UPCOMING REVIEWS (SEP. 5-11)

Action Comics #0
(Morrison, Oliver)
- Grant Morrison takes us back in time! to give us a story about a boy who steals Superman's cape. There's got to be some connection to the overall Morrison story, so it'll be interesting to see how a carefree-sounding story might incorporate more complex elements.

Earth 2 #0
(Robinson, Giorello)
- Since Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman died in the opening pages of Earth 2 #1, this month's 'Issue Zero' will focus on their heroic adventures before the invasion of Apokolips. Plus, more connections will probably be made between E2 and World's Finest.

Green Lantern #0

(Johns, Mahnke)

- It's about damn time we get an introduction to BAZ! the newest member of the soon-to-maybe-be-extinct Green Lantern Corps. He's looking bad-ass, and probably won't get any training, which is a great set-up to the epic "Rise of the Third Army" starting next month. And maybe we'll get some insight into the fates of Hal Jordan and Sinestro.

Hawkeye #2
(Fraction, Aya)
- My review of Hawkeye #1 last month for PopMatters.com examined how Matt Fraction aimed to make Clint Barton more akin to the 1970s embodiment of Green Arrow, a hero who fought for the common man and the underscored in our society. Let's see if Fraction can keep it up.

The Phantom Stranger #0

(Didio, Anderson)

- After a fantastic and tragically cut short run on O.M.A.C., - not to mention a three-part "Challengers of the Unknown" arc on DC Universe Presents - Dan Didio returns to writing with The Phantom Stranger straight out of the pages of The New 52 #1, the 'Free Comic Book Day' issue that introduced us to the Trinity of Sin. If past work is any indication, Didio's take on the Stranger will be campy and awesome.

World's Finest #0
(Levitz, Maguire)
- After a less-than-stellar first arc, Paul Levitz takes us back to Earth 2 to a time when Karen was Supergirl, and Helena was Robin. They were two of the eight 'wonders' of Earth 2 before the Apokolips invasion destroyed everything. Just like Earth 2 #0, it's likely more will be revealed about the nature of the multiverse and how the two Earth's connect.

4-Sentence Reviews
- Animal Man #0
- Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #3 of 4
- Dial H #0
- The First X-Men #2 of 5

UPCOMING REVIEWS (AUG 1-7)

Action Comics #12
(Morrison, Bryant)
- With Grant Morrison's announcement that he'll be leaving AC after issue 16, we now know that his sprawling, revamped origin for good old Superman actually will have a conclusion! This month, Morrison continues his tale of "The Forgotten Superman" as well as another back-up - this time featuring Perry White - that will again add more depth to Superman's world.

Animal Man #12

(Lemire, Pugh)

- Now that Buddy Baker and Alex Holland are finally teamed up, it's time to dive into the realm of the Rot. Unfortunately, this "Rotworld: Prologue" will mostly be a recap of the last year's events in both Animal Man and Swamp Thing.

Avengers vs. X-Men #9 of 12
(Someone, Kubert)
- As we enter Act III of Avengers vs. X-Men, the Phoenix Five's weakness has been revealed and Namor is down for the count! How will the the Scarlet Witch use her newfound ability to excise the Phoenix to turn the tides for the Avengers? I know this is completely out of left field, but as a Young Avengers fan, I want to see some Patriot, Wiccan, Hulkling, Stature, Speed, and Hawkeye II! Hey, a guy can dream.

Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #2 of 4

(Straczynski, Kubert)

- Last month, Nite Owl saw the first meeting of the group that would become the Watchmen, including the first team-up between Nite Owl and Rorschach. This month continues Dan Dreiberg's journey to prove to himself that he's worthy of the Nite Owl mantle.

Earth 2 #4
(Robinson, Scott)
- Now that we've been properly introduced, it's time to see Earth 2 Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl in action! Also, the Atom of Earth 2 makes his debut, along with more insight to the Grey and this universe's Solomon Grundy. James Robinson has stated that he intends to build up this world before putting the JSA together, and he's doing a fantastic job so far.

Justice League International #12

(Jurgens, Lopresti)

- It's the "Funeral of Rocket Red" as the team deals with the fallout of their adventures thus far. Seeing as this is the last 'official' issue in the run - not counting the Annual issue later this month - Dan Jurgens will be pulling out all the punches to send out this fantastic series in style.

Swamp Thing #12
(Snyder, Paquette)
- All DC has released for press info is that this issue "continues from Animal Man #12" which is just a recap. Hopefully, we'll get to see some actual action happen here. If both issues turn out to be a recap, a single review will be written for both Animal Man and Swamp Thing.

4-Sentence Reviews
- Dial H #4
- First X-Men #1 of 5
- Hawkeye #1
- World's Finest #4

4-SENTENCE REVIEWS (JULY 4-10)

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 of 6
(Wein, Lee)

Being a mixed bag of results thus far, Before Watchmen brings the origins of the most evil Watchman this week with a pretty comprehensive childhood flashback and the history of Ozymandias' supreme martial arts skills. Len Wein does an apt job navigating the life of Ozy, but the actual dialogue tends to sound stiff and flat. On top of that, Wein shoves a lot of plot into this one issue, which seems a bit overkill considering he's got six issues to flesh out the character. Overall, Ozymandias #1 isn't a bad read - in fact it's pretty engaging - there's just a feeling that there isn't much emotion in these characters, and that may prove to be a problem if Wein plans on attempting to make us connect with Ozy on a deeper level.

GRADE: B-

Detective Comics #11

(Daniel, Ferreira, Pansica)

Tony S. Daniel has really been letting Detective Comics slip since he ended the "Penguin" storyline and was somewhat pushed into making his title a part of "Night of the Owls". It seems as if Daniel is floundering, unsure of what direction to take the Dark Knight, resulting in a bunch of issues that feel disjointed, fractured, and (most of all) uninteresting. Mr. Toxic's introduction into the 'New 52' seemed like it would promise some fun panels, but instead we get an issue's worth of rhetoric pertaining to cloning and the way Mr. Toxic could be taking advantage of that technology. By the end of the issue, there are more questions than answers, which is just frustrating.

GRADE: C-

Dial H #3
(Mieville, Santoloucco)

To describe Dial H as confusing would be to only scratch the surface of China Mieville and Mateus Santolouco's thrilling mystery surrounding the enigmatic nature of the dials that turn people into super-powered beings. While the narrative-proper might be dodging and weaving a bit too much for the casual reader, the adventures of Nelson as he delves deeper into the conspiracy surrounding these weird dials just keeps you hooked - even when Nelson is at his most pathetic, I found myself strangely rooting for him. This is a testament to Mieville's use of specific diction and syntax to convey certain ideas, a hard feat for any type of writer. In the end, Dial H is still one of the best books you can pick up each month, not only for it's exciting narrative, but also for the distinct artwork and it's space in DC's 'New 52' universe.

GRADE: B-

Red Lanterns #11

(Milligan, Sepulveda)

This month, Peter Milligan takes us down the path to the end of the Red Lanterns, an endgame he's been working toward since the beginning of the series last September. Atrocitus' power is severely weakened, mutiny threatens his Corps from multiple directions, and now he's got a rather strong Abysmus to deal with before he can even begin to start making the Red Lanterns a forced to be reckoned with once again. It's hard to keep focused on this particular story when DC's already announced that October's issue 13 will be a crossover with the other Green Lantern-related titles for "Rise of the Third Army", signaling that the Rage Team isn't going anywhere anytime soon. While Red Lanterns isn't one of the best titles DC currently offers, it also isn't one of the worst.

GRADE: A-

World's Finest #3
(Levitz, Maguire, Perez, Cheetham)

Keeping with the theme of the first two issues in "Rebirth", Paul Levitz and George Perez bring readers another issue of World's Finest that not only reveals more about Karen and Helena's working relationship, but also gives more insight into their years since arriving from Earth 2. While the stalker-ish Hakkou is obviously a parademon from Earth 2 forced to become more intelligent to survive on Earth Prime, Power Girl and Huntress still have no idea who they're fighting, which is kind of annoying, especially seeing as Huntress is the daughter of Earth 2's Batman. The past sequence pages start making connections between the girls' operations and their effects on the DCnU, like Karen's relationship with Michael Holt. While enjoyable, World's Finest suffers from a lesser version of Earth 2's problem, which stems from having a large chunk of history to squeeze in between the current-day narrative.

GRADE: C+

(THE WEEK) JULY 4-10, 2012 [update]

Action Comics #11
(Morrison, Morales)
- "The Death of Clark Kent" continues with the revelation of Superman's new alter-ego! And the back-up story by Sholly Fisch answers the question, "where did all those 'S' t-shirts come from?"

Animal Man #11
(Lemire, Pugh)
- The war between against the Rot was supposed to start last month, but it was more of a prelude than anything. Hopefully, this conclusion of "Extinction Is Forever" will bring about the actual warring!

Avengers vs. X-Men #7 of 12
(Fraction, Coipel)
- Matt Fraction picks up where Jonathan Hickman left us last month, with "No More Avengers!"

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 of 4
(Wein, Lee)
- I'm actually extra-excited for this series, as Ozy' was the villain of Moore's original Watchmen - it will be interesting to see how his past is framed.


Dial H #3
(Mieville, Santolouco)
- Nelson's situation gets a little bit better when he gains an ally! Check out one of the best series going on right now!

Earth 2 #3
(Robinson, Scott)
- Last month's thrilling cliffhanger started the cogs turning for the revamped origins of Earth 2 Green Lantern!

Justice League International #11
(Jurgens, Lopresti)
- As JLI winds down, "Breakdown" comes to a conclusion with some deaths, apparently! Let's see how DC plans on dismantling one of the best teams of the 'New 52'... :(

4-Sentence Reviews

The Cape: 1969 #1
(Hill, Ciaramella)
- Last years fantastic The Cape series surprised everyone with it's dark take on the concept of gaining powers and deciding how to use them. Now, Joe Hill takes us back in time to the Cape's origins in the thick of the Vietnam War!

Detective Comics #11
(Daniels, Benes)
- Tony Daniels announced his stepping fown from Detective Comics after issue 12, so I'll be interested to see how he handles Hypnotic and the connection to Wayne Industries before his run ends!

Powers: FBI #1
(Bendis)
- I've always been intrigued by Powers, but never took the plunge into the ongoing series. Now that it's getting a reboot at the federal level, I'd like to give it a shot and see how I like it. Who knows - maybe it'll inspire me to read the first three volumes!

Red Lanterns #11
(Milligan, Sepulveda)
- I have really covered Red Lanterns before - mostly because I cover every other GL title - but things are starting to move a little more, and I want to take a look at how things will unfold as "Rise of the Third Army" gets closer and closer.

World's Finest #3
(Levitz, Perez)
- Paul Levitz brings us a big more history from Huntress and Power Girls' last five years on Earth Prime, along with their hunt for the mysterious assassin who came through the boom tube all those years ago!

(COMIC) 4-SENTENCE REVIEWS #3! [UPDATE]

Dial H #2
(Mieville, Santolouco)

While Dial H's first issue was a twisting maze of nigh-incomprehensible narrative descriptors stuck between amazing artwork by Mateus Santolouco, this second issue sees China Mieville beginning the obviously slow and gradual process of piecing together an actual plot that gives the dial reason beyond a few hours of novelty superpowers. Nelson is a generally unlikable character who seems to be getting more benevolent with each appearance; while his initial reasons for using the dial made him seem selfish, more and more, Nelson is using it to keep people (albeit, ones of his choosing) safe. The latter half of the issue serves to introduce new characters, most notably the Squid-  a metahuman who looks more like Killer Croc or the Lizard from the Marvel Universe - who kills Nelson's friend Darren, "because you told us not to," as the Squid tells Nelson (as Iron Snail) in a moment that begs the question how Nelson's relationship with the dial will begin to affect his real life. Dial H has only increased it's quality since last month and in on the path to being one of the most intricate and compelling comics in ages.

GRADE: A

Earth Two #2

(Robinson, Scott, Scott)

James Robinson is slowly - and beautifully, thanks to Nicola Scott's art - weaving his own world together in the pages of Earth 2. This month we see the genesis of Jay Garrick's super-speed, a gift from the dying god Hermes, as well as the oh-so-controversial revelation that Alan Scott is now a gay man! Robinson also brings Mister Terrific to Earth Two by way of quantum tunneling as seen in the final issue of Mister Terrific, a move that is both exciting and mysterious, considering he was attacked as soon as he arrived. Robinson has done a fantastic job - in two short issues - of really giving readers a sense that this Earth is different without being overtly unique, and it's just going to get better next month with the birth of Green Lantern!

GRADE: A

Action Comics #10
(Morrison, Morales, Bryant)

Grant Morrison's deconstruction of Superman throughout the first arc of Action Comics is about to be rivaled by his second arc that looks to tell the tale of the 'Death of Clark Kent'! While being tracked by a master hunter, Clark is dealing with the repercussions from his expose on Glen Glenmorgan, namely being offered work at the Daily Planet, a position Kent long held in the old-DCU. Morrison takes this chance to really shake things up and masterminds the martyrdom of Clark Kent to a bomb-carrying man at the end of his rope out for revenge against the Daily Star. The 'New 52' has given writers the chance to really change things up for a pantheon of characters, and while most are content to give them new origins and (somewhat) new villains, Morrison is looking to reinterpret every facet of Superman - from his origins and early years, to his alter ego(s?), and even to his personality and clout within the Justice League (an element that used to be untouchable).

GRADE: B+

Justice League International #10

(Jurgens, Lopresti, Ryan)

As Dan Jurgens and Aaron Lopresti's Justice League International winds down to it's announced cancellation after a twelfth issue and an Annual, it gives readers perspective on the events unfolding within the pages of this tenth issue. The villain Breakdown gathers his posse of super-thugs to unleash his righteous plan to destroy modern society in an effort to make civilization more equal for the poor people around the world. Jurgens takes half the issue - before the JLI faces off against Breakdown - to show the team members during their 'off time'; Guy Gardner visits Ice in the hospital, while Batwing goes to Vixen's bedside, and August General in Iron gives O.M.A.C. a much-needed moral boost concerning the blue dude's irreversible condition to lead the rest of his life as a living weapon. It really is unfortunate that JLI is ending after September; with a sold roster of interesting characters that encounter more grounded problems than those of the Justice League proper, Justice League International could have been a launching platform for new characters, a home for those in limbo (like O.M.A.C.) and much, much more.

GRADE: A

World's Finest #2
(Levitz, Perez)

Paul Levitz has done a great job - not unlike James Robinson with Earth 2 - fleshing out both Karen Starr and Helena Wayne as best friends who developed a friendship deeper than most when they became the only two people from their dimension living in the Prime timeline. Their relationship is really the focal point of the series, and Levitz conveys that through their casualness with each other and how they protect one another, not only in battle, but also in life. This first arc's villain, Hakkou, is obviously one of Darkseid's parademons from Earth 2 that's developed a higher intelligence, but Levitz is smartly letting this fact evolve naturally instead of forcing it like, say, Scott Lobdell. While World's Finest #1 somewhat floundered a bit for me, this month's issue is really turning the adventures of Power Girl and Huntress into one of my favorite titles.

GRADE: A-

(COMIC) DIAL H #1

STORY: China Miéville
ART: Mateus Santolouco


Dial H is officially one of my favorite series of DC's 'New 52'. Kelly Thompson over at ComicBookResources probably puts it the best when she explains how, "Miéville's writing reminds the reader (perhaps unfortunately) that there's no reason comics can't be written this well all the time."


Miéville is, by trade, a 'weird fiction' author whose off-kilter spin on fantasy and sci-fi can sometimes be a bit much even for entrenched fans of said genres. Dial H represents the best ideas of literature and the written narrative transferred to a graphic medium. Miéville treats his readers like the adult readers they are (at least these days). I've often cited my distaste for Scott Lobdell's work on Superboy and more recently Teen Titans, and Miéville's style is pretty much the exact opposite. Readers are made to actually work to understand a concept and story instead of it being shoved down their throat.


Dial H takes the classic Dial H for Hero concept and rewrites it for the 21st century, taking the cheeky style and turning into one of the darkest, most intricate tales in quite some time. Basically, there's this mystical phone booth that transforms normal people into superheroes for a short time when they dial H-E-R-O on the phone. In this first issue, our hero - an overweight slacker named Nelson - becomes the slender, skeleton-like Boy Chimney, The Child King of Emissions, then later, the emo Captain Lachrymose. If this sounds weird, it is, and reading through the first time might be completely confusing. Dial H definitely demands multiple reads to fully experience the events to their fullest.


But that's what comics should be! Why spend $3.99 for a single issue you'll read once then look at for the art? It seems absurd and Miéville is making an excellent case for a step up in the level of narrative quality among mainstream comic books.

GRADE:

A+

(THE WEEK) MAY 2-8, 2012 [update]

COMIC COVERAGE

Action Comics #8
(Morrison, Ha)
Grant Morrison takes us on a WILD ride through 3 different tales of alternate-universe Supermen, including President Superman! AWESOME!

Avengers vs. X-Men #3 of 12
(Aaron, Bendis, Brubaker, Fraction, Hickman, Romita Jr.)
Marvel's premier summer event continues into the third issue of the main series! After the fallout in issue 2, what will come of the conflict between Earth's Mightiest Heroes and the the world's mutant population?


Batwing #9
(Winick, To)
"Night of the Owls" continues! Special issue coverage! Batwing fights for his life against the Talons in Gotham!

Dial H #1
(Mieville, Santolouco)
Internationally renowned author China Mieville reboots the classic Dial H for Hero concept for the 21st century! Part of DC's 'New 52' Second Wave!

Earth Two #1
(Robinson, Scott)
The Justice Society comes to the 'New 52'! Follow the stories from an Earth parallel to our own! Part of DC's 'New 52' Second Wave!

Justice League International #9
(Jurgens, Lopresti)
The JLI must face O.M.A.C.! Includes a special crossover with this month's Firestorm: The Nuclear Men.

Teen Titans Annual #1
(Johns, Benes, et. al )
DC's first 'New 52' Annual issue! "The Culling" finally begins - it's the Titans and Superboy vs. Legion Lost!

World's Finest #1
(Levitz, Perez)
Follow the adventures of Power Girl and Huntress - both from Earth 2! - as part of DC's 'New 52' Second Wave! Why are these two heroes stuck on our Earth?


OTHER COVERAGE


DC Nation for May 5
- Young Justice Season 2, Episode 2 - "Earthlings"
- Green Lantern: The Animated Series Season 1, Episode 10 - "Regime Change"

(NEWS) COMING SOON [update]

Hello Readers!

About a week ago, I outlined some of the new additions coming to "The Endless Reel" in the coming months. In last week, I've launched both the (DC NATION) segment of the site, and reviewed Avengers Vs. X-Men #0. Of course, next month Marvel's main event between Earth's mightiest heroes and the the protectors of all mutantkind starts it's bi-weekly run!

Starting in May, DC's second wave of 'New 52' titles launches. Previously, I announced that "The Endless Reel" would be covering both Dial H and Earth Two. At the time, I didn't want to overload myself with content to cover. As this site continued to grow, I realized that more content is better. In the spirit of jumping in head first, I've decided to add a few more titles to the lineup. Along with the already announced Dial H and Earth Two, I'll also be covering Grant Morrison's experimental series, Batman, Incorporated; and the adventures of Huntress and Power Girl in World's Finest.

 I'd like to add a third new title from the upcoming second wave, but I'm having trouble deciding between two books. I'm split between The Ravagers, a spin-off from Teen Titans and Superboy featuring Deathstroke's daughter, Rose Wilson, and G.I. Combat, the replacement series for Men of War which re-imagines classic DC military stories for the modern age.

I want the readers to decide which title for "The Endless Reel" to cover.

In the comments section, leave your decision for which of these two series I should cover when they launch in May. I'll tally up the results and make a final decision.

Until next time,
- Jay

(NEWS) COMING SOON

Hello Readers!

As the cold slowly gets more and more scarce, and the flowers start to bloom, summer is rapidly approaching which means we'll soon be kicking off coverage of Marvel's Avengers Vs. X-Men, DC's Night of the Owls" crossover, and Before Watchmen. This week's release of Avengers Vs. X-Men #0 marks the start off all the special coverage coming to "The Endless Reel" and I couldn't be more excited.

Regular readers will have seen last week's (DC NATION) coverage of both Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series, one of which I enjoyed, the other I didn't. Check out the post to see which is which! I'll be continuing to cover Cartoon Network's "DC Nation" shows, including thoughts on the various shorts being offered up, from The New Teen Titans to Plastic Man and Superman in Tokyo. I'll be writing monthly compilation reviews for these shorts.

And remember to stay tuned to "The Endless Reel" into May for the addition of Dial H and Earth 2 to the site's list of regularly covered material! I'm looking forward to seeing China Mieville's take on the Dial H for Hero concept, and Earth 2 brings with it the Justice Society, something most fans have been clamoring for since the 'New 52' relaunch.

I would also like to thank everyone who reads "The Endless Reel". I know this might be a small, somewhat insignificant accomplishment, but recently, the site hit 100 page views in a single day. I usually get around 25-50 views per day, so reaching 100 in 24 hours was big for me. Again, it's not much, but in the humble few months of this site's existence, I'm proud of it. So again, thank you all for reading!


- Jay

(UPDATE) New Season, New Ideas

Hello Readers!

And I know there are readers because the Blogger widget-thingy on my stats page tells me so. At the very least, there are those of you who stumble across my little slice of the internet and stay for more than the few seconds it would normally take to judge a humble blog. So, to you all, thank you for visiting 'The Endless Reel.' I love writing and it's cool to know some of you like reading it. Some new ideas are coming to this blog. I've been in-production now for nearly three months and I think it's high time to make a few changes!

First of all, I'll be adding new titles being covered monthly in March and May. For March, I'll begin reviewing Supergirl and Red Hood and The Outlaws on a monthly basis. I've been reading both titles since September and honestly, they've been getting better and better as the months go on. For Scott Lobdell on Red Hood, he's been taking the better ideas behind Jason Todd's troubled past and putting them to use for the character reboot.  While Todd is still a vigilante and prone to violence over reason, his 'camaraderie' with Roy Harper and Starfire serves to balance his short fuse. Over in Supergirl, Michael Green and Mike Johnson started off slow, but have since picked up the pace significantly, leading to a Kryptonian Worldkiller arriving on Earth to battle Supergirl. It's all pretty impressive. Look for both titles starting in March and going forward. In May, DC's 'Second Wave' of 'New 52' titles will be hitting the stands and I'll be reviewing a few of them for your discerning pleasure. I'll be reading Dial H by China Mieville and Mateus Santolouco, and Earth Two by James Robinson and Nicola Scott. Look for both of these titles starting in May. Now for the new part of this post.


Beginning in April, I'll be adding television shows into the mix with comic book reviews and analysis. The name 'Endless Reel' came from my original desire to write a TV show-driven blog that eventually turned into the site you're reading now. Now that I've established some base of quality and regular coverage, I'll be starting TV show coverage in April, just in time to round out the season and be there for sweeps in May and moving into Summer shows. Over the next month, I'll be deciding which shows will make the cut for weekly review. By the end of March, I'll post a follow-up (UPDATE) article outlining the schedule for TV shows. As of now, possible additions to the roster might include Community (if if ever comes back on-air), The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Modern Family, Being Human, and Once Upon A Time. 


Again I'd like to thank those of you who've taken your time to read my blog. Keep up the good work, people!


- Jay

Analysis: The Second Wave of the New 52

Analysis




The Second Wave of the New 52

Recently, DC announced the cancellation of six titles from Septembers relaunch called the 'new 52.' The six titles include the Rob Liefield-penciled Hawk and Dove, as well as Men of War (Brandon, Derrenick), Mister Terrific (Wallace, Gugliotta), Static Shock (Bernadin, McDaniel), Blackhawks (Costa, Lashley), and O.M.A.C., penned by DC co-publisher Dan DiDio. DC cited low sales as reason for their cancellation. While this may have been true for the excellent O.M.A.C. and Men of War, critics have lamented titles such as Hawk and Dove and Blackhawks for poor writing and directionless storytelling.

DC followed up news of the cancellations with the announcement of six new titles to fill the empty slots that will new known as the 'Second Wave' of New 52 titles. They are as follows. I've added some commentary, but take it with a grain of salt until you read them when they launch and judge for yourself.



Batman Incorporated (Volume 2)
Written by Grant Morrison
Pencilled by Chris Bunham

Honestly, did we really need a second run of Batman, Inc? Was anyone but Grant Morrison clamoring to do this? At this point, I'm sure Morrison has DC by the balls and is pretty much allowed to do whatever he wants, despite how weird it gets (anyone remember Seven Soliders back in 2004?) I tried to read Batwing back in September, but was sorely disappointed, so I'm not too hot on Batman Incorporated.




Earth 2
Written by James Robinson
Pencilled by Nicola Scott

On the flip side, Earth 2 is the book fans have been clamoring for since the Justice Society of America went away back before Flashpoint screwed everything up for everyone ever. Instead of mucking up it's own established history of superheroes only appearing 5-10 years ago, DC has opted to give readers the Justice Society once more, but will keep them on their native Earth 2 in the multiverse...which now seems to exist again. Some might argue that this title calls into question if Infinite Crisis ever happened, while others will keep their mouths shut and be happy to have a Justice Society title once again.


World's Finest
Written by Paul Levitz
Pencilled by George Perez and Kevin Maguire

Another puzzling choice, but for different reasons than Batman Incorporated. Powerl Girl and Huntress will be the focus of World's Finest, starring as citizens of Earth 2 trapped in our universe trying to find a way back home. I understand the desire to introduce more characters into the revamped universe, and I think World's Finest is an excellent way to do that. Honestly, I just wonder why Power Girl and Huntress specifically? I understand they're both from Earth 2, but in this revamped world, they could have paired almost any character with Power Girl and made it work because why not! I'll remain optimistically skeptical until I read the first issue.


Dial H
Written by China Mieville
Pencilled by Mateus Santoluoco

A re-imagining of Dial H for Hero, this new series by novelist China Mieville sounds awesome! The concept revolves around a mysterious dial that grants normal people superpowers for a short time by entering H-E-R-O on the dial. Not too dissimilar to Resurrection Man, an already fantastic series, Dial H has the potential to be a great showcase of heroes and powers.


G.I. Combat
Written by J.T. Krul (main issue), Jimmy Palmiotti (back-ups), and Jon Arcudi (back-ups)
Pencilled by Ariel Olivetti (main issue), Justin Grey (back-ups), and Scott Kolins (back-ups)

As you can see from the list of authors and artists, G.I. Combat is going to be a more collaborative effort. While DC cancelled Men of War and Blackhawks, it's two military-themed books, this new series will be reinterpreting classic DC military tales for the modern age, including the first primary arc about the War that Time Forgot. Back-up tales featuring the Unknown Soldier and the Haunted Tank are on schedule with more to come!


The Ravagers
Written by Howard Mackie
Pencilled by Ian Churchill

Loosely spun-off from events in Superboy and Teen Titans, this new series from Howard Mackie will tell the tale of four super-powered teenagers on the run from N.O.W.H.E.R.E., a sinister organization trying to turn them into super-villains. My assumption is that Rose Wilson, daughter of Deathstroke, will be among the group, seeing as her moniker was Ravager before the 'new 52' relaunch and she's been heavily featured in Superboy since it debuted.