Batman Beyond 2.0 #18 Review

Written by: Kyle Higgins
Art by: Mateo Guerrero
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: April 12, 2014

Two For One

The Justice Lords Beyond story started off with a blast.  Alternate Earth/Timeline stories can be so much fun if done right and I can tell you,  Kyle Higgins and Christos Gage have done it right so far.  The best part of involving both Batman and Justice League Beyond in a combined story is fans get a new chapter each week. The first issue of each book provided a great setup so now we can get down to business.  

Last weeks Justice League Beyond 2.0 ended with Terry leaving for the Justice Lords timeline in search of Lord Batman and answers.  This issue picks up right from there and I mean right form there.  Terry arrives in the alternate timeline and immediately everything goes wrong.  It's clear right away that things aren't going to go as planned.  In fact, he is in downright trouble and the source is the first nice surprise this week.

Smallville: Lantern #5 Review

Written by: Bryan Q. Miller
Art by: Marcio Takara
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: April 11, 2014

Oh Oh Here They Come, They're the Manhunters

Last week was the first issue of Smallville I went away from felling let down.  I love the Smallville comic, especially the miniseries we've been getting recently.  My main gripe was the feeling of deja vu the issue gave me from the previous one, especially the Manhunters cliff hanger.  Well, it's a new week, a new issue and a new feeling.  Actually, it's an old feeling.  The feeling of loving every page Bryan Q. Miller gives readers and wanting more when it ended.  I like old feelings.

Lex has been a bad boy.  He's been trying to get information about the Russian crash site by hacking the DEO's system.  Diana and Steve Trevor contact Lois Lane and Oliver so they can make sure the Watchtower stays secure.  They also show a surveillance image to the two.  It's Prometheus looking pretty badass.  They authorize Oliver's "alter-ego" to join the D.E.O. task force on it's way to see what's what on this mysterious threat and the tech he's stolen.

Top 5 Fridays: Teen Heroes That Should Be In The Teen Titans Relaunch

To keep things topical, this week's Top 5 has to do with the relaunch of Teen Titans in July.  The news came out this week that Will Pfeifer, and Kenneth Rocofort will be the creative team behind this relaunch, and I couldn't be happier.  Pfeifer has come out and said that this team will consist of Red Robin, Wonder Girl, Raven, Beast Boy, and Bunker.  You know pretty much everyone who was left over from the last team.  So for this week I figured we take a look at the Top 5 characters Weird Science wants to see in the relaunch of Teen Titans.  Now I'm not saying all these characters should become a part of the Titans at one time, I'm just saying that if one character were to join the roster, this is who I'd like it to be in order of importance to Jim and me, but mostly me.  So let's get on with Top 5 Fridays: Teen Heroes That Should Be In The Teen Titans Relaunch.

Justice League 3000 #5 Review

Written by: J.M. DeMatteis and Keith Giffen
Art by: Raymund Bermudez and Wayne Faucher
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 9, 2014

The Not so Perfect (Fire)Storm

Justice League 3000 has been crazy insane (crazy? Insane?) and I will let you in on a little secret, I really like it.  The mystery surrounding the League and watching them deal with that and each other has been fun. Keith Giffen promised that the members weren't clones and by gum, he wasn't lying.  What they are is dark and twisted and really explains why they act like they do and why Superman has that awful haircut.  With all that said, the book has been plagued by poor pacing since issue #1.  Things are going at a snails pace, but what we have been given has allowed me to look the other way.  Well, I'm not looking the other way anymore Giffen and DeMatteis.  I'm looking right at you doing that move with two fingers that means "I've got my eyes on you".  You've been warned.

Superman/Wonder Woman #7 Review

Written by: Charles Soule
Art by: Paulo Siqueira, Barry Kitson and Eddy Barrows
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 9, 2014

Is the Relationship Doomed?

Last issue of Superman/Wonder Woman ended with an explosive cliffhanger...literally.  They detonated an atomic explosion to stop Zod and Faora, but at what cost?  Little cost it seems. Unless you count the destruction of a chunk of the South Pacific,  which it seems nobody involved does or the fact that Superman is missing half his face.  It's really disgusting.

This is a prelude to Doomed and Charles Soule has a couple things to juggle before the event starts.  The first is introducing Doomsday.  Wait a second, didn't last weeks Action Comics introduce Doomsday?  Yes and no.  DC, as they have recently been prone to do, released Action Comics out of order so the Doomsday we saw attacking Polar Bears last week is actually introduced in this issue.  If this was a Quentin Tarantino movie I'd let it slide, but this my Friends is not Pulp Fiction.

Worlds' Finest #22 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Paul Levitz
Art By: R.B. Silva, Yildiray Cinar
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 9, 2014

Back To The Filler

I went on a rant about the reading order of "First Contact" the other week, and declared that I would not review Worlds' Finest #21 part 4 of the First Contact story, until Batman/Superman #9 which is part 3 came out on April 23rd.  Well I look like an idiot now that a new Worlds' Finest is out, and I have no idea what happened in the last issue.  How the fuck can this issue be out before Batman/Superman #9?  It's fucking ridiculous, and I won't be suckered into reading the last issue until the First Contact story is complete.  I made a stand, and I don't plan on backing down from it now.  So for this month's Worlds' Finest, I'm going to try and get through the story, and probably make some assumptions along the way.  So bare with me, and we'll get through this thing together.  Let's dive in, and see if the crossover did anything to move this book forward.

Batgirl #30 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Marguerite Bennett
Art By: Robert Gill
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 9, 2014

Don't Kids Play With Ouija Boards Anymore?

For the last two months we were given a treat by bringing Batgirl out of her gloomy depression with a fun story about Batgirl and Strix fighting a delusional vampire hunter who thought that the Bat Family were night stalkers, who kept the people of Gotham under their undead thumb.  In the end of that story arc, it turned out that there were vampires in Gotham, and Batgirl wasn't prepared to deal with the actual undead.  But as luck would have it, I Vampire hero Andrew Bennett was in the neighborhood, and was willing to take care of their vampire problem.  Good old horror fun that you don't get to see very often, especially in Gotham.  So what do we have this month?  Well it's another horror story.  Strange.  But before we jump into this tale of horror and mystery let me warn you.  This issue is a post Forever Evil title, and talks about the fate of Dick Grayson.  Even though I always put SPOILERS in my reviews, I just need you to know that this one has extra SPOILERS.  So be warned.

Batman Eternal #1 Review

Written by: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, John Layman and Tim Seeley
Art by: Jason Fabok
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 9, 2014

Batman Weekly or Weakly?

I know, We need another Batman book like we need...an awesome weekly book featuring the Gotham Police Department as much as the Dark Knight.  That's right, I've been pretty stoked (is that a word anymore?) for Batman Eternal and now that it's here I can tell you, it's worth the wait even if it has a few flaws.

A new Lieutenant, Jason Bard, has arrived in Gotham and he's looking to meet Jim Gordon.  However, Gordon is a little busy fighting Professor Pyg with Batman.  The story cuts back-and-forth between Bard meeting the GCPD and Batman and  Gordon taking care of Pyg.  Bard quickly finds out that Gotham may look shiny, but it has a dark side.  Gordon finds out that everything isn't really what you see with deadly results.  At the end, the two cops finally meet, but it's not what either would have guessed even if it is exactly what the reader would.

Injustice: Year Two #7 Review

Written by: Tom Taylor
Art by: Mike S. Miller
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: April 8, 2014

Chapter Seven: Sinestro

This week we learn Sinestro's history.  While it is more filler, it is needed.  Superman and Sinestro have had a complicated relationship in Year Two.  They fought which Superman ended by bashing Sinestro's face into the moon.  Then they were best buds.  Well, this issue gives Tom Taylor the opportunity to show the reader that they are like two peas in a pod, peanut butter and jelly, mayonnaise and pickles...you get the point.

Like I said, we get Sinestro's history, but it's his spin.  Fans know how much Sinestro thinks of himself, so you can guess the "truth" is a little skewed.  Here is where Tom Taylor shows his salt as a writer.  As Sinestro tells his story, we get to see what actually happened.  I'll just say that it's very different than the story being told. That's Sinestro in a nut shell, isn't it?  He is evil, but his actions come from his twisted love and honor. 

Superboy #30 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Aaron Kuder
Art By: Jorge Jimenez Moreno
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 9, 2014

Days Of Past Future

When we last left our deeply troubled Superboy, he had put together a band of human-meta hybrids, and planned on using them to keep the future free of metas.  They were meant to stay in the future to make sure that Harvest's plans were fulfilled in the past, and if they were not, to continue the fight in the future.  Yeah it's pretty strange.  But Superboy was apparently called back to the past, and the issue ended with him showing up in Times Square, at some undetermined time.  To confuse things up some more, Superboy's secret plan is to have Harvest cure him, then use his newly formed team in the future help him kill Harvest.  Yeah it's all pretty strange, and hard to understand, but hopefully this issue clears up the story, and moves us into a new direction for our wayward Superboy.

Adventures of Superman #50 Review

Written by: Kelly Sue DeConnick
Art by: Valentine De Landro
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: April 7, 2014

Mystery Box

Kelly Sue DeConnick gives a a weird little Superman and Lois story.  Not weird because of the story itself, but weird because of the timing.  It's a Valentine's Day story in the beginning of April.  Whaaaat?  Also, it's penciled by Valentine De Landro.  Valentine.  It's like the stars and planets aligned for this one...except the timing.  Guess what, kiddies?  It was a very good issue.

Superman is having some luck with the ladies recently.  In this issue, Lois Lane is Superman's special lady. In a story reminiscent of the Justice League Unlimited  episode "The Man Who has Everything", Lois Lane has given Supes an early Valentines Day Gift.  The rest of the issue features Superman asking his Friends (of the Super variety) if they know what the gift is and what he should get Lois in return.

Teen Titans Cancelled........Teen Titans Relaunched In July!

Even though our favorite teen superheroes are cancelled, and only have a issue and an annual left, don't let that bum you out too much.  Current writer for Red Hood and The Outlaws Will Pfeifer has just been announced to be the writer behind the relaunch of Teen Titans in July.  The artist to complete this creative team, has also been announced to be the ever

Old Time Tuesday: 1941 Superman "The Serial" re-edited in HD

Well kiddies, this week we take another break from the Adventures of Superman radio show to bring you some other Superman goodness.  This week is dedicated to Eric's Mother who one year gave him a bunch of used Masters of the Universe figures for his birthday.  Why I love the story is that some of the figures had missing limbs and other damage so she told him "Skeletor did that to him" or "that happened in a battle with Man-at-Arms".  I don't know if I like the story because of his Mom's creativity and sweetness or that Eric actually fell for it.

Editorial: The Whitening Of The DCU

This is a story I've been sitting on for awhile now, and honestly I was sitting on it because I was hoping someone else would notice, and write about it.  But somehow this strange piece was overlooked, and here I am.  Recently there has been a lot of talk online about DC whitewashing their characters, for another article on this subject, check out DC Women Kicking Ass's story on the subject HERE.  Now whether this is just a mistake by the colorist, or a editorial decision, I don't know.  But it's getting pretty damn ridiculous.

Just For The Hell Of It Mondays 4/7/14

I told you last week that I had a theme planned for April, and I wasn't lying for once.  I recently watched Batman Forever, and it got me thinking about how rough we had it in the 90's, and I mean us as comic book fans.  Yeah you can submit that we had the single greatest animated superhero show of all time; Batman TAS, but beside that what else did we really have?  I guess Superman TAS was okay, what what the 90s were riddled with were awful Batman movies,(and don't give me any of that Batman Returns was good nonsense.  It was awful plain and simple, I think I've made it quite obvious that the only opinion that matters here is mine) rumors that Nick Cage would play Superman, and ridiculous live action attempts at superhero shows.  This latter example is what we will be going over this month, and showing you fans of today how hard we had it.  We didn't get at least three awesome superhero movies a year, or what seems like endless superhero TV shows that are on, or in the making.  What we got was pitiful, but we watched nonetheless, and swore up and down it was cool just because it was all we had.  So for those of you who were born in the 90's, or later, or simply don't remember this time because you've blocked it out, this month is for you.  This week we'll be looking at the live action Flash TV show, and how awful it was.  It only makes sense because of all the talk, and hype surrounding the new live action Flash show to show you what came before.  This clip if from the time The Trickster brainwashed Flash, and then the two ran a muck throughout Central City.  So enjoy, and try not to have too many flashbacks to a time where superheroes weren't profitable, and loving them regarded you as a life long virgin, and pariah.  Boosh!

Batman '66 #31 Review

Written by: Jeff Parker
Art by: Jonathan Case
Cover Price: $1.99
Release Date: April 2, 2014

Prop Comics Suck

Batman '66 has been so good since it's first issue.  Jeff Parker (mainly) and multiple artists have explored the campiness of the television show.  Like the Silver Age comic, the show really relied on the crazy and colorful villains to drive the crazy plots and Jeff Parker has duplicated that formula to a tee.  Everyone from huge villains like the Joker, Penguin and Mr. Freeze to little known ones like Shame and Chandell have been featured.    All have been great, but after 31 issues there is the danger of not knowing what to do next.  Jeff Parker is better than that, though.  Instead of picking a villain for Batman '66 #31, he throws in a bunch and makes one of the best issues in a long, long time.

Green Lantern #30 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Robert Venditti

Art By: Martin Coccolo

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: April 2, 2014

Two Man Enter, One Man Leave

Last time we saw our protectors of the universe, they took down a factory that was manufacturing "Light Drainers", that they reverse engineered from Relic.  But these were a lot more powerful, and would of made a big difference in the upcoming war.  But our heroes prevailed, and the light drainers were destroyed.  At least that batch.  Who knows how many factories are making these throughout the universe.  Back on Mogo we found out that a single shape shifting Durlan remains, and that they need a special serum to continue shape shifting, but this one has just run out.  Looks like he won't be able to remain hidden much longer.  Let's get back into the war and see what the Lanterns are up to.

Justice League Beyond 2.0 #17 Review

Written by: Christos Gage
Art by: Dexter Soy
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: April 5, 2014

The Return of Wonder Woman Part 1 of 8: Reunion

Bruce Wayne is old and Superman invites Terry to story time .  Bruce takes Wonder Woman for a tour of Neo Gotham, but which Wonder Woman is it?  Whichever one it is, she kicks some ass and Terry is leaving for a road trip to end all road trips.  This and more in Justice League Beyond 2.0 #17.

Last issue of Justice League Beyond 2.0 ended with the League barely defeating Brainiac with the help of Wonder Woman.  While everyone celebrated, Superman accused Wonder Woman of paving the way for the Justice Lords to return to Earth.  Last weeks Batman Beyond 2.0 (reviewed here) officially started the Justice Lords crossover and was good...confusing, but good.  Christos Gage explains what's going on this week.

Weird Science DC Comics News: Week of April 2, 2014 Edition

Hi everyone, I am trying to buck my lazy trend and put together another news column.  Two weeks in a row, who could have predicted that?  So, what has happened this week?  On a personal note, my car got totaled at 3 am Saturday morning...while it was parked outside my house.  Yes, PARKED.  The girl driving wasn't seriously injured, but my car is gone, I have no way to get anywhere and the rental car place the insurance said to use is closed on the weekends.  How can a rental car place be closed on the weekend?  That seems so ridiculous.