With August winding down, DC added one more new title to the Rebirth lineup in the form of Blue Beetle Rebirth #1, while also kicking off the ongoing series for Deathstroke and The Hellblazer. At Marvel, Extraordinary X-Men #13 began a new storyline, Star Wars #22 returned focus to Han, Luke and Leia and several more Civil War II tie-ins hit the shelves. Elsewhere, Dark Horse premiered a new Wild West comic called Kingsway West, IDW launched new Godzilla and Atomic Robo series and BOOM! Studios delivered a very enjoyable Power Rangers annual.
Scroll down t ocheck out our reviews for these and various other new releases. And be sure to let us know your favorite books of the week in the comments below.
Written by Dan Jurgens | Drawn by Stephen Segovia
Superman’s battle with Doomsday has finally come to an end thanks to a trip around the world, Wonder Woman, and the Phantom Zone Projector. After the mysterious Mr. Oz’s forces fail to trap Doomsday using a Ghostbusters-esque technique, Superman is forced to take out the monster himself (mostly), though it’s clear this is far from the last time we’ll see Doomsday rampage. The battle takes up the majority of the issue, though fortunately there’s time for a brief visit with Lex near the end. Clark barely appears in this one, which is too bad, but it seems like he’ll have the spotlight next time. Segovia draws some epic fight action, and does an excellent job capturing Wonder Woman’s frustration at being sidelined. At times Superman’s head seems too small for his body, but for the most part this is a fine looking comic. -Joe
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Written by Hope Larson | Drawn by Rafael Albuquerque
Barbara Gordon gets knocked out by a fighter nicknamed The Moth moments after describing her as such: “She flutters around erratically.” Ironically, in many ways, that describes this issue of Batgirl, and while that could be seen as a criticism writer Hope Larson manages to make each and every frantic stop along the way entertaining. Whether she’s training for an underground cage match or having a romantic outing with Kai, Babs is a very busy girl with several mysteries to unravel. In lesser hands, this type of issue could come off as jumbled, but Larson’s script is so charming you almost don’t even notice the helter-skelter pace. And who could really complain about anything when Rafael Albuquerque and Dave McCaig work so well together. The art team perfectly compliments the pace set by the script, creating an energetic and vibrant book. -Joe
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Written by Keith Giffen | Drawn by Scott Kolins
For all the bombshell revelations in DC Universe Rebirth, few moments stood out quite as much as the shot of Ted Kord grinning ear to ear as he made his grand return to the role of Blue Beetle. That infectious sense of joy carries over to this new series. Writer Keith Giffen is hardly any stranger to either incarnation of Blue Beetle, but there's something fresh and exciting about the idea of a book that pairs Ted and Jaime in a mentor/pupil relationship. The result is a book that entertains as both a teen superhero drama and an exploration of the mystical nature of the Scarab. Through it all, Giffen's sly sense of humor and his amusing depiction of the Ted/Jaime dynamic propel the issue along. Scott Kolins' art can't really hold a candle to Gary Frank's intricately detailed take on the characters from DCU Rebirth, but on its own merits Kolins' style proves an apt fit for this lighthearted adventure. That said, the uniform line weight and lack of shadows do tend to make the figures look flat. -Jesse
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Written by Christopher Priest | Drawn by Carlo Pagulayan
"It's been great to see Deathstroke's popularity soar in recent years thanks to projects like Arrow and Arkham Origins, but DC's master assassin hasn't had a comic worthy of his reputation in some time. That appears to finally be changing thanks to DC Rebirth. Leave it to the writer who dramatically overhauled Black Panther in the late '90s to do the same for Slade Wilson now." -Jesse Click here to read the entire review!
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Written by James Tynion IV | Drawn by Eddy Barrows
Not that recent issues haven't looked good, but it's sure nice to have Eddy Barrows back on board Detective Comcis. Barrows returns just in time to tackle a pivotal new chapter as Batman and his team confront Jacob Kane's army. Barrows is quickly evolving into the new JH Williams, between his constantly shifting style and inventive page layouts. The soft, sentimental feel of the flashback scene contrasts nicely with the bold action of the present-day conflict. The way this issue highlights certain panels with a softer color palette is also interesting, though generally more distracting than truly helpful in highlighting key moments. James Tynion brings the arc to an enjoyable crescendo, throwing in welcome touches of humor amid the character drama and physical danger and allowing every team member a chance to shine. None more so than Red Robin, who is quickly regaining every ounce of appeal he'd lost thanks to the New 52. Unlike Action Comics opening storyline, this lengthy arc has yet to overstay its welcome. -Jesse
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Written by Joshua Williamson | Drawn by Felipe Watanabe
Barry Allen’s Day Off starts slowly, calmly, and almost tricks you into thinking this will be a filler issue. Instead, it (sorry) speeds up at the end to deliver a pretty shocking end. Granted, when things go well in a comic book that usually means disaster is just around the bend, but Williamson sets us up to believe that Barry might actually have a great ally (and love interest) in Meena “Fast Track” Dhawan. Telling the majority of the story from her point of view is a nice twist on the standard Flash formula, as is Barry’s lunch date with Iris. Watanabe mostly shines in this issue, particularly in the scenes with Meena and Wally. There are a few panels where the facial work is a little off, like the panel where Singh and Heart don’t seem to have eyeballs, but the speedster action looks great. -Joe
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Written by Robert Venditti | Drawn by Rafa Sandoval
For a character whose oath begins “In brightest day”, Hal Jordan sure is traveling down a dark path. This book may be titled Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, but Hal has never been more alone. Well, he’s not completely on his own as he does have more than a dozen Sinestro Corps members to fight, so at least there’s that. There’s a desperation here which Hal tries to bury beneath his trademark swagger, but it reveals itself as he tries to save a child, yelling “I can save you! I can save everyone!” Whatever Sinestro and The Sacrament are planning, it’s clear Hal has a long ways to go before he can play hero again. Rafa Sandoval needs to draw Green Lantern books forever. This may be the most menacing Sinestro ever drawn, and Hal getting crushed by a yellow octopus construct is a thing of beauty. -Joe
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Written by Simon Oliver | Drawn by Moritat
"DC's new Hellblazer comic isn't necessarily superior to its predecessor, but it's certain;y much more in line with the classic Vertigo series. The return to England and the presence of a few familiar faces helps give this series a comfortable "back to basics" feel. Just don't expect the same level of scale and supernatural action as Constantine: The Hellblazer." -Jesse
Click here to read the entire review!
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Written by Tom King | Drawn by Barnaby Bagenda, Toby Cypress & Ig Guara
"Last year's DC You relaunch is generally regarded as a failure, and when it comes to A-List franchises like Superman, Flash and Wonder Woman, perhaps that's true. However, DC You also served as a breeding ground for some truly fantastic, ground-breaking reinventions of lesser-known DC properties. Above all, it gave us The Omega Men. A book like this is enough to make up for 100 lousy Superman crossovers." -Jesse
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Written by Garth Ennis | Drawn by Russ Braun
To say that Sixpack and Dogwelder: Hard Travelin’ Heroz isn’t for everyone is the understatement of all understatements. And to their credit, Garth Ennis and Russ Braun don’t seem to mind in the slightest. Presented as a follow-up to Ennis’ All-Star Section Eight, issue #1 opens with the titular team down on their luck, as well as a few team members. On the surface, the issue is offensive and grimy, with plenty of unsightly images and lines so blatantly filthy that they can hardly be considered innuendo. If you look deeper, however, the real focus is on a team that just wants to be noticed, for anything, and Ennis succeeds in adding a slim amount of depth to a mostly one-note group. Further painting this un-pretty picture is artist Braun, who seemingly delights in highlighting that which no one wants to see. Bloodshot eyes, exposed furry midsections, floating pools of chunky material –this book has it all, and mileage will vary as to whether or not that’s a good thing. It’s a broad book that’s sure to turn away as many readers as it reels in, but that chasm alone has its own appeal. -Jeff
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Written by Greg Rucka | Drawn by Liam Sharp
Though we’re only five issues in, Greg Rucka’s run on Wonder Woman has already redeemed the character after the terrible post-Brian Azzarello days of The New 52. There’s a lot going on here with "The Lies," and that’s just one of the two great stories Rucka is telling. Beyond Steve Trevor, Cadulo, and the demon-Swamp-Thing-looking Urzkartaga, perhaps the most interesting aspect of this story is the new relationship between Diana and Cheetah. The former bitter enemies seem to be on the same page, with Cheetah cast in a very sympathetic light. Liam Sharp is totally on point here, perfectly capturing Cheetah’s inner turmoil, along with the aforementioned Urzkartaga who will clearly be quite the foe for Wonder Woman should Cadulo have his way. But the good news for Diana is that once she’s done with him, there’s a whole other conspiracy lying in wait for her. - Joe
Final Score:
Continues
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