Take It Or Leave It – July 10, 2013

Batgirl #22

This was a very character driven issue of Batgirl, one where Batgirl never really shows up. We get Barbara Gordon through the whole issue, trying to come to terms with where her life has gone. The issue picks up right where 21 ended with her date Ricky showing up, after she had forgotten about the date. While it was interesting to see Barbara out having a life away from the Bat, the thing that really drove the issue was her internal struggles. She was having a good time, but all the while was still struggling with what she’d done to her own brother and realizing her family would never be whole again. And speaking of the Gordon family, there are some great scenes with Barbara and her father. There are a lot of powerful scenes in this book, but the biggest moment came at the end during a conversation that didn’t involved Barbara at all. I don’t want to spoil it, but it’s worth reading almost for that alone. Overall this was a really solid book and helped expand on all the emotional stuff that’s gone down in the last several issues.

Verdict: Take It

Score: 9/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Batman #22

Batman Year One is a great story, it’s one of the first Batman stories I ever read, and really set a new tone and direction for the Dark Knight when it came out back in the ’80s. Hell our first That’s Not What Happened Podcast is going to be covering Year One later this summer. Now with all that in mind, I have to say after 2 issues I’m really enjoying where this Zero Year story is going. Yes it’s changing some of the things that Year One established, but who’s to say any of that is even canon in The New 52 anyway. The important thing about it is, we seem to be getting even more of what happened in those early times for Bruce Wayne, before he starting wearing the Cowl. While Year One moved fairly quickly through that first year, and focused a lot of Gordon, we’re now seeing the smaller steps Bruce made, and how he really became the man he is now. It’s also nice to know Alfred didn’t just jump right on board with the insanity of Bruce’s plans. We’ve got a lot more left to happen in this story, so make sure to get on board now before you’re really kicking yourself later.

Verdict: Take It

Score: 8/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Justice League #22

There has been a lot of hype for Trinity War, and now with Justice League 22 it’s finally here. Now if like me, you’ve only been following the standard Justice League book, you’re probably going into this not really knowing what’s happening. Well fear not, things will not be changing anytime soon! I’m just as confused about what Trinity War is really about than I was before. That’s not to say this was a bad issue, a lot of interesting things happened, particularly Pandora showing up and trying to get Superman to open her box. Apparently he is far more human than she realized, which isn’t really a good thing. Shazam also finally makes a proper appearance in this book, now that his introduction finished up last month. I wasn’t too keen on following all of the other Justice League books, but I think with where this story feels like it’s heading, I might just do that. At least until the wars over, we’ll have to see where all the pieces land after that. The basic feeling I’m getting from this is like the last year of Green Lantern stuff, if you don’t plan on reading all of it, don’t read any of it. That goes for all three books, just wait till the story line is over and jump back on afterwards.

Verdict: Leave It – Unless you’re going to read ALL of Trinity War

Score: 7/10

Reviewed By: Chris

America’s Got Powers #6

I really want to like this book, it’s got an interesting premise and some great artwork, but at this point I don’t even remember when Issue 5 came out, and I barely remember what’s been going on. If you’ve been following the story than you know that all the super powered kids staged a mutiny of sorts to stop being controlled. Now by this issue the US government is ready to Nuke all of them, and pretty much destroy the West Coast just to win. The biggest problem is after over a year, I don’t remember why I should care. I have no attachment to any of these characters, and honestly I don’t see why the government shouldn’t just blow them all up and fix the problem once and for all. Now if the book had released better and I had grown attached to these characters and their lives, than maybe I would being saying something a little different. At this point there’s only one issue left, who knows when we’ll actually get it, but either way it’s not worth picking this one up for it. Wait till the trade comes out, with how quick Image is with those things, it shouldn’t be long after issue 7 that we get it. It’s just been to long for this to be a good book on it’s own anymore.

Verdict: Leave It

Score: 1/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Superior Spider-Man #13

I really enjoyed this issue, up to about the last 3 pages. At that point our new ‘hero’ went a did something stupid again. I loved how Spidey-Ock had come up with a way to counter every one of Smythe’s escape plans because while he was imprisoned he thought of them all first. It was a great way to tell the story and the fight was really great, right up to the final attempt being foiled. What got me was the demands Ock made of Jonah after everything was said and done, it wasn’t very heroly which is what he’s been aiming for. I’m also not sure I’m feeling the direction these leaves things in, he’s much more in the super villain area of things now than super hero and that’s kind of disappointing. Hopefully these new experiment as I’m going to call it doesn’t last long and we get back to Ock to how it was before. Even with that probably though, it’s still a really solid issue, and Curt Conners is finally back in the loop!

Verdict: Take It

Score: 7/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Ultimate Comics The Ultimates #27

Issue 27 of The Ultimates isn’t quite as good as 26 was, but it’s still going in the right direction. I’m really getting into this whole Disassembled arc and look forward to see where it’s going. The big problem with these issue, like some previous issues, is there was just too much going on it was a little hard to follow. The basic story is still gripping though, and I really want to see how The Ultimates can possibly defeat Reed, Kang, and the god damn Hulk. And being that it’s the Ultimate Universe, anything is possible, and no character is safe, so who knows maybe we get a different kind of Ultimates team when this is all said and done. Speaking of new teams, Nick Fury’s team was a nice little addition, but like a lot of the Ultimate Universe books lately, I feel like they’re forgetting their roots in pre-Ultimatium stories. I don’t want to get into it to much, but some of these characters were used in a different way previously and I doubt we’re going to get a fulfilling answer to how they came about now.

Verdict: Take It

Score: 7/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Uncanny X-Men #8

After the big fight with demons last issue, issue 8 of Uncanny X-Men brings things back home and lets the X-Men come to terms with their situation. There were a lot of great character moments going on, and the fact that one of their new mutants didn’t want anything to do with them shows, Scott’s method definitely isn’t for everyone. I do kind of wish they would have left the new guy with the car controlling powers out of it though, let us get to know some of these other newbies first will ya! Probably the highlight of the issue though is the conversation between Magneto and Cyclops, they’re both so different but still fighting for the same cause. They have a strange respect/rivalry thing going on and it makes for good story telling.

Verdict: Take It

Score: 7/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Nightwing #22

Nightwing is really doing well in Chicago, well the book is anyway, the character is kind of hit or miss at the moment. But we’re getting what makes Dick Grayson such a great character and that’s what matters, plus some of the supporting cast is finally starting to get fleshed out a bit here.

Verdict – Take It

Score: 7/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Superman Unchained #2

This series continues to be the best book featuring the Man of Steel, all of the internal thoughts really help to relate to the character more than any other book does. We see that it’s not as simple as just using heat vision or flying super fast around the earth to turn back time. If you want a good Superman book here it is, go buy it!

Verdict – Take It

Score: 8/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Hawkeye #12

Two issues in a row where neither Hawkeye is the main character, this time around it’s Clints brother Barney, and while it’s pretty different than the rest of this series, it’s no less amazing.

Verdict – Take It

Score: 9/10

Reviewed By: Chris

Young Avengers #7

Young Avengers is just a fun book, you really can’t read it and take it to seriously otherwise you’ll hate it. On the other hand if you go in looking for a fun read with interesting characters you’ll be in heaven.

Verdict – Take It

Score: 7/10

Reviewed By: Chris