Star Trek: Spock - Reflections by Scott & David Tipton and David Messina

By Chris Clow

As a huge Star Trek fan, I sometimes find the comics to be lacking the same sense of scope, action, optimism, and adventure that the filmed adventures have, be they television or movies. Given the mass revival of interest in the franchise following the 2009 film, a flood in the comics market by the current holders of the license, IDW, was inevitable. Sometimes, the outings are hit-or-miss. But, every once in awhile, they manage to tell a story that answers questions for longtime fans like me, and has a level of poignancy that I think everybody would be able to sense regardless of your level of Trek-appreciation.

Enter the mini-series Spock - Reflections, focusing on one of my absolute favorite characters in the entire franchise and some unseen adventures of his long life. Now, as a fan, I always prefer the characters, episodes, and films of the Original Series. So, when Star Trek: Generations came out in 1994, six-year old me was utterly crestfallen when my favorite Star Trek hero, James Tiberius Kirk, was killed by a second-rate villain (although played by a first-rate actor) in a situation that didn't warrant his death. But, since that event is firmly a component of the Star Trek canon, one of the things I always wanted to see was Spock's reaction to his friend's revival and "second" death. Reflections manages to give me those moments.

As we learned in a fifth season episode of The Next Generation, Spock has been living on Romulus in the 24th century to work toward the eventual reunification of the Vulcan and Romulan peoples. During a teaching session on Romulus, Spock is handed a message from Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the Enterprise, informing him of the miraculous return and subsequent death of Captain Kirk after stopping Dr. Soran from destroying the Veridian star. When he learns that there are now physical remains of his friend out in the galaxy somewhere, Spock decides to leave Romulus and embark on a journey to Veridian III, with a final stop on Earth.

During Spock's journey, we are treated to various anecdotes of his life from his childhood under the disciplinary eye of Ambassador Sarek, to his career aboard the Enterprise under Captains Pike and Kirk. The moments shown are some that Star Trek fans have been hinted about in the past, but it's nice to see how Spock's path of solitude and pure logic has led him to where we find him on Romulus, and later in the 2009 film, embracing more of his humanity.

The conclusion to the series has a scene that gives an appropriate finality to the legendary friendship of James Kirk and Spock, and would've made a much more satisfying end than the one given. While I love Star Trek VI, there wasn't a definitive finality to it that closed the book on the cornerstone of the entire mythology of Star Trek, but the final scene in this series gave me a satisfying conclusion to my favorite relationship in science fiction.

David Messina's artwork is very clean and although slightly stylized, the likenesses of each actor that brought each character to life are clear and present. Messina's lines are clean and the emotional center of the book is very apparent, and I think that's saying something considering that the main character in the story is a Vulcan.

Overall, I really enjoyed this series and if you enjoy Spock, the Original Series, and are looking for some interesting anecdotes about Spock's life and a send-off to his most important friendship, Reflections might prove to be a very fulfilling reading. I hope you agree.

GRADE = A

The New 52, Round 1.

Review by Roman Stadtler

Okay, it's been a while, so time to restart the Reviews with the Biggest Comics Event around, DC's New 52!! I've waited 5 days, so you folks could hopefully get 'em all read, but in case you haven't: Warning! There may be *SPOILERS* ahead! I'll strive to resist revelations (yes, revelations. "Reveal" is not a noun! Call me old school, call me a curmudgeon, just don't call me late for dinner), but sometimes one slips through, and I apologize. I hate when I'm looking up something online, and stumble over secrets! I found out who dies in Serenity, and who River Song really is, both prematurely on Wikipedia, dammit!

Fun Flashpoint Fact: keep an eye out for the mysterious hooded woman that spoke to Flash (Barry Allen) in the timestream in Flashpoint #5 (yeah, I know, that wasn’t a fact, more of a tip, but “Tip” broke the alliteration)! She appears in each new issue, usually in a crowd scene, sometimes glowing, sometimes not. She’s fun to look for (and hard to spot; I had to go back and search issues to find her)!

(I'll try to be brief; as I'm sure Chris will be getting his 52 cents [Ha! See what I did there? Ha-ho!] in, as well)

Justice League #1

Good dialogue, good interactions between Green Lantern and Batman (especially when Bats does a little trick w/the ring, right under Hal's nose!). I liked the parademon's versatility (I don't recall parademons having all these abilities before; they're usually just big savage bruisers w/blasters), and the fact the heroes don't know about Darkseid and Apokolips yet, and that Bats figures out what the Father Box (I'm assuming it's that, and not a Mother Box, 'cause Father Box was the Apokoliptian version of a Mother Box in the previous DCU) is, when GL's ring can't. I also got a kick out of GL's ring constructs; they were creative, and reflective of Hal's personality (loved the fire engine!), and his cockiness. I'm not a big Jim Lee fan, too many angles and sharp edges, but I am a Geoff Johns fan, so he’ll keep me interested. The art is nowhere near as good as the next title, however!

GRADE = B

Action Comics #1

This was The Big One, the most anticipated #1, and it didn't disappoint! Morrison is writing Supes as the Golden Age (which was now only about five or six years ago) social crusader he used to be, idealistic, super-confident (maybe a little overconfident), and with a hint of danger to those who deny his quest for justice. After he's stopped a crime, there's a couple of crooks dangling out of walls, punched through them head first, that must have severe head trauma or brain damage, or are simply dead. This Superman has more of the vigilante in him (he's no Batman, he doesn't shy away from the spotlight, but he's not afraid of getting dirty, and doesn't care about being friendly with the cops). This is in keeping with the Golden Age, too, when Superman would toss crooks off a building without a thought. There are further nods to the Golden Age by having Clark working at The Daily Star, for George Taylor (the precursors to The Planet and Perry White, and later placed into continuity on Earth 2. Um, the original, not the new Earth Two graphic novels).

Superman even does the classic (from comics and the wonderful Fleischer cartoons) stopping the train bit! It'll be fascinating to see Superman's beginnings concurrently with his new current self over in the monthly Superman comic. Morrison got to write Supes' swan song in All-Star Superman, and now he's writing the Action Ace at the very beginning of his career, as a young man susceptible to the particular pains, mistakes, and triumphs of youth, before he became the hero all other heroes look up to. I like how this young Superman is obviously rougher, unpolished, scruffier, than the accomplished Superman in Justice League (Rags Morales' art is excellent in portraying that boisterous, rough and ready exuberance of the Golden Age, while being more realistic and technically adept than most artists of that time). That begs the question, though; if Justice League is five years ago, and Superman's in the collared, shortsless costume there, how long ago are the events in Action? Seven years ago?

GRADE = A++


Animal Man #1

I loved Grant Morrison's Animal Man run of the late '80's, and this is in that vein, with Buddy Baker's family, and own his compassion being two focal points of the series, and the wonder and horror of the Red (created by Jamie Delano as a mystical interpretation of the morphogenetic field Morrison wrote of , that Buddy derives his powers from, and is analogous to the Green of Swamp Thing) being the third. It reads like Jeff Lemire is following the spirits of previous writers Morrison, Tom Veitch, and Jamie Delano's Animal Man, dealing with horror, the nature(s) of reality, and human/non-human perceptions. I like Buddy Baker, he's a good, regular guy, a family man who cares about people and animals, I like the horror elements of the Red, but I don't like Baker's new blue and white costume! I hope he returns to his old one, with the jacket, soon. Travel Foreman's art took some getting used to, but it fits such an unusual super hero book.

GRADE = A


Batgirl #1

It's a blast to see the best Batgirl back in action again! I'll miss the Oracle role, but Barbara Gordon is the Batgirl, and Gail Simone is a great writer (I'll miss her Secret Six, but I can't wait for her Fury of Firestorm!). This Batgirl enjoys her work, she smiles, but she's also got emotional scars left from the Joker shooting her (yes, Killing Joke still happened), and that trauma is a major plot point, handled very realistically and responsibly by Simone. All of Barbara's thoughts and feelings, and involuntary reactions, struck me as true. She's thrilled to be able to be Batgirl again, and shaky, out of practice a bit, and has doubts. I just wonder what happened to Stephanie Brown?

GRADE = A+


Batwing #1

This has potential, mainly in the setting. The political strife, violence, and social unrest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo can make for moving stories, and Batwing himself is visually striking. The story involves a mystery regarding an earlier African super hero (invented for this series), corruption in local law enforcement, and a villain named Massacre. Massacre reminds me of the Moon Knight villain Bushman, at least on the surface; both are African homicidal death-faced killers, favoring machetes. Hopefully, there's more to Massacre than that. I've only liked Winick's Green Arrow work and his screenplay for Under the Red Hood (of his super hero writing, that is), so I have reservations about this title, but I'll see how the next few issues go. The art was okay, but I don't like sparse backgrounds, lacking detail, and this is in that style, which would've been too static, except there's dynamic panel positioning that saves it.

GRADE = C+


Detective Comics #1

‘Tec was better than I expected! A solid Batman story; the Joker is a sick, maniacal genius, Batman is driven and methodical, but human, Alfred is refined and intelligently sarcastic, but just so. There's mystery and murders, a shocking turn of events, and good art. Check out the page depicting the Joker's first murder (of the issue), and the later panels showcasing Commissioner Gordon and Batman's talk; both very cinematically rendered, and full of emotion. A good test of visual storytelling is if you block out the text and can still get the story; that works here, and you arrive at the same cliffhanger, only missing some dialogue, but none of the emotion or gist of the story.

GRADE = B+


Green Arrow #1

I love Green Arrow! Unfortunately, not this one. I'm not sure if they're trying to make him look like the guy that played him on Smallville or what, but the Van Dyke is gone, as is the recurve bow. I can deal with the lack of facial hair, but I don't like the compound bow. GA is an amazing archer with any bow, of course, but I prefer his traditional recurve, or a longbow. It's more Robin Hoodesque. Ollie's got himself a couple of assistants, one designs his weapons but feels bad about it, the other is an attractive computer nerd with an antisocial attitude (both so original!). There's a trio of new uninspired villains, though one, Doppelganger, is kind of interesting, in a disgusting way. The main thing I liked about the issue was George Perez' inking. Everything else is pretty boring.

GRADE = C-


Hawk & Dove #1

Hahahahahahaha!!! . . . Oh, this is serious? Okay. Well, Liefeld's first major ongoing comics work was the 1988 Hawk & Dove series that introduced the female Dove, so I guest that's why he's doing this newest version. From his usual soulless, flat faces to his blocky thick oafish-looking people (blocky can work, Rob, look at Kirby. Blocky, but his figures had fluidity and grace, along with power) to ridiculous carelessness, all of Liefeld's usual offenses are in full display here. The silliest bit may be when, in the last panel of page 6 (not counting ads) where Hawk turns away from the zombie (or whatever it is), calling out to Dove, and he has two prominent upper fangs. Thinking this was some new manifestation of his Chaos avatar status, I turned the page. Oop, fangs're gone! Wait, that might be one . . ? But where's the other one? Then, no fangs in the next four panels. Oh, at least one fang back in the sixth panel! Aand no Hawk fangs in the rest of the issue.

Then there's the inexplicable panel where Dove, who's telling a story to Deadman while she's in costume, is shown with no mask on, her eyebrow and eyelash somehow being over her long blond hair (I thought she was white-haired in both identities?) and wearing hoop earrings. I flipped back a page, then forward. Nope, she's in costume, no earrings or blond hair, the pages before and after. This is another proof of the rule of good visual storytelling; if it wasn't for the text, I'd have no idea who this blond woman is, or why she's there. The text indicates she's Dove; but it doesn't make sense visually. Then there are some gape-mouthed men that are supposed to look shocked but just look like expressionless manikins with frozen open mouths, and the terrified kid on the last page who made me laugh, and lots of grimacing men. 'Cause men grimace most of the time, in case you hadn't noticed.

As for the writing, it's pretty lackluster, with some clunky exposition. There's an awkward recounting of the duo's origin, to their father (well, Hawk, and the original Dove's, father), who knew who they were, but apparently never bothered to ask how they became super heroes, even though they first appeared saving his life. Bad comic! Bad! Bad!

"GRADE" = F

Justice League International #1
Good characters, good conflicts between Guy Gardner & Booster Gold, and Rocket Red & August General in Iron, and a lot happens, but somehow it doesn’t feel very important. I was happy to see some heroes still exist that fans (well, me and Steve) have worried about; Metamorpho, and the Creeper, and even Freedom Beast (okay, maybe nobody was worried about him). Needs more Plastic Man!

GRADE = C+

Men of War #1

The first surprise of the bunch! Engaging, character-driven, two good stories, with interesting details on military lingo and weapons (explained in good ol’ fashioned editorial boxes that don’t interfere with the story). I was doubtful, afraid Sgt. Rock would be moved into the modern era, but this Rock is his grandson, a strong soldier and character, in modern conflicts, set firmly within the new DCU. The backup story was good, as well, the first part of a Navy SEALs 3-parter.

GRADE = B

O.M.A.C. #1

The second surprisingly good #1! If you’re a Kirby fan (and if you’re not, what’s wrong wit’cha?!), you’ll love this! Big bombastic Kirby style art and action from beginning to end! Giffen, one of the best Kirby imitators around, does a beautiful job here, and he and Dan Didio pace the writing perfectly with the art. They’ve also returned the One Man Army Corps to Kirby’s original ‘70’s SF concept, of being one normal guy turned into the OMAC by this mysterious satellite, for reasons unknown . . . so far. One new touch is his Mohawk seems to be more of a coruscating energy generator/computer/communicator dorsal fin than simple big hair. Cool. Also, Gobblers! Fun!

GRADE = A+

Static Shock #1

A very smart and fun comic, featuring the underused Static, who reminds me both of a young Peter Parker (except much more confident) and Ronnie Raymond, the original Firestorm (except smarter). Lots of science geekery on display here, amidst the action, and that was great fun. It’s nice to see a teen hero who’s cool, a science whiz, and not a clumsy dork.

GRADE = B+

Stormwatch #1

I read this mainly for the Martian Manhunter, and expecting that Paul Cornell would do his usual fine writing. He didn’t disappoint, crafting a good SF story, creating a new role for the Manhunter that doesn’t conflict with his previous portrayals, and setting up an interesting dynamic with a new super-powered individual who may be on par with Superman. Stormwatch is trying to recruit this guy, but there’s someone else who wants him! I’m not that familiar with the Stormwatch/Wildstorm heroes, but Adam, J’onn, and Harry Tanner are intriguing characters, and I’m curious where the story will go, so I’ll keep checking this out.

GRADE = B

Swamp Thing #1

Fantastic! Swampy’s back, in the eerie horror of his (it’s?) best stories of the past! There’s a lot to like here, behind that beautiful Yanick Paquette cover. A mystery around some mastodon bones, Alec Holland’s retreat from his former life and confusion about vague memories of being the swamp monster (but does he remember being an elemental avatar of the Green, practically a god? Did that happen in the new DCU?), and insights into how the vegetative kingdom is hardly the peaceful, benign place we think it is, drive the plot of this first excellent issue. I hope Anton Arcane, Swamp Thing’s ultimate nemesis, returns soon, and that a relationship between the Green and the Red (in Animal Man) is explored.

There’s nice little nods to Swampy’s history, too, like Holland staying in Totleben’s Motel (John Totleben was the inker on Alan Moore’s classic run), there’s construction machinery named for Len Wein (the creator of Swamp Thing), and Holland’s safe combo is 1971, the year Swamp Thing first appeared. One of the great touches is that Holland’s expertise in botany is used to full advantage, influencing the plot and character actions, just as Static, the soldiers in Men of War, and Animal Man all respectively use their particular knowledge and expertise. The writers of these books are doing their research, and it pays off in fleshed-out, realistic characters.

GRADE = A+

Batman: The Dark Knight #1 by David Finch

Review by Chris Clow

When it comes to someone tackling the duties of both writer and artist, you have to respect whoever even attempts both duties from the outset. For some, those duties at the same time don’t manage to work very well, and for others, it works exceedingly well. Notable tacklers of both duties such as Frank Miller, Jack Kirby, George Perez along with more recent names like Darwyn Cooke, Tony Daniel, and Jeff Lemire have all managed to provide memorable stories while working their butts off in order to make their respective visions see print.

Now, we add renowned comic artist David Finch to that category, as he makes his first foray into both duties with Batman: The Dark Knight. One of the only two ongoing titles to currently feature the Bruce Wayne Batman (the others all feature Dick Grayson in the role), Dark Knight is the title of the original Dark Knight in Gotham City doing what he does best. The Incorporated story that’s going on across most of the Batman line has little to no bearing on this book, and Finch is crafting a Batman story that is very much trying to stand alone.

Finch’s first foray into the world of Batman arrived in comic shops a couple of months ago, when he penciled Grant Morrison’s Batman: The Return one-shot that brought Bruce Wayne back to full-time duty as Batman since his disappearance at the end of Final Crisis (You can check out my Batman-On-Film review of that book HERE). In that book, it was extremely apparent that David Finch’s artistic style fit Batman and his world like a proverbial glove: the darkness, the shadow, the formidable sense of power, and the coordination of deft action were all hyper-emphasized in Finch’s work on that book.

The story here on the art side is no different. Finch and Batman, and especially Gotham City, make it pretty clear that the man’s hands were made to render this character and his world. The level of detail is very, very strong, and it’ll be a great source for Bruce Wayne fans and DC fans to get stories featuring the Dark Knight in his natural environment.

The writing, on the other hand, tells a slightly different story. While it’s not particularly bad, the dialogue in a few places is a bit clunky and there are spots when certain characters just don’t sound right. The pacing is generally good, but the conversational stuff could use a little bit of work. It’s very easy to give the benefit of the doubt here, though, because this is Finch’s first issue as the writer of a very high profile title featuring (arguably) comics’ highest profile character. The stress for creating such a book must be immense, but it sounds as if Finch will have plenty of time to hone the writing side of his work here.

The story presents an interesting perspective of events surrounding some of the higher profile Batman rogues, and the strong artwork definitely make this a title not to miss. Because the artwork is so strong, it tends to distract away from some of the missteps in writing unless you’re specifically looking at that portion of the story. While that’s only a slight hiccup in the overall scheme of things, it’s pretty easy to say that it could go either way, but this first issue is definitely worth a read.

GRADE = B

Superman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis

Review by Chris Clow

For about a straight decade, Marvel Comics' Ultimate line has been one of varied success. The first series coming out of it, Ultimate Spider-Man by Brian Michael Bendis, presented the idea of a new, concurrently running continuity free from constraints of the mainline continuity, and allowed old, familiar characters to be reintroduced to new generations as if they had just begun. Over the years, the premise has allowed for great stories (The first 50 issues of USM, the first two volumes of The Ultimates) and for some badly delayed and lackluster ones (Wolverine vs. Hulk, Ultimatum). One of the questions on peoples' minds over the years has been whether or not DC would follow suit in some capacity.

Here's your answer: Earth One. After Geoff Johns' Infinite Crisis, the previous layout of the DC Universe was changed. What was Earth One (the mainline DC Universe) was moved to a "New" Earth. Over the last four years, we've seen other worlds presented across the new 52-world multiverse, but the one missing link was the current status of Earth One. Now we know: it's a new, modern DC Universe. Characters that are timeless in the DCU haven't even been seen yet, and appropriately, mimicking the real world to an extent, Superman is the first hero to present himself in this new Earth One.

Now, keep in mind, it pisses me off a bit that people rag on Superman for being "outdated," because I personally feel that who he is and what he represents are timeless ideals. It's only in the hands of an incapable writer, that doesn't know how to properly characterize him, that he comes across as a "boy scout." If people say he's a boy scout because he doesn't cheat on his wife with some super hero groupie, then they'd also probably see someone that points a gun at someone without killing them as a boy scout.

People don't even really know what that means. He's a moral leader, yes, but he sees a greater good beyond what, in his eyes and ours, can be seen as trivialities. If they got a writer for this project that would try and turn Superman into Edward Cullen or Justin Bieber, pop for the sake of pop, this would've been an absolute disaster. Fortunately, they got someone to do this job who cares about the Man of Steel.

Writer J. Michael Straczynski, who has a large reverence for the character of Superman, is the writer tasked with reintroducing him to this modern audience. Straczynski has proven himself on some of the biggest of characters in the super hero pantheon, particularly Thor and Spider-Man. When Straczynski made the jump to DC about 18 months back, this was a project that they announced relatively quickly. Straczynski is great at analyzing the motivations behind characters. He made the title of the God of Thunder and that place in Asgard Thor's motivation. He continued the tradition of Stan Lee and made responsibility Spidey's motivation throughout his run. In Earth One, Straczynski has an opportunity to change Superman's motivations into something else entirely. I'm relieved that he didn't, but he definitely revised the reasons those motivations are there.

Earth One's Clark Kent still has the farmland grounding everyone knows about, but this Clark seems to be more aware of his differences from everyone than justifying his similarities to everyone. This is a Clark Kent that actually toys with the idea of cashing in on his superior physical and mental attributes moreso than he's ever been shown pursuing that path. The world around Clark is decidedly more muted than his main world in the DC Universe. If you walk down any modern American city street today, it looks very much like this Metropolis. Not exactly a "City of Tomorrow," but also inclusive of reality moreso than the Metropolis we're familiar with.

This Clark also has a decidedly different aesthetic than the one we know about. He seems to be a fair amount shorter and stockier than the mainline version, he dresses a bit more "hipster," and he's not really trying to create much of a difference between himself and Superman other than his way of conducting himself in public.

The villain of the story I won't say too much about, but he's a new character that is an inspired choice. Straczynski has talked openly about the new villain's connection to the destruction of this universe's Krypton, and that was the most innovative idea to the villain's motivation. There are portions of this story that feel a little convenient, especially around the villain's unleashing of his campaign toward Earth, but the villain and his intentions are relatively fresh considering the climate of Superman stories we've been getting for the last few years.

As far as other familiar characters, Martha Kent is mostly unaltered. She's a bit more proactive in the formation of the Superman identity, but she's mostly the Ma we know. Perry White is largely unaltered except for the addition of more editorial language, but his verbosity and anger remains intact. Lois Lane may be the most unaltered character, I'm not seeing anything new from her here. The best alteration? Jimmy Olsen. He's a batsh*t crazy photojournalist that's ready to do whatever he needs to do in order to get a great picture, and would even die if it means seeking the truth. There's a fantastic moment in here where Jimmy stares down the villain in this story, ready to die.

Shane Davis' artwork is, in a word, stellar. His style gives the story a gritty reality that hasn't really been seen in a Superman story since maybe Gary Frank, but even Frank's work isn't as hyper-realistic/gritty as this. There's a distinct style, but he's able to render different faces for different characters very clearly and his cityscape looks fantastic. The Kryptonian structures and ship that appears here looks truly alien, and the villains, while humanoid to a degree, carry harsh spikes and alien-like colors that are very distinctive. The way he uses sunlight in the layouts of the images is also very strong, the entire work has a slightly sepia tone that is unique but also strangely evocative of realism.

Overall, this isn't as basic a reinvention as DC might have you think, but that's not a bad thing at all. The story does it's job of introducing Superman as a basically new component of our world, and allows a new story free of continuity to take flight. There are times when it dives, but for the most part, Superman: Earth One flies as gracefully as the Man of Steel himself.

GRADE = B

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #5 by Grant Morrison, Ryan Sook, and Pere Perez

We've reached the penultimate chapter of the return of the one, true Dark Knight. And although this issue takes place just after the death of Bruce's parents, it has several ramifications in the "present day" battle with The Black Glove.

The issue is book-ended by a meeting of several DC heroes with Tim Drake, who is presenting his findings proving that Bruce Wayne is alive. Although they want their friend back, the heroes understand that Bruce Wayne's return to the 21st century. The story goes on to explain several components about Dr. Hurt's identity (is he really Thomas Wayne?), the Wayne’s new familial history thanks to Bruce's time jump, and the tone is extraordinarily reflective of old noir detective stories. There's a femme fatale, a rugged hero, all the way down to Venetian blinds in a detective office. From the Paleolithic era all the way through to the Wild West, Grant Morrison shows that he's very efficient at making you feel like you're actually in that particular period of time. Beyond all of the period components, Morrison manages to throw in some genuine Batman moments with him being the World's Greatest Detective down to some good ol' fashioned ass-kickery. As each issue goes along, regardless of the self-reflexive Morrisonian philosophy and mind trips, this has the undertone of a Bruce Wayne/Batman story more so than anything else out right now.

Ryan Sook provides 21 pages of artwork, and the rest are done by Pere Perez. Sook's work is great with detail, his faces are all different, the wrinkles in the clothing are realistic, and his shadow work is fantastic, not only for the images rendered here, but for playing into the tone of film noir. While this isn't truly noir (it's not black and white), Sook's style has the predominant feel necessary to pull it off. Perez's finishes are rather close to Sook's, it seems like he went out of his way to make the art style changes as low-impact as possible, and he does a good job of it. Jose Villarrubia's colors in this issue are appropriately washed out, evoking the colorless world of noir while still keeping the foot in the door of four color comic book action. This entire series has been a lesson in how to make an environment feel different through each time period. Seeing the collected edition will no doubt increase my respect for it.

We have one more issue until the full-on return of Bruce Wayne, and it looks like he's bringing the full-blown apocalypse (Apokolips?) with him. I wonder, how will he kick its ass?

Won't be long until we find out

GRADE: B

Brightest Day #0 by Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi, and Fernando Passarin - A Review/Primer

Review by Chris Clow

“Once dead, twelve heroes and villains were resurrected by a white light expelled deep from within the center of the Earth. Deemed a miracle by many and a sign of the apocalypse by others, the reasons behind their rebirths remain a mystery. But it will not be a mystery for long. This is the BRIGHTEST DAY.”

A common criticism I hear from people who see the posters for this series go along the lines of, “Oh great! Now DC’s stories are going to be happy, bright, and shiny! BOOO!” However, after reading this introductory issue to Brightest Day, #0, it appears that the stories within the pages for the next year will be far from light-hearted. This issue was full of a despair wrapped in a blindingly bright white light. Not the warm, reassuring kind of light. This bright light felt more as if it could be on the front of a train that you can’t see barreling toward you, and it seems that the heroes and villains that have returned, except for maybe Deadman, might not get out of that train’s way fast enough.

Osiris finds himself without a family after his return. Captain Boomerang is stuck in Iron Heights, and is bold enough to threaten the Fastest Man Alive. Aquaman’s return is rejoiced by his wife Mera, but the King of the Seven Seas looks in the water and sees himself as a Black Lantern staring back at him. Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch are the new Firestorm, but Jason’s hatred toward Ronnie for what his corpse did as a Black Lantern could fracture their partnership before it even begins.

And Deadman isn’t dead anymore, and is adjusting to life, and his larger role in the DCU. All the heroes that were resurrected by the White Entity no longer need to wear their White Lantern Rings. So, why can’t Deadman take his off? What does a man so defined by death do when the death that he touches gains new life? Is this a good second chance, or does his new life spell doom for our heroes?

A lot of questions, I know. But after reading Brightest Day #0, it seems that questions are exactly what you’re supposed to have. Issue #1 is on sale next week, and if you’re at all curious about what’s in store for the twelve resurectees of the DCU, Brightest Day is the book to read.

GRADE = B

Ultimate Comics: Enemy #3 by Brian Michael Bendis and Rafa Sandoval

Review by Art Delgadillo

The cover for this issue was a great takeoff of “The Three Stooges” looking around the corner of a building. The story features a nameless attacker that has murdered Reed Richards and has tried to do the same to others. With more unanswered questions than answered ones, the attacker is trapped. Is it the same one, or someone different? Notice that I didn’t say who. Again, cover art was great, interior art was adequate; with Nick Fury’s eye patch shifting on page nine to the wrong eye. However, this issue had a good bathroom brawl. Issue #3 gets you set up for the ending of this four-part story. Will the Thing survive and can Reed really be dead? Hopefully, all will be answered next month.

I like a story that wraps things up fairly quickly in comic book time. One month between issues in a good story with strong characters can seem like forever. I won’t say it’s a must-read, but it is a good one.

Kickin' Nazzy as . . tail. (In case any youngsters're readin' this)

The new Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers is set early in Cap's career, telling the pulse-pounding tale of his first mission with Sgt. Fury & His Howling Commandos! The Howlers & Cap are off to Wakanda to head off Hitler's attempt, led by Baron Strucker, to steal the African nation's Vibranium for use in their missile technology. Cap quickly runs afoul of T'chaka, the WWII-era Black Panther, and that leads into the next issue.

There's plenty of nasty Nazi business, a great battle scene right in the first few pages of the book, amusing dialog from the Howlers about this new star-spangled joker that never removes his mask (Nick Fury, particularly, is suspicious of him), but what really grabbed me with this first issue was Gabriel Jones' narration during the Howlers scenes. I'd never thought about how it might've been, being a black soldier, hand-picked by Fury himself, in an elite WWII commando squad. The Army's not desegregated yet, he's on this elite force with guys from Brooklyn & Kentucky, and they're heading into Africa for the first time (well, I think Fury had been there before). There's thoughtless comments and jokes about Africa from his teammates, and an impressive scene in the mess hall when Cap sits down right next to Gabe, doesn't have any silverware, and asks to uses Gabes, who is done eating. That's something you just didn't do back then (heck, I wouldn't do it now; not outa racism-that's just plain unsanitary w/anybody)! Actions like this, and Cap's fighting skills, yet ridiculous (to them, at that time) costume, have all the Howlers asking "who IS this guy?" When Cap first shows up, Dum Dum Dugan asks "who is this clown?" to which Fury replies "America's secret weapon." "I thought WE were America's secret weapon" is his response, shown in a tight close up of Dugan's shadowed eyes and hard-set jaw. Tension's a-brewing, right away!

These tensions of preconceived judgments and prejudices, roles, and battle action will make for a great Cap, Year One-style story with a little more than just Nazi-bashing (not that that ain't enough any day o' the week), if writer Reginald Hudlin (Black Panther) can keep it up. The art, by Denys Cowan (The Question) and Klaus Janson (tons o' stuff) is nice, too, lots of good character perspectives and cinematic transitions.

Hey, this here is a blog, so I can write any ol' cr . . pearls o' wisdom, or goofy ramblin', even when I don't have a rollickin' review (I just realized this; kinda slow on the uptake with this here technology). So here goes . . .

My guess for the Red Hulk (sorry, I ain't calling him "Rulk." That's just stupid. And not even awesomely stupid) . . ? Colonel John D. Armbruster!

Ah, the collective gasp of recognition is deafening. "Who?" you're all asking. He died (or did he . . ?) in Incredible Hulk #185 (1975) stopping an exploding Glenn Talbot (he was an "organic bomb," y'see) from killing the president. BUT! Talbot is now back, as is Betty (maybe the ones that died were actually Skrulls! Yeesh, I hope not), so why not this guy?

Armbruster was another career military man, who had a mad-on for the Hulk. He even took over Project: Greenskin from General Ross, and was instrumental in stopping the Russian terrorist attack by a mind-controlled Major Talbot. The Red Hulk is a military man, a strategist, familiar with weapons, had a rivalry with "Thunderbolt" Ross, and I think he may've once been involved with turning people into gamma-powered monsters. And he died, supposedly with Talbot, in heat energy pit thingie (it may've even been a volcano; I can't remember), which combined with Talbot's "organic bomb" explosion, could, in fine comic book logic, explain how they survived, and Red can absorb energy. That ability, and his military & anti-Hulk background , could've made him a great candidate for the Intelligentsia's "create-a-Hulk" experiments.

Either that, or Red is really Uncle Ben.

We're supposed to find out in June, if any of still care by then. Meanwhile, it's already slipped who the Red She-Hulk is, but I won't spoil it here, in case you haven't heard. (. . . Maybe it's an alternate timeline Aunt May!)

Bad Dog

Review by Neill McLaughlin

Bad Dog is a collarless mongrel, kicked bleeding and disoriented from the back of a pickup onto the side of a lifeless desert road, whose wounds are cared for by a family full of spirit, compassion, and true Americana. However, despite giving the animal a third lease on life, it still finds time to chew through, piss in, crap on, and openly hump everything that ‘Ma & Pa Kent’ value. A nomadic, uncivilized creature roaming from town to town, passing on whatever it picked up along the back alleys and shady truck stops to anyone merciful enough to give the flea bitten hound asylum. The type of mangy varmint that looks up at you with those tender eyes, and despite the dirt caked fur and glass cut paws, you just can’t stop yourself from picking it up and taking it home with you.

From the open mind of writer Joe Kelly (Deadpool, Four Eyes, I Kill Giants) comes a belligerently truthful dark comedy that empowers the medium by telling a story fixed best within the pages of comic books. Best described by the author, Kelly describes Bad Dog as "channeling a lifetime of bad behavior into two misfit bounty hunters incapable of catching a break, let alone a criminal... Lou is a werewolf who despises people so much that he refuses to shift back into human form and Wendell is a vertically-challenged, gutter-mouthed ex-preacher with a hair-trigger temper." A tattered tale about anti-heroes drinking there way to rock bottom on the dusty back roads of civilization, while hunting down the ever-failing dollar, howls straight from the heart of the Gonzo-fueled American Dream. The kind of comic that makes you stand up like a patriotic rebel and beg for the forgotten freedoms of our fore fathers.

Crafting a story drowned in alcohol and self pity requires an artistic balance that keeps the reader engrossed without grossing them out with the thought of vomit oozing off the pages. Enter Diego Greco, an Argentinean artist known for advertising, erotic comics, and a loser superhero story called Doméstico. With his soft brushes and enriched tones, Greco displays a style that is easy on the eyes yet comically engaging. Together, the team create a comic book that sets the mood for a bar brawl in the middle of a Don Bluth film; keeping every hurled glass bottle in focus, making every broken bone look enchanting, and polishing the toothless smiles of all ages brave enough to endure self destruction.

As you take Bad Dog out of the weekly comic grab, you see a fuzzy face full of golden brown fur, wearing Elvis shades, a white cowboy hat, and a dead cold stare. Once opened to the first page, it becomes apparent you have past far beyond the safety and sanity of so-called city limits a few exits ago. From page to page, the dialogue poetically rants like a drunken pastor slam dancing to hymns on shattered stained-glass windows, while the art gracefully shines a harmonious spectrum through each broken shard upon the floor. By the time you reach the middle of the story, you are already intoxicated by the recurring visits to dive bars and backwater saloons. If you can reach the end of the book, you will need two bottles of whiskey to cure the pounding headache where you once had a brain and the number to a back alley surgeon for an emergency liver transplant.

Bad Dog exists because, as much as we want to pretend we are ALL good people, some of us know deep down in the dank pit of our failed kidneys, that everyone is capable of both love AND destruction. That is why we all look when we drive past a car wreck; it's in our nature to observe, even when we want to poke our eyes out with olive picks. Bad Dog might not stay long with most crowds, but the few of us who welcome the disruptive truthfulness and rebellious abandonment will always have a spare room for this mongrel… Furniture and rugs be damned! And if MY carbonated ramblings haven't been enough to convince you to try a shot of this 100 proof series, you need the kind of help that only an enabler can give... When creator Joe Kelly was asked by comicbookresources.com to convince them to purchase a copy of Bad Dog in just 10 verbs, he replied,
"Drink. Shoot. Ponder. Drink. Laugh. &@%$%. Drink. Howl. Weep. Become. Aw, yeah... Artsy!"


Now THAT’S entertainment!

Green Lantern #43 by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke

Review by Chris Clow

Wow.

I don't know why, but I am always surprised when Geoff Johns manages to take a previously lame villain and turn him/her into a complex psychological creature, but more importantly, into a frightening and imposing villain. Previously, my favorite example of Johns' doing this was in The Flash #218, where he spotlighted the Rogue Heatwave and made his infatuation with fire into a deeply perverse obsession that cost the character his entire family.

That favoritism, however, has shifted to Green Lantern #43 and the villain Black Hand.

There's still a lot we don't know about the Black Lantern Corps in this issue and we didn't know exactly what their full function was until we opened up Blackest Night #1 on July 15th. But that mystery, coupled with the unnerving exposition of Black Hand and the steps he ultimately takes to embrace the power of death, is a big part of why this story is so compelling. Hal Jordan and the usual suspects don't appear in this issue in any large capacity. We get introduced to William Hand in a way we never have before, as a deep psyche evaluation that dives headfirst into his obsession with death, and everything that has to do with it.

What does living in a mortuary mean for someone who's so consumed by an unhealthy and sadistic love of corpses? What does this extreme personality do when he discovers a power greater than that of a man's? And what does that mean for the Blackest Night? This issue explains thoroughly why Black Hand is the way he is currently portrayed, and why he will be a force to be reckoned with, not only against the Green Lantern Corps, but the DC Universe. With a strong debut from new ongoing artist Doug Mahnke, the aesthetics coupled with the complex look into the mind of Black Hand is a total winner.

Green Lantern #43 leads into Blackest Night #1 in the best way possible: by showing how you, the reader, will absolutely love to hate this sadistic son of a b*^$%.

GRADE: A

Captain America #600 (Lead Story) by Ed Brubaker, Butch Guice, Howard Chaykin, Rafael Albuquerque, David Aja, and Mitch Breitweiser

Review by Chris Clow

Ed Brubaker's 51st issue of Captain America has gotten the consolidation treatment, and we've gone from Volume 5 back to Volume 1 by assuming #600. This issue represents a tide change in the course of Brubaker's recent issues in the sense that, for the first time in 26 issues, a little over two years, this one is about Steve Rogers. Sure, he's been mentioned over the past couple of years and nearly deified in the eyes of many of Marvel's heroes, but Steve has become the driving force behind the Cap title again, because it's setting the stage for what some have been hoping and some have been dreading:

The Return of Steve Rogers.

On the anniversary of Steve Rogers' death, Sharon Carter begins to gain more and more of her memory from when she was under the control of Dr. Faustus. In short, the result is that she remembers a small but very important detail from the day she was forced to murder Steve Rogers: there was something...different about the "murder" weapon.

We are also taken around to various other reactions to the anniversary of Cap's death, including an appearance from the Grand Director, who ominously says he wants to be Captain America when he finds people that are "worth saving." The New Avengers and the current Captain America, Bucky Barnes, plan to attend the candlelight vigil that will be held for Rogers in full costume, but are convinced by the Black Widow to go in street clothes. As per usual, Norman Osborn takes the vigil as a publicity stunt, saying great things about a man he referred to only seconds before as a man who "died a traitor."

Sharon then appears before the New Avengers saying that she now knows that they all can "save Steve."

As he's my favorite character in Marvel's stable, I am positively thrilled about the return of Steve Rogers. This issue, however, fell a little flat for me because of the pacing. We're moving along rather quickly with the adventures of Bucky as Captain America and there's a sudden screech to make way for Rogers' supporting cast and his own return. I don't criticize the return itself, I think it's about a year overdue. But, I do think that Brubaker could've eased into it starting back at least at #45.

I can take it, though. He delivers the goods on emotional power and the simple dumbfoundedness that Bucky and the Avengers have when an ex-girlfriend walks up to them saying that they can "save" a man who's been a corpse for 1 in-universe year. What will Brubaker do with that gun? Why is it so different? How can it permit the return of Steve Rogers?

Great question to have as we await the arrival of Captain America: Reborn #1 and the one true Star-Spangled Avenger.

Grade: B-

The Flash: Rebirth #2-3 by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver

Review by Chris Clow

The return of Barry Allen continues in parts 2 and 3 of The Flash: Rebirth. To get you up to speed, at the end of #1 Barry finds out that his touch has the ability to kill speedsters in the DC Universe. Using this knowledge and trying to find out how he could cause such things, he and Wally West go to Fallville, Iowa where they find the corpse of the Speed Force's apparition of death: the Black Flash. Upon this discovery, another manic speedster, the Lady Flash, arrives on the scene attempting to kill Allen, but when she touches him, it creates a surge so powerful that in addition to killing the Lady, it reveals why Allen is able to kill with his touch: he is the NEW Black Flash.

When the JLA and the JSA arrive on the scene in Iowa, they contain Barry. He warns Wally and the rest of them to stay away from him, fearing he could harm them. All the while, lightning strikes all around Barry, attempting to strike him. The combined efforts of the League and the Society decide it's best if Barry be moved, but instead Barry is released from his containment and says that in order to save everyone from himself, he will run back into the Speed Force to end his life on Earth once again. Superman takes off after him attempting to stop him, but Barry easily outraces the Man of Steel. When Barry is finally flung into the Speed Force, he sees his friends Johnny Quick and Max Mercury. After accidentally killing Johnny when touching him, he explains to Max that he's the new Black Flash. "It's not you!" Max says. "It's Professor--" BOOM! Suddenly they are pulled into another pocket of the Speed Force, where a man simply says, "Isn't it obvious what I've done to you, Barry? I've shifted you into reverse." It is revealed to be Eobard Thawne, the original Reverse Flash known as Professor Zoom.

Whew! Mouthful. If you're not a Flash fan, there are plenty of things to keep this book interesting. From the characters, to the locales, to the awesome speed effects from the mind of Ethan Van Sciver, this book looks great and reads like an action/adventure epic. BUT, if you ARE a Flash fan, it's even BETTER. Not only do we see some old beloved speedster characters in Quick and Mercury, one of DC's all-time greatest rivalries in Barry Allen vs. Eobard Thawne is brutally reignited leading into the next issue. Flash vs. Zoom is up there with the best of the DC Hero/Villain rivalries like Superman vs. Luthor, Green Lantern vs. Sinestro (also reignited by Johns and Van Sciver), and Batman vs. Joker. The conflicts and the stakes can only go up from here, and I thought we'd already reached the ceiling.

Johns continues his quest to make Barry Allen relevant by bringing the character's own belief of irrelevance into the forefront. Kid Flash Bart Allen makes an appearance in #3, and Barry, through inner monologue, thinks that if ever there was proof that his time was passed, it was in his grandson that stood right before him. How will this self-deprecating belief of Barry's change? Will it change? Will the arrival of Professor Zoom have the same impact on Flash that the reappearance of Sinestro had in Green Lantern: Rebirth?

Time will tell, but if you're not following this series, do it. Flash Fact: Rebirth kicks ass.

GRADE: A

Battle for the Cowl

Review by Neill McLaughlin

It took an evil, despotic God to kill the world's greatest man, but how many will it take to replace him? Crime as thick as pitch has descended upon the dank alleyways of a city drowned in sorrow and fear. As the Dark Knight fades slowly into the onyx twilight, the duty of upholding Gotham's safety and sanity falls heavy on the shoulders of many costumed crusaders. Some have proven themselves worthy of such an honor, while others arrogantly believe the mantle to rightfully belong to them. Mentors, allies, and enemies alike gather beat back the growing darkness or take full advantage of it, either way, they all question their own intentions and the expectations placed upon them. One thing is for sure, the Batman is dead and another knight needs to be sired in or Gotham will burn.

Battle for the Cowl is a three part story written and illustrated by Tony Daniel, who came into the Batman franchise during Grant Morrison's monumental "RIP" story arc. From his gutter pictorial of Gotham City streets, to his cryptic revival of villains long forgotten, Tony Daniel has made his stake as one of the pioneer Batman artists. Using heavy shading to showcase the perpetual darkness that surrounds Gotham, Daniel highlights the beam of hope the Dark Knight shines on his citizens by snuffing the light around him. Both creators bring forth a masterful piece of work that shakes the very foundations of everything we have come to know about the Caped Crusader. After the heart stopping finale of "RIP," Morrison chills us to the bone with Final Crisis #6; as we witness the New God Darkseid and Batman destroy each other. Enter Neil Gaimen and Andy Kubert's "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?" two part funeral story, in which we witness Bruce, Batman, and the child that would never be transcend to his final reward through eloquently poetic writing and beautifully haunting art. With the vibrations of one man's death felt around the world, Gotham trembles from the aftershock and the foundation begins to crack at an alarming rate. The Bat Family is still reeling from the demise of Bruce Wayne, but crime waits for no man... no matter how statuesque he maybe. The streets have become more violent than ever before, with gangs warring over turf and civilian looting at an all time high. All the while, crime lords and colorfully dressed madmen take full advantage of the opportunity at hand, making a claim for the throne of Gotham's criminal underworld. The heroes and citizens in mourn must rise up, reluctantly placing their fears and grievances aside to stop the fire from consuming all of Gotham. With the Batman missing, Bruce's three adopted sons will strive to do what they believe to be the proper course of action. Nightwing, Robin, and Jason Todd all have their own agendas and plans for retaliation, but which one is righteous enough to don the cowl in the name of justice? Are any of these vigilantes actually capable, or even redeemed enough, to take own such an iconic role? The answers lie within the pages of Battle for the Cowl... or online if need be.

In recent comic years, numerous tie-ins have had little to do with the actual continuity of the main book and served as nothing more than $1 bin fodder. With Battle for the Cowl being only three issues, the tie-ins actually add some background to the who, what, when, where, and sometimes why some of us would ask. Of all the BFTC tie-ins, I recommend "The Underground," "The Network," and Azrael: Death's Dark Knight to get behind the faces patrolling Gotham's rooftops and lurking through its sewers, the two Gotham Gazette One Shots to understand the cast of characters that have cared for Bruce over all these vigilant years, and Secret Six #9... Because I believe Catman to be worthy enough for a nomination. The other tie-ins would strengthen your knowledge for future developments, but is not on a must read basis. With all that said, Battle for the Cowl is a great read, but not necessary to start Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's exciting new chapter, Batman and Robin. With Quitely on board to draw the first three issue story arc, Phillip Tan will take on the second three issue story arc, followed by Quitely for three more, this series will shake the conventional style of the franchise while keeping traditional and deep-rooted themes at the murky surface. For fans of Detective Comics, Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III will take over the monthly title while bringing Batwoman into the foreground as the central character. With all these titles becoming fresh again, I expect nothing but great things from the Bat Franchise in the years to come. Once again, I am getting ahead of myself...

Throughout Grant Morrison's exceptional run on Batman, he has taken us places few of us have been to. Places only a seasoned veteran would understand, let alone remember. For those new to the book, he brought a fresh take on the Bat-Mythos, allowing novice fans to jump aboard without bombarding them with too much information. The first story arc, "Batman and Son," is a jovial, roller coaster ride incorporating the same feeling of childlike intrigue and imaginative acceptance as the golden age, while adding a young and fresh feel to the characters with art by Andy Kubert’s. Fueling the dark knight nostalgia with pop art influenced backgrounds and Ninja Man Bats, the team craft a story rich in subtle detail and classic detective undertones that mix together like a thick gumbo. Taking from the idea originally instilled by Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham's phenomenal graphic novel "Son of the Demon" Morrison continues the controversial plot of Batman conceiving a child with Talia al Ghul, daughter of the tyrannical genius Ra's al Ghul . During the events of "Son of the Demon" Talia and Bruce contemplate marriage and parenting, while sharing a passionate night upon an ocean of satin. After Batman deciphers Ra's true goals and thwarts the despot like never before, Talia breaks it to Bruce like a knee to the back... she has miscarried. Shattered yet understanding, Bruce recovers back in Gotham while Talia secretly births the child and leaves him within an orphanage with only a jewel encrusted necklace as proof of his natural heritage. Many Batman aficionados claimed blasphemy on the new addition to the Wayne Family bloodline, and thus, the story continued on outside normal continuity as Elseworld stories where he would don the mantle Ibn al Xu'ffasch; roughly translated from Arabic to mean "Son of the Bat." When Grant Morrison got a hold of these loose threads, he not only added a more scientific and cohesive approach to the child's birth, but he gave him a name worthy of the adolescent’s malicious, precarious, and spoiled attitude... Damian. In Morrison's story, Damian was genetically produced within an artificial womb using both Talia al Ghul and Bruce Wayne's DNA to create a flawless physical specimen. Breed by the League of Assassins to be the perfect warrior, Damian became a master of the martial arts and a harbinger of death before he reached puberty. During "Batman and Son," Talia introduces Damian to his father as a way of disrupting Batman's work and allowing the violent teenager to confront his biological father accordingly. Though arrogant and full of piss & vinegar, Damian is still a Wayne and the rest of the family is determined to rehabilitate him or kill him in the process. Neither Alfred, Nightwing, nor Robin have any desire to help this devious boy along, but will not give up on the brat all the same. Somewhere deep down, they can all see the capacity for greatness that Batman saw in all of the boy wonders. In Batman #666, we see an older version of Damian (who looks remarkably like Grant Morrison) carrying on his father's quest for justice in a futuristic Gotham City, entertaining the thought of inheritance and redemption for the rebellious youth. A prophetic vision showing Damian violently sacrificing himself physically, mentally, and even soulfully; Is this the Batman of the future or is it all a hazy prediction? Shall the fate of Gotham City rest on the shoulders of the one taking up the cowl or does the future depend on a ruthless killer’s redemption? Only time, training, and tact will tell...

And it looks like you have some reading to do.