Scarred for life?
Awesome but Creepy Picture
Scarred for life?
Batman
Batman Incorporated #8 – Death of Robin (Damian Wayne)
Just like everyone else, I rushed out to my local comic book store to pick up the most recent issue of Batman Incorporated #8. This is the issue touted as the death of Robin, better known as Damian Wayne, who is the son of Batmand (Bruce Wayne for those of you in a closet for the past 50 years) and Talia Al Ghul. As expected it was sold out at 11am today which, if you have been in a closet for a while, is new comic book release day. I have no idea how an issue this momentous can be out of stock an hour or so after the store opens. Either too few issues were ordered or too many issues were held back and saved to sell at a higher price later. Either way, I decided to pick up issue #7 to see the lead in to his death.
Actually I picked up issue #1 when it first came out and I was not a fan of the story or the artwork so I bagged, boarded and put it away in a box. After reading #7 I decided to order the digital copy of #8 from Comixoligy on my iPad. I have to say that app is pretty cool and I like the way I can easily zoom in and out of the panels.
So here is the play by play in case you can’t get a copy of it either and want to know what happens. Oh yeah, spoiler alert possibility here. Page one, Robin is flying in this jet powered Robin suit and thru his green tinted goggles he comes up on Gotham and further on he sees Commissioner Gordon and Nightwing battling a bunch of kids who happen to be under some spell, each chanting Leviathan. Next page shows Robin flying through the crowd knocking one of the kids over. As he pulls a fly by he drops some smoke bombs on the crowd thereby helping Gordon and Nightwing. Next page he is flying towards Wayne Enterprises Tower where it just so happens Batman is locked in a safe in a pool on the roof. (Talia and Damian’s cloned and super grown brother locked him in there). Next page Batman is listening to Talia drone on and on about nothing really while he picks the locks of his chains and works he way out of the safe. You really don’t see how it happens. Next page Red Robin shows up and walks in to the lobby of Wayne Towers. Fake receptionist, security guard and guy mopping the floor try to take him out, some woman yells for him to look out.
By the way, I have completely lost interest by now. Next page, battle with those three fakes with a little help from the woman who yelled. Next page he knocks a guy out with a mop and dives out-of-the-way, saving the girl, from an army of assassins on the next floor that are shooting at them with machine guns. Blah blah blah, he swings away to save the day. Next page while swinging away he kicks over a massive quarter that rolls in to the steps leading up to the assassins and they all fall over. Unfortunately the plane that he was swinging from falls over and he is under the plane wreckage. More assassins going in for the kill but they turn and yell “What’s that Noise?” Next page, TA DA, it’s Robin flying through the glass window front of the building shooting his wrist guns at everyone. Somehow the kids that were fighting someone else, miles away, are now in the same area as Red Robin and now new Robin. Robin kicks some kid in the face and…Next Page he is fighting guys in white shirts and pants as well as all these kids. The kids are all wet and somehow the rocket jet suit Robin is wearing shoots out electricity and electrocutes them all. Most likely they are not all dead. Final panel, Nightwing comes flying through the glass as well on a motorcycle. Looks like the gang is all here. Next page, Nightwing and Robin bond while hiding behind the Wayne Enterprises concrete receptionist area. Assassins are shooting away at them and missing 
with every shot. Oh no one of them has a missile launcher and is aiming right at them. More witty banter back and forth while the boys bond and finally they throw some kind of ball over their head behind them at all the assassins. Next page, big explosion and Nightwing and Robin jump over the barrier to kick everyone’s ass as a woman hiding under the tank watches. Next page, too much smoke all the assassins cannot see what is going on but they aim in to the smoke anyway. Out of the elevator comes the much older clone of Damian holder this small box with two chef looking armed guards. Through the smoke Nightwing and Damian and fighting their way through the crowd. Bad guy clone looks on with a question mark bubble out of his ear. Next page both Nightwing and Damian simultaneously punch bad guy clone in the jaw doing no damage at all. Nightwing tells Damian to get out and run away but bad guy grabs Nightwing by the throat and throws him in to some glass case housing a knight in armor. Damian tells bad guy he is going to kill him. Next page, assassins aim at Damian but bad guy waves them off saying no, basically let him for me. Bad guy clone grabs the sword that is now available from the broken case that Nightwing fell in to which is very timely. Next page the battle begins and Damian jumps up as bad guy swings the sword at him breaking more glass, this time with another suit in it that has a spear. You guessed it, Robin (yes I switch back and forth from Damian to Robin) grabs the spear and they go at each other. By the way Robin is 10 years old and looks like a toddler compared to everyone else. Finally bad guy clone kicks Robin in to yet another glass case (face first)…Next page he is laying there asking Talia (mother) to stop the madness and why can’t we all just get along. The chick that was hiding under the tank shows up holding the, very aptly named, World Bomb Trigger. Bad guy asks for it and says give. Robin now has a crossbow…which he got from the most recent glass case smashed open by his face and aims at bad guy. Final panel he says that he promised his dad (the Batman) that he would never kill anyone again but it seems he is going back on that word now. Final image shows the crossbow arrow going through bad guy clone’s heart. Next page…and this is where is gets a bit weird, believe it or not. There are 20 tiny image boxes that show this battle which is EXTREMELY tough to follow where back and forth Damian hits bad guy and vice versa. In one cool panel bad guy clone pulls a Bane and cracks Damian’s back over his knee but he shouts NO like you are not going to break my back like my dad’s back was broken oh so long ago…nope, nah ah. Meanwhile the assassins on the wall shoot arrows in to both little Robin and bad guy clone, who also seems to be on fire somehow that I missed. Robin shouts out that they are cowards for not fighting hand to hand and bad guy clone grabs Robin with his flaming arm and chokes him. Robin spits blood in to the hole in bad guy’s mask while little girl runs away 
with the World Bomb Trigger. Bad guy yet again throws Robin in to a wall head first and goes after him with the sword. Bad guy is still on fire and completely unfazed. Next panel?…?Batman is finally crawling out of the pool after getting out of the locked safe…seriously it took him a long time. Some huge bat comes swooping in and knocks him down over the side of the building…that is what you get for battling in the penthouse. Out of no where bad guy clone has Robin up in the air with the sword completely through is gut/chest area…Next page? Batman is cradling Robin all bloody and beaten on the ground as the young girl still hold the World Bomb Trigger (WBT)…smaller panels shows Talia crying for her now dead son.
Ok…seriously what the Hell am I missing? 1. How does bad guy stab through Robin and hold him up in the air? 2. Why is Batman not dead after falling from the top floor of Wayne Towers with this huge bat wrapped around him? 3. Where the Hell is bad guy clone and why would he just leave Robin bloody on the ground and run away? 4. Who the Hell is this chick in red holding the weird World Bomb Trigger and WTF is a World Bomb Trigger? 5. Why didn’t bad guy clone Damian guy go after the WBT after stabbing Robin through the gut/chest area and complete whatever his mission was?
There is a good chance this may be one of the most overrated and very quickly hyped comic I have ever read. I mean…Grant Morrison is really good and I like the way he writes but this story just sucks. I am a fan of the Bat stories, for the most part, but this is just stupid. Wait until my next post on the Death of the Family storyline that I also just finished. By the way, can we please not have another Robin right now, I mean we have Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin and a dead kid named Damian that I was sort of getting used to in reading Batman & Robin. I would love to get some comments and debate this a with anyone because I think this could possibly be a good thing. I think it could make Batman better and go where the fucking Death of the Family storyline failed to go. Like I said, my next rant is going to be on that back alley massage without a happy ending.
I’ll leave you with one final thought. a Death in the Family (circa 1988) is to LOST as Death of Damian (2013) is to Barney and his Friends…Nuff said.
New Comic Wednesday – 7/4/12
Happy 4th of July everyone! Absolutely long time no blog and completely my fault for working too much and not allocating enough time to what is really important…This Blog!
This weeks comic list brought to you by Collectors Corner in Baltimore Md.
3D TOTAL PUBLISHING
Digital Art Masters Volume 7 SC, $49.99
AARDVARK VANAHEIM
Zootanapuss #4 (not verified by Diamond), AR
AC COMICS
Femforce #160, $9.95
ACE BOOKS
Doctor Who Shada The Lost Adventure By Douglas Adams HC (not verified by Diamond), $25.95
APE ENTERTAINMENT
Richie Rich Gems Treasures TP, $9.99
ARCHIE COMICS
Sonic The Hedgehog #238, $2.99
World Of Archie Double Digest #19, $3.99
ASPEN MLT
Executive Assistant Assassins #1 (Cover A Joe Benitez), $3.99
Executive Assistant Assassins #1 (Cover B Eduardo Francisco), $3.99
Executive Assistant Assassins #1 (Cover C Joe Benitez Riddled Incentive), AR
Fathom Kiani Volume 2 #3 (Cover A Oliver Nome), $3.50
Fathom Kiani Volume 2 #3 (Cover B Eduardo Francisco), $3.50
Fathom Kiani Volume 2 #3 (Cover C Michael Turner Classic Incentive), AR
Soulfire Despair #1 (Cover A Michael Ryan), $3.99
Soulfire Despair #1 (Cover B Jonathan Marks), $3.99
AVATAR PRESS
Dan The Unharmable #3 (Rafael Ortiz Regular Cover), $3.99
Dan The Unharmable #3 (Rafael Ortiz Retro Incentive Cover), AR
Dan The Unharmable #3 (Rafael Ortiz Wraparound Cover), $3.99
Dicks #6 (John McCrea Regular Cover), $3.99
Dicks #6 (John McCrea Classic Black & White Incentive Cover), AR
Dicks #6 (John McCrea Offensive Cover), $3.99
Ferals #6 (Gabriel Andrade Regular Cover), $3.99
Ferals #6 (Gabriel Andrade Gore Cover), $3.99
Ferals #6 (Gabriel Andrade Slashed Incentive Cover), AR
Ferals #6 (Gabriel Andrade Wraparound Cover), $3.99
Hero Worship #1 (Of 6)(Michael Dipascale Regular Cover), $3.99
Hero Worship #1 (Of 6)(Michael Dipascale Heroic Incentive Cover), AR
Hero Worship #1 (Of 6)(Michael Dipascale Wraparound Cover), $3.99
BABY TATTOO BOOKS
Idle Hands The Art Of Coop HC, $50.00
BEARMANOR MEDIA
First Responders Of Television SC, $32.95
BOOM! STUDIOS
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser #15 (Cover A Tim Bradstreet), $3.99
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser #15 (Cover B Nick Percival), $3.99
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser #15 (Cover C Tim Bradstreet), AR
Fanboys Vs Zombies #4 (Cover A Humberto Ramos), $3.99
Fanboys Vs Zombies #4 (Cover B Khary Randolph), $3.99
Fanboys Vs Zombies #4 (Cover C Eddie Nunez), AR
Fanboys Vs Zombies #4 (Cover D Khary Randolph Sketch), AR
Fanboys Vs Zombies #4 (Cover E Humberto Ramos Sketch), AR
Fanboys Vs Zombies #4 (Cover F Arthur Suydam CGC 9.8), AR
Garfield #3 (Cover A Gary Barker), $3.99
Garfield #3 (Cover B Jim Davis 1st Appearance Of Jon), AR
I Told You So HC, $17.99
Incorruptible Volume 7 TP, $16.99
Other Sides Of Howard Cruse HC, $24.99
Peanuts #1 (Of 4)(Matt Whitlock ECCC 2012 Exclusive Cover), $9.99
Peanuts Volume 1 TP, $13.99
Sketchbook Adventures Of Peter Poplaski HC, $25.00
BOUNDLESS COMICS
Lady Death #19 (Renato Camilo Regular Cover), $3.99
Lady Death #19 (Michael Dipascale Art Deco Incentive Cover), AR
Lady Death #19 (Matt Martin Sultry Cover), $3.99
Lady Death #19 (Michael Dipascale Wraparound Cover), $3.99
CINEFEX
Cinefex #130 (July 2012), $12.50
COMIC SHOP NEWS
Comic Shop News #1307, AR
CLASSIC COMICS PRESS
Adventures Of Buck O’Rue TP, $29.95
Leonard Starr’s Mary Perkins On Stage Volume 10 TP, $24.95
DARK HORSE COMICS
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 9 Volume 1 Freefall TP, $17.99
Crime Does Not Pay Archives Volume 2 HC, $49.99
Freaks Of The Heartland HC, $29.99
Mass Effect Alliance Normandy SR-2 Replica Ship Antique Silver Edition, $49.99
Mike Norton’s Battlepug Volume 1 HC, $14.99
Mind MGMT #2, $3.99
Orchid #8, $3.50
Tarzan The Jesse Marsh Years Volume 11 HC, $49.99
DC COMICS
Action Comics #11 (Combo Pack Edition), $4.99
Action Comics #11 (Cully Hamner Variant Cover), AR
Action Comics #11 (Rags Morales Black & White Variant Cover), AR
Action Comics #11 (Rags Morales Regular Cover), $3.99
Animal Man #11, $2.99
Batman And Robin Volume 1 Born To Kill HC, $24.99
Batman Earth One HC, $22.99
Batwing #11, $2.99
Before Watchmen Ozymandias #1 (Combo Pack Edition), $4.99
Before Watchmen Ozymandias #1 (Jae Lee Regular Cover), $3.99
Before Watchmen Ozymandias #1 (Jim Lee Variant Cover), AR
Before Watchmen Ozymandias #1 (Phil Jimenez Variant Cover), AR
Detective Comics #11 (Combo Pack Edition), $4.99
Detective Comics #11 (Tony S. Daniel Black & White Variant Cover), AR
Detective Comics #11 (Tony S. Daniel Regular Cover), $3.99
Dial H #3, $2.99
Earth 2 #1 (Ivan Reis & Joe Prado 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Earth 2 #2 (Ivan Reis & Joe Prado 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $2.99
Earth 2 #3 (Ivan Reis & Joe Prado Black & White Variant Cover), AR
Earth 2 #3 (Ivan Reis & Joe Prado Regular Cover), $2.99
Fables Volume 17 Inherit The Wind TP, $14.99
Fairest #5, $2.99
G.I. Combat #3, $3.99
Green Arrow #11, $2.99
Green Lantern Emerald Warriors Volume 1 TP, $14.99
He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe #1 (Of 6)(Dave Wilkins Variant Cover), AR
He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe #1 (Of 6)(Philip Tan & Ruy Jose Regular Cover), $2.99
I Zombie #27, $2.99
Justice League International #11, $2.99
Night Force #5 (Of 7), $2.99
Red Lanterns #11, $2.99
Scooby-Doo Where Are You #23, $2.99
Showcase Presents Showcase Volume 1 TP, $19.99
Smallville Season 11 #3, $3.99
Stormwatch #11, $2.99
Suicide Squad Volume 1 Kicked In The Teeth TP, $14.99
Sweet Tooth #35, $2.99
Wonder Woman The Twelve Labors TP, $14.99
Worlds’ Finest #3 (George Perez Black & White Variant Cover), AR
Worlds’ Finest #3 (George Perez Regular Cover), $2.99
DENNIS DRUKTENIS PUBLISHING
Scary Monsters Magazine #83, $8.95
DIAMOND PUBLICATIONS
Game Trade Magazine #149, $3.99
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Boys #68, $3.99
Dreadstar Omnibus Volume 1 TP, $29.99
Green Hornet #26 (Brian Denham Regular Cover), $3.99
Green Hornet #26 (Jonathan Lau Regular Cover), $3.99
Green Hornet #26 (Phil Hester Regular Cover), $3.99
Kirby Genesis Captain Victory #6 (Alex Ross Regular Cover), $3.99
Kirby Genesis Captain Victory #6 (Alex Ross Virgin Variant Cover), AR
Lone Ranger #7 (Francesco Francavilla Regular Cover), $3.99
Ninjettes #5 (Admira Wijaya Regular Cover), $3.99
Ninjettes #5 (Admira Wijaya Virgin Variant Cover), AR
Ninjettes #5 (Risque Variant Cover), AR
Robert Jordan’s The Wheel Of Time The Eye Of The World #27, $3.99
Vampirella The Red Room #2 (Ale Garza Regular Cover), $3.99
Vampirella The Red Room #2 (Dan Brereton Regular Cover), $3.99
Vampirella The Red Room #2 (Fabiano Neves Regular Cover), $3.99
Warlord Of Mars #19 (Daniel Sampere Risque Variant Cover), AR
Warlord Of Mars #19 (Joe Jusko Regular Cover), $3.99
Warlord Of Mars #19 (Lucio Parrillo Regular Cover), $3.99
Warlord Of Mars #19 (Lucio Parrillo Virgin Variant Cover), AR
HUMANOIDS PUBLISHING
Paris Soirees HC, $69.95
Zombies That Ate The World Volume 2 Eleventh Commandment HC, $24.95
IDW PUBLISHING
Cape 1969 #1 (Of 4)(Cover A Zach Howard), $3.99
Cape 1969 #1 (Of 4)(Cover RI Nelson Daniel), AR
Convention Sketchbook HC, $19.99
Danger Girl Danger Sized Treasury Edition Volume 2 TP, $9.99
Doctor Who Classics Series 4 #6 (Of 6), $3.99
Dorothy Of Oz Prequel #3 (Of 4)(Cover RI CGI Character Art), AR
Dorothy Of Oz Prequel #3 (Of 4)(Cover A Eric Shanower), $3.99
Frankenstein Alive Alive #1 (Bernie Wrightson 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
G.I. JOE A Real American Hero #180 (Cover A Herb Trimpe), $3.99
G.I. JOE A Real American Hero #180 (Cover B S. L. Gallant & Gary Erskine), $3.99
G.I. JOE A Real American Hero #180 (Cover RI Larry Hama), AR
G.I. JOE Cobra Command Volume 2 TP, $19.99
Infestation 2 Volume 2 TP, $17.99
Popeye #3 (Cover RI Dean Yeagle), AR
Popeye #3 (Cover A Tom Neely), $3.99
Rocketeer Adventures 2 #4 (Of 4)(Cover A Darwyn Cooke), $3.99
Rocketeer Adventures 2 #4 (Of 4)(Cover B Dave Stevens), $3.99
Rocketeer Adventures 2 #4 (Of 4)(Cover RI Darwyn Cooke), AR
Star Trek Legion Of Super-Heroes HC, $24.99
Transformers Robots In Disguise #7 (Cover A Andrew Griffith), $3.99
Transformers Robots In Disguise #7 (Cover B Casey Coller), $3.99
Transformers Robots In Disguise #7 (Cover RI Marcelo Matere), AR
IMAGE COMICS
Artifacts #19, $3.99
Creator Owned Heroes #2 (Cover A Kevin Mellon), $3.99
Creator Owned Heroes #2 (Cover B Phil Noto), $3.99
Danger Club #3, $2.99
Darkness Compendium Volume 2 TP, $69.99
Epic Kill #2 (2nd Printing Variant Cover), $2.99
Epic Kill #3, $2.99
Hack Slash #17 (Cover A Tim Seeley), $3.50
Hack Slash #17 (Cover B Tradd Moore & Filipe Sobreiro), $3.50
Haunt #24, $2.99
Invincible #93, $2.99
Invincible Volume 16 Family Ties TP, $16.99
Morning Glories #20, $2.99
Secret #2 (2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.50
Spawn #221 (Cover A Todd McFarlane), $2.99
Spawn #221 (Cover B Todd McFarlane Black & White), $2.99
Super Dinosaur Volume 2 TP, $12.99
Thief Of Thieves #5 (2nd Printing Variant Cover), $2.99
Thief Of Thieves #6, $2.99
NSIGHT EDITIONS
Batmobile The Complete History HC, $35.00
Dark Knight Manual Tools Weapons Vehicles And Documents From The Batcave HC, $40.00
IT BOOKS
Wayne Of Gotham A Novel HC, $26.99
JUMPING JACK PRESS
Toy Story An Interactive Pop-Up Book And Beyond HC, $24.99
KENZER AND COMPANY
Knights Of The Dinner Table #188, $5.99
KODANSHA COMICS
Air Gear Volume 24 GN, $10.99
MANUSCRIPT PRESS
Comics Revue Presents June 2012, $19.95
MARVEL COMICS
Age Of Apocalypse #5 (Carlo Barberi Regular Cover), $2.99
Amazing Spider-Man #689 (Giuseppe Camuncoli Regular Cover), $3.99
Amazing Spider-Man #689 (Matthew Clark Lizard Variant Cover), AR
Avengers Assemble Volume 4 TP, $34.99
Avengers Vs X-Men #0 (Of 12)(Frank Cho 5th Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Avengers Vs X-Men #1 (Of 12)(Jim Cheung 5th Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Avengers Vs X-Men #2 (Of 12)(Jim Cheung 5th Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Avengers Vs X-Men #7 (Of 12)(Esad Ribic Avengers Team Variant Cover), AR
Avengers Vs X-Men #7 (Of 12)(Esad Ribic Variant Cover), AR
Avengers Vs X-Men #7 (Of 12)(Esad Ribic X-Men Team Variant Cover), AR
Avengers Vs X-Men #7 (Of 12)(Jim Cheung Regular Cover), $3.99
Avengers Vs X-Men #7 (Of 12)(Sara Pichelli Sketch Variant Cover), AR
Avengers Vs X-Men #7 (Of 12)(Sara Pichelli Variant Cover), AR
Avengers West Coast Avengers Zodiac Attack HC (Premiere Edition), $34.99
Avengers West Coast Avengers Zodiac Attack HC (Premiere Edition)(Direct Market Variant Edition Volume 96), $34.99
Deadpool #57, $2.99
First X-Men Postcard (Promotional Item), AR
Fury MAX #4, $3.99
Halo Fall Of Reach Invasion HC (Premiere Edition), $19.99
Hulk #55, $2.99
Hulk Heart Of The Atom TP, $24.99
Infernal Man-Thing #1 (Of 3)(Art Adams Regular Cover), $3.99
Infernal Man-Thing #1 (Of 3)(Gil Kane Variant Cover), AR
Infernal Man-Thing #1 (Of 3)(Kevin Nowlan Variant Cover), AR
Invincible Iron Man #520, $3.99
Marvel Super Heroes #2, $4.99
Muppets #1 (Of 4), $2.99
Punisher #13, $2.99
Punisher By Rick Remender Omnibus HC, $99.99
Season One 2012 Guide (Promotional Item), AR
Secret Warriors Omnibus HC, $99.99
Spider-Men #2 (Of 5)(Jim Cheung 2nd Printing Variant Cover)(not verified by Diamond), $3.99
Spider-Man Return Of The Burglar HC (Premiere Edition), $29.99
Spider-Man Return Of The Burglar HC (Premiere Edition)(Direct Market Variant Edition Volume 97), $29.99
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #12, $3.99
Uncanny X-Men #15, $3.99
Wolverine #310 (Blank Variant Cover), AR
Wolverine #310 (Ed McGuinness Variant Cover), AR
Wolverine #310 (Simone Bianchi Regular Cover), $3.99
Wolverine #310 (Stephen Platt Sketch Variant Cover), AR
Wolverine #310 (Stephen Platt Variant Cover), AR
X-Factor #239, $2.99
X-Men Beauty And The Beast HC (Premiere Edition), $29.99
X-Men Beauty And The Beast HC (Premiere Edition)(Direct Market Variant Edition Volume 98), $29.99
VERTICAL
5 Centimeters Per Second GN, $18.95
VIZ MEDIA
Bakuman Volume 12 TP, $9.99
Bleach Volume 42 TP, $9.99
Bleach Volume 43 TP, $9.99
Claymore Volume 20 TP, $9.99
D.Gray-Man Volume 22 GN, $9.99
Dengeki Daisy Volume 10 GN, $9.99
Hana-Kimi 3-In-1 Edition Volume 3 TP, $14.99
Jiu Jiu Volume 1 GN, $9.99
Naruto Volume 57 TP, $9.99
Natsume’s Book Of Friends Volume 12 TP, $9.99
One Piece Volume 63 TP, $9.99
Oresama Teacher Volume 9 GN, $9.99
Pokemon Black And White Volume 8 GN, $4.99
Psyren Volume 5 GN, $9.99
RIN-NE Volume 9 GN, $9.99
Rosario+Vampire Season II Volume 9 TP, $9.99
Skip Beat 3-In-1 Edition Volume 3 TP, $14.99
Skip Beat Volume 28 TP, $9.99
Vampire Knight Volume 14 TP, $9.99
Winx Club Volume 1 GN, $6.99
Winx Club Volume 2 GN, $6.99
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT
Salem’s Daughter Haunting TP, $15.99
Earth 2 #1 – New 52
I read this new title this morning before work and I have to say I am very intrigued. Seems like a cool variation of the regular DC Universe but very surprising all the same. Review coming tonight after work. However, if anyone has read it and wants to comment first please do as I will not read the comment until after I post my review.
I think this could be cool but it really all depends on how they resolve the initial twists. After more thought, I was not impressed with the issue. I know the first issue is just a teaser of what is to come, however, I was simply not impressed. It may be due to the fact I like the main characters and killing them off from the start left a bad taste in my mouth. And I realize they may not be dead or this may be in the future and they have to go back or possibly an alternate timeline, blah blah blah. Whatever the case, I did not care for the writing or the plot itself. I did really like the artwork so that is a plus and I believe it could be better but they need to work at it. I also read World’s Finest and that bored me to death as well.
The titles I will continue to get each week/month is slowly dwindling and more than likely I will end up listing the first 10 issues of some of those titles online. (hint hint check back on the for sale page for more info) With that being said I am hoping for better but not optimistic about the results. The artwork will probably keep me interested for at least another 4 issues unless something else picks it up so look back for a follow up rating for this series.
Covert Art was 3.5 bursts.
Interior Art was 3.5 bursts
Characters/Dialogue was 1.5 bursts
Story/Plot was 1.5 bursts.
Overall 2.5 bursts which is not very good
Batman loves birthday parties
New Comic Wednesday
Well here we are…it’s Wednesday…New Comic Wednesday to be a bit more accurate and the only thing I had time to read was Justice League #6 from last week. There just isn’t enough hours in a day, or even a week, to get everything I want to do, finished. So I start out with 168 hours in a week, actually let’s say 24 hours in a day. Work seems to take up 9 to 10 hours, then I probably sleep about 6 hours a night, and then on top of that is time with the wife which accounts for about 4 to 5 hours which leaves roughly 3 hours for me. Well, actually time spent in transit has to be worked in there too so best guess estimate, I have about 2 hours of me time a day.
That may seem like a lot but if you think about it, that time is spent getting ready for work, making dinner, working out at the gym, and lastly time for whatever I want to do. Mainly that time is spent reading comics, surfing the net or reading some book, white paper or blog about email marketing. Don’t ask, it’s a sickness. My point to all this is that I really do not budget my time wisely enough because if I did, I would have more me time.
I guess what I am getting at is I buy too many comics and don’t get to read them as quickly as I would like to. Additionally, i
t is a damn good thing I have a box at the Comic Store because if I didn’t I would miss out on the more popular titles. My point is, today was the first time I was there in about 2 weeks and ended up buying:
Action Comics #7, Justice League #6, (Danger Girl Revolver #1 & #2 huge fan of J. Scott Campbell), The Incredible Hulk #2, #3, #5, X-Men #26, Uncanny X-Men #8, Wolverine & the X-Men Alpha & Omega #3, (Ultimate Universe Ultimates #7, X-Men #8, Spider-Man #8), Age of Apocalypse #1, Red Lanterns #7, Justice League International #7, Green Arrow #7, Detective Comics #7, (Batwing #7 only because of the cover with all the Bat characters), Batman Beyond Unlimited #1 and finally Manhattan Projects #1. 
So as you can see, I have VERY little time to read in comparison to the number of comics I get. I still haven’t read 7 comics from the last time I was there. And on top of that, I have issues 3, 4, 5, 6 of I, Vampire and All Star Western that I am having trouble getting through. I know they are supposed to be these great titles that people are raving about but for some reason they do not do it for me and I have to fight through it and finish them.
Thoughts?…other than I get too many titles which I already know. I think I need to take a day off work, sit in my room and do nothing but get caught up with everything that is going on in the comic universes. And, have you seen the new DC logo…not too crazy about it yet but that is for another time. Look for a review of Justice League 4, 5, and 6 soon. So until next time…
Batman Court of Owls Story Line
The Batman books, much like the Superman books are a bit confusing at first. However there are many more Bat titles than Supes titles. They are especially confusing without really knowing the timeline from which they are to be taking place. You have the Dark Knight, Batman, Detective Comics, JLA and then the ancillary titles like Batwing, Nightwing, Catwoman, Batwoman, Batman & Robin and I am sure I am missing another or two. With all that being said, I am really liking the Bat titles and honestly he is one of my favorite characters right now.
The recent storyline with the Court of Owls in Batman started out hokey but has since gotten really good. Batman #5 could have been one of the most amazing story lines I have ever read. I wasn’t as big of a fan of the artwork, but the story itself along with the regression scenes was just the best. I especially loved how the book went forward, backward, sideways, upside down and all around. Kind of like how Batman was feeling when his world was turning upside down and all around.The covers are always great but sometimes the interior art is just a bit lacking. I really like Greg Capullo, but for some reason the interior art just doesn’t strike me this time.
We find out that this villain, or the long line of villains in the court of owls, have been around for years, hiding in the shadows. They seem to be living in half floors of the Wayne buildings which is just beyond bizarre.I go from thinking this is all in his mind to being physically happening back to thinking Batman is now just insane. Time for him seems to be standing still while out in the real world he’s missing for over a week…lost and reeling in the maze. But is the maze real or just in his imagination. Well it turns out that this is really happening and the crazy owl characters are real.
I absolutely love the masks, they are frightening yet simple and creepy all at the same time. Eyes off in the distance, very empty and indifferent just staring at him as he gets beaten by Talon. He is a badass villain and in the future I see these two squaring off against each other over and over again.
Story 5 stars
Interior Artwork 3 Stars
Cover Art 5 Stars
Dialogue 4 Stars
Overall Rating 4.25 stars
The Dark Knight – #2
It figures…I am hooked. This book is incredibly awesome, from the artwork to the story to everything about it. If you read my previous post, you will see I loved the first issue but it is just getting started. The 2nd issue is even better than the first…and how could it not be with a final page lead in of a Bane looking Two-Face! If you have not yet read issue 2, then stop reading this and go get a copy now, you will not forgive yourself if you don’t.
The book opens up with Batman getting his ass kicked by the pumped up Two-Face from last month. No idea how or why he looks like that but you have to think Bane had something to do with it right? Read it and find out. So the first few pages is of the fight where you think Batman needs some help because there is no way he can get out of this alone, well guess again, nobody is there to save him. The details Finch puts in to the fight scenes is just amazing, blood spurting from Batman face to the veiny musculature of Two-Face to the backgrounds, he does it all. My last post was about Brett Booth with Teen Titans, well this is just as good. There is definitely a hierarchy of artists in the DC universe and it appears they are putting the best artists on the best written books. I have not yet fully decided, but Dark Knight could be my favorite all around comic right now. (Justice League and Jim Lee art excluded)
Where else can you find this type of story and art combo? Not to mention the other characters from the Batman universe making multiple cameo appearances throughout. Not for nothing, but the Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman stories and art are just average and I like more than I dislike the Superman and Aquaman books.
This new character that appears in the Dark Knight book, who may or may not be an older character, is pretty awesome. Let’s call her the White Rabbit since I have no idea what else to call her. Not sure if she is going to be a major player or not in future books, but I like her. No clue what her power(s) are, if any, but this image is a sneak peak at what is supposed to be the cover of BTDK #3 coming in November. She’s hot and looks crazy…kind of like Harley Quinn who I am a bit partial to as well. Maybe there is a pattern with me getting in to scantily dressed cartoon woman who are in to bad boys.
Ok, so obviously I love this book so the stars are going to be high. Pencils; no brainer there 5 stars, Story; again 5 stars, Inks; I think it may at times be too dark so we are going with 3.5, Cover; not so great, but still good so 4 stars and finally Character development; We’ll go with 3.5 stars since I feel some of the things that were happening with the other Bat characters needed more explaining. Overall 4.25 stars.
I think I may also need to re-evaluate the criteria and come up with 5 solid areas of the critique as to be consistent. Again, any thoughts or suggestions on the graphic I should use instead of stars?
The Dark Knight – DC’s New 52
First, I love the art by David Finch. I do not remember seeing anything by him before, although I never looked, but I can tell you I like what I see. It’s kind of Jim Leeesque if you ask me. Dark, detailed, proportioned and gritty. I loved the breakout scene with the expressions of shear terror from the security team. And the last page with Two-Face looking all juiced up like Bane was excellent. How can you forget Batman on top of the SWAT vehicle with the Gotham clock in the background and the emergency lights flashing in the foreground? I sincerely hope this storyline continues with all the same people behind the scenes. Both Finch and Jenkins are the “co-plotters” with Jenkins as the writer and I have to say I like the writing too. Sometimes the dialogue goes too quickly or off on a tangent, rambling on without reason. This was not like that at all. Great banter back and forth ( I look forward to more between Bruce and the internal affairs officer Forbes) and the flirting with Jaina Hudson. Bruce, and Batman, get all the hotties which is great because they do not seem to have that kind of adult themed story lines for many of the other titles. From what I saw and read definitely 5 out of 5 stars, I will be collecting this comic for the foreseeable future.
Catwoman #1 – DC’s New 52
I was very surprised and pleased when I picked up this new #1. I’ve never read a Catwoman comic before but I obviously knew who she was from Batman lore, more specifically the Batman movies with Michelle Phifer and Halle Berry and of course from way back with Julie Newmar. But, as I said I’v enever read a Catwoman comic so this one was a complete blank slate. I was very happy with the story as well as the artwork by Guillem March. I’ve read some other blogs and the consensus either it was too risque and people were angry or they loved it. I was one of those that loved it.
From the opening pages of her in a state of semi undress to the final page of her getting it on with Batman I was hooked. A little sex never hurt anyone, especially a hottie like Catwoman. Come on, what do you expect from a character who wears a full length, skin-tight black leather cat suit? Sex sells and DC wants to sell comics as well as this reboot. The story…I love the story! I love the fact that she has to run from hideout to hideout staying one step ahead of those she steals from is great. There are those that are true to the previous character who was very well off and was part of the upper crust because she was a high end cat burglar. But again, this is a reboot, this is a brand new start to get people like me hooked and I have to say as long as they do not change the format and go PC on me, I will continue to collect this title.
Seriously, come on, check out the hottie in the push up bra! What about the shiny butt when she’s making out with Batman! Oh yeah, sex sells and I am buying in to it hook line and sinker. Compared to the other DC’s that I bought, this one and Red Hood has some of the best artwork and storylines so far. Believe it or not 5 out of 5! Buy it!
415 Comics 