Ratings and Rantings

Hey everyone, Jason Todd here with another edition, albeit short, of Ratings and Rantings! This week's post only has a measly two comics to review, but this post will also feature this month's second Top Five 5 questions, so that works! So with that to look forward to, I don't wanna keep you loyal readers waiting, so let's jump right in and get these two issues reviewed.

Batman: Gates of Gotham #2

We start things off viewing the past of Gotham, as we see Alan Wayne and his fellow cohorts decide to make structures that would one day become known as the Gates of Gotham. We then fast forward to present day and see Batman, Robin and Red Robin meeting with Commissioner Gordon at Arkham, where Hush has apparently been attacked and abducted. Batman figures that since someone broke into Arkham to get Hush, then they still need him. And since they attacked the last living Elliot, then the Cobblepot and a Wayne family heirs are their next targets. We then see Hush underground with his captor, he tells him that he respects what he's doing, but if he makes it out of this alive, to stay away from the Waynes, because Hush is going to kill him if he doesn't. Hush then gets a punch to the back of the head for his troubles. Rule #31 Hush, never talk trash while you're in a straitjacket. Next we see Robin and Black Bat, staking out Penguin, in what I believe is their first ever meeting. Damian confirms this by telling Cassandra he's heard about her, and how she was destined to lead the League of Assassin's to glory. He tells her he's not impressed, and in typical Damian fashion insults her by saying "he's not the one his father relegated to Hong Kong." Cass ignores him and goes into action after finding a back entrance into the Iceberg Lounge. We then see Batman, as he breaks into the Elliot Family Manor. He mentions how he's down the street from Wayne Manor but can count on one hand how many time's he's been to Elliot's house in his life, and that was as Nightwing. Dick thinks to himself how little he knows about the Elliot's and Gotham in general, and how even though he's no longer a sidekick, he misses not having someone to go to with all the answers. Back with Black Bat, we see her talking to Red Robin via comm link, who mentions how many times he's thought of killing Damian but would having to explain it to Bruce is what stops him. From there, Cass asks him how his search is going, but Tim isn't really getting and hood results. Over in Iceberg Lounge, Penguin soon discovers a bomb, and the club empties as Black Bat and Robin rush in, meanwhile Tim is notifying Batman that a bomb has been discovered in Wayne Tower. Bats quickly makes his way to the Tower and finds none other than Hush ties up with a bomb strapped to him, and realizes he has to choose between saving the tower or saving Hush, which Hush loves because he wants to destroy the Wayne's legacy. On the other side of town, Damian disarms the bomb in the Iceberg Lounge, or so he thinks, but instead the timer speeds up. Damian is sure he can do it but Cassandra grabs him and drags him out of a window at the same time Batman does the same to Hush, as both Wayne Tower and the Iceberg Lounge are blown to smithereens. Batman, asks Hush how the Tower is apart of the Gates of Gotham, and Hush laughs, asking how someone so naive of Gotham's past can hope to save it's future, and reveals the Gates of Gotham aren't a what, but a who, as this issue ends. Man, this was a great issue. The thing I didn't care for was more of the flashbacks, but the actual scenes in present day with Dick, Tim, Damian, Cass and Hush were damn interesting. I'll give this issue an 8/10 rating.

Robin: A waste of time. I should be out hunting, not protecting a fat man who wishes he had feathers.

Deadpool #39

This cover explains everything about this issue. This issue starts with Deadpool warning the teacher and her students at this Daycare to get lost because the Incredible Hulk is on his way, and he is ANGRY. As an enraged Hulk tries to attack Deadpool, we see some army guys that are trying to neutralize the situation, they decide that blasting the Merc with a Mouth with a smart bomb would calm down Hulk because he wouldn't have Deadpool to be angry at anymore. That seems like a good idea until Deadpool tells the kids to get on a school bus so he can get them away from the Hulk, which of course to the untrained eye, looks like he's taking hostages. Deadpool barely escapes from Hulk with the busload of children, and makes his way towards the army guys. They see Deadpool and don't see the children, due to DP telling them to put their heads down for safety, so they shoot at the bus. Deadpool swerves which causes the blast to hit the Big Green Machine. Deadpool get's sad because now Hulk's gonna go after the army guys who shot him by mistake, when he nuked Hulk twice, on purpose. When the teacher as Deadpool if he works for the army, he replies he's just a guy that wants to die, to which she says it's his lucky day and pulls out a gun, then shoots Deadpool point-blank in the head. The bus flips over and somehow lands on top of our Crimson Comedian. He regains consciousness an hour later and Hulk tells him he lied about the nukes, as none have gone off yet. Hulk tells him the children are fine, but he's still pissed off because he could've killed them in his fit of rage that Deadpool induced. Deadpool pleads with Hulk to kill him and Hulk tells him he's insane. Deadpool agrees and Hulk says he can't let him go on like this, and punches Deadpool so hard he literally EXPLODES into a wave of meat and blood. Deadpool surprisingly STILL comes back, although in a full body cast, as Steve Rogers meets with his Doctor, and they discuss how Deadpool's sentence has landed him in Crossmore Prison in England, which has been converted into a mental institution as this issue ends. This was a fun issue, It was a lot of comedy and fighting which I enjoyed, and I was going to give it an eight, but seeing Deadpool splattered was so damn cool I'll give this a 9/10.

Deadpool: I'm just a guy that's tryin' to die, lady. (Best...pick-up line...ever.)

And just like that, this super quick edition of Ratings and Rantings is all done. And before I get out of here I wanna remind you all of the Top Five 5! Thanks to Paul C. and in honor of the recent Green Lantern movie (I guess...) they are all Color Corp Ring based! For those of you that don't know how it goes, you send me your top five picks for each category at KevinKavalier@gmail.com and I'll post the answers this Sunday and compare everyone's results. Make sure ya send your picks in ASAP so you don't forget. The topics are below, and here's hoping you guys participate before the deadline of Sunday 2:00 pm EST. And lastly, be sure to vote on this week's newest poll and check out the last poll results below the Top Five 5 topics. Until next time, I'm your friendly neighborhood Blogger-Man, Jason Todd. You stay classy, Todd Squad.

Note: None of your picks are limited to DC, they can include Marvel, Image or whatever you like.

5 Characters You'd give a Green Lantern (Will) Ring?
5 Characters You'd give a Red Lantern (Rage) Ring?
5 Characters You'd give a Yellow Lantern (Fear) Ring?
5 Characters You'd give a Orange Lantern (Greed) Ring?
5 Characters You'd give a Blue Lantern (Hope) Ring?

Last week's poll asked "What bothers you the most about the DCU Reboot?"

Last place with 9.1% - Everything!
Second Place with 18.2% - Tie between Nothing at all! & Missing Artists and Writers (Bryan Q Miller, Marcus To, Nicola Scott, Etc.)
Winner with 54.5% - Missing Characters (Power Girl, Ravager, Steph Brown, Cass Cain, Etc.)

Next Week on Ratings and Rantings

Gotham City Sirens #24, Amazing Spider-Man #664, and Venom #4! (Three comics? What is happening?)