Now, I woke up to some startling news, and at first, I was a little alarmed. I don't like how now comics are pretty much owned by the two largest media conglomorates in the world, and I think this will ultimately hurt competition by further squeezing out smaller indies from shelf space.

The comics themselves will remain unchanged. I get that. But the movies are already changing big time, as I have a announcement, just leaked from Disney Studios:



COMING THIS FALL TO THE DISNEY CHANNEL!

Ok, I'm just kidding. But still....yeesh.

That's right, everybody! It's Gil Week and I'm hypin' it up like an Oreo on Smallville! David is out all week, Matt's gone too, and who cares about Carina or Josh? This week, every day will be about Gil! Gil will be in charge of all updates, all news, all reviews, every little thing possible. So you better strap yourself in and prepare for an uber-exciting week of awesome explosions and amazing good time fun posts. Why? Because it's Gil Week, True Believers.

Yeah, you read the title right. In a move completely out of nowhere for most of us, Disney has made a move to buy up Marvel shares at a deal valued $4 billion. I know, right? Wow. That's huge. People who had shares in Marvel will be making $30 per share. Kinda makes me wish that I had bought those shares a while ago like I planned! Disney is going to get the rights to almost 5,000 characters in the Marvel U to do with as they please. The deal of course isn't done as it still needs the backing of the Marvel shareholders, but still. It's a pretty amazing development to come out of the blue.

The deal works out well for Marvel because now they have the expansive Disney network to use as a resource. Marvel is doing well, but times are still tough in the industry so they could definitely use the business. Disney works out well in this because Marvel has a literal cult following and is one of the two biggest publishers in comic books right now. Sales of print comics are slowly picking up as books get more press and movies get made, especially with characters like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and Captain America. Disney has actually reported a decrease in revenue and lack of attendance at their parks lately, so the extra money Marvel will bring in will certainly help.

What do you think about the deal? What do you suppose this would do for Marvel? Does this mean no more dark characters and at the end of Dark Reign everyone will just hold hands and sing a song? No. In essence, nothing will change in the comic world, so there isn't a lot to worry about. But even so, are you comfortable with the idea of your favorite dark characters (i.e. the Punisher) going over to a company most known for family friendly entertainment?

EDIT: A lot of people are acting very odd over the purchase, stating that they feel it is a bad move for fans of Marvel. Those people shouldn't be worried, as even Editor In Chief Joe Quesada confirmed on Twitter nothing will change. For all the details on what is actually changing, click here and read. Marvel will pretty much remain unchanged. The Avenger-themed movies are all owned by Paramount, the X-Men and Spiderman movies are owned by Fox. Mickey is not actually going to replace Wolverine. If anything, this is a really great move for Marvel and will help assure they never go bankrupt again. Be happy, people. It's a Brand New Day.

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Hilarious picture courtesy of the Wolverine Daily

Welcome to a brand new feature on Multiversity Comics! Once a month at the end of the month we are going to put together a wrap up of all the hits and misses of comics of that month. We'll go over what we think is the best and worst and possibly provide you with what you missed. It should be pretty fun. So join me, your host with the most, as I provide to you the first ever This Month In Comics!

BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH: Adventure Comics #1



I don't think I can rave enough about how much I loved this title. I bought both the regular edition and the variant, and I tell every person I know to read it, even those who aren't big comic fans. I make no secret of the fact that I love Connor Kent and that I think that he's better than Superman, and I believe that this series shows a great deal of promise. The artwork in the issue is phenomenal (that image above is the wallpaper to my computer) and the writing really connects you to Connor. All around A+++. I've said it once but I'll say it again: get this comic, put this book on your pull, and thank me later.

Runner Up: Blackest Night #2

WORST BOOK OF THE MONTH Hulk #13 and #14



Honestly, I can't express my disdain for this series enough. I know what you're thinking: "Why keep reading it?" You know why? Because I read everything. I reviewed the last Archie comic! Plus, at this point, I just HAVE to know who Rulk is. It just keeps getting more and more ridiculous though. Deadpool and Crimson Dynamo? The X-Force? Where is the plot development? Aside from the mystery, why the heck should any of us care who Rulk is? It's just annoying at this point. Loeb says he just writes the best stories he can tell, and if this is an example of that then it's not much. If I had the will power, I would ditch this book faster than a rotten apple, but I can't. I will keep reading until Rulk is revealed and then I will drop it. It's just sad knowing that this is the man responsible for books like The Long Halloween, the various superhero color books, and my favorite Batman villain, Hush. THIS is what he now writes? What a waste.

Runner Up: Greek Street, Power Girl

BEST SCENE OF THE MONTH The reveal of Romulus (Wolverine: Origins #39)



Look at that! How long has it been that we've been wondering who the heck this guy is? Or rather, what the heck he looks like? We know who he is: he's the architect of Wolverine. But as far as we know, he just looked like a shadow. Now we know what he looks like, and honestly, with the way comics go I was surprised. It seems these days that we get a lot of teases as to the identity of villains but we don't get a lot of honesty as to who they are (Loeb, I'm looking at you). With this, we finally saw Romulus, and he is bad ass. I mean, look at that guy. Bad. Ass. I love it. Very surprising and very welcome.

Runner Up: Deadpool's most recent breaking of the 4th wall (Deadpool: Suicide Kings #5), Blackbolt's Sacrifice (War Of Kings #6)

WORST SCENE OF THE MONTH: Archie choosing Betty over Veronica (Archie #600), the final page of the Spirit #32



Let's be all honest with ourselves here: if you had the choice between the awesome blonde girl who likes to party and have a good time, or the dark haired uptight girl whose father hates you but is rich, which would you pick? You'd probably pick the rich girl because you want the money, but it's the wrong choice. Betty clearly had more feelings for Archie then Veronica did, and his picking Ronnie was just a poor outcome for his whole life. Good job Archie - you should have gone with Jughead.

Runner Up: Archie not choosing Jughead

BEST WRITER OF THE MONTH: Geoff Johns



Take a look at that. You see that? That's all of the output Geoff Johns has single handedly put out this month alone. You might remember the Author Retrospective I put out, but this man owns the DCU right now. He really does. He is so amazingly prolific, and every single one of these books is golden. All of them. If you didn't pick up all 4 this month, I don't know what to tell you. You really need all 4 in your library, and every issue that follows those. Geoff Johns is the best writer in the DCU stable right now, even above Grant Morrison at this point, and me saying that is saying something. This month also saw me devoting the time to reading all of his run on Justice Society of America, and good God is that amazing. This man is pure brilliance wrapped up in one of the most humble packages I've ever seen. Seriously - pick these books up.

Runner Up: Peter David (X-Factor), Jason Aaron (Wolverine: Weapon X), Warren Ellis (Do you even know how many books this man puts out a month? It's ridiculous)

WORST WRITER OF THE MONTH Jeph Loeb



Do you see the face the Hulk is making? See the face Bruce Banner is making? This is the face I make because Jeph Loeb still has work. 'Nuff said, honestly.

Runner Up: Daniel Way (Deadpool)

BEST ARTIST OF THE MONTH JH Williams III (Detective Comics)



Look at that. Do I really have to justify this? Honestly - it's beautiful. I was very unexcited for Detective Comics when it was announced Dini was leaving and the focus would be on Batwoman. Detective Comics was my favorite Batbook and I was ready to give up on the book due to the subject. Then I saw the art. Good God. I read this book just for the art. Did you pick up issue 1? Those first few pages were jaw dropping. JH Williams III is amazing and he needs some more appreciation.

Runner Up: Ron Garney (Wolverine: Weapon X)

WORST ARTIST OF THE MONTH: Rich Leonardi (Vigilante)



I was really excited for a new Vigilante series, and having it penned by Marv Wolfman seemed like a real treat. The actual fact of the matter is, though, that this series is pretty garbled and disappointing, and the artwork doesn't help. It honestly just looks rather phoned in. The shading is screwed up, the colors are off putting, and I get that the Whale is supposed to be an ugly guy but he just looks kind of derpy in the above segment. Plus, the V on Vigilante's helmet is never the same between panels. It's just poor, and Vigilante is usually at the bottom of my reading list.

Runner Up: Ian Churchill and Chris Giarruss (Hulk), Leonardo Manco (War Machine), Terry Dodson and Luke Ross (Uncanny X-Men/Dark Avengers: Utopia)

BEST OVERLOOKED BOOK OF THE MONTH: Atomic Robo



While this image is not from this month's Robo, I think the point is still clear. We pimp out Atomic Robo a lot, and I feel like this is an excellent time to once again get the word. This is a book you need to read. This is a book that wants you to read it more than any other book out there. This book needs you almost as much as you need it. It's got robots, excellent humor, and more science than you could ever want. We put out an interview with writer Brian Clevinger this month, so do yourself a favor and check that out. Then go out and get yourself some Robo trades. Maybe a t-shirt and a poster while you're at it. The only person you're hurting by not reading it is you.

Runner Up: The Unwritten, Chew, Irredeemable

While putting together this entry, I came across another entry that was suspiciously similar to mine. Rather than delete it and start over, I decided to let you in on treat. This blogs first ever DOUBLE RECOMMENDATION. Now you know you have to read it. But don't believe me, read this first. Especially since I liked it more than Matt.

Every so often, there are books that defy genre. They pick and choose what they like from each style, taking what they like, discarding the rest, and ultimately create something that is totally different from anything you've ever read before. And one of these books happens to be a mish mash of sci-fi, horror, and gender politics that goes to places that I couldn't dream of before.

It all starts with a bad night in a small town. The "hero" of our story (I use the term loosely, this is more of an ensemble piece than anything.), Ethan, is tossed out of a bar, and one the way home, he encounters a woman on the road. She's like any other girl, only she's naked. And extremely attractive. So he does what any guy would do, he takes her home. He tries unsuccessfully to find out where she came from, and why she was nude, and injured. What follows is something usually reserved for adolescent male fantasies. She beds him on the spot.

Now, Ethan had been long suffering the demise of his relationship to his girlfriend, who also lives in this small town, called "Pennystown." So he of course welcomes the chance to have at it with a girl who is unearthly beautiful. The shame is, she was.

The next morning, he leaves to contact the local sheriff regarding the mysterious guest he has in his home. He returns to find giant eggs hatching identical copies of the stranger he slept with only hours beforehand. Let me repeat that for effect. GIANT EGGS. And these new copies attacked any female they saw.

In the midst of finding this bizarre discovery, they find even more curiosities, from a giant reflective dome surrounding the entire town, to a sperm-like creature in one of the local farms, a rather unpopular family who is initially blamed for the horrors befalling Pennystown.

The Luna Bros. are mad geniuses. If you've ever read any of their work, you'll know they will put the characters in situations where you have zero idea how it could get any worse. Then it does. Every issue puts you through the ringer, only to be topped by another ghastly revelation that haunts you to your very core. The artwork is always spot on, and when there is a shocking revelation, you can feel it on the character's faces. It's not done in an overly dramatic way, it's done in a way that calls upon real people. And that's important because that's just who these characters are; real people with real problems that are put into one horrible situation after another. And it certainly helps that Jonathan Luna is one of the best artists in the field, with a truly unique style to his art. Comparatively, the scripts equally fantastic. You feel the emotion coming from the characters mouths and truly empathize with them all, from the henpecked old man to the hen doing the pecking, you can truly understand their motivations, no matter how much you disagree with them.

I in particular have never been so connected to a book in a long time. I read this while on my break at work, and I started yelling at characters for the actions they took. From killing a fellow survivor (oh yes, there will be blood. And lots of it) to taking the fall for someone else's actions, they're all realistic portrayals of people in danger.

Speaking of unique, The Luna Bros. are a tandem unlike any other nowadays because everything is a collaboration between them. From the plot to the layout, both of them have a say in how the book is put together. It's also important to point out that this is only their second title ever, and their first epic of such magnitude. It also achieved something that I don't think any other team has done. The entire run came out on time with no interruptions and zero delays. You can find the entire series(it lasted 24 issues, and runs in 4 trades) at your LCS or on amazon.

David is out this week and next, so we're all pulling double time to get you the same quality reviews as you're used to. And too bad for him! It's an incredible week of comics! But don't worry - you probably wouldn't even notice he was gone!

(Ooo, burrnnn)

MATT'S REVIEWS

The Flash: Rebirth #4
Another week, another Geoff Johns title, and another absolute win. Johns is continuing to prove his skills as a writer as he embarks on his epic Flash revival with the Flash: Rebirth #4, and just as I adored the previous issue, this issue continues to impress. We now know who our villain is, and we now know why he is doing everything. It's Zoom, and it's awesome. I've never taken Zoom too seriously, but in this incarnation, reurned once again from the dead, he is truly terrifying. As he thrashes Barry and goes after Wally's family, you can really see what a true villain he is. Leave it to Johns, though, to create a truly return from the Speed Force for Barry as the issue plunges the mini-series to it's exciting conclusion. On top of all this, Scriver knocks it out of the park with the art this issue as Barry is trapped in the crimson, and we are treated to lush backgrounds full of detail where you would assume none are needed. His Zoom, attacking from all angles, is really something to behold.

The best part of the issue is, though, is just as Johns went and redefined the very mythos that defined Green Lantern, he is completely redefining the way we look at Flash and the speedsters. In fact, it's really quite incredible. Johns is bringing the Flash Family together once and for all and showing us just how this comic will be in the future when Johns starts his new Flash series (soon, I hope). I'm so excited to talk about what Johns changed in this issue, but it's a spoiler so I'll leave you to it. Regardless, it sets up a plot point that I feel will be big in the upcoming future of Flash. So what we've had is a lot of tips and hints in the previous issues and a big change in this issue... and then we have the Green Lantern series for a frame of reference... can you say "upcoming epic"? The Zoom Wars?

So if you haven't been buying the Flash: Rebirth, I don't know what to tell you. It's a very exciting read for Flash and DC fans alike, and ultimately more proof that Johns is the top writer DC has in it's base. Add Scriver into the mix and you have an ultimate winner, even before all is said and done.

Final Verdict: Buy

Batman And Robin #3
Frakking. Awesome.

That's all I really need to say here. That could be the entire review. I'm not kidding. If not for the fact that we want to make this site look really professional, I'd leave it at that alone and move on to another review. It's just so good. Quitely's art, Morrison's crazy writing... oh, I love it. This issue is PURE Morrison insanity, and Quitely's art is just so perfect for it. I can't imagine another artist doing the job. Seriously. Quitely art is kind of off putting to some, but just like Morrison I believe it's an acquired taste, and once you understand the angles and the way that it connects to the story in that you have these disgusting characters like Pyg and Quitely brings out the horror of their world in truly magnificent fashions, you just get it. This book is one of the few artist/writer teams that bring together everything you could ever want in a comic.

So this is the final part of the opening arc, yeah? And what a way to go out. I was wondering in issue #2 why they weren't dragging it out more to be a five issue opening arc, but this issue makes it very clear. Morrison has this amazing way of setting up pieces of a puzzle without you even noticing and then ripping the rug out from under you in an epic fashion. This issue begins to clearly set those pieces into place for those of us who are used to his style of writing. We have 4 new villains, 1 of whom is in the shadow, and an over arcing mystery involving domino pieces. In fact, the metaphor of dominos being lined up and knocked down is very appropriate for Morrison's writing. On top of that, there's a great reference to the final page of Batman: RIP, which took place several months after RIP. If you'd previously read it, you'll love it.

So I'm gushing over with love for this issue. It's such a strong start for what is looking to be a great series and definitely the only Batman book you NEED to have in your pull. If you're a fan of Batman, or if you're honestly just a fan of great writing, now is the time to hop on this series. You won't regret it.

Final Verdict: Buy

Batman: Widening Gyre #1
Remember Kevin Smith? That guy who made all those cult films about two stoners and how they LOVE to talk? Or maybe you remember him better as the man who killed Karen Page? Kevin Smith has had quite an illustrious career as a writer, killing Daredevil's wife and bringing Green Arrow back from the dead. He recently penned a mini for Batman entitled Cacophony in which he brought back his villain, Onomatopoeia, and it was well received, particularly by us. So now we have a brand new mini in which Smith promises to introduce more new characters but also tell a much bigger story split into two six part arcs.

So how about this first issue? It opens with a great fight sequence between Batman and Robin and some neo-Nazis on Yom Kippur, and as a Jew I found it particularly great. As the story moves forward, Batman goes to Arkham to deal with seemingly a problem with Pamela Isley, but it turns out to be so much more as Smith brings back a villain I never saw coming. In fact, I have to applaud Smith on his comic knowledge here because it's clear he's done his homework. There are actually a lot of references to older in Batman stories in here that all shine for fans of the stories. While some call his Batman a bit wordy, I find it appropriate in setting up the twists of his story, and believe me, there's a whopper of an angle at the end.

You've also got to commend Walt Flanagan's artwork here. For the most part, I'd say people don't know who he is unless they're big followers of the Jersey Trilogy cult. However, the man's got talent with the pen. His frames are really great, especially in the scene of Batman exploring the Asylum. As Batman begins to realize what's going on, the frames begin to change, and it adds an extra level of texture into the story. His backgrounds are rich and his villains look great. You'll see his Joker returning, as well as several other prominent villains such as Harvey Dent, Waylan Jones, and the aforementioned Isley. Plus, the entire opening scene is a throwback to old old old Batman, when Dick Grayson wasn't Nightwing, and it all looks timely and very sharp.

I think a lot of people will pick this up just because Smith's name is on it alone, but if for some reason that didn't entice you, I hope this review will. Widening Gyre is a great start to what looks to be a very interesting story in Batman's legacy, but you won't know why unless you read until the very last page of the issue. Trust me - just pick it up.

Final Verdict

Dark Avengers #08
I've been kind of meh on the whole Utopia ordeal. It seems very drawn out with no real point. I mean, obviously there's some end game, but for the most part a lot of the crossovers as of late just haven't been very good. Messiah War, Mangum Opus... it's all been kind of meh. But this one? This one is definitely picking up.

First we start as the X-Men become public enemy #1 and everything going topsy turvy, with everything being set up for an explosive scenario. And an explosion was had. This issue sees Scott's quiet plan of abstaining from the fighting come to fruition. Not only that, but this is the first issue that really ties the Avengers in with the X-Men. For a crossover to work, the characters being crossed over need to have a really big interaction, and you can be sure that in the next and final moment of Utopia, that interaction is coming. We've been building up to this moment pretty well, and it turns out great. On top of that, you can definitely tell where the upcoming Planet X with Mangeto is going to come into fruition. In fact, I'm more excited for the return of Magneto now than I was before.

I gotta say, though: I'm not a big fan of the artwork. Previously in Dark Avengers the art has been one of the coolest parts, because the characters were drawn dark and realistically. In the event of this crossover it's all been pretty... feh. I mean, we go from these really slick and creepy looking characters to cartoon caricatures of their former glory. I admit, I'm being very critical right now - in the events of new writers and crossovers, artists and things of that nature change. It's just a fact of comic books, and a part of life. I can't help but wish they had gotten a better artist over all, both for X-Men and the Dark Avengers. I definitely am not much of a fan, though.

When Fraction stated that this would be a big change for the X-Men and their universe he wasn't putting it lightly. In the past few years there have been big status quo changes in the Marvel Universe for everything, but depending how this all ends up after Utopia, this could definitely be one of the biggest for the X-People. Color me very excited for the final issue.

Final Verdict: Buy

Justice Society of America #30
Issue #30 continues our brand new stretch into the reign of the Fables men in JSA, and unlike David, I can't say I'm overly a fan. I loved Johns' run a lot because it was setting up a brand new team, and like David said we now have an even bigger team. The JSA and JLA are huge families, sure, but this book just brings in such a wide and crazy cast of characters, it's hard to keep a good and straight focus. Granted, these are the men behind Fables... they're not strangers to a large cast with intense variety. I'm just not getting the over all feeling that they're pulling it off here. On top of that, they leave off with a moment entirely reminiscent of the opening to the Great Fables Crossover, and I'm sure everyone remembers my general annoyance at that endeavor.

This issue picks up just where the other one left off and it shows our heroes overcoming their foes in a pretty epic sequence. I gotta say, that was superbly done. On top of that, the whole thing keeps adding to the over all mystery of just what is going on in this new era of the Justice Society of America. Who took out Obsidian? What is the fate of Mr. Terrific and what is up with the new All-American Boy? Why is everyone so afraid of Stargirl? These are all questions I really can't wait to see the answer to, and I'm not being factitious. While I do have my reservations and general trepidation towards the writing duo of Willingham and Sturges, I've gotta say their lack of character handling is made up for in over all mystery and excitement.

The art is kind of off and on. I'll be honest, the second I hit the first page I kind of cringed. If you look at the Flash and Stargirl, they just look... lanky. It looks as if someone grabbed them and stretched them out in a Chinese torture device. Then, on the next page, they're back to being normal again. There are a lot of moments in the book where the artwork and attention to background details is really great, but then there are other moments where everything just looks pretty awful. It's a hit and miss scenario.

So JSA, which was one of my favorite series for a while, has just been a mix of ups and downs in an uneven pace of greatness and mehness. I can't really rest my finger on it yet, but I'm both excited and weary for the next issue.

Final Verdict: Browse. I mean, Starman's not even in it anymore.

Wolverine: Origins #39
I'll be honest: I'd lost all interest in this serious and Daniel Way as a writer. His Deadpool is increasingly subpar and Dark Wolverine... don't even get me started on Dark Wolverine. I hail Jason Aaron's Wolverine: Weapon X as the only real Wolverine title you need to follow (although you should be sure to note that Wolverine will pop up in every book you read at some point or another regardless). After this issue, I'm willing to lay off all the Daniel Way hate. Seriously. It's that good.

Daniel Way promised to pick up where Loeb left off with the death of Sabretooth and the introduction of an insane new element: Romulus. Romulus was the man who was behind everything in Wolverine's life. Everything. Wolverine had apparently been brain washed far farther than we could have ever assumed, and it was Romulus who did it. However, Loeb merely came into the series, threw that in there, and then left. Daniel Way had the task of picking up the pieces, and he has done an admiral job. The first 30 or so issues of Origins had all been fantastic. It began to drop out of my focus when it entered into Dark Reign and focused a bit too much on Daken, however, but now, with this issue, it is back. In reading this issue, I thought to myself," Pfft. What the hell is he going to do with Wild Child of all characters?" And now I see. As it turns out, the past 38 issues have all been leading up to this one moment, and the pay off is fantastic. You know how Loeb told us we'd find out who Rulk is in #600, and then he didn't tell us? Well, Way is not the same way. Way told us we'd know who Romulus is by the end of the arc, and without giving too much away, now we know. And it's an amazing moment that met me with much joy.

I also want to point out that the art is really an essential part of this book, and it's really great. I don't like the covers very much, but the interiors? Great. Wolverine and Omega Red both look awesome this issue, and don't even get me started on the last page. While I'm not a very good art critic, I must say that this issue looked really good as I read it.

So good job Daniel Way. I had lost all faith in you and in one single moment you reeled me back in. Not a lot of writers can do that. Kudos. I'm very much looking forward to where the series is going to move from here.

Final Verdict: Buy

Fantastic Four #570
Hot off the heels from Mark Millar's absolutely insane run on Fantastic Four, we have Jonathan Hickman's brand new start. I hope you read the prologue in Dark Reign: Fantastic Four, because this ties directly into it! And it's a good start. In fact, this is one of the books I was most excited for this week, and the read definitely paid off. Believe it or not, I read it twice. So. That should say something, yeah?

Hickman's Fantastic Four has picked a definite focal point: Reed Richards. The book opens with a very well drawn battle against old foe, the Wizard. Moving directly from this fight, Hickman writes in a parable showing Reed's dealing with the Wizard and how he deals with his own family. Using a machine that he created during the mini, Reed has decided he is going to solve everything, and the machine connects him to an infinite amount of parallel universes, or more specifically, an infinite amount of Reed Richards. See, as we learned in the Dark Reign mini, the actions of our universe actually center around the actions of Reed Richards, and if not for him, we wouldn't be ruled by Norman Osborn. So it's time to fix it! But what could possibly go wrong with this?

Hickman's start is filled with intrigue, mystery, and a great twist ending. On top of that, Dale Eaglesham's artwork looks fantastic. We just had the stylings of Bryan Hitch and Stuart Immonen, both of them fan and MC favorites, and Eaglesham is relatively unknown, but he knocks it out of the park with this book. Honest to God, it's a real treat. I liked Mark Millar's run, but in the end it seemed phoned in and VERY ridiculous (Super powered Doom to the point he won't be a villain anymore? Really?). Hickman has picked up where he left off and, instead of ignoring it and moving on at his own pace, he's elaborating on the things Millar left resolved. Ace move.

Hickman has proven through his work on Secret Warriors that he is a great new writer in the Marvel stable and that he's got the talent to take characters we know and love in exciting new directions. Fantastic Four is definitely a book to watch with his hands behind the pen, and I highly recommend checking it out.

Final Verdict: Buy

GIL'S REVIEWS

Green Lantern #45
Worlds have died.

Worlds will rise.

Strong words, and they certainly live up to it. The opening scene is certainly one that strike terror in the only actual Green Lantern appearance this issue. John Stewart, visiting the remnants of Xanshi finds out what these word mean. We see the rise(sorry) of The Black Lantern's version of MOGO, and from then on, this is exactly what the cover implies. It's a battle between the founder of the Sinestro Corps and the newly re-instated and most famous of the Star Sapphires, Carol Ferris, among other tidbits spanning the entirety of the emotional spectrum.

Most of the issue is revealing the Blackest Night to the characters that aren't on Earth, from the Lanterns on Ysamault in battle with Atrocitus(on a side note, how awesome is that name?) and seeing the resurrection of everyone lost on this bloody planet, to Agent Orange realizing his greed might have just been his downfall, to Sinestro reliving the greatest loss of his life and then seeing just how many of his Corpsman have returned from death, this book is important to the overall mythos of the Blackest Night.

But I'm not sure you NEED to buy it.

Don't get me wrong, the book is another book scripted by the capable Geoff Johns, and it's pencilled by the always great Doug Mahnke, and it goes to show you just how widespread this reaches. But it jumps around so much, that unless you're really familiar with the universe, you might just get lost. But at least check it out for the prettyful pictures.

Verdict: Browse

Incredible Hulk #601
When they relaunched the Incredible Hulk title, I was a little confused. Did they need a second(some might say third) Hulk book? Couldn't they have kept this going in Hulk? Oddly enough, the answer to both of these questions is "no."

That's not a indictment on either of the Hulk books I'm reviewing, it's merely confusion that the other(Son of Hulk) is unnecessary due to the fact that Skarr is starring in this book.

Unlike some people, I think this book is actually important to the character of Bruce Banner. Lately it's been all Hulk all the time, and it's nice to see what he'll do without the relative safety of The Savage Hulk having his back. Turns out he really knows what he's doing. The opening scene establishes that well, and then when Hulk starts interacting with the Marvel U at large, we see how smart, calculating, and manipulative he really is.

Greg Pak is one of my favorite writers working for Marvel, and this book does not disappoint. He really gets into the head of a character long thought as being weak, and makes him a legitimate badass. And the art, provided by Ariel Olivetti, is absolutely stunning. I think the weakest point of the book is the back-up story, featuring She-Hulk II, Lyra. I just don't care about the character, so I had no desire to keep up with her exploits. But the main story makes it worth it.

Verdict: Buy



Hulk #14
I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Jeph Loeb gets a bum rap. He stated before that Rulk's identity would not be revealed until Hulk #20, when the arc he's working on is finished, and so far, he's done that. It was never meant to come out during Incredible 600, and I blame the editors for that. But now that that's out of the way, let's discuss the book.

At first, I don't think the cover made much sense. You had a wildly divergent group of characters who don't much care for each other taking on X-Force. From Elektra to Deadpool to The Punisher, I was did not understand how these people would get along enough to take on a military style group. It's a shame it doesn't even happen in the book. It's a tease to a cliffhanger. Which sucks. I was looking forward to Wolverine taking on Rulk, but I guess I'll have to wait until next month. Sigh.

Other than that, the only real problem I have with the book is the fact Wolverine didn't really act like Wolverine. Sure he doesn't like Deadpool so much, but he's always had mutual respect for Elektra, so his attitude toward her was really off putting. But it's a nit pick.

The book seems to have some pacing problems initially, but this is the beginning of a new arc, so it's the set up for a big knockdown drag out fight between some of the most bloodthirsty heroes and villains out there. I still have faith that Loeb will pull this all together. I'm just concerned that it will have taken so long, that no one will care by the time he's revealed. Myself included. As it is, it's another 6 issues until I expect us to know who he is.

The pencils are done by Ian Churchill, but I personally think that they're sub par after being so used to the always bombastic work from Ed McGuinness. He's possibly the person most suited to this title and he's noticeably absent.

Thisis definitely a book for fans of the various Hulks in he Marvel U. But personally, I can't wait until Blue Hulk(Blulk?) shows up. Check it out in your LCS, but I can't give it a full recommend.

Verdict: Browse



Incredible Hercules #133
Ever since Herc and Amadeus split up, I was wondering what Marvel's Boy Wonder was going to do without the titular character to back him up? Why, go on a road trip of course! And what better place than the hometown of the corporation that killed your family? MAKES SENSE RITE?!

It kind of does. He wants answers, and the now ghost town of Excello must be the only place to get them. But while I love The Big Bang Theory, without a proper foil for the smart guy, it's just brainiac city, and it's less interesting. To me.

Greg Pak is usually top notch, but this book is not at his best. I honestly think it's Van Lente bringing him down. And it really pains me to say that. The art, on the other hand, is top notch, and it really popped off the page.

If you're a fan of Amadeus, I would say pick this up, but if you're mainly reading it for the dynamic of Herc and Cho, it's not here. It's quite a shame really. I can only hope this arc brings real character development to him, and makes him a more 3 dimensional character.

Verdict: pass

New Avengers #56
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Armadillo part of the 50-State Initiative back after Civil War ended? Small nit pick, and I guess it's NBD, but it's something that crossed my mind when I saw him in the group of small timer super villains using their numbers to overtake both of the New and Dark Avengers.

It's clear what the point of this arc is. It's bringing Mockingbird back into the spotlight to establish her as more than a pretty face, so to speak. And let me say, while her spotlight is brief, Bendis does a great job. She's clearly a force to be reckoned with. And Immonen, here providing brilliant visuals, knows how to choreograph a stand out action scene.

My only complaint is that this book isn't even really about The New Avengers. It's about the Osborn-Sponsored Avengers, and the little snafu he's having with The Hood's gang. Loki seems to be sneakily manipulating the game as he/she/it influences every player on the board, and even some not involved.

I do like that while Bendis again introduces The Sentry only to take him out of play, it's not because of his frakking mental deficiencies. It's legit, and only reinforces the stakes involved. I didn't especially care for the previous issue, but it's certainly starting to pay off.

Verdict: Browse


Superman #691
If comics have taught me anything, it's that in-laws are rarely caring individuals. Especially ones that are generals and presumed dead. They'll do anything to further their goals, not giving one rat crap about how their actions will destory the lives of those around them. Hulk has Gen. Ross, and Superman has the (presumed dead) Gen. Lane.

Things are coming together as to why the entire Superman universe is coming apart at the seams, and it's all thanks to Lois' father. He's doing things that would make Lex blush. Jeebz.

The art is still a bit on the sloppy side. There are times where I can't tell if it's Sam Lane in the picture or Renee Zellwegger. It had to be said. Even if I'm insulting the general like that. BURN.

Overall, it's an excellent issue. The writing is superb, and Robinson is one of the go-to Superman writers. The art brings it down a notch, but not enough to warrant not picking this up.

Sam Lane is still an ass.

Verdict: Buy


Deadpool #14
Sometimes I wonder if Matt and I read the same books. While he didn't like this book, I thought this was hilarious. It's Deadpool...as a PIRATE. What's not to love? The inner dialogue is as zippy as ever, and Bob is one of the best supporting characters in the Marvel U. Just once I want to see Bob die, and inexplicably show up on the next panel with two replacements.

That's a HYDRA joke. Keep up.

While I thought Daniel Way handles The Merc with a Mouth well, the art leaves a lot to be desired. It reminds me of the Monroe strip in Mad Magazine. And before you ask, that's NOT a good thing. We see Deadpool without his mask, and I had no idea it was actually him! I mean, he has a scar here and there, but not enough to make him as ugly as he's billed. While this book gets the "Quote of the Week" from me for "there's more gold here than at the BET awards!", the art pushes it down from a buy to a Browse. It's really ugly. Like...Larry Stroman ugly. and that's bad. Really bad.

Verdict: Browse

When it was announced that a brand new Batman video game was coming out with no direct ties to any feature film, the fandom went crazy. Batman has such an insane following ever since The Dark Knight came out that it actually kind of makes me want to throw up a little bit. Not in a mean way, but seriously. And with a Batman Begins game but no Dark Knight game, people were somewhat confused as to when they'd get to play the Dark Knight again. Add to the fact that acclaimed Batman writer Paul Dini was penning the script and that in the first press release in Game Informer, it was hailed as similar to Bioshock. PLUS - KEVIN CONROY IS BATMAN AND MARK HAMMIL IS JOKER! AMAZING! So all in all, Arkham Asylum was an exciting moment for a lot of people.

That is, except for me.

Now - people who read here on a daily basis will know that I do my best to be overly positive in my comic reviews. When I dislike something, I get cruel, but all in all I'm a pretty positive guy. This is only for comics. In everything else, I'm really harsh. I tore Zack Snyder's Watchmen to shreds and can get pretty raw when it comes to reviewing video games. So when Arkham Asylum started getting rave reviews, I pounced on the opportunity to be the one to tear this game down and highlight all it's negative aspects. So prepare yourself for one of the less starry-eyed reviews of Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Allright, let's start with the basics: plot! In case, you know, you SOMEHOW follow a comic blog and don't know the basic plot of one of the most hotly anticipated titles of the year. Batman is bringing the Joker back to Arkham after defeating him yet another time, and as he brings Joker in, everything goes wrong. Of course. It turns out that the Joker wanted to be in Arkham all along, and he has a wild night in store for Batman. As prisoners from Blackgate's most recent Arkham transfer are set free and the current Arkham patients start running wild, Batman has to fight his way through all of the island in order to find the Joker and stop him before whatever nefarious deed he has is unleashed. But that's not all! Harley Quinn is working behind the scenes to make sure everything goes smoothly, Killer Croc has broken out of his cell after recently being re-admitted to the Asylum, Mr. Zsasz (if you remember him) is going nuts, and Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and Bane are also waiting for you to have a little fun. Oh, and the Riddler has hacked into the channel you use to talk to Oracle and taunts you with riddles. It's going to be a fun night.



So that's the basics. Does it pan out? Kinda... Let's put it this way: What Arkham Asylum attempts is loftier than it can achieve at the end of the day. We have a large group of villains here, and when it comes down to it, there are three boss fights. That's not an understatement: the only boss fights are Bane, Poison Ivy, and Joker. You'll go up against Zsasz, but it'll end in under a minute. You'll get chased by Croc, but don't think you actually have to fight him. Harley Quinn? She is ultimately just a tease. And Scarecrow... I don't even know how to describe Scarecrow, but I wouldn't call it a boss fight, that's for sure. So you'll be running around Arkham for 10 hours, and you only get to fight 3 Batman villains? Really? On top of that, I spent the entire game fighting with just two buttons: square for punch, and L1 for batarang (I played on the PS3). In most fights I didn't even use L1. Seriously - I just would hit square and then make Batman move around. That's it. On top of that, all you do is run through a linear map, solve very simple puzzles (also known as: where do I shoot my batgadget next to get through? You can also use Batman's special visions to solve puzzles. In fact, in the first one, you use your batvision to follow traces of alcohol in the air to find a perp. I'm not kidding - you follow puffs of alcoholic air residue. Let's be serious here, that's just ridiculous.

Now, this isn't to say there is nothing good about the game. Sure, it's fun to play as Batman. And there are some really creative parts! In fact, one part left me confused and ultimately amused (it's about halfway through and involves a bit of fear). There are a lot of cool references to Batman comics, and the Riddler's riddles tie into it very well. Mark Hammil shines as the Joker, albeit a bit darker than he was in the cartoon, and Kevin Conroy once again proves why he is the voice of Batman to a generation (and be sure to check him out in the upcoming Superman/Batman movie, Public Enemies). On top of that, this is probably the only good Batman game to exist ever. It quite possibly will be the only good Batman game to ever exist ever. However, that doesn't excuse it's overall weakness. Take away the Batman, take away the Joker, and what do you have? You have a cookie cutter action adventure game that is exactly the same as all the games like this on the market. Think Infamous, Prototype, Devil May Cry, Prince of Persia, God of War... the only thing that makes this game special is that it's Batman. However, this game only makes you fight 8 different villains! 3 boss fights and 4 different basic villains and 1 type of plant. That's just bogus no matter what way you look at it.

This is not the best superhero game ever as some people claim. The best superhero game ever was Spider-Man 2 because it showed you exactly what it was like to be Spider-Man and gave you enough freedom around the city to really have some fun. What Arkham Asylum is is a fun game to rent, play for a couple days, and then return without ever thinking about it again. This is precisely what I've done - I played it, I had my fun, but I doubt I'll ever play this game again. In fact, I know that there really is no reason to. There are certain games that you buy even if you know you'll never play again, but this isn't one. You'll have your fun as Batman and then you'll move on and go back to the comics, which are by far superior. So all in all, Batman makes a fun game, but save your $60.

Pros: the only good Batman game ever?, great graphical design, great set design for Arkham, amazing voice cast

Cons: horrible combat, worse boss battles, tedious fight system, repetitive cookie cutter gameplay

Final Verdict: Rent

Marvel posted this little video of Stan Lee discussing the game, his favorite parts of it, and what side he'd register on. I know I'm not the only one who respects this man beyond respect, and I know I'm not the only one overly excited for this game, so enjoy a tiny little clip on this sunny Sunday:

This week the Spider-Woman motion comic premiered, a good month before it comes out in comic form. This is part of a new initiative Marvel wants to take in order to move comics into a new medium. It's a risky move and one that they are definitely unsure of. So, does the motion comic work?

I'll say yes and no. This is the first part of an arc called Agent of SWORD, and it clearly isn't even the full single issue. It runs at about 10 minutes or so, and features Jessica in England being approached by Agent Brand from SWORD before going Skrull hunting in Asia. So I guess, with the basics out of the way, we can start breaking it down further. As far as just a comic goes, I really liked it. The artwork looked great. I never really took Jessica Drew as a Brit, especially after Spider-Woman Origin (with the Luna Brothers), but I'm willing to go with it. The story was well paced and seemed like quite a logical place to go with in the aftermath of Secret Invasion, albeit a bit darker than her role in New Avengers.

As far as the motion comic goes, though, I was generally unimpressed. I'll be honest: this isn't a medium I'm really interested in. I like reading comics. I like the way they're set up. I love buying the books and flipping through the issues at my own pace, going over the art slowly and studying backgrounds. The motion comic idea is an interesting one, but it really doesn't interest me at all, and I'm not any more convinced of the medium now than I was before. It's a good idea, but at the end of it I felt I'd rather have just read it, and as I was watching it I was just trying to imagine what it would look like in the book form.

That's what I think. But Marvel really wants to go for a new and untapped market with this idea. So what about someone who doesn't read comics on a regular basis think of this new idea? It is with this idea that I made a completely random person watch the motion comic, and then I took her thoughts on it:

So how aware are you of Secret Invasion? Do you know what it was?

Jessica: Barely. I don't really know the backstory at all.

But do you know the basic premise of the whole story?

Jessica: No. I really don't.

So without know the back story, what did you think of the story in the motion comic?

Jessica: I liked it. It seems like a... uhm... a good start to something they did it well enough to keep me wanting to see what happens

Did you feel like your lack of knowledge in the characters was polarizing at all?

Jessica: Maybe a little, but it seems like even if you don't know the backstory of Secret Invasion it could be just as entertaining.

Which medium of story telling do you think you prefer after seeing just one episode? Do you prefer reading the story at your own pace or do you think you'd rather watch it in 10 minute intervals?

Jessica: Mmm... like the motion comic, but I think reading it at my own pace would be better. But both seem good enough.

Do you think the motion comic captured your over all interest more than just seeing a new Spider-Woman comic on the shelf would? As in, would you pass over the Spider-Woman comic in the store without having previously connected it to the motion comic?

Jessica: I probably would pass over it, just giving a motion comic a chance, it seems like a good start to even start reading it on your own.

So you want to know where the story goes from here, correct?

Jessica: Yes.

And over all, do you think you'd rather see the rest of it in a comic book or in the motion comic format?

Jessica: Well, since it's not... what's the word... a story of a character of someone I'm particularly fond of, I think the motion comics would have me... I guess, have me more intrigued to see how the story ends.

And if anyone is wondering, this is what my cat thought of it:

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Warren Ellis is one of the most disturbed, bizarre, hilarious, and utterly brilliant writers in the history of mainstream comics. His works are always on the precipice of insanity, but somehow he always pulls it together to make not only a coherent story but what are frequently the most well written and forward thinking comics on the market. His work on such titles as Planetary, Transmetropolitan and the Authority have completely captured the essence of what makes the medium of comics such an incredible experience, but today I’d like to highlight a work of his that was frequently missed because of its place as something in-between straight up superhero comics and the gonzo writing style he employees within Transmet.

That title is Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E., and they’ve been blatantly stealing your money since 2006.

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. follows a team of C-list “heroes” who were hired to be the superhero team of H.A.T.E., a spoof of S.H.I.E.L.D. that is fronted by an absolutely insane man named Dirk Anger (clearly mocking Nick Fury). Nextwave is led by Monica Rambeau, the former Avenger (as she will let everyone know…at great lengths), and also featuring Tabitha “Boom-Boom” Smith from the X-books, Aaron Stack/Machine Man, Elsa Bloodstone – monster hunter extraordinaire, and brand new character the Captain (also known as Captain ****, with **** representing a word so bad that it once led Captain America to allegedly "beat seven shades of it out of [him]" and leave him in a dumpster with a bar of soap in his mouth).

When the story starts, it has Nextwave on the run from H.A.T.E., as they found out that their benefactors were fronted by the evil mega-conglomerate the Beyond Corporation, and the whole series is about them trying to destroy Beyond Corp. using Beyond’s marketing plan to their advantage.

As you can likely tell, this series often verges on the absurd, as the whole series is split into two issue arcs that tasks the team with taking down a different aspect of Beyond’s marketing plan. The team confronts a hilarious group of villains, from the always spectacular Fin Fang Foom, the horrifying Drop Bears (which are effectively Koalas dropped out of a helicarrier for the sole purpose of eating faces), ridiculous demon creatures the Mindless Ones, a horrible cop turned robot warrior named “Ultra Samurai” , and the vastly overpowered Forbush Man. Over the 12 issues, the band of Nextwavers have to deal with the dredges of C-List Marvel villains in a massively entertaining fashion, as no fight is remotely ordinary. I mean come on – Fin Fang Foom tries to put Tabby Smith in his pants. Come on now.

Ellis himself says this about the series:

I took The Authority and I stripped out all the plots, logic, character and sanity. It’s an absolute distillation of the superhero genre. No plot lines, characters, emotions, nothing whatsoever. It’s people posing in the street for no good reason. It is people getting kicked, and then exploding. It is a pure comic book, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. And afterwards, they will explode.

That pretty much covers exactly what he does within this series, as the entire premise is set up to bring the laughs and bring the ridiculously awesome violence. Ellis is really at his best here, sending up the entire superhero genre while making it a rollicking superhero affair in its own right. One of Ellis’ greatest gifts as a writer is to simultaneously subvert while perfecting a genre. That is on full display here.

The fact that he has Stuart Immonen paired with him on this series escalates it to an even higher level, as Immonen’s ability to mimic almost every artistic style and to fill the page with visual hilarity in all of the nooks and crannies is paramount to the success of this book. There is one issue within the series where Immonen depicts Forbush Man sending each of our heroes into their own personal hell, with each character earning their own artistic style depicted, with Bloodstone the monster hunter receiving Mignola-like treatment, Aaron Stack getting a dreamy rendition of Allred-esque style, and more.

In the last arc of the series as Nextwave attacks the Beyond Corp.’s floating island of destruction, Ellis tasks him with filling the pages with our Nextwavers battling huge groups of enemies that completely take Marvel character designs to pieces. They battle dinosaurs with Cyclops like powers, Elvis-headed MODOKS, monkeys with wolverine claws and goofy masks, and much, much more. No character designs are spared as Ellis and Immonen effectively mock and recreate the superhero genre, while entertaining us throughout.

That is really the point of this series though. It is not necessarily about technical expertise, which is shown at great lengths throughout, or about adventures. Really, it’s about entertaining the readers. Whether it’s Aaron Stack getting dressed down by the godlike Celestials or calling anyone and everyone “fleshy ones,” or Dirk Anger’s rapid journey into the toilet of life and death, or Monica Rambeau’s secret past with the Avengers (official sandwich maker for Captain America, Iron Man and Thor), or Boom Boom’s apparent lack of a brain, or Elsa Bloodstone’s monstrous and hilarious childhood, or the complete and utter brilliance that is the Captain, or the insane and intensely hilarious renditions of classic villains, this book is wall to wall entertaining.

The first trade of this series is called Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.: This is What They Want. I’m not sure why Ellis or Marvel or whoever named it so, but I can tell you one thing – this is what you want. If you’re a comic fan and have not read this book, well, I hope Aaron Stack calls you a fleshy one and Fin Fang Foom puts you in his pants. Seriously.

Yeah. We went there.

MATT'S REVIEWS

Batman: Streets of Gotham #3
This book continues to greatly entertain me. I think that, as far as Batman writers go, Paul Dini is definitely one of the best of the new age Batman writers. His runs in Detective Comics were amazing, and his final work with Dustin Nguyen was so great. It made me really happy when they got their own book when Detective Comics switched over to a primarily Batwoman book. This book continues to be a major part of the new Batman universe as well, definitely effecting the greater outcome of the Bat-universe where only Morrison's book so far has done.

In this issue, the Bat-family finally confront Hush after he gives a nice big middle finger to them in the form of a recent purchase. For those not following the book, Hush, who now looks like Bruce Wayne due to facial reconstructive surgery (see Heart of Hush), has come forward and started spending all of Bruce's money. Batman and Robin show up to set some terms, and this is one of the two main focuses of this issue. What I love is this wraps it up without being final. In fact, there are many ways the story could continue to progress with Hush. In the second storyline, the first major villain in for the long haul has been identified. We've had Hush and a new villain in the past two issues, but now we have a familiar old villain who hasn't been used in a while being employed by the new big time villain, Black Mask. I absolutely love this choice of a villain because ever since I first read him in Arkham Asylum, I thought he was being criminally underused. Having him return makes me really excited, especially with Dini behind the wheel.

Also, I feel I really need to make a special note of Nguyen's artwork. It really works so well. His versions of Batman and Robin are great, and the rest of his characters look so crisp. I'd say if nothing else, you should be checking out this book for the artwork. The cover of this issue alone is a great example of the sleek style inside the book.

The Bat-verse is a bit too much at this day and age. There are so many books and so many stories to follow. However, while you definitely have to follow Batman and Robin, this book is by far the other book you MUST add to your pull. It is for sure something you don't want to miss being a part of.

Final Verdict: Buy

Atomic Robo: Shadow From Beyond Time #4
Atomic Robo continues to be one of the best underrated books around. Clevinger's writing with Wegner's art make such an enjoyable read that I am almost sad that I don't wait for trades so I can enjoy the whole story in one sitting. In all honesty, waiting per issue is the hardest part! Fortunately, each issue is rewarding with a slick sense of humor and plot that at least I don't have to wait for trade, right? Right.

In this issue, Robo continues his non-linear battle through time against one of HP Lovecrafts beings. In the previous issue, Robo had seemingly found a way to defeat them, and now we have him in a completely different place in time with no resolution to the previous battle... or do we? See, the great thing about this volume is that, since the villain is non-linear in time, the story matches it in such. However, it all comes full circle and does make sense in a nice little twist at the end. That comment in itself might be a spoiler, but trust me - it's not what you're thinking. This issue also features Robo's hilarious penchant for scientific cameos, this time featuring Carl Sagan, noted astronomer. He helps Robo take on this Lovecraftian demon thing from nowhere and by far and large holds the best line of the book. (hint: it features a lightning gun. And shooting.)

Every week I praise Robo, and every week I can only hope that in doing so, we help sell some copies. We also just featured an interview with Brian Clevinger that I strongly recommend you check out for a look into his hilarious mind. We were also quoted by Red 5 Comics in promotion of Atomic Robo. So, what do I gotta do to get you to go out and buy this, eh? Seriously. You can't go wrong with this book. It's smart, funny, and VERY well drawn. In fact, it's better than some of the books that the bigger publishers are putting out right now. I will take that statement to court. So go out and buy yourself a copy or two of Atomic Robo.

Seriously. The only one you're hurting by not buying it is you.

Final Verdict: Buy

Batgirl #1
I think one of the biggest issues with comics today is that we get a lot of identity teases but not a lot of explanations. Here's a prime example: RULK. And right now in the Bat-verse, we have the new Black Mask and the new Red Hood, and everyone's wondering just what is going on. So now, not only do we have Batwoman in her own adventure (Detective Comics), but we also have a Batgirl? And we don't even know the identity yet? Come on.

Except... not. This book actually really rocks the secret identity element. You know why? Because Bryan Miller tells you who she is in the first three pages. That's right. If you were thinking of picking up this book just to see who the new Batgirl is, you'll find out who and you'll find out exactly why. Also, without giving her identity away, I highly approve. 100%. I think that they made a great decision even if I think this book is adds to the overkill that is Batman: Reborn. Seriously. Great pick.

Now, a lot of us were originally thinking Batgirl would end up being Babs again, what with the Oracle: The Cure title that tied into Battle for the Cowl. This isn't the case. However, she does play a big part of this. On top of that, the previous Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, is given a proper farewell. She doesn't simply disappear. Everything is actually done quite nicely and neatly in this book, and I really like it.

The issue I have in writing about it is that I don't want to give too much away. I feel that, for people who have been following the Bat books for quite some time now, this is most definitely a rewarding story. HOWEVER, for those that haven't been following the Bat-books, this book will be a big "What?" moment. See, there are a lot of reasons that this book is rewarding that I just can't get into without spoiling who Batgirl is. So that's the reason that I rate this book between a buy and a browse. I feel that, when you go to your store, you should browse it. Get to who the identity is, and then decide. I know for a fact that she has a big following, and I can flat out say that I believe that picking her was a great idea, so take that for what you will.

Either way, Batgirl was over all a very pleasant surprise.

Final Verdict: Somewhere in between buy and browse

Deadpool: Suicide Kings #5
I've been harsh on Benson. In past reviews, I've sort of panned this book in saying that he is trying way too hard to write a hip gangster version of characters in the book and it just comes out dumb. I say this because I grew up reading Deadpool comics, ever since he got his first series. I feel like I'm somewhat of an expert on the character. After his recent re-invention, I began to start becoming harsher with my reviews of him (See last weeks review of Daniel Way's Deadpool book). However, with this final issue to Suicide Kings, I've gotta say: Benson? You rock.

In all honesty, this book captures the heart and hilarity of the character that is very true to his very essence. In fact, you can say that it goes over the top with it, but not in a way that becomes too ridiculous. By this I mean that Deadpool takes the 4th wall and kicks it straight in the crotch in a way that left me positively cracking up while I read this - multiple times. It's been a while since Deadpool has been a book that made me really laugh, and that's unfortunate because as much as the book is about him kicking ass, it's supposed to be funny. This book is just that - very funny. In fact, this is the first Deadpool comic I've read in a while that I really enjoyed, and I think that's saying something for Marvel's latest "Wolverine" (if you know what I'm saying).

All in all, while Deadpool is kind of an annoying character these days, this issue was really quite amazing. If you weren't following Suicide Kings, that's too bad, because this was a pretty amazing finale to a book that had been somewhat mild throughout. Benson really proved himself to me at the end, and while I liked him a lot in Moon Knight, I'd been weary on him in Deadpool. This book changed my mind, and while it's his last Deadpool book, I can honestly say I approve of how he went out.

Final Verdict: Buy

Dark Reign: The Hood #4
Man, the Hood really screwed the pooch with this one. I've made it no secret that I believe Parker Robbins is one of the better villains to be introduced in the past couple years, and I love that he's part of the Cabal in Dark Reign. He's a character who I felt was really under appreciated (only appearing ever in Beyond!, Daredevil, and New Avengers), and now you can't turn your head without finding him. It only makes sense that he'd have at least one of those books be his own.

So, as I've said in the past, this book acts as a sequel to the original story about the Hood while including all the new elements. It works really well, too. The original artist and back, and while BKV isn't behind the story, it still works and is very true to the character. I love how they tie in the original origin but then include all of the added Dormamu stuff that Bendis put into practice. Plus, bringing back his family into the forefront was a really great move. Suffice it to say, I highly approve on all fronts.

Only thing is - while for me this is awesome, anyone who wasn't a fan of the Hood before is probably pretty confused right about now. I mean, there's a lot in here that references to his other appearances, and unless you've been following the rise and fall of Parker Robbins, it might seem off putting. It's not so bad that you can't follow it all, but I feel like this is what separates it from his other appearances where he's just a villain.

So it's a satisfying Hood story, and I love where this issue leaves off. In fact, it touches on one of the original problems I had with all of his other tales, which as I mentioned before was the element of his family. Without ruining anything about this issue, his family is definitely the big focus in this one, as we've been seeing a steady growth in their importance again. While I feel the Hood might soon be leaving the Marvel universe based on New Avengers and this, I'm at least glad we have a legit sequel to the original story to wrap up some of the inconsistencies.

Final Verdict: Buy if you like the Hood, otherwise Browse

Archie #600
Yes, I'm actually reviewing the latest Archie book. You read that right. No, you don't need to get glasses. I'm serious. I have the issue right here in front of me, and now I'm going to review it.

Back when I first started the blog, one of the very first things I reported on was Archie getting married (seriously). I wrote about how odd it was, and I had no idea who he would pick. Well, cat's out of the bag: he picked Veronica! And a collective "whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" goes through the room. I would've totally picked Betty. Not that I have anything against dark haired broads, but Betty has always been the "fun" one. Veronica always came off rigid to me, and that's probably because she's the rich one, but apparently she's the only gal for Archie!

(Also, I couldn't help but crack up at Jughead's apparent dismay on the front cover. Is he sad because Veronica is getting married... or because Archie is?)

So how does it play out? Well, long story short, Betty freaks out and gets wicked depressed and Veronica is super excited and pampered. I mean, how else did you think it would play out? Oh, you don't actually read Archie? Well, Hollywood hasn't made an Archie movie yet, so I guess it makes sense you wouldn't know. To recap: Betty and Veronica have been in a mild war for this boy for YEARS. They both love Archie and come from different backgrounds, but since Archie is eternally a teenager he doesn't care. Why not play the field, right? Well, in the opening of this issue, Archie is graduating high school finally and decides to walk up Memory Lane. Not down, up. This creates a magical time vortex that puts him 4 years further in the future. He's just graduated college as a History Major, and now he needs to make some big decisions as well as everyone else. So what's he decide? While everyone else is getting jobs, he decides to get married! To Veronica! And only Betty is hurt.

So... uhm... why should we care? Well. I can't say we should. It's a milestone in Archie comics, that's for sure. I mean, #600! Wow! But, in actuality, unless you're really attached to the Archie books, I can't see why you'd be interested. Also, the whole spoiling of who he picked right on the cover, while it's sure "classic Archie," it kind of kills the whole mystery right off the bat.

So I can't say I'm thrilled. It's a 6-part arc though, so you can be sure that it's not over! And if I can tell anything from reading into the book a little bit, I can bet you that this'll end in divorce. But don't worry - I'll be with you every step of the way to chime in with commentary and let you know how it ends up. I wouldn't leave you hanging in the wind.

Final Verdict: Just follow my commentary

GIL'S REVIEWS

Amazing Spider-Man #603
You ever think that someone else would play a better you than you? Well, Peter might have not, but he may reconsider.

This is the return of the villain Chameleon, and he is more terrifying than he's ever been. Not only is he stealing lives, he stole OUR HEROES face, leaving him for dead in the process.

And what does Chameleon do? He proceeds to destroy Peter's life, and I can only imagine how hard it'll be to piece it together after this is over. From doing his roommate to belittling American heroes, out face stealer is really doing a number. But he's also having difficulty understanding Peter, which must be tough for a guy who prides himself on knowing his marks.

I must admit I didn't know Fred Van Lente was a writer, but I'm impressed. He scripted a great story which brings new relevance to an old character, and it's only accented by the layouts and pencils. Even though that for all intents and purposes Peter looks the same to everyone else, you can SEE a definite attitude difference in this issue.

All in all, I can understand why there was no Spider-Man in this issue, it's an arc about Peter. And it can get a little repetitive to see them in the suit all the time. Good stuff. Make sure you pick up the previous issues to get the arc though.

Verdict: Browse(only because it's mid arc)

Blackest Night: Superman #1
The only thing scarier than the undead is a member of the undead with superpowers. And more than that, it's an undead Superman.

This book was oddly heartwarming for me, because I never realized how much I liked the dynamic between Kal-El and Kon-El. Original and clone almost seems like father an son. It's really kind of sweet.

I also love how the Black Lanterns see. The effect of seeing the emotional spectrum can be hilarious(see Green Lantern for Guy being full of rage) but it's always illuminating. It's especially telling for a guy like Superman, who seems to wear his emotions on his sleeve. There's one scene where he is filled with almost the entire emotional spectrum, and it has to be one of my favorite moments all week. This is the mark of a great hero.

Robinson is also proving to be a worthy number 2 to Geoff johns with regards to plotting the exploits of The Man of Tomorrow.

I'm also glad that the entirety doesn't take place in Smallville, as one of the most surprising, and scariest moments takes place (spoiler alert) on New Krypton, with the rise of Zor-El, Superman's uncle. This definitely includes the Superman Family, and I'm along for the ride.

I'm such a sucker for these tie-ins. And this was no exception.

Verdict: Buy


Mighty Avengers #28
I used to be such an Avengers fan. When they first re-assembled under Bendis, it was fantastic, when they split after Civil War, we got a second title, this one, and it was fun. Not quite a challenging as it's papa, but it was closer to Classic Avengers which is nice. But I think it's a victim of it's own success, and it's too hard to navigate the universe without either A) getting confused, or B) not caring.

On one hand, we have USAgent (still one of my favorite supoerhero names.) and Quicksilver "teaming" with the Chinese equivalent of the Avengers to battle The Unspoken(I must admit, that is a killer name.). It's crawling along, and doesn't seem to be going anywhere. But on the other, we have Stature suspecting The Scarlet Witch of some nastiness, and not being able to do anything about it.

While it started out promising, this book's excitement level plummeted, and I have a new candidate to take off my pull. Even the art seemed to suffer. It was a lot less clean and detailed. Pham phoned it in.

Glen also pointed out that Slott didn't even write the script. It sure shows.

Verdict: Pass

Superman Annual #14
Another review, another Superman book penned by Robinson. But of all the reviews I have to submit this week, I think this is the hardest. I mean, I've had my problems with the New Krypton event, because it tears Superman away from what makes him the most interesting, but we do get Mon-El, which is a great character. And this is essentially about Mon-El's origins and how he came to be. It also explains the history of Daxam for the first time, from the relationship to Krypton to it's relationship to Earth to it's Xenophobia.

It's one of the sloppier books written by Robinson (you mean that spaceship was there ALL THIS TIME? That'll make sense in context.), but it's beautifully rendered by Javier Pena.

This is painful to say, but unless you're a fan of the Superman family like I am, at best I can give it a browse. There's not much furthering the story(not that Annuals ever do that) and it's the origin of an ancillory character at best. Tread lightly.


Verdict: Browse

Wolverine: Weapon X #4
This book is possibly the most exciting in-continuity Wolverine books in a long time. Which is certainly saying something coming from a guy who finds most of his exploits boring. He's not really a redeeming character in my mind, I don't understand why he's such a hero to a lot of people.

But this book is perfect for him. It certainly portrays him as less of a hero, and more of a Jason Bourne type character who is seeing the past sins come back to bite him in the ass.

I also like the addition of Logan's adversary. He's definitely an opposite number to Logan, but not like Sabretooth. You can tell that he and Wolverine share a code of honor, as evidenced during their battle. And that it's not money that he's after, it's the desire to be the best. Which is also honorable. It's really easy to make a villain you hate, but it's talent that makes a villain that you can respect, whether you want to or not.

Jason Aaaron put together a taut web of super soldiers and projectile energy claws(WTFRENCHTOAST?! REALLY?! AWESOME) with enough political intrigue to keep a guy like me coming back. And Ron Gerney is more than capable of putting together slick action scenes to keep the book moving at a brisk pace.

Everyone should be reading this book. Fans and non-fans alike.

Verdict: Buy