The Last Phantom #3
Beatty, Ferigato, Andrade
[Dynamite]

I said I’d give this title a few more issues to get off the ground and impress me. Three issues in and the verdict is, well, quite good actually. I wouldn’t say this is one of the best titles I’m reading, but’s it is definitely able to stand on it’s own. We’ve got an origin story for Kit Walker seeping through amongst the actual plot, introducing critical elements of the Phantom’s persona without disrupting the narrative. I’ll admit that so far we don’t really have much real characterization for Kit as most of the story so far has been the Phantom getting revenge and stuff. We haven’t really seen him outside of the violence yet. Speaking of the violence though, it’s very well done, and the action scenes are decently illustrated. There’s also some really clever stuff such as the scene with the grenades in this issue. The plot development at the end was something far too obvious, but it had to be done. So yes, overall my verdict so far is: quite good.

Power Girl #18
Winick, Basri, Gho, Kholinne
[DC Comics]

There was really no reason for me not to reading Power Girl, and many reasons for me to read it, but up until now I hadn’t been buying it. So this week, I grabbed #17 and #18 and realised I was even stupider than I had thought. I guess I’ll go back and get some earlier issues now. Anyway, first things first: the art is really pretty. I can’t think off the top of my head of any other books Basri’s pencilled, but I’m sure I’ve read something else he’s done and loved it. The colouring is kind of fantastic too. As for the story, #18 explains the origin for the new character Divine, who featured in the previous issue, and has lots of stuff with Maxwell Lord. The opening pages also had Doctor Sivana, who I always like to see whenever he shows up somewhere unexpected. Winick’s writing is funny and well-paced and Power Girl is really sassy (her words, but she’s right). Essentially all this adds up to a series I should’ve been reading for months now.

The Flash #6
Johns, Manapul, Buccelato
[DC Comics]

The end of the first arc of the new Flash series. Plot-wise, it’s been pretty dull. There’s been a few cool little things, such as Captain Boomerang’s black boomerang constructs and The Top was an interesting character, but it’s still all been overshadowed by Manapul’s gorgeous art. That really is the principle reason to buy this book: it’s one of the best looking books on the market. I’d also like to mention that this issue is the first time (as far as I know) that Wonder Woman’s current situation has been mentioned outside of the Wonder Woman title, and we get to see this from the perspective of future people looking back at history and realizing something isn’t how it should be. It was just something I appreciated from the issue. As for the future of the Flash, big things should start happening in the next arc. We’ve got Flashpoint coming up next year, and Wally and Bart feature alongside Barry with new character Hot Pursuit in the lead-up to that event. So while I’m a little bit let down by the first arc, I’m expecting the title to improve greatly over the next few months

Batman 100-page Spectacular
Brubaker, McDaniel, Story
[DC Comics]

If, like me, you have never read Batman #591-#594 then you have the lot collected here. At a $7.99 cover price though it may be pushing, as it’s essentially a trade paperback at that point. However, I did enjoy it and thought the ending of the first story ‘Shot through the heart’ was fantastic as it gave us one of those rare humanising moments for Batman, with him sitting in Jim Gordon’s backyard talking to himself as if he were talking to Jim as a friend. It was a really powerful image for Batman to just sit in the rain looking downtrodden and lonely. The first story features Deadshot attempting a hit on Lew Moxon and Batman attempting to stop him, which gets him tangled up with the Moxons (who are naturally involved with dirty dealings) and their bodyguard Zeiss, who appear again in the following story. Overall this was an interesting read, but really, there’s no point in going back and reading these stories as they have no impact on current continuity and only really matter to those who read them when they were first released.

Batman #704
Daniel, Hannin
[DC Comics]

With Tony Daniel on both writing and art, I’m expecting a lot from this. And for the first issue, I was impressed. We have the return  of Catgirl, who Bruce immediately tells Dick to stop getting herself into trouble. The other plot thread introduced is Sasha Lo, of the Tang Lo Foundation, attempting to purchase Crime Alley from Bruce Wayne for renovations, and by the end of the issue we find out Sasha isn’t all she seems. But the big thing about this issue is that it features two Batmen, which could have become immensely confusing, but has actually not worked out that way, and it’s really easy to tell Bruce and Dick apart. For one, Bruce has a different costume now. Secondly, even in the scenes where all you see is Bruce and Dick’s masked heads, Daniel has managed to distinguish them from one another really well. The title does appear to mostly be focussing on Dick though, which does make sense, as Bruce isn’t exactly going to be in Gotham much with Batman Incorporated happening. Speaking of which…

Batman Incorporated #1
Morrison, Paquette, Lacombe
[DC Comics]

The aftermath of Bruce’s trip through time in Return of Bruce Wayne as well as events occurring throughout Morrison’s Batman and Robin, Bruce is setting out to turn Batman into a global franchise. With Dick as Batman in Gotham, Bruce takes Selina Kyle with him to Japan in his search for Mr. Unknown, who he intends to train up into the ‘Batman’ of Japan. But the issue isn’t called ‘Mt. Unknown is Dead’ for nothing, because Lord Death Man (once called Death Man, but Morrison added Lord for a bit of Engrishness) got there first. I don’t think I’ve really spoiled anything, which is good, but there’s not much to spoil in this issue, because we’ll be getting the rest of this story in coming issues. So yeah. This being a Grant Morrison book means you can expect a little weirdness, which in this issue mostly involves Catwoman not understanding tentacle rape hentai, which culminates in a nice little splash page. Overall, while an intriguing idea, Batman Inc. will need a bit more time to find it’s feet.

Batman: The Return
Morrison, Finch, Batt, Winn
[DC Comics]

After countless delays for Batman titles these past few months, we finally got Batman: the Return. First off: art. Finch is amazing and I don’t think anyone would really question that, and seeing what he’s doing here makes me look forward to Batman: The Dark Knight. Next: story. The plot mostly involves Batman (Bruce) bringing Oracle, Red Robin, Dick, Damian and Batgirl in on his plans. One of these I know got Adam annoyed, the Internet 3.0 thing. I honestly didn’t have an issue with it although I can understand why Adam would (Internet 2.0 isn’t well-defined as it is, so it’s hard to imagine a definite new internet paradigm), and I liked that Oracle questioned the idea because it does sound like ridiculous comic-book nonsense. I also liked that Batman’s plans for Batgirl were completely impractical. Beyond that, we have Bruce and Damian teaming up using silly looking robots, and Damian really not working well with Bruce which I thought was kind of cool. It sort of reflects the Batman and Robin relationship, with Bruce and Dick being the moody and the fun ones respectively, while Dick and Damian are the opposite, so Bruce and Damian teaming up ruins the dynamic of the uh…Dynamic Duo. Oh and the issue ends with some Middle-Eastern looking Batman-like armoured guy, and a new organisation named Leviathan, who do sound a little bit too much like Marvel’s HYDRA in all honesty. Regardless, I enjoyed this issue mostly for the way Bruce is relying on his crimefighting associates, with him treating them like chess pieces that he can use how he wants, with that not really being the case. That metaphor works particularly well with Bruce’s last line ‘Game on’, so I’m pleased with it. :D

Other books I got this week were; The Spirit #8, which is still not captivating me half as much as it should; Thor First Thunder #3, which looks too afwul for anyone to ever want to read; Green Hornet Blood Ties #2, which I’ll admit is my least favourite Green Hornet book (ironic because it’s the only one I’m reading that features the original Green Hornet); and lastly Teen Titans #88, but I decided not to review it because it wasn’t new this week, but I may review it and next week’s #89 together.

-Brad

Halcyon #1
Guggenheim, Butters, Bodenheim, Englert
[Image]

A new series which was promoted as Utopian before the name was changed to Halcyon, the series deals with a concept which has been done at least once before, but again in a new way. We’re presented with a cast of completely new heroes, rather than a Kingdom Come-like usage of well-known heroes in the future, and by the end of the issue we realize that our heroes have essentially won their war on crime and a few of them are scared of the idea of going ‘out of business’. The characters are clearly built to fill certain archetypes, with Sabre being your non-superpowered vigilante type (Batman/Rorschach etc.) and ‘World’s Greatest Hero’ Zenith (Superman etc.). There is enough personality with them to see future issues expand upon them, but at present they are a little flat. I like the way the big concept the series uses is handled; it doesn’t feel like a Mark Millar book where he shoves it in your face. It’s dealt with properly without being patronizing to the reader. I’ll definitely stick with this series for a few more issues to see how it goes.

Birds of Prey #6
Simone, Lee, Melo, Purcell, Mayer
[DC Comics]

This series has been a bit hit and miss for me. The first arc was rather dull and I got little out of it, which is surprising because I am a fan of Gail Simone’s writing on a number of titles. With this second arc however the series is picking up a bit, which may be a bias on my part because I like Huntress and she’s getting more of the spotlight now. In this issue, Black Canary is forced into a fight with Lady Shiva by the White Canary, who is holding Sin hostage. But Huntress decides to challenge Lady Shiva, one of the most powerful martial artists in the DCU, in Dinah’s place. It becomes a really interesting story and the fight was really great, particularly focussing on Huntress’ desperation against a foe far out of her league. We also get a little bit more of Hawk and Dove, but they still don’t feel like part of the team and like they’re just involved for the sake of the ‘Brightest Day’ banner. As for the art, it’s fine. That’s all I can really say, it’s nothing too memorable but you won’t hate it either. I’m hoping Birds of Prey continues to improve like it has with these past two issues.

Knight and Squire #2
Cornell, Broxton, Major
[DC Comics]

I still got a laugh out of this second issue, but most of it was impenetrable really. I just lack too much of the cultural knowledge required to get through the book, and even with the explanation at the back (parts of which I knew, but only realized upon reading it) doesn’t quite impart enough knowledge to understand all the humor. The story has Knight and Squire fighting ‘the Morris Men’, who are interested in the occult, and uncovering the ‘return’ of an enemy they’ve apparently beaten before. At the start of the issue we get to see inside Knight’s castle and there’s some cool stuff like the motorcycles resembling chess piece knights. And the ‘Organ Grinder’ villain gave me a chuckle. But really I can’t recommend this book, as much as I want to, because it’s just so inaccessible at times. The first issue didn’t have too many issues, but there were some things, but this issue expands on the cultural division and while British readers will probably enjoy it, Australian and perhaps moreso American readers will struggle.

Batgirl #15
Miller, Nguyen, Fridolfs, Major
[DC Comics]

The first few pages of this are pure genius, with Miller’s humorous dialogue and Nguyen’s adorable chibi-like art being the highlight of the issue (this being the first Nguyen Batgirl story). These pages are a summary of the Bat-family from Batgirl’s point-of-view with that cheeky, almost childish tone that Miller has built for Stephanie. The rest of the issue feels, to be honest, a little too much like the past arc of Batgirl. While there’s nothing wrong with this, as I enjoyed that too, I expected bigger changes than what we’ve seen so far. In particular, Bruce’s return seems to have done basically nothing for Batgirl’s continuity. More than that though, Nguyen’s art for the majority of the issue seems to be drawing a lot from the previous art and it felt weird to look at it. I was expecting it to look different, but it looks too similar. It’s off-putting. It might be the inking or the colors, or both, causing this, but it just surprised me to see Nguyen’s art look like this. Regardless, some will like the consistency, and the story is great and will be a treat for continued readers. The series is generally new reader friendly too, so jumping on at #14 or #15 will work fine.

Red Robin #17
Nicieza, To, McCarthy, Major
[DC Comics]

Extreme bias warning. I love Tim Drake. He and Batman (Bruce) are my favourite characters, and I’d be willing to say I like Tim more than Bruce. So yeah, when Fabian puts out yet another issue like the previous lot, you know I’m not going to change my opinion. That opinion being that this is the book I most look forward to each month because it is all of the awesome. I have no doubt that other Tim fans feel the same, and I have no doubt that Fabian realizes just how much he’s catering to us but I don’t care. Keep catering Fabian. Anyway, this issue features the return of Cassandra Cain, former Batgirl, during Tim’s trip to Hong Kong to verify Lynx’s story. Cassandra is cool and while I love Stephanie Brown as Batgirl, Cassandra’s presence has been missed. We also get a lot of parallels drawn between Red Robin’s relationship with Lynx to Batman’s relationship with Catwoman, which is just one more great comparison to put on the pile. We’ve also got more of Red Robin’s network expansion, and a sly little comment to Bruce about how he thought of ‘Batman Incorporated’ first. But the highlight of this issue is the humongous ‘AAAAAAAWWW!!!’ moment with the splash page with fatherly hugging. It’s seriously one of my favourite moments in all of comics now.

Return of Bruce Wayne #6 (of 6)
Morrison, Garbett, Perez, Sicat, Wong
[DC Comics]

So. Last issue. It contains all of the plot. We have Bruce basically saving everyone (including himself) on his own by gaining knowledge of the universe for all of time by fusing his body to a funny looking robot from vanishing point. BASICALLY. The Time Masters do pretty much nothing except nearly kill themselves (which is still better than whatever they’re doing in their book). Then we’ve got the Justice League, with Red Robin leading the way and attempting to save Bruce from the Omega nonsense upon his return. While I’ve been critical of this series, this issue is probably the best, although had the plot been stretched throughout the entire series I’d have probably not enjoyed it all more. There’s some cool Grant Morrison-crazy time travel with ontological paradoxes and cosmic revelation. But there is one big problem I have with the issue: the THIRD time Bruce finds out about Damian being Robin (chronologically the first, and also the SECOND time Grant Morrison has written it, the other being in Batman and Robin #16). The issue does suggest Bruce loses his memory at some point, so it can be forgiven, but I still disliked it. As a whole, the series has been a disappointment, but it’s had it’s good moments too.

Green Hornet #9
Smith, Hester, Lau, Nunes
[Dynamite]

Another one of my favourite reads, I thoroughly recommend this series. That said, this issue was one of the weakest, possibly due to being the penultimate issue of Kevin Smith’s run on the title, meaning that there’s a lot of build-up to the finale. Although, the issue is definitely not bad. Far from it in fact, with some cool stuff like missiles and Green Hornet firing a machine gun from on top of Black Beauty at a jet. And of course there’s the awesomely lame ending with Green Hornet and Kato facing self-sacrifice to avoid crashing Black Beauty into an orphanage. Honestly the ending felt incredibly forced and silly, but I’ll go along with it. Art as always is the highlight of the book, with Jonathan Lau’s pencils being stunning as always, and the color work by Ivan Nunes, which I’ve not stupidly not mentioned previously, is amazing.  While it’s a little late to jump onto this arc now, the first trade ‘Sins of the Father’ has been released, and the second ‘Wearing o’ the Green’ should follow not long after issue #10.

Invaders Now #3 (of 5)
Ross, Gage, Reis, Andrade
[Marvel]

The Invaders are just one of those teams that I enjoy more on concept than execution, along with the Legion of Superheroes and even the Teen Titans usually. For the Invaders, they’ve been gone or separated for a long time, but events have conspired to bring them back together. Regular Marvel readers would know of Steve Rogers, Bucky (who is the current Captain America) and Namor, but the rest of the Invaders may be less familiar, with the Golden Age Vision particularly being out of continuity and reader-consciousness for many years. The team fought the Nazis in World War II, and beyond that you don’t really need much prior knowledge to read the series, with the first issue bringing you up to speed. However, three issues in and I’m uncertain that I like the series. Gage’s writing, although interesting enough, seems quite clunky, with dialogue that tries a little too hard to be funny and awesome, with banter that comes off as lame. The characters don’t quite feel right, and aren’t quite making decisions reflective of their personalities. On the plus side though, the art is fantastic. It’s not quite enough to sell the series in this case though. As I said, if you’re interested enough in the concept of a World War II era super-team fighting in the modern world, you should get the series, but don’t raise your hopes too high because not everything works as well as you’d expect.

Oh and I got some Thor books. You should read Thor. Especially Matt Fraction’s Thor. That is all.

-Brad

Kato #5

First off, Joe Benitez has been doing the main covers for these books. And although they’re pretty much all just Mulan in the Kato uniform posing, I love them. As far as I’m concerned, Benitez can draw Kato forever now. Secondly, actual content: the series is a prequel to the main Green Hornet series that Dynamite is publishing, following the training of the new Kato, who is the daughter of the classic Kato. While I don’t think the writing nor Bernard’s pencils quite measure up to Green Hornet’s, the book is still rather enjoyable, and I found that this issue especially is very quickly paced so it’s not a long read. The action is good, although Mulan diving off the top of a building after the Black Hornet seemed a tad much. Regardless, this was a solid issue. Green Hornet readers wanting more should take a look at this series, but realise it’s not a necessary read.

Bullseye: Perfect Game #1 (of 2)
Huston, Martinbrough, Loughbridge
[Marvel]

Another book that’s snuck through with the Marvel Knights tag on it’s cover, Perfect Game is a Bullseye story that uses a storytelling device I really like with certain characters, Bullseye being one of them. While the book is about Bullseye, it is told from someone else’s point of view, which gives the reader some distance from the character and allows him to thrive without rummaging through his narrative boxes and taking away the mystery. The story is told by a guy who seems to be a nobody who likes baseball. He talks about Bullseye and explains his personality, how he wants a challenge, and the book builds up into a challenge involving baseball. Because Bullseye’s job is to kill a guy who is going to be batting. It’s a hugely interesting read, and the pacing and narrative is near perfect. The art does some cool stuff, especially in the earlier parts of the book where there’s some black, white and red pages for some flashback-type things. I honestly didn’t think that two issues would be enough for a good Bullseye story, as there’s just too many aspects to the character. And I don’t quite think Huston really captured all of those aspects. But regardless, this was a great issue.

Warriors Three #1 (of 4)
Willingham, Edwards, Hanna, Martin
[Marvel]

With Odin dead and the cycle of Ragnarok broken by Thor, Fenris (also known as Fenrir) the monstrous wolf had no way to free himself, not even with the inevitability of legend. But some AIM agents who so far don’t seem to have too much in the way of motive, travel to Nifelhel and free Fenris, who proceeds to Midgard (Earth) and slaughters a town.  But the Warriors Three, Volstagg, Hogun and Fandral are on the case. Volstagg is probably the highlight, because, like in Fraction’s Thor, he is hilarious, although not quite as much so. Possibly because he didn’t feature as much (which is kind of ridiculous really). We haven’t really seen all that much of Hogun yet, and Fandral got as much of the spotlight as Volstagg. In fact most of the story followed everyone else BUT the Warriors Three. I also found it to be a bit of a slow read, but Willingham has made it interesting enough and I can forgive the story for needing to set up the plot. Hopefully the series picks up a bit in the next issue.

Taskmaster #3 (of 4)
Van Lente, Palo, Beaulieu
[Marvel]

Finally, Taskmaster’s origin is revealed. And it’s a pretty good one too. I’m sure there will be people who complain, but I do like how it’s been handled. Outside of that, all I can say about this series is that if you’re not reading it there is something seriously wrong with you. You’ve got great action, an incredible story with fun twists and lots of humor. This issue starts with Taskmaster and Mercedes ending up in a towen where everyone is Hitler. Everyone. Everyone in the town is Hitler. Even the ladies. Even the children. EVERYONE. Awesome. Then you’re presented with a brilliant villain in the form of Red Shirt, the Uber Henchman. And then of course, all of the revelations about Taskmaster. Van Lente has the perfect formula here. You’re an idiot if you don’t read this.

Iron Man/Thor #1 (of 4)
Abnett, Lanning, Eaton, Mendoza, Gandini
[Marvel]

It’s been a big week from Marvel for me, culminating with a book I wasn’t entirely sure about before buying it, and after reading it, I can’t say much has changed. I read Thor, but not Iron Man, but that didn’t matter. So long as you have familiarity withthe characters and know about Siege, you’re set to read this issue. Except it also chucks a whole bunch of villains at you, and while I of course know Crimson Dynamo, Baron Mordo and the reveal on the final page are villains that I’ve seen far less often, and I fear newer readers would be lost. So far the title characters have split up which kind of spoils the idea of a team-up. Iron Man’s in Russia after Steve Rogers gets word of an accident in the Forbidden Zone, and Thor gets attacked at Asgard. Pretty standard fare sort of stuff. The art looks more suited to the Iron Man side of things, with Volstagg and Thor looking slightly off, although the giant dragon that appears looks excellent. Overall, the issue felt like it invalidated it’s own existence by separating Tony and Thor, but maybe it’ll improve.

Freedom Fighters #3
Palmiotti, Gray, Moore, Scott
[DC Comics]

In this issue we get the aftermath of Uncle Sam’s ‘death’ which was far too obvious anyway. Spoilers: of course he’s not dead. We also get a huge smack in the face with the way in which the Freedom Fighters dispose of the Renegades, which even the characters point out was stupid of them not to have done already. Then more plot. Honestly, I do enjoy this book, but there’s a lot that seems to be getting in the way. There’s still a fair deal of the clunky dialogue that’s just annoying to read. It’s like every character has to explain everything and always drop character names in case we’ve forgotten. Without Uncle Sam in this issue, it felt a little bit weaker, and I keep forgetting the newest kid’s name (checked: Firebrand) only because I just don’t care. Ironically he’s probably the only character whose name isn’t repeated over and over. I’ve said before that this is a very different superhero comic. I stick by that. It’s also very flawed at the moment, and I hope with a bit of time in will overcome the faults.

Red Hood: The Lost Days #6 (of 6)
Winick, Haun, Reber
[DC Comics]

After the amazing fifth issue where everything just worked spectacularly I was expecting big things from this last installment. I was disappointed. The nature of the series meant it was never going to get a real conclusive ending, but the anti-climax we’re given here is even less of an ending than was expected. We have Jason Todd attempt to kill the Joker, back out claiming to want Batman to be there when he does it. Then Todd sleeps with Talia al Ghul for some reason, after a page that was just plain weird. Seriously, Talia just randomly blurts out ‘my father is dead’ in the middle of a conversation and then they have sex. What? I can’t help but feel that this entire issue had no real direction and is just a whole bunch of stuff that happens. Issue #5 was by far the series’ highlight.

Batman and Robin #16
Morrison, Stewart, Irving
[DC Comics]

I don’t really want to spoil this issue. If you’ve been reading Batman and Robin then you don’t want it ruined for you, and if you haven’t then this is the end of Grant Morrison’s run where everything from more than a year of Batman stories comes together. After last issue Bruce is back, they’re fighting Doctor Hurt and stuff goes wrong. Two Batmen and a Robin who is Bruce’s son (which I will point out that he is confused about, which kind of breaks continuity with the Road Home books). Dialogue’s good, Bruce and Dick chatting is well constructed, as is Damian’s speech. The Joker in this is kind of awesome, and that’s all I’ll say on that. The issue features art from both Irving and Stewart, with Irving’s art being mostly in the scenes without Bruce, which may seem jarring or fitting. I thought it worked. And there’s just something about those final Irving splashes that just takes a whole comic to another level. This is the end of the Morrison era on Batman and Robin, and it was amazing. I look forward to Batman Incorporated.

-Brad

Avengers vs the Pet Avengers #1(of 4)

Any comic featuring the Pet Avengers can’t be taken entirely seriously, but here we have a book that has Fin Fang Foom and a bunch of other dragons trying take over the world. And then the real Avengers (Iron Man, Captain America and Thor) get turned into frogs for some reason, so Frog Thor (different guy) and his Pet Avengers show up to help.  The Pet Avengers include Redwing, Falcon’s uh…falcon, Speedball’s snarky cat Hairball, Lockjaw of the Inhumans and Kitty Pryde’s dragon Lockheed, who becomes important to the story because of the giant dragons. The story is cool enough, and this issue ends on a downer, which I always find nice. The art is also really great, with some fantastic splash pages with the dragons. If you want a comic that isn’t choking on it’s own seriousness, try this one.

Green Hornet Blood Ties #1
Parks, Desjardins
[Dynamite]

Acting sort of as a prequel to Kevin Smith’s updated Green Hornet series, Blood Ties follows the original Green Hornet and Kato in their quest to rid Century City of its organized crime. And to be honest there’s not much more to it that that. This is just a decent, pulpy Green Hornet book with lots of bad guys who are just criminals and not dressed up in a costume. The art is a little bit off-putting for me. I think I’ve been spoiled by Jonathan Lau’s incredible pencils. Desjardins’ work is fine though, other than a panel here or there that just doesn’t quite look right (such as a panel with Kato looking a little bit too much like Marvel’s Hammerhead). For fans of the original Green Hornet, this may be worth getting, but if you’re reading the current Green Hornet by Kevin Smith, you can skip Blood Ties.

Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Oracle
Andreyko, Padilla, Buccellato
[DC Comics]

Nearing the end of The Road Home series, this issue focusses on the core Vicki Vale story, with Bruce (as the Insider) being contacted by Oracle who reports that Vicki is being hunted by Ra’s al Ghul’s elite assassins. Oracle then uses her contacts to assist the Insider by distracting some of the assassins. This means we get to see Batgirl again, this time teaming up with Hawk and Dove. Honestly, I couldn’t really believe that Batgirl could take on one of the Seven Men of Death. I think they’re still a bit out of her league, but whatever. The other team-up was Manhunter (Kate Spencer), Man-Bat and Ragman, which, although featured only briefly, is a team that I would love to read a limited series for. Oracle ends up taking a back seat…er, that is, she sits out of the action and um…okay that was insensitive. Anyway, Oracle ends up not taking much part in most of the story, with her not getting any ‘over-the-radio’ talking during the fights, so it ends up being really detached and not really about Oracle at all. The art is some of the best in The Road Home, but really, that just means this book gets a consolation wheelchair because it doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

Bruce Wayne -  The Road Home: Ra’s al Ghul
Nicieza, McDaniel, Owens
[DC Comics]

The final Road Home story, and the third by Nicieza, Ra’s al Ghul has captured Vicki Vale and intends to kill her to preserve the identity of his nemesis due to his sense of honor and integrity. Naturally, Bruce saves her and she destroys her evidence about the Bat Family and their identities. The story is one of the least engaging of the Road Home books, because, like with the Oracle story, there’s little in the way of Bruce actually interacting with the featured character. Whilst earlier books had Bruce testing Batgirl etc., he saw no need to test Oracle, and no reason to test Ra’s obviously. Because of that, this book only features the one aspect of the story, although I guess the ending with Vicki sort of works. It’s not a bad issue, just not special. McDaniel’s art is okay, which is good news seeing as he’ll be on Batman and Robin soon. Anyways, The Road Home as a whole has been pretty amazing and highly recommended.

Wonder Woman #604
Straczynski, Kramer, Pansica, Leisten, Sinclair
[DC Comics]

The fourth and final part of the first arc of ‘The All-New’ Wonder Woman by JMS, the issue has a pretty great ending. The next sentence contains spoilers. <Diana gets her whip, learns how to fly and best of all, her stupid jacket is burnt to cinders. yay>. Unfortunately, most of this arc has been disappointing, with inconsistent pacing and quite a bit of screwing about and I didn’t care about a lot of it. However, this reimagining of Wonder Woman has been a long time coming, and her origin and personality feels very fresh and I appreciate what JMS and, in regards to her costume especially, Jim Lee have done. Speaking of the costume, I’m a fan of everything except that jacket, although I do think she doesn’t need the tiara, but it’s fine. The pants especially are nice, but the chest piece with the straps and the belt work great too. As for Kramer and Pansica’s art, it’s amazing. Their Diana is just perfect, particularly in those panels that are close-up stoic scowls. As with The Flash, if you have any interest in the character, this book is worth it on art alone.

Time Masters: Vanishing Point #4(of 6)
Jurgens, Rapmund
[DC Comics]

I haven’t even read this issue, but I want to complain about the series as a whole. The premise is that Rip Hunter has gathered a group of heroes (Superman, Green Lantern and Booster Gold) to travel back in time and find Bruce Wayne and stop him from accidentally destroying the universe. But the book got sidetracked really quick, barely mentioning Bruce at all and solicits for the last two issues have hinted that they’re not going to bother with Bruce at all. So this book, which was intended as a sort of companion to Return of Bruce Wayne (which itself was a disappointment) has lost the central focus and become a story about Booster and Rip. And I guess the Time Stealers, with Black Beetle and (old) Despero and nobody cares. It just irks me that this book tried to sell itself as a Bruce Wayne tie-in, without dealing with any of the plot in that book. Technically though, the book has good art and should be appreciated by Booster Gold and Rip Hunter fans.

-Brad

Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Batgirl

Another winner for the Road Home, but one that I’m not really sure where to fit it in. At the end of each issue it tells you which book the plot (mostly the Vicki Vale stuff) continues in, but this and Outsiders both lead into Catwoman, and none lead into Batgirl. Oh well. As for the book itself, yet again Bruce is testing his Batfamily, in this case the new Batgirl Stephanie Brown. With their past the way it is, with Stephanie always being thought of as the Robin who wasn’t good enough (or for some, never really a Robin at all), this issue was potentially going to be a harsh one for fans. But, Miller did an excellent job, and having Bruce compare Stephanie to Dick Grayson was a great way to establish growth. Additionally, Stephanie’s responses to the ‘test’ were appropriate and funny, and the entire issue still felt like a Batgirl issue, and not a separate plot. This is probably my favourite Road Home book, after Red Robin.

Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Catwoman
Fridolfs, Nguyen, Davis
[DC Comics]

An interesting issue with Bruce, as the Insider, testing Catwoman (Selina Kyle), by having her gather information on Vicki Vale’s investigation. While some of the issue feels mostly pointless, the relationship between Batman and Catwoman is touched on, and it was something that proves necessary to have considered. Another reason for Bruce’s test is Catwoman’s associates from ‘Gotham City Sirens’, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.  The Vicki Vale story is continued of course, and leads directly into the events of The Road Home – Commissioner Gordon. As for Peter Nguyen’s art, Catwoman, and indeed all of the sirens, looked splendid, as did Bruce as the Insider (and as Batman in a flashback). Overall, a decent issue, but Bruce’s test felt too easy and pointless.

Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Commissioner Gordon
Beechen, Kudranski, Davis
[DC Comics]

This issue was a different one for the Road Home. It puts the focus on Vicki Vale, with Commissioner Gordon protecting her from criminals trying to get the information she knows about Batman’s identity. This means that this issue is done from a third-person perspective, with Bruce and Vicki getting first-person narrative boxes. This allows for a level of detachment from Gordon, and allows us to experience his actions through an intermediary, which means not only do we see him do stuff, but we get to hear Bruce and Vicki being impressed. And it really works well. The entire issue really builds Gordon up into this hugely imposing character, but recognises that Gordon isn’t enough on his own. Bruce’s reverence for Jim is a major theme, and the way their relationship is treated is faithful to both characters. As for the art, it has some dark, noirish overtones which I loved, and suits this story well, but I can’t see it working outside of this sort of GCPD-type plot. Of course, were there to be another ‘Gotham Central’-ish book, I’d encourage DC to look at this creative team.

Batman and Robin #15
Morrison, Irving
[DC Comics]

I’ve had a somewhat awkward reading of Morrison’s Batman and Robin. But even still, I can see this issue is rather amazing. The intro with the Joker, Damian’s actions and the spectacular last page all add up to a great issue. Irving’s art still hasn’t sold me, it’s a very painterly style that I don’t quite think fits Batman and Robin. However, there is occasionally a panel that shows off exactly what Irving’s art can potentially do, such as the final splash page and a number of almost horrifying close-ups. We’re coming to the end of the Morrison era on Batman and Robin, with him going off to write Batman Incorporated, and this story which ties in with Return of Bruce Wayne and Batman and spans two Batmen is a great way to end a run.

Batman Beyond #5 (of 6)
Beechen, Benjamin, Stanisci
[DC Comics]

With the news that Beechen will be relaunching this series in January as an ongoing series, Batman Beyond has reached it’s penultimate issue in this limited series. With that comes all the plot revelations. In issue #4, we found out that the killer who had taken the name and MO of Batman’s old villain Hush was actually Dick Grayson. In issue 5 we get lots of explanations which for the most part are logical and fine, but feel like a bit of a cop out. We also have the new Catwoman helping out Terry after Hush leaves him injured. And of course we have Bruce being a sap about how he’s a stupid old man and how Terry is great. The issue really didn’t draw me in, and the exposition sort of ruins it, but it’s not necessarily bad, just worse than the rest of the series.

Skullkickers #2
Zubkavich, Huang, Coats
[Image]

After a highly successful first issue, issue #2 follows where the last left off. Monsters. Then some stuff happens and they torture a guy for information, then they attempt to steal stuff from a caravan, but goblins attack first. So yeah, lots of fun fantasy drivel, but it’s interesting because of the dynamic between the two nameless heroes (The Q&A section refers to them as ‘Baldy’ and ‘Shorty’). So far the plot is a little thin, but everything else makes up for it, including the art, which is crisp and vivid, although a little unusual during the scenes with the monsters. I don’t really know what else to say about this book other than that it’s cool and fantasy fans will dig it.

Loki #1 (of 4)
Aguirre-Sacasa, Fiumara, Lacombe, Villarrubia
[Marvel]

Joining in with the multitude of Thor-related mini-series Marvel are churning out at the moment is Loki, which is surprisingly one of the best of the bunch. While I can’t say the art matches Binachi’s work on Thor for Asgard, the plot, at least in this first issue, is one of the most intriguing Thor concepts I’ve read. The issue is told mostly from a third-person perspective, narrating the story and also a myth involving Loki and the creation of Mjolnir and a number of other items (Gungnir etc.). The book also deals with the way in which myths are treated in Marvel, with Loki and Thor remembering the tales differently. Loki is terrified by memories of an event that Thor is certain did not occur. It’s a really clever way to deal with characters that can become rather dull, or excessively complex and inaccessible because of the mythology. Simply a smart read.

I did also get Thor First Thunder #2, but I still haven’t read First Thunder #1. The reason is the utterly horrific art, which looks fuzzy and the character’s faces are godawful. So I definitely don’t recommend First Thunder.

-Brad

Fraction’s Thor is funny, clever and captures all of it’s characters well. While we’re only two issues into his run, it’s becoming a very enjoyable ride with a new chapter for the God of Thunder. Following Siege, Asgard is left on Earth, which leaves the realm of Asgard open for the taking. Enter a new villain, Ulthana Thoth, who appears as a sort of extradimensional conqueror IN SPACE who just happens to be red and have a beard. Then we have Volstagg talking to a scientist he describes as a ‘Space Doctor’ who serves as a sort of expository device for the plot but it works well enough to not be as blatant as it sounds. Thor himself is characterized well, with his role as a warrior being tested by his role as king in Odin’s stead, and faced with the challenge of Asgard’s current state. This arc is shaping up to be not only a fun one, but an important one for Thor’s growth as a character, and I definitely recommend grabbing this and #615 if you can find it. Oh and Ferry and Hollingsworth’s art is pretty.

Invaders Now #2 (of 5)
Gage, Ross, Reiss
[Marvel]

I really like the idea of all these characters being brought back together, especially with Human Torch Jim Hammond and the Golden Age Vision. That said, it feels the slightest bit contrived. I’m still enjoying the book, but while I really liked the first issue, I wasn’t as awed by this one. At the end of the last issue it’s declared that during World War II the Invaders were responsible for the deaths of an entire village of civilians, and this issue is a flashback to that. I don’t think the decisions made by the Invaders really fit the characters, particularly Steve, despite the circumstances being made dire enough to warrant what occurs. I guess this is just a case of ‘Your Mileage May Vary’ and I just wasn’t completely convinced. Still, it’s a decent issue and on the art side of things I really love what Reiss is doing.

Green Hornet #8
Smith, Hester, Lau
[Dynamite]

This whole series has been nothing short of amazing, and this issue is one of the best of the lot. The less than mysterious identity of the Black Hornet is revealed, his plot unfolds and more tragedy strikes. Kevin Smith’s plot is well-constructed and well-paced and it’s almost a shame that this story was never made into a film like it was planned. But of course, here in comic form it thrives. Jonathan Lau’s art is another highlight of the book, with some of the best pencils in any book I buy, in my opinion. Action scenes are particularly well conceived with motion being portrayed perfectly, and Lau’s grasp of speed lines near matches Francis Manapul’s, current artist of The Flash. A gorgeous  book with a plot any pulp fan should love.

The Last Phantom #2
Beatty, Ferigato
[Dynamite]

The latest incarnation of the Phantom is still in the stages of creating his persona, taking on the role for the first time on his quest for vengeance over murders of friends in the first issue. It’s hard to judge the direction the series will take this early on, but the dark representation of The Ghost Who Walks is appreciated. Seeing him not just kill his enemies, but torture them is something that you rarely find in a protagonist (The Punisher would be another one who comes to mind). It remains to be seen whether Kit will remain in his current ‘costume’ or whether he will take up the purple spandex, although the camoflauge suits his enemies wear are purple so there’s hints. Ferigato’s art is nice, but I kind of wish the colours weren’t so vibrant. Overall, it’s best to leave judgement on this series until after the first arc is completed, but I am enjoying everything so far.

Knight and Squire #1 (of 6)
Cornell, Broxton, Major
[DC Comics]

One of the new books I’ve been most looking forward to, Knight and Squire didn’t disappoint. While a few of the references went over my head, and some of the slang is tricky, the issue is still hilarious. It features a huge cast of ridiculous characters like The Milkman and the Pirate Astronomers, and I particularly liked the idea of ‘cover versions’ which are British versions of American villains. It was also cool to see how differently the characters are treated, with Jarvis Poker (the British Joker) exemplifying Knight’s idea of moderation. The issue features what can only be described as a magical pub, which is enchanted to prevent fighting, and so it’s a place for heroes and villains alike to have a drink. Complete fun. Broxton’s art fits the tone of the series well, and I look forward to seeing what he and Cornell come up with for the next 5 issues.

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #5 (of 6)
Morrison, Sook, Perez, Gray, Villarrubia
[DC Comics]

This series has basically been a huge disappointment. While the concept behind it is sound, the fact that it merely serves as a framework for more or less inconsequential and sometimes quite dull stories is a real shame. However, perhaps because I’m a fan of noir fiction, issue 5 is a bit of a step up. Bruce, still amnesiac, is flung into the role of a 1950′s detective investigating the death of Martha Wayne. The plot with Marsha and John Mayhew is interesting enough in and of itself to save the issue, and the fact that this is the penultimate issue for the series means the tiny plot threads that have been strung through the series are coming to a head. But this doesn’t mean the issue was good, just more tolerable than the previous four. The art’s nice, and very noir-ish, but the scenes showing Red Robin, Wonder Woman and other heroes don’t really work in that style so they came off a bit wrong. To be perfectly honest I’ll be relieved when I don’t have to buy this series anymore.

Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Batman and Robin
Nicieza, Richards, Hannin
[DC Comics]

Bruce Wayne – the Road Home begins with Bruce, wearing a new costume, monitoring Dick and Damian to evaluate their performance. The issue validates a lot of what Batman and Robin readers have been suspecting and was a very appreciated look at the growth of the characters from what is the most authoritative source in Gotham. It was interesting to see how Bruce focussed on the differences between Dick and himself as Batman, and complimenting Dick on his more relaxed nature. While the issue doesn’t delve into Bruce’s relationship with Damian at all (Bruce observes them, he doesn’t interact with them yet), it does have him praising Dick’s mentoring of Damian. The book also continues with Vicki Vale’s prying into the Batman Family, which continues in other Road Home one-shots. All in all, this issue was a great success and a treat to read.

Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Red Robin
Nicieza, Bachs, Lucas, Major
[DC Comics]

Continuing straight on from the Batman and Robin story, Bruce and Tim work together to investigate the Council of Spiders in Amsterdam. Simply put, this issue is one of my favourite comics ever. Nicieza is treating Tim with the reverance he deserves, validating Tim’s role as a detective. Bruce acknowledges Tim’s capacity for planning and it really highlights Tim’s growth into an independent character, who is even something of a match for Bruce. Seeing the two of them fight against one another, and reading their inner monologues which are both calculating and predicting the other’s actions was great. Tim is one of my favourite characters, as is Bruce, and seeing them interact not as mentor and sidekick but as partners, and having Bruce admire Tim’s work is exactly what Red Robin fans have been waiting for.

Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Outsiders
Barr, Saltares, Buchman, Wong, Pantazis
[DC Comics]

I haven’t been following Outsiders, so this issue is a little bit difficult for me to follow, but I am familiar with all of the characters involved, even if not the situation with New Krypton that was mentioned. Following Bruce’s set-up of an assassination rumor on Geo-Force, he travels to Markovia and is caught up in his own plot, with the Outsiders believing Bruce, in his new costume, is the assassin. So it’s a standard mistaken identity plot. Still, it’s enjoyable seeing Bruce evaluating and incapacitating his opponents. It was also rather cool seeing some more of the functions of his ‘Insider’ suit, which had previously shown (in Red Robin) a JLA teleporter and a Speed Force overdrive mode, and in this issue showed a lasso that allowed Bruce to know if someone was lying, and a ring which shoots concussive blasts. It very much fits Bruce’s personality for him to try to do everything himself, and sort of operate as a one-man Justice League. Overall, the issue was interesting, but I’d have gained more from it if I was an Outsiders reader.

I did also get Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Batgirl, but as Catwoman is the next one after Outsiders, I’ll delay reading Batgirl until I’ve read the preceding books which come out next week.

-Brad

Metalocalypse: Dethklok #1 (of 3)
Small, Schnepp, Barlow, Marangon, Francisco
[Dark Horse]

Based on the popular Adult Swim cartoon and written by series creator Brendon Small, Metalocalypse: Dethklok is another in a line of Dethklok comics published by Dark Horse. This time however the comic is a limited series, rather than a one-shot. Fans of the cartoon will find themselves right at home with the book, with all of the same ridiculous and sometimes horrifying humor in play, which in this issue focusses on Dethklok breaking into the frozen food market with predictably disastrous results. The art does a decent job of replicating the cartoon’s style, and features such as the Dethcopter look great, but I can’t help but feel that the art should have attempted to follow in Darkwing Duck’s footsteps and be merely reminiscent of the series and not just a copy. One last complaint is that Doctor Rockzo’s speech is very grating because Small has opted to use (and over-use) his ‘stuttering’. Despite these small faults (not a pun), I do highly recommend this book for fans of the cartoon.

Uncanny X-Force #1
Remender, Opena, White
[Marvel]

I think it’s enough of a testament to this book that someone like me, who rarely shows interest in an X-book, decided this one was worth the $3.99 cover price. And after reading it, it really was worth the price. The new X-Force team has some real winners, with Fantomex and Deadpool in particular really making this book stand out. Both of these characters get a bit of a spotlight in the book, without taking anything away from Angel, Psylocke or Wolverine. Fantomex sort of takes the role of a narrator in this book, and it fits, with him drawing contrasts between X-Force and the X-Men. I should also mention that Remender’s Deadpool works, but so far he comes across as a little more Spider-Man than crazy, but the scene where he sings is hopefully a sign of things to come. Opena’s art really suits the story, and Adam would kill me if I didn’t at least mention the Optimus Prime cameo Opena slipped into the issue. The book is an amazing start to a series I’m almost disappointed to like. But not quite.

SHIELD #4
Hickman, Weaver, Strain
[Marvel]

This entire series has been nothing short of incredible, and this latest issue is filled with yet more intriguing twists. After two issues of building characters we finally get to see Leonardo Da Vinci interact with Isaac Newton, as well as find out more about the overarching plot (which involves a Celestial and the so-called Foetus of God). The pacing of this issue picks up a bit of the slack that was felt in the last two, essentially both finishing at the same point and feeling like they slowed down the entire plot. The plot is still largely unexplained and hard to follow, but you can see all the threads moving into place and Hickman is doing a great job of making it all interesting. Weaver’s art is excellent, and a two-page spread in this issue with Leonardo Da Vinci flying near the sun is just awe-inspiring. This series is one of those books you just have to experience, because it’s just so out there and different.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Back in Quack
Moore, Brooks, Height, Wong, Mossa
[Marvel]

Here’s a weird one. Howard the Duck and Beverly Switzler being brainwashed by J. Jonah Jameson supported S.O.O.Ph.I with Spider-Man coming to the rescue to knock the sense back into ‘Cynical Duck’. The plot is a big strange mess, but enjoyable enough, with some clever Spider-Man lines. The art’s a bit of a sore point though, with Brooks pencilling the first 12 pages and Height pencilling 13-22, and the shift in art is jarring. Brooks’ Spider-Man is pretty great though, but both artist’s Howard comes across a little wrong in some panels. Not a book I can really recommend in all honesty. Includes a Man-Thing back-up by Stuart Moore and Joe Suitor.

Taskmaster #2 (of 5)
Van Lente, Pal, Beaulieu
[Marvel]

Van Lente has packed this series with some really surprising humor, and a cast of characters who are so insane they wouldn’t be out of place in Deadpool’s circle. In this issue we meet The Don of the Dead (El Don de los Muertos) and are given something of an origin for Taskmaster, which I was pleased with. The writing really gets across Taskmaster’s lack of direction and understanding, but also shows him as a capable character and creates an interesting contrast. The art may take a little getting used to, but it fits Taskmaster and even moreso with the Don and his men. Van Lente’s created a solid, funny little series here with some nice twists, and this should appeal even to non-Taskmaster fans.

Thor for Asgard #3 (of 6)
Rodi, Bianchi, Silvestri, Peruzzi
[Marvel]

A growing trend at Marvel at the moment is Thor limited series. We’ve got Mighty Avenger, we had the Power Pack’s Thor and the Warriors Four, First Thunder and a number of others. Thor for Asgard is one of the better ones, mostly because of Bianchi’s art, but Rodi’s story is compelling too. The book is released under the Marvel Knights imprint, which I had thought was dead, but apparently not. The plot of the book deals with Thor being unable to wield Mjolnir and doubting himself as ruler of Asgard with many challenges, such as impending mortality for all Asgardians, ahead of him. The art is incredible, and the panelling is a big feature in the book, with irregular and refreshing page layouts. A must for Thor readers.

Pilot Season Crosshair
Silvestri, Katz, Jefferson, Terragona, Atiyeh
[Image/Top Cow]

Pilot Season is a series of one-shot comics from Top Cow that will get voted on and one will get some sort of ongoing or mini-series. Velocity, a book Adam is currently following, was a Pilot Season winner. The latest season presents a book that I couldn’t avoid, Crosshair. A really interesting concept pulled off with some awesome action, this is an all-around good book that I would follow in an instant were it an ongoing series. The book follows Justin Weller, an ex-special forces assassin whose suburban life is suddenly turned upside-down by his old unit, and his conditioning to kill the President within 48 hours is triggered and he has to try to stop himself while searching for answers about the attack on his family. Jefferson’s pencils pack the book with action, but I think the colours are a little too vivid for a book of this nature, which I imagine as something bleaker (something more in-line with Silvestri and Sunny Gho’s amazing cover). This is a book built for lovers of tv shows like 24, and just action movies in general. Get on it, seriously, and vote for it in Pilot Season.

Freedom Fighters #2
Palmiotti, Gray, Moore, Scott
[DC Comics]

Palmiotti and Gray have struck gold. Not only do they have a fan-favourite team, with the badass Uncle Sam at the helm, but they’ve also worked the story into an Americana mystery which is unlike anything else on the market. This issue opens with an origin for the Renegades shown at the end of issue one, and the idea of shamans as old-world Native American ‘super-heroes’ is clever and really cool. The dialogue is a little clunky, with all the characters expositing and narrating their actions, and they all seem to refer to each other by full codenames, which is a bit grating (I can sort of understand with Phantom Lady, but hearing everyone always say ‘Human Bomb’ really detracts from the realism). The art is some of the best from my haul this week, with the pencils and inks really working well. Overall, this is a fairly different superhero book and one which I wholeheartedly recommend.

Red Hood: The Lost Days #5 (of 6)
Winick, Haun, Reber
[DC Comics]

Now this is the issue I’ve been waiting for. While Winick’s book has been a fairly average read so far, this issue lifts Jason Todd up to where he should be. We finally get to see some of Jason’s snarky side with lots of sly comments, as well as delving deeper into the core of this vigilante. In his mind, he’s not the bad guy, and we can clearly see he’s trying to help (after all, he’s stopping explosives from going off in London), he’s just a little more on the extreme side than his old mentor Batman. When we see the Red Hood in Gotham, he’s always the bad guy, because he’s being compared to Batman and Robin, but here in his own title he has the chance to take down criminals in his own way and it all works. The issue is filled with action as Jason races against the timed explosives and fights against the Russian mob. And I’ll admit, Haun’s art hasn’t hooked me, but in this issue I really appreciated what he was doing with it and I’d be a real jerk to try to fault it. With this issue, the book has, in my mind, fulfilled the hopes I’d had for the whole series and justifies my purchases. Get the trade.

Batman Hidden Treasures
Marz, Wrightson, Nowlan, Sinclair, Wein
[DC Comics]

I think it’s worth mentioning Adam’s reaction when he saw this, which was ‘that’s not a comic’. And he’s pretty much right. The book is composed of a prose story by Ron Marz with full page illustrations to go along with it. Not something everyone’s going to be interested in. However, the art really is great and the format is enough to make this one stand out. Marz’ story is interesting enough, mostly through the narrative voice he’s employed, making this seem like a sort of ghost story someone’s telling about Batman fighting Solomon Grundy. Overall it’s rather cool, but not going to be everyone’s thing. The book also includes Len Wein’s ‘Night of the Bat’ which was a Batman/Swamp Thing crossover.

-Brad

Darkwing Duck #4
Brill, Silvani

This is the only BOOM! book I’m picking up at the moment, and to be honest, I don’t actually have the issue yet because of distribution differences. However I have read half of this book and from that, it’s another hilarious issue…OF DOOM. We get to see what’s inside the box, engage with Taurus a bit more and see an awesome two-page spread with the Fearsome Five (sans Negaduck) and Darkwing teaming up under the battlecry of ‘Let’s Get Dangerous!’. You can sort of tell from this 4-issue arc that the book was intended to be a limited series and not an ongoing, simply by how many characters appear, especially the large cast of villains, but in and of itself the arc is very clever, very attractive, very fun and very, very faithful. It will be interesting to see how the book unfolds as it enters it’s second arc, lovingly entitled ‘Crisis on Infinite Darkwings’.

Skullkickers #1
Zubkavich, Stevens, Huang, Coats

A book which surprisingly took a bit of hunting down for me, it made for a very slow debut. The plot involves a couple of, at the moment, unnamed mercenaries, a tall bald human and an axe-wielding dwarf (is there any other kind?) and basically reads like your standard fantasy story with lots of fighting and even a fat werewolf. The interactions between the two characters are fun though, and the art definitely sells the book, being very sharp and vibrant. In addition, even though there were two pencillers who did half the book each, I didn’t notice any differences so I’m impressed on that front.  From what’s happened so far it’s a hard book to judge, but I definitely feel it’s worth the $2.99 cover price.

The Flash #5
Johns, Manapul, Buccellato

Okay simply put, if there is only one title you pick up each month, make it this one. The story isn’t too heavy, it’s enjoyable and the sort of light-hearted fare you’d expect from the Flash, and not something that comes across from many other comics these days (Spider-Man sort of used to, but the big black spot that is One More Day ruins it). The current storyline returns Barry Allen to Central City only to find a time travelling police force wanting to arrest him for a crime he hasn’t yet committed. It’s also a tie-in with Brightest Day, and this issue  gives Captain Boomerang (one of the characters revived by the white light, along with Zoom who hasn’t shown up yet) a bit of the limelight. But the real reason for buying this book? Francis Manapul’s art is gorgeous.

Thor #615
Fraction, Ferry, Hollingsworth

To accompany the numerous Thor minis I’m buying, I decided to jump on board with the writing changeover of the core title to Matt Fraction. First off, I have to mention that there are a number of ads condensed into only a couple of pages right near the start, and when ads turn up later in the book they’re in clumps too. I guess this decision was made mostly to allow longer, more impressive passages without any interruption, but unfortunately the sections with the ads feel awkward because of it, although the initial few pages would have felt just as awkward without it, seeing as they are so similar in appearance. The plot follows the aftermath of Siege, with Asgard having fallen on Earth, and the arrival of a new enemy in space-time conqueror Uthana Thoth, as well as quickly presenting the idea of something else moving in on Asgard’s former realm. One pretty cool thing from this issue was Thor talking with Donald Blake and the whole conversation was well-structured and interesting. My only complaint about art is that Thor’s head looks kinda funny, and other than that the art is more or less solid and easy on the eyes. And also I really dig the reds on Thor’s cape. The introductions of characters and the way the plot is handled is perfect for new readers, as well as continuing plot threads that older readers are more familiar with.

The Spirit #6
Hine, Moritat, Bautista

You know what, I don’t even want to review this. If you were going to follow this series you’d have picked it up at issue 1, and honestly I doubt I can recommend it unless you’re either familiar with the Spirit or a big fan of pulp heroes. There’s nothing wrong with the book, it’s just nothing remotely special.

-Brad