Comics

Batman: The Dark Knight #9

/ / Comics

batman-the-dark-knight-new-52-9-coverI wasn’t a fan of this Bat-tile before the New 52 reboot and I’ve given the new volume a pretty wide berth. However, the latest issue had three points of interest to make me pick it up.

First, Judd Winick was guest-writing and although his his latest work hasn’t been his best, he’s produced good stories in the past. Two, the cover showcased Red Robin on the cover (who only appears in one panel, isn’t connected to the story at all, and doesn’t utter a word). Three, it was a Night of the Owls crossover.

The problem with this issue, as has been the trouble with almost all of the Night of the Owls crossovers, is that once again the focus here is on a villain, another Talon, instead of the comic’s main character. This issue is all about Alton Carver, the Talon sent to kill Lincoln March, and his history with the Court of Owls and Batman.

The focus is all wrong, the character teased on the cover isn’t here (I was looking forward to a Bruce/Tim team-up), and there’s just not enough here to justify picking up unless you simply want to grab all of the Night of the Owls issues. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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The Flash #9

/ / Comics

the-flash-new-52-9-coverWriter and artist Francis Manapul (along with co-writer Brian Buccellato) gives us the Flash vs. Gorilla Grodd, Round One. Honestly, given the early teases we’d seen of the New 52 versions of Grodd and Gorilla City this was better than I expected. I’m not sure I like the change from Gorilla City from an advanced scientific race of apes into a more magical religious group but this certainly wasn’t the total disaster which I feared.

The Flash shows up in Gorilla City at a loss as to how he arrived there and who he is and learns from a group of elder Gorillas that the secret tribe worship the Lightning (the Speed Force) and the prophesied appearance of the Runner (the Flash). Although awkward in places, the comic picks up after the Flash regains his memory and puts down Grodd’s rule and plans of world conquest.

The issue has several important small plotlines including Iris still stuck in limbo, the Pied Piper deciding to come out of retirement when Central City is left without a hero, Dr. Elias mounting a protest against the scarlet speedster, and a teaser for the introduction of another of the Flash’s Rogues next month – the Weather Wizard.

[DC, $2.99]

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Batman Incorporated #1

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batman-incorporated-new-52-1-coverPlease, for the love of God, would somebody at DC stop letting Grant Morrison write Batman stories. Morrison resurects several of his Batman Incorporated supporting players and throws them haphazardly in the New 52 for the new (but not really improved) Batman Incorporated.

The issue starts with a group in animal masks mutilating livestock to lure Batman and Robin into the crosshairs of the assassin known as Goatboy. Sigh. Goatboy, it seems, has decided to cash in on the hit Leviathan has laid on young Damian.

Morrison gives us the Dead Heroes Club (Batwing, El Gaucho, The Hood, Wingman, and Halo) almost all of whom I didn’t even know existed in the New 52 before now. He also gives us Dark Knight Returns mutants (for no more reason than he gave us Goatboy), and one hell of a bullshit ending even an newbie first-time comic book reader could call. Seriously, I can’t believe Morrison went for such an obvious sleight of hand in the first issue of a new Bat-title where we know damn well nothing bad is going to happen to the Dynamic Duo.

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Captain America #12

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captain-america-12-coverAs S.H.I.E.L.D. doctors try to help Diamondback, who has slipped into a coma after the beatdown from the new Scourge, Captain America and Dum Dum Dugan set out to get a little revenge by attacking an underground HYDRA base and learning the secret of the S.H.I.E.L.D. leak.

We get a couple of revelations here including Sharon Carter‘s discovery of the leak within S.H.I.E.D. to be a brainwashed Henry Gyrich as well as a look at the face of the man wearing the new Scourge costume – Dennis Dunphy.

Although the inclusion of Gyrich and Dunphy does nothing to help sell me on the story, there’s certainly enough here to pick this one up including some good inner monologue from Cap during his attack on the HYDRA base and the art by Patrick Zircher whose action sequences really pop. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Comic Rack

/ / Comics

It’s a new week so it must be time to talk about comics! Welcome to the RazorFine Comic Rack boys and girls. Pull up a bean bag and take a seat at feet of the master as we offer you this quick list of all kinds of comic book goodness set to hit comic shops and bookstores this week from all your favorite publishers including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Archie, Dynamite, Image Comics, and others.

This week includes Amazing Spider-Man, American Vampire, America’s Got Powers, Angel & Faith, Bomb Queen, Diablo, FF, Ghostbusters, Incorruptible, Incredible Hulk, Jennifer Blood, New Deadwardians, Peter Panzerfaust, Queen Sonja, Sonic the Hedgehog, Star Trek, Supercrooks, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Young Justice, the first issues of Grim Leaper, The Ravagers, Secret Lives of Julie Newmar, Superman Family Adventures, and the final issue of Bomb Queen VII, Hulk Smash Avengers, Memorial, Monocyte, and Road Rage.

Enjoy issue #178

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