Thank God for Doomsday Clock, The Silencer, and maybe Metal, because if it weren’t for these titles, I’d be looking at this week’s releases thinking, “Is it June yet?”
Alright, on to business! For an overview of our coverage for last week’s releases, check out This Week In Comics: The Justice League Visit “Wakanda”. 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.
March 28, 2018
TAKE MY MONEY
Doomsday Clock #4
The series you thought you’d never see reaches its fourth issue with a shocking revelation about the aftermath of Ozymandias’ actions and how they reach into even the darkest corners of the DC Universe. Don’t miss the latest chapter by the acclaimed team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank!
Written by Geoff Johns
Pencils and Inks by Gary Frank
Colored by Brad Anderson
Cover by Brad Anderson and Gary Frank
Josh’s Stance: I feel like Daniel Bryan in terms of my anticipation for this issue. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Batman-News Critic: Jay
The Silencer #3
“CODE OF HONOR” part three! All Honor Guest, a.k.a. the Silencer, wanted was a little peace and quiet with her family. But as she puts the keys into the ignition of a military-grade tank to survive the complete and total destruction of the cybernetically augmented gang war erupting around her, she can’t help but think…what went wrong? Find out for yourself in the finale of the inaugural story arc of the Silencer!
Written by Dan Abnett
Pencils by John Romita Jr.
Inks by Sandra Hope
Colored by Dean V. White
Cover by Sandra Hope, John Romita Jr., and Dean V. White
Josh’s Stance: I’m still having my Daniel Bryan moment… “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Batman-News Critic: Josh
INTRIGUED
Dark Nights: Metal #6
All roads lead…to darkness. In the devastating and epic conclusion to DC’s cataclysmic event series, heroes from across the universe make their final charge into the unknown to battle the forces of the Dark Multiverse! Space and time, dreams and nightmares, all will collide—and what is left at the end will leave the DC Universe irrevocably changed!
Written by Scott Snyder
Pencils by Greg Capullo, Mikel Janin, and Alvaro Martinez
Inks by Raul Fernandez, Jonathan Glapion, and Mikel Janin
Colored by June Chung and FCO Plascencia
Cover by Greg Capullo, Gabriele Dell’Otto, Jonathan Glapion, and FCO Plascencia
Josh’s Stance: There’s a lot of excitement for this issue, but I have concerns because there’s SO MUCH that needs to be wrapped up. I’m not saying it’s impossible, I’m just worried that Metal will end up serving as a bridge to another story rather than standing as a complete story on its own.
Batman-News Critic: Casper
MIXED
Batgirl #26
After a series of attacks targeted toward women sweeps Burnside, Batgirl begins a thorough investigation to find the perpetrator. But she’s not the only one searching; Commissioner Gordon is on the hunt, too! Can this father-daughter duo put their differences aside long enough to crack the case? Find out in the team-up you’ve all been waiting for—trust us, you won’t want to miss it!
Written by Hope Larson
Pencils and Inks by Scott Godlewski
Colored by Mat Lopes and John Rauch
Cover by Dan Mora
Josh’s Stance: I’m not the biggest fan of Babs teaming up with her father, because there has been a lack of consistency on whether he knows her identity or not. I’d probably look forward to it more if the outcome were fully decided, but DC keeps skipping around the issue, and that makes me want to do the same for this release.
Batman-News Critic: Elena
Batman Beyond #18
“THE LONG PAYBACK” part five! Payback’s vengeance against Batman is almost at hand, but the Dark Knight’s allies won’t let him perish without a fight. When help does arrive, will Payback decide that killing those closest to Batman is the sweetest revenge?
Written by Dan Jurgens
Pencils by Bernard Chang and Phil Hester
Inks by Bernard Chang and Ande Parks
Colored by Marcelo Maiolo, Rico Renzi, and Michael Spicer
Cover by Bernard Chang and Marcelo Maiolo
Josh’s Stance: Jurgens has been building to Matt becoming Robin for a while now, so I’m curious to see how it comes to fruition. Will it be permanent or just a tease? Hopefully it lasts, because seeing Terry train and care for his brother in this respect will bring something new and fresh to the book. That being said, this arc has been mediocre at best.
Batman-News Critic: Dan
Detective Comics #977
“BATMEN ETERNAL” part two! Batwoman has reunited with her father, and leadership of the Colony is in her hands…but should she take it? And if she does, what is she supposed to do about a problem like Batman?
Written by James Tynion IV
Pencils by Eddy Barrows and Javier Fernandez
Inks by Javier Fernandez and Eber Ferreira
Colored by John Kalisz
Cover by Eddy Barrows, Raul Fernandez, Eber Ferreira, Adriano Lucas, and Alvaro Martinez
Josh’s Stance: I have mixed feelings concerning Tynion’s upcoming departure. While Detective started off great, the book has been a bit of a mess recently, and in that respect, I’m ready for a new creative team. I am curious about what else Tynion had planned though. He’s mentioned he had an outline to take him through issue #1000, but will end roughly twenty issues before then. We’ll probably get a rushed conclusion for all of this, and that doesn’t excite me.
Batman-News Critic: Brandon
Justice League of America #27
“DAWN OF TIME” part one! Chronos has spent his criminal career being defeated by Ray Palmer and the Justice League. But now he’s discovered a way to beat them: by traveling back in time to stop the concept of super heroes from ever coming to be, because a world without the Justice League is a world he can rule! How can the team follow him through the timestream to stop his mad plan?
Written by Steve Orlando
Pencils and Inks by Hugo Petrus
Colored by Hi-Fi
Cover by Steve Buccellato and David Williams
Josh’s Stance: Looks like Ray Palmer will receive a solid spotlight, so I’m looking forward to a fun story.
Batman-News Critic: Jay
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO THANK US”
Suicide Squad #38
“TEAR DOWN THE WALL” part one! With the success of the new government-sanctioned program, the Wall, the Squad is facing potential decommissioning from the Wall himself! The team faces down the one-man platoon as their lives hang in the balance.
Written by Rob Williams
Pencils by Tom Derenick and Jose Luis
Inks by Tom Derenick and Jordi Tarragona
Colored by Adriano Lucas
Cover by Jorge Jimenez and Alejandro Sanchez
Josh’s Stance: I’m hoping to see an improvement in quality… That’s all I can say, because Suicide Squad has been rough lately.
Batman-News Critic: Casper
Teen Titans #18
“THE FOLLOWING” part two! When Robin’s murder investigation casts suspicion on Beast Boy’s new employer, Nevrland, Beast Boy finds himself the odd man out on the Teen Titans. Caught between his best friends and his new purpose in life, Beast Boy sets out to prove that Nevrland is completely aboveboard…but what he finds will lead Beast Boy down a dangerous path!
Written by Benjamin Percy
Pencils by Scot Eaton
Inks by Wayne Faucher
Colored by Jim Charalampidis
Cover by Dan Mora
Josh’s Stance: Since we know a new creative team is coming, I think it’s safe to say that we’re going to get a whole lot of filler until June…
Batman-News Critic: Josh
Trinity #20
“MAN DOWN” part one! As the Trinity deals with the fallout of the battle for Skartaris, each set out to search for the missing Steve Trevor. But looming on the horizon are the magical armies of Deimos and their plan to lay siege to the entire planet! Deimos’ true goal will bring Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman to their knees!
Written by James Robinson
Pencils and Inks by Jack Herbert and Tyler Kirkham
Colored by Gabe Eltaeb
Cover by Guillem March and Tomeu Morey
Josh’s Stance: I stopped reading this a few issues back… Just being honest.
Batman-News Critic: Dan
Notes:
- Additional DC titles releasing this week: The Demon: Hell is Earth #5, The Flash #43, Gotham City Garage #12, Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps #41, The Hellblazer #20, Mera, Queen of Atlantis #2, Mother Panic: Gotham AD #1, Mystik U #3, Raven: Daughter of Darkness #3, The Terrifics #2, and Wonder Woman #43.
Graphic Novel Watch:
Batgirl Vol. 3: Summer of Lies – From the Eisner and Ignatz award-winning author Hope Larson comes the next chapter for Gotham vigilante, Batgirl!
Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson are a very different kind of Dynamic Duo. No matter how far apart their careers as Batgirl and Nightwing take them, they always seem to be drawn back together. But the true nature of their undeniable feelings for each other is a mystery even these world-class crime-fighters can’t crack.
They’d better figure it out fast, because when a deadly villain from their past resurfaces, the star-crossed superheroes are forced to remember a time they’d like to forget. And once they realize that they’re caught in a trap years in the making, it may be too late for either of them to escape with their lives, let alone their hearts.
Can Barbara and Dick defeat the powerful enemy behind it all? Or will this case be their last dance? Find out in BATGIRL VOL. 3: SUMMER OF LIES Featuring art by Chris Wildgoose, Eleonora Carlini and Inaki Miranda and guest-starring Catwoman and the Mad Hatter. Collects BATGIRL #12-17.
Batman Noir: The Dark Knight Strikes Again – BATMAN NOIR: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN continues writer and artist Frank Miller’s dystopian Batman tale in gritty black-and-white inks as it has never been seen before.
It has been three years since the events of The Dark Knight Returns, and everything is just fine. At least on the surface. What the world at large doesn’t know is that it’s a total sham. A perfectly choreographed, pretty little world where everything that’s ugly, or even potentially disturbing, is all nicely wrapped up with neat little ribbons and swept under the carpet. Only he knows better. He’s watched it fester to near-breaking point, and it’s time for the only free man left who can effect any real change to bring it all down around their ears once and for all.
The Dark Knight returns once again with a vitality unseen since the first years of his war on crime. Together with his army of Bat-soldiers, including Carrie Kelley—formerly Robin, and now the new Catgirl—the Dark Knight wages a new war on a diseased world that’s become completely lost.
Collects Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1-3.
DC Superhero Girls Box Set – The first four all-ages Super Hero Girls graphic novels are available again in a new box set, including FINALS CRISIS, HITS AND MYTHS, SUMMER OLYMPUS and PAST TIMES AT SUPER HERO HIGH! Don’t miss this great gift item!
