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LWIC: The Goshdarn Batman of 2 Worlds

Amazing Spider-Man #568

The last time Spidey donned his black costume Aunt May had just been shot and it looked as if she would not survive without some type of “divine” intervention.

The last time Spidey donned his black costume he was on an angry rampage and ready to do the “unheroic” thing and kill the Kingpin of Crime.

The last time Spidey donned his black costume it was the start of One More Day.

Good thing Spidey didn’t really wear the black costume in this issue even though it was on the cover, because another deal with the devil may have been made and piss of a lot of fanboys.

Apart from the fact that the image on the cover never happens in the issue, this was a real solid issue… in fact it was a great issue.

What seemed to look like a slow start by allowing any new readers to play catchup was a brilliant stroke to put every little detail together since this Brand New Day began. Peter’s rise and fall at the DB was addressed, the motivation behind the political race that has been featured recently, along with the connections between those two. The new rouges gallery of Brand New Day was also addressed along with the return of my favorite Venom - Eddie Brock.

What may be Spidey’s next big event started off perfectly and I look forward to next week’s (this week’s) issue.

Batgirl #2

I really should learn not to read forums with people’s opinion on comics I have yet to review. After reading the bashing of this series I feel as if I am the only one who is OK with how Cassandra Cain is being handled in this series.

Before you disregard my opinions and review because I don’t mind this series give me a chance to explain because I also have a valid reason on why I was also OK with Cassandra turning evil in Robin One Year Later.

Lets take Cassandra Cain as a character and look at what she has been though:

Lets begin with the “turning evil by being drugged” factor that everyone begins to complain about, it makes sense to me. Isn’t it a fact that those who are not secure and confident with who they are are more susceptible to drugs? Well Cassandra Cain was not secure with who she was when Slade drugged her. She was trained since birth to be an assassin, a cold blooded killer, who was changing her ways to not kill. She was also struggling with the fact that her fighting ability, what she was the best at, took a huge hit when she learned to talk. These two factors along helps to make the drugging by Deathstroke make sense.

Finally now that that is done, lets talk about this issue. Cassandra Cain is/was an assassin way before she ever was a hero, so for her to want to kill the her father and Deathstroke makes sense to me. One of the best parts about this issue, and the most complained about, is how Cassandra keeps reminding her sister, who was also breed as an assassin, not to kill. This interaction with her sister is perfect and clearly shows Cassie’s personal struggle with the fact that she wants to kill but she knows killing is not the heroic thing to do… or maybe she wants to keep her sister from killing so that she herself can have the honor of taking out Cain and Deathstroke.

Lastly, I have to give props to my friend Jack Purcell who inked this issue - Keep up the good work and don’t forget to put you signature on my copy of Gotham Underground when it comes out!

Birds of Prey #121

I wonder if the following went through Tony Bedard’s mind when he was assinged to write Birds of Prey:

“With Oracle being the hero of cyberspace, who would make an appropriate villain for my story? Speaking of stories, the ending of the Soprano’s sucked, if I were writing that show I would… wait a minute, I have an idea.”

It seems like cyberspace has it’s own little mafia going on. While part of me who digs corny stuff like that may think that it’s a cool idea, but it’s too corny to be believable… even for a comic book.

If you take about the corniness of the cyber-family and keep everything else, especially the part about Misfit at school and even the Joker, this is a really good comic.

Final Crisis - Legion Of 3 Worlds #1

One of my best accomplishments on ebay was scoring a huge almost complete 200+ run of Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (latter just Legion of Super-Heroes) from the late70s/early80s. The only other Legion of Super-Heroes book I have read is the current one on the stands. Needless to say that I do know know what happened with the Legion in the 80’s and 90’s.

Final Crisis - Legion of 3 Worlds starts off with a familiar version of the LOSH - the Legion who were just featured in Action Comics. This story picks up imediately after the events featured in Action Comics. What first feels like a sequel of the Action Comics arc, quickly shifts gears. As the LOSH is trying to undo the chaos created by Earthman and his Justice League DC Comic’s favorite super powered emo crying kid shows up.

Superboy-Prime is transported by the Time Trapper to the future where he learns that his villainy is not worthy of mention in the Superman museum. Feeling left out and “not good enough” he sets his sights on revenge. He plots to take out everyone, meaning the LOSH, who ever was inspired by Superman. Superboy-Prime releases all of the Legion’s archenemies from prison and creates a new Legion of Super-Villains and the Legion’s plans for retaliation is to unite all three of the incarnations (pre crisis, post crisis, and current) Legions of Super-Heroes.

What a great concept. With George Perez’s awesome art the scope of this epic battle will span all 52 of DC’s universes. There is still one question I need answered: I know that the legal battle over the Superboy name is over, but how did Superman-Prime become Superboy-Prime again?

Rann-Thanagar Holy War #4

I remember a time when a backward thinking creature with the power of Superman would be considered a real threat, now Bizzaro is only good for comic relief. According to this series if you feed him and allow him to watch cartoons Bizzaro will take out any alien menace that attempts to interfere.

The first issue of this miniseries was the best comic of that week because of the promise of an epic space opera. The series was off to a good start, but now it has lost most of it’s appeal to me.

I am a huge Adam Strange fan, the design of this site is based off of one of his old Mysteries in Space issues. I have watched Adam go to through hell and back during “Planet Heist,” and his reaction to the destruction of Throneworld was heartbreaking but I still am not feeling this book anymore.

I can’t put my finger on the reason I am not digging this story as much as I did, but I do think that there are too many characters featured in this comic that none truly get to shine. This book is what my father would call “a jack of all trades, master of none”

Robin #177

During Beechen’s run on this title I said that Tim was acting more like the Batman than Bruce was. With Batman going crazy in R.I.P. it’s nice to see Fabian Nicieza bringing back Tim to how he was in Beechen’s run. The Batman I grew up with (late 70s early 80s) used his detective skills and scare tactics to accomplish his goals, and in this issue that is the angle Tim is using as Robin. I like to see Tim as a “thinking” Robin instead of an acrobatic or martial art character.

Robin has a great supporting cast. Bruce has the Bat-Family, which includes Tim, but featured prominently in this series is: Robin, Spoiler, Officer Harper, the Penguin, Jason Todd, and Red Robin.

This story has plenty of intrigue such as who side is Spoiler really on? Will Tim have to take down then take over as Batman? And the big question featured on the cover is “Who is Red Robin?”

I have to say that I have yet to guess who Red Robin is, but I did notice that he was very patient… With many on the net speculating that Red Robin is Jean Paul Valley being patient was something he was not… I have no clue, other than Dick Grayson from another Earth - we have the Superman form Kingdom Come in JSA maybe this is that Red Robin.

If you are not reading this series, I can not recommend it highly enough because seeing Tim “get smarter. Think faster. And make some harder choices.” will be worth it.

Superman Batman #51

I have no idea what to write as a review…

… the picture at the top of this post explains this comic the best.

This story stems from the last arc where the stars of the book are working to rid the planet of all Kryptonite. During their adventures Superman comes into contact with some magic-k which sends Supes into a psychedelic trip where he is seeing mini versions of everyone in the room.

Mr. Mxyzptlk watched Superman’s “trip” this from the 5th dimension and finds it hysterical, so he decides for entertainment purposes to create more of these mini heroes and insert them on Earth.

Its a silly concept, but one entertaining read.

and…

THE BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK:
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16

The “one-shot” issue seems to be a lost art form in today’s comics. Any comic that is contained to a single issue is always in the running for the BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK. Any comic that is contained to a single issue and has the staring character’s personalities/dialog spot on will almost always make it the BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK. Any comic that is contained to a single issue, has perfectly portrayed characters, and features two of my favorites in the DCU is definitely THE BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK.

The Brave and the Bold is not one of the comic that is on my pull list that gets purchased every month, instead it is one I flip through before deciding whether to purchase or not. This issue features Superman and Catwoman teaming up. Superman is in perfect form acting as “the boyscout” and Selina walks that line between good and evil as only Catwoman can. The dialog between these two is clutch and this is definitely a book that should be read by all.

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Posted by Fred, on 08/25/08 9:51 PM Bookmark this post Digg Reddit Blogg-Buzz StumbleUpon