Comics

Beware the Batman #3

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Beware the Batman #3Katana‘s training continues as Batman gives his protege a crash course in underwater dirty fighting tactics and turns his attention to crime boss Tobias Whale and the sunken cargo ship of weapons the Dark Knight left at the bottom of Gotham Harbor.

Unwilling to let Whale’s salvage operation be successful, Batman and Katana set out to stop the criminal from reclaiming, and flooding the streets of Gotham, with his firearms. Batman even goes so far as to rely on Lt. Gordon (who seems a little more chummy with the vigilante in the comics than the TV-show that spawned them), even if he does so by giving the police detective an exploding Bat-phone.

Although Whale isn’t the most interesting of villains, the underwater setting works well and the legitmate threat of weapons hitting Gotham’s streets is incentive enough for our heroes to act. Katana is still in training, but it’s obvious from Batman’s relationship with Gordon the comic is taking place at least a few months down the line from the last episodes to air (although if the episodes hadn’t been prematurely pulled the gap might not be so noticeable). Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Dead Boy Detectives #1

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Dead Boy Detectives #1It’s kind of like the Hardy Boys if the Hardy Boys were ghosts instead of brothers. Originally created in 1991 by writer Neil Gaiman and artists Matt Wagner and Malcolm Jones III for The Sandman, Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine earn their own comic as the ghostly youngsters continue to investigate crimes rather move on to the afterlife.

Beginning with saving a troubled young girl named Crystal involved in a bizarre heist media event, the opening arc of the new series will send the Dead Boy Detectives back to St. Hilarions, the academy both children attended (although 75 years apart) and where both met their deaths, in hopes that they might save Crystal of a similar fate.

Although I found the elaborate heist/performance art involving Crystal’s parents that opens the issue a bit hard to follow, Dead Boy Detectives #1 offers up a strong first issue to reintroduce out both characters and give them an excuse to return to school that destroyed and ended each of their lives. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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The Flash #26

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The Flash #26The Flash #26 kicks off a new arc with a new creative team in writer Christos Gage and artist Neil Googe. It’s going to take a little time for me to get used the drastic artist change (and I’m going to miss those amazing splash pages from Francis Manapul) but issue shows definite promise, even if it does adopt the continuous use of the Flash’s incredibly lame yellow striping on his New 52 costume.

I’ve hated that change ever since DC first showed the design, but Manapul’s choice to show the costume’s grooves as empty except when they were occasionally filled with lightning during the Flash’s heroics helped lessen the horrific and completely unnecessary costume change. I’ll be honest, If I’ve got to put up with those stripes in every panel than this is going to be a problem.

The main story is a mix of fun villain in Spitfire (who feels like a New 52 version of Roxy Rocket to me), the serious murder of Barry’s old mentor, and the dangerous threat of samples of several deadly diseases being stolen.

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Atomic Robo and The Savage Sword of Dr. Dinosaur #4

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Atomic Robo and The Savage Sword of Dr. Dinosaur #4With Tesladyne under full-scale attack based on the convincing frame job by Majestic 12 to present Atomic Robo and the company as nuclear terrorists, Robo and his action scientists have their own hands full with Dr. Dinosuar, not one but two armies of magma creatures, and the deranged dinosaur’s rebuilt Time-Bomb which he believes will destroy the last 65 million years.

Although much of the issue deals with the scientists both joining an army in Hollow Earth and fighting for control of Tesladyne, Atomic Robo and The Savage Sword of Dr. Dinosaur #4 also brings our hero and villain back together for some insane, and truly wonderful, banter.

With only a single issue left, Jenkins captured and Tesladyne in the hands of their enemies, and Dr. Dinosaur detonating his absurd creation, there’s still quite a bit of ground to cover to find out just how Atomic Robo and his friends defeat his supremely-awesome arch-nemesis and get out of this one. Best of the week.

[Red 5, $3.50]

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Fables #136

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Fables #136Revelations and discoveries are the major theme of the latest issue of the “Camelot” as the Lady of the Lake takes time to clue Rose Red in on some possible ramifications to her attempt to recreate Camelot which include new versions of the feuds that ended’s its first run, the possible interference of the Fates, and Rose Red’s true purpose in the undertaking.

Fables #136 also finally reveals the identity of the woodsman who, as suspected, is indeed one of King Arthur’s former knights, and (far more obscure than anyof the other reveals) offers a revelation for the Lady herself whose own fate is sealed when she comes face-to-face with one of Snow White‘s sons.

A very strong issue that continues the current story while laying the foundation for ramifications down the line by suggesting the evil to destroy the new Camelot is already in place. The issue also several times refers to the never-discussed parents of Snow White (who could play the role of Morgan le Fay this time around) and Rose Red as having some huge consequences of its own. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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