Like last week’s Batman/Superman Annual, the latest issue of Batman/Superman has been delayed until the 26th… but that doesn’t mean we’re going to be short on Bat-titles this week. No… not by a long shot. Here are the review comics coming out this week, February 5th, graded on a scale of my own anticipation:
The All-New Anticipation Scale
NOcenti – A comic I downright dread reading and if I wasn’t a reviewer, I would never buy it. (I capitalized the word “NO” on purpose, it seemed clever)
“You Don’t Have to Thank Me” – The idea of reviewing it doesn’t make me ill or angry, but it definitely sounds like it’s going to be a chore. Still, I’m reading it for you. I’m putting it at the bottom of the pile, but I’m reading it for you.
Mixed – A middle of the pile comic. It’s probably got the same chance of being dreadful as it does of being stupendous. I’m neither looking forward to it or avoiding it, whatever happens… happens.
Intrigued – I think this comic has potential to be a fantastic read. There’s some slight hesitation there, but it’s definitely going to be at the top of the pile.
TAKE MY MONEY – Everything about this issue has me excited. If I don’t get to read this book on Wednesday, I will be furious. I would pay extra just to have it in my hands right now! That’s how much I’m looking forward to it!
And just in case you’re wondering, the regular review scale is still the same as always. 5 is mediocre/average and the more toward “10″ we go the more awesome/worth buying it is and the more toward “1″ we go the more awful/not worth buying it is. That’s how I rate things. It’s not like a video game review score where everything under 8 is crap and it’s not like a school report card where everything under a 7 is failing or close-to-failing. Think of it as if it were a 4-star or 5-star scale. But Andrew, why don’t you just switch to a star system yourself? Because we’re pot committed to this 10-point scale, that’s why!
Scroll to the bottom of the page and post in the comments section what books you’re most looking forward to this week!
February 5th
FOREVER EVIL #5
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
1:100 Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
1:50 Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
1:25 Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
On sale FEBRUARY 5 • 32 pg, FC, 5 of 7, $3.99 US
RATED T • Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Anticipation Level: Intrigued
It was supposed to be released on January 22nd, but the latest chapter of Forever Evil is finally here. In this issue, Lex Luthor and his “Injustice League” will raid the Crime Syndicate stronghold. We should also see more from Sinestro, who appeared on the final page of previous installment to lay waste to Power Ring (and show Batman up). I feel like I should be more excited for this comic, but the sporadic release schedule has really curbed my enthusiasm.
FOREVER EVIL: ARKHAM WAR #5
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by SCOT EATON and JAIME MENDOZA
Cover by JASON FABOK
1:25 B&W Variant cover by JASON FABOK
On sale FEBRUARY 5 • 32 pg, 5 of 6, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Mixed
After 4 issues, things are bound to pick up, right? Right?! I want this uneventful mini-series starring all the Bat-villains (minus Joker and the global threats like Ra’s) to get more interesting now that the Talons are awake, but I’m not going to get my hopes up. Bat-Bane leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
DETECTIVE COMICS #28
Written by JOHN LAYMAN
Art by AARON LOPRESTI
Cover by JASON FABOK
1:25 Steampunk variant cover by KLAUS JANSON
On sale FEBRUARY 5 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Anticipation Level: Intrigued
Part 2 of 3 of “Gothtopia,” which began in the extra-sized Detective Comics #27 anniversary special. All of Gotham is experiencing the same hallucination of a perfect world. It’s an interesting idea that takes the concept similar to the BTAS episode “Perchance to Dream” but blows it up on a much larger scale and puts Scarecrow behind it all. I’m anxious to see how writer John Layman is going to explain all this. I want to know how everyone can possibly be seeing the same thing and how the rest of the world hasn’t taken notice of an entire city suffering from mass delusion.
BATWING #28
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by EDUARDO PANSICA and JULIO FERREIRA
Cover by MIKE McKONE
On sale FEBRUARY 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Intrigued
Wow. These Batwing covers continue to be gorgeous, don’t they? This issue is part-2 of a Gothtopia tie-in that features the B-list (ah, who am I kidding? He’s C-list) villain The Ratcatcher in his first New 52 story. I liked what I saw last month and expect more of the same this time around.
BATMAN: JOKER’S DAUGHTER #1
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by MEGHAN HETRICK
Cover by GEORGES JEANTY
One-shot • On sale FEBRUARY 5 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: “You don’t have to thank me.”
CONSARN IT! I tried SO hard to avoid this character and now they finally found a way to use her without having Ann Nocenti write. “Who is The Joker’s Daughter? What horrors lurk in the mind of this deranged lunatic, and why is there more to her than meets the eye? More than just a crazy person who stumbled upon The Joker’s face, more than just a woman with a mission, The Joker’s Daughter sees herself as a woman on the path of greed, dominance and lordship over the Gotham Underground. This special issue tells a sordid tale in the life of one of DC’s most popular new villains!” In no way is she one of DC’s most popular new villains. No way. But judging by the “Batsgiving” promo for Batman Eternal it looks like the powers that be have big plans for her so I expect this comic to set up a few Eternal plot points. Or at least it should… I mean, we already had a Villains Month issue starring this abomination.
BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE #6
Written by CLIFF CHIANG, DAVE TAYLOR, OLLY MOSS, ADAM HUGHES and DAVE JOHNSON
Art by CLIFF CHIANG, DAVE TAYLOR, BECKY CLOONAN, ADAM HUGHES and DAVE JOHNSON
Cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale FEBRUARY 5 • 48 pg, B&W, 6 of 6, $4.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Intrigued
It’s the final issue of Batman Black and White. Here’s hoping that this anthology series goes out with a bang!
DC COMICS PRESENTS: HARLEY QUINN #1
Written by PAUL DINI, JAMES PATRICK, MARIS WICKS and others
Art by YVEL GUICHET, BRUCE TIMM, RONNIE DEL CARMEN, JOE QUINONES, ROB HAYNES and others • Cover by ALEX ROSS
On sale FEBRUARY 5 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
Anticipation Level: Intrigued
This was a pleasant surprise. This one-shot collects a bunch of different Harley stories such as: BATMAN: HARLEY QUINN #1, JOKER’S ASYLUM II: HARLEY QUINN #1, and stories from BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #14, COUNTOWN #10, BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #30 and BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE #1.
Semi-Batman Related Books/Fringe Bat-Titles That I Won’t Be Reviewing:
Earth 2 #20
Graphic Novel Watch!
JLA TPB, Volume 4 — Features issue #36-43, which includes Mark Waid’s “Tower of Babel.”
I also have a number of graphic novel reviews planned for this week including “Batman: The TV Stories” which has turned out to be a far more impressive book than I initially anticipated. You see, it includes milestone comics such as the first appearance of The Riddler, Mr. Freeze (then called “Mr. Zero), and Batgirl. I look forward to talking about it.
Blu-Ray Release Reconnoiter!!
The latest DC Animated film, Justice League: War, comes out Blu-Ray this Tuesday (it’s available digitally right now and has been for over a week). I will be reviewing it. Spoiler Alert: I didn’t think it was that good– definitely a rental, not a buy.
