Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3

This ended up being ok, but even Gail Simone's writing can't save this from being more than an unnecessary tie-in. I really like Wonder Woman as she appears in this. I'm not talking about the costume either, although she does look a bit less like a stripper than she does in the core mini. No, I like that in the opening of the issue, as WW and Carol Ferris head back into battle against the Black Lanterns, WW smiles. She actually seems happy for a moment. It's a nice glimpse at how resilient WW really is.

The rest of the issue ties up some character arcs from the mini, but of course nothing can really get resolved in an ancillary tie-in like this. WW shatters Max Lord again, but he'll be back since he didn't get taken out permanently. WW and Mera face off and have some kind of moment, but I have absolutely no idea what the big revelation is. WW talks about how Mera needs to tell someone smoething, and unless Mera is really in love with Black Manta, I'm afraid I don't get it.

Nicola Scott handles all the art again, so of course it is top notch. I still laugh at the whole Red Lantern concept though, I have to chuckle when I see Mera lurching around vomiting blood and saying "Rrrf." So funny.

Fair

Justice Society of America: Annual #2

I guess you really can fill a super-sized comic with the old "confused heroes fight each other" cliche. The bulk of this book consists of the All-Stars and the JSA chasing Magog around Haven as the super-scientist criminal residents pop in and out of the action. This picks up from the Haven-storyline featured in the Magog title over the past few months. The warden of Haven actually called in the Justice-cavalry when Magog got to close to him, and we get the payoff here. Power Girl narrates a fair amount of the pages, and she's nowhere near as fun as the character featured in her solo title. She does eventually figure out that Magog is telling the truth, but by then Magog has battled most of both teams.

I'm not sure where the continuing story goes from here, since it seemed the warden was caught in the blast he set to self-destruct the prison. A few prisoners escaped too, including one guy whose name I can't even remember yet, but that makes sense because he's defining himself by his need to establish a name and rep for himself. Maybe next time you'll be memorable enough, buddy! The parts featuring that scientist, and in fact, most of the super-brain villains seem like Matt Sturges' contribution to the issue. Keith Giffen probably did most of the plot and Magog's grumblings. The issue is decent, but I do hope there is more payoff for Magog in his own title.

Tom Derenick's art is scratchy, but that seems to be his style these days. He still draws everyone too bulky, but his women are looking a bit less like pinups, and his storytelling has improved too.

Fair

Nova #34

This is still the least-interesting of the Realm of Kings tie-ins, but it is still fun. I'm a sucker for the whole team of champions face-off one by one thing, so I naturally dug this issue. The matchups are interesting too, with Nova vs. Moonstone being a closer match than I figured. Mr. Fantastic should have mopped the floor with Bloodstone, but I actually think Man-Wolf should have held up better against Namorita. The battle of the Darkhawks was fun, and I do like how Chris Powell still sounds so whiny even though he's gotten so powerful. Basilisk was really powerful back in those old Marvel Team-Ups, so I can see him beating Black Bolt, just not that easily. There is going to be some sort of payoff to BB seeing his own grave, I'm sure of it.

I suppose it is too much to hope for that DnA keep Namorita around after this story. Her place in the Marvel U has been usurped pretty handily by Namora, and at this point I'm not sure Namorita is really necessary. I'm still bummed though. She's fun and she interacts well with her old teammates in this short appearance.

Mahmud Asrar has a clean style that works well for this title. His art looks very close to Andrea DeVito's so there is no drastic change in storytelling, and his art is so bright that all these 70's characters looks awesome.

Good

Milestone Forever #1

I don't remember where all the Milestone books left off as they were cancelled and to be honest I had dropped a lot of them by that point anyway, because the last creative teams weren't as strong as the first ones. But when Milestone started up, Icon, Hardware, Static, and Blood Syndicate were some of the best books on the stands. And it may be coming about 20 years later, but I'll take any kind of wrap up I can get.

The book opens with Dharma worried about some kind of cosmic calamity, no doubt the event that is shunting Milestone into the DCU. He's looking for someone to help him decide what he needs to do to save the world, and he takes a look at Rocket and some of the other heroes of Dakota to see if any of them can help him. The book shifts over to a great confrontation of the heroes of Dakota as they face down Holocaust and his Blood Syndicate. Tons of great heroes show up here. Icon, of course, and Static and Hardware are great, if limited, in their roles. I loved seeing the classic Syndicate show up too, it's been too long. Really, the Dharma plot is just an excuse to get one more great ride out of these characters. I appreciate the way Dwayne McDuffie wrote this. I think that to get full enjoyment, a reader would have to know the original Milestone characters, but not necessarily have kept up with them. So basically, it is perfect for me.

M.D. Bright and John Paul Leon draw the bulk of the issue, so it's gorgeous. They do a wonderful job of recapturing the magic of the original comics. I really hope that the great Milestone universe doesn't get too messed up as it is assimilated into the DCU.

Good

Batman: Rules of Engagement HC

Now this is the Batman I know and love. Andy Diggle provides a great first meeting between Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor. The crux of the issue is of course Batman vs. Lex, but the Bruce vs. Lex (and therefore WayneTech vs. LexCorp) aspects of the story are a lot of fun too. There are a ton of fun details mixed into the story. I love that the bat-plane is the result of a failed government contract with Wayne Tech. And Luthor's method of tracking that plane is genius and so comic-booky that I had to love it. Since the bat-plane is getting lost in a swarm of bats, Lex builds a robotic bat to join the swarm and latch onto Batman's vehicle! Ah, evil genius! Just perfect.

The closing setpiece is great too. Lex has an army of GI Robots that he plans to use to take over the US, Batman has to blast his way into a fortified base to get to Luthor and stop the programming. And there is a reason I capitalized GI Robot up there, because this could work as the secret origin for a new one of those too. This is the type of high-octane, fun Batman story that I'm looking for.

Whilce Portacio's batsuit has a neat bulky look. Portacio's got a strong visual style, but it works for the mix of shadows and tech mixing and matching through the story.

Good

Joker HC

I'm trying to remember, but didn't Brian Azzarello re-design all the Gotham criminals during his run on Batman a few years ago? And the re-imaginings were fairly close, but not exactly what we get in this hardcover. Basically, the whole point of this is hardcore-up the Gotham scene. Killer Croc is a big banger with a skin condition. Harley Quinn is a mute killer-stripper. (Come to think of it, I'm not sure that there is a single line of dialogue from a woman in this whole thing.) The Riddler is an almost fast & the furious-style burglar. It's all just so... "adult." This is more like Kevin Smith's Widening Gyre than it is the monthly Batman comics. And as I've said before, I just don't care to see that in my comics. Brian Azzarello has a great entry character in Jonny Frost, and I did like seeing the balancing act that the Joker's henchmen have to deal with, but man. Just too dark and too "real." Call me a simpleton, but I prefer Batman by Jim Aparo or Norm Breyfogle.

This is clearly out-of-continuity too, lessening some of the impact. This could probably fit in as and Earth-One title eventually though.

Lee Bermejo's art is stunning. The reason this book works as well as it does is because we can see the street-grit and glimpse every reflection on the hood of Jonny's car. Batman looks like a leather-clad weightlifter and the Joker is sporting Ledger-ish scars. I wish this guy could keep up a monthly pace.

Average

Justice League: Cry for Justice #6

You know, if James Robinson wasn't quite so gore-happy, this would probably be a pretty solid little Justice League story. Prometheus kicks the tail out of the entire JLA, except for a surprising exception. I also find it fascinating that the biggest threat to Prometheus' computer powered suit is unpredictable fighters; so Hawkman and Hawkgirl are the biggest threats out of the whole league. Pretty cool.

Prometheus' plan is ridiculous, he wants to scatter teleported sections of main DCU cities through time and space. His rationale is that this fate would be harder to deal with because the citizens are still alive, wherever they end up. It's an interesting idea. Green Arrow's city is first up and gets zapped away at the close of the issue. I don't suppose that Connor Hawke and Speedy got zapped out with it? It might be cool seeing the story of a lost city and the random heroes and villains who went with it. Kind of a LOST/Salvation Run thing. Anyway, when Robinson gets to focus on dialogue and action, he's solid. Just lay off the gore dude! It is interesting that we finally get to see all the fights that injured Plas, Vixen, Red Tornado and the rest. I'm just not willing to

The painted art continues looking nice and dramatic.

Overall, this series still doesn't need to exist, but at least there is the core of fun JLA-style story here.

Average