I’m sorry that it has been a while since my last review. When my local comic book shop mysteriously upped and closed, it left me as an orphan in the world of fandom. Speaking of orphans, four out of the five books I’m reviewing are about them. Usually, I will start off my reviews with the book that I was least excited about and work my way to the book that I was most excited about. However, with the new 52 at DC I really have no idea how any of these books are going to be. So I read them in alphabetical order. Let’s get in to it.
Batman #1: Scott Synder has been picking up quite a buzz lately, and I’m not talking the kind that you’re likely to find on a college campus. Some of previous work, American Vampire, Flashpoint Project Superman, and his run on Detective Comics, have earned him a lot of recognition. Now, he is writing the main Batman title, and he does not disappoint.
We open in Arkham Asylum where Batman is trying to prevent a breakout, and it appears that he is teaming up with the Joker in order to do this. Wait, it is not what you think, but I won’t spoil it here. Greg Capullo’s artwork is amazing. Seeing Batman in action like this, and seeing all the new character designs for the villains was fun.
My only problem with the artwork is that when we see Bruce Wayne and three of his four “sons” later they all seem to look the same. The sidekicks look like smaller versions of their mentor. It’s like something out of Rob Leifeld’s sketchbook except pleasing to the eye.
Batman has some pretty cool gadgets in this issue including contact lenses that give him access to the Batcomputer. There is also a new killer in town that hits a little too close to home.
This was definitely a setup issue and that is probably why it didn’t fully blow me away. However, it is laying the foundation for what I’m sure will be a fantastic Batman story. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Catwoman #1: Judd Winick has always been hit or miss with me. Even when he was on the Real World there were some episodes that I liked him and some that I didn’t. His runs on Power Girl and Justice League: Generations Lost were some of the best comics I read last year. Also, if you have not picked up his other title from the new 52, Batwing, drop what you are doing right now and go and get it. I’ll wait……
Back? Okay, Catwoman. They are definitely playing up the sexy angle here. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with Anne Hathaway playing Catwoman or not, but man there were some scenes where I was actually blushing. To be fair though, I blushed at Little Women. Seriously, showing their ankles like that. I thought people had morals back then.
This book was pretty fun. I really enjoyed Guillem March’s art. The action was all over the place in everyway imaginable. Then Batman shows up towards then end and well, I ended up blushing again. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Nightwing #1: Let me just tell you right off the bat that this character confuses me the most. I love Nightwing, he is one of my favorites. However, in the new DCU I do not see how someone as old as he is could have been adopted by someone as old as Bruce Wayne appears to be, trained as Robin, and the graduate to Nightwing. Also, in the opening page he states that he was filling in for Bruce as Batman for the past year. Hopefully, this will all be explained at some point.
Right from the start I know that this is a new and improved Nightwing. How? He won a fight. He won it very convincingly too. I can’t remember the last time that Dick Grayson won a fight and I’ve been reading comics for a loooooong time. I know what you’re thinking: shouldn’t someone that was trained by Batman be able to win fights? Yes, he should be able to. However, he’s always been a measuring stick. He’s always been used to get other characters over. Dick Grayson is the DCU’s version of Big Show, Kane, or Mark Henry from the WWE. Actually, Mark Henry just won the World Heavyweight Championship so it looks like things are changing for both him and Nightwing.
Haley’s Circus is back in town. This is the very same circus in which he spent most of his time as a child doing acrobats and also where his parents were murdered. So he goes to confront is demons. Meanwhile, there is a hired hit man in town looking for Dick Grayson. It looks like it has something to do with what we learned in Batman #1. If so, then this shows how tight the new DCU is and I like it. Let’s see how long that lasts. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Supergirl #1: Supergirl crash lands on Earth. When she came out of the ship she was wearing her costume, which made me a little upset. Why would she crash land on Earth wearing that? However, in her inner dialogue, she is just as confused as I was. So this book went quickly from “I’m done” to “hey I need to read on”.
When the government quickly shows up on the scene, Supergirl becomes well aware that she isn’t on Krypton anymore. She is also getting bombarded with all of her superpowers at once, including her super hearing. This was a really cool scene, because she was hearing conversations that occurred in other books.
Even though it was the same artist, I was not impressed with the cover. Her face was squishy like an ugly Reese Witherspoon. However, the interior art was beautiful, and I really enjoyed the action sequences.
I really wanted to give this book a 5 after reading it. However, this issue is way too fast. I read it in only a couple of minutes. At $2.99 a pop, that is unacceptable. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Wonder Woman #1: Holy cow this book is violent! This is exactly what I have been wanting from a Wonder Woman book forever. I have never read anything like this. Even the tone and feel of the book was unique. It felt sort of like a Walking Dead type book. It was so unexpected that it took me a while to take it all in.
In one of the opening scenes we meet a woman named Zola that was a shotgun pointed at Hermes. Turns out that Hermes is there to protect her due to the fact that some of the gods are trying to kill her for a reason we learn about later. Then the gods show up and things go from bad to worse. Hermes gives Zola a key that teleports her to London where she encounters Diana, Wonder Woman.
Naturally, they go back and the fight is on like Donkey Kong. What Wonder Woman does to the centaurs is insane, and shows exactly what a warrior with her training would do in a situation like this. It was a fantastic art sequence. This one issue on Wonder Woman is better than the entire last year put together. If you are only going to read one of the new 52 this has to be it. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Quote of the Week: “You tell me what this is about, and I only break your little claws. And your jaw.” – Nightwing from Nightwing #1
Book of the Week: Wonder Woman #1
If you live in the Phoenix area, all of these titles can be purchased at Samurai Comics.
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