BATGIRL: THE FLOOD includes issues 9 10 11 12 13 14 2010

Rating 4.4 out of 5

Full of action and full of fun.  It's a lighter comic then the grim and gritty Batman series but it still has it's drama.  Bryan Q. Miller gives the best dialogue for the extraordinary circumstances that he puts Batgirl Stephanie Brown into.  Stephanie Brown has become just as witty as Dick Grayson was in the Nightwing series.

The trade paperback contains three complete stories of Batgirl Stephanie Brown:
The Flood: Issues 9-12, The Calculator turns the locals into techno zombies.
Trust: Issue 13, Batgirl battles Clayface and teams up with Detective Gage.
Terror In the 3rd Dimension: Issue 14, Supergirl comes to town for a visit and they team up to fight Dracula.

Reviews of the separate story lines are below:

Batgirl #9-#12 The Flood
Writer: Bryan Q Miller, Penciller: Lee Garbett, Inker: Jonathan Glapion and Richard Friend, Colorist: Guy Major, Letterer:Travis Lanham, Cover: Stanley "Artgerm" Lau, Editors: Michael Siglain and Harvey Richards

Rating 4.5 out of 5
This story has a couple of firsts. The first appearance of Johnny C. the future Gray Ghost. Also a first  with Proxy her new I.T. person when Oracle is out of the office. Not a first..., but It also has some awesome "Oh Crap...how does she get out of that" cool moments.

Spoilers and continued review if you don't want to be spoiled skip to the review in Blue:

Calculator decides to take some revenge on Oracle.  To do that he turns Gotham citizens into techno Zombies. Anyone connected to a electronic device gets Zombiefied (cell phones, TV, web, etc) and they are instructed to capture Oracle and take out Batgirl. You think at first this is bad as Zombie schoolmates and teachers come after you, but what ever is bad could always get worse when the local hero's become under the influence. See.. this  is where the "Oh Crap" comes into play.

BATGIRL #13 Trust

 Writer: Bryan Q Miller, Art:Pere Perez,  Colorist: Guy Major, Letterer:Travis Lanham, Cover: Stanley "Artgerm" Lau, Editors: Michael Siglain and Sean Ryan

Rating 3.9 out of 5 

This is still a cool issue with some action in it. Batgirl bonds with the local Detective while capturing Clayface.

BATGIRL #14 Terror in the 3rd Dimension Review

Writer: Bryan Q Miller, Penciller: Lee Garbett, Inker: Trevor Scott
Colorist: Guy Major, Letterer:Travis Lanham, Cover: Stanley "Artgerm" Lau, Editors: Michael Siglain and Sean Ryan
Rating 4.5 out of 5

Pure FUN.  Nothing cerebral about it...but who cares. It's so Great... just to have a FUN comic.  Bryan Q Miller is a master at telling Stephenie's story.  I hope he NEVER leaves this series.  I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.  It was good laughter...I was laughing with my heroes NOT at my heroes.   This story was wrapped up in one issue, so if you don't have any of the Batgirl/Stephanie issues, you could pick this one up for a fun ride and not invest in another....but I bet you will.

Review WITH Spoilers

VAMPIRES...I love a good Vampire story...but lately you can't swing a stick without hitting one.  They've become a staple of TV.  There's Vampire Dairies, True Blood, Being Human, and the newest show, "The Gates."

THAT's just the shows that are currently produced.

In reruns, you have Buffy, Angel, Moonlight, Forever Knight, Kindred, and one that I wish to see again but haven't in a long long time, Dark Shadows.

OH... and let's not get started with what's in the Movie Theaters.
  
They seem to be just as prevalent in comics.

NOT that this is a bad thing.

BUT HOW...Oh how.... CAN you have a NEW take on the same OLD OLD OLD Story.
Whatever it is...it's been done.  Hasn't it?

NOPE....and Bryan Q Miller actually came up with something different and FUN.

You see...there's this scientist (refreshingly not crazy), who had a lab overload with his experiment. He was working on a way to generate "Hard Light" (force fields) to create a three dimensional construct that could hold an image that was projected onto it. This is not that hard of a concept for sci-fi fans. We've seen it before, on Star Trek: Voyager, with the EMH Doctor.

The lab happened to be right next door to the campus theater, where Stephanie Brown(Batgirl) and Lana Lang(Supergirl) are watching a old black and white horror film with Dracula which had been redone in 3D. The blast from the lab only lasted a second, but since film runs at 24 frames per second, this releases 24 black and white "Draculas"...Blah blah blah...who run "Amuk Amuk Amuk" in Gotham City.

Control rods can destabilize their photon matrices when done at high impact. This is Miller's .. Wah Lah ...for stake through the heart.

Now LET the 'Buffy' in all of us out and just sit back and ENJOY.

There is a two page spread of the girls staking black and white Dracula's that is pricelessly funny. One 'Dracula' had tried to get away on a Segway.

This was the best Girls night out I've read in a long time.

Because the next issues are going to have more grittier stories, Miller will be teamed up with Dustin Nguyen on pencils.  I'm looking forward to this storyline... but I hope Batgirl doesn't become too toughen.. too soon, I'm enjoying the current character



Publisher: DC Comics
Jun - Dec 2010

BIRDS OF PREY Vol 1: ENDRUN 2010 Issues 1 2 3 4 5 6 review

RATING 3.8 out of 5       Jam-packed-full of action.  It doesn't quite meet expectations, only because the previous Birds of Prey series with Gail Simone was so awesome, but this was a good start for the Birds.  The story was good and had quite a bit of intrigue.  These issues have the Brightest Day banner on them, but that is only a minor subplot, so don't feel obligated to purchase the Brightest Day mega mini to enjoy this storyline.  The main storyline is completed within these issues, or this one TPB, Endrun. 

There is plenty of cleavage in this series both above and below, but it doesn't take away from the badassness of the women. There are two new members to join the team, Hawk and Dove. I like Hank Hall, aka Hawk, (I seem to be alone when it comes to that). I think it's nice to have a little eye candy for us girls too, and I like his stubborn streak. To quote Oracle, "The guy punched a tank for having the gall to point it's cannon at him."

I think the main problem that fans are having is that it doesn't have the newness of the old series. In the old series the Birds were trying to prove that they were equals with the other hero groups and that they didn't need them to get the job done, but they succeeded  in those previous issues, so there is really nothing to prove in this series, other then getting the job done. 

I enjoyed the camaraderie, and seeing this group of characters back together again, Gail Simone knows her characters very well, but it's like the movie Lethal Weapon II, which is a good movie, but it's just not the same as the first movie Lethal Weapon.  

Spoilers:    Someone is digging up personal information on the birds, specifically Black Canary, and telling the world, but not in a nice "Entertainment Tonight" way.  They are manipulating the truth and making Black Canary, Dinah Lance,  look like the number one dastardly being on the planet.  The media is gobbling up these half-truths and spewing them out. The Birds seemingly don't have a friend in the world to turn to for help... except ...Penguin.  Also, a highly trained mystery woman using the name White Canary says she will kill one of the Birds every six hours, if Black Canary doesn't concede to her demands. 

BIRDS OF PREY Vol 1 : ENDRUN Issues 1-6

Writer: Gail Simone

Colorist: Nei Ruffino

Letterer: Swands

Editor: Janelle Siegel

Issues:1-4  

Pencillers: Ed  Benes and Adriana Melo

Inkers: Ed Benes and JP Mayer

Issues:5-6

Pencilers: Alvin Lee and Adriana Melo

INkers: Jack Purcell and JP Mayer

Covers: Cliff Chiang, Ed Benes, Nei Rugino, Alina Urusov, Ryan Sok, JOel Gomez, Fernando Parsarin, Randy Mayor, Carrie Strachan

FLASPOINT Free preview given out on Free comic book day.

This is a product of DC but it was handed out on Free Comic book day, so I'm hoping that I won't get in trouble posting it.  To DC, just ask and I will delete the post.

The last panel on this page is causing controversy. Some believe that the girl on the far right is XS 
and that she was colored wrong.

On the USA Today website(Link), published Monday, it was confirmed that it was XS.

One thing for sure is that 
...Bart Allen aka Kid Flash is not in the picture.

Flashpoint #1 doesn't have this last page. It goes more into Barry's story and what is happening around the world then Barry shows up at Batman's door.
I got that the captions are from Batman but it's odd for him to have gold/yellow captions.

FLASHPOINT Reading list updated 08-25-2011

FLASHPOINT : DC Mega Event

READING ORDER:

I'll use different colors to highlight different storylines. Blue:Booster Gold, Red:Flash, Gray:Batman, pupleish: Cyborg, Green: Green Lantern, Light Blue: Traci, Yellow: Secret Seven, Orange: Aquaman, Fusia: Wonder Woman,  White: Deathstroke, Salmon: Kid Flash

The main Flashpoint title can be read without all the others. The other titles can be read separately from each other, but if you read more then one then I've put this in order to the best of my ability to keep each of them from spoiling the other. Several of the cross-overs feel unfinished so I feel that you would need the Main title to get the finished story, plus I think the main title is the best of the lot. I've gave my feelings on the title at the ending number, and I've noted if they finished the story or not.

Flash Rebirth 4

Issues before FlashPoint that may help.

DC Universe 0: Has Flash coming drawn back by a sound.
 
Flash Rebirth 1-6: Has Reverse Flash taunting Flash and giving why he brought him back, and Max's rescue.

TIME MASTERS: Vanishing Point 1-6 or TPB- Storyline basically a waste of time, BUT Reverse Flash has one page where he is stealing information about the omega sanction, what that information is not really revealed.

 Flash 7: Capt Boomarang releases Reverse Flash (Cool)
 Flash 8: Reverse Flash rebirth( It's okay)



PRELUDE to FLASHPOINT

FLASH 9-12 {The road to Flashpoint):(It's okay)

FLASHPOINT: REVERSE FLASH 1(A dull rehash of what Reverse Flash has done in the past to get revenge on Flash before Flashpoint)


FLASHPOINT READING ORDER:

GREEN LANTERN FLASHPOINT SPECIAL EDITION (free comic book day comic) (link)(repeats in Flashpoint 1) 

FLASHPOINT #1: Has Batman, Flash, Cyborg in it. Definition of Alchemy is listed at bottom of this post. (cool so far)
BOOSTER GOLD 44-47: (pretty good but doesn't touch the main FP title)
 
FLASHPOINT: PROJECT: SUPERMAN #1-2 (Awesome so far...but references to what happened in Booster Gold but to be spoiled without reading BG look at cover to 46 to know where they got the genes)

FLASHPOINT: GRODD  WAR  1-shot (Meh...and really doesn't cross)

FLASHPOINT: GREEN ARROW INDUSTRIES  1-shot (Meh..and really doesn't cross)

FLASHPOINT: Abin Sur #1(Meh )

FLASHPOINT: HAL JORDAN #1(mostly rehash about Hal before he got the ring but then the last page shows the turning point in the story, could probably skip it and go straight to issue 2)

 FLASHPOINT: Abin Sur #2(Meh..)

FLASHPOINT: HAL JORDAN #2 (really really meh, not sure of placement)

FLASHPOINT: Abin Sur #3(Meh..)

 



FLASHPOINT: WONDER WOMAN AND THE FURIES #1-2


FLASHPOINT: Emperor Aquaman 1  

FLASHPOINT: LOIS LANE AND THE RESISTANCE #1 

FLASHPOINT: Deathstroke 1 

FLASHPOINT #2:   (cool so far)

FLASHPOINT: BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1-3 (Really dark and graphic but still good, doesn't cross with anything but would happen between main FP#2 and FP#3)

FLASHPOINT: LEGION OF DOOM #1-3: ( meh, doesn't cross with anything but would happen between main FP#2 and FP#3)

FLASHPOINT: KID FLASH LOST #1-2 (still enjoying it)


FLASHPOINT: Deathstroke 2-3 (It's Okay, the story ends completed. )

FLASHPOINT: Emperor Aquaman 2

FLASHPOINT: CANTERBURY CRICKET 1-shot (Meh...feels like filler for Lois Lane)

FLASHPOINT: LOIS LANE AND THE RESISTANCE #2  (It's okay, unfinished)

FLASHPOINT  #3: (really enjoyable)


FLASHPOINT: LOIS LANE AND THE RESISTANCE #3

FLASHPOINT: PROJECT: SUPERMAN #3 (Awesome but unfinished...but references to what happened in Booster Gold but to be spoiled without reading BG look at cover to 46 to know where they got the genes)

FLASHPOINT: WONDER WOMAN AND THE FURIES 3(Meh! feels unfinished, this kinda smashes into Aquaman story) 

FLASHPOINT: Emperor Aquaman 3(Meh! feels unfinished, it repeats a little of WW.)

FLASHPOINT: HAL JORDAN #3(Meh, does have more of a ending then other crossovers)

FLASHPOINT: Citizen Cold 1-3 (Meh! Doesn't cross with main FP other then happening because it happened.)

FLASHPONT: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown 1-3 (Not my type of story but I liked it. Doesn't cross the main FP story)

FLASHPOINT: THE OUTSIDER #1-3 (Ends with a Meh... mostly villainy)

FLASHPOINT: DEADMAN AND THE FLYING GRAYSONS #1-3 (It's Okay. It ends unfinished.)

FLASHPOINT  :4

FLASHPOINT: SECRET SEVEN 1-3 (Meh, psychedelic)

FLASHPOINT: WORLD OF FLASHPOINT 1-3 (It's Okay, Story feels self contained)

FLASHPOINT: KID FLASH LOST #3 (Decent, Not finished)

FLASHPOINT  #5 (I think it was a cop-out reason for all this to happen, but still a enjoyable book)

..

Flashpoint 1- Penciler: Andy Kubert, Inker:Snadra Hope, Colorist: Alex Sinclair

A great website for everything Flash is FLASH : Those who ride the Lighting(link)

They do an awesome job.

Alchemy Definition via link

A medieval philosophy and early form of chemistry whose aims were the transmutation of base metals into gold, the discovery of a cure for all diseases, and the preparation of a potion that gives eternal youth. The imagined substance capable of turning other metals into gold was called the philosophers' stone.

A Closer Look Because their goals were so unrealistic, and because they had so little success in achieving them, the practitioners of alchemy in the Middle Ages got a reputation as fakers and con artists. But this reputation is not fully deserved. While they never succeeded in turning lead into gold (one of their main goals), they did make discoveries that helped to shape modern chemistry. Alchemists invented early forms of some of the laboratory equipment used today, including beakers, crucibles, filters, and stirring rods. They also discovered and purified a number of chemical elements, including mercury, sulfur, and arsenic. And the methods they developed to separate mixtures and purify compounds by distillation and extraction are still important.

BATMAN 198 review 80 page Giant

RATING:
4.3 out of 5

It's contains reissues of several stories that were published previously, but if you can't find the original sources this issue is a great alternative. Even though Batman isn't as grim as he is today, these stories were fun and full of action.  You've got to expect a few "Golly Gee Whiz"s, but if you find a Batman 198, snatch it up and enjoy a simpler time.

There are seven complete stories in this 80-page giant. Below is a list of the stories. I've included spoilers for what happened in each and  I've included the splash page for each.  There are no credits except for Bob Kane's signature, but if you click on this:
Link on creators 
Someone at the Grand Comics Database tracked down the creators.

 1. The Origin of the Batman:

Originally in Batman #47-"The Tale of the Caped Crimebuster's showdown with the man who murdered his parents!"

SPOILER:

In this story Batman sees Joe Chill, a local gangster, and recognizes him as the man who killed his parents. He confronts him and reveals he is Bruce Wayne. Joe Chill runs and tells his henchmen that he was responsible for creating Batman. The henchmen turn on Joe Chill and shoot him, because he created Batman.

A version of this story was on the animated series Batman: Brave and the Bold, "Chill of the Night".

2. The Jungle Cat-Queen:
 Original story in Detective #211-"The Catwoman...Princess of Plunder...bedevils the Dynamic Duo on an island populated by prowling jungle cats."

SPOILER:
Batman and Robin chase the Empress of the Underworld, Catwoman, to her island hideout. The locals capture the dynamic duo, but before they are shot in a volley of gunfire, Catwoman steps in and convinces the locals that there is more fun in hunting the dynamic duo through the local jungle.  She also has the locals take off the duo's costumes and dress them in jungle attire.  She mockingly chases them, then the locals catch Batman again.  Catwoman has them put back on Batman's costume and the locals toss him over a waterfall.  Catwoman is distressed because she thought Batman died in the waterfall fall, "Batman... gone. and  I thought he'd save himself...He always has in the past."
BUT he had survived and with Robin's help captures the locals, but Catwoman gets away.

This was a very fun story, and much better told then the teaser in the Batman: Brave and the Bold episode "Shadow of the Bat'. The art is great and very detailed.

 3. The Web of the Spinner

Original from Batman #129-"...Batwoman, teaming with the Titanic Twosome to tackle the whirligig of crime, the Spinner!"

SPOILER:

Batwoman does make a cameo in this story and with her help ascertained who the Spinner was and captured him.
It's my least favorite of the stories.

Both her and the Spinner show up in the Batman: Brave and the Bold episode, "The Criss Cross Conspiracy!"

 4. The Man of 1,000 Umbrellas

Originally syndicated in the Sunday Newspapers-"The Penguin forgets his fowl play ofr a day to welcome his Aunt Miranda and introduce her to his "Friends"- Batman and Robin!"

SPOILER:

This was very fun...with the Penguin trying to get away from the dynamic duo and at the same time keep his aunt in the dark about his nefarious ways.  Batman and Robin are soft hearted toward the aunt and keep Penguins facade of being a umbrella manufacturer. Finally the aunt has to leave to catch a train for home and the Penguin is caged.

 5. The Crimes of Batman
Originally in World's Finest #61-"When the Joker nabs Robin, Batman must ransom his sidekick by cheating, stealing and killing!"

SPOILER:

This was great...
Joker feels that Batman has made a fool of him by getting him to help solve a crime, like a lawman. Joker decides to turn the tide and make Batman turn into a criminal. He captures Robin, and tells Batman, "You shall CHEAT, STEAL, And KILL..in that order! AND each event must be well-publicized so that th world knows of your guilt! Ho-Ho-Ho! Failure to do this will result in Robin's Death!"

Batman achieves all three without actually doing the crimes, with the finale ending up with Batman,  "Killing two birds with one stone!" by capturing the Joker and freeing Robin. 

As I said, this was great with Batman having the mental triumph  over Joker.

 6. The Menace of False Face
Originally in Batman #113-"You've seen him battle Batman on TV! Now read the story of the first clash between False Face and the Cowled Crusader."

SPOILER:
False Face poses as well known wealthy men to steal treasure. Batman tracks him down, then poses as False Face letting the henchmen lead him to the lair where all the stolen goods are being kept. This had a good surprise reveal of Batman as False Face.

7. The Bandit of the Bells

Originally in Batman #55-"The bells are ringing...for wrong...when the Gong and his gang of goons strike...and come face-to -face with Batman and Robin!

SPOILER:

Despite the cacophony of sound this would be of lower decibel then the other stories, but it was still entertaining to see how the duo gets off of a buoy and how they track him down from a small whole punch of a bell.



I hope that all of you enjoyed this little blast from the past. I know I did. -AA

I've made $.35

I've had the Adsense advertising on my blog for like 6 months... and I've made a whopping 35 cents.
Personally, I think any change that was put in my pocket as a good thing.
But I read the terms for payout, it has come to my attention that a check would be cut and sent to me when the balance reaches $100.00. BaWahahaha..

My husband, ...codename Mr Smartypants, said, "Make sure it's in your Will so that our son can get it."

I think...I've decided that I'd rather get rid of the clutter on my blog.:smile: