A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Jun 20th
• Aquaman #37 - Well, that didn't go as planned. Let's see... the story moved forward a little - Rath is too powerful, blah blah, Aquaman runs away, blah blah, and the mystical guardians of Atlantis decide that Rath isn't so great after all. I guess that's enough. The cliffhanger is just another bit of a fight, so I could have done with something more interesting. Ah well. At least it's clearly nearing the end.
• Justice League #2 - Still more cosmic nonsense that doesn't really do anything for me. I'm just not getting into this story. I hope it'll click with me at some point.
• Green Lanterns #49 - That's it? Wow. I don't know what to think of the resolution to Jessica's tale - part of me is happy and pleased and part of me is just asking what the big deal was all along. I guess story decompression has gotten so bad that a well-paced story seemed to end abruptly. On review, though, I liked it. A lot.
• Teen Titans Go #28 - The first story involved our heroes being sent to the 1950s, where they definitely do NOT fit in. The second story was much more laugh-out-loud, as the team teases Robin for being a sidekick only to learn first-hand how difficult kicking the side can be. Nicely goofy.
• Doctor Strange #2 - Well, he clearly isn't completely powerless if he's able to do that. I have never been a fan of cosmic stories. I guess I like my stories set on Earth or something. So far, this series is not really all that impressive to me.
• SpongeBob Comics Annual Giant Swimtacular #6 - Well, that was meta. Seeing the "creative team" trying to meet educational standards was... strange. There was ever so tiny appearances by Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on the cover of a Shakespeare-inspired version of SpongeBob. But mostly, this was just really odd. Amusing as usual.
• Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #4 - To the halfway point, and the mystery continues to deepen. I love Ishida's methods of getting his way with his so-called superior, but I'm really curious what that lamp says and what its purpose is. I guess I'll just have to wait until I reach the next issue. I'm glad it is already in the to-read pile!


• Jun 27th
• Mera: Queen of Atlantis #5 - I'm glad Leron is on Mera's "side". She needed that reminder, I think, to handle what was to come. As for Tula, I can't imagine she's at all happy with this situation. I just hope Orm remembers his family on the surface instead of falling deeply into that trap of "duty" as he seems to be doing.
• Batman Beyond #21 - Everyone is seeing him as a monster now, so what's in the water in Gotham. Even Matt seems to be affected. This is actually a mystery I'm getting curious about.
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up #39 - A JSA team-up, including the real Red Tornado! This one is fun, and while Shaggy's solution to the problem at the end is a clever one, I think they need to bury that thing much deeper than 75 years worth of deep. Maybe Superman can throw it into deep space or something. Anyway, this was another fun issue.
• Astro City #52 - I literally got the chills when the Hanged Man showed up behind him. I mean, I felt chills all up and down my body. That's a powerful bit of storytelling. And this is the last issue of this as a comic book. I'm looking forward to the graphic novels, but wow, this book has always been so consistently good. I'll miss seeing it on the shelves.
• Prisoner #3 - So this is a story. None of it is real. But due to the nature of this particular story, the narration itself is unreliable, which means the story might not be what I'm reading. So why should I care about it?
• Forever Free #3 - I think this book broke my brain. We had an entire series in which physics made sense, and the laws of the universe were used to make war, then peace, and now... this? In the third act of the second book of the series, we are not only introduced to a being which has been on Earth the entire time without anyone knowing - but also something *else*. How am I supposed to react to this? What am I supposed to think? And what about the dangling plot threads - the lost people and the lost ship? I think my brain is broken.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Apr 4th
• Justice League #42 - I want to like this book, but this mess of a storyline has just about driven me away.
• Green Lanterns #44 - What kind of a deal has Jess made, and what kind of price is she paying? Interesting story, but since it's mostly set-up, I'm not sure how to react just yet.
• Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #6 - Shapeshifters. I don't love 'em. Not a bad reversal on the situation set up in the final issue - enough clues were left to figure it out. But still, it felt a little extreme. Not a bad mini, but I'm really new to this character and (Sorry Tony) I like the TV version slightly more.
• Bombshells United #15 - Did the plot move at all in this issue? I don't think so.
• Astro City #51 - Yeah, it would be hard to explain a person who never really existed to people who lost close friends and family. That said, I think he's selling himself a bit short. His pain is as real as theirs. Still, actions speak louder than words. His actions at the end of this part of the story ought to be enough to convince anyone with a heart. I am really looking forward to the next issue.
• Apr 11th
• Titans #22 - I can't even remember why the league imprisoned Donna, but the sheer rudeness and dismissiveness makes me happy that Batman is being attacked at the end of the book. Seems like Roy and Donna are the only ones with any idea what's happening. I would like to see more members of the Titans, but eh, this seems to be wrapping up. I'm pretty sure we dropped the book once we were sure Tempest was no longer in it.
• Scooby Apocalypse #24 - What is Daphne up to? For that matter, what's gotten into Fred? And why do those two armies never reduce in size? This book is delivering on the mystery aspect.
• Doctor Strange #388 - Yeah, I'm still not sure what the heck is happening in this book. I feel like I'm only reading part of the story. Probably because it's part of some crossover. In any case, I like the dog more than the doctor.
• Back To The Future: Tales from the Time Train #4 - Not much of anything at all happens in this issue. Just lots of circling around until everyone finally gets into almost the same space. Bored now.
• Spongebob Comics #79 - This issue gets a little meta, with comics being part of the plotline. It's about standard fare, with a brief appearance of a Mermaid Man comic book, so it's a little better than average for me.
• Apr 18th
• Aquaman #35 - So Rath becomes what he depises, but hey, that's the price of power, right? Murk is what I've come to expect. A lumbering soldier whose only loyalty is to the people of Atlantis - once Aquaman makes it clear he doesn't want to be king, Murk is ok again. But how is Aquaman, even with his new allies, supposed to fight the darkest magics of Atlantis? Interesting stuff.
• Justice League #43 - Meh. This whole story was messed up from the beginning. It appears to have been trying hard to be a saga with interlocking ideas and events... the result was something best read as a trade. Issue by issue it just didn't work for me. Hopefully, the next storyline won't be so tangled and pointless.
• Action Comics #1000 - I suppose we got this because of the issue number. Well, it was ok. Aquaman shows up in a couple of group images, so that was nice. None of the stories stood out to me as spectacular, none were particularly bad. A nice anniversary issue.
• Green Lanterns #45 - Ok, this is a story that I've wanted to read since we first learned about Jessica Cruz. She's not what I expected. A hunting trip? Expertise in killing animals because she's been doing it all her life? Wow. I'm really eager to find out more. Add in a dash of Constantine, and I'm hooked.
• Bombshells United #16 - Nice finish. It kind of sorted itself out after a really confusing issue. I think you could have combined this with the last issue and lost nothing.
• Teen Titans Go #27 - Not a particularly great issue. I mean, it would make sense for insurance to be an evil plot, but at the end nothing changed. And the spring cleaning story was... just odd.
• Rough Riders: Ride or Die #3 - So by acting like someone is a bad person, you can turn them into a bad person in the afterlife? Not a pleasant issue.
• Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #2 - This mystery is developing nicely, with Usage and Ishida searching for answers in all the right places. Knowing the cultural problems and issues makes this story more delicious to read - there is a lot going on below the surface. I still think Usagi Yojimbo is possibly the best comic book on the shelves whenever it is published.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

I have not been reviewing... or reading... comic books for - um - a long time. As a result, my upcoming reviews will likely be a wee bit short on actual content. Thus I'm going to use my starfish rating system, with zero starfish being "it's awful" and five starfish being "go get it now!"

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Jan 24th
• Teen Titans #16 - A nice little slice-of-life story featuring Starfire. Not really my thing, but it was a fun little tale.
• Batman Beyond #16 - Return of the Stalker, who has a decent reason to go after Batman. I'm sure there are other ways to solve his problem, though.
• Scooby Doo Team Up #34 - The girls are called on to join the Birds of Prey, and Scooby tags along. Lots of fun in this one, as per usual, with Velma doing her fair share of the detective work. This is a fun series, but are they going to run out of potential team-ups soon?
• Jan 31st
• Astro City #50 - Oh. Oh my. I have always loved the story this is a sequel to, "The Nearness of You," but man... I never thought about how it might have affected Michael as he went forward in life knowing he'd lost something so profound. This is the other side of living in a super-hero world. What is it like for those who suffer a loss in such a world? How do they deal with it, day to day? Now we know a little more.
• Feb 7th
• Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #4 - This is mostly just one prolonged fight sequence, and, in the end, felt like padding to me instead of story. Black Lightning is working with police, and they clearly appreciate it, which is good... but that's pretty much it. I feel like I could have skipped this issue and not missed anything key to the storyline.
• Bombshells United #11 - Bringing back the dead never really did work in any world.
• Green Lanterns #40 - Well, that was telegraphed from the start. Amusing, though. I find the tech nerds to be a little too flippant about what's happening, though. Most nerds I know would be eager to work with the Green Lanterns to solve the problem.
• Justice League #38 - I'm not entirely sure what's going on with Batman and Superman, but the Flash's story about getting himself back from space was nice. It feels like there's too much not being said in this one. And not nearly enough Aquaman.
• Back To The Future: Tales from the Time Train #2 - I'm afraid Jules and Verne are getting really annoying. They were mildly obnoxious in the first issue, but now they are getting beyond the point of being entertaining and into being a chore to read about. I guess I'll just have to see where this leads.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Nov 1st
• Justice League #32 - More of the Bat-crossover, Metal. Aquaman is up against AquaBatWoman, and apparently a massively mutated and massive Mera. Other than that? A lot of set up for an impossible situation to be continued in another book that I no longer read. Bleh. I hate these kind of crossovers that all too often infect superhero comics.
• Green Lanterns #34 - On the one hand, people who believe strongly in religions don't often switch so quickly... on the other hand, they were witnessing their world falling apart. So I guess even though Jessica's speech was cheesy, it was something to cling to. Lots of setup for future issues in this one, as well.
• Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #1 - Hubby and I are watching the television show, but this is the first version of the comic I've read. I've known about Black Lightning for many years. I was disgusted to learn why the Super Friends version was renamed, and I'm happy Tony Isabella is finally getting his due for this character. It's kind of hard for me to simply judge this comic out of the context of how I learned about the history of the character... which is why I've included all that information. With all that said, I really enjoyed this. It isn't completely perfect, but it's a strong set up and it makes me want to read more, so that's all good. I believe this is a mini-series, but I would like to see this character with an ongoing some time.
• Bombshells United #5 - So, in the end, in the Bombshells universe the internment of the Japanese did not happen because a handful of people stood against it, then convinced more to stand, and using magic convinced even more. It's a nice dream, but as Dawnstar notes, it's not the history of every universe.
• Usagi Yojimbo #163 - Foul murder and the frame up of a Robin Hood ninja. The usual mess of gang intrigue and no honor among thugs is combined with some possibly bigger problems. As usual, this is a great story with fun new characters and two solid favorites. I quite like Nezumi. He seems to be a sensible thief, all things considered. Another solid issue of the most dependable comic book on the market.
• Nov 8th
• Titans #17 - Wowsa. A lot of history packed in there. Donna, I'm sure, has no problem with "wasting" that amount of time. But I have to wonder what else happened to Troia beyond simply outliving her friends that turned her into that sort of monster. Fate is cruel, but Donna isn't that person. Wowsa. Lots to think about here. Could simply watching everyone you've ever known and loved die off while you persist turn you into a killer? Ok, so there's her nature already, not human, but still!
• Scooby Apocalypse #19 - Oh, now this is one that really hurts. Adults being what they are, they didn't listen when Cliffy told them the truth. And Daphne is a little too trigger-happy for my tastes. Cliffy is going to be a really interesting character should he survive much longer. No, this isn't my childhood Scooby-Doo, but I'm really loving this book.
• Spongebob Comics #74 - No Mermaid Man, and the Pirates really seem to have vacated the place. This issue was all about friendship - and took the usual SpongeBob approach to the subject. I'm not entirely sure how Squidward survived, to be honest. All-in-all, a fun little issue.
• Nov 15th
• Aquaman #30 - A nicely balanced issue, with just enough movement on all the storylines. The consequences of Mera's damaged necklace, the guilt of Tempest, the continued mish-mash of Atlantis' underworld, and of course the main story of the battle between Aquaman and Rath. My one quibble is that King Shark really seems to prefer surface life to living underwater, and I wasn't aware before that he got caught in the city. But if he happened to be in town when it all went down, it's reasonable that he would become an underworld leader. Up next appears to be the annual. Good stuff, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment.
• Justice League #33 - More of the Metal crossover, which means I don't understand everything that's going on because I didn't purchase the crossover or the many tie-ins. From this sample, I don't regret my decision. There's an evil Joker/Batman thing, and the league were captured but Cyborg busts them loose. Sort of. Aquaman is there but doesn't do a lot. So I'm fairly meh about the whole thing.
• Green Lanterns #35 - Blustering idiot doesn't know how to contact Green Lanterns except by annoying them with threats and damage. Lovely. An ok issue, but I'm not sure Jessica is likely to still have a job after that incident.
• Bombshells United #6 - I'm not really sure what this one was all about. It seems to be mostly a lot of set-up for future stories, and the introduction of new characters to this universe. At least there was a one-panel appearance of Mera and Arthur.
• Wonder Woman/Conan #3 - Not good at following orders? Who would've thunk it. The crows are getting more excitement than they bargained for, which really ought to please them in the end. I mean, they're bored and just want something exciting, right?
• Doctor Strange #381 - Loki? Really? I mean, I'm not exactly a hater on Loki, but I was hoping for some stories about, you know, Doctor Strange. Hopefully this will be a short storyline.
• Nov 22nd
• Teen Titans #14 - Titans to the rescue! There to save Damian's worthless butt. I like Emiko, but man, somebody needs to smack Damian around a bit, mentally. I'm kind of hoping that final revelation is going to be the act of smacking.
• Batman Beyond #14 - Well, the Royal Flush Gang is back in action and as annoying as ever (in that good, goofy way). It's also nice to see Terry getting his life back in gear now that Dana is aware of why he's a lying liar. As an aside, I wonder if one of the reasons I like Aquaman is because he never really had a secret identity and thus never had to lie to everyone?
• Astro City #49 - Oh man, that's one of those intense little stories about family and superpowers that I wasn't expecting to hit quite as hard as it did. Once she realized there was no possibility of him being alive, I wanted to cry along with her. And still, he was there at every protest. Another sort of eternal life. Intense. I love this book.
• Scooby Doo Team Up #32 - Holy carp-on-a-stick! It wasn't until I was reading this that I remembered watching the show a lot as a child. I hadn't really recognized him on the cover. But the comic captured the character perfectly and I was sent back into childhood. Fun stuff.
• Saucer State #5 - Guh? There was some serious Fortean Philosophy in this one, and as much as I liked it, it was difficult to wrap my noggin around. At least we seem to be getting closer to a conclusion in this case.
• Nov 29th
• Aquaman Annual: Crownspire #1 - Black Mercy. That's an oddly appealing way to die. Tula said there were many bodies down there... the probability is that they died peacefully, thinking they were in their ideal world. Unless the plant/creature/alien/magic works differently than I think it does. I always tend to enjoy Black Mercy stories, since they are basically Elseworlds tales with a framing sequence. This one introduces us to yet another child of Mera and Arthur - so just in the last month of comics we've got a daughter and a son. At some point I need to gather up all the various children of Aquaman and figure out just how many different versions there have been. I kind of would like to see them have all of them - just a huge Aqua-family with lots of kids and grandkids running around. *ahem* I thought, wrongly, that this annual would actually be part of the ongoing storyline. Now that I know it isn't, I'm even more eager to get to December's books and start reading.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Oct 4th
• Justice League #30 - Well, now. I was expecting Wonder Woman - as were the children apparently. Regardless of how this story turns out, the timeline the children are from has been destroyed. What is going to happen to them? Time travel is so finicky and dangerous. The curse on Aquaman was intense. No wonder he's so cranky. There was a Golden Age story in which Aquaman became allergic to water, but this sounds hundreds of times worse.
• Green Lanterns #32 - Pancakes? Well, eventually. I'm not sure why Simon would go to a diner with Jessica if he knew there was a party going on right then that he wanted to attend. Nor does it make sense for him to drag someone with severe social anxiety into that sort of situation. She didn't complain much, but that's just not right.
• Usagi Yojimbo #162 - The key witness manages to get the key information to Usagi, who acts on it, as is typical for him. The result is justice - but the question remains of who the killer was and why he took the actions he did.
• The Tick 2017 #1 - It seems like forever since I've read any new Tick. I know there's been some, but they were lackluster, in my opinion. This? Worthy of the name. I mean, murder clowns and ninjas and the Tick speaking in French for no apparent reason? Lovely. And the possibility of seeing an origin story for the Tick? Even better.


• Oct 11th
• Bombshells United #3 - Um. Did Diana sacrifice herself by getting eaten by Clayface? That's... that's disgusting. And oddly symmetrical, as she notes.
• Scooby Apocalypse #18 - Hrm. Apparently in this universe, Montana and Washington state share a border. I wonder what happened to Idaho? Aside from that little oddness, the story moves along nicely in this issue, with Scrappy maybe dying and maybe not to save the others. The Secret Squirrel back-ups are pretty awful, and I stopped reading during the second one.
• Back To The Future #23 - Marty has so thoroughly messed up the past I'm not entirely sure this is something that can be fixed. I just wonder if the fact that Joey is still going to jail will salvage any of the chaos. And what the heck happened to the DeLorean?
• Spongebob Comics #73 - Definitely the Halloween issue. It starts with a ghost story and pranks, continues with the silly scares, and ends with a haunted penny of all things. Again, fun stuff, but no Mermaid Man. Although Mama Krabs's Knitting Room of Nightmares made me giggle.


• Oct 18th
• Aquaman #29 - Well, now. More progress is being made in this story. I loved the shade's response to Vulko, though it seems odd that he can talk with no face. Vulko fits in with those protectors... he ought to go down and chat with them more often. As for Dolphin and Arthur - interesting chat they had about the difference between a hero and a king. Then there's the Tempest story, which was hinted at in Titans. I noticed him ripping the necklace away during the fight, and wondered if that was because it would give him more power or something. Little did I guess its true purpose. And lastly... Murk. That was oddly satisfying. Yup, still want to read the next issue badly. This series has made me happier than I've been with the book in years, and the last few writers weren't bad at all.
• Batman: The Drowned #1 - Um. Ok. I'm not really all that sure what just happened there, but I'm also not sure I need to know. It's a crossover that involves a bunch of bats, and this particular bat happened to fight Aquawoman of Earth-11 and turned herself into an Aquabat, which is so utterly ridiculous I'm not even laughing. Since I didn't buy other parts of the crossover, I'll just read the reviews to see what happens next - if I ever feel any curiosity about it.
• Justice League #31 - Ok, I really don't get time travel. However, my assumption is that when they return to "their" future, the threat will be gone completely, since it followed them into the past. Therefore, they will be able to rebuild in their alternate universe. So it'll be another piece of the multiverse. As for the rest, lovely and heartbreaking on so many levels. A nice conclusion to the story.
• Titans #16 - A death, a psychic backlash, a memory dump (literally) and now - please tell me we aren't going back to the days of a billion different versions of Donna Troy. This issue was one big fight, and so it's a little underwhelming, even with the pathos and all.
• Green Lanterns #33 - Jobs. Employment. This one hits me hard. Jessica is healing from her anxiety. Anyway, how do you save people who don't want to be rescued? And what's going to happen now that disaster has struck the support rescue ship? Nicely set up so I want to read the next issue.
• Teen Titans Go #24 - Well, at least Aqualad appeared in both stories. I was reminded again that I'm not the target audience for this book. Sometimes I really like them, most of the time I'm just a bit underwhelmed. This time I was underwhelmed.
• Bombshells United #4 - So Clayface is converted into... something else. But what did they do to the people in Los Angeles? What sort of magic is being used to force people to confront reality? I still feel like this bit of the storyline is a bit clumsy. Perhaps the fight with a legion of Clayfaces will make it better.
• Astro City #48 - Sometimes reading can be traumatic. This story manages to fit into that category, while at the same time being comforting. I was not expecting the ending, but I saw the demise of Hank coming since the end of last issue. It was done beautifully and I particularly liked the way the Pet Patrol comforted Andy after. As usual, a really good issue of a really good comic book.
• Wonder Woman/Conan #2 - So, Yanna seems to be from an Amazonian-like tribe, but I'm not sure Diana is Yanna. I think we're supposed to be wondering exactly how Wonder Woman is in Conan's reality. I'm just gonna sit back and continue to enjoy the story.
• Doctor Strange #26 - This issue is another solid story about Doctor Strange's world. It resonates with both magic and the history of the character and works both as a fun comic book adventure and a continuation of the ongoing story. In other words, now that stupid crossover is gone, we're back to some excellent stories.


• Oct 25th
• Teen Titans #13 - Oooo, the Bainbridge Island ferry during rush hour! I've been there! I guess I'll always give the side-eye to any moving trucks on the ferry from now on. Red Arrow has her head on straight, and I really enjoyed seeing her burn that little twit, Damian. She has a very nice point - he was alone. And what's this nonsense about him creating the team? It was around long before he was and even had a different leader just before he joined. He's an egotistical moron. A character I just wish would go away forever.
• Batman Beyond #13 - Another standalone issue, this one set soon after Terry returns while the city is still just starting to recover from the disaster. Enemies become allies for a short jaunt as Batman tries to help reset the city's tech in places where most folks cannot reach. It's an ok story, not much to write home about, though.
• DC House of Horror #1 - Eight very short stories, with about half of them bat-stories (ug). None of them have any characters I'm thrilled to see, but that's actually fine, because none of the stories were all that good. Perhaps the most interesting concept was of a girl possessed by the spirit of the Amazons after playing with a Ouija Board (don't tempt the spirits). The Superman story was suitably horrific. The rest barely merit mention. Definitely not the best anthology DC has produced.
• Scooby Doo Team Up #31 - Ah, the Atom. This is a good one for Atom fans, I guess. I'm not big on the shrinking into kingdoms that are inside an atom thing, so it's just a little disturbing to me. I do have a suspicion of what the end is leading up to, and I'm not entirely sure I'm looking forward to that, either. Oh well, it's still fun, and it was nice to see some actual detective work.
• Back To The Future #24 - Ha, I thought the story would end once our goofy time travelers got back to the future, but no, Biff and Joey are practically waiting for them there. I'm curious to see what Doc Brown has to say about all of it, since there is a lot more going on there in the past and present. And while a treasure map fits Doc Brown's sense of humor, I'm not sure it's actually his exact style.


• Doctor Who Comics
• Doctor Who 10th #3.8 - I admit I wanted to cry at the Sarah Jane appearances. She's just so *right*. I can hear her voice saying those lines and making them her own. I can hear the comfort she gives. As for the rest - yeah, peril and stuff. But oh, I miss Sarah Jane.
• Doctor Who 10th #3.10 - Echoes of the future strike the past, and of course the Doctor is able to fight off the inevitable with the help of both the future and the past. And the wisdom of Sarah Jane, I'm sure. I need to stop having trouble with time travel stories if I'm going to remain a Doctor Who fan - except Doctor Who usually doesn't bring the time travel element into the main story - time travel is just the method to get to the setting of the tale. Which I enjoy more than twisted time consequences smacking us around. Sorry, wandering off-topic. I loved Sarah Jane in this one, with her references to the past. And I thought the whole paradox was nicely explained. So, I enjoyed it.
NOTE: Issue #3.9 is part of a crossover that I do not have all the issues of yet due to shipping and distribution problems. However, it is NOT part of the ongoing storyline, thank goodness, so I can just continue these regular reviews.

• Doctor Who 11th #3.8 - Ah, memories. Being stolen from people. We've already experienced a bit of that in the show, and in the comics as well. Indeed, I keep forgetting that the Sapling stole memories from the Doctor and Alice to become a whole being. In fact, there's an awful lot about memories in the last couple of issues of this run of the comic.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.9 - A new plotline starts, as the TARDIS crew heads to a planet the Doctor visited in the past and find it has gone through rapid industrial progress that polluted the air. I'm still not sure what triggered the Doctor's attack and clued him into the nature of the progress. Again, this issue talks about memory in that the Sapling can remember the Doctor's previous visit, but he cannot.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.11 - Ah... so not a Time Lady. Something much worse instead. I wondered. The Time War has a lot to answer for. This issue finished up the current little story while continuing the overall storyarc, which has me curious. Not as great as some recent issues of DW comics, but still fun and strange.
NOTE: Issue #3.10 is part of the missing crossover, but not part of the regular storyline.

• Doctor Who 12th #3.6 - Why is Twelve getting all the cool callbacks to previous episodes with awesome bad guys? I mean, the Waters of Mars reference was already enough to make me happy, but now we're seeing references to Fenric? Man, this series is starting to tickle my fangirl senses in a very happy way.
• Doctor Who 12th #3.7 - And a solid conclusion to what was a pretty cool story, as the Doctor manages to outplay Fenric at this part of the game. Yet it's not a happy victory for the Doctor, because he knows what will happen in the future, and there's just enough of that to keep the story from becoming too much of a fanfest. Very neat stuff.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Aug 16th
• Aquaman #27 - So, even in Atlantis it's the year of the woman? I'm a little surprised that the Widowhood would be pushing for this, but then... no, I guess I'm not. They are powerful, secretive and a very nice addition to the mythos of Atlantis. I like having them as a counterpoint to Vulko's scholarly lore. As for Mera and Garth - well, he just used his powers in front of the Titans, so I expect he'll eventually give in on this as well. In the old continuity, Garth was pulled out of time and studied magic with Atlan himself. This version is a little less keen on it, I see. Oh, there's so much good in this.
• Justice League #27 - Uh oh. The children are hiding something from their parents. Probably the identity of Sovereign, who is being painted as Wonder Woman at the moment. Simon's future looks somewhat bleak, even if he seems pleased with the idea of killing Sinestro. He's a healer, not a fear-monger. And Arthur successfully sneaking up on Batman? That's something.
• Astro City #46 - And the whole thing comes together, but still is slightly lost. I think if he ever figures it out (with the help of the audience, right?) then he'll be much happier. What is the musical hero that lives in Astro City, and when will his time come to shine? I don't know, but I'm looking forward to it.
• Green Lanterns #29 - Training is great and all, but clearly this was a case of seeing-is-believing. Once the brand new Green Lanterns saw what they were up against, they had no more quibbles that the mission was important. Now I wonder exactly how this is going to play out. We have hints and bits from future events, but there are a lot of unanswered questions. It's good to be excited about a Green Lantern book again.
• DC Comics Bombshells #33 - And that was that. I think this is the final issue of the series. The newly launched Bombshells United will be up next, and I hope to see Mera and maybe Arthur in that as well. For the moment, though, we have a nice conclusion with Kara making the right choice. Interesting that the Wall claims this is just the first act, though.
• Teen Titans Go #23 - Yeah, I wouldn't much want to babysit Superman after he's been affected by Kryptonite, either. What's really funny to me, though, is Aqualad's resigned look when the baby shows up on their door at the end of the story. The other story, of the Teen Titans being broke and needing to sell their skills to pay the bills, was just annoying.
• Aug 23rd
• Teen Titans #11 - Well, Damian had a good moment of encouragement in this issue. Nice of him to help Jackson trigger his powers. Even funnier that Damian appears to have suffered a broken arm. Maybe Starfire will take over for a bit longer and straighten out the team.
• Batman Beyond #11 - And more Damian... love of a pet is a powerful thing. Unfortunately, I just don't buy that Damian would turn around so completely so quickly just because his father was being killed. The ending to this one seemed a bit abrupt.
• Scooby Doo Team Up #29 - Nice. I wasn't expecting the formula to get turned upside-down like this. I'm a little surprised at how quickly the real estate developers folded, though. They are usually made of sterner stuff. I guess getting sprayed with water and knocked into the air by Shaggy and Scooby was enough to make the appearance of the ghost a final straw.
• Doctor Strange #24 - This appears to be the final issue of the annoying crossover. One can only hope.
• Saucer State #3 - Fairy cakes and presidential aides. I was hoping to see some reaction on her part - some opening of her understanding, or at least an indication that she'd taken something unusual. Heh. And the quest... ha. I wasn't at all surprised, but I was amused. I really hope I understand this whole thing once it finishes. Paul Cornell's writing can be fiendish, but always rewarding at the end if you can put the pieces together.
• Sep 6th
• Justice League #28 - Ayup. It certainly looks more likely now that Wonder Woman is the threat of the future. I can't quite imagine how she's going to react to that, but we know what the children think they have to do. I like seeing Mera as a mother, and I wonder if she's going to be important in handling future Aquaman? Definitely a strange storyline.
• Green Lanterns #30 - Those rings still need some work before they are ready for prime-time if four of them pick Simon all at once. Speaking of, why didn't Jan-Al's ring find Simon earlier? Was it the moment when he overcame great fear that attracted them all? In any case, Volthoom isn't going to enjoy what comes next, I'm guessing.
• Bombshells United #1 - Ah. WWII wasn't all good vs evil, despite what our history books say. Executive Order 9066 is definitely one of those evils that the "good" guys did. And it's very bold of this series to tackle that problematic period of history.
• Astro City #47 - Who's a good dog? Well, Hank is clearly a very good dog and a very good influence on Andy. Whether or not G-Dog is itself a good dog... well, the actions are good, but as Andy himself reflects, his origins are problematic. And, as the cliffhanger points out so heart-breakingly, his future is also a bit problematic. Oh, I love this book.
• Usagi Yojimbo #161 - Yay, another Inspector Ishida book! And a murder mystery! And Kitsune as a prime witness! And... wait, who called the police? Oooh, this book is so great. I consistently enjoy it.
• Sep 13th
• Titans #15 - Huh. Nightwing's explanation actually makes sense, especially followed up with a plea for help. But here's the thing - I know a lot about Raven and her danger to the world, but I don't know a flipping thing about Omen. I just haven't delved deep enough into Titans lore to understand how she is a threat to anything. And my main source of Titans history is no longer with us. So I don't know what the feathers indicate, and I'm not sure what is happening. I did very much enjoy Garth's "admission" and everyone saying "We know." But this book has some mysteries yet for me.
• Teen Titans #12 - A crossover. As I haven't got much of the Metal books, since it's a Bat-thing, I don't really care for the story. Especially since it's also Damian-based. Pass.
• Scooby Apocalypse #17 - You have no idea how disappointed I am that Scrappy not only survived, but came back in the next issue. Ug. Minus that bad news, however, this is a decent issue. I was particularly tickled by Shaggy falling asleep the way he did and the result of that unfortunate nap.
• Spongebob Comics #72 - Who knew blowing bubbles could be so dangerous? Pretty standard issue of this comic, although it's missing the usual fourth-wall cast of pirate characters.
• Sep 20th
• Aquaman #28 - Three solid story threads, with a couple more just for spice, each one focusing on main characters: Arthur with Dolphin, Mera and Tempest and Vulko (squee!) who is almost back to his normal scholarly self as he waltzes through ghosts with nary a worry. Oh man, I am beginning to really love this book. If this quality is maintained, I'll be a happy fish for quite some time.
• Justice League #29 - Just a note, I'm both amused an annoyed at how Mera is portrayed on the covers of Justice League - mostly in Arthur's colors to indicate that an Aqua-character is part of the cast. Ahem. I was waiting for the reunion between Mera and the future Arthur, and it was as distressing as I expected it to be - as well as the cliffhanger! I definitely accept that Aquaman could take out the rest of the league given those enhancements and all of Batman's knowledge (and his toolbox). That said, I still need to see what made him turn into Curry and become a horror to the future children.
• Green Lanterns #31 - Sacrifice and death and multiple rings... but it was Jessica who stopped the madness just long enough for the end to happen. I think she's turning out to be a different and much better Lantern than anyone, especially herself, could expect. But then, she also experienced the Volthoom of Power Ring, so she has a completely unique perspective on what it means to wield a light power. Baz, now... I expected the fact that parts of his ring were imbedded in his arm to have a major significance. I'm still kind of hoping they will. I wasn't expecting to see him get one of the first rings at the end of the story.
• Wonder Woman/Conan #1 - Yanna, huh? Not Di-Yanna? Ahem. This starts out very much like a typical Conan story, but the appearance of Wonder Woman throws a spanner in the works. I'm not sure how she got there or why she bears a resemblance to a childhood sweetheart of Conan, but it'll be an interesting trip to find out.
• Wonder Woman '77 and Bionic Woman #6 - I watched both shows religiously as a child, but I don't know enough about the villains to understand the conclusion to their story beyond the surface aspects. That said, I enjoyed this series for the most part, although it got very slow and wordy in the middle.
• Doctor Strange #25 - I really do enjoy these mixed styles stories - where one story is not only set in the past but also is done in an older art style. In this one, Strange remembers a past adventure which somehow triggers powers in somebody else. The story is nicely creepy as Strange remembers more and more and finally admits that he made a mistake. Interesting storytelling, and a nice return to the book after an annoying crossover.
• Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror #23 - Three fun little stories that break all the rules, starting with a retelling of IT featuring young Homer and Marge as the children in the first part. Amusing, but I'm sure I would enjoy it even more if I was more familiar with IT. The second story was about an alien invasion that took a strangely familiar form, and had some oddly resonant pathos at the end. The final story featured the Comic Book Guy getting an (almost) perfect curse. Pity he didn't become a polydactyl. It was an amusing tale (tail?).
• Sep 27th
• Batman Beyond #12 - Another "year of the woman" issue. Max teams up with a new Bat in the slums to save Barbara Gordon. I quite liked the tricks of this one, how Max uses her strengths to fight and how a new team seems to be getting it together while the boys are off fighting each other to death.
• Bombshells United #2 - Clayface is a tough one to fight when there are a number of people running around in a dark and rainy forest. I wonder which forest they're in? This issue is a little bit preachy. Admittedly, the subject lends itself to preachiness, but it's not as strong as it could be.
• Scooby Doo Team Up #30 - Basically there are dozens of adventuring teams in the DC Universe running around saving the world. That's what I get from this issue of this book. It's hilarious, and the inclusion of Rip Hunter along with all the others is amazing. The Sea Devils, Cave Carson, the Challengers... it's a bit much. Amusing, but a bit much.
• Saucer State #4 - I'm really wondering how this is all going to play out. It seems like the president is in an impossible spot, trying to hide what happened while dealing with what amounts to a full-scale paradigm change for the entire world. And her ex! For some reason seeing the driver turn into an animal made me crack up in ways I probably shouldn't have... especially since that scene is on the cover! I'm just along for the ride and hoping it will make sense when I read the final issue.
• Rough Riders: On The Storm #6 - And Edison takes care of the threat? But that final revelation makes me cringe. And why did Annie walk away from Edison without getting the answers she needed? Another series is promised, and I'm sure we'll be getting it. This has been a lot of fun in very strange ways.

NOTE: I'm removing the Doctor Who comics from the weekly lists because of irregular shipping issues. I'll be trying to review them as I reach them in the weekly piles, but I'll put those reviews at the end of my updates as I'm able.

And with this, I'm up to October's books... just as February is underway. Well, I hope I can keep up the pace and get a few more comics read and capsuled. Maybe I'll even catch up.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Jun 21st
• Aquaman #25 - I've been lukewarm on this series so far, but this issue... it seemed to click. I like the idea of Arthur following Bruce's lead and becoming a vigilante in his own city. I love the idea of him working to become a legend. And I have always wanted Vulko to be the hero he really ought to be, instead of a traitor. So this one hit all the right notes for me. Particularly Tula and Mera at the lighthouse. Mera trying to work through her grief while Tula fights to keep her in the world - yeah, I can feel that. The introduction of Dolphin was nicely sudden, and different from previous versions (I'm assuming that's Dolphin). Good stuff, I think. More motive for me to work on catching up with my reading and reviews... I'm only seven months behind...
• Justice League #23 - The alternate cover of this issue has nothing to do with the story - and features Aquaman prominently. The story itself? Not a sign of Aquaman. This is a Jessica Cruz story featuring Batman and Wonder Woman with an appearance by Cyborg. It's not a bad story, but I'm not sure it really ought to be a Justice League story.
• Green Lanterns #25 - I admit I'm a little confused by the middle section there, and how Rami and Volthoom got to where they were. Otherwise it was an ok issue. I do like linking Jessica and Volthoom again - that works.
• DC Comics Bombshells #29 - And suddenly there's a Superman in the Bombshells' universe - and better yet, he's a clone. I love it. This one is mostly interesting because it examines how Supergirl is still dealing with the loss of her sister, but turning that grief into action. Good stuff, even if there's no Mera.
• Teen Titans Go #22 - More of the usual, starting with an ode to the various singing competition shows and followed up by an artificial prom put on by Starfire. It was ok, but then, I'm not in the target audience.
• Doctor Strange #22 - More crossover. More boring.
• Spider-Man 2099 #24 - Time travel is so dangerous, and Miguel is trying so hard to fix the future that he's kind of ignoring the future he ought to have. This is going to end soon, I know, but I'm really enjoying this book.
• Doctor Who 10th #3.6 - Tying up old storylines and getting set up for new ones. That's ok for an issue of a comic, but then you throw in a completely unexpected cameo of someone who ought not to be there, and suddenly it becomes a lot more interesting. Mild sort of cliffhanger, but that's fine. Gonna have to think about this one.
• Doctor Who 12th #3.4 - A happy story with a happy ending, as Hattie's music helps an alien ship get free and Hattie's bravery rescues the Doctor when he's knocked senseless. I almost wish Hattie would stay on as a regular, since she's one of the more level-headed companions of all time.
• Forever War #5 - This issue does an interesting job emphasizing the changes in society that have happened during Mandella's time in the war. Alone, a relic from the past, doing a job he doesn't feel qualified for and doesn't want. Yeah, this is not a happy story by any means, though it has moments of amusement.
• Spongebob Comics Annual #5 - This one is jam-packed with oddness, including a D&D type adventure, a riff on Alice in Wonderland, a Mermaid Man story that will make anyone cringe, and a choose-your-own-adventure story. Amusing, and at the level of the cartoon. As always, if you enjoy the cartoon, you'll probably enjoy the comic. I buy the comic for the Mermaid Man appearances, personally.
• Jun 28th
• Teen Titans #9 - If someone had set out to write an issue of this comic for me, the result wouldn't have been half as good as this actually was. I criticized Justice League last week for being too focused on one character, and this issue is definitely Jackson's story - but it's also a solid book about the entire group and how he fits in. This just works, from top to bottom. And there was an actual revelation I didn't have spoiled for me about Jackson's mother, so that was even better. A nicely strong issue that moves the plot along and has a lovely cliffhanger, too. More like this, DC!
• Batman Beyond #9 - Damian. I don't like him in Teen Titans, and I don't like him here. But then, he's not meant to be a sympathetic character for most people. This issue feels more traditional than recent issues of this book, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I'll just have to wait and see how it plays out in the end.
• Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 #6 - That ending is quite the tease. I liked how this series moved through Batman's life, with Wonder Woman being herself the entire time while first Bruce and then Dick grew up. A fun book, and a fun story. And maybe someday that tease will result in something else? One can always hope.
• Wonder Woman '77 and Bionic Woman #5 - The inclusion of too many villains made this book tedious for awhile, but this issue gets us back to form with plenty of action and a clear plotline to follow. I never thought that endless scenes of battle would be better than character development, but this book seems to be intent on turning everything on its head.
• Astro City #45 - Wow. This storyline has been a long time in developing and moving, but it certainly feels like it's finally coming to a climax soon. I love the concept of a superhero who is the personification of counter-culture, and I'm a little sad at the apparent memory loss associated with it. This is going to be one incredible read once the whole thing is out and done. I'm going to have to gather my issues for a reread.
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up #27 - Plastic Man joins the gang for a bit of fun. Woozy is a nice character for comic relief, which meant he fit right in with Scooby and Shaggy. Plas himself is often amusing, but with all the comic relief, he mostly played it straight - and that worked for the story. Fun as always!
• Saucer State #2 - Lots of choices for the president now, and lots of ways this could possibly go. I still feel like we're going to have the rug pulled out from under us at some point, since that's what the last series did. I'm just not sure where I'm standing or where the rug is.
• Rough Riders: On The Storm #4 - Well, I didn't see two of those plot threads coming at all. I mean, Annie is tough, but nobody is that tough. And as for the leader of the Anarchists (isn't that a contradiction in terms?), that was a shocker too. This book is still gobs of fun with its historical veneer.
• Jul 5th
• Justice League #24 - Ok, yeah, I'm delighted to see an issue devoted to Mera, of all people... but should this really have been a Justice League issue? I felt like Teen Titans managed to balance the concept of a team book with a focus on one character, but the last two issues of Justice League haven't. Am I just being overly picky? As for the story itself, I really liked it. Mera geniunely doesn't know how powerful she is, and taking down the entire league after trying for days to get into Atlantis and being exhausted? Yeah, that's Mera. Rath is gonna regret making her angry.
• Green Lanterns #26 - The first ring, the first ringbearer, and the results of having a ring that powerful - a good story to tell, and probably the appropriate spot in the ongoing story to put it. Most of the general flow of the story was already hinted at in earlier issues, it was just the details the the dumb story about the guitar that were missing. Now we know. So, what happens next?
• DC Comics Bombshells #30 - It seems that several storylines converged in Leningrad, and now that Supergirl's is mostly done, it's time for Raven to step up and find her father. In the meantime, her friends are also on their way and we get another hero - Swamp Thing! As much as I want to see Mera and Arthur again, this is pretty fun.
• Doctor Who 12th #3.5 - OooOOoh, are we finally going to get an explanation for the Waters of Mars in relation to the Ice Warriors? I'm intrigued. And I like Vikings, too, so this is a good start for me.
• Doctor Who Ghost Stories #4 - Ah, a nice conclusion to a story that was based on a television story that was only just ok. I'm glad it's done, and I think Grant works much better in this context than on TV. Good stuff.
• Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2017 - A nicely done story that concerns a single race of beings on a single planet - through four incarnations of the Doctor. In each incarnation, the Doctor helps a little and perhaps harms a little - but only at the request of the people. A fun story in which we get to see lots of different characters.
• Jul 12th
• Titans #13 - Wait, Omen? Ok, I'm still trying to get used to the idea that she and Garth are an item, but for this to happen... my head is spinning a little. I enjoyed this issue, although it was mostly a fight. I wonder about Wally and whatever is happening to him. Clearly the book has got me to care about the characters, so that's a good thing.
• Scooby Apocalypse #15 - I'm still surprised at how much I'm enjoying this comic, considering how completely off the rocker it is for Scooby-Doo. But I'm even liking how Scrappy is portrayed in this issue, which probably means I'm feverish again.
• Planet of the Apes/Green Lanterns #6 - Oh, that ending wasn't ominous at all... and the rest was a bit scary. The DC Universe that this book takes place in definitely has been changed by these events. This was a fun series, but will there be a follow-up?
• Dirk Gently: Salmon of Doubt #9 - The Kitten-Shark was my favorite bit of that first tv series (we haven't watched the second one yet), so I was amused at the implications of one Dirk's cat being the inspiration for the other Dirk's kitten. And that final shot of Bernice swimming away from Dirk and Sally was cute as well. I also liked the bear and the kitten-shark face-off.
• Spongebob Comics #70 - It's the last issue of an epic that features the writer/artist of the SpongeBob Comic being hunted down by two pirates, and it's got a bit of a Silver Age feel to it with the goofy monster. I do like that the garbage patch is explained both in the comic and in another page. Maybe it will teach someone somewhere to use less plastic and recycle? We can hope. No Mermaid Man, but an ok issue.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• May 17th
• Aquaman #23 - The Atlantean Council has a funny way of showing that law and order rule their actions. Putting Rath up to fight Arthur the instant he got back was a provocation instead of an invitation to discussion. In short, the actions of the council undercut their own argument, leaving Arthur undeniably in the right. Of course, people picking a stupid person as a leader happens, but the Atlanteans are being exceptionally dumb about this whole thing. I'm not sure I like where this story is headed.
• Justice League #21 - Well, that was a nice finish to the Groundhog Day Flash storyline. I didn't find it wonderful, but it wasn't bad. The art bothers me slightly for some reason I cannot put my finger on - there's a softness to it that doesn't work for me, I guess. Still, solid enough and the continuing mystery of what the heck is coming is also built up.
• Green Lanterns #23 - Jessica is definitely a match for Guy, even if she didn't know it. And Baz... well, Kyle is a match for him. I like the training stuff, it's funny, but I could do without the evil not-Guardian plotting.
• Teen Titans #8 - My almost complete lack of interest in Slade Wilson's story meant I spent most of this issue looking for Aqualad moments, and there were a few good ones. I particularly like when Garth meets Jackson and offers help. I hope we get to see more of that relationship forming.
• DC Comics Bombshells #27 - That's a different take on Trigon than I've seen before. But lots of potential there for both mischief and joy. Harley lives up to her reputation in this issue as well. I'm a little less enamored of Kara's plotline, but I guess it's fine.
• Astro City #44 - I'm in love with Kittyhawk the fantastic feline. And I adored the team-up with Rocket Dog, although it was pretty clear it wasn't exactly a willing team up on the pup's part. This issue just sang with wonderful moments and I had to got back and reread it several times, watching the cat each time. So cool. More like this!
• Wonder Woman '77 and Bionic Woman #4 - Still not sure about the various bad guys, but the origin summaries were a fun moment. And the final fight was a bit strange... I had to go back and see how the bots removed the bracelets so the final moment could happen. A good book, a little heavy on dialogue in this issue.
• Forever War #4 - Every issue I remember more of the book and what comes next. This one ends on a bad note, but I realized it was about to happen as I read. It's very odd to be reading a new format of something you read a long time ago and have bits and pieces of the original drift in as you read.
• Torchwood #2.4 - While I'm mostly following the plot, I'm not really sure I'm getting the point of the plot - if there is one. Perhaps it's just not my cuppa.
• Doctor Who 10th #3.5 - Pretty solid little done-in-one story that references a lot of the Doctor's past and also manages to emphasize how alien he is at the same time. Not bad at all.
• Doctor Who 12th #3.3 - I generally like siege tales, and this is a decent one so far. Nice cliffhanger.
• May 24th
• Deathstroke #19 - I admit I know very little about any version of Deathstroke, so this whole storyline is mildly frustrating to me. Oh, I'm getting enough background to follow the story, but not really enough for it to have a real impact on me. I just want to see more of the aqua-characters getting to know each other. Also, Robin is a real twit in this story. I hope he gets Guy Gardnered at some point.
• Batman Beyond #8 - Ok, I wasn't expecting that final page. As for the rest, I can see how that suit could definitely be fatal to the wearer - but at least it's not fatal in the way I was expecting it to be. This isn't going to end well.
• Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 #5 - Oooh, Bruce Wayne has shoulder angels and devils! And one of them reminds me of a recent video game. Lovely stuff. Looks like the future of Gotham is in good hands in this universe... except for the current problem. It'll be fun to see how this turns out.
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up #26 - The silliness of this one will not leave quickly. Danger-prone Daphne is the hero of the day, while the rest is bizarre all the way through. I felt like this was one of those stories you just have to roll with, instead of think about. Read that way, it was funny. Think about it too hard and you will regret it.
• Saucer State #1 - I was a little surprised at how quickly the first series filled itself in for me while reading this, as I recall being a bit confused while reading the first series. Still, I remembered enough to enjoy the story and get even more confused - which is kind of what the book is aiming for, as it's a confusing situation.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Apr 19th
• Aquaman #21 - I have to wonder if Aquaman couldn't have nicely asked the alien to turn off its scary defense mechanism, thus protecting the people left at base. But that was my only nit with the issue. The reasoning behind Dead Water makes a bit of sense and the results of it are nicely terrifying. There's even a page of Atlantis with its usual problem - what to do when the monarch is off adventuring. I'm actually anxious to read the next issue. Lovely stuff.
• Justice League #19 - I know this book should be about earth-shattering disasters and such, but if I'm yawning and skimming ahead trying to find more interesting bits, isn't that a bad sign? I mean, I didn't hate it, but it could barely hold my interest. And I'm really annoyed that I didn't get to see how Aquaman used the mystical powers, nor was there any explanation for why the Justice League suddenly appears after they've been told they might be trapped in the past. I felt like the book was several pages too long but missing some plot.
• Green Lanterns #21 - I really expected that to work, and for the Green Lanterns to take him back into custody a little happier. So the story was enough of a shock. Add in the ending, which was part of the ongoing plot, and this worked out pretty good.
• Astro City #43 - That purple guy is back, trying to tell us something important, but is pulled off-track by a young Judy Garland lookalike who presents the origin of The Gentleman. And it's an excellent origin, I thought. Tragic and yet wonderful. And more than a little frightening - what if she hadn't had such a good dad? This book is consistently good, and I admit I'm getting more and more curious about the tale the purple guy is trying to get across.
• Star Trek/Green Lantern V2 #5 - Off to the center of the universe to fuel up the green rings and stop Sinestro - only... aren't there always complications? I was amused at the trust put into the Manhunters by the crew and the Green Lanterns. I was also amused that the threat to Starfleet basically followed the crew to Oa, making the fraught decision moot. Overall, a fun development - especially who got the ring. I mean, who else could it have been, really?
• Back To The Future #18 - Doc tells a ridiculous story about getting a wedding anniversary present in order to convince his newest friend not to keep a woman waiting. I'm not sure whether I'm finding this funny or frustrating. I do feel a bit tired of this particular storyline. Irving doesn't interest me.
• Doctor Strange #19 - And they all lived spookily ever after? Well, of course not. The refrigerator is deceased, for one thing. And I'm not sure exactly what Strange did, but it clearly didn't work completely. I do want to know, though, what is Wong's favorite food?
• Doctor Who 10th #3.4 - That's an ok ending to the story. The Doctor doing what he does best - talking the bad guys to death. I like that he anticipated the bad guy's moves and found a way to deal with it. As for the clones - the ending is a bit sad and happy all at once. It makes me wonder where this really is set.
• Forever War #3 - I remember more and more of the book as I read the comic. The past is a foreign country, but so is the future, and the veterans are tossed into one horrible future with only one escape route. It's a chilling story, really. Difficult to read with everything that's going on in the world right now.
• Apr 26th
• Teen Titans #7 - Jackson arrives just as the Titans are having issues with King Shark, and Robin is as obnoxious as it's possible to be. I am really enjoying the interplay between the characters. I've never really liked any of the Robins all that much, and seeing Jackson prove himself and basically humbling Robin was a nice touch. I hope Robin is intelligent enough to see his own flaws (giving his team a playbook and expecting them, a bunch of teenagers, to read it and understand it without practice and help? Sheesh) as well as those of his team.
• Batman Beyond #7 - Ug. He doesn't want to be Batman, but he wants to be Batman and the people who desperately need him can't get to him because he's busy not wanting to be Batman. Yeah, I'm not enjoying it.
• Teen Titans Go #21 - Two stories: The Teen Titans ruin their Tower and have to find another place to stay and a game suspiciously like Pokemon Go becomes a craze. Mostly fun stuff all around, keeping in mind that this book is aimed at a younger audience than me. I did enjoy the Titans being kicked out of Atlantis, even though it was only one panel.
• Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 #4 - Oooh, so that's the end of a second era of this team-up. I wonder if the next issue will be set in 11 years, and how that will play out? I was a bit surprised that Batman was willing to unmask in front of Catwoman, but I wasn't surprised she wanted to stay for a bit. Overall, it was a nice solid story.
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up #25 - Um. Yeah. This was silly from point A to point Z, but funny as well. The whole "You have failed this city" made me laugh aloud. The hippies - oh man... is there anything more disturbing than aging hippies? And the Scooby Snacks replacement was also an excellent moment. If anyone can eat that stuff, it would be Shaggy and Scooby. All told, a fun issue.
• Dirk Gently: Salmon of Doubt #7 - This is a very confusing book, but I'm beginning to understand Dirk Gently stories: If you truly think you understand what's going on, you probably aren't reading it correctly. So I'm just going to say, "poor kitties!" and wait to read the next issue.
• Doctor Who 12th #3.2 - A break from the main storyline to see the Doctor help a little town that's experiencing a very odd situation. The smile in the sky was freaky in a 1970s sort of way, but in the end it made a bit of sense. I'm curious if we'll see these particular characters again, and if this plotline has anything at all to do with the sea monster tale involving Hattie.
• Doctor Who 9th #12 - Never mess with the Doctor's demons. As it turns out, this was one of those instances where the Doctor knew horrible things were going to happen and sacrificed not innocent lives to save innocents in the future. It's a really disturbing story, on par with "would you shoot Hitler" in some ways, although the story makes it clear that the Doctor arrived the way he did in order to find out more, not to end it outright. Still, chilling.

A Sunday Comic Books Review

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Mar 1st
• Aquaman #18 - I love this. I love how Arthur uses both force when needed, and reason for the most part, to get through to the man who was perverted into a killing machine. The back-story of the new character was great. There's enough emotion there for anyone. I also liked how it tied into the signal sent by NEMO. There's just a great deal of good pieces put together nicely in this one. An excellent story, and I hope there will be repercussions along the line at some point - I'd like to see this character again. And speaking of return characters, the final splash was a good one as well. Honestly, this book has just gotten better and better. This is the Aquaman I want to read.
• Justice League #16 - Aquaman in pre-sinking Atlantis is often interesting... I'm curious exactly how that little storyline will play out. He clearly has the support of the folks around him. I also wonder who those twins are... I have my suspicions, but DCU history has changed enough that I'm almost certainly wrong. Oooh, I want to read more! This has been a good Aquaman week!
• Green Lanterns #18 - I'm far more interested in Jessica and Simon than I am in Volthoom, so this being basically the entire Volthoom origin story... I'm not impressed. Like previous issues in this series, the twice-a-month format has allowed further exploration into the backstory of villains, but I'm not really all that interested in those backstories. Oh well. Next issue will be better, I suppose.
• DC Comics Bombshells #23 - Some flashbacks to previous events and the way certain characters had to deal with them. I'm still finding the reading more confusing than I like, and I'm not sure if it's me or the work itself. But at least I get it - Wonder Woman has joined the fight and the bad gal says mechanicals are more reliable than zombies. Well, maybe? I wonder about these mechanicals.
• Super Powers #5 - I love that Mera features so prominently in this book. Just seeing Aquaman and Mera together fighting as part of a team is awesome. And when the rest is so cute and fun - bonus! I have to admit, that's the cutest Darkseid I have ever laid eyes on. I recognized most of the heroes - but who is Golden Pharoah? In any case - fun fun fun!
• Doctor Strange #18 - Not knowing about Thor's civilian identity proved to make this one a little more interesting, as I wondered about the surgeries. The final frantic surgery scene while Strange fought Mr. Misery was pretty good, all told. And I'm curious about the next issue and whether or not Wong can be saved. So a good issue overall.
• Spider-Man 2099 #21 - I couldn't for the life of me remember who Sonny Frisco was. If I'd just read the freaking infodump on the first page, I would have known. Still, despite the lack of certainty, it was a good issue full of action. And Miggy seems to be digging himself a deeper hole, as well. How much of his past can he change before something truly nasty happens?
• Doctor Who 9th #10 - Transitions in this issue were a little rough, making it hard to follow in spots. In the end, the whole thing seemed to turn out alright, but with those shades of gray that have become more common in the show. Rose is disillusioned, the new companion is disillusioned, and the last couple of pages hint at a rockier road to come. Decent.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.3 - I'm not even going to pretend to understand what is happening with earth in this story, because if I do I think my brain might break. All just read along and smile and nod like I know what's going on and maybe the thing will come together as a story before it's all over. *smile* *nod*
• Mar 8th
• Titans #9 - Yeah, sure they reformed. I'm both amused and apalled at Garth's "punch 'em" attitude. It's true he was a hothead in the original version of the Titans, so it's not off-character, but I expect a little more from my Atlantean. This is a nicely plotted issue with the villains knowing exactly what the heroes are likely to do and planning for it. But there is a wildcard in there - so next issue we find out if she tips the balance.
• Earth 2 Society #22 - I guess this is the final issue, and there's not really any plot, just a wrap up showing most of the new world and what's in it. I didn't see any Atlanteans, which makes me sad, but otherwise a nice upbeat ending.
• Astro City #42 - What a delight for an Aquaman fan! An aquatic villain who never reformed, but did spend a very long time alone. I like the Mermaid, and thought it was incredibly funny when Manta almost commented on how old she looked. Her response to seeing him again was hilarious as well. I almost felt sorry for him when he returned to his island and isolation - I thought it would have been nice for him to at least have Mermaid visit and reconcile with him - but his "practice talking" thought at the end made it clear he's fine with who he is. Lovely issue.
• Scooby Apocalypse #11 - With everything out in the open, I think the team can finally start to figure out what and who they are. I liked Fred's calm discussion with Daphne about Velma and why Velma left. Contrasted with Velma's nightmare in the last issue, it worked really well to show how Daphne has worked through her anger. And then there was the back-up story, showing one of Velma's brothers. Apparently the plague affected him in an entirely different way - perhaps because he was already a monster.
• Back To The Future: Biff to the Future #2 - Biff goes to Hollywood and meets Hollywood accounting. Ok, so he's a bit of an idiot. We already knew that. And has a thuggish way of getting back at people. We knew that too. And had a fling with Marilyn Monroe?!?? Um. Ok. On to the next book.
• Spongebob Comics #66 - The best thing about this issue for me is the back cover. It's an ad for the Mermaid Man action figure that appears in one of the stories, and has a number of other action figures. In short, I giggled a lot. The story featuring the creepy little action figure was also very fun for me... even Mermaid Man was scared of it. This is why I continue to buy the book - for the snarky Mermaid Man jokes.
• Planet of the Apes/Green Lanterns #2 - Guy is making too much sense in this issue. And Hal, trapped in a cage, still manages to outsmart folks. I love it.
• Torchwood #2.2 - Nope. Still can't quite tell what's going on. Oh, I get the gist of it, but it's all a bit confusing and strange. It's a very disjointed style of comic book. Perhaps I'll get used to it during one of these mini-series.