The Recipe for a Good Aquaman Comic

Aquaman (Volume 8) #20
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Phillipe Briones

This was a good issue. I haven’t quite enjoyed this series so far but now that Abnett is leaning away from Atlantis vs. Surface World (Stories that have been done a million times before) and is doing a story that is actually interesting I am all behind it. Aquaman and Mera are investigating what is turning people into this Dead Water creature and it is even weirder than I expected as it involves a new version of water and dead remains in the ocean. This is the way an Aquaman comic should be. Crazy concepts and fun fantasy. Horror too if this issue is right. Stay away from Atlantis going to war, Abnett, it has been done to death.

 

The Trip to Qurac

Red Hood and the Outlaws (Volume 2) #9
Written by Scott Lobdell
Art by Dexter Soy

The Outlaws travel to Qurac in this issue beautifully drawn by Dexter Soy. Put this artist on every book DC. He is perfect. While in Qurac, Jason naturally reminisces about his death at the hands of the Joker as the Outlaws try to get the Bow of Ra back from the person they believe has it. This issue seems almost ripped from the headlines in terms of what is going on with Syria except that instead of poison gas, we have this magical bow. It has to be a coincidence. I really can’t say one bad thing about this comic starring Jason Todd, who knew I would ever write a sentence like that.

An Arsenal of His Own

Green Arrow (Volume 7) #20
Written by Benjamin Percy
Art by Eleonora Carlini

The hateful banter between Ollie and Roy is very amusing…I love that Ollie tells Roy he should call himself Middle School Bro because of his backwards cap. Benjamin Percy is a good writer. Bryan Hitch and Brad Meltzer should learn from Percy about how heroes use code names while in battle no matter how close they are. This issue concludes the Return of Roy Harper arc and it is split between the story of how Green Arrow and Speedy stopped being partners and the current arc that has to do with the pipeline protests on the Indian Reservation. It was perfect. I wonder how much these flashback’s dovetails with Roy’s new 52 history or if they are changes for Rebirth.

I Think You Forgot…I’m Batman!

Batman (Volume 3) #20
Written by Tom King
Art by David Finch

Bane tells Batman in this issue how all of the Robins have died at some point including Dick. When in the hell did Dick Grayson die? Is he referring to a faked death or something? Anyways, besides that point, this was an entire issue where just a fistfight happened between Bane and Batman. But unlike say Bryan Hitch’s Justice League, this did not feel decompressed because of the emotion and character study that Tom King puts into it. The whole fight is narrated by Bruce’s mother from beyond the grave…and while that might sound cheesy reading this here, it works in the comic because of the emotion behind it. In the end, Bruce tells her he doesn’t save people because of his parents, he does it because they should be saved. It was beautiful. Hats off to the creative team on this comic book. Also, what a great line when Bruce says, “I Think You Forgot…I’m Batman!” and knocks Bane out.

The Million Dollar Debut of H8-Bit

Cyborg (Volume 2) #11
Written by John Semper Jr.
Art by Will Conrad and Tom Derenick

This issue marks the debut of a new brilliant – I mean Paul Dini level at creating villains – brilliant. How cool is the idea of a villain who lives in an 8-bit video game called H8-Bit? That is as comic bookey as you can get and I love it. I do have to say that Cyborg turns the whole thing into a lesson for him instead of being sad that he essentially lost a friend – that is totally selfish and self-involved! But anyways, good issue.

The Ultimate Mastermind

Nightwing (Volume 4) #18
Written by Time Seeley
Art by Javier Fernandez

Okay why did they have to show sweet little Robintron’s ripped off face – especially after I was starting to find him endearing? That was nasty. And it doesn’t look like this Deathwing is related to the ’90s Deathwing after all but maybe just a dollotron of Professor Pyg’s. That being said, the surprise villain behind the villain turns out to be Dr. Simon Hurt – the evil mastermind behind Batman R.I.P. I love that Seeley is willing to play with Morrison’s creations. Final Crisis was suppose to be the be-all, end-all of New Gods stories but DC keeps bringing them back but ignoring creations Morrison wanted to come back, this seems to be changing as Dr. Hurt was one of Morrison’s greatest villains in the Batman run. He is both the Devil, incredibly evil, brilliant. The ultimate mastermind for Batman. I can’t wait to see what Seeley does with him here.

At Least He Used the Code Names

Justice League (Volume 3) #18
Written by Bryan Hitch
Art by Fernando Pasarin

Okay so I did not see that ending coming and I can’t say I at all understand what is going on here. This girl wants to protect the timeline just like Tempus did by getting rid of superheroes? But Tempus did not want to kill them. But honestly just like every issue of this series not much happens accept a few panels of them fighting different people. It is still way too decompressed and it’s a shame because I don’t think Hitch is a bad writer. At least he didn’t have them call each other by their first names in this issue. That would have made it worse.

Polaris Origins

Green Lanterns #20
Written by Sam Humphries
Art by Eduardo Pansica

We learn more about Doctor Polaris’s past which is something even I don’t know much about. It seems he was discredited in the scientific community but for real reasons or fraudulent ones? It is unclear. What is clear is he now has schizophrenia and can’t stop himself from putting on his Polaris suit when he really just wants to save his brother’s life. Meanwhile, John Stewart decides to bring in Rami, Jessica, and Simon to be trained after it is reported Rami is with them. It was a decent issue with great art. I am still rather enjoying this series.

The Dark Knight Daughter

Detective Comics #953
Written by James Tynion IV
Art by Christian Duce

I recently asked Phil Jimenez on twitter if Linda Danvers could show up in his Superwoman run. His answer made it seem like all of the Rebirth creative teams will be changing soon. I hope he is wrong because DEAR GOD DC DO NOT TAKE TYNION OFF THIS COMIC. He is the best writer of Cassandra Cain in years. The only way I could be okay with that is if they said she gets to be Batgirl again. In this issue, Cassandra has to deal with the revalation of Lady Shiva being her mother. In the flashbacks to her training, Cassandra is able to speak some words. This was not true pre-flashpoint and it bothers me but perhaps it is a key to DC Rebirth and the missing ten years? Maybe she subconsciously remembers learning the language before the timeline change. That would be cool. The cover to this comic is not deceiving, she does fight Batman when he tries to stop her. She even goes as far to reject the name Cassandra because she wants nothing to do with her parents. Who could blame her? This is a character with murderous parents who instinctively knows murder is wrong. But Batman trying to calm her down made me so happy. It was the father-daughter relationship they had in Cassandra’s early days. Before DC stupidly had him abandon her during 52. There was no reason why she couldn’t have gone with them on their trip in 52 or Bruce would have put her in charge of Gotham and not Harvey Dent. It was years ago but I am still pissed about it. Cassandra finally confronts Lady Shiva who challenges her to fight her to the death, she wants to see her daughter try to kill. Cassandra refuses being the one true Batgirl and is beaten unconscious and left in the sewer by her mother. I hope we get to see Cass get her revenge for that soon.

The Return of Liberty Belle?

Justice League of America (Volume 5) #3
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Diogenes Neves

Okay this was a huge improvement from the last issue, I am not sure if it was the scripting or the art but hats off to the creative team. In this issue, Havok united the coutnries around Kravia in his fight against the Justice League who each take on a member of the Extremists. The Ray even manages to convince one of them to change sides it looks like. The interesting thing is that the Extremists are shown to actually believe they are doing the right thing just like many villains in the real world. I think Orlando has the ability to make some great statements on world politics and I imagine that is why he chose to open this series with this arc. The final page confused me…why is Batman carrying a shield that looks like it belonged to Liberty Belle? Is this a DC Rebith – JSA crossover? I sure hope, but I could be totally wrong.

Cyborg Rebirth 1 – 10

Cyborg (Volume 2) #1
Written by John Semper Jr.
Art by Paul Pelletier

I am not excited to read this series mainly because I hate that Cyborg has replaced Martian Manhunter’s role in the Justice League. I do not dislike Cyborg, but he belongs with the Titans. So here we dive into the first issue and Cyborg is now apparently the defender of Detroit. Fine that is not the worst change in the world. But I have to say I liked this debut, Semper Jr. managed to catch us up on everything about Cyborg and tell a very human story about a machine-man who is afraid he has lost his soul. I am impressed.

Cyborg (Volume 2) #2
Written by John Semper Jr.
Art by Paul Pelletier

Cyborg fights Kilg%re who explains to him his history and that he is just one of the machines being gathered by a mysterious villain who wants Cyborg to join them. In the end, Kilg%re puts him through a test on whether he is human or machine and it involved saving his father’s life. Semper is a good writer as I already feel I care about the Stone Family on issue 2. I am confused as to why Cyborg is working with T.O. Morrow. Is he good now? I did not see the final page coming at all.