Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Andy Kubert & Jesse Delperdang
Grant Morrison Returns! Well, technically that was last issue, but Andy Kubert was not with him for that issue, so I won't count it. This issue was a lot of fun, like the rest of Kubert's Batman issues. I really hope Kubert is on this book for the long haul, as he draws a great Bruce Wayne and Batman. Anyway, this book starts out with Bruce Wayne walking away from a few dozon unconscious Man-Bat Ninjas from the last arc. He meets some hottie in the Alps for skiiing, and shows that he has now patience for paparrazzi. When he returns to Gotham, its business as usual, and a slow night. Batman checks up on some old leads and catches some dirty cops roughing up some hookers. This all leads upto a very large cop wearing a Bane/Batman costume. This makes Batman think all the way back to #655 where another cop shot Joker in the face as Batman. Already, Morrisson is not forgetting the past, or the recent past. To me, this says that Morrison's run will be one of those ever continuing arcs. Lots of things will link to each other, and the past will always be referred to. That's what a continuing comic needs, and what Morrison and Dini are doing with Batman. Morrison gets a little far out with this issue, in his descriptions of blood and dead bodies, but hey, who says Batman isn't a little messed up? Don't let the funny looking cover fool you, this issue has a lot to offer to Batman fans.
Andy Kubert is doing a lot of things on Batman I like. Dynamic action poses, flowing capes, and keeping Batman in as much shadow as possible, when possible. And his other characters aren't bad either. In the restuarant scene the background characters are all highly detailed and charcterized. An old man leans over his plate, slurping spaghetti while his young date tries to look away. People wipe their mouths, order food, and whisper to their bodyguards. The restaurant feels alive. Kubert also adds a lot of charm to Morrison's Bruce Wayne. I've never read a Bruce Wayne in comics that was as much of a playboy that he's described as by DC editors. Morrison and Kubert are doing a lot of things right, so sit up and take note. B+
Writer: John Rogers
Artists: Rafeal Albuquerque & David Baldeon
This issue was so much fun. If you aren't getting Blue Beetle, go get this issue, you can practically jump right in. Again, it's a great book. At first, I was skeptical that the writing of this book might fall off when Keith Giffen left the book, but with this issue, John Rogers has proved me wrong. The creators of the scarab, the Reach, have arrived on Earth to "help" us. Right. Jaime and Peacemaker (who now has the scarab's knowledge inside him) talk to the Reach's emmisary, explaining everything that's been up with Blue Beetle for the last 12 issues. After they depart, people in Mexico are infected with scarabs, and go into riot mode. Jaime must stop them, and resist the scarab's programming to kill them. This has been a test made by the Reach, and they are astonished that Jaime can resist the beetle so forcefully. Jaime realizes that the Reach aren't here to help after all, but as he does, he sees a Reach alien at the White House acting all friendly. As Jaime would say, "It's on ese." Rogers really handles these characters with ease, which should come after co-writing the book since issue one. He's on a good path, if he keeps writing Blue Beetle to be and exciting title. If this book can keep up the pace for the next year or so, it will be one of those "hidden gems" and if you go and get the trade and back issues, you'll be in on the secret with me too.
The art is split up between regular artist Albuquerque and David Baldeon. Albuquerque handles all of the super-hero scenes, while Baldeon handles Jaime and his family. Since this is spread out through the book, and only scene specific, it's not jarring as you read it. Baldeon is adhereing closer to the Cully Hammner style than the regular artist. Albuquerque is stretching his wings here, breaking away from Cully Hammner's shadow and making the book his own. It's a little more rough edged than Hammner's art ever was. Good for him. If he plans on staying as long as I plan on reading (see "forever") then I'll be a happy camper. If you're not getting this book, you're missing out on one of DC's better series, trully. A
Writer: Jodi Picoult
Artists: Drew Johnson & Ray Snyder
So, Allan Heinburg's been officially booted off the book and novelist Jodi Picoult is the new writer of Wonder Woman. For how long? Who knows, but she writes a good Wonder Woman. You don't need to know what happens in Heinburg's missing issue, Wonder Woman triumphs, obviously, and moves on to this story. In this issue we have Diana trying hard to be an average human, and work in the DOMA (Department of Metahuman Affairs) without giving away her true identity. This is all new for Diana, so it's actually interesting, whereas with Superman it sometimes gets old. Diana and Nemisis have to guard "Max-Man" a Miracle Man knock-off who won a "Who wants to be a Superhero" knock- off TV show. Everything is a knock-off in the DCU. Lots of accidents happen, causing Wonder Woman to save the day. At the end of the issue, Nemisis is captured by a villain whom we just saw in issue 4, essentially doing the exact same thing she was doing in that issue. Didn't we see this plot already and have it taken away from us? Other than that development, this issue was pretty well written. This does nothing to set up the upcoming Amazons Attack event, but maybe next issue will. You can certainly bet it will be tying into it.
Drew Johnson may not be Terry Dodson, but he's damn close in some panels. His Wonder Woman is hot, and he keeps the characters looking enough like Dodson's versions that you're not scratching your head going, "Who?" like you may have been with this week's 52 # 47. If Johnson and Dodson manage to trade off every few arcs or even issues, then this off-track book will be all the better for it. A worthwhile read, check it out. B-
Writer: John Rogers
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Ok, now we are getting somewhere. The last few issues have been exploring the nature of the Scarab, and in this issue we meet one of it's creators from a place called the Reach. The Reach alien looks similar to the Bliue Beetle costume, bearing the same beetle marking on its stomach that Jaime has on his chest. The issue beins with Jaime and Peacemaker chasing after a signal. Peacemaker divulges that he has part of the scarab's programming and information inside him, stuff that Jaime does not have. This gives a reason for Peacemaker to stick around, not only to form a mentor relationship with Jaime, but to find a way to get that part of the scarab out of him. This relationship gives the book a buddy-cop feel, and there are many characters in this book that Jaime could do that with. As the two get closer to the signal, they discover that it is in fact a Half-Life 2 strider looking thing, that is of course, blue like the Beetle. Jaime tries to attack it, but the beetle shuts down, leaving him without any protection.
I'm really digging the new artist on this book, Rafael Albuquerque. He has a strong handle on the Beetle, Jaime, Peacemaker, and Paco. It's close enough to original series artist Cully Hammner's designs, but far enough away that he can call it his own. I'm still liking this series, and for me it beats out anything else out of OYL, except for Trials of Shazam, but this is a close second. If you're not reading Blue Beetle, this issue might be a good time to jump on, as it is about to get a lot more interesting. B
