It was another big week of comics, as Marvel's ResurrXion relaunch continued, Batman continued his team-up with The Flash in "The Button," Ben Reilly got his own comic again and Dark Horse debuted a very worthwhile new Aliens comic.
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 Dan Jurgens | Drawn by Carlo Barberi
If there’s a choice between the Post-Crisis Superman and New 52 Superman, then I’m always going to pick the Superman that I grew up with. Action Comics #978 puts forth the notion that thanks to the recent "Superman Reborn" story, the two Supermen have essentially shared the same history all along. And while I’m in favor of the current status quo, there is such a thing as too much continuity. This issue is so concerned with trying to make sense out of the recent retcon that it doesn’t fully function as story unto itself. Even Dan Jurgens seems to have trouble figuring out what to latch on to, and he not only co-wrote "Superman Reborn," he also penned most of the classic tales referenced in this issue. Carlo Barberi’s art definitely captures some of the spirit of Superman, and he gets to revisit several of the Man of Steel’s most memorable moments in these pages. But this issue feels like a cover band playing another band’s greatest hits. It’s not bad, but it’s also not very satisfying. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by Scott Snyder & Steve Orlando | Drawn by Riley Rossmo
"We truly are living in a new golden age of comic book crossovers. Recently we've seen everything from Batman/TMNT to Archie vs. Predator to Star Trek/Green Lantern to Tarzan on the Planet of the Apes. The common thread among all four of those books is that they delivered more than simple novelty value. They blended their respective franchises in clever, inventive ways and made the most of the new character dynamics that arose as a result. Now we have Batman/The Shadow, one more worthy addition to this lineup of terrific crossovers." -Jesse
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Final Score:
Written by Gail Simone | Drawn by Walter Geovani
From her very first issue, Gail Simone has paired breadcrumb hints with more direct, foul-mouthed frights, teasing an end game both harrowing and horrifying. With issue #18 the writer brings Clean Room’s first season to its bitter end. The book’s finale delivers on most, if not quite all, of the book’s presumed promises. The resolution, while quick, is nevertheless effective, Simone bringing her expansive cast together in ways that fit well within the preexisting confines set by the story. If there’s any quibble it’s that the returned focus on lead Chloe feels a bit forced given her limited usage of late, but overall this is a satisfying conclusion to Simone’s first extended story. On the visual end, Walter Giovani pulls out all the stops here, his pages stuffed with all sorts of unsightly imagery. And yet for all his obvious scares, it’s again his more human emotion that powers the book’s most uncomfortable moments. -Jeff
Final Score:
Written by James Tynion IV | Drawn by Marcio Takara
The problem with having so many Batgirls is that DC hasn’t quite figured out what to do with two of them ever since Barbara Gordon took back the role in the New 52. James Tynion’s Detective Comics run has brought two of the former Batgirls back into the fold. And while Spoiler is currently on the shelf, the “League of Shadows” story seems to be focused on redefining Cassandra Cain as both a heroine and a character. It’s not a radical departure from who she was when she had the Batgirl identity, but there are some forward strives that are intriguing. This issue really belongs to Cassandra, and Tynion has proven that she can still carry a story largely by herself. Marcio Takara’s art is still rougher than it needs to be; which is frustrating because he’s quite capable of delivering more finished looking pages than he has here. His action sequences are frantic and well staged, and Takara also successfully captured Cassandra’s emotional moments. But his artwork just lacks a certain polish that makes the issue feel incomplete. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by Joshua Williamson | Drawn by Howard Porter
We’re still in uncharted territory when it comes to mixing characters from Watchmen with the DC superheroes. The second part of “The Button” storyline hasn’t quite pulled that trigger yet, but both installments have been very good so far. Joshua Williamson starts this issue in an unusual crime scene: the Batcave; while Howard Porter goes to town depicting Batman’s inner sanctum in its broken state. It feels like a fresh approach, but it's even more impressive that Williamson and Porter give Barry Allen a moment to really process the emotions that he feels when investigating the murder victim. That little touch plays into the Flash’s best quality: his humanity. The rest of the issue takes the Flash and Batman on a very unexpected trip, and it ends on a pretty effective cliffhanger. “The Button” definitely has our attention, and hopefully it can maintain this level of quality. Because when DC finally does get around to officially reintroducing Doctor Manhattan, it had better be a great story. But this is definitely a good start. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by Robert Venditti | Drawn by V. Ken Marion
What if one of the major Lantern corps ceased to be simply because it won over the remaining members of another group of ring wielders? That’s the idea put forth in the latest issue of Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps, and it’s also the thing that the story may end up destroying. There’s still a unique quality to seeing the Green Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps as partners, and it would be unfortunate to lose that so quickly. V Ken Marion capably handles himself here, but Robert Venditti’s characterizations of Hal and Kyle were somewhat shaky. Venditti does tend to write an overly arrogant Hal, and that comes into play again here. As for Kyle, there’s a moment in this issue that seems completely wrong for him. It's as if Kyle regressed back to the ‘90s in ways beyond his old Green Lantern uniform. Overall, this is a solid issue, but it doesn’t entirely click. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by Steve Orlando | Drawn by Andrew T. MacDonald
We’ve said this before, but a superhero team needs a reason to exist. If the new Justice League of America is just random heroes currently appearing on The CW, plus Batman and Lobo, then there should be some compelling reason that they’re all together. And yet after five issues, Steve Orlando still hasn’t successfully made the argument for either this team or for the book itself. There are some personality clashes, but it’s not the type of conflict that entertains. It is nice to see Vixen step up as the public face of the team, but Batman’s continued presence in the series means that she’s not really in charge. It’s always going to be Batman who makes the calls here. Andrew T. MacDonald makes some really good artistic choices in this issue, including Killer Frost’s obvious discomfort at being in the spotlight, as well as the mystically enhanced weapons at the heart of this story. This particular storyline seems to be giving Lobo a renewed focus, which is both good and bad. We need to understand why Lobo is on this team and why he’s tolerating Batman’s orders. But even within the comic itself, Lobo’s presence feels like a stunt that will never pay off. It’s as if DC wanted Lobo to really become their Wolverine, and it seems like they finally got their wish. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by James Tynion IV | Drawn by Carlos D’Anda
For all its rigid structure, it’s the Kamandi Challenge sense of spontaneity that remains its biggest joy. The formula is well established—each issue sees Kamandi escape from one frying pan to the next—but its rotating round-table of writers and artists keeps things feeling fresh. With this chapter James Tynion IV and Carlos D’Anda prove to be a fine pair, their adventure taking some particularly inventive liberties. Tynion’s script takes full advantage of both the premise and Kamandi’s storied history, delivering a roller-coaster installment filled with Kirby-esque highlights. For all its cleverness, however, it’s D’Anda who proves the star here. His high energy style meshes perfectly with Tynion’s continually escalating script, his pages filled with expressive character work and dynamite action. The ever forward nature of this story doesn’t allow for many breathers, but as far as pure entertainment goes, this book is an easy sell. -Jeff
Final Score:
Written by Rob Williams | Drawn by Tony Daniel
At long last, Suicide Squad is moving away from the choppy structure of previous arcs and focusing on telling one story per issue. The book's pacing improves immediately and significantly as Rob Williams and new artist Tony Daniel explore a clash between Amanda Waller and Lex Luthor. That core dynamic is a lot of fun, as is the constant comedic relief provided by the Suicide Squad as they attempt to infiltrate Luthor's heavily guarded lab. Williams seems to have honed his team dynamic by now, with Enchantress surprisingly becoming the breakout character in this chapter. Daniel brings a clean, angular look to the series that suits the tense but bombastic tone oft he script. Daniel's figures could stand to be a little more expressive at times, and his depiction of captain Boomerang seems a bit wonky, but in general Daniel proves an apt fit for this darkly comical take on the team. -Jesse
Final Score:
Written by Ben Percy | Drawn by Khoi Pham
The new Aqualad looks more like his Young Justice character than ever before, but his characterization is quite different. It’s a little disconcerting, since Benjamin Percy clearly has his own plans for the character. But the real problem with this book is that it doesn’t feel like it has an identity yet. Even the team dynamics seem to be largely unformed, other than the way that everyone resents Robin for automatically assuming that he’s in charge. Khoi Pham’s artwork has some occasional epic splashes, when Percy lets him cut loose on the pages. Pham may actually be suited for more Aquaman adventures, as his underwater sequences help carry this book. I still feel like there’s a lot of potential with the DC Rebirth era of the Titans, it just hasn’t quite come together yet. But first, this series needs to figure out what it wants to be. -Blair
Final Score:
Written by Greg Rucka | Drawn by Liam Sharp
The impending end of Greg Rucka's Wonder Woman run doesn't necessarily inject the series with a greater sense of urgency. Rucka and artist Liam Sharp are content to maintain a slow, steady pace in this issue, drawing out the clash between Diana and Veronica Cale for maximum dramatic impact. If not quick to advance the plot, this issue does serve as both a strong character study and another great showcase for Sharp's storytelling skills. The creators show both Diana's strength and vulnerability as she shrugs off bullet wounds and literally bleeds for her cause. The fact that Diana is so quick to shift from battling Cale and Cheetah to extending a helping hand speaks to her compassion about as well as anything else we've seen in this run. Sharp delivers a gorgeous and hard-hitting depiction of the battle, using dynamic framing and carefully rendered body language to wrangle the most emotion possible out of this violent encounter. Colorists Laura Martin and Hi-Fi lend a lovely sheen to the book, especially towards the end as the setting takes a more supernatural turn. -Jesse
Final Score:
Continues
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