Batman: Eternal #25 First Look (R.M Guera)

Written by: Tim Seeley, Kyle Higgins, Ray Fawkes, James T Tynion IV, Scott Snyder
Art by: R.M. Guera
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 24, 2014


With riots breaking out all over Gotham City, can Batman stop the march toward martial law?

Smallvile: Continuity #3 Review

Written by: Bryan Q. Miller
Art by: Ig Guara
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: September 12, 2014

Fill Me In

What do you do when Crisis (capital "C" there) is upon you?  Take a walk down memory lane, that's what.  At least that's what we get this week in Smallville.  With the Monitor ships already wiping out countless cities, Bryan Q. Miller makes us remember what's at stake.  These characters have such a rich history together and if the Monitor's succeed it's all a clean slate.  What could be worse for Smallville fans?

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week 9/13/14

It's week two of the Futures End Event and while I haven't been too impressed so far ( a whole other story there), this week at least had some decent covers.  However, when the smoke cleared, there was one that stood out for me.  Yes, that was a lame attempt at a pun.  Is this on?  Oh well...on with the covers.

Red Hood and the Outlaws: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Scott Lobdell
Art by: Scott Kolins
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 17, 2014




Red Hood rides solo in the future as he reveals hints to how the Outlaws and his partners Starfire and Arsenal parted ways and how that lead to Jason Todd’s new mission of retribution and brutal justice.

DC Comics Cancels Batman Beyond 2.0

Yea, you read that right.  My favorite book is ending on November 1st.  Kyle Higgins broke the news to Newsarama (boo!) and confirmed that he set out to tell a story and that the recent Mark of the Phantasm was a big part of it.  I do find it odd that they just
didn't end the series at the end of that story, but I guess I should shut my mouth and be happy I get to read a few more issues.

Wonder Woman: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Charles Soule
Art by: Rags Morales, Jose Marzan Jr. and Batt
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 17, 2014

Old Soldiers

Her humanity lost forever, Wonder Woman embraces her true nature as the God of War to battle the armies of Nemesis!

Batman and Robin: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Ray Fawkes
Art by: Dustin Nguyen
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 17, 2014

Brothers In Arms

Bruce continues to feel the fallout from his extreme new crime fighting methods — is he ready to face the might of Heretic?

Teen Titans: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Will Pfeifer
Art by: Andy Smith

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 17, 2014

With the Teen Titans dead, a new group of young heroes
seek justice in the future DC Universe!

Top 5 Fridays: Top 5 Heroes That Would've Worked Better For Worlds' Finest

It's that time again for lists of the five variety that feature topics about DC Comics.  For this week's installment I figured we'd take a look at something that us at Weird Science have been talking about for awhile........  What the hell is up with Worlds' Finest?  We've got this great title that for some reason was determined to be the perfect spring board to bring Power Girl and Huntress into the New 52 and at first I was all about it.  But then after months and months of reading stories that involved how many guys Power Girl was going to bang and how her clothes were going to fall off, I had enough.  You know when sci-fi shows start out and you have that trope of the monster of the week?  It's was kind of like that but instead, Power Girl would just get naked.......... I don't know, it didn't make sense to me either.  Now you might say, "Hey Eric, at least we had Huntress kicking some ass", but the problem here is, she didn't.......... she just didn't.  I don't think I've ever seen a hero bumble around as much as her, especially with the added fact that she was the daughter of Batman and Catwoman.  Bruce would see her and be like "You're out of the family".

Sensation Comics featuring Wonder Woman #5 Review

Written by: Ivan Cohen
Art by: Marcus To
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: September 11, 2014

Oh God(s), You Devil(s)

Since it began a few issues ago, Sensation Comics has been such a nice title for Wonder Woman fans.  Like the unfortunately canceled Adventures of Superman, this book is a great place for writers and artists to go and tell their own little Wonder Woman stories.  They can be gritty, fun, serious or lighthearted.  They can be long, short or somewhere in between.  That's the greatness of the format and the reason this book succeeds.  If you don't like a story then just wait a week or two for the next one.  Luckily, I've liked every story, including this one.

Infinity Man and the Forever People: Futures End #1 Review

Written by: Dan Didio and Keith Giffen
Art by:Philip Tan
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

I See Dead Heroes

Infinity Man and the Forever People bucked the odds and has become one of the books I look forward to reading each month. However, it's Futures End Month so every thing's been put on hold to tell a story of...Five Years in the Future Future Future. Yes, that was a written echo.  Pretty neat, huh?  I have to confess, I was really wondering what Dan Didio and Keith Giffen would do with this issue. The book has just started so fans are only just getting their feet wet when it comes to the characters and their World.  Give credit to Didio and Giffen because they not only make you care for the characters involved, but also for those that don't even show up.

Green Lantern Corps: Futures End #1 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Van Jensen
Art By: Igor Lima, Ruy Jose, Rodney Buchemi, Geraldo Borges
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

Remember That Movie Solo?  Yeah This Is Nothing Like That

After reading and loving Green Lantern last week this issue has some pretty big shoes to fill.  We're jumping into Five Years From Now with John Stewart and seeing how well he fares in the future.  See I'm already out of things to say about this.  I miss my recap section.  These one shots are going to kill me.  Okay it's story time.  One time I met James Hampton, the father of Michael J. Fox from Teen Wolf and I was really nervous to talk to him because he had aged so much from when that movie came out and I don't have a proper grip on how time and reality work so I was a little thrown off by his elderly appearance.  But once I shook his hand I immediately saw the actor I loved and I displayed the worst fanboy traits you could imagine.  I went off about how he was the best movie father of all time and how I loved how he tried to help Scott with his werewolf problem by sitting down and talking it out with a nice cup of coco and then in the sequel he was such a good guy that he drove his nephew to college.  I might have thrown him off a little too much when I started yelling at him "Where the hell were Jason Bateman's parents at!?"  Not my proudest moment, but I take away the thought that I'm not sure he even knew where he was when he was assaulted by this strange, head band wearing, giant of a fanboy...........  So let's take a look at Green Lantern Corps Five Years From Now.

Batman: Eternal #23 Review

Written by: Tim Seeley
Art by: Dustin Nguyen
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

The Cat's Out of the Bag

Baternal has been on a roll lately.  The past few issues have really been focused at pushing the story forward by leaps and bounds. Hush, the Architect, Penny Two...I've suddenly been back on the bandwagon singing this book's praises.  However, with so many plot threads dangling in the wind, at some point we have to get back to them, right?  Yes and no.  This week is more about setup.  Setup of the feline kind.  Setup of the catty kind.  Setup of the...the hell with it, this is a Catwoman issue.

I'm going to go against my nature and assume everyone reading this has also read Batman #28.  You know, the issue that previewed the future of Batman: Eternal and the one I'm about to spoil?  Still here?  Okay.  Well, in Batman #28 Selina Kyle is the Kingpin (Queenpin?) of the Gotham Underworld.  Well, this is the issue where we start seeing the future happen.  While that's interesting enough, it's also fun to see who helps her in her climb to power.

Batgirl: Futures End #1 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Gail Simone
Art By: Javier Garron
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

Darkness Falls

For us fans of the Gotham Goddess this issue is bitter sweet because it is the last issue of Batgirl that Gail Simone will be writing.  But wipe the tears from your eyes, because creators coming and going is the nature of the beast and Batgirl will live on and be heading in a new direction to keep the character interesting.  God I hope I'm not just blowing smoke.  For Simone's final issue we'll be heading to the strange land of Five Years From Now and see if our Batgirl has finally come out of the darkness she's been experiencing since the beginning of the New 52, but judging from the cover I don't think that will be the case.  Let's check out our favorite female bat and see how Gotham is faring from her protection in the future.  Oh man I hope it's good.

Superman Unchained #8 Review

Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Jim Lee
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

Check Out the Big Brain on Clark

Every time Superman Unchained is released I think I should throw it a Welcome Home party.  It feels like such a long time since I last saw it, but after some catching up, it feels just like old times again. It doesn't hurt that I love Superman and Snyder and Lee really have given us a timeless and great story.  I just wish it would visit more often.

The New 52: Futures End #19 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Jeff Lemire, Dan Jurgens, Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen
Art By: Scot Eaton
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

Oh Brother.................Eye

Our recap for this week is about Batman Beyond teaming up with Key, Coil and Plastique to break into Terrifitech.  While this might seem odd that our future hero would team up with villains, he really needs to get info on Brother Eye and the other three just want to steal Mister Terrific's prototype Usphere, so there's something in it for everyone.  Last week Lois Lane learned that the helmeted Superman was really Shazam and even though she really wants to tell the story on this charade, Stormguard asks her to keep it to herself.  Hopefully Lois isn't a Chatty Cathy, or would it be a Reporting Rosie?  Up in space Hawkman, Amethyst and Frankenstein have been captured by a Brainiac controlled Engineer and Ray Palmer has been left on the old Storm Watch HQ "The Carrier" for weeks, he probably has a volleyball best friend by now.  The big thing to go down in this series would have to be the revelation that Brother Eye is actually in the Cadmus Island system and it seems to have used all the implants in the Earth 2 heroes locked up there to take over their bodies and now Lana Lang and Slade Wilson are hiding out trying to figure out what to do, while Fifty Sue is just chilling inside the complex having a conversation with this future world killer.  That pretty much brings us up to speed for this week's issue, so let's check out what Five Years From Now has to offer us.

Superboy: Futures End #1 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Frank J. Barbiere
Art By: Ben Caldwell
Cover Price:  $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

Sibling Rivalry

Alright it's week 2 of the Futures End event and I still don't have anything to say during this portion, where I usually do the recap from last issue.  I guess since last month's issue was technically Superboy's finale, we could talk about how we got here, but that was really confusing and I don't want to try and explain all that again.  All you need to know is that Jon Lane Kent died a hero killing himself from an earlier point in time and he was mostly erased from time, with the exception that Kon was fine and that you could find him on interweb stories.  So Kon is back and since the Teen Titans have supposedly died in this timeline, let's see what's been keeping our Boy of Steel busy Five Years From Now.

Batman: Futures End #1 Review

Written by: Ray Fawkes and Scott Snyder
Art by: Aco
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

I Think We're a Clone Now

Boy, five years have been pretty rough on Bruce Wayne.  I'm talking held together by wires and machines kind of rough.  However, everyone knows there must always be a Batman and this issue shows the steps that Bruce will take to ensure it.  Ray Fawkes picks up the ball from Scott Snyder's awesome story in Detective Comics #27 and gives us the birth of the end of Batman.

The Flash: Season Zero #1 Review

Written by: Andrew Kreisberg, Brooke Eikmeier and Katherine Walczak
Art by: Phil Hester
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: September 9, 2014

Speed It Up

Okay, I confess.  I've seen the Flash Pilot.  I'm a huge fan and after seeing the two episodes of Arrow featuring Barry, I couldn't wait. Spoiler alert, it's really good.  However, after reading this issue, I was left wondering if this comic was made for those who have seen everything out there or someone coming into the story cold.  I guess I'll settle right in the middle of the debate, because while readers get a detailed recounting of The Flash's TV origin, it's the stuff outside of the television side of the story I liked the most.

Injustice: Year Two #23 Review

Written by: Tom Taylor
Art by: Bruno Redondo and Xermanico
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: September 9, 2014

Falling Star

Here we are, the penultimate issue of Injustice: Year Two.  This Year has been all about great character building and tension filled buildup.  Tom Taylor may have gotten people's attention with Year One's crazy shockers, but he's won me over with his Year Two slow burn.  That's not to say that there hasn't been jaw dropping moments, because this issue alone has two.  Yes, Year Two ends next week and not all of our favorite characters will be around to see it.

 Last issue ended with the unthinkable...Superman giving Black Canary a taste of the heat vision through the belly.  It really couldn't get worse than that and it was with a heavy heart that I started this issue.  However, in a move that Ollie would have been so proud of, Black Canary records it all (I believe that's the second time) and the awfulness will be televised.  The World finally gets to see what Superman is all about.

Aquaman: Futures End #1 Review

Written by: Dan Jurgens
Art by: Alvaro Martinez
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 3, 2014

Futures (Rear)End

Okay, we are one week in to the Futures End Event and in my estimation, there are three kinds of issues.  Ones that push the Futures End story forward, ones that aren't necessarily Futures End stories, but are good nonetheless and ones like Aquaman: Futures End #1 that just plain suck.  At least Aquaman gets a pretty cool future outfit.

Swamp Thing: Futures End #1 Review

Written by: Charles Soule
Art by: Jesus Saiz
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 3, 2014

Avatar of Everything

I have complained enough already about the necessity of most of the early Futures End tie-ins.  I'm not alone in criticizing DC for putting their books on hold for a month to force feed them into an event that, so far, is pretty underwhelming.  Swamp Thing: Futures End is yet another book that doesn't push the overall event story an inch forward, but surprise!  It is awesome.  Charles Soule and Jesus Saiz use the five years in the future premise not to tell the story of  OMACS and Brother Eye, but instead to tell a fairy tale of a Green Knight trying to save his Princess.

If I had my druthers, Charles Soule would be writing Swamp Thing forever.  Sadly, that won't be the case.  At least we have issue like this to go back to years form now to remember the great times.  This issue transcends the Futures End event by tying in everything that Soule has given fans since taking over the book.  I really don't want to spoil anything so trust me,  if you like Swamp Thing, Charles Soule or just good old fashioned story telling, you'll like this issue.  Unfortunately, a minor knowledge of the Swamp Thing mythos is important so I suggest reading this whole series (at least the Snyder and Soule New 52 issues) before reading this.  You will love it, I guarantee it.

Batman: Eternal #22 Review

Written by: Kyle Higgins
Art by: Jorge Lucas
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 3, 2014

Penny for Your Thoughts 

I haven't been a big fan blah, blah, blah.  The different creative teams blah, blah, blah.  Seriously, I've read and reviewed every issue of Batman: Eternal so far and by now you are either in or out.  I'm in, but let me tell you, it took last weeks issue for me to say that with conviction.  While laying out the story, the writing team must have put a pin on issue #21 as the moment to blow every one's minds.  So. did this week's issue keep the pace or maybe even top it?  Not quite.

The issue begins with Julia Pennyworth desperately searching through Wayne Manor for anything that could help poor Alfred.  If you didn't read last week's issue (then go read it, dummy!), Alfred was attacked and injected with Fear Toxin and is now in a coma.  As Julia searches, she remembers her Father's last words...Grandfather Clock...Ten Forty Eight.  I'd love to do a quick Wesley Snipes  impression and say, "that's the time that changes all the rules", but I won't because I pay my taxes.

Birds of Prey: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Christy Marx
Art by: Robson Rocha
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014



Free of Ra’s al Ghul’s control at last, Black Canary claims her rightful place as the head of the League of Assassins!

Wonder Woman #36 (Meredith Finch / David Finch) Preview

Batman: Eternal #23 Preview

Written by: SCOTT SNYDER, JAMES TYNION IV, RAY FAWKES, KYLE HIGGINS and TIM SEELEY
Art by: DUSTIN NGUYEN and DEREK FRIDOLFS
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 9, 2014

Catwoman’s secret past has been revealed, and it’s dragging her toward Blackgate Penitentiary! What is her place in the natural order of crime? Only she can decide.

New Suicide Squad: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Sean Ryan
Art by: Andre Coelho
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014




Amanda Waller’s covert war against the United States reaches the boiling point as the Suicide Squad takes the White House!

The New 52: Futures End #19 Preview

Written by: BRIAN AZZARELLO, JEFF LEMIRE, DAN JURGENS and KEITH GIFFEN
Art by: SCOT EATON and DREW GERACI
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014



It’s now or never for Batman Beyond and the heist team to make their move on TerrifiTech.

Batgirl: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Gail Simone
Art by: Javier Garron
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014




It’s five years later, and Barbara Gordon has become Bête Noire – a.k.a. The Black Beast! Part Batman and part Bane, she leads a squad of female agents through the Gotham Underground! 

World's Finest: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Paul Levitz
Art by: Yildiray Cinar
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014

Infinity Man and the Forever People: Futures End #1 Preview

Written by: Dan Didio and Keith Giffin
Art by: Philip Tan
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 10, 2014



Five years from now, the New Gods are missing, Infinity Man is trapped on Earth, and all is not as it seems in Mark Moonrider’s life. Is he living some beautiful dream, or is he stuck in a never-ending nightmare?

Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse #17 Review

Written by: Dan Abnett
Art by:Eduardo Francisco
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: September 7, 2014

ReCrap

I've mentioned over and over, Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse has been one of the most inconsistent books I've come across in a long while.  However, the past few issues have been pretty good and with the Heroes gathered for the first time, I was really looking forward to this issue. Unfortunately, this one didn't continue the recent upward trend.  I will give it one thing, it's bad in all the ways it was before...I guess that's a kind of consistency, right?

Just For The Hell Of It Mondays: DC Nation Green Arrow

This week has just been so chock full of Green Arrow goodness that it's left us fans quivering.......  Was that too forced?  You're damn right it wasn't, that shit was funny.  Besides for my nonsense we've had *SPOILERS AHEAD* Green Arrow: Futures End where we saw the plan that he would fake his death, Futures End where we found out that our emerald archer had successfully faked his death and Arrow Season 2.5 continuing the fun of the TV series and getting us ready for Season 3 without any sort of death faking.

Batwing: Futures End #1 Review

Written by: Jimmy Pamiotti and Justin Gray
Art by: Eduardo Pansica
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 3, 2014

Unnecessary Fun

We are only into the first week of the Futures End event an it's been a bit disappointing.  Most of the titles were forced into the event too much for my taste.  While this may also be the case here, it didn't bother me as much.  Yes, it has it's problems, but as a fan of Batwing, I was just glad to see him in his own book for one last issue.  Plus, we get a little Batman, Inc. action and I'm always up for that.

Weird Science DC Comics News: Week of 9/5/14

Are you ready for some...DC Comic News?  I know, it's Football Sunday and unless you are a Seahawks or Packers fan, the wait is finally over.  I am a Philadelphia Eagles fan and I just got back from buying wings and I am ready.  By the way, have you guys heard that Justin Gray is the DC Comics wing eating champ?  The Eagles are up against the Jaguars today and no offense to Jags fans (are there any?), it should be an easy game.  My prediction for a final score is 31-13.  Staying on the football tip, we have a pool at work where you just pick straight up winners and fellow Weird Science writer, Eric Shea, picked Green Bay on Thursday.  He tried to weasel his way out of it ("I know I picked Seattle...wah, wah), He may know Green Lantern, but Eric don't know football.  I mean, the guy picked the Titans over the Chiefs.  (note to editor: if the Titans win, remove that sentence).  Well, I better get to it because the game is starting soon, so...

Five Questions With...Ethan Van Sciver

Yes, this week's Five Questions is with one of my favorite artists, Ethan Van Sciver.  Recently, he helped launch Sensation Comics featuring Wonder Woman with Gail Simone (which everyone reading this should check out, btw) and has a long list of great work. Green Lantern, Superman/Batman, The Flash: Rebirth, The Fury of Firestorm, Batman: The Dark Knight and the list goes on and on. You know what makes him even greater?  We asked him to do this column and he agreed.  That's tops in my book.  On a side note, Ethan once had a job as a caricaturist at the Cherry Hill Mall.  I used to go to the Cherry Hill Mall in my teens and we are very close in age so there is a possibility I shook my head at the guy with the goth makeup, wearing a tux and drawing pictures of girls wearing roller skates (everybody loves roller skating). Also, I have a son named Ethan.  Weird.  Thanks to Ethan for doing this and having fun with our stupid questions and I hope everyone enjoys it.

Detective Comics: Futures End #1 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Brian Buccellato
Art By: Scott Hepburn, Cliff Richards, Fabrizio Fiorentino
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 3, 2014

The Dynamic Duo

Now it's time to jump into Detective Comics: Futures End and see what The Dark Knight is up to in the strange land of Five Years From Now.  It really is a big deal too, because as of yet we really haven't seen a Batman in action in Futures End and I've been sitting here wondering to myself, what's up Bats?  We've got a Batman Beyond running around for a number of weeks now and not even a peep from The Dark Knight checking it out.  It doesn't make sense to me.  So hopefully after this issue we'll see what the Caped Crusader has been up to and what's been keeping him from using his detective skills to uncover what the Joker would call this "Bat Fake" is all about.  So let's dive into Detective Comics Five Years From Now and see how the hell Batman is working with The Riddler.  Let's check it out.