The Gotham Chronicles v2.78 (Halloween Bat-tacular)

DC New 52 – One Sentence Reviews, Part 8

 

Apologies for running so late this week – real life, what’s it good for – but here, at last, are the final one sentence reviews for the New 52’s #2 issues.  As usual, each comic is scored out of five and at the end I have a cumulative leader board (averaging the scores of each title) to show which are consistently excellent, which are on the rise, and which are circling the drain. 

 I have also reviewed this week’s limited series, although (as in the past) I haven’t included it in the leader board.

 Warning, there could be spoilers ahead (although I try to avoid them).

Halloween Smackdown: Vampires Vs. Zombies

 

 

Halloween Smackdown: Vampires Vs. Zombies.

Gundam Age, a look at the newest Gundam series

I’m a pretty big Gundam fan and before the fourth episode aired, I thought I’d give a quick look at the newest Gundam series.

Review: Voodoo #2

Voodoo #2, cover by John Tyler Christopher

One of the big arguments to come out of the New 52 was DC’s portrayal of women, spurred on by books like Catwoman and Red Hood and the Outlaws.  Various contributors here at read/RANT had fairly different opinions on those two, which led to at least one friendly argument.  But, coming at the tail end of the New 52 (and after the controversy mostly blew over) came Voodoo, a book reviewer ‘lebeau’ (who also defended Catwoman and Red Hood) claimed had “more T&A than both those books combined. And I liked it too.”  And yet, unlike the previous week’s releases, people couldn’t seem to muster up much outrage for Voodoo, because… well, because it was honestly pretty darn good.  Voodoo #2 has a fair bit of skin on display as well, though nowhere near as much, and while there’s plenty to be disgusted and offended by, it continued the trend of being a darn enjoyable spy thriller.

Review: I, Vampire #2

I, Vampire #2, cover by Jenny Frison

Sometimes, love sucks.  A lot.  Though a culture of romantic comedies and pop music have conditioned us to believe that all you really need is love, we all eventually find out that that’s not really true.  You need a lot of things.  You need food.  You need shelter.  You need, above all I sometimes think, a purpose.  When I left for grad school, I had to break my own heart – and someone else’s – because we both already knew what we wanted in life… and we knew that what we wanted took us down vastly different paths in life.  Having a purpose can hurt, but it’s a big part of the drive that keeps us going every day.

Review: Aquaman #2

Aquaman #2, cover by Reis, Reis and Prado

Geoff Johns has really impressed me with this relaunch.  I know I’m in the minority, but I found Blackest Night and Flashpoint to be borderline incomprehensible messes, poorly paced and largely lacking in fun.  I was beginning to worry that the guy who did such a fantastic job reinventing Wally West and his Rogues would never again produce something that I’d enjoy.  But Justice League #1,  Green Lantern #1, and Aquaman #1 were all enjoyable books, free from many of the problems that have turned me off his work lately.  Though I decided against following Green Lantern (which seemed destined to continue to get involved in endless crossovers), I stuck by Aquaman and Justice League.  Earlier this month, I called Justice League #2 an improvement over the opener, and while Aquaman is still enjoyable, it doesn’t improve over Johns relatively solid introduction in the same way.

Review: Flash #2

Flash #1 I enjoyed, and this issue is no different.  In fact, there are some interesting bits of Flash info tossed into this comic that I at least think readers who aren’t as new to the Flash as I am will enjoy.

SPOILER WARNING!

The Gotham Chronicles v2.49 (Thoughts on Damian Wayne)

Before we get to the only 2 Batman serials of the week I thought I would just drop my 2 cents on Damian.  First, Dick Grayson growing up and out growing Robin worked, Nightwing is a great character and one of my Top 5 (Maybe even Top 3) characters of all-time.  His attitude works, costume is cool, Nightwing works.

Enter Tim Drake, hands down he is the best little red.  Also Drake was the first Robin I actually really liked.  Tim Drake loved being Robin, he had sass and wit; I though he just worked perfectly as the sidekick for Batman.  Red Robin does not work, maturing him and giving him individuality is just making him a red version of Nightwing.  Tim works as Robin, he loses something as Red Robin.

Review: Teen Titans #2

So the first issue wasn’t bad, but still nothing great.  Granted, my opinion may be a bit bias as I’m upset still volume 3 history is erased for the Titans and maybe even ALL Teen Titan history, depending if all of DC can get on the same page for this relaunch.  Which, by the way, Lobdell apparently thinks there is previous Teen Titans history at least.

SPOILER WARNING!

Review: The Walking Dead #90

Spoiler Warning

What’s New in the DCU – 10/25

It’s Tuesday.  The day before new books hit the shelves.  Let’s look at what’s in store for the new DCU:

Review: Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review: Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 2.

DC New 52 – One Sentence Reviews, Part 7

Once again, I provide one sentence reviews of each ongoing title released this week.  They are scored out of five and at the end I have a cumulative leader board (averaging the scores of each title) to show which are consistently excellent, which are on the rise, and which are circling the drain.

While I’ve been reviewing other limited series, I have chosen to not review Batman Odyssey Vol. 2 #1, as I didn’t read Vol. 1 and from what I’ve read on the internet, I wouldn’t be able to make heads or tails of it.

There could be spoilers ahead (although I try to avoid them).

Review: Batman Arkham City video game

The first game is one of my favorites.  In fact the only game I think I’ve played more than Arkham Asylum may be Final Fantasy 7.  This game though, it improves on the first in nearly every way possible.  I will try to refrain from spoilers, but be warned a few might make it in here.

Review: Supergirl #2

*Spolier Warning*

Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #3 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Sara Pichelli

Colours: Justin Ponsor

Lettering: VC’s Cory Petit

Cover: Kaare Andrews

 

The slow yet enthralling introduction to Miles and his world continues in this issue of Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man. I have really enjoyed this series so far and this issue does not let me down.

The only downside so far in this series for me has been the cover art, as mentioned in my last review I am not a fan of this ultra-realistic depiction of Spider-Man that Kaare Andrews draws and so again this issues cover is a let-down. I do however like the massive moon behind Spider-Man and the glittering city lights below him. I also think that Spider-Man’s pose on this cover is a slightly uncomfortable one, knowing that he is only 13 years old.

The plot of this issue is as good as the two issues before it. It again deals with Miles not wanting these powers that he has received but knowing that he could do a lot of good with them. We receive our first glimpse of Miles doing a heroic rescue in this issue and it is interesting that he does this in full view of everyone. Evidently at such as early point in his development as a superhero he is not thinking about needing a secret identity, but simply knows he can save those that are trapped and goes and does it. I really liked that in this issue the series has begun to tie into the end of Peter’s time as Spider-Man, right at the end of the issue we are told that there has been a superhero battle on a bridge and that there are unconfirmed reports that Spider-Man has been shot. The shock on Miles’s face when he is told this news is brilliant, it is evidently going to affect him more than those around him because he is considering not using his powers as there already is a Spider-Man, and so with Peter’s death Miles is going to have one less reason not to take up his mantle.

The interior art in this issue was again fantastic; Pichelli continues to draw the world of Miles so uniquely and vividly.  I think that my favourite panel of the entire issue was when Miles was having a nightmare that he was attacked and electrocuted by a villain. The bolts of electric shooting around the panel were amazing.

Ultimately this issue continues the excellent introduction that Bendis and his team are creating and I look forward to issue #4.

Issue Rating: 9/10

Review: Red Hood and the Outlaws #2

I had mixed feelings with the first issue and ultimately labeled it a “guilty pleasure”.   I enjoyed much of it, but Starfire’s over sexualization mixed in with seemingly forgetting (explained basically as not caring) her entire past on Earth did not sit well with me.  This issue doesn’t really explain the latter part, but it shouldn’t be upsetting anyone.  At least it didn’t for me.

Review: Catwoman #2

*Spoiler Warning*

Review: Birds of Prey #2

*Spolier Warning*