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:

• Jul 19th
• Aquaman #26 - So... intrigue in Atlantis as opposition to Rath grows, while Aquaman joins with Dolphin and meets more of the bottom-dwellers in his kingdom. Meanwhile, Mera pounds on the shield around the nation-state of Atlantis with her powers... I assume this is happening before the Justice League stories involving her? Lots of fun in this, lots of potential.
• Justice League #25 - Speaking of Mera, it's really strange to see her as a full member of the Justice League - or at least presented that way. But there she is, using her powers and being part of the group. I like it. Too bad it probably won't last long.
• Green Lanterns #27 - And more becomes clear, as the pair of Lanterns travels and the various first Lanterns are gathered to the place they traveled to. Fun. Time travel... I suspect it will last awhile, because there are a number of plot threads that have to be gathered and the set-up for this was long enough to imply quite a tale. It's wait and see time for this book.
• DC Comics Bombshells #31 - This far in, and we're still getting origin stories. This time it's both Killer Frost AND Supergirl, sort of. Still, an interesting way to draw out the Leningrad fight a bit longer... I'm not sure what to think of Strange's octopi, except that Mera would not approve.
• Batman '66 Meets The Legion of Super-Heroes #1 - Nice little done-in-one issue. I'm amused by Egghead and his descendent. I'm also amused that Batman is so observant he noticed both odd shadows and lack of proper eye dilation. Batman as a detective: refreshing.
• Doctor Strange #23 - How much longer is this crossover going to go on? Three issues of it so far, and I'm still just not interested.
• Spider-Man 2099 #25 - That was an abrupt ending to the series. I knew it was ending soon, but I expected a couple more issues and a view of the future and all that... not a gut-punch and good-bye. Oh well. I enjoyed it while it lasted. Spider-Man 2099 has a special place in my heart as one of the first comics I bought from the first issue of his existence.
• Back To The Future #21 - More messing about, and more chances for things to turn out nasty and uncomfortable for everyone. I'm particularly amused by the cliffhanger, since Biff is never far enough away.
• Forever War #6 - I had completely forgotten the ending to the book, and as I read the final page, I felt a happy twinge of joy. Yeah, it seems a bit odd, but the eternal war ended once the two sides could actually talk to one another. And the final bit, where Mandella gets peace and a real life... that's almost enough to make me cry. This is a decent adaptation, although now I'm going to have to read the book again.
• Jul 26th
• Teen Titans #10 - All of the origin comes out and now we know who Jackson's mother is, and why he has his power. I like. I really enjoyed this issue, although I still want to smack Damian upside the head. That final panel was very nice. I suspect Manta will just run, though, and not try to help his son. If he does anything different, I'll be surprised.
• Batman Beyond #10 - Damian is annoying, and I intentionally don't buy most bat-books because I'm not that interested in the bat family. But I can't get away from Damian. Ug.
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up #28 - Well, if you are going to explore those characters in a team-up book, that's definitely one way to do it. I quite liked Carrie in this. Lots of fun, even if I don't much care for DC's Western heroes.
• Back To The Future: Biff to the Future #6 - The final issue, as Biff totally gets what he deserves and the people take their lives back after a traumatic time. Overall, it was an ok series. I didn't like reading about Biff "winning" so much, but his ending almost made up for it.
• TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo - I loved seeing the Turtles team up with Usagi again, even if they didn't recognize him. The story was extremely straightforward, almost to the point of being slightly dull, and Jei wasn't nearly as menacing as he usually is. It was good, but not the best Usagi I've read.
• Doctor Who 9th #14 - It's a trap! It was all a complicated trap, and the cliffhanger makes up for a lot of weirdness. It also has a callback to events from the past, so this issue definitely doesn't stand alone. I enjoyed it, but it's a wee bit confusing.
• Doctor Who 10th #3.7 - The Doctor goes swanning off to investigate a problem, leaving his companions in various places where they are bound to get in trouble. Every piece of this book, every storyline, was compelling to me. I loved the guest appearance and can hardly wait to read more. I feel like zipping through the comics to get to the next issue now.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.7 - A fairly satisfying ending to a fairly normal story. I liked the very short and cute back-up tale - especially the way the defense protocols were condensed. A good read.
• Rough Riders: On The Storm #5 - Oh Edison, so brilliant and yet so obnoxious. I gather he was like that in real life, although probably not on this scale. Annie is pretty cool in this, especially how she persuades her teammates to tell her what's going on. But that last panel... um, what?
• Aug 2nd
• Green Lanterns #28 - Those first rings weren't all that safe, were they? I'm wondering how Jessica, who's barely a full Lantern herself, is going to train this group of misfits. She really doesn't have that much time, either.
• Justice League #26 - Yikes. A dark future and time travel. I'm not sure what to make of "Curry", but I like his daughter. I'm curious about Tempest, as she mentions him but not in a good way. And who is Sovereign? This is going to be a nice plotline for me, I can tell. Plenty of Aqua-Action.
• DC Comics Bombshells #32 - Raven is a bit like the Hulk in this - you wouldn't like her when she's angry. I did enjoy the bit about how children disappoint their parents and each generation is foreign to the previous and the next. It's a sad way of looking at the universe, except that each generation has the possibility of getting better and being more. I certainly hope the next generations here in our world will learn from the mistakes of the past.
• Aug 9th
• Titans #14 - Garth has a trio of magical Atlantean lunatics who are in love with him? I'm grinning so hard it hurts. This was a touching and powerful issue, with secrets being shown and people getting hurt - I'm particularly amused that Wally and Roy were fighting - and more possibilities set up. As for the person who betrays the Titans... I kind of had already guessed.
• Scooby Apocalypse #16 - Interesting sacrifice. I really wasn't expecting it. As much as I hate that character - like just about everyone else - I certainly didn't believe he was capable of such an act. Now, I wonder if he survived, and if he did, will he come back less annoying or more?
• Back To The Future #22 - The story doesn't really move very much in this issue... we get to see a suspicious Doc Brown, a Biff who is still angry at Calvin Klein and hippies. Ok, maybe that was enough movement after all.
• Doctor Who 9Th #15 - Memories, cyberwar, and somebody staying behind to help clean up. That's a satisfying ending, I think.
• Spongebob Comics #71 - An issue that uses silence as a tool. Probably wouldn't work very well on TV, since the kids watching want and love that frenetic sound, but it's fun for the comic book. No Mermaid Man.

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 31st
• Teen Titans Lazarus Contract Special #1 - I've never liked Damian Robin, and now I like him even less than I did before, if that's possible. Seriously, that guy needs to be put away like a super villain, because that's basically what he is. Degrading and permanently damaging his teammates, ignoring people who need help, acting like a self-important twit. Can we have another vote to kill off Robin?
• Doctor Strange #20 - So the doc gets a new apprentice while Wong just gives up and leaves? It's not a bad story, mind you, just feels a little off.
• Back To The Future: Biff to the Future #5 - And now we have some time travel, as the doc and his band of rebels attempt to stop Biff from becoming ... well, Biff. It would have been a little better if they'd known the change point, I guess. Fighting him in ignorance didn't do much.
• Doctor Who 9th #13 - A Captain Jack story that delves into Jack's missing time, looking at his rebellion against the time agents. It's a little disjointed, but it seems any story involving Jack is disjointed. Nice cliffhanger at the end, though!
• Jun 7th
• Aquaman #24 - Atlantis is a thorny issue for Aquaman, no pun intended. To be its king, Arthur has to spend time in the city - which cuts into his time for adventures as Aquaman. So every writer has to decide if he's going to be king or not and how to deal with him not being king if that's the road that's picked. Which tends to lead to the same story of rebellion being told in different ways each time. Oh, I'll see how this plays out, but it's a familiar tune and even the shock ending isn't quite enough to endear the story to me.
• Justice League #22 - Green Lanterns trying to prove themselves, and apparently messing up a bit. I was amused by the cameos by Aquaman and the Flash.
• Green Lanterns #24 - Green Lanterns trying to prove themselves, unaware of the bigger threat hiding in their midst. I really wish I hadn't read this and Justice League back-to-back. I'm kind of Green Lantern'ed out, now.
• DC Comics Bombshells #28 - I don't really know what's going on in this book any more, except it's focusing on Leningrad and there's only a passing reference to Atlantis. I'm enjoying it, I think, I'm just not real certain what I'm reading.
• Doctor Strange #21 - Ug. A crossover. Pass.
• Doctor Who Ghost Stories #3 - Wow, feels like a long time since I've read this. The Doctor is on a quest to get the brother crystals to the one that gave Grant his powers, and it turns out the crystals can nullify each other's effects... who knew? But we get more familiar bad guys as the story progresses and it's actually decent. A nice fun, light-hearted tale.
• Jun 14th
• Titans #12 - I'm not really sure what I think about this one. I mean... Omen and Garth? It seems so out-of-nowhere to me. I didn't much like the art in this one, lots of overly sketchy bits that seemed to obscure the faces and actions. Overall, a good step forward in the story with a lot of loose ends mentioned, if not tied up.
• Dark Days: The Forge #1 - I'm not sure why I ordered this, but with Doomsday Clock on my mind, I thought the voice in the dark was a completely different person. I won't be reviewing most of this crossover, but this was an intriging hint. And hey, Aquaman appearance (which is probably why I ordered it?).
• Scooby Apocalypse #14 - Ug, Scrappy is in the main storyline now. Still enjoying this, and I like the Fallout vibe I'm getting from the survivors. I didn't expect the new girl to last a full issue, so that was a nice surprise. Definitely not my childhood Scooby, but I like it anyway.
• Planet of the Apes/Green Lanterns #5 - That was brutal. I'm not sure what's going to happen with this ring, but it ought not to exist, I think.
• Back To The Future #20 - When Marty attempts to learn more about his uncle's crime - which sent him to prison for a long time - things go wrong. They really should have waited for Doc, since he clearly knew something about it.
• Dirk Gently: Salmon of Doubt #8 - Finally, the title of this series is explained. I'm not sure much else is, though. Dirk Gently is always confusing.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.6 - Ok, the Doctor might have figured everything out, but I'm still in the dark on what caused this. Still, the story gripped me enough that I want to know, so that's good.
• Spongebob Comics #69 - A nice Mermaid Man story that shows just how shallow (pun intended) that superhero actually is, and more of an ongoing epic that is apparently going to end up in a real and very sad place in the ocean. I'd call this a good issue, yeah.

Hey! I'm only six months behind! At this rate by next December 31st, I'll be a year back!

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:

• May 3rd
• Aquaman #22 - Ha. Mera had the same thought, and same complaint, as I do. Why blow it up when you can talk? Ok, I admit, there wasn't a lot of time to act in this case, but destroying the portal seemed a bit extreme in the end. If Aquaman had convinced Tethys to stop the signal, I'm sure he could have found another way to dispose of the mini-nuke. Mera is completely in the right on this one.
• Justice League #20 - Groundhog Day with the Flash in the lead role. For a guy who moves as quick as he does, it sure seems like he's figuring this one out really slowly. And having the league barge in like they did really doesn't reflect well on them - especially since it appears they are at fault. Not horrible, but not very good, either.
• Green Lanterns #22 - And we get into the space stuff. I'm just not a big fan of the space stuff. Somehow the GL Corps just takes all the sensawonda out of it. This book is no exception - with the earthbound pair getting introduced properly to the corps while their pet not-a-guardian becomes a real threat. Are we going to get the inevitably boring training montage next?
• DC Comics Bombshells #26 - The first half of the book is a song of endings, then we get right back into the action with a tale of Kara's attempts to return home. I've never been a big fan of songs in comic books because there is no way to hear the melody. This issue hits my annoyance right in the kisser - I don't mind that there is music but I'm terribly upset that I cannot hear it. Still, it is a nice way to wrap up the main storyline, and if it were an animated series it would no doubt be perfect.
• Spider-Man 2099 #23 - I'm not really sure what was happening right at the end there, but it sure seems bad enough. Nasty toxin, multiple spideys *and* people from the future. I'm just wondering exactly what happened to Tempest.
• Back To The Future: Biff to the Future #4 - I know this is an alternate timeline, but wow it's depressing. And since I already know the outcome of some of these plotlines, it's even more depressing. Still, interesting to see how it all happened. Or didn't, as the case may be.
• Doctor Who Ghost Stories #2 - Back on familiar ground, sort of. I wasn't expecting that cliffhanger, but then, apparently the Doctor wasn't either. An ok issue with a big ol' infodump in the middle - nothing special but not bad.
• May 10th
• Titans #11 - Enter Deathstroke. I don't have a good grip on this part of the Titans' storyline, but I'll follow along as best I can. Garth gets to look silly in this one, which isn't my favorite moment. The fact that the universe has been altered is once again driven home in this issue, and I know we're going to see who and perhaps even why soon enough - which just makes me want to catch up to the current books faster. There's a lot in this issue to unpack, and I'm going to have to read it again.
• Star Trek/Green Lantern V2 #6 - A decent end to this series, which is itself the second series set in this particular universe. One nice touch - Kirk is a little disturbed by Hal's casual altering of the course of events on an alien planet. I guess this Kirk cares a little more about the Prime Directive than the original.
• Scooby Apocalypse #13 - I read this during a particularly bad insomnia bout, and was comforted immensely by what happens to Rufus. It's pretty clear to me who the real-life Rufus would be, and it's just as clear that both of them deserve that fate. I wonder how the team dynamic will change with a new person, or if she's doomed to die quickly? I'm really loving this book, despite it NOT being Scooby-Doo as I remember and love it. Ok, the back-up story wasn't to my liking, but Scrappy should just be scrapped.
• Future Quest #12 - And they all lived happily ever after! I didn't realize this was the final issue until I was pretty much at the end, then I realized I was a little sad it was ending. I've really enjoyed the massive crossover with some familiar and many new-to-me characters. Overall, a fun series and I liked how the problems were solved in the final issue. Great job on everybody's part with this series.
• Back To The Future #19 - So, we finally get to learn a little more about Marty's uncle. As I recall, he met him as a child in the first movie and referenced the fact he was in jail. This seems like a pretty good storyline to explore. I really wouldn't have thought this movie trilogy could spawn so many great stories - I just wasn't thinking widely enough.
• Planet of the Apes/Green Lanterns #4 - Wow, by the time I got to this book, I was about Green Lanterned out. Good thing there was plenty of ape action to pull me back into the story. Still a long way to go in this series, but it's shaped up to be a bit of a crazy battle of the rings.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.5 - A done-in-one that's Oodles of fun. Except for the fact that it appears to be a symptom of a greater problem - one caused by The Doctor himself. I would say the full understanding of this story requires lots of knowledge of past stories, particularly all the television stories involving the Ood.
• Rough Riders: On The Storm #3 - One thing I love about historical fiction is looking to see how and where it departs from the history we know. So I had to go look up McKinley's assassination, of course. Fascinating stuff, which led me down another rabbit hole of knowledge. The comic itself is pretty darn good, setting up some nicely terrifying bad guys and a multiple cliffhanger. Lovely.
• Spongebob Comics #68 - For one shining moment, SpongeBob took the wheel and got them safely there. I was surprised how funny I found this one. I usually just laugh a little and enjoy this book, looking for Mermaid Man references, but this one I laughed pretty hard at. Of course, there was also a serious side to it, because as happens all too often, the food service worker ignored a warning by a customer which had serious repercussions for everyone. So, funny but also push-button-y!

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:

• Apr 5th
• Aquaman #20 - Wow, Mera is really upset at the Aquamarine for killing Dead Water's latest host that way. And that was only the first half of the book. The sickening realization by our intrepid agents of what's in the water and how Dead Water couldn't have been created the way Aquaman thought he was... well, much more fascinating. I am only reading these comics as fast as I am because I want to see what happens next in Aquaman.
• Justice League #18 - Some plot movement in this one, at least, as we get yet another villain. I wondered, but you never really know, do you? So what did the heroes just do, and what is going to happen to the world next thanks to their efforts?
• Green Lanterns #20 - Well, I'm fairly sure how this is going to finish up. What I'm more interested in is how the other Green Lanterns are reacting to a Guardian on Earth.
• DC Comics Bombshells #25 - Batvampire and the Suicide Squad versus Nygma and ancient evil. Lovely stuff, if not really my thing. Heck, the back-up story was much more intriguing for what it was setting up. This is a great universe with lots more to explore. As an aside, our copy of this issue was misbound - it was off center so the cover was skewed - anyone else have the same problem?
• Doctor Who Ghost Stories #1 - Well, I wasn't terribly fond of the Doctor Who special in which Grant/Ghost appeared, although it had its moments. Still, it's kind of nice to revisit the family and yeah, a quest involving them isn't a bad thing. I guess I'll just read and enjoy it.
• Apr 12th
• Titans #10 - Nice to see Bumblebee kicking butt and taking names. And it looks like this story leads into another crossover. I hope we ordered and got all the issues involved that we wanted... I guess I'll find out when I get there.
• Super Powers #6 - That is, by far, the cutest Darkseid I've ever seen. And he's somehow even cuter with a starro on his face being bopped through wormholes. This book is the definition of "cute".
• Scooby Apocalypse #12 - We already know that Velma's brother is a total nutjob, thanks to the back-up last issue. And now we also know that one of her other brothers is dead. And here she is, at the nutjob's door. In the meantime, downtown Seattle appears to be a monster shrine of some sort. The less said about the back-up story, the better.
• Spider-Man 2099 #22 - Wow, Lyla rarely gets involved in the story so deeply, but it was actually nice to see what at first appeared to be a subplot where she was basically the star of the show. Nice issue.
• Planet of the Apes/Green Lanterns #3 - Well, this is heating up nicely. Sinestro is, indeed, not human. And everyone in a battle with Cornelius in an interesting way to get things ramped up.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.4 - The very confusing storyline featuring the past stealing from the future and multiple versions of multiple characters at different points in their timelines ends neatly with some silly jokes and a very dangerous weapon the Doctor has as a companion. I'm ok with it, but it could have been less confusing. I wonder if some of these storylines read better as trades?
• Doctor Who 12th #3.1 - Nice to see Hattie again, and I enjoyed the "pre-story" underwater. I like the idea of recycling a planet, but Quarks? Really? Going back in time to find the best fish and chips sounds like a lovely idea.
• Torchwood #2.3 - Still a wee bit confusing, but I'm getting a better sense of the story now. The flashback had a villain I really wasn't expecting to ever see in Doctor Who again in any form... Vervoids? Really? Still, pretty cool.
• Spongebob Comics #67 - I like the cover to this one, with a kind of old west/prospector feel. No Mermaid Man that I could see, so otherwise it's just a standard 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:

• Mar 15th
• Aquaman #19 - Working with people who tried to assassinate you has got to be tough, and I don't blame Mera for insisting on tagging along. As for the rest - nice use of previous storylines to set up lots of plot quickly. The pacing of the issue was great, and the creepiness and mystery are also nice. The only thing that rang a little false was Mortimer's sheer panic - he's a hardened criminal who screwed over a lot of people, and despite what happened to him, I didn't buy the panic. Fear, yes, but the panic seemed excessive. I hope Mera remembers how she defeated Dead Water before, because if she doesn't at least try it, I'll be disappointed.
• Justice League #17 - Superman talks with a giant baby while everyone else is fighting for their lives. Ok. Nifty. Aquaman gets two pages, and that's good. I would have liked to see more of him, of course, but this isn't his own title, so I'll live with two. Especially when those two pages show him very much in command. It's ok, but I'm feeling the decompressed storyline blues at this point.
• Green Lanterns #19 - Doctor Polaris, along with a possible set up for more healing that Simon can do. However, if it turns out he's able to cure cancer and not just bring someone he loves deeply out of a coma, that sets up a massive moral dilemma in the form of "why are you punching people when you ought to be saving lives?" I hope that is avoided somehow. In the meantime, the pair of heroes got themselves into a bit of a jam on that final, literal, splash page.
• DC Comics Bombshells #24 - Well, I'm not a big fan of this storyline mostly because it involves a lot of characters I don't really care much for, but at least it wrapped up in a way that was mostly understandable. All the various plots were explained, and there was even a nice betrayal in the middle of the mess. Fun stuff, but I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.
• Star Trek Deviations - In an alternate universe, the crew of the Enterprise gathers under rather different leadership. I guess my main complaint with this is that I cannot tell exactly when and how this timeline deviated from the "real" one. If there were just a few more clues, maybe. It was clearly after the Federation was formed, and possibly just before, during, or just after Kirk's voyages. Beyond that, can't tell. My biggest problem with the book is that Riker is bleeding out and Crusher doesn't seem to notice - even though Riker told her the bad news and comforted her. I mean, what?
• Doctor Who 10th #3.3 - I love when the Doctor appears in a fairy tale setting, and thanks to Father Wu Wei. The whole story is pretty neat, and I love the artwork in the bits that are being told as a fairy tale. I'm a little concerned about Gabby, however, since this issue put her behind enemy lines with no apparent back-up. Looking forward ot the next issue.
• Forever War #2 - Wow. Psychic aliens that are curious to see what happens next. And the first contact with the enemy. This all seems oddly familiar, so I'm beginning to think I may have read the book sometime in the long distant past and just forgotten I've read it. That said, a fairly powerful bit of the story.
• Wonder Woman '77 and Bionic Woman #3 - It took me two tries to get through the exposition part of this book. Yes, the character had to be introduced, and yes, there was even a joke about how long they took doing it, but bleh. I really didn't enjoy wading through it. However, once past that, the book was great. I guess it was just another effort to make me hate the bad guys more.
• Mar 22nd
• Teen Titans #6 - Yay, the return of Jackson! As he was originally introduced, Jackson lives in the middle of the desert but knows he has water powers. And in this reality he seeks out the Titans because he feels the need to be free of parental guidance and to have the ability to explore his powers. In the meantime, the Titans have their own issues. I loved that final splash page... almost giggled, to be honest. Beast Boy isn't my favorite character ever, but he's mildly charming in this. Going to enjoy this storyarc, I think.
• Batman Beyond #6 - Ah, the age-old question of whether Batman or the civilian identity is the mask. Is Terry Batman, or does he take on the role of Batman? And how will that affect his life and desires? And more importantly, how will it affect the people who rely on him? It's a good thing to explore with a new character carrying the mantle - and it's a question that has dogged this particular character from the moment he put the suit on, so it works.
• Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 #3 - Catwoman works great for her role in this issue, and I like the interaction between the heroes and the Amazons, as well. This really is a fun book on many different levels.
• Future Quest #11 - Well, they put together a great plan and it looked like everything was going well, so I'm really curious now as to what may have gotten messed up along the way. It looked to me, based on what the book has given us so far, that it ought to have worked or been working... so I'm drawn in again, wondering what the secret is and waiting for the next issue.
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up #24 - You know, the Martian Manhunter really is incredibly creepy when you think about his abilities. Invisibility, shape-shifting... it's a wonder he isn't considered more scary than he is in the DC universe. Though having him shift into Scooby's form was hilarious.
• Dirk Gently: Salmon of Doubt #6 - I don't think there is any way I could even start to attempt to sum this book up - or even any parts of it - so I'll just say this one raised my eyebrows and amused me greatly and leave it at that.
• Star Trek/Green Lantern V2 #4 - So, while Kirk is dinking about with Khan, Sinestro is ready to take on the universe? Well, it could technically be unwinnable, but Kirk has always cheated and I don't expect Hal to play it straight either.
• Doctor Who 12th #2.15 - Sort of a predictable ending in some ways - of course the couple would be getting together and of course it would be an alien threat that really pushed them together - but there were a lot of nice elements of silliness and fantasy in there as well.
• Mar 29th
• Titans Annual #1 - Wow, Aquaman is more than a little obnoxious in this one. On the other hand, he does have the right to take charge - just glad he gave it up for Batman. I didn't know that about Donna, but then Donna's origin has altered so much I have no idea who or what Donna is in this universe anymore. I mean, heck, Aqualad isn't exactly the same guy that I love in the Silver Age comics either. As for the mystery villain, I have my guesses, and I'm sure I'm wrong, but it'll be fun to find out.
• Green Lantern/Space Ghost Special #1 - This was a nice fun one-shot, with a good character introduced. The back-up was... painful. But, hey, the main story was great!
• Back To The Future: Biff to the Future #3 - Biff does more stuff, gets more famous and buys the town. It's not bad, but it's about how I figured it went down while watching the movie, so there isn't a whole lot of new in this particular issue. I suspect the next issue will be slightly more interesting on that front.
• Doctor Who 9th #11 - Typical Doctor, getting himself caught to investigate something suspicious. Not so typical? His reaction to the treatment. Good thing Rose is there to help, even if she hasn't got much of a clue of what to do. This is a very nice set-up, and slightly unexpected - I was thinking we would see the events leading up to his arrest. This isn't the story I anticipated, and that's a good thing.
• Rough Riders: On The Storm #2 - The readers knew Annie was alive, but it's clear that no one else did. In any case, this sets up some kind of cult going after the president, and has a nice cliffhanger, even. I have enjoyed this series, and I'm certainly curious to see what comes next.

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.

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:

• Feb 15th
• Aquaman #17 - Yay, another panel of people celebrating Aquaman with unbridled joy. I am terribly amused at such scenes, as I always imagine myself in them somewhere. That said, the rest of the story is fairly straightforward - Aquaman searching for the problem, getting past the obstacles without hurting innocents and then... well, I'm not really sure what that last panel represents. I guess I'll find out next week.
• Justice League #15 - Oh joy, more time travel shenanigans. With people's history being wiped or about to be wiped depending on the view. And some other bits from previous issues brought back to confuse us more. And a new character - a timeless watcher - who immediately made me think "the ultimate Mary Sue" before I clamped down on that. The next few issues are going to have to work hard to get me to like this story, I think.
• Green Lanterns #17 - Ah, the development I was hoping/waiting for happened. I mean, it was kind of telegraphed from the start, but Simon could have gone a different way with it. Overcoming great fear was interesting - both Jessica and Simon have had to deal with it, in entirely contrasting situations. Eh, this was a decent issue.
• Teen Titans Go #20 - Two stories, as usual - one about bad love poetry and the other about spring break. I liked the Aqualad appearance in the spring break story. I also like the appearance of Aquaman and Mera on the cover, although they are obscured by the title on the finished book.
• Doctor Strange #17 - Not a big fan of the artwork here, although it works well enough for this type of story. The underlying concept of Mr. Misery using Wong to find how to hurt Stephen the most is brutal. A good issue, with a very *ahem* strange guest-star at the end. Next issue is going to be odd.
• Doctor Who 10th #3.2 - Ah, more mental control fighting. At least we didn't spend another entire issue inside the illusion - just most of it. And I'm amused by what it looks like from the outside when they break free. It's another ok issue, but nothing to write home about. Barely enough to blog about.
• Forever War #1 - Confession time. I've never read the book. It's in my to-read pile, and has been for some time, but I've not actually gotten to it yet. So this comic book is going to be my first experience with this story. So far, so-so. It's a standard "training" story, in which everything is brutal and people die in horrible ways. Just as we get to where the action apparently is, the book ends. But hey, it's a comic book - that's sadly normal.
• Feb 22nd
• Batman Beyond #5 - Lots of revelations in this one, including the fact that Terminal attracted entirely the wrong kind of attention by claiming he was going to bring the Joker back. It's a pretty intense issue, with lots of action to back up the revelations. But it's enough to make me wonder about all the timelines and the odd changing and crossing of them.
• Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 #2 - With Bruce successfully fighting both Nazis and assassins as a child, no wonder (pun not intended) he becomes a hero in the future. I loved the classic Wonder Woman story, but I'm curious to see how Batman can bring in the modern, or at least the 1966 version, of Wonder Woman into the tail. The timing of everything is more than a little confusing.
• Future Quest #10 - Now that they've got all the pieces of the puzzle together, the only thing that remains is to figure out how they fit and then - boom, battle the evil and save the world. I'm really enjoying how each character gets enough time for us to learn what their strengths and powers are, and how they relate to the current crisis. It's a pretty good series for something based on old children's cartoons that weren't really meant to stand the test of time.
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up #23 - I'll admit to being not very familiar with Quick Draw McGraw and El-Kabong, but it's not hard to pick it up from context. In fact, it would be terribly difficult to not pick it up. This was pure silliness all the way through, and it worked. I admit to rolling my eyes and giggling at the same time.
• Astro City #41 - A beautiful story. There's a touch of the ongoing thread in there, just enough to make the reader say, "wha-?" but not so much that the story is ruined or strained by it. The explanation of why the city was renamed is very nice in context. It's clear that heroes are never as well treated as they could be, but that's because the public is fickle and sometimes cannot understand the reasons for certain things that happen. I like the way this book forces me to think.
• Star Trek/Green Lantern V2 #3 - Manhunters who haven't betrayed their programming yet? And Sinestro leaving Larfleeze as a Lord of Klingons? I'm just not sure how this is likely to turn out, but in combination with the newest Red Lantern, things are not looking good for the side of the light.
• Back To The Future #17 - Marty and Doc have to find a way to short-circuit the past, and so they go to the start of their problems to make things right again. And, as is often the case, leave their enemy better off than before. A nice conclusion to this story. If it is the conclusion.
• Dirk Gently: Salmon of Doubt #5 - Well, this issue explains quite a bit about Bart, actually. If her powers are disrupted, she can be "aimed" in the wrong direction - which is what happened in the tv series. And it was all due to a friend of Dirk saying the wrong words at the right moment. Or the right words at the wrong moment. Hard to tell. This is getting really strange, which is saying a lot when referring to Dirk Gently. I do believe Douglas Adams would approve.
• Doctor Who 3rd #5 - A typically quick finish to the story, as technology overrides everything. I love seeing Jo successfully explain the Doctor and friends to a lady in the past. All throughout, fun stuff. I could hear Jon Pertwee and the others saying their lines. The ending was a neat little way of keeping the universe insane. All-in-all, a good book and a good storyline.
• Rough Riders: On The Storm #1 - It's a pull-the-team-back-together issue, and as such has only a little action worth talking about. Edison's train car and method of bringing people on board being the main one of note, along with the recruitment of Monk.

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:

• Feb 1st
• Aquaman #16 - I like seeing Aquaman getting his people involved in the clean-up after the terrorist attacks. If nothing else, it will get his own people used to thinking of the surfacers as people like themselves. This was a transition issue - there's a new villain being introduced while the impact of the previous storyline is explored. Not bad, for what it is.
• Justice League #14 - Wow, this was a talking issue. I means, there's a tiny bit of action, but the giant fight that is being built up is actually skipped entirely! Brave choice, there. A bit surprising. I liked that the elephant in the room was discussed as they waited to recharge - elephants. Enough of them to make a herd or two. The implication is that they've now had it all out and will adjust and be a team. I'm not sure, personally, as team conflict is one of the drivers of modern superhero comic books. Still, a very odd issue.
• Green Lanterns #16 - Ah, the gun. Yes, that would be an issue in that particular place. I found it a little strange all around, considering that it's something that is an essential aspect of the character and his flaws at the moment, that Commissioner Gordon was the one who made a fuss about it. Still, the whole storyline here has the potential to resolve the gun thing, and that's all good in my opinion.
• DC Comics Bombshells #22 - I'm not sure how interested I am in the Zambesi storyline here, but this is where we are, so I'll keep reading. I'm afraid I can't tell some of the characters apart, which annoys me - it's less because of the way they are drawn and more because I just haven't internalized which is which. And, is it just me or does everyone seem to have red hair?
• Super Powers #4 - It's a bit of an Aqua-issue, as Mera and Aquaman arrive to take on the Legion of Doom... with a little help. This story is making more sense as it goes along, but it's still pretty nonsensical. Not a bad thing with this type of book.
• Planet of the Apes/Green Lanterns #1 - I'm not a big Planet of the Apes fan, but hubby is a big enough Green Lantern fan that we got this. The ring in this issue appears to be exactly the same thing as the Phantom Ring from Green Lanterns, only it doesn't look like it. I wonder if that will be addressed at all in this series and if not, who in editorial let this happen? In any case, I'm really happy with who ended up wielding the ring. Heh.
• Spider-Man 2099 #20 - This is pretty much an entire episode about Tempest. I feel like anything I write would be a spoiler (I know, silly for a book that's been out for months). But not much happens here if you write it out: Mig learns that Tempest is awake and pregnant, and Tempest makes an informed choice to trust Tyler Stone. Oh, and a fight happens, but isn't there always a fight?
• Back To The Future #16 - A surprisingly substantial issue. A lot happens to get from point A to point B, but each piece fits with each other piece. I liked the Doc's plan, such as it was, to save them from the past - we already know things can change in this universe. As for the future, well, I'm not sure how the bad guy's plan is going to work. There must be a twist in here somewhere.
• Doctor Who 12th #2.14 - Oh, I just love when stories bend back upon themselves. In this case, two comic book creators whose work is based on legends of The Doctor get an unexpected trip in the TARDIS. All of which goes fine until it doesn't, which is sort of how Doctor Who works, I would think. The knock-off Doctor is amusing, the comic creators are strange, and all told it's an odd adventure. I'm curious to see how the story ends.
• Vampirella #0 - We bought this because of the price (25 cents) and the writer (Paul Cornell), because normally I wouldn't bother with this character. As expected, an interesting prologue to a greater story of some sort. Certainly worth the price for the fun bit of story.
• Feb 8th
• Titans #8 - Oh my, are we getting the introduction of HIVE here? I'm not sure, but there's some fun stuff about to happen as the team bursts in on ... well, whatever it is they are bursting in on. Even more interesting is Mal's choice, though. I wonder if it will be permanent, and what the ramifications will be going forward?
• Earth 2 Society #21 - This definitely seems to be winding up. Batman being as heroic as a Batman must be while everyone else fights the big fight. I just don't see how it's all going to tie up and finish. I think the next issue is the last, though.
• Scooby Apocalypse #10 - Ok, while I knew it had to be a dream, I didn't know who was dreaming until the end. Given the events of the previous issue, it should have been clear. In addition, once one of the characters was introduced as Velma's brother - well, only one person knows the connection between the Four and Velma. This doesn't move the story forward much, but it does provide some insight into Velma's state of mind.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.2 - A Silence so good at what he does that even other Silence cannot remember him (I guess that answers that question about them). An infection spread by a sapling child. And lots of memories being stolen/shared. This is the conclusion of one storyline, yes, and a farewell to Jones - but it's also a set up done well for a new set of adventures with one potentially very sticky (bad pun intended) problem.
• Torchwood #1 - I still don't know what's happening in this book, but I decided to just let it go and try to enjoy the ride. Clearly there's a mental process behind the plotting I don't get - so maybe if I read it long enough it'll pull together. I'm enjoying the individual set pieces, which is good, I just can't figure out how everything fits.
• Spongebob Comics #65 - As a person who has done the camping thing, learning all the lessons required to not die on a real hike, I feel for Sandy. She really should know better than to worry about Patrick and SpongeBob, though. The Plankton story was very strange, as was the switching roles tale. At least Mermaid Man made an appearance on the back cover. Fun as usual (so if you don't like the usual humor in the cartoon, avoid the book).

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:

• Jan 18th
• Aquaman #15 - A little more pat of an ending than I was hoping for, but at least Aquaman provided both proof and a good reason for the US to stop aggression. There are, of course, a lot of other things going on, but Arthur used the one tool in his toolbox that no one expected him to use. Sometimes it's better to surrender and stop the fight than try to save an ego and cause massive destruction. There's still a couple of great hanging threads, though - Mera's handling of the prophecy and Black Jack, who survived this issue just like her Golden Age namesake so often survived. Have I mentioned that I REALLY love having a Black Jack the Modern Pirate back in the DCU?
• Justice League vs Suicide Squad #5 - Ah, and there's Eclipso himself, finally making his appearance at the end of the issue. Now, did he kill Max Lord as he did it? I kind of wonder. This wasn't a bad issue, and this mini is moving along at a fairly nice clip now. I love that Batman blew up Lobo's head not just to stop him, but to stop Max from controlling him. That's hilarious, and very much like Lobo. Too bad the same method wouldn't work on anyone else.
• Justice League #13 - Yet another JL vs SS tie-in, this one featuring Steve Trevor's response to the Eclipso invasion. Not bad, but really just more of the same. Eclipso plays with people's minds, so I figured the ending wasn't as happy as it appeared to be.
• Green Lanterns #15 - This is a nice standalone story after the long Phantom Ring arc. No mention of that, no other strangeness beyond the normal super antics. Just a tale about Jessica dealing with her anxiety. The final pages are a nice lead-in to maybe another story, but since when does Batman ask for help from rookies?
• Super Powers #3 - There are definitely a couple of pages in the incorrect order in this issue, as Aquaman's finny friends grab the baddie on one page, and on the next page the baddie is getting free from Wonder Woman's lasso. Still, switch the order around, and it's amusing that Aquaman is the one who stops the big bad (with a lot of help). Fun, but bizarre.
• Dirk Gently: Salmon of Doubt #4 - As with anything involving Dirk, I'm completely confused. Ok, no, not completely. I get that there are multiple timelines and multiple Dirks. I get that one thing we're seeing is the lead-up to the television series. And I get that saving the cat is very important. Beyond that, though, I think I'm mostly confused.
• Doctor Who 9th #9 - Oooh, Rose is jealous! But she's got Captain Jack to keep her company. I like Jack's security system and the interplay between him and Rose. I just wonder if Jack is going to run into himself, and if the Blinovitch Limitation Effect will then take effect, erasing the memory of what happened from one of their minds. In the meantime, the Doctor has his hands full with a nice little monster hunt. Whee.
• Jan 25th
• Justice League vs Suicide Squad #6 - Since I don't believe anything Max says, even if the writer puts it in his mouth, I'm not convinced that Amanda Waller actually engineered all the events. On the other hand, if anyone in the DCU is self-righteous enough to do that, it would be Waller. I liked Killer Frost's role in this, and found Batman admitting he was wrong to be a thing of beauty - which is slightly undermined if Waller did, in fact, engineer the whole thing. This book makes my head hurt, but in a good way.
• Batman Beyond #4 - A new suit, which was apparently a prototype Bruce was working on, which of course works perfectly in the heat of battle. Ok. I'll suspend my disbelief. As for the rest, it was a nice action-packed issue and how on earth did Dana not figure out before then? Really?
• Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 #1 - How do you combine these two characters? Well, you have Bruce meet Wonder Woman while she's still in the past, of course. I'm not going to try to figure out the timing of any of this, I'm just going to enjoy the fact that young Bruce Wayne witnessed Diana turn into Wonder Woman.
• Wonder Woman '77 and Bionic Woman #2 - I like that Jaime and Diana have an understanding. I also thought the "signal watch" thing was hilarious. Nice way to cover for it. And Steve's d'oh moment when Diana points out he never asked for something like that was good, too. I don't recognize the villains, but then, I hardly ever. They are given enough of an intro to understand they are up to no good. And there's even a nice little cliffhanger. Good stuff!
• Future Quest #9 - All the various groups are finally converging on the same place, only there's a nice cliffhanger caused by a fatal misunderstanding. I'm really not sure how this will turn out, but now I get the careful inclusion of the history of certain characters in past issues. This is actually a really solid way to get introduced to all these classic cartoons. Although I can't imagine the cartoons being quite as cool for an adult as these comics are.
• Scooby-Doo Team-Up #22 - Thank goodness for Future Quest, because without that book I wouldn't have recognized the team-ups in this issue. Frankenstein Jr and The Impossibles are characters I had never heard of before Future Quest. That said, this was fun, especially Fred's usual advice to take the mask off. These Team-Up books are a joy, and I'm glad this series has gone as long as it has.
• Doctor Strange #16 - Interesting that Dormammu also faced the Empirikul... I would have thought they wouldn't make a deal with him. But they proved they weren't much for believing even in their own message. Anyway, nice method to get rid of him, even if it required a bit of help. Now, what's going to happen to Wong?
• Star Trek/Green Lantern V2 #2 - Manhunters, Atrocitus, Lafleeze, and then HIM? They're pulling out all the stops for this series, aren't they? But then, it's an alternate universe, so everything is allowed. I'm enjoying this so far, but I'm really curious about how they are going to deal with the ring problem. This is heating up nicely.
• Back To The Future: Biff to the Future #1 - So, how did Biff become a millionaire in the alternate timeline, using the book from the future? This comic details his adventures, starting with the old man giving him the book and moving forward as he tries to cash in right away but runs into some problems. While this was covered in a few scenes in the movie, I like the filling in of details this provides.

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:

• Jan 4th
• Aquaman #14 - Well, that went well. While I can almost accept the US government would mutate it's own soldiers into these killers, I'm not sure how they would be able to infiltrate Atlantis so easily unless they'd already been doing recon there for a long time. So from that angle, I'm a little disturbed by the group of assassins. I'm annoyed they managed to kill a couple of good characters, but I'm glad Mera finally got off up her butt and helped and I thought tying the attack in with the way Aquaman tracks the signal was also good. This book, so far, is holding together very nicely.
• Justice League #12 - So... we get Max Lord's new origin story in the Rebirth Universe. I'm not disappointed, but not really overwhelmed, either. It works, I guess. The face-off with Waller was a good way to show it off. I guess I'm glad I'm getting the miniseries this ties into, because I'd be pretty annoyed to be a regular Justice League subscriber and have the league pushed aside for this.
• Justice League vs Suicide Squad #3 - The artist on this book keeps leaving Aquaman out of the group shots, which I find extremely annoying. Beyond that, it's an ok issue.
• Green Lanterns #14 - Ok, I like the way this one ends. I'm a little surprised at what the Indigo power did to the Phantom Lantern, but the rest... well, very interesting. And that last little "That's not me!" was a nice touch to make this more of a story.
• DC Comics Bombshells #21 - I'm not entirely sure what happened here, but I kind of like the new cybernetic "gods" and wish they were on the good guys' side. Eh, we'll just have to see where this goes.
• Spider-Man 2099 #19 - I shouldn't laugh at a killer like Elektra, but I laughed. She's a bit over-the-top competent, but this was exactly the right moment for her to do what she does best. Now, the Tempest plotline, that's a bit more confusing. I'm guessing we have a little more time travel happening there? Well, guess I'll just have to read and find out.
• Jan 11th
• Titans #7 - Yay, two people from different realities get to chat and find out they aren't entirely alone in the universe. I enjoyed Garth's part in this, helping to build the Titans Tower. I love that they found themselves a lawyer to help figure out all the sticky legal messes. These books tend to ignore that side of things.
• Justice League vs Suicide Squad #4 - I supposed that's one way to take out Lobo. As for the rest, they seemed to have some luck. But Killer Frost going after Max alone was a bad idea. I'm wondering what happened to the storyline of Wonder Woman killing Max because he was controlling Superman and making him kill. It seems like Max's powers are slightly different this time around. I'm getting all the timelines confused now. It would be nice to have one stable reality in the comics for a few years.
• Earth 2 Society #20 - This is progressing nicely, with the Bat-family doing what they do best while the Wonders have a wonderful time in the limelight - well, not so wonderful. The entire city is terrified of them, and I only can speculate how that will work out in the end. I'm amused at the Ultra-Humanite's secret weapon. I was wondering where he'd gotten to.
• Scooby Apocalypse #9 - Wow, a relatively calm issue, with the crew foraging and exploring while Velma hides her deep dark secret and makes a really bad decision. I was disappointed to have another Scrappy-Doo backup story, as I'm barely interested in the character at all and hope he gets hit by a truck before he catches up with the gang.
• Doctor Who 3rd #4 - Of all the possible villains in a Doctor Who story, this is one of the more amusing ones to see again. The fact that he's also stealing Time Lord tech to make his own time machine is just the icing on the cake. I like that this came out after we were able to watch Enemy of the World, since it was found in 2013. I'm just overall enjoying this story.
• Doctor Who 10th #3.1 - The Doctor and his companions are in trouble - or in an alternate universe, which is just about the same thing. I found it strange that the Doctor ended up as a bum, and Gabby as an overworked waitress, but Cindy is a gal with love and a very strange dog that isn't a dog. Along with the multiple bodies, that final splash page made me think Autons.
• Doctor Who 11th #3.1 - This starts out as a tribute to David Bowie via the "Jones" character, and turns into the first part of some type of adventure that has to do with the Doctor's long life. The opening was nutso, and odd on so many levels that I'm not entirely sure what I was reading. Still, it's interesting, if a bit strange.
• Doctor Who 12th #2.13 - I like Julie, it would be fun to see her in a few more stories. I kind of hope she wins her duel with the Doctor. I also liked the Doctor using his own advanced technology to drive off the baddies. It's not always pure wits for the win, sometimes the Doctor can cheat a little.
• Spongebob Comics #64 - The Mermaid Girl story was absolutely ridiculous, but I enjoyed it anyway. The revelation of who she was living with was even funnier than the fact that two people who could have been her were living at the retirement home. The inadvertent Mermaid Man marathon was also a nice touch. Poor Sandy.