Mixed Plate Comics- Week of 9.14.11

Last weeks batch of books had so many unexpected quality finds that makes this weeks reads a bit...ahem.. pedestrian in comparison.  I was seriously amped for some of the titles but to be honest only a handful measured up:  Red Lanterns #1 / American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest #4 / Demon Knights #1 / Deathstroke #1 /  Suicide Squad#1 / Batwoman #1 / Daredevil #3 / Uncanny X-Force #15 / Grifter #1 / Batman and Robin #1 / Mister Terrific #1 / Severed #2 / Resurrection Man #1.  And here goes the furious five:

5     Batman & Robin #1  Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason

Tomasi and Gleason pick it up where they left off in their solid title with a whole new team dynamic of father and son as protectors of Gotham.  We immediately see sweeping differences in the tone of the book that once honed in on more of Dick Grayson's growth as Batman and how he fit in with Damian as Robin.  The shoe is on the other foot now with Damian having to win over his pop's belief that he is a suitable partner and a Robin that Batman can trust.

Appreciated the use of varying perspectives on Crime Alley (death of Bruce's parents) from Bats and Robin that showed how more doom and gloom Damian brings and is another creative latch that allows for a lighter Batman-- minus all the smiles we got from Dick as Bats.

Stage is set with a killer hunting down the various Batman Inc. but instead of it being Leviathan-- its some new, unknown guy that goes by the the name of Nobody.
Nobody easily takes apart some big brute in Russia that is adorned in Batman tech. 

Gleason rips the action sequences as usual.  Couldn't help but snicker at how he visualized Damian laying the smackdown on some poor goon.
Batman lectures his son on tactics and how to work as a team-- while Damian rebutes that he is the best Robin period.  This will sure to be a continued back and forth between the two that will entertain, frustrate and let us all have plenty to chat about in the forums.  A must add to the pull-list if  you haven't been following since Quitely and Morrisons run.  Do it!

4   Daredevil  #3  Mark Waid & Paulo Rivera

Daredevil finds himself harnessed into some low-tech, mechanical contraption and surrounded by remnants of the diabolical Klaw.  Or at least one of Klaw's sound clones (echoes)-- that is looking to become real by using DD as a physical host.

Watching on as DD was battling a bunch of creepy ghosts that weaponize sound was awesome and actually something I have never seen before. 

Waid and Rivera(s) continue to make me happy that DD is back into his devilsh groove-- out of the mundane, shadowy-ninja battle tales-- crap it was funny when he said, "suddenly I miss ninjas."  And the bar scene where he and Foggy get there play on-- so effing great.  Thanks Mr. Waid for rocking the hell out of this title!!


3   Green Lantern  #1  Geoff Johns & Doug Mahnke
If you don't know, I am one of those hardcore Sinestro fans out there.  So obviously I was among the few GL readers that was crapping my pants on the new angle of taking Hal out of the center of the book.  But, come on now..you knew Hal would still be around yeah?!  He is.  But lets talk on Thaal some first.  Damn those Guardians are some serious a**holes.  Johns continues to paint the immortal heads of the GL Corps as more sinister than we believed with first banishing Hal, making Sinestro a GL again and then what looks to be a kind of gangbang-brainwash of Ganthet.

Sinestro is charged with protecting space sector 1417 which of course includes his homeworld of Korugar.  While peeping how things are going, all looks as it should be with the Sinestro Corps slaving away and mauling his peeps-- until he is ambushed by a Yellow Lantern.

Hal returns to normalcy on Earth.  With no job, he struggles with everyday hero-stuff like paying bills, having decent credit and staying out of jail.

Carol to the rescue!!  NOT.

Hal messes things up like usual and guess who is knocking at his door for an..ahem..visit?  Yes, Sinestro.  Looks like he may be making a deal with the devil to gain back his place amongst the GL.  Or it at least appears so.  Doubt that one son!  Green Lantern, like Animal Man, Stormwatch, Batwoman and Justice League are must adds to your New52 pull-list.  Freshness guaranteed.  Was lucky enough to grab one of those fab Capullo variants--YES!!


2  Uncanny X-Force #15   Rick Remender & Jerome Opena

Remender and Opena continue rocking the best damn team book out there in all of comics as Fantomex, Deadpool, Psylocke and Deathlok fight on against the newly heralded Apocalypse-- Archangel, Dark Beast and the Fourhorsemen.

Deadpool steals the show with his insane, voracious appetite and hilariously-redic banter like "that monkeys got a green butthole!" or reciting lyrics in battle from Gwen Stefani and Gloria Estefan.
Dean White destroys every page with his eye-gouging colors that makes you think this new world they are constructing is somewhere between a trippy drug-induced Jimmy Hendrix video meets Heavy Metal.

I was never into Deathlok but I enjoy how he is written as the robot, conscience-free, manservant to Fantomex.  And who woulda thought that he could have filled in for Wolvie-- SHHZKT!!!

As much as I hate on Marvel-- its hard to deny the uber-quality in storytelling of this title since Remender and Opena jumped on board.  Uncanny X-Force is continually on the 1 or 2 spot of all the books I ravage through.  Too bad the majority of Marvel titles are just the shits excluding FF, Daredevil, The Mighty Thor, SHIELD, Captain America and of course this book (yes, that is a complete list of Marvel monthly pulls).
 

1  Batwoman #1    J.H. Williams & W. Haden Blackman

I know that I shouldn't have been surprised to see this book in the weekly stack but with all the delays and drama around Batwoman in the last year-- a single tear almost dropped as I pulled the work of flippable art from its mylar and embraced the pages & panels with my eyes, brain and soul.  Really his work makes your face melt into your neck.  Visually, there is no artistic equal to Williams in the whole of the damn Universe. 

Kate Kane is back on her constant blood-feud with ghosts, ghouls and other supernatural baddies that require serious ass-kicking.  Along for the ride is her cuz Bette Kane the once-Teen Titan (as Flamebird) and know going as Plebe...which is a miltary term used for a first year trainee.  Pretty wack costume but the only thing better than one hawt mama undressing...is two!  Thankfully we don't get these scenes in the Batcave but no complaints in Batwoman.

Ho!!  Check out Black Mask is back and wants a piece of Batwoman.  Smart man.     


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big O