Ratings and Rantings

Hey Todd Squad, yours truly, Jason Todd here with another edition of your favorite weekly feature of comic content comments, Ratings and Rantings! Thanks for coming through and we've got a nice amount of content today, with four DC comics and two Marvel comics. We've also got a new poll and last week's poll results. We've got a lot of stuff to get through, so let's get things started with our first comic.

Gotham City Sirens #23

Man, with the crazy look on her face and the gymnast like butt on Harley, I almost didn't even notice Catwoman and Poison Ivy in the background. We start things off with Catwoman noting how everything on this night is making this the right time to separate a million dollars from a fat man, and we see her target is none other than Oswald Cobblepot, better known as the Penguin. Catwoman takes out Penguin's guards and takes his diamonds while remarking how she missed being on her own, when Batman drops in to tell Catwoman about Arkham. He pretty much tells her that he has some other business but once he takes care of that, he's going to Arkham and anyone he finds there is going to stay there, which is code for, go save Harley and Ivy before I make sure they stay there. Catwoman tells Batman she's done with his schemes, saying she knows what he did before he won the cowl (anyone wanna explain that?), and Batman remarks that Cats were never known for their loyalty, before disappearing into the night. We then jump over to a hectic Arkham with guards and everyone else running amuck and in the middle we see Harley kissing a gun-wielding Joker. The Joker and Harley decide they want to have a game night so they go off to find some "volunteers". We then see Aaron Cash calling Commissioner Gordon to tell him they need help at the Asylum, and Gordon says their on the way. We soon find out that Arkham Director Alice Sinner is still in Arkham and is being protected from inmates, including Dr.Arkham. When the inmates come to attack Sinner, Arkham uses his crazy mind and his knowledge of the human body to scare the guards into surrendering, then he has them killed anyway. Arkham walks over to Alice Sinner who is happy he came for her, and opens a wall safe to give Arkham another Black mask skull. God I hate that Arkham is black mask... He puts the mask on and he and Sinner kiss while inmates beat a guard to death behind them. Catwoman arrives at one of her secret caches and is still upset that Batman tried to manipulate her, she says she doesn't owe Harley and Ivy anything, even if they helped her when she was down, then she thinks for a minute and realizes she owes them, so heads out to help. We then see Arkham and Sinner realize they can't escape due to the GCPD being at Arkham now, and the guards he's spent time blackmailing could be killed in the riots, so there's only one thing they can do if they hope to escape anytime soon. We then see Black Mask and Sinner along with some inmates confront the Joker and tell him to give up the Guards he was torturing, because Black Mask and his men outnumber Joker, but Harley pulls out the debilitator which shocks and subdues all of Arkham's men. After arguing over the guards being bargaining chips and saying that Batman is on the way and they could've used them, Arkham yells that this isn't a game, to which Joker tells him everything is a game. Their fight is then interrupted by Poison Ivy who erupts through the ground and tells Harley she's tired of saving Harley from The Joker, and now she has to pick, once and for all, Ivy or Joker. The issue ends with Batman (Bruce) and Catwoman heading to Arkham to stop the chaos as Ivy waits for an answer from Harley. I liked this issue, and while I didn't care much for the Black Mask stuff, I did like the fact we get a Harley/Mr. J, Catwoman/Batman battle in the next issue, as well as the first face to face Batman (Bruce) Joker meeting since Bruce returned from his trip through time. I'll give this issue a 7/10 rating and I hope the next issue is at least this good.


The Joker: I was going to take the opportunity to place your face in the fryer. Make it so you don't need that ridiculous mask.

Deadpool #37

We start things off with Deadpool in what can only be described as "his crazy ass heaven", before we see him in a kiddie pool bleeding with a gun in his head. We jump back nine days with Deadpool asking Wolverine how he can die due to their healing factor, but Wolverine doesn't wanna help Deadpool off himself. Deadpool mentions how Wolverine used him to help him find Daken (in Wolverine Origins) and that Wolverine owes him, but he still doesn't help, but Deadpool seems to have figured out what Wolverine doesn't want to tell him. We see four days later, Deadpool stops in Russia and pays a TON of money for the Russians to get him something, but we don't see what it is he wants. We then see today, as Deadpool waits on Bruce Banner and drives after him. He asks Bruce if he's having a party and if The Hulk will be there, but Bruce says he isn't having a party and leaves, but Deadpool says there will be a party. As Banner drives away he wonders why Deadpool confronted him just to talk, and we see Deadpool press a button which explodes a nuke on the bottom of Bruce's car, which obviously causes The Hulk to emerge from the wreckage. Deadpool and Hulk have a huge fight in the middle of nowhere, so no one else gets hurt, see Deadpool is still quite heroic! Deadpool tries his best to piss off Hulk even more, so he jams two swords in his nostrils and fills his mouth with C4 and dynamite, which is just plain awesome. But surprisingly, Hulk responds and says Deadpool won't drive him mad, and to go back to whoever hired him but Deadpool says no one hired him, causing Hulk to say that should make it easier for Deadpool to walk away. Deadpool tells Hulk he won't stop until Hulk does what he wants him to do, but Hulk says he does what he wants to do, before flicking Deadpool away. Deadpool presses a button when he lands which lights up a backpack by Hulk which causes it to blow him up again. An enraged Hulk jumps over to Deadpool as the issue ends. Now this was fun, I loved seeing Deadpool try to irritate Hulk as well as his quick confrontation with Wolverine. Now that Bruce doesn't seem to be in control of the enraged Hulk, things are gonna get even more crazy, I'll give this issue an 8/10 rating.

Hulk: I'm a 2,000 pound radioactive monster. I only do what I want to do.

Green Lantern #66

We start of learning that Mogo's role as moral compass is what guides the Green Lantern rings when searching for recruits, and an infected Mogo finds mindless and violent recruits and makes them Green Lanterns. We then see Guy and Hal being overwhelmed by the Guardians who are fused with the entities, minus Parallax. Guy wants to leave and regroup but Hal is positive their close to Parallax and starts to drill at the battery while Guy tries to hold back the Guardians. Guy realizes his red ring isn't doing much against the Guardians so he uses Krona's Gauntlet instead. He says that it feels like he's wearing twelve Green Lantern rings at once (something Hal would know about), but before he can strike, both Guy and Hal or blasted by Krona with the power of all seven entities, and for the record, it looked pretty damn cool. We then see Sinestro as a Green Lantern fighting Manhunters, when he radios to Abin Sur and doesn't get an answer, he remembers that Abin is dead, and that he's no longer a Green Lantern and sheds a tear. Aww, isn't that sweet. Anyway, he realizes he's in the pages of the Black Book and yells at the top of his lungs to Lyssa Drak that he knows she's hiding within the pages. As we see Sinestro looking for Lyssa we see other trapped people's memories in the background, including Saint Walker with his kid, Larfleeze and Atrocitus. We also see Indigo-1 locked in a cell, she attacks Sinestro and asks where did Abin Sur imprison her... before Sinestro frees himself and looks through more pages. That's interesting, I wonder how Abid Sur and Indigo connect. Sinestro finally escapes the book but as he does, Krona puts him back into it, telling him the Green Lantern Corps no longer needs him, as it has the Earthmen. He then tells Hal and Guy that the Guardians are unable to do their jobs due to having emotions, but Hal and Guy will no replace them, as he has them wrapped in the same bandages that turned him into one of them, and now Hal and Guy will rule next to him, as the new Guardians as this issue ends. I really enjoyed this issue, It looks like Sinestro may become a GL again at some point which would be interesting, we also saw that Indigo used to be a criminal or something which was a shocker, as well that someone can become a Guardian since I figured they were born that way. Either way, great issue and I hope the other two are this good, I'll give this issue a 8/10 rating.

Indigo-1: Where did Abin Sur imprison me? Tell me before I tear your throat out.

Green Lantern Corps #60

We start things off with temporary Indigo Lantern John Stewart and Blue Lantern Kyle Rayner, encountering the rings Mogo is sending to new Green Lantern recruits thanks to Krona. They encounter over 10,000 rings according to John's ring, and Kyle's Blue Lantern ring proves to be useless again when he can't even stop the rings and shut them down. John is able to latch onto the rings power and makes a giant dome to contain the rings from getting out and pushes them down to a cave on Mogo, but he can't hold the rings down and they explode through the dome. Kyle figures is Blue Rings can heal, maybe he can get to Mogo's mind and heal him so he can recall the rings. As they travel to Mogo's brain John tells Kyle to remember Mogo is psychic and he's gonna try to hit them with their deepest fears. Surprisingly their attacked by some more Green Lanterns, as Krona sent them to Mogo to go after Kyle and John. Kyle is boosting their ring power just by being a Blue Lantern but he also uses his ring to remove the impurity from a few of the Lanterns while he and John fly further into Mogo. They finally encounter Mogo's brain, which is a giant GL Ring encased in a circle of green. Kyle tries his ring and makes a construct of Mogo's former partner, Green Lantern Bzzd (?) but the impurity stays, because Mogo also had the Black Lanterns inside him as well. Kyle tries to purge them from Mogo but Mogo blasts Kyle, knocking him out, as Hundreds of GL's head towards Mogo to come after John and Kyle. John decides he'll tap into Mogo's GL power to defend himself and an unconscious Kyle but Krona tells Kyle telepathically there's nothing he can do, because as each second passes more and more GL's are recruited and being sent to Oa. Kyle regains consciousness and John says Mogo is too far gone, but he can do one thing. He grabs the Black Lantern element into his ring and makes a portal for himself and Kyle. John says billions will die unless he does this, and infused with the Black Lantern power, he creates a sniper and shoots Mogo's core, causing Mogo to explode as the issue ends. Once again, another great issue in "War of the Green Lanterns". John did what he had to do, and I think he made the right decision, but of course they'll be a huge fallout from this. Anyway, this issue was great, but the one problem I had is with Kyle, who was the main GL ten years ago, looking weak and worthless, I'm sure there's something coming from that eventually but it still bothers me, but I'll give this a 9/10 rating.

John Stewart: Katma Tui is dead!!!! (Out of context I find this hilarious... you tell em John.)

Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #10

Things start with Krona about to turn Hal and Guy into Guardians, but suddenly Krona, the Guardians and all the Green Lanterns hear a screech and drop to the ground. We then see Kyle and John arguing about John killing Mogo, to which John says he had no choice and Kyle says he shouldn't have given up hope. John tells Kyle he didn't wanna have to do this, he has enough guilt in his life with what happened to Xanshi but he did this because he had no other choice. Kyle, still upset, tells John to leave him alone, and starts trying to pull enough of Mogo's pieces together to restart his core. Kyle fails of course, and John drags him away, saying that Hal and Guy need his help. Over on Oa, Kyle and Hal finally break free from Krona's chains as he and everyone else convulse on the ground. As Guy and Hal leave they grab Ganthet and the Book of Black, and Guy or course socks Krona in the face on the way out. As Hal and Guy leave they literally run into Kyle and Guy, and after explaining what the two teams have been up to, John teleports them to the battery so they can free Parallax from it. While they try to release Parallax, our guys can't make a scratch on the Lantern, but Ganthet regains consciousness and tells them the reason why they can't tap into the battery is because they need all of the emotional spectrum, and they still have two unused rings, the Orange and Sapphire rings. Ganthet has Guy put on the Sapphire ring with his Red Lantern ring, and Hal put on both the Sinestro and Orange Lantern rings. The four Lanterns use the power of six to blast the Lantern but before they can release Parallax their attacked by the entire GL Corps. Ganthet tells Guy to go try since he wields the two extreme rings, while they all hold back the GLC, so Guy goes but can't work both rings at once. Ganthet tells him to look into his sole and thing of who he loves and who he hates the most to make the rings work. Guy reveals that the thing he loves most is his ring and the Green Lantern Corps, because the Corps is his life, he hates being filled with the Rage of the Red Lantern Corps. Guy yells that over and over and breaks a hole in the battery which releases Parallax, causing the Corpsmen to drop once again. Under Ganthet's orders they all zap Parallax as the Green Rings return to Hal, Guy, John and Kyle. Guy notes that Mogo purged the red from him last time and now that Mogo's dead, if he takes that red ring off, he'll die too. Kyle mentions that he can heal him, as a Blue Lantern, and convinces Guy that he can do it. He does in fact heal Guy as the two rings leave Guy's finger and Kyle, John and Hal remove their rings and put on their Green Lantern rings again. The issue ends with Krona, the Entity-infected-Guardians, and Parallax getting ready to take on the entire Green Lantern Corps. This was another great issue, it was full of action and set the story for the final chapter of the War of The Green Lanterns in next month's Green Lantern comic. I'll give this issue a solid 10/10 rating.

Guy Gardner: This ring feels weird, makes my mouth feel like it's got sugar and blood in it now.

Venom #3

We start things off with Jack O'Lantern appearing in the bedroom of Betty Brant, the girlfriend of Flash Thompson, the current Venom. We then see the place that started the Venom project as they tell one of the directors that Venom has been radio silent for three days, well over the 48 hours that he's able to wear the Symbiote for. The director tells them not to detonate the fail-safe, as just in case Flash doesn't still have control over the Venom symbiote, he needs to take out the shipment of Antarctic Vibranium that he set out to destroy in the first place. We then see Venom taking on a bunch of the employees that are moving this shipment, and he's started to unleash the Venom we all know and is losing control. As Venom attacks, one of the Henchmen get a hit on him with a flaming sword, which causes Venom to get angry, and in a Hulk like moment, the symbiote takes over as Flash just has to watch it destroy them. After the symbiote disposes of the last few henchmen, Flash gives himself a shot of a sedative, that allows him another hour in control before he has to give in to the suit. Flash makes his way to the shipment of Vibranium and soon enough he's piloting it when the helicopter radio asks for Corporal Thompson. Flash plays dumb, but the shrouded figure tells him to bring him the Vibranium in New York, or his girlfriend will get it, as she's currently strapped to a comically huge bomb by Jack O'Lantern. We then see Peter going to check on Betty when he notices her apartment has been trashed and she's missing, he calls Glory Grant and asks if she's talked to Betty, and she says Betty said she was gonna sleep in today, so Pete tells Glory to call the police and send them to their apartment as he web-slings away as Spider-Man. Venom finally lands the shipment in New York for the Crime Master and meets him face to face, along with his henchmen. Flash thinks to himself how the suit is in control but it's playing along with Flash, as he asks where Betty is. Crime Master tells him where Betty is and says he has five minutes, and not to tell his superiors what happened. He notes that since he knows Venom's identity and he also knows that being Venom must feel like a thrill to Flash since he's legless without him, he's sure he'll omit that Crime Master knows who he is and he won't tell them that or they'll take the suit from him. Flash remarks to himself that it takes everything he has to focus on Betty and keep the symbiote from eating CM's face. As Venom goes to save Betty he's attacked by Spider-Man, who thinks he kidnapped Betty, and is using things it remembers to go after his friends. Flash keeps trying to take control but the symbiote is too busy trying to kill Spider-Man. The issue ends as the bomb tied to Betty is getting ready to explode, Venom is trying to murder Spider-Man in the middle of New York, and they finally decide to hit the Fail-Safe on Venom. This was an excellent issue, action-packed, great story, and finally some Spidey/Venom interaction, with Venom facing the guy that Flash has idolized since he was a teenager. I can't wait for the next issue of Venom now, I'll give this a 10/10 rating.

Venom: KKILL SPPIDDER-MMAN!!! (Can't beat the classics!)

And that's it for this week's reviews. Six great issues, this was a pretty good week for comics in my opinion. Now with those reviews done, I wanna thank you guys for reading and welcome any comments or criticisms you may have. Below are the results to last week's poll, and thanks to that, be sure to vote on this week's poll as well. So that done, I wanna say thanks for reading and be sure to join us next week for more Ratings and Ratings, until next time, I'm your friendly neighborhood Blogger-Man, Jason Todd, signing off. You stay classy, Todd Squad!

Last week's poll question asked "What do you think I should do with the weekly polls?"

16.7% said Get rid of them.
And a shocking 83.3% said to keep them, I didn't even know anyone cared about them, so consider them here to stay for good.

Next Time on Ratings and Rantings

Batman Beyond #6, Static Shock Special, and Amazing Spider-Man #663