DC Comics New 52 #0s…

There’s been much discussion in the comics community about the New 52 “#0” issues, and so I decided I’d try to get a few of them read and reviewed for the website. I thought of them as another chance to get started with a new series and also some extra information and back-story for series I’ve already read a good deal of and enjoyed. I wasn’t able to get as many as I was interested in, but I’ll keep trying to find more (I just don’t have as much time as I used to, when the New 52 were first launched). I’ll certainly attempt to get the #0 issues for some of the series I never tried, but always wanted to (the Green Lantern series, for example, of which I’ve tried none; and also Flash; and a selection of others).

What I would say, though, is that these issues don’t all appear to work as proper introductions – a few of them lay out future storylines, or make allusion to events that have already happened in the main series chronology. In addition, there are some more revelations about how the New 52 is meant to be interpreted – especially on the Batman side of things, which appears to have been rather messed up by these zero issues… (which Newsarama has compiled in a handy post).

Reviewed: Action Comics, Batgirl, Batman, Batman & Robin, Batwoman, Catwoman, Detective Comics, Green Arrow, Justice League, Nightwing, Phantom Stranger, Superboy, Supergirl, Wonder Woman

Comics Round-Up (June 13)

Bit of a mixed bag, this week. Also rather delayed – sorry about that, but I was moving and packing up all my stuff in NYC, so things got a little delayed and pushed back. This week’s there’s a massive (though predictable) disappointment, but also a couple of interesting and well-done comics. Also, one of my favourite series comes to an end.

Reviewed: Action Comics #10, Batman: Detective Comics #10, Cobra #14, Incorruptible #30, Star Wars: Knight Errant – Escape #1, Valen the Outcast #7

Comics Round-Up (May 9)

Quite a busy week for comics – partly because of the free ones I got on Free Comic Book Day, but also a good selection of others that I had a chance to catch up on. Unfortunately, I read and reviewed these over a pretty stressful couple of days, so some of the reviews are rather short. If you’d like to know more, leave a comment and I’ll expand on the issue in question.

This was my first year able to attend FCBD, and it was… Eye-opening. For one, it’s a superb idea, and one that I hope continues for a very long time, if not forever. It’s a great way to check out some new and upcoming titles and, as in my case, some older titles – as long as you get to your local comic store(s) early. It was manic at Jim Hanley’s Universe, and I went late in the day! Midtown’s Grand Central location was empty (and way too hot), but that’s because they’d run out of free comic books (I did pick up the Ultimate Spider-Man issue there for free, though). So, anyway. Without further ado, here are some comics from this and last week…

Reviewed: Action Comics #9, Avenging Spider-Man #6, Batman: Detective Comics #766 (FCBD), Fanboys vs. Zombies #2, G.I.Joe #13, Higher Earth #1, Memorial #5, The New 52 #1 (FCBD), Night of 1,000 Wolves #1, The Punisher #10, Superboy #8, Supurbia #3, Teen Titans Annual #1, Trio #1, Ultimate Spider-Man #160 (FCBD)

“FCBD” = an issue I got on Free Comic Book Day

Upcoming: “Action Comics” #9 (DC)

This issue is coming out on Wednesday (May 2nd), but I thought it was particularly noteworthy. As long-time readers will know, I’m not the greatest fan of Morrison’s work – I think he mostly has great ideas that are then poorly executed. I’m really hoping this isn’t one of them. First off, the artwork, followed by the synopsis:

Writers: Sholly Fisch & Grant Morrison | Artists: Gene Ha & Cully Hamner

Featuring characters from parallel Earths, including PRESIDENT SUPERMAN!

Introducing new villain SUPERDOOM!

Guest artist GENE HA joins GRANT MORRISON for this tale of not one, not two, but THREE Earths!

And in the backup story, President Superman must stop a nuclear attack – but he can't leave the White House!

Yes, the most interesting thing about this issue is the idea of President Superman (who appears to be influenced by President Obama, too). Despite my general lack of interest in multiple-realities, and the fact that the synopsis is written in language that is rather off-putting, I’m actually really interested to see what Morrison and Co. come up with.

Comics Round-Up (Apr.4) the 2nd

This was going to be a short-and-sweet second round-up, but it turned out I had a fair bit to write about a couple of these issues. It’s a pleasantly varied selection in this post: the world’s greatest super-hero accepts his destiny; things finally kick off between the Avengers and the X-Men; young super-hero sidekicks find themselves as Earth’s last line of defence; fear runs through Gotham; and the zany super-science-heroes finally come to the end of their story!

Reviewed: Action Comics #8, Avengers vs. X-Men #1, Danger Club #1, Detective Comics #8, Fairest #2, Hell Yeah #2, X-Club #5

Comics Round-Up (Mar.14)

Bit of a slow pre-release week selection of comics (only one issue, to be exact), so I’ve included a few issues I picked up late last week – two were great, one good, and one mediocre at best.

Reviewed Herein: Action Comics #7, Fairest #1, Infestation 2: G.I.Joe #1, Wolverine & the X-Men #6,  X-Club #4

DC New 52 Catch-Up: Action Comics, Superman & Justice League

Here’s the first of four bumper New 52 Catch-Up posts. In this one, I focus on three Superman-related titles: Action Comics (#5-6), Superman (#4-6) and Justice League (#4-6). I had considered continuing with Aquaman as well, but decided that I would wait for the first collected edition (the same can be said for The Flash – which I’ve been told is excellent). I must say that I’ve been unimpressed by Action Comics overall, despite some moments of genius; I remain quite fond of the new Superman series; and very happy with Justice League.

Comics Round-Up (Dec.7): DC Comics

Another big week for DC Comics

This week I reviewed a number of the New 52 titles, but they are spread over a couple of posts. In this one, I take a look at the fourth issues of Action Comics, Detective Comics and Batwing. The fourth issue of Stormwatch and Swamp Thing will be reviewed in a much later post that will look at all issues in those two series. (I wanted to get them reviewed before I left New York, but that didn’t happen unfortunately, so they’ll have to wait until late January.) I did manage to get the first two issues of The Shade read, though, so I’ve included a review of them.

This week also features a couple of catch-up titles from the New 52 (Green Arrow and Men of War) and also the first two issues of The Shade. Finally, I decided to pick up Hellblazer Annual #1, as I’ve been enjoying Constantine’s involvement in Justice League Dark, and thought it would be nice to read something that focused a little more on him as the main character.

In all, a good selection of comics.

Reviewed herein: Action Comics #4, Batman: Detective Comics #4, Batwing #4, Green Arrow #3-4, Hellblazer Annual #1, Men at War #3-4, The Shade #1-2 & The Savage Hawkman #1-3

DC New 52: “Action Comics” #1 & 2

Not bad, but not brilliant, either…

Writer: Grant Morrison | Artist: Rag Morales

Action Comics is, according to DC’s website, the “cornerstone” of the DC universe. Superman is not what you may know from other titles, movies or TV. He’s new to Metropolis and struggling as a reporter. The US military and Lex Luthor are hell-bent on capturing him and learning what they can about and from him. In the second issue, Superman finds himself in a compromised position.

So. Grant Morrison. I don’t have a very good history with liking his writing so far. (Some readers will remember I read All-Star Superman and New X-Men in an attempt to get back into comics earlier this year.) With the first two issues of Action Comics, I still don’t understand the hype.