Smallville: Alien #10 Review

Written by: Bryan Q. Miller
Art by: Edgar Salazar
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: February 21, 2014

Let's Take a Breather...Kind Of

Otis is worried about Lex and hatches a plan.  Lex worries about Clark and Ray-Lan calls him pathetic. Meanwhile, Superman wonders why Ray-Lan can hurt him and chooses to fight anyway.

If anyone reading this review discounts this title as a digital castoff or only a lame TV show tie-in, stop now and slap yourself in the face.  Now do it again just a little bit harder.  Ok, now that you have been knocked out of your stupor, go download all the Smallville digital chapters.  Every last one of them.  If you're still of the archaic sort, I will allow you to read these in the collected print editions.  You will thank me either way.

Constantine #11 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Ray Fawkes
Art By: ACO
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 12, 2014

Storming The Castle

The last installment of Forever Evil: Blight saw the end to the actual Blight of the story.  The JLD fought over and over again, and in the end all it took was some kid who died, came back, turned into the collected sins of all mankind, and then turned into the Spirit of Redemption to stop him.  Still following?  So now that the big bad of the Dark characters is defeated, Constantine is on the hunt for Zatanna, and in last issue we saw the team infiltrate the magical HQ of the Crime Syndicate being run by Felix Faust and Nick Necro.  So on with the show.

Wonder Woman #28 Review

Written by: Brian Azzarello
Art by: Cliff Chiang
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 19, 2014

Oh God, You Devil

Brian Azzarello doesn't care about you.  He doesn't play such silly games like catching up the reader, writing story arcs or even focusing on the main character of his book.  That nonsense is for lesser writers.  He expects more from us and he rewards those with the strength and willpower to keep up. Believe me, the reward is well worth it.

Wonder Woman #28 is exhibit A.  Azzarello continues his story that is just as much Olympic gods as it is Wonder woman.  I'm not complaining, it's great.  However, if you decide to start with this issue you will be lost.  Do yourself a great service and start from the beginning.  The reward is a large picture story that is made with little bits and pieces that are rewarding by themselves.

Justice League of America #12 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Matt Kindt
Art By: Eddy Barrows, Tom Derenick, R.B. Silva
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 12, 2014


Martian Bedtime Stories.

Okay time for a bring you up to speed moment.  Firestorm has all the Justice Leagues trapped within his
matrix, and the Crime Syndicate is moving him around.  Last issue we found out that Firestorm is unstable and our two heroes have to reach him before he goes critical, but their quest is slowed down when the duo is attacked by Despero.  Hopefully Stargirl, and Martian Manhunter can overcome this mind fucking alien.

Birds of Prey #28 Review

Written by: Christy Marx
Art by: Romano Molenaar and Daniel Sampere
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 19, 2014

On the Wings of Truth

Going in, this book has two strikes against it as far as this reviewer is concerned.  One, I have not been impressed by Gothtopia.  Two, Birds of Prey has not been a great (or even good) book.  However, sometimes one plus one equals five and this is one of those times.  Yes, out of the ashes of two mediocre things rises a golden phoenix.  Ok, I'm getting a little carried away.  This book isn't great, but it is so much better than I expected and out of nowhere is one of my favorite Gothtopia issues.  Tallest midget in the circus I know, but be happy for what you get.

Supergirl #28 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Tony Bedard
Art By: Yildiray Cinar, Ray McCarthy
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 19, 2014

Red Dawn.

Alright so this issue is the beginning of Red Daughter of Krypton story arc most of you are familiar with, even though we had two issues with Supergirl and a Red Lantern ring in the Green Lantern/Red Lantern flip book issue.  But don't worry you didn't miss the origin of Red Lantern Kara, you get all the rage fueled fun right here.  Let me catch you up if you haven't been reading.  Supergirl has been fighting the new emo Lobo for two issues.  Alright you're all caught up.

Animal Man #28 Review

Written by: Jeff Lemire
Art by: Rafael Albuquerque
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 19, 2014

Little Girl Power

Animal Man is coming to an end and that really sucks.  Jeff Lemire's run on the book has been so good and it is a shame that the book has to end at all.  However, it is good that it is ending on such a high note.  Animal Man #28 continues what made this book so great... great art and a familycentric story with humor, heart and plenty of action.

Batman and Two-Face #28 Review

Written by: Peter J. Tomasi
Art by: Patrick Gleason
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 19, 2014

Three Sides Of The Coin

Harvey Dent is going to be executed on live television while Gotham's not-so-finest look on.  Erin McKillen makes a horrible GPS, but a great ejector seat victim.  Batman teaches Harvey about coins and Harvey drops a bomb.  In the end, Harvey pulls the trigger, Erin is a rabble rouser and Batman buys a night light.

Overall, I've not been a huge Batman Two-Face fan.  It hasn't been the revamped origin of Two-Face, in fact I like what Tomasi has done with the character.  My problem has mainly been with Erin McKillen.  She is a weak villain who comes off as a spoiled brat, not a criminal mastermind.  After reading this issue I think Tomasi may have finally agreed with me.

Justice League #28 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Geoff Johns
Art By: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Scott Hanna
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 19, 2014


METAL!

Alright so Cyborg got all revamped last issue with a sleeker leaner look.  Now it's time to get back to saving the world.  Let's see if Cyborg can enlist the Metal Men to help him take down the Crime Syndicate.  Let's dive right in.

Batwoman #28 Review

Written by: Marc Andreyko
Art by: Jeremy Haun
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 19, 2014

Hurts So Good

Marc Andreyko is officially on this book.  The Zero Year tie-in was a bit of a forced entry, but each issue following has been better and better.  Last issue ended with a great cliff hanger and BANG!  This issue is his best and maybe the best the series has seen in almost a year.  I hate to beat a dead cat, but even fans of J.H. Williams III have to recognize that Kate, Maggie and the rest of the gang are in good hands.

Suicide Squad #28 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Matt Kindt
Art By: Jason Masters, Carlos Rodriguez
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 12, 2014

Help Me Suicide Squad.  You're My Only Hope.

Last issue we saw the "new" Suicide Squad escape the mountain that collapsed on top of them, we got some unneeded origins, Deadshot got rid of Warrant but don't bet on him being dead, King Shark and his daddy Kamo started fighting OMAC, who has the mind of the Thinker, and we found out that OMAC's host Kevin Kho is still alive and trapped inside the mighty monster.  So all that happened, let's jump into the next chapter and see if we get some closure on any of these events.

Adventures of Superman #43 Review

Written by: Ron Marz
Art by: Evan "Doc" Shaner
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: February 17, 2014

Hogarth Meets Alex P.

I must admit I am a bit biased.  I love Superman.  I also love the Adventures of Superman book  The one-shots and little arcs this series has given have mostly been really good.  Yes, there have been some duds, but when that happens you just wait a week or two and a new creative team jumps on board with another story. I'm happy to tell you that Marz and Shaner have begun their new three part story with a really good issue.

DC Cancels Gail Simone's The Movement

We had reported a couple weeks ago about the rumor of a bunch of cancellations.  Of these titles, Stormwatch has already been canceled and today Gail Simone announced her book The Movement has been cancelled as well.

May's issue #12 will be the last for the book.  The Movement launched with companion book The Green Team: Teen Trillionaires looking at poor and the rich of the DC Universe.  Green Team ended it's run last month with issue #8 and neither title grabbed a huge audience.

It's always sad when a book gets cancelled, but I will admit that I was not a fan of The Movement.  I thought the story moved too slow and the cast of characters was too big and not memorable enough. In fact, in my review for issue #5 I declared I would no longer read or review the book because it just wasn't my thing.  I stand by that and will not be reviewing any of the remaining issues.  I'm sure that fans of the series will see some of the books characters in the future, maybe in a certain Teen title.

Superboy #28 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Marv Wolfman
Art By: Andres Guinaldo, Mark Irwin
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 12, 2014

War Is Hell..... But Prepping For War Is A Chore.

Last time we saw Superboy he was battling the newly introduced character Schiz, but the battle ended when Schiz convinced Superboy to help her cause.  Well she believed she convinced him, but this psychotic Superboy has plans of his own, and those plans include a army of human meta hybrids like Schiz to kill the rest of the metas of the world.  But he's still impersonating Kon, so we'll have to see if he can keep up the ruse or let his anger get the best of him, and slaughter the Teen Titans.  This issue takes place before the trial of Kid Flash, in the last issue of Teen Titans, so now that you know let's get to the new stuff.

Just For The Hell Of It Mondays 2/17/14

For this Monday I've decided to let you in on a little secret.  Over and over again in Pennsylvania it's been snowing.  Now I'm sure it's snowed other places but I don't really give a shit, because I'm in Pa and my back and shoulder are fucking killing me.  Now I don't mean to be angry or curse at you assholes unless you're the ones making it snow over my damn roof, and if you are be sure I will find you.  Believe it.  But I'll continue my lunatic belief that we can blame only one person for this awful awful weather.  That person is god....  No no that person is.......... Weather Wizard!  Boosh!

Batman Beyond 2.0 #14 Review

Written by: Kyle Higgins
Art by: Thony Silas
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: February 15, 2014

The Bat Men part 6 of 7: Zero Hour

The Bureau extraction team is being torn to shreds.  Terry uses science to escape, but Bruce uses the truth as a weapon.  Meanwhile Kirk Langstrom may not be the man he once was, but could Bruce's faith in him trigger the end of Neo-Gotham?

Kyle Higgins continues the Bet Men story and all the pieces are on the board.  This is a story of relationships, and making amends for the past.  Terry doesn't know who to trust and Bruce isn't making any easier.  Bruce pretty much acknowledges that he screwed up his life and is trying to make up for it by saving Kirk Langstrom.  Unfortunately, Kirk doesn't want to buy what Bruce is selling.  Meanwhile, Barbara Gordon is trying to buy them some time while the Bureau seems intent on blowing everyone up.

Weird Science News: Week of February 12. 2014 Edition

News, news and more news.  It was not a huge news week which is fine with me.  I'm still trying to dig myself out from under eight metric tons of snow (since I'm not Canadian I'm not sure how much a metric ton is, but it seems like a whole lot).  Here are some stories that hit harder than Chris Brown this week.  Juno is gay (Ellen Page not the Alaskan City with is spelled "Juneau" dummy), Charlie Sheen is getting married while Jason London is getting divorced, Kim Kardashian passed the oral exam, there is a show called Party Down South and they want more money and speaking of cash money, Diddy's baby mama needs rent.  Enough Baby Mama exam divorce talk...

On With The News