The New DC Universe: Week 10 Reviews

November 8th, 2011 by csdaley

As we roll through issue threes, I have come to a decision that I will be dropping about fifteen comics this month. I am going to shed all the average books. I want to get to the spot where I am just reading those books I like a lot. This means I will be stopping the weekly reviews after week 12. I will instead being going back to my geeking out blogs where I cover all things which make me warm and geeky. I am doing this because I just don’t want to be reading a lot of books I don’t feel incredible about. If any of the dropped books change creators I might review them in geeking out depending on who the creators are. That makes this week’s books important because there are a lot of middle of the road books. Some of them are going to get dropped.

Batgirl #3

Written by GAIL SIMONE; Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES; Cover by ADAM HUGHES

Batgirl has been an interesting mix of action comic and psychology. How does one become a superhero again after they have had a traumatic event happen? At first, I was worried the comic would go over the top with the psychology but it has been a nice mix. I liked seeing her relationship with Nightwing and look forward to where it might go in the future. There is also a small part of me that wonders if the story isn’t setting Batgirl up for a giant fall. It’s always good when a comic has you thinking. 8 out of 10.

Batwoman #3

Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN; Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III

I am overjoyed at how good both of the women bat comics are. They have been far and away better than most of the bat books. I look forward to reading Batwoman and this issue didn’t change that for me. I love the art. I love the story. This book feels so much bigger than a normal superhero book. I sincerely hope they can keep the quality up. They had a huge head start on this book compared to a lot of the other new 52. In the meantime, you should be reading this comic. Be warned there is not a lot of action. The story is unfolding like a blooming rose. It has a unique pace for a comic book and I understand some people might not like that. 9 out of 10.

Deathstroke #3

Written by KYLE HIGGINS; Art by JOE BENNETT and ART THIBERT; Cover by SIMON BISLEY

I want to like this comic more than I do. I know some of my prior comic experience is playing a part in my feelings. I just don’t really get where this book is going or truthfully its purpose. Deathstroke was far more interesting when he was a villain in the Teen Titans. This comic just kind of makes me yawn. It doesn’t help that a lot of the humor from the first books has leaked right out of the story. 7 out of 10.

Demon Knights #3

Written by PAUL CORNELL; Art by DIOGENES NEVES and OCLAIR ALBERT; Cover by TONY S. DANIEL and NORM RAPMUND

The whole question of pacing is an interesting one. Batwoman is moving slow and it doesn’t bother me. This book is moving slow and I feel like yawning while reading it. The writing and art are not terrible. I am just bored. I don’t care and the whole story is starting to seem a little silly. Plus, I am reading this book because of the Demon and he is barely in it. Not a problem if some other character has captured my imagination, but none have. 7 out of 10.

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #3

Written by JEFF LEMIRE; Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI; Cover by J.G. JONES

I am still not sold on the art. On some pages it works perfectly well but on others it is a little jarring. Having said that I must be getting used to it because it didn’t bother me as much this issue. I am fairly well hooked into this story now. It is wacky, funny, and full of action. I would give it a solid nine, if not for the art. Maybe in a few more issues I will have gotten so used to the art this will happen. 8 out of 10.

 

Green Lantern #3

Written by GEOFF JOHNS; Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE

I liked issue three better than two. I also admit to being mildly intrigued at the cliff hanger. It might get me to buy another book. The biggest problem I have with this comic is it is so “been there and done that”. There isn’t really anything interesting about the story. I don’t care all that much about Hal Jordan. I have never been a Green Lantern fan but I can remember quite a few issues where Hal Jordan had a whole lot more personality. This book is just hovering in the middle. 7.5 out of 10.

Grifter #3

Written by NATHAN EDMONDSON; Art and cover by CAFU and JASON GORDER

I feel like I am reading an episode of Lost. Mysteries within mysteries and I am not entirely sure I know what is going on. I am also a little alarmed at Green Arrow being announced for the next issue. I am not fond of cross pollinating the comics “just because”. So I hope they make it work. This issue was not as good as the previous two. It was a little predictable. A slight bump down but hopefully not a sign of things to come. 8 out of 10.

Resurrection Man #3

Written by DAN ABNETT and ANDY LANNING; Art by FERNANDO DAGNINO; Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

There are a few things which are bothering me about this book. One of them is art. Not that I don’t like it but some of it seems unnecessary. For instance, there is a picture in this book where a kick ass female character is beating on Resurrection Man. For some reason the artist feels we should see up her skirt and the design on her underwear. Really, why do we need to see that? It is a little ridiculous. I am actually enjoying the story and wish they didn’t feel the need to go all cheesecake on us. This is the second issue in a row this has happened. I am not a prude. I just want it to fit or make sense in the story. Not just be gratuitous.  7.5 out of 10.

Suicide Squad #3

Written by ADAM GLASS; Art by FEDERICO DALLOCCHIO; Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN

Whatever slightly warmer feelings I might have had for this book after an improved issue two were just flushed down the toilet. Didn’t like the art and flat-out thought the story was stupid in this issue. What a disappointment. After issue two I thought maybe this would be a book which had a future with me. Instead it got worse. I didn’t laugh once. This is not good because there was a barrage of jokes. 6 out of 10.

Superboy #3

Written by SCOTT LOBDELL; Art by RB SILVA and ROB LEAN; Cover by ERIC CANETE

I didn’t really like the last issue but this one was much better. I like the whole concept of Superboy coming to terms with both his powers and who he is. I also like that we don’t really know what is going on with the government agency in this story. They seem like they are the heavy but not all of them. I feel like we are getting to witness the birth of a superhero in this comic. I think if the rest of the issues are like this one I am going to enjoy the journey. 8 out of 10.

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DC Power Rankings

1) Wonder Woman –

2) Animal Man – Staying strong but not quite ready to bump Wonder Woman out of the top spot.

3) Justice League Dark –

4) Swamp Thing – I was a tiny bit worried after the first issue but this book is just getting better and better. Another large jump.

5) Red Lanterns – Trying to do something I have never seen in a mainstream DC book. Explore hatred and pain. May end up being the only Lantern book I keep buying.

6) Batman –

7) Aquaman –

8 ) Action Comics – I liked this issue better than number two. Grant Morrison continues to make Superman interesting to me. A major feat considering how uninterested I was.

9) Batwoman – Staying a very strong comic. It has also had the most consistent artwork in the new DC universe.

10) I, Vampire –

11) Grifter – Had it’s first drop in ratings this week. Hopefully this is not a trend.

12) Batgirl – The appearance of Nightwing worked well. Batgirl’s journey is going to be a hard one. No change in rankings this week.

13) All Star Western –

14) Stormwatch – Continues to tumble-down. It needs to stay in the top twenty for me to keep reading it. Not sure it is going to make it.

15) Justice League –

16) Superboy – A slight bump up. Right now the best book with super in the title.

17) Teen Titans –

18) Batwing – Jumps another ten spots up and climbs into the top twenty. Not sure how many more than twenty I am keeping but amazingly this book looks like it may make the cut now.

19) Supergirl –

20) Superman –

21) Legion of Super-Heroes –

22) Resurrection Man – No change in placement but very close to the line in the sand I will be drawing. Right on the bubble of being cut.

23) Frankenstien, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. – This book is in the land of books which could be cut but it has caught my interest. Will last another month.

24) Deathstroke – This book has sunk straight down. If I were a betting man it is not going to survive my next cut.

25) Green Lantern – I might end up buying the next book just to see where it goes but otherwise this book was probably heading to cutsville.

26) Men of War –

27) Flash –

28) Men of War – Another book which can’t stop its tumble downward. A great first issue but I won’t be reading it much longer.

29) Detective Comics – Not sure how much longer I will keep buying this book. There are other Batman family books that are far more enjoyable.

30) Captain Atom –

31) Catwoman –

32) Demon Knights –

33) Nightwing –

34) The Savage Hawkman–

35) Batman: The Dark Knight –

36) Justice League International – Eliminated

37) Suicide Squad –Really bad issue dooms it to be cut. I will try again if they pick up interesting creators.

38) Green Lantern Corps – Eliminated

39) Green Lantern: New Guardians – Eliminated

40) Blue Beetle –

41) Green Arrow – This book is now dropped until a new creative team comes on. I am very disappointed.

41) Legion Lost– Eliminated

42) Batman & Robin – Eliminated

43) DC Universe Presents –

44) Mister Terrific – Eliminated

45) O.M.A.C. – Eliminated

46) Voodoo –

47) Blackhawks – Eliminated

48) The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men –  Eliminated

49) Birds of Prey –

50) Hawk & Dove – Eliminated

51) Red Hood and the Outlaws – Eliminated

52) Static Shock – Eliminated

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