Top 10 Best Comics of 2013

2013 was a great year for comics. Looking back, I have tons of great memories, a collection of issues that's about 75% bigger than it has ever been, and there have been tons of awesome books that I'm not going to forget! And keep in mind, THIS IS MY LIST, NOT YOURS, so this is the one time for me to be completely biased. I'm listing this in order of quality from least to most, and of course, with every "best" list must come a "worst" list, which I promise you, is coming! So, without further delay, let's get on with the show!

10. DAREDEVIL

by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, and Javier Rodriguez

OK, I know I'm going to get a lot of flak for putting this so low on the list, but there were just so many books that came out that I thought topped this series, but it was just never enough to completely remove it from the list. Daredevil has been an excellent mystery with a beautifully written conclusion (seriously, issue 27 was friggin amazing!), and the story about the Serpents which is just beginning, is shaping up to be a great story as well. Even better, is the gorgeous art of Chris Samnee, and Javier Rodriguez, who shows us that there is such thing as good fill-in art. 

9. HAWKEYE

by Matt Fraction and David Aja

Hawkeye #11. 'Nuff said.

OK, fine... Hawkeye has been one of the most enjoyable comics I've read in a while, and of course, I can't get past talking about this story, without mentioning Hawkeye #11, which is one of the funniest and quirkiest comics ever created ever. What I love even more, is the fact that FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA FREAKING DREW TWO ISSUES

8. CHEW

by John Layman and Rob Guillroy

How can you not be a fan of Chew? Chew is one of the funniest comics written, and this year, it hit its halfway mark in grand fashion, with one of the most depressing 30 pages I've read in a while, along with some awesome Poyo-centric issues on the way there.

7. GREEN LANTERN

by Robert Venditti and Billy Tan

OK, if I haven't gotten bricks through my window just yet, this is where it happens. I have seen some HATE for Venditti's GL, but then again, this is my list, and I'm going to be as 100% biased in terms of pure enjoyment. Now, this entire entire includes Van Jensen and Chang's GLC, Jordan and Walker's New Guardians, and Soule and Vitti's Red Lanterns. They've taken what was good about Johns's run, and they've made the tropes he set up into fuel for a summer blockbuster. Everything about it, from the way the action scenes are staged, to the writing, to the very effects, are just absolutely fantastic. (PLEASE DON'T KILL ME)

6. SWAMP THING

by Charles Soule and Kano

OK, there is way too much damn filler in this series. But that's barely tarnished my enjoyment of it. Swamp Thing is a layered horror epic, about a monster trying to find his place, with the most horror movie-like two issues (Seriously... The Whisky Tree arc...) to come out this year, and inconsistent, yet great art. These elements make it one of the best books I've read all year.

5. I, VAMPIRE

by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino

GOD how I miss I, Vampire. Seriously, this book was so amazing, that I was even able to get my brother into it (and got him pissed when I told him DC cancelled it). Fialkov had a truly powerful grasp on his cast, a Whedon and Landis like sense of humor, sharp wit, and of course, the art by Andrea Sorrentino. Now, Sorrentino left at around issue 14, and the series's art became inconsistent at that point, but the writing remained strong. Thankfully, the series did go out with a bang, despite feeling rather hurried.

4. ANIMAL MAN 

by Jeff Lemire, Steve Pugh and Rafael Albuquerque

WHAT'S THIS? ANIMAL MAN NOT #1 THIS TIME? Now, you may recall that last year, Animal Man was my #1 pick for the best comics of the year, but this year, it is not such. The series has felt a sharp decline in quality lately, but when that "decline in quality" only means knocking you back 3 slots on my Best Comics of the Year list, you know you've got yourself an amazing book. I did feel like the series lingered on the buildup to Brother Blood's arc too long, and Steve Pugh's art started to feel tired, one of the best character artists in the biz stepped in: Rafael Albuquerque, who I have been a massive fan of since American Vampire. And of course, within a single issue, he brought new life to the series.

3. AMERICAN VAMPIRE

by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque

Yup, another Rafael Albuquerque book is on the list. And it also happens to be a vampire book. But American Vampire went on hiatus with one of the coolest arcs its had in a while, and whet our appetite with two amazing specials, The Long Road to Hell (which I awarded the prestigious 5/5 rating... Well, it's not really prestigious...) and the Anthology, which I think was an entertaining diversion with well... Freaking Becky Cloonan art for crying out loud.

2. GREEN ARROW

by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino

Green Arrow was a BAD ASS book. Before Lemire and Sorrentino, it was an absolutely god awful book (In the hands Nocenti, what do you expect?). But when Lemire and Sorrentino took the reins of the series, it became an amazing new series, with a dense and detailed mythology, great character writing, surprisingly, well connected to the larger DCU while staying relatively isolated, and of course, the art by Andrea Sorrentino was amazing.

1. THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS

by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, and Becky Cloonan

Nope, Saga isn't going to be on the list for two reasons. Reason 1: That series is so good, putting it on the list would be like cheating any one of these other series out of their spot here on the list. And the second reason: I seriously cannot forgive myself if I put Saga here, in the place of Killjoys. As an MCR fan, Becky Cloonan fan, and a fan of good comics in general, this book is made to cater to everyone who is one of these things. Seriously. The writing is definitely great (though it's not for everyone) and the art... Oh god the art...

Now, to make up for leaving Saga off the list, I'm going to make an article all about how good it is, I promise you that. And then... I will put up my worst list up soon.

And before I end this article, I just want to thank the few readers I have for sticking with me for almost two years, and I wish you all a happy new year! Here's to comics!

Forever Evil #4 review

FOREVER EVIL #4

by Geoff Johns and David Finch

Jesus Christ, I hate that cover so much...

So, Forever Evil has been shaping up to be quite the event so far, but I have some major problems with it. We're already halfway through the event, and yet the fight back against the Crime Syndicate hasn't even begun yet. The pacing is awfully slow, and if you're expecting things to happen in this issue, yes there are a few developments, but it's still mostly set up. However, Johns does manage to some good things, such as his writing of Luthor, which I thought was surprisingly well done. I've noticed a running trend in Johns's work has been villains redeeming themselves, and it seems like he's building an entire event around it. Another thing I admire, is Johns's work on Batman, a character who he works well with, but has never done much solo work with him behind the very underrated Batman: Earth-One (which I will review sometime, I promise). There are also a few plot holes that I'm noticing, such as Ultraman not noticing Superwoman's pregnancy until now, or why Grid can't access the computers in the Red Room. While yes, Johns is shaping this to be a cut above these Marvel events that seem to be coming out a week apart from each other (Seriously, they release Infinity #6, and two weeks later, Inhumanity #1? What the hell?!), there are definitely some undeniable flaws.

Trust me, the art is so much better than that cover makes it look. Finch has always been an on-and-off artist for me. Some of his work I absolutely despise (New Avengers, Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 1, Ultimate X-Men), and some that I think looks absolutely amazing (Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2, JLA) . I'd say Forever Evil is definitely leaning towards the latter, as his art has greatly improved from the inconsistent issue 3. His characters look surprisingly more differentiated, and his Sinestro looks BADASS. 

Forever Evil #4 continues Johns conquest of the DCU, with another slow, but steady issue. The art is greater than it has been before, and the story continues to heat up despite some pacing issues and continuity problems. 

STORY: 3.5/5

+ Great characterization of Luthor and Batman

+ Shaping up to be one hell of a payoff

- LET'S DO SOME STUFF ALREADY

- Gaping plot holes

ART: 4/5

+ Characters actually look different now!

+ Definitely very moody

- Still some weird poses

- Dat cover

VERDICT: 4/5

Harley Quinn #1 review

HARLEY QUINN #1

by Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner and Chad Hardin

OK, so let me get this straight. This Chad Hardin guy somehow won out over Tony Daniel, Becky Cloonan, and Bruce Timm? Damn, I think the crazy ones are DC's editorial staff.

Harley Quinn #1 was essentially DC's answer to both Hawkeye and Deadpool in one book. Essentially, take the basic plot setup to Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, with the title character becoming the landlord of an apartment building, and then suddenly finding a gang trying to kill them for it. However, instead of Hawkeye, replace your main character with a mentally unstable comic relief of one of your most well known franchises, and here you go. Harley Quinn #1 in a nutshell. I've got to hand it to Mr. Palmiotti and Mrs. Conner, they've given me some of the most entertainment I've had reading a comic for a while. It's absolutely mindless fun, with a sense of humor that perfectly suits the book. Essentially, there's no way you can't laugh at Harley whacking a man's head off with her hammer.. Unless you happen to live in the universe of Downton Abbey. The dialogue is surprisingly well done, and they manage to set up a lot of plot points for the future of the story. My only gripe is that the entire supporting cast seems somewhat one-dimensional and stale, though, considering Palmiotti's character work in All-Star Western and Batwing, it's going to a problem that will soon be fixed.

Now, Chad Hardin really surprised me here. His work on the book looks absolutely amazing, and is perfectly suited for the story. You can tell he has so much fun drawing every panel, it's contagious, and he puts in so many subtle visual jokes. And the colors are definitely excellent as well.

All in all, Harley Quinn #1 was a very successful debut for a new series, one I can't wait to read more of. Now, if only DC could bring Cassandra Cain back, fire Lobdell and Nocenti, and put Tim Seely on Catwoman (Yes, that's right, I've read Hack/Slash).

STORY: 4/5

+ Great setup

+ Ferociously clever sense of humor

+ Funky hyperviolence

- Somewhat lackluster supporting cast

ART: 5/5

+ FRIGGIN AWESOME YESYESYESYESYESYESYES

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Uncanny X-Men #15.INH review

UNCANNY X-MEN #15.INH

by Brian Michael Bendis and Kris Anka

Godammit, Bendis.

OK, so I was looking for a re-jumping on point for Uncanny X-Men, and a friend of mine told me this week's issue was as good as a place as any. And what the hell. Is. This. Ok, let me get to the bottom of this, and say Bendis just doesn't know how to have any fun. The concept of this issue revolves around the Uncanny X-Men's (ok well not the men) girl's night out, where Emma Frost, Tempest, Irma, Kitty Pryde, Jean Grey and the Stephord Cuckoos basically head out for a night on the town, while the events of Inhumanity are basically going down. And Bendis spends way too much on them trying to be serious than give readers what they were expecting. While yes, there are a few glimmers of hope with a fun opening scene, and Bendis using a bit of his trademark humor here and there, there's just way too much angst between the characters. I mean, there's literally just one boring page of them talking about how good it is to go shopping like "normal" people, and then it quickly cuts to them in a diner arguing about why the Cuckoos are scared of Jean. The tone is very inconsistent. 

Kris Anka's art looks excellent here, somewhat reminding me of David LaFuente's work on Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man mixed with Jamie McElvie's clean cut style. The female characters are rendered beautifully, and there's an action scene towards the end that has Anka shining, with some fun Immomen like panels. 

While Uncanny X-Men #15.INH is by no means the worst comic I've read this year (coughcoughLobdell'sactioncomicscough), it is a bummer to read. At first glance it's a match made in heaven, with an entire issue dedicated to a somewhat lighter story, but in the end, its all just a huge bummer to read. Thankfully, the art is it's saving grace and is actually enjoyable, pouring over each page. 

STORY: 2/5

+ Some fun Bendis dialogue

- Spends too much time on the Inhumanity aspect

- So... Much... Angst... This isn't Twilight....

- Some characters overlooked and ignored (I thought Magik didn't grow up around shopping malls... You'd think there'd be even some mention of that at least...)

ART: 4.5/5

+ Female characters drawn beautifully, but unobjectively

+ DAT ACTION

VERDICT: 3/5

The Walking Dead Season 4 Midseason Finale Review (KEEP OUT, SPOILERS INSIDE)

Ah yes, I've missed you guys. I won't be reviewing weekly comics for a while now, but it's time to get back into trade reviewing! And tv. And movies. And yes, I am working through Batman: Arkham Origins right now, so expect a review of that in about... 2 months. 

So, as a little something to entertain you guys, I've decided to give you guys a review of quite possibly the most talked about episode of the Walking Dead since "CARL'S NOT IN THE HOUSE!", so keep in mind, if you haven't seen the episode yet, and have not kept up with the series, STAY THE HELL OUT! Got that? Now that we got all the hipsters out of the way, let me get this out of my lungs.

OH MY GOD THANK YOU SCOTT GIMPLE! Ever since Scott Gimple to over the Walking Dead, the series has began to regain its traction, but it never really lived up to the standard set by season 1. Yes, the characters were definitely more tolerable, and the pacing was better, but there was never that impending sense of dread and fear we got from the opening scene of the pilot. Until now. Seriously, Season 4 has definitely had potential, but for the first time since season 1, it actually feels like it's living up to its potential! Throughout the entire episode, I was on the edge of my seat, speculating who was going to live or die. I am not going to lie, there was actually a moment where I thought the "untouchable" Daryl was going to kick the bucket (then again, he's Daryl for crying out loud). Despite being a loud and chaotic episode, there was a huge amount of intensity to it, actually akin to the comics!

Speaking of the comics, this episode was the closest the series has ever been to the books. From the final shot of Rick and Carl running away from the unlivable prison, or the Governor's Tyrese-esque decapitation of Herschel (which was actually the most brutal thing the show has ever done since the well walker from season 2), I was grateful to see Gimple actually give me the showdown at the prison I wanted from Season 3 (DAMN YOU MAZARRA!). Yes, the body count was significantly lower (Tyrese is still alive, so is Carol who's out there doing God knows what), but the outcome was practically the same. And even better, the show actually surprised me, by KILLING OFF JUDITH. I had no idea Gimple had the guts to go for killing off Judith, (though there was no body, so we know what that means in the Walking Dead), so props to them for doing that.

As usual, I think Andrew Lincoln is one of the show's most underrated stars (despite his accent sometimes breaking when he tries to pull off the more emotional scenes, case in point "DUHRL, HAVE YOU SEEN COOOORL"), and then, we have Morrisey's Brian. Seriously, David Morrisey is the most intimidating villain I've seen on any screen since Waltz's Hans Landa from Inglorious Basterds (which is one of my favorite performances of all time). Morrisey's delivery is cold, brutal, jarring, and just as he convinces his own new new group of survivors that they can take prison without killing anyone, he tricks the audience occasionally into thinking he's willing to show the prison mercy... Which can just make the emotionally charged deaths all the more unexpected and painful. I'm grateful to Gimple and Morrisey for bringing back the sadistic, evil, insane bastard from the books that readers know and hate. Especially after Marazza (GODDAMN YOU) pretty much neutered him last season. 

I really only have a few complaints about the episode, however, they are still too big to be ignored and passed off. Firstly, I still can not stand some of the child actors. I'm not talking about Chandler Riggs (an actor who I think has actually greatly improved since season 1), but the other two girls who Carol had taken in. Their acting definitely needs improvement, especially if they're going to play a larger role in the coming next half of the season. And the other one, is still some of the unbelievable stupidy of some of the characters, again, the little girls who just abandoned Judith just so they could shoot people. Seriously, there is no way little kids would do that. 

All in all, I was hugely impressed by the Season 4 midseason finale. I'm glad to see the show is once again in capable hands, and that we're FINALLY going to be able to get into my favorite arc from the books soon: The cannibals. You go Dimple, don't fail me like Marazza did with the second half of season 3!

Thor: The Dark World movie review

THOR: THE DARK WORLD

Wait, I mean--

THOR: THE DARK WORLD

Better. 

Watching this movie, I could practically feel the fangirls writing fanfiction about Thor and Loki.

Thor: The Dark World is both more of what I loved from the first Thor (which wasn't really much, as I wasn't a fan of it) and a lot of what I love about Game of Thrones, all tossed together, and turned into what the first film should have been. 

Thor: The Dark World begins with the story of Malekith, with some of the most LOTR exposition I've seen in a while. But Lord of the Rings this is not, as Thor: The Dark World quickly becomes what feels like a Star Wars (The Asgardians have LASERS!), Game of Thrones (no duh, Alan Taylor directed it) and of course, The Avengers. There is a true variety of genres in this film, and it feels like multiple people directed. It can get very inconsistent and muddled, where at times, it feels like you're watching a lost clip from the Star Wars movies, then a scene filled with drama that was ripped straight out of Game of Thrones, and then, back on Earth with some really well written and witty dialogue (which I am 99% sure Joss Whedon wrote). 

However, Thor: The Dark World's true purpose is just to give audiences a fun two hours that they can just watch fly by while having a blast. For the first half of the film, I made the mistake of turning my brain on, and then I realized that I was having way too much fun with the film to think. Despite this even, there are still some genuinely unexpected twists in the film that elevated the story beyond being nothing more than an excuse to get the characters from Fight Scene A to Fight Scene B. The story isn't paper thin, but it's not a David Goyer or Christopher Nolen penned one either. And unlike Iron Man 3, this film actually moves the overall plot of the Marvel Universe forward, so stay tuned for those after credits scenes folks!

As usual, Tom Hiddleston absolutely steals the SHOW as Loki, working in some of the film's best scenes. However, thanks to some snappy dialogue and actors and actresses that completely sell it and have fun with their roles, it doesn't die down whenever the God of Tricks isn't on screen. I particularly enjoyed Zachary Levi as Fandral (who does an excellent job taking over from Josh Dallas), Jamie Alexander as Sif who's a complete badass, and even Kat Dennings as Darcy, who actually made me chuckle quite a bit. And a shout out to Stellan Skarsgard, who reprises his role as Erik Selvig, who has gone completely insane and... Well, I'm just going to say Anthony Hopkins in Red 2 doesn't even hold a candle to this guy. The only character I didn't really warm up to was Christopher Eccleston (THE MOTHAFRIGGIN DOCTOR) as Malekith, though I can't really blame him, he wasn't really given much to work with in the beginning. 

The film's action sequences are some of the best this year. The action has almost everything your inner 10 year old would love (except for giant robots, go see Pacific Rim). There are airship battles that would be right at home in a sci-fi film, large scale battles (more Game of Thrones influence), and close combat with superpowers. 

The humor in this film works really well also. Just like the Avengers, it has just enough to keep the movie from becoming a Christopher Nolan brood fest, but it never goes overboard, like with Iron Man 3. Oh yeah, and there is a gut bustingly funny cameo about halfway through the movie so... 

While there were flaws I found with Thor: The Dark World, it was some of the most fun I've at the movies since 2 Guns earlier this year. While this definitely isn't Gravity or Man of Steel, this film is mega enjoyable, and you will not regret watching it. 

VERDICT: 3.75/5

+ Great cast

+ Stellan Skarsgard... What the hell, man

+ Tom Hiddleston, of course

+ Tons of fanservice for comic fans

+ Variety of action setpieces

+ Great balance of humor and seriousness

- Malekith isn't a very exciting villain

- Inconsistent tone with the film

- (not really a complaint) Since when  did the Asgardians have Star Wars tech?

Green Arrow #25 review

GREEN ARROW #25

By Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino

Ladies and gentlemen... The beard is back.

Green Arrow #25 does exactly what I wanted a Zero Year tie-in to do. It doesn't exactly push the story forward, but what it does do is help tie the main character of a book to the story the event is telling without being sappy. What I love most is how Lemire acknowledges the similarities between Batman and Green Arrow's origin, and shakes both characters' mythos' up. Lemire really lets himself go as he cranks out one of his best scripts that feature his trademark knack for character voices, and even adds some Avengers level humor to the book with one of my favoritte pages... Well, you'll know which one it is when you see it. The only complaint I have is that it seems like Lemire's characterization of Ollie's mother feels somewhat off.

But really, the real draw of this book is the art. Sorrentino is THE best artist at DC right now. This guy kicks ass. He uses a realistic style, but somehow still manages to make it look perfect for this. And ever since I, Vampire, I've been praying that we'd be able to seem him draw Batman again... And I wasn't disappointed to say the least. 

The backup story was drawn by Denys Cowans, and I was certainly impressed by the very Bill Sizenewick feel of the art (considering that Sizenewick friggin inked it). It doesn't really do much but set up more of why Ollie and Diggle went their separate ways, but it does it's job.

Green Arrow #25 is the kick-ass tie-in to Zero Year I wanted. I didn't think that a flashback issue could hold any surprises, but it did, tons of them too. Buy this issue, you won't be disappointed.

STORY: 4.5/5

+ Badass Ollie moments everywhere!

+ Now I'd like to see Lemire write a Batman book...

+ Doesn't take it self too seriously, but not campy

+ Nice shout outs to the future of the DCU

ART: 5/5

+ Nails the vibe of Zero Year

+ Consistent

+ Sorrentino draws a badass Batman

BACKUP: 4/5

+ Bill Sizenwick

+ Does its job well

- Art feels redundant coming up on the heels of Sorrentino

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Forever Evil #3 Review

FOREVER EVIL #3

By Geoff Johns and David Finch

I'm back. And so is classic Captain Cold.

Forever Evil has ben turning out to be one of the most enjoyable events DC has put out in a while. And issue 3 continues that trend. Yes, this is turning out to be an event as epic as I imagined it to be, but Johns has found a way to balance both a huge world changing story and just plain old fun comics to create a hugely enjoyable package. Johns is at home writing these villains, as he nails the voice down for each character. I'm loving the new Bizarro, and I can't wait to see what the Crime Syndicate's prisoner has in store for the characters. Unfortunately, Johns does fall into his occasional spur of bad dialogue when writing some scenes, especially with the Rogues. 

I really want to like David Finch's art here, I really do, but his characters frequently have the same face, and there was one page that really bugged me where it seems like Finch just phoned it in. However, Finch redeems himself with some bombastic action pieces, and drawing the most threatening Bizarro ever. 

While quality wise, Forever Evil #3 is a mixed package, its packed to the brim with fun, good ol' comic book fun. Plus, Grid is the nicest mass murderer since Lotso from Toy Story 3.

STORY: 4/5

+ Great work writing the villains

+ More intriguing plot setups

+ BIZARRO!

- Some crappy dialogue

ART: 3/5

+ Nails the action scenes

+ Menacing villains

- Jim Lee syndrome (characters frequently have the same face)

- Really shitty looking page

VERDICT: 3.5/5

Batman: The Black Mirror review

BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR

by Scott Snyder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla

(NOTE: I'm not dead (the irony), but I have been on a hiatus for a while. This isn't exactly me coming out of said hiatus, but, I decided to do a little something something for Halloween, look for more reviews in the coming weeks, though they won't be as frequent, and I won't be reviewing singular issues for a while. )

So, how did Scott Snyder get the job of head Batman writer in the New 52? I'm glad you asked.

Batman: The Black Mirror was a story that ran in Detective Comics right before the New 52 began. When Scott Snyder was only known as the guy who wrote American Vampire. In the aftermath of Grant Morrison's epic 'Batman and Robin Must Die!' arc (which I might review). Batman Incorporated had taken over the titular 'Batman' series as the flagship Dark Knight comic. Expectations were high for David Finch's writing debut. And Tony Daniel was only an 'ok' writer. Batman and Robin was switching creative teams left and right. So DC needed to revitalize the pre-existing Batman titles and give readers a good Batman series that wasn't Batman Incorporated. They put their faith in Scott Snyder. Yes, American Vampire was pretty freaking amazing, but not many people read it. That is, until Snyder gave Detective Comics a quality injection that therefore caused DC's titular series to overdose on awesome, leading John  Travolta to try to inject it with adrenaline to remind readers that this was still just a Batman comic, when it had come so close to becoming much more. The Black Mirror, similar to Snyder's current Zero Year arc took place over the course of multiple subarcs, each one focusing on a specific mystery that really put the 'detective' in Detective Comics. Even though the series focused on Dick Grayson's stint as Batman, there was quite a bit of real detective work to be done. The first part (which is still my favorite) focused on a group of really sadistic rich people that auction memorabilia from Gotham's brutal past. This arc felt a lot more like a horror story than a Batman story, and goddamn great one at that. There was some really dark shit that went down in this chapter, the standout one which happens when the auctioneers realize that Batman-- You know what, I'm not going to ruin the surprise. The second part (which was technically the backups) revolved around Commissioner Gordon's son, James Gordon Jr. And let me just say folks, that he is the most terrifying bastard Gotham has made since Pyg. Seriously, this guy is absolutely bonkers and out of his mind in the calmest way possible. Imagine Hannibal Lecter, just without the cannibal part, and with much, much more ambition. This is more of an overarching part of the story, as it is really what connects the chapters together. The next piece of the story (which is my least favorite) involves a villain named Tiger Shark. However, it's still a fun read. And then, there's the part that basically cemented Scott Snyder's reputation as a Bat-writer. Believe it or not, Death of the Family is not the first time Snyder has dealt with the Joker. The first was here in the Black Mirror that featured some of the most terrifying things to ever happen in a comic, with some really disturbing imagery that has been burned into my head to this very day. Though I'll touch on that later. And then, the entire finale of the arc is where I think the series did not live up to its full potential. I can't tell you anything about the plot of the last bit of the book, seeing as it will spoil the entire story, and we can't have that. Here, Snyder's script slowly escalates tediously with an insane amount of horror, comes to a grisly climax, and then it just ends. I really don't think it was Snyder's fault, seeing as he only had this one issue to finish up the arc as the New 52 was set for its debut the following month. However, the last issue still hurt the overall arc. All in all, Snyder's tale was filled its ups, and ups, some parts just pointed towards the sky more than others. 

The Black Mirror has some of the best looking art I've ever seen in a comic. Jock is the master of horror. Seriously, his pencil is controlled by a demon on crack, I swear. It's a very minimalistic style, with thick lines, and the frequent use of splatter just lend to the fear factor. And then, Francesco Francavilla delivers some equally badass art with some great pages that recall old pulp comics from the 50's with a modern edge. However, both artists also work on the taboo final issue, and both styles are so unique, that they mesh together terribly, despite both artists being able to adapt to the tone of the script.

Batman: The Black Mirror is one of my favorite Batman comics of all time. While I don't think that it transcends the peak of comic book greatness like others say, I would say that it comes very close. The final issue which has a rushed feel does bring it down a bit, but it doesn't ruin it. The Black Mirror is that rare piece of comic book greatness that relies on all the tropes that make Batman so popular, and uses them well.

STORY: 4.25/5

+ Good mysteries

+ Nice character work

+ James motherfucking Gordon Junior

+ The creepiest Bat-story in a while

- Rushed final issue

ART: 4.5/5

+ SO MANY CANNOT UNSEE MOMENTS

+ Francavilla's pulpish art

- Two styles don't mesh

VERDICT: 4.5

Superman #23.4: Parasite review

SUPERMAN #23.4: PARASITE

by Aaron Kuder

Oh boy, Aaron Kuder is a double threat.

So, Aaron Kuder is officially one of my favorite creators at DC right now, if not, he is my favorite. Why? The man can write AND draw. Not only did he make Tony Bedard's awful run on Green Lantern: New Guardians readable, he's written the second best (right behind Tomasi's Two-Face one-shot) villains special this month. Kuder successfully makes the Parasite a character who's a scumbag, but not to the point where he's dislikable, in fact, he's borderline relatable. The Parasite's origin itself however, is somewhat generic, and there could have been something more unique in it. However, Kuder's dialogue also really pops, and litters the issue with some hilariously Silver Age-esque moments, with a hint of Modern Age-horror and violence.

And of course, art is what made Kuder famous in the first place, and he delivers some of his best work here. With two incredibly detailed page spreads that introduce the Parasite, and some kinetic artwork, everything feels alive under Kuder's pencil. His rendition of the Parasite reminds me of a Bloater from the Last of Us, and his use of colors is great too.

Though the character's origin itself is pretty formulaic, Kuder tries to spice things up with a surprisingly well written one-shot, and some of the best art around. This special will suck $3 out of your wallet (I get standard copies by the way), but you won't mind.

STORY: 4/5

+ Some good dialogue

+ Hilariously over-the-top

- The origin itself is standard fare

ART: 5/5

+ So detailed, that I find it hard to believe this was rushed out

+ Good colors

+ Energetic

VERDICT: 4.5/5 

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #4 review

THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS #4

by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon and Becky Cloonan

OK, so I was planning to take a break from reviewing this month, and I was going to upload a review extravaganza of Villain's Month by the end of the month, but this issue just made me want to review something.

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys has been a decent, but underwhelming series so far, with stunning art from Becky Cloonan and some good dialogue, but the plot has felt very disjointed, and it never really seemed like there was any danger. Until now. This issue will go down in history as the chapter of Killjoys that got the ball rolling. Way and Simon fix many of their problems with the past issue. The dialogue feels much more natural with the slang that made some scenes nearly incoherent cut down to a minimum. The story that's been stealing the show as of late, about the hooker robots reaches a tearjerking high point. The main story about the Girl and the Ultra-V's which has been very uninteresting, finally gets interesting. Characters that I hated at first finally The story has finally reached the same level of awesome as the art. This is exactly what I've wanted from the start of the series.

Oh, and the art? It's. Becky. Cloonan. Speaks for itself.

Killjoys #4 is where the series finally gets awesome. If you dropped the series earlier, give it another chance. I'm serious. You won't regret it.

STORY: 5/5

+ Coherent dialogue

+ Both plots heat up

+ NO! RED!

ART: 5/5

+ Becky Cloonan is as excellent as ever

VERDICT: 5/5

Batman Incorporated Special #1 review

 

BATMAN INCORPORATED SPECIAL #1

by Various

Batman Japan and Canary try to stop the Russian Sleep Experiment. Mexican Batman invites Dark Ranger and Nightrunner over for tacos. Bat-Cow gets his own story. Yeah, it's a good time.

Batman Incorporated's going out with a huge bang. DC is bidding farewell to one of its best titles in grand fashion, by giving us an anthology with multiple stories that conclude the adventures of the many agents of Batman Inc. 

First up, is definitely the craziest tale in the entire issue, a story featuring Batman Japan by Chris Burnham. Now, Burnham is one hell of a writer. This is a very manga-inspired chapter of the book, and it's absolutely INSANE. Now, despite being a light hearted romp through neo-Tokyo, it's the bloodiest, and grisliest story DC has put out all year, and well, we've already gone through Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Death of the Family and I, Vampire so that's saying something. Burnham uses a more manga-like art style to go with the story, and I got to say, it looks good. This would have been my favorite story in the whole book, if it weren't for....

Not this one. The second story is a Squire story by Joe Keatinge and Emanuel Simone (something like that, correct me if I'm wrong), which I think was actually rather unnecessary. I think it could have been replaced with a story about Squire's first actual adventure as Knight, but I will admit, it's still a pretty interesting story, with some nice art.

The best story out of the whole bunch, is that of Red Raven's, in which colorist Nathan Fairbarn takes on the role of writer, and John Paul Leon cranks out some great art. It has both, high octane action and a nice little story about Red Raven's smaller acts of heroism.

My least favorite story is one that features El Gaucho, Nightrunner and Dark Ranger. It's a really boring story with meh art, and it could have been told better.

And now, the best thing Dan DiDio has ever given us: Bat-Cow. Not only is just awesome, but it's only told in 5 pages and surprisingly, it works.

Batman Incorporated Special #1 is a good time worth the price of admission. It comes with 3 great stories, 1 good story, and 1 very underwhelming story. When it comes to collections, that's actually pretty good.

STORY: 4/5

+ Good work from Burnham, Keatinge, Fairbarn and DiDio

- One unimpressive story

ART: 4/5

+ Every story looks great

- Except... one.

VERDICT: 4/5 

Avengers vs X-Men event review

AVENGERS VS X-MEN 

by Jason Aaron, Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, Johnathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker, Adam Kubert, Oliver Copiel and John Romita Jr.

So, in case you haven't noticed from my Trinity War reviews, I've compared that event to Avengers vs X-Men a lot. And you've probably noticed my opinion of it can be summed up in three words: It sucks ass. But today, I'm going back up my statement with some cold hard facts. That's right, it's actually not even an opinion. It's the truth. Avengers vs X-Men is one of the worst, if not, the worst event comic I have ever read in my existence.

OK. So, instead of my normal review format, of reviewing the story and art separately, let's take Avengers vs X-Men by act. Keep in mind, if you haven't read AVX yet, you will be spoiled 100%, but that doesn't matter because you shouldn't read this shit anyway. I will shamefully admit that I did think AVX had a promising #0, most likely due to Frank Cho's gorgeous art. However, the writing was actually very inconsistent, and you could tell that the scripters had change due to the severe tone of dialogue and mood itself. And then, we got to #1. The writing in the story had quickly devolved from inconsistent but decent enough into borderline Scott Lobdell territory. All of the Avengers were pretty much written the same, save for Tony Stark as a slightly less sarcastic version of himself. And the X-Men... Were quite possibly given the worse treatment in the event. They were made out to be the villains, when the real foe was the terrible writing. I mean, Cyclops was written as if he were Magneto, and Magneto as if he were Cyclops. My biggest gripe was how everything just felt so forced, and the fact these two teams were even fighting was already a tired concept to begin with. I mean, Mark Millar and Chris Bachalo kicked this event's ass way early in their career with Ultimate War, and even better, in 4 issues. Also, what the hell was Ed Brubaker even THINKING? I mean, I love his Captain  America run, his Batman run (Bruce Wayne: Murderer is the most underrated comic storyline in history) and Fatale, but he had no business writing any of this. And don't even get me started on the art. While Romita actually does a decent job on the first two issues, his art devolves into nothing more than lines on paper than slightly resemble the characters. If Marvel had either, A: Just released the event monthly instead of this rushed and forced biweekly shipping schedule, giving Romita more time to polish his art, or B: Simply keep the guy on one thing instead of making him do this, while at the same time getting ready for Kick-Ass 3 and Captain America, this would have looked much better. I mean, the main theme of AVX overall seemed to be showing us good comic creators at their worst level, and Romita Jr normally kicks ass (pun intended). However, the biggest "What the hell were you thinking, Marvel?!" moment in the entire first act, was the Phoenix 5. While yes, one writer does his best to make the most of these characters in Act 2 (I'll get to that later), this event would've been better if it simply was Hope, and that way, this trash would've taken less time to read. Besides the #0, the one high point of the first act,  must have been issue 4, which had some legitimately decent writing, and a pretty funny moment between Wolverine and Hope. It's actually kind of surprising considering Johnathan Hickman wrote it. And if you know me, you know he wrote another #4 that's.. Well... The less said about it the better. Despite all of the crap I'm giving Act 1, don't worry, it gets worse. But, let's move on to some positive stuff.

Act 2 was the most enjoyable bit of the event. With one issue that I can actually call... GOOD, it had some freaking beautiful art, and Adam Kubert drawing one issue, which I'll get to later. So, issue #6 of AVX is actually an interesting beast to review. Again, Hickman wrote all of the good bits of the event, and this was again, written by him. There were some great real world parallels to the work of the Phoenix Five, and the Avengers were made out to be the douchebags, though they were given a legit motive. But then issue 7 came along, and the event went to crap once more. Out of character actions and dialogues (not for the Phoenix 5, but for the Avengers themselves), a ridiculously terrible twist involving the Scarlet Witch, and worse, giving Adam Kubert one more issue to draw than he was originally supposed... Yeah Marvel, bad call. Oliver Copiel on art was the best thing to happen to the event. He only drew a few issues, (he went on to draw an extra issue for Act 3), but his art looked clean, consistent, epic, and even grandiose, but like I said, Adam Kubert took over an issue early. By issue 3, the event had lost any sort of sense of wonder, spectacle, or originality, and Act 2 was a tired mess to read. But thankfully, Copiel's renderings made this less difficult to read than it could have.

Remember when I said the event actually gets worse than Act 1? Enter, Act 3. Now, another creator I'm not a fan of: Adam Kubert. I'm much more of a fan of Andy Kubert's work, and personally consider him to be the superior Kubert bro (that's ok Adam, you have full permission to punch me in the face if we meet in real life). And it really shows why I'm not a fan of Adam Kubert in this event. But before that, I just want to point out how bad the writing gets in this act. Remember when I said the writing could go into borderline Lobdell territory? This act is the closest the creators get. Much of the dialogue makes barely any sense due to the characters being poorly written, there's some idiotic kung-fu nonsense that supposedly ties into the Phoenix that's ridiculous even for a comic book, and the absolute worst final issue of any event I've ever read just.... Just, no. If you want an idea of how bad the writing is, here's a dialogue sample from issue 12: "So Wanda said, 'No more mutants' and the mutant population was reduced to barely 5%. Then, the Phoenix said 'Screw that' and more mutants began appearing." Something about that dialogue just pisses me off to an unsettling degree. And then, the way that the event deals with dealing the Phoenix Five is just facepalm worthy, and Scott as Dark Phoenix is the most laughably pathetic yet overpowered villain I've ever seen. From there, the story devolves into nonsense, and it will make you want to punch someone. And then, there's Adam Kubert's art. Story wise, this is the worst act of AVX, and art, wise, it would be the worst as well, but Oliver Copiel draws an issue making it that much easier to read. Kubert's art just has this messy and convulted feel to it, along with a style that I can never get used to. Imagine if Andy Kubert drew something, then Walter Simonson gave it a slick finish, but then Rob Liefeld decided to mess it all up. Yeah. But the biggest sin the entire act commits, is a flaw that's been prevelant through the event: The characters. The Phoenix 5 are actually characters the writers want some of the community to like, but they're nothing more than dicks. And then, there's Black Panther being the most inconsiderate, unbelievable asshole of all time. He DIVORCES STORM AFTER WAKANDA GETS FLOODED BY THE SUB-MARINER, AND T'CHALLA DOES IT JUST BECAUSE SHE'S AN X-MAN, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD NO ACTUAL PART IN THE EVENT! That's fucking idiotic! I mean, Marvel was just trying to shake up the MU, but instead, it just pissed on the faces of fans, and said, here, this is our excuse for an event comic, now give us money. So yeah. Act 3 was quite possibly one of the most painful things I've ever had to read. Nearly Action Comics #22 painful. Worse than Avengers #4. 

What Trinity War does right, is that it's the payoff to a story Geoff Johns has been building up for two years. Avengers vs X-Men was simply a disaster than was a cash grab, and ruined a lot of creators for me. Despite some great art from Oliver Copiel, some decent writing from Johnathan Hickman, and a promising #0 issue, AVX simply failed due to lackluster art, and unbelievably terrible writing from everyone else. I was able to read a copy of this from my local library, (the massive hardcover), and I will tell you right now, don't even THINK of buying that overpriced turd. After reading Avengers vs X-Men, I read a couple of other notorious event comics, such as Civil War (which I actually really enjoyed), Fear Itself, House of M, and even an issue of Age of Ultron, and I can tell you right now. None of them even come close to the level of pain I suffered when reading AVX. Do. Not. Read. This.

ACT 1: 1.5/5

+ Promising but inconsistent #0 issue

+ Romita's art looks good for the first few issues

- Horrible character writing

- Romita's art quickly deteriorates

ACT 2: 2.5/5

+ Issue #6 was actually not bad

+ Oliver Copiel's art is enough to bump up the score by +1

- The writing gets so much worse after issue 6

ACT 3: 0/5

+ Copiel draws an issue!..

- But it's not enough to save this act.

- The writing is cringe inducing

- Kubert's art doesn't really work

- Black Panther, you asshole

- Kung-Fu Phoenix

VERDICT: 0.5/5

Justice League Dark #23 review

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #23

by Jeff Lemire and Mikel Janin

So wait, according to Constantine, the Box can't corrupt someone's that already corrupted. So why is it that the Box turned Vandal Savage into a good guy back in Pandora #2?

Trinity War continues on, and thanks to Jeff Lemire, it's got its groove back. The dialogue feels much more natural, and Lemire proves that he's got a handle on the huge cast of the DCU. Most interestingly, are the way that Lemire delivers on the hero vs hero action the event promised, but in a way that doesn't feel gimmicky, forced or overwhelming like AVX, but instead something that's actually pushing the story forward. The best part of the issue however, is Superman's team confronting Amanda Waller which actually makes you question who's really pulling the strings. However, compared to the superfast pace  of the first 3 chapters of Trinity War, this is still a pretty slow issue, even though it sets the stage for the events conclusion. There just aren't any of those awesome reveals and bombs that were dropping left and right earlier.

I really wish JLD was where Trinity War would  conclude, so Mikel Janin could draw (hopefully) a bigger and more bombastic story. Janin proves with this issue, that he's the best artist for the event. I poured over each panel, and not a single panel feels stiff or looks awkward, as was the case with JLD #22. There are some breathtaking colors, and even better: Vincent Cifuentes isn't even touching this issue. 

Justice League Dark #22 might be a slow issue, but its the best chapter of Trinity War yet. It's nowhere near as good as Lemire's other book that came out this week, but its miles above much of what I've read lately from Marvel in terms of events. 

STORY: 4/5

+ The dialogue feels so much better

+ Constantine steals the show

+ Interesting set up for the last chapter

- A slower issue

ART: 5/5

+ NO VINCENT CIFUENTES!
+ Very energetic

+ Epic feel

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox movie review

JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE FLASHPOINT PARADOX

Ron Pearlman, C. Thomas Howell, and Nathan Fillion in the same movie? AND it's an adaption of one of my favorite comic stories ever? Is Christmas early this year?

So, I finally got around to seeing The Flashpoint Paradox, and as mentioned above, Flashpoint is one of my favorite comic stories ever. It's basically about how the Flash has been sent to a parallel universe where everything's pretty much gone to crap. And that was the most interesting thing about the books, seeing all the changes in this parallel universe. I was surprised at how faithful this film was to the source material, even though they did change a bit and they left out a few great moments. But some things, they changed for the better, by actually showing us why Aquaman and Wonder Woman are at war, instead of making us read the tie-ins. I was also delightfully surprised at how the film stuffed 5 issues of plot into a 90-minute film without feeling too overwhelming. However, I was also disappointed at some changes in the film, such as leaving Element Woman out, or a pointless and drawn out fight between Aquaman and Deathstroke, or even the lack of Pandora. Despite this, I loved the tone for the film, with this being just as dark as The Dark Knight Returns (seriously, the film ends with what might be the bloodiest last 10 minutes of an animated film ever). 

In terms of characters, the Flash is likable as our hero, but as with the book, Batman (who's Thomas Wayne in this universe) steals every scene he's in, though I think the book gave us a more believable motive for him helping Barry. Cyborg is a character you can't help but root for, and I liked the extra emphasis on Grifter in the film. The only character I found to be rather flat was Wonder Woman, who really just didn't seem special to me. 

The voice acting in the film is top notch, with Kevin Conory reprising his role as normal Batman (even for just a few minutes), and FREAKING NATHAN FILLION as Hal Jordan. The standout performances in my mind is C. Thomas Howell as Reverse-Flash and Joe Soliz as Grifter.

The animation in the film was actually kind of disappointing. I really think the classic Bruce Timm/Darwyn Cooke style really could have suit this film, but instead, the filmmakers went for a more anime style, and made nearly every character look like they're on Venom.

JL: TFP could have been one of DC's best films, if it wasn't for a few storytelling missteps and a lackluster animation style. But it makes up for that by being faithful to the source material, great characters, and great voice acting.

STORY: 3.5/5
+ Stays faithful to the source material

+ Plotting is great, despite slowing down for some drawn out action scenes

- Leaves out a lot of great scenes from the books

- Some drawn out and unnecessary action scenes

CHARACTERS: 4.5/5

+ Well written cast

- Wonder Woman doesn't really do much

SOUND: 5/5

+ Great performances from everyone especially Nathan Fillion, Kevin Conoroy, C. Thomas Howell and Joe Soliz

ANIMATION: 2/5

+ Looks clear

- Anime style doesn't really suit the film

- Every character looks over-muscular

VERDICT: 4/5

Batman #23 Review

BATMAN #23

by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, James Tynion and Rafael Albuquerque

Whereas Trinity War was somewhat of a letdown this week, Zero Year kicked ass. What is this world coming to?

So yeah. An issue of Zero Year that I've fully liked. While the story REALLY slows down in this issue, Snyder delivers one of the most original takes on one of the most important moments of Bruce's past in a while. Snyder's characterization of young Bruce finally clicks, and starts making sense, while the stuff with Phillip Kane and Eddie Nygma come to a head. The one thing I've really disliked about Zero Year is very prevalent in this issue, with it being a retelling of Batman's origin, but que sera, sera. 

Greg Capullo's art goes back to the darker style he used in the Court of Owls, and Death of the Family, as this issue is set almost entirely at night, and in the shadows. And thankfully, it still looks great. While I did notice a really small flaw in the art that really ticked me off (OK, so if Bruce was beat into submission by the Red Hood Gang, and was able to stumble all the way to Wayne Manor, which is on the outskirts of Gotham, and his penthouse was deep into the downtown slums, how was he still  alive after loosing so much blood, and still bleeding when he collapsed in front of Wayne Manor?)

However, the backup story is the real star of the show. "The Pit" by Scott Snyder, James Tynion and Rafael Albuquerque is one of the best backups I've read in a while. In simply showcases Bruce at his best, and delivering the most badass Batman scene since Bruce beat up the Joker while sweet talking him in DOTF. Also, Rafael Albuquerque's art can make ANYTHING look good. 

Batman #23 came as a huge surprise for me. Probably because my expectations were greatly lowered after the last two issues. But still, I hope Snyder and crew can keep up this quality for the rest of Zero Year.

STORY: 4/5

+ Finally, Bruce is written correctly!
+ Lots of interesting developments

+ Great take on a pivotal Bat-moment

- It's still retreading old ground

ART: 4/5

+ A much darker setting and look

+ Looks great during aforementioned pivotal moment

- How much blood does Bruce have?

BACKUP: 5/5

+ The most badass Bruce Wayne moment ever

+ Rafael Albuquerque. Seriously.

VERDICT: 4.25/5