BRAVE and The BOLD : TEAM UPS Vol 1 TPB #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 Review

Rating 3.5 out of 5

A wonderful collection of stories written by J. Michael Straczynski.  The Brave and the Bold series is known for team-ups of DC heroes, but this set of stories allow us to visit old friends, or old hero's, from the past, and teams them again with our current day hero's.  These stories are more story driven morality tale, then action driven tale.  Each issue is a separate fully contained story unto itself.  Be warned they could cause the reader to cry.

I've put them in order from my favorite issue to my least favorite:

Issue #33: Ladies' Night

Zantana teams up with Wonder Woman to take Barbara Gordan on a night out from crime fighting.

 A very sentimental story with a high cry factor.(Rate 4)

Issue #30: The Green & the Gold

Green Lantern/Hal Jordan teams up with Dr. Fate/Kent Nelson. 

Hal gets help from a friend from the past and warns his friend of his future. (Rate 4)

Issue #32 : Night Gods

Aquaman teams up with The Demon Etrigan.

This was written before Aquaman's resurrection so it was a treat to see him in action again. They team up to stop a unworldly creature that tries to cross into our world .(Rate 4)

 Issue #27 : Death of a H.E.R.O 

Batman/Bruce teams with Dial H for H.E.R.O

The Dial gets into the hands of a unlikely hero.(Rate 4) 

Issue #28 : Firing Line

Flash goes back in time and teams with the Blackhawks.

A tribute to war veterans, as he helps to fight WW II.( Rate 3)

Issue #29 : Lost Stories of YEsterday, Today. and Tomorrow

Batman/Bruce teams with Brother Power the Geek

A look back at the 60's in comparison to today's Gotham. (Rate 3)

Issue #31 : Small Problems

The Atom teams up with .....

I didn't care for Small Problems, it wasn't a real team-up. It was about the Joker manipulating Atom who had gone into Joker's brain to save him, so I didn't care for it in the Brave and Bold title. It may have been okay in a different series.(Rate 2.5)

The Team Ups of The  BRAVE and The BOLD Vol 1

Includes The BRAVE and The BOLD issues 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33

Writter: J. Micheal Straczynski

Pencillers: Jesus Saiz, Chad Hardin and Justiniano

Inkers: Jesus Saiz, Wane Faucher and Walden Wong

Letterer Rob Leigh

Colorist: Trish Mulvihill, Brian Miller

 

 

Covers: Jesus Saiz

Publisher: DC Comics

2009 Nov Dec 2010 Jan Feb Mar Apr May

BATMAN: ALIENS Part 1-2 TPB Review

Rating 4 out of 5

This was a pretty descent story.  I can see it fitting in the Batman mythology. Batman was strong and intelligent, and full of courage against great odds. The writer was able to show that Batman/Bruce was also afraid but didn't let fear control him.  I've heard other reviewers have problems with the art, but I didn't, so the art did not detracted from the story. The story is nicely contained and complete in two TPB, but... is out of print and you will have to hunt for it.

Review/Synopsis

Batman parachutes into the amazon jungle, the reason is unknown until later in the book. He runs into a US Special Ops team, the reason for them being there isn't clear till the second book.  I'm not gonna spoil the reasons,  finding out is part of the enjoyment of the books.

At first they don't get along. Batman, being a hardass, wanting the Ops team to leave and go home, and vice versa, the Ops team wants Batman to leave, BUT...they decide to pull their resources and travel to their destination together. As the Aliens take their toil on the team, it becomes more a comrade in arms type situation.  Batman is, of course, the smart one in the group.

Batman finds himself in more then one frightful .. face-off... with the Aliens. The Aliens are the same Aliens as from the movie: eggs, face hugger like implantation into host, acid saliva, etc...

I enjoyed the story.
The complaints I saw about art were people who were expecting more from Bernie Wrightson, because they had seen his work before. 
If I've seen his work before I don't remember it, so had no expectations.

BATMAN: ALIENS part 1 & part 2
Writer:Ron Marz
Art: Bernie Wrightson
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Letterer: Sean Konot
Editors:  Bob Schereck & Dennies O'Neil

Publisher: Dark Horse/DC Comics
1997

BATGIRL #14 Terror in the 3rd Dimension Review

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


BATGIRL: Terror in the 3rd Dimension!
Writer: Bryan Q Miller
Penciller: Lee Garbett
Inker: Trevor Scott
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer:Travis Lanham
Cover: Stanley "Artgerm" Lau

Publisher: DC Comics
Nov 2010

BATMAN: ODYSSEY Part 3 Review

Rating 3 out of 5

I know... I'm alone in a world of malcontent, but I'm still enjoying the series.  It's not the same old dreary Batman, not the usual Batman/Bruce, but I like him.  Although... I may be the only one left reading the series.

Review/spoilers

More then one poster on more than one forum can't get past the unusual dialogue that Neal Adams has given Bruce Wayne.  Too chatty... too repetitive...

Even Neal has Alfred commenting on it by saying , "Never improves by the repetition." ... And Alfred says this while he is preparing a syringe of something to inject in Bruce. Bruce already has his wounds bandaged... so what is that about?

Is Neal doing this on purpose?

Never in my wildest dream would I think that Bruce would call Alfred a, "Jerk". Who would write a Batman that would call Alfred... "JERK!"?
I can't help but think this is intentional and not just bad dialogue.


Bruce seems to still be talking to the mystery person and ....retelling the story, of when he retold a story to Alfred. What's up with all this retelling? In the second issue he had finished the retelling of the retold story of the Train/guns. Phew..

The story told to Alfred, in this issue, is how Bruce and Dick foiled the Riddler's plans at the warehouse on the pier.
NO matter how you feel about Neal's dialogue, he is a master at drawing action. There is a wonderful action portion to this book that lasted for 10 pages. TEN PAGES... of straight action.   Oh YEAH!!!

AND ...THEN...THERE'S...TALIA

Neal has given her the "Poor little rich girl" characteristic.
And..She gives, Valley Girl, a bad name. 

Oh yes...he went there...

 If you think about it, that's not far from the true character of Talia, and I can't wait to see what Neal does with it.







Come on...this story is NOT  in continuity.  Quit reading it like it is...and maybe relax and enjoy it.
Ten more issues...WHAT will happen next? 
 
It's a little campy...all the Characters are a different take from the original.
Neal is injecting a little humor and giving us a different take on a all too serious Batman.

BATMAN: ODYSSEY  Part 3
Story and Art: Neal Adams
Color : Ken Lopez
Assistant Editor: Janelle Siegel & Rachel Gluckstern
Editors: Marts & Carlin

ACTION COMICS #892 The Black Ring: part 3 Review

Rating 2.5 out of 5
This rating is on the story by Paul Cornell not on the co-feature in the back of the issue.

Meh...really Meh... Not bad ... not good... Meh..

The action seemed clunky...like two old men fighting.  This issue is part of a ongoing storyline and... I did like the previous two issues and ....I'm looking forward to the 'Death' issue, so I'll  still buy into future issues.

But if you haven't started the story yet don't start it on this Issue. 

Review with SPOILERS 

I was trying to cough out my lungs last week because I had come down with whatever is new at the kids school, so I thought maybe it was my Meh... mood when I first read it , but even today as I re-read it, I could care less about this story.

Lex is still looking for answers about the left over energy of the Black Rings.  He is in the Antarctic with his crew and hired bodyguard Deathstroke. They come upon a dome of blackness which Lex believes is "...a different kind of spacetime. An allotrope of normal space."

The dome starts messing with Deathstroke's emotions and he starts making a path toward Lex...killing anyone in his way.  I think the biggest problem is that Deathstroke didn't look fierce, he looked like a old man in a winter coat.  Maybe if he wore his mask it would have been better.

 Lex gets in his portable green Power suit and the two face off, but... it felt...like two old men fighting.  

FOR Example....--> 

Of course I added a few touches to help with the picture but it's close. 

Am I wrong?...

Maybe ...

BUT I'm close....ain't I..?

Maybe...

Am I feeling better...?

Possibly...[grin]

ACTION COMICS #892
Writer:  Paul Cornell
Artists: Pete woods with Pere Perez
colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Cover: David Finch, Joe Weems & Peter Steigerwald
Publisher: DC Comics
Oct 2010

BATMAN: UNSEEN #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 TPB Review

RATING 3.3 out of 5

Kelly Jones was born to be the artist on this story, and unlike Gotham After Midnight, he has a decent writer, Doug Moench.  The ending ... makes my right eye twitch... but over all... it was a good read. The story is complete in these 5 issues. I doubt if it will be considered part of the continuity of the regular Batman(Bruce Wayne) mythology.

 
I'm not particularly... a Kelly Jones fan, but I did love gazing at his art in this story.  He has a flare for drawing a dramatic and moody Batman that I doubt any other artist can match.

The writer, Doug Moench seems to understand Jones' style and is able to write for it.  The two have been teamed up many times before on various Batman projects.  What I find interesting with Moench, at least to me, is that Moench style of writing has matured since the publication of Batman: Book of the Dead (1993), and I like the flow a whole lot better.  He kept me wanting more and looking forward to the next issue, where the older story was a little meh...to read.






STORY SPOILERS and the ending that makes my eye twitch don't go past this point if you don't want to know:

Black Mask finds one of the scientist, Dr Nigel Glass, that has been fired by Wayne Industries, and funds his research of Invisibility.  Dr Nigel uses himself as a ginea pig.  The panels with only his skin invisible which his organs and bones showing, I found cool, but the syrum is driving him crazy mad.  When he finally succeeds with full invisibility...he goes on a rampage, killing all the people who did him wrong.  Batman needs to track him down and stop him. I found all this stuff cool..., until Issue 5.  As you can see from the cover...Bruce (rolleyes) drinks the syrum to turn invisible so that he can have a even chance with Dr Niger....
SAY WHAT?...
The highly intellegent...highly trained ...can fight in the dark while blind folded....Batman (Bruce Wayne) needs invisibility to beat this mad scientist.  I have trouble seeing Bruce have any trouble with this guy what-so-ever...the guy has to take his clothes off to be truely be invisible....
WHY not use...
Smoke to make him visible...
Infrarade googles to see the heat from his body....
HELL... just throw some paint on the guy.

NOT only does Batman turn himself invisible with this dangerious syrum that is driving the scientest insane...
BUT he wears his cowl and gloves... while...invisible.

My son...who is 7 years old...went "Why does he wear his gloves and cape if he wants to be invisible?"

If you like Kelly Jones art you'll enjoy the story but if asked ...I wouldn't recommend it as a great Batman story because it turned too ....stupid.

Just think about it...
To be invisible, you have to be naked..and so

<--this is a naked Bruce with only a Cowl and Gloves.







BATMAN: Unseen  #1 #2 #3 #4 #5  TPB
Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Kelly Jones
Colorist: Michelle madsen
Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Publisher: DC Comics
Nov Dec 2009 Jan Feb 2010

BATMAN: Book of the Dead TPB Part 1 & part 2 Review

RATING: 2.5 out of 5

A disappointment. I was excited when I got them, but the storyline really turned out lame and I quickly lost interest. It is a full storyline in two trade paperbacks. It has a Elseworld's trademark, of which I'm glad, not really because of the Batman portion but because of the Egyption history portion of the story.





FULL REVIEW with SpOiLeRs:

What was I expecting!? Well let's see...

Maybe ...a BOOK OF THE DEAD. After all, that's n the title.. right?

Necronomicon from Army of Darkness and The Book of the Dead from The Mummy (1999)

Examples of really cool books of the dead that I've seen in the past... are from the Army of Darkness and The Mummy (1999).   I bet some of you recognize them.

BUT these TPB's had NO....book of the dead. Not a single page.

Which...yes...takes away from the coolness of these TPB's.


There WAS a lid of the dead, which was a Mayan lid to a sarcophagus.  Did I say Mayan? Yes I did....and so did Dr. Sheila Ramsey for EIGHT pages as she lectured Bruce, and me, on Mayan theories of the end of the world.



 
Her discovery...the symbol of a Bat-god, when you take a mirror image of the sarcophagus and turn it upside down etc...AND this led her to there being an unknown Bat-God in Egypt... etc etc... she thinks there is a hidden room under the Sphinx etc etc etc...holds the mystery of the next world wide catastrophic event.

NOW for the Elseworlds portion:

Bruces parents were killed because they had a clue to a ancient puzzle (have no problem with this because  the reason of their death changes with the writer)

BUT, then there are flashbacks of the far... far... past (28000yrs ago).
There were Aliens who helped the Humans to become a civilization. These beings were called gods.
Osiris
Isis
Horus
Seth
Nekhrun -Bat God


I know that you may think of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, but no....not them. A different set of aliens...but same old...old story. Seth being jealous of Osiris because of Isis, putting a kink in their plans of saving the Human race in 28,000 years by killing Osiris.

Nekhrun (Bat-god) dies trying to make sure that the knowledge to save the human race is entombed under the Sphinx, so that it can be discovered when humans are ready for the knowledge.

Bruce (Batman), in the present, risks his life by working through a maze (avoids the traps) to the treasure of knowledge.  There are others who want the treasure, of course he takes care of them.


THERE is a short glimpse of a mummy, but it is only Osiris being brought back to life (Stargate style with a sarcophagus).

I wouldn't suggest this TPB, but someone else may like it, especially now... that you know ...there is NO Book of the Dead, maybe... a Book of knowledge (except it's not a book either... but the cylinder thingy in Batman's hand on the cover of 2).

Another reviewer said that if you were a fan of Raiders of the Lost Ark you may like it, but he didn't. I loved that movie... and I thought this story was dry.  Maybe ...if there was more mystery... and maybe... if Bruce didn't have such a easy time with the maze, like a few traps he had to maneuver, to make it exciting( or maybe...a Book of the Dead)

I'd be glad to know what others have thought of the story. Maybe I was expecting too much.

AND on a high note ...
"KLAATU BARADA Nmmmumtmo!"
Damn...still didn't make these books any better when I opened them.

BATMAN: Book of the Dead

Writer: Doug Moench

Penciller: Barry Kitson

Inker: Ray McCarthy

Letters: Kurt Hathaway

Colors: Dave Stewart

Publisher: DC Comics

June/July 1999

BATMAN : Shadow of the BAT : The Last Arkham #1 #2 #3 #4 Review TPB

RATING 4.5 out 5

Fantastic. This is a  very good straight forward Batman story. It dives in the world of Arkham Asylum and Breyfogle's art is a wonderful fit to this story.  Alan Grant introduces two new characters that tickle the imagination of future writers and have a fan following of their own, Jeremiah Arkham and Mr Zsasz.  A complete story in four issues. It shows Batman at his best. A smooth fighter and great Detective, who will go to any length to stop the lunatics that roam Gotham's streets.


SPOILERS (The TPB is over 10 years old so I'll give quite a bit) and Review :

At 16 yrs old, Jeremiah Arkham, faced down a escaped Patient from Arkham Asylum, and at that moment he decided to follow in his Uncle Amadeus Arkham's footsteps.  He had the nack, or talent, of reading people, and he knew how to push their buttons.

The first issue introduces a newly remodeled  asylum, designed by Jeremiah, and it introduces us to some of it's more well known inmates: Cornelius Stirk, Everad Mallitt, The Scarcrow (Professor Johanthan Crane), Mr Zsasz,... AND lastly THE BATMAN.

   Batman has gone off the deep end, lost his mind, and killed a cop. Gordon himself had him taken to Arkham Asylum.  MY first thoughts, are.. NOOOOOOOO it's not him, or he has been framed or or or or...something else.

The orderlies want to unmask The Batman, which is not going to be a easy task. Jeremiah intercedes saying, "I will learn his secret identity. He himself will Tell me...When he 's good and ready. On the day he is cured. And when he Hands me that cowl...There will be NO MORE Batman."  This is where I slap my forehead with the palm of my hand and utter, 'Of course ...they won't remove the mask.'

How did Batman end up in Arkham Asylum?
Issue 2 tells what lead up to Batman's incarceration, and it has to do with Zsasz.

A lunatic had killed a family by slitting their throats then arranged them in a family setting.  This is the M.O. of  Mr Zsasz.  Gordon and Batman take a tour of the Arkham Asylum guided by Jeremiah, to see how Zsasz could have possibly got out.  Alan Grant gives us a grim picture of  Zsasz as he laughs coldly at Batman and shows him that he has no new tally marks on his body. What I find strange... is that the killer, is wearing a top hat and tails, and I had thought Zsasz was a Skin Head
    After leaving the asylum in a bad mood from the meeting with Zsasz, Gordon and Batman are called to yet another gruesome crime scene with the same M.O. as before.  A lieutenant makes a bad joke at the scene and Batman beats him up, causing his death.

AND so... Batman is in Arkham.

WHERE is Robin and Nightwing in all of this?
Batman tells Robin to stay out of it.
So... Robin tells... Nightwing, 
WHO doesn't believe what happened and goes to break into Arkham to breakout Batman.

This leads to  my favorite fun scene in the storyline.

Nightwing breaking into Arkham, worming  his way through the air ducts, to find Batman doing the same.
(I've cut and paste, to show the scene as best I can.)  

Batman lets Nightwing know that being committed to Arkham was his idea, so that he could get inside and find out how Zsasz got out. Gordon and the Lieutenant( who isn't dead) were in on the scheme.


This is where I sum up my review and leave you hanging, because you need to buy it for yourself.

Grant and Breyfogle have Bruce getting out of one situation after another, from the subtle, with Bruce calmly cuffing a smart ass officer with his own cuffs, to the grandiose of Bruce taking on the whole rogues gallery of lunatics at the asylum. It's a Great Batman story and it also introduces yet another sadistic killer, "Mr Zsasz", to Gotham's cast of characters.
  
The trade paperback (Batman: The Last Arkham) is out of print and costs a arm and a leg(About $60), but the single issues you can get cheap on ebay(About $15 or less).



BATMAN: Shadow of the BAT: The Last ARKHAM Issues #1, #2, #3, #4
Writer: Alan Grant
Artist: Norm Breyfogle
Letterer: Todd Klein
Colorist: Adrienne Roy
Cover Painting: Brian Stelfreeze

Publisher: DC Comics
June, Jul, Aug, Sep, 1992

BATMAN ODYSSEY #2 Review

RATING 3 out of 5

The dialog is very repetitive and at times very unnecessary. This becomes distracting and takes away from the over all appeal of this issue, but the story line is intriguing and entertaining, which makes me want more. So.... I'm sticking with the mini and will be getting the next issue.

Full REview with spoilers.

This is a faaasst paced book. Action covers almost every page. The dialog almost gives me a feeling that Bruce has had too many cups of coffee, then there are the  double captions talking about the same thing.  More and more dialog.  I think it's the hardest part to accept about the issue,  that Bruce would talk so damn.. much, or think... so so much. 
But in truth, WHY wouldn't he?

 Batman, is the world's greatest detective, and known to be prepared for every contingency,  So ...WHY wouldn't he have a running dialog and thought balloons for everything that he is doing. It kinda makes sense..., but doesn't work well for a comic.

 Neal Adams pencils are amazing and brings the action alive and pulls you into the story, but then the dialog throws you back out.

  

  Bruce is still retelling a story within a story in this issue.  In issue 1, he had passed the time while waiting for information from Man-Bat, by telling a story to Robin. The story he told to Robin, was about when he first started as Batman and was carrying guns.   
    Now ... in Issue 2, we find out that Bruce not only didn't finish the story, but wasn't telling the whole story to Robin

During a fight at the piers he is knocked unconscious and he has flashbacks of that story he was telling Robin, the REAL story.

 MY favorite part of the issue was Bruce saving the little old "Ruthie Diels". It won me over for the whole issue. Those few panels made me say "Aw...he saved Ruthie."


I also loved the large two-page spread of the train engine blowing apart. BAWHOOM .. he he he, I like bigga badda booms.

SO Yeah...I'm gonna get the next issue.  The story is very intriguing and entertaining.  I liked the issue  more on the second read, because I already knew the dialog.

BATMAN ODYSSEY: #2 

Story and Art: Neal Adams

Color: Continuity Stodios

Letters: Ken Lopez

Assistant Editor: Janelle Siegel

Associate Editor: Rachel Gluckstern

Editors: Marts & Carlin

Publisher: Dc Comics

Oct 2010

ACTION comics #891 The Black Ring: Part 2

RATING 3.3 out of 5

This issue doesn't rank high on action, but... what did I expect with Lex Luther as the main character. It's not a "Wow" kind of book, more of a comedy.  I'm not a fan of the character of Lex Luthor, but I still enjoyed the story and plan to get the next issue.

Full REview, spoilers.

Paul Cornell is able to keep the character of Lex Luthor true to form, but this issue seems to be a bit  off course from the main storyline started in the previous issue, which was Luthor searching for a way to build his own power ring from the Black Lantern rings that disappeared.

This issue seemed a little slow to me. Even though I see the humor of going into Lex Luthor's mind and seeing his fantasies, it just wasn't my type of action packed comic.
 

The storyline starts with Luthor, as a caveman, stealing "Fire" from the gods to bring to mankind. The gods looking suspiciously like The Trinity (superman, Wonder woman, and Batman.)

We find out ....that Lex's antagonist... the adorable  "Mr Mind", is trying to gain information from Lex, by having him live through his fantasies (I don't get it, but a plots a plot).

AND personally, I believe Lex's antagonist needs to be bottled up and sold to promote the acceptance of cute caterpillars everywhere.

He is....Just so ...adorable.(see panel to the left)

What is the  information that Lex has in his mind for Mr Mind to find? Whatever it is ...Mr Mind himself doesn't know. (So cute...I could just pinch those cheeks...ah... if he had any.) Mr Mind seems to be afraid of someone else, who he thinks is watching him. This "mysterious" someone... wasn't clear on what Mr Mind was to extract from Lex's mind.

I might have made it a bit more complicated then the story  really is, so lets try again: Lex's mind...controlled by Mr Mind .... looking to find ...information undefined...for someone not inclined...to become a headline.

Lex creatively gets free of Mr Mind and gives him "The boot", then decides to get extra muscle to help him on his quest for higher power, Deathstroke. 

I would say that you could skip this issue if you want, but the story was cute and humerus.

I'm looking forward to the next issue. Deathstroke is one of my favorite bad guys, plus he's hunk..in a evil...one eyed... katana swinging way.  If I have a choice between a cute evil caterpillar, and bad ass hunk, bad ass hunk will win in my book every time.

ACTION COMICS #891
Writer:  Paul Cornell
Pencillers: Pete Woods & Cafu
Inkers: Woods & BIT
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Cover: David Finch, Batt & Peter Steigerwald

ZATANNA #1 #2 #3 Review

RATING 4 out 5 

I love it when a story exceeds my expectations.  Zatanna, by writer Paul Dini ...is wonderful, and I can't wait to get into the next storyline.

REVIEW some SPOILERS
   
I actually didn't know what to expect. I've not read any other Zatanna comic (I'm not sure if there are any), and  what I know of her character... is from her interaction with the rest of the DC universe, specifically Batman and the Justice League.

The first thing I noticed...in this series, was that Zatanna was...um ..bigger... in certain areas... than I.. remember.  It was like whoa... "Za...Tan ..Na, PUT those away before you put a eye out."

There were some serious[smile]  discussions on forums, pertaining to, if she exceeded the norm, or not.  I had to go to the resident expert...my husband.  He confirmed, without biased, that Zatanna has had those... large ...boots... since she was first introduced.  Lets just face it, some people are just ...jealous... of other people's well drawn... boots.[wink]

Getting pass the discussions on attire ...and onto the story, Paul Dini is a story-telling expert. 

 In the first issue, he does a setup of the characters that surround Zatanna, without being a boring recite.   He gets us emotionally vested in these new characters, from Zatanna's crew on her magic show, to the Detective who is investigating a bizarre crime.  Dini also gives us a truly evil bad guy, called Brother Night. "He wants to expand his crime empire to include the human world."

Having Zatanna on his heals, Brother Blood sends a demon named Fuseli.
Fuseli travels by dream to dream causing each dreamer to have nightmares, using their insecurities against them, until he lands into Zatanna's dreamworld. He is one nasty little meanie.


The third issue is the final showdown between Zatanna and  Brother Night with his underlings, Ronalithi (Transforms victims by touch), Ember(Buns up victims), and Teddy (likes to share his pets). Dini really knows his characters, and the ending is great.

I highly suggest these issues for a fun read.  I love the teasing art, of the sexy sorceress, and  I can't wait to see her in action in the next issue.

ZATANNA:
Issue 1 title: there's no title shown.
Issue 2 title: Fuseli's Nightmare
Issue 3 title: Night on Devil Mountain
Writer : Paul Dini
Penciller: Stephane Roux
Inker: Karl Story/Stephane Roux
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Colorist: John Kalisz

Publisher: DC Comics
Jul Aug Sep 2010

NEXT ISSUES

ISSUE 4:
Intel from DC website

Zatanna loves Vegas, and Vegas loves her – but should Zee be wary of the attentions of a handsome, well-connected casino owner? She can hold her own against the most ridiculous Royal Flush Gang ever assembled, and she can just about cope with her cousin Zachary's immature antics, but she'd better watch out for the sultry fire demons that are hot on her heels!

ISSUE 5:
Intel from DC website

Zatanna and her cousin Zachary might have their differences – okay, they drive each other crazy – but if they don't stick together, they'll be taken to the cleaners by one of Hell's most powerful demons! He's betting it all on a chance to claim Zatanna's soul, and in Vegas, the house always wins!

ISSUE 6:
Intel from DC website

Zatanna has been taken captive by the demon who intends to steal her soul – and it's up to her playboy gadabout of a cousin, Zach Zatara, to free her!

The TPB is not out till March 2011

ADVENTURE COMICS # 516 Review

RATING 2 out of 5

SPOILERS FOR THE STORIES

Feature story>
Superboy and the LEGION of super-Heroes: The early years:
Brande Speaks
This is a re-telling of how R J Brande became R J Brande.  Mostly captions by R J Brande. I didn't know that much about R J, now I know more then I wanted. Yawn...
It is... a complete story in this one issue.
Co Feature>
The Atom: Nucleus: Part 1 
 Title: Splitting the Atom
This is a continuation from The Atom: Brightest Day special(One shot, ah ha hahahahah)  featuring Ray Palmer as The Atom. Only 8 pages.

Mostly Captions.... again.  The color of the captions makes it hard to read.  The Atom's father is in the hospital, without much hope of recovery. He knows that someone is after him, and he finds the guy that was hired to do the planning, "The Calculator." (This contradicts what happened in the Batgirl 12 where Calculator was put out of the way  for awhile.) It has a cliff hanger continuation into the next Adventure Comics #517, but I'm not on the edge of my seat.  It was a meh... kind of a story. Maybe if there were more pages to give more story to it,  or maybe I'm just tired of seeing Calculator... but I'm not interested in the story.



Adventure Comics #516 Credits:

Feature Title: BRANDE SPEAKS
Writer: Paul Levitz
Penciller: Kevin Sharpe
Inker: Marlo Alquiza
Letterer: Travis lanham
Colorist :Blond
Cover : Scott Clark and David Beaty


Co-Feature: The Atom: Nucleus  part 1 Splitting the Atom
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Penciller: Mahmud Asrar
Inker: John Del
Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Colorist: Pete Pantazis

BATGIRL RISING TPB :Review BATGIRL #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 2009

RATING 4.5 out of 5

This series just gets better and better with every issue. Stephanie Brown, as the new Batgirl, was the best move that DC has made in a long time. The series reminds me so...much of the original Batgirl, when she first appeared in the comics.  Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, wasn't always confident, and sometimes acted before she thought, and her detective skills increased as time went along, but most important she had excitement for what she was doing. I see all these things when I read the new Batgirl with Stephanie Brown. This storyline is complete within the TPB of issues 1-7, but I have a feeling, that once you  read it, you will be as hooked as I am with this series and want more.

Full Review, some Spoilers:

When this series started, the Batfans didn't like Stephanie Browns character for the choice of Batgirl, and was critical of everything.  I wasn't a fan of Steph's either, but I thought I'd gave the series a try.  The first two issues were building on Stephanie and the interaction with Oracle, Barbara Gordon who was the original Batgirl, they were solid issues but didn't "wow" me.
 The third issue..., Oh it hooked me, and.... I'm convinced that Stephanie was the perfect choice. 

The title, Batgirl Rising,  does rightly describe these issues. It is a uplifting story of an underdog becoming the hero.



 To help with the enjoyment for the series it might help to know about...

SPOILER, but it's not necessary.  If you already know about Spoiler you can skip this paragraph.

 Before this series, Stephanie was a crime fighter called Spoiler (picture on the cover to the right).  Her father was a bad guy called The Cluemaster. She got the name Spoiler because she would spoil her fathers plans. Every time her father escaped from prison, she would don the costume, and find ways to help police, and Robin, to capture him.  She decided she liked being a heroine and started following Robin around. 

Several adventures followed:

She had a baby that she gave up for adoption, 

She trained with Batgirl(Cassandra Cain) and with Batman,

She became Robin when Tim Drake quit.

She was raped and tortured by Black Mask and Dr Leslie Tompkins faked her death,

She came back sometime later as Spoiler and under Batman's orders helped the villains of Gotham make Tim a better Robin, 

Tim felt he couldn't trust her anymore and Ordered her to never put on the Spoiler costume again.  

This is where you start in issue #1, Stephanie is seen in the Cassandra Cain's  Batgirl costume.  In a really nice flashback, Cassandra Cain as Batgirl, fights side by side with Spoiler against some Bad guys.    Steph admits she shouldn't be in the Spoiler costume because of a promise.  Cass says, "That symbol...his crest, his fight, I fought for HIM. But no more. Now the fight is yours."  Then Cass disappears leaving behind the Batgirl costume.  

Oracle, Barbara Gordan, is also doing her own soul searching. She has a lot of pent up anger because she will never walk again.  Her father says, "It's like you don't want to be Happy." 

Batman/Dick Grayson, gives her a call, and tells her of seeing Stephanie wearing the Batgirl costume.  When Steph sees Barbara in her kitchen, she knows it's not good.  Barbara is pissed that Stephanie would dare ...wear that costume, with the Batgirl name, her Batgirl name.

In issue 2, a confrontation in the kitchen, and later in the issue Barbara has a caption, “And just like that, I suddenly realize I’m trying to break her on purpose.  And so does she.”

In issue 3, (the issue that converted me) it all comes together, in a scene where Scarecrow has Stephenie beaten and broken on the floor.  She pulls herself up, and turns the tables on Scarecrow and by the end of it, I'm crying, and Barbara's crying, because she was monitoring Batgirl from the Batcave, and Stephanie has earned being called Batgirl.  At the end of the issue Barbara has a new Batgirl suit to give  to Stephanie.

In issue 4, Barb and Steph start working together as a team, instead of against each other, becoming friends.

Issue 5,6,7.... I'll just sum these up...because I don't want to spoil everything, but Stephanie proves herself to Batman/Dick Grayson and Robin/Damian as they go up against Roulette. The interaction in these three issues is awesome.  A panel from issue 5 is to the right, and shows the confrontation between Dick and Barbara,  BUT by the end of issue 7, there is another misty eyed moment  as Barbara and Dick reconcile. Damian is his typical bratty self,  these issues are really fun.

I highly recommend these issues, or the TPB.  They are great and they leave you with a uplifting feeling, and a reason to shout, "Yea! You ...Go... Girl!









BATGIRL: Issues 1-7
TPB Title: Batgirl Rising 
Issues Title:
1-3: Point of New Origin
4: Field Test
5-7: Core Requirements
Writer:Bryan Q. Miller
Pencillers: Tim Levins & Trevor Scott & Lee Garbett
Inker: Trevor Scott, Dan Davis, Aaron Sowd, Sandra Hope, & Oliver Nome
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: John J Hill
Covers: Phil Moto

Publisher: DC Comics
2009-2010