Comics! Saga #3

Saga #3

Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Fiona Staples

The Solicitation
BKV's and FIONA STAPLES' controversial epic continues! Stranded on a mystical alien world, new parents Marko and Alana encounter their greatest fear.

Preview

The Comic
I always have a problem with comics that deal with magic. The problem is that magic can be the go to thing to solve any problem that arises. It makes for dull story telling.

What I like about the magic in this book is that there are certain requirements for the magic to work. That sets up needs for the characters, which can definitely be a driving force for the story if it needs to be.

BKV continues to build the world of Saga, and you really get the sense of that happening. Its always nice to be introduced to an unfamiliar world that is full of richness and depth. And it all feels very organic. You get the sense of tension among the characters and you get to know and understand each one.

I really do think that Izabel is shaped from Molly of the Runaways title that BKV wrote years back. Which is fine by me, I'm enjoying the pink ghost.

The Art
The art gives you just as much as you want from it, and a little more so. It adds to the story instead of being distracting and taking you out of it. And you get the sense of story from it as well. Characters don't need words to express the emotions that they are feeling, and that is one of the key qualities that any good story telling artist should have.

The Cover
The covers continue the trend of having something that will jump out to the average person who passes it by on the comic racks. A pink ghost with its entrails hanging out? Two moons? All those beady eyes? Count me in. Having the character stare at the reader is the perfect touch, I can't see her having posed any other way that would be nearly as exciting to see.

Grades
Words: 10/10
Pictures: 10/10
Recommend: I can't think of a single comic that I've read of BKV's that I wouldn't recommend.
Buy Next Issue: Done.

Previous Issues
Saga #2
Saga #1

Comics! The Flash #9

The Flash #9

Story by Francis Manapul  & Brian Buccellato
Art by Francis Manapul

The Solicitation
• Continuing the debut of GORILLA GRODD in DC Comics – The New 52!• THE FLASH travels to GORILLA CITY for the first time! • Who are the "RUNNERS" – and what do they mean for THE FLASH and the SPEED FORCE?

Preview

The Comic
Aside form a few pages of this comic, I enjoyed this story very much. IT was one of the stronger ones that I could get behind in a few issues. We have Flash entering Gorilla City with no memory, and he is interrupting Grodd's coronation.

Take out the 4 or 5 other pages that deal with the other stories going on in the book, and this is note perfect for me. You get the set up, learn some history about Gorilla Grodd and Gorilla City, and we get some nice action with a fight scene to top it off.

I'm putting my blinders on for the other pages, and am focusing on just that main story. Nice work.

The Art
Manapul being Manapul. Nicely done and very effective. Loved the title page sequence.

The Cover
Matches what happens on the inside of the book perfectly. And when you see a cover with a bunch of gorillas, how could you not be interested in what happens on the inside? And if you are a Flash fan, you know you want to know what happens on the inside.

Grades
Words: 9/10 - with blinders on for the other pages.
Pictures: 8/10
Recommend: Highly. Just please, let's not look at any page that doesn't involve a Gorilla.
Buy Next Issue: I'll be there.

Previous Issues

Comics! Batman, Incorporated #1

Batman, Incorporated #1


Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham

The Solicitation
• BATMAN, INCORPORATED makes its NEW 52 debut with an all-new first issue!• The series hits the ground running as BATMAN and ROBIN face off against the assassin GOATBOY!• LEVIATHAN'S sinister mission revealed!

Preview

The Comic
Wow, this is actually going to be the first Morrison book that I review for this blog. Interesting.

With Morrison, you either have fans that love him or fans that hate him. I almost never encounter those who are in between. Personally, I like his work. I have We3, All Star Superman, and New X-Men sitting on my book shelf. Morrison has a way of writing that can be hit or miss for me. I can entirely understand how new readers to his work could have a hard time getting into the book as Morrison literally starts strong and tries to keep running with the wild ideas that he has seemingly every other page.

This book does require some knowledge of where the previous Batman, Inc title went, even though it was considered pre-New 52. Which is pretty much like the other Bat-books on the relaunch. Leviathan = Talia Al Ghul. Talia Al Ghul = Damian's mother. Leviathan = out to destroy Batman since Damian chose to stay with him and not with Talia.

There are some strong moments in this book that I really appreciated. The villain's name is Goatboy, and Morrison acknowledges that the inspiration for him came from Bill Hicks, one of my favorite comedians. The premise is that Goatboy killed Damian and shot Batman in the face and now needs the protection of Leviathan. All in all, an entertaining start to the book.

I also liked the introduction of Bat-cow and Damian deciding to go vegetarian, although I hope that the former sticks around for a while and the latter goes away.

The Art
Usually what helps make Morrison more understandable with his approach to comics is if a good artist is paired with him.

We have found a good artist.

The best thing that I like to do after reading the book is just to flip through it. Follow the artwork. Does it tell a story itself that, when you remove the words, can be followed along to a certain degree? That's the important difference between a good comic book artist and a bad one.

My sincere hope is that Burnham can keep it at this level and still make a monthly schedule for the book. One thing that can weigh down a good Morrison story is the constant changing of the artists. I really want Burnham to stay around, this is some good stuff.

The Cover
My retailer loves the Combo-Packs. So instead of that lovely red and black sniper scope design that is going on, we get a black and white version of it. Its not to bad, but the black and red just seems to flow so much better. They both grab your attention and you can tell right away who the book is about and what is going on.

Grades
Words: 10/10
Pictures: 10/10
Recommend: Highly. Is this a good jumping point for new readers? This is about as accessible of a first issue that I have seen Morrison do. There will be questions about a couple of items and where they came from, but this is still something I would give a first time reader of Batman and I would think that they would enjoy it.
Buy Next Issue: I want to, but only if my shop is getting the non-Combo-Pack version. If they are getting that, I'll just play the wait for the trade game.

Comics! Batman: The Dark Knight #9

Batman: The Dark Knight #9

Judd Winick: writer
David Finch: penciller
Inks: Richard Friend

The Solicitation
• "NIGHT OF THE OWLS" continues here!• Guest-writer JUDD WINICK joins artist DAVID FINCH for the return of RED ROBIN!• Red Robin is back in Gotham City just in time to face off against TALON and THE COURT OF OWLS!

Preview

The Comic
Again, we have another Night of the Owls crossover with us following the story of a Talon and then our heroes trying to stop them. It's been a bit since I last read Dark Knight, and that was mostly because the writing was just awful on it. Now we have Winick, who I enjoy with the Batwing series, taking the writing duties. He already did a nice crossover in Batwing, how does he do here?

On its own, it isn't too bad. However, I have some major, major issues with this book.

First thing first: Red Robin was on the cover and was featured in the solicitation as being the star of this book, or at least the co-star. He gets one panel that he shares with the other former Robins, minus Red Hood. So, it is very, very off.

Major issue, part two: Talon meets up with Batman before Nightwing is recruited as Robin. Essentially this Talon was the last Talon before Dick Grayson was supposed to join. So the Talon goes to see who will replace him, and he meets up with Batman. My thought, and I may need to re-check this, is that Bruce never encountered any member of the Court of Owls previous to the recent story line in Batman. So this flies in the face of that.

This issue's second half is basically a closer look at a few panels from Batman #9. That's it. So in the context of the rest of the crossover, this is just bad. But if I read this on its own, it wasn't too bad. It's conflicting, but I'm going to have to go with the poor sell of what is on the cover not reflecting the story and go with bad.

The Art
Finch is good as an artist. Flipping through this book and then seeing other recent books by other artists, I find a great appreciation for his backgrounds. He isn't skimpy with them and takes the time to put some details into what is behind the figures in the picture. Between this and the fact that the teenage Robins at the end of the book have a much more teenage muscle structure, I gotta give this book props for having some good art.

The Cover
Red Robin's left arm looks weird, like it should be coming out towards you in a 3-D effect, but its on a 2-D surface. I liked the cover, and was looking forward to what would happen inside the book, but was sorely disappointed. If there is anything that screams that this book didn't sell what it promised to, it was all in the cover and the solicitation.

Grades
Words: 5/10 - split decision since it is good one its own, but bad within the context of everything.
Pictures: 8/10
Recommend: Ultimately, no. This is better than my previous reads of Dark Knight, so it has that going for it, but it is nothing of what was promised for a tie in book to the main series that you couldn't get from reading Batman.
Buy Next Issue: I'm not going to be here.

Previous Issues

Comics! Teen Titans #9

Teen Titans #9

Scott Lobdell: plot
Tom DeFalco: script
Ig Guara: penciller
JP Mayer: inks

The Solicitation
• "THE CULLING" finale!• THE TEEN TITANS and THE LEGION LOST duke it out with N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and the madman known as Harvest to stop the slaughter ofinnocent children.• This issue leads directly into this month's RAVAGERS #1!• Continued from TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1 SUPERBOY #9 and LEGION LOST #9!

Preview

The Comic
Obviously you should read the other tie-in parts. Obviously you are missing a big part of the story. But this issue essentially boils down to Harvest getting his Culling or not. The Culling, if you remember, is a rip off type of story line from movies and books like The Hunger Games and Battle Royale. So what do we get for a conclusion for this story presented in this crossover?

The Culling is stopped. We learn that Harvest has technology from the 31st century. Harvest is human, but we don't know his identity.

So all this huge air of mystery about everything since issue #1 of this book has been about building up Harvest as a threat, and stopping the Culling from happening.

From all of this, I just feel that this book has been a big let down. I get that characters are supposed to have this air of mystery about them in order to keep you coming back next month, but it just seems like everyone is hiding something and none of the characters really know about their own background. When that one hook is used on multiple characters and that consists of half of your team, I really wonder if the writer even knows where he really wants to go with each character.

The crux of a good team book for me is getting the characters into the same room and letting their different approaches and outlook into the world around them help drive the story. Here we have a team who doesn't trust each other, save for one or two character relationships, and they are being forced to work together. And they are surprised that after 9 issues that they are finally started to work as a team. I'm not.

And this ending is trying to match a vibe from the TV show Lost. Keep the mysteries coming without ever actually answering anything directly. Only give the audience big sweeping clues that don't tell you anything and will probably never be explained.

Even the blurb for the next issue says "the mystery of mystery island." How much lamer could this lame story get?

The Art
This book was about having characters pose and look like they are fighting. With gritted teeth. Or yelling mouths. At least there were a couple of pretty pictures. But I wasn't impressed. I couldn't get a sense of where the characters were and didn't know what the fuck was going on.

The Cover
The cover matches the story in the sense of I don't know what is going on and its a complete mess. It matches perfectly with the idea of having the characters do nothing but pose with the backgrounds having no meaning though.

Grades
Words: 2/10
Pictures: 3/10
Recommend: As a single issue itself, and as an "event" with a weak ending, highly not. There were multiple times where the book referenced picking up a future issue of such and such series to see more of the story. Which tells me that this isn't really a conclusion to the story.
Buy Next Issue: I've been looking to clean up the books I pick up each month. Teen Titans, you are cut.

Previous Issues

Comics! Wonder Woman #9

Wonder Woman #9

Brian Azzarello: writer
Tony Akins: pencils
Dan Green: inks

The Solicitation
• WONDER WOMAN continues to battle through HADES in hopes of rescuing the only friend she has left.• What is APOLLO trying to convince ARES of? Whatever it is, you can bet it's bad news for Wonder Woman!

Preview

The Comic
This comic is all set up for the big payoff of the next issue. Really, that's all it is. Wonder Woman is set up for her wedding and the cliffhanger gives you an idea of what is going to be the payoff.

The Art
Akins is back as a guest artist. I would say that his tone this time is to mimic what Cliff Chang has done for the book, but his style is a little more cartoony at times. It was OK on its own merits.

The Cover
We have another cover that gives you the big cliffhanger of an ending as the first thing you see about the issue. Seriously, whose idea is it to do that? That just takes away from the end.

What would have worked better? Put the picture of Wonder Woman in her bridal dress on the cover in some intimate detail with the words "bride to be" or something corny that is put on other books.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 6/10
Recommend: This can be passed up. Anything that is of note will be addressed in the next issue.
Buy Next Issue: I'll be down. This wedding is sure to be a blast.

Previous Issues

Comics! Red Hood and the Outlaws #9

Red Hood and the Outlaws #9

Written by Scott Lobdell
Art by Kenneth Rocafort

The Solicitation
• "NIGHT OF THE OWLS" continues here!• The Court of Owls is attacking, and the last person in the world you'd expect to answer Batman's call to arms is the RED HOOD!• Also featuring MR. FREEZE!

Preview

The Comic
By now you get how the Night of the Owls work in each bat-book. Introduce a talon, give him a back story if you wish, and then have your title character(s) fight them.

Fuck that, let's go straight to what makes me want to scream "why" at the top of my lungs.

The Court is going after Mr. Freeze because Freeze backed out of some business deal they had about reanimating their Talons. Because the Court hasn't been doing that for years on their own.

Red Hood goes in to save Freeze, because he really needs protection from an enemy whose only weakness is the freezing cold.

Red Hood and his Talon go off and the Talon says he is ready to die, so Red Hood pulls the trigger for him. Because these guys don't have the ability to regenerate or anything....

Seriously. when you break down these "tie-in" books, they are a real let down. This should have been a story that was limited to the main bat-title and Nightwing.

The Art
Same issues as before - too much white space, unnecessary panel shapes, etc. I'm thinking that my overall problems with the art on this book will stay until either someone shows me how wonderful this art actually is in a way that tells me it is art, or another artist comes in to cover things for an issue.

On that note though, I do have to give Rocafort credit for having drawn each and every issue thus far. That is something that is becoming uncommon around the new 52 titles.

The Cover
See other Night of the Owl tie in covers, place hero and a Talon in a fight sequence.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 3/10
Recommend: SKIP IT.
Buy Next Issue: Looking back and trying to determine why this comic is still being picked up month in and month out by me is strange. Next book if being skipped unless the preview pages can change my mind.

Previous Issues

Comics! Nightwing #9

Nightwing #9

Kyle Higgins: writer
Eddy Barros & Andres Guinaldo: pencils
Eber Ferreira, Ruy Jose & Mark Irwin: inks

The Solicitation
• "NIGHT OF THE OWLS" continues here!• NIGHTWING faces another villain claiming to be THE TALON at City Hall as the Court of Owls' plans go into action – but will he be able to figure out what's going on before it's too late?

Preview

The Comic
I've been hard on Higgins before with previous issues, but I really like this one. Essentially we took a couple of issues to talk about the origin of this Talon and it shows. He doesn't come across as a one issue villain, and has been included in a bigger role in the whole crossover since he is Nightwing's great-grandfather.

This issue is here primarily to set up a fight issue with our hero coming out on top. So, knowing that, we should get some nice visuals to further along the story and compliment it just right.

The Art
But we don't.

Let's play a game - its called follow the knives that are in Nightwing's chest. They have a bad habit of disappearing and reappearing at random times. And the one in his shoulder seems to be move-able as it travels up and around his shoulder depending on if he is running into something or not. And the extend of his bloody, bloody wounds depend on the angle that we see him from as well. And the tatters of his costume reappear in different spots.

Its an awful lack of attention to detail that really ticks me off. I can understand one or two of those things happening. But a huge combination of all of them? Especially on double page spreads like the first one? You are going to fuck it up that early?

You are seriously going to tell me that you have Nightwing's costume in tatters after he falls off a building but then they are all magically healed when he carries the Talon out of the subway?

The Cover
Nice work. Doesn't display Nightwing's battle wounds though. Matches the consistency of the other Night of the Owls covers with the main character caught in battle with a Talon.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 1/10. This would have been about a 6 or 7 if the attention to detail was followed. But then again, I wonder... If there has been the observation that the Talons move like Nightwing does, why didn't we have a more aerial fight sequence with Nightwing instead of a mostly ground based battle?
Recommend: You know what, after that thought I just had, no, I don't recommend this book. There should have been a better fight sequence than this. The story was there for impact, but whoever decided to leave their fight on the ground was a bad decision.
Buy Next Issue: Negative, not even if it ties into the Night of the Owls story.

Previous Issues

Comics! Saucer Country #3

Saucer Country #3

Paul Cornell: writer
Ryan Kelly: Art & Cover

The Solicitation
Hypno-regression therapy, cutting edge aviation technology, and an abduction by rabbits! Things are getting really strange on the campaign trail in New Mexico, and Governor Alvarado is beginning to wonder: Has everyone in this state been "abducted by aliens"? The book we like to call "The West Wing meets The X-Files" ramps up as we meet the enemy and get a look into their big, black eyes…

Preview

The Comic
Here is my deal with this comic - I do like it. Its nicely paced, it has some compelling characters. My big beef against it is just that it has delivered even keel that the first issue presented. We've swirled the characters lives around a bit and have been introduced to some cool concepts. The sense that I get out of the story is just something I that isn't going to keep my interest when I read it a month at a time.

It does feel like the X-files more so in this issue, which I can appreciate. I just wish that more of the political stuff would happen. Granted, it does look like it is setting something up for next issue to deal more with the politics.

The "scientists" hallucinations do keep getting interesting. And the ex-husband's mind turning the aliens into rabbits is a nice visual effect.

The Art
Consistent from last issue. We even have the same one page splash for a final page that has been used before. Somehow I think that will be the thing to do with each issue.

The Cover
Anything with big black eyes just sends a small shiver down my spine. The rabbit's head just seems so slightly alien that I think it must have been drawn that way on purpose. Its a nice visual touch that intrigues you when it is compared with the solicitation.

Grades
Words: 8/10
Pictures: 8/10
Recommend: After giving it three issues, I must say that it isn't too bad, but I want to read this story all at once. So, it happens to be just like any other Vertigo book. That's a good sign to me.
Buy Next Issue: I think I may bow out of buying the individual issue in order to go more for the trade.

Previous Issues
Saucer Country #2
Saucer Country #1

Comics! TMNT Color Classics #1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Color Classics #1

Story and Art: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

The Solicitation
Relive the exciting origins of TMNT, this time in all-new full-color comics! This is where world-wide Turtle mania started! Detailing the entire origin of the Turtles and their first fateful encounter with the Foot Clan and the Shredder! This is your chance to get in on the ground floor of the entire Mirage Studios experience, with the most successful independent comic of all time. Don't miss it!

Preview

The Comic
Wow. Let me tell you this, these Turtles are brutal. Me likes.

You can definitely tell where the story of the first Turtles movie got its influence. Imagine a more bloody version of the kid friendly movie, and this fits like a glove. As it should, being that it is the first Turtle story.

Its weird because I don't think I have ever read this comic before. Like most, my introduction was with the cartoon years back. I'm glad that I am able to appreciate this comic as an adult, and it definitely helps me understand how this got watered down for a bigger audience.

I'm loving me some Turtles.1

The Art
I like it. You can tell that it is indy rough, these guys were literally cutting their teeth with this comic. But it works really well. I can see how the layouts work well with the current comic that Eastman continues to have an influence over.

The Cover
Its a sketchy colored kind of look. Its nice, but I don't like it too much. The top half is what caught my eye, and I am glad it did.

Grades
Words: 8/10
Pictures: 8/10
Recommend: This is definitely something to check out. It is worth the price of admission at $4, but I'll gladly pay it again.
Buy Next Issue: I don't see why not. Unless I can find a collected edition that is all colored up on Amazon for cheaper.

Comics! Batgirl #9

Batgirl #9

Gail Simone: writer
Ardian Syaf: penciller
Vicente Cifuentes: inker

The Solicitation
• "NIGHT OF THE OWLS" continues here!• BATGIRL faces off against the Court of Owls to protect the life of her father, Commissioner Gordon!

Preview

The Comic
Batgirl vs. a female Talon. That's the premise, and they are sticking to it.

To put it bluntly - nothing, and I mean nothing in this comic book inspires me to see what is still going on in the regular series. I admit it - I picked it up because it was Night of the Owls. But I really wish I didn't.

First, the premise. Why must Barbara be the only one who gets to fight a female Talon? Isn't that sexist in some way? And then we have James Gordon taking a threat from a member of the Court of Owls seriously. Unless this Gordon is a pussy-whipped version of the previous Gordon, this just sticks as to being out of character for him. (And yes, I get the not so veiled idea that the man who warned Gordon was the same man who recruited the disfigured female Talon from the circus so many years ago, it was that obvious.)

Let's find some good here. What did I enjoy?

...

Probably knowing that I never have to pick up another issue of Batgirl again.

The Art
I just can't look at it anymore. I can't. I can't. I can't. The art is decent of itself, but anytime I think to what the story is about and how it is being broken down then I can't say anything. Check out previous reviews to get a sense of how this artist works. Honestly, there has been some consistency with the art duties from previous issues, but I just can't stand it anymore.

The Cover
Try holding either of those poses that are on the cover. Then try to find where the perspective point is. Does everything seem unbalanced and not natural? It does, just like the female Talon's pose.

Grades
Words: 1/10
Pictures: 3/10
Recommend: Negative.
Buy Next Issue: 

Previous Issues

Comics! Green Lantern #9

Green Lantern #9

Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Doug Mahnke
Inks: Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin & Tom Nguyen

The Solicitation
• "THE SECRET OF THE INDIGO TRIBE" part three!• HAL JORDAN and SINESTRO learn the horrific truth behind the members of the Indigo Tribe and their connection to ABIN SUR• Also, the GUARDIANS begin their plan to replace the Green Lantern Corps – at any cost!

Preview

The Comic
Now that was a decent jump forward for the story.

We learn the huge secret of the Indigo tribe. Their rings are made of a substance that brings about compassion with whoever gets struck by the ring. So, long ago Abin Sur and Natromo (a tribesman from the planet Nok, the Indigo home world) forged the rings and put them on the sociopaths of the universe as a way to render them mute. The plan was to use them as an army against the black rings of the Darkest Night Prophecy.

The plan was to do that, and then build the army up even further as a way to fight the next big bad of the universe, the Guardians themselves.

But then Abin died. And Natromo just found out, so he shuts down the rings. Now Jordan and Sinestro are stuck in a room with a bunch of sociopaths.

So now let's take a look back and really look to see if this is a good payoff or not for this group of "compassionate warriors." Indigo -1, whose real name is Iroque, was the first Indigo member. So her title makes sense. What if we look at the Indigo's ability to channel the other colors of the spectrum? That's not talked about.

How could Natromo not know that Abin has been dead for so long? All the Indigo Tribe has known this for awhile. And exactly what is his relationship to the Tribe today? A leader? Just a founder? He controls the rings, and all of the Tribe. And how do the Tribe know who should be next one to carry a ring? Is that something that only Indigo -1 has the ability to chose? I don't see much in terms of free will among them.

Mostly Johns has answered the basic question of who and some of the why the Tribe is together. I'm sure that details can be ironed out later, as we wouldn't want everything answered right away for every mystery of the tribe. And I am satisfied with knowing more about the Tribe at the end of the issue. Especially what Nok means.

I am thinking that Natromo will see Sinestro in action, and then Sinestro will take the place of Abin Sur and have another army to control. Essentially, Sinestro has been the head of the Green Lanterns, the Sinestro Corps, and, if I am correct, the Indigo Tribe. I'm thinking if there is anyone I would want to lead a war against the Guardians, it may as well be Sinestro. If that is the play that Johns is making, I'm thinking it is going to be a good one.

The Art
Consistent as always. I think more and more that the inkers for this book is actually just one person and they credit four just for the hell of it. There is some really nice consistency in making the art style really look good throughout the issue. Usually you can tell when a new inker has touched a page, but not so much for this book.

The Cover
Its the damn variant cover for the Combo-Pack. "Let's just smear red all over that pretty nice cover." I'm pretty sure that's what they decided when they came up with the idea for the cover.

But trust me, this may be a nice cover, but Black Hand's role in the book does not merit cover status. At least, not in this issue.

Grades
Words: 8/10
Pictures: 8/10
Recommend: Finally, yes, this is the issue to get into the story arc. Only took three issues to really answer a question.
Buy Next Issue: I'll be in for the conclusion to this arc. Or at least that is what they are advertising it as.

Previous Issues

Comics! Fatale #5

Fatale #5

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

The Solicitation

The surprise hit of 2012 continues! Fatale's first arc comes to its crushing end... all the pieces are in place, Josephine and her lover are prepared to execute their plan, but only one of them knows what kind of men (or demons) they're dealing with. Nothing will go as planned, and there will be blood.


And remember, FATALE is packed with extras - text pieces, art, paintings - that are only included in the printed comics, so don't miss an issue!


Preview

The Comic
The solicitation is dead on. I have to say that I did enjoy this issue, but I can't get into spoilers too much. This is something that you will need to read on your own. Consistency is kept up from issue to issue, and just when things get heated up, the story takes a turn. It is definitely something that will be building from here.

The Art
See the look over for the art. We continue with the goodness from previous issues, and I enjoyed every panel.

The Cover
This reminds me of previous issue's covers. I can't complain at all, this cover as stuck out from the shelf on New Comic Wednesdays and then it disappears into my own collection.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 9/10
Recommend: Highly. Pick it on up!
Buy Next Issue: I will be there, but I am thinking I may just go digital on this one, or wait for the trade. I enjoy this comic when I read them all in a row, so why not just wait and get it then?

Previous Issues
Fatale #4
Fatale #3
Fatale #2
Fatale #1

Comics! Batman & Robin #9

Batman & Robin #9


Peter J. Tomasi: writer
Lee Garbett: penciller
Andy Clarke: art pages 16-17
Ray McCarthy and Keith Champagne: inkers

The Solicitation
• NIGHT OF THE OWLS continues here!• ROBIN faces TALON alone with the skies of Gotham City at stake!

Preview

The Comic
Robin leads a small infantry. Seriously, for that one women, it was worth the tie in issue.

We bypass the Talon telling his target that they have to die and instead have Damian deliver the news. We get an issue long fight scene with a small interlude giving some depth into why the Talon is after this one particular target.

It fits in nice with the rest of the Night of the Owls crossover. It plays with the format a bit that the other books are sticking to, but it is still a little disappointing and not as fun as a regular issue.

The Art
I will give the art a good round of applause. The guest artist manages to stick to a style very similar to the regular look of the book. I have to applaud the art for doing that. Typically you will find that guest artists try to put their own style into it, but this is a departure from that. I like that.

The Cover
I am sad about it. This is a kick ass cover, but unfortunately the book does not deliver this scene. So sad, but I can deal with it.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 8/10
Recommend: If you like Damian, then this book will be a good way to get to know him a little better in the new 52. Especially for a crossover. But the regulars might not find it as thrilling.
Buy Next Issue: The start of the second arc. Let's see where it goes from here.

Previous Issues

Comics! Batman #9

Batman #9

Scott Snyder: writer
Greg Capullo: penciller
Jonathan Glapion: inker


Backup written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

The Solicitation
• "NIGHT OF THE OWLS" continues here!• Batman must stop the TALONS that have breeched the Batcave in order to save an innocent life...and Gotham City!• In the backup story, learn more about the PENNYWORTH family and the secrets they've kept from the Wayne family!

Preview

The Comic
Night of the Owls continues. Remember when Bruce walked out of the Bat-armory and attacked a group of Talons in a battle suit? No? Well, you will be thinking about it after you finish this issue.

This is Scott Snyder reaching into Batman's bag of tricks from in the cave and letting them loose on an enemy that can regenerate. And that includes the loyal dinosaur.

Hehehe.

Seriously though, this issue is all about turning the tide of the story into the eventual victory for the Bat-clan. We get a nice battle scene in the cave, which only makes me wonder how the Bat-clan will immobilize the Talons after this story. But that is for another issue, this one is focused on the action.

In the backup, we get to learn a little more about Jarvis Pennyworth, who is Alfred's father. Basically it is narrated by Jarvis writing a letter to Alfred to not come to Gotham. But then he catches up with a Talon, which is not a good sign.

The Art
The first half with Capullo is a continuation of his previous work. If you enjoyed the previous issues then it will certainly keep up the good pace for you. Albuquerque's work is still a little muddled for me, but it is a style that is growing on me. I definitely see that talent and its something that I will like to see more of soon, I am sure of it.

The Cover
Once again my shop had the Combo-Pack cover, which took the regular cover that you see above and put a bunch of blood streaks in it. Fuck. That. I'm hating on these covers, and I wish my shop would get the regular covers instead, but for some reason they insist on getting those horrid covers.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 9/10
Recommend: Better use of the Night of the Owls, and I expect nothing less from the main Bat-book.
Buy Next Issue: Of course.This comic is worth the extra buck, but I hope my shop gets the other books soon, for cover's sake.

Previous Issues

Comics! Saga #2

Saga #2

Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Fiona Staples

The Solicitation
The ongoing epic continues! After deserting their galactic armies, former soldiers Marko and Alana must now protect their newborn girl from the lethal killers dispatched to destroy their family.

Preview

The Story
Wow. I missed BKV.

Obviously this issue is a much quicker read. It doesn't have the 40 page count bang that the first issue had, but it still delivers a great read. We get to learn more about the lengths that Marko and Alana will go to protect their child, and we get to meet a really quirky killer. Half naked woman/half spider. Trust me, you have to see it to believe it.

It looks like one character may already be dead, which is very surprising, but I think they will bounce back. And then the creepy kids at the end, that is one hell of a cliffhanger.

Obviously, I will be back.

The Art
Did I not mention the half naked woman/half spider?

The Cover
Simple. Nice. A great sense of creepy with an innocence of a child's hands. Nice.

Grades
Words: 10/10
Pictures: 10/10
Recommend: Highly.
Buy Next Issue: I'll be there.

Previous Issues
Saga #1

Comics! Worlds' Finest #1

Worlds' Finest #1


Paul Levitz: writer
George Perez: penciller
Scott Koblish: inker
Kevin Maguire: artist

The Solicitation
• New ongoing series featuring POWER GIRL and HUNTRESS of Earth 2!• PAUL LEVITZ teams with amazing artists GEORGE PEREZ and KEVIN MAGUIRE.• Discover why these two heroes are stranded on our Earth – and what it means for the heroes of the DC Universe.

Preview

The Comic
Huntress is the daughter of the Batman of Earth 2. Power Girl is cousin of Earth 2 Superman. As we saw in Earth 2, they got pulled over to the new 52 earth and are currently stuck there.

That's your premise. How have they done on "our" planet?

Really great actually. Rich. Filthy rich. Buying up technology stuff. And trying to go back home. Aw.

This is an issue long joy ride for those wanting to get into the expanded universe that DC is doing with the new 52. The comic reads like an old school silver age/90s era comic. Its a nostalgic look at a new-old universe. Decent, but not my cup of tea.

The Art
It's George Perez, who is an old hat to these superhero stories. This is the type of thing that fits perfect with the old-school feel of the story like a well worn glove that you keep around for years.

The Cover
This is a good character cover. Doesn't tell you much about the story inside, but you get who will be in the issue. Really boring and doesn't set itself apart from the crowd on the comic shelf. I missed it the two times that I was looking for it.

Grades
Words: 5/10
Pictures: 6/10
Recommend: This isn't my flavor of comics. Might be your flavor, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Buy Next Issue: I'm feeling the same thing for this comic that I felt for Earth 2, not for me. The idea behind the new 52 was to take the characters into bold, exciting, different directions. But we are telling stories in the tradition of cooperate superhero comics - recycle and reuse.

Comics! Teen Titans Annual #1

Teen Titans Annual #1

Story by Tom DeFalco & Scott Lobdell
Pencils by Brett Booth
Inks by Norm Rapmund, Sal Regla, Marlo Alquiza and John Livesay

The Solicitation
• "THE CULLING" begins here!• It's the TEEN TITANS vs. THE LEGION LOST one mile beneath the Antarctic in the chamber of horrors known as the Crucible!• Continued in this month's SUPERBOY #9, LEGION LOST #9 and TEEN TITANS #9!

Preview

The Comic
The premise of The Culling, which has been building this air of "mystery" since the new 52 started, centers around the idea of throwing a bunch of teenage meta-humans in a room, letting them kill each other until one is left, and that one gets to be a part of the big villain's crew. While you collect the nasty brutes, some of them get to live in the area where they will be battling.

See also Hunger Games or Battle Royale with a teenage superhero twist.

I remember a time I praised Teen Titans because they got teenage heroes to team up without using too much of the heroes fighting heroes motif that gets spread pretty thin around superhero stories. Take a guess what direction the story takes in this issue to get the team to be able to team up at the end?

At the end, we get to see some of Harvest's team, the big bad villains who have won previous rounds of The Culling to get a spot as a side kick. In it includes the two "bosses" that Superboy had over in his book within the first couple of issues.

I get a strange sense of deja vu that I had with Red Lanterns. The story had a lot of promise at first and was good, but the idea that it was leading to this just doesn't pay off for me. The story seems like a cliched rip off. The costumes for the heroes are like Tron inspired rip offs. There isn't much here for me that seems to be original.

This story, it just isn't for me. And I've been making cuts to what comics I pick up from here on out. And Teen Titans have been falling off my radar of good books to look forward to each month. I will pick up issue #9 to see how this story ends. If it is predictable and not entertaining, I'm done.

The Art
We get series regular Brett Booth on this issue, which explains why he was gone for issue #8. But this whole comic is nothing but a pose-a-thon. Seriously, every character seems to get half a page to themselves just to flex their powers/muscle/weirdly contorted hips (check out the one of Artemis, which is just wonky).

Essentially, what you get on the cover is what you get on the inside. Will a hell-colored background and overtones.

The Cover
Minus the lack of reds that the interior uses, this is exactly what you get on the inside of the book. Who is that guy in the background in the bottom half of the cover? I don't know. I think it is supposed to be our big bad, but I can't tell too clearly.

Grades
Words: 2/10
Pictures: 3/10
Recommend: Negative. The only thing that The Culling will be doing will be shedding readers.
Buy Next Issue: I'm really tempted to say no, but I want to see how this will supposedly end. More than likely it will be a non-ending. But then again, it might be my ending to the book.

Previous Issues

Comics! Red Lanterns #9

Red Lanterns #9

Writer: Peter Mulligan
Penciller: Tomas Giorello

The Solicitation
• No RED LANTERN is safe!• ATROCITUS discovers a conspiracy behind the awakening of the terror that is ABYSMUS, which threatens to kill every member of his corps!

Preview

The Comic
And this is the part where I just lose total interest.

The first few issues were fun, finding their grounds and building a little on that in order to see where the book was headed. Here we are, 9 issues in, and it just seems like the wheels are spinning on the book.

Maybe this is the type of thing that will read better in time when I can read all the issues in a row, but I just don't think so.

It fails for me because I'm not seeing anything new that hasn't happened in previous issues. And this has been going on for a good 4 issues for me. Red Lanterns fighting. Atrocitus announcing that he will get revenge. Bleez thinking that she is rebelling but then listens to Atrocitus.

Done.

The Art
There is less sexualising of Bleez on every other page. Other than that, we continue a pose-a-thon drenched in red.

The Cover
I didn't really notice too heavily until all the covers for every issue was laid out in front of me, but just about every cover outside the first three feature two people fighting. Always. So seeing a bunch of in-fighting in this issue would make sense to have the cover feature fighting, but it doesn't. The cover that they have instead fits a bit thematically with Bleez's last line in the comic, but that is about it. Take out the red, and this would look like a Batman cover.

Grades
Words: 3/10
Pictures: 5/10
Recommend: Nope.
Buy Next Issue: Not for me. Might give it a chance if I see it in the quarter bin, but that's it.

Previous Issues

Comics! Animal Man #9

Animal Man #9

Jeff Lemire: writer
Steve Pugh: artist

The Solicitation
• "EXTINCTION IS FOREVER" part one of three!• Separated from Buddy, the rest of the Baker family is in terrible danger!• Guest-starring JOHN CONSTANTINE!

Preview

The Comic
I'll take a little bit of 'yea, right' to go with the guest star accusation. Being in the comic for one page doesn't make you a guest star. But other than that, we are off to the new story arc!

Animal Man is dead, long live the Animal Man! He has died and gone to the Red, where he meets a potential guide and they take off to find the totems of the Red. Meanwhile his family is on the run, and they run into John Constantine.

All in all, this is an issue that is more designed to describe the previous story and then get a small start to the next one. Its actually the first issue where I just didn't get much of a sense of the story moving forward as significantly as it has in previous issues. The cat is still shrieking "Find Swamp Thing" as he has in every other issue he has been in. Time to give him something else to shout about.

Its amazing to me that 9 issues in and the comic is still something that I look forward to reading each month. That's a good sign. Let's hope the crossover the next issue doesn't make me regret it. In all honesty, I've been looking to a crossover with Swamp Thing, not with Justice League Dark.

The Art
Steve Pugh holds the art duties for the full issue, making this book finally his. I'm still enjoying the art, and it is intriguing, but isn't as gut wrenching as the previous artist. Thankfully, the style is still similar and I am enjoying it immensely.

The Cover
The Sea of Red is on the cover, and it reminds me of the old Sea of Red title that Rick Remender wrote a few years back. While this one is a different sea of red, the simple color scheme and over abundance of red made it stand out a little. I don't mind it, but if I stare at it too long then my eyes start to burn a little.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 8/10
Recommend: A good place to play catch up and get re-acquainted with the story and where it is at.
Buy Next Issue: Sure can. This is the first issue that fell short for me, but I think it should get rolling in the next issue.

Previous Issues
Animal Man #8
Animal Man #7
Animal Man ##4-#6
Animal Man #1-#3

Comics! Bart Simpson's Pal Milhouse #1

Bart Simpson's Pal Milhouse #1

Words and Art by Pat McGreal, John Delaney, Andrew Pepoy, Sherri L. Smith, Mike Kazaleh, Gail Simone, James Lloyd, Dan Davis, Nina Matsumoto, Mike Decarlo, & Dean Rankine

The Solicitation
Bart Simpson’s pal Milhouse takes center stage in the next of our series of Simpsons Comics One-Shots. Take a look at the world of Springfield through the eyes of Bart’s bespectacled best friend, second banana, and juvenile delinquent wannabe, and the fantastical things you see through his thick lenses might surprise you.

No Preview Available.

The Comic
We follow a similar format with the Ralph comic. Several stories all focused around Milhouse. Each story is good, and has a couple of good chuckles, but I honestly didn't find myself as connected to it as I did the Ralph one. Maybe it is because I just don't dig the Milhouse character as much as I do Ralph.

But trust me, this is still an enjoyable read. Not too bad for the price of admission.

The Art
We get the same style as before - very Simpson's like. I'm not going to complain to much or comment. It is the look of the series and what you would expect.

The Cover
About as fractured as Milhouse's thoughts. Nice.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 7/10
Recommend: Eh. Not too much, but if you enjoy Simpsons comics then this will be more of the same for ya.
Buy Next Issue: It is a Little Homer issue. not my character, probably won't get it myself.

Comics! Batwing #9

Batwing #9

Written by Judd Winick
Pencils by Marcus To
Inks by Ryan Winn

The Solicitation
• "NIGHT OF THE OWLS" continues here!• BATWING arrives in Gotham City just in time to fight the chaos the Court of Owls has unleashed! Outgunned and on unfamiliar turf, can Batwing survive?

Preview

The Comic
So let's see what the typical crossover issue will be for this event: Introduce a Talon, then have Talon meet our title character, and have them fight.

This title is no different. Its ok, and it does show some character moments for Batwing and how he doesn't like the Batman playboy routine. Then we get the Alfred call out to all the Bat-fam and Batwing fights a Talon.

Eh, its ok. The best thing is that we don't have the regular story arc interrupted for the crossover, which is nice. This is a nice read, but it doesn't give new readers to the book more of an idea of what Batwing is about and what happened in the previous story. There are a couple of beats, but if I was just picking up this title I really couldn't distinguish this guy from any other D-list Bat-ally. Sorta like how Azrael was years ago.

The Art
I thought this was rather nice. It worked really well, but I wonder about the art on this book sometimes. Too many different artists who have been in this comic, but thankfully each artist has been pretty good in their own right.

The Cover
Ugh, I hate the ugly orange. There is a nice contrast of it with the blue light source of Batwing's chest emblem, but outside of that I don't like it too much. There is some nice symmetry to it.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 7/10
Recommend: Pretty good to check out. This might bring in some new readers to the title.
Buy Next Issue: Back to the regular schedule story, and I have some good hopes for the next arc.

Previous Issues

Comics! Earth Two #1

Earth Two #1

Writer: James Robinson
Penciller: Nicola Scott
Inker: Trevor Scott

The Solicitation
• First issue of an ongoing series from writer JAMES ROBINSON and artist NICOLA SCOTT!• Who are the heroes of EARTH 2 – and what befell them?• Starring ALAN SCOTT, JAY GARRICK and many others!• You may think you know Earth 2…but this is DC Comics – The New 52, where anything can happen!• Don't miss the extra-sized debut issue!

Preview

The Comic
This is the comic that features the death of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, introduce some back story for characters of another book, and gives a few of the remaining pages to someone who will actually be a main character in the series in the end.

Seriously, that is what it is all about.

You have to know a little bit about how Earth 2 works. It seems like it was lightly touched on in this book, and it does get more fleshed out if you pick up World's Finest.

It's alt-history of the new 52 universe, which is kinda alt-history itself if you think about it. All in all, its not too shabby. Think of the big battle from Justice League #1-6 boiled down to one issue where our heroes lose. This isn't something for me, but it isn't too bad in and of itself.

The Art
Its isn't too shabby either. It is a better version of regular superhero art. Just not for me.

The Cover
Alt version of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman at war? Not too bad. Definitely catches the eye.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 7/10
Recommend: Eh. Not for me, might be for you.
Buy Next Issue: This isn't my series, especially seeing how the Flash costume is for the next issue.

Comics! Detective Comics #9

Detective Comics #9

Written and Pencilled by Tony S. Daniel
Inks by Sandu Florea


Backup written by Tony S. Daniel
Art by Szymon Kudranski

The Solicitation
NIGHT OF THE OWLS!
• Featuring a TWO-FACE backup story written by TONY S. DANIEL with art by SZYMON KUDRANSKI

Preview

The Comic
Looking first at the Night of the Owls part, it isn't too bad. Its not exceptionally great, but it isn't too bad either.

This story takes place essentially in the middle of Batman #9 - which doesn't come out until the week after this issue was released. Strange, but let's role with it for a moment.

Stereotypical black man with a gap in his front teeth? Yea, that doesn't stink of what Transformers 2 did with the racist Transformers. Smooth move, Daniel. Smooth.

My big issue is that I just don't see Black Mask as a major villain. He's been this big bad that been around for a few years, but I just don't see why. And in the new 52 it seems like the mask has control over everyone who has used it or who is nearby. And wouldn't you know it, Dr. Arkum has worn the mask before. I like Arkum as the guy who is a psychologist, he doesn't need to be turned into a villain.

Of course Batman saves Arkum and takes him in the Batmobile out to be dropped off in another tie in. And then we move onto the back up story.

...well, I thought we did. I could barely tell what was happening. More on that when we move into...

The Art
Its Tony Daniel art, so I'm not too impressed anymore. It was OK this issue, but not by much. I swear, he used photoshop to move one picture of Batman from the double page spread onto the next panel. He doesn't even hide it from the looks of it, the same arm is raised in both.

But the back up was WAY worse. There is such a thing as too much shading, and this comic has it. Everyone is pretty much in silhouette throughout the back up, and it doesn't help the story much at all. I read it through twice, and I only sorta can tell what is going on.

The Cover
Since my shop likes the Combo-Packs, I got the hideous orange background version of the cover. If you ever want to know how much coloring can be important to a book or cover that stands out, think of the cover image from above with an orange background. Just nasty.

Grades
Words: 5/10
Pictures: 3/10
Recommend: Not the best foot to put forward for a crossover event. I would shed away, not much you new to know here that isn't going to be skipped over in another comic.
Buy Next Issue: Since my shop is deciding to go with Combo-Packs only, and I can't justify paying $5 an issue for a comic I can barely stand, I'm just going to skip this and pick it up somewhere else down the road if the Combo-Pack is my only option.

Previous Issues

Comics! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9


Story: Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz
Script: Tom Waltz
Art: Dan Duncan

The Solicitation
You'd think that General Krang's arrival in New York City would be bad enough news, right? Oh no, there's still plenty more misery to go around! The Turtle's home in the sewers is destroyed thanks to a sinister team-up between Baxter Stockman and Old Hob. Now that the Turtles are homeless, with one of their own captured, things have never looked bleaker for our heroes. The key to their salvation may lie with... April O'Neil??

Preview

The Comic
April, Turtles. Turtles, April.

This book hits a small snag for me this issue. The first being that you need to read all the micro-series before this issue in order to really get a lot of what they are talking about. I've read them, so its no problem for me. But for others, you may wonder what the hell Donatello is talking about, and what happened to Leonardo. There are little side notes in the issue to catch the full story and directs you to those issues. If you are like my shop though, they are probably gone.

Basically the Turtles and Casey Jones decide to attack Stockgen in order to get Splinter back. Its a nice action filled issue does feel rushed at times. It just seems like there are a lot of things to get through to get to a certain point at the end of the issue.

And the end point is interesting. Its the introduction to a character that I thought was done in the Leonardo micro-series issue. Now it is just a matter of time before the face behind the character is revealed. And then it makes me wonder who is the character in the Leonardo issue. All in all, still has me intrigued.

The Art
It is weird. Leonardo looked BAD at the end of his issue of the micro-series. Here, he just looks a little dirty. Weird consistency issue here with the transition to this issue. Overall, the art remains consistent on its own terms issue to issue, and I can't complain about that.

The Cover
I got the cover with Splinter chained in the cell. I like that the reflection has eyes in the shadow. One of the things that was weird to see was the heart rate monitor on the computer screen. I didn't see any electrodes attached to Splinter, did you?

Grades
Words: 8/10
Pictures: 10/10
Recommend: The first page is reason enough for a first timer to get into the comic. It is essentially a recap page done well with characters meeting for the first time.
Buy Next Issue: Once you see the cliffhanger, you will know why I want to get it.

Previous Issues

Comics! Saucer Country #2

Saucer Country #2

Paul Cornell: writer
Ryan Kelly: art & cover

The Solicitation
Arcadia Alvarado is the Governor of New Mexico, she's running for President, and she just released a bombshell: She was abducted by aliens. As her campaign tries to deal with this startling new information, they must seek help from a disgraced Harvard UFO-ologist who might not be completely sane. The West Wing meets The X-Files in an adventure through the strange and fascinating world of UFO mythology.

Preview

The Comic
Of course, you knew as soon as she said she was abducted by aliens that that would be her uphill battle. Thankfully, as a politician and one who can bullshit excellently, Arcadia manages to convince her campaign manager and friends to stay by her while she investigates further.

We also get a couple of other nice twists with this issue. From explaining how the crazy guy who saw the Pioneer 10 naked couple and how others can't see them is done in a way that makes sense to me.

But there is a lynch pin to Arcadia's whole secretive dealings with aliens. Since her ex-husband was sorta in the know about things, he decides to play the wild card of the story and sets up a possible downfall for Arcadia.

All in all, I would say the story has set itself up pretty well. There is definite intrigue here for me to continue to pick it up, and I like where this is heading.

The Art
This comic is very easy to read and follow with the art. I like that aspect of it. It captures everything that it can to tell its own story while interacting nicely with the story.

I think that the last page shows that this artist has the chops to pull off more, and what some would call boring talking head panels that happen a majority of the book works best when it has those moments on the last page that just let loose.

The Cover
Now that is a cover that works for me. The minor detail of the flag lapel tells you that this is a politician, and the alien eyes work excellent as a way to tell you what the comic is about. The red background really makes it all pop and stand out on the shelf.

Grades
Words: 8/10
Pictures: 8/10
Recommend: I'm liking it more and more with each issue. Here's to hoping the third issue will keep up the magic.
Buy Next Issue: Definitely.

Previous Issues
Saucer Country #1

Comics! The Flash #8

The Flash #8

Story by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Art by Francis Manapul

The Solicitation
The Flash gets pulled into the Speed Force that gives him his super-speed powers…and he learns he's not alone in there! Introducing Turbine, a prisoner of the Speed Force who just wants out – even if it means trading places with The Flash!

Preview

The Comic
So here is my problem with this issue. Manapul stated in interviews that he wanted to be able to describe the Speed Force in one sentence. Because apparently having it simply be the energy that gives The Flash his powers was not simple enough. Due to that, this issue feels like that moment in Episode 1 when Lucas gave a scientific explanation for people who use the Force. You didn't need to go there to explain something so simple that the audience just got it to begin with.

To help explain the not needed to be explained, Manapul created a character called Turbine who was pulled into the Speed Force some years ago. In that time, he has crafted a costume for himself and developed powers that do...something. Spin around? What it does give him is the chance to be able to mutter words three times in a row when convenient, but not so much when he is giving a big speech explaining the Speed Force.

About the only exciting thing for me this whole issue was at the end when we got introduced to Gorilla Grodd as he is in a battle to claim his throne. Once that is complete, the Flash happens to drop into this reality and then the issue ends. Which is unfortunate, because this is the part of the story that I enjoyed the most.

After thinking about it for a few minutes, how is Turbine any different from The Top?

The Art
You can tell that Manapul was going for the whole past/present/future colliding all around as people walk on weirdly shaped rocks whose center of gravity is flexible thing. And it works, kinda.

The Cover
Yellow blurs. I'm not quite sure what else is going on. It sorta looks like Turbine is in control of the blur, but he could just be in as much pain as the Flash.

Grades
Words: 5/10
Pictures: 6/10
Recommend: I don't see why I should. You don't need to develop the Speed Force, it is a pretty simple and clear concept.
Buy Next Issue: I am so close to just outright dropping this comic and picking up the issue later when I can find them for cheap. I'm definitely disappointed each issue with the price of admission.

Previous Issues

Comics! The New Deadwardians #2

The New Deadwardians #2


Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: I.N.J. Culbard

The Solicitation
Someone is killing the dead! Inspector Suttle's investigation continues as he pursues the identity of the victim and attempts to determine the method of murder. But he must work circumspectly, because the answers he is seeking are literally matters of life and death, and they will rock the very cornerstones of Deadwardian Society.

Preview

The Comic
A murder mystery wrapped in a world that takes Downton Abbey and crosses it with The Walking Dead. That is the best way to describe this book.

In reading this book I continue to find that it is the setting that is intriguing me a lot to the book. The murder mystery itself seems like a second thing for me to consider, but learning about the setting of the story itself seems to pull me more towards this book then anything.

As the inspector goes about trying to uncover more about the murder of the undead person, we get to see more and more about why certain people would take the cure and others who wouldn't you see the class and status nature of what taking the cure will do for you in this society. There is a certain bit of privilege that comes with it. And when it is revealed who the dead person is, it definitely steps up the game of finding out what is going on.

The Art
Beautifully consistent from last issue. From framing characters and scenes just right, to having a nice flow from panel to panel.

The Cover
It is funny. I do like this cover itself, but I don't like it for this issue. The concept and the simpleness of it does catch the eye and it immediately wants my attention when it is on the shelf. I don't know why I don't like it for this issue, it just doesn't seem to fit it. But it is still a nicely done cover.

Grades
Words: 8/10
Pictures: 9/10
Recommend: Mystery gets deeper. So far I'm looking at staying around for the whole series.
Buy Next Issue: Definitely.

Previous Issues
The New Deadwardians #1