Comics

Batgirl #46

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Batgirl #46Despite the issue’s cover Batgirl #46 doesn’t quite give us the Batgirl and Spoiler team-up we were hoping for. In fact Stephanie Brown doesn’t even appear until halfway through the issue when Babs sets out to save the Spoiler who has gotten in over her head with the local gangs. Still, for at least a few panels we get to see the woman who should be Batgirl fight along side of the woman who is Batgirl.

Meeting during Spoiler’s fight with the gangs, the issue can’t quite resolve a major problem with the New 52 reboot where the two are far too similar in age for Babs to be taking the older sister approach which she did prior to the start of the New 52. Given the comic’s second soft reboot, which attempted to de-age the character a bit with the introduction of a new costume and creative team, balancing her actual age and experience to that of Spoiler is problematic (which is probably why the two say less than 100 words to each other).

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Darth Vader Annual #1

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Darth Vader Annual #1For its first annual Marvel’s Darth Vader series sends Darth Vader to the planet Shu-torun where the grip of the Empire is loosening following the Rebellion’s destruction of the first Death Star. Sent to make it clear to the planet’s king that their continued loyalty is required, the Dark Lord of the Sith is betrayed as the King prepares to sacrifice his own daughter to free his planet from the control of the Empire.

Darth Vader Annual #1 gives us a Vader at his most intimidating. Despite the King’s attempts to have the Sith Lord killed, Vader is able to overcome each obstacle. The issue also brings in Aphra‘s killer robots (who we’ve seen in Marvel’s ongoing Darth Vader comic) to help Vader fulfill his mission. And if that’s not enough, our protaganist underlines his point by not only crippling the King’s daughter but also leaving her a damning reminder of what happens to those that dare defy the Emperor.

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All-New X-Men #2

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All-New X-Men #2The newest volume of All-New X-Men continues to focus on the time-displaced X-Men from the past and the friends they have made in the present. Issue #2 gives us more of X-23 (renamed Wolverine now) and Angel‘s romance, but it’s primary focus is to catch up on the younger Cyclops who feels trapped following the death of his older self.

After hiding for weeks without using his powers Cyclops unleashes his power to fight off a group of young mutant thugs causing trouble under the name the “Ghosts of Cyclops.” The use of his powers not only allows his friends to finally locate him but also gets the character thrown into prison for his role in destroying the local library.

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Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #13

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Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #13Curious as to why the ghosts of the DCU have been disappearing, the Phantom Stranger and Deadman pay Mystery, Inc. a visit choosing to hire the group to get to the bottom of the mystery which leads to a deserted town in Nevada where an old enemy Tannarak is collecting ghosts to gain their power.

In terms of Scooby-Doo! I’m usually in favor of the classic set-up in which no ghost the team investigated was ever real. The original cartoons all featured a very human, and never supernatural, reason behind the apparent ghostly business that drew the Scooby Gang in. However, the very nature of Scooby-Doo! Team-Up allows for some leeway with that set-up outside of what can truly be considered Scooby-Doo! canon as ghosts and spirits do indeed exist in this shared universe.

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Star Wars #13

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Star Wars #13The “Vader Down” crossover continues with both Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader stranded on the desolate planet of Vrogas Vas with others searching for them both. While Luke falls victim to Aphra and her droids, leaving Han and Chewbacca to ride to the rescue, the Dark Lord of the Sith fights his way through every obstacle the Rebellion throws his way letting nothing deter him from finding young Skywalker.

Star Wars #13 not only reminds us of a classic Han Solo quote from the original Star Wars about why one should never upset a Wookiee but it also provides some nice back-and-forth between Aphra and Han until Luke regains consciousness.

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