7.8 |
Overall Rating |
4.0 |
Convergence: Batman: Shadow of the Bat #2 |
Jun 24, 2015 |
Somebody at DC owes me four bucks back. This was brutal. This should have been a 90's kid's wet dream. Instead it just left me limp. Nothing can save an uninspired story. Not even retro Azbats and Wetworks...they were actually probably pretty bad back in the day, but were they THIS bad? I'm not going back to find out. |
5.0 |
Convergence: Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1 |
Jun 24, 2015 |
What the heck was that? Squandered opportunity... |
5.5 |
Batman / Superman (2013) #22 |
Jul 28, 2015 |
The dialogue doesn't feel right at all, the plot is basic and clunky, and for the first time in a long time Syaf doesn't bring the ruckus with his pencils. A skippable issue. |
6.0 |
Convergence: Detective Comics #2 |
Jul 2, 2015 |
Minimal memorable moments, and limited stakes made for a clunky finish. Red Sun Batman was cool to see again, but lacked grit, while Huntress felt weak and dumb through this final section. Not my cup of tea. A mediocre Convergence tie-in that didn't capitalize on the high potential - just like the majority of the event. Have to hunt hard for the good ones I guess... |
6.0 |
Injection #1 |
Jul 20, 2015 |
Didn't work for me. It was like reading those first five issues of Trees. Character talk about events and acronyms without context, and this did little to pull me in and want to commit to the series in order to understand. The mysteries in the narrative just aren't compelling enough. |
6.0 |
The Disciples #1 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
Sorta felt like a lesser "Nameless". A super-quick read that did not feel like it gave me my money's worth... |
6.5 |
Convergence: Swamp Thing #2 |
Jun 24, 2015 |
Everything felt really "low stakes" on the back half of the story. The vampire queen is dispatched as easily as the goons, and Batman's mission couldn't have been satisfying to him as he already determined it was all for not. I did not get the sense of meaningful closure from the character. Also, the art by Jones - one of my favourites - seemed more rushed here and didn't have the big splash and awe that issue #1 benefitted from. |
6.5 |
Nameless #1 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
About as far away from Batman Inc as the creators could get - which is fine. The story was difficult to understand and did not pull me in - which is not. Burnham's art saves it. Morrison has to cut back on the deliberate ambiguity and spend more time planning his narratives. He used to be meticulous but this is getting ridiculous. |
6.5 |
Superman / Wonder Woman (2013) #18 |
Jul 27, 2015 |
The dialogue be is silly at times, and a few plot points seem ridiculous and unnecessaryy - like the two leads putting on a disguise for two pages. And Clark comes off as the worst boyfriend...just talking about how hard his childhood was while Diana sits there and nods and listens to his selfish pity party. |
6.5 |
The Disciples #2 |
Jul 24, 2015 |
Just not enough story for my four bucks. The art was often quite good, especially the colours and the facial expressions. But the story didn't move enough or have enough weight for me. I'm out on this series. |
7.0 |
Convergence: Batman and the Outsiders #1 |
Jul 2, 2015 |
The Metallo section of story worked the best for me, but the whip through the whole team roster was more of a check-in for the others and certainly won't have me digging up back issues of the original, which I avoided based on cheese-factor back when it was originally being produced. |
7.0 |
Convergence: Batman and the Outsiders #2 |
Jul 2, 2015 |
Consistently in-line with the previous issue. Not a true 'wow' but far from a dud too. |
7.0 |
Cyborg #1 |
Jul 24, 2015 |
I wanted to love this, but it simply did not deliver as it should have. Reis is the man, but I'm not sure he does technology all that well, which is what Cyborg and his new crew of villains is all about. Remember Aquaman #1? It had a nice fresh take on the classic character, built some heartfelt moments, had a few laughs, and had stunning Reis artwork? Yeah, Cyborg #1 doesn't approach that level of "popcorn comic" excellence. But it should have. |
7.0 |
Detective Comics (2011) #42 |
Jul 27, 2015 |
More cops, less Batman focus and more interesting artwork, and we'll have a winner. Poor Detectice Comics. From Daniel to Layman/Fabok to this current team, to the next one - no one can find their footing on this title. We need a nice long consistent GCPD run with lots of detective work going on. And the occasional cameo from Bats. If the main book is summer blockbuster, this one has to be character-driven and more of a slow, intelligent build. |
7.0 |
Detective Comics (2011) #43 |
Aug 24, 2015 |
I m really getting in to the focus on the police here and there were some good layouts in the panel work - a very natural and intuitive flow. Just make this book full-on GCPD with RoboBat as the occasional heavy. |
7.0 |
Gotham Academy (2014) #8 |
Jul 19, 2015 |
The two lead characters feel quite one-note when they are away from each other; their interplay is key to the dynamics of the book and when it is absent, as it is here, the 'magic' of the characters tends to disappear. |
7.0 |
Gotham Academy (2014) #9 |
Aug 17, 2015 |
Too rushed and disjointed. My favourite issues of the series slow it down and build character/ tone. My least favourite feel like episodes of Scooby-Doo. This time? It was the gym teacher! Zoinks! |
7.0 |
Gotham By Midnight Annual #1 |
Jul 30, 2015 |
Not as good as the monthly, but the setup for Gent. Ghost to return and plague our team will pay out later. The cleaner more traditional artwork was not what I needed here, but the interplay between the two detectives and the threat that GG provided made for a good noir ghost story. |
7.0 |
Grant Morrison's 18 Days #1 |
Jul 22, 2015 |
A fresh look at an ancient story, this first issues is essentially showing us the two sides of a forthcoming mythical battle as they stair at each other across the battlefield. I'd give the writing a 4, the art a 6, but when you factor in the price, then the book gets a considerable boost due to value delivered. Includes the first part of an interview with Morrison about the mythology of India (Gita, etc), and I can say - with some small authority in this field - that his knowledge is substantial and his work is very well-researched and referenced. |
7.0 |
Justice League of America (2015) #1 |
Jun 20, 2015 |
Other reviewers seem to dig Hitch's pencils, but I'll take Fabok all day long. As for the story, it was okay. Feels less highstakes, even at the end. Sorta like reading an animated feature. |
7.0 |
Robin: Son of Batman #1 |
Jun 20, 2015 |
Decent little framework/quest set up here, consistent Gleason artwork, arch-villains hinted at or teased. Opening scene read like Luke approaching Jabba at the beginning of Jedi. Good, but not good enough; I'll trade-wait if anything. |
7.0 |
Silver Surfer (2014) #12 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
Maybe I'm on tilt from the previous issue, but this one felt a bit numb to me. |
7.0 |
Starfire #2 |
Jul 19, 2015 |
Other than marvelling at how likeable the lead character is, the rest of the time, all I was thinking was "This looks like a job for Aquaman!" |
7.5 |
Batman (2011) #42 |
Jul 27, 2015 |
Was it just me, or did Officer Batman's second encounter with a villain read exactly like his first? His know-it-all attitude when it comes to the identities of street thugs is alright, but also feels repeated. And that sleek non-armoured suit does look good. The full Bruce reveal and Gordon confronting him didn't need to be doubled up in the last few pages. |
7.5 |
Detective Comics (2011) #41 |
Jul 27, 2015 |
This gives me the story of character reactions and hesitations about the idea of a new Officer Batman that was missing from Snyder's book - which I liked. But I need better art. I know we were spoiled by Manapul, bit the pencils need more dynamics, especially in the action sequences. Seeing Montoya back with Harv is nice though. |
7.5 |
Doctor Fate (2015) #2 |
Jul 21, 2015 |
A good issue. The pop-up Fate Fact was a little weird, and I hope the character moves past his reluctance with the new direction of his life and his bumbling uncertainty with his powers soon so I'm not reading a bunch of classic Peter Parker type stories. But this was good enough to get me to commit to a few more issues before I move on. |
7.5 |
Mayday #1 |
Jul 28, 2015 |
Had to work to read some of the panels in terms of where characters were in the space, also when multiple scenes were presented simultaneously and because after-party hotel shots of passed out nude girls seem to be a common setting here. But I like how the characters talk and act like the people I know; these people seem to have ended up how we would have if we wouldn't have embraced societal responsibilities. Thus the dialogue and tone feel authentic to me - I'll give it a few more issues to see if Mayday can make me fall in love with it. Right now it needs a bigger hook than Hunter S. Thompson homages and a few literary allusions...when almost every character can kill-at-will with little repercussion, killing people can't be the hook that evokes my emotional buy-in and ties me to the protagonists. |
7.5 |
Mayday #3 |
Jul 28, 2015 |
A few cool moments with non-linear storytelling, but the backgrounds need more attention as the art gets more stylized in this issue. But please tell me what is going on with the bookends of the cross-dresser on the first and last page. And where did my notes go? Loved those things at the bottom of the page in issue two. No doubt about it though - each issue seems to have a different "thing" going on that makes it wholly unique from the others. |
7.5 |
Omega Men #1 |
Jul 26, 2015 |
The level of violence in this surprised me. And I clearly missed something critical in the 8 page preview. But I 'get' the struggle and met a few of the characters, and with King at the helm, I'm confident this title will only get bigger and better. |
7.5 |
Southern Bastards #9 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
Love the series - might be my fav out there, but I wanted to see Miss Tubb come back, Kill Bill-style! This aside arc is killing me right now. But the Jasons have forced me to be patient before, and it has paid off; the Coach Boss arc also didn't give me my wish, but man was it ever good! Wouldn't be surprised if this one follows suit. Gonna make me love the Sheriff, then kill him off too, eh? Bastards! |
7.5 |
Strange Fruit #1 |
Jul 22, 2015 |
Some interesting figures, but they aren't quite characters yet: the Senator, the Widow, the Engineer, Sonny, even the little boy with the dog. The issue left me wanting more from them, rather than wanting to see more from the Super Man. It is the regular people in this book that should be the heroes. And due to his amazing artwork J. G. Jones is a hero too. |
8.0 |
Action Comics (2011) #41 |
Jul 27, 2015 |
Good moments of real heart in the writing out balance the few moments of cheese. Solid artwork throughout, but we've only got background in around half the panels. |
8.0 |
Airboy #3 |
Aug 6, 2015 |
I still enjoyed it, but preferred the initial juxtaposition of the character in the creators' world to this one where the creators are coming to grips with the character's reality. And is it just me, or do we get one outrageous sex scene and two jokes about Hinkles's anaconda per issue? As others have pointed out, the writer's epiphanic moment felt a touch forced and phoney here - too bad considering the honesty and genuine nature of the prose up until then. |
8.0 |
Batman (2011) #41 |
Jul 27, 2015 |
Good to see Julia, not sure if I bought Gordon's physical transformation, but with his uncertainty it doesn't always feel like Jim Gordon. In the field he's still obviously a cop, and the creators did a good job showing why he was the only pick to go into the suit. The self-referential humour was appreciated too. |
8.0 |
Black Canary (2015) #1 |
Jul 21, 2015 |
Is this DC's answer to Hawkeye? Regardless, I liked it. Great supporting cast and a few good unanswered questions makes me more interested in this character than I ever have been. And pulling her out of the typical superhero surroundings and having her travel a music tour is a smart 'fish-out-of-water' technique that drives the storytelling. |
8.0 |
Black Canary (2015) #2 |
Jul 21, 2015 |
As enjoyable as the first issue. Great blend of art and narrative here. |
8.0 |
Convergence: Detective Comics #1 |
Jun 24, 2015 |
Seeing the Red Sun world again is cool, and Wein has the right blend of campy and realism in the script. Sienkiewicz's inks also add nice depth, but the back and forths (4 months later in location one, now on to location two; another 4 months later in location one, now two, etc) get tiresome at times, and Huntress seems to pull the same extreme tactic twice - does she not know that explosions won't stop Superman? Silly. |
8.0 |
Convergence: Swamp Thing #1 |
Jun 24, 2015 |
Kelley Jones is one of my favourites, and does it get more credible than Wein writing Swamp Thing? The artwork here is perfect, and although it reads sort of like a Swamp Thing zero issue, I was in to it, and so hyped to return to Jones's own Red Rain universe at the cliffhanger. |
8.0 |
Descender #4 |
Jul 21, 2015 |
As more of the cast gets fleshed out, this thing gets better. Art is amazing as always. |
8.0 |
Doctor Fate (2015) #1 |
Jul 21, 2015 |
Is this DC's answer to Ms. Marvel? As a brown guy myself, I like the lead character more here than the ethnic Green Lantern from a while back. This guy's mixed heritage and the tension between his chosen career path and his higher calling truly resonates with me as a reader, and I'm sure it will help a wide range of readers also connect to the protagonist. His parents are so cute and the art style is distinctive and fun. |
8.0 |
Grayson Annual #1 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
Not as powerful as the Future's End issue, but damn fine nonetheless. |
8.0 |
Groot #1 |
Jul 21, 2015 |
That art is something else. Great interplay betwee Groot and Rocket. This reads just like the greatest buddy cartoon series ever. Pinky and the Brain? Rocket and the Tree! |
8.0 |
Justice League (2011) #43 |
Aug 20, 2015 |
Again, Fabok kills it. Some of the dialogue didn't flow as it should, and I caught two lettering errors, which affected my enjoyment of the story. Interesting that both Batman and Superman have been currupted, really only leaving Wonder Woman as an able leader. Flash is down, Shazam is (as always) a kid, Cyborg chimes in on technology and serves as transportation, and Green Lantern seems to be cast as MobiusBatman's moral police officer. Hopefully the heroes fall to the background next issue and we get to see the two mega villains in all their infamy. |
8.0 |
Mayday #4 |
Jul 28, 2015 |
The fake-out at the end was quite good, as the bonus previews from the previous three issues are replaced with something else here. Still don't know a thing about that cross-dresser from the last issue, but this finale does wrap up in a satisfying way, with multiple layers to the fictional narrative. It's complex in the best ways, but like a lot of interpretive art, it leaves you really wanting to have a sit down with the creators so they can connect the dots for you - which of course they never would, being true artists. I like the faux-meta moment in the middle, which the characters themselves call out by name, and it makes the final bit of post-modernist storytelling at the end feel nice and right and legit. |
8.0 |
Omega Men #2 |
Jul 26, 2015 |
In King, I have great faith. And Bagenda's art is in my preferred style. Issue two tells more story tp than issue one, and I like it. |
8.0 |
Saga #30 |
Jul 19, 2015 |
Our couple is finally reunited! One of the few great comics where the letter pages almost regularly trump the quality story inside. And the symbolic image on the cover was a nice change after so many old-school cinema-style collages. |
8.0 |
Southern Bastards #10 |
Jul 30, 2015 |
Finally! A villain I can really hate. No chance the Jason's pull any type of sympathetic note out of Eslaw's bio - despite his religious daddy issues. This guy is just plain nasty. I wonder if his 'no finess, hit em hard' philosophy will put him at odds with the new bowman hinted at in the letters pages? And speaking of the extras after the story, that essay/rationale by Latour regarding his awesome fundraising variant cover was a fantastic touch. This issue did a lot to remind us just how terrible and lawless Craw County can be, which we needed as we've been focused on the horrors around football lately, but needed a reminder that Boss and his boys are horrible in most all aspects. |
8.0 |
Star Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War #1 |
Jul 20, 2015 |
Character voices and likeness are spot-on. This was a fun light read. I liked it. Doubt I'll follow-up on the rest of the story, although I'm curious about what type of havoc a red-ringed Klingon could generate. |
8.5 |
Descender #5 |
Jul 21, 2015 |
Some beautiful panels here. The arena around the pit was especially impressive. The revelation at the end works well - like Saga, the final moment of each issue seems to pack a nice punch to keep you coming back for more. |
8.5 |
Groot #2 |
Jul 21, 2015 |
I've been reading a lot of #1-2s from the Big Two lately and it is rare for a title to improve with its second issue, but it happens here. Love the cartoon tone. Anything can happen here, which makes Silver Surfer and Dawn the perfect fits for next issue's guests! |
8.5 |
Justice League (2011) #42 |
Jul 19, 2015 |
Wonder Woman and Batman fans gotta read this. And Batgod? More like Fabokgod. This guy's artwork has come so far so quickly. From his Detective run to this JLA run he's transcended to new heights. Impressive work Mr. Fabok! You are a superstar. |
8.5 |
Justice League of America (2015) #2 |
Jul 19, 2015 |
I really felt Hitch's 'widescreen' scope this time (pardon that tired cliche) and it worked much better here than in the previous issue. Still not sure what all the love for his pencils is all about, but his writing clicked for me in this issue. Layouts are dynamic, but to me the art is begging for more detail. |
8.5 |
Omega Men #3 |
Aug 13, 2015 |
I cannot believe this is a DC book! The art and the pacing of the writing scream indy masterpiece. What a great book. I'm in until the creative team is changed up. |
8.5 |
Star Wars: Lando #1 |
Jul 20, 2015 |
You know what I want from a Lando comic? A bit of womanizing, a bit of charm that works, a bit that doesn't, some gambling, some scheming and dealing, and a whole lot of bravado from the title character. It is all here, with a good story and some art that starts out quite great in its Billy Dee likeness, but gets rushed a bit towards the end. |
9.0 |
Airboy #2 |
Jul 2, 2015 |
Another great issue from this creative team. The colour work here was really good, and the little process bonuses at the back are appreciated. Read Airboy. It is funny and painful and awesome. |
9.0 |
Bitch Planet #3 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
So very good. The essays at the back continue to enrich the feature's value. One of the best books out. |
9.0 |
Convergence: Shazam #1 |
Jun 24, 2015 |
The pencils/inks/colours here are exceptional. The campy dialogue, the innocence of the world, is so well executed! And a bit of sketchbook bonus? Too kind! Great issue. The best of the Convergence books I read. |
9.0 |
Convergence: Shazam #2 |
Jun 24, 2015 |
I can't believe how well Shaner flipped styles as he moved from the Marvels to the Gaslight characters. And the colours/tones just accentuated everything he was doing with his pencils. The original Gotham by Gaslight is my only visit to that universe, so I'm not sure if the Batman Rogues were all Doc's design, but if so, goddamn! Oh yeah, and Parker's words...wow, the first Convergence tie-in that felt properly paced from beginning to end, with a satisfying and poignant ending too. Kudos to the creative team, and if you're reading this and you haven't read this story, go get it! It does everything it is supposed to. |
9.0 |
Grayson #10 |
Jul 24, 2015 |
Very good stuff here. Dick continues to face moral dilemmas the way we all hope we would - with instinct and clarity and bravado. Is he the ost likeable hero in comics? He channels James Bond in his initial actions this issue, and channels Batman himself in his final action. |
9.0 |
Justice League of America (2015) #3 |
Sep 13, 2015 |
I like this book more and more with each new issue. The section with Rao in Africa taking cues from a philanthropist kid from North America was fantastic. And I've seen the whole 'split the league up and reduce their power/effectiveness' thing dozens and dozens of times, but this one feels....new? Keep it going Hitch. I didn't want to like this, but now I guess I'm loving it. |
9.0 |
Mayday #2 |
Jul 28, 2015 |
Okay. Something happened here. This comic just got a lot 'smarter'. The villain is shown to have crossed over with the protagonist via flashback. Neat. The origin of the villain's insanity is depicted and echoes back to a rant he gave in issue #1. Strong. But then there is a forth-wall breaking bit of post-modernism (or "meta" as the internet seems to love to call it). Very cool. And the notes? In the first issue there was just one side-note and it was a soundtrack suggestion. Here we get at least a half-dozen notes at the bottom of certain pages that do a variety of things: point out allusions, echo dialogue, provide context, or get poetic. Excellent. Although there was a shift away from the real "authentic" profanity-laden dialogue I applauded last issue, issue #2 of Mayday felt like many massive steps forward. I'm in! |
9.0 |
Providence #1 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
The triple plot lines - one via flashback, one in the present, and one silent - made for a compelling read. The identity/ gender of the lover forced me to go back and pay closer attention to the panels. The prose at the back helped add to the comic story itself. The map of the inside covers added solid real-world grounding to the fiction. And all the Lovecraft allusions prompted me to do some research and get informed, as I'm far from a Lovecraft expert. Basically this makes for classic Alan Moore. It functions on multiple layers and each enriches the last. What Moore could you want? I'm all-in for this one. Think we might have a masterpiece on our hands... |
9.0 |
Providence #2 |
Jul 23, 2015 |
The second issue of the series is another chapter in what is sure to be the latest masterpiece from Moore. The research he's done and the blending of fact and fiction is impressive. The prose at the back is even more generous this time out - the journal entry feels redundant given the comic section, simply offering some thoughts and reflection on the events of the issue. Perhaps this takes the place of thought bubbles or narrative captions in the comic itself. But the pamphlet excerpt is full of occult academia, building on many of the ideas from the comic section. I especially loved the Salem references and dates and the Giles Corey reference, as for a brief moment Moore's inter-textuality and historical knowledge wasn't beyond me. |
9.0 |
We Stand On Guard #1 |
Jul 1, 2015 |
I'm Canadian, so I'm biased. But the futuristic Tim Hortons was awesome. Made me think of a Canadian Demolition Man - "In the future, all restaurants are Tim Hortons...." The CBC logo on the news cast, the accurate French dialogue, all that Canadianna really had me on-side from the beginning. I was ready to love this, and with high quality art and writing, I'm now in for the remaining eleven issues. S'gonna be great. |
9.0 |
We Stand On Guard #2 |
Aug 6, 2015 |
Wow. A The Littlest Hobo reference?!? References to the Tar Sands of Alberta?!? Awesome. And as a true bilingual Canadian, I just love the French dialogue. It's like Vaughan is writing this book just for me and my similarly raised generation of 'Nucks. We are a small but loyal potential readership. I wonder what Yanks and younger readers take from the book without a full comprehension/appreciation of all the Canadianna easter eggs? All I know is "I'm loving it" (should have made a Timmies reference there instead). |
9.5 |
Gotham By Midnight #7 |
Jul 24, 2015 |
That was awesome! Sustained tension throughout, and this was the first time since Templesmith left the book that I loved the artwork. In fact Ferreyra trumps Templesmith by finally getting the character models consistent throughout. I love how Fawkes gets the various forces (internal investigations, supernatural demons, the Spectre himself) that threaten our character to converge, and I love how he depicts them all as painfully broken people trying to do their best, and shoulder loss. How could working in that division of the Police force do anything else but crush you? And the concept of the apathy demon seemed super creepy to me...it just plants into you from the floor and you allow it to take your life...simple but so creepy! |
10 |
Airboy #1 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
Brilliant. Not sure how the subsequent issues will shake out, but this was the most fun I've had reading a comic in a while. Did these guys just create a new sub-genre? Gonzo-metafiction? Dope book. Read it! |
10 |
Grayson: Futures End #1 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
Best comic I read in 2014. Hands down. Despite his pose on the cover...hehe. |
10 |
Silver Surfer (2014) #11 |
Jun 18, 2015 |
Amazing. If you love comics that do something different with the format, this will flip your wig. |