The Superboy-Kid Flash Race

Superboy (Volume 4) #5
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

 

Anybody notices Superboy calls Beast Boy Garth instead of Gar? Come on DC Editors! Anyways, the Kid Flash/Superboy race was a lot of fun and it was great to see them being heroes on the way across the globe. The winner was Krypto which was kind of a cop-out (we all know Kid Flash would win) but oh well. Fun issue that managed to further the main plot as well.

There’s An App For That

Supergirl (Volume 5) #60
Written by Nick Spencer and James Peaty
Art by Bernard Chang

The new creative team takes over Supergirl and while I was worried – I can say that I am quite happy with this issue. The idea of an app for tracking heroes is brilliant and something not done before. How many comic plots can be described like that? And Alex already seems like such a bastard he will make a great villain. I am intrigued!

Trapped In Her Vines

Superboy (Volume 4) #2
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

 

Another fantastic issue of this book. Lemire’s Superboy is much better than Johns’s Adventure Comics run with him because it doesn’t focus on the whole Lex Luthor thing and has a Connor Kent who has moved past this. I liked Poison Ivy in this, I think she works best as a villain, if a somewhat likeable one, and she is definitely a villain here caring very little for the life of an innocent farmer. I wonder if they will show Superboy bring her to Gotham next issue? That would be cool. Simon Valentine is becoming a rather interesting sidekick for Superboy too and the smallville-hating villains at the end were intriguing.

Welcome To Smallville

Superboy (Volume 4) #1
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this series. I haven’t really enjoyed Lemire’s Atom co-feature in Adventure but that is probably more cause Ray Palmer is boring cause I gotta say I enjoyed the heck out of this debut issue. I’d even say it was better then any of Geoff Johns’s Adventure run with Superboy. Lemire sets up a mystery and the supporting cast of Superboy quite well at the same time featuring two supervillains and some great character moments. Gallo’s art is great too. I hope that they aren’t setting up Lori Luthor as a love interest…that’s just weird. And it was great to see Superboy use his tactile telekinesis again!

Past, Present, and Future

Superman #700
Written by James Robinson, Dan Jurgens, and J. Michael Straczynski
Art by Bernard Chang, Jurgens, and Eddy Barrows

 

In this anniversary issue we get three stories in one. The first by Robinson closes off his run on this book by focusing on the reunion of Lois and Clark after the whole New Krypton thing. The dialogue is a lot of awkward but I think the message that these two really love one another came across well. Jurgen’s story takes place in the past and has Superman teaming up with Dick Grayson Robin and in the end doing his homework for him so he doesn’t get in trouble with Batman. It was really good and I loved the surprise ending where Clark gets a note from Batman at the daily planet. The final story begins JMS’s run on this book as a woman comes to Superman angry that he was off planet and because of this was unable to save her husband’s life. Honestly, I think she was a out of line here but I can see why this would effect Clark emotionally. We will see where JMS goes with it. All-in-all it was a good issue, I don’t think it was as epic as Batman’s anniversary issue but it was still good and focused on the character’s past, present, and future.

Revelations

Superman #695
Written by James Robinson
Art by Bernard Chang

I love the Superman books right now! I really can’t get enough of them. Robinson’s threads are coming together slowly but surely and it is so fun to see how tightly plotted everything is here. Steel wakes up from his coma, Jimmy is alive, the Legion has been behind a lot more then we thought…there are so many revelations in every issue of this book and I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. This book is much better then Robinson’s awkward Justice League writing, if only it got a regular artist. I miss Guedes’s Metropolis.

The Return of Matter-Eater Lad

Superman #694
Written by James Robinson
Art by Javier Pina

This was pretty slow-paced compared to the break neck speed this book has been going story-wise before this. I can’t say that it’s a refreshing change of pace because I have been really liking how this book has been but that doesn’t mean this was a bad issue. I liked that it was Martha Kent who sewed the S into Mon-El’s costume and the revelation that Mon-El’s friend is actually Matter Eater Lad was pretty damn cool, even if you have no familiarity with the character like I don’t. He just is a hilarious character, and I like that Robinson came up with an extremely plausible use for his power. Good stuff but a little slow compared to what this book has been like.

7734

Superman #693
Written by James Robinson
Art by Fernando Dagnino

We finally get to see more of General Lane’s base of operations, 7734, and it was rather cool. Lane has planned for everything and is gaining power to stop the Kryptonians in a war he believes will happen. Mon-El withstands torture, both psychological and physical, and still won’t become a member of Lane’s team. I like how Lane mocks the Superman symbol, I suppose that will be the reason why Mon-El is going to put it on his costume – to make sure that people are still inspired by that famous S. People really need to be reading the Superman books right now, as this is all so wonderfully plotted and leading to something huge.

Oh Hamburgers!

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #24
Written by Dan Jurgems
Art by Jurgens
Co-Feature by Matthew Sturges
Art by Mike Norton

In the main Boosterific story, it was really cool to see Kyle get his GL ring (for the first time in this alternate timeline) and like always, I really enjoyed this issue. Although I don’t know how I feel about Booster being the one who dressed up like Deathstroke, although I like how they made it so at least Deathstroke believes he was there. I have no idea what is coming next in this series but I am enjoying the ride. The Blue Beetle co-feature had the scarab yell “Oh Hamburgers” like Butters from South Park. And that means it gets an A+ in my book!

Cohesion

Superman #690
Written by James Robinson
Art by Pere Perez

There has been a lot said at how Robinson isn’t telling one cohesive story in this series and it jumping too much all over the place. I think the people who already thought that will be utterly convinced by this issue, which seemed to to have a to be continued in a different comic on every page. I am a fan of the DC Universe so it doesn’t bother me but I imagine others wouldn’t be so pleased. The guest artist is decent but I miss Guedes already. There didn’t seem to be much cohesion in this story and it was jarring, even for me. But I still Robinson makes great use of the DCU by referring to obscure characters like Mark Merlin – who even I have never heard of.

Connected

Superman #687
Written by James Robinson
Art by Renato Guedes

I read a review of this issue somewhere that said it was just a bunch of disconnected scenes. I don’t agree with that assessment at all. Robinson is building all of these seemingly disconnected scenes to something huge. You can tell he has had long-rang plans for this book for a while as he even follows up on threads all the way from his first arc. Black Lightning is in Metropolis apparently (which seems to be breaking the rules of the Outsiders about total dedication to the team but I digress) and on the cover he is flying? What the hell? I love how Robinson is really using the character of Metropolis, we even get to see their sewers and Steel and Atlas talk about street nicknames and neighborhoods. It’s really great stuff and any fan of the DC Universe knows the best thing about it is is its fictional cities. I still have yet to understand why Mon-El joined the science police, still seems as uninteresting as when Wonder Woman joined the Department of Metahuman Affairs.

Checking In With Good Art

Superman #684
Written by James Robinson
Art by Jesus Merino

This Faces of Evil issue focuses on Parasite who briefly had the power of Mon-El and craves more of it. I think Robinson is foreshadowing a possible fight with Parasite and Mon-El when the Daxamite takes over this title soon. There was a lot in this issue. We check in on the new Nightwing and Flamebird, as well as New Krypton where Zod is leading the army. It’s all pretty awesome. The art is fantastic. I really never realized how much I liked Merino as an artist until this issue.

Success

Action Comics #873
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Pete Woods

This is the final part of the ten part New Krypton storyline that began in the New Krypton Special, then continued here, then in the Guardian Special, then here, here, here, here, here, and here. I read a lot of reviews saying that this wasn’t a true ending or satisfying ending. I think it was. I mean Kandor has left earth and established a New Krypton. It is the end of this arc. This is serial storytelling people, there are never going to be true endings as if this is a complete work! I just don’t get the complaining about the ending. Anyways, I absolutely adored this issue. Every moment inspired awe and wonder in a way that any big story like this should. While I like Final Crisis, this is more of an event book then that. The ending with Superwoman was completely unexpected and I look forward to all the story possibilities that have come out of this arc. I may have been hard on some parts of this storyline, but overall, and especially this issue, it was a tremendous success.

A Villainous Trip To The Phantom Zone

Superman #682
Written by James Robinson
Art by Renato Guedes

Okay….this has to be the most eventful issue of this storyline yet. This is Part 6 of the New Krypton Storyline that began in the New Krypton Special, continued here, then in the Guardian Special, and then here, and here. The New Krypton event has been really awesome so far but this is the cream of the crop. The Kryptonians begin to gather Superman’s villains and toss them in the Phantom Zone, along the way killing some cops who try to stop them. When Clark finds this out, his reaction is priceless. You really get the sense of anger and disappointment as he flies out of the Daily Planet and I think that is a credit to Guedes’s artwork. He really did a good job this issue. I am not sure what is going on with the Guardian or Atlas though. I guess we will find out soon enough. At first I thought Supergirl was in on it but apparently she was unaware anyone got killed. I am glad. Allura is kind of a bitch compared to her husband, who seems genuinely upset about the deaths of the cops. I look forward to finding out what happens next.

JLA 13 – 26

Justice League of America #13
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Joe Benitez

When I first read this issue, I was a little turned off. I guess I expected more from the first issue of McDuffie’s run and I certainly expected better art. But now I think this was a pretty good read and did remind me a lot of the TV show. Good start, and at least much better then anything Meltzer did on this title. I think the Injustice League is very cool and I like how they are opposite numbers of the League. Of the villains we have seen so far this is what the breakdown is.

Superman:

Lex Luthor
Parasite

Batman:
The Joker

Poison Ivy

Wonder Woman:
Cheetah

Firestorm:
Killer Frost

Hawkgirl:
Shadow Thief

Green Lantern:
Fatality

The Flash:
Gorilla Grodd

Black Canary, Vixen, Black Lightning, Red Arrow, Geo-Force, and Red Tornado are sadly without any villains yet.

Justice League of America #14
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes

This is another good issue. The Injustice League is shown to have Cheshire and Shaggy Man in it’s ranks as well. Cheshire is a Red Arrow villain arguably (even if he has a kid with her) but Shaggy Man and Dr. Light are just general villains not specific to anyone.

Justice League of America #15
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Benes

The way Batman basically tells Firestorm that he has no choice, he has to join the Justice League was awesome! This concluded the Injustice League arc and it was good, but this arc as a whole would have been a whole lot better if someone else was doing the art.

Justice League of America #16
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Joe Benitez and Allan Jefferson

Eh….this issue was okay. It just served as a preview to two other mini-series’s which is kind of annoying. I would have rather had a story in this series that starts and ends in it.

Justice League of America #17
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes and Joe Benitez

Haha the main story I could care less about. It was lame and had awful art. But the back up written by McDuffie was good because McDuffie comments on the fact that Meltzer’s whole Vixen is using the powers of the Justice League thing makes no sense. I love it! Take that Meltzer!

Justice League of America #18
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes and John Boy Meyers

Meh….this was very decompressed and was basically filler. They could have cut this entire issue of the arc. But the back up was good.

Justice League of America #19
Written by Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes

Thank god this arc is over because it was not very good. It just served as a sidestory to another mini-series! Whatever happened to this series having its own stories. Hawkgirl being so jealous over Cheshire is just stupid and seems completely forced. Also, I know Geo-Force was transferred to the Outsiders but you would think someone would have mentioned it for people who aren’t reading
the Outsiders. Instead, he just dissappears. That’s bad editing.

Justice League of America #20
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ethan Van Sciver

This was by far the best issue of McDuffie’s run so far. And you wanna know why, Ethan Van Sciver. Look at how much of a difference Ed Benes’s art makes with McDuffie’s writing. McDuffie is a good writer, but Benes’s art is soo bad that it is killing a good story. Anyways, this was a beautiful issue with a nice story with the Flash and Wonder Woman. I liked it a lot.

Justice League of America #21
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Carlos Pacheo

This is a final crisis tie-in issue that is rather enjoyable. In fact, it was just as good as last issue. This book is sooo much better without Ed Benes. Please DC, get rid of him! Anyways, it made me happy to see that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were going to add Martian Manhunter back in the league before he died but the trinity is acting kind’ve elitist. Libra is a visually stunning character and I can’t wait to learn more about him in Final Crisis.

Justice League of America #22
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Bene

Unfortunately Bene is back this issue….with some ultra terrible art. He draws just one body type…it’s so annoying. Plot-wise, it was only okay. Red Tornado taken over by Amazo does NOT interest me, especially when the League already fought Amazo under Meltzer’s pen. The vixen subplot interests me more but not by much. I really can’t reccomend this issue.

Justice League of America #23
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Benes

While this may have not been a horrible issue if Ed Benes was not doing the art, it was horrible when comined with the art and the rather dull fight with Amazo that lasted the entire issue. Damn. And this series was finally getting good again.

Justice League of America #24
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art byAllan Goldman

Yay! Benes is gone again this issue. This made the fight with Amazo so much better but still rather dull. The best moments of this issue were at the end where they go to meet Animal Man. I did not even think of the vegatarian thing. I am intrugued as to where this is going.

Justice League of America #25
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes, Ian Churchill, Doug Mahnke, Darick Robertson, Shane Davis, and Ivan Reis

This anniversary issue was rather good. I am happy to find Red Tornado leaving the team as I never really grew fond of the character. Also, Anansi seems like a great villain for the league to face. I like how he speaks and how he spins the webs of stories. I look forward to the next issue.

Justice League of America #26
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes

Now this alternate reality issue of JLA is one of the best issues of McDuffie’s run. He can write some great stuff when he isn’t editorially mandated to do things. There were so many great moments. The Brown Bomber! LMAO. It was refreshing to see Vixen calling upon Animal Powers again and I have to wonder if Meltzer only had it go away because he was too lazy to look up animals to use (:. But the anansi thing did seem to end rather quickly. I bet McDuffie wanted it to be longer but then was told he had to do the whole Milestone crossover thing. Well at least this is a new arc I can look forward to, even if it is editorially mandated.

Blue Beetle 16 – 32

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #16
Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

“Batman’s file on you is Eclipso Power: Sucking” Best line ever! This was a decent issue. I still am not a fan of the art in this series. I liked the Sue Dibny stuff though. Very powerful.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #17
Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Now this was more like it! Jaime really thinks like a superhero here especially with the calling Bruce Wayne stuff. Very good issue.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #18

Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque, David Balden, and Dan Davis

Haha well the art was distracting at first, but I got over it because this was a fun issue where Blue Beetle meets the Teen Titans. I love how Brenda calls them the Belly-Shirt Brigade and the comments about how they wear skirts. Just fantastic. Rogers writes a good Miss Martian too…I liked her one-liners.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #19
Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

This was an entertaining dealing with Brenda’s discovery of her aunt’s criminal side, and Blue Beetle fighting Giganta through her pressure points. Good stuff.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #20
Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

So is the Peacemaker dead? Looks like it since he ripped the Scarab out of his spine. This crossover with the Sinestro Corps War was good but extremely overrated in the blogosphere. It only mildly entertained me.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #21
Written by Justin Peniston
Art by Andy Kuhn

This Spectre filler issue was good as it dealt with themes of the death penalty and forgiveness. Very good stuff from a writer I have never heard of. The art didn’t seem different at all.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #22
Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Rogers is a fantastic writer. He has been putting little clues into this series since the beginning. Jaime also shows his brilliance as a hero in this story. He is not a stupid kid by any means. Tovar’s story was very sad, and it makes you think about if all your memories were a lie as well. Best issue in a while.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #23
Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Everything is going crazy and Rogers winds down his run and Blue Beetle comes face to face with the Reach. This stuff has been two years in the making and it is really exciting. I know for a fact that Jaime’s family is not dead, but I still felt for Jaime in this issue. And jeeze, having a scarab pulled out of your spine has got to hurt!

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #24
Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Even more shit hits the fan in this action-packed issue. I loved Blue Beetle’s make shift powerless costume and how it resembles Ted Kord’s old costume. Nice touch. This was an amazing issue. Probably the best of the entire series this far.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #25
Written by John Rogers
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

John Rogers has not only created a legacy for the Blue Beetle but created a great character and supporting cast that will go down as classic. Twenty-five issue of build up and it was all worth. Jaime finally defeats the Reach in this issue and it is fantastic. Read it – everything in the last twenty-five issues is build up to this, even things you thought were meaningless. I am going to miss him on this title but at least he went out on top. Brenda and Paco kiss and the scarab speaks English! Kaji Da!

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #26
Written by Jai Nitz
Art by Mike Norton

What a good/cute story. In this all-spanish issue (which I had translated) Blue Beetle has a family reunion and fights the Parasite. In the end, he takes his Grandma for a flight.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #27
Written by Will Pfeiffer
Art by David Baldeon

This issue has Blue Beetle fighting a demon summoned by some dorky teenagers who find a spell book. Good stuff, and I like when Beetle works with Traci 13. Nothing really to write home about though.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #28
Written by Will Pfeiffer
Art by David Baldeon

This was another good story featuring a villain from the original Blue Beetle’s days named Doctor Mestopheles, and I love when this series does the legacy thing. Baldeon’s art is good and I wish he would stay on the series.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #29
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

This issue deals with illegal immigration. A topic that I am surprised it took twenty-nine issues for a series set in El Paso, Texas to get to. But I am glad it is being dealt with. Sturges begins his run with an intriguing story and it seems like he really gets the characters. In fact, I think I liked his pacing a little more then John Rogers’s pacing.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #30
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Haha I loved the opening of this issue with Jaime trying to go all Dark Knight on La Dama. This was a fantastic second issue for Sturges’s run. He even has Jaime and friends go to a superhero mini-golf place. Oh to live in the DCU…..

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #31
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Andre Coelho

Having Blue Beetle be conned into representing El Paso’s border patrol was genius storytelling as it will allow for some political commentary in this series. I am a liberal and I do believe that people who are anti-immigration are racist, it’s pure and simple. So I really liked this story. Doctor Mid-Nite’s appearence was perfect and not arbitrary at all. So far Sturges’s run has been really good. And Dr. Polaris’s appearence I bet will excite a certain blogger over at Title Undetermined.

Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #32
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Andre Coelho

This exciting issue explains the origin of the new Dr. Polaris, who I think was only created because some editor forgot he was dead and had him appear somewhere. I hate editors who don’t do their job, but at least we get a new character! I like that he comes from corporate America which makes him perfect for this storyline. A lot of great moments. People, you need to be buying this series!