Bruce Remembers

Power Girl (Volume 2) #21
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Sami Basri

 

This was awesome for anyone enjoing Generation Lost as Power Girl manages to convince Dick Grayson with the help of Bruce Wayne of Max Lord’s existence and villainy. Bruce’s presence here was just awesome and it was great to see that he remembers Lord – because if anyone could it would be Bruce. I also loved how Basri got all the pre-infinite crisis costumes correct in the flashback. I know that sounds easy, and it is, but so many other artists at DC would have gotten it wrong cause their editors suck at their jobs.

The Real Flash Is Back! Welcome Back Wally!

The Flash (Volume 3) #9
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul

 

Well I didn’t see that ending coming! But anyways fuck the two Barry’s – Wally West and the rest of the Flash family is in this issue! Welcome back the real Flash! I hope Johns includes him more then his two lines in this issue in later issues because Johns certainly can write Wally well and he deserves to be one of the stars of this book. As for the mystery – it’s actually really interesting as Elongated Kid is found dead aged and dead (I liked that they made up a new hero here instead of killing off say – Offspring – or something) and Hot Pursuit is revealed to be some kind of alternate Barry Allen. Hmmm?

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.

Fallen For This Book

Action Comics #895
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Co-Feature by Nick Spencer
Art by RB Silva

I have seriously fallen in love with Action Comics. This is a book starring Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen. I never would have guessed I would be loving it this much but I have to say that this book has stole my heart. Everything about it is good. The Jimmy back-up was hilarious. The Lex story made great use of continuity. In other words, buy it.

Characters

Justice League of America #49
Written by James Robinson
Art by Pow Rodrix and Robson Rocha

 

This was a brilliant interlude that really takes a look at the characters of Donna Troy and Jade in particular. Robinson shows he knows their past and gets how they tick but also how he is going to move them forward. I love how he brings in old continuity like the Bogeyman but does it in a way that makes sense and natural. Even in the one panel scenes we get of some of the other Leaguers he demonstrates how much he gets those characters. This is awesome writing. The art was okay…Bagley is missed though.

Supergirl 55 and 56

Supergirl (Volume 5) #55
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle

 

This was an a fantastic issue as Supergirl continues to fight Bizzarogirl who has some absolutely hilarious lines here and Kara decides to escape to Bizarro World. I like how she remembered Reactron’s captivity and connected that with Bizarrogirl being studies by Doctor Light.

Supergirl (Volume 5) #56
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle

 

Supergirl goes to Bizarroworld and finds it being attacked by a big monster. It was a decent issue but not much to write about I guess.

Archetypical Bullet

Batman #702
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Tony Daniel

 

This concludes the lost chapter of R.I.P and I have to say I quite enjoyed this issue. One wonders why this wasn’t told back then but oh well we got a lot more information here about how Bruce was sent back in time by the Omega Sanction. I love how Morrison describes the God-Bullet as the archetypical bullet – the bullet of all bullets – therefore truly Batman’s ultimate enemy. Great writing and really cool stuff to think about. I am not sure where and how Batman recorded the message for Superman though. I will probably have to go back and reread.

Guest-Starring The Real Flash

Magog #11
Written by Scott Kolins
Art by Kolins

 

In the penultimate issue of this book, Wally West guest stars as Magog takes on a man who has wonder tech – linked to Gog- connected to his back. It was actually a good read and I really felt the emotion over Lauren’s murder. I kind of wish Kolins had written this series from the beginning. It was great to see Wally again – I like how DC says they support Wally and all that and then we never see him after Rebirth wtf. Well at least he isn’t as missing as Cassandra Cain.

Family

Titans (Volume 2) #23
Written by Eddie Berganza
Art by Scott Clark and Ardian Syaf

 

I think I have said enough about how disgusting it was for DC to kill off Lian Harper, but I did enjoy this issue. Okay I hated it at first but I liked the look back at the history of this team and it reminds me of me and my friends over the years, you go through rough spots, but it makes you closer in the end. There was something very real about all this. Sure it was filled with unnecessary retcons – I don’t remember Donna and Roy being that serious or the Titans finding about Roy’s drug abuse – but I still enjoyed it. I guess because it profiles probably the greatest family in all of comics – the Titans. They have stuck together through bad and worse and I love that about them and I am glad they are becoming Justice Leaguers now.

All The Powers Of Superman

Adventure Comics #510
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Travis Moore

Ummmm Bedard could have taken over this series for all I care because this was a great issue! Bedard shows he knows the character of Connor Kent inside and out by recapping his history while moving the story forward. This was by far the best Blackest Night tie-in yet. We get to see lots of action and great characterization at the same time. The strong love between Wonder Girl and Superboy and their training to make sure Connor is never mind controlled again (Nice use of continuity by the way, I would never have thought of that) allows for Superboy to escape from the Black Lantern ring. The art was fabulous as well. Oh and Superboy gets freeze-breath finally! Now he has all the powers of Superman. I kinda liked it when he was all about the tactile telekinesis but this is okay too.

Implications

Titans (Volume 2) #21
Written by J.T. Krul
Art by Angel Unzueta and Chris Batista

 

I am sorry if I got the wrong impression, but did this issue imply that Lian Harper is dead and Roy doesn’t know it yet because he is in a coma! Is this a spoiler for Cry for Justice! If so, what the hell is wrong with DC? That is completely unnecessary. They kill off Red Devil for no reason, as he doesn’t even become a Black Lantern, and now this? You have got to be kidding me. I hope I am wrong. I hope Donna is talking about something else besides the death of a loveable little girl! The art by the way was good except for Batista’s part, in those parts it was downright awful. Look at how he draws Black Canary! I hope it’s just Unzueta next issue. It was well-written though. Krul continues to prove he understand the Titans very well.

The History of Negative Man

Doom Patrol (Volume 5) #6
Written by Keith Giffen
Art by Matthew Clark
Co-Feature by Giffen and J.M. Demateis
Art by Kevin MaGuire

 

This issue was basically a crash-course in the history of Negative Man through his own words. I wonder if it was done in a narrator style if it would have been easier to follow. I think so. Giffen definitely made the wrong choice there but what can I say, maybe it’s the artist. I enjoyed it none-the-less. I love continuity as you all know! The Metal Men back-up was amusing as always and still loving all the Chicagoland references.

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.

Quick Read

Superman/Batman #66
Written by Scott Kolins
Art by Kolins

As it turns out, Bizarro is much more interesting in Black Lantern emotional spectrum vision then he is without it. Haha. I like that he said he was full of rage when the Black Lantern saw love. Nice use of the opposite speech and twisting it to fit Blackest Night perfectly. It was also great to see Frankenstein and the Bride. This was good but a little rushed. It was a quick read.

Brought Back Too Soon

Adventure Comics #507
Written by Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates
Art by Jerry Ordway
Co-Feature by Johns and Michael Shoemaker
Art by Clayton Henry

If it weren’t for the fact that I know Johns is leaving this book after issue six, I would be okay with this Blackest Night interlude focusing on Superboy-Prime versus Black Lantern Alex Luthor but with this interlude, it means we are only getting one more issue of Superboy and that just sucks. Oh well. This was still good. It was great to see Earth-Prime comic shops and Superboy-Prime reading them to find out what happens next. And of course it was just awesome to see my  favorite Legion (The Legion of Earth-Prime) back! But I got to say that we just saw Superboy-Prime in Legion of Three Worlds and I think he is being brought back way too soon. The Legion back-up was probably the best it has been yet with a sweet story about Blok and White Witch.

Jurgens The Underrated

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #26
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens and Mike Norton

Jurgens is by far one of if not the best artists DC has, why doesn’t he get any appreciation for it?! He is also just as good of a writer. You don’t have to have read anything with Booster Gold before and you would completely understand and enjoy this issue. If you know Booster’s history, you will enjoy it more but that means it is a good use of continuity. I loved every page of this issue. Pick this up if you are a fan or just someone getting into DC through Blackest Night.

Separate Ways

Titans (Volume 2) #18
Written by Bryan Q. Miller
Art by Angel Unzueta

These done-in-one character focuses have generally been pretty good. This one was good – I am just kind’ve sick of the Raven vs. her brothers plot as it was the focus of the beginning of this series already and it’s been done to death. It looks like Raven will end up being a mentor with Beast Boy to the Teen Titans as we have seen over in that series and it is hinted here…but I could be wrong. As the team (or family) splits apart with Raven and Beast Boy mentoring the Teen Titans and Donna, Cyborg, and Starfire going to the Justice League….will Flash and Red Arrow stay in this book? I guess we shall find out.