Ratings and Rantings

Alright Todd Squad let's try this again, This is Jason Todd welcoming you once again to your weekly dose of comic content comments, Ratings and Rantings! Last week's post was derailed by the "Brightest Day Debacle",  so this week's post is gonna be packed to the brim with comic reviews and rants. By the way, I skipped Deadpool last time and have yet to read it so I'm dropping the Deadpool review from this week, sorry DP fans.So, let's jump right into this with our first comic, Batgirl.

Batgirl #20

We start things off seeing a quick look into the past year of Slipstream, a college student that's pretty much lazy as hell and doesn't care about doing anything other than sitting around. We then see he was recruited to the Order of the Scythe and is now Slipstream. He complains about his suit having a kill-switch and the rest of the Order explain they all have a fail-safe in their suits. Once they finish up talking they all get ready to get back to work so they can get whatever payment they were promised. We then see Batgirl and Proxy at Bagirl's new base, playing around with the tons of new tech they have due to Batman Inc. including a car that Batgirl's calling "The Compact." From there Steph goes to see Babs and they discuss how the money that Slipstream tagged is going out to be replaced by new bills since those bills are now defunct, to which Slipstream will follow to find a vast fortune and then steal, which is pretty damn genius. After some encouraging words from Babs and an awkward moment between the two Batgirl's, Steph heads to class. While in class she happens to be sitting right next to Slipstream but she doesn't know it of course. Slipstream gets the call that the money is on the move, and right after he leaves the classroom Steph gets the same call from Proxy. Steph then looks over where the guy was sitting to see a sketched map of Gotham, which causes her to realize she was sitting right next to Slipstream. Steph heads out to The Compact and hops in to follow after Slipstream. While trying to beat Slipstream to the punch and save the armored cars, they open fire on Batgirl, thinking her to be a threat to them for some reason. While their distracted Slipstream comes through  and knocks all the guards out, leaving only Slipstream vs. Batgirl. Batgirl uses her smarts to take the faux-Speedster down with some electro-magnetic-Gooparangs as she refers to them. Batgirl later explains to Detective Gage that she knew Slipstream would rush at her and not dodge because unlike Speedsters his brain isn't fast enough to keep up with his super speed so he had to think out routes beforehand and memorize them which makes perfect sense. When asked why he'd ever join with them, Gage comments they probably made him a great offer and says that he used to be a member of the Order of The Scythe himself, but he doesn't elaborate while Batgirl looks at him with a surprised face. The issue ends with the Order of the Scythe mentioning how the plan is going accordingly before introducing another Batgirl Baddie by the name of Harmony. This was a really good issue, I loved the reasoning for Batgirl being able to take down a super speed villain as well as the Batgirl charm that always flows from these pages so well, I'd give this issue a 8.5/10.

Stephanie: I am dealing with the matter at hand... by using the most bad assingest not-tortilla press batarang-maker that ever was! And I can combine cartridges?!

JL Generation Lost #23

We start things off with Max Lord on his knees with blood pouring from his nose as he successfully turns millions of people into OMAC's. How someone who uses mind control on people can turn them into robots perplexes me, but whatever. The JLI along with Batman realize that Max is searching for them with the OMAC's to find Wonder Woman since only they remember her, and they try to fight off the OMAC's for as long as they can. The team is soon overrun and Wonder Woman, Booster, Beetle, Rocket Red, Fire and Ice are transported away via a teleporter, leaving Batman, Power Girl and Captain Atom behind as the OMAC's disperse. The teleported team of six arrive in L.A. as Max's Checkmate Rook ship arrives, and drops a big threat for our team, OMAC Prime. The gigantic OMAC can talk apparently and has Max's voice, but wastes no time in trying to kill Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman dhishes out some big shots and the team backs her up with multiple blasts but they do nothing against OMAC Prime. Booster then takes off to go confront Max while the team takes on Prime. Booster then blasts a hole in Max's ship and demands he shuts it down, which leads to our long awaited Booster/Max confrontation. We then check in with the team and see that they're being destroyed due to Prime having their powers and using them against them. The issue ends with our team being decimated, Bats, Cap Atom and Peej being taken outta the equation, and the showdown between Max and Booster coming full speed. I think was was a great issue for setting up the finale and that's what it did, so I'll give it a 7.5, a great issue but it didn't do much but set the stage for other things to happen. Also, I hated Jaime and Gavril just talking while the three women got kicked around by Prime... Chivalry IS dead.

Booster Gold: I was hoping I'd have to beat you like a damn dog first.

Red Robin #22

Wooo Red Robin with no Unternet, sign me up baby! We get underway with Tim at the graves of his parents, thing back on their deaths and how he had stopped believing in God because he didn't thing a God would allow their deaths to happen the way they did. We then see that he's facing the Crusader who is basically a zealot who decided to team with Azrael and go all Sodom and Gomorrah as Tim states on Gotham. The only way to spare their wrath is for Red Robin, Batman and Catwoman to be judged worthy by them. Red Robin's test is he has one hour to save Mayor Hady from Azrael while dealing with physical and moral tests on the way. He manages to save a literal busload of civilians on his way and checks in with Batman who confirms that the two zealots are only testing them once at a time like they said they would and to play along. Red Robin then calls Lonnie and has him patch through some info on Azrael, and then has him call Azrael's wife I believe. He tells her that their going to fail these tests and it'll be up to her to stop Azrael and save Gotham. Damn Tim, that's a lot of pressure to put on one woman. Red Robin continues on, saving people everywhere that Crusader starts trouble including a church. As time dials down, Crazy ass Azrael is getting ready to slice and dice the Mayor, Red Robin shows up with two minutes to spare. Azrael then stabs Tim with his magical sword that makes people confess their sins, and Tim confesses nothing so Azrael proclaims him worthy. Suddenly the Crusader shows up and says that Red Robin has no faith as he didn't bow to God when he entered the Church and says he doesn't believe. Azrael asks Red Robin if this is true to which Tim admits it is, and Azrael says he feels sorry for Gotham but feels sorrier for Red Robin. They leave as Tim wonder is he should have lied, and states that he has no faith, he wants to but he doesn't. From there we see Ra's who gets word that Tim has failed, as Ra's says that Gotham lost their best hope, and with their fate on the shoulders of Catwoman and Grayson, they appear to be doomed. The issue ends as Ra's refers to Crusader and Azrael as the Angels of Death, and he proclaims that Gotham will be dead at Dawn. Now THIS is the Red Robin I love, I really enjoyed this issue and it made sense that Tim, a man of science would have lost faith, especially with all the deaths he's endured. Hell even the returns of Superboy, Steph and Bruce can all be explained by science... so this was great, I'd give this issue a 9/10, just because of the weird technicality Tim was caught with. I can't wait to see how this story progresses in Gotham City Sirens next week.

Azrael: I am sorry for Gotham... But I am sorrier for you.

Batman & Robin #22

Things start with the White Knight having a ton of civilians jump off of building, when Alfred interrupts the signal to incapacitate anyone with an earpiece that allows them to hear White Light's orders. Everyone already in the process of falling are saved by Batman and Robin, except for a select few that can't be saved by the Dynamic Duo. Back at the Bat Bunker, Dick and Damian discuss how White Knight went after everyone related to people in Arkham by blood or marriage and they then discuss nature vs. nurture. Dick says he doesn't believe in either as Damian recently turned his back on Talia and made a choice to leave the Al Ghul name. They then figure that the White Knight wants to kill all these relatives to stop the tainted blood that runs through them that's also in their Arkham inmate relatives. Alfred let's the Duo know that Arkham is lit up like a Christmas tree, which springs Batman and Robin into action. Once there they see a bunch of bright rods sticking out of the ground which emit a blinding light and has incapacitated Commissioner Gordon and his men. Batman and Robin head inside as we see the White Knight drowning all the inmates with his light or something, and most are freaking out except for The Joker, whose showering in the light. The White Knight then walks over to Dr. Phosphorous and reveals that as a kid he went to work with his father (who worked as a security guard at Arkham Asylum) and a riot broke out and his father was killed by the good Doc, who burned his palms into his back in the process and gave him "wings." Of course while this flashback is going on Batman and Robin show up and attack the White Knight. Zsasz is freed in the fray but Robin stops him as Batman pursues the White Knight. During their fight Batman shoots the ears off of his cowl into White Knights face when he gets too close, that's right, he SHOT THE EARS OFF OF HIS COWL... it was the most stupid yet most hilariously cool thing I've ever seen. Anyway, Batman manages to destroy his White Light gun thing which explodes and knocks out the White Knight. We later see him in Arkham and it's explained the blast fused his wings to his back, and Robin comments that the White Knight is now a White Angel. The issue ends with the White Angel (?) staring at two makeshift Batman and Robin logos as the lights go out. This was a fine issue, some small stuff in the background like with Joker and Zsasz were really good, but White Knight was never really made to be a threat so that made the end kinda lackluster, anyway I'd give this issue a 7/10.

Zsasz: Nobody gets to kill my family but me. (Oh Zsasz, you so crazy!)

Birds of Prey #11

It's a Huntress issue Ladies and Gents, as she goes on a date with Catman, which annoys me because Huntress + Jason = perfect Batfamily couple. Anyway we start things off with Huntress chasing after a jewel thief in the streets of Gotham. While following and fighting the thief, Oracle let's Huntress know that the thief's buddy has a hostage, a woman with asthma who lost her inhaler in the struggle. Huntress doesn't seem like she'll be able to help though since the thief has her at gunpoint, but Catman shows up and grabs the guy by the throat. He threatens to drop him off the edge of the building their on as Huntress notes to herself how much Catman has changed lately. After Catman scares the answers, and probably some other things out of the thief he knocks him out, and when Huntress asks what happened to Catman he pulls her close and kisses her. She then slaps the taste out of his mouth, because she may have had sex with Dick Grayson, Roy Harper, and Josh the Parking guy to name a few, but she's not easy! Huntress asks why Blake is in town and he simply says business and that he wanted to see her, so they decide to team up to free the asthmatic hostage. Meanwhile, Oracle has the flu so Dinah drops by to bring her some of her famous...er..infamous chili. Back with the new couple, Catman and Huntress find the guy's house thanks to Oracle and burst through the window. The criminal's woman tries to claw Catman's eyes out so he just punches her in the face, to Huntress's surprise and my joy. Huntress get's all bent outta shape because the woman was pregnant, and of course I sound like an ass for saying it but A.) she shouldn't have been attacking him if she's pregnant and B.) He hit her in the nose, he didn't slam her or anything... Anyway, after getting the information from that crook that his cousin Markie was with them and probably has the hostage so they head after him. While patching up Catman before they move to the next target, Huntress gives him her crucifix and tells him to pick a side, good or evil, and get out of the gray area in the middle like she's trying to. They then track down Markie and rush in to see he has the hostage tied up. Catman goes to check on the hostage since Huntress calls dibs on the big man known as Markie. After taking down Markie she turns her crossbow on Catman and lists off reasons how she figured out that he was one of the people behind the heist, which I didn't see coming. She tells him tyo leave and never cross her path again before slapping him. He then admits that he has a son by a very bad woman and that he was kidnapped and asks for Huntress's help. Surprisingly Huntress tells Catman that he lied to her and he can help himself, before walking away with the hostage. As she walks away, Deadshot steps out of the shadows and we see this was all a plan to make Huntress dislike Catman because he didn't want her to waste her time on him, which is pretty selfless, but I've seen Huntress so I'm gonna just say he's an idiot. Anyway, this issue was pretty good, not the date issue I expected but that's a good thing, I'll give this a 7/10.

Deadshot: She's just a woman, Blake. There are a couple billion more out there, I'm told.

The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #38

Identity Wars part one of three starts here, that's right, a three issue story with Spidey, Deadpool and The Hulk?! Sign me up baby! (Yeah, that's my new catchphrase I guess.) We start things off with Spider-Man (sporting a snazzy cape) taking down Doctor Octopus and posing in front of the Spider-Man statue as J. Jonah Jameson is overheard telling Robbie to make the front page "The Amazing Spider saves the city...again!" We soon find out that these isn't the world we know and Spidey is playing Spidey in another universe. We go back to see how we got here and we see Peter Parker celebrating how happy he is to work at Horizon labs instead of taking pics for Jameson and barely making rent like he was not so long ago. After Peter and a co-worker leave the lab, Deadpool drops in and checks in with his people via an earpiece, and we find out that he's not using a walkie-talkie, they're just standing behind him. He comments how he had to do a ton of stuff to get in there like scale lectric fences and stuff and his cohorts mention they came in a back door after bribing a janitor. They then find an inter-dimensional transporter and explain how only someone with a special brain (example, Deadpool's regeneration) would be able to use the transporter, so they knock Deadpool out so they can use him as a guinea pig. They then find Dr. Bruce Banner hiding behind the machine so they decide to shoot him since they don't want hostages. This of course leads to him becoming the Hulk and breaking stuff which led to Spidey coming to check it out and one explosion later, Deadpool, Hulk and Spidey are in another world, and instead of Horizon labs the trio are in Parker Technologies. And also there are another Spider-Man that passes out due to pain and a green Deadpool, yet no alternate Hulk. Spidey takes Alternate-Spidey to his lair known as "The Web." Fast forward to now as our Spidey masquerades as The Amazing Spider and takes down The Rhino. After he does, The Rhino gets up and turns himself in because he's afraid of Spidey because he took down Thanos. Eventually our Spidey is ready to go back to his own world, but The Amazing Spider is still healing and there are no other heroes to help considering Reed Richards is just a Doctor in this world and Tony Stark is a lot..heavier than the athletic Tony of our world. While pretending to be their Peter Parker, Pete soon learns that in this world Gwen Stacey is still alive but before he can do anything like go see her he finds out that Deadpool and his Green alter-ego, Deathwish are causing havoc. Peter then goes to look on "new desk" and finds out that this Peter was aware of other Spider-Men including our Peter, but he then see's a picture on his desk of Uncle Ben and wastes no time going to see him. Uncle Ben knows that he's not his Peter because that universe's Pete already called him but he's still happy to see our Peter. It turns out this world's Ben Parker was shot too, but he lived and went on to train Peter to use his powers and become the Amazing Spider. While the bonding is fun it soon makes a turn for the worse as he's told by Uncle Ben that Aunt May is afraid of Peter because of his Spider-Powers for some reason. When Pete asks Ben who he thinks his alternate self will end up with, Gwen or MJ, Ben snaps and says they're both money-grubbing tramps. Peter then sips his tea and asks how The Amazing Spider got so powerful, and suddenly falls out, his tea obviously being drugged, as Ben says that he and his world's Peter are ready to show him. Peter awakens later and says that he understands what's happened, that he was brought there, why the Amazing Spider was hurt after the feedback from the machine, and that they are using multiple Spider-Men to steal their powers and put them into The Amazing Spider. Spidey tricks The Amazing Spider into punching him which knocks him free from his constraints, and Uncle Ben says that he's week and needs to feed, even though Spidey says he hits like a freight train. Spidey realizes he can't beat him so he starts to try to talk to him as only he can, trying to help him realize this isn't a heroes way. While Peter tries to talk down The Amazing Spider, Ben grabs the energy sucking things and rushes Spidey but The Amazing Spider pushes him out of the way and takes the hit, almost killing him. As the issue ends Peter walks away, trying to forget about that evil, bitter Ben Parker, continues to play the role of alternate Peter until he could find a way home and hired Bruce Banner to work on a new transporter, but Ben tells Peter he's not going back because in this world he can't turn into The Hulk for some reason. So it ends with Spidey living a life that's not his, ready to go back to his universe. Man, I LOVED this issue. I love Elseworld/What If stories so this is right up my alley, and I really really enjoyed this especially with the twists, and I can't wait to see what else is coming in the Deadpool and Hulk annuals. I'll give this a solid 10/10.

Uncle Ben: They're both money-grubbing TRAMPS!!! (There's the Uncle Ben we all know and love!)

Batman Beyond #4

We start things out with Maxine Gibson, the best friend of Batman a.k.a. Terry McGinnis who also knows his secret Identity. I've never heard of this chica so if someone can tell me if she's from one of the past Batman Beyond series or a episode of the show I never saw, please let me know. Anyway, Maxine is kind of his Oracle in a sense, so she's shocked when she turns around to see Nightwing. Well actually it's the current Batman and just as talented Terry McGinnis rocking the Nightwing costume. It seems that Nightwing's Secret Identity of Dick Grayson was leaked by a reporter so Terry plans on pulling the old same place, same time scenario, with Grayson not knowing beforehand because he thinks he'd be against it. Later we see Max trying to cover for Terry in class and with his girlfriend, which comes with the sidekick schtick. So Nightwing (Terry) goes to grab the reporter that leaked the story and takes him where Grayson is but stops some criminals on the way. Meanwhile, Max heads home to see her computer's being hacked by someone, so she tracks them down and heads to confront them. On the monorail thing that clearly shows this is the future, because when I think future, I think Monorails... Max is attacked by a group of Jokerz but holds her own and escapes. Back with Nightwing, he tries to convince the reporter he's the real Nightwing and Grayson is innocent but this cover is blown when an annoyed Grayson jumps from a building and lands flawlessly, then admits that he was the first Nightwing. He says he never saw Batman unmask and he was paid for his services in what would become Batman Inc., and was carefully choreographed when he joined the Teen Titans, Outsiders and etc. and his announcement shocks Terry and Bruce. When asked by a reporter if he fears reprisal from his former enemies, he states that he was trained to be the best and toughest and he hasn't forgotten a thing. Over with Maxine, she tracks down the hacker and fins a computer with a camera on her, who basically knows she knows something but doesn't know she knows who Batman is. The issue ends with the Hacker asking Max to join them and blackmailing her, so Max decides not to tell Terry. This was a weird issue, I'd never heard of Max but I loved the stuff with Terry as Nightwing (I missed that costume...) and Grayson admitting but changing the facts on his past. But the Max stuff was kinda meh when compared to that, I'll give this issue a 7/10.

Terry McGinnis: Maxine Gibson, Friend of Batman, Prepare to bear witness... as Nightwing flies again!

The Amazing Spider-Man #658

I bought Spider-Man and got a Future Foundation story instead, let's see how it turns out shall we? We start off with Peter Parker and his girlfriend, Carlie Cooper, about to go ALL the way when he see's the FF signal, and luckily she's called away for work so he has an excuse. Peter then has to catch a taxi to his job where he keeps his Spidey gear since he can't keep it in his apartment due to him dating someone that happens to be a member of the C.S.I. Spidey finally arrives at the Baxter Building, decked out in a Blue and Black suit with a number "4" in the middle of his Spider logo, insignia, whatever you wanna call it, I won't get angry. Anyway, Ben gets pissed because they retired that number and those colors, and tells Spidey he can make him black and blue. Reed, the person who has manners, gives Spidey his new costume (he's got about 7 in the last ten issues of this series...) Spidey then puts on the costume and says that he looks like Anti-Venom (lmao, he DOES) and he pretty much feels like he looks like a villain. Anyway, Spidey ignores the suit long enough to go defeat some baddies with his new team and enjoy some ice cream when a mean Mime comes over and makes fun of Ben, making The Blue-Eyed Ever Lovin' Thing run off in a huff. Oh Thing, you have skin like a boulder but you weep easily, kinda like Supergirl. This leads to Sue trapping the mime in an invisible box which scares him, which I LOVED. Man, Dan Slott is making Sue one hell of a laugh riot. The issue continues on with Spidey and the FF fighting people, learning and bonding. The issue ends with Carlie Cooper going to Pete's job and finding out he lied about having to do something for work while he's actually with the FF. Now I enjoyed this issue but not as much as the last few issues, I don't know If I would rather not read about the FF or if I'm just tired from so many other comics or what the deal is, but I couldn't get into this like the last few issues, so I'll give this a 6/10 rating, a rare low for Spidey comics.

The Thing: We retired the number an' the colors outta respect  for Johnny and what he done! But if you wanna be covered in Black n' Blue I can make that happen!

Okay, quick rant. Halfway through this Spidey comic there was a solicit for Daredevil number one which pisses me off. Matt hasn't been gone for a YEAR and there's already a damn Daredevil series? Why start it over again yet give Black Panther DD's series? That makes NO goddamn sense... but whatever. Anyway that's all for me guys and gals, be sure to vote on the new weekly poll (Thanks to Falisha Ann of Gotham City Girls Corner for the pictures.) and comment with your thoughts or discrepancies. Until next time, I'm your friendly neighborhood Blogger-Man, Jason Todd, signing off and sign me up baby!

Next Time on Ratings and Rantings

Gotham City Sirens #22, Green Lantern #65, Green Lantern Corps #59, Teen Titans #94, and Power Girl #23