Superman Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

That's My Superman!

Written By: Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason

Art By: Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, Wil Quintana, Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: June 1, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

While the Final Days of Superman came off a bit rough because of how it seemed to be just working off a check list instead of telling a really cohesive and insightful story, I think we can all agree that the final pages of that arc were something of a tearjerker.  Goddamn if it didn't make me feel like I was ten years old again reading about when Superman died the first time at the hands of Doomsday.  Yeah, the arc with the Solar Superman didn't have that "oomf" that the original death of Superman had, but in the end it had all feels that we've been missing from a Superman title and hopefully those kind of feels should remain with Superman continuing over into Rebirth.  That's right boys and girls, Superman is dead and now it's up to a Pre-Flashpoint Superman to take his place and inspire hope to the masses as he protects his adoptive world and the rest of us that also happen to call it home.  Let's jump into this issue and see what's up with Rebirth and how our Superman title will be affected by it.  Let's check it out.

Green Lanterns Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Buddy Cop

Written By: Geoff Johns, Sam Humphries
Art By: Ethan Van Sciver, Ed Benes, Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: June 1, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Out of all the titles announced with the Rebirth moniker, I have to say that this one was the stand out in my mind that I couldn't wait to read........ Well, this and Blue Beetle, but we'll get to that one down the road a bit.  Anyway, the reason that I was so on board with this book right from the get go was because I've loved the Green Lanterns since I was a kid and it blew my mind when Geoff Johns introduced Simon Baz back during the #0 issue of the New 52 and the reason it blew my mind is because I initially blew it off like any asshole fanboy does before checking something out, but when I finally picked up the book and the subsequent issues that followed, I have to say that I immediately became a fan of Simon Baz and have been begging for him to get his own book ever since......... Yeah, you can't really say he has his own book here because he's sharing it with Jessica Cruz, but after she was introduced in the aftermath of Forever Evil, the idea of a rookie female Lantern peaked my interest as well and I've probably hit the jackpot by these two having a series together.  These aren't exactly young heroes like I enjoy seeing getting accustomed to their new role, but they are rookies and that's close enough for me to smile when I see this book.  Let's jump into this issue and see if the paring of these two are a match made in heaven.......... or if one of them starts reciting "I'm getting too old for this shit".  Let's check it out.

Titans Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Sparks Are Flyin'

Written By: Dan Abnett
Art By: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dalhouse, Carlos M. Mangual
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: June 15, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Goddamn does it feel like we need this series to kick some major ass after all the nonsense we've had with Teen Titans over the past....... well, in many people's minds since the New 52 started..... so we're talking some serious time that Teen Titans has been lackluster and personally I'm looking for some kind of deeper explanation about everything that went down in Titans Hunt because I feel that I'm putting a lot of the pieces together to try and have them make sense, whether those pieces are actually there or not.  So yeah, all of us Titans fans, whether they be teens or not at this point...... We need a win and hopefully this series is going to be the one to give it to us.  So yeah, we've gotten our Titans to come together after the events of Titans Hunt and now Wally West has made his way out of the Speed Force and wants to see what his best friends are up to so hopefully they can help him put right what once went wrong with the Universe........ not quite Quantum Leap style, but I'll go with it.  Let's jump into this Rebirth issue and see if the Titans remember Wally or if he's simply showing up to get his ass beat.  Let's check it out.

Batgirl and The Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Getting The Band Back Together

Written By: Julie Benson, Shawna Benson
Art By: Claire Roe, Allen Passalaqua, Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 20, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's really weird going into this title when the Batgirl book hasn't even come out yet because as you find out when you open this book, this takes place after Barbara's entire adventure in China.  I haven't looked at the solicits or heard anything about how long that story arc will go on, but from what we find out just from this comic existing....... I'm guessing it went pretty well because our Batgirl is back in old her stomping ground with her batteries recharged and looking for a good time........... or a bad time....... whatever kind of time you'd consider crime fighting to be.  So yeah, let's jump into this issue and see how Batgirl, Black Canary and Huntress all get together and decide to work as a team to take down the scum of........... well, wherever this book wants to go actually.  Let's check it out.

Aquaman: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

The Currymooners

Written By: Dan Abnett

Art By: Scot Eaton, Mark Morales & Oscar Jiménez, Gabe Eltaeb

Lettered By: Pat Brosseau

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: June 8, 2015

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Did you know that if you drained the world’s oceans into an endless number of standard beer glasses, it would fill nine-hundred trillion glasses? And those glasses would completely cover every horizontal surface in over forty-thousand soccer stadiums? Did you know that? Because those are some pretty cool facts, if true. Look, the ocean is so vast and so deep that it literally defines the words “vast” and “deep.” And while we fart around in the barest sliver of it at the beach or sputtering in it close to shore, there are cubic miles of the place that are totally unexplored and unknown to modern science. And in those cubic miles are the freakiest, scariest monsters you have ever imagined. I don’t know why the ocean scares me so much, I guess it’s knowing that while bobbing around in the top few feet of a bottomless canyon you are totally at the mercy of whatever happens to sniff your scent. Can sea monsters smell through water? I don’t even want to think about it. Let’s tuck into the first issue of the Aquaman Rebirth so we can pretend to feel safe in the water again.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

The Ring’s the Thing

Written By: Robert Vendetti

Art By: Ethan Van Sciver, Jason Wright

Lettered By: Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: July 13, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Here we go folks, the moment many of you have been waiting for: the reintroduction of Hal Jordan into this new, Rebirthed DC multiverse thingy! Where we last left Hal…yeesh, that was that whole thing where he stole Krona’s glove and took off, and it looked like he might be portrayed as a rascally space scoundrel like Han Solo, but ended up being portrayed as an endless whiner like Hal Jordan. I had high hopes for that story, but then the Green Lantern Corps were sucked into an alternate dimension and all the stakes vanished, and I drifted away about three issues into it. Well all that doesn’t matter because we’re Rebirthing here, and taking Hal in a new direction! Or, at the very least, I’ll be brought up to speed so I can continue reading this title going forward. Which will it be, folks, a new start for Hal Jordan or a recap of what’s come before so we can start fresh with the other number one issue in two weeks? Read on to find out!

The Hellblazer Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Don’t Forget: Constantine is a Prick

Written By: Simon Oliver

Art By: Moritat, Andre Szymonowicz

Lettered By: Sal Cipriano

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: July 20, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Well, well, well, if it ain’t our oul’ pal John Constantyne, innit? ‘E’s a roight wanker fer shewin’ ‘is face around ‘ere! Hey, if Jim can do a bad British accent on the podcast, why can’t I do one in my introduction? Here we are, Rebirthing John Constantine, a character that had a pretty big change in tone when stepping over from Vertigo into the DCU during the New 52 (though curiously, less of a change when he stepped over from DC to Vertigo in the early 1990s.) So what can we expect to see here? Some kind of amalgam between his wandering, magical screw-ups in the New 52 and the interminable personal horrors he was subjected to in the Vertigo title Hellblazer? Mmmmaybe. You’ll just have to read on and find out!

Teen Titans Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Teen Titans Unite! Or Else!

Story and Visuals By: Ben Percy & Jonboy Meyers

Colors By: Jim Charalampidis

Letters By: Corey Breen

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: September 28, 2016 

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

You know, if I did a pornographic version of this comic book, I would call it Teen Trojans. Yeah, I got nothing. Check out my review of Teen Titans Rebirth #1!

Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Putting the Pieces in Place

Written By: Rob Williams

Art By: Philip Tan, Jonathan Glapion, Scott Hanna, Sandy Florea, Alex Sinclair

Lettered By: Travis Lanham

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: August 3, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Who is excited for the Suicide Squad movie coming out this Friday??? This guy! Though, truth be told, I am not what you’d call a huge Suicide Squad fan. I read the Ostrander run, dabbled with team whenever they crossed over with the Doom Patrol, and popped in and out during the New 52 depending on reviews and hype. But since the 1980s, having to review this comic has been the longest sustained time I’ve been reading it. And it’s been a good time, for the most part, but it’s had little to do with the upcoming summer blockbuster, save for the re-coloring of Harley Quinn’s hair. That’s how I know the Suicide Squad film is going to do great: it isn’t beholden to as much comic book bullshit. I’m serious! No one is going to stand up in the theater and shriek, “Harley Quinn doesn’t kill!” No one will be upset that some middling point of Killer Croc’s continuity doesn’t jibe with something they read when Jimmy Carter was president. Suicide Squad does and has always existed in its own sort of universe, so the sky is the limit where the movie’s story is concerned. But what about the comic book? Will it hold up to the film’s success or live in its shadow? What am I, a fortune teller?? Read my review and make up your own mind!

Supergirl : Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

RE BIRTH BOOT

Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy, Michael Atiyeh and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: August 17, 2016

She's finally here...Supergirl!!!  While we got to see her in the Final Days of Superman, it's so nice to Supergirl fan and pretty much devoured every bit of information on this book as it came out, except one big nugget...the release date!  Yep, it kind of snuck up on me, but it lead to me being surprised in a Christmas Morning sort of way.  So, now that it's here, is it as good as I'd hoped or a disappointment in a Christmas Morning sort of way? Let's find out...
have her in her own book.  I am a huge

Deathstroke: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Rosebud

Written by: Christopher Priest
Art by:Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, Jeromy Cox and Willie Shubert
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: August 10, 2016

This is one of those books that is getting a little less hype than some of the other titles.  I get it, Deathstroke is not really a household name and being an anti-hero is a tough sell.  Unlike a lot of people, I really enjoyed the New 52 Deathstroke for it's over the top action movie vibe.  However, this is Rebirth and I am going into it with an open mind.  Will Christopher Priest continue sending me down the road to truly loving Slade Wilson?  Let's find out...

Justice League: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Inside Out

Written by: Bryan Hitch
Art by: Bryan Hitch, Daniel Henriques, Scott Hanna, Alex Sinclair and Richard Starkings
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 6, 2016

The Justice League has finally joined the Rebirth party and I'm not sure if someone forgot to send it the invitation, but it felt odd not seeing it eating chips, drinking punch and playing spin the bottle with the rest of the big books.  Of course, I have my theories on why it was delayed, but this isn't the time or place for that.  This is the time and place to find out if the wait was worth it.  Bryan Hitch has some big shoes to fill taking the baton form Geoff Johns and it all starts here.  Is one of DC's biggest books in good hands?  Let's find out...

Red Hood and the Outlaws: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

It'll Surprise You

Written by: Scott Lobdell
Art by: Dexter Soy, Veronica Gandini and Taylor Esposito
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 27, 2016

This is my first crack at reviewing a Redhood title as Eric has always been the resident expert when it comes to Jason Todd.  I have read and enjoyed Red Hood in his various books in the New 52/DC You, so it's not like I am a newb or anything.  However, if Scott Lobdell does his job, it shouldn't matter if I am a veteran reader or someone fresh off the boat who just happens to stop at a newsstand and grab Red Hood Comic for some reason and then read it instead of looking for an apartment or a job.  So, did Lobdell do his job and is there anyone out there looking to employ a middle aged man with no real skills who will work for a ham sandwich?  Let's find out...

Nightwing: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Never Say Never Again


Written By: Tim Seeley
Art By: Yanick Paquette, Nathan Fairbairn, Carlos Mangual
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 13, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Our boy Dick Grayson has gone through a lot since the New 52 started....... and probably a lot before that too, but we didn't get to see all of that, what with the five year gap....... even though Batman and Robin would have been perfect to show us some earlier Robin stuff instead of giving us the stages of grief of Batman after Damian died with Catwoman, Aquaman, etc. etc.  That's probably something I'll never stop bitching about, but it serves no real purpose here because the Grayson book is over and it's time to put Dick's spy days behind him as he squeezes back into his tights and hopefully get all the people who bitched when the Grayson book came out, back on board........ bitchy little naysayers.  Anyway, Dr. Dedalus has been defeated, Dick's identity is his again and now it's time for us to finally resolve the ending to the Robin War.  Let's jump into this Rebirth issue and see what kind of tone is set.  Let's check it out.

Blue Beetle: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Get To Know Your Blue Beetles

Written By: Keith Giffen
Art By: Scott Kolins, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Josh Reed
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: August 24, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's been a dog's age since we've opened a book and saw our Jaime Reyes kicking it.......... or doing anything actually and I'm happy as hell that he gets to come back so we can take a peak into the world of this Blue Beetle because really...... I just missed his ass.  With this series, we get Keith Giffen rocking our scenarios and dialog and besides for him being the creator of the character, I like the idea of him being at the helm of this, even if I'm not his biggest fan because whether it's being proud of ones creation or not, Giffen has been keeping this character going the best he could...... and really, Ted Kord's character as well.  We saw Teddy boy having adventures with Booster Gold in Giffen's Justice League 3000 and the last time we saw Jaime, Giffen was keeping him going as a side character to his Threshold series.  So yeah, there seems to be a lot of love going on for these characters.  Let's jump into this Rebirth issue and see if the love continues and find out what Jaime's been up to since he returned from space at the conclusion of Threshold......... or if any of that even matters.  Let's check it out.

Batman Beyond: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

The Word of The Day Is....... Schway

Written By: Dan Jurgens
Art By: Ryan Sook, Jeremy Lawson, Tony Avina, Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 28, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's time to get back into our Batman Beyond world now that Tim Drake is out of the picture........ and possibly out of time...... and get back to a more classic feel with Terry McGinnis running around Neo Gotham and kicking the shit out of crime on a regular basis.  Not only Terry, but we need to get the classic cast of this series back as well and distance ourselves from anything related to Brother Eye because what fun is it to have a regular superhero in a world that's already destroyed?  Now, I'm a stickler for continuity, but if this series decided to retcon everything that we dealt with in the previous series, I wouldn't mind at all because it honestly became a mess and for Batman to flourish in this title, he needs to be able to save the world, not pick up its shattered pieces.  Let's jump into this issue and see what our new series looks like and what kind of tone this Rebirth issue sets.  Let's check it out.

DC Rebirth Holiday Special #1 (2016) Review

Harley Got Shafted This Holiday

Written By: Paul Dini, Tim Seeley, Eric Esquivel, Heath Corson, Gustavo Duarte, Mariko Tamaki, James Tynion IV, Gene Luen Yang, K. Perkins, James Asmus, Bill Freiberger, Steve Orlando, Vita Ayala

Art By: Elsa Charretier, Hi-Fi, Josh Reed, Ian Churchill, Alex Solazzo, Carlos M. Mangual, Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, Gustavo Duarte, Marcelo Maiolo, Matias Bergara, J. Nanjan, Robbie Rodriguez, Alejandro Sanchez, Andrea Mutti, Ben Hunzeker, Paolo Pantalena, Arif Prianto, Reilly Brown, Scott Hanna, Tony Avina, Thomas Pitilli, V. Ken Marion, Mick Gray
Cover Price: $9.99
Release Date: December 14, 2016

Where over the past year or two we've seen Harley Quinn representing Holiday Specials left and right, I'm thinking that DC wants to hang back with her this holiday season so that they can push the Rebirth brand a little more and even though it's weird not seeing the name Harley on something holiday related, I think this was a smart move because anybody who's anybody wants to get their meat hooks on anything Rebirth these days.  So yeah, that's about it.  It's the holiday season and DC wants your money.......... if there's anything left after shopping for friends and relatives, but who doesn't keep a little left over so that they can get themselves something?  Bunch of selfish oafs!  Nah, I do the same thing so let's jump into this review and find out if this over-sized DC Rebirth Holiday Special should be in your stocking.  Let's check it out.

Justice League of America: Vixen Rebirth #1 (2017) Review

On The Hunt

Written By: Steve Orlando, Jody Houser

Art By: Jamal Campbell, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: January 11, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Now that we've gotten to know our Atom for the JLA book, it's time to get to know a bit about Vixen and boy, it's been a long time coming.  Thinking back, the only thing that I can right off the top of my head remember Vixen appearing in is a photo in the first issue of Justice League International, where Amanda Waller passed on her membership into the group and her possibly showing up when the Justice League opened up membership before Forever Evil hit...... but even that, I'm not sure about.  Yeah, we've really gotten the shaft when it comes to Vixen, but hopefully that changes now that we get this Rebirth issue and know that she's going to be kicking ass and taking names in the new JLA book in February.  Let's jump into this issue and see where Mari McCabe started out so that we know where she's headed.  Let's check it out.

Justice League of America: The Ray Rebirth #1 (2017) Review

A Ray of Hope

Written By: Steve Orlando

Art By: Stephen Byrne, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: January 18, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

While I have a decent amount of knowledge about all the rest of the characters getting one-shots to get us ready for JLA in February, it's this issue that I've been most excited for because man, I don't know shit about The Ray.  He's one of those characters that just escaped me....... Hell, The Ray had himself a mini-series around the beginning of the New 52 and even that I passed on....... and I didn't pass on much.  Here I am though, finally getting redemption for my ignorance by getting the chance to know all about the character and what he'll mean to Rebirth as he stands alongside some major characters in my mind when he joins the JLA.  Let's jump into this one-shot and learn together shall we?  Let's check it out.

Justice League of America: Killer Frost Rebirth #1 (2017) Review

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Written By: Steve Orlando, Jody Houser

Art By: Mirka Andolfo, Arif Prianto, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: January 25, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Killer Frost's redemption continues in this Rebirth issue, but after seeing it begin with the Suicide Squad backup and then seeing it throughout the Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad event, I don't know if it's really needed at this point.  Hell, if you want to get technical, we started seeing this change in the character back in the Forever Evil: ARGUS.  Yeah, Killer Frost has come a long way since trying to suck off Firestorm's heat and I guess we'll see the final leg of that redemption here before she joins the ranks of other heroes as a member of the Justice League of America.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Cyborg: Rebirth #1 (2016) Review

Restarting The System

Written By: John Semper Jr.
Art By: Paul Pelletier, Sandra Hope, Tony Kordos, Guy Major, Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 7, 2016

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Okay Cyborg, what do you have for me this time?  I mean, I love Cyborg, but it seems that all he did in the New 52 and DCYou was hack something or get hacked by something....... and I understand that we have ourselves a living computer as a character here, but isn't there more to Vic Stone?........ You know, besides for all the daddy issues that is.  Hopefully we find out here if this new series is up to the task of giving Cyborg a little more character than he's had over the past couple of years and if he'll be pitted against something that requires more than some super hacker-y.  Let's jump into this issue and see what Rebirth has in store for us.

Justice League of America: The Atom Rebirth #1 (2017) Review

Little Man On Campus

Written By: Steve Orlando

Art By: Andy MacDonald, John Rauch, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: January 4, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

With the new JLA title coming up, it's time to get acquainted with some of the members of that new group so that you don't feel completely lost going into that title.  Yeah, it's a strange team, full of strange characters, but I think that's what will make it fun..... or at least that's what I hope.  It's no shock that all of us at Weird Science (Jim Werner) have had their misgivings with Steve Orlando's work in the past, but with the current Justice League book being what it is (garbage), I actually look forward to the new JLA book a lot because really, we all need a decent Justice League title coming our way and what better way to start the new year than being pleasantly surprised with this incarnation of the team.  Okay, so as we saw in the DC Rebirth Special, Ray Palmer is trapped in the Microverse and it's up to Ryan Choi to save him and possibly get the answers we need to the mysteries surrounded Rebirth itself, so let's jump into this issue and see how Ryan went and got himself into that predicament.  Let's check it out.

Justice League of America: Rebirth #1 (2017) Review

Group Meeting

Written By: Steve Orlando

Art By: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Oclair Albert, Marcelo Maiolo, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: February 8, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Well, after all those one-shots, it's finally here.  The Justice League of America as you've never seen it before........... Well, I'm sure you've seen strange ass incarnations of the team in the past, but this team is certainly something in its own category.......... We've got two past villains for Rao's sake.  Anyway, this Rebirth issue is merely the gathering of the team and their introductions to one another, but with us already having Rebirth issues to four of the team members, I don't know how interesting this issue will be.  Let's jump in and check it out and see if we can get some hype going for this Justice League title.......... because goddamn could we use a decent one at this point.  Let's check it out.

Convergence: Booster Gold #2 (2015) Review

What's the (Vanishing) Point?

Written by: Dan Jurgens
Art by: Alvaro Martinez and Raul Fernandez
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 27, 2015


Last Month's issue of Booster Gold was very different than the usual tie-ins.  First off, it didn't feel like a tie-in at all, but more a continuation of the Booster Gold stories from before the New 52, through Futures End up to the present Event.  It answered a lot of questions for those following Booster through these stories but must have been very confusing for someone jumping in looking for a little fun.  However, ending the book with (one) Booster meeting up with Blue Beetle promised that this issue would be nothing but a good time, right?  Well, it's hard to have a good time when your dying, but a crazy story filled with mistakes doesn't help either.

Convergence: Crime Syndicate #2 (2015) Review

Where Art Thou, Owlman?

Written by: Brian Buccellato
Art by: Phil Winslade
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 27, 2015


This book was the one I was looking forward to the most going into the final week of this Convergence Event.  The last issue really took me by surprise and even though I am not schooled on either the Crime Syndicate or the DC One Million heroes, I was so into the story that Brian Buccellato gave fans.  He focused on both teams and both stories were winners.  The Crime Syndicate fighting to save Superwoman's life and the Justice Legion Alpha fighting Lincoln Luthor for all their lives were just plain excellent and had me on the edge of my seat.  Then the Dome went down and we were left with two teams facing off to save cities that want them dead.  If that isn't an awesome setup I don't know what is.  Does this issue live up to that awesomeness?  Let's find out...