Review: Superman #690

I have to admit, I’ve been looking forward to this issue for a while.  I like Steel and I’ve been waiting for him to get a spotlight of some kind after “52″.  Too bad for Steel that spotlight turned out to be an ass-kicking and he was on the receiving end.

In a great comic book tradition, the cover is somewhat misleading.  Yes, Atlas kicks Steels armor-plated ass but good.  But a lot more happens in this issue than just the Steel/Atlas dust-up.  Much as last issue showcased Mon-el teaming up with heroes across the world, this issue gives us brief check-ins with all of the book’s supporting cast members.

As I said in my recent Supergirl review, I’m kind of a sucker for these kinds of issues.  I love the calm before the storm.  And I love seeing the peripheal characters getting their moments to shine. 

The issue starts off with the Steel/Atlas slobber-knocker.  I honestly can’t remember the last punch-out I enjoyed as much as this one.  The always-excellent Renato Guedes delivers the goods.  Best one-on-one fight of the year!  Thankfully, Steel doesn’t go down easy.  In fact, he gets the upper hand early on.  Unfortunately for Steel, this just makes Atlas angry.  Inevitably, Atlas smash puny Steel.

It’s hard to top a fight this good.  And Robinson doesn’t really try.  The rest of the book checks in on supporting characters like Zatara, Parasite, Jim Harper, Dr. Light, Tellus and Sodam Yat.  Nothing here is essential reading.  But Robinson is clearly setting up future plotlines.  And I enjoyed the character interactions.  So, it was all good.

All in all, this issue is laying the groundwork for future stories.  Lots of ‘em, I think.  So it’s a little frustrating to have so much set-up with little to no pay off.  But the fight scene was so well done and the character moments were engaging enough to win me over.  I look forward to seeing where most of these plot threads are going.

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My Comic Con 2009!!!

Wow! It’s already come and gone. I thought I’d just give my report on my experience. But don’t expect to see any pictures of fat, sweaty guys, dressed in 300 “costumes.” No, my Comic Con involved laughter, love, and chatting with the talent.

Sketch-A-Palooza!

Aaron Lopresti’s Wonder Woman!

Alvin Lee’s Sagat!

Amanda Conner’s Power Girl!

Cliff Chiang’s Black Canary!

Cliff Rathburn’s Reaper!

Dean Yeagle’s Mandy!

Dustin Nguyen’s Batman!

Francis Manupal’s Cassie Sandsmark!

Jamal Igle’s Silver Banshee!

Jamal Igle’s Supergirl!

Joe Linsner’s Batman!

Jonboy’s Meyers’ Wonder Woman!

Micah Gunnell’s Wolverine!

Nicola Scott’s Scandal Savage! Hey, it’s signed by Gail Simone too!

Patrick Gleason’s Arisia!

Patrick Gleason’s Soranik Natu!

Philip Tan’s Red Hood!

Sanford Greene’s Supergirl!

Terry Dodson’s Emma Frost!

19 sketches in two days, for a total of 80 dollars. Not too bad, right? I think I did good.

And you have to get stuff signed!

Now, the only signature I need on my Sinestro Corps War hardcovers is Ivan Reis.

I’m gunnin’ for ya, Reis!

Green Lantern symbols provided by Geoff Johns.

Aww, Gail Simone loves me!

And she put a Wonder Woman star over her “i”. How precious! Terry Dodson and Bernard Chang have pretty signatures too.

Terry Dodson calls Frank Cho a perv!

The war is on. Which artist will win?

Greg Rucka gave me a free copy of Detective Comics #854!

So, I was standing in line for Jamal Igle at the DC Booth, when Greg Rucka shows up next to me! We talked. I said I was sad since I didn’t have anything for him to sign. He went into his magic bag and pulled that out. Sweet, huh?

So, there you have it, friends. I had a hell of a time, and you got to see my reward for fighting through the unkempt masses. Thanks for reading!

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Detective Comics #855

It is a strength of Detective Comics that Greg Rucka’s writing manages to match the excellent art of J.H. Williams III every step of the way.  The pair continue to flesh out Kate Kane, the myserious Batwoman, in small chunks amidst a rousing action story as she faces off against the Religion of Crime and their new leader, Alice.  The story isn’t particularly complex, but it combines action and exposition better than any number of recent comics I’ve read.

It should come as no surprise that the art is fantastic: Williams remains one of the top talents working today.  It isn’t just his art that works – alone, his figures can occasionally be too static, unable to come alive on the page the way a lot of the best comic art does.  He combines solid artwork with excellent panelling and a gift few other artists share for crafting arresting images that work well .  Working together with colorist Dave Stewart, Williams has hit the jack-pot on this book.

Meanwhile, despite following up in Williams’ wake, Hamner continues to bring a stark simplicity to Rucka’s Renee Montoya back-ups.  The art is more traditional, and less memorable, in every way, but it plays to Hamner’s strengths and definitely shows some progress from his days on Blue Beetle.  The action is well-handled and smooth, and his varied designs for Renee work perfectly.

Two issues in, and Detective Comics looks like it just might be DC’s strongest relaunch in quite some time.  Though the focus will undoubtedly be drawn away in the coming months as “Blackest Night” chugs on, this is definitely a title everyone should try out.  Clever, gorgeous and action-packed, Detective Comics #855 is a remarkably strong title.  Not flawless, but Rucka and company have definitely breathed new life into one of DC’s flagship books.

Grade: A

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Detective Comics #854

Review: Justice Society of America #29

“A new era begins for the Justice Society of America as writers Bill Willingham (FABLES) and Matthew Sturges (BLUE BEETLE) take over the series with new artist Jesus Merino (SUPERMAN ANNUAL) just as two new recruits make their debut with the team!”

That quote comes from the solicit for this issue.  I couldn’t have said it any better myself.  This is the dawn of a new era.  The new creative team has some big shoes to fill.  Geoff Johns’ run on the book was long and highly regarded.  And while Dale Eaglesham’s run was shorter, it was no less distinguished.

It’s hard to really judge this issue on it’s own.  Willingham and Sturges have an immense cast to work with.  As can be expected, this issue is largely set-up for the stories the two writers want to tell.  However, the set-up is very well handled.  And the issue does not want for action.

As the solicit above indicates, the JSA cast has actually been expanded to include two new characters!  Given the limited space available, the introductions are well done.  And the rest of the cast each get a moment in the spotlight.  The characterizations for the familiar JSAers feel correct.  In fact, the issue reads a lot like a Geoff Johns comic.

In addition to the introduction of new characters, Willingham and Sturges set up an interesting mystery, a huge blow-out battle with an army of (mostly C-list) villains and end with a cliffhanger that grabs your attention.  Very few comics are as jam-packed as this one.

Recently, it’s been announced that JSA is splitting off into two books; one by Willingham and one by Sturges.  Given the size of the cast, that’s probably a good idea.  And the seeds for that move are sown in this issue.

Though I miss Dale Eaglesham’s art, Jesus Merino shows a lot of promise.  He handles a throw-down between two army-sized teams.  And yet, I always knew who was who and what was going on.  I look forward to seeing his work grow in future issues.

Only time will tell if this new era will be as enjoyable as the one before it.  But if the first issue is any indicator, there’s reason to believe it will be.

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Review: Wonder Woman #34

With the events of “Rise of the Olympian” over, I can’t be the only person who expected very little of Wonder Woman #34, which should fall squarely into the ‘fall-out’ category of comic stories.  Hell, after “Batman R.I.P.” we didn’t only have a fall-out issue – we had an entire fall-out mini series.  Simone, however, smartly ditches the trend.  Instead, we get the first part of “Birds of Paradise”, a seemingly slight story that manages to fulfill the most basic aspects of the fall-out arc while being, from start to finish, just downright fun.

This issue begins a team-up between Wonder Woman and Black Canary, a character who has, since Simone left Birds of Prey, been systematically treated with less and less respect by her writers.  Though the dialogue is sometime a bit too exaggerated, especially when it comes to Black Canary, the issue is ultimately a joy to read.  Black Canary and Wonder Woman infiltrate a caged, metahuman fighting match in an effort to hunt down Doctor Psycho, who currently has possession of Genocide.

Of course, there’s more happening than that.  Nemesis is still reeling from the last arc, the Amazons are having trouble adjusting to their new situation, Genocide is still loose, and Diana is keenly feeling the loss of her gods.  The aftermath of “Olympian” is present, and generally handled with a deft touch, but it isn’t the point.  The issue doesn’t wallow.

Lopresti’s art is gorgeous as ever.  I have to say, I really enjoyed his designs for the undercover fight club costumes of Wonder Woman and Black Canary, and his fights are top-notch as ever.  Though his facial expressions aren’t quite as interesting as, say, Maguire’s (JLI), that’s largely because they’re more understated – but looking through the book, his expressions here are perfect, from Black Canary’s tongue just out the side of her mouth as she digs through her closet to the pained expression on Wonder Woman’s face as she fights Lira.

Whether or not you liked or even read “Rise of the Olympian” is unimportant here – “Birds of Paradise” looks to be a blast.

Grade: A-

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Wonder Woman #33

Review: Dollhouse Season 1 DVD

I am a huge Buffy fan.  And Eliza Dushku’s Faithwas one of my favorite characters on the show.  When Buffy ended, I hoped for a Faith spin-off.  I was more than a little disappointed when that didn’t materialize.  So, you can imagine how excited I was when Dollhouse was announced.  Any Joss Whedon series is a cause for celebration.  But Joss a Joss/Eliza reunion seemed like something special.

Dollhouse had a bumpy road.  The disagreements between Whedon and Fox are well domunted.  Like Firefly before it, Dollhouse had to undergo some massive changes before it aired.  When it finally hit the airwaves, Fox scheduled it on Friday nights – a death slot.

Unfortunately, the early episodes just weren’t very compelling.  The premise of the show prevents the audience from getting overly invested in characters who have their memories wiped at the end of each episode.  It’s hard to build strong connections to the characters when they are essentially blank slates.  And the characters who are not are largely unsympathetic.

Then there is the issue of the show’s subject matter.  It’s not much of a stretch to say that Dushku’s Echo is a prostitute.  The show makes this comparisson frequently.  The Dollhouse is  a brothel although they do other distasteful jobs as well.  The show can be icky, and not always in a good way.  Sometimes, it’s just icky.

Over the course of the season, I contenplated giving up on Dollhouse.  But my loyalty to Whedon kept me around.  And my loyalty was rewarded.  The show got progressively better as it grew beyond the constraints of the initial premise.  Clearly, this was always Whendon’s plan.  But the first season was an awfully slow burn getting to that point.

It’s a bit of a miracle that Dollhouse was renewed for a second season.  The ratings have been abysmal and the reviews have not always been kind.  As good as the last half of the season was, I would not have been disappointed to see the show go out on a high note.

The truth is, I would not have bothered with the Dollhouse DVD except for one thing.  Whedon and company filmed an unaired 13th episode which was to serve as the series finale if the show had not been renewed for a second season.  Frustratingly, Fox has refused to air the episode despite renewing the show.

“Epitaph One” is unique to say the least.  Although the series regulars appear in the episode, the story focuses on characters who are new to us.  The action takes place in the not-to-distant future.  An apocalyptic event has occurred and the Dollhouse is to blame.  The story centers on a ragtag bunch of survivors on their run.  Eventually, they stumble upon the abandoned Dollhouse which they see as a potential safe house.

The central story is pretty standard zombie fare.  Members of the crew are picked off one-by-one.  But the episode intercuts the main story with flashbacks that provide glimpses into what happened after episode 12 that lead to this dystopian future.  Honestly, these vignettes look like they came from a more interesting show than the first season of Dollhouse.  Which is a good thing since they are likely glimpses into what we will see in the second season of the show.

If you didn’t watch Dollhouse or you gave up on it, the DVD gives you a second chance to catch up before the new season starts.  Hopefully, the second season will live up to the potential that is promised in the unaired 13th episode. 

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Review: Wednesday Comics #3

Last week’s Wednesday Comics was the first to really disappoint.  The premise of the project should suggest that the creators compress their stories as much as possible, at least in general – when all’s said and done, they only really have 15 pages to finish the story.  While some creators have risen to the challenge, like Caldwell on Wonder Woman or Pope on Strange Adventures, some strips that started out strong have begun to peter off already.

There is still the seeds of genius that were strongly evident in the first two issues, but there are too many non-starters here.  The flaws remain relatively unfixed, with the weakest pages among the first two issues showing little improvement.  Not all is bleak, of course – a project with this many gifted creators is bound to have some astonishing moments – but I am not sure that a book facing all the challenges that Wednesday Comics faces can afford to have many more issues like this one: Not bad, but not quite worth the trouble.

Grade: B-

- Cal Cleary

Wednesday Comics #2

Wednesday Comics #1

Review: Immortal Weapons #1

I haven’t been keeping up with Immortal Iron Fist, post-Brubaker/Fraction/Aja.  I loved their run – it introduced me to Matt Fraction, who’s done impressive work all over the place now, and David Aja, who I still consider to be among the best artists working today when it comes to dynamic, exciting, downright cool-looking action scenes – but the high-cost of Marvel’s trades and the low-pay of minimum wage work meant that I have to stop reading some things, and when Fraction, Brubaker and Aja left, so did I.

Still, at the store on Wednesday, I noticed the absolutely gorgeous cover for Immortal Weapons: Fat Cobra on the shelf, saw that Jason Aaron was the writer, and was intrigued enough to pick it up.  And I have to say, I’m glad I did.  Immortal Weapons: Fat Cobra continues the Immortal Iron Fist tradition of having rock-solid spin-off minis and one-shots to flesh out the retro-pop pulp aesthetic of the setting and characters.

Fat Cobra, one of the Immortal Weapons we met in the Brubaker/Fraction/Aja arc “The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven,” is a massive, surprisingly quick warrior and hedonist who has lived for over a hundred years, and his lifestyle has taken its toll: he remembers little of his past, if anything at all.  To that end, he hired a researcher to discover his glorious past and compile it all into a book.  And thus do we get to know Fat Cobra.

It’s hardly an original device, but as Aaron delves into the character, he shows us why it works well here – Fat Cobra is a proud, powerful man, but his origins are far from either.  Seeing the effect these discoveries have on him is almost as tragic as the story itself.  Despite all the inconsistencies in the quality of the art (there are 7 artists in the Fat Cobra portion alone), the story is simple and potent.

On top of that, Immortal Weapons: Fat Cobra has an Immortal Iron Fist back-up by Duane Swierczynski, dealing with an errant pupil of Danny and Misty.  The back-up is brief and to-the-point, though clearly incomplete – it seems as though the back-ups of the Immortal Weapon stories will be the thread that ties the issues together.

Overall, this is an excellent first issue.  As an origin story of Fat Cobra, it is both effective and interesting, with a great deal of potential to lure in new readers.  Immortal Iron Fist has always been a book that combined larger-than-life stories with a pulp kung-fu sensibility, and Fat Cobra definitely continues that trend.  With 37 pages of excellent content, it’s worth a read.

Grade: A-

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Movie Review: Green Lantern: First Flight

“Green Lantern: First Flight” is the fifth direct-to-video animated film from Warner Brothers Animation.  The last DC Universe Animated Original was the excellent “Wonder Woman”.  While I think “First Flight” is comparable in quality, “Wonder Woman” remains my favorite release to date.

One of the things that set “Wonder Woman” apart was the great chemistry between Keri Russell as Diana and Nathan Fillion as Steve Trevor.  “First Flight” is missing the depth of character that made “Wonder Woman” such a pleasant surprise.  What you get instead is action… lots of it.  “First Flight” is positively action-packed.  If you’re looking for spectacular outer-space action that would make George Lucas jealous, this is the movie for you.

“First Flight” emphasizes the sci-fi elements of the Green Lantern story.  Hal’s introduction to the Corps is handled in a brisk 10 minutes.  And once the story leaves earth, it doesn’t look back.  The animation team even went so far as to change the look of familiar characters to make them seem more alien.  Most of the changes are fairly subtle.  But a few of the characters (Abin Sur and Kanjar Ro) are barely recognizable as their comic book counterparts.

The overall look of the film is unique.  With the acclaimed TV shows from Batman to Justice League, Bruce Timm developed a very distinct style.  And many of these characters appeared in the traditional Timm style on various animated TV shows.  “First Flight” has it’s own look and style that is distinct from Timms TV work or any of the other direct-to-video releases to date.  I would say that there is a hint of eastern influence without crossing over into the realm of “anime”.

The story is also something of a new invention.  The broad strokes of Hal Jordan’s origin are are there.  Hal is still a test pilot.  He still gets his ring from a dying Abin Sur.  And Sinestro still serves as a mentor figure for Hal before his ultimate  fall from grace.  But a lot of the details are different.  Don’t expect all the characters to behave exactly the way they do in the comics.

As is expected, the voice work is well done across the baord.  Although, I couldn’t help comparing “Law and Order” star Christopher Meloni’s work as Hal Jordan to David Boreanaz as Hal in “JLA: New Frontier”.  Both actor’s did a fine job.  But Boreanaz brought a likability and warmth to Hal that I found largely absent in Meloni’s performance.  Meloni’s Jordan actually reminded me from a line in “JLA: Cry for Justice” when Hal referred to himself as “cool and care-free”.  This Jordan never seems to break a sweat.

Veteran actor Victor Garber fares better as Sinestro.  I think it’s safe to say that Sinestro steals the show.  Hal may be on the cover, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Sinestro gets more screen time.  Sinestro’s turn from the greatest Lantern either to a rogue is different from the way in which it portrayed in comics.  But it’s still the most fascinating part of the story.

Tricia Helfer of “Battlestar Galactica” portrays as surprisingly sensitive Boodikka.  And Michael Madsen is appropriately gruff and funny in the role of Kilowog.  Juliet Landau of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” plays an alien barkeep.  And former Bond girl Olivia D’Abo has what amounts to a cameo as Carol Ferris.  John Larroquette (yep, the guy from “Night Court”) provides the voice for Tomar Re.  And Squiggy himself, David Lander, plays Ch’p.

Part of the fun of seeing the Corps in action is always playing “spot that Lantern” in the group shots.  There’s bound to be some freeze framing here as fans look for their favorites.  But fans of Kyle, Guy and John need not bother.  No other human Lantern appears (which isn’t suprirsing given the nature of the story).

On the whole, “First Flight” is a fine sci-fi action adventure story with above-average production values.  If you’ve enjoyed Warner Brother’s other direct-to-DVD DC offerings, you’ll enjoy this one too.  And any Green Lantern fan should consider it a must-see.

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Review: Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #3

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance is a strange little book.  On the one hand, it almost feels as though it doesn’t take place in the DC Universe at all.  We’ve had only a few cursory, generally insulting, references to the Justice League and their big-name heroes.  We’ve seen none of the landmarks of the DCU.  All the locations have been either sci-fi takes on existing cities or places of Casey’s own creation.  And yet, Dance also feels like a quintessential DC book in the way it incorporates the existence of superpowered beings into its setting – with a keen eye for the fantastic, for better or for worse.

Dance #3 is, in many ways, the strongest issue yet.  The Parasitic Teutons of Assimilation are fun, bizarre foes, and are more memorable than the past two.  We see the Most Excellent Superbat hit rock-bottom.  We see how the characters are really reacting to the pressures of being teen celebrities, teen heroes, or just plain teens.  In a way, everything that’s been simmering below the surface of the first two issues bursts out here in a variety of smart, interesting ways.

It also features the return of ChrisCross on art.  He does a great job with the bulk of the issue – his action scenes are dynamic and exciting and the P.T.A. design is a blast – but his faces vacillate wildly between expressive and offputting.  Still, despite that, he does some pretty stellar work here.

But not all is quite well with the issue.  Though it handles them better than previous issues had, it nonetheless feels like a bit of a retread of the problems and realizations we’ve seen before.  Every issue has seen the team realize, in one way or another, that they aren’t getting what they want.  I can totally buy it being difficult for teens to break the routine and try and change – especially at the expense of fame and fortune – but, nonetheless, we’re three issues through a six-issue mini and I don’t know that we’re too much farther along, either in terms of story or in terms of character arcs.

Despite those complaints, however, this was a rock-solid issue of comics.  Casey did a great job at bringing the sexual tensions to bear in the middle of an action-packed, humorous issue.  And, even though he’s the closest thing we have to a narrator, this was the first time we really saw much of the personality of Most Excellent Superbat, who has become a remarkably complex character in the span of three issues.  Still, it feels a bit like Casey is spinning his wheels right now, as though he planned for less than 6 issues and is just killing time for now.

Grade: B+

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #2

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #1

Review: Supergirl #43

I’ve been a cheerleader for the Gates/Igle run on Supergirl since the first issue.  It has been one of the most consistently solid books month after month.  And I’m happy to report that this issue is no exception.

Last issue tied up some of the plot threads from the “Superwoman” storyline.  This issue is a similar “calm before the storm” type of story.  I really enjoy this kind of character-driven issue in between the big event stories.

After breaking the news of Lucy’s death to her sister, Kara has returned to New Krypton.  Her mother has ordered her to perform a series of tasks for each of the Kryptonian guilds.  Kara’s relationship with her mother has been a rocky one and she views these tasks as a punishment for failing to capture her father’s murderer.

The story is told through a letter that Kara is writing to her late father.  The narration is deeply emotional without falling into the trap of being overly teen-angsty.  Kara is preparing for a ceremony in which she will choose a guild to join.  Her ultimate decision reveals a great deal about her character.

(You’ll have to read the book for the actual revelation.  Or at least look elsewhere on line because I won’t spoil it here.)

Everything about this book is great.  Sterling Gates is the first writer to develop Kara as a character since her return five years ago.  And Igle’s art is a perfect match.  I can only hope that this creative team will remain on this book for a long time to come.

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Review: Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #5

I’ve been holding off writing a review of this series until the whole thing was done.  It’s been a long wait, but here we are.  Was it worth the wait?  Mostly.

There’s no getting around the fact that this mini-series was solicited as a Final Crisis tie-in.  Like most of the FC tie-ins, this story had little if anything to do with Final Crisis.  Ultimately, it’s irrelevant.  But I wish they had left the words “Final Crisis” out of the title.

As is to be expected, the series was filled with characters.  As someone who has come to tolerate the Legion of Superheroes, I sometimes found it difficult to know who was who.  But I expect to see a big cast in a book like this – especially one drawn by George Perez.  And the book did a pretty good job of narrowing its focus to specific characters when needed.

The story was a bit of a mess.  Ultimately, we’ve got the culmination of all the Legion-related plot threads Johns has been sowing over the last several years.  Mix that in with plot threads from Green Lantern, Infinite Crisis, Countdown and probably a half dozen other books and you’ve got a recipe for confusion.  But again, the book manages to be accessible when it needs to be.

A lot of the plot just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.  Stuff happens.  But there’s so many characters and so many plot threads, it can be tough to sort out.  Plus, it’s nearly impossible to wrap your mind around the colliding alternate realities.  And if either side can pull allies from alternate realities at will, shouldn’t there have been infinite heroes pairing off against infinite villains?

Well, if you think about any of this stuff too long, you’re going to go cross-eyed (thank you, Austin Powers).  So it’s best just to turn your brain off and enjoy the ride.  If you’re able to do that, Johns serves up the kind of fan-baiting moments he’s known for.  Lots of cool stuff for fans of Superman, Superboy, Sodom Yat, Bart Allen, the Titans, the Legion and most anything else Geoff Johns has ever written.

And if you love to hate Superboy Prime, you get plenty of opportunities to do so.  Honestly, Superboy Prime is my biggest gripe with this book.  Johns has beaten this dead horse a bit too much for my liking.  He’s a popular comic book writer.  Does he really need to take so many swipes at fanboys?  I hope Prime has been put out to pasture for a good, long while.

Little of substance really happened in this mini-series.  If you’re planning to read Adventure Comics (as I am) I’m sure some of the plot threads will be followed up there.  But otherwise, I think it’s enough to know that Conner and Bart are back.

If you were expecting a masterpiece (or a story remotely associated with Final Crisis) I don’t think this mini series delivered.  But fans of Johns’ take on the Legion were well served.

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Review: Green Lantern #44

The cover really tells you everything you need to know about this issue.  Hal and Barry face off against Martian Manhunter as a Black Lantern.  There’s a few teases here and there that provide some possible insight as to the nature of the Black Lantern Corps.  But mostly, you have an issue-long fight scene between these three characters.

As fight scenes go, it’s a good one.  I’m a big fan of Doug Mahnke and he does a great job here.  Last issue really played to his strengths.  But his work is no less exceptional here.

Last week, I was one of the few people to post a negative review of Blackest Night #1.  The fan response was so overwhelmingly positive that I have gone back and re-read BN #1 several times.  I stand by all of my criticisms of that issue.  However, I am happy to report that most of the problems I had with BN #1 are absent in GL #44.

I’m still not loving the overall premise of Blackest Night.  But that’s my cross to bear.  Most readers are going to be overjoyed by the mix of action and character moments.  While I was blown away by the art, I found the story to be satisfying.  And after a few disappointing Blackest Night-related comics, that’s good enough for me.

Speaking of disappointing BN-related comics, I just wanted to say a word about the Tales of the Corps books.  I don’t want to do a full write-up on this mini-series.  But I do want to say that I have found the first two issues to be the worst kind of filler material imaginable.  DC should be ashamed for putting out such a blatant cash grab.  I have a hard time imagining anyone feeling like they got their money’s worth out of this book.

So, if you haven’t made it to your comic shop yet, pick up GL 44 but pass on the Tales of the Corps.

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DC Solicitations for October 2009 + Commentary

For anyone who hasn’t read one of these before, here’s the deal: I rundown the lastest DC solicits and give my thoughts.  Hilarity ensues.

Blackest Night books:

I’m just going to cover all of the Blackest Night books in one entry this month.  Otherwise, I’ll run the risk of repeating myself.  Last week’s review of Blackest Night #1 proved quite polarizing.  Most of the fan community seemed to think the book was a masterpiece.  To say the least, I disagreed.

I have read a 6-page preview of this week’s issue of Green Lantern and I am happy to say I liked it better than anything in Blackest Night #1.  The pages I read featured a conversation among Barry Allen, Hal Jordan and Martian Manhunter as a Black Lantern.  What I liked about what I saw was that J’onn was not an “Evil Dead”-style demon like Ralph and Sue Dibny in BN1.

(For all I know, he vowed to swallow Hal’s soul on page 7, but 6-pages without an “I smell a mystery” was a big improvement in my book.)

One of my big problems with BN 1 and last month’s issue of Green Lantern was all of the recapping.  A few people have assured me that all of this recapping was necessary.  And while I’m not necessarily sure it was, hopefully we’re all past it and the story can get started.

I still have some reservationsabout the premise of this story.  And BN #1 kind of confirmed some of my worst fears about what Blackest Night would entail.  But the vast majority seem to be eating this up, so what do I know?

Well, I do know this.  Tales from the Corps #1 was a big, fat waste of money.  I never got around to writing up a proper review.  But save your $4.  DC had the sheer audacity to reprint the various corps pages from Blackest Night 0 – which was, you know, free!

Based on this, I have really low expectations of the tie-ins.  For my money, these tie-ins just look horrible.  And DC has a really lousy track record with tie-ins.  So, buyer beware.

GREEN LANTERN #47

Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy

    BLACKEST NIGHT continues! The war between the Blue Lanterns and Agent Orange implodes as the universe darkens! But a strange turn will send this epic battle in an unexpected direction when Larfleeze has something he desperately hordes taken away from him!

The war between Larfleeze and the Blue Lanterns is STILL going to be going on in October?  I kind of expected that to be a one-pager since the Blue Lanterns are pretty much helpless without a nearby Green Lantern.  This had better be good stuff if it’s going to hold my interest until October.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #41

 
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art and cover by Patrick Gleason & Rebecca Buchman

    The intense and horrific battle between the Green Lantern Corps and the Black Lanterns on Oa takes a turn for the worse! The Corps realizes that the abominable, ultimate goal of the Black Lanterns is not only to feed off the Corps’ emotions, but to consume and decimate the main power battery and destroy Oa forever!

Someone remembered John Stewart.  I think I may pass out!

Final Crisis Aftermath Books:

I haven’t been following these books (see earlier comment about DC’s track record with tie-ins) so I’m just going to lump them all together.

Seventh Soldier is still posting reviews for Ink and Dance.  Check them out if you are so inclined.

I wouldn’t mention these books at all except that they all end in October!  Any bets as to whether or not they end before Legion of Three Worlds?

BATMAN AND ROBIN #5

Written by Grant Morrison
Art and variant cover by Philip Tan & Jonathan Glapion

    Are two Dynamic Duos too much for one city? Batman and Robin find themselves at cross-purposes with Red Hood and Scarlet. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? And who will end up being the chosen protectors of Gotham City?

Check out our round table on B&R #1.  And here’s Bruce Castle’s review of B&R #2.

I have pretty mixed feelings about Morrison’s run on Batman.  To be sure, there was some crazy, brilliant stuff in there.  But I often found individual issues to be frustrating.  I’ve gone back and read his issues several times since Batman RIP and they definitely read better this way.

But I love the freshness of Batman and Robin.  This book just feels like a great super hero comic.  It’s still got the crazy Morrison touches.  But it’s totally accessible.  And there are Easter eggs for those of us who read Morrison’s earlier Batman tales.

BATMAN ANNUAL #27

Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by J. Calafiore & Mark McKenna

    A murdered priest. A desecrated grave marker. A kidnapped child. A secret key. A mystery whose solution could upset the world order. For Batman and Robin to stop the rampage of a zealot named Amon, the Sixth Sinner, they first have to halt a deadlier foe intent on making sure Amon succeeds. To end the killer’s mad scheme, Batman faces Azrael, Death’s Dark Knight! “The Eighth Deadly Sin” continues in DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #11 and sets the stage for this month’s premiere issue of the AZRAEL ongoing series!

DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #11

 

Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Tom Mandrake

    Picking up where BATMAN ANNUAL #27 left off! A lock without a key. A murder mystery whose solutions could lead to countless deaths. An answer in search of – the Question! Renee Montoya must help Batman save Robin from Amon, the Sixth Sinner, while keeping the fanatic killer from uncovering a 2,000-year-old religious secret. But is Azrael willing to risk Robin’s life in order to see this secret revealed? “The Eighth Deadly Sin” sets the stage for this month’s premiere issue of the AZRAEL ongoing series!

AZRAEL #1

 

Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Ramon Bachs

    Following the events of “The Eighth Deadly Sin” in BATMAN ANNUAL #27 and DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #11, the new monthly series starring Death’s Dark Knight begins! Michael Lane is a man in search of redemption, but does serving the Order of Purity as God’s Angel of Justice bring him closer to achieving his goal – or simply send him further down a road paved with good intentions? When a hired killer comes to Gotham City seeking revenge for crimes committed decades in the past, Azrael faces an impossible conflict: What if God’s justice forces the hero to claim one of God’s servants? From writer Fabian Nicieza (SUPERMAN, TRINITY) and artist Ramon Bachs (RED ROBIN)!

I lumped these three books together.  Unless you are really interested in Azreal, those two annuals are going to be massively skippable.  I read a lot of the original Azreal series.  I guess that makes me an Azreal fan.  I’ll pick up #1 and give it a look.  But I doubt I’ll pick up those annuals.  And shame on DC if they are required reading to enjoy Azreal #1.

ARKHAM REBORN #1

Written by David Hine
!Haun and artist Jeremy Hine ASYLUM creative team of writer David ARKHAM illness, the building soon mutates into a torture house, and the inmates find themselves trapped in a living hell. And when Jeremiah starts hearing a voice from beyond the grave, it becomes painfully clear that the lunatics really have taken over the Asylum! Beginning a 3-issue miniseries from the BATTLE FOR THE COWL: al has rebuilt the Asylum following the design of his mad Uncle Amadeus. Intended as a model for enlightened treatment of mentArkham Asylum in BATTLE FOR THE COWL, Dr. Jeremiah Arkham    Following the Black Mask’s destruction of

HaunArt and variant cover by Jeremy

I didn’t read most of the Battle for the Cowl tie-ins (see earlier comments about DC’s track record with tie-ins) so maybe I missed the boat on Arkham Asylum.  But the solicit for this issue just sounds unpleasant.  This sure isn’t something I want to read!

BATMAN: THE UNSEEN #1-2

Written by Doug Moench
Art and cover by Kelley Jones
    The fan-favorite Bat-team of Doug Moench and Kelley Jones reunite to introduce the newest member of Batman’s rogues gallery in this twice-monthly, 5-issue miniseries! Horrible and unexplained murders have Gotham City held captive. Bizarre deaths have been occurring throughout the city, but the perpetrator is unknown. Even when the crimes have been committed in view of witnesses, all that is seen is a glimpse of a weird, skinless “meat-man” who seems to fade away after the crimes. Gotham’s only hope is their Dark Knight Detective, but how can Batman find and fight an Invisible Man?

Lots of Bat-books this month!  I’m skipping over that Kevin Smith book because really, I don’t care.  This mini-series seems equally skippable.  But I am more intrigued by a Doug Moench and Kelley Jones reuninion than I am a Kevin Smith bat-book.  So, maybe I’ll give it a try.

BATMAN #691

 

Written by Judd Winick
Art by Mark Bagley & Rob Hunter

    BATMAN double-ships this month as Two-Face and the new Batman throw down in the Batcave. And the fight is a vicious one, but just as Two-Face begins to get the upper hand…Batman shows up? The final chapter of Dick Grayson’s first adventure as Batman is a can’t-miss!

I didn’t expect to like Winick’s return to Batman.  Winick has been seriously disappointing me for the last year or so.  But his first two issues of Batman were surprisingly readable.  Even good!  So, I’m looking forward to more.

One of the best things about Winick’s Batman so far is that it more less makes Battle for the Cowl irrelevant.  Which brings me to:

BATMAN #692

Written by Tony Daniel
Art by Tony Daniel & Sandu Florea

    BATMAN double-ships this month with Tony Daniel returning to the series as the new writer and artist after his best-selling BATTLE FOR THE COWL miniseries! With Batman pounding the pavement in search of Black Mask, Penguin on the run, and the completion of the new Arkham Asylum looming close, Gotham City has reached a boiling point! Guest-starring Catwoman and the Huntress and featuring the return of Gotham City’s most notorious crime family!

I never thought I’d say this, but thank god Winick’s coming back!  Who knows, maybe Daniel will surprise me.  I never thought I’d be enjoying Winick’s Batman, so I guess anything is possible.

But, what’s up with the revolving door on this book?  Batman is one of DC’s best selling titles.  We’ve had three artists and two writers since the revamp of the line.  There has to be a better way to handle one of your flagship books!

DETECTIVE COMICS #858

Written by Greg Rucka
Art by JH Williams III; co-feature art by Cully Hamner

    The shocking and tragic origin story of Batwoman begins here! In “Go” part 1, young Kate Kane and her family are kidnapped by terrorists, and Kate’s life – and the lives of her family – will never be the same! Plus, the mystery behind the villainous Alice is at last revealed!
    Then, in The Question co-feature, Renee’s search for a missing girl comes to a bittersweet end, leaving Renee with more questions and an even bigger mystery for her to solve. As long as she can survive the night, that is…

I’ve only got one issueof Detective to go by so far, but it was a good one.  Since we really don’t know much about Batwoman at this point, this story sounds like a good one.  Hopefully, it will fill in the gaps the same way Rucka’s Action Comics Annual did for that book.  Although it’s a shame that story was stuck in an Annual instead of folded into the main book the way this one is.

BATGIRL #3

Written by Bryan Q. Miller
Art by Lee Garbett & Trevor Scott
Cover by Phil Noto
    It’s a new look and a new costume for the all-new Batgirl! As crime in Gotham City continues to rise, the newest member of the Bat-family vows to wear the mantle of the Bat and fight alongside Batman and Robin in their war on crime. There’s just one problem: She hasn’t told Batman and Robin yet!

Love the Noto cover!  DC sure is being secretive about who will wear the Batgirl costume.  If the book is good, I won’t care who’s wearing the costume.  Having said that, if it’s Barabara Gordon that’s going to be somewhat anti-climactic, donchathink?

BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #5

Written by Chris Yost; co-feature written by Marc Andreyko
to hunt him down!Manhunter co-feature, Jane Doe is in custody and claiming that Two-Face asked her to kill the former D.A. Since Kate Spencer can’t find the bipolar baddie, it’s up to Manhunter    Meanwhile, in the

    The 2-part “Leviathan” story begins from guest writer Chris Yost (RED ROBIN) as the Huntress finds herself in an unusual position – the responsible one! Because when Huntress hunts down a violent new criminal, she finds herself stuck with a violent, loose cannon of a partner on the case – the Man-Bat.
Haun; co-feature art by Jeremy FridolfsArt by Dustin Nguyen & Derek

Since the Batbooks relaunched, three titles have really stood out; Batman and Robin, Detective Comics and Streets of Gotham.  So, I’m a little disappointed to see a fill-in writer already.  I’m ready to see the Huntress get the spotlight, but a team-up with Man-Bat makes that prospect a lot less appealing.

RED ROBIN #5

Written by Chris Yost
Art by Ramon Bachs

    “Council of Spiders,” Part 1 of 4! Ra’s al Ghul goes from hunter to hunted! What is the Council of Spiders, why have they been killing assassins, and who is the Wanderer? After the death of Red Robin last issue, the League of Assassins now must – wait, WHAT? Everything shifts into insane overdrive as the daughter of Wayne Enterprises CEO Lucius Fox completes her quest to find Red Robin, only to get caught up in one of the deadliest games on the face of the planet.

Red Robin #1 was a surprisingly good read.  Issue 2 hit a lot of the same story beats.  So, issue three had better be pretty good or I won’t be around for issue 5.  Robin + the League of Assassins is usually not a good mix.  The League has not been used to good effect in recent years.  So, my expectations are pretty low for this series.  But not as low as they are for…

GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #5

Written by Paul Dini
Art and cover by Guillem March
    Harley Quinn takes center stage this issue as the girls deal with the after effects of Hush’s deadly manipulations over the last few months. Plus, don’t miss a surprise guest-star!

Issue onesure blew.  Read Seventh Soldier’s review for the gruesome details.  All I’ll say is that this book reminds me of Dini’s work on Countdown…

OUTSIDERS #23

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Fernando Pasarin & Jay Leisten

    “The Hunting” continues as Halo, Katana and The Creeper attempt to capture Killer Croc and return him to Gotham City before more dead bodies surface in the Louisiana swamps. But when Man-Bat joins the fight, will he side with the monster or the monster-hunters?

I’ve been planning to give this book a try for a long time now, but every time I think about picking the book up it is in the middle of a massive story arc.  So far, no one has recommended this book to me.  Maybe I’m not missing anything.

WORLD’S FINEST #1

Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Julian Lopez

    After tracking down a threat to The Man of Steel – and all of Metropolis – Red Robin must team up with the new Kryptonian Nightwing to end this mysterious threat and rescue Flamebird. But is all this just a red herring to distract the heroes from an even bigger threat to Gotham City and New Krypton? Be here to find out in this 4-issue miniseries from rising star writer Sterling Gates (SUPERGIRL) and artist Julian Lopez.

I’m looking forward to seeing the new Batman and Superman families interact.  I’m a fan of Sterling Gates’ work on Supergirl.  Looks good!

SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #2

 

Written by Geoff Johns
!Luthor Lex and see how meeting the Legion of Super-Heroes shapes the Superman he will one day become! Plus, more on the beginnings of the young Superboy century as th journey into the late 30alof all time continues! In this second issue, readers will witness young Clark Kent’s initi

    Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s exploration of the origin of the greatest Super Hero
SibalArt by Gary Frank & Jon

I’ve been accused of hating on Geoff Johns a lot lately based on the fact I haven’t been drinking the Blackest Night Kool Aid.  But I have been a huge fan of his work on Superman.  This series is bound to be chock-a-block with Geoff Johns retcons.  But they will be drawn be Gary Frank.  And odds are there won’t be any superheroes revived as Evil Dead-style zombies. 

Geoff Johns, if you’re out there, more like this please.

ACTION COMICS #882

 

Written by Greg Rucka & Sterling Gates; co-feature written by James Robinson & Greg Rucka
Art by Julian Lopez; co-feature art by CAFU

    “The Hunt for Reactron” part 3! Supergirl and Flamebird continue their slugfest, with poor Nightwing caught in the middle! Wait, isn’t that man standing over there the same Reactron who murdered Supergirl’s dad and Flamebird’s surrogate father? Get him! Continued in SUPERGIRL #46…
    And in the new Captain Atom co-feature, the mystery of where (and when) Captain Atom is heats up when someone with a connection to Metropolis arrives on the scene. But are they friend or foe?

I didn’t get around to writing up a review of the last issue of Action Comics which featured the debut of the Captain Atom back-up feature.  So, let me just say right here: WTF?  I had read that Rucka and Robinson knew the first installment would leave people scratching their heads.  But that was so not cool.  You’ve got 10 pages.  At least give us something!

Of the Superman books, Action has been the weakest.  Which is not to say it’s bad.  It’s better than a lot of the Bat-books.  But it’s not living up to the high standards of Robinson’s Superman, World of New Krypton or Supergirl.  I’ve even considered dropping the book.  But since I’m reading Supergirl, I’ll stick around through the Reactron storyline.

Hopefully the Captain Atom co-feature will make sense by then.

ADVENTURE COMICS #3

 

Written by Geoff Johns; co-feature written by Geoff Johns & Michael Shoemaker
Art by Francis Manapul, co-feature art by Clayton Henry

    Superboy is back and hunting for Lex Luthor! He can’t find Luthor on his own, and he needs help from his best friend Tim Drake, a.k.a. Robin. But Tim’s now traveling the globe under the alias of Red Robin! The boys’ reunion isn’t all smiles and hugs, as Conner discovers that Tim has been hiding a great many secrets from the newly returned Boy of Steel. And they’re secrets that could destroy their friendship!
    Plus, in the Legion of Super-Heroes co-feature, the intergalactic odd couple known as Sun Boy and Polar Boy team up to figure out what’s up with the menace trying to destroy the universe.

To date, I still have no idea how Conner came back (although rumor has it Legion of 3 Worlds comes out today.  Maybe that will finally explain it.  Honestly, I don’t care.  I’m just glad to have him back.  And I’m glad to finally see these Titan reunions.  I hope this book lives up to my expectations.

SUPERMAN #693

Written by James Robinson
Art by Fernando Dagnino & Raúl Fernandez
    It’s a special issue set entirely within General Lane’s Project 7734 headquarters! Learn more about the mysterious Mirabai, Codename: Assassin and Atlas, and witness Lane ply information out of his latest…acquisition. All this plus revelations about Lex Luthor and Brainiac!

I think we can all agree that Cry for Justice was a joke, right?  (If you liked it, please write me a 1,000 word essay on why you like crappy comics.)  But Robinson’s Superman has been a really under-rated gem.  And this looks like a pivotal issue.  Can’t wait!

SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #8

Written by James Robinson & Greg Rucka
Art by Pete Woods

    On a mission in space, Superman and his fellow Kryptonians encounter the might of the Thanagarian Army. Can Superman keep things peaceful between the two races – or will The Man of Steel discover that Hawkman’s legendary temper is shared by all his people?

I’m on the record as loving this book.  Kryptonians vs. Thanagarians?  Yes please.  But please don’t pull another Green Lantern issue.  I think it was issue 3 where the cover depicted Kal vs. Hal.  But the actual issue had them shaking hands and slapping each other on the back.  Not a punch was thrown.  I may be mistaken, but I think they had tea and scones. 

Anyway, since there’s no fight on the cover maybe we can expect one within the pages of the book!

SUPERGIRL #46

Written by Sterling Gates & Greg Rucka
Art by Jamal Igle & Jon Sibal

    Continuing from ACTION COMICS #882, “The Hunt for Reactron” concludes! It’s the final showdown between Flamebird, Supergirl and the man who killed their father. And for the Daughters of Zor-El, that means it’s payback time. Will Reactron make it out alive? Or is Nightwing the only one who can save
them all?

Hold on!  Did we know previously that Flamebird was Supergirl’s sister?!?  I think not.  Ooops.

THE BRAVE & THE BOLD #28

 

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Art and cover by Jesus Saiz
    J. Michael Straczynski (Amazing Spider-Man) and Jesus Saiz (OMAC PROJECT) continue their series of unlikely pairings with a match that spans the decades! When an experiment meant to alter the speed of light goes awry, Barry Allen finds himself face-to-face with some surprising allies – World War II’s legendary Blackhawks! But Barry isn’t the Flash they know, and he’s not even the kind of hero they need to help fight history’s most grueling war! What must Barry sacrifice to serve his country – and his world?

Another odd pairing from JMS.  Barry + Blackhawks really isn’t doing it for me.  JMS is going to have to really deliver the goods to win me over with these kinds of team-ups.

BOOSTER GOLD #25

Written by Dan Jurgens; co-feature written by Matthew Sturges
Art and cover by Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund; co-feature art by Mike Norton
    “Day of Dead” concludes as Booster Gold battles Black Beetle in the past and jumps through time to team up with the new Batman and Robin in the future. But how are these events connected – and what is the Black Beetle really after?
    Then, in Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes must stop the Blue Beetle scarab from trying to kill him…and everyone else on the
planet Earth!

If you left Booster Gold when Geoff Johns left (as I did) it’s time to come back.  The book is just as much fun now as it was then.  In fact, the addition of the Blue Beetle back-up feature has made it a party.  You like parties, don’t you?

DCU HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2009 #1

 

Written by Joe Harris, Billy Tucci, Jake Black, Franco, Adam Schlagman, Mandy McMurray and others
Art by Rags Morales, Joe Prado and others

    Darkness falls across the land as the DC Universe faces its greatest horror in this Halloween special filled with all-new stories! Watch as Guy Gardner continues his quest to share Halloween with the cosmos and his fellow alien Green Lantern Corps members. In another tale, Red Robin finds the true, deadly meaning of the sinister holiday while overseas on his quest to find Bruce Wayne. Meanwhile, Bizarro receives neither trick nor treat in his own backwards celebration of the spookiest night of the year on his home world. Plus, 10 other ghoulish tales to fill you with fright this Halloween!

By now, I think everyone knows these holiday specials are pointless.  Seriously, who’s buying them?  Save your $6!

DOOM PATROL #3

Written by Keith Giffen; co-feature written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis
Art by Matthew Clark & Livesay;co-feature art by Kevin Maguire

    Remember Mento? Yeah, that guy – goofy helmet, lightning bolt on his chest. After reading this issue, it’s a sure bet you won’t forget him again any time soon. Oh yeah, and the resolution of that whole “black hole” thing from last issue adds a kinda-sorta new member to the Doom Patrol roster. As for everyone’s favorite Metal Men, it’s the dynamic debut of Douglas, Robot Hunter! We’re too good to you.

I’ve never been a fan of Doom Patrol or the Metal Men.  But the creative team on this book pretty much guarantees I give it three issues to win me over.

GREEN ARROW & BLACK CANARY #25

Written by Andrew Kreisberg
Art by Renato Guedes, Mike Norton, José Wilson Magalhães & Bill Sienkiewicz

    The main story this month focuses on the sudden and strange return of Green Arrow! Of course, we’re talking about the Green Arrow that Black Canary stabbed on her wedding night!
    And in this issue’s co-feature, Black Canary is stunned to find that Cupid can’t tell the difference between the two Green Arrows – which could lead to one of the deadliest Super-Villain teams of all time!

I have to admit my heart sank a little when I saw Kreisberg was still writing this book.  Every month, I check the solicit to see if he’s been replaced yet.  No such luck.  This solicit suggests that Green Arrow/Black Canary is going to continue to suck well into the fall.

Sigh.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #32

Written by Matthew Sturges & Bill Willingham
Art and cover by Jesus Merino
    The seismic rift among the members of the Justice Society deepens due to the strange actions of several new team members as well as some long-seeded conflicts! It all leaves them dangerously weakened as their home base faces assault from an army of bounty hunters who plan on collecting the price on the head of each and every member of the Society!

I remain cautiously optimistic about the new creative team on JSA.  They have some big shoes to fill!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #38

 

Written by James Robinson
Art and cover by Mark Bagley

    A new era begins for the World’s Greatest Heroes as superstars James Robinson (STARMAN, SUPERMAN) and Mark Bagley (TRINITY, Ultimate Spider-Man) take over! It all begins as a one-time member of the JLA falls before he can warn the team of looming peril while what’s left of the JLA journeys to the heart of their past to decide if the team has any future at all.
    Of course, that means this is the best time for a savage villain from the team’s past to attack the demoralized heroes! The team will have to muster enough will to win not only today, but in the harrowing months to come. It’s the start of a spanking new odyssey for the JLA that will lead in the coming months to a fresh line-up for DC’s flagship team. Get onboard now for the next epic chapter of the Justice League’s legacy!

I’ve been waiting for DC to make JLA relevant again.  And ordinarily, Robinson and Bagley would be cause to celebrate.  But Cry for Justice #1 was really, really bad.  You know it was.  Stop fooling yourself just because Mauro Cascioli painted Wonder Woman in a thong that would make a porn star blush.

Hopefully, the Robinson of Superman will show up instead whoever it was that wrote Cry for Justice #1.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #4

Written by James Robinson
Art and cover by Mauro Cascioli
    How far would you go for justice? The heroes have found themselves turning to darker tactics in their search for retribution. Starman and Congorilla have captured the killers who took down some of their friends, but now what do they do with them? Meanwhile, Green Lantern and company wrestle with the idea of torturing villains for information in order to save lives.

It burns!  It burns!

MAGOG #2

Written by Keith Giffen
Art by Howard Porter & John Dell

    Magog’s got a problem: How does he use the Justice Society and their vast resources and abilities without their knowing he’s going against their standard operating procedure? And that doesn’t even compare to his more immediate problem: coming face-to-face with the putrid villain known as Miasma beneath New York City! Continuing the all-new series from writer Keith Giffen (JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL) and reuniting the best-selling JLA art team of penciller Howard Porter and inker John Dell!

This is officially 1 issue longer than I thought a Magog on-going series would last!  (I tease!)

Gotta say, the Porter/Dell art doesn’t exactly excite me.  The Morrison era JLA was one of my favorites.  But that was in spite of the art, not because of it.

POWER GIRL #6

Written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
Art and cover by Amanda Conner

    “Space Girls Gone Wild!” part 3 of 3! The trio of sexy alien marauders continues their rampage across Earth, and Power Girl makes her last stand against these seemingly unstoppable foes. But even Power Girl has her limits…

I’m here for the Amanda Conner art.  I’ll probably stick around as long as she does and not an issue longer.  The book is just enough fun to justify my $3 purchase. 

RED TORNADO #2

 

Written by Kevin VanHook
Art by Jose Luisí & J.P. Mayer
    He thought he was alone, but Red Tornado’s on track to meet the family he never knew he had! And in issue #2 of the 6-issue miniseries, Red Tornado discovers the next member: Red Torpedo! Hold on to your hats as this exciting new series from writer Kevin VanHook and artist Jose Luisí whips up a zephyr of excitement!

DC, why do you keep trying to make Red Tornado happen?  He’s so not fetch!

THE SHIELD #2

Written by Eric Trautmann; co-feature written by Brandon Jerwa
Art by Marco Rudy & Mick Gray; co-feature art by Greg Scott

    The Shield’s mission deepens as he struggles to free himself from the mind-washed hordes. Unfortunately, someone else is on the same mission despite no official sanction. Can The Shield control the situation – or will he be forced to scrub out, thanks to Magog?
    Plus, Inferno takes on Black Canary on her own turf! Will she catch him before he’s even started to run?

THE WEB #2

Written by Angela Robinson; co-feature written by John Rozum
Art Roger Robinson & Hilary Barta; co-feature art by Tom Derenick & Bill Sienkiewicz
Cover by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
    The Web finds himself in over his head as he plunges deeper into the criminal underworld looking for the elusive villain Dr. Archer. With his calls of duty piling up, The Web gets caught in a terrible death trap and in his civilian I.D., he’s found himself rolling with made men. Has the new hero overplayed his hand already?
    Plus, the Hangman begins tightening the noose on San Francisco’s organized crime, but he finds resistance in the form of the Ugly Man!

Not much to say on these Red Circle books at this point.  I hope they are good.

I had really expected DC to do more with the Milestone characters than they did.  I hope the way they screwed over Dwayne McDuffie didn’t screw that deal up to.

SECRET SIX #14

Written by Gail Simone
Art by Nicola Scott and Doug Hazlewood

    The shattering conclusion to “The Depths” is here! The Six find themselves pitted against Artemis, Wonder Woman and the hideous secret being from deep within the new Devil’s Island!

This book is pure awesome.  And “The Depths” promises to be one of the best arcs yet.

I know you’re not reading this book.  It doesn’t have Superman or Batman in it.  It’s not written by Geoff Johns and there are rarely any zombies.  That’s no excuse!

Secret Six is the essence of awesomeness!  Buy two copies of each issue and read them both!

TITANS #18

Written by Bryan Q. Miller
Art by Angel Unzueta and Wayne Faucher

    With the Titans team slowly dissolving as members drift their own way, only the empath Raven recognizes the mounting disconnection. With her only friends drifting apart, Raven makes a surprising life choice that will affect the course of her strained relationship with Beast Boy.

Titans has slowly grown from a train wreck into a mediocre book spotlighting 1 Titan per issue.  The last two issues have both been readable.  But you had to really like the character who was receiving the spotlight.  This issue looks about the same.  Still, it beats the train wreck Titans used to be.

TEEN TITANS #76

Written by Felicia D. Henderson; co-feature written by Sean McKeever
Art by Joe Bennett & Jack Jadson; co-feature art by Yildiray Cinar & Júlio Ferreira

    Guest-starring Beast Boy and Raven! With the Teen Titans unraveling at the seams, two former members must return to Titans Tower to help Wonder Girl right the sinking ship! If only it were that easy…
    And in the Ravager second feature, Rose uncovers a horrific
black market. And she deals with it the only way she knows how: with blood.

Teen Titans has also gotten better since the exit of Sean McKeever.  Now if only we could get him off the co-feature!  I look forward to seeing what Felicia Henderson brings to the table.  I hear she’s a Gossip Girl writer.  That sounds like a pretty good fit for the Titans…

WONDER WOMAN #37

Written by Gail Simone
Art by Bernard Chang

    It’s a civil war – and the world hangs in the balance! Zeus has made Achilles ruler of the Amazons, and Diana finds herself in battle against the people she loves most! And what is the secret behind the sudden rash of pregnancies on Paradise Island?

It looks like Rise of the Olympian was only the beginning!  I can’t wait to see what Gail has in store for us next.

Review: Incognito #5

I want to apologize for the tardy reviews this week.  Over the past month or so, my graduate program has been winding down, culminating in today.  I finished writing a grant proposal and a few other assignments, and have now finished all my coursework for my Master’s degree.  Though it’ll be a little bit longer before I officially graduate, it’s almost assured that I will, at which point I will be unemployed and unable to afford comics.  So let’s hope the next couple weeks brings us some good stuff!

I have been lax, very lax indeed, in my reviews of the new collaboration between Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.  Though #4 made last month’s Top 5 list for me, there was no review, and hasn’t been one for a number of issues.  Now, I remedy that.

Incognito #5 picks up pretty much right where the last issue left off, with rogue supervillain Ava Destruction finding Zack Overkill, taking out his protection and joining him on the run.  The issue is fairly light on the action compared to some past installments, but it’s still one of the best to date: it gives us some much needed backstory, both on the world and on Zack Overkill’s place in it.  The book gives us a number of origin stories in broad strokes, introduces a number of new conflicts, and generally just keeps the book moving at a breakneck pace.

Phillips is as good as ever, jumping seamlessly from flying cars and mad-science labs to rustic inns and dive bars.  His shadowy, angular art, always a perfect fit for Brubaker’s noir-tinged worlds, is a surprisingly excellent feel for the sci-fi superhuman parts, too.

Incognito is a book that isn’t afraid to shake up the status quo.  It seems like almost every issue features a fairly drastic change to Zack’s life.  Somehow, though, the tone of the series has remained remarkably consistent, each issue satisfying in and of itself while still feeling as though they are all building towards something greater.  Incognito remains one of Marvel’s most satisfying reads, a great addition to their Icon imprint, and definitely worth a look for those of you not yet read.

Grade: A-

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Catwoman Gets Jealous

Sorry, this is about as random as posts get, but I’m curious. Constantly, one of the biggest reasons people come to read/RANT is because they search for “catwoman gets jealous.” Why do you search for this? When has Catwoman gotten jealous? Is this some sort of password for the Freemasons or Stonecutters? I don’t know, but please, enlighten me in our comment section. Oh, yeah, and:

Please, check out the site!

I like Catwoman. I hope Rachel Weisz does get to play her soon.

Review: Dark Avengers #7

Writing: Well, if you’ve been waiting for some action, here it is. Although, the fight may not be what you think, but fighting isn’t the point. It hasn’t been the point in anything Fraction’s written. What Fraction presents is a series of events that are logical, while entertaining, of course. Every move the characters make feels organic, and that, if nothing else, is the strength of this crossover.

Art: The word is that Luke Ross was a last-minute addition, since Deodato had been tapped to draw the conclusion, Exodus. Ross was probably rushed here, but, to his credit, it doesn’t really show. Those who just saw his work in Captain America will get a different look here, paying homage to Deadato while doing his own thing. It would’ve been nice if Ross wasn’t rushed, and Deodato had rendered the issue as planned, but I guess Tom Brevoort, the editor, didn’t have anyone left in his bullpen to draw the last special.

Final Word: Fraction is dealing with over a dozen players here, and he pulls it off with ease. And, don’t worry. Thanks to Fraction’s witty introductions, and those handy-dandy recaps that Marvel provides, you won’t be lost, even if you haven’t picked up the first two parts. We’re halfway through this crossover now, and the tension is percolating. I can’t wait to see the payoff.

Grade: B+

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Captain America #601

Writing: This issue is all about Gene Colan. More on that later. Brubaker is writing to service Colan’s art here, and provides an Annual of sorts that could be read at any time. Yes, friends, this really has nothing to do with anything. It’s just a fun Cap & Bucky tale with vampires. Although, there is a hint of something in the beginning of the issue that never gets resolved. So, that’s either bad writing or a clue of what’s to come. Brubaker’s writing is good, as expected, but there are a lot of unnecessary scenes here.

Art: As I said, Colan is the main draw. If you aren’t familiar with the man’s work, now’s the time to remedy that. Colan’s a legend, but he’s had some health problems recently, and this could very well be his last comic. Thankfully, he goes out with a bang. His stuff still looks great! Marvel was even nice enough to provide a pencil version of this comic, giving you a tough decision to make, since Dean White does a beautiful job on the colors.

Final Word: Reading this felt like listening to a legendary rock band. Sure, they’re not as good anymore, but they can still bring the house down. And, hey, Brubaker does provide a fun little yarn. Though this issue isn’t required reading, Colan makes it required viewing.

Grade: B

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: The Walking Dead #63/Chew #1

 

Writing: We’re knee-deep in “Fear the Hunters” now. Kirkman continues to twist the knife, but, thankfully, my delicate stomach remains intact. Kirkman suffered some criticism for pitting his survivors up against man, so soon after the horrific events of issue #48. That hasn’t bothered me at all. It’s part of the transition between prison life and the harsh, new world. Yes, prison life was good in The Walking Dead.

Art: Don’t think that just because this arc is human-centered that Adlard won’t get a chance to draw some cool zombies. Expect one in here, and it looks good. I also enjoyed seeing a lighter side to Adlard’s art when he gets the chance to render some eye-rolling. And, as always, Adlard provides an unsettling last page.

Final Word: I must stress this again, these new enemies differ from the Woodbury folk. Besides a different approach in attacking, we get a peak at the hunter’s motives in this issue. They’re much more basic and understandable than Phillip’s lunacy. Another solid installment, for sure.

Grade: B+

Writing: Layman puts a unique spin on a tired genre, one that I’m not too fond of, actually. The main character, Tony Chu, is Cibopathic, which means that when he eats something, he can sense its origins. Oh, and Chu is a cop, so you can see how his ability could be useful, and unusual. Layman exploits the possibilities nicely.

Art: Judging Guillory’s art is a bit unfair, since this reprint is lacking the colors it should have. I once owned a black & white TV that I used to watch “The Simpsons,” so I know the flaws that come with material that should be colored but isn’t. However, since this is a review, I have to say that I’m not impressed with Guillory’s work here. It looks so bland, like an Image house style. You’ve seen this art before, but you don’t remember it. Of course, as I said, I’m looking at incomplete visuals here.

Final Word: Image was very generous by offering a reprint of this sold-out issue for free, and it’s attached to an even better comic. Layman’s writing is impressive. He manages to execute some twists & turns and adds a dash of political commentary to the background. This comic is worth checking out.

Grade: B-

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Blackest Night #1 *spoilers*

Arguably the most anticipated comic book event of the year kicks off with this issue.  Expectations are sky high.  After reading this issue, I think people are going to be disappointed.

This issue is as stale as week-old donuts.  Johns has been building up to Blackest Night since the end of the Sinestro Corp War.  And all of that build-up gets recycled again in this issue.  The first two thirds of the book are yet another reminder of who is dead in the DC Universe.  That’s fine for Blackest Night #0 (which was free) but we should be past that by now.  After endless prologues and teases, there should have been more meat to the first chapter of this story.

I’m actually going to go through this issue page by page to illustrate my point.

Page 1 – Black Hand steals Bruce Wayne’s skull from his grave.

Page 2 – Black Lantern rings are scattered into space.  Black Hand licks the stolen skull.

Page 3 – Coast City.  The anniversary of Superman’s death has become a kind of super-hero Memorial Day.  People gather to remember those who died when Coast City was destroyed.

Page 4 & 5 – Hal, John, Guy and Kyle show up at the memorial.

Page 6 – Hal reflects on people who have died; his father, Abin Sur and the residents of Coast City.  The Lanterns light a memorial torch.

Page 7 – Hal reflects on people close to John and Kyle who have died.  He admits to being a little jealous of Guy because Ice came back to him.

Page 8 – The Lanterns wave to the crowd and fly away.

Page 9 – The Kents pay respect to Jonathan Kent.  Martin Stein, Jason Rusch and his girlfriend pay their respects to Ronnie Raymond.

Page 10 – Bart looks around the Titans memorial.  The Rogues pay respect to the original Capt. Boomerang.  The JLI pays respect to Ted Kord.

Page 11 – Kyle joins the JSA at a cemetray to pay respect to fallen comrades including Jade.

Page 12 – Tempest implores Mera to let him relocate Aquaman’s remains to Atlantis.

Page 13 – Alfred realizes that Bruce’s skull has been stolen.

Page 14 – Barry and Hal continue their conversation from Blackest Night 0.  Hal shows Barry a vault where the JLA stores deceased super villains.

Page 15 – Hal explains the need for the vault.  Barry demands to know who has died while he was gone.

Page 16-17 – Hal creates a construct illustrating which heroes have died since Crisis on Infinite Earths.  (Some are heores Barry has never met.)

Page 18 – Barry reacts to the news.

Page 19 – Hawkman takes a phone call from the Atom.  He’s upset.

Page 20 – Hawkman smashes the phone to keep Ray from visiting him.  Hawkgirl tries to calm him down.  Hawkman is upset because Ray wants to visit his ex-wife’s grave.

Page 21 – Hawkman whines about Hawkgirl not loving him.  Ray sulks on his desk.

Page 22 – Barry and Hal continue their conversation about how things have changed.  They are interupted by a message from Alfred.

Page 23 – The Guardians admit that they have failed.

Page 24-25 – The Guardians witness the War of Lights.

Page 26 – Scar attacks the other Guardians to prevent them calling for help.  She rips out one of their beating hearts.  Black Lantern rings invade Oa.

Page 27 – Scar fights the other Guardians.  The rings fly into the GL crypt to find Black Lanterns.

Page 28-29 – Several Black Lantern rings find bearers.

Page 30-31 – Kyle and Guy are faced with the re-animated dead of the GL Corps.

Page 32 – Martian Manhunter as a Black Lantern confronts Hal and Barry.

Page 33 – Hawkman and Hawkgirl continue arguing.  A Black Lantern steals a mace from the armory.

Page 34 – Hawkgirl tearfully professes her love for Hawkman.

Page 35 – Hawkgirl is critically injured.  Hawkman gets hit by the stolen mace.

Page 36 – The Black Lanterns attacking the Hawks are revealed to be the Dibnys.

Page 37 – Ralph torments Hawkman as he beats him.

Page 38 – More taunting and beating.  Hawkgirl, lying in a pool of blood, confesses her love again before she dies.

Page 39 – Hawkman vows to kill the Black Lanterns.  But instead, Ralph rips his heart out.

Page 40 – The Black Lanterns absorb the Hawks essence (or something like that.  Black Hand shows up and gives the Hawks Black Lantern rings.

That’s it.  Pages of rehashed set-up that had already been done in other books and a “shocking” double death for a finale.  It doesn’t help that the last time we saw the Hawks do anything significant was when they “died” at the end of Final Crisis only to have those deaths retconned away so they could do it all over again here.

Also, I hated the way the Black Lanterns were portrayed.  Ralph does everything but say “I’ll swallow your soul.”  It’s one thing to do this sort of story out of continuity like Marvel Zombies.  It’s another thing entirely to see long lost characters treated this way in a story that’s supposed to be cannon.

I can’t help but think back to the Sinestro Corp Special.  That issue had the advantage of lower expectations.  But it far and away exceed them.  Instead of getting a bunch of alien extras following Sinestro into battle, we got Kyle possessed by Parallax, Superboy-Prime escaping his prison and the return of the Anti-Monitor. 

But the expectations for Blackest Night couldn’t be higher.  And all this issue delivers is more recaps and an ending that’s not half as shocking as it thinks it is.

read/RANT