Sep 23, 2011 By Laura Studarus

This month DC Comics are relaunching all their titles in an ambitious project dubbed the “New 52” series. The whole DC Comics Universe is being relaunched in a new timeline/continuity after the events of the Flashpoint miniseries and every title is being relaunched this month under new numbering, each one starting with issue #1 again. We've been reviewing all of the titles. Check out all the reviews we've posted thus far. More

Sep 14, 2011 By Laura Studarus

As if the “New 52” DC relauch wasn’t enough to get comic book fans’ hearts all a flutter, today Fox announced they’re developing a drama series based on The Spectre.  More

Sep 14, 2011 By Laura Studarus

This month DC Comics are relaunching all their titles in an ambitious project dubbed the “New 52” series. We've reviewed a bunch of the issues and here are links to all our New 52 reviews thus far.  More

Oct 08, 2010 By Laura Studarus

In a move that’s sure to be music to comic book lovers’ ears, DC Comics—home to Batman, Wonder Woman, and the Green Lantern among others—is lowering their prices for 2011.  More

Aug 13, 2010 By Mark Redfern

Art Brut's Eddie Argos has taken his passion for DC Comics to new heights, and has digitally released a DC-themed EP with the wonderfully named side-project Spoiler Alert! We have the details, along with streams of the songs about Batman, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle. More

Jul 26, 2010 By Mark Redfern

One of the most anticipated comic book movies of 2011 is Green Lantern, the first big screen live-action film to feature a major DC Universe character other than Batman or Superman since 2004's Catwoman (and we know how that turned out). Critically acclaimed Green Lantern writer and DC Comics' Chief Creative Officer, Geoff Johns, enthusiastically welcomed the audience to the "first Green Lantern movie panel in history." We have a rundown on the panel included director Martin Campbell (Goldeneye, Casino Royale), co-writer/producer Greg Berlanti, and several of the film's stars: Ryan Reynolds (Hal Jordon/Green Lantern), Mark Strong (Sinestro), Blake Lively (Carol Ferris), and Peter Sarsgaard (Dr. Hector Hammond). More

Jun 30, 2010 By Hong Le

Wonder Woman's newest incarnation is almost unrecognizable. She's more dressed up, more hip, more modern. That's what artist DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee who redesigned the costume, wanted to accomplish. This new costume comes just in time for Babylon 5 creator and writer J. Michael Straczynski and artists Don Kramer and Michael Babinski to launch Wonder Woman into an exciting new era of adventure. We have the new costume and info on her new storyline. More

Jun 25, 2010 By Laura Studarus

The first official trailer for Red (October 15th), the DC Comic adaption staring, Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Mary Louise Parker, Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, Karl Urban, and Ernest Borgnine has been released. We have the video.  More

Apr 29, 2010 By Laura Studarus

Jonah Hex is a sci-fi comic book adaptation staring Megan Fox, Josh Brolin, and John Malkovich and it's due out June 18. Based on the DC comic, the film merges sci-fi with Westerns. The last time that was tried was with the Will Smith bomb Wild Wild West and initial reports from early test screenings of Jonah Hex have not been positive. But today you can start to judge for yourself, as the trailer was just released. It features thrills, spills, and a whole lotta camp, and you can watch it right here. More

Sep 09, 2009 By Mark Redfern

DC Comics has a rich 74-year history of characters, many of which have remained untapped when it comes to theatrical films or live action TV shows. While Superman has had five feature films and Batman has been portrayed in seven live action big screen adventures (if you count the 1960s Adam West Batman film), many iconic characters have languished in film development hell, including Wonder Woman and The Flash. DC and Warner Bros. (who are both owned by the same Time Warner parent company) have now taken a page from rival Marvel Comics' book and are forming a separate company named DC Entertainment that will help develop DC's characters into other entertainment mediums, especially films and television shows. Marvel was recently bought by Disney, but even before that they had their own film division. More

Jan 20, 2012 By Kyle Lemmon

Two of the surprise hits of DC New 52 initiative were Jeff Lemire's trippy horror series Animal Man and his action-packed Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Both made a big splash for the Sweet Tooth scribe. Here we talk for a spell with the inspiring young writer. He dishes back his thoughts on the collaborative environment of DC Comics, reluctant heroes, ceding control to artists, and remaining silent about the Mysterious Red-Hooded Woman. Also, see our discussion with his partner in crime, Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing). More

Jan 19, 2012 By Kyle Lemmon

Scott Snyder had a very successful year in 2011 with his creator-owned American Vampire comic, Batman: Gates of Gotham, and his excellent Black Mirror run for DC Comics' Detective Comics series. He now writes for Batman and Swamp Thing in DC's New 52 universe that rebooted last fall. More

Sep 21, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

We chatted with the DC artist extraordinaire Cliff Chaing (Green Arrow & Black Canary, Zatanna) about the overall tone of the new Wonder Woman series he is drawing, his thoughts on violence and female sexuality in comics, and the DC Comics - The New 52 Art Tour. More

May 29, 2012 By Kyle Lemmon

Grant Morrison's Batman, Incorporated returned last week with a bloody and action-packed debut issue. It's essentially the crown jewel of DC's "Second Wave" of New 52 titles in terms of writing, but artist Christopher Burnham is no slouch either. More

May 28, 2012 By J. Nisen

In theory, treating the first 20 issues of The Sandman as an object of literature seems a fine idea. After all, it's a fantastic read, and Neil Gaiman's stories are steeped in mythology and history that has come before (as is most of the best literature). But the flip side of an annotation is that the focus is taken off the art and put on to the process and the surrounding ephemera. Seeing some of how the sausage is made, as it were.  More

Apr 16, 2012 By J. Nisen

American Vampire Volume 3 collects issues 12-18 of the ongoing series from Vertigo as well as the American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest mini. The contents are nothing short of stunning. More

Nov 22, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

After an alright debut issue and an action-packed second installment, Justice League takes one step forward and two steps back as a marquee series this month. The cast of characters are almost assembled and Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, and Scott Williams hit their story and art beats with precision most of the time. More

Nov 08, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Writer/artist Lee Bermejo (Joker) tries to tap into the emotional core of the Batman character and mythos with the seasonal graphic novel, Batman: Noël. What could just be a Christmas Carol-aping curio at best, ultimately sheds a chiaroscuroed light on Gotham's shadowy protector. More

Oct 25, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

In last month's pretty solid relaunch of Justice League, the all-star creative team of Geoff Johns (Aquaman, Green Lantern) and Jim Lee (All-Star Batman & Robin) set up all the game pieces with just enough flair.  More

Oct 13, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot (aka The Penguin) is one of Batman's more interesting rogues. He deserves a five-issue miniseries to delve into his origin story and the inner machinations of his shadowy criminal underworld.  More

Oct 12, 2011 By Mark Redfern

The Flash #1 may just feature the best art of any of DC's New 52 comics. Francis Manapul's kinetic art truly captures "the fastest man alive" in movement, tapping into the speed force in a way few artists have. And Brian Buccellato's gorgeous colors manage to somehow be both vibrant and muted at the same time. Even the lettering by Sal Cipriano is impressive. More

Oct 07, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Wish I could say it was burnout from reading all of DC's New 52 that led me to think that Batman: The Dark Knight #1 was a subpar comic. So I waited a few days, cleared my palate, and tried again. Nope, still bad.  More

Oct 07, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Blackhawks #1 is a poorly drawn and written action-military tale with a team focus. There are five main characters introduced here, but the most interesting things about them are their cool code names. More

Oct 05, 2011 By Mark Redfern

With DC's New 52 re-launch the Superman books are shaking things up. In Superman #1 Lois and Clark are no longer together, The Daily Planet has questionable new owners, and Superman faces an alien made of fire.   More

Oct 04, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

I, Vampire is essentially a breakup story. Andrew and Mary—he's a bloodsucker who wants to coexist peacefully with humans; she's a bloodsucker who wants to fight for her right to consume them. More

Oct 04, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

In Aquaman #1, the decision of having characters throughout the book making fun of Aquaman in the same manner he's been mocked in real life on television and other media over the past few decades is funny at first, but gets old. More

Oct 03, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Of all the books in DC's "New 52," a line-wide soft reboot, All-Star Western #1 came out of the gate swinging hardest for the fences, and managed to connect on all levels. Home run. More

Sep 30, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Similar to last week’s controversial titles, Catwoman and Red Hood and the Outlaws, Voodoo #1 doesn't soft-pedal its exploration of sexuality.  More

Sep 30, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Carter Hall (aka Hawkman) is a DC character that benefits from his relative anonymity.  More

Sep 29, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

The past few runs of Teen Titans were either boring, gimmicky, or filled with sub-standard writing and art. Writer Scott Lobdell (Superboy, Red Hood and the Outlaws) and artist Brett Booth (Justice League of America) seem to understand this team of teenage super-heroes on a deeper level.   More

Sep 28, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Apparently, not all the Green Lantern books are steaming ahead with the old continuity. Tony Bedard (Blue Beetle, R.E.B.E.L.S.) and Tyler Kirkham (Green Lantern Corps, Ultimate Fantastic Four) are working up a slightly reconfigured origin story for Space Sector 2814's Kyle Rayner. More

Sep 28, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Justice League Dark #1 is a decent premise with a ridiculous title; a book with a beautiful cover (Ryan Sook!) and interior art that's quite inconsistent; and a storyline that tries to inject the classic DC Vertigo history and sensibilities into the fertile NuDCU. What we get is a book that pulls you this way and that, and we're not quite sure to what end. More

Sep 28, 2011 By Mark Redfern

Writer Jeph Loeb and artist Michael Turner already nicely reintroduced Supergirl into the DC Universe back in 2004 in Superman/Batman #8. That really wasn't that long ago, so it's curious that with the New 52, Supergirl is one of the characters they've decided to start from scratch with again. More

Sep 27, 2011 By Mark Redfern

Catwoman #1 gets the series off to a solid start, mainly due to the dynamic art by Guillem March, rather than the breezy and not overly complex story by Judd Winick. More

Sep 27, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

While this book may not be as technically proficient as, say, the very good Wonder Woman #1, there is a lot to like in Birds of Prey #1.  More

Sep 27, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Batman #1 comfortably sits alongside the relaunches Action Comics, Animal Man, Batwoman, Justice League, Swamp Thing, and Wonder Woman. It's one of the best examples that DC's New 52 relaunch is an out-and-out success.  More

Sep 26, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Sep 25, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 is disappointing. Scott Lobdell employs strong and appropriate first-person narration from two different characters, which is a tricky thing to pull off. Kenneth Rocafort's art is sort of like '90s-style done right; it's very scratchy in parts, uses exaggerated proportions to its advantage, rather than to an annoying extent, and has lots of personality. And we have three strong, pre-existing DC characters as the main players and some pretty interesting brand new ideas. But there's one thing that makes this book just go off the rails. More

Sep 24, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

DCU Presents: Deadman #1 nicely splits the difference between honoring what came before and going off in a new direction. More

Sep 23, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

There are at least 16 protagonists in the first issue of Legion of Super-Heroes and writer Paul Levitz (Adventure Comics) fails to make us care about most of them. It's not quite the train wreck of sloppy art and Michael Bay-esque action that was Legion Lost #1, but this story leaves much to be desired. More

Sep 23, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Peter J. Tomasi's work on Blackest Night, Brightest Day, Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors, and the "New 52" relaunch of Batman and Robin, showed readers that he knows drama.  More

Sep 22, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Writer Tony Bedard (Green Lantern: New Guardians) and artist Ig Guara (Marvel Adventures: Avengers) spin a no-nonsense origin yarn for Blue Beetle #1. More

Sep 21, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

For those who appreciate a book that's immediately accessible, yet rewards a close read, Wonder Woman #1 is the best-in-class of DC's New 52 relaunch initiative to date.  More

Sep 21, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

A few days ago, I proclaimed that Deathstroke #1 was the dog at the bottom of DC's "New 52" pile. Kyle Higgins, who wrote that questionable use of paper and ink, is also the writer on the new Nightwing #1. I'm very happy to say that Nightwing is much, much better. More

Sep 19, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Is Superboy a clone? An experiment? Half-Kryptonian, half-human? A ticking time bomb? A creature totally lacking human empathy? All of the above? Superboy #1 introduces all of these elements in a truly surprising first issue—surprising in that it's quite good.  More

Sep 19, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Sep 18, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

While Grifter #1 certainly doesn't inspire awe, it's enough off the beaten path, and the pencils are interesting enough, that it could be worth your time if the premise sounds like it's in your wheelhouse. More

Sep 18, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Deathstroke #1 is easily my least favorite thus far of DC's New 52. More

Sep 16, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

With a serviceable plot, cool characters, decent interaction of such, and fun, mad concepts, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1 sets up a premise that has potential for producing a winner.  More

Sep 16, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Legion Lost #1 is by far the worst of DC's "New 52" titles that I've read so far. It's also just a poorly plotted and drawn comic in general. More

Sep 16, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

One of the most-anticipated New 52 titles this week is the new Batman and Robin, which continues the excellent series launched by Grant Morrison. Lapsed Batman fans hoping to jump into this title with a quick introductory story or narration bubble might be left in the dust.  More

Sep 15, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Mega-rager Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps have their own series now. It's bloody, horrific, and every other badass adjective you can imagine. More

Sep 15, 2011 By Mark Redfern

Mister Terrific (aka Michael Holt) is the third smartest man in the world, but towards the end of the old DC continuity a villain had reduced his intelligence in the final Justice Society of America issues to the point that he couldn't even read anymore. More

Sep 15, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Demon Knights is set in DC Universe's Dark Ages, with Jason Blood wrestling with a very angry demon (Etrigan) inside of his body. Vertigo's Madame Xanadu and the last Knight of the Round Table, Excalibur, make an appearance. More

Sep 14, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

As I neared the end of Suicide Squad #1 from DC Comics' New 52 relaunch, the very last page raised the most important question of the issue: What have they done with Amanda Waller?!!?  More

Sep 14, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Green Lantern #1 picks up right where Geoff Johns left off, in the wake of his War of the Green Lanterns story arc. This bestselling title isn't being rebooted because of "The New 52." More

Sep 14, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

With a bit of the "weird," a nice set up of the new supporting characters, and a flashback to what's come before for the character intermingled tastefully with the plot, Batwoman #1 is a promising kick-off.  More

Sep 14, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

The final battle between the Bat-family and The Architect is somewhat anti-climatic after the first four issues of Gates of Gotham held such steampunk-y promise. More

Sep 13, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

It's a pretty obvious sign that the first issue of Hawk & Dove didn't especially grab me when the two things that most stuck with (and bothered) me about it were, 1. the new grey and red costume for Hawk (admittedly a dumb criticism, but it looks stupid vs. his classic red & white); and, 2. Rob Liefield draws a crappy Deadman. I mean, Deadman is one of the coolest looking dudes in DC's menagerie, and in his supporting role here as Dove's romantic interest, his face looks like a weird blob.  More

Sep 13, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Men of War #1 seeks to reset the Sgt. Rock war stories in a modern age, complete with DC Superhero trappings. The backup story (concerning Navy SEALs and meriting an extra buck over most DC Comics prices), is a story without those trappings, more of a conventional military specialist tale. One's okay. The other's not. More

Sep 13, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

In setting up the new status quo for Static, the electro-magnetic powered youth from the Milestone line of comics, as well as the star of a well-received cartoon, Static Shock #1 does a fine job. In generating interest beyond that, Static Shock #1 is surprisingly average. More

Sep 12, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

I guess this is how DC is fitting in the Wildstorm characters into their revamped "New 52" universe. Stormwatch is the first of the titles featuring Wildstorm characters now integrated into the new DC Universe. The original '90s series centered on the eponymous, United Nations-sponsored super-team. That run eventually fell apart under the writing guidance of Warren Ellis and morphed into The Authority. This new issue is a sloppy amalgamation of both books and we learn next to nothing about these characters. More

Sep 12, 2011 By Mark Redfern

Jeff Lemire's Animal Man #1 ties Grant Morrison's Action Comics #1 as the best issue of the first full week of DC's New 52 re-launch, which is fitting, since Morrison's late '80s/early '90s run on Animal Man was so amazing. More

Sep 12, 2011 By Mark Redfern

Green Arrow #1, written by J.T. Krul, is a by-the-numbers superhero/vigilante comic filled with all too familiar tropes. Globe-trotting billionaire who moonlights as a costumed avenger and doesn't always see eye to eye with his board of directors—check. More

Sep 11, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

What a pleasant surprise. DC Comics' publisher Dan Didio's turns at writing have been a mixed bag. His run on Superboy when back when was pretty good, but his recent efforts with The Outsiders were, simply put, not good. Didio and Keith Kiffen team up to start exploring how fun a guy with a huge blue mohawk can really be. More

Sep 10, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

It seems as though Grant Morrison's Batman Incorprated concept is part of DC's new continuity. Good idea. For those that didn't catch it, Batman, Inc. was the excellent series where Bruce Wayne opened Batman franchises around the globe. Batwing is an OK spinoff from that well-done series. More

Sep 10, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

It sure is a good thing that Batman is already popular. The venerable Detective Comics relaunched with a new #1 this week, and it's just bad. More

Sep 09, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Vertigo's Swamp Thing is a treasured series for many comic book readers. Alan Moore's iconic run is untouchable in my opinion, but the yarns spun by Rick Veitch, Mark Millar, Brian K. Vaughan, Andy Diggle, and Joshua Dysart left a strong legacy as well. Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Batman) knows this and isn't screwing with too much continuity. You can tell, even from this debut issue, that he has plans for an epic story arc all his own. More

Sep 09, 2011 By Mark Redfern

When it was announced that Barbara Gordon would be returning as Batgirl in DC Comics' New 52 universe, the main question comics fans had was how they would deal with her being paralyzed back in The Killing Joke, if they'd deal with it at all. More

Sep 09, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Fans of the original Justice League International from 25 years ago will be pretty familiar with the overall story arc for this new issue #1. The proposed JLI roster and the pre-approval via U.N. sanctions are old hat. New fans just being introduced to a lot of these second and third string characters will most likely be lost. Unlike Justice League #1, Dan Jurgens (Booster Gold) does very little to acquaint you with this team or give you a strong reason to root for them. More

Sep 08, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

The unstoppable writing machine that is Grant Morrison (All-Star Superman, Animal Man, Batman and Robin) returns to the Man of Steel this week. Alongside him is bold artist Rags Morales (Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Batman Confidential, Identity Crisis). Their postmodern vision of The Man of Steel with Action Comics #1 is obviously one of the most-anticipated New 52 #1 titles this month. More

Sep 02, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

The final issue of Flashpoint bids adieu to the old DC Universe and ushers in their rejiggered line, dubbed as "The New 52." If you have the choice, it's better to skip this issue and pick up the OK Justice League #1. You won't miss much. More

Aug 31, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Justice League #1 is the first salvo in DC's line-wide relaunch, and how better to relaunch a line than with a book by storied DC muckity-mucks Geoff Johns (Creative VP; writer of a ton of stuff, some of it very good) and Jim Lee (Co-Publisher; penciller of more best-selling books than you can shake a rolled up comic at). It's a flashback tale of how the world's greatest super-team formed. More

Aug 30, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

As one of maybe 10 people who loved Gerry Conway's "Justice League Detroit" back in the '80s, I am this book's target audience. And it did not deliver, unfortunately. More

Aug 16, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

In 99 Days, Los Angeles Detective Antoine Boshoso Davis is constantly vexed by his nightmares of a Rwandan boy about to commit a grisly act of murder that no child should commit or even witness.  More

Jul 19, 2011 By Laura Studarus

What if you threw a soiree for some of life’s most epic personifications? Thus is the premise behind Delirium’s Party. Featuring diminutive characters based on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series,Delirium’s Party is as whimsical as the name implies—a child-like tale for all ages. 

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May 31, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

After only being on store shelves for a just over 48 hours, DC announced that the Flashpoint tie-in, Booster Gold #44, was officially sold out and going back to press. The second printing will be available in June. This is a great sign that DCU's "greatest hero you've never heard of" is starting to get some well-earned recognition. More

May 23, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Secret Six: The Reptile Brain, the latest Secret Six collection, doesn't particularly stand out amongst the previous Secret Six books, but with good action, breezy plot, and great characterization, the book is a fine example of consistent, quality DC Comics. More

May 20, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

The first issue of Flashpoint starts DC Comics' big summer event on some truly shaky ground. Geoff Johns had recent homeruns with Green Lantern, Blackest Night, and parts of Brightest Day, but his attempts at transforming The Flash into a marquee star (I smell a movie in the works!) aren't quite living up to The Scarlet Speedster's legacy. More

May 13, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Joker's twisted (and weirdly eloquent) thoughts open DC Comics' Batman: Arkham City five-issue miniseries. The series aims to connect the hit 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum and its highly anticipated follow-up, Batman: Arkham City. Veteran scribe Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series), who penned both video games, does an adequate job of tightening the dangling story threads from Arkham Asylum's foreboding conclusion like he's wielding an ultra batclaw. More

May 02, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Superman is the first superhero to race across the 900th issue mark. Such a big milestone deserves the press buzz and love its getting from DC fans. As a fitful celebration and anniversary issue, Action Comics #900 only works in spurts. There is a ton of extra content contained in this issue's "96-page spectacular" and that's almost worthy of the steep $5.99 price tag. The main feature's Black Ring finale simply under-performs and nothing quite lives up to that gloriously dark cover by David Finch (Cyberforce, New Avengers, Brightest Day).

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Mar 28, 2011 By Laura Studarus

Knox State University is a college just like any other—Greek life, a winning football team, and, oh yeah, deadly final projects. Originally published as a four issue series in 1999, the heavily satirical tale—not for the faint of heart— is collected here in one volume for the first time. More

Feb 17, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Daytripper is the extremely poignant story of the famous Brazilian writer Brás de Oliva Domingos. Essentially, each chapter takes a year from his life and showcases how each moment in anyone's life is present because you never know when you'll kick the bucket. More

Feb 14, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

War stories from 1942, created by industry legends Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, this archive from DC Comics certainly has some value as a historical object. But would a modern audience be interested in reading it as more than a curiosity? More

Feb 08, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

The latest Saga of the Swamp Thing hardcover edition (issues #43-50) would have easily received a higher rating if it weren't for the faded newspaper-style paper quality. I know it's recycled paper stock, but the colors and inks make this seem like a book that's been sitting on my shelf for a few years instead of a brand-new edition. Regardless of this fact, Book 4 is a riveting and metaphysical trip. It's also the culmination of Alan Moore's year-long "American Gothic" storyline that he built up in previous volumes. More

Feb 02, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Several comic book series have their main protagonist getting hitched (Spider-Man and Superman come to mind). It's typically a straight story, aside from some big mishap or a villain showing up to ruin the momentous occasion. In the Hellblazer universe, a chapel hosting John Constantine and Epiphany Greaves' nuptials, of course, morphs into the demon Nergal's "theatrical" battleground. More

Jan 31, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

On the home front, the mystery and threat of The Dark Man deepen, causing Frau Totenkinder to reveal some of her roots and Ozma to vie for leadership of the Fabletown gang's magic folk. There's further intrigue as the presence of Geppetto jumbles up politics up on the farm. More

Jan 15, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

$2.99. Ahh, it's good to see that affordable price tag grace the cover of a new DC title once again. My wallet thanks you, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson. One of the marquee issues associated with the comic book company's day-and-date digital marketing strategy is Batman Beyond. More

Jan 06, 2011 By Jeremy Nisen

Secret Six brings us strong writing, excellent characterization, good art, and slam-bang action. This title is the spiritual successor to the Suicide Squad, the standout series from the 1980s. More

Dec 08, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

This fourth deluxe hardcover (issues #37-48) of Y: The Last Man begins with the journey Yorick Brown's male Capuchin monkey Ampersand took since the last collection (issues #24-36) of the Eisner Award-winning series. The little guy's genes may prove to be the solution to ending the worldwide gendercide, and much of the drama centers on ensuring his safety. Book Three saw writer Brian K. Vaughan (Lost, Ex Machina, Runaways) hitting a few narrative speed bumps and cul de sacs, but here he starts stepping on the gas. More

Dec 01, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

There's never been a man who could go toe-to-toe with Superman-on Superman's home court of the comic book page, no less-more than Muhammad Ali. More

Nov 05, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

One of the neat things about DC’s Omnibus editions is how they reprint not only the main series of a title, but often some of the affiliated works. In this volume of the series collecting James Robinson’s seminal Starmanseries, we’re also treated to extra reprinted issues including the Geoff Johns/Robinson written Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E. #0, the Starman #1,000,000 issue (which tied into a line-wide event at DC Comics), and JSA All-Stars#4, written by Robinson and concerning Ted Knight, the golden age Starman and father of this version.

Oct 20, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

The main character of The Green Woman, an original graphic novel published by DC/Vertigo, has evidently been around for a while in scribe Peter Straub’s novels. That may have been half the problem with this book; the narration awkwardly flips between not enough information and too much spoon-feeding. The story jumps around in time quite a bit as well, opening the door to confusion. More

Sep 06, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

Every issue of The Brave of the Bold is a self-contained narrative that usually centers on one unusual team-up from the DC Universe (hence the title of this book). It's a simple concept, but can prove to be quite engaging if done right. Team-Ups of The Brave and the Bold gets it mostly right. More

Aug 26, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

DC's go-to psychological thriller scribe David Hine (Batman: Joker's Asylum, Azrael) and artist Jeremy Haun (Batman: Streets of Gotham, Berserkers, Man-Hunter: Face Off) join forces on Batman: Arkham Reborn. The moody page-turner collects 2009's Batman: Battle for the Cowl: Arkham Asylum #1, Arkham Reborn #1-3, and Detective Comics #864-865. More

Aug 09, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

Matt Kindt certainly knows how to set a mood; he did it in the sometimes kitschy, sometimes goofy, sometimes vicious, and always cool, Super Spy; he certainly did it in the often-haunting 3 Story. More

Jul 19, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

And so the new era of Superman begins not with a bang, and not with a whimper, but a series of whimpers. Yes, this is the "Superman walks across the country" storyline, finally here for us to read, not just scoff at based on the premise. Honestly, it's better than I thought it would be. That, unfortunately, is not saying much. More

Jun 14, 2010 By Jim Scott

For the uninitiated, The Sandman tells the story of Dream (aka Morpheus, among his many names), the King of Dreams, a dead ringer for The Cure's Robert Smith and a character that launched the varied career of writer Neil Gaiman. More

May 13, 2010 By Mike Hilleary

In the introductory forward of The Flash: Rebirth comic writer Matt Cherniss admits that when it comes to superheroes, "keeping them dead is often harder than actually killing them in the first place." While ending the life of beloved character always carries a level of gravitas to it, death in comic books is more or less like hitting the creative reset button More

May 12, 2010 By Paul Bullock

Vertigo Crime delivers another pulpy treat, this time in the form of Native American exploitation thriller The Executor. Writer Jon Evans (Dark Places, Invisible Armies) and artist Andrea Mutti (Break Point, Le Syndrome de Cain) team up for the first time to tell the story of former hockey star Joe Ullen. More

May 10, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

Vertigo has this habit of launching new books at a $1 price tag. I, Zombie is the latest to get this treatment, and it's certainly a better investment than other notable things you can get for a buck, like a McDonald's Double Burger, for instance. I, Zombie is far meatier, brainier, and goes down a lot better. More

May 06, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

While Scott Kolins has long been a fan favorite amongst a certain strata of DC Comics fans (with your reviewer being chief among that grouping), the Solomon Grundy miniseries, which this trade paperback volume collects, is the first testing of his chops as a writer as well. Sure, there was co-writing by DC writer supreme Geoff Johns on "The Curse," the first chapter of this volume, but it's largely Kolins' time to shine...or not. More

Apr 26, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

The debut issue of Geoff Johns' new Flash series draws most of its dramatic energy from a murder case that the resurrected Bary Allen must solve. Under the cover of having been in witness protection, he returns to the Central City Police Department's crime lab. No sooner than he does, a mysterious man drops dead in the street wearing a Mirror Master uniform. The relaunched Silver Age hero finally feels fresh for once, and Adventure Comics artist Francis Manapul keeps the art as obliging as Johns' dialogue. Even Allen's romantic relationship with Iris gets a fresh coat of paint. More

Apr 01, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

The Creeper is an insane character to draw. He contains the fluidity of Ditko's most famous creation, Spider-Man, The Joker's manacial glee, and a Clark Kent-like day job. More

Mar 30, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

The main reason it took me a long time to get around to reading Power Girl is because the covers looked quite silly. Sure, they had those Silver Age-esque colors popping out at you, and uh, Power Girl's two main assets, but Amanda Conner portrayed our heroine in a vampy, sort of cartoonish manner. Don't get me wrong, I love fun, self-aware titles (i.e. Booster Gold), but this just rubbed me the wrong way. Negative first impressions aside, the graphic novel collection Power Girl: A New Beginning is not too shabby. It collects the first six issues of the series and it's a fairly fun and sometimes exasperating read. More

Mar 05, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

Madame Xanadu: Exodus Noir collects issues 11-15 of the DC/Vertigo series. I mentioned when reviewing the House of Mystery: Halloween Annual No. 1 last October that the art of Amy Reeder Hadley in the Madame Xanadu chapter was a standout. Accordingly, I was excited to review a chapter of Madame Xanadu, and somewhat disappointed when I discovered that Hadley was not the artist in this trade. But that disappointment didn't last long. More

Mar 04, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

Where to start with Mysterius the Unfathomable? I suppose it should be the creators, who were able to combine so many wonderful elements into this story that it must have been their clarity, vision, and cohesion that created this standout tome. More

Feb 18, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

The realistically drawn and emotionally written, Secret Origin, retells the beginnings of the Silver Age Green Lantern known as Hal Jordan. Geoff Johns (Action Comics, The Flash: Rebirth) and Wizard 2007 Artist of the Year Ivan Reis (Infinite Crisis, Rann-Thanagar War) deftly revisit Jordan's childhood, Air Force recruitment, his fateful encounter with Abin Sur, and eventual training on Oa under the tutelage of Sinestro. More

Feb 11, 2010 By Jeremy Nisen

Simon Dark Vol. 3 collects the final issues of the series of the same name. The story centers on a mysterious youth living in a strange, Bat-Family-absent corner of Gotham City, and is far from a typical super hero tale, even as it incorporates its fair share of slugfests and action. More

Feb 02, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

These days, Geoff Johns' work for Green Lantern (vol. 4) is almost beyond reproach in comcidom and even eclipses DC's Batman and Superman series. Agent Orange is no exception. It stopgap miniseries further illustrates the blockbuster scribe's adeptness for the comic medium after successful runs for 52, Infinite Crisis, Justice Society of America, and Teen Titans. And even as a prelude to the still continuing Blackest Night tentpole event, it is well written and expertly visualized space opera of the emotional spectrum. More

Jan 26, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

In the debut issue of Joe the Barbarian we meet Joe Manson. His mother constantly berates him to get his head out of the fantasy world of his sketchbook, and like many geeky adolescent boys he gets bullied at school. More

Jan 21, 2010 By Kyle Lemmon

One of the most underappreciated Batman stories is also one of the foremost examples of the superhero genre. That distinction belongs to Batman: The Cult: a miniseries created by writer Jim Starlin (Adam Warlock and the Infinity Watch, Captain Marvel), horror illustrator Bernie Wrightson (House of Mystery, Swamp Thing), avant-garde colorist Bill Wray (Punisher, Wasteland), award-winning letterer John Costanza (Swamp Thing), and the iconic editor Dennis O'Neil (Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow). More