Green Arrow 11-15

Green Arrow (Volume 5) #11
Written by J.T. Krul
Art by Diogenes Neves and Vincent Cifuentes

This issue goes by so fast and not much of interest even happens. I was really dissatisfied with it. Krul is so good on Teen Titans but this issue was a low point for him.

Green Arrow (Volume 5) #12
Written by J.T. Krul
Art by Diogenes Neves

The only thing of any consequence in this issue is that we find out Galahad is really just a father who had a psychotic break. Otherwise it is just Green Arrow watching the events of the end of Brightest Day. It is filler material again. Swamp Thing barely makes an appearance despite the cover. Now that the Brightest Day crossover is over I hope this book improves.

 

Green Arrow (Volume 5) #13
Written by James Patrick
Art by Austin Padilla

Now that is more like it. This new creative team had a stellar debut with Green Arrow fighting a right wing Christian terrorist by the name of Rev. Billy Miggs. I love how much Ollie hates this guy. The art was good too.

Green Arrow (Volume 5) #14
Written by James Patrick
Art by Austin Padilla

Green Arrow continues to fight Rev. Billy Miggs who is shown to be way creepier than I thought when he murders a person he is baptizing in front of his congregation. It is quite disturbing and a great new villain for Green Arrow. I also enjoyed Ollie and Bruce’s moments here and how the artist chooses to keep Batman in the shadows. This is a great arc fro this series to end on.

 

Green Arrow (Volume 5) #15
Written by James Patrick
Art by Austin Padilla

This is the final issue of Green Arrow before the New 52 unnecessary reboot. Within its pages, Ollie defeats Rev. Miggs with the help of the army and some trick arrows. It was enjoyable but nothing to get too excited about.

 

 

 

Teen Titans 94 – 100

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #94
Written by J.T Krul
Art by Nicola Scott

Damn I love Nicola Scott’s art. This story is very refreshing. We haven’t seen much of the Hindu Gods in the DC Universe and it is fun to explore the Ramayana here. J.T. is really good at the characterization of each Titan and Nicola Scott’s art shows their moods and relationships to each other. This is great!

 

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #95
Written by J.T Krul
Art by Nicola Scott

Nicola Scott really draws Superboy with some beefcake. I can’t say that I mind. The demons in this issue were creepy especially the one impersonating Ravager. This was another great issue of Teen Titans.

 

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #96
Written by J.T Krul
Art by Jose Luis

I missed Nicola Scott in this issue but Jose Luis did a good job as a subsitute. Solstice angering Raven is interesting and I wonder why. Looking forward to seeing the team beat Rankor.

 

 

 

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #97
Written by J.T Krul
Art by Nicola Scott

Rankor is defeated mainly by Solstic who officially joins the Teen Titans at the end of this issue. Great to have Nicola Scott back for this fun adventure. I am sad there are only 3 more issues left of the Teen Titans before the New 52.

 

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #98
Written by J.T Krul
Art by Eduardo Pansica

Kid Flash’s virtual reality session showed in this issue that J.T. Krul had studies the history of these characters. Great use of continuity throughout this issue where Superboy-Prime has gathered together a team of villains with personal connections to the Titans. I don’t understand why Indigo is a member though. Although she was sometimes evil, she did end up dying a hero. I really liked her relationship with Shift back in those days. I wonder if they will explain what she is doing back.The ending was great to see the old Superboy costumes appear brought me back to the Young Justice days. Pansica’s art was great I almost thought it was Nicola Scott doing the drawing. Someone in the letter columns mentions that they think Cassandra Cain should be the new Nightwing! That is a cool idea.

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #99
Written by J.T Krul
Art by Jose Luis

The ending of this book almost seems like something that could fit in this month’s Rebirth. “Legacies last for ever.” The final splash page of Titans past was so exciting! I wonder who this new Inertia is. Indigo is not acting like herself at all. I wish that was being explained. I actually forgot Supergirl was a Titan in the past. She has been thrown in with so many teams since her debut. It is always good to see Miss Martian and Argent.

Teen Titans (Volume 3) #100
Written by J.T Krul
Art by Nicola Scott

Nicola Scott draws Argent with a completely different costume than Jose Luis did in the previous issue. Come on editors should catch that stuff. Otherwise this was a superb final issue for this volume of the Teen Titans. I loved every page of it. J.T. Krul should come back to these characters again someday. I am so glad that Rebirth will be restoring the Titans history but it remains to be seen if this part will be restored. It needs to be.

 

 

Justice League of America 55-60

Justice League of America #55
Written by James Robinson
Art by Brett Booth

This James Robinson Justice League was so fantastic. It really was totally underrated. Robinson is a writer who understands that the DC Universe is so rich with diversity of characters. Anything CAN happen in the DCU and Robinson and really knows how to play with its toys. I also loved how odd this group of Justice Leaguers was at the time. This issue is actually part of a wider crossover but Robinson does what any good writer should do and incorporate the crossover into the ongoing story of the book without a hitch. It was cool to see Dick Grayson Batman’s space suit too.

Justice League of America #56
Written by James Robinson
Art by Brett Booth

Congorilla calls in the Justice League Reserves which I didn’t even realize existed but I am sure glad they do because Zauriel is a great character to put against Eclipso. Robinson is brilliant with his use of DC characters. Even Manitou Dawn got a name drop! He joined the League back when I first started reading comics as a kid and has been barely seen since! I did find it odd that the Shade is aware that two heroes teaming up is called The Brave and the Bold. How would he know that in-universe? What does the media in the DCU say that?  The issue ends with Obsidian showing up as the Big bad.

Justice League of America #57
Written by James Robinson
Art by Brett Booth

Robinson’s use of Theology in this DCU is fascinating to me. Earth as the Conduit for God’s love for the Universe. Theology in the DCU would be an interesting topic for a paper don’t you think? Anyways, The Spectre shows up now (Robinson is brilliant I can’t say that enough) to fight Eclipso and Eclipso absorbs Spectre’s power. His whole plan with this is to kill God. That is the ultimate villainous plot is it not?

Justice League of America #58
Written by James Robinson
Art by Daniel Sampere and Miguel Sepulveda

Jesse Quick makes mention here that she is no faster than Donna or Batman now that she has lost her link to the speed force. Does Jesse Quick think that Batman has super speed powers? Because Donna does have superhuman speed so why is she saying that like Batman and Donna are equal in speed. I hate to sound like a broken record but Robinson’s knowledge of DCU obscurity is great and he uses that to a great advantage in the story. All of the Leaguer’s histories are mentioned in this arc so far and this time we get a look at Donna Troy’s past which is quite interesting. But I sure hope Eclipso did not just kill Donna at the end. I like Sampere’s art here.

Justice League of America #59
Written by James Robinson
Art by Daniel Sampere

The Justice League defeats Eclipso in this issue and all returns to normal, but there is a tease that the League will be breaking up next issue (which is the last issue of this series) after the Atom expresses how impressed he is with this new ver

 

Justice League of America #60
Written by James Robinson
Art by Daniel Sampere

This is the final Justice League issue before the New 52. Sad because James Robinson made this comic good for the first time since I can really remember. Certainly specifically this volume of the comic was pretty awful till he showed up. I look forward to reading more Justice League Comics during the Rebirth of the DCU. The beginning of this issue is a quick summary of an arc he probably had planned for the book where all the robots in the DCU get corrupted. How cool would that have been as a full arc! Robinson has so many obscure Robots name dropped. Instead he fast forwards through that and has the team meeting and talking about why each one wants to bow out of the League. Donna wants to discover who she is again now that her rage is gone, Supergirl wants to do the same after dealing with New Krypton, Jade wants to enjoy her second chance at life outside of the superhero costume, Jesse Quick is pregnant, Congorilla wants to become a hero for Africa, Starman is nursing a broken arm,  Batman thinks he will be too busy with Batman Incorporated,   They look back on an untold story (has to be another arc Robinson had planned, this guy is great!) about a war between Saturn and Thanagar and an untold story in Gemworld. Donna makes a comment at the end she wants the world to forget her which is ironic because I think at the beginning of the New 52 they had forgotten her. This was a very bittersweet ending to Robinson’s run and I love that we get a taste of what he would have done with this group if the book wasn’t ending.

 

 

Batman 709 – 713

Batman #709
Written by David Hine
Art by Guillem March

In this issue we learn that Dick let a boy he was jealous of get beat up back in his trapeze days. Dick acts so guilty about it but he was just a kid…what was he going to do? He hadn’t been trained by Bruce yet. Azrael realizes that he is being duped by Ra’s Al Ghul and the day is saved. I liked this comic although it was a little too convenient that the guy ended up bringing up “his friend Dick from childhood” to Batman.

Batman #710
Written by Tony Daniel
Art by Steve Scott

I often forget that it is Dick and not Bruce in these comics sometimes. But Daniel did a good job of reminding us of this when he has Dick just standing around as Batman near reporters. Bruce would never do that. Meanwhile Dick and Selena try to convince Katrina Falcone aka Catgirl to leave Gotham and Two-Face is looking for his missing coin.  Daniel is really mining continuity for his run on Batman and I love it. Steve Scott was an excellent substitute for Daniel’s art too. The issue ends with a surprise return character.

Batman #711
Written by Tony Daniel
Art by Steve Scott

This was another fun issue of Batman. Yes sometimes things can be both dark and fun. Daniel has had a way of balancing that in his run. I love that he mines Batman’s history and his supporting cast. Here we get Riddler’s Daughter, Catgirl, Riddler, and Two-Face plus the Falcones and Gilda Dent. I am not sure I understand why Gilda is with Mario Falcone but I am sure that will be cleared up in the next issue or something.

 

Batman #712
Written by Tony Daniel
Art by Steve Scott

You can tell Daniel is wrapping up his run now. Catgirl leaves Gotham, I think the Riddler just killed his own daughter, and Two-Face killed Mario Falcone. Lots of death in this issue. So why would the Riddler shoot his daughter to “restore” himself?

Batman #713
Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art by Steve Scott, Daniel Sampere, and Andrei Bressen

Here it is the final issue of a series that began in 1940! I hate when they renumber things and hope Batman goes back to its original numbering some day. Why is Cassandra Cain not in the splash page that shows the Batfamily! I mean come on! It shows the Huntress. Cassandra is way closer to Batman than the Huntress ever was! What is it with writers in this period and ignoring the greatest of all Batgirls. It ends up just being a a sweet story about how Dick teaches Damnian an important lesson. But that is so underwhelming for a finale of a comic book this important in history that it is just sad. Plus no Cassandra Cain so I obviously hated this.

 

 

5 Years Later and I am back baby! So here is Gotham City Sirens 22-26

Gotham City Sirens #22
Written by Peter Calloway
Art by Andres Guinaldo

It has been five years since I read the last issue of this book and I don’t remember what happened but I think this was a Batman crossover issue and therefore it doesn’t much matter. It sure as hell was a good one though. Calloway really played with Catwoman’s history here with her sister which shows he understands the character. Always interesting to hear Selena quote Jesus of all people. I missed the DCU! It is good to be back in Gotham.

Gotham City Sirens #23
Written by Peter Calloway
Art by Andres Guinaldo

Look how old this comic is ! The Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern movie! Ew! Anyways, Harley tries to break Joker out of Arkham again and Batman sends Catwoman to stop it. I love that the Joker knows that there is more than one Batman running around Gotham and mentions it here. They really never had Joker and Harley together in the mainstream comics all that much. It is refreshing (and psychotic) to see it in this issue.

 

Gotham City Sirens #24
Written by Peter Calloway
Art by Andres Guinaldo

This was an action-packed finale to this arc that ends with both Harley and Ivy locked up in Arkham but not before the Joker goes on a murdering spree. It is fun to see the Bat and the Cat fighting together again. This was a great issue. Violent. I had forgotten how violent these comics can be. But I don’t mind violence as long as there is still hope and optimism in the end. DC Rebirth restored that for me. Let’s hope the Didio doesn’t screw this up!

Gotham City Sirens #25
Written by Peter Calloway
Art by Andres Guinaldo

Hats off to Guinaldo for choosing to make the borders between panels in this issue be actualy plant vines as it mainly stars Poison Ivy who breaks out of Arkham with Harley Quinn (I love that she goes between wanting to actually kill Harley and calling Harley her best friend throughout the issue) and with the help of the Penguin the duo traps Catwoman in Robinson Park. This is the perfect way to end a villain book, even sympathetic villains like these ladies. I look forward to the final issue.

Gotham City Sirens #26
Written by Peter Calloway
Art by Andres Guinaldo

This is the final issue of the Gotham City Sirens as it ends before the New 52 disgusting no-good horrible reboot. So glad it is turning out to not have been a reboot at all.  I have to say it had some great character moments but I was a bit confused if Batman was really behind the entire Sirens “team” or if Catwoman was lying. It also ended abruptly. I wonder if the other titles do this before Flashpoint or if this was unique. The last panel was just blank. Sad.