Batman #106 Review and *SPOILERS*

Shark Tank

Written By: James Tynion IV
Art By: Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey
Letters By: Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 2, 2021

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

After taking a couple months off to release the Future State books, we have finally returned to our regularly scheduled program. Frankly, the Batman book is in a really interesting place. Batman is now without his fortune and will have to continue his crusade without that massive financial backing. Luckily for him, he has more allies than ever before as his old friend Ghost-Maker has now set up shop in Gotham. We also got the Infinite Frontier book which gave us some insight into where the book might be going in the future, and it just so happens to line up with the Future State book very well. Overall, there is a ton of interesting ways that this story can progress. The question now is, will this creative team take any of them? Let’s jump into this latest issue and find out.

Man-Bat #2 Review

Pile On The Man-Bat

Written By: Dave Wielgosz

Art By: Sumit Kumar, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Tom Napolitano

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 2, 2021

Now that we've seen the greatest hits of Man-Bat from the first issue of this mini, maybe now we can get to some meat in this story and maybe discover how Kirk Langstrom is going to cure himself of the Man-Bat formula destroying his DNA..... Or maybe we'll have a big ol' fight with our leathered winged main character against the Suicide Squad. Either way, it should be interesting. Let's jump into this issue and check out what Man-Bat is up to.  

Suicide Squad #1 Review

F'd In The "A-Day"

Written By: Robbie Thompson

Art By: Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, Marcelo Maiolo, Wes Abbott

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 2, 2021

Here we are with another Suicide Squad #1...... these things feel like they sprout up all the time anymore but that's not the most important thing going on here...... No, we're back to our present time and can maybe get a coherent story, where we'll know the beginning, middle, and end and we won't have to be left scratching our head about what's what. That being said, this issue takes place during the Joker attack on Arkham Asylum that was covered in Infinite Frontier #0 so if you want more about what's going on in Arkham, definitely check that out before you dive in deep with Suicide Squad. Okay, let's jump into this issue and see what Amanda Waller has planned for us this time. Let's check it out.

Crime Syndicate #1 Review

The World's Greatest Super-Villians

Written By: Andy Schmidt

Art By: Kieran McKeown, Dexter Vines, Steve Oliff, Rob Leigh, Bryan Hitch, Alex Sinclair

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 2, 2021

It's an exciting time to be an Earth-3 fan because it's a brand new ballgame with who our Crime Syndicate characters are, what they look like, and even who's a part of the team. That's right, with the Multiverse being reborn after the end of Death Metal, everyone, even the worst of the worst on Earth-3 gets another chance and Andy Schmidt has the task to build not only a new version of the Crime Syndicate but the world they inhabit. Let's hope that six issues are enough to really get the job done. Let's jump into this issue and see the formation of the mirror images of our favorite superheroes. Let's check it out.

Swamp Thing #1 Review

 

Alec Holland? Never Heard Of Him

Written By: Ram V
Art By: Mike Perkins
Colors By: Mike Spicer
Letters By: Aditya Bidikar
Cover Art By: Mike Perkins, Mike Spicer
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 2, 2021

In SWAMP THING #1, readers are introduced to a new Swamp Thing named Levi Kamei. He's an average bloke with typical job and girl problems in America (his current residence) and family troubles at home in his native India. Beyond the mundane problems of life, Levi is also a type of Swamp Thing that has nightmares about a green force inside him, and his body randomly manifests across the world to fight an immortal, undead, ghoulish Civil War soldier living in the desert.

You might be saying to yourself "When you say it like that, it doesn't make sense" And you'd be right.

Infinite Frontier #0 Review

 

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis, Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Geoff Johns, Phillip K. Johnson, Joelle Jones, Tim Sheridan, Geoffrey Thorne, James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson

Artist: Stephen Byrne, Jamal Igle, Jorge Jimenez, Joelle Jones, Alex Maleev, David Marquez, Alitha Martinez, Todd Nauck, Howard Porter, John Romita Jr., Rafa Sandoval, Dexter Soy, John Timms

Cover Price: $5.99

Release Date: March 2, 2021

Now that Future State is over, it's time to put aside the "possible future" and get to the "how did Death Metal affect the DC Universe?"  Whether you loved or loathed Future State, it's nice to get back to the regular line and see what's what.  Infinite Frontier #0 plays like a clip show of what to expect, and you know what?  I am okay with that.  Does everything hit right out of the gate?  Not really, but that rarely happens. So, let's dive in and find out if Infinite Frontier #0 lives up to the hype.

PREVIEW: The Swamp Thing #1

 

Writer: Ram V

Artist: Mike Perkins

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 2, 2021

Swamp Thing returns in a new 10-issue series that stars Levi Kamei as the next Guardian of the Green. Unable to control his transformation into the monstrous Swamp Thing, Levi is thrust into the harsh, unforgiving mystery of grisly murders committed by a supernatural desert legend. Levi must revisit past events in his homeland of India and face the deadly reality of a ravenous new villain in order to comprehend what he is truly, and horrifyingly, becoming. A new era of global action and horror blossoms here, and Swamp Thing will be at the root of it!

PREVIEW: Infinite Frontier #0

 

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis, Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Geoff Johns, Phillip K. Johnson, Joelle Jones, Tim Sheridan, Scott Snyder, Geoffrey Thorne, James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson
Artist: Stephen Byrne, Jamal Igle, Jorge Jimenez, Joelle Jones, Alex Maleev, David Marquez, Alitha Martinez, Todd Nauck, Howard Porter, John Romita Jr., Rafa Sandoval, Dexter Soy, John Timms
Cover Price: $5.99
Release Date: March 2, 2021

The next phase of the DC Universe begins here! Dark Knights: Death Metal presented the darkest threats of the Multiverse. DC Future State revealed what may lie ahead. Now it’s time to look into the Infinite Frontier of the current-day DC Universe.

In Gotham City, The Joker jolts citizens awake with an attack even the Dark Knight never expected. In Brazil, a young woman discovers her destiny and her connection to the Amazons. In Belle Reve, Amanda Waller plots an invasion of Arkham Asylum. In the far reaches of space, Mongul dreams of galactic domination, while the Green Lantern Corps hosts a summit of its greatest enemies. At the Hall of Justice, the League joins forces with Black Adam. Beyond the mortal world, Wonder Woman settles into a new role in the godsphere. And somewhere in the DC Universe-it’s the return of Stargirl, in an all-new tale written by Geoff Johns!

This oversized, all-star issue kicks off the next great era of storytelling and excitement as top writers and artists reveal what’s next for the World’s Greatest Heroes and opens the door to some of the greatest stories of 2021.

PREVIEW: Batman #106

 

Writer: James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson
Artist: Jorge Jimenez, Gleb Melnikov
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: March 2, 2021

Following the tragic events of Infinite Frontier #1, Batman and his new ally, Ghost-Maker, must reckon with a new gang operating in Gotham City-but are they connected to the reemergence of the Scarecrow? Meanwhile, shadowy billionaire Simon Saint pitches an advanced law-enforcement system to the new mayor! The creative team behind the epic “The Joker War” returns with a thrill-packed, dangerous new storyline called “The Cowardly Lot.”
Plus, the backup story “Demon or Detective” begins as Damian Wayne is on the run! After everything Damian has gone through, can he escape Gotham and find his way back to where his journey started-to his mother, Talia al Ghul? This two-part tale concludes this month in Detective Comics #1034!

Future State: Suicide Squad #2 Review

You're A Good Man, Conner Kent

Written By: Robbie Thompson, Jeremy Adams

Art By: Javier Fernandez, Alex Sinclair, Wes Abbott, Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, Jeremy Cox

Cover Price: $5.99

Release Date: February 23, 2021

We're Earth-3 bound as we head back to the year 2030 to see what the Justice Squad, led by Kon-El, Conner Kent are up to as they're being hunted by the Suicide Squad of Earth-0. With this being Earth-3 and us having no information going into the first issue, we have no idea if anyone we've seen yet is from the Earth we all know and love or if they're dark mirror versions. Let's jump into this issue and see if we can suss out what's going on in this Suicide Squad comic. Let's check it out.

Future State: Aquaman #2 Review

Is Slavery Okay If It's a Fish?

Written By: Brandon ThomasArt By: Daniel Sampere
Colors By: Adriano Lucas
Letters By: Clayton Cowles
Cover Art By: Sampere & Lucas
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 22, 2021

Future State: Aquaman #2 follows Andy from her escape so many years ago to the (future) present Aquaman't prison breakout. In one, long flashback that takes up almost the entire issue, we learn Andy could have escaped the sea monster by slashing its tentacle, that she subjugates sentient sea life to get around, and Aquaman taught her well enough to survive on her own.

It's the Aquaman/woman/lass version of Castaway. It's a talking leg. It's Future State.

Future State: Superman Vs. Imperious Lex #2 Review

Takesy Backsies

Written By: Mark Russell

Art By: Steve Pugh, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Carlos M. Mangual

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 23, 2021

Let's jump back into the year 2050 and see what happens when Lex Luthor tries to get his planet Lexor to be a part of the United Federation of Planets and what that will mean for our Man of Steel when Lois Lane has to go and be the representative to visit the planet of her husband's arch-rival. It doesn't help that Lex needs the United Planets since Superman went and destroyed all his robots that pillaged neighboring planets to secure their resources and wealth. Let's jump into this issue and see if Lex can play nice with others or if he finds another way to be independent and maybe rid of Superman at the same time. Let's check it out.

Future State: Batman/Superman #2 Review

When Narration and Exposition Becomes the Third Character

Written By: Gene Luen Yang

Art By: Ben Oliver, Stephen Segovia
Colors By: Arif Prianto
Letters By: Tom Napolitano
Cover Art By: David Marquez, Alejandro Sanchez
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 23, 2021

Future State: Batman/Superman #2 hops right back into the action with Superman captured by Mr. Toads Un-men while Batman discovers who's pulling Mr. Toad's strings. Turns out Professor Pyg (didn't Future State: Harley Quinn help capture him?) is running bizarre DNA experiments sanctioned and funded by the Magistrate to develop bio-weapons and bio-surveillance. And it's gross.

Eventually, Batman gets injured but still manages to save Superman from Professor Pyg and his synthetically grown kryptonite medical devices. The reunited duo shut down Pyg's operation, get Toad to remember there's still good in him, and bring in a Future State: Animal Man to fix Gotham's pigeons.

It's gross. It's way too much inner monologuing. It's Future State.

Future State: Superman: House of El #1 Review

Superman Family

Written By: Phillip Kennedy Johnson

Art By: Scott Godlewski, Gabe Eltaeb, Troy Peteri

Cover Price: $5.99

Release Date: February, 23, 2021

It's the year 3000 and it's time to get another Superman tale by the next writer of the Man of Steel after Future State is over and that's Phillip Kennedy Johnson. Hopefully, now that he's got his mission statement out of the way with the Superman: Worlds of War series we can jump into this future Superman story and actually get some Superman. Let's jump into this issue and see what the House of El holds in store for us. Let's check it out.

Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #5 Review

 

Guest Starring Red Hood, Poison Ivy, and (not) Two-Face

Written By: Katana Collins

Art By: Matteo Scalera
Colors By: Dave Stewart
Cover Art By: Sean Gordon Murphy
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: February 23rd, 2021

In Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #5, Harley and Quincy are trapped in the dastardly clutches of Starlet and the Producer. They barely manage to escape, but not before learning the big finale is rapidly approaching.

Harley recovers from the ordeal in a hospital and receives a visit from one Poison Ivy to check on her progress. The visit triggers another Joker origin flashback where we learn Joker has as much in comment with Two-Face than his traditional persona, and in keeping with this issue's theme of combining characters, Red Hood makes a cameo to save Harley from a nasty bomb. But is it Jason Todd under the hood?

Generations Forged #1 Review

Time Of Your Life

Written By: Dan Jurgens, Robert Venditti, Andy Schmidt

Art By: Mike Perkins, Marco Santucci, Paul Pelletier, Norm Rapmund, Bernard Chang, Joe Prado, Colleen Doran, Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Dan Jurgens, Kevin Nowlan, Hi-Fi, Tom Napolitano

Cover Price: $9.99

Release Date: February 26, 2021

It feels like it's been forever since we stepped into the time-shattered Universe of Generations Shattered but we're finally back and we can find out if our team of superhero misfits from all points of time can lay the smackdown on Dominus, the unmaker of worlds. When last we left this story we saw that Dominus had thrown our heroes into different times, not only separating them but stranding them so that time would continue to be Dominus' plaything. Let's jump into this issue and see where our heroes went and how they'll make their way back to Vanishing Point to end this would-be crisis. Let's check it out.