It was another big week for the comic book industry. DC dropped several new Batman comics, including Batman #34 and Batman: White Knight #2, while also debuting a new take on an old-favorite with The Jetsons #1. Marvel welcomed a new team to Captain America, with excellent results, while also inducting Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man into Marvel Legacy. Elsewhere, IDW kicked off a new TMNT/Ghostbusters crossover and Image dropped a new issue of The Walking Dead.
Scroll down to check 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 Tom King | Drawn by Joelle Jones
"'Rules of Engagement' is one of this series' shorter arcs, clocking in at a mere three-issues-long. But even with that smaller scope, this story feels overly drawn-out in its middle chapter. Despite is compelling premise, this arc isn't doing enough to take advantage of the Batman/Catwoman/Talia triangle." -Jesse
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Final Score:
Written & Drawn by Sean Gordon Murphy
There are a lot of good ideas at play in this miniseries, which is showing more ambition than simply asking "What if Joker went sane?" Sean Murphy is also weaving a tale about police brutality, the relationship between the 1% and the rest of America and the almost romantic fixation Joker has (or had) for Batman. There are some interesting ideas introduced in this issue involving the relationship between Joker and Harley Quinn and the explanation for Arkham's apparent revolving door policy towards incarceration. Unfortunately, the execution isn't quite where it needs to be. Murphy's script lacks the necessary subtlety, resulting in some very ham-fisted moments and a general overabundance of dialogue and exposition. But the good news is that the art makes for for any shortcoming sin the script. This is a gorgeous book, one that brings a bold, angular, shadowy look to Gotham City and gives numerous Batman villains a distinctive visual overhaul. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Tony Isabella | Drawn by Clayton Henry
Now is the perfect time for DC to put the spotlight on Black Lightning again. Not just because of the upcoming TV series, but because there's ample room for superhero comics that tackle race relations and the relationship between vigilantes and cops. The fact that co-creator Tony Isabella is back writing the character for the first time in two decades doesn't hurt. Isabella crafts a fun but disappointingly straightforward first issue. He does a great job of reintroducing but Jefferson Pierce and Tobias Whale, but the plot ultimately feels pretty low-key and conventional. The biggest disappointment here is the decision (surely mandated from above) to de-age Jefferson and eliminate his daughters from the picture. The fatherhood angle is arguably the character's most unique and compelling trait. Isabella works to fill that void by focusing a great deal on Jefferson's relationship with his own father, but that only does so much to fill the void. Despite some occasionally flat figure work, Clayton Henry succeeds in bringing a clean, orderly and expressive look to the series. It's a solid return for the character, but it could have been something more. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Christopher Priest | Drawn by Carlo Pagulayan
For the majority of this issue, it felt like Priest was ignoring the events of the other DC universe books just to get the lineup of villains that he wanted to use. That’s why it's so refreshing when the script not only calls out the recent continuity of one of the guest villains, it also makes a running gag out of her shifting loyalties. The story itself is a literal trial for Deathstroke, as his fellow villains attempt to discern whether he's truly renounced evil or if his whole change of heart is just a phase. It’s an interesting question, as Slade’s less evil persona has been more interesting when rejecting his old ways. Carlo Pagulayan’s art is also a joy to behold. Priest’s script doesn’t give Pagulayan too many dynamic moments, but all of his pages are still flawlessly executed. This is a very underrated book that is worthy of more attention than it’s currently receiving. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by Benjamin Percy | Drawn by Stephen Byrne/em>
There are a few times when the Green Arrow comic seems to be too married to The CW’s Arrow for its own good. For the most part, Benjamin Percy has been able to go his own way with Oliver Queen’s adventures without taking his cues from the live-action show. And yet the influence of that series on the comic is definitely felt in this issue, and it makes Moira Queen’s expanded role seem more awkward and obvious. Even the return of John Diggle seems to derail some of Green Arrow’s recent hot streak, and the trial of Oliver Queen feels like it’s lost its sense of urgency. At least Stephen Byrne is still the second-best artist on this book. That’s not a knock on Byrne, as he turns in some great looking pages. Juan Ferreyra is just in a class of his own. But even the best art can’t hide one of the weaker issues of this book’s DC Rebirth era. Hopefully this title will bounce back quickly. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by Tim Seeley | Drawn by Ronan Cliquet
After two issues, it seems safe to say that DC made the right choice in tapping Tim Seeley to take over this series. Seeley really nails the dynamic between Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz, channeling the bond between two partners who have grown comfortable working with one another, even if little else in their lives seems to be going as planned. That constant interplay between the Green Lantern lifestyle and the ordinary, mundane challenges waiting back on Earth makes for a very engaging superhero comic. The stakes in this conflict feel real and immediate, both on a cosmic level and in terms of where the two characters are moving in their respective personal lives. Sadly, it doesn't appear as though we can expect much visual consistency from this run. Compared to issue #33's bold, textured look, issue #34's is disappointingly bland and straightforward. Obviously, we can't expect one artist to handle a biweekly comic, but is it too much to ask for one consistent artist on each story arc? -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Paul Dini & Marc Andreyko | Drawn by Laura Braga
This issue really takes its time getting somewhere with the inevitable showdown between Betty & Veronica and Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy. Maybe too long, since the story seems to drag in certain places. But there's something magical about the way that Paul Dini and Marc Andreyko use this issue as a stealth crossover between two other DC and Archie characters, while bringing in Catwoman and Josie and the Pussycats as well. Laura Braga’s art is quite good, even if it does become difficult to tell which duo is which during the climactic fight. But I still think that it was a mistake to use the modern Archie designs for this story. They just don’t work in a world where vengeful former henchmen have giant peaches for heads. The ending does a lot to make up for the weaker parts of the issue, and the conclusion definitely seems to promise some fun times ahead. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by Tom Taylor | Drawn by Mike S. Miller
It doesn't appear that DC is following the seasonal publishing model with Injustice 2 they employed on the original series, but it does feel as though the series has entered a new phase with this issue. Part of that is due simply to the return of artist Mike S. Miller, whose crisp, feathery style brings a slightly different look and feel to the page. It's different, but not so different that the series feels wildly changed. Writer Tom Taylor shifts attention away from the Batman/Ra's al Ghul conflict to touch base with Supergirl and Black Adam in Khandaq. The result is a very character-driven issue of the sort Taylor does so well. Looping Nightwing into the picture is an especially inspired move. The dynamic between Damian and Kara is great. And in the case of the former, Taylor allows readers to connect to and sympathize with a character who has seemed pretty blatantly villainous up to now. It's a welcome reminder that character development, not plot or spectacle, is the real source of this comic's appeal. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti | Drawn by Pier Brito
DC's Jetson's revamp is cut very much from the same cloth as last year's Flintstones comic. It's a postmodern re-imagining that concerns itself a great deal with man's place in the world and the drawbacks of civilization. What it lacks, however, is the Flintsones' wry sense of humor and focus on satire. The Jetsons is a bizarrely self-serious comic, considering the source material it's drawing from. And while there are certainly some neat wrinkles to the usual formula (particularly concerning Rosie the Robot's massive overhaul), the book seems too concerned with building its grim conflict and not enough fleshing out the Jetson family members. The book also differs from The Flintsones in that it has no clear sense of visual style. Pier Brito's work is very plain and cold. The characters are blandly, realistically proportioned and the world as a whole lacks that distinctive cartoon Space Age quality. Admittedly, it took me a little while to come around on The Flintstones, so perhaps this series will make a better case for itself over time. But it's not looking good at the moment. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Robert Venditti | Drawn by Liam Sharp
Dark Nights: metal is one of those rare crossover events where all the tie-ins not only seem justified, they're actually quite good. "Bats Out of Hell" continues to be a worthwhile addition to the mix, basically bridging the gap between Metal #3 and #4 from the Justice League's perspective. Justice League #32 is a bit slower than its predecessor (The Flash #33), in part because it's less focused on any one hero. Still, it makes for an enjoyable look at the parallels between the league and the Dark Knight counterparts, and one that further establishes the desperate struggle facing this team. It's also a treat to see Liam Sharp tackle his first post-Wonder Woman project. Sharp's bold line-work and powerful figures make him a natural fit for the tone of Metal. If anything, it's a shame he's just handling this issue and not a longer-form tie-in. This issue definitely reads like a middle chapter, but it does its part to enrich the events of Metal. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason | Drawn by Ed Benes w/ Doug Mahnke & Jack Herbert
One of the things that I love about Lex Luthor’s current persona is that he can still be underhanded even while trying to be heroic. So it's really hilarious to see Lex essentially throw Superman under the bus while trying to get out of his duties to the people of Apokolips. The other primary part of the book deals with Lois Lane ingratiating herself with the Female Furies without seeming out of character. Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s take on Lois is so strong that it simply seems like a logical step for Lois to impress the Furies with her determination to survive and find her family. Ed Benes handles most of the pages in this issue, and he does so admirably. But Jack Herbert’s pages are the real highlight. He simply captures the classic Superman aesthetic, and he’s better at drawing faces than the other two artists. Herbert deserves a permanent place on DC’s A-list books, instead of the fill-in pages he got here. -Blair
Final Score:
Continues
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