Justice League Dark: DC’s own team of occult weirdos. This the first issue with Lemire at the helm and it’s the best issue yet. Milligan’s pet characters have stepped out of the book with Black Orchid and Dr. Mist making their post-Flashpoint debut. As promised, the issue reads a lot like a #1 issue. Steve Trevor makes a cameo and the Black Room from the DC’s FCBD issue becomes a major plot point in the team’s coming together. Constantine takes over as leader in their first mission, a bout with Felix Faust in the Amazon. There’s also a bit of set-up for Zatanna getting her signature hat back. I love when tiny details like that become plot points later on. Plus it’s a snazzy-as-hell hat. Between comments about Lemire and Johns coordinating their storylines for later down the lines and the Shazam story over in Original Recipe Justice League, I get the feeling the crossover will involve all the players in the two JL book plus the Trinity of Sin from the free story. There’s definitely a greater sense of direction in the book after the meandering opening arc and house-cleaning in the last couple issues.

Batman Inc.- I was really excited for this one. Morrison’s return to the Bat post-reboot with what’s said to be his last arc in the Morrison Bat-Saga. It’s jam-packed with crazy shit, all drawn by Chris Burnham in his detailed, post-Quitely style that gives the book a fun, pop art vibe. Characters return, the last page has a twist that’s predictable, but interesting. I’ve heard this one’s been upgraded from a mini to an ongoing, with someone picking up writing duties after Morrison’s projected 12 issues. Not to complain too much, but there are a bit too may Bat-related books. I get that he’s the most marketable character and DC is actually just another big corporation selling a product, there are so many other characters they could be using. Doom Patrol, a Cyborg solo series, Red Tornado, Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, Bulleteer, the Guardian, Klarion…it’s long fucking list. I don’t mean to rant (well, I do, but still) it’s just that Animal Man and Swamp Thing are doing really well, and the only new series we got out of that was a Dial-H reboot. But whatever, if they want a chunk of their top talent doing shitty Watchmen prequels, I’m only some kid with a blog.

I’ll write my own weird-ass comics (I’m usually not this actively aggressive, sorry for that. Back to your irregularly scheduled programming)

The Flash: another beautiful issue. Manapul can draw. This book has taken one of the best approaches to the reboot. If anything, it’s a lot like early Ultimate Marvel. Everything is streamlined and linked back to a single source, with Flash’s Speed Force connection working in a similar fashion to the Ultimate Super-Soldier Serum. I like to think of Turbine as the Ultimate Top, the other rogues have been getting ultimatized, and this month we get Ultimate Grodd. It’s a similar approach to what Morrison’s doing over in Action Comics, though a lot of that was Morrison making Kal’s villains all vaguely heroic. Except Mr. Mxyzptlk…creep.

Fantastic Four- not much to say on this. Hickman’s leaving in september and we’re getting a handful of one-shot sci-fi stories. This one is another Fantastic Voyage-type story. It’s a sweet little adventure. Gotta say though, I’d love another alternate universe story. 

Ultimate X-Men- okay, so if you’ve been reading along, you’ll know I gave Ult!X-men a lashing after being disappointed with the first few issues. Spencer’s leaving after this issue, so I checked out this one and #11. I’ve got to say, I was wrong to write it off so soon. There’s actually an interesting story building here and we’re only now getting a sense of what’s been really going on. The way the story’s expanded is pretty ambitious and I’m tempted to go back and get caught up with everything.

In honor of full disclosure: my original plan had been to read everything in the post-Death of Spider-Man UU. This was the impetus of the Ultimate Comics posts I’ve been doing. But, I’m picking with my books and dropped Ult!Spiderman and Ult!X-men on a whim. After jumping back in to both recently, I have to admit I was wrong. Both have really picked up. Spider-Man I actually ranked up there with Hickman’s Ultimates (which I love) and Ult!X-Men is competent, though not mind-blowing. Miles’s story is a lot smaller and more personal than Hickman’s Ultimates and it’s a great cape comic. Miles is obviously very character than Ultimate Peter: he’s quiet and nervous, he’s smart, but so far not a super-genius. His parents are still alive. He’s in a world that’s rapidly diverging from the already dangerous Marvel Universe.

And not to seem like I’m avoiding the obvious, he’s an ethnic minority. Of course, this is a lot more important in real life and how people approach the book. Some terrible shit has been lobbed around, though I think it’s died down since Miles’s introduction. But you know what? Fuck racists, casual/apologetic or militant. Giving the role to Miles is a bold move and I think it was an important one. I know “it’s just a comic book” but it’s not about something that can be sold. Superheroes are a strong cultural institution, especially in the US. Seeing a character like Miles in the role of one of the most widely recognized superheroes in the world is a big thing and it’s a step towards dealing with lingering racism in American culture, which is still very much a problem, even if you want to ignore it.

Okay, long fucking post over. See you next time.

Justice League International (Kind of): Currently, I am still buying this title. However,  I would not recommend this to anyone, but die-hard Booster Gold fans. I had high hopes for this title thinking they would pick up exactly where JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST had left off. I was wrong. It would seem the entire JLI’s past has been re-written, and for the worst although their exact history, and influence, in the current DC Universe is not 100% known. Phrases from both the comic and editors, such as Dan Didio, seem to suggest the earlier JLI never existed. at least, not in the full-scale it had in the late 80s/early 90s series. It’s unfortunate, a real upset, seeing as the JLI and its members were critical to a large part of DC’s most emotional story arcs. From Ted Kord to the Dibny’s, the JLI line up was one made up of realistic heroes that showed us the humanity in those in costume. To throw away such a rich history is pointless. Yes, I’m still reading this series, but it is in no way what it should be. Sorry Dan Jurgens, but it’s just not what I was hoping it would be.

Red Hood and the Outlaws: Here’s a title that started out as one of the more controversial, along with Catwoman, for their portrayal of Starfire. Since then, however, the series has made a complete 180 degree turn and has really pushed forward as one of the better titles out there.

Static Shock: Eight issues in and the series was cancelled by DC. Although it started off on a highpoint, the series dragged and eventually took its place amongst the first to fall.

Green Lantern:

One of the few titles that seamlessly flows as if Flashpoint never occurred. If you liked Green Lantern prior to the DC52, then you will probably still enjoy it now.

Green Lantern Corps: I wanted to like this title so much, however I just couldn’t. Anything with Guy Gardner is usually a very entertaining read, and although it started off strong, the series has since then fallen into stagnation. John Stewart is a hard character to write for. When he is done right though, it is awesome. This is not one of those examples. He has all the potential to be great character especially now because he is dealing with the fallout from War of the Green Lanterns as well as the death of a fellow Corp member by his hands. Sadly, it’s just not fun to read.

Green Lantern: New Guardians: This has managed to stay  an interesting title from the get go, regardless of the fact that story progression can move slowly.

Red Lanterns: I may stand alone on this, but I still love this title. Yes, it’s for one reason only, but I love the idea of a permanent human Red Lantern. It’s not the best title, but it’s good enough to keep buying.

Batman the Dark Knight: This was a title I dropped after only the first issue. Boring storytelling and an ending twist that made me want to cringe. I’m not ashamed to say I judged the entire series by the first issue.

All Star Western: This series started off quite strong, and even when I dropped it was a decent title. However, with so many pulls already this title simply did not survive the cut. If you have the cash, keep at it, but if you must make cuts to save money this just might not be worth it.

Justice League: This is another one of those ‘sort of’ titles. Yes, it has been dropped. However, I have to admit the first story-arc is well worth the buy. It wasn’t a monumental story, or even the best of the line-up. It was entertaining, though. Unfortunately it just couldn’t keep me enticed. There is also the frustration that came with learning a majority of previous JLA titles were no longer canon.

Flash: Honestly, I love this title. Francis Manapul does the Flash the justice he deserves. Together with co-writer and colorist Brian Buccellato the two manage to bring a sense of nostalgia to the Flash, from their layouts to the simplicity of Francis pencil work. I love this title, mainly for the art, but the story is great as well.

Animal Man: Although not as powerful as it was in the beginning, this title intrigues me enough to keep me interested.

Nightwing: The one group of comics to come out of this reboot practically unscathed would be the Batman titles. Nightwing is not the most stellar of examples, but it still manages to entertain me enough to purchase it. Plus, I love me some Dick Grayson.

Batwing: This one truly came as a shocker to me. Expecting simply a fill in title to show that Batman Inc. was still occurring, I was overjoyed that my initial expectations were completely wrong. Batwing provides an interesting flavor to the Batman lineup. If you thought Gotham was a horrible place to live, wait till you see what Batwing is up against on the African continent.

Batwoman: Of the new titles to be introduced from the start of the DCNU, this is by far the best. The art is amazing, the story is amazing, practically everything about this title is a prime example of how comics are a form of art.

Batman: Scott Snyder is genius. Although the Night of Owls arc is far from perfect, it is still one of my favorite arcs involving Batman. Who wouldn’t like the Court of Owls? They’re just so damn creepy.

Batman and Robin: Papa Wayne tutoring his son to be more than the callous assassin his mother raised him to be. Please. This title sells itself.

Catwoman: Honestly, regardless of the overuse of Selena’s bust…this title does Catwoman right. Yes, it’s sexy, but it also shows an amazing side of Catwoman. She’s vulnerable yes, but she can more than take care of herself. She’s human.

Demon Knights: Medieval DC Comics. Sounds great, right? It is, and it also isn’t. The story is nothing to brag about, however; it has managed to keep me somewhat interested. Whether or not I’ll still be reading this in another nine months is up in the air.

Aquaman: Two words. Fuck. Yes.

Blue Beetle: This was a real let down. I love Jaime Reyes, and was hoping Blue Beetle would provide a nice jumping point for new fans. It didn’t. In fact, I feel the only thing it successfully did was push old fans away. It had a strong opening, but stalled about four issues in.

Batgirl: I stand by my original thoughts on this title. Barbara Gordon is not Batgirl. Yes, she was the original. However, through her trials she has not only been Oracle longer, but she was a better character as Oracle. This was not a wise decision.

Detective Comics: An interesting opening. What a shocker! The Joker dead, or some elaborate ploy? Well luckily it was all revealed….oh wait, that’s right, we’re nine issues in and still have no idea what is going on. Boring.

Justice League Dark: I love Zatanna. This title really misused her. In fact, three issues in and I still felt like I was only halfway through issue one. There just was no hook for this series.

Suicide Squad: I won’t lie, I almost dropped this title. I’m so glad I didn’t. Harley Quinn’s new outfit aside, this is quite entertaining.

Grifter:  This was a title I could honestly sink my teeth into. Sadly, about five issues in it just lost its spark. Such a shame.

There were a few titles I added, such as: Swamp Thing, Green Arrow (for two issues), I, Vampire (two issues), and Voodoo (four issues). Swamp Thing was the only one to last, and that’s mainly due to its connection with Animal Man. I still can’t decide whether or not DC made the right decision on this reboot, I’m buying more comics from DC than before the reboot, yes. Overall though, I feel less satisfied. What do you think?

The Flash, after running into a wormhole ripped open by the speed force, meets Turbine, a WWII pilot stranded within. Barry must choose whether to help Turbine get back to his own time, or continue his rescue mission to find Iris. Back on Earth, Patty and the rest of the police division mourn Barry and the other policemen, whom they believe to be dead.

This was a lukewarm issue for me. After the speeding action of the last issue, this one comes to a grinding halt as Turbine explains more about the speed force to Barry, his unfortunate circumstances in arriving within the speed force, and Barry’s resolve to continue on his way to find Iris. It’s very heavy on dialogue.

What confuses me about Barry is that he constantly vacillates between being a passive and activate hero; even though he finally made an active choice last issue to risk running into a wormhole, he still pauses to listen to Turbine, without the desperation of what kind of danger Iris might be in. I’m not sure what to make of him. Growing up with the Justice League show, I adored Wally West for his snappy but corny one-liners balanced with fierce loyalty and willingness to put everything on the line for his team. In many superhero stories, this sort of pressure brings out the core essence of a hero–and I’m still not sensing much personality from Barry.

And the rescue continues to have little meaning when I am not very invested littleabout who he’s rescuing–I know nothing about Iris except before the New 52 they were married. The writers seem to be handing an easy-out for Patty, who is slowly becoming less and less of a Flash fan. There was not much of a remarkable relationship depicted between the two in the first place.

Even so, one can definitely appreciate this eighth issue if only for the gorgeous artwork; the storytellers have fun playing with colors, perspective and panels while Flash and Turbine walk through the speed force. One could certainly take her time looking through each spread for different snippets of time throughout Flash and Turbine’s lives.

The inclusion of Gorilla Grodd at the end of this issue, as prefaced by the previous installment, is an interesting choice. While he’s not my favorite villain, it would be a neat twist if this explains how Grodd comes to live in our present, if this is in fact hundreds or thousands of years into Earth’s past.

• Aquaman #8 continues in the trend of being rather short, but did some good exposition work on this enigmatic team, “The Others”, that Aquaman was part of before the Justice League.  This issue portrays a very different Arthur than what we have seen thus far in the series.  In fact he is much more akin to the Aquaman we’ve seen in the horrendous Justice League title.  Maybe that shows hope that Geoff Johns will stop writing the latter title in such a horrible fashion.  Probably not.  But this series continues to be good, keeping his reputation as a writer “above water”, as it were . . .
• Green Lantern: New Guardians #8 has evolved greatly since the first four issues and shifted into what the title should be: an in depth look at corpsmen and women who exemplify the various Lantern groups they serve.  Coming off the “Invictus” arc, not finishing it mind you, but coming off it into a . . . intermission . . . the issue also performs a secondary task of playing middleman to the other three Green Lantern Family books.  Primarily this issue pertains to the main Green Lantern title where Sinestro has become a Green Lantern again, disbanding and helping to apprehend his former followers of the Yellow Corps, before being abducted to the Indigo homeworld.  In this eighth issue of New Guardians, Sinestro’s chief lieutenant, Arkillo, goes back to Korugar, the Sinestro Corps homeworld, to find that the Corps is no more.  In doing so, he is then put in the position of determining the fate of those remaining who follow the yellow light of Fear.  The issue also segues Munk’s future participation in the “Secrets of the Indigo Tribe” arc in Green Lanterns well as Fatality’s position between the will of the Star Sapphires and her new team, the New Guardians.  This is a fantastic series.  I am glad I hung tight to it through the awkward burgeonings of the first four issues.
  

  Beware His Power . .

• Flash #8 was equally phenomenal, and truly an integral issue in setting the nature of the universe according to the Flash.  We’ve been told about the Speed Force that grants Barry his powers as the Flash, as well as the catastrophic consequences attached to his usage of this fundamental energy.  Last issue, Barry was shown going  into the heart of the Speed Force.  From this inside vantage we are shown the true nature of Barry’s connection to it, as well as how it has impacted the history of our planet and its dominant civilizations.  Three villains are depicted herein, two familiar to any Flash fan and the other completely new and very intriguing.  I won’t spoil the fun by telling you who any of them are, but just know that the two veteran ne’er-do-wells are iconic.  And as ever the issues is written and rendered on the page to perfection by the consummate genius of writer/artists Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul.
• Batman: The Dark Knight #8 seemed kind of lost. It didn’t tie into the past seven issues’ main plot line or resolve anything at all from last month.  The only common thread it followed from those past issues is Commissioner Gordon being harassed by Internal Affairs lieutenant, Det. Forbes.   I think part of the schizophrenia here stems from an interim creative team.  Neither Paul Jenkins or David Finch who started the series’ reboot are involved.  The story is written by newcomer Joe Harris and the art is done by Ed Benes of recent Red Lantern fame. Next month Finch appears to be back as artist, but Judd Winick is taking over writing for this issue only, to be followed afterward by Gregg Hurwitz for at least a full arcs worth of stories.  This was an okay issue, but not up to the caliber that the series has displayed the past seven months.
• Superman #8 was also a little lackluster.  It accomplished several things, but trailed off on others in disconcerting ways.  It did portray the up in the air, chaotic nature of Clark Kent’s life, while also making him seem oafish and un-super.  Check. It did introduce and explore further the history of Lord Helspont of the Deamonites, giving gravitas to his rebooted character.  Check.  What it didn’t do was give any kind of logical conclusion to the issue.  The action just ends inexplicably and equally inexplicably Superman flies away and the conflict drops off with no resolution.  Kind of a noodle scratcher.  I think I liked it, but I’m not 100% certain.
• The Fury of Firestorm #8 continues to develop a very compelling world that is very evocative of the one we the readers live in.  While it differs greatly from past runs and interpretations of the series and its characters, this iteration deals with nuclear proliferation in a very interesting tangent where human beings are made into living nuclear arsenals, having more power than all of the nuclear weapons of all the countries combined, added onto the fact that these weapons have human intellect and cunning.  This issue furthers that exploration with the addition of a French Firestorm and a British Firestorm: Firehawk and Hurricane.  The aforementioned Joe Harris, who penned this month’s Batman: The Dark Knight, is the new series writer teamed up with co-writer and artist Ethan Van Sciver.  Both men do a stunning job making this series an intellectual action tour-de-force.  I look forward to seeing what they have in store next month.
  

  Oh-La-La. France just got "hotter."

• Justice League Dark #8 finishes off its crossover arc with I, Vampire this week and I have to say that I am glad.  I am not the biggest fan of the “Rise of Cain” story arc, nor I, Vampire, so good riddance on both counts.  I will say that as ever the main reason that this issue was good was writer Peter Milligan.  Milligan has been the heart and soul of this series and sadly this is his final issue, with Animal Man and Frankenstein writer Jeff Lemire coming on board next month for the ninth issue.  You could tell in the tone and the subject material that this was a good bye.  Not all of the cast of characters we’ve seen will continue on to the next arc, but despite that this issue provided a wonderful bookend to Milligan’s work and an ideal setup for Lemire to take over.  The past two issues have been drawn by Daniel Sampere, and done beautifully, but next month artist Mikel Janin will return, bringing a note of continuity from the first 6 issues to the next phase of the storytelling.
• I, Vampire #8 was the usual claptrap.  It featured what I am sure were supposed to be some mind blowing developments in the plot, but since the writer was unable to generate any substantial connection to or importance of the characters, it was just a major case of “Why do I care?”  This will be the last issue of I, Vampire for me.
• Teen Titans #8 was really good and really set to work rounding out the characters.  The Titans have been captured by N.O.W.H.E.R.E and what’s more, are being groomed for the impending “Culling”, a battle royale thinning of the young metahuman population by the nightmarish entity known as Harvest and his underling, Omen.  The reintroduction of the veteran Teen Titan character, Lilith, also was interesting, as Scott Lobdell really has an epic storyline for this introductory opening arc.  While these youths are imprisoned and prepped for the Culling, Omen and Harvest probe their consciousnesses and lay bare their fears, strengths, weaknesses, and primary drives.  Red Robin is defined and his significance to Harvest’s plot hinted at, Solstice’s history is finally revealed, and the horror of Harvest revealed at the end.  Next week begins the Culling with the Teen Titan Annual. I am excited.
• Voodoo #8 continues down a really strange path.  Up until quite recently Voodoo seemed like a lost soul looking for righteousness and redemption, but with the reintroduction of the real Priscilla Kitaen its hard to tell where the plot can go from here.  Unless writer Josh Williamson pulls a “Hail Mary” of story telling, its going to be hard to root for the main character of the book when she is so clearly working toward interests counter to those of her readers.  I’m still invested in the story exactly for that reason and as ever Sami Basri’s art is top notch.  This is a great series, but I pray that all this insanity that we are seeing is facilitating something larger.
• All-Star Western #8 was the last of the DC books I read this week, which is something of a tradition for me.  I look forward to it every month and I find it a fitting tribute to save it for last.  This month’s installment was worth the wait.  Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti create a very authentic Western ambiance in yet another locale that is NOT classically viewed as the West.  Jonah Hex and his Gothamite associate, Dr. Jeremiah Arkham, are in New Orleans tracking down a criminal from Gotham wanted for the abduction of children among other things, and in the mean time they have been drawn into ANOTHER plot, helping the vigilantes Nighthawk and Cinnamon combat xenophobic terrorists bent on murdering the influx of immigrants to the burgeoning “Big Easy.”  Hex has infiltrated them, but the question remains as to how deep he’s gotten in and whether or not he can come back out.  Moritat’s artwork of the series remains one of the most visually stunning of DC’s new lineup, right there with Yanick Paquette in Swamp Thing and Francis Manapul’s Flash. In the backup feature, also written by Gray and Palmiotti, we are given the back story of the vigilante, Cinnamon, from orphan of murdered parents to protege of a wandering samurai to sultry sidekick/paramour of Nighthawk, whom the backup feature introduced us to in last month’s issue.  Patrick Scherberger provides the art here, and he does it with great detail and strong lines.  This issue all together was capital “Q” quality
  

  Psychopaths In Love

• Spaceman #6 continues to puzzle me.  So much so that I’m not comfortable giving my impressions, as those impressions might be based on faulty information.  As I said before, the plot jumps between one time period on Earth and another on the planet Mars, and while I believe Mars comes first I can’t prove that, so I am left scratching my head as to how the two correlate and what significance the Martian material has to do with the main plot on Earth.  Eduardo Risso’s artwork is amazing.  That is the most solid thing I can say about it.  Brian Azzarello’s writing is very nuanced and stylized, but the downside of that is that its almost unintelligible like “Clockwork Orange.”  Hopefully next month I can report something more.
• Green Hornet #24 brings us into the second of six issues in the “Outcaste” arc, and the stakes are perhaps the highest that they have ever been.  The premise of the Green Hornet is that he and his partner Kato are good guys who masquerade themselves as villains to better combat organized crime.  Well as we saw at the end of issue #23, a very well connected man in Century City has exploited that fact by having a fake Green Hornet kill several influential people, not least of whom includes the Mayor himself, allowing for a political vacuum which could spell big trouble for everyone in the municipality.  Britt Jr has worked hard to live up to the legacy of his storied father in both his role as the Publisher of the Sentinel newspaper and as the dreaded Green Hornet.  Now that he has finally gotten to the point where he feels he can live up to it, that same legacy is jeopardized by madmen.  Along the way friendships and connections arduously formed to aid in his crusade begin to unravel.  This is the start of perhaps the best Green Hornet story to date.
• Warlord of Mars #17 is on the penultimate chapter of the “Gods of Mars” arc.  I am continually amazed by the skill and fidelity that the series shows to the original Edgar Rice Burroughs novels.  I enjoyed the novels so much I thought it would be impossible for the comics to live up to those very evocative stories and images, yet somehow the Warlord of Mars team has done it.   The key scenes and dialogue are all retained, but don’t feel watered down or condensed. The images are all there in stark, vibrant detail.  These are the “Warlord of Mars” novels in full, translated into the comic medium.
• American Vampire #26 begins a new two part arc entitled “The Nocturnes.”  As ever, writer/creator Scott Snyder really goes out of his way to make this series poignant and excellent.  Its not just about Vampires in America and what they are, but rather what America is or has been, and how that shapes this emerging species of creature into what we’ve seen.  Along those same lines, what really makes this series fun to read is that it started with two main characters and through the very personal storytelling, created a rich cast of side characters who inherit the spotlight as the series progresses.  This storyline deals with our friend, Calvin Poole, from the “Ghost War” arc ten years later in the southlands of Alabama in 1954.  As a taxonomist, he is the perfect mouthpiece to describe to us the evolution of vampires as a species, and as an African American taxonomist the perfect mouthpiece for the evolution of the American culture in the 1950′s.  Roger Cruz takes over the art for series artist Rafael Albuquerque who is working on the backup features for Snyder’s ” Night of the Owls” in the main Batmantitle.  His style is very reminiscent of Albuquerque’s so the issue fits in very neatly to the overall feeling of the series.
  

  A New Breed

• The New Deadwardians #2 is shaping up to be a really incredible series.  It reads a lot like a magical amalgam of the shows Downton Abbey and Walking Dead.  Though they still haven’t used the word vampire, Dan Abnett pretty much has it sewn up that this is what the upper class of Britain has undergone to prevent being eaten by the zombie hoards that have infested their country.  In this new world there is a tenuously balance of power among the “Young”, as the vampires call themselves, the “Bright” (the unaltered humans), and the zombie “Restless.”   As of last issue a murder occurs on one of the Young and the three means of killing the young were not utilized.  So the main question becomes what that means, and how that affects their supremacy over the Bright.  This series is yet another example of giving a series a shot.  I hate vampires and zombies and yet I am all about this series.  If you are a fan of PBS and AMC, read this book . . .
• Kirby Genesis #7 reaches its penultimate chapter.  This series has been incredible and I am sad to see that it is nearing its conclusion.  As I’ve made abundantly clear in the past, Jack Kirby is one of the greatest geniuses of comics, if not the greatest. AS such, so many of his creations were never given their full due and this series has provided a platform for them to be seen again, or in some cases even get their own ongoing series, such as Silver Star, Captain Victory, and Dragonsbane.  All three are incredible series in their own rights, but this main series featured so many other wonders of the Kirbyverse.  I am further saddened that these other concepts will be put back in stasis again.  The Midnight Swan, Garza Nights, and Galaxy Greens are incredible characters and fully worthy of their own series.  Perhaps they will get them.  In the interim, this issue showcased them all in the vivid artwork of Alex Ross and Jack Herbert.  I  look forward to and lament the release of the eighth and final issue

And so ends the month of April’s array of comics. May promises to be even better with an array of new series coming out as well as several Annuals.   See you then . . .

Illustration Credits:

Green Lantern: The New Guardians #8: Drawn by Tyler Kirkham, Colored by Nei Ruffino, Inked by Batt

Fury of Firestorm #8: Art by Ethan Van Sciver, Colored by Hi-Fi

All-Star Western #8: Art by Moritat, Colored by Gabriel Bautista

American Vampire #26: Art by Roger Cruz, Colored by Dave McCaig

Boston Comic-Con invaded the Hynes Convention Center and had a fantastic turn out. My anticipation grew for it as the weeks passed since this was my first comic book convention. Last minute shenanigans made me absent on Saturday and Twitter feedback suggests there were a ton of people in attendance. I arrived bright and early on Sunday to take in all the sights, sounds, cosplay and comics that I could handle. I brought some books from my collection to get signed by various artists and I missed out on two of them as the line for Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) was beyond long and I somehow forgot to visit Daredevil artist, Paolo Rivera. Despite these two little set backs, I had an amazing time and I will make sure I’m in attendance for both days next year!

After hitting up the show room floor, I headed over to the DC Comics panel which was moderated by ForcesofGeek.com Editor-in-Chief, Stefan Blitz, who I had the pleasure of meeting in person for the first time. The panel consisted of Cliff Chiang (Wonder Women), Ivan Reis & Joe Prado (Aquaman), Jamal Igle (The Ray) and Francis Manapul (The Flash), who stole the show. The biggest news item to come from the panel was the confirmation of DC Comics #0 issues in September, which will serve as prequel versions to the first issues from a year earlier. Other items talked about at the panel:

From left to right, Jamal Igle, Cliff Chiang, Francis Manapul, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. | Photo by Ashley Hansberry of buquad.com

- Ivan Reis and Joe Prado were attached to Aquaman before Geoff Johns and the people in attendance thanked them for making Arthur cool again. Both artists said their design was inspired by Flash Gordon. You could tell they have a genuine enthusiasm for the character.

- The five of them of them found out about the DC Reboot at different times with Igle finding out in February.

- A fan asked why DC re-numbered Action Comics out of concern for missing out on issue #1000. Manapul stated that they had to make a statement in rebooting all of the books to have the impact they were looking for and anything else would have been 98%.

- The artists said they have received a positive response to the New 52 at the convention compared to negative Facebook feedback that Prado touched on. Chiang stated that many have told him they had never read Wonder Women before the reboot.

- When asked about the absence of Wally West in the New 52, Francis Manapul said he grew up on Wally West and really wants him in the series but DC won’t allow it. He said he snuck him into issue six to test the waters but DC put the kibosh on it.

- The line of the night came when a relatively young fan felt the reboot came out of nowhere and asked why it happened and Manapul replied “Basically, Flash fucked up.” His delivery with that line was priceless as I thought, “This is one cool dude.”

The DC Comics Panel had a full house, but the line for the Marvel panel immediately following was crazy long. Stefan Blitz and I had a great conversation after the panel and he informed me about some exciting things on the horizon for ForcesofGeek.com and he got me excited for the Rhode Island Comic-Con in November.  Then, it was time to rock out with my geek out and have some fun.

The Dealer Room

Wall of Comics

Stay Puft Marshmallow Man

Jamal Igle signing my copy of The Ray #3 he was very appreciative that I bought the book from him at the cover price instead of buying it for a dollar three tables down. 

Joe Prado signing my Aquaman #1. Ivan Reis signed it too!

Lookout! Here comes the Spider-Man.

Francis Manapul signing my Flash #1 and a super cool dude to boot!

Bane

Ed McGuinness signing one of my favorite books ever. Superman/Batman #1

Billy Tucci drew, colored and signed this awesome Captain America lithograph. This was calling my name all day until I gave in and bought it. Mr. Tucci was a pleasure to talk to!

Blackcat & Psylocke

By: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato (story and art), Ian Herring (colors)

The Story: Having to look at a stranger’s life for untold years would drive anyone crazy.

The Review: I often talk about “lack of direction” on this site, and that’s a stuffy, English-major type word that deserves explanation.  If you’re going to invest your time and interest into a long-form piece of fiction, you need more out of it than simply a series of entertaining tales; you need to see a clear progression in either the characters’ development or an overarching plot/theme.  If you hit issue eight and neither has changed much from the first, the title clearly lacks direction.

Now, obviously there have been a few changes to the status quo from #1: the Flash discovering the Speed Force’s effects on time and space, a couple villain clashes, a new girlfriend.  But if you take a step back and examine the book as a whole, these alterations are largely superficial.  They’ve done nothing to make our hero a different person than when he started, nor have they established a clear path or tone for what this series wants to be.

I’ve called Barry out on this at least a couple times, but here he again demonstrates that he really doesn’t have much of what you’d recognize as personality.  In everything he does, you get a vague sense of his sensibleness, his no-nonsense attitude, his strict conscience, but none of these make him a very memorable character.  Simply being a noble figure doesn’t imprint someone into anybody’s consciousness, yet that’s how Barry’s been portrayed since day one.

Certainly it doesn’t help if his foils don’t make up for his want of intrigue.  Turbine is only roughly conceived as an antagonist, and it’s even harder to get a strong impression of him with his habit of switching from fearful and traumatized (“I…I’m just trying to go home…home-home-home…”) to full-on craziness (“…you’re getting me back home…if I have to kill you to do it!”).  Aside from some useful clarification on the nature of the Speed Force, most of which is so abstract it’ll go over your head anyway, Turbine serves almost no function to the story.

You can’t really depend on the rest of the supporting cast to carry the story either.  Patty’s incessant haranguing of the Flash as a no good, “self-serving vigilante” gets pretty tiresome, and hardly expands the debate in any thoughtful way.  Forrest makes for a poor counterpoint, since he immediately discredits himself by arguing, “…my kids love him!”

Here’s an example of a character who does bear rich grounds for development: while we’ve mostly seen David Singh’s crusty, impatient side, he’s also revealed in several brief moments that there’s a deep core of compassion he wants to keep hidden inside him.  This issue spotlights that fact when, just after he joins Patty in berating the Flash, one Hartley Rathaway (AKA the Pied Piper) appears and points out, “Some [vigilantes] do actual good,” and Singh admits, “Not all vigilantes are as easily reformed as you.”  This implies Singh had some significant role in reforming Hartley, which ties into their current relationship; Hartley looks none too happy that Singh introduces him as merely his “…friend,” after a pregnant pause.

Manapul’s art has always been highly creative, which proves infinitely useful this issue when trying to convey the streams of time flowing around the Flash and Turbine as they navigate a desolate field of aimless caverns and cliffs.  He’s also grown more honed in giving punch to his action; the Flash not only looks fast, he looks like he has genuine momentum, enough to carry him right off the page.  Looking at the nuanced expressions on Singh’s and Hartley’s faces as they awkwardly interact, Manapul’s clearly gotten more subtle in the drama department as well.

Conclusion: The series’ thin character and plot work is finally catching up to its super-speed pace, leaving it only slightly better than your average comic, soon not to be even that if things go on this way.

Grade: B-

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - Aside from the obvious question of how the denizens of Gorilla City went from feral to civilized, you have to ask when these naturally herbivorous creatures developed the practice of eating brains to signify dominance.

- You know, about a day after I saw the flutes in Singh’s apartment, I wondered if it had something to do with Pied Piper.  Now that we know what’s up, it sure makes my theory that Patty and Singh were going to end up together after things broke off with Barry look like typical critic’s know-it-all syndrome.

Kevin Eastman, Simon Bisley, 

Also, for the first time in a long time and most likely the last time, appearing in one room together are the LEGENDS OF MAD MAGAZINE – Al Feldstein, Al Jaffee, and Paul Coker.

Marvel Comics will be in the house conducting artist portfolio revues searching for that next young gun artist!

We’ve got GAMING, ARTIST PANELS, COSTUME CONTEST, FILM FESTIVAL, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, and our first ever ART AUCTION!

Finally, who could forget the official, exclusive, Marvel Comics approved Avengers Boston Comic Con T-Shirt!!!

Tickets are currently available online through the convention website or at the door. Prices are $20 for a single day pass and $35 for a weekend pass. Kids 10 and under get in free with paid adult admission!

About Boston Comic Con
The Boston Comic Con is a 100% independently run comic book show committed to bringing the biggest and best comic creators to New England. Run by fans for fans, Boston Comic Con is not affiliated with any other convention tour or corporate interests. Hosting over 40,000 square feet of vendors selling comic books, toys, posters, trading cards, and other pop culture memorabilia, this is a destination event for geeks of any stripe. This year’s convention will be held Saturday April 21st and Sunday April 22nd opening at 10:00 am each day at the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA. For more information please go to our website at www.bostoncomiccon.com and follow us on Twitter (@BostonComicCon)
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via Boston Comic Con Press Release

The boat carrying Patty and other civilians plummets towards the icy sea, and Flash must make a choice–forget his battle with Captain Cold and save Patty? Exceed maximum exposure to the speed force and risk another rupture in time? The consequences will be huge.

As the multiple question marks suggest, the seventh issue of The Flash was nothing less than a page turner full of suspense and fast-paced action–I would expect nothing less from the world’s fastest speedster.

In a lot of comic books, it seems that the superhero is always in control–he/she usually has the drop on the villain, is one step behind their plot, and always comes out on top. But in this issue of Flash we see more clearly than ever that Barry is still only beginning to comprehend his powers. The speed force, whatever it is, is beyond his control, and messing with it is going to have big repercussions not only for himself but the people he loves. I can’t talk about the story too much–you just have to read it for yourself, I refuse to spoil anything!–but we see a lot of growth from Flash, making a big decision and making a big risk in the process.

There is only one weak moment in the writing–as Captain Cold resurfaces from the ice he mentions an adverse side effect in his powers. That kind of explanatory dialogue that a character wouldn’t normally say in-action…that’s pretty old school. And while only a quick moment, it really threw me.

The art is still stellar. Panels become disjointed as Flash scrambles to save everyone, or become blocs of ice as he pummels Captain Cold. The coloring is gorgeous as usual and the way the art crew depicts Flash in motion is stunning.

While praise can go on and on about this title, there is still more room for improvement. While Barry Allen is certainly coming into his own in this title, secondary characters Patty, Dr Elias and even Iris are rather weak and two-dimensional. After this arc I would really like to see more background and development on them–that way when they are endangered there’s some tug on the heartstrings.

The Curse of Shazam! Part 1 (Justice League #7)

An ordinary passerby recounts a surreal experience of getting into an elevator and being whisked away to a magical realm, where he is quickly deemed unworthy and returned to Earth. Several others recount similar experiences, collected together by the crazed Doctor Sivana, who believes them to be the evidence he needs to prove magic exists. Meanwhile, troubled young orphan Billy Batson puts on a happy face for a prospective foster family in a ruse to get out of the foster system, but higher powers have bigger things in mind for the mischievous young man.

I’ve never really been a fan of Captain Marvel, or “Shazam” as he’s being called now. As something of a Superman rip-off with a magical twist (according to the courts at least), the character never really seemed to stand out as much as he should have. The concept is interesting, but I found a lot of the so-called “high points” of the mythology, like Jerry Ordway’s Power of Shazam, or Jeff Smith’s Shazam and the Monster Society of Evil to be both horribly dated and nauseatingly childish. In my mind, Shazam needed this update.

Thus, I was pleasantly surprised with the new take written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Gary Frank. Billy Batson acts more like a real kid, and I loved the scene where he and the foster care lady worked together just so they could be rid of each other. It’s more interesting to have a kid be stuck in the foster care system on his own accord, rather than simply be homeless, down on his luck, and living in an abandoned apartment. I also like the Shazam’s new look (pictured above). The hood not only gives him a more magical sensibility, but also works as a way of eliminating the Superman comparisons, which the character incurred mostly as a result of his chiseled jaw, black hair, and winning smile.

Curse of Shazam is darker and more adult, both sorely needed alterations to an ailing character. Writer Geoff Johns explained to Newsarama, “Batman had Year One and Superman had Man of Steel, Wonder Woman had George Pérez, and all these characters kept evolving. And changing. Shazam didn’t really have that consistent publishing. A lot of great creators could have introduced some great takes on the character if he had.” My sentiments exactly, and though Curse of Shazam seems to be taking steps to eliminate some of the more ridiculous bits of the mythology, the story still manages to remain true to the heart of the character, an important part of modernization.

I do take issue with the fact that the villain Doctor Sivana literally looks and acts exactly like Lex Luthor. It really is best not to draw more Superman comparisons right when you’ve begun a whole new approach to Shazam. On the whole, though, Curse of Shazam is a great start to a much-needed update of the mythology, and DC would do well to consider giving the character a book of his own.

Recommended, if only for this story, not Justice League, because that shit sucks.

Superman #7

Superman is targeted by the demon Helspont and his army of daemonites, who challenge Superman on his home turf of Metropolis. After a short battle and annoyed by spectators and media types, Superman flies off, leaving the people to complain about having to pick up the damage left behind. Meanwhile, Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent struggles to balance his day-to-day job and his responsibilities as Superman.

Following in the footsteps of George Pérez, the book’s new creative team of Keith Giffen (co-writing) and former 90s Superman writer/artist Dan Jurgens (co-writing and pencils), and also carrying over Jesus Merino (finished art)from Pérez’s run, Superman #7 is another great jumping on point for new readers. Where Pérez effectively modernized Supes by placing him in a more cynical, media-based society, Jurgens and Giffen run with those same themes, portraying a Metropolis that isn’t overwhelmingly appreciative of the big blue boyscout, the reception to his heroics being decidedly mixed.

What I like about this issue specifically is that we finally get to see Clark in his ordinary routine at the Daily Planet for the first time in the New 52, just a normal guy in over his head and back to his old self after the events of Pérez’s run. Jurgen’s pencils in these Daily Planet scenes are a little more cartoony than I’d prefer – some panels make Clark look more like the Angry Video Game Nerd than a Man of Steel in disguise. Still, they get the job done, and at least now Perry White actually looks like Perry White, and not…well, how he was drawn in the first six issues.

A standout moment in Issue #7 is when we get to see Supes actually change into the new costume for the first time. A lot of fans, including myself, wondered how Clark could disguise the Superman armor under his normal civilian attire. Now, all is revealed and…well, you be the judge:

(The above image belongs to DC Comics. I do not own, nor am I affiliated with DC/Time Warner)

And…I don’t like it. I’m all for modernization, but having Superman tear off his shirt, reveal the logo, and suddenly appear in the costume moments later is an iconic transformation and certainly not one worth changing in favor of…this. Of course it makes no sense for him to be wearing red boots under his clothes, it’s Superman, a property heavily reliant on suspension of disbelief. This “Kryptonian biotech” business just reeks of a bad 90s idea, a way of putting a new spin on the character that absolutely will not last. We don’t need some derivative, unnatural explanation for how Supes changes into his costume; getting caught up in petty details like that just takes me right out of the fantasy DC is constantly working to maintain.

That above image alone says volumes of Issue #7’s underlying feeling of being at odds with itself. Sure, we still get a look at the classic shirt-tear in the upper right-hand panel, but the assimilation of the actual suit that follows feels altogether different and poorly designed, like a compromise between two writers locked in a game of tug-of-war (both Giffen and Jurgens readily admit their differing visions here).

Overall, I didn’t care for this issue as much as I did any of the first six issues, but Superman #7 is still worth checking out, I suppose, if only to see where the new team may be taking the book from here on out.

Recommended.

The Flash #7

The Flash continues battling the evil Captain Cold, saving the lives of people plummeting towards an icy abyss in the process. But after defeating Cold and rescuing the citizens, including alter-ego Barry Allen’s girlfriend Patty, Flash discovers that by exceeding his set speed boundaries, he inadvertently opened a wormhole that sucked more people, among them reporter Iris West, into another dimension. In addition, Patty now believes Barry to be dead, blaming The Flash for the incident. Flash must now create a new wormhole to get Iris and the others back, but will Central City turn on the Scarlet Speedster by the time he returns?

I have never followed a series authored and illustrated by the exact same people with such glaring inconsistency in writing quality. The new Flash series has had so many varying ups and downs that each issue is a toss-up for passable writing. Luckily, this time the coin has landed right-side up, finally giving readers some significant superheroics that have been sorely missed in the series so far.

Supported by some decent writing this time around, the artwork is, as always, quite stunning. The blank whiteness of the cold setting is a great contrast to Flash’s bright red-and-yellow color scheme. I like the new characterization for Cold – he’s much more of a serious threat to Flash than in previous years, receiving updates in appearance, powers, and overall dangerousness. Despite Geoff Johns’ pushing Professor Zoom on readers in recent years, I’ll always see Cold as the Joker to Flash’s Batman, and this issue really makes a solid case for that notion.

I’d prefer to see a better, more consistent writer on the book, but on the whole, I like seeing the new, revitalized Rogues in action, and I may yet stick around for the upcoming arc featuring Gorilla Grodd.

Recommended.

All-Star Western #7

Jonah Hex and Amadeus Arkham are welcomed into the city of New Orleans with a bang – literally. A nearby building blows up and catches fire, forcing Hex to leap into action to save a little girl from the flames. Hex’s antics attract the attention of Nighthawk and Cinnamon, two crusading cowpolks who enlist Hex’s help in tracking down the bombers. As Hex is snooping around a gladiatorial stadium, he gets caught up in his own ring fight to the death.

All-Star Western once again proves itself to be a consistently good book, and Issue #7 is no exception. As I’ve mentioned before, in the more-than-capable hands of Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and artist Moriart, the book remains one of the best New 52 titles on the market.

There’s an amusing scene where Nighthawk and Cinammon are getting suited up, and they ask Arkham if he has any masked vigilantes back in Gotham, to which Arkham brands the mere notion ridiculous and unnecessary. One wonders how the present-day Caped Crusader would respond to such a notion.

But as fun a read as All-Star Western is, I’m torn on how much longer I’ll continue following it. I’m a bit burned out on Jonah Hex for now, and I did mention in my January comic review post that I wasn’t planning on sticking around for much longer. That said, there’s nothing particularly wrong with Issue #7, though I do miss Arkham’s internal monologues on Hex’s behavior, like the one in Issue #1. A similar analysis of the anti-hero’s behavior could’ve certainly made this issue’s opening scene more meaningful.

Still, there’s little to complain about in this week’s All-Star Western, and I’d be remiss to let my own feelings on the mythology to keep me from recommending a solid, well-written, and great-looking issue.

Recommended.

That’s all for this month. In April, I’ll be posting about Green Lantern: the Animated Series, reviewing the first issues of the upcoming Avengers vs. X-Men event, and hopefully taking a look at the new Ultimate Spider-Man show. Stay tuned!

Aquaman #7 was really short this week.  Apart from the first four pages, nothing really happened.  It did however reintroduce a classic Aquaman character and sow the seeds of mystery regarding the group referred to in the the title of this new arc “The Others.”  With old ties to Aquaman, two of them make the scene, raising the question of who they are and what they want now that they have come back into Arthur’s life.  Ivan Reis continues to render of the incredible scripts of Geoff Johns with consummate mastery.  Johns himself keeps the reader on their toes with incredible storylines that seemingly come out of left field with innovative, poignant storytelling.  This is Johns and Reis at their best.

Flash #7 picked up at the death defying moment on which it left off last month and didn’t disappoint for its duration.  Just a beautiful, lyric depiction of the Fastest Man Alive.  With the limitations and catastrophic consequences of his powers revealed, Flash now has a great deal of responsibility and culpability in the most minute of his actions.  This could, dare I say it, be the best Flash ever.  I may say it.  Geoff Johns may have a run for his money in what writer/artists Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are doing with the Scarlet Speedster.  The art is seminal, the storyline and writing are quintessential.  Just capital ‘Q’ Quality in this title.  Also I have to say that I am pulling for Patty Spivot and Barry Allen.  I know Flash purists will disagree since Iris and Barry have made lives with one another for thirty some years, but I really like Patty and seeing her and Barry together is really cute and different.  This is one drastic change DC has undertaken that I can get on board with, because they are making it work and doing so in a thoughtful way.  Just watch, though.  Now that I’ve said that, they’ll pull the rug out from under the whole thing and hook him back up with Iris.  I hope not.  What can I say, I am a romantic and like to root for an underdog.  Plus she has glasses.

Flash and Patty Spivot

Teen Titans #7 was, as ever, a masterpiece, working toward the reconciliation of the groups classic roster, i.e. the inclusion of Superboy.   Scott Lobdell has danced around several complex characters’ origins and tantalized his readers with slow revelations and hints as to the nature of these people.  In this issue, that is perhaps the most compelling aspect.  And for those who are in the know I have three words: DANNY THE STREET!!!  If you know what that is, you clearly share my enthusiasm.  If not, well read the issue and you will get a glimpse at the awesome that those three words embody.  This issue also harkens to the prophesied “Culling” that has been mentioned frequently in both this series, and its brother title, Superboy.  This is an issue not to be missed in a series that is equally essential to one’s list.

Hark the Harvester

All-Star Western #7 finds Jonah Hex and Doctor Arkham

Nighthawk and Cinnamon

arriving in New Orleans and meeting up with the vigilante couple Nighthawk and Cinnamon.  Coming to the Big Easy, the foursome four find themselves confronted by terror attacks leveled against the immigrant population by a group of power elite calling themselves the August 7.  The art by Moritat is killer as usual.  In the backup feature, Nighthawk and Cinnamon appear once again, and we are given the back story of the former.  I have to say that I am becoming a huge Nighthawk fan.  He is a very interesting, complex character and one that I am hoping will pop up often after this arc has wrapped.  I also hope that next issue will treat us to the back story of his beautiful partner, Cinnamon.

American Vampire #25 concluded the “Death Race” story and went out with two bangs.  Travis Kidd’s history is laid out and his hatred of Skinner Sweet made clear.  Also the way in which the great Skinner Sweet seemingly came back from the dead (or undead, as it were) is also hinted at.  This arc was perhaps one of my favorites.  Over the past twenty-five issues and five special issues, there has been several amazing plot points left unsolved that I can only speculate as to their resurgence and resolution.  Good issue, by creators Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque.

Skinner Sweet Teaches A Valuable Moral

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of these images and give credit to those whose work they are.

Illustration Credits:

Aquaman  #7: Drawn by Ivan Reis, Colored by Rod Reis, Inked by Joe Prado

The Flash #7: Art by Francis Manapul, Colored by Brian Buccellato

Teen Titans #7: Drawn by Brett Booth, Colored by Andrew Dalhouse, Inked by Norm Rapmund

All-Star Western #7: Art by Moritat, Colored by Gabriel Bautista

American Vampire #25: Art by Rafael Albuquerque, Colored by Dave McCaig

By: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato (writers and artists)

The Story: This attitude of not knowing where you’ll end up and barging in anyway tells me you’re not the greatest road-trip companion, Flash.

The Review: I lost my first copy of this issue about five seconds after reading it on the bus—and while remaining in the bus.  If you know me personally, this shouldn’t shock you one iota.  My theory is a wormhole within the time-space continuum sucked it in, and any moment now, news will be breaking about someone finding a fifty-year old copy of The Flash #7, an ad for Resident Evil: Raccoon City on the back, in the middle of the Badlands.

Or maybe the homeless person next to me sat on it when he came in and didn’t notice, which isn’t out of the question as he was quite snookered with McGuinness at the time.  Whatever the case, the mention of wormholes seems appropriate in discussing this particular issue of The Flash.  If Barry had any doubt about Dr. Elias’ hypothesized connection between excess use of the Speed Force and time warps, he has incontrovertible proof of it now.  It does beg the question of how he never noticed this effect before if big honkin’ rips in space burst nearby whenever he does this, but let’s set that little bit of inconsistency aside.

If you have a glass-half-full mentality, you might say that this disaster at least prompts Barry to true, self-initiated action for the first time this series.  Considering his upstanding character, and his tendency to wait for the starting gun before running, his decision to use Dr. Elias’ treadmill for his own purposes is practically revolutionary, especially since he himself admits he “can’t pretend to know what will happen” if he generates another wormhole and runs into it.

Of course, guilt over the damage he’s produced is a great motivator, but it’s no coincidence that once one of his love interests gets sucked into the mess, he becomes much more willing to break the rules.  Especially since the reason why she gets caught up in a wormhole is because Barry ignored the warning signs to save another love interest.

On that note, now’s a good time for a love triangle update.  Manapul-Buccellato seem really intent on convincing you Patty’s not just a charming placeholder and Barry has genuine feelings for her.  Still, you can’t help feeling there’s a degree of artifice in this, no matter how many puppy-dog lines Barry throws in, like, “And God does she smell good,” or, “We’re a couple months in and I’ve really fallen for her.”  That tagged-on “really” definitely has a forced quality to it.  It’s also not a good sign that without him, it’s Singh she turns to for comfort, even if she’s in tears about Barry the whole time.  This has the reek of early Plan B maneuvering to ensure Patty has a happy ending should things not work out between her and our hero.

Don’t let all this romantic talk fool you into thinking Manapul-Buccellato skimped on other parts of the plot.  We still have Captain Cold’s family drama to look forward to, as we discover that despite his violent attachment to his sister, the affection isn’t quite mutual.  We get a glimpse of DC’s staple intelligent gorillas as they discuss whether world conquest would be appropriate since “the second coming is upon us!”  Oh, yeah, and the Flash enters a parallel dimension for the first time only to discover he’s not alone.  So we have plenty of material to work on here.

Manapul’s art has grown bigger, bolder, and more convincing since the title first debuted.  His angular sketchwork has always been ideal for smaller panels, medium shots, and sleek action, but now he tackles bigger-scale images and tighter shots with just as much aplomb.  That two-page title splash of the Flash speeding through the falling debris of a ship to reach Patty, various pieces of rubble spelling out his name, comes out at you like an oncoming train, giving you an intense feel of the energy happening in the issue.

Conclusion: Still solid, as Manapul-Buccellato dangle a number of plotlines into the series, proving they have a clear plan for its direction.  The art, however, remains the biggest selling point of the title.  If anything, improvements in the story are simply bonuses.

Grade: B

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - Okay, Singh, seriously—what’s with all the flutes?  That, more than anything else in this issue, is going to haunt me until they finally reveal the back-story behind it.

That’s right! We’re bowling to raise money for our cause on Friday March 30 at 8pm! There are 24 spots to bowl with a special guest including Jim Valentino, Francis Manapul, Barry Kitson, Tony Parker and more at Garage Billiards at 1130 Broadway in downtown Seattle! (http://www.garagebilliards.com) For $40 you get 2 games with a special guest, shoe rental, a drink ticket and five raffle tickets to win a bowling pin designed by artists such as Joe Linsner or Matt Wagner!

You never know who will show up! Go to http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290689940957 to secure your spot!

And if you don’t want to bowl, come and have some fun! The custom bowling pins can be won by ANYONE who shows up! Raffle tickets are $5 each, and tickets will be sold all day Friday at booth number #807 and all evening at the event. Winners MUST BE present.

And of course our special guests at the booth will be signing and sketching for us. Check it out!

Friday, March 30 (hours 2-8)

• 2:00-3:00 – Keu Cha
• 3:00-4:00 – Scott Morse
• 4:00-5:00 – Mike Oeming
• 5:00-7:00 – Bill Willingham

Saturday, March 31 (hours 10-7)

• 12:30-:130 – Jim Valentino
• 1:30-2:30 – Adi Granov
• 4:30-6:30 – Chrissie Zullo

Sunday, April 1 (hours 10-5)

• 10:30-11:30 – Steve Lieber
• 11:30-12:30 – Matt Fraction

About The Hero Initiative
The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book artists and craftsmen in need. Hero Initiative creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.
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Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $500,000 to the comics veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354.
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via Hero Initiative Press Release

Manapul is also doing some fabulous work on the current Flash series, you should definitely check it out. While I love the sumi-e style I would have loved Manapul to do more of an action pose, I love how he creates a sense of movement in Flash…

And yes I know I’m behind on reviewing Batgirl issues…oops! Please don’t send Ace after me! I’ll get right on it and hopefully start posting more in general.

Manapul is also doing some fabulous work on the current Flash series, you should definitely check it out. While I love the sumi-e style I would have loved Manapul to do more of an action pose, I love how he creates a sense of movement in Flash…

And yes I know I’m behind on reviewing Batgirl issues…oops! Please don’t send Ace after me! I’ll get right on it and hopefully start posting more in general.

The Flash’s second story arc continues with the return of one of his oldest villains, Captain Cold, who’s out for revenge. But most importantly, the arc is called “Revenge best served cold.” Seriously, any Wrath of Khan reference in any way, shape or form automatically receives an A in my book.

But the issue was pretty good regardless.

Some time has passed since the end of the last arc. Patty and Barry are officially dating and Dr Elias has made some new progress in tracking The Flash’s energy output and interaction with the “speed force,” as per the last arc. Meanwhile, we connect all the way back to Disastardly Death of the Rogues with Captain Cold’s release and plotting his revenge.

The art continues to be the highlight for me with this issue. It is totally unique to the title and, true to Flash, always feels like it’s in motion, popping off the page with a life all its own. Simple creative gestures like the title being carved into blocks of ice, and the way the panels are integrated into the page spread, really put this title on a new level.

In all honesty though I was confused during most of the reading. The content is smartly matched with Flash’s powers, going back and forward in time until both meet at the climactic moment–just as Flash reaches his maximum energy output, Captain Cold rises up two pillars of ice, throwing a boat of civilians, including Patty and Iris, in mortal danger. Even though the time-jumping was a nice touch I found the constant jumping back and forth disorienting and confusing–while I got the gist it would take multiple reads and page-flipping for it to make sense.

Aside from this series I’ve never read much of Flash’s comics but Captain Cold still seems to be your humdrum villain–in this issue he has the classic baddie psyche of blaming the hero for something possibly not his fault; in this case, his sister’s dire condition from cancer. I am sure Manapul and Buccellato are capable of further developing Cold as a villain I’ll love to hate, but I’m not seeing much of that yet.

On a similar note, I wish I cared more about Patty now that she is in danger. She and Barry are officially dating, but she still has a rather bland personality, and I don’t see a cause to like her any more than Iris.

This wasn’t my favorite issue of Flash but it remains one of my favorite DC titles. Regardless, it’s too soon to say having only read the opening–let’s not write off Cold or this a

Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL & BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Penciled & Inked by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Colored by BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Lettered by WES ABBOTT
Cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Variant cover by MIKE CHOI
B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Edited by DARREN SHAN & BRIAN CUNNINGHAM

 If you were worried about how effective the de-aging process for the new 52′s villains was going to be, fear no more!  Not only do they look even younger and more energetic, but they have also developed a keen sense of style!  Captain Cold starts off this year this year’s line of villainous costuming with his sleeveless hoodie jacket with just the right amount of blue and white for that frigid feeling.  (Sometimes I wonder if the artists actually design the costume changes, or if their hands are forced.)

While my poking fun of Captain Cold’s costume is a bit obvious, it doesn’t truly distract me from the overall story.  Geoff Johns is certainly putting in some quality work on his titles, (with exception of Green Lantern) and it’s showing.

Barry still feels like the same old Barry prior to the reboot, but some new and interesting elements have been added in order to make this Flash revamping feel worth the cover price.  There’s a lot going on with the technological side of things, as well as tweaking Barry’s speedster abilities – almost making it a burden to bear.

Barry can’t simply run around from crime scene to crime scene without paying attention to the powers levels his speed radiates.  Luckily, his handy dandy energy output gauges, in the form of the lighting ear pieces, let him know when he needs to take a trip to the newly refurbished Cosmic Treadmill.  Which, in turn, soaks out the dangerous speed levels from the Flash, to hopefully one day, I can only assume, be used as an alternative energy source for the local community.

There’s a brief, yet lovely romantic interlude involving Barry and newly inducted girlfriend, Patty Spivot. I had already assumed they were an item.  However, based on Patty’s reaction to Barry’s declaration on the public bus, that relationship is obviously just getting started.  There’s a clear pathway being paved here though; Patty doesn’t support the Flash’s vigilantism while Iris believes in what the speedster stands for.  Me thinks this could change the future of Barry’s love life, wouldn’t you agree?

While I don’t love Cold’s costume change, the more naturalistic form of Cold’s power is much more appealing than simply wielding an arsenal of freeze guns.  (Leave those kinds of villains for Bats to handle I say!)  Making it where we sympathize with the Captain is much more appealing too.  Before he seemed like some punk middle age man, now he feels more like a man, down on his luck, mad at the world.  Even with the costume, this is a Captain Cold I can enjoy reading about.

Give it up for Manapul and Buccellato on the art as well.  Just like Tony Daniel, the two are able to balance everything out creating the story and the art without any trouble!  The best part of it all is how well both visualize the sheer power in the Flash’s speed; everything from just straight running, duck and diving, to his powerful tornado maneuver. Plus, the paneling on every page is creative and superb.

Off to a good start, this series progressively gets better with every issue.  Manapul and Buccellato are not only telling a story of a classic DC hero, but reimagining the entire mythos as a comprehensive and intelligent – giving us a story EXPLAINING what being apart of the Flash family actually means.

10 out of 10 stars

• Aquaman #6 provides a bookend to last month’s #5 issue, with an in depth look at a day in the life of Arthur’s wife and queen, Mera.
  

  Mera Shopping For Dog Food

  Just like being stranded in the desert last month facilitated a moment for Aquaman to reexamine his life and the place  he holds in our world, Mera finds herself stranded in her own desert.  The simple task of picking up dog food in a small town market turns into a culture clash of epic proportions resulting in significant property damage.  [I'm gonna go off on a tangent here and prove my dorkdom: This reminded me of the scene in the film Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence where Batou goes to get his basset hound some wet dog food only to get in a shoot out . . . with himself, causing the bodega to get blasted to hell. Awesome scene, awesome movie, awesome reference.  And end of dork-out.]  We see a glimpse of her past, just as we did with Aquaman last month, we see what her mission was that lead her to be in this moment, and we see how alienated she is in this world that isn’t her own.  This is a Mera issue on a couple of levels, and it really sets the tone for what we can expect of her and what ghosts of her past might revisit her and her beloved in future issues.  It was a really revealing and beautiful issue from a very outstanding series.  I’m an Aquaman fan, but I am also becoming a Mera fan too.

• Batman: The Dark Knight #6 continues it’s decent down the rabbit hole.  Each issue gets Batman and us closer to understanding the nature of the new toxin the White Rabbit has been spreading and what the endgame is.  Yet again, the issue brings another villain into the conspiracy.  As the cover of the issue reveals its Bane, the man who “broke the Bat.”  What does his appearance portend in a plot that centers around bring out Batman’s greatest fears?
• The Flash #6 was actually a really touching issue. Barry and Patty’s relationship is blossoming and the Flash’s most iconic villain (except for maybe Gorilla Grodd, and perhaps Reverse Flash), Captain Cold, makes his first appearance outside of Iron Heights Prison.  It is mostly his part in the issue that drives the plot along.  One thing that can be said about the Rogues is that there is an unspoken code of honor in their forays with the Flash.  This issue sees Cold throw all of those inhibitions out the window.  The reason for his flagrant attitude is what truly innovates and defines the characters for this new iteration of the series.  Sure the elements have existed before, but the way writer/artists Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato frame them is really compelling.  The Flash hits a homerun yet again.
•  Teen Titans #6 was a really well executed issue.  I’m starting to expect nothing less from writer Scott Lobdell.  The premise is that one of the team gets seriously hurt (easily believable after Teen Titans #5) and the rest of the Titans taking him to get help.  A simple premise, yet somehow amidst all of that Lobdell packs in so much characterization and revelations about the young heroes and in such a casual manner that it’s truly astounding.  Dynamics are built.  Secrets are revealed.  If you like the series you have to read this book.  This is the keystone to what Teen Titans will be for years to come.  Also, with art from Brett Booth, how can you go wrong?
• Fury of Firestorm #6 was good. REALLY good.  I’ve said before that this book focuses on the power that these individuals with the Firestorm Matrices possess.  I don’t have extensive exposure to the original series.  I did read several sporadic issues that I was able to get my hands on, but I feel from what I have read that this series takes the concept in a very apocalyptic direction.  It truly is an arms race with people, and this issue from the very first page delves into the most basic sensory aspects of the awesome power these teenaged boys have been saddled with.  I have to say that this series is getting to be a ‘can’t miss’ title.  I really feel a connection with Ronnie and Jason, and feel like I am right there with them, feeling the weight of the whole world bearing down on their shoulders.  I’d suggest this series without reservation.
• Voodoo #6 takes the series up a notch.  The Daemonite invasion that has been hinted at is becoming more real and the stakes are pretty high.  On the human front, there is dissent as to how best to reign in the threat posed by Voodoo.  The solution revealed by two rogue Black Razors in the last issue left me with my jaw hanging to my collar bone and screaming for more.  This issue followed up on that plot point and revealed some very pivotal information that again leaves me wondering what’s in store for the series.  On the alien front, Voodoo is also in a very pivotal place.  Depending on how the Daemonites respond after her discovery last issue, her allegiance to them may be in jeopardy, and as we have seen, hell hath no fury like her scorn.  Josh Williamson is on his second issue as series writer and still hitting it out of the park, and as ever, Sami Basri’s art is exquisite and sensuous.
• Green Lantern: New Guardians #6 drives it home again as it did last month.  The series was floundering for awhile in my opinion and I was dangerously close to dropping it.  Only my sheer love of Green Lantern mythos kept it on my pull list, and I am soooo glad that I weathered it, because this series fell into its groove in a major way.  The Lanterns are all behaving how they should and living up to their potential.  The conflict that they are up against is
  

  Invictus!

  “astronomical” in nature– I said this before and I will reiterate this point as it is not exaggerated in the slightest– and as a result, it creates the improbable cement that binds these disparate corpsmen together against a greater evil.  The mystery of the facsimile worlds they are visiting has me enthralled in the plot, as does the nature of “Invictus.”  However, the characters themselves are what draw me in.  They are all superbly written by Tony Bedard and artist Tyler Kirkham has fallen into his groove with depicting them.  I have come to love Fatality the Star Sapphire.  Munk of the Indigo Tribe continues to intrigue me with his enigmatic silence and powerful presence. I have always respected Sinestro corpsman Arkillo, and have loved Saint Walker the head of the Blue Lantern Corps.  Seeing them work closely together has been a very interesting twist that also spices up the plot.  Though she wasn’t really in this issue (or last months for that matter) Bleez is an incredibly intricate character and a very strong woman, whom I have read with the keenest interest. Kyle is Kyle.  He’s awesome and there is not much else that needs be said.  If you are familiar with him you know what I mean, if not then there is little I can do to remedy that except say read the books he’s in.  Finally, Glomulus.  Glomulus is perhaps my favorite part of this book.  He is amazing in so many ways, and up until now HORRIBLY underutilized.  I really don’t want to sound like a greedy asshole like Larfleeze (love him too, but he is a prick), but I want a Glomulus.  I want him to float around and cheer me up when I am depressed and do my bidding with a cheerful grin on his little spherical face.   This series is a must for any Green Lantern fan.  It is well plotted and a lingua franca between the different series: Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corp, Red Lanterns . . .

• Justice League Dark #6  defined the series thus far.  The last issue saw the end of the first arc, and this sixth issue takes everything that the series is and distills it down to its pure essence.  What truly has made this series phenomenal is the dark and gritty take on the characters it follows.  Several are just like that, being Vertigo characters that exist in such a world.  However, there are also a few that are DC characters who have always been portrayed a little brighter.  Zatanna, Madame Xanadu, and Deadman are the ones that come to mind.  What this series has done is show the darker side of these characters, making them petty, shortsighted, and very aloof.  They for the most part are anti-heroes archetypes.  In a line of comics that perpetuate the contemporary heroic genre, this ironically is a breath of fresh air making the series that much more tantalizing.  What this issue does is build off that dynamic and center in on the fatalism of their destinies that will not let them part from the long, twisted path into darkness that they all are struggling so hard to escape.  At the end there is a the lure of a crossover with I, Vampire that I have to admit, I am looking forward to.  The final page of this issue makes excited to read this week’s I, Vampire.
• Aaaaaand . . . I am over it.  I, Vampire#6 was terrible yet again.  For soooo many reasons it is the opposite of good.  Firstly, the diction does not match the tone of the book.  It features a centuries old vampire fighting against the forces of another centuries old vampire, and one of these, our hero Andrew, refers to his nemesis as “way evil.”  That is ridiculous.  Secondly, Batman is still in the story and while reading it I absolutely wanted to KILL him.  There are a few unwritten rules I have about comic stories, and number one is that you DO NOT make me hate Batman.  Joshua Fialkov, you are on thin f**king ice with me.  Watch it!!!  And apart from that, the story was good in theory, but squandered in the mire of shitty writing.  Its a travesty how bad this was.  I’ll read the next issue only because it integrally ties to the awesome Justice League Dark, but after that its used up its last life.  Its getting thrown out of my monthly line up.
• Superman #6 is still in the neutral zone, but I will say that it is clawing its way towards being a substantial book.  The progress the title has made truly speaks in its favor.  I think what’s made the difference is the myth building that it has accomplished.  Its hard to say which is the central Superman title, because Action Comics starts off the continuity, but Superman seems to be the watershed book that all plot points flow into.  In this issue Supergirl brings in Superboy and Supergirl continuity through her intervention, and Clark brings in his own past experiences from Action Comics into this plot.  In fact the link between the otherwordly goings on in the past five issues finds a connection with the first arc of Action that wraps up in two month in Action Comics #8.  This issue is a concluding issue not only on the plot, but also on George Perez’s run as series writer.  He leaves it in a good place that brings us almost to the attitude of the series before the reboot.  This I take great heart in.  I want a Superman like the one we see at the end of this issue and a Metropolis like this one, as well.  Its getting there.
• All-Star Westerns #6wraps up its Gotham arc (for now) in great style.  Most of the loose ends in Gotham find resolution but for one
  

  Nighthawk and Cinnamon In Nola

  which leads Jonah Hex and Jeremiah Arkham to another locale that isn’t your usual setting for a Western tale either.  In the mean time, we see the culmination of the adventure in what will one day be the Batcave, as well as the nobility of the ancestor of the future occupant of that cave.  There is a great deal of humanity in this issue set against a great deal of inhumanity. It make you feel the hopelessness of the downtrodden, but also the hope of good still thriving in even the most dreary places.  In the case of a father and son, we see good springing from the loins of evil.  I just love this series. Plain and simple. I look forward to next issue along with the duo that will join Jonah and Jeremiah on their journey’s continuation in New Orleans . . .  And in the supplementary feature we see also the culmination of the “Barbary Ghost” story.  It reads like a true Western tale and sets the scene for a long future for this burgeoning character in the Old West on the New DCU.

• Last, but not least, American Vampire #24 is the penultimate chapter in the “Death Race” story.  I hope y’all have read the last issue, cause if not, I am going to SPOIL the ending of the last issue rotten . . . Be warned . . . Skinner Sweet is BACK!!!  Damn, I never thought I be so glad to see that sonuvabitch again, but he’s too good of a villain to put down.  How he survived I don’t know and Scott Snyder hasn’t said, but I know that a truly awesome baddy like him against a truly crafty, devil-may-care teen slayer like Travis Kidd has me soiling my drawers.  The story is so unique, fast paced, thought provoking, and just plain ol’ enjoyable.  I know I have said this before, but this series is  legendary.  Its as immortal as the supernatural denizens it chronicles.  Its so true it bears repetition.  I want to know how this ends so bad.  I can’t stand it.  One of the best comics out this month.

And that does it for the Quartering week of my reviews.  Next week comes the historic FIFTH Wednesday of February.  Can’t wait.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of these images and give credit to those whose work they are.

Illustration Credits:

Aquaman  #6: Plotted by Ivan Reis, Drawned by Joe Prado, Colored by Rod Reis

Teen Titans #6: Drawned by Brett Booth, Colored by Andrew Dalhouse, Inked by Norm Rapmund

Green Lantern: New Guardians #6: Drawned by Tyler Kirkham, Colored by Nei Ruffino, Inked by Batt

All-Star Western #6: Drawn by Moritat, Colored by Gabriel Bautista

By: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato (writers and artists)

The Story: It’s safe to say Patty won’t be putting this in her top five romantic getaways.

The Review: The first arc of this series started off with a bang, almost universally blowing everyone away with Manapul and Buccellato’s dynamic art and fairly strong storyline.  As the arc progressed, however, Manapul-Buccellato’s inexperience with writing became more apparent, and though the last issue ultimately ended on a solid note, it also illustrated that you shouldn’t expect first-class or consistent scripting from this title.

You have to give credit to the duo for trying, though, and on the whole, they bring some interesting ideas to the table.  Elevating the threat of Flash’s rogues is a start.  As much notoriety as they have, the Rogues have always been third-tier villains individually (if you class Joker in the first tier and someone like Scarecrow as second-tier), only really posing a danger as a group.  While that sense of fraternity makes the Rogues rather unique among their peers, now seems a perfect time to make them even more dangerous by building up the powers of each criminal.

Beginning with Captain Cold seems natural, as he’s regarded as the Rogues’ leader and he has the most recognition of them all.  Some traditionalists may think taking away his guns and internalizing his freeze powers is a radical change to the character, but considering this man has had to pit himself against one of the most powerful metahumans on Earth with only a couple pistols, I’d say Cold desperately needed the update.  And I must say, the added ability to slow down the Flash in addition to his ice powers is a very nice, natural touch.

It might be a bit of overkill, though, since Flash can’t exactly run at full speed anymore, or else risk damaging the time-space continuum.  Again, some might think this a random and arbitrary limiter on his powers—and it is—but from a storytelling point of view, it’s kind of necessary.  Considering all the nutty physics-defying feats the Flash is capable of when he stretches his legs and goes all out, he needs every reason to do so as rarely as possible.

Not only do things get personal with Cap. Cold (who now has good reason to hate the Flash’s guts, seeing as how the speedster may have inadvertently contributed to the death of Cold’s sister), the love triangle between Barry, Patty, and Iris heats up a bit as well.  Now that Barry and Patty are officially an item, I can only predict he’ll go for Iris in the end.  How often, in any story, does the guy end up with the girl he started out with?  That’s not to say it’ll be an ugly breakup; Patty may well decide that it’s too stressful having a beau who disappears in the middle of every crisis that pops up.

On the narrative front, Manapul-Buccellato make the non-linear structure work this time, but I wouldn’t advise making it a habitual device, because it does get a little bothersome placing all the different scenes in sensible order.  Fortunately, the writers thoughtfully place certain flashbacks where they would best clarify what’s happening in the present action.  Now, if only they can learn how to scale back the ridiculous strings of expository dialogue they got going on at times: “I get it, Dr. Elias.  The use of my powers is causing a buildup of Speed Force energy that is creating wormholes…”  “…which tear at the fabric of space and time.”

You can always depend on The Flash to offer some lively and exciting art.  Manapul has been killing it on conveying the Flash’s speed ever since he started work when Johns was still writing the previous version of this title.  The fight between Cold and Flash is easily one of the best-looking action sequences from any of the new DC titles thus far; Buccellato’s use of Flash’s costume seams to show when he speeds up or is getting slowed down by Cold’s powers adds a whole ‘nother layer of energy to the scene.

Conclusion: A good start to the second arc, one set to build up Flash’s mythos for a new generation.  For the most part, Manapul-Buccellato are delivering great new dimensions to our hero and his world.

Grade: B

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: - Editor Brian Cunningham, I appreciate your efforts to keep everyone informed, but at a certain point, those captions have to stop.  There is a thing called Wikipedia, after all.