Jay Barrett Comic Reviews

This issue is expertly written and drawn, and on its own is a resounding success. It fully fleshes out the ongoing war between The Riddler and The Joker and it breathes new life into a footnote character from the Batman mythos. However, it is saddled with being an unimportant middle chapter in a story arc that has still somehow failed to leave its own first act. Youll enjoy it while reading it, but may be quickly frustrated by the fact this story will be viewed as inconsequential when the arc is viewed as a whole and at the realization that nothing has really happened in three issues.

The book is a beautiful disaster. King and Lee capture what may prove to be the most trying time in Batmans publication history using the mundane banality of jury duty. They progress both the most pressing conflict of Bruces fragile mental state and Kings overall end game with this current run. This is a cant-miss arc in Kings character defining run on Batman.

“Cold Days” is a cant miss, instant classic arc. Yes, it was a missed opportunity to not showcase Dick Grayson as Batman more, but it gave us a broken, defeated Batman that we have never seen before. This story will be remembered for years to come.

Make no mistake, #61 is yet another home-run for Tom Kings body of work however, it simply isnt required reading. Matthews subplot is, again, important for Kings treatise on Batman. Hes a dark reflection that readers need to see to understand Kings argument regarding The Caped Crusader but this story could have easily been condensed into a portion of another issue. This issue is mechanically and thematically very strong but King simply didnt have to use a whole issue to present Matthew.

Batman #62is an essential issue to Tom Kings run but holds legitimate educational value as a perfect example for any aspiring writer on how to write a tragic monologue. It reflects on all that has happened and makes us excited and a moderately terrified of whats to come.

Batman: White Knight has truly been an incredible series thus far. It appears to be definitively answering the 80-year-old question of if Batman is truly Gothams savior or does his crusade only beget more turmoil. The only terrible thing about this series is it released issue-by-issue rather than right away in a complete collection.

The Flash #34 feels like the start of a mediocre and meandering chapter in the life of Barry Allen. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but I have to be honest. This issue is boring.

The Flash #795 has a fun action movie feel, but sparse character work and looming reversal of the plot robs the story of impact.

But regardless of where the story goes and if my prediction is right or wrong, this is a must-see new direction for Hal Jordan. Its a back-to-basics story for Hal Jordan and it will be refreshing to see him out of the angsty rut he was in during the end of New 52 era and away from the end of the universe style plots that Vendetti had him wrapped up in. The issue does lose points for the prologue style cadence of the opening but, overall, its an exciting emerald dawn for the Green Lantern Corps.

Justice League: No Justice #4 is a perfect Justice League story. In one issue, Snyder, Williamson, and Tynion IV deconstruct and distill the DC Universe as a whole to preach to new-comers and veteran readers alike the wonders of its characters while at the same time setting DCs entire line of comics for whats to come. Its cant miss issue for any fan of superhero comics.

The book does have hope. After all, it is a first issue and there were slight allusions to character development for Harley and a crowd-pleasing cliff hanger. But hope isnt enough to warrant a $3 investment. I will check back in on the book around the time the trade comes out but as of now Old Lady Harley is a mundane Harley story for the sake of having a Harley story.

These Savage Shores #1 is an excellent start to a very promising series. It features vampires and the supernatural warring for their soul of a foreign land, set to a real-world backdrop of European colonialism. Complete with action, drama, and legitimate historical commentary, These Savage Shores is a testament to how thoughtful and exciting comic books can be. Go out of your way to read this book.