New comics

Batgirl 11

Batgirl and her half-brother fight the second Sword, then agree to go on a quest with the third one.  (Not sure why the three bad guys were lumped together, they weren’t working together at all.)  I’m done with this, there’s nothing that puts this above replacement level.

Free Comic Book Day: Fantastic Four 1

There’s a cute little FF story by Ryan North and Humberto Ramos here.

Absolute Superman 11

This is such an up and down series. This is a down issue.  The “brainwashing by running the subject through thousands of VR scenarios” story has been done to death, and this iteration doesn’t bring anything new.  The “push the hero to the dark side only to fail” thing has been done even more times, and Jason Aaron doesn’t make it all that interesting either.  Hoping he ends this arc on a high note.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11

Things fall apart for the evil DA as the city rallies around the Turtles.  Cue the final fight.  Gene Luen Yang takes over w/ issue 13, I might actually stick around and give it a shot.

Absolute Green Lantern 6

I’m done.  This is all nonsense.

Mr Terrific: Year One 4

I cancelled my sub, but picked up this issue after it was pick of the week on iFanboy.  It’s fun seeing Bruce Wayne and Michael Holt interacting, but I don’t know if it’s enough for me to get the rest of the series.  I’ll flip through it in the shop next time around.  

The War 2

Garth Ennis is still bringing his A game after all of these years.  This is one of the darkest, grimmest things I’ve read in a long, long time, and it’s so so good.  I only wish Ennis didn’t bring in the armed intruders at the end.  The series is so strong because it’s grounded in realism, and this new element takes me out of that headspace.  

Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League 1-2

Another iFanboy recommendation, and it’s a good one.  It feels like I haven’t read Greg Rucka in a long time, and he’s as good as ever.  The titular characters are still gathering their crew, and it’s a fun ride so far.  

Absolute Flash 7

Not as bad as Absolute Green Lantern, but there’s not enough to keep me around.  I’m done.

Krypto 4

I appreciate the sadness warning at the beginning of the issue, but I’ve read sadder.  This has not been the best of series, but with only one issue to go, I’m going to play it out.

Fantastic Four 3

The FF figure out a way around Doom’s video game save/restore machine, with Ryan North’s typical cleverness.  Lots of fun, how does this guy not run out of ideas?

Battle Action 6, 7, 10

Apparently real-world comic distribution problems created this gap in issues.  Issue ten finishes off this Johnny Red arc with a happily-ever-after.  Fine, but not up to Ennis’ best.  

New comics

New comics!

Batgirl 6

So the first arc ends, and it turns out what I thought was a miniseries is now an ongoing.  I’m not sure if I’m going to stick around; As with Kelly Thompson’s Birds of Prey, I want to like this more than I actually do.  The pieces are there, but it’s just not clicking.  Maybe one more issue.

Absolute Superman 6

We find out how the Kents fit into the Absolute universe.  And in a haunting, harrowing twist, Kal-El was essentially in solitary confinement for seventeen months on the journey from Krypton to Earth.  No cryosleep.  He just about went crazy from the isolation.

Absolute Green Lantern 1

As with the rest of Absolute Wave 2, not as strong as the first batch.  But I’ll stick around for at least a little longer.

Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell 1

Charles Soule and Steve McNiven do their Dark Knight Returns spin on Matt Murdock.  McNiven channels Kaare Andrews circa Iron Fist: Living Weapon, which is just fine by me.  

Battle Action 4-5

Nothing new to say about these.  Serviceable, I’ll keep supporting Garth Ennis doing war comics.

Big Burn 3

I can’t remember the last time a comic brought such a broad smile to my face;  The final scene is absolutely pitch perfect, I loved it so much.  Joe Henderson and Lee Garbett continue to be one of the top creative teams out there.

New comics

New comics!

Jupiter’s Legacy: Finale 5

Maybe this will be better once I re-read the entire saga in one go, but right now, this ended with poor art, an unsatisfying ending to an impossible situation, and a reminder that Mark Millar is nowhere near his prime anymore.

Absolute Superman 5

Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval show us the final moments of Krypton.  Kal-El’s escape is tinged with extra tragedy in this version, as his parents almost make it off the planet safely, only to die at the last moment.  Still the weakest of the three Absolute titles, but I’ll stick around for a little longer.  (The next three Absolute comics are being launched soon, and I’ll try all of those out too.)

DC vs Vampires: World War V 7

Darkseid forces both the vampire and human armies into retreat as the next phase of the war begins.  Otto Schmidt’s usually wonderful art is getting scratchier and scratchier, to the point where basic readability is in grave peril.

Battle Action v3 3

Johnny Red continues his flying adventures.  The backup story stars a great white shark with a harpoon conveniently embedded in his mouth such that it can be used as an offensive weapon.  He takes on an equally murderous orca in a batshit fight that I could never have imagined.  I’m not at all surprised that John McCrea was employed to draw it.

Ultimate Spider-Man 14

I did not expect Harry Osborn to take a bullet through the head here.  If Jonathan Hickman chooses to keep him dead, I wonder if Gwen Stacy will take her husband’s place as Green Goblin.  That’d be a fun twist that I’d like to see.

Aliens vs Avengers 3

This is more like the Hickman that I know.  Batshit crazy ideas, undisciplined writing, and unintentional humor that I can’t believe I’m reading.  Not in a good way.  

Am I supposed to take this seriously?

This thing has flown off the rails, and I’m not even sure it’s fun anymore.

New comics

More new comics!

Battle Action v3 2

I don’t know why I can’t quit Garth Ennis war stories.  By this point, they all blur together, and it’s really hard for one to set itself apart from the crowd.  (Including this one.)  But I’ll keep buying them for as long as he puts them out.

Jupiter’s Legacy: Finale 3

Just playing out the string.  That’s all I’m doing.

Batgirl 3

Some really nice action from Takeshi Miyazawa.  Still don’t know what Shiva’s motivations are, which is how it should be.

Absolute Batman 4

Scott Snyder continues to kill it as we get a little more of Bruce’s origin story.  It’s too bad Nick Dragotta isn’t here to do the art.  Gabriel Walta is fine, but it’s just not the same.

Absolute Superman 3

More origin material, and Jason Aaron’s finally sunk his teeth into me.  He provides a sympathetic, engaging portrait of Kal-El and his parents  on Krypton, which will surely make their inevitable separation all the more heartbreaking.  Great stuff.

DC vs Vampires: World War V 6

Darkseid shows up in the middle of a major throwdown.  Matthew Rosenberg keeps tossing in more elements, and he continues to make it work.

Question: All Along the Watchtower 3

Wow, I lost enthusiasm for this rather quickly.  I really wish I liked this more, the potential is certainly there with Renee and Batwoman.  But the Eradicator, Cyborg Superman, a mystery I don’t care about - it’s not happening for me.

Birds of Prey 17

I gave it another story arc, but this still doesn’t have it.  Kelly Thompson is always pushing up against the awesome barrier, but more often than not fails to break through.  (She does have her moments, though.) 

New comics

Always catching up w/ new comics.

Black Canary: Best of the Best 2

Black Canary continues to get her ass kicked by Lady Shiva as we flash back to her training regimen for the bout, mentored by her hard-as-nails mother.  Solid, straightforward storytelling from Tom King.

Question: All Along the Watchtower 2

This is comfort food comics.  Nothing I’ll remember after it’s over, but something I’ll enjoy coming back to years from now.

Absolute Wonder Woman 3

Holy crap is this good.  The thing with the arm!  This feels so new and special, I love it.

Wonder Woman 16

Tom King is having so much fun w/ Detective Chimp here, and I’m right there with him.  Detective Chimp.  Someone I did not expect to see in this comic.

Absolute Batman 3

Almost up there with Absolute Wonder Woman.  This feels old and new at the same time, some magical alchemy of Dark Knight Returns drawn by Batman: Year One’s David Mazzucchelli with another topping of Elseworlds.  Can’t wait to read more.

Plastic Man No More! 4

I so regret getting this.  Will keep it around, but full expect to cut this next time around.

Birds of Prey 16

Cassandra Cain die-harding it up is a fun read.  I think I’ll keep getting this w/out a sub, flip through it first in the store.  

Ultimate Spider-Man 12

An old-school “the good guys get a month off to celebrate a holiday with their loved ones” issue.  WIth a final twist that completely worked on me.  Jonathan Hickman continues to outkick his coverage.

Battle Action vol 1, 2

War story anthology collections, led by Garth Ennis.  I got these mostly for his Johnny Red stories.  They’re fine.

New comics

New comics!

Battle Action 1

I’ve never heard of Rebellion Comics before, but I’ll go anywhere that Garth Ennis is writing war comics.  Here, he continues his work on Johnny Red.  It’s as good as it was before.  I may have to pick up the earlier Battle Action trades, it looks like Ennis did more Johnny Red stories there.

Absolute Wonder Woman 2

Wonderful.  I don’t know if I’d like Hayden Sherman’s art anywhere else, but it’s perfect for this.  Ready for more.

Detective Comics 1091

I didn’t expect Bruce to take the de-aging drug.  But I guess when Superman gives his blessing, it’s okay.  I’m just so happy to see Mikel Janin’s art again.  

JLA Unlimited 1

I was certainly going to give this Mark Waid/Dan Mora collaboration a shot.  It’s a take on the excellent cartoon series, where every hero in the DCU is a member of the team.  The result is fine, but nothing more.  I won’t be getting more.

Question: All Along the Watchtower 1

This ancillary miniseries is more of what I’m looking for.  I’ve always been a Renee Montoya fan as a detective.  I watched her downward spiral and subsequent transition into the Question with skepticism, but I’m on board for this interpretation by Alex Segura and Cian Tormey.  Montoya’s got a great look (cowboy detective!) and delicious interpersonal drama lined up (Kathy Kane’s the team!).  This should be fun.

Batgirl 1

This reads like a Chuck Dixon comic: Lots of action, just enough plot to tie it all together.  Cassandra Cain and her mother, Lady Shiva, are forced to team up against ninja.  That’s more than enough for me.

Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween 3

What a difference an artist makes.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Mark Chiarello’s work.  I knew he was an artist, but mostly knew him as an editor.  Jeph Loeb is definitely a writer whose work rises and falls with the quality of his penciller.  All of a sudden I’m way higher on the rest of this series, especially w/ Cliff Chiang next in the lineup.

Jenny Sparks 4

I’m prepared to call this mini the rare Tom King piece of trash.  This is just plodding along, boring, pointless, and a negative on the entertainment scale.  Off my list, I think.

Black Canary: Best of the Best 1

Luckily, King is back on track with this much simpler story.  Black Canary versus Lady Shiva for reasons yet to be disclosed.  Ryan Sook is almost amazing here, but some of his drawings are a touch stilted.  This would probably be better w/ a different artist, but I’m not really complaining.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4

TIme for Donatello.  A fun, twisted single-issue tale from Jason Aaron and Chris Burnham.  An excellent start to this mini, and now we’ll see where things go with the brothers reunited.