4-SENTENCE REVIEWS (SEP. 12-18)

Batman and Robin #0
(Tomasi, Gleason, Gray)

If you have to ask yourself - in the middle of your first read through - what the point of this issue, something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. Indeed, Peter J. Tomasi missteps with Batman and Robin #0, opting to give readers a completely unnecessary look at Damian's childhood amongst the League of Assassins. If DC is truly keeping with it's stance that Batman's history is intact, there should be no reason to explain Damian's origins yet again - there really is no inventiveness at all. And the real tragedy is, this could have been done extremely well, but Tomasi simply drops the ball and takes the easiest route possible. After a lackluster "Terminus" arc and now this, I'm starting to question whether or not I even want to keep following B&R.

GRADE: D

Green Lantern Corps #0

(Tomasi, Pasarin, Hanna)

Wowee did Peter J. Tomasi have a tough week, first with Batman and Robin #0, and now Green Lantern Corps #0, another unnecessary issue that doesn't give much in the way of interesting narrative. Sure, we get a good look at Guy Gardner before he gets his emerald ring, but this series is called Green Lantern CORPS for a reason, and Tomasi has not been honoring that title. For a series that's supposed to be about one of the most extensive, impressive, and powerful organizations in the universe, it's hard to justify an "Issue Zero" that only focuses on one single character, no matter if he's one of the protagonists or not. Seriously, I just felt let down the entire time, and that's not a good feeling to have in a month that's supposed to be about catching a similar spark that DC achieved last year.

GRADE: C-

Before Watchmen: Comedian #3 of 6
(Azzarello, Jones)

There really is no way to describe how little I care for the Comedian after reading Brian Azzarello and J.G. Jones' Before Watchmen: Comedian - with each passing issue, Eddie Blake becomes more and more ridiculously vile and twisted in a way that doesn't create a "love to hate him" situation, but just a simple hatred. This month, instead of killing innocent civilians in Vietnam, Eddie is pissed because people are protesting that he was killing innocent people in Vietnam; it's totally hypocritical. Oh, and then he decides he'll just head on over to Los Angeles and just make the rioting all the worse by provoking people into looting and beating each other up. In what way, in what world does Brian Azzarello believe he's making Eddie Blake a relatable or even interesting character?

GRADE: F

The Ravagers #0

(Mackie, Churchill, Rapmund)

Garfield and Tara are kidnapped by Harvest and N.O.W.H.E.R.E., experimented on until they become paranoid and edgy, they rebel against Harvest, but still get stuck in the Crucible - THAT'S IT. Howard Mackie takes a full issue of The Ravagers to flesh out the prior sentence of storyline, something that could have easily been achieved in a fraction of the page space, leaving room to explain other characters associated with this series (not to mention Caitlin Fairchild, a main character with deep ties to Superboy as well) meaning this really isn't an origins issue for the team featured in this series at all. Sure, the fact that Beast Boy was relatively normal until N.O.W.H.E.R.E. got it's hands on him is a revelation that will bear consequences for the future, but the more stock put into the diabolical scheming of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and Harvest without an adequate reason just works to make readers all the more confused. The Ravagers is the weakest of the Young Justice titles DC is currently publishing, and it's a basic problem of indirection - Mackie doesn't seem to have any idea where he's going with these characters and it's painfully obvious.

GRADE: D

Team 7 #0
(Jordan, Merino)

While Team 7 #0 does an excellent job introducing the various members of the titles namesake, it very much feels like this should have been issue #1 - I know that's a nitpick-y issue with an otherwise solid issue, but it stayed with me the entire time I was reading. Because Team 7 starts five years in the past, this series is poised to give readers a great look into the years before the official beginning of the 'New 52', something fans have been clamoring for since the beginning. Of course, the inclusion of such characters as Deathstroke, Grifter, and Black Canary (before any of them took these monikers) helps give credence to the team's connection to the superhero world, while also including some new characters (like Alex Fairchild, father of Caitlin from Superboy and The Ravagers) means this isn't just a history class, but also a chance to expand this new universe with some cool new faces. While I will hold that this "Issue Zero" should have highlighted the team members before they were recruited, I'm still ready to keep up with this series going forward.

GRADE: B

X-Treme X-Men #3

(Pak, Segovia, Diaz, Crisostomo)

I really didn't give X-Treme X-Men a chance at first, unfairly assuming it would be one of the weaker X-books available, but still slightly intrigued by the Exiles-esque multidimensional adventuring. The premise itself was rather silly (ten evil Xaviers across dimensions who need to be put down), but this first arc that takes the team to a world where gods actually exist was absolutely engrossing - the betrayals, the twists, and the character development have all been excellently handled by Greg Pak, with amazing artwork from Stephen Segovia and Paco Diaz. While X-Treme X-Men may never be as good as Exiles, it's got a lot of good potential: Captain Howlett apparently was in a relationship with the Hercules from his dimension, a 14-year-old Kurt Waggoner just wants to make a difference after failing to save his family, and Dazzler from our world is out to prove herself when Cyclops talks down about her. If Pak keeps up the momentum, this series is set to be one of the best fringe series Marvel offers.

GRADE: B

BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN #2 of 6

STORY: Brian Azzarello
ART: JG Jones

Again with the silly cover! What is that trail of blood on a sandy path?
I mean...river.

With it's rag-tag artwork, silly period piece dialogue, and obtuse symbolism, Comedian #1 is my least favorite issue of Before Watchmen, by far. That being said, this month's issue in Eddie Blake's life is better. Of course, this just means it isn't god-awfully terrible. Instead, Brian Azzarello pens an issue that's just feels unnecessary and boring.


Comedian #2 takes place exclusively in Vietnam, a fact that becomes more and more grating each time  Azzarello's characters feel the need to spell out the controversial nature of the war, which happens roughly every other page. Yes, we readers know that the Vietnam "conflict"was a terrible, horrible situation - this information doesn't need to be beaten into our heads because we already understand. It's as if Azzarello doesn't know that students learn about the Vietnam War (however sparsely) at least once during their education.

Overall, this issue just seems like filler. A lot of talking goes on, and Blake kills a Vietnamese soldier with no regard for decency. I'm a pacifist, so it's hard to watch a psychotic killer like Eddie Blake murder a (somewhat) defenseless man in cold blood. The fact that this scene churned by insides proves that, at least a little, Azzarello's attempts to convey the mood and temper of the Vietnamese jungle are paying off. Azzarello also hits on the drug trade that was supposedly operational in order to fund a war that wasn't actually a war. In excrutiating detail, a handful of officers discusses the full scope of the situation and how to better raise money by getting more American citizens hooked on drugs. It's a very odd conversation, one that feels too 'matter of fact' to have actually taken place in real life. I'm sure it did, and I hope the actual talk didn't sound as redundant or condescending as this one does.

One of the biggest complaints I had last month was that Azzarello was trying to make Eddie Black relatable - a majority of the issue was dedicated to showing how Blake became a strong family friend for the Kennedys. The biggest improvement in Comedian #2 is how much of a douche bag Eddie has become. He talks about war like it's a pissing contest, and he slaughters without remorse. There's still that opening scene with Eddie and Bobby Kennedy at a Muhammed Ali fight, but even there, Blake is a stoic asshole who only sees things in black and white. America = Good. Vietnam = Bad.

While this shift in Eddie's behavior definitely gives this issue a whole lot more credence than the previous, Azzarello still can't figure out how to fix this series biggest problem: it's necessity. Did anyone really want a six-issue series detailing the horrid actions of the Comedian during the 1960s and 70s? Wasn't it enough to know he was a huge dick? Wasn't that part of what made the character so great? If Azzarello continues to change retcon - like he did last month when it was 'revealed' that Eddie never shot JFK - and take us down a path of pointless darkness and machination, this series is going to burn out much faster than it's release schedule.

GRADE

C+

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

(BEFORE WATCHMEN) COMEDIAN #1 of 6

STORY: Brian Azzarello
ART: J.G. Jones

Up until now, I could have said that I thought Brian Azzarello was one of DC's more talented writers on hand. His work on Wonder Woman has been amazing (if a little slow going), so I was very interested to see his take on the Comedian for Before Watchmen. The bad news is that it's total shit.

From the unfortunate cover art, to the ridiculous plot points and silly insinuations, Azzarello totally misses the mark, instead delivering a muddle piece of garbage that doesn't improve the character at all, or give us any real sense of narrative. J.G. Jones' cover art feature the Comedian wearing a leather gimp mask (something we've never actually seen him do before...) while holding a giant cigar between his clenched teeth. The gimp mask is just stupid looking, while the cigar doesn't make physical sense; you can't have an inch-thick cigar held by a smile - the anatomy doesn't work. Plus, the blood splatter on his head is obviously copied and pasted from the Watchmen logo - it's so shoddy that Jones doesn't even bother to revise the image to make it look like it's on a head instead of a flat surface.

And that was just the cover.

Comedian's story takes him to 1960s America where he's, apparently, good friends with the Kennedy family, taking such liberties as calling old Jack on the White House's direct line and 'taking out the trash' for a frustrated Jackie. It might be an interesting twist in character for anyone else, but Eddie Blake is supposed to be shallow and empty - that's kind of the point of his character. Comedian is an asshole, a piece of shit whose only reason for anything is for himself. No one wanted a deeper, more complex version of the Comedian, yet Azzarello tried to convince us that Eddie has some good in him and that the Kennedy's were some of the only people to see it.

It's also bad form to write JFK as such a lout. Throughout Comedian #1, John and his brothers act like pigheaded frat boys who think they can do whatever they want. I'll never ask any writer to censor history for narrative's sake, but Azzarello never met John F. Kennedy, and I'm venturing to guess he didn't do much in the way of researching the man's personal mannerisms for a comic book series. To me, it seems disrespectful and unnecessary.

And then, Azzarello does the one thing all the detractors of Before Watchmen were so worried about: he changed continuity.

Alan Moore strongly hints that the Comedian assassinated JFK through a cruel turn of events that made the weak-looking Kennedy a liability in the eyes of the US government. Zak Snyder's 2009 film adaptation explicitly shows Eddie Blake shooting the President before finishing his giant cigar. But none of this matters to a Brian Azzarello who probably said, "But what if the Comedian was framed??? Huh, guys? What if?" to an unresponsive audience. It's a stupid idea. With one page, Azzarello has managed to deconstruct the history of Watchmen while simultaneously proving the critics' point and pissing off millions of fans. And why does he do this? I guess I'll have to read Comedian #2 and see if Azzarello is intent on fucking up one of the greatest characters in comic book history. I'm also scared for the Rorschach mini-series now, knowing that Azzarello might turn our favorite detective into a news reporter or something...

GRADE

D

(THE WEEK) JUNE 20-26, 2012 [update]

Avengers Vs. X-Men #6 of 12
(Hickman, Coipel)

Act II starts for Avengers Vs. X-Men! Now that the Phoenix Force has split and embedded itself in not two, not three, not four, but FIVE different X-Men, what will happen to the Avengers? Also, Olivier Coipel is one of my favorite artists, so the book will definitely be worth checking out if only for the awesome artwork!


Batman Incorporated #2
(Morrison, Burnham)

Continues the "Leviathan" story with Batman and Talia al Ghul fighting for over their son!

Before Watchmen: Comedian #1 of 6
(Azzarello, Wein)

I know I've been kind of lax with reviewing Before Watchmen thus far, but I'm going to get better at it! How do you review characters who've been in only one story for the past twenty years? I'll figure it out...

Blue Beetle #10
(Bedard, Guara)

Blue Beetle gets no love, even since DC reimagined him as a younger, more Hispanic hero who actually bonded with the scarab. This month, more about Jaime living in New York City...and Mister Bones! What could be better? Our inaugural review of Blue Beetle! Don't miss it!


DC Universe Presents #10
(Robinson, Chang)

Though I kind of fell of DC Universe Presents while it took a weird side step with "Challengers of the Unknown", James Robinson and Bernard Chang's "Savage" arc began fantastically last month, so I'm bringing back reviews of this series!


Green Lantern Corps #10
(Tomasi, Pasarin)

Peter J. Tomasi continues his quest to give us new information regarding plot advancement as. slowly. as. possible. I try to keep up.

Saga #4
(Vaughan, Staples)

This phenomenal series continues as our heroic duo (and baby) travel to planet Sextillion! What does that mean? Read the issue to find out and read my review to see why it's cool.


Supergirl #10
(Green, Johnson, Asrar)

Black Banshee has Supergirl trapped in his weird Black Banshee world! Weird! Also, Kara loses control!

Summer Blockbuster: Before Watchmen

Summer means different things to everyone. For kids and teenagers, it's a time of relaxation and pure bliss because there's no school. For college students, it's a time to work and maybe take more classes. For hippies it means festival season is in full swing, for water parks it means business, and for the comic book industry, it means big crossover events, and this summer DC Comics has the coolest one.

***

Issue #1 covers for all seven mini-series and back-up.

As reported by many news outlets, the biggest - and most controversial - of these  is Before Watchmen, a look into the world of the Watchmen before the events of the original series by Alan Moore over 20 years ago. With some of the industry's biggest names in writing and artwork signed on, DC is going all-out and releasing seven mini-series complete with an ongoing back-up story and a bookend epilogue at the end of the summer.

Watchmen co-creator and author Alan Moore has publicly stated his distaste with the new series, likening DC's actions to writing a "Bible II" without consulting God. Moore's stance reflects his feelings toward the live-action feature film version of Watchmen released in 2009 to critical and popular praise. Many of the writers and artists attached to the project have come to their own defense stating their intent to enrich the world of the Watchmen, not to sully it as Moore believes.

Each of the main characters from the original Watchmen has their own title - Rorschach, Nite Owl, Comedian, Silk Spectre, Ozymandias, and Dr. Manhattan - as well as Before Watchmen: Minutemen which will focus on the first superhero team, the Minutemen, who operated decades before the Watchmen. The seven mini-series will be released intermittently, one issue per week, throughout the summer months until they finish up with Before Watchmen: Epilogue. At the end of each issue, a two-page back-up story featuring the Crimson Corsair will run the entirety of the event and finish up in the pages of Epilogue.

Stay tuned to "The Endless Reel" for weekly coverage of Before Watchmen as it unfolds this summer.