The first week of July brought with it an impressive comic book lineup. DC debuted their new Justice League comic while also delivering memorable new chapters of batman, Superman and Green Arrow. Marvel dove deeper into Civil War II with the release of Captain America: Sam Wilson #11 and Civil War II: Kingpin #1 while also paving the way for The Clone Conspiracy in Amazing Spider-man #15. Plus, Image delivered a solid assortment of indie titles and Black Mask Studios kicked off the eagerly anticipated Kim and Kim.
Scroll down to see our reviews for these and various other new releases. And be sure to let us know your favorite books in the comments below.
Written by Dan Abnett | Drawn by Scot Eaton
The worst thing you could’ve said about Aquaman #1 was that after an issue of innovation and bold new ideas/directions, it ended with the same old Black Manta cliffhanger. Much of this Aquaman/Black Manta fight does run off old steam, heavily recapping the grudge between the two, but this issue is constantly asking us (and the characters themselves) to think of something new in this rivalry. The only real disappointment is having an artist change so early on. Brad Walker put an enormous emphasis on individuality in his issue, and while Scot Eaton can’t handle that differentiation as smoothly as Walker, this issue isn’t really asking him to. Eaton is traditional superhero artist who draws a pretty good fight scene. The “new” that this story promises will largely have to wait for the future, but this is still a fun issue in itself and is promising for the series overall.. –Levi
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Written by Tom King | Drawn by David Finch
"Tom King and David Finch began their Batman run on a surprisingly bleak note last month, with Batman confronting a seemingly insurmountable challenge and surviving only by the intervention of Gotham's two newest heroes. Issue #2, naturally, explores the fallout of that instance of deus ex machina and the question of whether Batman can share his city with a pair of Superman-level heroes. The result is a fun blend of classic Batman tropes and new challenges for the Dark Knight." -Jesse
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Final Score:
Written by Ian Edginton | Drawn by Matthew Dow Smith
"Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel may not be the Batman/Avengers crossover fans have been clamoring for, but it's the one they're getting. It's hard to argue that these two franchises weren't born to cross paths. And much like Batman '66 Meets The Man From UNCLE before it, this series succeeds in giving readers the crossover the TV gods never saw fit to deliver." -Jesse
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Written by Mark Russell | Drawn by Steve Pugh
The Flintstones is another head-scratching attempt at updating and modernizing a classic Hanna-Barbera property. At least this series doesn't strive to be quite as off-kilter and different as Scooby Apocalypse and Wacky Raceland. The book still has its fair share of prehistoric puns. And if nothing else, there's some solid potential on display in this first issue. Mark Russell uses the Flintstones concept to provide a little social commentary on the pitfalls of civilization. But this issue never finds its focus or even seems entirely sure what kind of story it's trying to tell. It straddles the line between comedy and drama without managing either one particularly well. And strangely, Russell seems more interested in exploring the struggles of Mr. Slate than any of the franchise's core characters. As for the art, Steve Pugh's clean, expressive style is engaging on its own merits, but it doesn't quite suit the Flintstones universe. There's just something odd about seeing Fred, Wilma and the rest being rendered in a relatively realistic style. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Jeff Parker | Drawn by Evan “Doc” Shaner, Ron Randall and Jonathan Case
Future Quest is Crisis on Infinite Earths for the Hanna Barbera Universe. This is a comic book that mashes together piles and piles of otherwise unrelated characters, revels in the chaos, and is not afraid to be exactly what it wants to be. Much like Crisis, there are certainly problems associated with this approach, especially when it comes to newcomers - the vast amount of characters can be overwhelming whether or not you’re already familiar with them, and there’s not yet an emotional core to the book. But those problems are relatively minor in the grand scheme of the fun. Evan “Doc” Shaner draws these characters with perfect reverence and the other two artists mostly fit right into that style. It looks like this wild ride is just getting started. –Levi
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Written by Ben Percy | Drawn by Otto Schmidt
Who would have thought that Green Arrow would be the early front-runner for the best DC Rebirth comic? Issue #2 keeps the hot streak going as Ollie deals with a terrible betrayal and the collapse of his old status quo. Admittedly, this "Born Again" approach to the franchise is more than a little reminiscent of the early chapters of Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino's Green Arrow run, but moving away from that formula is exactly where the previous volume went astray. Plus, having Black Canary in the mix adds something vital and fundamental to Ollie's plight, a fact that's beautifully realized in Ollie's dream sequence. Artist Otto Schmidt deserves plenty of credit for rendering that sequence so elegantly. His sleek art style is as responsible for the franchise's resurgence as anything else. -Jesse
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Written by Sam Humphries | Drawn by Robson Rocha
Sam Humphries has found something reinvigorating in the “rookie cop partners” approach to Green Lantern. Concepts like the Red Lanterns (who had become so irrelevant and uninteresting due to overuse) are suddenly terrifying and wholly new again under this different perspective. But more than the concept, he’s found a great character in Jessica Cruz. As much as this book claims to be a buddy book, it’s so far put almost all the emphasis on Jessica. That seems like a wise decision so far, as her sister and phobia make such a unique and relatable Green Lantern. Robson Rocha’s exaggerated characters mostly work, but can occasionally be inconsistent and distorted. The book overall, much like the art, mostly works and is promising enough to forgive its few wonky spots. –Levi
Final Score:
Written & Drawn by Bryan Hitch
Rebirth as whole has been so reinvigorating for bringing heroes back together and establishing new directions. But the problem with Justice League: Rebirth #1 is that there’s nothing about it that feels even remotely new. It basically just feels like Bryan Hitch took what he was doing in JLA (before that series eventually fizzled out) and applying it to a new title. Much like that JLA series, this one is fine, but promises nothing new or exciting. There’s some really thrilling artwork that establishes incredible scope and danger, but even that loses its luster when the view becomes more intimate. This issue is just a real head-scratcher, what’s the point of this bleak rehash in a world that’s supposed to be bright and innovative? –Levi
Final Score:
Written by Tom King | Drawn by Mitch Gerads
Well, it had to happen eventually. An issue of Sheriff of Babylon was something less than amazing. The problem with this issue is that it spends so much time recapping, flashbacking, or setting up (what sounds like it will be an insanely great issue) instead of putting the focus directly on the present. There’s a real sense of relief when Tom King and Mitch Gerads finally live up their usual greatness and deliver another impactful, human moment in the book’s closing pages. This is by no means a bad issue, it’s just that when you’re delivering one of the most consistently great comic books, an issue that’s merely good seems like a disappointment. –Levi
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Written by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason | Drawn by Patrick Gleason
Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason already proved that they’re masters of superhero parenting when they did their underrated Batman and Robin run a few years back. Now, they’re proving the formula works just as well (and quite likely better) for the Man of Steel. Superman having a super-powered son, and the lessons that come with that, make for the most compelling and relatable Superman we’ve seen since the pre-New 52 era. Patrick Gleason is a wholly unique kind of artist, who is able to mix the big eyed sweetness of cartoons with the most thrilling and bombastic aspects of superhero action. On both a writing and art level, the creators are reminding us why we once loved Superman and Lois Lane so much, and making us fall equally in love with Jon. –Levi
Final Score:
Continues
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