Noah O'Toole Comic Reviews

1988's "Death in the Family" ranks as one of the worst moments in comic book history, just below the "The Killing Joke" and "Green Lantern #54", so to read about Jason Todd dealing with the emotional aftermath of that trauma was cathartic and empowering. Scott Lobdell's "Who is Artemis" storyline keeps you guessing from issue to issue through clever plot twists, and Dexter Soy hits it out of the park with the art. And as always, Bizarro adds just enough camp and comedy to make this book one of my favorite titles each month.

The story, the art, the character development, the excitement,the adventure " I could go on and on about what a great book Red Hood and theOutlaws is. Despite a few glaring errorsin the coloring department (on page 16 Artemis's boots completely change to adifferent color) this is a near perfect issue.

What's up with these emotional issues DC is putting out lately? I never would have thought writing a review about a story about Bizarro would leave me choking back tears, but once again Red Hood and the Outlaws have exceeded all expectations. I think this is my favorite Rebirth book " it's consistently excellent every month and is the best "buddy" book out there by far, putting Justice League and Trinity to shame.

Red Hood and the Outlaws has more personality in its three cast members than the entire Justice League has combined. The art switches styles depending on the memory from a stylized, cute cartoon to groovy, psychedelic madness. This would have been a 10 out of 10 except for the fact that once again the colorist can't seem to decide if Artemis's boots should be red or black.

Despite the few hiccups, this is a solid book with enough familiar Bat symbolism to appeal to the readers who love the Bat-family, yet different enough to give readers a fresh approach with a diverse cast.

Once gain,Batwomandelivers on a story that is deeply wrapped in mystery, romance, and adventure. SteveEpting'sart is quite possibly one of the most beautiful out of all the DC books right now.Marguerite Bennett & JamesTynionIV are a dream team, having been nominated for andhaving won (respectively) the GLAAD Media Award, which is an accolade given by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representation of LGBT characters and issues that affect their lives.Batwomangoes way beyondthe topic ofher sexuality, and this book givesKatethe chance to shine, weaving all the complicated issues of her past together to give us the heroine we all deserve.

Another near-perfect issue from the creative team behind Batwoman. The baggage the characters carry is heavy, and it can be felt by the readers. All this translates into a captivating story about love, betrayal, and the emotional aftermath.

While this issue in particular doesn't take place in the present, it's Kate Kane's past that makes her so interesting. Needless to say, I relish the issues that fill us in on what happened to her during the "lost year" and this flashback delivers.

Despite the fact this story takes place in an uncertain future, a lot of clues are scattered throughout that connect to the events happening in DC Rebirth, including some curious info on Tim Drake. A handful of surprise guest stars also make this a poignant issue for Batwoman fans.

As usual, Suicide Squad is a fun, action-packed read. General Zod is the wildcard needed to spiceup the action and adventure in Suicide Squad, even though the current rostermirrors the recent movie in such a way no one is in danger of dying on any ofthe "suicide missions". Even though thetitle lost some of its originality over the years, it's still a fun, wellwritten book with gorgeous art.

With the focus of the story being on Zod, the Eradicator, andCyborg Superman, the Suicide Squad feels like guest characters in their ownbook. The encounter with the Supermenleaves one of the Squad members dead, finally making Suicide Squad interestingagain. The death in this issue looks toset up future stories, so this is a great time to jump on for new readers.

I must admit I was blown-away by this issue. The photo-realistic art style by Stjepan Sejic is breathtaking, and after the events of last issue that finally shook up the Squad's roster the story has finally piqued my interest. This is the most interesting issue of Suicide Squad I've read in a long time and is a great jumping on point for new readers.

Suicide Squad is moving full steam ahead and I'm enjoying the ride! With Harley Quinn leading the team now anything can happen and this issue is full of the crazy things that do! The recent roster shake-up has added the much-needed fun and unpredictability back to the Suicide Squad.

Everything was done right once again. Justice League Verses Suicide Squad was one of the best cross-overs in Rebirth and this issue continues with the aftermath of that as well as the past events of the Suicide Squad series. The plot twist was a little too obvious, but it didn't take away from the fun of the book.

A good issue, but not a great one like the previous two were. Still, this is the most fun Suicide Squad has been in a while and hope they keep up the exciting pace.

Aquaman has taken the world of fantasy, kings, monsters, and betrayals from Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings and successfully integrated them into the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. It is exciting to read about the rise and fall of royalty, and Dan Abnett has done an excellent job of echoing history in the world of Aquaman and Mera.

Not a lot of questions were answered here, but the plot was furthered and I can't wait to discover they mystery behind the button.

A fast, fun, oversized Flash book without Barry going back in time to fix things for once! Learning the history of Eobard Thawne and his evolution to the Reverse Flash was the most compelling part of the story. Splashy art and creative panel layouts add to experience. A must read for any Flash/Reverse Flash fan.

This issue was leaps and bounds better than the last storyline, due in part to coinciding with the events of Justice League Verses Suicide Squad crossover. The Fatal Five present the challenge Supergirl needs, and the book assures you the stakes are as real as they feel.

Supergirl: Being Super is a breath of fresh air from the typical story lines in comic books. This is a coming of age story about a girl from a foreign place trying to fit into a culture that doesn't want her. The art is beautiful and consistent. I recommend this book to everyone, but I feel it is an especially important book for young, female readers because Supergirl is a great role model and a strong woman who has emotions and must deal with loss. While not a "teen" book, it does focus on the teenage experience which we can all relate to.

Jimmy and Amanda hit their stride with Harley Quinn and have managed to keep the pace. This is the start of a new story arc and is a great place for new readers to jump on. In fact, any issue of Harley Quinn is probably okay to jump on - as arguably DC's most popular female character this book highlights the comedic side of comic books with plenty of risqu jokes and adult content that make it a fun easy read,but definitely not kids'stuff!

Every page of Harley Quinn is unpredictable. From dream-sequences to Harley fist-fighting in the buff, every page is full of surprises. Obscure characters and a strong (and hilarious) supporting cast make this book a fun and unique read every issue.

A very wordy issue, the story jumps so much from Harley Sinn to the Mayor to Poison Ivy it can be a little overwhelming to read. A lot of the book seemed to consist of Harley Quinn and Goat Boy talking about the diversity of people while riding the subway, which lead to a less action-oriented issue than I had hoped.

If you like sex and violence this is the issue for you! Guest stars Catwoman and Poison Ivy add their cleavage to the copious amounts of bloodshed in this book, but after all, isn't that what a Harley Quinn book is all about?!

Every comic book and video game fan I know is beyond excited for Injustice 2, the video game, to release on May 16. This book is the prequel to the storyline that will be explored in the upcoming video games Story Mode. Alternate realities and warped versions of the heroes we know and love are always an interesting read because anything can happen and usually does. Despite the fact the entire story line of the Injustice series is set into motion by the murder of a pregnant Lois Lane, another misogynistic and over-used plot device where a woman is brutally killed to further the story of the man, I love this alternate take on the Justice League and look forward to learning more about what is happening in this world as the series and game releases.

Right on cue Damian, Deadshot, Katana, and the League of Assassins attack and take Ted to Ra's Al Ghul's Secret Sanctuary where they broadcast to the world the murders of Ted Kord and many others as well as the destruction of every Kord Industries building in the world. And sure enough, in Ted's final moments, Booster Gold appears and tenderly comforts him until he dies.

Wonder Woman Annual is fun collection of 4 short stories. The only one that directly fits into the current story arc is the first one, and it gives us some backstory on when Diana met the rest of the Trinity. Nichola Scott returning to the art, even if just for one story, was refreshing and reminded me of the fun Greg Rucka captured in some of Wonder Woman's earlier issues.

Even though this is Wonder Woman's book, Greg Rucka has made the stand-out stars her supporting cast. Adrianna Anderson, the new Dr. Cyber, has become one of my favorite characters because of her sarcastic humor and witty comebacks. I find myself having empathy for Veronica Cale, who is supposed to be the big villain, and any Wonder Woman story that involves Circe is a blast to read. While you can easily pick up any issue and start reading, I definitely also recommend picking up the trade paperback as Rucka has weaved a really deep tale about Diana discovering her own truth. The art really shined bright for me in this book as well; every panel was full of detail.

With only two issues left on Greg Rucka's run on Wonder Woman: Rebirth, I expected more answers to the mystery behind Diana's memories, but instead was given more plot exposition. However, it was still a very enjoyable book. As a decades long Wonder Woman fan, I was not impressed when Rucka created Veronica Cale back in 2003's "Wonder Woman #196". At the time, she felt like female port of Lex Luthor to function as a Wonder Woman villain. Now, as we approach the finales, the care and development Rucka put into establishing Veronica as less of a Luthor clone and more her own character is one of the most compelling reasons to read Wonder Woman. It looks like the next two issues will determine if all this was worth the wait.

A perfect ending for "The Truth". Greg Rucka was able to deliver on the story,finally answering most of the questions behind Diana's missing memories. He also did it in a way that would makeWonder Woman's creator, William Moulton Marston, proud. By weaving together themes of lovingsubmission and the power of a matriarchal society, he really brought WonderWoman and what she stands for back to her original roots. WONDER-ful all around!

Rucka reinvention of the Cheetah has been a highlight from theseries and this issue sets her up to be a consistent villain in Wonder Woman'sfuture. While this issue didn't addanything of substance to the overall story, it demonstrated Diana's vastcapabilities for love and forgiveness.

I'm compelled to tell the truth: I'm disappointed the final issue of Rucka's run didn't answer many of the questions raised during Rebirth. However, it didn't need to. The truth of Wonder Woman has never changed and this is a story about finding the truth in yourself.

Following an epic year-long tale told by a master storyteller like Rucka would be a daunting task for any writer, but Shea Fontana does a decent job picking up where Rucka left off. The book's opening shows Diana protecting a Muslim woman and her child is by far the highlight of the issue.

If you read Diana's words with Gal Gadot's voice in your head it makes the book a little bit better. Still, not quite enough for me to make it a hit. The art is too anime and cartoon-like, and the story seems geared towards the "DC Superhero Girls" audience and not the adult comic book reader.

There were some great Wonder Woman moments in this issue, especially the "bullets and bracelets" parts. There was one painful panel that miss-colored Etta Candy (a black woman) to look like a Caucasian man. There is still a lot of room for improvement.

While I applaud the Steve Trevor special for introducing the diverse group of characters seen in the new Wonder Woman movie to the comic books, it did little else productive. The opening scene with Wonder Woman was cringe-worthy at best, inappropriate at worst, and out-of-place no matter how you look at it. The movie does a much better job developing Charlie, Sameer, and Chief and I recommend watching that instead.

This story arc ended stronger than it began. At first, I found it out of place for Batgirlto date the son of the Penguin, but as the story unfolded things fell intoplace. Batgirl is a fun book withpositive role models and gives Barbara Gordon a chance to be her own characterin her new city of Burnside. The book isfun, but also silly in parts, and isn't necessarily geared towards everyreader. If some of the over-the-topviolence seen in many comic books doesn't appeal to you, give Batgirl a try fora more light-hearted take on the bat family.

I've been waiting for the continuation of Trinity #7, andfinally the Annual delivers on that story.Throw Etrigan into mix, along with a surprise appearance by yet anotherDC Trinity, and you've got an exciting, fast-paced book from start tofinish. And God help me, but I loveGuillem March and every impractical, anatomy-defying panel he draws. I just hope I don't have to wait anothercouple of months for the conclusion of this awesome story!

Trinity has had some ups and down throughout Rebirth, mostly due to inconsistent storylines from issue to issue. Luckily, with issue 9, we start a new storyline that looks promising and is a good jumping on point for new readers.I am apprehensive about what comes next, as I feel aliens looking to eradicate Earth is a plot trope used WAY too often in Rebirth books like Trinity and Justice League. It's just an overused trope and I hoped for something a little more. The art is stylistic and probably the best thing about Trinity right now, I am especially fond of howFrancisManapuldraws Wonder Woman. I think having him both the writer and the artist works in the books favor, giving the story and art an overall cohesive look and feel.

Despite the clean art, which is the only highlight of the book, I forgot if I was reading Trinity or Justice League, as both books seem like carbon copies of each other. The plot always seems to be the same: an alien invasion threatens Earth and it's up to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman to save the world. I'm ready for something new.

The final issue of the Dead Space arc ended better than it began, but in the end it was still just another story about the Justice League fighting aliens. However, I am looking forward to the Trinity of Magic story arc next month, which seems like a much more original take on the Trinity than what we have been seeing recently.

I have come to expect to be disappointed by Rebirth's Justice League, and this issue was disappointing, so no surprise there. With "The Button" event taking place, I don't know why we need yet another story where Barry screws things up by going back in time to fix things that haven't even happened,much less another story about the Justice League fighting an epic battle with alien monsters that always ends the same.Unfortunately, when it comes toBrian Hitch's Justice League,his art is better than his story, and we all know someone who is a betterartist.

Ever since the New 52 teased Mera as being a member of the Justice League back in 2011 I've been patiently waiting for her to join the team and shine. Over six years later I finally get everything I wanted with Justice League #24!

As an avid comic reader, I can easily suspend belief to enjoy a super-powered story. Still, I cannot accept that in the future the Justice League members only marry and have children with each other. Unfortunately, even that notwithstanding, this has been more of an interesting story than anything previously told in Justice League. I'm just glad they're not fighting aliens again.

This book is not for me. It has highlights, like the Black and Whites and the glimpses into Alfred's past, but goofy one-liners like Bruce saying, "call me Captain Batman", take me out of the moment. Any story involving cloning can get twisted quickly and I'm afraid the complexity was too much for what I want out of a Batman book.

The alternate reality Cyborg finds himself in combined with the introduction of the Metal Men makes this a rather fun issue. Plus, any time you can add Beast Boy, even an alternate reality version, to a Cyborg story you're guaranteed to have a few laughs.