This series is shaping up to be the greatest Superman arc of all time, and the sixth issue is just one more piece in a puzzle that looks to eventually be greater than the sum of its parts.

* Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state of every sentient being. It is a state of "great perfection" that can be achieved through meditation.

The overall effect of the Boccaccio- and/or Chaucer-inspired narrative coupled with the fluidic quality of the legendary tales of Batmans demise work together to reveal the mythic nature of Batman. The level of Gaiman's achievement makes me confident that (despite my reaction to his Snow White radio drama and his other recent comic book works) Gaiman really is the great writer that I believed him to be almost 20 years ago. This issue (plus it's conclusion in Detective Comics #853 next month) is a story that everyone should add to his or her library.

Layers upon layers are evident in Morrisons work, and this issue is a great part of the tapestry that Morrison is weaving. I highly recommend it.

What more could an intelligent comic book reader want?

All I can say by the end of this second issue is what I said at the end of the first: Rieber is writing an action-packed story that contains believable dialog, that is set in a world of great verisimilitude, and that continues to hint at great intellectual depth. To that description Ill add that Riebers work is an example of what all such stories should be.

Strange Westerns starring the Black Rider is truly Rogers and Engleharts collaborative return to greatness. Theyve said in interviews that they want to continue to tell Black Rider stories at Marvel by combining the character with other 19th century Marvel characters (creating a sort of 19th century Defenders or League of Extraordinary Marvel Characters). Heres to hoping they get to do so because if they can keep up the quality that they displayed here, their new series would quickly become a comic book classic.

Biologically incompatible through normal copulation? As Lois pointed out, "There's always a way. That's what you always say."

*Oddly, the shaved-headed Batman in the trench coat looks a bit like Grant Morrison and he has a cat named Alfred. In other words, it looks like Morrison (who is known to love cats) made himself Batman in this story. Of course, in Animal Man, Morrison appeared as himself as the teller of tales of Animal Mans life; in Seven Soldiers, the tailors who tell the tales of the universe looked like Morrison; and now he seems to be the Batman of the not-too-distant future.

Additionally, with Tony Daniel set to come on the title as the regular illustrator with issue #670, I believe Morrison may have finally found his own Marshall Rogers and Neal Adams. Time will tell.

Oh, one last thing. Dr. Hurts first name is Simon? One of Batmans tormentors is named Simyan? And a character named Kraken played a role in RIP and was also the name of the Alpha Lantern whose body Granny Goodness inhabited in Final Crisis?

I'm probably wrong, though--as I so often was in trying to figure out things in Morrison's run on Batman, which still doesn't hold together for me--but I think it would be an interesting twist to have a Batman villain who disguises himself as one of his own followers and learns what his henchmen think of him (sort of like what Shakepeare had the King do in Act IV, scene i of The Life of King Henry the Fifth--but, of course, with Pyg not being as magnanimous as Henry V.

Simon and Kirby completists should opt for Titan's The Simon and Kirby Superheroes. However, anyone who is interested in a more affordable volume (or who is just interested in seeing what the creators might have done had they stayed with Captain America in the early 1940s), should definitely opt for Fighting American. I have both volumes, and am thrilled to own them both.

This is an intriguing opening chapter that is rich in religious allusions and motifs. It's a stunning piece of work when taken on its own--separated from any of the lead-in series that DC tried to convince fans were necessary and significant. I highly recommend Final Crisis as long as you forget any of the crap that DC put out as a countdown to or build-up of this series.

[In Ginsbergs poem, Moloch is the bringer of chaos and crisis that takes the form of suffering, authority, capitalism, and mechanical existence (similar to Kirbys concept of the Anti-Life Equation) and whose ear is a smoking tomb (a sepulcher)--similar to the Pits of Apokolips that Morrison seems to allude to with his vision of Mandrakk residing in a sepulcher in the form of a plague pit.]Morrisons Superman Beyond is an ambitious work that really does help clarify aspects of Final Crisis, but not in an easily accessible manner. With each subsequent piece of the puzzle, its evident that this is Morrisons magnum opus when it comes to superhero comics. Id even go so far as to say it is going to be the magnum opus all superhero comics--supplanting Alan Moores The Watchmen if Morrison can pull it off (and if his illustrators can meet the requirements of his story).

Time will tell, but hes off to a good start.

I hope Im wrong, but the five-bullet promise of the first two issues looks to be morphing into a four-bullet conclusion to the graphic novel as a whole. Still, that achievement is better than whats accomplished by 90 percent of the comics I read every month.

Commander Steve Rogers assembles his shadow ops Avengers as a pre-emptive strike force tasked with eliminating threats against humanity. Together, they embark on their first series of missions--and they're going to Mars!

I would call this series a worthwhile experiment with a last chapter that is self-referential and filled with notions that need to be considered, such as whether I should lighten up on my criticism of Geoff Johns who faced an even more difficult task than Morrison given the too many hands that were involved in the creation of Infinite Crisis and its related miniseries(es).

So you know those commercials that premiered during the Super Bowl that use Bob Dylan's song "Forever Young"? The ones where the commercial transitions between Dylan's version and will.i.am's cover of the song? Oh heck, here's the youtube of it, though ComicsBulletin in no way endorses Pepsi as our drink of choice (I'm a coffee drinker not a soda drinker--of course, I live in the Seattle area).

Im intrigued and eagerly looking forward to the next issueand its rare that I say that about any comic book nowadays. The last time I eagerly awaited comics on a regular basis was in the early to mid 1980s, before the original Legion was wiped out of continuity. Fortunately, it looks like that continuity (or a semblance of it) is being restored. For the moment, so is the eager anticipation of my youth.

In the end, thats what Cornell is doing--telling a new and engaging story. I look forward to seeing how it all plays out.

If he can maintain this quality, this will be a series to keep reading for a long time to come.

The pirate known as Grimm invades a superhero comic. He gives a team of loser super-villains a power upgrade so they can defeat and slaughter a team of overly upright superheroes.

** The book has two editors, which probably indicates an editorial change during production. If thats true, then it might explain why Tyrell looks like a Czarnian but is now a Dheronian.

The latter club was brought together by John Mayhew, a well-known philanthropist who sought to set up a team of superheroes in that time between the Justice Society of the 1940s and the Justice League of the 1960s.

[Editors Note: Most (if not all) of the following reviews contain spoilers. Thus, you should read them at your own risk if you have not yet read this issue and want to be surprised by certain events.]

Perhaps Alfred should have suggested D'Artagnan and Don Diego Vega as more appropriate roles for Dick to consider. They would have been more in keeping with the James Bond notion.

Overall, Morrison is showing why Batman was my favorite character in the 1970s, during the heyday of Denny ONeil/Neal Adams (and Frank Robbins) as well as Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers.

I dont recall ever reading a Matt Wagner story that wasnt an example of quality writing and/or illustration, and that trend continues with this current work.

However, despite my qualms, I thoroughly enjoyed Wagners twelve issues more than Ive enjoyed any Batman stories in the past twenty years. I hope he has more in him.

* Additionally, Supermans Kryptonian first name, Kal, could be considered a short form of the Hebrew name Caleb (Kaleb), which means Faithful. Thus, Supermans Kryptonian name could literally translate from Hebrew as the faithful of God (just as Gabriel (Gabri-El) translates from Hebrew as the hero of God).

Nevertheless, I recommend Citizen Rex to anyone who enjoys either Love and Rockets or science fiction stories set in the not-too-distant future in a world that is much like the one outside your window save for a few discrepancies.

As I said, Ennis probably has me hooked on this series, but my interest is almost more academic than visceraland that cant be a good thing for either Dan Dare specifically or pulp heroes in general.

Im so glad Dini decided to abandon the idea of doing a mature version of his Animated Series type of stories. Heres hoping he continues along the path set out with this fantastic issue.

I loved Frank Millers 1986 series, but it ruined the in-continuity Batman books for nearly 20 years by influencing how DC handled the character. Fortunately, that approach to the character seems to be changingand Detective Comics #829 is yet another step in the right direction.

There is another panel that seems to show movement--the first panel of page four. However, that panel is essentially static since it's actually showing Batwoman pressing her boot against the chin of the man whose point of view we had in the last panel of the previous page. She is pinning him back against the wall with her extended left leg and boot as she stands motionless while balancing on her other leg.

Anyway, after reading the last issue of Ex Machina, I can honestly say that I am interested in reading all of the previous issues when I find the time. It seems like it was a very good series that is worth my time and effort.

With its thoughtful themes and slowly developing plot threads and mysteries, Final Crisis is shaping up to be a great story. It's easily the best summertime comic book event I've read since Jim Starlin's conclusion to his Warlock saga ran in Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2 thirty-one years ago.

All of these mysterious pieces to the story and to Morrisons cosmology for the DC Universe / Multiverse is why I am enjoying this series. If it all comes together well, and Morrison is able to get it all on the head of a pin, I might have to eventually give Final Crisis a five-bullet rating.

Humanity enslaved! Time shattered and bleeding! Anti-Life triumphant! Can Earth's demoralized, beaten heroes rally their scattered forces for the ultimate super-battle against the nightmare armies of Apokolips when the forces of good meet the forces of evil on the bridge to Bldhaven?

Finally, Im 99 percent certain that Doug Mahnke illustrated pages 32-34 (the final three pages). Superman has the same appearance of leathery skin stretched tight over a pinched-looking skull that he has in Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1, which was also illustrated by Mahnke. For the most part, I like Mahnkes work, but his Superman just looks emaciated in the face--almost like how an unwrapped 4,000-year-old mummy would look.

However, that two-panel sequence is my only real complaint with either the illustration or writing in this issue, so its clear that Im enjoying this series. I just hope that the death of Nora Allen is the only death that Johns is planning to add to Barrys personal life.

As they are wont to say here in Maryland, Fear the Turtle!

Overall, this issue is exceptional on all levels; its even free from the odd dialog choices that Johns often makes in his stories. Whats more, this issue has some character who called himself Elongated Kid (hes dead in this story) wearing Ralpy Dibneys original Elongated Man costume from the early 1960s. I always loved that old Carmine Infantino costume; it would be great if a character who isnt dead could wear it.

** By the way, that 1956 story, The Man Who Broke the Time Barrier, was inked by Joe Kubert, the father of the illustrator of Flashpoint. Coincidence or synchronicity? You decide!

Now if she had only been able to bring in a gibbon....

Perhaps Ellis will reveal at some point that there is technology on this parallel Earth (in which the space programs appear to have started in the 1920s) that has resulted in lightweight shielding that protects their rocketships electronics and crews from the intense radiation that is located directly above the equator in the Van Allen belts.

However, despite my problems with the series Im still giving this issue (and the series in general) a rating of four bullets because it is quality work by both Ellis and Pagliarani. Its just not as good as it could be (and should be).

Nearly two and a half years later, Beaverbrook and Fleming renewed their business relationship and the Daily Express once again began adapting Fleming's bond stories--including "The Living Daylights," which is contained in this volume.

Joe is a creative high school kid who doesn't fit in with his peers; he's the victim of bullies. Additionally, Joe has Type 1 diabetes and his dad died in Iraq. However, one morning he wakes up and things seem very different.

Its not that Frank Kasy (Rosss model for Superman) looks bad for a man in his mid to late 50s. However, a super-powered Kryptonian, who draws upon yellow sunlight for a great deal of his energy and whose super-charged metabolism should have no trouble burning calories, ought not to look as thick-bodied and weathered as Ross depicts him. This bit of verisimilitude actually works against its intent as far as Im concerned.

Unfortunately, I know that the worst experiences are often remembered in as much detail as the bestso at least Justice will balance that scale for me.

All that was missing was one final wink on the last page as Bruce Wayne narrates the conclusion while we watch Superman change into Clark Kent on the roof of the Daily Planet Building. As Clark opens the door to enter the building and return to work, Bruces last sentence is, I see it in the lives of my friends.

So, theres a past Legion of Three Worlds case, and Im hoping that it will be revealed here as the Time Trapper sends the three Legions into the past to meet up with their Destiny.

In other words, Im recommending this series for its writing. The illustrations neither detract nor bolster the quality of the book.

I am looking forward to more from Levitz in this series and its companion series, Adventure Comics. Long live the Legion!

The Eye of Ekron is back--as is an all-new Emerald Empress, who has her sights set on ruling the medieval planet of Orando.

Seek out Mister X: Condemned now or wait for the trade paperback collected edition, but get it for your library. Its a very good work.

The fact is, as long as theyre done well, I dont mind the use of tired, old superhero conventionsand this first issue was certainly top notch. What more can I say?

The story is a good read as it is, but it will be better as a collected graphic noveland even better if Ellis can avoid too many clichs along the way. Still, its tightly plotted and has good dialogand those aspects in and of themselves are always refreshing to see in a mainstream comic book regardless of what minor flaws might be evident.

All I can continue to say at the end of this third issue is that Sandman Mystery Theatre: Sleep of Reason really should be on the reading list of everyone who enjoys an action-packed story that contains believable dialog, that is set in a world of great verisimilitude, and that has great intellectual depth.

This series looks to be yet another first-rate work from one of the most significant comic book creators of our generation.

Im riveted and cant wait for the next issue, and thats how a comic book (or any story) should make you feel.

When the series is over I expect to either raise my rating to five bullets or lower it below four bullets--that is, if I don't keep it where it is.

Yes, for those who abandoned this series a few months ago, The Legion of Super-Heroes really is worth coming back to. Mark Waid and new Legion editor Mike Marts seem to know what theyre doing.

In the world of Supergod, super-powered humans are the ultimate expression of the Messiah complex, and scientists can build Messiahs who will fly down from the skies to save the world. Supergod is the story of how supermen killed ended the world just because people wanted to be rescued by human-shaped saviors created by science!

** The book has two editors, which probably indicates an editorial change during production. If thats true, then it might explain why Tyrell looks like a Czarnian but is now a Dheronian.

Number Five and The Rumor have accepted a terrible mission, and after enduring torture and a brush with nuclear Armageddon, the rest of the surviving Umbrella Academy have to put aside their infighting to try to find their brother and sister, racing through history to do so.

Anyway, if you're a longtime fan of Mike Grell's character, this new Warlord series is something you will probably like. If you're not, I suggest trying it--but also plan on buying Showcase Presents: The Warlord volume one when it comes out in September.

"If you liked this review, be sure to check out more of the author's work at Monster In Your Veins"

Despite some frustration, I think the format has allowed some creators to do really interesting work that we would never had a chance to see otherwise.

Despite some frustration, I think the format has allowed some creators to do really interesting work that we would never had a chance to see otherwise.

Oh, one thing that does intrigue me that I can mention without spoiling anything is when Jake Ellis quoted a line from Yi-Fu Tuan's Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience. I am hoping that line was meant as an allusion that gives intellectual weight to the story as the series plays out. Even if it doesn't, though, I strongly recommend Who Is Jake Ellis? #1 for fans of spy thrillers and David Lynch films--and especially for fans of both (such as me).

That said, Lynda Carter probably has a point. Of all the stories in this issue, its really only JMSs prologue that seeks to treat Wonder Woman as more than just a two-dimensional comic book character, with the remaining tales standing as perfectly serviceable but unremarkable short stories about her--which is probably enough for fans of Wonder Woman. However, as somebody without much of an investment in the character one way or another, Im more keen on seeing whether the quality of the book can be kicked up a notch when JMS takes over next issue.

What I want: More of Doc Magnus, T.O. Morrow, and the DC Atlas Shrugged crew!

Id prefer to see cover artist Scott Clark become the regular Legion penciler, though there are several new illustrators Ive noticed working for DC lately who would be good choices here as well. Still, Borges might grow into his role as the illustrator of the Legion in the same way that other former Legion artists grew into their roles before becoming legends.

A similar end-stage scenario should be worked out for the Irish Lass Who Dresses in Black Fishnets and a Bustier. In the end, I guess the point of the series will be that people suffering from severe psychoses meet with unfortunate ends when not treatedand that Millers work is far more realistic than Alan Moores Watchmen.

*And no one bothers to question Clark about how he survived in a closet for two months while eating three unopened Thanksgiving baskets (whatever a Thanksgiving basket is) and using the Complete Works of Shakespeare. Fortunately, Clark didnt explain what the pages of Shakespeare were used for, but it still leaves us with a disgusting scenario.

Its an appropriate imageafter all, after the September 11 attacks, the U.S. president said we were going on a Crusade.

This series isn't likely to go down in the annals of comic book history as a classic, but it's an enjoyable experience for the 20 minutes or so it takes to read through an issue. Unfortunately, the fourth issue ends on a cliffhanger that I'm eager to see play out, but the final caption indicates that the next issue won't come out until October.

It's a minor glitch, but slightly annoying in that it seems to be a sloppy piece of writing and editing to have not figured out how to handle this plot point and where to set it. Ah well, as I said at the end of my review of the fourth issue--this series isn't likely to go down in the annals of comic book history as a classic, but it's an enjoyable experience for the 20 minutes or so it takes to read through an issue.

What saved the issue for me was the great work of Williams as the illustrator and the fact that the third villain of the arc, the Black Glove, is still at large and his identity still remains a mystery. I still suspect that this character will turn out to be connected to the so-called Satanic Batman from issue #666leaving me with hope that all of the parts will eventually become clear once we see Morrisons larger tapestry.

I only wish The Resurrection of Ras al Ghul could have been more than it will end up being.

The image would seem to be a visual allusion to the scene that Neal Adams drew at the end of Batman #244 in 1972 in which a shirtless Batman passionately kissed Talia al Ghul after defeating her father in combat. Unfortunately, the illustration in this current issue by Tony Daniel doesn't have the same raw sexual energy of Adams's drawing from 36 years ago--partly because there is no sense of energy such as there is in Adams's drawing in which Batman pulls Talia to him in a quick sweeping motion.

Now it can be told--the first of the lost chapters of Batman: RIP, one of the holes in the thing, that ties that earlier arc into The Return of Bruce Wayne!

Oh well, this story was easy on the eyes and was a fun readthe comic book equivalent of a song that has a good beat and is easy to dance to.

Editor's Note: The reviews in this week's slugfest have been written and/or edited in an attempt to not contain any spoilers about the revelation of the identity of the resurrected Batman corpse in Batman and Robin #8.

Nevertheless, I'm still hoping my theory of Sexton being Percival Sheldrake turns out to be correct--partly because I would like to see the original Knight return to the mythos just before the original Dark Knight returns to his own time, and partly because I hope that the rescuing of Bruce Wayne from the past involves Dick Grayson, Tim Drake Wayne, and Damian Wayne paying a visit to Prof. Carter Nichols.

With Catwoman returning to Gotham City at the end of this issue, it will be interesting to see who Bruce Wayne shares his hotel suite with when he visits Buenos Aires--you know, now that Morrison has restored Bruce as the hairy-chested sex god version of Batman from the 1970s era of Neal Adams. I wonder if Beatriz da Costa is going to fly down from Rio de Janeiro where she is the president of the Brazil branch of Wayne Enterprises.

This new series also features a regular ongoing co-feature starring Kate Spencer, Manhunter, who lost a friend during the chaos of Battle for the Cowl, and now she wants payback--by any means necessary.

Overall, Batman: The Dark Knight is a satisfying addition to the franchise--at least for now.

On the other hand, I will gladly pay the difference for Williamss artwork. He has probably become my favorite illustrator currently working in comics--joining the ranks of Neal Adams and Marshall Rogers as the favorite illustrators from my younger days.

Overall, this first issue wasnt as good as I think it could have been. However, its good enough to give it a chance to get better.

Still, this is just the opening chapter in a 52-chapter novel, so its too early to say anything of substance about this project other than Im intrigued by the reference to The Great Disaster and the possibility of visiting Earth Kamandi where we might get to see the one, true OMAC that Kirby created.

The Seven Soldiers of Victory upset the schemes of the Vigilantes arch nemesis who tries to misdirect them by having them believe one of their other foes, Black Star, has returned from his apparent death in Leading Comics #2.

Then, in the back-up story--"Pipeline" Chapter One, Part Five--The All-New Question's search for a missing woman comes to a happy and anticlimactic conclusion.

Anyway, I could do without Devil's out-of-date allegory on HIV infection, but it's still a visually appealing, action-filled story that many readers will enjoy.

Regardless of who it is exactly that Skadi has released and called father, he has control of the Midgard Serpent, and thus (once again) Ragnark looms.

Morrison still seems to be playing with this concept. However, his use of apocalyptic imagery--burning cities and hellhounds being ridden by masked enforcers--works to distance the audience from seeing the Anti-Life Equation for what it really is, and for what I believe Kirby intended.

Its a good thing Barry can work at the speed of light. He probably has about 8,000 unsolved murders in his cold case files that have accumulated during the last eight years.

There's no feel of anything epic here, just grim and gritty in a context where Matt looks more like another doomed victim than a hero. It's too existential for me. Almost nobody is saved, making the issue an unrelenting and uninspired downer.

Sadly, Gerber had the opportunity to show an extraterrestrial simian in the jungles of Alstair, but he failed to do so. An Alstairean gibbon would have been a beautiful thing to behold.

In summation then, Steve Niles delivers a very slight story, but at least he doesnt fill it with inane dialogue. Additionally, while the situations might seem goofy when described, Niles is able to pull them off with the excellent work of Scott Hampton. Helmet of Fate: Sargon the Sorcerer #1 isnt a classic, but at least its not crap.

Since I started it, I suppose Ill stick with the series to the end of the current Injustice Gang arc. However, I doubt Ill continue buying it after that unless something really impresses me over the next few issues.

Had the third story been written as I suggested, I would have given this issue four and a half bullets rather than docking it a bullet for historical errors and mischaracterizations.

This wasnt a bad issue, but it certainly could have been betterif only the creators had been more interested in telling a story than on filling the pages of the eventual collected edition.

This is your brain. This is your brain being hit by microwave radiation. Any questions?

I just wish Mark Millar would spend several hours hanging out at a bus depot, a laundromat, or an airport departure gate the next time he's in the US. He needs to eavesdrop on how real Americans having real conversations actually speak.

Oh well, there's still the mystery of why this series is called Marvel 1985 (and has captions indicating that the year is 1985) when it's actually taking place in 1984.

I have faith in Starlin to tell a good story, but this first issue was too exposition-laden for me.

Finally, the story ends with the revelation of the existence of a character who would now be in his mid to late 40s in Ellis's story. I have no idea who this character is in Ellis's story, and I have not yet gone through the issues to try to figure it out. However, it has made me want to look through the earlier issues, and that's a good conclusion to this one-shot.

This latest issue is a good book, and I wish Baron and Rude all the best in continuing their creation. However, I cant imagine anyone other than old Nexus fans finding much of interest in itand then only those old Nexus fans who are feeling nostalgic and havent yet had their fill of reminiscing.

At this point, Im not hooked on the seriesbut Im intrigued enough to pick up the next issue.

This story, while giving nods to the original story, is taking another, more pop-culture-influenced approach. It works, but it's very different from the source materials--especially with the last page. I don't know where that comes from. I'm not going to spoil it, but something strange and new is happening in the old Blassenville manor house.

It's an interesting story structure that plays on the "Red Circle" name, and I'll stick with it through all four chapters that Straczynski is writing. However, there really isn't anything all that interesting in these revised high concept versions of the MLJ characters nor is there the quality of story and characterizations that Alan Moore was able to present in his Minutemen incarnations of these generic superhero types.

Ill save my money to buy reprints of Becks stories from the 40s and early 50sas well as (hopefully) Moores Marvelman (if those comics are ever again reprinted).

I guess I have faith that Hernandez is going to tie everything together and have the story attain the level of quality that I expect from him. However, after reading this latest issue, Im not sure that he can pull off that accomplishment in only the 19 pages of story that he will probably have in the final issue.

I long for a return to the Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson Adam Strange stories that Julius Schwartz edited from 1958 to 1965, but that character and those strange adventures are never to come again (apparently). Thus, fans of the character can enjoy Starlins use of the direction Adam Strange has taken without Schwartzs guidance.

However, there is a good chance that the claustrophobic and depressing feeling that the look of the book conveys will wear me down and eventually cause me to drop this seriesperhaps in favor of the Legion Archives and the brighter future envisioned by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan. Its too bad the proposed return of Shooter to these characters has apparently fallen through.

However, as I skimmed through that 45-year-old comic book I noticed that the shooting of one character by another in that story is essentially mirrored (as in reflected, but reversed) in this contemporary issue. It's such details as the mirrored aspects of the two stories that gives me hope that Spencer might actually develop into the elite writer that so many people believe he already is. However, he's not yet there.

This was a fun comic reminiscent of the stories from the Bronze Age DC Universe. What more can I say?

Plot: An elderly man and his grandson check into a Gotham City motel in a bad part of town. A downtrodden man contemplates a final act while the Joker stages a catastrophe.

I think he might do better to aim for telling a good Bob Haney-styled Brave and the Bold tale--with a bit of Steve Englehart's interest in developing obscure plot points from the past into interesting stories.

I love the intensity of this story, as well as the heroic power of our hero. This sort of heroism is what I wanted from the "Superman" page as Hawkman fights a seemingly endless gauntlet of battles to stop aliens and save humans. Furthermore, Kyle Baker's serious art--as opposed to his more cartoony work--is very satisfying.

Moreover, I started to appreciate many of his character and creature designs that looked like a marriage between the hand drawn, fluid animation work of Don Bluth, director of The Secret of Nimh and An American Tale, with the modern animation styling of Star Wars: The Clone Wars animator Gennedy Tartakovsky.

"Chris KL-99" written and illustrated by Paul Pope.

And weve got to get ourselves back to the Garden. --Joni Mitchell

Additionally, now that DC has returned to the original series numbering for their resurrected Adventure Comics, I suppose that series can be considered (technically) DCs oldest series that is currently being published, as its first issue came out about 16 months before Detective Comics #1. Of course, there was a 26-year gap in the publication of Adventure Comics, so it fails to meet the criteria of being continuously published.

With Superman off planet, it's now time for Lex to do some good, and Conner is willing to do what it takes to make to help. Thus, Lex sends him on a wild scavenger hunt through time and space!

The "collector" in me that was interested in buying every issue of a series that I've been reading is mostly dead, and I'm not certain there's enough of him left in me to buy Adventure Comics #9 next month. However, if you want to read what seems to be a well-written peripheral story to Last Stand of New Krypton, then I can recommend Eric Trautman's "Awake" feature in this issue.

However, Lovecraft didnt develop his Greek etymology correctly, and other subsequent nomicons have merely continued Lovecrafts error--such as the currently popular vegan cookbook titled The Veganomicon (the image of the law of the vegan?). Thus, Moores Neonomicon continues the error as it supposedly means the image of the law of the new.

Oh, and Jim Lees illustrations are pretty good. In fact, his version of Wonder Woman on page four comes the closest Ive seen in a long time to what I think an Amazon Princess from Greek mythology might actually look like.

In the second story, Pearl Jones is a struggling young actress in Los Angeles in the 1920s. However, when her big break brings her face-to-face with an ancient evil, her Hollywood dream quickly turns into a brutal, shocking nightmare.

Thankfully, Spider-Man remains so for the rest of the issue.

You know, before putting it back on the shelf and proceeding on to the checkout counter with the books Im actually going to buy.

However, the plot and subplot have both been done too often, and putting them together in the same storyRomeo and Juliet of the range waris an obvious notion (and one that has probably been done before in a range war novel or film). Unfortunately, there is nothing in this first issue that suggests that there will be any new twists presented in this story within these tried and trite plots.

Plus, it forces me to eat my words that "Morrison isn't going to slow down the story to have a character explain things through some awkward exposition that serves no purpose other than to make sure the readers are following along."

If a lot of this review sounds like I repeated parts of my review of the previous issue, but with some specific (and largely insignificant) details switched out, . . . well, thats sort of my point.

And Tomorrow . . . penciled by David Finch & inked by Richard Friend (with Peter Steigerweld, colors)

Im giving Batman and Robin #18 three bullets because it is an average comic that can be enjoyed by fans of the characters or the creators; however, the days of me enjoying a story simply because Batman is in it are long past.

My bet is that they bond during the mission, the way that only heterosexual males who resent each other can. By the final issue, theyll be good friends after Gilhooley realizes that he had a lot to learn from his British counterpart, and that hes now a better man for having known Battler Britton.

Finally, all the men who return from the successful campaign against the German tanks (because, of course, not all will return) will wholeheartedly admit, as they lift their pints of ale in toast, that theyre all the better for having known the legendary Battler Britton.

As I read this first issue of Black Lightning: Year One, I often had the feeling that I was reading a weeks worth of Lynn Johnstons For Better or for Worse newspaper strips--a comic that depicts, with verisimilitude sweetened with a dash of sentimentality, the hardships, friendships, and kinships of a Canadian family.

Of course, some version of both characters will undoubtedly be reborn at some point following Blackest Night. After all, resurrection has been one of their powers ever since they first debuted nearly 60 years ago in Flash Comics #1.

My sexual analogy is relevant because the issue concludes with a merging of the planets of New Genesis and Apokolips into a single planet with a yin-yang motif.

Unfortunately, the revelation in Final Crisis that Bruce Wayne is still alive (just displaced in time) drained Gaimans homage of the emotional resonance and energy that it otherwise might have had.

The Question investigates the disappearance of an illegal Mexican immigrant that leads her to a sex slave video porn operation.

Plus, in the all-new back-up feature starring The Question, Montoya's quest to find a missing young girl turns deadly.

However, if youre looking for a book that really seems to be significant in relation to Final Crisis, then give this one a pass.

Anyway, this series is finally over, and my wallet can rest at ease.

Uptight Detective rather than laid back forensic scientist? No, that's clearly not the Barry Allen I knew all those years ago.

Oh, by the way, the Foundation agents name is Valentine. I just discovered that fact as I re-read the last page to quote the passage I included two paragraphs up. Its never a good sign when, after reading a story, an attentive reader (which I consider myself to be) cant recall the names of any of the characters in the story and thinks of them as Foundation agent, bathroom captive, woman who spills the ketchup, et cetera.

Perhaps the story will improve from here and the mystery won't be as formulaic as the most generic episodes of Murder, She Wrote. The scenes without Agatha Fletcher clearly show that writer Roger Gibson has talent when he isn't attempting to come up with a second-rate murder mystery for a pedestrian television series.

In the end, this issue wasnt bad. However, life is too short, and there are too many things to do for me to spend time and money on a comic book that wasnt bad but wasnt really very good either.

Finally, I don't care for this idea of Hex seeing himself as an Avenging Angel whose strings are being pulled by a cruel God in Heaven (I'm assuming he wasn't alluding to The Spectre).

If those stories are available in trade paperbacks, theyre well worth buying after saving your money from being spent on this current series.

In Justice Society of America #11, Jay Garrick and Wally West pulled a cosmic treadmill out of storage and decided to look for the original Earth-Two. Once they reach the correct vibrational coordinates for the original Earth-Two, they momentarily see Helena Wayne and Richard Grayson (as The Huntress and Robin, respectively) before everything goes black.

Yet, this series seems to be focusing on using nostalgic elements like the Happy Harbor cave, the crystal ball, and the location of Oa at the center of the universe to appeal to longtime older readers like myself. The problem is that being able to relive my childhood only goes so far in satisfying me. I also want a good story that entertains the adult I've become who wants more in a story than bright costumes, fight scenes, and bad science. Unfortunately, I don't think that's the story that Geoff Johns has planned--but, hey, at least George Perez is doing some very nice work with his illustrations.

Energy drains from whatever is near death--though their may be a final spark of life just before the fatal moment. Thus, Ill finish out this dying series to its end with the hope that it is able to flash out in a blaze of memorable and energetic storytelling glory rather than fade away slowly, which is what it seems to be doing.

At some point after Homers death, one of the subsequent bards who inherited the epic several generations later wrote down the lines--thus removing the possibility of further improvisation of the details.

And you were wondering why I gave it three bullets!

However, it's anyone's guess how the next issue might connect the circle back to the Civil War with Robert Dickering becoming The All-New Hangman. Anyway, here is what Straczynski said when he was asked if the four-issue Red Circle series tells one large story:Each issue tells the origin of that character, then sets the stage for the next character, which tees off what happens in the book that precedes it. In other words, in the first issue, we are introduced to the Hangman. We track his origins from the Civil War to the present, and in the last part of the book, something happens that ties directly into the origin of Inferno. Further adding to this, the last page of each book is drawn by the artist of the next book in the cycle, helping to reinforce both the transition, and the sense of connection. Theres a loose sense of almost karmic linkages that future writers can explore or not as they see fit.That "future writers can explore as they see fit"? That doesn't sound as if there is a

Reading this mini origin of The Shield called to mind my P.F. Flyers I wore when I was 10 years old (and younger). Those were truly amazing shoes that allowed me to run faster and jump higher than I otherwise could--all because P.F. Flyers had an amazing Action Wedge that was built right into the shoe!

While all three stories were excellently illustrated and well written in terms of dialog and plot, I would have preferred a full-length story by any of the three teams over the short vignettes they provided. Eight-pages just isnt enough space to tell an adequate comic book story unless youre Will Eisner, Dave Stevens, or Alan Moore (and perhaps a few other older creators from the past).

Now, 30 years later, I can say that I was inadequately entertained by an average story. The difference is that I was much younger 30 years ago, didnt expect as much from the stories I read, and could afford to read average issues since they only cost 50 cents each. My yearly cost of living calculator tells me that 50 cents in 1980 is the equivalent of $1.31 in 2010. However, Secret Avengers costs $3.99--or three times more than Im willing to pay for an average comic book that entertains me inadequately.

For instance, the issue opens with the final scene of the Star Trek episode in which Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock are saying "good-bye" to Seven and Lincoln before beaming up to the Enterprise. Byrne draws these iconic figures as little more than hastily sketched caricatures that would be more appropriate as a one-page satire strip in Mad Magazine (except that the dialog is straight out of the original TV episode).

Perhaps Brubaker will be able to save the mess that this story has become in the second issue after a promising first issue, but I doubt it. If this title was an ongoing series, as I initially thought it was, I would stop buying it now. However, since its only a four-issue miniseries, Ill buy the final two issues to see if Brubaker manages to salvage his story. However, schlocky super-villain plot twists and a breakdown of internal logic isnt the way to hook me on the contemporary Captain America material.

Id rather spend my money on some 30- or 40-year old Gold Key comics based on television shows. I recall reading an issue of The Nanny and the Professor. . . .

Ill buy the third issue of The Authority when it comes out a year from now (or whenever its been scheduled) because its still a well-written Morrison work that now has an obvious Postmodern aspect to it. However, this second issue indicates that its not the narrative approach that I thought I was going to be getting after the first issue (and thats a shame).

What happened to the last version of the Boys, and how was Lamplighter involved? Its pretty much as readers have surmised, but it's still interesting to watch it play out--especially when Queen Maeve requests an audience.

I hope Cookes approach improves and that this series succeeds. In the meantime, though, I would recommend that anyone who is interested in Eisners character seek out DCs The Spirit Archives (beginning with volume 12) and Kitchen Sinks Will Eisners The Spirit: The New Adventures by Alan Moore and other top-level creators.

Maybe even curious enough to buy the eventual paperback edition when it's collected some time in 2009 (or 2010)--albeit through Amazon at a discounted price.

Instead, Straczynski seems to want us to be so dazzled by Coipels beautiful and sublime pictures that we will ignore his hackneyed text.

Still, the elements are in place in Vic Boone that could allow it to develop into a very interesting series as Aldridge continues to develop as a writer. It might be wise to get in on the ground floor of this series if you are interested in the premise of a hardboiled detective in a futuristic setting -- which I am (and have been since I was 12 years old). If given the chance, Vic Boone can get better.

I should also mention that I greatly admire Mike Ploogs work, and that Im glad to see him return to comics. Danny Fingeroths interview with him was something that I appreciated. You see, Im not opposed to reading features of this sort (after all, I used to read Wizard each month). Im just pointing out that the promotional features seem to be in opposition to the mission statement of the magazine.

Anyway, if someone were to give me a free copy of Zatanna every month, I certainly would find it worth my time to read it. However, based on this first issue, I don't know that it's worth squeezing three dollars out of my already tight monthly budget.

All in all, the only thing that prevented me from giving this issue an even lower bullet ranking than I have given it is the work of Francis Manapul--which Jason and Shawn Hill have rightly praised already. After completing this issue, my primary thought was, "How long until Paul Levitz takes over this title and gives us interesting stories about 'Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'"?

** Of course, as anyone knows who has read Larry Nivens excellent essay Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex, this task is the PG-rated version of a task that Superboy might have also wanted to travel to the 30th century to complete--with Ph-Phantom Girl? again being the female legionnaire best suited to help him complete it.

Im more than happy to go read Harvey Kurtzman and Wally Woods satire on Superman and Jonathan Swifts satire on the English treatment of the Irish. I also have better things to spend my money on every four months (or however often). Even if a ninth issue does eventually come out, the eighth issue will be my last.

I'll admit that there's something here worthy of pondering, but it's too muddled with what I firmly believe is Miller's lack of respect for his audience. I can't care about this series any longer.

Unfortunately, it appears that Morrison became too caught up in the evocative descriptions he was coming up with. He ended up losing sight of whose POV the descriptions were supposed to be coming from. Overall, this issue was sorely in need an editor to help Morrison work out the narrative kinks in his story.

While Dick "Batman" Grayson, Knight, and Squire work to uncover the British Lazarus Pit that will restore the All-New Batwoman to life, the resurrected clone of Bruce "Batman" Wayne is in Gotham City to attempt to kill Damian for some reason that isn't exactly clear.

With the destruction of Arkham Asylum, the return of the Black Mask, and dozens of Gotham City's most lethal villains rioting through the streets, Nightwing, Robin, and their allies already have their hands full. However, when a deadly Jason Todd masquerading as a gun-toting Batman is added to the mix, things spiral out of control even more.

Jeph Loeb and Eric Wight join regular series illustrator Georges Jeanty to present a single-issue fill-in story that picks up from the time-traveling Buffy/Fray crossover.

In the second story, Renee and Helena make a deal with an assassin.

In the second story, the Metal Men infiltrate Brazil near some sort of Mayan (or perhaps Incan?) ziggurat pyramid in order to recover a large ruby off a pedestal that is guarded by a giant talking stone idol that dates back a few thousand years.

Following Barry Allens return in the pages of Final Crisis, The Flash: Rebirth #1 sees Geoff Johns kick off a brand new miniseries that seeks to explore the characters place in the present-day DC Universe.

On the other hand, if you're looking for stories with narrative complexity and intellectual depth, you won't find them here.

Dim the lights for me on the way out, I already have my popcorn and Cherry Coke.

If only Morrison had written this story with Rouleau as his illustrator, then the concepts introduced here might have worked better. However, despite a somewhat intriguing reveal on the last page, I wont be coming back for seconds.

What if the smartest, toughest costumed bad ass in the world (Batman) dressed all in white but was totally evil? He'd be Nemesis, of course, and he has systematically been destroying the lives of various police chiefs around the world--and now he has set his sights on the chief of police in Washington, DC.

Barbara, freaked out over what happened to Cheesehead, heads to Hong Kong to meet some hackers in person. Meanwhile, the Calculator continues to mine the Internet for fragments of the Anti-Life Equation.

*** I have not seen The Starlost, which Ellison separated himself from anyway, so the only Ellison-scripted television show I have not liked is "The Discarded" from Masters of Science Fiction.

I concluded my review of the first issue by stating:rather than Supergod, I'd prefer to have Ellis complete the newuniversal series he had been doing for Marvel before his hard drive crashed and he lost all of his work. I want to finish reading his reworking of that old Jim Shooter and Steve Englehart material.I feel that preference for Ellis to return to newuniversal more keenly with each subsequent issue of Supergod.

I dont hate the look, but I dont much care for it either--which mirrors my reaction to this movie as a whole.

Still, Dan Didio once said that every crisis should result in the death of a Flashso it looks like Bart is just the delayed victim of Infinite Crisis and that he was sacrificed in order to bring back Wally. With that in mind, maybe it is appropriate that his death is as much a travesty as the death of the Golden Age Superman, but that doesnt make for a good story or a worthwhile reading experience.

Well, that's all for this week. Time to get this column posted. Better late than never.

Overall, Wednesday Comics has been a great series to look at. Unfortunately, it's not been a great series to read--merely an adequate one about half the time.

One of the things that a good Plastic Man story should do is point out the absurdity of the human condition. Within the context of a Plastic Man story, Simones absurd story elements would have been truly hilarious, and I may have bought such a Plastic Man story. As it is, though, this is my final issue of The All-New Atom.

Or . . . you know . . . until it ties-in with another DC event that Im somewhat interested in. Fortunately, I become less interested in crossover tie-ins with each passing event produced by comic book publishers.

After the first three issues of the arc, I was sure Morrison was going to come up with a dynamic conclusion. Instead, he seemed to phone it in with a clichd by-the-numbers plot. Even Andy Kuberts illustrations seemed to be lackluster in contrast to his work on the earlier issues of the arc. I think its time to re-read the Seven Soldiers series to cleanse my palate after his disappointing issue.

Unfortunately, I wasted a lot of time and money reading all of it over the past several months.

The dark being behind the Black Lanterns makes his presence and purpose known--and our heroes discover that they aren't only fighting for their lives, but their after-lives as well.

Batmans friends and foes continue to recount his many deaths as the man himself watches with his ghostly companion.

Whats most significant, though, is that the identity of the Time Trapper is finally revealed after 50 years & eight and a half months (or revealed again for the nth time as yet another person under the robe)!

Of course, Superboy-Prime isnt the only villain who is given inane dialog to spout. Dr. Regulus gets to say, Where is Dirk Morgna? Where is Sun Boy? They promised me the corpse of the arrogant child who took my dignity.

Instead, I found this first issue to contain several clichs, a weak and nebulous plot catalyst (Spector is told by three other heroes to go do something about someone who is active somewhere in the area and then report back to us), and a confusing action sequence. Now that I know that the entire issue may (or may not) have been the equivalent of a dream (yet another clich, albeit one with a multiple-personality twist), I am still not going to return for the second issue.

However, Im sure there are people who will thoroughly enjoy this tale of clunky exposition, corny dialog, and mindless fight scenes. After all, I understand professional wrestling is one of the SciFi Channels most-watched shows. All I can say is, de gustibus non est disputant.

Sparta is such a great place that no one ever thinks of leaving. It's been three years since anyone has tried, and he was never heard from again--until today!

A deadly peril threatens the universe, and it's up to Adam Strange to stop it. Meanwhile, a contract is put out for the death of Comet while Bizarro finds a new purpose in life, which leads to the beginning of a strange adventure.

Grounded; Prologue: The Slap Heard Round the World--J. Michael Straczynski, script; Eddy Barrows, pencils; J.P. Mayer, inks (with colors by Rod Reis)

At the same time, the government is also planning to abolish paper money so that all monetary transactions will be made through "federally operated charge cards, recharged by government-run machines." This is the story of Graham Bricke's plan to steal one of the machines before the anti-crime broadcast takes place in just two short weeks.

Diana finally confronts her primary foe in this altered reality, and it turns out hes a pawn, too.

If you have bought it and hate it as much as I do, just remember . . . Anti-Life justifies your hatred!

Fortunately, I won't be coming back for more, so I won't have to suffer from this inept writing and storytelling.

As a Bizarro story, it was boring and lacking. As a Superman story (especially one claiming to be All-Star), it felt to me that it had destroyed the essential parts of what I love about Superman to make what felt like one big joke. A big joke that failed. Once again, I will drop this book, shake my head, and go read good Superman comics.

However, there are more than likely enough clues in the reviews to work out who she is. Regardless, the mystery of the title character's identity is revealed five pages into the issue, so it's not like figuring out who she is before you read the story is going to spoil the ending!

After hearing from several readers who told me that the "preview pages" in DC Universe 0 are not excerpted from their respective series, I wrote an addendum to my review that I have posted on the message boards. Interested parties may find it by copying and pasting the following URL:

In ancient Greece, Zeus granted eternal life to two brothers, and bound them to his service. Three thousand years later, they are hunting an exiled god. Unfortunately, their hunt results in the release of one of the most dangerous denizens of Hades.

One final note, the preview images below that were supplied for me to post with this Sunday Slugfest did not allow the word balloons and caption boxes to be carried over as I converted them from PDF pages to JPEGs. In other words, while there are a great deal of wordless action sequences in this issue, there actually should be some words on these pages--they were just lost in translation.