Corbin Pool Comic Reviews

Recommendation:Buy… all of you. If you are looking for a new comic series to jump into, but don't know where to start, start here. It's a great option for new readers. If you didn't like Snyder's past work, this is so much different, that you'll most likely love it. If you did enjoy Snyder's past work, I think you'll still love this… It's a Batman/Two-Face Mad Max style road-trip with lower tier villains… HOW COULD YOU NOT LIKE THIS?!

Recommendation: Buy. I'm having a blast with the change of pace that this Batman story is giving us. I can't wait to see what happens at the end, and I can't wait to see more great artists on great Batman villains.

Backup Analysis: At first these backup stories were dragging a bit for me, and were hard to follow. Finally though, they are beginning to pick up the pace, and are becoming more and more interesting, as well as make more sense. I'm still having trouble explaining them to you guys, but hopefully the point is getting across, and that it will get easier as the story becomes more clear. Right now, Duke is becoming a more interesting character all the time, and I would love it if Harper Row showed back up in the series. Snyder needs to develop her as well, and I'm worried that he's forgotten about her… I'll ask him on Twitter. Shalvey and Bellaire are killing it in these backups. I'd love to see them do a story of bat-characters in Gotham during the daytime… After all, Gotham is a bad place and needs twenty-four hour protection.

Backup Analysis: Declan Shalvey's art continues to be rock solid. Jordie Bellaire's colors are perfect for his style. These guys rocked this backup. And you even get to see Declan draw some tiny versions of the Bat-Family. Snyder's script was on point this issue, and while I was assuming the woman died, I don't know for sure. But that was plot and not the story, so I'm not distraught over not knowing for sure. I'm surprised they ended with one issue to spare, so I'm excited to see the finale.

All-in-all, this was a fun comic, and I look forward to more in this series.

Backup Analysis: It was good to see Francesco Francavilla back doing Batman. I love his style, and I think that this may be some of his cleanest, smoothest work yet. His work is usually pretty loose, but he tightened things up here. I don't know if I like it more or less than what I've usually seen, but I still liked it. This story is seven pages long, and I wonder if it would have benefited by having another page or two, because I found Snyder's story lacking here. Again, it's tough to tell a story in such a limited amount of space, but it's even tougher to critique a story that is only seven pages long, so I may change my mind when I have the whole thing, but for now I am confused as to Daryl's involvement.

Backup Analysis: Scott Snyder's backups just aren't doing much for me. Maybe as a complete story they will work, but it's too chopped to tell a cohesive story. He's be better off giving us a brief character moment from Duke, as opposed to giving us an origin for his crimefighting. Francesco Francavilla's art is as bold and beautiful as usual. The simplicity of the style, coupled with the select few colors and the heavy black inks make every page pop.

With the constant rotation of All-Star artists, paired with the consistently great Snyder and Wands, makes this book live up to its name.

The team that brought you Black Mirror comes back here, and makes you wish they were still a regular thing on Batman.

This book does a perfect job in starting a new story, but also calling back to things that have happened in past issues" Not to mention that this is the Alfred/Batman story that I've been secretly wanting for years now.

With over-the-top ridiculousness, paired with emotional storytelling makes this book something special.

Not a perfect issue, but everyone involved did a solid job. We are have past the halfway mark, and things should be ramping up" I just hope we aren't an issue too late.

A very sloppy issue from this team overall which was unexpected… hopefully they can regroup and stick the landing.

This series was like a rough plane ride. It took off quick. It was exciting. It had lots of turbulence… but then it got you where you wanted to be.

A good solid beginning of a story, I look forward to seeing how this plays out. Duggan and Crystal do a great job of showing the emotional fallout Bruce and Alfred have of loosing the family home. It keeps hitting him in a way that they are constantly reminded of what they lost. All-in-all, it was a great read. I'm looking forward to this book.

What does this mean for Batman? Will there still be a MAN in the Bat? Tune in next time: Same Bat-time. Same Bat-place.

The GCPD take the REAL villains this time. Bruce give a look at the manor as the sun sets, and says “Maybe the gardens wouldn't be a bad place to get married.”

That's freaking gorgeous writing, you guys. That last scene between Bruce & Alfred may be my favorite ever. It gets me all emotional every time I read it. If it doesn't get to you, YOU HAVE NO HEART. My only complaint was by the end, it felt like Gordon was rushed into being Commissioner. Lots of times, prequel stories feel like we have to be at the status quo by the end of the story, and that's not necessarily the case. We don't need everything so neat & tidy by the end. We know the characters will be there eventually. But that was just a minor thing. This was a work of art, and I give…

Great single story. The only things that bugged me a bit were how differently Batman and Bullock's relationship are here than they are in Detective. But I liked this better, as they don't really like each other, but they respect one another and will work together. Also, Batman goes to Arkham. It's weird to think that he went there, in the midst of Eternal and didn't help out Batwing & Corrigan. HE WAS RIGHT THERE.

Scott Snyder has built up the potential to tell the ultimate Joker story. This issue represents what this story could bring. There are so many ideas flowing through my mind right now…

The backup was good as well. Kind of made me want to see this as a regular title, seeing Arkham inmates, and how other criminals have played with their already sick minds to get them to do what they want.

This book really surprised me. It balanced the action, and plot thread throughout very well, and with the exception of mistaking Maggie Sawyer for a scrawny man, Capullo's art was amazing, as usual. I'm also very happy that Snyder didn't drag out the ‘Bruce is dead' story. He teases us with that from the opening page. Snyder's possibly last ten issues are going to be a lot of fun.

Back with the kids from the beginning, the argument turns to Duke Thomas to decide “Is the old Batman gone for good?” He says he has no idea, as a bearded Bruce Wayne drops off bottles of water for the kids, telling the, to call him ‘Bruce' instead of ‘Mr. Wayne'. He is working with Julie Madison, at some sort of craft place. When he enters the other room, Gordon tells him that he is Batman and he wants to talk with him. Whaaaat?! Is Bruce running off to have the family Alfred always wanted for him? Does he have amnesia? What's going on?!

Mr. Bloom is meeting with Penguin. Penguin has Mr. Bloom shot, and takes the remaining seeds to sell to anyone willing to buy it. As they leave, Mr. Bloom recovers from his headshot, and stabs everyone in the room, including Penguin, with his long, pointy fingers. Whaat?! Hope Cobblepot doesn't die.

Batman goes there, as we see him destroy the gardens. The serum worked. It gave Peter the power to stand up for his side of town. Protect it, like Batman. But his power lasted only so long. He was shot, grew batwings, and flew away. He lost these abilities in mid-flight. Who do you blame? The crooked cops? The gangs? Mr. Bloom? It's all cause and effect. One bleeds into the other. Batman goes back to Peter's corner of Gotham, and in a final black and white page, asks to have a talk to the boys he scared off earlier in the issue.

Later that night, while Geri is making a speech to set Jim up for the resignation… Julia give Jim a pep talk to fight to stay Batman when he suddenly notices the bat-blimp approaching the building. He runs through the crowd to get to Geri, telling everyone to get down. He tackles Geri to the floor, saving her JUST as the blimp crashes through. A bunch of needle-like projectiles start killing people in the crowd. Mr. Bloom has arrived.

This issue feels like it more happened in it than usual" Maybe I'm imagining that, but that's how it felt.

This issue gave us much to mull over, without overloading us. I very much enjoyed it.

Closing thoughts –Snyder masters the art of pacing and delivers the most compelling issue of Superheavy yet, as we approach the climax of the story.

Closing Thoughts: Seeing Bruce being hopeful that he could somehow have the happy life he's always wanted, and still be effective as Batman, only for that hope to be ripped away was heartbreaking. Seeing Alfred's worst fears come to life, as well as Julie being the one to let Bruce go for the sake of the city were both very emotional moments as well. It blows me away how these guys can get right to the heart of a character so well known, and make you care of a completely different level. Many have been waiting for this moment for almost a year… And it makes you feel like a horrible person for wanting such a thing after seeing what is taken from him, but…

Closing Thoughts: So I think I just broke my personal record for longest review… Like I said, I'm not sure about the new redesigned suit. Capullo draws it great, but I'm leery about how it will look when others do it. I do really hope the fallout of this story arc carries over into future stories. I like how Snyder has handled Duke. He's a very likable character, and I'd hope that Harper Row doesn't suddenly go away either. If this story has done anything for me, it's made me want to see a GCPD S.W.A.T. Bat-team lead by a Jim Gordon Batman, Batwoman… I'm not sure who else, but that gets me excited. I'm also excited to hear the new creative teams heading into Rebirth, which we should hear about this weekend.

Aco's art looks really great here, as we see him take advantage of the futuristic setting. He gives Batman an new, cool suit. Bizarro looks cool, even having trunks for the old school fans. The Bat symbol looks like the new Batfleck symbol. And there is a scene showing us the Batfamily. And let me just list them off, as I found this interesting: Red Hood (normal?), Black Canary (in League of Assassins getup), Strix (still a Talon), Batgirl (Stephanie is Batgirl), Batwoman (a vampire), Bane-Babs (see the Batgirl Futures End), Nightwing (that's right. Nightwing, not an agent), and Catwoman, Bluebird, Batwing and Red Robin (all seemingly the same). So are any of these red herrings, or are they just pointless filler images? Someone ask these guys, because I don't know.

A fun two-part story with Wonder Woman, and delving into Bruces character and Selinas psyche make this a memorable story. I look forward to rereading in the future.

A solid first installment that sets up some interesting implications. However, they have not paid off yet, as this is mainly set-up.

A solid addition to the Ivy story. I like how King has set things up and paid them off. Lets see if he sticks the landing. (Also, lets bring in Swamp Thing!)

As I said earlier, this issue was much quieter than expected. Its not my favorite installment of Kings Batman run, but thats not to say that its bad. I just found myself disinterested while reading this issue. Im still excited to see what happens with the wedding.

This book continues to entertain me. I loved the guts that it took to do a full character issue on Selina as we approach her wedding, all without her even saying a word.

An excellent Elseworlds tale that built up an interesting world that could get quite emotional for our hero to give up, sign me up!

Although interesting in its premise, and executed very well, the concept of this story unravels as you pull on it. Hopefully, King can do a patch job better than Booster Gold has been doing in the coming issue.

Lois Lane is on a train, making a stop in Gotham to interview a Mr. Mangubat, who is claiming that he was wrongly imprisoned. He has a robot try to kidnap her inside the train, and another that takes over the train. However, Superman and Catwoman appear and save her, but he doesn't know who she is talking about, because he has no memory.

I didn't care for how things were presented here, but it could end up being a solid idea. So until I get more information, I give Batman/Superman #16…

Batman gets some Kryptonite to lure Metallo, and this works. Metallo consumes the Kryptonite, but it overloads his system, and he shuts down. Batman has also re-broken his back. And it ends saying that Superman was too good, and the world will have to settle for Batman.

Solid issue. Although, it seems as though we are where we started, it did seem necessary, as I'm sure the next few issues will be intense. I'm sure looking back, this issue was needed.

Awesome issue, and I can't wait to see Batman on Apokolips in this high tech suit!

Neat symmetry here, as we are seeing Bruce go to extremes for his son, and Kalibak do the same for his Father. Looking forward to next issue!

Now, I did enjoy reading this, and I am continuing to love this story. But really, there's not much substance behind this. So I have to give Batman and Robin #36…

Also, Alfred looks grizzled and awesome… Kinda looks like Brian Azzarrello…

Great issue, very creepy, great art, and nice progression all give…

This is the last leg in the Ray Fawkes/Dustin Nguyen story before we get a little break for awhile. I must say, that I really enjoy how the team has told this mini-arc. We get a nice 3 issues of consistency, along with the same artist throughout. While I wish I could say the next few issues will be following the same format, that doesn't look to be the case in the next few weeks. Hopefully, this will become the norm.

One of the weaker issues in some time, but hopefully will be back on track next week.

And we close with Stephanie Brown suiting up as the Spoiler to ruin her father's plans herself, since no one else is responding.

Bard shows up to pick up Falcone, and gives Zorbatos release papers for another person. That not being Gordon, as they walk right past him. No. He's setting the stage for phase two, and they need Zachary Gate, the Architect. Bard goes back to his car, while on the phone with Hush. He says that Gotham belongs to them now, as he destroys the USB drive. Hopefully Batman was smart enough to have a backup…

Batman makes his way to the Architect, and tries to get information, when the Architect tells him to listen to the whispers… “SHHH”, as we see Hush killing the owner of the Beacon Tower. Batman now knows who is behind all this.

Dustin Nguyen's art is awesome, as usual. He has a way about capturing emotion, and tell the story without the writer having to convey that emotion through text, which I felt Seeley didn't take advantage of. All in all, this was probably the best issue of Catwoman we've had in a vet long time. I really feel like I got to know the character a little bit, here. Hopefully the new creative team can build on this.

Not much happened here, but it was nice to see Stephanie get the spotlight, and there wasn't much to pick apart, here.

Mayor Hady is upset because he believes Bard to be dead, but Bard stumbles in, acting like he barely got out in time, and convinces Hady to declare Martial Law. Meanwhile, Red Robin, Red Hood, and Batgirl pull Batman out of the ruble of the building.

They both head back to the cave, trying to figure out where Tommy would be, when we see what's going on at the hospital… Alfred is gone. Tommy Elliot has had him taken to a facility that will suit his needs – Arkham Asylum. Where Joker's Daughter has found him. Could this be the reason Arkham is moved to Wayne Manor? So Bruce can keep watch and protect Alfred? Or does Tommy do it to torment him? We will probably find out next week.

Corrigan is being used by Blackfire to release the Spectre so that he can open up the portal to Hell. He succeeds, and Arkham Asylum explodes, and sinks into the ground.

Batman is hoping that he can find some survivors, when the police surround him. He sprays some gas, and makes his way down to the rubble. But instead he finds Joker's Daughter looking to be a suicide bomber. Was it the Joker who convinced her to do this? Did we just see the end of Batwing? Guess we'll find out later.

Meanwhile, Alfred is hallucinating of his army days until Bane lifts the rubble off of him. Bane chooses to work with him, because he recognized his training. He knew he was a soldier, and wants his help. However, Bane makes the decisions. Alfred is very polite, as he suggests to find the underground tunnels to find their way out. But they are attacked by some creepy looking monsters… But I thought these guys were taken care of by the Spectre last week…? I don't know. They take these goons down, and it's pretty cool seeing Alfred kick some butt, and Bane seems to respect Alfred more. They make their way to a wall, and Alfred says a password into it. He holds his breath, as gas sprays, knocking Bane out, and allowing Alfred access to a Batcomputer. Julia and Batman are happy, and Batwing reminds them that he is still trapped. The end.

This issue was so great! Higgins nailed it this issue, and Fabok certainly didn't hurt either.

Another great installment from Higgins and Fabok. Thumbs up coming from this guy.

So Hush isn't behind this after all… Was that deciphered Riddler code more than we thought it was, or is there more to the title of this series; Batman Eternal. Right now, I'm thinking it's either Riddler or Ra's Al Ghul.

Bard detonates the Wayne Restoration Project, catching Batman's attention. He comes in with his Batmobile, when it gets hacked by Lucius on orders by Bard. Julia is trying to give Batman the controls back, but it's not going so well. Bard has him drive through building after building, until he plummets to his death of the side of Wayne Tower. Will our hero survive? Does Batman still have car insurance?! Tune in next issue…

So what are your thoughts? Who do you think is behind all this? Have we seen them yet? Let me know in the comments.

Unless you are a fan of Kelly Jones (and I'm sorry if you're read my review this far), I'd pass on this issue. There are better comics for you to spend your money on.

In my opinion, this was a much better outing than the last issue. Here, we delve into the meat of the story and Kelly Jones flexes his Batman sized storytelling muscles.

I really did not like issue one, and I stand by my thoughts for that issue. That being said, this book has progressively gotten better with each new installment. This issue was absolutely amazing. I really enjoyed reading this and highly recommend it to others.

This particular issue moves at a faster pace, there isn't much to chew on, and it doesn't add much of anything to the Batman mythos. In fact, it plays up storylines from the past. However, instead of being dull, it's actually quite the palate cleanser.

This has been an excellent character study of Batman. I'm anxious to see how things end here. With an out-of-continuity book, there's no telling how it could end. Will it go the safe route and play out as all Batman books do; with him emerging victorious and broken – or will he concede defeat, letting Scarecrow win and Gotham along with it?

This series had been great. Still considering myself a noob when it comes to comics, I was skeptical about this book. But it's been a fantastic read. And I can't wait to see more from these creators in the future.

Batman: The Merciless is a great example of how to build a villain; make him scary, humanize him, make us understand him, and then have him stab us in the heart. I really enjoyed this issue.

An interesting world, and one I wanted more time to develop. Without that time, it leaves you a bit more shocked, which makes things difficult for you to process.

This was a great one-shot that cuts right to the character relationship between Batman and Joker. Tynion really shines through in his work, especially their voices.

Tiff and Luke make up on the way home, when they are hit by an armored truck. That night, Luke goes after them and beats up the robbers. He also discovers a family they were holding captive and frees them. The end?

He goes to the cemetery, where his sister, Tam has died, and he hugs his family.

Meanwhile, Nocturna sees Kate on the cover of Gotham Magazine, recognizing her right away. She goes to Kate's apartment, and bites her in her sleep, turning her into a vampire.

I really liked this comic. It was enjoyable to see a comic about a band with a superhero, an interesting mashup. It also has great character moments with Dinah, and the supporting cast is very distinguished, and likable from the get-go.

Also included a cool bio page that helps you get to know the whole band better, and an awesome Black Canary tour 2015 poster that I want on my wall. Make it happen DC!

Dinah introduces the band to Kurt, and they arrive to the gig, with 5 minutes to spare. They rush out, get everything set up, and play a kick-butt show in Keystone City… Without actually having to stop and kick any butt, which is a first. Kurt approaches Dinah after the show, and they talk. He explains that the government wants Ditto back. That Dinah, as well as the others on Team 7, got their powers from Ditto. That's how Dinah got her scream. During this, however, Meave was eavesdropping. Kurt trusts Dinah with Ditto, though. Even though he's lost his memories, he's watched the tapes. He knows what kind of person she was and how he felt about her. Byron runs in screaming, telling them that Ditto's gone. Wonder who took her? Meave!?

She meets up with Amanda Waller and a group of soldiers, and in the exchange, a ninja lady clad in white fights off the soldiers and takes Ditto. We see Dinah, as she has found the room Meave and Ditto were just at, but she's too late. She turns around to find Ditto standing in the doorway, and the white ninja looking over them (I really hope this isn't Dinah's sister – White Canary from Arrow). On the final page, we see Meave has been taken in by Waller's crew. They inject her with a serum, and she lets out a cry, shattering the glass encasing the room.

As solid as the story was, and as good as Guerra is, I couldn't help but think how much better it would have been with Annie Wu's art and storytelling.

Closing thoughts –Just too many problems in the story. I don't want to sit here and be negative, so I'll leave it at that. Check back with me next time to see if I think it gets better.

Closing Thoughts: It's better than last issue, but I'm not exactly thrilled with this series right now. I hope next issue serves as a refresher for this series, and gets it back on track.

As confused as I was, I did have fun with the BFL reference throughout the comic. That actually made me laugh. And I'm gonna give it extra points for that. Don't get this, unless you want something stupid.

We then see her boyfriend creating an army of his creations, along with the an army of the ones that Tesla made, to attack them again later?… Probably not…

Six months later, Selina is in France, tanning on the beach, when Nygma shows up, trying to blackmail her for some of the money she stole. However, she knows that he can't give away the answer to a riddle, so he gets nothing.

This book is supposed to get you excited for Metal, and it accomplishes that. It has great concepts, ideas, and art teams, but the execution isn't quite there.

Although there are some art problems, the story seems dense enough to capture your imagination" This is going to be fun.

A fun and very confusing ride, but one that has me anticipating the finale of the DC Universe as Ive known it.

This book had the perfect blend of nostalgia, mystery, and adventure all in one. I was engaged in every moment on every page.

We are only two issues in, but each time I'm on the edge of my seat, picking my bottom jaw off the ground. If you want to get the full comic experience in one book, this is what you need to be reading.

Metal continues to blow me away with its complexity. Like the music its inspired from, it can be mindless, loud, and in your face, but its layered and has emotional depth to it that can be peeled back and examined. Also, much like the music, its not for everyone. Its all comic book, and that can be off putting to some.

This was an excellent read, and it got better with each read-through. I had a blast with this book.

Everything ramps up as we hit the climax of the story. I'm definitely excited to see how this one ends.

An excellent miniseries that I will revisit again in the future. It also has me excited for No Justice. On a side note; I feel like I had some input for the roster, suggesting to Snyder on Twitter to go with the animated series lineup — primarily adding Hawkgirl and John Stewart (my favorite Lantern). Lesson: don't doubt the power of suggestion through social media!

With how consistent Detective has been recently, this may be the story we deserve, but not necessarily the one we needed.

Freaking gorgeous art, but the story leaves some to be desired.

Thankfully, at the airport, Batman has access to the news thanks to a huge monitor in the lobby. A creepy dude with a cheap video camera (think Joker from The Dark Knight) accepts responsibility for what happened, saying that America has declared war with Earth by keeping troops in the Middle-East, depleting it's natural resources. Therefore, by representing Earth, he has declared war on America.

Sounds weirdly paced like that, but it helped with the recap. It was told better in the issue, I promise. I'm excited to see where this story goes, and I do hope Manapul at least does the last issue or two.

I liked this issue much better than the last. It was exciting, moved the plot along and had a lot happen, but best of all were the great character moments throughout the issue.

Jim goes home to rest, while the GCPD are transporting La Morte when they are attacked. Gordon is called in, runs to the Bat-Blimp, gets suited up, and sees… A GIANT JOKER-BOT?!

BUT… Yip is still alive. Bullock pulled her away before he blew up the truck, giving her a second chance – a new life somewhere else. Montoya is his new partner, and he tells Jim to get rid of the Mohawk. So a nice moment for Harvey, but…

This comic was really fun, and had an old school feel to it. I highly recommend you give it a try. Plus you get to see the Justice League in all their current/weird glory.

P.S. This is where I would insert a forced punchline, CSI: Miami style, but I couldn't come up with one… And trust me, I spent WAY too much time trying to come up with something here, so I apologize. I'm disappointed in myself for not being able to deliver to you here. Feel free to outdo me by inserting your own punchline here, in the comments below.

When I first read it, I had a few problems. But as I recapped it, the less things made sense. No, Gordon and Grayson, you were right the first time it's not “elementary detective work”, it is messy.

Closing thoughts –I really enjoyed this issue. Tomasi has such a good grip on the family aspect, and Gordon is a good character to use that on. Also the more grounded aspect of this comic was a welcome improvement over his last installment.

Closing Thoughts: There are no signs or hints as to who the killer might be. The blatant hiding of his face would make you think we've seen him before, but I don't believe we have, it just makes the guy more creepy. If that is the case, I hope we never see his face, as a reveal would be pointless. I also wonder if Barbara may get captured at some point. The story seemed to hint at that, and I think it could lead to a great moment between father and daughter, but it's something that I don't think would hurt the comic if it doesn't happen.

To be honest, at first I was kind of upset about the secondary story in this comic. It didn't add anything to" well, anything. I felt kinda like I got ripped off" DC did charge us extra on this comic. But then I got to the end and realized each of those single page spreads were updated takes on past covers from Detective Comics. And that was a much cooler idea than any story most of these other #50 issues this month will do. So although I didn't like it at first, the idea grew on me, and I liked looking at all those different artists doing their thing on each of those pages. And honestly, a celebration like this is much more memorable, and will leave me something I'll want to go back and look at again later.

Closing Thoughts: This issue is pretty straight forward. There are times when it seems to jump back and forth in terms of storytelling, but in terms of narrative, it's a linear story. I'm not sure if that was an accident or not, but it worked out okay. And that's how this whole run has felt… just okay. I think Tomasi blew us away with Batman and Robin — he had something to say in that series. But here, it just feels that he's being forced to write some stories. We have one more issue with this team before Rebirth starts, and we get all new creative teams across the board, and I must say, I'm very excited for what we have coming in a couple of months.

Closing Thoughts: A decent two-part story, but the last page of the comic was by far the most compelling. I just wish more of Tomasi's run on Detective had more moments like that.

Riddler helped update the security system at Arkham, so Batman needs his help getting in. Riddler goes with him, they get in, and Calendar Man takes Riddler away, as he is the one whom he blames for wrecking his family.

Olive makes her way to her room, to hear her roommate screaming and hiding under the bed. She says she saw a ghost outside their window. Olive looks, only to see the Batsignal instead. (There are two posters up on the wall, here, one listing “Karlo” as one of the actors… Thought that was neat.) Olive comforts her, as we see a crack in the wall with a green eye peering at them.

For a non-action book, these guys really know how to build up drama, and do it in a believable way.

Corrigan takes the clothes the girls came home in to identify the mud. He has Sister Justine come and sit with the girls while he and Rook head to Slaughter Swamp (the birthplace of Solomon Grundy). Where they come across a schoolhouse in the swamp, with a creepy nun-lady and a room full of kids, as the girls back at the house freak the freak out.

Blockbuster shows up, as the Fist of Cain is in control. They group get the duo trapped in an underground bunker. An inhibitor is available, but they don't know how to fix it. Dick reflects on getting the name “Nightwing” from the tales Clark used to tell. Clark comes up with an idea they call Lex Luthor, and he can walk them through it. Dick doesn't fell comfortable with this, as Lex is the guy who “killed” him. He ends up trusting in Clark, and they piece the inhibitor together. They turn it on, weakening all of Fist of Cain, and take them down easily. Dick then asks Clark for a hop to the airport so he can get back to work.

We end it with Dick reporting back to Bruce. He gives him an update on his mission, but they end it by bonding over an old memory that they shared together. Ending on a good note.

This was a very entertaining story, with a clever twist near the end. It is kinda sketchy on where this fits in continuity-wise, but that didn't bother me at all.

This book continues to be one of my favorite books. I like that they are changing things up with a three-parter, but I hope they primarily stick to the one-shots.

Now, as much as I loved this issue, I need to be realistic in what it did… Not a whole lot happened. But we did get a lot of character development all around, so…

So Agent 8 AND 1 are double agents?! Is there now going to be a war against Spyral and Checkmate? Dr. Nets and Agent Zero are sisters, I wonder if Zero is still Kathy Kane, like I thought issues back? An upcoming issue teases Dr. Netz father… The founder of Spyral, how's that going to play out? And Dick goes back to Gotham. It mentions Bruce, Alfred, and Barbara in particular… How's that going to work, and is he not going to come across Gordon Robo-Bats?… So many questions!

Another awesome issue with lots to chew on… Only thing missing, is a big emotional moment.

The leaders of Spyral demand Helena send the drones to attack and kill Dick, and she does so against her own judgement. However, Dick has Ladytron emit the EMP, and everything goes black… Even the club Midnighter was hanging out at, disappointing him greatly, but making Helena happy, as she knows Dick is okay. Suddenly, Tiger wakes back up, and attacks Dick. He's getting really tired of getting cold-clocked by Dick, and is going to kill him. As he is getting choked out, Dick says they need to take down the Netz sisters, Helena, and the rest of Spyral.

This had so many great moments between all of the Robins, and I loved it for that. It seems Dick's days as a secret agent are coming to an end, and we may possibly see Nightwing again… I just hope it's by this same creative team.

I wonder if Dick or Helena are being played by Checkmate, or if this agency is just as divided as Spyral. Also, that Checkmate team looks awesome, and I want a book of that.

Closing Thoughts: Well, we have one issue left with this writing team, and I'm starting to get bummed out… I really hope that we get some sense of closure with ending of this run, and that the next group of guys close out this series in the awesome way that is should end.

This series has been amazing. The last three issues, I've been saying that I wish that King and Seeley were able to finish it out, but I can't imagine another team doing as good as a job as Lanzing and Kelly have done. I'm super excited for Rebirth, and everything that's coming out of it.

I'm gonna start from the end, and go to the beginning to avoid confusion. We see the Flying Grayson's as they make their last jump. We see the rope gradually starting to melt away. Next, Dick is in the Batcave, as Batman explains that he is going after Tony Zucco. Later, Dick gets his first costume, and after that, Dick solves a code from Cluemaster. Later, Barbara is telling Dick that he needs a girl with the personality of Batman, not her. Once he joins Spyral, Helena takes him to get a Spyral tattoo. The two develop a relationship, and we see Spyral join with the Soviet Union, who is being lead by KGBeast. Dick does a heroic thing to save some people, where he receives a medal for his bravery. Who is given to him by KGBeast. Dick takes this opportunity to kill him, and is hung for his treason.

If you can learn anything with this book, it's that you can get away with murder if you just be yourself.

Harley heads home, when suddenly, Power Girl crashes down from the sky.

Jeff Lemire can always find a way to make you relate to a character, so giving him a character who's not the most popular isn't a bad call. It let's us know what's been going on, but doesn't add much to the overall story. Plus, the style of writing has more personality than the art does.

Since Forever Evil, Geoff Johns has been having fun playing with all the various parts from across the DCU. Building a bigger world. Here, he continues that trend, by introducing a brand new team to the New 52 universe. And it was alright, but I'm not sold on these people as characters. I know next to nothing about them.

Although not perfect, this was still a really good installment in the series. I'm not sure if the landing will stick, but that's to be determined at a later date. For now, we feel like we are reaching a climax… To what exactly, we aren't sure just yet.

Although not a perfect first issue, I'm excited about the Justice League books for the first time since Darkseid War. Heck, I'm reading Justice League for the first time since then, and it has my full attention.

This series is as if the animated series and Grant Morrison's run had a baby and I am loving it.

With things starting to connect and the intensity ramping up, this book just continues to gain momentum.

I wonder where this story is heading and I'm still not sure what the Legion of Doom's plans are exactly. Are they planning on destroying the Multiverse?! They wouldn't, though… Right?… Right?!

Although it's a jarring place to take a break, Tynion delivers an excellent script that adds to the finer details that have been left out of the story so far.

An alright issue, with some rough dialogue and great art. I'm curious to see how things close out next issue.

This was an exciting end to a story arc while continuing to set some very interesting things for the future. I just wish that this would have been about two issues shorter and the dialogue didn't hurt so much.

This issue is all set up for three different things; Drowned Earth, The Batman Who Laughs, and a Starman. Which leads me to believe he will also be getting a book to focus on him in the future. Despite all the setup, this did have some enjoyable moments.

This was a fun, one-off story that had great characterization (with the exception of Batman) and great art. It made me like this group of characters more. They feel like a real group of people working together.

This issue had an interesting setup that has yet to be determined how it will flush out (pun very much intended). With the most beautiful art you'll find on shelves, I highly recommend you check this one out.

I find myself losing interest in this comic. Consistent problems in the script are making me feel apathetic about the whole thing. Manapul's art is gorgeous, though, and it gives me something pretty to look at.

Still an underwhelming arc so far, but the overarching story is still extremely interesting to me. I look forward to the next chapter in this series.

It feels a bit too convenient at times, but it's nice to have issues like this that are complete in the issue itself. I really like dropping in on the Legion of Doom from time to time.

Nice setup here, but very little happens to progress the plot. After my disappointment with Drowned Earth, I was hoping for a bit more with this arc. Hopefully, the next issue delivers.

We get a lot of momentum here in this issue, the standout being the Ocean's Eleven-style heist that permeates the entire book. The team-up of these three characters and their stepping into the spotlight was welcome to JL readers.

With things starting to come together, the series continues to gain momentum. I look forward to more answers being revealed in the future. As a single issue, though, it's a bit hard to take in with all the information here.

Surprisingly to me, Lex Luthor is the character I most care about in this book. He is the person that determines the fate of the universe. Seeing him get the spotlight here, along with another character that has great importance in this series was really cool to see. The way they were tied together was wonderfully done. This is my favorite issue in the series so far.

There are some good moments to take away from this issue. The story takes a while to get going, but it is also a bit of a mess, and it's not pretty to look at either.

It's a nice ensemble of characters, but as of now, I'm not interested. I feel like I'm more interested in what's coming out of this series than this series itself. Hopefully, it'll give reason to be remembered. I expect more out of this group.

Final Thoughts: From my end, everything about this book just feels disengaged. I see a lack of effort, a lack of planning, a lack of story. I don't tend to mention the editorial team in my reviews, but they deserve a lot of the blame for the missteps of this book.

I'm not feeling this book, you guys. I'm ready for it to be over… Thankfully we get the end next week.

This issue had some self-inflicted wounds, but overall it was pretty solid. I'm still extremely excited for the Justice League books we are getting out of this event.

While the first half continues the trend of last issue, the second half quickly sinks the issue. Im not high on this book right now, but I see potential in this team and have confidence that they can right the ship.

I know Ragman has a very small, very loyal following. I just wish those fans could be excited about what this book is.

This series continues to struggle to find its footing. The bogged-down storytelling along with the under-utilization of the art teams skill set make this a disengaging read.

Starfire goes back to the Outlaw's base, and does I-don't-know-what, and is laying on a beach…

This one had a lot of callbacks, which can be old for an older reader. But also had some nice moments in there as well. If you hate the art, I get it. It's Ian Bertram, who did a story in Detective Comics #27, and recently did a issue of Batman Eternal. I've heard a lot of negativity about his art. Although it is very stylized, I actually kinda like it. I don't know that I would want it on a Bat-book regularly, but from time to time is nice. I think it would look better in an indie comic, as it has that kind of style. If you didn't like it, don't judge this story on that. There are completely different artists on these books.

Recommendation: Despite my critical ramblings, I'd suggest you buy this book. It's not perfect by any means, but it has a great team dynamic, and it's fun to read. The writing is solid, the art is top notch… The backup story saved it, it's a buy.

Recommendation – Buy! I'm having fun with all the DC Rebirth titles so far, but this is the first comic that I want to read. The dynamic between all the characters is fantastic, and the backup stories have been giving me some nice character moments.

Philip Tan leads the way for this story, and this is the best work I've seen him do. When he drew in Suicide Squad: Rebirth #1, I felt like he was trying to mimic Jim Lee and it didn't work for me. This felt more like his own. It had a more anime style feel too it, with light inks, larger eyes, the focus on the fight choreography. Hopefully when Tan takes over the art duties for this book, it looks more like this, and less like what he did for the Rebirth one-shot. Elmer Santos colored this issue, and this guy has put himself on notice. His colors blew me away with how beautiful they were. He helped contribute to the Japanese anime feel with his cinematic choice of colors. I look forward to seeing what this art team does in the future.

Rob Williams continues to show promise with this series, but the pacing is just KILLING THIS BOOK.

This issue is all over the place for me. I liked the character moments we got in the cafeteria, but ninety percent of this issue was fighting. I need a little more substance than that. Especially in only twelve pages of story. Harley was a standout this issue, as we get to see a side of her we haven't seen in quite a long time. And Katana definitely shows us that she could easily be the most dangerous person on the team. She's a freaking samurai and a ninja all rolled into one. Williams did a good job of subtlety hinting at this in last issue and even throughout this issue before the reveal of what was really going on.

Like all the other issues, the page count doesn't do this comic any favors. This one seemed to be faster paced, and more enjoyable than the last few issues, but it still has the same problems. There are multiple inkers again this issue, and I only noticed a change for a few pages. Jeremiah Skipper colors this issue instead of Sinclair, and I didn't even notice there was a change. The guy did a great job filling in.

This was the most fun I've had with this comic. I didn't realize how bonkers-insane this issue sounded until I was recapping it" Seriously, recap this issue to a friend, and see if you can get through it without laughing.

I haven't heard who the new series artist will be, so if you know, let me know in the comments. I'm anxious to see what the tone of the book is going to be.

Giuseppe Cafaro is the artist here. He does an okay job, but his work isn't my favorite. He gets a bit too heavy on the ink in the first full page. It's not like the page is covered in inks, it just looks like he made a mistake on one character and tried to cover it with heavy amounts of black ink. The rest of the issue, he struggles with consistency in his style. It changes from panel to panel, as he tries to figure out the tone on the run. Hi-Fi colors this issue. I don't have any issues here, I've just never been a huge fan of his work. He does an okay job, but nothing spectacular. Pat Brosseau letters this issue. He does a good job, but it irritated me when Waller's daughter screamed at her for a paragraph, which probably isn't Brosseau's fault, but the text did add to it.

Again, Rob Williams maintains his pacing in the second half. His secondary stories have been the highlight of each issue, but in this comic, I felt like both stories were well done. Eddy Barrows art was solid, but there were a few pages where it felt rushed. Eber Ferreira does a great job inking here. I love the experimenting that he and Barrows have been doing with the shading. I'm not sure if it's water color or what, but it looks great. Adriano Lucas colors this, and does a good job of capturing the tone of the book from scene to scene.

Rob Williams does a better job in the second half of his story. I feel like it's part of the story he's more interested in, and so he's putting a little more work into it. Eddy Barrows' work here is amazing. The way this guy draws people… the detail he puts in their faces just blows me away. There were a few panels where he's trying to continue the painted feel that he did in Detective Comics, but it felt unnecessary to me (I'm talking about the Harley panels at the end). Eber Ferreira inks here, and does a fantastic job. His lines are very thin and real smooth, giving contrast, yet letting the color do its thing. The standout to me here was Adriano Lucas on colors. The guy really cuts loose here, establishing the right mood in the first few pages, keeping up with the continuity of where things are later, and having the huevos to do grey tones only in a flashback scene.

Rob Williams continues the plot here, but on top of the pacing being off, it just seems rushed. I thought we were going to have an issue dedicated to solving the murder of Amanda Waller, but we blitz right past that into smashing Deadshot in the face. Even John Romita Jr.'s work seemed rushed. His anatomy was inconsistent at times, and the scene where Deadshot is escaping the prison was told poorly. It, again, blitzed right through this moment, making what could have been a great scene, cannon fodder.

Suicide Squad picks the pace up and delivers a needed strong issue...I just hope it maintains that momentum.

As far as character development, and team dynamic, this was a very engaging story. Hopefully Williams can ride this momentum into the future and have only one artist on the book at a time.

While this book still hasn't quite hit it's stride, it still has potential, and the characters are still the driving force.

In Conclusion: We are now seventeen issues in, and I still can't get a good read on this book. It has so much going for it, but then it gets in its own way for one reason or another.

In Conclusion: Suicide Squad continues to have potential (and I feel like I'm saying that every time), but needs a jolt of energy to get things moving.

This issue is mostly just an action piece. It felt like filler. People make dumb decisions that don't make sense in hindsight" or in the moment itself. It just feels like Rob Williams has almost given up on this book as much as I have.

The direction of this book had me hyped when it began. It would fill me with hope and excitement, and by the end would make a stupid turn that defies all logic. This one issue encapsulates that.

Rob Williams is rebuilding my faith in this book" I just don't know how to feel about it. It's like a bad relationship at this point. But has Williams really changed this time? Is he now going to be better? The next few issues will be a good indicator.

Confusion. Emptiness. Wondering where this is leading. Without a consistent art team, Rob Williams really needs to step it up.

It's a solid book... But if you want to skip it, and go straight to issue one, I would understand.

Recommendation: I'd pass on this. It just doesn't feel worth the money, especially when there is much more quality stuff out there.

And elsewhere, the robot-lady's head is growing back, thanks to old buddy, Manchester Black. STAR labs big-shot.

It's interesting to note that we don't see Batman with the Justice League. Did they have a falling out? What happened there? I guess we will see later.

Although the issue was weak overall, the last bit carries the whole issue for me.

While this issue wasn't anything special, I'm very excited for what it hinted at bringing.

We aren't seeing anything new here in terms of story or plot, and the characters are unrecognizable. If you were to ask me, I would be spending my money elsewhere.

An extremely weak first issue. Hopefully the series will pick up with the next installment. I like the premise of the book, but I don't know how I feel about the team in general. I have mixed feelings on the different characters involved. I mean, I'd like to see Kory on the team instead of Steel.