Weird Science DC Comics: 2017-07-16

Saturday, July 22, 2017

American Gods: Shadows #5 Review and Spoilers

Monsters and Gods

Written by: Neil Gaiman and P Craig Russell
Art by: P Craig Russell and Scott Hampton and Rick Parker
Cover Price: $3.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: July 12, 2017

Dark Horse’s American Gods has, after an initially underwhelming start, become a comic to which I rather look forward each month. This adaptation has been very much a slow burn up to now, but there are deepening mysteries beginning to unfold and characters being introduced who are quirky and distinctive enough to hold the attention even while the questions swirl around the reader’s head. In this issue, Shadow’s journey down the rabbit hole continues apace and shows no sign of letting up. Step into the madness…

Cat Got Your Tongue?

Written by: David Pepose
Art By: Jorge Santiago, Jr., Jasen Smith, and Colin Bell
Cover Price: $3.99
Publisher: Action Lab Comics
Release Date: July 19, 2017

With Spencer & Locke coming to a surprise end ( which is only a surprise to me as I mostly jump into reviewing some of these series without knowing much about them and do my best to avoid any kind of solicitation talk), I’m looking forward to wrapping this mystery up. Although the series hasn’t been all highs, I think it’s done a great job of using a well-known and beloved comic strip to broach the subject of imaginary friends and coping mechanisms we use to find solace in the more traumatic sides of our lives. With that being said I can’t help but be a bit disappointment in how the mystery itself has been handled as it seems to take a backseat to having surprise endings and focusing more on the emotional coping aspect. So let’s jump in and see how the series wraps up.

Written by: Warren Ellis
Art by: Jon Davis-Hunt, Steve Buccellato and John Kalisz
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 19, 2017

Aaaand… I was right. It doesn’t happen very often so allow me to bask in my own self-reflected glory just for a moment. As I guessed last month, this issue does indeed open with the kind of action sequence to make Michael Bay go weak at the knees. It’s been a long wait (since issue 1 actually), but we finally get to see Deathblow in action and, bloody hell, it is brutally, gorily glorious. But, this issue isn’t just about Michael Cray putting the beatdown on two hapless IO goons. There’s a lot more going on here and I suggest you buckle up. There’s a lot to take in.

It's time for a spotlight on Batman #27. It's a Kite Man origin story...does that mean Hell Yea? Let's find out...

Injustice 2 #15 Review

Written by: Tom Taylor
Art by: Bruno Redondo, Juan Albaran, Rex Lokus and Wes Abbott
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: July 18, 2017

The previous issue had me pretty pumped, as we got a lot of action with the two parties coming to their first big confrontation. Then to find out it’s mostly just a distraction as they pull off the twisted idea of stealing the decaying body of Alfred with the intentions of resurrecting him. Then to add insult to macabre injury part of the crew makes off with Dina, Ollie and Black Lightning’s children. I look forward to hopping into this issue and seeing just where these threads lead, so take a look after the jump and see my thoughts.

Two Aquamen, Two Jorges

There was some really great artwork gracing the fronts of DC Comics this week! Paring them down into the five best was really difficult--so I didn't! Two covers wound up in a rare tie, and they were both from the same book! Which book was it? You'll have to read on to find out!

Infinite Deliciousness

Written by: Tony Bedard

Art by: Tom Derenick, Trevor Scott, Hi-Fi and Carlos M. Mangual
Cover Price: FREE
Release Date: July 5, 2016

I have to thank Taylor for "making" me read and review both of the KFC Presents books which have to be among the zaniest DC Comic crossovers ever. The first book (Colonel of Both Worlds) featured the evil Colonel Sunder from Earth-3, coming to our Universe to take it over by making chicken "the easy way", but as everyone knows, that just don't fly. The Colonel, with help from Flash, was able to defeat Sunder and the book ended with him heading back to his Earth, "where things make more sense". Well, if I've learned anything in life, it's that KFC is delicious and bad guys always come back for more evil doing! So, the book I never thought would be made got a sequel and that leads us to the matter at hand...my review for KFC Presents: Colonel Corps - Crisis of Infinite Colonels #1. Does it continue being a finger lickin' good time or did Tony Bedard and crew try to make it the easy way? Let's find out...

THE COLONEL

Written by: Shane Edwards and Tony Bedard
Art by: Tom Derenick, Trevor Scott, Hi-Fi and Deron Bennett
Cover Price: Free
Release Date: October 7, 2015

Way back in 2015, I was planning on reviewing this book and for one reason or another (laziness), I never did. So, when my my Taylor sent out a message on Twitter that he was surprised we never reviewed it, I thought he was wrong at first and then found out what his girlfriend must know by now...Taylor is never wrong! Well, I am going to rectify the situation by reviewing this book and I'll tell you right now, it's not as silly as it appears. Is that a good thing? Let's find out...

Batwoman #5 Review and SPOILERS

Fill in the Blanks

Written By: Marguerite Bennett, James Tynion IV
Art By: Stephanie Hans
Letters By: Deron Bennett
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Just when I thought there was a light at the end of the tunnel, I read the solicitation for this issue and realized that it was not the beginning of a new story arc but rather an epilogue issue for the first story arc. Needless to say, this entire series so far has been a major disappointment and I’m desperate to move on to the next story arc but I’m forced to remain on the island of Coryana for what seems to be an eternity. However, I must come into this issue with an open mind and judge it accordingly but when I think of this series so far, the word that comes to mind is lazy. For most of the first arc we saw the same fight over and over again with a list of unmemorable characters and some vague flashbacks thrown in. At least we’ve had Epting’s art up to now but even that has begun to decline in quality. That said, lets just jump right into this issue and see if it can surprise us.

Where we’re going, we don’t need Bat computers

Story and Art by: Lee Allred, Michael Allred, Laura Allred
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Cover: Michael and Laura Allred
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 19, 2017
Review by: Ryan Douglas

I haven't paid any attention to the ‘66 titles up until now. But this particular title got my attention, based on the creative team behind the scene, working their magic. That alone gave me a reason to finally give this series a go. Even the pairing on the two teams, makes the possibilities endless of wacky adventures to take our characters on. I turned off my modern comic reading eyes to visit a time of the past, going in with a open mind and remembering things could get bonkers….

Green With Wonder

Written by: Ben Percy
Art by: Jamal Campbell and Nate Piekos
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 19, 2017

I have gone back and forth with this book during Rebirth. It has consistently great art and while the start had me wondering why Ben Percy didn't give us these stories in the New 52, it hasn't been great since. The main problem is it is starting to feel a bit stale, but hitting the road maybe just what the doctor ordered. I may not have been a huge fan of last issue, but I'm hoping Wonder Woman changes my latitude and attitude. Let's find out if she does...

I Want Mercy

Written by: Francis Manapul
Art by: Francis Manapul, Scott Hanna, Scott Godlewski, Wil Quintana, Blond and Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 19, 2017

I love Francis Manapul's art. I love it so, so, so much. You can say that I am a Francis Manapul fanboy. That's why it pains me so much that I don't like this book. Granted, I love the art, but the book itself has been issue after issue of disjointed and unnecessary storytelling that has gone nowhere at all. The current Dead Space story is more of the same up to this point...all art/no story and I hope Manapul can somehow pull out a Doug Flutie hail marry to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Well, does he? Let's find out...

Aquaman #26 Review and SPOILERS

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Say, You Look an Awful Lot Like Aquaman

Story: Dan Abnett

Art, Color and Cover: Stjepan Sejic

Lettering: Steve Wands

Cover Price: $3.99

On Sale Date: July 19, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I could go into a long preamble about the current story in Aquaman, what I expect, my hopes and dreams for comic books and life in general. But Stjepan Sejic drew this issue. So let’s not delay and hop right in!

Ten > Teen

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

Super Sons has been one of my favorite books since it came out, but I am starting to teeter a bit. The problem isn't the character, which I love, but the overuse of their bickering and fighting. I understand that they need to become friends and it's a nice amalgam of their dads...but please, let's put it behind us and get to the good stuff! Hopefully, with the Kid Amazo stuff behind us, we can get just that...the good stuff. Does it all begin this issue? Let's find out...

Your Mommy’s Alright, Your Daddy’s Alright, They Just Seem a Little Bit Weird

Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner

Artist: John Timms, Joseph Michael Linsner

Colors: Jeremiah Skipper

Letters: Dave Sharpe

Back-Up Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Paul Dini

Back-Up Pencils: Bret Blevins

Back-Up Inks: J. Bone

Back-Up Colors: Alex Sinclair

Cover: Amanda Conner & Alex Sinclair

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: July 20, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Okay, so what’s going on right now? Harley’s parents are hanging around, the Mayor is going to kill the Chief of Police, Harley Sinn wants to kill the mayor…is that everything? Oh yeah, Red Tool is joining up with Poison Ivy to throw a surprise party for Harley and there’s that girl from the future that’s supposed to be fighting crime or something? I think that covers everything currently happening in the Harley Quinn title right now. Plus a Paul Dini/Bret Blevins back-up that’s largely inoffensive. So what will we get this issue? Let’s find out, right now!

Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #10 Review and SPOILERS

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Mister Carson Was My Father

Written By: Jon Rivera

Story By: Gerard Way & Jon Rivera

Art & Cover By: Michael Avon Oeming

Interior & Cover Colors By: Nick Filardi

Letters By: Clem Robins

Cover Price: $3.99

On Sale Date: July 19, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

For the last few issues, I’ve been thinking this series should be re-titled Cave Carson Had a Cybernetic Eye, but the way things left off last time, he could get it back again! It would be cool, if only so we don’t have to keep looking at that gross bloody bandage over his open eye socket anymore. So let’s play comic book opthamologists and check in on Cave Carson’s current ocular health, shall we?

You Can't Stop Shirak

Written by: Bryan Hitch
Art by: Tom Derenick, Andy Owens, Scott Hanna, Trevor Scott, Hi-Fi and Richard Starkings
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 19, 2017

Well, Bryan Hitch is back just in time for the extra sized anniversary issue of Justice League. Maybe I should have put "anniversary" because for the life of me, I'm not sure what it's an anniversary of, especially since we started off Rebirth with two #1 issues. I guess I am too naive to see this is just a way to tack on a few extra pages and up the price by a dollar...or am I??? Oh well, after not getting any Hitch for almost two months, he is back and he is bringing all his Timeless, Kindred, World Breakers (do I need to go on?!?) baggage with him. Does he use the extra pages given to him here to actually tie up one of his stories and make the future of the Justice League look bright? Let's find out, but I'm guessing you won't need to wear shades...

Hell No

Written By: Tom King

Art By: Clay Mann, Danny Miki, John Livesay, Gabe Eltaeb, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: July 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

The War of Jokes and Riddles has been a bit disappointing in my opinion because where we have this really cool concept for a story, we're only shown the least intriguing parts of it, while trying to determine in what world would the Joker, after only being the Joker for what seems like a little under a year would lose his damn sense of humor. Not only that, but the Riddler just spouts off riddles that don't seem to do anything for the story, while the two are setting up for a war that we're only given a single splash page to see............. That's what I want to see damn it, show it! Anyway, when we last left the war, Riddler was getting Poison Ivy on his side, while the Joker was getting the full force of the Falcone crime family on his....... through the Penguin, which I'm guessing is acting in secret on Joker's behalf because even though Carmine was still alive at the end of last issue, his helping the Joker would just seem off. Okay, let's jump into this interlude here and check out the origins of Kite-Man........ for some reason. Let's check it out.

Making A Difference

Written By: Tim Seeley

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

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

When we last stepped into Bludhaven, we saw our hero going through villain after villain on Tiger Shark's submarine as he tried to find himself a way out. Too bad that when he finally reached his destination and was completely pooped from his experience, he found Blockbuster waiting for him and using the escape pod for himself, but not before leaving a bomb for Nightwing and the rest of the Bludhaven outsiders, who he believes he getting rid of to save the city. Yeah, it was a hell of a cliffhanger that made it look like our hero wouldn't survive, but since this is the Nightwing book, we all know different. Let's jump into this issue and see how our hero overcomes and when he does, how he's going to take on Blockbuster. Let's check it out.

Gotta Get Back In Time

Written By: Sam Humphries

Art By: Ronan Cliquet, Hi-Fi, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: July 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

I've said this over and over again, but when the titles for Rebirth were announced, Green Lanterns was the one that I was looking forward to the most and I was willing to fight the rest of the people on this site for the chance to review it. Jump ahead a year later and I don't know what happened to this title that captured my imagination like no other. Right away, the continuity from the New 52, which if you don't know is still relevant to what's going on now, was completely fucked up and while I thought that the series was going to right itself with every new story arc, it only continued to fuck things up more and for some reason decided to keep interrupting our story with strange interludes, which sometimes worked to help get deeper understandings of our characters, but mostly just acted as filler and told us things that we already knew from actually reading the series. I'm still interested in this current arc, even if it's using fucked up continuity because I think the concept is at least interesting, but I'm done thinking that each issue will come out of nowhere and "wow" me because I've been burned too many times. That being said, let's get into this issue, where we previously saw our heroes whisked away, after Volthoom revealed himself to our Lanterns and tried to override Jessica's ring because it was made from the cannibalized pieces of his Travel Lantern, but still acted under Jessica's orders to get her and Simon the hell out of there. Let's see where our Lanterns ended up and what forces they'll have to fight once they're there. Let's check it out.

Holiday Road

Written By: Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason

Art By: Scott Godlewski, Gabe Eltaeb, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: July 19, 2017

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Now that Manchester Black and his Elite were defeated and Superman got to spend some time training Jon in the art of using his powers and saving people, it's time to get into our next arc, where we see the Kent Family heading out on a road trip. Yeah, that's about all I got for you because there isn't a lot of background that you need going into this issue besides for the fact that Superman has been run ragged from all of his recent adventures and even that is made quite apparent by the beginning of this issue. So yeah, let's jump into this issue and see what kind of vacation the Kent Family will have and if anything out of the ordinary will get in their way. Let's check it out.

PREVIEW: Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #10

Go Big or Go Home

Written By: Jon Rivera

Story By: Gerard Way & Jon Rivera

Art & Cover By: Michael Avon Oeming

Interior & Cover Colors By: Nick Filardi

Letters By: Clem Robins

Variant Cover By: Benjamin Dewey

Cover Price: $3.99

On Sale Date: July 19, 2017

Things aren’t just weird for Team Carson, they’re mega- weird, as their trans-dimensional adventure brings them to a world unlike any they have ever seen before (with or without cybernetic enhancement!), filled with sentient plant life and megafauna. Plus, a new installment of “The Wonderful World of Rocks with Marc Bartow” by Mark Russell (THE FLINTSTONES) and Benjamin Dewey (Autumnlands) and “Bane’s Coloring Corner” by Brandon Bird!

I can't wait to see what happens to Cave and Co. in this strange dimension of giants. All we know so far is that they have picnics and give engagement rings! Check out some preview pages for some more clues

Written By: Tom King

Art By: Clay Mann, Danny Miki, John Livesay, Gabe Eltaeb, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: July 19, 2017

“THE WAR OF JOKES AND RIDDLES” part three! The war has spread to every corner of Gotham City, and while Batman battles back the forces of Joker and Riddler, an unlikely criminal becomes the pivotal key to its potential resolution…but it could cost him everything.

How to Raise a Wild Child

Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner
Artist: John Timms, Joseph Michael Linsner
Colors: Jeremiah Skipper
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Back-Up Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Paul Dini
Back-Up Pencils: Bret Blevins
Back-Up Inks: J. Bone
Back-Up Colors: Alex Sinclair
Cover: Amanda Conner & Alex Sinclair
Variant Cover: Frank Cho & Sabine Rich
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: July 20, 2017

“THE PARENT TRAP”! Harley has faced every challenge even she could possibly imagine, but can she survive…a visit from her parents?! And in “Harley Loves Joker” part eight, the duo’s new headquarters comes with some unforeseen complications!

Well, either the solicits have caught up, or they're only two issues behind. Regardless, here's some preview pages to enjoy!

Written By: Sam Humphries

Art By: Ronan Cliquet, Hi-Fi, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: July 19, 2017

“OUT OF TIME” part two! Cast back in time, Jessica and Simon must survive on the savage Earth of ten billion years ago! With a single ring between them, can the Emerald Knights locate the first Green Lanterns?

Written By: Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason

Art By: Scott Godlewski, Gabe Eltaeb, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 19, 2017

“ROAD TRIP” part two! As the Kents’ family road trip takes some strange and unexpected turns that will reveal a foreboding threat reaching out to touch their lives, you can bet that their gonna need a vacation after their vacation!

Written By: Tim Seeley

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

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 19, 2017

“BLOCKBUSTER” part four! In this special oversize issue, the boardwalk is the heart and soul of Blüdhaven, and Tiger Shark and Blockbuster are willing to kill each other and whoever else stands in their way to rule it. Nightwing has to find a way to stop them both or suffer a Blüdhaven ruled by crime!

Navigation

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Monsters and Gods

Cat Got Your Tongue?

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Infinite Deliciousness

THE COLONEL

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Fill in the Blanks

Where we’re going, we don’t need Bat computers

Green With Wonder

I Want Mercy

Ten > Teen

You Can't Stop Shirak

Hell No

Making A Difference

Gotta Get Back In Time

Holiday Road

Tuesday, July 18, 2017