The Old Guard #3 Review and **Spoilers** (Image)

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Leandro Fernandez
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 26, 2017

I’ve had a rough ride with Greg Rucka’s The Old Guard up to this point. It’s been a one character show, and not a strong one at that. With little to keep people coming back and seemingly little of an actual tangible conflict I’ve struggled to really grasp what exactly was at stake with this series. So I go into the current issue really not knowing what to expect or even what I could possibly desire from a new issue.

Rockstars Vol 1: Nativity In Blacklight Review

Written by: Joe Harris

Art team includes: Megan Hutchinson, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Michael David Thomas and Tom Muller

Cover Price: $9.99

Release Date: June 14, 2017

Publisher: Image Comics

Review by: Christopher Hyden

Spoilers Ahead! Skip to the end for spoiler free thoughts and aggregate score

When I picked up Rockstars back in December 2016, I got more than I bargained for. What on the surface appeared to be a comic about your typical “sex, drugs and rock n roll” lifestyle quickly revealed itself to be something else entirely. Well sort of, It still has those things, but they’re used as a vehicle to drive a much darker narrative. The story is set in modern day but goes back and forth between the present and the 1970's. In this review I will attempt to paint a picture but I will leave some gaps in the story between paragraphs. This is done intentionally, both to save myself some time and to give you more enjoyment of the book should you choose to read it. I will have final overall thoughts on the arc including thoughts on the art at the end of the review with a final aggregate score. I'll conclude this intro by saying that this tile is rated M and you should use your own discretion before purchasing or reading on. Let's get to it.

Underwinter #2 Review (Image)

What Are You Looking At?

Writer: Ray Fawkes
Artist: Ray FawkesCover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 26, 2017

After the first issue I was left flabbergasted by this book. Not by some tough to grasp story or unintelligible art, but by the response this book had received. Usually when I read other reviews, even if I disagreed, I can usually understand where the other views are coming from. I can usually see a different view on things even if I can’t really see that for myself. With this book, I seem to be completely out on my own and I’m really hoping this second issue can grab me back in.

Kill or Be Killed #8 Review (Image)

Written by: Ed Brubaker
Artists: Elizabeth Breitweiser, Sean Phillips
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 26, 2017
Review by: Ryan Douglas

I don’t have friends, I have thousands of acquaintances

It’s as if each month Kill or Be Killed comes out we’re reading the next page of Dylan’s journal. Feels like you found your best friends journal post him going down a dark path and learning all his secrets. Ed Brubaker has mentioned he plans to make this the longest series he’s done with this collaborative team. So I’m in for the slow burn, getting a week in the life of Dylan each month and seeing how this all plays out. Let’s see what Dylan is getting into today.

X-O Manowar #2 Review (Valiant)

Writer: Matt Kindt

Art Team: Tomas Giorello, Diego Rodriguez,

Valiant Comics

Release Date: April 26, 2017

Cover Price: $3.99

… It’s The One Armed Man!

I’ve done my personal best to champion this Valiant title, both past and present iterations, to all the members in the Get Fresh Crew (whoop whoop) and much to my delight it seems to be catching on. Everyone who has dipped their toes into X-O’s waters has come out the other side loving the experience. If you’re still on the fence well last issue you missed Aric, our title character, being unwittingly recruited into a war he has no business being involved in. The results were nothing short of spectacular, as we watched poor X-O forced to tear his way through this battlefield, only to find out the war has only just begun, thus has to call on his old friend, Shanhara his sentient alien armor, for help one more time.  Interested yet?  Well I think the issue here may be illiteracy then.  For the rest of you join me inside and let’s see how our main man Aric keeps on keeping on.

Weird Science DC Comics Podcast Spotlight: The Flash #21 (The Button Part 2)

Jim and Eric talk all about the Flash #21 this spotlight.  Do they like, love or hate the Button Part 2?  Check it out and find out.  If you like what you hear, tune into their main podcast where they talk every DC book that came out this week...and so much more!

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week 4/26/17

Heroes Triumphant, Heroes in Peril, and Lobo

Boy, there was quite a batch of great covers on some DC Comics this week, whittling this list down to five was rough. Luckily, my professionally arbitrary method prevailed and I was able to refine it to a definitive list that cannot be disputed. But before we check those out, I want to give Honorable Mentions to the variant covers for Hellblazer #9, based on M.C. Escher's Hand With Reflecting Sphere, and Doom Patrol #6, adapted from the psychedelic cover to Doom Patrol vol. 1 #119, because I just like it when art parodies or pays homage to other art. And heck, while we're here, let me give a nod to Chris Burnham's variant for Teen Titans #7, because I happen to like it a lot. But it didn't make the cut! Read on to find out which ones did!

Batman/The Shadow #1 Review

Swirling Shadows, Mystifying Misdirections

Story by: Scott Snyder and Steve Orlando
Art by: Riley Rossmo
Colours by: Ivan Plascencia
Letters by: Clem Robins
Published by: DC Comics/Dynamite
Cover price: $3.99

The idea of a crossover series featuring Batman and The Shadow is, on the surface, a no-brainer. The two characters are both alter egos of extraordinarily rich men who deploy an array of resources – both technological and human – to fight crime. Both operate in the shadows, both routinely break the law, and both struggle with their pasts. And both are multi-media properties who have their roots in the pulp era. While Batman has undoubtedly eclipsed The Shadow in popularity, it’s worth remembering that, in the late 30s, The Shadow was appearing in a range of media (including a radio serial starring Orson Welles) and that Batman co-creator Bill Finger has readily acknowledged The Shadow’s influence on the development of the ‘dark knight’. Batman’s debut story, Finger has also admitted, was heavily influenced by a Shadow tale. With all this in mind, seeing The Shadow and Batman work side by side is an intriguing – if not outright mouth-watering – prospect. But that isn’t what we get…

Kamandi Challenge #4 Review and **SPOILERS**

Everybody Wants a Piece of the Last Boy on Earth

Writer: James Tynion IV 

Artist: Carlos D’Anda 

Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb 

Letterer: Clem Robins 

Cover Artists: Paul Pope & Lovern Kindzierski 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: April 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

With this issue, we are one-third through the Kamandi Challenge, and I have been enjoying it quite a lot! Mind you, I am a weirdo, but it has been handled by some great talent and the issues have been of good quality. Just a little weird, is all. So why wait? Let’s check out my review of the Kamandi Challenge #4, right here!

Mother Panic #6 Review and **SPOILERS**

Pretty gets around


Mother Panic #7
"Broken Things, Part 3"
Written by: Jody Houser
Art by: Shawn Crystal
Colors by: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letters by: John Workman and Shawn Crystal
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 26, 2017

Wow, we're six issues in... and two-stories down.  Gotta say, I really enjoy these shorter story arcs.

Let's get right down to it.

Action Comics #978 Review and *SPOILERS*

Making The Pieces Fit

Written By: Dan Jurgens

Art By: Carlo Barberi, Matt Santorelli, Hi-Fi, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Ever since the Reborn arc all we've wanted are some answers to what it meant when the Blue and Red energies of Superman combined and the Universe apparently changed according to Mr. Oz, but up until this point all we've gotten is Superman not really remembering what happened and also him not wanting to talk to Lois about it.  Yeah, that's a big kick in the teeth and then in the previous issue we had ourselves a big recap to Superman's origin and besides for Lex apparently being in Smallville when Clark and Lana were kids, I didn't really see anything that would allude to big changes happening to the world we've come to know since the New 52 began.  Hopefully that all changes here and we get some real answers going forward............ Not to mention, seeing all kinds of big bads like we had going on in the previous issue.  That's right, someone is gathering up some of Superman's baddest villains and even though the Metallo that we saw getting recruited might have been a tell-tale sign of how the Universe changed, since it wasn't the New 52 version, I still wanted more of an explanation....... Hopefully we get one.  Let's check it out.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #19 Review and **SPOILERS**

Sinestro Jr. Makes the Scene

Writer: Robert Vendetti 

Penciller: V. Ken Marion 

Inker: Dexter Vines 

Colorist: Dinei Ribiero 

Letterer: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, Tomeu Morey 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: April 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Now that the Green Lantern Corps and the Sinestro Corps are working together, do you think they’ll have to come up with a unified ring color? I vote for olive. The Olive Lantern Corps. And what do you think the lantern looks like? An olive! If the world is indeed just and people good, someone talented has stolen that idea and is drawing it up right now. And they should send those drawings to this site, at weirdsciencedccomics@gmail.com. For inspiration, check out my review of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #19!

Teen Titans #7 Review and **SPOILERS**

Breaking into the Rock

Teen Titans #7
"The Rise of Aqualad, Part Two"

Story and Words: Benjamin Percy
Pencils: Khoi Pham
Breakdowns: Phil Hester
Inks: Wade Von Grawbadger
Colors: Jim Charalampidis
Letters: Corey Breen
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 26, 2017 

Hey, it's Teen Titans... and DC just announced that there will be a live-action series.  When I hear that, all I can think of his "Man it's going to be annoying to Google the Teen Titans from now on."

Anyhoo, let's see if we can't get us a sixth member.

Detective Comics #955 Review

When You Wish Upon a (Morning)Star

Written by: James Tynion IV
Art by: Marcio Takara, Marcello Maiolo and Sal Cipriano

Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 25, 2017

While I enjoyed the beginning of the League of Shadows story, I have to admit, it's starting to drag for me.  It's not the story itself that's the most to blame, it's the fact that James Tynion has whittled down the team to basically one person now...Cassandra Cain.  Yea, I love Cassandra, but the other thing I loved about this book was a team of crazy characters.  Hopefully, the team is back in full force soon, but for now, I will have to sit back and watch Cassandra being awesome.  Is that enough for me to give this issue top marks?  Let's see...

Wonder Woman #21 Review and *SPOILERS*

Themyscira or Bust

Written By: Greg Rucka

Art By: Liam Sharp, Laura Martin, Hi-Fi

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: April 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Where I've been loving the Godwatch story and the incredible way it's been making you feel for Veronica Cale and the desperation she felt to make her become the villain she's become, I have to say that the Truth just seems to be spinning its wheels while slowing making its way to a conclusion.  Yeah, I love Liam Sharp's art in this part of the series, but that can only make up for so much when we spent issue after issue with Diana just sitting in an institution, talking to a snake in her arm until she was just cured out of nowhere when Ferdinand showed up.  Yeah, it's been a little rough, but hopefully things pick up here since in our previous issue we ended with Colonel Poison shooting Wonder Woman through her back.  Let's jump into this issue and see if our hero survives or if this title will take a weird turn.  Let's check it out.

Suicide Squad #16 Review and **SPOILERS**

Lull Lex With Sex

Story: Rob Williams 

Pencils: Tony S. Daniel 

Inks: Sandu Florea 

Colors: Tomeu Morey 

Lettering: Pat Brosseau 

Cover: Daniel and Florea with Morey 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: April 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

New arc, new artist! That’s right, I said “artist!” As in one artist, no wacky back-ups or switcheroos here. So let’s not dally, shall we? Check out my review of Suicide Squad #16, right here!

Justice League of America #5 Review and *SPOILERS*

Weapons Of The Gods

Written By: Steve Orlando

Art By: Andy MacDonald, John Rauch, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: April 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Here at Weird Science, we've come to say that the first arc of any Rebirth series is something of a way for the writer to get their footing for what's to come because besides for a few instances, the first arcs have been a bit rough and with that in mind, I really hope that that's the case with this series because goddamn did the last arc not really go anywhere that I wanted to go.  Yeah, it started out with some promise and some cool ideas, but by the end it petered and left me just wondering....... why?  So yeah, when last we left our heroes, they had defeated the Earth-8 Extremists and brought freedom to an entire country.  Let's jump into this issue and see where our next arc takes us and see if the series can get better than it's been.  Let's check it out.

Doom Patrol #6 Review and **SPOILERS**

Jane, Stop This Crazy Thing

Writer: Gerard Way 

Penciller & Cover: Nick Derington 

Inker: Tom Fowler 

Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain 

Letterer: Todd Klein 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: April 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I wish I could say that my enthusiasm for this issue wasn’t tempered by its lateness, and the knowledge that we won’t see another from this series until July (written and drawn by the Allreds!), but I can’t. I do love this comic, but I think I would have been much more satisfied to read it all at once. Oh well, what’s done is done I suppose, and I’m certainly still interested to know what happens between the Doom Patrol and the Spectra and DannyLand and everything else! So let’s check out the back of the ambulance once again in my review of Doom Patrol #6!

Batgirl #10 Review and **SPOILERS**

Asshole Son, Won’t You Come

Script: Hope Larson 

Pencils & Cover: Chris Wildgoose 

Inks: Jon Lam 

Colors: Mat Lopes 

Letters: Deron Bennett 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: April 26, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

It’s something to see how dating and general communication has changed so drastically in such a short span of time. I remember when video dating—that’s recording a monologue on VHS tapes brokered by a self-appointed matchmaker—was considered so “out there,” now people can flip through and rate a few dozen profiles while waiting for their fast food order to be done. I guess making snap judgments about one another based on curated visual representation is the last moment before robot takeover. Welcome our Terminator overlords! But first, check out my review of Batgirl #10, right here!

The Hellblazer #9 Review and **SPOILERS**

Hoisted By His Own Petard

Writer: Simon Oliver 

Penciller: Davide Fabbri 

Inker: José Marzan Jr., Karl Kesel 

Colorist: Carrie Strachan 

Lettering: Sal Cipriano 

Cover Artist: Declan Shalvey with Jordie Bellaire 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: April 26, 2017

**NON SPOILER AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Once more into the breach, folks. I didn’t really understand the last issue, perhaps this will provide some clarification. I’d offer more glib meaninglessness, but I’d only be forestalling the inevitable. Let’s take a look at my review of The Hellblazer #9. Right right?

Batman Beyond #7 Review and *SPOILERS*

Batman's Night Off

Written By: Dan Jurgens

Art By: Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo, Travis Lanham

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Goddamn did I get pissed off at the end of the previous issue when the Bat Signal went up in the sky and Terry McGinnis simply scoffed at it because he wanted to get into Dana's pants.  Yeah, maybe he had deeper reasons on why he decided that he couldn't be Batman 24/7, but from my perspective...... at least how I think I'd act, I'm thinking that he's just had a dry spell for awhile and wanted to get all romantic with Dana while Barbara Gordon and Curare got themselves killed by the League of Assassins.  Hopefully things don't go that far and Terry snaps out of doing the dumb shit and saves them because finding out that people died because Batman refused to be Batman would just be a downer to the point where I think everyone would lose respect for Terry's Batman.  Let's jump into this issue and find out and hopefully discover what's up with his prototype Bat suit and why Bruce says that it will eventually kill Terry.  Let's check it out.

Blue Beetle #8 Review and *SPOILERS*

El Paso's A Scary-Ass Place

Written By: Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis

Art By: Scott Kolins, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Josh Reed

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 26, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

The biggest problem that this series has faced.......... you know, besides for throwing all the continuity we had going from the New 52 away, is that the dialog has felt off and even came across like watching a Gilmore Girls episode while they were on speed.  No one had any real time to talk because the other person in the panel was always interrupting with little quips and jabs at the original person speaking and it went back and forth like this to the point where I wanted to pull my damn hair out.  Yeah, there's been other problems too, but hopefully with J.M. DeMatteis taking over script duties on this title, the dialog won't be the biggest anymore.  When we last left this series, Jaime had the scarab ripped from his back and Ted and him escaped the battle between Doctor Fate and the monster-ed up scarab before the power of that battle could unleash the big bad of this arc, Arion, who's been trapped in a prison beneath El Paso for thousands of years.  Let's jump into this issue and see if Arion has mellowed since Doctor Fate imprisoned him all those years ago or if Jaime losing his powers at this point is the worst thing to ever happen to this Texas city.  Let's check it out.

The Flash #21 Review

Won't Get Fooled Again

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Howard Porter, Hi-Fi and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 26, 2017

Part two of the Button is here and while I may have come off as a Negative Nancy by only giving the first part (in Batman #21) an 8.5/10, I really enjoyed it.  The fight between Batman and Reverse Flash was epic and the cliffhanger was crazy, sexy, cool!  So, how does Joshua Williamson top what Tom King gave us?  I don't know, but he's got big shoes to fill continuing the story.  Does he fill them and some?  Let's find out...

PREVIEW: Action Comics #978

Written By: Dan Jurgens

Art By: Carlo Barberi, Matt Santorelli, Hi-Fi, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: April 26, 2017

“Superman Reborn Aftermath” part two! Superman’s life has been changed, some good is back, but the bad is back as well—with a vengeance! As Superman’s allies gather to address the looming threat of Mr. Oz, another Squad seeks revenge against the Man of Steel—and you won’t believe who made the team!

Man, oh man, I hope that this issue finally gives us all those sweet, sweet answers that we've all been looking for since the Superman: Reborn arc because right now I have no idea how the DC Universe works when it deals with Superman....... and the Continuity Kid needs himself some understanding and satisfaction.