Simon DelMonte's Profile

Joined: Jul 26, 2017

Recent Activity

8.5

A dream that actually feels like a dream. So few writers really know how to do that. (Inception, I love you but nothing there is even a tiny bit dream logic.) The only issue I have with this is reverting to calling Mary's alter ego Mary Marvel. DC's been trying to get rid of that for ages.

Knight Terrors: Shazam! #1

By: Mark Waid, Roger Cruz
Released: Jul 12, 2023

ENTER: TETH-SHAZAM?! Of all Earth’s heroes, Billy Batson is the only one in double danger-because he and the Captain are each haunted by their own set of nightmares! And if the World’s Mightiest Mortal can’t survive his own fears, what chance does the rest of the Shazamily have?

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Hawkgirl #1 Aug 15, 2023
6.0

Clumsy and overstuffed.

Hawkgirl #1

By: Jadzia Axelrod, Amancay Nahuelpan
Released: Jul 19, 2023

Kendra Saunders, the winged warrior better known as Hawkgirl, has been one of the DCU’s greatest heroes for a long time, serving as a member of both the Justice League and the Justice Society. But with the Justice League disbanded, Kendra decides she needs a fresh start and heads to Metropolis to begin a new life. That life is quickly interrupted...

+ LikeComment
8.5

Star Trek: Day of Blood #1

By: Christopher Cantwell, Ramon Rosanas
Released: Jul 19, 2023

Day of Blood Starts Here! Immortal emperor of the Klingon Empire, Kahless II has consolidated power, raided ancient tombs and secret bunkers, taken the power of gods for himself, stolen the Bajoran Orb of Destruction, and commenced a slaughter across the stars. But this genocide of gods was just the beginning. For with the power he has stole...

+ LikeComment
7.5

Still fun but padded.

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #16

By: Mark Waid, Dan Mora
Released: Jun 21, 2023

Batman and Superman versus machines! A.I. villains and heroes--Shaggy Man, G.I. Robot, Red Tornado, and Chemo among them--have launched a global cyberattack alongside Newmazo's soldiers. Batman, Superman, Robin, and Metamorpho, the Element Man, are unprepared for the onslaught. With millions of lives on the line, the World's Finest team must find a...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Nightwing #105 Jul 15, 2023
6.0

Anyone remember Lady in the Lake? A Philip Marlowe story shot from the PoV of Marlowe? What's that? You've never heard of it? Maybe that's because it's a silly gimmick. It certainly was here, great art in service of a rather bland gimmick and yet another dull and pedantic Tom Taylor story. This comic's gone from DC's best to its least exciting in the space of about a year.

Nightwing #105

By: Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo
Released: Jun 21, 2023

Masterminds Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo are back at it again to present Nightwing fans another special issue uniquely designed for them to be Nightwing for a day! This oversize story will feature Nightwing from his point of view, allowing readers to use his escrima sticks and leap through Blüdhaven! You don't want to miss this issue, as there'll ...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Power Girl Special #1 Jul 5, 2023
5.0

A confusing bore. For those of us who haven't been reading what's been up with Kara...Karen...Peggy?...it would have been nice to have something explain her latest status quo. But this isn't the Power Girl I remember from Johns's JSA series. She's anything but assertive, anything but powerful. And this was just dull enough that I stopped in the middle and realized I never finished it. I have more

Power Girl Special #1

By: Leah Williams, Marguerite Sauvage
Released: May 31, 2023

POWER GIRL TAKES CENTER STAGE! With new powers and a new mission, Power Girl faces a challenge unlike any she's experienced before in this shocking one-shot rising from the events of Lazarus Planet and Action Comics! With Omen's guidance, Power Girl now strives to battle the demons-literal and figurative-lurking within the minds of some of the grea...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Steelworks #1 Jul 5, 2023
7.0

Solid first issue by someone who gets the rhythms of comic book writing pretty fast. Though we all know that John Henry will be wearing the armor a lot more than he plans.

Steelworks #1

By: Michael Dorn, Sami Basri
Released: Jun 7, 2023

FORGING THE FUTURE! The Metropolis of the future is here today, but can it survive a terrorist who's out for revenge against its builder--John Henry Irons, a.k.a. Steel--and his company, Steelworks...and who possesses secrets that could undo everything John has worked so hard to build? While John's professional life is firing on all cylinders, his ...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Star Trek #8 Jun 24, 2023
8.5

Love it just for Garak, Tom Paris at the wheel, and Data talking to Spot. Silly at times, but just keeps hitting all the really cool Star Trek notes. (Note to Lanzing and Kelly: you need to find a way to use characters from Prodigy before everyone forgets they exist.)

Star Trek #8

By: Collin Kelly, Mike Feehan
Released: May 17, 2023

The newly established Obsidian Council of Cardassia Prime has spoken: The time has come for Benjamin Sisko to stand trial for the atrocities he ordered and for his contributions to war crimes by the Federation during the Dominion War. Arc two of the critically acclaimed Star Trek flagship comic series continues here!

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Titans #1 Jun 24, 2023
6.5

Great art. But otherwise flavorless mush, with only three characters with any personality (Nightwing, Wally, and Cyborg, and hey, all of them have their own books), far too many instances of the Titans telling us they will do things differently, and oh good Evil Waller is in the wings. Taylor has no feel for making the Titans interesting, though I am starting to think I only liked them on the ol more

Titans #1

By: Tom Taylor, Nicola Scott
Released: May 17, 2023

The Dark Crisis is over, and the Justice League is no more. Now, a new team must rise and protect the Earth...Titans, go! The Teen Titans are ready to grow up. Each member joined as a much younger hero, certain that one day they'd be invited to join the Justice League. But the time has come for them not to join the League...but to replace it! Are t...

+ LikeComment
7.5

With the time hopping put aside, the story is a lot more coherent, but I don't really know how these characters align with the last JSA comics from before Flashpoint. What happened to the third Dr. Midnight? Just who is Power Girl now? I am a bit lost even if I like the story (and love the art).

Justice Society of America #4

By: Geoff Johns, Mikel Janin
Released: May 24, 2023

Helena's journey through time continues! Each new time period gives her one more piece of the puzzle, but is Degaton too far ahead in his quest to eradicate the JSA to be stopped? Is this truly the end of the Justice Society?

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Star Trek Annual: 2023 Jun 21, 2023

Wacky heartfelt fun in the right key of Trek. Plus Data is your new DM.

Star Trek Annual: 2023

By: Collin Kelly, Rachael Stott
Released: May 31, 2023

Join the writers behind the critically acclaimed Star Trek series for an exciting romp through the history of Star Trek! The Theseus crew finally get a chance to relax. But just as everyone settles down, a strange signal comes in with a message that reads, "Mr. Scott. We have a problem. Bring help.- Jim." Upon finding the sourc...

+ LikeComment
6.5

I read this two hours ago and it's fading from memory already. This version of Conner never pops, and the story is interesting only in fits and starts. The "preview" for an Alan Scott comic that will never be looks great and reads like we got lucky it was aborted.

Superboy: The Man Of Tomorrow #3

By: Kenny Porter, Jahnoy Lindsay
Released: Jun 21, 2023

Superboy's team-up with the Cosmoteers is yielding rocky results. While they're taking down many of Dominator X's labs, their team dynamics leave much to be desired. Can this new quartet pull themselves together when Dominator X unleashes his most monstrous creation yet...the hulking Infinity?!

+ LikeComment
7.0

Waid throws a lot of good ideas against the wall, but we seems to have lost the thread along the way. Wasn't this about Bruce Wayne being accused of murder? Very silver agey, for good and for ill.

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #15

By: Mark Waid, Dan Mora
Released: May 17, 2023

THE RISE OF ULTRA-MORPHO! Years ago, Professor Anthony Ivo built Amazo, a killer android who could duplicate the powers of the Justice League. But now an even deadlier android stalks the DC Universe: Ultra-Morpho! Able to transform into any element, including Kryptonite, Ultra-Morpho can kill Batman, Superman, Robin, and Metamorpho in one fell swoo...

+ LikeComment
7.5

Solid conclusion to a solid comic, though whether we actually see more of most of Young Justice Society is up in the air.

Stargirl: The Lost Children #6

By: Geoff Johns, Todd Nauck
Released: May 10, 2023

The battle for the fate of the lost children is here! Stargirl faces off against the Childminder on Orphan Island in the hopes of saving these forgotten sidekicks from her monstrous clutches. But if she succeeds, what does this mean the DC Universe timeline?

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Nightwing #104 Jun 18, 2023
6.0

As suspenseful as a menu, with flat characterizations for most of the Titans, and of course the nonsensical notion of an eight year old girl being trained to be a warrior. Can we get back to Bludhaven? And if we do, can we get back to giving something challenging for Nightwing to do?

Nightwing #104

By: Tom Taylor, Travis Moore
Released: May 24, 2023

Nightwing and the Titans realize the only way to save Olivia is to...go to hell! Seeing how ineffective his punching was when he last confronted Neron's demons, Nightwing is temporarily powered up by magic in order to make it through the depths of hell alive...literally. Then, in the backup: Nightwing and Jon Kent find an important clue as to who's...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Cyborg #1 Jun 13, 2023

A solid first issue drawing on the best Cyborg stories from the comics and from TV but working to stand on its own. The art leaves a bit to be desired, but this feels like the sort of story Cy should have been part of a long time ago.

Cyborg #1

By: Morgan Hampton, Tom Raney
Released: May 17, 2023

When a family emergency brings Cyborg back home to Detroit, Victor Stone surprisingly finds himself enjoying his return to the simpler life-where everybody sees him for who he really is and always was, rather than as a larger-than-life superhero. It's been a while since Vic's been able to lower his guard and seek a purpose outside of being Cyborg 2...

+ LikeComment
7.0

All six issues dropped on the DC app. Readable enough, but inconsistent character portrayals, the jarring addition of Victoria Kord, and a generally simplistic story make it nothing special. And it's just really, really hard to imagine a city in the state of Texas happily allowing a ship of aliens to stay around when things are inhospitable to other human being from other nations. Overall, it rea more

Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #6

By: Josh Trujillo, Adrian Gutierrez
Released: Apr 26, 2023

It's all come to this as Jaime faces down the encroaching alien armada! But is he really ready for what comes next? And what does this mean for the future of Blue Beetle?

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Joe Fixit #5 May 28, 2023
8.5

I want more of this. More Joe, more old school Spidey, and more PAD. Get well soon, dude!

Joe Fixit #5

By: Peter David, Yildiray Cinar
Released: May 3, 2023

THE SMASHING FINALE!
Featuring an amazing, spectacular, you might even say incredible, team-up between Joe Fixit and Spider-Man as they attempt to push Kingpin (and an impressive number of some of Spidey's toughest foes...) out of Las Vegas once and for all!
Rated T+

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Shazam! #1 May 28, 2023
8.0

Fun if a bit lightweight, and it feels like Waid would have preferred to write the character as he was in 1995. Plus Waid gets it wrong: Solomon was both wise and smart. But overall, the vibe is strong and it's clear the Waid/Mora team knows what they are doing once again.

Shazam! #1

By: Mark Waid, Dan Mora
Released: May 3, 2023

The World's Finest creators present the World's Mightiest Mortal in a dazzling solo series! Dinosaurs from space! The Clubhouse of Eternity! Homicidal worms and talking tigers! Atomic robots, alien worlds, mad scientists, sinister curses, and villains from throughout the DC Universe-welcome to the wild adventures of Billy Batson, whose big red alte...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Green Lantern #1 May 28, 2023
7.5

Solid first issue that goes a long way to acknowledging how outdated Hal is, while also making him the best at what he does. It's a pity that DC still insists on making Hal the one GL with a series, but that doesn't mean it can't be good. Jury is still out on the John Stewart backup.

Green Lantern #1

By: Jeremy Adams, Xermanico
Released: May 10, 2023

Spinning out of the events of Dark Crisis, the Guardians of Oa at the heart of the Green Lantern Corps have quarantined Sector 2814, home of the planet Earth-and its champion along with it! A heartbreaking defeat has sent Hal reeling, returning home to rediscover his roots...and find the man responsible for ruining his life: Sinestro. From the visi...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed City Boy #1 May 23, 2023
7.5

At last, a hero I can relate to! He is also still masking! (First overt reference in any DC book to the pandemic?)

A promising start by an accomplished talent, and nice that a new book can launch without having a guest appearance by a big name hero.

City Boy #1

By: Greg Pak, Minkyu Jung
Released: May 24, 2023

First seen in Wildstorm 30th Anniversary Special and Lazarus Planet: Legends Reborn, there's a new Korean hero named...City Boy! Or at least, that's the best translation of what the cities call him. City Boy, a.k.a. Cameron Kim, is just trying to make a living by using his powers of being able to speak to cities to find lost and hidden goods to paw...

+ LikeComments (1)
BesottedGeekPod - May 25, 2023

Pretty big name villain though ;)

Simon DelMonte reviewed Vigil #1 May 21, 2023
8.0

Very good first issue that leaves me wanting more, and it's really interesting how little this actually needs to be in the DCU. Though given Ram V's knowledge of the DCU, I expect him to have fun with it.

Vigil #1

By: Ram V, Lalit Kumar Sharma
Released: May 17, 2023

/.../ /Who Are The Vigil? The shipping vessel Eastwind was taken captive by pirates off the coast of Thailand. 24 hours after the crew had been taken hostage, before communications had been established or any demands made, the crew reported an intervention by a group of unknown individuals. Amid other bizarre claims by the crew, are reports of an i...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Gargoyles #5 May 21, 2023
7.5

The stuff with the mob families is a bit obtuse, but the main thread is fascinating and thoughtful and Greg is clearly applying the skills he acquired writing Young Justice to this, since you just couldn't be this complex in a cartoon in 1995.

Gargoyles #5

By: Greg Weisman, George Kambadais
Released: Apr 26, 2023

Goliath - prisoner! Hudson is forced to stand down as Goliath is captured and taken away.  Determined to rescue Goliath, Brooklyn takes command of the Clan. Meanwhile, Dino Dracon's plans proceed apace...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Star Trek #7 May 21, 2023
8.5

Never seen Lower Decks, but kind of love that a character from that is here and being played seriously.

Star Trek #7

By: Collin Kelly, Mike Feehan
Released: Apr 26, 2023

Continuing Benjamin Sisko's quest to stop celestial genocide in "The Red Path," the second arc of the critically acclaimed Star Trek flagship comic series continues! Sisko returns to Deep Space 9, and it's the family reunion we've all been waiting for-or is it? Meanwhile, the crew of the U.S.S. Theseus meet a familiar face from Paramo...

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Flash #788 May 16, 2023
8.5

Adams does a great job of hearkening back to some unfulfilled plotlines from the Johns era while still making this his own book. It remains a pity that DC is cutting this run short.

Flash #788

By: Jeremy Adams, Fernando Pasarin
Released: Nov 16, 2022

When Gregory Wolfe wins the mayorship of Central City, he implements a radical agenda to instill order...including deputizing the Rogues to enforce the law and ridding the city of its well-known vigilante--the Flash!

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Spirit World #1 May 16, 2023
7.0

Reasonably entertaining but I bet I forget it in an hour.

Spirit World #1

By: Alyssa Wong, Haining
Released: May 10, 2023

From the pages of Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate, a new Chinese hero emerges who's able to travel to and from the Spirit World, the realm of the dead, and that of the living. Their name is Xanthe, and their superpower is being able to burn items folded from joss paper and immediately turn them into real objects, based on the East Asian practice of burni...

+ LikeComment
6.0

Nostalgia not just for the event but for how comics were once written. And it doesn't add up to much. The first story - the only one that isn't just a flashback - has far too much of Jurgens's often clumsy dialogue and pacing (though it also has his grasp of Superman and his art). The Ordway and Stern stories are okay but add little to the original story. Only the Simonson/Bogdanove story reall more

The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1

By: Dan Jurgens
Released: Nov 9, 2022

Written by DAN JURGENS, ROGER STERN, LOUISE SIMONSON, and JERRY ORDWAY. Art by DAN JURGENS, BRETT BREEDING, BUTCH GUICE, JON BOGDANOVE, TOM GRUMMETT, and more! 30 years ago, the unthinkable happened. The Man of Steel died. After sacrificing himself to stop the unstoppable global threat, Doomsday, Metropolis and the rest of the DC Universe mourned t...

+ LikeComment
6.5

Tepid stuff cover to cover. A rather poorly defined Connor, and a rather bland cast of new characters. The action is okay, but otherwise this is forgettable. Not bad, just forgettable.

Ironically, the preview of the never-to-be-published Kid Flash comic does more in eight pages to get my interest than Superboy's done in two full issues.

Superboy: The Man Of Tomorrow #2

By: Kenny Porter, Jahnoy Lindsay
Released: May 17, 2023

Conner Kent is captured by the young space-adventuring team the Cosmoteers! On a mission to stop Dominator X, these former experiments believe Superboy is just another weapon created by the cloning mad scientist. It'll take all of Conner's charm to convince them he's one of the good guys, or it's lights out for Superboy!

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Star Trek #6 May 8, 2023
7.5

i feel like I missed something between the issues, and it does get murky. But this is the Data I remember from the 80s, and I love that chat between Data and Scotty and "wait, MY B'Elanna?"

Star Trek #6

By: Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing
Released: Apr 12, 2023

Chaos ensues as the God City sets out on a collision course for Earth! Inside the living city, Captain Sisko and Dr. Crusher face off against the cosmic being wearing the ancient city as armor. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Data pushes the Theseus and its crew to their limits in trying to keep up with the being zooming across the quadrant....

+ LikeComment
Simon DelMonte reviewed Nightwing #103 May 5, 2023
7.0

What is with these generic covers lately? Then again, the Titans continue to feel pretty generic. But this issue just doesn't hold together. Everything seems too pat. Show of hands here: who thinks Dick is actually tempted by Neron? And is it really wise to: a) teach a little girl combat; or b) think she will learn anything useful that quickly.

The back-up's pretty good but is it more

Nightwing #103

By: Tom Taylor, Travis Moore
Released: Apr 19, 2023

Who is the Grinning Man, who's always grinning no matter what he's doing, even when he's murdering people, and what kind of deal did he make with Neron? Nightwing and the Titans better figure that out soon before they lose one of their team members... Then, in the backup, Nightwing continues his lessons mentoring Jon Kent, a.k.a. Superman, and this...

+ LikeComment

Reviews for the Week of...

October

4th

September

August

More