Secret Six 32 – 36

Secret Six (Volume 3) #32
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Calafiore

The Secret Six travel to hell in a fantastic issue. I forgot how much I missed reading this book with it’s hilarious but dark characters and it’s beautiful artwork. I loved how Bane seemed shock that he might be damned to hell because he considers himself to be good. I loved that Ragdoll doesn’t want to return to earth because he is going “sane.” I loved it all.

 

Secret Six (Volume 3) #33
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Calafiore

In this issue, Catman goes to make sure that his father is in hell where he deserves to be only to find that his mother is in hell too – she eats his father every day as a lioness to torture him. Etrigan tells Catman this is heaven for his mother. I guess his Dad got what he deserved! That is some dark humor there and I love it. We even get to see the personal hells of all of the Secret Six. Some were sad like Bane’s but then Gail Simone – the master 0f writing comedic relief – shows King Shark’s hell as a vegetarian restaurant. Anyways, Lady Blaze tells Scandal her other girlfriend’s soul will soon belong to her in hell. I can’t remember who Scandal’s other girlfriend was.

Secret Six (Volume 3) #34
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Calafiore

Did Jeanette quote Julian of Norwhich in this issue? Scandal sure did lie to her girlfriend in this issue didn’t she? Anyways, this was a heartwarming issue in a dark heartwarming disturbing way only the Secret Six can bring. Bane goes on a date and gets in a fight. Jeanette seems to have decided to turn good? And it was just a lot of fun.

 

 

Secret Six (Volume 3) #35
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Calafiore

In this issue, Bane decides to lead the team in another assault Batman after realizing that he never got to really break the Batman like he wanted to back in the day. They start by drafting the Penguin to join the team. I enjoy the way Simone writes Penguin…it reminds me of Batman Returns a bit. And that is my favorite Batman movie. This was a fantastic issue.

 

Secret Six (Volume 3) #36 
Written by Gail Simone
Art by J. Calafiore

This is the final issue of a great series that I will miss. Gail Simone is a creative genius. You writes complex characters who are so well-rounded it is like they are real people. She is truly a gem in the comic book world. Also, she has a scene in this where they feed a man to King Shark on a fishing hook. So she is hilarious too. The part where Scandal decides she wants to marry both Knockout and Liana was a tad strange though but hey these are crazy people this book is about. The only problem I had was it is really hard to believe all of those supeheroes would show up to fight the Secret Six like they are Darkseid or something. But they sure got their asses handed to them and this villain team went out in a blaze of glory. What a fitting finale to an amazing series!

 

JSA All-Stars 17 and 18

JSA All-Stars #17
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie Williams III

This book and the main JSA book really could have benefited from having those boxes explaining each character that shows up like they have in Legion books. It is very helpful and would bring in new readers. That being said, story-wise I enjoyed this issue as a man named “The Prince”shows up claiming he comes from an alternate timeline where he is a member of the Justice Society and no one believes him but the last panel makes it look like he is telling the truth. I can’t say I enjoyed the art of Williams III here which is still too cartoony for my tastes and for this title.

JSA All-Stars #18
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie Williams III

This is the final issue of JSA All-Stars in which the Prince is revealed to be extremely powerful and almost destroys the world before being defeated by Roxy. Who luckily survives! But other than that it wasn’t really that great of an ending and I imagine it was rushed due to a surprise that the series was ending. I have to say that Sturges created some great characters in this run and I hope to see them elsewhere in the DCU.

Justice League of America 55-60

Justice League of America #55
Written by James Robinson
Art by Brett Booth

This James Robinson Justice League was so fantastic. It really was totally underrated. Robinson is a writer who understands that the DC Universe is so rich with diversity of characters. Anything CAN happen in the DCU and Robinson and really knows how to play with its toys. I also loved how odd this group of Justice Leaguers was at the time. This issue is actually part of a wider crossover but Robinson does what any good writer should do and incorporate the crossover into the ongoing story of the book without a hitch. It was cool to see Dick Grayson Batman’s space suit too.

Justice League of America #56
Written by James Robinson
Art by Brett Booth

Congorilla calls in the Justice League Reserves which I didn’t even realize existed but I am sure glad they do because Zauriel is a great character to put against Eclipso. Robinson is brilliant with his use of DC characters. Even Manitou Dawn got a name drop! He joined the League back when I first started reading comics as a kid and has been barely seen since! I did find it odd that the Shade is aware that two heroes teaming up is called The Brave and the Bold. How would he know that in-universe? What does the media in the DCU say that?  The issue ends with Obsidian showing up as the Big bad.

Justice League of America #57
Written by James Robinson
Art by Brett Booth

Robinson’s use of Theology in this DCU is fascinating to me. Earth as the Conduit for God’s love for the Universe. Theology in the DCU would be an interesting topic for a paper don’t you think? Anyways, The Spectre shows up now (Robinson is brilliant I can’t say that enough) to fight Eclipso and Eclipso absorbs Spectre’s power. His whole plan with this is to kill God. That is the ultimate villainous plot is it not?

Justice League of America #58
Written by James Robinson
Art by Daniel Sampere and Miguel Sepulveda

Jesse Quick makes mention here that she is no faster than Donna or Batman now that she has lost her link to the speed force. Does Jesse Quick think that Batman has super speed powers? Because Donna does have superhuman speed so why is she saying that like Batman and Donna are equal in speed. I hate to sound like a broken record but Robinson’s knowledge of DCU obscurity is great and he uses that to a great advantage in the story. All of the Leaguer’s histories are mentioned in this arc so far and this time we get a look at Donna Troy’s past which is quite interesting. But I sure hope Eclipso did not just kill Donna at the end. I like Sampere’s art here.

Justice League of America #59
Written by James Robinson
Art by Daniel Sampere

The Justice League defeats Eclipso in this issue and all returns to normal, but there is a tease that the League will be breaking up next issue (which is the last issue of this series) after the Atom expresses how impressed he is with this new ver

 

Justice League of America #60
Written by James Robinson
Art by Daniel Sampere

This is the final Justice League issue before the New 52. Sad because James Robinson made this comic good for the first time since I can really remember. Certainly specifically this volume of the comic was pretty awful till he showed up. I look forward to reading more Justice League Comics during the Rebirth of the DCU. The beginning of this issue is a quick summary of an arc he probably had planned for the book where all the robots in the DCU get corrupted. How cool would that have been as a full arc! Robinson has so many obscure Robots name dropped. Instead he fast forwards through that and has the team meeting and talking about why each one wants to bow out of the League. Donna wants to discover who she is again now that her rage is gone, Supergirl wants to do the same after dealing with New Krypton, Jade wants to enjoy her second chance at life outside of the superhero costume, Jesse Quick is pregnant, Congorilla wants to become a hero for Africa, Starman is nursing a broken arm,  Batman thinks he will be too busy with Batman Incorporated,   They look back on an untold story (has to be another arc Robinson had planned, this guy is great!) about a war between Saturn and Thanagar and an untold story in Gemworld. Donna makes a comment at the end she wants the world to forget her which is ironic because I think at the beginning of the New 52 they had forgotten her. This was a very bittersweet ending to Robinson’s run and I love that we get a taste of what he would have done with this group if the book wasn’t ending.

 

 

Superman Batman 79 and 80

Superman/Batman #79
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Jesus Merino

 

Roberson introduce (or re-introduces for some) to the DC Universe of the 853rd Century and I am one of the few who have never read DC One Million and therefore I am fascinated by this Justice Legion with its many worlds and I can’t wait to see more next issue. Epoch Lord of Time doesn’t seem like a new character but I could be wrong but he was a great way to frame the story and allow for the past and the future to collide.

Superman/Batman #80
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Jesus Merino

Epoch is stopped by the Bronze Age World’s Finest and travels through time being defeated by each era’s Batman and Superman – Brilliant! I am looking forward to seeing more of Roberson’s run on the main Super-book after reading this awesomeness.

The Rebirth of Dark Supergirl

Justice League of America #51
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

Robinson once again shows how much he understands and loves the DC Universe with the beginning of this issue. Instead of a random assortment of heroes trying to save Washington DC, we actually get an explanation for why each of the persons’ powers can help the situation. That is a rare feat in comics and I like the attention to detail! Meanwhile, the League is dealing with the threat of Omega Man – who is a bastard yet we don’t even know who he is yet and he has brought back Dark Supergirl. I miss Starman but this this is getting just as epic as the last arc! Great stuff!

Much Better Than The Lightning Saga

Justice League of America #48
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley
Co-Feature by Robinson
Art by Pow Rodrix

 

This is the conclusion of the JLA/JSA crossover that began here and continued here, here, and here. I can’t say I was disappointed with the end of this per say because it was such an epic story. The perfect type of no-holds-barred story that should make an JLA/JSA crossover (And a hell of a lot better then the freaking Lightning Saga) but it left me a little confused as to how Jade fixed everything and why Obsidian and Jade can’t be near eachother anymore. But anyways, I loved every page and loved the moment where the League comes together and realizes they truly are the Justice League now and nothing can stop them. Jesse Quick officially joins here but Jade does not. I suppose she will  next issue. And the back-up was okay too.

Archetypical Bullet

Batman #702
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Tony Daniel

 

This concludes the lost chapter of R.I.P and I have to say I quite enjoyed this issue. One wonders why this wasn’t told back then but oh well we got a lot more information here about how Bruce was sent back in time by the Omega Sanction. I love how Morrison describes the God-Bullet as the archetypical bullet – the bullet of all bullets – therefore truly Batman’s ultimate enemy. Great writing and really cool stuff to think about. I am not sure where and how Batman recorded the message for Superman though. I will probably have to go back and reread.

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)

This Is The Justice League I Have Been Waiting For!

Justice League of America #46
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley
Co-Feature by Robinson
Art by Pow Rodrix

 

Before I get into the actual meat of the issue, I have to start off by saying I love how Robinson has Jade not knowing who Mr. America is…she calls him Patriot Hero Guy. If it was Meltzer or some other bad writer writing this, Jade would know who he was and his real name. Robinson understands that not all the heroes have to know each other and Jade was certainly dead when Mr. America debuted. Love it! And I love Robinson’s use of continuity pulling in obscure characters left and right. When you are playing in a sandbox like the DCU there is no reason NOT to do what Robinson is doing. So many writers do not get that. And wow was this an amazing issue! Action-packed and globe spanning – this reminds me of of Morrison’s JLA in so many ways. This is the League I have been waiting for since this series launched. I couldn’t be more impressed. Not only is it filled to the brim with action but Robinson gives personal moments to each character and really shows their different personalities and utilizes their different powers. Each of the Leaguers had shining moments I can’t really say what was my favorite. What a great start to this JLA/JSA crossover! The Cyborg and Red Tornado back-up was even good and I find the Red Tornado to be a total bore-fest!

I Am Happy For Donna

Justice League of America #43
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

 

Not really sure why DC had certain members like Starfire and Mon-El join just to leave one or two issues later…kind’ve bad planning on their part but oh well I am enjoying Robinson’s run so far and this is no different. I loved to see Donna and Congorilla feeling so happy to be on the League! It’s refreshing to see someone be excited about it for a change. Donna needed to find her place somewhere and I like that Robinson is giving it to her. Please keep her around for a while. Did Donna always have a lasso though? I will have to look that up. I love that Starman is staying in the book and I think this cast really works so far. There was a lot of action and characterization – in fact really the perfect balance for the league. The narration boxes are utilized much better then Meltzer ever did and hey at least everyone has code names. There were some minor continuity troubles – this takes place after Blackest Night yet Green Arrow acts like J’onn and Aquaman are still dead. Not to mention Black Canary should have been in that flashback scene as well but those are just minor complaints in what was an enjoyable issue.

Membership

Justice League of America #42
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

Robinson’s Justice League run continues to impress me. I am liking the dynamic of the new team and Bagley’s art. These villains aren’t rather interesting but we shall see what comes of them. Are Black Canary and Ray Palmer now members again? They are just there and this is never explained which is kinda annoying. It looks like Red Tornado is still a member although not functional but I think it makes perfect sense for Cyborg to try to help him in the way that he is. Still wish Hal wasn’t on the team but whatever it is just great to have a good JLA comic again!

Robinson Actually Made Me Excited For the Justice League Again!

Justice League of America #41
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

 

Wow! I didn’t expect this to be this good! It took Meltzer seven issues to put a team together, Robinson does it in just one and makes it more exciting then all seven of those issue put together. Sure Congorilla isn’t in the issue but he’s the only one who hasn’t joined up yet. I felt very much like Robinson was giving the middle finger to Meltzer with this issue and I loved it. I mean he even has Donna refuse to call Doctor Light by anything but her codename where as Meltzer had the heroes always call each other by real names. It was great. I can’t believe it I am actually excited for the Justice League again!

Justice League 39 and 40

Justice League of America #39
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

Why did Kimiyo just call Doctor Light Curry at the end of this comic like he was Aquaman? That is some bad editing and the kind’ve sloppy editing and mix ups that have plagued this title since it began. Not really forgivable. All-in-all this was a rather forgettable issue where neither of the creators showed how good they could be.

Justice League of America #40
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

I have to say that this was an intense issue of Justice League where the heroes are emotionally and physically taken to their breaking points by the Black Lanterns. It dealt with race and rape. And it was very uncomfortable to read and almost mean-spirited in the way that Robinson’s Cry for Justice has been. I can’t say that I object to the subject matter but just in the way it was handled, I really felt like Kimiyo Hoshi was being raped in this issue as I was reading this. If not physically, at least on an emotional level and why the hell did Bagley have to draw her running around naked? That was unnecessary and disturbing. I don’t mind the subject matter but I felt like the entire story had no light – it was completely cruel.

This Was Actually Good

Justice League of America #38
Written by James Robinson
Art by Mark Bagley

Holy shit! This must be the most underrated comic of the fucking year. After reading all of the horrible reviews and the abysmal so far Cry for Justice mini, I actually enjoyed this a lot. That’s a good thing – because this book has been bad for a really long time. Bagley can certainly draw better then any artist this book has had and Robinson’s dialogue is much better then it has been over in Cry for Justice. I liked it. Sure, Blue Jay dying was stupid and we don’t need another superhero dying but forget that, I liked the moments in the cave and all of the talking about its history and even Young Justice. It’s too bad Plas is going to stay on the team because he is always fun. The fight with Despero was even exciting because Bagley is an artist who makes it easy to see what is going on. Forget what you have heard, I think this is a good start to the Robinson – Bagley run.

Powers

Justice League of America #37
Written by Len Wein
Art by Tom Derenick

This issue concludes Len Wein’s fill-in arc and I must say that it was a sucess. Wein utilized each of the powers of the team members in unique ways and gave them all equal screen time. That is much better then McDuffie or Meltzer ever did on this book. I wonder where this story is going to continue? Under Robinson’s pen? I don’t know because there was definitely a cliffhanger about the Key and a possible murder of Professor Fortune. But anyways, this was a good arc and Wein should be proud of it.

It Is Good To Have Plas Back

Justice League of America #36
Written by Len Wein
Art by Tom Derenick

Okay it took them thirty-six issues, but I think finally we have a Justice League issue where the characters are given equal screen time, have unique voices, and well…it just feels like the League. I think I was too easy on McDuffie, sure he was always being overly managed by DC editorial, but he really wasn’t good at writing this book. This was just a sigh of relief. I love having Plastic Man back. I really missed him. I liked how they actually showed Vixen asking Starfire to join the league. Heck I even liked the origin of the Royal Flush Gang that they recapped. When Robinson comes on this book, this book better stay this good.

You Don’t Need The A-Listers To Write A Good Story

Justice League of America #35
Written by Len Wein
Art by Tom Derenick and Pow Rodrix

What Professor Fortune said in the last line of this book about playing with the cards you are dealt – in other words you don’t need the big three, just create good stories about the characters you have – it could have been said to McDuffie. Heck, Wein makes Red Tornado more interesting with the two lines the character had her then anything Meltzer or McDuffie did with the character. This was a decent issue, I mean it wasn’t great but it had Plastic Man in it, so that elevates it quite a bit in my head. I love how Plas brought up how he was with the team through all those great storylines – that was a great use of continuity while at the same time commenting on how ridiculous that he has been out of the League for so long. Sure we don’t have the A-list big leaguers, but this fill-in arc is going to be a decent read none-the-less.