Comic Book Case

Detective Comics 935 (Character Building!)

Training has commenced. Batwoman has assessed the weaknesses of the Stephanie, Orphan, and Karlo but at the same time, Tim has argued that this isn't what Batman himself would do. It's an interesting story, seeing Tim hide his university acceptance letter from everyone while he confides in his girlfriend Stephanie (yay for pre-flashpoint) and Cate talks with her father about Bruce. It's an interesting bit of info really as he talks about how the Kane and Wayne families were enemies and the different principles both families have with the Kanes all about unity and Waynes all about themselves to an extent. This in it's own way hints that Bruce may have his own agenda himself and it does seem this way as he takes Tim to Azrael's base where Leslie Thompkins is looking after him and Azrael reveals the group that attacked him is called Colony. Things seem pretty by the books until the Batman mobile is ambushed by cars similar to the Tumbler from Nolan's Batman Trilogy and Batman is left to deal with a bunch of Colony Soldiers.

This issue was rather fun. I was expecting a whole issue dedicated to the training but I expect we will see more later on. This issue was more about seeing where everyone stands not just Batman's little team against Colony but where they stand in the story. The discovery that Stephanie and Tim are in a relationship isn't new to pre-52 fans but it is nice and it's nice to see Tim dealing with ideas of his future with the university offer. Cassandra showing up randomly in the apartment's of her friends is a nice cute thing she also did pre-52 and the little nod of Karlo being able to go to an audition I thought was interesting. Kate Kane's conversation with her father about Batman/Bruce was possibly the best part about the issue, with the two of them talking about the two families. I want to give a shout to the art as well, primarily for the backgrounds, Gotham City seems to be the best city for snow.

Doctor Strange #8 (and now it begins!)

The Empirikull have found the creature in Strange's cellar as Strange and the other magic users of the world take the magical artifacts they have gathered for one last charge. Zola meanwhile gathers people whose lives have been touched by magic at the urging of Wong and plans on using them like he did the monks: they will pay the price for Strange's magic though Strange finds out and knocks Wong out and tells everyone that they can leave. Sharing one last hug with Zelma, Strange and the other magic users engage the Emprikull.

This issue was kind of meh but it gets the ball rolling again which I like. This book has such a big story that never really feels realized. I do like the ideas of the Empirikull, a group who has been hurt by magic is battling a being created from all the pain and debt Strange amassed for a time in the cellar. This kind of theme goes again with Wong's plan to make the people who like magic but can't use it, pay the debt for Strange's magic. Magic has a cost and according Strange, he and the others have never really paid for it and are doing it now in their attempts to save it. But it all feels to small and relies more on the dialogue to let us know how bad it is over actually showing us anything outside of a bleak world.

Justice League #52 (Do you like Lex Luthor? Cause this is Lex Luthor)

Luthor has arrived back on Earth after a stint of ruling Apokalypse to find Superman dead. Though not knowing at this time of another Superman he begins to have a long monologue while stopping a robbery in progress. Lex shows off what his suit can do as well as his Mother Box which says "Lex" instead of the regular Ping. Lex talks about he can pretty much do anything he puts his mind to and that's how he has always lived, that the the only limit is is desire. The issue ends with Luthor buying the Daily Planet before the SUPERMAN/Clark Kent memorial unveling and takes the Superman Cape and wears it as his own.

So this was kind of dull, especially for Justice League. Not to say that this isn't well written, far from it but all that's happening is Lex telling us something we already knew was going to happen thanks to Action Comics, and that anyone could have guess just by reading last month's issue. The only really good scene is where Lex goes to visit his sister and finds out that nothing can heal her, not even his Mother Box and that he is determined to be the good person she always thought he could be. That's the best part but that honestly did not require a whole issue. The only real good side of this is now we can get to Justice League Rebirth next month.

Mighty Thor #8 (Sister are doing it for themselves)

Jane Foster is still being Jane Foster. Some days she fights alongside the Avengers,  some days she sits in on the Council of Realms, helps a cancer friend all while having incurable cancer herself. Meanwhile Agent Solomon, another of Thor Odinson's former girlfriends is looking for more ties to the Roxxon Corporation and Agger. While at a secret rich people illuminati meeting, Agger gets attacked by the Silver Samurai and barely makes it out alive before Agent Solomon and later Thor shows up. The two of them team decide to work together to find Agger, drawing the attention of the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that had questioned Jane Foster about her connection to Thor.

This was interesting yet boring at the same time. The story of Asgardia, Jane Foster, and Odinson is really good at having a lot of highs and a lot of lows. There is only so long you can keep reminding us that Jane Foster has cancer and it is killing her. Her having cancer and it not getting better does help when the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents interrogate her and she laughs when they threaten her. The agents themselves also make little sense, they say they knew Iron Man's identity before he revealed it as well as She-Hulk's but for some reason they can't figure out who Thor is. The best moment is probably when Agent Solomon and Jane Foster talk about each other but the book does seem set on just going nowhere really. Agger has been the antagonist since Thor: God of Thunder and he only just seems to want money, which is fine but after all this time he just seems to be a lot of not work to get nowhere. At times it feels the book drags its feet because sooner or later Odinson will reclaim the hammer.

Wonder Woman #1 (WHERE IS IT!?)

Wonder Woman has arrived on an Island and demands answers, stating to an unseen being that she will offer three chances, the same she gives all her opponents before and that she will only be an enemy if treated as such. The response is a group of warriors. Diana is looking for answers to who she is and this is where she starts, Buwanda.   Meanwhile the office in Langley Virginia gets word she is in Buwanda and and asks Steve Trevor if he told her about an op that happened in that region after getting information about her being there, Steve says he didn't and the two of them haven't talked in a while. Steve has his own operation helping a tribe take down some warlord who has been killing the men and stealing the women. Diana's battle against the ruler of the island escalates as Diana gives more warning until she finally meets her target, Cheetah. Diana needs helping find Themyscira.

This issue was fun and big on mystery. It's nice to see Diana taking point in a story, Finch's run never had Diana taking an active role in her problems or at least never showed it and Azzarello's run was so heavy with story that she kind of got lost in it. Rucka is keeping the story mysterious but simple enough that Diana doesn't get lost in the mix. Seeing her go through this island and face the challenges as the warrior people know her as is really awesome. The loss of Themyscira is not a new idea, as a matter of fact it was part of a Wonder Woman origin story I'm slowly reading. The Steve Trevor story is interesting but if anything it just shows us that the two of them haven't talked since the Darkseid War story and that he still loves her. I always found it weird that Steve was totally absent from Wonder Woman's own book and it created some of it's own inconsistencies. I really do love the art in this book, especially in Buwanda with the cheetah warriors and monsters. Rucka wants to remind of us the hardcore warrior Wonder Woman is as well as the compassionate figure. I'm really glad I picked this issue up.