Benefits

R.E.B.E.L.S. #12
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Geraldo Borges

This series continues to be good and since it involved Black Lanterns this issue should have had a Blackest Night label on it to bring in readers – even though it barely involved them I still think more people should read this book. Vril Dox’s plan to take out Starro is interesting and I wonder what it is – and how it benefits Vril Dox in the end which I believe this issue implied. Good stuff. Oh and the guest artist was a perfect fit. I liked it.

Getting Used To The New Starro

R.E.B.E.L.S. #11
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

 

This was an action-packed issue of R.E.B.E.L.S as Vril Dox rejects being a member of the Sinestro Corps and the Black Lanterns attack Starro. I am starting to like this new version of Starro as I am getting used to it. I mean at least its a villain with a personality now right? Good stuff all around.

Brainiacs Two And Three

R.E.B.E.L.S. #10
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Andy Clarke

 

Okay I didn’t expect Vril Dox to get a Sinestro Corps ring at all! Bedard wove Blackest Night in with his own mega-story about Starro perfectly. Both people coming in for the Blackest Night stuff and previous readers will enjoy this issue. Clarke’s art is great to see again, let’s hope he stays around this time. I like that Vril’s son is now Brainiac 3. This was a good issue.

The Team Officially Forms

R.E.B.E.L.S. #9
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

Adam Strange and Captain Comet join the cast just as the team officially forms – nine issues in. Oh well it was a fun ride getting there. (Unlike say Meltzer’s six issues to build the Justice League in 2006). Aubin’s art is not as good as Clarke’s and it shows. I wish that Clarke could stay on this book for any substantial amount of time. The team is interesting if not a little big. I hope people continue to read this cause I want to see more of their adventure.

The Genocide of the Gil’Dishpan

R.E.B.E.L.S #7
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Andy Clarke

This was another good issue of this series. I am kinda sad that the Gil’Dishpan were destroyed. I liked them and wanted to learn more about this aquatic worm race. Having the whole issue take place underwater really made me miss reading an Aquaman series. Do you think we will ever see Topo again? Anyways, the fact that Dox agrees with the dominator’s decision to sacrifice an entire race for the sake of billions shows how much Dox is really an anti-hero and not Superman in any way, shape, or form. I like that. I am still loving the encyclopedia entries Bedard has in this book and all the world-building (or should I say universe-building) he is doing with Space in the DC Universe. I just wish more people were reading this book.

The “Real” Starro

R.E.B.E.L.S. #6
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Claude St. Aubin

I like how the team is growing and will still grow. All of the team members have serious potential and I can’t wait to read more about them. Bedard has yet to win me over with this warrior version of Starro. I don’t buy that this is the “real” Starro because I think the giant starfish is a lot more interesting. And you know some writer is going to come along one day and say that this was just another guy possessed by Starro. St. Aubin’s art is seriously lacking in this issue. Everything seemed a bit off. He is usually a good artist though. What happened to Andy Clarke anyways?

Exciting and Fun

Green Lantern Corps (Volume 2) #37
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Patrick Gleason

Ya after last issue focused more on Sodom Yat instead of the great of Green Lanterns – Kyle Rayner – I had happy to say this issue refocused back on Oa and the sciencell riot. This was a kick ass battle and I have to give my thanks to Gleason who knows how to draw an awesome Lantern battle. The part where the rookies get killed by the villains was particularly crazy. I am getting excited for Blackest Night and Scar is one bad ass Guardian in this when she attacks that one Sinestro Corps women. I am sure Sodom is not actually dead and I was surprised at how quickly the Daxamites gained power from the yellow sun. There was a lot going on in this issue but that’s nota bad thing – it was all exciting and fun.

JLA 13 – 26

Justice League of America #13
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Joe Benitez

When I first read this issue, I was a little turned off. I guess I expected more from the first issue of McDuffie’s run and I certainly expected better art. But now I think this was a pretty good read and did remind me a lot of the TV show. Good start, and at least much better then anything Meltzer did on this title. I think the Injustice League is very cool and I like how they are opposite numbers of the League. Of the villains we have seen so far this is what the breakdown is.

Superman:

Lex Luthor
Parasite

Batman:
The Joker

Poison Ivy

Wonder Woman:
Cheetah

Firestorm:
Killer Frost

Hawkgirl:
Shadow Thief

Green Lantern:
Fatality

The Flash:
Gorilla Grodd

Black Canary, Vixen, Black Lightning, Red Arrow, Geo-Force, and Red Tornado are sadly without any villains yet.

Justice League of America #14
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes

This is another good issue. The Injustice League is shown to have Cheshire and Shaggy Man in it’s ranks as well. Cheshire is a Red Arrow villain arguably (even if he has a kid with her) but Shaggy Man and Dr. Light are just general villains not specific to anyone.

Justice League of America #15
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Benes

The way Batman basically tells Firestorm that he has no choice, he has to join the Justice League was awesome! This concluded the Injustice League arc and it was good, but this arc as a whole would have been a whole lot better if someone else was doing the art.

Justice League of America #16
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Joe Benitez and Allan Jefferson

Eh….this issue was okay. It just served as a preview to two other mini-series’s which is kind of annoying. I would have rather had a story in this series that starts and ends in it.

Justice League of America #17
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes and Joe Benitez

Haha the main story I could care less about. It was lame and had awful art. But the back up written by McDuffie was good because McDuffie comments on the fact that Meltzer’s whole Vixen is using the powers of the Justice League thing makes no sense. I love it! Take that Meltzer!

Justice League of America #18
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes and John Boy Meyers

Meh….this was very decompressed and was basically filler. They could have cut this entire issue of the arc. But the back up was good.

Justice League of America #19
Written by Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes

Thank god this arc is over because it was not very good. It just served as a sidestory to another mini-series! Whatever happened to this series having its own stories. Hawkgirl being so jealous over Cheshire is just stupid and seems completely forced. Also, I know Geo-Force was transferred to the Outsiders but you would think someone would have mentioned it for people who aren’t reading
the Outsiders. Instead, he just dissappears. That’s bad editing.

Justice League of America #20
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ethan Van Sciver

This was by far the best issue of McDuffie’s run so far. And you wanna know why, Ethan Van Sciver. Look at how much of a difference Ed Benes’s art makes with McDuffie’s writing. McDuffie is a good writer, but Benes’s art is soo bad that it is killing a good story. Anyways, this was a beautiful issue with a nice story with the Flash and Wonder Woman. I liked it a lot.

Justice League of America #21
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Carlos Pacheo

This is a final crisis tie-in issue that is rather enjoyable. In fact, it was just as good as last issue. This book is sooo much better without Ed Benes. Please DC, get rid of him! Anyways, it made me happy to see that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were going to add Martian Manhunter back in the league before he died but the trinity is acting kind’ve elitist. Libra is a visually stunning character and I can’t wait to learn more about him in Final Crisis.

Justice League of America #22
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Bene

Unfortunately Bene is back this issue….with some ultra terrible art. He draws just one body type…it’s so annoying. Plot-wise, it was only okay. Red Tornado taken over by Amazo does NOT interest me, especially when the League already fought Amazo under Meltzer’s pen. The vixen subplot interests me more but not by much. I really can’t reccomend this issue.

Justice League of America #23
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Benes

While this may have not been a horrible issue if Ed Benes was not doing the art, it was horrible when comined with the art and the rather dull fight with Amazo that lasted the entire issue. Damn. And this series was finally getting good again.

Justice League of America #24
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art byAllan Goldman

Yay! Benes is gone again this issue. This made the fight with Amazo so much better but still rather dull. The best moments of this issue were at the end where they go to meet Animal Man. I did not even think of the vegatarian thing. I am intrugued as to where this is going.

Justice League of America #25
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes, Ian Churchill, Doug Mahnke, Darick Robertson, Shane Davis, and Ivan Reis

This anniversary issue was rather good. I am happy to find Red Tornado leaving the team as I never really grew fond of the character. Also, Anansi seems like a great villain for the league to face. I like how he speaks and how he spins the webs of stories. I look forward to the next issue.

Justice League of America #26
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes

Now this alternate reality issue of JLA is one of the best issues of McDuffie’s run. He can write some great stuff when he isn’t editorially mandated to do things. There were so many great moments. The Brown Bomber! LMAO. It was refreshing to see Vixen calling upon Animal Powers again and I have to wonder if Meltzer only had it go away because he was too lazy to look up animals to use (:. But the anansi thing did seem to end rather quickly. I bet McDuffie wanted it to be longer but then was told he had to do the whole Milestone crossover thing. Well at least this is a new arc I can look forward to, even if it is editorially mandated.