Action Comics #829
Writer: Gail Simone
Art: John Byrne and Nelson

Superman is really being put through his paces. Whoever is behinid the latest chain of events is really doing a number on Superman and those around him. First Superman is seeming to lose his self control and then the people who once trusted him are begining to look at him as something they should fear instead of trusted as they had for so long. Who is really behind the attacks on Superman and has it caused him to really lose control to the point of attacking one of his closest allies. Again, great work by the Byrne/Nelson art team.

Banana Sundays #1
Creators: Root Nibot & Colleen Coover

A great book for kids. This is the story of Kirby and her three primate pals (I know one is a monkey, but you get the drift) and their first trip to school. Why would Kirby be bringing these guys to school with her? Well that's because her father has done some experiments so they aren't just regular banana eaters. One, Chuck, is the brains of the outfit, smarter than most humans. Knobby, picked up his language skills from reading old Romance comics so he is always trying to make time with the ladies. Finally, there is Go-Go, the gorilla who is like a 20 watt bulb, not the brightest, but still above average. What is the secret behind these guys, Nickles the school newspaper reporter wants to find out.

Batman #642
Writer: Andersen Gabrych
Art: Chris Marrinan, Andrew Pepoy and Jock (cover)

Ah, Jervis what the heck were you thinking. Messing with the Croc will get you bitten. The Mad Hatter, on orders from Black Mask, has implanted one of his control devices in the head of Killer Croc. Normally not a problem, unless maybe Croc inadvertantly removed it, and found himself seeking revenge. Batman finds out about the implant and also has some deadly news for the Croc, will he be able to deliver it and save the Croc or even want to?

Breach #7
Writer: Bob Harras
Art: Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez


Breech must battle a group of rifters, two of whom are very familiar to him, but this familiarity could prove to be the thing that will cause him to fall. After a conflict of conscience, he figures out what he must do but can he in time? And when that battle is over, the challenge he next faces could very well be his last.

 

Desolation Jones #2
Writer: Warren Ellis
Art: J.H. Williams III

First off this book is not for kids, second it stinks. Now I feel that i have to qualify that a bit, since I am giving it 5 stars. This is the story of a former secret agent set in the near future in a community in Los Angeles that I can describe no better than a sort of internment camp for ex spooks. Why 5 stars? Well the mood of the art and the story are perfect matches, the story of Jones, who is trying to make a living despite being part of the Desolation experiment, which we have only been given hints about so far. This experiment has left him a "bit" diferent than he was before, but makes him well suited for wht he does. The compassion he shows towards Emily Crow, who normally can not be in the same room as other people due to the unfortunate outcome of her attempts to make her a better agent. Jones is the only one who can stand to share the same space with her, but he does not do it out of pity, but more of understanding the isolation she must feel. Why does the book stink? It's bi-monthly, but if the quality of this book continues, they could make it quarterly and I wouldn't complain about anything other than the wait.

Freshmen #1
Writer: Hugh Sterbakov
Art: Leonard Kirk, Troy Peteri and Rodolfo Migliari (cover)

Welcome to your first days at college, boy do we have soemthing in store for you. This book co-created by Seth Green of Robot Chicken (and some show about a vampire kiling chick), is a good start up issue for a series. It introduces all the characters and gives you a bit of their background so that by the time the tail end of the book and the change takes place, that seems to grant the characters their abilities, we have a good understanding for who they are. This book is off to a good start, it will be interestng to watch it grow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green Arrow #52
Writer: Judd Winick
Art: Tom Fowler, Rodney Ramos and James Jean (cover)



I swear this is the cover that was on the DC site, when I grabbed it. The actual one sports a cover by Cliff Chiang featuring Zantana and G.A. With their home destroyed and their identities appearing to be exposed, the Arrows take some special percautions in order to protect and watch over each other. The person they call, is the person who may actually have been part of the catalyst of the crisis before them. Who is behind the recent attack to their home and do they know their secret identities?

 

 

JLA #116
Writers: Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg
Art: Chris Batista and Mark Farmer; Rags Morales and Mark Farmer (cover)

The fallout from the secrets revealed in Identity Crisis continues. The JLA finally confronts Batman and admits to him what they had done to Dr. Light, the Secret Society and to him, and now there is a wedge driven between Batman and the JLA, that may never be repaired. Johns and Heinberg are crafitng a riviting tale of how much more damaging a betrayal can be when it comes from one's "friends". The question of how the Secret Society regained their memory is revealed on the last page, and from what I remember, the villian behind it, alone could bring about the end of the League.

Justice League Elite #12
Writer: Joe Kelly
Art: Doug Mahnke and Tom Nguyen

The Black Family reunion is not the kind of place I would want to be. Manchester and Vera Black have some serious sibling rivalry going on and if the Justice League Elite does not come together to help save Vera it could mean the end for everybody. Throw in a little intervention on the JLA's part and you have the exciting conclusion to this mini-series, that over all, I enjoyed. The story may have had its weaker parts, but because of the art team, I looked past it.

Little Star #3
Writer and Artist: Andi Watson

This is the continueing story of a father trying to make sure he makes the right decisions whenever it comes to his daughter and wife. This is not a flight of fancy type of story, it is more of a real life put into pictures, the simplicity and style of Watson's art actually helps to add to the emotional feel of the book.

 

 

Mnemovore #4
Writer: Hans Rodionoff & Ray Fawkes
Art: Mike Huddleston

The mystrery of the Mnemovore deepens, now it seems to have effected more poeple in Kaley's world while, Mike, after his encounter with the creature is up to more sinister purposes. First he converts his wife then his child and then seeks out the main creature behind the horror. And what does Kaley's grandmother have to do with the events taking place. This book has been a pleasant suprise.

 

 

 

New Avengers #7
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Steve McNiven, Mark Morales, and David Finch (cover)

Seven issues in and we still don't have the official formation of the team, plus there are two guys on the cover who are not members, one of them having not even appeared in the book yet. I don't know if this is intentional on Marvel's part as a tease or if it was a matter of this is one of those "Iconic Visions" they are so fond of. Either way, it still is a pretty decent image. Despite the shenanigans on the cover, the story inside is the first chapter of the Sentry saga. The team is digging into his secrets with the help of a very interesting character, someone who actually helped create the man that Sentry is today.

NYX #6
Writer: Joe Quesada
Art: Robert Teranishi, Chris Sotomayor and Joshua Middleton (cover)

Two stars, basically because it is so late, that I don't even know what the heck is going on any more, with one more issue, I don't know that I even care. Joshua Middleton's cover- good as ever (but not what I have pictured here).

Rann Thangar War #3
Writer: Dave Gibbons
Art: Ivan Reis and Marc Campos

Still catching up on the previous two issues (Thanks Josh for finding #1 for me!), but I like what I've read so far. The mini series springing out from the Countdown, have introduced me to parts of the DC universe I never paid attention to before. I'm enjoying the current use of the whole universe.

Serenity #1
Writer: Joss Whedon, Brett Mathews
Art: Will Conrad and John Cassaday (cover)

For those of you who don't have the time to check out the DVD set of Firefly, the precursor to the upcoming Serenity movie, Dark Horse brings you this three issue mini-series to help you get aquainted to what you may expect, and from what I have seen of the television show, this book captures just enough of the flavor to serve as a good primer. I wonder if after three issues, it will be enough for the fans.

 

 

 

 

Seven Soldiers: The Manhattan Guardian #3
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Cameron Stewart

I would have thought that the challenge of writing so many mini-series that all have a common thread, would have meant a bunch of books that were filler and just a bunch of wasted paper. Grant Morrison, with his Seven Soldiers, has managed to do something well beyond my expectations. And as some of the initial installments near their end, you can see some of the threads start to come together a bit. Granted they are subtle right now but you can see things starting to gel. This issue of the Guardian, is actually a stand alone issue where the Guardian goes to an Island where people are held hostage by a bunch of robots, ala Westworld. While fighting the robots, he also faces an inner challenge that brings some doubt to his role as the Guardian. Well Done.

Wonder Woman #218
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: Rags Morales, Michael Bair, J.G. Jones (cover)