Saturday, March 17, 2018

Top 5 Fridays: Top 5 DC Comic Villains Who Became Heroes



Comic books are filled to the brim with heroes and villains.  Obviously, it's what makes them tick and I have always been a guy that believes that a book needs a great villain before a great hero because what makes a hero great more than battling his badass arch-nemesis.  That being said, there aren't a lot of books on the spinner racks that feature a full-out villain as the main character.  That's why (much to the chagrin of a lot of fans) we often get a villain making a hero turn that may be for a brief time or may even redefine the character completely.  This list is going to be mostly from the current continuity, but I'd love to hear what everyone's favorites are in the comments below and the sky's the limit to when, where and how you grab them...yes, you can even throw in some other comic companies characters as well!

No. 1 With A Bullet #5 Review


An eye for the detail

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


This book has been one of my favorites in recent memory. I love the quirky art by Jorge Corona, and I think the story has been driving towards a really dramatic conclusion as the issues pass by. Let's see how this issue fares...

Postal: Laura #1 Review

Mama, I killed a man

Written by: Bryan Edward Hill
Art by: Isaac Goodhart
Colors by: K. Michael Russell
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewed by: Andrew McAvoy


Whilst reviewing comics that are terrible is obviously an unpleasant experience, the reverse of that is when you stumble across brilliance that you probably wouldn't have otherwise come across. I was chatting to some of the Get Fresh Crew (whop whop whop!) this week and had mentioned my bizarre introduction to the Postal books, reading issue 25 first before working my way back through the dark history of Eden. I'm hooked and am really pleased to see the one-shots appearing.

Betrothed #1 Review




Roll me over Romeo


Written by: Sean Lewis
Art by: Steve Uy
Publisher: AfterShock Comics
Review by: Andrew McAvoy

It's like this. AfterShock Comics always seem to offer something new and different. Their concepts seem to be pretty original, and the art is always something different to look at. I like their strange world. So I was looking forward to Bethrothed. Let's see if it lived up to early expectations...


Friday, March 16, 2018

Weird Science DC Comics Podcast Spotlight: Mister Miracle #7


Check out our Patreon.  For as little as $1 a month, you can help support the podcast!  This week’s Patreon Spotlight: Action Comics #999 & Sideways #2

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill ep. 81 - Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer #1 (1986)


Cheeks, We Hardly Knew Ye

Greetings and Merry Christmas...in March? This week, Chris (@AceComics) and Reggie (@reggiereggie) dust off a "lost script" from last year and read Robert Loren Fleming and Keith Giffen's Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer #1, published by DC Comics in 1986! After some information about the creators, our holiday cheerists dive into all forty pages of this comic. Then, after a vocal break, they'll describe every appearance of Ambush Bug, and a controversy that wound up shelving the character for more than fifteen years! This episode is like opening the biggest present on Christmas morn, only to find it full of spring-loaded snakes!

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Sideways #2 Review



Haha seriously, where's the wine tasting?


Written by: Kenneth Rocafort, Dan DiDio, and Justin Jordan
Art by: Kenneth Rocafort, Daniel Brown, and Carlos M. Mangual
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018



The first issue of Sideways was mostly a miss for me but I enjoyed those last few pages, and the introduction of the cosmic entity known as Tempus Fuginaut got me excited for this issue. So does this issue satisfy? Wait and see…


Eternity Girl #1 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Life Sucks Live

Script: Magdalene Visaggio 
Pencils, Inks, Cover: Sonny Liew 
Colors: Chris Chuckry 
Letters: Todd Klein 
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: March 14, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Ooh, it’s that new series from the Young Animal imprint! It’s got that “new comic book” series smell and everything! Let’s not fart around and discuss niceties, instead head right into reading my review of Eternity Girl #1, right now!

New Super-Man and the Justice League of China #21 Review and **SPOILERS**



I Created an International Incident Because I Care

Writer: Gene Luen Yang 
Pencils: Brent Peeples 
Inks: Matt Santorelli 
Colors: Hi-Fi 
Letters: Dave Sharpe 
Cover: Philip Tan with Rain Beredo 
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: March 14, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Ripped from the headlines! Something in this series has forced a conflict with North Korea, kinda like what’s happening in the real world! The difference is that in the real world, it’s a couple of blowhards mouthing off to each other, while in this comic book, it’s a man who can control fish. But still! There are similarities! Find out of there are more in my review of New Super-Man and the Justice League of China #21, right here!

Wonder Woman #42 Review and *SPOILERS*



Wonder Twins Reunited


Written By: James Robinson
Art By: Jesus Merino, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Saida Temofonte
Cover Price: $2.99
Release March 14, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

After Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor took the entire last issue to walk through a hangar so that they could tell each other how their week had been, we finally got to the cliffhanger, where Jason just suddenly appeared, rocking a new suit of armor and looking pretty bad ass.  Hopefully here, we'll get to know what happened to old Jason and what he's going to do to help his sister shut Darkseid and Grail down.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

The Wild Storm: Michael Cray #6 Review and Spoilers


The Voice In My Head

Written by: Bryan Hill with Warren Ellis

Art by: Larry Hama, N Steven Harris and Dexter Vines
Colours by: Dearbhla Kelly
Letters by: Simon Bowland
Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

Michael Cray. A character I quite like trapped in a book I really haven't. Or at least not as much as I wanted to. Up to now, Cray's Skywatch-sanctioned missions to hunt down dark psychopathic versions of some of the DC universe's best loved heroes have been rushed, formulaic and consequently somewhat predictable. And dull. Will this issue – the conclusion to a two-parter featuring a genetically-altered, psychotically deluded Arthur Curry – break the mould?


There's only one way to find out…



Ragman #6 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Ragtime Smile

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: March 14, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Here we are at the end of the Ragman miniseries! At the conclusion of the last issue, Ragman died when he sacrificed his power to a terrible demon. So what do you think this issue will entail? I imagine the series’ characters having a wrap party and discussing their feelings about Ragman. Why not take a look at my review of Ragman #6 and see if that’s true!

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #40 Review and **SPOILERS**

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You Can Take the Ring Outta Hal 

Writer: Robert Vendetti
Penciller: Rafa Sandoval 
Inker: Jordi Tarragona 
Colorist: Tomeu Morey 
Letterer: Dave Sharpe 
Cover: Sandoval, Tarragona, Morey 
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: March 14, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

It’s a prison break! And it ain’t one of those surreptitious “Oceans Eleven” style jobs, either! Get ready for some loud n’ rude light construct conflict, as detailed in my review of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #40, appearing right here!

Suicide Squad #37 Review and **SPOILERS**

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Remember to Copy Your Floppy

Writer: Rob Williams 
Pencils: José Luis 
Inks: Jordi Tarragona 
Colors: Adriano Lucas 
Letters: Pat Brosseau 
Cover: Jorge Jimenez and Alejandro Sanchez 
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: March 14, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I seem to recall the core members of the Suicide Squad dying in a great explosion at the end of the last issue. Clearly, that won’t take. Have a gander at my review of Suicide Squad #37, right here!

Supergirl #19 Review



A Very Special Episode

Written by: Steve Orlando and Vita Ayala
Art by: Jamal Campbell and Carlos M. Mangual
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

It's a shame that this book has been canceled, not because I think it has been a stupendous run, but because I love Supergirl. Sure, Steve Orlando keeps showing Kara as a hero, but the dialogue and actual stories we keep getting haven't been great.  I really would settle for good at this point, but hey, that's just me.  So, with the end in view, does he tie things up and show that he was saving his best for last?  Let's find out...


Flash #42 Review


Grodd Bless You

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Dan Panosian, Hi-Fi, and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

I can't wait until we get the Flash War, but in the meantime, I never pass up an opportunity to get my Gorilla Grodd groove on.  The problem is, this Grodd story has a lot less Grodd than I was expecting and hoping.  What we have gotten is a non-powered Barry Allen who is flip-flopping between being chill about the situation and being an obsessed dick about it.  I really don't like either choice there, but am hoping for a happy medium.  Do we get that this week as well as more of a certain gorilla?  Let's find out...


Titans #21 Review and *SPOILERS*



Cutting Ties


Written By: Dan Abnett
Art By: Paul Pelletier, Andrew Hennessy, Adriano Lucas, Josh Reed, Carlos M. Mangual
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

With the Titans disbanded, Roy Harper has taken it upon himself to rid New York of a new designer drug, but along the way he's been duped by his ex and at the end of the previous issue, we saw Cheshire dope Roy up with the drug, causing him to have serious doubts about overcoming his addiction, but we also saw that Cheshire was working for The Brain and Mallah, who are the real masterminds behind this drug.  It's time to find out what this drug is all about and why these two villains would have anything to do with it.  Let's check it out.

Detective Comics #976 Review


Something New

Written by: James Tynion
Art by: Javier Fernandez, John Kalisz, and Sal Cipriano
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

It's the beginning of the end for James Tynion's Rebirth run of Detective Comics and while I look back at it as a good run, it has been getting a bit stale lately.  I know that sounds odd, what with what happened to Clayface and Batwoman and even the Future Tim Drake recently, but I can't shake that feeling.  Tynion's run has been dominated by such uninteresting villains like the Victim Syndicate and Colony and that trend looks to continue to the very end.  Of course, it looks like the real villain is Batman and his secrets and lies and that's just another thing I'm tired of seeing (see Batman and Robin Eternal for a ton of that).  So, does Kate becoming Bat Enemy #1 shake things up here or are we just getting the same old song and dance?  Let's find out...


Justice League of America #26 Review


Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Miguel Mendonca, Dexter Vines, Wayne Faucher, Chris Sotomayor and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018


This book is ending soon to make way for Scott Snyder's Justice League book and all the other kind of announced stuff coming with it.  I guess the Might Beyond the Mirror wasn't defeated after all because I got my wish!  Before leaving, Orlando has a few things to tie-up starting this issue with the conclusion to the Angor story.  How is it?  Let's find out...


Trinity #19 Review


Written by: James Robinson
Art by: Jack Herbert, Gabe Eltaeb, and Carlos M. Mangual
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018


It seems like every book I have to review this week is heading for cancellation...like this one.  Yep, Trinity is ending soon and it really feels like a "hardly Knew ye" situation.  I mean, the book had problems from the start with great art, but wonky stories that began as a way for Batman and Wonder Woman could get to know Pre-Flashpoint Superman.  Then Superman Reborn happened and this book suddenly felt unneeded.  Fast forward to this week where we end the No Home for You Here story.  Was it any good?  Let's find out...


Red Hood and the Outlaws #20 Review and *SPOILERS*



The Hench Connection


Written By: Scott Lobdell
Art By: Dexter Soy, Veronica Gandini, Taylor Esposito
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Our Smarty-Pants Bizarro story continues with this issue and as we saw in our previous one, it looks like Red Hood and Artemis are on the trolley with something being up with our favorite under-cooked clone and because of that, they're going to be keeping a closer watch on Bizarro to make sure that his newfound genius isn't making him go full on psycho.  Let's jump into this issue and see if Bizarro continues to go down a dark path or if he finally comes clean with his Outlaw friends so that we can get back to being a big old happy family.  Let's check it out.

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #20 Review and *SPOILERS*



Mommy Dearest


Written By: Julie Benson, Shawna Benson
Art By: Roge Antonio, Marcelo Maiolo, Saida Temofonte
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

With Calculator hellbent on discovering who Oracle is, I don't think Barbara Gordon simply smashing the Oracle program and denouncing the identity to herself will be enough to deter the villain or his flaming robot Burnrate.  Hopefully, the Birds of Prey will be able to come together to take this robot and Calculator down....... that is, if they're not too busy being pissed at each other for Barbara keeping secrets and Gus Yale getting killed because of them.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Mister Miracle #7 Review


Baby, Baby, Baby, Ohhh

Written by: Tom King
Art by: Mitch Gerads and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

I'm sick of pleading my case about why I haven't enjoyed this series.  If you like it so far, have a grip of what it's all about and know for a fact that Tom King is giving you everything you want from a comic and more, all the power to you!  I feel differently, but this is a new issue and I will try toi remember the proverb, hope springs eternal...in the human breast and possibly in this comic reviewer.  I want to like this book because then I can sit at the cool kids table and drink chocolate milk through a crazy straw and trade pogs with everyone.  That is what the cool kids do, right?  Well, is this my first step to a bigger and better pog collection?  Let's find out...

Action Comics #999 Review and *SPOILERS*



Superman Being Super


Written By: Dan Jurgens
Art By: Will Conrad, Ivan Nunes, Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

We've only got this issue before our big #1000 comes out and you know what that means?  That's right, we're getting a one-shot here and from the looks of it, we're going to be getting some more General Sam Lane in this issue and hopefully that means that we can put the Kent Family all back together again by getting Lois and her father to reconcile their differences and with that, give Jon a grandfather who doesn't have a horrible one-eyed face.  Alright, let's jump into this issue and see what it's all about.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

PREVIEW: Red Hood and the Outlaws #20




Written By: Scott Lobdell
Art By: Dexter Soy, Veronica Gandini, Taylor Esposito
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018


“Henched”! Have you been thinking about breaking bad? There’s never been a better time help your favorite super-villain take over the world, defeat an archnemesis or rob a bank. Even the bad guys need a little help, and with the Henched app you can find the perfect evil boss for you! Just don’t be surprised if Red Hood and the Outlaws show up to your budding henchmen convention and stop your dreams dead in their tracks. 

PREVIEW: Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #20




Written By: Julie Benson, Shawna Benson
Art By: Roge Antonio, Marcelo Maiolo, Saida Temofonte
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 14, 2018

“Full Circle” part two! With the Birds of Prey fractured by last issue’s events, the team must set aside their feelings of mistrust and work together to find the Calculator. Huntress wrestles with her feelings when she’s called to testify on behalf of her mother at a parole hearing, but is Helena ready to forgive her after everything they’ve been through? And while Black Canary struggles with her powers and Batgirl battles her guilt over keeping secrets from her teammates, the Calculator’s robotic assassin, Burnrate, makes an unwelcome return!