Welcome again, gentle readers. My apologies for the break last week, I had a family affair that I could not get away from in time to finish my article, so this week, I’ll review two weeks for the price of one. This week, I’m also introducing a new section: FINALITY. In this, we’ll show which comics have come to an end this week and how many issues they had. It’ll be a nice way to see what lasts and what doesn’t among what I review. Now come and join me in this week’s:
October 4th, 2015
“‘Cause, baby, now we got bad blood; You know it used to be mad love; So take a look what you’ve done; ‘Cause, baby, now we got bad blood.”
– H. Quinn
Comic Book News: Marvel has been announcing a ton of new series, including: Black Panther, Silver Surfer, Moon Knight, Mockingbird, X-Men ‘92, and Black Widow. Anyone want in on a pool to see which one is cancelled first? My money’s on Mockingbird, but Moon Knight is a close second. The cover and synopsis for long awaited (I mean it’s been like years right?) Wonder Woman Earth One has been revealed and it shows… a pretty typical Wonder Woman. I’m not sure what I expected. DC also announced a Suicide Squad anthology series called Suicide Squad Most Wanted focusing on Deadshot and Katana. So Katana’s joining the Suicide Squad? Kyle Higgins will be writing the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers series and with him at the helm, I might read it. I love his work on Nightwing. Valiant has announced that Faith “Zephyr” Herbert will get her own four issue mini-series. And we got our first look at DC Super Hero Girls initiative with an animated short. I showed my niece this and she thought it was fantastic, so who knows? It might work.
Movie News: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was given a PG-13 rating… which comes as no surprise to anyone who has seen a clip out of that movie.
TV News: So, we get our first look at Red Tornado from Supergirl and I… really hope CGI is going to clean this up a bit. It looks like his wearing a fuzzy jacket type thing instead of being a robot. On Legends of Tomorrow Stephanie Cornelissen has been cast as Valentine Vostok and Peter Francis James will play Dr. Aldus Boardman. The Flash has cast Vanessa A. Williams as the mother of Iris West – I wonder if that will be in a flashback or present day? Over in Powers, Michael Madsen will play Super-Shock in the upcoming season.
Event News: So, good news, everyone, Axel Alonso has come out to tease the NEXT Marvel event! No, no. Not “All-New, All-Different”. That’s the relaunch that’s stepping all over the heels of the current Secret Wars event. Mr. Alonso is talking about the event after that relaunch. Right the one that no one gives a Goddamn shit about yet. I am so tired of this constant event thing at Marvel. I mean at least with DC we didn’t get a true full one crossover event until Forever Evil – almost two years after the launch of the New 52. With Marvel, before the current event is even finished, we’re getting the teases for the next one. JUST STOP. Take two years and figure out what’s going on. Do line events that crossover just some of your titles, but STOP DOING EVENT CROSSOVERS! Take two f-ing years off and let us recharge. Sometimes more is not a good thing.
Grayson #12 (DC Comics)
By Tom King and Tim Seeley with art by Mikel Janin
This book was fantastic. From beginning to end. Between the art and the plot, I can find no fault with this book. It beautifully highlighted the difference between Dick Grayson and the old Bruce Wayne. Where as Bruce would push his family away in times of crisis, Dick gathers them together, pushes past the hardships, and becomes stronger for it. The scenes between each of the members and Dick were great, but the best was his reunion with Damian. I always liked that Batman and Robin Dynamic and when Bruce came back, I thought Damian should have stuck with Nightwing instead of Batman. With that said, I think by using the Bat-family to gain control of the hypnos means this series is moving into it’s final chapters. As much as I have enjoyed Grayson – I can’t wait to have Nightwing back.
Grayson Annual #2 (DC Comics)
By Tom King and Tim Seeley with art by Alvaro Martinez
Grayson makes my list twice in two weeks with a tale of the former Man of Steel and the former Boy Wonder. Superman and Grayson catch up and fight a team of super-assassins this issue. The characterization in this book is spot on and makes me want to see Mr. King and Mr. Seeley take over a Superman book. The only reason this book doesn’t rate higher is the seemingly fluctuating levels of Superman powers – bullets pierce his skin, but the rocket only knocks him around. He can’t fly, but his jumps carry him further than that bike could. Other that, this book was a lot of fun. They also laid a little bit of the work to get Superman’s identity back in the bottle. Superman won’t really need help would he?
Justice League #44 (DC Comics)
By Geoff Johns with art by Jason Fabok
Holy Hell. This is how you do an event book – seriously: one book, a few upcoming spin-offs, no company wide crossover. This has been fantastic and it goes to the top of my read pile every time it comes out. The art is amazing and the story is on the edge of your seat action that every comic should aspire to. People are getting a chance to shine in these issues that you wouldn’t expect. And the choices of new “New Gods” make a lot of sense. I just hope once this is all said and done that Mr. Johns and Mr. Fabok have more gas in their tank. Because this is the best this book has been in a very long while.
1872 #3 (Marvel Comics); Archie #3 (Archie Comics); Astro City #27 (DC Comics); Batman Annual #4 (DC Comics); The Flash #44 (DC Comics); Ghostbusters: Get Real #4 (IDW Publishing); Ghost Racers #4 (Marvel Comics); Gotham by Midnight #9 (DC Comics); Green Lantern Annual #4 (DC Comics); Hail Hydra #3 (Marvel Comics); Harley Quinn and Power Girl #4 (DC Comics); He-Man: The Eternity War #10 (DC Comics); Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Four #21 and #22 (DC Comics); Justice League 3001 #4 (DC Comics); Kanan #6 (Marvel Comics); The Mantle #5 (Image Comics); Nameless #5 (Image Comics); New Suicide Squad Annual #1 (DC Comics); Red Sonja #18 (Dynamite); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey & April #4 (IDW Publishing); We Are Robin #4 (DC Comics); Weirdworld #4 (Marvel Comics)
Aquaman #44 (DC Comics); Captain America: White #2 (Marvel Comics); Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #4 (Marvel); Prince Valiant #4 (Dynamite Comics); Runaways #4 (Marvel Comics); S.H.I.E.L.D. #10 (Marvel Comics); Sinestro #15 (DC Comics); X-Tinction Agenda #4 (Marvel Comics); Years of Future Past #5 (Marvel Comics)
Superman #44 (DC Comics)
By Gene Luen Yang with art by John Romita, Jr
So most of the Superman books have been firing on all cylinders for the last couple of months – except for the actual Superman title. And this week, we hit a new low as we have a host of throwaway villains threaten Clark’s friends with the help of Joe Shmoe. Why? Because we needed to show his enemies were merciless that’s why. And the Royal Flush Gang was so meaningless, you have to wonder why they even bothered. And then of course we have the added “mystery” of Hordr_Root’s father. I say mystery, because there’s really only one answer to this and that’s Brainiac. My guess Hordr_Root is so cast of Brainiac’s original attack way back in the beginning of the New 52 that is just now coming into it’s own. That would pretty much explain the tech, the robots, and ability to siphon Superman’s power. This book isn’t nearly as good right now as Action, but I have hope that it will get better as it joins the present.
Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #1 – #4 (Marvel Comics)
Kelly Sue DeConnick, Kelly Thompson, David Lopez, Lee Loughridge
Inhumans: Attilan Rising #1 – #5 (Marvel Comics)
Charles Soule, John Timms, Roberto Poggi, Frank D’Armata
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey & April #1 – #4 (IDW Publishing)
Mariko Tamaki, Irene Koh, Paul Reinwand, Brittany Peer
Ghostbusters: Get Real #1 – #4 (IDW Publishing)
Erik Burnham, Dan Schoening, Luis Antonio Delgado
Ghost Racers #1 – #4 (Marvel Comics)
Felipe Smith, Juan Gedeon, Tamra BonVillain
Guardians of Knowhere #1 – #4 (Marvel Comics)
Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Deodato, Frank Martin
The Mantle #1 – #5 (Image Comics)
Ed Brisson, Brian Level, Jordan Boyd
Prince Valiant #1 – #5 (Image Comics)
Nate Cosby, Ron Salas, Ben McCool
Runaways #1 – #4 (Marvel Comics)
Noelle Stevenson, Sanford Greene, John Rauch
X-Tinction Agenda #1 – #4 (Marvel Comics)
Marc Guggenheim, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Nolan Woodard
Years of Future Past #1 – #5 (Marvel Comics)
Marguerite Bennett, Mike Norton, FCO Plascencia