Saturday, October 28, 2017

Gasolina #2 Review





Written by: Sean Mackiewicz 
Art by: Niko Walter and Mat Lopes   
Cover Price: $3.99 
Publisher: Image 
Review by: Andrew McAvoy

Gasolin-a-lley

Whereas the first issue of this title was illustrated in pastel shades, with hints of the darkness to follow provided at certain points, this issue is a much darker affair. Let's find out what went down on the farm. 

Hack/Slash Resurrection #1 Review



Do the Monster Mash

Writer: Tini Howard          
Artist: Celor 
Publisher: Image Comics                      
Cover Price: $3.99
Reviewer: Andrew McAvoy

Although this title is Hack/Slash Resurrection, I did have the recent good fortune to read Hack/Slash-Vampirella a couple of weeks ago, so this is the second time I have joined their company this month. This new issue is the start of a much heralded "back to basics" approach after a hiatus on the Hack/Slash title so let's see what it had in store. 

Thursday, October 26, 2017

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week 10/25

Some More Mora

Boy, there were plenty of books from DC Comics this week, but it was tough to find five covers worth mentioning! Not that all of them were bad, but very few of them grabbed me. The five below were the best of the week, no fooling around! Or arguments!

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Justice League of America #17 Review



So Small

Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Ivan Reis, Julio Ferreira, Oclair Albert, Marcelo Maiolo and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

It's time to finish up the Panic in the Multiverse and I am soooo glad!  Yea, I'm not glad because I can't wait to see how it all wraps up, but glad because it's been complete and utter garbage!  It's gone on way too long and really, nothing that has happened has been even remotely good.  So, how is the ending?  Let's find out...


The Ruff and Reddy Show #1 Review and SPOILERS



Rough

Written by: Howard Chaykin
Art by: Mac Rey
Letters by: Ken Bruzenak
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017



DC’s idea of updating old Hanna-Barbera properties for 21st century comic sensibilities is not necessarily a bad one, but I think it’s safe to say that its execution has been decidedly mixed. For every Flintstones, there’s been a Wacky Raceland, and some of the concepts for the re-vamping have been decidedly ill-judged. So, what to make of this – a six-issue mini-series based on a cartoon show that first aired in 1957 and is culturally important more for what it led to than anything else? To be fair, I like Chaykin and I did volunteer for this gig. Time to jump in…


Nightwing: The New Order #3 Review



Boxing Match

Written by: Kyle Higgins
Art by: Trevor McCarthy, Dean White and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

I am a big fan of this elseworlds story which is no surprise as Dick Grayson is my favorite comic book character and Kyle Higgins is one of my favorite writers.  This issue picks up after last issues cliffhanger which was a doozy...Jake revealed he had powers, him and Dick were taken in by the authorities and Alfred was killed.  Yea, that last bit was huge and I am expecting more WTF moments to come.  Do they start coming in this issue?  Let's find out...


Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #31 Review and **SPOILERS**



What’s Your Vector, Hector?

Writer: Robert Vendetti 
Penciller: Patrick Zircher 
Colorist: Jason Wright 
Letterer: Dave Sharpe 
Cover: Ethan Van Sciver and Wright 
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: October 25, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

You know what this issue is? The conclusion to a two-part story! That is cause enough for celebration. Support shorter story arcs! Champion the “one and done!” Of course, it doesn’t say whether or not the story sucks, you have to read my review of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #31 to find that out. But we can still be jazzed about a two-parter! Yeah!

Suicide Squad #28 Review and **SPOILERS**



Mind Your Elders

Story: Rob Williams 
Artist: Elonora Carlini 
Backup Story Artist: Wilfredo Torres 
Colors: Adriano Lucas 
Lettering: Pat Brosseau 
Cover: Tony S. Daniel, Danny Miki & Tomeu Morey 
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: October 25, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I feel like that Suicide Squad movie came out a hundred years ago, when it was just about fourteen months ago. I think we can loosen up the reins on the core team roster, now! That won’t be happening in this issue, since it continues from the last. You can find out for sure by reading my review of Suicide Squad #28, right here!

The Hellblazer #15 Review and **SPOILERS**



Ain’t Nothing Funny, Honey

Writer: Tim Seeley 
Artist: Jesús Merino 
Colorist: Carrie Strachan 
Letterer: Sal Cipriano 
Cover: Tim Seeley
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: October 25, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Cor an’ blimey, ‘ets a sticky wicket, innit? Ess only harf-past midday dinners and Sod’s Law’s set en, yeah? I’m just practicing my cockney for when I visit London in late November! Yes, it’s really happening! What do you think? Should I read more issues of The Hellblazer written by the totally-not-British Tim Seeley, wot? I fink ets jest the thing, mate! Check out my review of issues #15!

Batgirl #16 Review and **SPOILERS**



We Made the Scene With the Red Queen

Script: Hope Larson 
Pencils: Chris Wildgoose 
Inks: Jose Marzan Jr. and Andy Owens 
Colors: Mat Lopes 
Letters: Deron Bennett 
Cover: Dan Mora 
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: October 25, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

This has been the first arc in Batgirl I didn’t actively dislike…okay, I did laugh a lot at that quick two-parter that preceded this, but it was primarily because it was so ludicrous. But that’s a type of comic book fun! Not worth the cover price, perhaps, but still worthwhile. Maybe this issue is the most worthwhile of the arc—check it out in my review of Batgirl #16 and see what you think!

Mother Panic #12 Review and **SPOILERS**


An Ending... Sorta.

Mother Panic #12

"Under the Skin, Part 3"
Written By: Jody Houser
Art By: Shawn Crystal
Colors By: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letters By: John Workman and Shawn Crystal
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: October 25, 2017


Waitasec... am I about to discuss a Young Animal book?  I didn't know they still made those!

Yes, friends... this is the perhaps-maybe final review for Mother Panic.  Hell, for all we know... it might be the way we turn out the lights for Young Animal as a whole!

Well, it's been an honor and privilege to serve.  Hopefully it won't be too long before we find ourselves keeping it Young... and Animalistic once more...

Teen Titans #13 Review and **SPOILERS**



Drinkin' Drano

Teen Titans #13
"The Return of Kid Flash, Part 1"
Script: Benjamin Percy
Pencils: Khoi Pham
Inks: Trevor Scott
Colors: Jim Charalampidis
Letters: Corey Breen
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: October 25, 2017


Well, with a story title like "The Return of Kid Flash" I can't help but wonder what's going to happen over the next several months.

I mean, it's not as if we just read a few-parter called "The Rise of Aqualad" that... well, ended with Jackson taking the Aqualad title, trinkets, and place on the team.  Guess I can't complain about a lack of truth in advertising...

Action Comics #990 Review and *SPOILERS*



Family Squabble 


Written By: Dan Jurgens
Art By: Viktor Bogdanovic, Trevor Scott, Scott Hanna, Mike Spicer, Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

The Oz Effect continues in this issue and hopefully we'll see Superman do more than go around the world and try to stop humanity from being the pieces of shit that Mr. Oz/Jor-El knows them to be....... I won't hold my breath though.  Yeah, I haven't been the biggest fan of this arc because we started off with the reveal of who Mr. Oz was and it may not be the best way to argue why it was good or bad, but I just wasn't a fan........ because I didn't like it.  With that, we moved on to see the people of Earth doing terrible things from the suggestions of the Agents of Oz and in the previous issue, we saw Jor-El reach out to Jon so that he can get his grandson on the trolley of leaving Earth and going to a better planet, where he can finally just be himself.  Let's jump into this issue and see if Jon's ready to pack his bags or not.  Let's check it out.

Batman: The Merciless #1 Review and *SPOILERS*



Bat God of War


Written By: Peter J. Tomasi
Art By: Francis Manapul, Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

You all know the gist of these issues if you've been reading Metal's one-shots so far.  You get a Batman from a world in the Dark Multiverse and how he crossed the line, before being recruited by the Batman Who Laughs to take over Earth-0 in the Multiverse above and then you get that Dark Knight going against its Justice League counterpart until Doctor Fate shows up to rescue our hero....... that is, unless your Cyborg, then you just get your ass torn apart........ Pretty messed up Doctor Fate!  Anyway, that's what we've gotten so far from these one-shots.......... but guess what?  This one isn't like the rest.  Let's jump into this issue and see what Batman would be like if he became the God of War.  Let's check it out.

Batman Beyond #13 Review and *SPOILERS*



Frenemies


Written By: Bernard Chang
Art By: Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo, Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's time for a little one-shot that takes place just as the Brother Eye invasion began, but that's not about to stop Neo Gotham from having some fun with their Gotham Games competition featuring Tri-Ball.......... yeah, I don't know what that is, but all I can say is.......... Mayor Fox is an idiot.  Okay, not a lot of info to get you into this so let's just check it out and see what Batman Beyond was doing before Brother Eye took over the world and Terry believed himself to be Rewire.

Blue Beetle #14 Review and *SPOILERS*



Close Encounters


Written By: Christopher Sebela
Art By: Scott Kolins, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Josh Reed
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Okay, we have ourselves a new writer on this book and that means we can hopefully get back to some proper Blue Beetle style stories and leave the JL3001 in the past........ or the future...... Really, you can leave it wherever you like just as long as we leave it.  Seriously though, I really hope that Chris Sebela can pull together some really kick ass Beetle stories because I was really looking forward to this series when it was announced, but after reading what we've gotten so far, I just kind of want a do over because I don't feel that this series ever became what it should have been........... mostly, just fun is what I'm talking about.  Hopefully, that changes now.   Let's check it out.

The Flash #33 Review


Skip It

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Howard Porter, Hi-Fi and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

I haven't been the biggest fan of the Flash book in a while, but last issue actually promised to be a turning point as a couple of new things have come into play...Barry working in Iron Heights, training with Wally and finally learning that Mena was alive.  Pretty crazy stuff, there.  However, it's all put on hold to give readers the start of another tie-in to Metal, this one called, "Bats Out of Hell".  I'll go with it even though Meatloaf is never going to be my idea of METAL.  So, is this something both Metal and Flash fans can enjoy?  Let's find out...


The Kamandi Challenge #10 Review and **SPOILERS**



We Had to Kill the Human in Order to Preserve Him

Writer: Greg Pak 
Penciller: Shane Davis 
Inker: Michelle Delecki 
Colorist: Hi-Fi 
Letterer: Clem Robins 
Main Cover: Francis Manapul
Cover Price: $3.99 
On Sale Date: October 25, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

The Challenge plods on, now two issues away from its completion (after this one.) Who will win? Who will lose? Has anyone been keeping score? What’s the grand prize? Something tells me these particulars should have been figured out before the Challenge began. No matter, we soldier on in my review of The Kamandi Challenge #10, which commences here!

Wonder Woman #33 Review and *SPOILERS*



Darkseid Is........ Hungry


Written By: James Robinson
Art By: Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy, Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Let's get back to some Wonder Woman action since in the previous issue, we saw our Amazon Princess come face to face with her twin brother for the first time....... and it's probably a good thing that they finally found each other, what with Grail out and about killing demi-gods and feeding their life force to her daddy baby Darkseid.  So yeah, with that little introduction I think I caught everyone up with what's been going on in Wonder Woman lately, but sadly, it seems that James Robinson decided that we didn't know enough going into this story so let's check out this prequel issue.

DC House of Horror #1 Review & Spoilers









The Houses of Secrets and Mystery are Closed for the Duration

Plotted By: Keith Giffen 
Writers, Artists, Colorists and Letterers: See below for individual story credits 
Cover By: Michael Wm. Kaluta with Lovern Kindzierski 
Cover Price: $9.99 
On Sale Date: October 25, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Something regular Reggie readers (I call ‘em “Reggie’s Regulars!”) know is that I am big fan of horror comics. Readers of horror comics know that maybe five percent of them have ever been actually scary. It’s more the conceit, I think, of something spooky being laid out in panels that tickles my scary bone. That’s the one just to the left of the funny bone. So I can’t judge this anthology on the basis of how scary it is, but I will judge it on a bunch of other arbitrary traits! Since it’s an anthology, I’ll give a score for each story in the book, and the average ‘em up for a big ol’ phony score at the end that should satisfy ComicBookRoundUp’s requirements. Got it? Let’s sink our teeth into my review of DC House of Horror #1, and don’t forget your FRIGHT-time snack!

Detective Comics #967 Review



Reunited

Written by: James Tynion IV
Art by: Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez, Tomeu Morey, Jean Francois Beaulieu and Sal Cipriano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

Detective Comics has been all about getting Tim Drake back into the DCU, but it's been a buy one, get one free type of deal with the Tim Drake of Tomorrow along for the ride.  Actually, he's more about making things right and that means killing Kate Kane.  That's where we left off last issue and where we are picking up here.  Is it any good?  Let's find out...


Tuesday, October 24, 2017

PREVIEW: Justice League of America #17


Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Ivan Reis, Julio Ferreira, Oclair Albert, Marcelo Maiolo and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

“PANIC IN THE MICROVERSE” finale! The Justice League—betrayed! Ray Palmer, the original Atom, said not everyone could be trusted in the microverse, and he meant it! By rescuing Palmer and finding the Ignition Point, has the Justice League doomed all reality? It’s the quantum conclusion the sci-fi epic that began in DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH #1! 


PREVIEW: Nightwing: The New Order #3



Written by: Kyle Higgins
Art by: Trevor McCarthy, Dean White and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

After an unthinkable tragedy strikes the Grayson family, Dick finds himself a prisoner of the very system he helped create—with his son’s life hanging in the balance. With nowhere else to turn, Grayson seeks out an old friend for help…but some mistakes are impossible to forgive. 

PREVIEW: Batman: The Merciless #1




Written By: Peter J. Tomasi
Art By: Francis Manapul, Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

As the events of DARK NIGHTS: METAL rock the DC Universe, the creatures of the Dark Multiverse stand ready to invade our world! How can even the World’s Greatest Heroes stop a horde of deadly beings that appear to be powerful, nightmare versions of familiar figures? Find out in these special tie-in issues!

PREVIEW: Blue Beetle #14




Written By: Christopher Sebela
Art By: Scott Kolins, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Josh Reed
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

NEW CREATIVE TEAM! Following recent events in El Paso, Jaime and his friends decide to take a spontaneous road trip through the desert. But the scarab still exerts its influence, and inevitably, it will to lead Jaime into danger, this time in the form of a U.F.O. Will Jaime be forced to reveal his identity as Blue Beetle to his new girlfriend?

PREVIEW: Wonder Woman #33




Written By: James Robinson
Art By: Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy, Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 25, 2017

“TIMES PAST” part one! Grail, the daughter of Darkseid, has been on a quest to restore her father to his full power and glory after the events of Darkseid War! She must challenge children of the gods to steal their energy for the almighty Darkseid. Will any hero of myth be able to withstand her onslaught?!