THE WEEK (JAN 2-8, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW

New Avengers #1
(Hickman, Epting)
Jonathan Hickman's Avengers is already a homerun as far as I'm concerned, so I very much am looking forward to what he's got planned for New Avengers, which he's teased as being focused on the Marvel Illuminati attempting to stop the universe from colliding with another!

Batman Incorporated #6
(Morrison, Burnham)
Things have been getting increasingly better in Batman, Inc, and it has to do with Morrison finally breaking into some plot advancement instead of muddling around in mythos and talk of legacy and destiny.

The Flash #15
(Manapul, Buccellato)
Flash was absent from Justice League#15 due to Grodd's invasion of Keystone City. That's how important Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato's "Gorilla Warfare" storyline seems to be -- that DC is cool with not having Barry hanging with the League for a while. And it makes sense because "Gorilla Warfare" is just so damn good.

Justice League Dark #15
(Lemire, Nolan)
What more can I say about Jeff Lemire's Justice League Dark other than it's one of DC's best current series. The fallout of "War for the Books of Magic" has left a void in the magic stability of the DC universe, and it's up the JLD to figure out how to get things working again.

Superman #15
(Lobdell, Rocafort)
"H'el on Earth" has been piecing itself together since Superman #13, a prologue issue that did little to build up this so-called major crossover. Scott Lobdell's narrative in Superman seems to be the primary storyline, though a lot more has been revealed and/or told about H'el -- and the story in general -- in the pages of Supergirl and Superboy thus far. Hopefully, Lobdell has something up his sleeve to really get this crossover to the next level, whatever that means.

Teen Titans #15
(Lobdell, Booth)
Finally, Teen Titans crosses over with Scott Snyder's "Death of the Family" as Red Robin has apparently been taken hostage by the Joker in Gotham City. Naturally, the team rolls out to save dear old RR, but what does that mean for a group of kids with no prior experience with the Clown Prince of Crime?

Extra! Extra!

All-New X-Men #5
(Bendis, Immonen)

Batman: The Dark Knight #15
(Hurwitz, Finch)

Red Lanterns #15
(Milligan, Sepulveda)

Talon #3
(Tynion IV, Snyder, Ryp)

THE WEEK (NOV 28-DEC 4, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW
FF #1
(w) Matt Fraction
(p) Mike Allred
This has got to be my most anticipated 'Marvel NOW!' series besides Young Avengers. It feels like Matt Fraction and Mike Allred are creating a book that's going to be something extremely special in this day and age. Don't miss it.

Reviews

Aquaman #14
(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Pete Woods
It's the aftermath of "The Others" and an unofficial prelude to next the upcoming "Throne of Atlantis" crossover with Justice League. The effects of Black Manta and Aquaman's face-off will be covered, I'm sure, and Ocean Master is making his 'New 52' debut!

Justice League Dark #14
(w) Jeff Lemire
(p) Lee Garbett
The conclusion of "War for the Books of Magic" brought Frankenstein and Amethyst into the fold as new members of the JLD. Jeff Lemire will "pick up the pieces" from the encounter with Nick Necro and get the next exciting arc going!


Superman #14
(w) Scott Lobdell
(p) Kenneth Rocafort
Being a 'Superman' event, technically, I guess I should have assumed we wouldn't get a bulk of the "H'el on Earth" story until an actual issue of Superman. Hopefully, Scott Lobdell can shed some light onto the machinations of H'el...please.

Teen Titans #14
(w) Scott Lobdell
(p) Ale Garza
Red Robin is missing -- presumably due to the events of "Death of the Family" -- so the Titans head to Gotham to look for him. Good idea, right? Nope.

Thor: God of Thunder #2
(w) Jason Aaron
(p) Esad Ribic
Jason Aaron continues his absolutely amazing new run with Thor: God of Thunder and the menace of the God Butcher. Esad Ribic's art seriously adds a whole new level of depth to the story, and Aaron's haunting tale of three eras is riveting.


Uncanny Avengers #2
(w) Rick Remender
(p) John Cassaday
It's been eight weeks since Uncanny Avengers #1, which is a little disconcerting. This is Marvel's new flagship series, and it's second issue was nearly a month late. Fortunately, Rick Remender and John Cassaday is a team I -- and many, many other fans -- am willing to wait for. Early reviews are putting this issue on a pedestal, so hopefully it lives up to the hype.

Extra! Extra!

All-New X-Men #2
(w) Brian Michael Bendis
(p) Stuart Immonen

Batman Incorporated #5
(w) Grant Morrison
(p) Chris Burnham

Batman: The Dark Knight #14
(w) Gregg Hurwitz
(p) David Finch

The Flash #14
(w) Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
(p) Francis Manapul

Red Lanterns #14
(w) Peter Milligan
(p) Miguel Sepulveda

EXTRA! EXTRA! (OCT 24-30, 2012)

Batman: The Dark Knight #13
(w) Gregg Hurwitz
(p) David Finch

Batman: The Dark Knight #13 continues Gregg Hurwitz's phenomenal Scarecrow arc that reintroduces Doctor Jonathan Crane to the 'New 52' in a much more frightening scope than he's ever been before. Hurwitz has been parsing out Scarecrow's horrid past over each issue instead of dumping it on readers all at once, a decision that's been paying off in spades as Crane becomes more and more terrifying with each subsequent issue. On top of that, Scarecrow's new super toxin is forcing Bruce to face his actual fear - that of actually ascending into the light and being able to live a normal life. It's a poignant perspective to take on Batman, that he indeed had a choice about how to live his life and deliberately chose to chase after the darkness and envelop himself in shadows.

GRADE: 8.5/10  

I, Vampire #13
(w) Joshua Hale Fialkov
(p) Andrea Sorrentino

I, Vampire sits rather comfortably outside the main DC universe - though there are crossovers from time to time, a majority of what happens doesn't directly affect much of the other characters DC has at it's disposal. That being said, Joshua Hal Fialkov succeeds every month in bringing a new chapter to his fascinating story of Andrew Bennett, his rise into glory and his current fall into darkness. I, Vampire #13 sees Mary Seward - formerly 'Queen of Blood' - teaming up with Bennett's professor friend to find Andrew's maker, while Andrew and his new prodigy, Tig, track down Deborah Dancer - a woman from Andrew's past who is only half-vampire. Fialkov is taking big risks in sending his main character down such a twisted and violent path, but such risks can lead to daring results and amazing narratives - I, Vampire easily falls into that category month after month.

GRADE: 8/10

X-Treme X-Men #5
(w) Greg Pak
(p) Paco Diaz

X-Treme X-Men is the weird step-sibling of the X-Men canon of series Marvel produces - it's events are spun out of an arc from Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen, only one character from Earth-616 is present, and the team travels across various dimensions hunting down evil versions of Charles Xavier. On one hand, it's a rather limiting premise -  one that doesn't allow for much diversion - while on the other hand, it has the potential for a literal infinite amount of stories due to the nature of the multiverse. So far, Greg Pak has done a great job bringing short, action-packed arcs that take advantage of a infinite multiverse with cool, alternate versions of the X-Men hanging around. X-Treme X-Men #5 finishes up a two-part tale of evil Xavier in the wild west.

GRADE: 8.3/10

THE WEEK (OCT 24-30, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW

Teen Titans #13
(w) Scott Lobdell
(p) Ale Garza
Wonder Girl is forced to fight her ex-boyfriend for control of the Silent Armor! It's time to get back to Cassie Sandsmark's origin and her connection to the Greek gods, which has been my most favorite arc of the series thus far. 

The Flash #13
(w/p) Francis Manapul and Buccellato
After a lengthy bout against the various members of the Rogues, Flash must face Gorilla Grodd and his plans to steal the Speed Force from Flash! "Gorilla Warfare" promises to be an awesome arc in Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato's already amazing run with the character.

Justice League Dark #13
(w) Jeff Lemire
(p) Mikel Janin
It's the penultimate chapter in the "War for the Books of Magic" arc that will conclude later this month in Justice League Dark Annual #1. Remember a few months ago when that mystery man took control of the House of Secrets? Well now it's House of Mystery vs. House of Secrets!

Red Lanterns #13
(w) Peter Milligan
(p) Gabriel Sepulveda
"Rise of the Third Army" continues this week as one of the Red Lanterns gets taken by the Army! Atrocitus literally just finished up saving his Corps from the darkened soul of Abysmus, and now he's got to stave off a hive-mind army guided by the Guardians of the Universe? This guy has his work cut out for him.

Extra! Extra!
A-Babies vs. X-Babies
(w/p) Various

Batman Incorporated #4
(w) Grant Morrison
(p) Chris Burnham

Batman: The Dark Knight #13
(w) Gregg Hurwitz
(p) David Finch


Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #4 of 4
(w) Darwyn Cooke
(p) Amanda Conner

Bravest Warriors #1
(w) Joey Comeau
(p) Mike Holmes

I, Vampire #13
(w) Joshua Hale Fialkov
(p) Andrea Sorrentino

X-Treme X-Men #5
(w) Greg Pak
(p)

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #12

STORY: Gregg Hurwitz
ART: David Finch

Batman: The Dark Knight started out as the weakest Batman title in DC's arsenal. Detective Comics explored the more emotional aspects of Bruce Wayne's life, Batman was all about the psychological, and Batman and Robin provided the familial themes so important to Batman's characterization. The Dark Knight didn't really have much to explore that the other three titles weren't already delving into, and it showed. It didn't help that David Finch - the acclaimed artist - was attempting scripting duties. Now that Gregg Hurwitz has taken over the writing duties, things have started to pick up with the debut of the 'New 52' Scarecrow.

Hurwtiz's Scarecrow is far more visceral than previous incarnations as the son to a mentally unbalanced psychologist (how ironically fun is that?), Crane has a disturbing connection to fear that makes a lot more sense with his inclinations to toy with fear on the molecular and chemical level. "Well, Dad...Take a look at me now!" hearkens to universal paternal issues that trigger deep-seeded rage. More interestingly, Hurwitz has made Crane's fear toxin a viable threat once again - it goes deeper and coaxes the subconscious fears that are usually blocked out.

"You see, that's why I understand you, Batman. You fear nothing. Except fear itself," pretty much sums up Batman as a whole. Bruce fights every day of his life to stave off the fear that criminals use to subdue their victims, but in the end, it's Batman himself who uses fear the most. He uses that fear to "prove yourself, over and over." - Scarecrow claims he's mastered fear while Bruce runs from it. On a psychological level, Bruce fills the void in his life with the fight against fear. On the emotional side, Batman uses fear as a crutch more often than not, and that's why Scarecrow can win, why he continues to be a thorn in Batman's side.

And that's the real tragedy: that Batman's void can really never be filled because he will never be able to conquer his own fear and ascend to a greater cause.

GRADE

A

UPCOMING REVIEWS (AUG 22-28)

Batman: The Dark Knight #12
(Hurwitz, Finch)
- Gregg Hurwitz's fantastic arc featuring the 'New 52' revamped Scarecrow continues this month with Batman in the clutches of Jonathan Crane! Will the Dark Knight be Scarecrow's guinea pig? Plus, more is revealed about Crane's disturbed past.

Before Watchmen: Doctor Manhattan #1 of 4

(Straczynski, Wein)

- Cryptic as ever, the most I can say about DC's promos for this is that it features the most emo of the Watchmen, Doctor Manhattan. I'll be interested to see what's covered in this series, as the original Watchmen covered Doc's past pretty well.

The Flash #12
(Manapul, Buccelatto)
- Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelatto continue to assemble Flash's Rogues as they set up the next major arc for the series that will start in October. Honestly, I'm just in it for Manapul's artwork right now.

Green Lantern: New Guardians #12

(Bedard, Kirkham)

- This month, revelations are abound as the ring stealer is unveiled, Larfleeze gets his due, and there should be some showdown with Invictus, I'd assume.

Superman #12
(Jurgens, Merino)
- So, the big ugly from the bottom of the sea in issue nine is back? Alright. And Superman is going to stop him! Superman really should be getting much better than it's been. It's a flagship title (technically), and with the high level of quality in Batman, the Man of Steel is getting left in the dust.

Teen Titans #12

(Lobdell, Booth)

- The mystery surrounding Wonder Girl's armor continues with the introduction of Diesel, someone with connections to Cassie's past. Also, Fabian Nicieza finishes up his Kid Flash back-up. Not so much looking forward to that.

4-Sentence Reviews
- Batman Incorporated #3
- Captain America & Namor #635.1
- I, Vampire #12
- Justice League Dark #12   

4-SENTENCE REVIEWS (JULY 25-31)

Batman: The Dark Knight #11

(Hurwitz, Finch)

After a mediocre initial story arc, and a "Night of the Owls" chapter that didn't actually feature Red Robin fighting a Talon at all - like the cover of the issue promises - Greg Hurwitz has stepped in to bring Scarecrow into the 'New 52' with style, and he does so in spades. Unlike the increasingly doom-and-gloomy Scarecrow pre-reboot, Hurwitz's take on Jonathan Crane is rooted in pure insanity - he gleefully kidnaps children and exposes them to his fear gas, mimicking his own father's tactics years prior. The eighth page is a striking and apt example of the feeling Hurwitz achieves, in this case mostly because of David Finch's artwork: (in three panels) a child is on a teeter-totter, then Scarecrow can be seen in the bushes, and finally, the child is gone. It's a subtle, yet explosive point in the issue that leads to even more ridiculousness - Scarecrow's hyperbolic needle gloves really push the crazy point across - culminating in the best issue of Batman: TDK to date.

GRADE: A+

The Flash #11
(Manapul, Buccellato, To, McCarthy)

11 months into the 'New 52', and The Flash is finally getting a little less convoluted and little more character-driven. While Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato have been having fun putting Barry Allen through the revamp ringer - he's in a relationship with Patty Spivot instead of Iris West, the Rogues have been retooled as much more deadly foes, The Flash is blamed for a mass power outage in the Gem Cities, etc. - the series thus far has been somewhat light on real character development. Sure, we get to see Barry trying to balance his civilian life and his career as the Flash, but it always felt somewhat dry until this issue. A candid conversation between Captain Cold and Barry - as he has started a new life as "Al", a bartender at a Rogues bar in Keystone City - makes each character much more relatable than they've been in previous issues, a welcome breathe of fresh air from a series that's been stuck in a single gear for a while.

GRADE: B+

Green Lantern: New Guardians #11

(Bedard, Kirkham, Batt)

In an era of comic books that demands larger, more comprehensive arcs, it's sometimes hard to make an individual issue stand on it's own feet, especially considering it's placement in the arc as a whole - Green Lantern: New Guardians #11 suffers from this "filler issue" syndrome, wherein most of the events that take place in the issue are either a continuation from last issue, or a set-up for the events of next issue. Filler episodes of TV shows are some of the most boring, and even thought the New Guardians take on Larfleeze this issue and Sayd the Guardian reveals that is was she who stole the multicolored rings and manipulated the New Guardians into existence, this issue fails to really be engaging. The most interesting moment of the issue is when Larfleeze destroys the corporeal construct of Glomulus, the rotund alien that's been traveling with the NG's since the first issue and developed a friendship with Kyle Rayner. And sure, Glommy was a character that's been around a while, but he wasn't all that important, and the fact that a major fight between members of every Lantern Corps - as well as B-story panels of Invictus destroying the planet Aello in the Vega system - doesn't incite more excitement is a problem.

GRADE: C-

Justice League Dark #11
(Lemire, Janin)

Jeff Lemire continues his fantastic run on Justice League Dark this month with big revelations, cool magic stuffs, more John Constantine. Felix Faust and his Demons Three have been giving the JLD a hard time for a few issues now, so Constantine barters his way into the Black Room to retrieve a few items to help them stop the mad wizard before he can gain access to the room himself. Lemire is taking his time with this story, as it's poised to set up some major changes for magic in the 'New 52', including the appearance of Timothy Hunter, a character created by Neil Gaiman who hase the potential to become "the greatest mage the world had ever known", as well as the inevitable moment when the Black Room becomes a toy store for DC's magical villains. Usually, plot-driven arcs get under my skin due to the lack of true character development, but "The Black Room"s purpose as a prelude of sorts to upcoming events gives it a pass in light of future potentials.

GRADE: B

National Comics: Eternity

(Lemire, Hammer, Donovan)

For it's 'New 52' reboot, DC endeavored to include more titles grounded in realism, including Blackhawks, Men of War (and it's subsequent replacement, G.I. Combat), and James Robinson's "Savage" run on DC Universe Presents. With National Comics: Eternity, writer Jeff Lemire presents a tale of Chris Freeman, a police coroner with the power to bring recently deceased persons back as ghosts for 24 hours in order to solve their own murders, allowing them to find closure and move on in the afterlife. While the origin and basic set-up remain the same, Lemire puts his own, dark spin on Kid Eternity, bringing him into the 21st century with a story about Darby Quinn, a seemingly innocent murder victim who is revealed to have been shot in self-defense by his young female tenant. Lemire's use of modern criminal procedure style to bring Kid Eternity back into the fold is genius, and while the twist with Quinn's innocence is somewhat expected, the resulting meeting between Chris and a mysterious man who knows about Chris' abilities is completely captivating and leaves me only wanting more (why is this only a One-Shot?!?!?)

GRADE: A

UPCOMING REVIEWS (JULY 25-31)

Aquaman #11
(Johns, Reis)
- "The Others" continues as we learn if the team ever actually can work as a...team. This is one of DC's best series out right now, and still people aren't reading it as much as they should!

Before Watchmen: Comedian #2 of 6

(Azzarello, Jones)

- Last issue, Brian Azzarello pretty much totally missed the point of Before Watchmen, opting to make Eddy Blake seem like a good guy who just happened to be implicated with the Kennedy murders! Uh-oh!


The Flash #11
(Manapul, Buccalleto)
- The last few months has seen Flash meeting a number of his Rogues through a seemingly connected series of events. The Flash #11 introduces Heatwave to the 'New 52' in Manapul's steely art style!

Green Lantern #11

(Johns, Mahnke)

- With the Indigo Tribe down, it's time for Geoff Johns to turn his sights on resolving the loose end of Black Hand and his BRAND NEW BLACK LANTERN RING! But without the Anitmonitor powering the Black Lantern (and Necron...dead?...), how will William Hand get his revenge against Hal Jordan and the Indigo Tribe?


Justice League Dark #11
(Lemire, Janin)
- "The Black Room" continues as the JLD finds its way deeper into ARGUS and in a rematch with the Demons Three! Plus, John Constantine finds something interesting.

Teen Titans #11

(Lobdell, Booth)

- Wonder Girl's origin! Plus, the secret of her armor that's slowly killing her. Hopefully, Scott Lobdell will find some space to give the other kids a bit more character development as well.


4-Sentence Reviews
- Batman: The Dark Knight #11
- Green Lantern: New Guardians #11
- National Comics: Eternity #1
- Superman #11

(NIGHT OF THE OWLS) BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #9

STORY: Judd Winick
ART: David Finch and Richard Friend

While this is the correct Talon, Red Robin does not fight him....?

As you probably know either from experience or simply just from prior knowledge of DC's business practices, Batman has a big presence in the 'New 52.' Not only is he DC's most popular hero, but it's possible the sales numbers for Bat-related books keep others afloat (I'm looking at you, Demon Knights.) But with a big presence comes a larger potential for shitty, unnecessary titles that add bloat instead of important - or even interesting - plot or character development. Batman: The Dark Knight falls right in the middle; it's not a terrible book, but it's also not the best Batman-related title that DC offers. That being said, Batman: The Dark Knight #9 happens to be my favorite crossover issue for "Night of the Owls". It's an issue that focuses mostly on a Talon named Carver who's career lasted too long. Technically, he was the final talon before Dick Grayson's generation, giving him a closer connection to the events of Batman's life.

Inner monologue is a tricky thing to successfully convey. If - at any moment - the reader feels like the character's thoughts are corny, cheesy, or downright ridiculous, it's a lot harder to relate to that particular title. No one thinks in sentences about their grand plans and how their unique abilities will help them complete said plans (i.e. - I never think to myself, "I'm going to use my skill in writing to keep up with my blog now!" and then proceed to write.) We call this the 'Scott Lobdell Principle' here at "The Endless Reel." The trick is to integrate the reader so smoothly into the thoughts of the desired character, that the reader becomes connected (no matter how temporarily) to said character. Judd Winick is one of those writers who gets it - he makes inner monologue feel less forced.

Batman: The Dark Knight #9 follows Talon Carver's life from childhood to undead resurrection. It's been interesting to see how DC's conveyed these Talons as enemies. At first, it seemed like they were somewhat mindless drones that obeyed the Court of Owls without question. As we near the end of "Night of the Owls", it's becoming more and more clear that these Talons have control over their own thoughts, and some choose to be completely loyal, while others explore the undead life they've been given. In this case, Carver obeys the Court, but mostly for his own sense of redemption. Carver's career as a Talon ended in disgrace after he botched an assassination, was seen by the Batman, and then fled.

Carver was the Talon sent after Lincoln March that we met a few weeks ago in Batman #9. B:TDK reinterprets the scene to include Talon Carver's perspective on the events. In the end, Carver is still old, slow, and weak. The difference is that this time, he accepts his fate; he feels deserving of the cruel end he's been dealt because he's no longer good enough for anything else.

"Night of the Owls" has been at it's best when it gives the Talons compelling characterization. Batman: The Dark Knight #9 does the best job - so far - of making an emotional connection between the reader and Talon Carver. And he escapes at the end! Does this mean we haven't seen the last of Carver? Will he return as a Talon or as a new villain? Next month promises the return of Scarecrow, but part of me just wants to change this series' title to Carver and follow this Talon on his quest to understand where he fits into the world.

GRADE:

A

PS - The cover is a total mislead - Red Robin shows up for exactly one panel, and it's only to listen to orders from Batman. A total letdown. This grade would have been an 'A+' if not for that tease.