The Sense Of Wonderment Is The Key

Superman: Secret Origin tpb
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Gary Frank and Jon Sibal, artists

When this miniseries debuted, I was still of a mind to try anything and everything I might possibly like (if I could afford it). My thoughts at the time and for a few years prior were that, sure, I would end up buying some stinkers, but I would miss far fewer gems. In the interest of saving some money, however, I would often try to trade-wait limited series such as this one rather than buy the individual issues. Then, once the trade for this series was solicited, I had shifted my mindset to reflect my new conservative attitude toward buying. I don't necessarily intend to keep every single issue or trade I buy now, some will still be sold, either because I don't ultimately care for them or because they were good, but not likely to be reread so why take up space by keeping them, but I'm definitely buying a lot fewer books these days. So I almost didn't buy this trade. Do I really need another retelling of the origin and early days of Superman? Even folks who don't read comics know that basic story, right?

I'm glad I decided to take a chance on this one anyway. Johns and Frank had a solid run on Adventures of Superman prior to this series coming out, and it was partially on the strength of those issues that I took a chance here. And they didn't let me down.

Johns skips over the parts of the story most people can quote verbatim, instead focusing on key moments in Clark Kent's early childhood -- re-establishing his time as Superboy into the character's continuity along the way -- and debut in Metropolis. And there's something about the way Johns handles the character that brings out the sense of wonder at someone discovering he can fly and deflect bullets and help people. This book and Johns' characterization of not only Superman, but the other characters around him, help the reader rediscover what it was like to be a kid and enjoy such adventures from that perspective. From Clark's first learning of his true origins, learning to cope with his emerging powers, his first encounters with Lex Luthor and the Legion of Super-Heroes to his first day at the Daily Planet and his public debut in costume -- this book is pure fun and wonder.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that Frank's art is nice to look at, too, but I especially love the way both his depictions of Clark Kent and Superman are modeled on Christopher Reeve, the true Superman of my generation. I've enjoyed old episodes of "The Adventures of Superman" with George Reeves, and the more modern "Lois & Clark" with Dean Cain and "Smallville" with Tom Welling, but I was 11 when "Superman the Movie" debuted, and Christopher Reeve is "my" Superman brought to life. It doesn't hurt that this character looks and feels like him.

One Great Story, One Long Greek Tragedy

The Manara Library Vol. 1 hardcover
Dark Horse Books
Hugo Pratt, writer
Milo Manara, artist
***mature content warning***

This volume contains two stories: Indian Summer and The Paper Man. Of the two, the much shorter Paper Man is the better. Indian Summer is not bad because of its length. In fact, it's not a bad story at all. I just prefer the secondary tale.

Indian Summer opens with two young braves spotting a lone white girl along the beach in Colonial times. The youths assault the girl, and afterward begin to frolic together in the ocean. A third young man comes upon the scene, and deducing what has happened, shoots and kills both of the young Indians. Feeling himself a hero, this young man gives the girl back her torn clothing, kisses her despite her protests, and decides to take her back home where his mother will know what to do next. Almost this entire opening scene takes place without dialogue.

What follows is a tale of Puritan America, hypocrisy, incest, sexual and physical violence, friends attacking friends only to go along with peers -- it is NOT a happy story by any stretch of the imagination. A story doesn't have to be happy for me to enjoy it, and certainly the subject matter would seem to preclude happiness, but I just didn't care for this tale. None of the huge cast of characters is really very likable. This reader, at least, was left feeling pity and contempt for most of them rather than empathy.

The Paper Man is also set in Frontier America. It also is not a very happy story. But this tale, unlike the first one, has moments of whimsy that override the sadness. The title character is a young man traveling through Arizona on his way to Canada. Along the way, he happens across first a lone British soldier seemingly still wrapped up in the Revolutionary War, and a young Sioux woman charged with some unspecified crime. Circumstances throw these three travelers together again and again despite attempts to go their separate ways, and the reader feels their growing affection for each other along the journey in spite of their various protestations. These characters, I developed an affection and appreciation for.

I hope to get the other volumes in the Manara series because his art is very good, but this first volume was a bit uneven for my tastes.

Now It's Her Turn To Suffer A Broken Heart

Black Widow: Web of Intrigue hardcover
Marvel Comics
various writers and artists

This is another collection of Black Widow tales from Marvel Comics, but not necessarily all-inclusive. This volume contains the four-part Black Widow story from Marvel Fanfare Nos. 10-13, a black-and-white Widow tale from Bizarre Adventures magazine No. 25, and the Black Widow graphic novel, The Coldest War.

The Marvel Fanfare series in its original printing was my first exposure to the character. The tale is very convoluted but nicely told by co-writers Ralph Macchio and George Perez. The art in this four-parter is also by Perez, so you know it's highly detailed and very gorgeous. The two creators pit Natasha against a succession of villains and assassins, much of it playing on her relationship with her companion and father-figure, Ivan.

The black-and-white tale is more a straight-forward espionage tale as befits Marvel's magazine content from the time period, which was often geared for an older audience. Natasha wears her trademark skintight bodysuit, but she is the only costumed individual in the story which is otherwise populated by uniformed soldiers and trenchcoated spies and double-agents.

The Coldest War is a tour of the Black Widow's past, bringing her former husband, the Red Guardian, back into the mix while also focusing on her former relationships with other costumed heroes Hawkeye and Daredevil. Ultimately, the resurrection of Natasha's husband is not quite what it seemed, and the Widow is once again left alone at the end of the tale.

Overall, this hardcover was a nice return visit to a tale I enjoyed several years ago, and a chance to read two tales I hadn't previously been exposed to. I'm glad I had a chance to read them, but there was little here that made me think I would revisit these stories any time soon again.

Good, Just Not What I Was Expecting

Unknown/Unknown: The Devil Made Flesh trades
BOOM! Studios
Mark Waid, writer
Minck Oosterveer, artist

I'm on a Mark Waid kick, I guess. This is the third and fourth series by him I've read recently. But man, can that man write some truly intriquing, interesting characters!

I happened upon a 10-page preview of the initial Unknown either in some other book I was reading or maybe online somewhere. That preview introduced the situation and two main characters for this four-issue series originally published in 2010. There's Catherine Allingham, a world-famous detective known for her keen ability to crack "unsolvable" cases. We also learn quickly that she is being "haunted" by hallucinations. And we learn that the cause of those hallucinations is an inoperable tumor, which prompts Allingham to hire James Doyle to assist her with what she believes will be her last case. We see Doyle's powers of observation and his own considerable deductive skills at work when he busts a co-worker for stealing from his "friends," which is what impresses Allingham enough to hire Doyle on the spot.

After all that, I wanted to read more, and seeing Oosterveer's fantastic art on those preview pages only sweetened the deal. I've never heard of him prior to this series, but the man draws real pretty. Yet, his work has a down-to-earth quality I thought worked well with what I believed to be a grounded story much like Waid's earlier Potter's Field.

Now, in all fairness, on the very first page of the book (and the preview I'd seen), we see one of Allingham's hallucinations, and the guy she is seeing can only be described as creepy looking, vaguely vampire-like, but definitely something of a supernatural nature. That likely should have been my tipoff that things might not stay as grounded as I was expecting, but it didn't. Allingham wakes up to see this figure calmly sitting by her bed, watching her sleep. She stares at him for a beat, neither saying a word. Then she takes a few pills from a bottle on her nightstand, swallows them, and the guy fades away. Straight-up hallucination is what I thought. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

As it turns out, however, I should have read more into that hallucination. The unknown of the title refers to the afterlife, and Allingham's determination to find out what awaits her after death before she reaches that point naturally. So there is a DEFINITE supernatural element to this story. Now, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can be quite a good thing in some stories. And I in no way mean to imply that this is a bad story. But I went in expecting a grounded-in-reality story and didn't get that. SO I WAS a tad disappointed.

I was so certain I would like the story, however, based on the 10-page preview, that I didn't just buy the trade collection of Unknown, but also the follow-up trade, Unknown: The Devil Made Flesh, which opens with Doyle trying to land a job in Italy. One year has passed since the first arc, but it quickly is made obvious that Doyle has little memory of Allingham or their adventure together. When chance reunites the pair, it is also clear Allingham has no memory of Doyle, either. What's more, she is still alive and kicking despite her inoperable tumor, and is telling a new acquaintance that she has been given six months to live. Obviously, another adventure follows, this one even more steeped in the supernatural than the previous one. Again, not a bad story at all, but not what I was initially expecting from this series.

Put these down as definitely worth a read, but mildly disappointing due to my own LACK of observation skills, I guess.

Be Careful: She'll Break Your Heart

Black Widow: The Sting of the Widow hardcover
Marvel Comics
various writers and artists

This volume collects some of the earliest appearances of Marvel's Back Widow, Natasha Romanova. In fact, these are so early in her career, the character still doesn't even have a last name by the end of this volume, still being referred to in her civillian identity as simply Madame Natasha.

The Widow's first appearance, facing off against Iron Man from the pages of Tales of Suspense No. 52, is the lead-off story in this collection. This volume is not for completists, however, as the next story included is Amazing Spider-Man No. 86, wherein the Widow first adopts her modern costume. The intervening adventures for the character are summed up in a text piece, but one gets the idea this involves several years' worth of guest appearances in many Marvel books.

Following her appearance in Amazing Spider-Man, the Black Widow moved to headlining Marvel's Amazing Adventures comic with the Inhumans. The first eight issues of that title's Black Widow stories are included, followed by her guest-appearance in Daredevil No. 81, which is the last adventure reprinted here.

Overall, these stories depict a Black Widow who goes from villainous Russian saboteur to immigrant-American superheroine and espionage agent. She is a very competent fighter employing martial arts skills along with her trademark Widow's sting and weblines. She tackles some villains along with a few social injustices, as comics of this time period sometimes did, but there is a heavy soap opera quality that is also present in comics from this time period which starred a female lead. That melodramatic quality might detract for some, but overall this is a solid read for anyone curious about the beginnings of the Black Widow character.

It's All About Character

Potter's Field
BOOM! Studios
Mark Waid, writer
Paul Azaceta, artist

This is another series that passed below my radar when it first came out in 2007, but I've since heard good things about the three-issue series, and I've come to appreciate the writing of Mark Waid whether it is on iconic company-owned characters or his own creations. Finally managed to get my hands on copies of the individual issues earlier this year and enjoyed this series enough to hope BOOM! produces more at some point.

The title of this series refers to the generic term given to cemeteries where unnamed individuals are buried. Many big cities will have a community burial spot for unidentified bodies never claimed by family or other survivors.

The central character, about whom little is known, is simply called John Doe by those few who know of him. For unknown reasons, he makes it his mission to identify these unnamed dead, giving survivors a sense of closure but also giving the dead the respect that comes with not dying anonymously, unmourned.

Through his various investigations, John Doe comes into contact with many people, some of whom might have skills which can aid him in the future, so he maintains "contacts" with a select few. One of these associates inadvertently divulges some of the mystery man's secrets, allowing a living client for the first time to reach out to Jon Doe for help.

This title is populated by some truly fascinating characters. I guess that is one of the appeals I find in Waid's writing. The man creates some truly interesting, layered individuals who are engaging to read about.

All About The Gotcha!

Empire 1-2/1-6
Image Comics/DC Comics
Mark Waid, writer
Barry Kitson, artist
***mature content warning***

I don't know the entire history of this title, but it debuted from Image Comics in 2000 and saw two issues published before disappearing. I first heard of the series in 2003 when DC Comics agreed to publish the limited series by the popular writer/artist team. DC released a special 0 issue which reprinted the earlier Image books, and then completed the series as a six-issue mini. I bought the six new DC issues, but preferred to hunt down the original two from Image for the beginning of the story and recently reread this series while in the process of trying to winnow down my enormous collection to a more manageable size.

This series holds up to multiple readings and will continue to take up space in my collection; it's just that good.

The basic concept of a major villain winning the day and taking control of the planet is not a new concept. Many writers and artists both in and out of comics have tackled the premise before to varying degrees of success. Even series co-creator and writer Mark Waid has mined this popular concept in his current BOOM! title Irredeemable, which I also enjoy.

I just find Empire to be a step above in originality and surprise factor. Because the core concept has been done so many times, it is easy to fall into cliche and that much harder to surprise readers with story developments. But Waid is operating on all cylinders with Golgoth and crew and produces some truly great twists. There are several developments which were perfectly foreshadowed in retrospect but which nevertheless caught me off-guard on first reading. I won't reveal them here to preserve the shock value, but seek out this series, if you've never read it before. Waid's writing and Kitson's gorgeous art make it well worth a look!

Anticipation Is Making Me Wait

Elephantmen Vol. 4: Questionable Things
Collects issues 24-30 and more
Image Comics
Richard Starkings, writer
various artists
***mature content warning***

I first tried and reviewed Elephantmen here. This is still a great book, that's why I'm still buying it four humongous trades in. Rather than spoil details from this collection, I'm gonna discuss these wonderful trades in general.

I started out with the trades because I was coming into this series late. I've stuck with the trades because it is always hard to know when to start picking up single issues to avoid duplication until you know what the next trade will contain, and by then, it is too late to order some of the singles in between.

Some potential buyers might be put off by the higher price tag that comes with these Elephantmen trades. They typically run $24.99 retail, whereas most other trade collections run between $12.99 to $18.99, depending on how many issues are included and how popular the title. The thing to remember is, these Elephantmen trades tend to be four or five times as big as the average trade, typically containing an average of seven or eight complete issues of the regular series and tons of extras like sketches, behind-the-scenes notes and more. Seriously, these things are huge, so you are actually getting more bang for your buck with these trades than with most others.

That means the only real drawback to buying this series in trade is the slightly longer than normal release time between trades because of how much content each one contains. But again, they are worth the wait.

Strolling Down Memory Lane

Captain America & Bucky 622-625
Marvel Comics
Ed Brubaker and Marc Andreyko, writers
Chris Samnee, artist

These are the final three issues of this arc looking back at the history of Bucky's partnership with Captain America and continuing through some revelations about his time as the Winter Soldier. This book continues the numbering from the previous Captain America series and is featuring rotating co-writers with Ed Brubaker and rotating artists for each arc.

This look back at Bucky's history isn't so much an everything-you-know-is-wrong retcon as comics are somewhat notorious for. Rather, Brubaker and Andreyko craft several solo stories narrated by the modern Bucky about his past relationships with Cap, the Invaders and Black Widow, among others, which serve to flesh out the character -- especially his current incarnation as created by Brubaker -- and add some welcome depth to Bucky's backstory. Nothing here contradicts what has come before, but rather adds to the mythology, building on what other creators have done.

That isn't a new idea; in fact, it's a convention that is quite popular now (and much appreciated by this longtime fan). Comics don't always get credit for building on what has gone before, but when done right, these kinds of stories give continuity a good name.

Well done, all!

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On a housekeeping note, I think the Tuesday/Friday schedule is working well enough that I want to add a third post each week. Sunday would seem to be the next natural day to add, so check back here this Sunday for another all-new post in addition to the ones on Tuesday and Friday. Hope to see you then!

Plumbing The Depths

Aquaman 1-4
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, artists

This was the title I saved for last because it was going to hold the least surprises. I get too much Aqua-info from almost daily visits to Rob Kelly's Aquaman Shrine (and am typically behind enough in my reading) that sitting down with these four books brought little new information. They've all already been reviewed on the Shrine.

That doesn't mean these four books weren't a joy to read. Johns "gets" Aquaman in a way true fans have always appreciated the character. What's more, with his writing, Johns is not just showing why Aquaman isn't just a lame hero who talks to fish; he's taking those jabs and dealing with them head-on by including them in his narrative. This is a hero who lives in a world where many common folk DO think Aquaman is a joke and aren't shy about telling him that to his face. And Aquaman gets back at them not by fuming or shouting, but by showing them just how awesome and inspirational he can be.

Johns is crafting some truly original, highly imaginative stories that still manage to incorporate what other creators have done and build upon that foundation, much as he has done with other characters in recent years. It's no wonder Johns is the chief creative officer at DC. And Reis and Prado are doing simply beautiful work illustrating what Johns is writing.

If you aren't picking up this book, do yourself a favor and get it in back issues or trade. You'll be glad you did.

There's Promise, But Just Not Quite Enough

Teen Titans 1-4
DC Comics
Scott Lobdell, writer
Brett Booth, artist

This was another title that DC made pretty easy for me to drop.

The New 52 version of Red Robin/Tim Drake isn't too far removed from his characterization from before Flashpoint, but then, I think Tim/Red Robin was being written a little too dark, brooding and bossy -- a little too Batman at his worst portrayals -- for my tastes both in his own book and some of those later pre-New 52 Teen Titans issues. The new Wonder Girl/Cassie Sandsmark is just not likable at all, and the new Bart Allen/Kid Flash is Impulse-annoying at his worst. Add a Superboy regressed back into being a footsoldier for the bad guys, and the existing characters in this team aren't much of a draw for me.

The new characters introduced with the reboot show promise. Bunker is the only character who seems to have a sense of humor about anything, but he's also a bit too flamboyant for my tastes. I'm intrigued by Skitter and Solstice, but they're deliberately being kept mysterious at this point, so there's really not much draw in their promise, either.

Add to that the announcements (current at the time I read these four issues) of a major crossover between this book and two other existing titles I don't normally get which would lead into the creation of yet another tie-in title, and Teen Titans just seemed too expensive to follow for the very little bit of enjoyment the title was bringing me. This title got dropped before the pending crossover could begin. And if sales figures are an indicator, the new title springing out of the crossover, The Ravagers, is not doing so well.

The Man Of Steel Gets Pouty

Superman 1-4
DC Comics
George Perez, writer and breakdowns
Jesús Merino, pencils and inks (Nicola Scott, artist on issue No. 3)

We're back to being slightly underwhelmed with a title from DC's the New 52. These first four issues are not a complete story arc, and I confess I AM curious how the story will end, so in that regard, they've got me.

Unlike with the Frankenstein title discussed a few weeks ago, the art is not a problem this time out. Perez's covers are gorgeous, as one would expect from this longtime fan favorite artist. The same goes for the art from series regular Jesús Merino and fill-in artist Nicola Scott. This time, the problem is more the story, and to a lesser extent, the pacing.

When Perez reinvented Wonder Woman in 1986, his first turn as a writer and not just an artist, he took a great deal of time revealing the history of the Amazons and the Greek gods along with the tale of his main heroine, Princess Diana. He seems to be following a similar formula here. Perez is not dealing overly much with the history of Krypton, leaving that to his Action Comics counterparts, Grant Morrison and Rags Morales, who are detailing Superman's early career. Instead, Perez is focused on the tapestry of Metropolis, the Daily Planet and familiar faces like Perry White, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and of course, Clark Kent.

The difference is that the Wonder Woman story being told back in 1986 was engaging on all levels: the story was interesting, and the heroine was challenged by a threat she truly might not be able to overcome. In this tale, Superman is mysteriously confronted by a series of seemingly alien threats. I'm curious about the nature of the aliens and what their true goal is, but almost any hero could be substituted for Superman so far with only minor changes. Having Superman be an easily replacable character in his own book isn't a great way to engage a reader.

The other draw for New 52 books, of course, is how have things changed from the staus quo readers knew before the reboot. Most of the changes to Metropolis, the Daily Planet and familiar faces like Perry White, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are pretty minor so far. The only character greatly changed is Clark Kent, and he is no longer as easily likable, which can only hurt the title.

I'm just not feeling it with this book.

One To Beam Aboard

Star Trek Ongoing 1-3
IDW Publishing
Mike Johnson, writer
Stephen Molnar, artist

IDW has produced some great Star Trek comics since obtaining the license several years ago. This comic, set in the rebooted film universe, looks to be another fine addition to their catalog of Trek.

The first two issues of the series revisit events from the classic original series episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before," and the third issue begins a two-part re-examining of the events from the episode "The Galileo Seven." That doesn't mean these tales are simple re-tellings of events already played out. Keeping consistent with the premise of the J.J. Abrams movie from 2009, these tales incorporate some subtle and some not-so-subtle changes to what fans recall. And the art has just the right level of modeling the new actors' features one would expect from a property based on live-action television or film.

Of course, it would be nice to see these creators stretch and produce some completely original tales with these characters traveling a slightly different path than expected, but these initial three issues are a delight for long-time fans who can quote chapter and verse of what has gone before, and seem quite accessible and entertaining for someone new to the franchise.

Hitting The Ground Running

Nightwing 1-4
DC Comics
Kyle Higgins, writer
Eddy Barrows, artist

I'd been actually dreading this title quite a bit. I'd heard bad things about Green Arrow and had really low expectations going in, which likely helped me see the positives of that title. Aquaman, another favorite hero of mine, has gotten nothing but good press so far. So I'm anxious to read it and not nervous at all. Nightwing though, I haven't heard much about. I've always liked Dick Grayson, so I had high hopes for this book. But I don't care for the redesigned costume. I can live with it, but I prefer the previous version. I was afraid the same might be true of the story.

Well, the first story arc isn't quite over yet, but this is still MY Dick Grayson. I can see this character as being a slightly altered version of the one I've been reading for years, which is what I want from the New 52 when I already liked the character to begin with. Please, sir, just give me more of the same.

This has acrobatics, Haly's circus, a cameo by Barbara "Batgirl" Gordon, some sleuthing, some levity.
Kudos to the creative team of this series. Please, keep up the good work.

Two For the Price of One, But Both Disappointing

Catwoman 1-4
DC Comics
Judd Winick, writer
Guillem March, artist

Not much to say about this title. There have been some really good runs on Catwoman in recent years making her a solid headlining character in her own right and not just a Batman rogue. This series seems kind of like a step backward. I've liked Winick's writing on past titles, but he's rather disappointing here. There just doesn't seem to be much new territory here, and if all the title is going to do is rehash existing material, the first time around was often better.



Red Hood and the Outlaws 1-3
DC Comics
Scott Lobdell, writer
Kenneth Rocafort, artist

Another disappointing title. This one didn't even stay on my pull list for the fourth issue. I initially ordered the book for its ties to former Titans characters, but apparently only the names were being used. These two aren't the Arsenal and Starfire I know. I'd rather keep my untarnished memories of the past exploits of characters I enjoyed than try to find some semblance of those characters in these travesties.

All-Ages Honest-To-Goodness FUN!

Super Dinosaur 1-6, Origin Issue
Image Comics
Robert Kirkman, writer
Jason Howard, artist

This creative team was responsible for the 25-issue Astonishing Wolf-Man series which I very much enjoyed. They followed that title up with this one. The book follows the adventures of Derek Dynamo, a pretty brilliant young boy, his super-scientist dad, and his genetically altered tyrannosaurus Rex best friend. The T-Rex wears battle armor to enhance his natural, dino-fighting skills. There are other enhanced dinos, but they're some of the bad guys. So this series is all about fighting dinosaurs in battle armor. This is a truly fun book! Do you really need to know more?

He's the MONSTER; Frankenstein is the DOCTOR!

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. 1-4
DC Comics
Jeff Lemire, writer
Alberto P, artist

I don't like to ever call someone else's art bad. Even if I don't care for it, someone else may see merit and appreciate it, and even if no one does, odds are, the artist in question has done a much better job than I could've done. That said, this art is not for me. Especially when it is placed behind those gorgeous J.G. Jones covers this series features; that's what I would like the interiors of this book to look like.

I'm curious if this is a completely original take on the Frankenstein's monster character or if this version is based on the re-imagining of the character from Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers series. If the latter is true, I'm even more curious about finally checking out that series. So how about it, anyone out there who can give me an answer on this question?

Anyway, back to this title, I've always liked the concept of the Creature Commandos, and I liked the ideas used in the Flashpoint title which preceded this relaunch, Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown. I like some of the basic concepts presented here by writer Jeff Lemire and really want to follow this title. But that art is just ruining this book for me. I've been trying to make some cuts of late, and this title didn't survive the cut despite my wanting to enjoy it. Chalk it up to the art, at least in the case of this cut.

Great Setup; Uneven Follow-Through

Supreme Power (2011) 1-4
Marvel Max
Kyle Higgins, writer
Manuel Garcia, artist

The biggest problem with this limited series is its ending.

I first came to the concept of the Squadron Supreme with the 1985 12-part series from Marvel. The characters pre-date that limited series as occasional secondary characters in The Avengers and several other Marvel titles. Each of the various heroes on the team is a direct analogue of a member of the Justice League. A few years ago, the concept was rebooted as Supreme Power. The series ran for 18 issues, and then has had several follow-up limited series.

That initial reimagining by Gary Frank was very good, but some of the later series seemed to wander away from the core concepts a little too far. This series, focusing on Joe Ledger and Hyperion, returns the series to that core concept and is a very good read because of that fact and a marvelous story from Higgins. In fact, the only shortcoming of the series, as mentioned above, is the ending, or rather, the lack thereof. Obviously, this series is intended to lead right into another one, one which hasn't yet materialized almost two years later. That is a little disappointing.

Return of the Bat ... girl

Batgirl 1-4
DC Comics
Gail Simone, writer
Ardian Syaf and Vicente Cifuentes, artists

I've always liked the Barbara Gordon Batgirl, and I sincerely hope her book succeeds. Simone is a terrific writer who handled the character superbly as the brains behind the Birds of Prey team, and now that Barbara has been restored to her unassisted mobility, Simone is going gangbusters. Little detail has so far been given for how Barbara was healed and left her wheelchair behind, but the wheelchair history is not ignored, either.

Batgirl is again on the rooftops of Gotham City, enjoying the night, when she thwarts the plans of some thrill-seeking serial killers. While terrorizing a family, the killers freely admit they are breaking into homes, torturing and killing people, all for kicks. Batgirl interrupts the quartet's "fun," sending one of the thugs to the hospital. It is here that Batgirl first confronts the main villain of her debut DCnU adventure, a mysterious masked figure calling himself Mirror. His m.o. is to kill those who have cheated death somehow after first showing them their "true" face. Both the face of his mask and the inside of his dark cape seem to be constructed by shattered mirror fragments, reflecting back at his intended victims cracked visions of reality.

Between confrontations with Mirror and trying to track down his identity and motivations, Barbara sets herself up in a new apartment with a new roommate and a new post-Birds life that promises to be an interesting journey. And the art in this book is top notch. No complaints on that score this time out.

Batgirl is a keeper!

Fresh Face, But Same Attitude

Green Arrow 1-4
DC Comics
J.T. Krul, writer
Dan Jurgens and George Perez, artists

Now this is a book I can sink my teeth into.

I've read some complaints online that Green Arrow is leaving readers cold, but as a longtime fan of the character, I like this book, and I think it lives up to what I believe the DCnU is trying to do. The hero of this title is not the same archer I was reading about before the rebooted universe came into existence, so it is a new start for new readers looking for something fresh to latch onto. Having said that, though, there are quite a few similar traits in this Oliver Queen to not alienate a longtime fan such as myself with a character I can no longer feel a connection to.

This first arc introduces us to a young, confident Oliver Queen who has inherited Queen Industries from his father. But instead of having a young heir run what is likely a multi-billion dollar conglomerate of companies, Oliver heads the trendy gadget division Q-Core, which produces Q-phones and Q-pads and other high-tech toys for those who can afford them. Q-Core also secretly produces the special arrows and other devices Oliver uses in his covert work as a superhero, and a small team of creative types at Q-Core help the young adventurer create his arsenal of weapons and coordinate his costumed activities.

It makes sense that if GA really existed, he wouldn't be as effective operating completely alone, without the help of a team of support folks. And it is also more realistic that he would have a board of directors and numerous division heads over the various aspects of a real company such as Queen Industries.

Continuing that reality-based theme, this first arc pits GA against a gang of young, super powered villains who don't commit crimes so much for the monetary gain as for the celebrity they receive filming themselves committing crimes and terrorizing people, then posting those videos online. These individuals thrive on the ego-boost they receive from hits and views online.

I hear this is one of the books slated for some creative personnel changes in the near future. I hope I continue to like this book, because so far, for this fan, this one has not disappointed.