THE WEEK (OCT 24-30, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GRADE: 9.5/10

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

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

GRADE: 8/10

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

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

GRADE: 5/10

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

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

GRADE: 7.8/10

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

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

GRADE: 7/10

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

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

GRADE: 5/10

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

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

GRADE: 8/10

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #13

(w) Marc Andreyko
(p) Robson Rocha

This is what DC Universe Presents is all about - reintroducing characters into the DCnU in fun and inventive ways. The "Kid Flash" issue two months ago was an agonizing display of unnecessary excess, and last month's "Issue Zero" was fun, but it was about characters we already knew. DCUP #13 starts a four-part story featuring both Blue Devil and Black Lightning, two characters who never had any connection in the pre-"Flashpoint". While the idea came from the concept of 'black and blue' - an admittedly silly reason to pair these two characters - the end result is actually really great. 

What we get from Marc Andreyko is two subtly interwoven stories that don't seem so at first, but slowly come together to the surprise of even the two protagonists. The most interesting part of "The Devil Made Me Do It" is that Blue Devil and Black Lighting are just as mystified and nonchalant about their meeting as the reader before finishing this issue. While the story's not metafictional, per se, it straddles the fence by playing the uncommon situation of the editorial decisions into the literal narrative. Fascinating.

Daniel wants nothing more than to make a name for himself using his grandfather's mystical blue demon suit. He has all the passion but none of the discipline or experience. On the other hand, Jefferson's black electricity powers give him the opportunity to watch over the Los Angeles and, more specifically, his father. Black Lightning is a like a military call sign than a superhero moniker - Jefferson is all about getting the job done as quickly and quietly as possible. On the surface, these two characters have nothing in common. Andreyko begs to differ, as Blue Devil's protectiveness over his grandfather, and Black Lightning's 'guardian angel' role watching his detective father both show that these men act out of great respect and admiration for their father figures.

With DC's January solicits out, we learned that Andreyko's take on Blue Devil and Black Lightning was cut from five down to four issues for some reason. It could mean that Andreyko overextended his outline, it could be that DC has something planned for the title in February, or it could mean, unfortunately, that DC Universe Presents might get cancelled. I don't want to wildly speculate, but this new arc might just be what the series needs to pull itself out of the low rankings if it is indeed on the chopping block.

GRADE

8/10

HAWKEYE #3

(w) Matt Fraction
(p) David Aja

Matt Fraction might be at a career high point right now. He's finishing up his amazing run on Invincible Iron Man, he's taking over Fantastic Four and FF starting in November, and he's still got time to craft one of the best comic stories I've ever read. Hawkeye isn't about being Hawkeye at all. It's meant to be an homage to everything Clint Barton is or can be when he doesn't wear the proverbial mask. And it's not restricted to Clint Barton, as Young Avengers Kate Bishop (a.k.a. Hawkeye II) has appeared in two of the three current issues, making her a main character more or less. Superheroes are just people with powers and masks - Matt Fraction takes this credo to heart in his writing and it shows through his manipulation of everyday human behavior to better convey his stories.

Hawkeye #3 is not about the Vagabond code, as Marvel so ceremoniously trumpeted for weeks leading up to it's release. Just like most ridiculous events or situations that happen in our everyday lives, the Hawkeyes' life gets turned upside down when a simple trip to the store for tape turns into a high-speed car chase between a 1970 Charger and a phalanx of Mini Coopers. Somehow, Fraction and David Aja are able to convey the pacing and context of an movie-style chase, retaining all the elements that make them exciting while eliminating the huge explosions and impossible stunts.

Fraction's take on Clint and Kate put them in a more casual role. Maybe when one's in the presence of Captain America, Thor, and the like, it's harder to be loose and natural. Maybe that's why the Avengers tend to sound like they're always getting ready for a funeral or talking about expired 401-K plans. Not in Hawkeye, where Clint often screws up and Kate is there to clean it up. Of course, the relationship isn't always one-sided, but Kate definitely has herself together a lot more than Clint, even though he's far older than Kate.

This is a comic book. This is one of the more polished, meaningful examples of good comics I've read in a while. Matt Fraction has a complete understanding of his intentions and how he wants to write Hawkeye. This is a Marvel ongoing series that doesn't feature alien invasions, mutant menaces, evil masterminds, or brainwashed superheroes - this is a series about life's real problems being dealt with in way less based in reality. Acid-tipped arrows? We're not supposed to believe it's real, just that it could be, and that's awesome.

GRADE

9.7/10

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #13

(w) Tony Bedard
(p) Andrei Bressan and Amilcar Pinna

What a game changer! Seriously, I was on the brink of letting Green Lanterns: New Guardians go after the overall low quality of the past few months. Even though Kyle Rayner is my favorite Green Lantern and always will be, Ton Bedard was struggling to find his footing with a team of multi-colored lanterns on a mysterious quest. It was far too chaotic for too long. Now, Kyle's quest to master all colors of the emotional spectrum has given Bedard some direction of his own, and Green Lantern: New Guardians #13 is the prime example of a how a little focus can reap amazing rewards.

Kyle Rayner's been an anomaly since the moment he was given the last Green Lantern ring by Ganthet as Hal Jordan, possessed by Parallax, literally decimated the Green Lantern Corps. In the years since that fateful night, Kyle kept the green light aflame when no one else could, helped rebuild Oa, siphoned the power of a god as Ion, traveled across the universe when Earth disappointed him too much, helped resurrect Hal Jordan, became Parallax himself for a time, and at the onset of the 'New 52', he was somehow able to wield one of every colored ring in the spectrum. It comes as no surprise that he's destined to master all six emotions and ascend into something greater to stave off the "Rise of the Third Army". Much like Green Lantern #13, the Guardian Soldiers only show up for a few panels near the end to make sure we remember that's going on elsewhere.

This month, Kyle is training with Atrocitus to master rage. It's odd how a character driven by absolute rage finds clemency enough to bother with beings he deigns to be lesser than. But, this is the 'New 52', so it's all about change. Hard as he might, Atrocitus cannot seem to drive Kyle to a rage-filled fury, even going so far as to throw Alex DeWitt's grave in Kyle's face as proof of his prior weakness. The revelation that Alex DeWitt still exists in the 'New 52' is a big deal, seeing as the compression of time could have cut that part of Kyle's life out completely. I'm glad Bedard is keeping Ron Marz's legacy alive. Eventually, Kyle is driven literally mad when he's made to watch - but not interfere with - a brutal execution while Atrocitus holds him back.

I have to say, Kyle's Red Lantern getup is probably the coolest costume he's worn in his many years wielding a green ring - it's that helmet that really dredges up thoughts of horror movies, y'know? Tony Bedard, in one single issue, has managed to reel me back in and take Green Lantern: New Guardians seriously again. I'm a bit miffed that Carol Ferris is taking Fatality's place as the team's Star Sapphire, but it makes sense in terms of GL family cohesion. Other than that, I really don't have a lot bad to say about this issue. Bedard knocks it out of the park, Andrei Bressan and Amilcar Pinna have a refreshing art style, and the new, clear direction for the book makes me want to continue reading it even more.

GRADE

7.8/10

JUSTICE LEAGUE #13

(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Tony S. Daniel
(i) Richard Friend and Batt

It's not often that Geoff Johns takes a breather. Usually, the man is constructing some massive arc that has major ramifications for the entire DCnU, and then some. It's not a bad quality at all. In fact, Johns' ability to make nearly anything he writes feel epic is what makes him such an amazing storyteller. For the past 13 months, Johns has worked magic with Justice League, a series that many journalists have criticized for having a lackluster opening arc and a mediocre second. Here's the thing - nothing is perfect, not even the Justice League. Fanboys - and increasingly, journalists - are becoming hardened against different interpretations of established continuity, no matter the situation. Why does it matter that Hal Jordan is a huge jerk? Why can't that be part of the variety of personalities on the team? Is it really a huge deal that only three members of the League appear in the first issue, even though it's the beginning of an origin story that spans six issues? Are we that jaded against change? Sure, Hal says annoying things from time to time, but I'd rather have him cracking bad jokes every once in a while than a set of seven perfect examples of human ingenuity and dedication who say the right thing every time.

Justice League #13 starts a three-issue arc focusing on the Cheetah, a classic Wonder Woman villain reimagined with a much better backstory. I mentioned Johns' penchant for the grandiose earlier because this issue proves how well he can write a smaller-scale narrative, as well. This isn't a planet-wide threat, or even a nation-wide one - "The Secret of the Cheetah" is a personal tale about Wonder Woman and Cheetah's past. It's also about a team willing and ready to help their fellow teammate without a moment's hesitation. Cheetah is largely considered to have been Wonder Woman's arch-enemy in the pre-'New 52' universe, so it makes sense that Diana's relationship with Cheetah cuts deeper than the team could know. Johns is applying his multi-layered narrative style to a more minimal stage, resulting in heavy interpersonal relationships and emotionally-driven plot advancement.

Tony S. Daniel is stepping in for a few issues before Ivan Reis and Joe Prado take over in a few months, and his style is a breath of fresh air. Jim Lee was doing some great issues for the first few months of the 'New 52', but the quality steadily feel through the summer and into the fall. It's nice to see more crisp detail and solid inking, and honestly, the artwork goes a long way in making Justice League #13 such a good issue. 

And while DC's website claimed that Johns' "Shazam" back up was still happening, in actuality, it's a story penned by Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire about Steve Trevor and Oliver Queen. Trevor is done working for A.R.G.U.S., and decides to drink himself into a stupor when Ollie Queen shows up to deliver some bad news that looks to be of some importance in the upcoming Justice League of America starting next year.

GRADE

8/10

FEATURED REVIEW: MARVEL NOW! POINT ONE

(w) Nick Spencer, Brian Bendis, Jeph Loeb, Kieron Gillen, Matt Fraction, and Dennis Hopeless
(p) Luke Ross, Steve McNiven, Ed McGuinness, Jamie McElvie with Mike Norton, Mike Allred, Gabriel Hernandez Walta

Last year's Marvel Point One was a fun introduction to coming year's storylines, though it retroactively suffered from unfulfilled promises. Why did Scarlet Spider get a solo series but not Nova? Where is the X-Terminated team? Of course, that was the first issue in a series, it seems, so it makes sense that MPO was more of a work in progress than anything else. And at the end of the day, it's still a really fun one shot full of interesting stories. Marve NOW! Point One is the more polished version of the concept - each story included in this issue is evolving into an ongoing series. This anthology format is fun because it's not necessary to know decades of continuity to still enjoy what's going on. In fact, that's the whole idea behind 'Marvel NOW!'

Marvel NOW! Point One is framed by the story following S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, and Director Maria Hill. They've come across a gentleman who monetarily wiped out the New York Stock Exchange within a matter of hours and claims to be from the future. Being from the future obviously has it's advantages when cavorting in the past, and the man basically just wants to give S.H.I.E.L.D. a heads-up about what's coming. It's a strained plot, one that feels forced and underdeveloped. Nick Spencer is obviously trying for some mystery in the man's identity, but it just comes across as unfinished or poorly edited. It made sense for the Watcher in Marvel Point One to have visions of the future surrounding it's supernatural existence, so this scenario feels a bit silly. Then again, these are the kind of things Fury and Coulson will be dealing with in the pages of Secret Avengers, set to debut in February.

Brian (Michael) Bendis and Steve McNiven kick things off with the origin of Star-Lord, leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Marvel is making a big push for their cosmic characters, and putting Bendis front and center for a team getting a cinematic movie next year is a stellar choice. And while Bendis' long-form writing style means "Guardians of the Galaxy" feels incomplete, Steve McNiven's amazing artwork pretty much makes up for it.

Next up is Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness bringing us "Diamondhead" featuring the new Nova - Sam Alexander - the team introduced in Marvel Point One. While Sam's last adventure was all about the return of the Phoenix, this tale gives readers a bit more insight as to Sam's situation without giving much away in terms of concrete details. The eponymous villain is one of Richard Rider Nova's old enemies, so he confronts the new Nova. A few choice sentences of dialogue reveal that the Nova Corps is gone, and that Sam is apparently the last one...maybe. Dropping hints that answer questions by bringing up more questions is one of Jeph Loeb's strong suits, so it works well here. Ed McGuinness is one of those artists who draws comics like they're perceived by the non-comic book reading population - big, expressive, and colorful. I'm already a fan of Sam Alexander - especially his re-designed Nova uniform - so Nova is one of the series I'm most excited about.

Oh, Young Avengers. If you read this blog on any sort of regular basis, you're probably aware that I absolutely LOVE the Young Avengers. I collected the entire 12-issue original run (dubbed "Season One" in recent years), I've read every YA tie-in issue for Marvel's major events, and I even stuck it out and bought every issue of Avengers: The Children's Crusade. So when Marvel announced they were bringing back the Young Avengers under the watch of Kieron Gillen and Jamie McElvie, I was ecstatic. "The New World" features "Miss" America Chavez, first introduced in 2011's Vengeance mini-series as part of the new Teen Brigade. Kid Loki has decided to put a new Young Avengers team together, and first goes after America (that's her real name, hence the pun) who's taking refuge on Earth-212. Because this is a comic book and heroes tend to fight each other before getting along, a brawl ensues. Even though Miss America basically just beats Loki down then flies away, the whole sequence is meant to develop America and give readers a preview of her social skills, something that will obviously come into play once she joins the team. Breaking the fourth wall is always fun in my book, so Loki's 'wanted' ad was a pleasant surprise and an awesome way to close this chapter.

Matt Fraction and Mike Allred's "It's Art!" is next, featuring Scott Lang as Ant-Man in a prologue to the creative team's upcoming FF. Mike Allred is such a fantastic and wonky artist that it fits Matt Fraction's whimsically poignant writing almost perfectly. Scott Lang is also a great character for Fraction, who specializes in taking somewhat formless characters and giving them direction and focus (Clint Barton, anyone?). "It's Art!" features what I hope will be the norm for FF, which is a stylized narrative structure, consisting of a fantastic balance of inner monologue and dialogue, as well as inventive and innovative panel flow. Seeing Scott's whereabouts through special enlarged panels with arrows is genius, and Fraction's breaking of the fourth wall is so subtle, it smacks you in the face before you even realize.

The final story - before the conclusion of Spencer's S.H.I.E.L.D. bookend - is about Forge. Specifically, a mentally disturbed, manic Forge who stumbles upon a lab he built with a huge machine he didn't build. For a mutant whose ability consists of creating and fixing nearly any machine he can work on, it's a perfect set up. Unlike his counterparts who might give too little, Dennis Hopeless tries for a bit too much with "Crazy Enough". The psychological implications surrounding a techno-manipulator are many, apparently, and Hopeless just digs the hole a bit too big, then doesn't have time to have anything make sense before it ends with a cameo from Cable, foreshadowing Cable and X-Force coming in December.

It's difficult to review a prologue anthology simply by it's definition. These stories and their format are unique. Unlike back-up stories of similar length, these aren't multi-part or even one-shot tales. Each of these small stories is like a "Zero Issue" of sorts. While DC made a whole month of it in September, Marvel NOW! Point One could be considered 'ground zero' for all six featured series. It's a fun issue - simple as that. Knowing that all six series are starting soon gives more weight to these six prologues, and that's part of the charm. If this were just another short story anthology, it would be a bit lacking. But it's not. And we know it. Get ready, because if the level of quality seen in NOW! Point One continues through the next five months of new launches and into the future, Marvel might just have the upper hand on DC.

GRADE

8.5/10

THE WEEK (OCT 17-23, 2012)

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Catwoman #13
(Nocenti, Sandoval, Tarrogona)

Nightwing #13
(Higgins, Barrows, Jose)

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

Supergirl #13
(Johnson, Basri)

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

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

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

GRADE: 7.2/10

Before Watchmen: Doctor Manhattan #2 of 4

(w) J. Michael Straczynski

(p) Adam Hughes

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

GRADE: 6/10

Demon Knights #13

(w) Paul Cornell
(p) Bernard Chang

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

GRADE: 8.5/10

The First X-Men #3 of 5

(w) Neal Adams and Christos Gage

(p) Neal Adams

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

GRADE: 1/10

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

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

GRADE: 8/10

The Phantom Stranger #1

(w) Dan Didio

(p) Brent Anderson

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

GRADE: 7/10

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

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

GRADE: 7.1/10

Team 7 #1

(w) Justin Jordan

(p) Jesus Merino

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

GRADE: 7/10

MARVEL NOW: A RUNDOWN

'Marvel NOW!' is here! Last week, Uncanny Avengers and Red She-Hulk kicked things off for a five-month period of all-new series from Marvel that tie into the post-AvX world. I've already reviewed UA, and this coming week, Marvel NOW! Point One is the only new release, but November through February promise a ton of new stuff for you (and me) to read!

OCTOBER

Marvel NOW! Point One
(Various Creative Teams)
Last year's Marvel Point One was a cool first attempt at bringing readers an anthology format with which to preview the upcoming years storylines and series. With prelude stories to FF, Young Avengers, and Nova to name a few, Marvel NOW! Point One promises to be a roller coaster ride as we rocket into 'Marvel NOW!' 

A+X

(Various Creative Teams)

With the success of AvX: VS, Marvel saw great potential in that series' format of ten-page stories featuring one Avenger and one X-Man. This time around, they'll be teaming up instead of kicking the pants off each other.

NOVEMBER

All-New X-Men
(w) Brian Michael Bendis
(p) Stuart Immonen
After eight years at the helm of the Avengers, BMB is moving over to the X-Men world with All-New X-Men featuring the time-displaced original five X-Men transported to the present day. I can't imagine how Marvel and Bendis plan on making this an ongoing, but I have faith, and the concept is cool enough to read whatever the outcome.

Deadpool

(w) Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan

(p) Tony Moore

It's about time Marvel put an honest-to-god comedian on one of their most comedic characters, Deadpool. Brian Posehn is one of the funniest comics in the stand-up industry, and he's likely bringing his distinct sense of humor to the Merc with a Mouth. The first arc is about Deadpool assassinating the reanimated corpses of America's past Presidents.

Iron Man
(w) Kieron Gillen
(p) Greg Land
I've never been a fan of Iron Man - I'll read tie-ins and the such, but on a regular basis, Tony Stark's solo adventures don't interest me that much. That being said, this is 'Marvel NOW!', the perfect time to dive into a character never explored much, and the fact that Kieron Gillen is writing is enough to make me interested.

Avengers Assemble #9

(w) Kelly Sue DeConnick

(p) Stefano Caselli

Though it's not renumbering, Avengers Assemble is getting an all-new creative team and narrative focus. Going forward, Kelly Sue DeConnick will be penning "shot glass Avengers" stories only two to three issues in length focusing on character growth. It's a fantastic move on Marvel's part, seeing as DeConnick has been cleaning up with Captain Marvel.

Fantastic Four

(w) Matt Fraction
(p) Mark Bagley
Again, I never got into the Fantastic Four, and my experience with Ultimate Fantastic Four was less than impressive. Though, Matt Fraction's recent take on Hawkeye has been impeccable, so I'm willing to see what he's got planned for Marvel's First Family. The first arc apparently takes them away from Earth for a full year of their lives, but which only amounts to four minutes in Earth time. Interesting? Wait until you see how it ties into FF.

Journey Into Mystery #646

(w) Kathryn Immonen

(p) Valerio Schiti

Just like Avengers Assemble, Journey Into Mystery isn't getting renumbered, but instead brings in Kathryn Immonen and Valerio Schiti to change the narrative direction and focus on the Lady Sif instead of Kid Loki. This promises to be an epic arc, as Sif is set to return to Asgard and raise all sorts of hell.

Thor: God of Thunder
(w) Jason Aaron
(p) Esad Ribic
Jason Aaron is going in an interesting direction with Thor: God of Thunder, taking readers through three distinct eras of Thor's life - his younger years, the current day, and his elder years as King of Asgard. Knowing Aaron, this structural decision will make for some amazing building grounds for future stories.

X-Men Legacy

(w) Si Spurrier

(p) Tan Eng Huat

It's a series about Legion. Oh, Legion - son of Xavier with no real personality because you've been used as a plot pawn for so, so many years. It's about time David Haller was treated right and given a series to help him work out his inner demons. In the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men, Legion seems like he's going to be meeting a lot of new mutants who need help understanding what's happened to them.

Captain America
(w) Rick Remender
(p) John Romita Jr.
Uncanny Avengers is amazing, and I'm now certain that Rick Remender is going to turn Captain America from the country's boy scout into something darker and more relatable. Being transported to and stuck in Dimension Z with Arnim Zola's son is a good start to making Cap a more well-rounded character.

Indestructible Hulk

(w) Mark Waid

(p) Lenil Yu

Mark Waid did Daredevil a huge favor by yanking Matt Murdock out of the proverbial alley and into the sunlight. Bruce Banner has been tossed around for years, and it's time that someone like Waid gives the green giant a fresh coat of paint for a new age. In recent interviews, Waid said that his interpretation of Hulk/Banner resembles Mark Ruffalo's movie Hulk, though the similarities were completely unintentional.

FF
(w) Matt Fraction
(p) Mike Allred
While the Fantastic Four are off in another dimension, Reed Richards recruits a new FF team to protect the world in their absence...of four minutes. It's a wonky concept, but one I'm positive Matt Fraction can pull off. The new FF team includes Ant-Man, Medusa, She-Hulk, and Ms. Thing (a new character). Mike Allred is an amazing artist and I cannot wait to see how his pulpy style will affect the stories.


DECEMBER

Avengers
(w) Jonathan Hickman
(p) Jeremy Opena
Jonathan Hickman is stepping off his long-term runs on Fantastic Four and FF to turn his sights on Earth's Mightiest Heroes. In interviews, Hickman has stated that Avengers will be big-ticket stories about a large cast of characters, leaving more character-driven stuff for the sister series he's also writing, New Avengers.

Thunderbolts

(w) Daniel Way

(p) Steve Dillon

This one just looks plain cool. It's General "Thunderbolt" Ross, a.k.a. Red Hulk, leading a team of killers including Elektra, Venom, Deadpool, and the Punisher. Some fans are already upset that Frank Castle is going to be on a team, but I have high hopes for this series that's bringing together some of the best anti-heroes Marvel has to offer.

Cable and X-Force
(w) Dennis Hopeless
(p) Salvador Larroca
Now that Avengers vs. X-Men has made criminals out of a number of X-Men, they have to go on the run. Cable leads new X-Force team (that includes Colossus, btw) on the run from the Uncanny Avengers!

New Avengers

(w) Jonathan Hickman

(p) Steve Epting

While Avengers tackles the big picture stuff, New Avengers will see Jonathan Hickman bringing readers the exploits of the Illuminati, the group of intellects that have shaped the Marvel U over the past seven years or so. This title will be more character-driven, with a lot of Avengers crossovers.

Avengers Arena
(w) Dennis Hopeless
(p) Kev Walker
While this series is a total ripoff of Battle Royale (and by extension, The Hunger Games), Avengers Arena is probably going to be very cool. It's throwing a bunch of teenaged characters together, from Avengers Academy to the perennially ignored Runaways. 

JANUARY

Uncanny X-Force
(w) Sam Humphries
(p) Ron Garney
Even though there's already going to be Cable and X-Force, Marvel liked Rick Remender's run on Uncanny X-Force to give the series a relaunch of it's own. This time around, Storm is leading the team (sporting a blatantly retro mohawk) that includes Psylocke amongst other, low-tier mutants.

Savage Wolverine

(w/p) Frank Cho

They finally gave Frank Cho a Wolverine series. Cho has promised that this iteration of Logan's tale will be, obviously, a lot more savage and violent. The first arc takes Wolvy to the jungle, so there's going to be a lot of survivalism, I'm sure.

Young Avengers
(w) Kieron Gillen
(p) Jamie McElvie
This is the series I've been waiting six years to happen. I absolutely loved the original run of Young Avengers and continued to keep up with the characters even as they got tossed around creative teams like an unwanted sandwich. Now, Marvel is giving the title to Kieron Gillen and Jamie McElvie, the creative team behind the magnificent Phonogram series. This new team features old favorites Wiccan, Hulkling, and Hawkeye II, while introducing to the team Kid Loki, Miss America Chavez, and Marvel Boy (from Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways).

The Superior Spider-Man

(w) Dan Slott

(p) Ryan Stegman

This is the series I'm least excited about. There's no creative team change here, just a renumbering and an apparent new man under the Spider-Man mask. Oh, and the Spidey suit now has black where there was blue. I thought the whole point of 'Marvel NOW!' was to shake up creative teams, and in this case, Marvel just dropped the ball.

FEBRUARY

Secret Avengers
(w) Nick Spencer
(p) Luke Ross
I always thought the premise of Secret Avengers was too loose. Sure, it's an Avengers team that's secret, but how cliche is that? This new premise from Nick Spencer tells that S.H.I.E.L.D. wants an Avengers team of their own, but the current big names are too unpredictable and uncontrollable, so they activate embedded codes within select operatives around the world, task them to go on missions, then wipe their memory when the mission is complete. This smorgasbord of operatives include Black Widow, Mockingbird, Hawkeye, Hulk, and a new Iron Patriot. The team works with (the new) Nick Fury and Agent Phil Coulson.

Guardians of the Galaxy

(w) Brian Michael Bendis

(p) Steve McNiven

As part of Marvel's ongoing effort to expand it's cosmic branch of characters, Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven will be reviving Guardians of the Galaxy with a new directive in mind: keep Earth alien-free. Apparently, Earth has been meddled with too much, and it's time to let the humans evolve on their own. Expect big things from this title which is set to include Iron Man.

Nova
(w) Jeph Loeb
(p) Ed McGuinness
Last year, Marvel Point One teased a the new Nova, Sam Alexander, as he fought off Terrax and escaped to warn Earth's heroes about the coming of the Phoenix. It felt like a bit of a letdown when no new Nova series came about, but now, we've got one starting in February! Loeb has promised that this series will explain how Sam became the newest member of the Nova Corps, and what his purpose is going forward.

SUPERBOY #13

(W) Tom DeFalco
(P) R.B. Silva
(I) Rob Lean

What garbage. I'm sorry - I usually refrain from using such frank and harsh words in the name of decency and (semi)professionalism. But this time, I just can't help myself. Superboy #13 is such a a terrible example of the comic book format that it embarrasses me. DC's 'New 52' initiative was largely meant to introduce new readers to comic books in a way that wasn't embroiled in continuity and studious knowledge of past chronology. Now, I'm all for a strong, cohesive continuity within a comic book universe, but Tom DeFalco just kills the concept by bringing up obscure references from past issues like it's going out of style. I've read every issue of Superboy so far, so if I'm annoyed by the amount of Editor's Notes littered throughout the issue, I can't even begin to imagine what a curious reader might think.

Superboy #13 is the epitome of unnecessary and stupid. Not only does the ongoing narrative plot of the series fail to progress, but it feels like a step backwards because at the end, Superboy reunites with Caitlin Fairchild and her not-Ravagers-but-Ravagers group of misfits. I thought we were done with all that N.O.W.H.E.R.E. bullshit, but here it comes again just to make me mad, I'm assuming.

No, I would not recommend reading Superboy #13. There's literally no value to that purchase. Wait for "H'el on Earth" to start - hopefully that event can shoot some life into the dull, formless mess DeFalco is calling an ongoing series. Jocelyn Lure? The most underdeveloped, least interesting character I've seen in years. Superboy's landlord, Dallas? So completely useless and stupid, I cannot even tell you. And because this series' chronic problem of hideous inner monologue persists, there doesn't seem to be any redeeming factors about this issue. Don't buy it, don't read it. I promise you're not missing anything.

Oh, and the cover features the special handcuffs designed to suppress Superboy's powers because that's definitely worth making prominent on the cover image of your comic booj.

GRADE

1.5/10

SOME THOUGHTS from NEW YORK COMIC-CON

It's New York Comic-Con, one of the bigger conventions across the country that comes a bit closer to San Diego's International Comic-Con in terms of size, gravitas, guests, and revelations concerning the upcoming year. This year's NYCC is bringing a lot of information concerning Marvel's 'Marvel NOW!' initiative, moving into the second year of DC's 'New 52' initiative. Below are some various bits of new information concerning titles that I'll be reading and/or will be covered here on "The Endless Reel".

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Marvel has announced that Brian Michael Bendis' All-New X-Men - featuring the original five X-Men time displaced - will be out twice a month for the first six issues with Stuart Immonen switching off with David Marquez on art.

This is a pretty annoying bit of information. For months now, Marvel has been hyping up it's creative team switch-ups and how these new teams would be the standard for a long time going forward. While this might have been a pipe dream since the beginning, it's a bit annoying that Marvel is okay with this creative toss up for one of the flagship titles for 'Marvel NOW!' It just shows a lack of respect for the consumer, going back on previous promises without so much as an explanation or apology.

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"We're taking all the cool, badass stories that happened in the 90s and wrapped it up in one big last score." - Dennis Hopeless on the inspiration for the new 'Marvel NOW!' series, Cable and X-Force, debuting in January.

What? WHAT?!?! When did it become acceptable to harken back to 90s-era comic book over-saturation unless you're Rob Liefeld spectacularly crashing and burning? The 1990s, as a decade, probably did more damage to the comic book culture than any other era before it. Terrible storylines partnered with even worse artwork (pre-real color days) led to an industry gasping to stay alive at the end of the millennium. No one should be going back to the 90s for inspiration, even if it is a series about Cable.

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That's it for now.