Eradicated By Doomsday

Outsiders (Volume 4) #37
Written by Dan Didio and Phillip Tan
Art by Tan

 

This is the second part of the Reign of Doomsday storyline that began in the Steel One-Shot. It was okay. Didio’s dialogue is of course horrible and everything, but Tan’s art has improved tremendously even if I did not know what was going on with the fight half the time. It looks like Eradicator is dead but I doubt it. At least we get to see Halo back in action.

Superman Batman 79 and 80

Superman/Batman #79
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Jesus Merino

 

Roberson introduce (or re-introduces for some) to the DC Universe of the 853rd Century and I am one of the few who have never read DC One Million and therefore I am fascinated by this Justice Legion with its many worlds and I can’t wait to see more next issue. Epoch Lord of Time doesn’t seem like a new character but I could be wrong but he was a great way to frame the story and allow for the past and the future to collide.

Superman/Batman #80
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Jesus Merino

Epoch is stopped by the Bronze Age World’s Finest and travels through time being defeated by each era’s Batman and Superman – Brilliant! I am looking forward to seeing more of Roberson’s run on the main Super-book after reading this awesomeness.

Outsiders 34 and 35

Outsiders (Volume 4) #34
Written by Dan Didio and Keith Giffen
Art by Giffen

I like the idea of The Olympian getting involved with the Outsiders – but I don’t know how I feel about him actually calling his men Manazons. That is just dumb. I think we know why that Wonder Woman arc was called Rise of the Olympian despite its focus being on Genocide – Didio. He loves this character I guess. It is great to see Giffen joining the book as artist and co-plotter as it will probably gain some quality.

Outsiders (Volume 4) #35
Written by Dan Didio and Phillip Tan
Art by Tan

Ahh and Tan comes back for one more issue! He is not such a bad artist but he never draws backgrounds and I never know what the hell is going on when he draws this comic. Not to mention the dialogue is pathetically bad once again. Ugh at least Giffen is coming back next issue. Oh and since when does Black Lightning contain Black Lantern energy??

Selina, It’s Me

Batman: Streets of Gotham #17
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Dustin Nguyen
Co-Feature by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Szymon Kudranski

 

The main story continues the House of Hush story arc….which I assumed would feature the fall of Hush before Bruce’s return but I guess not as Bruce reveals himself to Selina as Batman in a great scene at the beginning of this issue. The “Selina, it’s me” moment was just awesome for fans of their relationship and Dini writes their relationship very well. The Bed Bug is another great Gotham villain creation by Dini. How does he keep doing this?! The revelations about The Wayne, Kane, and Elliot families also continue to be interesting. The Ragman backup starts off really well as the art really suits the mood and darkness of Gotham City – especially the underbelly a character like Ragman should explore. I love the theme of Gentrification. Gotham really reminds me of Chicago sometimes. It must be why they set the movies here.

Bringing In History

Outsiders (Volume 4) #33
Written by Dan Didio and Phillip Tan
Art by Tan

The art is still awful…I have no idea what has happened to Halo and why she is a coma – and I see no reason for Geo-Force acting the way he is still, but I got to at least hand it to Didio for his use of continuity – even pulling from the nineties Outsiders series. I like that Didio at least respects the history of the team. But this is still awful storytelling.

Streets of Gotham 15 and 16

Batman: Streets of Gotham #15
Written by Ivan Brandon
Art by Ramon Bachs

 

This is kinda weird…replacing the back up as the main feature in the middle of an arc. I don’t know why Dini is having trouble getting his scripts in on time but whatever this was good. It was violent and disturbing as a Two-Face story should be and ends with Two-Face getting stabbed brutally by his lackeys and thrown in a river. I doubt he’s actually dead but it sure seems that way.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #16
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Dustin Nguyen
Co-Feature by Ivan Brandon
Art by Ramon Bachs

The main story continues “House of Hush” and it is really good. It focuses once again on fleshing out a back story dealing with the Waynes and we get more moments from Bruce and Tommy’s childhood. I have said before and I will say it again that Dini has given Hush more depth then Loeb ever did or could. Zatanna showing up was weird….does Dini have to put her in everything he writes? He writes her well don’t get me wrong though. The Two-Face back up has Harvery being found and taken care of by a priest and has a pretty shocking ending I don’t want to ruin here. Good stuff.

Outsiders 30 and 31

Outsiders (Volume 4) #30
Written by Dan Didio
Art by Phillip Tan

 

Metamorpho, Owlman, and Black Lightning must turn to Simon Stagg for help after being deemed enemies of Earth because of Markovia’s alliance with New Krypton. It is an interesting thing this alliance with New Krypton and I love having the Eradicator around but Didio still has yet to explain why Geo-Force is acting like a nutjob and this Freight Train character is about as generic as they come. Wasn’t a bad issue which is saying something because it has been all pretty bad since Didio took over the book.

Outsiders (Volume 4) #31
Written by Dan Didio
Art by Phillip Tan

Okay Halo is back in this issue! Thanks Didio! But she never even went missing, she just wasn’t mentioned. If you are going to make her return a big deal – how about maybe writing people actually wondering where the hell she is? Anyways the Ray shows up and so does a weird succubus lady. This book is way random but at least it has become interesting.

Manhunter Should Still Be Here

Batman: Streets of Gotham #14
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Dustin Nguyen
Co-Feature by Ivan Brandon
Art by Ramon Bachs

 

The main story begins the sequel to Dini’s excellent Heart of Hush storyline that ended with Hush being made to look like Bruce Wayne. Now Hush feels trapped as the imposter Wayne and someone wants Wayne dead. It is all set up though and not much happens here but it is cool to see Dini is using Jane Doe. The new Two-Face back-up starts out okay although I just don’t see Two-Face as a starring role character…I don’t understand why they took Manhunter out of this book.

Still No Good

Outsiders (Volume 4) #29
Written by Dan Didio
Art by Don Kramer and Phillip Tan

 

How is this guy running DC Comics or at least partially-running DC Comics I mean come on this is his book and it is one of the worst books on the stands. For one thing – the two artists on the books style are so different it is jarring to go from page-to-page. For another thing, we still have no explanation for where Halo is or why Geo-Force has gone insane, instead the whole issue focuses on Looker who isn’t acting anything like when she last appeared during the Dixon run. Yes, Looker has always been kind’ve vane but this was over the top. Not a good issue at all. Didio I am still waiting for you to surprise me and produce a good comic.

Waste Of Panels

Outsiders (Volume 4) #28
Written by Dan Didio
Art by Phillip Tan

 

As I expected, this book is not getting any better. What the hell is Didio doing?! Still no explanation for Geo-Force’s actions…is he being manipulated? Is Katana? And still no mention of Halo! Where the hell is she? The entire issue was a rather boring fight between Black Lightning and Geo-Force with Didio’s lame narration. What a waste of panels.

Red Robin 9 and 10

Red Robin #9
Written by Christopher Yost
Art by Marcus To

 

The end of this issue is the beginning of Batgirl #8. They weren’t the same scene at all though! What the hell is wrong with the editors at DC Comics. If you are going to do a crossover shouldn’t this all be coordinated? Anyways Tim returning to Gotham is really awesome, loved about every panel of this issue. To draws Gotham fantastically.

Red Robin #10
Written by Christopher Yost
Art by Marcus To

 

Former lovers Tim and Steph continue their team-up in their new personas in this issue and I am still annoyed that Tim has not asked what happened to Cassandra! Whatever the art was good and the mystery with Ra’s, Hush, and Vicki Vale is really interesting. I am still loving Tam Fox as a character. Good stuff.

Where is Halo?!

Outsiders (Volume 4) #27
Written by Dan Didio
Art by Don Kramer

 

Didio oh Didio! Why do you write such bad dialogue? Do we need to make fun of you even more then we already do? Black Lightning final line in this issue was so lame. Geo-Force and Katana are acting really strange still (I am hoping that there is going to be an in-story reason for this) and there is no fucking mention or anything of Halo?! Where did she go? Did someone forget about her? What is going on with this book? Where is Phillip Tan, how are we needing a fill-in artist already? Why is this guy in charge of DC Comics when he can’t even keep things together on this one book? Yes it was cool to see classic Outsiders villains the Masters of Disaster and I like the continuity references but this issue is just soo bad. Why is Owlman referring to Blackest Night as Blackest Night? Why not the time where everyone became Black Lanterns? Didio is writing him as if he is aware that it was a comic mini-series called Blackest Night! This is awful. Just awful.

I Wish I Could Say That Didio Proved Me Wrong

Outsiders (Volume 4) #26
Written by Dan Didio
Art by Phillip Tan and Don Kramer

You know…I started this telling myself to keep an open mind. That even though Dan Didio is the man who thought Countdown was better then 52 and many other idiotic opinions, he could be a good writer and I shouldn’t prejudge. One issue in and I have little hope. This isn’t a very good comic. All of the characters are off and are not acting like themselves. Katana just stabbed a guy in the chest and Geo-Force is calling for extreme violence and acting like a completely different character then well…Geo-Force. What the hell? I am hoping this is explained through mind control or something but so far it is just bad characterization. Halo is nowhere to be found except for one panel. The art is just awful and Tan’s anatomy changes from page to page. The only good thing was the Eradicator – a former member of the Outsiders. I do like the acknowledgement of that history and he is a character that has been gone for a long time but… Please, Didio, prove me wrong and show me that you can write a good comic.

Halo Kicks Ass

Outsiders (Volume 4) #25
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Fernando Pasarin and Derec Donovan

Tomasi’s run comes to an end with this issue and it was a good issue. Yes, Tomasi had Halo being called Violet again (Ugh she never went by that name!) but he lets her be the big hero and kick serious ass in this issue so I forgive him. I love when Halo kicks ass. I think this was a good way to end Tomasi’s run and this Blackest Night tie-in was definitely successful. Do I think Tomasi’s run was that great? No it could have been a lot better but it wasn’t awful either. I am more afraid of what the Didio-Tan run will be like. I hope they pleasantly surprise me. Oh and it was nice to see Thunder again!

Blackest Night Descends Upon The Outsiders

Outsiders (Volume 4) #24
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Fernando Pasarin

The penultimate issue of Tomasi’s run may be the strongest issue of his run yet. That could be due to the strength of the Blackest Night concept or because Tomasi get the character of Terra – the evil girl who infiltrated the Teen Titans and betrayed them. She was not duped or drugged by Deathstroke – she was a bad person. It’s pure and simple. I love that Krul and Tomasi are acknowledging this as for a while DC seem to be heading in the direction of ignoring the intent of Marv Wolfman when he created her and pretending that she was this sweet girl who got corrupted. I love how Black Lantern Terra is just as manipulative as she was in life. She acts all sweet and kind to her brother even with that horrible zombie look – and he believes her! It was awesome. You know she is setting a trap for the Outsiders. It was great to see Katana and Halo’s close friendship acknowledged (Although she calls her Violet again ahh!) and Katana’s family who I hadn’t even predicted would show up as black lanterns.

Intertwined

Action Comics #883
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann
Art by Pere Perez
Co-Feature by Rucka and James Robinson
Art by Cafu

The Superman books are some of the best intriguing, story-driven, and exciting comics I have read in a long time. Robinson and Rucka have crafted such a wonderful mystery here and I will keep saying it again and again. We finally get to see the Nightwing entity in action this issue albeit briefly. I love the new Nightwing and Flamebird costumes. They are simple and visually appealing and I like how they honor Superman on their belts. I hope these costumes stick around. Jimmy Olsen’s (possible murder) disappearance is investigated by Perry White. I am surprised that that plot point is being followed up here instead of by Robinson over in Superman but that just goes to show how tightly intertwined the books are right now. The Captain Atom co-feature makes great use of continuity by referencing Superman/Batman and Captain Atom’s time as monarch. I love continuity shout-outs like that! I guess that is why my blog is named what it is. Anyways, the art was fantastic and so was the writing on it. Great issue.

Her Name is Gabrielle!

Outsiders (Volume 4) #23
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Fernando Pasarin

Pasarin is such a good artist why doesn’t DC ever use him as a regular artist? Although his Creeper is a little more normal looking then the Creeper usually is. But at the same time Tomasi writes him as more “normal” then he usually does too. It was great to see Katana and Halo’s relationship acknowledged, even if it is annoying that they keep calling Halo Violet instead of Gabrielle. This is going to be Tomasi’s last arc on this book before Didio takes over. I guess we shall see if Tomasi’s run is considered a sucessful one or not.