Daredevil #27 Review

DAREDEVIL #27

by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee

It was Bullseye! I called it! I totally called it!

Daredevil #27 marks the conclusion to Mark Waid's first, big Daredevil story, if you will. It's building up to this since issue one, and boy, is the payoff satisfying. One of the things Waid does best, is the characterization, and he nails it in this issue. Daredevil is still badass, and Bullseye is now a scheming lunatic,  and the dialogue here is really well done. This is some Tarantino or Whedon level writing here! One of the coolest parts of the issue is the throwdown between Lady Bullseye and Ikari, and... Let's just say Daredevil gets very creative. We get a lot of closure in this issue, involving Matt and Foggy, Matt and Bullseye, and pretty much with everything else. There's this one page (you'll know it when you see it) that will make you want to cheer and leap. When a comic can make you do that, you know you're reading something truly special. 

Chris Samnee's art is just awesome. The man is one hell of a storyteller, as he utilizes his Darwyn Cooke-esque style to the story's advantage. There are a lot of very subtle details that will make you go, "Hey, that was pretty cool!" I mean, you could take out all the dialogue in this issue, and you'd still have a coherent and engaging story. 

Daredevil #27 breaks down all the barriers. Waid and Samnee are true masters of the craft of comic book storytelling, and the proof is in the pudding. Man, two 5/5 reviews in one week, and coming out from Marvel! This is really odd, considering I'm a DC guy. So, I have no regrets giving Daredevil #27 the score I'm giving it. 

STORY: 5/5

+ Absolutely amazing character dialogue

+ The payoff is magnificent

+ Badass moments

+ It's all been building up to this!

ART: 5/5

+ Darwyn Cooke style

+ Samnee is a true visual storyteller

+ Small details that you won't catch right away

+ Javier Rodriguez's colors

VERDICT: 5/5

Justice League #21 Review

JUSTICE LEAGUE #21

by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

So wait, was the Flashpoint universe merged into the DCU?

So, JL #21 marks the conclusion of the Shazam backups, and boy. Is it good. Now, I know that I've given the Shazam backups a lot of crap as of late, so I wasn't looking forward to this issue. And maybe that factored into why I liked it so much. Because Johns has topped himself. One of the biggest problems of the backup was the ridiculously slow pace of it. Nothing really happened for like, the last 3 chapters, but then this book picked up the pace perfectly. I liked that Johns basically saved all of the story beats for this. And the pacing isn't the only good thing about this issue either. To be honest, I hated douche Billy, but now that we're seeing him grow as a character like this, it's just awesome! Seeing this unlikable little prick turn into the character we know and love is amazing. Not just that, the action in this issue high octane awesome. One of the things Johns does, is introduce an element from Flashpoint into the N52, and it was pretty awesome. That's right, S.H.A.Z.A.M Kids are part of the New 52. One of the best parts of the book is where they're all fighting Black Adam, they tackle him, and Freddy's just, "So, uh... What now?" However, what this issue really has is a lot of heart. It's nice to see Billy finally accept his place with the kids. Not just that, Johns wraps up a lot of ends, and leaves room for a sequel, so it will satisfy a lot of readers, and leave them wanting. 

Gary Frank's art is great in this too. While I'm still made uncomfortable by some of his overexpressive facial expressions, you can't deny the energy and detail he brings to it. He does tone it down during the more quiet scenes, so that was quite an improvement.

Justice League #21 will defy your expectations. Whether you were, or weren't looking forward to this, doesn't matter. This is a real showstopper, and don't worry, I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Billy Batson. 

STORY: 5/5

+ The story finally picks up the pace!
+ Billy has good character development

+ Magic-fueled action

+ A lot of heart

+ Wraps up loose ends

+ Nicely teases a continuation

ART: 4/5

+ Good job with the quieter scenes

+ Energetic

- Still some wonky faces

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Jupiter's Legacy #2 Review

JUPITER'S LEGACY #2

by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely

The Utopian sucks. There. I said it.

Jupiter's Legacy #2 heats up the story as pretty much everyone gets fed up with the Utopian. Basically, the awesome psychic dude gets pissed off after the Utopian doesn't let him even try to fix the world's economic problems. So yeah, the want to make his life into School Days episode 12. And this issue really opens up the door to some interesting story beats. One of the best parts of the issues is the scene where Chloe's boyfriend takes out this shady dude in a very clever use of teleportation powers. But surprisingly, for a Millar book, it's very subtle. It isn't the slam bang fest like Supercrooks or Nemesis , but Millar really tries to flesh out his characters. I really dig that he's doing that. However, the pacing of the issue is really off. Not much happens here, and the story does NOT move forward that much. Also, I really wish Millar focused a bit more on other characters.

Frank Quitely's art, as usual, is the definition of awesome. He is one of the best artists in the biz. He really captures the energy of the book, and manages to keep you engaged, even during the slower scenes.

Jupiter's  Legacy #2 isn't as good as the first issue, but it's still pretty damn good. Millar's story really slows down to focus on the characters, but there are some great character beats. And of course, Frank Quitely's art. 

STORY: 4/5

+ Incredible character work

+ Tones down on the action

+ "Shark-infested waters."
- Slows down. A lot.

ART: 5/5

+ It's Frank Quitely. Must I say more?

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Hawkeye #11 Review

HAWKEYE #11

by Matt Fraction and David Aja

Solve a murder. Kick ass. Eat pizza. All in a day's work for Lucky the Pizza Dog.

So, I was able to read ALL of Hawkeye two months ago, and started picking up single issues last month with Francavilla's great fill-in issue. This month, we get a look into Grill's murder and things to come, all from the perspective of the ever awesome Lucky. This issue has minimal dialogue, and Fraction tells a great story with it. You get to see all these events through the eyes of Lucky, and believe me, this is worth your cash. First off, we get to see into Lucky's mindset, and Fraction shows us this in some very clever ways. One of my favorite scenes was in the early pages, where Lucky solves Grill's murder, and later gets to kick Kel's ass. And then some sad stuff happens in this issue to. I like how Fraction wrote the dialogue in this issue, showing us that Lucky only pays attention to a few words like Kate, Hawkeye, eye, and of course... Pizza. 

David Aja is just as important to this issue as Fraction is. Aja helps tell the story with the rendering of Lucky's process of thinking, and drawing the cutest damn dog you will ever see in your life. His style is almost like a carbon copy of David Mazzeuchelli's art from Batman: Year One, but that helps lend to the book's incredible charm.

Hawkeye #11 is one of the most unique and well done comics you will ever read. And it's quite the emotional roller coaster too. It will make you laugh your ass off, and then cry your eyes out, and then both at the same time. Just buy it. 

STORY: 5/5

+ Lucky!
+ Clever presentation

+ Sets up some interesting stuff

+ Kel continues to be creepy as $#!@

ART: 5/5

+ Perfect storytelling

+ Very Year One-ish

VERDICT: 5/5

Batman/Superman #1 Review

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #1

by Greg Pak, Jae Lee, and Ben Oliver

(NOTE: Sorry about the late reviews. This weekend, I'm going to try my best to upload reviews like mad!)

DC is trying to appeal to the OCD audience by putting the character's names in order on the title.

So, Batman/Superman #1 is a very unique sort of book. Quite a bit is set up here by Mr. Pak, such as a Superman getting blasted to Earth-2, a series of Wayne Enterprises employees being murdered in Metropolis, and something involving Catwoman, that isn't really made clear. Now, I am far from Greg Pak's  biggest fan. The only things I've read from him were his short Astonishing X-Men run, and the first issue of Xtreme X-Men, both of which, I hated. So when I found out he would be doing the relaunch of Superman/Batman or Batman/Superman (whatever the hell you want to call it), I was not happy. I would have had DC put someone like Jeff Parker, who did the great first chapter of the Adventures of Superman, or Michael Alan Nelson, who fixed Supergirl. And let me say, I'm really not sure what to think of this. Pak tries to go for a very Scott Snyder-ish vibe from the book, from opening the book with an anecdote, relying HEAVILY on narration, or the incredibly creepy tone. Some things he nails, such as the character dialogue which is very well written, and the pacing. Some of the things I didn't like, were that he throws us into the middle of a story that we barely get any set up on. Like, why is Clark in Gotham in the first place, just to interview Bruce Wayne? What's with those alien-looking  robots Batman has, why does some random guy have a remote to control them, and why do they look so weird? And WHAT THE HELL IS CATWOMAN DOING IN METROPOLIS? But even with that flaw, Pak delivers a very entertaining story, and I like how he characterizes the two main heroes. They are not the  characters we are used to, but you can tell, they will eventually become the heroes we know and love, unlike douchey Zero Year Batman. 

The art of this book is breathtaking. The unique JH Williams style layouts are pure magic, and the atmosphere is something Lee really captures. His style is what you would get if you took the most surreal Picasso painting out there, threw in a splash of  Andrea Sorrentino, and a dash of Frank Quitely. The only problem is, that Ben Oliver comes in to finish the last ten pages. Now, Oliver is a very good artist himself (Have you read Action Comics #0? If not, go read it now), but his style does NOT mesh at ALL with Lee's. 

Batman/Superman is a pretty good book, and despite giving it a lower rating that I thought I would have, I'm going to stay on for the intriguing plot set up, and the incredible art.

STORY: 3/5

+ Good character writing

+ Entertaining as hell

+ Some really interesting plot points

- Some really weird and confusing plot points

- Leaves some things out

ART: 4/5

+ Jae Lee's art.

+ Ben Oliver's art.

- They don't work together

VERDICT: 3.5/5

Batman and Batgirl #21 Review

BATMAN AND BATGIRL #21

by Peter Tomasi and Cliff Richards

For those of you Batman: The Animated Series fans, Batman does punch a certain cop who's been begging for it ever since we first saw him.

So, Batman and Batgirl #21 continues the 5 Stages of Mourning arc, and I've got to say, this is the worst chapter yet. First off, Batgirl's inclusion in this issue seems completely unnecessary, and is pretty much useless. In no way does she move the story forward at all. Next, the Carrie Kelly subplot that I loved in the last two issues is completely dropped, with Batgirl's scenes replacing them. You can tell Batman and Batgirl #21 is filler, not only because nothing happens, but it feels like Tomasi didn't care that much for the character of Batgirl either. Her voice doesn't sound witty enough, and if you're going to tell me it's because she still thinks she killed James Jr., take a look at Batgirl #20, a much worse Bat-comic, in which she still cracks a few one-liners. However, the biggest sin of the book has to be Batman himself. He's COMPLETELY unlikable in this issue, it's incredible. The only thing he does in this, is punches people, breaks a computer screen, and makes himself  look like more of an asshole than usual. There's a fine line between angry and grieving father, and just being a douche, and he leans MUCH more towards the latter now. The last two issues, I could really see why he was pissed. It was justified, and his actions actually made sense. Here, it could just be 60's Adam West Batman is suddenly becoming Christian Bale Batman, and maybe that's why everyone's worried! I mean, even some background characters are poorly written. One thief, who's dumber than a doorknob, demands FOOD from the police, yet he's holding hostages in a 24/7 convenience store. Even Batman points out how stupid he is. The only thing I liked about this issue is that it's plain dumb fun. By the way, I think Tomasi is insulting me when he has Batgirl suggest to Batman that she becomes the next Robin. Really? Just, really?

Cliff Richard's fill-in art here doesn't look too bad, but it's nothing amazing. He imitates Gleason's dark art style, but you can immediately tell it's not him. He does a good job with the action scenes, and capturing motion, but when drawing the slower, and more emotional scenes, he falters, with some choppy facial expressions. 

Batman and Batgirl #21 is a MASSIVE bump in the road for this series. It's hard to believe, that 3 issues ago, it delivered an Eisner-award worthy issue that could bring grown men to tears. This book is easily a skippable chapter in the current arc. While this isn't the worst Batgirl story I've read (cough Batgirl #20 cough), this is still pretty bad.

STORY: 1/5

+ Mindless fun

- Batgirl is an afterthought, and isn't used very well

- Batman is a complete and uncharacteristic dick

- Nothing happens

- Stupid characters

- Don't. Just, don't even imply that Babs will be the next Robin.

ART: 3/5

+ Actually pretty good for filler

+ Good action scenes

- Inconsistent faces

- Falters during quiter scenes

VERDICT: 2/5

Animal Man #21 Review

ANIMAL MAN #21

by Jeff Lemire, Steve Pugh and Francis Portela

So, two issues ago, Buddy dissed off the Totems, and they severed his connection to the Red and banished him. Now, Maxine disses off the Totems, and they basically can't do $#@!. 

Animal Man #21 is the start of a new arc titled Splinter Species, and boy is it interesting. Now, I just want to put it out there, that this issue is going to separate the men from the boys. Because there is some disturbing-ass stuff going on here. If you thought Rotworld was disgusting, you haven't seen anything yet. I mean, (ironically) vegetarians and animal rights activists are probably going to drop the book from here, and if you do, that's okay. It just means you're not a fan of gruesome dismemberment, mutilation, and other sick stuff. Now that we've got that out of the way, this is actually a very good issue of Animal Man. We get to see Buddy investigating a mystery involving missing animals, and a surprisingly light-hearted and charming subplot involving Maxine, Shepherd, and Socks trying to bring Cliff back to life. It's like Lemire is writing two different books, but the two stories click together so well. It's actually pretty depressing to see Buddy go through the aftermath of Cliff's death, but when Maxine goes into the Red, Lemire actually writes in a few chuckle-worthy moments. Like I mentioned earlier, Maxine does diss the Totems,  and just reading that brought a smile to my face. This issue is a real emotional roller coaster. It starts out depressing, then becomes funny, back to depressing, then funny, and then towards the end of the issue.. Well, it takes a turn into some dark territory which you'd think DC wouldn't allow to be published. The new villain is a sadistic mother!@#$er, and he does some stuff that will really turn people off to this book. Hell, it even made me cringe a bit. But it's a testament to Lemire's writing skills, showing he can unnerve reader, even those with steel stomachs. The only thing I don't like, is that I still find Ellen written very uncharacteristically. Back in issue one, she was written as the most loyal person to Buddy, but now, she's left him over Cliff's death, even though it wasn't his fault.

Steve Pugh's art is great in this issue. He lends to the realistic and solemn tone of Buddy's scenes, and is part of the reason the last few pages of the book is so disgusting. I mean, he draws the splash page so realistically, I'm almost sure he used photo reference. Kudos to him if he did, and didn't throw up more than twice. Francis Portela draws Maxine's scenes, and it's absolutely gorgeous. His art is like a cross between Nick Pitarra's Manhattan Projects art and Travel Foreman's work on the first 5 issues of the series. Now, the two artists have such different art styles, but the transition isn't even that jarring. It really works, as the mood and feel of each of two artists, and their subsequent pages contrast each other.

Animal Man #21 is a very good issue. It's one of the best in the series. It's unnerving, funny, creepy, and depressing. Plus, you get some very pretty looking pages.

STORY: 4/5

+ It's like the comic book equivalent of the Red Wedding

+ Buddy is written well, as usual

+ Maxine and Socks's escapades in the Red

+ The new villain is bat-$#!@ crazy

- Ellen is being a bitch

ART: 5/5

+ Pugh's art looks creepier than ever

+ Portela's art looks AWESOME
+ Good transition

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Nightwing #21 Review

NIGHTWING #21

by Kyle Higgins and Brett Booth

The best moment of the issue:

Prankster: "That's your plan?!"

Nightwing: "I know, isn't it great?"

So, Nightwing #21 is the best issue of the series so far. The last 3 issues of the series have turned up the quality so far, it feels like a completely different writer behind the wheel. Higgins, as always nails the multiple voices, the story's tone and the plotting. Some of the most interesting scenes in the issue come in the form of Dick's actions. Throughout the issue, he finds himself crossing lines he didn't know he could. He's growing as a character, and the story is getting pretty intense. Higgins opens the book with a surprisingly disturbing scene, and then gets back to the action in grand style. The Prankster makes for a great anti-hero (I'm not going to use the word villain, because he's not a villain), as Nightwing's foil. The series is being taken in a new direction, and it's perfect.

While I'm still not a fan of Brett Booth's art, I will admit, I'm actually starting to warm up to him. He's perfect for this. The vibrant colors, the energy and the detail he brings to the pages just work. The only problem here is that is light-hearted style doesn't fit the opening scene.

It's simple. While Marvel has Hawkeye, DC has Green Arrow. Marvel has Dark Avengers, DC has Suicide Squad. And now, Marvel has Daredevil and DC has Nightwing. That's right. The series that started out as nothing more than an okay-at-best comic, has become a book just as good as an Eisner nominee. Thank you Higgins/Booth. 

STORY: 5/5

+ Interesting twists and turns

+ The Prankster is very interesting

+ Nightwing is a very developed character

+ Good pacing

+ The dialogue is well done

ART: 4/5

+ Vibrant and energetic

+ Suits the mood (for the most part)

- Does not fit the opening scene

- Personally, still not the biggest fan of his art

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Batman #21 Review

BATMAN #21

by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and Rafael Albuquerque

I still refuse to believe Bruce went through 5 Robins in 6 years. And I firmly believe that Stephanie counts as a Robin. And that she and Cass are out somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, alive. 

Batman #21 marks the start of the new Zero Year storyline, which chronicles Bruce's origin in the New 52. Now, there are problems all around this issue. First up, while this very different Gotham City is a breath of fresh air, it leads to an uncomfortably out of character Bruce. He flips off the Red Hood gang, and even disses Alfred. Not cool dude, you NEVER diss Alfred. Also, I hate that this story replaces Year One, which in my opinion, is one of the greatest Batman stories ever told. Also, according to the beginning of this issue, it's supposed to lead into the New 52 version of No Man's Land. This sucks, because I DO NOT see the need to make that story part of Bruce's origin. (No Man's Land is my guilty pleasure) The issue can get very boring at times to, especially with the unnecessary flashbacks to Bruce's childhood. However, Snyder does set up some interesting conflicts, like young Eddy Nigma being in cahoots with Phillip Kane, and the Red Hood Gang's continued wrath on Gotham. Also, Snyder does a great job at writing Alfred, as usual.

While Snyder's writing takes a dip in quality this month, Greg Capullo's art gets better. It seems Capullo is more suited for this brighter and more colorful Gotham, as it's portrayed here. He can really get the emotion of the characters, and the opening flash-forward has a very Mad-Max vibe to it.

The backup story is the best part of the issue. We learn where Bruce learned how to drive, and it's a boatload of fun. Albuquerque's art, as usual, is flawless.

Batman #21 has very hit-or-miss writing, but the art is stunning and the backup is one of Snyder's best stories yet. If you're on a tight budget, skip it, but if you have $4 to spare, buy it.

STORY: 2.5/5

+ Good Alfred writing

+ Some interesting plot points

- No need to retell the origin of Batman when we have Year One

- Annoyingly uncharacteristic Bruce

- Pointless flashbacks

ART: 4.5/5

+ Capullo's art shines in a brighter environment

+ Perfectly suits the mood

BACKUP: 4/5

+ One of Snyder's better scripts

+ Rafael Albuquerque's art

VERDICT: 3.5/5

Know Your $#!@: American Vampire Part 1

Alright, so I'm going to be doing this unscheduled new column called Know Your $#!@. Know Your $#!@ will basically be getting readers up to speed on comics they're looking to get into, or haven't read in a while. So, let's get started with American Vampire (by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque), which just released an excellent one-shot this week, and will be returning later this year. Now, let's get to it!

This is Pearl Jones.

She is a struggling young actress in Hollywood, who lives with her best friend/roommate/co-worker, Hattie Hargrove. She also works as a cigarette salesgirl in a club, where her boyfriend, Henry Preston, a guitarist, performs. Both of them are filming an Atlantis movie in Hollywood, but aren't being paid that much. One day, while filming with the movie's star Chase Hargrove, he invites her and Hattie to a party being held by B.D Bloch, leading her to believe she's finally going to be a big shot. On the way to the party, she and Hattie are stopped by their new neighbor, Skinner, who warns them about the party and tries to get them to stay home. However, thinking he's some sort of rapist (but for some reason, Hattie is turned on by that), Pearl shrugs off the warning. So, yada yada yada, Pearl meets Bloch and some producers in a private room, turns out they're vampires and they maul her. Later, she wakes up in the dessert, on the verge of death, almost completely drained of blood, and she's found by Hattie and Henry. She's put in the hospital, and "dies". However, she later finds herself alive and well, and even better than ever in the hospital morgue. She's greeted by Skinner who explains she's a vampire, but not the same breed as Bloch and the bloodsuckers who attacked her. She's faster, stronger and deadlier than they are, with a completely new set of weaknesses. Pearl leaves the morgue with a list of her powers from Skinner, though he keeps her weaknesses a secret (what a douche). Pearl makes use of her newfound powers by... Mutilating, torturing, dismembering, tormenting, and murdering Hargrove, for getting her to go to the party. She then  basically goes on a Hit-Girl style killing spree, murdering the actors, and filmmakers who were in on the attack. When she gets wind that Hattie was kidnapped, she goes to rescue her... Only to find out it's a trap. And Hattie betrays her, attacking her best friend. Pearl is overwhelmed, and escapes, with the help of Henry. A few hours later, she gains her strength back, and goes to the theater to confront Bloch, Hattie and the rest of her attackers. Henry shoots the place up, while Pearl turns Bloch into a Memorial Day barbecue, and taking a gold star, and shoving it down Hattie's throat (That's right, gold is their weakness). In the end, she and Henry decide to leave Hollywood. Before they leave, Pearl and Henry go on a date to the county fair, where Pearl meets Skinner one last time. 

Superman Unchained #1 Review

SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #1

by Scott Snyder, Jim Lee and Dustin Nyugen

DC missed out on what could have been marketing gold for this book. I never saw an ad for this that said "Life, liberty and the pursuit of the American Way", or "How about Superman? By Scott Snyder and Jim Lee? You had my curiosity, and now you have my attention."

So, Superman Unchained #1 sheds some light on the Nagasaki bombing, revealing that there was no bomb, only something General Lane calls, the 'Real' Superman. Now, this makes for an interesting story. Things have been falling out of the orbit in space, and Superman saves seven of them, but the last one was saved by someone else. And now we have our story. Snyder is perfect for Superman. The voice he writes for almost all of  the characters is pitch perfect. The plotting of the issue is great too. Lex Luthor is suitably menacing, and his portrayal as a Hannibal Lecter type  character is spot on. However, there are some things I couldn't stand. For one thing, the pacing is all over the place. Not much happens, beyond Superman coming close to finding a secret underwater government facility, but it was moving like a cheetah in the first few pages. And the other problem I have with this... Well, I have to talk about the art first.

Jim Lee's work here is very hit-or-miss. Now, I love Jim Lee's art. His work on Hush, Superman: For Tomorrow, even Justice League looked pretty decent. Here, it varies in quality from page to page. It looks well polished on one page, but rushed on another. However, when it looks good, it LOOKS GOOD. But the biggest problem has to be the poster. It's difficult to unfold perfectly due to it being glued together, and don't even TRY to pull it out, because it's actually part of the story. Also, Jim Lee Syndrome.

The backup story is only two pages long, but man is it creepy. Dustin Nyugen uses the same style he used in American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares, and it works.

Superman Unchained #1 is a disappointing, but entertaining read. The story is good, though it has its flaws, Jim Lee's art is hit or miss, but the back-up is pretty creepy, despite only being two pages long.

STORY: 4/5

+ Finally! A good Superman story!
+ Supes feels super

+ Interesting set up

+ Well handled supporting cast

- Pacing is everywhere

ART: 3/5

+ When it looks good, it looks great

+ Williams and Sinclair's finishes are amazing

- Inconsistent. VERY incosistent.

- The fold-out poster sucks.

BACKUP: 3.5/5

+ Creepy factor is dialed to 11

+ Good Dustin Nyugen art

- It's only TWO pages long!

VERDICT: 3.5/5

American Vampire: The Long Road to Hell #1 Review

AMERICAN VAMPIRE: THE LONG ROAD TO HELL #1

by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque

Elvis + Blade (the vampire hunter) = Travis Kidd.

American Vampire: The Long Road to Hell is a one-shot that sets the stage for the American Vampire relaunch later this year. And it does that, but most importantly, it delivers a tragic love story that brings back fan-favorite character Travis Kidd. It mainly focuses on three characters: Billy, Jo and Jasper. Billy and Jo are two small time thieves who spend their nights dancing in clubs and pickpocketing unsuspecting strangers.  And then they become vampires. They're set on a quest for Las Vegas to find a cure for their state, and they meet Jasper. Jasper is this little kid who's hiding more than one dark secret. Now, if you come into this issue expecting nothing but badass Travis Kidd doing his thing, you'll be sorely disappointed. But that's not a bad thing. Travis takes  a backseat to this story in order to flesh out the three protagonists. The tragic love story of Billy and Jo will be enough to bring a tear to some people's eyes, and Jasper is a menacing little demon child. Now, the script of this issue was written by Rafael Albuquerque, not Snyder (who only co-plotted this), but it's just as good as some of Snyder's best works. It hits all the emotional beats it aims for, and I'll admit, there was more than one scene that had my eyes on the verge of... *ahem*, sweating. And believe me, when Travis Kidd shows up in this issue, he steals the show. Now, if you're expecting a big Grant Morrison or Geoff Johns like tease at the end of this issue, don't. I'll admit, the ending doesn't do as good of a job as setting up the return of the series, but that's not the point. This is a tragedy, that just happens to have vampires, murder, and Travis Kidd. You could take out the American Vampire connection all together, and you'd still have a stellar tale.

Albuquerque proves himself as both, a good scriptwriter, and (as he has before) a great artist. He knows just what he wants from the script, and what can I say? He's defined the look of AV. 

The Long Road to Hell is one of the best books of the year so far. This is an absolute masterpiece. I can't recommend this enough. You don't have an excuse for NOT buying this. Don't have enough money? Drop Batman and Superman Unchained. Buy this instead. Not an American Vampire fan? BUY IT ANYWAY. I can't stress this anymore than I am now. BUY THE LONG ROAD TO HELL #1. You won't regret it.

STORY: 5/5

+ Works as a standalone story

+ Layered characters

+ Travis Kidd is just the icing on the cake, and he still kicks ass

+ You will get feels, guaranteed or your money back

+ Not focused on teasing readers 

ART: 5/5

+ The definitive American Vampire look

+ Great colors from McCraig

+ Looks well polished

VERDICT: 5/5

The True Lives of Fabulous Killjoys #1 Review

THE TRUE LIVES OF FABULOUS KILLJOYS #1

by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon and Becky Cloonan

The future is bulletproof!

The aftermath is secondary!
It's time to do it now, and do it loud!
Killjoys, make some noise!

-From 'Na Na Na' by My Chemical Romance

The True Lives of Fabulous Killjoys #1 takes place about 12 years after the events of the 'Sing' music video and the death of the Killjoys. The Girl is now grown up, and wandering the post-apocalyptic wastes with the cutest black cat you'll ever see. And... Things get progressively crazy. First, let me back up. I can't believe I left this off of my list of my most anticipated books of 2012. Now, Way and Simon do an amazing job with the story. While the tone of this is much darker than you'd expect, they still keep the fun and carefree vibe of the videos. The ending is absolutely crazy, when Grant Morrison comes after the fake Killjoys (that's right, Grant 'Effing Morrison). Beyond this, there are two major flaws behind the issue. First up, if you have never listened to the awesome My Chemical Romance album, Danger Days (the album this book is based on) and haven't seen the videos, you'll be pretty damned confused. Also, the strange dialogue, rife with unique and difficult to understand slang, will bewilder many people, and will make the book a bit difficult to comprehend. In fact, I actually had to read the book twice to fully take it in. Now, one of my favorite things about the book so far is the Girl. She doesn't have a name. Just, the Girl. From the get-go, you get attached to her, and she is basically your eyes and ears on this journey. 

I don't even want to talk about the art. Why? Because it's Becky Cloonan. One of the best artists on the planet. She kicked ass on Batman, Swamp Thing, Conan and the Ink and Thunder books, and she kicks ass on this as well. Her simplistic art lends a lot of charm to the book's unique feel. All of her characters look pretty great too, especially the creepy as !@#$ Draculoids. These are guys you don't want hiding in your closet at night.

The True Lives of Fabulous Killjoys #1 is a smash hit. While it is a little bit hard to understand, the characters, the plot, and the art make up what is sure to be the comic world's next big thing. Hopefully. 

STORY: 4/5

+ Great characters

+ The Girl is the perfect protagonist

+ Much darker than you'd think, but the still captures the spirit of the album

+ Grant Morrison is the villain. 'Nuff said.

- Sometimes very hard to understand

ART: 5/5

+ Becky Cloonan.

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Pull List: 6/12/13

Na na na na na na na

From mall security

Na na na na na na na

It's death of victory

Na na na na na na na

ON  MY AUTHORITY
Crash and burn, young and loaded!

- "Na Na Na" by My Chemical Romance

PULL LIST

AMERICAN VAMPIRE: THE LONG ROAD TO HELL

by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque

Travis 'effin Kidd. 'Nuff said.

BATMAN #21

by Scott Snyder, James Tynion and Greg Capullo

While I didn't like Batman #0 that much, I'm still willing to give Zero Year a chance.

NIGHTWING #21

by Kyle Higgins and Brett Booth

Nightwing has been getting better and better with each issue as of late. Let's hope this is the issue that throws it into the big leagues, eh? Plus, the Prankster is an awesome little !@#$. 

SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #1
by Scott Snyder, Jim Lee and Dustin Nyugen

Jim Lee on a Superman book? Ok... Being written by Scott Snyder with backup stories drawn by Dustin Nyugen? "You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention."

THE TRUE LIVES OF FABULOUS KILLJOYS #1

by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon and Becky Cloonan

So, this book is supposed to continue the story of the excellent My Chemical Romance album, Danger Days. That's already an awesome concept. And guess what the icing on the cake is? One of the best new artists in the biz, BECKY FRIGGIN CLOONAN IS DRAWING IT. HOW MUCH MORE AWESOME CAN IT GET?

WISH LIST

SUICIDE SQUAD #21

by Ales Kot and Patrick Zircher

I'm actually probably still going to get this. I really just need to put something in this slot.

ANTI-WISH LIST

KATANA #5

by Ann Nocenti and Alex Sanchez

Ann Nocenti actually did an OK job on Green Arrow, but the atrocities she's done to Catwoman... What makes you think Katana is any different, especially with that already horrible first issue? 

Stormwatch #21 Review

STORMWATCH #21 

by Jim Starlin and Yvel Gulich

You can FEEL the Mortal Kombat influence on the villains. I mean seriously, with a name like THE KOLLECTIVE....

This marks the third chapter of Jim Starlin's run on Stormwatch. Starlin has greatly improved since that last two issues. While I still miss the original New 52 Stormwatch, the new team is still interesting. However, the main purpose of this issue is to be a throwback to 90's Wildstorm, and you can really feel it. But beyond that, you can tell Starlin is trying to do something smarter with Lobo, but it hasn't come to fruition yet. Sadly, I hate the fact that Starlin hasn't further developed the characters at Storm Control like the Engineer.

Yvel Gulich's art feels very ninety when it comes to style, but there are traces of modern superhero in it. Gulich isn't really the best choice to draw a story like this, but  he makes the most of the script that he can.

Stormwatch #21 continues the interesting new status quo. While I miss Jenny Quantum, Jack Hawksmoor and Etrigan quite a bit, I'm still willing to give the new team a try.

STORY: 3.5/5

+ A fun 90's throwback

+ Doing some interesting things with Lobo

- Still trying to find it's footing

- Storm Control not explored enough

ART: 3.5/5
+ Very classic Wildstorm feel

+ Makes the most out of the script that he can

- Not the person you'd really want drawing this

VERDICT: 3.5/5

Green Arrow #21 Review

GREEN ARROW #21

by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino

It's like watching a Baz Luhrman superhero movie! 

Green Arrow #21 is the issue that everything has been building up to. The big reveal of the island, and the New 52 Outsiders. And it's awesome. While it's only been 5 issues so far in  Lemire's run, it feels like he's been setting this up for a while. I'm not going to give spoilers, but I can promise you. It's going make your jaw drop. Two of the new characters Lemire has introduced, Magus and Fyff are some pretty awesome characters, and he's also made Naomi a much more layered character than she was before. But the biggest strength the book boasts is Ollie himself. In 5 issues, Lemire has made Oliver one of the most interesting characters of the New 52. The pacing is done very well too. This is a book that doesn't rely on action, but is completely character driven. 

Sorrentino's art is the icing on the cake. It's perfect. This story would be impossible to pull off without this specific style. The visuals are beautiful, crazy, creepy, funny and realistic all at once. He captures the emotion of the characters, and the raw power of the script amazingly. 

This is what a simple creative team change can do. Lemire and Sorrentino have turned a book that almost everyone had given up due to the lapse in quality, into one of the best books on the stands. Move over, Batman, Saga, Daredevil and FF. Make room for Green Arrow.

STORY: 5/5

+ Completely character driven and doesn't rely on action to tell the story

+ Shocking reveals left and right

+ Magus and Fyff are awesome

+ Ollie has quickly become one of the most interesting characters in the New 52

ART: 5/5

+ Completely perfect for the story

+ Looks breathtaking

+ Matches the many tones of the story

VERDICT: 5/5

Detective Comics #21 Review

DETECTIVE COMICS #21

by John Layman, Scot Eaton and Andy Clarke

Cullen, if this is a Wednesday night, go give Arrow a try!

Detective Comics #21 sets up a new storyline, and it has Harper Row in it. All right, not bad. Right? Right. Layman actually makes a very interesting story. He brings back a character from Detective Comics #0, albeit, with dark skin, and she can now make weapons made of shadow. Though, they really look like Indigo Tribe constructs. As usual, one of Layman's biggest strengths is his characterization. He perfectly nails Harper's voice, and surprisingly, even Cullen's. Though the role Harper plays in this issue isn't too exciting, she provides some much needed comic relief, and further proof that she's being set up as the next Robin. Even better, while this issue is the first chapter of a new arc, it works as a standalone tale. 

While Layman dishes out one of the best Detective issues yet, Scot Eaton replaces Jason Fabok and gives us some very Ed Benes like work. His Batman feels like  he's trying to imitate David Finch, but his everything else makes it feel like he was influenced by Walt Simonson. Eaton's pencils are loose, and all over the place. However, I'm just not the biggest fan of his style. 

The backup story is very creepy, and spins directly out of Detective #19. Turns out, the Man-Bat serum is having a Hulk-like effect on Kirk. Or to be more specific, werewolf. At night, he turns back into Man-Bat, and simply hides out in this bridge, but it turns out...  People are getting KILLED there! Is Kirk responsible, or not? Not only is this a very well written backup, but Andy Clarke's art is awesome. 

DC #21 is a true winner. Even though the art is hit-or-miss, you get Man-Bat, a fun standalone story, and Harper! What more could you want?

STORY: 4.5/5

+ Harper!

 + Fun standalone
+ Great characterization

- Harper's role is a little bit dull

ART: 3/5

+ It's... OK, I guess?

- Inconsistent

- I'm not the biggest fan of Eaton's style

BACKUP: 4.5/5

+ Very creepy

+ Andy Clarke's art

VERDICT: 4/5

Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates #25 Review

ULTIMATE COMICS: THE ULTIMATES #25

by Joshua Hale Fiakov and Carmine Di Giandomenico

Tony: I have one question. Why NOT ice cream?

If you decide to pick this up, be warned. It is not the jumping on point it was advertised to be. Fiakov is simply continuing Humphries' storyline about the Infinity Gems. Now, Fiakov's debut on the Ultimates is surprisingly disappointing. You'd think he's perfectly suited for this due to his character driven and spectacular work on I, Vampire, but he messes it up. First off, he nails MOST of the dialogue and tries to do his best, working with the story already set up for him. Sadly, it just doesn't work. For one thing, Ultimate Hulk is poorly written (see Millar's Ultimates), and the villain reveal at the end is anticlimatic and not that surprising. Also, Reed Richards is reintroduced without much introduction, and he's far from the menacing, and cold villain we saw in Hickman's run. My last problem, is the biggest one. The issue is very predictable, and you can try to guess the outcome of the entire storyline, and you'll probably be right.

Carmine Di Giandomenico (dat name) does his best to work with Fiakov's script, but his loose and cartoonish art style doesn't go with the very dark story. While Di Giandemico does an okay job with the opening pages, it just goes downhill from there. As the book progresses, his characters just start looking more and more deformed, and it you can tell that they switch inkers.

The Ultimates #25 isn't the series's savior that I hoped it would be. I find it hard to believe that this is the same Fiakov that wrote I, Vampire, and Carmine Di Giandomenico's art doesn't suit the story at all.

STORY: 3/5

+ Most of the characters are written well

+ Tries to do his best with a story already set up for him

- Hulk's voice is off

- Predictable

- Reed Richards is also off

ART: 2/5

+ Loose and vibrant

- Doesn't mesh with the tone

- Gets inconsistent

VERDICT: 2.5/5

Green Lantern #21 Review

GREEN LANTERN #21

by Robert Venditti and Billy Tan

So. This is the guy that wrote The Surrogates. Hm.

Now, when Geoff Johns announced that he was leaving Green Lantern, I was shocked. The man who was considered the definitive Lantern writer was leaving. So, I, among everyone else, started speculating. Who could Johns pass the torch (which coincidentally, is the name of a Green Lantern story written by Judd Winick) to, and keep the fire going? Well, when Robert Venditti was announced, I had no idea who this guy was. All I knew was that he wrote the Surrogates, which was only an OK movie. But this was a surprisingly amazing debut from him. He nails Hal Jordan's voice and reminds me of a little bit of George Clooney's performance as Danny Ocean. He sets up an intriguing plotline which involves the main power battery going out. He also introduces a few new recruits who find themselves about to go into battle headfirst with Larfleeze. This issue also nicely sets up some of the other Green Lantern books. Now, the one thing I didn't like about this, and it's a big one, is Venditti's ignorance of some of the things Johns did with the character. For example, it seems like there has been NO development with Hal and Carol's relationship, which is the same as it was, even before Johns' run. Worse, is that Larfleeze seems to show up from out of nowhere, and has had all character development wiped away. But besides these, Venditti has written a stellar book, that's the perfect jumping on point for new readers.

I can't imagine anyone BUT Billy Tan drawing this. The only exposure I had to his art was the prelude to the Dark Angel Saga in Uncanny X-Force, and this looks much different from his work there. His art is pure gold, and beautifully paints the world of the GLC. While it seems the inking is somewhat inconsistent, it doesn't hurt the feel of the book at all.

Green Lantern #21 is a great starting issue for Venditti's Green Lantern run. If he improves his writing from here, we could have a run that could be just as classic as Johns'. 

STORY: 4/5

+ Hal is perfectly written

+ Intriguing plot set up

+ Great jumping on point

+ A very fun issue

+ Interesting new status quo

- Ignores some major developments from Johns's run

ART: 4.5/5

+ Draws the alien environments perfectly

+ Good looking characters

- Slightly inconsistent inking

VERDICT: 4/5

Pull List: 6/5/13

"No post on Sunday!" And that is a lie.

PULL LIST

DETECTIVE COMICS #21

by John Layman, Scot Eaton and Andy Clarke

In case I didn't make it clear enough before, I am a huge Harper Row fan. 

GREEN ARROW #21

by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino

Lemire's Green Arrow has been slow, but that's the only criticism I have of it. It's just that good.

GREEN LANTERN #21

by Robert Venditti and Billy Tan

Alright, Geoff Johns is out, and Venditti is in. Let's see how this goes down.

STORMWATCH #21

by Jim Starlin and Yvel Gulich

Starlin's Stormwatch gets much better on a second read. So I'm picking this up.

SWAMP THING #21

by Charles Soule and Jesus Saiz

Soule has been killing it on Swamp Thing. I now eagerly await each new issue with ridiculously high expectations.

WISH LIST

KICK-ASS 3 #1

by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.

It's funny, that Nemesis 2 was announced two years ago, and Kick-Ass 3 was only announced half a year ago. And Kick-Ass 3 is coming out first.

ANTI-WISH LIST

AGE OF ULTRON #9

by Brian Michael Bendis and Brandon Peterson

TOO. MANY. DAMN. MARVEL. EVENTS.

X-Men #1 Review

X-MEN #1

by Brian Wood and Oliver Copiel

Hm. What a 200th post. 

So, X-Men #1 is the first chapter to a new series focusing on an all-new female subdivision of the team. From what I've seen so far, I love it. Brian Wood gets the train rolling in a similar vein to Hickman's Avengers, focusing on the origins of the human race, but this time from a sort of mutant/human or male/female perspective. Most of this issue focuses on Jubilee, a character I've never really been fond of, but he makes her a likable character. Wood spends a lot of the issue setting the stage for the future, but it never feels boring. One of my favorite moments of the issue, was the return of John Sublime, one of the most sadistic villains from Grant Morrison's New X-Men run. I loved seeing him back, but with an entirely different attitude towards mutants. The plotting of the issue is perfect as well, as you never feel like you're skimming through the pages. Now, the only thing I didn't like about X-Men #1, was the lack of Psylocke. Recently, I read about three fourths of Rick Remender's awesome Uncanny X-Force run, and I loved her in it. However, the way things are going it looks like we're going to be seeing Betsy back soon enough.

Oliver Copiel is the perfect artist for this book. It's colorful, and kinetic, and rife with insanity. He makes the X-Girls look beautiful, but not to the point where it's Rob Liefeld or Guillem March (remember the original cover for Catwoman #0?) cheesecake. He's the kind of guy you'd want drawing a book with a female lead (or in this case, leads). Plus, he just draws the cutest damn baby you will ever see.

X-Men #1 was an awesome start to what could be one of my favorite new series. Brian Wood plants the seeds to what could be an epic story, and Oliver Copiel's art perfectly compliments the set up.

STORY: 4.5/5

+ Things are looking epic

+ Good character writing

+ Jubilee's very likable

+ John Sublime!

+ Very interesting setup

- Not enough Psylocke

ART: 5/5

+ Looks absolutely gorgeous

+ The girls look good but it's not girl show

+ Mark Morales's finishes look great

VERDICT: 4.5/5