Martian Manhunter #2 picks up immediately from the horrific conclusion of the last issue. J'onn is is on fire and his identity has been revealed to his partner. 

The comic gives more insight into J'onn and his time on Mars as a "Manhunter" as well as his family life. As a fairly new DC reader, the exploration of J'onn's history prior to joining the Justice League is fascinating. It's often thrown around that DC characters are bland or uninteresting. At first glance that may be the case but in my experience, the characters are just as interesting as those at Marvel if you give them a chance. 

My main complaint about the issue and the series, in general, is that this comic ends in practically the same spot that it begins. There is hardly any progression with the issue. There is enough flashback material to prevent the issue from filling like filler but the forward momentum is severely lacking. It's not a bad comic if we get too many issues like this I would suggest waiting for the trade. 

There is some truly disturbing imagery in this issue. The opening scene depicted on the Josh Middleton variant cover of J'onn literally disintegrating after being set on fire is horrifying. 

I'm of two minds about the art style. Riley Rossmo is a talented and imaginative artist. Most of the issue looks amazing. Especially all of the scenes on Mars. The colors and landscapes are simply breathtaking. On the other hand, art in many places seems overly deformed and ugly. 

I believe the artistic choices are intended to highlight the fluid nature of Martian Manhunter's character. It's a unique perspective but two issues in and I'm still having a bipolar reaction to it. 

It's a bit too early to judge the entire series as it's still getting out of the starting gate. The experience of this issue is heavily marred by the decompression. It does not derail the series completely but the lack of momentum at such an early point in the series is concerning. more

I read a lot of comics, usually 2 to 3 a day. I rarely have a visceral reaction to a comic book But Mark Russell got one out of me today. Wonder Twins is modern re-imagining of the much-maligned characters from the old Super Friends cartoon. 

After an undisclosed event happens on their homeworld Superman offers to take  Zan and Jayna back to earth to give them a chance at normal lives. They also get jobs assisting the Justice League. 

They attend Morris High School. Zan has plans to become the most popular kid in school but embarrasses himself at every turn. Jayna seems to have it a little better but her shyness holds her back. 

Overall, the issue is hilarious from beginning to end. I definitely got a 21 Jump Street vibe from the book. There's a series of silly events tied together by an overarching narrative. It's a bit too early to say where the story is going but the character and tone of the series is firmly established. If the comic can maintain the slice of life "coming of age" structure of this issue, Wonder Twins may become classic level reading material. 

There are a ton of jokes in this issue but there's one gag in this issue that is set up in the opening of the issue and pays off majestically in the end. I literally bust out laughing. That's the reaction I was talking about earlier. 

In certain circles of social media, there was a lot of chatter about deviant sexual behavior and beastiality being peddled in this book. Those claims are nonsense. The comic is a great time and would be worth a read even if you weren't a fan of the character's walking in or comics in general. 

I also noticed that Mike Cotton on editorial. This is another bright spot for the series. Mike was one of the editors from Wizard Magazine during its heyday. This bold's well for the series as he is genuinely funny and has an encyclopedic knowledge of DC, pop culture and comics in general.  

I love the simple character designs for the twins. Stephen Byrne captures the look and feels of the Super Friends costumes but updates the characters to fit in 2019. The colors palette is bright and colorful complementing the linework beautifully. This balances well with the overall tone of the script. This series has a lot going for it at the outset and I look forward to watching this thing develop. 

I never expected to see the Wonder Twins in a mainstream comic. I appreciate that DC is still willing to take risks and promote new or under utilized characters in the current comics landscape. Wonder Twins #1 is a definite win and deserves attention.  more

I literally had no idea what Freedom Fighters was when I picked it up last month. I saw that Robert Venditti (Hawkman, X-O Manowar) was the writer and had the fierce visage of Uncle Sam staring me down and I was sold on the look alone.

The book is extremely dark. I hazard to say its the darkest comic I've read since X-Men: Age of Apocalypse storyline from the '90s. This series is also set in an alternate timeline. In this scenario, the Nazi's won WWII and in doing so extended it's the sphere of influence to America. All seems lost until a new group of Freedom Freedom fighters reveal themselves publicly.

If you're a fan of historical fiction you've seen or heard of this alternate timeline before. Think Wolfenstein with Superheroes and you have Freedom Fighters.

I am reading this issue a month after the book was released and still want to be purposely vague about plot details. That being said the opening of the series totally subverts expectations and delivers us into an extremely grim situation by the end of the issue. 

Freedom Fighters #1 was a great read and I'm totally on board with seeing how this story develops. The designs from Eddie Barrows are imaginative. The world is bleak and the art direction completely captures the atmosphere of the setting. The creative direction for the issue is amazing.

It's not a unique plot but it grabs you by the throat and forces you to pay attention. I'm pretty sure I've read similar stories before but Robert does a great job pitching this world and I've always been a sucker for a good pitch. 
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Justice League Dark #4 continues as the 3rd part of "The Witching Hour" story arc. Wonder Woman harnesses the power of the "Witchmark" and uses it to confront the Hecate and her champion Manitou Dawn.

The bulk of the issue portrays a huge confrontation between the League and the Hecate. The linework for the issue is outstanding which is par for the course for this series. My only complaint is that the color palate for the issue doesn't really have much variety and even though the pencils are incredible nothing portrayed in the issue really stands out. The script is dense and packed with exposition but nothing within this issue really surprised me at all.

I even called the ending before it happened. It's not a bad comic but it's definitely filler and a step back for the series. 
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I was excited to jump back into Mystery Theater to see how last months cliffhanger would play out. Zeke is tied up and Conrad is constrained and about to be sacrificed in a ritual to resurrect his father, count Karloff.

Rather surprisingly, the plot seems to have resolved itself in this issue. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm also not sure if we'll see another chapter in this particular arc. The series seems to be moving onto another vignette in Zeek's life. 

I enjoyed the story and epilogue which turned out to be extremely creepy. My main gripe with the issue is that the resolution of the storyline seems to come too easily and was somewhat anticlimactic. The ending may or may not turn out to be a red herring but it's too early to tell at this point. 

The art is just as striking as the previous issue and reminded me a lot of the current Dick Tracy: Dead or Alive series from Image Comics. Outside of the epilogue other than a hilarious send off to the old Hostess Cupcake ads that used to run in comics back in the 70s & 80s. 

Midnight Mystery is ultimately an adequate issue. It's not a bad comic but I really enjoyed the first issue and expected more out of this one. I guess you can't win them all.  more

I love that there is always forward momentum during this series even during the slower periods. Something is always happening that pushes the narrative forward and the urgency never lets up to the point where I feel that I could miss an issue. 

This issue picks up with a majority of the crew protecting Leslie either killed or captured. Putting them on the run yet again with even fewer options. 
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We get a glimpse into some of the power Leslie is actually holding back when she cuts loose on some of the pursuing soldiers. We also get some setup into a potential betrayal next issue.  

Although there are a couple big shockingly violent moments in this comic, including a scene in which Leslie rips a guys arm off during the pursuit. This issue is the closest we've been to a filler issue. The art is good this time around but some of the panels are dodgier than I'm used to from this series.

There is some character building between Leslie and Khal and I can see a friendly relationship developing between them. I'm assuming they will they will get together but, It's not a lock. This series is unpredictable and none of the characters ever appear to be totally safe. The dialogue also continues to improve after the shaky moments earlier during the series.
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I'm also happy that the book dialed back on the sex and nudity. I'm all for mature content but it seemed like it was being inserted for the sake of, rather than because it was necessary for it to move the story forward. The issue is better for it. 
 
Next issue will be the end of the second arc which has been pretty much a huge chase with moments brief moments of exposition. I'm expecting the next issue to go badly for our characters before the final arc begins. 

Even the slower issues of Unnatural are better than 90% of mainstream comics on the shelves today.  more

Previously in Justice League...

Back in the 90's there was a running subplot in X-Men: The Animated Series in which Magneto and Professor X were depowered and stranded in the Savage Land. They were forced to work out their differences and survive in a hostile environment. It was one of my favorite arcs of the series and was totally detached from the main plot during the season it aired. 

In Justice League #17 we are presented a similar situation with the unlikely pairing of Lex Luthor and Martian Manhunter. Without hyperbole, we may be looking at a strong early contender for the best single issue of the year.


I know the spoilers for the issue are everywhere but out of respect for the creators and the major twists found within I will avoid a bulk of them here. These are two characters I most certainly would have never paired together. It was hard to imagine at the outset of the issue that it would come together so well. Even the scheme of the cover hints at a deeper connection with the greens and purples bleeding together into a beautiful tapestry.

There is a lot of character building, world building, menace and revelations throughout the issue. The comic is extremely well paced and even though there is a ton of info dumped throughout the book, it's never boring. I was initially concerned when Snyder switched from writing Batman to taking over DC's Flagship team book but the series has genuinely become one of the highlights of my weekly pull list. 

Justice League reviews and I mean it. The inks here also flesh out the atmospheric personality of the issue. I rarely call out the inkers but this exceptional issue. It's a very bright yet surprisingly dark comic and the inks punctuate every panel found within the book. All involved need to be mentioned. 

Tomeu is the best colorist working in comics today and he deserves special praise for his work elevating every series that he's attached to.

Rather than spoil the comic here I will post a video addendum next week and go in-depth into the issue. There are a lot of potential ramifications for both sides of this conflict. I'm still a relative noob to DC comics lore but this one caught me completely off guard. 

Kudos to all involved this was a great ride. more

This book should have been released under the Vertigo umbrella. Not sure why it wasn't but that was the general impression I got after reading it for the second time.

One thing I do appreciate from DC Comics is that instead of pushing huge line-wide events every few months they push smaller scale mini-series highlighting characters or concepts that would not have received any attention otherwise. 

Electric Warriors is one of those series. It has no obvious connections to any current ongoing outside of tangential references here and there. I now sure how successful the series will be but the premise is interesting. 

At some point in the future, there was a universal calamity that leads to the Animal kingdom gaining dominion over the planet and humanity being enslaved. The book opens with humanity being given the opportunity to represent Earth as one of the Electric Warriors.

A collection of planets inhabitants that are giving political clout via competitive combat. Our lead, Ian has a xenophobic abrasive personality and hates the animal for their past misdeeds. 

His brother, Oscar Navarro is slated to represent humanities as co-holder of the electric seed with a representative from the Octopus Tribe. Oscar and Ian are often mistaken as twins although they were not born at the same time.  After, failing to talk to his brother out of leaving the family, Ian has Oscar attacked. He then takes his place in an attempt to avoid his mother losing her "Good" son. 

This is a really good story and I like that it's presented as a stand-alone miniseries as opposed to an ongoing. Its a risky proposition considering the current state of the comic industry. 

The characters and designs are all cool with the exception of the lead character design. It looks weird and not in a good way. The colors pop and really mesh well with the futuristic setting. It's a nice overall package that's off the beaten path in comics. 

I get the impression that Steve Orlando definitely has a story here. With slight changes here and there this series would feel right at home coming from Image Comics. I can tell he's relishing this opportunity. 

It's a decent well-written start and despite minor gripes here and there with some of the designs, I can't really fault the series. There aren't any standout moments in this issue but the series has a lot of potential for greatness going forward.  more

After being somewhat befuddled by the direction of the previous issue, this one is pretty straightforward for better or worse. We pick up from the cliffhanger. Selina breaks up an attempt on her sister's life while the governor's wife, Raina Creel murders him and makes it look like a suicide. She injects him with the drug, Narssistrine, which paralyzes the user and thickens internal organs to the point of death. 

Selina fends off a group of hospital orderlies but is eventually overwhelmed and knocked unconscious. The governor's son is given the task of giving the drug to Selina but fails when she escapes and gets the drop on him. 

I enjoyed this issue a lot more than the last and based on this one I'll probably pick up issue #6 to see how the arc concludes. The conspiracy surrounding the governor and his wife is intriguing. The story draws you in and it's hard not to be invested considering how dramatic the issue is. 

The downside of the comic is that it reads really quick and although the comic is interesting it's hard to justify the 3.99 price point. It doesn't feel worth it despite the beautiful art direction of Joell and Laura. This issue may simply be better read in trade. 

It's a great read but needs a bit more meat on the bones.  more

Dammit DC, It appears that I reviewed this series in the incorrect order. I reviewed #8, Annual #1 and #9 and I was supposed to read it as #8, #9 and then Annual #9. I totally blame editorial for this mistake. The covers don't even give any indication that we're in the middle of a story arc and honestly I didn't feel like I missed anything.

Sideways #9 is the second part of the crossover with the 7 Soldiers of Victory. In the last issue, Zatanna sent Derek away and he ended up with an assorted group of distorted Superman characters. 

The characters are all apparently surviving by allowing themselves to be leached of their lifeforce by a creature known as Perrus. 

Sideways steps in and tell's Perrus to stop this which leads to his being overpowered, knocked unconscious and discarded in the catacombs below. 

One of the characters avoids detections and manages to give Sideways back his powers. The book ends with the lead into the annual and reappearance of New 52 Superman.

In the last few issues of Sideways, we seem to have turned a corner. The stories have been a lot more consistent and interesting. The comic is ultimately a filler issue but even the minor plot details are a lot more interesting. There aren't any real standout moments in this issue but there aren't any bad ones either. 

Max Raynor's art is serviceable. I'm not a huge fan of the pencils here but the colors balance things out. Its an average issue in plot and art direction. The annual builds on this story and gives the arc a satisfying conclusion despite this issue being meh. 
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I saw the cover for this issue and chuckled. Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp have a lot of balls. It's hard to stroll past a cover in which Green Lantern is staring down a god and declaring him under arrest. 

The story is just as insane. The planet has been shrunk down and sold in an auction to an alien slaver that resembles the Hebrew God of the old testament. 

The Green Lantern Corps breaks up the illicit activities but the twist is that the earth's inhabitants are perfectly fine with being enslaved. I'm sure there is some meta-commentary here somewhere. 

Even after the Slaver is revealed to be a hideous Lovecraftian monster the planet's leaders still remain enthralled which leads to Hal putting the earth under house arrest until it comes to its senses. 

This issue is dense and there is a ton of action, humor and plot advancement swirling about. I admire the audacity of this creative team. I read most of the book mouth agape at the proceeding events. Hal Jordan as the straight man is hilarious and this take on the character grows on me with each passing issue. 

Liam Sharp and Steve Oliff are magnificent in this issue and are quickly becoming one of my favorite creative teams. Liam's style reminds me of a blend of Neil Adams and Ethan Van Sciver. It's great company to be in league with.

There have been so many ideas and unique concepts presented in these three issues that it may seem overwhelming. This can be good or bad depending on your storytelling preferences
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All in all, this is a fun read and one of the most unique series on the shelves today. 
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Bloodshot Salvation was one of my favorite series of 2018. I had no real relationship with the character walking into the series but every damn issue was been amazing so far. Yes, I know the series is over but I haven't finished yet so I will continue reviewing for completion's sake. 

In this issue, we get an origin for Bloodshot's dog, Bloodhound and also the glimpse into the early stages of the program that created our hero. 

The story is set during World War I. Dr. Henry Fulbright offers to take his experimental dogs to battle in place of human soldiers in the front lines. The pitch is that the dogs are extremely durable can withstand the gas, some gunfire, require little sleep and can see in darkness. Fulbright offers a no-cost test run to which the Lieutenant accepts. 

The experiment works and allows the British soldiers to advance and take the German position. 

Unfortunately, one of the dogs gets trapped in barbed wire and Fulbright decides to move in and retrieve it. He gets support from the Lieutenant and is told that he has 30 minutes to get the dog as they are leaving. 

The Doctor sends the canines out into the field. They manage the retrieve the trapped dog but the Germans retaliate. All of the dogs are killed except one and Dr. Fulbright, forgetting to put on his mask on is gassed and dies in the field. 

Seeing the value in the experiment the Lieutenant takes the surviving dog back to the lab in the hopes that someone can continue Fulbrights work posthumously.  

This is an amazing single issue and a complete change of pace for the series. Jeff and Ray have managed to create a series of events that extend well beyond the superhero genre but manage to remain engrossing. 

I would suggest this series to anyone, even those that traditionally don't have an interest in comics. 

The linework from Renato Guedes is masterful. Every page is beautifully rendered and has a photo-realistic quality. It's appropriately grimy and captures the war setting with stark blacks, grays, and tans contrasting with the otherworldly appearances of the canines. 

It's a quick diversion from the main series but manages to add a ton of depth to a character that traditionally wouldn't get much spotlight. Who would have imagined that an issue spotlighting a dog would be one of the best single issues of the year? more

Last Week I reviewed Ghostbusters: IDW 20/20 and said that with context the One-Shot would have been a better reading experience for me. 

This is where the context comes in TMNT 20/20 is set presumably 20 years down the line and seems like a plausible yet somewhat sanitized view of the future of our mean green machines. 

The Utrom's invaded earth and Europe was destroyed. The Turtles along with Sally Pride and her army have assembled to provide resistance. 

A lot of inferences can be made by the holes in the plot. Where is Casey April, and Splinter or the rest of the Mutanimals. It's easy to assume the worst over a 20 year period. 

It's a simple story but a lot of natural progressions are factored into the narrative. Leonardo is no longer the leader. Michelangelo has moved into the role and based on the direction of the Main series I'm not surprised at all. Leonardo has become a mystic, tapping into the astral plane and becoming a key infiltrator. Raph has become a general in the army and Donatello is a negotiator/diplomat.

This is a nice side story but it has some serious problems preventing it from being great. The first is that being that since this future is clearly never going to come to pass it hard to feel any connection to the events in question.

It's a well-scripted story but I'm not a fan of the narration. I sort of feel like the events recounting past should have been the actual one-shot.

Another problem with the story is that it's 20 years into the future and the turtles look identical to how they look now. It's a superficial complaint but it is jarring. There are no scars, no wrinkles or anything outside of a couple references. It's such a glaring omission that it almost feels intentional. 

The biggest issue is that the story doesn't justify its $4.99 cover price. The total disconnect between any current story beats makes the story seem inconsequential. It's a good story and the art is nice despite my complaints. I'm just not sure anyone would be missing anything if they gave this issue a pass. more

I read Go-Bots #3 right before reading Heroes In Crisis #5 and the reading experiences were night and day. Three issues in and the series has covered an exceptional amount of ground. 

1. The conflict is established.
2. Civil War breaks out.
3. The aftermath, time skip, and an even larger mystery is established. 

The series is scheduled for 5 issues. Tom Scioli has firmly established the plot, pace, and rules for the setting during this time. This is great because most readers are probably fans of the original series, and at the very least probably hasn't followed the characters in a couple decades. It's nice to get a clear and concise story rather than one that doesn't seem to be going anywhere. 

In any case, the layered visual storytelling has been building in each issue and has suddenly moved into an entirely different direction than expected. 

Following the ending of the previous issue, an indeterminate amount of time has passed. Leader-One has assumed leadership of Gobotron, a planet of Go-Bots. 

There are still factions afoot, Cy-Kill is still causing problems. As well as another Go-Bot on an expedition from Earth. 

I called the ending for this issue before it ended. Although I wasn't surprised at all by the cliffhanger. I was intrigued as to how we got to this point in the series. 

It's funny comparing Go-Bot's to a series like Heroes in Crisis. In one series we see a book that's been running in place for months and in Go-Bots we have another series that has been continually ramping up the stakes in each issue.   

Go-Bots #3 is absolutely worth a read. At times, it's easy to get lost following the plot. There is just so much detail on every page. The series I can most closely compare this to is Liam Sharps recent work on Green Lantern.

The art styles are totally different but the imagination and work ethic behind the linework is just as pronounced. I notice new details whenever I flip through an issue. It's great to see a creator taking full advantage of the medium. We need more creator's swinging for the fences like Tom Scioli does within this series.  more

The really sad part of Heroes in Crisis going off of the rials is that the premise is such a no-brainer. 

A murder takes place at a superhero trauma center, whodoneit? 

The series has arguably the industry's best creative team on this series and yet is still bombing hard. 

So what's the problem?

Don't worry I'll get to the review eventually but don't expect much. I need to get this off of my chest. 

Heroes in Crisis is not an event and should not have been sold as such. It's a mini-series on par with Justice League Odyssey. It's not terrible but it's not all that great either. The comic could have worked but only if it was sold as a graphic novel or in trade. 

We're 5 issue into this series and there has been next to no progression or development for any of the lead characters. There has been little to no action outside of a few head-scratching sequences. There is no urgency or payoff in sight. What we have is essentially a series of events tied together by a premise that has been clearly overthought. Heroes In Crisis should have been easy to love but it fails in every step it takes along the way. 

Even worst, the series is broken up into 3.99 segments, excluding tie-ins this series will total about $36. If it was a graphic novel it wouldn't be so bad as it stands Heroes in Crisis is an obvious grift from DC comics.

I hate saying that DC Comics is ripping off its audience but it's becoming painfully obvious with this book. If issues 2-4 were excluded from the series you wouldn't have missed anything.

Heroes in Crisis #5 continues the meandering. Booster Gold and Blue Beetle search for clues regarding the murders at Sanctuary. Harley Quinn & Batgirl search for Booster and Superman gives a speech.

That's it...

Admittedly the speech from Superman is the standout moment from the issue. The fictional heroes mentioned could easily be substituted with real-world Soldiers that sacrifice all to protect and defend the nation from enemies foreign and domestic. 

It's legitimately a great speech and the only reason I didn't drop the score to an F. more

After an extremely long layover between reviews, we pick up with our makeshift Justice League team (Azrael, Cyborg, Starfire, and GL Jessica Cruz) as they battle Darkseid. 

JL Odyssey #2 is a decent read. The art is amazing the plot is interesting but the dialogue, particularly in the first half is very choppy. The confrontation between Darkseid and the League goes about as well as can be expected as he quickly dispatches Azrael, Starfire, and Cruz. Cyborg manages to hold his own against Darkseid which leads him to draw the conclusion that something is wrong with the Lord of Apokalips. 

Darkseid pulls Cyborg to the site of a temple littered with the bodies of the planet's inhabitants. Curiously, there is also a large statue dedicated to Starfire. 

Darkseid offers Cyborg a truce but when the rest of the League arrive at the location, he disappears.

A survivor appears and reveals that the planets inhabitants dedicated themselves to the worship of Starfire. After a series of calamities, the populace of the planet was apparently slaughtered by angels.

The man takes them to a multiversal key. When Starfire tells him that she can't read the language he then transfers his knowledge to her. This allows her to read the mysterious text but also destabilizes the planet and overwhelms her with darkness.

The back half of the issue presents an intriguing scenario but I'm not sure that the mystery is interesting enough to sustain an audience for an entire series. 

The art is great but there are no standout moments in regards to art direction or the script. The fight with Darkseid ends quickly and ultimately is inconsequential. 

All of the elements of a great series are here but the thread tying the disparate elements together appears to be missing.  more

DOA picks up immediately after the conclusion of the last issue. Dick Tracy is on the run from the law after being framed for the murder of a fellow officer. 

The strength of the series is the heavy nostalgia for the character and look and feel of the comic. The absurdity of the situation also contrasts hysterically at times with the straight nature of Tracy. Dick Tracy is the perfect straight man in an insane world.  

This issue ramps up the action and violence and we get some answers behind the "Big Bads" plot. Dick Tracy actually guns down a couple bad guy's this issue. Both instances raised my eyebrows because to this point there have been a lot of threats but no real casualties. Dick Tracy does not play around. 

Despite the ramped up action the issue at times feels like filler and in other spots feels rushed. One of the villains introduced the last issue gets killed off this one and it kinda feels like a wasted opportunity to develop worthy foe for Dick. 

The art direction for the series is great. If you've ever had a passing interest in the series or character the issue is visual candy. Rich Tommaso and Michael Allred shine on pencils/inks but Laura Allred is the MVP as colorist for the series so far. This issue is no exception. 

I'd love to take a deep introspective look at the issue but I can't. The plot/script doesn't have much depth at all. What you see is what you get. I love everything about the series It's a nice throwback to the golden age but it still feels like a large portion of this issue is padded. DOA is a nice diversion but it's in real danger of wearing out its welcome. 
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I'm convinced that Damage is the book that Robert works on when he wants to let his hair down and relax. 

The premise for the series is simple. The plots move fast and at worst the stories are always good. 

The selling point for me is the $2.99 cover price. I firmly believe that comics really need to come off of the $3.99 and should be at max $2.50.  If that means going back to newsprint or finding another means of distribution the prices will eventually need to come down. 

This was the primary reason I always supported the "New Age of Heroes" line of comics. The books are all solid despite some shortcomings. None of the series are bad and at the very least the line gave us a gaggle of new characters. 
The books are all solid despite some shortcomings but none of the series are bad and at the very least the line gave us a gaggle of new characters. 

Damage #10 represents Ethan's return to the place of his birth. There isn't much depth to the story but what it lacks in deep storytelling it makes up for it by simply telling an action-filled romp with great art and pacing. The comic even ends on a cliffhanger that I expect will lead to another huge action issue. 

I love that Damage/Ethan's personalities are being blended. It mitigates my concern that Ethan gets lost whenever the action picks up. 

At the time of writing, Damage has unfortunately been canceled. It's another case of missed opportunity along with the other "New Age of Series" cancellations. The series has been a welcome diversion in what sometimes feels like a sea of mediocrity.

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Whenever anyone asks who my Favorite DC Hero is The Flash is usually in my Top 3. I shuffle them sometimes but it's always been Superman, Batman, and Flash. So it's pretty ironic that I've never consistently followed the character or collected his series for any length of time. 

I picked up this issue solely the strength of the Karl Kerschl variant cover. The last Flash book that I actually read was during "The Button" crossover with Batman over a year ago now. 


Flash #58 is a solid comic that seems to be a reasonable jumping on point for the series. Barry Allen is on vacation with Iris. While there they run into a pair of super-powered criminal's calling themselves "The Gemini" The two manage to distract Flash for a second and use the opportunity to get the better of him and escape. 

Gemini's power-set allow them to absorb the powers of their enemies. Having a taste of Flashes powers they vow to hunt Barry to the ends of the earth to obtain it.  

The comic ends with the Speed force pulling Barry to Gorilla City where a bigger mystery is developing. 

Flash #58 is an example of where a reread can make a comic better. When I first read the comic I walked away feeling meh but upon a second look, I can't really find any fault in the comic. 

If you have any measure of interest in the character or seeing Flash in action you can't go wrong here. The story is fun, the villains are intimidating and the art is glorious. 

Plus it seems that the lore surrounding the "Speed Force"  is being expanded similar to the color variants of the Green Lantern rings.  

The art direction from Rafa Sandoval and Tomeu Morey is stunning. The action is fluid and dynamic. They cover a lot of real estate as the story moves from the fictional Port of Trueno, Badhnisia to Gorilla City. The colors are upbeat and combined with the well paced script by Joshua Williams this is a very well constructed single issue. 

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Raphael finally gets the spotlight in this issue. In many respects, this is a throwback to the Mirage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It also manages to build on the current series. It works as an effective bridge between two generations of comics while providing insight into the least understood or our heroes. 

This is easily the darkest of the Macro-Series issues. I appreciate the complete change of pace but I do feel that the series doesn't go far enough. Kevin Eastman clearly has a Raphael story in mind he wants to tell but for whatever reason, he never takes the gloves off and cuts loose.


Synopsis - Spoiler

It starts as a normal Winter night. After hanging out with Casey Jones Raph gets captured by Agent Bishop and the Earth Protection Force. From there he's subjected to painful experiments and we're told that no normal person/mutant would have survived them. Eventually, Raph escapes and gets into a battle against an endless hoard of EPF forces. 

While this is happening Alopex, Casey and Angel track Raph's location and attempt a rescue. At one point during the battle, Raphael manages to maneuver it over a frozen lake in Central Park. The ice cracks and right before Raph is able to use this to his advantage a sniper shoots him grazing him in the head and knocking him into the freezing water below. 

Raph passes out and dreams of his father and mother. She tells him that she made him be the one who would never surrender and always fight. He laments as to how unfair that is. To be set on a trajectory of violence and loneliness from conception. Raphael reveals that all he wants to do is be a farmer and at peace.

Eventually, Raphael wakes up on the other side of a sewer drain and the fight with the EPF continues. Casey and the crew catch up to Raph but in his enraged state, he attacks Casey before recognizing who he is. The comic ends with everyone planning to deal with the fallout of the night's events. Raph slinks away to be alone and deal with things in his own way. 


Rumination

This may have been the best time ever to have Raphael go feral considering the themes of anger and uncontrollable rage throughout the issue. There's clearly a Barry Windsor-Smith Weapon X undertone to this issue and its kind of disappointing that the violence was muted.

Also, in context with the regular series, it seems odd that the EPF didn't implant a tracker in Raphael. When the EPF captured Slash he was implanted with a mini nuclear device. It seems strange that Raph wasn't at least tagged. 

Speaking of the EPF my worst fears finally came true, Agent Bishop finally captured one of our heroes. The outcome was just as horrific as I expected. Bishop is easily the scariest TMNT villain to this point but I think it's time to add another layer to his character. I totally get his motivation but one-dimensional character's get boring. We've been following Bishop's development for years not and it's kind of sad we're still at square one with his characterization. 

This issue is beautiful with Kevin Eastman providing layouts and Ben Bishop on pencils. The tones are also great with Tomi Varga using the reds to draw attention to the anger and blood being spilled in the issue. The scenes with the EPF are also great because it shows just how dangerous Raph can be when he cuts loose. During all of the fight sequences, there is an endless number of soldiers hunting nearly blotting out the landscape. This contrast's nice to the figure of Raph doing his best to survive. 

It also shows his vulnerabilities as he is put down multiple times in his attempts to survive the onslaught. The issue isn't perfect but it's presented in a beautiful package and gets to the core of who Raph is. I was surprised when it was revealed that he would love to be a farmer. The revelation was beyond tragic considering the circumstances.  

Looking at the series overall they have all served their purpose in adding additional depth to the heroes. Some more than others but they have all been solid. 

The series will make an awesome collection when it is eventually released. If you want a definitive take on our heroes you can't go wrong with the Macro-Series. Even if you haven't followed any of the IDW line this is a definitive TMNT experience. 

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My Favorite bi-polar book on the shelves today. Silencer #9 was a lot of fun and continues the Hell-I-Day Road story. 

Picking up from last issues cliffhanger, Silencer and Quietus have had their bodies swapped by the villainous Wishbone. 

Silencer manages to track Quietus down and they engage in a massive battle in the city streets before coming to their senses and calling a truce. Wishbone upset by the development calls reinforcements and eventually a Godzilla sized monster that attacks our leads as well as the amusement park that The Silencer's family is currently located. 

The issue reinforces my belief that Silencers family situation was an afterthought and it weighs down the character. Her husband and son show up on one panel and I didn't care at all. Everything else about this series has been fantastic. I know I'm late with this review but I actually find myself hoping they get killed off next issue so that Silencer is able to focus on that it really wants to be, an action-packed spy thriller. 

Patrick Zircher delivers a variety of rapidly escalating action sequences and they are all dynamic and exciting to look at. When The Silencer is firing on all cylinders it's one of the best series on the shelves. This issue is another good example of that.  more

I definitely got a Dark Knight vibe from The Lone Ranger #3. It's not as dark a story as the Nolan Film but some of the story beats are similar.  After dealing our corrupt politicians a series of staggering blows they decide to bring in Conner, a depraved, cannibal bounty hunter. 

This issue was simply a joy to read. The dynamic between The Lone Ranger and Tonto is fun and I get a chuckle whenever they put a plan together.
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Mark has a great voice for these characters. Tonto's simple delivery underlies a very complex character. Although he's not the title character. Tonto is definitely the MVP of the series so far.  

It will be interesting to see what develops as Conner is presented as being a refined monster. I immediately imagined a cross between the Joker and Hannibal Lecter. 

The art is more subdued this issue. There aren't as many action sequences but the humor carries it forward. This is a nice change of pace especially knowing that our heroes are about to be haunted by a credible villain in the coming months.  more

Wow! It's been three months since my last review of Deathstroke. This is a strange story. At the end of the last issue, Slade and Devon had escaped the Asylum and the cliffhanger was that they were presumably abducted by aliens.

This issue opens up with Slade back in his cell with no one acknowledging the escape. Devon has also gone missing. No one remembers him except for Hugo Strange. The Doctor denies that it happened at all and asks that he retrace the steps used to escape. 

After failing to find a way out of the Asylum. Slade is sent to a virtual group therapy session where the goal is for the Arkham inmate's to team up and kill Batman. During this session, Deathstroke makes a connection with Two-Face as he offers to help him out.

It's so strange that I have all of these comics with Two-Face as the villain. I'm also reviewing the current run of Detective Comics and Harvey Dent features heavily. He's one of my least favorite Bat-Villains but the dynamic between the characters is admittedly interesting. 

While this is going on the perspective shifts to Deathstroke's children as they work to complete a hit in Arkham. 

The entire issue is strange and closest comic I can compare this arc to is Jeff Lemire's, Moon Knight. The story is interesting but a bit hard to follow if you haven't been following the series closely. I imagine you'll get more out of this issue and series if you've been following monthly. The issue looks great.

Fernando Pasarin is really good at portraying these characters and action within this issue.  Christopher gives him a lot of material to work with. The aesthetic of the issue is appropriately dark and confusing. I would normally complain at this point but since the issue is telling the reader that the setting is not what it seems I'm totally onboard.

I'm having fun with the comic because of the sheer insanity of the events but I'm not sure if I should be recommending it. It seems like an arc that may be better enjoyed in trade. That may be why it took me so long to review the second issue. This may be an arc I cover in video form once I have all the details. It's not a bad arc. It's just really strange. more

If Justice League #7 could be described in one word it would be "Big". The comic is a climax to the first arc but also an ongoing theater in a developing war. This is what I imagine a Justice League Story is supposed to feel like. The heroes win and the villains are forced to regroup. 

There are plenty of "Oh Sh!t" moments but the standout is an encounter between Lex Luthor and Hawkgirl. I'm not as familiar with her as I probably should be but she puts on an excellent showing. I also always love to see Lex battle anyone besides Superman. What this does is continue to scale the League with the Legion so that the impression is that neither side has a huge advantage in this war. 

There are also quieter character interactions and development throughout the issue. The characters feel like real friends, an actual team instead of just an assorted collection of heroes. 

The pencils from Jim Cheung continue to impress and the constantly shifting script is matched on the artistic front. Tomeu Morey is spectacular here. The colors pop and complement every other aspect of the narrative.  

I appreciate that pace of the issue. Too many writers rely on the artists to fill in too many gaps in the story. Which leads to comics you can breeze through in a few minutes. This series has benefited from the collaborative efforts of the team. It's worth the cover price and bodes well for the series going forward.

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Naomi #1 is a curious comic. I didn't have much to go on other than a name and the beautiful cover by Jamal Campbell. There was a cringy article with the headline that read; "The Newest DC Comics Superhero Is a Girl of Color from Oregon". 

I was on the fence about picking up the comic but the cover won me over and I thought, what the hell?

spoilers

Right out of the gate Jamal's pencil's are amazing. I recognize him from his work on Power Rangers but this is a step above and beyond anything that he's done for Boom Studios. This may be the most natural depiction of an African - American Woman that I've ever seen portrayed in comics without exaggeration. The colors for the series are flawless. There isn't a colorist credited for the issue so I will assume that Jamal pulled double duty and produced a masterpiece for DC. 

The comic is billed as "DC's biggest mystery" I'm not sure how far the rabbit hole will go but the setup is cool. Naomi is from a sleepy town in Oregon. Nothing ever happens there. The big focus of the issue is that Superman shows up for about 17 seconds and the town is completely abuzz. Naomi is disappointed because she misses it. Afterward she looks into the story but there are no actual reports about what happened. 

The next day Superman returns and there is still no news on the event which Naomi finds strange since nothing ever happens there.

While meeting with her Therapist It comes out that Naomi may be obsessed with Superman because they are both adopted.

While meeting with her friends its mentioned that something happened in the past involving superheroes but no one wants to discuss it. Naomi decides to talk to the local mechanic, Dee and asks him about the event. He's reluctant to tell her anything and as he walks off he gives her a date, March 14th. 

Which just happens to be the day she was adopted.


Naomi #1 is a really good first issue. I love the character and the setting. At first glance, everything seems perfectly normal until it doesn't. I kind of feel like whatever the event is that happened in the past should have been revealed in this issue. 

There is a trend in comics to load the first issue up with details but then end without a satisfactory conclusion. We get the cliffhanger but without the reveal, the issue is somewhat lacking. 

I will admit that I am intrigued by this story and I applaud DC for putting out series like this with no obvious connections to any other Superheroes. 

I also feel like the "The Newest DC Comics Superhero Is a Girl of Color from Oregon". tag sales the character short. Naomi is an interesting character. Her race isn't mentioned at all in the comic and truthfully if she was any other race the story would have played out the same. This is similar to "Into the Spiderverse" where Miles ethnicity isn't a plot point. The normalization of Race and ethnicity in these story jumps out at me because too often POC characters are treated as props instead of actual Characters. 

This issue is great and I'm excited to see where the story goes. Hopefully, Bendis doesn't stretch this origin story out too long. more