Batman and Catwoman #22
This book has been a struggle since they killed Damian. The Damian/Bruce dynamic was a lot more interesting and effective than I expected it to be. Since then it hasn't felt like Bruce going through the five stages of grief, its felt like a handful of fill-in, one shots.
This was the best issue of the grief run. Mainly because we get some semblance of normal Batman back. Not the insane psycho that's been hard to read the last few months. Catwoman needs his help saving a little girl and Batman obliges. Its a pretty solid one and done Batman story despite all the weird, forced Carrie Kelly stuff that I'd rather ignore.
Batman and Robin, er Catwoman, er... Red Robin... whatever this book is doing it needs to get back on track cause its losing me. That's a shame because Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason are a great creative team.
Justice League of America #6
Easily the best issue of the title since its start. Probably because very few of the JLA are actually in it. Its pretty much a straight up Justice League issue.
Superman seemingly killed the fuck out of Dr. Light in the last issue. This issue is all fallout from that while Wonder Woman takes center stage and tries to find who made Pandora's Box and how to stop it. This issue stopped the fight between both Justice Leagues pretty abruptly. It takes the story in a different direction than I expected which I appreciate.
Gone is David Finch and in is Doug Mahnke. Mahnke is a vet who's not going to miss a beat. Its a move I'm pretty happy seeing made. For as much as Finch may get superstar status in some circles, I could just never see it. There's a depth to Mahnke's work that will give this story more than Finch would have.
The second issue of Trinity War puts this story on the right track.
Animal Man #22
One thing this book has never lost is its horror side. This issue basks in it. The Splinterfolk, people who have replaced parts of themselves with animal parts to become closer to the Red are seriously fucked up. Nice work by Jeff Lemire to think them up and by Steve Pugh to bring them to life.
At the end of the book we get a glimpse of the New 52s Brother Blood. I suppose it makes sense that he's brought in as an Animal Man villain. In the meantime Maxine is able to move between the real world and the Red and this issue shows just what she's capable of being the Avatar of the Red.
Great stuff by Lemire and Pugh this month.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #4
This is a damn enjoyable book. Keith Giffen and Pop Mhan are telling a really cool He-Man story for the 10 year old in all of us thirty year olds.
Teela has been captured by Hordak's forces, Castle Grayskull is under siege and He-Man has been taken to the depths of Grayskull to REALLY harness its power. That's not a homosexual euphemism. The good of this issue is that Keith Giffen takes a page out of Geoff Johns Aquaman book and makes fun of Mekaneck for us. But he also gives him some depth and made, me at least, appreciate the guy with the shitty power.
The bad is that he's already taken He-Man out of his usual costume and gave him something more beefed up, including a new sword, that more resembles a Final Fantasy sword than an actual weapon. Aren't Glamdring and Anduril pretty awesome swords? Can't He-Man's sword of power be modeled after them?
Aside from such a small gripe, this may be the He-Man ongoing I've been waiting for since I was a kid.
Nova #6
Being from the DC side of the tracks, I'm not too familiar with Paco Medina's work. But holy crap do I wanna be. I was initially put off when I saw the regular team of Jeff Loeb and Ed McGuinness wasn't on this issue, but new writer Zeb Wells and new artist Paco Medina gave just as amazing an issue.
Medina's work is styled like McGuinness, so there isn't a shock when you open the book and wonder if you picked up the wrong one. And I think I might like Medina's work better. Its super sharp, and super clean and makes me wish he'd do some DC stuff.
As for the issue? It was pretty solid. Wells does a nice job catching up with what happened to Sam Alexander in other books, before returning him to his regular life in his own title. I would have preferred to see his fight with the Phoenix Force and his meet up with Thor in this book, but that's comics for you.
The new creative team doesn't miss a beat in making Nova a must read.
Wonder Woman #22
I want to see more New Gods by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd say those words. This was a cool fucking issue and I can't wait to see more.
Orion has taken Wonder Woman and Co. to New Genesis to escape the First Born. Highfather, in a more badass version than I've ever seen before, isn't happy about it. Wonder Woman gets patched up, gets a quick tour, then gets sent home. Azzarello makes New Genesis more legit. He and Chiang eliminate any weird, quirky 1960s-ness originally conceived by Jack Kirby.
Sometimes this book leaves me wanting more. Other times it really delivers. This issue delivered.
Green Lantern: New Guardians #22
Justin Jordan and Brad Walker have turned New Guardians into one of my favorite books. They've made Kyle Rayner more likeable than he was under the previous regime.
Kyle and the also more likeable Templar Guardians have come across the mystery that is the giant alien named Relic. We don't yet know what his deal is, but its clearly bad for our heroes as he's capable of sucking the power from power rings. They also set up, what I think is a potential awkward 2/3 of a love triangle with Kyle and Carol Ferris. If Kyle steals my man's lady, I will fuck him up.
I can't help recommending this book. Jordan and Walker have hit the ground running.
Spread of the Week:
Brad Walker's really bringing his A-game in New Guardians.
-Gint
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