Green Lanterns 1 – 19

Green Lanterns #1
Written by Sam Humphries
Art by Robson Rocha

As happy as I am to have a new Green Lantern book that is not starring boring old Hal Jordan, I can’t say I was excited to read this. Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz have not interested me one bit in the Justice League book. Simon just seems like a jerk and Jessica is so unsure of herself it becomes not sweet, but annoying. I was hoping under a different write I would feel differently. This issue did not win me over, but maybe future issues will because the art was good and I am interested in the Red Lantern sub-plot. Oh and Dex-Starr!

Green Lanterns #2
Written by Sam Humphries
Art by Robson Rocha

Now this was more like it! By focusing on Jessica learning about her ring with her sister, Humphries made me actually understand her character better and what she is going through. Hopefully we will get a similar focus on Simon. This series just got good.

Weirdos Are The Best

Doom Patrol (Volume 6) #5
Written by Gerard Way
Art by Nick Derington

Casey Brinke, Flex Mentallo, and Danny the Street work together to defeat Terminox and the Ventra in this weird (in a good way) series that barely makes any sense but is fun and exciting in the weirdest way possible. I love everything about it and I hope it lasts for a long while. The Doom Patrol isn’t officially back together yet it is unclear to me who is going to be officially on the team or if it will ever be a team but it seems the break out star of this book is going to be Casey Brinke who has an incredible costume in my book. Casey Brinke should team up with Halo! Speaking of Halo…she would be an interesting character to join the Doom Patrol. She is a weirdo too.

 

Green Arrow Rebirth 1 – 19

Green Arrow (Volume 7) #1
Written by Benjamin Percy
Art by Otto Schmidt

Out of all the new Rebirth series, this series seems to be the one most tied to its “Rebirth” one-shot because this comic starts off right where that left off and Benjamin Percy doesn’t really take time to explain what is going on which I think that is a mistake. But it is the only mistake really made here. We have Green Arrow and Black Canary back together and great art, the books seems to have regained its social conscience. In today’s political climate, it is important that Green Arrow be political. I think this was a good start and I was genuinely surprised by the cliffhanger ending, but I think I would be more surprised if I knew anything about his sister since I did not read New 52.

Green Arrow (Volume 7) #2
Written by Benjamin Percy
Art by Otto Schmidt

So everyone thinks that Oliver Queen is dead and he has apparently been framed by his company and his own sister seemed to be in on his murder. Black Canary is searching for clues and it all has to do with Ninth Circle group. Meanwhile, Ollie awakes from his coma and goes to his bunker. Honestly this was a little decompressed, not much happened to further the plot at all since last issue.

Superwoman 1 – 8

Superwoman #1
Written by Phil Jimenez
Art by Jimenez

I can’t believe it took 80 years for DC to put out a Superwoman comic! I mean they have barely used the name except for some minor characters (Earth 3, Lucy Lane for a bit) but now here they are with not one but two characters called Superwoman and in the first issue, one of them disintegrates. Yes Lois Lane of New 52 is apparently dead here. I did not know much about her having never read the New 52 but I am interested to see where this series will go with Lana as the star. She seems to have her own powers and is not just a copy of Superman which makes her all the more interesting. But I wish they would bring Linda Danvers back and make her Superwoman…wouldn’t that be cool! This was a good start. Intersting before Lois dies she sees Clark and says everything makes sense now. DC Rebirth clue?

Superwoman #2
Written by Phil Jimenez
Art by Jimenez

So Lana and Steel are now a couple? I did not know that but I think I like it. I haven’t read the Green Arrow series yet but I thought Star City did not exist yet in the New 52 right…but Superwoman says Maggie Sawyer used to work in Star City. Mistake on DC’s part or am I wrong about Star City? Anyways, this was a great issue and even better than the first! So much happens in one issue it’s incredible. This is the opposite of decompressed. Steel is worried about Lana ending up like Lois…Atomic Skull attacks the Metropolis Parade and tell Steel people are being tortured in the prison…Lena Luthor is revealed to be the big bad…Lana has a dream about the dead Lois…Lana makes friends with Maggie Sawyer. Phil Jimenez is amazing.

Titans 1 – 9

Titans (Volume 3) #1
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Brett Booth

It is so strange when they flashback to the old Teen Titans days and Dick Grayson is shown to be wearing what is essentially the Time Drake Robin costume. I know that is a New 52 thing…but it is just dumb. DC should not be ashamed of their past, they should embrace it. It is strange that Wally skips over essentially everything post-crisis in the opening narraration except for Linda Park. What about Barry’s death and the birth of his kids? Out of all the new Titans costumes, I think I liked Donna Troy’s the best. I think she was do for a refresher. It really speaks to her past as Wonder Girl and her time as Troia. I am not a fan of Tempest or Garth’s (Is he still called Tempest?), I think his Pre-Flashpoint costume was better. It was so great to see this team back together and for their history to be restored. Now I would like to know if they eventually remember the Wolfman/Perez era and the rest of their history. Titans Together! Oh and unlike the other writers, Abnett seems to understand Wally West is Keystone City’s hero. I am glad we are finally getting to see Keystone again.

Titans (Volume 3) #2
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Brett Booth

Okay I haven’t exactly enjoyed Abnett’s Aquaman run so I was not expecting much from this book other than hints at the big Rebirth mystery, and there are plenty of that. But I am genuinely enjoying this series in it’s second issue. Even though this whole issue was a big fight with the Titans and Abra Kadabra it still had great characterization and pacing. I was surprised. Abra Kadabra seems to know that Doctor Manhattan or whoever the big bad is that broke history. So that means him, Psycho Pyrate, Superman, Wally, and Lois all seem to know. Linda Park seems closer to meeting Wally again already. I like that. I hope they eventually remember their kids. Also, it looks like Abnett is hinting at bringing back the Donna and Roy romance.

Purple Boring Girl

Batgirl (Volume 5) #9
Written by Hope Larson
Art by Chris Wildgoose

Ugh she does not deserve to call herself Batgirl! She is no Dark Knight like Cassandra was. She walks around in a purple costume in broad daylight. Call her something else or make her Oracle. Why does DC insist Barbara Gordon has to be Batgirl? This issue just annoyed me. Barbara is still dating Ethan Cobblepot and in the end runs into the Penguin. Woot. Boring.

Rucka Better Stay For A Long Time

Wonder Woman (Volume 5) #19
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Liam Sharp

One of DC’s best series continues this week as Wonder Woman comes closer to unraveling the mystery of where is the real Themyscira. Diana leaves the mental institution in better shape thanks to one of my favorite characters, Ferdinand! I am still so happy he is back. Doctor Cyber reveals that Veronica Cale and Cheetah are heading to Themyscira – the real Themyscara somehow but when Diana goes after them she is shot by Doctor Poison’s people. I imagine she will be okay but I am surprised they got the shot in. Liam Sharp’s art was hit or miss depending on the page and this is not like him. I guess you can’t be perfect every time. I can’t wait to see where this goes. Will  Wonder Woman remember her whole history just like Superman now does? One of the best parts of this comic is that Rucka has built a strong supporting cast for Wonder Woman. Whoever follows better keep it around unlike what they did last time Rucka left a book. That being said, I sure hope Rucka stays for a long time to come.

Aqualad Rebirth

Teen Titans (Volume 6) #6
Written by Benjamin Percy
Art by Khoi Pham

A new arc for Teen Titans begins as we are introduced to the new Aqualad. Jackson Hyde Aqualad barely got to exist before he was erased with Flashpoint. I am excited to learn more about him finally and get to see him with the Titans. It is a great to see a teen gay male hero in the DCU. In this issue, Jackson gets dumped by his boyfriend when he shows him his powers and so Jackson runs away to Titans Tower. Meanwhile, the Titans are giving an interview to the press when the reporter gets kidnapped by a shark person. This is a really good series. It is fun and light hearted while not afraid to take on serious topics. I loved the moments with Beast Boy and Vegetarianism. I think Percy will go on to being one of the great Titans writes like Johns, Wolfman, and Krul.

Keeping the Suspense

The Flash (Volume 5) #19
Written by Joshua Williamson
Art by Jesus Merino and Carmine Di Giandomenico

Captain Boomerang reveals to Kid Flash that his Dad died while working for the Suicide Squad and afterwards the Flash finally reveals his secret identity as Barry Allen to Kid Flash. He is okay with it until Barry reveals Iris doesn’t know and Kid Flash accuses Barry of being a liar. I don’t really blame him. The final issues of this comic were what really got me excited though as the original Reverse-Flash says he remembers Flashpoint and this is all leading to more Rebirth mysteries being resolved next issue. I can’t wait! This is seriously the coolest thing DC has ever done with its continuity…slowly revealing the repercussions of Rebirth and keeping the suspense going is brilliant!

The Memories of All Restored

Action Comics #976
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Doug Mahnke

This is part 4 of the Superman crossover that began here , and continued here, and here. This made me so happy! The real DC Universe…the one that was destroyed six years ago and broke my heart…is back! As Mr. Oz said in this comic, the memories of all has been restored. Superman now remembers his life before and after Flashpoint. What is next? Will everyone else remember their entire histories? Will Cassandra Cain remember she is Batgirl again? Is the “him” Mxyzptlk refers to Dr. Manhattan? Speaking of Mxyzptlk…I could see David Lynch directing a Superman  movie with him as the villain. This was a fantastic Mxyzptlk story. Thank you Dan Jurgens!

Suicide Squad Rebirth 1 – 13

Suicide Squad (Volume 5) #1
Written by Rob Willaims
Art by Jim Lee and Jason Fabok

Suicide Squad returns post-Rebirth with the exact same line up as the movie. Coincidence? I think not. I can’t say this was Jim Lee’s best work. I usually like his artwork (If not his choices for costumes *cough* Huntress * cough) but this seemed unpolished somehow or rushed. That being said, it was an interesting start as the Suicide Squad is sent to Russia to retrieve a Cosmic object of importance by Amanda Waller and they nearly die while dropping to Russia from space. I question how it is that Harley is living it up in Brooklyn in her own series yet somehow is in jail here? In the back up story, we focus on Deadshot and it looks like his daughter from the movie is being retconned into the main DCU. At least I know he did not have a daughter Pre-Flashpoint. Maybe she existed in the New 52, I don’t know.

Suicide Squad (Volume 5) #2
Written by Rob Willaims
Art by Jim Lee and Ivan Reis

In this action-packed issue, the Suicide Squad helps a girl named Hack escape from her prison cell and she turns them into digital information to warp to where the cosmic item is – which turns out to be a sphere which acts as a portal to the Phantom Zone. And yes sure enough Zod escapes and it looks like he kills Captain Boomerang. Is he dead again? We shall see I guess. The back-up story focuses on Captain Boomerang as he tells a fake origin to Amanda Waller. It was good fun.

My Family Knows How to F’ing Fight

All-Star Batman #8
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Giuseppi Comuncoli and Francesco Francavilla

Snyder has Batman say “My family knows how to fucking fight,” while explaining why he knew their were people fighting him pretending to be Nighwing, Red Hood, and Batwoman. That was amusing, but the idea of doing prose in a comic book has been done by Morrison and people hated it then…but at least this one had actual panels like a comic. I still found it annoying and overly-artsy. The back-up was better as Duke tells his friend he likes to patrol during the day time. I guess having Duke Thomas being Gotham’s day hero kind of gives him a reason to exist in already crowded Gotham Bat-family. I wonder what his code name will end up being?

The End of Zorcrom

Harley Quinn (Volume 3) #16
Written by Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by John Timms and Johseph Michael Linsner

Harley teams up with Power Girl and Terra to take on Zorcrom and they finally defeat him. While talking amongst themselves what to do with him, he walks into the street, gets hit by a truck, and dies. It was amusing. Dark comedy all around in this book. I still find the art tedious and some of the jokes fall flat but it was an enjoyable conclusion. I look forward to Paul Dini in the next issue.

 

 

The Return of Professor Pyg

Nightwing (Volume 4) #17
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Javier Fernandez

Nightwing and Robin head to France to search for Nightwing’s missing girlfriend and have a fight with Deathwing and a Death-Robin. During the fight, Nightwing is hit with a sword and sees himself in other realities. It is unclear to me whether this is the ’90s Deathwing or someone different although one of those alternate realities showed the ’90s deathwing. It turns out the big bad behind this is none other Professor Pyg! I like how Seeley is building on Grant Morrison’s Batman run here including a reference to Simon Hurt and now Professor Pyg. Morrison always sets up these great concepts and then writer don’t follow up on them. I am glad Seeley is. This was a great issue of a great series.

Action Horror Aquaman

Aquaman (Volume 8) #19
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Phillipe Briones

Aquaman teams up with the Aquamarines to solve the mystery of who the monster Dead Water is and how it came to be. I actually enjoyed this issue toward the end even though this is one of my least loved of the Rebirth books I have read so far. I think Dead Water is a scary villain as he can show up anywhere even a droplet of water is, and the way this was paced made it almost like an action horror. I am along for the ride.

Babs Gordon Rebirth 1 – 8

Batgirl (Volume 5) #1
Written by Hope Larson
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Ugh. I hate that here I am reading another series titled Batgirl not starring the one and only Batgirl named Cassandra Cain. Instead we had these purpley Batgirls Stephanie Brown last time and now we are back to Barbara Gordon. Don’t get me wrong I love Barbara Gordon…as Oracle…where she made sense. Why do we need a purpley Batgirl who has a costume that could not scare a fly. In this issue, Barbara Gordon heads on a trip to Japan to meet a former hero named Fruit Bat and I guess the old lady can still fight. She also meets an old friend from Chicago while in Japan. It was well-written and everything but I miss Cassandra as Batgirl so much. This was too bright and happy and purpley for a Bat story. Also, with so many Golden Age heroes around….why did Larson make one up for this story. Come on if you are a writer in the DC Universe sandbox…utilize it’s many toys!

Batgirl (Volume 5) #2
Written by Hope Larson
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

Okay so Barbara keeps mentioning Burnside and it has been mentioned in other books. What is it? A town or a neighborhood in Gotham? A quick google search made me realize it is a Hipster neighborhood in Gotham. Ha, like Logan Square or Wicker Park in Chicago. Babs’s new boyfriend Kai is a hunk! She should not be so worried about being with him.

Balancing the Light and the Dark

Super Sons #2
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Jorge Jimenez

The second issue is just as charming as the first thanks to the animated characters drawn by Jorge Jimenez. I cold see this guy drawing a Young Justice comic too. Acutally that would be a good idea to have Jon Kent (I am not read to call him Superboy yet although he does refer to himself as such in this comic) and Damian start a new Young Justice team. Damian seems too young to be in the Teen Titans anyways despite being 13 supposedly. That being said, Tomasi’s writing is great too as he knows how to play Jon and Damian off each other well. Despite the fun and witty banter, this issue deals with some dark themes including a Kid with Amazo’s powers who murders his whole family. Tamasi and Jimenez balance the light and dark aspects well to make a good comic book. I can’t say enough how good this is.