once shot a man and a woman because Mother told him too. Meanwhile, Jim Gordon has tracked down Bluebird to convince her to stop her superhero ways, but she immobilizes him and taunts him to catch her again. Back in her apartment, she is greeted by a ninja who says she must die as she is the key to everything Grayson cannot know about. He is The Orphan
In issue #2, The Orphan is beating on Harper when Cassandra comes to her rescue. Grayson talks with Matron, who says she knows nothing regarding Mother, before making his way to Harper’s apartment just as The Orphan is being blasted by a stun-gun shot. While The Orphan gets away, Grayson checks on Harper as the Spoiler arrives, and they both smell Fear Gas. In a flashback, Dick recalls an early encounter with Scarecrow and his Fear Gas. In present day, Red Robin arrives and learns he is on Mother’s hit list, as is Jason. Dick calls Jason, who currently has Cassandra at gunpoint.
In issue #3, Red Hood is beating on Cassandra until Dick, Tim, Harper and Stephanie arrive to stop him and explain it all. They take an injured Harper to the Batcave to repair her injuries while Dick hears from Spyral and learns that Mother is a human trafficker who builds “designer human beings”. This leads to a flashback where Robin reveals his fear is that he could never be the hero Batman wanted him to be. In the present, we learn that Poppy was receiving phone calls from Beacon Tower, where there is a gala for Bruce Wayne. And Bruce finds himself in the kitchen with a lot of people bearing hatchets.
In issue #4, Bruce is being attacked by a bunch of folks with axes when Dick Grayson, under the guise of Mr. Sparrow, comes to his rescue. That is also when an assist comes from the Robin Gang, who have been undercover as waiters and waitresses, and Batgirl, who has a brief conversation with Dick about their conversation in BATGIRL #45. Meanwhile, in the Batcave, Harper, Stephanie and Cassandra deal with their issues, which is mostly with the fact that Stephanie doesn’t trust Cassandra. Later, Dick goes to the family home of the Drakes while Tim calls Mother.
James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder, Tim Seeley, and Scott Orlando weave the beginnings of thenewest weekly Batman epic; one that brings together most of the Batman Family into an adventure with deep repercussions. Add in the art of Tony Daniel, Paul Pelletier, Scot Daniels, and Scot Eaton and you have what looks to be a cool little mystery with some nice twists and turns, even in the first four issues. I look forward to seeing how this whole thing will play out.
BATMAN BEYOND #5: As the transformed Justice League members attack Neo Gotham, the Jim Gordon Batsuit gets charged up and Tim Drake climbs inside. First up, he destroys John Stewart and goes into battle against Superman and Wonder Woman. The battle goes back and forth before Micron arrives and destroys Wonder Woman. Tim shoves Kryptonite down Superman’s throat, which allows Micron to destroy the former Man of Steel and save Neo Gotham.
I’m sorry: this book slowly starting to sink into an ocean of silliness and just leaving me with a feeling of totally not caring above this book. Dan Jurgens’ story just keeps plodding along. We have the replacement Batman climbing into Jim Gordon’s old suit and taking on the converted and perverted former members of the Justice League, only to be saved by this generation’s version of The Atom, Micron. The story holds no interest for me and I just find this to be a labor to read. And I’m also finding Bernard Chang’s art to no longer hold interest for me, as it is filled with unusual angles and strange proportions. This could be a perfect jumping off point for me.
BATMAN SUPERMAN #25: Batman is ordering his team to find Clark Kent and get him out of his city. But Superman is using one of the old Batman's gliders as he searches for the miniature sun stolen from Waynetech. He tracks down the Barbarians of the Dawn Command and engages them, only to be attacked by Vandal Savage, where he takes a serious beating. Before he can be finished, Batgirl comes to his rescue and gets him to the Batcave. Three days later, Superman and Batgirl are in Siberia where Savage is demanding the residents hurriedly mine six tons of uranium from so old and half-buried nuclear missiles. Luckily, Batgirl and Superman don’t have to do it alone, as Red Robin and Red Hood show up to help.
Despite having some rather unusual plot points in it, Greg Pak and Cliff Richards throw together a cool story with some awesome art. Batgirl looks hot and not like a teen girl as she does in her own title. I did laugh when these newly thawed barbarians are complaining about being hungry and craving burritos! Seek out the Monsters Variant cover by Michael Avon Oeming as it is a dynamite take on the ACTION #1 cover.
BAT-MITE #5: Bat-Mite teams up with the Inferior Five as they all prepare to face off against Gridlock, who has stolen the only known copy of the pilot episode of the classic television show GALAXY TREK. Bat-Mite joins the team, retools their personalities and their costumes and that results in the debut of the Superior Six. Gridlock escapes but they save the film canister, only to discover it is empty. The team begs Bat-Mite to change them back to what they once were and he obliges. In the end, three hooded figures decide
Thank you Dan Jurgens and Corin Howell for giving me a reunion with one of my favorite super teams of all time. I was six years old when I read their first appearances and followed them all the way through the 12 issues of their comic, watching them with such classic characters as the Cobweb Kid and Sub-Moron. This SO takes me back to my childhood with great memories of lying in a hammock in the summers and reading comics all day long.
BIZARRO #5: Right now, our quartet is locked up in Area 51 and charged with trying to break in. We go back three days and see that Agents Meadows Mahalo and Stuart “Chicken Stew” Paillard have offered our heroes $50,000 and an all-expenses-paid visit to Las Vegas to get them to break into Area 51. Once in Vegas, Bizarro proves a whiz at the Blackjack tables. Unfortunately, he answers a call from Jimmy’s publisher and learns of the plan to write a coffee-table book about their trip to Canada. They get inside Area 51 and start a riot so they can get their hands on the Army’s stockpile of captured alien weapons. Caught by General Lane, Jimmy connects him to his daughter Lois, who threatens to expose how he has aliens under lock and key. The aliens gets released with the weapons and head home. Colin also goes home and Chastity hooks up with Kilowog’s cousin and she leaves. In the end, Bizarro smashes Jimmy’s car and flies off.
Heath Corson and Gustavo Duarte give us the penultimate adventure of this Fantastic Four and, as this whole series has been, it’s a winner! From the Sculley and Mulder rip-off in the opening, to Killowog’s cousin, Lois Lane and all the rest, it is one long parody trip! And I remember saying this was a comic version of FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS and I stand by that. It has been one wild and wacky road trip that is all but ready to end. Find the back issues or wait for the trade. This is a kick in the funny bone and I will miss it after next month.
BLACK CANARY #5: With another successful gig completed, Dinah and the band head discuss future plans and Maeve’s ulterior motives. Later that night, Dinah encounters the mysterious blonde ninja. The next day there is a record store signing and Byron’s mother and sister Shelley show up, as does Bo Maeve who disrupts the signing and challenges them to a Battle of the Bands. And at that battle, Bo uses her new powers.
This was an interesting issue by Brenden Fletcher and Pia Guerra that continues one plotline and sets up another one. The art still continues to be an issue with me as the whole “Batgirling” of the line stills bothers me. But I like where the story is going, even though this is far from the Black Canary who was romantically involved with Oliver Queen during the classic days of that archer’s title. And this issue was a good opportunity for the rest of the band to get fleshed out-nicely done! BTW: Byron and Shelley…GET IT!?
CATWOMAN #45: Eiko mourns her father’s death, even as Oliver Cobblepot and the Black Mask make an appearance at his funeral. Later, Selina, in costume, breaks into Eiko’s apartment to pay her respects, but that doesn’t go well. Cobblepot meets with Antonia, informing her of the latest developments with Black Mask and his men. Of course he is playing both sides, as he goes to meet with Black Mask with Catwoman in tow. She and Black Mask battle, she stabs him and leaves him to die. Cobblepot offers to save his life, but only if he gives up everything he has, which he agrees to. After a training session, Eiko is visited by Spoiler, and is informed that Eiko is throwing a party and killing all the families and their members.
Genevieve Valentine and David Messina continue to not only redefine the character of Selina Kyle/Catwoman, they also continue to redefine the landscape that is Gotham’s crime families. While I would really like to see Selina back in action full-time in the suit, the concept of the crime families, the two-faced actions of The Penguin, the dealings with Black Mask, Eiko and the rest, are truly fascinating and makes for some of the best crime fiction since the days of MS. TREE. While I’m still getting used to Selina in pantsuits, this is so recommended!
CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER #5: Constantine battles his ex-girlfriend Veronica, who is the monster that has been hanging around since issue #1. Georgie, despite not being very happy with Constantine at the moment, agrees to help. As she is ready to dispatch the creature, she discovers that she is Veronica and has second thoughts. But, knowing what is at stake, she burns the Soul Displacement book and kills Veronica in the process. As she and Constantine go there separate ways, she tells him she will never forgive him for this.
And I may not forgive the creative team of Ming Doyle, James Tynion IV and Scott Kowalchuk for making this Constantine even more unlikable than his last incarnation during JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK. The artwork is creepily simplistic, the plot took five issues to dig through it all and I’m just so tired of a plot that just did nothing for me. Next issue starts a new arc and I will give it a chance. But if it moves at the pace and with the enthusiasm as this one, I won’t finish the arc. Seriously DC: I had such hopes with Doyle and Tynion at the helm.
CYBORG #3: Cyborg has gathered whomever he can find in Detroit to help defend against the upcoming alien invasion by the Technosapiens, including poor Bobby. As the battle rages, the Metal Men arrive to lend a hand. The Justice League would be here, but they’re also busy fighting Technosapiens. At the same time, there is an invasion at STAR Labs, where the scientists find themselves losing. Just when things look their worst, the Tekbreakers arrive at STAR Labs to save the day. When Cyborg shows up there, he flips out as these are the people who killed him in the Preview story. The leader of the Tekbreakers is the Sarah Charles parallel world and she tells him that his father started the war that she is here to help stop.
Maybe I missed something but when did Batgirl become a member of the Justice League? That’s what I thought! But during the panel showing the Justice League battling Technosapiens, there she is-front and center. So I’m not sure if David F. Walker is to blame for writing is into his script or if with Ivan Reis and Eduardo Pansica are to blame for assuming she is part of the team. Either way, it’s a big boo-boo! Maybe this has something to do with the book being a month late. The story: well, that’s another story. It’s full of action on two fronts and I was thrilled to see the Metal Men showing up. Is it too much to ask for a series with them?
CYBORG #4: Picking up from last issue, we discover that the other Sarah Clarke has come from an Earth in a universe where Doctor Silas Stone was responsible for its’ destruction. Unable to let his wife die in peace, he ended up becoming Cyborg and led to the Technosapiens coming to Earth to try and take the technology with them. It seems the Tekbreakers have come here to find a way to stop the plague that is ravishing their world. The Technosapiens attack again, causing Cyborg, the Metal Men and the Tekbreakers to spring into action. That’s when the giant Technosapien attacks.
We get two issues in one month to make up for the missing issue last month. This time, David Walker is joined by Felipe Watanabe as the artist, as Ian Reis is only doing layouts. It’s another average issue that at least gives us the other Sarah Clarke’s back story, even if it wasn’t the greatest back story ever told. What I really wanted was more Metal Men but then I guess we’d have to changed the title of the book from CYBORG to METAL MEN now wouldn’t we?
DEATHSTROKE #11: Deathstroke, now with only one eye again and his traditional patch restored, finds what he first believes is his dead daughter Rose, but discovers to be someone disguised as Rose. Based on a clue he finds that points to Harley Quinn, he leads a one man assault onto Belle Reve. He finds Harley and Deadshot and, after a bit of a battle between the trio, Slade figures out that it wasn’t Harley who was responsible. He realizes to late that he has been set up and falls into a watery trap with Black Manta, proving payback is indeed a bitch!
Tony S. Daniel and James Bonny move on from the eye-plucking end to the last issue and fly headlong into something completely different. With Tyler Kirkham handling the art, this trio leads an all out assault onto Belle Reve for no other reason than to have our anti-hero find clues to getting his daughter back. My biggest gripe about this is that it all comes racing at us with no real resolution to the tale last issue. So…we just let Slade yank his eye out and that’s that? Weird. I would liked to have had some resolution to that piece and THEN slide into the first part of this story. Then NEXT issue could have been a longer assault and such. But what do I know: I just read and write about comics!
DETECTIVE COMICS #45: We begin at a cricket match in India where the crowd is attacked by a liquid that steals their eyes. Elsewhere, the Justice League interrupts a quiet night at Bruce Wayne’s apartment where they want to know if there is anything left of the old Bruce. Meanwhile, Jim Gordon’s Batman gets called into action because the rest of his flying team is being attacked. Luckily, the Justice League shows up to assist him, as he is not doing a very good job on his own. Batman tracks down the person responsible in the form of the Mad Hatter, who explains he was hired by someone The League recruits Gordon for the team and they all transport to a snow covered land with a very big skeleton.
Welcome to the first issue of the new team of Peter J. Tomasi and Marcio Takara and here are my initial thoughts. Tomasi writes a nice script, but it’s nothing amazing. I mean, it’s cool to see the Justice League show up, but are they that desperate to get the old Batman back? And then they show up while he is battling something attack the Bat Blimp that has been sent out by the Mad Hatter. The whole piece is a bit convoluted for me. Takara’s artwork doe not work at all for me. I just find it a little too stylized and too blocky. I especially hate the way the Batsuit looks! The best part of the book was the cliffhanger ending. Not a great start for a book that was showing great promise.
DOCTOR FATE #5: The deity Bastet, who was in Khalid's dead cat, has been reincarnated into the form of another identical black cat. She reiterates everything the first cat told him and then dies again, with the hope of being reborn again. With the helm back on his head again, Khalid goes about stopping petty crime and saving people among the continuing flood. He is also trying to attend school which again takes a back seat when he ends up at the hospital where is father is being menaced by Anubis. Getting him freed, Anubis tracks him down and offers to make a deal to restore his father’s eyesight. Khalid agrees to give Anubis the helm and Anubis does return the sight, but takes Khalid’s in the process.
I have yet to figure out why this series didn’t get the axe when DC decided to eliminate a whole slew of titles recently. This book by Paul Levitz and Sonny Liew is a total mess. It seems like this book is treading the same ground every single month without it moving forward. I mean, how many times can Khalid be told he needs to man up and become a hero? How many times can this damned cat die already? I’m sorry: this is NOT Paul Levitz’ finest hour. The book drags on, the art just looks like something from an Indy book (not a bad thing…just not appealing for a superhero title), and I really hate the cast!
DOOMED #5: Superman explains the Doomsday virus to Jayne, leading her to tell him about what happens to Reiser. Superman tracks him down and tries to discuss his condition, much to Reiser’s delight. But that all changes and Reiser transforms and punches Superman. Then the Alpha Centurion, who is actually possessing the body of Reiser’s roommate Roman, arrives and he and Reiser mix it up. Superman breaks it up and just in time as now the three of them are looking at a very big and ugly monster.
I really was not a fan of this book when it was introduced, but I have to admit that it was grown on me. Scott Lobdell is really good at writing troubled teenagers, even if they sound like they are still in the 1980’s. Therefore, his characterization of Reiser is very much like a young Peter Parker. Okay…it’s not an original idea, but it works. The fact that we have thrown in a ton of guest stars sure doesn’t hurt either. Javier Fernandez’ art has also grown on me and gotten better with each issue. Since next issue spells the end for this series, maybe Reiser can find his way into the Teen Titans.
EARTH 2: SOCIETY #5: The heroes are trying to save Neotropolis from the falling Overwatch-One.While Flash tries his hardest to use his muscles, we flashback to a year ago when Flash spent weeks running across the planet to try to make the world better for its’ newest inhabitants. This made him a celebrity with the people on the planet which allowed him to become the life of the party across the planet. It also meant he would crash and burn and it took Jimmy Olsen to help him out. A year later and Flash makes the save. However, Jimmy Olsen feels betrayed and plans on killing Flash along with the other heroes.
You know: you make Jimmy Olsen a God and look what happens. As the saying goes, Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This has been the best issue in the series so far, but that isn’t saying much. I liked the EARTH 2 series before CONVERGENCE but this one, by Daniel H. Wilson and Jorge Jimenez, is just annoying. I don’t care for the art and I find Wilson’s story boring. I want action not a soap opera and between the drunk Flash and the drama in previous issues between the new Superman and Power Girl, it’s enough to have this book get adapted for Daytime television.
FLASH #45: With the Flash and the entire Central City Police Department stuck inside the dome, tensions are running high inside and out. Captain Frye threatens to shoot the Flash until Singh steps in to save him. Wally has a plan, straps the magnesium engine block to one of the armored police vehicles, and drives it into the dome, which cuts a hole in the dome. Flash gets everyone out of the dome before the Central City Police station disintegrates, leading to Frye chewing out Flash and threatening that they will meet again. Meanwhile, Henry Allen has finished the weaponized power glove and Zoom uses it to drain Magali’s powers and make them his own. And then, he plans on eliminating the rest of his crew and stealing their powers, making him a god.
Not a bad issue, even with some of the forced plot points, such as the magnesium engine block which was such a big deal last issue…nothing like making that way too obvious a plot device. So, once again we get an action filled issue thanks to Robert Venditti and Van Jensen. The art this month is a bit all over the place as it’s by Brett Booth, Vicente Cifuentes and Ale Garza, and you can tell where one arrives and one leaves off, making for a rather disjointed reading experience.
GOTHAM ACADEMY #11: Trying to piece together the mysteries from the last few issues involving Olive’s mother, Maps and Olive go searching the file room, only to run into Red Robin. He tells the story behind Calamity burning down part of the Narrows before she was ultimately stopped and arrested. Apparently there have been generations of Silverlocks masquerading as Calamity. Batman discovered that Calamity had a daughter and made plans to make sure she wouldn’t follow in her mother’s footsteps by having her end up in Gotham Academy. They are then forced to fight the “new” Calamity, who drops a part of a key. Later, they discover this key is an old puzzle key to Arkham Asylum.
Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl absolutely do a killer job on this series. I love it! It’s Harry Potter adventures in the Batman Universe. I mean, there are no magicians but there are a lot of spooky things going on. This is just a fun series for all ages, despite the Teen Rating.
GOTHAM BY MIDNIGHT #10: Covered in gore after last month’s explosive conclusion, Corrigan and Drake flee the station and head off on a road trip where he reveals his death and the Spectre’s origin. This results in a car chase that ends with the Spectre coming free and the car heading off a bridge and into the water below, seemingly killing both Corrigan and Drake. Meanwhile, Doctor Tarr investigates supernatural happenings at the site of Sister Justine’s death. And…what is with the creature arriving in the final panel?
Under a beautiful Bill Sienkiewiez cover, we have the insanely wild penultimate issue of this title. Ray Fawkes writes it with all the flash and flair of the first nine issues. This has been one creepy head trip book and I’m sad to see it go, especially because the Spectre, despite limited appearances in this book, has been his old destructive self. By the way: WE NEED A SPECTRE BOOK that hearkens back to the justice dealing days of the Fleisher/Aparo run. Juan Ferreyra’s art is creepy and beautiful and has been a perfect fit for this series. Go find the first issues or wait for a trade. You need to have this in your collection as, despite its’ occasional flaws, it is one of the better horror themed titles DC has published in some time.
GRAYSON #13: Now that he is back in Spyral’s employ, Grayson is being physically checked out to make certain he didn’t bring back anything that could be detrimental to the group. Once cleared, he is sent on a mission with Agent 1, which includes infiltrating a heist by Tiger Shark. The ship being attacked belongs to the father of a student at St. Hadrian's School for Girls and it doesn’t take long for the pair to defeat the bad guys. Later, Dick contacts "Alvin Draper" ...better known as Tim Drake. Tim reveals that the mysterious Agent Zero is Luka Netz and that she has managed to appear in almost every photo ever taken of Batman in action, going all the way back to Year Zero. This leads to a lead in Berlin, while Director Bertinelli and Doctor Netz meet with some of the most clandestine groups in the world. In the end, Midnighter has arranged to have Ladytron get involved, leading to a battle between her, Dick and Agent 1.
This is fast becoming my favorite of the Batman Family titles. Tim Seeley, Tom King and Mikel Janin just keep filling this book with great writing, clever lines of dialogue (yes…Spandau IS known for a ballet, Ladytron!) and some amazing looking art. What makes this such a great book is that it totally embraces the spy concept as you never really know who is on what side. Just when you think Bertinelli is one of the good guys, she pulls a stunt like this issue and you wonder. And just what is the connection with Doctor Netz and Luka?
GREEN ARROW ANNUAL #1: A bunch of thugs are going around and beating up people who have contracted a disease known as Lukos. In the old days, people who were infected with Lukos became wolflike and were not only feared but used by warring nations. A werewolf biker gang rounds up those infected folks and plan on passing the disease to everyone at the Midnight Halloween Parade. All-out war breaks out between the bikers, the thugs, Green Arrow and Emiko. In the end, the war ends with a few casualties…one of whom is Oliver Queen who has been bitten in the attacks. This could be a problem down the road.
Okay…so we have a very long tale the can be summed up very quickly: dumb. Ben Percy and Szymon Kudranski give us a great looking book that is filled with dumb stuff. We have a bunch of bigots who want to eliminate the Lycans(let’s call it as it is) and that leads to the werewolf people deciding to turn everyone into werewolves. Somewhere in the middle of that, Oliver and Emiko get involved and help to save the day. This truly was a waste of five bucks, with the exception of the artwork. It’s a shame too, because I have found the current creative team to be weaving a rather different and usually interesting story.
GREEN ARROW #45: Oliver and Tarantula are escaping from the fight they were in with the Skeletons. We flashback to events that happened four months ago when Ollie was in Alaska, as seen in the preview tale. The Skeletons destroyed a totem containing an ancient bear skull and kill a security guard in the process. Back in the present, Ollie and Tarantula head to El Paso so they can search for George. They are attacked by a swarm of moths, leading them to take refuge in a destroyed gas station. They find the interior filled with Mayan symbols painted in the blood of a dead man they find inside. Tarantula tells Oliver the symbols mean the darkness is spreading.
Benjamin Percy manages to lay two eggs in the same month. Granted, the Annual should have been released last month, but that joins this one as two really lame Green Arrow stories. I mean, here’s Green Arrow and Tarantula and they’re running away from the bad guys. I know these Skeletons are bad news but really…Green Arrow running from a fight. The story is a bit on the confusing side and I don’t buy the compression of time that gets our heroes from Seattle to El Paso. I would expect a lot more exposition on that road trip. One the good side, Patrick Fincher’s art is great!
GREEN LANTERN #45: We begin with Hall fighting Black Hand and then move to a flashback where he has Darlene plotting a flight path. He bids goodbye to everyone and heads off and meets up with Black hand, who is totally bummed that he can’t reanimate anyone anymore but can turn them into rock. Once Hal reveals himself to Black Hand, Hand flips out and, of course, the two battle each other. Hand tries to turn Hal to stone but fails as Hal knocks him out. Hal decides it is time to stop playing games and he needs to finish Hand once and for all.
I find this book works the best when Hal Jordan, looking like The Spectre, takes Center Stage. When we let the supporting cast play a bigger role, it drags. Here is the example: the first half of the book, up until Hal meets up with Black Hand, is just boring. Too much talk and not enough action. Once Hal and Hand meet-FIREWORKS! Still, it’s a nice effort from Robert Venditti and Billy Tan. Do yourself a favor and seek out the Monsters of the Month variant by Neal Adams.
GREEN LANTERN: LOST ARMY #5: John Stewart and the Lanterns fight their way out of their prison, but lose Jruk in the process. Just when things look bleak, Relic and Krona arrive to save the day. As they head out, they are able to track down Mogo and discover that Mogo is being attacked and is in pain.
Please make this end! Cullen Bunn and Jesus Saiz give us a great story with a bunch of characters I could really care less about. I mean, I love Guy Gardner and he was one of the major highlights of the RED LANTERNS book. But I never cared for John Stewart, just like I never saw Kyle Rayner as a valid Lantern. So, we combine all of these Lanterns I don’t care about, throw in a once upon a time bad guy or two and…is it any wonder why this book never caught on and gets the axe next month? Oh wait: there is a NEW Green Lantern book coming in January that picks up where this left off? Oh help me!
HARLEY QUINN #21: Harley and Deadshot brawl for a bit before they patch up their differences and Harley goes back to searching for Sparrow. Teaming up with Nick Stanley and his Batmobile, she heads off to Sparrow’s establishment. At the same time, some thugs have the same thing in mind and it’s up to Harley to save them all. In the end, Harley gets Sparrow, Sparrow’s mom arrives and pays the money and is told how Sparrow needs treatment for her addiction. Nick tries to convince her to do a pilot or two for some television shows but she wants someone to make her a cartoon character. After drinks with Deadshot, Harley heads to Beverly Hills for some shopping.
Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti conclude their mini-epic with more guns and glory than past issues. This was a little more serious, complete with the minor anti-drug preaching at the end. I did like the little touches, like the references to television shows and such. This was not as silly as most issues and, while it’s not the psychotic Harley we seen in SUICIDE SQUAD, it’s close. And John Timms’ art isn’t Chard Hardin’s, but it too is close. Overall, this was a better issue than most.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #45: Darkseid is dead and the Justice League are slowly becoming Gods. Flash has become the God of Death, as he has been infused with the spirit of the Black Racer. Superman is with Luthor on Apokolips and has become the God of Strength. Batman, sitting in the Mobius Chair, has become the God of Knowledge and plans to take his power to Gotham. Shazam is now the God of Gods and it seems like the spirit of Darkseid is controlling him. Meanwhile, Luthor convinces the former slaves of Apokolips that he is the chosen one spoken about in their writings and they make him the God of Apokolips.
Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul continue to roll along with this monster storyline. It seems that everyone is becoming a god now that Darkseid is dead. And, in something that I’m sure will be revealed in more detail in the series of one-shots connected to this story, we start to see the whole idea of absolute power corrupting absolutely. Of course, if you believe that Darkseid is truly dead, then you haven’t been reading comics very long! I do like the twist of having Luthor reveal his sneaky self and becoming the God of Apokolips. Nicely played!
Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder give us another cool arc in the new life of Clark Kent. I’m not quite sure if I like Scott Kolins art on this title, but I guess I’ll learn to get used to it. The whole concept of DC books not being in a synced up continuity does have moments where I scratch my head, this being one of them.
ALL STAR SECTION EIGHT #5: Sidney wakes up to find a foul-mouthed Phantom Stranger and three very dead back-ups singers in the bar with him. They proceed to Heaven where an all-singing, all-dancing Etrigan greets them and proceeds to have a rap battle with the Phantom Stranger. Following that brief intermission, the Stranger introduces the deceased members of Section Eight, along with Hitman. They all pretty much blame Sixpack for their being dead and inform him that the old Dogwelder is in Hell. He and the Stranger end up back on Earth where he ends up in an alley cuddling with his own self. When he wakes, he’s back in the bar, Dogwelder’s family is on TV begging for him to come home and Superman is at the door telling Sixpack that it’s time to go.
With this penultimate issue, Garth Ennis and John McCrea totally take this book off the rails of sanity. Not that it was sane to begin with! This is one wild ride and, as I have said before, it should be in everyone’s library! It has been filled with tons of superhero guest stars, some really kinky stuff and now we let Etrigan and the Phantom Stranger rap together. Seriously-one of the funniest and funkiest books of the year!
AQUAMAN #45: Aquaman is wounded and finds himself on an alien world where he is attacked by alien creatures. Dispatching them, he comes across creatures and buildings from Thule. He collapses from his injuries, only to wake up in the care of the inhabitants of this world. Despite not being able to communicate with them, he learns that Thule has been out conquering worlds until they came here and these people fought back. Deciding that he now knows how to beat the Thulians, the alien Queen takes Arthur to a statue that belonged to the Thule people. It’s a statue of Earth before Atlantis sank and Aquaman is on top of on top it, like he is the ruler of the world.
Honestly, I don’t know where Cullen Bunn is taking this book. And Trevor McCarthy’s art is not my favorite, although this is probably his best issue to date. This was one of my favorite titles…no so much anymore.
BATGIRL #45: Barbara is helping Alysia get ready for her wedding when she is entrusted with the ring. She and Luke Fox are sharing a tender moment when Dick Grayson shows up, much to everyone’s disappointment. Babs and Dick head out onto the roof and he steals the ring, leading to a lengthy chase where they almost kiss. She also chews him out for the whole dying but not really being dead thing. She makes it back in time for the wedding and shares a wonderful date with Luke. Later, while she sleeps, a mysterious figure plots…
Okay, I’m a little confused. Didn’t we already see Dick and Barbara have this conversation, or at least a version of it, in the last issue of GRAYSON? So, I guess cintinuity IS less important than a good story. Only this isn’t a good story. Everything here good have been summed up in about half an issue and all the action involved the chase. The story by Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher goes back to the complaint about the “Batgirling” of DC’s heroes. And Babs Tarr’s art is just so cartoonish. I want my smart and sexy Barbara Gordon back!
BATMAN #45: We find Jim Gordon, in his Batman costume, taking a major beating from some of Mr. Bloom’s Devil Pigs disciples when his Mechanized Batsuit comes to his rescue. Elsewhere, Bruce Wayne is taking a bunch of old Joker props, like the super large card and the giant T-Rex, and turning them into a playground at the Rec. Center. Duke visits his friend Daryl to have him do so investigating into one of Bloom’s seeds. As it turns out, Geri Powers forces Gordon to resign because of what went down with the Devil Pigs, but that doesn’t get a chance to happen publicly as Mr. Bloom shows up at the press conference.
Well, it’s nice to be back to the story at hand here. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo continue the story of Mr. Bloom and throw us the curveball that has Jim Gordon getting the axe. So, does he save the day and that leads to Powers reversing her decision or does he continue to fall on his sword and somehow Bruce comes back into the costume? We hear that DC wants to make changes to the DC You project and maybe that is one of them. We shall see. Until then, it is still THE BATMAN title to buy!
BATMAN AND ROBIN ETERNAL: #1-4: In issue #1, Grayson, Red Hood, and Red Robin tem up to help Dick complete a non Spyral related mission. Undercover at GSU’s Tower of Enlightenment Grand Opening, he recalls an early mission where he and Batman first tackled The Scarecrow. They were forced to battle Crane’s class of students in the process. In the present day, armed GSU students attack Dick, forcing him to escape as they tell him that Orphan is coming to kill him. But Poppy shoots at him and tells him that Mother says "Hello", before she reports to Orphan. He then gets attacked by Cassandra Cain, who hands him a USB stick while saying the word "Mother" to him repeatedly. In the Batcave, he sees the stick has a list of names that are Mother's Children, who are marked for execution. A hologram of Batman appears, explaining Mother is his greatest sin and that he had once shot a man and a woman because Mother told him too. Meanwhile, Jim Gordon has tracked down Bluebird to convince her to stop her superhero ways, but she immobilizes him and taunts him to catch her again. Back in her apartment, she is greeted by a ninja who says she must die as she is the key to everything Grayson cannot know about. He is The Orphan
In issue #2, The Orphan is beating on Harper when Cassandra comes to her rescue. Grayson talks with Matron, who says she knows nothing regarding Mother, before making his way to Harper’s apartment just as The Orphan is being blasted by a stun-gun shot. While The Orphan gets away, Grayson checks on Harper as the Spoiler arrives, and they both smell Fear Gas. In a flashback, Dick recalls an early encounter with Scarecrow and his Fear Gas. In present day, Red Robin arrives and learns he is on Mother’s hit list, as is Jason. Dick calls Jason, who currently has Cassandra at gunpoint.
In issue #3, Red Hood is beating on Cassandra until Dick, Tim, Harper and Stephanie arrive to stop him and explain it all. They take an injured Harper to the Batcave to repair her injuries while Dick hears from Spyral and learns that Mother is a human trafficker who builds “designer human beings”. This leads to a flashback where Robin reveals his fear is that he could never be the hero Batman wanted him to be. In the present, we learn that Poppy was receiving phone calls from Beacon Tower, where there is a gala for Bruce Wayne. And Bruce finds himself in the kitchen with a lot of people bearing hatchets.
In issue #4, Bruce is being attacked by a bunch of folks with axes when Dick Grayson, under the guise of Mr. Sparrow, comes to his rescue. That is also when an assist comes from the Robin Gang, who have been undercover as waiters and waitresses, and Batgirl, who has a brief conversation with Dick about their conversation in BATGIRL #45. Meanwhile, in the Batcave, Harper, Stephanie and Cassandra deal with their issues, which is mostly with the fact that Stephanie doesn’t trust Cassandra. Later, Dick goes to the family home of the Drakes while Tim calls Mother.
James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder, Tim Seeley, and Scott Orlando weave the beginnings of thenewest weekly Batman epic; one that brings together most of the Batman Family into an adventure with deep repercussions. Add in the art of Tony Daniel, Paul Pelletier, Scot Daniels, and Scot Eaton and you have what looks to be a cool little mystery with some nice twists and turns, even in the first four issues. I look forward to seeing how this whole thing will play out.
BATMAN BEYOND #5: As the transformed Justice League members attack Neo Gotham, the Jim Gordon Batsuit gets charged up and Tim Drake climbs inside. First up, he destroys John Stewart and goes into battle against Superman and Wonder Woman. The battle goes back and forth before Micron arrives and destroys Wonder Woman. Tim shoves Kryptonite down Superman’s throat, which allows Micron to destroy the former Man of Steel and save Neo Gotham.
I’m sorry: this book slowly starting to sink into an ocean of silliness and just leaving me with a feeling of totally not caring above this book. Dan Jurgens’ story just keeps plodding along. We have the replacement Batman climbing into Jim Gordon’s old suit and taking on the converted and perverted former members of the Justice League, only to be saved by this generation’s version of The Atom, Micron. The story holds no interest for me and I just find this to be a labor to read. And I’m also finding Bernard Chang’s art to no longer hold interest for me, as it is filled with unusual angles and strange proportions. This could be a perfect jumping off point for me.
BATMAN SUPERMAN #25: Batman is ordering his team to find Clark Kent and get him out of his city. But Superman is using one of the old Batman's gliders as he searches for the miniature sun stolen from Waynetech. He tracks down the Barbarians of the Dawn Command and engages them, only to be attacked by Vandal Savage, where he takes a serious beating. Before he can be finished, Batgirl comes to his rescue and gets him to the Batcave. Three days later, Superman and Batgirl are in Siberia where Savage is demanding the residents hurriedly mine six tons of uranium from so old and half-buried nuclear missiles. Luckily, Batgirl and Superman don’t have to do it alone, as Red Robin and Red Hood show up to help.
Despite having some rather unusual plot points in it, Greg Pak and Cliff Richards throw together a cool story with some awesome art. Batgirl looks hot and not like a teen girl as she does in her own title. I did laugh when these newly thawed barbarians are complaining about being hungry and craving burritos! Seek out the Monsters Variant cover by Michael Avon Oeming as it is a dynamite take on the ACTION #1 cover.
BAT-MITE #5: Bat-Mite teams up with the Inferior Five as they all prepare to face off against Gridlock, who has stolen the only known copy of the pilot episode of the classic television show GALAXY TREK. Bat-Mite joins the team, retools their personalities and their costumes and that results in the debut of the Superior Six. Gridlock escapes but they save the film canister, only to discover it is empty. The team begs Bat-Mite to change them back to what they once were and he obliges. In the end, three hooded figures decide
Thank you Dan Jurgens and Corin Howell for giving me a reunion with one of my favorite super teams of all time. I was six years old when I read their first appearances and followed them all the way through the 12 issues of their comic, watching them with such classic characters as the Cobweb Kid and Sub-Moron. This SO takes me back to my childhood with great memories of lying in a hammock in the summers and reading comics all day long.
BIZARRO #5: Right now, our quartet is locked up in Area 51 and charged with trying to break in. We go back three days and see that Agents Meadows Mahalo and Stuart “Chicken Stew” Paillard have offered our heroes $50,000 and an all-expenses-paid visit to Las Vegas to get them to break into Area 51. Once in Vegas, Bizarro proves a whiz at the Blackjack tables. Unfortunately, he answers a call from Jimmy’s publisher and learns of the plan to write a coffee-table book about their trip to Canada. They get inside Area 51 and start a riot so they can get their hands on the Army’s stockpile of captured alien weapons. Caught by General Lane, Jimmy connects him to his daughter Lois, who threatens to expose how he has aliens under lock and key. The aliens gets released with the weapons and head home. Colin also goes home and Chastity hooks up with Kilowog’s cousin and she leaves. In the end, Bizarro smashes Jimmy’s car and flies off.
Heath Corson and Gustavo Duarte give us the penultimate adventure of this Fantastic Four and, as this whole series has been, it’s a winner! From the Sculley and Mulder rip-off in the opening, to Killowog’s cousin, Lois Lane and all the rest, it is one long parody trip! And I remember saying this was a comic version of FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS and I stand by that. It has been one wild and wacky road trip that is all but ready to end. Find the back issues or wait for the trade. This is a kick in the funny bone and I will miss it after next month.
BLACK CANARY #5: With another successful gig completed, Dinah and the band head discuss future plans and Maeve’s ulterior motives. Later that night, Dinah encounters the mysterious blonde ninja. The next day there is a record store signing and Byron’s mother and sister Shelley show up, as does Bo Maeve who disrupts the signing and challenges them to a Battle of the Bands. And at that battle, Bo uses her new powers.
This was an interesting issue by Brenden Fletcher and Pia Guerra that continues one plotline and sets up another one. The art still continues to be an issue with me as the whole “Batgirling” of the line stills bothers me. But I like where the story is going, even though this is far from the Black Canary who was romantically involved with Oliver Queen during the classic days of that archer’s title. And this issue was a good opportunity for the rest of the band to get fleshed out-nicely done! BTW: Byron and Shelley…GET IT!?
CATWOMAN #45: Eiko mourns her father’s death, even as Oliver Cobblepot and the Black Mask make an appearance at his funeral. Later, Selina, in costume, breaks into Eiko’s apartment to pay her respects, but that doesn’t go well. Cobblepot meets with Antonia, informing her of the latest developments with Black Mask and his men. Of course he is playing both sides, as he goes to meet with Black Mask with Catwoman in tow. She and Black Mask battle, she stabs him and leaves him to die. Cobblepot offers to save his life, but only if he gives up everything he has, which he agrees to. After a training session, Eiko is visited by Spoiler, and is informed that Eiko is throwing a party and killing all the families and their members.
Genevieve Valentine and David Messina continue to not only redefine the character of Selina Kyle/Catwoman, they also continue to redefine the landscape that is Gotham’s crime families. While I would really like to see Selina back in action full-time in the suit, the concept of the crime families, the two-faced actions of The Penguin, the dealings with Black Mask, Eiko and the rest, are truly fascinating and makes for some of the best crime fiction since the days of MS. TREE. While I’m still getting used to Selina in pantsuits, this is so recommended!
CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER #5: Constantine battles his ex-girlfriend Veronica, who is the monster that has been hanging around since issue #1. Georgie, despite not being very happy with Constantine at the moment, agrees to help. As she is ready to dispatch the creature, she discovers that she is Veronica and has second thoughts. But, knowing what is at stake, she burns the Soul Displacement book and kills Veronica in the process. As she and Constantine go there separate ways, she tells him she will never forgive him for this.
And I may not forgive the creative team of Ming Doyle, James Tynion IV and Scott Kowalchuk for making this Constantine even more unlikable than his last incarnation during JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK. The artwork is creepily simplistic, the plot took five issues to dig through it all and I’m just so tired of a plot that just did nothing for me. Next issue starts a new arc and I will give it a chance. But if it moves at the pace and with the enthusiasm as this one, I won’t finish the arc. Seriously DC: I had such hopes with Doyle and Tynion at the helm.
CYBORG #3: Cyborg has gathered whomever he can find in Detroit to help defend against the upcoming alien invasion by the Technosapiens, including poor Bobby. As the battle rages, the Metal Men arrive to lend a hand. The Justice League would be here, but they’re also busy fighting Technosapiens. At the same time, there is an invasion at STAR Labs, where the scientists find themselves losing. Just when things look their worst, the Tekbreakers arrive at STAR Labs to save the day. When Cyborg shows up there, he flips out as these are the people who killed him in the Preview story. The leader of the Tekbreakers is the Sarah Charles parallel world and she tells him that his father started the war that she is here to help stop.
Maybe I missed something but when did Batgirl become a member of the Justice League? That’s what I thought! But during the panel showing the Justice League battling Technosapiens, there she is-front and center. So I’m not sure if David F. Walker is to blame for writing is into his script or if with Ivan Reis and Eduardo Pansica are to blame for assuming she is part of the team. Either way, it’s a big boo-boo! Maybe this has something to do with the book being a month late. The story: well, that’s another story. It’s full of action on two fronts and I was thrilled to see the Metal Men showing up. Is it too much to ask for a series with them?
CYBORG #4: Picking up from last issue, we discover that the other Sarah Clarke has come from an Earth in a universe where Doctor Silas Stone was responsible for its’ destruction. Unable to let his wife die in peace, he ended up becoming Cyborg and led to the Technosapiens coming to Earth to try and take the technology with them. It seems the Tekbreakers have come here to find a way to stop the plague that is ravishing their world. The Technosapiens attack again, causing Cyborg, the Metal Men and the Tekbreakers to spring into action. That’s when the giant Technosapien attacks.
We get two issues in one month to make up for the missing issue last month. This time, David Walker is joined by Felipe Watanabe as the artist, as Ian Reis is only doing layouts. It’s another average issue that at least gives us the other Sarah Clarke’s back story, even if it wasn’t the greatest back story ever told. What I really wanted was more Metal Men but then I guess we’d have to changed the title of the book from CYBORG to METAL MEN now wouldn’t we?
DEATHSTROKE #11: Deathstroke, now with only one eye again and his traditional patch restored, finds what he first believes is his dead daughter Rose, but discovers to be someone disguised as Rose. Based on a clue he finds that points to Harley Quinn, he leads a one man assault onto Belle Reve. He finds Harley and Deadshot and, after a bit of a battle between the trio, Slade figures out that it wasn’t Harley who was responsible. He realizes to late that he has been set up and falls into a watery trap with Black Manta, proving payback is indeed a bitch!
Tony S. Daniel and James Bonny move on from the eye-plucking end to the last issue and fly headlong into something completely different. With Tyler Kirkham handling the art, this trio leads an all out assault onto Belle Reve for no other reason than to have our anti-hero find clues to getting his daughter back. My biggest gripe about this is that it all comes racing at us with no real resolution to the tale last issue. So…we just let Slade yank his eye out and that’s that? Weird. I would liked to have had some resolution to that piece and THEN slide into the first part of this story. Then NEXT issue could have been a longer assault and such. But what do I know: I just read and write about comics!
DETECTIVE COMICS #45: We begin at a cricket match in India where the crowd is attacked by a liquid that steals their eyes. Elsewhere, the Justice League interrupts a quiet night at Bruce Wayne’s apartment where they want to know if there is anything left of the old Bruce. Meanwhile, Jim Gordon’s Batman gets called into action because the rest of his flying team is being attacked. Luckily, the Justice League shows up to assist him, as he is not doing a very good job on his own. Batman tracks down the person responsible in the form of the Mad Hatter, who explains he was hired by someone The League recruits Gordon for the team and they all transport to a snow covered land with a very big skeleton.
Welcome to the first issue of the new team of Peter J. Tomasi and Marcio Takara and here are my initial thoughts. Tomasi writes a nice script, but it’s nothing amazing. I mean, it’s cool to see the Justice League show up, but are they that desperate to get the old Batman back? And then they show up while he is battling something attack the Bat Blimp that has been sent out by the Mad Hatter. The whole piece is a bit convoluted for me. Takara’s artwork doe not work at all for me. I just find it a little too stylized and too blocky. I especially hate the way the Batsuit looks! The best part of the book was the cliffhanger ending. Not a great start for a book that was showing great promise.
DOCTOR FATE #5: The deity Bastet, who was in Khalid's dead cat, has been reincarnated into the form of another identical black cat. She reiterates everything the first cat told him and then dies again, with the hope of being reborn again. With the helm back on his head again, Khalid goes about stopping petty crime and saving people among the continuing flood. He is also trying to attend school which again takes a back seat when he ends up at the hospital where is father is being menaced by Anubis. Getting him freed, Anubis tracks him down and offers to make a deal to restore his father’s eyesight. Khalid agrees to give Anubis the helm and Anubis does return the sight, but takes Khalid’s in the process.
I have yet to figure out why this series didn’t get the axe when DC decided to eliminate a whole slew of titles recently. This book by Paul Levitz and Sonny Liew is a total mess. It seems like this book is treading the same ground every single month without it moving forward. I mean, how many times can Khalid be told he needs to man up and become a hero? How many times can this damned cat die already? I’m sorry: this is NOT Paul Levitz’ finest hour. The book drags on, the art just looks like something from an Indy book (not a bad thing…just not appealing for a superhero title), and I really hate the cast!
DOOMED #5: Superman explains the Doomsday virus to Jayne, leading her to tell him about what happens to Reiser. Superman tracks him down and tries to discuss his condition, much to Reiser’s delight. But that all changes and Reiser transforms and punches Superman. Then the Alpha Centurion, who is actually possessing the body of Reiser’s roommate Roman, arrives and he and Reiser mix it up. Superman breaks it up and just in time as now the three of them are looking at a very big and ugly monster.
I really was not a fan of this book when it was introduced, but I have to admit that it was grown on me. Scott Lobdell is really good at writing troubled teenagers, even if they sound like they are still in the 1980’s. Therefore, his characterization of Reiser is very much like a young Peter Parker. Okay…it’s not an original idea, but it works. The fact that we have thrown in a ton of guest stars sure doesn’t hurt either. Javier Fernandez’ art has also grown on me and gotten better with each issue. Since next issue spells the end for this series, maybe Reiser can find his way into the Teen Titans.
EARTH 2: SOCIETY #5: The heroes are trying to save Neotropolis from the falling Overwatch-One.While Flash tries his hardest to use his muscles, we flashback to a year ago when Flash spent weeks running across the planet to try to make the world better for its’ newest inhabitants. This made him a celebrity with the people on the planet which allowed him to become the life of the party across the planet. It also meant he would crash and burn and it took Jimmy Olsen to help him out. A year later and Flash makes the save. However, Jimmy Olsen feels betrayed and plans on killing Flash along with the other heroes.
You know: you make Jimmy Olsen a God and look what happens. As the saying goes, Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This has been the best issue in the series so far, but that isn’t saying much. I liked the EARTH 2 series before CONVERGENCE but this one, by Daniel H. Wilson and Jorge Jimenez, is just annoying. I don’t care for the art and I find Wilson’s story boring. I want action not a soap opera and between the drunk Flash and the drama in previous issues between the new Superman and Power Girl, it’s enough to have this book get adapted for Daytime television.
FLASH #45: With the Flash and the entire Central City Police Department stuck inside the dome, tensions are running high inside and out. Captain Frye threatens to shoot the Flash until Singh steps in to save him. Wally has a plan, straps the magnesium engine block to one of the armored police vehicles, and drives it into the dome, which cuts a hole in the dome. Flash gets everyone out of the dome before the Central City Police station disintegrates, leading to Frye chewing out Flash and threatening that they will meet again. Meanwhile, Henry Allen has finished the weaponized power glove and Zoom uses it to drain Magali’s powers and make them his own. And then, he plans on eliminating the rest of his crew and stealing their powers, making him a god.
Not a bad issue, even with some of the forced plot points, such as the magnesium engine block which was such a big deal last issue…nothing like making that way too obvious a plot device. So, once again we get an action filled issue thanks to Robert Venditti and Van Jensen. The art this month is a bit all over the place as it’s by Brett Booth, Vicente Cifuentes and Ale Garza, and you can tell where one arrives and one leaves off, making for a rather disjointed reading experience.
GOTHAM ACADEMY #11: Trying to piece together the mysteries from the last few issues involving Olive’s mother, Maps and Olive go searching the file room, only to run into Red Robin. He tells the story behind Calamity burning down part of the Narrows before she was ultimately stopped and arrested. Apparently there have been generations of Silverlocks masquerading as Calamity. Batman discovered that Calamity had a daughter and made plans to make sure she wouldn’t follow in her mother’s footsteps by having her end up in Gotham Academy. They are then forced to fight the “new” Calamity, who drops a part of a key. Later, they discover this key is an old puzzle key to Arkham Asylum.
Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl absolutely do a killer job on this series. I love it! It’s Harry Potter adventures in the Batman Universe. I mean, there are no magicians but there are a lot of spooky things going on. This is just a fun series for all ages, despite the Teen Rating.
GOTHAM BY MIDNIGHT #10: Covered in gore after last month’s explosive conclusion, Corrigan and Drake flee the station and head off on a road trip where he reveals his death and the Spectre’s origin. This results in a car chase that ends with the Spectre coming free and the car heading off a bridge and into the water below, seemingly killing both Corrigan and Drake. Meanwhile, Doctor Tarr investigates supernatural happenings at the site of Sister Justine’s death. And…what is with the creature arriving in the final panel?
Under a beautiful Bill Sienkiewiez cover, we have the insanely wild penultimate issue of this title. Ray Fawkes writes it with all the flash and flair of the first nine issues. This has been one creepy head trip book and I’m sad to see it go, especially because the Spectre, despite limited appearances in this book, has been his old destructive self. By the way: WE NEED A SPECTRE BOOK that hearkens back to the justice dealing days of the Fleisher/Aparo run. Juan Ferreyra’s art is creepy and beautiful and has been a perfect fit for this series. Go find the first issues or wait for a trade. You need to have this in your collection as, despite its’ occasional flaws, it is one of the better horror themed titles DC has published in some time.
GRAYSON #13: Now that he is back in Spyral’s employ, Grayson is being physically checked out to make certain he didn’t bring back anything that could be detrimental to the group. Once cleared, he is sent on a mission with Agent 1, which includes infiltrating a heist by Tiger Shark. The ship being attacked belongs to the father of a student at St. Hadrian's School for Girls and it doesn’t take long for the pair to defeat the bad guys. Later, Dick contacts "Alvin Draper" ...better known as Tim Drake. Tim reveals that the mysterious Agent Zero is Luka Netz and that she has managed to appear in almost every photo ever taken of Batman in action, going all the way back to Year Zero. This leads to a lead in Berlin, while Director Bertinelli and Doctor Netz meet with some of the most clandestine groups in the world. In the end, Midnighter has arranged to have Ladytron get involved, leading to a battle between her, Dick and Agent 1.
This is fast becoming my favorite of the Batman Family titles. Tim Seeley, Tom King and Mikel Janin just keep filling this book with great writing, clever lines of dialogue (yes…Spandau IS known for a ballet, Ladytron!) and some amazing looking art. What makes this such a great book is that it totally embraces the spy concept as you never really know who is on what side. Just when you think Bertinelli is one of the good guys, she pulls a stunt like this issue and you wonder. And just what is the connection with Doctor Netz and Luka?
GREEN ARROW ANNUAL #1: A bunch of thugs are going around and beating up people who have contracted a disease known as Lukos. In the old days, people who were infected with Lukos became wolflike and were not only feared but used by warring nations. A werewolf biker gang rounds up those infected folks and plan on passing the disease to everyone at the Midnight Halloween Parade. All-out war breaks out between the bikers, the thugs, Green Arrow and Emiko. In the end, the war ends with a few casualties…one of whom is Oliver Queen who has been bitten in the attacks. This could be a problem down the road.
Okay…so we have a very long tale the can be summed up very quickly: dumb. Ben Percy and Szymon Kudranski give us a great looking book that is filled with dumb stuff. We have a bunch of bigots who want to eliminate the Lycans(let’s call it as it is) and that leads to the werewolf people deciding to turn everyone into werewolves. Somewhere in the middle of that, Oliver and Emiko get involved and help to save the day. This truly was a waste of five bucks, with the exception of the artwork. It’s a shame too, because I have found the current creative team to be weaving a rather different and usually interesting story.
GREEN ARROW #45: Oliver and Tarantula are escaping from the fight they were in with the Skeletons. We flashback to events that happened four months ago when Ollie was in Alaska, as seen in the preview tale. The Skeletons destroyed a totem containing an ancient bear skull and kill a security guard in the process. Back in the present, Ollie and Tarantula head to El Paso so they can search for George. They are attacked by a swarm of moths, leading them to take refuge in a destroyed gas station. They find the interior filled with Mayan symbols painted in the blood of a dead man they find inside. Tarantula tells Oliver the symbols mean the darkness is spreading.
Benjamin Percy manages to lay two eggs in the same month. Granted, the Annual should have been released last month, but that joins this one as two really lame Green Arrow stories. I mean, here’s Green Arrow and Tarantula and they’re running away from the bad guys. I know these Skeletons are bad news but really…Green Arrow running from a fight. The story is a bit on the confusing side and I don’t buy the compression of time that gets our heroes from Seattle to El Paso. I would expect a lot more exposition on that road trip. One the good side, Patrick Fincher’s art is great!
GREEN LANTERN #45: We begin with Hall fighting Black Hand and then move to a flashback where he has Darlene plotting a flight path. He bids goodbye to everyone and heads off and meets up with Black hand, who is totally bummed that he can’t reanimate anyone anymore but can turn them into rock. Once Hal reveals himself to Black Hand, Hand flips out and, of course, the two battle each other. Hand tries to turn Hal to stone but fails as Hal knocks him out. Hal decides it is time to stop playing games and he needs to finish Hand once and for all.
I find this book works the best when Hal Jordan, looking like The Spectre, takes Center Stage. When we let the supporting cast play a bigger role, it drags. Here is the example: the first half of the book, up until Hal meets up with Black Hand, is just boring. Too much talk and not enough action. Once Hal and Hand meet-FIREWORKS! Still, it’s a nice effort from Robert Venditti and Billy Tan. Do yourself a favor and seek out the Monsters of the Month variant by Neal Adams.
GREEN LANTERN: LOST ARMY #5: John Stewart and the Lanterns fight their way out of their prison, but lose Jruk in the process. Just when things look bleak, Relic and Krona arrive to save the day. As they head out, they are able to track down Mogo and discover that Mogo is being attacked and is in pain.
Please make this end! Cullen Bunn and Jesus Saiz give us a great story with a bunch of characters I could really care less about. I mean, I love Guy Gardner and he was one of the major highlights of the RED LANTERNS book. But I never cared for John Stewart, just like I never saw Kyle Rayner as a valid Lantern. So, we combine all of these Lanterns I don’t care about, throw in a once upon a time bad guy or two and…is it any wonder why this book never caught on and gets the axe next month? Oh wait: there is a NEW Green Lantern book coming in January that picks up where this left off? Oh help me!
HARLEY QUINN #21: Harley and Deadshot brawl for a bit before they patch up their differences and Harley goes back to searching for Sparrow. Teaming up with Nick Stanley and his Batmobile, she heads off to Sparrow’s establishment. At the same time, some thugs have the same thing in mind and it’s up to Harley to save them all. In the end, Harley gets Sparrow, Sparrow’s mom arrives and pays the money and is told how Sparrow needs treatment for her addiction. Nick tries to convince her to do a pilot or two for some television shows but she wants someone to make her a cartoon character. After drinks with Deadshot, Harley heads to Beverly Hills for some shopping.
Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti conclude their mini-epic with more guns and glory than past issues. This was a little more serious, complete with the minor anti-drug preaching at the end. I did like the little touches, like the references to television shows and such. This was not as silly as most issues and, while it’s not the psychotic Harley we seen in SUICIDE SQUAD, it’s close. And John Timms’ art isn’t Chard Hardin’s, but it too is close. Overall, this was a better issue than most.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #45: Darkseid is dead and the Justice League are slowly becoming Gods. Flash has become the God of Death, as he has been infused with the spirit of the Black Racer. Superman is with Luthor on Apokolips and has become the God of Strength. Batman, sitting in the Mobius Chair, has become the God of Knowledge and plans to take his power to Gotham. Shazam is now the God of Gods and it seems like the spirit of Darkseid is controlling him. Meanwhile, Luthor convinces the former slaves of Apokolips that he is the chosen one spoken about in their writings and they make him the God of Apokolips.
Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul continue to roll along with this monster storyline. It seems that everyone is becoming a god now that Darkseid is dead. And, in something that I’m sure will be revealed in more detail in the series of one-shots connected to this story, we start to see the whole idea of absolute power corrupting absolutely. Of course, if you believe that Darkseid is truly dead, then you haven’t been reading comics very long! I do like the twist of having Luthor reveal his sneaky self and becoming the God of Apokolips. Nicely played!
Monday, November 2, 2015
ALL NEW MARVEL-the first titles
ALL NEW ALL DIFFERENT MARVEL POINT ONE #1: This sampler title gives some bits and pieces from many of the new "All New All Different " titles including AGENTS OF SHIELD, CARNAGE, DAREDEVIL, ALL NEW INHUMANS, and ROCKET RACOON AND GROOT, all wrapped around a framing story highlighting CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS. Creators involved include the writing talents of Al Ewing, Gerry Conway, Skottie Young, Marc Guggenheim, and Charles Soule and Paco Medina, Mike Perkins, Filipe Andrade, Germán Peralta, Stefano Caselli and Ron Garney handling the art chores.
Okay…so this is a mixed bag of stuff here. Some of it, like Daredevil and Carnage, look real interesting while others like Rocket Raccoon and Contest of Champions itself, seem like they won’t exactly be a ton of fun. Since this is basically the first exposure to these titles and they are in small snippets, it’s kind of hard to truly get a feel for them. So, I’ll give them all a one shot anyway.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1: Even as a commercial from Parker Industry plays, Spider Man and Mockingbird ride in his Spider Mobile as they chase the member of the new Zodiac. After apprehending them, they return to Parker Industries where he changes back to Peter Parker and reveals the details of The Uncle Ben Foundation to the world at a major press conference. He also reveals his Spider man underwear as his zipper was down during the press conference. Jetting to San Francisco, he attends the wedding of Max Modell and his partner Hector, revealing that he has arranged for the Parker Institute of Technology to be renamed Horizon University as a wedding gift. Other members of Zodiac crash the wedding and do battle with Spider Man, currently portrayed by former Prowler Hobie Brown. To save lives, Peter gives them the webware they have come for and allows them to leave. He chastises Sajani for having been in league with Black cat and warns her about even considering it again. She heads to London where we see Anna Maria and her reworked Living Brain-who has Otto Octavius’ brain.
In the second story, Spider Man 2099 gets involved in a bank robbery and ends up being offered a job by Spider Man. The third story involved Silk breaking up a theft by the Goblin nation. She retrieves a stolen safety deposit box and returns it to Black Cat. The fourth story finds a very pregnant having second thoughts about being a parent and talks to her friend Captain Marvel for advise. The fifth story is set in 1602 and features the Web Warriors encountering the Sinister Sextet. The final tale features Miles Morales, the Ultimate Spider Man battling The Ox. He is taken to a Super Max Prison beneath Rykers Island: a prison run by Regent.
What a way to kick off this title! First, we get a thirty-two page main story by Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camunicoli that explodes with beauty and energy. I do have some questions about what and how, especially since we haven’t gotten all of the story from SECRET WARS. But Peter’s empire is now seemingly like Stark Industries, Doc Ock is inside the Living Brain, Spidey has got the former Prowler acting as his double and Mac Modell gets married. I didn’t even know he was GAY! Then we throw in five more short tales, with four of them acting as jumping on points for the new Spider Series and feature the work of Peter David, Will Sliney, Robbie Thompson, Stacey Lee, Dennis Hopeless, Javier Rodriguez, Mike Costa, David Baldeon, Christos Gage and Paco Diaz. This is a HUGE sixty-eight page issue that has a little bit of something for everyone and is actually worth the SIX BUCKS they charged for it!
ANGELA QUEEN OF HEL #1: Angela, formerly Asgard’s Assassin, is now the Queen of Hel and Sera, who is dead, is her Royal Consort. Eight months ago, Angela conquered Hel and dethroned Hela and now she may be executed. But right now, Sera is pissed at Angela for actions in the past.
This is just a confusing mess for me. Marguerite Bennett weaves her magic and I don’t have a clue about what is happening here. Part of that is because I didn’t read the previous title; part of it is that we’re eight months away from the destruction of the old Marvel Universe and still don’t know how we got to where we are in THIS UNIVERSE! And part of it is the confusing relationship between Angela and her lover Sera. We have two artists this issue as Kim Jacinto handles the main story and Stephanie Hans handles what is billed as the “substory”. Okay…so you mean the flashback? Either way, I won’t be running through this Hel again.
THE ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #1: Eight months ago, Scott Lang had moved his business down to Miami and was starving for clients. Today, his team composed of Grizzly and Machinesmith, is booming. Their boss is Ms. Morgenstern, who was once known as Miss Patriot back in the Fifities. Today, she runs a retirement community for costumed folks. We also have the back-story of how Lang’s daughter had her heart taken away by Darren Cross of Cross Technologies. That’s when the Power Broker comes in with his new Hench App. and sends Whirlwind to dispatch Ant-Man. Luckily for Lang this is only a test and Power Broker cancels the hit. So…what does all of this have to do with Scott being back in jail?
So I’m the first to admit that I have no idea what is going on here, as I didn’t read the previous run of this book. I did read the issue that set things up with Lang and his boos, so I kind of have that to work with. I like Nick Spencer’s writing style and his dialogue and cast of characters is a blast. I also happen to like Ramon Rosanas’ artwork. This was a fun read and I may very well keep reading this. There is a reason why I am sampling all the #1 issues because of titles like this one that I was positive I wouldn’t be reading on a regular basis.
AVENGERS #0: At Oracle Inc., the Squadron Supreme looks in on the various Avengers teams. In "Eidetic", the Vision visits the Scarlet Witch and purges his memory of their time together. Captain Marvel and Alpha Flight have an adventure in space in the "In the Beginning" tale. "Everything is New" introduces the Roberto Da Costa led Avengers Idea Mechanics and also Reed Richards-the Supreme One who is also known as The Maker. "The Night That Hell Froze Over" has Deadpool working for Steve Rogers and shows us that Rogue is on life support after being exposed to the Terrigan Mists. "The Opposite of Kicking" features Ms. America as she joins The Ultimates, made up of Captain Marvel, Spectrum, The Blue Marvel and Black Panther.
So this is how Marvel jams their ALL NEW, ALL DIFFERENT Avengers titles at us. With a story by James Robinson and Leonard Kirk that intertwines with the rest of the tales, we get a glimpse at THE NEW AVENGERS, THE VISION, A-FORCE, UNCANNY AVENGERS and THE ULTIMATES. Those stories are by the creative teams of Mark Waid and Mahmud Asrar, G. Willow Wilson and Victor Ibanez, Al Ewing and Gerardo Sandoval, Gerry Duggan and Ryan Stegman, Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort. Of this batch, the only one that really makes me sit up and take notice is the one with the LEAST amount of exposition: SQUADRON SUPREME. The rest of the tales just don’t work for me, especially A-FORCE. What’s the deal with Alpha Flight? REALLY? Sure, we’re getting over fifty pages here for six bucks, but nothing as butt-kicking as AMAZING SPIDER-MAN.
CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #1: We begin with an appearance by The Outlaw (the British Punisher) who gets teleported to a strange world where he helps Iron Man and Gamora kill Venom, Joe Fixit and Devil Dinosaur. After their win, they are teleported to an unknown place where they meet The Collector, The Maestro and Guillotine. Here, they are told that they are part of the Contest Of Champions, they have taken control of the heroes’ lives, and the Collector welcomes them to! Meanwhile, in South Korea, White Fox finds out that one of her super-agents has been killed and vows revenge. In the second story, we see the history of the many people known as Guillotine and see her plucked from her time and place.
So, some time back, Marvel introduced an online game called CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS. This is not so much of a spin-off from that book, but they spent time hyping after the second story. Al Ewing and Paco Medina handle the first story and Ewing and Thomas Labourot handle the second one. Neither one made me jump up and down, although I was interested when they dropped Outlaw into the book! Sorry, I won’t be visiting issue #2.
DOCTOR STRANGE #1: Starting with a brief history lesson, Doctor Strange jumps right into battle with a mystical creature. Unfortunately, he is having problems remembering the spells. He manages to pull it together long enough to save the Soul-Eaters that were possessing a young boy, even if he was kissing a Free Rover. After that, and after dispatching an inter-dimensional Psyche-Leach, he steps into The Bar With No Doors, where he shares drinks with Doctor Voodoo, Shaman and The Scarlet Witch. He also deals with insults and taunts from Monako, the Prince of Magic. In the end, a young woman with a nasty batch of creatures living in her head, pays him a visit. In the backup story, we meet the Imperator and the Empirikul as they try to eliminate all traces of magic.
This book has a bunch of pros and cons. Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo give us a real unique take on the Sorcerer Supreme, complete with him having a really strange outer body experience with some dialogue that seems more fitting for Tony Stark than Stephen Strange. Bachalo’s artwork is his usual quirky work and I’m good with that. The backup, by Aaron and Kevin Nowlan, will eventually make sense, I’m sure. But for now, it’s just a page filler.Bottom line: I’ll give this another issue or two anyway to see where it is going. And that’s saying a lot as I haven’t been a fan of the last few attempts to make this character work in his own series.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1: We begin in the Negative Zone, where Annihilus and the Queen of the Brood discuss how to divide the galaxy when they conquer it. Meanwhile, somewhere in the Milky Way, the Guardians of the Galaxy, The Thing, Groot, Venom, Rocket Racoon, Drax and Kitty Pryde Star Lord, battle the Chitauri Empire. On the Planet Spartix, Peter Quill is dealing with being a diplomat. A short time later, the Guardians land on Spartix, as does a defeated Gamora and Hala, who is looking to destroy Peter.
I’ll be totally up front and say that I wasn’t reading the last run of this title because I still have issues with this NOT being MY Guardians. Plus, the whole MEGA MOVIE thing that Marvel ran with in the form of a comic pissed me off. But this book is ALMOST enough to get me reading it. Brian Michael Bendis writes a fun, simple, and highly entertaining tale and the art of Valerio Schiti is great! Again, I may actually keep this title in my list, even if it is only to figure out how Ben Grimm ends up on this team.
HOWLING COMMANDOS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #1: Dum Dum Duggan is dead, but he continues to live because of a seemingly unending supply of LMD’s to transfer his conscious into. Maria Hill creates a team of Howling Commandos made up of a zombified Jasper Sitwell, Manphibian, Vampire by Night, Teen Abomination, Orrgo, Man-Thing and Hit-Monkey. Out in the Atlantic, the S.S. Chaney is under attack by it’s own crew that has been turned into monsters by a cursed idol. Luckily Duggan and his team have arrived to battle them and defeat them. Unfortunately, a zombified Jasper Sitwell blows up Duggan, forcing him to resurrect in a new body.
And yes, this book is as weird as I thought it would be. The team of Frank J. Barbiere and Brent Schoonover have taken the monsters of the Marvel Universe and teamed them up with two classic S.H.I.E.L.D. members, albeit in a new form, and brought them together as S.T.A.K.E. The writing is interesting while the art is trying to look like something out of the Seventies. Picture Don Heck, Mike Ploog and Frank Robbins coming together as one, although Schoonover can’t pull that off. While I like seeing these characters in action, I’m still on the fence about the title. It has potential, but it needs more than just what we have been given here.
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1: In his lab/workshop, Tony Stark creates a new version of his armor that merges all of his different modes into one. Meanwhile, someone who once worked for A.I.M. delivers a briefcase to Madame Masque, who kills him afterwards. Later, she leads an attack on Stark Tower in Japan, causing Tony to leave his date with Dr. Amara Perera, who once created a cure for the mutant gene. That takes him to Latveria where he finds a very handsome and undamaged Victor Von Doom waiting for him in what used to be his castle.
Thank you Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez for bringing back a Tony Stark who isn’t a total dick! Granted, I liked the weird places the SUPERIOR IRON MAN series took our hero, but his descent into a total dickhead was just hard to watch. So, we have to assume that whatever happened during SECRET WARS has changed him. For all we know, this is the OTHER TONY STARK. Either way, we have a fun filled first issue with the return of Victor Von Doom AND Whitney Frost. I will most definitely be back for more of this book!
KARNAK #1: Karnak has managed to escape from the afterlife to find that the world he once knew isn’t what it once was. He is no longer the advisor to the throne of New Attilan. Instead, he he has become the Magister of the Tower of Wisdom, where he is attempting to teach all who come to him. He goes off to try and rescue a young boy affected by the Terrigen Mists and that leads him to Berlin where he uses his great power to teach responsibility.
I have to say this was one of my most anticipated new Marvel titles and it doesn’t disappoint. You have the writing, the always-enigmatic writing, of the great Warren Ellis and that is reason alone to buy this book. But couple with that with the moody art of Gerardo Zaffino and this book is a dream. This is not your regular superhero title: this takes the concept of the lone wolf hero and spins it around. Karnak was always a loyal member of the original Inhumans. But now, he is truly on his own and blowing down doors. This is my favorite new Marvel release so far!
NEW AVENGERS #1: The team, composed of Wiccan, White Tiger, Power Man, Songbird, Hulkiling, Squirrel Girl and Tippy Toe are on their way to France where men and women have been tuned into crystal-headed creatures. Whewn they arrive, they get into a battle, unaware that they are being watched on Nanocams by The Maker: Reed Richards. Meanwhile, Roberto DaCosta, current leader of A.I.M., meets with Dum Dum Duggan who introduces DaCosta to the S.H.I.E.L.D. mandated addition to the New Avengers: Hawkeye…the Clint Barton Hawkeye.
Yeah…NO! Even the apparent addition of the Ultimate Reed Richards as the villain to this series won’t get me to but this book again. It’s a team filled with C List heroes and run by a guy who used to be a New Mutant. Al Ewing’s story did nothing to drag me in to find out more about this team and Gerardo Sandoval’s quirky painted art came off as someone’s version of a bad Rob Leifeld copy. Nope…no coming back for this one.
SAM WILSON CAPTAIN AMERICA #1: Steve Rogers replacement gets booted from S.H.I.E.L.D., sets up a special hotline and goes off on his own. With the help of his latest love interest Misty Knoight and D Man, he fights injustice and the Sons of the Serpent. That is up until Steve Rogers arrives and orders him to stand down.
I hate Sam Wilson as Captain America way more than I ever did hate Bucky Barnes as Captain America and that’s a whole lot! I could barely get through this issue as it wallowed in it’s own foolishness. Wilson is still filled with that militant attitude he had back in the Seventies and I kept waiting for him to stand up and shout “Black lives matter!” Nick Spencer delivers a true stinker here and the art of Daniel Acuna can’t even begin to save it.
SPIDER-GWEN #1: Gwen is off to work on her first day at the Dollar Dog to find out the place had been trashed the night before by The Lizard. But that’s impossible because Peter Parker was The Lizard and he’s dead. She figures out that Professor Curtis Connors has used his experiments to turn other people into lizard creatures and goes after them. Captain America saves Spider Woman just when things look bad. Meanwhile, Captain Stacey meets with Jean DeWolfe to discuss how he is going to solves the murder of Peter Parker, even is his boss Frank Castle doesn’t want it to be that way.
Yes, I realize this is the darling of the comic industry now, but I still don’t like the character or the book. It has nothing to do with Jason Latour’s writing or Robbi Rodriguez’ art. It has to do that the character I knew and loved died in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #121 and no alternate version, retconned version, cloned version will make me feel otherwise. I understand this is part of another Earth, or at least it was before the universes ended, but I can really do without it. The whole thing feels like a bad issue of WHAT IF. If you were a fan before SECRET WARS, then go out and buy this.
SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1: Miguel O’Hara, displaced hero from another time and place, is competing on the reality show NINJA USA, much to the dismay of his boss Peter Parker. Miguel, however, gets very happy when he discovers that his team has managed to shut down funding for the Alchemax Prison. He leaves his team and meets with his Lyrate life-form approximation holographic assistant named Lyla. Opening a sealed door, Miguel steps into 2099 to find out that that time is still destroyed, meaning that Alchemax isn’t responsible for it. The folks at Alchemax, inclusing former super villain The Scorprion, meet with someone from the Department of Internal Security to discuss alternatives to the now cancelled prison. Later, during a dinner date with Tempest in which she reveals she is pregnant, a car crashes into the restaurant as part of a terrorist assault. Unfortunately, it looks as though Tempest may be dead, meaning Miguel will have anew mission.
I could tell you everything I know about Miguel O’Hara in about 45 seconds. I wasn’t a huge fan of the book or the 2099 series and basically thought DOOM 2099 was the best book, mostly because of Pat Broderick’s art. And I know that Miguel is stranded here following the events in both the SpiderVerse drama and SECRET WARS and, as we learned in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1, is working for Peter Parker and Parker Industries. What is cool about this book is that his creator Peter David is writing the series, so I can tell you that makes it that much better than it should be. Will Sliney’s art is okay, but why does it seem that much of the ALL-NEW, ALL DIFFERENT MARVEL wants to look like Image did, circa 1992. This title should succeed, as all of the Spider Man books are hot right now. Will I buy it? Probably not, but only because my late is pretty full and there’s just two many Spider books for me now.
UNCANNY AVENGERS #1: The Uncanny team members, Steve Rogers, Deadpool, Doctor Voodoo, Synapse, Rogue and Johnny Storm, are battling a new Super Adaptoid that, unfortunately for him, tries to take Deadpool’s powers and dies. In the aftermath, Spider Man quits, which leads to Rogers calling a news conference to give the world a warm feeling about his team. Afterwards, Johnny tries to convince Spider man to say, but fails. The team then heads to their secret lair in an old theater and Rogue takes medicine to counter-act her exposure to the Terrigen Mists. Meanwhile, Pietro and Synapse go world hopping on a date, before summoning the team to battle creatures in Boston.
It’s Gerry Duggan and Ryan Stegman and a totally different Avengers team Anyway, the story is just okay, as I don’t fault Duggan for not liking the book. My issues are with the characters of an OLD Steve Rogers and just any book with Deadpool in it. And who is Synapse? Stegman’s art is a bit on the outside of my tastes in a superhero title and that just adds to my dislike of this title.
UNCANNY INHUMANS #1: Reader, Black Bolt and Triton are visiting the Attilan of thirty thousand years ago when Kang the Conqueror arrives. This leads them to October of 1961 where all hell breaks loose, causing the trio to time jump back into the present day. Meanwhile, Madusa meets with Hank McCoy to discuss the current situation regarding the influx of new Inhumans. Then she meets with her latest paramour, Johnny Storm. Unfortunately, her husband is watching it happen. In the back-up story, Agent Frank McGee helps the Inhumans rescue a girl from her captors in Morocco. And Gorgon calls his cousin Crystal to inquire about his son. And why is Gorgon confined to a wheelchair?
Okay…I’m hooked! First off, it’s Charles Soule and Steve McNiven. How can you go wrong there? And right off the bat, we drop in Kang the Conqueror AND a little infidelity in the form of Madusa and Johnny Storm getting busy! Wow! And then we get a taste of a future story from Soule and Brandon Peterson which only manages to give us a tease of something coming…hopefully soon! This book is amazing, as it has old and new characters, twists and turns and just out and out rocks! Add this to your list because even though it looks like the Inhumans movie is getting pushed back, they will be in the front of the Marvel Universe for some time to come.
Okay…so this is a mixed bag of stuff here. Some of it, like Daredevil and Carnage, look real interesting while others like Rocket Raccoon and Contest of Champions itself, seem like they won’t exactly be a ton of fun. Since this is basically the first exposure to these titles and they are in small snippets, it’s kind of hard to truly get a feel for them. So, I’ll give them all a one shot anyway.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1: Even as a commercial from Parker Industry plays, Spider Man and Mockingbird ride in his Spider Mobile as they chase the member of the new Zodiac. After apprehending them, they return to Parker Industries where he changes back to Peter Parker and reveals the details of The Uncle Ben Foundation to the world at a major press conference. He also reveals his Spider man underwear as his zipper was down during the press conference. Jetting to San Francisco, he attends the wedding of Max Modell and his partner Hector, revealing that he has arranged for the Parker Institute of Technology to be renamed Horizon University as a wedding gift. Other members of Zodiac crash the wedding and do battle with Spider Man, currently portrayed by former Prowler Hobie Brown. To save lives, Peter gives them the webware they have come for and allows them to leave. He chastises Sajani for having been in league with Black cat and warns her about even considering it again. She heads to London where we see Anna Maria and her reworked Living Brain-who has Otto Octavius’ brain.
In the second story, Spider Man 2099 gets involved in a bank robbery and ends up being offered a job by Spider Man. The third story involved Silk breaking up a theft by the Goblin nation. She retrieves a stolen safety deposit box and returns it to Black Cat. The fourth story finds a very pregnant having second thoughts about being a parent and talks to her friend Captain Marvel for advise. The fifth story is set in 1602 and features the Web Warriors encountering the Sinister Sextet. The final tale features Miles Morales, the Ultimate Spider Man battling The Ox. He is taken to a Super Max Prison beneath Rykers Island: a prison run by Regent.
What a way to kick off this title! First, we get a thirty-two page main story by Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camunicoli that explodes with beauty and energy. I do have some questions about what and how, especially since we haven’t gotten all of the story from SECRET WARS. But Peter’s empire is now seemingly like Stark Industries, Doc Ock is inside the Living Brain, Spidey has got the former Prowler acting as his double and Mac Modell gets married. I didn’t even know he was GAY! Then we throw in five more short tales, with four of them acting as jumping on points for the new Spider Series and feature the work of Peter David, Will Sliney, Robbie Thompson, Stacey Lee, Dennis Hopeless, Javier Rodriguez, Mike Costa, David Baldeon, Christos Gage and Paco Diaz. This is a HUGE sixty-eight page issue that has a little bit of something for everyone and is actually worth the SIX BUCKS they charged for it!
ANGELA QUEEN OF HEL #1: Angela, formerly Asgard’s Assassin, is now the Queen of Hel and Sera, who is dead, is her Royal Consort. Eight months ago, Angela conquered Hel and dethroned Hela and now she may be executed. But right now, Sera is pissed at Angela for actions in the past.
This is just a confusing mess for me. Marguerite Bennett weaves her magic and I don’t have a clue about what is happening here. Part of that is because I didn’t read the previous title; part of it is that we’re eight months away from the destruction of the old Marvel Universe and still don’t know how we got to where we are in THIS UNIVERSE! And part of it is the confusing relationship between Angela and her lover Sera. We have two artists this issue as Kim Jacinto handles the main story and Stephanie Hans handles what is billed as the “substory”. Okay…so you mean the flashback? Either way, I won’t be running through this Hel again.
THE ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #1: Eight months ago, Scott Lang had moved his business down to Miami and was starving for clients. Today, his team composed of Grizzly and Machinesmith, is booming. Their boss is Ms. Morgenstern, who was once known as Miss Patriot back in the Fifities. Today, she runs a retirement community for costumed folks. We also have the back-story of how Lang’s daughter had her heart taken away by Darren Cross of Cross Technologies. That’s when the Power Broker comes in with his new Hench App. and sends Whirlwind to dispatch Ant-Man. Luckily for Lang this is only a test and Power Broker cancels the hit. So…what does all of this have to do with Scott being back in jail?
So I’m the first to admit that I have no idea what is going on here, as I didn’t read the previous run of this book. I did read the issue that set things up with Lang and his boos, so I kind of have that to work with. I like Nick Spencer’s writing style and his dialogue and cast of characters is a blast. I also happen to like Ramon Rosanas’ artwork. This was a fun read and I may very well keep reading this. There is a reason why I am sampling all the #1 issues because of titles like this one that I was positive I wouldn’t be reading on a regular basis.
AVENGERS #0: At Oracle Inc., the Squadron Supreme looks in on the various Avengers teams. In "Eidetic", the Vision visits the Scarlet Witch and purges his memory of their time together. Captain Marvel and Alpha Flight have an adventure in space in the "In the Beginning" tale. "Everything is New" introduces the Roberto Da Costa led Avengers Idea Mechanics and also Reed Richards-the Supreme One who is also known as The Maker. "The Night That Hell Froze Over" has Deadpool working for Steve Rogers and shows us that Rogue is on life support after being exposed to the Terrigan Mists. "The Opposite of Kicking" features Ms. America as she joins The Ultimates, made up of Captain Marvel, Spectrum, The Blue Marvel and Black Panther.
So this is how Marvel jams their ALL NEW, ALL DIFFERENT Avengers titles at us. With a story by James Robinson and Leonard Kirk that intertwines with the rest of the tales, we get a glimpse at THE NEW AVENGERS, THE VISION, A-FORCE, UNCANNY AVENGERS and THE ULTIMATES. Those stories are by the creative teams of Mark Waid and Mahmud Asrar, G. Willow Wilson and Victor Ibanez, Al Ewing and Gerardo Sandoval, Gerry Duggan and Ryan Stegman, Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort. Of this batch, the only one that really makes me sit up and take notice is the one with the LEAST amount of exposition: SQUADRON SUPREME. The rest of the tales just don’t work for me, especially A-FORCE. What’s the deal with Alpha Flight? REALLY? Sure, we’re getting over fifty pages here for six bucks, but nothing as butt-kicking as AMAZING SPIDER-MAN.
CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #1: We begin with an appearance by The Outlaw (the British Punisher) who gets teleported to a strange world where he helps Iron Man and Gamora kill Venom, Joe Fixit and Devil Dinosaur. After their win, they are teleported to an unknown place where they meet The Collector, The Maestro and Guillotine. Here, they are told that they are part of the Contest Of Champions, they have taken control of the heroes’ lives, and the Collector welcomes them to! Meanwhile, in South Korea, White Fox finds out that one of her super-agents has been killed and vows revenge. In the second story, we see the history of the many people known as Guillotine and see her plucked from her time and place.
So, some time back, Marvel introduced an online game called CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS. This is not so much of a spin-off from that book, but they spent time hyping after the second story. Al Ewing and Paco Medina handle the first story and Ewing and Thomas Labourot handle the second one. Neither one made me jump up and down, although I was interested when they dropped Outlaw into the book! Sorry, I won’t be visiting issue #2.
DOCTOR STRANGE #1: Starting with a brief history lesson, Doctor Strange jumps right into battle with a mystical creature. Unfortunately, he is having problems remembering the spells. He manages to pull it together long enough to save the Soul-Eaters that were possessing a young boy, even if he was kissing a Free Rover. After that, and after dispatching an inter-dimensional Psyche-Leach, he steps into The Bar With No Doors, where he shares drinks with Doctor Voodoo, Shaman and The Scarlet Witch. He also deals with insults and taunts from Monako, the Prince of Magic. In the end, a young woman with a nasty batch of creatures living in her head, pays him a visit. In the backup story, we meet the Imperator and the Empirikul as they try to eliminate all traces of magic.
This book has a bunch of pros and cons. Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo give us a real unique take on the Sorcerer Supreme, complete with him having a really strange outer body experience with some dialogue that seems more fitting for Tony Stark than Stephen Strange. Bachalo’s artwork is his usual quirky work and I’m good with that. The backup, by Aaron and Kevin Nowlan, will eventually make sense, I’m sure. But for now, it’s just a page filler.Bottom line: I’ll give this another issue or two anyway to see where it is going. And that’s saying a lot as I haven’t been a fan of the last few attempts to make this character work in his own series.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1: We begin in the Negative Zone, where Annihilus and the Queen of the Brood discuss how to divide the galaxy when they conquer it. Meanwhile, somewhere in the Milky Way, the Guardians of the Galaxy, The Thing, Groot, Venom, Rocket Racoon, Drax and Kitty Pryde Star Lord, battle the Chitauri Empire. On the Planet Spartix, Peter Quill is dealing with being a diplomat. A short time later, the Guardians land on Spartix, as does a defeated Gamora and Hala, who is looking to destroy Peter.
I’ll be totally up front and say that I wasn’t reading the last run of this title because I still have issues with this NOT being MY Guardians. Plus, the whole MEGA MOVIE thing that Marvel ran with in the form of a comic pissed me off. But this book is ALMOST enough to get me reading it. Brian Michael Bendis writes a fun, simple, and highly entertaining tale and the art of Valerio Schiti is great! Again, I may actually keep this title in my list, even if it is only to figure out how Ben Grimm ends up on this team.
HOWLING COMMANDOS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #1: Dum Dum Duggan is dead, but he continues to live because of a seemingly unending supply of LMD’s to transfer his conscious into. Maria Hill creates a team of Howling Commandos made up of a zombified Jasper Sitwell, Manphibian, Vampire by Night, Teen Abomination, Orrgo, Man-Thing and Hit-Monkey. Out in the Atlantic, the S.S. Chaney is under attack by it’s own crew that has been turned into monsters by a cursed idol. Luckily Duggan and his team have arrived to battle them and defeat them. Unfortunately, a zombified Jasper Sitwell blows up Duggan, forcing him to resurrect in a new body.
And yes, this book is as weird as I thought it would be. The team of Frank J. Barbiere and Brent Schoonover have taken the monsters of the Marvel Universe and teamed them up with two classic S.H.I.E.L.D. members, albeit in a new form, and brought them together as S.T.A.K.E. The writing is interesting while the art is trying to look like something out of the Seventies. Picture Don Heck, Mike Ploog and Frank Robbins coming together as one, although Schoonover can’t pull that off. While I like seeing these characters in action, I’m still on the fence about the title. It has potential, but it needs more than just what we have been given here.
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1: In his lab/workshop, Tony Stark creates a new version of his armor that merges all of his different modes into one. Meanwhile, someone who once worked for A.I.M. delivers a briefcase to Madame Masque, who kills him afterwards. Later, she leads an attack on Stark Tower in Japan, causing Tony to leave his date with Dr. Amara Perera, who once created a cure for the mutant gene. That takes him to Latveria where he finds a very handsome and undamaged Victor Von Doom waiting for him in what used to be his castle.
Thank you Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez for bringing back a Tony Stark who isn’t a total dick! Granted, I liked the weird places the SUPERIOR IRON MAN series took our hero, but his descent into a total dickhead was just hard to watch. So, we have to assume that whatever happened during SECRET WARS has changed him. For all we know, this is the OTHER TONY STARK. Either way, we have a fun filled first issue with the return of Victor Von Doom AND Whitney Frost. I will most definitely be back for more of this book!
KARNAK #1: Karnak has managed to escape from the afterlife to find that the world he once knew isn’t what it once was. He is no longer the advisor to the throne of New Attilan. Instead, he he has become the Magister of the Tower of Wisdom, where he is attempting to teach all who come to him. He goes off to try and rescue a young boy affected by the Terrigen Mists and that leads him to Berlin where he uses his great power to teach responsibility.
I have to say this was one of my most anticipated new Marvel titles and it doesn’t disappoint. You have the writing, the always-enigmatic writing, of the great Warren Ellis and that is reason alone to buy this book. But couple with that with the moody art of Gerardo Zaffino and this book is a dream. This is not your regular superhero title: this takes the concept of the lone wolf hero and spins it around. Karnak was always a loyal member of the original Inhumans. But now, he is truly on his own and blowing down doors. This is my favorite new Marvel release so far!
NEW AVENGERS #1: The team, composed of Wiccan, White Tiger, Power Man, Songbird, Hulkiling, Squirrel Girl and Tippy Toe are on their way to France where men and women have been tuned into crystal-headed creatures. Whewn they arrive, they get into a battle, unaware that they are being watched on Nanocams by The Maker: Reed Richards. Meanwhile, Roberto DaCosta, current leader of A.I.M., meets with Dum Dum Duggan who introduces DaCosta to the S.H.I.E.L.D. mandated addition to the New Avengers: Hawkeye…the Clint Barton Hawkeye.
Yeah…NO! Even the apparent addition of the Ultimate Reed Richards as the villain to this series won’t get me to but this book again. It’s a team filled with C List heroes and run by a guy who used to be a New Mutant. Al Ewing’s story did nothing to drag me in to find out more about this team and Gerardo Sandoval’s quirky painted art came off as someone’s version of a bad Rob Leifeld copy. Nope…no coming back for this one.
SAM WILSON CAPTAIN AMERICA #1: Steve Rogers replacement gets booted from S.H.I.E.L.D., sets up a special hotline and goes off on his own. With the help of his latest love interest Misty Knoight and D Man, he fights injustice and the Sons of the Serpent. That is up until Steve Rogers arrives and orders him to stand down.
I hate Sam Wilson as Captain America way more than I ever did hate Bucky Barnes as Captain America and that’s a whole lot! I could barely get through this issue as it wallowed in it’s own foolishness. Wilson is still filled with that militant attitude he had back in the Seventies and I kept waiting for him to stand up and shout “Black lives matter!” Nick Spencer delivers a true stinker here and the art of Daniel Acuna can’t even begin to save it.
SPIDER-GWEN #1: Gwen is off to work on her first day at the Dollar Dog to find out the place had been trashed the night before by The Lizard. But that’s impossible because Peter Parker was The Lizard and he’s dead. She figures out that Professor Curtis Connors has used his experiments to turn other people into lizard creatures and goes after them. Captain America saves Spider Woman just when things look bad. Meanwhile, Captain Stacey meets with Jean DeWolfe to discuss how he is going to solves the murder of Peter Parker, even is his boss Frank Castle doesn’t want it to be that way.
Yes, I realize this is the darling of the comic industry now, but I still don’t like the character or the book. It has nothing to do with Jason Latour’s writing or Robbi Rodriguez’ art. It has to do that the character I knew and loved died in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #121 and no alternate version, retconned version, cloned version will make me feel otherwise. I understand this is part of another Earth, or at least it was before the universes ended, but I can really do without it. The whole thing feels like a bad issue of WHAT IF. If you were a fan before SECRET WARS, then go out and buy this.
SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1: Miguel O’Hara, displaced hero from another time and place, is competing on the reality show NINJA USA, much to the dismay of his boss Peter Parker. Miguel, however, gets very happy when he discovers that his team has managed to shut down funding for the Alchemax Prison. He leaves his team and meets with his Lyrate life-form approximation holographic assistant named Lyla. Opening a sealed door, Miguel steps into 2099 to find out that that time is still destroyed, meaning that Alchemax isn’t responsible for it. The folks at Alchemax, inclusing former super villain The Scorprion, meet with someone from the Department of Internal Security to discuss alternatives to the now cancelled prison. Later, during a dinner date with Tempest in which she reveals she is pregnant, a car crashes into the restaurant as part of a terrorist assault. Unfortunately, it looks as though Tempest may be dead, meaning Miguel will have anew mission.
I could tell you everything I know about Miguel O’Hara in about 45 seconds. I wasn’t a huge fan of the book or the 2099 series and basically thought DOOM 2099 was the best book, mostly because of Pat Broderick’s art. And I know that Miguel is stranded here following the events in both the SpiderVerse drama and SECRET WARS and, as we learned in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1, is working for Peter Parker and Parker Industries. What is cool about this book is that his creator Peter David is writing the series, so I can tell you that makes it that much better than it should be. Will Sliney’s art is okay, but why does it seem that much of the ALL-NEW, ALL DIFFERENT MARVEL wants to look like Image did, circa 1992. This title should succeed, as all of the Spider Man books are hot right now. Will I buy it? Probably not, but only because my late is pretty full and there’s just two many Spider books for me now.
UNCANNY AVENGERS #1: The Uncanny team members, Steve Rogers, Deadpool, Doctor Voodoo, Synapse, Rogue and Johnny Storm, are battling a new Super Adaptoid that, unfortunately for him, tries to take Deadpool’s powers and dies. In the aftermath, Spider Man quits, which leads to Rogers calling a news conference to give the world a warm feeling about his team. Afterwards, Johnny tries to convince Spider man to say, but fails. The team then heads to their secret lair in an old theater and Rogue takes medicine to counter-act her exposure to the Terrigen Mists. Meanwhile, Pietro and Synapse go world hopping on a date, before summoning the team to battle creatures in Boston.
It’s Gerry Duggan and Ryan Stegman and a totally different Avengers team Anyway, the story is just okay, as I don’t fault Duggan for not liking the book. My issues are with the characters of an OLD Steve Rogers and just any book with Deadpool in it. And who is Synapse? Stegman’s art is a bit on the outside of my tastes in a superhero title and that just adds to my dislike of this title.
UNCANNY INHUMANS #1: Reader, Black Bolt and Triton are visiting the Attilan of thirty thousand years ago when Kang the Conqueror arrives. This leads them to October of 1961 where all hell breaks loose, causing the trio to time jump back into the present day. Meanwhile, Madusa meets with Hank McCoy to discuss the current situation regarding the influx of new Inhumans. Then she meets with her latest paramour, Johnny Storm. Unfortunately, her husband is watching it happen. In the back-up story, Agent Frank McGee helps the Inhumans rescue a girl from her captors in Morocco. And Gorgon calls his cousin Crystal to inquire about his son. And why is Gorgon confined to a wheelchair?
Okay…I’m hooked! First off, it’s Charles Soule and Steve McNiven. How can you go wrong there? And right off the bat, we drop in Kang the Conqueror AND a little infidelity in the form of Madusa and Johnny Storm getting busy! Wow! And then we get a taste of a future story from Soule and Brandon Peterson which only manages to give us a tease of something coming…hopefully soon! This book is amazing, as it has old and new characters, twists and turns and just out and out rocks! Add this to your list because even though it looks like the Inhumans movie is getting pushed back, they will be in the front of the Marvel Universe for some time to come.
Monday, October 5, 2015
DC YOU Month 4, Part 2
JUSTICE LEAGUE #44: Green Lantern and Batman, still under the influence of the Mobius chair, travel to Earth-3 (home of the Crime Syndicate) to see the devastation left behind by the Anti-Monitor. This leads them to travel to Qward where they discover the place where the Mobius chair was forged and that the person who is the Anti-Monitor is Mobius. On Apokolips, Superman and Lex Luthor spar. On our Earth, Anti-Monitor and Darkseid duke it out as Grail blinds Kalibak and the Justice League gets involved. Power Ring tries to stop everything, but it may have killed her in the process. That’s when the Black Racer shows up, meaning someone will die. The Anti-Monitor gets the Black Racer to possess. The Flash and then blasts Darkseid with the Anti-Life Equation. The Black Racer is here because Darkseid is dead.
Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok have managed to take this book to a whole new place. The art is truly stunning and this story is amazing! This could truly be Geoff Johns’ finest hour as a writer. And to have the nerve to make Batman more of an ass than he already is, to make the Big Blue Boy Scout into a real jerk, and to kill off Darkseid is about as bold as you can imagine. Although I often don’t go this far and give credit where I should, I have to give a major shout out to Brad Anderson whose color work really makes this book come to life. This is a major masterpiece in the making.
JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #4: This time around, we get a flashback to a story that takes place between JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 and JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 with The Flash on the planet Nirvana engaging in a training exercise concocted by Ariel/Lois Lois. In the process, she runs into Mirror Master and the pair are stuck in an avalanche and have to rely on each other to stay alive, especially when attacked by Piranha-Bears. This leads to Mirror Master bailing on Teri, who has to get back to Camelot Nine by herself.
Okay, so what we have here is a filler issue. I didn’t find the story by J.M. DeMatteis and Keith Giffen that appealing, except we get Mirror Master and he almost spills the beans about Ariel being Lois. Scott Kolins’ art is nice and really great to see. Other than that, this issue was a waste of three bucks. And I hate saying that, because I love this series so much!
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #13: It’s France in 1940 and Sgt. Rock and Easy Company run into a well dressed man by the name of Vandal Savage. Savage invites the Germans in to have a drink as they secure the town of Arracourt. Rock says he will kill Savage if they ever meet on the battlefield. Today, Animal Man forcibly recruits Savage onto the team, which also now includes Batgirl, Robotman, Steel, Equinox, Stargirl, and Alanna Strange. With the help of Adam Strange, or what he has become, they are assigned to try and shutdown the phenomenon known as the Breakers. They end up back in present day in Arracourt where troops from Word War I and World War II are doing battle. The team jumps in and, unfortunately for him, Robotman steps on a trip wire and becomes entrapped in a gel that short circuits his system. Stargirl gets caught in a aerial blast and is saved by Enemy Ace. Out of nowhere, the butt end of a rifle hits Savage in the head. It’s Rock and Easy Company, here to deliver on a promise.
Okay, so I will forgive Jeff Parker for having Sgt. Rock and Easy Company help the French against the Germans…FOUR YEARS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY DID!!! Let’s not forget, we didn’t enter the war until after December 7, 1941. That having been said, it was great to not only see Rock and Easy BUT The Hammer of Hell too! And, if I was going to have someone draw these classic characters and it wasn’t Joe Kubert or Bill Tucci, I’d want it to be Paul Pelletier. Logic not withstanding, this was a great issue to drool over. Enjoy it now, as this title is gone with issue #16.
LOBO #10: Lobo has been given the task of eliminating all the Lanterns across the DC Universe and he is currently making his way towards killing Indigo-1. He shows up with a bag filled with fingers and rings and saves her from a rogue Indigo intent on killing her. The rings try to possess him, leading him to chew off a finger to prevent it. Having failed, he heads back to Sinestro to give him the rings he has collected and to receive his next assignment: the Red Lanterns. He faces off against Bleez and Rankorr, slaying Rankorr in the process and taking his ring. Unfortunately, he is going to have to face Atrocitus before this is all done.
Since the first issue, I have been dying for Lobo to have a little bit of the fire of the OLD LOBO. Finally, I can say that he does. He may still look like a Metrosexual, but he finally has developed a set of stones. Chewing off his own fingers? Gotta love it! Killing Rankorr? Never thought I would see that. Thank you to Cullen Bunn, Frank Barbiere and Robson Rocha for giving me a Lobo I can actually like. Too bad, now that he has developed some spunk, the title ends with issue #13. This is part of the SINESTRO RISING crossover and can only hope that we can some of this fire on Bunn’s SINESTRO.
MARTIAN MANHUNTER #4: Starting with a flashback involving Agent Wessel, we immediately jump to the Indian Ocean where J'onn rescues Pearl from some well-disguised White Martians. Actually, he only warns her as she does all the work fighting them. It seems that she too has powers and J’onn just appears to advise her of this. She ends up getting tossed off the ship she is on and Aquaman saves her. Meanwhile, Agent Wessel, Mr. Biscuits, Alicia and Leo are trying to get away from the giant White Martian with little success. In the process, Wessel is stabbed by the creature and the ambulance they are in crashes and explodes. Actually, it’s all in Wessel’s mind and he uses his mind to bring the Man-Eater back to what it really was-three white Martians. Later, the Martian moon Phobos appears to grow teeth and heads towards Earth.
All I can say is WOW! Rob Williams has written an amazing story that is just mind-blowing with every page. Meanwhile, Eddy Barrows is cranking out some of the best work of his career. I was hesitant about this title when it was announced and not completely blown away by the preview tale. But this book is now one of my favorite titles since the DC You relaunch.
MIDNIGHTER #4: In Moscow, we have young rich people paying money to torture and kill vampires. This totally does not sit well with either Midnighter or Grayson, who end up questioning some guys in a steam room. Before long, the boys are at the underground hellhole and dispatch the perps is quick fashion. At the same time, Dick figures out that the vampires were regular humans who had been treated with the cells of Martians to turn them into vampires. They also have been booby-trapped and disintegrate as soon as Dick and Midnighter try to cure them. In the end, the pair get to drinking while the scene in Russia m may be changing in short order.
Steve Orlando and Stephen Mooney give us a much better issue than the last few, but this still isn’t the Midnighter I know and love. This issue is most focused on the mission than the personal life, so that’s a step in the right direction. I would like to see more of this plot, especially how the bad guys got their hands on Martian cells and figured out that injecting humans with them would make us into vampires. This is still not the book we all hoped for, but this was an improvement over the last few issues. It’s Midnighter: give us action!
NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #12: Most of our team is in rough shape as the issue begins. Reverse Flash is collapsing in the desert, Parasite is being experimented on and Harley Quinn is locked up with a bunch of children. Manta is getting the tour of the facilities when he is shown a Time Bomb that the League plans to use on their enemies. Later, he meets with Deadshot and informs him that he believes in what the League is doing and doesn’t plan on leaving or stopping them. While Reverse Flash hears part of a communication from Belle Reve that leaves him feeling betrayed, Harley arranges to have the children help her break out. Meanwhile, Manta meets with the leader and explains the Task Force X plan to him.
The good news is you don’t have to wait a whole month to find out what happens as it continues into the NEW SUICIDE SQUAD ANNUAL #1 and that synopsis is next. Sean Ryan and Philippe Briones turn in another good issue that sets up an ending, in more ways than one. I mean, poor Reverse-Flash is fighting for his life in the desert and he gets part of a communication from Belle Reve where he hears that they think he’s been a total bust from the beginning. Parasite is being tortured while Manta is being the typical villain and betraying the team. Things can’t get much worse…or can they.
NEW SUICIDE SQUAD ANNUAL #1: Continuing from NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #12, Boomerang is in a water filling death trap, surrounded by League loyal and other already drowned prisoners. This is what happens when you don’t follow the rules. Meanwhile, Reverse Flash finds Harley, who is totally depressed that she killed all these League soldiers in front of the kids. Black Manta is Saladin, who plans on using the bomb in his neck trick to make him a martyr for Saladin’s cause. Deadshot tries to save Boomerang, but his skills aren’t what they used to be and he kills a League soldier instead of freeing Boomerang. That’s okay though as Reverse Flash has arrived and taken care of that. As the team makes a final assault on the League, Manta realizes he’s been played and kills Saladin. Unfortunately, the madman’s last act is to activate the time bomb. As the team clears out of town, Reverse Flash realizes that innocent children will be killed and he goes back and grabs the bomb. He dumps it in the ocean but is caught in the blast and pays the ultimate price. In the end, Waller is ordered to go off in the field from now on with team missions and the Pearl Group arrives in what is left of the League’s compound to find a future weapon in the fight against Task Force X.
What a great conclusion to this story arc from Sean Ryan and Philippe Briones. Now THIS is what paying five bucks for an Annual is all about! We get a killer story, literally and say farewell to Reverse Flash…for now, I’m sure. So, since we’re probably not totally clear, even though this series is probably out of continuity, this Reverse-Flash is PROBABLY Daniel West and not the Eobard Thawne from THE FLASH comic or TV show. Anyway, he pays the price for his heroism and not a total surprise as that what the Suicide Squad has always been about: someone eventually dies! This is a wild series and Ryan and Briones are totally kicking the crap out of some of the more recent versions of the book. Well done!
OMEGA MEN #4: Kyle Rayner and Princess Kalista talk about their lives. In the end, the two have a moment and she asks him to save them all.
One long filler issue by Tom King and guest artist Toby Cypress. It’s nice to have a recap of Rayner’s life and adventures and the same with Kalista. This book was scheduled to bite the dust in two issues, but now it has a reprieve and will go 12 issues. But I’m still not sure how the plot threads are getting wrapped up, but a fill-in issue at this point seems a waste. DC should just have bumped it off the schedule for a month and play catch up. If this was your first issue, you wouldn’t be coming back for another.
PREZ #4: In the year 2037, the United States answer to the immigration problem is to kill anyone who tries to enter the country illegally. That means using armored sentries and that means that President Beth needs to change things, especially after a sentry kills a young soccer player. In the meantime, a new model sentry named the War Beast is introduced. As a test, a handful of Muslims are released from prison and the sentry performs admirably. By the end, the sentry is loose and who knows what will happen next.
This issue takes a major turn to the dark side. The immigration issue is a major talking point in this country as we enter into the Presidential Election season and this issue hits the nail right on the head regarding it. Where one would expect Mark Russell and guest artist Dominike Stanton to make a big joke out of it, they play the whole thing straight, complete with the killing of imprisoned Muslims and a small boy. Meanwhile, the politicians point fingers at who is really to blame, as they refuse to take ownership of it. All in all, I like this book better when it is being its’ funniest best, but the dark tone of this issue truly brings home to folly that is the climate in America.
RED HOOD/ARSENAL #4: We begin at the end as Red Hood and Arsenal encounter the new Batman. Flashing back six hours, we discover that our heroes have come to Gotham to track down Underbelly. Jason has a flashback moment of his own when the waitress in the diner they are in recognizes him from their youth. Meanwhile, Roy visits with Croc in a sewer underneath of an A.A. meeting. Meanwhile, Palette wakes up from seeming death back in issue #1 to team up with Suzie Su, who we also thought was dead from the previous series. In the end, we are back at the beginning, with our boys fighting Jim Gordon's Batman. And that is when Underbelly shows up and decides to kill three for the price of one.
The good part of this book? We get to see a nice moment with Roy and Croc. The worst part of the book? We have a killer cover that hypes the BRAWL WITH BATMAN, which accounts for a whopping five pages. In between the opening teaser and the finale, we get a lot of dramedy and a really silly flashback that I see as an excuse to put the classic Batman and some of his Rogue’s Gallery into the book. Scott Lobdell wrote it, Denis Medri and I, unfortunaely, bought it.
ROBIN, SON OF BATMAN #4: We begin with a flashback to Damian’s younger days, when one of Ra’s al Ghul’s servants accidentally spies Ra's pouring blood over himself and Damian, rather than granting the man freedom, has him blinded. Back in the present day, Robin and Ducard are returning canopic jars to a tomb in Egypt and get interrupted by Deathstroke, who has tracked Maya here and wants to settle a debt. Robin’s answers to that, after a multi-page fight sequence, is to pay Slade 5 million dollars to leave her alone. In the end, they return the jars to the base of the tomb and find a huge Lazarus Pit. Can Ra’s and Talias be far behind.
Another solo effort from Patrick Gleason. Another great story, although I am tiring of this being the adventures of Robin and Ducard. And Goliath too. It looks tremendous and reads beautifully, with nice character touches by Gleason. Unfortunately, at times, it seems a bit directionless.
SECRET SIX #6: So The Riddler has captured our team but Strix can totally excel at beating people up and takes The Riddler and his crew down. That’s when Sue Dibney steps in and threatens to blow everyone up. This allows The Riddler to take control again, as Sue tells Ralph that she has no idea who he is, for which he blames himself. Ralph hulks up and begins attacking the team while Ventriloquist’s puppet attacks The Riddler during the distraction. Lori, possessing the powers of Black Orchid gets involved but Sue blows up the dock, seemingly killing her and The Riddler, while the team escapes. But…Lori passes out, claiming that The Spectre is calling to her. And then she stops breathing…
I so love this book. While I still haven’t figured exactly where Gail Simone is going with it, it’s a mind-blowing experience. All of this, everything that has happened thus far, all goes back to a diamond he wanted to give to Sue Dibney? Wow! I didn’t see that coming. And the joke in the end is that the dummy stole the diamond and then loses it! The art by Tom Derenick is amazing as he once again proves himself to be one of the most underrated guys in the business. This book is a neat roller coaster ride that needs to be on everyone’s pull list.
SINESTRO #15: On the desert Planet Arklu, Saint Walker encounters Lobo, who knocks him out and tells the people of the planet that their life is going to get worse before it gets better. Then a yellow Lantern ring comes down and tries to turn the bounty hunter into a Yellow Lantern, but he cuts off his finger instead. He brings Saint Walker to Sinestro, telling how much he dislikes the drafting attempt. Sinestro wants Saint Walker so he can use his powers to influence the Sinestro Corps with his ability to provide hope. Walker refuses but Sinestro shows Manhunters on Planet Arklu, where they are giving the people crates of food and water. Saint Walker approves of what Sinestro is doing, which then leads to Sinestro bringing out his science team to experiment on him.
Well, that was an incredibly dark ending to this story. Cullen Bunn, with this issue and LOBO this month, has come up with some of his best writing in recent memory. And Ethan Van Sciver art looks awesome! Van Sciver will be at the upcoming Rhode Island Comicon and I hope he’ll be available to do a Sinestro sketch for me! With the first two chapters of SINESTRO RISING in the books, I cannot wait for more. Our favorite anti-hero has showed both his sides in this issue and this is finally the book I have been waiting for.
STARFIRE #4: We begin with Atlee and Kori battling the Chida monster and Atlee comes up with the solution and throws the Chida out into the ocean. She then explains that she grew up inside the Earth in a place called Strata, where all of her people are. When she came here, she saw Power Girl and they became besties. Now she, Kori and Stella are besties, hanging out in the pool while Sol drools. In the end, bounty hunter Soren Hook arrives and it looks like Kori is his next hired target.
The best thing about this book is STILL the art of Emanuela Lupacchino. Although I have to give some credit to Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti for bringing Atlee out of Pre-New 52 continuity and drop her here. Besides that, Kori is still the annoying ditz who has no clue about anything. Heck, Atlee has to come up with a solution to the monster problem. So, if you break up with your superhero boyfriend(s), does that cause your brain to shrink, because that continues to be the case here.
SUPERMAN #44: In the final chapter of TRUTH, Superman takes on The Royal Flush Gang, who are camped outside of his apartment. Later, there’s a hostage situation at the Daily Planet. Live Wire, Killer Croc, Killer Frost, Atomic Skull and Shockwave are holding Steve Lombard and others hostage. In the end, it seems this guy whose wife got killed during the Titano incident a couple of months back hired them to get back at Superman. In the ensuing battle, a stray bullet hits Perry White in the shoulder. Later, Clark hits the road as he no longer has a job and his friends no longer want to be around him. And Hordr_Root has a new body and joins up with Wrath, Vandal Savage and Mr. Bend.
Well, this was kind of a letdown. What was a great story just kind of fizzled at the end by having this poorly orchestrated hostage drama be the center of the issue. Gene Luen Yang and John Romita Jr. have contributed great things to this mythos in just four issues, but this wasn’t one of them. The art looked rushed in spots, even with Klaus Janson inking it. And the story was just so anti-climactic. I expected a big battle, which kind of came LAST issue. So from here, Clark begins that Great American Road Trip with a new look, diminished powers and no money. Welcome to Earth!
SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #21: The issue begins with Firestorm being attacks for his power source. This moves us to Diana quizzing Lois, who she has wrapped up in her Lasso of Truth. Superman arrives, busting through the wall, and is not happy with what he sees. He gets the others freed and discovers that a bunch of villains he and Wonder Woman are being held here too as this is a rehabilitation research center for super criminals. Then these shadow monsters arrive, taking the villains inside of the giant black hole they turn into to make their escape Saying that the ladies in his life betrayed him, he transports himself to the Watchtower. In the end, Mr. Bend, who we last saw observing Firestorm, gets fired by the President and goes off to meet up with Vandal Savage and company.
If you haven’t been reading the TRUTH storylines in the other Superman titles, then this is a big confusing mess to you. However, for those of us who HAVE been following along, this was a nice payoff. First, we get Firestorm, who we haven’t seen in a while. Then we have the continuing falling apart of the Clark/Lois/Diana triangle. It all ends up with Vandal Savage continuing to gather his forces and make life a mess for Superman. Peter J. Tomasi and Doug Mahnke do an awesome job again and, despite the soap opera drama with these characters, I had a ball with it! But…who is Mr. Bend REALLY?
WE ARE ROBIN #4: The book opens following Troy Walker's death last issue where everyone is bummed out. No one more so than a Robin named Riko. She eventually suits up and battles some kids who light fires on rooftops to gain the attention of superheroes. Batgirl shows up, lends a hand and gives her permission to keep doing what she does.
While I get what Lee Bermejo was trying to do here, by actually giving us a little depth to one of these faceless want-to-be heroes, but I felt it all kind of fell flat. Although the scenes involving Riko and her mom were nicely portrayed. James Harvey does a guest artist turn and his work is nice, but totally out of the style that we have grown accustomed to during the last three issues. Bermejo’s cover was a Home Run and makes me so wish he would draw at least one issue in this series before DC decides to cancel it.
WONDER WOMAN #44: Wonder Woman awakes from being shot at the end of the last issue and heads off to heal up. Hera pops into her bathroom mirror to tell her that the death of the Fates is very bad. Then Hephaestus pops in to say that the arrow is a God Killer and was made on his forge, but he didn’t make it. Over in London, Donna Troy beats up some girl’s pimp and they become besties, with her taking Donna underground and getting her new duds. Back on Olympus, Diana confronts Strife and in pops Aegeus who insists that he will become the God of War.
Well, David Finsh is back at the drawing board again for his wife Meredith and that’s nice to see. The book still rambles on for a bit and the fact that we take 11 pages from the main story and give it to Donna Troy, plus the 2 page origin given to Aegeus means we don’t have a lot of space for the star of the book. She spends most of this issue being talked at by her god family peeping on her through her bathroom mirror. Go seek out the 75th Anniversary Green Lantern cover by Terry and Rachel Dodson.
Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok have managed to take this book to a whole new place. The art is truly stunning and this story is amazing! This could truly be Geoff Johns’ finest hour as a writer. And to have the nerve to make Batman more of an ass than he already is, to make the Big Blue Boy Scout into a real jerk, and to kill off Darkseid is about as bold as you can imagine. Although I often don’t go this far and give credit where I should, I have to give a major shout out to Brad Anderson whose color work really makes this book come to life. This is a major masterpiece in the making.
JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #4: This time around, we get a flashback to a story that takes place between JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 and JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 with The Flash on the planet Nirvana engaging in a training exercise concocted by Ariel/Lois Lois. In the process, she runs into Mirror Master and the pair are stuck in an avalanche and have to rely on each other to stay alive, especially when attacked by Piranha-Bears. This leads to Mirror Master bailing on Teri, who has to get back to Camelot Nine by herself.
Okay, so what we have here is a filler issue. I didn’t find the story by J.M. DeMatteis and Keith Giffen that appealing, except we get Mirror Master and he almost spills the beans about Ariel being Lois. Scott Kolins’ art is nice and really great to see. Other than that, this issue was a waste of three bucks. And I hate saying that, because I love this series so much!
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #13: It’s France in 1940 and Sgt. Rock and Easy Company run into a well dressed man by the name of Vandal Savage. Savage invites the Germans in to have a drink as they secure the town of Arracourt. Rock says he will kill Savage if they ever meet on the battlefield. Today, Animal Man forcibly recruits Savage onto the team, which also now includes Batgirl, Robotman, Steel, Equinox, Stargirl, and Alanna Strange. With the help of Adam Strange, or what he has become, they are assigned to try and shutdown the phenomenon known as the Breakers. They end up back in present day in Arracourt where troops from Word War I and World War II are doing battle. The team jumps in and, unfortunately for him, Robotman steps on a trip wire and becomes entrapped in a gel that short circuits his system. Stargirl gets caught in a aerial blast and is saved by Enemy Ace. Out of nowhere, the butt end of a rifle hits Savage in the head. It’s Rock and Easy Company, here to deliver on a promise.
Okay, so I will forgive Jeff Parker for having Sgt. Rock and Easy Company help the French against the Germans…FOUR YEARS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY DID!!! Let’s not forget, we didn’t enter the war until after December 7, 1941. That having been said, it was great to not only see Rock and Easy BUT The Hammer of Hell too! And, if I was going to have someone draw these classic characters and it wasn’t Joe Kubert or Bill Tucci, I’d want it to be Paul Pelletier. Logic not withstanding, this was a great issue to drool over. Enjoy it now, as this title is gone with issue #16.
LOBO #10: Lobo has been given the task of eliminating all the Lanterns across the DC Universe and he is currently making his way towards killing Indigo-1. He shows up with a bag filled with fingers and rings and saves her from a rogue Indigo intent on killing her. The rings try to possess him, leading him to chew off a finger to prevent it. Having failed, he heads back to Sinestro to give him the rings he has collected and to receive his next assignment: the Red Lanterns. He faces off against Bleez and Rankorr, slaying Rankorr in the process and taking his ring. Unfortunately, he is going to have to face Atrocitus before this is all done.
Since the first issue, I have been dying for Lobo to have a little bit of the fire of the OLD LOBO. Finally, I can say that he does. He may still look like a Metrosexual, but he finally has developed a set of stones. Chewing off his own fingers? Gotta love it! Killing Rankorr? Never thought I would see that. Thank you to Cullen Bunn, Frank Barbiere and Robson Rocha for giving me a Lobo I can actually like. Too bad, now that he has developed some spunk, the title ends with issue #13. This is part of the SINESTRO RISING crossover and can only hope that we can some of this fire on Bunn’s SINESTRO.
MARTIAN MANHUNTER #4: Starting with a flashback involving Agent Wessel, we immediately jump to the Indian Ocean where J'onn rescues Pearl from some well-disguised White Martians. Actually, he only warns her as she does all the work fighting them. It seems that she too has powers and J’onn just appears to advise her of this. She ends up getting tossed off the ship she is on and Aquaman saves her. Meanwhile, Agent Wessel, Mr. Biscuits, Alicia and Leo are trying to get away from the giant White Martian with little success. In the process, Wessel is stabbed by the creature and the ambulance they are in crashes and explodes. Actually, it’s all in Wessel’s mind and he uses his mind to bring the Man-Eater back to what it really was-three white Martians. Later, the Martian moon Phobos appears to grow teeth and heads towards Earth.
All I can say is WOW! Rob Williams has written an amazing story that is just mind-blowing with every page. Meanwhile, Eddy Barrows is cranking out some of the best work of his career. I was hesitant about this title when it was announced and not completely blown away by the preview tale. But this book is now one of my favorite titles since the DC You relaunch.
MIDNIGHTER #4: In Moscow, we have young rich people paying money to torture and kill vampires. This totally does not sit well with either Midnighter or Grayson, who end up questioning some guys in a steam room. Before long, the boys are at the underground hellhole and dispatch the perps is quick fashion. At the same time, Dick figures out that the vampires were regular humans who had been treated with the cells of Martians to turn them into vampires. They also have been booby-trapped and disintegrate as soon as Dick and Midnighter try to cure them. In the end, the pair get to drinking while the scene in Russia m may be changing in short order.
Steve Orlando and Stephen Mooney give us a much better issue than the last few, but this still isn’t the Midnighter I know and love. This issue is most focused on the mission than the personal life, so that’s a step in the right direction. I would like to see more of this plot, especially how the bad guys got their hands on Martian cells and figured out that injecting humans with them would make us into vampires. This is still not the book we all hoped for, but this was an improvement over the last few issues. It’s Midnighter: give us action!
NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #12: Most of our team is in rough shape as the issue begins. Reverse Flash is collapsing in the desert, Parasite is being experimented on and Harley Quinn is locked up with a bunch of children. Manta is getting the tour of the facilities when he is shown a Time Bomb that the League plans to use on their enemies. Later, he meets with Deadshot and informs him that he believes in what the League is doing and doesn’t plan on leaving or stopping them. While Reverse Flash hears part of a communication from Belle Reve that leaves him feeling betrayed, Harley arranges to have the children help her break out. Meanwhile, Manta meets with the leader and explains the Task Force X plan to him.
The good news is you don’t have to wait a whole month to find out what happens as it continues into the NEW SUICIDE SQUAD ANNUAL #1 and that synopsis is next. Sean Ryan and Philippe Briones turn in another good issue that sets up an ending, in more ways than one. I mean, poor Reverse-Flash is fighting for his life in the desert and he gets part of a communication from Belle Reve where he hears that they think he’s been a total bust from the beginning. Parasite is being tortured while Manta is being the typical villain and betraying the team. Things can’t get much worse…or can they.
NEW SUICIDE SQUAD ANNUAL #1: Continuing from NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #12, Boomerang is in a water filling death trap, surrounded by League loyal and other already drowned prisoners. This is what happens when you don’t follow the rules. Meanwhile, Reverse Flash finds Harley, who is totally depressed that she killed all these League soldiers in front of the kids. Black Manta is Saladin, who plans on using the bomb in his neck trick to make him a martyr for Saladin’s cause. Deadshot tries to save Boomerang, but his skills aren’t what they used to be and he kills a League soldier instead of freeing Boomerang. That’s okay though as Reverse Flash has arrived and taken care of that. As the team makes a final assault on the League, Manta realizes he’s been played and kills Saladin. Unfortunately, the madman’s last act is to activate the time bomb. As the team clears out of town, Reverse Flash realizes that innocent children will be killed and he goes back and grabs the bomb. He dumps it in the ocean but is caught in the blast and pays the ultimate price. In the end, Waller is ordered to go off in the field from now on with team missions and the Pearl Group arrives in what is left of the League’s compound to find a future weapon in the fight against Task Force X.
What a great conclusion to this story arc from Sean Ryan and Philippe Briones. Now THIS is what paying five bucks for an Annual is all about! We get a killer story, literally and say farewell to Reverse Flash…for now, I’m sure. So, since we’re probably not totally clear, even though this series is probably out of continuity, this Reverse-Flash is PROBABLY Daniel West and not the Eobard Thawne from THE FLASH comic or TV show. Anyway, he pays the price for his heroism and not a total surprise as that what the Suicide Squad has always been about: someone eventually dies! This is a wild series and Ryan and Briones are totally kicking the crap out of some of the more recent versions of the book. Well done!
OMEGA MEN #4: Kyle Rayner and Princess Kalista talk about their lives. In the end, the two have a moment and she asks him to save them all.
One long filler issue by Tom King and guest artist Toby Cypress. It’s nice to have a recap of Rayner’s life and adventures and the same with Kalista. This book was scheduled to bite the dust in two issues, but now it has a reprieve and will go 12 issues. But I’m still not sure how the plot threads are getting wrapped up, but a fill-in issue at this point seems a waste. DC should just have bumped it off the schedule for a month and play catch up. If this was your first issue, you wouldn’t be coming back for another.
PREZ #4: In the year 2037, the United States answer to the immigration problem is to kill anyone who tries to enter the country illegally. That means using armored sentries and that means that President Beth needs to change things, especially after a sentry kills a young soccer player. In the meantime, a new model sentry named the War Beast is introduced. As a test, a handful of Muslims are released from prison and the sentry performs admirably. By the end, the sentry is loose and who knows what will happen next.
This issue takes a major turn to the dark side. The immigration issue is a major talking point in this country as we enter into the Presidential Election season and this issue hits the nail right on the head regarding it. Where one would expect Mark Russell and guest artist Dominike Stanton to make a big joke out of it, they play the whole thing straight, complete with the killing of imprisoned Muslims and a small boy. Meanwhile, the politicians point fingers at who is really to blame, as they refuse to take ownership of it. All in all, I like this book better when it is being its’ funniest best, but the dark tone of this issue truly brings home to folly that is the climate in America.
RED HOOD/ARSENAL #4: We begin at the end as Red Hood and Arsenal encounter the new Batman. Flashing back six hours, we discover that our heroes have come to Gotham to track down Underbelly. Jason has a flashback moment of his own when the waitress in the diner they are in recognizes him from their youth. Meanwhile, Roy visits with Croc in a sewer underneath of an A.A. meeting. Meanwhile, Palette wakes up from seeming death back in issue #1 to team up with Suzie Su, who we also thought was dead from the previous series. In the end, we are back at the beginning, with our boys fighting Jim Gordon's Batman. And that is when Underbelly shows up and decides to kill three for the price of one.
The good part of this book? We get to see a nice moment with Roy and Croc. The worst part of the book? We have a killer cover that hypes the BRAWL WITH BATMAN, which accounts for a whopping five pages. In between the opening teaser and the finale, we get a lot of dramedy and a really silly flashback that I see as an excuse to put the classic Batman and some of his Rogue’s Gallery into the book. Scott Lobdell wrote it, Denis Medri and I, unfortunaely, bought it.
ROBIN, SON OF BATMAN #4: We begin with a flashback to Damian’s younger days, when one of Ra’s al Ghul’s servants accidentally spies Ra's pouring blood over himself and Damian, rather than granting the man freedom, has him blinded. Back in the present day, Robin and Ducard are returning canopic jars to a tomb in Egypt and get interrupted by Deathstroke, who has tracked Maya here and wants to settle a debt. Robin’s answers to that, after a multi-page fight sequence, is to pay Slade 5 million dollars to leave her alone. In the end, they return the jars to the base of the tomb and find a huge Lazarus Pit. Can Ra’s and Talias be far behind.
Another solo effort from Patrick Gleason. Another great story, although I am tiring of this being the adventures of Robin and Ducard. And Goliath too. It looks tremendous and reads beautifully, with nice character touches by Gleason. Unfortunately, at times, it seems a bit directionless.
SECRET SIX #6: So The Riddler has captured our team but Strix can totally excel at beating people up and takes The Riddler and his crew down. That’s when Sue Dibney steps in and threatens to blow everyone up. This allows The Riddler to take control again, as Sue tells Ralph that she has no idea who he is, for which he blames himself. Ralph hulks up and begins attacking the team while Ventriloquist’s puppet attacks The Riddler during the distraction. Lori, possessing the powers of Black Orchid gets involved but Sue blows up the dock, seemingly killing her and The Riddler, while the team escapes. But…Lori passes out, claiming that The Spectre is calling to her. And then she stops breathing…
I so love this book. While I still haven’t figured exactly where Gail Simone is going with it, it’s a mind-blowing experience. All of this, everything that has happened thus far, all goes back to a diamond he wanted to give to Sue Dibney? Wow! I didn’t see that coming. And the joke in the end is that the dummy stole the diamond and then loses it! The art by Tom Derenick is amazing as he once again proves himself to be one of the most underrated guys in the business. This book is a neat roller coaster ride that needs to be on everyone’s pull list.
SINESTRO #15: On the desert Planet Arklu, Saint Walker encounters Lobo, who knocks him out and tells the people of the planet that their life is going to get worse before it gets better. Then a yellow Lantern ring comes down and tries to turn the bounty hunter into a Yellow Lantern, but he cuts off his finger instead. He brings Saint Walker to Sinestro, telling how much he dislikes the drafting attempt. Sinestro wants Saint Walker so he can use his powers to influence the Sinestro Corps with his ability to provide hope. Walker refuses but Sinestro shows Manhunters on Planet Arklu, where they are giving the people crates of food and water. Saint Walker approves of what Sinestro is doing, which then leads to Sinestro bringing out his science team to experiment on him.
Well, that was an incredibly dark ending to this story. Cullen Bunn, with this issue and LOBO this month, has come up with some of his best writing in recent memory. And Ethan Van Sciver art looks awesome! Van Sciver will be at the upcoming Rhode Island Comicon and I hope he’ll be available to do a Sinestro sketch for me! With the first two chapters of SINESTRO RISING in the books, I cannot wait for more. Our favorite anti-hero has showed both his sides in this issue and this is finally the book I have been waiting for.
STARFIRE #4: We begin with Atlee and Kori battling the Chida monster and Atlee comes up with the solution and throws the Chida out into the ocean. She then explains that she grew up inside the Earth in a place called Strata, where all of her people are. When she came here, she saw Power Girl and they became besties. Now she, Kori and Stella are besties, hanging out in the pool while Sol drools. In the end, bounty hunter Soren Hook arrives and it looks like Kori is his next hired target.
The best thing about this book is STILL the art of Emanuela Lupacchino. Although I have to give some credit to Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti for bringing Atlee out of Pre-New 52 continuity and drop her here. Besides that, Kori is still the annoying ditz who has no clue about anything. Heck, Atlee has to come up with a solution to the monster problem. So, if you break up with your superhero boyfriend(s), does that cause your brain to shrink, because that continues to be the case here.
SUPERMAN #44: In the final chapter of TRUTH, Superman takes on The Royal Flush Gang, who are camped outside of his apartment. Later, there’s a hostage situation at the Daily Planet. Live Wire, Killer Croc, Killer Frost, Atomic Skull and Shockwave are holding Steve Lombard and others hostage. In the end, it seems this guy whose wife got killed during the Titano incident a couple of months back hired them to get back at Superman. In the ensuing battle, a stray bullet hits Perry White in the shoulder. Later, Clark hits the road as he no longer has a job and his friends no longer want to be around him. And Hordr_Root has a new body and joins up with Wrath, Vandal Savage and Mr. Bend.
Well, this was kind of a letdown. What was a great story just kind of fizzled at the end by having this poorly orchestrated hostage drama be the center of the issue. Gene Luen Yang and John Romita Jr. have contributed great things to this mythos in just four issues, but this wasn’t one of them. The art looked rushed in spots, even with Klaus Janson inking it. And the story was just so anti-climactic. I expected a big battle, which kind of came LAST issue. So from here, Clark begins that Great American Road Trip with a new look, diminished powers and no money. Welcome to Earth!
SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #21: The issue begins with Firestorm being attacks for his power source. This moves us to Diana quizzing Lois, who she has wrapped up in her Lasso of Truth. Superman arrives, busting through the wall, and is not happy with what he sees. He gets the others freed and discovers that a bunch of villains he and Wonder Woman are being held here too as this is a rehabilitation research center for super criminals. Then these shadow monsters arrive, taking the villains inside of the giant black hole they turn into to make their escape Saying that the ladies in his life betrayed him, he transports himself to the Watchtower. In the end, Mr. Bend, who we last saw observing Firestorm, gets fired by the President and goes off to meet up with Vandal Savage and company.
If you haven’t been reading the TRUTH storylines in the other Superman titles, then this is a big confusing mess to you. However, for those of us who HAVE been following along, this was a nice payoff. First, we get Firestorm, who we haven’t seen in a while. Then we have the continuing falling apart of the Clark/Lois/Diana triangle. It all ends up with Vandal Savage continuing to gather his forces and make life a mess for Superman. Peter J. Tomasi and Doug Mahnke do an awesome job again and, despite the soap opera drama with these characters, I had a ball with it! But…who is Mr. Bend REALLY?
WE ARE ROBIN #4: The book opens following Troy Walker's death last issue where everyone is bummed out. No one more so than a Robin named Riko. She eventually suits up and battles some kids who light fires on rooftops to gain the attention of superheroes. Batgirl shows up, lends a hand and gives her permission to keep doing what she does.
While I get what Lee Bermejo was trying to do here, by actually giving us a little depth to one of these faceless want-to-be heroes, but I felt it all kind of fell flat. Although the scenes involving Riko and her mom were nicely portrayed. James Harvey does a guest artist turn and his work is nice, but totally out of the style that we have grown accustomed to during the last three issues. Bermejo’s cover was a Home Run and makes me so wish he would draw at least one issue in this series before DC decides to cancel it.
WONDER WOMAN #44: Wonder Woman awakes from being shot at the end of the last issue and heads off to heal up. Hera pops into her bathroom mirror to tell her that the death of the Fates is very bad. Then Hephaestus pops in to say that the arrow is a God Killer and was made on his forge, but he didn’t make it. Over in London, Donna Troy beats up some girl’s pimp and they become besties, with her taking Donna underground and getting her new duds. Back on Olympus, Diana confronts Strife and in pops Aegeus who insists that he will become the God of War.
Well, David Finsh is back at the drawing board again for his wife Meredith and that’s nice to see. The book still rambles on for a bit and the fact that we take 11 pages from the main story and give it to Donna Troy, plus the 2 page origin given to Aegeus means we don’t have a lot of space for the star of the book. She spends most of this issue being talked at by her god family peeping on her through her bathroom mirror. Go seek out the 75th Anniversary Green Lantern cover by Terry and Rachel Dodson.
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