Aquaman 56 and 57

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #56
Written by Tad Williams
Art by Shawn McManus

This penultimate issue of this series was not as good as the previous issue but is still pretty good. It’s a real shame this book is getting cancelled, I feel liek Tad Williams has a lot of potential with this series and he has made it fantastic in his six issue run so far. Oh well. Hopefully Tad isn’t done with comics for good after this.

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #57
Written by Tad Williams
Art by Shawn McManus

So the entire series ends with a cliffhanger? We finally get an answer to the new Aquaman’s origin and that’s all cool and stuff but the story isn’t really over. It ends with the new Aquaman going off to Atlantis with Topo so he can bring the old Aquaman back to life. I liked the connection between the two Aquamen, the new Aquaman was dying and the old Aquaman’s essence was stolen to bring him back to life. While the whole thing with the original Aquaman isn’t resolved nor is the stuff with Koryak and Tempest, Williams did the best he could to bring this series to a close in one issue and I give props to him. I really enjoyed Tad Williams’s run on this series. We all know a new Aquaman series will happen someday, but for now I look forward to seeing Aquaman around the DCU.

Aquaman 54 and 55

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #54
Written by Tad Williams
Art by Shawn McManus

Haha I liked the reference to Seinfeld on the cover of this issue. Anyways, this was another great issue. The mystery deepens even more this time around as we learn the new Aquaman’s dad believed his son dead, and even saw him die months before we first saw him in issue 40. Tempest meets an interesting Jelly-fish girl, Aquaman battles the Human Flying Fish, and more Topo fun. I am sad this series is ending, it’s a lot of fun.

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #55
Written by Tad Williams
Art by Shawn McManus 

Most people who are reading this won’t even realize that this issue solved a mystery that has been going on for like 5 years. We now know why San Diego sunk into the water and why the survivors could breathe underwater. It was all part of a scary plan concocted by Vandal Savage. The whole thing being planned by Super villains totally fits this book in a way it doesn’t fit the other books. The mystery being revealed wasn’t anticlimactic at all. I hope Williams gets to do another book after this ends because he is a great writer.

Jason Todd Gets Kicked In The Balls!

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #47
Written by Adam Beechen
Art by Chris Batista

Adam Beechen begins what will be a very short-run on Teen Titans with this issue. Initially, I didn’t like it. I am not sure why now, maybe it was because of the art change. I am not sure. But on the second read, I did enjoy it and felt that it was good for what it was. We get a fight with Match and the investigation of the Joker’s Daughter’s murder from Countdown. I don’t think you have to read Countdown to understand this but it would be good if you did. I liked the ending, it got me excited for the next issue. I even liked that Wonder Girl chose to go to Supergirl to talk her problems out as we have seen them become friends over in Supergirl’s own book. My favorite moment must be Robin kicking Jason Todd in the balls. That was hilarious and a great moment. I laughed out loud. We all know Jason deserves it more than anybody.

Teen Titans 44 - 46

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #44
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Tony S. Daniel

I am psyched! Seeing one of my all-time favorite characters, Batgirl, redeemed like she is in this issue was sooo damn awesome! The final page was great and I have to give kudos to Tony Daniel for it. Everything else this issue is perfect and spot on. I loved every moment of it.

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #45
Written by Geoff Johns and Adam Beechen
Art by Al Barrionuevo

If anyone want to see a kickass cliffhanger ending, then look to this issue. Seeing the older Titans tell the Titans East and Deathstroke to “GET THE HELL OFF OUR ISLAND” gave me goosebumps and I actually screamed a hell ya out loud while reading. If this is what Adam Beechen’s run is going to be like, I am down for the ride.

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #46
Written by Geoff Johns and Adam Beechen
Art by Al Barrionuevo

While I liked the conclusion to this arc. I liked Donna saying that they are going to make Titans Island theirs again and Deathstroke giving his children a “real family” but I am disappointed to see that there really isn’t any closure to the Batgirl thing. She seems still willing to kill and then just disappears? What the hell! Oh well, you can’t have your cake and eat it too I guess. Sadly, this is Johns’s last issue with the title. I am going to miss you, Geoff, you made this title one of my favorites for forty-six issues.

Shadowpact 9 - 12

Shadowpact #9
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Tom Derenick

This was an action-packed issue of fun. I like this series a lot if I haven’t said that a million times already and this issue is no exception. Will Nightmaster survive? Probably but I really don’t care either way. I find him kinda boring. Shadowpact meeting Etrigan is so obvious that I am surprised I never thought of that before. And it is funny to see Blue Devil start rhyming. Oh and I love the Shadowpact’s new laws of superheroics. So simple and brilliant.

Shadowpact #10
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Tom Derenick

Another great issue. It was interesting to learn about how promotions work in hell and I look forward to seeing Blue Devil, Nightshade, and the subsitute Shadowpact they have set up travel into Hell. That should be cool. While this issue was mostly talking, it was still awesome.

Shadowpact #11
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Tom Derenick

Willingham is an imaginative man and the final defeat of Etrigan proves that. I like these subsitute Shadowpact heroes, I hope they stay in the series in one form or another. I actually was scared that Warlock’s Daughter was going to die at one point. Thank God she didn’t (And God actually plays a role in this when Ragman asks him for help.)

Shadowpact #12
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Tom Derenick

Wow! This was a cool issue! Willingham recounts the origin of the Nightmaster and now…I actually like him! In one issue he has turned me into a fan of the character. That is amazing. I loved everything about his origin. The origin of the Oblivion Bar and all of it. It was really cool and magical. I highly recommend this issue.

PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #43
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Tony Daniel and Jonathan Glapion

Man, I just love you Geoff Johns. You are the best! This issue single-handedly restored my faith in DC. Batgirl is fixed! Cassandra Cain went rogue because she was being drugged, not on her own free will (if she did, it would be totally out of character). PRAISE THE LORD!!!!! I am so happy lol. I did a happy dance after reading this issue. Now even ignoring the whole Batgirl thing, this issue was still amazing. It was filled with action and so many great moments. Johns introduces us to the new Titans East with a bam. Everyone of them is interesting. Kid Crusader, Match, Risk, Sun Girl, Batgirl, Riddler’s Daughter, and Intertia, Joker’s Daughter. I am dying to find out more about this team and their kickass new headquarters. Oh and the art was damn near perfect. This arc is well-worth they hype so far.

The History of Kid Devil

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #42
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Peter Snejbjerg

This issue is the perfect example of Geoff Johns’s uncanny ability to both move characters forward yet respect their history. This recap of Kid Devil’s life up till the present is exciting and emotional and fun all wrapped into one story. I loved learning so much about Eddie Bloomberg’s past. It isn’t all recap though, we learn how Eddie looks the way he does now. It is all Neron’s fault. That evil demon from hell who has messed with a lot of superheroes over the years. Kid Devil’s deal with Neron is horrible but I look forward to seeing how that will turn out in the end. I doubt that Kid Devil will actually become Neron’s slave. Eddie is a very troubled young man who has been through a lot and Johns shows in this issue that he is probably the most interesting of the current Titans. Great Issue.

Loving the New Roster

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #41
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Paco Diaz and Ryan Benjamin

Teen Titans never fails to excite me. Every panel is just filled with comic goodness and this issue is no exception. I love the new line-up of the team (which is spotlighted by Tony Daniel’s great cover). Wonder Girl and Robin…These two have to be on the Titans and for good reason. Cyborg….he is the heart and soul. Raven….Love the character. Miss Martian…Probably the best new character of this year. The Ravager…..I am really starting to like her. Kid Devil…Ditto. Jericho…Much better costume than his old one. The only thing wrong with this issue is I wish Tony Daniel would drawn it. But the guest artists were pretty good. I can’t wait to see the new roster when they get more settled and become more of a team than they are now. Highly Reccomended.

Superman 653 - 657

Superman #653
Written by Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek
Art by Pete Woods

I am not going to lie, I like my Lex Luthor being the powerful corporate evil man, not a super-villain. But this was still damn good. I love the ending, Lex Luthor telling Superman, “I hate you, I really hate you.”

Superman #654
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Carlos Pacheco

This is the first issue of Kurt Busiek’s solo run on this title. And I got to hand it to him, he knows how to write Superman and he knows how to write him well. This was basically a day in the life type of story, and it was done really well. I loved the moments with Clark and Lois, and I loved the excellent use of Superman’s powers. I love how he is doing his job as well as being Superman at the same time in the scenes. Great art too.

Superman #655
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Carlos Pacheco

I loved the momets between Clark and Lana in this issue, especailly since I am a fan of Smallville. The other stuff was okay, nothing to get too excited but not bad. Subjekt 17 seems kind of a lame monster villain but knowing Busiek, he probably has something up his sleeve. I don’t know how I feel about Superman’s “Super-memory”, it seems a little silver age.

Superman #656
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Carlos Pacheco

And I was right in saying that Busiek had something up his sleeve about Subjekt 17. Subjekt is not jsut a lame monster villain, but instead is what Superman would be if he landed in the wrong place, at the wrong time. This was a very sad character and I really hope he ends up okay in the end. The way the humans treated him was sad. I wonder what Arion was talking about in the end of this though? Definitely reccomended.

Superman #657
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Carlos Pacheco

In this issue, Arion tells Superman and the daily planet staff about the future he worned about. It is very “Day After Tomorrow”. I really enjoyed it. Seeing the future in a comic is always fun and I don’t think the DCU has had that since that arc in Teen Titans. Very cool. I wonder how they end up preventing this from happening? I look forward to next issue.

Teen Titans 37 - 40

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #37
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Tony Daniel

Wow, I mean just wow. That is the word that sums up this issue, wow. This was a very emotional read…so many great moments. Teen Titans is the best series that DC is putting out right now and I think everyone should be reading it. I feel like anything I say about this issue will be an understatement. It is just that good. The ending was kinda shocking but not unlikely, lots of people come together in the face of trajedy. I just hope to god it does not become a regular thing. I loved the scenes where the members talk to Cyborg and basically all of the other scenes in this issue too!

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #38
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Carlos Ferreria

That one page where they listed all the members of the Teen Titans in the last year with their picture, that got me so excited! I can not wait to meet each and everyone of them. This book is really making the most out of the one year gap. I love the rivalry between Wonder Girl and Ravager. The team’s roster is now Wonder Girl, Robin, Cyborg, Ravager, and Kid Devil. I imagine that more members will join up as this storyline unfolds.

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #39
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Tony Daniel

I think I drooled a little bit while reading this. It was just that good. I love Miss Martian, I hope she joins the Titans full time. I hope she is not the traiter. Zatara is a brat but I still like him, don’t know why. Bombshell, I don’t like. She seems like such a bitch. I hope Ravager isn’t the traiter. I have loved her in this book so far.

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #40
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Tony Daniel

I sure as hell am glad that Miss Martian nor Ravager is the traitor, but it the one character I hated, Bombshell! The Teen Titans kick her ass this issue too. I look forward to seeing Jericho back on the team and back alive. He may have a terrible costume, but he is a great character. Now that I think about it, the Titans seem to be always searching for Raven. Someone should tell her this time not to run off again. Great Issue. Can’t wait for the next!