Comics! Flash #3

Flash #3

Story by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato

Art by Francis Manapul

This issue is pretty dark. Not storytelling dark, just heavy use of dark colors. I know that there is supposed to be a black out in the city as a major story telling device, but the art really looks like it skewed towards one side of the color palette.

You can tell that Manapul is great artist, but his story telling abilities with words could use a lot of improvement. I get it that DC is trying to do this push with artists writing the stories, but even when they pair the artist with a co-writer or co-plotter as Batwoman has or when they carry the reigns without one as Tony Daniel has, it leaves a lot to be desired. Are they thinking that artists aren't being able to draw what they like? That they don't have that much input into the story?

The big cliffhanger at the end of the book doesn't feel like on at all. Barry gets shot in the side of the head and the bad guys declare that he is dead? Yeah, that will stick. Don't they remember that he jumped in the water from the first issue and supposedly drowned? Wouldn't that stick out to them since he is alive?

And the Dark Knight reference with the characters on horse back while the city is in a black out? It is a nice shout out, but I rather there be more Flash references in a Flash book instead of a Batman reference. Its the older reader in me that noticed it, I doubt any new readers for the book would realize what is going on. Newer readers may notice that Batman #3 has the same style of cover as this book does, with a background missing and white space filling it all up. I guess I just expect something there besides darkness on a cover.

The book is still at a pretty fast pace with the storytelling. Honestly, it is throwing me off a bit, and I hope when I read all three issues at once I am able to get some more from the story. As it stands now, I am getting some things, but a lot of it is just going over my head. More things need to be developed in the storytelling to make it work. I'm not just saying that because I am not getting it, I'm saying it because a lot of people probably aren't getting it.

How did Iris become stuck in Cold's cell when the last issue she was trapped in what looks like a guard's room during the blackout? Ugh. I need to read all three at once. I have hope that there is clarity.

Words: 4/10

Pictures: 6/10

Recommend: Not really.

Buy Next Issue: I'm a Flash fan. I gotta buy it, but I probably won't like it much.

Comics! Teen Titans #3

Teen Titans #3

Story by Scott Lobdell

Pencils by Brett Booth

Inks by Norm Rapmund

This is the way that a team book should work. This is how the heroes should meet each other, not by fighting at the bit the moment they meet up, but by teaming up. Sure Red Robin and bunker are about to fight, but the second Red Robin shows himself to be Red Robin, Bunker stops and hugs him. Nice.

This issue is meant to introduce an openly gay character to the comic. I thought that as a character, we get to know him and he comes across as a genuine character. He is not fearful of being a hero, he wants to be one. Granted, he does have some learning to do.

We get a nice double page spread that shows Kid Flash in action. Still no answer on how he is related to Barry Allen, but I'm still going to give that time. We end on a nice cliffhanger with Kid Flash that I am looking forward to seeing how it is revealed. We are also told that next issue they are to do battle with the Superboy! Seeing as to how the whole team hasn't really met up yet, this will be interesting to see how the next issue takes this statement and makes it happen.

Now this book is obviously taking a couple of issues for the team to form up, much in the same way that Justice League has taken a few issues to get to its point. So why does it seem like this book is handling its characters better than in Justice League and telling a better story? Because it is making each page count. We don't have the art being all showy. We don't have the heroes fighting each other just because. We have the characters listening to each other and talking. The characters in both books are acting like teenagers, and guess in which book that is supposed to happen in?

The art is still great. Consistency helps here greatly. I think the two page spread at the beginning of the issue showing Kid Flash running through the building is one of the better two page spreads that I have seen in the new 52 outside of an issue of Batwoman.

Words: 9/10

Pictures: 9/10

Recommend: Yes. We are still learning about the characters, and this book is great if you have been reading from issue one, but it still serves it characters quite well in this single issue as well.

Buy Next Issue: Sold!

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Batman

Batman #1-3

Review of Batman #1 & #2

Review of Batman #3

I'm just at a loss here. I just don't know how else to describe how good it feels to be reading this comic. Just when you think you know all the characters in the Bat-books and Batman himself, this book has to go and show you that the city itself was one character that needs to play a prominent role.

Snyder has crafted a villain in the Court of Owls that demands to be taken seriously. There is a whole myth and legend that he is building for them that will definitely cement them in the canon for future Bat-books to come.

The art has been gorgeous. Aside from a couple characters looking the same, the art has really shined. This book has had a nice balance for being able to show off the art when it needs to, and to be able to take in a lot of exposition and still have the art tell its side of the story as well.

For new readers, you definitely can pick this book up from issue one, page one and feel like you are getting to know everything. Even if you never read a Batman comic before. Everything that you need to know about the characters is told, and it leaves enough mystery to make the surprises pop out and genuinely surprise you.

Average for issues #1-3:

Words: 10/10

Pictures: 9/10

Overall grade for issues #1-3: This book is definitely in the top five for best of the relaunch. Consistently good, and consistently surprising. 10/10 overall.

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman #1-3

Review of Wonder Woman #1

Review of Wonder Woman #2

Review of Wonder Woman #3

Now that is one way to make a comic.

We have a strong woman lead in a Wonder Woman comic. Nice. We have a mythology being forged. Nice. We have wonderful art. Again, nice.

If you told me that I would be reading a Wonder Woman comic and loving it, I would have told you the chances of that happening would be close to zero. But DC decided to have Brian Azzarello write this tale. That did it for me. And as soon as I saw the preview art, I knew it would be great.

Azzarello did a good job with Batman during the whole Flashpoint event that happened right before the reboot of the DC universe. Azzarello has a good idea how to take the essential parts of the character and restart the legend. And this Wonder Woman feels like Azzarello is rewriting the history of the character to fit the story he has in mind, and you can specifically see this when you look at how Wonder Woman is portrayed in the Justice League book, which is miles different from this character.

I think this is the only book that I have given each issue a perfect 10/10. And it deserves it. This would be a book that I would buy the trade for just to give to someone who is new to comics. Just like I would with Transmetropolitan, Y: The Last Man, or even Azzarello's own book, 100 Bullets. It would be money well spent.

Averages for issues #1-3:

Words: 10/10

Pictures: 10/10

Overall grade for issues #1-3: Someone cue Mr. Perfect's theme music. It needs to be played.

Comics! Aquaman #3

Aquaman #3

Geoff Johns: writer

Ivan Reis: penciller

Joe Prado: inker

Every time I pick it up, I just want to through it back down in disgust.

I know, that's not the way to start a proper review of the comic. It really, really isn't. But it is just the way I feel.

It is not like I am a crazed Aquaman fan and just want the character to finally be done right. I just don't know anything about the character and I want to be able to read a comic of his where I can see where the love for him came from. Admittedly, I have never really read a comic that he has been in. I know about the lore of the character, about his pop culture references. It doesn't make me the Aquaman fan that knows the right Aquaman from the wrong one, and I'm not saying that is who I am trying to be. I'm coming in as a guy who wants to like Aquaman, who has one of his favorite writers writing the character, and who is the target audience that this relaunch is supposed to be targeted to.

And I just. Don't. Care.

What is sad is that the writer for this book is the same one on the Justice League. Why is that sad? Because in Justice League #3, you get one of the most badass moments of the book where Aquaman has a couple of lines for an introduction, and it says so much more about his character and who he is than what is said in three issues of his own series.

Read that last paragraph a couple of times. Think about that. Then you start to feel my frustrations.

I looked over my review of the first issue. I realized that the first three paragraphs of that review can be used to summarize this issue.

I felt like I got more information about who The Ray is in the preview pages for The Ray #1 that appeared at the end of this book than I learned about Aquaman in his own book.

GRRRRR........

Words: 1/10

Pictures: 7/10 - the only thing consistent with this book that is worth looking forward to.

Recommend: Hell. No.

Buy Next Issue: No. No no. I will save my money and buy some indie title the week this comes out. And when I review it, I will be sure to note that I am reviewing that title instead of Aquaman #4.

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Justice League

Justice League #1-3

Review for Justice League #1

Review for Justice League #2

Review for Justice League #3

What I've learned about the new 52 from the Justice League:

-Superheroes still fight superheroes as a way to "tell" a story.

-Wonder Woman and Aquaman have completely different characters than in their own titles.

-This issue took three issues to tell two issues worth of story.

-Cyborg has daddy issues.

-It apparently takes a lot for heroes to stop fighting to be able to talk about the common enemy that has appeared in all three issues and has confronted all of them.

And yea. Other than that, I don't really have a lot more to say. This book took three issues to finally get off the ground for me when it should have taken just one. This is the flagship book with the flagship creators and they don't hit their stride until the third issue?

If this was a stand alone series that was just made to let the creators flex their muscles and go crazy with the characters then this would be just fine. Not like this.

Maybe now it will be more for me from here on out. I was going to drop this book if it remained as stale as it did the first issue. Now I'm going to go to an issue by issue basis, mostly because the third issue really started to move the story forward.

Overall averages for issues #1-3:

Words: 7/10

Pictures: 7.3/10

Overall grade for issues #1-3: It should have been better than this. This is a 7/10 for any creative team. For this creative team and the expectations, 5/10.

Comics! Green Lantern: New Guardians #3

Green Lantern: New Guardians #3

Tony Bedard: writer

Tyler Kirkham and Harvey Tolibao: pencillers

Batt: inker

Well I guess there is a colored Lantern that contains all the colors, and its kinda gray instead of white or black. Interesting.

I enjoyed this issue. Besides some weirdness with the art that went through the issue, I really felt like there was something that was at stake in this issue. We get an explanation for why the Orange Ring wasn't all well represented in the last issue to the degree that I took issue with. And I personally think that Glomulus deserves the new character of the year award.

This issue also makes the Guardians seem even more evil by making them as power hungry as crack addicts. They just need more and more and more. The art does a good job of making them look like creeps. Serious creeps.

And just when things look totally down, we get Larfleeze back into the picture. If there was anything that would guarantee that I buy the next issue, then this is the way to do it. I loved the Agent Orange character so much before and have been waiting to see him make his appearance again in the new 52 universe. It won't be Geoff Johns writing the character, but I think that Larfleeze is such a good character to write that there will be little that a new writer could do to screw him up.

My one complaint about this issue is the fact that you could tell when the art took a turn for the worse. I hope that things get worked out by the next issue. It can be strange to already look at alien creatures and get the idea of who is who, but when the art changes and you see what looks like the same character later in the issue but has definitely been drawn differently and you couldn't tell at first if it was really the same character...well then you know you have some problems.

Words: 8/10

Pictures: 6/10 -one artist per book please, unless there is a dream sequence or some other fundamental difference in the story that having a different artist makes sense.

Recommend: You would need some info from the previous issue, but there isn't much out of the ordinary that you wouldn't already know. The story does an excellent job of getting newbies up to speed.

Buy Next Issue: With a cliffhanger like that? You bet!

Comics! Nightwing #3

Nightwing #3

Kyle Higgins: writer

Eddy Barrows & Eduardo Pansica: pencils

JP Mayer, Paulo Siqueira, & Eber Ferreira: inks

This book is growing in the pencils/inks credits at a pretty fast rate. That's not good, right?

Saiko means best in Japanese. That was something that had to be cleared up.

The story overall was ok this issue. But it was a predictable kind of comic. I never felt that anything bad was going to happen to Nightwing. He was never in any actual trouble in the story when the villain for the issue tried to beat him up. The story once again felt stiff and routine. Very predictable. If this issue was supposed to be a "take a breath" issue that focused less on action and more on revealing character details, then it had some small success with that goal. I felt like I got to know something about Dick in this issue that I didn't know before, but I don't really know what that is.

Someone needs to talk to an artist about perspectives and transitioning between the panels. I will try to explain this without showing the pictures, and hopefully you will get it. On the first page we have two panels next to each other. On the left panel, you have a picture of a hand that has just thrown a stick to someone who is out of the frame on the left side. On the right panel, you have someone catching that stick with their chin and their arms held up as if they are balancing themselves on a wire. Looks ok, except for the fact that it looks like one panel due to the fact that the right panel cuts off the guy's arm and it looks like he is throwing a stick and has also caught it on his chin. That may not be the best way to describe it, but when that happens and it looks like one panel, even I had to read through it a couple of times to understand what is happening.

Another case of weird perspectives involves the Chicago scene. As Nightwing is swinging between buildings, and you have buildings in the background that look as if the ground is a few feet below them, why is Nightwing's rope swinging downward? Isn't he falling and doesn't need them if he is only a few stories off the ground? Flip to the next page and you see that he was swinging downward because he was still about 20 stories above the ground and then lands on a rooftop. It is all just weird and felt seriously off.

And then just to really throw things off, let's have our hired killer that doesn't quite look like Wolverine appear at the end and throw a wrench into the story that felt empty and confusing. Haly's son hired Saiko? Really? We are going down that road?

Words: 5/10

Pictures: 4/10

Recommend: No. This book just keeps slipping.

Buy Next Issue: Negative. Another one bites the dust.

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Red Hood and the Outlaws

Red Hood and the Outlaws #1-3

Review of Red Hood and the Outlaws #1

Review of Red Hood and the Outlaws #2

Review of Red Hood and the Outlaws #3

Talk about your comic that bounced back. Seriously.

I was ready to write off this book after the first issue, but I am glad that I came back. The things that irked me in the first issue went to the wayside, and focus came in. Characterization came in. Reason for this comic being came in.

This is the Bat-Team up book that looks at magic as something to seriously look at. This is a story telling device that comes in handy to show the difference between it and Batman. These characters aren't necessarily going for redemption, but they are showing that they belong in this world as well. That there is a place for them.

And, despite me wanting nothing to do with the art in this book, it has grown on me. It has gotten past the cheesecake personality it had and delved into more of a fantasy style. I still think it could use some improvement, but for right now it is doing pretty average.

This book has quickly become one that I look forward to reading. That's a huge step up from me thinking that I couldn't wait to drop it. Let's see where it goes from here.

Averages for Issues #1-3:

Words: 8/10

Pictures: 6/10

Overall Grade for issues #1-3: 7/10

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Green Lantern Corps

Green Lantern Corps #1-3

Review of Green Lantern Corps #1

Review of Green Lantern Corps #2

Review of Green Lantern Corps #3

This is supposed to be a team book featuring the Green Lantern Corps. Based on the first issue, it looks more like the Guy Gardner/John Stewart show with a special guest each issue of at least one dead Lantern. It keeps that theme throughout all three issues.

Maybe I just need to start with this title from when it relaunched. I'm lost and just don't care. If you are killing a Green Lantern every issue, why should I have any emotional attachment to them outside of Guy and Stewart? I just have no care for them.

I'm just finding some difficulty in writing up this review. Issue #3 left such a bad taste in my mouth at the end of the book for having gone nowhere with the story that I just get more frustrated with how things are. I've bought all four books that are a part of the GL relaunch. If I was a new reader to the GL titles, only the Red Lantern book went out of its way to let me know what is going on with the characters and fully introduced them to me. The other three tried to introduce the characters, with New Guardians being the best one to do so, and I just don't feel like going back and reading up on this new set of characters. Especially if the idea of the reboot was to entice new readers, Green Lantern Corps just seemed to throw that opportunity away.

I enjoyed Guy Gardner in Emerald Warriors. I don't have the same feelings for him in this book. Book has been dropped.

Averages for Issues #1-3:

Words: 6.3/10

Pictures: 6.3/10 - Mind you that the artist for issue #3 was different from the artist for the first two issues. So, I guess it would be more fair to do this:

Pictures Issues #1-2: 6.5/10

Pictures Issue #3: 6/10

Overall grade for issues #1-3: Way below par for what I expected for a Green Lantern title and for a relaunch title. 5/10

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Batwoman

Batwoman #1-3

Review of Batwoman #1

Review of Batwoman #2

Review of Batwoman #3

Now this is a comic that clearly focuses more on the art than on the story. Its not a bad thing, its just something you have to take before sitting down to read it. You can tell that the artist is more intent on showing you the story and giving you some damn good art before focusing on the story.

How can you tell this? Because each issue only deals with each plot thread within two to three pages. Most of that space is taken up with art. What you get is some bullet point style of storytelling. This works for comics because you are already filling in the information of what happened in between the panels in your head. So the words of each issue only touches on certain aspects that you have to fill some of the in between moments in your head.

If the art just looked of crap, then this book would have nothing to stand on. But it looks great. This book feels like you are looking at the most beautiful person in the world. When they speak, you are unsure if they are unsure of themselves or of what is going on or if your confused or if...

Its winning the beauty pageants, but you're still unsure if there is a person beneath the beauty. Let's hope that the person finds that inner beauty to match the outer beauty. I will be along for a little while to find out.

Averages for issues #1-3:

Words: 7/10

Pictures: 10/10

Overall feel for issues #1-3: Pictures are worth a thousand words, let's hope that the next couple of books will find those words. But for the first three, definitely trying to find them. 9/10 overall.

Comics! Batman #3

Batman #3

Writer: Scott Snyder

Pencils: Greg Capullo

Inks: Jonathan Glapion

Taken on its own, if you told me that Batman would be facing the Court of Owls in this reboot, I would laugh outright into your face. But give it to Scott Snyder to prevent that laughter from coming.

The biggest thing that Snyder has going for him is that he is building this huge mystery around the villain that we are slowly learning. He is also tying them into Gotham's history. While the description could get wordy, every word is needed to develop this character. Snyder has this talent to give you as much information and background as needed, but it still leaves you guessing as to what the bigger mystery and story is all about.

And when the art needs to shine, it does so with such smoothness to it that doesn't drag you out of the story, but still reminds you that you are reading a comic book. Much like how Batman and Robin focuses on Robin, this book seems to focus on Gotham City. Its a perfect fitting in this book.

I honestly don't know if I could give a detailed enough review of the story to give it justice. I just don't have the space here that I would need nor do I have the time to write it. Maybe that will be done when I read all three issues at once. I can only imagine the way that it would read when consumed all at once.

Words: 10/10

Pictures: 9/10

Recommend: Get it now. Much better than Detective, and only a hair above Batman and Robin.

Buy Next Issue: I should take this part out of the review when the first three are so positive. AS if you couldn't tell already.

Comics! Wonder Woman #3

Wonder Woman #3

Brian Azzarello: writer

Cliff Chiang: artist and cover

For the third issue in a row we have what will have to one day be considered a great take on Wonder Woman.

We discovered that the Queen has lied to Wonder Woman about her heritage. Zues is Diana's father. While this was spoiled a few months ago in a newspaper article, it still is a very effective story. While the island of Paradise gets rocked by this news, we have Demi, the woman WW spared with, wonder if this means that WW will still be loyal with the Amazons.

Asked and answered. The end of the issue sets up the moment where WW tells the island that they should have no shame from this great lie. The shame only lies with WW, and that she will leave the island, never to return. She says her name isn't Diana or Clay. It is Wonder Woman.

This is just an awesome take on Wonder Woman, and it makes me wonder where Azzarello will go next. Everything from the art to the words was done at a level that exceeded my already high expectations from the creators. I'm thankful that they have done that.

I will continue to trust this character in the hands of Azzarello. Now if only writers like Geoff Johns could be stick with the personality and characterization that has been set in this series, then everything will be great.

Words: 10/10

Pictures: 10/10

Recommend: Even if you hate Wonder Woman, this will bring you into the fold.

Buy Next Issue: Sold!

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Batgirl

Batgirl #1-3

Review of Batgirl #1

Review of Batgirl #2

Review of Batgirl #3

Not even other Bat-titles felt like they have as much baggage as this comic does.

So the Bat-franchise got the opportunity to relaunch with the knowledge that the most recent history can be used as cannon for the new 52 universe. The problem with Batgirl is that the character of Barbara Gordon has developed beyond the wildest expectations of anyone since she was shot and paraplegic. There have been two other Batgirls since Barbara that have taken the title and role on their own and have done wonderfully with it.

And now we go back to Barbara.

The big two questions with this series has to answer why would they regress the character like that, and how they did it. Three issues in and neither question is answered. Instead, we have the comic try to do what feels like a giant dance around the subject. It feels like acknowledging the elephant in the room, but using any word to describe it besides "elephant."

As a fan of what Barbara was before the reboot, this just feels wrong. On any level. I really, really hope that the next few issues move away from trying to answer the two big questions that fans have and tries to make it on it s own. If it doesn't, then I know it will lose this reader. Quite frankly, I am hoping that they take Barbara out of the costume soon and puts someone else in there.

Averages for Issues #1-3:

Words: 7.6/10

Pictures: 7.3/10

Overall grade for Issues #1-3: Overall its not bad, but for older fans it just stinks. 7/10

Comics! Justice League #3

Justice League #3

Geoff Johns: writer

Jim Lee: penciller

Scott Williams: inker

Now this, this is some Geoff Johns style that I enjoy. Little character moments that make for a much bigger story than before. It is amazing what can be done once we get past the heroes fighting heroes plot.

So we get introduced to a Wonder Woman who is very different from her own title. This book is set five years in the "past" from the main Wonder Woman book's "present." And her fight entrance later on in the story is one excellent way of introducing a warrior to her fellow comrades.

We also get to see Superman shine in this issue. He is tossing the minions of Darkseid like no tomorrow. Although I feel the moment after Wonder Woman enters the battle and Superman tells her "You're strong" and Wonder Woman's response is a totally steal from a classic Star Wars moment.

Could we please just stop with the Batman has no powers talk? I think after last issue it was done to death, but go ahead and beat the horse one more time this issue. All the other moments make up for this one bit.

We also see how Cyborg becomes who he is. From his stand point, I still don't care for him as a character. There has to be some sense of character there with him other than the fact that he's sad that his dad doesn't visit him at his games.

But speaking of character moments, why is it that the last page of this comic shows a much cooler Aquaman who expresses in a few lines more about his character and who he is than in the two issues of his main title? And both stories are being written by the same guy? That's weird.

Jim Lee's art is just that - Jim Lee's art. He has had what feels like the same style throughout anything he does. But, when you need a big showdown of your main characters in a superhero book, you don't miss out with Jim Lee drawing it. This issue feels more like it has earned the name of the book than the previous two issues have shown. It needs to keep up this pace.

Words: 8/10

Pictures: 8/10

Recommend: Yes. This is were things start to happen that needed to happen last issue.

Buy Next Issue: I'm sold on it, just please keep up this pace.

Comics! Green Lantern Corps #3

Green Lantern Corps #3

Peter J. Tomasi: Story and Words

Geraldo Borges: Guest Penciller

Scott Hanna: inker

Just realised that there is a guest penciller in this issue. Didn't notice too much, unless you count the lack of severed limbs and blood.

We finish this issue the same way we start the issue: some Lanterns surrounded by the big bad enemies. What happens in between? Lanterns find out that they can't really beat their enemies. So...same as last issue. But now they have one captured. But some Lanterns are still left behind...so...

Blah. Forget this. Too many players, too much of a need to know what happened before with the Corps. Frankly, I didn't read it beforehand, so why read it now? I was only invested in the Guy Gardner character, and I haven't seen as much from him as I did when I read Emerald Warriors before the reboot.

I guess some book had to be the bad Green Lantern book. Considering that I like the other three much more than this, and this story is not entertaining to me. This is probably my last issue.

The idea that there are creatures made of more will power than what the Guardians have harnessed is weird. It is interesting. But there just hasn't been that much here for me to get into. When you really only care about one character in a team book, its a good sign that the book isn't for you.

Words: 5/10

Pictures: 6/10

Recommend: Nah, not unless you were into it before.

Buy Next Issue: I'm not. Maybe later on, but not now.

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Batman and Robin

Batman and Robin #1-3

Review of Batman and Robin #1

Review of Batman and Robin #2

Review of Batman and Robin #3

Forget about Batman, the son of Batman - Damian Wayne - is the true star of this book. You can see it in all three issues. Bruce turning away from his past is the important moment that sets this up, and in reading all the issues again, you can really see how it all fits together.

I'm still wanting to read all of Damian's previous appearances. I have the feeling that there is a consistency throughout all of his appearances. And Tomasi does great in adding to Damian's story.

There was going to be some difficulty having essentially Batman and Batman Jr in the same book. So you can see why Tomasi decided to make Bruce look more hopeful and less dark. Damian needs to have that in order to show his own progression as a character.

I'm just excited for this series. There have been some good Batman books to come out of the relaunch, and this one has a tie going with the main Batman title for the competition of having the best Batbook around. Detective Comics? Couldn't care less. Can't hold a candle to this.

You have to work on the characters. Either Damian is going to turn in this comic to something beyond what Bruce can do to help out, or Damian will always struggle and try to live up to his father's standards. It's up to Bruce to help guide that, or he will lose another Robin.

Averages for issues #1-3:

Words: 9.3/10

Pictures: 9/10

Overall grade issues #1-3: 10/10. One of the best, most consistent series out there with Bat in the title.

Comics! Red Hood and the Outlaws #3

Red Hood and the Outlaws #3

Written by Scott Lobdell

Art by Kenneth Rocafort

I am liking this comic a whole lot more than I thought I ever would. This issue clearly shows who all the characters are, how they interact, and then ends it with one of the best moments that I've read this week.

So Jason and company have to find out who killed the gatekeepers for this Chamber of All. In order for the trio to enter, they must give up their fondest memory. If they come back, they can have it back. If they don't, then it is gone forever. Needless to say, they do return and make it through the maze and get what information they need to continue the story. The fun part of the issue is having the person who took their memories decide to explore them.

Flash back time! Seems like Kori is a princess and warrior, with an emphasis on the latter. You get the idea - don't mess with her. This is in stark contrast to how some people took her in the first issue - as some mindless slut. I hope this issue makes them eat those words.

Flash back two! Seems like Roy Harper had some tough times. They are sticking with the druggie history for him. He decided to fight Killer Croc as a suicide attempt. Croc saw this and decided to spare the kid since Croc wanting nothing to do with it. We get the history that Roy was essentially dropped by Oliver Queen. No details are spilled, but you get the sense that this was when Ray realized that he had hit rock bottom and needed to change.

When the characters emerge victorious from their trip, they get offered their memories back. Jason refuses. Then we get to see it.

Flash back number three! Jason is Robin and is too sick to go out. Bruce orders him to stay, and Jason puts up a fight before decided that he should listen. He is on the couch in the manor and is trying to get better. Then Bruce appears next to him. Bruce tells him it is good to take a night off. We then cut to the final page where Jason is curled up next to Bruce fast asleep.

Its just such a great moment and a great issue. It tells you more about these three characters than most other books who just have to deal with one character. I love it. Strangely enough, this is written by Scott Lobdell who I just couldn't stand last week when I read Superboy #3. Weird. I guess some writers just have better issues than others, and this is one of the better ones.

The art is really good here. I don't know if its just grown on me or what, but this issue it shines. The Chamber of All is drawn wonderfully. And that last page is just the icing on the cake.

Words: 10/10

Pictures: 9/10

Recommend: Hell yea. If you threw away the comic due to the first issue, this issue will bring you back.

Buy Next Issue: I'm buying. So should you.

Comics! Batgirl #3

Batgirl #3

Gail Simone: writer

Ardian Syaf: penciller

Vicente Cifuentes: inker

This issue is divided into three distinct parts. The first part continues the threat of the main villain for the book. The second part deals with Batgirl's relationship with her father. The third deals with her relationship with her Bat-family.

I am of a couple of minds of this issue. The first part of me who is the long time Batfan and loved seeing Barbara as the wheelchair bound Oracle is still frustrated that some sort of explaination hasn't been given to why she can walk. So if you have stuck with the series to this point and still want an answer to that question - better luck next issue. The second part of me is wanting to see what this Batgirl is made of. Does she have the strength to make it on her own, why did they need to change back to Barbara when there have been some very credible characters to take the name Batgirl since her departure, and does this interest me in general as a comic.

So I'll come out saying that I have a lot of expectations for this comic. Does it meet or exceed these expectations in this issue? Not so much. But I'm not so put off that I'll skip the next issue.

This issue feels like filler overall. We get some advancement with the main villain, Mirror, in this issue. We get the overall feeling that Jim Gordon probably knows that Barbara is Batgirl, but he turns a blind eye towards it. And, through the classic hero vs. hero fight/sparring, we get that Batgirl wants to make it on her own without the help of the rest of the Bat-family.

Its this last part that a bigger chunk of the issue is devoted to. It is also a story that I want to hear more about. What it feels like to me is that they are taking the character of Barbara and scaling her back. Either it is the character them self that wants to go back, or it is the writer who wants to scale them back. By going back, I mean that it feels like they are regressing the character from who they were and how they have developed over the years that I have read about her. I think that old readers will feel like this is a big cheat and a big letdown from what the character was.

Now comes the proverbial but, and I do mean capital "B" But, this is what is necessary to fit the character into this new world. I'm pretty sure if I picked up this issue from #1 and didn't know who the character was, I would grow tired of the "Barbara used to be in a wheelchair" thing. So, to me, this book is succeeding on the whole reboot path of thinking. That is what makes it hard to really go into this with fresh eyes, because almost every other Bat-book is continuing from the previous stories it was going with pre-reboot and this one is starting fresh.

So is this issue a success? I'm split. I need the larger understanding of where this is going in order to either appreciate it more, or demonize it all out. I will wait and reserve judgement until I read all three issues of the series at once. For just this one issue, it feels like it is set up for what is next. It feels like it was trying to push out the last of the monkey off its back, if that makes any sense, in order to move on to what it wants to do.

Words: 7/10

Pictures: 8/10 - consistency with the art helps. I'm glad it has kept that up.

Recommend: Er... Maybe. Not if you're new, but if you have been with it so far, this issue will be worth it to help you determine if you will stay with it, or it may just be bridging a gap for the next issue. Either way, you will still need to read it.

Buy Next Issue: Yes. But the title is on an issue to issue basis with me.

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Superboy

Superboy #1-3

Review of Superboy #1

Review of Superboy #2

Review of Superboy #3

I guess I was just expecting more.

I had high, high hopes after the first issue. I loved it. It had a really good nostalgic feeling of a 90's comic and it just felt great to read. It was going to interact with Teen Titans and give it a good feeling and held a lot of promise that this Superboy would take the old parts of the previous Conner Kent and make him better and...

Well, it just fell flat.

Three issues in. I should, at this point considering that a relaunch took place for this book to happen, know more about the main character and what the hell is going on. Instead I feel like I've been dragged through three issues with a promise of things being revealed, and I've yet to come across a good reason to stay on board.

Reading all three issues in a row has opened my eyes to just how little everything has progressed. I wanted more information about the character that was running the show - the one who said "Release the Superboy" with so much villainous glee. So far I've learned that catch phrases seem to be his thing to do. The deal with Red, which was hinted in the very first issue, has yet to be explained. As someone who only has a knowledge of what the character looks like from her previous Wildstorm appearances and very little else, I still feel left in the dark.

I think back to the first issue, where half of it was filled with Superboy going through a VR program. I still kinda hope that that is going on. For a title that seemed like it was going to be more interactive with another DC book and they were going to bounce off each other, there has been little to none of that.

The art seemed very good at first. It was a style that I really hadn't seen too much. But now its starting to get stale.

This book is beginning to have the feeling of watching a movie that you haven't seen in 10 years but it was your favorite so long ago but when you watch it you just see how dated and unsubstantial it is to the tastes you have now. Like stale bubblegum that's already been chewed.

It needs to ship up for me, or it will be shipped out. Right now, its looking like it might be the sole Superman title that I get, but it won't have that distinction for long.

Overall averages for Issues #1-3:

Words: 7/10

Pictures: 6.6/10

Overall grade issues #1-3: 6/10, and falling.

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Green Lantern

Green Lantern #1-3

Review of Green Lantern #1

Review of Green Lantern #2

Review of Green Lantern #3

So who is the hero, and who is the villain?

People love to fall for the villain. Take a look at how many people have flocked towards Magneto over the years. We're not supposed to like him, but there are many X-fans out there who will tell you otherwise. They will also tell you that Magneto has become an X-man looking at a chance for redemption. In this story, Sinestro gets offered that same chance at redemption.

This is his story.

Like in any good story, the main character needs someone that will balance him out. Enter Hal Jordan.

Jordan wants the ring back. Sinestro wants to get rid of his. Let's see how things goes.

If you go into the story with this knowledge, then you will enjoy seeing Hal put into a villain's role. But if you are new to this story, as most new readers probably are, where is your frame of context for the story? How are you supposed to know what's going on?

You don't, and that is one of my issues with this story. Maybe DC is banking on viewers of the movie to pick this up. But if you felt the way about the movie that I did, you left not knowing anything about current Green Lantern story lines. Maybe DC is banking on those who have picked up the Geoff Johns Green Lantern trades to continue with the story. That makes more sense.

So as a relaunch title, this doesn't work. As a continuing title, this works great. So, much like the dynamic between Hal and Sinestro, this book seems split on what it wants to be.

Let's look at it as I have, as a reader who knows the previous Green Lantern stories. Overall, I enjoy it as much now as I did before. The art is great, the story has a nice pace, and reading all three issues at once makes the story feel more like a whole. If they produced larger stories, say if they put out a graphic novel sized story - about 90 pages every three months, this would make the read feel much better. These little stops and goes would work great for a TV schedule, but Green Lantern is not a weekly comic. So the pacing feels almost like it drags a little when reading the individuals, but as a whole, they work great. But I know this, so I take that into account when reading it.

Overall, its at a good steady pace. Now we just have to wait and see what happens next.

Averages for issues #1-3:

Words: 8/10

Pictures: 8/10

Overall - 8/10. Consistency. Its a trait that I would like more comic books to have.

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1-3

Review of Issue #1

Review of Issue #2

Review of Issue #3

I don't know if it was planning or just timing that allowed IDW to publish the relaunch of the Turtles when DC did their relaunch, but I must say that it is in the same style as what DC wanted to do with the relaunch - create a starting point that welcomes new readers and old while giving them something to come back to each month.

So why is it that the Turtles did a much better job at a relaunch than most of the 52 books that DC relaunched?

I'm not trying to knock down DC, I enjoy the books a lot. I'm just very much surprised at how good the Turtle books are. And to think that I had skipped this and was going to ignore it. Then the first two issues were just sitting on the comic book shelf next to each other and then into my hands and then it was over.

I love how things have restarted. I love the little throwbacks and call outs to other Turtle lore. The art is great. I'm down with the story.

My only complaint is the price of admission. I don't like paying $3.99 for a book. My rants about the price of Action Comics and how the story just isn't doing it for me on a month to month basis is leading me to drop it. Turtles is doing the opposite. It is giving me enough to keep going from month to month. As long as it maintains this level, I'll gladly hand out $3.99 a month.

Please don't make me drop this book from my pull list. I like it too much.

Averages for Issues #1-3:

Words: 9.6/10

Pictures: 10/10

Overall Grade Issues #1-3: New and old readers alike, come one, come all. This series has the highest praise from me for new and old readers, or for anyone who has seen anything TMNT related. 10/10.

Comics! Batwoman #3

Batwoman #3

J.H. Williams III: co-writer & artist

W. Haden Blackman: co-writer

It goes without saying that I will enjoy the art in this book. Its spectacular and just something you need to see.

Now the story, that is a little different.

I thought last issue was good, but this issue sorta takes a break from that. Kate tells the sidekick to take a hike, we get introduced to some water/dream creature that I am still not sold on as a villain or whatever it is supposed to be, and we get the reveal that a character who looks like Black Mask is in charge of some investigation to reveal who Batwoman is.

So we get some set up. We move the pieces around a little. And we wait until next month.

There is something about having too many subplots going on. In this issue, I couldn't really tell you what the main plot of the book should have been. So while some things did happen, it just didn't have the feeling that much had happened. Its weird, but I will roll with it and try to see what happens next time.

But look at the pretty pictures!

Words: 6/10 - needed more focus this issue.

Pictures: 10/10

Recommend: Not on its own. You need more to understand this. So new readers, please stay away, old readers are welcome to try.

Buy Next Issue: This is the only book I would consider buying just for the art, story be damned. So I'm sold!

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Red Lanterns

Red Lanterns #1-3

Review of Red Lanterns #1

Review of Red Lanterns #2

Review of Red Lanterns #3

It is hard to turn a character like Atrocious into a lead for their own book. First and foremost is the fact that he is a villain. He is taking actions that he feels justified for and has an army at his command. But there is dissent in the ranks. And he is trying to quell that so that he can continue with his mission. But has he made the right decisions?

I was really intrigued when they announced this book forever ago. I was interested in where it would go. Clearly, it has not disappointed me. When I read all three issues together though, I find myself more wanting Atrocious to lose. He knows part of his plan for what he wants and his goals as a leader of the Red Lanterns, but he is going on faith and signs from the universe that what he is doing is right. When he allows Bleez to become more conscious, it really plays on the fact that he should start to realize who he is and what he wants with the Lanterns and enforce that quickly. I think that ultimately he can't.

I understand why he has a certain faith about what he does. You can't necessarily give reason to rage. So if you look at supernatural reasoning, then it begins to make sense. This is part of what I am reading out of thee first three issues. Atrocious is trying to give reason to it, but he shouldn't focus on that. It will ultimately be his downfall. If he was to truly to be the leader of the Red Lanterns, he would need to change into what they are - mindless creatures intent on pointing fingers at who is responsible for some great wrong in the universe and delivering bloody justice with it.

The overall three issues covers a lot of this pursuit of reason on Atrocious' part. We are also getting the story of the first human that will become a Red Lantern. We then are also learning more about Bleez. I'm liking it. Each issue by themselves and as a whole are awesome reading material.

As long as Green Lantern stays away from this comic for a while, I think it will continue to amaze with each issue. I'm looking forward to it, and so should you.

Averages for Issues #1-3:

Words: 9.6/10

Pictures: 10/10

Overall Grade: 10/10. New readers can get into this comic, which was the point of the relaunch, and old readers are being entertained by learning more of the corps that Johns created.

Comics! Superboy #3

Superboy #3

Scott Lobdell: writer

R.B. Silva: penciller

Rob Lean: inker

Superboy is trying to get a grip of his powers, understand who he is, and trying to figure out those around him. We uncover some of that in this issue, but I left the issue in the manner that Superboy did - that something is missing and we don't quite know what is going on.

Do we learn anything new in this issue? Not so much. We learn that Rose knows something about Red that we don't know or that we suspect. Rose then jumps into the crater of a field that Superboy left behind last issue.

Superboy is out in the world, somewhere. He doesn't know whats going on, he defeated an enemy in some weird way, and he learned what readers have suspected since the first issue - that he is a mix of more than just human and Kryptonian DNA. There is a funny line where Superboy says "What is a Krypton and why would I smell like one?" Heh.

There just didn't seem like much that a reader could take from the issue. It was good, I was entertained. The characters were the ones finding out information that the reader already knew. It felt mostly like a setup kind of issue. The fact that a couple of events only got a page or two and was never talked about again in the issue confirms that for me.

I noticed the art a little more for details this issue. I'm kinda mixed right now. I like the style, but now I see some details. All the faces seem to look a little alike. It just wasn't working for me.

I like this book. This issue just feels like I could have skipped it.

Words: 6/10

Pictures: 6/10

Recommend: Nah. Skip it.

Buy Next Issue: Next issue says I will have some answers, let's hope it does.

Comics! Three Issue Trial: Batwing

Batwing #1-3

Review of Batwing #1

Review of Batwing #2

Review of Batwing #3

It grew on me, and I am liking it.

At first I thought this would just be generic trash that will be thrown away after three issues. I'm not a fan of Judd Winick's writing style, which is comparable to Michael Bay. But something has happened here, something really good. Winick has been able to lay the groundwork to make this character last.

We are getting introduced to all the aspects of this character. This is a strong opening story if you give it time. If you are going to judge the series just on the first issue, then you will miss out. That's sorta what I did at the beginning, but now that I can see the bigger picture here, I'm starting to wonder how soon it will be before we see this character make an appearance on some cartoon show in the same way that the new Blue Beetle has been.

I remember when Winick first wrote about Jason Todd coming back. There was a lot of hoopla about it and I seriously didn't like how it was done. Then I saw the Batman movie Under the Red Hood. It was also written by Winick, but it was done well. The big difference between the two is that Winick had to write his original comic within the huge DC universe and the events at that time. The movie could distill the story down to the bare bones and make sense of what was attempted to be done in the comic.

Knowing that, it gives me the impression that Winick just needs his own corner of the universe and he could do extremely well. That's what he has done here and that is why I am liking it. Although, to be fair, the this kind of series is going to benefit more in the same way that Action Comics will - the collected edition will make much more sense for the story other than the monthly schedule. I'm used to the monthly schedule so it is alright for me, but I think that new readers might shy away at first. But I'll keep repeating that this book is one that needs a second chance.

Averages for 1-3:

Words: 7/10 - stayed solid throughout. Nice.

Pictures: 6.3/10

Overall Grade Issues #1-3: For new readers, this would probably rate about 6/10. But if you give give it a few more issues to tell the story -8/10. I see this comic going places.