Cyborg Rebirth 1 – 10

Cyborg (Volume 2) #1
Written by John Semper Jr.
Art by Paul Pelletier

I am not excited to read this series mainly because I hate that Cyborg has replaced Martian Manhunter’s role in the Justice League. I do not dislike Cyborg, but he belongs with the Titans. So here we dive into the first issue and Cyborg is now apparently the defender of Detroit. Fine that is not the worst change in the world. But I have to say I liked this debut, Semper Jr. managed to catch us up on everything about Cyborg and tell a very human story about a machine-man who is afraid he has lost his soul. I am impressed.

Cyborg (Volume 2) #2
Written by John Semper Jr.
Art by Paul Pelletier

Cyborg fights Kilg%re who explains to him his history and that he is just one of the machines being gathered by a mysterious villain who wants Cyborg to join them. In the end, Kilg%re puts him through a test on whether he is human or machine and it involved saving his father’s life. Semper is a good writer as I already feel I care about the Stone Family on issue 2. I am confused as to why Cyborg is working with T.O. Morrow. Is he good now? I did not see the final page coming at all.

Time Traveling With The Dynamic Duo

Booster Gold (Volume 2) #25
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Jurgens
Co-Feature by Matthew Sturges
Art by Mike Norton

I love the way Jurgens draws Damian’s costume! Jurgens is a better artist then Quitely, I hate to say it but it looks much better under Jurgen’s pencils. The story is good too as we see a new chalkboard and some going ons with Rip and the Black Beetle – while Booster Gold has a nice talk with Dick Grayson and brings Dick back in time to see his parents and be reminded of why he fights the good fight. The Blue Beetle co-feature has Jaime defeating Black Beetle and the Black Beetle claiming he is Jaime in the future – I like how Jaime didn’t get all emo about it or start thinking he is going evil but instead completely dismisses the idea. I like that confidence in him and it shows how much he has grown as a character. Good stuff.

No More Arena Fighting!

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #34
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Aaron Lopresti

Yes because after a great storyline like “Rise of the Olympian” we really needed yet another metahuman fighting in arena storyline. This got old the second time DC did it, and they have done it 3,000 more times then that! I mean it is great to have Simone writing Black Canary again but this issue really didn’t do anything for me. I have seen this same situation too many times.

Best Fight Ever!

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #32
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Aaron Lopestri

Now that was a mother fucking battle! Seriously, that was the best fighting issue I have EVER seen in a comic. I am utterly impressed and after this issue I have to call myself a Wonder Woman fan. I have always loved the character, but now I am a F-A-N thanks to Simone and Lopestri. Lopestri’s art is breathtaking and he really shows how he can draw Diana. One of the most disgusting moments, when Diana pulls her lasso out of Genocide’s body; it is done with such class, no overly-done blood like if it was drawn by Eddy Barrows or an artist like that. If you like action at all in comics, pick this up! And Diana admits she doesn’t love Nemesis, I like that because it is honest and I have never really liked their relationship that much. Why did I not hear anything about this issue before I read it? This was fantastic.

Lots of Revelations

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #31
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Bernard Chang

Unfortunately, I had been spoiled that Genocide was truly the future Diana before I read this issue, but I was disappointed to hear that. I wish people had explained it to me further because this issue reveals that she is not the future Diana but the corpse of Diana possessed by the essence of Ares. I like that a lot better. This issue revealed a lot. Ares is behind basically everything from Genocide to Cheetah’s motivations to the rise of the Olympian. Awesome. I like how all of this is starting to fit together nicely. I wonder why the artist was changed this issue but it doesn’t really matter, Chang does a good fill-in. I really hope Etta Candy wakes up from her coma just in time to kick some ass. That will be an awesome moment.

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.

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?

The Rise of Genocide

Wonder Woman (Volume 3) #26
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Aaron Lopestri

Just like over in Secret Six, Gail Simone creates an incredibly creepy villain. People who don’t like violence in their comics beware, although everything is done off-panel, this villain murders a little girl and many civilians at a shopping mall in cold blood. I don’t mind it and it makes the character all the more credible. Interviews have called Genocide the ultimate villain for Wonder Woman and I have to say so far, it looks like she might be. The coloring of this issue was a little off, Nemesis’s uniform switched from Red to Black back to red but otherwise the art was pretty decent. I am not sure what is going on with the Greek Gods, but I like they were wearing modern (futuristic?) looking clothes like when Rucka was on the book. I am sure we will learn more about what is going on with these Gods eventually. This storyline looks to be the best of Simone’s run yet and probably the best arc since Rucka left the character. I think everyone should check this out, you won’t be dissapointed.

Brave and the Bold 7 – 19

Brave and the Bold #7
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Perez

Waid and Perez start their second arc with team-up of Wonder Woman and Power Girl….Wonder Woman’s “perfection” is portrayed against Power Girl’s crazed anger in this issue and I have to say it rings untrue. Power Girl is the leader of the JSA, yet her emotions are all over the place like a teenager this issue and I just see that as a little out of character. Besides this, this was a good issue that sets up the new threat…Megistus. And Perez’s art is as beautiful as ever.

Brave and the Bold #8
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Perez

This issue sees The Flash and the Doom Patrol team up when Wally takes his kids to be “fixed” by Dr. Niles Caulder. I love how creepy the Doom Patrol are and they should be used more often around the DCU. I am not sure why Caulder has gray hair here, as usually it is red I think. This was a good issue.

Brave and the Bold #9
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Perez

Eh…I really could care less about any of the characters in this issue besides Hawkman and the Atom…so besides those last few pages I was totally bored with this issue.

Brave and the Bold #10
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Perez

While the first part with Superman and Silent Knight was kinda boring…it was cool to see the old Teen Titans team up with Aquaman. Oh and it is good to see that Perez hasn’t forgotten that Aqualad looks like a boy instead of a weird fish-boy like over in Teen Titans: Year One. This series is becoming too much of an homage to the silver age. Let’s bring in some modern age characters!

Brave and the Bold #11
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Jerry Ordway

Superman and Ultraman from the anti-matter earth team-up when the anti-matter Mxyzptlk tells them of a disaster that will effect both earths. This explains what Megistus is doing and who he is. While I look forward to next issue’s conclusion, this story arc is taking way too long. At least this issue wasn’t silver agey. Ordway’s art is always welcome and the perfect artist to replace Perez.

Brave and the Bold #12
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Jerry Ordway

This concludes the Megistus arc where a lot of heroes team up and take on Megistus. In the end, it is June who saves the day and becomes a challenger in her own right. Megistus was not that scary or interesting of a villain as you think he would be after so many issue of build up but I did enjoy this issue. The foreshadowing of Final Crisis is interesting as Megistus says it will change everything. Interesting.

Brave and the Bold #13
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Jerry Ordway

I remember listening to Mark Waid’s interview on Word Balloon where he talks about this issue (great interview by the way) and how we never do see Jay Garrick and Batman interact. You know….he’s right and now I want to see them together more often. This was fun issue where Jay and Batman fight android safaris haha but the best part is the dialogue between Jay Garrick and Batman. I often forget that Jay is a scientist as well as a hero. You really get the feeling that Jay is the old hat while reading this and how much Batman respects him.

Brave and the Bold #14
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Scott Kolins

What? So confused….why did Ollie just shoot an Arrow into Deadman? Is there something to this? I bet because I know Green Arrow would never do such a thing and Deadman is already dead anyways. Kolins’s art can be a little distracting but this was an okay issue…I preferred the parts in Star City then the Nanda Parbat stuff though.

Brave and the Bold #15
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Scott Kolins

This continued the storyline that began last issue with Nightwing and Hawkman. I like that Waid is playing up that Nightwing is probably the most trusted superhero in the DCU because that is totally true. I just wish Didio would recognize that and not try to kill him all the time. There was a little continuity goof, I am pretty sure Deadman told Nightwing about him knowing his parents already in Nightwing: Year One but that is just a slight error, and such things are very unusual for Waid. So ya this was an okay issue, nothing to get really excited about.

Brave and the Bold #16
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Scott Kolins

First of all, what the hell is Selina doing in this costume. She definitely did not have this costume until Brubaker took over her series and this takes place long before that if it is her first meeting with Superman. Kolins obviously knows very little about her history if he isn’t aware of this, and the editor is an idiot for not catching it. The story was good though, I liked the fake out with the cave. But this huge continuity error really distracted from what was a good story.

Brave and the Bold #17
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art by Phil Winslade

You know…I never thought about the similarities between Raven and Supergirl until this issue. While this is the first Waid-less issue of this series, it was still very good. Winslade’s art is much better then Kolins, and I liked the use of continuity as Wolfman clearly followed the Supergirl series well. I know that Supergirl’s father apparently didn’t want her to kill Superman though right, at least it is not how he is being portrayed over in the Superman books. I think Johns said that they were going to clear that up soon.

Brave and the Bold #18
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art by Phil Winslade

You know I kind’ve like the bad ass Supergirl and her sense of humor, I hope she doesn’t completely change. Raven and Supergirl’s dialogue here is excellent and really shows what Wolfman can do. The insult comic dog stuff was hilarious and the story had real depth to it as well. Check this out, you won’t be disappointed.

Brave and the Bold #19
Written by David Hine
Art by Doug Braithwaite

Okay….if you don’t pick this up because you are waiting for JMS to start his run then you are an idiot. This was amazing! The story is fascinating and the art….oh my gosh…the art is beautiful. Perfectly dark but still full of beauty and wonder….especially when Green Lantern and the Phantom Stranger go to Kahlo. I never thought Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger could make sense in a story together, but they really do here as magick effects an alien planet. The panel showing the little girl who wrote the Green Lantern Oath on the wall was breathtaking and well creepy all at the same time. Check this out people, it is worth it. I can’t wait for the next issue. Definitely the best book I read this week. And by far the best issue of this series yet.