Green Arrow 21 – 25

Green Arrow (Volume 7) #21
Written by Benjamin Percy
Art by Juan Ferreyra

Juan Ferreyra’s art is beautiful. I Can’t get enough of it. Every panel is filled with detail. Broderick is gathering a bunch of baddies, including Brick who I remember from the Winick Green Arrow run, to destroy Seattle and it is strongly hinted Seattle will be renamed Star City in this issue. That is just weird. Why not just have Green Arrow move from Seattle to his usual fictionopolis of Star City instead of removing any Seattle story from being told in the DCU in the future? But I will see how I feel about it when it happens.

Green Arrow (Volume 7) #22
Written by Benjamin Percy
Art by Juan Ferreyra

Mayor Domini is obviously a stand in for Donald Trump and I loved it. Seattle is getting destroyed by these Four Horsemen in very disturbing ways. Crash at the Airport, the road lights are all shot out, buildings are collapsing, and they even manage to go after the Green Arrow treehouse. Damn I liked that thing!

All-Star Batman 1 – 7

All-Star Batman #1
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by John Romita Jr. and Declan Shalvey

Scott Snyder wrote some good Batman comics before Flashpoint. But I never read his New 52 run he is praised for because well…it was the New 52. Of course I did not read that crap. So now after Rebirth he gets his own Batman series to play around with. In this first issue, Two-Face tells Gotham he is going to expose their criminal secrets unless one of them saves him from Batman…I guess that is what happened. I really did not like the art in this book. Was this Declan Shalvey or John Romita Jr.? It was confusing and the characters were ugly to look at. I could see it working in another comic but not a Batman comic. I am also very suspicious of any story that has Alfred betraying Batman. It also doesn’t help I find this new character of Duke Thomas hard to give a shit about. I am hoping Snyder turns it around and makes me understand the need for this character? We shall see. I can’t say that I was impressed with this first issue. The “stilling” technique was super gross.

All-Star Batman #2
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by John Romita Jr. and Declan Shalvey

Why is King Shark referred to as Trixie in this comic? I don’t remember that ever being his name. Anyways, the art continues to bother me. I like Shalvey’s art better than Romita but still they both annoy me. They aren’t right for this comic at all. I want to get excited to look at Batman, not be weirded out by it. Also, the non-linear storytelling in this comic is beyond annoying. What the hell is even going on? I thought people said Snyder was a great Batman writer? He sure makes Zsasz scary but so far that is it for me.

Titans 34-38

Titans (Volume 2) #34
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

Despite hating what happened to Lian Harper and the disgusting way Dan Didio has talked about killing her,  and then what happened to Ryan Choi… this was a good issue and that is due to the creative team telling a strong story. I am actuallu interested in what is to come of Osiris and this creepy guy who takes people’s eyes.

 

Titans (Volume 2) #35
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino and Phillip Tan

Another good issue of this dark series. I hate how Lian and Ryan have died but Eric Wallace sure knows how to write and Fiorentino knows how to draw beautifully. There was a lot of story in this issue. Wallace isn’t writing for the trade and I like that. The ending where Deathstroke has to fight essentially the creatures from the movie “the Descent” was quite creepy. I wonder if Vixen will ever form her new street team of heroes (Which ironically is how she originally joined the League in the 80’s right because Aquaman wanted to remake the team like that). All of the plots in this book are interesting.

Titans (Volume 2) #36
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

This issue wasn’t as good as the last. The art seemed weaker and it ended the arc too easily to me. It was exciting to see the Justice League show up at the end to take Deathstroke to task for the murder of Ryan Choi. Other than that it was only okay. I don’t really care much about Tatooed Man’s arc which is what most of this issue was dedicated to. Deathstroke mentions that Roy and Jericho were once on the same team but…was Jericho and Roy ever on the Titans at the same time? I don’t remember if they were. It seems not but I could be wrong.

Titans (Volume 2) #37
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Travis Moore

This was a return to form as Jericho is resurrected by a device Deathstroke helped Sivana create. Then they offer to bring back the dead relatives of the Titans including Lian Harper! I was screaming yes! But the problem is that it might also give Lian eternal life which is hell I guess but Roy should know that in the DC Universe they will figure out how to fix that. Bring back your toddler who didn’t deserve to die at he hands of Prometheus/Dan Didio! Can’t wait to see how this concludes.

Titans (Volume 2) #38
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Travis Moore

In the final issue the machine that would have ressurected Lian Harper is destroyed which is too bad but I guess Roy is reformed now and has decided to lead the Titans even though Jericho is now it’s only member. Wallace is a really good writer and I hope he landed somewhere else in DC’s line up after this book. What I like the most is that he included a heartfelt funeral for Ryan Choi which showed he respects the character even though I am sure that editorial forced him to kill Ryan. I am glad Ryan returned in DC Rebirth but I wish it was the same Ryan Choi. I hope in the end it will turn out that everyone’s memories had just been erased and that it is the same Ryan without his memories of being the Atom. Long live the real and original DC Universe!

 

 

Make Their Move

Titans (Volume 2) #33
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

Arsenal and Cheshire finally make their move on Deathstroke with the help of an old friend of Slade’s. Gee after this is this even a team anymore? It really will just be Deathstroke and Cinder won’t it?Anyways, I still hate seeing Roy like this.

Taking Power From Shazam

Titans (Volume 2) #32
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino and Phillip Tan

 

Now this was an enjoyable issue as we finally as Osiris is officially restored to life by the white light after he takes Freddy Freeman’s powers away which somehow bring Isis back but something bad has happened to her apparently. I am actually excited to see what happens next which is not something I say often about this book. Tatooed Man leaves and Deathstroke gives more hints that this whole team has something to do with Jericho.

Pick A Name And Stick To It

Titans (Volume 2) #31
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

Okay DC you need to decide whether Freddy Freeman is going by Captain Marvel or Shazam – in story its always Shazam – but in the text and their advertisements it’s like that can’t decide which is really unprofessional and annoying. Pick one! Osiris is way over the edge and this book is in no way fun to read anymore – from Arsenal’s downward spiral (hell at least he isn’t an outright villain just yet) to the disgusting murder of Slipknot I just didn’t care for this issue. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t mind violence in comics all that much.

Leaving Arkham

Titans (Volume 2) #30
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

It’s a shame this Arkham arc is coming to an end as this has been the best this book has been since the Villains for Hire thing started. Heck any comic set in Arkham is usually a treat but this setting really amped up the fun for this series which I found to just be incredibly depressing before. Osiris leaves and swares off killing for now, which is a good thing, although it was kind of abrupt and the confrontation between Dick and Roy was great cause I am glad to see that Dick still believes in his friend even if Roy has become a drug addicted mess. I wonder where this is going.

Arkham Fights

Titans (Volume 2) #29
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

This was an okay issue but I don’t feel like a lot happened – just a lot of fighting inside Arkham and Tattooed Man talking about his dead son – who I didn’t even know was dead. But it’s still Arkham and that is always fun. Osiris is completely nuts now.

A Trip To Arkham

Titans (Volume 2) #28
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

I have to say that this is the best issue of Wallace’s run yet, and that has a lot to do with it is always awesome when a comic is set in Arkham Asylum and the Bat-Villains show up. The idea that the one guard had the key to all the cells is incredibly dumb but whatever. Osiris is a full-on killer now I highly doubt he can be redeemed even if he thinks killing is going to bring his sister back to life. Arsenal is actually quite interesting as a drug addict but it’s still so sad to see him like that. It was just as heartbreaking to see Ray Palmer investigating Ryan Choi’s disappearance. A part of me still has some hope that Ryan may still be alive somehow.

Cracking Up

Titans (Volume 2) #27
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

The violence wasn’t as bad as past issues – but this book is still filled with disgusting violence that isn’t even balanced off by humor like over in Secret Six. Everything about this book is depressing from Osiris believing he has to kill to bring back Isis’s to Arsenal’s drug addiction and loss over his daughter. But there is an interesting mystery as to what Deathstroke’s plans are – and why is Isis’s statue cracking? So I am torn about whether I like the new direction of the book or not.

Arsenal Joins

Titans (Volume 2) #26
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

Arsenal joins these new Titans with a plan to take down Deathstroke with Cheshire. Roy has changed a lot since Lian’s death and I get that…I hate seeing him like this and I hate that Lian is dead but I see this as what would happen to Roy after he lost his daughter – the most important thing to him in the whole world. Having him in this book makes the team a lot more interesting. This was by far the best issue of Wallace’s run to date. I like that Wallace is also fleshing out the characters by having small moments between each members of the team. One thing really holding this book back is the art…Fiorentino makes some scenes pretty confusing with the way he sets them up. He is a good artist I just think he needs to work on his storytelling skills.

Directions

Titans (Volume 2) #25
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

The new Titans battle Facade and defeat the shape-shifter in this rather bloody issue. The over-the-top violence works in Secret Six because the humor balances it out – but it really does not work in this book. Yes, they are villains, but it’s hard to read something so violent and take it seriously. I am still not sure if this was the right direction for this book and I hope this is building to something.

Father’s Day

Secret Six (Volume 3) #22
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Caliafore

 

Just in time for Father’s Day is this lovely story that flashesback more to Catman’s evil father who forced him to murder his mother – what a fucking bastard that guy was – and I like the twist ending where Catman and Cheshire’s son is adopted away or was he? It was kind of unclear but I hope that this was the case. Anyways, this was an awesome but disturbing story. Where will this book go next?

Not Sure What To Think

Titans (Volume 2) #24
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

The new era of Titans begins as Deathstroke’s group of villains for hire take center stage as the new cast – it is an interesting idea and kind of strange but I am not completely against it. Having the former Teen Titans in this book wasn’t exactly doing anything for it – I just wish they hadn’t launched this concept with the death of Ryan Choi. Anyways, this wasn’t an awful start – it was certain violent but it is expected I guess. I am not sure what to think just yet about any of this. I certainly liked the art a lot.

Secret Six 20 and 21

Secret Six (Volume 3) #20
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Caliafore

Well I certainly did not expect Catman to say no and let his child die – I am kind of sick of kids dying in the DCU though. I am still pissed about Lian’s death. But at least it shows that Chesire and Catman really aren’t the best of parents haha I love the way Simone writes Cheshire in particular.

Secret Six (Volume 3) #21
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Caliafore

Holy crap this was crazy awesome! It was great to see an exploration of Catman’s child and we see how fucked up his parents were and how much of an evil bastard his Dad was. The fact that his Dad was a big game hunter is brilliant! And Black Alice turning into the Demon “Estrogen”! Now that is just gold! It was cool to see Dwarfstar again – I really miss Ryan Choi.

I Love Ragdoll’s Lines

Secret Six (Volume 3) #19
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Calafiore

 

Simone writes the best dialogue for Ragdoll hahaha he cracks me up. The issue begins with him talking about having sex with butterflies and then being tortured. I love how Deadshot tells him “We don’t like when you share stuff with us.” Caliafore’s art is much improved, no one could replace Nicola Scott, but this was still good art to look at. The story was violent and disturbing as always but you can’t help but love it. Ragdoll and Black Alice are acting like schoolkids in love and Bane is pissed that the team will not follow his lead. The ending was crazy, I wonder what Catman will do? Great issue.

Doll, Stop Playing With That Girl

Secret Six (Volume 3) #17
Written by John Ostrander and Gail Simone
Art by J. Calafiore

This is part 2 of the Blackest night crossover that began here. I miss Nicola Scott. Caliafore is good but he’s not Scott. I think this is all and good but Blackest Night is interrupting the narrative in this book and I was enjoying it so much. Anyways, there were still great one-liners like Doll, Stop Playing With that Girl haha.