Comics

Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #2

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Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #2The second issue of Scooby-Doo! Team-Up takes Mystery Inc. to Batman and Robin‘s home town for a gathering of the Mystery Analysts of Gotham City. Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #2 also allows Scooby-Doo to realize his dream as a super-hero sidekick when the Scarecrow‘s fear gas turns distracts all the heroes from the villain’s scheme to rob the city blind.

With the support and prompting of Ace the Bat-Hound, Scooby dons a cape and mask and the two canine crimefighters, both immune to the villain’s fear toxin, set out to save the day.

Delivering a Dynamic Canine Duo, Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #2 is another extremely enjoyable issue (while playing on iconic Batman panels along the way) from a title I hope DC never stops printing. The New 52 needs a serious jolt of the kind of madcap joy and comic book awesomeness that stories like this bring to clean the grit from several of DC’s current titles. Bring on the next Bat-villain; Scooby and I are waiting! Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Daredevil: Dark Nights #8

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Daredevil: Dark Nights #8The final arc of the eight-issue anthology mini-series comes to a close as Daredevil sets out to save Misty Knight from her Cuban drug lord ex-boyfriend. It also offers a flashback of the series of events leading up to Knight loosing her arm and requiring a bionic replacement.

Separated for most of the issue, Daredevil: Dark Nights #8 doesn’t offer much in the way of banter between the two heroes. And although she gets to do a little butt-kicking in the final few panels (including saving Daredevil from Carmen Averez), I’m a little disappointed that Misty Knight spends so much of the final issue of the series as the damsel in distress.

Daredevil: Dark Nights may not have delivered great stories over its eight-issue run, but the adventures of Matt Murdock had their moments and I’m sorry to see the series coming to an end as Marvel gears up to a big February relaunch of several of their core titles (including Daredevil). For fans.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Batman: Black and White #5

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Batman: Black and White #5Offering another quintet of black and white Batman tales, Batman: Black and White #5 is anchored by a Two-Face story from Len Wein and artist Victor Ibáñez which features a complicated two-pronged attack, misdirection, and an appearance of Nightwing in his pre-New 52 costume (complete with the fan appreciated finger stripes).

“Hell Night” from Ivan Brandon gives us Batman on one brutal night (with a late twist I don’t quite buy) and beautiful art by Paolo Manuel Rivera. Blair Butler and Chris Weston offer a bizarre story featuring the death of the Caped Crusader (sort of), and Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Andrew Robinson give us a story featuring Bruce Wayne mostly out of the Batsuit finding his “super-power” (but when he does appear as Batman it’s in the classic costume complete with the yellow ellipse Bat symbol).

Although I enjoyed the tone of Keith Giffen and Javier Pulido’s “Cat and Mouse” featuring a crook’s version of his encounter with Batman, it’s probably the weakest of this month’s stories. Worth a look.

[DC, $4.99]

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Star Wars #13

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Star Wars #13Following the news that Marvel will take sole publishing rights over the Star Wars universe beginning in 2015, Brian Wood and new artist Facundo Percio deliver the best issue of the latest classic series. Told from the perspective of Ensign Nanda, Star Wars #13 opens a new arc showcasing the vengeance and brutality of Darth Vader who creates a small elite team of Stormtroopers to accompany the Dark Lord of Sith and Nanda on his mission of revenge.

From Nanda’s perspective we only see what Vader allows her to see, and we also witness his unchecked agression through her eyes including torturing Imperial officers for information and as a statement of his authority which has been questioned since the destruction of the first Death Star.

Given the number of titles in Marvel’s stable I can’t see any Star Wars title getting the kind of focus Dark Horse has given them since acquiring the rights in 1991. Although the company has put quite a bit of mediocre comics under the brand I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this series and will be sad to see it come to a premature end. Best of the week.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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G.I. JOE #12

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G.I. JOE #12G.I. JOE begins a new arc with the introduction of Cobra’s latest agent, Siren. Allowing for a story that offers a chance for multiple artists to try their hand at the adventures of previous Cobra Commanders over the terrorist organization’s long history, writer Paul Allor introduces a character who uses storytelling and the spoken word to reshape and control the thoughts of her enemies.

Because the focus is all on Cobra and so much of the story is flashbacks to tales Siren offers various targets the Baroness (who doesn’t understand what Siren does or why Cobra Commander shows faith in her) puts in front of her, G.I. JOE #12 is very different than any other issue of the series.

Focused on telling the legendary and bloody history of former Cobra Commanders, the latest issue fills in readers to just how long Cobra has been operating. It also reminds us that not all of Cobra’s attacks come with a H.I.S.S. Tank, M.A.S.S. Device, or a gun. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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