Injustice 2 # 44 Review

Injustice 2 #44

Writer: Tom Taylor
Art Team: Bruno Redondo, Mike Miller, Juan Albaran
DC Comics
Release Date: February 6, 2018
Cover Price: $0.99

News Team Assemble!!!!

Things have started to really gather steam here lately, and Ra's has decided now is the time to really put his plan into official action. Anyone who's a hero on Earth is starting to catch wind of what's happening so lets see who's in who's out and where this throw down is about to happen. This is also your weekly reminder don't count on Injustice 2 characters you enjoy sticking around to long regardless of their importance.  Jump in at your own risk.

No. 1 With A Bullet #4 Review

When the Man comes around

Written by: Jacob Semahn
Art by: Jorge Corona
Colors: Jen Hickman
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewed by: Andrew McAvoy


This fourth issue of No. 1 with a Bullet works well, in no small part due to the solid groundwork laid down in the first three issues. This time around I found myself increasingly curious about the final direction of the story, and it threw a few curve balls my way. Let's see what it was all about...

Armstrong and the Vault of Spirits #1 Review

Noah and the Ale

Written by: Fred Van Lente
Art by: CAFU and Darick Robertson
Publisher: Valiant
Review by: Andrew McAvoy


Armstrong and the Vault of Spirits is a self-contained one-shot giving us Armstrong's very first solo outing in the history of the Valiant Universe. It also has me wondering how long wine can be stored for before turning into a dusty vinegar. Apparently quite a while (according to a quick google) - let's see why I'm asking that question and more...

The Shadow/Batman #5 Review and Spoilers

Under The Influence

Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Giovanni Timpano
Colours by: Flavio Dispenza
Letters by: Taylor Esposito
Published by: Dynamite Entertainment/DC Comics
Price: $3.99


This remains a frustratingly uneven series. With a script that doesn't quite match the ambition of the plot, Orlando's story is big on melodrama and grand concepts but doesn't always flow as well as it might. With Batman off-stage licking his wounds, this issue concentrates principally on the relationships between Damian and his grandfather, and The Shadow and his erstwhile fellow pupil Shiwan Khan. Let's find out how things develop…

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill ep. 76 - Monster vol. 1 (1994)

Konichiwa, comics enthusiasts! This week, Chris (@AceComics) sends Reggie (@reggiereggie) into unfamiliar territory and tasks him with reading his first ever tankobon collection of manga: Naoki Urasawa's Monster vol. 1! Originally published in Japan in 1994, then translated and republished in North America in 2006, our fellows read all eight chapters of that first volume, after a creator bio and a very brief description of manga. Then, they tell the rest of the story, as detailed in seventeen further volumes, and conclude with a look at advancements in neuroscience that were not necessarily expected...or perhaps entirely warranted. It's a spooky gross-out of an episode, so be sure to listen with your significant other!

DC Comics Best Covers of the Week 2/7/18

Monsters Dominate

This week was chock-full of books from DC Comics, and a lot of them had some swell covers! I've narrowed it down to five, including some "weird" one-shots. Which ones? Well you can probably figure it out from the headline! If not, check it out right here!

Dastardly and Muttley #6 Review and Spoilers

Psychedelic Sacrifice

Written by: Garth Ennis
Art by: Mauricet
Colours by: John Kalisz
Letters by: Rob Steen
Cover Price: $3.99


Dastardly and Muttley has turned out to be one of the few winners in DC's Hanna-Barbera range and, in many respects, I'll be sorry to see it go. While other books mope around in the decidedly shallow waters of political and cultural commentary or attempt to impress with dark 'gritty' versions of beloved characters that are as charmless as they are tedious, Ennis and Mauricet's creative take on our famous pigeon-hunting duo manages to be fun. This issue gives us a resolution and a couple of surprises along the way, including a coda that even now I'm a little uncertain about. Climb in, buckle up and strap on those goggles. We've got a pigeon to catch!

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles #2 Review and Spoilers

Taking A Stand

Written by: Mark Russell
Pencils by: Mike Feehan
Inks by: Mark Morales
Colours by: Paul Mounts
Letters by: Dave Sharpe
Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

Well, this is better. The first issue of this reimagining of everyone's favourite softly-spoken pink cartoon mountain lion as a softly-spoken pink secretly gay playwright in 1950s America didn't exactly grab me for a number of reasons. I'm happy to say that, with a bit more focus and a lot more characterisation, this issue sees the series begin to deliver on its premise. With the forces of cultural oppression focusing on him and a play to stage, will our hero manage to remain characteristically unruffled? There's only one way to know for sure…

Nightwing #38 Review

Blind Justice

Written by: Sam Humphries
Art by: Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo, and Carlos M. Mangual
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

I am really hoping we learn more about the Judge and his powers this week!  I think that Sam Humphries first story on this book is giving readers an okay start and I do like some of the things (Grayson Cross-Fit!) we have seen, but I need to know what his bearded, hipster villain and his casino chips are really up to.  Do we at least get that this week?  Let's find out...

Mother Panic/Batman Special #1 Review and **SPOILERS**

Gather 'round for Milk

Written By: Jody Houser
Drawn By: Ty Templeton
Colors By: Kieran Smith
Letters By: John Workman
Cover Price: $4.99
On Sale Date: February 7, 2018

Well, I gotta admit... I was wondering how they were going to make this one work.

What we have here is, at its core, a Mother Panic story... which, is a good thing if you ask me.  I was afraid that this would be a Batman story with an appearance by Violet Page.  Even looking at our title here... Mother Panic gets top billing!  Color me surprised!

Now, that being said... is this worth your time... and your... good God, five dollars?!

Well... you're just going to have to read my wildly disjointed take to find out...

Deathstroke #28 Review

Kill and Kill Again

Written by: Priest
Art by: Diogenes Neves, Trevor Scott, Jeromy Cox and Deron Bennett
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

Last week's Annual certainly lead up to a crazy cliffhanger that had me excited about this issue.  Karen Starr Power Girl is almost back...or she and Tanya are going to be lost forever!  While I think one of those may make a hero's choice to let the other survive, that's up to Priest and not me.  What's also up to Priest is whether the Defiance Squad is officially disbanded and if Slade continues falling off the killing wagon.  So, does this week's issue answer any of my questions?  Let's find out...

Superman #40 Review and *SPOILERS*

Got Faith?

Written By: James Robinson

Art By: Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, Scott Hanna, Wil Quintana, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's time to begin a new arc of Superman with James Robinson at the helm and........ Well, that's about it really.  It's a new arc, new writer and artist and you don't really need to know anything other than that going in.  So let's stop messing around and get to some Superman.  Let's check it out.

Green Arrow #37 Review

After the Fire

Written by: Ben Percy
Art by: Juan Ferrerya and Deron Bennett
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

While I haven't fully enjoyed Ben Percy's insistence on never letting a villain die in this book, I did enjoy the battle royale that was the result of it last issue.  I have been eagerly anticipating Ollie's trial, but a knock-down, drag 'em out brawl is good now and again.  Of course, it ended with a cliffhanger that couldn't possibly be true...Emiko dead with an arrow in her chest!  I mean, she is my favorite character in the book, doesn't Percy know that?  Doesn't he?!?!  So, does it all work out and do we get any closer to the Trial of the Century?  Let's find out...

Green Lanterns #40 Review and *SPOILERS*

Killer App

Written By: Tim Seeley

Art By: Barnaby Bagenda, Mick Gray, Ulises Arreola, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Now that we can put Ungara behind us and all of its nonsense, it's time to get to our cliffhanger of last issue, where we saw Simon's former hookup, Night Pilot being enslaved by an alien race to mine for ore in an asteroid field.  I knew dating sucked for superheroes, but I didn't realize how bad it had gotten.  Let's jump into this issue and see if Simon and Jessica can find the missing Night Pilot and if she's willing to go for another date.  Let's check it out.

Justice League #38 Review and *SPOILERS*

Stepping Down

Written By: Christopher Priest

Art By: Marco Santucci, Alex Sollazzo, Willie Schu

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: February 7, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Goddamn, this story is turning into something along the lines of Identity Crisis because as we saw in the previous issue, The Fan as he's being called, knows all about the Justice League because he was one of the men who helped build the Watchtower and is willing to do his damnedest to make sure that anyone who opposes his heroes are taken down.  Now, back to the Identity Crisis angle, it seems that even if the Justice League capture this villain, they don't know what to do with him because of all the things that he knows, but that will be a worry for another day because at the end of the previous issue, The Fan teleported the Justice League away with their own technology so that he can continue his fandom another day.  Let's jump into this issue and see if the Justice League can recover or if the team continues to fall apart as we've seen in previous issues.  Let's check it out.

Swamp Thing Winter Special #1 Review and **SPOILERS**

-->

It’s Cold in the G

Written By: Tom King, Len Wein 

Art & Cover By: Jason Fabok 

Colored By: Brad Anderson 

Lettered By Deron Bennett 

Second Story Pencils and Inks By: Kelley Jones 

Second Story Color By: Michelle Madsen 

Cover Price: $7.99 

On Sale Date: February 7, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

You don’t have to drag me kicking and screaming to read a Swamp Thing comic book. And Tom King and Jason Fabok’s two-part arc in Batman that featured the ol’ moss-encrusted mockery had some great character moments—even if it did seem a little confused about derelict skyscrapers comma where the homeless congregate within. And Len Wein’s last story, which was supposed to start off a new miniseries! I am definitely interested, and if you are too then have a look-see at my review of Swamp Thing Winter Special #1, blooming now!

Young Monsters in Love #1 Review and **SPOILERS**

-->

Roses Are Dead

Written By: Kyle Higgins, Tim Seeley, Mairghread Scott, Colin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing, Paul Dini, Mark Russell, Steve Orlando, Alisa Kwitney, Phil Hester, James Robinson 

Art By: Artist: Kelley Jones, Michelle Madsen, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cam Smith, Tomeu Morey, Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Nathan Fairbairn, Javier Fernandez, Trish Mulvihill, Guillem March, Dave McCaig, Frazer Irving, Nic Klein, Stephanie Hans, Mirko Colak, Mike Spicer, John McCrea, John Kalisz 

Letters By: Rob Leigh, Clayton Cowles, Carlos M. Mangual, Sal Cipriano, Travis Lanham, Tom Napolitano, Dave Sharpe, Clem Robins 

Cover By: Kelley Jones 

Cover Price: $9.99 

On Sale Date: February 7, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Here’s an unexpected anthology of DC monster stories that really looks right up my alley! I mean, it wasn’t totally unexpected…it was solicited way back whenever. But it’s still something I’m sure interested to read! If characters like Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. and Etrigan the Demon are to your liking, then absorb my review of Young Monsters in Love #1, right here!

Harley Quinn #37 Review and **SPOILERS**

-->

Harley Quinn for Sale

Writer: Frank Tieri 

Artist: Mirka Andolfo 

Colors: Alex Sinclair 

Letters: Dave Sharpe 

Cover: Amanda Conner and Paul Mounts 

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: February 7, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Now that Harley Quinn is no longer a Man-Bat…I dunno what’s next for her. I’d heard before Frank Tieri’s run that she’d wind up in Florida, but seeing that Penguin is moving into the Big Apple to claim it as his territory. That’s what I get for making presumptions! So let’s have a look at the issue that is, and now what we thought would be Harley Quinn #37, just below!

Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #4 Review and **SPOILERS**

-->

Aggressive Targeted Marketing

Writer: Tony Isabella 

Artist: Clayton Henry & Yviel Guichet 

Colorist: Pete Pantazis 

Letterer: Josh Reed 

Cover: Clayton Henry & Mark Morales with Tomeu Morey 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: February 7, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Last time we saw Black Lightning, he was in the middle of a massive fight between White Thunder, his jetpack crew, and the cops—so I hope this issue picks up where that left off! One way to find out is to read my review of Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #4, right now!

Batman: White Knight #5 Review

I'm a Doctor

Written by: Sean Murphy
Art by: Sean Murphy, Matt Hollingsworth, and Todd Klein
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

White Knight is one of my favorite books and it just solidifies the idea in my head that I am an Elseworlds kind of guy.  No need to tie me down with any continuity nonsense, just give me a good story with good characters...the fact that the author can play around with stuff is just icing on the cake.  I know that some people (Dancing Mike) don't like the idea of a bad Batman, but to me, that's been part of the fun and mysterious ride here.  Is Joker  Jack really good?  Is Batman really this bad?  How will it all come together to lead us to that dark beginning we saw issues ago?  Well, do we get any hints to any of these or other questions I haven't even asked yet?  Let's find out...

Bane: Conquest #9 Review and *SPOILERS*

Roll Call!

Written By: Chuck Dixon

Art By: Graham Nolan, Gregory Wright, Carlos M. Mangual

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 7, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

The war is on between Bane and Kobra and the only thing our main character needs now........ is an army.  That's right, it's time to get the best of the best together so that our venom shooting, brainiac brute can stand a chance and as we saw at the end of the previous issue, he already has the former KGBeast at his side.  Now it's time to fill up the rest of the roster.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Batman #40 Review and *SPOILERS*

Apparently, The Horde Is Everlasting

Written By: Tom King

Art By: Joelle Jones, Jordie Bellaire, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: February 7, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's time to finish up the Super Friends arc by getting back to Batman and Wonder Woman fighting for decades in an alternate dimension, where the sins of man-made flesh are relentless in their fight to come into our world............. Somehow........ because it seems that you can only open that door from our side.  Nonetheless, Catwoman is losing her mind now that she knows how many years she's been apart from her husband to be in his mind and now it's up to her to get the Gentle Man to replace them.  Hopefully, he doesn't lose his nerve after he sees his wife again for the first time in thousands of years.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Weird Science DC Comics Podcast Ep 161: DC Comics, Annuals Week and Joaquin Phoenix - Man or Monster?

Check out our Patreon.  For as little as $1 a month, you can help support the podcast! This week's Patreon Spotlight: The Silencer #1 & Mystik U #2

PREVIEW: Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles #2

Writer: Mark Russell, Brandee Stillwell
Artist: Mike Feehan, Mark Morales, Gus Vasquez
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: February 7, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

As his friends are blackballed from show business, the government turns up the heat on Snagglepuss, even as his play threatens to implode from within. But no matter how grave the threat, Snagglepuss lives by a single motto: the show must go on!

PREVIEW: Green Lanterns #40

Written By: Tim Seeley

Art By: Barnaby Bagenda, Mick Gray, Ulises Arreola, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

“INHUMAN TRAFFICKING” part one! An unassuming dating app turns dangerous for Earth’s Green Lanterns, as heroes looking for love begin to disappear around the world. Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz discover an interplanetary superhuman trafficking network preying on super-powered seekers of love and romance, but with their hearts and heads on the line, these Green Lanterns may need more than willpower to win this fight.

PREVIEW: Batman #40

Written By: Tom King

Art By: Joelle Jones, Jordie Bellaire, Clayton Cowles

Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 7, 2018

“SUPERFRIENDS” part four! Since the beginning, the friendship between Batman and Wonder Woman has stood at the heart of the DC Universe. Now that friendship is coming apart, and as it does, the universe itself begins to crumble. The conclusion of Batman’s team-up with Wonder Woman. (This story was previously slated to run in BATMAN #40.)