Don’t head out for Thanksgiving until you pick up the last batch of new November comics. As mom always said, no turkey until you read your comic books!

On a serious note, a very Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Eat More Comics!

 The Essentials

Blackest Night #5 (of 8 )

In case you haven’t been keeping up with the year’s biggest crossover, Blackest Night is kind of a big deal. What will happen next? Well, in this issue, Black Lantern Max Lord comes out of the grave and snaps Wonder Woman’s neck. No, I’m bullshitting; I strongly doubt that will occur. If that actually happens, then my sincere apologies for spoiling it.

Green Lantern #48

In case you haven’t been keeping up with Green Lantern, it’s where all the biggest Blackest Night developments are actually happening. Buy it!

Justice Society of America #33

The conclusion to Willingham and Sturges’ first storyline should be a doozy.

Should Buy

Uncanny X-Men #517

Feels like a long time since part 1 of “Nation X” came out, but it was very good. A more nuanced Magneto/X-Men  story is a good thing.

Others to consider

Incredible Hercules #138

“Assault on New Olympus” begins. The issue I bought was a lot of fun, so I like the creative team. This four-part story should be more serious, and I’m hoping for a Herc/Ares fight at some point. I think it’s worth a shot.

Powers #1

Powers is back, but I can’t tell you anything about it. Ask Spiffy or maybe Goki.

Justice League of America #39

James Robinson and Mark Baglet’s second issue is a Blackest Night tie-in. The first issue was terrible, and I think I’ll pass on the two-part crossover tie-in and try again in January.

Justice League: Cry for Justice #5 (of 7)

More James Robinson, more Justice League. Might still suck, but I’ve bought the first four issues, and I feel committed.

Son of Hulk #17

The solit makes this sounds pretty epic, but I’m way too late to this party.

And now, here with more recommendations is the indomitable Gokitalo!

I mentioned it in a comment on another post, but just so everyone knows: I’m going to be a little less active between now and near Christmas as I get ready for finals. I won’t be disappearing, but my posts will be a little shorter, as you’re about to see, and there may be some gaps between my visits, as you’ve seen the past week. But my diminished role should just allow Goki and Lia to get extra attention for the reviews they’re about to post very soon.

Without further ado, reviewed these weeks:

11/11/09

Batman #693

Batman and Robin #6

Booster Gold #26

Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love #1 (of 6)

Dark X-Men #1

Fables #90

Green Lantern Corps #42

Red Robin #6

Strange #1 (of 4)

11/18/09

Black Knight #1 (one-shot)

Dark Avengers #11

Flash: Rebirth #5 (of 6)

Incredible Hulk #604

Nov. 11 Reviews

Green Lantern Corps #42

RATING: 5/5

Let’s be clear: this issue has the biggest development of Blackest Night since the dead started rising. Huge and beautifully tragic issue. It’s not without its flaws — the Kyle/Soranik interaction felt very forced and perhaps too easy. And while I usually don’t give perfect ratings to flawed issues, the way this book ended was just so big and goosebump-raising that I couldn’t resist.

Red Robin #6

RATING:4.5/5

New penciller Marcus To gives this book the one thing it was lacking through the first five issues: great art. With the escalation between the League of Assassins and the Council of Spiders ramping up, this book is moving from good to great.

Fables #90

RATING: 4.5/5

“Witches” has seen Bufkin, the flying monkey, move from occasional comic relief to center stage badass. Got to love it. Next month: the conclusion. Very impressive how this book hasn’t dropped at all since the change in direction after “War and Pieces.”

Booster Gold #26

RATING: 4/5

This rating might be slightly too high, but nevertheless, this was a very good issue showing the emotional impact Ted Kord’s death has had on Booster. I’ll definitely be there for the conclusion next issue, and who knows, I might be pulled into this book long-term.

Batman #693

RATING: 4/5

The major weakness of Tony Daniel’s first issue — the dialogue — was much better here. The Huntress had a nice guest role, and Daniel continues to develop the Bat-villains very well.

Batman and Robin #6

RATING: 3.5/5

The conclusion to “Revenge of the Red Hood” didn’t have quite the impact it was going for. Tan’s art, usually very good with just a couple flaws, was actually pretty all-around bad, looking very rushed. The story was quite good, but not all I’d hoped for.

Dark X-Men #1

RATING: 3.5/5

Not just a ton happens in this issue, but what does was more than enough to pique my interest. Mystique is being written interestingly, though I don’t know yet how I feel about the rest of the team. Leonard Kirk’s art was OK but had its problems; he was better on JSA. But the ending was just extremely exciting for me.

Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love #1 (of 6)

RATING: 3/5

A lot of table-setting in the first issue of this mini, but a lot to like. The art was only so-so, but the characters are immediately likable, and I think this will be a very enjoyable miniseries.

Strange #1 (of 4)

RATING: 2/5

I was certainly expecting more out of one of my favorite writers, Mark Waid, in the first issue of this mini. There didn’t seem to be much point to it, and I’m undecided on whether I’ll keep reading for the remainder of the mini.

————————————————————

Nov. 18 Reviews

Dark Avengers #11

RATING: 4/5

The consistently inconsistent Brian Michael Bendis was on the upswing of his yo-yo for this issue featuring a favorite villain of mine, the Molecule Man. I didn’t really care for Bendis’ efforts to develop Victoria Hand into anything more than a minor background character, but everything else was quite good. It’s gotten kind of rare to see Bendis write someone so in character, but he pulled it off with Molecule Man, even giving a new application of his power that I’d never seen or thought of before (but still felt appropriate).

Black Knight #1 (of 1)

RATING: 3/5

This one-shot reunites the great Spider-Girl team of Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, and I thought it would be bringing back Dane Whitman, the heroic Black Knight, one of my favorite heroes who has spent most of the past decade in limbo. Instead, it was about the “untold origin” of the original Black Knight, a villain who died I believe back in the early 1970s. It was pretty good, though not amazing. I really don’t get the point of the one-shot, unless it was a test to see if there was enough interest for a new series. I’d be on board.

Flash: Rebirth #5 (of 6)

RATING: 2.5/5

Looooong wait for this issue, and I can’t say it lived up to expectations. The art was good, but I didn’t care for the plot developments. The “revelation” with Zoom was so impractical and unnecessary. I hope the conclusion is better, when it comes out in … March?

Incredible Hulk #604

RATING: 2.5/5

I bought this issue because the solit made me think a certain dead character might be coming back, but I was wrong. It was nothing more than OK, and I don’t care for the state of certain situations in the title. I tried it for two issues, and I think that’ll be it for me.

The “filling in for David and/or Spiff” edition! But first, a little something for Green Lantern fans who may not visit comic stores often (I’m looking at you, Barnes & Noble people!): all this month, comic stores are giving out Lantern power rings! Not just Green Lantern ones, but Sinestro Corps (yellow), Star Sapphire (violet), Blue Lantern, Indigo Lantern, Red Lantern, Orange Lantern and even Black Lantern rings! Now, supposedly, you get these rings by purchasing certain DC Comics, e.g. you get a Sinestro Corps ring if you buy Doom Patrol #4. However, you should ask your comic store folks about it: I know some are giving out the rings alone for $4, while others (like my own) are wise enough to make the rings free with ANY purchase.

Anyway, let’s begin:

The Essentials

Adventure Comics #4

While Geoff Johns started off keeping the series relatively isolated from current big events in the DCU, Adventure Comics officially jumps into Blackest Night with the return of… Superboy-Prime! Yes, the guy who killed our protagonist, Superboy (Conner Kent) is back, with a very powerful Black Lantern in tow (I won’t say who, but it won’t be hard to guess). Seeing the Superboys have their rematch, assuming that’s what happens, is going to be pretty epic. Will it be good? Probably: even though it’s a departure from the character-driven “Americana” stories in earlier issues, I’m sure issue #4 will be just as delightful as the first three. Also, rumor has it some big Blackest Night stuff’s going down…

Powers Encyclopedia Vol. 1

I tried getting into Powers a few years ago and I just couldn’t; it was like all of Bendis’ writing tics were turned up to 11. Still, this is probably a must-have for any Powers fan. It even has characters who haven’t appeared in the series yet! Of course, you could always wait until they actually appear :b

Amazing Spider-Man #612/Dark Reign Spider-Man: The List

Buy these if “One More Day” didn’t made you swear off Spider-Man forever. They do look intriguing, though: Mark Waid sounds like he’s got an interesting take on Electro, and Spider-Man taking on “Iron Patriot” Osborn is a nice twist on the Spidey/Osborn enmity. Both comics will no doubt have major repercussions for Spider-Man; I’m sure the Dark Reign one will play into Marvel’s upcoming “Siege” crossover too.

Flash: Rebirth #5

Huraayyyyy, it’s finally out. This series hasn’t been as good as I thought it be, but it hasn’t been terrible, either. Still, I suspect there’ll be at least one event this issue that’ll play out in the upcoming Flash ongoing, so Flash fans may not want to miss this.

Should Buy

Black Lightning- Year One TPB

At last! I bought the first few issues, but then decided to trade-wait the rest. The fact that I’m willing to buy a TPB with issues I already own should tell you how good this mini is. Jen Van Meter managed to take all the retcons Black Lightning’s gone through over the years (like all those daughters who popped up out of nowhere) and incorporate them into a compelling, updated version of the character’s origin. Most importantly, though, she proved that Black Lightning/Jefferson Pierce is a fascinating character in his own right, one who definitely deserves more attention than he’s getting now. I know Jeff’s not on the JLA anymore, but I’d love to see a Black Lightning ongoing by Jen.

The ‘Nam TPB

Finally, Marvel’s famous ’80s series about the Vietnam War is back in print. This critically-acclaimed series was hailed for its compelling storytelling and historical/military accuracy (at least until Frank Castle started showing up, but that was much later). Besides, ten issues for only 30 bucks is not a bad deal.

Wolverine: Weapon X #7

Apparently this series isn’t selling as well as it should, which is weird for a Wolverine comic. It’s a shame too, since Jason Aaron’s done some great work with the character in the past. Forget all the crazy, convoluted Romulus conspiracy stuff going on in Wolverine’s other comics– this is just Logan doing what he does the best. The latest storyline began in issue #6, so catching up should be easy. 

Others to consider

Green Lantern Corps: Emerald Eclipse TPB 

This lead-in story to Blackes Night doesn’t feel quite as essential as it did back when it was coming out an issue at a time. However, I remember the reviews were pretty good. Plus it’s hard to go wrong with the premise: “Mongul enslaves the planet Daxam, making it the home world of his Corps.” In other words, Mongul’s got himself an army of Supermen.

Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come Vol. 3

I thought most of Geoff Johns’ relaunched JSofA run was as slow as molasses, but I also thought it’d read better in trade. Now here’s our chance to find out! Assuming Vol. 1 and 2 are good, that is…

Mighty Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest TPB

The first trade of Dan Slott’s Avengers run is here! If you want classic-style Avengers with a modern flair, written in character (sorry Bendis, your batting average is only so-so on that one), this is probably the comic for you. At least that’s what I’ve heard, anyway.

Destroyer Premiere HC

The Invincible team of Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker (see what I did there?) take a little-known character (I think) and up the violence, MAX-style. Basically, Destroyer learns he hasn’t got long to live, so he decides if he has to go, he’s going to take as many super-villains with him. Solid enough premise, and in case I didn’t make it clear at the beginning, Kirkman and Walker DID create the awesome Invincible.

War of Kings HC

So I hear Marvel’s cosmic crossovers have been consistently better than Marvel’s recent Earth crossovers (Civil War, World War Hulk, Secret Invasion). I’d buy this, but I feel almost obligated to start with Annihilation, the story where Marvel first started revitalizing its cosmic characters. Best advice I can give you? Don’t do what I do: just buy the thing and tell me how it is. Or wait for the softcover, since $39.99’s ridiculously expensive. Even Spiff doesn’t charge that much on weekends.

Superman/Batman #66

Man, even Grundy’s a Black Lantern now. Which makes sense.

Brave and the Bold #29

Brother Power the Geek returns. That’s all you really need to know. Well, that and Batman teams up with him.

Kookaburra K #1

The latest sensation from the House of Ideas! With a name like that, how can you not buy it?

Some fun stuff around the Interwebz to hold you over until we post more new stuff (and unveil our message board!):

-Bendis answers your questions on Twitter. Maybe this thing isn’t so bad after all…

-Dan Didio gives you a tour of the DC offices. And answers your questions. Dan is a generous man.

-Check out all of Marvel’s SIEGE images. I swear the shadowy figure in this one is Beak (Barnell Bohusk) with a sword.

-Two-Face is showing up in this week’s Batman: Brave and the Bold. So is Doctor Fate.

-Smallville’s getting its own TV movie (well, two-hour long episode), penned by the mighty Geoff Johns and guest-starring the Justice Society… as well as Amanda Waller. By the way, you’ll never guess who’s playing the live version of the Wall (hint: “Across 110th Street…”).

-Marvel Studios names its new co-president. I swear, I’m never going to get used to seeing the Marvel and Disney logos together like that…

-Brian K. Vaughan talks The Escapists (which just got reprinted in softcover) and leaving Lost. BKV’s the man; I’ve got to buy more Ex Machina trades. Oh, and The Escapists, d’urh.

-Hey kids! Dr. Horrible’s getting his own comic! By Zack Whedon! I love Dr. Horrible. If you haven’t watched Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog yet, you owe it to yourself.

Mmk, we’re done. Happy reading!

BIG week of comics coming up on Wednesday as we move into the middle of November. Take a look and share what you will be buying.

The Essentials

FABLES #90

Blog readers know by now how much I love Fables, so I won’t ramble too much. Suffice to say, this is the penultimate chapter of “Witches,” and it should be exciting. The battle for supremacy on the 13th floor is on. My take? I would never bet against Frau Totenkinder.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #6

The conclusion to “Revenge of the Red Hood” will feature, according to DC’s solit, the Red Hood revealing his identity, which is weird, since we seemed to already get that last issue. Regardless, this has been a mostly good book, and you get the feeling that it’s on the verge of something huge (for one, Dan Didio promised months ago that issue #7 — which doesn’t come out until January — was of massive importance to the DC Universe), so try it now before you feel left out.

RED ROBIN #6

With all due respect to Grant Morrison and Batman and Robin or Tony Daniel and Batman, this is the best Bat-book on the market. It started well and has solidified it’s place with every new issue, to the point where I am now calling this a near must-buy. Part 2 of “Council of Spiders” brings in new artist Marcus To. I know nothing about him, but I’m hopeful he’s better than outgoing artist Ramon Bachs, whom I thought was the one weakness on the book in the first five issues.

Should Buy

BATMAN #693

Tony Daniel’s second issue as writer and artist on the book comes out just two weeks after his debut. If you read my review of his first issue, you know it was not without its flaws. However, the art is just gorgeous, and his overall plot ideas are promising, so you really ought to give it a shot and see if he can take the book somewhere good.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #42

As I also mentioned in my latest reviews, the main plot developments in Blackest Night have recently been taking place more in Green Lantern than in the main miniseries. I think that might start spreading more into Green Lantern Corps, as well, particularly if what appeared to be a major death last issue is in fact for real.

CINDERELLA: FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE #1 (of 6)

This is a holdover from last week that I missed. This miniseries spinoff from Fables is actually not written by main scribe Bill Willingham, or even Willingham’s co-writer from Jack of Fables, Matt Sturges; if it were, this would be an Essential. However, the writer, Chris Roberson, has apparently helped contribute ideas before to JoF, and it has Willingham as a “consultant.” Plus, Cindy is a good character who doesn’t get a lot of attention in Fables, so it’ll be nice to see her in the spotlight.

STRANGE #1 (of 4)

This miniseries about the former Sorceror Supreme might seem pretty missable at first — after all, I’m among those who was none too crazy about him losing the top magician spot (even though I do like his successor, Brother Voodoo). However, it’s written by Mark Waid, and that’s pretty much an easy ticket to get me to buy just about anything. If the SHS variant is available, all the better.

Others to consider

BATGIRL #4

I read the first arc of this title and found it pretty good. However, it didn’t quite raise to the level of greatness that makes you want to keep buying. I’m going to pass, but if you’re a fan of Stephanie (formerly Spoiler) or Barbara Gordon, this might be for you.

BOOSTER GOLD #26

I’ve never bought this book, but Spiffy was a fan back before he stopped reading comics. What’s eye-catching about this issue is that it starts a two-part Blackest Night tie-in story with, as you could probably guess, the original Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, coming back as a Black Lantern and fighting Booster and the new Blue Beetle. Ted and Booster had one of the great friendships in comicdom, and I hate that Ted is dead. But he is, and his “return” could make for a good story. I could go either way, but I might pick this one up.

AMAZING SPIDER-Man #611

I bring this up just to illustrate that Deadpool is everywhere these days. I have no idea where this massive explosion in popularity came from, but he’s getting the Wolverine treatment all of a sudden. Marvel’s solit for this issue is pretty clever, and it is written by Joe Kelly, perhaps the most acclaimed Deadpool writer ever. With Deadpool and Spider-Man together, this might be worth it for the banter alone. However, I’m still not sure whether I’ll pick this up or not. I’m just feeling a little overexposed to Wade these days.

BLACK PANTHER #10

This sounds like a fairly epic issue, and I did become a huge Black Panther fan in the Christopher Priest days, so my instincts make me want to try it. However, I would probably be lost at this point, and I don’t know whether Jonathan Maberry, whom I’ve never heard of, can deliver the quality I got used to from Priest.

CABLE #20

It seems like every time I look at a solit for this title, it’s about Cable vs. Bishop. That does indeed sound awesome, but I wonder whether it gets old with month after month of that concept? Not sure, because I still haven’t tried the book. I still might, if I see a good jumping-on point.

DAREDEVIL #502

I’ll admit this sounds pretty good, but I just got tired of DD back in the Bendis days. Hopefully some Daredevil fan will come tell me why I’m foolish for not jumping on board.

X-FORCE #21

“X-Necrosha” continues, but I wonder how many people are even noticing Marvel’s version of Blackest Night. Our own Lia is one of them. Will she review this issue?! Stay tuned.

S.W.O.R.D. #1

Remember Agent Brand from Joss Whedon’s great Astonishing X-Men run? Apparently, she needed her own series. I thought at first this must be a miniseries, but it looks like it’s a regular ongoing. Beast is there, so that’s something, I guess. So is Henry Gyrich, Marvel’s frequently used symbol for annoying government bureaucracy. This time, Gyrich takes over S.W.O.R.D. Someone seriously needs to count up how many jobs Gyrich has had over the years. It’s a lot. Screw Brand and even Beast; give Gyrich his own series.

DARK X-MEN #1 (of 5)

As I was reading Marvel’s solit for this new miniseries, nothing about it was catching my eye as something I should buy. More Dark Reign, a writer I’ve never heard of – it looked like an easy miss. Then, right near the end, they got me with this sentence: “But what does Nate Grey, A.K.A. X-MAN, have to do with it?” It’s been been about eight years since we last saw Nate, as he seemingly died in the last issue of his book (X-Man #75). I was a pretty big fan, and if he really is coming back, I can’t help but check this out.

X-BABIES #2 (of 4)

Don’t look at me like that. You know you want to buy this.

Well gang, this is it. After nearly two years of Grointasticness and sporadic updates, it’s time to finally put Goki’s Giving Groin back where it belongs:

In my pants.

Fear not, dear readers! This is NOT the end of the blog. However, this IS the beginning of the much-heralded changes to our lovely Inter-home. We begin with a name change: Goki’s Giving Groin will from this day forward be known as…

EAT MORE COMICS.

Delicious, isn’t it? Don’t worry, we’re still going to cover non-comic book related topics, as well. Yet if you look at the blog’s output, you’ll see that we’ve clearly talked about comics more than anything else. Not to mention that our old name probably isn’t too SFW. So now you can surf our blog without worrying about getting fired! Or sent to detention, for all you young scholars out there.

But wait! There’s more! In addition to changing our name, we are also starting… a message board! This’ll allow us to cover more topics at once, as well as increase interactivity with our readership (and each other). More importantly, it will allow you, the reader, the chance to come up with topics of your own. Can you feel the power?! Just don’t get carried away; we’d still be in charge, after all

Expect the blog and the message board to have a symbiotic relationship (or symbiosis, if you prefer). We’ll link to popular message board topics on the blog and vice versa, and if we want to cover a message board topic in more depth, we’ll probably post on the blog. That said, expect blog posts and message board posts to be any length; we’re not letting format dictate how long our posts are going to be.

We’ll be posting the link to the message board some time this week, so stay tuned and save your appetites!

Batman #692

Blackest Night #4 (of 8 )

Captain America: Reborn #4 (of 5)

Dark Reign: The List — Wolverine #1

Green Lantern #47

Jack of Fables #39

Justice Society of America #32

The Torch #3 (of 8 )

X-Factor #50

Only Captain America and The Torch were new this week; the others are from Oct. 28. Maybe a good thing I got both weeks at once, or it would be a small list.

Dave’s Spotlight of the Week(s): X-Factor #50

X-Factor #50

Written by Peter David.

Art by Valentine de Landro, inked by Pat Davidson and Craig Yeung; cover by David Yardin with Nathan Fairbairn.

RATING: 5/5

Since 1981, when Chris Claremont and John Byrne introduced the readers of Uncanny X-Men to the “Days of Future Past,” the books of Marvel’s Mightiest Mutants have thrived on taking looks into dystopian futures and alternate realities. Over the past year, X-Factor has given us a story to rival any X-Dystopia, as Peter David has taken his readers back into “the Summers Rebellion.” David has interwoven the future and the present beautifully to tell a tale with profound impact on both times. But whereas many flash-forward stories, such as “Age of Apocalypse,” were defined by their epic scope, X-Factor  has succeeded with the personal touch of strong characterization. Yes, there’s the typical struggle to survive in a world gone wrong, but the heart of the story is more about people and relationships — Jamie and Layla, Ruby and Fitzroy, a senile but still evil Doctor Doom. And it was the strength of those characters that built the storyline’s conclusion into such a remarkable issue.

Everything comes to a head in this issue. It’s a story about combatting the evil within, about the inevitability of fate. And in the end, it’s a story that shows thing rarely change, no matter how hard you try to make them, or how much you wish you could let them. David’s narration, through Madrox and Layla, maintains the human element even in critical moments of intense action. De Landro, whom I’ve never been a huge fan of, delivers some of his best art on the series. I still think he could do more with his facial expression and more thoroughly develop the background art, but I’ll settle for the solid, clean pencils he gave this issue.

X-Factor has already been one of the best books of the market for a while, and this issue further cemented its status as a must-buy book. The book now takes November off before returning in December with new numbering, paying homage to the old X-Factor run by jumping to #200. We got an extended preview of #200 at the end of this issue, and aside from not understanding why Guido is black, I thought it was great. If you haven’t tried the book yet, definitely be there in December.

Quick Hits: The Rest of the Week(s)

The Torch #3 (of 8 )

The Torch #3 (of 8 )

Story by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Mike Carey; script by Mike Carey.

Art by Patrick Berkenkotter; cover by Alex Ross.

RATING: 5/5

In a year that has seen the launch of Blackest Night, Captain America: Reborn, Flash: Rebirth, and The Marvels Project, and that saw the conclusion of Final Crisis, Secret Invasion, and Battle for the Cowl, among others, The Torch looks like it might shape up to be the best miniseries of them all. Only three issue in, Carey & Co. have already delivered a spectacular story that somehow just keeps getting better. The way the Mad Thinker is being written, you wonder why he hasn’t been an elite villain all these years. The way Toro is being written, you wonder how he could be left dead all those years. The way Berkenkotter’s art looks, you wonder why you’ve never heard of him. His stuff has a Steve Epting feel to it, with a lighter, more expressive tint. Yet perhaps the most impressive thing is the quick tempo at which the plot is moving along. I can’t help but wonder what devlopments will be introduced to get this mini through eight issues, given how much has already happened. But with Namor coming into the fray, I’m more excited than ever to see where this goes. Great stuff.

Green Lantern #47

Green Lantern #47

Written by Geoff Johns.

Art and cover by Doug Mahnke, inked by Christian Almy and Tom Nguyen.

RATING: 4.5/5

As Blackest Night continues, many of the meatier story developments are happening not in the main miniseries, but in Green Lantern. This week is a good example of that. The war of light is in full swing as Hal, Sinestro, Carol, and Indigo face off against one of the more interesting Black Lanterns yet, Abin Sur, as well as Sur’s Black Lantern sister, who was once the love of Sinestro’s life. We also get developments from the Blue Lanterns, Orange Lanterns, and Red Lanterns, where Atrocitus rages against the darkness closing in on him. It’s a great issue, giving the high-octane action that has defined the crossover while still pausing to give a taste of the battle’s emotional impact. Mahnke’s art is truly impressive; I’m amazed by how much he has improved over the past six or seven years.

Blackest Night #4 (of 8 )

Blackest Night #4 (of 8 )

Written by Geoff Johns.

Art and cover by Ivan Reis, inked by Oclair Albert and Joe Prado.

RATING: 4/5

In a crossover with Green Lantern at its core, this issue is owned by Flash. Barry Allen is at his heroic best, rallying the troops and inspiring even his fellow heroes. His speech to Atom and Mera was perhaps the highlight of the issue. The violence of the Black Lanterns continues, graphic and unrelenting. Another hero falls. Ivan Reis’ art captures the scope of the battles while maintaining the integrity of each character’s reactions. In a week of several issues with good to great art, Reis and Tony Daniel (Batman) stand out as truly outstanding. My only criticism is that the main miniseries is dwelling heavily on the same type of events every issue: The dead are rising and overwhelming the living, who struggle with the emotions of the Black Lanterns’ resurrections while struggling even more just to survive. It’s quite good still, but that element of the premise is starting to run its course and become repetitive. What I thought would be more at the core of the crossover, the so-called “War of Light,” is really happening more in Green Lantern at this point (see above). Still, I’m thoroughly hooked, so we’ll see where Johns goes from here.

Justice Society of America #32

Justice Society of America #32

Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges.

Art and cover by Jesus Merino.

RATING: 4/5

The fourth of five parts to “The Bad Seed,” the first storyline of the new creative team of Willingham, Sturges, and Merino. While the last issue might have been a little better, this was still a very good effort that sets up perfectly for what should be a great conclusion next month. Willingham and Sturges have done a nice job of sowing the seeds of doubt within DC’s oldest superhero team, creating a dynamic of unease that has rarely been seen in the JSA. At the same time, the creative team is maintaining the elements that have always characterized the Justice Society; the big three (Jay, Alan, and Ted) all have good moments. It’s very enjoyable. I would like to see a couple bigger names in the group of attacking villains, but I suppose that’s part of the charm. Merino looks well on his way to superstar status, with a style like Alan Davis or a less polished Jim Lee. This creative team is in for a great run.

Jack of Fables #39

Jack of Fables #39

Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges.

Art by Rus Braun, inked by Jose Marzan Jr. and Andrew Pepoy; cover by Brian Bolland.

RATING: 3.5/5

Part 3 of 4 of “The New Adventures of Jack and Jack.” I mistakenly believed this was the storyline’s conclusion, but what it actually is another very good issue from everyone’s (= my) favorite writing duo, Willingham and Sturges. The only comic book that combines fantasy and postmodernism, JoF is a welcome breakthrough in creativity. I look forward to the real conclusion next month.

Captain America: Reborn #4 (of 5)

Captain America: Reborn #4 (of 5)

Written by Ed Brubaker.

Art and cover by Bryan Hitch and Butch Guice.

RATING: 3/5

Much like Flash: Rebirth, this back-from-the-dead miniseries seems to be taking a long, long time. I don’t even know whether there have been delays or the plot is just moving slowly, but I feel like I could have missed the first three issues and not been lost at all. However, there is a lot to like in this issue, particularly the Doom/Skull/Zola banter. There’s also Hitch’s art — he might not be the faster artist, but once it’s done, he’s damn good. And given the ending, it looks like we’re finally on the edge of a plot breakthrough (well, we better be, with only one issue left).

Batman #692

Batman #692

Writing, art, and cover by Tony Daniel, inks by Sandu Florea.

RATING: 3/5

Tony Daniel takes over as the writer and artist for Batman, and it’s a nice start. His art is an unequivocal success, as expected. His art can be dark, expressive, or pin-up worthy; he really is as good as it gets in the industry. His writing is a mixed bag. The plot is quite solid. Daniel gives a nice line-up of villains, particularly the Black Mask. I like the idea of Black Mask becoming a main arch-enemy of Batman; the Joker needs to be saved from overuse, and Black Mask can give a rare scheming matchup for Bats, instead of the pure lunacy he often faces. The downside to Daniel’s writing is the dialogue, which is mediocre at best. Maybe he’ll improve, but I think he could benefit from a co-writer. Regardless, there’s easily more good than bad in this issue, and I’ll keep with the book for at least a while.

Dark Reign: The List -- Wolverine #1 (of 1)

Dark Reign: The List — Wolverine #1

Written by Jason Aaron.

Art by Esad Ribic, inked by Tom Palmer; cover by Esad Ribic.

RATING: 3/5

The latest one-shot in Marvel’s The List series is a solid effort from Aaron and Ribic. This one-shot is a bit different from some of the others I’ve read in the List series, as Norman Osborn isn’t actually going after Wolverine himself at all, but instead is making a power play on The World (the Weapon Plus headquarters introduced in Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run), and Wolvy, Fantomex, and Marvel Boy try to stop him. There’s really no particular flaw in the issue, it just doesn’t rise to any level of greatness. Still, it’s an enjoyable read, as Fantomex and Marvel Boy are both well-written and entertaining. Ribic’s art is nothing special, but it gets the job done.

… to the big changes I spoke of, as life has recently been trying to run me over with a steamroller. Yet fear not, dear readers, for I shall unveil these changes this weekend at the earliest and Wednesday at the latest. In the meantime, check out some of the great content David’s been posting up lately:

• David asks for your next PROJECTS suggestions
• David tells you what to buy this week (for he is The David, and we shall all do as he commands)
• David reviews last week’s comics (for he is The David, and thus can turn back time)

So click on those links… or just scroll down.

The month is almost over, buy will the final week of new comics in October be a trick or treat? Wow, what a lame intro. But seriously, after last week was weak sauce, this week looks outstanding. Better get to the comic book shop tomorrow, you won’t want to miss these books.

The Essentials

Blackest Night #4 (of 8 )

The year’s biggest event hits its half-way mark. So far, Blackest Night has lived up to the hype for me, so I’m pretty excited. Geoff Johns is a mastermind, and Ivan Reis is as good as any artist in the industry right now.

Green Lantern #47

Get another dose of Blackest Night this week. Some of the BN tie-ins have missed the mark, as happens with any crossover, but the core title, Green Lantern, seems to never disappoint. With Reis temporarily off the book to draw the main BN mini, Doug Mahnke is filling in admirably; his art has improved significantly since he did JLA with Joe Kelly several years ago.

X-Factor #50

Fans of the blog may know I’m slightly obsessed with Peter David, one of the best writers of the past 20+ years. My fanship is for good reason, as X-Factor proves month after month. The “Summers Rebellion” story has been great, and the conclusion in this landmark issue should be orgasmic. Get pumped!

Should Buy

Jack of Fables #39

This is almost an “Essential,” but I can admit this book might not be for everyone. For me, though, it’s awesome. Willingham and Sturges provide a more light-hearted take in this Fables spin-off, combining adventure with comedy in a book that is purposefully postmodern as it satirizes traditional concepts of stories. This issue concludes a three-part story, and looks to provide a possible new direction for the title character, maybe even changing who the title refers to.

Justice Society of America #32

Another helping from the great writing team of Willingham and Sturges this week. I really should have this is the “Essential” category, but I forgot while writing that section and am too lazy to copy and paste it up there. Anywho, W&S are still early in their run on JSA, so if you haven’t tried it yet, you really, really should pick this up. Last month’s cliffhanger was huge, and one look at this issue’s cover should tell you there are some big developments going down. If you’ve never read Fables or Jack of Fables and feel like you can’t start on either now, then get this run while it’s still early and experience the genius of Bill Willingham.

Others to consider

Batman #692

Tony Daniel begins his run as writer and artist of the main Bat book. I’m a huge fan of his art; he’s one of the best in the biz. The only reason I’m not recommending this more emphatically is because I have no clue how his writing is. He did write Battle for the Cowl, so ask someone who read that. I’ll be getting this; the current Batman dynamic is pretty good.

Arkham Reborn #1 (of 3)

The recently destroyed Arkham Asylum is rebuilt in this miniseries, but some things never change: namely, Arkham is still going to be a madhouse in every sense of the word — an instrument that furthers crime’s future more than preventing it. Could be fun, but I think I’ll pass.

Blackest Night: Titans #3 (of 3)

Blackest Night: Batman and Superman wrapped up earlier this month, and Titans become the last of the first wave of limited series tie-ins to conclude. The first issue was very good, the second one a little repetitive. I’ll go ahead and buy this to see how it wraps up.

Dark Avengers: Ares #1 (of 3)

Big week for Dark Reign, starting with this limited series spotlighting the Dark Avengers’ second-biggest gun, Ares. I find him an intriguing character, and can remember reading a story from back when he was a rarely used villain. THis limited will apparently show him trying to regain his spot in the Pantheon, which could be good. Never heard of the writer, Kieron Gillen, though. We’ll see; could be an impulse buy, but it’s also a big week.

Dark Reign: The List — Punisher

The List continues as Norman Osborn now goes after the Punisher. Could be fun to watch Frank kill some of Norman’s lackeys, but I’m just not that into Punisher. I’ll pass.

Dark Reign: The List — Wolverine

This List one-shot I’m a bit more interested in. I get a little tired of new “Weapon [number]” characters being introduced, but it has Wolvy and Fantomex together, which I like. Also, Marvel Boy finally comes back, after deserting the Dark Avengers several issues ago, and I’ve been wanting to see what role he’ll pay. I’m leaning toward getting this.

New Avengers #58

I have absoutely no intention of getting this; I just wanted to point out that this book has become more about the Hood than the Avengers. He’s not that good of a villain, and writing him into every story isn’t going to make him one.

X-Necrosha

This one-shot is intriguing, but bad timing. Apparently the dead are rising as zombies (via Selene?), but in case you haven’t heard, DC is kind of dominating the whole “The Dead Shall Rise” shtick right now, so I doubt this gets noticed much. I won’t be getting it, but I will note that this crosses over into X-Force and New Mutants, two books I’m interested in trying once they start new stories.

Last week had a plethora of good to great comics. This week? Uh, not so much. Reviewed this week:

Dark Avengers #10

Dark Reign: The List — Hulk #1

The Incredible Hulk #603

Justice League of America #38

I only buy one of these books (Dark Avengers) regularly. The Hulk duo — well, reading so much of Peter David’s run recently put me in a Hulk frame of mind. And I’ll be giving Justice League an extended try, mostly out of nostalgia for the old Morrison and Waid JLA.

Dave’s Best of the Week Spotlight

Incredible Hulk #603

The Incredible Hulk #603

Written by Greg Pak

Art by Ariel Olivetti, Guiseppe Camucoli, and Cam Smith; cover by Ariel Olivetti

RATING: 3/5

In the weakest of weak weeks, Incredible Hulk gets the Spotlight just by being decent. It was enjoyable, but I can’t say it was anything special. First, for both this and The List, I felt that the “Previously” page that appears on all Marvel comics could have been much more informative. As I mentioned above, I’m new to the title, and they could have done a better job making it accessible. Nevertheless, I picked up on the basic idea and found it mostly entertaining. The plot? Wolverine and his son, Daken, come looking (independently from each other) for Bruce Banner (no longer the Hulk) and his son, Skaar. Naturally, it leads to Daken vs. Skaar, which is cool, and Pak plays well on Skaar and Daken’s similarities throughout the issue. However, the fight is somewhat abbreviated and doesn’t really measure up to the classic Wolverine vs. Hulk battles.

Still, Banner himself is a badass now, and Pak does a nice job of sprinkling in some humor. The art switches back and forth between Olivetti’s painted art, and Camucoli/Smith’s traditional pencils and inks, which are similar to Jim Calafiore’s so-so stuff. Neither art set is anything special. I should mention that there’s a back-up story here, by Fred Van Lente and Michael Ryan, on a “new She-Hulk,” but it’s completely forgettable. Not sure yet whether I’ll try this book again. It’s not great, but does have some promise. I’ll probably decide when it gets close to the next issue, basing the decision off the next solit and how big the week is.

Quick Hits: The Rest of the Week

Dark Reign: The List -- Hulk #1 (of 1)

Dark Reign: The List — The Hulk #1

Written by Greg Pak

Art and cover by Ben Oliver

RATING: 2.5/5

Another helping of Hulk this week, this one not quite as good. The “Previously” page was again unhelpful, making the start of the comic pretty unaccessible. As Dark Reign drags on, Norman Osborn sends his right-hand woman, Victoria Hand, and Ms. Marvel (Moonstone) after Banner and Skaar. It’s an odd duo to send after someone so powerful, and the fight is even more odd. It’s nice to see Banner being a badass without becoming the Hulk, but he’s more like Tony Stark than Bruce now, which is weird. Even weirder is that Victoria Hand, a low-level SHIELD agent until her sudden promotion to No. 2 in HAMMER, is able to match wits with him. The resolution to the conflict feels sudden and a bit strained. Art is OK, nothing special — similar to Olivetti’s painted stuff in the main title.

Dark Avengers #10

Dark Avengers #10

Written by Brian Michael Bendis

Art and cover by Mike Deodato

RATING: 2.5/5

If you’ve read my recent comments, you know I’ve been hard on Dark Reign lately. Nevertheless, I’ve mostly liked this book, and based on the solit, came into this issue with somewhat high hopes. It didn’t particularly deliver. Deodato’s art is a treat, but the story struggled. Karla Sofen (aka Moonstone, now Ms. Marvel) was a character of great complexity and intrigue under Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza in Thunderbolts. Bendis is writing her like a sex addict, using her scantily clad exploits and come-ons as fodder for horny fanboys. I had a difficult time getting over that characterization, and it spoiled this issue for me. Also, billed as the issue where Norman starts to crack, the chinks in Osborn’s armor were a little too understated. The only redemption of the issue, outside of Deodato’s art, was the final page, which, if everything is as it appears, marks the return of a favorite villain of mine. Very nice.

Justice League of America #38

Justice League of America #38

Written by James Robinson

Art and cover by Mark Bagley and Rob Hunter

RATING: 1.5/5

OK, I was rooting for this to be good, better than Justice League: Cry for Justice, also by Robinson. But this is just not how you start a run. The main reason the rating isn’t a full point lower is because I have too much respect for Bagley’s art. Robinson, meanwhile, clumsily tries to tie up the loose ends of the preceding run, throws in a long and mostly pointless battle (seemingly just so there’s some action in the midst of poor dialogue), and concludes by setting up a Blackest Night tie-in for the next issue. Also, there are multiple references to events in Cry for Justice that haven’t happened yet in the mini. It was a very poor effort. I don’t understand why DC didn’t have someone else wrap up the old team and do the tie-in, then let Robinson start fresh with his new line-up, hitting the ground running. Also, let him start his run after his miniseries is finished, especially if he’s going to reference it. I’ll still give this book an extended try, because I really want it to be good. But I don’t have a good feeling about this.