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

For Ward, creator run-down to date (writer/pencils/inks unless noted)

Justice League: Geoff Johns/Jim Lee/Scott Williams
Action: GMoz/Rags Morales/Rick Bryant
Animal Man: Jeff Lemire/Travel Foreman/Dan Green
Batwang: Judd Winick/Ben Oliver (all art)
Batgirl: Gail Simone/Ardian Syaf/Vincente Cifuentes
Detective: Tony S Daniel/Ryan Winn (all art)
Green Arrow: JT Krul/Dan Jurgens/George Perez
Hawk & Dove: Sterling Gates/Rob Liefeld (all art)
Justice League International: Dan Jugens/Aaron Lopresti/Matt Ryan
Men Of War: Ivan Brandon (Rock writer)/Tom Derenik (Rock artist)/Jonathon Vankin (SEALS writer)/Phil Winslade (SEALS artist)
OMAC: Dan DiDio/Keith Giffen/Scott Koblish
Static Shock: Scott McDaniel and John Rozum/Jonathon Glapion/LeBeau Underwood
Stormwatch: Paul Cornell/Miguel Sepulveda (all art)
Swamp Thing: Scott Snyder/Yanick Paquette (all art)
B&R: Peter J Tomasi/Patrick Gleason/Mick Gray
Batwoman: JH Williams (everything)/W Haden Blackman (co-writer)
Deathstroke: Kyle Higgins/Joe Bennett/Art Thibert
Demon Knights: Paul Cornell/Diogenes Neves/Oclair Albert
Frankie: Jeff Lemire/Alberto Ponticelli (all art)
GL: Geoff Johns/Doug Mahnke/Christian Alamy

Also, the Geoff Johns universe does not have people put off by BEWBS or women in refigerators. That is the law. (In fact, maybe every single book has been dominated by female characters - when they appear - being portrayed in better light than the male ones. IT'S A POLITICAL CORRECTNESS CONSPIRACY. Maybe now all the old fans will have to stop reading comics now their illusions are shattered and they can't see past their close minded view of gender politics.)

Grifter #1 W: Nathan Edmondson P: Cafu (presumably not the Brazilian footballer. Or Alan Hutton.) I: Jason Gorder

Um. I was never enough of a Wildstorm fan for this to mean anything to me really, but it chugs along at a steady enough pace and generates enough interest to get me reading the next couple without complaint. The art's nice enough, and doesn't lean nearly as heavily on Josh Holloway as you'd expect it to have for a model. What confuses me the most though is whether it's seventeen minutes, hours or days as it appears as all three in the text. And ends up back where it began.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6158319825_b7b5472cd4.jpg

The real value of the book is it captures some candid shots of me round Dan DiDio's house.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6158861274_6821a50892.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6158319863_4559fec05f.jpg

PRINT MORE OF THESE NOW, IF YOU CAN. BWAHAHAHAHA.

Legion Lost #1: Fabien Nicieza and Pete Woods (no sub-credits)

So, I'm a sucker for LoSH. I always knew it, but how much of a kick I get out of it is best summed up by this picture of you and me reading it together.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6158973844_67aab42f50.jpg

It's really good, I think. Chasing a super-villain through time, the Time Bubble blows up leading to the titular scenario. There's a bit of a fight and WHOA

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6158974040_0dd28edefc_z.jpg

Some fairly crappy dialogue, another couple of explosions with some character deaths thrown in and we're at the end with me eagerly waiting the next installment. Don't expect more detail because there isn't any - this is a fast-paced flipper (with a bit of exposition).

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6158432725_6de0781f48_z.jpg

I don't know, but if I go down I'm taking you with me.

so these comix i've never heard of are all wildstorm things right?

Some are, some are just unlikely titles.

the last two?

You've never heard of the Legion of Super Heroes?

Legion Lost?

It's a new Legion of Super Heroes spinoff.

oh cool, didn't realize. is Brainiac 5 still in continuity somewhere?

Guessing he's going to be in the main LoSH title. Big names in this one were TimberWolf and Wildfire.

It's a new Legion of Super Heroes spinoff.

also an old Legion of Super Heroes spinoff.

Mister Terrific #1 W: Eric Wallace P: Gianluca Gugliotta I: Wayne Faucher

Another day, another character I know nothing about. A Golden Age hero who was brought into the Justice Society of America, quite why he's been catapulted into one of the only 52 books remaining is really unclear since it reads like second string throughout. It's competent enough, but never exciting at any point and has a real identity crisis - it starts in the present day London and appears to have been written by somebody who has never been there, before skipping far into the past for a bit of character establishing and then back to the present day for a plot completely unrelated to the London sequence. It's easy enough to find yourself swept along liking it enough, but two panels stand out for me:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6190/6159476894_329e715067_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6181/6158936951_937dea953e_z.jpg

Ummm. Wow. Race complex, much? Self-identifying as "black guy"? "Black woman" who is genetically different to a white one solely on the basis of colour? Wow again.

I really have no idea who thinks stuff like this is a good idea. But it's weird enough to make me think about not taking this beyond #1.

Red Lanterns #1 W: Peter Milligan P: Ed Benes I: Rob Hunter

SO CONFLICTED. SO WINICKY, SO JOHNSY BUT PETE MILLIGAN.

This is complete torture/violence porn, but there's almost something that resembles a plot in there. I'm struggling to write about it because it's more of a FEELING that it's good - the internalised dialogue is good, the art is clean and distinct and it feels like it's going somewhere (unlike most of the other books this week). But I'm still conflicted. The final page sums up how I felt when I finished it:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6159514082_50b064e964_z.jpg

Happy to stick with it for the time being but I'm not sure how long I can sustain the levels of hate required to enjoy this. And as one of the most misanthropic people on the planet, that's some claim.

Resurrection Man #1 W: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning Art: Fernando Dagnino

OK, there's obscure and there's Resurrection Man. Around for two years in the late 90s and that's pretty much it, the creators of the character have been given a second chance with him; which is kind of fitting as his powers are that he dies and comes back to life with a new power (that he doesn't know what it is).

This ends up working maybe the best of any of the 52 books then just because of this, primarily because it hasn't got any huge amount of history it has to cram in or ignore and nothing to be inconsistent with. And although I enjoyed it I wasn't engaged at any point, plus the whole "fixed events and you can't prevent them because you cause them" part of the plot reminded me of everything I hate about modern Doctor Who.

The art is the thing though. It reminds me of the last attempt to bring back Marvel's New Universe, or lower tier Marvel supernatural books of the 80s/90s like Druid. And it features the worst piece of art this week, coupled with one of the weirdest bits of dialogue:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6159052817_c3220c0ddd_z.jpg

"A GaGa kind of way". Plus the hands. Ignoring his giant hand at the front of the panel, we have this behind:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6159591778_d71e02f638.jpg

Uh. It's her hand that's behind that doesn't work, as that inexplicable bit of width makes it look like it's her thumb and not his. Still, a decent first issue and I'm sticking with it.

Kind of looks like she has a case of toethumb

That scene hopefully takes place in the waiting room of Resurrection Man's dentist's office, which just happens to have an interesting painting of Resurrection Man scowling out a window. Does "a gaga kind of way" mean like Lady Gaga (who belongs in Red Lantern or Demon Knights) or as in Freudian/Oedipal hoochie-wawa?
"I need Red Lanterns in my shorts"

I think the former. I'd prefer the latter. (Actually, yr whole post has put "Metal Fingers In My Body" on my IJ which is no bad thing and somewhat appropriate for the first half of this book.)

I know I have two books left btw, they'll turn up tomorrow. One of them was my favourite thing this week. OOH THE TENSION.

the current Mr. Terrific as works better as a DC Reed Richards type IMO

re: JLI image, vaguely resembles:
http://images.wikia.com/marvel_dc/images/9/99/Brave_and_the_Bold_28.jpg
Is Jurgens doing layouts on JLI? Because that splash was very deliberately composed to evoke classic iconography of team books. I've always liked Jurgens as a penciller (though not really as a stylist, if that makes sense), got no opinion of him as a writer, have no idea what his comics values are. He seems to turn out consistently MOR work. His art never gets in the way of the story, but it doesn't really enhance it either.

That's a really good effort but not what I was thinking of. It'll come to me, I'm sure.

I just read OMAC. And while its heart was in the right place, I guess, I had to wonder why this book even got made. Doing a Kirby thing (and OMAC is incredibly Kirby, perhaps the Kirbyest, or within spitting distance of it) without the King just doesn't make any sense. In the meantime, I'll just pull the old HC off the shelf and flip through it again, since it will be everything that this series is shooting for, and more.

prob DiDio got excited about the good reviews for Paul Pope’s cover version of Omac #1 in Solo and went “gissa job, I can do that”

and the boss said “alright then”

the boss: http://americanthings.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/looney-tunes-by-zewebanimdotcom.jpg

http://www.flashbackuniverse.com/blogImages/random/DanDidio.jpg

YOUR SOUL. GIVE IT TO ME.

Suicide Squad #1 W: Adam Glass Art: Federico Dallocchio/Ransom Getty/Scott Hanna

Different Universe, same Suicide Squad. Supervillains get let out of jail in return for pulling off covert missions as part of Task Force X, the catch being that it's unlikely they'll all make it. This can be kind of predictable, as it's usually the small-time villains you've never heard of that buy the farm, but whatevs.

This is an establishing book, with a bit of history on Task Force X and a bit of history of the current members, but this is a blast from start to finish. Members in #1 are Deadshot, Harley Quinn, King Shark, Black Spider, el Diablo, Voltaic and Savant and guess what? Not all of them get to the end of the issue, where we get a brief Amanda Waller cameo (boy, has she been working out in the Johns Universe...) and the next mission, which looks like a doozy.

But putting all that aside, FUN FUN FUN

King Shark is the best thing about this issue by a country mile.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6162473170_590fb3342e_z.jpg

And I defy anyone not to love the contrast between him and everybody else here.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6161938199_ddd39b065a_z.jpg

Welcome back. I've missed you not being about.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6162473518_7d0d024c0c_z.jpg

Aldo's winner of the week. Guaranteed to contain no Sadface.

Is this Deadshot supposed to be someone else than Floyd Lawton? If not, what happened to his cool mask and moustache? Why mess with a great character design?

Superboy #1 W: Scott Lobdell P: RB Silva I: Rob Lean

And after that, a let-down. For starters, this is not Superboy as in Young Clark Kent. It's kind of Superboy as in Kon-El. But the fact I've mis-typed Superboy as Superbot several times is a bit of a giveaway - this is Superboy as in Astro Boy:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6161977871_66dd60c600_z.jpg

There's an awful lot of setup in this, and I'm not sure I followed it fully to be honest. I mean, what's this even about?

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6176/6162513812_6853c555a0_z.jpg

And there are words. Lots of words. Lots and lots of words. Neal Adams Batman levels of words. LOOK AT THEM!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6162513732_489a5b6ec2_z.jpg

But then it all happens in the last page. Is this a hint towards Universe Punching? If so I'm up for it, if not I'm out.

Yes, Deadshot is Floyd Lawton. His mask is broken here, he has the full thing elsewhere in the book. He doesn't have a moustache because he isn't in his 60, Scandanavian or living in the 1970s.

In a stunning twist of fate, I have managed to last longer on the books than one of the creative teams - John Rozum has announced he's left Static Shock.

hah!

I think the obsolete moustache was a great part of his character... Even if he was occasionally portrayed sympathetically, you knew he was never gonna make a full turn into being a good guy, because he had such an obvious old-school Evil Moustache. So I would assume the lack of moustache means he's now gonna become a Usually Moral Anti-Hero instead of a Usually Amoral one.

(xx-post)

Also, in Secret Six Gail Simone made it clear that his fashion sense in general is a relic of the 1970s.

In a stunning twist of fate, I have managed to last longer on the books than one of the creative teams

Haven't several of them lost their artists before or during the first issues already? And Action #2 and #3 have both been solicited with fill-in artists doing substantial chunks of the pages.

you knew he was never gonna make a full turn into being a good guy, because he had such an obvious old-school Evil Moustache. So I would assume the lack of moustache means he's now gonna become a Usually Moral Anti-Hero instead of a Usually Amoral one.

^booming post

One of the funniest moments in Invincible (SPOILERS if you haven't read it) was related to that... The main bad guys in the series are this race of Evil Fascist Aliens who have conquered half the galaxy, and all of the men of that race sport a 70s style Evil Moustache. Now, the main opponent of Evil Empire is an interplanetary alliance lead by an old dude with a Gandalf beard. In a SHOCKING TWIST the old dude reveals to the good guys that he is actually a reformed member of the Evil Alien Race. How does he do that? By pulling of his fake beard, revealing that the only real facial hair he has is a 70s moustache.

i don't know why the world needs another punisher, but i guess the world didn't need lobo either and now here we are

http://images.wikia.com/marvel_dc/images/9/98/Lobo_Paramilitary_Christmas_Special_1.jpg

oops i meanhttp://images.wikia.com/marvel_dc/images/9/98/Lobo_Paramilitary_Christmas_Special_1.jpg

Are you talking about Deadshot? He's not like The Punisher at all.

u know, i was actually thinking of deathstroke whose new incarnation is kinda punisher-esque. i haven't read the new Suicide Squad yet

Deadshot is older than the Punisher AFAIK, Deathstroke was always 'inspired' by him AAFAIK

Only one mustache allowed in this brave new universe.

is it wrong that I'm still giggling that someone thought Batwing was a good title for a comic book

It just means you go outside to do things other than go to a comic store, imo.

What is this outside you speak of?