Final Comic Book Wednesday

Welcome to the final installment of...

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #33

Yep, you read that right. After this issue, I'll be unable to continue my weekly blog. It's been a blast writing about the books I read here, and I think it's actually increased my enjoyment of those comics. I've been working as a Screenwriting teacher at Five Towns College, and my workload has increased threefold this semester... and I think it's time to focus all of my writing attention on - well, you know, my writing. I'll still write about comics, and I'll even post reviews, but I definitely can't do it on a weekly basis any more.

So alas... let's get to it!

Thankfully, this was a good week. Angel & Faith, TMNT, and JLD all delivered fantastic reads, and even the books that didn't totally impress me weren't quite bad.

Angel & Faith #6

Daddy Issues - Part One

Written by Christos Gage

Art by Rebekah Isaacs

Dark Horse Comics

It makes sense that the best installment of Angel & Faith thus far has the best cover. Steve Morris' cover, featuring a younger Giles emerging from a Russian doll-version of Giles as we know him... it's perfect. It's perfect because it intrigues and mystifies while also accurately representing the inside story. It also functioned to tease the fandom a bit, as it was released before we got a chance to read A&F #4, which many fans thought to be the climax of the "Angel resurrects Giles" arc. However, it wasn't, and Christos Gage is telling that slowburn story over the course of the whole twenty-five issue series. What this cover did was make the fandom wonder if Giles was going to be brought back successfully as Ripper - which is a great idea, but Gage has something else in mind.

Angel, while still obsessed with the idea of bringing Giles back, continues his mission of using Giles' Watcher's Diary as a yellow pages of the supernatural. He goes after a Lophrage demon, a mosquito lookin' mamajama who we're introduced to in a kickass flashback to Giles' time in Watchers Academy. The show, because of obvious age issues, never gave us a look at the teenage, pre-Ripper Giles... but now, in this comic, all those old impossibilities are nothing but memories. Along with the rest of his senior class, Giles has an encounter with this horrifying Lophrage demon, which serves to give Angel a new mission as well as to shed some light on why Giles became Ripper in the first place.

Faith is kept busy, investigating a vampire named Mother Superior. Faith's story is still very tied to Nadira, who is about as fun to read as Rona was to watch in Season Seven, but at least the Slayer Juniors get very little page time here. As Angel brings Faith on board with his Lophrage hunt, it becomes clear quickly that the elusive Mother Superior is involved with the demon in some way. I'm just going to go ahead and spoil the reveal at the end, because... well, anyone who has seen the covers knows, and really - anyone that knows Drusilla knew it would be her as soon as the name "Mother Superior" was mentioned. What other vamp who would warrant a reveal would choose such a name?

The real reveal, though, is that Drusilla is sane. This intrigues me a lot, because the optimist in me thinks that this may be Christos Gage attempting to tie his stories into IDW's work on Angel and Spike, considering Drusilla's sanity (and the fragility of it) was a major, major aspect of Brian Lynch's final Spike arc. On the other hand, I can see Drusilla using the Lophrage demon to steal other people's sanity - but there's enough speculation on the boards. From where I stand, it was the best issue of the series so far. I love how we're playing with the motif of fathers (Angel - Drusilla, Giles - his father, and Faith - her father... who we meet in this issue as well), which solidifies my hope that this series isn't just throwing Angel and Faith together for the hell of it. This series is about something, and I'm very, very engaged.

The most awesome aspect of the book, though, is Rebekah Isaac's artwork. Her characters are the perfect marriage of stylization and capturing likenesses. The action moves nicely, the small character moments really sing, and it has a dark, consistent tone that elevates this book quite a bit. I may like the lightness and the wordplay in the Buffy: Season Nine book slightly better than the story Gage is telling, but Isaacs' art just makes this one the winner. That might be, though, because BtVS:9 is such a vast improvement over BtVS:8, which Angel & Faith has just been really consistently good.

I hope this title continues to grow, but it really has everything right. I hope that the one-shots and the comedic stories are a bit better going forward, but Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs knock the arcs out of the park.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6

Story by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz

Written by Tom Waltz

Art by Dan Duncan

IDW Publishing

I originally tweeted that this was the best of IDW's ongoing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, but I'm going to amend that... it's the best since the first issue. And don't think I'm trying to turn this issue into Pluto, but I just went back and reread all of the issues, and that first one is really the perfect comic book. This one continues the story in an incredibly exciting way, continuing to blend the original gritty comic with the pizza-celebrating cartoon, creating a book that all generations of fans can embrace.

In this one, shit begins to hit the fan. It's revealed that Baxter Stockman hired Old Hob to bring down the turtles, and this uneasy alliance makes for great reading. It leads to the awesome reveal at the end of the issue which reintroduces the MOUSERS to the TMNT-verse, but the best think about the Hob/Stockman team-up is the humor. My favorite scene in the comic:

HOB: Holy...

STOCKMAN: Impressive, aren't they? We've been developing them as part of a program to locate and destroy I.E.D.s on the battlefield.

HOB: I.E.D.s?

STOCKMAN: Improved Explosive Devices.

HOB: ...

STOCKMAN: A booby trap that goes boom.

HOB: Ah. Gotcha.

All of the plotlines from the previous issues continue here. Casey Jones meets up with April O'Neil, the turtles and Splinter continue to talk about and debate their presumed reincarnation, and the Foot Soldiers brew up some trouble. It's all building toward something big, and I can't wait to see what the ongoing and Brian Lynch's two remaining microseries bring.

Aquaman #5

Lost

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Ivan Reis

DC Comics

I liked this. I liked it a lot better than JL#5. It's about as "written for trade" as JL, but the thing about this book is that it's a hell of a lot stronger than JL, so the overall effect is a bit less damning. It's a quick read, but the narrative device of throwing Aquaman into the desert and then showing us how he got there by alternating from the desert to the past is strong.

The current arc is leading to a major storyline having to do with Atlantis, and I'm very much looking forward to it. I like Aquaman as this likable, badass, overlooked hero. I like that the events of the previous arc are still bothering him. I like that the new mystery is still attached to the events of "The Trench" storyline, giving this book a cohesive "big picture" feel. I like a lot of things about this book and I think that, in good time, I may even love it. This issue doesn't do much to make Aquaman climb to the top of my pull list, but I'm consistently enjoying it.

Justice League Dark #5

In the Dark finale: There Was a Crooked Man

Written by Peter Milligan

Art by Mikel Janin

DC Comics

And the first arc of one of my favorite New 52 books comes to a close. It's a satisfying, if not perfect, ending that leaves me wondering where the hell Milligan's going to take the story. The dark tone that makes this series such a creepy read permeates this issue especially, so there is no happy ending for June Moone... but it's not heart-crushingly dark either. At the end of the issue, our team of characters isn't a team at all. Hell, they don't want to see each other, and I don't blame them. Milligan is cooking up some nastiness for them in each issue, and none of these people are true heroes. They lack the moral fiber of Superman and his kind, but some of them still try to be heroes... which leads them to clash. A lot.

One minor complaint was that Constantine was a bit too much of a jerk here. I know he is no longer the man who wants to save the world that we first ran into in Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, but he's a bit... well, he's sort of like Spike in the finale of the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For those of you that don't worship at the altar of Whedon, that means that Constantine claims to only be interested in saving the world because he is on the world. The Constantine I've read has lost a lot, but isn't selfish enough that he only values his own safety. Maybe it's just him being a hardass and I'm reading too literally, but that was a bit jarring for me.

The art is perfect. Mikel Janin's work is perfect for this book, and I hope he's in it for the longrun. He is perfect for this book and certainly vice-versa.

I know some folks have lost patience with the slow-boil narrative, but this is one of the most consistently enjoyable books in my pull list. I can't wait to see what fate has in store for these poor bastards next.

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Thanks for reading. I'm going to keep updating this blog, so hang around. I've got a lot more to say.

Review Round-up

I've been slacking on the reviews, so here's a big round-up of the last few weeks of comic book goodness.

IDW Publishing

- Memorial #1

Chris Roberson's new creator owned series was one of my most anticipated reads of this month. iZombie, his Vertigo series, is one of the best books on stands, so I was expecting this book to deliver... big time. It delivered, sure, but I'm not as hooked as I expected to be. I'm certainly going to buy the trade (or, knowing IDW, the big beautiful hardcover), but I'm not convinced that this book is going to keep me coming back on a monthly basis for the floppies. I love Roberson's writing and I want to see him keep putting out great material, so I'm reserving judgement of this series until the second issue.

- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5

Last issue, Raph was reunited with his brothers, and this issue spends a lot of time showing how these four are going to function as a unit. However, the most interesting aspect reveals why these Teenage Mutant Turtles are... well, Ninjas. We get a surprisingly intense flashback to Feudal Japan that reveals the four turtles, Splinter, and even Shredder were reincarnated from past lives. The series ends with a sweet, very Christmassy moment that shows Splinter giving all four turtles their own (differently colored) mask, while also giving an in-text reason for the wearing of the red. It simultaneously embraces the original comics and the cartoon, and that is, I think, the best route to take this comic. Loving it.

- Ghostbusters #4

So, about loving things. The first storyline comes to a climatic conclusion in this issue. While some fans have complained about this being a retread of the first movie, what this series has been doing is developing and expanding upon the mythology that made the first flick as awesome as it was. The quippy dialogue and tone are all present here, but Dapper Dan is given the chance to really flex his penciller muscles for the action scenes. So, so good.

DC Comics

- Batman #4

Scott Snyder's Batman continues to be the best superhero book on the market. The mystery of the Court of Owls deepens. Bruce is put at odds with Dick and, seemingly, everyone else in his life as he continues his war against this mysterious group (and sleep). With 2011 coming to a close, I can now say that this is easily the best of the New 52. As a side note, though, I'd like more of an idea of where Damian is through all of this, as he is very present (and rightfully so) in every moment of the Batman & Robin series.

- Batgirl #4

Opening with a terrifying image of Batgirl once again bound to a chair, this comic doesn't let up. While I'm still not sold on Mirror's hokey M.O., no matter how nicely it ties into Barbara's character arc, this issue is bursting at the seams with character moments. Sweet, smart, and loaded with kick-ass action, the fourth issue of Batgirl proves to be another solid installment.

- Batman & Robin #4

The slow boil of this series really, really intrigues me. While I'm getting tired of the repeated image of Damian killing little creatures to show how disturbed he is, the visuals here are almost always great. There's a wonderful scene where Damian visits the Waynes' graves just to tell them how much of a stubborn ass their son is. The villain named Nobody (fan of classical literature, maybe?) is interesting as hell, and has a very theme-centric M.O. that, unlike that of Mirror's, completely works. So interested to see where this is going.

- Nightwing #4

Higgins takes a break from the main story arc and follows up on the Batgirl/Nightwing crossover from last month's issue of Batgirl. They have a fun dynamic, but the exchanges between the characters don't sing the way they do when penned by Gail Simone. This comic has been mostly fun to read, but I think it's time to drop the monthly and wait for the trade.

- Birds of Prey #4

Continuously the biggest surprise of the New 52. The characters are great, the action is great, the plot is great, the writing is great, and the tone is... you get the point. Beat for beat, this is second only to Snyder's Batman in the DCnU... and this is the best issue yet. I have questions about Batgirl's sudden desire to play in the BoP sandbox, what with her stance in #1, but I'm surely sticking around for the longrun to see all of my questions answered. Oh, and Starling needs her own series, stat.

- Justice League #4

The decompression has gotten completely out of control. The last five pages consist of two double page spreads and a full page reveal... but each image accomplishes the same effect. It's done either to take up page space or to give the comic a cinematic feel, the latter of which is a good idea, but it just doesn't work. While the action in the comic is decent, none of these issues aside from #3 have lived up to what a Justice League comic should be. Hell, the story is so flimsy that it doesn't live up to what a comic focusing on any of the given JL heroes should be. If you're looking for a good example of why Geoff Johns is one of the best writers in comics, a game of "anywhere but here" might be in order. Aquaman is great, Green Lantern is great... but this is just twenty one pages a month of unfulfilled potential.

- Green Lantern #4

Really, really solid. In Geoff Johns' hands, Sinestro is one of the most complex characters in superhero comics. He's beginning to give off a bit of a Severus Snape vibe, what with his loyalties split and his spoiled morality challenged, and I can't wait to see what Johns is going to do with him in the longrun. It seems that he's keeping both Hal and Sinestro as Lanterns, which has the potential to be a fantastic team. If #1-4 are evidence of what is to come, this book will no squander that potential.

- Supergirl #4

It's a lot better than last month, but... I just can't bring myself to care very much. The art is great and the writing is competent, but we're not given enough of Kara as a character to care much about what she's going through. There is way too much focus on Tycho as a villain so early on, and it's taking page time away from the development of Supergirl herself. She's my favorite character in the old DCU, so I'm in it for the long run, but this book has sadly fallen to the very bottom of my pull list.

Wonder Woman #4

Devastating and epic. That's mostly what this book is. There's a club scene with Wonder Woman and Strife trying to let off some steam, but we spend so much time with other people talking about what Wonder Woman is doing and with Strife being creepy that we really don't get the chance to see what Wonder Woman is doing in this club. Is she trying to distract herself? Is it working? I love the idea of her letting off steam, but I'd rather see how she does it than to see others reacting to her doing it. That may've come out wrong. Anyway, the stuff back of Paradise Island is horrific and shocking, and easily overcomes the flaws inherent in the presentation of other scenes. This is a really slick book, and I'll be sticking with it as long as Azzarello is on it.

- The Ray #1

This is a fun new series from the writers who made Power Girl awesome. The writing is bright, cheery, and quirky... and then pitch black dark by the end. It's a strange, strange read, but I'll be back to see where two of my favorite creators take this new hero.

Dark Horse

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine #4

This is everything that a finale to a first arc of a comic book "season" should be. It finishes the story while building on the overarching plot of the season, it's emotional without being too much too soon, it gives new characters page time without taking away from the established/oldies but goodies, it ends with a twist that doesn't come off as shock value for shock value's sake, it's funny, it's true to the show that it's continuing, and it's just very, very good. I'm really digging Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs' work on Angel & Faith, but Buffy: Season Nine is just completely nailing it on the writerly front. Now, if only we could get Isaacs on this title...

APE Entertainment

-Helldorado #1

I won this through a really strange Facebook contest. The APE Facebook page posted that the first five people to call a certain editor would be given a free comic. I called, talked to the dude (nice guy) who was surprised that anyone saw that, and was subsequently shipped this comic. It's a western kung-fu horror that is surprisingly readable. It takes a few pages longer than necessary to really get going, but the book banks on the likability of the characters. And then, it kills them as all hell breaks the fuck loose. It's a horrific book with enough blood to have the names Ennis or Millar attached, so I'd encourage fans of good ol' blood splatterin' horror to pick this one up.

Wonder Woman #3 review, Aquaman #3 review, Justice League Dark #3 review, and more

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #28

So, getting a preview for Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray’s The Ray miniseries in the back of this week’s DC comics was pretty cool. The preview has that snappy dialogue that made the Palmiotti/Gray run on Power Girl so awesome, and the origin story is pretty damn cool. If you don’t feel like picking up a new book, I’d suggest not reading these pages… because it’s some good stuff.

However, maybe you’ll drop a book or two from your pull list after checking out this week’s reviews. Let’s just say… not all is well in Central City.

But first, let's get to a book that I didn't get the chance to review last week...

Wonder Woman #3

Clay

Written by Brian Azzarello

Art by Cliff Chiang

DC Comics

Now that is some damn good comic bookin’.

Wonder Woman and all of the Amazons are reeling from the reveal that our heroine was not, in fact, made out of clay but instead a child of the god of adultery himself… Mister Zeus. The issue deals with a lot of the fallout, including Queen Hippolyta’s explanation of the affair that lead to Diana’s birth as well as why she made up the “I made her out of clay” lie, dissent amongst the Amazons, and a harsh but interesting decision from Wonder Woman.

So, how’s it going over there, Giant Elephant in the Room. It’s about time that I addressed you, eh? You’ve been patient.

This whole “Wonder Woman is Zeus’s daughter” thing is a giant, giant retcon. One of the biggest of the New 52, not counting the series like Supergirl which (sadly) re-started from absolutely scratch. It’s especially glaring because Brian Azzarello said that this will be a “soft reboot.” Well… he wasn’t lying. While this reveal is a game changer, this issue strives to make this new information work with what happened in the past. And you know what? I buy it. It’s believable, it’s done with grace, and it sets up interesting drama for a series I never really had much interest in until now. Longtime fans may be pissed off, but hey… I’m reading this book from month to month, and I never really thought that would happen.

Brian Azzarello seems to be setting up quite the epic with this title, which certainly makes sense considering. I can’t wait to see where he takes this because, if the first three issues are any indication, it’s going to be a twisty and turny ride.

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Now, for this week's books:

Aquaman #3

The Trench – Part Three

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Ivan Reis

DC Comics

In the most readable issue of Geoff Johns’s Aquaman yet, we finally get some insight into the strange monsters that are functioning as the villains of this arc. Really, though, by the end of this issue, they seem to be a bit more macguffiny than strictly villainous, as their motivation ties into Aquaman’s character arc and pushes Aquaman and Mera to descend into the watery depths to do some invessergatin’. I’m glad that these creatures are finally interesting, because until this issue, the series had some cool character moments with a mostly dull plot. This series, which after reading this issue I am almost sure will read better in trade, is picking up in a big way.

Justice League Dark #3

In the Dark – Part Three: Shibboleths and Alcohol

Written by Peter Milligan

Art by Mikel Janin

DC Comics

Man, this is easily the most underrated comic of the New 52. Packed with inspired scenes (a magicial… erm, union between Constantine and Zatanna; Deadman possessing June Moon just as she’s jumping to her death, using his acrobatic skills to save her; and the various JLD players coming together in interesting ways), this book remains completely unpredictable. It’s all coming together in a slow boil narrative that I have seen a lot of reviewers take issue with. I like it, though, because we’re getting a lot of story for the three dollars that this series costs… it’s just weaving a bit of a more complicated story than your average superhero book.

Justice League Dark, with relentlessly awesome scripts from Milligan and fabulous artwork from Mikel Janin, gets my recommendation.

The Flash #3

Lights Out

Story by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato

Art by Francis Manapul

DC Comics

I want to cry a little bit.

Before the relaunch, The Flash was one of my favorite comics. I feel for Barry Allen, who isn’t just a dude with badass powers… he’s a bit of a tragic figure, both because of his history and because of the nature of his abilities. However, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that the Barry Allen we’re following in this book could really be… well, just some guy. Nothing stands out about him. There is nothing to develop his character – all of the focus is on his powers. All of it. It’s such a waste of a great character.

What this comic is, however, is a great art book. The artists (who are also writing the thing… DC is doing that a lot now) are brilliant, especially when they’re cooking up the strange panelization that is quickly becoming a trademark of this book. It’s all beautiful to look at. The plot, however, to put it mildly, is not at all interesting. I found myself skimming toward the end, not even slightly immersed in the story. And considering how great the pre-DCnU The Flash was, that is a shame.

Superman #3

A Cold Day in Hell

Script and breakdowns by George Perez

Pencils by Nicola Scott

DC Comics

I’m pleased to be ending on a somewhat positive note – this book was way better this month. While it’s a bit weird that George Perez, as an artist, doesn’t know when to cut with the narration and let the action tell the story, I found the unrelenting monologue to be less annoying this time around. It’s put to good use, especially in the opening scene, where Clark visits the graves of the Kents.

The character stuff is cool, as is the “is Superman beneficial or detrimental to Metropolis” questions (though, I’d argue that all of this has already been done quite a bit more effectively by Chris Roberson just a few months ago), but the plot with the alien villains isn’t going anywhere. Three issues in, and Superman (and the audience) is still as in the dark as the first issue. All in all, we’re getting a serviceable Superman story that has moments of greatness mixed in with a whole lot of “pretty good.” I’m not dropping it any time soon, but I am itching to see what a different creative team will bring to this book after George Perez’s arc wraps up.

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NEXT WEEK: Angel & Faith #4 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4.

REVIEWS: Batman #3, Supergirl #3, Ghostbusters #3, Morning Glories #14, House of Night #1, Birds of Prey #3, Justice League #3 and more

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #27

Before we kick things off, I'd like to direct folks to a post I wrote earlier this week. I shared an encounter I had with a young comics fan that gave me a bit of hope for this industry. Also, now I kind of want to read the Archie Sonic comics.

Well, I've been planning on doing that anyway, because a good friend of mine just announced that he'll be penning a story in an upcoming issue. The man in quesiton (Scott Tipton, who wrote a hell of a lot of excellent stories for IDW's Angel and Star Trek line) also has a book out this week. It's an Angel comic from IDW - which is a bit of a bittersweet thing. While Dark Horse has the license, IDW is still allowed to reproduce material that has already been published. Scott Tipton's Angel: Portraits is a 100 Page Spectacular in the vein of this years Angel and Spike 100 pager. This offers more than those, however, in that it gives us some new material. Scott interviews each of the artists in here, and the book reprints covers that failed to appear in the hardcover collections (something I know a lot of fans took issue with). This is the most beautiful comic you'll find on the shelf this week, and while I wish it were released in the hardcover format in which it was originally solicited, this is still one of the best books IDW has put out. Jenny Frison, who is for my money the best cover artist to work within the Buffyverse, deservedly gets the spotlight here, but longtime IDW artists David Messina, Elena Casagrade, Stephen Mooney, Franco Urru, John Byrne, and Nick Runge get lots of love as well.

Buy that. It's the best eight dollars you'll spend.

Now, let's get to some reviews.

Batman #3

The Thirteenth Hour

Written by Scott Snyder

Pencils by Greg Capulo

DC Comics

When I talk about Scott Snyder's Batman, I always worry about veering into hyperbole. I mean, when I took notes on the issue after the review, I came up with this:

- Amazing mystery

- Dichotomy of text to art is fabulous - almost at an Alan Moore level

- Consistently the best DC title

Thing is, all of that is true. And more. Synder approaches his Batman story with such attention to detail. A lot of folks comment on how good writing reads as if it was done effortlessly... but this absolutely doesn't. The strength of the theme and how each scene and each passage of dialogue serves to further the mystery as well as the character journeys makes it clear that this book was slaved over. Writing this good doesn't come easily, and Snyder's effort pays off tenfold.

I've been told that I should do more plot recap in reviews, and maybe I should. This time, though, I'll let the other reviews do that, because what interests me most about this series isn't the plot at all - but the ideas, characters, and intrigue behind it all. This isn't just a comic that I like. It's a story that matters to me. It's one of those rare books that I like so much that, when I read a review that I don't like (or as I pretentiously think, that just "doesn't get it"), I get a bit peeved. That's a bit of comic book fanboy sensibility, which I doubt ever wears off judging by the behavior of some of even the most famed professionals, but it's also a bit of testament to how much this book works. For some, it doesn't at all. For me, it matters to me as both a fan and a writer who wants to be this damn good.

Supergirl #3

Memento

Written by Michael Green & Mike Kohnson

Art by Mahmud Asrar & Dave McCaig

DC Comics

I feel like this book is going to be different every month. In September, it was hyper decompressed and didn't offer nearly enough plot to latch onto. In October, it was a hell of a lot better, and set up Kara as a sympathetic yet strong character. Now... well, this month was just sort of weird. It's back to the decompression, in that this issue was really just a recap of Kara's fight with Superman and her confusion over what he's saying about Krypton, and then one scene of the new Big Bad testing her with some of her monstrous creations.

The meat of the issue is definitely with the new Baddie, Simon Tycho. He's a young, rich dude who floats over Earth in his craft, checking out the whole "incoming alien" situation whenever that happens. He's all evil and maniacal, and the scenes where he lures Supergirl on board his "home" and proceeds to pit his monsters against her to test her powers show that DC was serious when they made Hunger Games comparisons. This book is definitely going for that. If it succeeds is a question I'll ask myself in the coming months. See, The Hunger Games had a lot of set-up and background that made readers connect to characters before putting them in danger. All in all, the amount of plot in issues 1-3 of Supergirl would be less than a chapter of that book. This comic, while consistently readable and beautiful in the art department (though this month it isn't nearly as sharp or stunning), seems to lack a story arc. There are just events happening, strung together by... well, not by much at all.

I'm looking forward to getting more character moments and an actual arc. I'd never drop a Supergirl book, especially one with art this good, but I definitely need more from my monthly dose of Kara.

Morning Glories #14

Written by Nick Spencer

Art by Joe Eisma

Image Comics

Wow, Morning Glories just won't suck.

Despite the fact that a lot of scenes here are, in fact, repeated from the last issue, this is the most story you'll get for the least amount of money this week. Image is still somehow selling Morning Glories for $2.99 (a dollar cheaper than Justice League) while still having thirty pages of story (ten pages more than Justice League). THAT is phenomenal.

About the repetition of scenes. It's done for effect, giving the readers different perspectives. It fleshes out the story and the characters, allowing us to live in their lives and follow each of the characters on their respective journeys. This issue features a strange group coming together, muddy motivations, revelations that just pose more questions, and a dynamite cliffhanger. So yeah, basically it's every issue of Morning Glories ever, but that's not at all a bad thing. It's the best creator-owned series being published right now, and while the "this will be a 100 issue epic!" scares me into thinking we won't get answers for a long time, it also kind of sets me at ease.

We'll be reading Morning Glories for a long, long time. It's worth saying, though, that I miss reading this series in trade. The "different perspective" thing works so, so well when reading these issues one after the other. However, it's a testament to the strength of the writing and the art (gotta give credit where it's due to the brilliant Joe Eisma) that I can't wait for the trades any more, and neither should you. I want this comic to keep coming out, so I'm gonna keep buyin'.

Ghostbusters #3

Written by Erik Burnham

Art by Dan Schoening

PCOC Pages by Tristan Jones

IDW Publishing

Man, this week is big on my favorites. Snyder's Batman is my favorite superhero book, Spencer's Morning Glories is my favorite creator-owned series, and now Burnham's Ghostbusters tops it out as one of my favorite tie-in comics. Not only does this issue keep on with the goodness that loaded the last two installments, it does something very, very rare. I'm afraid that fans of the movies will think me a blasphemer, but I'll be damned if this comic isn't equal to the first movie in every way. The dialogue is on point, the mythology building is the best this franchise has ever seen, and the plot itself just keeps getting better and better. It's a slow-boil, letting the character moments and the comedy take the stage while the mystery and horror bubble in the background. It adds depth to the movies while telling its own story. It's just the highest caliber of tie-in comics that you'll find on the market.

Justice League #3

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Jim Lee

DC Comics

Okay, now THIS is what I'm talking about.

I've had a bit of a rough time with this series, but I had a blast reading this issue. It focuses on Wonder Woman, who is often my least favorite of the heavy hitters in the DCU. She's the character that everyone writes differently but hardly anyone really makes her likable. She's fine enough in her on-going, but her previous guest appearances in the DC books I followed before the reboot made her the least likable character in the 'verse. Even her solo books, which I gave chance from time to time, did nothing to make me buy into her.

Well, then I read this book. Wonder Woman is the most likable character in the League. She's funny, powerful, brave, sexy without being a sex object (though Lantern calling "dibs" upon seeing her is great), and - most importantly - a character that I want to follow. Her scenes make this issue what it is, because the subplot with Victor being Cyborg really pushes my suspension of disbelief (and by pushes, I mean shanks eighty times and then kicks it into an active volcano). It's funny, because when I think about this issue, I almost blot all of those bad scenes from my mind. That's how effective Johns' Wonder Woman scenes are. They don't make up for the awkwardness of the Cyborg stuff, but they sure as hell give this book higher marks than either of the prior installments.

The team is coming together nicely, as is the story. I hope the Cyborg bits can make sense in the larger story arc, but for now I'm increasingly enjoying everything else in this book.

Nightwing #3

Past and Present

Written by Kyle Higgins

Pencils by Eddy Barrows & Eduardo Pansica

DC Comics

I like this book. I like it quite a bit. However, after reading it, I'm not sure that I have anything more to say about it than the first two reviews. While the story is enjoyable, it's sort of just that. It's nothing brilliant or particularly striking, just serviceably good on every angle. The mystery is interesting, Dick is a likable and fun lead with the most unfortunate name in comics, and the book even works on a thematic level. The "can't escape your past" theme, while incredibly heavy handed, goes a long way to keep this book in my pull list. I like what's going on with Haley's Circus and how Dick can't seem to... well, escape his past. Again, I'm left with nothing much to say. It makes for a fun companion read to Batman, but it doesn't work nearly as well as Batgirl.

Or, surprisingly...

Birds of Prey #3

You Might Think

Written by Duane Swierczynski

Art by Jesus Saiz

DC Comics

It's funny... I wanted to drop this book. Hell, I was looking to drop at least one New 52 book a week this month. But this was just so, so good. Swierczynski's BoP easily the most improved series of the New 52, and it was already good to start with. The team comes together when Poison Ivy joins the ranks, much to the (violent) protest of Starling and Katana. However, when the dust settles, we're given one of the most interesting ensembles in superhero comics today. While Black Canary is our leading lady, I'm increasingly interested in the new lady on the scene... Starling. This bad-ass, tattooed chick manages to embrace all of the bad-ass tattoo chick cliches while still surprising me and endearing herself to me.

As these ladies chase down the mystery of the exploding folks, all my thoughts of dropping this book have fizzled out. It was among my favorite this week which, if you read the other reviews, you know is saying a lot.

House of Night #1

Story by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Script by Kent Dalian

Art by Joelle Jones and Karl Kerschl

Dark Horse Comics

Let's start off with why I bought this book.

1. It costs a dollar.

2. Dan Roth told me to.

3. It costs a dollar.

4. Jenny Frison did the cover.

5. It costs a freaking dollar.

Comic book fans care a lot about their money. Compared to other media, comics are very, very affordable and generally offer more than most similarly priced items do... but still. There are a lot of comics published every week, so readers have to pick and choose what series they'll follow based on a lot of factors. Price is one of mine. Thankfully, most of the books I follow end up in the $2.99 - $3.50 range. What I've seen increasingly, though, is new series being offered for a buck. It's a brilliant strategy that is clearly pandering to the reader who normally wouldn't shell out the three bucks to try something new that they aren't guaranteed to love. And hey, I'm evidence of that, so it clearly worked.

Now, besides the fact that the cover is fantastic, the book actually isn't bad. I'm not sure if it's something I'd follow on a month to month basis, but I enjoyed this issue despite having never read the series of books on which this comic is based. To my understanding, this comic fills in the gap between one of the earlier books... but don't quote me on that. It's perfectly understandable on its own, though Kent Dalian is a bit careless with how he doles out exposition. The first scene is by far the clumsiest first scene I've read in a very long time. Zoey, our protagonist, has a bit of a confrontation with Aphrodite (this series' Draco Malfoy) and this conversation is used as a way to get all the exposition out in the fastest way possible, which just makes every line of dialogue so, so clunky.

A: Well, aren't you special with your filled-in mark and adult vamp tattoos? [...] How did you get those? Oh, wait, I remember! You screwed me over so Neferet would make you leader of the Dark Daughters!

Z: I have zero interest in leading the stupid Dark Daughters, and I didn't screw you over. You were letting those vampyre ghosts eat my ex-boyfriend. And I stopped you.

A: Hello, I was possessed by one of those vampyre ghosts and Heath is only your ex-boyfriend because you stole my boyfriend.

Z: You and Erik were already over, and so were me and Heath.

A: You may think you've won, but-

And so on.

I was ready to stop reading after that (hell, all that is just from pages one and two), but it seriously gets better. For Dalian's first foray into comic book writing, it's not bad. It's clunky, yes, but it effectively introduces a world and establishes the lead as a somewhat interesting character. The flashback scenes are great, and I dig the anthology feel of this series (a different vampyre in history seems to get spotlighted every issue).

Best thing about the issue? The art. Joelle Jones and Karl Kerschl's work is outright amazing. It adds so, so much to this series. I'll see how the reviews for the next few installments come out before I decide whether or not to follow this in trade, but I will say... for a buck, everyone should buy this. Jenny's cover alone is worth a hell of a lot more than that.

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NEXT WEEK: Aquaman #3, The Flash #3, Justice League Dark #3, Superman #3. I guess all the titles I usually follow came out this week.

Buffy Season 9 #3 review, Batgirl #3, Action Comics #3 review, Green Lantern #3 review, and more!

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #26

Yeah, yeah, I know it's not Wednesday. It's Saturday, and a lot of the books I'm reviewing are comics that I didn't get a chance to get to last week. This feature of the blog will continue to be a regular thing, but with two dayjobs and a freelance writing career, I've got my priorities. Hopefully, you'll still tune in.

And speaking of tuning in, Dan Roth (Angel, Brentalfloss, Buffyfest) has an awesome comics blog that you should check out if you have the time. We often have the same opinion about comics (except when he's wrong, obviously). He also buys a hell of a lot more comics than I do, so if you're looking for a book that I'm not covering, it's likely reviewed in his blog.

Now for something way, way cooler than reviewing comics. Here is a comic. It's written and drawn by Jae Korim (Neozoic), a fantastic artist that I am currently collaborating with on a comic called 70 x 7. Fans of indie comics should check out his new, fourteen page webcomic, Bloodkissing. It's really great, and I'm decently sure this dude is going to be a big name in comics very, very soon.

Read it here or click the picture below.

I just finished working on a script and an outline for an awesome artist whose name I won't say out of fear of jynxing it. But that is done, for now, and I'm able to do some quick coverage of the books you should be reading... and a few of the ones that you should avoid.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine #3

Freefall – Part Three

Written by Andrew Chambliss

Pencils by Georges Jeanty

Executive Producer: Joss Whedon

Dark Horse Comics

I've been rewatching Buffy the Vampire Slayer with my fiancee, who is a first time viewer. She's been an Angel fan, so she knows the 'verse, but it's amazing sitting with her as she goes through the big moments for the first time. Last night, Angelus murdered Jenny Calendar and a grief-stricken Giles sought revenge. So yeah, we're in the thick of some of the best that BtVS has to offer. So it's saying quite a bit that, when I read this comic, I feel like I'm watching the show. It has completely lost the "this is a comic, let's do big budget crazy things!" feel and we're back to the mode of storytelling that worked for seven years of amazing television.

In this issue, Buffy learns more about Severin (whose name makes me think Joss loved the Harry Potter books), who is the mysterious man behind the strange vampire murders. He has been sucking the life out of vampires, turning them into dead human bodies instead of dust. We're introduced to some new mythology with the creatures dubbed "Zompires" by Xander. These are what happens when vampires try to sire someone in a Buffyverse with no seed. Since there is no dimension from which demons can pass over to possess the newly vamped bodies, the shiny new vamps are feral and pretty damn ugly. Severin has apparently lost a girlfriend this way, and ever since he's been waging a one-man war to stop vampires who are still siring. It's interesting, and the way Buffy and her buddies deal with it is classic Scooby Gang stuff. However, it's worth mentioning that there is a harsh divide between Buffy and her friends. However, it isn't like the divide in Season Eight where they're all over the world. We still see them operating as one unit - it's just that this is a very dysfunctional unit.

There are great twists and turns along the way, but one of the highlights here is something that is always a highlight... and that's Spike. Chambliss does a wonderful job with this character, and there just absolutely needs to be a spin-off. Paging Brian Lynch...

Batgirl #3

A Breath of Broken Glass

Written by Gail Simone

Pencils by Ardian Syaf

DC Comics

I’ve been looking to drop books. While I’ve been enjoying this series a lot, I was honestly considering cutting the monthly series from my pull-list and picking it up in trade after the disappointing #2. Not anymore.

Despite the contrived villain Mirror, the story just works. And I know, I know, the villain's motives contribute to the theme as well as Barbara's personal issues, but I feel like it's all a bit obvious and spoonfed for it to really sing. However, the focus of this issue steers away from Mirror and centers on a confrontation/flirtation/fight/thing between Batgirl and Nightwing, who just have the best damn chemistry in the DCU. Their exchange is beautifully written, and shows that Gail Simone is one of the best at writing internal monologue that contributes to scenes instead of bogging them down. This is easily the best issue of the series.

Dollhouse: Epitaphs #5

Story by Andrew Chambliss, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen

Script by Andrew Chambliss

Pencils by Cliff Richards

Dark Horse

This series was... I'm not sure how to describe it. A few of the issues were really great, while the others didn't work at all. This is sort of in the middle, though slightly leaning toward the latter because of Cliff Richards' art which just doesn't work with the series. The writing isn't even close to the level of quality that Chambliss is hitting with Buffy, but those characters have a wealth of backstory so the series is, of course, richer. Nothing is really added to these characters, though. The end is pretty cool and sets up a promising story for whatever Dollhouse comics come next... but I'll be buying those in trade. There are a lot of stories left to tell in this universe - that much is clear. While these stories are likely worth reading, the hit/miss quality of this series makes it a risky buy as a monthly comic.

Action Comics #3

World Against Superman

Written by Grant Morrison

Pencils by Rags Morales and Gene Ha

DC Comics

Now this is just good stuff. Action Comics continues to be a fun read, which is some feat seeing as this issue focuses mostly on the devastating destruction of Krypton. The threat that decimated Superman's home planet seems to have come to Earth in some capacity, and while we know all is going to be well (I mean, Superman #1 takes place five years after this), Morrison manages to make the threat genuinely scary. $3.99 is a hefty price for this, seeing as the extras focus on the much less interesting Superman series, but the storytelling is up there with the best of the New 52, so if you have the extra bucks, give this book a shot.

Green Lantern #3

Sinestro – Part Three

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Doug Mahnke

DC Comics

Geoff John's Green Lantern #3 keeps up the trend of solid DC books. This is an improvement over the already solid #1 and #2 because the space drama is done better than the human drama, and that’s showcased here. Sinestro is fascinating, and it's easy to sympathize with him, laugh with him, and hate him. Hal is typically douchey, but not nearly as irritating as he is in Justice League. I want the Secret Origin Hal that I root for because I empathize with his history and motivation, and I hope (and think) Johns will get him to that point. For now, though, Sinestro is holding my interest captive. While this book offers a much needed break from the uber-decompressed Geoff Johns we’ve been getting, there are still small moments like Sinestro bursting into laughter when Hal says “Don’t think you’re better than me” that enhance this story.

Oh, and... I won't give much away, but the twist is one of the best cliffhangers of the year. It's one of those shocking "how the hell do we fix this?" moments that I know will likely be fixed within the first few pages of #4, but damn - way to get the reader hooked.

Batman and Robin #3

Knightmoves

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Pencils by Patrick Gleason

DC Comics

This series has a slow boil, and I like that. The relationship between Damian and Bruce is increasingly complicated and thus increasingly interesting. There's some great Alfred stuff, and I like the fact that the villain is sort of the embodiment of the "why let villains live?" logic that has been shooting around the superhero books - especially Batman's comics, which have the most fucked up villains - for years now. It's interesting drama, and makes this the second best of the many Batman books in the relaunch. While you won't get the thematically driven, complex narrative of Scott Snyder's Batman series, this is a quiet, emotional and cerebral book that satisfies while whetting the readers' appetites for next month.

Detective Comics #3

Cold Blood

Written and drawn by Tony S. Daniel

DC Comics

While it isn’t as enjoyable as Batman and Robin or as complex as Batman, Detective is – at the very least – a lot better than it was last month. Now that's not saying much, I know, but seeing as this title is so iconic... it's worth picking up. For now. It’s creepy and… well, detectivey. Watching Batman solve the case is the most interesting bit; when DC has got Batman going up against silly villains like Two Face Who Is Now "One Face" For Some Reason in other books, this comic serves as a reminder that Bruce Wayne is the best detective in the fucking world. The comic has a cool and strange end, which is a hell of a lot more interesting than the disturbing cliffhangers Tony S. Daniel usually loves so much. It's not great, it's just... pretty good.

Static Shock #3

Turnabout

Written by Scott McDaniel and John Rosum

Pencils by Scott McDaniel

DC Comics

Annnnd now I'm sad. I enjoyed the first one so much - hell, it was one of the best of the New 52. The second issue, however, just wasn’t good. After this third installment, I'm dropping it. Dialogue is stilted, the characters are annoying, the "my sister has a copy, which is which!?" plot is boring, and the group of Tron-esque villains trying to snuff Static aren't at all engaging. I can't believe this book quickly went from the top of my pull list to something that I wanted to stop reading a few pages into the issue.

Batwing #3

We Have Blood on Our Hands

Written by Judd Winick

Art by Ben Oliver

DC Comics

I thought long and hard about this book, but I'm going to drop it as well. The second issue was really good, and this month's installment was mostly fine. The story was mostly just a big fight, and while the history of these characters is very interesting, it’s not enough to keep me coming back on a month-to-month basis. I'll certainly read this in trade, but I just don't have the cash to invest in books that don't give me that can't-wait-to-read-it feeling.

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Thanks for reading, thanks for your patience, and thanks for checking out Jae's comic. Pretty badass, no?

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NEXT WEEK: Batman #3, Birds of Prey #3, Ghostbusters #3, Justice League #3, Nightwing #3, Supergirl #3.

Aquaman #2 review, The Flash #2 review, Justice League Dark #2 review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue 24

(Part Two)

So a fish, a lightning bolt, and a bunch of creepy folks walk into a bar...

Aquaman #2

The Trench – Part Two

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Ivan Reis

DC Comics

In this issue, the creepy fish-monster things attack/talk about food a lot while Aquama, who investigates the situation, continues to be disrespected by the public. Not much happens in this issue, as it continues the exercise in decompression Geoff Johns has been doing in these New 52 books. Johns is one of my favorite comic book writers working now, but I hope that he makes this book live up to his phenomenal runs on Green Lantern and The Flash.

A good bit, though, is that there’s an interesting conversation between Aquaman and Mera where they two of them are going through Aquaman’s childhood photo album. Mera wants to experience human things, such as skiing, now that she and Aquaman have decided to live exclusively on Earth. This was the heart of the issue, but it was too brief to really latch onto.

The action is cool and the story is good, but I hope that Geoff Johns brings this story up to the admittedly high bar he set with his other work.

The Flash #2

Think Fast

Story by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato

Art by Francis Manapul

DC Comics

The story is good – not great, but good. This continues to be the rebootiest book out of the whole shebang (besides, perhaps, Supergirl) and that in itself is very confusing. I mean, Barry Allen sacrificed so much in Flashpoint but seems blissfully unaware that, in setting things back, the world is still not even close to being right – especially for him. The overarching plot is pretty interesting, but we don’t get much information on that. The story being focused on here is Barry Allen trying to make his mind tap into the speedforce… and when he does, it allows Francis Manapul to pull off some wonderfully weird art that could only work in a Flash book.

Despite not being sold on the story, I’m enjoying the hell out of this book because of the art. It’s (and I don’t say this lightly) perfect. There isn’t a panel that isn’t both beautiful and kick-ass at storytelling. The tones are wonderful, the light colors are beautifully unique, and the character design is a hell of a lot more indie than superhero.

The book honestly feels like it will read better in trade, because I think the strange details of the overarching plot are made for digesting in one sitting. However, the art and the fact that this is a Flash comic will keep me coming back month to month.

Justice League Dark #2

In the Dark – Part Two: Dark Matter

Written by Peter Milligan

Art by Mikel Janin

DC Comics

Again, this is another highlight of the week

As the cover suggests, the focus is heavy on Zatanna with a side of Constantine… but it actually turns out that Deadman and Dove (of the Hawk and Dove team) get the most page time. We get a lot of their relationship drama, all of which stems from Deadman’s inability to touch without possessing someone else’s body. The story is allowing the reader the time to peer into these characters lives and actually care about them before they get thrown into a bunch of violent action – and that’s something that a few of the key DC books could learn from.

As I mentioned last time, Mikel Janin’s gorgeous art is worth the cover price alone. His work gives a stark realism to the story, which makes the otherworldly/paranormal scenes so much creepier.

Such a great read.

SOON: Superman and The Savage Hawkman.

Buffy Season Nine #1 review, Green Lantern #1 review, Suicide Squad #1 review, Batman and Robin #1 review, Dollhouse Epitaphs #3 review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #18

What up.

The shipment of Legion Lost #1 was delayed until next week. We're already full to the brim with awesome comics here this week, though. We're bookended with Whedony books, kicking things off with the first issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine #1 and wrapping the post up with the third installment of Dollhouse: Epitaphs. The meat of this Joss sandwich is three DCnU/New 52 titles. We've got Green Lantern #1, Batman and Robin #1, and Suicide Squad #1.

Let's get to it!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine #1

Freefall - Part One

Written by Joss Whedon

Pencils by Georges Jeanty

Dark Horse Comics

The big question I asked myself before reading this book was "What do I want from Season Nine?"

See, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel mean more to me than any other stories. The universe is fun, the writing is smart, and the characters are important to me as people. I have written extensively about the shows and the comics. My first writing credit was for IDW's Angel comic (buy that here if you love me, comics, or the American way). I clearly can't get enough of the series, because no only am I writing this Buffy review, I'm also currently working on four Whedony essays that will be published in a book that I can't quite talk about yet. I love everything about these character and the universe. I loved a good chunk of Buffy: Season Eight, but the series lost its way in a major way in the final few arcs. I was thrilled to see that Joss seemed to acknowledge that the comic had gotten away from what was best about the TV show, and he said that he would scale back on the ploddingly large, epic, plot-driven fantasy and return this to being more My So Called Life with monsters. And that's really all I wanted. I wanted to once again believe these characters as human beings. I wanted to read the comic, be reminded of how awesome the show was, look forward to the next installment, and put it down without feeling frustrated.

And it seems that Joss is well on his way toward giving me that. I was very dubious about the preview that we saw, but everything here is better in context. I can hear the actor's voices in my head while reading the dialogue, especially with Buffy and Spike. It's funny, it sets up character arcs, it sets up what seems to be the seasonal arc (Buffy dealing with the fallout from destroying the seed in Season Eight), and it delivers a funny twist that is mighty, mighty strange. We're back to mundane problems taking on monstrous form, which was what gave us some of the best stories in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I think that Joss has gotten the series back on track in a big way in time for this season.

The structure is great. A lot is going on, so it's a packed story, but it didn't have the same feel as Action Comics #1, which I felt was so busy that it was just hard to care. This issue is non-linear, showing Now Buffy Who Is Also Hungover Buffy and Past Buffy Who Is Also Party Hardy Buffy, while also introducing Buffy's roommates; giving Spike, Willow, Dawn, and Xander plenty of page time; setting up a demon who has escaped because of the destruction of the seed; setting up the strange, funny demon at the end who... well, you'll see; reintroducing Simone and her vendetta; and giving us some good conversation time with the Scoobs. And Joss uses that to poke fun at himself:

WILLOW: Buffy, it's not about blame.

BUFFY: Well, it feels pretty blame-y!

WILLOW: Or you're being projecting-y!

SPIKE: I'm also gonna add "y" to the end of my sentence-y.

(And again later, SPIKE: You both make valid points-y.)

What's fun is that, now more than ever, Spike feels like one of the gang. I hope his character arc gets some darkness, too, but it's nice to see that he isn't the same character who Buffy left in the Hellmouth. He evolved on Angel, both the TV show and the comic, and it's nice to see that his character development is left in tact. Overall, it was a surprisingly good issue that managed to not get overshadowed by the excellent Angel & Faith #1.

Green Lantern #1

Sinestro - Part One

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Doug Mahnke

DC Comics

So far, this is the least new of the New 52. I'd read that this would pick right up from Geoff Johns' last Green Lantern arc, which explains the in medias res feel. I love Johns' Lantern, but I've been following it in trade, and I'm even behind in those. It's easy to catch up, though, as Johns seems to have made an effort to make this story as new reader friendly as possible... even though it's really just another piece in the puzzle of his Green Lantern epic. Hal Jordan has had his ring taken away from him and the ring chose Sinestro, Hal's former mentor and current arch-nemesis. It's a good hook, and the execution is a hell of a lot better than Johns' Justice League #1.

It's cool to see Sinestro operating as a Lantern again, but the fun twist is that he doesn't want to be reinstated. He doesn't want redemption, as he feels the Guardians of the Green Lanterns are misguided and that he, Sinestro, knows what is best for the universe. He wants to be free from the ring, especially after seeing how a member of the Sinestro Corps responds to seeing him in the iconic green suit. The most interesting part of the issue is Hal's very human drama. He's trying to save people, but the dude is no Batman. He's got rent issues, girl problems, and a severe what the hell do I do now? complex. Folks who were worried about Hal being the only Green Lantern to not have a series in the New 52 need not worry, because the on-going title is as much about him as it is Sinestro, no matter who is on the cover.

This was one of the stronger New 52 issues so far. I'd caution new readers to read up a bit on these characters before picking this book up, but fans of the on-going can just jump right back into this Green Lantern series.

Suicide Squad #1

Kicked in the Teeth

Written by Adam Glass

Pencils by Federico Dallocchio

DC Comics

This is a hard one to review. It was well written, the team of characters is mostly good, and the structure was fun. I'm not really sure how to judge it, though, because it feels like a #0 issue. Like a prologue. We see the Suicide Squad operating as a team in a quick flashback, but the majority of the issue is the Squad being tortured, questioned, and asked about the Squad. It ends with them embarking on a mission, and the plot set-up is promising, so I will certainly pick up that issue. I even understand why this issue was done the way it was. Without spoiling, the set-up shows how dark this book is going to be and how expendable each of the members really are.

The interactions between the members of the Squad are interesting, though the only characters I find myself caring about in this are Harley Quinn and El Diablo, though I suspect that might be the point. I don't believe that one has to relate to or like characters in order to enjoy a book, so I'm not worried about that. It's just that, while entertaining, this issue gave very little indication of what the series as a whole will be like. Perhaps #2 will feel more like the beginning of the actual story.

Batman and Robin #1

Born to Kill

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Pencils by Patrick Gleason

DC Comics

Even better than the enjoyable Detective Comics #1, this father/son story spends as much time on Batman's personal issues as it does action. On the anniversary of his parents' deaths, Bruce takes his son, Damian (the current Robin), to the place where they died. Bruce commemorates the anniversary of their death for the last time, saying that he will, instead, pay tribute to their wedding anniversary, deciding to celebrate their lives instead of constantly wallowing in their deaths. Damian is insufferably rude through all of this, which would be annoying if Batman didn't agree. They make for an interesting team, and writer Peter J. Tomasi keeps the emotion of these heroes at the front of the story. While he uses the opening and closing scenes to set up a new villain who wants to take down Batman Incorporated, the comic is really about how Bruce and Damian (Batman and Robin, father and son) are such fundamentally different people trying to function as a family unit. And who can't relate to that?

This is easily one of the best New 52 titles so far. Don't think twice - pick it up!

Dollhouse: Epitaphs #3

Story by Andrew Chambliss, Jed Whedon, & Maurissa Tancharoen

Script by Andrew Chambliss

Pencils by Cliff Richards

Dark Horse Comics

I'm clearly a big fan of Joss Whedon's creations. Whedonites have been lucky enough to see all of Joss's shows make the transfer from television to comics, some with debatably varying success. I love Firefly and Serenity, and even enjoyed a few of the comics, but I think that the actors are as necessary as the writing in making that story something special. The comics haven't soared as high as the quality of the show or the movie, while both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel have flourished as comics. I've found that Dollhouse is in-between. The post-apocalyptic atmosphere is very much suited to comics, but while the first few issues were enjoyable, I haven't felt the same amount of tension as I felt on the TV show. The art becomes a bigger issue with every installment. It's sad because I've defended Cliff Richards' art many times in the past, but let's face it... it's impossible to tell Alpha apart from Zone and Male Ivy (except for the lab coat). Alpha and Zone even wear almost identical outfits. There are some nice quiet scenes here, and another Alpha/Smeagol scene that was interesting, but I've found that, more than any other series I've read, the art is absolutely killing the intrigue that the first few issues built. I want Dollhouse to live up to its incredible premise as a comic. I'm glad Echo will be appearing in #4, and I don't think that there needs to be any changes to the writing team. The scripts have been solid. The art just needs to rise to the challenge in order to make this worthy of the Dollhouse name.

NEXT WEEK: Biggest week in... well, ever. We've got Batman #1, DC Universe Presents #1, Legion Lost #1, Legion of Superheroes #1, Nightwing #1, Spider Island Cloak and Dagger #2, Supergirl #1, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2, Wonder Woman #1, Blue Beetle #1, Catwoman #1, Birds of Prey #1. This will undoubtedly be split into two or three posts. I am not a machine, you greedy, lovely bastards.