The American Way: Those Above and Those Below #5 Review and ***SPOILERS***

Bring On The Fire

Written by: John Ridley
Art by: Georges Jeanty, John Livesay, Le Beau Underwood, Nick Filardi, and Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 3, 2018

***NON-SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM***

I'll admit that I haven't been the biggest fan of this series up to this point. Every issue had at least been written fairly well, even if not in an entertaining way. That is, up until the last issue. After the fourth issue, I am pretty much checked out for the rest of this series. I think the series has been boring and the dialogue has been heavy-handed, so unless something surprises me in this, I'm not looking forward to finishing out the final issue.

Youngblood #8 Review

Blood on the tracks

Written by: Chad Bowers
Art by: Jim Towe
Colors: Juan Manuel Rodríguez
Letters: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image
Release Date: 10 January 2018
Reviewed by: Andrew McAvoy

This issue of Youngblood welcomes in 2018 with a new recruit and an all-new mission. It's been described in Image Comic's trailer for the issue as "the perfect jumping-on point for new readers!". Is it? Let's find out.

Witchblade #2 Review

Witchy Woman

Written by: Caitlin Kittredge
Art by: Roberta Ingranata and Bryan Valenza
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: 10 January 2017
Reviewed by: Andrew McAvoy

In the last issue of this title we saw Alex assume the role of the Witchblade's new host. As we enter issue 2 she finds she's now the prime suspect in the death of an NYPD detective. Not just any old NYPD detective - this dude had powerful and corrupt friends who will do anything to keep his shady business quiet. Let's see how this issue played out.

Injustice 2 #40 Review

Injustice 2 #40 Review

Writer: Tom Taylor
Art Team: Bruno Redondo, Juan Albarran, Rex Lokus
Marvel Comics
Release Date: January 9, 2017
Cover Price: $.99

Kon Do Attitude

Injustice 2 has been moving at a breakneck pace lately. There have been introductions, reintroductions, and the killings of several characters, all while Tom Taylor dropped several huge reveals to boot. Every week you open the pages of this book and you're never sure what may happen. Lets see if the unexpected continues, and to be honest, I wouldn't want it any other way. Join me.

Flash #38 Review

Cold Shot

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Scott Kolins, Hi-Fi, and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018


The Flash has really picked up the pace lately and that's not just a half assed attempt at a pun.  Since Rebirth, Joshua Williamson's best work has been outside the normal run of Flash, while this book kind of spun it's wheels because of that.  Recently, however, he has brought his game to his main book and it's been pretty fun.  It doesn't hurt that the Rogues are back, but I still worry they might fizzle out like the last time we saw them.  So, does this issue continue letting the good times roll?  Let's find out...

Deadman #3 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Am I My Brother’s Peeper?

Written, Drawn and Colored By: Neal Adams 

Lettered By: Clem Robins 

Cover By: Neal Adams 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: January 10, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Okay, brace yourselves: we’re going back into a Neal Adams miniseries. Some of you won’t be coming back in one piece. Some of you may not be coming back at all. But you’re all brave, and just to have the mental fortitude to withstand a Neal Adams comic makes you heroes in my eyes. I am proud to call you my brothers and sisters. Let us not dally! Carry on to my review of Deadman #3, right here!

New Super-Man #19 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Stay in Your Laney

Writer: Mariko Tamaki 

Penciller: Brent Peeples 

Inks: Richard Friend 

Colors: Hi-Fi 

Letters: Dave Sharpe 

Cover By: Philip Tan and Rain Beredo 

Cover Price: $3.99

On Sale Date: January 10, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Here’s a special one-off issue not written by Gene Luen Yang, while he prepares to re-launch this series as New Super-Man and the Justice League of China. And I’m fine with that! If ever a series earned its “Day in the Life” issue, it’s New Super-Man. I expect this will be a chilled-out issue with no conflicts or problems whatsoever! Dive right into the soothing viscosity of my review for New Super-Man #19, right here!

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #36 Review and **SPOILERS**

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I’m Surprised This Old Thing Still Fits

Writer: Robert Vendetti 

Pencils: Jack Herbert and Jose Luis 

Inks: Herbert, Mick Gray, Cam Smith 

Colorist: Jason Wright 

Letterer: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Francis Manapul 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: January 10, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Do you think Hal Jordan would be as popular if his name was “Al Jorham?”

Check out my review of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #36, just below!

Suicide Squad #33 Review and **SPOILERS**

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The Dependable Expendable

Writer: Si Spurrier 

Penciller: Fernando Pasarin 

Inker: Oclair Albert 

Colors: Blond 

Lettering: Pat Brosseau 

Cover: Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira & Adriano Lucas 

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: January 10, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

The psychic cosmic dinosaur Red Wave is done and dusted…I think, and now we begin a new story arc. What will it bring? A roster change-up? A ROSTER CHANGE-UP??? For Christmas sakes, this book needs a rejiggering. And maybe it’s happened, with a new writer and the dawn of a new yarn! So let’s ignore the pouters and the doubters (me) and have a look at my review of Suicide Squad #33, right here!

Ragman #4 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Pull the Strings

Writer: Ray Fawkes 

Artist: Inaki Miranda 

Colorist: Eva de la Cruz 

Letterer: Josh Reed 

Cover: Guillem March & Rain Beredo 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: January 10, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Wow, are we already four issue in on this six-issue miniseries? I would have expected to have a lot more to say in an introduction by this point. And the fourth issue is usually the dud in these sorts of affairs…well, let’s not put the pessimistic cart before our miserable horse, proceed on to my review of Ragman #4 and find out if my misgivings are warranted! Which you know they are. I mean, come on.

Superwoman #18 Review and **SPOILERS**

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The Power to Not Have Powers Was Inside of You All Along

Writer: Perkins 

Pencils: Max Raynor 

Inks: Jaime Mendoza and Scott Hanna 

Colors: Hi-Fi 

Letters: Carlos M. Mangual 

Cover: Phil Jimenez with Stephen Downer 

Cover Price: $3.99

On Sale Date: January 10, 2018

**SCORE AND NON SPOILERS AT THE BOTTOM**

I just wrote a review for Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner’s final issue of Harley Quinn, but that series will continue under the keyboard of Frank Tieri and, ostensibly, whoever writes it in this future. Superwoman, on the other hand, is ending. And this is the last issue! I wonder if we’ll feel relief or regret. You can find out how I feel in my review of Superwoman #18, right here!

Harley Quinn #34 Review and **SPOILERS**

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A Little Leftover Business in Florida

Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner 

Artists: John Timms, Chad Hardin 

Colors: Alex Sinclair 

Letters: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Amanda Conner & Paul Mounts 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: January 10, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

A couple of weeks ago, I made a big stink about how Harley Quinn #33 was Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti’s final issue on the series. Turns out I was completely wrong about that! Issue #34 is their final issue, and the very one that I’ve reviewed right here! Read on!

Harley Quinn Be Careful What You Wish For Special Edition #1 Review and **SPOILERS**

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When You Wish Upon a Fart

Writers: Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti 

Artists: Amanda Conner with Chad Hardin, Otto Schmidt, Ben Caldwell 

Color: Paul Mounts, Alex Sinclair 

Letters: John J. Hill & Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Amanda Conner & Paul Mounts 

Cover Price: $4.99

On Sale Date: January 10, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Hey, here’s a thing we weren’t expecting! It’s the issue that came with some special Loot Crate last year, plus an extra comic jammed in at the front! So if you were a Loot Create subscriber and already had this exclusive issue, say goodbye to your exclusivity. And if you’re a rabid Harley Quinn collector looking to scrounge every last appearance of the character, prepare to acquire this one again! Everything’s coming up Harley in Harley Quinn: Be Careful What You Wish For #1! And I’ve reviewed it, right here!

Supergirl #17 Review

Save the Last Dance

Written by: Steve Orlando and Jody Houser
Art by: Robson Rocha, Julio Ferreira, Daniel Henriques, Michael Atiyeh and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018

I have been more excited for this book since Jody Houser jumped on, but I am still waiting for that issue that gets me full onboard. This book is all about Kara vs Supergirl...with the DEO after her and the National against her, it looks like Kara is going to have to be super without flying around, flashing her "S" and cape.  I'm all for that if done right.  I mean, she can still be a super girl without being Supergirl, right?  Well, let's see how that works out this month...

Mister Miracle #6 Review

Renovate This!

Written by: Tom King
Art by: Mitch Gerads and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018

Thus far, I have spent my reviews of Mister Miracle trying to attach a score to my utter failure to see what everyone else sees in this book.  Maybe that's not the case, however, as I've grabbed some quotes from actual reviews.  "I’m not sure what the heck is going on.", "I’m not entirely sure what I’m reading" and "I can't say I completely get what's going on with this series" are just three that I found quickly.  The problem is, these reviewers also claim this is a book for the ages or at least the best of 2017.  What?!?!  This is my problem...how can you give perfect scores to an issue when you don't know what's going on in that issue?  I am just about to chalk it up to mass hysteria the likes that hasn't been seen since the Hollinwell Incident, but I just think it boils down to reviewers wanting to look smart and gambling that Tom King will prove them right in the end.  Well, I am anything but smart and my momma didn't raise no gambling man so I will stick with what got me to the dance...I will read this issue and give a score based on the writing and the pretty pictures in this issue.  Call me crazy, but here it goes...

Detective Comics #972 Review

Riding Dirty

Written by: James Tynion IV
Art by: Miguel Mendonca, Diana Egan, Jason Wright and Sal Cipriano
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 10, 2017

I guess it's time for everyone who jumped on this book to see the redemption of Clayface to prepare for the worst.  Last issue's cliffhanger, while looking cool, may have been the beginning of the end of good guy Clayface and while that breaks my heart a bit, it could lead to some pretty cool plot points and that's something this book is in desperate need of right now.  I have not kept it secret that I am not interested in the Victim Syndicate in the least and most of the guys and gals I've talked to feel the same way.  So, does this issue make Clayface the bad guy again and possibly get closer to saying goodbye to the VS once and for all?  Let's find out...

Justice League of America #22 Review

When you Wish...


Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Neil Edwards, Daniel Henriques, Hi-Fi, and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018

It's JLA time again and when the book pops up in my review pile, I am always wondering which one it will be that week.  Will it be the over-the-top action book with Lobo calling everyone a trib?  Will it be the SJW book that wants to point out the ills of society while trying to fix them with this team of metas of the people?   Or will it be the character-driven book that delves into this ticking time bomb we call the Justice League of America? I prefer the later, but even then, the track record has been spotty.  So, which one do we get this week?  Let's find out...

Titans #19 Review and *SPOILERS*

Titans No More?

Written By: Dan Abnett

Art By: Paul Pelletier, Andrew Hennessy, Adriano Lucas, Josh Reed

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Our big arc that led up to the revelation that Donna Troy would become a tyrant known as Troia in the future is over and now....... The ramifications.  Yeah, I don't know what to say to catch you up at this point because we're going to deal with a lot of stuff in this issue that really doesn't make a lot of sense overall and never really made a lot of sense leading into the big Troia reveal so let's just jump into this issue of Titans and I'll try to do my best to make it all make sense.  Let's check it out.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #18 Review and *SPOILERS*

Always Let Your Pup Pup Be Your Guide

Written By: Scott Lobdell

Art By: Sergio Sandoval, Juan Albarran, Michael Atiyeh, Taylor Esposito

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

I'm really hoping that this issue of our Smarty-Pants Bizarro arc picks things up because each issue we get just seems to be the next in a line of one off adventures that seems to be some sort of master plan of Bizarro's, but I just can't see all of the connective tissue that's supposed to be there to get from point A to point B.  I mean, we had the Gotham Knights kidnap Bizarro and then kick the shit out of the Outlaws so that they would get sent to Belle Reve and then the Outlaws teaming up with the Suicide Squad to save the world from a deteriorating power source in an old NOWHERE facility, which looks like Bizarro was able to grab himself some more Kryptonite to keep himself smart........ but at the end of the day, I just don't know why Bizarro just didn't go and grab this shit on his own.  Maybe we'll get that here, but really, I just want a story that gets back to the heart that this series had, even if that means Smarty-Pants Bizarro not being on the up and up.  Let's jump into this issue and see what our Outlaws are up to this month.  Let's check it out.

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #18 Review and *SPOILERS*

Let's Talk About The Weather

Written By: Julie Benson, Shawna Benson

Art By: Marcio Takara, Jordan Boyd, Dezi Sienty

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey was one of those books when announced at Rebirth that I thought could be something wonderful because....... Well, because I had hated the Batgirl book before and because we hadn't had a Birds of Prey book in awhile so in my mind it was a win-win because it had to be better than what we were getting...... and it is, but it's still not a great book and this entire run so far has been pretty lackluster to forgettable.  I hate to come off like a negative Nancy, but I just want so much more out of this book and every threat that our heroes take on seems silly or just forced to a conclusion.  I'm sad to say that it seems that we're going to get more out of that here with this one-shot.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Action Comics #995 Review and *SPOILERS*

Secret Origins: Booster Gold

Written By: Dan Jurgens

Art By: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dalhouse, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $2.99 

Release Date: January 10, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Where this story about Superman going back to Krypton before it exploded so he could find out about who's manipulating time and whether or not Jor-El survived the destruction started really interesting and then became even more interesting in my mind when Booster Gold was added has quickly become a bit lackluster since we had to throw in wonky time travel nonsense that's been running rampant in the DCU lately.  Don't get me wrong though, I'm a huge fan of time travel, but when every book it seems is using it and coming up with new ideas of how time works and the ever convoluted element of Hypertime is included........ Well, it just loses its fun and while I hope that this story concludes on a positive note, it seems so far removed from where we started now, what with going to an alternate Krypton and now heading to Gotham City in the 25th Century, that I just can't see it righting its course.  Let's check this out though and see if I'm wrong.

The Wild Storm: Michael Cray #4 - Review and Spoilers

Wham, Bam, Thank You…

Written by: Bryan Hill with Warren Ellis
Art by: Larry Hama, N Steven Harris, Andy Owens and Dexter Vines
Colours by: Dearbhla Kelly
Letters by: Simon Bowland
Cover Price: $3.99


The Michael Cray series is proving to be an interesting experiment, but perhaps not quite the one its creators had in mind when they first conceived it. As the first spin-off series from Warren Ellis and Jon Davis-Hunt's The Wild Storm, it represented an opportunity to expand the Wild Storm universe significantly, perhaps tying into the larger ongoing narrative of the main series in interesting ways. This isn't quite how things have turned out. Instead, the focus has been on Michael Cray assassinating damaged alternate versions of DC characters and, only a few issues in, the formula already has a distinct whiff of staleness about it. The series does rather pose the question of precisely how long a very good idea can be mined before it's outlived its usefulness. The answer appears to be… not very long at all. But, I may be wrong. Perhaps things will start looking up with this issue. Let's find out, eh?

Wonder Woman #38 Review and *SPOILERS*

How To Make Villains and Influence People

Written By: James Robinson

Art By: Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Saida Temofonte

Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

While I waited for what felt like forever to get Jason into this book so that we could find out more about Wonder Woman's secret twin brother, I have to tell you that I left that arc feeling sadly underwhelmed.  Hopefully now, since it seems like Jason is going to be sticking around in this book we'll get a true look at the sibling who got the shaft, but first let's take a look at what this issue has to offer us in the form of the re-imagining of Silver Swan.  Let's check it out.

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Weird Science DC Comics Podcast Ep 157: DC Comics, Sick Days and Robot Takeover

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PREVIEW: Detective Comics #972

Written by: James Tynion IV
Art by: Miguel Mendonca, Diana Egan, Jason Wright and Sal Cipriano
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 10, 2018

“Fall Of The Batmen” part four! Batman might have overpowered the Victim Syndicate, but they had one last surprise for him: a secret weapon that’s made one of his strongest rogues nearly unstoppable!