The Flash #765 Review and *SPOILERS*

You’re Already the Voice Inside My Head

Written By: Kevin Shinick

Art By: Sami Basri, Will Conrad, Hi-Fi
Letters By: Steve Wands
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 10, 2020

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Recently the Flash has been in an interesting place. On one hand, we are diving straight into new stories and new villains and we are exploring new aspects about the character. The dialogue is pretty good and the art has been great (albeit wonky at some times) but on the other hand, we are also getting some fairly cliche stories as well. The absent minded superhero boyfriend trope is very heavy handed in this book so far, and now we are even going to be exploring the “hero without their powers” trope in this current issue. These aren’t necessarily bad stories, but they’re ones that we’ve seen hundreds of times and I can’t help but wonder if comic writers have just run out of ideas. I’m hoping that things get better in the future for this title but we’re currently in a holding pattern between really good and bad. Hopefully this issue will tip the scales in the right direction. Let’s jump into this issue and see where it takes us.

Hawkman #29 Review

Living For Each Moment

Written By: Robert Venditti

Art By: Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, Jeremy Cox, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 10, 2020

It's the final issue of our Winged Warrior and while the "definitive origin" aspect of this series had its peaks and valleys in what it was trying to convey, not to mention that our heroes' new status quo that came from that kind of screwed up the timeline with Kendra Saunders, there were definitely some cool aspects to this series. Like the idea of our Hawks going back in time to their former lives when they were a part of the JSA and living that life to the fullest. Too bad that with only one life to live, the idea of death becomes a scary thing and shakes Carter for a hot minute and that's where we left our heroes in the previous issue with Anton Hastor having Hawkman pinned against a wall, threatening to kill him with the cursed Nth Metal dagger...... Don't worry though Hawk Fans...... Carter went and became savage as he showed Anton that he wasn't afraid, by plunging the dagger deep into himself. What a plan. Let's jump into this issue and check out the final flight for our favorite winged couple. 

Dark Nights: Death Metal: Infinite Hour Exxxtreme! #1 Review

 

To Be The Main Man...

Writer: Becky Cloonan, Sam Humphries, Frank Tieri

Artist: Denys Cowan, Tyler Kirkham, Rags Morales

Cover Price: $5.99

Release Date: November 11, 2020

These Death Metal tie-ins have been hit or miss for me, and while I want to know what the hell Lobo has been doing for Lex, I kind of figured we would get equal parts nonsense.  I mean, it's a Lobo story, and it has "XXX" in the title...and that's in the word "Exxxtreme"!  So, is this story worth a read?  Let's find out...

Superman #27 Review

Sooooo Per Mannnnnn

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Alex Sinclair, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 10, 2020

It's the fight against the Superman of Synmar.... named Synmar and our Man of Steel as this alien threat has come to our planet looking to kick some ass and maybe chew a little bit of bubblegum.... I don't really know what he wants and neither does Superman, who keeps trying to communicate with this spindly, alien powerhouse but as we saw in the previous issue, to make sure that this fight doesn't tarnish the Superman name now that our hero has gone and outed his secret identity and can now be held accountable for things, Superman portals our foe and himself to the Phantom Zone to continue this brawl. Hopefully there the two can start working out their problems.....but since Bendis writes the Phantom Zone as a corporeal place, they'll probably just keep punching each other. Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Wonder Woman #766 Review

 The Truth Hurts

Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artist: Steve Pugh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 11, 2020

I haven't been the biggest fan of Mariko Tamaki's short run on Wonder Woman. I think it could get better, though, and that could start with Tamaki giving readers a better understanding of her Wonder Woman. Diana wanders in and out of scenes while others hog the spotlight, and we usually get Diana thinking about what others have said and done to carry on the scene. In a story dominated by the TRUTH, a lot of things have been too ambiguous. What can and can't the Lasso do (it changes a whole lot)? What is this Maxwell Lord tech (it also changes a lot)? Why are we wasting time with a scavenger hunt and avoiding the elephant in the room? That elephant is, of course, Diana snapping Maxwell's neck in Infinite Crisis. That's a laundry list of questions, so let's see what we get this week...

Detective Comics #1030 Review

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Bilquis Evely
Colors: Mat Lopes

Letters: Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 10th, 2020

In his dreams, mayoral candidate Nakano is engulfed in flames. His past, what happened to his partner, and how it should have been him, is haunting him. And even the Batman finds him in his sleep. Out of the fire, the dark knight comes, handing Nakano the eye that he lost. "My eye. It's gone." he says, and Batman replies "No it's not. It's right here in the palm of my hand." All of the memories that the eye has seen now belong to Batman and the Joker, and this is what happens when you put yourself between vigilantes and villains.

Punchline #1 Review

What's a Joke Without A Punchline?

Written By: James Tynion IV, Sam Johns

Art By: Mirka Andolfo, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Gabriela Downie

Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 10, 2020

The breakout character of the Joker War is here with her very own issue to not only further her story but to also give a little background on Alexis Kaye, the girl who would be known as Punchline. Let's jump into this issue and see what Punchline's plans are now that she's captured and what Harper Row, Bluebird will do to make sure that those plans aren't enacted. Let's check it out.

PREVIEW: American Vampire: 1976 #2

 

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Rafael Albuquerque

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 11, 2020

Skinner, Pearl and a surprising new ally team up to pull off their game-changing heist of the Freedom Train, but time is running out for a nation in crisis. The Beast’s plan for mass terror and world domination is finally revealed in sick detail, and as humanity spirals toward extinction, there’s a devastating twist. When an unexpected force returns to pick off the VMS’s top officials, Travis and Cal discover that the ultimate evil has competition-and the final battle will be more merciless than anyone imagined.

PREVIEW: Wonder Woman #766

 

Writer: Mariko Tamaki

Artist: Steve Pugh

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 11, 2020

Count Vertigo does not like to be treated like a joke. Or...maybe he does? He’s kind of insane, after all. When Lord Industries’ psychic super-tech amps up the Count’s armies to deadly new heights, Wonder Woman sustains injuries that she may never recover from! But never fear, the “reformed” Maxwell Lord has Diana’s back...and as Diana will find out, he’s not afraid to stick a knife in!

PREVIEW: The Flash #765

 

Writer: Kevin Shinick

Artist: Sami Basri, Will Conrad, Clayton Henry

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 11, 2020

Dr. Alchemy takes another step closer to unstoppable power and immortality as he devises a way to combine himself with the power of the Philosopher’s Stone. The Flash will have to discover that being faster than his foe may not be enough!

PREVIEW: Detective Comics #1030

 

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Artist: Bilquis Evely

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 11, 2020

A new foe called the Mirror has joined the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery-but is there more to this villain than meets the eye? Or is he simply a reflection of the world around him? As the Bat-Family find themselves on the run from the Mirror’s army, Damian Wayne lurks in the shadows, plotting his next move in a cat-and-mouse game between father and son that can only end in disaster!

PREVIEW: Dark Nights: Death Metal: Infinite Hour Exxxtreme! #1

 

Writer: Becky Cloonan, Sam Humphries, Frank Tieri

Artist: Denys Cowan, Tyler Kirkham, Rags Morales

Cover Price: $5.99

Release Date: November 11, 2020

Pull up a chair, ya bastiches-it’s time for Uncle Lobo’s Infinite Hour! It’s your chance to let the Main Man Lobo-tomize you with familiar yet freaky stories of the DC Universe, exactly as he remembers them: with blood and guts and exxxtreme gratuitous violence! Tell yer comics guy to put you down for alllll the copies!

PREVIEW: Superman #27

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Alex Sinclair, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 10, 2020

A cosmic-level threat has come to Metropolis! Synmar has traveled across the galaxy to unleash hell on Superman, and our hero must learn that this creature is so alien that he will have to reinvent how he’s going to fight! To that end, Superman goes to the source to learn where this new nemesis came from, only to find himself in a corner of the galaxy he’s never seen before, way off the map—and he may find the return journey even harder than getting there! Featuring an appearance by the Justice League and a new foe unlike anything the Man of Steel has ever faced, this epic slugfest is brought to you by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Ivan Reis and Danny Miki!

PREVIEW: Hawkman #29

Written By: Robert Venditti

Art By: Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, Jeremy Cox, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 10, 2020

He’s lived and died and lived again. But now, with just one life left to live and the reincarnation cycle at its end, will Hawkman sacrifice everything to protect the woman he loves from the cursed blade of Hath-Set? Learn the fate of Hawkman and Hawkwoman in a tale that will take you to the edge of time and space!

PREVIEW: Punchline #1

Written By: James Tynion IV, Sam Johns

Art By: Mirka Andolfo, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Gabriela Downie

Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 10, 2020

Spinning out of the pages of “The Joker War” comes the first solo book starring the blockbuster new character Punchline. As she faces the consequences for her role in “The Joker War,” the story of how Alexis Kaye became Punchline will take Leslie Thompkins, Harper Row, and Cullen Row on a harrowing journey that reveals a fringe teenager’s radicalization to the ideology of a madman. It’s a terrifying tale so big it demanded an oversize special issue!