We have bad news… Dan will be leaving us. I’m a little upset. Dan’s tenure with Batman-News has been short, yet impactful. Why was it so impactful? I’m not sure… Maybe it’s because he’s European. Maybe it’s because he adds a “u” to words like “favorite” or “color” (note that I spelled them correctly… ‘Merica!). Or maybe it’s just because without Dan, we wouldn’t have “Drunk Captain Kirk” – an all too accurate take on King’s dialogue for Batman. Whatever the reason, his saucy take on the books we cover has been highly entertaining and will be missed!
Alright, on to business. 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.
May 22nd
TAKE MY MONEY
Detective Comics #1004
The face behind the mask is revealed! Who’s taken up the mantle of the Arkham Knight? What’s their endgame? And what’s the shocking secret that Batman never knew about a part of his life he’d taken for granted?
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils by Brad Walker
Inks by Andrew Hennessy
Colored by Nathan Fairbairn
Cover by Nathan Fairbairn, Andrew Hennessy, and Brad Walker
Josh’s Stance: I know there were a number of people upset with the reveal of Arkham Knight, but I honestly didn’t mind it. My overall opinion will depend on how everything plays out, but for now, I’m just happy it isn’t Jason. I’m also happy that Tomasi is writing Batman and Robin together. It’s been way too long since the Bat family has actually felt like a family, so we definitely need more of this.
Batman News Critic: Jay
MIXED
Batgirl #35
After Batgirl’s discovery of the Terrible Trio’s bid to control the Gotham underworld, she’s immediately off to investigate—starting with the group’s muscle…the Shark! Can Babs use her wits to survive a showdown with this bro turned bruiser? Or is he just a warm-up for the battle to come against this band of wild criminals?
Written by Mairghread Scott
Pencils by Paul Pelletier
Inks by Jose Marzan Jr. and Norm Rapmund
Colored by Jordie Bellaire
Cover by Francis Manapul
Josh’s Stance: I was pretty indifferent towards the previous issue. I’m also not sure how I feel about these villains carrying over into the next creative team, but it is what it is. I still don’t feel as though Scott ever got a fair shake and would love to see her on another title soon. For now, I’m going to try and just enjoy whatever she has planned to wrap up her run.
Batman News Critic: Dan
NOTES:
- Titles we’ll cover in This Week in Comics: Batman Beyond #32, Justice League Dark #11, and The Silencer #17.
- Additional releases from DC Comics: Action Comics #1011, Books of Magic #8, Dial H for Hero #3, The Flash #71, Freedom Fighters #6, Looney Tunes #249, Martian Manhunter #5, Scooby Doo Team-Up #48, The Terrifics #16, and Wonder Woman #71.
GRAPHIC NOVEL WATCH:
Absolute Batman: The Black Mirror – Originally published in DETECTIVE COMICS #871-881, this epic from the writer of JUSTICE LEAGUE and BATMAN forces the Dark Knight to confront one of Gotham City’s oldest evils! Plu, the corpse of a killer whale shows up on the floor of one of Gotham City’s foremost banks, setting a deadly mystery in motion!
Justice League of America: The Bronze Age Omnibus 3 – In these tales from the 1970s, the Justice League started expanding its lineup to include even more characters, such as the Elongated Man and the Red Tornado! Throw in team-ups with the classic Justice Society of America and the returned Seven Soldiers of Victory, and it’s easy to see why these stories became fan-favorite epics. Collects Justice League of America #147-181.
The Outsiders by Judd Winnick Book 1 – The Justice League is a bunch of pushovers. The Teen Titans are just kids. When the DC Universe calls for a more…aggressive approach, they call Nightwing, Arsenal and company: the Outsiders. A renegade Superman Robot goes on the rampage, and a long-standing member of the Teen Titans dies. Stricken with grief, old allies Nightwing and Arsenal decide that enough is enough: a more proactive approach to justice isn’t just needed—it’s necessary. This title collects TITANS/YOUNG JUSTICE: GRADUATION DAY #1-3, TEEN TITANS/OUTSIDERS SECRET FILES #1 and OUTSIDERS #1-7.
