December 2011

Nightwing #4

nightwing-new-52-4-coverAnother of DC Comics New 52 titles goes off the rails. We know we’re in trouble from the very start when the comic is opened to find a that Trevor McCarthy has replaced Eddy Barrows as artist for this issue. Aside from not knowing what age to draw Dick Grayson (a common problem in Bat-books this month) McCarthy’s art is certainly slick, but he seems to be suffering from the same affliction of Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane in wanting to draw characters in awkward angles in big splash pages regardless of whether it helps tell the story (or makes sense).

The story is also confusing as Batgirl comes to town asking for Nightwing’s help (after telling him to stay away just one month ago). I don’t know if the writers’ were going for a Buffy/Angel homage here, but it’s impossible not to see the similarities with “Sanctuary” and “The Yoko Factor.”

The villain is an undeveloped stand-in for Clayface that comes off disappointing that the pair deal with without too much trouble. The more looming threat of a villain who knows Nightwing’s secrets is mentioned but instantly discarded.

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Justice League #4

justice-league-new-52-4-coverI’ve enjoyed the New 52 version of the Justice League, but this latest issue from writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee is a complete trainwreck. For the issue that introduces Darkseid, one of DC Comics’ biggest and baddest villains, to fumble the ball this badly is simply inexcusable.

Almost everything goes wrong here as the characters speak in nothing more than clipped plot and character points, Lee’s art finds the characters in more and more ridiculous poses, and even the action shots don’t make sense from panel to panel.

The humor and character interactions that worked well in previous issues are missing (except for Green Lantern‘s comment about Batman‘s reaction to GL touching Wonder Woman‘s lasso of truth). Darkseid is imposing, but I’m not really sure we needed a centerfold of the character, and the layout of the sequence is bizarre as the League is starring at the villain emerging from a Boom Tube yet, in close-ups, the Boom Tube is to the back of every character. How is this possible? Pass.

[DC, $2.99]

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Leverage – The Lonely Hearts Job

  • Title: Leverage – The Lonely Hearts Job
  • tv.com: link

leverage-the-lonely-hearts-job

The Leverage team takes a case from an unlikely client when a millionaire (David Ogden Stiers), the sort the team usually takes down, begs Nate (Timothy Hutton) to find his missing wife. What starts out as a missing persons case, or a possible kidnapping, turns into something completely different when the team uncovers a ring of grifters running a complex sweetheart scam on several unsuspecting marks.

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Young Justice #11

young-justice-11-coverWith so many Bat-titles out right now imagine my surprise in finding the best Batman and Robin story of the month in Young Justice. The rest of the team is given most of this issue off as Robin helps Batman track down Ra’s al Ghul and foil his latest diabolical plot to rid the planet of humanity.

The action is great. We get Batman and Robin battling several assassins as well as Ubu, Talia, and a final showdown between Batman and Ra’s al Ghul.

Writer Greg Weisman makes good use of Talia’s torn loyalties and her feelings for the Dark Knight Detective as well as Batman’s more understated feelings for her in return (who knows Talia isn’t going to be pleased by Robin being responsible for the latest “death” of her father).

The rest of the Bat-books have been a little shaky this month, but I’ll give credit for Young Justice for delivering a fun Bat-story on all counts. And the best part is we’ll get even more as the story concludes next month! Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Doctor Who – The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

  • Title: Doctor Who – The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe
  • IMDB: link

the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe

The Doctor (Matt Smith) literally crashes into another unsuspecting human’s life on Christmas when he plummets from space to land in a crater at the feet of Madge Arwell (Claire Skinner). Despite being stuck in the suit, The Doctor is able to return to the TARDIS with Madge’s help and three years later he returns to repay the favor.

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