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.

Memory Wipe

Power Girl (Volume 2) #19
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Sami Basri

 

I liked that the JSA All-Stars actually believed Power Girl about Maxwell Lord. I mean she is their proven leader and they would have no reason to doubt her – I feel like a lot of writers would have went there though so I am glad Winick did not. It’s too bad even PeeGee forgets about Lord soon after. One thing that kind of bothered me is that Power Girl was a member of Justice League Europe and probably didn’t have many adventures with Fire, Ice, and the rest of Justice League America but I can buy that they had a few. Anyways, this was a really good issue as Winick has really made the whole Generation Lost plotline pretty epic and the surprise success of the brightest day line. We need to see Terra soon though.

Vegas Magic

Zatanna (Volume 2) #4
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Chad Hardin

Zatannna travels to Las Vegas and meets up with her cousin and a strange billionaire with a talking picture. In the end, she gets attacked by some crazy fire demons. Gotta love this book! Hardin was also a perfect fill-in artist as I liked his art a lot and it works nicely here. I don’t know why Dini has not been writing Gotham City Sirens lately, but at least this book is Dini-rific. I look forward to seeing more of Zachary Zatara as he makes a great sidekick to Zatanna.

Keep Jurgens

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #28
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens
Co-Feature by Matthew Sturges
Art by Mike Norton

I was sad to hear that Jurgens was leaving this title. Can’t we at least keep him on the art DC? He is the perfect Booster Gold creator! (He is also THE creator of Booster) His run may not have been a huge sales success but it has been darn good and this issue is no exception. I like the idea of Goldstar going back in time to Coast City (although I think she remembered that the City was going to be destroyed a little too quickly) and it was fun to see Booster in the Death of Superman era. The Blue Beetle back-up kind’ve annoyed me. Didn’t we get past the scarab turning Jaime evil thing in John Rogers’s excellent run….and since when is the scarab from Bialya and not Egypt. Sturges seems to be running out of ideas here.

Honoring The Dead

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #27
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens and Mike Norton

While this issue was not as powerful on an emotional level as last issue was, it was still a great issue and a great way to honor Ted Kord. I am not sure if I liked the way Jurgens characterized Jaime Reyes here, he seemed a little more in experienced that he has been shown to be of late, but it wasn’t too bad. Next issue I am excited to get back to the main story as it looks like Booster will be going to save his sister from Coast City’s destruction by Cyborg Superman in the past. That should be good. That’s all I really have to say about this issue.

Powers

Justice League of America #37
Written by Len Wein
Art by Tom Derenick

This issue concludes Len Wein’s fill-in arc and I must say that it was a sucess. Wein utilized each of the powers of the team members in unique ways and gave them all equal screen time. That is much better then McDuffie or Meltzer ever did on this book. I wonder where this story is going to continue? Under Robinson’s pen? I don’t know because there was definitely a cliffhanger about the Key and a possible murder of Professor Fortune. But anyways, this was a good arc and Wein should be proud of it.

It Is Good To Have Plas Back

Justice League of America #36
Written by Len Wein
Art by Tom Derenick

Okay it took them thirty-six issues, but I think finally we have a Justice League issue where the characters are given equal screen time, have unique voices, and well…it just feels like the League. I think I was too easy on McDuffie, sure he was always being overly managed by DC editorial, but he really wasn’t good at writing this book. This was just a sigh of relief. I love having Plastic Man back. I really missed him. I liked how they actually showed Vixen asking Starfire to join the league. Heck I even liked the origin of the Royal Flush Gang that they recapped. When Robinson comes on this book, this book better stay this good.

You Don’t Need The A-Listers To Write A Good Story

Justice League of America #35
Written by Len Wein
Art by Tom Derenick and Pow Rodrix

What Professor Fortune said in the last line of this book about playing with the cards you are dealt – in other words you don’t need the big three, just create good stories about the characters you have – it could have been said to McDuffie. Heck, Wein makes Red Tornado more interesting with the two lines the character had her then anything Meltzer or McDuffie did with the character. This was a decent issue, I mean it wasn’t great but it had Plastic Man in it, so that elevates it quite a bit in my head. I love how Plas brought up how he was with the team through all those great storylines – that was a great use of continuity while at the same time commenting on how ridiculous that he has been out of the League for so long. Sure we don’t have the A-list big leaguers, but this fill-in arc is going to be a decent read none-the-less.

High Expectations

Secret Six (Volume 3) #7
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Nicola Scott

The art is still fantastic this time around, but the conclusion of the first story arc didn’t seem as fantastic as it could have been. I suppose I had high expectations because the previous issues of this book have been just that good. I don’t believe Junior and the Tarantula are actually dead, Junior is too good of a villain to kill off that easily. As for what was going on with Bane and Scandal, I don’t know. What was going on in that memory Scandal was having? I have no clue. Mad Hatter was great in this. Now that the Secret Six are in Gotham I wonder if they will become involved in the Battle for the Cowl?

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.

Booster Gold 2 – 12

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #2
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

The second issue of this amazing series is just as good as the first. We see Booster Gold preventing Sinestro from meeting Guy Gardner way before he should and therefore cleaning up some other holes in the timeline. I love the interconnectedness of seemingly unrelated events in this series….it reminds me of the movie, Butterfly Effect, which I enjoyed a lot. One thing that confused me is they showed Dan Garett getting the scarab and becoming Blue Beetle in 1939 when I am pretty sure he is considered to debut in the Silver Age. Continuity error or mistake by me?

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #3
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

Haha seeing Booster Gold drunk is worth the price tag alone. Westerns don’t interest me in the least bit, so I really didn’t care for this issue as much the last two but it was still good.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #4
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

Supernova is reavealed to be Booster’s Dad this issue – I do not know much about his Dad, but he sure is an asshole. I am excited for the next issue, but I know there is no way that they are going to save Barbara Gordon the fate of being paralyzed.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #5
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

This was a particular powerful issue dealing with the rules of Time Travel. So apparently Rip sent Booster back to save Barbara because he wanted to teach him a lesson. No matter how hard Booster tries Barbara Gordon will always be shot and paralyzed by the Joker. I like that because it is definitely one of those pivotal DCU moments that should never be undone.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #6
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

Hmmm I don’t know if I like the idea of Ted Kord being a Time Cop with Booster but we will see. I doubt that Ted is sticking around for very long…something fishy is going on here. It was fun to relive Countdown to Infinite Crisis….probably one of the most exciting times to be a DC reader.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #0
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

Crossing over with Zero Hour fourteen years after the crossover ended is just awesome and totally fits in with the time traveling aspect of this series. Granted, the crossover was brief, it was still pretty damn cool. I never read Zero Hour…maybe I should check it out sometime.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #7
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

I love how these stories are a real treat for long time DC fans yet are easily accessible by newbies (but unlike most bloggers, I could care less about accessibility….people should do their homework). Seeing Catherine Colbert and the London Embassy was really cool. I can’t wait for next issue.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #8
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

I had no idea that Pantha didn’t have an origin. I guess that this is Johns’s atonement for writing her death in Infinte Crisis. The Blue and the Gold together are a great combination. Can’t wait to see the JLI back too.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #9
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

Wow if Ted Kord hadn’t of died things would be really fucked up. I hope Booster is learning his lesson becaus

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #10
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

So it was Mister Mind behind all of this – that is one crafty worm. Anyways, I am glad that Ted isn’t staying in the book….and he is making the right choice but it was very sad to see him say his last goodbyes to Booster. Oh and could the Black Beetle be Paco in the future?
Booster Gold (Volume 2) #1,000,000
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art by Dan Jurgens

What a perfect way to cap off Johns and Katz’s run on this title. Booster gets his sister back, Batman finally gives Booster some respect, and things are looking up for Booster Gold. Gotta love the last page of this issue. Johns and Katz’s did a great run on this book and I look forward to Jurgen’s run.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #11
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Dan Jurgens

While some of the time travel stuff in this issue could give one a head ache, it was a nice follow up to the Johns-Katz run and continues what they started. There are some continuity blips such as I am sure Booster has been to the batcave before in Infinite Crisis, but that doesn’t really matter too much. It was kind of shocking to see Alfred just blatantly shoot someone though.

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #12
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Dan Jurgens

This issue kinda confused me. I may have to read it again. As always though, the art is amazing and the dialogue is fantastic. I don’t know how I feel about going back to this period in Batman’s career since well, it’s been done a lot. Elongated Man’s surprise appearance should be fun though.

The Best With Just One Issue

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #1
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz
Art and Cover by Dan Jurgens

Who would’ve thought that a series starring Booster Gold would be my favorite series that DC is putting out. I know that is a bold statement to make after just one issue, but I think it is a justified statement. This was good….and I mean real good. Anyone who is fan of the DCU, who is a continuity buff, who loves the interconnectedness of this fictional universe, will love this series. It felt like 52 again reading this, it even had 52′s time stamps. There were a lot of moments that made me smile in this issue. The background flashbacks to points in DCU history, Booster’s rejection of Justice League membership, the last page spread, Rip Hunter’s new blackboard giving away future DCU secrets in code, all of it was very exciting and promising. I can’t wait for the next issue.

JLA Classified 35 – 37

JLA Classified #35
Written by Dan Slott and Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens and Jerry Ordway

This is the last of the three realities that Red King is inhabitating and I must say that it was a lot of fun to see the ways the Red King comes up with to kill the Justice Leagyers (Although I wish Batman and Plastic Man had put up more of a fight before the died). This arc has been a lot of fun so far.

JLA Classified #36 Written by Dan Slott and Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens and Trevor Scott

So this story arc concludes in what is a little bit overly long issue. A lot of stuff could have been cut but I didn’t mind that much. I can’t say I truly understand everything that went on but it was a fun ride, and it was great to see Plastic Man get such a huge role. In fact, he is the only leaguer that really remembers all of the othe realities, which is pretty cool. Nice Arc, I am glad I read it.

JLA Classified #37
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Carlos D’Anda

The idea of Amazo having a half-human son is pretty cool and adding the fact that he has false memories into the mix makes it all even better. I thought this issue was a pretty good start to what looks like a promising story arc. The art is pretty good too. I am not sure why it took so long for this to come out, but I am glad it finally has.

JLA Classified 33 and 34

JLA Classified #33
Written by Dan Slott and Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens and Trevor Scott

So in this reality, that the Red King has created, he is doing extremely well at being a hero and is eventually asked to join the justice league. This was a fun issue and as always I am in love with Plas, I really wish he was still on the team. I think someone should buy this just because of the plas moments. Especially when he starts talking about Aquaman’s harpoon. That was awesome.

JLA Classified #34
Written by Dan Slott and Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens and Jerry Ordway

This issue was pretty damn cool. Basically it starts out exactly the same as last issue, except this time the Red King isn’t a hero but a villain in this reality and he has caused the earth to completely blow up in something like 90 hours. It was awesome to see how the JLA evacuates earth, not just of people, but cities and animals and water and plants. The coolest thing ever was Green Lantern transporting the oceans to mars through his energy. I bet Slott and Jurgens had a lot of fun writing this. Batman also is pissed as hell, while everone else is being saved, Bruce is making sure the Red King faces justice.

The Origin of Kryptonite!

Superman Confidential #1
Written by Darwyn Cooke
Art and Cover by Tim Sale

This is the first issue of a series that is supposed to have stories that take place in Superman’s early career and show us his post-infinite crisis history. Okay…I can buy that. But hasn’t Superman’s first encounter with kryptonite been done time and time again. You say that since Infinite Crisis, this is going to be the real story…well okay. Fine. Whatever. If I ignore the fact that this story has been time and time again, this was a damn good issue. Usually when I think of Tim Sale’s art, I do not think of Superman, but he certainly works well here. The story seems interesting and I know Cooke is a good writer. I loved what we got to see of Lois this issue, it is fun to see the old Lois Lane act all in character. Very nice. The issue of a new casino moving into a town and the concerns over it really hits home for me, my home town had just the same issue. Of course, our fuss was all moot because the casino never came but in Metropolis, it did. It was interesting to find out that Metropolis has a low crime rate. Probaby just the opposite of Gotham. Nice first issue. I look forward to the next.

JLA Classified 23 – 28

JLA Classified #23
Written by Steve Englehart
Art by Tom Derenick and Mark Farmer

The arc focusing on the “Detroit Era” Justice League continues this issue. I must say that I like all the moments with the Leaguers but I could care less about the Royal Flush Gang and would really have enjoyed this issue more without them. Besides that, decent issue.

JLA Classified #24
Written by Steve Englehart
Art by Tom Derenick and Mark Farmer

Okay this issue kicked some major ass. I loved it. The only weakness being the parts with the royal flush gang again. Otherwise, I just could not get enough of Englehart’s characterization of the Detroit Justice Leaguers. He makes me want to go back and read the old issues. Vixen’s origin is written so eloquently and I am excited that she is going to be part of the current JLA now. He has gotten me to care about characters that I never gave a crap about before. Great writing. Englehart even made Aquaman’s talking to fish power seem cool. Not to mention, this issue had pretty good art.

JLA Classified #25
Written by Steve Englehart
Art by Tom Derenick and Mark Farmer

This was a great ending to a great story arc. I think this series needs more arcs like this, arcs that focus on obscure parts of the JLA’s history. It is revelaed in this issue that Gypsy knew about Vibe and Steel’s deaths before they happened. I don’t know if this is a new idea or not but it is very interesting. Gypsy is a lot more powerful than I thought and I am glad she is now a member of the Birds of Prey. I think this story arc may just have convinced me to pick up some old Detroit JLA issues.

JLA Classified #26
Written by Howard Chaykin
Art and cover by Kilian Plunkett and Tom Nguyen
This issue was okay, nothing to write home about it. I feel like the whole JLA getting involved in international affair thing has been done to death in the last few years and therefore, a story that would have been a big deal a decade ago is just another JLA story now. It is nice to see Faith again and to read a story with the JLA taking place only a little while before Infinite Crisis. It makes you think about how much has changed in the DCU since Infinite Crisis.

JLA Classified #27
Written by Howard Chaykin
Art and cover by Kilian Plunkett and Tom Nguyen

This issue bored me until the end when I was just so pissed off at the league for getting involved in this international affair and creating a huge problem. Chaykin write the Justice League as being pretty damn arrogant and that is just not how I see them. Oh and the art is pretty mediocre. Not one of my favorites.

JLA Classified #28
Written by Howard Chaykin
Art and cover by Kilian Plunkett and Tom Nguyen

Okay this issue sucked and I must say that this whole storyline so far blows. The JLA is acting totally out of character and shitty. They are acting like they have no experience as super heroes at all. Not reccomended.

The Pain of Steel

JLA Classified #22
Written by Steve Englehart
Art by Tom Derenick and Mark Farmer
Cover by Mike Zeck and Jerry Ordway

These kinds of stories are what the classified serieses should be about. Untold stories about a teams past. This time around, we focus on the Justice League’s Detroit era. Now I wasn’t around during this time but I have heard the jokes and stuff. But I also see why some people do like this era. These characters are interesting and cool, but I am glad they only lasted for a short time as the JLA because they really are not the JLA. Englehart, who I have never head of before this, comes up with a simple story about villains getting revenge on the JLA. But he turns this into a character study of each of the new members. This issue focused on Steel. Not the John Henry Irons, but the JL Detroit Steel. I liked this as this is a character I am not familiar with. The way his grandfather forced him to become “synthetic” was sick and someone should have called social services on the guy. I really feel bad for Steel. He has to live with pain all the time. That just sux. I act like it is the end of the world when stub my toe, I can’t imagine the kind of pain this guy is going through. I sympathize with the character, although I wish he was less hard on his teammates. He considers them the loser version of the league, obvious reflecting comic fans thought of the Detroit era league. Also, Martian Manhunter’s costume is classic and I do not get why he is getting new one in his upcoming Mini-Series. This issue made me upset about that decision. They should keep his old one. Anyway, great start to this arc and I am looking forward to next week’s focus on Vibe.