Make Their Move

Titans (Volume 2) #33
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

Arsenal and Cheshire finally make their move on Deathstroke with the help of an old friend of Slade’s. Gee after this is this even a team anymore? It really will just be Deathstroke and Cinder won’t it?Anyways, I still hate seeing Roy like this.

Taking Power From Shazam

Titans (Volume 2) #32
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino and Phillip Tan

 

Now this was an enjoyable issue as we finally as Osiris is officially restored to life by the white light after he takes Freddy Freeman’s powers away which somehow bring Isis back but something bad has happened to her apparently. I am actually excited to see what happens next which is not something I say often about this book. Tatooed Man leaves and Deathstroke gives more hints that this whole team has something to do with Jericho.

Just Bring On The Eclipso

Justice League of America #53
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

 

I was disappointed with the conclusion to this arc. I mean it was better then anything pre-Robinson but man was it not that great of an ending and Bagley…he must have known he was leaving when he drew this cause this was a weak issue on his part. That last splash page could have used some serious editing. Elasti-Woman is wearing the wrong costume and Damage is there – Damage is dead! Come on DC! I am looking forward to next month’s Rise of Eclipso story though!

Pick A Name And Stick To It

Titans (Volume 2) #31
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

Okay DC you need to decide whether Freddy Freeman is going by Captain Marvel or Shazam – in story its always Shazam – but in the text and their advertisements it’s like that can’t decide which is really unprofessional and annoying. Pick one! Osiris is way over the edge and this book is in no way fun to read anymore – from Arsenal’s downward spiral (hell at least he isn’t an outright villain just yet) to the disgusting murder of Slipknot I just didn’t care for this issue. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t mind violence in comics all that much.

Leaving Arkham

Titans (Volume 2) #30
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

It’s a shame this Arkham arc is coming to an end as this has been the best this book has been since the Villains for Hire thing started. Heck any comic set in Arkham is usually a treat but this setting really amped up the fun for this series which I found to just be incredibly depressing before. Osiris leaves and swares off killing for now, which is a good thing, although it was kind of abrupt and the confrontation between Dick and Roy was great cause I am glad to see that Dick still believes in his friend even if Roy has become a drug addicted mess. I wonder where this is going.

And The Ring Goes To…

Adventure Comics #521
Written by Paul Levtiz
Art by Geraldo Borges
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Mahmad Asrar

 

Well I won’t spoil it…but I don’t know how I feel about the one who finally gets to be Green Lantern of the Future…it makes sense…it is just not anything new and I guess I was expecting something more surprising. Element Lad kicks ass here with his powers and I wonder why we haven’t seen much of him in the main legion book. The Atom back-up was okay and it is the last time we will see that back-up in this book, which I don’t mind, I am still to pissed about Ryan Choi to enjoy Ray Palmer.

The Rebirth of Dark Supergirl

Justice League of America #51
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

Robinson once again shows how much he understands and loves the DC Universe with the beginning of this issue. Instead of a random assortment of heroes trying to save Washington DC, we actually get an explanation for why each of the persons’ powers can help the situation. That is a rare feat in comics and I like the attention to detail! Meanwhile, the League is dealing with the threat of Omega Man – who is a bastard yet we don’t even know who he is yet and he has brought back Dark Supergirl. I miss Starman but this this is getting just as epic as the last arc! Great stuff!

Arkham Fights

Titans (Volume 2) #29
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

This was an okay issue but I don’t feel like a lot happened – just a lot of fighting inside Arkham and Tattooed Man talking about his dead son – who I didn’t even know was dead. But it’s still Arkham and that is always fun. Osiris is completely nuts now.

The Legion’s First Death

Adventure Comics #520
Written by Paul Levtiz
Art by Kevin Sharpe
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Mahmud Asrar

 

The final early days of the Legion story was in this issue and it was really good as it focused on Saturn Girl’s thoughts after the death of Lighting Lad (who came back to life as we all know) although there was some annoying editorial mistakes (that was the original Invisible Kid, yet he is listed with the name of the secone one – come on they don’t even look the same!) I enjoyed it and it looks like Supergirl was officially a member of this Legion now. The Ant Farm concept is what is saving the Atom back-up from the boringness that is Ray Palmer but the annoying I am the science hero stuff was unnecessary.

A Trip To Arkham

Titans (Volume 2) #28
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

I have to say that this is the best issue of Wallace’s run yet, and that has a lot to do with it is always awesome when a comic is set in Arkham Asylum and the Bat-Villains show up. The idea that the one guard had the key to all the cells is incredibly dumb but whatever. Osiris is a full-on killer now I highly doubt he can be redeemed even if he thinks killing is going to bring his sister back to life. Arsenal is actually quite interesting as a drug addict but it’s still so sad to see him like that. It was just as heartbreaking to see Ray Palmer investigating Ryan Choi’s disappearance. A part of me still has some hope that Ryan may still be alive somehow.

Ant Farm

Adventure Comics #519
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Eduardo Pansica
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Mahmud Asrar

 

The main Legion story was okay…kinda boring but kinda decent I don’t know I really didn’t care either way. The back-up story was the first time I actually dug the Atom story as we learn about the secret society of scientistis called the Colony and how Ray’s Uncle Dave has come up with a mini-planet for the human race to go to if something happens to our planet. It is called the Ant Farm – clever idea and I would like to see it explored more. Ray Palmer is still no Ryan Choi – but I at least like the concept.

His Future

Adventure Comics #518
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Kevin Sharpe
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Mahmud Asrar

 

The main feature was okay…definitely not the best chapter of these early Legion stories Levitz is doing as it was basically Superboy confronting the fact that he will be killed by doomsday one day and a weird ghost talking to him. The Atom back-up wasn’t bad – still find Ray Palmer to be boring and missing Ryan Choi but ugh oh well.

One Night Stand

Adventure Comics #517
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Kevin Sharpe
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Mahmud Asrar

 

The main Legion story…not sure what to think of it. Teenagers do drink and have sex in real life, but I don’t know, seemed a tad inappropriate for the Legion at this point in their history for Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy to be going out on a barcrawl and ending up in a one night stand! Saturn Girl wanting to prove herself was a good storyline though and everything. The back-up with boring old Ray Palmer did nothing to excite me. I miss Panda and Head and all the great Ryan Choi supporting characters and Ryan himself. Why isn’t Ray trying to solve Ryan’s murder? I really don’t like seeing freaking Calculator again and I hope this is the last we see of him for a while.

Secret Origin Of The Legion

Adventure Comics #516
Written by Paul Levitz
Art by Kevin Sharpe
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Mahmud Asrar

 

The main feature was really good as the now deceased R.J. Brande tells his life story and how he created the Legion. It was a heartwarming tale about an alien who just wanted the universe to work together and be peaceful. I loved it and it made a great “secret origin” for the Legion. The first part of this new Atom back-up annoyed the hell out of me, not just because it stars the boring old Ray Palmer instead of Ryan Choi who was brutally murdered over in Titans – but because the villain is Calculator! We don’t need any more Calculator stories for a while! Come on he should have stayed in Arkham after the Batgirl arc. I am so sick of this guy.

Action 889 and 890

Action Comics #889
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trauttman
Art by Jose Perez
Co-Feature by James Robinson
Art by Cafu

 

The main story ends Rucka and Trautmann’s run on the book by having Chris and Thara defeat the false Rao. It was a kind of a wimper of an ending. I have to say that I have grown to like these two characters as they have starred in this book – but not enough to really miss them. I like the mythology of it all but I think it is just time to move on. The finale to the Captain Atom back-up was more exciting as Mirabai is defeated and Captain Atom’s reputation restored. I really thought this back-up was a neat idea all-around and I’d say it was successful.

Action Comics #890
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods

Wow that was unexpected. I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard Lex Luthor would be the new star of Action Comics but damn this was awesome. Lex is an evil bastard and Cornell writes him that way. He has an employee killed just for embarrassing him, he builds a robot Lois to be his companion haha, and he is obsessed with finding the secrets to the Power Rings. Great start!

Umm…

Green Arrow (Volume 4) #32
Written by J.T. Krul
Art by Federico Dallocchio

 

Wow. Just wow. I mean this whole mess isn’t Krul’s fault, he is a good writer who was thrown into the worst DCU story since Countdown (Or even when Cassandra Cain was turned into a killer – okay that was even worse then this) but this is jsut awful. It is not that I hate that they made Green Arrow kill Prometheus. It’s the way the other heroes acted about it. This guy murdered Lian Harper and led to the death of thousands of Star City innocents – in real life no one would be upset about this. Barry Allen comes off as a huge prick – I resent that Barry came back to life, and this makes me hate it even more cause the character is written as completely unlikable. Black Canary leaving Green Arrow is equally retarted – yes he has hurt her in the past but I thing she should have stood by him through all of this. It is so strange. It is like the DC editors want us to hate all of their characters. Black Canary could have gone to work with the Birds of Prey again without ending her marriage (although I doubt they are getting divorced so much as separated). That being said, this is the end of this volume of Green Arrow and maybe after all this crap a fresh start is needed. I can’t say that I am uninterested in the new direction of Green Arrow in the forest. Could be rather interesting.

I Am Happy For Donna

Justice League of America #43
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

 

Not really sure why DC had certain members like Starfire and Mon-El join just to leave one or two issues later…kind’ve bad planning on their part but oh well I am enjoying Robinson’s run so far and this is no different. I loved to see Donna and Congorilla feeling so happy to be on the League! It’s refreshing to see someone be excited about it for a change. Donna needed to find her place somewhere and I like that Robinson is giving it to her. Please keep her around for a while. Did Donna always have a lasso though? I will have to look that up. I love that Starman is staying in the book and I think this cast really works so far. There was a lot of action and characterization – in fact really the perfect balance for the league. The narration boxes are utilized much better then Meltzer ever did and hey at least everyone has code names. There were some minor continuity troubles – this takes place after Blackest Night yet Green Arrow acts like J’onn and Aquaman are still dead. Not to mention Black Canary should have been in that flashback scene as well but those are just minor complaints in what was an enjoyable issue.