REVIEW: BATMAN #15

(w) Scott Snyder

(a) Greg Capullo

(i) Jonathan Glapion

"Death of the Family" marches along this week in Batman #15 with a sort-of interlude issue for the whole event. This month, nearly all the Bat-books have a connection to "DotF", meaning there's a whole lot more narrative going on all around Scott Snyder's central plot. Of course, this isn't to say that this issue is boring, or any lesser quality than any other issue, it's just not as action-packed and/or thrilling as last issue's edge-of-the-seat chapter. Snyder knows how this story has to play out and what that means for Batman and his extended crime-fighting family. Batman #15 is really what this Joker-centric story is all about: the disintegration of Batman's support system. 

We know the Joker sees Batman as a king of Gotham who can't be his best because he has weights tying him down in the form of his allies. Each new Bat-hero that emerges becomes one more person Bruce has to worry about, just one more body to inevitably find, according to the Joker. He's not wrong. The best part of "Death of the Family" is that the Joker is absolutely right--while Batman might consider himself a loner (along with DC's editorial staff), the evidence of decades of sidekicks, allies, and frenemies says differently. Bruce's penchant for taking in outcasts and turning them into shadowy vigilantes points more to his obsessive need for family rather than his isolationism. Sure, every time a new Robin pops up, Bats gets pretty defensive about taking on a new partner, and he never really approved of Barbara becoming Batgirl, but the end result says that Batman needs a strong, extensive support system to maintain his desired crime-fighting lifestyle. Heck, he created Batman, Inc. just to have more allies/soldiers around the world. Bruce needs his family, and Joker knows it.

This month, Bruce reveals a shocking secret about his history with the Joker than sends Nightwing, Red Robin, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Robin into a hissy fit. The actual information isn't so important as the fact that Bruce kept a major secret from his allies. Bruce attempts to convince the others that Joker doesn't actually know anyone's identity and that it's all just a twisted mind game. The revelations from the past make Bruce's words somewhat hollow in the eyes of the others, and they start to question Bruce's ability to keep a clear head in the midst of this chaos. It very much feels like a turning point for Batman and his allies, that they might never fully trust each other ever again, that this is how the family falls apart.

GRADE

9/10

THE WEEK (DEC 12-18, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW
Cable and X-Force #1
(Hopeless, Larroca)
Debut issue! Cable is on the run from the Uncanny Avengers with Colossus, Domino, Dr. Nemesis, and Forge along for the ride.

Avengers Arena #1
(Hopeless, Walker)
Let's hope this isn't a complete rip-off of Battle Royale or The Hunger Games...wait...there's no way it can't be. The premise is the EXACT SAME THING. Plus, even if this was a new, inspired idea, I can't imagine fans of the characters in this book are going to be too happy to see them cut down one by one.

Batman #15
(Snyder, Capullo)
"Death of the Family" continues now that Joker has revealed that he knows the true identities of everyone in the Batman Family.

Batman and Robin #15
(Tomasi, Gleason)
While the last two months were revealed to be a plot by the Joker all along, "Death of the Family" kicks off proper this month in Batman and Robin.

Fantastic Four #2
(Fraction, Bagely)
While FF is going to be my primary Fraction title going forward (not counting Hawkeye, which I will read regardless), Fantastic Four is set to start their year-long/four-minute journey through multi-space, and I'm just pumped to see how ti unfolds.

Green Lantern Corps #15
(Tomasi, Pasarin)
"Rise of the Third Army" trudges along this week with Guy and John facing an increasingly violent Guardian Army. We still don't know why John was tasked to reconstitute Mogo if that would help the Corps...whatever.

Extra! Extra!
Batgirl #15
(Simone, Benes)
"Death of the Family" tie-in issue!

Demon Knights #15
(Cornell, Chang)

Iron Man #4
(Gillen, Land)

Superboy #15
(DeFalco, Silva)
"H'el on Earth" tie-in issue!

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

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

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

GRADE: 7/10

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #5 of 6
(Cooke)

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

GRADE: 9.5/10

Iron Man #3
(Gillen, Land)

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

GRADE: 7/10

Stormwatch #15
(Milligan, Conrad)

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

GRADE: 8/10

REVEW: ACTION COMICS #15

(w) Grant Morrison
(p) Brad Walker and Rags Morales
(i) Andrew Hennessey and Mark Probst

Action Comics has been a bit wonky recently. Yes, Grant Morrison is a weird writer, and yes, his entire take on Superman since issue one has been alternative, to put it lightly. But something about the past few issues ha been even more fractured and seemingly unconnected than usual. I didn't much like last month's Action Comics #14 because it dealt with a situation with which we, the readers, had no prior knowledge or backstory. It felt very much like Morrison simply dropped a story he wanted to tell right in the middle of an already complex and highly cerebral storyline. Mrs. Nyxly has been a mainstay in Action Comics since Clark Kent first moved to Metropolis in the first issue and rented a room in her building. New readers to either Superman or Grant Morrison would not have picked up on the significance the odd name at first, but fans knew immediately that this would have something to do with Mister Mxyzptlk, a longtime supporting character/villain of Superman's. Action Comics #15 reveals a lot about not only Superman's early days, but also about Morrison's run with the Man of Steel and the 'New 52' universe at-large.

Basically, Mxyzptlk is a 5th dimensional magician capable of producing new dimensions on a whim. Old Mxy created a bunch of three-dimensional universes with which to produce heroes for him to challenge and defeat, all in an effort to please the King-Thing Brpxz of Zrfff. Turns out Superman is the favorite of this multiverse because he's the only one who has ever won against Mxyzptlk, and has done so repeatedly. Of course, being a 5th dimensional being means Mxy's challenges aren't necessarily direct or even perceivable in the third dimension--all the hardships throughout Superman's life have directly or indirectly come from Mister Mxyzptlk's interference. Clark continues to "win" because nothing can keep his spirit down--he can persevere through anything Mxy throws at him. If you strip away the layers and layers of thick mythology, you find a simple tale about overcoming obstacles and becoming stronger for it.

There's a lot more packed into Action Comics #15--the meaning behind the golden angels from last issue being one of the most interesting for me--that brings Grant Morrison's vision closer to fruition. It makes sense, as his run is coming to a close with Action Comics #17 in February. The Man of Steel has never been weirder. Well, alright...he was weirder in All-Star Superman, which was also written by Morrison. There, Morrison had the freedom to do literally anything he wanted with Superman without repercussions because it didn't exist in the main DC continuity. Here, with Action Comics, Morrison received a similar amount of freedom, except this time the task wasn't to simply tell the best Superman story possible--it was to create Superman anew from scratch. And while that meant having to adhere to some modicum of new continuity, having his run set in the past has given Morrison the ability to make the 'New 52' universe as weird as it can be.

GRADE

8/10

REVIEW: HAWKEYE #5

(w) Matt Fraction
(p) Javier Pulido

Matt Fraction continues to astound this week with Hawkeye #5, the conclusion to "The Tape" which has seen Clint Barton tracking down a VHS cassette that contains extremely sensitive and classified information regarding the assassination of a political enemy of the United States government. Last issue, Clint made his way to the island of Madripoor in hopes of outbidding a cadre of super villains intent on getting their hands on something that could destroy the reputations of the US government, S.H.I.E.L.D., and the Avengers at large. For a series that has thus far been more about the fun and goofiness of comic books, "The Tape" has been surprisingly dark. There's no old school Hawkeye profile used as a censor bar, there's no pizza dog, and there's nobody overusing "bro". No, this story is about actual high stakes, and that's why it's so good.

Hawkeye #5's metafictional drama gives it a much more intentional punch than most superhero comics because the story hinges on a relatable and realistic narrative. Obviously, Fraction is likening Du Ke Feng to Osama Bin Laden in terms of what the public knows about the terrorist's death. It's the reason this story is so heavy. Fans can argue that the status quo is different after crossover events like Civil War or Siege, but if you really look at the trend, Captain America is still the leader of the Avengers, the X-Men still exist (albeit in a less organized fashion), and Thor is perennially dead/alive. There are minor changes, but not ones that would be perceptible to a casual reader or non-fan. Unlike the various fallouts from various crossover events over the years, the ramifications of this tape going public would actually change how things work in the Marvel universe -- S.H.I.E.L.D. would lose all credit as an 'international' peace-keeping entity (as well as it's funding and acknowledgements, I assume), the Avengers would be shamed and tried as political revolutionaries, and the US government would fall from grace on the global scene. This tape is extremely important.

But in true Matt Fraction fashion, things aren't always what the seem and the final few pages of Hawkeye #5 will remind you how good Fraction is at writing street-level heroes. Clint and Kate Bishop have been in a few pickles before "The Tape", but this is really the first time we get to see the two Hawkeyes in their natural state together, kicking ass and taking names. Hawkeye is one of the best comic book series currently being published and you're doing a diservice to yourself if you read comics and aren't keeping up with this book. As evidenced by most everything he's writing at the moment, Fraction is incredibly gifted at making comics easy and fun to read instead of a chore in backstory and line-wide events. This is the series to read.

GRADE

9/10

REVIEW: EARTH 2 #7

(w) James Robinson
(p) Yildiray Cinar
(i) Trevor Scott

Earth 2 #7 is many things: it's a transitional issue between story arcs, it sets the stage for the series going forward, and it's an introduction to a small array of new characters. While "The Gathering" did a fine job of using a new global crisis to bring about a new age of wonders, the narrative was very plot-driven, which meant we didn't get a lot of deep characterization for Earth 2's Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, or Atom. Really, we didn't even get a clear image of Grundy beyond it's psychopathic need to destroy all life. But that's part of the nature of the beast when it comes to origin stories for widely recognized teams such as the (still not officially called in the 'New 52') Justice Society. Geoff Johns barely pulled off "Origin" over on Justice League. But now that we're out of the shadow of the first storyline, Robinson relaxes a bit and takes a little more time fleshing out an engaging narrative with elements that will seemingly affect the future for years to come.

Let's talk about new characters because, and I won't even lie about this, I want to see as many members of the JSA as possible. Robinson's got an entire series and parallel universe at his fingertips -- let's see an extended roster. Signs point to this happening in Earth 2 #7 with the true introduction to Wesley Dodds, a.k.a. Sandman, as well as the pre-operational version of now female-designed Red Tornado android. Michael Holt, Earth 1's Mister Terrific, also makes his aggressive return as the evil Sloan's brainwashed security guard. I couldn't stop reading this issue. The more Sloan walked and talked with General Khan of the World Army, the more intrigued I became by both men. Sure, they've each been around for a few issues now, but, like the Wonders, they've yet to be characterized beyond their function in a war or military crisis.

Before Earth 2 even began, Robinson stated his intentions to draw out the members of the JSA gradually, introducing them little by little before eventually leading into a full-scale team around the second year of the book. Again, it looks as if things are on track for this to happen as Hawkgirl, whose name we now know to be the slightly altered Kendra Munoz- Saunders, begins to wear away at Alan Scott's natural tendencies to work alone. Kendra and Jay Garrick (the Greek god Mercury-powered Flash) are both intent on building a new team of Wonders, and that's going to lead to a lot of recruitment and additions to the new Justice Society. I know that all seems obvious, I just never really imagined that I'd get to see the formation of the JSA from the ground up. 

James Robinson is seriously making the stuff of legends here, with believable, relatable characters and world building that's slowly becoming on-par with the entirety of Earth 1. Whether you like the costume redesigns or not, Robinson has done a deft job re-imagining these Golden Age heroes for a new generation.

GRADE

8/10

REVIEW: THUNDERBOLTS #1

(w) Daniel Way
(p) Steve Dillon

If the Punisher wasn't in Thunderbolts, it would be damn near perfect. I don't follow Frank Castle's grisly exploits and even I know you don't put Punisher on a team. In early interviews, Daniel Way explained that he had a concocted a genuine reason for Castle to be part of the new Thunderbolts, and that his continued presence would make sense. Unfortunately, neither of these claims seem to be true. Thunderbolts #1 sits at the middle of the spectrum for 'Marvel NOW!', not quite as good as Uncanny Avengers and Thor: God of Thunder, but definitely not as trite and superflous as Deadpool.

General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross has been dead to the world for some time, though he's actually been operating as Red Hulk with the Avengers. It seems that not only has Ross forsaken his ties to Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but he's somewhat lost hope in the idea of law-abiding justice and is now actively seeking out deranged killers and mercenaries to be on his own personal execution squad. Way has stated that in a more perfect world, he would have titled the series Thunderbolts' with the purposeful grammar to convey that this is Ross' team through and through.

Thunderbolts #1 offers up a montage of recruitment with a blackmail situation between Ross and Castle as the connecting narrative. In some nameless warehouse, Ross has the Punisher chained with a litany of gangsters and mafia thugs lining up outside to get a chance at torturing and killing the man who slaughters men like them. Ross waxes poetic about the nature of the job offer, how it's different from the usual. It all feels a little forced, Castle being taken hostage by an old man, even if he can become a Hulk. While the idea of having Punisher be a more central character in the Marvel universe sounds intriguing...does it really? Every Punisher movie has been a major flop, and unlike many other Marvel characters, Frank Castle is pretty one-dimensional (pause for gasps of shock and awe). The man is vengeful and stubborn. There's not much more to him. Yes, there are ways to tell interesting Punisher stories, but it's not by placing him in the company of Venom, Deadpool, and Elektra.

As I mentioned earlier, if Punisher were out of the picture, Thunderbolts could be an amazing series. As it stands, there's obviously going to be a lot of focus on Frank Castle and frankly, that's not very interesting. Plus, this should really have been Thunderbolts #0 due to the origin story-like feel of the narrative. I'm excited to see the rest of these anti-heroes hanging out together, but if Punisher gets an inordinate amount of panel space, I'm out.

GRADE

6/10

THE WEEK (DEC 5-11, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW

Avengers #1
(Hickman, Opena)


REVIEWS
Action Comics #15
(Morrison, Morales)

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

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #5 of 6
(Cooke)

Earth 2 #7
(Robinson, Scott)

Hawkeye #5
(Fraction, Aja)

Thunderbolts #1
(Way, Dillon)

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

Amazing Spider-Man #699
(Slott, Ramos)

Iron Man #3
(Gillen, Land)

Stormwatch #15
(Milligan, Conrad)

EXTRA! EXTRA! (NOV 28-DEC 4, 2012)

All-New X-Men #2
(Bendis, Immonen)

While the first issue of this series wasn't the big spectacle many predicted, All-New X-Men #2 fills that void by offering up the first encounter between the original five X-Men and the current state of the world. There's still a lot left to be explained (about the space-time continuum's continued existence, Hank McCoy's desperation, current-Cyclops' whereabouts, etc.) but that's not what this issue is about. Instead, Bendis takes his time to flesh out the sudden juxtaposition of the younger Cyclops, Jean Grey, Angel, Beast, and Iceman against the arguably dystopian future they've come to experience. There's a lot of raw emotion this issue, and it's definitely enough to make me hungry for more, which is more than I can say for the first issue. Now that we also know that Bendis will be writing Uncanny X-Men when it relaunches in March, it will be even more interesting to see how he'll incorporate what's going on in All-New X-Men with UXM.

GRADE: 8.5/10

Aquaman #14
(Johns, Woods, Perez)

Now that "The Others" is all finished up, Geoff Johns is moving Arthur Curry right along into "Throne of Atlantis" that will cross over with Justice League and will feature the League up against the 'New 52' Ocean Master, a.k.a. Aquaman's brother. Aquaman #14 is a prelude to the event, and wears the title well by planting the seeds for at least four different plot lines going forward. Even though there's a lot of story here, it's still just set-up for the actual event, so by the end of the issue, there's a feeling of incompleteness that I just couldn't get over. Aquaman is still one of DC's strongest titles, but this issue definitely left me wanting for more.

GRADE: 7/10

Batman Incorporated #5
(Morrison, Burnham)

Grant Morrison is blazing through Batman, Inc. with one amazing issue after another, bringing us to Batman Incorporated #5 which takes readers into the future of Gotham after Batman is dead and Damian Wayne has taken up the mantle. It's a horrific future, one in which Gotham has been overrun by a super-contagious strain of the Joker serum, turing everyone into grinning raving lunatics. Part of what makes this series so palpable is Chris Burnham's artwork -- he manages to make you thoroughly uncomfortable while keeping your attention nonetheless. Just like most visions of the future, this might not happen, but if Morrison's predictions come true, DC's got some pretty bleak times ahead.

GRADE: 8/10

The Flash #14
(Manapul, Buccellato)

"Gorilla Warfare" continues this month as an army of intelligent apes invade Keystone City while their leader, Grodd, has captured the Speed Force for himself and can now keep up with Flash. It's a terrifying visual -- a massive, hyper-violent ape with super speed -- that really acts as the focal point of the issue. Grodd was insanely powerful before he got speedy, and now he simply lays waste to Barry while his troops attempt to fell the Rogues who have become quite the formidable fighting team when the pressure's on. The Flash #14 moves the series in the right direction by bringing Solovar back into the mix and entertaining the idea that Grodd's insane quest for power might not be all that insane.

GRADE: 7.5/10

Superman #14
(Lobdell, Rocafort)

And just when I thought I could handle Scott Lobdell after Superman #13, he goes ahead and puts out Superman #14 to remind me that he just doesn't know how to write quality comics anymore. Superman #14 squanders all the mystique and genuine characterization that the previous issue had established -- for some reason, Lois is angry at Clark still, Supergirl is just plain bratty, and H'el himself is little more than a generic villain wrapped up in what looks like a new villain just because the name wasn't used prior to the 'New 52'. This guy is just Zod...or any other Kryptonian that's come to fight Supes over the decades, and it's really disappointing to see so much hype over so little.

GRADE: 4/10

REVIEW: THOR - GOD of THUNDER #1

(w) Jason Aaron

Thor: God of Thunder #1-3 all have connecting covers!

(p) Esad Ribic

Moving into the second chapter of "The God Butcher", Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic have toned down the grandeur of the first issue of Thor: God of Thunder in order to better convey a young Thor amongst his Viking subjects. Similarly, while the first issue explored all three eras of Thor's life, Thor: God of Thunder #2 focuses on the Asgardian Avenger years before he was able to lift the hammer, Mjolnir. Spreading out a story to the lengths that Aaron has is a daunting task and one that requires great precision and detail. If Aaron, for even one aspect of the story, slips up and contradicts himself, the entire epic would become a little less...well...epic!

This issue pits Thor against the titular God Butcher for the first time. During a raid into the Slavic northern lands -- a place that will come to be called Russia -- Thor encounters more dead gods when the defending Slavic tribesmen call upon their own deities for aid, only to be answered by a riderless horse and a decapitated god. These are haunting images, first of a bloodied winged horse without a rider, then the headless corpse of a god upon his own Pegasus. This is when the God Butcher attacks Thor, and these two forces of nature begin their apparently life-long struggle against one another.

Jason Aaron is deconstructing the concept of a pantheon of gods. A big part of that is the fact that gods can die in the Marvel universe, though this has been true for quite some time. The other major element of Aaron's tale is the diversity of gods across the cosmos and how they're all seen equally by each other and, most importantly, the God Butcher. Maybe it's social commentary on the relative nature of religious symbolism and how none is better or worse than the others. Perhaps it's a ploy to make gods more of a central idea in the Marvel universe. Or maybe it's just plain cool to see gods being assassinated like mere mortals. Whatever the reason, Aaron's somber take on the role of gods in the lives of mortal beings is phenomenal.

GRADE

8/10

REVIEW: TEEN TITANS #14

(w) Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza

(p) Ale Garza

"The Origin of Wonder Girl" has been my favorite arc of Teen Titans so far, mostly because it's the first story to actually resemble a 'putting the team together' aesthetic. While this should have happened in the first...you know...arc...it didn't because it was constantly being overshadowed by N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and the perceived deep integration with Superboy. Now, readers are finally getting some back story on the members of the Teen Titans, starting with Wonder Girl and the Silent Armor.

Last month, I explained how much I enjoyed Fabian Nicieza's writing for Teen Titans #13 and that if things kept going the way they were, TT could really grow into one of DC's best series. And while last issue took two steps forward, TT#14 takes one step back by moving Nicieza from sole scripting duties to being a co-writer with Scott Lobdell. It's a little frustrating to see Lobdell's spin on an arc that I've loved up to this point. Thankfully, it seems Nicieza put the nix on frequent thought balloons and stiff inner dialogue, though, so it's not nearly as painful to read as some of Lobdell's earlier issues.

A large chunk of Teen Titans #14 is focused on the team members themselves, which is a far cry from Lobdell's plot-only writing style. Solstice gets a visit from a mysterious phantom-esque character named Lance who claims to be able to alter metagenes and help Kiran regain her human appearance. I found myself wondering if this was Kurt Lance from Team 7, then a small editors note mentioned I should check out Birds of Prey for some insight into Lance's identity. Meanwhile, Red Robin and Superboy have to accept that Wonder Girl is going to live with the Silent Armor, something that casts a pall across the three of them, while the rest of the team jokes about their sour attitudes.

The final pages of the issue lead directly into next month's "Death of the Family" tie-in issue. Teen Titans is slowly, but surely, getting better. N.O.W.H.E.R.E., Harvest, and "The Culling" were all meant to be factors that would add to the Teen Titans mythology and lend meaning to the creation of the team. Instead, Lobdell botched the entire storyline early on, never fixed it, and now has to dig his way up toward a better book. It's working, but each month I find myself worrying that the title will dip back to it's former platitudes.

GRADE

7.5/10

REVIEW: JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #14

(w) Jeff Lemire

(p) Graham Nolan and Vitor Drujiniu

Often, comic book writers will waste little time in moving from one story arc to the next. One of the best examples of this phenomenon was Brian Michael Bendis' run on Ultimate Spider-Man, a series that saw a young Peter Parker battling one foe after the other for quite some time. Eventually, Bendis started to add side stories and smaller arcs, but for the most part, his structure of constant action stayed true. Jeff Lemire, on the other hand, seems to be taking the opposite approach to Justice League Dark, a series that he pulled up from being a rather weak 'New 52' title to being one of the best. Justice League Dark #14 is the interlude between the recently-completed "War for the Books of Magic" and the upcoming "The Death of Magic" that will find the JLD searching for Zatanna and Tim Hunter, as well as weathering a war between the Trinity of Sin....Trinity War, anybody?

Justice League Dark #14 is split into two narratives that each contain vital information going forward for the team and the series, et al. First, we focus on John Constantine, Deadman, and Steve Trevor as they attempt to understand how the Books of Magic aren't magic-based at all. Meanwhile, Black Orchid has convinced both Amethyst and Frankenstein to explore the House of Mystery with her. The narrative of JLD#14 isn't particularly amazing or outstanding, but it conveys what's happening and for an issue that's supposed to bridge to story arcs, that's all it really needs to do. Yes, we do get some character development -- Constantine's anger at the prospect of not having Zatanna back for a long, long time -- but that's not the point of "Enter the House of Mystery". 

Rather, for Constantine, Deadman, and Trevor, the point is finding two missing people, while the reason for Black Orchid, Frankenstein, and Amethyst's journey comes to a head near the end of the issue when Orchid finds a room filled with personal and private information about many of the world's operating super-people. This is probably the best sequence of the issue, as Black Orchid scans over Constantine's notes about the Justice League, Stormwatch, and various other heroes, revealing some information we already knew ("The Rot is Rising" and "New GL: Terrorist or worse?") along with a lot we didn't know ("Frankenstein: Connection to the Rot? Possible 'cure' for it?", "Cyborg: Red Room!", and "Adam One: Is he the Big M?").

Overall, Justice League Dark #14 is a bridge issue that suffers only because it's the starting point for a lot of plot going forward, meaning it's an issue filled with questions with positively no answers. And even then, there's something exciting about being given a whole load of new mysteries to ponder as we wait for the next issue. Jeff Lemire is writing one hell of a series and I'll be sad to see him leave once he takes on Green Arrow in a few months.

GRADE

8/10

REVIEW: UNCANNY AVENGERS #2

(w) Rick Remender
(p) John Cassaday

Well it's been long enough! Eight weeks after it's debut, Uncanny Avengers is back with it's second issue, and this one's a doozie. Rick Remender and John Cassaday aren't making any compromises with this series, as evidenced by the repeated delays for this issue so Cassaday could make sure the art was up to his high standards. Uncanny Avengers #2 is split into three 'acts' to better convey the large amount of new information being presented. And while this format can feel a tad disjointed from time to time, it all goes toward Remender's bigger picture.

First up are Captain America, Wolverine, and Thor helping with the relief effort in Manhattan after the devastating attack by Avalanche in the first issue. While Avalanche's attack wasn't even close to being the real focal point of UA #1, the ramifications of a mutant attack resulting in hundreds of dead humans are terrifying. Basically, 'Act I' sets the stage for why Uncanny Avengers have come together -- now that Charles Xavier is dead, it seems that his dream of peaceful co-habitation between humans and mutants is slowly dying as well. It's a poignant scene that shows two sides of a desperate situation. Captain America sees this as crucial time frame for the human race to establish a better relationship with the mutant community. For Wolverine, Steve Rogers' "mutant community" doesn't exist and having Havok -- a mutant and brother to international criminal Cyclops -- lead an Avengers response to mutant attacks is a terrible idea. Both perspectives have their merits, but a small, two-panel sequence between a thankful man and Havok himself is enough to prove the Uncanny Avengers are needed now more than ever.

The second part of the issue focuses on Rogue and the Scarlet Witch being held prisoner by the maniacal Red Skull, while 'Act III' brings these two ladies together to close out the issue. While Red Skull did appear at the very end of Uncanny Avengers #1, there wasn't much information regarding his motives or master plan. Here, we get a much more fleshed out Red Skull who explains himself without sounding like he's lecturing 150 bored college freshmen in a beginner's biology class. It's simple, really. Red Skull had his consciousness preserved and downloaded into a cloned body -- circa 1942 -- so he could reawaken 70 years later when "the world had forgotten me and my perceived atrocities." Now, seeing the state of the world with mutants running around, Red Skull has taken the Nazi idealism of purity and strength and applied it to humanity at large which means "mutants are the ultimate invading foreigners." I'm actually surprised no one has ever taken this direction with the Red Skull, but that's kind of what 'Marvel NOW!' is all about, right? Before, most of the dealings of the Avengers stayed relatively separate from the world of the X-Men. But now, classic Avengers villains are getting in on X-Men territory, and the results are bone-chillingly awesome.

In the end, Uncanny Avengers #2 is a more compelling issue than the first, and that's extremely hard to do in the modern comic landscape. Red Skull has always been a rather menacing character, but it's usually at arms length -- he's generally reserved for flashback issues or as a totem for other villains. Fortunately, Rick Remender takes Red Skull to frightening new heights, making him not only one of the most formidable villains in years, but also one of the most powerful in the Marvel Universe. The team itself is slow to actually getting together, but that's what an opening arc is all about, right?

GRADE

9/10

FEATURED REVIEW: FF #1

(w) Matt Fraction
(p) Mike Allred

Basically, FF is the spiritual successor to Peter Milligan and Mike Allred's X-Statix. So, if you're a fan of meta-humor and satire, you're going to love Matt Fraction's quirky, off-handed take on the Future Foundation. As we learned a few weeks ago in Fantastic Four #1, Marvel's First Family is taking a pan-dimensional vacation that will take them away from Earth (and our space-time continuum) for a year, though it will only really be about four minutes of real time. And, as Reed Richards says, the Fantastic Four "do[es] not leave the Earth unprotected," so they decide to recruit temporary replacements. And thus, FF #1 is all about preparation -- the Fantastic Four getting ready for their trip, the replacement heroes being briefed on their responsibilities, and the audience getting a first-person account of the Future Foundation and it's members as an effective jumping-on point for new readers.

FF #1 is not a comic book that will WOW and AMAZE most. Though it's quirky in setting, the story of the Fantastic Four finding their replacements is subtle and given depth by emotional ramifications. Scott Lang, the recently resurrected former Ant-Man, is the first to be scouted by Reed. Fraction doesn't beat around the bush concerning the reason Lang was chosen to be the temporary head of the Future Foundation -- he's a father who lost his daughter and could probably use some direction. Scott sees it as somewhat presumptuous after the death of Cassie at the hands of Doctor Doom. "I don't want anything to do with those kids Reed!" Scott explains to Reed in a rather kurt manner. "You need to respect that and open that door and let me go home!" For Scott, the pain is too fresh and being asked to be take responsibility for an whole group of kids is like a big slap in the face. Fraction does an amazing job conveying the intense conversation between the two men, and Mike Allred's phenomenal artwork only helps to push the point across -- when Scott is in utter anguish, the entire panel shifts perspective.

Of course, this series wouldn't last long if the main character wasn't on board, so Reed comes clean and admits that he chose Scott because it would be good for him. Ant-Man definitely hasn't been seen much since Avengers: The Children's Crusade, wherein Cassie Lang was murdered, so it's not a far stretch to assume he's been wasting away in grief and self-pity for a few months. Reed sees this and thinks being around kids will not only help Scott, but it will provide the members of the Future Foundation with a new role model and paternal figure. It's a win-win situation in Reed's mind.

Fraction and Allred have struck some gold with this series. Fraction's relatable, grounded writing coupled with Allred's signature art style is a match made in heaven and this first issue is the evidence. There's a lot to love about FF #1, but unfortunately, a lot of that comes from knowing who these characters are and what's happened to them. Fraction does an apt job covering his bases when it comes to integral backstory, but it's still FF, which is named after the Future Foundation, which is an offshoot of the Fantastic Four, who wont actually be in the series at all in an issue or two -- it's a bit wonky. Other than that, FF #1 is a fantastic issue that has left me wanting more...now...seriously.

GRADE

9.5/10

THE WEEK (NOV 28-DEC 4, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW
FF #1
(w) Matt Fraction
(p) Mike Allred
This has got to be my most anticipated 'Marvel NOW!' series besides Young Avengers. It feels like Matt Fraction and Mike Allred are creating a book that's going to be something extremely special in this day and age. Don't miss it.

Reviews

Aquaman #14
(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Pete Woods
It's the aftermath of "The Others" and an unofficial prelude to next the upcoming "Throne of Atlantis" crossover with Justice League. The effects of Black Manta and Aquaman's face-off will be covered, I'm sure, and Ocean Master is making his 'New 52' debut!

Justice League Dark #14
(w) Jeff Lemire
(p) Lee Garbett
The conclusion of "War for the Books of Magic" brought Frankenstein and Amethyst into the fold as new members of the JLD. Jeff Lemire will "pick up the pieces" from the encounter with Nick Necro and get the next exciting arc going!


Superman #14
(w) Scott Lobdell
(p) Kenneth Rocafort
Being a 'Superman' event, technically, I guess I should have assumed we wouldn't get a bulk of the "H'el on Earth" story until an actual issue of Superman. Hopefully, Scott Lobdell can shed some light onto the machinations of H'el...please.

Teen Titans #14
(w) Scott Lobdell
(p) Ale Garza
Red Robin is missing -- presumably due to the events of "Death of the Family" -- so the Titans head to Gotham to look for him. Good idea, right? Nope.

Thor: God of Thunder #2
(w) Jason Aaron
(p) Esad Ribic
Jason Aaron continues his absolutely amazing new run with Thor: God of Thunder and the menace of the God Butcher. Esad Ribic's art seriously adds a whole new level of depth to the story, and Aaron's haunting tale of three eras is riveting.


Uncanny Avengers #2
(w) Rick Remender
(p) John Cassaday
It's been eight weeks since Uncanny Avengers #1, which is a little disconcerting. This is Marvel's new flagship series, and it's second issue was nearly a month late. Fortunately, Rick Remender and John Cassaday is a team I -- and many, many other fans -- am willing to wait for. Early reviews are putting this issue on a pedestal, so hopefully it lives up to the hype.

Extra! Extra!

All-New X-Men #2
(w) Brian Michael Bendis
(p) Stuart Immonen

Batman Incorporated #5
(w) Grant Morrison
(p) Chris Burnham

Batman: The Dark Knight #14
(w) Gregg Hurwitz
(p) David Finch

The Flash #14
(w) Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
(p) Francis Manapul

Red Lanterns #14
(w) Peter Milligan
(p) Miguel Sepulveda

EXTRA! EXTRA! (NOV 21-27, 2012)

Iron Man #2
(w) Kieron Gillen
(p) Greg Land

I'm a bit less enamored with Iron Man #2 as I was with Kieron Gillen's first issue, which looked at Tony Stark under a harsher light of reality and set up a potentially expansive storyline. Unfortunately, Gillen falters a bit this time with his overblown Arthurian references that had little to do with what was actually going on and proved more of a hindrance to the story. This new Extremis storyline, again, has the potential to take Iron Man to awesome new places as a character, but unless Gillen turns it back to the philosophical edge it had in the first issue, Iron Man is going to suffer. I'm hopeful, though, because Gillen has a history of building stories up to immense proportions.

GRADE: 7/10

Supergirl #14
(w) Mike Johnson
(p) Mahmud Asrar

I was severely disappointed in last week's Superboy #14 for providing literally no back story for the currently happening "H'el on Earth" crossover, though Mike Johnson's second solo issue, Supergirl #14, adds a lot of exposition to a situation that was getting frustratingly thin. H'el seems to be a loyalist to the House of El of which Superman and Supergirl are members, though he believes that Earth is a hindrance to going back in time and saving Krypton from it's demise. It's a bit convoluted, but that's alright at this point in the story -- giving readers bits and pieces of the overall narrative works well as Johnson reveals H'el to be the creep he appears to be with the added twist of being surprisingly eloquent and empathetic. The other big bit of information involves Superboy himself, as H'el has deemed Kon an abomination worthy only of a swift death, something which Supergirl sympathizes, but can't help but feel is wrong.

GRADE: 8/10


Wonder Woman #14
(w) Brian Azzarello
(p) Tony Akins

There's a lot going on in Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman, and I'm loving ever minute of it -- Wonder Woman is trying to convince her psychotic half-sister, Siracca, to become an ally in the fight against Apollo and Hermes, the children of Zeus are still bickering about how they should proceed in their era of rule, and the Big Bad Dad has managed to make it out of his 7,000 year-long purgatory. Azzarello obviously has big plans for Diana, and this issue feels like an organic shift into a new era for Wonder Woman that's obviously going to include the gods of New Genesis weighing in on the current situation concerning Mt. Olympus. Wonder Woman #14 cements this series not only as one of the best 'New 52' titles published each month, but it also shows how much love Azzarello has for the characters he's responsible for. Wonder Woman, as a character, has gone through a lot of controversy over the years in regards to the quality of her stories, the general mythology that surrounds the Amazonians, and her place as DC's biggest female character, so it's nice to see Azzarello really taking her seriously and turning Wonder Woman into one of DC's most critically lauded series.

GRADE: 8.5/10

REVIEW: GREEN LANTERN - NEW GUARDIANS #14

(w) Tony Bedard
(p) Aaron Kuder

What a waste of an issue.

Tony Bedard's plans for Green Lantern: New Guardians in this "Rise of the Third Army" crossover have, thus far, left this critic sorely disappointed. Kyle Rayner is on a quest to master all the colors of the emotional spectrum. It's been a short voyage, one in which Bedard has been heavily compressing into one color per issue, and the result is a deeply fractured and undefined arc that doesn't really force Kyle to grow as a character even though that's what he's doing month to month.

Green Lantern: New Guardians #14 features Arkillo as the last representative of the Sinestro Corps, the last being with a yellow power ring in all the universe. And he can't get it to work. I know Arkillo's inner demons have been a focus of Bedard's story for quite some time now, but it's beginning to be a drag on the overall narrative process -- it's pretty annoying when Bedard forces a sequence about Arkillo just to show how pathetic the Yellow Lantern has become.

This issue, as well as all the issues dealing with Kyle's journey, have felt extremely rushed. Kyle mastered compassion seemingly before we even meet back up with him at the beginning of the issue, and finding his fear felt like it took no time at all, with absolutely no help from Arkillo. No, it is Kyle's ring that tells him he's got to give in and just accept the less desirable emotions as part of the spectrum and part of his journey, no matter what. Then, he's a Yellow Lantern! What? What's Kyle scared of? Sure, he gives some examples, but he's always been concerned and afraid of these things, so they can't really count if Bedard is talking about feeling more fear in order to break past Kyle's natural GL training and turn him into a Yellow Lantern.

Tony Bedard is losing his grip on Green Lantern: New Guardians issue by issue. Maybe he's putting more effort into his other series, but Kyle Rayner and his Rainbow Brigade have suffered for it exponentially. Each month now, I feel like the series is getting worse, and that's upsetting. Kyle Rayner has always been my favorite Green Lantern. I've come to accept that fans and editors alike don't seem to want Kyle in the spotlight, but to reduce him to some confused epic hero who's journey isn't all that hard is just depressing.

GRADE

5/10

REVIEW: JUSTICE LEAGUE #14

(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Tony S. Daniel

Justice League #14 brings the conclusion to "The Secret of the Cheetah", last month wherein Wonder Woman's best friend, Barbara Minerva, was possessed by the Amazonian goddess of the hunt and driven crazy by the power. I'd never read too much that included Cheetah in the pre-'New 52' days (probably saw her in crossovers, etc.), but I can't imagine she was anywhere near as cool as Geoff Johns' reinterpretation -- it's like going from tofurkey to a honest-to-goodness Thanksgiving bird! This month, we discover how Barbara Minerva's actions are more nefarious than we previously believed.

At the end of JL#13, Cheetah sank her teeth into Superman and turned him into a rabid man-cheetah bent on taking down his comrades. This is a cool plot development -- the Cheetah is either as strong or stronger than the Man of Steel -- but it's not given the opportunity to go anywhere before the League discovers the Cheetah's weakness and uses it on Clark. The appearance of the ancient tribe who worships the Cheetah as the goddess of the hunt isn't interesting enough. Sure, they've got a lot of insight on the Cheetah as a deity, Barbara Minerva's intentions, and how to save Superman's life, but it all comes at the cost of too much expository monologue. 

Instead of making this story arc a bit more fluid and organic -- perhaps with a full issue of cheetah-controlled Superman hunting the League members -- "The Secret of the Cheetah" feels rushed and compressed. Promotional material form DC states that the "road to 'Trinity War' is paved through Justice League #14'. With nothing else to go on, I can't really say what that connection might be. Then again, Johns is a master as subtle build-up to explosive results, so there's a big possibility I'll be reading "Trinity War" next year, and I'll come back to JL#14 only to see something I'll tell myself should have been obvious.

GRADE

7.8/10

REVIEW: HAWKEYE #4

(w) Matt Fraction
(p) Javier Pulido

After three extraordinary issues, Matt Fraction missteps a bit with Hawkeye #4. The purposeful flow and nuanced dialogue that's defined the series thus far is sadly in short supply, instead replaced with a lot of internal monologue from Clint Barton. This perspective is hard to pull off in general, but Fraction manages to temper Clint's thoughts with deliberate and fast-paced storytelling that gets our cast of characters into quite a predicament.

The eponymous item from "The Tape" has gone missing from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, and it's contents will spell disaster for Hawkeye, S.H.I.E.L.D. and by proxy the U.S. government, as well as the President. It's an amazing set-up that sees Clint tasked to the island of Madripoor to bid for the tape in an auction against a slew of villains intent on procuring and exploiting it for their own gains. Unfortunately, most of Clint's journey to a proverbial Babel proves interesting only from arms-length. Internal monologue is supposed to make readers feel more connected to the character thinking, but in this issue, it almost has the opposite effect -- it removes the reader from what's going on. Mostly, it's due to Fraction's narrative flow that takes Clint from one place to another in the span of a panel or two, so his thoughts feel disjointed and lacking in purpose. Like I mentioned earlier, I enjoyed the overall plot and structural elements of the issue, but Clint's thoughts sometimes overshadowed the narrative, and that's when this issue was at it's weakest.

The final pages of Hawkeye #4 include some epic foreshadowing to next month's conclusion of "The Tape", including the contents of the tape, those bidding for it in Madripoor, and a scheme to secure the information no matter what. It's thrilling. It's action-packed. It's Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, and you should be reading it. Even if this issue was a bit weaker than the others.

GRADE

7.5/10

REVIEW: THE INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #1

(w) Mark Waid
(p) Lenil Yu

Almost two years after dragging Daredevil out of the darkness Frank Miller established for the character over a decade ago, Mark Waid has done it again. Indestructible Hulk #1 reaffirms Waid's place as one of the comic book industry's brightest talents by giving readers a fresh, relatable, and grounded approach to the Marvel's Not-So-Jolly Green Giant. Basically since the inception of the character, Bruce Banner has been at war with his less tempered side. It's a plot device that drops in and out of being the focus of Hulk stories, but that inner anguish is always present.

Not anymore.

Bruce has discovered that his gamma radiation-induced condition is incurable. That might not seem like a big revelation at first read, but it means so, so much. Finding a cure for the Hulk has really been Bruce's driving force for decades. He spends his time and resources constantly attempting to fix himself. It was a noble endeavor; the Hulk "has caused immeasurable damage and heartache over the years". Bruce was basically attempting to eliminate a seemingly uncontrollable entity living inside him, and it never worked out. Like an alcoholic finally admitting to themselves that they have a problem and need help, Bruce approaches S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill (which seems to be the only way she's referred to, line-wide) about a job.

Bruce explains that he needs to "use Banner time more productively. Invent things. Fix things. Improve things." Waid evokes Avengers vs. X-Men -- how it was Tony Stark that saved the day with his genius intellect, and how Hulk helped by smashing and causing a distraction. Bruce waxes poetic about how Stark and Reed Richards will be remembered as visionary master intellects. Bruce, on the other hand, "will be lucky if [his] tombstone doesn't simply say 'Hulk Smash.'" After years of running from his problems and trying to cure himself, Bruce is ready to accept who he is and start contributing to the scientific community in a far more hands-on role.

The final part of Bruce's turn-around involves the Hulk. Bruce wants to work for Maria Hill because S.H.I.E.L.D. is the only entity that could effectively use the Hulk as an aimed weapon as opposed to a chaotic force of nature. "Stop thinking of Hulk as a bomb. Think of him as a canon," Waid eloquently puts it, pretty much nailing it on the head.

Mark Waid's Bruce Banner is far more reasonable and responsible than previous iterations. Even at his calmest, Bruce used to only have a one track mind. Under Waid's hand, Bruce is more relatable and makes more sense on a logistical level -- it always bothered me how a man of staunch science could work for decades to no avail without accepting a certain truth of things. Waid understands this principle, applies it liberally, and it works. Like Matt Fraction, Mark Waid is a phenomenal emotional writer. For scientists, though, emotion can often be expressed through their work, and Bruce hasn't done any work outside himself for a long time. For too long, Bruce has been a tormented soul searching for something that isn't there. That's been done. In the 'Marvel NOW!' era, he's is going to be a force of good, and a darn good one at that.

GRADE

9/10

FEATURED REVIEW: CAPTAIN AMERICA #1

(w) Rick Remender
(p) John Romita Jr.

Over the last eight years, Ed Brubaker's phenomenal take on the Sentinel of Liberty has been a golden standard for how to interpret a character that had become somewhat superfluous in the modern era of comic books (think Superman circa 1980). Steve Rogers' alter-ego stood for ideals and beliefs that were in short supply in the early 21st century, yet Brubaker managed to find a place for the spiritual successor of the American Spirit amidst growing dissonance the world over.

Now, Rick Remender is at the helm, and he's bringing a whole new Cap' to 'Marvel NOW!'

Remender's been focusing a lot of his efforts recently on team-based titles such as Uncanny X-Force, Secret Avengers, and the new Uncanny Avengers. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary he had a little trouble tackling a solo series. Fortunately, Remender is not one to rest on his laurels, and Captain America #1 is some of the most fun I've had with the Captain in quite some time. Not to downplay Brubaker's talent, but the 'secret agent' direction of his run was less 'fun' than it was captivating and intriguing. Remender, however, is reminding readers that Steve Rogers is a person, not just a symbol or an idea.

Personifying Captain America wasn't high on Brubaker's priority list during his tenure with Steve Rogers -- the Captain's uniform and mindset rarely went missing over the past eight years (not counting when Steve wasn't Captain America anymore), which made it difficult to consider Rogers as a normal person instead of an Energizer Superhero who never stops. Here in Captain America #1, Remender starts things off with a look at Steve Rogers' childhood in a scene that could be called 'ground zero' for Rogers' general attitude of perseverance and dedication. It's a sequence that makes you cringe and feel confidence at the same time...it's something I've never seen done before.

Next, after a quick bout with C-list villain Green Skull (an eco-terrorist bent on over-vegetating the Earth and kill all humans), Rogers meets up with his girlfriend, S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison Sharon Carter. Remender deftly handles the transition from battlefield solider to romantic knucklehead by making the sequence as unsubtle as possible. In Captain America's world, he can parachute into the middle of Manhattan and hand of an international terrorist over to the NYPD, he can just show up in his spectacle of a uniform to meet his love interest, and he can become Steve Rogers at the drop of a hat.

Of course, the main promotional pull for Captain America has been the shift in narrative tone from 'super spy' to 'sci-fi adventure', and it's not quite as big of a jump as most would expect. Before Brubaker made Rogers the character he is today, Captain America used to fight aliens and invaders from parallel dimensions and the such. Remender is bringing the Captain back to this paradigm. Arnim Zola has also been heavily promoted as integral to the first arc of Remender's Captain America. What hasn't been touted as much, is the connection between Zola and Dimension Z, the parallel world that Rogers gets sucked into while on a routine fact-gathering mission. Near the end of Captain America #1, Zola reveals that it's HIS dimension called Zolandia. At least, that's what I took away from the scene. How or why this dimension is called Zolandia is still anyone's guess, but at this point, it doesn't matter. Many writers have difficulty introducing new plot elements without it seeming unfinished or broken (see Green Arrow #14 out a few weeks ago), but Remender manages to pull it off with style.

Rick Remender has a lot of ideas for Captain America. In one issue, he's taken Steve Rogers out of the gritty darkness of the spy game, thrown readers some integral and telling character history, and introduced a whole new chapter in the Captain's life. He's stuck in an alternate dimension that's populated by Arnim Zola's mutated creatures and he's got no way to get back home. John Romita Jr's pencilling gets mixed reviews, usually, but here, it's spot on and works perfectly with Remender's more cheeky style. I've never read Captain America on a regular basis. Captain America #1 by Rick Remender is going to change that.

GRADE

9.5/10