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: Talon, Volume One: Scourge of the Owls

PLOT: As a young performer with Haly's Circus, young Calvin Rose was secretly being raised to be a master assassin--a killing machine called a Talon. The Talons have always served the mysterious Court of Owls, a group of wealthy individuals who will stop at nothing to maintain their grip on power in Gotham City. When Rose defects from the Talon's ranks, he is marked for death and spends the next few years using all his training to hide from his former masters. After years on the run, Rose finally returns to Gotham City following the horrors of "The Night of Owls." He'll set off to investigate what remains of the Court of Owls, but will he be able to gain his freedom at long last?

REVIEW: Scott Snyder has proven at this point that not only is he a great writer for Batman, but he is also a great writer of comics in general with a title like Swamp Thing as evidence. I mostly picked up this volume of Talon because I know that Snyder is a quality talent, but also because it's Gotham oriented and I can't turn down anything Batman. This book plucks a character from Batman's Court of Owls storyline Calvin Rose, and follows him as he seeks revenge on his former group of Owls when he realizes that Gotham may have been emptied of his personal demons. The main reason I like this book so much is that it's dark, which is something that Scott Snyder has rarely shied away from in his writing. He is able to take such a comical world and turn it into something darker and deeper than it ever has before. It's one main reason that the New 52 Batman is so great and has become a new standard for the Batman comic books. Calvin Rose is a Talon of the Court of Owls, which if you aren't familiar with, may require some reading of Snyder's Batman to get an introduction to. The evils that the Court of Owls is capable of committing are atrocious and really personify a villain that can strike the fear into characters in a book, as well as the reader at home. Talon yet again proves that Snyder is a mainstay in current comic writing, and can do much more than just Batman, even though this predominately takes place in Gotham City. This is much recommended to fans of the New 52, Batman in general, and possibly Pink Floyd's The Wall because the Owl masks are just too reminiscent of it to ignore.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hawkeye, Volume One: My Life As A Weapon

PLOT: The breakout star of this summer's blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton - aka the self-made hero Hawkeye - fights for justice! With ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! SHIELD recruits Clint to intercept a packet of incriminating evidence - before he becomes the most wanted man in the world. You won't believe what is on The Tape! What is the Vagabond Code? Matt Fraction pens a Hawkeye thriller that spans the globe...and the darkest parts of Hawkeye's mind. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble...and stealing from the rich never looked so good.

REVIEW: I've been hearing about this comic for months now, and finally I've been able to get around to it. Hawkeye was certainly one of the breakout stars in Marvel's The Avengers movie, and without Jeremy Renner it may not have been as successful. A lot of people really fell in love with the character, and a lot of girls did as well, probably because of Jeremy Renner. After reading the comic, I think it's the character in the film that everyone is in love with and it's carrying over into this book, because it isn't really that special, at least in my eyes. Now, let me say this though too, that I have yet to fully enjoy a Marvel NOW! title and I don't know why, but New 52's stories are so much more compelling to me. While Hawkeye may have been one of the better Marvel NOW! titles I've read, it certainly isn't anywhere near the best that it's being touted as. I'm not sure what it is about Matt Fraction's Hawkeye that has everyone all giddy, but I found it to be a pretty normal, but decent comic. The artwork is pretty simple, and has a basic look to it, so there's no wows there at all. Then you have the writing, and while it's definitely some of the better, I don't find the story groundbreaking in the slightest. The story seems a bit incomplete and that's what I'm hoping a second volume would correct, but I wasn't too much of a fan of the latter half of this. This book did serve very well for humor, as Clint Barton is a pretty humorous and snippy guy, but other than that I wasn't too entertained by it. I really like the bit with the different kinds of arrows that Clint uses as Hawkeye, but doesn't have labels on them to know which is which. Maybe the second volume will outline a grander story, but color me unimpressed, at least less impressed than everyone else is, with Hawkeye.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 4 / 10 )

STORY : ( 6 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 5 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Avengers Arena, Volume One: Kill or Die

PLOT: Trapped on an isolated island, 16 superhuman teens (including cult favorites like members of the Runaways, the Avengers Academy and Darkhawk) are given a chilling ultimatum by their demented captor: Fight or die...only one will walk out alive! Thus begins a primal battle that will test the skills, stamina and morals of each combatant. Welcome to Murder World, where secrets are plenty, alliances are fleeting, and the key to victory might be rewriting the rules of the game. Who will survive? As Cammi and Hazmat battle the mysterious Deathlocket, X-23 and Juston Seyfert's Sentinel join the fray...but who is the killer stalking the heroes in their sleep? Who are the students of the Braddock Aacdemy? And why does Darkhawk equal death?

REVIEW: This book is incredibly sad in the worst way possible. For months, I've been anxious to read this Marvel NOW! title more than pretty much any of the others. So now I've found out for months, that I'd been duped by Marvel. Not only is this series one of the worst to come out of the Marvel NOW!, but it's quite possibly the most tangible reason that Marvel has fallen by the wayside and DC Comics' New 52 is considerably more successful. I've never seen such cowardice by a comic team, that in order to re-brand Marvel and create great new stories, they stole ideas from elsewhere. I get that concepts are borrowed in literature, and that nothing is 100% original or unique, but Avengers Arena is about the worst example of this I've ever seen. I also understand that this is somewhat an attempt at being clever and twisting a popular skeleton of a story around Marvel characters, but it just doesn't work at all as its own thing and basically comes off as a joke. From the beginning, sixteen super-teens are chosen and placed on an island to wage war against one another until there is only one left standing. Does that sound familiar to you? With the recent popularity of all things The Hunger Games, it leaves a lot of the not so popular books grasping for straws at how to make their stories as relatable as Suzanne Collins did for Katniss and Peeta.

The sad part is, that Marvel should be the pioneers of comic book hero stories, considering they're one of the top two comic producers out there. Instead, they're not even borrowing, but straight ripping off a concept from a popular teen fiction series and trying to make it their own. They could have easily taken a bit of this concept and put a unique twist on it to make it their own, as many others already have in this dystopian trend that I'm sick of, and with some success. There's nothing about this comic at all that is cool, original, or awesome. I was so disappointed that I had to read six issues of this comic and not get a single great thing out of it. A lot of the reviews I'd seen had claimed that this was intense, superb, and leaning towards adult. This is a teenage Marvel fan's dream comic I suppose, but I wasn't really expecting what I read at all in Avengers Arena. This series should be titled, Marvel's The Hunger Games, because that's about all it is. If you like The Hunger Games, you may like this. If you like Marvel NOW!, you may like this (and I really haven't so far). If you're an adult and want to read something worth your while, pass on this. Even one of the covers was a straight rip of the mockingjay pin on fire poster for the movie, but with an Avengers A! Marvel, this is pathetic.

WRITING : ( 5 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 3 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 2 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 4 / 10 )

REVIEW: Superman: For Tomorrow

PLOT: A cataclysmic event has struck the Earth. Millions of people have vanished without a trace. No one is left unaffected; not even Superman! But after a year, Superman is left with many questions. For a hero who tries to have all the answers, it's torture. And, just as the action heats up and the stakes are raised, one huge question emerges: Just how far is Superman willing to go "For Tomorrow"?

REVIEW: I joke a lot about how much I hate Superman. I'm not a Superman fan, because of my undying love for everything Batman. It just so happens that typically Batman is the one the Justice League is counting on when Superman fails them, and always gets Supes out of trouble. However, I do read some Superman because I know that there are good stories in all kinds of packages and if it's a comic book then I guess I'll read it. I mainly wanted to read Superman: For Tomorrow because it's written by Brian Azzarello. Azzarello is currently working the New 52 Wonder Woman and even did some Batman in the form of Joker, which is great if you haven't read it. I was not only pleased with this graphic novel but also surprised at really how great it was. It also was a pretty serious story for Superman, and was kind of depressing. Superman finds himself at a loss for an idea of a future after a device has triggered random mass vanishings in the world. He befriends a priest at the beginning and throughout his questioning and narrative to him, Superman finds the reason he does what he does for the people of Metropolis. This is not an action packed Superman comic, but it really goes in depth in thinking about the character and that is one of the few ways I enjoy reading Superman. I like it when the character of Superman is analyzed, because even though he's all powerful, he struggles the most with being a human, or the perfect human in his mind. It's a dilemma that most all of us can relate to, so it provides for a great Superman reading experience. Also, expect the beautiful artwork, as usual from Jim Lee.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain Marvel, Volume Two: Down

PLOT: Former Captain Monica Rambeau returns, but what's her problem with Earth's new Mightiest Hero? What threat is lurking below the ocean's surface? And can both Captain Marvels stop it before they get ship wrecked? Then: Carol finally returns home, but is changed. What is weakening Captain Marvel's powers? How will the lifelong high-flyer react when she discovers that she can no longer fly?

REVIEW: It could have gone either way on the second volume of Captain Marvel, because at first it's not much to be impressed with and I was really annoyed by some of the choices with the writing and pacing. But as it goes on, it only continues to get better and drop a huge bomb on the character that will ensure drama for a bit. The first half, Carol Danvers is reunited with an old friend as they try to defeat a gigantic robot that was unearthed in the sea by Captain Marvel. What I didn't like about the first two issues with this battle was that all of the characters on the page were having pretty intense conversation during the fight with the robot. And it's not even like it was when there was a break in the action, it was just mid-fight and the characters made small talk about things they'd heard. I wasn't really a fan of this choice, and I think had the action been taken care of first, the book would have been able to show off some more complex art without text, and then take care of the dialogue after the fight was drawn out. But then, Captain Marvel returns after this journey to take on some wildly random villains in the city. As the story unfolds, you are learning more about the tumor that is in Carol's brain that has given doctors reason to tell her that she can no longer fly unless she wishes to further endanger her life and risk it all for her superpower. As this progresses, the story becomes a lot more intricate and poses legitimate questions for the character and has implications for the entire last four issues of the volume. I really liked this part of the book, and the story was really great. Captain Marvel is easily one of the better titles still from Marvel NOW!, and I'm looking forward to more now that a villain has returned!

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain Marvel, Volume One: In Pursuit of Flight

PLOT: Ace pilot. Legendary Avenger. One hundred percent pure bad-@$$. Carol Danvers has a new name, a new mission - and all the power she needs to make her own life a living hell. As the new Captain Marvel, Carol is forging from a challenge from her past! It's a firefight in the sky as the Banshee Squadron debut - but who are the Prowlers, and where has Carol seen them before? And how does secret NASA training program Mercury 13 fit in? Witness Captain Marvel in blazing battlefield action that just may change the course of history! Avengers Time Travel Protocols: engage!

REVIEW: Because this was a Marvel NOW! title I wasn't really expecting too much, plus with it being a character I'm not entirely familiar with I didn't figure I'd enjoy this much at all. I was really surprised at how much I like this title, and while it's not the greatest of characters it was enjoyable. I find it surprising that it's the second tier characters in Marvel that are getting the best treatment with this re-branding of all their characters in Marvel NOW!. Carol Danvers has a wit about her that makes her really fun to read, and I think it helps to have a female writer on board to give her that authentic female feel. All of the dialogue between her and all the gal pals she meets throughout her journey really feels right and not forced. It's rare that a character you really don't read, piques your interest and gives you a fun read that you can buy into immediately. I will be interested to see where this series goes, and if it continues to get any better as her character develops. This one of those volumes that definitely serves as an introduction to the character, so that may be why it's relatively easy to connect from the beginning. Go figure that Captain Marvel is one of the very few titles to impress me from Marvel NOW!, which still furthers my opinion that New 52 stories are above and beyond Marvel's new structure.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Swamp Thing, Volume Two: Family Tree

PLOT: Alec Holland is back as the Swamp Thing, fully formed as the protector of The Green. Immediately upon his return, he must battle his way through the Bone Kingdom and The Rot to free his ally - and ex-girlfriend - Abigail Arcane. But will the cost of freeing her be...fighting her? Nothing, not even this titanic battle, will prepare Swampy for what he has to face next--a resurrected and even more dangerous Anton Arcane!

REVIEW: I loved the first volume of the New 52 Swamp Thing, and there are so many reasons for that love. One, it's written by Scott Snyder who in recent years has proved himself to be one of the better new talents in comic writing. Currently working on the main title for Batman, he's frequently proven capable of blending dark elements into super hero stories that make them beautiful on the page and in your mind. Also, Swamp Thing has been one of the better drawn titles of the New 52 behind only Batwoman in my mind. The excellence continues in the second volume of Swamp Thing and the story gets even wilder. I loved the story with Arcane and the threat that he presented not only to Alec, but to others as well and the horror that he brought with the rot. What I love about Swamp Thing and the adjoining hero, Animal Man, is that the story is so dark and the art is so gruesome that it provides for a truly unique comic book experience. You could classify these as horror comics, and they do kind of come off the page a little on the adult side because the artwork is just so vivid but haunting. You can read superheroes everyday, but you can't always get this world that you have with Swamp Thing. I would highly recommend reading this title of New 52, as it is easily my favorite behind Batman and most of us know how much I enjoy Batman titles. Pick this up, and observe the perfection in artistry from this team of talented artists and take note that you aren't going to see panels as breathtaking as you see here too often, so enjoy them while we can.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )
STORY : ( 9 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 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 )

REVIEW: Batman: The Dark Knight, Volume Two: Cycle of Violence

PLOT: The Scarecrow has returned to Gotham City, but he's no longer the meek punching bag Batman is used to. The villainous genius has always preyed on the worst fears of his victims, but has refined his legendary fear toxin to even greater effectiveness and deadlier consequences. As the Scarecrow's origin is unfurled, Batman must find out not only how to conquer this dangerous psychopath, but how to beat his own worst fear.

REVIEW: Yet another brilliant New 52 Batman entry. Batman: The Dark Knight, Volume Two: Cycle of Violence does amazingly dark things for the character of Scarecrow and it really frightens on the page. The way that Scarecrow is drawn is just haunting, with his lips sewn together but still having the capability of talking. Hell, half his jaw is hanging off of his face for some of the book and he doesn't even seem to notice. Everything about this volume is dark and gritty, and it's unforgiving. Scarecrow is probably the scariest I've seen him in a Batman comic, and Batman is nearly at his most helpless against him. Struggling to remember why what he does is right by him, Scarecrow makes Bruce's journey through his mind that much more difficult when he loads him full of a new, and more powerful fear toxin. There aren't really any other villains in this book besides the Penguin who makes a small appearance when the Scarecrow is prepping his newest plot. This isn't the strongest of the New 52 Batman titles, but it surely makes a point to be one of the darker entries. If you like your Batman in the shadows with a side of spooky, this volume of Batman: The Dark Knight is definitely for you.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Aquaman, Volume Two: The Others

PLOT: Long before the King of the Seven Seas joined the Justice League, Aquaman was a part of another super-team: The Others. These young costumed adventurers traveled the globe, each trying to find their own individual road to redemption. Six years later after a grisly murder, The Others are reunited. They know only one man could be responsible: Black Manta. Aquaman must lead the charge to stop his arch-nemesis, but will the years have fractured The Others just enough to keep them from bringing this villain to justice?

REVIEW: After the stellar debut of Aquaman under the New 52 title, it was a big question as to whether or not one of the famed comic authors Geoff Johns could keep going full steam ahead with a character that seemed dead in the water. Aquaman has always had the stigma of being fruity, or lame, or just plain dumb as a super hero that comes from the depths of the ocean. I for one, was never a huge fan of the character, but Johns has brought such life to the character in these new volumes that it's definitely amongst some of my favorite titles now. In the first volume, The Trench, I was extremely impressed by not only the introductory story to the character but also the detailed and beautiful art by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. This wasn't a title I expected to like at all, but after this second volume, it's been proved enough to me that the first was no fluke. The art again was completely breathtaking from regularly paneled pages, to the amazing covers and even the double page panels. The characters are all perfectly illustrated and just the attention to detail with all of the aquatic elements is just amazing. One thing that I really loved about this volume that the first volume didn't have was the story with The Others, and one in particular named Prisoner. I've never heard of him before but his storyline ending at the end was kind of touching, and really great and added to the story of Aquaman himself and who he's become. I'd highly recommend Aquaman to any of the New 52 fans out there looking for the better titles, and anyone looking for an overlooked series because this could easily be one of them for most. Geoff Johns, you are one of the masters. Not anyone could do what he's done with the character, and that's make the silly Aquaman character into a complete and total badass.

WRITING : ( 10 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hellblazer, Volume Three: The Fear Machine

PLOT: In THE FEAR MACHINE, John Constantine looks for a way to reconnect to humanity -- but how can such a man ever find inner peace? Constantine finds himself encamped with a new-age pagan group that's tapping into their own psychic abilities -- but a defense contractor is out to exploit their powers. Is the company's aim just political, or is it something much more sinister?

REVIEW: Honestly, I'm not really sure what to say about Hellblazer anymore. This is the third volume I've tried to read and it seems to me they get longer and longer. Not only that, it's just incredibly boring. I can't believe that something with such a high concept and plenty to strive for, could be so insanely dull it's a pain to read through each page. I mean, The Fear Machine has all of the right components for a crazy good story. But instead, it's nearly 250 pages of Constantine's dreadfully dreary and wordy thoughts, and just when you think the story is about to pick up, the issue you're reading ends and it starts all over again the next issue. You could cut out half of these issues by just shutting John's inner monologue up for like two seconds, and maybe your story would have some traction to hold on to. I'm not sure who is a fan of the Hellblazer series but I'm pretty interested as to what it was that compelled Hollywood to make a film, and what part of this series are people actually fans of? Surely not this beginning stretch, at least I would hope, because they are some of the most painfully difficult to read comics I've ever read and I'd like to say I've read quite a few at this point in my life. I don't need to know Constantine's thoughts on the wind blowing. I don't need the thoughts of every character on the page. Oh, and get on with the sodding story already you twits. It takes 8 issues to tell a story that could have been told equally as well and probably better with another writer, in 5. I hate to be so hateful, but I'm a fan of the rule you get three strikes and you're out. So Constantine, I think you're out until I can get my hands on the New 52 version, because Hellblazer is so not fun it hurts.

WRITING : ( 4 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )
STORY : ( 6 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 5 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 2 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 4 / 10 )

REVIEW: Batman and Robin, Volume Two: Pearl

PLOT: Damian Wayne, a.k.a. Robin, must prove to Batman, as well as the previous Boy Wonders that he's every bit the hero that his father is in the wake of the cataclysmic events of the best-selling BATMAN & ROBIN VOLUME 1: BORN TO KILL.

REVIEW: These New 52 comics are something else let me tell you, but any of the Batman series are just off the charts awesome. Batman & Robin is by far one of the better of the group, probably right behind the actual Batman comic itself in quality. Batman & Robin is so good though because it runs off of Grant Morrison's storyline of Robin being Damian Wayne, who is Batman and Talia Al Ghul's son. This volume focuses particularly on Damian and his status as Robin, and though there's not a huge villain present throughout it's a very great collection. If there was a villain it would be the thing named Terminus, that at times is severely dark and creepy. In one of the last few issues though he turns Gotham into a crazy land where Batman is feared on an entirely different level than the man in the cowl ever intended. Though the actual battle itself is short, the concept of the villain trying to ruin Batman by not attacking the Bat himself, but attacking the city he has sworn to defend, in the name of Batman. It's all really haunting, and all the while we have the story with Damian swirling in the background. Perhaps, leading to the next volume which I believe the Death in the Family storyline is going to be redone which I'm super excited for. I don't want to go too much else into this, but it's a great volume of Batman comic and I highly recommend you read this New 52 series if you haven't started already. Batman & Robin is extremely dark, thought-provoking, and takes our heroes to ends they've never seen. This is a definite pickup as well if you're a fan of Robin too, and it really takes a good look at the current character and analyzes him in his surroundings with all of the previous Robins and his father Bruce Wayne, Batman. This book features some seriously grim covers too, but beautiful all the same.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: All New X-Men, Volume One: Yesterday's X-Men

PLOT: It's a blast from the past as the original five students of Professor X - Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel and Beast - are plucked from the past and brought to the present. But what they find, the state that their future selves are in and the state of Xavier's dream, is far from the future they dreamed of. And how will the X-Men of the present deal with their past coming crashing forward?

REVIEW: Another Marvel NOW! title that just doesn't impress like the New 52's do. All New X-Men is definitely all new, but at the same time the threat seems so familiar. Somehow, they have maintained that the X-Men's worst enemy is themselves and the human race. It's all a story that's been done before, which makes you wonder what the writers of this series were thinking. I'm usually a fan of Brian Michael Bendis' work, but this just fails to live up to its NOW! name. You get a chance to start over and be something completely different for a new generation and you tread on the same stuff you've been doing for years now. Cyclops is out of control, and becoming more like Magneto by the day it seems. Present day Beast brings back the original 5 X-Men to show them what their future holds. There's some interaction between the timelines, self-analyzing and characters putting some perspective on the times. Other than that, I wasn't all that impressed by yet another Marvel NOW! title. If you're an X-Men fan, I say pick it up and give it a shot, but if you're not then I'd just look for your favorite character's new Marvel NOW! title and try it first instead. Unfortunately, All New X-Men is fairly lackluster and failed to find a new voice in an industry that is in the process of re-defining itself to new audiences.

WRITING : ( 5 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 3 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 7 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 5 / 10 )

REVIEW: Batman Incorporated, Volume One: Demon Star

PLOT: Eisner Award-winning fan-favorite writer Grant Morrison concludes the Batman epic he began nearly a decade ago in BATMAN & SON, pitting the entirity of Batman Incorporated against the Leviathan organization headed by the Dark Knight's former romantic interest Talia al Ghul. As Leviathan enacts a plan that threatens the world, Batman and his allies must fight against the rising storm--but not everyone will make it out of the encounter alive.

REVIEW: It was only two weeks ago when I reviewed Joe the Barbarian by Grant Morrison and really loved it. I remember saying how I had a love/hate relationship with the author because his work in comics is typically outstanding, however there are some characters he just doesn't get as good of a grip on. Batman is not one of those characters, as Morrison was seemingly meant to write Batman stories for DC. Though the writing at times is a bit confusing, and the story can lose you (especially in some of the other Batman arcs) there's just something so special about his way with the Bat. Some of his Batman arcs have been among the most liked by the fans, and I often see his name in my list of Top 10 Batman graphic novels. He has an outstanding vision for the character, and brings a darker edge to the comic than has ever been previously explored except by a Frank Miller, whom I have the same relationship with.

This is technically the second volume of Batman Incorporated, as the first volume came out pre-New 52 but it definitely leads into this story. Another outstanding entry into Morrison's Bat-folio, and it's amazing that his story is continuing to unfold across several Gotham titles including this one. The end of Demon Star is most definitely a cliffhanger if I've ever read one, and now I absolutely cannot wait for the second New 52 volume of Batman Incorporated! Also, Chris Burnham deserves a round of applause for the outstanding art in this book. It has several looks throughout, but he does a great job at bringing Morrison's vision to life much like the artists before him have been capable. It's almost as if Grant brings the best work out of people in his books, and maybe they in turn do the same for him. All I know is that this should have been called Demon Stars, because it's worth way more than just one. Yeah, I'm clever so what.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 ) 

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hellblazer, Volume Two: The Devil You Know

PLOT: To Hell and Back. It's been a long and difficult road for John Constantine – one that's left him with demon's blood in his veins and dead friends' voices in his head. Still, with his sharp tongue and unequaled shrewdness, the sorcerer from Liverpool has manged to raise himself to a position as rarefied as it is dangerous: being the magician of last resort for a world under constant siege from the forces of chaos and evil. That same rough path has also sharpened his mind, and taught him a thing or two about ruthlessness. Now, with the outcome of an ancient prophecy hanging on his actions, it's time for Constantine to bring the scales of justice back into balance – at Hell's expense.

REVIEW: After having read the first volume of the New Editions of Hellblazer, I wasn't really expecting too much from this second volume. The problem that I had with the first reoccurred here, because again I found myself struggling to make much sense of what was going on. I definitely understand that this comic is supposed to be fucked up, and it's supposed to be gross and terrifying and Hellish. But this comic is proof that shock value doesn't always equate to quality, and Constantine's narrative really lacks direction at times. I'd both love and hate to get inside the mind of Jamie Delano for 5 minutes, and 5 minutes only. Where Hellblazer lacks a real major arc, there are some good stories in here. The 2 Horrorist issues were fantastic, as was the art in them. I wasn't much of a fan of the middle story with the weird old people wizards or whatever they were. The first issue of the volume was definitely the most messed up of all though. I really want to like these because they are what one could consider "horror comics" but I think this lacks in places that today a horror comic would really thrive. Reading these New Editions really just makes me really want to get my hands on some New 52 Constantine. The artwork in these Hellblazer comics is also outstanding, reminiscent of some Sandman work. But I continue to struggle with the undeniably depressing, dark and disorienting stories of Mr. John Constantine.

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 4 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )