Supernatural Caledonia #4 review, Action Comics #4 review, Detective Comics #4 review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #30

Part Two of Two

Unfortunately, things are crazy. On the teaching side of things, we're in crunch time and looking down the barrel of Finals Week over at Five Towns College. On the writing side, I'm getting gigs, which is good. On the day job side, I'm working at a bookstore during the holiday season. So I don't have much time for comic reviewage. Instead of the normal posts, I'll do a bit of a bullet point list of things I dug or didn't dig in these issues.

Supernatural: Caledonia #4

Emma of the Isles - Part 1 of 4

Written by Brian Wood

Art by Grant Bond

DC Comics

+ Picks up years after the last two issues, but the tone is consist with them.

+ The horror gets pumped up a bit.

+ Fun research scenes.

+ Art is stylized and great. Likeness fiends may hate this kind of stuff, but it adds something very different and very cool to this property.

- Sam is really the only character this time around, so we don't get the fun banter and exciting romantic connection that we did last time.

- The cover made it seem as if Dean would be a part of this, but he's only referenced. I don't mind the attention to Sam, but you can't tease Dean if you're not gonna deliver.

I left the issue wishing this were an ongoing. And that I were writing it. But that's a different story. You should own this if you even have a passing interest in Supernatural. It's great.

Action Comics #4

DC Comics

MAIN STORY: Superman and the Men of Steel

Written by Grant Morrison

Pencils by Rags Morales

+ Lex Luthor is more interesting than he's been in a long time. He has a certain nervous power that permeates every scene he's in.

+ The dichotomy of the police needing Superman to save them while wanting to arrest him was great.

- The action is a bit hard to follow.

- Not as many cool character moments as you'd expect from Superman's first big battle.

- Not as much intellect as you'd expect from a Grant Morrison comic.

- To be continued in Issue #7. Really?

BACK-UP STORY: Hearts of Steel

Written by Sholly Fisch

Art by Brad Walker

+ Sholly Fisch, whose whose work I haven't read before, takes a simple fight and, through clever narration and an even cleverer solution, turns it into the highlight of the book.

+ The introduction of Steel was cool.

- Steel is almost indistinguishable from Cyborg.

Detective Comics #4

The Main Event

Written & drawn by Tony Salvador Daniel

DC Comics

+ There is an incredibly emotional and well-crafted scene between Gordon and the captured Olivia that made this comic worth reading.

+ The interaction between the folks at GCPD is well done.

- The story itself just isn't compelling enough. Batman isn't particularly interesting in this title, unfortunately. And that is almost never a problem. I don't understand. The story doesn't add anything new or interesting to the Batman mythos. If it weren't such an iconic title, I'd consider dropping this.

+ Had to end on a plus. Back to the first reason... TSD has to chops to make this book work. If he can pull off a scene that moving, he can make this book something to look forward to. I hope it just keeps getting better from here on out.

NEXT TIME: Batgirl #4, Batman & Robin #4, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine #4, Green Lantern #4, Ray #1

TMNT microseries Raphael Review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #30

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

MICROSERIES #1: Raphael

Written by Brian Lynch

Art by Franco Urru

IDW Comics

It feels like old times.

It seems like ages, but only four years have passed since I began reviewing IDW's ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL. It was the official continuation of Joss Whedon's epic show (my favorite of all time) written by Brian Lynch. I'd done coverage on my blog of Brian's previous work in the Buffyverse (two SPIKE miniseries), but it was ATF that made me realize how great a writer this guy is. Over the following years, my blog Buffyverse Comic Reviews covered all of his comic book work, and while it was honest and critical when I felt something was off, I found myself resorting to hyperbolic praise more often than not. Thing is, looking back at his work on IDW's ANGEL and SPIKE titles... those books, for my money, are more often than not... well, fucking brilliant.

I'm thrilled that Brian contributed scripts to this TMNT "microseries" (four spotlight issues focusing on each of the turtles), because not only did this franchise define my childhood, it's also one of this year's most enjoyable new series. So realize that I mean absolutely no offense toward the main TMNT series when I say that this is far and away the best IDW title I've read all year. And if you frequent this blog, you know I read a hell of a lot of books from them.

It's got the humor and snarkiness, but not as much as you'd expect. It shows a somewhat sullen Raphael; while he's no stick in the mud, and not even close to the sort of Frank Miller characters that the original comics were parodying, he's not crackin' wises in every panel. He's got some serious issues communicating, and his conversations with Casey, while seemingly light, speak volumes without really saying much. Brian, through a few well-placed lines, communicates that while Raph (who was missing until last week's issue) has grown to love his brothers quickly, it isn't nearly as easy as "Raphael is taken in by the others, everything is okay, copious amounts of pizzas are ordered." There are some serious issues here, but all of this serves to simply add texture to the comic, flesh out the characters, and give a nice context to the story being told.

And the story... holy whoa. A lot more major plot developments happened here than I expected. Things that I would have thought would be saved for the main title, so the element of surprise was extreme. In this issue, a run-in with a mutant fox (being chased by thugs who longtime fans will recognize as the pre-mutation forms of Beebop and Rocksteady!) leads Raph to the revelation that some dark and mysterious baddie wants to know where the turtles' hideout is. Turns out, that villain is...

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(If you don't like spoilers, see you tomorrow. This is too big to hold back.)

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The Shredder.

What.

Talk about a reveal. I'm not sure if each of these one-shots will build on the plot Brian whipped up in this one, or if they're saving all of that for the main series and this just served to give us an unexpected and exciting peek at the dangers we've been waiting for, but all I know was that this was an absolutely great read. Franco Urru, who collaborated with Brian on more than twenty-five Buffyverse comics, does art chores for this book, and he brings such movement to the action scenes. He also nails the quiet scenes, but if you want to read me carrying on about how Franco is the best artist working in comics, you can read any given ANGEL review on my Buffyverse blog. Seriously - you can keep your big Marvel and DC names. Can't beat Franco. And with colors by Fabio Mantovani, this makes for one beautiful book.

Reading Brian Lynch's ANGEL and SPIKE comics was what made me realize that writing comic books was something I'd be interested in doing for a living, and everything that made those books so wonderful is present in this comic. What more can you ask for?

TOMORROW: Supernatural, Action Comics, Detective Comics

My play opens tonight for a five night run!

Tonight, my play ROSARY opens as a part of the LONGSHOTZ: DEPARTURES event. The whole show, which consists of three half hour plays, goes up five times in December. Here's the information.

THURSDAY 12/1, SATURDAY 12/3, FRIDAY 12/9, THURSDAY 12/15 at 8PM SATURDAY 12/17 at 3PM - One character is leaving New York forever. - A reference to the Rosarium Philosophorum. - The line "You keep missing the target." Rosary Written by Pat Shand Directed by Rob Hille Featuring Zach Evenson, Jennifer LeBlanc & Alanna Wilson When an old friend makes a drastic decision, Kyla watches her past collide with her present and is left to pick up the pieces. The Counter Offer Written by David L Wilson Directed by Rachel Dart Featuring Justin Yorio, Kelli Crump & Jenna Panther Negotiation is the name of the game when a representative of the 1% tries to peel one leader away from the Occupy Wall Street protest. Whatever Happened to Baby Ngozi? Written by Kate MacCluggage Directed by Jessica Chayes Featuring Michael Fulvio & Rob Robinson A drama about a truly unique family.

If any of you can come, I will give you the best high five that you've even received.

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #29

Like almost all comic book readers, this strange fifth Wednesday of the month saw my smallest pull list in quite a while. Let's get to it!

Angel & Faith #4

Live Through This - Part Four

Written by Christos Gage

Art by Rebekah Isaacs

Dark Horse Comics

With this finale of the first arc, Angel and Faith go up against Pearl and Nash in a fight as bloody as it is glowy. These two Big Bads, who are apparently "so far beyond what (Angel and Faith) can even imagine," are dealt with in a clever way that leaves room for our heroes to escape without downplaying the major threat these baddies pose. The skirmish is fun and exciting, though the issue itself doesn't reach the emotional heights I thought it would based on what the previous three installments seemed to be building toward. However, with the way this chapter ends... well, let's just say that it's clear that Christos is writing this story with the long-haul in mind. A lot more questions are posed by the end of the issue, and they're all interesting, true to the characters, and one of them is even all out shocking.

After the battle with Pearl and Nash, Angel comes to a startling discovery about the affect of Mohra blood in a world with no magic. It's grotesque, but it leads Faith and Angel to a sad but necessary decision that, for me at least, seemed to harken back to the old days of Angel. He's darker than Buffy, and he's able to do things that she (at least during the TV show) would have had a problem with - it's debatable whether that makes him more of a hero or less, but what it surely makes him is one of the most interesting characters in the 'verse.

Faith also gets a lot of cool scenes, and the way she plays off of Angel is great. All of my reservations about Angel sharing his title are gone, because while Faith clearly plays an enormous role, Christos and Rebekah never shortchange Angel.

The issue ends with a reveal... and I know I don't normally talk about this sort of stuff in my reviews, I think it's such a big moment that it warrant a bit of speculation. Toward the end of the issue, a glasses-wearing Angel asks Faith for, in lieu of a mug of blood, "a spot of tea, if it won't put you out." Faith says that his impression of Giles was great... and Angel says that he doesn't know what she's talking about. Confused and disturbed, she walks away to get the tea. End of issue.

What.

It seems that Angel is channeling Giles. Or possessed by him. Or something. Whether it's due to something with the Seed, the loss of magic, or something sinister... I don't know. How can we? Maybe it's just Angel's guilt trying to make up for the absence of Giles in a creepy way... but I tend to think not.

This story is going somewhere strange and new, somewhere creepy and fascinating. Is it time for #5 yet?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4

Story by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz

Written by Tom Waltz

Art by Dan Duncan

IDW Publishing

Another finale of sorts. The first storyline of TMNT wraps up in this issue, which sees Raphael reunited with his brothers as Old Hob pulls out all the stops to take his revenge. We're treated to another flashback, which gives us some time with soon-to-be-villain Baxter Stockman and another look at the freshly mutated turtles and Splinter. There's a really cool metatextual scene where Spliter alludes to the turtles relearning what they once knew in another life (seemingly referencing the old Turtles continuity, giving a wink to old fans), but mostly this issue just deals with the ongoing war between Old Hobb and the turtles.

There is some great action in this issue, and it's more nostalgic than I can say to see all of the turtles fighting together. What really works, though, is the emotional scenes. Raphael's return to the fold is moving, to say the least - especially Splinter's reaction upon seeing him.

This series - the creative team, the ideas new and old, the art, the flashbacks, and the characters - just works. It's month to month one of the best books being published, both for nostalgic and quality reasons, and with the turtles united at last, it seems as if it's only going to get better.

Plus, with Brian Lynch, the brilliant writer behind ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL on next week's RAPHAEL one-shot... well, let's just say that turtles fans who haven't read/seen Brian's previous work are about to become big, big fans of a new writer.

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NEXT WEEK: Action Comics, Detective Comics, Supernatural Caledonia, TMNT: Raphael.

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.

Keeping Comics Alive

Working as a freelance writer is a blast. Mostly. The parts not encompassed by that "mostly" include that "not having a lot of money" thing. And that often leads to adjunct-professoring (raises hand) and working in retail (raises other hand). Neither of those are writing, so that is a bit of a downer... but hey, at least I have jobs that help me live in this crazy job market. I'll be honest, though: sometimes, working in retail - even if the job is in a bookstore - can be a bit of an inspiration killer.

However... there are those few occasions when something happens that makes you smile, think, and then smile some more.

I'm working a seasonal job at Barnes and Noble, and I've had a bit of a hard time balancing it with my teaching job and writing. This past Friday, I was in a grumpy "I should be writing" kind of mood when a little girl came up to me and asked me where the Sonic comics were. I took her to our comics section, which had the monthlies, and then to the Independent Reader area, which had many, many collections of the stories. Much to her mother's chagrin, this little girl proceeded to talk my ear off for an entire half hour about how awesome Sonic is, how great comics are, and how every supporting character in Sonic is better than Justin Bieber.

Now, it's cool to see anyone geek out over something. Thing is, though, I wouldn't have expected to see a girl who couldn't be more than ten so fully entranced by comics. Why? Well, the industry has been marginalizing women for quite a while, and recent comics have turned characters that young girls loved into space-bimbos. That's not even really it, though. Anyone paying attention knows that, despite what some creators and shop owners will try to get folks to think, comics is no longer an all boys club. What surprised me was how young this girl was. Comics have long since been going the whole "comics aren't for kids anymore!" route. But... why? Sure, the gritty stories have their places and I enjoy a lot of them, but even when I was a kid (and I'm just in my early twenties here), I had a collection of superhero comics that didn't feature faces being ripped off.

A lot of people stick with the whole "this is a dying industry" spiel. I disagree. As long as fans as passionate as that young Sonic fan exist, the industry will survive. However, we should give fans like that more comics that they can read. More stories that they can love. DC is doing a great job with their Tiny Titans book, but it's a bit silly that not one of the New 52 has an "everyone" rating. Why?

And remember... writers don't have to dumb down their stories to appeal to kids. Batman: The Animated Series showed that it's possible to create a complicated, engaging story that will appeal to adults the same way it will to children.

So let's keep this industry alive. If not for my livelihood, for those young Sonic fans that want more books to geek out over.