Ratings and Rantings

Hey everyone, Jason Todd here with your weekly dose of Comic Content Comments, that's right baby, Ratings and Rantings! We've got a nice pull this week so hopefully I'll be saying good things about these comics. I actually forgot to put up a new poll last weekend, so my apologies. I'll have a new poll this weekend as well as the Top Five 5. So near the end of the article you can see the five topics and hopefully you guys will participate. So, let's get this party started.

Superman/Batman #76

Superman/Batman #76 is written by Judd Winnick, and as some of you know I'm a big fan of Judd due to his fantastic work with Jason Todd. We start things off with Lois Lane, awaiting Clark after the battle that we know as Final Crisis. Superman arrives home so quickly and silently that Lois doesn't realize it first, but she sees the Man of Steel, obviously sad and starts to try to comfort him. On the next page we see Superman tell Lois that Bruce is dead. From there we see Robin and Nightwing, that's right, Tim Drake and Dick Grayson trying to keep things stable while awaiting Bruce's return when we see Superman and Wonder Woman show up, with Supes holding what we believed to be Bruce's bones in his arms. We see Dick break down, and demand to see the body, which we would later find out isn't Bruce's body and Dick was right. Meanwhile, Tim didn't say a word which I found odd considering he's been the advocate for believing Bruce is alive for the last year. We then see Doctor Mid-Nite explaining how it's Bruce's body and the Omega Beam killed him... WRONG. Man, he thought that was Ollie's corpse that one time, now he's wrong about Bruce's corpse... someone revoke that man's license. From there we see Superman staring at the body and thinking back to the funeral of his own adoptive Father, Johnathan Kent. After the autopsy Grayson says he wants to take the body home for a funeral as Tim cries in the background, still not saying a word. We then see Clark dressing for the funeral, telling Lois that hes going to Bruce's funeral, and that it's core members of the league only, and no uniforms because that's what Dick wanted. One of my favorite parts was when Clark went to leave he left his glasses behind, and Lois reminded him, and he said he didn't leave forget them, it's no uniforms. That was a great moment because we often forget that Superman is who he is and Clark is his facade. At the funeral we see the speech Dick made originally about letting the legacy of Batman and the fear he's instilled live on. We also see Superman think about how things went when he met Batman for the first time. As the funeral ends we fast forward to seeing Superman in space, listening to all the news reports of the world with his super-hearing, and catching wins that Scarecrow was caught in Gotham by Batman. Next we see Superman with Wonder Woman, she guesses that Batman is Dick, which Supes confirms. When he looks uneasy she asks what's wrong and Superman replies "All of it. All of it is wrong." Next we see Superman confront Dick, basically telling him to honor his legacy but not as Batman, to which Dick says he doesn't want to be Batman but the world needs a Batman. Superman gets REALLY upset at Batman and gives the line of the issue which you can read below the review for it's full impact. The rest of this issue was great, It was nice to see the other side of what happens, and Judd wrote Superman fantastically. Every decision, everything about it made sense for Superman. I can honestly say that if Judd Winnick wrote Superman I'd be on board. As for this issue, this is definitely one of my favorites. I'd say it may be my second favorite issue of Superman/Batman right behind issue #26 which was dedicated to Sam Loeb and Starred Superboy and Robin. But I'm getting off track, this issue deserves a 10/10, outside of Tim not saying anything after Bruce died this comic was perfect, and it wasn't about Tim so I can't fault them for that. Also I'd recommend this issue to anyone, whether they love the series or not.

Superman: You knew him. Better than anyone. Better than me. And you know... his disguise was Bruce Wayne. He was Batman. You're parading around in his skin. You're going to take it off.

Power Girl #16

Our issue starts with our heroine Power Girl being beaten up by a gloved figure. PG tells us about all ther powers she has a a Kryptonian and how she's STACKED (No pun intended...well okay, pun intended) with Super Powers. She then wonders why she keeps getting her butt kicked, which is a damn good question. PG keeps fighting the scuba suit wearing foe, but can't seem to shift the tide of the fight in her favor. She eventually goes from Power to Pissed Girl and just starts beating the hell of the guy. She eventually pulls the guy's mask off but we don't get to see his face before we switch over to seeing Karen Starr, PG's alter ego. We see her employee Nicco accusing her of being Power Girl, well hell she's either PG or Pamela Anderson is... Karen laughs in his face and tries to play it off, but Nicco pulls out a gun and threatens to shoot on three. He gets the "Thr" out before Karen changes into her PG costume and takes the gun away from him at lightning speed. She takes the gun and he reveals it's a Vacuum Cleaner for the most part, and he pulled a fast on on Peej. They argue and judge one another, Nicco for saying PG was a fraud and PG bringing up Nicco's past as a cyber thief. He eventually walks away, and when Peej calls out to him as Nicco he says it's Nicholas, seemingly saying they're no longer friends. Next we see PG and Batman (Dick Grayson) as he tries to find the woman that embezzled from Karen's company. Due to Dick's technical expertise due to all his years learning from Bruce, he quickly helps put Power Girl on the trail of her embezzler, Donna Anderson. Donna is found on the floor in her bra (who could give Peej a run for her money, okay I'm done.) and has overdosed on drugs. Power Girl realizes that Donna didn't do it because the facts don't add up, and she expects foul play. She asks Nicholas for help, and after some hesitation he agrees. She takes him to a new lab she had made, and tells him it's his. He asks why can't Batman help, and she says who do you think built the place, then replies that he's busy and she needs someone full-time. The issue soon ends after that, giving us a hint that we may find out who scuba suit man is next issue. This was another solid issue of Power Girl. and helped further some storylines, It was a good read, nothing amazing but far from bad, I'll give it an 8/10.

Batman: Did you have any indication that she might try to pull something like this?

Power Girl: Of course, Dick. She kept going on and on about her plans to embezzle millions of dollars from my company but I never put it together.

Titans #27

This cover is very simple but very well done, and Cheshire has some damn sharp nails... Anyway, the issue starts with the team that took care of the Titans in the last issue being introduced by their boss. Deathstroke goes after the biggest guy first but can't take him down as easily as he planned. Next we see Roy Harper as he thinks to himself how Speedy, Arsenal, and Red Arrow are just names and masks he used and they all covered the same lying face, and the biggest lie was him being a hero. He even says he's a Titan again, something he swore he'd never do, all because of Cheshire, because he owes her for what happened to Lian, even though we all know it's not his fault. He then thinks about how much he's gonna enjoy helping Cheshire murder Slade. Roy then finds the place where kids are being harvested in pods for energy like something out of The Matrix. He tries to break one out but the kid gets zapped and cooked or something. Ever the drug addict, Roy then wonders what the drug the kids are being made into tastes like. Oh Roy, you love your drugs don't you! Anyway, Roy is attacked from behind by a furry villain, imagine a gray version of Beast from the X-Men. Meanwhile, Orisis sees a vision of his sister since one of the villains shot him up with Bliss in the last issue. In his vision he learns he has to do things to bring back his sister, which we already knew due to Brightest Day. They alluded the rest of the Marvels and Black Adam family may have to as well, so that's cool. Then his sister turned into a blackened evil version of herself, and Osiris attacks it, not knowing it was Slade. Slade then passes the buck onto one of the enemies and Osiris kills him, since he's an idiot and stuff. Back with Roy, Gray Beast is kicking the crap out of him, Roy says he's moving in slow motion because he needs a fix but he can't allow another child to die. Roy subdues Gray Beast and knocks him into a power generator, which knocks off the power, allowing him to save the kids. About time you got priorities Roy. Meanwhile the rest of the Titans kill the other enemies, as Roy comes out with the kids. They leave and Roy is visibly shaking due to his addiction, Jade is surprised that Slade wanted to save kids until she sees him carrying out a body and realizes it was all about him getting what he came for. Osiris later sees that Isis' statue has more cracks and realizes that he has to kill people to bring her back, he doesn't want to but he seems to be thinking about it. We then see some guy and his son sitting on the couch, I'd guess that's one of the kids Deathstroke and the Titans saved or something but to be honest I don't know. We then see Roy looking for his drugs which are gone, we see Cheshire walk in holding them and tells Roy don't let the drugs control him. Roy replies they don't and she says she has something to satisfy his hunger and drops the sheet wrapped around her body. So... the issue ends on the next page, and we see Slade has a plan as well. Well this was pretty crappy, Roy wants drugs, Jade obviously wants another kid by Roy, and Slade has plans to control Roy. Big whoop, the only interesting thing was Osiris having to kill people and that's not all that interesting. This was a pretty lackluster issue so I may drop this series if the next arc isn't good, I'll give it a 4/10.

Cheshire: It's really killing you, isn't it? The hunger? Something's gotta satisfy it. I've got something... far more addictive. (She means SEX, Roy... well she means something else but I'll just say sex...)

The Flash #5

I was gonna drop Flash from my comic list but after the last issue I changed my mind, so I'm hoping this issue wasn't a mistake in picking up. Things start off with Flash and Top discussing what they have to do to save Flash's wife and Top's teammate of the Renegades by stopping the Rogues from breaking the "In case of Flash Return, Break Glass" glass. Back at the glass, the Rogues our facing their Renegade counterparts, all except Captain Boomerang who has no counterpart considering how lame a Boomerang is as a weapon. Meanwhile, Mirror Master is about to break the glass and unleash the Mirror Lords, one of which will possess Isis and make her one of Barry's biggest enemies, when Flash swoops up and and punches him. Mirror Master breaks into a bunch of tiny pieces of glass then shows up on Flash's wingtips which he apparently keeps nice and shiny... okay then. Trickster uses his remote thing to turn up the police scanner Flash apparently has built into the wingtips to try to subdue Flash, who rips them out. He's then thrown around by Wind and tornadoes thanks to Weather Wizard. Top reverse the tornado to stop it and help Flash out, then falls to the ground. The Renegades move in to try to arrest Top and Flash, and on the other side toe Rogues move in to try to kill Top and The Flash. Captain Boomerang tries to walk up and do something but the White Lantern symbol shines on his chest and causes a bright flash. Digger's pupil turns into the white Lantern symbol and says if he wants to stay alive he has to throw the Boomerang at Dove, which we see, and it looks like it takes place in Green Arrow's Star-wood forest, then we see his pupil turn into the Black Lantern symbol. Interesting. Boomer then starts throwing Boomerangs everywhere as the Rogues and Renegades duck for cover. One of the Boomerangs causes a crack in the mirror, which shows something has changed since originally Mirror Master broke the mirror. Top tells Flash that Flash has the power to stop the Mirror Masters and to do so, while Top tries to hide Iris and keep her safe. Flash tries to hold hip but Top spins, and knocks Barry through the giant mirror. While in the mirror, Barry see's is mother but realizes it's all just reflections that aren't real and breaks away. He then sees that the Mirror Masters have gotten free and disappeared while he's been caught by the Renegades. The end of this issue was a nice swerve that I didn't expect. The issue was also pretty action packed and left me wondering how Flash will try to get away from the Renegades in the next issue. This was another solid issue although nothing really happened until the end, but it wasn't bad at all. I'd give this issue a 8/10.

Captain Cold: So you're The Top from the 25th century, huh? I killed The Top from this era. I can kill another.

Green Lantern Corps #52

Aww the tagline on this issue is Immortal Combat, isn't that cute. Things start off with Boodikka commenting about how there are no better comrades she's rather have at her funeral, referring to Hannu, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Soranik Natu. She returns the three Lanterns that wear their rings powers and Soranik tells the others that Boodikka is dying and she can't do anything to help since Boodikka's all machine at this point. John steps up, since he's an architect he rigs up something to hold her together. There was a funny like where Hannu said he doesn't wear his ring but when he sees what John can do with his he thinks maybe he should. Meanwhile, Ganthet is trying to reverse the Alpha Lantern procedure of Horoq Nnot since he's being made to by Cyborg-Superman, aka Cyberman as I call him. The procedure works, she's still got a robot like shell but apparently she's back to her original state of mind. Cyberman is happy, but that angry happy that only a crazed Cyborg can have, and demands that Ganthet do the procedure on him next. A huge earthquake then occurs, and Cyberman tries to check in with Alpha Lantern Boodikka, when she doesn't reply he sends the rest of the Alpha Lanterns to find her. They soon see that One Billion Grendans are attacking, loyal to fellow Grendan and Green Lantern Stel, and the attack is being led by Hannu, Kyle, John and Soranik. Cyberman uses his influence and powers to stop all Billion of the Grendans since their robotic life forms, but it's taking a strain on his mind. Soranik heads on to find Stel and Ganthet as Hannu goes after the Alpha Lanterns. Soranik finds Ganthet, he's charging his ring and trying to reassemble Stel. Back outside Kyle and John attack Cyberman, but are fought off easily, until Stel, Ganthet and Soranik show up to help them out. They destroy Cyberman's body, and he tries to take another one, that of Boodikka. I loved this scene, and seeing Boodikka again, and not her robotic form. The ending of this issue was interesting, I'm wondering what happens to Hank Henshaw from here, as well as the rest of the Corps. This was a really great issue, probably the best since Tony Bedard has taken over. I'll give this issue a 10/10, it was great and I can't wait to see what's next for the Green Lantern Corps.

Boodikka: On the way here, John Stewart ordered him not to kill any Alpha's. Hannu just laughed. I, too, would laugh--If I still had a diaphragm.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #16

House of Hush starts with this issue and I couldn't be happier, I'm a big fan of Hush, Hush Vol. 1 and 2 are some of my favorite comics ever. We see Hush as Bruce Wayne, pleading Jane Doe's case to the Arkham Asylum board trying to get her freed from the asylum. Turns out the board denied his request, and Manhunter tells him he's lucky because if they had released Jane, she would have killed both Hush and Jane on the spot. We see that the Tweeds, Humpty Dumpty, and Lock-Up have all been freed thanks to Hush's actions while masquerading as Bruce Wayne. Hush realizes that he has to come up with a better plan now that he's failed in releasing Jane Doe from Arkham. We then see Jane and a guard that apparently connects with Jane, so this may translate to something later in the issue. We then see Mr. Pierce, the man from two issues ago that vowed to kill Bruce Wayne, eating at some restaurant. His goons ask him why he wants to kill Bruce, and we find out he wants to as revenge against his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. We see that he used to work with Martha's dad, after he died, Mr. Pierce tried to bribe Martha with sixty thousand dollars to walk away from the Thompkins Medical Clinic. She refuses, and he calls her out on being turned down by the Elliot's, and says maybe Thomas Wayne will by her sob story if he's sober long enough to listen. Martha then takes the money as a donation for the clinic, and gives Pierce a receipt before waking away. I liked this because Martha showed that Lois Lane-like personality of not being pushed around, even daring to take the money from the gangster, but as a donation and not a bribe, keeping her convictions. Meanwhile, Hush is made to appear at a party as Bruce Wayne, and this time he's being watched over by Zatanna who will act as his date. We got a very interesting back story on Bruce, Zatanna and Thomas Elliot since they all knew each other as kids. There was another scene where Hush pretty much mockingly professed his love as Bruce for Zatanna in an interview, just to bother Zatanna who we all know has a crush on Bruce. While passing a TV, Zee and Hush see that Jane Doe has caused a riot at Arkham while attempting to break out while wearing the guard she talked to earlier in the comic's skin. Alfred assures Zee that Dick and Damian are on their way to Arkham to stop the riot. Zee decides to go to help while Alfred drives Thomas home, but their limo is soon knocked into a light pole by another car. The issue ends soon after that but I'm sure you can guess who was in the other car if you think hard. Anyway, this issue was cool, but the art really hurt it. I couldn't tell what the hell the mobster guys were eating, I didn't even know who Zatanna was until they said her name, and from afar Jane Doe's head looks like an apple. Those are things that hurt the story for me, but besides that the issue was good. I'd give it a 7/10 rating.

Hush: We both know the only way for you and your pals to stop me for good is to kill me, and a big part of me wishes you would. I'd die happy knowing my murder was on your snow-white consciences.

Justice League: Generation Lost #10

This issue starts off with a view of the future courtesy of the White Lantern light, we see Magog as he hunts down an unwilling to fight Parasite. Magog is with a team known as the Magog's Justice Brigade, featuring Judomaster, a new Captain Atom I believe and some other very aggressive heroes. Magog continually bullies and pushes around Parasite until he attacks him back. Parasite attacks the Captain Atom and causes him to explode, killing millions in seconds. This then causes the war we know as Kingdom Come. We see that the White Lantern Light wants Max Lord to kill Magog, stopping the war that will one day start. From there we see Magog with Max, as Max is apparently giving Magog's lance an upgrade. Max has brought on Magog to try to kill Captain Atom, which confuses me because it seems like that would jump start the war, but maybe that's what Max wants. From there we see the JLI learning from Skeets that the day he returned Max relaunched four dormant Checkmate cells, so the gang thinks to check those. Skeets also reveals that he downloaded all of Checkmate's files, way to go Skeets! Later on, Fire confronts Ice about leaving the team. We see that Ice changed her mind because she wants to be around to help Fire since she can't live with herself if anything happened to Beatrice. I loved this because it was a nice moment between the only two that are friends outside of the team. Next up we see a fantastic scene with Batman, showing Alfred a picture of Max Lord's neck being snapped by Wonder Woman, Alfred only sees a bunch of pictures of people named Max Lord that aren't our Max, and that's what Batman sees too, although he doesn't believe that's what he should be seeing. Leave it to Batman to be a true genius. Power Girl surprisingly shows up and tells Batman that she saw a man named Max when she fought C.R.A.S.H. in the last Power Girl arc. (Not this weeks.) PG says that maybe Booster is telling the truth about Maxwell Lord, and Batman agrees. Batman goes to call in Martian Manhunter, The Green Lanterns, Superman and Flash but immediately forgets what he was doing, thanks to Max of course. PG then says she needs help finding one of her ex-employees (See Power Girl review above.) That was a fun moment because I found myself happy that the JLI had some help, then they lost all hope in a matter of seconds. We then see the team has split up with Fire, Ice and Rocket Red checking an "active" hideout in China, and Booster, Captain Atom and Beetle are in Chicago. Red feels through his Mecha Empathy that there are computers below the floor, so he lifts up a hatch and Red, Fire ad Ice head below.The end of the issue had a team pop up I did not expect, not the biggest threat but they can be if used right. I thought this was another well done issue of JL Gen Lost and I'll give it a 9/10 rating. Great issue, great appearances by PG and Batman and of course, the always needed continuity!

Max Lord: Batman is a lightning rod for psychotics. He's like a naked broad walking into a room full of rapists.

Magog: So you're not a fan.

Max Lord: Batman tries to contribute to the greater good, but his methods in the end cause much more harm.

Well that's all for today folks, but luckily we had a pretty good pull this week. I'm hoping you guys enjoyed my reviews as much as I enjoyed typing them up. For those that want to participate in the Top Five 5 this weekend, be sure to send me your top five picks for each category at KevinKavalier@gmail.com so send those in as soon as possible. Until next time, I'm your friendly neighborhood Blogger man, Jason Todd!

Top Five Characters you wish would be Amalgam'd (for Paul)
Top Five Characters you'd like to see turn evil/good
Top Five Characters you'll never be a fan of
Top Five Characters that need their own Series
Top Five Characters you'd assemble for an all Female Team

 Next Time on Ratings and Rantings

Action Comics #893, Gotham City Sirens #16, Green Arrow #4, Teen Titans #87, Time Masters: Vanishing Point #3,