Superman Batman 82-87

Superman/Batman #82
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by ChrisCross

Is ChrisCross’s art always this gorgeous? I sure don’t remember it being this good. This was a fun issue as we see Superman in a future world where magic has essentially taken over the earth because of “the final spell.” Meanwhile Batman is back in time doing occult detective work with Detective Chimp and Doctor Occult. I can never get enough Detective Chimp. And then Klarion the Witch Boy shows up! This is going to be a wild ride.

Superman/Batman #83
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by ChrisCross

Another fun occult flavored issue finds Batman teaming up with the entire Shadowpact and fighting an evil cult. I loved it. Although I don’t know that I care too much about the Superman in the post-apocalyptic future part. It just has been done so many times before. ChrisCross’s art is beautiful!

 

 

Superman/Batman #84
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by ChrisCross

This issue concludes the Sorcerer Kings arc and it was well and good. The art was fantastic and there were some great character moments but I can’t say I was blown away by it. I never really enjoy alternate timeline stories all that much.

Superman/Batman #85
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Art by Adriana Melo

This was a cool start to this new storyline. A man washes up dead in Metropolis. It turns out this man was working for the Gotham Gazette and was about to expose who Batman really was. Clark is sent to Gotham to cover the story and also wants to help Batman clear his name for the murder.  It turns out the reporter figured it out because he found a gadget that Batman had forgot to take the Patton number off of that belonged to Waynetech. It shows that even Batman can make a mistake. The art fit the story well. Melo is a great artist for a Batman story.

Superman/Batman #86
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Art by Tomas Giorello

A different artist draws Part 2 of this story. Tomas Girorello is just as good. He draws a beautiful Gotham City. Clark continues his investigation and interviews Lucius Fox who basically says Batman stole the tech. This whole scene is clearly inspired by the Nolan movies. In the comics, does Lucius  know that Bruce is Batman? I can’t remember. I am pretty sure that the Nolan movies came up with the idea that Lucius works on his gadgets and that is what he is show to be doing here but I wonder if they also brought into the comics Lucius knowing his secret identity. Anyways, this was a great issue as we see Superman and Batman doing their best detective work independently with a shocking ending I didn’t see coming. I mean I knew Mayne probably had something to do with it but the Joker came out of nowhere!

Superman/Batman #87
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Art by Tomas Giorello

This is the final issue of Superman/Batman’s long run. It has been a hit and miss book over the years but this issue was a definite hit. The gorgeous art by Giorello and the wonderfully plotted story made it a hit in my book. They never mention it but I bet the Joker chose to kill the reporter because he did not want the Batman’s secret getting out cause it would ruin his fun. I always like the idea that the Joker does not really want Batman dead or unmasked.

Order And Chaos

Justice League of America #47
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley
Co-Feature by Robinson
Art by Pow Rodix

 

This is part 3 of the JLA/JSA crossover that began here and continued here. Oh hell ya Kyle Rayner shows up here! It is great to see him in a JLA book again and they even use his old Green Lantern Logo text! That brought joy to my fanboy heart. As for the entire issue, I felt like the plot didn’t move as quick as it could have and we are at a kind of stand still. I wonder why Doctor Fate is the one holding the JSAers hostage and not the starheart? The narraration boxes also got kind of annoying in this issue where they haven’t bothered me the last few. Maybe Robinson is overdoing them a bit. This story is still as epic and fun as a JLA book should be though and I can’t wait for the next chapter. The back-up actually ties into the main story as now that Red Tornado has been remade nearly indestructibel by Cyborg, he is effected by the starheart. (I mean he is an elemental of the Wind – of course he would be effected, I am surprised I didn’t think of that before)

Attack Of The Starheart

Justice League of America #45
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

 

I am sorry but anyone who hates on this book should be beaten. This is a hundred times better then Meltzer or McDuffie’s runs. Robinson utilizes the DC Universe to the fullest and brings in characters and concepts you would never expect. I love it! Dick is the perfect leader for the League and I love Starman and Congorilla and Donna’s happiness. I wonder how long before Jade realizes that Batman isn’t Bruce? She doesn’t know yet right? Robinson does an excellent job of explaining the history of the starheart…although I never knew that it was sentient I do not think. This could be very interesting. I like how he said the Guardians bottled up Black Energy with Green to create the starheart so that is why Obsidian and Jade have different powers. Supergirl’s fight with Power Girl was probably not needed…it seems like they are always fighting and I do not know that I necessarily want her on the team, but I don’t dislike the idea of her joining either. This was great stuff and I can not wait to see where it goes next. Oh and Bagley’s art is pretty great here too.

A Pissed Off Blood Thirsty Diana

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #30
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Aaron Lopresti

Wonder Woman gets really pissed off this issue and rightfully so. I love myself a pissed off blood thirsty Diana so I really enjoyed this. After Etta Candy is captured and tortured by Genocide, Wonder Woman single-handedly dismantles the society. I love how the usually frightening Phobia is even afraid of Diana here. Wonder Woman truly is a powerhouse in the DCU and a force to be reckoned with and Simone really portrays this well in this issue. I am sure some people will not like that Diana has resorted to killing Genocide but with a creature like this, she has no choice. She is not Superman and Batman, she is her own character and is willing to do what she believes is necessary. It is for this same reason that I have never had a problem with the murder of Maxwell Lord. As for the Olympian, his creation seems to be an after though in this story and not really something I am overly excited about right now. I thought he was going to be the male version of Diana, not Achilles. Unless he just has Achilles’s name and like Diana, is not the Achilles of myth. I don’t know.

The JSA is Back!

Justice Society of America #23
Written by Geoff Johns and Jerry Ordway
Art by Ordway

Now this is more like it! After a year of the overly-long Alex Ross Kingdom come crap, we finally get back to good old JSA story telling. Sadly, this is Johns’s final arc on this book. Isis returns to life and is not so sweet and nice as she once was. I hope that that is a ruse and she will go back to her old ways. She was such a good influence on Black Adam before. But for now, I like that she has gone rogue. The JSA has to decide who is on the team after the events prior, and I am sad to see that Starman and Amazing Man are likely to be leaving. Although, that may or may not  be the case as the final roster is not decided this issue. I liked that Billy Batson still hasn’t shared his secret identity with the JSA. That is so awesome, because in the post-Meltzer DCU it seems like everyone knows everyone. It is refreshing that Billy has waited this long. Anyways, it looks like were back to the basics with the JSA, and I couldn’t be happier to be back.

Immortal No More

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #27
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Aaron Lopestri

Despite emphasis put on other members of the trinity’s storylines right now, this is really the one everyone should be looking at. Genocide defeated Wonder Woman in battle, and has not only stolen her lasso, but wove it into her body! Now that’s creepy. As for Genocide herself, I have read a lot of people saying she is poorly designed, but I really like her look. I loved Donna and Wonder Girl’s reaction to the news of Wonder Woman’s death, but they do seem a little quick to assume Wonder Woman’s dead. I mean Diana has died before, and has come back. And here she isn’t even dead, so what are they worried about exactly? Sarge Steel is still acting crazy and I have no idea why. And Zeus’s proclamation of what is to happen to the Amazon’s is EXACTLY something the Greek God would do. I wonder how Wonder Girl will react to her own father taking away the immortality of the amazons?

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!

Birds of Prey 95 – 99

Birds of Prey #95
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Joe Prado

This issue marks the conclusion to the first one year later story arc and I must say I think it ended perfectly. Some may be dissapointed that the Birds did not actually take down prometheus, but let’s face it, if they did it would be completely unrealistic. He is just too powerful for them to stop. I also think Sin will be a welcome addition to the supporting cast and seeing Dinah try to be a mother should be interesting. I like this issue.

Birds of Prey #96
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Paulo Sequeira

Okay this issue started off great, we finally see a Ted Kord memorial and some funny banter between the birds. But then, Black Alice shows up and I just get all confused. Why is Black Alice mad at the Birds of Prey? When did she go into Prison? Simone should really have explained this better. And the last scene is just shocking…but it can’t be for real? Can it? Is Barbara Batgirl again?

Birds of Prey #97
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Paulo Sequeira

The Black Alice storyline concludes quite nicely. Black Alice gets her mom back and everything ends up dandy for her. Yet, I am worried about this whole Barbara Batgirl thing. Personally, I still am a little angry about what DC did to Cassandra Cain and bringing Barbara back as Batgirl would be just another slap in the face to Cassie fans. We will see where this goes.

Birds of Prey #98
Written by Gail Simone
Art by James Raiz and Robin Riggs
Cover by Jerry Ordway

Okay thanks god Barbara is not this new mysterious Batgirl. Instead it is some crazed teenaged metahuman who somehow knows Barbara, Dinah, and Helenas’ real names. I wonder who this nutjob is? I love the cover of this issue and how it acts as homage to the cover where Barabara first debuted as Batgirl. I just am so happy that Barbara isn’t Batgirl in this issue.

Birds of Prey #99
Written by Gail Simone
Art by James Raiz and Robin Riggs
Cover by Jerry Ordway

This was a surprisingly sad issue. Barbara shows the wannabe Batgirl why it is not good to just jump into becoming a superhero (aka the spoiler’s death and Barabara’s own handicapp) and the Black Canary, after 99 issues, decides to leave the team. Simone write a great moment between Dianah and the others as she says goodbye. After reading this issue, I got an overwhelming feeling that the Birds of Prey was entering its next era. While it is sad, I do believe that it is time for Dinah to move on. It looks like no only is she leaving the team but she is also retiring the Black Canary mantle. I doubt for good though. This was a great issue.