Titans Betrayal

Titans (Volume 3) #13
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by V. Ken Marion

Okay this was a bare bones issue. Basically it is a big fight with the Titans and they are fighting this Mr. Binder who works for H.I.V.E. and the Flash is worried about his heart, Omen tells Tempest that someone is going to betray the team, and Donna is worried Roy will end up jealous about her new relationship with Wally. None of it seemed natural and I don’t know if it is the fault of the artist or Abnett. Speaking of Tempest, can we get his old costume back with the red and black? It just worked so much better than this current costume. I am actually not that interested in whoever betrays the team because I don’t buy any of these characters actually doing so except for maybe Bumblebee.

Better Back-Up

Harley Quinn (Volume 3) #23
Written by Amanda Connor, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Paul Dini
Art by John Timms and Brett Blevins

Harley and Goat Boy takes Harley’s parents on a dinner cruise when the cruise is invaded by Clock King and Sportsmaster. Outside of the stuff with spoonsdale, I actually found this issue a tad boring and tedious. It seems like Conner and Palmiotti are being too wordy in each panel. Let the story breathe a bit. The backup Paul Dini was more fun with Harley overspending on her new headquarters for the Joker.

Team Defiance

Deathstroke (Volume 4) #21
Written by Priest
Art by Diogenes Neves

This is issue marks the new era of this title where Deathstroke will be leading a new superhero team called Defiance consisting of Deathstroke, the Ravager, Jericho, Power Girl and Kid Flash sponsored by the US government. I like how they all have new uniforms too and I think Deathstroke’s black and white get up is a welcome change. As for the surprise appearance of Terra at the end of this I have no idea how she is even alive? Isn’t she suppose to be very dead? How pissed is Barry Allen going to be that Kid Flash is now on a team with Deathstroke? Anyways, I am excited about this bold new era for this series.

New Team Leader / New Art

Suicide Squad (Volume 5) #20
Written by Rob Williams
Art by Stjepan Sejic

In this beautifully drawn issue by Stjepan Sejic, Harley Quinn is named the new team leader of Task Force X by Amanda Waller. It is about time that this book has had a good consistent artist – it has been the single thing that I think has hurt this series the most. The art turned an okay comic book into a good one.

Deathstroke Rebirth 1 – 20

Deathstroke (Volume 4) #1
Written by Priest
Art by Carlo Pagulayan

I only know Deathstroke from his appearance in other comic books (and I have to say he is way overused) and not his solos series, and for a #1 issue this really is not written for new readers. I was so lost, and I know the character.

Deathstroke (Volume 4) #2
Written by Priest
Art by Larry Hama and Carlo Pagulayan

Okay I have always wondered why Rose Wilson had silver hair, I always assumed it had something to do with whatever the thing is that Deathstroke injects into himself but when he has injected others – like sadly Cassandra Cain for example – their hair does not turn white. (Maybe that is just because Cassandra is so badass she can take it without her hair turning white.) Anyways, I still found this issue hard to follow, but better than the last – at least I know Rose Wilson/the Ravager from her Titans days.

Harley Quinn 17-22

Harley Quinn (Volume 3) #17
Written by Amanda Connor, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Paul Dini
Art by John Timms and Brett Blevins

The main story has the detective guy asking Harley and her gang to look into why homeless people are missing in New York and the dialogue was very funny. It seems that this series is a hit or a miss for me and this issue was a hit. The back up story by Paul Dini and art by Brett Blevins doing his best Bruce Timm – it reminded me so much of the old Batman: the Animated Series from when I was a kid it brought a smile to my face.

Harley Quinn (Volume 3) #18
Written by Amanda Connor, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Paul Dini
Art by John Timms, Joseph Michael Lisner, and Brett Blevins

The main story of the cannibals eating all of the Homeless is so sad but somehow they manage to write it all off as a dark comedy while not being offensive. That takes balls. The back up was filled with more Batman: The Animated Series style Harley and Joker goodness. This is a fun book to read again.

Justice and Revenge

Justice League of America (Volume 5) #9
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Felipe Watanabe

The man from Monster Valley’s plan is not as crazy after all he just kind of jumps around like an animal and can’t even kill one of his family members after the Justice League intervene. At first I was dissapointed by that but I liked how the League (led by Batman) taught him justice is better than revenge. They are the Justice League after all. It was a decent issue although I wish there were more moments of discussion between team members because Orlando seems to excel at that.

Hellblazer Rebirth 1 – 10

The Hellblazer (Volume 2) #1
Written by Simon Oliver
Art by Moritat

I have to admit this is really my first experience with the character of John Constantine if you can believe it. He was walled off from the DCU  for most of the time I read comics before Rebirth and I never got around to picking up his series. I like him already in this debut Rebirth issue he makes a deal with Swamp Thing and we learn a little bit about why that happened and there are various other interesting subplots. I am excited to see what happens next.

The Hellblazer (Volume 2) #2
Written by Simon Oliver
Art by Moritat

After an easy to understand first issue, this issue seemed like it needed cliff notes for a Constantine newbie like myself. I guess I get the general plot, he is chased through London by these evil twins but other than that all the name dropping was lost on me. Thank God we have wikipedia.

Big Reveals and Romances

Titans (Volume 3) #12
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Kenneth Rocafort

This was a very good issue of this series as we see the Titans through the eyes of Lilith Clay. First of all, Abnett portrays Lilith as even more powerful than I ever realized with her new fighting technique. She truly deserves to be on this team. We are also introduced to a romance between her and Tempest….something I never saw hinted at before. And another romance between Donna and Wally. I am not okay with the new status quo for both Donna and Wally but I am hoping this leads somewhere. I am very confused as to which of Donna’s memories are fake because she did serve on the Titans when she was younger. This issue also reveals that one of the Titans will betray the team….I have no idea who it is but I am betting it is actually Omen herself or Bumblebee or maybe someone who hasn’t joined yet.

The Man From Monster Valley Surprise

Justice League of America (Volume 5) #8
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Felipe Watanabe

I enjoyed how this JLA team is really in the spotlight and are becoming almost celebrities. I am forever interested in how the news media treats superheroes in the DC Universe and I am glad that Steve Orlando has brought this to the more “grounded” Justice League team. The dynamics between team members and how they don’t always agree with each other’s actions or Batman’s leadership is why this is the better of the two Justice League books being published right now. The villain that is introduced in this issue is as fascinating as the cover says. I encourage you to read it, I won’t spoil the end like I usually do but let’s just say I did not see that coming. Monster Valley is not really explained well in this issue though, where did this place even come from?

Justice League of America 4 – 7

Justice League of America (Volume 5) #4
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Ivan Reis

Lord Havok and the Extremists are defeated and Kravia is free to build a new country on their own terms. Orlando is subtly making a point about America’s interventionism but I am not sure it quite works here since the League (who stand in for America) don’t screw everything up the way the US does. Or maybe we just haven’t seen it happen yet? I was sad that this had actually nothing to do with Liberty Belle but some Captain America stand-in from Angor. It was cool to see Blue Jay again. I like how they make a good point that there is no way Lobo is meant to inspire anyone…Batman is up to something else he isn’t telling the League.

Justice League of America (Volume 5) #5
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Andy MacDonald

Steve Orlando sure knows his obscure DC History, the reporters at the Justice League press conference are reporters from all over the DC Universe and its history. I love it! Like I always say, more writers should be like Orlando and play with the toys they have been given them. Sure enough an obscure Wonder Woman villain is even the villain in this comic as the League fights Nikos Aegeus who has taken over a bankrupted city. It is cool to see a good use of the Ray’s power. Orlando is good at that, the last issue he actually used Vixen’s powers well.