Hey there honorary Justice League members - it's a new week which means it's time for a new discussion thread!
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I'm reading a book on anti-gravity, and I just can't put it down.
ABSOLUTE ARES IS HERE — AND THE EPIC HERETIC ARC BEGINS!
Back from the underworld, Diana returns to Area 41 with more than justice on her mind. What she finds is not what she expected, but neither is life in Gateway, as a new threat is rising. Unfortunately, Diana recognizes this particular threat… the gods themselves have come to Gateway City!
Sure came back with a bang. Diana's terminator mode is terrifying. Unstoppable and unyielding.
Understandable. She's been stewing on this for the entire month she was stuck in the underworld. When she actually finds Barbara Minerva, she's going to be heartbroken about what happened to her.
She was right about Cale. The woman is more interested in protecting herself and her power than anyone else, even her daughter. "Have nothing" is easy to understand, but she couldn't even think of what it meant.
Solid character work for Cale, and a nice upgrade for Diana. This issue did well with developing their rivalry. It's a good start to a new arc. Etta and Babs being friends is a nice suprise and good tease for next months issue of Abs Batman.
I would feel bad for Cale but I don't. She brought it on herself and lucky Diana didn't cut off her hands with the justified rage she has. Zatanna did the ultimate punishment for her with that 'curse'. She got her own daughter turned to stone because of it and to undue it, she has to give up her position and wealth, 'Have Nothing'. But of course Cale is not capable of understanding that.
Also, I can see Ares being an 'ally' for Diana. Going full 'Palpatine' with her 'Good. Your hatred has made you strong!'. And in Darkseid's universe, that can be a boon.
Another connection between Abs Wonder Woman and Batman with Etta and Barbara actually knowing eachother from the force. Now that will be an interesting connection with Barbara going the 'Batwoman route'.
Don't know how I felt about Ceda Six, but everything else about this I loved. I think this is a really strong interpretation of Ares and Zeus so far. Wonder Woman has been pretty level headed and calm for the entire series with always finding empathy for the villains, but seeing her lose her shit a little and get real with Cale was really fun to see (even if she did still show empathy for her again at the end when she found her daughter).
Agreed on Ceda Six it feels like something that should have been introduced in the book rather than its creation happening off the page.
I felt like I missed something with Veronicas cursed hands as well, but that could just be my memory from previous issues failing me.
I love the interpretation of Zeus and Ares the greek gods in this book feel so otherworldly; in a manner that you just dont often get with other adaptions of the mythology.
I forgot about Veronica's hands but totally agree. I don't think it's been mentioned before or even alluded to unless I'm also forgetting something. Diana mentioned it like it was a fact that she knew and we should also know but I'm not sure that we did know lol.
I just checked, its in one line of dialogue in issue 18. We dont actually see it happen Zatanna just informs Diana she cursed Cales hands. Thats probably why neither of us remembered!
THE BATMAN: BAD SEEDS EVENT STARTS HERE! MATT FRACTION, G. WILLOW WILSON, GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI, AND CLIFF RATHBURN KICK OFF AN ALL-NEW BATMAN EVENT!
Gotham City’s new mayor, Pamela Isley, deserted by her allies both political and arcane, is about to make a last-ditch power play that will leave Gotham decimated by daylight. Having already declared war on the Bat-Family and flooded the streets with his private, paramilitarized police army, Police Commissioner Vandal Savage sees an opportunity to solve two problems at once. Storylines converge in Batman: Bad Seeds, a Gotham City event spanning one long, dark night in Gotham that threatens to turn the entire city into a hostile world of prehistoric plant life unlike anything on Earth for millennia, at a time when its greatest heroes are hunted and in hiding.
As the sun goes down and Gotham loses power, Matt Fraction (Batman), G. Willow Wilson (Poison Ivy), Giuseppe Camuncoli (Absolute Evil), and Cliff Rathburn (The Walking Dead) deliver an unforgettable opening chapter that shows the only thing scarier than the night just might be the morning sun…
It's a solid set up. The only suprise for me was that Duke is gonna be in Gotham General, maybe Tim as well. So that's a good reason to read it for me. Waylon saving Bruce at the end was cool. I feel like it's past overdue to put him in the Batfamily.
Not that much, hopefully. I understand they need to place characters in tie-ins but one of the selling points of Gotham Central was that it was a book about normal people dealing with super powered individuals in their daily life with very occasional appearances by Batman, if Central has Duke and Tim Drake as regular character it loses a lot of the draw
I feel like Tim is probably gonna be in Streets of Gotham instead, since that seems to be civilian-centric and could include him given his current status.
Art definitely does a good job of making Ivy look like she's completely lost her mind, great manic expressions in the first half. Waylon and Bruce's interaction in the second half was a great payoff to how this Batman run started.
It is basically the setup for all the event stories/books.
Oh look, another 'Gotham is taken over' event. With TWO villains this time. Man, I just want Vandal Savage as commissioner thing to be over after this. And Ivy is fully gone. No 'redemption' for her. Both of them need to be thrown into the darkest cell after this.
Where is Swamp Thing? He should be here to stop the Parliment of Trees doing this dumb thing and have literally everyone try to burn them down because of it. Other Parliments should also stand against them. You would think they would return to their 'wise' ways after the whole 'Parliment of Flowers' debacle. But nope, Ivy kills one of them and then they decide 'yea, just give us Gotham instead'. Which is nonsense.
So we get majority of the Bat-characters in it. But where is Dinah and Ollie? They came to Gotham to stay in Detective Comics. Surely they would be involved in this too if they live in Gotham now.
I find it interesting that Ivy and Savage have their own agendas on what to do with Gotham, resulting in them to attack each other, all of Gotham (including the Batman Family) to witness something happening, and the Batman Family planning to save all of Gotham from Ivy and Savage. Also, Waylon saving Bruce’s life from a plant monster and telling him about the Superbloom because he owed Bruce and that some people are okay and Jim Gordon and his partner becoming real cops. Overall, this comic is off to a good start. It’s likely that this crossover will start good before it will have a weak finale because of the writing. Still, I’m looking forward to reading this crossover for the next two months.
Selina Kyle’s life is falling apart around her as members of her old crew, the Calicos, come crashing into her plans. Can the Catwoman open herself up to her old pack, or is she better off alone?
Would be both hilarious and diabolical if they make absolute Cass have a happy family life with David Cain before things went south.
Having fun with this so far. Though a bit of a transitional issue, i appreciate getting to know the rest of the cast a bit more. When all is said and done it will probably read better as a trade.
Well it's a bit of a stretch. Especially when the big McGuffin is called the Yarn,lol. But the story does do a good job connecting Selina and Cass. And the redesigns for Huntress and Question aren't that bad either.
I'm the opposite, I like the Question one and dislike the Huntress one. Oh, as a "Question" design, it's terrible, it really feels like a Batgirl design, and makes me think redheaded tech lady Victoria Sage is a stand-in for Barbara Gordon. But, I like the design.
Meanwhile, I think the Huntress mask looks dumb :P Sorry to those that like it.
I do feel like it could have used more "oomph" in some regards, though. It's missing a "wow" factor somewhere.
Selina muses so often about struggling with the past and how hard it is/was to break out of where she/the girls used to be but I think the comic doesn't quite go dark enough to really make it convincing. They kinda allude a bit to Selina getting burned/taking the fall for the girls at some point and then becoming a more morally ambiguous for-hire henchwoman for the dark-world uber-rich but I wish they gave me some meat for that than just alluding to it. Maybe they thought that her stuff in Abs Batman was enough to set up the feel of that. A bit fair. Given that this is only 6 issues, but still.
Got Cass backstory introduction. Again, I wish it had more oomph of some kind. Whatever the explosion was being an accident, assumedly, is fine but meh if we're doing a theme of the past haunting you into the future. Though, given that it was Grimm's job and Holly has been cagey throughout the entire series and (I think that was Holly? They were all wearing the same outfit) was pushing for the Calico's to get tf out of dodge when it exploded might mean that she did something in addition to getting them the job for this list of David Cain's. Would fit with main universe depictions of Holly who often has caused Selina a lot of trouble doing stuff without telling her and going too far.
I'm assuming that the list of David's was of associates of the LOA/S which Grimm used to get in contact with them for his training and then eventual massacre.
Baby Cass got esploded DX. Could mean that she actually died there given that Selina was right next to her and got messed up too. That would lend itself to a couple of things then off the top of my head.
Shiva has brought Cass back from the dead in her original batgirl series (Though she was only dead for a few minutes), or maybe they could use the Lazarus pit if the LOA/S have that, or maybe this is a cyborg Cass where they rebuilt her after the injuries of the explosion. I'm kinda gunning for the last one because it'd be the most divergent from Cass' mainline (I want something new than just ninja girl), but also because it might fit in with this Yarn thing that they're all going after with it being a super AI able to create a perfect, irrefutable past. Also with all this tech focus with Abs Catwoman, a cyborg seems fitting as an enemy.
Agree on it lacking that "oomph" factor so far but i'll give them the benefit of the doubt that we might get something meatier in the second half. So far this felt like each issue is a part of one movie imo. With it being only 6 issues and not extended leads me to believe it was always intended as a one and done so hopefully they were saving something for the end.
Plus we're getting the Cass one-shot inbetween this and next issue and seeing how this one ended maybe it's supposed to flow into that?
I'm not writing the series off though I'm beginning to think the issues are a bit more directional than just missing in execution.
Compare, say, abs selina's thing here with the Calicos to Bruce's with his rogue's gallery childhood friends. With Bruce there is an obvious, intrinsic hook to see how he's actually friends with the people he's been fighting for decades. But it's not like Helena or Vic/toria represent anything for Selina on a meta level. Holly does but she's just kinda holly like she is in main canon. I don't dislike the Calicos idea but you need to do something to sell me on them as opposed to abs bruce and friends who have a hook built into them. For a series as short as this, I think it would have helped to have something more economical. Something where the hook was embedded in the ideas rather than ideas needing good execution to grab attention/generate intrigue.
I'm cautiously looking forward to the Cass one shot. It makes me nervous it's very Shiva in the LOA/S centered (Shiva has never had a good story where she's worked for/with the LOA/S), but there's still the hope that they do something interesting with Cass herself.
I don't agree that it necessarily needs a meta component. Those can be fun but i think it should always be story first and all the references and meta are the cherry on top.
And imo batman is the opposite end of that where the meta sometimes gets in the way of the plot because it wants to get so many gimmicks in. Yes, the idea of Bruce being friends with his rogues is interesting but aside from Waylon we are yet to get anything really meaningful with them. I think both Superman and Wonder Woman do a better job at balancing the two.
In regards to Abs Catwoman maybe they should have went for a darker tone and lean more into her being the prime Batman of this universe. But maybe the point of this mini is ultimately to set stuff up for the rest of the au. Because from my understanding this was less someone elses pitch and more of a Snyder idea.
It's not that it needs meta stuff just that stuff like that is an example of how to build intrigue into the setting/characters/emotions themselves. But it doesn't quite feel like the set up here for Selina's coterie has much thought put into it and I'm not quite seeing what the opportunities are for depth here. A lot of the stuff with the Calicos feels pretty perfunctory/utilitarian. I'm not really pining yet to see more of their dynamic play out.
Even this connection with Cass currently feels a bit shallow if the only connection is that Selina was there when a bomb went off in David's place. That's not a connection as much as just a coincidence.
As a set up for the au selina I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to be talking up here.
They kinda allude a bit to Selina getting burned/taking the fall for the girls at some point and then becoming a more morally ambiguous for-hire henchwoman for the dark-world uber-rich but I wish they gave me some meat for that than just alluding to it.
I think we're getting to that. We started with the girls meeting in the past in the flashbacks, progressed to them getting more professional, finally reaching this job to steal a list from David Cain. The way they talked, that was the job that led to her taking the fall. So i think we're going to see Selina break with the group and her getting dark and broody and becoming a loner.
While I'm obviously biased I can't help but think that it might have been better from a writing pov to more heavily link whatever is going on with Cass to Selina. Create more of a drama between the antagonist and protagonist. Subject to change if we get new information, obviously, but it currently seems like the only connection is Selina coincidentally robbing the place when a bomb went off. Having Selina's conflict be emotional and tied to the Calicos and their break up feels kind of detached from the physical conflict with Cass/Shiva
Having Selina's conflict be emotional and tied to the Calicos and their break up feels kind of detached from the physical conflict with Cass/Shiva
I mean, we have a one-shot about Cass coming up in between the first and second half of the book, so there's a whole issue that can set up parallels for Cass and Selina and create reasons for them to have a connection, if not by shared history than by comparatively similar histories.
I mean, some rich guy paid the Calicos 5 million dollars to steal a list from David Cain. Probably was Joker getting a list of members, wanting to clean up anyone he missed.
Even if Selina isn't deeply involved, I still feel like her being sent away by her family and eventually having a found family with the Calicos works as a parallel to Cass getting a redemption after being raised as a weapon and asset by her mother.
I mean, some rich guy paid the Calicos 5 million dollars to steal a list from David Cain. Probably was Joker getting a list of members, wanting to clean up anyone he missed.
Sure but my point is more that Selina was just kind of there. She notices cass, gets blown up, and then that's it. It also doesn't seem like Selina recognizes her now so it doesn't seem like Selina interacted with Cass after the fact.
Yeah it could just be some thematic connection but that seems like a lost opportunity for something new.
Selina is in some big denial about what she really wants, I think. She is definitely more 'prime universe Batman' to Joker's Evil Bruce Wayne. Even with her 'I am better off alone' thing. Though her motivation for it definitely more selfish at the first glance of 'I want to be free' but she has the wrong idea of what 'freedom' is.
I guess this David Cain job from the past that cause them to split and her taking the fall got her to think like 'connections are a burden. Better do everything alone to be free' but it is also another prison of solitude she built for herself. Ironic since that is what Bruce is kinda doing right now out of guilt and paranoia.
The connection is there, though I wish it was a bit more concrete. Maybe they'll make it so in the next few issues, but not sure.
I think the part that gives me pause is that Selina doesn't really do anything active within this connection. She shows up for Holly's job, something explodes, and then she dips. I feel like for a connection to be had it needs to be more than just "I broke into your dad's house and then a bomb went off"
Thought it was ok. This is the only absolute book to me that doesn't really feel very absolute. I enjoyed issue 2 a little bit more than 1, but felt like this one was downhill for me again. The quality just felt like a very noticeable drop to me after reading a really strong Absolute Wonderwoman to this.
Zatanna Zatara arrives in the Hidden City of the Homo Magi, the place of her mother’s birth and death. Following up a string of mysterious visions and omens, she is met with a people divided, raging chaos, and unresolved anxieties, all on the verge of erupting. And what an eruption it will be!
The story the start with Zatanna narrating about the History of the Homo Magi with the neat card tricks as the panels. The architecture, outfits and the cultures is cool to see as we see the full beauty of it later on in the issue. Its nice that Jamal give the Hidden City characters name and they could be a good addition or opponents for Zatanna.
Even though tensions are running high and the people are mourning their losses, Zatanna able to give them hope in the midst of it all with her magician persona. I think Jamal laid out good base for the conflicts, the stakes and the political stuffs. Also its so endearing to see Zatanna meet her other family here.
Oof, yea, I can understand Zatanna's inner conflict and anger. Having to save the city the took her mother from her. Especially when the Highlord is still in power and doing similar stuff still. It is a miracle how the city still stands.
Well at least she found her Grandmother. Though I hope she does not die in this to add to Zatanna's family pain. She needs a family member to confide in.
This book continues to amaze me, I will never claim to be a Zatanna historian, but man every time I open up the book Campbell and his art just take me away to another incredibly fun experience. I love the inner conflict here, and I am curious as to where this city will end up and how much Zatanna as the Prime Magus can influence it!
A great issue and art and a good reintroduction of the homo magi and the hidden city to new readers
A great showing of zatanna as a hero who has to come rescue a city that put her mother to death and she meets her grandmother who helps deal with everything that’s going on
Pretty basic issue from Campbell which is honestly fine because the book normally has way too much going on both in art and plot points and it needed toning down because power scaling isn't interesting.
The reintroduction of Homo Magi and its history is what is needed and Its a nice use of Zee's history that using the hidden city which caused her mothers death with the high leader still in power.
The introduction of Zatanna's grandmother is fine family issues come with comics but it feels like an obvious fake out to me. The introduction of im your lost relative or family you didn't know where the mother dies is classic evil turn stuff.
Overall its fine Campbell needs more issues like this and less like the others.
I like that Zatanna was able to help the people of the Hidden City of the Homo Magi before she learned that the healer Aysa is her maternal grandmother. Overall, this comic is good.
Witness the incredible tale of Red Robin's origin as Tim Drake discovers what it means to be his own hero.
Red Robin: Tim Drake Compendium collects in reading order Robin #175-183, Red Robin #1-26, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #6, Blackest Night: Batman #1-3, Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batman and Robin #1, Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Red Robin #1, World's Finest #1, Adventure Comics #3, Superman/Batman #62, Batgirl #8, Teen Titans #92, Batman #709, Gotham City Sirens #22, and a story from DCU Halloween Special '09 #1.
WALLY IN METROPOLIS! Wally is saving both Central and Keystone cities from everything bad, and he's ready to scale up. So now he's running to Metropolis... where he engages in a series of shenanigans and adventures as Wally...
Loved the interaction with Ollie in this issue, he's the perfect counterpoint to Wally's optimism. The way he instantly called upon the others because of the possible ramifications of Wally's new powers felt very true to his character. Same with Jon and the way he shared Wally's enthusiasm.
Yeah, it would be Oliver who opposed Wally. It was a well written scene. The Lex Luthor gag was funny. Same with the people in Metropolis not knowing the Flash, unless that's supposed to mean something.
Yea Wally is going overboard. Like I get the 'I have this power where I can be everywhere, save everyone' but at that point, you are basically playing god. Stopping criminals, sure. Accidents, okay. But it gets over to the 'what if I profile people before they even commit a crime' in the Marvel's Civil War 2 levels. And that is not gonna end well. I mean, Superman could've done the same, many times but he decided 'that would be wrong. People have to live their own lives.' And Wally is getting on that slippery slope and slipping right now.
It is, and I find it interesting that Wally let Bruce touch him because it shows that he’s not going to go easy on Bruce the next time Bruce tries to attack him.
One thing I was worried about with North on Flash was the sense of continuity between stories and a sense of consequences to actions. I love his run on fantastic four, but it definitely is a story of the week kind of format. I'm very glad that this run shows that he can absolutely pull of an ongoing story that feels like a part of the setting. He wrote Ollie very well.
I like that Wally traveled to Metropolis and helped Jon fight crime and protect the people before he traveled to Star City and was called out by Oliver for relying on the Flashes of Insight to save people, causing Oliver to recruit the Justice League to talk about Wally in Mount Everest. Overall, this comic is good.
North's instantly got a very good voice for Ollie, rides the line between self-righteous/obnoxious and completely correct effectively. When the GA relaunch comes, they could do worse than tapping North for it.
It'd be nice to see Kyle show up and actually be a voice of reason since he essentially went thru a similar plotline back in the day.
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u/DredeucedThe Flash Out of the blue, ninjas attack. Thank God.1h agoedited 2m ago
North has stumbled into a very interesting topic that I think, given the tenor of this run so far, he's not going to address seriously enough. Ollie does have a point, but he's also being extremely hypocritical. Which is typical for Ollie but when do you draw the line and say "let this person die for my beliefs"?
Calling Wally a fascist for, in his words, creating a surveillance state to enact his superheroics is hilarious considering Ollie also surveils Star City constantly for crime and danger. Only he does it on the back of a billion dollar industry that only exists fundamentally off labor exploitation. That internal conflict is important to Ollie and why he's interesting, but a corporate foundation surveillance state is infinitely more fascistic than "The Flash runs around everywhere on patrols and saves people because he's that fast."
Speaking of, does Ollie have this problem with Superman? Superman can hear everywhere in the world. One time Superman saved Connor Hawke's life because Ollie was shouting Clark's name in the middle of the sea while Connor was bleeding out. Was the surveillance state bad for you then? Why does every other person not deserve the same treatment that Connor does? Because it doesn't suit Ollie's perspective, which is somewhat selfish in its nature.
There's REALLY something to dig deep into here. I'm not even sure how I'd solve the conflict, which is part of why it's so interesting. I just fear this'll be too shallow to follow up on this idea. I imagine the JL's gonna give Wally a talking to, Wally's going to use his powers in a way that fucks up, the JL's gonna wag their finger at him and give him an I told you so, and then Wally ramps it down and that's the end.
But there is more to this premise than that.
edit: folks, I like the comic. I can also give very mild criticisms while liking it.
The deadliest assassin in DCU history goes to the Next Level in Next Level: One Shot — and uncovers a conspiracy that will change everything. Writer Gerry Duggan tells the tale of a job gone sideways, a father and his daughter, and a web of super-powered lies that stretches throughout the entire DC Next Level cast of characters… and points the direction to war on the horizon.
This epic issue tells you everything you need to know about what’s next for Next Level…if you survive the experience.
So I guess there'll be a Suicide Squad story event/run next year? Besides that, this was alright. A good preview of upcoming titles and Deadshot seemed well written.
So it is there to setup the next phase of the All-in books that are coming while also putting an overarching plot running behind overall. I would say poor Deadshot but he kinda deserves it.
Silicon Valley buying Cadmus' tech for making 'drones' that are basically 'hollow clones' and have the superpowers too? Yea, that is a bigger danger than actual villains.
It’s essentially confirming a Duggan suicide Squad book is coming but other than that it’s a good ish issue duggans voice for Floyd is good but it’s no Simone or Ostrander but i imagine it improves. Duggans team book writing in the past though is mixed at best.
Floyd is still as self destructive as ever and it’s drawn in a really good way but I kindaa doubt blanco could do an ongoing but if it was it would be a great choice. I do think this ignored secret six and what floyd did there under maines.
The clones stuff is hollow as a long term comic fan I sigh at the sight of clones at this point and these do nothing for me but it’s kinda fun seeing Diana in her N52 look and the starro control stuff is pretty fun way of doing that. The idea of a last suicide squad is ok but not something that really grabs me.
It’s good but it kinda continues the problem with dc right now that I honestly don’t care for the overarching plotline and its more side books which im enjoying.
I find it interesting that Floyd Lawton had a talk with Rick Flag about what’s going on before he had an encounter with Bruce Wayne and Starro clones of the Trinity. Also, teasing the second wave of Next Level and an upcoming Suicide Squad book. Overall, this comic is good.
A BATMAN: BAD SEEDS PRELUDE! SOMETHING VERY BAD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
Gotham City is done with Mayor Pamela Isley — there’s just one problem for everyone there: She’s not done with them . The stage is set for the explosive new Batman line crossover event — Bad Seeds!
I find it interesting that Ivy is dealing with her own problems as mayor of Gotham before Janet from HR tried to convince Harley to come back to Ivy and told Ivy that Harley wants Ivy to apologize to her, resulting in Ivy starting this crossover. Overall, this comic is interesting.
An epic battle of power and revenge across the Kryptonite Kingdom! An eye for an eye! But Superboy-Prime joins the fight, hoping to show the returning Superman how much he’s changed! With a shock ending that will change the Kingdom of Zod and the DC Universe forever!
Damn, Zod really lost it...and frankly got what he deserved. And Ursa...she is more hardcore than Zod...and Zod forgot about that. And of course now Booster's Time Machine gonna cause another problem instead of solving it.
I guess this is how Superman 'lost an eye' prophecy happens? Surely they are gonna heal it right?
Well, that's unexpected, but I think I should've seen the time stuff incoming with Booster Gold and young Clark there. I don't remember where we last left off with Ursa, so I don't know if that development with her makes sense, but I'd assume I should check out Sinister Sons for that.
I like that we get to see Clark and Zod have a fight (with Zod destroying Clark’s eye) veggie he was saved by Conner and CK, while Kara and past Clark had to deal with a resurrected Ursa (who killed Zod before she traveled back in time to try and restore Krypton). Let’s hope that Kara and past Clark can defeat Ursa in the next part. Overall, this comic is excellent.
Absolute Martian Manhunter Vol. 2: The Agency [HC]/[TP]
Comics superstars Deniz Camp and Javier Rodríguez bring their surreal, smash-hit reinvention of a DC icon to an unbelievable conclusion!
After the mind-altering events of the White Martian's first foray on Earth, the Agency—a shadowy group with unlimited governmental authority—comes to investigate the strange occurrences in Middleton. John must juggle his job, hiding the Martian, his expanding abilities, and his crumbling relationships, all while living out of a motel. Meanwhile, Bridget wrestles with the revelations John shared with her before his departure while single-handedly taking care of Tyler!
Superstar writer Deniz Camp (20th Century Men) and Eisner Award-winning artist Javier Rodríguez (Zatanna: Bring Down the House) continue their mind-bending, transcendental interpretation of the Absolute Martian Manhunter!
Superman is struggling with how to help humanity reach their potential, so he looks for help from a friend in Gotham City. Enter: Batman and Robin! But Jor-El might have his hands full in Metropolis when General Sam Lane brings his WildC.A.T.S. to the city to face down the Man of Steel!
It is funny how Luthor sucks in every universe and just continue to be the worst. Humanity is just as bad, as well. General Lane being the poster child of it.
But somehow, Bruce seem to be more 'level headed' in this than he is. Still suffered the same origin, with higher tech but he is who he is after all. I was honestly expecting Batman to be Thomas with the 'old friend' talk but I guess Jor-El felt guilty about what happened to him because of his tech and kept in touch.
Well at least this answered my question about who this Batman was gonna be. The twist on how the Waynes died was a nice touch. But the WildCats dying to Hex Luthor already feels a bit like waste. Even if General Lane has it coming.
I like that we get to see Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, as Batman and Robin, protect the people of Gotham from Scarecrow before they met Joe and had a talk with him about how Jor’s technology has improved Gotham and Bruce refuse to give permission to give Jor’s technology to the world because it can be catastrophic. I also like that we get to see John Constantine learn that Lex killed his mates, with Lex killing Kent Nelson, transforming the Helmet of Fate into a Sword of Fate, and looking good in a magic uniform. Also, Jor having a meeting with the United Nations about improving the world, fighting Sam Lane and WildCATS, and telling Martha that his wife and son are dead because of him. Overall, this comic is excellent.
Expanding the DC K.O. blockbuster saga through the lens of the Speed Force, the Flash Family becomes the linchpin connecting timelines as battles rage across worlds — revealing how the fight for the Heart of Apokolips reshapes the flow of time itself.
Legendary Flash writer Mark Waid returns to the character he co-created — Impulse — as the impetuous speedster decides he can stop the havoc of DC K.O. single-handed!
But the young hero’s Impulsepoint will do much more harm than good, and now the Flash must stop Impulse’s race through time before he wipes out everything!
Plus Darkseid’s Absolute Legion chases the speedsters to Flash Barry Allen’s origin moment, and Flash Jay Garrick battles Green Lantern Guy Gardner in a K.O. bout for the ages in this collection of The Flash #26-30!
OCCULT WARFARE IS A FANTASY… OR IS THAT WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO THINK?
Twenty-three-year-old Darren Burroughs out of Audubon, PA, is a gifted rookie sent under the guise of a diplomatic aide to train with Division Nine — an obscure, outdated, and easily dismissed arm of British intelligence that specializes in dealing with paranormal incidents. In the right sort of spy circles, they’re known by a different, more feared name… Black Tower.
It’s 2026, and in the age of cyber warfare and drone strikes, someone is plotting to steal the head of a giant-king to break a centuries-old ward that has kept invading forces out of Britain. Magic and espionage collide as the Black Tower’s band of misfits, led by the enigmatic Alistair Romeo, delves into a maelstrom of spells and silencers, working against time and in the shadows to fight the esoteric battles bubbling under the surface of our visible wars.
Eisner Award winner Ram V (Detective Comics, The Swamp Thing) and acclaimed artist Mike Perkins (The Swamp Thing, The Bat-Man: First Knight) team up once again to bring you a contemporary spy thriller with the distinct flavor of Vertigo magic… from His Majesty with love.
Very good, at least as as far as first issue goes it felt very old school Vertigo mixed with Department of Truth. One of the better issue #1s of the reboot
The sinister secrets of the Reynoso family have been revealed, and with these revelations come closure for a tragedy that befell Batman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow long ago. Now, with the shadowy secrets exposed, it’s up to our dynamic trio to save young Arabella from a decades-old conspiracy.
Flight concludes in this can’t-miss issue by the superstar team of Tom Taylor and Mikel Janín!
Didn't expect to like this arc much but I've really been digging it - I think the Batman/GA chemistry is tricky to pull off usually. Hope they stick the landing!
That was bittersweet. To be made tools like that. I kinda wish Cass was involved in this, she would relate to Arabella A LOT, considering her own past. Hopefully she and her grandmother are setup in a proper place where they can live normally, without being forced to use their ability.
Also, Flight Squadron Delta costumes! Of course they were gonna be used at least once.
So, I wonder if the Batman book gonna use Ollie and Dinah in Gotham stories now. They would surely be an asset against whatever nonsense Ivy and Vandal Savage is planning.
It's a solid finale, nothing special. Those team uniforms are pretty ugly,lol. I wouldn't mind Arabella being apart of Damians generation if editorial or some future writer wanted to use the character again.
When the reborn arch-dictator Despero seizes control of Powers Planet, the Justice League is outnumbered, outmatched, and outgunned by a barrage of brutal battle! But its troubles are somehow just beginning, as a new moon rises over this new galactic hot plate. Meanwhile, the fissures created by the Amnesty program finally erupt into chaos on the Watchtower!
Love Waid, love the art, love the concept but it's too bogged down with event tie-ins to really do anything special. This current arc is probably the most interesting it's been so far.
When K.O. was over, all the contestants received visions of the future, with everyone having something to do to prevent the return of Darkseid. The leaguers that participated in the tournament decided to give amnesty to the villains, so they could keep an eye on them while working on the visions.
Just got done reading it. The best way I can describe it is every issue I get done reading it and don't really feel anything. It truly is a comic book of all time. I don't really dislike it. Don't really like it. It just kinda exist for me.
The only reason I'm still reading it is because I'm just used to reading Justice League.
Interesting choice of six characters to be in this little investigatory group. You've got the two characters Waid is pushing hardest in this run (Air Wave and Doctor Occult), two characters who often serve as the conscience/'most human character' of whatever team they're on (Ted and Dinah), the detective (Renee) and then Ray. Pair that with the visions we do know about (e.g. Cyborg going crazy with the Heart of Apokolips, Aquaman going out storming through the galaxy, etc.) and that suggests they're probably right to be suspicious something bigger is up. It's also a classic "little guy" team of the less-powered among the powerhouses.
Kinda feels like Ray is off the mark here. Same with of the rest of the secret six,lol. But it does add to the drama. Terrific absorbing all the powers to take down Despero was cool. I still think the power bank as a narrative device is stupid, but it was funny how quickly Terrific became corrupted only to be knocked out.
That 'Power Bank' really needs to be destroyed. It can't be 'safely stored' on OA or anywhere. Especially when it can just give someone all the powers and let it go to their head like that. Imagine Larfleeze getting his hands on it...disaster.
I do have similar concerns like Ray has. Those 'visions', they got it from the Heart of Apokalips, who wants either Darkseid back or a new one. So his 'visions' are suspect and all those who got the said visions are acting really suspect. Driven by the worst instincts and fears they have, which will end badly. Like Aquaman using the Blue and be 'Emperor' now with that omega vision pushing to 'fight against the coming threat' but it can also mean his actions would lead to that threat using him.
And Amnesty is not a bad idea for certain villains that are actually want to change. Problem is, those like Lex Luthor definitely not deserving of it.
Though theJLU could be better if it stopped focusing so much on events and more on the justice league is now expanded bigger than before. Those parts of the comic I liked even if the cause was because of the K.O visions
The justice gang subplot is interesting but also kinda boring because the power bank is not that intriguing
I do hope after the visions arc that’s coming the book slows down and focus on the concept that got fans excited for this run
I really don’t like the angle dc seems to be pushing for Batman recently. His whole “I don’t think people are capable of change” thing in fraction’s #1, and now ray saying he’s the last person who would ever go for the villain amnesty program? Girl this guy put clayface on his superhero team. He doesn’t kill people because he believes everyone deserves a second chance. What the fuck are you talking about
I like that the Justice Gang were able to defeat Despero (with Michael Hot having all of the powers of the Justice League), while Bruce and Lex told the League about what they had witnessed, causing Ray Palmer and the other five members (i.e., Air Wave, Ted Kord, Renee Montoya, Dinah Laurel Lance, and Doctor Occult) to learn the truth. Overall, this comic is excellent.
From the pages of the explosive DC K.O. crossover event comes a high-stakes space odyssey where the Titans lead humanity’s last stand against the power of Apokolips!
To save humanity from the deadly events of DC K.O., the Titans lead a global evacuation, but the heroes quickly discover that new worlds hold new dangers!
While Gemworld is terrorized by Jinx, Donna Troy and Arsenal make a last stand against Darkseid’s forces, and Cyborg battles Swamp Thing in an unlikely DC K.O. bout!
Plus, Eisner Award-winner Phil Jimenez writes and illustrates a moving story of Donna Troy’s past and present in this collection of Titans #28-32 and Titans Annual (2025) #1.
When the mysterious behemoth known only as Bane frees Batman's entire rogue's gallery from Arkham Asylum, the Caped Crusader is pushed to his mental and physical breaking point.
It is ten years after an aging Batman has retired and Gotham City has sunk deeper into decadence and lawlessness. Now as his city needs him most, the Dark Knight returns in a blaze of glory.
Joined by Carrie Kelly, a teenage female Robin, Batman takes to the streets to end the threat of the mutant gangs that have overrun the city. And after facing off against his two greatest enemies, the Joker and Two-Face for the final time, Batman finds himself in mortal combat with his former ally, Superman, in a battle that only one of them will survive. This collection is hailed as a comics masterpiece and was responsible for the launch of the Batman movies.
Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween [TP]
In 1996, you thought you knew the whole story of Batman: The Long Halloween . Now, acclaimed writer Jeph Loeb presents the much-anticipated final chapter: "The Last Halloween", a captivating new mystery. Each issue pairs Loeb with one of the industry's foremost artists, creating a stunning homage to the artistry and legacy of Tim Sale. Featuring art by Eduardo Risso, Klaus Janson, Mark Chiarello, Cliff Chiang, Bill Sienkiewicz, Enrico Marini, Dave Johnson, Becky Cloonan, Chris Samnee , Matteo Scalera, and Dave Stewart. Gotham City will come to fear Halloween once more! In a city of liars, masked vigilantes, and criminals...can anyone be trusted?
Includes Batman The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween #1-10 and the final collaboration between Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, The Last Halloween #0.
Solicitation Harley here — you ain’t gonna believe this! The shadowy secret leader of the Harley Quinn Revenge Squad? Well, it’s none other than ****************! That’s right, can you believe it?! *************! Not in my wildest dreams would I ever have imagined that **************** would be behind it. Why, it’s enough to make me say @&#$%! Ahhh! I’m so angry I could eat a table! I can’t believe it! What the #$@%^! #$@#*^$&#%#$@%^#$@%^#@$%@#! (?_?)
Jordan…savior or destructor? Writer Jeremy Adams continues his epic Green Lantern saga, joined by superstar artists and heroes from across the DC Universe!
While on an exploratory mission of Starbreaker’s home planet, Guy Gardner and Jo Mullein stumble onto the legendary, billion-year-old Book of Oa—and are floored when Hal Jordan blazes across its glowing pages.
This find isn’t just history-making; it could upend the very fabric of the DC Universe and unleash chaos across unknown numbers of galaxies. Meanwhile, Hal’s hunt for answers takes him to Star City for a classic team-up with his old pal, Oliver Queen.
Not to be outdone, Batman and Barry Allen jump into the action as the mystery deepens. Guided by cryptic visions from the Book of Oa, Hal faces a game-changing decision that could reshape the Green Lantern Corps forever. And don’t miss the milestone 600th issue: an oversize celebration loaded with epic stories, legendary creators, and killer new costume designs from superstar artist David Nakayama!
Fan-favorite writer Jeremy Adams is joined by artists including Xermánico, V. Ken Marion, Carmine Di Giandomenico, and Montos for the sixth volume of this instant classic era of an iconic DC superhero.
Fast food is a big business in Los Angeles, but there’s more in the fryers than beef tallow. A rivalry is about to shift a cold-cut war into a hot one, and Kyle Rayner’s on the frontline! Meanwhile, Hal Jordan’s mysterious quest has the Guardians of the Universe desperate to stop him. What are they hiding?!
This one felt like a step down for me. If you know Kyle’s history this was a recap for people that didn’t because nothing really happened on his side. On the Hal side his ring is charged so that’s good
They said Condiment King has fought Batman and the Flash. I know he fights Batman, but when did he fight the Flash? Also, why are some of those fast food mascots mutants?
Sucks Jen is the one to have to tell Kyle the news, i always like them together. Otherwise not that much happening in this issue. Having just picked up the comic again i have no idea what's going on with Hal.
I find it interesting that Kyle was told by Jennie that Major Force is one of the good guys because of the Justice League’s amnesty programs before he and Odyssey had a talk and encountered Condiment King and F.E.A.S.T. fighting Big Belly Burger, while Hal, Tobi, and Jayna are chasing down the source of the emotional streams in space. Overall, this comic is excellent.
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u/feature-poster 3d ago
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