Cry for Justice #7 might be the worst comic I've ever read, and I've read a lot of crappy comics. Thanks to Cry for Justice, I will no longer think of James Robinson as the writer of Starman. Instead, I will now forever think of him as the man who wrote the script to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film, and of course this disastrous, detrimental mess of a mini-series.

This might be the worst thing DC has published all year, which is saying a lot, considering we're talking about the folks who put out six months of lackluster Countdown issues and are currently publishing a laughable little piece of fan-fiction called Countdown: Arena.

If you haven't figured it out already, I absolutely despise the very idea of this series, and couldn't in good conscience recommend it to anybody.

Man, this is utter garbage - the type that makes you want to throw up on your comic book collection. Gail Simone, you've got your work cut out for you on this title.

For all the lessons that 52 taught us about how to do a weekly series and tell a 52-part serial the right way, it seems like Countdown has done the opposite – underlining those very lessons by showing us what happens when you go about things the wrong way. I can only hope that DC, Kurt Busiek and any other bold and/or foolish creator that tries to take on such a task will learn from this Great Disaster of a series.

What else is there to say about this lousy book? Puckett and Johnson have spent three whole issues doing absolutely nothing at all, except maybe stringing together an unrelated series of unintelligible events. Quick, someone call Gail Simone! Another female superhero book is in need of saving!

Three more weeks, then we can put this whole mess behind us. Unless of course, my nightmare comes true...

If it weren't my job to review these books, I surely would stop purchasing these stupid Search for Ray Palmer one-shots. They're self indulgent, pointless excuses to bleed Countdown's already paper-thin storyline completely dry. The ones that work, like the Crime Syndicate and Red Rain issues, work in spite of their ties to the Search for Ray Palmer, not because of them. There's no other way to say it, really: this whole concept not only highly flawed, but stupid.

If you think I just gave way too detailed of a plot synopsis, allow me to defend myself by saying I have no idea if I'm interpreting the events in these 22-pages correctly. I could be entirely wrong in my estimation of what happened in this book. Puckett's script and Johnson's panel layouts are really that confusing. Truth is, I have absolutely no idea what happened in this book, which is, you know, a bit of a problem. If some kind soul wants to start a thread on our message boards where we can all guess what took place here, be my guest, because I think we'll all need all the help we can get figuring this one out.

At it's best, this series offers a "Freud for Dummies" look at superheroes that takes the postmodern deconstruction approach to super-powered entities and beats it to a bloody pulp; at it's worst, well, I don't know how you can get worse than that, but this series somehow does. Artist Max Fiumara and Travel Foreman provide moody and harrowing images that might fit well with a better class of writing, but coupled with Milligan's wet blanket of a script, they only succeed in dragging our mood down even further. I'm going to make a not-so-bold prediction and guess that Infinity Inc. won't make it past the twenty-issue mark. If we're lucky, it won't even come close.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take some aspirin. These twenty-two pages gave me a migraine.

But maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe some people out there agree with DC that $2.99 is an acceptable price to pay to see Batgirl and Nightwing fight, the Riddler chew some scenery, and a shadowy figure whip and dress himself. You know what I say to you people? You're nuts.

Only six more weeks….only six more weeks…only six more weeks…only six more weeks…

There once was a time, somewhere around that GA/BC Wedding Special, where I was actually excited about this series. Those days are long gone. Right now, this series represents everything I can't stand about Winick's writing gimmicky plots, vomit-inducing melodrama, piss-poor characterization and overall lazy storytelling. Wake me up when someone else is writing this book.

The art is equally as troubling as Nelson's writing. Artist Alex Sanchez's rough and sketchy art isn't rough and sketchy in a provocative, stylistic way. It's sloppy, ugly to look at and seems rather rushed. This is not a good comic, and I can only hope the proceeding one-shots offer far more in terms of quality and intelligence than we find here.

I hate to use what by now has become an overused cliche amongst comic book reviewers, but I want my money back, DC. Seriously.

Which brings me to the art of Walter Flanagan. Though I've certainly drilled this point home in my previous reviews of this series, it's worth reiterating just how amateurish Flanagan's work is. Whether he's failing to make sense of an action sequence, butchering the proportions of his character or just failing miserably at drawing a competent Batman, the quality of Flanagan's art never once matches that of a professional. At the very least, I guess it's good to know that if I had a friend who happened to be a famous film director, I too could probably draw a Batman comic.

Once again, DC has proven that they are not above the worst type of cliched, gimmicky and hackney attempts at sucking the blood out of past concepts and series. I can only hope this upcoming Titans East ongoing goes away as quickly as some of the other attempts at revitalizing a form of the original Wolfman/Perez team.

There are only five issues of Countdown to Final Crisis left, and the end still can't come soon enough.

Here's another related question: Is anyone interested in reading a book where a bunch of poorly written supporting characters do little but stand around and argue amongst themselves while fretting about the disappearance of Batman? Doesn't sound like the most enticing pitch, does it?

The plot to Titans #25 is too stupid to try to describe in any detail, or with any serious effort. Suffice to say it involves a shape-shifter, a lot of needless and at times inexplicable gore, and plot twists that don't make a lick of sense. This series has been downright unreadable since it debuted over two years ago. But at least it wasn't offensive in its awfulness. Now, like far too many DC books these days, it is.

The real question is whether this 80-page book is worth its $5.99 cover price. It's not. Not with its lackluster and uninspired scripts, and certainly not with its mostly sub par artwork. There are more cruel tricks here than treats, which means we'll have to wait for next Halloween for a Holiday anthology worth reading. (Because god knows we're not going to get one for Christmas.)

Wow. What a horrible comic. I won't be able to forget about it soon enough.

If only it weren't too late to reconsider making Gotham Underground a six-issue miniseries...

It's my job to read certain comics, but I can't see why any Checkmate fan would stick with this book through Jones' run. Get out while you can. He may bring the Chtulu monster from his Nightwing run back into the mix, and nobody wants to relive that horror.

Judging from the issue's back-up text piece, Robinson has a strong passion for Prometheus, and really wants to bring him back to A-list status. Sadly, his efforts might be doing more harm than good. Prometheus' mere presence in this mess of a comic almost undoes all the damage control Sterling Gates did in the recent Faces of Evil one-shot. It's that bad.

If DC really felt like the origin of Metamorpho needed to be retold and updated for a modern audience, they should have made sure the writer they hired intended to either 1) say something new or at least relevant about the character, or 2) craft a mildly compelling take on the previous origin. Dan Jurgens has done neither. Sadly, there just isn't a reason for this mini-series to exist at all.

DCU: Decisions isn't just a bad comic, it's an aggravating comic. And those are the worst kind.

I'm not sure whether to call this issue a horribly executed one-and-done fill-in issue by Champagne and artist Koe Turnbull or a sign of what's to come for the Scarlet Speedster. I can only hope that future writer Tom Peyer can figure out a way to bring the Flash back to basics and away from this ill-conceived family-oriented direction. If that's not possible, I can only hope that Peyer won't hesitate to send the twins back to the future from which they came.

When Gotham Underground was first announced, I rolled my eyes at the thought of another useless continuity-heavy mini-series that would only further muddle the greater story currently going on in the DCU. When the first few issues hit, I was pleasantly surprised at the goofy, whirlwind of action and character pieces. Now, after four issues, I'm back to square one, wondering why this series even exists in the first place.

With Countdown finally over and done with, Gotham Underground remains the lone remnant of that awful year in DC Comics, when boatloads of characters were thrown together into a random miniseries for no apparent reason than to prove the DCU is a joint universe. And just like most of its brethren, Gotham Underground proves the opposite. It also makes us wonder what goes through the minds of DC's editors when they approve a mini-series like this.

Where to start? Adams' dialogue is abysmal, his storytelling awkward and unclear, many of his decisions completely inexplicable. Why is Dick Grayson dressed in Tim Drake's uniform? Where the hell did Man-Bat come from, and what the hell does he have to do with any of this? For that matter, what do any of the seemingly unconnected things that happen in this book have to do with the others? This comic is awful. It's as if Neil Adams forgot everything he knew about the craft of comics during his time away from the form. I can't remember being this disappointed by a comic. It might look pretty in places, but it reads like the work of an amateur.

Let's hope Morrison gets this weirdness out of his system with these two issues, and that it won't spill over into Final Crisis proper. I don't think I'd be able to handle it.

Considering how utterly worthless this series has been ever since Chuck Dixon was pulled of the title and this RIP tie-in began, I wasn't at all surprised to learn that a Batman and the Outsiders one-shot is in the works, with an entirely new direction to follow. If there was ever a series more in need of some direction, it's this one. You know, it's tough not to wonder what was so horrible about Tony Bedard's proposal for this series to justify giving it to Chuck Dixon. We saw how that worked out in the end…

With DC's Trinity just around the corner and Batman and Superman teaming up in a countless number of books already, it's tough enough to come up with a reason for Superman/Batman to exist. When the series is as bad as this latest arc, it becomes damn near impossible. I think it might be time to put this title out of its misery.

Other than an enjoyable sequence following the love-struck Nemesis as he trains new Department of Metahuman Affairs agents, there's just not much to like about this issue. Simone's debut arc was enjoyable largely because of the way she enriched the Wonder Woman mythology by putting Diana through a very character-driven struggle. Once the writer moved her main character away from her supporting cast and Paradise Island and into space, of all places, I suspected that any opportunity for a repeat would go out the window. And I was right. The end product is a contrived sci-fi morality play starring Diana, a Green Lantern and a generic evil alien race. As far as I'm concerned, Wonder Woman's return to Earth can't come soon enough.

I sincerely hope no new GL Corps readers drop the title due to DC's miscalculation. Tomasi and Gleason's run deserves better.

If the latest issue of the Spirit gets one thing right, it's the art of Paul Smith, which is at least expressively cartoonish and, at times, in and of itself somewhat humorous, even if it doesn't exactly push the comic book form to its limits. Smith is an extremely talented cartoonist, but I think his skills might be put to better use on one of DC's many child-oriented series, or at least a title with some purpose other than to capitalize on Will Eisner's famous creation.

Luckily, the comic also consists of one of DC's second features, in this case a back-up starring First Wave's Justice Inc., written by novelist Jason Starr with art by Simon Dark's Scott Hampton. This back-up succeeds in nearly every area the lead feature fails. The Justice Inc's main player, The Avenger, is introduced beautifully by a revelatory opening scene as well as Starr's hardboiled narration. A few of the supporting players also get brief but succinct introductions. More importantly, Starr and Hampton give us a clear, easily recognizable story to sink our teeth into, as the Avenger sets out to solve the kidnapping of one of his troubled team members. There's nothing mind-blowingly original here, and I'd be hard-pressed to say this back-up provided enough to convince it's worth a second visit. But I'll be damned if it's not infinitely more professional and competent than the amateurish lead feature. Thanks to that little stinker, I'll leave all subsequent issues of this new ongo

I know there's a saying that the English are an inherently depressed people, but come on, Peter Milligan - this is ridiculous.

We've seen quite a few fantastic mini-series spin-out of 52 thanks in no small part to the plethora of interesting material that Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, Geoff Johns and Greg Rucka laid out in that weekly series. Sadly, once they chomped down on Osiris and caused Black Adam to go into a murderous rage, the Four Horsemen ceased being one of 52's interesting threads, which makes you wonder why the hell Giffen decided to tackle this particular story in the first place.

Now to the whole Countdown to Adventure vs. Countdown to Mystery comparison. The first includes a decent, mildly entertaining main serial that picks up on a previous series/story and fails to meet expectations. The second include a wonderfully original and refreshingly mature take on one of DC's oldest magical characters. The first includes a horrible backup that tries to flesh out the back-story of one of Countdown's thinnest and dumbest characters. The second includes a mediocre serial that focuses on Eclipso's role in Countdown, but also takes time to hit on cool characters like the Spectre, the Creeper, and Plastic Man. They're both $3.99. You decide which ones worth it.

I think I speak for a lot of JLA fans when I say it's not too soon to start looking forward to the next creative team to come along and revamp this floundering book.

In the end, Rise and Fall isn't as offensive as its parent miniseries, but it is almost as bad. When he's done trying to clean up Robinson's mess, Krul sends Ollie off to hunt more baddies with the JLA on his trail, and we're told to follow along in Green Arrow's ongoing. Sorry, JT, but I'll pass.

The issue is drawn in the same painterly style seen in Cry for Justice, although here the art of Fabrizio Fiorentino and Mike Mayhew is far more uniform than the hodgepodge of different styles found in that unfortunate James Robinson mini-series. That's Titans #24 in a nutshell for you – the issue is bad; just not nearly as bad as the recent issues to which it is so similar. But does that really make it anywhere near respectable? Of course not.

Listen, I'm all for an incoming writer taking a title in a new direction. More times than not, that's far preferable to the new writer merely attempting to ape the previous scribe's style. But with a book like Checkmate, which is so defined by its unique tone and storytelling style, such a glaring change in direction robs the title of its identity. That, and I'm fairly tired of Bruce Jones using whatever title he's given to tell horror stories.

In the interest of giving credit where credit is due, I do feel the need to applaud editor Mike Carlin for at the very least getting Countdown's artwork on the right track. With the exception of one recent issue from the increasingly hard-to-look-at Carlos Magno, Carlin has found some genuine talents to fill the pages of his weekly series, and Jesus Saiz continues the trend of professional looking pencil work. And that's kind of nice.

I sincerely hope Mr. Dini is finished trying to expand on his floundering weekly series, because we already suffer through enough superfluous Countdown-tie-ins as is, and his Detective Comics one-shots used to provide a much needed break from the monotony of following DC's current megaevent.

Power Girl #1 could have been a fun, energetic comic about a gorgeous superhero trying to stop an evil gorilla from destroying Manhattan. If only the issue's writers were wise enough to get out of the damn way…

When push comes to shove, Busiek's recent Superman work seriously pales in comparison to what's being done by Grant Morrison in All-Star Superman (most things do) and Geoff Johns in Action Comics, which is far more interesting even when it fails to deliver on its lofty goals. Hey Kurt - - wake me up when you have something new to say about Superman (you did that to moderate success in "Camelot Falls"), or at the very least, an entertaining situation to put him in.

If you're reading this review before you make your weekly comic book purchases, then consider yourself warned. Battle for the Cowl: Man-Bat is a complete waste of time and money.

That's the plot in a nutshell. To say this comic lacks substance and consequence would be giving it too much credit. There have been quite a few excellent Blackest Night tie-ins since the event began. This is not one of them. I have a hard time believing even the most adamant supporters of all things Blackest Night will find much to enjoy in these pages. Although I have to say, the idea of a Black Lantern Robinson deliberately ruining the writer's reputation is quite amusing.

As if following in the footsteps of the King of Comics himself wasn't a big enough task, Starlin also had to deal with the perpetual interference of Countdown. Anyone who read last week's issue of Countdown should already know not to expect a satisfying conclusion in the pages of this book. If the creators of DC's weekly, yearlong disaster were trying once and for all to prove that they had little idea what they were doing with Countdown, then the fact that the finale of that book came from the pages of this series definitely got their message across. Poor Jim Starlin. First, Tony Bedard revealed the identity of the New Gods' murderer as the Infinity Man in the pages of an otherwise unrelated Birds of Prey issue, and then Starlin himself isn't even allowed to handle his own story's conclusion. Instead, he's left grasping at straws in order to provide a satisfying conclusion, and I think it's safe to say that an extended Darkseid monologue isn't exactly satisfying.

Final Crisis: Secret Files isn't just bad; If you're a fan of Morrison's main story, you'll find yourself wishing this book never saw the light of day. What a shame, and for $3.99, what a rip-off...

Seeing as how this series shares such a strong tie to Dini's far superior Batman: Streets of Gotham, it's even more baffling to think about its myriad failures as a comic. It's becoming clearer by the issue that the planning process behind Gotham City Sirens started and ended with "let's put these three hot super-babes in the same book!" If that's the type of thing that interests you, by all means go ahead and give it a shot. If you prefer more substance in your Batman comics, stick to the franchise's other titles.

Haunted Tank is a bad comic. It's a clumsy and poorly crafted comic. It's also a loud and very annoying comic. For those reasons, I can't recommend it to anyone, regardless of how wonderfully weird the central concept might be.

To wrap things up, I'll leave you with one last damning statement about Cry for Justice #2 – I enjoyed Robinson's prose piece about Ray Palmer and Len Wein and Mark Bagley's two page origin far more than I did the actual comic. Take from that what you will, but I should point out that I mean it more as a jab against the main feature than praise for the added content of this $3.99 book. Save your money.

Will I be picking up Wolfman's Vigilante series in December? Probably. Will I still have this rotten taste in my mouth? Only time will tell.

I really don't know what to say about this issue other than I was a bit baffled by this new direction. JMS did a phenomenal job of riffing on the DC archetypes while also making them unique additions to the Marvel family, even if they occupied a completely separate universe. By first infecting (and yes, I realize that's a harsh word) the SS universe with Ultimate Marvel characters and then abandoning the clear DC archetypes, it looks like this book may have lost its identity and purpose. And I'd have a far easier time giving Chaykin the benefit of the doubt if his twists on Marvel archetypes were at all interesting. And they're not.

Busiek's script isn't the only stale aspect of this issue. Artist Peter Vale provides some clean and crisp pencil work, but his style could easily have fit in any of the previous three decades, really. In comparison to the other talented and unique artists that have handled Superman recently, Vale's take hardly manages to shine.

I'm quickly growing tired of this series and its constant lineup of unseasoned comic book writers. I understand that it still sells moderately well for DC, but that's all the more reason to stick an A-list comic book writer on the book, as opposed to someone who writes a television show that's kind of like a comic book. And can we lose the dueling voiceover captions, already?

Ah, I remember the good ol' days of Countdown, when each week brought an endless variety of criticisms one could fire at an issue.

With Keith Giffen locked into an exclusive contract at DC, I can only hope the company will assign him projects slightly more substantial than a throwaway "Big Three" story that only waters down a previous plot thread.

After nine-issues of grasping at straws and trampling over every corner of Batman's world, it's worth pointing out that Tieri at least stumbled upon a character that he writes well: the Penguin. Tieri does a nice job capturing what sets Oswald Cobblepot apart from the rest of Batman's less cultured rogues, and there's one particularly poignant scene that sees him settle down alongside the only other civilized Bat-villain in Gotham, the Riddler, for what could be his last glass of fine vino. Jim Calafiore also deserves some kudos for his overall stellar work on this miniseries, even if I suspect that his style would be much more at home in a more traditional superhero book than the noir atmosphere of a Bat-book.

In other words, it's the same as it ever was for this languishing title, and by the looks of it, that won't change anytime soon. One of these days there'll be a reason to pick up the latest issue of the Outsiders. That day just isn't today.

After a solid debut issue, Trinity has stumbled considerably. Let's hope they get it together fast, otherwise it could be another long year of weekly comics.

Pat Olliffe's artwork is another problem area, as it's almost completely unremarkable and at times quite muddied and somewhat rushed. His super-skinny depiction of Wonder Woman will make you wonder when Diana gave up eating, and there are a few panels where it's tough to tell the exact nature of the threat that's supposed to have us and the Big Three shaking in fear. Of all the 52 spin-offs, this series might be the least necessary.

When you compound all of Miller's missteps with the fact that Stephanie's backstory - specifically her recent "death" and "resurrection" - is about as sloppy a plot development as you'll find, Batgirl becomes even more awkward and intolerable. The whole mess is enough to make you wonder why DC even bothered re-imagining the property in the first place. I suppose it could have been worse - they could have decided to take Barbara out of the chair.

In my review of last week's Amazing Spider-Man #600, I mentioned how the book included so much material and entertainment value for five bucks, it all but defied and rose above any attempt at criticism. Tales of the Corps #3 is the opposite type of book: it delivers so little, it's hard to talk about anything other than its cover price. Other than the chance to see Ivan Reis' un-inked pencils, the book barely offers anything, and nothing that it promises.

In the end, the worst thing I can say about this comic is that it reads like a publisher's attempt to create a story where there is none. Which is exactly what it is.

Hmmm…so much for the fair shake thing, huh? What can I say? Countdown finally boasts competent artwork (Ron Lim steps up to bat in this issue) and a storyline that is finally going somewhere. That should come as good news to anyone who has stuck with the book this long, but for me, it's still too little too late. Only 16 more weeks to go…

Because there's so little context and depth to the tale, the plot feels like a random confluence of events rather than an actual story. The art, by Tom Derenick and Drew Geraci, is just as haphazard and uneven as the writing, making for a comic that includes plenty of costumed heroes, inane action, earthquakes and vague ideas, but little in the way of meaning or entertainment. It certainly didn't leave me with any desire to pick up another issue, or any book starring The 99, for that matter.

In the end, this third one-shot in the Joker's Asylum mini is largely forgettable, and will likely dissapear into the vast pool of bargain Batman one-shots found in any convention long box.

Keeping with the overall mediocrity of the issue, Ryan Benjamin lends his hand at art and supplies his typical brand of rough, sketchy work. It's all immensely under-whelming and unnecessary, and makes you wish DC's editors had left Morrison's story alone and allowed the ancillary Bat titles to tell their own stories until it was over.

How does one score a book like Punisher MAX #3? Both the prude in me and the connoisseur of comic book storytelling in me want to give it a zero. The deranged adolescent in me wants to give it a ten, if only to reward Aaron and Dillon for both having some serious stones. I think I'll just split the difference.

Even with its unreliable narrator, Shuddertown might have kept my attention and had me back for seconds had it not derailed so spectacularly. As it was, the book only needed to give me one good excuse not to stick around and wait for the other shoe to drop. It gave me several.

I really have no idea what to make of The Mighty, because this first issue made no impression on me whatsoever. Tomasi and Champagne's series might very well turn into something special, it just shows no signs of doing so from this debut. If you're in the market for another vanilla, generic and lukewarm take on the superhero, though, by all means give it a try.

Look, I'm not one who needs to be able to sense exactly where a story is going in order to enjoy it. On the contrary. That said, the fact that I have absolutely no idea where any of this is headed is a testament to how poorly writers Peter Tomasi and Keith Champagne have defined the central premise of their story. We're two issues into this series, and I still have no real idea what it is about. That's the most damning thing I can say about The Mighty, other than it's utterly forgettable in every way.

By now, you either enjoy the series as some sort of carefree (and brain-free) romp through the crossovers of your childhood, or you're like me, and find it too sloppy to enjoy or consider.

Compounding my suspicion that this entire issue was more or less an exercise in eating pages while McDuffie prepares his next story arc is the presence of a cheesy seven-page Alan Burnett-penned back-up story that belongs in one of DC's hokey Infinite Holiday Specials, not their most celebrated team book. I'm pretty sure I've read this type of Christmas story a hundred times before, with a costumed hero (in this case, Red Arrow) volunteering at a soup kitchen only to find that one of his former enemies is out of prison, on the streets and down on his luck. I don't want to sound like a Scrooge or anything, but I need to read more of these Christmas themed short stories like I need a pile of Reindeer dung in my stocking.

"Black Adam & Isis" is a bad Marvel Family story shoehorned into a Justice Society vehicle, and Justice Society of America #23 through #25 are bad comics. What's more troubling is that Ordway isn't done with the book quite yet. As far as this JSA fan is concerned, Matt Sturges and Bill Willingham can't get here soon enough.

Trinity still has a long, long way to go before anyone can call it a success or failure, but right now, it hasn't convinced me to stick around for a year and over $150.

The issue's one saving grace is that it ends on a genuinely enticing cliffhanger that promises exactly the sort of story that should be told with Dick Grayson behind the cowl. With Winick departing the book in favor of Tony Daniel, I don't know whether I should be thrilled that he wont be around to follow up on this twist, or worried that Daniel might abandon it for more Battle for the Cowl-related plot threads.

Daniel's Score: 5.0

As under-whelming as I found this issue, I'm still looking forward to Sergio Argones and Mark Evanier's take on the Spirit. Like Cooke, I know they at least will have the right mind to bring something new to the table while remaining honest and loyal to the original's vision.

I can only urge Aragones and Evanier to start thinking outside the box, or urge to DC to find some other creators who will. Otherwise, this title won't be around much longer.

To wrap things up, allow me to paraphrase the old policeman standby and say, "Just move along, folks. Nothing new to see here."

In short, if you want to sink your teeth into a great Injustice League/Legion of Doom story, pop in the final season of Justice League Unlimited, because McDuffie's comic book version isn't nearly as entertaining.

Judging by the obvious, redundant and uninspired way Marvel's most recent Noir miniseries have played out, I half expect them to roll out miniseries with names like Thor: Sword and Sorcery, Nick Fury: Spy Thriller, and Iron Fist: Kung Fu.

My main problem with Amazing Spider-Man #638 isn't as simple as the original Paul Ryan drawn pages sitting uncomfortably next to the Rivera-drawn pages, even though they do despite Rivera's best efforts to channel a classic look; my main problem is that the new sequences seen here don't add much of anything to the table, focusing on the aforementioned nameless henchmen breaking out of a police car (with some help from Mephisto), setting about on a half-realized scheme to kill a cop, and then ultimately preventing Spidey from reaching the ceremony. If Quesada truly intended and tried to make this story fit organically into the original, and it's fairly clear he did, then I fear he accomplished the opposite. This comic feels very much like a team of editors and creators rolling up their sleeves to try and jerry-rig past continuity to fit their needs. Which is probably the biggest criticism I can think to assign it.

And although Waid's script hardly makes for captivating theatre, it does allow Azaceta to spent most of his time drawing Spidey in action, which is something he does with a visionary flare reminiscent of Steve Ditko. Thanks to Azaceta, the action sequences pop off the page with a sense of kinetic energy even if it's hard to care about what we're witnessing. It certainly doesn't help that Waid has Spider-Man needlessly provide play-by-play commentary of his every action, even going so far as to explain his motivation when it's more than obvious already. This is a rather poorly written comic that's only partially redeemed by stellar art.

Like I said, I just can't get over it.

By the time the issue got back to the plot involving re-animated corpses, it had already lost me. I remain unconvinced there's anything worthwhile to this character, and I remain curious why DC thought differently. I don't think I'll stick around to find out.

Seriously, the more I see Batman's ancillary titles hint at the post-RIP world of Batman, the more I fear what's in store once Morrison's story wraps. With crap like Gotham Underground and Countdown seeping their way into the Bat-books, it doesn't look very promising.

The art, by Joe Bennet, is the issue's only real strength. Bennet does some fine work with the flashbacks to the Titans' past adventures, and he does his best to give the dialogue-driven scenes emotion even as Henderson's script fails to. None of this changes the fact that this series remains one of the worst DC has to offer.

Thor: First Thunder #1 is far from the bold, visionary re-imagining of Thor's origin I expected with the movie on the way. Batman: Year One, this isn't. It's more like Marvel felt it was time for someone to faithfully retell Thor's first appearance for modern audiences rather than tweak it the way so many creators have other superhero origins in the recent past. Which, as it turns out, isn't as worthwhile a venture as you might think.

Now onto my complaints about Busiek's regular storytelling conventions. I've often used my Trinity reviews to voice my dislike for his overuse of generic, cookie cutter villains, and that trapping is once again on full display in this issue. Busiek gives us a dopey, paper-thin rogue named the Swashbuckler as this issue's main antagonist, and I found myself shrugging indifferently every time this guy popped up to bombastically announce his name and steal artifacts of varying usefulness. A story is only as good as its antagonists, and baddies like Morgan Le Fey, Enigma and Swashbuckler just don't cut it as far as I'm concerned.

[On a completely unrelated note, let me just say that I want these Navy recruitment postcards out of my DC comics, and I want them out now. Not only do they damage a lot of the comics when they're shipped, but they make flipping through an issue unnecessarily awkward. Enough.]

Seeing as how this is the first issue of six, and (I assume) answers will be forthcoming down the line, I can't dismiss the possibility that Escape might turn into something worthwhile. That being said, I can say that as an individual issue Escape #1 fails miserably. I suspect many readers will forget what they just read moments after putting down the book, and that's never a good thing for a debut issue.

I sincerely hope that those who slog through the murky waters of Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape in periodical form will be rewarded in the end for their patience. As a reviewer, I can't in good conscience recommend doing so. Instead, wait to see if the reviews and word of mouth turn around by the project's completion, and then go buy the trade.

And then there's this arc's goofy, B-movie villains, sea creatures that remain exceedingly ridiculous despite being fleshed out in this issue's backup feature, the third short installment of Waid and John Rogers' tale of the many Flashs' encounters with an alien planet over the years. I admire Waid and Rogers' risky decision to build up and develop an antagonist in such an unusual manner -after the fact, in a seemingly unrelated series of backups - but giving these villainous creatures depth before hand would have made previous installments far more interesting.

Again, my main problems with this issue all seem to stem from the fact that this mini hardly seems necessary, and even if it were a simple retelling of a B-list character's origin (which are always necessary in the ever-changing comics market), it's not a good one at that. Cliff Richards provides some crisp and provocative artwork, and his work in Helena's origin scene powerfully mirrors the iconic shot of a young Bruce Wayne standing over his fallen parents. Still, even his work isn't enough to compensate for Madison, who appears to be learning on the job. This is clumsy comic book storytelling with cheesy dialogue and expository-filled voice-over captions, and even the best artist couldn't overcome that.

But it all brings me back to my initial reaction to the announcement of this project. I don't think there was enough meat on either this premise or this character's bones to support seven issues, and the way Kolins is telling this story isn't convincing me otherwise. Unless you're a diehard fan of his art or the sort of completist that needs to pick up every single project that has even the flimsiest connection to Blackest Night (and this one remains pretty damn flimsy), I can't imagine recommending this book to anyone.

On the plus side, at least DC didn't try to slap an "Annual" tag on this issue and act like they were doing fans a favor.

We're only two issues into this long ride, so it's entirely too early to make any sweeping assessments as to whether this series will work or not. That said, after a wholly enjoyable first issue, the second installment seems to carry this series into familiar territory that I'm not all too fond of. Take that as you will. For now, I'm willing to try and keep an open mind and approach issue three with the same pleasant feeling the debut issue gave me.

This is all not to say that fans of the New Gods and Jack Kirby's creation won't find this issue important. They will, and in some ways, I did. It's just that I'm tired of ignoring the 800-pound gorilla that's been sitting on this project from day one: Jack Kirby's Fourth World deserved to be closed in proper fashion by a writer of Starlin's caliber without the impedance or obstruction of DC's latest silly crossover.

Like I said, I haven't been reading Maberry's Black Panther work, and his writing in DoomWar #1 has me glad I haven't. Whenever a writer can make an idea as promising as a war between Wakandan revolutionaries, Dr. Doom, the X-Men and the Black Panthers boring, it's probably best to avoid his work.

What the heck has happened to what was once DC's flagship title? Say what you want about Brad Meltzer's convoluted whodunnits and his propensity for needless multi-perspective narration, but his run on this series' first dozen issues at least had a direction and consistent tone. That hasn't been the case since, and I blame the apparent editorial handcuffs that have been placed on the book and its writers. With a Final Crisis tie-in arc on the horizon, it doesn't look like McDuffie will be free to tell his own brand of story for some time. Instead of giving James Robinson another Justice League title to tell original, distinct stories, maybe the higher-ups at DC should have just allowed someone to do so with the JLA title that currently exists. Or does that make too much sense?

And no, I'm not going to go into detail about how another Origins and Omens feature derailed the flow of an issue without accomplishing anything worthwhile.

The art, by Identity Crisis artist Rags Morales, sits alongside the crisp, competent art style of recent Bat-pencilers like Don Kramer, and Morales does a strong job fleshing out Tomasi's New York. I just wish the writer would give his artist some legitimately dynamic scenes to draw already. Tomasi's an exceptional writer and storyteller, he just needs to get around to telling his story.

When you slap a big name like J. Michael Straczynski on a project, readers expect something special. These Red Circles issues have been far from special; for the most part, they've been dull, silly and unoriginal. I hope his next outing for the company will be more in line with what we all expect from such a talent.

Ah, but I'm digressing into conjecture and irrelevant complaints. What I mean to point out is that Conner's artwork is the only redeeming quality of this whole issue. As always, Conner's cartooning is stuffed with personality, spirit and contagious energy. Still, even she can't overcome the uninspired mediocrity of this material. Watching Conner try and spin gold out of this crummy yarn was a little sad, in the same way I imagine watching Ethan Van Sciver or Ivan Reis draw some inconsequential and bland Jericho miniseries would be a little sad. The sooner this miniseries is over, and Conner has moved on to better material, the better for all of us.

Batman #690 isn't an awful comic, but it's not a good one, either. Forced writing, middle-of-the-road art and a paper-thin story all combine with an ending that's more absurd than exciting to make this issue feel even less substantial than it is. Bring on Tony Daniel.

If the best thing I can say about Dead Romeo #1 is that I didn't want to throw it away immediately after reading it, the second best thing I can say about the comic is that I enjoyed pinpointing everything it does poorly. I suppose that's worth something.

Freddie E Williams II does another admirable job trying to keep things lively with his cartoony art, but again, even his energetic visuals aren't enough to get this issue off the ground. There's just no getting around the reality that there's not enough meat on either this character or this story's bones to make me care, nor is their enough style to compensate for its lack of substance. This is a miniseries that probably would have been better off left at the conceptualizing stage. Suffice it say that after only three issues, it's already run out of steam.

If there's one real reason to pick up this issue, it's for a fantastic six-page backup written by Waid and John Rogers, with beautiful painted artwork by Dough Braithwaite. The story stars a Golden Age-era Jay Garrick as he attempts to save a peaceful alien race from extinction, and it's an absolute delight from start to finish. Waid and Rogers' characterization of the original Flash is spot on, and Braithwaite's painted work might alone make these entire 22-pages worth the cover price. Judging from the fact that this short is titled " The Fast Life: Part 1 of 4," it looks like Waid, Rogers and hopefully Braithwaite will be back for similar stories. For that alone, I'll be looking forward to future issues. Let's just hope Waid's new "West Family" direction will hit its stride sometime soon.

So what gives? Why's "Tall, Gray and Mopey" involved in this storyline to begin with? Besides the obvious answer that it would help sell more issues, I honestly couldn't tell you. I just hope he goes away sometime soon, so this book can get back to the type of legacy-driven storylines that made it one of my favorite titles on the stands.

It's impossible not to feel like the quality of this new JSA title took a big hit when it crossed over with JLA so early in its existence, and I now feel like this Kingdom Come crossover is further harming the series' ability to tell compelling stories.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't point out that this series commits one of my personal pet peeves and an egregious act too common in today's comic industry – the miniseries concluded it's "self-contained" story with, you guessed it, a cliffhanger.

In ranting about my distaste for this event's design, I haven't left much time to point out this issue's bright spots. Unlike previous installments of "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul", this issue contains (for the most part) excellent artwork from Don Kramer, who handles the emotionally flaccid fight between Dick and Tim to the best of his abilities and at least provides the dumb scene with some exciting visuals. On a similar note, although he fails to competently write Tim Drake's character, Fabian Nicieza does display a sharp command of Dick Grayson's voice and trademark wit. Overall though, this issue is as uneven and as frustrating as the sum of this event's parts, and "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" is quickly crumbling into a disappointment.

Outsiders #28 isn't necessarily a bad comic, but it's not a good one. If DiDio can turn this boring, contrived initial conflict into a launching pad for greater stories, this debut arc might just turn out to be a necessary evil and means to an end. For now, it's just a mediocre superhero comic.

Red Robin is far worse than style over substance; it's style without reason. At its heart, this story is simple and compelling enough: Tim Drake searches for his mentor/adopted father. For some reason, though, DC and Yost decided to complicate that simple hook with a lot of stylistic fluff, poor storytelling and random choices. Between the costume change, the flashbacks, Tim's odd decision to shut out Dick and Alfred, and his ineffective globetrotting, it's tough to care much about Tim's plight. Not even the presence of Ra's Al Ghul or Ramon Bachs' crisp artwork and solid chops can change that much.

All in all, I'd call "The Third Kryptonian" a rather under whelming arc from start to finish. Up next? Why it's none other than part 74 of Camelot Falls! (Seriously)

As always, George Perez's masterful artwork is extremely detailed and dynamic, but that isn't enough to compensate for Waid's unremarkable plot, which sees D-list villain Dr. Alchemy attempt and hypnotize/possess Power Girl into killing Superman. There's also a brief thread surrounding the Book of Destiny that ties this arc with the previous storyline, but again, that isn't enough to make me excited for next issue.

As much as I was looking forward to this creative team's first outing, it's impossible to call this issue anything other than a disappointment. Besides a few brief flashes of brilliance from Ploog, this issue is just more of the Eisner-lite we saw in last issue's various shorts. If this modern Spirit series can't provide anything other than an opportunity for creators to pay homage to Will Eisner, than it's doomed to go the way of the Do-Do Bird.

On the positive side of things, Pfeifer does seemingly wrap up this story at the end of this issue, meaning he'll likely spend his and David Lopez' final two issues tying a neat little bow on their extended run. This series was far too enjoyable to go out with a whimper, and I hope this creative team returns to form for their last hoorah. Selina, this book and their run all deserve a strong ending.

It's also unfortunate that Magno just happened to return for an issue written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, by far the worst and most awkward (there's that word again!) of Countdown's dialogue writers. I would normally not complain too much when a group of characters stand around worrying aloud amongst themselves when they should be, you know, doing something, but when these two scribes handle such a scene, it's impossible not to eventually cringe.

Whatever happened to the high stakes, anything-can-happen feel of Willingham's stellar series? Hopefully, "The Good Prince" will prove more of an aberration than a sign of things to come. I'd hate to think that the citizens of Fabletown all of a sudden have it easy.

Iron Man Legacy #1 isn't a bad comic, but it is an entirely mediocre one. The issue lacks any of the originality or vision you'd expect form a new ongoing starring one of Marvel's flagship characters. I can only hope any reader compelled to pick up an Iron Man comic due to the upcoming release of Iron Man 2 will find his or her way to Fraction's Invincible Iron Man long before they pick up this one. Otherwise they might find themselves wondering what all the fuss is about.

Whether intentionally or not, DC editorial took their flagship team book and ran it right off the road. It's going to take another drastic reboot or re-imagining to right this ship, and with all due respect to upcoming writer Len Wein, his silver age stylings aren't the answer. DC doesn't have to put The Big Three in the JLA to make it a successful and enjoyable series. What they have to do is allow the series' writer to actually tell a coherent story without having to accommodate every event and continuity hiccup that occurs in the DCU. I'd hate to say it, but until they do precisely that, I don't think this book will be worth reading.

With so much going on with the Legion of Super-Heroes in the current DCU, I think it's only appropriate that the team be aloud to shine in the pages of their own book. Currently, Shooter's Legion is too obsessed with character driven soap opera to get around to telling the grand, sweeping stories the Legion is known for. We've followed all your "B" subplots, Mr. Shooter. It's time to unleash your "A" game already.

Besides this handful of missteps, I will say that Tomasi first and foremost seems to have a grip on Dick's voice and the family dynamic between him, Batman and Tim. The opening sequence in particular, which shows Dick skydiving from an extreme altitude, went a long way towards reestablishing Dick's daredevil side in an inventive and entertaining way. That said, Tomasi has a few things to iron out before I can outright praise his work on this title.

One of these days, writers are going to realize that the best way to make Dick Grayson live up to his potential as a character is to put him through riveting stories. In the case of the immensely talented Tomasi, I hope that's sooner rather than later.

Artist David Baleon's pencils are uneven at best, and at most times, entirely too cartoony and light-hearted for this subject matter. With only two issues left, "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" is quickly running out of time to turn into the storyline I had hoped for - an exciting, sweeping epic that takes more than a few pages each issue to examine the complex dynamic between the intermingling Batman and Al Ghul families. I fear that the series will only continue to deliver the type of uneven storytelling we've seen thus far.

The art, by Rick Leonardi, seems rushed and a bit rough in many places, making me temporarily wish "Camelot Falls" had dragged on for just one more issue, if only so we could get one final look at Carlos Pacheco's awesome take on the Big Boy Scout.

Much of James Robinson's run on Superman has felt disjointed and extremely odd in places, with the writer dancing around a number of tangential plot lines and characters, in some cases even abandoning certain stories and players for whole arcs at a time. Superman #690 dials that awkwardness up to eleven, leaving one with the impression that Robinson hasn't exactly planned out his story all that thoroughly. It's hard to believe that the man who so masterfully told the story of Jack Knight is also responsible for this clunky mess. Maybe he's still shaking off the cobwebs from his long hiatus from writing comics?

Villains for Hire is not a good book. In many ways it's an awful book. Somehow, though, it's not as awful as you'd expect considering all the ingredients. Maybe that's a good sign for this languishing title. Who knows? At least the series can't get any worse than it already was.

Somebody wake me up when Trinity is over, or at least when it's my turn to review the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #627 is a failure not only because of its dated style and forced script, but because it also feels largely irrelevant to the ongoing Gauntlet initiative. Such brief excursions from the ongoing status quo can sometimes serve as welcome tangents. Not this time.

Hardly seems like the type of brisk, high concept, modern take on classic Marvel storytelling many have come to expect from the Astonishing line, no? Luckily, Choi's art at least comes close to livening the story up in some spots, particularly when he gets to draw big cinematic shots of Thor in flight or Ego's grand, double-page spread of an entrance. But, as I hinted at above, even Choi's art isn't really enough to save this dull, uneventful issue, nor is it enough to convince me to come back for a second installment.

Batman Beyond #2 isn't a bad comic, and for those Beyond diehards desperate for new McGinnis stories, might even prove worthwhile. Still, I'd tell you to reread the recent Superman/Batman Annual from Paul Levitz and Renato Guedes and save your money.

On a far more positive note, veteran Batman artist Denys Cowan is turning in his most experimental and provocative work on this story arc, and his jarring and jagged line-work is quite powerful on each of these atmospheric and densely packed 22 pages. Cowan's artwork is alone reason to pick up this issue, but so is the opportunity to watch a rookie comic book writer force his entire foot into his mouth.

In case you haven't realized it from this review, though, I'm still far from impressed by this project. The quality of art is rather shameful, and for someone who got over Smith's writing sensibilities long before I realized it, the story and dialogue came as a jarring wake-up call. Just as there are those who will always swear by tequila, I suspect there will be Smith lovers who enjoy this book. I clearly don't fall into either category. Now, if you'll pass me that bottle of whiskey, I'd like to wash this bad taste out of my mouth

It's not all bad. Reminding us she reached superstar status by writing these various characters, Simone does a wonderful job capturing the unique personalities of Huntress, Lady Blackhawk and Oracle. There are even a few genuinely funny moments that remind you of Simone's trademark sense of humor. The main problem with Simone's script is that the various stories never feel at home next to one another, a problem that's only heightened by the different artistic styles of pencillers Alvin Lee and Adriana Melo. The poor quality of art is once again what really sinks this issue to disappointingly low levels, and I can only assume that will remain the case until this book gets one talented artist behind the wheel.

Don't get me wrong, Black Summer has the potential to turn itself around and deliver something new and exciting. At this point, however, it appears like we're in the midst of the fiction equivalent of a freefall - a story that starts with a fantastic and original concept and proceeds to wander downhill into boring and familiar territory.

Which brings me to my final point about this duel-story anthology format. I like it. I like it a lot. In today's publishing climate, where even the best new titles stand such a slim chance of catching an audience of any kind (just look at Marvel's The Order), books like Tales of the Unexpected, Countdown to Adventure and Countdown to Mystery offer platforms for characters, ideas and stories that simply don't exist elsewhere. At the very least, we're given a chance to read hidden gems like the Dr. Thirteen serial from Unexpected or the Dr. Fate serial from Mystery, things that would otherwise have never seen print. At the very most, these serials can win an audience and inspire an ongoing series. That said, the worst thing DC can do is to continue to use one of these books' two features to crossover with their next big event. Please, please, please, don't do that to me again, DC.

Having said all that, I feel the need to nevertheless point out that Gotham City Sirens still deserves a chance. Because it's Dini at the helm and he's handling these three characters, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he'll be able to deliver some worthwhile stories down the road. As it stands now, though, this series hardly feels necessary, even for a fan of Dini's past work with these three stars. Let's hope he'll be able to come up with some worthwhile explanation for their alliance, other than they all look curvaceous when drawn by March.

One final nit-pick before I leave you: Multiple times throughout this series, Tieri has made some pretty egregious continuity mistakes. And not the type of shallow continuity mistake that's common throughout the DCU these days, where a character is off on Mars when he's supposed to be imprisoned on Paradise Island. No, Tieri makes an entirely different and more severe blunder, and ignores stories that were printed not too long ago. In the case of this issue, Tieri portrays an Amgydala that's dramatically different from the character that used to live in Dick Grayson's Bludhaven apartment complex, and instead seems ripped right out of the pages of his appearance in Knightfall. If you're going to do nostalgic rehashes of the past, at least get the history right.

This issue follows Green Arrow and Hal Jordan as they visit one another and discuss Ollie's new status quo as the lone guardian of Star City's new star-shaped forest (another of the series' ridiculously random, contrived elements), a reunion which is interrupted by an army of mercenary policemen hired by the new head of Queen Industries to protect the city. The battle goes on for too long, with far little consequence and in a very clumsy manner, until the cliffhanger jumps out and desperately tries to convince you nothing will ever be the same again. Spoiler Alert: it will be.

Don't get me wrong from a craft standpoint, this arc has been superb. McDuffie knows how to tell a comic book story, and artist Ed Benes certainly knows his way around action-packed fight scenes (even if his "boobs and bisceps" style gets a bit old after a while). I just expected more from such a talented writer than this type of standard superhero fare.

On the positive side of things, I think there are definite plusses to reading a comic that gleefully and unapologetically tells a story involving a vampire that sucks the life-force from planets, Superman and Green Lantern pulling the Earth back into orbit, and the JLA using the positive karma of Earth's citizens to overcome great odds. There's just a way to do this sort of thing without making it feel like the reader accidentally picked up a 1970's copy of Justice League as opposed to one from 2009. Wein never accomplishes that, and as a result, the issue doesn't really hold up to modern standards, even if its told with the clarity and craft of a legendary veteran. To a certain extent, fans expect different things from their superhero comics now than they did two or three decades ago, and I don't think this issue delivers many of them.

One final point to wrap things up: the more I read of I>Secret Invasion, the less I buy the idea behind the Skrull's newfound power to clone or replecate superheroes almost perfectly, and the less I understand or follow the consistencies of how these clones/replicants operate. The more I think about it, the more the logic of Bendis' story begins to crumble upon itself.

All in all, I'd call this another immensely disappointing and wholly unnecessary addition to the Secret Invasion story, one that not only added little to the narrative, but never really got around to entertaining me either. You can imagine how excited I am for part two. I'm about ready to stand up on my chair and scream at Bendis to get on with it already.

Millar has made a name for himself as the master of spectacle driven, in-your-face comics, and his past work has entertained me enough to convince me Nemesis deserves the benefit of the doubt. At times, when Millar is riffing on a few age old Joker tropes, you can almost sense the story about to spring to life. Sadly, though, it never does in this first issue. The ideas just kind of sit there while Millar and McNiven wave their hands and try to grab our attention with violence and potty language. It's kind of a bad sign when you derive more entertainment out of a comic's text afterward than you do the comic itself.

I don't imagine the series' fourth and final installment will add much depth or intrigue to this story. Unless you're a diehard fan of Millar's work, you can probably afford to skip this series altogether.

Which brings me to my final point. The most frustrating thing about this Outsiders series is that Tomasi is an extremely talented writer capable of far more than this. Anyone who reads Green Lantern Corps on a regular basis can attest to that much. Tomasis' considerable abilities are on display in some parts of his Outsiders work. The banter between the team is top notch, and each character's unique personality is easily identifiable. In Alfred, Tomasi has likewise found a strong lead character whose voice he knows quite well. The problems and shortcomings of this story all come down to Tomasi's ability to actually tell the story. In short, the more I read of the "The Deep," the more I get the feeling I'm watching a talented writer shoot for the moon and fall flat.

The plot involves a series of kidnappings in a small impoverished Mexican border town, and picks up as Frank is convinced to come to the two's aid solely because he can't bare to see innocents victimized. As of now, there's little substance to either Frank's motivation (and to be fair, there doesn't necessarily need to be) or the town's dilemma. We're merely given a violent set-up, are made to witness Frank's brooding, and then follow down an exceedingly recognizable path. It's still early in the game, and I enjoy this series and the genre too much to give up on Hurwitz this soon. But as of now, those who thought Marvel should have just ended the series after Ennis left look like they might have had a good point. The future will tell.

So there you have it – Red Robin still isn't very good. I'll be sure to stop by next month and let you know if that changes.

Even these strong moments, however, do not change the fact that we already know how this series will eventually end. Even an inevitable "Team Luthor" vs. "Team Joker" battle doesn't seem nearly as exciting as one would think once you realize that neither A-List character is likely to be affected when all is said and done. Like Countdown Arena, the premise of Salvation Run seems far better suited for a video game than it does a compelling narrative. Even with the fabulous Sean Chen on art, it looks like we might be in for a long seven issues.

So it's same as it's been for Robinson's Superman and the franchise as a whole. On a positive note, someone other than Geoff Johns has finally done something with the whole "Legionnaire sleeper agents" storyline. It's nothing major, but it is something.

Because DC has decided to use their Annuals as a format to publish stories that should've seen print long, long ago, this issue includes a superfluous back-up story that I can only assume is supposed to make us forgive DC for the editorial screw-up. In short, Kurt Busiek and Fabien Nicieza's back-up story didn't even come close to making me forget I waited several months for this issue's main story. It's a sappy, nostalgia-heavy story about the Kents, Lois Lane, Superman, Supergirl, Krypto and Christopher Kent having a picnic on a foreign planet, and that's about the extent of what occurs in this handful of pages. Save your time and close the book once you finish the Camelot Falls finale.

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go look through my old back issue collection of World's Finest, because I could have sworn that the Superman/Batman team-up used to work wonderfully as a story vehicle.

And you know what's the worse thing about this issue? Its cliffhanger ending only promises more filler and wheel spinning.

If you're absolutely desperate for a Thor fix while Marvel gets ready to release the last JMS issues, this annual might do the job. If you ask me, though, I'd recommend rereading some back issues instead.

If it's one thing this series has taught me thus far, however, it's not to count out the possibility of a good next week. I'll concede that much. I won't concede the feeling that many of this series "arcs" consist of running around in circles without ever getting very far.

The whole issue just left me scratching my head, really. Why did DC feel the need to launch this new series? Is there a demand for Punisher rip-offs amongst DC fans? Did Wolfman really feel that strongly about exploring this concept? It sure doesn't feel like it. Everything about the book, from Wolfman's writing to Rick Leonardi's art, seems like it's been teleported right out from the 1990's most forgettable comics.

On art, Aaron Lopresti continues to prove he's a good fit for Wonder Woman, and his handling of the sword-and-sorcery scenes was the one aspect of this material that I fully enjoyed. I'm not sure if he's ever drawn Conan, but he sure knows how to, and his dark, hellish landscapes perfectly drive home the tone that (I think) Simone is going for. For the most part, however, I'll be eager to see "Ends of the Earth" wrap up with next issue. I much prefer to follow Diana's story as it pertains to the normal DCU.

Although I loved seeing Eric Powell's Max Fleischer-esque Superman and his unique twisted take on DC's greatest icons, in general, I'd call this three-part arc a bit underwhelming. I hope we haven't seen the last of Powell on a mainstream superhero book, but I certainly hope we don't have to see another Bizarro story for some time.

As far as the art is concerned, Allan Goldman does an admirable and competent job filling in for Eddy Barrows, and even goes a long way towards imitating Barrows' style. His sprawling Rannian landscapes are particularly stunning, and I wouldn't mind one bit if Goldman returned next issue.

Speaking of Zatanna, in my review of last issue, I voiced my excitement at the prospect of a Zatanna/Batman romance, but I have to say, after reading this issue, I'm glad such a pairing will likely never see the light of day in any serious capacity. Though they work in the confines of a JLA story, Batman and Zatanna just don't work that well together in a grounded story. Unless the two are going up against the likes of the Joker (which made for a brilliant 2-part story by Dini last year), having Zatana around for a fight with armed gangsters feels too much like cheating. I don't want to see Zatanna utter a backwards phrase and have the goons drop their Tommy-guns, I want to see Batman forced to disarm his enemies the old fashion way. From a story perspective, I think the Bat-books are far better off with less Zatana as opposed to more, though I wouldn't mind seeing her pop up from time to time to demonstrate her and Bruce's unique chemistry.

Not surprisingly, the highlight of the issue has little to do with Gog, Magog or Kingdom Come and arrives with the type of "coming attraction" reel Johns first introduced in the debut issue of this series. The fact that the three previewed stories are far more mouthwatering than the issue's cliffhanger easily demonstrates it's well past time to move on to another story.

Most of all, this endlessly confusing miniseries is tolerable – and at times, even very enjoyable – because of Rouleau's fantastic art work. I've often said that the Metal Men constitute the one property that demand one creator to handle both the writing and artistic duties. Rouleau ingeniously captures the differentl personalities of each robot through his cartoonish style, which never lacks in emotion or dynamism. Rouleau's art absolutely sizzles on each page, and it's amazing to see just how much action, personality and detail he's able to fit (or even cram) into every page. That said, I might have to reevaluate my insistence that a writer/artist handle the Metal Men, because Rouleau's story comes dangerously close to incoherence. Fun incoherence, granted, but still incoherence.

When this issue was all said and done, I would have much preferred to watch the comic book equivalent of a four-person play featuring Snapper, Bruce, Clark and Diana than sit through been-there-done-that action scenes, explanations of Oolong Island's new sovereignty, and cliche-riddled dialogue between the four lame monsters. It's a good thing Giffen's penchant for characterization and dialogue is such a pleasure to behold, otherwise this series would be a real snooze-fest.

As far as event tie-ins go, though, I suppose you can do worse than Blackest Night: Titans #1. The book does add a little to Geoff Johns' main story, and fans of the characters might get a kick out of seeing them react to the resurrection of their dead allies. Still, for this reader, the issue was above all else an example of the current sorry state of this franchise.

Artist Eddy Barrows really shines in this work, providing energetic panel layouts and crisp character work on levels far above his outings in 52. Judging by these first two issues, I'd say the main feature in Countdown to Adventure is alone worth the cover price and the crummy back-up, but that's a personal opinion and could very well change if the story doesn't deliver past it's initial set up.

Again, my main problem with this issue is the fact that there doesn't seem to be much of a mystery or explanation behind this suit of armor, which hardly justifies why an entire issue was needed to explore its back-story.

Being that I praised Rouleau for taking such a fearless approach to this miniseries, I'm not going to kill him for throwing far too much at us. Even some examples of Grant Morrison's "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" brand of storytelling have crumbled like a house of cards at times. At the very least, these types of crazy stories are interesting to try and follow, even if you fail more times than not to comprehend anything that's going on.

All in all, I'm just not sure what to make of Batman and the Outsiders/> anymore. With Dixon on the way out and Frank Tieri's "Batman RIP" tie-in (and I presume a new writer after that) on the way in, it's hard to look at this series and get any sense of a direction or long-term planning. And that, my friends, can be the kiss of death for any serialized comic book series.

It almost seems as if Nicieza opted for this fragmented structure just because Batman RIP itself boasts a complicated narrative form. Again, I don't think attempting to follow in Grant Morrison's footsteps in any way is the wisest move. That much was made clear by Peter Tomasi and Paul Dini in their respective RIP tie-ins this week, which worked because (and not despite) their decisions to link up with Morrison's tale in only the most superficial of ways.

The shortcomings of Nicieza's storytelling are a shame, really, not just because they're painful to behold, but because this story is actually fairly entertaining (even if I have to do some rereading just to remember it). The idea of someone pushing Gotham even further towards the brink of chaos in the wake of Batman's disappearance is a compelling one, and it was good to see this return of a '90s mainstay character. I just wish Nicieza gave his readership a little credit, and didn't feel the need to drum us over the head with what's going on in each panel. Freddie Williams is a good enough artist to handle that much.

Joe Bennett does a fine job on art, playing up horror genre elements of this story with big iconic shots even as Krull's script stops just short carrying those themes to the surface. Still, pretty pictures don't change the fact that this story brings little to the table other than a chance to watch Deathstroke and Ravager in action. Unless you're a diehard fan or curious newbie, give this one a pass.

Which brings me back to my original point. What is it that Ennis and Robertson are aspiring to with this series? If they're looking to craft a raunchy superhero comedy, they're beginning to neglect the comedy part. If they're looking to craft a clever superhero satire, they're beginning to neglect the clever part. And if they're looking to craft an engrossing superhero conspiracy, they're beginning to neglect the engrossing part. These are all major problems, and if they persist, this series isn't going to remain on many readers' pull list.

For the time being, Trinity remains flawed, yet at least shows signs of improvement. And that's a good thing, seeing that we still have forty-seven issues to go.

Things only get more unnatural and problematic once the story's two main threads come barreling into one another, and Spider-Man injects Waid and Peyer's tired schtick into a Vulture/JJJ confrontation that could and should have been driven by the same eerie atmosphere of the Vulture's early segments. All in all, the clumsy unevenness of the issue makes it one of the weaker installments of Amazing Spider-Man to date.

But by and large, arguably the biggest flaw of Batgirl #1 is that there's no real logic or firm reason given for the new star and change in direction. Like with Red Robin, the change feels more like a room full of editors randomly deciding to swap some characters' costumes around rather than natural story progression. On a positive note, however, Miller does seem to write his protagonist well (I'll refrain from naming her in this first review), and artist Lee Garbett delivers the same sort of solid artwork found in his recent Batman and Outsiders work. And considering just how laughably bad some of the writing is on Smallville, I suppose this comic could have been a whole lot worse

Pfeifer and Lopez's Catwoman is at its absolute finest when it's focused squarely on Catwoman's never-ending moral tightrope walk between good and evil, and at first, Salvation Run seemed like an opportunity to put Selina in a crazy situation while exploring that central moral dilemma. But it hasn't, really. At least not in these past two issues, which spun their wheels a little too much for my liking.

Final Crisis has had some exemplary tie-ins in recent months. Submit is not one of them. All in all, I'd call it an unexceptional, very mediocre book, which is par for the course as far as typical tie-ins go, but nowhere near the quality we've come to expect from this event.

If you've been enjoying all things Battle for the Cowl, then there's no reason for you not to pick up Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive. The book offers another look at the new Gotham landscape as well as a taste of what's to come for Batman's allies. Just don't go into it expecting a satisfying epilogue to Tony Daniel's three-part miniseries, or even much of a story, for that matter.

The art is the issue's greatest strength. Federico Dallocchio stops by to lend this story a desperately needed sense of visual consistency and coherency. What his art lacks in detail, it makes up for in dynamic energy. There are some awkward poses in his work, but by and large his action scenes all suggest a sense of fluid motion. With Dallocchio on board, Krul might just be able to turn this new era in Ollie's life into a memorable one, mostly because, again, the central idea is a good one. He just needs to distance himself and his story from Cry for Justice as soon and as much as possible. He can start by following through on the promise of this issue's cliffhanger.

Other than the sharply written interaction between Rayner and his successor, the true bright spot of this issue is the further development of Sodam Yat, who is turning into a fascinating and complex character essentially, Mon-El with a power ring. Coupled with his lead poisoning in the "Sinestro Corps War", this rookie Green Lantern's endless power as Ion makes for a fascinating dichotomy. Essentially, the most powerful being in the universe is also the most vulnerable. I look forward to following his future exploits in the pages of Green Lantern Corps. Speaking of which, the events of this issue could probably have been covered in an issue of that series as opposed to this rather unnecessary special.

To summarize this overly long review: though it remains significantly flawed, Trinity has finally shown signs of aspiring for something greater than a 52-part run-of-the-mill Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman story. And that's good news for those of us who, due to our own stubborn willingness to stick through a story even if it sucks, are likely to follow the series for the next year.

As it stands now, the only part of the aforementioned Beowulf sequences I could wrap my head around was the impressive artwork of Aaron Lopresti. I don't know if he's ever drawn Conan or any other sword or sorcery title, but he's right at home in the genre and provides some kinetic sword fights and battle sequences. If only I knew what to make of them…

In conclusion, there's no other way to say it: New Krypton failed at nearly everything it set out to achieve.

"New Ways to Die" could have been the new Amazing Spider-Man's coming out party – its chance to show even the most pessimistic fan that the new status quo could lead to some very exciting stories. Instead, it fell a little short of that, giving us a watered down version of the Thunderbolts, a silly new symbiote villain, an annoying and whiney Harry and a slew of reminders that One More Day isn't nearly as far behind us as many of us would like. But don't miss next week, when Spider-Man frees himself from something heavy... again.

As always, David Lopez is on top of his game when it comes to the issue's art, providing crisp, clear visuals that pop with the right amount of emotion and personality. Here's hoping Pfeifer gets on his game in time to deliver a final story arc worthy of their wonderful run on this title. It'd be a shame to see this series end with a whimper.

Most anthologies, particularly these event-oriented ones Marvel has been rolling out of late, are typically hit or miss throughout, and Dark X-Men: The Beginning is no different. It's a mixed bag for sure, and as I noted before, I would only really recommend it to those diehard completists eager to look beneath the surface of the Dark Reign story. For those that are content following the bigger picture, I'd recommend sticking to Matt Fraction's core books.

As with most of Dini's Detective issues, the characters and story are extremely well written, but the whole thing can feel a bit too brisk and inconsequential. Artist Dustin Nguyen has a lot of fun breathing life into these colorful, goofy villains, but his over-the-top approach – though amusing – only underlines the fact that Batman will have no trouble making mincemeat out of these idiots. As far as similar types of stories go, you can put this one-shot on the bottom of the pile of Dini's other works.

I don't know what else to say about this issue other than it was competently crafted by Tomasi and artist Don Kramer, yet very far from inspired or original. The characters all acted right, and maybe that's the problem - there's nothing new here. As "museum curator" Dick might say while on the job, "it's time to move our eyes to the next exhibit..."

It all reads like vintage Dixon without the overload of action we saw in previous issues of Outsiders, which comes as a relief until we realize this welcomed lull wont precede whatever storm he had in the works. All the ingredients that have made this series enjoyable thus far are here; there's tons of humor, artists Julian Lopez and Bit provide their sharp, boldly rendered art, and Dixon includes another one of Batman's stranger and more obscure acquaintances in the form of the Looker. Still, it's impossible to escape the gnawing feeling that we'll never find out where Dixon was headed with all this. At best, we'll see some future writer pick up on many of these threads and characterizations. At worst, some future writer will completely shake up the title, team and tone of the book. Whether or not this bothers you as much as it does me will impact your ability to enjoy the issue. Either way, don't hold your breath for part two of this story.

After an unsatisfying sci-fi arc and an exceedingly unfocused fantasy storyline, I'm ready for Simone to bring Diana back to Earth, the DMA, and most importantly, Tom Tresser.

This series' back-up is considerably more interesting than the main feature, which has been the case for the past couple of weeks as the connection between Captain Atom's predicament and the New Krypton storyline has become clearer. James Robinson deserves serious props for trying to integrate elements of Countdown and a character as severely broken as Captain Atom into the fold, even I'm not quite sure if he'll pull it off. At the very least, though, there's a feeling of risk taking and unfamiliarity at work in this co-feature that's not present in any of the other New Krypton-related books, except for perhaps Sterling Gates' Supergirl. For that, and for Cafu's expressive, dynamic art, it definitely deserves some praise.

Action Comics Annual #13 is a very frustrating albeit interesting read. I'd much rather watch a writer take daring chances and shoot for originality than play it safe, and Cornell definitely doesn't play it safe with either of these stories. Unfortunately, there are far too many problems and missteps along the way to call this issue a success. Instead, I'll call it a fascinating failure – one that didn't much change my opinion of Cornell as a bold, original storytelling voice even if it brought him down to earth a bit in my eyes.

But all that isn't to say that Amazing Spider-Man #642 is a bad issue. It's not. There are a few moments where Waid and Azaceta click amidst their early missteps, and by the time they do hit their stride by issue's end it's clear they have an exciting story in store as the big finale to Brand New Day. I just hope they do a better, more natural job of integrating all of these ideas, story threads and characters into one climax.

If you're a die hard Blackest Night fan, Untold Tales is definitely worth picking up. However, if you're like me, and enjoyed Blackest Night #8 in large part because it closed the book on the drawn-out, repetitive event, you're better off skipping the issue entirely. If anything, it will only serve as a reminder that commercially successful events never really end, they just go away until its time for the next money grab.

I have no doubt these projects seemed like strong ideas when they were first conceived. With so much great stuff going on in Blackest Night, Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, surely it seemed like there was enough room to explore certain A-listers as they reacted to their undead loved ones. But again, it wasn't enough. I don't care how well Robinson writes these characters or how far Eddy Barrows has come in his portrayals of dynamic, over-the-top action scenes. What we were given with Blackest Night: Superman wasn't enough to fill or even justify three issues. To paraphrase Jesse's review yet again, let's hope the next batch of tie-ins does a better job living up to the quality of the event's three flagship books.

Having said all that, I should point out that I fully expected to encounter an issue like Brightest Day #4 the minute I realized writers Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi would be taking such a fragmented approach to this series, which was somewhere around the halfway point of issue two. It's worth noting that 52 suffered from many of the same pacing problems on a week to week basis that are currently plaguing this book in its early stages, and that series managed to deliver one hell of a satisfying read when all was said and done. And until each of these threads kicks into gear, we're bound to encounter more of these sorts of underwhelming installments. With that in mind, I'll continue to foster high hopes for this series, even when one of its chapters leaves me cold. I just hope Johns and Tomasi hit their stride sooner rather than later. And would it kill them to give us a little more Aquaman?

However, the book quickly runs off the rails following the catastrophic explosion that sends Rogers on his fateful collision with the 21st century, with Waid leaping from one scene to the next without any logical transitions to aid the reader along. As the book progresses, it begins to feel as if we're watching a jumbled clip show that's missing integral pieces of the plot – like entire pages were inexplicably left on the cutting room floor. The rushed style of storytelling Waid employs ends up cutting the legs out from underneath his story just as it's getting started, which is unfortunate. To make matters worse, artist Jorge Molina is rather inconsistent from panel to panel, and his frequent shots of Cap charging towards us readers carries an unsettling resemblance to Rob Leifeld's work with the character.

And then there's the Forerunner back up. What else is there to say about this 16-page serial other than it lacks the least bit of drama, intrigue, intelligence or even coherent story? Unless you're absolutely dying to see the Monarch's goofy-looking scout recruit characters from the least-compelling parallel Earths (this issue sees Forerunner head to Earth 33, home to the Justice League of Shamans. How fun…), do yourself a favor and put the issue down after you're finished reading the main feature. Justin Gray and Fabrizio Fiorentino's short will only make you wish Countdown would end even faster.

If you're a Batman diehard, you'll want to dive into this book without thinking. If not, you'd probably do well to save your money for another, less formulaic title.

Look this is by no means a great or even good comic. By and large, the best thing about it is the art of Diogenes Neves, whose style is a lot cleaner and more impressive than similar Jim Lee knock-offs who have risen to prominence over the past decade. Still, considering Krul's mind-bogglingly bad recent showings (see: Rise of Arsenal), the sorry state of the Green Arrow franchise heading into this relaunch (see: Cry for Justice), and the issue's awful opening sequences, and credit is due to Krul for pulling the issue out of the muck long enough to convince me to come back for a second issue. I very well might decide that second taste will be my last, but at least I'll be back.

Here's hoping this creative team syncs up sooner rather than later, because the book still shows a good deal of promise.

In general, the story suffers in the end from the use of the Joker as narrator, ultimately leading to all of the issue's unnecessary distractions, misleading narrative twists and unfulfilled promises. The idea of the Riddler trying to win the love of an innocent citizen is strong enough on its own without all the needless window dressing. At its best, when the Joker's narration didn't stick out like a sore thumb and/or derail the plot, the story almost felt like an episode of Batman: The Animated Series. Which is a high compliment, indeed, even if it sadly fails to live up to that comparison in the end.

And because no one asked for it, the book also features a second feature starring Hourman and Liberty Belle written by Jan Ven Meter and drawn by Travis Moore. There's not much to say about this back-up other than it shares a closer connection to the main story than these secondary features typically do, and fails to make me care about these characters any more than I already did – which was not much. It definitely didn't justify the issue's $3.99 cover price.

Ignoring one laughable caption in which Black Lightning calls The Key, Polaris and eight other jobbers "the ten worst criminals this world has to offer," this issue is generally entertaining. And if the story is headed where I think it is – with the JLA thrown into the mix of super-villains on the aptly named Hell Planet – then it might just turn out to be very entertaining. But that still won't change the fact that it's playing second fiddle to the far more enjoyable Salvation Run. I can only hope there's bigger, more interesting and original things in store for this title following Final Crisis.

I still hold out hopes for Kick-Ass 2. Although I remain convinced the film was superior to the source material, the first mini-series did have unique qualities that the film lacked, most notably that level of cartoonish violence Romita captured so wonderfully. Let's hope he and Millar dial that up sooner rather than later.

Writer and layout artist Dan Jurgens and finishing artist Jesse Delperdang do a fine job blending the classic, pulp feel of this story with a bit of a modern, satirical take on Reality TV, but in the end, this is a pretty darn pure retelling of the origin story. Yes, it's donr well and rarely takes a false step, but unless you're new to DC comics and know little about the beginnings of this character, you'll be left feeling a bit under whelmed, albeit slightly entertained - in a nostalgic sort of way. Of course, this is only the first issue, and being that another five issues will follow this initial installment, it's entirely possible that Jurgens and Delperdang will lead this series into unchartered waters. For now, however, this is little more than a trip down memory lane.

Overall, this first issue is an interesting, unique outing by Giffen and his collaborators, even if I'm not quite sure if the series will evolve into a truly worthwhile read.

Is all right with the DC Universe and the world now that Stephanie has returned from her unceremonious and brutal death? I wouldn't go quite that far, but I will say that Robin's solo series might be a much stronger one now that a certain purple clad vigilante as joined the cast.

On a final note, it's worth pointing out that fill-in artist Joe Bennett does a fine job filling in for regular penciller Sean Chen, partly because Bennett is just a damn good artist, but also because his style closely resembles Chen's.

It's difficult to discuss Secret Warriors #20, and my utter disappointment with the issue, without repeatedly coming back to Colak's art. A better artist might have managed to make Hickman's story feel more substantial and less rushed. But because Colak's panels fail to command attention, because most can be appreciated with little more than a quick glimpse (the exception being the panels that are difficult to understand), the book speeds along rapidly until the underwhelming final panel. This is not the grand send-off I expected from Hickman's espionage opus. How disappointing.

If anything, Sgt. Rock is worth reading just to see a talented writer/artist make some very unusual – and ultimately, ineffective – storytelling decisions. The book is full of missteps, but they're interesting missteps at least. And I suppose that, coupled with Tucci's vibrant art, is enough to bring me back for a second issue.

Let me reiterate that we're two issues into this new Spawn initiative, and I have little clue what is going on, what this story is about, why I should care, or whether or not I should continue reading. I'll let you know if all that changes next issue.

I still have high hopes for this series and want it to stand out amongst all the other bland superhero books. But that will only happen if Lemire channels more of the weird sensibilities he brings to Sweet Tooth on a monthly basis rather than resort to this sort of paint-by-numbers superhero storytelling.

In between fart jokes and masturbation gags, Ennis sort of lays down the foundation for a mystery, makes a couple more easy digs at his Justice League team, then tops it all off with yet another cryptic conversation between the Legend and Butcher. There's one somewhat humorous scene involving a coincidental crossing of paths between Hughie and Starlight, but Ennis doesn't stick with the scene long enough to make it pay-off in a worthwhile fashion. In the end, the issue lacks the requisite amount of brains, heart and story, and we're left holding what amounts to a series of easy and poorly thought out jokes about the X-Men.

Time Masters: Vanishing Point has some crisp artwork and a few moments of truly strong writing. The rest, like I said, is pretty bland and forgettable.

Time Masters #3 finds Booster and company trapped in the barbarian Claw's ancient past, where they battle sorcerers, dragons and rock monsters. Much of the action is a tad incomprehensible, as it becomes tough to discern where characters are in relation to one another, where they're coming from and just what exactly they are doing. There's not much substance to these action sequences, and they seem to exist mostly so Superman and Hal can remark that they don't have time for this, that they're supposed to be looking for Bruce. The book only ever really comes to life when the core team is off screen, when Rip Hunter is trading cryptic quips with an all-seeing sorcerer and the evil team of Ultra-Humanite, Per Degaton, Black Beetle and Despero are unlocking a secret to Rip Hunter's mysterious past. Hardly a must-read, but this one still has something to offer fans of the two central characters.

Wonder Woman #603 sees Diana lead the band of Amazonian refugees she saved last issue across the desert towards safety before being whisked away by ghosts to the shores of Hades. There, Diana encounters the mythic ferrymen Tartarus, who informs her that Hades abandoned his realm two decades ago in mortal time, leaving the underworld in a state of chaos. If this all sounds familiar, it is. JMS plays with the conventions and tropes of the myriad hero-visits-underworld stories of lore, just not in a way that feels very meaningful. What we instead get is a derivative tale that throws Wonder Woman into the bowels of hell before she far too easily and conveniently is able to escape and return to the land of the living, where she comes face to face with her mother's murderer. Because he provides little explanation as to why any of this matters, these developments feel like little more than wheel-spinning on JMS' part. The art isn't as inconsistent or unwieldy as one would expect from a book d

And then there's the issue's "Origins and Omens" back-up. I don't know what else to say about these features other than they're proving to be rather worthless as sources of entertainment, and equally insignificant as sources of information (at least to regular readers). Most of the focuses of these tales, particularly Guardian, feel shoehorned in to all this Blackest Night business, and I have a tough time believing the majority of these features will prove to be anything more than wastes of valuable pages and annoying interruptions. I hope I'm wrong.

I have to say, this latest development aside, this series' first arc was quite enjoyable and had the perfect mix of nostalgia, comic book satire, humor and super-heroics. Artists Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund have never missed a beat on this title, proving once again that Jurgens remains one of the best "classic" superhero artists in comics. It's just, you know, they kind of ruined everything with this latest storytelling decision. And that's a bit of a problem.

All in all, I'd say Battle for the Cowl: The Underground isn't at all necessary unless you're a diehard Yost fan or are just dying to poke your head around the corners of Tony Daniel's main story. If you don't fall into either category, I'd say go ahead and pass.

But other than getting the most out of the book's heightened exposure through accessibility and adding a few surprisingly emotional moments, I can't say this issue does anything more with the Blackest Night storyline than we've seen in other relatively insignificant tie-ins. I think it's still safe to say you can skip any monthly book that has "Blackest Night" on its cover but not the words "Green Lantern" or "Green Lantern Corps."

Bryan's Score: 7.6

All in all, I had a tough time caring about this issue and wasn't at all convinced to come back for seconds. Matt Fraction's amazing work on Invincible Iron Man should be plenty to hold me over until May, thank you.

Irredeemable #1 is a failure partly because its high concept isn't all that high, but mostly because it fails to say anything interesting about the idea. Hopefully, that'll change sooner rather than later.

As you can no doubt tell from my reviews, I had a few major problems with "The Deep." That said, the story remained interesting throughout, if only because it offered the chance to see a talented writer struggle to juggle some bizarre ideas. This issue's final page has Geo-Force tell his team, "All right, Outsiders. Let's go home. Our first tour of duty is over." A more fitting line would have been, "All right, Peter Tomasi. Let's go back to the drawing board."

So what can this Spawn newbie say about the series latest attempt at a relauch? I don't know, other than it's certainly pretty to look at, the ending made me raise an eyebrow a couple millimeters, and I was not quite sure what to make of the rest. Take from that what you will. Again, I'm not quite certain this book was intended for readers like me, regardless of what it claimed.

Unfortunately, Action Comics #881 doesn't boast nearly enough plot substance to call it a success. The character's eventually revert to the clich? that began the issue on such a tired foot, and in the end the only real development to occur involved a change of setting for the Kryptonians run-in with anti-Kryptonian forces. Combine that with another ambiguous Captain Atom back-up feature, and I was left wanting a lot more from this comic.

Luckily, there is one redeeming quality of Daredevil Noir, and that's the art of Tomm Coker, whose works recalls the Daredevil run of Alex Maleev and is gorgeous in precisely the shadowy, seedy, and smoke-laced way a noir comic should be gorgeous. If nothing else, he here proves that he'd be a perfect match for Daredevil's regular ongoing, which would hopefully give him a chance to draw better stories than this one.

The best thing I can say about this issue, other than to once again praise the art of Patrick Gleason (his work in the Guy-as-Red-Lantern sequence is quite stunning), is to say that even in the midst of a crossover as big as Blackest Night, this series continues to feel like it's own story first and foremost. Developments, as cheesy and unfortunate as they are, reach back far before Blackest Night began. And more so than its sister title, Green Lantern proper, Green Lantern Corps has managed to maintain an identity throughout this event. In this latest case, it just isn't a very favorable one.

Seeing that this story has only a slight tie to the Kingdom Come story currently going on Johns' JSA series, I suppose it's appropriate that it got this annual packaging. I think a lot of newer readers who dig the new JSA series might come away from this one-shot scratching their heads. Still, in the end, it's a decent enough read with some nice, crisp, old school art from Jerry Orway, and can be enjoyed to a certain degree, even if you have no idea why an adult Dick Grayson is running around in his Robin outfit or why this JSA's Dr. Midnight is a woman.

Another big problem with this issue is that the ending has the rotten stink of Countdown tie-in all over it, which doesn't bode well for this new series moving forward. Still, in the end, Dixon and Lopez give us an entertaining little romp through the political underbelly of the DCU, and at the very least, the high quality of craft displayed here is enough to get me at least somewhat excited about this title's future.

With the talented Tomasi and Lee Garbett at the helm of a rich cast of characters, Outsiders has the potential to be quite the enjoyable series. Unfortunately, the book has hit an early hiccup with this debut story arc, which has yet to take form in any compelling or even identifiable manner. Here's hoping that changes sooner rather than later.

Remender is joined by Tan Eng Huat on art, who channels the style of Leinil Yu but apparently doesn't believe in consistent human anatomy. Huat's work is impressive in spots and quite bad in others, with such discrepancies often occurring on the very same page. The book's overall visual inconsistency is a significant problem, and Huat's stylistic flair doesn't compensate for it.

As a mystery, I don't think the whole "Who is Superwoman" arc holds up very well. Gates more or less just dropped a bunch of red herrings and bait and switches, then pulled the revelation our of thin air. Kara herself doesn't even do much in terms of investigating Superwoman's identity, and instead just suddenly realizes who she is out of the blue. That said, revealing Superwoman's identity makes her infinitely more interesting than before, and it opens up a lot of enticing possibilities for the book. Now that the mystery is over, I'm hoping Gates can finally settle into a comfortable rhythm. He's shown certain strengths here and there throughout the course of this mediocre arc, and with the steady hand of Igle on board, this series still has some potential.

In general, Green's script is enjoyable at times but far too uneven for my liking. The same can be said of Shane Davis' art; his Jim Lee-lite style of art captures the strength and power of his main influence's work at some points, but at others falls apart with sketchy and uneven line-work. Hopefully, both creators will hit their stride in future issues and deliver more consistent work.

The one shining spot in this issue comes with art of Bernard Chang, whose expressive style mimic's Gail Simone's ability to channel both the compassionate side of Wonder Woman and her warrior mentality. Just witness the vulnerability Chang gives Diana in her scene with Nemesis, and then look at his depiction of the character just a few pages later, when she's locked in violent combat with the alien invaders. Chang's ability to bring out both sides of Diana is the perfect complement to what Gail is trying to do with the character. It would be a real shame if Chang's knack for emotional nuance were lost in the flash and swashbuckle of the upcoming storyline.

"Rise of the Olympian" is far from a train wreck. It is, however, far from the most impressive thing Simone has written. The story so eagerly wants to be considered as this grand epic of a superhero story that it almost comes off as the kid in high school who tried a little too hard to convince the other kids he was cool. Simone would have been far more successful at making me buy into this drama had she dialed it down a bit and stuck with only the most intriguing and inspired threads.

So do I think the "Origins and Omens" feature alone justified the issue's cover price? Well, no, not really. Other than the development involving Lex and Brainiac, the story really didn't bring anything to the table. If you're interested in reading the first Legion story, however, I'd definitely recommend picking this book up. If not, then by all means wait for the Superman books to catch you up to speed.

Batman Annual #27 doesn't do much to elicit excitement for the upcoming Azrael ongoing, but it does provide a fun exploration of the new Batman and Robin. For that, I'd recommend it to any fan of the new team.

What saved this issue – and in many ways, this entire story arc – for me was the books' final three pages. There we see the subplot involving El Penitente and Oberon Sexton finally step into the forefront, and Dick Grayson utter three magic syllables that promise to shake this story to its very core. It was enough to make me remember how much I love this ongoing saga, and almost enough to make me forget how disappointing this arc has been.

Without Templesmith involved, Choker would read like a weird, nonsensical, directionless mixture of ideas and thinly realized characters. Thanks to Templesmith, though, the disconnect between those ideas almost becomes part of the book's charm. I'll take any excuse to watch Templesmith work his depraved magic, and above all else this book is precisely that – an excuse to watch Templesmith at work. If I can't have another issue of Fell, Choker will have to do.

As I said before, Dini has a long way before he convinces me that Hush is a strong character, but I'm willing to stick around and see if he'll pull it off.

But fortunately, Waid does offer a light at the end of the tunnel in the issue's climax, stoking the fires of the Modeus subplot while revealing a scandalous affair between Plutonian and a female superhero that sends shockwaves throughout the Paradigm. If Waid can focus more on this type of drama and less on derivative – there's that word again – statements about archetypes other than Superman, I'd likely stick with this series for a long time. Even at full price.

Manhunter is still a well-written book with great characters and excellent, expressive art by Michael Gaydos. It just isn't firing on all cylinders at the moment, and that's disappointing.

It's too early in the game to call Rann-Thanagar: Holy War a breakout success or disappointing failure, but right now I'm confident labeling it a book that fans of DC's sci-fi characters will enjoy. If you liked the previous Rann-Thanagar War mini, Countdown to Adventure or Mystery in Space, you'll probably want to get on board.

In the end, though, this comic is no more or less entertaining or substantial than most of the other unnecessary Blackest Night tie-ins I've encountered. There's certainly no discernable reason why it had to exist, other than to earn DC a few extra bucks.

In the end, it's tough to get past the fact that Salvation Run simply feels like the space between two editorially mandated plot points – the villains are exiled and then return. Still, it was fun while it lasted, which I suppose is enough to ask from a comic book miniseries.

But for all its lack of wit and faulty storytelling, Siege: Embedded does offer the chance to see Samnee deliver exciting action sequences and bits of physical comedy. For that alone I am at least partially thankful for its existence. Samnee's art immediately recalls the work of Darywn Cooke, as the two share the same style of expressive cartooning and razor sharp storytelling chops. If only Marvel and Reed had given him a better story to draw.

In the end, Gates and Igle might actually succeed in blowing me away with the reveal of Superwoman's identity. For now, however, I'm more interested in learning her identity so that the book can move on than I am genuinely curious.

As far as the art is concerned, Jamal Igle's otherwise competent pencils are severely hurt by three different inkers. If you're like me, and you can't always tell what it is exactly that an inker does, flip through this comic and take a look at how vastly different Igle's art looks from page to page. Let's get a regular art team on here already, DC.

By the time Gillen got around to introducing a complication that presumably will guide this arc moving forward, part of me had already checked out. I'd rather be reading Siege, and I don't even like that book. Don't get me wrong, there are some strong moments here, I just can't help but think Gillen's second story arc would have been better served by taking place either before Siege (like his first) or after it. Anyone who's ever played sports knows sitting on the sidelines is rarely any fun.

Uncanny X-Men: First Class #1 is by no means a great comic, but it's not a bad one either. This new series offers readers a chance to revisit an important period in the history of the X-Men, which could be a lot of fun for both diehard and casual fans alike. As overwrought as it was, I found myself enjoying it just fine for what it was.

Artist Aaron Lopresti continues the clean, serviceable artwork on Wonder Woman he debuted in the previously mentioned DC Universe Zero, and it's good to see a capable artist take over the rains of this series indefinitely. All that said, I still can't quite get over this whole Beowulf and 300 ordeal, and I really hope this isn't a new trend.

One final, relatively small complaint: since Dan Slott is so clearly using voice-over captions exactly like thought balloons, why doesn't he just use thought balloons? If there's one character who can support this narrative device without it feeling dated, it's Spider-Man (as opposed to say, the Mighty Avengers).

If this new Azrael series hit the ground running with its first issue despite its visual stumblings, then it definitely trips and falls fully in its sophomore issue. I can only hope Nicieza can find a way to pick himself up off the floor. He can start by fleshing out his protagonist and addressing the 800 pounds elephant he dragged into the room last issue.

For a long time now, one of the best and most enjoyable aspects of this book has been the work of artist Nicola Scott, who continues to develop into one of the best superhero artists around. Scott might just draw the most realistic (yet still beautiful) female characters out of anyone in the industry, which is pretty important for a book starring an all female cast. If it didn't involve leaving Birds, I'd love to see Scott take a shot at drawing Wonder Woman, as her super-heroines are incredibly iconic. That and we already know she works well with Gail Simone.

Hopefully, Pfeifer and writer Bill Willingham will find a way to get Selina off of the prison planet and out of the pages of Salvation Run in a timely manner, because I'd hate to see this story shelved until after Final Crisis is over. I should say, however, that I am somewhat interested in seeing how both writers handle Selina's involvement in Salvation Run, and it'll be at the very least fun to see Pfiefer in particular get a shot at writing the large cast of colorful villains. That doesn't change the fact that I'd prefer to see Selina remain in the confines of Gotham City.

The art, by Chris Samnee, is a bit muddy and dark at times, particularly during flashbacks to the French Revolution. Still, it's a rather smooth transition from Joe Bennett to Samnee, and even though I'd prefer Bennett, his heir does a fine enough job in the long run. As a whole, however, I'd have to call this issue a bit of an underwhelming disappointment.

In general, the new Earth 3 is a far less satisfying version of the same alternate reality explored in Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly's awesome JLA: Earth 2, and once again, it seems like DC has tried to fix something that wasn't broken to begin with. As far as Countdown related issues go, however, you can do far worse than this issue.

So far, Dark Reign: Hawkeye has been a mixed bag. At times, it offers a chilling look at the Marvel U's greatest assassin, and at others, it seems to lack a clear focus and purpose. The art, by Tom Raney, also has its hits and misses. Raney's art is bold and vibrant, but doesn't seem to match the grim tone of the story. We'll have to wait for more issues to see if this miniseries is capable of putting all the pieces together.

For the sake of Dwayne McDuffie and this title, let's sincerely hope that this upcoming Crisis really is the Final one in at least a year or so, because this book desperately needs to reestablish its own identity. And McDuffie deserves to tell his own stories.

But again, it's worth pointing out that I'm sure many admire this series' ambitious desire to incorporate as many storylines and characters as possible, even if it prevents Johns from progressing the storyline very much. Me? I'm tired of multiple Earths, allusions to Kingdom Come, vague connections to the 31st century, and whiney Kryptonian doppelgangers, and am way past ready to see just how Gog manages to screw with the JSAers. It's about time this series just cuts to the chase already.

Being that I still enjoyed myself when all was said and done, I'm willing to give Rouleau a mulligan for this issue and assume he'll tie up these many plot-threads in a more coherent manner moving forward. The Metal Men is still a hell of a lot of fun, and I'll probably dig into next issue with the same vigor and enthusiasm as I did this installment.

The Superman franchise isn't in a horrible state of disarray by any means. As a whole it's actually stronger than it's been in years. The problem is that it's stuck in a frustrating rhythm of plot advancement, and until it breaks that rhythm, don't expect to hear me start singing its praises anytime soon.

I really hope Ennis has gotten this sort of metatextual world building out of his system with this arc. I'm enjoying the story of Hughie and his mates far too much to have to sit through more awkward explanations of how this whole mess reflects both the history of the real world and the comic medium itself.

Whether Waid likes it or not, The Brave and the Bold exists as a charming alternative to the majority of DC's continuity heavy books – a place fans can turn to find a well crafted retread of stories they've already read in some form or another.

Finally, there's also an Origins and Omens back-up. No, it's not that bad, mostly because it focuses on the always entertaining Nemesis/Hippolyta relationship. And yes, I still think these backups are worthless and do more harm than good.

One finale note: referring to Zeus' new champion as a "Manazon" might have been worth a few hearty laughs at convention panels and during interviews, but it sure didn't help me take him as seriously as I was meant to. In a storyline filled with unintentional moments of comedy, this is another significant problem.

Thankfully, Powell is on board to transform Johns' rather conventional and unsurprising script into twenty-two pages of beautiful comic book art. If a lesser artist had handled this book, I certainly wouldn't be following it with half the enthusiasm. In the long run, I think this book's greatest accomplishment will be making more people pick up Powell's endlessly hilarious Goon.

But again, the very fact that this issue progresses the New Krypton storyline the way it does will likely lead many to consider it a success. They may have a point. Those same people might also find it difficult to overlook the issue's significant technical shortcomings, or a suspicion that the final product could have been higher in quality had it been planned and executed more carefuly. For those reasons, I recommend the issue to anyone enjoying this current Superman epic, with the stipulation that they curtail any high expectations.

All in all, I'm still fairly optimistic about Rucka's Action Comics and the new Nightwing and Flamebird-centric direction. The concept is intriguing, the lead characters have potential, and Ursa makes for a great antagonist. Likewise, the issue's cliffhanger suggests some interesting things down the road. I'd like to think that Action Comics #877 is merely a bump in the road, and that it'll pick up steam again next issue.

The issue also marks the debut of Rucka and James Robinson's Captain Atom back-up serial, but I'm not sure what else to say other than I have no idea what to make of it. The story sees Captain Atom battle a horde of Orc-looking creatures in some unspecified time/reality, with Rucka and Robinson declining to give the reader any foothold. There's some nice action, and a quick cut scene to the Atom's time in the JLA adds some intrigue to the set-up, but the story still suffers from being far too enigmatic. I have a lot of questions about Captain Atom, chief among them being whether or not he remembers his unfortunate turn as Monarch in Countdown. By holding their answers so close to the chest, Robinson and Rucka made me less interested instead of more. The back-up certainly didn't justify the dollar hike in cover price.

All in all, the issue is not nearly as impressive as Levitz' more modern Legion of Super-Heroes relaunch a couple weeks back, but it does offer a pleasant little call back to the days of yore. Whether or not that appeals to you is another matter entirely.

The book also includes a six-page short by Brian Bendis and Joe Quesada that was supposed to appear in Amazing #600. I'm not sure what to say about this feature, other than the following: unless you're a huge fan of Quesada's art (he delivers one rather awesome double-page splash in particular) or absolutely love the type of shtick-fueled writing Bendis consistently delivers in New Avengers, don't expect this back-up to make the issue significantly more or less enjoyable than it already is. It's just sort of there.

In other words, I've already started looking forward to when either Kelly, Waid or Van Lente return to the book.

In the case of Amazing Spider-Man #621, exceptional art makes up for mediocre writing. Still, that doesn't change the fact that I loathe mediocre superhero writing more than putrid superhero writing. In an industry dominated by capes and tights comics, a writer must do his best to make sure his – or at least some – personality bleeds through the tropes and conventions of a superhero book. I never get that from a Slott Spidey comic. One of the best things about this book post-Brand New Day is that it's easy to skip certain arcs without really missing a beat. I wish I had the luxury to skip Slott's. Then again, if I did, I would have missed the chance to see Lark draw Spider-Man.

Azrael #1 isn't a great debut by any stretch of the imagination, but that's mostly due to the art. Thanks to Nizieca, though, it does offer a lot of promise.

All nitpicking aside, Azrael: Death's Dark Knight is still an enjoyable comic. I just hope the lead character starts acting more like the tormented soul he is rather than some carefree adventurer.

Luckily, this arc does have a few strengths that partly balance out its many flaws. I continue to thoroughly enjoy Morrison's exploration of Dick and Damian's chemistry, and his take on Damian in particular brought a smile to my face on a quite a few occasions. It's also clear that there's a greater mystery at work beneath the surface of this story in the form of the Domino Killer. Again, if he and the aforementioned Gravedigger and Flamingo can make their presence felt sooner rather than later, this story might just turn into something worthwhile in the end. As of now, though, I'm still counting down the days until Cameron Stewart takes over the book and the next story arc gets underway.

With some moments brilliant and others forgettable, this book is the same as it ever was.

But the same questions continue to linger around this title: what the heck is going on with Paul Dini's involvement on this book, and why hasn't DC been able to keep it from devolving into a glorified anthology series at such an early stage?

The issue's cliffhanger is another instance of Smith overestimating the novelty of an idea, and I have no idea where he's going with this Baphomet character. I don't really care, either. As long as Smith continues to have fun playing with these toys without breaking them, I'll come along for the ride.

It doesn't help that regular penciller Ed Benes isn't in his finest form, and once again bows out while Adriana Melo handles the issue's last handful of pages in an entirely different but just as unpleasant style. I recall a time when DC's high-profile relaunches didn't resort to fill-in artists in their debut arcs.

All that being said, there are some definite high points in this finale. Simone gives the new White Canary an awesomely wicked back-story, ultimately providing a great addition to DC's cast of kung fu badasses. (I for one immediately assumed it was Cassandra Cain behind the mask, and am pleasantly surprised I was wrong.) Simone also writes a great Penguin, making him every bit as creepy and perverted as he is slippery. Again, my main problem with this story, besides the clumsy art, is my lack of interest in the mystery villain, Simone's failure to make me care about him in the end, and the way his plot never really synced up with the White Canary/Black Canary face off. The issue does end on a very promising note, though, so here's hoping the sophomore outing is more fully rounded than this debut.

The strengths of the flashback sequences aside, nothing changes the fact that these two entirely different threads fail to jibe together on any level. Even as this issue begins to push the two plot lines together as the present reflects the past, there's still the striking disparity between Raney and Leon's work to pull you right out of the story. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Without any of the fun horror trappings of last issue or a book like Blackest Night: Batman, Blackest Night: Superman #2 is essentially just one long fight scene. Pyscho Pirate adds an interesting little twist to the story's exploration of emotions, but other than that, what we're left with is a sequence of characters punching each other. Eddy Barrows does his best to deliver dynamic action scenes, but even his kinetic pencils can't elevate this story into exciting territory, nor can they cover up for his inconsistent anatomy. All in all, I think this series would have benefited greatly from wrapping up before Blackest Night #3 hit the stands.

But all backhanded compliments aside, I did enjoy several elements of the issue. Gleason again proves the perfect match for the weird imagery of the J'onn storyline, which itself is coming closest to matching Johns and Tomasi's normal high standards of storytelling. The Hawkman storyline is rife with rich, intriguing possibilities. Unfortunately, every one of the series' other plot lines are still stuck in their tracks after nearly a third of this maxi-series' total issues. And even if Johns and Tomasi find a way to kick them into gear, and then make them all feel at least somewhat like a unified story, I imagine I'll still have major problems with this project. But more on those other problems as they arise…

Sean McKeever and Filipe Andrade's Nomad back-up serial, "Welcome Home," also concludes this issue. And while I appreciate Marvel's attempt to provide additional value to compensate for the book's $3.99 cover price, my disinterest in the lead character makes it difficult to feel like I'm getting extra bang for my buck. I'd much prefer the book lose its back-up and return to its $2.99 price tag, yet I won't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

The issue's one saving grace is Brubaker's very creepy take on a new alliance between Master Man and Sin, which made my skin crawl – in a good way. Clearly this story needs much more than the boring dramatic theatre of a public trial to keep it interesting, and these two villains promise to add some desperately needed complications to this plot. The same goes for the involvement of Dr. Faustus as the defense's key expert on mind control. These villainous characters need to step into the forefront sooner rather than later, because even an artist as talented as Butch Guice isn't capable of making talking heads visually interesting no matter how much grit, personality and atmosphere he brings to the book.

When examining the problems inherent to Captain America Reborn and this final issue in particular, it all comes down to how little the comic has to offer in terms of surprises. Even its most exciting moments seem to lack any real consequence thanks to other recent comics. By the time Steve settles down to contemplate what he saw in his journey through time, it still feels like we're experiencing a retelling of events and developments we first learned elsewhere. But even that being the case, the most telling criticism of this series is that it includes about half the fun of other such spectacle-driven comics, and even less of what Brubaker has done so brilliantly in the main Captain America series. I'm glad it's over.

Of all the potential storylines to explore in Dark Avenger's first story arc, I'm a bit baffled that Bendis decided to go this route. Again, that could be my own personal preferences popping up above anything else, and I understand the Doom/Osborn connection is worth exploring in some way, but I sure would have liked to see Osborn's gang of misfits doing something a tad more interesting than battling generic demons for their debut adventure. Unless Bendis delivers more scenes like the one covered in the issue's first half, I might just have to sit this one out and come back when all this Morgan Le Fey business is over.

Legacies #1 is by no means a bad comic; it just pales in comparison to Marvel's previous two forays into the same genre. It still has plenty of potential, and has the chance to rise to new heights if Wein can manage to turn his lead into a more fully rounded character. Right now, though, the best thing it has going for it is its lineup of talented artists.

Instead, it looks like we'll never know how Starlin would have ended this opus had he not been hampered with the whole Countdown tie-in. It's a shame, because I'm beginning to really like this book.

I will admit that there is a certain amount of fun to be had in watching a character as inept as the Human Flame stumble from one horrible mess to the next. I just don't think there's enough potential there to warrant an entire six-issue miniseries. Hopefully Sturges will prove me wrong.

Oddly enough, the quality of Kolins' art mirrors that of Johns' script, with the artist struggling with some awkward facial expressions and static compositions during the flashback sequences before rising to his usual level of dynamic, emotionally driven work once the story kicks into gear in the present day. The issue is definitely a mixed bag, and the good only barely outweighs the bland.

I have no doubt Flash: Rebirth will go down as an important event in the history of the Flash, and there's even a possibility it'll read better when collected as a whole. Right now, though, it feels way too much like watching Johns do some home-repairs to the Flash property.

The few segments of this issue that aren't taken up by the Sodam/Prime brawl are spent on a flashback to Sodam Yat's youth and origin story, and these segments are by far the best parts of the issue. I have no idea whether or not Sodam Yat's origin story has already been told (I only started reading GL Corps once this event started), but I thoroughly enjoyed learning how this Daxamite came to join the Green Lantern Corps, and I specifically enjoyed seeing how this character is essentially Mon-El with a power ring. Still, my enjoyment of the flashback portions of this issue doesn't change the fact that they'd probably fit better outside the confines of the Sinestro Corps War story, which again, tells me this issue was slapped together to buy time for the finale. In the end, my heart still raced and my eyes still widened while I followed the action, but I wasn't nearly as thrilled as I was by every previous installment of this fantastic story.

But that's the thing about this young title – as hectic and all-over-the-place as it is, it's still immensely interesting, mostly thanks to the sheer weirdness of the central concept. There is a chance that Frank Marraffino can turn things around and lock into the right voice, but it looks like it could take a while.

Despite its flaws, Generation Lost still has a lot of potential. If Giffen and Winick can somehow make this familiar story seem fresh while delivering more in terms of humor, surprises and plot twists, Generation Lost has the ability to stand right alongside Brightest Day in terms of quality and entertainment. As of now, though, the writers have their work cut out for them.

In the end, the only thing that really saved this issue for me was the major development involving Billy Batson's relationship with the JSA, which will come as a big pay-off for fans of the previous volume of this series. Other than that, nearly every facet of this issue is under-whelming, and makes you wonder whether Johns' run on this title might end up limping to the finish line. I sure hope not.

If you don't have a problem watching a writer and two different artists deliver unconnected snapshots of disparate threads from said writer's run, than you might not have as many problems as I had with this issue. There are certainly a couple of good scenes here, and the Two-Face/Dick confrontation in particular is extremely well executed. I just prefer my comics to make a better effort to deliver a unified narrative.

With only one issue left before this storyline wraps, Tomasi has his work cut out for him if he wants to turn this plot into something comprehensible. As it stands now, what he has is a bunch of dangling threads that are neither interesting in their own right nor woven together in a satisfactory manner. I do hope he pulls it off, though. Tomasi's a talented writer with a knack for these characters and a strong core concept, and it'd be a shame to see him kick his run off with a complete miss.

Like any great finale to a brilliant run or series, the main story of Ennis' Punisher swan song leads readers along a series of wonderful pay-offs and important developments. Sadly, what should be a rewarding and bittersweet experience watching Frank move one step closer to ultimate revenge is instead a series of starts and stops. One minute, we're completely immersed in the interplay between General Howe, Frank, and the corrupt Generals who ruined Frank's life, the next we're forced to trudge through needless prose. Enough already. I don't care if Ennis has something up his sleeve, and the prose sections actually end up adding something to next month's final issue. By that time, far too much space will have been wasted away from Frank's ongoing struggle. And isn't that what this series has always been about?

Because the main feature of the series is so simple and fast-moving, there's not much else to say about this issue other than I found it entertaining. Remender kept me at the edge of my seat, and artist Jerome Opena did a good job capturing the energy of this chase, even if his work is a little too rough around the edges in places. All in all, I'd say the premise of Punisher trying to kill Norman Osborn is an interesting one; I just don't know how long they'll be able to milk it without convincing fans that Norman could actually die in a Punisher comic.

Red Robin isn't a bad comic. It isn't a great comic. Hell, I'm not even sure it's a good comic. That's why it's so damn hard to get excited about reading or writing about it.

Is there enough meat to this story to support a six issue miniseries? Possibly. As gimmicky as the whole set up seems, Red Tornado's search for his siblings carries with it a certain amount of emotional weight, and there's a lot of potential here for VanHook to play with his hero's perpetual quest to find human connections by turning it on its head. The art, by Jose Luis, is crisp and dynamic, and the artist revels in the chance to draw silly characters like Red Volcano and Red Torpedo. Unlike Magog #1, Red Tornado #1 jumps out of the gates with sense of purpose that's enough to convince me this story deserved telling.

But even with all that, Robin #179 is a fun comic that boasts some crisp, well-rendered artwork from Freddie Williams II, whose figures thankfully grow less and less lumpy with time. A decent issue all around.

Like I said, Spart: USA is a strange book, but strange and interesting almost always go hand in hand when you're talking about comics. David Lapham has earned plenty of good will with his past work, so I'll definitely come back to visit his odd little town next month. I just hope it'll seem more like an actual, cohesive setting rather than a mash-up of weird ideas.

In many ways this final issue lays all of the project's faults bare. If it wasn't made abundantly clear last issue, this concluding chapter definitely makes it obvious that Brubaker had no intention of truly exploring the ramifications of a villain recreating the super-soldier forum until later stories. What we're left with is a rather thin, action-dominated story in which Steve Rogers takes on the Machinesmith, a villain who isn't really capable of supporting a story on his own. Luckily Brubaker does do action-driven stories well, he again captures Rogers' voice capably and even throws in an interesting albeit brief exploration into the concept of artificial intelligence. But all those redeeming qualities don't make this issue, and this story, anything greater than it is on the surface: a thin, ultimately disappointing set-up for what's to come.

As a fan of Robinson and someone familiar with his style of storytelling, I'm confident his run will offer up far more than we see in this debut issue. As I said before, it's as if Robinson is slowly settling down for the long haul with this first outing rather than trying to dash out of the gates and grab our attention. That decision might not sit well with fans eager to see this title live up to Action Comics, but I'm fine with it. Renato Guedes seems like a solid fit on art, as his Superman is iconic, his villains menacing, and his action considerably dynamic. I'm excited to see what's to come from this pair.

As far as the art is concerned, I continue to be just as conflicted in my opinions of Renato Guedes' work as I am with this run as a whole. At times, Guede's work is beautiful in its simplicity. Other times however, his minimalist approach leaves one with the impression that certain images are incomplete. Few artists have the ability to provide breathtaking panels and lackluster panels on the same page, but Guedes retains that confounding tendency. All in all, his work remains as inconsistent as Robinson's run has been from the get-go.

Finally, those who read and enjoy this issue would do well to pick up this week's Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen Special, as it's another solid read from James Robinson and picks up right on the heels of this issue. And if the special's ending is to be believed, DC finally got around to doing what many of us have been quietly hoping for since Countdown.

But like I said, "Grounded" is at the very least an interesting experiment. JMS is working without a net on this one, and it's somewhat inspiring to see the scribe put himself so far out there. Superhero comics play it safe way too often these days, and this one definitely doesn't. That's refreshing and fun to see. And as long as JMS can balance the story's weakness with the strengths he's currently displaying, "Grounded" might go down as a story that's nearly as successful as it is ambitious.

Because, like much of "Grounded", the issue is so light on plot, I won't worry too much about spoiling the details. In a nutshell, the story reunites Lois with an old college flame now married to a beautiful successful wife with two young kids. The family invites Lois over for dinner, and there we see Lois spill her doubts and fears out to the wife of her ex. There's some strong writing here taken outside the context of the Superman mythos, but any fan of Lois might find themselves asking whether this is the first successful family woman she's ever encountered in her travels. In the end, it all comes across as a prolonged excuse for a saccharine sweet moment between Lois and the Man of Steel, and a stall tactic for JMS and Eddy Barrows to catch up on their schedules. It's not necessarily bad, but not all that good, either.

But I can't help but come back to my inability to make heads or tails of this mystery, particularly as it relates to James Robinson's Atlas arc or the upcoming "New Krypton crossover" (which it purports to lead into). Perhaps we'll know soon enough when that epic kicks off, or when Robinson divulges a little more information about this conspiracy. For now, I at least feel confident recommending the book to any Superman fan willing to struggle through a cloudy but at times fulfilling yarn.

All in all, the issue falls far short of the high benchmark the JMS/Saiz team has set on The Brave and the Bold. The issue does make an insane sort of sense when placed alongside last month's Doom Patrol/Legion of Superheroes team-up, but even when taken as a whole this story isn't anywhere near as polished or impressive as this creative team's previous efforts. At the very least, though, this installment does deliver a few big laughs while providing some fun, irreverent entertainment. For that, I'd still call it a worthwhile read. I just hope JMS and Saiz revert back to the form that made this series one of the best on the stands, and sooner rather than later.

Fun, but mostly inconsequential.

Like all of Aaron's work, there are some great, very interesting ideas at work in this issue, in particular the idea of a benevolent cybernetic computer program that overrides the murderous mind of its deceased human host. If only that idea had been set-up earlier in the arc, and didn't seem to spring out of nowhere at the tail end of a superhero vs. cyborg slugfest, maybe "Tomorrow Dies Today" would have felt more like one organic story. It doesn't, and that's mostly because Aaron couldn't find a way to rein in his ambition and unify his ideas under one coherent plot.

Simeone's run on Wonder Woman has been a tad frustrating to read. Simone clearly has an affinity for Diana and understands what makes the character tick. When she's exploring Diana's relationship with her supporting cast members and the regular citizens of the DCU, Simone's run has been immensely enjoyable. If only she could find the right sort of story to utilize those strengths and keep readers at the edge of their seats – ideally without making them giggle.

I'd call it another entertaining Spidey yarn, although definitely a step down from the quality of the last two weeks.

Besides the unfortunate interruptions of Jason and Kyle bickering over Donna or Bob the Monitor explaining their need to find Ray Palmer (we get it, Bob), Johnson crafts a surprisingly complete story that sends this version of Dick Grayson on a tragic and appropriate narrative path. I don't know where any story about this particular universe can go from here, but I don't really plan on returning anyway, so I suppose it doesn't matter. For now, I'll take this issue for what it was, an entertaining exploration of one of DC's 52 Earths.

Even if I'm not sold on this series being the definitive comic book exploration of Vikings and Norsemen, I'm still interested enough to come back for a second outing.

Besides the fact that this new Batman and the Outsiders series is shaping up to be a valuable addition to the DCU, if there's another reason to be optimistic about this new title, it's Julian Lopez' crisp and vibrant artwork, which comes alive thanks to inker Bit. I'm eager to see where Dixon and Lopez go from here.

By no coincidence, the issue's most effective moments include the least amount of voice-over narration, meaning Nicieza actually allows his characters' dialogue and William's dynamic art to do all the heavy lifting. Moments where Nicieza piles on the voice-over narration of Robin and Spoiler are to no surprise the least effective, and read as clumsily as the weakest of this arc's installments. From the looks of it, though, the final chapter should revolve mostly around the climactic intersection of all these threads, and one would hope Nicieza would let the dramatic dialogue and visuals speak for themselves. I'll be crossing my fingers.

Still, I suppose I should give props where they are due. Trinity #16 is one of the better issues of the series, even if that's kind of like saying its the best smelling piece of garbage in the dumpster. Okay, that was a little harsh. What matters is Trinity is finally getting around to telling an entertaining story, and shows a few promising signs.

The series' Manhunter back-up serial continues to add value to this book every month, and is probably the strongest example of DC's double-feature initiative. This week suffers a bit from the inconsistent fill-in work of Cliff Richards, but the intersection of Kate Spencer, Harvey Dent and Dylan Battles' lives remains as captivating as ever. This back-up could easily support its own title.

His artistic style – a blend of Kirby and John Byrne's take on the Fourth World – is by far the most satisfying component of this series, which is fitting when you consider the Fourth World has always been known more for dynamic artwork than three-dimensional storytelling. Still, the very fact that Starlin is succeeding somewhat at the latter task is one of the highest compliments one could pay this veteran creator.

But that's all not to say that this is a bad comic. I absolutely love the opening three-page scene explaining the Flash's biggest weakness – having to slow down. It's a reminder that, in addition to all of his other skills, Johns has an incredible knack for getting at the heart of a character. And as much as some moments feel forced and unnatural, others, like the Iris development, work wonderfully in the context of the story. The art, by Ethan Van Sciver, is beautiful enough to make me forgive the book's lateness, even if some of his figures seem too posed to be taking part in a kinetic, super-fast battle. Flash: Rebirth isn't a bad comic; it's just far from Johns and Van Sciver's best. I understand the Flash franchise needed some retooling, but couldn't it have been done in a better story?

Green Lantern Corps works best as a title when we get a sense of the vast scope of the DC Universe through the lens of GL Corps' everyday procedures, and even though this issue focuses heavily on the Guy Gardner/Kyle Rayner-led strike team on Mongul's planet, it cuts away to other GL Corps happenings just enough to drive home the vast scope that makes this series such a great sci-fi vehicle. This title is in competent, sure hands; I just hope Gleason figures out a better way to balance his out-of-this-world visuals with solid storytelling.

But if part of the test of any debut issue is whether it provides enough reasons to come back for a second read, then I, Zombie #1 must be considered a partial success at the very least. Even with its unfortunate tardiness, Roberson's hook was strong enough to pique my interest, and Allred's pop-art style is always a huge asset to any story he illustrates. I'll come back for more, but with a strong urge to see Roberson do a better job of getting to the damn point in future issues.

On art, Jason Pearson's work is likewise a huge step up from the quality of last week's issue. Pearson brings the right sense of creepiness to the proceedings, and nails every nuance in the above-mentioned brilliant scene. This is a one-shot well worth the cover price – flaws and all – if only because it's fascinating to see a young writer who hasn't quite ironed out his craft, but is pretty damn close.

This issue is above all else a fun exercise by two creators who are clearly having a good time with this project. I love the book's slickly produced prestige format and wish Marvel and DC would give more of their short miniseries the same treatment. In the end, the best thing I can probably say about this book is that I felt like I got my $6.99 worth, and that I smiled more times than I sighed.

All in all, I'd have to call Madame Xanadu a very successful debut issue, in that it eased my early concerns, pulled me in and left me wanting more. It didn't make me run out to buy more magic and sorcery comics, but it at least got me interested in this one.

I think Dixon's Batman and the Outsiders can be a successful and important part of the DCU, but I don't see it happening just yet. Without a firm knowledge of what the team is up against, it's difficult to care all that much about their recent missions. Likewise, there's not enough of a consistent thread between each issue and each mission to make me understand just why and how this team exists in the first place. In interviews and promotional pieces, we've been told over and over again that the Outsiders are a team that carries out the cloak and dagger missions that the Justice League has no stomach for. That might be the case, but we've yet to see it proven convincingly in the actual series. After all, there's nothing here that the JLA, Checkmate, the Suicide Squad or the Birds of Prey couldn't handle.

As strange and as baffling as this series has been in these early stages, it's worth pointing out that it does take a strong turn towards this issue's end. Two major villains enter the mix, one of whom has some serious unfinished business with one of the Outsiders. Here's hoping he elbows the Insiders out of the way next issue, because I'm tired of trying to figure out what exactly their deal is.

I can't say enough about Garth Ennis' run on Punisher MAX. For my money, it's the best work that's ever been done with the character. I just wish Ennis was a little more focused on giving us a fitting conclusion to this story than he was preaching about the Vietnam War.

One final observation I've never been a fan of Leinil Yu's artwork, but if Marvel continues to pair him with such a talented inker as Mark Morales, I just might get on the Yu bandwagon. Together with colorist Laura Martin, Morales brings some much-needed clarity and crispness to Yu's work, and Secret Invasion #2 is, at the very least, a beautiful and exciting sight to behold. I just wish there was more to this issue's story.

All in all, Secret Invasion #3 offers an entertaining read that nevertheless failed to impress me as anything other than this summer's big event comic. For now, I'll continue to look forward to reading Bendis Avengers titles before this one.

As it turned out, "Who is Superman?" wasn't a great story arc by any means. Most importantly, though, it wasn't a bad one. The sky's the limit for Kara now that her title has risen from perpetual awfulness. Let's hope Gates and company can step it up for the next arc.

With all those complaints said, I should point out that Teen Titans: Year One is like a wide-eyed puppy, in that it's absolutely impossible to stay mad at it. Karl Kerschl is just so pleasing to the eyes and so packed with spirit that it's difficult to look away. Teen Titans: Year One is contagious, even if it's not a perfect comic.

I've voiced more than a few points regarding how this adaptation falls short of the original films, so I feel inclined to point out that Wellington Dias' art is far from a shortcoming. On the contrary, Dias' crisp, boldly rendered artwork and his compelling staging carries this issue from start to finish, and it's he – not Gage – who comes closest to capturing the spirit of the original works. Sadly, the book still falls a bit short in that regard.

To be completely forthright, I picked up this issue solely out of my curiosity to see what all the fuss surrounding Marvel 2099 was about, and because Marvel promoted it as a quasi-jumping on point for new readers. That Reed didn't make any real effort to introduce characters left me a little disappointed, but the best thing I can say about the issue is that I'm still curious, and will eagerly return to this world next month. And it should go without saying that if you're a Marvel 2099 fan, you'll undoubtedly get more out of this issue than I did. Even if you're not, though, I'd say go ahead and see if it piques your interest.

I'm not sure what to make of this issue's awkward coda involving Lois Lane, nor do I entirely understand what I was looking at following the issue's big explosion. All I know is that the first time, this series caught my attention and inspired a little wonder, and for that, I'm grateful. Things might be looking up for DC's latest weekly (emphasis on might).

"Rise of the Olympians' still has my attention despite its faults, and I sincerely hope that Simone will move into more entertaining and compelling pastures now that she's done trying to convince us why this is all so important. Simone is a great writer capable of telling wonderful stories. She just hasn't started off on the best foot with this one.

Finally, there's the back-up Manhunter feature by Marc Andrekyo and Georges Jeanty, which for me remains this series biggest draw. Whereas Dini's script is rocky throughout, Andreyko's is smooth sailing, as he masterfully navigates his limited space to a deliver a worthwhile installment. In her creator's hands, Kate is as badass and charming as ever, even if I still have a tough time accepting the plot point of her willingly leaving her son back home. One well-written scene in particular, in which Kate's intern nudges her ever so slightly past her own stubbornness towards a rational solution, reminded me why I fell in love with this character and her series in the first place. At the very least, it looks like Streets of Gotham will be worth picking up just for this feature. Hopefully, Dini's main feature will start matching the back-up.

All in all, it's another strong issue from this consistently entertaining title. But seriously, can someone tell these damn superheroes to play nice with each other already?

I know, I know. Keep dreaming...

This is by far the best Countdown-related series you'll find. If only it weren't Countdown-related.

Irredeemable #2 is huge step in the right direction for a series that got off on the wrong foot, yet it has a long way to go before I'd call it impressive or innovative. Because it's Waid at the helm, though, and he's ostensibly trying to say something profound about his favorite hero, I'm definitely going to stick around for more.

Either way, you're on your way to converting me, Tomasi. Just please don't go screwing it up by giving us an entire issue of Dick and Tim eating lunch with the Teen Titans in some Upper Manhattan deli.

As in the case of his Robin, Dixon is at his strongest while peppering action scenes with witty character exchanges, and there are plenty of zingers to add color to this issue's proceedings. Dixon is a damn capable Batman writer as well, and he captures the Dark Knight's ruthless leadership role perfectly without making him too much of a jerk, something that many modern writers would have a tough time pulling off. Plus, his Metamorpho usually steals any scene he's in, which will please any fan who suffered through the recent Year One miniseries or Winick's take on the character. Together with the boldly rendered artwork of Carlos Rodriguez, Dixon has made The Outsiders a fun but not quite exceptional (at least not quite yet) read.

When it comes to drawing readers into a new series, there a number of approaches a writer can take. Remender has clearly opted to take his time setting up this new status quo, and for many, that will be seen as a positive. For me, I would have preferred if this new series just threw Frank into Norman's sights right off the bat rather than waste time on lengthy chase scenes and sequences of Frank blowing away foot soldiers. To each is own, though. When all is said and done, the best thing I can say about the new Punisher book is that it has my attention, and I'll be back next month.

Like I said, I want to like Red Robin. Right now, I just can't fully get behind it. With the series pointed in a promising direction, though, it looks like I may be able to soon.

The pieces are slowly all falling into place for this series. If only Yost would get out of his way long enough to get this series off the ground.

Finally, the issue includes yet another installment of Origins and Omens, and although I'm tired of complaining about this feature, I will say this: the most damning critique I can throw at this running feature is that it only works when the writer does his best job to brush past the framing device and continue whatever story he was telling in the main feature. This is what Sterling Gates does in this issue, and it's the only reason his Origins and Omens didn't read as an unwelcome interruption.

More and more it's beginning to feel like I've been writing the same review for every Superman issue that's come across my desk, and I imagine that will continue to be the case as long as the franchise's writers remain concerned with plot and ideas over story. Yes, the idea of Superman "abandoning" Earth to live among his fellow Kryptonians is an interesting one, and the development seen on this issue's final page definitely opens up some compelling plot opportunities. I just hope Rucka and Robinson can figure out a way to turn their plots and ideas into something I genuinely enjoy reading.

The only problem - one that is shared by many such time travel stories - is that McKeever never quite makes it clear just how the future Titans' scheme would accomplish their goals. Still, all the rich internal conflict of the first story plays out here, once again in physical manifestations. By using the budding romance between Robin and Wonder Girl as a main emotional theme of this story, McKeever keeps the soap opera-style character conflict boiling at the surface at all times, and Tim Drake's struggle against his future self to avoid becoming a close-minded sociopath is as entertaining as ever. I could have done without the inclusion of Starro and a bunch of D-list villains, but so far I'd call this a mostly worthy follow-up to one of my favorite stories in recent years.

Still, even with this bump in the road and it's lack of an ongoing plot, Teen Titans: Year One will leave you with a warm feeling in your belly and a smile on your face. And for those reasons alone, it's well worth the cover price.

So in the end, what we have here is a stand-alone adventure that doesn't stand on its own very well due to how little it says about its characters or the story's subject matter, and the first part of a two-part tale that doesn't do much of a job setting up part two. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Luckily, JMS is good enough to make the issue work surprisingly well despite its fundamental flaws. At the very least, it's fun to watch JMS play these characters off each other in a story that takes an unexpectedly grounded take on over-the-top sci-fi.

If only the lead serial could step up its game.

In the end, I suppose it was nice to see one of my favorite writing duos of all time reunite for a brief stopover into the genre they do best, even if the final product was far below their work on Gotham Central.

Looking back, I think I was a little harsh on last week's annual from Nicieza and Calafiore. Yes, it had its significant shortcomings, but it did provide what so few Batman books offer these days: a chance to watch the current team in action in a complete story. That it doesn't exactly hook us into the upcoming Azrael ongoing shouldn't be counted against it too much. Sometimes, telling an entertaining adventure story should be enough. Isn't there room for a Batman series that tells stories like this?

All that said, this is only the first issue, and even if The End League doesn't exactly burst out of the gates, it did leave me wanting more. The title also has one huge plus going for it the art of Mat Broome, who delivers sleek, dynamic and powerful artwork from start to finish. Though Broome's work is a bit over-rendered for my tastes, it does manage to tell a hell of an exciting story and fits the tone of Remender's dark script quite well. The jury's still out on this one, but I'll certainly be back for more.

I should also point out how little I care for the art of Freddie Williams II, who inexplicably draws the Flash (and Black Lightning and John Stewart, for that matter), as if he's been pumped full of ten doses of Bane's Venom. I'm no stickler for proper anatomy in my superhero comics, but Williams' humans are lumpy and a bit grotesque, and I'm fairly certain that's not the look he's going for in a book like The Flash. In comparison to the Doug Braithwaite-painted backup stories that have accompanied each of these last five issues, Williams' art looks rather amateurish.

Mongul sends the GL Corps his favorite flower arrangement.

So JSA All-Stars #1 is a mostly successful debut for the DCU's newest team. Their first story is set-up nicely, we get a good handle on the team's dynamic and an idea of what's coming down the road. I just hope we see a lot more of Sandman. Just as Geoff Johns did before him, Sturges does fascinating work with the character in an extremely brief appearance, then abandons him entirely. Now that he has the space, I'd like to see Sturges do more with the troubled hero.

Overall, Tomasi's decision to focus on character over plot means that each of his issues lives or dies on the merits of their individual scenes, and lately, he's become far more skilled at figuring out what seemingly unrelated (as far as plot goes) types of character pieces are worth exploring and what ones should be left on the cutting room floor. I for one am glad to see less superfluous superhero cameos and more explorations of Dick's job as a New York based crime fighter, even if the one he gives us here has little connection to anything else in the book. I'm also curious to see how long Tomasi will take to actually wrap up or even tie-together the Creighton Kendall plotline he's touched upon briefly in each of his issues. I understand that he's decided on an approach that's more suited towards an extended run, but at some point, he'll have to give readers some sort of a conclusion, especially when you consider the current written-for-the-trade reality of mainstream comics.

The best compliments I can pay this issue is it makes a tired device seem captivating, and more significantly, succeeds in building up next issue so that I'm greatly looking forward to it. That and there are no RIP references.

I'm still not sure what I think about Dustin Nguyen's art. After last issue, I thought I was warming up to his jagged line work, but now, even though I think his style works with the New Gods and Darkseid in particular, I've come to realize that it's his Batman that really bothers me. Nyugen seems to add unnecessary creases to Batman's face and cowl that come off as sloppy as opposed to stylistic. I definitely was not pleasured to learn he'll be taking over the art duties on Detective Comics.

Besides pointing out the general competency of this mystery, and Robinson's deft characterization of the Guardian as a man struggling with his own identity and humanity, it's tough for me to pinpoint whether newer readers will identify with this issue as much as long-time Superman fans. I suppose the most accurate thing I can say is that if you enjoyed the Jimmy Olsen one-shot, you'll enjoy this one. However, fans expecting a pure or direct follow up to last week's Superman issue are likely to walk away disappointed, as are those who expected all of Superman's titles to build of each other sequentially moving forward. On the plus side of things, Superman's world continues to get a bit more interesting and complex with each passing week.

And am I the only one who thought the issue's first cliffhanger was a lot juicier than its second?

All in all, though, Battle for the Cowl: The Network manages to tell an entertaining story that also succeeds in filling in the crevices of the main series' cluttered plot. Despite a few significant flaws, I'd call it another pleasant surprise.

Batman: The Return isn't the glorious, burst-out-the-gates first chapter I expected from Morrison, even if it does show a lot of promise for this new direction while hinting that Bruce glimpsed a horrific truth about the future on his romp through time. Fans of Morrison's previous Batman work will find Batman Inc. to be a far more worthwhile, entertaining and fully realized kick-start to this new chapter of Batman's history. That said, this one's definitely worth checking out.

But despite the improvement in writing, the art remains a major problem. Flanagan continues to have some fundamental problems with anatomy, perspective and storytelling, and still can't draw Batman the same way twice, except when he draws Batman's cowl as a two-dimensional glob of ink. In the end, his shortcomings as an artist will likely overshadow anything Smith is able to accomplish with this series.

But all the talent in the world couldn't change the fact that Blackest Night: Wonder Woman is as inherently flawed as the last round of tie-ins. Until these series are allowed to probe deeper than the surface conflict of Blackest Night, they won't stand much of a chance of living up to the high standards of the more entertaining and substantial Blackest Night books.

Once again, this series provides all the thrills we've come to expect from this title. Johns and Katz have fun playing with elements of DC's long history (this time, the JLI team dynamic and certain 52 threads), dish out some amusing one-liners, infuse some great character interaction into the mix and generally craft an exciting and well told superhero adventure. Also once again, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the artwork of Dan Jurgens, who is seriously outdoing an entire career's worth of impressive artwork with this series. I know Johns and Katz are on the way out with next month's One Million issue, but I sincerely hope Jurgens sticks around to draw the character he created two decades ago.

Oh, and the Nomad back-up still exists.

In explaining away some of their most egregious recent editorial gaffes, Marvel has often hid behind the fact that all we be forgiven, if not forgotten, once a mismanaged project is collected. I don't think that will be the case for Captain America Reborn. This issue makes me seriously consider whether this story will ultimately read better in one sitting than if they kept the mini at five issues and collected it alongside Who Will Wield the Shield?. I suppose time will tell, even if fans are unlikely to forget how poorly Steve's return was handled in the periodicals.

Rounding it all out is a prose story from veteran Daredevil writer Ann Nocenti with spot illustrations from David Aja. Like so many comics writers tend to do when they're given the chance to write prose, Nocenti goes way overboard, burying her story in over-indulgent hard-boiled language that becomes a parody of itself. Still, the lead feature is good enough to call this issue a winner. And at the very least, I'll definitely be back for more.

In conclusion, Dark Reign: Hawkeye will come as another welcome dose of evil for fans of Marvel's new status quo. For those still on the fence about the whole Dark Reign direction, the issue won't do much to win you over.

All in all, it was an enjoyable, if unremarkable, installment, with Dini offering nice characterization and artist Dustin Nguyen providing more of his stylistic pencil work (even though I still don't like the way he draws Batman's cowl).

As for the link to the recently concluded RIP, O'Neil fluidly includes shout-outs to a number of different stories currently taking place in the Bat-books, and he does it with the ease of a career editor who oversaw a number of different convoluted Bat crossovers in his time. What he doesn't do is clue us in on why all this matters to Millicent Mayne's predicament, and we're left wondering whether or not the veteran scribe might be using this RIP post-mortem to tell one last Batman story that's been lingering in his imagination. Seeing as I have full faith in O'Neil, I don't think this will be the case, and I fully expect the second issue to deliver more in terms of exploring the idea of a Gotham without Batman. As it stands now, though, all we really have is a relatively compelling story starring a mysterious new character, Nightwing and Two-Face.

But man, do I wish Brightest Day hadn't unnecessarily reared its ugly head just as this story was getting good.

Last but (surprisingly) not least, is the issue's Origins and Omens feature, which is actually an example of a writer turning this feature into an enjoyable story. No, it has absolutely nothing to do with Blackest Night, but at least Kresiberg is able to provide us with an interesting exploration of the consequences of Dinah's powers, and how she's been known to rack up collateral damage without even knowing it. And judging by this back-up, that very well might come back to bite her.

With as many crappy books out on the stands, I suppose it might be a little harsh to criticize a book for being only a few steps above mediocre, but I have no problem using that argument against Green Arrow/Black Canary. Kreisberg has shown some serious flashes of brilliance in the early stages of this run, and I'm fine with calling him out on the carpet for not putting all the pieces together into a greater whole. Because once he does, this series might finally become a book worth following closely.