"Not-so-New 52": Issue #4 Reviews (part two)

Continuing our Reviews of the #4's I've purchased and read...we come to the second half of the month's releases.  Aquaman, The Flash, Green Lantern: New Guardians, & The Savage Hawkman.  Just like part one of these reviews....the artwork has been great; in fact you could argue that these 4 titles have some of the best artwork of the month, and the writing superb.  All of these titles; except The Flash, finished up impressive story arcs and teased upcoming ones in 2012.

In Part Two of the #4 Reviews, you'll see Aquaman meeting the Queen, What happens when The Flash thinks too fast, Who is behind all the ring confusion, & some surprising revelations about The Savage Hawkman that should have all "Old-School" fans cheering!  On to the reviews.......

"Not-so-New 52": Issue #4 Reviews (part one)

Wow! It's that time again....by the way, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!  Part One of my #4 Reviews brings you my personal favorites....Deathstroke, Green Arrow, O.M.A.C., & Red Lanterns.  Thanks to my LCS (Dave's Clubhouse in Columbus, OH) starting a "$5 minimum purchase for Credit/Debit Cards" policy, we also have Grifter (which Guest-Stars Green Arrow).

Lots of great stories and action for the month of December, including Oliver Queen's woman troubles, Brother Eye not having enough "bars" in enough places, hell to pay for one prison warden, lots of mad aliens swimming in blood, & Daemonites.  Issue #3 was my "Litmus Test" for the titles, Issue #4 is the "expansion" into deeper plots and directions for the respective characters.  On to the reviews.....

Book of the Month: December 2011

Imagine a world where a small spacecraft from far, far, away crash lands.....not in Kansas, but rather 12 hours later....in the Ukraine. Raised in the Soviet Union, taught the beliefs of the communist, dedicated to the Proletariat against any and all threats....what would Superman be like? SUPERMAN: RED SON explores and challenges the mythos of comic's greatest icon.  This is one of the best Superman books ever published, a self-contained story that would make a great Christmas gift for the comic book fan in your family!

(from President Eisenhower) "My fellow Americans, it has long been the duty of this great office to make public those developments which may affect our standing as a free and democratic Nation.  I regret to inform you that such a development took place this morning.

The Soviet Authorities today released to the world, secret government pictures of a costumed individual more effective than our hydrogen bomb...an alien Superman committed to communist ideals whose very existence threatens to alter our position as a world superpower forever..."

"Not-So-New 52" Review: #2's & #3's (part three)

Hello again, as we continue reviewing the "New 52" #2's & #3's that I collect every month....we come to the "rest"......Green Lantern: New Guardians, Red Lanterns,  & The Savage Hawkman.

After reading the first 3 Issues, I decided to drop I,Vampire from my monthly "Pull List". I'm trying to keep myself disciplined and only collecting 10 Titles from DC Comics.  It's been very difficult and I'm still at 11, though with Title #11 being Justice League....I'm not at all disappointed in myself or anything.

On to the reviews.....

"Not-So-New 52" Review: #2's & #3's (part two)

Continuing with our Reviews of Issues 2's & 3's, I've come to see that Issue #3 has been the "Litmus Test" for the books I'm collecting or dropping from my Pull List.

I read an interesting article on Newsarama recently, entitled "Why NEW Characters, Concepts struggle", in which the writer explains the theory that although we talk a lot about wanting new concepts, new characters, etc......what we really want is more of the same, because it's familiar.  I would throw myself right into that category, especially with I, Vampire.  Although not a bad book; with decent writing and artwork, when it came to dropping one last month....the vampire, horror comic book was dropped to make way for the "more-of-the-same" Green Lantern: New Guardians. Although I've added several books from the "New 52" that I probably wouldn't have in the "Old DC Universe"....even titles like O.M.A.C. & Deathstroke really fall under the "more-of-the-same" category. I don't apologize for this, it's just how it is, I suppose.

On to the reviews.......Aquaman & The Flash....

O.M.A.C. #1-3 (Review)

Right from the get-go, this title is entertaining & exciting, with an "old-school" feel & plenty of action.  "Kirby-ish" in style and story, it is one of the most enjoyable reads in the "New 52".  Written by Dan DiDio (DC Comic's Co-Publisher), with artwork provided by Keith Giffen.

Issue #1 introduces us quickly to Kevin Kho, although we don't actually see him until toward the end of the issue. He works at Cadmus Industries, along with his girlfriend Jody Robbins. But Cadmus Industries has secrets and secret research and secret employees and secret "no longer employed" sentient computer satellites orbiting the earth.....a.k.a. Brother Eye*** (known henceforth as just "Eye").

"Not-So-New 52" Review: #2's & #3's (part one)

So....if you'll think back to when DC Comics first announced their plans for a "Revamp", the Internet blew up as fans went beserk....I was on the message boards feeling lonely in my support for the decision (you can read my initial thoughts about it back then in my post: "DC Comics Revamp").  But now; just three months into the "new 52", all is well!  DC took over 50% of the market in October, the month many said would show DC declining with #2's.....every #1 sold out and was reprinted.....and all of the #3's that I've read so far are better than the #2's which were better than the #1's!!  It's an AWESOME time to be a fan of DC Comics!  I'm so thankful to Dan DiDio, Jim Lee, Geoff Johns, & all the other Writers and Artists who have contributed to the greatest re-launch in history!!  Only Battlestar Galactica did better.


Now to our Reviews of #2's & #3's......Green Arrow & Deathstroke!!

Book of the Month: November 2011

Elephantmen: War Toys (volume 1) is one of those priceless gems that is no longer available....sold out everywhere! However, it will be released along with E:War Toys (vol.2) and the Yvette mini-series in Elephantmen: Armed Forces, coming out soon as a hardcover graphic novel collection.  Look for it!!

The story of the war to end all wars now in one volume! The prequel to Image's hit series, Elephantmen! Africa and China are at war. The battlefield: Europe, recently devastated by a lethal virus. Enter: MAPPO's soldiers, The Elephantmen. Even in the face of blistering resistance, it seems that nothing can stop MAPPO's advance across France to the North. But as Hip Flask comes face to face with the last vestiges of humanity in the frozen Scandinavian wastes, he discovers that only the dead see the end of warfare.

Book of the Month: October 2011

 The sold-out 6 issue mini-series collected in Graphic Novel form as Space Ghost is wonderfully written (by Joe Kelly) and drawn (by Ariel Olivetti), and does justice to the mythos of one of television's first cartoon heroes. Unlike most Comic Book characters, Space Ghost wasn't created by a comic book writer, but by a media conglomerate...Hanna Barbera Productions. Created in 1966, most (at least most my age) would recognize him from the Cartoon Network's Late-Night Talk Show "Space Ghost Coast to Coast", starring Space Ghost & other characters from the TV series (just like Jay Leno or David Letterman). He disappeared after that, his rights were bought by DC Comics.....

Serenity: Those Left Behind (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Awesome.

Those Left Behind was the first in a string of Comic Books based on Joss Whedon's hit TV series Firefly and the subsequent film Serenity. The volume takes place in the time-span between where the cancelled TV series ended and the movie picks up.

A wonderful introduction by Nathan Fillion....which inspires hero worship for the Castle TV series' star.....is followed by strait-up action and gunslinging! A great way to start, delving right into our beloved motley crew of Serenity's day-to-day life on the fringe planets.  Always looking to misbehave, (sometimes through no fault of their own) Mal, Zoe, & Jayne need rescuin', which comes in the form of Shepherd Book.

The "New 52": Week Four.....(Review)

After skipping "New 52": Week Three, I am posting my picks for Week Four.  This week actually had the most pulls on my list, so I was excited and eager to Dive in to Aquaman, Race through The Flash, read something New in New Guardians, & Savagely tear through Hawkman! (puns ALL intended).....they did NOT disappoint!

Due to time and financial restraints, I wanted to collect no more than 10 DC Titles, so I was a little worried when I decided to drop Superman & Batman, to make room for Red Lanterns, New Guardians, Hawkman, Aquaman,  & Mister Terrific (who was subsequently dropped for Deathstroke)....but All is Well, as all the new pulls have impressed......and now Week Four's reviews:

Elephantmen: Dangerous Liaisons (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Awesome.

If you are not already aware, Elephantmen is the best comic book being published today! Period.  I know fans of other books may argue, and I myself do have some favorite characters that would rank higher....but in issue after issue the Writing is brilliant, the Artwork is breathtaking, the Lettering is top-of-the-industry, and the Inking is perfect for the look and feel of this series....EVERY SINGLE ISSUE, EVERY BOOK!!!  When you purchase the volumes you just want to set them on your bookshelf and admire them for hours! Then invite your friends to come look (but DON'T TOUCH!) as well.  I can not recommend this title enough, IT IS the best overall title being published today! Period.

The "New 52": Week Two.....(Review)

As "Revamp" Month continues, another week of great titles has been shipped!  This week I picked up a few, and enjoyed them all.....though some more than others.

My LCS was sold out of Green Lantern #1, and OMAC #1 (which I'd heard good things about and wanted to pick up from the previous week).....but here are the ones I purchased and here is my favorite quote of the week.....

"I think there is no 'up-and-coming'. There's only competition. And I don't work with it."

The "New 52": Week One.....(Review)

Hello, it's Week #1 of the New 52 and time to review the titles I picked up.  Actually; because my local comic book shop (Dave's Clubhouse in Columbus, OH) was sold out of most of the ones I wanted to pick up, there is only one title to review this week.......I'll give you a hint before you click "read more", this is my favorite quote from the issue:

"People like you make my skin crawl.  You got all this power. All this ability. You could do so much to help people. But instead all you do is terrorize. You think you're making names for yourselves? Building Reputations? You're not villains. Hell, You're not even badasses. You're Punks. And it's about time you got put in your place."

Have a Guess? Click "Read More" and see if you're right....

Can't Wait for The Flash to Start!!!

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This is one of the new DC Titles I can't wait to start!!  The artwork looks Awesome, and I'm sure the writing will be as well!!

Superman/Batman: Big Noise (Review)

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Citizen's Grade: O.K.

The tenth collection of the Superman/Batman series.  This series has impressed over time despite no promotion from DC Comics since Jeph Loeb left.  The artwork and writing have always been at least O.K., and on some occasions quite impressive.

Big Noise was written by Joe Casey (known most recently for writing Ziggy Marley's superhero,  Marijuana Man), with artwork from Ardian Syaf & Scott Kolins. This veteran group of creators deliver a "veteran" story in Big Noise (I'll explain "veteran" story further down).

A Kryptonian Ship appears out of nowhere with all it's inhabitants murdered.  A missing escape pod. As Batman & Superman investigate the ship's past and try to track down the one missing escape pod, an assassin attacks the Dailey Planet in an attempt to murder reporter Clark Kent.  These are the clues to the mystery that lays before The Man of Steel and The Dark Knight.

PunisherMax: Kingpin & Bullseye (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

If you are a fan or The Punisher, then the PunisherMax series is for you! Jason Aaron & Steve Dillon deliver Frank Castle in a brutal, classic way while adding new elements to the character.  Overall a decent series so far dealing with the brutal justice handed out by The Punisher in a way too violent and sinister for the regular Marvel Universe. This review covers the first two collections of the PunisherMax series....Kingpin & Bullseye.

A hail of Bullets changed Frank Castle's life forever. He watched helplessly as mob elements gunned down his wife and children in their crossfire, but Frank Castle is helpless no more.....as The Punisher. His mission: to deliver his form of justice and punishment to those that live outside the law.

Green Lantern Corps: Revolt of the Alpha-Lanterns (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

"No Lantern Escapes The Alpha-Lanterns!" When a Green Lantern steps out-of-line, it's the Alpha-Lanterns that put them back in-line. Half terrestrial, half robot, unstoppable, logical, and cold....the Guardian's instruments of law and order. But an old enemy has re-emerged and taken control of the Alpha-Lanterns....and he's turning them against the Green Lantern Corps!   Can a select group of Green Lanterns stop this rising menace, or will the Green Lantern Corps be destroyed by the new Alpha-Lantern Armada?

Green Lantern: Brightest Day (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Awesome.

Geoff Johns strikes gold once again with Brightest Day.  This volume is worth reading just for Larfreeze & Dexstarr alone. The "leaders" of the various Lantern Corps converge upon Earth in search of the missing Light-Spectrum Entities.  The interactions between Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris, Sinestro, Atrocitus, Larfreeze, Saint Walker, and the mysterious Indigo-1 are explosive, intense, & sometimes humorous.  Doug Mahnke's artwork is perfect, especially the appearance of ____, who is angry!!

Daredevil by Ed Brubaker (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Impressive.

With the relaunch of Daredevil at Marvel Comics, I thought I'd review the previous body of work from the last relaunch of Daredevil. Going over 100 issues, it spawned a couple movies (Daredevil & Electra) and has created THE mythos of the character. There were 4 main writers for this series' duration, all of them adding their part. I will break the series' down by author......following the inspired runs of Kevin Smith & Brian Michael Bendis was Ed Brubaker.

Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis...(Review)

Citizen's Grade: Impressive.

With the relaunch of Daredevil happening soon in Marvel Comics, I thought I'd review the previous body of work from the last relaunch of Daredevil. Going over 100 issues, it spawned a couple movies (Daredevil & Electra) and has created THE mythos of the character. There were 4 main writers for this series' duration, all of them adding their part. I will break the series' down by author......following Kevin Smith's run was Brian Michael Bendis.

Daredevil (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

Blinded by a childhood accident, Matt Murdock found that the chemicals that blinded him also enhanced his other senses to superhuman levels. Now using those four other senses, Matt Murdock seeks justice as an attorney and as Daredevil, the Man without Fear.

The film follows the origin of Daredevil, from the accident that blinded him to his Father's death. In the present he defends a man charged with murder, and meets a beautiful woman....Elektra Natchios.

Elektra (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

This film brought to the forefront one of the most dangerous, enigmatic & beautiful characters in Marvel Comics.....Elektra! Starring Jennifer Garner (who also played the same part in the Daredevil movie), she's all that stands between good and evil...when she's not being an assassin.

Restored to life after being murdered by Bullseye (see: Daredevil movie Review), Elektra is the world's deadliest assassin. But when she befriends a Man and his daughter, she is forced to make a fateful decision that will forever change her life and theirs.

When she finds out her next targets for assassination are the father and daughter she battles inner demons and mystically-powered ninja assassins of The Hand. With the help of her Mentor; Stick, she must find a way to do what she's never done before....Save rather than Kill.

Overall, a decent movie that does justice to the character. Jennifer Garner is beautiful and the action is good. Forget continuity if you're a Elektra comic book fan though!

Daredevil by Kevin Smith...(Review)

Citizen's Grade: Impressive.

With the relaunch of Daredevil happening soon in Marvel Comics, I thought I'd review the previous body of work from the last relaunch of Daredevil. Going over 100 issues, it spawned a couple movies (Daredevil & Electra) and has created THE mythos of the character. There were 4 main writers for this series' duration, all of them adding their part. I will break the series' down by author......first is Kevin Smith.

The Savage Hawkman!!!

This is interior artwork from the NEW The Savage Hawkman series being launched in September from DC Comics.....the Artwork is Awesome!!! Congrats Philip Tan on some very impressive work!

Justice League of America by Dwanye McDuffie (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

After Brad Meltzer's run on Justice League of America (see: JLA by B.M.), Dwayne McDuffie took over and hit the ground running with "The Injustice League". He would write 4 volumes of the JLA; and along with Ed Benes and a few other artists, make it an enjoyable run with some interesting plots and characters.

John Constantine Hellblazer: Original Sins (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

I enjoyed the movie Constantine, but hadn't collected any of the Comic Books or Graphic Novels...by the time I saw the movie there were several collections (many of them hard to find), and my OCD about completing collections wouldn't allow me to purchase them. Then...Vertigo/DC decided to re-release the books from the beginning...I was excited and purchased Original Sins, the first collection.

The Incredible Hulk (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

Edward Norton stars as Bruce Banner, the scientist who has been in hiding and living in the shadows...searching diligently for a cure to the uncontrollable rage that lurks within him. But when the military forces him out of the shadows, they don't get Banner, but his rage...known as The Hulk.

The only thing capable of calming the green monster is the lovely Betty Ross (played by Liv Tyler), though her father; General Ross (played by William Hurt) is the one masterminding the hunt for Banner's genetic alter-ego. An assassin turned Abomination (played by Tim Roth) hunts for the The Hulk, but goes beyond what he is able to control in his search for power and vengeance. Can Banner use The Hulk to save the the innocent, and those he loves and hates....or will his curse be their downfall as well?

Overall a decent film with good acting and great special effects. Compared to the abysmal Hulk (starring Eric Bana) of a few years before, The Incredible Hulk is awesomely better!

New Books....DC Revamp Continued

Some of the great new books that DC Comics has announced. 52 books starting at #1 in September! More to come, but these all look awesome, and I will be picking them up!

The DC Comics "Revamp"

DC Comics announced today that their line will be revamped! I'm sure Dan DiDio, Geoff Johns, and Jim Lee will need bodyguards for a while....and middle-aged and older comic book fans will sit teary-eyed gazing at their huge collections of Golden, Silver, Bronze, kinda-modern, semi-modern, modern, and present day era comic books. The nostalgia of years of wasted money, effort, and time all for not....since all of that ink-blotted paper may become irrelevant in September when 52 comic book titles will be re-vamped, re-numbered (restarted at #1....including the Industry's two longest running comic books, Action Comics and Detective Comics), and re-tooled to attract younger audiences, compete with Marvel Comics (who has consistently kicked their ass over the last decade), and beg at the feet of movie producers.

Conan Films (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

"Conan! What is best in life?" Conan answers, "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!"

In anticipation of the "re-boot" film, I am reviewing the original Conan movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as our muscle-bound, barbarian hero...Conan. The first movie was the best, even though it had the worst acting. The second movie had better acting, but just seemed to fall short of the first. In the end, the movies give due credit to Robert E. Howard's creation, and the character Conan has survived the test of time (Conan was created and first published in 1932).

All-Star Superman (Review)

Citizen's Grade (Graphic Novel): Impressive.
Citizen's Grade (Animated Movie): Impressive.

After years of failure and frustration, the ever diligent Lex Luthor masterminds another plan to destroy The Man of Steel....and this time it just might work. Sabotage is his plan, as he interferes with Dr. Quintum's first manned Sun mission. In order to save Quintum and his associates, Superman puts himself in harm's way once again. But this time, Superman's heroics come with a price.

The sun; the very source of Superman's many superpowers, poisons his cells....Superman is dying! Poisoned by solar radiation, with just weeks to live, Superman embarks on a mission to fulfill his life's dreams.

War of The Supermen (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Sigh...

New Krypton has been destroyed, tens of thousands of Kryptonians are dead at the hands of Brainiac, and Earth was behind it all! Zod is angry! All the remaining Kryptonians are angry! Superman & Supergirl are angry! Earth must pay! The remaining remnants of New Krypton have declared WAR on EARTH!!

They will have vengeance....that is the theme of War of the Supermen....and what can humanity do to stop thousands of Supermen? Absolutely nothing. Earth's mightiest heroes try to slow the onslaught,

Last Stand of New Krypton (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

After the build-up of Geoff John's New Krypton story arc, the Last Stand of New Krypton by James Robinson & Sterling Gates followed through with the next chapter of what was turning into a great couple of years of Superman comics. Just as New Krypton was molding into a society that could flourish and evolve...even though it still faced the challenges any society does......but just when things were looking up, forces from Earth (i.e. Lex Luthor) make their move.

Brainiac returns to reclaim Kandor! Sending his robotic army in droves, his forces begin killing off Kryptonians at an alarming rate. Superman & Supergirl fight alongside their fellow Kryptonians in an effort to unite them and drive off Brainiac and his mighty army.

Meanwhile, the Legion of Superheroes, Superboy, Mon-El, Brainiac 5 and others fight to save New Krypton, Brainiac's other shrunken cities, & Brainiac 5's personal vendetta to reclaim his family's honor destroyed by Brainiac.

The action is immense and intense, the "human" factor is exactly what we would expect us to do, and Brainiac 5's mission to save his family's honor is noble. Robinson's & Gate's writing is good and the artwork is decent. In the end; HOWEVER, it doesn't really matter...which is why I'm not going in-depth of the two volumes in this review because despite the great build-up of New Krypton & Last Stand of New Krypton, the "finale" was horrible.

The "finale"? War Of The Supermen.

Top 5 Comic Book Writers (Updated...)

It's been over a year since my first Top 5 Comic Book Writers list was posted (See: Top 5 Comic Book Writers), so I thought I would update my list...They are ranked according to how quickly I’ll pull out my wallet whenever I see their name on a comic book title. Note: Previous "Rank" in parenthesis next to writer's name.

Justice League of America by Brad Meltzer (Review)

Brad Meltzer is a great writer, both in the Comic Book Industry and in Fiction Novels. He offers a great blend of emotions with action and plots that bring out the best and worst in his characters and captures your imagination. The only criticism from me about Meltzer's writing is he doesn't write enough.....we haven't seen his work in comics since he left the Justice League of America at issue #12. I would love to see him come back and work on some more JLA, or Flash, Superman/Batman, etc.....really, I'd buy whatever he decided he wanted to write.....the following are his three volumes of the Justice League of America.

Batman: Long Shadows (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

Part of the "Batman Reborn" story arc, Long Shadows deals with Dick Grayson (a.k.a. Nightwing, and now Batman) taking up the mantle of the Bat and the risks and responsibilities that go with it. The book starts with a flashback to Superman bringing Batman's Cape back to Wayne Manor and giving it to Alfred and Grayson. It's a rather touching moment when Superman asks Alfred if he is alright, and Alfred responds, "No Sir. I am not alright. My son has died." It then shifts to Robin getting himself in trouble with Doctor Phosphorus. Nightwing saves the day driving the Batmobile.....but only Batman should drive the Batmobile, right?

New Comic Series to consider......

Here are a few new Comic Series to consider reading....they are in no particular order, just as I've heard of them. Xombi & Carbon Grey have just had their first issues released. Moon Knight, Witch Doctor & Marijuana Man will be released in the next few months.....


1. Witch Doctor. Writer Brandon Seifert describes the book as "Dr. House meets Dr. Strange." Their website; Witchdoctorcomic.com, describes the series as a "medical horror comic". It follows the adventures of Dr. Vincent Morrow as he practices the black arts while battling demons, vampires, and creatures of myth and folklore. Artwork to be done by Lukas Ketner. Issue #1 expected to hit bookshelves June 29.


2. Marijuana Man. A philosophical superhero comic created by the legendary Ziggy Marley, written by Joe Casey and drawn by Jim Mahfood. I believe the title & creator speak for themselves, so toke it up while reading this one...just kidding. Casey is a good writer, and it is scheduled for release on April 20. You can check it out on Ziggy's website.


3. Carbon Grey. Created over eight years by Hoang Nguyen, Khari Evans, Paul Gardner, Mike Kennedy and Kinsun Loh, Carbon Grey centers around Mathilde and Giselle....the Sisters Grey. For generations the Sisters have protected and counseled the Kaiser, ruler of a central European kingdom that looks and feels a lot like "old" Prussia . But times have changed...a bustling industrial age and a great war are dividing the empire and loyalties. When the Kaiser is assassinated, Giselle is accused. Pursued by her sisters and hunted by the enemy, Giselle must unravel the prophecy of the Carbon Grey before it's too late. I picked up the first issue, the artwork is phenomenal!


4. Xombi. The immortal David Kim; kept "alive" by nanotech enhancements, and accompanied by weird nuns and mind-bending images...this is one of DC Comics' "off-the-beaten-path" and refreshing new books. Creator John Rozum and artist Frazer Irving team up to deliver the finest in contemporary urban horror – with a Super Hero twist! As an undying, unchanging Xombi, David Kim must watch the world consume itself and burn while humanity grows more distant from each other due to the rise of technology. What would a Xombi do just to feel change again? And where will he ever be able to find a kindred soul? I perused the first issue and it looks good, definitely "outside-the-box".


5. Moon Knight. Marvel Comics' reboot of the character written by Brian Michael Bendis, with artwork by Alex Maleev. Moon Knight has been around since I was a child (i.e. a long time), and was one of the first comic books I ever read. Gaining supernatural abilities from the moon and mixed with Egyptian myth and tormented by on-and-off again drug addiction and a schizophrenic personality, the Moon Knight is a complicated and interesting personality among Marvel's heroes. I've been skeptical of past incarnations of the character, but I trust the great writing talents of Bendis to bring this hero back to the forefront of Marvel's universe. Maleev is a great artist, so this series (starting in May) should be great!

Soon to be on the shelves of Half-Priced Books....

Here are a few Graphic Novels I'll be unloading at Half-Priced Books in the near future. They are not bad, but they either don't fit into what I'm currently collecting or just no longer interest me....Spoiler Alert! The following are reviews.

1001 Arabian Nights: The Adventures of Sinbad, The Eyes of Fire (Citizen's Grade: O.K.). I've always enjoyed Sinbad, the original swashbuckler...this volume was very inspired and historically accurate, with good writing from Dan Wickline and various artists.

When Sinbad is accused of murder, He and his motley crew mush travel to a remote island in search of the Jericho visor, an ancient artifact that may be able to clear his name. But in order to get it, Sinbad must face the beautiful and dangerous Queen Alorana...who has her own plans for Sinbad and his crew.

No other Eastern fictional character; except Aladdin, is as well known as Sinbad. That said, Zenescope's efforts to reproduce Sinbad's adventures falls on deaf ears....society doesn't seem to care about Sinbad at this time. If they are still even publishing issues of 1001 Arabian Nights, I can't find them, although I've read on a few various websites that a movie is in the works for Sinbad, so maybe interest will peak in the future.

The Flash: The Wild Wests (Citizen's Grade: Sucked). I love Wally West as The Flash, but this is the worst story arc of his character I've ever read. After Wally and his wife take their infant twins to a secret location on a distant world to raise them in safety following the events of Rogue War and Infinite Crisis, they begin to notice their children growing at....you guessed it, SuperSpeed. Now they are back in Keystone City, protecting the city as The Flash and trying to raise his super-powered twins, Wally and Linda must face challenges they never have before. Is it right for their children to be in harms way because Wally is the Flash? The Justice League asks that very question....and Wally may not like the answer.

Mark Waid's writing is sub par, the artwork is just O.K. & just sucks in some parts...the worst Flash Graphic Novel...ever!

Hawkgirl by Walter Simonson (Citizen's Grade: Sigh...). Collected in three volumes (The Maw, Hawkman Returns, & Hath-Set), Hawkgirl took over for Hawkman (during DC's One Year Later story arc) after the events of Infinite Crisis. Poor Hawkgirl and Walt Simonson, they didn't even start numbering over, just had her take over at issue #50. Simonson's writing (He's a legend, but this isn't his best work) & the artwork is O.K., but it's just disappointing after Hawkman & Johns.

In The Maw, Hawkgirl is stalked by her bad dreams, personal & professional & superhero life issues, mysterious gang killings she can't solve and it all seems linked to Voudon magic and a supernatural menace that has begun stalking her. In Hawkman Returns, Kendra is reunited with Hawkman after a year apart, only to find that Carter Hall's space adventures have brought unexpected enemies to their doorstep. Blackfire sends a platoon of evil aliens to kill Hawkgirl, and the Hawks combined strength may not be enough to survive. In Hath-Set, the Immortal high priest who originally set in motion the fate of the Hawks returns with a plan to end their endless cycle of death and rebirth once and for all...Kendra must fight for her very soul, racing against time, against the evil Hath Set.

The Trials of Shazam (Citizen's Grade: O.K.). Written by Judd Winick, with artwork by Howard Porter. These two volumes follow the events of Final Crisis into the "new" age of magic. The Wizard Shazam dies fighting The Spectre, and Captain Marvel rebuilds the Rock of Eternity and becomes the new Wizard Shazam....so, of course we need a new Captain Marvel. Now it's up to Freddy Freeman to take he mantle of Shazam, unless an evil sorceress can beat him to it. The volumes follow Freeman as he races against Sabina, as they both try and acquire as much of Shazam's magical might as possible....one for good, one for evil.

Winick does a good job writing and Howard Porter is a great artist, but I've just given up on the Shazam Franchise. Years of legal rights over the Captain Marvel name between DC Comics and Marvel Comics (who put out some crappy work with their Capt. Marvel every few years so that DC can't claim the name by expiration) have bummed me out on the Champion of Magic.

Green Arrow & Black Canary by Andrew Kreisberg (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

The Green Arrow and Black Canary series continues with three volumes after Judd Winick's run (see: G.A. & B.C. by Judd W.) with Andrew Kreisberg writing all three, with some additional writing by J.T. Krul in the last volume. Most of the artwork in these three volumes was done by Mike Norton, with Bill Sienkiewicz (a legend in comics by the way) adding his touch as well. All of the monthly covers (and covers to the graphic novel collections) are done by the great Ladronn (from Richard Starking's Elephantmen series).