DARK WAS THE KNIGHT, VOL. 1 (OCT 10-16, 2012)

Welcome to 'Dark Was The Write', a mostly weekly column highlighting some of the less highlight-y titles connected to Batman and his dark city. Usually, the lead Batman title will get it's own review, and secondary issues get some love here! The Batman family of titles is by far DC's largest, so I won't always be covering everything released each week (like, I really don't like Batwoman), but there will usually be a healthy dose of Gotham City's problems represented.

Batgirl #13
"Death of the Family" Prologue
(W) Gail Simone
(P/I) Ed Benes

Batman and Robin #13
"Eclipsed"
(W) Peter J. Tomasi
(P) Patrick Gleason and Tomas Giorello
(I) Mick Gray

Although each of these issues features the same amount of offhanded remarks about the Joker, Batgirl #13 is labeled as a "Death of the Family" prologue, while Batman and Robin #13 is just beginning a two-part arc before rolling into the "DotF" event in December. The only slight advantage Batgirl has is that clown-masked men ambush Barbara and her mom at issue's end. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

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I used to read Batgirl regularly, until about issue four. I didn't understand why, and if frustrated me greatly, but Gail Simone was just not delivering the kind of quality work I'd seen in Secret Six. Alas, I cancelled by subscription, and the last time I saw Batgirl, it was for "Night of the Owls", an event that let me read all the tie-in issues without being privy to the ongoing story.

But I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised by Batgirl #13. In what I can only assume is the conclusion of the current arc, Batgirl faces the deadly Knightfall who's out to kill Batgirl and the rest of the Batman family. In some ways, Knightfall has a point when she explains how Batman and his crew have allowed Gotham to rot. It's the crux of writing meaner, grittier stories when Batman's actions should be cleaning up the city. Only in a comic book city do seven superheroes operate and crime never gets any better. In fact, it seems to get worse with the passage of time. Gotham in the 1960s was probably a very nice place to live, albeit a bit seedy. Nowadays, I struggle to understand how anyone living in this fictional universe even gives Gotham the time of day.

Knightfall is revealed to be Cherise Carnes, daughter to one of Gotham's most influential and powerful real estate moguls. It feels like whenever a writer needs an out of some sort, he/she creates a villain with some connection to Gotham that makes them feel superior to Batman and his cronies. It's usually some sewer-dwelling psycho given unwieldy power, but there also seems to be a good number of 'super rich' families inhabiting Gotham that have a surprising amount of vengeful offspring. I've read this archetype before, is what I'm trying to say, but Gail Simone manages to pull it off without sounding redundant and cliched.

The lead-in to "Death of the Family" at the end was sub-par. After reading Scott Snyder's explosive pages in Batman #13, I guess I just expected more. Though, I don't want to get myself into a situation where I'm comparing all the tertiary stories of this event to Snyder's main run because nothing will live up to it. Barbara's mother is attacked by Joker's minions, and three villains (of Batgirl's, I'm assuming) are released from prison by three mysterious strangers (unless they've appeared in the series before, in which case I apologize to regular readers of Batgirl who know these characters' significance) with the death of Batgirl on their minds.

GRADE: 7.5/10

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I don't have a lot to say about Batman and Robin #13. The story is so cliched zombie infection that I don't even want to discuss it. DC is committed to getting it's books out on time each month, and I commend them for that. The downside of this comes when artists aren't up to the task and single issues have a 10-12 person-strong artistic team. It's not terrible this month, but Patrick Gleason shares penciling duties with Tomas Giorello, and it's really one of the most jarring artistic changes I've seen in an issue in a long time. Gleason's minimalist style has worked well for Batman and Robin, showing a more fluid side of how the Dark Knight can be drawn. Tomas Giorello's style, however, leans toward detail and shadowing at every angle. It wouldn't be so frustrating if the art styles were a bit closer matched, but it feels like DC just picked any random artist and said "Finish up what Gleason left behind, kthanks," then left. This was a disappointing issue of Batman and Robin, for sure. Hopefully the "Death of the Family" tie-in issues will be better than this crapfest.

GRADE: 3/10

BATMAN #13

(W) Scott Snyder
(P) Greg Capullo
(I) Jonathan Glapion

"What?! You've heard this one, too?"

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have brought back the Joker. I have a feeling this plan to keep Batman's archnemesis out of sight and out of mind for a full year was completely deliberate. There have been interviews where Snyder explains how he wanted to do the "Court of Owls" first, but the opening pages of Batman #13 might suggest differently. Not once in the entire "Court of Owls" arc was I as terrified as I was during this issue. Somehow, Snyder has tapped into the most frightening, pathological version of the Joker ever seen, and it's comic book dynamite.

The opening scene revolved around the Joker returning to Gotham City to retrieve his face from the GCPD. If you remember last year, in Detective Comics #1, Joker allowed his face to be cut off by the Dollmaker, a symbolic gesture towards Gotham and it's citizens more than anything, a sign that he was gone but not gone. It's when the lights go out and a mysterious figure stands in the doorframe that Jim Gordon understands what is happening, and he does everything he can to stop the Joker from going on a rampage through the police department, snapping necks as he goes. The entire scene is absolutely chilling. It's hard to write blackout dialogue - the use of darkness makes it hard to discern who is speaking to whom. But the lettering throughout this scene is what makes it so damn scary. The Joker's word balloons are scratchy, jagged, and nearly broken, much like the man himself. It not only makes it easier to read, but it adds that extra layer of creepiness.

The rest of the issue is mostly dedicated to Batman searching for the Clown Prince of Comedy. First, Bruce is forced to field a volley of communications from Nightwing, Red Robin, and Batgirl concerning Joker's return. Batgirl's the only one Bruce is reluctant to contact, but soon gets chewed out by Barbara herself when she discovers her father was attacked at his job. During the investigation, Joker takes over TV broadcasts and forces an innocent civilian to proclaim the Joker's return before he's shot in the temple. Snyder is amazing at writing horrific melodrama, and this might just be some of the best work he's ever done.

I usually don't discuss artwork too much because visual art is so often in the eye of the beholder. There are, of course, times when it's appropriate to discuss the panels and pencilling because they have some important connection to the story in general. In Batman #13, Greg Capullo works overtime to make sure Snyder's gritty scripts are coming across correctly. Without Capullo's intricacies, the scene with Joker in the GCPD wouldn't have been nearly as haunting, and his Joker re-design is simply the most horrifying he's ever looked. Again, without this level of visual quality, Snyder's words wouldn't have nearly as much impact.

One of the best things about Batman #13 is how much Snyder is able to stuff into one issue without coming across as detail-obsessed (William Faulkner, anyone?) The murder of a man on live television and the claim that Mayor Hady would be dead at midnight all connects back to the Joker's first appearance (according to Batman) and must have some importance in the present. Then there's the Harley sequence! Yes, Harley Quinn adorns the original Red Hood outfit - worn by Joker before he was Joker - to confront Batman, hoping to catch him off-guard and get him away from his cave. That's all I want to give away because the final pages are just so damn amazing.

GRADE

9/10

UNCANNY AVENGERS #1

(W) Rick Remender

(P/I) John Cassaday

Thought I'd throw up one of the 20 variants for this issue.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, than we're all currently holding. Uncanny Avengers #1 is, simply put, an achievement. Rick Remender has taken all the convoluted tension between the Avengers and X-Men and brought it to the surface, making these characters actually talk about it instead of beating the crap out of each other on a whim. That might sound less-than-interesting, but it's actually the one type of confrontation that hasn't been done to death in comic books, and it's absolutely refreshing.

Fittingly, the funeral for Professor Charles Xavier begins the tale of these Uncanny Avengers, with a speech by Wolverine that has enough gruff to make it seem believable, but still conveys the fact that Logan is an intelligent person. This segues into Captain America's meeting with Alex Summers (a.k.a. Havok), the brother of Scott Summers. While not the biggest name in the X-Men roster, Havok has put in his time and paid his dues. Steve Rogers sees that and wants to make Alex the leader of a new Avengers/X-Men hybrid team. In years passed, this book would have been made to take a more natural-sounding path to it's inception. Remember the first arc of The New Avengers, when Brian Michael Bendis wanted so much for the team to feel natural that he set up a massive prison break out that was supposed to be the basis of the series, but was quickly forgotten. Rick Remender isn't beating around the bush, not with his writing style or with these characters' motivations. Steve Rogers comes out and explains his intentions to Alex Summers, explaining that there needs to be something more inclusive.

It may come as a surprise, but many writers like to dumb down their characters and turn them into simple action-and-fight props used to propagate ridiculously complicated plots. It is actually very rare to get a writer who understands that these characters are just like real people when they aren't fighting crime, which means they think like real people and have real people solutions to problems. Instead of using adamantium claws or vibranium shields to solve their problems, these heroes are talking, explaining their feelings to one another and hoping they can work together to make the world a better place. Remender's dialogue comes from a place of unfettered sincerity, and it's what's going to make this series a delight to read.

I can't say enough good things about Uncanny Avengers #1. Rick Remender's plot and scripts are just magnificent - there's no deep connections to continuity, there's no huge revelations about characters we didn't already know (how many issues can depict Cyclops be transported to his cell?) and the characters used are either largely identifiable, or get amazingly organic profiling through character dialogue. All of these elements make Uncanny Avengers one hell of a read. Marvel is really striving to bring in new readers with 'Marvel NOW!', and if this first issue of concept is an example of the quality we'll be getting going forward, then it will be tremendously successful.

GRADE
9/10

THE WEEK (OCT 10-16, 2012)

Before I start, I want to just say how excited I am that Marvel is finally, finally, finally bringing back Young Avengers! Announced early on Tuesday, the second volume of the team's adventures will be written by Kieron Gillen of Uncanny X-Men and Journey Into Mystery. I absolutely loved the original run of YA, written by Alan Heinberg and drawn by Jim Cheung. The Young Avengers is hands-down my favorite superhero team, even when they were handed around Marvel's creative network like a village bicycle before returning to their creators' hands with The Children's Crusade. Seriously, if you haven't read any YA, do yourself a favor and read the original 12-issue run, the Presents series, and The Children's Crusade. You will not be sorry. And check out CBR's exclusive interview with Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie about their Young Avengers starting in January 2013.

Reviews
AvX: Consequences #1 of 5
(Gillen, Raney)
The fallout from Avengers vs. X-Men starts here! Even though Uncanny Avengers is also getting started this week, AvX: Consequences will act as a bridge between Marvel's main event this year, and 'Marvel NOW!' I'm ready to see what Kieron Gillen has in store for this first issue of this series, mostly because I want to read as much Kieron Gillen as I can before his Young Avengers run starts next year!

Green Lantern Corps #13
(Tomasi, CAFU)
"Rise of the Third Army" continues this week...there's not much to say about the whole event yet, because this will be only the second of 16 issues dedicated to the story. In Green Lantern #13, the soliders of the Third Army are only featured in a few panels, but that's okay because this even is about the RISE of the army and then the battle with the Green Lantern Corps. Peter J. Tomasi has not been impressing me as of late, so I'm interested to see where his branch of this crossover event will take us.

Superboy #13
(DeFalco, Silva, Lean)
Oh boy; Superboy is crossing over with The Ravagers. That might be the most boring hype-up I've ever seen. Both of these titles are so lacking in their current state, I cannot even begin to imagine the ridiculousness that will come from them crossing over. Wow. At least Kon-El will have to deal with Jocelyn Lure (the detective after Superboy who was instantly forgettable as soon as she was introduced) before heading off to find Caitlin Fairchild, so that might be something...

Team 7 #1
(Jordan, Merino)
I was impressed with last month's Team 7 #0, and I - like many other DC fans - want to know what's happened in the last five years between the emergence of superheroes and the current-day status quo. Team 7 is poised to give us a lot of cool confrontations and team-ups with various superheroes from all over the DCnU.

Dark Was The Knight
Batman #13
(Snyder, Capullo)
"Death of the Family" starts HERE! Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo kick off the five-month long epic return of the Joker to DC's 'New 52' universe. While most of the tie-in titles will get two or three months of crossover issues, Batman is gearing up for a full tale lasting the entirety of the event. Scott Snyder is a genius with Batman, and his "Death of the Family" will probably go down as one of the best Batman stories ever told. "The City of Owls" storyline is high up there, and the Joke is such a fascinating character that Snyder will definitely work wonders with this opportunity.

Batman and Robin #13
(Tomasi, Gleason, Gray)
The last arc of Batman and Robin was a big letdown, and last month's "Issue Zero" was just a rehash of Damian Wayne's life story. Peter J. Tomasi is very much dropping the ball with both of his helmed titles for DC right now, and Batman and Robin still has two months before it's "Death of the Family" crossover, so he's got some time to right the boat before delving into the Joker's madness.

Marvel NOW!

Uncanny Avengers #1

(Remender, Cassaday)

'Marvel NOW!' starts here! After the events of Avengers vs. X-Men, Captain America sets up a new team, evenly populated by Avengers and X-Men. This is going to be the premier title from Marvel for a while, so I'm just glad it's Rick Remender taking the wheel. Plus, Havok is on the team. HAVOK! I know, I know...

Shadowy Happenings
Demon Knights #13
(Cornell, Chang)
The Demon Knights are down in Hell! Literally! Two months ago, Etrigan basically flipped a massive bird to the rest of his compatriots and transported them all down to Hell to answer to Lucifer. Of course, Jason Blood stays in Hell while Etrigan is on the mortal plane, so it will be interesting to see if they'll interact while the team is duking it out against the Devil.

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #13
(Kindt, Ponticelli)
While Buddy Baker and Alec Holland are stuck in the realm of the Rot for a year, Frankenstein is battling the surge of Rot overtaking the planet! Frankenstein: AoS has been fantastic so far, and this crossover with Animal Man and Swamp Thing's "Rotworld" makes it even better. On top of all that, Franky is poised to join the Justice League Dark in upcoming issues.

The Phantom Stranger #1
(Didio, Anderson)
The Phantom Stranger strikes a deal with Demon Lord Trigon! And where there's Trigon, Raven will follow. Yes, it's the long-awaited reintroduction of Raven into the 'New 52' continuity! Recent interviews point to a Raven-centric, Teen Titans spin-off starting sometime next year, and this is where it will all begin!

Extra! Extra!
4-SENTENCE REVIEWS are no more, as they are being replaced by 'Extra! Extra!', the section of titles that don't get standard reviews and also don't fall into an specific category of new columns. This isn't to say that these issues are any less good (or bad, in some cases) than the titles featured under the standard REVIEW header, it just means that I found a way to more eloquently talk about them in four sentences better than I could in four paragraphs. It's lika a haiku - sometimes creativity comes out of restrictions.

Before Watchmen: Doctor Manhattan #2 of 4
(Straczynski, Higgins)

The First X-Men #3 of 5
(Adams, Gage)

The Ravagers #5
(Mackie, Churchill)

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

SHADOWY HAPPENINGS, VOL. 1 (OCT 3, 2012)

This is 'Shadowy Happenings', the (mostly) weekly column looking at DC's "The Dark" line of titles from the 'New 52'. Along with high-visibility titles like Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark, and Animal Man, i'll also be covering the rest of the series included in this category: Demon Knights, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., The Phantom Stranger, Sword of Sorcery, and I, Vampire. This is the side of the DC universe even the regular superheroes tend not to tread.


Animal Man #13
"Rotworld: The Red Kingdom" Part 1 of 4
(W) Jeff Lemire
(P) Steve Pugh and Timothy Green II
(I) Steve Pugh and Joseph Silver

Swamp Thing #13
"Rotworld: The Green Kingdom" Part 1 of 4
(W) Scott Snyder
(P) Yanick Paquette
(I) Nathan Fairbairn

For the next five months, I may as well call this column 'Rotworld LIVE!' because both Animal Man and Swamp Thing will be fully entrenched in their respective Rotworld adventures at least through the first quarter of 2013. Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire have both insinuated that this is bigger than their respective titles - this is bigger, this is more. And that fact comes glaringly apparent in Animal Man #13 and Swamp Thing #13, both of which feature multiple guest stars fighting against the Rot.

Back in August, the "Rotworld Prologue" told us that Buddy Baker and Alec Holland descended into the realm of the Rot hoping to eliminate the decay at it's source. Unfortunately, Anton Arcane - the avatar of the Rot - had other plans, and the Animal Man and Swamp Thing were stuck in the world of death for over a year while the Rot spread rampantly across our Earth. It was a lot to take in - Snyder and Lemire are laying this out for the long haul. Buddy and Alec come out from the Rot (for what felt like only hours to them) to a new world. The Rot has already won; this is no longer a mission of preemptive measures, this is a quest to destroy the evil slowly strangling the planet.

In Animal Man #13, Buddy is forced to fight the Rotling Hawkman before being saved by Steel, Beast Boy, and Black Orchid (who looks to be a regular, recurring character now that she's part of the Justice League Dark). In Swamp Thing #13, it's Poison Ivy and Deadman that show up to lend a helping hand to Alec Holland. And in both titles, these guest characters begin criticizing their respective protagonists about being gone for so long. Both Buddy and Alex have to explain their situation to their newfound friends before being fully trusted.

If I have any complaint about the "Rotworld" crossover thus far, it's that Animal Man and Swamp Thing are mirroring each other too much. This month, both titles literally have the exact same set-up and pay off when Buddy and Alec reach the Red Kingdom and Green Kingdom, respectively. Both the Red and the Green - the power of the flora and fauna - have created physical strongholds on the Earthly plane to better stand against the spread of the Rot, and by the end of the issue, both the avatars have reached their kingdoms. I understand the need to cohesion, not only on a grand scale, but on a scale such as this, but this stunt takes things a bit too far. I don't feel like I read to separate comic book issues this week pertaining to "Rotworld". I mean, if Snyder and Lemire are going to stay so parallel, why not just combine the series for five month, have them travel together, and make it more exciting and high-stakes?

At the moment, "Rotworld" has been a lot of build-up. Both series have been at least foreshadowing this event since their first issues. A lot of time and effort has been put into this so far, but all into the 'prologue' part. Now is the time when we really get to see how "Rotworld" will pay off, from a narrative perspective. Unfortunately, "The Red Kingdom, Part 1" and "The Green Kingdom, Part 1" are such mirror images of each other that I wonder if all the hype has been worth it. Are these stories going to have the same narrative cues for the next five months? Because if so, I'll just read one series and get highlights from the other. It's no fun to read the same comic twice in a row (usually), but Snyder and Lemire and dancing dangerously close to the phenomenon of being uninventive, and that's not acceptable from two of DC's best writing talents.

STORY: B (AM), B (ST)
ART: A (AM), B- (ST)

LEAGUES BEYOND, VOL. 1 (OCT 3-9, 2012)

It's 'Leagues Beyond', where we take a look at the Justice League-related titles offered each week by DC Comics as part of their 'New 52'. Along with the flagship Justice League, 'Leagues Beyond' will cover titles such as The Flash, Earth 2, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman.

Earth 2 #5
(W) James Robinson
(P) Nicola Scott
(I) Trevor Scott

World's Finest #5
(W) Paul Levitz
(P) George Perez, Jerry Ordway, and Wes Craig
(I) Scott Koblish, Jerry Ordway, Serge LaPointe

It's fitting that the first entry of 'Leagues Beyond' not be about the Justice League proper at all. The two titles released this week, Earth 2 #5 and World's Finest #5, are lumped in with Justice League family titles because they really have nowhere else to go. If DC were to add more grouping categories, these two would basically have their own Earth 2 family. Of course, James Robinson's Earth 2 looks at that dimension directly, currently following the formation of the Justice Society, while Paul Levitz's World's Finest finds Power Girl (Supergirl) and Huntress (Robin) stranded on Earth 1, better known as the 'New 52' universe. This month, Earth 2 #5 starts down the dramatic road towards the conclusion of it's first arc, while World's Finest #5 starts a new arc (maybe?) that feels directionless.

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Since it debuted, Earth 2 has been one of my consistently favorite titles from DC. James Robinson has really taken the time to make this parallel universe something special and different, with a whole new set of rules. It's genius because Robinson doesn't have to follow any of the DCnU continuity or current going-ons unless he wants to. Sure, there's going to be the inevitable crossover, but that's years down the road. For now, the 'new wonders' of Earth 2 band together for the first time this month to take on Grundy, the harbinger of death...literally.

There's really no other way to put it: Earth 2 is just awesome. Everyone wanted the Justice Society to come back, and James Robinson is doing so in such an astounding way. This issue introduces the "Sandmen", a covert infiltration squad used for high-level extractions and the such by the World Army, with a mention of the team leader, Wesley Dodds! It's like getting a special present each time I open up a new issue. 

The fight with Grundy takes a turn for the worse when the Atom - a.k.a. Al Pratt - gets overrun by the Grey, speeding up the death of all plant life on Earth and thereby the end of humanity (no plants = no oxygen). The entire scene is a tool to put Earth 2 in context, as well. The news reporters following the battle continue call these heroes 'wonders', a term I find fascinating considering the more mystical approach to superpowers Robinson is taking with Earth 2. Also, in last months "Issue Zero", we were introduced to Earth 2's Mister Terrific, Terry Sloan, a man who betrayed the Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman in an effort to explore the multiverse. Speed up to the present, and he's been hired by the planet's leaders to advise the World Army in the Grundy crisis. Finally, we get to see just how these new wonders work together. Even under these most stressful of conditions, Robinson finds ways to explore relationships in a way that advances the story without sacrificing quality.

The first arc of Earth 2 comes to a close next month as the Justice Society hopefully manages to take down Grundy. Otherwise, this is going to be a very short-lived series.

STORY: A
ART: B+

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"Rebirth", the first arc of World's Finest, was a big letdown. The entire story revolved around Power Girl and Huntress investigating a villain called Hakkou who the girls believed came from Earth 2. In the end, Karen and Helena manage to kill the radioactive behemoth, but that's about it - no explanations as to his origin, no revelations about Earth 2, no character development to been truly perceived. Unfortunately, this trend continues with World's Finest #5, an issue that I can't discern as to whether it's a stand-alone issue or the start of a new arc. I really thought the two-story system would be finished now that "Rebirth" is over, but Levitz seems intent on making his issues as fractured as possible, meaning that the present-day story barely gets any attention, and therefore not much substance. 


This month, Karen is trying to replicate Hakkou's energy signature, but doesn't have the necessary equipment. She decides to take a trip to the CERN under Switzerland to see an experiment take place that could lead to information on different universes. And because she's there, some robot assassin thing comes after her through a wormhole...I guess. It really feels like Levitz is just phoning it in with these random villains and Power Girl's clothes repeatedly being torn to shreds.

Huntress' story is similarly lazy, as Helena attends a 'Take Back the Night' rally at which a psychopathic misogynist is trying to murder women with a sniper rifle. Huntress jumps into action and stops him before he hurts anyone. That's it. The sequence is supposed to show that, unlike Karen, Helena cares for the people of this world and has a desire to be a part of it, as there doesn't seem to be a way back to their Earth. Instead, it's just preachy and boring.

STORY: C
ART: C (Not a fan of George Perez's work - it always looks sloppy and dated to me)

ACTION COMICS #13

(W) Grant Morrison
(P) Travel Foreman
(I) Travel Foreman

Superman and The Phantom Stranger? For Grant Morrison in the 'New 52', nothing is off limits and nothing is too 'out there', including a Halloween-themed issue nearly a month early, in a series that really has no connection to Halloween at all. Then again, Action Comics #13 is a fantastic, incredible issue that not only gives a whole lot more information on the Phantom Zone and it's place in the DCnU, but also features the Phantom Stranger! With the upcoming "H'el on Earth" crossover, it was as good a time as any to introduce the the Kryptonian prison dimension populated by disembodied criminals all speaking at once. And really, how cool was it to see "KNEEL BEFORE--" knowing full well that means Zod is coming to the 'New 52', sooner or later? Can. Not. WAIT.

Action Comics #13 tells the tale of Xa-Du, the first Kryptonian to ever be imprisoned in the Phantom Zone after it was discovered by Jor-El. While Xa-Du's sentence was to be reviewed once every two decades, it was on this first 20-year mark that Krypton died, thereby leaving the prisoners in the Phantom Zone stuck for eternity. It's a pretty raw deal - in the Zone, you can't see, hear, or feel. There is no up or down, ground or sky. You don't age at all because time doesn't move. There are no walls, no buildings. There is only the whiteness. And if you could see, if you could hear, you'd know that the Phantom Zone is parallel to our own, meaning they can see everyone around them, living their lives in happiness while the criminals waste away by not wasting away forever.

Flash to the present, and one of Superman's Kryptonian relics has gone off unexpectedly, causing Clark to become a bit suspicious of this Fortress of Solitude. Xa-Du has already escaped the Phantom Zone using an ecto-technological suit capable of letting him interact with the physical world. Being the Zone's oldest inhabitant, Xa-Du knows a thing or two about it's workings, and is able to send Superman through, trapping him in the Phantom Zone with a veritable legion of Kryptonian criminals. It's been over 40 years (which feels infinitely longer in the Zone) since Xa-Du felt anything real, so the sudden experience of yellow sun rays and a breakable world kind of cause him to go crazier than he already was, going on about destroying the planet, mostly because he just wants to.

The most interesting part of Action Comics #13 is Superman's meeting with the Phantom Stranger, a character who usually interacts with the more mystic and magical characters in DC's lineup, but plays a crucial and seemingly understated role in Superman's success - the Stranger was somehow trapped in the Zone by Xa-Du and his ecto-technology. We're also introduced to Superman's best pal, Krypto. And while the white dog has been a forced issue in the past (on more than one occasion), Grant Morrison found an effective, emotional way to bring Krypto into the fold, an achievement if there ever was one. Since the Phantom Zone is a somewhat time-neutral place, Krypto has been stuck there for nearly 20 years waiting for a way out. So, it's Superman, Phantom Stranger, and Krypto: The Superdog in a fight to stop a criminally insane Kryptonian scientist on track to lay waste to humanity. This sounds perfectly normal, right?

Of course, all three of our heroes escape at the end and Xa-Du is banished back to the Phantom Zone. Grant Morrison took a bit chance this month, especially after "Zero Month", which caused a lot of titles to lose momentum in their ongoing arcs. "The Ghost in the Fortress of Solitude" accomplishes three very important goals. First, it introduces the Phantom Zone, a mainstay of the pre-'New 52' universe, and something that looks like it's going to be very important for the future of DC. Second, is the inclusion of the Phantom Stranger, not only signifying a greater cohesion of DC's titles, but also that the old rules concerning these characters is gone - when would the Stranger ever had been this tightly-knit with Superman as to travel to the Phantom Zone? And third, is the quality introduction of Krypto, a character that's been lampooned almost as much as Aquaman over the years. Fortunately, Morrison made Krypto's story one of emotion over convenience, and it paid off. Sholly Fisch's "A Boy and His Dog" pushed the tear-jerker factor to ten with it's story about Krypto - stuck in the Phantom Zone -  following Clark through the stars to Earth, and being with him (even as a ghostly spectre) growing up and becoming the hero he was meant to be. Action Comics #13 is a perfect example of how to make a single issue a story in its own right, while still contributing to the larger character history and narrative.

GRADE

8.5/10

AVENGERS vs. X-MEN #12 of 12

(W) Jason Aaron

(P) Adam Kubert

(I) John Dell, Mark Morales, and Adam Kubert

So that's it. Avengers vs. X-Men finally comes to a close after six months of nearly non-stop melodrama, crazy battles, cosmic death gods, and general mayhem. And while the event - as a whole - had its missteps along the way, it managed to right the boat and finish strong with Scott Summers' ascension as the new Dark Phoenix, the death of Charles Xavier, and the incredible new developments contained in the pages of Avengers vs. X-Men #12.

It's do or die time at the opening of the issue: Cyclops has totally flown the coop and has become the Dark Phoenix, corrupted by absolute power. Flash back 72 hours, and Tony Stark is giving one of the most candid (yet still somehow snarky) speeches of his life because he finally doesn't know what to do. Science, in all it's know forms and manipulations, has failed, and now the Iron Man cites 'faith' as the next step for the Avengers. I'm usually critical of religious overtones bleeding into mainstream comics, mostly because it's often done clumsily and awkwardly, but Jason Aaron's decision to give THE man of science a sense of belief in a higher power is spot on. The Avengers have been waging a literal war against a cosmic god (in whichever of it's forms) with no real plan, no way of actually knowing what they're doing, of if it will work at all. In a world where a mortal man (however evolved) can make decisions that could literally change the face of the planet, faith doesn't seem like such a nonsensical idea. But is it Tony's faith in his plan? Or his faith in Hope Summers and Wanda Maximoff? Perhaps it's faith in faith itself.

The first big moment of the issue is when Hope and Wanda attack Dark Phoenix directly. Wanda's chaos magic is the only thing that can harm the Phoenix, and Hope can mimic that power, meaning that for the first time since the Phoenix came back to Earth, the Avengers have a fighting chance. Soon, Scott breaks through the Phoenix power, begging the Avengers to kill him before he's consumed once again. It doesn't happen, and the Scarlet Witch and Mutant Messiah go H.A.M. on Dark Phoenix until it leaves Scott. Of course, it immediately sets its sights on Hope. For the short amount of time Hope wields the Phoenix force, she undoes all that Cyclops has done to ravage the world, setting out fires, calming volcanoes, extinguishing the ocean, and generally making sure the entirety of humanity wasn't swallowed by it's own planet. It's remarkable, even in it's inevitability. This is when the second big moment hits.

Hope is in full control: she's seen what the Phoenix is capable of in the wrong hands, and with the life she's had, Hope understands the need to keep the power of a death god on a tight leash. "No. That wasn't why you were chosen," explains Wanda. "It's because you're the only one with the strength to let it go." Hope's destiny, ironically, is completely shaped by the events of Avengers vs. X-Men, as opposed to being the cause or the result of. Without seeing what the Phoenix could actually do when it's host is corrupted, Hope would never have had the strength or the wisdom to withstand the power. In the end, she let's the Phoenix force go. Then, as the fire bird dissipates into space, Hope and Wanda take things one step further. They send the bits and pieces of the Phoenix down to Earth and use it to create new mutants all over the globe.

While I usually see these things coming, I'll admit I was taken aback by "No More Phoenix". It shocked me before it made complete sense: Avengers vs. X-Men is the bookend to an era at Marvel that began with House of M when Wanda declared "No More Mutants", decimating the homo-superior population down to less than 200. And while I seriously enjoyed this issue from beginning to end, I felt a bit unsatisfied by the event as a whole.

My main issue with Avengers vs. X-Men - one I've had since it started - is that the Avengers are the real bad guys here, and no one wants to admit it. What if the Phoenix Five were right? What if Captain America had just laid off a little bit, watched what happened with unbiased eyes, and seen the beauty that came from the power of the Phoenix? Instead, Marvel was content with making Cyclops, Emma Frost, Colossus, Namor, and Magik all out to be mastermind criminals who simply decided that they would become dictators. Nowhere is there underlying subtext that hints at the Avengers being the symbolic destructive force that unleashed the literal destructive force.

If Marvel had made more of an effort to include layered meanings throughout Avengers vs. X-Men, the entire event would have been damn near perfect. In reality, it's still one of the best crossovers of the past decade, but without more than surface-layer meanings and forced misunderstandings, everything just seems silly in the end. But I try not to think like this. I try to see this story for what it was; a narrative intended to bring years of resentment and anger to a close with a conflict that tore them apart, both literally and symbolically.

GRADE

A

DC NATION (SEP 29, 2012)

It's been a long summer, but 'DC Nation' is finally, finally airing new episodes of both Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Young Justice. I'm just going to go ahead and pick up where I left off and do reviews for both shows each week in this DC NATION column. Sound good?

Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Season 1, Episode 14
"The New Guy"

The first 13 episodes of GL:TAS are a mixed bag. Some of them are dynamite examples of how well the Green Lantern universe can be adapted to TV, and some are just lame excuses at character development by way of making them ringless. I hated the episodes where Hal and Kilowog's rings wouldn't function - the whole idea behind Green Lantern is the power ring, and when you take it away as many times as this series did, it starts to get really annoying. Fortunately, Bruce Timm and this production staff must have realized this quickly, as episodes 10-13 were generally the best of the series as they focused on the invasion of Oan space by the Red Lanterns.


Now, I'm really excited for the rest of this first season going forward. Especially after "The New Guy", which is a double entendre referring not only to Earth's newest Green Lantern, but also to that GL's name, Guy Gardner. Voiced by the masterful Diedrich Bader, Guy was chosen to the the new GL of Sector 2814 while Hal was stuck in the far reaches of the universe stopping Atrocitus and his rage-filled soliders. Guy is a favorite on Oa, loved by the Guardians and other Lanterns alike, which is a huge departure from the hard-nosed stubborn Guy from the comic books. And while this show often stumbles in it's attempts at humor, the constant reign of compliments on Guy after Hal gets chewed out time and time again is very, very amusing.

While Guy is the focus of this episode, the real revelation is that the Anitmonitor has come to destroy the universe! Comic book fans know the Antimonitor as the catalyst for the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover in the 80s that streamlined DC continuity by merging different timelines and multiverse dimensions. In GL: TAS, the Antimonitor has sent a universe-wide signal to all of the Guardians' old Manhunter robots, reactivating them to slaughter any and all sentient life. It's a big, complex, and somewhat terrifying concept for a children's show, and I applaud DC, Warner Bros., and Cartoon Network for allowing such a bleak arc to be produced. It shows how much faith these companies all have in Bruce Timm's amazing ability to bring superheroes into animated form.

GRADE: A

Young Justice
Season 2, Episode 14
"Satisfaction"

While Green Lantern: The Animated Series keeps things more evenly balanced between the action and humor, Young Justice has been heavy on the story, trading in laughs for constant plot growth. Before the summer break, it was revealed that Aqualad had indeed not gone AWOL, but is instead working undercover to take down Black Manta's organization from the inside - as Manta's son, it made getting in all the easier. In tandem to Aqualad's position as a double agent, Artemis faked her own death so she could aid Aqualad in learning more about The Light, the still-unmasked big bad of the entire Young Justice series thus far. Oh, and Clone Roy finds Real Roy finally! Yes, "Satisfaction" has a lot of work to do.

Brooding is as brooding does.

Fortunately, the writers and producers are sticking to their guns and rolling out their story little by little each episode. For instance, Aqualad and Artemis are nowhere to be seen this week, Superboy gets to flirting while on a college campus, and the female members of the Team (as well as Black Canary) take on Captain Cold. But none of this comes even close to the main story, about a revived Roy Harper seeking answers about his missing arm, the other Roy Harper, and his life after being cryogenically frozen. Green Arrow tells Roy everything - from Lex Luthor's involvement, to the amount of time Roy's been frozen, as well as the fact that Ollie and the other Leaguers gave up looking after a relatively short amount of time. One-Armed Roy (which sounds like an awesome cowboy name) has a bit of a mental breakdown and sets off to take revenge against Lex Luthor.

Most of the episode is taken up by a fight between the handicapped Roy and Lex's bodyguard, the robotic Mercy, but near the end, the true meaning of this episode is revealed. Even though Luthor kidnapped Roy, cut off his arm for DNA supply purposes, kept Roy frozen for eight years, then tried to have him killed, Roy accepts the gifted offered by Luthor because at the end of the day, revenge is about making up for something lost. Usually, that something lost is totally irreplacable, meaning that taking revenge is the only option. In Roy's case, a bio-mechanical, weapons-infused arm is a new option that quickly becomes more favorable that killing one of the most powerful and influential people in the world.

GRADE: A

THE WEEK (OCT 3-9, 2012)

Reviews
Action Comics #13
(Morrison, Foreman)
The Phantom Stranger makes a guest appearance this month, as well as Krypto: The Super Dog! I'm not sure there's a big fan base itching for Krypto to be included in the 'New 52', but Grant Morrison does, so why not.


Avengers vs. X-Men #12 of 12
(Aaron, Kubert)
It's the final chapter of Marvel's half-year-long event that's going to completely change the landscape of the Marvel universe. Okay, probably not, as Charles Xavier is already dead, we've had enough time to process it, and now we just want to see a cool battle between Dark Phoenix Cyclops, The Scarlett Witch, and Hope. Plus, we already know that Cyclops survives from October-December solicits, so what's the big change going to be? Well at this point, change for change's sake may not be so ridiculous.


Green Lantern #13
(Johns, Mahnke)
"Rise of the Third Army" is here, at last! Geoff Johns & Co. have been teasing this crossover event for some months now, and while the first Third Army solider was seen last at the end of Green Lantern Annual #1, it's time for the army to grow. Plus, new Green Lantern Baz makes his first appearance in his costume, and fights the Justice League.

Hawkeye #3
(Fraction, Aja)
Seriously, if you're not reading this series already, do yourself a favor and pick up the first two issues along with this third. Matt Fraction and David Aja have a clear and distinct vision for Clint Barton, and the first two issues are absolutely some of the best comic book work I've read in a long time (on par with Brian K. Vaughan's Saga). This is about Clint being himself, not an Avenger and not in the public eye. It's engrossing, relatable, grounded, emotional, and just plain great.

Uncanny X-Force #32
(Remender, Noto)
I finally started reading Uncanny X-Force and now I don't want to stop. Unfortunately, Rick Remender is stepping off the title he's taken two years to craft into one of the finest series currently available soon to focus on Uncanny Avengers and Captain America, both of which I'll be covering here on "The Endless Reel." The good news is, there's still a few issues of UXF left with Remender at the wheel, so I'll be covering these as well.

Leagues Beyond

It's the debut post of 'Leagues Beyond', the column that focuses on Justice League-related titles each week. This first week's offerings include two Earth 2-based titles, the eponymous series and World's Finest. I'll be talking about the formation of the Justice Society as they stand up against Grundy and the military-backed Atom, as well as Power Girl and Huntress' attempt to get back to Earth 2 via the boom tube that brought them to Earth 1!

Earth 2 #5

(Robinson, Scott)

World's Finest #5

(Levitz, Perez)

Shadowy Happenings
It's my first column of 'Shadowy Happenings' which covers all the 'Dark'-related titles DC releases. This week, both Animal Man and Swamp Thing delve into "Rotworld", each in their respective kingdoms to fight against the Rot and stave off a worldwide decay. In The Phantom Stranger, Dan Didio will introduce us to Raven, a character fans have been clamoring for since the 'New 52' relaunch, and the recent subject of Scott Lobdell's plans for an upcoming Teen Titans spinoff focused on a new team led by Raven herself.

Animal Man #13 - "Rotworld: The Red Kingdom"
(Lemire, Pugh)

Swamp Thing #13 - "Rotworld: The Green Kingdom"
(Snyder, Paquette)

The Phantom Stranger #1
(Didio, Anderson)

Extra! Extra!
4-SENTENCE REVIEWS are no more, as they are being replaced by 'Extra! Extra!', the section of titles that don't get standard reviews and also don't fall into an specific category of new columns. This isn't to say that these issues are any less good (or bad, in some cases) than the titles featured under the standard REVIEW header, it just means that I found a way to more eloquently talk about them in four sentences better than I could in four paragraphs. It's lika a haiku - sometimes creativity comes out of restrictions.

AvX: VS. #6 of 6
(Gillen, Immonen)

Before Watchmen: Rorschach #2 of 4
(Azzarello, Higgins)

The First X-Men #3 of 5
(Adams, Gage)

Stormwatch #13
(Milligan, Conrad)

Uncanny X-Men #19

(Gillen, Garney)

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