Eric Diaz Comic Reviews

Writer Dan Abnett writes a very relatable Aquaman here, not making the mistake other writers have in the past of having him be too aloof and not human enough. My favorite parts of the issue were Arthur and Mera being a supportive couple, proving that yes, married (or just coupled) heroes can indeed be interesting. A lot of potentially new and interesting supporting characters were introduced in this issue as well, and for the first time since Geoff Johns left the title a couple of years back, I think I am all aboard for Aquaman once again.

I'm still looking forward to Dan Abnett's Aquaman series, but this new directions ultimately doesn't seem all that different from what we've had previously"and that's maybe not such a bad thing.

The first issue of Batman proves that the quality of the Batman:Rebirth one-shot wasn't a fluke.

It's hard for me to tell if this book is good primer for getting into Rebirth Batman going forward, as it's unclear how much of the book is the result of Scott Snyder (it does feel very Snyder) or new writer Tom King. The introduction of a new partner for Batman, though, and one who is more than just another Robin, is an interesting concept. So for now, I'm down for more of this Rebirth era Batman.

So should you buy Black Panther #1? If you're a big fan of the character, then I'd say yes, as it seems tailor-made for people who have been following T'Challa's adventures for years. If you're a newbie to the character, then I can only give a tepid recommendation, although the book is probably worth getting for the artwork alone. This book is full of potential. I just hope it gets the time to live up to it.

So do I recommend this issue, and want to continue reading? Absolutely! But at the same time, I'm fully aware that there are fans out there who are going to feel gypped because it takes so little time to read. So based on that and that alone, Black Widow #1 gets one half of a burrito less than it probably deserves. But make no mistake, this is still a damn good comic book.

It's hard for me to truly recommend Convergence #0 with any enthusiasm (apart from the artwork), and yet I'm still totally on board for the regular series and all its spin-off titles when they arrive. As an old-school DC fan who thinks the company really screwed up by flushing all that great historydown the toilet, I remain hopeful for Convergence. But I think its safe to say that you probably won't need the zero issue to understandwhat's going on in the regular title when it arrives next week.

Geoff Johns and company have created a small miracle with Rebirth, and it's a shame that it will be his last comic book work for a while (Johns is off to do for the DC movie universe what he's done for the comics: bring back optimism and hope. I wish him all the luck). The final two-page spread by Ivan Reis for Rebirth shows the heroes of the DCU posed heroically, and more importantly, smiling. That image sums this book up in a nutshell. How much mileage you get out of this comic depends on how invested you are in the DC Universe, but this fan is really excited for what comes next.

Issue #1 of The Death of Wolverine has provided for an interesting start to this story, but I could also see how it could get tiresome very fast, or how it could overstay its welcome (four issues is a bit long for a story like this after all, one that so far is mostly fight scenes, although cool ones.) But for a first issue, I have to say that the combo of Soule and McNiven pulled me in, and I'm at least on board for the first half of this story. I only hope it all doesn't lost steam before all is said and done.

The art on the book is by Eddy Barrows (Teen Titans) and his detailed style is perfect for a book as busy with characters and plot as this one. He does this weird thing when drawing Batman's cape that I don't like, where he adds these weird scallops, but it's a minor quibble. If you missed the former Batgirls, if you miss the Tim Drake/Bruce Wayne dynamic, if you missed Batwoman having a regular title, then Detective Comics might be the best Batman book for you.

In the end, I wanted to love the new Flash series as much as I love the TV show, but I'm just not there yet. I just have to get over the fact that I have very mixed feelings about the art. I'll keep reading, but I wish I was as excited about this book as I was the other current Rebirth books.

This was maybe my least favorite of the Rebirth one-shots so far, but it doesn't mean it was bad, I was just expecting more. Here's hoping the monthly can deliver what this one-shot just hinted at.

The writing is sharp (no pun intended) from Percy, and the artwork from Otto Schmidt is delightful and quirky.

New-to-DC writer Sam Humphries seems very at home with his new Lanterns, and clearly doesn't need Geoff Johns around to tell a decent Green Lantern story.

Overall though, I'm mildly interested about what happens to these two rookies next"although the Simon Baz GL has got to stop carrying a gun. Why even do that when he has the most powerful weapon in the universe? I'll never not think that's lame.

I will admit, as an '80s kid who adored both properties, It's hard for me to judge this comic in any objective manner. Is it very silly? Yes, although intentionally so I'd say. If you haven't seen an episode of either cartoon show will any of this resonate with you? I'll go out on a limb and say no. But if you were a kid in the '80s who loved both properties, this comic is a pleasant nostalgia trip, giving you the cartoon crossover you always wanted back in the day, but never got. (although I must say, She-Ra better show up before it's all over). If you didn't grow up with these cartoons and toys, I can't honestly recommend this comic to you, but if you did, then this might be your favorite comic you get this month. Even if it is a guilty pleasure.

In the final analysis, Justice League #1 offers everything you could want from a JL comic, and promises a big bright future for the team. Here's hoping Snyder and Cheung have as legendary a run as Snyder and Greg Capullo did on Batman. The Justice League deserves it.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Marvel Tsum Tsum #1. When you combine the cuteness of the comic with the fun kid characters, I can honestly recommend this without shame. It's also the rare Marvel (or DC for that matter) comic that parents can give to their smaller children. Not bad for a comic about modern day Beanie Babies.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Marvel Tsum Tsum #1. When you combine the cuteness of the comic with the fun kid characters, Ican honestly recommend this without shame. It's also the rare Marvel (or DC for that matter) comic thatparentscan give to their smallerchildren. Not bad for a comic about modern day Beanie Babies.

So do I recommend Titan's Penny Dreadful? Well, if you're a hardcore fan of the series I say pick it up for sure; it adds enough new elements to the story that are interesting and sure to excite fans of the source material. But temper your expectations, because it doesn't have anywhere near the layers found in John Logan's excellent scripts for the TV series" at least not yet. But it's all interesting enough that all the "Dreadfuls" out there will be very entertained by this issue, and probably want to come back for more.

While the question remains if the rest of the series can live up to the first installment, based on this issue they're off to a great start.

In the end, the final issue of the series was maybe the best one. Instead of serving as the latest "event" that fans felt obligated to buy, the issue ultimately makes this entire series worth reading as a story. The overall quality of some stories are inevitably determined by their endings, and as a Dr. Doom/ Mr. Fantastic story, this is maybe the best one ever written. And yet, judging it as a Marvel event, there are times where I admit it left me wanting. This is why the final issue is getting two separate ratings. But regardless of which rating you go by, in the end, Secret Wars was a ride ultimately worth going on.

So, would I recommend you rush out to Toys R' Us and grab this issue? Well, no, it's not that amazing, and unless you're going to be a Secret Wars completist, I wouldn't recommend spending $25 dollars at the store just to get it. But on its own, it's a decent enough setup to astory that seems to be at least somewhat intriguing.

I guess I just wish that witha book as important as this one, I wanted it to feel a little bit weightier. I wanted to feel a need to come back for issue #2 because the story is so compelling, but instead the story is just good enough. The last thing I want to feel when reading any first issue is “I can wait for the trade,” andthere's a little bit of that for me here. But at the end of the day, I'm so behind the concept of a Spider-Gwen ongoing comic that I'm intrigued enough to keep reading. And if you're at all curious about this character, by all means, check out Spider-Gwen #1. Just know to keep your expectations in check.

The combo of Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli continues to make this version of Spider-Man a joy to read, and hopefully this creative team will stay together at least as long as Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley did with the original Ultimate Spider-Man (which was over a hundred issues). This first issue did just about everything right, and as long as Marvel keeps this creative team together, it's safe to say that the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man is in good hands and has a long, bright future in the mainstream Marvel universe.

When Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, many worried about just what they'd do with the franchise. Between the super fun Star Wars: Rebels TV series and now this comic from Marvel, they leave me with nothing but good feelings that the franchise is in good hands with them. 2015 is a big year for the saga, what with The Force Awakens coming and all, and judging by Star Wars #1, it's already off to a pretty good start.

So what's the final verdict? If you are only going to buy one Star Wars book from Marvel, then I wouldstillmake it Aaron and Cassaday's book. But if you're open to buying others, then you could do a lot worse than Gillen and Larroca's Darth Vader. If Marvel manages to do as good a job with the upcoming Princess Leia book, then it'll be safe to say that Star Wars is in good hands at Marvel once again.

Ultimately, Supergirl: Rebirth doesn't do anything spectacular or new, but like with a lot of the Rebirth stuff from DC right now, it's about repackaging the old and familiar in a way that reminds fans of what they liked about these characters to begin with. This issue is just fun enough, and well drawn enough, for me to recommend it, especially if you're a fan of Kara Zor-El and have been missing a fun, lighthearted take on the character, minus all the angst. I genuinely look forward to the ongoing series.

Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason seem to be creating something special with this book, and are finally fulfilling what lots of comics fans have been wondering about over the years "what would a Superman family actually look like? I can safely say most fans have been wondering for years what Lois and Clark would be like as Super parents much more so than seeing a young Superman date Wonder Woman. I honestly hope this is the version of Superman that sticks around for a long time.

Ultimately, the writing was solid enough"and the concept weird enough"that I'm on board with a Superman comic for the first time in a long time, so kudos DC" ya got me! I'll keep reading the Superman books thanks to this one-shot.

The writing for this Rebirth one shot is fast paces does feela little rushed, as the whole thing feels like an over extended prologue in the end. But still, it's a fun prologue, with some beautiful pages to look at, and makes you genuinely excited about what's coming down the line. Between this and Titans, featuring the now-adult former members of the team, it seems DC finally is giving fans what they've been asking from one of their flagship series.

Superhero books that are pure comedy like this one are hard to maintain over time " although arguably Justice League International and Deadpool have had success at doing just that. That being said,The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is even sillier than those two books, so the question remains, just how long can a book like this one, which is pretty much pure farce, go on? That's a question for another time though really, because at this point in time, this comic is a total hoot, and well worth checking out.

Writer Dan Abnett has a lot of explaining to do, but for now, consider this old school Titans fan intrigued enough to continue. Oh, one last thing " artist Brett Booth's Flash costume re-design is maybe my favorite Flash costume ever. Nice work, Mr. Booth.

Although there is no “A-plot” to speak of in the issue (it's really just about these characters spending time together), the issue ends with an interesting cliffhanger, one that might have bigger implications for the whole Rebirth event. If you're a fan of these characters (and what DC Comics fan isn't?), you owe it to yourself to pick up Trinity #1.

Despite going in expecting to hate it, I thought Unbelievable Gwenpool was funny and really charming. Do I still think the character itself is a cynical cash grab? Well, yeah. But hey, if your cynical cashgrab is written this well and makes me laugh out loud more than once in an issue, I guess it's all worth it. How this will fare as an ongoing series is anyone's guess really " cute as it was, I could see the whole shtick getting tired real fast " but as for this first issue, it was pretty darn fun, and made me laugh at all the right places. In the end, what more can you ask for?

We Can Never Go Home is all about what it might really be like to be a kid and suddenly discover that you have powers, thenrealizing that nothing in your life will ever be the same again. A mix between '80s John Hughes and Tony Scott's True Romance, We Can Never Go Home is instantly addicting and fun to read, and has all the makings of a cult hit for publisher Black Mask Studios.

Nevertheless, this is a light, breezy, fun comic that should be a real treat to anyone who grew up watching these two seminal shows in the '70s, or during reruns in the '80s and '90s like I did. If these two icons meant anything to you growing up, then you owe to yourself to pick up Wonder Woman '77 Meets The Bionic Woman. It's the perfect distraction from a world that could really use the brightness and positive feelings that these two characters embody right about now.

Greg Rucka's writing isn't for everyone"the pacing is a bit slow at times"but if you're a fan of his take on Wonder Woman, it's hard not to love this book.

This issue seems geared towards fans of the classic Wonder Woman mythos, without alienating any of the newer readers, and so far Greg Rucka and company have created a compelling narrative for fans of the Amazing Amazon. It'll be interesting to see how he can marry such disparate stories going forward.

Of course, Bemis was helped in this regard by the terrific art from Michael Walsh. Walsh has drawn a lot of comics for Marvel and Image over the past several years, including a few issues of Secret Avengers. Walsh's pencils have a fun retro vibe to them that fit perfectly with this book. It'll be hard to say if Worst X-Man Ever can sustain its sense of fun over the whole five-issue run, as its premise is based on a joke that might wear thin. So far, however, it's off to a pretty good start. I'll definitely be checking out the rest of this mini-series.