Justice League #1: 52 Thoughts on the First Book of the New 52!

It's finally here! As of today, DC's The New 52 begins with the release of Justice League #1 from Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. So here I am wondering what I'll do with this since everybody else on the internet already seems to have read this issue and reviewed it already. Instead, I'm going to reread it and post up 52 things I find interesting about this issue. Let's get to it!

1: It's already been said that this takes place in the early days of the DCU, so it's kind of cool to see this series beginning with Batman getting chased down by the GCPD.

2: The second page is a nice big splash page. Almost makes me want to go reread Batman: Hush. Keyword there: almost.

3: Thought I'd get a better look at the details of Batman's new threads here. Outside of the bat gauntlets, no dice.

4: While I'm on the topic of Batman's costume, I'm kind of steamed that they got rid of the Batman Incorporated costume so quickly. I was really enjoying that look. It feels like it's been squandered.

4: There we go; a nicer look at Batman's new costume! It looks a bit similar to the Arkham Asylum costume.

5: Also, holy crap, batman's got tiny little rockets in his glove. Nice.

6: Bwoof is an odd sound for a helicopter to make.

7: First time I read this, I thought that was Killer Croc in the cloak.

8: Yes Batman, fire your grappling hook through his calf muscle!

9: Bwoooooooshhhhhhh is probably an appropriate sound for whatever this thing is to make.

10: Look out Batman, it's a robot!

11: Suddenly, Hal Jordan! With the Fire Truck! On the Rooftop!

12: This scene would be infinitely cooler if this were Killer Croc and Hal was throwing a green rock at him.

13: It'd be a pretty big rock...

14: Hal is surprised that Batman's real. Yep. The space cop thought Batman couldn't be real.

15: Also, Hal's shoulder pads look dumb.

16: You'd think the cops would know better than to fire at a someone in glowing green spandex with a magic space ring. Not that they'd know it's a space ring...

17: Looks like this is gonna be a Batman and Hal team-up issue.

16: Seriously, we just got through a Flash and Batman team-up in Flashpoint. Has Geoff Johns been watching a lot of Batman: The Brave and the Bold lately?

15: It also almost makes me want to reread All-Star Batman and Robin because Batman and Hal meeting was the basis of the single best issue of that series. Keyword there: almost.

16: Uh-oh, the robot isn't quite dead.

17: Man, no wonder Gotham cops are so corrupt; they don't have a great track record with staying alive, so they might as well make as much as possible why they live.

18: Dammit, it's "CRASH" not "KRASH"!

19: And the robot gets away as by turning into a spider looking thingy.

20: Okay Hal, just shut up. That's not what a transformer looks like and that's not what a dog looks like. Your track record with describing things is terrible. Remember Larfleeze? You called him Gonzo when he clearly looked like Alf. How are you this dumb?

21: And now Batman's mocking Hal. Stupid Hal.

22: Y'know, on the one hand, nice to see that Hal's helping out, but on the other, leave some of those fires to the fire fighters. That's their JOB.

23: Actually, can green lantern construct water to take out the fire? Does that mean there's going to be green construct puddles after all of this?

24: "...Green Lanten can handle anything." Geez Hal. Ego much?

25: Batman has a power Hal. It's called endless wealth. Also, he's Batman.

26: Oh look, a NEW 52 checklist. I'm seriously only buying about 1/4 of these books at best.

27: Just like ASBAR, Batman totally stole Hal's power ring. Now Hal's angry.

28: And they found the "dog" it looks like it's vomiting kirby dots.

29: Oh look, the "dog" is fusing a box to a wall. huh.

30: "For Darkseid!" Hmmmm? I wonder what THAT could mean.

31: And the "dog" blew itself up, probably because Hal called it a dog.

32: Darkseid: a band, a death cry, or an evil space god? YOU DECIDE!

33: Yes, this box must be related to Superman! I mean, they're both from space, right?

34: Batman: "Let's be careful around Superman. He seems pretty dangerous." Hal: "Pfft, screw that! I'm the Green Lantern!" Yep. This is gonna end poorly.

35: Meanwhile, at a Highscool football game... wait, what?

36: Oh, right. Cyborg's origin story. He's really good at foot ball.

37: Aw, his dad didn't show up to the game. Nothing is sadder than an athlete looking to see that reserved seat empty.

38: And everyone wants a piece of Vic Stone. In fact, the only way for him to not make it into college is if he ends up getting turned into a crime fighting cyborg. Oh, wait...

39: "Hustle, Hit, Never it!" Varsity tag?

40: Poor Vic just wants his dad to see him win the big game.

41: Also, why the hell is he using a payphone? Is this set back far enough that cellphones weren't widespread yet?

42: Also, what the hell Vic's dad? Your kid's future as a pro is at stake and you can't take off for one night to sit down and help him figure out which college to sign him up with? You suck at being a parent.

43: "Man, Look at him, Vic's got it made." Yeah, what with the neglectful father, not even showing up to his game or taking the time to help him sort out his future.

44: It's a bird! No it's a plane! Wait, yes. It's a plane!

45: Man, Green Lantern really sucks at being inconspicuous.

46: "Well, you can't fly..." Yes, Hal. You have a point. I mean, it's not like a guy who can afford an impressive costume like that would have the money for his own jet or anything.

47: Oh hey, they're at a Lexcorp building and there's a hole in the side. It's either Superman or one of the countless monsters that Lex Luthor keeps making to kill Superman.

48: "I can handle this!" PUNCH! THOOM!

49: Hey, it's Superman! And he's looking and acting really cocky. Oh boy.

50: And the issue is over! Next issue: Batman vs. Superman!

51: Not a bad issue, really, but not something I'm gonna come back to month after month. It's decompressed to the level of a Bendis Avengers book. I'll wait for the trade to read more.

52: Oh hey, bonus art! Man, the Green Lantern outfit looks worse here. Superman, on the other hand, looks much better. Those red gauntlets add a lot of needed red to the outfit and the cape attaching directly to the big S-shield is pretty cool. The final product is pretty lame in comparison. Aquaman isn't too shabby, either.

And, that's it! 52 thoughts for the first of the New 52! Not sure if I'm going to do this every week, but I thought it'd be an interesting thing to do instead of just a straight up review. Like I said, the issue isn't bad at all, but if every issue is this decompressed, then I'll stick to the trades. Still, I am looking forward to Batman, Action Comics, All-Star Western, and Blue Beetle. Hopefully the good titles get to stick around.

Comics I Like: 8/03/2011

From the depths of the internet, it's COMICS I LIKE! August is here and that means we're reaching the end of the Summer. It also means we're a month away from the DC Relaunch. This week, we've got comics, comics, and more comics. We also have some manga! So let's get started:

DC/Marvel/Liscensed

Batman: Knight of Vengeance #3

Writer: Brian Azarello

Artist: Eduardo Risso

Batman: Knight of Vengeance has been quite the wild ride. This alternate reality tale where (spoilers)Bruce Wayne died and Thomas and Martha Wayne ended up as Batman and the Joker is a truly tragic tale. Watching the flashback to young Bruce's death is a real heart breaker. Watching the Waynes slowly lose themselves in their attempts to cope with their son's death is crushing. All of it comes down to a final, devastating confrontation where nobody walks out okay. This team of Azarello and Risso have crafted a truly amazing take on this mythos that stands so well on it's own. As good as Flashpoint itself has been so far, this comic by itself stands leagues above it and goes above and beyond what my expectations for this event and all of it's tie in stories.

Secret Six #36

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: J. Califiore

Colorist: John Kalisz

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Just like Batman: Knight of Vengeance, Secret Six was an ending that made me sad. Over the last three years, this has been hands down one of my favorite team books coming out of DC. As the story draws to a close, we find the Secret Six aiming to take down Batman by attacking and killing members of his "family". We're also treated to 3 small vignettes between, each summing up well how the members have grown over time. Each one sums up nicely the growth this team has gone through over the run of this series: Scandal Savage has found herself some happiness and Catman, Deadshot, Ragdoll have a particularly touching moment where they come to terms with what it means to be friends. Perhaps the best moment is the group realizing that they're at the end of the rope. Their last stand, along with Huntress' little monologue, is a great way to end this book. And it really sums up what I've loved about this book: Sure, these characters aren't heroes, but they are people and most of all, they're friends. Thank you, Gail Simone, wherever you are. This was a really fun ride while it lasted.

Venom #5

Writer: Rick Remender

Aritsts: Tony Moore and Tom Fowler

Inker: Crimelab Studios

Colorist: John Rauch

Letterer: VC's Joe Carmanga

Okay, this one's actually from last week, but still, Venom #5 is my first foray into this title from Mr. Rick Remender and it's got me sold on this series. This issue, we find our hero (Flash Thompson, Spider-Man's high school bully and the current recipient of the Venom Symbiote) actually not doing much work as Venom. He takes out some weird fly person at the beginning of the issue, but for the most part, this is a story about Flash Thompson's relationship with his dad, which is an abusive one. Reading this one tore at my heartstrings, and if you've ever had a loved one who was addicted to substance abuse, it'll resonate with you too. Reading about how Flash's life was affected by his father's alcoholism and just what he went through in his attempts to earn the love and respect of a man who didn't seem to keen on giving it is crushing. It's a harsh issue and by the time it's over, I don't see how anyone won't feel a little choked up reading it. (What is it with me and heart breaking comics this week?)

Amazing Spider-Man #666

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Stefano Caselli

Colorist: Marte Garcia

Letterer: VC's Joe Carmanga

Enough of this sad stuff; let's get to some good ol' fashioned comic book fun. If that's what you want, look no further than Amazing Spider-Man. Issue #666 is the Prelude to the Spider Island event, where New York comes down with a case of Spider Power fever. This issue is comprised of small scenes showing off just how awesome Peter's life is lately. There's a great mix of the Peter Parker and Spider-Man parts of Pete's life here, so there's not too much of one half. this is a nice little issue that gives us one last little breath before the storm that's about to take us through to November begins. Dan Slott's run has been nice so far, but this is the first big test as this is the first major story arc we'll really have. This will also be the last time I talk about this book on the blog until Spider Island ends. I want to see how it plays out entirely before I really voice my opinion of the entire story.

Hulk #38

Writer: Jeff Parker

Artist: Elena Casagrande

Colorists: Bettie Breitweiser and Jim Charalampidis

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Forget the Blob: nothing can stop Jeff Parker's run on the Hulk. Not even a mediocre event like Fear Itself can slow this series down. Yes, this is yet another great issue in Mr. Parker's great run on this series. This issue, we've got the Red Hulk getting his butt kicked around the the Hammer possessed Thing and MODOK and new Hulk baddie Zero/one teaming up together to kill Nazis. Not once does this event tie-in issue slow down because of it's association with Fear Itself. This is a plot that just keeps on soldiering along, even if it has to acknowledge that something big is happening across the Marvel Universe. So I salute you, Mr. Jeff Parker; not only are you writing two amazing books, but you're doing so despite the fact that they're being tied into one of those pesky event books.

Indie/Creator Owned

Criminal: The Last of the Innocent #2

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Okay, so this one isn't from this week, but if you're not reading Criminal: The Last of the Innocent, then you're just really bad at comics. Yes, the creator owned series from the team of Ed Brudaker and Sean Phillips is back and I've decided to take the dive and give the series a shot. This series follows the tale of a man who wants to kill his wife so that he can get out of his marriage while still remaining rich. This is a really great tale of what drives a man to kill and it's fascinating to watch the depths of underhanded, mean things that are accomplished. Mixed into it all is flashbacks done in the style of old Archie, but with much more vulgarity mixed in. And just when you think you're done with the issue, unless you've been reading this series for a while now, you'll find yourself surprised to learn that each and ever issue features a fascinating little essay in the back. So for the price of one comic, you're getting a great comic and a great essay. Why haven't you purchased this one yet?

Manga

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Vol. 1

Writer: Kenji Kuroda

Artist: Kazuo Maekawa

Translators: Alethea and Athena Nibley

Letterer: North Market Street Graphics

One of my favorite Nintendo DS games is Capcom's Ace Attorney series. Sadly, the latest title in the series might not get distributed in North America, which really sucks. Still, I managed to find a bright side this week, as I came across this at my local comic shop this week. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, from Kodansha comics is just the fix I need, providing new stories set in the world of the games. It even follows the formula of a game in the series. Every case has twists and turns in it, each a little more complex than the last. Also like the games, the first case in this manga features poor old Winston Payne as the prosecutor who just can't seem to build a solid argument. Another great things about this book is the art.

Artist Kazuo Maekawa does a fantastic job of making this comic look incredibly close to the art in the games. She even does a great job of working well with the tiny details in images. One great example in the first case is a very important detail in a cellphone image that ends up proving the defendants innocence. This is exactly the kind of thing you'd find in the games themselves, and this team of writer and artist really did a great job of crafting a story that fits in perfectly with the games. Another nice part of this comics is a section that gives some translation notes: it's nice to see the translators explaining that Japanese and English aren't perfectly compatible and explaining who and why they made some of the changes they made. There is one part of this manga that left me scratching my head: the Honorifics Explained section is nice and all, but it's unnecessary when this thing doesn't even keep the honorifics in the dialog (which again, runs true with the games).

Overall, this is a great book and belongs on the shelf of any fan of the Ace Attorney series. Even if you haven't played the games yet, give this one a shot; you may like what you read. (You might also be interested in previous manga releases "Ace Attorney: The Phoenix Wright Files" and "Ace Attorney: The Miles Edgeworth Files").

That's it for this week (and some of last week) in comics. Come back for some more reviews next week and maybe even a few more surprises (like me posting at all!) I've been watching a lot of Doctor Who lately, so I think I'm going to post up a big ol' review of the first three seasons. I've also got to get back to posting Webcomics I Like; I've really been slacking off on those. Enjoy your weekend!

Comics I Like: Procrastination Edition!

Hey, look at the time! It's REVIEWING TIME! Sorry for procrastinating on these so much lately, I've really been getting distracted by my 3DS. Between replaying Super Mario 64DS and Cave Story and finally playing Ocarina of Time (I'm ashamed to admit that it's taken me this long to play this game), watching Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (Which I will do a large review of when I'm all caught up) and Doctor Who (not so much reviewing this one, but I am loving it), I've distracted myself a little too much to do these little reviews. Still, here I am, with a bunch of comics I've been reading. I'm even dipping into non-creator owned stuff with this post! So let's get to it.

INDIE COMICS

The Goon #34

Writer and Artist: Eric Powell

It's been quite a while since the last issue of The Goon came out, so it's really nice to have this series back. This issue, Powell tackles the Twilight phenomenon in one of the best introductions to a comic I've ever read. He really does a great job of satirizing the Twilight style vampires and even provides us with a cover that I'd love to have on a T-Shirt.

But, oh, Twilight is only the beginning, as the Goon decides that it's time to take the fight to the source itself: tween girls. Yes, for too long we've had to sit by and watch these young lasses flood the airwaves with terrible things like Twilight, the Jonas Brothers, and dozens of other terrible, horrible forms of entertainment that no one should ever be forced to endure. Powell tackles this subject with his usual style of crude humor and he does so very well. If you haven't been reading The Goon, give this issue a chance. You won't be disappointed.

Verdict: BUY IT

RASL #11

Writing and Art: Jeff Smith

Much like The Goon, it's been a little bit since the last issue of RASL hit. Unlike The Goon, this isn't a one-and-done story. Still, this is yet another solid chapter in Jeff Smith's latest book. This issue has a really neat, trippy sequence in it, too, as our hero finds himself disconnecting with reality as a result of his travels between alternate timelines. If you've been reading this series so far, then you'll really be intrigued by the big event of this issue.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend this issue to new readers. If you haven't been reading this one, put out the money for the large hardcovers or the paperback pocket edition. Otherwise, you'll really find yourself confused with what's going on. Still, I do recommend that you read this series, because RASL is such a good read. Don't miss out on it.

Verdict: BUY THE COLLECTED VOLUMES INSTEAD

American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest #2

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Sean Murphy

Colorist: Dave Stewart

Letterer: Pat Brosseau

I have a confession to make: I haven't been reading American Vampire. I'm ashamed of myself. It's got one of my favorite artists, Rafael Albuquerque, providing art that's finally getting him noticed and it's apparently an amazing read. So needless to say, I took this opportunity to get started on the series with American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest. This miniseries follows two of the characters from the main book as they go on a mission to take down Nazi Vampires before they can be unleashed onto the battle field. So we've got secret agents fighting Nazi Vampires using guns that fire wooden bullets? Awesome.

Sadly, regular series artist Rafael Albuquerque isn't providing art on this miniseries. Fortunately, Joe the Barbarian artist Sean Murphy is providing the art. Needless to say, said art is fantastic here. Heck, this may be a case where I pick up a series more for the art than for the writing. Considering how fantastic the writing is on this mini, that's really saying something.

Verdict: BUY IT

Marvel, DC, and Everything Else!

Sonic The Hedgehog #226

Writer: Ian Flynn

Artist: Patrick Spaziante and Tracy Yardley

Inker: Terry Austin

Colors: Matt Herms

Letterer: Matt Workman

First up on the Non-independently owned side of things is Sonic the Hedgehog, a comic that I'm actually jumping back onto. This issue is the first part of the Sonic: Genesis story line, in which writer Ian Flynn hits the reset button and sends the story back to the original Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis. Needless to say, this issue is one huge nostalgia trip as our hero traverses the Green Hill and Marble Zones. Long time fans won't lose too much, as Freedom Fighters Sally, Antoine, and Rotor join him in his adventures. The story is light and fun, which is great because fans old and young alike will find themselves enjoying this one.

Perhaps the strongest element of this comic is the art, which is great. Spaz and the other artists really do a great job of bringing the classic games to life, bringing back some of the classic designs. This works especially well with Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik himself, who is back to his orignal design. Every page is like a window into my childhood, where I spent hours in front of my Sega Genesis playing old Sonic games.

If you're looking for a nice piece of 90's nostalgia, give Sonic the Hedgehog a shot.

Verdict: BUY IT

Batman: Knight of Vengeance #2

Writer: Brian Azzarello

Artist: Eduardo Risso

Of all the Flashpoint tie-ins out there, I'm only reading two different series. Of those series, Batman: Knight of Vengeance is far and away the better of the two. In fact, I'll go as far as to say that this is the best event tie-in series I've ever read. The story revolves around the Flashpoint timeline Batman as he searches for the Joker, who has kidnapped the children of Harvey Dent. The big twist of the issue is just who the Joker is, though I actually saw it coming by the time I was halfway through the issue. Still, just the way they reveal the Joker's identity and just what the Joker does at the end of the issue is powerful enough that it still pays off.

Mr. Azzarello really does a fantastic job weaving this story of a darker, older Batman and the fact that it's Thomas Wayne who fights to avenge Bruce's death makes this twisted image all the more intriguing. I think what I love most about this story is that you could actually remove the Flashpoint banner as this could stand alone as an Elseworlds' title. You don't need to know why this world is the way it is and you don't need to know that this Batman is helping Barry Allen fix this dark reflection of the DC universe. All you need to know is that this is Thomas Wayne a man who lost his family that night, who now fights crime as the Batman.

Verdict: BUY IT

Amazing Spider-Man #665

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Ryan Stegman

Inker: Michael Babinski

Colorist: John Rauch

Letterer: VC's Joe Carmagna

Finally, we have Amazing Spider-Man #665, the final issue before we start huge Spider Island storyline. This issue focuses on how Pete's new chapter in life affecting his tradition of taking in crappy movies with his good friend and former love interest Betty Brant. Sadly, Pete's new job and his membership in the Future Foundation and the Avengers, on top of his regular Spider-Man duties keep him from taking part in their favorite passtime. So when Betty decides to take in a movie she really wants to see by herself in a bad part of town and ends up getting mugged and seriously injured, Spider-Man goes on the hunt. Add in some touching moments in the main story and the back up and you get and this issue isn't too shabby.

Still, this isn't the strongest issue of ASM, and considering how close we are to Spider-Island, that really makes this issue stand out even less. It's still a good issue, just not a very strong one. That being said, the art in this issue is great. From that lovely cover up there (easily my favorite cover of the week) to the lovely interiors, this is a pleasure to look at.

Verdict: BUY IT

So that's it for now. I'll be back Thursday or Friday with a few of my favorite issues from this week, too. I'll also be back within the next two weeks with my thoughts on the first season of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. For now, however, I'm going to go get some sleep.

The DC Comics Reset: Thoughts.

Okay, so the rumors have been confirmed: starting in September, DC comics is resetting 52 books back to #1 and is doing some slight rebooting. Unfortunately, we don't know much for sure right now and rumors are flying around like nobody's business. Be it The New York Times, G4, Bleeding Cool News, or even DC Comic's own forums, everyone seems to be talking about all of this.

So what do I think about all of this? Honestly, while I'm a bit excited and a bit worried, I honestly don't know what to think. I also think that everyone losing their heads over this renumbering and rebooting is overreacting. Why? Because I keep hearing how "DC is ruining everything" from Grant Morrison's run on Batman to just about everything else being printed. They think Jaime Reyes and other great, newer characters are disappearing. But what do we know so far? We know that a) DC is renumbering 52 comics in September b) there will be some costume redesigns by Jim Lee and c) the first title in this reboot will be Justice League by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. Outside of those 3 things, it's all been speculation and anonymous sources, which aren't the most reliable sources.

Okay, so we know that the Justice League is getting a new most likely getting a reset origin. Everyone in that image is pretty young looking and many reports have quotes indicating that this is the case. But what about Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman? Wonder Woman just got a rebooted origin. Geoff Johns himself just got finished with Superman Secret Origin last year. And what of Batman Inc. and Batman and Robin? Grant Morrison seems to have plans in motion and Damian Wayne has finally started coming into his own. Are we done with all of that at the end of the summer? And let's now forget that Blackest Night and Brightest Day both just brought a handful of characters back to life and into new territory. And we already know that DC plans to keep characters like Jaime Reyes and the new Batwoman around and in fact want to try and diversify their line-up of heroes a little more.

So the only conclusion I can see as plausible is this: DC isn't wiping the slate completely clean. There's too much going on and too much still being planned for them to just up and do away with everything. Instead, I'm thinking that Flashpoint is going to end with Barry Allen having to fix the DC Universe, but unfortunately can't repair everything completely like before. Instead, he's forced to repair it all as best he can, which leads to whatever changes we get. For all I know I'm wrong on that completely, but I just don't see a total reset in order here.

As for why there resetting, the answer is obvious: they want new customers and more sales. Comic book companies need new blood reading their product and DC is trying something new to make that happen. This is even more obvious when you consider that they're pushing for day one releases of each of the 52 renumbered series. Comic shops aren't exactly the most lively places and some cities and towns don't even have any. Imagine how many potential customers there are with no access to the newest DC titles every week. That's who DC wants to attract.

Honestly though, outside of this, I don't think there's enough information to really gauge just how positive or negative a thing this is. We just found out about all of this yesterday and we've still got September solicits and San Diego Comicon coming our way, both of which should shed a little more light onto just what we should come to expect in terms of what DC is putting out. So for now, I think everyone just needs to take a breath, step away from the computer for a bit, and calm down. This isn't the end of the world and who knows, maybe we're about to see something really great coming out of DC.

Flashpoint #1 Review

This week marks the beginning of DC's Flashpoint event. Written by Geoff Johns and featuring art from Andy Kubert, this is a book that looks to do for the Flash what the Sinestro Corps War did for Green Lantern. And considering how crazy good and event the Sinestro Corps War was, this book has a lot to live up to.

Right off the bat, we're hurled into the situation with Barry Allen waking up to find that his world has been rocked. He's no longer got his powers, he's no longer married to Iris West, and oh yeah, Superman and the Justice League no longer exists. This is a world where Europe has been ravaged by a war between Atlantis and Themyscira. Aquaman and Wonder Woman are tyrants. Batman is a murderer. Captain Cold is Citizen Cold, hero of Central. This is not the world Barry knows. And it is this world and it's introduction in this issue that will have me coming back for Flashpoint #2.

This is a great issue because it does a great job of introducing us to this broken world. And this is a world I want to know about, because it's pretty exciting. Take the Batman of this world, for example, who for the most part is the focus character in this issue. In many ways he's the same dark, brooding protector of Gotham that we know and love. But then he tosses a criminal he's trying to interrogate off of a building after she refuses to tell him what he wants to know. He's a very darker, angrier Batman. I think the most intriguing thing about him is his identity; that is something you'll have to find out for yourself, but it's the thing that's got me the most excited about this version of the character.

It doesn't hurt that this issue Andy Kubert's art, either. It makes this issue look mighty fine. One moment in particular, the scene where Barry realizes that he's no longer the Flash, was particularly nice. The sequence of Barry falling down the steps was a great play on the usual Flash panels where you see him doing cool stuff while running. There's also the two page splash where Cyborg introduces the team he wants to assemble to battle Aquaman and Wonder Woman. It's a great ensemble of the characters in this book and while it isn't especially exciting, it is really good looking.

Still, I'm not completely sold on this series yet. We've been introduced to this awesome little world, but now we need to have something happen in that world. Barry Allen has a challenge to overcome and hopefully that ends up. But what worries me is that the lead up to this point, the Flashpoint Prelude from the main Flash book, was boring and drawn out much too long. It could have easily been told in one or two issues less than it was. That's the kind of drawn out, decompressed story telling that can kill an event outright. And Johns suffered that kind of problem with Blackest Night. Still, with only five issues to fill up I'm a little optimistic that this can work. Give Flashpoint #1 a shot; you won't regret it.

The Verdict: READ IT.

The Weekly Round-Up: 10/20/10

Hey there, anybody awesome enough to read this; it's time for the Weekly Round-Up! What's the Weekly Round-Up? It's where I get every comic I've read this week, pick out a few, and write a short review for each one because I'm too lazy to write up a full review for each individual comic! Now let's get started shall we?

This week saw the release of Kick-Ass 2 #1, the first chapter of the sequel to Mark Millar's crazy comic which got turned into one of my favorite movies from this year! This issue has us looking in on the current situations of both Kick-Ass and Hit Girl after the big finale from the first series. Kick-Ass is trying to step up his super hero game, which include getting training from Hit Girl as well as looking into joining a super hero team. Hit Girl, meanwhile, is trying to get back into living life with her mother and new step father, which means she might just have to give up her life as Hit Girl. Story wise, it's a slow start back, though it is a first issue so it's not like I was expecting anything huge to happen. Still, much like last book, we're given a small taste of what's to come towards the beginning of this issue and what's to come looks amazingly awesome. Mark Millar, you have me ready to buy issue two, so please don't let me down with this one! Art duties are still held by John Romita Jr. and I wouldn't have it any other way. The guy draws some great violence and he draws a pretty good showdown between Kick-Ass and some thugs. There's also a nice little thank you letter from Millar himself as well as a look at how one of the pages from this issue was made, which is always kind of cool to see. I'm still on the fence on whether or not I'm going to buy all of this volume in issues: if I'm going to be waiting 2 years for 6 issues again, I'll just wait for the collected version. But if you liked the first one and you want at least a taste of what's to come this time around, pick this issue up!

This week also so the release of Carnage #1 by Zeb Wells and Clayton Cain. That's right, Marvel decided that it was time to bring Carnage back! Okay, I know how horrible that sounds; I'm not a fan of the guy either, but I picked this issue up because it's being penned by Zeb Wells, the guy who wrote the fantastic "Shed" story in Amazing Spider-Man a few months back. If he can make the Lizard awesome again, I have no doubt he can make Carnage into something other than a crap relic of the 90's! So does this first issue have me sold on this series at all? I'm still not sure, myself. The dialog here is good enough, and it's not too bad a start, but this issue has heavy reference to Maximum Carnage, which I've never heard anything good about (except for the SNES game based on it; that was awesome). We've got the Spider-Man doppleganger showing up and Shriek even shows up towards the end. Spider-Man even recounts a small bit of what happened in Maximum Carnage and how Carnage has the ability to make people go crazy. Wells already visited something like this in "Shed", so to see him maybe bringing an element like this into another one of his stories so soon is a bit alarming. And at $4 an issue for a mini bringing back a character I'm not sure should even come back I really need to be sold before I can recommend this to anyone else. So if you're really looking to feed that itch for Carnage, give this one a look. For everyone else, give this a small skim through at the LCS. I'm probably coming back for issue two, but I'm not sure I'll be going much farther than that.

Speaking of characters I wasn't sold on getting redemption: Jeff Parker's Hulk #26 is out this week and the big red jerk is actually proving to be a really good read! We start right back where we left off last issue with Rulk and Iron Man facing off with the cyborg drones from last issue. That doesn't last too long, as Rulk gets that solved rather quickly. We also get to see Thor smack Rulk around for a bit before the two are sent off into space to stop two comets from crashing into earth and doing some serious damage. We've also got the A-Bomb back-up which isn't too shabby itself. Parker is doing a great job writing this series so far and I look forward to seeing where he's going next.

Meanwhile, over at DC, Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin continues this week, with the penultimate issue of Morrison's run seeing release this week. This issue starts us off with Robin kidnapped by the Joker, Batman captured by Hurt and his cronies, and Gotham on the brink of destruction thanks to Hurt's plan. This issue has Robin kicking some ass, Hurt almost taking the win, and a final page that has me excited to see where this final issue of the run is going to take us! Not to be out done by the writing, Frazier Irving does a magnificent job on the art duties in this issue; I may still miss the glorious styling of Frank Quietly, but with Irving around I think I can live. Hopefully next issue isn't delayed too long, because I'm ready for it already, as well as the final issue of "The Return of Bruce Wayne". Add on top of all that the promise of the upcoming Batman Incorporated, and I'm as giddy as a school girl!

Finally this week, we've got Darkwing Duck #5. This is the start of the book's second story arc, and is the perfect jumping on point for anyone who hasn't done so yet. Negaduck is back and he's looking to take Darkwing down. This time, however, he's teaming up with a powerful ally that Ducktales fans might recognize: Magica de Spell! Their plan: destroy Darkwing's reputation by hypnotizing various Darkwings from alternate worlds and having them wreak havoc! To say that I'm loving this book would be a huge understatement: this is the book I find myself looking forward to more than any! It's funny, it's well written, and it isn't afraid to be a comic book, and I love it for that. And on top of all that, this is a comic that can be entertaining while still being for both kids and adults. There's only a handful of comics that can say that and as far as I'm concerned, this is the best of them! If you're planning on picking up only one comic this week, this is the comic you should be buying! I know how much wank I'm writing for this title, but it deserves every last bit of that wank and it deserves every last bit of praise and money I can give it.

And that's if for the Weekly Round-Up! But before I go I do have one last thing to add: DC Comic Presents: Batman 100-Page Spectacular is out this week and it's got some fantastic Batman reprints from none other than Ed Brubaker. It's an $8 book, but it's damn good and if you've got the money to dish out for it, get it! It's awesome. I'm also going to write up a full review for Strange Tales 2 #1 at some point in the next two days, so look for that!

The Weekly Round-Up: 09/29/10

Another week, another stack of comics and this week had some really good comics! So let's get started with this week's first book

We'll start off with a book I didn't think I'd ever be reading: Hulk! Yes, the one with the big red guy. The one that had Jeph Loeb's name on it until very recently. Well, I decided to give Jeff Parker's run on the book a chance; the guy is doing well on Atlas and Thunderbolts, so I can't go wrong here, right? Well, it could, but luckily for me it didn't. The issue itself is a pretty good jumping on point; Rulk's now under the watch of Bruce Banner and Steve Rogers, so that means he's playing on the good guy's side, whether he wants to or not. Of course the real surprise here is the art, which I thought was going to be the delicious Ed McGuinness art on the cover (the cover actually states otherwise, but I'm an idiot.) At first that put me off a little; the art by Mr. Hardman is so much different from the McGuinness art, but after a few pages of comic I found that I actually love Mr. Hardman's stuff just as much. There's also an A-Bomb (and I will go on record by saying that that name is stupid and should go back to the 90's where it belongs) back-up, and a one page story featuring three different hulks. The (ugh) A-Bomb back-up is a fun little story, with nice cartoon-y art by Mark Robinson (writer is still Parker). The one-page hulk story is written by Audrey Loeb with Dario Brizuela on art, and that story will fit right in with those of you who love the mini-marvel stories. Overall, if you've been avoiding the Red Hulk like it was red tide, you might actually find yourself surprised with this one. Give it a shot!

Meanwhile, over at DC, Paul Cornell is tearing it up on Action Comics; his Lex Luthor story is getting more and more fun with each issue. This issue has the mortal enemy of Superman facing down one of the Flash's greatest foes, Gorilla Grodd and what a fight it is! Luthor pulls some impressive stunts and Grodd goes the Venom route and eats brains (FOR THEIR DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS KNOWLEDGE!). And the whole thing ends with a guest appearance that will knock your socks off! (...unless the internet already spoiled it for you.)Of course that's only 1/3 of the issue; there's also the start to what is looking to be one of the most unusual second features yet as Jimmy Olsen, Superman's pal gets his own stories told. No Superman here, though; this story is following the events in the life of Jimmy Olsen during Superman's time on New Krypton! Oh, and Chloe Sullivan from Smallville is in it. One of the few things I really enjoyed about Smallville up to the end was Chloe, so I was really happy to see her showing up here. Overall, this is a fantastic book and is easily one of the best things DC is putting out right now!

Amazing Spider-Man #644 continues the finale of "Brand New Day" with "Origin of Species part-3" and boy does it have some great moments. Spidey continues to face off a huge gauntlet (oh, hey, I see what I did there) of his greatest foes and he does so while protecting a baby! Favorite moments from this include: Spidey getting rid of the Rhino using logic, Spidey beating Mysterio with logic, and Spidey beating up Vulture and Freak with, you guessed it, clever decoys! Okay, that joke was bad, but this issue had some pretty good LOL moments, like Doctor Octopus' "Octo-tracers" and the Chamelion pulling one over on Spidey. With one more issue left in this story, Mark Waid continues to build the grand finale that Brand New Day deserves and I'm excited to see how it all ends.

And finally, Brian Michael Bendis' Powers continues in Powers #6. Bendis' fantastic little series about police officers dealing with super power related crime is a pretty good series, and this issue has flash backs, twists and turns, a dead god, and a last page that will have long-time readers doing a double take. If you aren't reading this series yet, this is a good issue to give it a shot with. If you are reading, then I don't have to tell you twice. If you're only reading this one in trade, then I'm not going to spoil much more than I already have.

Overall, while this is a light week for me, it's a pretty good week. I found a new book, and got three issues of books I'm already really enjoying. And I'm not done yet! I've got the final issue of Atlas and a Pilot Season one-shot from Top Cow to talk about later this week, but for now I've got a cold and I feel like being lazy for a bit!

The Weekly Round-Up: 09/22/10

Alrighty folks, if there's one thing I've learned from my summer of useless blogging, it's this; I like doing multiple review in one post. Let's face it; I don't review much outside of the stuff I'm already reading. I may occasionally pick up something new, but that only happens every once in a blue moon. Meanwhile I want to talk about what I'm reading and what I'm reading is stuff I've talked about at length multiple times. And since (a) piracy is wrong and (b) I'm not getting any review copies, it seems I'm just stuck writing about the same things over and over. Now then, ONTO THE WANK!

So first up this week is the book that should be the main Justice League book, Justice League: Generation Lost. First off, let's talk about that cover. Goddamn is that a sexy cover. If I ever saw that cover at a bar, I'd buy it a drink and then I'd try to hit on it, only to fail and end up back at home in a puddle of shame. That's how sexy this cover is. If I have one gripe with this cover it's that it's more misleading than the first Bleach Opening-a-majig. Batman appears in this long enough to give us a hint at just how powerful Max's trick is working. It's actually one of the cooler parts of the issue.

As far as the rest of the story in this issue goes: pretty standard. We get the team figuring out what they're going to do next (hunt down all of Max's little bases to see what they can find) and we see what Max is up to (tricking Magog into working for him). Still, there are three really cool moments in this issue: a nice moment between Fire and Ice, the already mentioned scene with Batman, where he and Power Girl show us just how powerful Max's world wide mindfudgery can be, and the final page, which has the appearance of an awesome group of characters that I'm not spoiling for you. Honestly, if you aren't reading this book right now, then you should be, because it's freaking awesome.

Meanwhile, back in Marvel Land, Jonathan Hickman is tearing it up on the Fantastic Four. And this time, he's got STEVE EPTING on art duty, as we start up "Three" which promises to kill one of the FF. Now before I get to what I liked, I do have to say that I'm disappointed in Hickman for doing the whole "Someone dies" story: not only is this a tired cliché, but it's the hook to a story that Mark Millar did on his run on FF, which was the run before this. Still, that being said, this isn't bad for a tired cliché story that the previous writer already covered. We've got a great little scene between Valeria and Doctor Doom, we've got the FF doing their fantastical thing and fighting against fantastical baddies, and we've got hints of something happening involving Doom, Reed, and third guy that I have yet to recognize hooked up to some weird machine. It's all over the place, yet I had no time following what was happening save that part with the weird machine. And much like Justice League, this issue closes with an "OH S#!%" moment, which got me really excited for what's next.

Art wise, Steve Epting is off to a nice start, with the high point being that last page. His art is definitely a big factor in the crazy awesomeness of the last page and his art is just all around good. I look forward to next issue, which will have Ben Grimm de-Thinging, which promises to be heartwarming. (I can't even tell if I'm being sarcastic here)

And while I didn't bother to scan their covers, the Ultimate Universe got it's monthly dose of Bendis with the release of both "Ultimate Mystery #3" and "Ultimate (Comics) Spider-Man #14". Ultimate Mystery continues to be a pretty great Spider-Woman and Fantastic Four tale. We get to see the new Ultimate FF smack down the Ultimate Nova, while Jessica continues her infiltration of Roxxon. We also finally get to meet the guy behind the attacks from Ultimate Enemy, and if it is who I think it is, then holy crap Bendis really pulled one over on me. Still, I can't advise anyone to buy this in issues, because this is just gonna read better in trade. But definitely pick it up in trade, because this is pretty awesome.

Meanwhile, Ultimate Spider-man ends "Tainted Love" and what an ending it is. The (boy)Chameleon faces off against Johnny Storm and Iceman in a fight that does nothing but satisfy. The Creepy Chameleon sibs end up getting their comeuppance, which involves one of the coolest displays of the human torch powers that I've ever seen. Still, the status quo of the Ultimate Spider-man story is once again shaken and it looks like Pete's gonna be single again. Oh, and did I mention that David Lafuente is a beast, because he is.

Finally we've got The Flash #5, which may or may not feature a typo: the chapter title reads "Dastardly Death of the Rogues Part Four", though I do believe this story started in issue #1, which would make this part 5. Again, it may not be, but I'm too lazy to look this type of thing up.

The issue itself is pretty good, with The Rogues and the Renegades facing off over who gets the Flash. There are some really cool Rogues moments here, like Mirror Master escaping an attack from the Flash by hiding in the little wings on his cowl and the reveal of what is hidden in Scudders giant "Break In Case of Flash" mirror. There's also twist I actually did not see coming and it's a big one. And for those of you who either listen to Tom vs. the Flash or are familiar with silver age Flash, there's a reference to the fact that time cops are always dicks who only care about their era.

Much like Lafuente, Francis Manapul is owning the art in this book. While we don't get any huge awesome Flash sequences where we get to see the Flash doing his thing, we do get a full page spread of the Rogues and Renegades fighting, there's the sequence with the Flash getting trapped in Scudder's big trap, and an awesome page where we get to see the Weather Wizard show off his weather wizardry! This may not be the best book DC is putting out at the moment, but it certainly is the best looking book they're putting out right now. (Joe the Barbarian is a very close second!)

Tomorrow (maybe!): I take a look at Thor #615 as I do a THORSDAY REVIEW OF THOR-Y GOODNESS of the first issue of Matt Fraction's run on the book! And (maybe!) then I'll talk about Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet, by two of my favorite Brians: Brian Clevinger and Brian Churilla!

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #1: Hells Yeah, Guy Gardner!

Guy Gardner is probably my favorite of the Green Lanterns. From his days in the JLI to his current status quo as one of the more bad-ass Green Lanterns, the man has always managed pique my interest and keep me glued to the page to see whatever it is that he's up to. So naturally, when I found out that Guy would be the focus character of his own Green Lantern book (with Kilowog as his partner, no less) and that one Peter J. Tomasi was heading up the writing duties, I knew that if I only read one Green Lantern book, this would be the one.

This issue gets us started off with exactly the kind of thing I want from a book like this; Guy Gardner chasing a space truck through space on a construct motorcycle and then immediately proceeding to kick ass and take names. Great way to start off the first issue of a Guy Gardner comic! And then we immediately go into our regularly scheduled first issue; setting up our plot and the various threads that will be weaved within it. Is it bad? No. Is it boring? Again, no. But there isn't much happening yet, though what we are getting to see is pretty interesting enough that I'm definitely sticking with this one for at least another issue. My only real problem here is the lack of Kilowog in this issue, but it looks like that will be rectified in the next issue.

In terms of art, this is pretty standard. Nothing special, but not at all bad. There's really not much else to say about it other than that. Though I will note that that is an awesome cover. And I actually like the art here a lot more than what we get in the interior of the comic. Hopefully all the covers are this awesome.

So there we have it, a decent first issue; I'll definitely be coming back for more, but I'm still not entirely sold yet (though I'm going to say it's a safe bet that I'll be sticking on this one for the long run!) And with a next issue promise of "Poozer Hunting" I'm going to say it's a safe bet that Kilowog will be in the next issue.

The Gauntlet 2: Reviewapalooza aka Oops I forgot to review...

Hey there, tiny reader base! I'm angry at myself for slacking off lately, so to make it up here comes "The Gauntlet"!

Red Robin #15 might just be the best book I've read this week, with the third chapter of "The Hit List" being perhaps my favorite issue of this story yet. The issue deals with Tim trying to keep the secret identities of the entire Bat-family secret (as Vicki Vale seems to have figured it all out), and he does so by tricking the public into thinking that Tim Drake has been shot and that Red Robin has stopped the assassin who tried to get the kill, Scarab. Fabian Nicieza has been doing a bang up job on this book since he took over for Chris Yost and I look forward to this new status quo for Tim making for some interesting stories for the immediate future. Marcus To also does a great job on this book, where he draws what might be the cutest damn Miss Martian ever. Jump on this one if you haven't already, because it's damn good.

Secret Six, while not the other contender for best book this week, was awesome. This issue takes place almost like an Esleworlds story, with the Six being re-imagined into the Wild West, with a surprise appearance of Slade Wilson, also re-imagined for the setting. Gail Simone has yet to disappoint with this book and if you aren't reading this book yet, pick this issue up because it's a great point to start on.

Meanwhile, over at Marvel, Jonathan Hickman continues to do a bang-up job with every and anything he's writing there. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (my other choice for best book this week) is out this week and it gives us a new way to look at Nostradamus and another of history's greatest minds that I won't name, because you should be reading this. This is the kind of book that I've wanted from mr. Hickman when it came out that he would be working with Marvel and I am so glad that it's not disappointing. As a nice little bonus we get an awesome little transcript of the conversation between Pope Gregory XIII and Galileo about Galactus which is pretty awesome to read. This is just an all around fantastic book.

Speaking of Fantastic, last week gave us another of Hickman's current Marvel books, Fantastic Four. This issue has us looking back on Reed and Ben in college, where they went to school with Victor Von Doom, and then we get to see Reed's father appear right out of the pages of Hickman's S.H.I.E.L.D., looking for help to fight off his doppelganger from another reality. This is a nice little issue, with the best part being Reed having to suck up his pride and ask Doom for help which Doom does with the aid of his large assortment of weapons (because Doom had Doomsday devices in college, too). Neil Edwards does a decent job on pencils here, though I'm counting down the issues until Epting takes over (583 cannot get here soon enough!). If you're reading S.H.I.E.L.D., then this will be an interesting issue for you, and if not buy it anyway.

Hellboy: The Storm continues to be an awesome follow-up to the last mini, and it continues to be a book everyone should be reading. Hellboy continues his journey across Europe and he continues to face off against the various beasts and demons that get in his way. We're building towards something huge and I'm excited to see what it is. Duncan Fegredo also continues to provide amazing art for this book, giving us art that looks like Mignola's without feeling too forced, and I love it for that reason. If you aren't reading this book than do yourself a favor and get started on those trades and then slap yourself for not jumping on this thing already.

Finally, we have Doomwar which ends this week which goes out on a decent bang. We end with everyone showing up for one final showdown with Doom who now controls all of the Vibranium in the world, which means he has his claws in just about everything. Everything looks like it's going to end in Doom's favor and that we'll have to put up with an overlord Doom status quo (which actually sounds awesome), but then T'Challa hits us with a huge bomb that will actually have an impact as he brings in a huge change in status quo for himself and the entire country of Wakanda. If you're a huge fan of Doctor Doom or Black Panther than this is the book you need to be reading, though at this point you should wait for the trade.

So there it is, six reviews to make up for a few weeks of inactivity. Each of these books is something you should be reading. I'll probably be back before Wednesday with a big RASL review, so look for that when it hits!

Booster Gold #35 and Justice League: Generation Lost: It's a Good Time to Be a Booster Gold Fan!

About Six months ago, if you had asked me whether or not I'd be sticking on the Booster Gold book for the next year, I'd have told you that I was actually planning to drop the title very soon. Well today, I'm actually reading two different comics where Booster Gold plays a major role and both of those comics happen to be some of the best stuff I'm reading from DC at the moment. Yes, Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Judd Winnick are helping to make me remember why I love Booster so damn much with Booster Gold and Justice League: Generation Lost.

Booster Gold itself is a blast to read lately. It's got just the right balance of joke-y-ness and heart that it brings Booster back to his glory days of the JLI, yet it doesn't just forget the last four years of major developing that the character has gone through. This issue is no different as we get a good old fashioned Blue and Gold adventure thanks to the magic of Booster's time traveling abilities. Oh, and Big Barda and Mr. Miracle are there, too. Seriously, time travel is the best plot device ever.

Still, I really want to see some more of Booster interacting with Rani, the Daxamite girl our hero saved from Darkseid's forces at the start of this run; not only am I intrigued with the idea of Booster as a dad, but Rani's just a fun character in general. Last issue's best moments came thanks to her and "Boppy" Rip Hunter and this issue we get to see some tidbits of her bonding with Booster's sister Michelle. I'm dying to see her and Booster interact more because she and Booster had some of the best moments of the first issue in this run and I feel that there's more to be had here.

Meanwhile, our other book with Booster Gold is Justice League: Generation Lost. This is more a JLI book than a Booster Gold book, but this issue in particular focuses in on our golden boy quite a bit. It's this issue that seems to solidify him as the leader of this group, which is a development that I think fits right in with what Booster's been building up to in the last few years.

Of course we also get some great moments with the rest of the team; seeing Jaime written this well has me excited to be reading the character again, since the only other option outside of back issues is Teen Titans, which is like calling a dip in a septic tank an alternative to bathing. Then there's the new Rocket Red who's just a fun character to read; an admitted Russian hypocrite who want to be with the Justice League despite his anti-western beliefs and Fire plays the perfect straight man for him. Then there's Ice and Captain Atom, who both have a great moment together towards the end of the book.

Finally there's Max, who makes a damn good villain in this book. He's the bad guy who truly believes he's doing the right thing, and he's a real jerk about it, too. I hate him so damn much and it's for all the right reasons. I could explain what makes him so great, but the cover above this paragraph does it so much better. That smug, classy bastard!

Both books have nice art that fit their respective tones perfectly, thanks to Giffen and Chris Batista on Booster Gold, and Aaron Lopresti on Generation Lost. The beginning and end of Booster are a bit wonky looking, but not so much that I hate it. In fact it's that quirky kind of good that I love. It's different and unconventional enough that people are probably going to hate it, but just offbeat enough for me.

Overall, as the title says, it's a good time to be a Booster Gold fan. His own solo title is everything I love about the character and Justice League: Generation Lost is hands down the best Justice League book AND the best Brightest Day book out there. If you aren't reading either of these books, hop on now!

Superman #701 - It's Never Super in Philadelphia

So let's face it; the prologue to this story sucked. I really haven't read many Superman comics in my time, though, and I figured this was a better time then ever to jump on. So, here I go jumping onto Superman with issue #701 with part one of "Grounded". Well, I chose and issue that takes place in my own back yard, Philadelphia, PA. Maybe I chose right?

Right off the bat I have a problem with this issue; the very first caption in the book reads "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The South Side". Maybe I'm being a bit too picky, but this just bothers me to no end. It's not called the "South Side" of Philadelphia, it's called "South Philadelphia" or if you'd like "South Philly". Hell, anybody who's ever watched The Fresh Prince would be able to figure this out; "West Philadelphia, born and raised"! So if the West is called West Philadelphia, the South is called...?

And on another note, the neighborhood Superman is walking through looks more like a nicer part of Northeast Philly than it does South Philly; there's too much greenery and there are absolutely not enough row homes for that to be South Philly. In fact, a quick bit of research would show you that the street depicted isn't even South Philly, it's part of University City, which is A NEIGHBORHOOD IN WEST PHILADELPHIA. JMS and Eddy Barrows, you guys are killing me. Still, they managed to get a few things right; the Diner is exactly like the kinds you'll find in Philly and the Drug dealers the very same. Though I wish I had Kryptonite gauntlets so I could deck Superman (or JMS) in the jaw for using the term "Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich". It's just a "Cheese Steak", dammit!

This issue's biggest crime is that it's boring; Superman is just wandering Philly, gets lunch at a diner, and then decides to take care of the local drug dealers in the neighborhood(edit: almost forgot; he leaves a small child as his messanger to tell the dealers that he wants them out of the 'hood. Good work there Supes!) . He ends his day by talking a suicide jumper out of jumping, because we never get that in a Superman comic, and he ends the issue wandering off to the next city. Really this is like a Superman version of the scene in Forrest Gump where Forrest goes running across America, except Forrest Gump is awesome and this comic sucks.

Anyway, this issue is a walloping disappointment. The cover is really nice, but outside of that this is one boring issue. Don't bother spending the $3 on the price tag because it just isn't worth it. Stick with JMS's Brave and the Bold stuff and maybe his Wonder Woman, but this first issue of his Superman is just bad.

Fastball Special: Secrect Six #23

Welcome folks, to Fastball Special! Much like this explanation, these are reviews that are short and straight to the point.

Secret Six #23 is a perfect taste of what you might expect from this series; great writing, good old fashioned violence, and awesome dialogue. The art is fantastic, too. Overall, if you haven't jumped on yet, read this issue, if you have jumped on, this is still great. You will not regret it!

Brightest Day #5: This may be it for me!

There comes a time where you find yourself getting fed up with a story that's taking too long to do anything and you just can't take anymore. Well, I've gotten to that point with Brightest Day, the latest is DC's year long event books. I think this may be the point where I check out, folks!

The problem with this series isn't that it's necessarily bad; in fact, I prefer a good chunk of the stories in here. But I just can't stand this awful Hawkman/Hawkgirl story line. It's boring, time consuming, and overall just drains out the enthusiasm I have for the rest of this book. I just can't bring myself to care for these characters and I hate this book for trying to make me do so.

Still, the Aquaman and Deadman stories are actually pretty interesting. Outside of the hilariously relevant "Aquaman tries to stop the BP fiasco" moment in this issue, the Aquaman sections of this book really have me interested. The Deadman story is still good, too. Unfortunately they're simply the side dishes on the plate of steaming crap that is the Hawks. They may look delicious, but there's still a steaming pile of crap there to ruin it all.

Overall I find myself reluctant to even give this book one more shot; Martian Manhunter is the subject of the next issue though, so I find myself conflicted on the subject.

Night and Day: Action Comics #890 and The Flash #3

Alrighty folks, time for a two-fer review on this fine Saturday night. Since they both feature something I want to talk about in length after and they both allowed be to use a cliched title, I'm going to review both Action Comics #890 and The Flash #3!

We get things started with Action Comics, which I immediately want to note the distinct banner on the cover. This isn't a Brightest Day book, no this is a Blackest Night Aftermath book, which is what I thought Brightest Day was, but I guess not.

This is a book I've been excited for because this is the time when Action Comics begins following the adventures of Lex Luthor and his quest to regain the powers he had come into during Blackest Night. Yes, he's looking for the power rings, but not the ones you might think he'd be looking for the Black Lantern rings. Why he would want them, I don't know, but he's doing everything in his power to find them. On a disturbing note, Lex has what appears to be a Lois Lane android, which is just plain creepy, though I'd also gamble that it's a sexbot, which is awesome. The issue ends with a twist I did not see coming and boy am I excited to see what's coming next.

Meanwhile, back under the Brightest Day banner, we've got the Flash #3. This new Flash title is something that I'm finding myself fall in love with more and more each issue, if only because Francis Manapul is a beast. His departure from Adventure comics was the first factor to bring me down the path of dropping that title and his name showing up in the solicits for this title was one of the factors that had me itching to pick this book up.

This issue starts us up with Captain Boomerang discovering that he's got a new ability tied into his black lantern revival, before we go back to where the last issue left off. Barry's DNA is showing up on the forensics tests and Forrest thinks Barry has become sloppy, taking the opportunity to chastise him. From here we see Barry and Iris meeting for coffee, which is quickly interrupted by the Renegades, who give chase to Barry.

This leads to a few really cool sequences with Barry using his speed to save Iris and put on his costume. Good to see Manapul and Johns doing this awesome stuff here, though we don't get any sequences as awesome as the Flash dismantling the car and putting the building together that we got in the first two issues; those were awesome. We close the issue with Captain Boomerang showing up to show off his new powers and I'm excited for the next issue.

Overall, both of these are good single issues, but I find both have a common element that I'm feeling conflicted about; the black lantern rings aren't as gone as we think. In Action Comics we have Lex searching for the rings and building a map that may just lead him to finding what he needs to get one for himself. In Flash, we've for Captain Boomerangs new power. So it seems we're not quite done with the Blackest Night stuff just yet and I'm torn on how I feel about this. On the one hand, I was done with Blackest Night 3/4 of the way through the event itself. It was one event book that I'm just glad to be done with. On the other, DC's books have been doing some interesting things with all this. We've got Captain Boomerang's powers, Max Lord seems to be effected with it, and even Firestorm and Aquaman are having side effects of being Black Lanterns who got revived.

Honestly, as long as DC doesn't drag this out too long (though we've got about another 10 months of this so I won't hold my breath), I'll be cool with all this. As things stand right now, I'm intrigued.