It’s a new week. There are new comics. I’ve got a dentist appointment so I’m kinda rushing through this week. It’s only DC comics! Like Absolute Superman and Batman!

Comic Book of the Week goes to Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League for a wonderful final issue of this wonderful little mini-series.

Meanwhile, I’m playing my way through Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora because it was on sale and I’m enjoying it very much. I like a big open world game. Haven’t seen the third movie yet, but I hope to catch a showing before it leaves theaters. I watched the second season of Fionna and Cake and loved that. And then I’ll need to find something else to watch.

Comic Reviews: Absolute Superman #15, Batman #5, Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League #6 and Absolute Batman: Ark M Special.

Absolute Superman #15
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Juan Ferreyra
Letterer: Becca Carey

The major opening storylines are over, and now it’s time for Superman to settle into being a person. Let’s go!

In the wake of battle, Clark settles onto the Kent farm and tries to live a normal life, but he finds himself rushing around the world extinguishing fires, literally and otherwise. We examine what it’s like for him to try to settle down with super hearing and the need to help everybody he can. It’s sweet and frustrating and all-encompassing. He gets moments with Lois and Lana and even tries to rehabilitate Ra’s al Ghul over time. Then Hawkman shows up.

Comic Rating: 10/10 – Fantastic.

Wonderful issue. All the battles and troubles and villains are out of the way (for now), and Superman gets to just live. He gets to try to be Clark Kent. He gets to try to settle down on a farm in Kansas. He gets to make friends. He gets to have cute girls try to ask him out. But he also has to juggle the massive responsibilities he’s given himself. It’s long been a point of contention or discussion about how Superman surely hears every single tragedy in the world all the time, so how does he decide who to help and who to let die? Aaron tackles that fact head on with this issue and explores it very well with his version of Superman. Obviously there’s never going to be a right or wrong answer on this topic, but Aaron does a fine job exploring it and it how it impacts Absolute Superman himself and his journey of self discovery.

The specifics of this issue are also very excellent.

I loved seeing Clark start coming into his own. I like the idea that the people closest to him know that he’s Superman and are supportive. I liked that he’s getting hit on by both Lana and Lois; that’s a fun dynamic! They both recognize that he’s hot and fit, and he’s also completely out of his depth with that stuff. That was fun. I liked his attempts to rehabilitate Ra’s al Ghul, and I hope they work. This issue is an all-around good look at Clark trying to make a life for himself now that all the dust has settled. And it’s got some fantastic painted artwork from Ferreyra to help convey all that grandeur and emotion, and show off his new blue suit.

TL;DR: The dust has settled, the comic moves on and Aaron and his art team deliver a gorgeous look at Absolute Superman moving forward.

Batman #5
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Jorge Jimenez
Colorist: Tomeu Morey
Letterers: Jimenez and Clayton Cowles

I hope this doesn’t sound too harsh, but Fraction’s Batman is definitely not on the level of Fraction’s Hawkeye. Still a fun read.

Bruce takes Dr. Zeller out on what they both insist is not a date (but maybe is) to discuss her work, and they’re attacked by mercs trying to claim the bounty on her head. Bruce does some nifty driving and some nifty fisticuffs to fend off some swordboys on motorbikes and The Ojo, a Japanese villain with, like, bird powers? I dunno. It’s a daring issue of the of them on the run, with Bruce trying to maintain his civilian identity, until they’re saved from The Ojo by Robin…who then accidentally calls Bruce ‘father’ in front of Dr. Zeller.

Comic Rating: 8/10 – Very Good.

I’m probably being unfair in comparing Fraction’s Batman to his legendary Hawkeye run. Perhaps they’re not trying to do the same thing. And that’s fine. So far, I’ve enjoyed this comic immensely, but I also don’t think it’s trying to be anything extraordinary…but then maybe that was also the case with Hawkeye. Perhaps Fraction and Aja weren’t setting out to create the defining comic of the 2010s. Anyway, all of that is just to say that this is a fun little done-in-one Batman issue where Bruce is out of costume and has to keep a new love interest safe from some crazy bad guys. And in that regard, it’s a super fun little issue.

I like this Dr. Zeller character. She’s gorgeous, especially drawn by Jimenez. But she’s also kind of clumsy and uncoordinated, which is a fun addition to level up her character. And I always like a bit of romance in my comics, so I’m all for Bruce Wayne flirting up a pretty lady. Fraction also has a lot of fun balancing Bruce trying to maintain his secret identity while keeping them both safe, leading to that predictable ending with a Damian appearance. Classic comic bookery.

TL;DR: Fun little done-in-one adventure starring Bruce Wayne instead of Batman, so a nice mix-up of the norm.

Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League #6
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Nicola Scott
Colorist: Annette Kwok
Letterer: Troy Peteri

Here it is! The big ending to one of my favorite comic book series of last year! And it damn sure nails the landing!

The last issue ended with Klarion betraying the team and revealing them to Black Adam and his team of bad guys, who want the Power Bank. Our villains are forced to turn it over…just in time for the Justice League to arrive and fight the bad guys! Our villains teleport back home and reveal that was the plan all along: They never wanted the Power Bank, it was a distraction, so they could loot the Watchtower’s trophy room. Everybody goes home with some stolen loot!

But that wasn’t the target either! They were actually after a special flower that would allow them to summon a god. They summon the one that powers/tortures Cheetah, who has been mentioned all series, and she kills him because he’s bound by Klarion! So now she’s free of all the dark magic he’s been torturing her with since forever!

Comic Rating: 9/10 – Great.

Rucka and Scott pulled off an absolutely perfect heist comic, and this final issue delivers a few fun twists to tie everything together with a nice, big bow. I suppose I didn’t dig too deeply into the story, because I definitely didn’t see these classic twists coming: that the betrayal was all part of the plan, and that the heist target was not the actual target after all! Good times! The reveals come nicely and make for a very satisfying final issue. The writing makes it especially fun and character-focused, which is even better. Great character work in this series.

I especially enjoyed the ending and I look forward to whatever Rucka and DC have planned for Cheetah. The thing with her god has been a running issue all series, and I just kind of wrote it off as part of her character. Imagine my surprise when the entire series is all about fixing that issue for Cheetah and hopefully turning her into a more focused and interesting character! How nice for her. She had a great issue in the Wonder Woman comic recently and she’s on fire elsewhere, so I hope they’ve got some big plans in the near future.

TL;DR: The heist comes to an end with some style, flourish and final issue twists that work splendidly.

Shorter Reviews:

Absolute Batman: Ark M Special written by Scott Snyder and Frank Tieri, with artwork by Joshua Hixson, Roman Stevens and letters by Clayton Cowles

As with all special edition stuff in the Absolute Universe, this issue fleshes out a bit more of the world and the new continuity. As per expected for a story about Arkham Asylum, it’s all dark and brooding and gothic and all that good stuff. We don’t get any real insight into Ark-M, but we find out about the secret history of Arkham Asylum in this universe, with more info on Jack Grimm. It’s all good and it all works. The issue itself has a nice twist by the end that ties the contained story together and that’s nice. And we get a lot of teases about upcoming villains. Part of me thinks we’re really running through all the classic Batman villains rather quickly…but then how long will Absolute last? We’ll see how it goes.

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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