Aldo reads DC's New 52 (So you don't have to)

she casts magic spells by saying words backwards

Is Zatanna DC's first second generation hero*?
*Her father, Zatara, first appeared in a single-digit issue of Action, maybe #1?

(confirmed, Action#1)

I can't think of another, much less an earlier instance.

Is it too spoilery to talk about the Flashpoint Mystery Woman?

Flashpointina?

Batgirl #1

So Gail Simone was arguably the most successful writer of female heroes before the reboot, including having worked with Barbara Gordon before, and it gives DC a way of extending Adam Hughes' contract* so this is bound to be AWESOMES, right?

Well, for the most part it is. We get a new villain who seems to show people the worst bits of their lives then kills them imaginatively in an appropriate way (AND NOT LIKE THE SPECTRE AT ALL) and then we get Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. Then a splashpage that I just can't work out at all:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6174/6135790320_cf2159ed7e.jpg

Where's she coming from? Where's she going? Where's the rope connected? Why are there no buildings behind her? WHAT'S UP WITH THAT FOOT?**

We have a fight with a small time gang of weird kids and then a flashback to The Killing Joke. And so it begins, as previous continuity begins to creep in. Although that needn't matter because it gets handwaved away on the next page as "a miracle happened".

We then get the usual attempt by Gail to pretend she's still a teenager with a lolworthy room-mate, but it's redeemed by a great closing sequence where Babs is unable to act because of Killing Joke memories (unfortunately not Jaz Coleman, so no Honouring of The Fire here) and people hate her.

I'm staying with this I think "but just fair warning, okay?"

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6135301247_ae74f74c14.jpg

* The man responsible for one of the most pointless and exploitative bits of DC promo material in years:

http://herospy.com/wp-content/2008/comics/DC_Babes.jpg

Which is for what, exactly? It just appeared standalone with no context - I particularly like how it fails to sexy up the wheelchair.

** Noticing feet in Book three of a week that has a Rob Liefeld book in it cannot be a good sign. I might melt down later.

Batwing #1

WING, not WANG. I should be excited because this is a brand new hero for the reboot, but frankly it's all too WINICKY.

Actually, that's not fair. I actually quite like this despite it being a 30 second read. It's very, very pretty and establishes that GMoz's Batman Inc is in continuity as well (having happened just before the continuity 'present day') and references another hero group (The Kingdom) who also existed in the Gap. The new villain, Massacre, doesn't really make any sense though and this might have been better as an Unknown Soldier book (which it could still turn into given the final splash page).

It's so slight there really isn't anything else to say about it, so let's just look at how lovely the art is for a bit.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6079/6135881698_3e33c298c3.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6135336293_655df548f2.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6135882248_b775c19fe1.jpg

BECAUSE OF THE WING

batman DETECTIVE comics

Tony S Daniel was obviously sleeping when the DCU got rebooted because this is basically his Batman book from before the jump. Hey ho, I liked it then and I like it now. It doesn't even really pretend it's anything new either, as Bats knows all about The Joker already (which he would if this is in present day, but I thought it was 5 years ago like Action and Justice League?) and there's a Batsignal and all sorts. It's neither up nor down, really. The dialogue is sometimes crappy:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6135931064_1121bb0ffc.jpg

I'm not exactly in love with the art either because for every great panel there's one that looks like this:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6135931110_42fd9703e9.jpg

The background of it is really nice, but what's up with his JOKERFACE HIS JO-JOKERFACE JO-JO-JO-JOKERFACE HIS JO-JOKERFACE?

The best thing about this book* is the lettering though, which is some of the best I've seen in a mainstream hero book in ages. Seriously, this panel reminds me of Cerebus:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6135931140_9255feb48c.jpg

And frankly that's enough to keep me onboard, although I might have to bail if Batman starts rewriting the Torah.** There's not enough good lettering out there any more and I don't care how anal that makes me sound.

* This is a lie. The best thing is the final splash page but I can't show you that as it's far too spoilery. It's also what's really keeping me buying it. But hey, it's another splash page as the final one - that makes Batgirl the only one so far that isn't.

** This is obviously another lie. How cool would that be?

In the beginning I created the heaven and the earth. I'm the me-damn God. And the Earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Darkness. My old ally. I am a creature of the dark. And the Spirit of Me moved upon the face of the waters. Like a symbol. That's it - I shall become a me. And I said, let there be light: and there was light. Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid. Never learn.

Green Arrow #1

Hoo boy. Written by a guy most famous for his work on the GGA series Fathom can't a good sign and guess what. IT ISN'T.*

For starters, Green Arrow is Steve Jobs - although to be honest that seems an easy mistake to make.

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2011/08/steve-jobs-young.jpg

Anyway, this is the very definition of filler. We get a pointless fight with three minor villains that are so hackneyed it's almost unbelievable (a strong guy, one that controls electricity and a woman with two faces and four arms, that look like they've wandered in by accident from a lazy mid-80s X-Franchise) and some loose references to YouTube, nightclubs and happyslapping** to make it "current" and "edgy", I have visions of J.T. Krul sitting at home in a Global HyperColour t-shirt thinking how AWESOME he looks.

http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/images/2011/04/Bill-and-Ted.jpg

Getting to #3 will be a struggle, but going past there will be a mistake.

* This gives me the PH34R about Captain Atom too, because he's writing it too. Boo.

** For our American friends, Happyslapping was a media outrage in Britain in 2005, when cameraphones that did video were a new thing. It didn't really last long, despite the attempts of the Daily Mail amongst others to portray it as evidence of BROKEN BRITAIN.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_slapping

Quite why it's in here I have no idea, but for evidence that it is:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6135489191_0ac5d854bb.jpg

It's also the splash page too. Wait, it can't be just HIS BUSINESS IS COMPUTERS SO HE IS FUTURISTIC LET'S TURN HIS DOWNFALL ONTO HIS Q-PAD DO YOU SEE, can it? Is anybody that stupid?

No, don't answer that.

Hawk & Dove #1

Oh, Liefeldpaws.

No, wait, go back. I was almost excited about this because I have ridiculously fond memories of the Karl & Barbara Kesel run on it back in the 80s, but couldn't see why it was part of the new line, or written by a guy who hasn't done anything of note other than a few issues of Supergirl. Luckily Wikipedia gave me the answer:

Gates lives in Los Angeles, where he is good friends with fellow writers and collaborators James Robinson and Geoff Johns.

If you can't beat them, make friends with them and beg them for a job, eh?

Anyway, the writing is best summed up by ANGST! SHOUTING! SHOUTING! ANGST! DADDY ISSUES! INTERNAL CONFLICT! ANGST! and could have come exactly from that same book nearly 25 years ago. It has a long dialogue which lays out all the history and ends with a two-page splash which is CLASSIC Liefeld fodder but also implies CoIE is part of the new continuity too (but hang on, Barry Allen died during that, so doesn't that make a mess of everything?):

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6136210768_d1fbc32d36.jpg

I do have to draw attention to this stunning bit of dialogue though:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6136210774_04a665b22b.jpg

Seriously, "You smell like.. Hawk & Dove"? Wtf does that even mean?

I've spent too long laughing at the writer though, and not enough laughing at Rob Liefeld. Have a montage, and remember - all these were drawn independently and I haven't included any of them twice.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6190/6136210778_cee9fa5a02_z.jpg

There, now you don't need to read it.

Any other books will have to go a long, long way to be as bad as this. I will only make it to #3 because I love you.

Bigger, for more ANGST:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6190/6136210778_cee9fa5a02_b.jpg

^lol

wait, Barry Allen never died in this reboot universe? but Batman's gone through four different Robins in five years?

Essentially, yes. It's the post-Final Crisis Barry Allen that Flashpoint happens to, during which time it was revealed (IIRC) that he didn't die in CoIE he was always just chasing back Darkseid's God Bullet, or something.

After reading all this week's books I don't think I know any more.

Justice League International #1

You know, I don't have too much to say about this other than I'm sure it'll be a grower. It wants to be like the Giffen/de Matteis book but doesn't have the balls to do that much comedy so soon, so settles for being vaguely amusing although probably not amusing enough. I'm sure it'll get there once Booster Gold stops worrying about how good he is and is less emo, which can't be far off.

Nothing much happens. The group forms and goes off to investigate an incident in Peru, and it all ends in a splash for which the reference is clearly a Kirby work for Marvel but I can't decide which one. It's something like this

http://theworldsgreatestblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/ff1cover.jpg

but it isn't. Is it Galactus? A Sentinel? Don't know. Happy for someone else to pick it out.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aIMrxkijdUM/Tl0vddZDTTI/AAAAAAAAIR8/UF70JwErDsw/s1600/justice%2Bleague%2Binternational%2B1c.jpg

Anyway, this is OK, but isn't actually good either which is probably why I can't muster up the enthusiasm to say anything about it.

Enjoying these so far. Stay strong.

Men of War #1

This is a two part book, the first of which is the new 52 version of Sgt Rock. All we can pretty much tell from it is that he's in an un-named foreign country conducting a covert assassination and one or maybe two superheroes royally fuck it up for him. Since this is not written by Bob Haney, Robert Kanigher or Garth Ennis it is not very good. If it's going to be set in a universe where there are heroes I can't see how it's going to work - or will end up like Qurac from 80s continuity where plots get inceasingly more ridiculous to justify the heroes not preventing the war or just defeating America's enemies.

The second part is Navy SEALs, which is military enthusiast level crazy, obsessed with acronyms that needed spelled out in sidebars. It's dreadful though, mainly because it doesn't have a plot. It also has the worst foot of the entire week, no small claim when there is an entire Liefeld book out.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6136377974_f0752b7399.jpg

Or closer:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6135832319_b6b0c24599.jpg

Seriously, wtf? Has he got a joint in the middle of his foot that makes his toes point at 45 degrees to where they should be? I would say this spoils the book, but in fact it does the opposite and creates the only think worth talking about in it.

Getting to #3 will be easier than other books, but I can'tsee me going any further.

OMAC

MUCH KIRBY GOODNESS WITHIN. YOU NEED THIS BOOK.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6136412240_ba9279375d.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6135867101_e4f4393a56.jpg

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This is Kirby's original OMAC premise, with only a very small element of the Rucka era. Look, just buy it, OK? Best thing all week.

Static Shock #1

This completely passed me by. I knew nothing about the original so had no attachment to it, but this is the most out of place book thus far in the relaunch. Nothing of note happens and to be honest I can't remember a thing about it. Even reading through it again prompts no response about the first time. The whole thing smacks of 90s affirmative action product, even down to the cover story where he gets set up as a juvenile criminal but we all know he's not. DO YOU SEE? YOU THOUGHT HE MIGHT BE SO YOU ARE A RACIST BADDIE!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6136498532_2e243fd443_z.jpg

So, it ends with a cliffhanger where Static gets his arm cut off and may die. I'm willing to bet that he doesn't die and his arm is back by the end of the next book. You can take over doing this from me if I'm wrong.

Thanks again Aldo. These recaps are great.

Stormwatch #1

This, however, is the book which should be the most out of place. It featured substitutes for Superman, Batman, Captain Atom etc because they couldn't use them and featured the spaces out of the universe as run-off between worlds using a ship too big for any universe as the maguffin. In the reboot we have a ship in "hyperspace", which looks like an attempt to rationalise The Carrier, but thee's no context for how they got out there. There's a flashback to previous Stormwatches through history, mention of a "Shadow Cabinet" and a giant eye inside the Moon.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6136539726_e0b12e4eff_z.jpg

I wonder if the incoming thing it refers to is what Luthor notices in Action? (There's also a reference to Superman #1, not yet published.) Anyway, The Engineer and Jack Hawksmoor are still there, they're trying to recruit Apollo and it looks like The Midnighter is on the other side. Jenny Quantum is in the book, but doesn't look like she's in Stormwatch yet, whereas the Martian Manhunter is.

I'm not really sure it's worth trying to rationalise this, but I'm sure it'll make sense eventually. I guess I have faith in Paul Cornell to get it right eventually, but this is pretty slow going even if it does seem to be about the Moon turning into a monster.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6136018407_9cf03cd748_z.jpg

One for the fans, I think.

Swamp Thing #1

Having been a massive Swamp Thing stan at one point, I somehow missed everything that was happening around Brightest Day and only read one issue of the Search For.. book so I've had to fill in the gaps. Which, frankly, seem like a load of old bollocks. Anyway, Alec Holland is now just a man, but has connections to the plant world he can't explain. There's something weird happening with bones as well (which most likely tie into The Red as I noted in Animal Man and Jeff Lemire confirms the two books will cross over soon). He has a bio-restorative formula again, but nobody except Superman wants him to use it.

Some obvious nods to the old fans in here - the cover is reminiscent of the last panel of Rite of Spring and Totleben's Motel is a nice touch - but as with Animal Man this is a Vertigo book in all but name and some of the pages are amongst the best I've seen in a DC horror book for some time. This is my favourite page:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6169/6136613260_0606efaedf_z.jpg

A sleeper title maybe, but one you should be reading. I will be.

So Gail Simone was arguably the most successful writer of female heroes before the reboot, including having worked with Barbara Gordon before, and it gives DC a way of extending Adam Hughes' contract* so this is bound to be AWESOMES, right?

* The man responsible for one of the most pointless and exploitative bits of DC promo material in years:

But Batgirl isn't drawn by Adam Hughes, it's by someone called Ardian Syaf (never heard of him before). I was actually surprised how little beefcake there was in Batgirl #1, even Babs' breast size was not the mandatory superheroine D cup, she actually looks like someone who has trained her upper body a lot. I agree that the leg spread splash page looks a bit silly, but on the other hand it was probably supposed to emphasize how great she feels being able to use her legs again. Other than that I thought this Syaf fellow is a very solid artist and good at drawing action, there were some nice kinetic panels in the fight between Batgirl and the masked gang.

Sorry, by "beefcake" I meant cheesecake, obviously.

Adam Hughes did the cover.

Look, just buy it, OK? Best thing all week.

HELL NO, I WON'T DIDIO

but it isn't. Is it Galactus? A Sentinel? Don't know. Happy for someone else to pick it out.

Which turned out to be misplaced giant robot belonging to...
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110618153219/marvel_dc/images/0/0b/Metron_014.jpg

man, that Workman fill-in looks so wrong

So Best thing all week is by DiDio? My world is crumbling!

Aldo, these are great. That Hawk&Dove montage alone was wonderful. You've made me buy some books I wasn't going to.

what do yall have against the Hughes pinup?

I don't really have anything against the Hughes pinup (hell, I might have bought more than one Frank Cho book in my life), but the Women of DC thing was utterly pointless cheesecake which iirc appeared for the first time in three segments as inside back covers. No context, nothing. I think there's something funny as well about his sexying up Barbara Goredon then realising composition means he has to have another character sitting down for no reason at the other side.

As for the JLI splash, no, it's definitely a Kirby thing I'm thinking of. Look at the Action Poses!

Barbara Goredon

don't give Geoff Johns ideas

I kinda dig Foreman's art on Animal Man, but can see how YMMV.

I liked it too... I think maybe the online reproduction of it is losing some of the detail.

one thing I don't like about all this nu-52 shite is the way all the issue 1s are swamping the new comics space in my local shop.

Batman and Robin #1

Woohoo! A book by Rolo Tomassi! \m/ \m/

http://static.nme.com/images/gallery/rolo_Tomassi_DF_L80509.jpg

Oh. Peter Tomasi.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zWPZ3jc1d9s/TEAviEO80dI/AAAAAAAAAEI/fnbo1mefSXw/s320/tomasi.jpg

WELL THAT'S HARDLY THE SAME THING NOW, IS IT? I mean seriously, you think a Geoff Johns Sadface collaborator is a substitute for Nottingham Mathcore?

To be fair to the book, it's not bad. A universe's worth of BatHistory is tied up and rejected in about 10 pages, and it's really clear that Barry Allen's Cosmic Brane remembers all of Batman Inc even though the rest of us can't. But from the double page centre splash onwards it's good knockabout generic BatFun, even if it took me five goes to work out what was going on in this panel and how it connects to the panels before and after:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6157922365_d38662b9c6_z.jpg

The last page, however, redeems pretty much any failings even if it's probably the most brutal thing in any of the new books to date. I'm staying for now, but not wedded to continuing to buy this yet.

Batwoman #1

All Hail Geoff Johns! He has managed to get JH Williams to get an issue of Batwoman out on time! NB I am not taking bets against this being the only one...

Anyway, the reasoning why is well known - Williams was so late this has been rescheduled multiple times since the original Feb solicit and boy does it show. This comes straight out of the Detective feature, barely even acknowledging the whole Brightest Day/Blackest Night bollocks.

Accordingly, this probably needs no selling to you. It's absolutely beautiful, as you'd expect. I mean, LOOK AT THIS (no apologies for HUGENESS):

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6156/6158555802_dfc27c2934_b.jpg

One complaint? Continuity. BRA ON:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6158013485_eef1131276_z.jpg

PRESTO SWAPSIES!:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6158555958_f734a4e5dd.jpg

I mean, you could argue there's too much GAY AGENDAR, but you must have known you were buying a book about a lesbian crimefighter. I can't see any possible way you could sell this to kids because the plot is just too complicated, but as long as they keep publishing it I'll keep buying it.

Deathstroke #1

Bleh. No interest in the character and the artist comes from the Draw Characters Like Rob Liefeld Draws Captain America And/Or Cable school.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6158585882_9f6c9616e6.jpg

Luckily he took evening classes in MacFarlane Pouches.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6158043417_4f85418019.jpg

The worst thing about this was the teen sidekicks though, and it's only Deathstroke's reaction to them in the closing pages that makes me remotely interested in reading any more of these.

Demon Knights #1

Damn the consequences, I really quite liked this. There, I said it.

I have absolutely NO idea how this ties into the modern DCU, but what's not to like about a comic that stars Jason Blood, Madame Xanadu, The Shining Knight and Vandal Savage?

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6158618394_1042d7d68b.jpg

Does it deliver kind of mystic action with added FITES?

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6158618428_1dfd63d553.jpg

This sort of thing just makes me feel all benevolent.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6158618490_a99cb20a95.jpg

This won't be for everyone. It might not actually be for anyone other than me. But I'm sticking with this for now.

The bra-off shot is several weeks after the bra-on shot, not minutes later. If that's a continuty error, I'm glad I don't have to wash your smalls.

btw is it just me or was Mr Bones not rhyming at all? I know Johnson and Williams hid them in Chase, but I didn't spot a sneaky rhyme scheme in this.

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1

You know, I really, really want to like this but it's such a B.P.R.D. rip-off it's nigh-on impossible.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6158647548_85748f607b.jpg

You took the words right out of my mouth, Frankie. Look, they even have a new character (? I think) that rips off Abe Sapien!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6158647682_c57485f021.jpg

This must be able to be made good, but I have no idea how. Putting Ray Palmer in it, presumably to allow The Atom later, doesn't cut it. Me and Jeff Lemire, last night:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6158105669_bcbacc628e.jpg

I'm Frankie, if you hadn't guessed. Anybody who wants to read this sort of thing done well should buy the FrankenCastle run on The Punisher instead.

Just re-read that bit of Batwoman and there's nothing anywhere to suggest that they're not continuous - we see the characters dress and go out, then come back and undress while talking about one fight (which is intercut in the undressing art). I agree it makes far more sense for it to reflect several weeks but that's not what the comic itself says at all; and since this is supposed to be part of attracting a new comics audience who are not necessarily comics literate, asking them to read implicit textual changes is a bit of a low blow.

"You're not being fair, Kate. I HAVE been working really hard."
"You still scare me out there."

This dialogue indicates clearly that they have been out on patrol on multiple occasions over a moderately extended period of time.

Green Lantern #1

AAAAAARGH GEOFF JOHNS AAAAAAARGH MANKELIPS AAAAAARGH FUCK OFF FUCK OFF FUCK OFF

A book so mired in continuity it makes no sense if you haven't read every GL book ever like what Geoff has.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6187/6158163331_600f0fd71e.jpg

Ok, I'm exaggerating slightly, but how is a new reader supposed to know or care about Star Sapphire? Or the Sinestro Corps War?

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6158163375_88756988cc.jpg

Reading something else. What I'm not doing is having dinner with Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6158163427_1afe50916b.jpg

Impenetrable bollocks for the casual reader. A searing indictment of the real state of DC for the rest of us. This, unfortunately, is the future.

I take your point sic, but the new reader would struggle with that and that's who these books are supposed to be for.

aldo you are performing a great service to humanity w these reviews, just one thing, cld you possibly give us full creator credits at the start of em, ty

I can think of many things that might scare new readers off these books, but somehow I don't think a magical bra-swap in one panel is gonna be among those.

Attracting new readers oughtn't mean dumbing everything down for a punch-and-biff lowest common denominator, though. And it's not fair to hold a JH Williams comic from late 2009 to a March 2011 idea by Dan DiDio.

And let's face it, this book was always going to bring non-regular-DC-readers to it, reboot or no reboot - and they were going to largely be comics-literate people who are here FOR the JHW3 storytelling. (Hi there!)

Equally Tuomas they're not going to be put off by boob size either, yet the GRITTY REALISM of that seems to be the primary thing you got out of Batgirl.

sic, violently agree with you but unfortunately we are living in a Didio world, and Kate Kane is a DiDio girl.

I'd always wondered why you never see Superman and Henry Rollins in the same room.

Is that the new version of Superboy Prime? IIRC he had that red "S" on black background thing going on before the reboot... Considering that the whole character is supposed to be a parody of fanboys, I guess it'd make sense for him to try to look cool and drive a motorcycle.

I am not that into DC's recent work but that image gives me hope for something

Tuomas, that's the post-Convergence Superman, seen in a preview of an upcoming Superman/Batman issue. Apparently his Clark Kent ID has been revealed (by Lois Lane!) and he's depowered. And he's been watching Bruce Willis movies.

From a 1998 Flash comic found at a charity shop:

http://41.media.tumblr.com/159790045d0041889b3d4c11204962c2/tumblr_nq9g6qs2ZO1qz6b1bo1_1280.jpg

was that ever published???

http://wrightopinion.com/2011/05/22/all-you-need-to-know-batman-the-abduction/
http://thewrightopinion.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/youredead.jpg%3Fw%3D450

http://thewrightopinion.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/ufocon.jpg%3Fw%3D450

OOOoWoOo

Wasn't there a character in The Invisibles who was, essentially, Bruce Wayne if Bruce Wayne's life-defining moment had been being abducted by aliens and not having his parents killed?

Striking fear into the hearts of criminals using anal discomfort and memory loss

Hal has a touch of the Fabio about him lately

http://i.imgur.com/l3rNutb.jpg

have they cast Green Lantern in the upcoming Justice League movie yet? Baffleck Batman playing opposite Fabio Hal could be pretty entertaining

is he wearing a green fur robe?

I want to believe so.

Mostly laying out of the New 52 outside a few issues when it started, I've read a few of the first couple Batman related trades. I've read the first couple years of Batman, Detective and Batman & Robin now. I'd say the artwork in these three titles over the first couple of years is really quite good. Whether or not they needed to do this reboot, I think it is a good run of Batman artwork in the three titles. I still thinking starting 5 years in and filling in the gaps was a bit wack, but it all does start to come together a bit as it goes on.

Court of Owls storyline - The story's execution was just dumb. They made those clones way too powerful and the fight scenes were just way over the top. The whole secret court seems pretty hard to buy in old continuity although parts of the background and how it tied into Gotham wasn't bad. I'd think Paul Dini could probably take the elements and make them work as at some point they would have to explain relationship and history between the Court and Ra's Al Ghul, which could work in the right hands. I thought it was a very weird story to use to reboot Batman as the story had so much back in the comics before hand.

Zero Year - It's definitely a different take on Batman's origin. I kind of liked the modern Riddler take although it seems to me to echo the last Batman movie a bit close. I figured that thing the soldiers found in the desert would end up being a Lazarus Pit, but it didn't go that way. All in all, kind of underwhelming but it wasn't bad. It's Batman's origin story, you better be able to make a decent comic with the material.

Death in the Family - It was a definite over the top modern Joker story, but I thought the horror elements worked better with the character than I would have thought. It definitely had a similar vibe to Snyders quite good arc "The Black Mirror" done with Jock before the reboot.

is Darlene the name of Green Lantern's space girlfriend? Is that a callback to his space girlfriend from the 80s when he was exiled from earth for a year?

Darlene is the ship's computer, I think.

with an ATTITUDE!

You can come back Aldo, Dan DiDio is gone!

OMG, no fuckin way

DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE ASS THERE DAN

Although now I have to wonder if Di Dio's departure doesn't mean that AT&T isn't preparing to gut the whole comics division.

I have not read a single new comic book in February. Cold turkey wasn't that bad.

In other DC news: I was wondering why I kept seeing raves about this goddamn Wonder Twins series that just ended and looked into it and discovered that it was written by the same dude who wrote the goddamn Flintstones series I kept seeing raves about and the goddamn Snagglepuss series I kept seeing raves about so I guess I need to just forget about the source material being mined and read this Mark Russell dude's stuff already, huh.

lol, wut — https://cosmicbook.news/marvel-taking-over-dc-comics

Ok, that site looks sketchy af (I’ve never read it, the story just came up in my Google newsfeed)

Yes, that site is sketchy af and, iirc, a favorite of Comicsgate mutants.

sorry for the linky