Flashback Friday: Heroes Convention 2013 "The Art Edition"

 Yes I am just going to go back a week and savor the vacation this year.  I promise to have pretty artwork as I do.  This year the room was spacious and made the navigating much better.  I really did hate the end of the Convention.  I was at peace and really enjoying the art and people.  I was very good about money this year.  I did get some commissions done.  One was by Mike Maihack from Google + and my following.  He did the awesome comic strip prints of Batgirl and Supergirl.  I love his art and asked him to do a commission in my sketchbook of Huntress.  It was a great addition to my ever growing book of sketches.  I bought his sketchbook and some other prints as well.  He probably thought I was crazy.  I get excited sometimes.


I bought two sketch cover comics.  A Green Lantern and an Aquaman version.  I really went silly with the GL book.  It does not represent continuity at all.  I asked a young lady to have Mogo and the Tardis on the cover.  It was a Mash Up that I figure will be unique in the coming years.  She did a great job and I regret I did not get her picture with the cover like I did the other one.  That one has a headshot of Mera on it the artist is in a pic with the cover.  I picked her because I was watching her do a commission and her displayed work showed a great beauty and a great realism in the way she portrayed her work.  So I have a Throne of Atlantis issue with the gorgeous Mera on the cover.  I just wish I had been able to track down the cosplay Mera and had her pose with it.


I am adding some other prints I picked up.  I love just finding cool prints as I scour the aisles.  Sometimes you get really cool art from people that are just trying to make a living as an artist at Conventions and maybe be discovered.  They are not in the comicbooks, but should be.  Others work for independents or card companies.  There are rare gems out there in the fringes and I love when I find a piece of art that is shining bright.  One day I will be able to display all I have collected.  I have a plan that I want to work on, but that is a future blog post.

I have neglected to report on my goal concerning my T-Shirt on Friday.  I was disappointed with not having a unique shirt last year and was determined to be seen this year.  I accomplished it with my shirt that displays the Internet mash up called by two names, "The Time Job" or "The Tardis Job," based on Firefly and Dr.Who.  I received many compliments and many double takes as I walked around on opening day.  It was cool knowing I had the only version there at HeroesCon.

BDS

Green Lantern New Guardians #6

Orange Lantern Glomus is the new sensation of the Lantern Corps.  He is the perfect partner for Kyle Rayner as these New Guardians investigate the Solar System Ship.  Everybody but Bleedz is present and soon fighting a being claiming to be a living god called Invictus.  It is notable that once again Kyle was able to use the entire emotional spectrum to initiate contact through the rings.

Fatality has grown a bit in her new role.  I like her so far and hope she can become a better character in this New DC we have going on.  All the Lanterns are likable in various ways.  I do wonder when this is transpiring as each Corps is facing different challenges and also some the loss of power.

This is the book that will make sense and a difference once we know what the Guardians are doing on Oa.  For now it is a book of mystery that seems to have cast Larfleeze as the mastermind behind the current coming together of the different Corps.  I am enjoying this book a bunch.

In parting we will leave you with Glomus and his best statement as he and Kyle joined the battle against that living god; "Eep!"  Yes, he said Eep.

BDS

The Fives: A look at my DCnU reading.

I decided to take a look at the DCnU titles that I am reading in a bulk commenting fashion.  So what follows is my take on the books up to the 5th issue of the series.  Some of these will not be around much longer as the cuts have already come and a "Second Wave" announced.  Strap in and read my take on where my reads are right now.

Aquaman -  I absolutely LOVE what Geoff Johns is doing with the Character of Aquaman.  He has a tongue and cheek approach to all the jokes about the man and still has made him cool.  The thing is that he has kept his solo book free of anything that would be non-water based.  The first story arc dealt with a group of unknown biological creatures that came from a deep ocean trench in search of food.  It really was creepy and action oriented.

Mera has been really neat.  I am looking forward to issue #6 as it will be about Mera basically shopping for dog food.  Her innocent mindset and warrior attitude should make for a fun read.  That is what is great about the character.  She is so naive about the world above the water and it comes across as sweet.  That ends when carnivorous creatures are eating innocent people.  She is one serious kick-butt heroine.  The way she is portrayed is really a good counter to Aquaman.

This has been one of the better books.  I have read people slamming it and it makes me wonder what book they read.  I think Johns is rebuilding Aquaman to stand tall with the rest of the JLA.

Batwoman -  One of the most beautifully render books of the DCnU.  J. H. Williams III has made the different look of the art into a signature for Batwoman that will be hard to duplicate in the years to come for those artist that might fill-in or follow.  The direction that they have taken is interesting.  She is tied to Batman, but they are moving her into the more connected story that appears to be in the background of the DCnU.  The DEO strand of her story will be cool to see develop.  

This has been achieved while still carrying on a creepy kidnapping mystery.  It is not easy to meld the large picture story of a comic universe with your cool horror based urban fantasy story.  In Batwoman it is accomplished.  This is one to read. 

 Birds of Prey -  I am sad now when I read BoP.  I love the character of Black Canary.  I loved the old incarnation of the BoP.  The new group was a neat collection and really like the fact that Ivy was on the team.  The thing is that this story is a confusing mess.


I have read it a few times and my head hurts after I finish each time.  It just has meandered and the entire mind control and messing with the readers perceptions to a point that it is like a headache you cannot shake.  I wish that the writer of Stephanie Brown as Batgirl would take over this title.

From Blackhawks #5

Blackhawks -  This book has not been on my pull list, but I have bought it off shelf every month.  Something about it has grown on me.  That is sad as I heard it was one of the cancelled books.  I might read on until the end now.  This is a book that would be good in Trade form.  It is not for all readers, but those that like tech heavy covert ops teams should check it out.


Blue Beetle -  The good thing is that Jamie Reyes was given a title back as part of the DCnU.  Many might question why the need for a new origin, especially since it is so close to the excellent run that came before.  Truth to tell, this is one of the better reads of the DCnU.  It is like watching a darker version of the original series.  Most of the characters are there and in a form that is recognizable.


The original was filled with a since of fun, even when things got serious.  It was a book that focused on the strength of family as much as it did on big cosmic explosions.  Here we get a slower more drawn out character development that is close to the TV Show Smallville Blue Beetle.  I put the shocking opening to issue #5 as an image for this post to show just how dark this book is compared to the original.  Jamie having impaled his best pal Paco will have dire consequences for this book.  It is a must read.


Catwoman -  Judd Winick you have finally done it!  You have gotten me to fully like a series written by you.  I have always said that I have no problem with Winnick or his writing.  I never thought he was a bad writer.  He just never hooked me as a reader.  Until now.


There is a shock a moment in the book, but they carry the story.  That is important to me.  I like seeing Catwoman figuring out how to save herself when falling from about a thousand miles above Gotham City.  She is what I want her to be, a flawed character with a heart of Gold.  She will help those that she has compassion for in her own twisted ways.  Winnick has made a balanced book that I really enjoy.


Demon Knights -  This is the oddity of the entire line.  It has a mixture of characters that are from DCU's fringes.  It has some connection to the events of the present day DCnU.  It is a fantasy world that is strange and familiar, yet somehow off a bit.  It has what is needed of a book of its ilk, mystery.  Keep us asking questions, answer a few and have us ask new ones, and you have a reader that will stay with the book.  It is a job well done by the creative team.


Green Lantern Corps -  It has been drawn out a bit, but the story is very interesting.  Over the past few years we have really learned the ins and outs of how the Green Lantern Corps works.  This idea of a planet that the Lanterns went when stored was great.  Now that planet is the threat.  The Corps faces a threat that is equal to the power of the rings.  There has been a great use of various Corpsmen and Corpswomen.


Green Lantern -  The return of Sinestro as a Green Lantern has been one excellent story plot.  It has kept some mystery while showing us that the rings have changed since Mogo died.  Hal Jordan dealing with not being a Green Lantern is a great sub-plot.  It has just been a solid stead read.


Green Lantern New Guardians -  Glomous is the best sidekick Kyle Rayner has ever had.  Love seeing a different Fatality as the Star Sapphire of the group.  This collection of the various Lanterns is cool and very creative.  There is a bunch of crazy stuff here and it fits Tony Bedard's style well.  He is building to something.  This is the long form type of story telling.  I am loving this and look forward to seeing just what all the different mysteries are about.  I also like seeing Sayd again and really want to see her save Ganthet.


Hawk & Dove -  I have liked it, but it lacks a sense of importance. I heard that this one is going away.  What I guess is telling is that I really will not miss it.  

Justice League Dark -  The other book not on my pull list.  I have ending my purchases I think as of issue #5.  I like Zatanna and I loved Enchantress in Shadowpact so I was wanting to see what this book was about.  It ending up being a drawn out book that at the end did not really bring a group together.  It was exciting, but it was also confusing at times.  All said, it still is an interesting idea.


O.M.A.C -  One of the fun reads and it is going away.  It has been a tribute to the Kirby era of comics.  I am and will enjoy to title to the end.


Red Lanterns -  You have to have read the Green Lantern stuff about the Red Lanterns to really understand what they are about.  A casual reader will not understand.  There is a disconnect to the shape of what this title is about.  Casual readers will be lost.


Resurrection Man -  It was good that issue #5 gave us some back story.  Otherwise this would have been a great bit of action, but we would start not caring as readers.  It feels like this book is going somewhere big.  Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are great storytellers and this book is build steam every month.


Voodoo -  Sometimes when a change in writing happens you notice it.  Sometimes the change is so seamless you never notice.  The latter is what happened in the pages of Voodoo.  I never realized that Ron Marz had left.  Josh Williamson did a great job taking the start and carrying it forward.  I am enjoying this book.  I like the misfit alien realizes they are on the wrong side of the fight stories.  I think we are seeing that Priscilla is finding she is not the double agent she thought she was.  The last reveal of issue #5 keeps this title interesting.


Wonder Woman -  Hearing that Brian Azzarello was going to make this a horror title made me cringe a bit.  I have lived through so many attempts to see a "new" creative direction on Wonder Woman I was no instilled with hope.  Maybe Azzarello has a Blue Ring, because now I feel like "all will be well."  It works really good as a horror book.  The mythological aspects of Wonder Woman are being used in an excellent fashion.  The turning of Wonder Woman's mother into a statue and all the Amazons into snakes by a pissed off Hera was creepy and an emotional punch in the gut.  You should be reading this book.

Huntress -  It would be unfair to leave this mini series out.  It has two more issues, so it is not part of the Fives.  This has been a great Huntress story that shows she is usable as an international figure.

Well that is what I read and what I think about the DCnU so far.  I have plans to buy some of the books I do not collect in monthly fashion in Trade form.  It is money that is hindering my comicbook buying of late.  If and when DC Comics raises the price of all books to $3.99 I will have some hard choices to make.  Sadly, I am being priced out of comics in many ways.


BDS

Red Lanterns #1

            This book is for those that LOVE the current continuity of the Green Lantern Corps.  Plus it has a connection in part to the movie.  I concur with other Bloggers that Atrocious has been sanitized in how he looks.  I guess the thought was if he looked more “human” it would make him easier to care about.

            Which brings up an important issue of the title.  We are being asked to care about some horrific characters.  How can a new reader look at Bleedz and understand her?  They do not know she was once a beautiful princess with gorgeous wings.  They do not know how a member of the Sinestro Corps took her and ripped her feathers off her wings and then took her body for his own perverse pleasure.  That is where her rage comes from.  She became a Red lantern through this path.  Same for Dex-Starr of Earth, they do not understand why a small cat is a powerful red Lantern.

            This is for those in the know and it is very hard to become a book new readers can access.  That will be its weakness.  I read it and saw a powerful story of an alien questioning his place in the Universe now that his original quest fro vengeance had ended.  It is the rebirth of Atrocious and the defining of the Red Lantern Corps.  Plus revenge seem en vogue this year, ABC has a new TV Show all about Revenge.

BDS

War of the Green Lanterns The Conclusion & Aftermath

Green Lantern #67  Conclusion

Green Lantern Corps #61

War Of The Green Lanterns Aftermath #1

War Of The Green Lanterns Aftermath #2

( T H E R E  W I L L  B E  S P O I  L  E  R S  ! )

 

            I will ramble a bit because I want to make sure the Spoiler stuff is on down the frame some before I talk about it.  This was a long delay in discussing the Conclusion I know.  The thing is I wanted to really talk about some of what happened and didn't want to have to censor my comments for fear of spoiling someone's reading experience.  So be warned, from here on I will not be responsible if you read something you shouldn't.

            GREEN LANTERN #67 wraps up the War.  We open with a mentally freed Green Lantern Corps in pitched battle with the Entity controlled Guardians.  Knowing they need help from the other Corps leaders Hal turns to Kyle.  He is the key to freeing the others from the Book of the Black.  Kyle literally draws them free.  It is cool and validates suspicions about certain members of the different colors that have been hinted upon.  The rings of the other colors are almost free to go to their respective welders.  Krona overrides the rings and soon he and Hal are in battle.

            During this one of the big moments happen.  Sinestro attacks without a power ring, until one selects him, a green ring.  That is right, Sinestro is once again a chosen corps member.  BIG SHOCK.  Hal just screams for him to fight.  The second occurrence of big importance comes when Hal Jordan summons the will to use the lethal force and kill Krona, a Guardian of the Universe.  This will drive fear into the hearts of the Guardians and spur the last shock.  Hal Jordan is dismissed from the Corps and sent back to Earth.

            You read correctly, Hal once again saves the Universe and the Guardians strip him of his power ring.  Sinestro is a Green Lantern.  The destruction is just massive and terrible.  It all leads into an aftermath of strange proportions.

            I am adding GREEN LANTERN CORPS #61 to the final report because it is as much part of the aftermath as the two issues released as a special.  This deals with one of the Green Lanterns chosen during the craziness that overwhelmed Mogo and the Corps and the effects on John Stewart.  Most of the “newbies” are just discarding the rings and asking to be taken home.  They are shattered beings.  When the rings chose them the effect was to then have them killing anyone and everyone around them before being called to Oa to battle the Earth Lanterns.  Most feel guilt and shame and are not wanting to be a GL.

            One young woman named Qurina does not want to give up the ring.  She was a law enforcement officer on her planet and has the sense of duty others do not.  Feeling scorned by the other Lanterns and still wanting to atone for her part in the War she seeks out the other person on Oa that is being scorned, John Stewart.  He destroyed Mogo to stop the flow of Green Lantern Power Rings across the Universe.  He made a choice that killed the most beloved Lantern in existence.  Now he is hated.

            A distress call comes from Qurina's sector.  The other GL for that sector is dead.  She responds with John by her side.  What follows is John teaching her about seeing the big picture.  It is a story that displays how small attempts can lead to more chaos, but seeing beyond the small conflict to the reasons and roots of the conflict can have a managed solution.  It is a nice story from the reconstruction of the Corps.

            Now we get to the WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS AFTERMATH # 1 & 2 which is a very detailed story with a bunch of conflict and directions that will lead into the DCnU.  A shattered Corps is at odds with what has occurred and some of the new Lanterns, Sinestro being the focus.  Resignations fly and the Guardians act like their usual arrogant selves.  Ganthet has retreated because he feels he fits nowhere.  It is here in Issue #1 that Salaak is shown as an important part of the Lantern bureaucracy.  He deduces that they all are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress.  The thing is we also see him mistreated by the very Guardians he is loyal to and it is here we see a possible Corps where Salaak serves as a main leader instead of follower of the Guardians.

            Sinestro screams for the ring to get off.  He is taken away and later we see the Guardians trying to get the ring off.  It apparently is stuck on him.  Natu, his daughter is recruited to help some disgruntled Lanterns kill Sinestro.  This will lead to a neat confrontation starring Kyle Rayner later on.  Kyle and John face some Earth Lantern hatred.  Seems the rest of the Corps is not happy to once again be rescued by the foursome from Earth.  A seed is growing that will mark a change in the way Lanterns approach each other.  The Alpha Lanterns will become important as “the cops who police the cops.”  Things are changing.

            This has been one of the best stories I have ever read.  Shocks and drama galore.  It was fast and serious and at the core you knew no one was safe.  Each of your favorite Lanterns had singular parts that allow for them to stand out.  It was yet another tale of wonder from Geoff Johns.  He keeps raising the bar and then jumping over it just to raise that bar again.

BDS

War of the Green Lanterns: Parts 7, 8, and 9

Green Lantern #66

Green Lantern Corps #60

Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #10

            I was not able to get this written and posted before I left for Heroes Convention.  Since it has been a bit of time I want to warn you readers if you have not gotten around to reading these books yet that I plan on discussing the big thing that happened this go around.  It was and has been spoiled all over the Internet and I see no reason to do anything more than give a warning that I will have that same spoiler material within this post.

            Yellow Lantern Hal Jordan and Red Lantern Guy Gardner are trying to get Parallax out of the Central Power Battery.  Standing in their way are the Guardians of the universe who have been possessed by the remaining entities.  They are really neat looking and the first thought I had while watching them attack was that they would make a cool toy set.  Still, this is a great battle.  Krona is around as well.  It makes for some cool visuals.  The secondary plot thread is the fate of those trapped by Lyssa Dark within the Book of the Black.  Sinestro has broken free of the horrific memories that each former Lantern trapped carries.  He searches for Lyssa and rips through the pages and memories of the others.  That is represented in some really creative artwork.  My theory of what the Indigo Tribe really is has some fact placed on it.  I thought when I saw Black Hand a true believing member of the Indigo Lanterns that is was a forced Compassion.  Seems I was right in thinking all the ring bearers were former “evil doers” forced to be forces of compassion.  The head Lantern of that group is pretty hardcore.  It makes sense why she is the only one of the group to see and interact with Sinestro as he enters her memories.

            Indigo Lantern John Stewart and Blue Lantern Kyle Rayner take over the GLC book.  There mission is to save Mogo.  The Planet lantern is discharging an infinity number of rings to find new Green Lanterns.  Problem is that because of the Yellow infection it is just building a larger army for Krona and not choosing the best of the Universe to serve.  It is an interesting fight.  Kyle and John face hordes of Green Lanterns and Mogo as well.  Do not forget what happens when a Blue lantern is near a Green Lantern, instant super charge.  Kyle does get a handle of his powers some and can snap some of the troops out of the infection.  Doesn't work on Mogo and the reason stems back to The Blackest Night.  This brings John to a cool use of a destructive Lantern groups power.  It also leads us to the explosive death of Mogo.  It was an unbelievable moment.

            The event is enough to snap every infected Lantern, Guardian, and Krona for a loop when the death causes a mental feedback.  Ghanthet is free and soon Guy has to worry about that Pink Thong again as he and Hal are forced to wear the two extra rings.  Guy gets Love and Hal gets Greed.  Even though with Ghanthet all the ROY G BIV spectrum is represented it falls to Guy Gardner to finish the job.  It is an inspiring and sad moment as Guy releases his feelings about being a Lantern.  Soon the gang is all assembled and free to unite as Green Lanterns again.  The final battle looms and it just adds that Geoff Johns is the greatest GL storyteller of this and many eras.

BDS

I Can't Believe They Did That!

I went by the Comic Shop today after I made a visit to the hospital.  It helped when I got home to go to the other worlds of my comics and let go of worry for a former youth and his family.  What shocked me was a big spoiler topic in the War of the Green Lanterns.  I am going to try and match up the background of my blog to allow me to comment and those that want to read to highlight it.  Let me just tell you that this thing I am talking about will have long reaching consequences for the Green Lantern Corps for years to come.  Expect a War Report before HeroesCon.  If possible I am going to try and post during the Convention.  So maybe you will get some up to date pics and comments.

BDS

War of the Green Lanterns: Parts 4, 5, & 6

GREEN LANTERN #65

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #59

GREEN LANTERN:  EMERALD WARRIORS #9

I had wondered if Geoff Johns could sustain another creative story event.  I mean, the guy has just built epic upon epic.  he does it again with War of the Green Lanterns.  This has been a wonderful read.  I figure that my having multiple books before me helps greatly.  If I were to read a title then have to wait it would be so excruciating because this story is just that good.  I mean we have the entire Corps taken over and the Guardians possessed.  It is brilliant.

I must say that Ganthet has been wonderful in this story.  Each time the little guy appears we are reminded just how powerful he is.  I wonder if he has forsaken his Guardian power?  If not it is a great balance to see just how powerful the odds are against the heroes this go around.  The Four Earthmen have been forced to take the rings of the other Corps to just fight against Krona's mind-controlled horde.  Add that one of the coolest things to happen is the arrival of Mogo.  That was so cool.

I can feel the consequences growing for them having made the decision to wear the other colors.  There will be ramifications for Guy as a Red Lantern, John as an Indigo Lantern, Kyle wearing a Blue Ring, and Hal taking up the mantle of Sinestro with a Yellow Ring.  Watching those emotions slowly force there way into each was funny and scary.  You can see the problems they are and will have with accepting these emotions into themselves.

This is a great read and I am just loving every minute of it.  The intrigue and scope of the story just builds each issue.  You want to know how this war will resolves itself.  Will Ganthet survive?  Can they stop Krona?  Will the Green Lantern Corp be trusted after what has occurred? It all is there waiting the be revealed.

BDS

War of the Green Lanterns

GREEN LANTERN #62

GREEN LANTERN #63

GREEN LANTERN #64

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #58

GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #8

One awesome thing that happened because I am a poor church worker is the fact that I had to wait so long before buying my comics.  Just the hold box was all I purchased and it was big.  The plus side is the way I got to read the beginnings of the WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS.  It reads very well back to back to back.  I love this stuff.  I am amazed how Geoff Johns seems to be able to up the ante each and every time he creates an event for the Corps.  Here we once again have a threat to the universe in the form of the rogue Guardian Krona.  Remember that I predicted correctly that Krona was the strange adversary that was capturing the entities.  In this grouping of comicbooks we see the Butcher (Red Entity) and the Predator (Violet Entity) captured and the collection complete.  What really was disturbing was seeing the "New Guardians" sucked into the Book of the Black.

All heck has broken loose.  The final Guardians are possessed by the Entities and now Parallax is inside the Central Battery and turning the Green Lantern Corps into a group of Zombies.  Apparently Krona has no new ideas.  He reprogrammed the Manhunters to kill a planet and now it appears his plan is to use the Corps and Guardians to kill the Universe.  Creepy and dangerous is the order as again the four Earth Lanterns must face this threat with only Kilowoog and Ganthet along for the ride.  When you see what happens to Ganthet you will feel pain.  I like that little guy and seeing him take the lead and put himself out there makes me hope that at least before all is over he is able to see Syad again.  I probably misspelled her name.  

This story is like no other in recent days.  Sure we get the same cosmic danger, but the fact that our threat is the very ones that normally stop the danger is very different.  I am wondering what all those other Corps are doing as this is unfolding.  As I write this a thought occurred to me about the fact that Hal has the rings of the other "New Guardians" and I think I know how they come into play.  See Kyle and John are trapped without the aid of their rings on Oa as Ganthet runs a diversion.  So where is Hal and Guy?  They end up in EMERALD WARRIORS beating the crap out of each other somewhere far away.  By the time the snow clears I bet Hal wishes he had let his buddies Flash, Superman, and Batman tag along.

Oh I am loving this storyline.  It helps that this is happening in the Green Lantern section of books only.  It also helps that DC dropped the price of EMERALD WARRIORS to $2.99.  Some of you are trade waiters, my advice is to plan on getting this in trades if you aren't buying the titles monthly.  This is The Green Lantern Corps at its worst and maybe its finest.


BDS

My Long Delayed Report on What Comics I Bought The Last Wednesday In February

            I am a week late in telling you about last week's trip to the comic shop.  I was able to get to Ssalefish Comics to empty some of my books out of the hold box.  It has been a rough time at the end of February financially.  I had the normal health insurance and medicine bills to deal with and a nice surprise.  It was time to renew the auto insurance.  I went shopping and changed the place I get my insurance from.  The main reason was the fact that the old company stopped allowing customers to stop by and pay the bill.  For me this is a problem.  I have to wait on checks and sometimes scrap the money together over a week or so.  I need the ability to drop by and pay.  So I ended up with a cheaper policy for the same coverage which is nice.  I also went to see the Sleep Apnea doctor, the reason I was in the same area as the comicbook shop.

            There is something I try not and let happen and that is letting my books pile up.  I like paying for and getting the books in a timely manner.  Rarely do I sort and buy only part of the books either.  This time I had too.  It means now there are two with a possible third on the way issues of ECHO in the box.  That is a $3.50 book so it adds up.  DC Comics helped greatly with the $2.99 across the board pricing.  What follows is what I picked up that last Wednesday in February.

            We begin with the newly added creative team on SUPERGIRL, which I added back to my pull list.  I need to state for the record that I love the new hairstyle on Supergirl.  Kara was always similar to Wonder Girl and Stephanie Brown in the long blonde hair look.  Add in Lady Blackhawk and any other fair haired gal and the DCU was looking like they had only one hairstylist for all the heroines.  Last issue saw a weird guy start a new app for smart phones.  “Flyover” is a social tracker of Supers and the idea was that everybody would take pics and upload locations.  Cool except for the fact that it is being used to send groups of villains to attack the younger heroes of the DCU.  What is awesome about SUPERGIRL #61 is that the brat Robin is in the issue.  He is on the phone in a pitch battle when Kara lends a hand.  What follows is what I have begun to enjoy, Damien and the cool older blonde heroine team up.  This book has been really good for two issues.  Let us hope for three and more.

            BATMAN BEYOND #2 finds Terry McGuiness facing down the future Justice League.  His mother and brother are part of a group of hostages being held by a new version of the Matter Master.  Terry really shines as he takes out the League one by one, except for as Bruce Wayne puts it, “the one he likes.”  Still, this is a book that is just well written and superbly drawn.  It is like having the animated series back.  Dana even gets a nice cameo.  This is just what comics should be in all forms.  It is a great read for the older fan and accessible to the younger reader.  This is a series I would give to my cousins as a gift.

            One of the books that I was reading that DC dropped the price down to $2.99 was GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #7.  I liked that as I was picking books to buy and ones to wait on buying that I could see how Guy Gardener was doing as he battled Krona's weird partner.  I was correct by the way, Krona was capturing the entities.  Speaking of Lanterns, GREEN LANTERN CORPS #57 had a guest appearance by Firestorm.  We get some resolution to the Weaponeer story.  Not satisfying, by well written.  I hate what happened to the guy at the end, but it will make the future interesting.  Sinestro is one messed up Dad.  He basically tells Sora that if she had been harmed he would have destroyed Qward.  The funny thing is I almost believe he wanted her harmed so he could do just that thing.  Sora Natu is fast becoming a strong Green lantern character.  I hope she and Kyle can go the distance in their relationship.  He needs a strong woman in his life and she is a great character to be outshining the big boys of the Corps.

            Catching up with WONDER WOMAN #607 makes me even more convinced that this should have been an Elseworlds story.  Diana is missing in the DCU right now and even though JMS is crafting a really cool story, I can't help put think about what this is doing top the character.  She is once again pushed aside after all this talk of her being part of this Trinity.  Batman is over-saturated and Superman is as observable as ever, yet Wonder Woman is almost invisible.  It should be her plane and not her that we cannot see well.  Again, cool read, but a bad decision to keep the character front and center.

            Judd Winnick has at long last kept me reading a series he is writing.  I have had bad experiences with his taking over a title I read.  POWER GIRL #21 has held this book in the pull list.  It is not the must read like it was when it first came out, but it doesn't suck either.  I am glad.  I have enjoyed reading about this character.  She has such a different group of heroes than I normal encounter in the DCU.  In this issue she has to make Batman remember Max Lord.  She gets some help from Batman???  If you have not been keeping up with batman then you will not get the attempt at humor there in that sentence.

            Because I am a puppeteer I was a bit upset with the prejudice of making them “creepy” here.  Everyone knows clowns are much creepier than puppets.  Still ZATANNA #9 is good.  We get a bit more of a look at the scary incident that made Zee be mind wiped by dear old dad.  What I really loved was the backup story of the child Zatanna dealing with getting braces.  It was just so cute and funny.  I love the way she handles things and the writing of her dialogue was priceless.

            I got the SECRET SIX #30 that was in the box, but skipped until next trip the picking up of the crossover issue of Doom Patrol that goes with it.  What did make the buy pile immediately was the awesome BIRDS OF PREY #9.  Gail Simone has returned to her excellence in writing as she returns the Birds back to the elite team of heroes we deserve.  Oracle is tying up loose ends with Calculator and the gals are in the middle.  Black Canary fights for her life inside her mind as that weird gal Mortis touched her last issue.  The others are captured and we are reminded why Lady Blackhawk is so cool.  She is handcuffed in a school bus and still puts a bully villain in his place and gives a great groin shot to a henchman.  Huntress shines even out of costume.  Helena is becoming who I think she was destined to be as a character under Simone's well crafted writing.

            A decision is made here.  I will begin talking about the TOP COW titles I read.  It was Top Cow that was used as a way to attack me where I last worked.  Part of me wants to play it safe and just leave this be, but another part feels like that is denying part of who I am.  So I will tell you that I bought WITCHBLADE #142.  It was a great solo Patrick Gleason story that will be continued.  Witchblade is a Mature Read.  I have always described it as like a Network Television 10 o'clock show.  It is not for the kiddies.  Under Ron Marz this title has become a wonderful story for older comic fans.  Gleason is the current partner and boyfriend of Sara, the wielder of the Witchblade.  Can he survive horrific forces without the mystical might of the Witchblade?  Guess we find out next issue.

            Rounding out the haul was BATGIRL# 18, BRIGHTEST DAY #19 & #20, and a free issue of JLA #53 because I spent more than ten bucks.  This ends my adventures in not being able to buy all my comics.

BDS

Arrrrgh!

Green Lantern Corps #58 Variant

Weather has sidetracked me by causing a cold to form.  I have a big Youth Event Friday.  Doc appointment tomorrow.  

I was doing so well with the post.  I will be on a limited buying trip to the comic shop as bills take priority.  Expect a Batgirl review next week though.  It will be interesting picking what to buy from the hold box.  I do plan on picking up the next issue of Supergirl after the new team came on.

Sadly, I read that Dwayne McDuffie died.  I was just reading his Justice League of America stuff a few weeks back.  It is a sad passing for comics and the world in general.  He was such a creative force.  He also was a good role model and example to kids of all colors, but the African-American community specifically.  His family is in my prayers.

BDS

Who is capturing the Entities?

Over at the DC Blog they placed this page up and started running the question of who this guy is that has captured some of the entities, including Parallax, and now has made his presence know.  The comments surprised me.  No one had mentioned in the seven comments made the one I think it is in the rags.  They write some dude named Apa Ali Apsa who has John Stewart connections.


See I have been thinking Krona.  It fits to me that Johns would use Krona next.  His history fits the actions and his reappearance.  There were ties to Nekron.  I think that the Worldsoul thing will become tied to the White Lantern and the discovery of the White Entity.  So there is my official guess, Krona.


For the record, I called the White Lantern scenario in a close way.  Hal Jordan did become one like I said and I had the color thing nailed.  I hope to be proven correct once again.


BDS