It's not all bad. As with Chuck Austen's Uncanny X-Men it is not a truly repulsive comic as there are decent ideas there and the occasional really memorable insights, it's just that they are horribly played out. It is more frustrating for the reader than anything else. Some of the dialogue between the superheroes and their proteges is cracking, yet again falls flat. It isn't quite natural for them and comes across as a cheap Bendis impression. Still, the "No sign" scene had me chuckling. All in all, I guess I really should drop this title. But then the next arc features the new Supergirl, which shall probably be one of the main parts of the upcoming DCU make-over, and artwork by Michael Turner. Maybe it'll get better! Man, am I living in denial or what...

Oh yeah, one more thing - Peter Pan references should be banned!

All in all, its nothing more than a profile book. If you are as much of a die-hard Transfan as I am then you may have a passing interest in this book but really, it strikes me as a futile exercise. Armadas time has come and gone and I have a hard time believing that there was a great deal of demand for this MTMTE series when all that we want to see is some Beast Wars action. Bring on the Summer Special!

Oh, and the chicks are hot. But thats not the point... is it?

It's that kind of story, really. There is no rhyme or reason to it. It simply seems to exist to enable Millar to put down all the terrible ideas he dreams up that would be too far-fetched or offensive for more mainstream titles like The Ultimates or The Authority. And going by his standards, that's saying something. At the end of the day, you'll already know if you can get this unique brand of humour or not. If you watch shows like Family Guy or South Park and find them too odd then run away now and pick up something more suited to your tastes. If you can stomach it, you'll get some good cheap laughs, marvel at Millar for having such imagination AND for having the balls to put this out there, then wander what the hell he was smoking and where you can get some...

To put it simply, this is the funniest comic on the market today and one of the most enjoyable reading experiences youre likely to find for $2.95. Rugg & Maruca are a very welcome breath of fresh air to comics. Heres hoping that there are plenty more non-adventures for Street Angel still to come!

The origins of the Swamp Thing itself were touched upon briefly, and they certainly piqued my interest. An interesting look at the conflict between man and nature from a unique perspective. There certainly seems to be the potential for some great stories here, and I am sure the split between Holland and Swampy will be enough to get the long-term readers to stick around. It adds an interesting spiritual element to the story to go with the familial and romantic aspects supplied by the daughter and the wife. What particularly impresses is the way Diggle takes every single person in this book and crafts them superbly. Even people like the motel owner, with barely three lines of dialogue, are made individual and developed. Just like The Losers, this is going to be another hit title for Diggle. In fact, it is a damn good book, even if it does sound like I am complaining! The bottom line is that if Vertigo wanted to gain a new reader for their new title then, in my case, they have failed. If

All in all it is the eighth home run Straczynski and Frank have hit in a row, and long may it continue. Hopefully the release of the first six issues in a TPB will help draw more people to this title because if dross like Austen's Uncanny X-Men, unintentioned failures like Azarello's Batman and running-on-empty fillers like Straczynski's Amazing Spider-Man can continue to clog up the top end of the sales charts, this book will need all the help it can get in getting them. Perhaps losing the Marvel MAX rating would help them? This issue certainly didn't need it, as there where only a couple of swear words that could quite easily have been edited out. Anything involving Nighthawk would be a different matter altogether of course, but I'm sure they could find a way! No matter what, I hope they don't cancel this book any time soon. I demand my Supreme Power, and so should you!

In fact, screw Azarello, Austin, Lee and all the other big names coming Supe's way in April. Can't we just follow the adventures of this Birthright universe? Personally I'd love to see the Waid/Yu/Alanguilan team taking the young Clark through the rest of the staples of the DC Universe. What's that you say? Sounds like the beginnings of an Ultimate universe? Hmm. Maybe that's because it's the one thing they actually need!