PREVIEW: Titans #31

Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: Minkyu Jung
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: December 12, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

If you want blood, you got it... but the Titans may not like it! There's a new leader of the Blood Cult, and her name is Mother Blood! Their mission? Kidnapping the best scientific minds from around the world to perfect their emergent-energy weapon. Their next target? Steel! And the Blood Cult has an ace up its sleeve: weaponized Source Wall energy that turns its victims into blood zombies. (As if there weren't enough blood motifs in this ish...) In the Titans' blackest night (wink), a new hero has arrived to help turn the tide.

PREVIEW: House of Whispers #4

Dayton's Staycation

Written By: Nalo Hopkinson 

Illustrated By: Dominike “DOMO” Stanton and Aneke 

Colors By: John Rauch 

Letters By: Deron Bennett 

Cover By: Sean Andrew Murray 

Edited By: Molly Mahan 

Associate Editor: Amedeo Turturro 

Assistant Editor: Maggie Howell 

Executive Editor: Mark Doyle 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: December 12, 2018 

The mysterious infection doctors are calling “Cotard’s Delusion” spreads, trapping countless souls in the Dreaming and leaving their physical bodies yearning for death. To handle her own case of the disease, Latoya decides to go on risky adventures, believing she’ll feel alive the closer she gets to death, while her girlfriend Maggie tries to find a true cure. Meanwhile, in the Dreaming, Erzulie Dantor calls her war council of Shakpana, Turtle and Uncle Monday to find a way to take her sister-self’s bayou and boat back to their realm. Shakpana, however, seems to be more interested in making his way back to the Waking World.

Things are cruising right along in the Dreaming! And by that, I mean it's all messed up. Why not have a look at some preview pages, right here! 

PREVIEW: Suicide Squad #49

What's Your Bag, Flag?

Writer: Rob Williams 

Pencils: Diogenes Neves 

Inks: Scott Hanna 

Colors: Gabe Eltaeb 

Letters: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: David Williams & Kelsey Shannon 

Variant Cover: Francesco Mattina 

Editor: Katie Kubert 

Group Editor: Jamie S. Rich 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: December 12, 2018 

Beneath the ice of the Siberian seas, a final reckoning awaits the Suicide Squad. Amanda Waller has been implanted with her very own brain bomb—with Rick Flag’s finger on the trigger. While Deadshot, Katana, Boomerang, Harley and Croc fight tooth and nail for their very survival, they must also uncover answers to a host of life-and-death questions: What’s the secret hidden within Temho Me4ta prison? Who are the Vets? And who, ultimately, will be the Squad’s final judge, jury and executioner?

Whoa...lotta questions in that solicit. I didn't even get a chance to study! Maybe you can bone up before the test by looking at some preview pages below. 

PREVIEW: Justice League Dark #6

Myrra, Myrra, On the Wall

Writer: James Tynion IV 

Pencils: Daniel Sampere 

Inks: Juan Albarran 

Colors: Adriano Lucas 

Letters: Rob Leigh 

Cover: Nicola Scott & Romulo Fajardo Jr. 

Variant Cover: Clayton Crain 

Assistant Editor: Andrew Marino 

Editor: Rebecca Taylor 

Group Editor: Marie Javins 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: December 12, 2018

The Justice League Dark…trapped in the mystic realm of Myrra! Their jailer? Blue Devil…and he wants revenge on Detective Chimp! Seems Bobo tried to magically resurrect his best friend, the original Nightmaster, but lost control of the spell and filled Myrra with zombies instead. And left Blue Devil behind to get eaten. So BD’s kinda sorta maybe got a reason  to be pissed. With that in mind, will Wonder Woman and the rest of the JLD even step up to help Bobo against a raging Blue Devil? That sounds bananas to us.

Blue Devil kicks the Bobo? Say it ain't so! And say you'll take a look at some preview pages, right here, and make me feel better! 

PREVIEW: New Talent Showcase 2018 #1

Good Guys to Know

Written By: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Sanya Anwar, Joey Esposito, Robert Jeffrey II, Ryan Cady, Magdalene Vissaggio

Art By: Amancay Nahuelpan, Trish Mulvihill, Priscilla Petraites, John Rauch, Dominike "DOMO" Stanton, Marissa Louise, Max Raynor, John Kalisz, Isaac Goodhart, Cris Peter, Aneke, Beth Sotelo

Lettering By: Gabriela Downie, Emma Kubert, Christy Sawyer, Ryan Christy, Jay Castro

Assistant Editor: Liz Erickson 

Edited By: Bobbie Chase and Sara Miller 

Cover Price: $7.99 

On Sale Date: December 12, 2018

The latest graduates from the DC Talent Development Workshops show off their skills by telling stories about some of DC’s greatest characters including Batman, Catwoman, John Constantine, Wonder Woman, Zatanna and more!

When I wake up in the morning and my alarm gives up a warning, I don't think I'm gonna make it on time. But by the time I grab my books and give myself a look, I'm on the corner just in time to see the bus fly by. It's all right, 'cause I'm Saved By the Bell!

PREVIEW: Superman #6

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Oclair Albert, Alex Sinclair, Josh Reed

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 12, 2018

It’s the moment you never thought you’d see—Superman must team with General Zod to defeat Rogol Zaar or risk banishment for all three in the cold prison of the Phantom Zone forever. Whatever you do, do not skip to the last page—the end of this issue changes the lives of Superman and his family forever as the Unity Saga continues!

PREVIEW: Hawkman #7

Written By: Robert Venditti

Art By: Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Jeremiah Skipper, Starkings & Comicraft

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 12, 2018

The origin of Hawkman revealed! Rocketing across the cosmos in his newly re-covered spaceship, Carter Hall is en route to the next stop on his adventure through time and space. He doesn’t have Netflix to pass the time, but he does have something even better. Locked within the ship’s memory banks is the truth behind Carter Hall’s reincarnation ability, as well as his connection to the Deathbringers—giant, winged beings of immeasurable power on their way to destroy Earth!

Robin II: The Joker's Wild #3 (1991) - "... A Comedy Tonight!" Review

Writer: Chuck Dixon
Artists: Bob Smith, Tom Lyle, Adrienne Roy
Release Date: November 26, 1991
Cover Price: $1.00

Review by: Joey Casco

http://www.TheWineStalker.net

https://www.youtube.com/c/JoeyCasco

Batman is away and Robin (Tim Drake) is up against the Joker, who has kidnapped Dr. Osgood Pellinger to hack into the computers of Gotham and provoke chaos. Knowing that the Joker will kill him like he did the previous Robin, Tim and Alfred tried to make it seem like Batman was still in town. But when the Joker broke away from his plans and risked an easy escape by deciding to shoot at Batman, the bullets passed right through him and Batman was exposed as a holograph. Robin is the lone vigilante in Gotham right now (I guess all those other ones are away too) and the Joker knows it.

The Unexpected #7 Review and Spoilers

Penultimate Peril, Prosaically Purveyed

Written by: Steve Orlando

Art by: Ronan Cliquet

Colours by: Jeromy Cox

Letters by: Carlos M Mangual

Published by: DC Comics

Cover price: $2.99

Well, here we are. The penultimate issue of The Unexpected. Usually, a reviewer will start a review like this with a quick recap of what's happened in the series so far, but that's not going to happen, partly because Neon and Firebrand's breakneck journey across the DC Universe would essentially be a list of place names followed by "and then they fight…" followed by either the word "Quench" or the words "Onnimar Synn". Or the name of whichever guest star du jour was unlucky enough to be pulled out of the psychedelic Stetson that particular month. And partly it's because this review's already late, I've already done a Martian Manhunter review for the site this week and there really is only so much nonsense a man can take. Let's just get on with it, shall we? Alright, then.

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill ep. 118 - MAD #4 (1953)

What, Me Worry?

Hello, fershlugginer comics fans! In this episode, pratfall experts Chris (@AceComics) and Reggie (@reggiereggie) take a look at the life of Harvey Kurtzman and the magazine that changed everything when they read MAD #4 from 1953! After a history of the publisher that begat the rag, they describe all four stories in the issue, providing some brief artist biographies, and concentrating their vocal abuse on "Supderduperman" and "The Shadow!" After a break, the Assistants to the Assistant Copy Boy continue discussing Kurtzman and MAD magazine, including the iconic logo and a certain gap-toothed fellow that hasn't a care in the world. This episode is sure to drive any parents buggy, you don't want to miss it!

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week: December 5, 2018

Always Struggling to Populate

DC Comics puts out roughly six thousand titles per week, and yet I often find myself struggling to populate a "best of" list containing five. Is it because my standards are too high? Or is it because a lot of these covers would rate as pin-ups when I was a lad? Mind you, we had to use pennies instead of eyes back then, so everything looked a little blurry. On to the list, fully populated!

Suicide Squad Black Files #2 Review and **SPOILERS**

Life Inside the Blade

Writers: Mike W. Barr, Jai Nitz 

Artists: Philippe Briones, Scott Eaton 

Inks: Wayne Faucher 

Colorists: Gabe Eltaeb, Guy Major 

Letterer: Pat Brosseau 

Cover Artist: Cliff Richards 

Group Editor: Jim Chadwick 

Editor: Harvey Richards 

Cover Price: $4.99 

On Sale Date: December 5, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I guess we’ll be seeing this double-sized comic book for the next five months. I don’t know why I blanked on this even coming out, but it’s here now, so I’m gonna review it until it’s done, and there’s no more reviewin’ to do. Then I’ll corral my reviewin’ steers into the reviewer’s corral, an’ mosey on home to my ol’ reviewin’ cabin. Stoke a reviewin’ fire an’ heat some review beans, an’ think about all the things I’d like to review before I head off to that big reviewer’s paradise in the sky. Until that happens, I’ve reviewed Suicide Squad Black Files #2, and you can read it right now!

The Dreaming #4 Review and **SPOILERS**

Securing Our Ethereal Borders

Written By: Simon Spurrier 

Illustrated By: Bilquis Evely 

Colors By: Mat Lopes 

Letters By: Simon Bowland 

Cover By: Jae Lee & June Chung 

Edited By: Molly Mahan 

Associate Editor: Amedeo Turturro 

Assistant Editor: Maggie Howell 

Executive Editor: Mark Doyle 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: December 5, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Now that Judge Gallows is in charge of the Dreaming, I wonder if he’s set up road blocks to catch drunk drivers? Seems like something a Judge would implement first. I think it’s probably because they see so many of ‘em in court. But then…one would think they’d want to relax drunk driving laws to clear the courts’ backlogs. I can’t call it. Have a look at my review of The Dreaming #4, and maybe things will become clearer.

Harley Quinn #55 Review and **SPOILERS**

Merry Shrugmas

Writer: Sam Humphries 

Artist: John Timms 

Colors: Alex Sinclair 

Letters: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Guillem March & Arif Prianto 

Variant Cover: Frank Cho 

Assistant Editor: Andrea Shea 

Editor: Alex Antone 

Group Editor: Brian Cunningham 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: December 5, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Christmas, Christmas time is here, time for boobs and time for beer. That’s not the song? What are people celebrating, then? The birth of what? I don’t wanna hear any of that noise. Just move on to reading my review of Harley Quinn #55, and we’ll forget the conversation ever happened.

Martian Manhunter #1 Review and Spoilers

The Chances of Anything Coming From Mars…

Written by: Steve Orlando

Art by: Riley Rossmo
Colours by: Ivan Plascencia
Letters by: Deron Bennett
Published by: DC Comics
Price: $3.99

When hearing the words 'Martian Manhunter', which three words first spring to your mind? Fire? Shape-changing? Invisibility? For me, it's probably: strength, dignity and Oreos. But that's probably just me. I've always had a soft spot for J'onn J'onnz. His tenure as a member of various incarnations of the Justice League in the 80s and early 90s included some of that team's stint in Detroit and the extraordinarily fun Giffen/DeMatteis run. Throughout, the character possessed the kind of dry, understated wit that was tailor-made for a teenage me who had just discovered sarcasm and was exploring the possibilities offered by sardonic irony. (And, yes, I was mostly insufferable to be around back then…) The question, I suppose, is what kind of Martian Manhunter am I going to find in this series? Well, we're not going to find out if we just hang around in the introduction all day, are we?

Red Hood and the Outlaws #29 Review

Bustin' Chops and Apple Sauce

Written By: Scott Lobdell

Art By: Pete Woods, Rex Lokus, Troy Peteri

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 5, 2018

Yeah, I'm still going with the Red Hood and the Outlaws title because I'm afraid that people won't find it or aggregate sites won't pick it up.  Yeah, that may be silly with the title being revised while Jason Todd is going the loner route right now, but I'm good with Outlaws this issue because as we saw in the previous one, Batwoman's teaming up with our title character.  Hopefully they can get to the bottom of what's going on in this quaint little town and shut down Underlife's agenda.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.