THE WEEK (JAN 23-29, 2013)

FEATURED REVIEW
Young Avengers #1
(Gillen, McKelvie)

Ever since Marvel announced that Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie were taking the reigns on a new volume of Young Avengers, I've basically been hoarding any and all info concerning the new series because the Young Avengers is my favorite superhero team ever. I own all the original 12 issues, I've read every crossover and tie-in there's been, and I waited and waited for Avengers: The Children's Crusade to finish up. Now, Gillen and McKelvie are taking Young Avengers in an exciting new direction that -- if it's anything like Phonogram -- is going to be AMAZING.

REVIEWS

Avengers #3
(Hickman, Epting)

Captain America continues his mission to gather his Avengers recruits for an assault on Mars against Ex Nihilo to free their fellow heroes. Jonathan Hickman's concept-saturated Avengers stories already have a lot of readers scratching their heads...in a good way!

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #6 of 6
(Cooke, et al.)

I stopped reviewing all the other Before Watchmen mini-series because, to be honest, none of them had a lot of staying power. While the first few issues of each series were mostly enjoyable (except for Comedian, which has been a train wreck the whole time), they've slipped and fell into 'filler issue' territory. Darwyn Cooke's Minutemen is the exception to the rule, as Cooke's fantastic art style and nuanced writing have made this series immaculate. 

FF #3
(Fraction, Allred)

I love this series. You should love it as well. Matt Fraction and Mike Allred take readers on a journey to discover why a mysterious messenger has brought a message of the Fantastic Four's demise!

Green Lantern #16
(Johns, Mahnke)

Even though none of the "Rise of the Third Army" tie-in issues have featured a whole lot of the eponymous Third Army, Green Lantern has been the most enjoyable series through this GL-crossover, as Geoff Johns' Simon Baz has proved to be one of the most interesting new superheroes in a long time. 

Justice League #16
(Johns, Reis, Prado)

"Throne of Atlantis" continues this week. It's pretty much obvious that Ocean Master is manipulating everything, right? Then again, Johns has a way of making readers believe what he'd like us to see up until the twist.

Uncanny Avengers #3
(Remender, Cassaday)

Finally, finally, we get Uncanny Avengers #3 nearly two months late. It's unfortunate that such a great series -- which is still considered the flagship 'Marvel NOW!' title, I'm assuming -- continues to have such a broken release schedule. To be honest, I nearly forgot it was coming out this week, and I had to go back and reread the first two issues to make sure I knew what was going on. Other than the weird releases, Uncanny Avengers #3 looks like it's going to be a turning point in this first arc.

Extra! Extra!

Green Lantern Corps #16
(Tomasi, Pasarin)

Red Hood and The Outlaws #16
(Lobdell, TBA)

Supergirl #16
(Johnson, Asrar)

Uncanny X-Force #1
(Humphries, Garney)

Wonder Woman #16
(Azzarello, Chiang)

EXTRA! EXTRA! (DEC 5-11, 2012)

All-New X-Men #3
(Bendis, Immonen)

After two issues spent building up the return of the original five X-Men, Brian Michael Bendis takes a detour with All-New X-Men #3 to focus on Cyclops and his posse on the run from the law. Scott wants to set up a new 'Xavier' School in the remnants of Weapon X, which at first sounds terrible, but the more you think about it, the more rational the idea becomes -- Cyclops is using a symbol for hate and violence towards mutants as the location for a new revolution. My biggest problem with All-New X-Men #3 is that BMB does not know how to write Emma Frost -- usually, the man can write dialogue for women, but Emma is not a normal woman and that requires a certain voice to shine through, which it does not here. I've enjoyed ANXM as a whole so far, though this issue left me wanting and somewhat worried for the state of Uncanny X-Men when Bendis relaunches it in March.

GRADE: 7/10

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #5 of 6
(Cooke)

Before Watchmen: Minutemen continues to be not only the best title in the BW series, but also one of DC's best books currently being published--Darwyn Cooke's masterful blend of pop art and classic 1960s storytelling just makes sense for a group of heroes pretty much defined by those two elements. Minutemen #5 chronicles the quick descent of the team from a much-lauded crime fighting organization into a pale ghost of the glory they once had; things like Dollar Bill killing himself by mistake, and Mothman's alcoholism. In a last ditch effort to prove themselves to an ever-skeptical public, Cooke introduces Bluecoat and Scout, two comic book heroes in the flesh ready to help the Minutemen dismantle an actual atomic bomb. This vignette about Bluecoat and Scout is simply fantastic and a testament to Cooke's love for this series; instead of focusing on one, probably flimsy storyline (like, say, Comedian or Doctor Manhattan), he's treating this series as a textbook for the rise and fall of America's first superhero team.

GRADE: 9.5/10

Iron Man #3
(Gillen, Land)

Now I like it, now I don't, now I like it...that's how things have been going with me and Kieron Gillen's 'Marvel NOW!' volume of Iron Man--the first issue promised a fun, interesting variety of foes in Tony Stark's search for the Extremis bootlegs, while the second issue used that plot device to bring Gillen's weird neo-Arthurian dream to fruition before falling completely flat midway through. Iron Man #3, however, turns the tides once again in favor of Gillen and Greg Land as Tony goes after another Extremis owner in Colombia using his stealth suit of armor to infiltrate and retrieve the sample without being detected, albeit at the cost of more firepower. Gillen takes his time to explain why Tony is now using a variety of suits instead of the liquid metal armor capable of creating any weapon on any one of the separate models, and it's a fairly simple answer: something specialized works better than something adapting. The final pages are emotion-heavy, though Tony's dilemma may cause some readers to groan over the general trope of seeing the good being an evil deed.

GRADE: 7/10

Stormwatch #15
(Milligan, Conrad)

Harry Tanner betrayed Stormwatch and kidnapped one of it's best agents, all in an effort to gain more power and overthrow the Shadow Council that rules over Stormwatch and all of it's actions. Now, Tanner's returned (disguised as a Shadow Council member) to do just that and he's brainwashed the rest of the team into believing Midnighter is a mole plotting to destroy Stormwatch from the inside out. Peter Milligan's run on Stormwatch has been full of complex mythos, yet he can still write a damn good hissy fit between Apollo and his perceived heartbreaker, Midnighter. It feels like the climax of this arc is coming, as things couldn't get much worse for Midnighter, Stormwatch itself is on the brink of destruction, and Harry Tanner holds all the cards--this is a high-octane series that you really should be reading if you're not.

GRADE: 8/10

THE WEEK (DEC 5-11, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW

Avengers #1
(Hickman, Opena)


REVIEWS
Action Comics #15
(Morrison, Morales)

Animal Man #15 & Swamp Thing #15
(Lemire, Snyder, Pugh, Paquette)

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #5 of 6
(Cooke)

Earth 2 #7
(Robinson, Scott)

Hawkeye #5
(Fraction, Aja)

Thunderbolts #1
(Way, Dillon)

Extra! Extra!
All-New X-Men #3
(Bendis, Immonen)

Amazing Spider-Man #699
(Slott, Ramos)

Iron Man #3
(Gillen, Land)

Stormwatch #15
(Milligan, Conrad)

THE WEEK (NOV 7-13, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW

Deadpool #1
(w) Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan
(p) Tony Moore
One of America's funniest comedians takes on Marvel's merc with a mouth: it's Brian Posehn writing Deadpool! And it's going to be awesome! Deadpool vs. resurrected Zombie American Presidents? Sign me up.

Action Comics #14

(w) Grant Morrison
(p) Rags Morales
Superman faces off against the Multitude...on Mars! If I've said it once, I've said it a handful of times; Grant Morrison's stories don't have a lot of previews. His writing's too intricate to offer much in the way of sneak peeks.

Earth 2 #6
(w) James Robinson
(p) Nicola and Trevor Scott
It's the conclusion of the first arc of Earth 2 as Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, and the Atom take on Grundy, the scion of death! James Robinson's parallel Earth series has been fantastic to say the least. To say I'm looking forward to this is a total understatement.

Green Lantern #14
(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Doug Mahnke
Geoff Johns continues this great introduction of Simon Baz that will eventually intersect with "Rise of the Third Army". So far, Baz has been far more interesting than Hal Jordan's been in years. 


Iron Man #1
(w) Kieron Gillen
(p) Greg Land

Extra! Extra!

Animal Man #14
(w) Jeff Lemire
(p) Steve Pugh

Before Watchmen: Moloch #1 of 2
(w) J. Michael Straczynski
(p) John Higgins

Stormwatch #14
(w) Peter Milligan
(p) Will Conrad

Swamp Thing #14
(w) Scott Snyder
(p) Yanick Paquette

Uncanny X-Force #33
(w) Rick Remender
(p) Phil Noto

World's Finest #6
(w) Paul Levitz
(p) Kevin Maguire and George Perez

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)

EXTRA! EXTRA! (OCT 17-23, 2012)

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #4 of 6
(w/p) Cooke

Minutemen #4 continues Darwyn Cooke's absolutely phenomenal take on the group that fought crime before the Watchmen formed by way of two stories - one focused on Comedian's time on a Japanese island during World War II, the other about the death of Silhouette. While Brian Azzarello tries in vain in Comedian to make Eddie Blake a relatable character, Cooke manages to do so with ease by placing the Comedian in one of his first morally ambiguous situations that changes the way he views war and the world. Silhouette's part of the issue is really more about Nite Owl Hollis Mason's relationship with Silhouette and how her death affects him and the rest of the Minutemen. This is truly the best title of Before Watchmen, and honestly, one of the best titles of 2012 - while I'm still generally skeptical of the entire prequel notion (see every other BW series besides Ozymandias and Silk Spectre), Minutemen directed by Darwyn Cooke has the potential to be an ongoing series...if only.

GRADE: 9.5/10

Blue Beetle #13
(w) Tony Bedard
(p) Ig Guara
(i) JP Mayer

Blue Beetle #13 picks up after the events of Justice League International Annual #1 wherein Brother Eye forced O.M.A.C. to transport Jaime Reyes to home planet of the aliens behind the scarab technology, Reachworld. Similarly, it's best to have read Blue Beetle #0 as well, seeing as the central antagonist is none other than the mysteriously resurrected corpse of Sky Witness, the man who wore the Khaji-Da armor before Jaime. And instead of finding an all-out brawl between Jaime and the Reach as expected, I found something even better - a Reach solider who desires autonomy after achieving self-thought for only a moment while fighting Blue Lanterns on Odym. Not only does this plot promote inter-title cohesion in creating a more complete DCnU, but it shows that the universe is not a static place that doesn't change - even alien cults like the Reach have mutiny within their ranks, and change doesn't always have to happen only for the good guys.

GRADE: 8/10

Catwoman #13
(w) Ann Nocenti
(p) Rafa Sandoval
(i) Jordi Tarragona

While this issue might be fashioned as a "Death of the Family Prelude", it's really not that at all, which means that I basically read an issue of Catwoman for no other reason that to read an issue of Catwoman, and in the 'New 52', that's kind of lame. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure there's an avid fan base for a Selina Kyle who over-sexualizes everything, looks like her skin fuses with her leather jumpsuit, and who can't seem to grow as a character. Unfortunately, I am not part of that fan base, nor have I ever really thought that Catwoman was a strong enough character to warrant so much focus. Anyhow, Catwoman fights (another) rich kid from Gotham who thinks the city belongs to them - it's not inventive, there's no 'twist' anywhere, and the connection to Scott Snyder's Joker-centric event is virtually non-existent (you wouldn't see it if you weren't looking).

GRADE: 5/10

Nightwing #13
(w) Tom DeFalco
(p) Andres Guinaldo
(i) Mark Irwin and Raul Fernandez

Nightwing doesn't cross over with "Death of the Family" for a few more months, so for the time being, Tom DeFalco is taking over with art by Andres Guinaldo to tell a tale about Nightwing and Lady Shiva - one of the most lethal assassins in the entire world. Nightwing #13 makes as much of a reference to the Joker as Catwoman #13 does, yet Dick Grayson's title get's no "Prelude" kind of treatment - who knows what goes on in the minds of DC editors. Dick is forced to track down Shiva on his own since the rest of the Bat Family is otherwise occupied, and it doesn't seem to go so well. By the end, Dick realizes he's been played in a game of bait-and-switch, surely leading to a more vengeful tone for Nightwing in coming issues.

GRADE: 7.8/10

Red Hood and The Outlaws #13
(w) Scott Lobdell
(p/i) Timothy Green II

The Outlaws wrap up their cosmic adventure as Starfire and her sister, Blackfire, take on the invading Blight and drive them away from Tamaran. In all honesty, Red Hood and Arsenal don't do a whole lot this month besides get in the way of Kori and Kom's fight with the Blight leader. Red Hood and The Outlaws #13 is mostly about tying up all the loose ends from this arc - Kori and her sister make amends for past sins, Jason Todd manages to keep his date alive despite getting caught in an alien war, and Roy Harper lives to narrate another day. It's the final page that holds omens for the coming months, ones that connect to RHatO #0 released last month.

GRADE: 7/10

Supergirl #13
(w) Mike Johnson
(p/i) Sami Basri

This might be the most disappointing issue of Supergirl to date - there's a lot of talking, some one-sided fighting, and a coincidental conclusion that isn't very satisfying at all. This is the first issue without Michael Green co-writing with Mike Johnson, and it shows; the fight between Supergirl and Tycho (the multi-billionaire from the first issue, only now with shape-shifting superpowers) really feels quite meaningless, as Tycho hasn't been seen or heard from since the debut issue, and because he doesn't seem to have any purpose in taking Supergirl, especially since he can speak Kryptonian now (somehow) and can communicate with her. The whole "story" feels like a big letdown, the only upside to which is a revelation about Kara's space-pod at the bottom of the sea. Beyond that, this issue really isn't worth reading - best wait for "H'el on Earth" to start next month.

GRADE: 5/10

Wonder Woman #13
(w) Brian Azzarello
(p) Tony Akins
(i) Dan Green

While the past two months of Wonder Woman have brought a lot of shock and awe - first with the tease of the New Gods in WW #12, then with a classic tale re-envisioned in WW #0 - this month's issue focuses on bringing some new conflicts into the lives of Diana and her companions. The goddess Hera has been made mortal, so she's hanging with the posse now, the gods on Olympus have to figure out who is going to usurp them all, and Diana's next step is finding another of Zeus' children to aid in the quest to restore Olympus to it's former glory. Brian Azzarello has such a distinct trajectory for Wonder Woman that this issue doesn't feel like filler, even though that's what it mostly consists of. Obviously, we're all waiting for the New Gods to show up because it's the New Gods and that's just freaking amazing - however long it takes Azzarello to get there will be agonizing, but it will be fun nonetheless.

GRADE: 8/10

THE WEEK (OCT 17-23, 2012)

Featured Review
Marvel NOW! Point One
(various creative teams)
I know, I know: Uncanny Avengers came out last week. But seriously, folks, this where 'Marvel NOW!' really kicks off. This one-shot will feature a number of short stories pertaining to the upcoming year of new titles and relaunches under the 'Marvel NOW!' banner, from Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy to Young Avengers and FF. I'm a bit of a Young Avengers fanboy, so this is all about Kid Loki and Miss America Chavez for me. And just look at that cover! It's going to be an awesome issue with awesome stories.



Reviews
Before Watchmen: Minutemen #4 of 6
(w/p) Darwyn Cooke
If you've been reading Before Watchmen in any capacity, you're probably aware than Minutemen is the best series in the bunch. Darwyn Cooke just knows how to write and draw for that era, and his experience in superhero work shines through in every issue. 

Blue Beetle #13
(w) Tond Bedard
(p) Ig Guara
Now that we know Blue Beetle is coming to an end at issue 16, Jaime's expulsion to Reachworld carries a lot more weight. Find out some of the Reach's biggest secrets!

DC Universe Presents #13
(w) Marc Andreyko
(p) Robson Rocha
It's the start of a new arc for DC Universe Presents after two months of one-shot issues, and it's a super cool one - "Black Lightning and Blue Devil"! It's TWO new characters introduced!

Green Lantern: New Guardians #13
(w) Tony Bedard
(p) Aaron Kuder
Kyle Rayner and his Rainbow Brigade will join in on all the "Rise of the Third Army" fun going ons. Oh, and Carol Ferris becomes Star Sapphire again...again. Does this mean no more Fatality? That would be a shame.

Justice League #13
(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Tony S. Daniel
Cheetah makes her 'New 52' debut! Apparently, she's set to become a huge threat to the DCnU, making her a top-tier villain. Cheetah? Really? It just seems strange. Plus, the "Shazam" back-up is still going on! Who knew?

Wonder Woman #13
(w) Brian Azzarello
(p) Tony Akins
Wonder Woman is one of the best 'New 52' series, and it had the best "Zero Month" issue. Why have I not been reviewing this for the past ten months? What have I been doing? Well, I'm making up for it now.

Extra! Extra!
Captain Marvel #5
(DeConnick, Soy)

Catwoman #13
(Nocenti, Sandoval, Tarrogona)

Nightwing #13
(Higgins, Barrows, Jose)

Red Hood and The Outlaws #13
(Lobdell, Green II)

Supergirl #13
(Johnson, Basri)

Sword of Sorcery #1
(Marx, Bedard, Lopresti, Saiz)

EXTRA! EXTRA! (OCT 10-16, 2012)

Avengers vs. X-Men: Consequences #1 of 5
(w) Kieron Gillen
(p) Tom Raney
Because every Marvel event requires a series focusing on its aftermath, Avengers vs. X-Men: Consequences exists to give us readers a bridge between the world of AvX (that we've been living in for the past seven months) and the 'Marvel NOW!' era that started concurrently this week with Uncanny Avengers. Kieron Gillen does the most with what he's given, but unfortunately, the script simply falls short because there's no cohesive plot thread holding the various stories together beyond the fact that they all take place after Cyclops falls. I guess the closest thing to a 'main story' is the one with Cyclops and Wolverine, but if you're trying to look at the big picture, there's not much to see. I'm sensing this just might be a hiccup for Gillen, whose done fantastic work on Uncanny X-Men and his creator-owned Phonogram.

GRADE: 7.2/10

Before Watchmen: Doctor Manhattan #2 of 4

(w) J. Michael Straczynski

(p) Adam Hughes

I don't know why, but both issues of Doctor Manhattan have been very lackluster. Sure, the Doc is a quantum-based entity capable of expanding his consciousness across unknown distance and time, so why does it feel like a chore to read? I've struggled to understand J. Michael Straczynski's hyper-detailed style (remember when Spider-Man met Ezekiel? I want to forget, too) for years now, and giving him Doctor Manhattan was like asking a rocket scientist to explain a coffee maker. Granted, it can be complex, but it constantly feels like Straczynski makes his writing more complicated than it needs to be, and that gets boring quickly.

GRADE: 6/10

Demon Knights #13

(w) Paul Cornell
(p) Bernard Chang

Being one of the sleeper hits of the 'New 52', Demon Knights has given a lot to the DCnU mythology in it's 14 current issues - readers get the history of characters like Etrigan and Vandal Savage, are introduced to new ones like Exoristos, Al Jabr, and the Horsewoman, and get fresh takes on the Shining Knight and Madame Xanadu. Demon Knights #13 sends the team literally into Hell when Etrigan betrays them to curry favor with Lucifer in hopes of freeing himself from the bond he shares with Jason Blood. Unfortunately, Lucifer isn't very impressed and just commands his demons to torture the team. Most of the issue surrounds each team member's individual hell, but the weather starts clearing when Shining Knight realizes his blood vaporizes demons - a strong weapon in the pits of hell.

GRADE: 8.5/10

The First X-Men #3 of 5

(w) Neal Adams and Christos Gage

(p) Neal Adams

I seriously don't like this series. I don't know why I keep reading it beyond the fact that I started reading it and feel a need to complete it. The writing is godawful, the artwork is typical 90s fare with little more than 'real' colors to let you know it was produced this decade, and the fact that Neal Adams and Christos Gage are so giddy about totally changing established continuity boggles my mind. Don't buy this comic book, and don't expect any more reviews of The First X-Men, a series I'm simply done paying money to let disappoint me each month.

GRADE: 1/10

Green Lantern Corps #13
(w) Peter J. Tomasi
(p) CAFU

This is where "Rise of the Third Army" really starts off - lots of Third Armiers (I seriously don't know what to call them; how about Guardian Soliders?), lots of Guardian malarkey, and a clear direction for both Guy and John. Mogo is rebuilding himself, but his origin point must be located for the process to succeed, so the Guardians ask a ready and willing John Steward to take point. Meanwhile, Guy and his hand-picked cew are charged with escorting an important delegation to Oa for peace talks - Guy gets word that one of his old enemies has escaped the Sciencells, and he's is worried the escapee is going after his family. Guy leaves only half his men with the delegation and takes the other half to Earth, even though the Guardians have sent Guy's enemy to kill the entire delegation - it's a pretty good bait and switch, plus the Guardian Soldiers show up to take one of Guy's GLs, showing themselves to the GLC for the first time.

GRADE: 8/10

The Phantom Stranger #1

(w) Dan Didio

(p) Brent Anderson

It's hard to know where Dan Didio is going with The Phantom Stranger - there aren't any clear signs as to what the overall purpose of the series is supposed to be. Is the Stranger supposed to be an agent of good, or is it less direct than that? Traditionally, the Stranger's motives are his own and nothing else, but to feature him in his own ongoing series, there needs to be more than simply mysterious circumstances and unknown meanings - that's fun for a while, but it doesn't make for a lasting narrative style. This month, Stranger finds Rachel, a girl with shadow-controlling powers and no clue how to control them. After a quick duel, Rachel lets the Stranger guide her to someone who can train her, when he takes her straight to her demon father, Trigon, the one being she was trying to stay away from - it's a haunting sight to see the Stranger so removed from humanity, serving only the "higher good" in exchange for his penance.

GRADE: 7/10

Red She-Hulk #58
(w) Jeff Parker
(p) Carlo Pagulayan and Wellinton Alves

'Marvel NOW!' may have officially kicked-off with Uncanny Avengers, but Hulk has changed it's name to Red She-Hulk to coincide with the new Marvel line-wide movement. Jeff Parker brings Betty Ross front and center to star in this 'Marvel NOW!' iteration of the series, which starts off with Betty facing the results of Project Echelon, the government's newest attempt at super soldiers for the future. The Hulk Family has never been too much on my radar, but I'm willing to give any 'Marvel NOW!' series a chance, as that's kind of the point of the whole initiative. Red She-Hulk #58 doesn't do much in the way of direct character development, but Parker does do a fantastic job building up a mythology around her so as to make me more interested in what's happening going forward.

GRADE: 7.1/10

Team 7 #1

(w) Justin Jordan

(p) Jesus Merino

Well, Team 7 #1 is basically just a rehash of Team 7 #0, which is exactly what I predicted - why introduce all the characters in the zero issue when you could have planted seeds for future issues seeing as issue one was literally just around the corner? That being said, Team 7 #1 is surprisingly good for it's plot that takes the team to a floating prison that's supposed to be inescapable. Because this is a comic book and these things happen in comic books, A.R.G.U.S. loses contact with the facility and sends the team up to investigate. I have extremely high hopes for this series, as it has the potential to give readers a lot of secret history of the DCnU, like getting a new "Issue Zero" each month.

GRADE: 7/10

EXTRA! EXTRA! (OCT 3-9, 2012)

AvX: VS. #6 of 6
(W) Kieron Gillen
(P) Jim Cheung
(I) Jim Cheung, Mark Roslan, and Mark Morales

As an experiment, AvX: VS was a learning experience more than anything - it showed what creators could do under a different set of rules, some more freeing, others more strict. AvX: VS #6 showcases the best of what the series has to offer, with the main event between Scarlet Witch and Hope Summers not only taking the prize for most interesting duel in the entire run, but also giving readers more than just a fight, which is what we wanted all along. The latter half is filled with awesome one-page bouts that we didn't get to see throughout the Avengers vs. X-Men event, but in a humorous light (like showdowns between Jeeves and Toad, the science-y characters in the Marvel U, Red Hulk and Domino, Iceman and Iron Fist, and lastly, Squirrel Girl and Pixie, whose magic dice may have caused more damage than they anticipated). This was a strong finish for a tumultuous series.

GRADE: 8/10

Before Watchmen: Rorschach #2 of 4

(W) Brian Azzarello

(P/I) Lee Bermejo

While I very much enjoyed Rorschach #1, this second issue has really mutated into something I now don't want to read - somewhere along the line, Brian Azzarello decided it would be good sport to make Rorschach as much like Batman as possible, except here, Rorschach talks in two-to-three word sentences exclusively. I seem to remember that good ol' Inky Face didn't like prostitutes that much - going so far as to kill them - yet here, he's readily defending a woman of the night against her pimp, albeit to get to a bigger catch, but it's hypocritical nonetheless.  Azzarello is now batting zero for two with Rorschach and Comedian, the two least enjoyable books of the entire Before Watchmen line. Seriously, just stick to the other four (and upcoming Moloch) series because these two are simply unnecessary and silly.

GRADE: 4/10

Stormwatch #13
(W) Peter Milligan
(P/I) Will Conrad and Cliff Richards

I love me some Stormwatch - it's a series that, so far, has been set literally and figuratively at the fringe of DC's 'New 52' universe. Stormwatch #13 starts a new arc for the title, as Peter Milligan gives us more and more connections between the Stormwatch organization and the group of heroes banded together in Medieval times over in Demon Knights. There has already been a lot of foreshadowing that the Demon's Knights eventually become that era's Stormwatch, but here, Milligan finally brings Etrigan the Demon into current day continuity! Demon Knights has been one of my favorite titles from DC's 'New 52', and Stormwatch has been getting better and better ever since Milligan took over and stared planting the seeds of this awesome crossover.

GRADE: 7.5/10

Uncanny X-Force #32

(W) Rick Remender

(P/I) Phil Noto

Uncanny X-Force is so good, it makes me excited and worried for Rick Remender's upcoming 'Marvel NOW!' titles - I know Uncanny Avengers will be good, but I'm concerned Captain America will suffer because Remender seems to only be able to focus on one title at a time, as evidenced by his lackluster arc on Secret Avengers. Uncanny X-Force #32 is another brilliant chapter in possibly the best series Marvel currently publishes each month. "Final Execution" heats up as Deadpool and Evan (clone of Apocalypse) are confronted by the Evil Brotherhood of Mutants as Deadpool tries to break Evan out of their stronghold. Wolverine and Psylocke offer back-up, but times are looking grim for X-Force, as the premonition of Evan's ascension to the Apocalypse throne seems to be getting closer and closer.

GRADE: 9.5/10

Uncanny X-Men #19
(W) Kieron Gillen
(P/I) Dale Eaglesham

Uncanny X-Men #19 is "The Passion of Scott Summers", a look at what the leader of the X-Men was going through - internally - as he amassed the cosmic power and became the Dark Phoenix, ravaging the world before being defeated by the Scarlet Witch and Hope Summers. I typically don't like stories being told exclusively in formulaic first person perspective, but Kieron Gillen does an apt job convincing me that Scott Summers (of all people) is actually thinking these thoughts. It's incredibly hard to convey the idea of omnipotence (obviously), but Gillen somehow finds a way to come close by showing that even with all his power, Scott is still just a person, mostly unable to control or understand how that power actually works. It's sad knowing that Gillen is moving off UXM (due, mostly, to it's cancellation), but he's moving on to the newly announced Young Avengers, which gives me high hopes for the series.

GRADE: 8/10

4-SENTENCE REVIEWS (SEP 26-OCT 2)

So, I didn't plan very well this weekend. With a wedding, a six hour drive to Atlanta, a show, then a six hour drive home to North Carolina, I didn't have much time to write. So, while some of the promised full reviews won't be going up this week, I've included them here in 4-SENTENCE REVIEWS

Aquaman #0

(Johns, Reis)

It feels a bit like beating a dead horse, but Geoff Johns really does put all of his best work into Aquaman these days, telling stories that progress the current state of affairs, while also alluding to the past to flesh out Arthur Curry as a person, a hero, and the king of Atlantis. Aquaman #0 tells the rather necessary tale of how Arthur learns about his mother, his royal heritage, and his kingdom of Atlantis. Normally, it wouldn't be easy to fully explain all of these plot elements, but Johns introduces Vulko -  an Atlantean loyal to Arthur's mother who has lived on land for years searching for Arthur - who tells the tale without sounding like he's just reading from a textbook. While "Underwater" doesn't tie into the events of the current "The Others" arc, it beautifully and effortlessly preludes the upcoming "Throne of Atlantis" crossover between Aquaman and Justice League.

GRADE: A

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #3 of 6

(Wein, Lee)

I've been a self-surprised fan of Ozymandias since it's first issue - Len Wein made a rather bold choice of presenting his series as Adrian Veidt's autobiography, told in the first-person, and covering most of the genius' life from childhood through his early days in the Watchmen. While I tend to shy away from inner-monologue-style writing such as this, Ozymandias is such a vain egotist that it totally makes sense that he would write his own autobiography in such a style. This month, Ozy faces off against the Comedian: the showdown I never thought I wanted to see, and it might be the most beautiful and elegantly written meeting in the entirety of Before Watchmen thus far. Eddie Blake is being slaughtered in his own title, but Wein makes it a point to show how the Comedian can be a force for absolute destruction, while also having a conscious that makes sense with his personality and misgivings about humanity, et al.

GRADE: A

Captain Marvel #4
(DeConnick, Soy)

While I've been enjoying Captain Marvel, it's starting to get a bit complex - Kelly Sue DeConnick is throwing a lot of new information readers' way, without a whole lot of follow-up to make it mean anything beyond face value at this point. Beyond the somewhat directionless plot, Captain Marvel #4 might be my favorite issue of the series thus far - DeConnick is exceptional at writing a powerful lead female character without condescending Carol Danvers down to female-related stories (not those kind of 'female-related'...), and it shines in this issue especially. Still time-lost in 1943, Carol is getting closer and closer to understanding why she's there, and why the Banshee Squad was affected by the same white light that brought Carol there in the first place. As a series, I'm still on the fence when it comes to DeConnick's vision for the future, but on a month-to-month basis, she's writing one of the wittiest, most intriguing titles currently published.

GRADE: B-

The Flash #0

(Manapul, Buccellato)

The Flash has been one of the best series DC releases each month, and it's due to the incredible creative team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato who have taken a somewhat aimless character - after being resurrected by Geoff Johns in 2008 - and turned him into one of the most multi-faceted, surprisingly intricate characters in DC's cannon. The Flash #0 is a fully realized "Issue Zero" that gives weight to Barry Allen's accident that results in his super speed, his eventual decision to become The Flash, and how his father's innocence in the case of his mother's murder was the root of it all. Manapul and Buccellato drop a big bomb concerning Barry's family, but the best part is that they don't make it clear what the bomb actually means - does Barry lose sight of his original drive only to find a new one, or does this new information serve to strengthen his current resolve? Ultimately, it feels like it should be up to the reader to decide Barry's motivation, and that's a freaking incredible way to tell a superhero story.

GRADE: A+ 

I, Vampire #0
(Fialkov, Sorrentino)

For a fringe series about vampires and death cults that came from the Vertigo line, I, Vampire has been doing very well for itself under the watchful eyes of Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino - it hasn't been cancelled, it's selling relatively well for it's position in the 'New 52' lineup, and it's had the same creative team for 13 straight issues. The origins of Andrew Bennet could have been easily phoned in as an attack by a vampire from Cain's lineage, leading to Andrew's connection to the original vampire. Instead, Fialkov pens a confrontation between the aristocratic Bennet and the scourge known as Cain, resulting in Cain's power being imprisoned within Bennet and turning him into the first true vampire. This issue was a chance for Fialkov to write a period piece - something that's extremely hard to pull off - and does so with eloquent dialogue, just the right amount of flair and emotion, as well as Andrea Sorrentino's haunting visuals to help push the horror of coming face to face with the right hand of evil.

GRADE: A

Justice League Dark #0

(Lemire, Garbett)

This was the Justice League Dark #0 we all wanted to read: the origins of John Constantine and his relationship with Zatanna. Jeff Lemire brings readers a bloody fun, action-packed adventure that transports the British bastard from his hometown to America looking to learn magic from Nick Necro, the most powerful mage in the New York City. Necro and his girlfriend Zatanna eventually take Constantine under their wing, and Necro proceeds to teach the younger two all he knows about the world of magic. Of course, Nick get's too big for his britches, and eventually seeks out ultimate knowledge through the Books of Magic and a cult known as the Cold Flame that was nearly wiped out by Zatanna's father, Zatara. Constantine and Zatanna work together to defeat Nick, only for Lemire to reveal that Constantine could have probably saved his old friend, but instead wanted to be 'top dog'.

GRADE: A-

National Comics: Rose & Thorn
(Taylor, Googe)

Thus far, the National Comics line of one-shots has been compelling and interesting, firs with Eternity, then with Looker, and now with Rose & Thorn, a tale about a girl with a severe case of multiple personality disorder. Rose is a shy, somewhat unpopular girl who becomes chummy with the popular kids seemingly overnight...even to herself - Rose doesn't remember anything, but soon starts getting text messages and 'Facelook' emails from Thorn, her erratic alter-ego. Rose's father was murdered years earlier, and Thorn intends to find out who killed him and why; a great way to start a series, perhaps, but trying to cram this much story into a one-shot feels like a big build-up with no pay off. I really, really wich DC would make Rose & Thorn into a least a mini-series, as it has such great potential for being a quality series that's not focused on superheroics or action-based stories.

GRADE: B

UPCOMING REVIEWS (SEP 26 - OCT 2)

Aquaman #0
(Johns, Reis)
- In Aquaman's "Issue Zero", Arthur goes to Atlantis for the first time! Knowing Geoff Johns, this issue, while set in the past, will most likely connect to the upcoming "Throne of Atlantis" crossover between Aquaman and Justice League.

Batman Incorporated #0

(Morrison, Burnham)

- Honestly, I'm not sure how this issue will pan out. Grant Morrison tends to have a pretty set path when it comes to his intricate narratives, so this prequel issue might throw a wrench into the gears. Then again, since Batman Incorporated #0 is all about Batman recruiting his soldiers around the world, it could have no effect at all. Them's the breaks.

The Flash #0
(Manapul, Buccellato)
- See Barry Allen get his powers! I'll assume he also gets into his first bout after receiving said powers. This issue would be pretty boring, otherwise. Fortunately, that won't happen with Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato at the helm, both of whom have guided The Flash over the past year and done a dynamite job doing so.

Justice League Dark #0

(Lemire, Janin)

- I'm skeptical about Justice League Dark, a team-based title that's only focusing on one character. I had the same skepticism about Green Lantern Corps #0, and that issue was a total bust. Hopefully, Jeff Lemire can keep the magic going with JLD #0 (pun definitely intended) as he looks into the life of young John Constantine.

Superman #0
(Lobdell, Rocafort)
- Well, one of my least favorite creative writers is moving in on Superman. Scott Lobdell has decided that tainting Teen Titans and Superboy wasn't enough, and now he wants to muck up the Man of Steel. Rumors have been flying about a Scott Snyder-helmed Man of Steel title coming out soon, which I hope is the case because with Grant Morrison leaving Action Comics, and Lobdell taking over Superman with this "Issue Zero", Superman's adventures are about to be lacking.

Talon #0

(Tynion IV, Snyder, March)

- I really, really have to stop second guessing Talon. I keep telling myself I won't enjoy it, that it's too narrow a premise to justify it's ongoing status. Then I remember that Scott Snyder is co-plotting this series with one of his favorite students, James Tynion IV. Snyder has done phenomenal work on Batman over the past year, and now the super-popular Court of Owls has a series all to itself.

Teen Titans #0
(Lobdell, Kirkham)
- With Superboy, Wonder Girl, and Kid Flash's histories (somewhat) already explained, it's time to focus on Red Robin, Skitter, and Bunker! I'll give credit to Lobdell for actually focusing on more than one (or two, in the case of The Ravagers) character in a prequel for a TEAM-BASED series. I'm not expecting much, as I never much do with Lobdell, but I'm still excited to see how Tim Drake came to be Red Robin without ever being an official 'Robin.'

4-Sentence Reviews

* Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #3 of 6

* Captain Marvel #4

* I, Vampire #0

* National Comics: Rose & Thorn

4-SENTENCE REVIEWS (SEP 19-25) [update]

Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #3 of 4
(Straczynski, Kubert, Kubert)

Eh - that's about the best and worst description I can give Before Watchmen: Nite Owl at this point in it's run. J. Michael Straczynski hasn't penned a bad story, by any means, but it also doesn't have the same emotional or narrative weight as Minutemen, Silk Spectre, or Doctor Manhattan, relying mostly on it's fan-service tendencies that feature Rorschach quite a bit. Dan Dreiberg may be a bit less hard-nosed than the other members of the Watchmen, but nearly every issue of Nite Owl presents Dan as more pathetic than effective - even when he's got his costume on, Dan comes across as skittish and nervous, which isn't who he is. Overall, Nite Owl isn't the weakest series in the Before Watchmen gamut, but it's down there with Comedian and Ozymandias.

GRADE: C

Green Lantern: New Guardians #0

(Bedard, Kuder, Bressan, Adams)

As much as I love the Green Lantern character franchise as a whole, Tony Bedard's Green Lantern: New Guardians has been testing my patience, and GL:NG #0 is no exception. First off, this issue breaks a very basic "Issue Zero" rule and doesn't take place before the first issue, which would be acceptable if there was a reason (like the introduction of Simon Baz in Green Lantern #0). But the only real event in this issue is that Carol Ferris becomes the new Star Sapphire representative for Kyle Rayner's fading New Guardians, and that's not a good enough reason to bypass a Kyle Rayner origin, seeing as this series is all about him! Even beyond this hugely wasted potential, the story isn't even all that good, and really only serves to set up "Rise of the Third Army" just a little bit more - poor form, Tony Bedard.

GRADE: D

Nightwing #0
(DeFalco, Higgins, Barrows, Ferreira)

Another fantastic Bat Family "Issue Zero", Nightwing #0 delves (obviously) into Dick Grayson's past, giving readers a thorough new backstory for the original Robin, The Boy Wonder. While the death of his parent's remains the same, Dick's involvement with the Batman comes about in a new and different way courtesy of Tom DeFalco (scripting only) and Kyle Higgins - instead of immediately being taken in by Bruce Wayne, Dick strikes out on his own to hunt down his parent's killer, often running into Batman who continually looks the other way. Eventually, Bruce adopts Dick as his son and begins to raise him while keeping his superhero identity a secret, only to have Dick discover it's Bruce under the cowl after reading Batman's body language. At first, it's only a monitor duty gig, but in the face of death, Dick springs into action with a self-tailored Robin costume (which we get to see for the first time this issue) that brings about the first era of Batman's sidekick - it's a hugely satisfying issue that should be read by any Batman or Robin fan.

GRADE: A

Red Hood and The Outlaws #0

(Lobdell, Ferry, Guara, Booth)

Of all the series Scott Lobdell is currently at helm, Red Hood and The Outlaws has been the only one I've enjoyed on a regular basis - for some reason, the man seems to pour all of his relatable, grounded work into this title. I'm not complaining and in fact, Red Hood and The Outlaws #0 is one of the most satisfying issues of the run, offering the origin of Jason Todd: the second Robin and eventual Red Hood, thorn in Batman's side and anti-hero extraordinaire! It's hard not to root for Jason, a boy whose life went from bad, to worse, to a bit better, then ends in horrifying tragedy only to be resurrected and have the whole cycle start all over again. The final four pages illustrated by Brett Booth are the most revealing of the issue, pointing to the Joker as the mastermind behind Jason's misfortunes as a master plot to create and destroy one of Batman's Robins - it's sick, twisted, and utterly shocking.

GRADE: B

Wonder Woman #0
(Azzarello, Chiang)

Wonder Woman has already been praised up and down for it's dramatic and groundbreaking re-envisioning of the Diana, Princess of the Amazons, and Wonder Woman #0 takes things to the next level with Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang offering up an updated tale from Wonder Woman's adventures in the 1940s! Diana is approached by Aires (War) who wants to turn her into the greatest warrior the planet has ever seen, meeting under the full moon each month to train in the ways of battle. In the end, when forced to kill to complete her task, Diana refuses and goes from being War's star pupil to being his greatest failure, only now she's a fully-trained, battle-ready warrior. Wonder Woman #0 is not only one of the best issues of the series to date, it's one of the best issues from the 'New 52' so far - Azzarello and Chiang hit a brilliant chord with this innovative decision, it pays off in spades, and it shows how creators can tell interesting, meaningful stories without all the intricacies and complexities that are standard protocol in today's comic book industry (just look at the chaos that is Teen Titans and Superboy).

GRADE: A+

Spider-Men #5 of 5

(Bendis, Pichelli)

While the rest of the critical world lauds Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli for Spider-Men, I tend to still see it as a self-fulfilling project that didn't meet it's potential because it attempted to reach into too many wells at the same time, in a span of only five issues. I want to stress that for what it is, Spider-Men is great - Bendis' writing is spot-on, and Pichelli's artwork is perfectly suited for Ultimate Comics - but there's just so many instances where the story falls short and misses emotional marks. There's a lot of story that can be mined from Peter Parker travelling to a universe where his teenaged counterpart has already died, but Ultimate Nick Fury puts the kibosh on any inter-dimensional travel and no one stands up to him or questions his authority at all - um...what? Again, I stress that the missed opportunities for this 616/Ultimate crossover are so numbered, it's really hard to accept the fleeting nature of this series as meaningful or important at all (or course, Peter looks up Miles Morales in his world on the final page to which his reaction is, "Oh my god!")

GRADE: C