My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Volume 3 Review

Keeping up with the Professionals!

Story: Hideyuki Furuhashi

Art: Betten Court

Cover Price: $9.99

Release Date: January 1, 2019

Review by Luke Hollywood

Since it's debut chapter My Hero Academia: Vigilantes has explored the similarities and differences between the professionally licensed heroes and their illegal vigilante counterparts in the super-powered society that they find themselves in. In this latest volume, Furuhashi shines the spotlight on the Pros, with Koichi and the gang getting wrapped up in all sorts of crazy shenanigans on the way. We've seen the Vigilantes go up against Trigger-boosted monsters of the week and prototype Hero Killers, but now the Crawler faces his toughest adversaries yet: A college friend eager to learn the secrets of the Vigilantes, a washed-up sleazeball superhero from the states trying to steal the limelight and... a surprise appearance from his Mom!? How will Koichi survive? Read on the find out! 

American Carnage #2 Review and Spoilers

Racial Tension

Written by: Bryan Hill
Art by: Leandro Fernandez
Colours by: Dean White
Letters by: Pat Brosseau
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 2, 2019


The thing about Bryan Hill and Leandro Fernandez's story about a white-passing psychologically damaged FBI agent infiltrating a white supremacist organization is that the reader already knows the broad trajectory of where that story is going. In detective shows and movies from True Detective to BlacKkKlansman, there's an inherent tension for the viewer in wanting to know whether the charade will be effective and just how far the character concerned is prepared to go in order to maintain it. This is certainly the case with American Carnage. Undercover FBI agent Richard Wright's attempts to infiltrate Wynn Morgan's supremacist organization have so far been both straightforward and successful, but we know that they're not going to stay that way. How does he get on in the series' second issue?

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill ep. 122 - The New Avengers (2005)

Everything New...Plus Jessica Drew

Happy novus annus, everyone! In this episode, the same-old consistent Chris (@AceComics) and Reggie (@reggiereggie) check out an early Marvel relaunch of their flagship superhero team, and the career of one of comics' most prolific writers, when they read The New Avengers #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch from 2005! After a lengthy biography of BMB and some background on why the Avengers were "newed." After a break, our sticks-in-the-mud wrap up their biographies and look at some other "new" things at Marvel...which looked suspiciously familiar, even at the time. Everything new is old again in this episode, you don't want to miss it!

Titans #32 Review and *SPOILERS*

Blood is Thicker Than Water

Written By: Dan Abnett

Art By: Clayton Henry, Marcelo Maiolo
Letters By: Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 2, 2019

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Titans has been on an upswing. After being completely dominated by other books and storylines that aren’t even taking place in this book’s pages. However, since we got a little character development and got back to the original storyline, I’ve enjoyed this book. This book has really struggled since the new team was formed but I am finally excited to read another issue. We left our team as they were finally going to go to Unearth and fight the Blood Cult and I’m excited for what is on the horizon. Let’s just jump right into this issue and see where it takes us.

Raven: Daughter of Darkness #11 Review and **SPOILERS**

Barf (Boy)

"To Save Mankind?"
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist: Pop Mhan
Colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: January 2, 2019

Is that... waitasec... is that... a light at the end of the tunnel?  Are we really looking at the penultimate issue of Raven: Daughter of Darkness?!  Could it be?

Gang we are just a few weeks shy of a calendar year since we've started this dark and twisted journey.  I'm afraid I'll never be able to look at comic books the same way again.

But... the good news (for me, anyway) is that it's almost over!  Keeping in mind if next issue ends with a cryptic "To be Continued...", I might need consoling.  Let's hope it doesn't come to that... but I've got this sneaking suspicion that it might.

Books of Magic #3 Review and **SPOILERS**

A Man You've Never Met is Dead 

"In Memorium"
Written By: Kat Howard
Drawn By: Tom Fowler
Colors By: Jordan Boyd
Letters By: Todd Klein
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: January 2, 2019

Hey, it's my "safety book" in the Sandman Universe line-up.  That one book I don't have to worry about searching Wikipedia in order to find out which gods or poets the writer is cryptically referencing.

The book whose pacing most reminds me of a certain breezy Marvel Ultimate line.  One'a them "blink and you miss it" books.

Hmm... wonder how this issue might go?

Injustice vs Masters of the Universe #6 Review

He- Zam

Writer: Tim Seeley
Art Team: Freddie E. Williams II, Jeremy Colwell, Andrew Dollhouse
DC Comics
Release Date: January 2, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99

Another round of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe crossovers comes to a close this month and for me personally, it was certainly a heck of a lot of fun while it lasted. While I'm not quite sure how DC comes across choosing what to crossover with the He-Man property, I'm here asking for more after this, because I find them to be a blast. So "let's discuss" the latest issue of Injustice vs MoftU and find out how this all concluded.

Heroes in Crisis #4 Review and **SPOILERS**

The Secret is Out

Writer: Tom King 

Artists: Clay Mann 

Colorist: Tomeu Morey 

Letters: Clayton Cowles 

Cover By: Trevor Hairsine & Rain Beredo 

Variant Cover By: Ryan Sook 

Associate Editor: Brittany Holzherr 

Editor: Jamie S. Rich 

Special Thanks to: Seth Mann 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: January 2, 2019

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

After last issue, which was inserted into the proceedings late in the game, we’re back onto the story as it was originally conceived…I think. I guess we’ll never know what kind of shenanigans go on behind the scenes. But right up front, you can read my review of Heroes in Crisis #4, right here!

Old Lady Harley #3 Review

They Drew First Blud

Written by: Frank Tieri
Art by: Inaki Miranda, Eva De La Cruz, and Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 2, 2019

Harley's barely managed to escape from Gotham City-but going down the river to Blüdhaven might have been an even bigger mistake! The whole city is a prison, held in the grip of the bloodthirsty Bane Twins...and we're sad to say, they definitely take after their father! And where there are criminals, you know there are Laughing Boys...and where there are Laughing Boys, can The Joker be far away?

Batman Beyond #27 Review

Making Gotham Great Again

Written By: Dan Jurgens

Art By: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dalhouse, Travis Lanham

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 2, 2019

Our journey into the future of Gotham continues as we see what the Joker is all about thirty-five years from now.  It's weird though because we've had the Joker out and about since this series restarted and for some reason, it seems like maybe the Joker has Alzheimer's or something because it's taken him a long ass time to think about just killing the "Jokerz" for ripping off his brand and in turn, making Gotham the way it was when he was in his heyday, which this issue is all about.  Let's jump into this review and see if the characters are acting the way they should after having a Wayne Family Center of Tomorrow........ essentially, a giant-ass tower destroyed, killing thousands in the process.  Let's check it out.

Batgirl #30 Review and **SPOILERS**

Pick a Side

Writer: Mairghread Scott 

Penciller: Paul Pelletier 

Inker: Norm Rapmund 

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire 

Letterer: Deron Bennett 

Main Cover Artists: Pelletier, Rapmund & Bellaire 

Variant Cover Artist: Joshua Middleton 

Editor: Brittany Holzherr 

Group Editor: Jamie S. Rich 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: January 2, 2019

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

It’s Batgirl, swinging into action! With no hat, girl, her hair is free-flowing satisfaction! She’s keen and cool and something-or-other alright I’ve got nothing this month. Exceeept a review of Batgirl #30…now, where did I put it? Oh yeah, right here!

The Silencer #12 Review

Written by: Dan Abnett

Art by: Jack Herbert, Tom Derenick, Mike Spicer, and Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 2, 2019

A bunch of these New Age titles are being canceled, and this book is the only one of the remaining bunch that I'm reading. There are clear character work and storytelling in this title and Dan Abnett and the whole slew of artists in this artist-focused line have done a wonderful job with this book.

The Terrifics #11 Review and **SPOILERS**

We Got Our Own Thang

Storytellers: Viktor Bogdanovic & Jeff Lemire 

Inks: Bogdanovic & Jonathan Glapion 

Colors: Michael Spicer 

Letters: Tom Napolitano 

Cover: Evan “Doc” Shaner 

Assistant Editor: Andrew Marino 

Editor: Paul Kaminski 

Group Editor: Marie Javins 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: January 2, 2019

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Hold on a second…didn’t the team break up last issue? I could have sworn everyone went their separate ways. Don’t tell me that now we have to see how Eel O’Brien lives alone! Nobody wants to see that. Let’s what’s in store for us in The Terrifics #11, which I’ve reviewed below!

Wonder Woman #61 Review

Don't Hurt Me No More

Written by: G. Willow Wison
Art by: Xermanico, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Pat Brosseau
Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 2, 2019

I am really hoping that this is the issue that gets me onboard this G. Willow Wilson run of Wonder Woman. After waiting for what felt like forever, I just haven't enjoyed it that much. It feels like she is struggling with her characters and the story has been more about political cliches than anything else and it hasn't resonated with me at all. So, do things change for the better this issue? Let's find out...

Justice League Odyssey #4 Review

Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artists: Philippe Briones, Jeromy Cox, Deron Bennett
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 2, 2019

http://www.TheWineStalker.net

https://www.youtube.com/c/JoeyCasco

The Ghost Sector. A group of planets that, during the events of New Justice, were released from bottled imprisonment on Brainiac's home planet of Coluan. Cyborg, Starfire, and Azrael have been lured into the Ghost Sector by Darkseid, where they find out that many of these planets have worshiped them as gods for thousands of years. Joined by the Ghost Sector's Green Lantern sentry Jessica Cruz, the team is searching for a way out of the sector while also getting down to the mysteries of their deity status and what Darkseid wants from them.

Action Comics #1006 Review

Superman Vs. Red Cloud: Round Two

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Ryan Sook, Brad Anderson, Josh Reed

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 2, 2019

There's a lot going on with the Secret Syndicate of Metropolis beyond the idea of food themed nicknames for the lieutenants and Red Cloud going around and doing....... Well, Red Cloud things.  The problem is...... the other things going on aren't that interesting.  Yeah, we have a Secret Syndicate that has adapted to working in a city that's protected by Superman, but in the background of last issue and in this issue we have the idea of the Mayor possibly working with the Syndicate and trying to keep investigations about the rampant fires throughout the city quiet....... which is weird because I really thought we were done with the city element once we discovered that Superman was being setup by said Syndicate.  Either way.  It's round two for Superman and Red Cloud this issue, let's jump into this and see if the story starts picking up.  Let's check it out.

Detective Comics #995 Review

Perfection

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artists: Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, David Baron, and Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 2, 2019

http://www.TheWineStalker.net

https://www.youtube.com/c/JoeyCasco

In issue #994 ("Mythology" part 1), a murdered couple made to look like Thomas and Martha Wayne, down to their facial structure and jewelry and fatal wounds, was found submerged in the Gotham Aquarium. Batman, letting his emotions make him impatient and reckless, destroyed aquarium property and risked damage to the bodies and evidence by breaking the glass to "save time" getting the bodies out, even though a diver was about to jump in to retrieve them. Pearls were found in their throats, but there were no clues to who would do this. Meanwhile, Leslie Thompkins was attacked by a big red monster. Batman made it to the scene in time but the monster still got a hold of her and exhaled a green gas into her face, Jokerizing her.

The Flash #61 Review and *SPOILERS*

Vegas, Baby!

Written By: Joshua Williamson

Art By: Christian Duce, Luis Guerrero

Letters By: Steve Wands

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 2, 2019

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

I feel like I’m seeing a pattern when it comes to Williamson’s stories. Either I really love it in the beginning only to watch it lose momentum at the end, or I really dislike it in the beginning and then it grows on me as we get payoffs for all the things we have set up. I’d love to see a story where I like the whole thing. Nevertheless, this current story is more like the latter. I really hated this story when we began. It felt so forced and boring and didn’t really go anywhere but as we built up the story more and more, I became invested, especially after the previous issue. So, needless to say, I’m excited to read this book again. Let’s just jump right in and see how this issue goes.

The Adventures of Superman #484 (1991) - "Blackout" Review

Writers: Dan Janke, Jerry Ordway

Artists: Tom Grummett, Doug Hazelwood
Cover Price: $1.00

Release Date: September 24, 1991

http://www.TheWineStalker.net

https://www.youtube.com/c/JoeyCasco

With all of these amnesia stories that we're seeing in DC right now with Nightwing, Aquaman, and Heroes in Crisis, it's a perfect time to go back to the amnesia story that I remember most (get it?) as a kid. This is when Superman lost his memory.