Weird Science DC Comics: 2017-04-16

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Plastic #1 Review and SPOILERS (Image)

Writer: Doug Wagner

Artist: Daniel Hillyard

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: April 19, 2017

Cover Price: $3.99

A story about a retired serial killer traveling across the country with a girl he “met online” named Virginia. Virgiana happens to be a sex Doll. Yeah, I’m not sure what else to write if that doesn’t grab your attention enough to at least check out the review below.

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Jeff LemireCover Price: $3.99Release Date: April 19, 2017Publisher: Image Comics

With Jeff Lemire’s Royal City #2 we return to one of my most anticipated new series’ of one of my favorite writers. If the first issue would be considered more of a family fair with getting to know the struggles of the family as a whole, the second issue promises to be more of a personal approach with us learning more about the individual family members and their individual struggles.

Everything Must End

Writer: Fred Van Lente

Artist: Diego Bernard

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 19, 2017

Publisher: Valiant Comics

With sad news, and what seems like very little publicizing of the fact, this seems to be Generation Zero’s final issue. I’ve been a bit down on the book as of late, but it started out really great and I have still really enjoyed what the book was trying to do. So without further ado lets just find out how well the final issue in this story fairs.

Writer: Jeff LemireArtist: Dean OrmstonCover Price: $3.99Release Date: April 19, 2017Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

After some disappointment with the annual and our first issue after it, I’m ready and happy to jump into a new arc in Black Hammer. With Lucy wasting no time before getting to work on the mysteries of Rocktown, I can only hope that the mysteries underlying Black Hammer starts to finally get some light shed on them.

Writer: Jeff Loveness
Artist: Juan Doe
Colorist: Rachel Deering
Cover: Juan Doe
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017
Review by: Ryan Douglas

Bounded by time, By its order

Aftershock Comics has been on my radar since reading Eleanor and The Egret. This was another instance where the cover caught my attention to give it chance. With so many books already piling up in my stash. I’m wondering if World Reader will join the ranks and be worthy enough to stick around and add it to my NCBD picks. Let’s explore this new sci-fi story...

Top 5 Fridays: Top 5 Series that need ANOTHER Rebirth

Welcome back to another salty edition of Top 5 Fridays! While I believe that Rebirth is a huge success for DC comics, that doesn't mean the world of comics is completely hunky-dory. No, there are still a variety of bad comics that plaguing both big companies. While it would be a piece of cake to tear apart the lineup that Marvel comics has been putting out, it would be a much more interesting list to look at some of Rebirth's biggest problems. This week I have decided to create a list of current comic series that I believe need a second Rebirth to get out on the slump that they are in. I am going to be digging into the following comics pretty badly, so I want to get something out of the way: if you enjoy these comics, that is fantastic. In the end, I truly want every Rebirth series to entertain readers. The following series have failed to entertain me, and as such, I believe that they need a second Rebirth to get it right. With that warning out-of-the-way, let us begin.

“Baptism”

Writer: Judd Winick

Artists: Pablo Raimondi (Pgs 1, 10-22), Cliff Richards (Pgs. 2-9)

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Assistant Editor: Janelle Siegel

Editor: Michael Marts

Cover Artwork: Billy Tucci

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: July 8, 2010

Check out Deron's Awesome Site HERE

We last left off with a newly resurrected Jason Todd being pushed into the Lazarus Pit by Talia al’ Ghul. Her father, Ra's al Ghul, warns Talia of the unknown variables associated with the pit. Instead, Talia chooses to roll the dice with fate and recklessly puts what’s left of Jason’s sanity at risk. There’s no doubt that Talia and the Batman have had a history with one another. The reasons for Talia’s actions in aiding Jason Todd remain unclear at this point. In fact, you could make the case that Talia’s actions are only serving to test the physical and mental resolve of Jason Todd. Let’s find out what young Jason is made of, shall we?

Jim and Eric talk about Batman #21 and Superwoman #9. It's the Button and Lana Lang...enjoy!

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week 4/19/17

Late Night Cover Judgment

Whoops! The day got away from me, but there's still a few hours left before midnight...at least for me. And that's what counts! So let's get this uninformed critique ball rolling.

First, I'd like to give a DIShonorable mention to the variant cover of All-Star Batman #9. It's a great cover by the super talented Chris Burnham, well-colored and nicely balanced, but nowhere in this issue does kaiju R'as Al Ghul threaten a prostrate giant Batman with the Washington Monument, so this is a bait-and-switch! For shame! The only way to make up for this would be write this actual scene into a future comic book. It's only right.

This cover is a lie.

All-Star Batman #9 variant

Chris Burnham

Superwoman Reborn

Written by: K. Perkins
Art by: Stephen Segovia, Art Thibert, Hi-Fi and Josh Reed
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017

I have not been a fan of this book and while I have numerous reasons why, I also understand that it's been fighting an uphill battle since it debuted at the beginning of Rebirth. For crying out loud, one of it's main characters, Lois Lane, was killed off in the first issue! Still, it hasn't been good so when a new creative team was announced, headed by K. Perkins, I finally had hope that things would turn around. Then Superman Reborn happened and seemed to wipe everything clean...especially the whole Superwoman thing. Again, uphill battle! However, it does give Perkins a bit of a clean slate to work with...as long as she can transition from the old to the new status quo. So, how did she do in her debut issue? Let's find out...

Batwoman #2 Review and SPOILERS

Try Again

Written By: Marguerite Bennett, James Tynion IV
Art By: Steve Epting, Jeromy Cox
Letters By: Deron Bennett
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

I may have gotten a little carried away with the previous issue of Batwoman. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy it and certainly more than the Rebirth issue. That being said, I think they hype got to me and the jump in quality made me think it may have been better than it actually was. It didn’t age well for me. Over the month, I found myself thinking on the book and coming to realize that there were some big issues that I had with it. That said, I don’t think it was bad by any means and I’m still excited to see where this series goes from here. We’ve set up a new backstory for Kate and we are about to dive into it so let’s just jump right into this new issue.

White Wedding?

Written by: Christopher Priest
Art by: Joe Bennett, Norm Rapmund, Jeromy Cox and Willie Schubert
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017

I have really been getting into Deathstroke and with the Lazarus Contract on the horizon, that should continue. I love the Power Girl that Christopher Priest is giving us and seeing Deathstroke trying to be the good guy for her is so great. Of course, this is Deathstroke and underneath it all, he still is a piece of shit, but we can all enjoy this other side of him while it lasts. Speaking of lasting, how long is he going to stay blind? I guess we will just have to wait and see while I get on with my review...

Burning Down the...City

Written by: Benjamin Percy
Art by: Juan Ferreyra and Nate Piekos
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017

Green Arrow is one of those books that just sits in the middle of my pile...not the best, but far from the worst of what Rebirth has to offer. That being said, the recent visit by Roy Harper had me pretty pumped at first and even if it didn't end on a high note, I still like him in this book. So, going forward, I hope he keeps his word and helps out Oliver, but even if he doesn't, I am excited to be getting Juan Ferreyra back this issue. I love his art so much and it's been way too long since we've seen it. So, how is this first issue of The Rise of Star City arc? Let's find out...

Well........ That Just Happened

Written By: Patrick Gleason, Peter J. Tomasi

Art By: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, Joe Prado, Ray McCarthy, John Kalisz, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: April 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

I'll tell ya, the last issue of Superman really got me back into this book. Where I thought that Action Comics was the title that was telling all the important stories, it turns out that what I really needed was a little down home living with the Kents because even though this series has been plagued with little two to three part stories that didn't seem to matter and were only there to get us to the Reborn arc, from what we saw in the previous issue, it seems to all be coming to a head. Not only did we get Batman and Robin making an appearance, but we also got to talk about Jon's powers....... or the lack of them at this state in his growth and had Batman discover that things maybe a little shady over at Cobb's Dairy. When I say shady, I mean that the milk that Jon's been drinking is something funky as hell that turned black and wrapped around Batman, subduing him. Let's jump into this issue and see what's up with the milk and if we can gleam anymore information about what's going on with the Branden Family. Let's check it out.

It's the End of the World...

Written by: Kevin Grevioux
Art by: Ryan Benjamin, Don Ho, Tony Washington and Saida Temofonte
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017

I have not been a fan of this series from the start. It's been a mess of a story that just seems to throw characters and mythology at the reader with the hopes that they can sort through it and make some sense of it. I guess I'm a big dummy because I've been lost since page one. I have been hoping that eventually something would click and the veil would be lifted on a good story, but sadly, that hasn't happened yet. Is this the issue that finally does happen? Let's find out...

End My Misery!

Written by: Bryan Hitch
Art by: Fernando Pasarin, Matt Ryan, Brad Anderson and Richard Starkings
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017

I am not going to sugar coat anything here...I hate what Bryan Hitch has done to the Justice League. This book is my least favorite of all the Rebirth titles (and I read every single one) and I would gladly give it up for someone else to review, but nobody wants it! Just thinking how far this book has fallen in less than a year is heartbreaking and I really can't see it getting any better until someone at DC breaks whatever spell Hitch has on them and sends him packing. However, that's not why I'm here, I am here to review the latest chapter in the Timeless story and I promise that as always, I am going in with a clear and open mind. I know that's hard to believe after this introduction, but it is 100% true. So, how was this issue? Let's find out...

Willpower 100%?

Written By: Sam Humphries

Art By: Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, Joe Prado, Alex Sollazzo, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: April 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Can our heroes take on this classic Green Lantern villain? Can they do it and also save that villain's brother's life? Yeah, we got some questions here when it comes to Doctor Polaris and our Green Lanterns, but what I really want to know is, do we really need to keep making the connection to Doctor Polaris' dying brother and Simon's brother-in-law Nazir from when he was in a coma? Yeah, I know we need to catch new readers up on Simon's past a bit, but it's starting to feel too over the top, especially when we have a villain that totally needs an ass whoopin' before he causes some serious damage. Let's jump into this issue and see if the Lanterns can save Doctor Polaris' brother Seth like Simon cured his coma-ed up brother-in-law from when he first got his ring. Let's check it out.

Waterworlds

Writer: Dan Abnett

Pencils: Scot Eaton

Inks: Wayne Faucher

Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb

Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Cover: Brad Walker, Andrew Hennesy & Gabe Eltab

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: April 19, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Once more into that Strange Water…that reminds me of a time I got really drunk on Wild Irish Rose. I actually drank Wild Irish Rose a bunch of times in my younger days, not only because it was cheap, but because I believed it brought me a state beyond being merely drunk that was closer to tripping on mescaline or smoking dust. Anyway, one New Years, I got two bottles of Wild Irish Rose—the big ones, not the flask-sized bottles—and went to a party in my neighborhood where I proceeded to drink one in record time. I blacked out after that, long before midnight. I was later told that I was belligerent and combative to some people asking directions and walked into a local bar with a half a bottle of Wild Irish Rose sloshing in a bottle, demanding more drinks. I woke up in all my clothes the next day, and then learned that I’d peed in the stove. Come to think of it, that experience isn’t really one that I remember. But I’m all sobered up now, and I definitely recall the events of Aquaman #21, which I’ve reviewed right here!

Darkest Before The Dawn

Written By: Tim Seeley

Art By: Javier Fernandez, Minkyu Jung, Chris Sotomayor, Carlos M. Mangual

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: April 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Our Nightwing Must Die story continues in this issue and as we saw at the end of the previous issue, it seems that Robin might also have to die as well because Dr. Hurt was revealed to be the mastermind behind kidnapping Shawn, the Deathwing dollotron and everything else that led to him walking up behind our Boy Wonder and appearing to shoot him in the back of the head. Yeah, it was a crazy cliffhanger, but now that Nightwing is on the trolley to this being a Dr. Hurt story, hopefully he can get to his former sidekick in time to save him.......... or maybe put some gauze or something in his gaping head wound......... gross. Let's jump into this issue and see what Dr. Hurt's plot is all about and what our hero can do to stop him. Let's check it out.

What a Week For a Daydream

Written By: Jon Rivera

Story By: Gerard Way & Jon Rivera

Cover & Interior Art By: Michael Avon Oeming

Cover & Interior Colors By: Nick Filardi

Letters By: Clem Robins

Back-up Words By: Mark Russell

Back-up Art By: Benjamin Dewey

Cover Price: $3.99

On Sale Date: April 19, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Man, have I been excited for this issue! The way the last one ended was such a cliffhanger, nothing like I expected from the “traditional” conclusion to a story arc. But I need to relinquish my own conditioning if I ever hope comics publishers will stop Writing for the Trades! So who knows what this issue will bring…oh, I can’t wait another minute! Let’s head right into my review of Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #7!

You Can’t Fire a Cannibal

Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner

Artists: John Timms, Joseph Michael Linsner

Back-up Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Paul Dini

Back-up Pencils: Bret Blevins

Back-up Inks: J. Bone

Colors: Alex Sinclair with Jeremiah Skipper

Letters: Dave Sharpe

Cover: Amanda Conner & Alex Sinclair

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: April 19, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Man, have the solicits on this title been borked up for the last couple of months. Of course, I remember a time when we, the readers, didn’t even see solicits, so I shouldn’t complain. I mean really, that’s how comics should be done today. Crazy covers to entice a buyer into checking out some bonkers story within. And not a six-part story, either, but a complete story from start to finish. But what do I know? Nothing. So let’s check out my review of Harley Quinn #18, right now!

Dream a Little Dream

Written by: Cullen Bunn

Art by: Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy, Hi-Fi and Steve Wands

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 19, 2017

This book has been one of my biggest disappointments of Rebirth and that is only partly because of how much I was looking forward to it. While the art has been consistently stellar, the stories have not been and having this be a Superman Reborn Aftermath issue doesn't bode well for that changing this month. The Aftermath issues have all had the problem of not being allowed to do too much...just enough to piss me off. That's right, they are all made for me and only me! Well, at least that's what I keep telling myself. So, does Cullen Bunn give me a treat and buck the trend? Let's find out...

Fight! Fight! Dump!

Written by: Peter J. Tomasi
Art by: Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez and Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017

Super Sons has been one of my favorites since it came out and I really can't wait to read it when it comes out. Sure, it's only had a couple of issues, but I love Jon and Damian and together, they are solid gold. Sure, I haven't been that into the whole Kid Amazo thing, but up until now, the interaction between our main characters has been so good, I kind of overlooked it. I know, overlooking the actual story is kind of messed up, but now that we are three issues in, I guess the story is going to have to take center stage, right? RIGHT?!?! So, does the story step it up to be as good as the characters in it? Let's find out...

And...Action!

Written by: Warren Ellis
Art by: Jon Davis-Hunt with Steve Buccellato
Cover price: $3.99
Release Date: April 19, 2017
Review by: Jeremy Daw

Those of you who remember the brash 90s version of the WildStorm universe (or even its noughties iteration) might well be rather bemused with Warren Ellis’ character-driven intrigue-heavy take on it so far. Up to now, we’ve had two issues in which, while there has been some incident (the most important being Angie ‘Engineer’ Spica saving Jacob ‘Emp’ Marlowe’s life), much of the panel space has been devoted to groups of people sitting around talking to one another, all presented rather beautifully in John Davis-Hunt’s immaculate art. Well, if you were worried that this series was going to become a cerebral, over-talkative snoozefest (albeit a smartly scripted one), you can breathe a sigh of relief. All that talking was necessary to give this issue’s action context and emotional impact. And, dammit, it is good.

A Sort-Of Batman Story

Written By: Scott Snyder

Art By: Jock, Lee Loughridge, Steve Wands, Francesco Francavilla

Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: April 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

We started in the frozen tundra, then went to the arid sands and even played in the landscape of the mind, but all those adventures led up to this one, where Batman finally finds the person behind the plague that is spreading over the United States. It's been a weird ride, where things didn't always add up to me, but the storytelling was at least interesting and after having so many superhero titles thrown at us week after week, where you can pretty much tell that the same stories are being told again and again, here we come upon something special and hopefully with this final issue to the arc we tie everything up in a nice little bow and everything is made clearer for it. Let's jump into this issue and see who is the villain that led Batman all across the country and hopefully find out what Duke's name is finally going to be. Let's check it out.

Navigation

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Everything Must End

Friday, April 21, 2017

“Baptism”

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Superwoman Reborn

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Try Again

White Wedding?

Burning Down the...City

Well........ That Just Happened

It's the End of the World...

End My Misery!

Willpower 100%?

Darkest Before The Dawn

Dream a Little Dream

Fight! Fight! Dump!

And...Action!

A Sort-Of Batman Story