Review of Comics from Wednesday 4/13

Gotham Academy #17
Story (Framing Sequence): Brenden Fletcher
Art (Framing Sequence): Adam Archer & Sandra Hope

The "Yearbook" anthology arc continues in Gotham Academy this issue with three more stories of time's past at Gotham Central, some within the year, and one thirty years ago. The framing sequence sees Oliver and Maps searching for Maps's stolen "yearbook," her homemade scrapbook of events of the past year, that was stolen by Robin last issue for reasons unknown, and while the frame does have a lot of fun interactions between the two, the draw for this issue is the stories by various creators within it. "This One's For You," comes from series writer Brenden Fletcher, but features characters and artists from one of his other books. Annie Wu and Serge LaPointe join Fletcher to tell the story of Black Canary filming a video on the grounds of the Academy. But the story isn't really about the band, but instead their road manager, Heathcliff, who started out as a cast member in Gotham Academy, and his relationship with the girl he left behind, Pomeline, the Academy's resident expert on all things magic. The story address the relationship, which hasn't been mentioned much since Heathcliff went off with the band, and is a sweet story of teen romance. "A Familiar Story," written and illustrated by Michael Dialynas, sees Maps and Olives on another night when they were wandering the hallways of the Academy after hours, and what happens when they run into a giant cat monster, who is, ahem, familiar to readers of DC's magical line, It's a fun story, and I like when these other DCU characters interact with the Academy kids. The final story, "What Became of the Gilkey Warlocks...?" comes from Mouse Guard creator David Petersen, and tells the story of a group of students in 1984 playing Serpents & Spells, an RPG that Maps still plays in the present stories, and the unfortunate thing that happens when they try to play in one of the Academy's hidden rooms. Whether or not it's an urban legend Maps is telling or something that really happened is left up to the reader. As the New York Times published an article today about the D&D scares of the 70s, this has a resonance as those parents worst nightmare. It's also interesting to see Pederson drawing people, as I'm so used to him drawing animals, but the art, no matter the subject, is as gorgeous as ever. Add in a pin-up from the always wonderful Colleen Coover, and you have a great issue for fans old and new from some amazing creators.

Princeless Book 5: Make Yourself #1
Story: Jeremy Whitley
Art: Emily Martin & Brett Grunig

It's always a good week when Princeless comes back for a new series! Before we get started with this issue, there was a zero issue which you really should track down, as it was a beautiful story about our lead, Princess Adrienne accepting herself, but I missed reviewing it the week it came out as I didn't get it for a couple weeks after it came out thanks to a shipping error, but it was one of the most moving comics I can remember reading in years.

Now, as for this issue, we have two distinct plots running in this issue. One deals with Devin, Princess Adrienne's brother, and his werewolf guide, Kira, encountering some characters who have appeared in the Princeless anthology minis, Tempest the elf and Prince Wilcome. The other plot sees the dwarfs of the dwarf mountain homeland preparing for a dragon attack, and we meet the Dragon Slayers, and I think anyone who knows Princeless knows exactly who the dragon is (and who's riding it), and so we get a very different experience than the Dragon Slayers expected. The plot with Devin and his party is interesting, as werewolves and elves are natural enemies, and Kira seems right on the edge of killing Tempest at any moment, even as Devin gets to know and like Tempest more and more. And Wilcome is a scheming little git who's counting on helping find the "missing" queen so he can earn himself a princess; he's everything the sweet and sensitive Devin isn't, and is one of the character types that Princeless so readily and ably lampoons.

Speaking of the kind of thing Princeless lampoons, the opening scene in the dwarf kingdom sees dwarf guards basically equating femininity to weakness, and when the dragon is sighted and the Dragon Slayers are called, who are the Dragon Slayers? All women. And they kick some serious butt. What follows is a sequence involving climbing, ballistas, and flying suits maneuvering through the snow. It's a tour de Force for both penciller Emily Martin and colorist Brett Grunig. Dragons are fantasy's mightiest killers, but you can absolutely see that these dwarfs could take them. I was kind of surprised when I saw this cover and saw two dwarfs who looked like Bedelia, Adrienne's dwarven best friends, since all the characters are usually so distinct, but I should have trusted artist Emily Martin more than that: they look like Bedelia because they're related to Bedelia. And boy howdy, but Bedelia's family are huggers.

Princeless is always a joy to read, and this new series looks to be no exception, with new friends, new enemies, and some badass dwarfs,

Thanos: The Infinity Finale
Story: Jim Starlin
Art: Ron Lim, Andy Smith, & Guru-eFX

Jim Starlin's most recent set of Thanos related stories comes to a satisfying conclusion in the aptly titled Infinity Finale. The second volume ended with the now godlike Adam Warlock imprisoned by Annihilus and Thanos committing suicide while trapped in a dimension between dimensions. The final volume begins with Thanos awakening in the halls of  Death, having been revived by Mistress Death, but unfortunately it took three months, and Annihilus has run roughshod over the galaxy. The few remaining heroes are hidden on Earth's Moon, preparing for a last ditch attack, while Pip the Troll hides in Annihilus's capital, attempting to free Warlock. There's wild action as the heroes fight the bug army, aided by Thanos who has a plan to stop Annihilus from wiping out the universe entirely. It's cool to see that Starlin either had everything planned out from the beginning, or at least went and made sure to pull in eeleemnts from the previous two volumes, plus the Thanos Vs. Hulk mini-series, the Infinity Entity mini-series, and last year's Thanos Annual. Starlin's Thanos is  a much different character than he is under anyone else's pen; more thoughtful, less hand wringingly evil; he's a protagonist you can root for, at least some of the time. Starlin also plays with the idea of "Above-All-Others," what DC calls The Presence and what most religions call God. Interestingly, while Starlin has always stood firmly against organized religion in his work, his God isn't such a negative figure; they are removed from the existence of the universe, but not against it. the god-like Warlock also gets his time to shine, as he must make amends for what Annihilus used him to do. I don't want to give away too much, as there are some very cool twists and turns at the end of the book, but a major gap in the Marvel Universe cosmology left by the run-up to Secret Wars is filled, and Starlin puts the original Adam Warlock back in play for whatever plans Marvel might have for him in the future. While the previous two volumes featured story and art by Jim Starlin, this volume sees the return of Starlin's old collaborator, Ron Lim, who drew half of Infinity Gauntlet, as well as all of Infinity War and Infinity Crusade. While I'm a fan of Starlin's own pencils, Lim is the guy who I associate most heavily with Marvel's cosmic universe, and his Thanos and Warlock (as well as Pip and other Infinity Watch related characters) are my definitive versions. It was cool to see him drawing Thanos and Thor fighting side-by-side, the armies of the dead versus the armies of the bugs, and the ironic punishment of the true mastermind behind all these events. While I can only hope we will see more Marvel cosmic work from him in the future, this is the last story from Jim Starlin, creator of Thanos and definer of Warlock, for the foreseeable future, and while he knows that he can't write a true ending for these characters, this is a fitting resting place for his versions of them.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 8/26

Batman '66 #26
Story: Jeff Parker
Art: Jesse Hamm & Kelly Fitzpatrick

OK, I admit it: I have absolutely fallen in love with Jeff Parker introducing more modern Batman villains into the universe of the classic TV show. This issue, in case you couldn't tell by the cover, introduces the '66 version of Poison Ivy. Side note: I've read in various places that Ivy was created in the comics as a character to be used on the show, but the show was cancelled before she could transition over. If this is true, and while I imagine it is, I haven't found any primary sources to confirm it, it makes an interesting full circle to have her appear in the comic. The plot is pretty much what any plot of the Batman TV show or this comic is: criminal arrives in Gotham and Batman must thwart her or him. But it's the details that sell the comic. One thing I really enjoyed was how the story ties Ivy in with a foe created for the show: Milton Berle's Louie the Lilac. Louie had all these deadly plant hybrids, so saying that he purchased them from Ivy makes absolute perfect sense. Ivy herself is more playful and lighter than her traditional comic book counterpart; this is much more the thieving criminal Ivy of the 60s and 70s than the eco-warrior Ivy that Batman: The Animated Series created. Artist Jesse Hamm gives her some really great body language, with a couple panels of her moving that makes me think he envisioned her as moving like a dancer, with big kicks. Parker wrote her with a southern accent, something that hearkens back to her original appearances in the comics (thanks to Jeff Parker for replying to my tweet about this). The middle of the issue also had a cliffhanger moment that felt perfectly in line with the best cliffhangers of the show, with Batman and Robin about to be devoured by Ivy's Jupiter Flytrap (because Jupiter is a big planet, and this is a huge flytrap, naturally), which has a great joke about Robin talking about taking up the mantle of the Bat and Batman totally telling him to back off in that funnily passive aggressive way only Batman '66 can. Even if this isn't the Bruce Wayne of my heart, it's nice to have Bruce popping up in couple places as Batman while Jim Gordon runs around in the Bat armor over in the main DCU (which is a good story, but I need my fix of more traditional Batman). If you're missing some Bruce Wayne Batman, this is good stop to make while we wait for his return elsewhere.

Hellboy in Hell #7
Story: Mike Mignola
Art: Mike Mignola & Dave Stewart

Hellboy's back! Whoo-hoo! There are some comics where massive gaps between issues kill momentum and make you frustrated, but Hellboy, in any of its myriad forms, is not one of them. Mignola keeps the premise of the series simple and direct, and so when you come back in, you're back at home, and it feels good. This issue opens with Hellboy... unconscious I guess is the right word, even though he's dead he still seems to be able to slip in and out of consciousness, where he has a vision of Alice, the girl he might have loved if he had more time, and the world tree that she says he left behind in Enland upon his death. He awakes in Hell, found by two doctors who say he has an ectoplasmic parasite, and they lead him to a third doctor, Dr. Hoffman, who they say can aid him in freeing him of the parasite. But because nothing's ever easy, Hellboy finds Dr. Hoffman on trial. Hoffman gets off, but Dr. Coppelius, who is the plaintiff, is pretty pissed about it. Dr. Hoffman is able to help Hellboy, but not cure him before Coppelius, whose rage has turned him into a giant rage monster comes after Hoffman. Hellboy in Hell is a book you experience as much as read, and you just have to let it wash over you. The plot doesn't reflect half of what's going on in Mignola's incredible art, and with the way the book is written, with flashes of other things happening, and communicating with Hellboy, a synopsis doesn't work. The puppet theatre that Mignola used back in issue 1 is back, now performing the witches from Macbeth, which is a great visual. And it wouldn't be Hellboy without a touch of bizarre humor, in this case part of the backstory of the rivalry between Hoffman and Coppelius has to do with a golem who's obsessed with fish. If that line doesn't sell you on this story, well, Hellboy probably isn't for you.

Princeless Book 4: Be Yourself #3
Story: Jeremy Whitley
Art: Emily Martin & Brett Gruning

Hey, I don't think I write about enough Jeremy Whitley comics last week, so I'm doing another one this week!  We're into the third issue of the new volume of Princeless, the story of Princess Adrienne and her friends attempting to rescue her sisters from the towers her father imprisoned them in, and things are going about as well as usual. Adrienne and Bedelia are travelling across a swamp to find the tower of the gothiest princess in all the land, Angoisse, while her dragon, Sparky, is staying to help defend a tribe of goblins from a monster called the Grimmorax. Before the issue is done, Adrienne will arrive at her sister's tower and Sparky will defeat the Grimmorax, but what struck me in this issue was a consistency of theme; specifically the theme of the use and abuse of power. The goblin plot reveals that the Grimmorax was actually purchased by the leader of the goblins to be a threat to his people that he could defend them against, thus cementing his leadership. We also learn there's a monster farm, where nobility goes to purchase creatures like the Grimmorax (and Sparky, as it turns out), to serve as guardians. The goblin king is breaking the tacit agreement between a ruler and his people by not ruling for them, but putting his own desire to be ruler over the benefit of his people. This isn't too far off what King Ash has done to his daughters (also, is it just me, or are all goblin rulers jerks? Jareth from Labyrinth, Xergiok from Adventure Time, and now this dude. Not a line of work you want to get into, unless you're already a jerk I suppose). At the tower, we get to see Angoisse and her vampire boyfriend, Raphael. Raphael comes off as this slick, mannerly prince type, but when he realizes the huge bounty on Adrienne's head, he asks Angoisse to drug her so he can bring her to King Ash and collect. He actually uses the, "If you really love me, you'll do this," argument, which is the absolute worst, and an abuse of the power two people give each other when they form a relationship. Vampires are rarely good guys, and it's pretty clear Raphael isn't one either. Princeless does a good job of playing with the themes of fairy tales, but also reaches out to more modern issues women, especially the young women who are the target demographic for the book, might face. I'm hoping the final issue of the series let's Angoisse see exactly what kind of guy Raphael is.

We Are Robin #3
Story: Lee Bermejo
Art: Joe Corona & Trish Mulvihill and Khary Randolph & Emilio Lopez

There were rumors last week of DC Comics wanting its creators to stop "Batgirling" titles and go back to more traditional superhero comics. If this is true, it's a real shame, because I've found the two titles I've enjoyed the most coming out of Convergence are two of these less traditional series: Black Canary and We Are Robin. This week's issue of We Are Robin pushes the events of the first two into a climax, as a team of Robins try to defuse the bombs set to destroy the hall of records, while others attempt to halt the riot the people from Gotham Underground has started. We're starting to get more of a feel for various members of the Robin Squad (Robin Brigade? Robin Gang?), and while I like Riko and Shug, it's still Duke Thomas who I find myself coming back to. While appearing in Batman as well, it's here that Duke gets a spotlight. He's a perfect Robin: smart, brave, and willing to do whatever it takes to help those in need. The issue has a countdown clock ticking, as the bombs near the point they'll explode, while Team Robin (there we go! I like that one) work to defuse them while ducking subway trains that pass by the bombs. The tension is high, and Lee Bermejo ratchets it up slowly until the issue comes to its explosive conclusion. Character death is often cheap in comics now, but I feel like the moments at the end, where a Robin sacrifices himself in a vain attempt to stop the explosion, hits home, partially because of the character's youth, and partly because of the nobility of the choice. The moment where the Batman (Jim Gordon) arrives at the riot and orders the Robins to disperse along with the rioters, the moment where they seem to realize that it's not Batman whose drawn them together breaks your heart, and Joe Corona flashes between Robins to show their varied reactions. And while the revelation of who is behind The Nest wasn't shocking to me (I, like many I've talked to, has seen it coming since the series beginning), to see that character's reaction, cements so much of the emotion of this title. I'm hoping that DC gives this book the time it needs to find its readership, because I think it's one of the best books DC is releasing right now, with a diverse and interesting cast, and potential to introduce a lot of new characters to the DCU.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 2/11

Atomic Robo Vol.9: The Knights of the Golden Circle TPB
Story: Brian Clevinger
Art: Scott Wegener

There's something great when you get a fish out of water. And putting an atomic robot in the Wild West is about as fish out of water as you can get. After the events of the previous volume, Atomic Robo has found himself trapped in the late 1800s, and has done his best to not get involved, so as to not upset the timeline. But desperadoes and a town in danger get Robo back in action. Robo, mistaken for an armor wearing old west gunslinger called Ironhide, winds up on a vengeance ride of sorts with Doc Holliday and Deputy US Marshall Boss Reeves, to save the townsfolk of . I didn't know Reeves before this; he, like Holliday, is a real person, and as per usual when real people are used in Robo stories he is very interesting, and the story has now made me curious to track down more about him. Before the story is done, we get cyborgs, zeppelins, a train chase, and everything you might expect in an Atomic Robo story. I have written more times than I can count about how much I love Robo, how much fun the stories are, and how there can still be character and heart in the middle of all the crazy science fiction. This volume mixes many classic Western tropes with the usual science fiction of Robo in a perfect mix. Brian Clevinger subtly builds tension throughout the story as it is clear Robo is "dying;" his power cells failing. There's no big speech explaining it, since the people Robo is with wouldn't understand it, and I like the fact that the needless exposition isn't there. Also appearing for the first time in a bit is Robo's arch nemesis (well, other arch nemesis after Dr. Dinosaur), Baron Heinrich Von Helsingard. The question of how Helsingard is alive so long before his and Robo's first meeting during World War II remains unanswered, a story for another day, I hope. So, what more can I say other than go buy some Robo, because it's the best dang science action comic on the stands? How about go read some Robo for free! Yes, this is the last print first volume of Atomic Robo, Recently, the guys at Robo, in conjunction with Hiveworks, started putting all of Robo's adventures on-line. They're rolling out all the past stories, and leading up to new material this summer. There will be trade collections of the new work, but you can read it first on-line. So you now have no excuse! Go and read some Robo now!

Divinity #1
Story: Matt Kindt
Art: Trevor Hairsine

Since Valiant's return a couple years ago, the company has reinvigorated most of it's old properties. This week saw the debut of it's first completely original property under the new regime. Divinity is the story of Abram Adams, a young man who was sent off into space by the Soviet Union, and has now returned, decades later, with godlike powers. Much of this issue takes place before that mission, and is the story of Abram's life. A black orphan left on the doorstep of a Soviet embassy, he was raised by the state, and trained to become this cosmonaut. We see a boy who strives to the ideals that are laid before him, who is loyal, but who still disobeys quietly at times. It would be a perfect and beautiful short story, of one boy's life, and the reader learns to care for Abram over these short pages. But then we see his return, as his ship crashes in Australia. There we meet our second principle character, David Camp, who, out for a morning climb, first encounters Abram. He falls, and wanders, wounded, through the outback, with visions and pain from the fall. At issue's end, we see Abram track David down once more, and as the military arrives, Abram uses his powers for the first time to a devastating effect. This is a four issue mini-series, so I understand writer Matt Kindt can't spare the pages to make this a done in one story the way I like most first issues to be, but he does an excellent job of doing everything he should in a first issue while still leaving it on a cliffhanger: there's character, plot, and just a bit of action to make the reader want more. Trevor Hairsine's is gorgeous, with excellent face work, especially on Abram. His settings, both the Soviet Union of old and the Australia of now, draw the reader in. I also really like the design for Abram's space suit; it's a logical mix of what we expect from space suits and super hero costumes. Valiant has been on a roll with its recent first issues, and Divinity is another excellent example. Hopefully, this is a new character who will catch on and be a longstanding part of the new Valiant Universe.

Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Down Town #1
Story: Jim Butcher & Mark Powers
Art: Carlos Gomez

After War Cry, the last original Dresden Files comic mini-series, I was very excited for this new one. We're now set deeply in the series, and so we're getting to see characters who have never appeared in comics before, and we're seeing a Harry Dresden at the height of his powers. Down Town takes place in between the novels White Night and Small Favor, and features Harry being brought into investigate the murder of a pawn broker at the hands of something monstrous. Well, hands might not be the right turn of phrase. It looks more like the fangs, claws, and horrible goo of something monstrous. Still, it's a case right up Dresden's alley. This is a great jumping on point for new readers who want to get a feel for Harry's day to day world. War Cry was a very self contained story, removed from Harry's stomping ground of Chicago, and not featuring many of Harry's long time associates. This issue introduces you not just to Dresden, but to his police contact/sometimes love interest Karrin Murphy and her partner, Rawlins, Harry's half-brother, Thomas, Harry's apprentice, Molly Carpenter, and Harry's big shaggy dog, Mouse. And other than the mysterious figure at the beginning of the issue, the man responsible for the attack on the pawnbroker, readers also meet one of Harry's most recurring nemeses, Chicago mob boss Gentleman John Marcone, along with his supernatural adviser Ms. Gard and his bodyguard Hendricks. Mark Powers clearly knows and loves his Dresden Files, because the characters are spot on, their voices perfectly on pith from creator Jim Butcher's world. With a mystery, the mob, and all the best aspects of a Dresden Files story, Down Town looks to be the best of the original Harry Dresden comic adventures yet.

Princeless: The Pirate Princess #1
Story: Jeremy Whitley
Art: Rosy Higgins

After some time away, Princeless returns with the third full mini-series, The Pirate Princess. The titular princess is Raven, who our heroines, Adrienne and Bedelia rescue at the beginning of the issue. The story opens with Raven being told the story of her great-grandmother, the dreaded pirate Mong Two-Tails, by her father, and then recounts the events of the zero issue, a Free Comic Book Day issue from 2013, from Raven's point of view instead of Adrienne's. These events include Adrienne and Bedelia rescuing Raven from a tower her brothers have left her in, as well as imprisoning the pompous knight who has been pursuing Adrienne. It's a great way to refresh readers who read that story over a year and a half ago without having to reprint it, and to flesh out Raven as a character. With their new friend saved, our heroes go out to get some food. If you're familiar with Princeless, pretty much any time Adrienne goes out into public, something chaotic happens, and in this case that something is Raven, who picks a fight with a couple members of her brother's crew who happen by, to have them deliver the message that she is back. The issue ends with Raven agreeing to join Adrienne and Bedelia on their quest to save Adrienne's sisters, but she has some of her own plans involving her brothers and Sparky, Adrienne's dragon. Princeless remains one of, if not the, best all ages comic on the market, with it's wonderful mix of character, action, and fairy tale trope breaking. It also happily passes the Bechdel test, and has a very diverse cast. What more could you ask for, really?


And this week, Dan Grote takes a trip into the DCU

Harley Quinn Valentine’s Day Special

Story:  Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti

Art:  John Timms, Ben Caldwell, Aaron Campbell, Paul Mounts and Hi-Fi

The comics power couple of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti have worked hard to turn the Joker’s gal pal into DC’s version of Deadpool: a fourth-wall breaking psychopath with a secret good-guy streak who still loves killing people and makes for damn-funny comics. In this holiday-themed one-shot, Batman sits up and takes notice.

Harley’s long gone from Gotham these days, managing an apartment building in Brooklyn Heights and riding the Staten Island Ferry for days on end just because it’s free. So she and B-man haven’t crossed paths in a while. But when Bruce Wayne is put up for a win-a-date auction to benefit an animal rescue, Harley steals $1,000,100 from a Bernie Madoff-ripoff to get herself into the bidding pool. Harley and Bruce end up running afoul of a purposely lame villain named The Carp who believes dogs and cats get too much publicity and the money should go toward saving fish. The Carp has a sidekick named Sea Robin, because that’s just the kind of book this is.

In fact, in case the reader has any doubts about the tone of the book, Harley’s talking stuffed rodent spells it out for you while she sleeps, simultaneously introducing a dream sequence, explaining the role of guest artists and mocking crossovers.

A good chunk of the book is dedicated to dream sequences: One Harley’s, one Bruce’s, each drawn by a different artist. In Harley’s, drawn by Ben Caldwell very much in the style of Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi, she and the millionaire playboy fall madly in love, until Bruce reveals he effectively wants Harley to become a baby factory. Harley protests, saying having kids will ruin her figure, which I guess is more of a concern now that she’s ditched the red-and-black spandex bodysuit to dress like a Suicide Girl. Cartoon violence ensues. In Bruce’s, drawn in much darker tones by Aaron Campbell, he wakes up in bed next to Harley brandishing a list of his ex-lovers. She becomes the new Robin/Mrs. Batman, fires Alfred and henpecks him about cleaning up the Batcave (and getting rid of the giant Joker playing card) and the Batmobile, which is covered in bat poop. Dream Harley makes a valid point: How does the Batmobile stay so shiny parked in a cave full of bats and their guano?

Harley rescues Bruce from the Carp – though in true Batman fashion, he didn’t need saving at all – and honors Harley’s winning bid for a date. Impressed by her current escapades, Bruce lets her kiss him goodnight, then returns as Batman and threatens her in such a way that he’s actually praising her for her behavior, robbing a corrupt millionaire included. Then they kiss again.

So essentially this special was made to inspire a wave of Batman/Harley slash-fic, to add to the pile of Harley/Ivy and Harley/Deadpool fantasies. Happy typing, slashers!

Looking Forward: Comics, Books, and TV To Be Excited For In 2015

Welcome back to The Matt Signal! As I did in previous years, instead of looking back and doing a "Best of the Last Year," I'm going to do a, "Things that I Really Want to See for This Year." It looks like there's a lot of great comics coming out next year, so, without further ado, here we go!


Glen Weldon's The Caped Crusade: The Rise of Batman and the Triumph of Nerd Culture

If you've never read Glen Weldon, he writes for NPR on books and comic books, and a couple years ago wrote Superman: The Unauthorized Biography, a great book about Superman's history. For this year, he's moving on to Batman. Now, you know anything Batman has me excited, and this past year for the 75th Anniversary we got the beautiful Batman: A Visual History from DK Publishing, but that book is a comic book history of Batman. Weldon is going to be looking at Batman's history in pop culture, from the comics, to the Batmania of the 60s, to Burton in 89, to present. Weldon is a witty guy, and someone who loves comics and Batman, so if I'm not going to be writing this book, I'm glad to see that Weldon will be.

Convergence Tie-Ins

Now, I'm not sure about Convergence proper; I don't know if I know enough about it to pass any judgement. But some of these tie-ins? Yes, please! Greg Rucka and Cully Hamner returning to the Rene Montoya Question is a no-brainer, made even better by Rucka writing Two-Face again. Gail Simone writing Oracle is exciting, and the fact that Nightwing co-stars is even better. I think Doc Shaner might have been born to draw Shazam's retro-world, if his work on the recent Flash Gordon series is any indication. Len Wein returning to Swamp Thing is very cool, and bringing Kelly Jones, who drew an amazing Swamp Thing during his run on Batman makes it all the better. And Booster Gold is back. These are total fangasm books for me, and you know what? I'm ok with that.

Fables #150

I've been reading Fables since issue #1. It's not the first longform Vertigo series I read, and it won't be the last, but for it's sheer scope and length, I would be impressed. The quality has been consistent since issue one. And ending the run with a one hundred fifty page issue? That's impressive in a whole new way. I am excited to say goodbye to all these old friends, and see where they're going.

Thrilling Adventure Hour comes to Image Comics

Because a weekly podcast isn't enough for it's rabid fans, creators Ben Acker and Ben Blacker are doing to series based on characters from their fan favorite, "new time podcast in the style of old time radio." It's a mix of comedy and action, bending genres together in new and exceedingly bizarre ways that never fails to surprise and delight. In February, we get Sparks Nevada, Marshall on Mars, a sci-fi Western with a touch of soap opera, about a lawman on the rights the outlaw wrongs on Mars with his Martian companion in a classic odd couple partner situation, and March sees the release of Beyond Belief, about those married mediums Frank and Sadie Doyle, who will drink you under the table, all while correcting your grammar and stopping demons, vampires, werewolves, and anything that goes bump. I reviewed the digital zero issues of the series earlier this year, and I will keep talking about it until everyone is listening to the podcast and reading the comics.

Princeless: The Pirate Princess

Readers got their first taste of this series in the Free Comic Book Day Princeless story in 2013, so it's been a year and a half since the last Princeless story featuring the main cast. Still, good things come to those who wait, and the story of Princess Adrienne, who decides to stop waiting for a prince and saver herself and her sisters, and her companions Bedelia, who is a dwarf but not the short kind, and Sparky, her dragon, is still one of the best all ages comics of the past five years, twisting genre stereotypes. This volume adds a new character to the cast, the titular Pirate Princess, who is going to bring her own problems on top of the knights pursuing Adrienne on her quest. It's a series to share with everyone, and I'm glad to see it back.

A.K.A. Jessica Jones

There's been an increase in quality comic book based TV this season, and there's more on the way. And while I'm a long time and confirmed Daredevil fan, the Marvel series from Netflix I'm really looking forward to is A.K.A. Jessica Jones, the adaptation of Alias, Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos's MAX series, the story of a former superhero turned private investigator. If it approaches the original, it will have a grotty noir vibe that will mix nicely with the superhero aspects of the show, and I'm a sucker for mystery and p.i. stories. The series is starring Krysten Ritter, who I've liked since her turn on Veronica Mars, and between that and her performance on Breaking Bad, I think she can capture the brittleness of Jessica, a character who starts the series just on the right side of complete collapse, and can also show the toughness underlying that. And since the show is on Netflix, I hope they can at least keep a bit of Jessica's trademark swearing. I miss Jessica cursing every third word like she did when she was introduced, something that had to be sacrificed when she moved into the Marvel Universe proper. I know Marvel is going to keep it a little cleaner, since it is an MCU property, but if there's any project that can have an edge, I think this is the one.

Gamora

Every character from Guardians of the Galaxy got a big spotlight shone on them this summer, and while Star Lord, Rocket, and Groot were the breakout characters, Gamora is the character I have the longest history with, and the most affection for, and so knowing we're getting a Gamora ongoing this year has piqued my interest. This has a lot going for it in the current Marvel landscape, with the success of so many other female lead books and the heightened focus on the cosmic corner of the universe. The series is going to be written by Nicole Perlman, who co-wrote the screenplay for a certain Marvel movie this summer, so she has some history with Gamora. Perlman says that the series will reveal more about Gamora's history, about why she decided to leave the service of Thanos, and seems to be deeply entrenched in the cosmic Marvel Universe I grew up with. The series looks to dig into the psyche of Gamora, a character who was given plenty of layers by Jim Starlin, her creator, so I'm curious to see which layers Perlman is going to unwrap.

Our Expanding Universe, a new graphic novel from Alex Robinson

OK, first thing I have to admit is I know next to nothing about this project except for that name and the creator. But that's really enough. Alex Robinson doesn't release a ton of work, but when he does, it's always outstanding. Box Office Poison, his first major work, a comic series about growing up in your twenties, was the first truly independent comic I ever read; it was black and white! It was also full of characters I recognized, characters I wanted to be, and characters I wanted to flee from, but they were all real people. It's an underrated classic, something that belongs in the same breath as books like Blankets. Since completing that book, Robinson has released two graphic novels, Tricked and Too Cool to be Forgotten, both smart and affecting stories. New work from a cartoonist of Robinson's caliber is something to be excited about. Now, Robinson's publisher is Top Shelf, which it was announced today was purchased by IDW, but the announcement doesn't indicate any changes to their publishing schedules, so I hope that means we'll still get this book in our hands this year.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 12/3

Detective Comics #37
Story & Art: Brian Buccellato & Francis Manapul

Regular creative team Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul return to Detective Comics after a two part fill-in story to introduce Anarky to the New 52. I like Anarky as a character, always have, despite some overuse in the late 90s, and I think in a world where government gridlock and income inequality are in the news every night, a character who is against the wealthy and the government seems to fit a certain zeitgeist. Hints were dropped to Anarky in issue 34, and Harvey Bullock and his not-partner-but-sort-of-partner Detective Margaret Yip are looking into the mysterious A symbols. We get a nice scene with Bullock and Yip talking about how they view Christmas and the New Year, how one sees it as a chance to start fresh, and the other sees it as a year where every open case goes down as unsolved, and how Bullock sees his cases and the GCPD as his life; Buccellato and Manpul are writing a great Harvey Bullock, and I'm glad to see him getting a spotlight. This is shown in comparison to Batman and Alfred, with Alfred taking Bruce on a walk on the grounds of Wayne Manor with Titus, Damian's dog, and Alfred insisting Batman have some, "Bruce time," something Bruce doesn't like the phrasing of, since he feels it makes him sound like he has multiple personalities. The primary action of the book involves Anarky killing a crooked Wayne Enterprises employee (one who was introduced in the previous arc, making it look like the creators are playing a long game with lots on interconnected plots, which I like), and then hacking Wayne Enterprises and setting everything networked to the system to blow. Batman, Bullock, and Yip, with a hand from Lucius Fox, attempt to evacuate the building, seemingly to no avail. I was pleased to see the creators using Anarky's established hacking skills, and not just changing him to be some murderous thug with a chip on his shoulder. I also want to throw credit to Manapul for drawing the CREEPIEST Mad Hatter ever in a scene at the beginning of the issue where Batman fights ol' Jervis Tetch. When he reappeared in  Batman: The Dark Knight, Ethan Van Sciver drew him in grotesque detail to the point he felt a little too realistic for a character who is so outside the norm. Manapul's style captures that madness and the creepiness of the Hatter perfectly, with some very clear influence from the original John Tenniel illustrations in Through the Looking Glass. There are a lot of questions left with the return of Anarky, and I'm looking forward to seeing the answers from Buccellato and Manapul.

Fight Like a Girl #1
Story: David Pinckney
Art: Soo Lee

Action Lab Entertainment publishes one of the best all ages comics on the racks, Princeless, a book that tosses fairy tale tropes on their ear and has a heroine who is tougher than any Disney princess, and I accept the blasphemy of  saying anyone is better than a character from Frozen gladly. This week, Action Lab released a number one of  a new series, Fight Like a Girl, which looks to capture the same magic. And while Princeless is still in a league of its own, the first issue of Fight Like a Girl is a solid introduction to its protagonist and its world. Amarosa has a brother who is dying, and since no doctor can save him, she goes before a council of gods from a mixture of pantheons, and asks to take a series of nine trials, which if she succeeds, the gods will cure her brother. It's a classic conceit, and it's presented well. We see a little on Amarosa's life outside the mystical realm, but mostly this issue is letting us understand the stakes. We get to see the fairy that is Amarosa's gods' provided sidekick, and we do get to see the first trial, where Amarosa confronts a shapeshifter who attacks her in the form of a T-Rex. So girl with a bat versus T-Rex doesn't seem too fair, but when the bat turns into a chainsaw, I feel like we're entering Scott Pilgrim territory, with that blend of realism and fantasy, which is a sweet spot I'd be happy to live in. But what grabbed me, and elevated this to something I'd like to talk about is that fact that the shapeshifter isn't s ravening monster. When we first see her, she's a in the form of a young woman. And while she's clearly a monster (she has to absorb other living things to enable her shapeshifting), she doesn't just attack Amarosa; she gives her a chance to walk away, and only takes action when Amarosa makes it clear she isn't going anywhere. And in the end, the shapeshifter points out to Amarosa how proud her family must be of her for killing someone who was willing to just let things go. I hope that thread, that idea of how far you're willing to go to do what you feel you need to, and at what point do you become something worse than what you're trying to kill/stop, is explored further. It's heady stuff for an all ages comic, but I feel we don't give kids enough credit for deep thought. So if, like me, you're feeling some Princeless withdrawal, I'd snag Fight Like a Girl.

Nailbiter #8
Story: Joshua Williamson
Art: Mike Henderson

OK, I feel guilty. Nailbiter is one of the best horror comics on the racks, and I've only reviewed it once. Last month's issue featured a guest appearance by Brian Michael Bendis, and it was a great issue, but I skipped reviews that week, but I'm reviewing this week, and so I have to hit Nailbiter. This issue begins the second major arc in earnest (after two stellar one off issues), and we get to spend some time with each member of the cast. Disgraced NSA agent Nicholas Finch continues to follow the trail left by his friend, FBI Agent Carroll, to try to find out not only who kidnapped and beat Carroll into a coma, but the secret of Buckaroo, the town that spawns more serial killers than any other. And his investigation leads him to a small farm that keeps bees. I am not really phobic when it comes to bugs of any kind (rats, on the other hand...), but Mike Henderson has made this book atmospheric from page one, and watching what is going on with the bees, and the sing song of the man in the basement, might make me reconsider that, because even if the bees aren't creeping me out, everything around them is. Meanwhile, the town preacher is ranting against the sins of the town that have brought this curse upon them, and cost him the life of his son, the bully who was killed at the serial killer super store in the first arc. He confronts Sheriff Crane, who was the childhood sweetheart of Buckaroo's celebrity serial killer, Edward Warren aka The Nailbiter, and talks about how prayer is going to stop these horrors. While Finch is usually the center of the action, I think Crane, as well as high school outcast Alice (who also stands up to the preacher), are my favorite characters in the book, and I think the introduction of a local rival with the preacher is going to give Crane more time to shine. And of course, Warren, the titular Nailbiter, gets his moment to shine, in a scene with a reporter that would make The Joker nod in approval. Nailbiter is a study in character and atmosphere, with each issue pulling you deeper into the terrifying town of Buckaroo, and this second arc looks to give us some answers. Or maybe not; with horror, who knows if what you'll get is what you want. Oh, and as an aside, the third issue of Williamson's fantasy series, Birthright was released this week, another book that continues to twist genre and move at breakneck speed, so I'd check that out too, if you aren't.

Secret Six #1
Story: Gail Simone
Art: Ken Lashley

It's baaaaAAAAck! Yes, Gail Simone's team of supervillains make their triumphant New 52 debut in an issue that is different from the old series, but still has enough of the familiar that it's clear we're in for the same insane ride. Gail Simone's trademark mix of humor and violence is well on display in this issue, as we're introduced to the new members of the team that will become the Secret Six: two old members (Catman and Black Alice), two characters from Simone's run on Batgirl (Strix and the Ventriloquist), and two new characters (Porcelain and Big Shot). The point of view character for this issue is Catman, which shouldn't surprise anyone, as Simone clearly loved that character. Catman is a slightly different character in his new incarnation. He seems, if not quicker to anger, far less strategic; when fake law enforcement come to pick him up, he simply starts attacking them with not much of a plan. Still, he tough and a complete badass, which keeps the original Catman formula in place. It's also interesting to see him with some more cat-like behaviors; if you've ever seen a cat shut in a room, you can see that reflected when he's trapped. And that's where he meets the rest of the team, trapped in a room with a big monitor and a voice telling them one will be killed if they don't discover the secret. The dynamic between each member of the team is already starting to build, and each character is distinct: Strix is quiet and haunted, Black Alice is distant and damaged. Big Shot seems to be the one trying to make things work, Ventriloquist is completely insane, and Porcelain seems the most together, which means, if I know Gail Simone, she's the most screwed up of the bunch. Ken Lashley's art is good for the book, dark and violent. His fight scenes are great to watch, as the action is clear, and his Catman has a cocky look to him, although when he realizes he's trapped, the terror bleeds off the page. While I'm going to miss Bane and Scandal, and the bromance between Catman and Deadshot, Gail Simone has proven she can take a concept she has done before and breathe a very different life into it, so I'm excited to see where Secret Six goes.

Wolf Moon #1
Story: Cullen Bunn
Art: Jeremy Haun

I think I've said this before, but in case I haven't, I love werewolves. Whether it's the classic movie versions like Larry Talbot from The Wolfman, Joe Kelly's haunted one from Bad Dog, the terrifying one from An American Werewolf in London, or the cute ones like Patrick the Wolf Boy. So, I was interested to see what Cullen Bunn, a writer whose horror and weird tales have always appealed to me, would do with the werewolf myth for Vertigo. And Wolf Moon is a very interesting take. Dillon Chase is a man who is haunted by the wolf, and now he hunts it. His girlfriend is similarly damaged, and she doesn't want him to go, but he must find it and stop it. But what Bunn does that is different is that this is not a werewolf that is transmitted by bite, as is usually the way. No, this wolf possesses someone for the three nights of the full moon and then leaves them, and their life, in shambles. What this does is making hunting the beast all the harder, as Dillon realizes when he has the werewolf in his sights; the person the wolf is riding ill be free soon, and has done nothing wrong. That doesn't mean they don't know what's going on. We do see some of the wolf's previous hosts, and the horror of knowing what they did. "The wolf," says Dillon, "doesn't just reshape flesh and bone... it reshapes lives." This issue is a number one, and so it spends much of its time introducing concept and character, but we still get a brutal attack from the werewolf in a fast food restaurant, drawn by Jeremy Haun. I've been a fan of Haun since Battle Hymn, and while I enjoyed his recent run on Batwoman, I'm glad to see him on Wolf Moon. His wolf is huge, menacing, and looks like it could swallow you whole. There is more going on here, a mysterious someone else hunting, and Bunn has built enough of a mystery to add another layer to his horror. With The Sixth Gun, Bunn's weird Western, wrapping up in a few months, it's good to see he has some more supernatural stories lined up to keep his fans coming back for more.

Free Comic Book Day 2013: Where You Should Go and What You Should Read

So, yes indeed, it's the most wonderful time of the year again! No, not Christmas; it's Geek Christmas, better known as Free Comic Book Day! Just in case you've been living under a rock, or are new to this whole comic book thing, once a year, this year being tomorrow, May 4th, the various comic company's provide special comics to retailers at a drastically reduced price to give out to the reading public for free. Most put their best foot forward and give out some very cool new product. An international promotion, just about every good comic book retailer takes part in the event. It's usually a really festive day, with all sorts of promotions, costumes, and just a sense of the community that I've talked about before and is the hallmark of a good comic shop.

I will, as I am most years, be spending my Free Comic Book Day at my comic shop, Dewey's Comic City, in Madison, NJ, where we'll not only be giving out tons of free comics, but having a bunch of great events, including an artist's alley with free sketches, additional giveaways, and an appearance by the 501st Legion, the Star Wars costume guild (because remember, it's also international Star Wars day, May the Fourth be with you!). I'd love to see everyone there, so go to THIS LINK to get some details about what we're doing.

But as cool as the artists, costumes, and other giveaways are, what this day really is about is the comics. And so I now provide you with the books I am most excited about in:

MATT'S GUIDE TO FREE COMICS 2013

Atomic Robo
The highlight of pretty much every FCBD for me since the inception of this series has been the new offering from Brian Clevenger and Scott Wegener's awesomely incredible Atomic Robo. Usually FCBD means a new confrontation between Robo and his archnemesis, the confused and firearms loving Dr. Dinosaur. But since this year's Robo mini is Dr. Dinosaur centric, we instead get Robo fighting a big robot. And if you know Robo, you know how well all that is going to go. If you've never read Robo before, this is a great one shot to give you the flavor of the series, so why not try out one of the best comics on the rack?

Molly Danger/Princeless

I've written a lot about Princeless, especially lately, since the second mini-series has begun, so you know I'm excited for a new short featuring Adrienne, Bedelia, and Sparky. But just as exciting is the debut of Molly Danger, a new comic with a similar flavor as Princeless, but this time about a young woman superhero. From Jamal Igle, a great talent and one of the nicest guys I've ever met in the comic book industry, the first Molly Danger graphic novel will be coming out in July, but this will give you a great feel for what kind of fun action Igle has planned for us.

Star Wars/Captain Midnight/Avatar

A Star Wars inclusion for FCBD has been an annual tradition since the first year, sometimes with new material, sometimes with reprint. This year, I'm happy to say we get an original short from Brian Wood, who has been doing great work on the monthly title, set right in the heart of the Classic Trilogy, featuring Boba Fett and Darth Vader. Also, get a short with classic pulp hero Captain Midnight, whose Dark Horse Presents serial was one of my favorite in recent issues and who will be getting his own series shortly. And on the flip side of the flip book, check out a new story from the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I have to admit to not being familiar with Avatar very well, so I might have to read this to get a little more in the know.

The Strangers

For the past few years, Oni Press has debuted a series on FCBD. The most successful of these is the excellent weird western, The Sixth Gun, and I was a big fan of last year's offering, Bad Medicine, as well. This year we get The Strangers, a conspiracy, spy book with a great sixties feel. Pitching new projects to the widest audience possible is one of the great benefits of FCBD, and I love how Oni embraces it, so I'll always try out their new issue ones.

Scratch 9

I wrote this book up as today's recommended reading, but I figured I'd just toss it on here too. It's a reprint of the first issue of a fun all ages series about a cat named Scratch who can some his other eight lives to help him. It's cute, action packed, and a lot of fun.

The Walking Dead

If you're a fan of either the phenomenon that is the TV show, or a fan of the comic, you should definitely check out this year's Walking Dead free comic. Featuring short stories that have rarely if ever been reprinted, there's a story about Michonne (originally published in Playboy and then in the Michonne Special), The Governor (from a CBLDF benefit book and then the Governor Special), Morgan (from an Image Comics holiday special and then only in the giant Walking Dead Omnibus Vol.1) and a brand new Tyrese story that writer Robert Kirkman says he has no plans to reprint. A great way to get a little backstory on some of The Walking Dead's best characters.



There are plenty of other comics, of course. Two each from Marvel and DC (One all ages, one regular), a couple from Valiant and Dynamite, and pretty much any other company you can imagine. I implore you to try something new and different, even if it's not one of the ones I talked about above.
 With a price point like this, there's no better time to see if a new and different comic is something you might love.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 4/24

All Star Western #19
Story: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art: Moritat/ Staz Johnson

Jonah Hex has run into time travellers before, and has himself been time displaced, so this issue isn't something completely foreign to everybody's favorite scarred bounty hunter. Booster Gold being tossed into a gritty western, though, is something new, and it's fun to see the interaction. Since Jonah ditched Amadeus Arkham in Gotham at the end of the last issue of All Star Western, Booster serves as Jonah's new foil. Booster acts like a superhero in a setting where superhero's don't really fit; gunslingers look funny at guys in bright blue and gold, and of course Hex is no different. Hex is of course on a case, and while Booster, having arrived unexpectedly in the 19th century, and having become the sheriff of a small town, is running into Jonah, the Hootkins gang, who Hex is pursuing, wander into said town and go about robbing the bank and burning much of it to the ground. When Hex and Booster arrive back, we get a flashback explaining how Booster arrived, and after a night of drinking, Hex and Booster head out to hunt down the Hootkins. When on his own, Booster is still a competent hero, but when with Jonah, he is comic relief, which is fine, and shows the difference between the characters well. There's no answer to whether this is Booster after he disappeared at the end of Justice League International Annual #1, or whether this is earlier in his continuity, and for now that doesn't matter. For now, the odd buddy cop dynamic of Hex and Booster is enough to keep me coming back without any heavy continuity. The back up introduces a character who is, as far as I know, new to the DC Weird Western world, The Master Gunfighter. While his name is a bit generic, I like that he is the self appointed border cop between the day world and night world, and he gets to fight werewolves. You know me, I'm a sucker for werewolves. I think this might be the final gathering of the team part of the Stormwatch of the 19th Century, and so next issue we'll see what Adam One is gathering the team for. I have enjoyed these introductory chapters a lot, but I'm looking forward to the story kicking into high gear.

Dark Horse Presents #23
Story: Various
Art: Various

Every issue of Dark Horse Presents is filled with interesting and different stories; everyone should be able to find something that interests them, but this issue had a couple of real highlights for me. The cover feature sees the return of Travis Clevenger, the bounty hunter who hunts superpowered crooks, known as "Bloodhound." I was one of the few people who followed his original series, published by DC Comics in the early 00s, and it was one of the vastly underrated series of its time, up there with Manhunter. While the status quo is somewhat different, the story feels natural to the world original series (and returning) creators Dan Jolley and Leonard Kirk created, a good mix of crime and superhuman action. Also debuting in this issue is "Brain Boy," by Fred Van Lente and Freddie Williams III, about a psychic who is working for the Secret Service. This first chapter sets up the world, the peril the character is in, and does it with Van Lente's trademark tongue planted firmly in cheek. We also get the next chapter of the time and space tripping "Journeymen," The first part of a fantasy serial called "King's Road" from Peter Hogan and Phil Winslade (two excellent and underrated creators, and Mike Baron and Steve Rude doing another story with their classic character, Nexus, this time with cameos from Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper. Oh, and there's a one off called "Gabe and the Sandpiper" with some gorgeous Sean Phillips art. 80+ pages with no ads for $7.99. Best bang or your buck in comics my friends. Go get it while the getting is good.

Kill Shakespeare: The Tide of Blood #3
Story: Conor McCreery & Anthony Del Col
Art: Andy Belanger

Due to various bits of ill luck, the first two issues of this sequel to one of my favorite series of the past five years fell on week's that I missed doing reviews, and for that I beg your pardon, regular Matt Signal reader, and you, creators of this excellent book. Kill Shakespeare: The Tide of Blood picked up shortly after the original series ended, and brings many of the surviving characters to the island of Prospero, and deftly weaves the world of The Tempest into the web already drawing so many of the Bard's great characters in it. This issue opens with answering one of the principal questions of the series thus far: Where did Shakespeare go after the end of Kill Shakespeare? The choice to have him sit and talk with Feste, one of his most world weary and clever fools is a delightful one, as Feste is one of the Bard's best spoken and thoughtful characters, and one who would be perfect to joust wits with his creator. On the island, we finally get to see Prospero, who has changed considerably since his confrontation with his brother and the events of his play. The magic of the island may be poisoning him, or he may be poisoning the island, something I'm unsure of, and it might be that I'm dense and need to reread, or it might be intentionally mysterious, but whatever way it is, Prospero is a force to be reckoned with, as he awaits the arrival of Shakespeare. Lady Macbeth continues to scheme, and we learn more of her connection with the island. But the biggest pleasure of the series is Romeo. Introduced late in the game of Kill Shakespeare, Romeo has been the central figure of this mini-series, and I have come to really like him. Haunted by what he feels is his betrayal by Shakespeare and the loss of Juliet to Hamlet, Romeo is ill-prepared for what the island has in store for him, and yet is still fighting his way through it and trying to do whatb is right. The issue ends with Romeo in a position to be lead astray, and I look forward to seeing how he finds his way out of this metaphorical wilderness. I'm glad to be back in the world of Kill Shakespeare, and can't wait to see where the events of this series take the greatest heroes and villaisn of all time.

Princeless Vol.2 #2
Story: Jeremt Whitley
Art: Emily Martin

The cover the new issue of Princeless just makes me smile; it sums up so much of what creator Jeremy Whitely is trying to say in the series about a princess who is doing it for herself. Adrienne does indeed reach the tower of her first sister, Angelica, with a result that is somewhat shocking. She and Bedelia and their new companion, the poet, have a great little dynamic, and a discussion about exactly what makes a poet. We also see Bedelia has one of the less attractive aspects of her dwarvish heritage in a funny scene. The opening of the issue, a flashback narrated by the Black Knight, and turnign out to be a dream of Adrienne's, seems to show a tie between the Black Knight and our heroine, and when tied in with the tale a knight tells King Ash about his wife's carriage, begins to paint a picture of the identity of the mysterious Black Knight, and explains why he never speaks. We also get to see the king in action as he tracks through the forest and fights some wolves; fantasy kings are often doddering old men of maniacal tyrants with legions of goons, so it's nice to see the king is still a man of action when he needs to be. Although I did miss Sparky the Dragon, I have nothing to complain about this continually enjoyable fantasy series. I wish other comics could be so consistently fun.

Superman Family Adventures #12
Story & Art: Art Baltazar & Franco Aureliani

*Sniff, sniff* Excuse me for a minute, I'm getting a little teary here. When Tiny Titans ended, I knew that Art and Franco would at least be keeping their toes in their corner of the DC Universe with Superman Family Adventures. Alas, this seems to be their swan song for their all ages corner of DC Comics, and I feel the racks are less bright for it. But what a way to go! Darkseid, out of his lunchlady togs from Tiny Titans, takes on the Justice League, the Superman Family, and all comers, in a comic that is full of action while still being something you can share with kids of all ages. The issue is hilarious, with Darkseid referencing his job at Sidekick Elementary while still fighting his way through superheroes, and we even get to see some Titans in there. In the end, Clark gets to kiss Lois (as it always should be. I still have a piece rattling around in my head about why Lois and Clark are comic's best couple), and the series ends with a smile. I am going to miss my monthly dose of Art and Franco, but I hope their Aw, Yeah Comics! gets a wide release after a successful Kickstarter, and this weekend's announcement of Itty Bitty Hellboy gets a nice long run.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 4/10

Batman #19
Story: Scott Snyder/ James Tynion IV
Art: Greg Capullo/ Alex Maleev

Since the first issue, the new Batman series has been an epic title, with the two major arcs being long, twisty, and grand. "The Court of Owls" and "Death of the Family" were both great stories, and the two one offs featuring Harper Row were excellent character pieces as well, but this issue was a great change of pace; it's a small Batman story. This isn't a status quo changing arc, it's a great Batman story that is focusing on Batman trying to figure out a mystery. The opening pages show Bruce Wayne robbing a bank and after his escape flashes back to Batman finding out about the apparent suicide of an acquaintance of his, and going to investigate it. Batman is still clearly haunted by the death of Damian, and despite Harper Row's plea to take care of himself last issue, he isn't doing too good a job of it. Batman quickly determines exactly what was behind the death of his friend and the man's seemingly strange criminal behavior. It's just an appealing story of Batman working a case; Snyder captures Batman's voice perfectly, and I like seeing him just working out a case that isn't tearing his world apart. I won't spoil the identity of the perpetrator, despite it being spoiled on the cover of the next issue and the solicitation for some upcoming Batman family titles, but it continues the evolution of a classic Bat villain we have seen popping up sporadically throughout the New 52 era. The back-up is a Batman and Superman team-up written, which is something we haven't seen much of in the New 52 except in Justice League. It's been established they're friends, and so seeing them play off each other is interesting. While the relationship is clearly more pre-Flashpoint than pre-Crisis, Batman isn't acting like Miller's Batman wanting nothing to do with Superman, so I like that; I've always found I prefer the relationship between Batman and Superman to be friendly. It has definitely whet my appetite for the upcoming Batman/Superman series.

Batman and Red Robin #19
Story: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Patrick Gleason

OK, there's a lot in this issue, and I'm still of mixed feelings about some of it. The good is so good, though, that I want to talk about that. First the stuff I'm of two minds about. I liked seeing Frankenstein appear, but I would have thought there are more practical resurrection schemes than duplicating Dr. Frankenstein's work; this would have worked more for me if we had seen Batman exploring other plans first. Also, I feel like Red Robin, who is in the title, is underused in the issue; we have barely seen Tim and Bruce interact in the New 52, and I was hoping that this issue might remedy that. On the other hand, the introduction of Carrie Kelly was done beautifully. While she clearly has a different life than the version of her we meet in Dark Knight Returns, Carrie still has the spunk that allows her to stand up to the looming presence of an angry Bruce Wayne. The details of her relationship with Damian are still mysterious, and I'm expecting that to play out over the course of the next few issues. It's interesting to see both Snyder and Tomasi now having young female foils to Batman, and just how different Harper Row and Carrie Kelly are. Carrie seems to be a much lighter, less haunted character, but we'll see. I also have to say, her roommate looks an awful lot like Stephanie Brown. It would be nice to see Steph back. While I felt like Red Robin was underused, I did like how he was handled, and the painful choice he had to make. To top it all off, Patrick Gleason continues to be one of the most impressive artists in the comics right now; his Frankenstein was amazing. With next issue teaming Batman with Red Hood, I'm curious if Jason proves more integral to the plot, and how Carrie Kelly will factor in to the continuing arc of the series.

Batman: Li'l Gotham #1
Story & Art: Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs

DC's Johnny DC line,the all ages comics published by DC, seemingly folding all its superhero titles, it's nice to see Li'l Gotham appearing. An all ages Batman title, themed around holidays, Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs, who have been writing Justice League Beyond for some time and have history as artists on various Bat family titles, have created a fun and accessible Batman comic. The stories star Batman and Robin, a Robin who is Damian Wayne, and play off of Damian's strange upbringing and how unfamiliar he is with these holidays. Bruce attempting to explain Halloween to Damian leads to reminiscence about killing Lazarus Pit generated zombies with his mother and grandfather and Damian to some aggressive trick-or-treating. And on Thanksgiving, Penguin leads an army of turkeys to take the day of turkey slaughter back. The continuity is light, and while it takes place in a universe closer to the pre-Flashpoint one (Barbara Gordon seems to be in her wheelchair, and Cassandra Cain appears at the Bat family Thanksgiving), no knowledge of that is necessary. These are fun stories in the vein of Batman Adventures, all ages without being kiddy comics. If you know a kid who loves Batman and are worried a Joker who cuts off his own face is too much for him or her, this is the perfect gateway book for that young Batman fan.

Princeless Vol.2 #1
Story: Jerome Whitley
Artist Emily Martin

Oh, it's always a joy when an indy series you love pops back up on the radar, and so it is to see the beginning of Jerome Whitley's fairytale for girls who kick butt, Princeless. Picking up shortly after the first series left off, Princess Adrienne and her friend, Bedelia the blacksmith, are off to rescue the first of Adrienne's sisters, Angelica from her tower. Of course, things never go that easily. They can't quite find the tower, and are still having some issues with landings on Sparky, their trusty dragon. But that doesn't stop two such plucky heroines. Adrienne's determination is a great character trait, and as I said in my recommendation of the book, she is a character you want your younger female friends and relatives to look up to. Meanwhile, the King, Adrienne's father, still believes her dead and killed by a mystery knight (who is, in fact, Adrienne), and so he calls six of the kingdom's great bounty hunters and heroes to find the knight and dispatch him. Not surprisingly, these six guys all fit fantasy tropes and subvert them, none being particularly heroic, especially when discussing the possibility of taking one of the king's daughters to wife. New artist Emily Martin gives designs for these bounty hunters that take their trope and pushes it to the extreme; they're so one dimensional it's perfect. There is also a mystery around the behavior of Adrienne's mother, who knows the truth about her daughter and seems complacent about it; I wager that Adrienne gets some of her steel from her mother, and we'll see exactly what the queen is up to soon. Adrienne and Bedelia end the issue with a lead to Angelica's tower and possibly a new traveling companion; I enjoyed the slapsticky humor of the sequence where we meet the young poet who seems to appeal to Sparky more as dinner than as a new friend. Princeless is an all ages treat, smart and funny, and if you enjoy any fairy tale flavored comic, you are doing yourself a disservice not trying this book out.

Saga #12
Story: Brian K. Vaughan
Art: Fiona Staples

Oh, Prince Robot IV... Brian K. Vaughan has done incredible work over the course of Saga to make every one his characters, both protagonist and antagonist, three dimensional, and this issue, featuring the prince of the Robot world, does a great job of adding new layers to him. Starting with a flashback to Robot IV receiving the injury that has been referenced a few times throughout the series, Vaughan demonstrates his power as a writer by introducing a medic and killing him a couple pages later and making the reader care. In the present Robot IV makes his way to meet D. Oswald Heist, the author of the book that Alana loved and helped draw her to Marko. The issue is mostly a conversation between Robot IV and Heist, about what the book means, and about Heist's son, who fought in the war and eventually took his own life. We learn just how haunted by his own war experience Robot IV is, and see just how much of a deathwish he has; knowing this makes the reader look at many of his actions, especially his murder of The Stalk, in a very different light. The tension of the conversation ratchets up by degree over the course of the issue, with the almost inevitable explosion of violence not dismissing it but leading to even more tensions. The last page reveal marks the end of this arc and the beginning of another hiatus for the title. I've always felt Vaughan was the king of the cliffhanger ending, and if this one doesn't prove me right, I don't know what will.