Weird Science DC Comics: 2016-08-28

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Throwaways #1 and #2 Review

This Ain’t No Boy Scout Camp

Written by: Caitlin Kittredge
Art by: Steven Sanders and Rachel Deering
Cover Price: $2.99/ea
Release Date: July 6 and August 17, 2016
Review by: Josh Vermillion

Up to this point in my comic reading career, I’ve pretty much stuck to DC and occasionally a couple of Marvel books. I’ve recently decided that I should branch out a little bit and get into some other types of comics. The description of Throwaways #1 got my interested right away, so I decided to give it a try. I’ve heard great things about Caitlin Kittredge, so I was hoping this series would live up to those reviews and my own expectations. Two issues into the series, let’s see how she’s doing so far.

DC Comics Bombshells Chapter #59 Review and SPOILERS

The Fix is In for Vixen

Written By: Marguerite Bennett

Art By: Miraka Andolfo, Wendy Broome

Lettered By: Wes Abbott

Digital Price: $0.99

On Sale Date: September 2, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I’ve been threatening it for a while, but since Jim’s shaming of me and my promising ways last week on the podcast, I decided that it’s time to bit the bullet and start reviewing Bombshells. It’s unconscionable that Weird Science DC Comics Dot Com, long a vanguard for DC’s Digital Firsts line of comics, should not be acknowledging as popular and as important a book as Bombshells. It’s just that so much had come before, and the longer I procrastinated, the more it built up—I mean, this is chapter 59 here, for crying out loud! But I’ve decided to just dive right in, take it on the chin, and wallow in the critically-appraised goodness that is DC Comics Bombshells. Come wallow with me, won’t you?

Did you ever wish that there was one place to go and see what comic books the Weird Science Get Fresh Crew liked the most in a particular week? If so, you are a lazy person just like me and I love you for that! Of course, to kick off this column, I picked an Annual week because I am a big dummy, but you have to start somewhere, right? So, here are the picks for the week of 8/31/16. Enjoy!

Welcome to another exciting installment of Top 5 Fridays! Well, it's that time of year where both kids and young adults, such as myself, go back to school and work for that diploma or degree. Education is very important, but for us in college, there is one type of person we need to turn to in order to learn: Professors. Yes, a professor can make you feel like the smartest student in class, or break your hopes and dreams with a single sentence. It actually made me think: what professors in the DC Universe would I want as my own, and that's what we'll be talking about today! As always this is an opinion based list, so if you don't see someone you like, I apologize. Enough talk! Sit down at your desks and prepare to learn!

Oh Danny Blue, the Fights, the Fights Are Calling

Written By: Trina Robbins

Art By: Tess Fowler, Jen Manley Lee

Lettered By: Wes Abbott

Cover Price: $0.99

Release Date: September 1, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Hold up. Did you see who wrote this chapter of Wonder Woman ’77? Trina Robbins. Trina Effing Robbins. Who is she? Why, she’s only one of the artists that spearheaded the Underground Comix movement of the late 1960s and 70s, as well as having a pretty keen (though short) run on Wonder Woman herself in 1986. And Tess Fowler is a super-talented artist that most recently was doing a bang-up job on Rat Queens…until something weird happened and she wasn’t? And then the book was cancelled? I dunno about that, but I do know that these two talents on one book has the potential to be comics dynamite. So is this chapter explosive enough to blow your hands off and leave you permanently disfigured? Or is it more like one of those sperm-shaped snap bombs that are mildly annoying but cause no real damage? Read on to find out!

Rule the School

Written By: Karl Kerschl, Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher
Art By: Sandra Hope, Adam Archer
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: September 14, 2016

GOTHAM ACADEMY is back with an all-new storyline for its second semester! When you’re Olive Silverlock, winter holidays can be a drag. Luckily, when a new student shows up at Gotham Academy to keep her company while the other students are away, Olive finds what could be a brand new friend…or a whole lot of trouble!

Oh boy, have I ever missed these impudent little scamps! Even with the Annual coming last Wednesday, and the Gotham Academy/Lumberjanes miniseries coming from Boom! Comics and DC, I still feel bereft of my precocious prep school students. And what's this? Olive is writing graffiti and Maps is looking all punk rock? Say it ain't so! Or say that it has some tether to the story within, because it looks pretty bad-ass and I would love to see Olive rocking some top-to-bottom masterpieces.

Weird Science DC Comics Podcast Spotlight: DC Rebirth Do or Die Pull List

Jim, Eric and Reggie get together for this week's spotlight and play a little game...what would be on their pull list if they only had $25 a month to spend on DC Comics? Find out what each of them picked and why. If you like what you hear, download and listen to the regular podcast that comes out each and every Sunday Night. Enjoy!

Hey everyone! It's your ol' pal Reggie here, and I've been tasked with resurrecting the old "Best Comic Book Covers of The Week" list that used to run regularly here on the site. And what better week to start with than a fifth week, where only five titles were released? Well, it sure made my job easier! Take a look at my picks, and argue about them in the comments! Though if you liked one of the other three covers out this week, I won't hold it against you.

WeirdScienceDCComics.com presents:

Official Unoffical World Infamous Weird Science DC Comics Tweets of the Week

By: Branden Murray @bmur3660

A lot of action happens around these parts of town over on the ol’ Twitter. Now, when I say "action", I’m mostly referring to people yelling at Jim about various things and him responding in .Gif format. This got me to thinking (which can be dangerous especially when Jim prods me) about those of you out there that maybe don’t have the time or type of job that lends itself to spending a sufficient amount of time in the Twitter-verse. So, in an effort to keep the Get Fresh Fans informed, I thought I would compile a list of the week’s greatest hits you may have missed because you have more important things to do in life. So, with that being said, here are the inaugural Official Unofficial World Infamous Weird Science DC Comics Tweets of the Week … maybe you’ll become internet famous.

While we were all wondering about The Monster Men crossover happening in September, DC Comics was cooking up an event to show us how the Suicide Squad could stand toe to toe with the world's greatest heroes........ a lot like they were talking about in the Suicide Squad movie. Now, I love a good event and hopefully this will be something that will continue the greatness of Rebirth and show us that DC Comics have everything under control and will continue telling us amazing stories featuring our favorite heroes and villains. Let's check out what going down with this press release.

Yesterday's Legends of Tomorrow is a Review for Today

Cover Price: $7.99
On Sale Date: August 17, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Here we are again, late with our Legends of Tomorrow review. It is all my (Reggie's) fault! Heap the scorn upon me. I want the scores and scores of ardent Legends of Tomorrow comic book fans to deluge this website's e-mail (weirdsciencedccomics@gmail.com) with all of the hate and invective that I deserve. Don't hold back! If you read this issue and are annoyed at this delinquent review, know that the blame lies squarely with me (Reggie)! In fact, while thousands of Legends of Tomorrow fans bombard this site's e-mail (weirdsciencedccomics@gmail.com) with venomous anger against yours truly, you should also heap lots of love and praise on Eric Shea, who is not the cause for the lateness of this review. Lay it on thick, he loves it! So while I will be rightfully punished by a legion of Legends of Tomorrow fanatics, Eric will be justifiably praised for doing his due diligence and returning his reviews on time. Read on!

DC Comics Signs Artists Robson Rocha and Otto Schmidt To Exclusive Contracts

One of the biggest things that Reggie, Eric and Myself used to bitch about during the New 52 was the fact that some top talent was leaving DC Comics and DC just sat back and let it happen. It just didn't make sense to let some top talent just up and leave, usually going to their main rival. It seems that once Rebirth was announced, DC changed their game and started snatching up everyone and making them exclusive and I love it. Today we found out that they signed Robson Rocha and Otto Schmidt which is awesome! Sign everyone is what I say, except Eric Shea. That guy's been working on his comic since middle school and it's nowhere close to being done. Here is DC's official press release...

The Land Before Quest

Written By: Jeff Parker
Art By: Evan "Doc" Shaner, Ron Randal, Hi-Fi
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 31, 2016

*Non-Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Whenever this book is in the next week releases list on DC's site, I jump for joy in my chair. It has been such a fun ride so far, that I know that it will shine through some of the Rebirths we've been getting. We all love our Supermen, Batmen, and Green Lanterns, but this series has made me feel like a kid watching Saturday morning cartoons again! Rebirth is great but so is this series, and it needs more attention! It doesn't need to be in the top 10 sold DC comics, though it should be, it just needs to keep itself afloat amidst all the Rebirth.

Now the last issue didn't push the plot forward but cleared up why a few members of the cast ended up crossing paths with the Quests. However, issue 2 left the Quests and Birdman picking up an injured Jan while F.E.A.R. picked up an unconscious Jace, hoping that he might know something about the Vortex. What will our heroes learn from this girl from beyond the portal? Let's dive in and find out...

Maps Mizoguchi Beyond

Written By: Brenden Fletcher and Becky Cloonan

Penciled By: Adam Archer, Msassyk, Michael Dialynas & Chris Wildgoose

Inked By: Sandra Hope, Msassyk, Michael Dialynas & Chris Wildgoose

Colored By: Serge LaPointe, Massy & Michael Dialynas

Plotted By: Rob Haynes

Lettered By: Steve Wands

Cover Price: $4.99

On Sale Date: August 31, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Everyone knows the perfect song for the last day of school is Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out For Summer.” But there isn’t really an equivalent for the first day of school, and consurn it, there should be! The only one that comes to mind is Nervous Norvis’ 1956 hit “Dig,” which, besides containing the lyrics, “D-I-G means sharp, D-I-G means knowledge, D-I-G means brains, D-I-G means college, D-I-G means you know the score, so dig, dig, dig, dig some more,” the entire song is essentially a thesaurus’ worth of words with similar meanings (and that can all be expressed using the slang “dig.”) But there really should be something harder, something using that overdrive pedal on the guitar that really plays to the joy many parents feel now that their kids won’t be stinking up the house all day for a little while. And think how the parents of the students at Gotham Academy feel! They don’t have to see their little jerks but once or twice a year. I’d say we’re due for our…Annual…look at the little tykes, why don’t you read on and we can see what the scamps are up to?

MD 20/20

Written by: John Ostrander
Art by: Gus Vasquez and Carlos Rodriguez, Gabe Eltaeb and Nate Piekos
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: August 30, 2016

I am usually against any book that looks like a money grab and putting out a Suicide Squad one-shot this month certainly fits the bill. However, if it looks like everyone involved is putting their best foot forward and at least giving it the old college try, I will give it the benefit of the doubt and at least look at it. This is certainly the later and after looking for two seconds and seeing "Ostrander" on the cover, my whole attitude changed. The writer who made the Suicide Squad famous coming back during "Annuals Week" to write an issue just turned it from a money grab to a "here, take my money" situation. Really, whether it's good or bad has a little less significance, but I still have to review it, right? Right?!? Okay, I guess I do. So, does the creator still have what it takes and is this Special worth throwing down a fin at the local comic book shop? Let's find out...

Sinn Begins

Written By: Jimmy Palmiotti & Frank Tieri

Art By: Mauricet, Inaki Miranda, Dawn McTeigue, Ray McCarthy, Mark Roslan, Hi-Fi

Lettered By: Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99

On Sale Date: August 31, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Yo, we're not here to preach because we're not ministers

We're telling like it is ‘cause Ren and Dre is like sinister

Reality speaks for itself when it's spoken

A basehead cluck can't blame nobody for smoking

Yo, bullets flying, mothers crying, brothers dying

Lying in the streets, that's why we're trying

To stop it from falling apart and going to waste

And keeping a smile off of white face

N.W.A. never preaching, just teaching

The knowledge of the streets to each and

All that don't understand, that's why we came

To let you know that we're all in the same gang

It's A Batman Thing, You Wouldn't Understand

Written By: Dan Abnett
Art By: Bruno Redondo, Diogenes Neves, Juan Albarran, Ruy Jose, Rex Lokus, Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: August 31, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's Annual week again and while I usually dread when these come around....... simply because I'm invested in a certain story and Annuals like to detour around it, I have to say that I'm really interested in this one because it uses its extra page count to go deeper into the Ultra-Humanite story and explore the character of Dick Grayson as Batman and that's awesome because even though we've spent over a year dealing with our new Earth 2 status quo, we really don't know dick........ about Dick. When last we left this story........ Well, when last we left the story that we're about to go into, Dick Grayson just found out that his little boy was alive and that he had been genetically aged to sixteen and altered to have superpowers and is one of the Ultra-Humanite's enforcers. With the knowledge that each of them have about the other being alive, let's see if we have ourselves a happy Grayson family reunion........ or if a giant psychic ape shows up and eats all the goddamn potato salad....... You can't have a family reunion without potato salad......... Let's check it out.

Fucking Time Travel!

Written By: Bryan Hitch
Art By: Bryan Hitch, Daniel Henriques, Alex Sinclair, Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 31, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

What the hell is this title doing, coming around and rearing its ugly head out of nowhere like this? I mean, I swore up and down that this series was dead and buried and why wouldn't I think that, the last issue came out at the end of March.......... which in case you don't already know was a long ass time ago. Don't get me wrong now, I'm a DC Comics fan so I'm used to delays, but this title isn't exactly DK3 now is it? I know I'm coming off right away sounding like a negative Nancy, but honesty, I didn't like this series when the delays were shorter and the idea of going back and trying to figure out what was going on in the last issue sounds not only tedious, but on the verge of torture. What I will do though is relay the information I remember and what I skimmed while going through my last review of this series. Back in that early spring release, we had our Justice League taking on Rao by getting the aid of Parasite to absorb the Kryptonian god's power and when they reached some superfluous point of power, they activated a energy plant to shock the worshiper's free will right out of the foe. Too bad that Flash and the Infinity Corporation found that this was the best time to come back from their useless time traveling jaunt and our villain used their Forever Stones to go back in time to ancient Krypton, where he met his younger self and Hal Jordan, who's been stuck in that time since the beginning of our story. Let's see if any of this makes any sense as we jump into this issue or if it's more of the same nonsense. Let's check it out.

Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter #37 Review

Deja Vu

Written by: Brian Buccellato
Art by: Xermanico, Rex Lokus and Wes Abbott
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: August 30, 2016

Brian Buccellato has been saving a lot of his best stuff for this final Year. This book is getting close to the end and Buccellato is throwing everything at the reader and I've had a lot of fun reading and reviewing it. The one thing that worried me about this Year Five story was how Buccellato would keep the tension and suspense up even though most people reading it already know how it ends. He's done it with crazy characters fighting even crazier ones as well as making things even more personal than ever. So, what does he do this week to keep things fresh? It seems a little Earth hoping does the trick just fine. What am I talking about? Let's find out...

Written by: Jeff Parker
Art by: Evan Shaner
Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 31, 2016

An earth-shattering power has come to life in the jungles of South America, and Team Quest and Birdman race the forces of F.E.A.R. to reach it first! There they find time ripped apart in a lost valley where dinosaurs and cavemen run wild once more as the ancient legend of Mightor is revealed! Only the shipwrecked aliens Jan and Jace hold the secrets of what fate awaits our world, but as a force led by Jezebel Jade attacks, what new hero will rise?

Written by: John Ostrander
Art by: Gus Vasquez and Carlos Rodriguez, Gabe Eltaeb and Nate Piekos
Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 30, 2016

When a retired American politician is taken to Europe and tried for alleged war crimes, the USA must recover him from an allied nation before terrible truths are revealed. Enter the Suicide Squad, who storm the Hague itself to save America from her own dark secrets. The writer who started a revolution, John Ostrander returns to the Suicide Squad for the first time in a decade to tell one of his boldest and bloodiest stories ever.

Written By: Dan Abnett
Art By: Bruno Redondo, Diogenes Neves, Juan Albarran, Ruy Jose, Rex Lokus, Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: August 31, 2016

Earth-2’s Batman is Dick Grayson. Does he have what it takes to be a true Batman and follow in the legacy of Bruce and Thomas Wayne before him? Or will he only ever be a stand-in? Beyond anything else, he has one overriding goal...to find his missing son. Is that a job for the Batman...or is it something only Dick Grayson can do? The Wayne legacy is at stake. This is an epic turning point in the history of Earth-2’s Batman.

While I love all of the characters of Earth 2 and that they all get a chance to play in our stories, I have to say that I think this Annual is exactly what we need because really, after this series started we never really got a chance to get to know these characters individually........ especially the Dick Grayson Batman. Who knows what's coming down the line with an Earth 2: Rebirth, but whatever it is, hopefully we can take a look at these characters a little deeper than we have and hopefully we won't have to wait for Annuals to do it.

I've Got No Sinn in this Game

Written By: Jimmy Palmiotti & Frank Tieri
Art By: Mauricet, Inaki Miranda, Dawn McTeigue, Ray McCarthy, Mark Roslan, Hi-Fi
Lettered By: Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: August 31, 2016

This is it—the story you’ve been waiting for: the secret origin of comic’s newest, deadliest and most insanest villainess, Harley Sinn! Why is she so obsessed with Harley? How did she manage to become a super-villain? And what is her connection to the Gang of Harleys themselves? Find out this issue! Plus...Harley’s still kidnapped! So there’s that.

Jim called it way back in issue one of this miniseries, when he showed me Harley Sinn from the Harley Quinn issue where Harley first put together this posse. But he didn't know she was the daughter of some rich dude or that she had her own island! This has been a fun, silly series so far, and I expect that trend to continue. And seeing how Harley's Gang now pops up in the main title, I'd expect all Harley Quinn fans to be keeping abreast of the squad's adventures!

Back To Skool

Written By: Brenden Fletcher and Becky Cloonan
Penciled By: Adam Archer, Msassyk, Michael Dialynas & Chris Wildgoose
Inked By: Sandra Hope, Msassyk, Michael Dialynas & Chris Wildgoose
Colored By: Serge LaPointe, Massy & Michael Dialynas
Plotted By: Rob Haynes
Lettered By: Steve Wands
Cover Price: $4.99
On Sale Date: August 31, 2016

When the Gotham Academy student body comes down with a mysterious disease, Pomeline and Colton disagree on the origin of the threat, causing a fissure in Detective Club! The team fractures to get to the bottom of the case…but who will solve it first? Will Maps be able to reunite her friends? Will they ever eat pizza together again?! Join the search for clues in the first ever Gotham Academy Annual, precursor to Gotham Academy: Second Semester!

You know, when the summer ends and kids have to go back to school. you don't really mind it so much as an adult! In fact, it can make you downright gleeful if you're a parent. The rest of us can just wallow in smug satisfaction. I tell you what though, if these schools were anything like ol' Gotham Academy, I'd be jealous! Heck, if my high school even had an assembly featuring a Man-Bat, I'd be ecstatic. I missed these guys, their adventures with the Lumberjanes haven't been cutting it for me, so I'm super psyched to read Gotham Academy Annual #1--with the original writing team!

Written By: Bryan Hitch
Art By: Bryan Hitch, Daniel Henriques, Alex Sinclair, Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 31, 2016

With Earth as collateral damage, the Kryptonian deity called Rao has the Justice League on the ropes! It would take a miracle to defeat him. Good thing the League makes miracles look easy…

Like this is going to shine some light onto readers who haven't looked at this series in five months! It's so weird having titles continue from the New 52 into Rebirth and having this one come out of retirement is just ridiculous......... Maybe the game plan is having the normal Justice League title make sense by reminding people of what Hitch did here....... but that's a goddamn stretch.

It's another Tuesday and here's another episode of the Adventures of Superman radio show. This episode, Clark Kent, Reporter, first aired on February 14, 1940. It's actually pretty funny to listen to this episode knowing all the changes the Superman story has gone through since. Enjoy!

Star Wars #22 Review - Marvel Mondays

Leia and Han Sitting On A Star Destroyer

Written by: Jason Aaron

Art by: Jorge Molina, Matt Milla, and Joe Caramagna

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 24, 2016

Review by: Josh Vermillion

To start us off, I want to make it clear that I am a Star Wars fan. I’ve seen all of the movies multiple times, but I can’t say that I’m an expert about all of the little details and smaller plot points of the films. So if I miss some references or Easter Eggs, don’t hate me. This is also the first Star Wars comic I’ve ever read, outside of Han Solo’s current series. I’ve heard that Jason Aaron does good stuff, so I decided to check it out for myself, starting with the 22nd issue. I’m diving in headfirst baby.

Star Bores: The Force Takes a Nap

Writer: Chuck Wendig
Art by: Marc Laming, Frank Martin and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 24, 2016
Review by: Josh Vermillion

It seems to me like Marvel is double dipping a bit with this The Force Awakens comic adaptation. Why do you need to have an adaptation of a movie that EVERYONE saw? It all seems a little redundant to me and I’ve got to say, I didn’t have high hopes going into this one.

But Where’s Jamie Foxx Electro?

Written by:Mike Costa
Art by: David Baldeon, Jay Fosgitt, John Dell, Matt Yackey, Andrew Crossley and Joe Caramagna
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 17, 2016
Review by: Josh Vermillion

The entire concept of the Web Warriors just seems confusing to me. So many different Earths, so many different Spider-Men and Women. I don’t see it being very easy to keep up with all the different characters. But hey, why not give it a shot and jump right into the fourth part of this story.

I Am Banyan

Written by: Charles Soule
Art by: Kev Walker, Scott Hanna, Dan Brown and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: August 24, 2016
Review by: Josh Vermillion

To be honest, I’m not really a fan of the Inhumans and I think Marvel should focus more on their good characters instead of constantly trying to make the Inhumans a thing. Along with that, I’m not really sure about the power sets of most of the characters in this title, but I did a little bit of research to at least have an idea of what I was dealing with. All that being said, I was going into this annual with an open mind, hoping to be surprised at what I got. Let’s see if I got that pleasure.

Navigation

Saturday, September 3, 2016

This Ain’t No Boy Scout Camp

Friday, September 2, 2016

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

MD 20/20

It's A Batman Thing, You Wouldn't Understand

Fucking Time Travel!

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Deja Vu

Monday, August 29, 2016

Leia and Han Sitting On A Star Destroyer

Star Bores: The Force Takes a Nap

But Where’s Jamie Foxx Electro?

I Am Banyan