New 52 Third Wave Pitch: Department of Extranormal Operations

Over the next few weeks, I am going to try and post a few proposals for DC's eventual New 52: Third Wave. Mostly, they are the dream comics I would like to see, but have very little chance of actually happening.


This week: D.E.O.

FIGcast - Episode 49 - "Youth of a Nation"

Sometimes our episode titles come from the unrecorded pre-show. Those are the times when they're only amusing to us (which makes them identical to all of the other times).

FIGcast - Episode 49 - "Youth of a Nation"

Shownotes:

• (00:01:05) Darren took in a few shows, and pimps BitCasa
• (00:10:55) Trey is still working on The Annotated Sandman, but also picked up The Goon Volume 0
• (00:23:35) Tripp was boring this week, but he did get caught up on Fringe
• (00:29:40) Blu Rays: (Real Steel...Paranormal Activity 3...Godzilla...50/50)
• (00:34:25) Coming Attractions: (The Grey...Man On A Ledge...One For The Money)
• (00:38:00) Box Office:  (Kate Beckinsale wins!!!)
• (00:42:25) Quick mention of the Oscar nominations
• (00:48:00) Keith talks about the Watchmen prequel, and so do we
• (01:00:35) We each try to pick the top 5 grossing movies of 2012
• (01:19:40) We finally get around to talking about the first New 52 cancellations
• (01:49:45) What Would Darren Read
• (02:02:55) Trey's Pullbox:  (All-Star Western...Aquaman...The Flash...New Guardians...Justice League...Justice League Dark...Legion: Secret Origin)

Don't forget, you can email us at FullyIntegratedGeeks@gmail.com, you can follow us on Twitter with @theFIGcast, or you can look for us on Facebook or the iTunes Store.

Comic Mini-Reviews Week of December 7th, 2011

Action Comics #4 – Few comics have encapsulated their own inherent flaws so completely as Action Comics #4. With this issue, Grant Morrison's Superman story is joined by a Sholly Fisch penned backup feature starring John Henry Irons, a.k.a. Steel. Aside from an editorial note that served to draw attention to an awkward storytelling choice that would have been glossed over otherwise, the two scripts are adequate. Yet, the Steel story was drawn by Brad Walker, whose sheer competence put Rags Morales to shame. I realize that this is Rags' fourth issue in a row and Walker has literally had months to prepare, but it exaggerated the lackluster art that Morrison's Action Comics has been saddled with. On the writing side of things, the series has been solid but not spectacular. As always, I have faith Morrison is taking this in a particular direction that will pay off.

Animal Man #4 – Every month, it seems that Animal Man and Swamp Thing leapfrog each other for the top spot of the DCnU quality list. Really, their only competition is the stellar Wonder Woman series and Batman and Batwoman vying for a distant fourth. This month, it was Animal Man's turn to take the number one position as Jeff Lemire continues to freak me the hell out. I really hope that Travel Foreman is either mentally resilient or has a good therapist because drawing the creepy stuff from Lemire's head must be a frightening task. I said last month that I thought Animal Man and Swamp Thing were headed for a crossover, and I am even more certain of it now since Alec Holland is mentioned within the pages of issue four.

Defenders #1 – It's difficult to not compare Defenders with Justice League Dark thanks to a somewhat similar team agenda. Thankfully, the rosters of the teams in question are quite different. Different, also, it seems, are the writers desired styles. Matt Fraction takes on a much more traditional comic book narrative style than we have seen from Milligan's JLD. Yet, there are still hints of Fraction's deeper stylistic choices. In last week's podcast, I mentioned that there are little notes written at the bottom of the issue's pages that were almost more fun to search for than the issues actual plot. As usual, the Dodson's art is nice and smooth, giving all of the characters a particular charm.

StormWatch #4 – Before the Relaunch, I was certain that StormWatch was going to be one of the best books of the New 52. While it has improved monthly, it has never reached that potential. With news that Paul Cornell will be replaced by Paul Jenkins as scripter, I doubt I will continue to pick this series up. For now, the story is fine but underwhelming, and the art is kind of mushy. We finally get to see Midnighter and Apollo flex some muscles, but few of the other characters really make an impact, emotionally or otherwise. I used the term “mushy” to describe the art, but it actually fits the entire book. The mass of uninteresting and ill-defined characters and the meandering plot make for a disappointing read.

Swamp Thing #4 – It is no coincidence that Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Action Comics and StormWatch are released in the first week of each month. I am fairly certain that when DC was making the schedule they wanted to really wow readers with some of their strongest (on paper, at least) new titles. Thankfully, this strategy has worked pretty well, so far. Swamp Thing and Animal Man are two of the best and Action Comics is perfectly adequate—meaning that three of the four are essentially successes. Marco Ruby does an admirable job filling in for Yannick Paquette this month. Scott Snyder continues to wind a narrative that mixes the old canon with new to strong effect.

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.

FIGcast - Episode 39 - "Digital Stimuli"

Digital Stimulus
Noun: (1) use of a form of digital communication, such as a text message, instant message, voice call, voicemail, email, etc., or (2) a prostate exam.

FIGcast - Episode 39 - "Digital Stimuli"

Shownotes:

• (01:40) Darren watched Community and is welcoming the 'rents this weekend
• (10:35) Trey was in Shaun's wedding, saw "William Shakespeare Presents: Terminator the Second" and read Darkly Dreaming Dexter
• (34:35) Tripp read The Magicians and finally finished Sandman Slim
• (43:45) Blu-Rays (PotC: On Stranger Tides, Batman: Year One, SW: The Clone Wars: S3, The Crow, The Goonies, Captain America, Attack the Block)
• (47:55) Coming Attractions (Johnny English Reborn, Paranormal Activity 3, The Mighty Macs, The Three Musketeers, In Time, Puss in Boots, The Rum Diary)
• (51:50) Box Office (Real Steel wins 2 weeks ago, Paranormal Activity 3 takes last week.)
• (55:55) We talk about the recently announced World of Warcraft expansion: Mists of Pandaria
• (78:25) What Would Darren Read, with a special surprise!
• (93:00) Trey's take on this week's DCnU releases

Don't forget, you can email us at FullyIntegratedGeeks@gmail.com, you can follow us on Twitter with @theFIGcast, or you can look for us on Facebook or the iTunes Store.

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.

Action Comics #2 Annotations

As I was reading Action Comics issue #2, I noticed a ton of continuity and DCU references interwoven into the narrative by Grant Morrison.  I decided to jot them down and post them on the blog. I am by no means a Superman scholar, so I may have missed some important stuff.  This is a page by page breakdown of the things I took note of in Action Comics #2.

Page 1:  Superman, captured at the end of issue #1, is strapped to an electric chair.  I am unaware if this is a specific reference to a Golden Age Superman story, but based on Morrison's tendency to mine the past and the electric chair's old looking design, I would not be surprised if it was.

Page 2-3: Lex's refusal to acknowledge Superman as anything other than "it" is a great character touch.  Superman's abilities referred to so far: electricity resistance, x-ray opaque skin.  The second surely is a reference to invulnerability.

Page 4: The Doctor Irons Luthor refers to is almost certainly John Henry Irons, formerly known as the replacement Superman--Steel.  The Sergeant Corben is most likely John Corben one of the men who has been known as the villain Metallo. Irons seems to be a contractor working for the military, which fits with his regular DCU status and history.  Corben, on the other hand, has obviously been re-imagined as a career military man instead of his original journalist alter-ego.  Irons shows that he is a hero-in-waiting by being outraged at Luthor's treatment of Superman, while Corben seems nonplussed.
Update: Apparently Geoff Johns made Corben a military man in the recent Secret Origin miniseries.

Page 5:  The sequence where the scientist tries to take a blood sample is surely an allusion to 1939's Superman #1 where a similar, much more consensual situation takes place.

Luthor mentions a "Steel Soldier program"--this could be an allusion to either Irons' or Corben's eventual alter-egos.  The General Lane referred to is Lois Lane's father.

Page 6:  The military is wasting money trying to destroy Superman's cape.  An unnamed soldier mentions a rocket that was similarly indestructible.  This ties into older continuity--where stuff from Krypton was just as tough as the Man of Steel.  General Lane knows his daughter's nose for a story.

Page 7:  Lois is wearing a Keystone City shirt.  This is the home of the original Flash, Jay Garrick, and the third Flash, Wally West--hello, shared universe!

Page 8:  Another reference to needles being unable to pierce Superman's skin. Powers update: Survived Sarin Gas for FIVE minutes! Also, x-ray vision.  Luthor asks Superman about Krypton, this is the first mention of Superman's home world in the DCnU as far as I am aware.  There is no indication that Superman knows anything about the planet.  Or perhaps his answer of "noble gas...number...36..." could have been a new-playful-Superman answer.  Luthor seems to be under the impression that Superman is a shape-shifting alien.

Page 9: I am embarrassed to say that I have no idea what that corpse is. As far as I know, there was never a Goaty the Super-goat.  Regardless, Luthor thinks that Superman's regular form is four-legged. Lex Luthor does not like being laughed at.  Superpower update: Microwave vision...perhaps a more scientifically up-to-date explanation for heat-vision?

Page 10: Lois and John Corben obviously had some sort of romantic relationship in the past. Continuity alert! John Corben once shaved off his mustache! You heard it here first!  Another allusion to "steel soldier" which I have to believe is connected to either a new version of Metallo or Steel.

Page 11:  Superpower update: The ability to absorb electricity?  New Lex seems to be a bit of a wuss.  I don't see him being the kind of guy that would be willing to dawn a purple and green powersuit and throw punches.  Perhaps that will be part of his ongoing DCnU arc--Superman driving him to be more physical.

Page 12:  Superman threatens to kill Lex. Who knows if he would actually go through with it, but that's something new.  Actually it's something old, Superman was much more gruff and physical in his early days.

Page 13:  Superman finds his cape?  I am guessing that the importance ascribed to the cape is a return to a canonical significance.  Perhaps it is the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby.

Page 14:  First appearance of the Kryptonian baby-ship.  It obviously reacts to Superman's presence and touch.  First mentions of Superman's Kryptonian name, Kal-el, his Kryptonian parents,Jor-el, Lara-Lor-Van-Vax-El and one of Krypton's gods, Rao.  I am assuming the Vax in Lara's name is some sort of Kryptonian marital hyphenation. (I could wrong, I have no idea.)  Perhaps the ship has some sort of built in AI, because Superman promises it that he'll come back for it.  Then again, he could just be talking to it for fun...I mean I talk to my Ms. Butterworth bottle, so who knows?  Superpower update: Heat-vision.

Page 15-16:  More of young Superman's Super-confidence.

Page 17: Lois must have used her reporters skills to steal John Corben's pass key. She sees Superman just in time for him to leap away.

Page 18: After the resignation of Doctor Irons, a Professor Vale has been put in charge of the "steel soldier" project. I am assuming this is Emmet Vale--the scientist that put post-Crisis version of John Corben's brain in Metallo.  Corben's unrequited love for Lois seems to be driving him to try some sort of new and untested technology.  I don't know, could it be leading to...him turning into Metallo? Probably.

Page 19: Luthor is on the phone with an unnamed person.  Apparently, whoever is on the other end of the line was his source for knowing about the word Krypton.  As he talkes, we are shown something floating in space, implying the involvement of a certain green skinned Superman villain.

If you notice any glaring things I missed, feel free to let me know!

DCnU Week 5 Mini-reviews:

All Star Western #1 – Palmiotti and Grey have such an incredible grasp on Jonah Hex. Issue one of All Star Western makes it pretty clear why they were able to keep a cowboy/western-themed comic going for so long pre-relaunch. All Star is a great first issue. Jonah Hex and Jeremiah Arkham might be my new favorite odd couple in the DCU. Palmiotti and Grey found a perfect way to introduce new readers to Hex by having Arkham psycho-analyze him as they search for Gotham's version of Jack the Ripper. Moritat's art is downright incredible. All Star shows that he is a new talent to be reckoned with in the future. This book definitely is among my favorite books of the DC Relaunch.

Aquaman #1 – What a surprise! After the let down of Justice League and the solid but unspectacular Green Lantern, I was worried that I had bet on the wrong horse. Yet, Geoff Johns once again proves why he is one of the best classical superhero storytellers. He is one of the few writers (Johns, Waid, Morrison, maybe Bendis) that can distill the essence of a character into an exciting and kinetic package. It is obvious that Johns made addressing the conceptions and misconceptions of Aquaman a high priority. There's literally a scene in the middle of the comic where the hero is being peppered with questions by nerd stereotypes (including a cameo by aintitcool.com's Harry Knowles). The thing is...that sounds boring...but it works! Johns, with legitimately great art from Ivan Reis, presents an Aqua-

man that is a serious badass and an interesting character. After one issue,

this is one of the most exciting books of the New 52.

Firestorm, the Nuclear Men #1 – What a mess. Firestorm was the first legitimate debacle I have read of the DCnU. Granted, I have only read about half of the books, but I would argue that Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver's first issue was very close to horrible. The characters are transparent, the story is laughable, and the dialogue is just plain bad. They attempt to set up conflict between Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch, but it just falls flat. I know that Simone tends to walk a fine line between great and goofy, but in Firestorm the line disappears. I am sure that the entirety of the blame does not rest on her. EVS' plot must not have given her much to work with. The art is passable.

Flash #1 – When I made my pull list of 15 DCnU books, Flash was the book that would have been number 16. I have obviously not stuck to my original plans, so it should be no surprise that Manapul and Bucellato's first issue ended up in my hands at checkout. The only unanswered question was whether the artists had the writing chops to carry the book. So far, they've been solid. The nice thing is that art is so gorgeous that it can carry just about an story. (Side-note: An interesting thought experiment might be to think about how bad a story Manapul's art could make look good.) Thankfully his and Bucellato's first issue's script is plenty solid.

Green Lantern: The New Guardians #1 – There's a reason that Green Lantern is one of the least changed of the New 52. The pre-relaunch status quo was already solid. Maybe my opinion is skewed because he was the only Green Lantern for much of my childhood, but Kyle Rayner is just so likable. This issue suffers from a good deal of repetitiveness, but it kind of makes sense. It might have been slow for established readers, but it was a pretty smooth introduction to what the other corps are all about for new readers. A fine issue with very little to be excited about or frustrated with.

Justice League Dark #1 – A solid first issue. I really enjoy when the formation of a superhero team feels organic. It's also fun to see some of the characters that have been in the Vertigo universe working alongside DC's more traditional heroes. As Timothy Callahan pointed out, Superman, Wonder Woman, andCyborg's appearance was reminiscent of the early Vertigo days beforethe wall of separation was built between the two imprints. Janin's art is perfect for the book. The magical heroes look so natural in the world he creates, while the normal heroes look staid and out of place.

Superman #1 – Superman is the antithesis of what the relaunch should have been. Look, I have little problem with change--especially when it comes to Superman.  He's an important character that should not be allowed to stagnate. My complaint is that giving the book to Perez seems like a backwards move.  The relaunch should be an opportunity to freshen the formula and incorporate new talent.  For all the perceived modernization taking place in with Lois, the Daily Planet and Clark Kent in Superman #1, the issue feels old and tired--especially compared to Wonder Woman #1 and Batman #1.  The art is fine...it's hard to make chicken salad out of chicken poop.

Charting the DCnU: A Graph of the 27 Titles Reviewed by FIG

Working on a few charts for a DCnU: Month One retrospective.  Here's a preview.  I guess it is also a preview of my DCnU Week 5 Mini-reviews...so, uh, spoiler alert.  Feel free to click for a closer look.

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.

FIGcast - Episode 35 - "There Is No Pudding"

Help us Bill Cosby, you're our only hope.

FIGcast - Episode 35 - "There Is No Pudding"

Shownotes:

• (02:54) Darren had an Emmy soiree and is going to Baltimore next week
• (09:57) Trey played Madden NFL 12 for Wii and failed to stick to his comic list
• (17:57) Keith is an official member of IO9 and had his ACT score posted on the Internet without his consent (turns out Tripp and Darren did too)
• (28:05) Tripp got the Star Wars blu-rays, and his geekness was stifled by football season
• (29:11) Blu-Rays (Bridesmaids, Dumbo 70th Anniversary Edition, Breakfast at Tiffany's 50th Anniversary Edition)
• (32:35) Coming Attractions (Moneyball, Killer Elite, Dolphin Tale, Abduction)
• (38:25) Box Office Results (The Lion King: 3D wins! The Help is in the top 5 for the 6th week in a row)
• (44:22) Tripp gives us a brief run down of notable Emmy wins for genre TV and some comments on the new shows
• (53:10) "What Would Darren Read" continues with more compelling voiceovers by Trey-- will Darren pick conservatively or will he throw caution to the wind?
• (76:22) Trey's take on the DCnU week 4 (including some spoilers).

Don't forget, you can email us at FullyIntegratedGeeks@gmail.com, you can follow us on Twitter with @theFIGcast, or you can look for us on Facebook or the iTunes Store.

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?