A time-traveling Terry McGinnis fights to save the future, Batman teams up with The Spectre as Gotham is swallowed in gang war, and someone is tapping Barbara Gordon’s phone, which doesn’t sound quite as dire as the other two examples, but still those are the stories coming your way this Wednesday!
Here’s the full list of review comics out this week, May 14th, graded on a scale of my own anticipation:
The 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 a 10 point system. 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 most video game review scores 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!
May 14th
BATGIRL #31
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN and JONATHAN GLAPION
Cover by ALEX GARNER
1:25 BATMAN ‘66 variant cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
On sale MAY 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Intrigued
“Clandestine meetings, tapped phones, video surveillance – Barbara Gordon is being watched! Who has it in for her, and how can Batgirl investigate without compromising her secret identity?” I would otherwise be mixed about this release, but the latest annual was good and so I’m hopeful that some of that quality carries over to the main series.
THE NEW 52 – FUTURES END #2
Written by KEITH GIFFEN, DAN JURGENS, BRIAN AZZARELLO and JEFF LEMIRE
Art by JESUS MERINO and DAN GREEN
Cover by RYAN SOOK
On sale MAY 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Intrigued
A”The entire DC Universe gathers to mourn a fallen hero! Plus the secrets of the DCU five years later arrive at Lois Lane’s door!” I haven’t decided yet how long I’ll continue to review this. Maybe for this month alone and then do one article at the end of each month that follows recapping what happened. It’s too many comics for me to take on otherwise. Still, I’m interested to see what happens next in this story. Issues #0 and #1 were entertaining.
BATMAN ETERNAL #6
Written by SCOTT SNYDER, JAMES TYNION IV, RAY FAWKES, JOHN LAYMAN and TIM SEELEY
Art by TREVOR McCARTHY
Cover by ANDY KUBERT
On sale MAY 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Anticipation Level: Mixed
“Something hellish is brewing in the tunnels under Arkham Asylum…and Batman’s going to need the help of The Spectre to stop it!” If you Google around for the original solicitation it says “Batman’s going to need the help of The Demon to stop it!” so I guess they originally thought about using Etrigan for Batman Eternal before dropping him at the last minute for Spectre. Either way, I was a little disappointed in last month’s issue taking a detour for a bizarre subplot involving nanobots and now we’re going to have an issue devoted entirely to the embodiment of God’s wrath. I want to see Gordon in prison, Falcone’s gang war, or Stephanie Brown’s flight from her father not robots and ghosts.
Semi Batman-Related Books/Fringe Bat-Titles That I Won’t Be Reviewing:
Nothing. This is it.
Graphic Novel Watch!
- Absolute Superman/Batman, Vol. 2 – Collects issues #14-26 in the Absolute format
- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Vol. 2 – Softcover collects issues #6-10
- Batman: Bruce Wayne–Murderer? – This already came out a couple months back and I reviewed it, but it was loaded with mistakes so DC is reissuing it this month with all the proper chapters intact and in order.
