Comics Trey Didn't Buy Returns: Batman 13!

Editor's note: This review was supposed to be posted a while ago but I forgot to put the finishing touches on it.  My bad...anyways, better late than never!

Before we get into the review I know what you are all thinking.  “But Shaun, didn’t you declare you would not be buying anymore Scott Snyder Batman on FIGcast this summer?”  Yes, yes I did. But in a world where more pressing commitments exist i.e. marriage, job, family, bills, etc., dropping 3.99 on occasion to see what is happening in ye olde comic book is hardly acrimonious right? Perhaps the jury is deliberating as I type. 

In any case, Batman 13 begins the latest crossover event in the Batman Family a mere five months after the close of Night of the Owls.  I know us comic nerds bemoan crossovers as a principle, but the editors of DC know us better, we freaking buy the whole lot of them.  Prior to picking up this issue I reread Snyder’s 12 issues of the series.  It is strongly plotted, full of great character moments, and contains fantastic art by Greg Capullo, Rafeal Albuquerque, Becky Cloonan and Andy Clarke.  In other words, I know why fans love this series.  I am on the fence as to the overall greatness of the title, but find myself unable to rant against it completely.

Issue 13 starts the much hyped Death of the Family storyline which features the return of the Joker after his face was cut off by the Dollmaker in last year’s Detective Comics 1.  If you love that new status quo for Joker’s face, good for you I guess.  If you don’t, well I suppose Capullo’s art could certainly make a case for the new design.  If a guy was truly wearing his own tanned face over a skinless exterior I am sure I would soil myself.  As for the plot of the issue, it was very generic.  Joker returns, kills some cops, confounds Batman as to his motives, and ends with a cliffhanger that promises one beloved character may have a compound fracture to the skull.  If the 24 issues involved in this crossover are any indication as to the nature of Joker’s plan I suspect it will be A Death in the Family in macrocosm.  Maybe Jason Todd will mercifully die again and an editorial moratorium will be placed on him. Here’s hoping!

Finally, the real standout of this issue is the 6 page backup story that takes place prior to the penultimate scene of the main story.  I find it comical that anyone (die-hard fan or not) would claim that Harley Quinn is an empowered female character.  Harley has always been shown to be at the mercy of her irrational love of Mr. J and this backup crafted by Snyder, Tynion IV and Jock demonstrates this creepy relationship in full.  There is just something truly frightening about the way Joker tells Harley to undress and she does it with sheepish approval.  Then Joker psychologically terrorizes her for his own amusement (the how I will not spoil). This is deft writing highlighting the Clown Prince of Crime’s sociopathic nature.  I may just have to stick around until Batman 17 for the conclusion of the storyline...oh comics, by bane.

New 52 Year 0.5: Swamp Thing and Animal Man

We've reached the halfway point of New 52: Year One, and it seems like a good time to go back and look at some of the most outstanding series in total so far. So for the next month, I am going to choose a book each week, read all six issues, and jot down some general thoughts and reactions. This week: Animal Man and Swamp Thing!

Comic Mini-Reviews Week of November 16th, 2011

Batman #3 – Scott Snyder's Batman is a book without obvious flaws. Within the pages of the first three issues, he has presented the reader with a Batman story that is inlaid with his continued expansion of Gotham city's history. Greg Capullo's art is a fine, stylized companion. Yet, since issue one, the series has yet to really wow me. Issues two and three were perfectly solid issues that were well executed, but there is something about the evolving story that seems to be missing. Perhaps I am hindered by the fact that I have yet to read Snyder and Kyle Higgin's The Gates of Gotham mini-series, and am, therefore, left out in the cold story wise. While that might be the case, I tend to doubt it. Rarely has my enjoyment of a comic been hindered by missing knowledge of continuity. Having read Snyder's Detective Comics run starring Dick Grayson as Batman, I am sure I will be shown the error of my ways and regret ever considering that Batman is lacking. For now, I am left with the feeling that there is a hole in Snyder's Batman but I cannot seem to put my finger on it.

Birds of Prey #3 – I would argue that BoP is one of the surprises of the New 52. It is no where near the level of Wonder Woman, Animal Man or Swamp Thing nor is it even as solid as Batman and Robin, but Duane Swierczynski and Jesus Saiz' book so far has been the kind of well-written, sharply-drawn B-level book that is necessary for survival of the DCnU. In fact, with the announcement that Batgirl will be joining the ranks of the Birds of Prey, I am forced to concede that it is tempting to drop the somewhat underwhelming Batgirl and just get my fill of Babs Gordon in BoP. I would be lying if I said that Saiz' art was not a huge influence on my opinion of the book's overall quality. I am a big fan of his clean lines and expressive character faces. Birds of Prey's story is nothing spectacular—just solid superheroics. Side-note: I actually really like Poison Ivy as a good guy so far. She was underutilized as a Bat-villian anyways. Plus, I bet she will return to that role so fast we'll all forget her heroic turn before you can say Batmite.

DCU Presents #3 – If I was trying to explain the Deadman storyline currently being featured in DCU Presents to a non-comic reader, I am sure that the word boring would feature prominently. It is hard to believe that a story about a ghostly acrobat that can inhabit other people's bodies could possible be boring. Yet, here we are. So far, DCU Presents has been overwritten and uninteresting. There is supposed to be some sort of mystery going on with Boston Brand's godly benefactor, but three issues in I am hardly compelled to turn the next page, much less buy the next issue. It is not as if there is a lack of interesting ideas, in issue two Deadman breaks into Wolfram and Hart...I mean, uhm...some sort of magical nightclub. In issue three he threatens an old lady with angel wings and meets Lucifer's younger brother, and it takes 20 or so pages to get there. At least the cover is pretty.

Green Lantern Corp #3 – After two solid opening issues, Green Lantern Corp takes a turn of the worse. Confronted with a seemingly endless enemy that is somehow immune to their power rings, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and their cohorts seem done for. Except that Peter Tomasi introduces a brand new, never before seen Green Lantern with the convenient power of teleportation. With the somewhat on-the-nose name Porter, (What, were the names PlotDevice and Plothole already taken?) the cavalry is able to save most of their comrades. Anyways, to add insult to injury, Porter somehow overextends his power's reach on the return trip and dies tragically in Gardner's arms. Green Lantern Corp number three was a disappointingly, bland mess of nothingness that asked the reader to have an emotional reaction to its own tepid attempt to write itself out of a corner.

Justice League #3 – Despite the increasing number of characters and slightly more intricate plot pieces, Justice League continues to feel, at best, like a free comic that came with a Happy Meal or box of cereal. I realize that this is a carefully planned move on DC's part, but it is still hard to shake feelings of disappointment. Geoff Johns has, by no means, been a perfect comic writer, but the lens with which he sees the DC characters tends to clarify and strengthen their core attributes. That is why his work on Justice League was so highly anticipated. Over the last few years, the League had languished in a quagmire of uninteresting characters and substandard quality. The promise of a Johns Justice League was one of revitalization. Instead, after three issues, Justice League feels like the Mirror-Mirror version of the potential of the New 52. Instead of interesting new takes on the core characters of the League, we are treated to an achingly simple story filled with transparent characters. Like I said, I realize this is a carefully cultivated experiment on DC's part. Yet, since the New 52 endeavor is so keenly tied to retaining old readers and gaining new readers, it is unfortunate that the flagship book so utterly fails at the first objective.

My Greatest Adventure #2 – I'm still not even sure why I picked up issue 2 of this mess. I said on the podcast a while back that the only reason I bought the first issue was historical nostalgia for the original My Greatest Adventure—in which Doom Patrol first appeared—and My Greenest Adventure—the fictional book that Grant Morrison's Wally Sage dreamed up Flex Mentallo. This mini-series features a trio of baffling stories that seem both out of place and time. None of them are completely horrible, rather their mere existence is confusing. With the New 52 initiative attempting to present a new-reader-friendly-universe, why is DC muddying the waters with characters like Robotman, Garbage Man, and Tanga? To the average non-comic reader, Garbage Man might as well be Swamp Thing. Meanwhile, to the long time comic reader, a re-imagined Doom Patrol-less Robotman is just unfortunate. The thing My Greatest Adventure does have going for it is its art. Scott Kolins and Kevin Macquire are two of my favorites, and Aaron Lopresti is turning in some of his most polished work. But the caliber of artists on this book just leads to more questions. While I am not sure if Macguire would be willing to have drawn one of the DCnU, I am positive Kolins and Lopresti could be better utilized on one of the 52 ongoing books being published by DC. In the end, I am not sure pretty pages of panels are not enough for me to stick around for issue three.

Wonder Woman #3 – There is no doubt in my mind that, three issues in, Wonder Woman is one of the best books to come out of the New 52. This is neither unwelcome, nor is it a surprise. Wonder Woman, more than any other book, exemplifies the goals of the DCnU Initiative. The creative team is entirely A-list and the character was ripe for a certain measure of re-examination. In issue three, this comes to a head as Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang challenge long-held understandings of Diana Prince while still honoring the stories and mythos that came before. For years now, Wonder Woman's origins have revolved around her creation—a mother who longed for a child, made one out of clay. Issue three reveals that this story is just as fictional for Diana as it is for the readers. She has lived a lie, and is now faced with an entirely new reality. It is a change that may leave some long-time readers unhappy, but I am of the opinion that Wonder Woman is the most ripe of the Big Seven for change. Anything that clarifies or builds Diana up to a stronger hero and character is absolutely fine in my opinion. Perhaps one of the most appealing changes aspects of Wonder Woman is the way that the mythical gods behave. I love how the goddess Strife remains present on Themyscira as if she is savoring the unrest and unhappiness her presence has caused. After three months, Wonder Woman falls easily amongst projects like Swamp Thing, Animal Man, and Batwoman as one of my most recommended books of the New 52.

Comic Reviews Week of November 2nd, 2011

Action Comics #3 - Still solid. As often is the case with Grant Morrison, Action Comics will probably read better in its full form.  Without a doubt the book's biggest flaw is its art. Rags Morales did not even do the full issue and his art looks terribly rushed. I think the book would benefit from a completely new artist, and would not be surprised if that happened in the near future.





Animal Man #3 - Jeff Lemire has a talent for creepy, and Travel Foreman can certainly deliver on the demented stuff in his scripts. This was a bit of a transition issue, it seems as if the proverbial poop is about to hit the fan.  Animal Man and Swamp Thing make me wonder how much Lemire and Scott Snyder are coordinating with one another.  I smell a crossover in the near future.




Stormwatch #3 - Cornell's books (Stormwatch and Demon Knights) continue to improve. The character introductions that made the first couple of issues feel frantic have finally given way to the storyline.  The mixture of old and new characters is finally coming together in a cohesive mixture.  Still has a few abrupt moments that mess with the narrative a bit but, overall, Stormwatch seems to have found its footing.




Swamp Thing #3 - This is my pick of the week.  Yanick Paquette's art is still gorgeous.  Snyder, like Lemire, has a knack for creepiness. This issue both reintroduces an old character and introduces a new character--both of whom are immensely interesting. Despite having read most of the Hellboy catalog, delved into Grant Morrison's crazier work, and read Batman books most of my life, Swamp Thing continues to deliver some of the most frighteningly creepy things I have ever seen in comic book form. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Uncanny X-men #1 - What's this!? A MARVEL book?! That's right, True Believers, Trey is branching out.  Though I did not write a review for it, Wolverine and the X-men was my favorite book last week.  Uncanny was solid, but not quite as good. The highlight might be Carlos Pachecos' art. He is easily one of the best visual storytellers in superhero comics. One of my favorite things about the book is it's setup. I really like the idea of a superhero team having a huge roster with multiple branches that each have their own unique purposes.

DCnU Mini-reviews Week of October 5th, 2011

Action Comics #2 – So far, so good. Grant Morrison's revamp of Superman and his early days in Metropolis might be one of the most interesting things done with the character since Mark Millar's Red Son. Superman acting like a brash young man with an activist leaning might not be what we are used to, but it is a take that makes him a much more dynamic character. It also stays true to the earliest Superman stories. There's something else to this re-imagination—Action Comics is set early in Superman's career. I am sure that stories set later will attempt to make Superman a more rounded character than he was in the Old DCU, but the impulsive, some-what angry Superman of Action Comics is part of a story-arc. He will grow as the story goes on. The biggest problem with the series remains the art. Rags Morales and Brent Anderson just are not giving the book a good look. Morales can be solid when given time, but it is obvious that the month-to-month grind is too much for him. Bottomline is that the art detracts from a story that has been solid so far.

Animal Man #2 – Jeff Lemire knows what he is doing. After finishing issue 1 with a creepy reveal, issue 2 continues to mix family drama with horrifying superheroics. Buddy Baker, one of the little known guys of the DCU, is confronted with events that hold frightening implications. Suddenly manifesting a series of abilities that outstrip her father's, Maxine Baker leads the Buddy on a classic hero's journey. The Hunters Three are creepy, the family drama seems real, and the plot is fascinating. Travel Foreman's art is great—sharp lines, expressive faces, and scary monsters.

StormWatch #2 – I am still not sure about this book, but I know that I enjoyed issue #2 more than the first issue. It is still kind of frantically paced. There are tons of characters being introduced and I am not sure just how well that process is going. While most of the characters are interesting, drawing a bead on where the new characters stand is kind of difficult. That might be on purpose, but it seems a bit ambiguous. Sepulveda's art seems a bit more confident in this issue than it did in the first. Even having read StormWatch 1 and 2 and Superman 1 I am not entirely sure how the three books are connected. If I can't figure it out, I doubt new readers can.

Swamp Thing #2 – For the second month in a row, Snyder tricked me. Like issue 1, issue 2 begins with a ton of exposition and dialogue that is not terribly compelling, but then hits the ground running in the second half. The creepy stuff from last month's issue returns with a vengeance and turns the scary up to 11. The relationship between Swamp Thing and Alec Holland is still somewhat in question. Apparently, there have been other Swamp Thing entities in the past? My knowledge of Swampy continuity is pretty limited. Yanick Paquette continues to draw one of the best looking books of the New 52. The attack of the creepiness, expansion of the Green and Red lore, and a cool reveal at the end of the issue make this book at least as good as the stellar first issue.

DCnU Week 4 Mini-reviews:

Batman #1 – Easily one of the best issues of the DCnU so far. Snyder has a knack for writing Batman and created the absolutely most elegant method for introducing the Bat-family possible. Capullo's art is perfect for Batman—except that character's faces are a bit cartoony and Dick Grayson seems a bit young to have passed as the Dark Knight over the last year. Simultaneously gives new readers a starting point and sets up a mystery that will intrigue established readers.

Birds of Prey #1 – A bit of a mess, but saved by Jesus Saiz' art. Like Justice League, this is a team book that features only two members of the final roster. There's a couple of things going on that feel like they should be connected but never really add up. Black Canary is wanted for murder, and the new Birds of Prey are a covert ops-style superhero squad. Yet, those seem to mutually exclusive. They keep getting tossed around by characters, but no one ever really connects the two threads. They are not covert because Dinah needs to hide underground, but rather because that is what the Birds of Prey team are apparently supposed to be. Regardless, a fun first issue—Canary kicking ninja butt, Starling being a fictional-hottie, and Saiz's cleanly drawn lines really helped.

DCU Presents #1 – An anthology series, this time starring DC's favorite ghost—Deadman. A little wordy, but a pretty interesting issue. Takes time to establish Boston Brand's origin story and set up a greater mystery. I'm kind of on the fence about this one. I like Deadman as a character and the art is fine, but the issue was kind of uninteresting. Also, I'm not saying superheroes cannot change their moods, but I prefer the joking, gruff Brand to the kind of mopey version of DCU Presents #1.

Green Lantern Corp #1 – A solid first issue that establishes John Stewart and Guy Gardener for new readers while setting the stage for a confrontation with an interesting mystery villain. I get the feeling that since John is one of the DCU's most high profile African-American heroes, the company feels that he needs to be at the forefront of the book. That's fine with me. Honestly, when I read John Stewart I hear the great Phil Lamarr's version of the character in my head. One of the things I loved about the pre-relaunch Green Lantern Corp series was that it was filled with awesome extraterrestrial Corpsmen. Thankfully, it looks like while Guy and John will carry the book, there will be appearances made by fan-favorites like Kilowog and Isamot. I miss Gleason's art on the series, but Fernando Pasarin does a solid job and fluctuates from solid to awesome.

Supergirl #1 – This was perhaps the biggest surprise of all the books I have read. There are plenty of books that are better, but I expected them to be good. I had low expectations for Supergirl and I was completely surprised. It was a fun issue with good art and a character reboot that distinguishes her from the rest of the Super Family. It unfolds that the story a bit slowly, but its obvious that Green and Johnson had a specific place they wanted to end the first issue. Supergirl #1 is just a solid superhero-centric book.

Wonder Woman #1 – Between Chaing's art and Azzarello's script, Wonder Woman is easily one of the best books, if not the top book, of the New 52. Diana, a character that writers seem to struggle to get a handle on, is portrayed as a strong but feminine character. Azzarello takes advantage of the character's mythological origins to inform her world. A violent book that never verges on gratuitous, Wonder Woman repackages Diana in a way that is true to her origins as a compassionate ambassador of peace and a fearless warrior.

15 DCnU Books to Watch: The Dark Side of the DCnU!

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 Dark Side of the DCnU : Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark, and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.

In the interest of full disclosure, allow me to confess that I was sick all weekend. Apparently a head cold and Nyquil makes Trey ramble. So...my apologies. I make no promises for the overall quality of this week's post.

Swamp Thing (Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette)

     Over a decade ago, I stumbled onto a cache of comic books at my local public library. Among the limited selection was the first collection of Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing. Teenage Me read it and enjoyed it but was not sure what to make of it. It would be years before I read anything else by Moore and even longer before I revisited Swamp Thing. At the time, I was barely aware that Swamp Thing was even a comic book character. He had already been relegated to DC's Vertigo imprint, a universe I would not venture into until I was a bit older. He had no presence in the 1990s comic books I collected, so I passed him off as a minor character. Having learned the extent of my ignorance, I recently reread the first collection of Moore's run and realized how fascinating and important the character can be.

     There are only a handful of characters that have experienced shifts like Alec Holland. A late Silver Age/early Bronze Age creation by Len Wein, Swamp Thing would be taken and re-purposed by Moore as part of the earliest foundations of what would become Vertigo. Since then, the character has been almost completely confined to the companies “mature” comics line. In that same period some the comic book industry's biggest names have written stories starring Swamp Thing. Moore, Mark Millar, Brian K. Vaughn, and Andy Diggle are just a few of the A-list creative minds that have written the character while he was under the banner of Vertigo. Then, after decades closed off from the DCU, he was reintroduced at the end of a year long story named Brightest Day.

     With the DCnU release of Swamp Thing #1, a new name can be etched in stone along with the likes of Moore and Millar—Scott Snyder. With his critically acclaimed work on American Vampire and Detective Comics, Snyder brings quite a bit of weight to the reintroduction of Swamp Thing to the regular DCU. It almost seems preordained that one of the biggest young guns in comic books would tackle a property that has been a stepping stone for some many other legendary names. He will be joined by artist Yanick Paquette, who has done some incredible work in the last few years. Notably, Paquette has drawn multiple series penned by Grant Morrison, including several issues of Batman Inc.

     Swamp Thing is a book filled with potential. He has not interacted with the denizens of the DCU in decades and is one of the truly unique fictional characters owned by the company. Snyder and Paquette will be able to tap into Swamp Thing and his origins to provide a fascinating story. Snyder is a rare writer with the ability to naturally imbue weight upon his subjects. The upcoming Swamp Thing is destined to be one of the most critically praised books of the DC Relaunch—you might as well get in on the ground floor.

Justice League Dark (Peter Milligan and Mikel Janin):

      No, it's not a superhero-shaped, dark chocolate bar! It's not a Dark Avengers ripoff! It's a team book starring DC's most prominent magical characters under the umbrella of the Justice League! Allow me, if you will, to go on a tangent for a moment. I may be a DC Zombie, but I do not entirely endorse every decision that the company has made in regards to this relaunch. For example, as I will explain shortly, I really like the concept of Justice League Dark (henceforth referred to as JLD) but, at the time of writing this, I loath the name. There are two headlining, mystical teams residing within the new DC Universe—JLD and Demon Knights, and, on the outset, the concepts for both sound great. But am I the only one (and I may be) that thinks that DC has an established mystical team that already has lore surrounding it with a better name that both JLD and Demon Knights? It was not that long ago that an ongoing book named Shadowpact was a fan favorite and a minor critical darling. On top of that, within the pages of said book, it was established that there had been many iterations of the team throughout the ages. So, I am of the opinion that either JLD or Demon Knights should have been named Shadowpact. I know it is not a big deal, and the names were probably chosen very carefully by the authors and DC to attract new readers. I understand the care and thinking that was most likely involved. There's also a really good chance that I pine for one of these two books to be named Shadowpact just so there would be a chance of Detective Chimp being a member. (Actually, let's be honest, that the entire reason I want JLD to be named Shadowpact.)

     Anyways, back to the topic at hand. Justice League Dark is one of the books I have strategically chosen off of a list of several books I was on the fence about. Being of limited funds, I am holding myself to certain number of titles each month, which meant that I had to carefully choose the books I plan on buying. In the end, the choice came down to Peter Milligan versus Paul Cornell. Both writers are penning two books I wanted to read and both are writing a magically based team book. For a combination of reasons I have chosen JLD as my Milligan book. (For my Cornell choice you'll have to come back in two weeks or listen to last week's podcast!)

      In JLD, Milligan is taking a cast of characters that he has worked with extensively and combining them into arguably the most powerful comic book based magical team of all time. Former Vertigo standbys Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, and John Constantine will be joined by DC Universe regulars Deadman and Zatanna on the team to face an insane, sometimes-villian named Enchantress (ironically, a former Shadowpact member!). Milligan, an industry veteran, knows the formula for writing great comic books, but some people would argue that he sometimes forgets key ingredients. Hopefully, working with a familiar cast of characters will help him produce the kind of comic he is capable of. Spanish artist Mikel Janin will take JLD's reins artistically. His American comics work is limited at the moment, but sample pages from JLD #1 that have been making the rounds on the internet look incredibly promising.

     JLD is, perhaps, most notable for the fact that it stars several characters that have been closed off in the Vertigo universe for almost twenty years. Now Milligan will have the opportunity to place fascinating characters John Constantine, Shade, and Madame Xanadu back into a psuedo-superheroic, magical, trenchcoat-y context within the DC Universe. The cast of characters is interesting and diverse, Milligan can be a great writer, and Janin could be a breakout artist—adding up to a book worthy of being excited about. (Now, if they would just add Detective Chimp to the roster, JLD would be a must-buy for sure!)

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (Jeff Lemire and Alberto Ponticelli)

     “Frankenstein?!” you scoff, “why would I want to read a silly book starring a character ripped-off from the pages of Mary Shelley, Trey?” I'll tell you why, Imaginary-voice-in-my-head! Because it's going to be one of the best books in the DCnU! Frankenstein, like many other literary and mythological characters, was appropriated by comic book writers in the Golden and Silver ages of comic books. Generally, these borrowed characters were loose adaptations of their original source material. For example, Marvel borrowed Thor from Norse mythology and both DC and Marvel have featured their own versions of characters like Hercules and Dracula. However, thanks to one of the comic industry's biggest names and one of its rising stars, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. bears little resemblance to Shelley's original creation.

Back in 2005, Grant Morrison turned his magical distorting lens on DC's version of Frankenstein, effectively Morrison-ifying the character. As part of the Seven Soldiers of Victory mega-event, the new Frankenstein was transformed into an undead agent of a paranormal government body named S.H.A.D.E. (Super Human Advanced Defense Executive). With a gigantic sword, a humungous revolver and the help of a four-armed Bride of Frankenstein, he carved his way through paranormal threats from middle America to the desserts of Mars. Instrumental in the defeat of Melmoth and the Sheeda at the end of Seven Soldiers, Frankenstein resurfaced only two or three more times over the last half decade. More recently, Frankenstein reappeared in the alternate universe of DC's Flashpoint event written by Jeff Lemire. Not coincidentally, Lemire will also pen the the new ongoing series that is spinning out of the revamped universe.

     Lemire is an important up-and-coming creator within the comic book industry. His pre-relaunch work on Superboy was nominated for an Eisner and his creator-owned works Sweet Tooth and the Essex County Trilogy are highly regarded by critics. The art will be handled by Italian artist Alberto Ponticelli whose most recent, notable work was an impressive run on Vertigo's Unknown Soldier. Lemire is a natural storyteller. He knows how to weave an interesting tale, evoking emotions from the reader using characters that are strange, familiar and compelling all at the same time.

     Here's the bottom line: If you like good comics, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. is a series to keep an eye on—the writer is a rising star, the artist is a good visual storyteller, and the characters will be over the top in an awesome way. Despite Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.'s premise similarities to series like Hellboy and Atomicrobo, Lemire is talented enough that it will certainly be its own animal. Honestly, the idea of Frankenstein and a bunch of monstrous creatures working for a shady government agency should be ridiculously awesome enough to pique anyone's interest, in my opinion. (And if it doesn't get your pulse checked.)

Next week: The Most Important of the Ancillary Bat-titles!