Last week, we asked if anyone was interested in joining the team, and we received an abundance of entries! Due to the number of responses we received, we are now closing our call. Thank you to all who submitted! We will continue to review the responses until we find our new team member(s).
In other news, we posted a spoiler-free review of Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank! Go check it out before picking it up on Wednesday! We don’t plan on providing a spoiler review, but we will create a post to discuss the issue. Make sure you drop in to share your thoughts, and we’ll discuss all of the spoilers we can muster in the comments section!
Alright, on to business! For a collection of our opinions pertaining to last week’s releases, make sure you check out This Week in Comics: Deathstroke Gets a Rad New Ride! This week’s releases are listed according to our anticipation scale, with titles listed in alphabetical order within each sub-header. For each title, I’ll include the official solicitation, the talent credits, a random comment (or rant), and the Batman News team member that will be reviewing each book. Following that, you’ll find notes pertaining to other DC Comics titles, as well as our Graphic Novel Watch. And finally, we want to hear from you! What titles are you picking up? Why are you excited? What do you hope will happen in the book? Etc. So, without further ado, review our Anticipation Scale, and comment away!
The Anticipation Scale
NO! – A comic I downright dread reading and if I wasn’t a reviewer, I would never buy it.
“You Don’t Have to Thank Us” – 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 as a reminder, our review scale is based on a 10-point system. A rating of “5” means the book is mediocre/average, and the more toward “10″ we go, the more awesome/worth buying it is. The more toward “1″ we go the more awful/not worth buying it is. That’s how we 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. Please keep this in mind when reading our reviews.
November 22nd
TAKE MY MONEY
Nightwing: The New Order #4
When the pursuit of his missing son brings Dick Grayson face to face with his ex, old wounds are reexamined and a tentative new alliance is formed between former enemies. But when a stunning discovery is made about his son’s unique superpowers, the stakes become much higher and Grayson must take the fight straight to the Crusaders!
Written by Kyle Higgins
Pencils and Inks by Trevor McCarthy
Colored by Dean White
Cover by Trevor McCarthy
Josh’s Stance: I loved the inclusion of Tim and Kate in the previous issue, and the fact that this issue will bring Dick’s former Teen Titans members into the fold excites me even more! What started out as a somewhat shaky story, Nightwing: The New Order has now found its footing and could race to an incredible conclusion over the next few months!
Batman-News Critic: Jay
INTRIGUED
Batman Beyond #14
“FAMILY BUSINESS” part one! Following the events of “Rise of the Demon,” Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne return to Neo-Gotham. Terry dons a brand-new Batsuit, but before he can even get his bearings, the return of a familiar foe may spoil his homecoming before it even begins.
Written by Dan Jurgens
Pencils by Bernard Chang and Phil Hester
Inks by Bernard Chang and Ande Parks
Colored by Marcelo Maiolo Rico Renzi
Cover by Bernard Chang and Marcelo Maiolo
Josh’s Stance: Jurgens and Chang return, and I’m curious to see how they follow “Rise of the Demon.” There are so many interesting elements that they’ve introduced into their run so far, but none of them have been fully integrated. I can’t help but feel as if that approach is a bit of a missed opportunity, and I hope we get to see those plots work their way back in here… I mean, who wouldn’t want more of the Joker and Damian? Also, I wonder if we’ll see other members of the Bat family considering the title of this arc?
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Detective Comics #969
“FALL OF THE BATMEN” part one! Everyone in Batman’s orbit is broken somehow—some more than others. For Clayface, keeping the pieces of his psyche together has been a years-long struggle…and it’s a war he may be about to lose! And as the team tries to pull itself back together, their enemies have learned something from Batman’s newfound spirit of cooperation…and have formed a cabal of their own!
Written by James Tynion IV
Pencils by Joe Bennett
Inks by Sal Regla
Cover by Guillem March
Josh’s Stance: I’m happy that Tim is back, but I can’t say that I’m overly excited for this arc. We’ll see how Tynion kicks things off, but I’m hoping he doesn’t steers clear of his overuse of exposition and dialogue.
Batman-News Critic: Brandon
Harley Quinn #34
“VOTE HARLEY” conclusion! One of the people Harley loves most in this world is dead, and the Mayor is to blame! Revenge won’t make Harley feel better…but that doesn’t mean she won’t take it!
Written by Amanda Conner
Pencils by Bret Blevins and John Timms
Colored by Alex Sinclair
Cover by Amanda Conner and Paul Mounts
Josh’s Stance: The previous issue of Harley Quinn took a dark turn compared to what we’ve come to expect from Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti’s run, but that only made the impact of the moment hit that much harder. What I’m more interested in though, is where Harley Quinn will go from here!
Batman-News Critic: Elena
MIXED
Batgirl #17
“SUMMER OF LIES” finale! After falling down the rabbit hole, Batgirl and Nightwing must face off against the Red Queen! How will our heroes survive this villain’s vendetta? What could they have done in the past to inspire the queen’s bloody revenge?
Written by Hope Larson
Pencils by Chris Wildgoose
Inks by Jose Marzan Jr.
Colored by Mat Lopes
Cover by Dan Mora
Josh’s Stance: “Summer of Lies” has been… ok. Yeah, it’s fun, but it’s also a little forgettable. And if I’m being honest, this is what has plagued the books run to date. Larson hasn’t matched the quality of her first arc, and Barbara deserves better. I’m hoping this issue will help push this story to end on a high note!
Batman-News Critic: Elena
Justice League of America #19
“SURGICAL STRIKE” part two! Joined by the precognitive villain Afterthought, Prometheus brings the fight directly to the JLA’s Secret Sanctuary in Happy Harbor! With her team on the ropes, Vixen goes toe-to-toe with Prometheus, whose demands are simple: destroy the Tantu Totem before the whole world and submit to chaos, or watch everyone in Happy Harbor die!
Written by Steve Orlando
Pencils and Inks by Hugo Petrus
Colored by Hi-Fi
Cover by Carlos D’Anda and Ivan Reis
Josh’s Stance: The debut of “Surgical Strike” was a solid turnout, and it really feels as if Orlando is finding his stride with Justice League of America. Many plots are starting to come full circle, and it’s helped the book establish a foundation – which the lack thereof was one of my earlier complaints. With Prometheus and Afterthought revealed, and the story itself set up, I’m excited to see how all of this plays out!
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Suicide Squad #30
“THE SECRET HISTORY OF TASK FORCE X” part four! The very first threat faced by the original Task Force X was a creature known as the Red Wave, a beast with the power to reduce the whole planet to ashes—and Harley Quinn’s heading right for it! But before Deadshot can warn the clown princess, his team is set upon by an army the likes of which the Squad’s never seen before. Someone is desperate to protect the secret of Task Force X, even if it means destroying Amanda Waller herself!
Written by Rob Williams
Pencils and Inks by Phil Briones, Eleonora Carlini, and Wilfredo Torres
Colored by Adriano Lucas
Cover by Eddy Barrows, Tony Salvador Daniel, Eber Ferreira, Adriano Lucas, Danny Miki, and More…
Josh’s Stance: Williams has set us up for the climax, and it looks to be a fun fight ahead of us. “The Secret History of Task Force X” isn’t as strong as Suicide Squad was when it launched, but its much better than the arc that preceded it.
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Teen Titans #14
“THE RETURN OF KID FLASH!” part two! Kid Flash agrees to come back to the team on one condition: a face-to-face apology from Robin! Can Damian swallow his pride and admit that firing Wally was a mistake? Or will his bruised ego spell the end of the Teen Titans once and for all?
Written by Benjamin Percy
Pencils by Khoi Pham
Inks by John Trevor Scott
Cover by Dan Mora
Josh’s Stance: The back and forth with Wally has gone on long enough. He either needs to come back or just send him somewhere else for good. Also, I believe we have unfinished business with Emiko Queen, and that’s honestly what I’m the most interested in.
Batman-News Critic: Brian
Notes:
- Additional DC titles releasing this week: Action Comics #992, Blue Beetle #15, The Demon: Hell is Earth #1, Doom Patrol #9, The Flash #35, Gotham City Garage #4, The Hellblazer #16, The Kamandi Challenge #11, and Wonder Woman #35.
Graphic Novel Watch:
Batman: Year Two 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition – See how it all starts! Celebrating thirty years since the publication of the seminal storyline, BATMAN: YEAR TWO: THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION collects both the original “Year Two” story line from DETECTIVE COMICS and BATMAN: FULL CIRCLE in one deluxe edition.
With only a year’s experience as Gotham City’s new protector, Batman must now confront a nightmare out of the past—a distorted reflection of himself called the Reaper, who hunted Gotham’s criminals a generation earlier. His methods were harsh and cruel, and violent in the extreme. Now, just as a new breed of criminal is rising, the Reaper has returned to deal out his savage brand of justice. And the only way for Batman to stop this death-dealing vigilante is to forge an alliance with the man who destroyed his life—his own parents’ murderer.
But can the Dark Knight stand to confront the secret of their deaths? Or will the Reaper’s revelations finally cost him his sanity?
From acclaimed creators Mike W. Barr (BATMAN: SON OF THE DEMON) and artists Alan Davis (JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE NAIL, The Avengers), Todd McFarlane (Spawn), Mark Farmer (SUPERBOY’S LEGION) and Paul Neary (Captain America), this volume collects BATMAN: YEAR TWO: THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION collects both the original “Year Two” storyline from DETECTIVE COMICS and BATMAN: FULL CIRCLE.
Batman/ Shadow: The Murder Geniuses – As Gotham City’s guardian, Batman has investigated nearly every kind of murder—but he’s never seen a homicide as strange as this. The death of Lamont Cranston, an Arkham Asylum employee, leads the Dark Knight Detective to an impossible conclusion: the crime was committed by a man also named Lamont Cranston, who died more than 50 years ago—a man better known as the Shadow.
The Shadow is definitely alive and kicking, however, and once Batman picks up his trail he will stop at nothing to bring him to justice. But it soon becomes clear that the hunter and his quarry are both entangled in a much larger web of evil—a conspiracy that threatens everything they have sworn to protect.
Now Batman and the Shadow must put aside their differences to stop a terrifying new foe called the Stag, who has set his sights first on Gotham and then the world. And this merciless monster has a partner of his own: the Clown Prince of Crime himself, the Joker.
Can the Shadow and the Bat stop this unholy alliance? Or will these two brilliant crime-fighters fall victim to the twisted genius of their archnemeses?
New York Times best-selling author Scott Snyder joins forces with acclaimed talents Steve Orlando and Riley Rossmo for BATMAN/THE SHADOW: THE MURDER GENIUSES—an action-packed thriller decades in the making!
