Comic Mini-Reviews Week of May 9th, 2012

This week: Wolverine is torn between two groups, Night of Owls slows down Batman and Robin, and Captain America's old girlfriend is a secret agent.

Comic Mini-Reviews Week of March 14th, 2012

This week, Batman and Robin kills, Conan thrills, and Batgirl spills.

Comic Mini-Reviews Week of February 8th, 2012

This week: Conan barbarians, Lemire writes his own After Watchmen story, and Exoristos headbutts a triceratops!

What Would Darren Read, Home Edition (Feb. 8th)

This week on What Would Darren Read? we allowed him to venture outside the big two for the first time! Welcome to the game, Dark Horse! Check out the covers we let Darren choose from after the break!

Comic Mini-Reviews Week of January 11th, 2012

An emergency trip to Louisville delayed my reviews a bit, but here they are in all their glory. I have decided to no longer rate comics using the “interest-o-meter” but I have not chosen a replacement yet. For now, you will have to read the reviews to see what I thought of each book! (It's so much extra work, I know!)

Amazing Spider-man #677 – Well, this is easily the book with the highest issue number I have reviewed so far. Sorry, Spider-fans, I'm not picking up any webslinger books. Rather, issue #677 is the first part of a Daredevil/Spider-man crossover and I am buying Daredevil. So in order to not be completely lost reading Daredevil #8, I had to buy #677...crazy how that works, huh? Written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Emma Rios, ASM #677 was a solid piece of work. As is normally the case in crossovers, it was encumbered by more continuity than I am used to in Waid's Daredevil, but, for the most part, it was easy to follow. Waid's talent for capturing a character's essence and voice is on display as he handles perfect characterizations for both Peter Parker and Matt Murdoch. Art-wise, Rios is no Marco Rivera but she has a fluidity that works well for the rubbery Spider-man.

Batgirl #5 – I can't seem to put my finger on this book's problem. After a less than solid first arc, issue number five falls somewhere between lackluster and solid. The strange thing is that Simone doesn't seem to have deviated from the formulas that made her a fan favorite on other books—specifically, Secret Six. She's taken a beloved character, paired it with a solid voice and pitted it against two villains that are patently Simone-esque (read as: weird/creepy). Yet, five issues in, something just isn't working. I have a sneaking suspicion that the disconnect comes somewhere between Simone and artists Ardian Syaf. I am not exactly sure who is at fault but some of the sequences in issue five fall flat. A panel that I am sure was originally meant to be a revelation into the nature of the new villain, Gretel, seems flubbed. Or, it could be intentional to maintain a secret. Regardless, if a veteran comic reader like me had trouble discerning, I am sure that the coveted new readers would be similarly flummoxed. Batgirl continues to underperformed. If the title character proves to be more interesting as a member Bird of Prey, it will only exaggerate the lackluster nature of this book.

Batman and Robin #5 – In last week's FIGcast I claimed that I would read an ongoing comic about people doing nothing but drinking tea if Pat Gleason drew it. I still stand by that statement. Pre-B&R, he was already one of my favorite comic illustrators, but these first five issues have been INSANELY well drawn. For all the praise I have heaped on Gleason, I often forget to mention that Tomasi is pumping out some of the best plotting I have ever read. He has taken the Bruce Wayne/Damian Wayne dynamic and expanded it to a moral minefield filled with father/son crises and disturbing familial troubles. Can Bruce save Damian from his psychologically troubling upbringing? Will Damien be one of Bruce's greatest triumphs or failures?

Batwoman #5 – The most beautiful book in the New 52 continues to be one of the most solidly written. After the resolution (for now) of the Weeping Woman storyline, the book takes a turn as two different organizations vie for Batwoman's allegiance. Kate Kane is given the choice to join Batman Incorporated or work for the Department of Extranormal Operations. A recent rereading of Batwoman: Elegy reminded me of a key difference between it and the current run. The New 52 series is quite a bit less wordy than Greg Rucka's earlier run, but this makes sense considering an artist is the main creative mind behind the book. Also, while Elegy focused on one of Rucka's earlier creations The Religion of Crime, Batwoman is focusing on one of JH William III's, Cameron Chase and the D.E.O. Personally, I love Ms. Chase and the D.E.O. (Director Bones!) so Batwoman is still in my top five favorites of the New 52.

Demon Knights #5 – A while back, I complained that Demon Knights was the absolute epitome of decompressed storytelling in comic books. Five issues in and the medieval superhero team is still stuck defending a tiny, besieged town. It's not poorly written and, even though the siege is taking forever, plenty of interesting stuff is going on. Yet, with each passing issue, I can't help but think “This is going to make one heck of a collected edition.” I have nothing against trades or trade-waiting (in fact, I am a serial trade-waiter), I am just impatient for real resolution. For example, two issues in a row have ended with “shocking” acts by members of the team that seem like betrayals. Even if one of these actions turns out to be real, the “Benedict Arnold Barrel” is a pretty shallow one and shouldn't be gone to with such frequency. I enjoy Demon Knights, I really do, but I am really, really ready for a second storyline.

O.M.A.C. #5/Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #5 – The crossovers have finally begun! I haven't been following O.M.A.C. but I didn't want to miss out on half of the monster slamming action! It turns out that I could have saved the $2.99. Don't get me wrong, the issues weren't bad, they were just the same story—almost literally. The only difference lies in the perspective. The two issues tell the same events from the view point of the title characters. The concept is clever but it doesn't work out very well. The story ends abruptly without any real resolution. In the end, the crossover feels like half a story told twice. It's a fine little smackdown between DC's two current brawlers, but it left me wanting more. I can't believe I'm saying this but: For a book that was mostly action, it could have used about 20 more pages of monster-on-monster violence.

Green Lantern #5 – Honestly, I was pretty shocked that the status quo was not reestablished by the end of Green Lantern's first storyline. Instead, after Hal helps free Korugar, he is returned to Earth sans-ring power while Sinestro's membership in the Corps seems firmly entrenched. Personally, I like Sinestro as a (somewhat morally ambiguous) good guy. Somehow Geoff Johns is able to make him a complete butthole and sympathetic at the same time. Well, perhaps not completely sympathetic but redeemable. The problem, of course, is that Green Lantern only has so many worthy villains and I doubt it will be very long before Sinestro returns to his role as professional-yellow-themed-menace. Doug Manhke's art is the real star once again—deftly jumping from humans to humanoid aliens to scifi craziness without breaking a sweat.

The Ray #2 – Just because the 1990s version of the Ray happened to be one of my favorite under-utilized DC characters doesn't mean that I can't get behind a re-imagining. In fact, I would argue that the Ray is the perfect candidate for a revamp: a low b-list/high c-list character that has been around for a long time without ever being in any really famous stories. He's the kind of character that could be a blank slate for a creative team to tinker with. The new Ray is a light-based, Korean American teenage superhero from San Diego that is zapped by some sort of ray. You know...standard superhero stuff. The first two issues, written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray and drawn by Jamal Igle, have been solid, if traditional, superhero fare.

The Shade #4 – Maybe my expectations were low, but The Shade has been surprisingly solid. James Robinson's output since returning from Hollywood has mostly been somewhere between so-so and bad. Yet, something about writing the Shade seems to revitalize him. Cully Hamner's art in the first three issues was solid, but issue four, drawn by industry powerhouses Darwyn Cooke and J. Bone, was absolutely gorgeous. One a side note, I know that I am probably the only one that finds this interesting, but cameos by Golden Age mystery men, Vigilante and Madame Fatale, seem to imply that in the new continuity there is still some semblance of a superheroic tradition in DC's past.

Wolverine and the X-men #4 – I find it difficult to believe that Wolverine and the X-men is written by the same guy that writes Scalped. It's just so...happy! Four issues in, the series is still successfully walking the line between relaunch and continuation. I know next to nothing about MARVEL history and yet, for the most part, I have no difficulty knowing what is going on. The most recent issue flirts momentarily with new reader continuity confusion as a couple of characters that, I am sure are recognizable to long time readers, are introduced into the book. Yet, in the end, these additions just add to the developing story of the Jean Grey School for Mutants. This book is still one of my favorite books to pick up whenever the hell it happens to come out. (Yes, that is a dig at MARVEL's haphazard release dates, shifting schedules and craptastic website...but that is a discussion for another time.)

What Would Darren Read, Home Edition (Nov. 14th)

Whoever said, "You can't judge a book by its cover" was an idiot. Do things "Darren Style" and choose three comics you would like to read based solely on your reaction to their covers! Also, to complete the effect: listen to this (or shoot your ears at the most recent FIGcast!).

All New Batman: Brave and the Bold #14

Batgirl #4

Batwoman #4

Batman and Robin #4

Deathstroke #4

Demon Knights #4

The Shade #3 (of 12)

Grifter #4

iZombie #20

Marvel Holiday Comic 2011

Avengers 1959 #4

Avengers: X-Sanction #1

Captain America #6

Carnage, U.S.A. #1

Ghost Rider #7

Comic Mini-Reviews Week of November 9th, 2011

Batgirl #3 – I am not entirely sure what's wrong with this book. Issue two was almost completely took the series off the rails and, while issue three does its best to bring it back on track, I am not sure it was enough. There might just be too many competing pressures being applied to Gail Simone's Batgirl. The balance of the series so far has focused on Barbara Gordon reproving herself in the role of physical hero. At this point that major thrust's successes and failures are lost in a melange of overwriting and boring premise. Midway through issue 3, Batgirl gives up on finding the masked murderer she's been following to flirt with guest-star Nightwing. I love Babs and Dick's will-they-or-wont-they relationship as much as the next person, but it seemed like a tepid interlude in an already somewhat boring story. Perhaps this first arc of Batgirl will read better in a collected format—which, if that were the case, it would not be entirely Batgirl, Babs, or Simone's fault necessarily. (The sentiment that a overly decompressed story will somehow coalesce in a collection has become the new prayer of modern comic readers and is a topic for another time.) Ardian Syaf's art continues to be solid if not a bit underwhelming.

Batman and Robin #3 – This book continues to be one of the biggest surprises coming out of the New 52 initiative. As I said before, I knew that titles like Animal Man and Swamp Thing had the lineage and talent to portend success even to the most amateur of prognosticators, but I think few would have foreseen just how solid Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's run on Batman and Robin has been so far. Telling a heartfelt, engrossing, pitch-perfect story with amazing art, this book might be the best Batman book DC has to offer at the moment. (Scott Snyder's Batman #3 may have something to say about that next week, so keep in touch!) The father/son dynamic of Bruce and Damian Wayne seems so natural. (If you think about it, is pretty amazing considering one of the dresses like a bat and fights crime at night while the other was created in a one night mistake with the daughter of a super-villain and trained by the greatest group of assassins in the world. I'll let you figure out which one is which.) The villain is new and refreshing, not just another crazed straightjacket-case who will end up in Arkham at the end of the story.

Batwoman #3 – First of all, I am happy to see J. H. Williams writing Cameron Chase again. His Chase ongoing series was criminally underrated by many readers (including me at age 14) and canceled before its time. Williams and co-writer W. Haden Blackman are running Kate Kane through the ringer emotionally. She's already pushed her father away and now she pushes her cousin, Bette Kane the heroine Flamebird out of her life as well. Since issue one, the two have been training together and now that Bette is out on her own I cannot shake the sense of dread that something bad is going to happen to her. But see, that is just it! Williams' amazing art and composition lends itself so well to setting the stage and creating a mood for the backdrop of the ongoing story. When Kate breaks down in the middle of the issue you cannot help but empathize, which is an achievement in this medium. With its tendencies to focus on galactic dust-ups and strongman fist-fights, real emotion and character development is often pushed to the side. That has never been the case with Batwoman—from her days written by Rucka to this current series. She's a well conceived character and as real as a drawing on a page of a crime fighting vigilante can be.

Demon Knights #3 – Like StormWatch last week, I can honestly say that Demon Knights is getting better. Written by Paul Cornell, both books were plagued in the beginning with taking on too much. They were tasked with the effort of introducing new characters and old characters with new takes while trying to tell a story and establish the basis for a team book. Now that the introductions and re-introductions are finished and the story itself can take the focus, the series is improving. Sadly, like StormWatch and Batgirl, there is a real possibility that the book will read best in a collection. The reality of the situation is that Cornell has crafted a medieval Seven Samurai-style story that might last longer than the original epic Kurosawa masterpiece. At the end of issue three, the assault that is bringing the Demon Knights (I still wish this book was called Shadowpact, so much!) together is still going on! It's not uninteresting, and there is much to praise but it just feels like everything is happening very slowly. Demon Knights is a solid book, and it is helped immensely by Diogenes Neves' art. However, if you have not already started buying it, wait for the first collected volume—it will read much more enjoyable that way.

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #3 – Describing this book can be a pretty difficult task. The best word I can come up with is “romp.” It's a fun romp...yeah, that feels right. I cannot shake the feeling that Jeff Lemire is purposefully separating his two New 52 books in tone. It seems that, Animal Man is his serious book and Frankenstein is his fun book. That's not to say one is inherently better than the other. It is just that, for all of its development of father/daughter and superhero/family dynamics and the exploration of “The Red,” Animal Man feels more like a Vertigo title. Meanwhile, Frankenstein feels like...well, it feels like a book starring Frankenstein and a group of monster-themed Creature Commandos fighting other monsters. It's a lot of fun and the writing of the Commandos actually makes it one of DC's better team books at the moment (I'm looking at you, Brave and the Bo...I mean, Justice League.) Here's the deal though, the team needs to kill gigantic monster-titans in world that is growing closer to earth! If they fail, the government will nuke the place...with the Commandos still on it! How is that not a recipe for fun?!

Green Lantern #3 – Talk about decompressed storytelling. Three issues into the series and we finally get to the reason newly reinstated Green Lantern Sinestro tracked down newly discharged former Green Lantern Hal Jordan on earth. Apparently, he wants Hal to help him free his home-world from the Sinestro Corp that Sinestro himself created. (Look, I know that sentence sucks, but you try writing it without ending up with the word “Sinestro” repeated more than twice!) Hal agrees, mostly cause he's Hal Jordan and is addicted to doing crazy, stupid stuff. The biggest shocker for me was how kill-y Green Lantern is in this book. I know that it was a big deal back in The Sinestro Corp War that the Guardians allowed the use of deadly force, but Hal freaking bazookas a dudes head off in this issue. It's not a deal-breaker for me or anything, I guess I am just not used to seeing the DC characters kill so cavalierly. It's a solid issue in a series that has, so far, remained solid. Sadly, with the New 52 relaunch, I was hoping for something more than solid. Of course, Johns has a tendency to surprise me, so we'll see. One thing the series does have going for it is Doug Mahnke's art, which continues to be stellar.

Star Trek/Legion #2 – Look, I'm not going to say that this book is amazing. That's just not the kind of thing you expect from silly crossovers like this. No, ST/Legion is just fun. Chris Roberson makes the smart move of extricating both the Legion and the crew of the Enterprise from their bright clean futures and sticking them into a mirror universe where earth's militaristic tendencies lead humanity to be a race of space conquerors. Perhaps, the most fun element of the crossover is that the dialogue between the crew of the Enterprise is pitch-perfect. It is almost as if Roberson watched a ton of Star Trek: The Original Series and channeled it onto the page. Sadly, the Legion's history of multiple relaunches and reboots makes it difficult to pull off the same trick with characters like Lightning Lad and Brainiac 13. Regardless, ST/Legion is a fun read and the teaser image at the end of issue two hints at a glimpse into Khund/Klingon relations—which should be fun. The Moy Brother's art is perfect for the tenor of the book, with the Legionnaires looking crisp and the Star Trek characters immediately recognizable without being overly detailed.

Marvel Point One – For the most part, Point One was filled with a forgettable stories. Sadly, the Ed Brubaker-written framing story that set up the six previews was more interesting than the most of the previews themselves. Chris Yost's Scarlet Spider is an overwritten festival of interior monologue. Jeph Loeb's Nova was completely forgettable. Fred Van Lente introduces yet another pair of heroes that are fire and ice themed. There were two other previews, I think. Honestly, I am bored even recapping them, so I am going to skip to the one interesting story from Point One. Matt Fraction and the Dodsons' prelude to The Defenders was an engrossing tale following Doctor Strange as he unravels the threads that indicate a new version of the team is needed. Of the previews its the only one I plan on picking up.

The Defenders Preview:                                        Everything Else in Point One:

DCnU Week 2 Mini-reviews:

Action Comics:  Classic Morrison beginning to a story. A few interesting revamped details--Jimmy Olsen and Clark Kent are the same age, Lois Lane and Clark work at rival papers. Lex Luthor's appearance was pitch perfect and his strategy for capturing Superman was clever.  Superman has been written so stoic in recent years, it is nice to see a feisty and young take on the character.

Animal Man:  A well pitched first issue.  I especially liked The Believer pastiche on the first page.  It looks like the book will be an interesting mixture of family drama and horror.  It is a compelling story takes advantage of underutilized characters like his Buddy Baker's children, Maxine and Cliff, and his wife, Ellen.  Foreman's art has a rough-hewn quality to it that is perfect for the atmosphere that Lemire is creating.





Batgirl:  Simone crafted the first issue very carefully. She has an obvious love for the character coupled with a reverence for the Oracle years.  Killing Joke plays a much bigger part in the story that I expected.  The (mysterious) Mirror is a very Simone-esque villain--silly but she makes it work.  A solid issue that wont convert all of the most strident doubters, but took significant strides.



Green Arrow:  The new status quo is...interesting is too strong of a word....it's...it's something.  Green Arrow's been de-aged (no real shock there, I guess.) Krul is definitely trying to build a supporting cast, which is nice since DC has systematically drained the characters surrounding Ollie out of continuity over the last couple of years.  It's too bad that the new supporting cast is essentially a Lucius Fox ripoff and an Oracle knock-off. Perhaps this was the point, but the villains were some of the dumbest I've since the '90s were in full swing.  The idea that Oliver Queen's company is going to be DC-equivalent of Apple is already annoying--Qphone just doesn't roll off the tongue.  One nice thing: A modernized take on trick arrows.

Static Shock:  Virgil's moved to New York and interns at S.T.A.R. Labs...as a 16 year old.  Ok, ok..it's comic book logic, just go with it. Nothing real special about this issue, just solid superheroics.  McDaniel's art has a nice finished look to it that it hasn't had in the past.  I've always been a fan, but I would begrudgingly say it's an improvement.  I'm not sure but it seems like Static is being stalked by Power Rangers on motorcycles being bossed around by a fish-man. The issue ends with kind of a fun cliffhanger.



StormWatch:  A solid first issue. Interesting Martian Manhunter retcon that makes you reexamine decades of Justice League history.  Compared to Justice League #1, it was nice to jump into a team book without having to worry with origins.  Being dropped into the middle of a story is one thing, but being dropped into a comic that references an event that wont be published for two weeks is another.  Not great planning there, DC.  Definitely an issue that is building toward something, it will be interesting to see how it all pays off.


Swamp Thing:  Perhaps the best issue of the DC Relaunch so far.  It was interesting to see extended interactions between Alec Holland and Superman--welcome back to the DCU, Swamp Thing!  A couple of intriguing mysteries were were established: What is going on with the animals of earth and how will the Swamp Thing/Alec Holland story pan out?

15 DCnU Books to Watch: “The Best of the Ancillary Bat-books!"

Look, even to a DC Comics Zombie, the company's September relaunch can seem intimidating. The information is almost overwhelming—52 brand new books, a smattering of new characters interjected into the publisher's traditional roster, and completely new creative teams on almost every book. On top of that, the chances of all 52 (or even a high percentage) being worth buying is minuscule. So, for you gentle reader, I have taken the time to separate the wheat from the chaff, to isolate the cream of the crop, and to highlight the must-haves of the DCnU. Once a week, between now and the end of August, I will attempt to explain and justify my choices for the 15 most important books of DC's upcoming relaunch.

This week, the The Best of the Ancillary Bat-books: Batgirl, Batwoman, and Batman and Robin!

Batgirl (Gail Simone and Ardian Syaf)

     Last month, as DC was revealing the books that would make up their New 52 relaunch, Tripp and I attempted to guess what books would be on the list. To me, a Batgirl book seemed like a no-brainer. After all, Brian Q. Miller's run on the book was making Stephanie Brown the most popular iteration of the character since the original Barbara Gordon character. While early indications implied that September would see a mixture of relaunch, re-branding and reboot, I was certain Batgirl would be one of the least changed. Steph was a fan favorite and Barbara Gordon was one of those rare characters that had transitioned successfully to a new persona in Oracle. Early revelations (and logic) implied that characters and books that worked well would be returning in the DCnU. As we have seen, Batman and Green Lantern are barely being touched. Then, when the first cover of new Batgirl was released with Barbara Gordon's rust colored hair instead of Steph's blonde, the comic book community went kerplooey. Because of Miller's recent run and Bab's beloved status as both Batgirl and Oracle, the new book is, without a doubt, the comic that has caused the most press of the DC Relaunch. Fittingly, it is also one of the books with the greatest potential.

     The evolution of Barbara Gordon is a fascinating story. Like Jimmy Olsen and Perry White before her, Babs' origins are based in a separate medium from comic books. Her first appearance coincided with the third season of the popular Adam West Batman television series. Played by the lovely Yvonne Craig, she sported the iconic dark purple batsuit with long hair flowing out from under her cowl. Once Batgirl made her first appearance within the DCU proper, she became one of the company's most popular heroines. In the late 1980s Alan Moore had Joker paralyze her in the Killing Joke. (Spoiler alert, for those of you that have not read a comic book that is over twenty years old by this point, I guess.) Later creators would take Barbara and transform her into Oracle, the digital eyes and ears of the DCU. Way back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Babs was capable of stuff Anonymous can only dreams about. Dennis O'Neil and Chuck Dixon would transition Oracle into her most famous roles—as one of Batman's biggest allies and the leader of The Birds of Prey, respectively.

     While Oracle's role in the greater DCU has won many people over, it was not without its controversy. Gail Simone famously included Barbara on her list of Women in Refrigerators. The name refers to Alex Dewitt who was shoved into a fridge by Major Force as way to taunt her boyfriend Green Lantern Kyle Rayner. The Women in Refrigerators list catalogs female characters who were injured, depowered or otherwise came to violent ends. Simone was later given an opportunity to remedy the situation when she wrote Birds of Prey. She helped build Barbara/Oracle into one of the most powerful, respected, and popular members of the DC pantheon. As one of a very limited number of disabled characters in superhero comics, Oracle gained a very unique place in comic books. The idea of Barbara returning to her Batgirl role and DC's seeming plan to erase her Oracle years, has not sat well with many Babs fans.

     Personally, I think the choice to return Barbara to her Batgirl role is a perplexing one. The powers-that-be-at-DC have stated that they wanted to return some of their characters to their most iconic versions—a decision I understand to an extent. Yet, it opens all kinds of weird questions. Is Barbara's most iconic persona Batgirl at this point? As a child of the 90s, to me, Barbara is Oracle. I was vaguely aware she was once Batgirl, but Oracle was much cooler and interesting. On top of that, there are an extremely limited number of characters that writers have been able to transition from one role to another as successfully as Barbara went from Batgirl to Oracle. Plus, Miller's pre-relaunch run on Batgirl was well received and had laid the groundwork from Stephanie Brown's rise to prominence. In my opinion, Batgirl is one of the few books where DC missed the point of their own relaunch.

     Complicating things is the fact that Batgirl is going to be a good book. Taking the helm is none other than Gail Simone, one of the writers who had a hand in making Barbara Gordon's Oracle alter-ego so popular. If there is anyone that understands what makes Barbara an interesting character it is Simone. She has stated that she identifies with the character and all indications point to her requesting the assignment. Simone is as close to a cult-favorite I can think of within the comic book industry. Her run on Secret Six did not exactly sell like hotcakes, but the comic was consistently called the best book published by DC. (Incidentally, S6's disappearance in the DCnU is another perplexing choice on DC's part, but that's for a different post.) Over the last five years, Simone also had fan-favorite runs on Birds of Prey and Atom. Relative newcomer Ardian Syaf is slated to handle artistic duties on Batgirl. Since 2008, Syaf has been pretty prolific, mostly working for DC. His work has a nice finished look, smooth but detailed and he knows how to arrange pages well. Though it was very limited, they have worked together in the past—Syaf penciled issue 7 of Simone's Birds of Prey.

     Bottom-line: Simone is well aware of the various sides of the Batgirl controversy. She will handle the character and her transition better than anyone else could. Few writers understand Barbara Gordon like Simone and she will treat the character with care. In the end, I hope she is able to please many of the fans of Oracle and Batgirl, and Babs and Steph.

Batwoman (J.H. Williams III, Haden W. Blackman, and Amy Reeder)

     I think few people were surprised by Batwoman's inclusion in the DCnU. Rarely has a new character done so little and been so popular. First appearing in the 2006 year-long event 52, the new Batwoman was mostly famous for being a high-profile lesbian superhero...and little else. After appearing in several issues of 52, Kate Kane was relegated to guest-star status for a couple of years. It was not until 2009 that the new Batwoman was given a starring role in Detective Comics. In a now legendary run, Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III took Batwoman and turned her into one of the most fascinating and exciting characters at DC. Adapting the original, somewhat one note, high-profile-lesbian premise and adding depth to it, Rucka and Williams created a series of comics that expanded the boundaries of comic books as an art-form. The issues were filled with Williams' gorgeous visual storytelling and the scripts were infused with a weight that only Rucka and a few other writers can achieve. With such a stellar creative team in charge, Batwoman seemed destined to have a meteoric rise within the DC family of characters.

     Unfortunately, Batwoman's rise was not to be. Rucka and DC parted ways leaving a large part of the already planned story untold. Her run as the star of 'Tec ended in May 2010 and she was suddenly relegated back to guest-star status. Thankfully, a hope yet remained. Near the end of 2010 Batwoman #0 was released co-written and co-drawn by J. H. Williams III with Haden W. Blackman and Amy Reeder, respectively. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the book was that Williams drew the segments were Kate was Batwoman and Reeder drew her civilian life making for a beautiful mixture of visuals.

     Sadly, the ongoing Batwoman title by Williams, Blackman and Reeder was seemingly delayed into oblivion. That is until September, when it will be resurrected as part of the DCnU. The creative team remains the same. Williams III is easily one of the best, if not the best, superhero comic artists working today. His early work resembled Tony Harris' 1990s style but has evolved into something wholly unique. His page layouts are spectacular—panels and pages flow into each other naturally. Reading a comic book drawn by Williams III is sometimes like reading a beautiful wall-filling mural. Reeder, while not quite as spectacular, fits the high-flying life style that Kate Kane lives in her daily life. Blackman who has made a name for himself writing Star Wars books for Dark Horse will keep the stories and scripting grounded (for lack of a better word). If you've listened to the podcast you may have heard me make a few snide remarks about artists turned writers, but Williams is not without scripting experience. He co-wrote a short-lived gem in the late 1990s titled Chase that was canceled before its time. Written in the deeply continuity-connected Starman mold, it featured a strong female character holding her own in the male dominated DCU. This bodes well for Batwoman. In the end, Batwoman will be the best drawn book of the DC Relaunch. It may lack the Detective Comics run's Greg Rucka punch, but it's scripting will be solid enough to not detract from it gorgeous presentation.

Batman and Robin (Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason)

     Batman and Robin is the one book of the DC Relaunch that I am buying entirely for myself. That's not to say that I do not think it will be one of the better books of the DCnU. Rather that it is a book that I am buying completely because I want it. Sure, I am excited to read all of the books I am purchasing, but several of them are books that I have chosen very carefully because I think they will be important or particularly good. Batman and Robin is not one of those books. Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt it will be solid. Spectacular? ...eh, maybe.

     The thing is, Batman and Robin has a pretty strong lineage. Originally, started back during Morrison's run as the main Bat-writer, it was a place to showcase Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne as a crime-fighting duo. Written by Morrison with art from a string of high profile artists, it was one of the best books DC published over the last few years. So, it's no surprise that Batman and Robin is one of the books that will be reintroduced in the DCnU.

     With the advent of the New 52, the book is shifting to the writer artist team of Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason. As a pair, they had a long run on Green Lantern Corps, the secondary Green Lantern franchise book. Personally, I think GLC was a stronger comic than the main series—thanks mostly to the way the two books were plotted. Geoff John's Green Lantern was the book that had to deal with the major ongoing plot points, while Tomasi was allowed to explore the lives and events surrounding the Green Lanterns without having to move the main arch forward. He was able to play around with secondary characters and ideas that first appeared in Green Lantern without having to explain or introduce them. This made room for deeper character explorations and a more interesting cast of characters.

     This could be a good sign. After all, the main Bat-book is Scott Snyder's Batman. Tomasi and Gleason will be able to tell stories on the outskirts of major stories. While Snyder handles the overarching Batman stories of the DCnU, Batman and Robin will most likely tell short but interesting stories starring Bruce and Damian Wayne. The other Bat-books will probably effect the book peripherally but, for the most part, I predict that B&R will be mostly self contained.

     The thing is, Batman and Robin is positioned to be the second best Batman book of the DCnU. (At least until Batman Inc starts coming out again.) I know I harp on Daniel and Finch too much, but Tomasi's scripting is streets ahead of anything they can write. Meanwhile, Gleason is one of the best monthly artists in the industry. His art fit the alien worlds of DC's universe perfectly, and it should translate well to the grotesque world of Gotham. Gleason is the real selling point of B&R, in my opinion, but that does not mean Tomasi is not capable of writing spectacular comic books. His run on GLC and his Black Adam miniseries were very, very good. The bottom-line is this: Batman and Robin will be the second best Batman book published by DC for the foreseeable future. If you want self-contained, solid Batman stories, this is the place to get them. Add to that Gleason's art and a healthy dose of Damian Wayne and you have a book with a ton of potential.