Comics

Dead Boy Detectives #2

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Dead Boy Detectives #2The second issue of the new series picks up with Crystal already beginning to regret her decision to attend St. Hilarions while being tortured by some of her classmates and continuing to investigate the two ghosts which led her here. And, despite her personal experiences that have taught her to remain isolated, Crystal manages to make a new friend.

Along with following Crystal’s early days in the twisted boarding school with the regular issues of trying to fit in, the second issue begins to fill in her backstory by revealing that the Dead Boy Detectives weren’t the first ghosts the young woman has seen and how a traumatic event from her past, as much as the mystery of the two boys, is driving her for answers.

Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine also are surprised to see how good Crystal is at snooping already uncovering more about their deaths in a few days than they two have found in years. Does this mean a proper team-up is in order? And just what hell will be unleashed once others discover their snooping? Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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Larfleeze #7

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Larfleeze #7Finally freed from his imprisonment at the hands of the resurrected Orange Lantern Corps, Larfleeze sets out to find his missing butler while causing more chaos and trouble and pissing off yet another member of the Laord of the Hunt‘s family.

It’s good to see Larfleeze free an back causing mischief again (even accidentally saving an entire planet from the influence of Dyrge of All Sorrows). We also learn that Larfleeze’s ring, like those of the Green Lantern Corps, can speak. But it turns it out doesn’t think much more of its master than anyone else in the universe.

Already at seven issues, the opening arc is beginning to drag a bit, but by the end of the issue Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis finally bring the various threads of the storyline together by uniting the Laord, the Wanderer, Errata, and Dyrge all against a greedy ring-slinger and hopefully laying the ground work for a new arc and the eventual appearance of G’nort in a couple of months. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Beware the Batman #4

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Beware the Batman #4Obviously set to be released after an episode of Beware of the Batman that never aired, Beware the Batman #4 features a two version of Man-Bat long after Batman‘s unseen first meeting with scientist Kirk Langstrom and includes Barbara Gordon working with Team Batman as Oracle.

Despite building on events and relationships that neither the show nor the comic have covered, the latest issue works well enough playing on a familiar storyline of Batman and Man-Bat working together to find someone else who has been exposed to the serum and transformed into a Man-Bat (in this case the young student Barbara had been tutoring).

With the show not returning to the air in January as scheduled I have a feeling these gaps in continuity could continue which may be why DC has decided to end the comic series after issue #6. As to the fate of the cartoon, given that neither DC nor Cartoon Network have discussed it in months, one has to wonder if it will meet a similar fate. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Batman and Robin Annual #2

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Batman and Robin Annual #2My issue with Batman and Robin Annual #2, which is a mostly unremarkable recreation of Dick Grayson first day as Robin, is the comic is simply yet another example of DC continuing to shit all over their own characters’ beloved comic history by rebranding the first Robin costume as a crappy version of Tim Drake‘s pre-New 52 costume.

Although the Annual’s story allows it to weave in Damian (reminding us how much the Bat-books miss him right now), it doesn’t actually do much to compare Damian and Dick’s versions of Robin (which is really supposed to be the point). I will say the joke about an average day in school for Dick was funny (but didn’t need to be repeated). But the villain, Tusk, is completely forgettable, and even this younger version of Batman comes off like a complete prick through 90% of the story.

Even with the fan bait of giving Batman fans a taste of the character Grant Morrison killed only because he could, Batman and Robin Annual #2 is unremarkarkable except for the fact it will likely continue to piss off longtime DC fans. Pass.

[DC, $4.99]

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #30

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #30The Turtles exile in Northampton at the family farm of April‘s parents continues as both Leonardo and Splinter attempt to work through their recent struggles and failures. Both receive visions of Hamato Yoshi’s wife and Leonardo’s mother helping to soothe their pain and trying to bring her family back together once more.

As Michelangelo struggles to put recent events down in writing and Donatello struggles without having the necessary equipment or research to do much of anything, Raphael continues to be distrustful of Alopex and the arctic fox’s actions concerning his recently brainwashed brother.

The low-key issue is very much presented as the calm before the storm. Alopex finds at least temporary acceptance with the Turtles, Leonardo begins interacting with his family, and even Raphael lets his guard down a bit. However, it is all to be short-lived as Karai‘s agents have found the Turtles which should lead into a much more action-packed issue next month. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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