Superman/Batman #86

         This series is constantly on and off. Sometimes it's great, and sometimes it's lousy. I wasn't a fan of the last arc until after I finished it. I'm still not a fan of it, just in my mind it went from being terrible to being okay. The reason I keep coming back to it is because it's one of the few series now a days that still has a classic feel. Granted most of this is probably because Bruce Wayne is Batman, but I enjoy new stories every arc opposed to one story broken up into many little arcs.
        In this issue Batman is looking for the man that killed the reporter that was doing the story on Batman's secret identity. He goes to Martin Mayne, the editor in chief of the Gotham Gazette to get answers. Mayne goes through the "who elected you" schtick but eventually gave the name of a bar that the reporter went to a lot. Meanwhile Superman, as Clark Kent, goes to Wayne tech to get answers from Mr. Fox and continue the story. Fox says that things were stolen but due to the fact that Bruce Wayne did something else, they lost no money at all. Later on Bruce Wayne goes to the bar as Matches Malone and gets someone to talk about who killed the reporter. Someone named "The Box." Kent goes to Mayne and tells him that he will continue the story, Batman goes to the Box and finds out that the Box is the Joker, and in the mail box of the Joker's hide out is a tip from Mayne saying that Kent is continuing the story. The comic ends with the Joker trying to kill Kent with a hammer.
      Especially after the disappointment with Detective Comics issue 880, and the lack of the Joker's involvement, this was most enjoyable. This comic had a ver classic feel, but with a modern twist. Opposed to many other Batman stories that are being published, this one really felt like Batman a detective and not just a superhero, which was also really good. The only real problem I had with this comic had nothing to do with the comic. I really don't like Mayne. For starters his name is the same as Wayne just the first letter is flipped, and also he looks and acts to much like Perry White. Besides that one character though I loved this comic. I've always been interested in the Jokers fascination with Batman and how he doesn't want to know his secret identity. This has taken that to the next level. When I first heard this plot I assumed it was either going to be someone in the Bat family, or someone trying to do the right thing because they were saved by Batman. I never suspected the Joker. I would pick this comic up in a heart beat if I hadn't already.




Grade: 9/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Detective Comics #880

         I have been so out of modern comics. I have been reading some more Marvel which has been fun, but I love DC and since none of the stories really matter anymore (well... until next month) I have just been ordering old comics and enjoying them thoroughly. Next month might have fewer posts then usual because I will be reading mainly old comics. Also all of my subscriptions are ending because of DC's relaunch but I was still excited to find this comic in the mail, mainly because of it's cover.
        In this issue the Joker escapes from Arkham and Jim Gordon panics because the Joker often attacks his family. He warns his wife but it was too late. When Gordon got to her she had already been attacked. Gordon brings her to Dick Grayson for medical care and she starts to recover slowly. Oracle goes back to her office to await the Joker, and Batman goes looking for him. He finds him in a crypt. They start to battle and the Joker says he wants his old Batman back and not this "little bird." Eventually Batman controls him and the Joker says it wasn't him. Then we see Oracle's brother attacking her.
       I was looking forward to a real Joker story which is not what I got. There have been just random mentions of this villain throughout multiple comics in the past couple months and I think it's finally going to be done next month, right before Bruce Wayne get's his old title back. I did like the portrayal of the Joker here. While I do love the insane (and somewhat lovable) Joker, it is always good to see a Joker like the one in Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum, and a renewed obsession with the old Batman. So the story was enjoyable not great and probably not something that I am going to remember for a long time, except for the part that actually had the Joker, that was incredible and I would buy the comic just for that.. I'm not a huge fan of Jock's work, it's good, but not great, so for me the comic even suffered there. Although the cover was one of the best cover's I've ever seen, and is definitely poster worthy.






Grade: 7/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Flashpoint #2

         I am not crazy about the idea of Flashpoint, it is just a massive alternate reality story. Although since it does lead up to the re launch I can bear it. I do like alternate reality stories, but Flashpoint is getting more hype than the idea deserves, but again, since it leads up to the relaunch then it's okay. The first issue of the series was decent, but the most shocking thing that happened is it, is that we found out that Barry Allen didn't have his power which has been done before, but if you just take the comic alone then it was okay.
       In this issue Deathstroke was sailing with a bunch of other comic characters, but their boat gets stopped by Aquaman and Ocean Master, and they kill them all. Then the Thomas Wayne Batman is interrogating Barry Allen. During this interrogation Barry Allen finds out that Professor Zoom is behind this, and explains to Wayne that in his world Bruce lives and he dies. So Thomas Wayne decides to help him. Meanwhile Steve Trevor goes looking for Lois Lane and the Amazons catch him and he tells them all about his mission to find Lois. After that Thomas Wayne and Barry Allen try to recreate the accident that made Barry the Flash, but it just ends up severely burning him.
      I was not a fan of the interrogation scene with Barry Allen and Thomas Wayne, it seemed the entire point of it was to explain things that I assume most people had figured out already, I understand it for people just hearing about the whole idea of Flashpoint, but if you already know what is happening then the entire section is very dull. I did enjoy the rest of the comic, I found a lot of it was just "hey look at what we are doing to all of these characters" and DC just showing how a bunch of different characters ended up, but when you have an alternate reality story you need some of that. The best part of the comic was the very end. I thought that Barry Allen was going to get his powers back and that would be that, but the burn was most surprising. I honestly don't know where the Flash/Batman part of the series will go after this. I have no predictions besides Barry is in the hospital for the rest, but I know that can't be true. I am beyond excited for the next issue, and this issue definitely made me feel better about Flashpoint. It really wasn't the story, more just the last pages, but it definitely made me feel better.




Grade: 7/10 (This is the grade for the entire issue)
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

The Relaunch

                  This post is not the usual review of a comic book. In this post I will talk about the need for DC' relaunch, what I expect, what I'm looking forward too, and also what I'm dreading. I do not think that many fans of DC will disagree with me when I say that this relaunch is long overdue. I love DC but one of the things that DC and Marvel do is they get too rapped up in there own stories and stray too far from the character's original origin. The two top examples of that are Green Arrow and Batman. While I do understand that Green Arrow and Robin Hood share many of the same attributes (the bow, the hat, green etc.) They were far from the same character until J.T Krul moved him into the forrest with a man who carries a sword. He even through in a couple of scenes where Green Arrow stole from the rich and gave to the poor. I am very hopeful that in this relaunch Green Arrow will go back to his roots as the voice of liberal America. What I am expecting is that Green Arrow will go from being like a character from folk lore (like he is right now) and then turn back into a political figure, and have each comic book have a meaning, because if he is not like that, then he is just another boring character with a bow. Batman's problem is easier to see. Batman is Bruce Wayne. When someone else is wearing the same costume there is no more Batman. What I am expecting and hoping will happen is that the Batman series will be turned into more of Batman the Dark Knight and Dick Grayson will do well as Nightwing. (I recently read a couple of old Nightwing Comics and loved them, I really hope they will return to that quality)  I am still a little worried because Batman Inc. is on the list of series to be relaunched, but I still have hope that Batman inc. will be kept very separate from the rest of the Batman series. I am very much looking forward to some B-list characters getting a series devoted to them. I'm especially looking forward to Captain Atom and Deadman, although I am a little worried that too many B-lists are getting series, for instance I don't know if Mr. Terrific needs a series, but I'm not to worried about that. I am worried about series that really shouldn't exist. I don't think New Guardians or Red Lanterns should exist. I thought with the relaunch that it would go back to just Green and Yellow lanterns, I don't object too highly that the other lanterns still exist but I don't think the entire Red Lantern Corps should get a comic series. The main series I'm excited for is Aquaman. The series will have Aquaman and Geoff Johns, I really don't see how it could go wrong. The series I plan on following are: Deadman, Captain Atom, Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, most of the Batman series, JLA and JLI, The Flash and finally Blue Beetle. I might not get around to all of those, it will most likely all depend on which series are offered as subscriptions, but I'm very excited for the series. I almost wish that Marvel would do the same thing. The pictures that are seen around are some of the covers that are going to be in the relaunch

Superman/Batman #85

         This series is never consistent. It is never consistently good, but it is consistently bad. This also means the story types are never consistent. That last part I like a lot. While I didn't like the arc where Superman goes to the magic run future, it was much different than the story with a battle between the two. I didn't see a series called Batman/Superman in the relaunch but I'm sure these two will team up again after September.
        In this issue a reporter who supposedly found out Batman's secret identity is found dead, people suspect Batman. Superman goes to help him but Batman doesn't want his help. Batman goes to the apartment where the reporter lived and burns all the evidence that leads toward Batman being Bruce Wayne. Now the cops are even surer he killed the reporter. Batman discovers the reporter had an old baterang, but one where one of the components in it still had the patent number on it, which links Batman and Bruce Wayne.
      This was a really cool, and a really fun story. It does bring Batman back to where he originally was with his dark "I work alone" attitude. I also liked that the reporter had hard evidence, usually when these things are attempted by comic writers, the person just seems to take a wile guess and has limited amounts of evidence to back it up, but this was different and I give the writer, Joshua Fialkov, credit for that. I'm not really sure how this is going to be dragged out into three issues. I could understand two, one is this, and the second is Batman finding the actual killer, but I really don't know how three can work, or how Superman can get involved. But in terms of this comic, the writing was well done, the story was interesting, and the art work was jaw dropping . Although it is missing something so I can't quite give it a 10/10 but I can give it something really close, and I do recommend this comic to all comic book readers.




Grade: 9.5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Batman #710

         I went to the comic store recently and picked up a good number of comics. But four or five of the ones that I picked up were out standing. This is one of those. I picked this one up mainly because I was excited to see Two Face. He's always been a cool and interesting character, and I was very excited to see a comic with a classic villain in it.
        In this issue Two Face is interrogating/killing people trying to find where his coin is. The GCPD finds the bodies and calls in Batman. While they are investigating a congressman comes out and says this should not be handled by vigilantes, and Batman leaves. The scene goes to the Falcones and Mario is angry Two Face is back. Batman then goes to Katrina Falcone and again tries to convince her to go away to boarding school, this time even Catwoman backs him up, but Katrina refuses. Two Face is then gets kidnapped by the Falcones and a woman who I assume is Harvey Dent's ex wife (who is working with the Falcones and the Falcones have the coin) shoots him. Meanwhile Batman breaks into a club to try to interrogate people.
       I thoroughly enjoyed this issue. I am a huge fan of classic comic books, with the classic heroes. While this is not Bruce Wayne, Two Face is definitely a classic villain. Not only were classic characters used, but the comic had a very classic feel. It felt much like Batman: A Long Halloween. That might be because of the Falcones but it still had the feeling of the comic. The only thing that I was "miffed" about was the fact that Two Face died. That stayed with me for a couple of minutes until I came to the realization that DC would never actually kill off Two Face. He's too interesting. He has his whole thing with being good and evil, but every time he flips his coin I can't take my eye off the page. Batman's thing is that all of the characters in his stories are dark and have their own psychological problem. The two with the coolest are Two Face and the Joker. One who sees the joke in life, and the other one who's crime are completely based of chance. This was still a really good issue, but if Two Face is actually dead I'll drop the entire series.




Grade: 9/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Detective Comics #876

            Sorry for my lack of posts, but recently I've gone through a phase of reading the old comics so I haven't really kept up with the new issues and haven't had anything to review. I do have a couple that I will be reviewing over the next couple of days. Detective Comics is one of my favorite series, each arc is just so different from the previous one. I am a little upset that Snyder is taking a break from the arc with Commissioner Gordon, but it will be good to see how Jim Gordon acts through out this arc.
          In this issue a killer whale was found on the floor of one of the biggest banks in Gotham.  Gordon and Grayson investigate and find a woman in its stomach. Although while they are dissecting the whale Commissioner Gordon tells Dick Grayson that the head of the bank is the daughter of the man who killed his parents. Gordon also tells Grayson about his son being back in town and asks Grayson to meat with him, because his eyes aren't contaminated. Batman goes to check out the owner of the bank. (The woman found in the stomach of the whale was her assistant) Sonia Branch, the owner of the bank and daughter of the murderer who killed Batman's parents, didn't want to talk and told Batman to leave. But then she calls someone and says she will do what ever they want. Batman heard this with a listening device. Batman races off to where the call was made but starts getting attacked.
         Scott Snyder missed the mark with this issue. He was trying to make it creepier then it turned out to be. It had all of the elements:  woman showing up inside of a whale, Gordon's son, daughter of the man who killed Grayson's parents, and a death trap. Mainly the problem was the art. While Jock is a good artist, and there was nothing wrong with the art, I just don't think he has the right style for this arc. Anyone with a darker approach to Batman would have been better. The story on the other hand was somewhere between okay and good. I really do like creepy Batman stories, but again the story wasn't quite creepy enough. I predict that the level of creepiness will rise as the arc goes on, based off of the short descriptions DC offers about up coming comics. (I don't want to give those away incase people don't want to see them, but they are on DC's website if you want to see them) So over all this was an okay comic, but I do think it will improve as the arc goes on.




Grade: 6.5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Batman #709

          Batman is like Detective Comics in one way. The story quality varies from one arc to another. So far this has been a good arc. I don't really know much about Azrael, but it was still cool to see him appear in the arc. I didn't read the spin offs in Red Robin, or in Gotham City Sirens, so I was a tiny bit lost, and I might go back and read those later, but I was pretty much in the loop, and I still thought that it was a good arc.
       In this issue Batman goes to face Azrael since both Red Robin and Catwoman had failed. (That's the only part I was a little lost on. I didn't know how they failed, but it doesn't really interfere with the story) Batman meets Azrael, the Crusader and Fireball on top of a roof. Azrael brings the Prodigy forward. He explains that he was the best solo trapeze artist in the western hemisphere. But some guys didn't like him so they beat him up bad. Then Batman remembers. When he was little he didn't like the Prodigy either, and while people were beating up the Prodigy, Grayson just watched.  Azrael finds him guilty. But Catwoman and Red Robin bring Jenny and her kids to the roof hoping that this would persuade Azrael not to blow up the city. Jenny calls Azrael a monster , but the Crusader promises to protect Jenny. Then Batman convinces Azrael to use the sword of sin on himself. He does so and then no longer wishes to destroy the city. So when Fireball explodes the Crusader puts a force field around him, so that the city is safe.
     This was disappointing. I would have rather Batman defeated the Crusader, Azrael and Fireball then what happened. I'm all for happy endings when they are logical, but this seems like a sloppy ending for this arc. I've seen the villain seeing the error of his ways too many times now to enjoy this comic. This is the ending I had in mind, but it was too predictable. That's really all I have to say about the comic. Except that Dick Grayson was different because he wasn't as dark as Bruce and I liked that. But this arc and this issue made Grayson darker, and I don't want to see him  become Bruce Wayne. I like both characters, but Grayson should be Grayson and Wayne should be Wayne. So over all this ending ruined the arc making it predictable and also Hine did a bad job keeping Grayson from becoming Wayne. But since the quality in the arcs of Batman vary, I hope the next one will be better.





Grade: 6/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Detective Comics #875

         Detective Comics is a unique series. Some are very classic Batman, others are dark Batman, and some have nothing to do with Batman at all. Each arc is very different from its predecessor which is different for a series, it has short entertaining arc opposed to long and over complicated and frankly boring series like Green Arrow.
         This particular issue is about James Gordon. He is remembering when he was lieutenant, he got a call from Barbara (when she was his ex-wife) who called to express concerns about James. (James Gordon's son) She says that he has nothing medically wrong with him, but she's taking him for more tests. He remembers all the creepy things that his son did, like killing a bird, and dressing up as the Joker for Halloween. But especially this time when Barbara and her friend were over, and the friend brought a science kit. The friend was mean to James, and then the friend goes missing, and James has the science kit. James Gordon Sr. started accusing the boy. Then everything comes back into the present. The entire flash back had been simultaneously occurring with James Gordon getting a criminal. Batman comes and gets him, and then Jim Gordon leaves while thinking about his son.
         This was a weird, strange and twisted comic book. It was very enjoyable. The story that was going on with the criminal that was running away from James Gordon was really just a space filler and a reason to throw Batman into the mix, so that whole section of the book was kind of boring, but it didn't interfere with the flash back which is really what was going on in the comic. The boy was something out of an Edgar Allan Poe, it wasn't just the thing with the bird, which was creepy, but it was him dressing up as the Joker that really made the character. That has been done by so many people in past Halloweens, but he's a fictional character, not really killing, and tormenting people. The cartoony art enhanced the creepiness of the story. It's hard to describe how, but if you read this issue you'll understand what I'm saying.
Over all this was a pretty good issue, I wouldn't call it a must read, but if you like Edgar Allan Poe, or other things that creepy, than this would be a good issue to pick up.





Grade: 8/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Batman the Dark Knight #2

             Even though I am starting to like Dick Grayson as Batman, I have and forever will like Bruce Wayne better. I was exited to see a Batman series with a very classic feel to it, but I was a little worried that I didn't love the first issue. I know that David Finch is a good author, and I didn't not like the issue, I thought it was pretty good, but for a Batman series starring Bruce Wayne I want my expectations to be shot out of the water.
            In this issue Batman is interrogating the Penguin for more information about Dawn Golden, but the Penguin's guards all have there guns pointed at Batman. Batman gets away and chases after the Penguin. He finally gets him. But Batman starts breaking bones as an interrogation, and Alfred is shocked. Before Penguin does talk Killer Croc comes up from behind and knocks Batman out. A girl randomly steals the Batmobile, and some guys are talking about how someone is picking off their group one at a time.  Then Jason Blood turns into Etrigan. Then Batman is hooked up to a chair being beaten up by Killer Croc, but if Batman's hart rate goes up he will die, and finally someone who looks like Ragman (and probably is Ragman) atacks one of the members of the group I mentioned earlier.
           This issue didn't shoot my expectations out of the water either, but it was incredibly close. I wasn't to sure about using the Penguin and Killer Croc as the first two villains in the new series, instead of the Joker, but these two are turning out to be great. I really liked the darkness and the intensity of this issue, it's what I've missed about Bruce Wayne. This had a very "Bruce Wayny" fell to it, and I liked it a lot. I'm also very happy to see the Batmobile, and Batman's cool toys, I've missed those a lot. My one complaint is that there was a section in the middle that just seemed like a bunch of random unrelated things were all going on at once. The thing with the girl, the gang, and then the demon all happened really, really fast. I wish that had been spread out more over maybe a longer issue, or just save some stuff for next issue. I did very much like how changed Bruce is, he's still good old Batman, but the thing where he was breaking the Penguin's bones, and how shocked Alfred was, was just very interesting, and it's nice to see something new brought to Bruce Wayne.
So over all this was a really great issue, that I recommend highly to everyone, but for people who really want Bruce Wayne back in all Batmen series, u should definitely pick this up.



Grade: 9/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Batman #708

        I go on and off with this series. Sometimes I pick it up just because, but other times I won't pick it up because Bruce Wayne isn't in it. This time I was walking out of the comic store and this one caught my eye  so I grabbed it. Dick Grayson being Batman was something that I opposed strongly at the beginning, but now with the combination of Detective Comics and Batman, I'm starting to like him more.
       In this issue Batman takes down a minor criminal. He then flash backs to when he was beating up a circus kid named Prodigy. He flashed back because Azrael stabbed him with the sword of sin. The scar has turned into the shape of a bat. Batman then goes to fight someone called the crusader who is attacking people in Devil's square. Batman is joined by Catwoman and Red Robin. Azrael tell the Crusader to stop. He leaves Batman with a test. For Batman to find one truly righteous person in Gotham, or else he will destroy the city.  Then somewhere else Ra's Al Ghul loads up Fireball with electricity, also so he can blow up the city.
       This issue was incredibly enjoyable. I wouldn't say it was a great comic, but I did enjoy it very much and would recommend it to anyone. Azrael is a cool and interesting character, and I'm glad he's in this. The Sodom and Gomorrah plot could be really great, but I'm curious  how it's going to work. I really hope this arc doesn't solely consist of Dick Grayson walking around in broad day light looking for a truly righteous person. I also have my concerns about Ra's Al Ghul's plot with fireball, not because it looks bad, that could be really great, but it makes me think that Hine through that in to avoid Dick Grayson walking around in broad day light looking for a truly righteous person. Grayson walking around with the Fireball thing wouldn't be as bad if it were just Dick Grayson walking around, but the Sodom and Gomorrah thing could be really good if Hine does this right. I have to compliment the art in this issue. It was outstanding. Guillem March was incredible. The art alone is a reason to pick up this issue.  I did have one complaint, and that is making Dick Grayson very dark. I have said over and over again that I'm glad that Dick Grayson isn't exactly like Bruce Wayne. While he wasn't like that in this issue he came pretty close, and I hope it doesn't progress. But overall this was a pretty good issue and I recommend it. I enjoyed it very much.




Grade: 7.5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Detective Comics #873

         This is my one year anniversary of blogging on Comic Review Warehouse. What started as just a way to vent my feelings about the latest comic book in a very simple manner has turned into a great thing.
The anniversary review is Detective Comics issue 873. Like in Green Lantern Corps, I read an issue and then never got to the next one, but I got Detective Comics issue 872 and 873. I liked issue 872 and 871 and the last arc of this series was incredible and so far this arc has been pretty good.
        In this issue The Dealer has turned everyone at the auction onto Batman. They start to attack him, and Dick Grayson goes through all the calm down rules of the tightrope in his head. The people at the auction catch up with him, but Grayson wakes up in the hospital next to Oracle. He's missing his legs. Oracle then attacks him, but Dick Grayson wakes up again, and again he's in the hospital, but this time he has legs, and Oracle isn't trying to kill him. Dick Grayson gets dressed as Batman and goes after the dealer. He empties the "cargo" off of his plane. When Batman finally catches the Dealer, the Dealer turns into some weird Man Bat creature, but Batman beats him fairly quickly. When he gets home he makes the Wayne mansion his own, and tells Alfred to throw the Joker's crow bar into the river.
        This was a great issue. Messing with Batman's mind is a constantly used tool in all of the Batman series, and now that there is a different Batman DC focus' on that a lot more. Everyone knows that Gotham is evil, and dark, but this arc took that to a whole new level. Auctioning off the crowbar that Joker beat Jason Todd with is just sick. But it was enjoyable to read about. I'm a fan of reminders of "Batman a Death in the Family" and even the stuff that is done with the Red Hood (regrettably I never read Red Hood Lost Days, but maybe if I see the TPB one day I'll pick it up) and this was great. I wasn't a fan of just ending the arc by making the Dealer a weird Man Bat monster, but I do hope that he comes back again with a whole new arc and a whole new crime. His character could either be great or terrible. If they just make him the creature then he will be boring, but if they make him someone like the Penguin mixed with Man Bat (organizes things, but can be strong) then he will be great. I also liked when Dick Grayson was going through the rules of the tightrope in his head. Bruce Wayne always flashed back to memories of his parents and used their teachings in almost every single case, and Dick Grayson does that as well, but since his background is different, it's a different feel. Dick Grayson is a good Batman, I would like to see Bruce Wayne back in this series, but I'm happy that Dick Grayson is his own Batman and not trying to make him exactly the same as Bruce Wayne.
            This is a good issue, a good arc, a good series, and Dick Grayson is a good character.



Grade: 9/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Birds of Prey #9

           This series started out so promising and went down hill very fast, The arc was boring, and not very well written. Then this new arc came and the first issue was as promising as the first issue of the series, but I didn't have much hope for the arc, but since last issue was also good, I now have a lot  hope for this series.
           In this issue Black Canary is still having nightmarish visions because of Mortis. She sees her mother, Green Arrow, Speedy, and Sin. Batman brings her back to Oracle where Savant can work on her. The rest of the Birds of Prey (Huntress, Lady Black-Hawk and Dove) are on a bus with the Calculator's cronies, Lady Black-Hawk eggs them on until they start hitting each other. Hawk confronts Oracle about finding Dove, and then he gets mad at Batman, after Batman told him to calm down. Oracle takes him down with her nightsticks. Black Canary continues to have visions, but breaks out which makes Mortis have a seizure. Dove breaks out of her chains, but then is subdued and the Birds of Prey are now near a firing squad, and Oracle comes in a helicopter, and the Calculator blows her up.
           This was another good issue. It's not a great issue, nor is this a great series, but this series has moved from terrible to slightly above decent. I have finally come to terms with Hawk being in this series, I will still hope that Simone gets rid of him, but I can see future possibilities that could make him a good character. Dove has gone from a good character in this series, into a great one. The conscience she has plus her raw power makes her a fun and interesting character. Mortis attacking Black Canary is a cool idea but we just went through an arc where she relived past decisions, and past experiences. I know this arc primarily focuses on Oracle, but it deals to much with Black Canary. The next arc should focus on my new favorite character, and my long time least favorite character: Hawk and Dove. They joined the series out of no where in the beginning of the series, and there should be more of an explanation, plus I just want to hear more about Dove, and I really want to like Hawk.
          So this was another good issue, but I really want Dove to become a bigger character in this series, and when that happens, Birds of Prey will become a great series.



Grade: 8/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Batgirl #17

           I have heard beyond great things about this series. I have never been a big fan of Batman knock off series, that don't include Batman. I never really consider Batwoman, Batgirl or Azrael. But I was looking around the comic store and I finally decided to buy this issue.
           Alfred tells Damian Wayne that he needs to eat and sleep more. Damian tells Alfred to get out of his room. Stephanie Brown over slept and then ran out of bed. Robin (Damian Wayne) captures a crossing guard and tries to interrogate him because children are being kidnapped, and the crossing guard was acting suspicious. Batgirl (Stephanie Brown) comes in and says Batman told her to be in charge of the case. The children that go to the school the crossing guard was working for went on a field trip. Robin went undercover. After Batgirl resizes Robin doesn't know how to have fun, they see the bus driver for the field trip was kidnapped, and all the kids were told to get on the bus. Batgirl and Robin take out the kidnappers. Batgirl then takes Robin to a moon bounce where they both have fun.
         I really liked this issue. I'm a huge fan of Damian Wayne, and his relationship with other people in the Batman world. This was, like Superman/Batman, a fun read. I still have to read more about Batgirl before I can actually come to a decision of whether I like this series or not, because this issue was very much focused around Damian Wayne. If they made a new Robin series it might look like Batman has most of the series in the DCU, but I would definitely read it.
        As I said before this series was really just development for Robin. instead of showing him as a cynical, and pretentious person, it shows how being Robin, and being son of Batman, means that he will never really be a kid. Which is really just a whole new side to Robin that hasn't really been shown.
       This was a good comic, even though it wasn't about Batgirl it had great stuff about Robin. I will have to read more Batgirl comics to decide if I like this series, but it looks pretty good so far.





Grade: 8/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Superman/Batman #79

         The past issues of Superman/Batman have been incredibly fun reads. They've had fairly simple story lines, but they have all been really good. Superman and Batman are two very popular characters and there's a reason. Both characters are brilliant, and it is because of appearances like the past couple issues of Superman/Batman that made the characters so famous.
         In this issue the Superman and Batman are the ones from DC One Million. A villain called Epoch stole the anti-hourglass, and took down the Flash and the Atom. Superman and Batman take him down fairly quickly. When Robin takes him to the asylum planet Pluto, Epoch disables him and escapes. He goes to the Batcave  and steals a battle suit, and escapes by means of a boom tube. He then runs to the JLA headquarters and steals the anti-hourglass, and escapes Batman again, and goes to the fortress of solitude. At the fortress of solitude he steals the chrono-cube, and escapes Superman and Batman to modern day, where he meets Superman, Batman and Robin.
          This review and this story seemed like a bit of a travel map, showing off what all the places, like the Batcave and JLA headquarters looked like. That is cool, but it hurt the story. A guy had all of this stuff, lost it and gained it back in the same issue, there was no real development. Like the other issues of this series it was a fun, and very enjoyable read, but there is no plot development. DC One Million was created mainly to compete with Marvel 2099, I could go back and forth saying how Marvel stole things from DC, and how DC stole from Marvel, but this one is very apparent, but that doesn't effect the enjoyment of the comic.
           If you are tired of trying to keep up with over complicated story arcs, that branch out over many series. Then pick up this issue, and this series. It's full of fun, very simple books.






Grade: 7/10
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Birds of Prey #7

           I didn't like the previous arc. They did too much too fast. On top of that I wasn't a fan of the plot, story, or writing. I was really exited for this series. Oracle has always been one of my favorite characters in Batman's world, mix her with Huntress and Black Canary and you have a really good team. I didn't like that Hawk was included in the team, but Dove I thought was a great move. I'm going to stick with this series for a while and hope that it will get better, because this team and writer show so much promise.
           In this issue the Calculator meets with Savant. The entire event with Savant and Oracle was planned so that Savant could get Oracles exact location. The comic then goes to Oracle. She's going down an ally and a gang attacks her. Oracle handles herself well, but Batman comes in and finishes it. Batman comes down and asks Oracle for a hug. They then go to Kord towers and meet Creote who is the bouncer of sorts for Oracle. Savant comes in an Oracle asks if the Calculator believed what he said, and Savant said he thought so. In another part of the city, the rest of the birds of prey are celebrating Doves birthday. Dove has a drink and passes out. Hawk is wondering the streets alone and throws his present for Dove in the trash.Then some super powered criminals bust in. Mortis, who was hired by Calculator is trying to find and kill Oracle.
           A lot happened in this issue. This is the arc I wanted to see before the one that just finished. It brings in the Calculator who is a big-time Birds of Prey villain and it covers Savant and Creote. If this arc came first there would have to be some editing pertaining to Savant and Creote's roll in this arc but it would have been worth it. The character Mortis looks like she could be a very interesting twist in this and other Birds of Prey story lines. I am also very happy that this could be the end of Hawk in the Birds of Prey series. I don't like the character Hawk, he's very much a Punisher, but his attitude, or at least the way he is written seems very contrived. I really liked the incorporation of Bruce Wayne into this issue. Oracle and Huntress are both characters in the Batman arena and it is fitting that Bruce Wayne entered the series. I liked how he acted like he was seeing an old friend again, because that is what he was doing, but also because a lot of times when Bruce Wayne is Batman, he's no longer human. As Bruce Wayne the character is filled with emotion, but as Batman, he's essentially a crime robot, and it's nice to see some emotion while Bruce Wayne is Batman.
          I wouldn't consider this a perfect issue but it was very well done. I hope this doesn't go the same way as the last arc, and be really good for one issue, then start slipping, but so far this arc is off to a great start.




Grade: 9/10
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Detective Comics #871

           The last arc in Detective Comics was really good, and I'm a little sad to see David Hine leave the series, but I am hopeful that Scott Snyder will really make Dick Grayson his own Batman, with some of the old villains, and some new ones.
           In this issue Dick Grayson is worrying that he's not worthy of being Batman. Then Jim Gordon uses the Wayne's forensic lab. A boy attacked any other kids at a pool, and he had the Killer Croc mutagen in his system. Gordon came to compare the one used on Croc, and the one used on the boy to see if the two are "from the same batch," Which they were. Batman goes and talks to the families butler. The boy, who is now in a coma, was practically raised by his butler. When the butler is about to say something, the mother comes in and shoots him, then she runs out of a window and dies. Batman finds the mark of the Mad Hatter on her neck. Commissioner Gordon sends Batman to an ex-cop who had a record of stealing evidence. Batman goes there, but when he is interogating him, a tree grows out of his mouth and kills him. But before he died he did say he was working for some one called "The Dealer."
            This issue had a lot of build up. It had the previews in the back of many comic books, it had the letter "As I Write This There Is A Batman Costume Sitting In A Box Beside My Desk," where Scott Snyder said "We'll be introducing a lot of new villains in the coming year." Essentially this is a copy cat villain, I've seen these many times recently. I've seen them in Batman #698, and I saw one of them in the last issue of Detective Comics, I can hardly see this as a new villain. Although if this is the same villain we saw in Batman #698 that would be much better, it was never really clear what happened and this could clear it up, but if "The Dealer" is a new person then it would just look like DC is running out of ideas. When I first saw Dick Grayson wondering if he was worthy of being Batman, it was a very "oh, this again" kind of reaction, but as soon as he said "I actually sleep worse in this place now that Bruce is back," it came across as a different approach. When Bruce Wayne was travailing through time it seemed like every one was wondering if they were worthy of being who they were, and now that Bruce Wayne is back all of those feeling stopped abruptly, and now Dick Grayson is still worrying about this which is interesting and could be a constant theme for a while. So this was a very decent issue with a few flaws, and the problem with the Copy Cat villain could go either way, but I do have to admit that I am doubtful.





Grade: 6/10
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Superman/Batman #78

            I've been looking forward to this issue for about a month but for some reason it got mailed late. In the times that I've read this series I've been thrilled, and I don't know why I didn't subscribe earlier. The reason I did subscribe to this is because Brave and the Bold (which was one of my favorite series) got canceled and DC replaced my subscription with Superman/Batman, and this is one of the best series I've ever read.
           In this issue two kids are talking about who would win, Superman or Batman, but they are having trouble figuring out how to do that. They create rules like: No Kryptonite, no magic and no Batmite. Once the battle is underway a series of hypotheticals happen making both characters unbeatable. Superman and Batman both listened to the conversation, and Batman assures Superman that he could beat him without Kryptonite.
            Discussing who would win Superman or Batman is something that goes all the way back to the golden age, when Detective Comics and Action Comics were putting out their first couple issues, and most if not all of the comic fans I know have discussed this, so I was very exited for a DC writer to put the whole story in a comic. My main problem with this story is that it wasn't long enough, only half of the book was devoted to Superman and Batman, the other half was given to Power Girl and Huntress. I was disappointed that it wasn't longer because this is a moment that I have been waiting for. Not just this issue, but a layout of a battle between Superman and Batman. But after that I really don't have any big  complaints, except that the dialogue could have been better, but this was from the point of view of a couple of kids. Also I noticed a couple panels where the art could have been better. But I really have no big complaints, except it wasn't long enough. If it were longer it would be a must buy, but since it's short I would say, check it out if you have some extra time.





Grade: 7.5/10
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Detective comics #870

          I've really enjoyed this arc, it showed the mayhem of what the Joker, or even someone who was joker gassed can be. The last couple of issues have been fantastic, they've been nearly perfect. I've liked David Hine for a while, because of his work with Batman and his villains, but he has out done himself.
          In this issue the "Impostor War" is on its last day. War has broken out in the fair that Winslow Heath set up. Batman goes and hunts down the Impostor Batman. He fights him and then rips off his mask, revealing that he is Winslow Heath/Impostor Joker. Heath says "I found that spot when I was exploring the rooftops. I used to climb around up there where it's quiet, away from the crowds and the hustle. No one else ever went up there, just me and Beth, we'd get stoned...I was planning to ask her to spend the rest of her life with me." That is when the Joker gassed him and Beth. Batman rescued Heath, but no one noticed Beth. The two survived because of some drugs they took, but Beth was hidden and frozen, as the birds fed off of her, while she was still alive. He blames Batman "We're collateral damage. You're the reason [the Joker] comes to Gotham. You're the reason they all come. The impostor Joker escapes and goes home to the skeleton of Beth.
           This is a great issue. Hine really pulled the watch the world burn thing down. I especially liked how Winslow Heath was the Impostor Joker, and the Impostor Batman, he just wanted to see the world burn. As I've said before the art in this is amazing, not because it's especially good, but it captures the insanity of the Impostor War, it's even better now that Winslow Heath was trying to accomplish just that. The part with Beth I thought was done very well because that combined with Joker gas, and a little bit of being awake during a coma, is enough to make someone crazy. Although I didn't like the "you bring the Joker here" bit, because like in Superman #705 I've seen it so many times before. While I do know with thousands of Batman stories, and it's probably getting hard not to recycle things, but those past two events have been constant themes in series of comics, and each time the authors think it's going to be as shocking as last time. My last complaint with this issue is that Winslow Heath being the Impostor Batman was really predictable. So I wouldn't say this issue is a must buy, just a check it out if you have nothing to do. Although if you've been a fan of the series then pick it up.          
      




Grade: 7/10
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Ragman #1

              Frankly, I don't know why DC decided to make a One-Shot right now, unless they are planning on making an ongoing series. To be honest, I had never heard of Ragman until the announcement of the One-Shot but I thought the catch phrase: Suit of Souls was pretty cool so I decided to pick up the issue.
              In the one-shot  a guy named Roy Regan walks into a Rabbi's office and asks "How does someone hate... [themselves] so much?" After some conversation between Roy and the Rabbi, Roy reveals that he is a superhero named Ragman, the defender of the Jews. He was created because the Golem (from the jewish myths) didn't have a soul and was ruthless. Roy's father was the previous Ragman, but he never told Roy about where they came from,  their history, and he didn't even say they were Jewish until Roy was 16. So roy naturally asked why?  Since the Ragman can take evil  souls and make them a patch in his suit, (so they can redeem them selves and go to heaven) he goes back and talks to someone his father captured. A stormtrooper named Jaegar Brandt. Jaegar explains the situation and then finally goes to heaven. I can't say what he said without having this be a major spoiler, but I can say what Roy learned at the end: He stopped being Ragman... [but] he never stopped being a hero.
              When I finished this book I was at a loss for words. One of the best issues I've ever read. Ragman is a tear jerking master piece. Batman has been known as the one of, if not the best comic book character ever created, and that is because of his dark past, so that mixed with moral dilemmas made him such an interesting character. Ragman has that and more. Christos Gage has only been writing comic for around five years, but I've never seen anything like this. Ragman is a fantastic character, but that isn't the only reason this comic was so good. It was written like a dream. The writing drew me into the story and kept me there. I do have to admit that Ragman is a lot like Batman, dad killed in front of him. But while Bruce Wayne is always trying prove himself to his father, Roy Regan is trying to find out why his father did the things he did. Even though it's not as sad as Bruce Wayne's story it's still sad.
               I see so much potential in this character DC must make this an ongoing series. I have searched recent reviews of this issue and the popular rating for this issue is "mediocre" which I flat out disagree with. This is one of the best comics I've ever read, and this is a must buy. There wasn't a dull moment in the issue, and the part with the stormtrooper was one of the best moments in pop culture history. While I respect that other people disagree with me, I say this was a perfect issue. Oh... and I also have to mention that the art/cover were both done beautifully. Buy this issue, and I sincerely hope that DC makes this an ongoing series.





Grade: 10/10
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