Detective Comics #838

Paul Dini continues where Fabian Nicieza's "Nightwing" left off and does a good job of moving the story forward bringing the principal Batman Family members closer together. Dini has a lot going on in this issue and moves the chess pieces around in a logical manner. We are almost halfway through the story and we have Batman and Ra's in the same room. The art by Ryan Benjamin and Saleem Crawford is descent. I like Benjamin's layouts and use of space on the page. He captures action quite well. The only thing I really don't care for is his Batman. He draws him just a little too big and the head is too broad with a couple of shots looking like he was going for a John Byrne style of drawing.

A few nitpicks about continuity. I am far from a continuity freak, but there are two points in this issue that even I noticed. First off was Damian's uniform. From the prelude to "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" through part 2 in "Nightwing", Damian has been wearing a modified version of the Robin uniform. In this issue, artist Benjamin leaves Damina in a white and grey body suit. Another error is is when Ra's knocks Robin out cold with a slap. In the previous part of this story, Ra's karate chopped one of his ninjas and broke his hand. Given that he is decaying in the dead body that he resides in, he shouldn't have been able to do that. Does the fault lie with Dini or Benjamin? I think this is an editorial issue that should have been picked up in proof by either Jeanine Schaefer or Mike Marts who also edited "Robin" #168 and "Nightwing" #138.

I really liked this issue as Dini propelled the plot forward and provide the ultimate choice for Batman on the final splash page. Hopefully the last four parts of the story provide a good payoff and that the editors get it together and maintain continuity on both visuals and story elements across the various titles.

Nightwing #138

Nightwing enters "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" story as writer Fabian Nicieza does a fine job of presenting a tough and ready lead character. I haven't read Nightwing in years, almost a decade, and only recently read Judd Winick's final run on "Outsiders" where Dick never came off very well. Nicieza gives the reader a confident Nightwing who knows his business. I like the fact that even while facing insurmountable odds we have Nightwing not wanting to kill anyone. He has a strict morale code and follows it. The same can't be said for Damian, the object of Nightwing's protection. Damian comes off as a brat and doesn't really seem worth saving. In the end Nicieza reveals Dick's true intent when he vows to protect Tim. The Ra's Al Ghul story elements are coming along nicely in this issue as the path to Nanda Parbat are beginning to come in line. Don Kramer and Wayne Faucher to a fine job on the art. Of all of the crossover titles, the art here is the best yet.

I read Shelly's review of this issue over at here blog, Shelly's Comics Bookshelf, and she mentioned that even though she liked Nightwing in this issue she wasn't going to be reading the rest of the Batman titles to keep up on this story. Well, DC has got me here. I'm hooked in and will read the entire 7-parter.

Robin #168

Writer Peter Milligan takes the baton from Grant Morrison and kicks off "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" 7-parter. Milligan takes sibling rivalvry and turns it up to 11 when Robin confronts Damian entering the Batcave. The only characterization of Robin that I have read is what happens over in "Teen Titans" and I'm not sure this is the same guy. Especially when he's beating up on Damian and Damina cries out "Stop! You're killing me!" and Robin replies, "Maybe that's the only way I'll be rid of you!" Tim has lost two good friends over the last 18 months - Connor "Superboy" Kent and Bart "The Flash" Allen - and he has also lost his father. He knows what death truly means and I don't think he would act this way. Sure, he probably has some emotional issues with Bruce having a blood son, but this seems just way out of character for him. Freddie Williams II's art is much better than what he is putting out over in "The Flash". Once again it may be the colorist as Guy Major does a fine job here on Williams' finished art.

Does this issue advance the Ra's Al Ghul storyline? Not much. However, in the end Batman has a better understanding of what is going on. Next it is off to "Nightwing" to continue this story.

Batman #670

"The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" begins in this issue. Billed as a prelude to the storyline, writer Grant Morrison gives new readers a descent jumping on point for this 7-part series. While I don't have a great depth of understanding of where Damian comes from and that Ra's Al Ghul was even dead, I enjoyed Morrison's story. Tony Daniel and Jonathan Glapion's art is pretty good capturing Batman's persona very well. Daniel provides good layouts and panels with backgrounds and detail, which has become uncommon in current comics.

Morrison has peaked my interest with this prelude to what looks to be an interesting story. If you are looking to jump onto this story and are afraid you need a PhD in all things Batman to get it, don't worry, Morrison sets a very good tone that doesn't leave you scratching your head.

Robin Annual #7

First off, I don't have the Batman family titles (Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Detective Comics, et al.) on my pull list. My brother was always the big Batman fan in the family and since we haven't lived togethery for 15+ years, I haven't been keeping up with all things Batman. I've always liked Robin's character as seen in "Teen Titans". Once again, seeing the Batman family characters intearct with the rest of the DCU is interesting to me. I picked up "Robin Annual" because my son wanted to see what was up with "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" storyline and this had a "sneak peak" feature for that story.

Writer Keith Champagne quickly runs Robin through a paint-by-numbers murder mystery with Detective Harvey Bullock in tow. I felt that artist Derec Donovan was at his best when displaying scenes in the dark and shadows. During scenes in the light of day, his art wasn't really that impressive. How Robin solves the mystery is beyond me as it seemed to involve someone he's known before. Here is where I would appreciate the old school "editor's note" telling me where/when/what issue this happened.

I'm not sure what Champagne was going for in the backup story but all I got was that Damian is a smart-ass kid with lots of issues and a healthy disrespect for adults. This short story was supposed to be the "sneak peak" part of the annual. That little tidbit occurs in the last few panels where, I guess, Ra's Al Ghul, shows up.

If you are looking at jumping onto Robin or if you looking for Ra's Al Ghul information , this annual is not a good starting point.

DC February Solicitation: Booster Gold #0

Written by Geoff Johns & Jeff Katz
Art and cover by Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
An issue over ten years in the making! An official ZERO HOUR crossover kicks off the second time-traveling story arc of "the greatest hero the world will never know" with "Blue and Gold," Part 1! Witness the secret origin of Booster Gold as he journeys through the time line, lost, in an attempt to return home...with a good friend in tow. But there's an evil out there waiting for him; one of the greatest villains of the DC Universe: Hal Jordan, a.k.a. Parallax!
On sale February 13 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I'm looking forward to this as "Zero Hour" was the last crossover event that I read before stepping away from my comics habit. Seeing the "Blue and Gold" team together again will be great as well. I've been waiting a long time to complete my "Zero Hour" collection!

The Death of the New Gods #1 & #2 of 8

Before reviewing the initial chapter of this miniseries I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of Jack Kirby's New Gods/Fourth World. Kirby started on these when I was very young and I never got into them. Of course, over the years, I have been entertained by Darkseid's use throughout the DCU as well as Mister Miracle and Big Barda's JLA runs. In an interview writer and penciller Jim Starlin stated that this was a "mercy killing" because of DC's abuse of Kirby's Fourth World creations over the years. Starlin wanted to honor Jack Kirby's creations while killing them off. I decided to pick this up as a tie-in to what is going on in "Countdown". With the death of Lightray and the continuing issues with Jimmy Olsen, I figured this series would tie up that whole plot line.

Issue #1 is basically a recap issue brining the reader up to speed on what is going on with the New Gods. It has Darkseid pontificating and bringing in reinforcements to protect Apokolips. I guess Starlin was hoping this issue would provide a good starting point for those truly unfamiliar with the New Gods. It succeeded to a point, but there are some many names thrown I got lost at points. I know the big name New Gods but the lesser ones really don't ring a bell. Sometimes I can't even tell if they are good or bad gods. Anyway, the issue ends with Starlin catching us up on the whereabouts of Mister Miracle and Big Barda. The final splash page isn't much of a shocker given the title of the miniseries.

Issue #2 starts off on New Gensis with Orion and a gaggle of New Gods contemplating what is happening here. Starlin then gives as CSI: JLA and a brooding Scott Free (Mister Miracle). I will have to look up what is up with the "Anti Life Equation" because as I said above I'm not up on all things Fourth World. Anyway, Scott Free has knowledge of the ALE and contemplates using it. Flash to New Gensis and Orion and Superman go through the motions in a battle of "honor" while on Apokolips Darkseid gets down to business. Starlin does a decent job of moving the plot forward but the battle between Superman and Orion goes on for too many pages. The side comments by Mister Miracle do make me believe that Starlin was making fun of the cliche element here.

Starlin's art is good but not his best work. Some of the poses are awkward and I can't tell if he is doing a homage to Kirby or not. If he is, then I get the art and he gets a pass.

While "The Sinestro Corps War" sets up a cosmic, galaxy spanning story that threatens the entire universe, "The Death of the New Gods" is truly just about that - the death of Kirby's Fourth World. Two issues in and I don't see the impact the New Gods living or dying has on the rest of the universe. Starlin has yet to make me care whether they live or die. The only two characters that I would care about living or dying are Darkseid and Scott Free. The others really have no real bearing or value in the DCU.

Countdown to Mystery #3 of 8

Both my son and I are enjoying the miniseries starring the new Dr. Fate. I like that writer Steve Gerber chose not only a descendant of the original Dr. Fate but a psychiatrist for this incarnation. Kent V. Nelson makes a visit to a mystic book store and starts to come to peace with himself in this issue. Of course, being Dr. Fate, Kent can't just go to a therapist. Gerber puts Kent through his own kind of therapy while having him learn more about being Dr. Fate. I disagree with the shop keeper that Kent isn't very talented and it is all in the helmet. Gerber has Kent picking things up fast while questioning the reality of it all. Justiniano and Wong are in fine form bringing a fluidity to the art and panel layouts.

The backup story continues to progress with the Spectre, the Creeper, and Batman entering the story. I'm not sure where Sturges is taking this story but I'm along for the ride. I like Segovia's character art but his Plastic Man is off. This may have to do with the muted coloring of Dan Brown.

While the backup story is mild interesting, the lead story is a keeper. Dr. Fate is back and I'm hoping that Steve Gerber can get healthy and turn this miniseries into a monthly.

Action Comics #859

The return of the Legion of Superheroes continues as Superman, trapped in the 31st century finds that his legacy has not held over time. With exception the short fight between the original three Legion members and Justice League Earth, writer Geoff Johns spends most of this issue setting up the new world order and Superman's place in it. I like his use of the rejected Legionnaires and the school scene where Earth children are shown being indoctrinated in the new world order. Penciller Gary Frank has another excellent outing. However, some of his shocked, open-eyed poses looked a bit mannequin-esque. I do like Frank's realistic depiction of the costumes that the heroes wear - wrinkles and all. He has very good layouts and keeps the story moving forward.

All in all, this issue serves the story well and sets the ground work for what I hope is an action packed climax to this story line. Both Kurt Busiek over in "Superman" and Geoff Johns here in "Action Comics" keep turning out what will be classic Superman stories. Both writers have a love for the Silver Age Superman and it shows in their work.

Black Adam #1, #2, #3, #4 of 6

I have been remiss in not reviewing the "Black Adam" miniseries. Being both a "52" and "Countdown" crossover title, I didn't hold much hope for this title, but I got it anyway because of Black Adam's handling in the pages of "52" and "World War III". I didn't care for "World War III" very much, but I did want to see where a powerless Teth Adam would go from there. If you don't remember, Captain Marvel changed Black Adam's power word and sent him on his way. I picked up issue #1 just to see what DC had planned for this character.

Writer Peter J. Tomasi instantly grab my attention with his characterization of a beaten - both physically and mentally - Teth Adam. I also enjoy when Teth is just saying random words of the top of his head as he tries to figure out his new magic word. Tomasi has also brought a lot of supporting players into the mix along with connections to the JSA, JLA, and the magic realm. The art by penciller Dough Mahnke, inker Chrstian Alamy, and colorist Nathan Eyring is pitch perfect. Mahnke captures the power of Teth Adam and his anguish as he searches to restore his power and lost love, Isis. Eyring's coloring really brings the art together along with Alamy's tight inking.

If you haven't picked up this title, get to your local comics shop or go online and get issues #1-4. This title is the cream of the crop of "52" and "Countdown" miniseries.

The Brave and the Bold #8

Writer Mark Waid brings Wally's family from his other series, "The Flash", into this issue of "The Brave and the Bold" and teams them up with the Doom Patrol. I haven't been keeping up with who's who on the Doom Patrol and I found Waid's take on the team interesting - especially his take on team leader Dr. Niles Caulder. I didn't realize what an ass Dr. Caulder is. Having just read this week's "The Flash", I found this book to actually capture the family dynamic of Wally's family and provided more insight than Waid's "The Flash" monthly. Perez's art really pops making Wally's kids interesting for the first time. Waid captures the varying personalities of the Doom Patrol with Perez providing excellent layouts displaying quite a lot of detail and story. The bookends dealing with the Book of Destiny and the Challengers of the Unknown is a nice plot device for presenting these stories and provides a thread to connect them all. The little tidbits that are dolled out each issue is enough to keep that story moving along.

This is one of DC's best monthlies and should be on your pull list.

The Flash #234

Writer Mark Waid's current run on "The Flash" is beginning to wear thin. I was willing to give him a pass as he reestablished Wally and his family back in the DCU but it is starting to drag now. I get it. The kids have issues with their powers. Let's move onto something that involves Wally as the Flash fighting rogues or something. I like Freddie E. Williams II's clean art style, but there's something missing here. I"m not sure if it is the bright coloring of colorists Tanya & Richard Horie, but the art just looks flat. Williams, however, does a good job with facial expressions and I like his page layouts. Maybe he needs someone else to ink his pencilling to bring out the depth.

In the backup story, artist Doug Braithewaite really shines. Colorist Alex Sinclair gives a painted look to Braithwaite's art and it provides a really stunning graphic novel look and feel. I'm enjoying the backup story more than the primary as Mark Waid does a good job of keeping "The Fast Life" moving forward.

I'm sticking with this book because I love both the Flash and Waid's previous efforts. Here's hoping taking the battle to the alien invaders of the last few issues peaks my interest.

Titans East Special #1

"Titans East Special" #1 is a very pretty book. Ian Churchill is the star of this book and really shows of his stuff on pencils. The first half of the book is flash back to the Wolfman/Perez Teen Titans and I enjoyed it very much. The last half of the book has Cyborg putting together a Teen Titans East with no help from his former team mates. The train goes off the rails here as the team, minus the horrible Powerboy, could be an interesting mix of characters. Judd Winick, under editorial direction I'm assuming, takes about five minutes to off most of the new players and we are left with a big crater and "To Be Continued in TITANS #1".

This book should have been the first 4-6 pages of "Titans #1" or a special insert in the current "Teen Titans". If you are going to buy "Titans" you really don't need to invest the time or money into "Titans East Special". While it is very pretty, beauty is really only skin deep in this book.

Salvation Run #1 of 7

I was debating whether to pick this miniseries up or wait for the TPB to come out. While I was at my local comics shop picking up my weekly pull I saw the front cover and just had to grab it. Sean Chen's cover really grabbed me. I missed out on the excellent Rogue comics when Geoff Johns was writing "The Flash", but I have since gone back and read all of Johns' "The Flash" TPBs. Johns brought a real depth of character to all of the Rogues. I especially liked his Captain Cold. So, seeing all of those Rogues on display I had to jump at picking up this mini.

Writer Bill Willingham provides a plausible set up where Checkmate and company are rounding up all the villians and depositing them on a planet far away to fend for themselves. The first group to be placed is a small group of the Flash's Rogues Gallery and they are immediately fighting for their lives. Even though the squabble quite a bit we see them work as a team. About half way through the issue quite a few of Batman's rogues and a few add ons show up. Willingham brings differing voices to each of the villians and does a good job of making the reader root for them. Sean Chen does an exceptional job on the art and is backed up nicely by inker Walden Wong and colorist John Kalisz. This is a very balanced issue with outstanding art and a great script.

This has been a good week for DC miniseries. This along with Suicide Squad top my list of must reads for this week.

Suicide Squad #3

"Suicide Squad" issue #3 has the best cover yet for this excellent miniseries. The previous covers did not reach out and grab me, but John K. Snyder's colorful use of the Squad's weapons of choice made this the most compelling cover of the three.

Writer John Ostrander continues to excel with these characters as he takes a detour to the past showing the first meeting of Rick Flag and Rustam. Javier Pina and Robin Riggs' art is top notch capturing the intensity of the characters. Once again, I have to give it up to the colorist. Jason Wright's coloring elevates both the art and the story giving it a very realistic look. In the end, the miniseries looks like it catches up with real time as Flag is rescued after being in prison for three years. The "New Suicide Squad" is the teaser for the next issue and I am looking forward to Ostrander's take on the new and old members of the team.

If you haven't jumped onto this miniseries, head to your local comic shop and pick up issue's 1-3. You do not need a degree in Suicide Squad history to enjoy this mini.

Wonder Girl Mini - a Second Opinion

In my review of issue #1 of this miniseries I said that I would be telling my local comics shop to drop the title. However, my nine year old daughter begged to differ with me. Where I saw the flaws of an editorial driven story by J. Torres, my daughter saw a fun action filled title about a powerful girl. Where I saw rushed and sloppy art from Sanford Greene and Nathan Massengill, my daughter saw art that she really liked and I quote, "Dad, I think this art is really good!" Where I didn't care what was happening, my daughter was enthralled. I guess a 39 year old married guy wasn't the target demo for this comic...who knew?

So, from the true target demo, my daughter gives this book two thumbs up. I'm keeping this on my pull list for her. I look at the racks of comics on display at my local comics shop and 99.9% of the comics there would not keep my daughter's interest. I'm grateful that DC finally zeroed in on what she likes. Keep 'em coming.

Batman and the Outsiders #1

Of the DC "Trinity", I don't read the solo books of Batman. Growing up I was always a Superman fan and, since the George Perez days, a Wonder Woman fan. I never really got into Batman's solo adventures. I do, however, like seeing Batman bounce off of the other residents of the DCU. That is why you see "Superman/Batman", "Justice League of America", "Brave and the Bold", and, now, "Batman and the Outsiders on my pull list. I wasn't a huge fan of the Judd Winick "Outsiders". Nightwing never came across as strong as he did during the Wolfman/Perez Titans-era and the rest of the team didn't impress me. When I heard that Batman was taking over, I decided to give the title another try.

I was a big fan of the 80s version of "Batman and the Outsiders" and enjoyed seeing Batman quit the JLA to form his own team. While the stories were goofy and the reasons for being a team were weak, the book was a fun monthly read. The new Batman and the Outsiders has Batman establishing a team to take care of business that the JLA or JSA wouldn't want to sully their hands with. The team try out books were interesting but ultimately failed to capture the driving motivation for the team.

Writer Chuck Dixon starts "Batman and the Outsiders" on their first covert op and brings depth of character to each team member. Julian Lopez's pencils along with Bit's inking brings clean lines and outstanding visuals. I especially liked Marta Martinez's coloring. The muted colors fit the tone of the book and bring an almost painted quality to the art. Dixon looks to be taking this team in the right direction. Here's hoping that the creative team can stay together and on schedule.

With an outstanding cover by Doug Braithwaite, "Batman and the Outsiders" #1 is an excellent start to what I hope will be an outstanding team monthly from DC.

Wonder Woman #14

"Wonder Woman" has continually drifted to the bottom of my comic reading stack. The "Who is Wonder Woman?" story line just didn't capture my attention and left me bored. I had heard at the San Diego Comic Con that Gail Simone would be taking over the writing chores but did not really keep track of when she was coming on board. Well, I'm watching football yesterday and my son, who really did not care for "Wonder Woman", yells out "Dad, have you read his yet?" I look up and he's holding "Wonder Woman" #14. I shake my head and he say's "It's pretty good."

Congratulations to Gail Simone for restoring some of the excitement that I remember for Wonder Woman of my young twenties when George Perez was ripping it up. Simone starts the issue out with a little intrigue and when Wonder Woman is shown on page, she's kicking ass and taking names. The art by Terry & Rachel Dodson matches the tone set by Simone and captures the strength and beauty of Wonder Woman.

Simone is setting a course to reestablish Wonder Woman on par with Superman and Batman in DC's Trinity. If you avoided or dropped "Wonder Woman" during the One Year Later restart, pick up "Wonder Woman" #14 and give it a try, you will like what you see.

All Star Superman #9

I didn't jump onboard "All Star Superman" when it first came out. I ended up waiting for the hardcover and bought it last month. I thoroughly enjoyed the hardcover and put this comic on my pull list. Issue #9 has Superman returning from his Bizarro mission to find a couple of new Kryptonians on Earth. Writer Grant Morrison does a fine job of developing these new characters and presenting Superman's reaction to them. Frank Quitely's art breathes life into Morrison's script. Quitely's take on Superman and his supporting cast is a modern interpretation of classic Superman. The only complaint that I have with this series is the time between issues. I'd love to read this book as a monthly and not constantly have the remember what last happened to enjoy the book.

If you are looking for a unique take on Superman, look no further than Morrison and Quitely's "All Star Superman".

Countdown to Final Crisis #24

"Countdown" has received a facelift over the last few issues and has finally hit its stride as "Countdown to Final Crisis". Fresh off of his stint in the "Sinestro Corps War", Superman Prime makes an appearance here in a black suit reminiscent of Superman's post "Death of Superman/Return of Superman" uniform. Back in "Countdown to Final Crisis" #26, the story jumped to Earth-15 as a black clad individual grabbed a bald headed guy. Well, in the first few pages of this issue we see that it was Superman Prime grabbing Earth-15's Lex Luthor. For those keeping score, Earth-15 is the Earth where Zod is Superman. Prime works over this Earth keeping the same tone that Geoff John's established in the Sinestro Corps "Prime" one-shot. We also see story lines begin to merge as the Bludhaven/Firestorm intersects the Mary Marvel/Darkseid storyline. Both the Firestorm and Mary Marvel stories are handled quite well here.

Penciller Tom Derenick and inker Wayne Faucher's art is very good. I've never really heard of either of these guys, but they capture the action and present it in a dynamic manner. I'd like to see more from Derenick - if he can keep a monthly schedule.

I've gone from luke warm to warm on this series. Issue #26 was a good jumping on point for new readers. The last two issues have been good and the future is looking brighter.

Green Arrow & Black Canary #2

So, I read other comic blogs and comic forums and there is a lot of Judd Winick hate out there. It seems that most people hate his writing. Well, I've done some catching up on my Winick written comics and while he isn't the greatest writer out there, I don't see anything criminal in his writing style. I didn't care for his "Outsiders" run and the "Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special" final few pages were not that great. However, I have thoroughly enjoyed both of the first issues of the new "Green Arrow & Black Canary" monthly series. If you are looking for a strong woman superhero then look no further than Winick's Black Canary. She is intelligent, confident, and a skilled fighter.

I like Cliff Chiang's Black Canary as well. I would like Chiang to put more effort into drawing Mia, though, as I found his interpretation of her to be rather bland. I did enjoy all the various methods that Chiang used to cover up Ollie's naughty parts.

I see "Green Arrow & Black Canary" as analogous to "Superman/Batman". In "Superman/Batman" readers can see stories based on all Superman and Batman supporting characters (Supergirl, Robin, Nightwing, Powergirl, etc.) as well as the main heros. In "Green Arrow & Black Canary" I would expect to see all of the supporting characters in their "universe". This is why it is good to see Winick using Mia and Connor.

Give this book a try and you will have a good time. Action, comedy, and intrigue abound.

Booster Gold #4

One of DC's best mothlies, "Booster Gold" continues to deliver. Booster continues to work with Rip Hunter and teams up with Barry Allen Flash and Wally West as Kid Flash. It was great to to see the Cosmic Treadmill utilized in this issue. The reveal of Supernova's identity was done well. Both Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz bring a really depth of character to the main players in this book. The pain of Booster loosing his best friend Ted Kord is always evident. It is also nice to see Rip Hunter given something more to do than be "exposition guy". Dan Jurgen's art is, as always, exceptional and has a timeless feel.

"Booster Gold" sits a top my stack as a first read every month. Johns and company have done an impressive job of handling this B-list character. I highly recommend jumping on this title sooner rather than later as next month's time intervention looks to be quite interesting.

The Walking Dead Vol. 1: Days Gone By

Stepping outside the DCU, I wanted to point you to another great book by Robert Kirkman, "The Walking Dead". Now, to begin with, this series had quite a few strikes against my reading it. It is horror, black and white, and not DC. It had one plus - Robert Kirkman. I had read his "Invincible", liked his writing, and wanted to try something else from him.

Well, it is good I put aside my dislike for black and white comics and picked this TPB up. If you have seen the movie "28 Days Later" the initial chapter of this series has a similar feel. However, once the protagonist, Rick, gets out of his local town and starts searching for his wife and kid, the series kicks into high gear and new territory. This book is not the tongue-in-cheek look at zombies we have seen from Hollywood in the past decade. It is a real look at what might be normal people's reaction to this extreme situation. I'm five volumes into the TPBs and Rick and company have changed quite a bit from this first volume. Artist Tony Moore establishes a realistic looking cast and location. His art really propels this first volume.

Kirkman really captures the frightening nature of a world full of zombies. Sometimes the scariest moments are what happens between the uninfected humans and how they treat each other. All in all this is a quality series worth your time and money.

Infinity Inc #3

I read the original "Infinity, Inc" back in the 80s and thought their adventures were a fun read. Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway did a great job of introducing the characters and giving them a purpose for being together - McFarlane's first art wasn't too shabby either. This incarnation of the group has no link to the 80s version. It is the Emo group of the DCU - a bunch of kids sulking around, going to therapy, and just mentally unhealthy. I guess the thrust of this book is to answer the question what you would do if you had a super power and then lost it, but I'm not entirely sure of what is going on here. Writer Peter Milligan must have forgotten to take his pills because full depression is on display here. Every character from Steel to "Kid Empty" shows some form of psychosis. Does this make the book compelling? No. The art, once again DC, looks rushed as a gaggle of artist particpate in what looks like a hodge podge of styles.

With no connection to the past, a sulking cast, and uninspired art, I can't recommend this book.

Simon Dark #1

I'm getting ready to buy my weekly load of comics and my son hands me "Simon Dark". He thinks it is a "Countdown" tie-in and, without looking at it, I throw it on the pile. I got around to reading it today and, while it isn't my usual comic fare, I found it quite interesting. I enjoyed Scott Hampton's art as he captures the mood presented by writer Stephen Niles. Breezing through google I found out that Niles wrote the comic "30 Days Night" which the currently released movie is based. I don't shy away from horror comics - Robert Kirkman's "The Walking Dead" being one of my favorites. However, I'm not sure what to think of "Simon Dark". It has an old Vertigo imprint feel but it is set in Gotham City. This book is a true "cold start" for a comic and I'm not sure that this character is strong enough to keep up a monthly series. It certainly didn't grab me like Todd McFarlane's "Spawn" did when it first came out, but that was more superhero than horror.

If you are into horror and mystery you might like this. However, if you are into traditional superhero comics, I wouldn't recommend it.

Superman #670

"Superman" issue #670 brings to a conclusion the three-part "The Third Kryptonian" story line. The entire Superman family is present including new additions Chris Kent and Karsta Wor-Ul - the third Kryptonian in question. This is an action packed issue reminiscent of the old "Superman Family" adventures during the Silver Age. In the middle of the battle Karsta flies away leaving Superman, Supergirl, Powergirl, Krypto, and Batman left to fight her battle. Her return to the battle is inevitable and aptly timed as well. Writer Kurt Busiek does a fine job of moving the action forward and concluding this three part story. Busiek continues to weave his perception of Superman's post Crisis reality showing that Red Sun doesn't strip Superman's powers it just blocks his ability to access them. Artificial Kryptonite is also introduced. Now, I'm not a continuity nut but can Kryptonians breath in space? Post COIE Superman needed a breathing appartus. In the most recent Supergirl we get the 2-hour limit. In this issue Karsta flies off into space unaided....what's the deal? I also found the whole Kandor explanation a bit hard to swallow and look forward to Busiek or Johns pulling on this thread.

Rick Leonardi and Dan Green's art captures the action well and provides one of the better representations of Supergirl and Powergirl. I also liked Jesus Merino's cover and wouldn't mind getting a poster size version of it.

All in all, the three parter was a fun read and I would recommend it.

Supergirl #23

New "Supergirl" scribe, Kelley Puckett, comes on board and spins a stunning tale establishing Supergirl as a powerhouse character in the DC Universe...is what I would have liked to said during this review. I had high hopes for Puckett's tenure here but this first chapter has left me cold. Entitled "Tesseract" we start with Supergirl getting a package from Batman ( a grizzled unshaven version of him) and then being thrown into some war with Superman and the Green Lantern Corps on one side and who knows on the other. Now a tesseract is a four dimensional analog of a cube where motion along the fourth dimension is often represented as the cube moving through time. Is the box that Batman left the cube? Is Supergirl moving through time? Am I reading too much into the title? I read this issue in about five minutes and basically got nothing out of it.

Drew Johnson's penciling is good for the most part, but the story relies so much on the visuals I don't know if I should blame Johnson for the confusing issue or Puckett. On a positive note, Puckett does establish that Supergirl is now 18 in this issue. In Superman/Batman when she was discovered she was 16 and in this issue she tells Batman she has been on Earth for two years. Now, why Batman after two years is still screwing with Supergirl is a whole other question.

I'm a Supergirl fan from way back and I'm hoping DC and Puckett can put this character back on track. However, this first issue does not bode well.

Metal Men #4 of 8

I have been a fan of the Metal Men since I first read their adventures in the 70s. Writer and artist Duncan Rouleau has presented an interesting if uneven incarnation of this team. Based on an idea by Grant Morrison, Rouleau is using time traveling robots, friends, and family as the impetus for everything from the creation of the Metal Men to Will Magnus' rise to fame. I usually like time travel stories if done well and I'm somewhat concerned and confused by Rouleau's take on it. The bright spot for this series is the art and Rouleau's interpretation of the Metal Men. As I said, I grew up with the more classic looking Metal Men and was initially put off by Rouleau's version. However, over the first few issues of this mini, these Metal Men have grown on me. I especially like Rouleau's characterizations of each robot imbuing each with very distinct personalities while remaining true to their past incarnations.

I'm not sure this book will draw any new readers to the Metal Men. However, I'm interested to see where this is all going and will stay along for the ride.

Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Red Rain

The search for Ray Palmer heads to Earth 43. For those of you out there keeping score, Earth 43 is the Earth where Batman is a vampire. In this issue, I was hoping to get more information about the team's desire to find Ray Palmer besides "Ray Palmer is the key". What we get is supposedly smart heroes acting very, very stupid. Where I come from vampires are bad and vampire killers are good. Why would the team then go after and stop the vampire killer from killing vampire Bat-Man? Their actions doomed this world's Dick Grayson and didn't move them closer to finding Ray Palmer. I'm sure the writer is writing from a DC editorial outline that goes something like "team arrives on Earth 43, confronts vampire Bat-Man, doesn't find Ray Palmer, and moves on". That about sums this book up. With the team of artist the outcome is surprisingly consistent. I'll have to give accolades to colorist Art Lyons for maintaining a consistent look and feel to the proceedings. However, the muted red tones did tend to drag towards the end of issue.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone other than a hardcore Countdown completist - if any of those really exist.

Countdown to Final Crisis #25

Action, Action, Action! "Countdown to Final Crisis" kicks into high gear this issue focusing on Karate Kid and his entourage in Bludhaven. Firestorm and the Atomic Knights show up and a battle ensues. Firestorm takes a while to realize he can do just about anything and takes care of business. I enjoyed this entire issue except for the three pages focusing on Piper and the Trickster. I get it Piper is gay. What this has to do with the story is a mystery, but the writers keep indulging in the urge to bring it up. Both of these characters were very good when utilized in "The Flash" and have been reduced to the Abbott and Costello of Countdown. Ron Lim's art is very good in this issue. I liked his Firestorm and Darseid. The final splash page has me looking forward to the next installment for the first time in this series.

Metamorpho Year One #3 of 6

Since I have "Batman and the Outsiders" on my pull list, my local comics shop thought I'd like to read "Metamorpho Year One" and put it in my box. I probably would not have requested this even if I had known it was coming out, but the fist three issues have been an interesting read. Writer Dan Jurgens is going for an action/adventure flavor instead of straight out superhero action. Rex Mason is portrayed as a handsome adventurer with his eye on the bosses daughter. All of the elements of Metamorpho's origin are here with Rex's boss Simon Stagg playing the villian role and Rex' girlfriend, Sapphire Stagg, playing the confused/mixed feeling girlfriend. The action and intrigue really gets rolling in issue #3 with the addition of Stagg's advesary, Maxwell Tremaine. Mike Norton's pencils and Jesse Delperdang's inks provide good visuals. However, I preferred Jurgen's layouts in the first two issues. Metamorpho is drawn a little too skeletal in the face for my liking as well.

Dan Jurgens has been one of my favorite writers over the years and he his having fun with Metamorpho. While the story is connect the dots as Metamorpho's origin is pretty basic, Jurgen's adds enough action, romance, and intrigue to keep it interesting.

Supergirl & the Legion of Super-Heroes

"The Search for Cosmic Boy Grows Tedious!" would be the tag line for this series. I'm not sure I even care where he is now. I certainly don't get the motivations behind many of the players here - Braniac-5 in particular. Of course, he's a fifth level intellect and I wouldn't even consider that I could be made to understand his motivations. The only character that comes across interesting or exciting is Atom Girl. What started out 34 issues ago with great promise has settled into a muddled mess. The outgoing Tony Bedard has one more issue to tie up any loose ends on this "search" before Jim Shooter takes over the writing chores. Shooter has his work cut out for him if he has to take this version of the Legion forward. Dennis Calero's art is decent but the heavy handed inking and shadows highlight the aforementioned "muddled mess" presented here.

Invincible

Once again stepping outside of the DCU, I wanted to point you in the direction of "Invincible" from Image Comics. I did not start reading this comic in monthly form. I went the the San Diego Comic Con this year and when I was walking around checking out the art and such I stumbled upon "Invincible". Now, back in the day, I was a huge Image fan. I consumed pretty much everything the company put out when it started up in the 90s. However, my taste for comics and media in general changed and I went away from both Image and Marvel. When at the Con I usually check out the other companies to see if anything they have to offer peaks my interest. That's when I hit upon "Invincible".

I got the volume one TPB and now 6 TPBs later both me and my son are really enjoying writer Robert Kirkman's Invincible adventures. Artist Corey Walker really laid down the foundation for "Invincible" with his excellent art and, when he left the series, Ryan Ottley continued to provide solid art to back up Kirkman's inspired story. I don't want to give any spoilers away as if you pick up this TPB I want you to feel the excitement that I felt while reading it. I bet if you pick up volume one you will be hooked in no time. The series really picks up speed in volume 2 (issue #7).

I have since followed Kirkman to his very scary "The Walking Dead" series and the "Marvel Zombies" hard cover. Kirkman has rapidly jumped to up my list of top writers in comics.

Countdown to Adventure #3 of 8

The adventures of Starfire, Animal Man, and Adam Strange continue to unfold in this entertaining read from writer Adam Beechen. The rampage "disease" is spreading throughout San Diego and Rann as our heroes come to terms with the fact that they may be carriers. Beechen does a great job with the relationships between Buddy, Buddy's wife Ellen and Kory. I still believe that Buddy only has strong feelings of friendship for Kory and Ellen is worrying about a lot of nothing. However, that is coming from a guy and I'm sure my wife would have issue if I had a HOT woman living with us. Adam Strange is still in Rann and is also catching on that something is amiss. Beechen does an excellent job of weaving both of these stories and putting his characters in peril. Eddy Barrows pencilling along with Julio Ferreira's inks really make the book pop off the page. I have always been a fan of Barrows and he doesn't disappoint here. While the backup story did not do anything for me, the main story will keep me buying this miniseries.

Both this and "Countdown to Mystery" have been the best of the breed for Countdown tie-ins.

Countdown to Mystery #2 of 8

"Countdown to Mystery" #2 picks up right where issue #1 left off. The newly helmeted Dr. Fate is up against Negal of Charn, the Devourer of Souls, and he is in deep. Writer Stephen Gerber handles the action very well with Kent Nelson having issues with the helmet communicating with him while taking in this other worldly confrontation. I like how Gerber uses Kent Nelson's psychiatric background to analyze the proceedings. I found it humorous that Kent would hock both Negal's axe and his own helmet. In the end we see that Kent is coming to terms with having this helmet follow him around and that his mind is slowly getting right as he deals with this situation. Justiniano and Walden Wong's art is top notch matching the tone set forth by Gerber. I haven't enjoyed a Dr. Fate story in years and Gerber and company are hitting the mark here.

I usually don't care for the backup stories in the Countdown miniseries, but Eclipso's story brought to you by writer Matthew Sturges and artist Stephen Jorge Segovia is quite good. I especially like Segovia's depiction of the seduction of Plastic Man. I was initially put off by Sturges having Plas beat his son but given what is going on in this story it fit right in.

This countdown mini is highly recommended.

Countdown to Final Crisis #26

"Countdown" has been renamed "Countdown to Final Crisis" as of issue #26. While "Countdown" issues #52-27 choose to utilize the "Heroes" method of story telling - jumping from group to group showing a few pages of each story line as you go - issue #26 is generally exposition focusing on the Monitors. I believe DC was shooting for this issue to be a good jumping on point for readers as the first two-thirds of the book has the various Monitors talking to each other regarding the current state of the Multiverse. I thought we already went through this earlier when they all agreed to something but now they are all agreeing to "war", whatever that means. The true motivation behind Monarch, formerly the very cool Caption Atom, is still not revealed. He must be brain damaged as Captian Atom was never evil and he comes across as such in these pages. In the end we jump to Earth 8 to catch up on "the Challengers", Kyle Rayner and company, on the search for Ray Palmer. Why are they searching for Ray Palmer? Who knows? Then we jump to Earth 15. Why? I don't know. I need a scorecard for all of these Earths. Can DC put up a chart at DC online to help me out? Oh and Darkseid has something to do with all of this as seen in the last splash panel. I know we are headed to Final Crisis, but head writer Paul Dini and company are taking their sweet time getting there. I just don't see the character motivations and what this all has to do with the New Gods, Ray Palmer, Monarch, et al. Hopefully these guys will kick it into high gear as we get to the home stretch but color me unimpressed with the series to this point.

Countdown Presents: Lord Havok and the Extremists #1 (of 6)

Bleh! That's what I've got to say about this offshoot of Countdown. I didn't ask for this in at my local comics store, the owner pulled it for me based on other comics that I buy. I wasn't looking forward to this, but thought DC has done well with both "Countdown to Adventure" and "Countdown to Mystery" and I thought I'd give it a try. Well, writer Frank Tieri takes a swing at the plate and it is a whiff. The story is a mess. I think DC is supposed to be poking fun at Marvel's "Civil War" but I'm not really sure. The whole "round up the metas/mutants/superpowered beings and put them in a camp" was handled much better in "Kingdom Come". I can't speak for Marvel's "Civil War" as I didn't read that cross over event. If I had to pick one good thing out about this comic, I would point to Liam Sharp and Rob Hunter's art. While not top tier, it is better than some of the other regular series art out there and reminiscent of some 90's comic art - shoulder pads and big guns making a showing. I'm assuming that is what the artist were shooting for here.

If you are looking for good DC miniseries look towards the previously mentioned "Adventure" and "Mystery" offshoots from Countdown. "Lord Havok and the Extremists" is not worth the cover price or your time.

Justice Society of America #10

With a beautiful cover by Alex Ross, "Justice Society of America" #10 kicks off the "Thy Kingdom Come" story line. Billed as a true sequel to "Kingdom Come", this story line has been greatly anticipated in my household. Writer Geoff Johns is in true form again spinning a personal story for Kingdom Come Superman with excellent interactions between JSA members and KC Superman. It was nice to see Obsidian show up after a long absence. His conversation with KC Superman is very telling. The art by penciller Dale Eaglesham is excellent. He really captures the despair of KC Superman. I also enjoyed Ross' painted pages for the Kingdom Come flashbacks. This was a great kickoff to what looks to be an interesting story line and I look forward to watching it play out.

Action Comics #858

Spinning out of the "Justice League of America" and "Justice Society of America" crossover event "The Lightening Saga", "Action Comics" 858 begins the reintroduction of the Legions of Superheroes into the Superman mythos. I grew up reading "Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes" in the 70s and really enjoyed those adventures. During the 80s I read everything DC put out that had the Legion in it. However, after the excellent "Crisis on Infinite Earths" John Byrne was brought on to restart Superman. One of the big mistakes that he made was the elimination of Superboy from Superman's past. This totally negated any adventures that Superboy had with the Legion. Since then there have been many attempts at jump starting the Legion with varying degrees of success. With "Action Comics" #858, Geoff Johns begins his attempt to clear up this mess. I'm very excited to see both Johns' retcon of Superman's first introduction to the Legion and Jim Shooter's run on the current "Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes" monthly.

Johns has brought a couple of other changes to book as well. John Byrne set Clark Kent up as a football playing "with it" guy and Johns takes Clark back to his origins here as a somewhat goofy "mild mannered" reporter. You can see Donner's influence as Clark comes across much like the Christopher Reeve take on Superman in "Superman: the Movie". It will be interesting to see if Johns' take on Clark migrates to its sister comic "Superman".

I wasn't really impressed with penciller Gary Frank's cover and promotional art for this comic. However, after reading the book I'm excited about his run on the book. Frank captures emotion fairly well and you can see the giddiness in the Legion trio that come back to meet a young Clark. By the end, I was loving Frank's take on the icons of DC presented within.

Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters #1 & #2 of 8

"Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters" #1 answers the burning question, "where was the team during Amazon Attacks?" Of course, I kid. No one really cared anything about "Amazon Attacks". The opening of this eight part series finds the team on a deep space mission fending off a hive of bees set on taking over the earth. Writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justing Gray utilize this mission to "upgrade" the Red Bee. Once the team is back on Earth they deal with the after effects of "Amazon Attacks" and Palmiotti and Gray settle into the government intrigue angle of the Freedom Fighters. The team breaks up in the first issue and the reasoning behind the breakup is, well, reasonable. The issue ends showing that things aren't all well with the Red Bee. Issue #2 focuses on Phantom Lady and here Paris Hilton/Brittany Spears-like behavior. It culminates with the team back together for an intervention. While Palmiotti and Gray are not severing up much action, the interactions between the characters and the development of Red Bee and Phatom Lady are handled well.

I didn't think I would like Renato Arlem's art, but it fits the tone of the book. He has a good flare for action sequences as seen on the bee ship and for character interaction. However, did we really need to see Miss America's pink panties. You'd think she would be wearing something to match her uniform.

While I wouldn't recommend this series to a younger audience, the mature themes, characterization, and social commentary are better suited for older readers.

Green Arrow & Black Canary #1

The "Green Arrow and Black Canary Wedding Special" left a sour taste in my mouth as once again DC went to the death well by killing off Green Arrow. I wasn't happy with the situation and how it occurred either. I am a sucker though and went out and bought "Green Arrow & Black Canary" #1 to see where this was leading. I must say that I enjoyed this book. The first few page flashback was nicely done. Cliff Chiang's style in this flashback is fairly close to Darwyn Cooke's version of Green Arrow. The inking and coloring also matched Cooke's look as well. For the present day art, Chiang really captures the intensity of Black Canary. Chiang does an excellent job from page to page and really shines here.

Writer Judd Winick's story is interesting. He shows us how Black Canary grieves and that is painful for the bad guys out there. He reintroduces the Green Arrow family along with their connection to the rest of the DCU. I especially liked Green Latern's chat with Black Canary. Finally the mystery of what happened to Green Arrow is solved and we are on to the rescue next issue. Now, I really liked this issue, but how does this all fit into the marriage of the two main characters. Was the switch early? Why did they Amazons do it? Who? What? Why? How?....Questions, Questions, Questions. Here's hoping that Winick can answer these as I'm on board now.