8 Reviews for a Rainy Day!

All-New X-Men #6: 8/10. While this issue wasn't as good as #5, but as always the story was great. I think that I can happily say that this is the best series I'm reading now.

Avengers #3: 7/10. I think this issue was the best of the series so far, but I don't think this series has necessarily as great as possible.

New Avengers #2: 8/10. Hickman's much better Avengers series, focusing on the Illuminati, kicks into high gear despite the amounts of talking in the issue.

Young Avengers #1: 9/10. This. Issue. Was. Awesome. And that finale! Oh damn. I don't know what could be better. Except....

Green Lantern: New Guardians #16: 10/10. Best issue of this entire series so far. I mean come on!!! White. Lantern. Kyle. Rayner!!!!

Batman #16: 8/10. I have to say, out of this entire issue...the back-up was the best part of the issue. I enjoyed Joker taking down Riddler, Two-Face, & Penguin like they were nothing. But the issue was still good.

Green Lantern #16: 7.5. The pent ultimate issue of "Rise of the Third Army" wasn't anything special. Honestly it was about average.

Justice League #16: 8.5/10. "Throne of Atlantis" continues to please, especially when Cyborg calls for "reinforcements" as the rest of the team has been incapacitated. Oh and that Shazam! back-up is awesome.

The Dark Knight Rises Review

The Christopher Nolan trilogy of “Batman” movies comes to an explosive end in “The Dark Knight Rises.” Starring Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Tom Hardy, “Rises” picks up eight years after the events of “The Dark Knight” when Gotham is in a time of peace. The Nolan brothers deliver an amazing script, which the cast performs to near perfection. I have to say, Anne Hathaway’s Selina Kyle/Catwoman alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Detective Blake are the breakout stars of the movie as no one really was sure how well their characters would end up being portrayed.

I felt as if I was on the edge of my seat for the entire movie, between the threat of Gotham’s destruction and whether Bale’s Batman would survive the movie kept me awake even to 3am when the movie ended. The editing was as smooth as silk, the directing was phenomenal, and the soundtrack fit the movie. My only issues with the movie were Selina Kyle and Bane’s costume designs. They were all right for what they were and they didn’t take much away from the movie, but they left something to be desired. While Bane had a larger threat to Gotham and Batman, no one could ever surpass Heath Ledger’s Joker from “The Dark Knight.” But in the explosive scene where Bane “breaks the Bat,” we see how dangerous he truly can be.

The movie was definitely meant to be seen as part three, so if you haven’t seen “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight” you should definitely get them from Netflix, find them on youtube, or however else you might watch old movies. If you have an extra three hours this summer, and if you’ve seen the first two movies, I would suggest heading to the movie theatre closest to you and watching “The Dark Knight Rises.” Even though it is the definite end to Nolan’s work on the Batman, they still managed to leave a cliffhanger having myself and others wanting more. If I had to give it a score on a scale of 1-10, it’d be at least an 8.5.

Blue Beetle #11 Review!

Cover to Blue Beetle #11 by Paul Renaud

Blue Beetle #11

Written by: Tony Bedard

Art by: Ig Guara & J.P. Mayer

Issue title: "All That Glitters"

So normally I don't buy this series, obviously, but I can't resist buying an issue with Booster in it. So without further wait, I present my review of Blue Beetle #11.

Summary:

• The issue opens with a newscaster lady named Connie Burnett is interviewing a guy who is anti-superheroes named Thaddeus Miller and Booster Gold who is promoting supers, obviously
• Blue Beetle becomes the main focus of the conversation
• Booster announces that he wants to meet with Beetle and help him get his super-hero career together
• Meanwhile, Jaime is walking down the street in NYC and is talking to the Beetle scarab thingy and decides he wants to meet with Booster and has the scarab set up a meeting
• Later, when Beetle and Booster are set to meet, Booster seems kinda pissed since Jaime arrived late
• Booster begins fighting Beetle and explains why he did so, which is the fact that Booster knows his 25th Century History and mentions an invasion from the Reach Empire (which is where the scarab came from) to Earth and he wants to wipe Beetle out before the Reach gets worse
• Eventually Booster takes down Beetle, but Jaime's grandma (????) steps in between and stops Booster from killing Jaime
• (This will be continued in the Justice League International Annual next month apparently)

Thoughts

I really enjoyed this issue. Not enough that I'd spend another $2.99 monthly, which is a shame because if I had the money I would buy it. I really need a job... Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this issue and I now can't wait to see what this annual is all about. I kind of hope to see the Blue & Gold become best buds again, and hopefully since JLI is getting cancelled we can see more of Booster here in Blue Beetle, but in the meantime, it was a good impulse buy. Good writing, good art, solid cliffhanger for the ongoing series. 8/10

I have to say, Beetle did put up a good fight against Booster there for a while.

Earth-2 #3 Review!

Cover to Earth-2 #3 by Ivan Reis & Joe Prado

Earth-2 #3

Written by: James Robinson

Art by: Nicola Scott & Trevor Scott

Issue title: "Jade Knight"

Summary

• Alan Scott wakes up in the middle of the crash and wanders to a green light
• The light tells him that it is the power of the Earth and that he's the chosen one to contain the power the light contains
• Jay/Flash and Kendra/Hawkgirl are talking for a bit when Kendra randomly attacks him
• Jay and Kendra go at it for a minute til she takes Jay down and then helps him up
• Jay agrees to team up with Kendra (kind of) as "everything" is dying
• Back with Alan, he agrees to take the mantle of Green Lantern
• We see him in his pretty badass-looking GL outfit
• Meanwhile an unseen enemy notices that the Green has chosen a champion (Alan) and "in the name of the Grey" he must awaken
• He is killing everything in Virginia
• Alan and the light form his engagement ring that he was gonna use to propose to Sam (who's dead, bee-tee-dubs) into a GL ring
• Alan saves the survivors from the train crash and swears that everything he does as Green Lantern will be in Sam's honor
• Meanwhile, the Grey's champion kills stuff in Washington, D.C. and we see its Solomon Grundy(!!!!!!)

Thoughts

I have almost no issues here, minus one: Alan got over Sam really quick. But maybe that's just me, because I've never lost someone as close as my fiancee-to-be and then have a Green Light claim it's the Earth's energy and give me all it's power. Soooo yeah. This issue was amazing nonetheless and frickin' Solomon Grundy is the villain!!! That made up for the Sam thing. Green Lantern. Flash. Hawkgirl. Solomon Grundy. That's enough of a great cast to make an amazing book. 10/10

The Flash #10 Review

Cover to The Flash #10 by Francis Manapul

The Flash #10
Written by: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Art by: Marcus To & Ray McCarthy

Summary

• The issue opens with some guy named Claudio getting killed two years ago while he's on the phone with his brother, Marco
• Turns out Marco is Weather Wizard
• Flash gives us a run-down on what's been happening the last few issues 
• Flash is fighting off Weather Wizard, who has apparently kidnapped Flash's girlfriend, Patty
• Barry keeps letting his mind wander to Patty during the fight
• Apparently Weather Wizard unleashes a flood, which Barry drags with his super-speed to a large body of water
• He eventually catches up with Marco again, who is confused as to why Flash would think he kidnapped Patty, as she was investigating his brother's murder
• Meanwhile, Patty is talking with some dude who has been captured along with her named "The Spider" (no super-powers, as far as I can tell)
• Turns out there is a whole Italian-Gang-styled rivalry between families going on
• Marco's brother, Claudio, was the head of the Mardon Family and he was going to gain peace with their rivals by giving up a bunch of Mardon territory
• Claudio's wife, Elsa, killed him to keep from losing the land and to re-spark the violence
• Patty figures out that Elsa is going to kill them
• Meanwhile, Flash takes down Elsa and Marco
• Barry begins interrogating Marco for information
• Elsa admits to having Patty captured
• Flash takes down the thugs guarding Patty
• Marco kills Elsa by shocking himself and her with lightning
• Lisa Snart, now known as Glider, takes Marco away
• Barry somehow comes to the conclusion that he can't ever tell Patty that he's alive and that he is the Flash

Thoughts

The issue started out strong, stayed good for most of it, but then that last page really frustrated me. If anything, now is the time for Barry to tell Patty that he is still alive and all that stuff. But whatever, I'll stop complaining about it. As for the story, I'm really enjoying it overall and I'm really glad that the Rogues have begun coming together. I have to say that I've noticed since the New 52 began, a lot of the series have lost the narration aspect of it the story, but this is one series (much like Teen Titans and Batman) that hasn't lost that. That definitely is a plus in my book. Another thing, I know that it was an odd decision for Barry to not tell Patty, but for those of us reading this series that wish he and Iris would get together, this may be that very chance to see them get together. Now that Patty thinks Barry is dead and gone, she'll be moving on. So why not have Barry jump back into the past and find good old Iris West? (Which could also pave the way for our introduction to New 52 Wally West? Just a thought.) And also, Marcus To's art was and is phenominal. And while yes, I love Francis Manapul's artwork and style for Flash, I thoroughly enjoy To's art and cannot wait til next month to see it again. It may very well get me to start reading Batwing. This issue gets an 8/10.

Barry: "How do you say 'Excuse me while I use my super-speed to 'draft' millions of gallons of water behind me, so it doesn't flood your town' in Spanish?"

Teen Titans #10 Review!

Cover to Teen Titans #10 by Brett Booth

Teen Titans #10

Written by: Scott Lobdell

Art by: Brett Booth & Norm Rapmund

Summary

• The team wakes up on Mystery Island
• Bart saves the team from a dinosaur who is attacking them
• Cassie and Kon-El come out of their little underground hatch where they left off at the end of Superboy #10
• Cassie has a character change and actually smiles (!!!)
• Meanwhile, Tim gets pissy with the rest of the group and flies off to "do some recon"
• Bunker gets Tim to vent about how everything has just completely fallen apart
• Tim gets pissy and tells Miguel to just back off, but he refuses to do so and attempts to help in whatever way possible
• Cassie and Kon-El snatch Tim and Miguel into hugs
• Later, Cassie and Kon-El are seen sitting apart from the group discussing whether to tell the rest about where they are
• Tim tells Miguel that the Titans are done but Miguel won't have it
• Bart and Kiran are having a, erm, good time on their own
• Tim and Miguel are still going back and forth about whether or not the Titans should continue
• Kon-El asks if he could talk to Tim for a moment, so Miguel and Tim put their conversation on hold
• Danny the Street's bricks begin falling to the ground
• Danny tells the team that as his final act as a member of the team, he will return them to New York
• This final act kills Danny, by the way
• Meanwhile, Amanda Waller wishes she didn't have to get involved in the lives of young metahumans, but she has to

Thoughts

Maybe I just never noticed it before, but between Superboy and Teen Titans #10, I noticed that these teenagers don't really talk like teenagers. But beyond that, I don't have an issue with this series. I love the art (so glad Brett Booth is back) and I'm glad the team is finally connecting with one another. And I'm glad that Danny the Street is gone. Finally. But I feel like they took the easy way off of Mystery Island. And the Amanda Waller thing makes me wonder if maybe we'll eventually see a Suicide Squad/Teen Titans crossover? That'd be very interesting. 

The issue gets a solid 9/10. 

Bunker: "Honestly, none of us has time for crisis of leadership nonsense. You gathered us under your banner. You convinced us that together we could be stronger than we are alone. That means you don't have the luxury of falling apart or walking away when things go wrong. So buck up, Red Robin--or buck off."

The last panel of Danny the Street. Thank God.

Most Viewed Posts in June 2012

The post that got the most views was Teen Titans #10's Preview.

Coming in second was the Previews for 6/27/2012

Third was my Superboy #10 Review

Fourth was the review of Earth-2 #2

The fifth most viewed was the Teen Titans Annual preview (for the second month in a row)

and the sixth most viewed was my interview with Scott Lobdell from after the Annual last month.

Superboy #10 Review

Hey, folks. So I know everyone is talking about all the "Avengers vs. X-Men" stuff and the whole "Phoenix Five" thing, but I'm not really interested. I'll keep up on the plotline without paying $3.99 every two weeks, thank you. But what I am interested in, is keeping up with what is going on over in Teen Titans. And this issue happens to lead into what happens in #10 of Teen Titans apparently so I figured "Eh, why not." So while that doesn't seem very hopeful or optimistic about this issue... I'm actually looking forward to it. Haha. So without further adieu...

Superboy #10 cover by Scott Clark

Superboy #10

Written by: Scott Lobdell

Guest-Art by: Sebastian Fiumara 

Summary

• Superboy and Wonder Girl wake up together on the beaches of Mystery Island
• WG is still pissed at SB about how he kicked her ass in Teen Titans #4 and 5
• SB basically summarizes everything that the Titans have done for him thusfar in his own personal thoughts
• He and WG begin fighting about how the Titans gave everything to find and save SB from N.O.W.H.E.R.E.
• Then...a T. Rex comes and chomps down on SB
• WG kicks the dino's ass halfway across the island until they both manage to take out the raging beast
• Later, at night, WG is bathing and SB "just so happens" to walk up
• Umm...Superboy does some perverted things in this scene, just saying
• Later that night, Cassie and Kon-El have some bonding time sitting around a fire
• Kon-El (can he finally call himself "Conner" now?) learns how good food can be
• He asks Cassie about her powers and such and she flies off and gets all pissy with him
• He goes and calms her down and they almost kiss, but she punches him away (HA!)
• Then they realize the dino (who they tied up, I guess?) disappeared
• They walk down a little trap door's stairwell until they pop out on the other side, upside down, with a dinosaur about to chomp their heads off

Thoughts

I don't know. I don't think this issue was all that awful. But I think the dialogue was kind of poor. I don't think teenagers talk that way. I mean... I'm a teenager. I would know. And also the bit about Superboy using his tactile telekinesis to take a peek at Cassie was extremely awkward, but I guess a real guy would do something like that... But besides that, I liked this issue. I thought it was amusing but serious at the same time. So it worked. I give it a 8/10.

On the next page she punches him. That was hilarious. Hahaha.

Green Lantern #10 Review!

Cover to Green Lantern #10 by Doug Mahnke

Okay so I know that everyone has been talking about the big announcement that came in Batman #10 (which is also sitting here in my lap) but I figured I'd get the finale of "the Secrets of the Indigo Tribe" done and overwith so we can get to some big announcements. Though I honestly think that I liked GL more. Just so you know.

Green Lantern #10
Written by: Geoff Johns
Art by: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, & Tom Nguyen

Summary

• The former-Indigos are now attacking Hal and Sinestro because their rings are shut off
• Black Hand took his Indigo ring off and tosses it away and tries to run away
• Hal & Sinestro come upon Natromo
• Sinestro threatens him to fix the Indigo Battery
• Hal convinces Sinestro that "Fear isn't the answer."
• Sinestro runs off with a drained ring to fight the non-Indigos
• Natromo tries to recreate the Power Battery but fails
• Then Iroque (aka Indigo-1) walks up and ignites some compassion in her ring which Natromo uses to recreate the battery
• Then the entire Tribe goes back on-line except Black Hand who jumps off a cliff to avoid the Indigo ring
• He dies upon hitting the ground
• His Indigo ring goes in search of a replacement in 2814 (think that will come up later? DUHHHH!) 
• Indigo-1 asks Hal is he truly believes Sinestro can be a hero again, to which he says that he wants to believe it
• Then  Black Lantern ring (!!!!) comes and "Rise"s Black Hand, who says he wants to go home

Thoughts

I really loved this issue. Between Iroque having real compassion and Black Hand becoming a Black Lantern again, there wasn't a single thing about this issue that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. And is it just me or did Doug Mahnke's art look better than ever? Just saying. 10/10

ohmigodohmigodohmigod WHATTTT!?

• zxdctxsz

New Guardians #8 and Batman: The Dark Knight #9 Reviews!

So I picked out two issues that were my two favorite issues out of the ones that I bought yesterday. Those two turned out to be Green Lantern: New Guardians #8 and Batman: The Dark Knight #9. First up...New Guardians.

Green Lantern: New Guardians #8 cover by Tyler Kirkham

Green Lantern: New Guardians #8

Written by: Tony Bedard

Art by: Tyler Kirkham & BATT

Summary

• The Korugarians are sentencing the Weaponer of Qward to death for his membership in the Sinestro Corps
• Arkillo saves him from death
• Arkillo questions the Weaponer about where everything is (Central Battery and what happened to the Corpsmen and such)
• Cuts back to an hour earlier with the New Guardians escaping from Invictus's base
• The New Guardians find out that the Sinestro Corps has been taken out
• Arkillo runs off
• Munk gets called away (for the stuff going on in "Secrets of the Indigo Tribe" over in Green Lantern)
• Bleez takes charge
• Back to Korugar...
• Arkillo and Weaponer fight off an army of Korugarians
• They escape into the sewers
• He explains how Sinestro and Hal took down the Sinestro Corps by themselves
• He reveals that he made his own Yellow Ring not connected to Sinestro's Corps.
• Arkillo accepts it and he attacks the approaching Korugarians

Thoughts

This was a really good issue. I can't believe I stopped buying this series...what is wrong with me?? Hahaha. I plan to buy this series again. Definitely for sure. Especially leading up to the Third Army event. Can't wait!!! Like I said yesterday...9.5/10

Arkillo is actually really cool. Just saying.

Batman: The Dark Knight #9 cover by David Finch

Batman: The Dark Knight #9

Written by: Judd Winick

Art by: David Finch & Richard Friend

Summary

• We see the Talon that was sent to kill Lincoln March
• He gets shot in the head by Lincoln (after he stabbed Lincoln in the chest)
• Cuts back to "Years ago" when the Talon was at Haly's Circus
• The Ringmaster killed him
• He walked out of it in a zombie-like state
• Then he became the Talon for the court but after a while, he became old and futile
• Turns out, this was the Talon who was supposed to be replaced by Dick
• He fails to assassinate a target
• The Court decides to replace him
• Back to the present when he fights Lincoln. Before Lincoln shot him, he tasered him as well
• Then Batman shows up and Lincoln pulls the trigger (this is all seen from Batman's POV in Batman #9, which I do believe I reviewed here)
• He wakes up and begins attacking Batman
• Bats knocks him out a window tot he ground
• We then see the Bat-family searching for the Talon, but he has escaped into the sewer

Thoughts

Just like New Guardians, I really enjoyed this issue. Granted it was Judd Winick's writing instead of David Finch's in this issue, so it was bound to be better. I am honestly reconsidering what series I will be buying from here on out after these two issues... So just like New Guardians, this issue gets a 9.5/10. Only reason it didn't get a 10/10 is that the cover and solicit lied and said Tim Drake would be starring in this issue. 

This is the only time you see Tim in this entire issue...

Earth-2 #2 Review! SPOILERS AHEAD!

Cover to Earth-2 #2 by Ivan Reis

So...wow. I already read this issue and I can't pick my jaw up off the floor from that cliffhanger. Let me just say this even before we get into things: GO BUY THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW. ITS WORTH THE $2.99. Even if you didn't get the first issue of the series for whatever reason, go buy this issue right now. Like shut down your computer and buy it this very moment. 1,000% worth it. Believe me. But anyway... I must warn you that I am so hyped up about this issue that there will be a fair amount of spoilers coming, so don't read this if you are planning on buying this issue in the foreseeable future. So...yeah. Below this line, the spoilers begin!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summary

• Michael Holt, aka Mister Terrific, appears on a street in NYC and realizes he isn't in Kansas anymore. Kansas being Earth-1, of course
• Some guy named Terry Sloan (who, it turns out, was the original Mr. Terrific in the old continuity at least...) addresses him as "Mr. Holt" even though he's in his Mr. Terrific get-up and just arrived there
• Mr. Sloan says he's going to have to take down Mr. Terrific for things that he is going to do
• Michael goes on the offensive and attacks but Sloan turns the attack right around on him, knocking Michael out(!!!)
• Mercury and Jay Garrick are talking about how Mercury is the last of the Gods and that he is dying
• Merc warns Jay that a new threat is coming, but Jay tells him all the heroes of Earth are dead (as seen in #1)
• Jay insists that if they get Merc to a hospital soon, they can save him from death, but Merc decides to shoot him with some lightning(!!), turning him into the Flash
• The World Army shows up
• Flash runs
• We see Alan Scott, still over in China, with his boyfriend Sam
• Back in New York, Jay is walking around secretively, as Merc had told him to not trust anyone
• Jay starts running around and he comes across a couple getting attacked by some crazy rats and saves them
• He runs off right after and begins using his powers to a higher extent, but then he stops in Poland
• Hawkgirl appears
• Back to Alan and Sam, they're on a train going to some cabin in the woods
• Alan proposes that Sam come and live in the U.S. with him (since he apparently lives in China) and that they get married
• The train blows up with a green glow inside the explosion

Thoughts

I can't believe how much I'm enjoying this series. I re-read the first issue right before I started reading this one and I enjoyed it just as much as I did last month and this issue was just as much up to those standards. At first, Jay's design seemed kind of forced but as the issue progressed, Nicola Scott's Jay Garrick became a lot more fluid and interesting, but at the same time it might just be because I've never seen the suit in action before. My only real problem with this issue is that they have seemingly "fridged" Sam so early into the series. I can't believe that. Maybe the green glow was Alan lighting up and protecting himself and his boyfriend. I'm really glad that Mister Terrific is going to be in this series, and not in his own. While his old series wasn't good, he can potentially make new fans and have his old fans come over to Earth-2. Overall, I give this issue a 10/10, just like last month.

Most Viewed Posts in May 2012

It's that time of month again, folks! The time when we get to see which of my posts were the most-viewed over the last 31 days. Oh and one more thing, I know this is a rather small goal, but I managed to break 1,000 views this month for the first time ever. I really thank you all for reading this! I know that I'm probably not getting anywhere near what X-Man & JT are getting over at their blog, but then again they've been at this for longer. So thanks for those of you who have been reading from the beginning and welcome to any new readers! But anyway, back to business...
This month the most viewed post was my interview with Brett Booth from right after Teen Titans Annual was released. Click the link here!
The second-most viewed post, coming in a not-so-close second place is the review of the Teen Titans Annual. You can read that here!
The third-most viewed post, which came in just two views behind the review of the Annual issue, is my interview with Scott Lobdell, which came in the same day as my interview with Brett Booth! Check that out here!
The next most viewed was the preview for Superboy #9, which was part of "the Culling" crossover. You can read that, even though the issue is already out, here!
The fifth-most viewed came again from the Teen Titans Annual and was the preview of the issue. You can check out that right here!

The Runner-Ups:
This month's runner-ups come in the forms of the Green Lantern #9 preview, Batman #9 review, my thoughts on the teased "Trinity War" event, The Confirmed Cast of Earth-2, & the Earth-2 #1 Review! Those are all links so click 'em up and read 'em if you want!

In any case, I'll be back in the coming weeks with a few interesting announcements about the blog and we'll get some interesting changes around here. I hope you guys are as excited as I am for the comics coming out this month and in the coming months! In any event, I'll see you again in a month for the most-viewed of June 2012. 

Justice League #9 Review!

Justice League #9

Written by: Geoff Johns

Art by: Jim Lee, Scott Williams, & Gary Frank (back-up story)

Summary

Justice League

-Apparently four years ago, David Graves was really old and sick and then killed his doctor and began his "journey"

-Back in the present, Steve Trevor (who is my least favorite character in this series now) is getting too much press

-Batman is in the Cave and learns that they Key broke in to Arkham

-Clark feels left out from lunch plans at the Daily Planet when Bruce "invites" him to lunch

-Then, shortly after at Arkham, Superman and Batman are taking down a bunch of inmates at Arkham, trying to get to the Key

-Then Steve Trevor gets kidnapped

-GL and Flash just took down Weapons Master

-Flash wants to be bad cop

-Fails miserably

-They call in Wonder Woman

-Supes, Bats, and Cyborg find Key in Arkham and he says that he wants to be locked away

-Key & Weapons Master both say that a man took everything they knew about the League and his name was Graves

-Trevor gets tortured and the new baddy claims that unless he tells him how to get onto the JL's satellite that he will kill Trevor's family

-Trevor tells him that he will tell him everything

Shazam!

-It's Billy's first day of school

-Some rich kids are bullying his foster family

-Billy kicks their asses

-He nearly gets expelled

-Billy threatens the kids again with their dad around and he grabs Billy and tells him that if he "even looks" at his kids again that he'll have to deal with their dad

-Billy's foster dad shoves him off 

-Billy tells him that he could've handled it himself

-Doctor Sivana comes across what seems to be the Tomb of Black Adam

-He gets shocked

-A lightning bolt star over his eye appears

-He claims he can see magic now

Thoughts

I really, really loved this issue. Idk what else to say, beyond that the art was great and that the story seems pretty good. Especially if Steve Trevor dies in this storyline. That'd be great, honestly. Can't wait for the rest of this storyline. I loved the character development. Can't wait for #10. Oh and my only issue with the Shazam story is that we haven't actually seem Shazam himself in a long ass time. This issue gets a 9/10.

The Flash: "All right, Weapons Master. You better, uh, talk or..."

Weapons Master: "Or what?"

The Flash: "Or I'm going to...I'm going to get really... Upset."

Weapons Master: "*tt* I'm not telling you anything."

Batman #9 Review

Batman #9

Written by: Scott Snyder; Back-Up Story Written by: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV

Art by: Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion; Back-Up Story Art by: Rafael Alburquerque

Issue title: “Night of the Owls”

Summary

The issue opens with Bruce, in his “Iron Giant” Batman suit fighting off like 10 Talons in the Cave. The Cave’s temperature is steadily dropping so that the Talons will slow down and be unable to fight back eventually. He is throwing out the freezing batarangs and taking down Talon after Talon. But then the Talons fight back and knock him down(!). They’re about to kill him, when the giant T-Rex comes to life(!!!) and begins stomping on them. Ha! Sure, those Owls might be able to fight Bats, but can they fight T-Rex’s??? The Talons stab the armor and are about to kill him, when a horde of bats fly out and somehow that scares the Talons and confuses them enough that he can kick their asses enough so that Alfred can come out and put a serum in their blood stream to keep them “on ice.” One Talon begins to escape, but Bruce hops in the Batmobile and knocks him out. We find out that all around the city, the majority of the Talon’s targets have been killed, but Robin, Nightwing, and the rest of the Bat-family are fighting to protect the city. Apparently there are two targets that are unprotected but still alive: One is Jeremiah Arkham & the other? Lincoln March, Bruce’s new friend and Gotham mayoral candidate. Apparently if you read Detective Comics #9, you can see Bruce defending Arkham from the Talons, but they skip ahead to when Bruce goes to help Lincoln. He walks into the room, Lincoln shoots a gun, and we realize he shot a Talon in the head that was about to kill Batty-Boy. Lincoln has a message for Bruce Wayne, which is that he found several names of the Court members, but he dies soon after since he was stabbed with a knife by the Talon. Bruce declares that he is going to take the fight to them now. The back-up story was all about Jarvis Pennyworth (Alfred’s dad) and how he came across the Talon and how it was hunting him down. The story ends with the Talon of his time standing above him, knives at the ready.

ThoughtsThis issue was really good. The first half was almost entirely fighting, and then Bruce went and found Lincoln about to die and this time, Lincoln saved Bruce’s life from a Talon. The art was amazing as always. I was sad to see Lincoln go, but I suppose that it’s just even more motivation for Bruce to fight. I cannot wait for next month’s issue, as always. This issue gets a 9.5/10.

Alfred: “Master Bruce. The Talons have been contained. I have news on the other assassination attempts, as well.”

Batman: “I know where they live, Alfred.”

Alfred: “But, sir—”

Batman: “They came to my house…now I’m going to burn theirs to the ground.”

Batman is such a fuckin badass!

Check out my review of Green Lantern #9 and my many other Opinions, Reviews, and Previews here on OPR. Next week, I will have reviews for Justice League #9 and in two weeks I will have reviews for The Flash & Teen Titans #9. 

Green Lantern #9 Review!

Green Lantern #9

Written by: Geoff Johns

Art by: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, & Tom Nguyen

Issue title: "The Secret of the Indigo Tribe" part 3

Summary

The issue opens with Sinestro being transformed into a Tribesmen and we see him remembering something from the past...his wife, who happens to be Abin Sur's sister, dying. Then we cut to the entire Tribe pinning Hal to the ground. Hal pushes them off, asks why the Tribe is attacking him and Indigo-1 states that they are trying to send him home but Hal will only leave with Sinestro. He leaves the Tribe behind and goes off to find the Indigo Central Battery, which is apparently in the "Forbidden Jungles." Then we see the Guardians killing Starstorm (the guy who helped Sinestro get the Book of Black in #6) since he doesn't know where the Book of Black is. Hal finds the battery and with it a man who isn't a member of the Tribe, but has their markings all over him. A lot of talking occurs with many revelations about the Tribe, which I won't reveal because of the fact that this issue is definitely worth reading asap. I will tell you, however, that the Guardians of the Universe will cause the "End of the Corps." Natromo (the old guy with the markings) tells Hal that once Abin returns to lead them, that they will attack the Guardians. Hal tells him that Abin is dead, and then Natromo simply states "It is over." and destroys the Indigo battery, at which time the Tribe appears and the entire Tribe goes "off-line." Sinestro wakes up as a GL again and we see the entire Tribe, without their power rings, as hardened criminals about to attack.

Thoughts

This issue was really, really good. I am really appreciating this attention towards the Indigo Tribe. The story is really, really good. I like that the Tribe wants to force Sinestro to be a member so as to make him atone for his sins. There were a lot of revelations in this issue and it’s really frustrating that I’m holding them back from you, but spoilers are too tempting to read if you haven’t read the issue already and, as I said earlier, this issue is worth reading. We found out that the Guardians will definitely be the enemies in an upcoming GL storyline and I can’t wait for more. This issue easily gets a 9.5/10.

Hal: “Sinestro?”

Sinestro: “Jordan?”

Hal: “You’re free. Uh. And so are they.”

Check in later for my review of Batman #9, which is part of the Night of the Owls crossover event!

Slight Change

So there is going to be a slight change in my comic scheduling, I will be getting Justice League, Batman, Green Lantern, and two new additions in The Flash & Teen Titans starting next month with #10. But that doesn't mean that I won't be getting JLI until August when the series ends, because I certainly will. Especially #12 where we will see Rocket Red's funeral and is also the last issue of the series. The only reason I'm changing it, is because DC decided to make it so they won't send Red Lanterns or Justice League International via mail anymore.

So in the coming months, here is what I think will be my list of comics:

1. Justice League #9-12 $3.99/issue (but free due to subscription)
2. Green Lantern #10-12 $2.99/issue (but free due to subscription)
3. Earth-2 #2-4 $2.99/issue
4. Worlds' Finest #2-4 $2.99/issue
5. Teen Titans #9-12 $2.99/issue (but free due to subscription)
6. Batman #10-12 $3.99/issue (but free due to subscription)
7. The Flash #10-12 $2.99/issue (but free due to subscription)
8. Justice League International #9-12 $2.99/issue
9. Detective Comics #10-12 $3.99/issue
10. Legion Lost #9 $2.99 (part of the Culling)
11. Superboy #9 $2.99 (part of the Culling)
12. DC Universe Presents #12 $2.99
13. Green Lantern Annual #1 $4.99
14. The Flash Annual #1 $4.99
15. Justice League International Annual #1 $4.99

And honestly, I've been considering getting Animal Man because of the new artist, so maybe even that series starting in August, too. I might just reboot my entire list of comics for September. It'll be the one year anniversary of the DC relaunch/reboot, after all. 

Worlds' Finest #1 Review!

Worlds' Finest #1

Written by: Paul Levitz

Art by: George Perez, Kevin Maguire, & Scott Koblish

This series is one of DC’s “Second Wave” titles, focusing on the heroes from Earth-2 named Power Girl and Huntress that happen to be stuck on the main Earth. That’s pretty much all you need to know. The issue explains the rest of it. But I would recommend reading Earth-2 #1 first. Even if only just to see what happened to get them here and what happened just before.

Summary

The issue opens with Helena Wayne (aka Huntress) and Karen Starr (aka Power Girl) in a Japanese restaurant. They’re deciding which identity Helena should take on since her old one (Helena Bertinelli) died and the body was recovered and is now officially dead to the world. We hear that Karen is a rich ass lady with a bunch of money from Starr Enterprises, that she owns, I guess. She apparently bought some dirt-cheap lab in Japan and that’s why they’re there. They run off and to a burning building (apparently it’s the one she bought). And hear that there is only one reason she bought that building and it is because they had the equipment to finish a “Quantum Tunneler.” Karen goes running in to make sure it’s okay and Helena follows inside, changes into her Huntress outfit, and finds out that this fire wasn’t an accident. We get a reference to Michael Holt (aka Mister Terrific) so that pretty much confirms that Karen’s sightings in the beginning of the New 52 were actually her. Karen explains that this quantum-doohickey would have potentially been their ticket home. Helena has given up hope on trying to get home but Karen hasn’t. Apparently some of the radioactives stored there are missing. Then we cut back to five years ago on Earth-2. Karen & Robin go flying straight into the boom tube thing that took them to the main Earth. Then we see inside the tube. Karen and Hel are like knocked unconscious and go flying through the Multiverse. They open over an ocean, crash land, and Robin (Hel) takes Karen and drags her to shore. When Karen wakes up, apparently Hel has been doing some snooping around and figures out that the Kal of this world is young (while showing a picture of him in his Action Comics t-shirt and jeans outfit). Then we cut to “59 Months Ago.” Which would be…what? Still nearly 5 years ago? They’re talking about how they will take down Darkseid for killing their loved ones. Helena says they need “outfits.” Meaning new identities…? Okay. Well then we see Karen on the cover of Time magazine, and Hel bursts into...let's just say an "illegal transaction" going on and takes down the guys there. We cut back to the "now" and we see Karen pull out a outfit and saying that she'll become Power Girl as her new identity for the new world. They race to find the saboteur and, obviously, Karen does first and gets punched through a wall and then we meet Hakkou, the Irradiated Man as they get ready to battle, ending the issue.

Thoughts
This was really good, too! This whole Earth-2 thing is so much better than the New 52 started out. Can't believe they didn't set this up 9 months ago! This was all amazing. I loved the humor and fun that went along with the seriousness of them realizing they lost family and friends in Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman (seen in Earth-2). Nothing was really surprising or anything, but it was a really good issue. I can't wait for next month. But I'm not sure about this Hakkou guy. I mean, sure, they can't immediately jump into getting back to Earth-2 but I'd like to see them have a Multiverse-travelling storyline at some point as they try to get back. But it was good, nonetheless. 9.5/10

Earth-2 #1 Review!

Earth-2 #1

Written by: James Robinson

Art by: Nicola Scott & Trevor Scott

Summary

The issue opens with us being introduced to an Earth-2 that has been taken over by parademons, with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin (Helena Wayne), and Supergirl (Karen Starr) as the only heroes in the entire world. But Batman has a plan to take down the parademons and all it will take to execute is Kal & Diana giving him time to make sure it gets followed-through. We quickly find out that not only is Diana the last of the Amazons, but that Kal has lost Lois. Bruce keeps on pushing through to a tower that is apparently controlling the parademons. We find out that Supergirl is patrolling the troops that are leading the back-up plan to nuke all sites that have parademon tower things if Batman's plan fails. Kal, Diana, and Bruce all fight as an amazing team. We hear more about Bruce's plan as he was telling it to Diana and Kal. Then, Mercury (yes, the God Mercury) appears to tell Diana that the Gods are dying and that he will likely die in the battle, too. So Diana becomes enraged and begins fighting extra hard against a whole horde of parademons, when out of nowhere Steppenwolf (who apparently was leading the parademons) appears and kills Diana(!?!?!?!?!?). Kal declares that he will kill Steppenwolf, but he blows up Kal(!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?), killing him. Supergirl figures that out and flies to Metropolis to see what happened. Back in the tower that Bruce is inside of, he inserts a virus into the system and explains to Helena that once he inserts the virus it will blow up  all the towers including the one with Bruce inside(!!!). He activates it and boom boom goes the towers all across the world. Then a boom tube opens and has someone standing inside it. Helena & Karen fly into the tube and that's where it leads into Worlds' Finest #1 (which I'll review later). Then we cut to Alan Scott who was narrating the issue from his own little iPad-looking device. Apparently it's the 5th anniversary since they saved the world. Alan is flying to China and he mentions "What's left of Italy" and then we see a bunch of gaping holes. We then cut to Michigan where we see Jay Garrick's girlfriend leaving him for the west coast saying that all he will ever be to her is a few happy memories. Then he's sitting there on a hill drinking some drink talking about how his life sucks when Mercury(!!!) crash-lands and says that the world doesn't have a hero, but it needs one, effectively ending a extremely amazing opening issue.

Thoughts

This issue was PERFECT!!! I loved everything about it!! The art was amazing, the dialogue was perfect, and I'm so glad we got to see Jay and Alan in this issue. I could feel Helena's heartache as she realized her dad was about to die and I couldn't help but laugh at Jay's expression when he first saw Mercury. This series is going to be AMAZING!! I cannot wait a month for the next issue...but it's better than waiting three months for the first. 10/10 easily.

Most Viewed Post in April 2012!

Trinity War!?!?!? DC's 2013 Event!? (SEMI)-SPOILERS BELOW!!
Teen Titans #8 Review!
My Favorite New 52 Series Thusfar?
Batwing #9 to start Marcus To's Art Run
Teen Titans Annual #1 Preview!

Teen Titans #8 Review!

Teen Titans #8
Written by: Scott Lobdell
Art by: Ig Guara & JP Mayer

Summary
The issue opens with Red Robin being turned into, well...a bird. Apparently, the Titans launched an assault on N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s (that is a lot to type...) base on the North Pole and the team has seemingly been captured and is being tortured by Omen. It turns out that, at least one of, Harvest's (the big bad guy running N.O.W.H.E.R.E.) powers is to be able to turn the teenaged metahumans against one another. Wonder Girl is trying to free Red Robin, while Solstice and Bunker take some time to relax and think things through. Omen decides to stop transforming Red Robin into a bird and even reverts him back to human form for some reason. Then after Omen rants to Tim for a little, she sends him off to Harvest. Since I'm feeling lazy, the rest of the Titans get taken down one by one. The main interesting thing that we find out in the issue is that Wonder Girl's powers aren't actually her's, it's her armor and such that give her the metahuman abilities and also that she saved the life of "someone close to" her by getting the armor. Aaaaanyway, we also find out (as Brett Booth said the last time I talked to him which you can read here and I'll be talking to him again after the last issue of the Culling crossover is released next month) that Bart can survive without the suit on for limited periods of time and that somehow the fact that he is having weird memories and the injuries he got from fighting Superboy are related. Interesting. At the end of the issue, the entire team is in their New 52-Superboy-esque outfits (also: Superboy was missing entirely from this issue. Just saying) get taken by a guy named Leash(???) who looks exactly like Bunker(!?) but it isn't him. Same color scheme, though. And he's got the little hat thing, too. Weird... Anyway, he ties the team up and they teleport away to wherever Harvest wants them to be. And to cap off the issue, Omen simply states "Hail Harvest."
Thoughts
This issue was really good...for a filler issue. It certainly set up well for the crossover that starts in a week(!!!). I liked it, it set up some interesting stuff that I would like to find out answers for if not in the Culling story, then in the months following soon after. I have a feeling some of the questions about Wonder Girl and Kid Flash's back stories will be answered soon enough. Which is very good. My only gripe with the issue (which will be the same for next month) is the fact that Brett Booth's art isn't here. Not that Guara's art is bad, which is definitely isn't bad at all, it's just that Booth is one of my favorite artists and I think he works really well on Teen Titans. Can't wait til next week for Teen Titans Annual! This issue gets a 9/10!

And speaking of next week, I'm getting Teen Titans Annual #1 (with Brett's art! YAY!) and Earth-Two #1 which I have literally been waiting MONTHS for! Oh and Justice League International #9 and Red Lanterns #9 will both be coming out. But they aren't as cool as EARTH TWO AND TEEN TITANS ANNUAL WILL BE!!! See you all in less than a week!!

                                          Lol. Get it? Because his name is Red Robin, he's turning into a bird? ... Me neither.