Category Archives: DC
Review: Teen Titans #15
I am torn by this new issue of Teen Titans. On the one hand, it’s an entertaining comic with a really good focus on the team leaving their comfort zone to go on a group mission, kind of like going on a field trip. On the other hand, it’s the worst Death of the Family tie-in yet. And it adds to my growing hatred of the Joker’s omnipotence. Apparently while plotting the attack on Batman and the Bat-family, the Joker took the time to research all of the Teen Titans and construct an elaborate trap for them, which the Titans trigger exactly how the Joker predicted! He even drew the diagram on a chalkboard.
Teen Titans #15
So apparently people like Bunker and Wonder Girl factor into Joker’s big plan to get Batman, and the Clown Prince of Crime can accurately predict the actions and movements of Kid Flash. At least we get some solid Tim Drake moments.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
This is not a bad comic as far as the Teen Titans are concerned. Finally, at long last, I really got the sense that they were a team that existed in the greater DCnU. Not completely, mind you. But I really got a strong feeling that Tim Drake’s motley crew of teenage superheroes might be the real deal. There are many ways that the DC reboot utterly failed to build a cohesive universe, with the Teen Titans towards the top of that list, but I really liked how the team came off in this issue. They’re done with the internal fighting and the silly N.O.W.H.E.R.E. stuff, and now it’s finally time to let them be a real superhero team responding to real problems. So at least that was spot on.
But oh lord, this issue is terrible when it comes to the Joker.
It makes sense that the Joker would attack each of Batman’s sidekicks individually, because that’s his whole scheme, to take them out in order to make Batman stronger. But the tie-in writers are really coming up with some stupidly elaborate plots to make this happen. Not to mention the question of how it is that the Joker is able to attend to each of these traps seemingly simultaneously? Especially when most of them rely on extreme guess work.
Damian found the Joker in Batman and Robin by discovering traces of hyena urine at Wayne Manor. So Joker is at the zoo waiting for him. Nightwing found the Joker in a warehouse in his own comic by analyzing the Joker venom that killed his friend. So Joker was at that warehouse waiting for him. Joker was also at Izabel’s apartment in order to kidnap Jason Todd in Red Hood and the Outlaws. And Joker is now out and about ready to kidnap and taunt an imprisoned Tim Drake. And somehow the Joker found time to predict exactly where Kid Flash would go looking for him, and plant a trap specifically designed for Kid Flash.
How is the Joker doing all of this!? And all at the same time? It’s getting ridiculous. Especially when an issue like this has very little to nothing to do with the overall Death of the Family story. Anyone who bought this issue just because of the tie-in will be disappointed. Especially since guest writer Fabian Nicieza just doesn’t do this new Joker any justice, not as much as the other writers on this crossover, at least.
Join me after the jump for a fully synopsis and more review!
Batman Just Loves Beating Up Cops
Though I think they started it. Here’s the first clip of the upcoming DVD Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2.
When Peter Weller isn’t speaking, Batman is actually very badass in these movies. The DVD comes out on Jan. 29 and I am definitely going to watch. Though as you may recall, I wasn’t enthralled with the first one. Entertained, sure, but it had a lot of flaws.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 12/29/12
After last week’s tsunami of comics, both Marvel and DC decided to take it easy during Christmas. Marvel has only delivered The Amazing Spider-Man #700 (and a side issue that I didn’t read), while DC only put out Justice League and Aquaman, kicking off their big Throne of Atlantis storyline. So I’m definitely excited to say that this week’s comics were all pretty damn awesome. I’ve already written at length about my reaction to the big revelation in The Amazing Spider-Man #700, so now I’m just going to review the comic itself – which earns the coveted Comic Book of the Week!
Not that Aquaman and the gang over at DC Comics don’t have some fun this week too.
Comic Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man #700, Justice League #15, and Aquaman #15.
WARNING: Full SPOILERS to follow!
Batgirl and Supergirl’s Cookie Exchange
Merry Christmas from Henchman-4-Hire! And from artist Mike Maihack!
I’m so glad that Mike Maihack is taking care of Christmas for me. While I’m out spending the day with my family, I can count on him to draw an adorable new Batgirl and Supergirl adventure to celebrate the holidays! I posted his previous comic last year. They are just the some of the most adorable superhero comics you’ll find this side of Super Best Friends Forever, which also happens to star Batgirl and Supergirl. Funny how that works out.
Anyway, I hope everybody’s having a Merry Christmas and some enjoyable holidays!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 12/22/12
What the hell, Marvel!? Some of us still have Christmas shopping to do, yet you hit us the week before Christmas with a massive pile of new comics to buy? Jeez louise! Bad enough this is also my heavy DC Comics week too! So let’s just say I bought a ton of comics this week, all so Marvel can be all fancy and only release Amazing Spider-Man #700 next week. Their big marketing scheme is hell on my wallet. At least most of the comics that came out this week were pretty good.
Everything under the sun seemed to come out this week, giving us a wide range of different titles. We’ve got major releases for the Avengers, X-Men and the Fantastic Four, not to mention both X-Force titles. If you’re more into Batman and the Death of the Family story, there are both the Nightwing and Red Hood tie-ins, one of which was good and the other quite bad. So very busy week. And though there were a lot of great titles, I think FF #2 pulls away with Comic Book of the Week. I really think that title is going to live up to its awesome potential.
Comic Reviews: All-New X-Men #4, Avengers #2, Batwoman #15, Cable and X-Force #2, Captain Marvel #8, FF #2, Green Lantern #15, Green Lantern: New Guardians #15, Hawkeye #6, Indestructible Hulk #2, Nightwing #15, Red Hood and the Outlaws #15, Thor: God of Thunder #3, Thunderbolts #2, Uncanny X-Force #35, Wolverine and the X-Men #22, Wonder Woman #15.
Henchman-4-Hire 