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DC Comics November 2024

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Introduction

As discussed previously, in an effort to both get the page back on track and also not miss any comic reviews, I plan to review last month’s and this month’s comics over the duration of this month. I posted last month’s DC Comics already and now need to discuss DC Comics November 2024. The comics all have the “All In” designation on the cover, whatever the heck that means.

From the looks of it, “All In” is a soft reboot of the books with new creative teams after the events of Absolute Power. While I once cursed the every two year cycle of reboots, I welcome them now. New creative teams and a slightly new direction keeps the books fresh. And, with the new Ultimate and Absolute universes, both companies can reboot the books without affecting the main title. Win/win, as far as I’m concerned.

Action Comics 1070 and 1071

Writer: Mark Waid, Artist: Clayton Henry

Quick Synopsis and Review: The Phantom Zone projector cracks and shatters in the Fortress of Solitude. A three headed “phantom” of Kryptonians escapes. Superman must defeat them in spite of the fact that they outclass him in nearly every measure. However, they lack allies, and he comes with many. With the help of other super beings and Jimmy Olsen, they defeat the threat. Then, Superman travels into the Phantom Zone. He survives an ambush and fights his way to meet the so-called “Phantom King.” Meanwhile on Earth, an alarm in the Fortress of Solitude brings two of the younger super fellas to investigate. While we don’t know what they see, Superman meets up with and old acquaintance, Mon-El.

DC did the impossible a few years ago. They got me to finally care about Superman without killing him off. Ever since, I enjoy Action Comics and Superman much more than I ever expected. And, they again have one of my favorite writers working on the book. So far, this story lacks something. It’s entertaining enough and, while somewhat simple, the art looks like a Superman book. I just hope something happens to distinguish this from just another comic book. My verdict: Good

Batman 153 (Legacy 918)

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Jorge Jimenez.

Quick Synopsis and Review: A familiar beginning with a family in an alley. This one ends with Batman overlooking them getting directions from a stranger. He meets with Gordon who comes to the conclusion that Gotham and her people are getting better. Some politics. Some underworld dealings. Then a character who looks like Captain America’s third cousin twice removed. He and Bats have an interaction and the authorities side with Patriotic Dude, or whatever. They try to arrest Batman and he disappears. Goes into hiding. Someone attempts a hostile takeover of Wayne industries and the dude with the eyepatch (did I forget to mention him?) gets shot.

This title kept its creative team. I think maybe they should reconsider that. I liked some of Zdarsky’s work on this title, but much of it follows the messy story like this issue. Is it an homage to Batman books of the past? Trying to be something different? As a result, it makes JImenez’s work slightly wasted. Great panel work and appropriate use of splash panels give the story more merit than it deserves. My verdict: Decent.

Catwoman 69

Writer: Torunn Grobekk, Artist: Fabiana Mascolo

Quick Synopsis and Review: Selina wakes up in a room that isn’t her own. She scans her phone for clues and feeds one of her cats. It flashes back to the night before and her working over some rich pricks at a party. Meanwhile, a computer geek makes her using facial recognition software. Selina’s on the run and in disguise. But, computer nerd guy makes her again, this time in Berlin.

Okay, this is how you write an homage issue while bringing something new to the character. Where the Batman book failed by trying to do too much, this issue reads very much like any number of Catwoman introduction stories. Gronbekk leans heavily into the character and gives us something to look forward to next time. Mascalo’s art lends an ethereal quality to the story that also gives off the mystery of the character. My verdict: Good.

Detective Comics 1090

Writer: Tom Taylor, Art: Mikel Janin.

Quick Synopsis and Review: Someone presents Batman with a “gift”. Someone tied to a chair. They wanted him alive just long enough to watch the person die. “Don’t make the same mistake your father did.” Cut to Thomas Wayne in the hospital, called in to deal with a tragic accident. Some exposition around the Wayne family. There’s a serial killer stalking young criminals in Gotham. Bruce has someplace to be. More of the story from the past. The person that Thomas saved? Joe Chill.

While I thought Ram V’s opera for the previous issues was hit or miss (much more hit than miss), I respected him for trying. This book takes a similar swing, but we’ll see if it resonates as much as Ram V’s story. Somehow, I doubt it. Don’t get me wrong. I found the issue entertaining, but like the other books this month, it’s just missing something. Kudos to Janin, though, his art helps to tell the story similar to Mascalo with Catwoman. My verdict: Good.

The Flash 14 (Legacy 814)

Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Vasco Georgiev.

Quick Synopsis and Review: Wally’s family takes a vacation to the center of the Earth to relax and recharge. Barry celebrates his retirement. The Justice League hang out in their fortress and do their Justice League type activities. Wally’s daughter ends up in the fortress, much to everyone’s surprise.

I lost the thread of the last couple of arcs in Flash. It got so bad that I stopped even reviewing them. But, this one gets back to basics and lets me reset my brain some. Truthfully, I only started collecting Flash because of Aiden. Then, I started to enjoy some of the writers. And, every now and again, I like what I read. My verdict: Decent.

Wonder Woman 14 (Legacy 814)

Writer: Tom King, Artist: Daniel Sampere.

Quick Synopsis and Review: Diana walks along the beach. She dives into the water. This triggers myriad flashbacks of her time without Steve. When she surfaces, she sees Steve and they spend some time together. He realizes that it is no longer his place and leaves. She takes a piece of her own soul and his and places them in the clay. After praying, the clay takes the form of her daughter.

A terribly simple explanation of one heck of an issue. When I saw Tom King take over Wonder Woman, I cheered. I loved everything he wrote and couldn’t wait to see what he did with the book. Then, I wondered if maybe his voice didn’t match the character. This issue finally pays off all my expectations. With Sampere’s beautiful art, King tells a painful story of loss along with an inspiring story of hope in only 20 something pages. Thanks for saving the books this month. My verdict: Great.

DC Comics November 2024 Final Verdict

A bit of a mixed bag this time around. Nothing truly terrible. But, nearly every book seems to be missing something. Not the right tone. Too much going on. A story without much of a purpose. Then, Wonder Woman blew me away with the simplicity that brings out everything I enjoy about that character. Good to end DC Comics November 2024 on a good note.

Images taken from DC.

Side Note: I noticed embarrassingly late that DC Comics November 2024 included Legacy numbering.

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DC Comics October 2024

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Introduction

I continue to try to make up for the failure of Frightober by catching up on the comics I missed from last month. So, this week, in addition to the current shipment, I need to review DC Comics October 2024. You may remember that previously when this happened, I simply skipped the month. But, that’s how committed I am to making this month better and building to keep the momentum going next month into the new year.

Also, I only need to read and review six issues for last month’s shipment. So, it makes things a little easier. Once I get to the Marvel issues, I might have to split it up among two weeks. But, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, enjoy last month’s (and really a couple of months ago at this point) books.

Action Comics 1069

Writer: Gail Simone, Artist: Eddy Barrows

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: Weary from his last battle, Superman needs to rest and recharge some before his final battle. Meanwhile, they tell the story of the behind the scenes of the people running the tournament. Bad dudes, of course. Then, they reveal his opponent. Someone from a planet very like his own with similar powers. They go back and forth before Supes pulls out the victory. With it, he saves the planet again and returns to Earth. Things return to normal.

A good conclusion to the story. A bit abrupt and predictable, but what else do you expect out of Superman? He fights and defeats the bad guy and saves the world. The art adds some to the light-hearted nature of Gail Simone’s writing but also maintains the seriousness of the fight for earth’s survival. While you never doubt the outcome, it’s a tough line to straddle, but they pull it off. My verdict: Good.

Batman 152

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Mike Hawthorne.

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: Bats and Cats fight together on the dying planet of Czarnia. They search for the Mother Box and fight against members of the Suicide Squad plus Bizarro. Battered and beaten, they find the box. Batman realizes that it acts as a beacon for Darkseid. They activate the box and escape onto a beach as Darkseid appears and take a “moment” before what comes next.

While I liked this issue and always love to see Bats and Cats together, I feel like it would have more impact if I kept up with the Absolute Power storyline. Because, alone, it just feels like I’m missing too much of the story to care. I mean, we all need to be afraid whenever Darkseid shows up. But other than that, I need to pick up the rest of the story. In addition, the art isn’t quite what I come to expect from one of DC’s flagship titles. My verdict: Decent.

Detective Comics 1089

Writer: Ram V, Artist: Guillem March

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: The finale of this experimental story from the mind of Ram V. While I normally enjoy his stories, for some reason, this one never quite landed completely for me. This issue felt more like a traditional Batman comic to me and that gave me some grounding that the other issues in the story lacked.

So, I’m grateful for that part. And, I might need to go back and read the whole story through and see if it works better that way. Sometimes when you have these types of stories, it all comes together at the end and the pause in between waiting for each issue ruins some of the immersion for me. In any case, I liked the art in this book better than Batman. My verdict: Decent, for now.

Superman 18

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Writer: Jamal Campbell

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: While Bats and Cats fight on another planet looking for the Mother Box, Supes and Zatanna fight and search for the mystical map to the Dark Roads. I assume they need it to help return power to the heroes. Meanwhile, the supporting characters battle against Amazos to save Metropolis. The final page gives us a sneak peak at what’s coming, Doomsday.

Again independent of the main story, this failed to have much impact on me. Unlike the Detective Comics story, though, I don’t have any plans of picking up the Absolute Power books any time soon. I might end up at That’s Entertainment this weekend for a Gundam build day. If they have the books, maybe I will grab them and can fill in the blanks of what I missed. Campbell’s art, at least, is pretty. My verdict: Decent.

Wonder Woman 13

Writer: Tom King, Artist: Tony S. Daniel.

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: A weird team up between Wonder Woman and Robin to find the heroes that Waller jailed. I won’t sound like a broken record and say, again, how much missing the main title puts me at a disadvantage here.

What I will say is that I feel like Tom King finally started to reach his potential with this title just as they took the detour into the Absolute Power storyline. Hopefully, he can pick up that momentum again going forward. Because his words and Tony Daniel’s art make for a great combination. My verdict: Decent.

Not included in DC Comics October 2024: Flash.

The Verdict

DC Comics October 2024 finishes Absolute Power, which is good for me. Those of you who read the actual books might feel differently about the story. But, in addition to growing weary of multi book tie ins, I just didn’t understand the reason for this one. Just to get the Absolute name out there and try to sell some of the new line? Or, is that simply a coincidence?

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DC Comics September 2024

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Introduction

I wrote in my last article that the return to form on the web page means comics in this first week. I wrote about our latest adventures in Dice Masters on Monday. Yesterday, I covered the new season of Marvel SNAP. Now, I move on to the actual comics and reviews. This month I adjusted the order. When I went to Newbury Comics and then That’s E, I picked up more titles for the Spawniverse. I also bought into all of the new X-Men books. Therefore, my DC Comics September 2024 lineup is the smallest. Therefore, they go first.

Decent

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Mike Hawthorne
Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Ramon Perez
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Jamal Campbell
Writer: Tom King, Artist: Tony S. Daniel

All of the stories in these books this month are compelling. However, without the background of the main story, they’re all lacking something. As I often do, I missed the boat on the main Absolute Power series. As a result, I downgraded these books from Good to Decent. Completely my fault. But, I admit it and I will try to be better next time about the event stories that I read. Who knows, I might even revisit them after reading the main story. As far as The Flash, I I started collecting for Aiden and never took it off my pull list. I like it fine, but it’s not one of my favorite books, by any measure.

Good

Writer: Gail Simone, Artist: Eddy Barrows

Gail Simone is one of my favorite comic writers. Superman used to be one of my least favorite heroes. Bendis hooked me on the books when he wrote for Supes a few years ago. Then, they put Williamson on the main title and Simone on this one. In between, Phillip Kennedy Johnson wrote for both books. What I’m trying to say is that I now have a certain respect for old Supes that I never had before. And, Gail Simone writing the book! As they say, two great tastes that taste great together. I’m just not as into this story and that downgrades it slightly to good. When she hits her stride, I’m sure this book will pick up some steam.

Great

Writer: Ram V, Artists: Various. Speaking of hitting your stride, this book got good just as it looks like they are changing writers again. I admit to not completely getting Ram V’s take on the title. I enjoyed the stories, but something just didn’t quite click for me overall. That changed with these two books and I look forward to what comes next from Ram V. I need to go back and read the whole run again to see if it hits different now that everything is coming together.

The Verdict

I keep saying what a great time this is for comics right now. DC Comics September 2024 proves that once again. Even the books that I “missed” because of the tie in still told compelling stories that entertained me. Thanks to all of the creative people out there still dedicated to bringing the fun in comic books. This old guy appreciates it.

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DC Comics July 2024

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Introduction

Well, it seems as if Deadpool really killed 2 Generations Gaming, as I went into a 3 day unintentional hibernation. But, I’m back and ready to bring the usual articles, start up the Poppy War for Noob’s Book Club, and pilot a new version of the daily RPG calendar next week. The funny thing is that I read the issues for DC Comics July 2024 on Tuesday and just kept putting off the article for some reason. Well, no more.

The Flash 9 and 10

Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Ramon Perez. I received these books in this shipmment, but didn’t read them. I’m having trouble getting into Spurrier’s Flash. To be honest, I haven’t liked Flash since Joshua Williamson wrote for the book. More on him in a bit.

Detective Comics 1085 and 1086

Writer: Ram V, Artist: Various. Look, you all know that I like Ram V and his writing style. And, I respect him for the chocie he made on this story. It just hasn’t hit for me like some of his other stories on other books. Maybe he style just isn’t right for what I want from Batman and Detective Comics. My verdict: Decent

Batman 148 and 149

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Jorge Jimenez and Michele Bandini. The Zur story was good for what it is, but I personally didn’t enjoy it all that much. Now that it’s over, after the next issue that gets super sized for 150, I want to see what Zdarsky does with the Dark Knight. My verdict: Decent.

Catwoman 66 and Wonder Woman 10

Catwoman and Wonder Woman Writers: Tini Howard and Tom King. Artist: Various on both titles. Catwoman, on the other hand, is very good and bordering on great during the 9 Lives story. It’s cliche, but Howard handles it with a deft touch and makes it less so. I’m going to be sad to see this story go. It took me a while to warm up to Tom King on Wonder Woman, but now that he has his feet under him, I think that good things are on the horizon for the book. My verdict: Good.

House of Braniac (Action Comics 1066 and Superman 15)

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval. I’ve said a few times before that I always hated Superman growing up. His character just never worked in my rebelious teenage brain. A few years ago, BMB made me care about the character again and more recently, Joshua Williamson made me love the character. He is at the height of his powers on this mini event with Braniac and Lobo joining the Super Family for an adventure that just zips by. I read both of these books so quickly because the pacing works so well. Bravo. My verdict: Great.

The Verdict

Similar to recent months, none of the books in DC Comics July 2024 offended me outright. I’m just not a huge fan of The Flash as a rule, so don’t take my putting that book to the side the wrong way. It looks like they are gearing up for a larger event in the form of Absolute Power, so we’ll see how that goes. For now, I like what I’m seeing from DC.

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DC Comics May 2024

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Introduction

I started comics last week with the TMNT #150 celebration. Then, the wheels fell off and I shifted my focus. But, I knew I wanted to return to comics this week. I also remembered that I never covered the Marvel SNAP season for this month. So, in true 2 Generations Gaming fashion, I rebranded my blunder as all part of the plan. Practically, we waited a couple of days for DC Comics May 2024.

Since I only received six DC comics this time, I plan to dedicate a single section to each title similar to how I write the Independent articles. Fear not. This looks like a blip in the road, not “the end of comics” as I fear will happen sooner rather than later. But, as I also say, as long as they continue to churn out good stories, I’m here.

Action Comics #1064

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval. When I saw the preview for this mini event, I wanted to see what Williamson planned. The first issue exceeded even my lofty expectations. A standard “day in the life” of Lois Lane beginning quickly gives way to an invasion of Czarnians. While everyone thinks Luthor has a hand in the chaos, it soon becomes evident that Brainiac is involved. My verdict: Very good.

Catwoman 64

Writer: Tini Howard, Artist: Carmine di Giandomenico. I enjoyed the Nine Lives story so far. Sure, it’s cheesy and cliche. But, it’s also fun. That’s all that I ask of a story. I don’t care about the actual content or tone of the story necessarily as long as it’s fun. And, this one fits that bill. This issue feels more like a filler, but Howard still tells an engaging and fun filler issue that makes me want more. My verdict: Decent.

Detective Comics 1084

Writer: Ram V, Artist: Javier Fernandez. Ram V tries to bring back some of the noir vibe from early Batman and Detective Comics. He mostly succeeds, but it feels like something is missing. It just doesn’t work all the way for me for some reason. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Ram V writing Batman should work. My verdict: Decent.

The Flash 8

Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Ramon Perez and Vasco Gorgiev. I liked Spurrier’s introduction to Flash. Not as much as Joshua Williamson’s run, but I thought good things might happen. Unfortunately, I just can’t get into the book right now. I’m not sure what it is. Like Detective Comics right now, it just feels like something is missing. Maybe it’s me. My verdict: Decent.

Superman 13

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval. Okay, this is what I’m talking about. Lobo and Supes teaming up to track down Braniac, who is harvesting powers, or souls, or something. I missed that part, I think. In any case, this story is fun. I said earlier, I like fun. And, Williamson brings fun to spare. My verdict: Great

Wonder Woman 8

Writer: Tom King, Artist: Daniel Sampere. Yes! Yes! A thousand times! Yes! This is the Tom King that I know and love. I think I mentioned last month that his story looked like it might finally be starting to pay off. And, it did in this issue. He taps into the history of the character while starting to carve out a place for himself in the mythos. I think he finally figured out the character and we can expect great things going forward. My verdict: Great

The Verdict

DC Comics May 2024 brings some surprises. Not all good. But, I still think that the books, overall, are in good hand. While I’m unabashedly a Marvel zombie, I still keep a flame alive for DC and want them to do well. So, they’re not in the same shape as Marvel (or, honestly, even the Spawniverse) right now, but they’ll get it figured out.

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DC Comics April 2024

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Introduction

I unintentionally went dark for a week there. But, I updated the YouTube, released the latest episode of Noob’s Book Club, and now I’m getting back to the main page with DC Comics April 2024. Even so, the review comes later than usual. What can I say. Spring sprung in Massachusetts this week. We went for a walk. I went over to the Y for a swim. And, I’m obsessed with the new Fallout series. But, more on that next week.

Decent

Writer: Ram V, Artist: Ricardo Federici
Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Ramon Perez
Writer: Tom King, Artist: Guillem March

Many people seem to like this Detective Comics story. I admit that it has some high points. But, overall, it’s too uneven for me to put it anywhere but in the decent column. So far, the Simon Spurrier run of Flash hasn’t panned out the way I hoped, either. I mean, I give them all credit for trying new things with the titles. But, they just don’t work for me.

Good

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: David Baldeon

Brian Michael Bendis made me care about Superman (until he drove the title off a cliff), but Jason Aaron and Joshua Williamson made me love Supes. I think Williamson intentionally backed off in this issue in order to prepare us for the big reveal at the end and the next story to come.

Great

Writer: Tini Howard, Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Writer: Jason Aaron, Artist: John Timms
Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Jorge Jimenez

Each one of these stories represents a very good writer at the peak of their games. Dark Prisons feels very much like the Detective Comics story, but more focused and tight. While the Catwoman “Nine Lives” story easily could have gotten hokie, Tini Howard keeps it cool. And, Jason Aaron pulled off the impossible. He got me to not only enjoy Superman, but a Superman story about Bizarro. Bravo, Sir.

The Verdict

DC Comics April 2024 is mostly good. Even the decent titles entertained me on one level or another. I think I wrote in my Marvel review last month (I could search, but it’s getting to 11pm now and I’m tired) that it feels like comics finally found those sweet spots of writers and the books they write for. It’s a good time to be a comic book fan right now.

Used the Google Machine to find the cover images.

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DC Comics March 2024

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Introduction

I wrote earlier in the week that the Spawniverse and TMNT delivered probably some of the best issues that I’ve read in months. I mean, TMNT continues to be one of my favorite comics since I started collecting during Armageddon game. The Spawniverse, though, varied wildly in both content and quality. Okay, what does this all have to do with DC Comics March 2024?

Well, I graded all of the comics either “Good” or “Great”. And, honestly, the ones that I put in the “Good” column mostly just as a nit pick. I guess what I’m saying is that comics are in a really good spot right now. It’s just too bad that they’re a dying medium and won’t be around in a couple of months. Hey, I have to repeat it every so often, or it might actually happen.

Good

Jason Aaron accomplished something no other writer ever has. He not only made me care about Bizarro, but he actually wrote a Bizarro story that I enjoy. The nit pick here is, it’s Bizarro. I can’t put him in “Great” territory. Ram V and Tom King are both on my “can’t miss” list. I like everything that they right. However, I haven’t quite accepted King as a Wonder Woman writer yet. And, Ram takes some chances in Detective that I respect. They haven’t quite paid off 100%, though. Finally, Simon Spurrier writes a good Flash story, but I still like Williamson better.

Great

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Art: Guiseppe Camuncoli
Writer: Tini Howard, Art: Carmine di Giandomenico
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Art: David Baldeon

I’ve been waiting for Zdarsky to take off on the Batman title. He came close a couple of times before. This story, though (Joker Year One) rises almost to the level of Tom King Batman. Regular readers of the page (both of you!) know what high praise that is from me. Tini Howard, likewise, took what I enjoyed about the Joelle Jones Catwoman and expanded on it with the Nine Lives story. Last, but not least, Joshua Williamson showed that he’s not a one hit wonder by making me look forward to the Superman issues every month. Bravo to all of you.

The Verdict

Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age. Then again, I keep talking about how impatient I am in Noob’s Book Club. Who knows? In any case, I liked DC Comics March 2024. Along with the Spawniverse and TMNT titles, I enjoyed reading comics this month more than any time over the last year probably. Hopefully Marvel keeps it up. Come back Friday to find out.

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February 2024 DC Comics I Love

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Introduction

After a hiatus of a month and a delay by a week, I returned with February 2024 independent comics. Because of no TMNT, I only read and reviewed a few books in the SECU (tm – me?) in that article. Today, we went to one of Quinn’s swim meets. The down time in between waiting for his events gave me a chance to read the February 2024 DC Comics for this article.

Another father noticed me reading Action Comics and started a conversation. I told him that I got my books mostly from DCBS, but every couple of months, I take a trip to That’s Entertainment. We both geeked out at the mention of the store and agreed that we could easily spend an entire day there every time we go. I dropped a casual mention about the miniature painting classes and I might have made a new friend.

Decent

Writer: Si Spurrier, Artist: Mike Deodato, Jr.
Writer: Si Spurrier, Artist: Mike Deodato, Jr.
Writer: Tom King, Artist: Daniel Sampere

While I enjoyed the lead in to this new Flash story, I’m having trouble getting into the actual story. It’s not bad, it just doesn’t appeal to me. I think I might need to do some more previous reading of Flash to understand the background of this one. When that might happen, I don’t know. As far as Wonder Woman, you all know I’m one of the biggest Tom King fans. However, his slow burn story method that worked so well on Batman falls flat so far with Wonder Woman.

Good

Writer: Jason Aaron, Artist: John Timms
Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Jorge Jimenez
Story: Tini Howard, Artist: Stefano Raffaele

I disregarded the other Action Comics sent to me because it ended the previous story. This one started a new arc. I never enjoyed Bizarro in the past, but Aaron made this story intriguing so far, so I’m willing to give it a chance. Zdarsky’s Batman has been a bit off from the previous couple of writers, but it hasn’t fallen off completely. I think with some time, he will come up with something great for the title. In the same way, Tini Howard’s Catwoman doesn’t stand up to Ram V and especially Joelle Jones. I know we’ll never get back Jones at this point, but I think Howard has the best chance to get back to close to that.

Great

Writer: Ram V, Artist: Jason Shawn Alexander
Writer: Ram V, Artists: Riccardo Federici and Stefano Raffaele
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artists: Bruno Redondo and Caio Filipe

Ever since the Tom King Batman and James Tynion IV Detective Comics era of these books, I’ve been waiting for the books to reach those heights again. Batman lags somewhat behind, but Ram’s treatment of Detective has been amazing. Likewise, but on a different note, Williamson made the impossible possible by getting me to enjoy Superman. This issue, especially, tickled me with the Western motif and engaging storyline. Superman is probably the best book in DC Comics right now.

Verdict

February 2024 DC Comics was a good one for the company. I found myself struggling to put each comic in each category. They all could have easily been moved up a category. But, I want to remain true to my ideals and not go too easy with these reviews.

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DC Comics December 2023: Great, Good, Decent

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Introduction

As promised yesterday, I’m back today with DC Comics December 2023. I feel like the recent shake up of creative teams hasn’t worked as well this time as the previous few. I understand that I need to give the teams time to figure things out for themselves and their readers. But, I just enjoyed Rebirth and the ensuing stories better than Dawn of DC so far.

The thing is, the titles haven’t been outright bad. They’re just inconsistent so far. Therefore, I guess that makes my case for me that I just need to give them time to figure things out. Before I write the actual reviews, I will say that both Batman and Catwoman look good at a glance. One final note: I only ordered 7 books this month, so I will structure this article more like the independent one and review each book individually.

Batman #139 (Legacy: 904)

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Jorge Jimenez. Now, this is more like it. I’ve been saying about Marvel Comics for the last few months that going back to basics worked for them. Batman takes that advice with this story. Batman. Joker. A string of dead bodies and threats to those Batman still holds dear. Keep it up. My verdict: Good, almost great.

Catwoman #59

Writer: Tini Howard, Artist: Stefano Raffaele. Speaking of keeping it simple, I started reading Catwoman again when Joelle Jones rebooted it. I loved the style and attitude that she brought to the book. It suffered some when she left, but Ram V wrote a good cat, as he does everything. I think Howard has the ability to give Selina the same edge that Jones did. The one thing that distracts me is the art is a bit too male gaze for the female voice of the character. My verdict: Solidly good.

Detective Comics #1076 and 1077

Writer: Ram V, Artist: Jason Shawn Alexander. Ram V takes another tactic. He turns the narrative on his head. It’s not a completely new story, but Batman: Outlaw puts Bruce in the crosshairs as the captured villain in Arkham. The story works well with V’s storytelling capability. I know some (most notably my co-conspirator Chris) didn’t like JSA on Spawn. It was different, but I liked it for what it brought to that story. I think it does the same here. My verdict: Great.

Superman #8 (Legacy 851)

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Various. This one takes a bit of a step back from the previous issues. For a while there, DC Comics turned my world on my head. Superman was the best book and I wasn’t enjoyingBatman at all. I still like what Williamson is doing with the book. I just thought this one brought in too much from outside the story and it distracted from what’s been making the book fun. My verdict: Good.

Wonder Woman #3 (Legacy 803)

Writer: Tom King, Artist: Daniel Sempere. This one disappointed me most. The curse of high expectations and all that. I loved Tom King’s run on Batman. He understood the character and wrote it with great care. I feel like too much of that is seeping into Wonder Woman’s character. He righted the ship some with the previous issue, but this one has that same muddling. The story is good. I just can’t get used to King’s interpretation of Wonder Woman. I’ll give it time. My verdict: Decent.

The Verdict

DC Comics December 2023 brings some consistency to the books. I look forward to Batman and Catwoman going forward. Ram V’s story in Detective is great. Williamson’s Superman took a step back with too much supporting story, but the main story is still great. I still have faith that Tom King will figure out Wonder Woman sooner rather than later.

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DC Comics October 2023: Great, Good, Decent

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Introduction

Last month, for some reason, they sentme the first issues for Power Girl and Green Lantern. I thought maybe I added them to my pull list or cart to check them out because of the non-reboot reboot “Dawn of DC”. Maybe the latter, but not the former because I’m back to my usual 7 books for DC Comics October 2023.

Overall, the books entertained me this month. None of them were especially bad or annoying. That’s all I ask from my comics books right now. I’m older and softer when it comes to my criticisms. Since there are so few books, I’ll just give my thoughts on each of them in order.

Action Comics 1058

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval. We got pay off after the evil Superman reveal. Supes keeps his doppleganger busy and away from the public. He pays for it, but defeats the other Supes. Someone talks about turning a Kryptonian and then Clark goes to Steel to have him craft a suit while he heals. I feel like I forgot something because of the Knight Terrors gap. Need to go back and read previous issues again. My verdict: Decent.

Batman 138 (Legacy: 903)/Catwoman 58

Writers: Chip Zdarsky (Batman), Tini Howard (Catwoman), Artists: Jorge Jimenez (Batman), Nico Leon (Catwoman). I put these two together, because they complement one another in the Gotham War storyline. Speaking of, the gild appears to be solidly off the lily on this one. I liked Catwoman better than Batman this month. I have no use for the Zur storyline. But, I like that Catwoman took it upon herself to keep Bruce busy and try to keep Gotham together in the face of overwhelming odds. My verdict: Decent.

Detective Comics 1076

Writer: Ram V, Artist: Francesco Francavilla. A fun conclustion to a two part scarecrow story. It expores the myth of Batman through a conversation between Batman and young Bruce. An old and overused technique. At least Ram V does it well. My verdict: Good.

Flash 2 (Legacy: 802)

Writer: Si Spurrier, Artist: Mike Deodato, Jr. You all know I liked Williamson’s Flash. Like, really liked it. I thought when they shuffled things around books might suffer. Some have a little bit (like Batman), but not this one. This story is weird, but I dig it. My verdict: Great.

Superman 7 (Legacy: 850)

Writer: Josh Williamson, Artist: Gleb Melnikov, Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, Edwin Galmon. Unlike recent big number issues, they simply continue the current storyline in this one. That’s fine with me. Chris mentioned in the latest podcast that I keep making him rethink taking Supes off his pull list. What can I say? Williamson writes a fun Superman and this story has just enough to keep me interested right now. My verdict: Good.

Wonder Woman 2 (Legacy: 802)

Writer: Tom King, Artist: Daniel Sampere. I like Tom King. I wasn’t sure about his take on Wonder Woman after the prologue and first issue. I’m still not 100% sold on it. But, this one gives me just enough of the Tom King magic that I think he might eventually pull it off. My verdict: Good.

The Verdict

Like I said, DC Comics October 2023 has some fun books in it. I like what they’ve done with this latest not a reboot reboot and the creative teams work pretty well together. I do find it interesting that my two favorite books of all time, Batman and Spider-Man are both suffering right now, but they’ll get it figured out.

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