Titans #1

To say that the Comic Adventurer's household was excited about this book would be an understatement. I came of age reading "The New Teen Titans" under Marv Wolfman and George Perez. It topped my reading list back in the day and continues to be a fun read today. I bought the hardcover volumes so that my son could appreciate the depth and complexity of the stories that Wolfman told. George Perez to this day is my standard bearer for comic art. Ian Churchill on art was a good choice, but given that he is only on for the first issue I will hold judgement on whether the art in "Titans" can match what Perez did back in the day. If Churchill had stayed on he would have been a fine artist for the series. His art here is both dynamic and detailed. Across the board, Churchill delivers in this issue. It frustrates me that DC didn't keep him on the book for at least the first arc. Writer Judd Winick has his detractors in the online community. I've stated before that I'm pretty new to his writing. The pacing of this issue is somewhat slow as Winick takes time to bring the new readers up to speed on who's who in the Titans universe. It is a fairly decent catch up and I dismissed any continuity issues (Starfire still hanging with Buddy) and just enjoyed the story. Winick also takes a couple of pages to up date the reader on the "Titans East" debacle.

My love for the Titans will keep me on for the first arch. If Winick can bring the humor and action that he has brought to "Green Arrow/Black Canary" I will probably stay on for the long haul.

The Brave and the Bold #10

This comic continues to be a fun and entertaining read. Writer Mark Waid has threaded the "Megistus" story line through the last four issues and it the tool has worked well in getting some unusual team ups. Superman and the Silent Knight wouldn't be my first choice for a team up but it works here. Artist George Perez's Superman is a throwback to the 80s look which brings back some found memories. It was also awesome to see Perez draw the early Teen Titans as they team up with Aquaman. Seeing classic Aquaman also made me want to see this character back in the DCU proper. Waid nails the characterization of the early, young sidekicks which mirrors what is going on in the "Year One" title. The "Megistus" storyline is inched forward but the team ups are really interesting.

While Waid may have failed to capture my imagination in his "The Flash" run, he stays in top form here. I'm sad to see Perez move on, but Jerry Ordway is a fine addition to the creative team. If you haven't jumped on this title, it is consistently one of the best of the DC monthlies.

The Brave and the Bold #9

"The Brave and the Bold" #9 is a hit or miss issue. Using the "Megistus" thread from the Challengers of the Unknown "Book of Destiny" arc, this issue covers three team ups throughout DC history. I enjoyed the Metal Men and Dial H For Hero team up because it presented the Metal Men with their traditional look. I've been reading the "Metal Men" miniseries but have to admit that I prefer George Perez's "old school" Metal Men over their look in the miniseries. It was nice to see the throwback to "Dial H for Hero" as well. I remember reading the Dial H adventures in the early 80s, back when readers would send in suggestions that were incorporated into the heros. The Blackhawk and Boy Commandos team up was somewhat bland and didn't add much to the story. I really enjoyed the final team up of Hawkman and the Ryan Choi Atom. Writer Mark Waid captured both characters well and provided a fun little adventure for them.

"The Brave and the Bold" continues to be a fun read that satisfies.

Comic Adventurer 2007 Year End Review: The Outstanding

In 2007, DC rolled out two very fun titles “The All-New Booster Gold” and “The Brave and the Bold”. Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz have done a fantastic job with brining back Booster Gold into the DCU. Booster was a star of “52” and DC has capitalized on the good will from that series. From the first issue through this week’s issue #5, “The All-New Booster Gold” has been a fun read. I enjoy sitting down each month and savoring this book. Artist Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund have provided great art to back up Johns and Katz’s action packed and funny stories.

Over in “The Brave and the Bold”, writer Mark Waid really shines with this team-up series. The first six issues set up the device that Waid uses to keep this series moving forward. One of my favorite all time artist, George Perez, is back in top form with this series and delivers every month. He draws the best Supergirl out there. I highly recommend that if you haven’t read the first six issues that you go out and get the hard cover collection that just came out this week. I enjoy this read immensely.

In “The Sinestro Corps Wars” Geoff Johns, Dave Gibbons, and Peter J. Tomasi delivered a galaxy spanning tour de force. I believe DC was caught off guard with how good (and popular) that this story was. From “The Sinestro Corp Wars” #1 right through to the epilogue in “Green Lantern Corps” #19, this story was engrossing, action packed, and, most of all, fun to read.

Finally, one writer has jumped up high in my top ten writers of all time. Robert Kirkman, writer of “Invincible” and “The Walking Dead”, captured my imagination. I didn’t jump onto either book until this year. Well, twelve TPBs later and hitting the monthlies this last month, I have definitely become a true Kirkman fan. If you haven’t tried out either of these Image titles by Kirkman, you should grab the first TPB of each and see what they are like. I highly recommend it.

Countdown to Adventure #4 of 8

Don't let the Forerunner cover fool you. The stars of this book are Buddy, Kory, and Adam and artist Allan Goldman. Goldman with inks by Julio Ferreira truly does an outstanding job in this issue. Goldman's pencilling reminds me of some early George Perez or Dan Jurgens. High praise as I love both of those artist. Writer Adam Beechen does a good job of propelling the story forward as the virus takes hold. I especially liked Adam Strange's portion of the story. Beechen shows why Strange is the real hero of Rann. Buddy and Kory's story is interesting as well and Goldman's Buddy looks like he may have feelings for Kory.

I gave up on the backup story....boring.

It would be better if DC would promote the book more for the Adam, Kory, & Buddy story and expand the page count for this story as well.

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.

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.

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.

Brave and the Bold #7

"Brave and the Bold" is one of the comics that I read right after leaving my local comic store. I have been a long time fan of George Perez's art and he still has the good stuff. Perez can flat out draw. From the cover to the last page, the art presented here is amazing. Writer Mark Waid has fun taking the reader from Wonder Woman and Power Girl battling mummies and the undead to Superman's Fortress of Solitude all the while keeping it fun and interesting. Wonder Woman even whips out the old invisible plane for a cameo appearance. The weaving in of the Book of Destiny and the Challengers of the Unknown really makes this a fun book to read. I recommend this to any reader looking for the best DC has to offer.

Titans, Titans, & more Titans

2008 is shaping up to be the year of the Titans. DC has put "Teen Titans" back on track bringing on writer Sean McKeever and he looks to be taking that book in a very good direction. It has jumped to the top of my first reads when it comes out. Writer Judd Winick is on board the forthcoming "Titans" with the classic Wofman/Perez lineup from the 80s. "Titans" can be a premiere book for DC if it is handled well. There are a lot of Winick haters out there but I'm willing to give the book a try because of my love for the characters. Writer Amy Wolfram and artist Karl Kerschl are bringing "Teen Titans: Year One" exploring the beginnings of the classic Teen Titans lineup. Finally, the "Teen Titans Lost Annual, featuring the original Teen Titans: Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Speedy and Aqualad, is coming from writer Bob Haney, Jay Stephens, and Mike Allred. Let's not forgot "Tiny Titans" coming from Johnny DC as well.

All in all, the Comic Adventures' household is looking forward to all of the Titans books coming in 2008!

Blue Beetle #18

Blue Beetle is a fun book to read. I was a fan of the Ted Kord Blue Beetle and was saddened to see him offed during the build up to "Infinity Crisis". I did not pick up the new Blue Beetle book when it first came out. I got my first taste of the character during Mark Waid and George Perez's "Brave and The Bold". I liked what they did with the character and decided to go back issue diving at my local comic store. I ended up getting the complete run 1-14 (missing a few issues in there). What I found was an engaging character the was fun and interesting. John Rogers, the writer, has done a great job of fleshing out the supporting cast and the lead character's, Jaime Reyes, introduction across the DC Universe. I have enjoyed Rafael Albuquerque's art, but was disappointed that he could not do the whole issue. Substitute art by Davidl Baldeon & Dan Davis seemed rushed and did not match the tone established for Blue Beetle.

In the issue, Blue Beetle and the Teen Titans team up to take on Lobo. Blue Beetle's armor continues to pull tricks out of the hat and show just how powerful it can be. The team fights Lobo to somewhat of a standstill and ends with Robin commenting on Beetle's lack of fighting skills. Robin invites Beetle to hang with the Titans and Jaime considers the invite. I'm looking forward to seeing Beetle in the Teen Titans as of issue #50. I believe he will be a breath of fresh air to a morose comic book and bring back some of the awe that is needed for that group. If you haven't picked up Blue Beetle, I recommend it!

Supergirl #20

During one of DC's many panels at this year's San Diego Comic Con, Dan Didio explained Supergirl's place in the DC Universe. He was answering a question in regards to bringing new readers to DC. Dan asked the audience, "Who is Supergirl?" He responded with "Superman's cousin." In an attempt to rectify past mistakes with Supergirl, she was reintroduced into the DC Universe in the pages of Superman/Batman.

Here initial introduction in Superman/Batman: Supergirl #8-13, writer Jeff Loeb did a good job of setting up Kara in the post-Crisis (original not Infinite) Earth. Supergirl's new series jumped from her introduction and stumbled almost from the start. While some of the stories have been enjoyable, the inconsistent writing and art have hurt this title. The only book that has done an excellent job presenting an exciting and well thought out Supergirl is Brave and the Bold written by Mark Waid and illustrated by George Perez. In the pages of Brave and the Bold, Supergirl comes across as a powerful young woman getting to know her place in the universe.

Supergirl #20 addresses the aftermath of Supergirl and Wondergirl attempting to negotiate with the President on Air Force One during the Amazon Attacks war. DC has really dropped the ball on Amazon Attacks. What should have been a series spanning cross over event, turned into a continuity mess with poor writing. This issue of Supergirl begins by being hampered by this illogical storyline. Given that, I enjoyed the action that Tony Bedard put in this issue. We get to see Supergirl cut loose and even show that she is vulnerable, like Superman, to magic. Besides the Amazon Attacks tie-in, the big drawback to this issue was the art. Renato Guedes' version of Supergirl looks like a tube with thick hips and legs. I know that America is getting fatter, but does Supergirl have to follow that trend. My son, who is "ho-hum" on Supergirl as it is, picked up the book and immediately put it down based on the shoddy art.

How does DC fix Supergirl?
1) Pick a direction for the character and begin moving that way. The best of the DC heroes don't just go from fight to fight, they have a story arc to develop their character and their place in DC. This character should get young girls excited about reading comics. My daughter, who is just getting into comics, could care less about Supergirl right now.
2) Get a good writer for the long term. It looks like Tony Bedard is on for on three issues, two of which are crossover event tie ins. Therefore, I don't expect much from his run.
3) Get an artist that can draw young. Supergirl is 16 not 25 (or older by Guedes' art). Bring in an artist that can attract young girls (and guys) to the character.

While the answers above can apply to almost any book being published, they highlight what DC has done wrong in the handling of Supergirl. Good Supergirl stories can be published. Just go to Brave and the Bold for the proof.

-Matt