DC Comics: The New 52, Week Three

Finally! My apologies for the delay, but here are my reviews for week three of The New 52 from DC Comics. Stay tuned for weeks four and five reviews coming soon. You can find my reviews for weeks one and two here, here and here.

Suicide Squad #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

I loved this book. The opening was pretty graphic for a DC book. There was a quick introduction of the main cast of characters. It had a very Secret Six (group of Super-Villains from the old DC universe) feel about it, but only a hell of a lot better. More blood. More guts. More awesomeness. I was stunned at just how much fun this book was. Writer Adam Glass did some great storytelling in this first issue. Suicide Squad is a team of super-villains (notably Deathstroke, Harley Quinn and King Shark) who are all on death row at Belle Reeve prison and sent on top-secret missions. If you have not done so already, buy this book when it’s released in a second printing. Or scour the internet for someone selling the original first printing of it.

Writer Adam Glass – Artists Federico Dallocchio & Ransom Getty & Scott Hanna – Colorist Van Staples – Letterer Jared K. Fletcher

Demon Knights #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

This book was a fun ride through the DC universe’s take on its medieval times, but it’s just not the book for me. I’ve never been a big fan of the demon Etrigan, our main “hero” in this book. Granted, there are a ton of you that will continue to pick up this book and I would like to get your feedback on this issue so please post a comment. I will say this, the art was great and the bar brawl was fun. Come on, who isn’t a fan of a good bar brawl?

Writer Paul Cornell – Penciller Diógenes Neves – Inker Oclair Albert – Colorist Marcelo Maiolo – Letterer Jared K. Fletcher – Cover Tony Daniel & Tomeu Morey

Batman and Robin #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

I am a huge fan of Batman and liked the interaction between Bruce and Damian. I especially enjoyed how Bruce (Batman) wasn’t about to take any crap from his son. I’ll try to ignore the fact that they seem to be connecting this book to recent events in the old DC universe such as Damian saying that Bruce was easier to look up to when he wasn’t around and saying that Dick trusted him more. Either re-start this franchise like almost every other book and do not bring up past events. Although, maybe they are going to delve into the past somehow in upcoming issues. I am a fan of the villain NoBody and how he’s knocking off the Batman Incorporated caped crusaders. Despite the flaws, I will continue reading this series because as I said, I’m a huge fan of Batman.

Writer Peter J. Tomasi – Penciller Patrick Gleason – Inker Mick GHray – Colorist John Kalisz – Letterer Patrick Brosseau – Cover Gleason and Gray

Green Lantern #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

The status quo is pretty much left the same between the old DC universe and the new one. All of the events that took place in the Green Lantern stories still all happened in this new universe too. As a Green Lantern fan this makes me very happy. New readers will enjoy it, but will be left with many questions. You can take the costume off of the hero, but you can’t take the hero out of the man. That is what we learn very early on in as Hal – now stripped of his Green Lantern ring, due to his actions in War of the Green Lanterns – jumps from his apartment balcony and smashes through the a window of another building. We learn that a movie is being shot and nobody is in danger at all. Carol Ferris is still a Star Sapphire ring wielder and Sinestro is once again a Green Lantern, but is still as evil as they come. I think DC made the right call keeping the Green Lantern storylines intact, but it will be interesting to see how they tie these heroes in with the rest of the DC universe.

Writer Geoff Johns – Pencils Doug Mahnke – Inks Christian Alamy with Tom Nguyen – Colors David Baron – Letters Sal Cipriano – Cover Ivan Reis & Joe Prado with Rod Reis

Red Lanterns #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

Opening with Red Lantern Dex-Starr (a cat) being held captive only to be rescued by Atrocitus exclaiming “What are you doing to my cat?” was wonderful. What a great way to start a book. Soon came the revelation that Atrocitus isn’t really feeling the rage as much anymore. Writer Peter Milligan did a good job of explaining to new readers what the Red Lanterns are all about. I am glad that DC is giving these characters their own book and bringing more depth to them.

Writer Peter Milligan – Penciller Ed Benes – Inker Rob Hunter – Colorist Nathan Eyring – Letterer Rob Hunter – Cover Benes & Hunter with Rod Reis

Superboy #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

I’ll admit, before I opened this book I thought it was going to suck. I am happy to say that I was proven wrong! The one thing that has stayed the same about Superboy is that he is still half Kryptonian and half human. He’s living in a lab and at first it seems he will be terminated only to survive and fight back against what should have been certain death. In the end, he is about to be released to be used as a weapon against a government problem, the Teen Titans. I am looking forward to picking up issue two. You should also.

Writer Scott Lobdell – Penciller R.B. Silva – Inker Rob Lean – Colorists The Hories – Cover Eric Canete with Guy Major

Legion Lost #1 – NO SPOLIER ALERT!

I am a fan of the Legion, but this first issue bounced all over the place and quite frankly, I did not enjoy it. I thought of reading it a second time, but I just couldn’t. Maybe I am missing something, so please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Writers Fabian Nicieza & Pete Woods – Colorist Brad Anderson – Letters Travis Lanham – Cover Woods with Anderson

Mister Terrific #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

Billionaire Michael Holt is so distraught at the loss of his pregnant wife he turns his intelligence to the betterment of mankind. Yet in his early days, feeling betrayed by his science, he was ready to kill himself until a figure appears in his lab telling him to not give up. That figure, is his son. The rest of the story is a bigger setup to what’s coming, the new villain, Brainstorm. This book still has some growing to do and I am interested to see how DC builds this character.

Writer Eric Wallace – Penciller Gianluca Gugliotta – Inker Wayne Frucher – Colorist Mike Atiyeh – Letterer Dave Sharper – Cover J.G. Jones

DeathStroke #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

This book opens with Deathstroke in Moscow, severely outnumbered and kicking butt. There’s a lot of blood, killings and explosions in this book, which was a nice change of pace for a DC book. But does anyone else think that Wilson Slade is a cross between Deadpool and Cable? It’s because the character doesn’t seem unqiue that I will not be picking up this title regularly.

Writer Kyle Higgins – Pencils Joe Bennett – Inks Art Thibert – Colors Jason Wright – Letters Travis Lanham

Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1

I am not going to give anything away in this review because I want you to get as much of a kick out of it as I did. Sure I found myself comparing some character abilities to Doctor Who, but what counts the most is that this is a fun book. Basically, this team fights other monsters. I was pleased to see the appearance of Ray Palmer (The Atom in the old DC universe) because only he could create the type of headquarters Frankenstein and his team need.

Writer Jeff Lemire  - Artist Alberto Ponticelli – Colorist Jose Villarrubia – Letterer Pat Brosseau – Cover J.G. Jones – Cover Color Hi-Fi

Batwoman #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

If you followed Kat Kane as Batwoman in the old DC universe you will not need a history lesson. I found this first issue to be a major disappointment. The art was very cool though. The story needs some work, which is probably why Batman shows up – to help give this book some direction as it heads into issue two. If you’re a new reader, you’ll be completely confused and left wondering just what is going on. This was not set up as a fresh start to anyone new to the title. I even felt lost and I know the character’s background. I want this title to do well because it has so much potential. My fingers are crossed for this series.

Co-Writers J.H. Williams & W. Haden Blackman – Artist J.H. Williams – Colors Dave Stewart – Letters Todd Klein

Resurrection Man #1 – NO SPOILER ALERT!

This guy looks too much like Magneto. Correction: a homeless Magneto. Mitch Shelly is a man that cannot die. The concept is cool – every time he comes back to life he has a new power. In this issue he is being chased for his soul. Apparently, it’s overdue. Bottom line, I was bored and will be taking a pass on this title.

Writers Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning – Art Fernando Dagnino – Colors Santi Arcas – Letters Rob Leigh – Cover Ivan Reis, Joe Prado & Rob Reis

Grifter #1 – SPOILER ALERT!

Cole Cash is Grifter. I have never read this character before, but had heard good things about him. We open on Cole in an airplane hearing alien voices in his head. He kills the first alien – who is in human form – to stop the plane from going down. From there Grifter is left wondering just what in the world is going on. The aliens tried to take him over, but he was stronger than they thought. Now, as we lead into issue two, Cole’s own brother will be going after him to bring him in on murder charges. The second issue should be pretty crazy.

Story Nathan Edmondson – Pencils Cafu – Inker Jason Gorder – Colorist Andrew Dalhouse – Letters Wes Abbott – Cover Cafu & Bit

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Comic Canuck

Managing Editor at ComicBookTherapy

My fortress of solitude is in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA and surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. I hope you enjoy my musings on the industry, comic book reviews, interviews and all other things that are pretty geek chic. Comment, rant and even agree with me sometimes. Plus, let me know if there is anything you think I should read and review.

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