Comics

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #16

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #16 comic reviewHal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #16 is a headscratcher. While it certainly delivers Guy Gardner being Guy for his fans, the entire issue is little more than filler. Having rescued Saint Walker, Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner return to Mogo only to find John Stewart and Guy gone. This leaves their story to wilt on the vine while the comic looks elsewhere for plot.

The idea of Green and Yellow Lanterns working together to begin bringing in Sinestro Corps stragglers is largely dealt with in a single montage. The only example we see see expanded is Guy, heading out without his ring, picking a fist fight with Arkillo. It’s a bloody, brutal sequence inter-cut with scenes from a young Gardner’s experience with an abusive father. While the extended sequence isn’t without merit in showcasing what is happening behind Guy’s constant posturing, it’s allowed to go on far too long indulging writer Robert Venditti and artist Rafa Sandoval at the cost of further expanding the arc’s plot.

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Batman #18

Batman #18 comic reviewAfter kidnapping Catwoman, Commissioner Gordon, and Duke Thomas, Bane offers Batman a simple exchange: his friends for the Psycho-Pirate. Despite his history with the Dark Knight Detective, the villain is unprepared for Batman’s response.

The latest issue of the “I Am Bane” storyline features an extended fight sequence between Batman and Bane. Although the villain gets the upper-hand, he’s unprepared for Batman’t contingency plan. Keeping Bane occupied with repeated headbutts to the super-villains’ fists gives Catwoman enough time to free herself and the other hostages and take away all of Bane’s leverage. Batman wins basically by letting Bane kick his ass.

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Detective Comics #951

Detective Comics #951 comic review

“League of Shadows” begins here with Shiva and the League hitting Gotham City. Killing the mayor and framing Batman for the crime (hrm, not really happy to see another Batman fugitive storyline), the League of Shadows also expose the local newscasters to Joker venom on-air. And they are just getting started. Wreaking general havoc, the League begins its attack on the city and its protectors. As to just what the League wants, and how Batman for Batman and his team will have to go to stop them, we’ll just have to wait and see. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Elektra #1

Elektra #1 comic reviewElektra has been many things over the years, but most of her best stories usually tie back to Daredevil (in one way or another). The character’s new comic takes Elektra far from the streets of New York and Matt Murdock’s new life, and deposits her on the strip in Las Vegas where the despicable treatment of one of the casino workers raises the assassin’s ire.

Stripping away the character’s classic red costume (seriously, what does Marvel have against the color red all of the sudden?), Elektra #1 clads the character far more simply (something between the Netflix character’s look and Silk). While Elektra sets out only to get revenge for one woman, leaving a trail of broken and dead bodies strewn across the hotel and dance club, her actions also draw the attention of prying eyes who are using the casino for something sinister.

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The Visitor: How and Why He Stayed #1

The Visitor: How and Why He Stayed #1 comic reviewFor the latest Hellboy storyline, creator Mike Mignola (along with the five-issue mini-series co-writer Chris Roberson) goes back to the beginning. Showing up just before Hellboy‘s arrival, an unnamed visitor was also on hand with explicit instructions to kill the beast prophesied to destroy the world should it appear.

Seeing a helpless infant with many possible futures, and not a monstrous beast determined to wipe out all life, the visitor chose to watch rather than act rashly and see what the creature might become. Taking place along Hellboy’s timeline but outside of it, the new five-issue series ponders an important idea about how far you would go to prevent someone from becoming a monster. Is Hellboy indeed destined to destroy? Or is his fate in his own hands?

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