Shelly's Comic Book Shelf

Titans Annual 2025

2025-12-19T22:25:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. I don't post much, anymore. I spend too much time on social media, watching videos, playing games on my phone. But I'm still reading comics and sometimes, I have to post about them. This is one of those times.

I've been catching up on my stack of unread comics, and Titans Annual 1 (2025) looked good enough to save for last. And I was right. It's an absolute treat. Donna Troy has typically been the focus of some of the best stories featuring the Teen Titans/Titans ("Who is Donna Troy?" "Who is Wonder Girl?"). In "Limitless," writer/artist Phil Jimenez shows what's possible when a writer not only knows, but truly understands a character that's been around for decades. All the Titans shine in this, but Donna is center stage in what is, essentially, a retelling of her life so far.

This isn't a quick read. There is a lot of text to go with the gorgeous art, which together bring Donna and her friends and family to life. We've read the story before of how Donna had been been orphaned, Diana and the Amazons took her in, how she'd become Wonder Girl and joined the Teen Titans, and her ill-fated marriage. All that and more is in this tale in which Jimenez fills in the gaps, including the story of Donna's biological father. I was truly moved by this story and it's on my list of favorite comics I've read this year.

Starman Omnibus

2024-09-10T16:09:00.001-04:00

Next up in my project to read my stack of unread graphic novels and comic book collected editions is Starman by James Robinson. I'm counting the six-volume set as one story, because that's what it is in essence, albeit with some tangential stories in the mix. Those stories, however, fill in blanks and add to the interconnectedness of the whole thing. That "everything is connected" aspect is, for me, the most impressive thing about the series, which stars Jack Knight, the younger of former Starman Ted Knight's two sons ,who reluctantly takes up the Starman name and cosmic rod when his older brother is murdered during his brief tenure as Starmaan.

A lot of characters pop in and out, including old members of the JSA. And the Shade, one of my favorite villains, plays a charming, not-quite-a-villain, major role in the series. The art s nice enough if not spectacular, although the last two volumes feature art by Peter Snejbjerg which is quite lovely.

My only quibble is that Robinson is, at least here, a very wordy writer and I ended up skimming a lot This issue was exacerbated by some hard-to-read fonts, mostly the font used for the Shade's long journal entries that serve as narration in many of the stories. But the solid character development and the realistic emotions displayed by the main characters keep the series at above average levels. The feel of "what if superheroes were real?" vibe brought to my mind one of my all-time favorite comics: Astro City. This isn't quite as good as that, but it comes close.

Catching Up

2024-07-07T15:59:00.001-04:00

I'm reasonably sure, as a senior citizen, I'm not a member off the intended audience for Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky, mostly because they pretty much say so in their commentary. However, I enjoyed it.

The basic plot is simple. Jon and Suze are two of a group of people for whom time stops (or slows down to a near stop) when they climax sexually. I knew this when I bought the six collected volumes. The premise sounded fun and the reviews were good, so I figured I'd give it a try. It turned out to be a richer, more complex story.

From their bizarre plot, Fraction and Zdarsky wove a story about complicated characters, love in various forms, and everchanging relationships, and they delivered an ending that caught me a bit by surprise. By the end, I really cared for most of the characters and was satisfied with how their lives turned out.

Graphic Novels

2024-06-21T16:37:00.003-04:00

I'm still here, reading omics. Reviewing single issues is a bit boring for me. So, since I've been reading through my stacks of unread collected comics and graphic novels, that's what I'll be reviewing here in case anyone is interested.

Cosmic Detective by Jeff Lemire

I read this because it was on a recommended reading list and I usually enjoy Lemire's writing, which adds to my disappointment after reading it. The 3 stars are mostly for the art, which is stunning. There are lovely pages and 2-page spreads with barely any words, or none at all. And by midpoint, the sparse script had me wondering if there was any more to the plot other than a detective working for a mysterious agency investigating the murder of a god-like being that can't be named. By the end, I couldn't help thinking this was an elaborate shaggy dog story, in the sense that it's a story with promise that ends up going nowhere.

Sentient by Jeff Lemire

Decent story about a starship from Earth bringing families to a colony world. When a terrorist attack leaves all the adults dead, Val -- the ship's AI -- must teach and protect the children. Things go wrong, as they usually do, leaving the older kids needing to save Val from a cyber attack. The art is nice, and the story moves along at a nice pace, but the end seems to come fairly abruptly. I'm realizing I prefer Lemire's longer work, such as the brilliant Descender and its sequel, Ascender, than something that fits in a single volume.

Bad Dream by Nicole Maines

This was fun. Part of DC's Graphic Novels for Young Adults, this is an origin story for Dreamer, the trans superhero played by trans actress Maines in the wonderful Supergirl TV show that was part of the Arrowverse. The art is nice, if not my preferred style, and suits the story. The basics come from the TV show, that Nia Nals' sister Maeve expected their mother's dream powers to manifest in her, only to learn that Nia is the one who inherited them. Maines takes that and weaves it into an engrossing tale about identity and acceptance., while filling in Dreamer's backstory.

Running away to Metropolis, Nia finds a group of queer girls, featuring characters from "Galaxy: The Prettiest Star," also part of DC's YA line. Hanging out with them helps Nia learn to accept herself. It's been a long time since I've read YA books -- I spent 7 of my 30 years as a public librarian specializing in YA service -- and this reminds me how enjoyable YA books can be.

I also read and loved Mike Carey's The Unwritten, about the power of stories. Highly recommended if you can find the many volumes.

Book Review

2022-05-24T16:43:00.003-04:00

It's not a comic and it's an old book I finally got around to reading, but it's as comic book related as they come!

Man of Two Worlds: My Life in Science Fiction and Comics by the late Julius Schwartz is a breezy tour of science fiction fandom, including Schwartz's role in birthing the first SF fanzine and his involvement in the first cons, including the first WorldCon. He covers his career as an agent for a Who's Who of SFF writers, inclduing Ray Bradbury, then his career switch to editing over at DC Comics. I knew some of the stories, but not nearly all, and though fairly lightweight as memoirs go, this is a quick, fun read.

George Perez, RIP

2022-05-07T15:22:00.006-04:00

The hits just keep on coming, though this one is not unexpected. I had the thrill of meeting George when he still lived in Queens, NY, and he graciously did programs on How to Break into Comics at two library branches where I worked. The second of those times was when he had a broken arm and couldn't doodle while he talked. Older teens packed our meeting room both times and he patiently looked through portfolio after portfolio, offering tips and advice. Thanks for everything, George and rest in peace. You earned it.

Neal Adams RIP

2022-04-29T15:02:00.003-04:00

This poor neglected blog. I'm still reading comics, though not as many as previously. Saga is back and I'm enjoying the heck out of Nightwing. Lady Mechanika is good and Catwoman is entertaining with nice art. There was even a new Astro City! It just feels tedious to type up my 2-6 sentence reviews here.

But some news can't be ignored. The great Neal Adams died yesterday. He was truly one of the greats. I loved his work on Batman and other books, but it was his work with Denny O'Neil on Green Lantern/Green Arrow that made the biggest impact on me, along with making me a fan of both characters. I'd read GL comics before that and I loved Speedy, but GL/GA was comics perfection. And Adams' amazing, realistic art influenced so many other artists. He'll be missed.

Ascender

2021-08-25T19:37:00.001-04:00

I just finished reading the final issue of Ascender. It had the emotional feel of a TV series finale, full of emotion and expectation fulfilled. Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen created an amazing and complex universe in Descender, a dystopia where technology has run amok and robots have been outlawed. The heart of that series was centered in a bot called Tim-21, the childhood friend/brother of a boy named Andy, now grown up and searching for Tim-21. A lot of other people with less than altruistic motives also wanted Tim-21 for the secrets in his programming. Ascender is the shorter sequel, focused on Andy's daughter Mila at a time when magic has replaced technology and not in a good way. This final issue is a perfect ending for the saga and moved me to (happy) tears. If you haven't read this, I highly recommend it.

Nightwing

2021-04-29T14:14:00.006-04:00

Nightwing 78-79

I haven't read Nightwing since just before he was shot in the head. I'd read, and enjoyed Grayson, but reading about the upcoming storyline that once more would morph Dick Grayson into something other than Nightwing did not interest me. I read so few DC books these days, with Image and some Marvel titles occupying my comics reading time, that I had to think hard about starting back up with Nightwing. A once-page preview of issue 78 made up my mind. I would give the title a chance again. I am so glad I did.

Writer Tom Taylor gets Dick Grayson, and artist Bruno Redondo has a crisp style somewhere between realism and cartoon that is very pleasing to the eye. He needs to work more on his pizza crust lines, though.

As for the story, Dick learns he inherited a fortune from Alfred and is looking for a way to make a real difference in Bludhaven. And Bludhaven needs a lot of help, being under Blockbuster's huge thumb. This is a reset, feeling a bit like Dick's earlier adventures in Bludhaven, yet also feeling like its own thing. The pages catching up Dick's history are elegantly rendered both in text and art.

There's a lot of potential here and I'm happy to have Nightwing back in my life. Now if only someone as good could bring back Roy Harper.

I Read Something

2021-04-10T15:50:00.005-04:00

I got Ron Randall's Trekker Omnibus a few years ago and finally got around to reading it. I probably would've rated this higher if I'd read the series when it was first published, but now, this story of a futuristic female bounty hunter feels dated. What once must have seemed daring and fresh, now has a lot of competition. Mercy St. Clair (her name brought to mind Modesty Blaise) is determined and committed to her chosen profession, but has a soft heart, considered a flaw for someone in her line of work, but it gives her a rounded personality, which is good considering how much of these stories feel cliched, especially the dialogue. I don't know when these stories were originally written, but the tech seems almost quaint now given all the advances of the past couple of decades, which isn't Randall's fault, of course; it just means some aspects of this series haven't aged well. The art is lovely, though. Randall has a nice, realistic touch. I wanted to like this more than I did.

The Dead Hand

2020-11-06T01:00:00.000-05:00

Review of The Dead Hand by Kyle Higgins, art by Stephen Mooney.

I had read good reviews of this comic, so bought the single issues, but somehow, I missed one, so ended up waiting for the trade to be published. And then it sat on a shelf for a while. To take my mind off other things, I read it last night. It wasn't what I expected, and I certainly hadn't expected to tear up at the end. This is a Cold War era espionage thriller about preventing nuclear war after the fall of the Soviet Union, with a near future science fiction twist, and it's kinda brilliant. The art is lovely, and I've been a fan of Kyle Higgins' writing for a while now. I would definitely read more of the story if there is more to read, but it stands on its own as is.

Reading Comics in the Time of COVID-19

2020-10-04T16:43:00.001-04:00

It's been a year since my last post, and what a year it's been. I broke my arm soon after my last post here, and soon after I finished physical therapy for it after the brace was removed, the virus hit. I started self-quarantining in February; a few weeks later, my LCS closed, along with all other non-essential businesses here in NYC. Just because I think comics are essential doesn't mean the government does.

After two months, Forbidden Planet NY resumed mail service and my pull list titles started to arrive. I took a break from catching up on book reading, to read my new comics. I also started on the stacks of unread graphic novels and collected comics trades. I finally read Brian K. Vaughan's Y: The Last Man and loved it. I enjoyed G. Willow Wilson's Air, a rather quirky fantasy-esque tale.

I don't know if anyone is still reading this blog, but I thought I'd post an update.

What I'm Reading

2019-09-16T15:46:00.002-04:00

I'm still here. I have so many interests, that I don't seem to make the time to blog much, anymore. I've also run out of things to say. I find it easier to review books, over on my book blog than to review ongoing comics.

So I thought I'd post some comments about some comics I'm currently enjoying, for anyone still reading/following this blog. My comics reading has evolved/changed over the last few years. I tired of DC's events and got tired with Nightwing. I got annoyed with Titans. I got bored with Flash. I'm also deeply missing Saga and hope it returns soon.

But I'm being entertained by an interesting mix of comics. Ascender is an intriguing follow-up to Descender. The current Captain Marvel is keeping me reading, though the current Magnificent Ms. Marvel is on the cusp of being dropped. It just doesn't seem as good as when G. Willow Wilson was writing it. And as often happens, much as I love Wilson's writing, I found her take on Wonder Woman kind of dull. Some writers are better with some characters than others, for me, at least.

Web of Black Widow 1 is a decent start to what I hope will be a good story, one with some meat on it and not just another decent yet forgettable one as I felt the just concluded Black Widow title was.

Catwoman continues to be fun and despite going on for 9 issues and counting, Mavel's Invaders is keeping me reading, thanks to Cap and Bucky.

But the title that's got me really hooked is DC's Lois Lane 12-issue series. Only three issues in, Greg Rucka has me eager for the next issue. Lois is in her element -- being an investigative journalist -- and despite my not reading the current Superman titles, I'm having no trouble following along. Including Renee Montoya/The Question is most welcome, and I'm so happy Lois is getting the star treatment. I loved her now-silly-seeming series published back in the '60s, and can't believe it's taken this long to see her name on covers again. I'd love her to get an ongoing title.

Not Quite Reviews

2019-04-17T16:33:00.000-04:00

I like reading comics by new creators and DC's New Talent Showcase provides a nice sampling of new folks. These short stories can be a mixed bag, but this edition -- 2018 #1 -- is a nice compilation. Featured characters are Batman, Constantine, Catwoman, John Stewart (I didn't read this one since I currently have no interest in Green Lanterns), Zatanna, and Wonder Woman. The stories are fairly light on plot, mainly being character pieces, but they adequately conveyed what they set out to do: explore a facet of known characters. The art is really nice and fairly polished looking. I look forward to seeing more from these new creators.

The Winter Soldier mini concluded in a satisfactory way. Kyle Higgins did a nice job exploring an element of Bucky's psyche and road to redemption and the art by Rod Reis was lovely throughout.

Random Thoughts

2019-03-05T12:54:00.001-05:00

First, for anyone still reading.... My apologies for the lack of posts here. My comics reading is more behind than ever.

Second, the anonymous spammy comments submitted for approval are getting more bizarre than ever. The ones complimenting me on making a difficult subject understandable -- submitted comment on my post about George Perez retiring -- are laughable. I don't see links, either, so I'm not sure what Anonymous Spammer hopes to gain by having comments posted. But rest assured, "Anonymous," I will not approve your comments for publication here.

Third, some noteworthy comics. My love of Bucky Barnes has been rewarded by the first comic to feature him in a long while. (I'm not counting his guest turn with Hawkeye in what was actually a Black Widow story in the recent, and excellent, Tales of Suspense.) The new Winter Soldier comic has Bucky trying to help others escape a life of crime as a way to atone for his dark acts. The art is nice and the writing is heavy on character development. Just perfect. The first issue of The Invaders was good, too, even if Bucky just has a cameo this time. The PTSD plotline re: Namor is intriguing.

Catwoman, Captain Marvel, and Black Widow are worth reading, too, and I'm eager to see what the new creative team brings to Ms. Marvel.

George Perez Retires

2019-01-19T14:57:00.001-05:00

George Perez has retired from making comics and I thought that was worthy of a post. I was fortunate to meet him a few times, including the two times he gave "How to Break into Comics" programs aimed at teens at the library where I was the young adult specialist. They were the most popular programs I ever held and he was as gracious and friendly as one could hope, patiently looking at and evaluating the art the attendees brought with them.

So, enjoy your retirement, George. You've more than earned it.

Also, I'm behind on reading, behind on reviewing, not sure when I'll catch up with either. And I still wonder how many folks actually read this blog and/or care.

Very Belated Reviews

2018-11-14T12:03:00.004-05:00

I've been such a bad comic book blogger. I'm also way behind on my reading. I hope someone is still reading this blog. Here are some very short reviews.

Heroes in Crisis 1
I have the second issue but haven't read it yet. The art is stunning. The story is intriguing. With the deaths, though, including my favorite character, Arsenal, I'm treating this as an Elseworlds story.

Ms. Marvel 34-35
Kamala and Bruno working together again! Yay! As delightful a comic as ever.

Flash 55-57
Flash takes on the other forces. This storyline has been fascinating, including Barry rethinking a lot of things. Not as much fun as the TV show, but quite readable.

Catwoman 3-4
I'm really enjoying this comic, and I'm really happy to see the return of Selina's sister in what clearly is a continuation of sorts of the pre-New 52 Catwoman comic.

Nancy Drew 4-5
This really captures the spirit of the old books, both in writing and art, and while the first story has a clear conclusion, there's a cliffhanger to leave me eager for the next arc.

Lazarus 27-28
I read this so long ago now that I've forgotten the details, but I know I enjoyed this, as usual.

Sorta New Reviews

2018-09-06T15:51:00.002-04:00

I have been attempting to tackle the stack of unread comics. Dropping Nightwing, which has gotten generic and boring to me, should help. Adding new ones I like isn't helping. And thus, just a few reviews now, and belated at that.

The Life of Captain Marvel 1
This is good. First off, it looks gorgeous, with Pacheco and Fonteriz doing the present-day scenes and Sauvage handling the flashbacks. Dealing with unresolved anger issues, Carol heads to her childhood home where she needs to face her past. Writer Stohl got this title off to a great start. It's been a while since I've wanted to read about Carol.

Catwoman 1-2
Someone is posing as Selina to pull heists, and fresh off her busted romance with Bruce, she's not amused. Joelle Jones is handling story and art and there's both a fresh and throwback feel to classic Catwoman. I'm liking this more than I thought I would.

Adventures of the Super Sons 1
A maxi-series that picks up from the now canceled series, but takes place before the current Superman stories that I'm not reading. Tomasi really knows these characters and has fun with them. I'm really glad DC is doing this book.

Nancy Drew 1-3
I've been reading Nancy's adventures since I was 7 or so. I still have my Nancy Drew books, some of which were printed back in the 1930s and '40s. A couple still have their dustjackets! So I approached this comic with cautious optimism, hoping that Kelly Thompson would not screw up my all-time favorite literary character. Yeah, more a favorite than Supergirl. Jenn St-Onge's art is cartoonish, yet perfect for this reimagined, updated version of "the" girl detective. Bess and George are still around, though George is an out lesbian, and there are fun new characters, too. I hope we get an updated version of Ned, but the addition of Frank and Joe Hardy of Hardy Boys fame is a nice touch. The chapter cliffhangers evoke the books, and the character development is good. This is better than I had dared hope.

Ms. Marvel 33
Kamala's powers are out of control, so while she tries to fight the latest threat, anyway, Bruno tries to figure out what's gone wrong. The usual excellence fromt his title.

Flash 53
The discovery of more forces to go with the speed force has made for an interesting and entertaining storyline.

I Am a Bad Blogger

2018-08-13T15:13:00.003-04:00

I am. I'm bad. I used to blog daily, or at worst, weekly. Now I spend my time on Facebook, reading news that alarms me, and on my tablet playing games. to calm me. Comics are still a way for me to relax, but blogging about them kind of became a chore. Still, I will forge on!

Here's some comics I read in the last month or two.

Kill or be Killed 20
The end of the story. This had a bit of a twist at the end. Overall, the story was magnificent.

Descender 30-32
This also is the conclusion and ended in a surprising way, which author Lemire admits in an afterward, wasn't the ending he'd planned. So there will now be a sequel, Ascender. I'm looking forward to it.

Saga 53-54
The end of the current arc. I can't... I can't really talk about it and not just because of spoilers. I have too many feelings about this. This is not a book for people who want only happy stories. That the book is going on a long hiatus, of a year or longer, is not helping.

Nightwing 46-47
Buh-bye. After some really nice stories that delved into Dick's personal life, past, and psyche, we get some tripe about a virtual attack on Bludhaven that, honestly, could have been told with any lead character. *yawn* I've reluctantly dropped this from my pull list.

Flash 49-52
Geez, these piled up. Wally's race through the speed force to find his missing children breaks the speed force and reveals there are other forces, too. I'm still reading this because I like the pseudo, comic-book science concepts it's dealing with. It's fun.

Ms. Marvel 31-32
Issue 31 is the 50th issue of Ms. Marvel (thanks to the renumbering nonsense), and is wonderful. Kamala has a slumber party, and guest artists help out in the oversized issue. And in the next issue, Kamala and Bruno try to pick up their friendship. This might be a book about superheroes, but the emotions are painfully realistic. I love this book.

Wonder Woman

2018-07-11T22:13:00.000-04:00

This news has me beyond excited. I stopped reading Wonder Woman a while back, soon after Rucka left. But starting in November, the series will be written by G. Willow Wilson, co-creator of the wonderful Ms. Marvel over at Marvel. The best part is that she'll be building on what Rucka did on Wonder Woman Rebirth, not ignoring it all as his successors did. Now if she fixes Donna Troy in the process, especially her origin/backstory, I'll be in comic book heaven. Well done, DC!

Late as Usual

2018-06-26T12:32:00.004-04:00

I have a growing stack of unread comics. I blame the political climate and too many online games for my lack of reviews here.

Anyway, here's some comics I did read.

Infinity Countdown Black Widow
I got this in the hope Bucky would show up, but he didn't, so I was disappointed. Not a bad story, even if I don't care about whatever Infinity Countdown is.

Titans Special New Justice
I got this to see which characters were going to be the Titans moving on. I wasn't impressed. And I'm really tired of the JLAers treating the Titans like kids when they're experienced adults, and I'm really tired of the Titans being a family of sorts being treated as a weakness. That was always their strength. Another comic off my list.

Flash 46-48
Focusing on Wally, his memories all returning, his past life, and the ramifications for the future. I'm enjoying this storyline.

KIll for be Killed 19
The penultimate issue of this comic is explosive. I have no idea how the story will end next issue, but this is definitely some of Brubaker's best writing.

Nightwing 44-45
New, weird story, not sure where it's going. Something involving hacking people's brains, or some such.I'm reserving judgment until it's finished.

Ms. Marvel 30
Just wonderful. And Bruno is back! Yay!

Super Sons 16
I'm going to miss this delightful team-up book. Yeah, there will be a mini-series, but with the changes to the Superman titles, that's all we'll get and it's not enough.

Saga 52
Still the best comic being published. All the emotions in one issue, as usual.

OMG So Late

2018-05-08T13:47:00.000-04:00

So, I've had a stack of read comics to review, but I got lazy, then I got sick, and, well, here they are. Really late. And I've got another stack still needing to be read.

Titans 22 and Annual 2
The Annual contains the conclusion to the story in the main book, and Roy was vindicated. There was a good story here buried under ordinary writing. It was okay, but it could have been better. Still, we had the usual feelgood Titans story: they're at their best when they're together.

Kill or be Killed 18
This comic is winding down, with only a few more issues left, two after this one, I believe. The you-know-what is getting real close to hitting the fan.

Flash 44 -45
The speedsters neutralize the threat, then Titans Wally West finally reintroduces himself to his aunt Iris. This was a long time coming.

Saga 51
Fun times. Sadness. This issue has both and some stuff in between. Geez, I love this book.

Descender 28-29
A flashback story gives some background on the rise of the machines and we learn why Tim-21 is so important. Mostly. I love this, but I'm thinking it would've been better to read it all at once. That way, I wouldn't keep forgetting details from past issues by the time I read the new one.

Super Sons 15
Damian and Jon make a great team. Their latest adventure has them uncovering a threat to the Justice League. This book is so much fun.

Tales of Suspense 103 - 104: Hawkeye and the Winter Soldier
The bickering duo of Clint and Bucky is fun, but these issues belongs to Natasha,. First, we learn how she survived being killed and then she neatly isolates her former lovers so she can complete the job she set out to do. This was rather enjoyable and I hope we see more of Natasha soon.

Nightwing 43
Dick hangs out with Damian and Roy Harper, making for one weird team-up. Not bad.

Ms. Marvel 27-29
Kamala returns, just in time, to help save the day, with an assist from Captain Marvel. Bruno is back, too, and there's a new girl in school, and somehow, it all feels majorly important. This book is so good at capturing the feel of superheroing while dealing with teenage angst.

Superman 45
The Kents finally, officially move out of the Hamilton County house. Not much story here, just a very precious slice of life. I love this book so much. I have much concern over the Bendis era of Superman that's coming.

Action 1000
Lots of short stories showing how loved Supes is. I didn't read the Bendis one, though. Lots of lovely art, too.

Around Here Late is on Time

2018-04-08T16:18:00.001-04:00

Seriously, I've long given up the whole idea of weekly reviews, or so it seems.

Anyway, the latest issues of Green Arrow and Nightwing did nothing for me, so I'm not reviewing them. Here's what I did like.

Nightwing 41
The conclusion of the Judge story was quite satisfying.

Black Magick 11
Now we're really into things. The suspense is really building, with the threat making itself known, going after Rowan's partner and his new baby. I love this book.

But I love Saga more! Saga 50 has a wonderful cover of Alana, Marko, and Hazel. The first scene depicts hot sex between Marko and Alana, so, a bit embarrassing to read on the subway,

Descender 27
The robots have the upper hand! Good science fiction.

Kill or be Killed 17
The suspense in this noir is palpable, and Dylan's narrative voice gives this book an extra hook. This far into the story, I still have no idea from what perspective he's narrating his story, let alone how crazy, if at all, he really is.

Black Lightning 5-6
The mini-series concludes in wonderful fashion and sets up a possible future story. There are many differences from the TV show, and that's okay. I'm just glad Black Lightning is back.

Flash 42-43
Setting up the upcoming Flash war story, I guess. Plus, Grodd. Average Flash story.

Super Sons 14
I continue to enjoy the friendship forged, in their quirky fashion, between Jon and Damian.

Action 999
The highlight of this issue is the awkward dinner at the Kent home with Lois' father.

Titans 21
Roy is in deep trouble and that's why I'm still reading. Because I love Roy and want to see where this is going.

Incredibly Late Reviews

2018-03-09T11:55:00.004-05:00

It wasn't until I got the stack of read yet unreviewed comics that I realized how much I've been neglecting this blog. So, here's a whirlwind tour of what I've read over the last few weeks.

Hawkeye 15-16
Kate Bishop is a delightful character and the story concluded in an open-ended way, suggesting future stories, but for now, that's all she wrote. Hawkeye Kate should be returning in the summer.

Flash Annual 1
This is a Prelude to something called Flash War. The thing I loved about this was that it starred Wally West, the original Wally, and his attempt to carve out a new life for himself in a world where only a few people remember him.

Flash 39-41 (I did say these were very belated reviews)
Grodd is back. To be honest, I don't remember the first two issues all that well, but I just read the third and Barry has to ask Godspeed for help when things go from bad to worse. I like this comic, but it doesn't really have staying power.

Green Arrow 37-38
The first, long, story arc of this Rebirth title finally concludes in a nice, upbeat way. This might've been one of the longest continuing stories I can recall reading in a standard superhero comic, but it never felt that way. There were always other things going on, always forward movement even as things got bleaker and bleaker. This reworked Green Arrow is one of the finest versions. One of my favorite Rebirth titles.

Jessica Jones 16-17
Jessica finally vanquishes her demon: Kilgrave, the Purple Man. I like this book more for the art and layouts than for the words. Sometimes, I think the stories Bendis writes are padded and other times, they feel obtuse, as if he's leaving things out, making jumps mid-scene. It makes me very worried about him taking over Superman soon.

Batwoman 12
Mostly a flashback story and we should get back to the main story/present next issue. I don't like this version of Kate as much as the original one, but the story is interesting.

Super Sons 13
Damian's mom shows up and that can never be good. Other than for us readers.

Titans 20
The Titans were disbanded by the Justice League, which annoys me because the Titans are adults and should be able to function as a team if they want. The current story arc is really annoying and Abnett's dialogue leaves plenty to be desired, but this is where I have to come to get my Roy Harper fix, so I'm sticking with it. In this, Roy acts like the jerk he typically can be and ends up in a heap of trouble.

Kill or be Killed 16
More twists and turns in this amazing noir mystery.

Black Lightning 4
I hope this mini-series leads to an ongoing because I really love it.

Black Magick 10
Things are getting really creepy and dangerous and I keep thinking how good this book would be as a TV show.

Action 996-998
The concluding chapters to the time traveling saga. It was nice having Booster and Skeets around for a while.

Superman 40-42
The first two issues were an interesting story about a dying planet with a majority of inhabitants who didn't want Kal and Jon to save them. The third is the start of a Bizarro story and I'm not really fond of Bizarro, so we'll see how it goes.

Nightwing 38-40
The Judge is one scary villain from Dick's past and this story has been intense.

Saga 49
I've run out of superlatives for this book. 'nuff said.

Tales of Suspense 101-102
Clint and Bucky continue to search for the assassin who may or may not be Natasha. Their banter elevates the book from a standard mystery/spy story.

Really Late Reviews Again

2018-02-03T14:44:00.001-05:00

I haven't gotten my comics for the last two weeks. I was sick last week and this week, my LCS didn't get their shipment until yesterday, so I figured I'd just get them all with next week's batch, given how behind I am in my reading, anyway.

So, here's what I did read in the last couple of weeks.

WildStorm: Michael Cray 3-4
This is a wild ride, especially the warped versions of standard DC characters, like Barry Allen. I'm enjoying it. Cray is badass.

WildStorm 10
This reworking of the WildStorm 'verse continues to intrigue me. I think I've said that before.

Copperhead 17-18
The sheriff's backstory wasn't what I expected, and I do like being surprised, when the story is good. And this one is.

Batwoman 10 - 11
The venom story arc concludes in issue 10 and Kate takes on Prof. Pyg in issue 11. I'm enjoying this, but the original version of Kate Kane was better.

Super Sons Annual 1
Really, this is a Super-Pets tale as Krypto and Titus take on the case of missing dogs, with an assist from Detective Chimp. It's as cute as it sounds.

Batman 37
I picked this up thanks to the cover and apparently, it's the sequel to something and might be the middle of something, but it stands on its own as Lois, Clark, Bruce, and Selina go on a double date and yeah, it's as awesome as it sounds.

Superman 39
Supes takes a group of sick kids to the moon for an adventure they'll never forget. It's as heartwarming as it sounds. This is the Superman I love.

Action 994-995
Supes and Booster Gold deal with fractured time, including ending up in Booster's time and dealing with Booster's dad. I can't wait to see where this ends up.