I was on vacation from work this week and mostly spent the time relaxing and enjoying my various hobbies. I caught up on a lot of comics I’ve fallen behind on, and probably could and should have reviewed a lot more this week…

Comic Book of the Week goes to Batman #155 for an issue that’s fit to bursting with engaging storytelling and fantastic artwork!

Meanwhile, I spent the week playing through the discounted DLC from Sniper Elite 5, a game series I very much enjoy. I’m still doing another playthrough on Baldur’s Gate 3, because it’s cheaper than buying a fully priced Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which is what I was tempted to do. And I bought Hades on sale, so that should be fun once I really devout time to it. Beyond that, I built some LEGO and started reading Chip Zdarsky’s Daredevil run. A good, enjoyable week off, I’d say! And I’ve still got a few days left.

Comic Reviews: Absolute Superman #2, Batgirl #2, Batman #155 and X-Men #8.

Absolute Superman #2
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Rafa Sandoval
Colorist: Ulises Arreola
Letterer: Becca Carey

Just like with Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman, we’re back with another banger in Absolute Superman!

Lazarus Agent Lois Lane has handcuffed herself to Superman in the middle of an all-out assault by the Peacemakers. So while struggling with her attempts to arrest him, Superman does everything he can to hold off the soldiers and rescue the innocent people in harm’s way. When his supersuit finally unlocks the intricate cuffs, Superman takes off, though not without leaving quite the impression on Agent Lane.

Meanwhile, in the Krypton flashbacks, we learn quite a bit more about their society and how Kal-El escaped the dying planet.

Comic Rating: 9/10 – Great.

This is another awesome issue that shows off just how rich and powerful these Absolute Comics have been. This thing is quintessential Superman, through and through. To it’s very core. Superman is here to help people, even in the face of great danger to himself. And this issue shows that off wonderfully. The villains are quite evil, but now we’ve also got the new version of Lois Lane. She remains true to herself (with a slight nod to her reporter roots), and now she gets a chance to be in the thick of it with Superman. It’s fun, it’s heroic, it’s not very flirty, but it’s still a great way to launch their relationship. This issue does a lot of very good work with Kal-El as a person, both in the Earth scenes and the Krypton flashbacks.

This issue also features a lot of great world-building. I loved the use of Brainiac as something of a generative AI or algorithm, contrasted against the same thing on Krypton, which is used to rather hilarious and horrible effect here. I also liked how the supersuit is apparently the spaceship, and the introduction of the new take on his cape. DC had announced in advance that the cape was made up of dirt from Krypton, and I wasn’t sure what to make of that…but seeing it in action — complete with the utterly gorgeous artwork — made me an instant believer. Very creative, very well executed; kudos all around in creating this new take on Superman!

TL;DR: This second issue is chock full of everything that is making this series great. It’s full of the core power of Superman, while letting the new deviations flourish in all the best ways.

Batgirl #2
Writer: Tate Brombal
Artist: Takeshi Miyazawa
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Some personal preferences get in the way of my enjoyment of this new issue, but it’s otherwise still a solid, enjoyable comic that hopefully delights Batgirl fans.

Batgirl and Lady Shiva take refuge in a restaurant where Cassandra has been coming to for some time, where she finds comfort with the grandmotherly owner and helps train her grandsons to fight. Shiva tells her the backstory of the Unburied and they show up at the restaurant, led by Kalden the Unseen, who is so precise in his movements that Cass can’t read him in battle. The fight does not go her way.

Comic Rating: 6/10 – Pretty Good.

Right off the bat, the writing and artwork are great. I enjoy how Cass is written, along with her mother, and the artwork easily carries the story as we see a lot of action and a lot of quieter character moments. My problems with this series are in some of the plot and story choices, and that’s purely on me. The Unburied just aren’t very interesting of villains. They’re an ancient warrior ninja clan that just so happens to have come back at this very minute? Targeting Lady Shiva? I mean, it’s fine, but just not very interesting. And their leader is also very weak. Batgirl is known for one very specific thing: her ability to read body language. So let’s create a villain whose body language is so unreadable that Batgirl can’t handle him. Rather basic. But also, I’m being very, very pedantic about it (and I’ll actually touch on this again in my X-Men review down the page). I also didn’t like that we get this whole supporting crew/friends to Cassandra from out of nowhere, only for them all to needlessly get killed. Seems like a waste.

TL;DR: A well-crafted issue that is a little basic and predictable on the story and plot.

Batman #155
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Jorge Fornes
Colorist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Meanwhile, I’ve finally fully collected and have started reading Chip Zdarsky’s Daredevil run. Why did I buy the entire thing in hardcover and tpb form before I’d read a single page? Because I have no willpower when it comes to buying pretty comics.

Jim Gordon has been arrested for the shooting death of the mayor, but neither Harvey Bullock or Batman want to believe it. We see in flashback how Jim started an affair with the mayor’s wife and how his eventual confrontation with the mayor went down, but we don’t see him pull the trigger. Batman does some good, old fashioned detective work and finds solid proof that Jim is responsible, and confronts him in an interrogation room. But there’s another clue right to find, perched atop Jim Gordon’s nose…his eyeglasses! And the secret hidden inside them…

Meanwhile, the corporate intrigue deepens around Bruce Wayne’s mysterious new brother and Nigmatech’s hostile takeover of Wayne Enterprises.

Comic Rating: 9/10 – Great.

Hot damn, this was a fun issue! So much happened and all of it was really interesting! Gordon having a torrid love affair with another man’s wife! Gordon being quite possibly guilty of this crime, and what that’s doing to Bullock and Batman. All the detective work that Batman actually does, including that truly exciting final scene where he discovers the clue inside the glasses, and how that is a wonderful reveal that flips so much of the story so far. In the moment, it truly is one of those great forehead-slapping reveals that works so perfectly, despite being so simple. I’m not going to spoil it here; just know that I loved it! I loved this issue.

Then the artwork is absolutely perfect! It’s completely different from Jorge Jimenez, but Fornes perfectly channels David Mazzucchelli’s Batman: Year One style, to the point that I went to look up Fornes to see if he was indeed the Year One artist, or had possibly worked on Gotham Central back in the day. Nope! Dude is just immaculately bringing that old style to life in all the best ways. And it makes the issue all the stronger for it. I love that style. Who doesn’t love the artwork from Year One? Excellent all around.

Other than the cover, which has nothing to do with the issue inside.

TL;DR: This storyline is now firing on all cylinders, just like the creative team on this issue. Neat storyline, great twists, phenomenal artwork, and all sorts of fun little subplots and character bits throughout.

X-Men #8
Writer: Jed MacKay
Artist: Ryan Stegman
Inkers: JP Mayer, Livesay and Stegman
Colorist: Marte Gracia
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles

It’s issues like this one that make me realize I’m too old and jaded to read modern, monthly comics, probably. I’ve read too much in my day.

Beast has been taken to Graymalkin Prison, along with Jubilee and Calico from Uncanny X-Men. So Cyclops and his squad mount an attack — one that’s interrupted by Rogue and her squad.

Comic Rating: 7/10 – Good.

So what do I mean by I’ve read too much. Well, the storyline here feels very much done before. Some X-Men are in a mutant prison, and some other X-Men show up to bust them out. The villains — the Warden especially — talk a big game, but nothing they say or do really matters because, in the grand scheme of things, they’re nothing. How many times have we had a mutant prison? How many pseudo militaristic, anti-mutant villains have we had over the decades? How is the Warden any different? Nothing about this storyline is crafted in such a way as to really be memorable or impactful. It feels like the Warden is getting away with being so cruel simply because the X-Men haven’t been written as stopping her yet.

And now we’re at the storyline where they stop her and there’s nothing here to indicate they can’t or won’t stop her. Cyclops and his X-Men strike with surgical precision, as well they should because it’s Cyclops and his squad of X-Men. And we’re led to believe that they will clash with Rogue’s squad…but there’s nothing in the story yet or From the Ashes as a whole to lead us to believe they would or should clash.

There’s nothing stopping Rogue and Cyclops from teaming up and just turning this prison upside down…other than that’s probably not how it has been plotted out.

But if one ignores all the knowledge and experience I’ve gained from consuming media all my life, it’s a fine issue and the story could matter. If you meet this storyline on its level and ignore any bias you bring to the table, it’s a solid comic. Some of our heroes are in a bad place, and our other heroes are finally composed enough in the wake of Krakoa to do something about it. The Warden and her nameless, faceless soldier goons started small, but they’ve overstepped too far and now need to be put down. And you’ve got some superstar writers and artists to make it happen, and they do a great job bringing the issue and the story to life. So on its own, it’s a fine comic and a fine storyline.

Also, on a personal note, it’s a little sad that this is what became of the Blob after all his good new character stuff on Krakoa…but this is also a perfect use of the Blob. This is the sort of thing Blob should be used for. And it’s not like Tom Brevoort was ever going to randomly stumble upon my blog and let me pitch him my idea for a Dark X-Men comic for From the Ashes! But a fella can dream.

TL;DR: While the writing, art and character usage are quite excellent, the overall story and villains leave a lot to be desired, especially considering how much time has been spent building them up.

The comics I review in my Hench-Sized reviews are just the usual comics I grab from Comixology any given week, along with a few impulse buys I might try on a whim. So if there are any comics or series you’d like me to review each week, let me know in the comments.

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