Comics! Batman #14

Batman #14 

Scott Snyder: writer
Greg Capullo: penciller
Jonathan Glapion: inker
James Tynion IV: writer (backup)
Jock: artwork (backup)

The Solicitation

• "DEATH OF THE FAMILY" continues!

• The Joker is back and somehow more sinister than ever! What caused this change? And can even Batman stop a Joker so driven and dangerous?

• And where is Alfred?

• Plus: In the backup feature, The Penguin is running out of options as he's confronted by The Joker!

This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.


Preview

Why I Bought It
Let's see where this Joker and Snyder thing goes, shall we?

What I Liked
The art is just amazing. I seriously enjoy the little ticks here and there and little shout outs that really stand out on a second reading with the art. Did anyone notice the Joker colors used for a face like look to Batman's tape player? Or how there are 27 bodies in the river, a certain reference to Batman's first appearance?

There was a lot to like with the art. Joker's face alone is enough to creep things out a bit. But for as much as Capullo carries is off well in the main book, the back up with Jock delivers the goods just as much and just as creepy. Compare both of these works with what is done in Batgirl #14 and you can see where the art is needed to really sell the idea of what Joker has done with his face.

The big twist of the series takes place here, or at least what people perceive to be the big twist. Joker declares that he knows the identity for all the Bat-characters and the he will go after them in order to make Batman better. The other thing, that is a little overlooked, is that Joker blinds Alfred with ammonia to the eyes. I think that both of these scenarios are fake-outs on the hand of Snyder until I see them on panel. First of all, we will have to see Alfred with no eyes on panel and not through speech bubbles in order for me to believe that he is alive. The idea that Joker knows some secret identities will also have to be proven in order for me to believe it.

I do think that Joker knows who Jason Todd is, or at least we get that impression from Red Hood #0. But the idea that Bruce = Batman? I'm going to have to see some more proof on that. Bruce has publicly supported Batman, and I think that Joker is only going after Bruce and Alfred because that will bring out Batman, not the idea that Joker knows the secret ID. I think Joker is saying that he knows who everyone is in order to make them unstable and not think clearly so he can do whatever it is he wants to do here. Is it to make Batman better? Who knows. But we will know hopefully by story's end.

The idea that Batman will be the one to cause everyone's death? Notice that Gordon didn't do too bad until Batman showed up in his home. I think Batman was doused with something while in that tank at the beginning of the issue and as soon as he comes into contact with other characters then something will happen to make them react in a way that Gordon did. So why didn't Nightwing react when he was near Batman? They were in a more open air. Notice that Bruce had to be in the same room with Gordon for awhile before things started to react. Just a theory, but one that will be debunked or made true in the next issue.

What I Didn't Like
As I've mentioned before, the idea of the villain trying to make the hero better at his job was one that Johns did for Wally West Flash with Zoom. I'm OK with the logic behind how Joker will do it to Batman, but things do go a little over the top at times with the writing and Joker's exposition that just doesn't come across as references the Joker would make. Then again, we are dealing with a new Joker in the new 52, so maybe this Joker is a little more intelligent and loves to make literary references nonstop.

I haven't felt yet that this is Snyder's Joker. Outside of thinking that he will make Batman a better Batman, he hasn't done anything in this book that surprises me or makes me think that this version of Joker is owned by Snyder. Capullo has given him a good look, but there isn't anything in the writing yet that really makes me know ho Snyder's Joker ticks. Unless the goal is to make him look crazy as can be at all times, which in that case the art is definitely selling that.

Panel to Remember
I really liked the panel where Joker is leaning over the railing on the last page of the main story. Just to see the close-up look of the new face for Joker was pretty nice.

Quotable
"I burned your eyes with with ammonia." - Joker. That's not a mistake on my part, the word "with" was used twice. Is there a reason for this, or was this a mistake?

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: I'm down. Although it is weird to think that I may be buying more to see the art from Capullo than the writing from Snyder.

Comics! Happy #1

Happy #1

Grant Morrison: writer
Darick Robertson: artist

The Solicitation

Meet NICK SAX - a corrupt, intoxicated ex-cop turned hit-man, adrift in a stinking twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex, eczema and betrayal.

With a hit gone wrong, a bullet in his side, the cops and the mob on his tail, and a monstrous child killer in a Santa suit on the loose, Nick and his world will be changed forever this Christmas.

By a tiny blue horse called Happy...


Preview

Why I Bought It
I've been a fan of Robertson's stuff since Transmetropolitan. Morrison can be hit or miss with his creator-owned stuff. Curiosity caught me on this one. And it was the first time that Morrison and Robertson have done an Image book, and done a book together - if memory serves correctly.

What I Liked
Well, this comic isn't meant for kids.

Trust me, that is a good thing.

Robertson has some terrific, consistent art that he delivers in this issue. You can tell that he is a master of his craft and knows how to angle and place characters in order to get the most out of his side of the story telling. Nicely done.

Morrison was a bit of a surprise for me this comic. This doesn't read like a typical Morrison book. Hell, the concept is a little like Morrison, but the big overall picture doesn't seem like him. There is more to an Ennis quality with the language, and the character Happy, a blue horse/unicorn thing, isn't an outside the box kind of character that I would expect Morrison to bring to the book. It seems rather tame by Morrison standards.

By normal issue number one standards, this book did a great job in setting everything up and getting us introduced to the twist of the comic. This very much feels like something in the same area as Fatale by Brubaker and Phillips; a noir/mob story with some special non-human characters popping in.

What I Didn't Like
This feels more like the start to an ongoing than it does to a four issue mini. I haven't heard that this is the first of a couple mini series from Morrison and Robertson or anything like that which would suggest the characters would be around longer than these four issues.

I did have to wait a bit for my shop to get the comic, which I guess is a good sign for the popularity of the book. Unfortunately my copy was a second printing, but I don't really plan on selling the book anytime soon anyhow.

Panel to Remember
I like that when Happy makes his first appearance, it is when Nick is upside down. Good framing and choice of position for the character to show that his world is about to be flipped around.

Quotable
"Pay attention to the talking horse!" - Happy, and with that, will keep me interested in how the series goes from here.

Grades
Words: 7/10 - Because this isn't typical Morrison feel to the story here.
Pictures: 9/10 - because this is a very typical and nicely done Robertson feel to the art here.
Buy Next Issue: I'm down with it, I just hope the story goes somewhere from here than what would feel like an uninteresting turn of events.

Comics! Creator-Owned Heroes #6

Creator-Owned Heroes #6 

Jimmy Palmiotti, Steve Niles, Justin Gray, Darwyn Cooke, Jerry Lando, Jay Russell, Paul Mounts, Andrew Ritchie

The Solicitation

STARTING: a monthly feature featuring graphic strips and material by DARWYN COOKE.

"KILLSWITCH," Part Two

Locked in a Peruvian Prison, Kill Switch awaits a Mexican hit squad as he tries to discover who put a bounty on his head and why. The bullets fly as our hero is led into a deadly game of death against the world's best and most eccentric assassins, but the gloves come off when they threaten his family.

"BLACK SPARROW" Part Two

His only son is dead, tried and hung for crimes the boy may or may not have committed. Now a father waits by the graveside. All he can do is pray and hope that his only son is not the evil the townspeople claim.

Plus: Interviews, contests, art galleries, con photos, and original articles all celebrating the creator-owned spirit.


Preview

Why I Bought It
When hasn't there been an issue of Creator-Owned Heroes that I haven't enjoyed?

What I Liked
I can't re-iterate how, month in and month out, this is a magazine that is devoted to any one interested in knowing more about comics beyond the superhero stuff. Yea, that thing sells, but in this type of magazine, creators get to tell you the chance as to why. Each and every article does nothing but express gratitude, love, and a commitment for comics and sequential story telling to reach its maximum potential.

I don't think there has been one article that I didn't like. And then there was the bonus of having some comic stories in here as well. Black sparrow concluded the two part story that started last issue and wrapped it up in an unexpected, but chilling way. Kill switch had that turn of events that makes you wonder how things will be concluded from here. And I didn't even get to Darwyn Cooke's contribution this issue.

I seriously don't know how the team that puts this book together does it. My hope is to spread the word for the simple amount of material that you get for $3.99, which far exceeded anything that any single issue of "Insert Name of Latest Big Two Superhero Event Here" book ever does. Seriously, insert your own pick for a title there and Creator-Owned outweighs it by colossal metric units of weight.

What I Didn't Like

Panel to Remember
The third to the last panel of Black Sparrow. It is the one that gives away the twist and will stick in your mind for a bit.

Quotable
"Write what you know in your heart is true." - Sound advice for any up and coming comic writer.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: Until the day it stops printing.

News Articles and Reviews at Capeless Crusaders!

In case you have missed it, I've been putting up some must read articles over at Capeless Crusader.

Buying some Monkeybrain digital comics will help support the Hero Initiative. Check out some details here.

I've also got a review for last week's Batgirl #14, a tie in to the Death of the Family story line that is slicing it's way through all the Bat-books. Check it out here.

And also, we got an early review in for the new Judge Dredd series from IDW. Definitely worth a read, both the review and the book! Check it out here!

Comics! Green Lantern #14

Green Lantern #14 

Geoff Johns: writer
Doug Mahnke: penciller
Christian Alamy, Mark Irwin, Keith Champagne & Tom Nguyen: inkers

The Solicitation

• “Rise of the Third Army” continues!

• The Justice League comes after the new Green Lantern, demanding answers about the missing Hal Jordan!

• The Green Lantern Corps makes a disturbing discovery about the Guardians!


Preview

Why I Bought It
To see the "oh my, I didn't see that coming" of the hero fighting hero action.
.
What I Liked
There are a couple of really nice moments in the book that really stand out. I had to laugh when Baz stood there in front of the Justice League and just had some wide eyes going. I also liked the fact that we got a semi hint that the ring is really Sinestro's, which is something I would have guessed all along considering that Hal's part of the ring is just a knock-off of Sinestro's ring.

What I Didn't Like
This felt like nothing but a filler issue. And for being a part of an event, it really feel very flat with what we've come to expect from Green Lantern stories as of late.

First off, the hero vs. hero motif takes up most of the issue. Of course, it all started off a simple misunderstanding between everyone involved and won't matter when this Green Lantern joins up with the Justice League which we've seen solicited for a February release. Don't you hate it when that happens?

If we focused on the rest of the comic, we basically are getting a look at the status quo/rehash of what is going on with all the sub-plots. The one exception being that Hal and Sinestro get visited by some sinister looking character at the end of the book that ended with the typical Johns "cliffhanger."

I get that there is supposed to be this big crossover going on now with all the Green Lantern titles, but the one that feels the most excluded has to be the main Green Lantern book. We're getting a basic introduction to a new Green Lantern that doesn't have a place in the crossover. Baz, as a character, is doing pretty good, but the start feels a little generic for a new character. Outside of his heritage, there doesn't seem to be much that makes him stand out from any other Green Lantern. He could die right now in this crossover and I just wouldn't care too much. It just feels like there is a lot of potential with him and Johns is just taking his time to get to the meat of this character right now.

Panel to Remember
I'll go with the wide-eyed expression when Baz meets the Justice League for something to remember.

Quotable
"You don't really expect me to fight you, do you?" - Baz. The Justice League might not expect it, but the reader can call this from a mile away.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: This story line is just dragging on and on. Can we get to the point yet?

Comics! Daredevil End of Days #2

Daredevil End of Days #2 

Brian Michael Bendis & David Mack: writers
Klaus Janson: pencils
Bill Sienkiewicz: finished art & colors

The Solicitation

• The Kingpin has been murdered! Daredevil has been murdered! And that’s just the beginning of the story!
• Ben Urich digs deep into the seedy underbelly of the MU & discovers Matt Murdock’s biggest secret yet!
• Some of the greatest creators to ever take on the Man Without Fear unite for his final story!


No Preview

Why I Bought It
The first got us some of the set up. Now let's dig a little deeper into this world and see if it has some legs to stand on.

What I Liked
We definitely get a "world building" feel to the book. In a world where the twilight of heroes obviously happened, we get little shout outs in one two page spread in particular. Fantastic Foods, Hulk the Musical, and images of superheroes everywhere dot the landscape. Hell, the Avengers even have a museum.

This issue is essentially a tour of the ex-girlfriends of Daredevil and where they all are today. It makes for an interesting set up as we catch up with the ladies of Daredevil's life from yesteryear. We don't really touch too much on the mystery of why he died and what he did for all those years in the dark and out of the limelight, but I guess you have to have something for the next issue.

What I Didn't Like
I really wish Alex Maleev would have drawn this book. Janson is good, but the feel of the story is just missing a little. The art tends to be a bit on the sketchier side at times and is just feels about half-way finished. It also had the feel of being very padded. Seriously, this is a slow paced book and at four bucks a pop I want to see the story get to places. If memory serves, most of The End books were one shots or a four issue series, save for X-men which had 18 issues.

And pardon me if I am wrong and have missed something about recent Daredevil events, but isn't Milla supposed to be blind? She certainly wasn't acting like she was blind. There definitely is something missing there.

And yea, if that wasn't a shout out to being Matt's kid, I don't know what is.

And the cover I got was some bald guy without any distinguishing characteristics that made me think that I knew the person. What was up with that? Who was that?

Panel to Remember
I'll go for the two page spread. It was nice.

Quotable
"Mapone." - I am seriously going to be sick of that word by the end of the next issue if it keeps making appearances that feel like every other page. It really wasn't that over-bearing, but I feel like it could get that way.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: Eh. This may be a digital buy after a price reduction for any future issues. It just isn't hitting like I thought it would.

Comics! Detective Comics#14

Detective Comics #14

Written by John Layman
Art by Jason Fabok
Backup art by Andy Clarke

The Solicitation

• When Bruce Wayne’s life is saved by The Penguin, what surprises are in store for The Dark Knight?

• And in the backup story, an intimate look at Gotham City’s most dangerous foes provides a hint of the maelstrom to come.


Preview

Why I Bought It
Layman. Batman. That is all.

What I Liked
All around this was another great issue of Layman's Batman in Detective Comics. Things really start to turn and you see the approach that Layman is taking to Batman quite clearly. Batman's moral compass is to always do what is right even if it means letting someone like Penguin not become a victim of Poison Ivy's crimes. And that is after Cobblepot scored his way to a rather successful moment in the public eye. But the real threat here is Ogilvy. He was the one pushing Penguin in the right direction, and I'm sure he will be the big bad at the end of this.

It is funny to me. When Bruce says that it is the right thing to do when Damian says he doesn't like it, it sorta mirrors what Superman should be like and his ideals. And Damian's attitude in this comes across great. He is very much like the Bat-dick that Bruce was in the old universe. Definitely the potential to be his father's son.

The twist at the end was explained in the backup, and I have a feeling that this will be a good time next issue. The last I remember seeing Poison Ivy and Clayface together was when No Man's Land was going on, and Ivy was somehow held captive. The table are turned here, and I think it makes much more sense.

I must give a big kudos to the two different art teams on the book. Even when I flip through it, it becomes difficult to find out where one art style stops and the other begins. That was nicely done. And the art was just perfect throughout.

What I Didn't Like
Well, something happened in Birds of Prey. Some acknowledgment was given to what happened, but ultimately I don't care. All I got from it was that Ivy is no longer with them and she planned it to be that way. At least, that is what I read from it.

Panel to Remember
I'm not typically a fan of one page panels, but Clayface's entrance was definitely something that makes me look forward to seeing what is next.

Quotable
"A half second slower and Bruce Wayne would have had his head lopped off." - Damian

"Nonsense, Damian. That wasn't even close." - Bruce

(Earlier in the issue) - "A quarter second slower and Bruce Wayne would have had his head lopped off." - Bruce.

Awesome exchange.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 10/10
Buy Next Issue: I'm on board. I think it is a Death of the Family tie in, but I'll still get it regardless.