REVIEW: Red Lanterns, Volume One: Blood and Rage

PLOT: Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps return in their own series, battling against injustice in the most bloody ways imaginable.

REVIEW: I'm not really the biggest fan of Green Lantern because I didn't grow up enjoying his stories, but I have grown at least a slight bit interested as an adult. Green Lantern is one of the more fun characters, and light hearted, and I think that's why I am not as into him as I am other characters. However, with Red Lanterns, we get the darker side of the Lantern universe and I was really awestruck that this even existed. Atrocitus is the leader of the Red Lanterns, and it's his rage that is his power. The bad things that have happened to him in the past, drive who he is today as the Red Lantern leader. Though he is the leader of the Red Lanterns, he finds that even he is not enough to conquer the rage on his own. He slowly brings other Red Lanterns into the picture by throwing them into a Blood Ocean to confront their reasons for rage. As they come out, Atrocitus finds that rage comes in more than one form, and it's that discovery that leads him into a situation he never had seen coming. This book is awesome, and I was really so happy to be reading a book that was based off of a main DC character, but spun off to be a darker side. There is plenty of red on every page, as the rage is basically characterized as red blood and spews from the Lanterns and congeals as if it were in space. There was plenty of gruesome illustrations which I really enjoyed, as usual, because I'm a fan of horror. The writing was pretty good, and I liked the story of Atrocitus and I enjoyed how one of the book's minor villains came about. Peter Milligan impresses with the first volume of Red Lanterns, and I'm excited to see where it's taken. There is really a bright future for this title, even though it may be bright red.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Justice League, Volume Two: The Villain's Journey

PLOT: Now that the team's origin story is complete, we shift to the present-day Justice League! What has changed? Who has joined the team since? And why does Green Arrow want to join those ranks so badly? Plus, the birth of a new super-villain! Someone is out to get the Justice League and he is determined to show the world how mortal these godlike beings really are!

REVIEW: I'm no longer that surprised anymore when I read a New 52 graphic novel, and find it to be so great that I just can't believe it took so long to do what they've done with all of these heroes. The first volume of Justice League was great, and probably the easiest and quickest read of all the New 52. It sets up their origin for how they came to be with each other, and it pits all of their personalities against one another and shows how dynamic of a group they are. One of the strengths in this book is the display of that very same thing, the bond and familiarity they have with one another's quirks and personalities is great. Everyone has a different way of speaking, or going about things, and in small arguments they use those to make fun of each other or bring someone back to reality. There are quite a few directed at Batman, which I really enjoy, because to this Justice League they're all pretty aware that Batman is the best of them and that's why they've agreed that he's the leader. That however, does not keep them from making fun of him, as he's often on the receiving end of this team's humor.

There are a lot of other things I love about this volume of Justice League, one of them being I think in the second issue of the collection where Green Arrow will stop at nothing to keep trying to butt in and join their team in a battle to prove he's worthy of the League. The way they show it battle after battle, from each page to the next really added to the humor of it and is probably really great set up for what is to come. Also, the villain was awesome. He goes by Graves, and he is able to bring the Justice League to their knees with weakness because his power is showing people their loss, and using it to incapacitate them. He's a great villain for them because no one in the Justice League is short on loss, and missing a loved one. I just also love the dark storylines that New 52 has had no problem incorporating into their new world, and making it really accessible for adults, as much as teens. As usual, I would highly recommend this volume of New 52 Justice League, as well as any other New 52 title out there right now. In addition, I'm not sure what all of the fuss was about with Wonder Woman kissing Superman. I get it, and it doesn't bother me, but it did come out of nowhere and in a pretty much cookie cutter chick flick moment between the two at the end of the volume. They could have at least used a little creativity in putting them together, but hey they might just be super wonderful together. Who knows.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )