I know there’s something crazy about reading superhero comics for the character bits, not the powers or the fights, but that’s where my interests lie these days. So I adored this issue, which features Matt Murdock going out on a date with Kirsten McDuffie.

It’s a testament to Mark Waid’s skill and imagination that he takes a basic premise, featuring a character who’s been around for decades, and makes it so fresh and modern and yes, sexy. (Which nicely justifies what would other be a salacious cover.) That’s helped along by the impressive art by Chris Samnee. Just check out this early full page, right, showing where the two go out and how Kirsten decides to share the experience with Matt. (The coloring by Javier Rodriguez supports it wonderfully. Click for larger.)

Waid’s dialogue is a pleasure to read, making these characters come alive. Some of the ways he shows them flirting with each other in flashback, driven by Kirsten’s determination to get Matt to admit he’s Daredevil, are hilarious. It’s a weird, refreshing take on the secret identity, since Matt is the title hero, yet we’re rooting for him not to tell her and supporting his lies to her. Normally, that bothers me a great deal, but here, it fits nicely into a grownup screwball-style battle of the sexes. Samnee’s art keeps these characters moving and reacting, too, even when showing simple conversation. I really appreciate his use of background and detail.

Plus, there’s a neat background story telling us new to the series just how Foggy and Matt became such good friends, set back in their law school days. Even though the situation at that time was deadly serious to their careers, the jokes Waid includes slay me. (Bobblehead judge!) They’re not generic, but specific to the situation, with an extra layer of goofiness for comic fans. He also writes Matt as a bit older and wiser, adding that additional layer while narrating his long-ago actions, a perspective I can relate to. I would never have thought that such a long-running character could seem so exciting and relevant to me, but Waid breathes new life into the property.

I know this kind of issue isn’t what I can expect every month, since this is, after all, a hero book, but it’s my favorite of the first year of what’s become my favorite superhero series.

Earth 2 #1 quickly showed me that assumption was wrong. The company has been very close-mouthed about the book and its premise, so forgive me for discussing SPOILERS following.

Darkseid attempts to invade Earth, and the big three — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman — are presumed dead after battling him. This will lead to the formation of a new hero group, some of whose members are shown briefly in this issue. Writer is James Robinson, who is far away from the guy whose work we all loved on Starman. Did he have brain surgery? Replaced by a doppelganger, like those old “Paul is dead” rumors? Simply burn out? Art is by Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott.

In order to get there, though, these heroes have to die. Superman, portrayed much the same as the character we used to know, gets this:

Batman, still the strategist, is presumed gone after a heartfelt farewell to his daughter Helena and another explosion. Helena is Robin, before becoming the Huntress and moving into the pages of Worlds’ Finest (see below). But Wonder Woman, the bloodthirsty warrior, is lovingly impaled in this half-page:

I suppose, if I was being charitable, that I could infer that we see the woman’s death in such detail to show how down-to-earth a hero she is, how her character is less cosmic and less mysterious than the other two. But I’m really tired of the bloodthirsty warrior as the driving motivation behind Wonder Woman. There’s so much more to her than that, but that’s all the writers these days seem to want to focus on.

Worlds’ Finest #1 is a much better read, featuring the Huntress and Power Girl (who was previously Supergirl) as buddies trying to survive a difficult situation together. They’ve been thrown into another world, and they’re trying to get back home. That makes for a nice, simple motivation most can relate to, if a bit of a departure from traditional heroism. It’s a real pleasure to see two women starring in a DC superhero series, without worrying about them flashing body parts at the (presumed male) reader to keep their interest.

I’ll be following this series, written by Paul Levitz. I like the double art structure, too, with “present day” illustrated by George Pérez and Scott Koblish and flashbacks drawn by Kevin Maguire. I’ve missed seeing his clean lines.

It was always, to my mind, the humans hanging around the superfolk that made their stories relatable. I couldn’t be Superman, but I could dream of being as feisty and determined and accomplished as Lois Lane. (I know she’s still around, but by the time I stopped reading the DC reboot, all we knew about her was that she was shacked up with some other guy.) Other kids could imagine being Superman’s Pal, like Jimmy Olsen was. Plus, more supporting cast means more kinds of stories other than “beating up the villain”.

Maybe I have blinders on — please enlighten me in the comments if so — but I can’t think of many non-superpowered supporting cast members left. Alfred, of course, but there are so many costume-sporting Bat-family folk running around these days there’s no room for the unmasked. The teen heroes are all hanging out with others like them.

Have superhero comics lost something important by getting rid of the regular people from their pages?

I thought a story that began with various Avengers making fun of the old-school comics Captain America created back in the 40s would just be a snark-fest, a chance for Spider-Man to throw around some wisecracks, but there’s a surprising amount of depth and sympathy in the unexpected bonding between Spidey and Cap.

Oh, don’t get me wrong — you’re going to get jokes, and generally funny ones, in a comic written by Zeb Wells. That’s part of what makes this a fun read. But when I got to the end of this tale of rediscovering your geek passions and I saw that it was dedicated to the memory of Joe Simon, the co-creator of Captain America who recently passed away, there was a tear in my eye. It reminded me that you can have humor and real feeling together, appreciating one all the more for the presence of the other.

I also liked how much Spidey was obsessing over discovering a previously unsuspected side of one of his heroes. Yes, he goes a bit overboard in trying to bond with Cap based on them being fellow nerds — leading to one of my favorite lines in the book, when Cap responds to Spidey’s sharing with, “That’s nice,” before snapping back into leader strategy mode.

Given all the subject matter, I would have appreciated art that was more traditionally cartoony. Yu and Alanguilan have lovely, impressive figure work, but it’s a little too realistic/ painterly for my taste for this story. There’s one closeup where we’re looking at the red inner eyelid through Cap’s mask that had me focusing on very much the wrong details for that panel. I also thought the figures were a little stiff, especially when the gang is just hanging out. This is pinup/cover art-styled, not for story flow.

Cover by Kris Anka

I’m not nostalgic for the original team that bore the New Mutants name, and I’ve been turned off in the past by stories that seemed to require you already know those characters. That’s why I want to praise a story that works regardless of whether you are familiar with the cast and their history. (In fact, I find the name pretty silly. These days, the true New mutants would be Hope and her friends, so the title’s sticking around solely out of nostalgia and brand maintenance. That’s pointed out early on in the comic, which gave me another reason to like it.)

It helps that I’m a sucker for cute robot stories in which artificial beings learn what it means to be human. This issue is part two of a story in which the team has traveled to a mostly deserted jungle island, where they discover that they’ve all (except for Warlock, the robot (who’s apparently also an alien, but that doesn’t seem to matter)) been infected with a fast-moving deadly virus. It’s narrated by Warlock, who’s trying his best to act as a leader, all while demonstrating in blackly funny captions that he’s not really sure what that means. My favorite part was when he starts wandering off in his interior monologue, then tells himself “Self is straying from point. Clarity = hard.” I feel that way myself sometimes.

The narration also allows the writers to remind the readers, whether new or simply forgetful, what’s going on and what the stakes are. Everyone’s worried they’re going to die, except for Warlock, who’s worried that his only friends are going to die and whether he’s adequately reassuring them. He keeps referring to his confident, encouraging smile, which is garishly exaggerated on his robot features, but that’s what he knows about what a leader is meant to do.

Meanwhile, X-Man (stupid name) is losing his internal censor, saying whatever he thinks, which is mostly about how attractive Dani Moonstar is, for that added touch of weird comedy. It takes a disturbing turn later in the issue, when the story begins resembling a horror film, with the kids all trapped in an abandoned lab/basement. The art is nicely dark and murky, well-suited for the swamp (both physical and metaphysical) the cast is wandering through.

There’s a bunch of monster fighting, in part to make sure story does not end in this issue but can continue onward next month, but the bits I like are those that show me more about these different young heroes. Putting them on an island with a killer medical threat is a great way to ramp up drama without the usual superhero angst. It’s like a blend of Aliens and Contagion, an example of body horror that’s a great choice for adolescent characters (and potentially, readers). You can read the first few pages in this online preview.

Avengers Academy #27

written by Christos Gage
art by Karl Moline and Jim Fern

Who knew? This crossover issue — well, not really a crossover, since the Runaways don’t have a book — was good. We learn something about each of the team members for both teams. We get to see similar and different characters interact across groups. There’s a mission — reuniting the boy with his missing dinosaur friend that I can get behind and go “awww” over. (Although last time I remember seeing the Runaways, I could have sworn that one of the girls had the dinosaur bond.) Typical of this title, there’s some secret plotting, as not everyone has the same motivation.

There was a character I didn’t recognize who wasn’t identified, either in the story or in the introductory text page. That’s the kid riding the Sentinel. His name is Juston, apparently, but I don’t know anything else about him. That’s surprising, since there’s plenty of exposition-speak elsewhere — but I didn’t mind the occasional flat tone, since I appreciated the information.

Still, there were enough cool little bits, from Striker’s public coming out to Tigra’s distraction of little girls by showing them her “kitten” son, that I enjoyed the read. I would like to see more of Klara, particularly, since she’s from a century ago and speaks amusingly anachronistically. She’s responsible for Tigra pointing out that it’s actually sensible for her not to wear very much, the first time I’ve ever heard that explained.

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #9

written by Allan Heinberg
art by Jim Cheung and Mark Morales

Almost two years for that? Spoilers follow… if you don’t want them, skip to the next heading.

So the end result of this is that the Avengers look like hypocrites several times over, a promising hero is dead (because there are never enough dead girls in superhero comics), the Young Avengers are blown to smithereens (figuratively), and, most important for Marvel, everyone’s ready for the Next Big Event.

The whole series is best summed up by an accidentally (I assume) placed ad break. On the left-hand page, someone says, “So what do we do now?” On the right is an ad for Avengers vs. X-Men. Never mind the moral debates or mourning, just rush right into a big ol’ battle to sell comics.

What’s heroic about quitting? Especially when you provided role models by being black or female or gay for kids who didn’t see themselves in the regular Marvel universe. But hey, at least the boys got to kiss. That’s nice, but it doesn’t make up, for me, for the bigger losses.

Avengers: Saving the Day

written by James Asmus
art by Andrea Di Vito

Most of the movie Avengers characters are joined by Giant-Man and Spider-Man for this comic to promote financial literacy and the value of saving and budgeting. Giant-Man’s there in order to allow for lots of silly size-changing jokes, especially on the part of Hulk (stupid version), which gave me a giggle. (Although the scene were tiny Thor flies up and smacks the bad guy on the cheek was funny, too.) The team has shrunk to sneak in and prevent a bank robbery. Along the way, we get to hear about how great banks are and all the neat things they do for us.

This comic isn’t one for the ages — although it may be entertaining in another decade or so as an example of this era’s attempt at propaganda — but I enjoyed seeing the characters interact with each other in so light-hearted a manner. It was also good to see a straightforward mission that didn’t spin an issue’s worth of plot into four or six, or one that can’t be enjoyed without a bunch more tie-ins.

I know, saying “this isn’t as bad as the main books” isn’t really praise, but I did want to point readers to this. After all, it’s free.

Captain America #9

written by Ed Brubaker
art by Alan Davis and Mark Farmer

I’m always glad to see more work from Alan Davis, and the concept of exploring what makes Captain America special by taking away his super-serum enhancements isn’t a bad one, but I’m ready for the story to be over already. Read monthly, this and the previous two issues have felt like treading water. In fact, I picked up this installment, started reading, and had to double-check that it wasn’t #7, since it felt much too similar.

I really liked the movie version of the character, and I’m ready to see his modern-day adventures, but it seems that you can’t read his stories these days without already being familiar with his supporting cast and old villains, since this leverages both to make this tale seem more important than it is. Can I just get a story where Cap tries to do the right thing but has to confront how the definition of that has changed over the decades? I’d also like to see heroism and good intent win out at the end, while I’m dictating. Or is Captain America another hero, like Superman, who is more entertaining in the concept than in actual stories?

I also object to all the pseudo-scientific equipment being used to investigate Cap’s condition, since it’s clear to me that causing 80 or so pounds of muscle to disappear instantly isn’t a scientific process.

The Defenders #4

written by Matt Fraction
art by Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano, and Brian Thies

When I read this piece last week on how the Defenders sales are dropping hard, my thought was, “it’s probably because it’s not very good.” Then I read this issue, and I liked it a lot. (One might think that my brain is wired wrong, so that only books that are going to die entertain it, but that would be mean and jaded to suspect about me. I prefer to think that my tastes aren’t well-served by the direct market, which is geared to get material to an audience not like me.)

By focusing mostly on Dr. Strange and some of his relationships, Fraction provides a hook for me to deal with these wacky characters. Plus, I like the mystery of the weird, twisted-pipe machine and its magical abilities.

Strange’s power is solid, but it’s clear that it’s wielded by a very human man, and his decisions on that level shape the story. I hope to see more of Molly, Strange’s embarrassed one-night stand. Yet he’s still wise enough to outsmart an upstart wannabe who thinks he’s got Strange where he wants him. I’d like to see more like this. I hope it’s not too late.

Wolverine and the X-Men #7

written by Jason Aaron
art by Nick Bradshaw, Walden Wong, and Norman Lee

It’s really neat to have an X-Men book to look forward to reading. It’s imaginative. It’s got creative use of powers, a diverse group of neat kid characters (who act like teens in their egotism and treatment of others), the teacher/student setup that works so well to create problems (as the kids rebel) and restore order (as the teachers fix things), fascinating and fresh ideas, and most importantly, a sense of humor.

This issue wraps up a three-part storyline, so it may not be the best place to start, but I’m intrigued to find out how Kitty handles the baby Broods inside her and how Wolverine and Quentin Quire (a great new creation, for new meaning “within the last decade”) escape the interstellar casino they’ve been rooking and how the shrunken students wandering around inside Kitty survive.

(For those who think I’m being inconsistent by not complaining about use of the Brood, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything with them. The part I need to know — that they’re crazy killing group aliens — was clearly explained to me through the previous two issues. Plus, now I know more about student Broo.)

I like that there’s more to this than just a showdown, as a galactic xenobiologist is attempting to perform a particularly destructive type of science to maintain the “natural order”. And I like the Bamfs, one of the supporting cast that are used judiciously in just the right amounts to be entertaining without overdoing it. Leave the audience wanting more, right? They also acknowledge the history of the franchise while treating it in new ways for new readers.

The Art

I did a bad job here in not talking about the art. None of it impressed me enough to note it, but none of it failed so badly that it got in the way of the story. Overall, these books looked good.

Every page of this issue had a surprise that made me laugh or gasp or smile. Sholly Fisch knows his history, and he’s not afraid to throw in references wherever he can. From the various wacky Batman costumes on page one through to Super Turtle on the last page, if you recall those great old Silver Age comics, you’ll love being reminded of their innocent charm; if you don’t, then it’s just wild creativity on display, the kind of thing comics are best at.

For plot description, I’m going to send you to J. Caleb Mozzocco; his excellent review is why I haven’t talked about this issue in more timely fashion, since he said a lot of what I wanted to. As he mentions, much of this story is driven by Bat-Mite, who’s an acquired taste best used in small doses, but here, he allows for fourth-wall-breaking comments such as, “Where are the thrills? The giant props? The all-out hoo-hah Bat-action?” These days, Bat-Mite often speaks for me, tweaking the characters and the creators to keep the fun in the comics.

My favorite panel has to be the one shown here, where Bat-Mite tries to marry Batgirl off to an alien monster, the same one who wooed Wonder Woman back in 1965. I’m impressed that other people remember this stuff and want to pass on their enjoyment of it.

The art is similarly astounding, with all these different types of characters somehow drawn in a way where they work together, with strong outlines keeping them distinctive. Plus, we get a “really big office supply expo” because “everything’s better with giant props!”

I don’t want to spoil the last few pages for you, but after a cute gag moment, this issue has the best send-off I’ve seen, especially considering this is a book for kids who may be very disappointed to lose it. Heck, I know I’m sorry to see it go. I’ll take their advice and reread the copies I have.

At the local grocery, there’s a slob of a manager who hits on the stockgirl, can’t keep his hands to himself, and doesn’t understand what “no” means when a woman says it. He’s exactly the kind of character you’re rooting to see learn a painful lesson, so when Mera breaks his arm because he won’t stop touching her, you’ll be glad to see it.

The way Aquawoman copes with the police officers who then want to arrest her, not him, is clever, as is her use of her abilities to demonstrate just how powerful she is, even on dry land. I’m not so fond of the history of Mera as pawn, rejected by her father because she won’t be used as a weapon, but at least this issue has a kind of happy ending in a new friendship.

I haven’t checked out what male reviewers have said about this issue, but I wonder if they reacted the same way. I suspect many readers may not realize how realistic a type the manager is, an average guy who thinks of himself as much more special than he is and believes the rules don’t apply to him, especially when it comes to not having to listen to what any woman says.

Sometimes, I just want to see a superhero giving the wrong types what for. That’s what I got in this issue, and it was satisfying.

written by Kyle Higgins
pencils by Eddy Barrows
inks by Paulo Siqueira & Eber Ferreira

A stand-alone issue set in New Orleans, as a spurned lover decides that a demon is the best way to bring her fiance back to her. Not a bad story (if a bit unconnected to Nightwing, specifically — it could have appeared in a half-dozen books — and possibly a bit stereotypical), nice sense of place, very atmospheric art — but what made me want to mention it was how tired I quickly became of hearing Nightwing talk to himself.

Well, he’s actually talking to us, so we know what’s going on. That’s a good thing, since there’s plenty of “why would he feel the need to tell himself this thing that he already knows?” narration, and I don’t think we’re supposed to think the title character is insane. All this rattling on is a shame, because it feels clunky. I don’t want this much hand-holding and plot-patching.

Also a shame: the artist drew a t-shirt under the Nightwing costume when he starts unzipping it, as shown here. What, that sliver of man-chest would be too much for the readers?

My recommendation for this series: more circus life, since it sets Dick apart from all the other Bat-folk, less moody self-narration riding vehicles at night, because that’s generic and poorly done. This issue would have been stronger if that space had been used for more backstory for the tortured couple, to make them more than just plot points.

Green Lantern #5

written by Geoff Johns
pencils by Doug Mahnke
inks by Mark Irwin, Keith Champagne, Christian Alamy & Tom Nguyen

So much for that. The characterization, doing something new with the cast, that I so appreciated in this series when it relaunched is gone. Instead, we’re back to the same mythology, various groups working out grudges against each other. I no longer care who did want to whom, especially in comics I didn’t read that seem to predate the line’s relaunch.

Hal Jordan’s basically hanging around watching stuff, which makes him seem pointless, when he’s not playing voice of the author and telling us what we’re supposed to think about various cast members.

Cosmic comic books traditionally haven’t done very well, and I know the counter-argument is that readers want to follow good characters anywhere, but these aren’t very good characters. In their uniforms, many of them are interchangeable, and I’d rather see Hal back on earth coping with his life there. It looks like we’re setting up to get back to that in issue #6, or maybe #7, but I’m not all that involved any more, because all that comes to mind when I think of this title is disappointment.

Wonder Woman #5

written by Brian Azzarello
art by Tony Akins

The art is not by Cliff Chiang this issue, and he’s why I read the book, so I didn’t pay a lot of attention to this issue. It’s various characters talking about and to gods. It also doesn’t have enough Wonder Woman in it. I don’t want to be reintroduced to the entire pantheon of gods — I already got enough of that in Hercules a couple of years ago. I’d like to see the title character do more.

Legion of Super-Heroes #5

by Paul Levitz & Walter Simonson
inks by Dan Green & Sean Parsons

Wow, Walt Simonson drawing the Legion! That’s a great reason to check back in. It’s a different, edgy version of the characters, but the “day in the life” format is a neat way to learn these cast members again, since they’re not exactly the ones I knew. Yet they’re wonderfully expressive and active, thanks to Simonson’s work.

So many characters! But this is the first issue in a while that’s given me a sense of wonder about the 30th century. (Is that still when they are?) And it’s a pleasure to see them all doing so many different things (instead of the women standing around posing).

It strikes me as very weird that the main effect of the DC new 52 has been to swap me from buying superhero books because of story to buying them because of the art. It seems that EIC Bob Harras’s attempt to bring back the 90s, with creators best known from that time period, has sent me back to that mindset in a different way.

Here’s an interview with Walt about working on the book.

Tiny Titans #48

by Art Baltazar & Franco

Ah, my favorite. This issue is all about secret identities, and later, secret oranges. (Which took me a while to get, duh.) A bunch of redhead girls are hanging out, then everyone gets into 70s gear. I have no idea why any of this happens, but it’s wonderfully entertaining and creatively silly.

It gets even weirder, later, when the secret oranges of the justice league — fruit with cute little cowls and tiaras and capes — battle the League of Just Us Cows. Then the Orange Lantern brings the Core … but I won’t spoil that joke. The panel made me laugh for a good minute, though. (Especially after contrasting it with reading Green Lantern, above.)

This book is the ice cream sundae dessert of the comic book week.

I really love how writer Mark Waid incorporates Matt’s blindness in every possible way. It’s no longer something that he puts on as part of his secret identity or a visual shorthand of sunglasses and a cane — instead, there are a number of key facts revealed through his greater acuity. On the first story page, for example, Matt is aware that their bus driver is lying to him because he can hear his pulse rate increasing.

Waid’s also particularly creative in finding environments that actually challenge Matt’s super-senses; in this case, it’s a snowstorm, which acts the same way radar chaff does in confusing the signals he’s receiving. Artist Paolo Rivera is also at the top of his game, with striking and distinctive images — Matt’s suit, shredded during the accident, revealing bits of his Daredevil costume — and layouts, as when he captures the chaos of a vehicle crash through various inset panels.

Waid’s dialogue is stunning, clever and revealing. I particularly liked the flashback quips about Iron Man — but I always like Marvel characters being light-hearted about Iron Man, because that’s the personality I like for that character. More importantly, this comic shows Daredevil being heroic in a truly unexpected fashion. Instead of Man vs. Villain, as we see so often in superhero comics, this is Man vs. Nature. The relentless cold is a much more implacable foe than even the Kingpin, and while I enjoyed the last couple of issues and their big bad supervillain conflicts, this one was even scarier.

I was totally involved in the story, feeling like I got more than my money’s worth, only halfway through the book. There were lots more surprises to come, some shocking — the revelation about the gasoline — and some wonderfully reassuring — nope, no spoilers here. It’s even quietly seasonal, with a reminder of the season of hope.

I’m especially put off by the “look at my crotch!” red panel in Lightning Lass’ costume, since that color appears nowhere else in her outfit. Along similar lines, I don’t really need to see in such detail how much higher Dream Girl’s costume is cut than the natural join of her hips to her legs. (What is her costume made of, anyway, since it seems to do an oddly specific job of lifting and separating, to quote the old bra commercials?) With Shadow Lass, it’s the odd position of her elbows. Instead of opening her arms to welcome back a team member, as the text suggests, she’s pinned her arms to her sides, the better to push forward her breasts.

There are a number of reasons why I’m not following the new Legion of Super-Heroes series. This style of art is one of them.

The way I read it, writer Lobdell is having the first character in that panel comment on how Booth didn’t draw what Lobdell scripted. I wonder how that came about, and why editor Bobbie Chase allowed it. My best guess: there wasn’t time for the panel to be redrawn, or it was decided that it was easier to change the text than the image, or it was left because it wasn’t important to the story (which it isn’t — I wouldn’t have noticed the discrepancy if the dialogue hadn’t called attention to it).

You don’t often see these kinds of quibbles make it to print, with one member of an art team commenting on the work of another. Maybe Lobdell and Booth have a great, long-term friendship where they enjoy jabbing each other, I don’t know. If not, I have to wonder how this will affect that working relationship.

Storytellers: Fabien Nicieza and Pete Woods (Don’t blame me, that’s how they’re credited)

Last month, this was one of my five recommended DCU titles, and now I’m already regretting that choice, since this issue is basically a string of fight scenes, and I found myself losing interest quickly.

I am conflicted, however, about criticizing the book on that basis. This is a superhero comic, after all, and what sets them apart is that the cast (or at least a significant part) have powers and abilities far beyond the normal man. The best way to demonstrate these superpowers is through action scenes, and the most immediate version of those are battles. So I am well aware that I am criticizing this book for being part of its genre.

However, we have also reached a point where these monthly comics are only 20 pages. That means creators are cutting content, and what ends up going are the small, quiet, character moments that make these heroes truly memorable and understandable. I don’t need to see Dawnstar flying — even if she’s monologuing about the story so far and the names of her teammates and how remote she feels why she does so — since I get that that’s her power because she has wings. And yet, even with all that background catchup, I end this issue not knowing who Alastor, the bad guy, is or why I should care, other than that he’s going to kill people.

Superboy #4

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: R.B. Silva
Inker: Rob Lean

Hey, the redhead turns out to be Caitlin Fairchild, and someone’s concerned about maintaining her visual branding, because there is no other reason for a woman to be wearing a bra that is two-tone purple and green. I’m also wondering about why her underwear has a belt on it, because that seems stupid. I don’t think I’m supposed to be distracted by these elements — although clearly I the reader am supposed to admire her physique, especially her cleavage — but that’s what sticks with me in the opening scene, which, yes, is a fist fight.

Much of this issue is forgettable chatter about various factions setting up for Superboy to be part of the Teen Titans and establishing that once again, Superboy doesn’t know who his parents (really genetic donors) are. I did find it refreshing that Superboy hates Christmas because the world is at war and people are starving. That’s a rather unusual position for a title-character superhero to take. (I also appreciate reading a holiday-themed issue at the holidays, because that makes me happy.) It’s really an expression of his adolescent identity crisis, which is overused in superhero comics, but at least the way we see it here (visuals! yay!) is creative and different. Especially setting the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on fire. Dang, that’s an image you don’t see often.

The villains are the usual crazy creepy mass-murdering couple, a trope I’ve seen too often since Spike and Drusilla (and I’m sure someone came before them). In taking them down, Superboy has a previously unseen take on how fun it is to find people he can cut loose against. It’s not classically heroic, but it acknowledges the “without you they wouldn’t need me” superhero/supervillain symbiosis that drives modern comic storytelling. Maybe I should drop Legion Lost and add this. After the upcoming crossover.

Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Penciler: Juan Bobilo
Inker: Marcelo Sosa

Be careful what you wish for. I wanted to see a comic just with the kids hanging out at the Future Foundation, including Valeria and Franklin Richards. Now, I got it, and it’s horrible, badly drawn and incoherently written. The kids are interchangeable, and I have no idea what they’re aiming for or how they got to a castle with multiple Dooms.

I know, no one believes “every issue is someone’s first” any more, but how do you increase sales if there are no starting points? And with all the publicity for the return of the Fantastic Four, I would have hoped that this would have been a little more possible to get into.

As it is, we have a gang of youngsters and a gargoyle in a snowy wasteland quibbling with each other, with little use of names and less explanation of what they do; more than one old-looking Reed Richards; and two Doctor Dooms. I have no idea why any of this matters. More importantly, even without the information I’m seeking, I am given no reason to care about why anyone’s doing anything. Additionally, the kids are freakish looking. Features squash around their faces, as though they were made of stress-ball plastic. What a waste.

Generation Hope #13

Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Ibraim Roberson

Well, as I feared, now that the creative team has changed over from when I enjoyed this title, this is no longer a book for me. This is the first panel on the first page:

It’s such a classic superhero team pose, fierce and musclebound, no one standing like a normal person, everyone facing front. It’s very good for what it is, but I don’t want to read yet another comic like that — I’ve read too many of them already. I’ve liked Kieron Gillen’s Generation Hope because it did something different with the concept, and he had such unique visions for these distinctive characters. (I also don’t recall Hope’s costume being quite so “follow the arrows to my crotch!” before.)

Now, the characters speak in exposition (necessary for new readers attracted by the “Regenesis” banner), and everyone looks posed, even in the middle of action, although the people are attractive and the shading is lovely. The only thing I found fresh about this story was Kenji’s crush on Martha Johansson (aka No-Girl, ick), the brain in the bubble, ’cause that makes a certain amount of demented sense but I never would have imagined it previously. And while Teon, one of my favorite team members to read, gets a couple of bits, his unique character doesn’t have the subtlety he did before.

I agree with Greg McElhatton — this should have been retitled and relaunched as another comic.

Avenging Spider-Man #1

Writer: Zeb Wells
Artist: Joe Madureira

AKA, the return of Marvel Team-Up, but there’s nothing wrong with a book where Spider-Man and some other hero get together, fight something, and then go their separate ways. Especially when writer Wells is including a good deal of humor, and it’s working for me.

I found it funny when Spider-Man’s constant interior running monologue is all about not having the time for the many things he has in his life, including membership on two superhero teams. I could relate. Then, to get him teamed up with Red Hulk, all the Avengers play “not me” when he needs a ride home. I like that kind of humanizing banter. Which means I really liked seeing J. Jonah Jameson, attacked by beasties at a public appearance, yelling about not having any ammunition. It’s exactly how I pictured him, trying to step up and help in a ridiculously exaggerated way.

Talking about Madureira’s art is somewhat pointless, since I hear he’s already off the book, but it’s dynamic and action-packed, exactly what you want for a fight book. Draws an amazing Hulk, all bulky muscle.

$3.99 for 20 pages of content is ridiculous, though, even with a free digital copy.

One of the big challenges with these titles is that they only have 20 pages available, which makes it rare to find satisfying comics that are enjoyable on their own, instead of as part of a bigger continuing story. A big fight scene, while perhaps visually exciting, can leave this reader feeling like I’ve wasted my money. Other books are made up of bits, not coming together into a cohesive whole. But enough on what others are doing wrong. Here are the ones I think are getting stuff right.

Legion Lost #3

by Fabian Nicieza & Pete Woods

While the main Legion of Super-Heroes title feels disjointed to me, trying to cover too many characters in not enough space, this one has a simple premise that allows greater focus. (Plus, it’s in keeping with the history of the concept.) A small team — Timber Wolf, Wildfire, Tyroc, Dawnstar, Tellus — has been trapped in our time, where they’re trying to stop another alien from infecting humans with some kind of space plague.

I actually care about this threat (unlike in some of the other 52), I can follow it from issue to issue, and it’s visually interesting. The characters are well-chosen for a blend of powers and personalities, some of which have been under-served in the past, so I’m glad to spend more time getting to know them better.

I’ve always liked team books better than solo superhero stories, because they allow for more different characterizations. I would have liked this better with more than one girl hero (although that may be addressed next issue), but while all these team members have reason to be angsty and upset, they’re still acting as heroes, trying to make things better for others in spite of their own trauma.

Birds of Prey #3

written by Duane Swierczynski; art by Jesus Saiz

Speaking of team books, I’m glad this one is shaking out into something I might like. I’m still not sure about new character Starling, who seems too much a plot device. She always wins her fights, she’s always thought two steps ahead, and she doesn’t need anything from anyone. I hope her character gets fleshed out with some weaknesses and three-dimensionality soon.

I miss Oracle, but I’m glad to see Black Canary and Katana. This issue, they recruit Poison Ivy, leading to a debate on which methods are acceptable for their goals. (Which I’m a little fuzzy on right now.) The emphasis has been on action over depth so far, but a Katana who talks to her dead husband’s soul stuck in her sword intrigues me. And I do want to support an all-woman team.

Batwoman #3

by J.H. Williams III; co-written by W. Haden Blackman

Another book that’s showing interaction among women broken in various ways. Kate Kane has a dynamite design, immediately drawing the eye wherever she appears, and her backstory is equally involving, with a sister she thought dead but who may have become a demented villain. I like the way her dad supports her, I like seeing cousin Bette as her apprentice/sidekick, and I’m tickled by her burgeoning relationship with officer Maggie Sawyer. I never thought I’d see Cameron Chase again, but here she is, too, still working for the DEO investigating supers.

What sets this book apart from all others, though, is the stunning art by Williams. Most of the book is composed in two-page spreads, which opens up the story and also benefits the comic in another way: it’s much better suited to read in print than online. This is a book to buy, not browse digitally.

Wonder Woman #3

written by Brian Azzarello; art by Cliff Chiang

I’m a bit surprised at what’s driving some of my picks, since two of my selections are art-focused (at least in terms of why I choose to keep reading them). Normally, the story is the most important factor for me, but I love Chiang’s work, and I’m very glad it’s on display in a monthly title.

I disagree with the choices made — to position this book as a horror title, to reveal a father for Diana — but at least someone seems to have a vision for the character that isn’t retro and has a direction that makes sense based on her history. I’m assuming that Azzarello will continue following up on how this makes Queen Hippolyta a liar to her people, but I’m disappointed on how this rips apart one of the few mother/daughter relationships seen in superhero comics. (So many of them are about the father, as though only that one parent shaped a child.) I guess he felt he needed a reason to make Wonder Woman into a superhero connected more to our world than hers.

I’m pleased to see the Amazons used as supporting characters (although that might be changing), and the gods appearing modernized, so we’re not reading the same thing we’ve seen before. And gracious, it’s lovely, with simple, direct designs and excellent storytelling. I just don’t have the words to do justice to Chiang’s skill.

Green Lantern #3

written by Geoff Johns; pencils by Doug Mahnke; inks by Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, and Tom Nguyen

I’ve already talked about how surprised I am that I’m following this title, but by putting the relationship (and the attendent power struggles) between Hal Jordan and Sinestro front and center, I’ve got a hook that I never before had when reading about magical space cops.

Sinestro needs help, because his Corps have turned against him. So he’s willing to give the disgraced Hal Jordan (I love that phrase, because I’m very ambivalent about him, historically) back a ring in return for his help. This actually makes Sinestro somewhat sympathetic (although he’s made his own problems), which ties in nicely with the movie portrayal.

Johns is doing an excellent job with cliffhangers as well, making this a great read month to month. Each last page leaves me wondering what he’s going to do next.

written by Geoff Johns
pencils by Doug Mahnke
inks by Christian Alamy and Keith Champagne

Imagine my surprise, now that we’re into the second month of the new DC, to find that one of my most-anticipated books is one I wouldn’t ever touch before.

I’m finding the premise intriguing. Hal Jordan no longer has a ring, but Sinestro offers him one if Hal will be loyal only to Sinestro. I have no idea where Sinestro got the power, but he’s an evil bastard with it. What fun, to have a villain to hate who seems well-matched to the protagonist.

Hal needs this kind of storyline to redeem himself, to choose to be a Lantern. This showdown is demonstrating exactly what it means to be a hero and why he’s deserving of the title. There’s meat to this plot, big questions, not just big fights.

I’m eager to find out what happens next, and this is just about the only new DC title I can say that about.

DC Retroactive: Wonder Woman – The 90s

written by Bill Messner-Loebs
pencils by Lee Moder
inks by Dan Green

Everyone knows how difficult Wonder Woman is to write. Everyone knows her, but for stories either based in fetish or politics or from a period where she didn’t even wear her costume or have powers.

I’d pretty much given up, but then I found the best Wonder Woman story I’ve read in years in this one-off project. It’s inspirational, suspenseful, and funny. But I should have known, once I saw the writer, that Messner-Loebs would know just how to handle the heroine in a modern fashion.

Wonder Woman inspires a girls’ club after they have to struggle to understand each other. At first, she doesn’t know what to do, since all the girls care about is who you know and how you rank and shopping. Soon, she’s teaching them about their own power, taking them on hikes and getting them moving. They learn about the joy of accomplishment and how to find that one more bit of energy you didn’t know you had.

As Messner-Loebs demonstrates a variety of interests as acceptable, Moder’s art is similarly diverse. His Diana is slender and attractive, but the girls are all shapes and sizes, and they look young. It’s impressive to see some of the expressions he gives Diana, especially in the hilarious panel where Diana tries to play dolls with the girls. As she holds the dolls, she says

I, Ken, am home from the masculine world of work. Wife, feed me while I ogle your bulbous femininity. Display for me your subservience, for I am the man!

One girl then whispers to another, “Diana is sooo terrible at playing house.”

It’s not just about rahr, girl power, though — there’s adventure and learning and a daring rescue. This is the inspiring hero I want to see more of. I wish there were a lot more Wonder Woman stories like this one.

All-Star Western #1

Upfront: Basically continues from the previous Jonah Hex series, by the same writers. Much loved in many circles, but not a big seller. That the movie tanked so bad probably didn’t help.

It’s still Jonah Hex, but he’s obviously been tinkered with by guys with charts and graphics and demographics. Suddenly, Hex is in the Gotham City of the 1880s — which the last time I checked was in the East (but All-Star Eastern isn’t a very good comic book title). Apparently, the powers that be thought that they could jazz up interest in Hex by tying him as closely as possible to Batman, but of course, the two characters are completely separated by time (over 100 years). So unless Jonah discovers a flux capacitor-driven DeLorean in an old barn, the two characters ain’t meeting up any time soon. (Although wouldn’t you love to hear Hex trying to say “gigawatts”?)

At least for now, Hex is teamed up with Dr. Amadeus Arkham, who long-time DC readers know is the founder of Arkham Asylum. This hasn’t happened yet in the Hex storyline, so for the time being, Hex will just have to be involved with some other members of “old Gotham” (such as Mayor Cobblepot) as occasionally referred to in various Bat-books.

The good news is that it’s still the same grumpy, ornery Jonah Hex. And there’s also the traditional dead prostitute (although that’s not such a good thing). Despite everything else, this is still Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti’s Jonah Hex, hopefully given a chance to extend their acclaimed run of storytelling a little farther and stave off cancellation for a while longer.

I believe this is the first Jonah Hex work for artist Moritat (aka Justin Norman), but he’s a good fit, especially with his backgrounds and architecture occasionally resembling very stylized woodcuts. This effect is greatly enhanced by the also very stylized coloring of Gabriel Bautista who, combined with Moritat, serves the world of Jonah Hex particularly well.

Hopefully, this Batman-related stuff is just a new-series stunt, and soon Jonah will be back to his wandering ways. At first I was confused about why DC was reverting the title back to the original anthology-style All-Star Western, especially when Jonah is the only feature in the first issue, but I am reliably informed that El Diablo will debut in issue #2 — particularly fitting since the character debuted in #2 of the previous incarnation.

Aquaman #1

Upfront: Aquaman’s a tough sell in the the current post modern world of cynics thinking him the lamest superhero ever. Has had a long, long history at DC, with very few exceptional bright spots overall.

Going in, I expected that this new Aquaman was going to be more “grim & gritty”, and I was right. What I didn’t expect was much humor as well. Writer Geoff Johns obviously knew up front that the character has a long-standing “lame factor” from years of being made fun of by comedians and cynical fans. Johns stepped up to confront this right off the bat in a sequence designed to win over even the most jaded, cynical, comics world-weary fan (and critic) alike.

How does he do this? He has Aquaman walk into a seafood restaurant and order lunch — fish and chips. Of course, the wait staff and other customers are horrified by this — “How can he eat his friends?” — which leads into a sequence bursting with meta and humor as everyone in the restaurant calls him on it. The subtext is crystal clear — don’t believe everything that you think you know is true — and also deals with bad fan behavior (in a good and appropriate way, although I suspect that insecure fans will probably be offended by it).

The scene also goes a long way in resetting Aquaman’s personality, or maybe more properly defining it. He’s not the happy-go-lucky Silver Age family man. He’s not the overly regal asshole he once was. He’s not angry and pissed off all the time. (In other words, he’s not Namor.) If anything, he’s world-weary and at a crossroads in his life — and wanting to make positive changes. I think what this book is going to be about is if the world lets him do it. (Right now, it doesn’t look so good.)

Mera’s on hand for a brief but important scene, which is important to at least this reader. Mera’s such a cool character who’s kinda been lost for a long while. It’s good to see Johns putting in effort to reclaim her as well.

Ivan Reis and Joe Prado provide their usual excellent artwork, encompassing superherioic action, atmospherically moody scenes setting up future plotlines, and the excellent facial expressions needed to carry out the lunch scene to perfection.

The New DC is supposed to be about fresh starts, and there is no DC character more in need of one. I like this more thoughtful Aquaman. Sounds like a good reason to stick around for me.

Batman The Dark Knight #1

Upfront: I’m way behind on my reading, so I’ve yet to read David Finch’s previous Bat-tales. I was originally going to read them before reading this, but a couple of people told me it would be more appropriate to read this “cold”. The New 52 is all about new readers, after all.

I admit I was rolling my eyes only a couple of pages in over the clunky bad narration. (Who writes this stuff?) Until I got to page 5 and realized it was actually a cheesy Bruce Wayne fundraising speech. Well played, Mr. Jenkins. Just two pages later, I LOLed over the obviously evil cop (did you see the way he was drawn?) also trashing the writing. Set and match. Add more witty banter/double entendre, plus a new femme fatale and throw in a withering exchange between Alfred and Bruce, and it leads me to wonder — who gets a raise for adding writer Paul Jenkins to the mix?

While I’m enjoying all this clever stuff, other readers are wondering when the action starts, so that happens now — with a major riot at Arkham Asylum. Although wasn’t there just another riot in Arkham in a previous New 52 Bat-title earlier this month? Yes, just last week in Batman #1. And Arkham was also in Detective Comics #1. Arkham’s a cool place, but some editorial coordination to keep it from overuse should really be in place.

Anyway, back to this book. Because the artist (David Finch) is coordinating the fight scenes, the battle stops to take a break to include what Finch wants to draw at any given moment, so we get a big panel of the more unusual-looking (and scary) villains, then a panel which is just a big blood spatter (really), and then a full page of Batman posing instead of saving lives. Finch then apparently wanted to draw a pretty girl, so we have a panel of a bunny girl (and her nice derriere, which is prominently displayed).

I have no idea who this character is, and I had no luck looking her up. I’d guess that her name was White Rabbit, except Marvel already has a character by that name. Does anybody know who she is and why she’s running through Arkham? Neither the creators or the characters bother to identify her, which makes me think that Finch just invented her on the spot, because there weren’t enough hot babes in the book. Then we get to the last panel, featuring a Hulked-out version of one of the classic Bat-foes — for no apparent reason other than it looks cool.

This book’s pretty schizophrenic, isn’t it? And probably not by design.

There’s no doubt that Finch is a great comic book artist, but when a comic is just a random series of images that the artist wants to draw, it’s no longer a comic book story — it’s a portfolio. What he’s drawing is certainly interesting, but it’s not doing the story any favors. A good comic book requires a combination of both good art and a good story — hopefully about the same thing.

Let’s hope the addition of a writer of Paul Jenkins’ stature to the creative team will be a good influence on David Finch’s future storytelling prospects.

Blackhawks #1

Upfront: Another grand old DC concept, without much purpose in the modern world. Obviously, this will have to be different to succeed.

It is different. So different, in fact, that I’m not really sure why it needs to be called Blackhawks. There are some stunts involving aircraft, but they are minimal to the plot.

Also, I think it’s an international cast, with a joke about the characters having odd nicknames that don’t match their actual birthrights. “The Irishman” is from the Ukraine, but the joke doesn’t really work in print where you can’t hear the characters talking with accents. That makes me think this is yet another movie screenplay (written by Mike Costa) disguised as a comic book — since it’s obviously written that way.

There’s also some subplot about one of the women being infected with nanocites and being transformed that’s supposed to be a cliffhanger, but the last page is drawn so poorly (by Graham Nolan and Ken Lashley) that you can’t really tell anything is happening to her. (It looks like she has a bad headache.)

I’m glad that this doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the original Blackhawks. I wouldn’t go see this as a movie. Even if it was free.

The Flash #1

Upfront: The Barry Allen Flash is riding high since his revival and his starring role in Flashpoint and with the perfect artist for an updated look. But can the artist write?

This book has two hyphenates as creators: writer-artist Francis Manapul and writer-colorist Brian Buccellato. And it’s not bad. I think this title has more changes in the status quo than some other New 52 titles — this seems to be a younger, unmarried Barry Allen, who’s dating his co-worker (and fellow scientist) Patty Spivot. Iris Allen is still around, but for now, she’s strictly a reporter, aggressive at her job. There’s no Rogue’s Gallery (at least for now). But most everything else seems to be the same (job, co-workers) as the previous incarnation of the character.

So the emphasis will be on establishing new foes and situations for the Flash — something that hasn’t always gone well. There are now two generations of old fans to try and please — Barry Allen fans who seemingly like everything old and quaint about the series (Rogues, happily married to Iris) and younger fans who grew up with the Wally West version (who is now seemingly gone). But the New 52 is all about developing new fans, so it will be interesting to see if this will be enough to attract large numbers of new readers without completely alienating all the old ones.

I liked what I read here, but it’s a quiet start, with nothing instantly grabbing me, demanding my return next issue. I’ve read almost 40 years’ worth of the Flash, so I’m not going to drop it overnight, but the creators really have to step up their game story-wise to get me hooked enough to stick around long-term. Just because they’re skilled artists and/or colorists doesn’t mean they have fully developed their writing craft, and it remains to be seen if they’re capable of turning their ideas into exciting scripts. This is a good start, but they’ve got a ways to go.

You need a story that really means something important to your lead character. To say that all of Barry’s cases are personal to him means nothing if we don’t actually see why. Show — not tell — guys! If you want readers to stick around you’ve got to go from zero to Mach One faster than the Flash himself.

The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men #1

Upfront: One of DC’s most interesting concepts and an important modern day hero. But almost every — frequently misguided — revival of the the character has lessened his impact. Can this character be saved?

I’ve always though that Firestorm was one of the greatest kid-concept heroes ever created. The combining of two diverse characters together to create a super-powered hero who was better than the sum of his parts was an amazing idea. The added situation of the two characters philosophically not getting along and having to working together — putting aside their differences for the greater good — was always a positive message. That his costume was brightly colored and explosive-looking was huge. And the original characters (a high school jock and a middle-aged scientist) were something that a broad range of readers might identify with.

The concept is not unlike the Japanese “giant robot” (or mecha) heroes first developed in the 1950s and 60s, where the heroic robot is usually controlled by a human operator, often riding inside the robot. Firestorm was usually depicted as being a super-developed version of the teenager (Ronnie Raymond), and while the scientist (Martin Stein) was never physically inside Firestorm, he was usually artistically depicted as an apparition appearing to talk and aid (control) Raymond from inside his own consciousness.

As the series aged, creators tinkered with the mix, and different characters would get teamed together, including man/woman pairings (specifically boyfriend/girlfriend). Most recently, issues of race were explored, with a black teenager (Jason Rusch) taking the prominent role with the original (white) Ronnie Raymond, now older, taking the supporting (internal) role.

This new version of Firestorm continues with both Raymond and Rouch recast as high school contemporaries but “natural” school-aged opponents. Raymond is a stereotypical football quarterback, and Rouch is a stereotypical nerd school newspaper reporter who challenges Raymond for getting ahead in his athletic career while black athletes are being held back. They immediately clash, but later we discover that both have hidden depth to their characters.

Sadly, the new book is not really for kids any more, based on the opening scene where a family is slaughtered by terrorists, and later on, the torture of others. One of the terrorists is Cliff Charmichael, a rival of Raymond in the old series who ended up as a super-villain. He was so remarkably screwed up over time, it was actually a relief when he was finally killed off (and then later retconned). Wonder what his fate is here?

Anyway, I brought up giant robots earlier because of the other major twist in this new Firestorm. Instead of Raush and Raymond combining into one super-powered character, now each boy is turned into their own separate Firestorm — one in a primarily red costume (Raymond) and the other in yellow (Rouch). But wait, it gets better. Now the two separate Firestorms can combine into an even bigger, more powerful character named (get this) Fury! Who looks like his arms and legs may be radioactive — but we won’t find out until next issue!

Yay! More action figures to buy!!!

Also, Loren, one of the female terrorists (coincidentally Cliff’s girlfriend), gets caught up in the reaction that creates Firestorm. It appears from the artwork that she may be the new Killer Frost. No rhyme or reason as to why, but what economy of writing!

Here’s a new book with brand-new concepts that are hugely kid-friendly that also wallows in mindless violence. Mixed messages, DC? I could see where this might be fun for the videogamer crowd, because it really feels like a video game, except there’s too much talking up front. I’m probably not sticking around for long. This just feels like “been there, done that” — only shinier and louder.

Green Lantern: New Guardians #1

Upfront: Again, love the GL concept, but concerned that overkill is weakening the franchise. Had dropped Tony Bedard’s previous GL book (Green Lantern Corps) about a year ago because I wasn’t enjoying it.

I was extremely confused initially, as the opening sequences of this comic re-tell Kyle Rayner’s origin as a Green Lantern (removed from the previous Hal Jordan/larger DCU context in which it was originally told — and now not including some essential details). It isn’t until several pages in that a scene-change caption indicates “The Present Day,” implying that the previous was a flashback sequence. This was a cheap storytelling cheat — especially in a book that most readers will go into thinking they are reading a present-day sequence intended to introduce the New 52 aspect of a fresh start for the DCU and its characters. So writer Tony Bedard managed to tick me off right away by not clearly indicating we were actually reading flashback history without a “years before” or “previously” or even “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” caption. Not a good start.

Things went downhill rapidly for me when next we are witness to a number of Rainbow Lanterns being slaughtered by what seems to be a malfunction of their rings shutting down prematurely. You would think that such a spectacularly advanced technology as the GL rings would have some sort of safeguard or warning that the rings were going to go powerless (or AWOL), so that the wearers wouldn’t be killed instantly. Or is this just something else the increasingly evil Guardians didn’t bother to tell anybody?

This is all to set up a gag where Kyle Rayner is suddenly and simultaneously chosen to be a member of each multi-colored branch of the Green Lantern Corps — just before he’s attacked by either the survivors or defenders of the previous ring holders. And then the story ends. (I use the term “story” loosely.)

The next issue box promises “A Brutal Times Square Beatdown”. No thanks.

Tyler Kirkham’s art had my eyes crying out for some white space for a rest — but there was none. Every panel was crammed with mostly senseless detail. And Kyle’s hair looked like a dirty mop.

I was really hoping that this book could get into the differing philosophies of the various Rainbow Lanterns — for me, the most interesting thing about all these new Green Lanterns. But once again, all these guys really want to do is fight each other. It’s like watching preteen boys play with their action figures — again. “KAZAP!!! You’re dead!” “No I’m not, you are — KRAK-AK-AK-AK!” My recent root canal surgery was less painful than this.

I, Vampire #1

Upfront: The runt of the litter. The book that very few were talking about, based on an old anthology character that even fewer remember. But vampires are currently hot in pop culture right now.

I’ve never been much of a vampire fan at all. Just don’t care for the genre. So I breezed thought this comic (written by Joshua Hale Fialkov with art by Andrea Sorrentino) in about five minutes flat, with nothing at all sticking to me. But since I’m not at all in tune with the subject matter, I thought that our resident (former) vampire expert — Johanna — might enjoy taking a crack at it. So here’s her review:

I think you have it right on, KC. There was nothing here to care about, and nothing hooked me, either. I think there might be an advantage to not being a vampire fan, because then you wouldn’t have seen this “one of them fights the rest” plotline so many times before. Artistically, it reminds me of the bad old days of Vertigo, when everything was colored in various shades of brown. Very moody, but the mood is “depression”. Definitely not for me, or much of anyone else, either.

Justice League Dark #1

Upfront: Curious to see how a bunch of traditionally loner characters can form an effective team. Also, got very quickly bored with Shadowpact, but that’s not a fair comparison.

DC’s supernatural characters have often been portrayed as moody loners who work on their own and only come together when there is a menace so big that it needs to be handled by a bunch of them, frequently in tandem with more traditional superheroes. As individual characters, their publishing careers have often been sporadic and erratic (notable exception: Hellblazer). So the idea of them teaming up on a regular basis — and as a part of the Justice League — seems on the face of it to be a very iffy and non-sustainable long-term proposition.

The strength of Justice League Dark #1 might put the lie to that premise, even with that awful name. This particular grouping of supernatural characters (which DC is calling “Dark” because that’s a sexy buzz word for younger, less-jaded readers) initially comes together when one of their own — the much-troubled June Moone (aka the Enchantress) — finds herself in even more trouble. This version of the Enchantress harkens back to the original conception of the character from way back in its fleeting Strange Adventures days, where the sweet innocent Moone becomes possessed by the evil Enchantress persona in a female Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde situation. This seems to me a much better way to portray the character, instead of her recent heroic membership in Shadowpact — offering up the interesting idea that this character could simultaneously be a member of the JLD team while also being one of their villainous protagonists.

The other “members” appear to be Madame Xanadu, a much more twisted Shade the Changing Man, Zatanna, John Constantine, and Deadman. Members of the new Justice League — Superman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and Batman — appear as well, most likely to enable the JL somehow “sanctioning” this rag-tag team at some point in the storyline’s future.

Writer Peter Milligan is an old hand with offbeat concepts (Skin, Shade the Changing Man, Enigma, X-Statix) and has delivered an intriguing first issue. Artist Mikel Janin is relatively new to American comics, but his moody work should be very appropriate for this project, once the traditional superheroes exit the story.

It’s a weird one. Good thing it was meant to be that way.

The Savage Hawkman #1

Upfront: The character’s been in limbo, or only used as a supporting character (mostly in JSA), for what seems like forever. Never a major fave, but deserves better.

Not sure that this is going to break the character out big. It’s not that much different from previous Hawkman interpretations (except that there’s no mention of a Hawkgirl/woman anywhere, a big minus in my book). The new mysteries regarding his return and his now seemingly organic Hawk-suit aren’t enough to truly engage me in the story. (Sigh.) When all else fails, make your character more savage; that’s lowest-common-denominator storytelling.

Writer Tony Daniel and artist Philip Tan are old pros, producing solid work. Tan’s art is amazing as usual, but I find the new Hawkman outfit too fussy. I get distracted by the details, and the colors — although traditional for the character — are too bright and shiny for what’s supposed to be a more savage, brutal version of the character.

This is not a bad comic, but it’s not a very exciting one either. I don’t care enough about this version of the character or the story to come back.

Superman #1

Upfront: Eagerly awaiting this since enjoying Action Comics #1 three weeks ago.

Well, at least it will be a great collection!

As I was working on these reviews, word leaked all over the internet that writer/breakdown artist George Pérez will be leaving the series after issue #6. The new creative team is reportedly Keith Giffen (writer) and Dan Jurgens (penciller).

They’ll be great as well, but I was really looking forward to seeing an extended run for Pérez after the overall goodness of this first issue of Superman, one of the most satisfying first issues of the New 52.

When you see Pérez on anything, you know that he’s going to cram as much detail into his artwork as possible — it’s one of his artistic trademarks. Superman #1 is no different, but what is surprising is that the story is exactly the same way. He’s managed to cram about three issues of current storytelling into this single issue. How does he do it? Lots of itty bitty panels with lots of word balloons in them. More to the point, it’s his belief in giving readers something new in every issue. He offers up numerous new characters and you feel like you know them by issue’s end.

Granted, there’s a lot to set up here, from the re-establishment of the Daily Planet, its employees, and its position not only in Metropolis but in the bigger-picture internet media age. Plus, even though characters like Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White have been around for decades in the public consciousness, he takes the time to not only re-establish them as classic characters, he develops new conflicts for all of them, many involving brand new cast members. One not-so-new character is Morgan Edge, although he’s been completely redesigned for his role as the new President and C.E.O. of the Daily Planet. Longtime readers also know his presence may foreshadow something much bigger and badder down the road for all the cast.

As opposed to Action Comics #1 (which was set approximately 5 DC years ago in relationship to this story), Superman #1 also gives us our first extended look at the current-day “new” Superman — unfortunately undermined slightly by guest appearances in other DC books this month. Pérez puts him through the paces against some terrorists and a new and mysterious fire-based character who may be connected to Krypton. That battle was practically nothing compared to Clark Kent getting his teeth kicked in by Lois after whatever (as yet unknown) disagreement they had in the past. She’s obviously moved on, and Clark has not.

Everything about this issue was first-rate. Granted, it’s a little wordy, but very little of the dialog is wasted. Gérez’s artwork — finished by the always amazing Jesus Merino — is outstanding, as usual. He’s one guy that can actually make Jim Lee’s Superman costume redesign work. I also appreciate that he realizes that he doesn’t need to stop the story dead in its tracks for full-page fight scenes (mostly so the artist can re-sell the pages to collectors). Pérez’s stunning art breakdowns serve the story — not the other way around, as in most other padded comics.

It’s been a long time since I’ve really enjoyed a Superman comic. And I got two in one month. Keep it up, DC.

Teen Titans #1

Upfront: Always one of my favorite DC concepts. I haven’t been pleased with much of the last several years worth of stories, which have seemed to drift aimlessly and shift directions frequently.

Hrm.

Another in a frustrating majority of DC books this month with not enough strong story content to make a good choice to continue. I like that this new Teen Titans is seemingly getting back to including the more obvious and popular characters (or should I be rude and just call them trademarks?), but some of them have been re-made so radically that I wonder if I even like them any more. It’s a tough choice between reading about old friends who have seemingly turned totally obnoxious overnight and reading about writers’ pet “original” characters to the neglect of better characters, as the last several incarnations of the Titans have been. Seems like your classic lose-lose situation. Let’s take a closer look.

This new Kid Flash is more impulsive (and dangerous) than usual. Tim (Red Robin) Drake seems more isolated and intense than Bruce/Batman ever was. I barely recognize Cassie (Wonder Girl) Sandsmark, but then I wonder if that’s so bad after all, since the old one never really evolved beyond being “the good girl”. That’s all we get in this first issue, other than a fleeting look at Superboy (and the mysterious redhead) from his own book. According to the cover, there are at least three characters we haven’t even seen yet. I fear that at least one one of them may be the newest writer’s “pet” character.

So far, I’m not impressed. It seems that writer Scott Lobdell’s intent is to make these “new” Titans the most obnoxious yet. Brett Booth’s art is such a mish-mosh of current contemporary influences that his style seems to differ from panel to panel. Lots of flash with little substance. Because I’m weak for the franchise, I’ll probably check in for another couple of issues, but already I can tell my brain is regretting it.

Voodoo #1

Upfront: Know very little about this character, mostly due to lack of desire. Curious to see Ron Marz back at DC after a long absence.

I really don’t care to find out any more about this character at all. It’s competently written by Ron Marz, as I expected that it would be. This first “shock” ending wasn’t really that much of a shock to me, although the surprise second one was intriguing. But not enough for me to want to continue with this book.

I’m just not interested in seeing a superhero who’s also a stripper. Big deal. I’m an adult, and if I wanted to go see a stripper (I don’t), I’d go see a real one. So now DC has thoughtfully created a comic for those who can’t, for whatever reason. Artist Sami Basri has provided an lot of eye candy here, which should make this comic a nightstand favorite for younger readers and those who don’t regularly engage with real women.

DC Comics. Where diversity is just a lap dance away.

Weekly Wrap-up Scorecard

And I’m done! 52 reviews. Thank you all for your kind and thoughtful comments!

Top Notch: Superman

Back for More: All-Star Western, Aquaman, Justice League Dark

On the Fence: Batman: The Dark Knight, The Flash, Teen Titans

Not My Thing, But You Might Like It: I, Vampire, The Savage Hawkman

I’m Probably Done: Blackhawks, Fury Of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men, Green Lantern: New Guardians, Voodoo

I never had much affinity for Daredevil, mainly because it seems like his life’s been miserable for the past decade or so. I had tried to read the very earliest issues (from the 60s, recommended on the basis of it being more soap opera-ish), but those didn’t work for me either. But as soon as I tried this series, beginning with the new #1, I was loving it.

Daredevil’s now got a sense of humor, interesting conflicts, plenty of action, and an understandable premise. Matt Murdock is thought to be Daredevil, so he and Foggy Nelson can’t try cases any more (because Murdock’s rumored secret identity gets in the way), so they set up a firm to help people learn to represent themselves. That’s being heroic in more than the typical comic book way — although there’s plenty of action in that vein, too. For instance, this issue opens with Daredevil having to retrieve evidence from the lion cage at the zoo.

It’s the details that make the book for me. The quick hits section of potential clients, for example, sets up backstories in just one panel each, but the one I loved was the way Matt’s civilian togs keep getting stolen when he goes out heroing, so he messengers new suits to where he needs them. That idea solves a superhero problem in an upscale, urban way that suits this character in particular. It’s not a solution that would apply to every Avenger interchangeably, for comparison, unlike how some people write superheroes.

I don’t think Marcos Martin is the usual artist, but here, he’s done some distinctive layouts, and he handles both the superhero and everyday people sections very well. The scene where Matt tries to help Foggy get healthier, first by trashing his junk food and then showing him how to work out, is a visually interesting way to have the two converse as well as an excuse for a couple of funny zingers.

Kudos to Mark Waid for so quickly making Daredevil one of the superhero comics I most look forward to!

Following up the first half of the week…

Batman #1

Upfront: Writer Scott Snyder is just coming off a fan-favorite run of Detective Comics. Penciller Greg Capullo has been drawing acclaim for his work at Image Comics — mostly on Spawn-related titles. And Bruce Wayne is Batman. Perhaps you heard about that.

I knew I was going to love this new Batman run when I saw “the building that looked like Batman” in just panel two of this story, setting the entire tone for this new look at Batman and his Gotham City (a character in itself). I loved the fake-out of the Joker teaming with Batman to bring down marauding Arkham Asylum crazies out for blood. I loved the scene with the three sane Robins in tuxes (although wondered about the empty Robin suit under glass in the Batcave — is Bruce not aware that Jason is back in this new DCU?). And loved Bruce Wayne taking an active role in Bat-stories again. I even loved seeing Vicki Vale (although whenever I see her now I always hear TV’s Chuck muttering “Vicki Vale… Vicki Vale” under his breath, just before he meets Sarah Walker in the pilot).

Great comic. Great writing. Great artwork. Great two-page spread of the new Batcave (or is it Bat-bunker these days?). Great detective work. Great cliffhanger mystery. Great great great.

This was like reading a classic Batman tale from the 1980s, updated to modern sensibilities. An excellent tone for the series that has had much craziness and instability over the past few years (although some wonderful individual stories).

More please.

Green Lantern Corps #1

Upfront: I’m currently suffering from GL overkill. Have always liked the GL concepts (especially the aliens), but really wonder if the franchise actually needs four titles. But the franchise is “hot,” so…

Okay, we start with more gore and body parts. I’m not such a prude that I just hate gore for existing. In the right hands, it can be a very effective and evocative tool. What I dislike about its use in the New DC is that it emphasizes the “sheep” mentality of current comic book creators — they see it being used elsewhere, so they gotta do it, too, whether it’s appropriate to the storyline or not. It’s such a hack-based, cheap-thrill, shortcut-for-actual-storytelling thing to do. I wonder if DC is so desperate to amp up their villains that there are weekly memos to Editorial stating, “We need 35% more decapitations this week! Get on it!”

I don’t mean to dump this on writer Peter Tomasi — who I think is a better writer than to need this crutch — yet I see him going to the gore well over and over again. It made me drop the previous incarnation of the book, although I came back for the disappointing “War of the Green Lanterns” crossover. I disliked that much of that crossover focused on the four human Lanterns, but enough interesting things happened to them there that I was looking forward to finding out how they were going to deal with the choices they made in the new series.

Green Lantern Corps #1 started promisingly, with lots of background on John Stewart and Guy Gardner (the obvious focal points), but by the end — when they’re off on a major mission dealing with the seeming genocide of the planet Nerro — I realized that what I was hoping for was probably going to be pushed off for yet another major war/battle scenario.

Based on the fact that there was absolutely no space saved to deal with any of the other members of the Corps in this issue — they only show up on the next-to-last page — I am guessing that at least a few of them are going to end up as cannon fodder. That seems to be the current role of many of the non-humanoid GLs. I did catch the tiny detail that the Corps has now doubled in size to 7200. My first reaction: even more faceless alien GLs to kill off in the goriest way possible.

Artist Fernando Pasarin excels at the aliens and detailed backgrounds, but I wish he’d work a little bit harder on the panel-to-panel consistency of faces and a little less on the detail of what a severed finger looks like.

I’ll probably stick around for a bit because I like the GLC, but if the story doesn’t grab me quick, I’m gone. Also, I saw a number of GLs on the cover that I’d love to read more about — I’d love for someone to step up and redeem Arisia as a character after what has been done to her over the years — yet none of them are in this issue. Sometimes poster covers suck.

Nightwing #1

Upfront: Glad he’s back. Dick as Batman just felt wrong — mostly for the character — so I was eagerly awaiting this title.

I wasn’t disappointed, but a little surprised, that the opening issue by Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows was so low-key. But then, a getting-back-to-your-roots story was much needed to reset the character after a couple of years in the Bat-suit. I just didn’t expect that he’d go all the way back to his circus roots. (Quick nit-pick: How likely is it that there would be enough open space in downtown Gotham City to pitch a full-sized circus tent? Wouldn’t they just set up in Gotham’s version of Madison Square Garden?)

The book does an excellent job of transitioning Dick Grayson back to his former self as kind of anti-Batman (the Batman role never really suited him personality-wise), got him back in his regular element (bouncing and flipping across Gotham), and back in a welcome nod to an old M.O. — initially getting kind-of clobbered by a new bad guy and having to battle back from being behind. This showed a great understanding of what makes Dick Grayson/Nightwing such an interesting character.

It’s not a book designed to attract a huge amount of attention going in (like Justice League or Action), but the fact that Nightwing #1 is a good solid action comic lands it high in comparison to many of the other New 52 books.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #1

Upfront: Hate the Red Hood character. Not much love for Speedy either, especially in recent years. And I don’t know who Starfire is any more.

Wow. I’m not even sure why this is a comic book at all. It’s so obvious that it’s Scott Lobdell’s screenplay for some gawdawful mash-up of uber-popular current film clichés (mindless action, slacker buddy comedy, exploitation of women, stylization of violence, etc.). In fact, it even reads like it’s shot in super slo-mo. (That is not a compliment.)

It’s so cold-blooded in its approach, it seems specifically designed by committee and targeted specifically to the media’s only focus group that matters anymore: white males aged 18 to 35 (although I would argue that DC actually wants that group younger, say 16-25). It’s soulless. And I’m not surprised that adolescent boys (or the adolescent-minded) are loving this title. It’s designed for them. At least there are 51 other DC titles that may be of more interest to the rest of us.

There’s already been lots of digital “ink” spilled over the portrayal of Starfire here. (Yes, I broke my rule of checking out other comments before writing mine on this title. And quickly regretted it.) I really enjoyed the thoughtful commentary of Laura Hudson over at Comics Alliance although many of the now-over-1,800 comments made me sad. Or angry. Or stupefied.

I think that something’s gone horribly wrong when a book like this is only rated T (for teen). Granted, there are no actual bad words or actual shagging (although much implied), but the fact that this comic can get into the hands of impressionable 14-16-year-old boys, who might think that this is how men are supposed to think about women, is worse than the comic itself. Not that anybody who worked on the comic would realize that.

Also: points off for the logo that implies that this book is part of the Bat-Family group of titles. Red Hood and the Outlaws is not fit for any family.

I really enjoyed the artwork of Kenneth Rocafort, although I don’t always understand his super-stylistic approach (especially hair that looks like wire). Too bad I won’t be seeing more of it — at least until he’s drawing another title.

Supergirl #1

Upfront: I was really enjoying the Sterling Gates/Jamal Igle run on this book, until DC decided that they were too “quiet” for the character and replaced them. (Also enjoyed the recent Kelly Sue DeConnick-scripted tale.) The modern Supergirl series has been a unsatisfying jumble of half-baked ideas and co-opting of the character for larger storylines. So I was thinking that a re-launch might be a good thing for the title.

Boy, was I wrong. Well, maybe the book could have used a fresh start, but this seems a strange way to go. Although, to be fair, there is not a lot to go on here, as it’s another unsatisfying DC #1 that doesn’t even come close to letting us know what’s going on — or even offering up enough tantalizing mystery to force us to come back.

Supergirl has had a lot of not-so-great costumes over the years, and this issue introduces another one for that particular Hall of Shame, with a too-often repeated S-shield motif — one of which cries out “Hey! Look at my crotch!” — and the most ridiculous boots ever (cut-outs for the knees?). Laughed out loud at the “Mother would kill me” for wearing this outfit line in the story — but not because it looks like fetish wear on a teenager. She’d be mad that she was wearing this military-style costume before she actually graduated. So, what kind of kinky military does this new Krypton have anyway?

The rest of the issue is all fight scenes with giant robots “falling from the sky” so that Supergirl can discover her new powers and cut lose without hurting anybody — except she discovers that the robots actually have on-board human operators. Before she can deal with that, costumed Superman shows up. To Be Continued.

New Kryptonian math: 20 pages of badly drawn robot fight scenes – (no) story = No sale. And not worth the complicated credits: Two writers (Michael Green and Mike Johnson), a penciller/inker (Mahmud Asrar), and an additional inker (Dan Green).

Better luck with the next Supergirl. #42 in the series.

Wonder Woman #1

Upfront: DC’s most frustrating character gets yet another makeover. Frustrating in the sense that there have been so many interpretations of the character over many long years, and none of them ever seem to stick or last long. Even more frustrating, when the book is actually perceived as being good, often sales do not match the perception.

This is a very good comic. It’s produced by two modern masters of the field: writer Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang.

Azzarello is best known for his work on 100 Bullets, Hellblazer, Loveless, and various Batman and Superman storylines (Joker, For Tomorrow). Cliff Chiang has illustrated Human Target, The Creeper, The Spectre, and Green Arrow/Black Canary. The two collaborated on a eight-part Dr. Thirteen back-up in Tales of the Unexpected, collected under the title of Architecture & Mortality — a much-heralded deconstruction (or is it?) of the DC Universe (and possibly of comics itself). In the wake of the New 52, perhaps it’s time to pull that out again for re-reading — in a whole new context.

So it is with some anticipation that they come to Wonder Woman. And for many they won’t disappoint.

The big bad is a mysterious hedonistic type who drugs and uses party girls as quasi-oracles before burning them to a crisp in the process. What I thought was a typo on page 1 (“I’m the sun of a king”) I now think is a clue: The god of the Sun is Apollo, who just happens to be the son of Zeus, and the twin brother of Artemis — two long-time supporting characters in the Wonder Woman mythos. And the Oracle of Delphi was originally inspired by Apollo. So that’s my guess, although on first reading I thought the character might be the son of Darkseid for some reason. He’s certainly cruel enough.

This interpretation of Wonder Woman may be unique in that it appears to have much of its basis in horror. Besides people being burned up, there are animal mutilations (and creepy aftermaths) and much violence and blood. Which is actually not that far removed from the backgrounds of the characters being actual gods and goddesses, since those original myths are quite bloody and brutal. In a more ordered comic book world, Wonder Woman might be better served as a traditional comics barbarian or sword & sorcery character than as a superhero, although she’s rarely been portrayed that way before. It’s an interesting — and gutsy — approach for the creators to take. And it might be a hard sell for traditional superhero fans who only think of Diana and company in that light.

I probably fall in that category. For now, it’s in my “Not My Thing, But You May Like It” category. Unlike other books that I’ve put under that heading, I’m continuing with this one, based on the strength of the creators and their outstanding track record. That several framed Cliff Chiang prints can be located around our house may also have something to do with it. Man, that guy can draw!

I’m kinda creeped out by this book right now — which will probably make this even more appealing for many of you — but I am hoping the gore will be served up in small doses. These creators don’t need it as a crutch to tell great stories. I’m sticking around to find out.

Weekly Wrap-up Scorecard

Top Notch: Batman

Back for More: Nightwing

On the Fence: Green Lantern Corps

Not My Thing, But You Might Like It: Wonder Woman (but still buying it)

I’m Probably Done: Red Hood and the Outlaws, Supergirl