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.

Teen Titans #53

Eddy Barrows makes this issue. His art is outstanding. I'm a fan of time travel stories done right (love ole' "Booster Gold") and writer Sean McKeever is doing some interesting things in "Teen Titans" with the "Titans of Tomorrow" story. Stuff happening in the present actually changes the adult Titans world. McKeever retreads a bit of the previous issues with more infighting, but we finally get Luthor and his Titans Army where Barrows does an excellent job of depicting each player. I think McKeever has done a fine job with his initial run on "Teen Titans" but this issue felt a little like he was attempting to stretch the story out longer than it needed. However, he does provide some very nice sequences, especially the Miss Martian fight scene.

Next issue is supposed to wrap up this story. I'm interested to see where McKeever will take this and what impact it has on both the Titans members and its membership.

Superman/Batman #43

Rarely does DC put out a one-shot Superman/Batman. In the days of 4-6 issue story arcs that package nicely as a TPB, it is nice to see a one-shot. The best part of this issue is Mike McKone's art. His pencilling is really top notch. I liked his page layouts and he captured the action nicely. The story by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning wasn't the best though. There are some confusing story elements at the beginning as I'm not sure if Superman was posing as Bruce or if the dialogue is off. Anyway, the action kicks into full gear right away and is non-stop right through to the finish. I believe the ending is a nod to the Injustice League arc over in "Justice League of America" which would have made this story a little better continuity-wise if this book had come first.

Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters #3 of 8

First off, I didn't realize how big this team is. There are lots of characters introduced in this issue and I'm not sure I could keep track of everything that was going on. I was a big Ray fan back in the 90s and I wish Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti would bring him to the forefront a little. This issue we get a little background on the new Doll Man and I really like Gray & Palmiotti's characterization here. I'm still digging Red Bee's development as well. Overall the issue was a bit frenetic with all of the characters and, at times, got a bit wordy, but I enjoyed it. Renato Arlem's art is more impressive in this issue, but on page one he falls back to the pink panties - now on Phantom Lady.

The only real complaint that I have about this series is that it doesn't seem that it is happening on "New Earth". Yes, there are mentions of Superman, Amazon Attacks, etc. but the SHADE organization and U.S. government seems to be from some other Earth. It is a good story but it just doesn't fit into the current DCU "New Earth" continuity.

Countdown Presents: Lord Havok and the Extremists #2 of 8

As I said in the previous post, I'm a lazy comics buyer. I didn't like issue #1 of this miniseries as seen here Issue #1 review. I was going to put this one back on the rack but seeing the Challengers from Beyond from "Countdown" I decided I could at least read this Earth's version of those events. Also with Lord Havok showing up over in "Countdown" I figured this would connect the dots a bit.

While this miniseries is not really that good, I found issue #2 to be much better than the first issue. Now, that isn't saying a lot, but it did Frank Tieri did present a better story fleshing out the background of some of the characters and bringing in Monarch to liven things up. Liam Sharp and Rob Hunter's art is pretty good. It doesn't have the rushed look that a lot of the books coming out lately have.

Proving that I'm a true "Countdown" mark, I'll probably keep getting this series to get a full understanding of who's who in the Final Crisis to come.

52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen #4 of 6

I'm truly a lazy comic buyer. I had "52" and now have "Countdown" on my pull list. My local comics shop, being good capitalists, generally pull any miniseries that have that tag line. I didn't much care for the first three issues of "52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen", but I continue to buy it. I mean - It is in my box. I might as well just get it. Well, issue #3 popped up this week and I must say that writer Keith Giffen has turned the corner on this. While it pales in comparison to "52" and doesn't really continue that story, it does try to wrap up the Four Horsemen storyline that set off Black Adam on his World War III rampage. I have always been a fan of Giffen but I felt the first three of issues of this were awkward and wordy. This issue, however, have the seeds laid in "52" and the first couple of issues bearing interesting fruit. I like Giffens use of Snapper Carr here and his characterization of the Trinity. Wonder Woman is a bad ass here. Batman's interactions with both Snapper and Superman are sharp and Superman while injured shows some brains behind the brawn.

While I like Mark Waid's version of Dr. Caulder over in "Brave and the Bold" better, I liked seeing the Doom Patrol in a real fight. While the art by penciller Pat Olliffe and inker Johan Stanisci isn't "knock you out" spectacular it does serve the story quite well. The character designs for the Four Horsemen are somehwhat goofy but Olliffe nails the Trinity and gets good emotion out of his art.

While this miniseries is not a must have, issue #4 takes the story and propels it forward with gusto. While I was ho-hum on this miniseries, Giffen won me over here and I'm looking forward to the closing chapters.

The Walking Dead #44

I finally caught up on all of the TPBs for "The Walking Dead" and hit real time with the monthlies this month. Issue #44 kicks off the "No One is Safe" storyline and it does so with quite a bang. Writer Robert Kirkman delivers on this title every month. He has established an interesting world to play in. All of the characters are individuals with their own agendas, backgrounds, and depth. Once again, we see that the zombies aren't the only inhuman beings inhabiting Kirkman's world. With the return of the Governor and his army, Rick's crew at the prison are in a tight spot. Kirkman does an excellent job of setting up the action and letting the scene play out in a realistic manner. Charlie Adlard continues to provide excellent art giving each character a unique look while conveying the action in an interesting manner.

"No One is Safe" is an apt tag line for what looks to be an exciting race to issue #50.

Countdown to Final Crisis #22

The first few pages of issue #22 deal with Mary Marvel and Eclipso. On a whole I like what DC has done with the Eclipso character. I thought we were going to see the rise of a powerful Mary Marvel, but we get a whiney brat instead. I get it she has trust issues, lets move on.

The next plot deals with Jimmy Olsen. How he fits into all of this, I'm not sure. Is he the vessel for the dying New Gods? I don't know. I do know that continuity gaffs hurt this storyline. I've been reading "The Death of the New Gods" and I know that Mister Miracle is in subdued gray mode now. Here he is presented in full circus color mode. Also, at no time in "The Death of the New Gods" did Mister Miracle leave the company of Orion and Superman. When did he get the time to go meet up with Jimmy? I'm still looking for this plot line to add up to something interesting.

After a brief fifth dimension interlude we are treated to more "funny" gay jokes with Piper and Trickster. Both of these guys were great back in "The Flash" but know they are the punchline to "Countdown". The ending had me scratching my head and wondering why DC has spent so much time on these two.

The art isn't half bad but this issue was a step back from the past few weeks.

Batman and the Outsiders #2

I am really digging "Batman and the Outsiders". Writer Chuck Dixon has captured a fun tone along with getting the characterization of each player down. Issue #2 picks up right where #1 left off with the Outsiders going up against a new OMAC. Dixon keeps the story moving forward while showing off the individual characters and providing a bit of humor along the way. I truly enjoy his characterization of Martian Manhunter here, but I'm sad to see that he may be leaving the team.

The art is just plain outstanding. Penciller Carlos Rodriguez nails each team member and has a knack for the action set pieces. Inker Bit provides strong inking as well. I have to give it up to colorist Marta Martinez. I really like the painted look that is shown off in the book. Rodriguez even has shows a good understanding of the characters. This is evident when Grace takes Metamorpho's chopsticks and he changes one of his fingers into a spoon. The little nuances make this book.

"Batman and the Outsiders" is rapidly rising on my first read list and you should be picking it up.

Countdown to Final Crisis #23

"Countdown to Final Crisis" #23 gives the reader basically one linear story to follow with a short middle interlude. While I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Myxztplk, I found the scenes between him and Superman-Prime were done very well. Countdown has become synonymous with the slaughter of the B and C list characters in the DCU and I had my doubts that Mxy would make it out of this one alive. Writer Paul Dini with an assist from Keith Giffen pulls out an interesting story while Prime does his torturing. We get some background on Mr. Myxztplk and the Fifth Dimension and how it all might play in the upcoming crisis. I thought the interlude with Mary Marvel was a retread of her issues and didn't really move her story along. I was impressed by the art team's efforts here. Tom Derenick on pencils with Wayne Faucher on inks make a good team. The panel layouts were good with excellent character presentations.

While "Countdown" has been somewhat of a disappointment when compared to "52", I'm seeing that DC is trying to accelerate the story and provide the reader something to grasp onto. The book still rates low on my must read list, but I keep getting it hoping to see improvement.

Marvel Zombies 2 #2 of 5

I missed out on the whole "Marvel Zombies" craze. I read the "Ultimate Fantastic Four" TPB where they were introduced and found them interesting but not worth the time of buying the "Marvel Zombies" miniseries. However, after discovering "Invincible" and "The Walking Dead" by Robert Kirkman and then hearing that he wrote that series, I ordered the hard cover. I thoroughly enjoyed the "Marvel Zombies" story and Kirkman's writing. So, I walked over to the Marvel rack and picked up "Marvel Zombies 2", which as the original zombies returning to Earth after literally eating the rest of the galaxy. Kirkman has put together another fun story here and expands on his zombies mythos as well. The first issue was really shot out of a canon and moved fast while this issue takes some time out for a little character development. Sean Phillips does a great job with the art and has fun with the gory parts of a zombie tale.

I haven't read all of the other ancillary zombie books that came out over the past year. I've just stuck to the first and second miniseries. This one has started off with a bang and looks to be going in some very interesting directions. I look forward to seeing what Kirkman has in store.

The Death of the New Gods #3 of 8

I'm still not seeing the impact to the DCU if the New Gods are dying off. I get that they have a stake in it but I don't see how this fits into the overarching "Countdown to Final Crisis" storyline. Some hints are dropped but it hasn't added up to much yet. Having said that, I'm starting to get into the story here. I like Jim Starlin's characterization of Darkseid, Mister Miracle, and Orion. This issue turns the corner and makes the characters interesting and moves the story forward quite rapidly. Besides a few awkward renditions of Superman, Starlins art is outstanding in this issue. He does a fantastic job of capturing the power of Kirby's Fourth World creations. I like his page layouts as he continuously keeps in interesting while supporting the story.

If you are not a fan of Kirby's Fourth World creations, then this miniseries doesn't have much to offer. However, if you have enjoyed Starlin's past work, you might like what he is doing here. At this point this series does not seem critical or required reading for the "Countdown" enthusiast.

Green Latern Corps #18

Part 10 of "The Sinestro Corps War" has Sodam "ION" Yat going toe to toe with Superman "Ultimate Fanboy" Prime. Of course, the fate of some of the players here have been spoiled over in "Countdown" which did reduce some of the dramatic tension. Writer Peter J.Tomasi does a fine job of interleaving a hard hitting fight scene with flashes back to Sodam's past. The flash backs really provide a good bit of character development on Sodam and show why he's so dedicated to the Corps. The art team does a great job of pulling together both the bloody fight scene and the flash backs.

While the outcome of this fight is truly spoiled over in "Countdown", I felt that Tomasi's story played out quite nicely with good art in support.

Blue Beetle #21

I dread when a series brings on a guest writer and artist to fill in while the regular creative team catches up. When I heard "Blue Beetle" #21 would not be the regular team I had my usual reservations. I was pleasantly surprised by Andy Kuhn's art and found that he stuck pretty much to the look and feel of the usual "Blue Beetle". Justin Peniston's writing could use a little tweaking in the transition department. Some of the transitions from scene to scene were quite abrupt and, at times, had me looking to see if I missed a page. I'm not up to speed on the who's who in the Spectre's current continuity and I'm not sure I like the goatee look he's sporting here.

Given my starting reservations, I enjoyed this read and found that Peniston did a good job of moving the plot forward with admirable backup from artist Kuhn.

Superman Annual #13

Up front I have to say that with all of the delays and fill-ins it has been hard keeping track of the "Camelot Falls" storyline. While writer Kurt Busiek does a fine job with Superman, the issue breaks and delay have hurt the flow of this story. I had to rack my brain a little bit to even remember what Arion's deal was and how we got to where we are now. I am guessing that with his recent replacement that artist Carlos Pacheco is the main culprit in all of these delays. Busiek does a decent job of providing the reader a little time to catch up utilizing the Phantom Stranger for good effect. I like Busiek's use of Superman's thoughts to help fill the reader in on the happenings. The ending to "Camelot Falls" isn't truly epic and kind of peters out as it crosses the finish line. Maybe future stories with the villian Khyber will provide some excitement but at this point all I can do is yawn.

Pacheco and Jesus Merino share the art duties on this issue and do a fine job with all of the action. The varied page presentations keep the story flowing well.

Busiek and Fabian Nicieza's backup story "The Best Day" is a throwback to the "Superman Family" reads of the 70s with Superman and his family visiting a lush and vibrant planet. Even though he still draws the big boned (I won't say "fat") Supergirl, Renato Guedes art is very good here. My son commented, "Dad, Guedes' art is really good, but he still can't draw Supergirl."

If you are interested in finishing up the "Camelot Falls" storyline then this issue is for you. If not, then by passing it won't hurt your future DC reading.

All Star Batman and Robin #8

Frank Miller once again dives into the crazy world of the "Goddamn Batman" presenting an interesting version of the Joker. While Miller's ASBAR Batman come across as a bit off kilter, his Joker is a complete sociopath. The Joker presented here is unlike any version of the Joker that I've read. He's truly evil. I really enjoy Miller's dialogue when Batman talks to Dick and then later to Hal "Green Lantern" Jordan. The Hal Jordan conversion is very funny. Jim Lee's art is quite good with the exception of the Joker's Nazi hench-woman. I'm not sure why he felt the need to have swastika pasties. Lee's art makes this book.

While ASBAR is nowhere near as good as All Star Superman, it is an interesting version of Batman to be sure. I'm just not sure if what I'm reading is intentionally funny or not.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #36

"Supergirl and teh Legion of Super-Heroes" #36 picks up the action right where #35 left off. From my last review I found the search for Cosmic Boy to be quite tedious, but this issue looks to resolve that issue. Writer Tony Bedard is wrapping up his run to turn over the reigns to returning Legion writer Jim Shooter. To that end, Bedard has a lot happening in this issue. This is the first issue of Legion that I have enjoyed in a long time. While Calero's art hasn't been to my liking, I really dug it here. Both Calero and colorist Nathan Eyring's art is spot on in this issue capturing the both the darkness presented and the hope for the future. I believe Bedard has left the Legion in a good spot for Shooter to start spinning his tales.

With all of the changes in the last few issues to the core group, Tony Bedard has provide an excellent jumping on point for new readers and for Jim Shooter.

Countdown Presents The Search for Ray Palmer: Gotham by Gaslight

In this issue of the challengers search for Ray Palmer, we find them on Earth 19, otherwise known as the Earth from the Elseworld Gotham by Gaslight. Bob explains it best, "A world identical to your Earth during the time period known as the Victorian Era". Of all of the search for Ray Palmer books, I enjoyed this one the most. I didn't read "Gotham by Gaslight" but really liked the characterization of this Earth's Batman and Blue Beetle. Writer Brian Augustyn has fun with all of the characters here and does a good job of moving the team from point A to point B. Of course, once again, Ray Palmer isn't found, but the book is still and enjoyable read. The art by penciller Greg Tocchini and a gaggle of inkers is actually quite consistent and good. Tocchini does an excellent job of conveying both action and emotion.

While not a must read to keep up on all things "Countdown", I found this to be best of the bunch for the Ray Palmer books - faint praise if you've read the other books.

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.