The Mystery Deepens

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #52
Written by Tad Williams
Art by Shawn McManus

I love the mystery factor of this title. There are like what, two or three mysteries in this issue alone. Unlike Busiek, who made it kinda boring by having absolutely nothing happen. The dialogue between the characters that Williams rights is a lot of fun and the art compliments it well. I know this series isn’t exactly selling well and that makes me mad!!! Tad Williams is doing great things with this title give it a chance. Anyways, it was cool to spend some time back in Sub Diego (When are they going to explain how this relates to World War III where it resurfaced). I loved the story that Aquagirl tells about the tunnels. It was creepy and sad (In fact anytime anyone trapped leaves writing carved into a wall it is creepy and sad). They keep referring to the “second disaster”. I wonder if that relates to what happened in World War III. I have no idea what is going on with the new Aquaman’s father either.

Did Ice Just Say Bastards?

Birds of Prey #106
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Nicola Scott

Sadly, from next month’s cover, I get the feeling that Ice’s resurrection is going to be short-lived. Anyways though, this was a wild ass issue!!! I loved it!! Simone writes some of the greatest banter between two opponents in comics like ever. Everyone who likes fun comics should read this. It is fun and action-packed. Some people were really looking forward to the Knockout/Big Barda fight teased on the cover and it was well and good, but I think all of the fights were good. Hawkgirl and Scandal, Harley Quinn and Misfit (Hilarious), Catman and The Huntress, Manhunter and Ragdoll (I loved how Manhunter noticed ragdoll’s balls are missing haha. Forget those naysayers who say this series is not as good without Dinah, I say it is better. I love the Black Canary but it was time for her to move on. This was just awesome.

Threads

Green Lantern Corps #12
Written by Dave Gibbons
Art by Patrick Gleason

Gleason has to have a lot of fun drawing the different Green Lanterns in this series because it is a lot of fun to look at them as a reader. The Gnat Green Lantern was just awesome to look at and I look forward to learning more about him. I hope he isn’t villainous, I would like to see him in a hero role. I feel bad for Guy, he is not framed for the murder of two (incredibly annoying) Green Lanterns and then he is basically taunted by Mogo with hallucinations of his drunken father. I hope Mogo hasn’t gone rogue for good, he better be possessed or something. I don’t want to see one of my favorite Green Lanterns go bad. The situation with the princess and Natu was good too. I liked how each story thread is just as entertaining in this issue as every other one. There really wasn’t one that I found myself bored with.

Legion 27 – 30

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27 Written by Mark Waid
Art by Barry Kitson

I enjoyed this issue. It got confusing because sooo much is going on at a very fast pace but I liked it. The back-up story about Dave Cockrum was really cool and well-handled.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28 Written by Mark Waid
Art by Barry Kitson

Now that was a suspenseful issue. The torturing of Cosmic Boy and Triplicate Girl by the dominators definitely made me squeemish. The surprise twist was awesome (Even though I saw it coming). I am rooting for the Legion to kick some dominator ass.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #29 Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Kevin Sharpe

Tony Bedard fills in this issue and if this issue is any idication of what his upcoming arc on this series is going to be than I am definitely on board for it. The art is top-notch as well. I love how this issue ties heavily into 52 and the fact that Booster Gold really started this whole mess when he time travels into the future briefly. Probably the best use of continuity in a long time. Highly recommended.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #30 Written by Mark Waid
Art by Barry Kitson

Wow, what a great way to conclude a run. This is Mark Waid’s final issue on this series and he couldn’t have done it better. In an homage to the first appearence of the Legion with Superboy, Cosmic Boy gets invited for membership by a 41st century superhero team! And there is a new leader to be elected, and Mon-El and the Dominator World are in the Phantom Zone. I loved the surprise twist to this because I thought it was strange at first that Cos would want to kill billions of life forms. Mark Waid made me fall in love with the Legion with this series and I think his run will be looked back on as one of the greats of Legion History.

Murder

Shadowpact #13
Written by Bill Willingham
Art and cover by Scott Hampton

In typical Willingham style, this issue is a side story focusing on the adversaries of Shadowpact. We see Doctor Gotham murder Strega in order to bring the Sun King to our world, Kid Karnevil kill a dozen trademen, and Zauriel being ordered by the higher angels to murder Blue Devil. When it comes down to it, this issue had a lot of murder. It’s strange to see Zauriel accept his order, but I suppose if it truly comes from God he has to although I have a feeling he will rebel and hopefully join Shadowpact. He would make a great addition to the team. I like Coast City being shown, especially considering it hasn’t been seen in Green Lantern for a while now. Did Hal bring that city back only to abandon it? I guess Zauriel has been Coast City’s protector as of late.

Wonder Woman 6 – 9

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #6
Written by Jodi Picoult
Art by Drew Johnson

Ya this issue has gotten a lot of crap all over the blogosphere. Wonder Woman acts like a total dumbass here. She has been in man’s world for a long time now. How does she not know about credit cards and pumping gas?!!!! Picoult is new to comics so you can’t really slight her for it but this was bad. Really bad. Oh and Circe is overused at this point.

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #7
Written by Jodi Picoult
Art by Drew Johnson

While this issue was loads better than Picoult’s first issue, I still find the whole emo “Who am I?” thing going on with Wonder Woman so annoying. Shouldn’t she have figured all this stuff out during the missing year. I am intrigued about what is going on with Themyscira though and the villains bar was kinda cool.

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #8
Written by Jodi Picoult
Art by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson

So Hypolytta’s alive and kicking now. Circe brought her back from the dead, but it seems Circe is working both sides. This is getting interesting. I am beginning to actually like the relationship between Nemesis and Wonder Woman. I wonder where he think Diana Prince is all this time? I have to say Picoult’s script is much better now.

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #9
Written by Jodi Picoult
Art by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson

Wow I really loved this action-packed issue. It certainly got me excited about Amazons Attack which is something I was not excited for before reading this. This was pretty cool. Picoult has really upped her game in four issues. I am not sad that she is leaving the book (because GAIL SIMON IS TAKING OVER) but still, she should be given another chance to show her stuff in the future because she clearly has great potential. I don’t know if this is really Hipollyta or who Everyman is working for but I look forward to finding out.

Dead Wrong

Catwoman (Volume 3) #67
Written by Will Pfeifer
Art by David Lopez and Alvaro Lopez

Pfiefer is excellent with these cliffhangers where you are truly scared for the life of one of the Catwoman cast. I am truly scared that Karen is going to be killed next issue. Hammer and Sickle are just that evil. This proves once again at how good Pfeifer is at writing baddies. This is one of the most underrated books DC is putting out and I would recommend it to anyone. It’ funny, at one point in this issue I though yes Selina is going to defeat them. Everything is going to be okay, I thought, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I actually thought she had killed Sickle with that gun. I was so wrong. Dead wrong. Hammer and Sickle just may beat the Catwomen this time. The art is decent. I don’t really have much to say about it. The writing though is top-notch.

Superman/Batman 31 – 35

Superman/Batman #31
Written by Mark Verheiden
Art by Matthew Clark

Well, that was crazy. I must say I really do not enjoy Matthew Clark’s arc. Not on the Outsiders and not here. But I do like the idea of all earth’s alien being brainwashed to kill the humans and I do love it whenever Plastic Man makes an appearance in any comic so I am torn on this. Anyways, why is Lex acting like a businessman in this issue again? Isn’t Lana the CEO of LexCorp now while Lex is in hiding? Verheiden should keep up with continuity.

Superman/Batman #32 Written by Mark Verheiden
Art by Matthew Clark

I liked the idea that Superman is taken out of his trance by his love for Lois. I liked that Batman was forced to put the black rock on in order to survive…but this issue falls flat. First, because of the continuity issues. Why is Hawkgirl even there? She is not an alien. And second because I feel like it could be soo much better than it is.

Superman/Batman #33 Written by Mark Verheiden
Art by Matthew Clark

This arc comes to a nice tidy conclusion. Superman convinces the Armada that earth has some good people and shouldn’t be destroyed. I liked how the battle was won through words and diplomacy and not through violence. But I can’t help but feel this whole storyline was a failure. It took too long to come out and had too many continuity mistake. Hawkgirl had red hair in this issue like the old thanagarian Hawkwoman! What the hell!

Superman/Batman #34 Written by Mark Verheiden
Art and Cover by Pat Lee

First time around, I was completely bored with this issue. I have no experience with the Metal Men (accept for 52) and did not care. Second time around, I definitely enjoyed it more and paid attention better. It is a decent story so far, I don’t know if it is consistent with Metal Men continuity or not but I liked the parts where Bruce realizes he should do better to protect the guards of Wayne Enterprises.

Superman/Batman #35

Written by Mark Verheiden and Marc Guggenheim
Art by Pat Lee

Now this was a strong issue. I don’t know about anyone else, but I was not expecting THAT ending. The OMAC Project! Wow, I look forward to seeing how this all plays out next issue. I don’t know if it was Guggenheim, but I liked this better than all previous issues of Verheiden’s run. The teamwork between Batman and Superman was prefect. I loved their conversation about “Super-Brain”. That made a nice use of continuity, I don’t think anyone has acknowledged the “Super-Brain” thing since that first OYL story arc. Great issue. This arc is definitely picking up.

I Am Going To Piss Off My Dad

JLA Classified #38
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Carlos D’Anda

This issue wasn’t anything to write home about but it was pretty good. Enjoyable. I don’t have much to say about it, it was a pretty quick read and mostly focues on Kid Amazo instead of the League. I think the JLA is wrong about Kid Amazo, he seems to be trying to do the right thing throughout this issue. I loved when he said that he was going to do what thousand of American Teenagers try to do everyday, I am going to piss off my dad. That was a great line; kudos to Milligan for that. The writing may be good but the art is subpar and kind of annoying at time. I mean it is not horrible, it is just not my cup of tea. I specifically don’t like the way the artist draws Wonder Woman. I am beginning to wonder what will happen to Kid Amazo at the end of this, I mean someone with that kind of power can’t just disappear.

Teen Titans 44 – 46

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #44
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Tony S. Daniel

I am psyched! Seeing one of my all-time favorite characters, Batgirl, redeemed like she is in this issue was sooo damn awesome! The final page was great and I have to give kudos to Tony Daniel for it. Everything else this issue is perfect and spot on. I loved every moment of it.

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #45
Written by Geoff Johns and Adam Beechen
Art by Al Barrionuevo

If anyone want to see a kickass cliffhanger ending, then look to this issue. Seeing the older Titans tell the Titans East and Deathstroke to “GET THE HELL OFF OUR ISLAND” gave me goosebumps and I actually screamed a hell ya out loud while reading. If this is what Adam Beechen’s run is going to be like, I am down for the ride.

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #46
Written by Geoff Johns and Adam Beechen
Art by Al Barrionuevo

While I liked the conclusion to this arc. I liked Donna saying that they are going to make Titans Island theirs again and Deathstroke giving his children a “real family” but I am disappointed to see that there really isn’t any closure to the Batgirl thing. She seems still willing to kill and then just disappears? What the hell! Oh well, you can’t have your cake and eat it too I guess. Sadly, this is Johns’s last issue with the title. I am going to miss you, Geoff, you made this title one of my favorites for forty-six issues.

Ten Atomic Bombs!

The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #12
Written by Marc Guggenheim
Art by Tony Daniel

Guggenheim writes the most suspenseful issue of this series yet. The ticking clock on this cover is symbolic of its pages inside. MY heart raced (no pun intended) for Bart this issue. I don’t know much about the Black Flash or what this means for Bart and I don’t know how Iris and Valerie are going to solve the problem of ten atomic bombs possibly hitting Los Angeles (Or the power of ten atomic bombs) but I am hoping they deal with it. The Rogues have absolutely fucked up this time. I am liking how this series and Teen Titans have really upped Inertia, not that I knew anything about the character before, but it seems now he has become this Flash’s archenemy. He is a pain in the Flash’s side constantly and I hate him, and to hate a villain means he is a great villain. Albeit, it doesn’t look like Inertia is going to be around much longer considering he is holding the power of ten atomic bombs inside of him.

Lois Lane: Investigative Reporter

Superman Confidential #4
Written by Darwyn Cooke
Art and cover by Tim Sale

So I am going to guess the guy who opened the door at the end of this issue was a Clark Kent robot or something? Most likely. Didn’t Superman have a bunch of robots stored in the Fortress of Solitude at one point. Anyways, this was a decent issue. I enjoyed it. I mean, it is still nothing to write home about or nothing. Sale’s art is up to par for what he usually does and the writing is decent. Everything is just okay I guess. It is nice to see Lois in her investigative reporter role, a role we don’t see very often in series set in the modern DCU. I wonder why this series is delayed so much? Sale’s art? Cooke having to deal with writing and drawing the Spirit as well as overseeing animation projects–that is the most likely culprit. But in a world where All-Star Batman and Robin is YEARS late, something like this isn’t a big deal at all.

Gray

Checkmate (Volume 2) #14
Written by Greg Rucka and Judd Winick
Art by Joe Bennett

This is part 3 of the Outsiders/Checkmate that began here and continued here. The interaction between the two teams is still a lot of fun. I have to say that the Checkmate parts of this crossover are better than the Outsiders parts. Probably because the art is a lot better. I am not such a big fan of the cover of this issue though, kinda bland. My favorite moments probably were between Sasha and Nightwing, being a Batman fan I love to hear them talk about Bruce together. The entire mission seems a little screwed up by the end of this issue and it looks like the one doing the screwer is Amanda Waller. What a bitch she is. But you gotta love her. She is the most gray of any DCU character.

Superman 660 – 662

Superman #660
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Mike Manley and Bret Blevins

This was a very charming issue and I highly reccomend it. It seemed very old school and that was great. The story is told from the perspective of the classic Superman villain, the Prankster. I do not know much about him but Busiek has turned me into a fan. He is a charming villain who really just loves his performances and loves to involve Superman in him. His revenge on Nitro G was just awesome and hilarious. Long live the Prankster.

Superman #661
Written by Kurt Busiek and Richard Howell
Art by Richard Howell and Eduardo Barreto

On one hand, I really liked this issue. It was cool to see Wonder Woman and Lois Lane working together and the idea of the villain, a woman who has to have the affection of men because of a curse by Zeus was really interesting. But this read like an Archie Comic or something, the dialogue was really odd and seemed out of place for a Superman comic book. Especially the end where Lois looks at the reader and winks…what the hell?

Superman #662
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Carlos Pacheco

Now this is a return to form by Busiek after last issue’s lameness. I really enjoyed the mystery of this issue. Superman is pretty worried that Arion’s propechy from a few issues back is going to come true. I love how Busiek acknowledges things going on in other books. Little tidbits are seen that makes a great use of continuity. I wonder who the third kryptonian is? I have wondered that since the Auctioneer said it and I am glad Superman is following up on that question. It should be exciting when it is finally revealed. (This is better than Johns and Donner’s run on Action Comics people, why is that a bigger deal? Who knows.)

Power Girl And Hawkman Sitting In A Tree

Justice League of America #9
Written by Brad Meltzer
Art by Ed Benes

This is the third part of the JLA/JSA crossover that began here and continued here. This was a kickass issue and I am getting more and more pumped about this crossover with each issue (Although this is not as good as the Geoff Johns written part 2 in JSA). The interactions between the leaguers and the society members is great. The Power Girl/Hawkman thing was a little shocking and seemed strange to me but it isn’t really that big of a deal. Why was Power Girl even on Thanagar though? Anyways, I am looking forward to the explanation on how the once thought to be non-existent original Legion of Super-Heroes is around and on New Earth in current time. Multiverse would seem the most likely reason but I don’t know what Johns and Meltzer have up their sleeve. The issue had Meltzer’s usual faults such as the calling everyone by their real name and the annoying narration boxes but if one looks past this, it was a real solid issue.

Supergirl 14 – 17

Supergirl (Volume 5) #14
Written by Joe Kelly
Art by Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund

While I hate to see Batgirl play the villain role, this was still a pretty good issue and it was fun to see these two characters together finally; Batgirl and Supergirl that is. Apparently, Power Boy is a freak stalker. That should be interesting. How is Batgirl still alive after that weird Crystal stuff came out of Supergirl’s body and stabbed her. What is that about? I am loving the art as well.

Supergirl (Volume 5) #15
Written by Joe Kelly
Art by Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund

This was a very good issue. Some have been saying that the portrayal of Supergirl the last few years has been very sexual and even demeaning to women. Joe Kelly proves that is not his intent with this issue. Supergirl is physically abused by Power Boy and Supergirl does not accept that. She even says, “No One Who Says He Loves You Should Ever Hit You Ever”. That was a great line and a great message. This could have been done horribly but Kelly pulls it off with style and grace.

Supergirl (Volume 5) #16
Written by Joe Kelly and Mark Sable
Art and Cover by Alé Garza

After 17 issues, we finally get the reason why Supergirl is being told by her (dead) father to kill Superman. Apparently, when Jor-El opened the portal to the Phantom Zone and started improning criminals there phantoms came onto Krytpon. Zor-El realized this and found out you could only kill them with sunstone. He turned his daughter into a sort of Phantom killer with sunstones inside of her and now. Jor-El is convinced that the Phantoms have gone to earth with Kal-El. That is why he wants Supergirl to kill him? I think that is the jist of it. Is it all just a hallucination of a madman? Are the phantoms real? I have no idea but I am intrigued.

Supergirl (Volume 5) #17
Written by Joe Kelly and Mark Sable
Art by Alé Garza and Marlo Alquiza

Wow I am confused. That doesn’t me I didn’t enjoy this a lot but I am confused. Who is the mysterious Supergirl who appears at the end is it the Pre-Crisis Supergirl? Is it a Supergirl from another Earth in the multiverse? Is it Linda Danvers (Please let it be Linda!). Is this all a dream? I mean if the sun went red and Supergirl has been gone a month wouldn’t we see this reflected in other books. I have a feeling all this will be explained soon and I am coming along for the ride!

Stop Forcing Beliefs

Action Comics #849
Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Allan Goldman

This was a pretty solid conclusion to Nicieza’s two-part fill in arc of Action Comics. Religion in comics is always ripe for controversy, especially an issue like this which deals a lot with whether or not it is okay to force your beliefs on others (In my opinion, it is not and never okay to do that). But putting aside the controversy that this issue may create, it was very good. I like Superman stories that deal with bigger questions than just the typical Superman vs. Crazy Villain. It was good to see Superman calling on the help of Oracle. She hasn’t been utilized in her superhero information broker role in a while. From things mentioned, it seems that this storyline takes place before the Zod storyline as well. I actually kind of felt back for Father Hightower at the end of this issue, even though he was a total prick. Very good issue.