BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #1/ Written by JAMES TYNION IV/ Art by RILEY ROSSMO/ Colors by IVAN PLACENCIA/ Letters by TOM NAPOLITANO/ Published by DC COMICS
Reviewed by MATT MORRISON
It’s no surprise that the leader of The Dark Knights is the product of a world where The Joker successfully drove Batman mad. The actual details of how it happened, however, are quite surprising and disturbing. Riley Rossmo was the perfect artist to detail this journey into madness and James Tynion IV does a fantastic job in telling the tale.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #33/ Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON/ Art by TYLER KIRKMAN & MIKEL JANIN/ Colors by ARIF PRIANTO & JEROMY COX/ Letters by RICHARD FRIEND & JIMMY BETANCOURT/ Published by DC COMICS
Reviewed by MATT MORRISON
With the rest of The Justice League captured, it falls to Victor “Cyborg” Stone to make the play to save the day. Yet doing so may require Victor sacrificing what remains of his humanity to the Mother Box that powers his cybernetics. What will he do with the fate of all reality at stake? Despite being largely devoted to exposition of Cyborg’s powers and setting up the next branch of the crossover, this is an enjoyable little comic. Tyler Kirkham and Mikel Janin’s artwork looks fantastic under Arif Prianto and Jeromy Cox’s colors, bringing Joshua Williamson’s script to life in an epic fashion. Now if only they’d confirmed that the song Cyborg plays as the battle begins is “The Night Begin To Shine”…
RASPUTIN: THE VOICE OF THE DRAGON #1/ Written by CHRIS ROBERSON/ Art by CHRISTOPHER MITTEN/ Colors DAVE STEWART/ Published by DARK HORSE COMICS
Reviewed by MATT MORRISON
Set in the world of the BPRD, this prequel series seems to be showing how Rasputin (yes, THAT Rasputin) came to be involved with The Third Reich. The story is off to a slow start, with most of this issue focusing on Trevor Bruttenholm – the man who would become Hellboy’s adoptive father – rather than Rasputin himself. Still, BPRD fans will enjoy this book for what it is, though newcomers are unlikely to be impressed.
WONDER WOMAN/CONAN #3/ Written by GAIL SIMONE/ Pencils by AARON LOPRESTI/ Inks by MATT RYAN/ Colors by WENDY BROOME/ Letters by SAIDA TEMOFONTE/ Published by DC COMICS & DARK HORSE COMICS
Reviewed by MATT MORRISON
Stranded at sea, Conan and the mystery woman he calls Yanna are free of bondage but no closer to salvation. A pair of death-minded deities offer one of them a chance to escape… at the cost of the other’s life! Gail Simone’s script perfectly captures the feeling of classic Marvel Comics Conan alongside her own take on Wonder Woman. While it’s still unclear just how Diana came to be in Hyboria – or if she is the girl in Conan’s memories in the flashbacks of his youth – the mystery is intriguing and the artwork by Aaron Lopresti, Matt Ryan and Wendy Broome brings that mystery to life beautifully.
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Kabooooom! 