37. Demon Knights
Writer: Paul Cornell
Pencils: Diogenes Neves
Inks: Oclair Albert
I like The Demon. I liked the Demon when Ennis was writing it and Val Semeiks was drawing it. (By the way, I just Googled Semeiks to make sure I spelled the name right and I did! How come my brain remembers something like that but I can't remember the names of my friends' children?) I even liked The Demon when Jack Kirby was doing it. I wasn't alive for that but I bought and read them years later. The point I'm trying to make is this: I would have picked up this comic even if Judd Winnick were writing it. Umm, maybe.
The cover shows The Demon all by himself slashing nothing with a sword. So where are all of his knights?
38. Stormwatch
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Miguel Sepulveda
Too bad Paul Cornell's name wasn't Warren Ellis. Except that was already done and I can still go back and read that if I want. This is another one of those comics that I'd have picked up anyway because Ellis did such a great job of creating this world and these characters. Another big plus is seeing Martian Manhunter on the cover along with Apollo and Midnighter.
I can't help but feeling that this comic is going to have to continually out do itself month after month with bigger and badder and more universe impending doomy things to deal with. Especially since it's taking place alongside Justice League with all of its heavy hitters.
If Justice League is taking care of the big threats then I expect Stormwatch to be dealing with somehow even bigger threats than that! I can't wait to see what crazy crap they come up with in this comic.
39. Grifter
Writer: Nathan Edmondson
Pencils: Cafu
Inks: Jason Gorder
I don't know anything about Grifter or his creative team.
The cover shows Grifter with a gun in each hand falling out of a window while blasting away at some ghostlike things. Grifter looks like a refugee from Image Comics. Possibly a stowaway from Marvel.
Hunh. I just google image searched to find out who he might look like and noticed that Grifter was an Image Comic hero! So! There you go. I know my comics!
I wouldn't have picked up this title if I wasn't doing this buy them all thing.
40. Voodoo
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Sami Basri
The cover of Voodoo shows the face of a woman. She is either in ecstasy or dying. She's chewing seductively (or near-deathily) on her left lizard hand. I have no idea what this comic is about and the cover isn't actually helping. I'm not really too curious about her lizard hand. Or why she might be having an orgasm right there on the cover of the book.
Hmm, when I say it that way, maybe this does look like a good comic! I can't wait!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
52 at First Glance, Part Nine
33. Animal Man
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Pencils: Travel Foreman
Inks: Dan Green
First off, the big surprise: I don't recognize anybody in the Animal Man creative team.
Before Grant Morrison came in and revamped him, I think I only ever knew who he was because of DC's Who's Who comic, a sort of encyclopedia of all of their characters.
See? There he is! Right over Aquaman's right shoulder! He didn't seem like much but I guess DC acquired the property and wanted to squeeze some money out of him. So Grant Morrison turned him into something interesting.
It was never Animal Man's powers that made him interesting, though. So I'll see how Jeff Lemire handles Buddy Baker. I hope it's as entertaining as how Morrison, Milligan, and Delano dealt with him.
34. Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Alberto Ponticelli
This is one of those WTF titles. The cover shows a mohawked Frankenstein with some kind of chain gun thing in one hand and a sword in the other. Behind him are a Japanese schoolgirl with a pistol and a four-armed green alien chick with guns. They seem to be fighting some creature that's outside the cover but it has claws and a tentacle.
This comic looks awesome!
35. I, Vampire
Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Sometime last year, my friend Ken was telling me I should watch True Blood. And I told him I'm never again reading or watching or listening to anything that has to do with Vampires. About a week after that, I went to go see Concrete Blonde on their Bloodletting 20 Years Later Reunion. So I blew that one right out of the gate. And now I'm going to read a Vampire comic book! I think. I mean, it has Vampire in the title. And the I part of that makes it seem like the narrator or main character is probably a Vampire. But I don't know anything about it.
The cover has a nearly naked woman and a half naked man with wings standing back to back. So I'm guessing that the era of Vampires are Sexy isn't quite over. I bet this comic makes me feel like a twelve year old school girl with her first crush! Eeeee!
36. Resurrection Man
Writer: Dan Abnett
Pencils: Andy Lanning
Inks: Fernando Dagnino
I don't know anything about this character or the creative team.
Is this anything like Deadman? Is Deadman jealous of Resurrection Man? Are they rivals? I wonder if there is an Insurrection Man! Or an Erection Man! For Your Protection Man?
The cover shows a white haired scowly fellow scrabbling out of a grave. Are these the new Horror Titles for DC? I'm getting scared! In a sexy way! Probably how you'd feel if a hot naked vampire lady were draining your blood. You'd be all, "Hee hee hee. *giggle gurgle gurgle die*"
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Pencils: Travel Foreman
Inks: Dan Green
First off, the big surprise: I don't recognize anybody in the Animal Man creative team.
Before Grant Morrison came in and revamped him, I think I only ever knew who he was because of DC's Who's Who comic, a sort of encyclopedia of all of their characters.
See? There he is! Right over Aquaman's right shoulder! He didn't seem like much but I guess DC acquired the property and wanted to squeeze some money out of him. So Grant Morrison turned him into something interesting.
It was never Animal Man's powers that made him interesting, though. So I'll see how Jeff Lemire handles Buddy Baker. I hope it's as entertaining as how Morrison, Milligan, and Delano dealt with him.
34. Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Alberto Ponticelli
This is one of those WTF titles. The cover shows a mohawked Frankenstein with some kind of chain gun thing in one hand and a sword in the other. Behind him are a Japanese schoolgirl with a pistol and a four-armed green alien chick with guns. They seem to be fighting some creature that's outside the cover but it has claws and a tentacle.
This comic looks awesome!
35. I, Vampire
Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Sometime last year, my friend Ken was telling me I should watch True Blood. And I told him I'm never again reading or watching or listening to anything that has to do with Vampires. About a week after that, I went to go see Concrete Blonde on their Bloodletting 20 Years Later Reunion. So I blew that one right out of the gate. And now I'm going to read a Vampire comic book! I think. I mean, it has Vampire in the title. And the I part of that makes it seem like the narrator or main character is probably a Vampire. But I don't know anything about it.
The cover has a nearly naked woman and a half naked man with wings standing back to back. So I'm guessing that the era of Vampires are Sexy isn't quite over. I bet this comic makes me feel like a twelve year old school girl with her first crush! Eeeee!
36. Resurrection Man
Writer: Dan Abnett
Pencils: Andy Lanning
Inks: Fernando Dagnino
I don't know anything about this character or the creative team.
Is this anything like Deadman? Is Deadman jealous of Resurrection Man? Are they rivals? I wonder if there is an Insurrection Man! Or an Erection Man! For Your Protection Man?
The cover shows a white haired scowly fellow scrabbling out of a grave. Are these the new Horror Titles for DC? I'm getting scared! In a sexy way! Probably how you'd feel if a hot naked vampire lady were draining your blood. You'd be all, "Hee hee hee. *giggle gurgle gurgle die*"
52 at First Glance, Part Eight
29. Green Lantern: New Guardians
Writer: Tony Bedard
Pencils: Tyler Kirkham
Inks: BATT
I guess a robot is doing inks for this comic. That seems cool.
I don't recognize the team for this comic and I have no idea where they would be going with a story entitled The New Guardians. But the cover really intrigues me with seven different aliens (one of them looking to be, possibly, Kyle Rayner?) fighting over seven different colored Rings.
I can't speculate on this comic. But I'm definitely hopeful and intrigued. Looks like fun.
30. Red Lanterns
Writer: Peter Milligan
Pencils: Ed Benes
Inks: Rob Hunter
I have no idea what a Red Lantern is or what it does. Were these guys introduced in Blackest Night, a comic I never read or haven't the slightest clue as to what happened in it? I don't recognize anyone on the cover except that one demon looking Harley Quinnesque female from the cover of The New Guardians.
What this comic is about doesn't matter at all. Peter Milligan is writing it and therefore I'm reading it. He won me over with his run on Shade the Changing Man. He also created Rogan Gosh. He took a run at Animal Man. He wrote The Extremists. X-Force. And, of course, Enigma.
Can I stop this discussion for a second to relate a story about Enigma? Thanks. A friend of mine, Soy Rakelson (name changed to protect the innocent), began reading Enigma when it came out. And he raved and raved and raved about it. Fantastic. Amazing. Genius! And then, nearly at the end of the comic, it is revealed that the narrator? main character? (I forget how the story is told) is gay. BOOM. Comic sucks. Stopped reading with only a few issues left. Worst story ever. He was used and betrayed. Soy Rakelson, you homophobic moron.
Okay, back to Peter Milligan. Genius! And I saw as I was getting back into comics that he's had a long and fruitful run on Hellblazer! So I'll be picking up those as well in the next few months.
31. Justice League Dark
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Mikel Janin
After that last entry, do I need to comment on this one? Milligan! I'm there!
But more than that, this comic deals with all the magic characters in the DC Universe. Which would also be the only reason I'd need to pick it up. The cover shows, as far as I can tell, Shade the Changing Man (AWESOME), Deadman (YES), Specter (as a female? Cool! Is this something I missed or is this brand new? Whatever! COOL), possibly John Constantine (TERRIFIC!) and two other magic females that I don't recognize. I'm assuming one is Zatanna.
More super high hopes for this comic.
32. Swamp Thing
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Yanick Paquette
One of the great mystical characters in the DC Universe. I don't know Scott Snyder (maybe I should?) or Yanick Paquette but I'd read this no matter who decided to write/draw it.
I still think of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing as THE comic to change the face of what American comics could be and the stories they could tell. Sure, that doesn't mean Swamp Thing was revolutionary! Alan Moore was. But I can't help but think that Swamp Thing, as a character, has always been able to tell really strange and amazing tales by dint of being the strange creature it is (I think of John Constantine and Shade the Changing Man the same way. Fuck, throw Animal Man in there as well. And speaking of Animal Man...he'll start off next post!).
The cover just looks like every single cover of The Swamp Thing I've ever seen.
Writer: Tony Bedard
Pencils: Tyler Kirkham
Inks: BATT
I guess a robot is doing inks for this comic. That seems cool.
I don't recognize the team for this comic and I have no idea where they would be going with a story entitled The New Guardians. But the cover really intrigues me with seven different aliens (one of them looking to be, possibly, Kyle Rayner?) fighting over seven different colored Rings.
I can't speculate on this comic. But I'm definitely hopeful and intrigued. Looks like fun.
30. Red Lanterns
Writer: Peter Milligan
Pencils: Ed Benes
Inks: Rob Hunter
I have no idea what a Red Lantern is or what it does. Were these guys introduced in Blackest Night, a comic I never read or haven't the slightest clue as to what happened in it? I don't recognize anyone on the cover except that one demon looking Harley Quinnesque female from the cover of The New Guardians.
What this comic is about doesn't matter at all. Peter Milligan is writing it and therefore I'm reading it. He won me over with his run on Shade the Changing Man. He also created Rogan Gosh. He took a run at Animal Man. He wrote The Extremists. X-Force. And, of course, Enigma.
Can I stop this discussion for a second to relate a story about Enigma? Thanks. A friend of mine, Soy Rakelson (name changed to protect the innocent), began reading Enigma when it came out. And he raved and raved and raved about it. Fantastic. Amazing. Genius! And then, nearly at the end of the comic, it is revealed that the narrator? main character? (I forget how the story is told) is gay. BOOM. Comic sucks. Stopped reading with only a few issues left. Worst story ever. He was used and betrayed. Soy Rakelson, you homophobic moron.
Okay, back to Peter Milligan. Genius! And I saw as I was getting back into comics that he's had a long and fruitful run on Hellblazer! So I'll be picking up those as well in the next few months.
31. Justice League Dark
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Mikel Janin
After that last entry, do I need to comment on this one? Milligan! I'm there!
But more than that, this comic deals with all the magic characters in the DC Universe. Which would also be the only reason I'd need to pick it up. The cover shows, as far as I can tell, Shade the Changing Man (AWESOME), Deadman (YES), Specter (as a female? Cool! Is this something I missed or is this brand new? Whatever! COOL), possibly John Constantine (TERRIFIC!) and two other magic females that I don't recognize. I'm assuming one is Zatanna.
More super high hopes for this comic.
32. Swamp Thing
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Yanick Paquette
One of the great mystical characters in the DC Universe. I don't know Scott Snyder (maybe I should?) or Yanick Paquette but I'd read this no matter who decided to write/draw it.
I still think of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing as THE comic to change the face of what American comics could be and the stories they could tell. Sure, that doesn't mean Swamp Thing was revolutionary! Alan Moore was. But I can't help but think that Swamp Thing, as a character, has always been able to tell really strange and amazing tales by dint of being the strange creature it is (I think of John Constantine and Shade the Changing Man the same way. Fuck, throw Animal Man in there as well. And speaking of Animal Man...he'll start off next post!).
The cover just looks like every single cover of The Swamp Thing I've ever seen.
52 at First Glance, Part Seven
25. Birds of Prey
Writer: Duane Swierczynski
Artist: Jesus Saiz
I remember Birds of Prey but never read it. I realize I know Gail Simone now because she was just taking over this comic about the time I was getting out of buying monthly comics. I probably would have read this at the time but I was really busy following writers and/or specific super heroes and I wasn't following Oracle at all. I had read Killing Joke when it came out (and have the first printing) and was pretty blown away by what Joker did to Barbara Gordon out of costume. To me, it was a wonderful story to see what can happen to a super hero who keeps their identity secret to protect their loved ones and yet never think that their loved ones who might be in prominent positions (Commissioner Gordon) could be the cause of harm to them while in their secret identity. So Barbara Gordon who is entirely capable as Batgirl suddenly finds herself crippled by the Joker not because she was trying to stop him but because he came to hurt her father and she was just an innocent bystander.
So this comic is easy to pick up at this point and I'm hoping for a really fun ride. Also, a big plus: Katana!
26. Red Hood and the Outlaws
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
I don't know anything about the team working on this title. I also don't know anything about the title characters. So let me look at the cover and see if that helps.
Hmm. From the cover, it looks like it stars Speedy, Starfire, and whoever this Red Hood guy is. So for some reason, Starfire and Speedy are outlaws? And should I know who this titular Red Hood should be?
I probably would have picked this one up out of curiosity. Also Starfire. I know enough Titans history that I'd like to see what DC is going to do with one of their biggest members.
Also: when searching Google for Red Hood and the Outlaws #1, I got a lot of Starfire in bikini shots. Is that the selling point of this comic? Is that Starfire's super power? Giant bosoms and thong bikinis?
HALFWAY THROUGH!
27. Green Lantern
Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Doug Mahnke
Inks: Christian Alamy
I always loved Green Lantern in the Super Friends cartoon. I also love Sinestro. I enjoyed the random things they came up with to fight each other using their rings. Although it always seemed like Sinestro should win every time since Green Lantern's ring had that flaw that wouldn't let it affect anything yellow. And, um, Sinestro's ring made things out of yellow light. What was I missing here? Shouldn't Sinestro have just destroyed Green Lantern every time? Or did Sinestro always end up matched up against someone who could defeat him while Green Lantern ended up taking on Black Manta or Solomon Grundy?
I probably would have picked this comic up since I like Green Lantern but more specifically, I like a bunch of Green Lanterns in the Green Lantern Corps. And this comic should tie in with that whole Mythos.
Plus, the cover is Sinestro as Green Lantern! Awesome! Umm. Unless that is that Abin Sur guy or whatever that makes Hal Jordan Green Lantern. Not Awesome and I was tricked!
28. Green Lantern Corps
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils: Fernando Pasarin
Inks: Scott Hanna
I picked up this comic as soon as I saw it. So I guess I would have picked it up anyway! The art team I don't recognize except for that Peter Editor guy again. But the cover. Come on! The cover: Guy Gardner. John Stewart. Kilowog. And possibly, just possibly between Guy and John, G'nort. Although I don't think so. But still! Possibly!
Definite awesomeness. Please don't disappoint! John Ostrander's Mosaic starring John Stewart is one of my all time favorite comics. So I'm pleased to see him on the cover of this. And Guy Gardner. Everyone's favorite little angry Green Lantern. Right? Come on? Right?!
Writer: Duane Swierczynski
Artist: Jesus Saiz
I remember Birds of Prey but never read it. I realize I know Gail Simone now because she was just taking over this comic about the time I was getting out of buying monthly comics. I probably would have read this at the time but I was really busy following writers and/or specific super heroes and I wasn't following Oracle at all. I had read Killing Joke when it came out (and have the first printing) and was pretty blown away by what Joker did to Barbara Gordon out of costume. To me, it was a wonderful story to see what can happen to a super hero who keeps their identity secret to protect their loved ones and yet never think that their loved ones who might be in prominent positions (Commissioner Gordon) could be the cause of harm to them while in their secret identity. So Barbara Gordon who is entirely capable as Batgirl suddenly finds herself crippled by the Joker not because she was trying to stop him but because he came to hurt her father and she was just an innocent bystander.
So this comic is easy to pick up at this point and I'm hoping for a really fun ride. Also, a big plus: Katana!
26. Red Hood and the Outlaws
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
I don't know anything about the team working on this title. I also don't know anything about the title characters. So let me look at the cover and see if that helps.
Hmm. From the cover, it looks like it stars Speedy, Starfire, and whoever this Red Hood guy is. So for some reason, Starfire and Speedy are outlaws? And should I know who this titular Red Hood should be?
I probably would have picked this one up out of curiosity. Also Starfire. I know enough Titans history that I'd like to see what DC is going to do with one of their biggest members.
Also: when searching Google for Red Hood and the Outlaws #1, I got a lot of Starfire in bikini shots. Is that the selling point of this comic? Is that Starfire's super power? Giant bosoms and thong bikinis?
HALFWAY THROUGH!
27. Green Lantern
Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Doug Mahnke
Inks: Christian Alamy
I always loved Green Lantern in the Super Friends cartoon. I also love Sinestro. I enjoyed the random things they came up with to fight each other using their rings. Although it always seemed like Sinestro should win every time since Green Lantern's ring had that flaw that wouldn't let it affect anything yellow. And, um, Sinestro's ring made things out of yellow light. What was I missing here? Shouldn't Sinestro have just destroyed Green Lantern every time? Or did Sinestro always end up matched up against someone who could defeat him while Green Lantern ended up taking on Black Manta or Solomon Grundy?
I probably would have picked this comic up since I like Green Lantern but more specifically, I like a bunch of Green Lanterns in the Green Lantern Corps. And this comic should tie in with that whole Mythos.
Plus, the cover is Sinestro as Green Lantern! Awesome! Umm. Unless that is that Abin Sur guy or whatever that makes Hal Jordan Green Lantern. Not Awesome and I was tricked!
28. Green Lantern Corps
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils: Fernando Pasarin
Inks: Scott Hanna
I picked up this comic as soon as I saw it. So I guess I would have picked it up anyway! The art team I don't recognize except for that Peter Editor guy again. But the cover. Come on! The cover: Guy Gardner. John Stewart. Kilowog. And possibly, just possibly between Guy and John, G'nort. Although I don't think so. But still! Possibly!
Definite awesomeness. Please don't disappoint! John Ostrander's Mosaic starring John Stewart is one of my all time favorite comics. So I'm pleased to see him on the cover of this. And Guy Gardner. Everyone's favorite little angry Green Lantern. Right? Come on? Right?!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
52 at First Glance, Part Six
21. Batgirl
Writer: Gail Simone
Pencils: Ardian Syaf
Inks: Vicente Cifuentes
I think after Robin, Batgirl is the only hero smiling so far on the cover of their comic book. Cyborg has a near grin going but he doesn't have the look of pure enjoyment that is on the face of Batgirl here. Is she, like Robin, too young to realize Super Hero Justice is dangerous? Especially in Gotham City?
It doesn't matter much to me. The look of cheerful exuberance on her face is all I'd need to pick this up. How does a young girl get her kicks in a dark, dusky place like Gotham on a Friday night? Beat up bad guys!
Gail Simone is back and I've heard good things.
22. Batwing
Writer: Judd Winnick
Artist: Ben Oliver
Batwing? What the fuck is a Batwing? Is this some guy who is trying to emulate Batman and Nightwing? Was this Judd Winnick's idea or did he just get handed this bowl of shit oatmeal?
Hey, maybe it's good stuff! That's why I'm giving it a chance. But if I wasn't picking up every title, this one would never even get a chance. Even if the name Batwing could evoke the slightest bit of curiousity (it doesn't), the name Judd Winnick in the writer spot would kill this for me. I just can't take this guy seriously. I can only picture him on Real World San Francisco explaining his comic about the guy flushing an eggplant down the toilet and why that is funny.
Judd: "It's funny because after he does it, this other guys says, 'Again?'! See? Again at the end makes it funny!"
My friends and I took that wisdom to heart and still yell again at things to make them funny. Like when a friend gets date raped or a sibling gets mauled by a pit bull.
The cover tells me that Batwing apparently lives in Egypt and soars with helicopters.
23. Catwoman
Writer: Judd Winnick
Artist: Guillem March
I find Catwoman interesting. Has her romance with Batman been played out or is that going to be what this comic is about. Again! I can't wait to find out!
Because it's Catwoman, I probably would have picked this up and only noticed after I got to the splash page that Judd Winnick was writing it. And then I would have felt betrayed somehow.
The cover has Catwoman lounging on the edge of a building with her hat, boots and bra discarded off to the side. Okay, it's not her bra. It's her goggles. But it sure looks like her bra and I'm pretty sure anybody not giving these covers much thought assumes it is a bra. Especially since her tight outfit is zipped way down with her boobs hanging out. She's also sprinkling some kind of sex powder onto her bosom. Perhaps it's Bat Pheromones.
24. Nightwing
Writer: Kyle Higgins
Pencils: Eddy Barrows
Inks: J.P. Mayer
I don't recognize the team on this comic. But I do recognize Nightwing! I followed his adventures for a long time way back when he just didn't know how to commit to Starfire and then she finally left him to marry some Tamarand Prince and then maybe I lost interest because I wasn't reading romance books, Mr.Perez Wolfman! I wanted to see fighting! Yeah, I was young. Also, I liked reading the romance bits and the character interactions and the long stretches of dialogue. That sounds like it was sarcastic after adding the third bit but I really liked all that stuff.
I would have checked out Nightwing for awhile and let it prove itself.
I'm voting Nightwing's cover as the most retarded cover of the New 52.
Writer: Gail Simone
Pencils: Ardian Syaf
Inks: Vicente Cifuentes
I think after Robin, Batgirl is the only hero smiling so far on the cover of their comic book. Cyborg has a near grin going but he doesn't have the look of pure enjoyment that is on the face of Batgirl here. Is she, like Robin, too young to realize Super Hero Justice is dangerous? Especially in Gotham City?
It doesn't matter much to me. The look of cheerful exuberance on her face is all I'd need to pick this up. How does a young girl get her kicks in a dark, dusky place like Gotham on a Friday night? Beat up bad guys!
Gail Simone is back and I've heard good things.
22. Batwing
Writer: Judd Winnick
Artist: Ben Oliver
Batwing? What the fuck is a Batwing? Is this some guy who is trying to emulate Batman and Nightwing? Was this Judd Winnick's idea or did he just get handed this bowl of shit oatmeal?
Hey, maybe it's good stuff! That's why I'm giving it a chance. But if I wasn't picking up every title, this one would never even get a chance. Even if the name Batwing could evoke the slightest bit of curiousity (it doesn't), the name Judd Winnick in the writer spot would kill this for me. I just can't take this guy seriously. I can only picture him on Real World San Francisco explaining his comic about the guy flushing an eggplant down the toilet and why that is funny.
Judd: "It's funny because after he does it, this other guys says, 'Again?'! See? Again at the end makes it funny!"
My friends and I took that wisdom to heart and still yell again at things to make them funny. Like when a friend gets date raped or a sibling gets mauled by a pit bull.
The cover tells me that Batwing apparently lives in Egypt and soars with helicopters.
23. Catwoman
Writer: Judd Winnick
Artist: Guillem March
I find Catwoman interesting. Has her romance with Batman been played out or is that going to be what this comic is about. Again! I can't wait to find out!
Because it's Catwoman, I probably would have picked this up and only noticed after I got to the splash page that Judd Winnick was writing it. And then I would have felt betrayed somehow.
The cover has Catwoman lounging on the edge of a building with her hat, boots and bra discarded off to the side. Okay, it's not her bra. It's her goggles. But it sure looks like her bra and I'm pretty sure anybody not giving these covers much thought assumes it is a bra. Especially since her tight outfit is zipped way down with her boobs hanging out. She's also sprinkling some kind of sex powder onto her bosom. Perhaps it's Bat Pheromones.
24. Nightwing
Writer: Kyle Higgins
Pencils: Eddy Barrows
Inks: J.P. Mayer
I don't recognize the team on this comic. But I do recognize Nightwing! I followed his adventures for a long time way back when he just didn't know how to commit to Starfire and then she finally left him to marry some Tamarand Prince and then maybe I lost interest because I wasn't reading romance books, Mr.
I would have checked out Nightwing for awhile and let it prove itself.
I'm voting Nightwing's cover as the most retarded cover of the New 52.
52 at First Glance, Part Five
17. Detective Comics
Writer: Tony S. Daniel
Artist: Ryan Winn
Another Batman title and how could I not choose to get on the ground floor of Detective Comics? More Batman! Maybe too much Batman. Because there are still more to come.
I don't recognize the writer or artist.
The cover shows Batman beating the Joker to a pulp amongst a bunch of doll heads! Exciting! I also forgot to mention the Batman cover which I should now mention and you should pretend you read it in the post about Batman. It shows Batman beating up a bunch of his crazy ass familiar foes. See? That works! It'll bring in the readers! Are you listening to me, Flash Cover Artist? Idiot!
18. Batwoman
Writer: J.H. Williams III
Artist: W. Haden Blackman
This title is pretty fancy judging by all those initials and capital 'I's in the art teams names! The cover art is also all misty and surreal. It's kind of like a boudoir photo taken by a fat military housewife as a secret, special gift for the neighbor she's been fucking while her man is on tour. Including the half-eaten fish still on the floor. Maybe that makes Batwoman interesting?
I might be more interested in Batwoman if I knew anything about her. I think possibly she made her debut in 52 (the series that started this mess!) but I can't remember for sure. I already told you what I remember about 52 and I promised I wouldn't spoil the Skeets thing!
I probably would have passed this title sitting alone at the bottom shelf and walked over to the counter to pick up Batgirl instead.
19. Batman: The Dark Knight
Artist Writer: David Finch
Pencils: Paul Jenkins
Inks: Richard Friend
Definitely looking forward to this title. This may be the title that plays up the villains a little more than the other titles. At least in Legends of the Dark Knight, it felt that way. So I'm kind of expecting some great showdowns in this thing.
Plus, isn't that David Finch guy kind of famous somehow? He makes like, movies or something? Is this another one of those Kevin Smither gimmicks?!
The cover shows Batman parasailing through Gotham City. Weird!
20. Batman and Robin
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils: Patrick Gleason
Inks: Mick Gray
So I finally did use Google because I knew the name Peter J. Tomasi but I couldn't place what comic he might have written that I had read. Well, it looks like he didn't write any of them. But he was the editor on a lot of titles I read. Lobo. Hitman. Demon. He was listed under Dan Raspler, another name I would have recognized and had to look up. So ha ha on you, editors! Nobody remembers what you do!
Robin might not be the favorite of a lot of people but I would not have passed up the opportunity to see what another writer does with this relationship. And the cover says it all. Batman in the dark. Grim. Low down. Hiding. Subtle. Robin flying above him. Cape unfurled. Fully bathed in light. Smile on his lips. One serving justice at any cost. The other playing with his brooding friend.
This always seemed like a team-up that would have never existed but for comic silliness and early writers (even Bob Kane!) not fully understanding what and who Batman really was. I guess what he could and would become. But Batman took his name and look to be a symbol of fear. Or am I retconning even that?
How come Batman allows this kid to fight crime with him when Batman knows exactly how insane and psychotic the enemies he faces are? What does Batman see in this kid? What does Batman NEED from Robin? That's what I'm always looking for.
My cynical side says Batman is just using the kid to attract dangerous attention away from him.
"Alfred, you know what I could really use? A loud kid in a bright shiny outfit to draw fire away from me!"
"I'll get right on that, sir."
Writer: Tony S. Daniel
Artist: Ryan Winn
Another Batman title and how could I not choose to get on the ground floor of Detective Comics? More Batman! Maybe too much Batman. Because there are still more to come.
I don't recognize the writer or artist.
The cover shows Batman beating the Joker to a pulp amongst a bunch of doll heads! Exciting! I also forgot to mention the Batman cover which I should now mention and you should pretend you read it in the post about Batman. It shows Batman beating up a bunch of his crazy ass familiar foes. See? That works! It'll bring in the readers! Are you listening to me, Flash Cover Artist? Idiot!
18. Batwoman
Writer: J.H. Williams III
Artist: W. Haden Blackman
This title is pretty fancy judging by all those initials and capital 'I's in the art teams names! The cover art is also all misty and surreal. It's kind of like a boudoir photo taken by a fat military housewife as a secret, special gift for the neighbor she's been fucking while her man is on tour. Including the half-eaten fish still on the floor. Maybe that makes Batwoman interesting?
I might be more interested in Batwoman if I knew anything about her. I think possibly she made her debut in 52 (the series that started this mess!) but I can't remember for sure. I already told you what I remember about 52 and I promised I wouldn't spoil the Skeets thing!
I probably would have passed this title sitting alone at the bottom shelf and walked over to the counter to pick up Batgirl instead.
19. Batman: The Dark Knight
Pencils: Paul Jenkins
Inks: Richard Friend
Definitely looking forward to this title. This may be the title that plays up the villains a little more than the other titles. At least in Legends of the Dark Knight, it felt that way. So I'm kind of expecting some great showdowns in this thing.
Plus, isn't that David Finch guy kind of famous somehow? He makes like, movies or something? Is this another one of those Kevin Smither gimmicks?!
The cover shows Batman parasailing through Gotham City. Weird!
20. Batman and Robin
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils: Patrick Gleason
Inks: Mick Gray
So I finally did use Google because I knew the name Peter J. Tomasi but I couldn't place what comic he might have written that I had read. Well, it looks like he didn't write any of them. But he was the editor on a lot of titles I read. Lobo. Hitman. Demon. He was listed under Dan Raspler, another name I would have recognized and had to look up. So ha ha on you, editors! Nobody remembers what you do!
Robin might not be the favorite of a lot of people but I would not have passed up the opportunity to see what another writer does with this relationship. And the cover says it all. Batman in the dark. Grim. Low down. Hiding. Subtle. Robin flying above him. Cape unfurled. Fully bathed in light. Smile on his lips. One serving justice at any cost. The other playing with his brooding friend.
This always seemed like a team-up that would have never existed but for comic silliness and early writers (even Bob Kane!) not fully understanding what and who Batman really was. I guess what he could and would become. But Batman took his name and look to be a symbol of fear. Or am I retconning even that?
How come Batman allows this kid to fight crime with him when Batman knows exactly how insane and psychotic the enemies he faces are? What does Batman see in this kid? What does Batman NEED from Robin? That's what I'm always looking for.
My cynical side says Batman is just using the kid to attract dangerous attention away from him.
"Alfred, you know what I could really use? A loud kid in a bright shiny outfit to draw fire away from me!"
"I'll get right on that, sir."
52 at First Glance, Part Four
13. Superman
Writer: George Perez
Artist: Jesus Merino (Sorry for not inserting accents on both Perez and Jesus, guys! Lazy!)
I said what I needed to say about Superman in the Action Comics blurb. So now I'm just left to wonder: why so many Super Comics? DC's 52 has Superman, Action Comics, Superboy, Supergirl, and Justice League. Only Batman and his clones have more comics dedicated to him. Is it because 52 comics were just too many to fill with heroes or villains that comic fans would be interested in? I'm not sure any of the titles actually follow villains. Is Catwoman really a villain? Or a noble thief? Suicide Squad's cast is mainly villains but they're being forced to do government black ops work. I think that Grifter guy who looks like an orphaned Image character might be a villain but I don't know anything about him. I'm surprised they didn't make one of their titles a Lobo title. Or is he dead? Or did he fall out of favor with the fan boys when he became the punching bag of the DC Universe because every writer wanted to prove that their hero was so good they could defeat the one guy in the DC Universe who couldn't lose? And so he got his ass kicked in many different ways across nearly every DC title.
So. I probably wouldn't have picked up Superman. Perhaps I would have tried it since George Perez is writing it and I have fond memories of his run on The Teen Titans way back when. And the cover has Superman seemingly destroying the Daily Planet, so that means big changes in the works, right? So maybe. Maybe I would have picked this up.
14. Superboy
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Pencils: R.B. Silva
Inks: Rob Lean
Don't recognize the writer. Don't recognize the artists. Don't give a fuck about Superboy.
I can't even begin to explain what is going on on the cover.
15. Supergirl
Writer: Michael Green & Mike Johnson
Pencils: Mahmud Asrar
Inks: Dan Green
Why does Supergirl need two writers? Oh, is that a riddle? Um, is the answer because one writer alone can't make her interesting? Is it because she's like a writing desk?
I don't know the team of people working on this book but I'd pick up this book just because of a long-time curiousity about Supergirl. And even though the cover is just her floating in space, she has a certain contemplative trepidation that makes me wonder what she's up to. Maybe she just has to pee and it's a long way to the next space rest stop.
16. Batman
Writer: Scott Snyder
Pencils: Greg Capulio
Inks: Jonathan Glapion
I don't know the team working on this comic either. But I'll always give a new Batman title a decent shot. I remember in the eighties (unless it was the early nineties. Super power activate!) when Legends of the Dark Knight first began that I had to pick it up. I always liked Batman, probably for a lot of the same reasons a lot of other people like Batman. But also for the reasons that I grew up watching reruns of the television show on Channel 36 in the Bay Area. And no matter how silly things might have gotten, Batman's villains were always odd and memorable. And Detective Comics and the Batman title were well into the multiple hundreds by the time I was reading comics so that was a turn off to me.
Which is why DC probably keeps doing these restarts! Because of jerks like me who refuse to start reading a long running title! Except in special occasions like when a favorite writer takes over or the comic is called John Constantine, Hellblazer.
So Batman would have been on my reading list even if I hadn't decided to make the whole list my reading list. Way to go, killer!
Writer: George Perez
Artist: Jesus Merino (Sorry for not inserting accents on both Perez and Jesus, guys! Lazy!)
I said what I needed to say about Superman in the Action Comics blurb. So now I'm just left to wonder: why so many Super Comics? DC's 52 has Superman, Action Comics, Superboy, Supergirl, and Justice League. Only Batman and his clones have more comics dedicated to him. Is it because 52 comics were just too many to fill with heroes or villains that comic fans would be interested in? I'm not sure any of the titles actually follow villains. Is Catwoman really a villain? Or a noble thief? Suicide Squad's cast is mainly villains but they're being forced to do government black ops work. I think that Grifter guy who looks like an orphaned Image character might be a villain but I don't know anything about him. I'm surprised they didn't make one of their titles a Lobo title. Or is he dead? Or did he fall out of favor with the fan boys when he became the punching bag of the DC Universe because every writer wanted to prove that their hero was so good they could defeat the one guy in the DC Universe who couldn't lose? And so he got his ass kicked in many different ways across nearly every DC title.
So. I probably wouldn't have picked up Superman. Perhaps I would have tried it since George Perez is writing it and I have fond memories of his run on The Teen Titans way back when. And the cover has Superman seemingly destroying the Daily Planet, so that means big changes in the works, right? So maybe. Maybe I would have picked this up.
14. Superboy
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Pencils: R.B. Silva
Inks: Rob Lean
Don't recognize the writer. Don't recognize the artists. Don't give a fuck about Superboy.
I can't even begin to explain what is going on on the cover.
15. Supergirl
Writer: Michael Green & Mike Johnson
Pencils: Mahmud Asrar
Inks: Dan Green
Why does Supergirl need two writers? Oh, is that a riddle? Um, is the answer because one writer alone can't make her interesting? Is it because she's like a writing desk?
I don't know the team of people working on this book but I'd pick up this book just because of a long-time curiousity about Supergirl. And even though the cover is just her floating in space, she has a certain contemplative trepidation that makes me wonder what she's up to. Maybe she just has to pee and it's a long way to the next space rest stop.
16. Batman
Writer: Scott Snyder
Pencils: Greg Capulio
Inks: Jonathan Glapion
I don't know the team working on this comic either. But I'll always give a new Batman title a decent shot. I remember in the eighties (unless it was the early nineties. Super power activate!) when Legends of the Dark Knight first began that I had to pick it up. I always liked Batman, probably for a lot of the same reasons a lot of other people like Batman. But also for the reasons that I grew up watching reruns of the television show on Channel 36 in the Bay Area. And no matter how silly things might have gotten, Batman's villains were always odd and memorable. And Detective Comics and the Batman title were well into the multiple hundreds by the time I was reading comics so that was a turn off to me.
Which is why DC probably keeps doing these restarts! Because of jerks like me who refuse to start reading a long running title! Except in special occasions like when a favorite writer takes over or the comic is called John Constantine, Hellblazer.
So Batman would have been on my reading list even if I hadn't decided to make the whole list my reading list. Way to go, killer!
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