Will We Get Bart Allen Back?

The Flash (Volume 5) #24
Written by Joshua Williamson
Art by Carmine Di Giandomenico

Reverse Flash seems to remember the Pre-New 52 history of the Flash and that makes me happy because he referes to having raced all of Flash’s Proteges – which I assume would mean there is more than just Wally West – he is referring to Bart Allen too! Bart has been painfully missing since Flashpoint. I know that the version that appeared in the new 52 was nothing like the real Bart – I hope this means we get him back some day. Reverse Flash even asks Kid Flash if he is impulsive – which I assume is referring to Bart’s original code name of Impulse. This was a great issue – I even liked the moments between Barry and Hal – two characters I think should be dead. The artist on this book also seems to much improved from before. There were some great moments – including the Flash running down a Green Lantern construct slide. The final moments in the 25th Century lead me to even more proof maybe Bart will be back sooner than later and Iris’s futuristic origin will be restored.

 

Barry Allen 20 – 23

The Flash (Volume 5) #20
Written by Joshua Williamson
Art by Neil Googe

Meena is back and is now an agent of Black Hole for some reason in this okay but forgettable issue focusing on Iris investigating grave robberies being perpetrated by Back Hole. Not much else to say about it.

The Flash (Volume 5) #21
Written by Joshua Williamson
Art by Howard Porter

Ok this is Part 2 of the Button crossover with Batman that began here. Flash is investigating what happened to the Reverse Flash in the Batcave. Barry decides to use the Cosmic Treadmill to follow the energy signature on the button to its source. Which honestly seems like a dumb move by the Flash considering what happened the last time he used it. Batman joins him (it is never really explained how Batman is just running behind the Flash on it) and they see elements of the timeline from before New 52 and Barry even says it is not an alternate universe but part of the stolen years! The real DCU IS BACK BABY! We see Martian Manhunter as forminmg the league and Identity Crisis and Barry’s death during the Crisis. I was smiling with joy as I read these pages.

This Is The Land Of The Living…And You Are Trespassing

Secret Six (Volume 3) #18
Written by John Ostrander and Gail Simone
Art by J. Caliafore

 

The title of this post is a badass line coming from Amanda Waller to the Black Lanterns. Seriously Amanda Waller is not a woman you ever ever want to fuck with. Deadshot will probably regret shooting her in the chest at the end of this issue. This was good action-packed stuff but I am ready to get back to normal fun Secret Six issues without Black Lanterns and the suicide squad. Not that this little excursion was bad it’s just I want more focus on the six.

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.

Black Lantern Title

Suicide Squad #67
Written by John Ostrander and Gail Simone
Art by J. Caliafore

I love that DC is bringing back old series as Black Lantern titles, what an awesome concept. This is the first one I am reviewing. I know very little about Suicide Squad but have heard great things about Ostrander’s run on the title, it doesn’t really matter though as the reader is caught up and the focus on the issue is more on Secret Six, who I know and love. So many great moments in this, pick this up especially if you are a Secret Six Fan.

High Expectations

Secret Six (Volume 3) #7
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Nicola Scott

The art is still fantastic this time around, but the conclusion of the first story arc didn’t seem as fantastic as it could have been. I suppose I had high expectations because the previous issues of this book have been just that good. I don’t believe Junior and the Tarantula are actually dead, Junior is too good of a villain to kill off that easily. As for what was going on with Bane and Scandal, I don’t know. What was going on in that memory Scandal was having? I have no clue. Mad Hatter was great in this. Now that the Secret Six are in Gotham I wonder if they will become involved in the Battle for the Cowl?

Manhunter 35 and 36

Manhunter #35
Written by Marc Andreyko
Art by Michael Gaydos and Carlos Magno

Eh I don’t feel like a lot happened here….this arc is taking a little longer then I would like. Manhunter basically fights some dudes and the Crime Doctor finds out about Suicide Squad’s deception. The only thing that stood out about this issue was Cameron saying she was pregnant. Was the art always this bad? I don’t remember hating it this much until this issue.

Manhunter #36
Written by Marc Andreyko
Art by Michael Gaydos

Now this was more like it, I loved the politics and right-wing bashing in this series because comics need more right-wing bashing. And if that offends conservative readers I really don’t care, because I don’t want you reading my blog anyways. Kate’s speech to the press was awesome and shows how much of a hero and brave women she really is taking out such a large corporation. She is right about how sad it is that one white girl goes missing and it is front page news for weeks but hundred of mexican women go missing and no one pays attention. That is just wrong. I look forward to the next arc which will sadly be the last one of this series.

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.

Checkmate 16 – 31

Checkmate (Volume 2) #16
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Joe Bennett and Joe Prado

What a fantastic issue! I forgot how good this series was. This is one of those relationshippy issues which I love, especially focusing on the relationship between Sasha and Mr. Terrific, as well as the friendship between Fire and Ice. It was great to see the two of them together again.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #17
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric S. Trautmann
Art by Chris Samnee

This was a decent issue focusing on the security of the Checkmate Castle and the man behind it. It was pretty high concept and I liked that. The idea of a man with a computer in his brain is so simple I am surprised no one has ever thought of it.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #18
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Joe Bennett

Ah this looks like it is going to be a fun arc. Amanda Waller is going to get her ass handed to her I have a feeling as Checkmate is figuring out her scheme with Taskforce X. I did not expect to see Martain Manhunter in this and it made me very sad to realize he will die soon after this in Final Crisis. I really miss him. His death was a shame.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #19
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Joe Bennett

I like how we are seeing both sides of the mystery so it’s the characters that are in the dark about everything. Amanda Waller is fascist biatch…I can’t wait to see her fall. I like that this series doesn’t glorify the US government (in fact, it does quite the opposite). The art is fantastic by the way.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #20
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Joe Bennett

Hell ya Amanda Waller has fallen! Most of the characters on this cover don’t appear unfortunately but still, Amanda Waller has fallen! The rest of Checkmate totally got her where they wanted her and got her to resign. I am excited to see who will b e the new White Queen. My question is though, has Martian Manhunter been the Black King this whole time?

Checkmate (Volume 2) #21
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric S. Trautmann
Art by Chris Samnee

You know I am not sure why but I didn’t really care for this issue. It just didn’t do it for me. It wasn’t bad and I thought the whole Madame Moiselle Marie legacy thing was interesting, but I guess I just found it kinda dull.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #22
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric S. Trautmann
Art by Chris Samnee

So this issue really grabbed me with the Madameoiselle Marie concept….I really liked the historical aspect and the tradition. And I liked seeing her whoop ass. Seriously she was brutal. I hope this character is not forgotten after this series ends.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #23
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric S. Trautmann
Art by Joe Bennett

This looks to be a fun and thrilling arc dealing with Kobra. I remember rather enjoying the first Kobra arc on this title. Bringing in Superman may have been the easy-way-out, but at least it was a smart move on Checkmate’s part.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #24
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric S. Trautmann
Art by Chris Joe Bennett

This was intense as Checkmate gathers the Global Guardians, the Outsiders, the Justice League, and Justice Society to stop Kobra’s evil plan. Oh how occults are freaking scary and especially when said Cult has killer reptilian babies.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #25
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric S. Trautmann
Art by Joe Bennett

This ends Rucka’s run on this title and it was definitely a nice ending. I expected Checkmate to kill the babies but I was pleasently surprised to see they hadn’t. As for the rooks, I am not sure I really understood exactly what was going on with them. They all shot up with alien DNA?

Checkmate (Volume 2) #26
Written by Bruce Jones
Art by Manuel Garcia

Not sure what to think of this issue. It didn’t focus on Checkmate so much as this new character Chimera that Checkmate scientists created from a near-dead soldier in Iraq. The issue was page after page of very disgusting scenes from a bear getting ripped apart to a person being stung by a giant and his whole body swelling up. I read Jones’s Nightwing run so I know he can write disgusting but I really don’t know what to think yet.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #27
Written by Bruce Jones
Art by Manuel Garcia

Okay we haven’t seen Sasha Bordeaux or Mr. Terrific since Jones took over, these are these are the stars of the book! So far this is about Chimera, a new character, and not really Checkmate at all. Wtf!

Checkmate (Volume 2) #28
Written by Bruce Jones
Art by Manuel Garcia

Ya this Chimera stuff isn’t doing it for me. I liked when this series was about the inner workings of Checkmate, not their monster operative only. So far, no good. But at least Sasha appears in this issue.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #29
Written by Bruce Jones
Art by Manuel Garcia

Ya this still sucks Chimera Balls! I really could care less about this character or the monsters attacking everywhere. Jones really likes writing about monsters for some reason. How did the girl find out Adam Sharp was Chimera? Did I miss something?

Checkmate (Volume 2) #30 Written by Bruce Jones
Art by Manuel Garcia

Ya this is utter crap. Still more fighting monsters and focus on a character I don’t give a crap about. What an extreme drop in quality for this series. Bruce Jone’s Nightwing wasn’t great, but it wasn’t this bad.

Checkmate (Volume 2) #31 Written by Bruce Jones
Art by Manuel Garcia

This is the final issue of Checkmate and I am really not sad to see it go. Sure it had some great moments under Rucka but Jones had really taken this series to an all time low, focusing way too much on Chimera and not on Checkmate. Heck, Mr. Terrific hasn’t even appeared since Jones took over the title. Chimera saves the world from the boring monsters and this was just a big borefest. Not recommended.

Manhunter 31 – 34

Manhunter #31
Written by Marc Andreyko
Art by Michael Gaydos

The critically-acclaimed series continues here after a long break. It took a while to get used to the new art, but I think I like it now. Exploring the mystery of Jaurez, Mexico seems like the perfect place to take this series. I don’t quite understand why Manhunter is so afraid of Iron Monro, he is not her father, I don’t buy that she would be afraid of him just because of what her father did.

Manhunter #32
Written by Marc Andreyko

Art by Michael Gaydos

Andreyko always shows his appreciation for the DCU as a whole in this series and once again he shows this. He created a new female Crime Doctor for this series. I like the character, incredibly creepy, but the original killed himself. I had forgotten that Bones was black and I like that Manhunter brought this up to him when he dismissed the deaths of the girls in Jaurez. And I couldn’t help but smile when Kate broke the racists’ hand.

Manhunter #33
Written by Marc Andreyko
Art by Michael Gaydos

A lot of great moments this issue – Ramsey having superpowers, the surprise arrival of the group formerly known as the Suicide Squad, and the Birds of Prey. I am excited for the next issue. Oh and I have to reccomend any comic that makes a Pee Wee’s Big Adventure reference (:

Manhunter #34
Written by Marc Andreyko

Art by Michael Gaydos

Oh how I love Andreyko’s writing….not only does he bitch slap Republicans in this issue, but he actually has Gay Kissing! Hell ya, it’s about time we get some man-on-man action in the DCU. Okay besides my perverted side, this was really good, but this series usually is. I love how much he utilizes the DCU and pays attention to it in his writing.

Coming Full Circle

Outsiders (Volume 3) #50
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Matthew Clark and Ron Randall

Well here we come to the final issue of the Outsiders. It looks like Batman has taken complete control of the team now and the series will relaunch as Batman and the Outsiders, which I am very excited for. This issue was great. Much better then anything Winick ever did with this series. It doesn’t feel like a final issue, but it shouldn’t since the relaunch is just around the corner. I don’t know much abotu the Suicide Squad so there appearence here kinda threw me off but I did the research and now they interest me. I can’t wait to see what the new team does. I loved Catwoman’s final line in this issue, totally in-character. I also like the idea that Batman needs a team of heroes pretending to be villains. One thing I didn’t buy was the idea that people recognize Grace as an Amazon just by looking at her. Not realistic but whatever. Great end to a series and can’t wait for the relaunch.