Constantine #8 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Ray Fawkes
Art By: ACO
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

A Kick In The Arse!

When last we left our chain smoking anti hero Mister E had caught Constantine in a very vulnerable situation.
 What I mean by vulnerable is that he was butt naked, and had just had a slam dance with Sargon.  So let's see if Constantine is up for a fight, or just wants to finish his cigarette, and go to sleep.

Explain It!:

So the fight you've been waiting for.  Constantine vs. Mister E.  Now this isn't a conventional fight so to try and not bog you down with a play by play scenario, I'll just tell you that this fight was full of mystical probing energies, illusions, and astral projections.  But we do find out that Sargon has left a mystical weapon by her bedside; the moon blade.  The law of the Cold Flame denies any member to hurt another, but it doesn't state that they can't help someone else.  Constantine takes the sword, and plunges it into Mister E.  The fight is over the only way it could and still continue this story.

The moment Mister E's heart stops, his magical energy is siphoned out by Sargon, and Tannarak.  We find out that Tannarak, and Sargon had planned on Mister E's demise, and John seeing no way out, finally agrees to join the Cold Flame.  Later after all the initiation ceremonies, John makes his way back to his room.  There alone with the Moon Blade we find out that when Constantine stabbed Mister E, he also bound his soul to the weapon.

In the end Constantine tells Mister E, how the Cold Flame had betrayed him, and makes a deal with Mister E.  If Mister E tells John all the secrets, and vulnerabilities of the Cold Flame, he won't send him to a empty dimension.  To show that he's a good sport John also let's Mister E chose who will die first.  So now that that is taken care of John can go back and join the three teams and finish up the Trinity War.  Damn out of sync timelines.

Bits and Pieces:

With only nineteen pages, this book seems to do a lot.  We have a big battle, plot twists, and even gets us to where the book should be with the rest of the DCU.  But nothing in this issue impressed me.  It just seemed to be spinning it's wheels to get done as soon as possible.  Last issue seemed to be setting up for something big with the introduction of Julia Everheart, but we're left without any further explanation, I guess either she'll play apart of Forever Evil: Blight, or maybe we have to wait until that is even over.  I don't know.  But I'll keep reading waiting for the asshole with a heart to capture our hearts once again.

5/10

Superman Unchained #4 Review

Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Jim Lee
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 6, 2013

Keep Your Friends Close and Let Your Enemies Save You

Scott Snyder is a Comic Book Rock Star.  His Batman is the crown jewel of the New 52 and whatever he writes seems to turn to gold.  However, I must admit that I had trepidation when I heard he'd be penning Superman Unchained.  I was afraid that his layered writing and strong monologues that make Batman so special would not work with the Man of Steel.  Superman is a hero who always wants to do the right thing and punches things...real hard.  It's strange to admit it now, but I thought Snyder might be too smart for Superman.  As is usually the case, I was dead wrong.  Scott Snyder gets Superman and him and Jim Lee are already taking us on a hell of a ride.

Explain It:

Superman is fighting Ascension with the help of Wraith.  Yes, we aren't really sure of the brute's motives, but he seems to be on Superman's side...for now.  No matter the reason, Wraith is really laying it out there to save Superman's hide.  Meanwhile, Lex Luthor has taken Jimmy Olsen captive is is not so much torturing him as he is mentally abusing him.  He is making origami figures of Batman, Wonder Woman and of course Superman and asking Jimmy cryptic questions about how they will die.  There might not be anything creepier than a grown man making paper dolls, just saying. 

There's lots going on in this issue because at the same time Lois is recovering from Ascension crashing her plane.  She seems to have survived with the help of a blind man with a shard similar to the one Superman has in the Fortress of Solitude.  He tells Lois the shard is the secret to everything right before Lois is knocked out by...you guessed it, Ascension.

The Issue ends with Superman in dire need of medical attention, Lois learning that Ascension has some personal ties and Lex telling Jimmy that he will kill Superman.  Holy Crap!

Scott Snyder is a master storyteller.  He gives you enough to whet your appetite while leaving so many things unexplained.  This issue goes in so many directions, but your happy to follow them all.  What makes the book so special is Snyder's take on the characters.  Superman wants to help everyone, but can't even seem to help his dearest friends or himself.  Lex is bat-shit crazy and a genius at the same time which makes him all the more scary.  Lois is strong and independent, but still needs Superman's help.  Everything fits so well.

Speaking of masters, Jim Lee's art is second to none.  His work here is so vibrant and detailed and his action scenes are awesome.  I know the guy has problems meeting deadlines, but when the work is done it is worth the wait.

The only problem I have with this issue is that it gives more questions than it answers.  It is a minor issue and one that I know will eventually pay dividends in the future.  I'm just nitpicking so I don't seem like I want to have Snyder and Lee's baby.

Bits and Pieces:

Superman Unchained #4 continues Scott Snyder and Jim Lee's run as the best Superman book in the New 52.  This issue is action packed, mystery filled fun and excitement.  The storytelling and art combine to make this one special book indeed.  Must Read.

9.5/10

Birds of Prey #24 Review

Written by: Christy Marx
Art by: Romano Molenaar and Robson Rocha
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 16, 2014

It Finally Gets Personal

When we last saw the Birds of Prey things weren't going so well.  The team were trapped in dream sequences for most of last issue and then Black Canary and Condor were taken by Basilisk terrorists.  Batgirl barely managed to escape with the help of Strix and the two have no way of following the Basilik aircraft and their captured teammates.

Christy Marx has not been on a good run.  The title has stalled a bit in the last few issues and Villain's Month interrupted the series completely.  Fortunately, I can say that issue #24 is one of the better ones in a while.  First off, it's a decent jumping on point for new (or returning) readers.  The Team's recent history is recapped enough to get the reader up to speed.  There are also a couple of early reveals that make the situation Black Canary is in very interesting.  Plus, you get the fact that Condor is back with his ex(?) team which really puts his motivation and loyalties to the test.  Condor was due for some character development and this issue puts him on that path.

The Villain reveal also provides a better conflict for the team.  He has a past with them and his plan is one that would effect the whole DC Universe.  He is a bit generic, but at least there is some good setup for future trouble.

The art of Romano Molenaar and Robson Rocha doesn't fare as well.  Their faces and bodies just seem a little off.  Also, a couple of panels have characters with just whites for eyes.  It may be a minor quibble, but it freaks me out.

Bits and Pieces:

Christy Marx has given us her best issue of Birds of Prey yet.  The story sets the team up for future conflict that is sure to be interesting and personal.  Unfortunately, the art is not very good, but the way things are going for this title I won't ask for too much.  Hopefully, being sandwiched between Villain's Month and next issue's Zero Year tie-in doesn't make readers just give up on the story and the book for good.

6.9/10

Forever Evil: Arkham War #2 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Peter J. Tomasi
Art By: Scot Eaton, Jaime Mendoza
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Banes, And Penguins, And Man-Bats, Oh Shit.

Continuing the Forever Evil side story I was looking forward to the most.  Bane's raising an army, and all of the Arkham inmates will feel his might.  Or we'll side peddle till the last issue, find out here if this shatters my expectations and leaves me crying for a Arkham War we deserve.  So join me in Arkham War #2.

Explain It!:

We begin this story with Bane's forces trying to take out the resistance in Man-Bat's sector.  But what they didn't count on was for Kirk Langstrom to give people his Man-Bat serum as well, but what they really didn't count on was for these Man-Bats to have automatic weapons.  Man-Bat 1 Bane 0.

In another part of the city, The Penguin meets up with Bane.  The two discuss their future working relationship.  Since we see now that Penguin is playing both sides of this war.  Bane expects him to keep up appearances with the Arkhamites, and when the time is right betray them.  Penguin agrees, but in return he wants one of Bane's newly acquired men from Blackgate Prison; Emperor Penguin.  Bane agrees to these terms as well, and the two are about to part ways, when Penguin let's a little knowledge bomb on Bane due to their new found friendship.  Apparently during this meeting, Scarecrow, and the rest of the Arkham inmates are raiding Blackgate prison to take Banes advantage away.  They're transporting the statis pods of the Talons out of Banes hands.  Bane is furious, and almost takes these frustrations out on Penguin, but calmer heads prevail.  Bane leaves Penguin to go defend his stronghold.  Now that Penguin is done with that meeting, he walks over to a van parked on the road, and opens the door.  Inside Commissioner Gordon, and Officer Pierce were attempting a secret stakeout of the two villain's meeting.  So much for that.  Man the Penguin is on top of this city, I vote for him to win this war, I don't think that's the way it works but I'll still vote for him.  But back to the busted stakeout, Penguin tells the two officers, that the temp Warden of Blackgate is still alive, and gives them away to rescue her, during the battle for Blackgate.

Inside Blackgate Prison chaos explodes, as the city's worst criminals, and biggest psychotics have a Hunger Games scenario without all the teen angst.  Outside by the loading dock Scarecrow is securing the freeze tubes that keep the Talon's in their big sleep.  The Man-Bat gang is harnessed up, and breaking off into teams of two to haul each tube to Mr. Freeze's labs.  But what they didn't expect was for Bane to come a runnin, and ruin their day.  The Man-Bats take flight with their cargo, but Langstrom is too slow, Bane grabs him breaking one of his wings, and keeps at least one of his Talons.

During the frenzy Gordon, and Pierce make their way into Blackgate dressed as inmates, and free the warden.  They make their escape, in an antique police car that wasn't affected by the worldwide blackout.  As they make their way out, they are stopped by Bane, who gives the warden her assistant back, claiming that they temporarily want the same thing.  Bane's playing the angles now too.

Bits and Pieces:

We get a lot of action in this issue, but not a lot of substance.  Besides for a conversation between Bane, and The Penguin, we are given no new information to keep this story moving forward.  But I really have a hard time faulting this title for anything, because it's just an awesome concept, and the artwork has the ability to give your eyes an orgasm.  With two issues down, and four to go I'm sure it'll come to a head in a big way, and I can't wait.

7.8/10

Stormwatch #25 Review

Written by: Jim Starlin
Art by: Yvel Guichet
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 6, 2013

Maybe Deathwatch Would be More Appropriate

Stormwatch is not a book on the top of many readers list of best New 52 books.  The book has failed to grab an audience even with fan favorites Martian Manhunter at the beginning of the run and Lobo recently. The book feels like a relic from the past ( a Jim Lee Wildstorm past to be exact) and just doesn't seem to fit in the New 52.  I think that it is "when" not "if" this book will be canceled and I can't see it lasting beyond this Summer.  Oh well, at least we have issue #25, right?  Well, be careful what you wish for young readers because you may get it and what you get here is a complete mess of a comic.

Explain It:

The Stormwatch team is set to fight Mordak and retrieve an artifact before Extrememax can get it for himself.  With the help of A.I. the team attacks Mordak and things don't go well.  Hellstrike gets taken down, Lobo gets hurt, recovers and then deserts the team, A.I. gets shut down and Apollo gets the crap kicked out of him.  All is not lost though, as Weird recovers the artifact and Jenny Soul psionically blasts Mordak to pieces.

The team gathers themselves up and head back to the Skywatch in time to see Lobo return against his will.  You see, he has a fail safe on him that doesn't allow him to get too far from Skywatch without permission.  Meanwhile, there appears to be a traitor amongst the soldiers stationed on the ship and A.I. is going to reveal the true nature of the Kollective after taking the Skywatch to an unknown destination.

Jim Starlin is really fighting an uphill battle.  He has a team of unknown and unwanted heroes to work with.   However, what he gives the most popular member, Lobo, is some of the worst dialogue of the series.  Lobo's lines are cringe worthy and some of the worst I've seen for the character in general.  The action is confusing and cluttered and the story doesn't go anywhere.

The art by Yvel Guichet is serviceable at best.  It lacks definition and just comes across as bland.  It doesn't help that it is the "grayest" book on the stands today.

Bits and Pieces:

Stormwatch #25 is not a good book.  The story is confusing and the art is bland.  The team itself is a relic from the past and doesn't seem to fit in the New 52.  The way things are going, it won't be there much longer anyway.

3.0/10

Katana #9 Review

Written by: Ann Nocenti

Art by: ChrisCross and Cliff Richards
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Beware of Children, You Stupid Katana

It's been a running joke here at Weird Science to make fun of Ann Nocenti.  It is nothing personal, I'm sure she is a lovely woman.  However, when it comes to writing comics, there may not be a worse writer out there.  Her Catwoman is horrible and she turned the hype surrounding Joker's Daughter into a joke.  The best thing she did on Green Arrow was let Jeff Lemire take over.  Then there is Katana.  This book has been a total mess since it started.  It goes from laugh-out-loud funny (in a bad way) to frustratingly confusing page after page.  Luckily the powers that be at DC have seen the light and are allowing Katana to commit seppuku on her Soultaker and end the madness.  Until then, we have the final issues of Katana trying to take over the Dagger Clan.  At least that's what I think is going on.

Explain It:

After defeating Coil in the last issue, Katana has been told she must kill Mona Shard and the Dagger Clan.  Unknown to Katana, Mona has taken possession of a little girl's body and has killed the leader of the Dagger Clan, claiming the leadership for herself.  When Katana attacks the Clan, she cannot bring herself to kill a child even though the girl (who is Mona Shard, remember) stabs her in the back.  She goes back to the Sword Clan convinced she was setup, sleeps with Sickle, has a crazy dream about her dead husband and Sickle, spies on the Sword Clan's gambling den and then returns to fight the little girl.  Ok, if you need to sit back and relax a bit I understand.   We also get to see Shun's severed foot, Shun, herself, buying a sniper rifle and deciding to maim thugs instead of killing them and a possessed Sumo wrestler trapping a rat in a cup.  

Ann Nocenti has done it again.  This book is so bad it is almost good.  The dialogue is hilarious, the story ridiculous and the characters just plain stupid.  Ann is definitely from the "tell-don't-show" school of comic book writing.  Unfortunately, I don't think there is such a school.  I imagine Ann sitting at a desk in an empty classroom waiting for the teacher to arrive.  Seriously, comic books are at least a bit of a visual medium, right.  Isn't that what the pretty pictures are for?  Everything that happens in this book is explained with dialogue.  Mona Shard has killed the Dagger Clan leader and is sitting on his corpse and we get such gems as, "She's sitting on our Boss like it's her couch".  

What makes this even worse is often the visuals don't even seem to match the story.  CrissCross and Cliff Richards have done a decent job on this book in the past, but maybe with the cancellation they mailed this one in.  Katana looks different throughout the book and the action can get a bit confusing.  Again, I have to give them a bit of a pass because most of the action is described with dialogue leaving little room for them to show what they can do.

Bits and Pieces:

Katana has been canceled and issue #9 shows why.  The story is confusing, the dialogue will make you laugh and the art is not good.  I really cannot find any reason for anyone to read this book except as a lesson on how not to write a comic.  It is that bad.

1.5/10

Nightwing #25 Review

Written by: Kyle Higgins
Art by: Will Conrad and Cliff Richards
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Teamwork Helps You Win, Not Arguments

Young Dick is a real...jerk.  His ego has caused a rift between his friends and also to disobey his parents.  He just thinks he can do everything better by himself.  This Zero Year issue shows the reader and young Dick Grayson that a hero needs to depend on others to truly be great.  At the end he knows, and knowing is half the battle.

Kyle Higgins uses this Zero Year tie-in to show how a young Dick Grayson made the steps to becoming a hero.  What I like about it is this is before his Parent's murder.  It shows that while their murder was the final straw, the boy who would become the first Robin already was developing into a future do gooder.

The action features Amygdala and is pretty intense.  Higgins has given Dick an enemy that he can't hope to beat, especially head on.  To a bunch of young kids, what could be more frightening than a uncontrollable brute bent on ripping them apart.   Of course, Dick rises to the occasion using his smarts, bravery and acrobatic skills.

What I didn't like about the issue was how heavy handed it was.  It came off like a GI Joe PSA (hence the intro).  Everything just seemed like a setup.  Dick doesn't rely on others, goes and sees a movie with a Superhero TEAM, is saved by a TEAM of kids when Gotham goes dark, and TEAMWORK saves the day.  Of course, throw in the kid who acts like Dick used to (all but two hours earlier) and he quickly sees the err of his ways.  Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate this issue, but it is far from subtle.

Bits and Pieces:

Kyle Higgins uses Zero Year to tell the story of a young Dick Grayson learning to be a man and a hero.  It is nice to see him pre Robin in the New 52.  However, it's a shame the story had to be so heavy handed.  Higgins has given us so many great Nightwing moments in the past couple of years, but unfortunately this one seems like a missed opportunity.  This issue is by no means necessary as a Zero Year tie-in, but Nightwing fans will probably like the early look at their favorite crimefighter.

5.5/10

Worlds' Finest #17 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Paul Levitz
Art By: RB Silva, Joe Weems, Ryan Winn
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Worlds' Something

Last issue was a bit of a let down for me, we had Huntress being clumsy, and a Power Girl with erratic powers.  They let the Tattooed Woman get away with burning down several buildings, so where does that lead us to start out the issue?  They better be doing something productive after the weak sauce they gave us last issue.  So let's find out.

Explain It!:

So we start out this issue with Power Girl getting a tattoo.  God damn it!  

Since Power Girl's powers have been faltering, she decides to go out with Helen and get a tattoo.  But she doesn't have any luck there either, the tattoo gun breaks as soon as it touches her skin.  So now the two can get back on the job.  

Power Girl decides to try and get her powers back on track once and for all, so with the help of the fortune she's acquired on this earth, she takes a shuttle into outer space.  The pilot apparently has signed a non disclosure agreement so when Karen Starr strips down to her Power Girl costume, and leaves the shuttle, we don't have to worry about him spilling the beans.  Karen figures since her powers are derived from earth's yellow sun, that she will get up close and personal with it.  But what she didn't count on was for her powers to become super charged, and uncontrollable.  Power Girl is going down..........and by down I mean back into earth's atmosphere.

Meanwhile Huntress uses her deductive reasoning to determine the Tattooed Woman's next target.  An explosion erupts, and the chase is on.  Huntress chases the Tattooed Woman to a bridge where the two duke it out with shadow constructs, and crossbows.  But the fight is interrupted when a large ball of light is seen in the night sky.  So obviously this is Power Girl, but what are the chances that she'd come down right where Huntress is?  There is the telescopic vision answer, but why would a superhero who doesn't have control of their powers come down so close to a populated area?  Or maybe I'm just reading too much into this and should get a social life.  But back to the book.  Power Girl lands in the water surrounding the bridge Huntress is on.  She jumps down to Karen, but the book ends with Karen telling her to say away, she's out of control.  Again, why did she land there?  

Bits and Pieces:

So this issue brings us nothing new.  We get Huntress chasing the newly introduced Tattooed Woman, but we get no back story on her, and Power Girl's powers are still out of control, and besides for a disastrous trip to space, we might as well be reading a new take on the last issue.  This book has seemed to struggle to find it's way since it's introduction, and issues like this aren't helping.  

4/10

Superman/Wonder Woman #2 Review

Written by: Charles Soule
Art by: Tony S. Daniel
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Gods and Monsters

Superman and Wonder Woman are two parts of DC's Trinity, the most powerful couple on Earth and now the stars of one of the best books in the New 52.   I had my concerns about this book, but Charles Soule and Tony S. Daniel have really come through in spades.

Wonder Woman has brought Superman home to meet her Family.  Most of us know how awkward that can be, but when the "Family" is a dysfunctional bunch of Gods, it can get crazy real quick.  Of course, it does.  Apollo doesn't approve of Diana's choice of Boyfriends and lets them both know.  After reading this issue you will know what happens when Superman fights a God and let me tell you, it's awesome.

Charles Soule proves last issue was no fluke.  Where others may have chosen to ignore the main characters other titles, he cherry picks the best parts of both and mixes them into this book to produce something even greater than it's parts.  The book fits so well into both hero's mythos and the New 52 in general. Superman/Wonder Woman is also pretty damn funny (Clarke's answering machine and a shout out to Batman vs Guy Gardner are both hilarious).  Furthermore, the issue is bookended by two popular villains, the later creating a cliff hanger that will surely prove exciting in issues to come.

Tony S. Daniel's art is also a great combination of the Wonder Woman and Superman titles.  Everything looks great, but more importantly, everything looks right.  A special shout out to Tomeu Morey on colors.  Everything is so bright and vibrant that it just jumps off the page.

Bits and Pieces:

Superman/Wonder Woman #2 continues to impress.  Charles Soule is giving us a personal tale of two of Earth's most powerful Heroes.  Tony S. Daniel's art compliments both the story and it's main characters so well.  This is now become one of my top five books in the New 52.

9.5/10

Vibe #9 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Sterling Gates
Art By: Derlis Santacruz
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Justice League of Piradell?

So is everyone ready to get confused?  Well you're more prepared than I was.  When last we left our cancelled hero, Vibe signed on with Breacher (The outed king, and leader of a rebellion on Piradell), and a gang of misfits to take down his wife, and mother of Gypsy; Mordeth.  So be prepared to be thrown into a world where you are introduced to a lot of things, or not introduced and have to make wild leaps at understanding them.  Now this is the point where I explain it, but I'll apologize to you now, and just hope....... just really hope you understand whats going on.  Oh and hopefully you read last issue, or at the very least read my summery to help me, help you understand.  Oh god here we go.

Explain It!:

Mordeth the evil queen of Piradell is planning on using the dimensional energy absorbed by Gypsy from her time on earth, to break the dimensional barriers that Breacher placed around the dimension of Piradell.  Are you with me so far?  Alright let's go further down the rabbit hole.  Now Mordeth wants to invade earth with her army of Raptors, (Pretty much like the Borg from Star Trek.  Ordinary people who are assimilated into what look like Lycans from Underworld, and controlled by Mordeth.) and her general; Rupture (Vibe's long lost brother Armando who is being controlled by Mordeth).  Apparently earth is the cornerstone of the multiverse, and Mordeth wants control.  Fair enough.

Back to our heroes.  Vibe and a rag tag team of people you've never heard of before, and probably will never hear again, patrol the decimated streets of Piradell.  Lucky too, because two young travelers are on their way to Breacher's camp to bring him a special sphere that he needs to complete his plans.  But their progress is stopped when a patrol of Raptors attacks them.  The young sibling travels are over powered, and when the boy is about to be assimilated, Vibe and his band of rebels take the monsters down, and save the day.  Back at camp, the sphere is revealed to be a multiversal refraction sphere.  As if that means anything to us.  Bottom line is in the last issue Vibe was stabbed in the chest by Rupture, and when he got to Piradell, Breacher slapped a device on his chest to contain his powers.  The sphere acts as a back up so that Vibe's powers don't overload the device on his chest.  So now that they are ready, the assault on Mordeth's castles can commence.

Alright quickly now, we'll jump back to earth.  When Vibe went after Rupture, he left a mess for his handler Gunn, and his injured brother Dante.  So right now Gunn is covering up that Dante was ever at ARGUS or that the two of them freed Vibe from his prison tube.  But apparently Gunn didn't do a good enough job, because at the hospital Amanda Waller comes to pay Dante a visit.  Now back to Piradell.

The team gets ready to move on Mordeth and her army, but Mordeth upped her time table, and activated  the machine to siphon Gypsy's multiversal energy, and break down the barriers to earth.  In the end Breacher teleports himself and Vibe above the fortress, and tells him that the device on his chest was meant for him, and that he was going to sacrifice himself to stop Mordeth.  But now they're out of time, so Vibe is now multiversal bomb.  Dick move.  Earth is too important to fall, and Breacher thanks Vibe for his sacrifice.  This book has become so alien to me, its ridiculous.  Hopefully I was able to explain the strange, strange world of Piradell to you, and hopefully we understand more next issue.  See you then.

Bits and Pieces:

Well Vibe has certainly become "out there".  This issue tries to cram so much information on you, and doesn't even give us the benefit of having Vibe try to explain it to us in normal terms.  He just nods his head, and goes with it leaving us in the dark.  The new direction of Vibe might be appreciated in a DCU that is preoccupied with the Crime Syndicate, but it's too much too soon.  Especially for a title that is on the way out.  Hopefully next issue will give us a break, and talk to us like Vibe would want to be talked to.

5/10

Green Lantern Corps #25 Review

Written by: Van Jensen and Robert Venditti
Art by: Victor Drujiniu, Ivan Fernandez and Allan Jefferson
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Flashbacks and Flashbangs

John Stewart is a man without fear. Some have wrongly labeled him as a man without personality.   He has always been a strong character who tries to do the right thing.  Unfortunately, this has led to him being labeled as boring since he's not as brash as Hal Jordan or cocky as Guy Gardner.  This may be the reason that of all the Green Lanterns of sector 2814, John Stewart has been the most underused.  Van Jensen and Robert Venditti try to rectify that by giving us a glimpse at what made Stewart the man he is today.

Gotham is in the middle of the Zero Year blackout and Super Storm Rene is about to hit.  A young John Stewart and his marine battalion are sent to help evacuate a couple hundred people from the Gotham Seaside Colosseum, but as you can guess, things don't go as smooth as hoped.

Jensen and Venditti use a flashback in a flashback to show how John's Mother helped show him right and wrong and the grey areas between.  She taught her son that power and authority aren't inherently right or wrong, it's the people who wield it that determine it.  As the Zero Year story unfolds, the reader sees first hand how these lessons have shaped John into a man who values justice and doing what's right over following orders blindly.  

Beyond showing the hero in the making, the story is pretty dull.  Furthermore,  I can't help but question it's necessity.  As a John Stewart fan, I'm glad to have read it.  However, as a Zero Year tie-in it is hard to justify it.  John Stewart has no real connection to Gotham or Batman.  The Dark Knight makes a very, very brief appearance in the issue, but it's actually pretty ridiculous. He seems more like a stalker than a hero in the couple panels he is in.

The art is a mixed bag.  The three artists don't equal regular artist Bernard Chang in quality, but what they present here is serviceable at least.   Nothing looks horrible, but nothing stands out either.

Bits and Pieces:

Green Lantern Corps #25 is a good John Stewart book, but an unnecessary Zero Year tie-in.  Readers get to see what shaped John into the good man he is today, but beyond that the story is dull and uneventful.  This book is not a must read for anyone but true John Stewart fans.

6.0/10

You Wanted A New Robin, You Got It!

I swear I can't stop talking about the death of Damian Wayne.  But at least this time I have a reason.  Ever since our little pumpkin headed Robin died, everyone has been asking themselves, and anyone else who will listen.  Who will be the next Robin?  Well in the new retrospective, anthology coming to us in Detective Comics #27 we'll be given a future story brought to us by Scott Snyder and Sean Gordon Murphy.  Lucky for us Sean Gordon Murphy tweeted earlier about his first pencils for the all new black Robin.  But don't get your hopes up just yet.  Being an anthology with multiple writers, this still could just be a else worlds story.  If it is to be in the main continuity then my Top 5 list I did last summer is totally off.  But there you go new Robin, Woo!

Suicide Squad #25 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Matt Kindt
Art By: Patrick Zircher
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Face The Wall!

When last we left our anti heroes they were fighting over the possession of OMAC with Amanda Waller's newly formed team of heroes.  Power Girl, Warrant, Steel, and The Unknown Soldier.  But there seemed to be more to the story than what was revealed.  So strap on in and let's talk about Suicide Squad.

Explain It!:

So we get the two teams continuing to battle over OMAC, but Waller's new team might be too much for the Squad, who now consists of Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and Harley Quinn.  But when Deadshot has a gun to the Steel's head it seems like a appropriate time to talk their differences out.  The two teams realize that they were set up by Waller, but Unknown Soldier has his doubts.  He explains that the Waller that recruited the heroes was probably a sophisticated hologram.  Of course.  That's a hell of a jump.  In a world where people have powers to do almost anything, Soldier just jumps to the conclusion that it was a sophisticated hologram.   Well he's right.  What a shot in the dark, I'm calling Shenanigans!  Turns out that the man who's running Belle Reve for the Crime Syndicate "The Thinker" set up the hologram in order to take out the Suicide Squad and get his hands on OMAC.  But he has another trick up his sleeve.  As the teams are talking it out, The Thinker's double agent Harley Quinn sneaks OMAC out of the complex, activates him, and has him demolish the complex the two teams are in, with an energy blast.  Apparently Harley's done being a team player, and wanted a big way to say goodbye for good.

Back at Belle Reve, the real Amanda Waller and James Gordon Jr. realize that all their options are gone, now that The Thinker has taken out the Suicide Squad.   But Waller has one more option she doesn't want to choose.  The two make their way down to the classified Level 7, where we get a little back story on Task Force X.  We find out that there have been Task Forces designated all the letters of the alphabet all the way up to our current X.  These past teams consisted of awful things like killer chimpanzees, robot spheres, people suspended in air by a super computer, and so on and so on.  All these are awful ideas, but in the end what did they use?  Crazy criminals.  Who is signing off on these projects, and how do I get his number to submit a proposal?  Oh yeah.  I got some ideas.  

In the end the story is cut short, which we can all be thankful for, if it went on any longer we'd probably have James Gordon Jr. getting all creepy with his mommy issues.  Yeck.  But thankfully King Shark is on the hunt for Waller's blood.  James slows him down, as Waller makes her way through the final door, that she knows will get her killed in the end.  Inside this secret vault we see a god, named Kane who might or might not be King Shark's father, but I thought his dad's name was Chondrakha, but it's neither here nor there.  King Shark wants his daddy, and it's a new universe we're dealing with so either this is the magical king of the sharks or a new character that Waller is going to get killed for releasing.  I'll be here next month finding out the answer hopefully you'll be here too.

Bits and Pieces:

Last month's issue of Suicide Squad blew me away with the new direction it was taking, and the Forever Evil fun going on, plus adding a rag tag team of superheroes to throw at the Squad.  Sadly my hype doesn't continue after this issue.  But it was a decent issue, not going to put anything down.  Not every issue can be SMASH BANG POW, Kindt seems to be working towards something that could be really exciting in the future, but heading towards that goal we're bogged down with enigmatic exposition, and inner monologues.  So we'll see next month if the hype is resurrected, so go check it out.

6.5/10

Batman #25 Review

Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Greg Capullo
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

This in Your Life (Death)

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are taking us on a brand new stroll down memory lane.  Every time you think that you have figured something out, Snyder turns it on it's head, twists it and pulls it out so it is strange yet still familiar.  Zero Year is that good.

The Red Hood Gang have been defeated and Batman is getting some much needed rest, right?  Of course not!  The Riddler has plunged the city into darkness, there is a biological serial killer targeting Wayne Enterprise scientists on the loose and the GCPD have declared Batman Public Enemy number one through twenty.  Oh yea, I forgot that Superstorm Rene (ed note: not Superstorm Nocenti, Eric) is bearing down on Gotham city.  What is a new Hero to do?  Take his new car for a spin, infiltrate crime scenes, fight with a certain mustachioed Lieutenant and devise a plan to counteract the Riddler's plan before it happens.

Scott Snyder throws so much at the reader, but to his credit, everything hits the mark.  There are already so many smoke screens and red herrings  in Zero Year that half the fun is guessing if what you see is what it seems.  Old friends like James Gordon or Lucius Fox have dark secrets and may not be what you expect.   When an iconic Villain is shown in one panel, you can almost see Snyder winking at you behind the panel.  Then when an older Villain is reintroduced, it makes you giddy with anticipation.  Seriously, everything in this book is tweaked just enough to make it fresh and exciting.  

It goes without saying that Greg Capullo is a great artist.  It seems that every issue I say is my favorite, but this one is so good.  The shine of the new Batmobile, the look of a revisited Villain and everything in between makes this a book to admire as well as read.

The only complaint I have is the confusing beginning and end.  I have no idea of the how, what or why of these panels.  However, I have supreme faith in Snyder that all will be explained in the future.

Each Zero Year issue throws in a backup to justify the $3.99 price tag and this one by Snyder and James Tynion is pretty good.  It ties the other Zero Year issues up nicely in a bow and features an origin story of a certain tech guru punk gal who longtime readers will smile to see again.

 Bits and Pieces:

Batman #25 is a great issue.  Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo continue the history lesson and it is fresh and exciting.  Gotham's future is dark, but this book's is so bright it's blinding.  A must read.

9.9/10

Justice League of America #9 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Matt Kindt
Art By: Tom Derenick, Tom Nguyen, Allen Martinez
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

Stargirl: Down The Rabbit Hole.

When last we left the only two heroes that remain in the JLA, Martian Manhunter was exploring the prison that holds various members of the three Justice Leagues, and Stargirl found that she was able to just walk out of it. Yep last panel of last issue, we go through the whole thing, and Stargirl can just walk out.  Shenanigans!  But being the heroic young lady she is,she came back to get J'onn out too.  At this point of the Forever Evil story if this is the first thing you're reading, then you have a lot of catching up to do.  Unless you're only interested in Martian Manhunter, and Stargirl which is kinda weird, but hey what do I know?  JLA here we come.

Explain It!:

Stargirl makes her way down the multiple levels of the prison, which should be according to Forever Evil #3 the Deathstorm Matrix within him.  But for this issue we only see it as a multi leveled prison which each level is it's own dimension that acts against the hero it's containing to drive them mad, lose all hope, or to simply keep them amused with where they are.  So with all that aside, Stargirl descends the prison in search of J'onn.

Throughout this issue we get glimpses of how Stargirl became Stargirl.  We first see her watching a cartoon program where Yankee Poodle is the central character.  First glimpse of the stars and stripes.  It's kinda funny, we get a whole re-imaged Captain Carrot in the form of a crazy one eyed, robot legged Captain K'Rot.  This Threshold version also came with Pig Iron, who was pretty much the same with a more serious art style.  But here we get a spot on Earth C Yankee Poodle.  The Zoo Crew if ever reintroduced is going to be a weird book.  But back to Stargirl, Courtney goes snooping around her step father's stuff and finds the costume, and star rod of the Star Spangled Kid.  So what would a young teenage girl do in this instance?  Well obviously suit up, and make the costume a little sexier by tying up the front exposing her stomach.  Now I kinda feel weird describing a teenager as getting sexy.  Let's forget this part of the synopsis ever happened, okay?  Because you're into some weird shit and I don't want to have to tell you're friends and family about what you keep in that foot locker of yours.  Wow, we are getting real off base here.  Courtney goes down all the levels of the prison that we saw in the last issue.

Back to Martian Manhunter.  J'onn has now found Aqua Man, and his prison is a ocean that is all dried up, and all the sea life lay dead around him.  J'onn tries to explain the situation to Arthur but the anger takes over and we get a really strange panel where it looks like Aqua Man flies away.  Or does that super Aqua jump that he's famous for.  In the end J'onn finally finds his own prison where he must fight himself.  He's not doing so well, but luckily Courtney found her way down, and turns the tide of the fight.  And we see her real strength.  The reason that there isn't a prison for her.  It's because of her youth, and her undying optimism, that this prison can't find a way to beat her down.  She grabs J'onn and makes her way out of the prison, but when she opens her eyes, J'onn isn't there, but who is is the real upsetting part.  Stargirl awakens in a cemetery surrounded by the Secret Society.

Bits and Pieces:

Sadly this issue doesn't do anything to continue the story until the very last page.  What we do get is a rehash of everything that happened in the last issue, with a small bit added to give us some background on Stargirl.  It's really small.  But the artwork of Tom Derenick is able to come through and give us a reason to still enjoy this book a bit, but it isn't enough to save it from being dull.  So if you're anything like me you'll get the issue because you're a completist, but you won't enjoy it as much as other tie-ins to this event.

6/10

Batgirl #25 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Marguerite Bennett
Art By: Fernando Pasarin
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 13, 2013

In A City Full Of Desperation, There Is Zero Hope.

The Batgirl Zero Year Tie-In....... Uuuugggg!  All I want is to finish up the Batgirl Wanted story arc, and we have to cut to something else again.  Also the biggest problem with the Batgirl Wanted story is the lack of Batgirl.  Barbara doesn't want to be Batgirl anymore, so she dresses like a ninja, and whines about it constantly.  Here we have a break, and we still don't get Batgirl.  But this is just me blowing off some steam, let's look at what Marguerite Bennett gives us for this Zero Year installment.

Explain It!:

We begin this issue like all the other tie-ins, and talk about the Superstorm that threatens Gotham.  Well the storm isn't here yet, but the citizens of Gotham are going all end of the world crazy trying to get ready for it.  Barbara gets a gun pulled on her for a loaf of bread, and a few gallons of gasoline.  That might not sound like much but one of the signs read that regular gas was $24.90 a gallon.  Nothing like impending doom to bring everyone together.  

Back at the house Barbara and James Jr. are being evacuated from the area due to it being in a flood zone.  So what to bring what to bring?  Barbara decides that her father's riot gear would be a good thing to save.  The two are sent to a nearby fire house shelter.  There Barbara befriends a man named Henry who was evacuated from Cold Light Island.  The two pass the time talking, before *que disaster music*  the foundation starts letting water in, and a sinkhole opens beneath everyone.  I don't know what's worse this shelter or the Astro Dome, well at least they have water here.  Too Soon?  Barbara puts her fears behind her, and saves as many people as she can.  The survivors make their way to the roof, but the building isn't structurally sound, so the game plan is to make their way to the next building over.  

Everyone's attention is momentarily diverted to Cold Light Island, as the panicking Gothamites see that things could easily be worse.  The island brightens up the night as flames consume everything.  Explosion after explosion erupt on Barbara's new friend Henry's home.  But back to survival.  They use a loose ladder to stretch across the two buildings.  Henry makes his way across, but the ladder breaks.  He pleads with the crowd to throw their duffel bags over to make it easier for them to jump across. (Can you see where this is going?)  After the bags are over Henry tells them it isn't personal, and takes there things and leaves.  That's a lesson to all you little boys and girls out there.  Don't trust anybody.  Especially during a disaster, especially if their name's Henry.  

Barbara realizes that she needs to protect the things she loves.  Gotham is her home so she'll protect that, and these people of Gotham are her family so she'll protect them, and she won't wait for a hero to do it for her.  Barbara jumps the buildings and takes Henry down.  The two tussle a bit, but in the end Henry falls off the building, and says as the water pulls him away, "I'll see you around."  So after Batgirl: Wanted ends, expect a familiar face to be back.  Barbara leads the way for the survivors to get to safety.  We need a name for this storm that is affecting all these characters.  Something that's awful, and when it comes you lose all hope in the things you love.  Super storm Ann Nocenti?  Anybody? Works for me.

Bits and Pieces:

Yet another Zero Year Tie-In that isn't needed, but I found myself enjoying this story none the less.  Even though it's a pre Batgirl story, it feels a bit more like Batgirl then the current timeline.  Both give us Barbara without the Bat suit, but this one gives us less depression, and whining.  So win there.  All in all this story gives us a lot of inner monologue to the psyche of Barbara Gordon that will shape her to become the hero we all know and love, and the artwork surrounding it set the depressing, and hopelessness nature that we felt from the people of Gotham.  Maybe not the best Zero Year Tie-In, but it keeps you interested.

7.2/10