Wayland Smith Comic Reviews

It was a great story. There were so many bad cliches they could have hit, and they avoided all of them. The blend of humor, tension, and just plain human interaction was really enjoyable.

I thought this was a great issue. The done-in-one is a rare thing these days, and it's done well here. And yay for Ragdoll's return! And he still likes monkeys!

Aquaman is a strong character, and I enjoy it when a writer manages to use him well. Parker's run has been a bit uneven, but this was one of the good ones.

Batgirl is both one of the steadily shrinking number of the original 52 to still be around, and one of the even fewer I'm reading. This is a great issue, setting up for what's going to be an ugly but no-doubt fascinating battle. I'm looking forward to it.

This was a nicely done wrap up, with call backs to almost all of Gail's run on Batgirl. It was a good ending o an occasionally erratic run.

I really enjoyed this a lot, and fully believe it was worth the hard cover price. I miss the "old" DCU.

I've stuck with this through months of story that I didn't like that seemed to be going nowhere. We might finally be getting to the payoff.

I was considering dropping this title, but this was a nice upswing. I'll stick with it longer, and hope the rumors about it being cancelled are wrong.

This is a goofy, lighthearted comic in an age where that's way too rare.

This was fun, and, even if Harley isn't thrilled with how everything turns out, it's a good issue.

This continues to be a lot of goofy fun that I'm really enjoying. I'll be looking forward to Harley and company coming back.

The art is beautiful, the plot is a twisty mess that keeps you guessing, the big reveals were stunning but made sense.

This is a fun, twisted ride. I still prefer the earlier version of the book, but that's not coming back anytime soon, if ever.

Gail Simone continues to write complex, twisted plots filled with characters that have lots of levels to them.

I'm enjoying Aquaman and Mera both, and I like that they are letting her be a significant part of the book. They're even starting to play up Tula a bit, who, before the reboot, was Aquagirl. Maybe she will be again, but with a better name.

Aquaman continues to be a powerful character with a good supporting cast. I'm enjoying this book and looking forward to seeing how he manages to defeat Chimera.

It was nice seeing Arthur and J'Onn together again, and also nice that they didn't go the "It's a mystery, call Batman," route.

I am enjoying the book, and it's one of the few original "New 52" titles that are both still around and I'm actually interested in.

The quest of Aquaman's mother has been interesting, both for the guest stars and because it's exploring territory I don't believe has ever been covered. Aquaman has found her now, and nothing is going like he hoped. Aside from a bit of background information, there's not a lot of plot here.

For most of the story, they've had Mera be a useful, equal partner to Aquaman. She's not a damsel in distress, she's arguably more powerful that Arthur himself.

A good, solid issue in a somewhat longer than it needs to be arc.

Superman is determined and refuses to quit. He's desperate to get home and save Metropolis. The Brainiacs have an interesting secret behind them.

This was a very uneven series with a huge delay that effected other books. It could have been fantastic, I'd say it was good, at best.

This book is a warped but enjoyable escape from the real world and the overall darker world of comics. If you can accept that, you should have fun with it.

It was a fun adventure. Harley does chaos well, and Ivy's gift made a lot of sense. Even Harley impulsively eating the berries was well within character, if not wise. Then again, this is the woman who fell in love with the Joker...

The book continues to be fun in a zany kinda way. I'm sticking with it for the foreseeable future.

I've liked Harley since she first appeared on Batman: The Animated Series, and this is a perfect continuation of the character. This is a very enjoyable book that's working its way to the top of my list.

I just plain have fun with this one, and I don't say that about a lot of comics these days. I hope they keep the tone and feel of the book just as they are.

It's a fun, twisted little story which seems to touch on other timelines, as Power Girl herself speculates.

This is thoroughly enjoyable issue with none of the grittiness or darkness that seem to have infiltrated almost every other title running.

This was fun, and made me smile. What more do you want from a holiday book about a crazy clown lady?

In general, it's really not my type of read, but Conner and Palmiotti have completely won me over in spite of my usual preference for the more serious hero books.

This was a great story with some nice touches that I really enjoyed.

It's a decent story. Not a great one, but a decent one, and I am enjoying this run of Aquaman overall. It may the best treatment he's gotten since way back when Peter David wrote him in the 90's.

Overall, this book has impressed me enough the last two issues to keep getting it after I'd decided to drop it. That speaks really well of it right there. I'm curious to see where it goes next.

The writing was strong, the surprises ugly but well-executed.

Overall, a great story. I liked what happened here, and I really hope future writers use it, although I strongly suspect they won't. DC certainly doesn't seem to have any editors who police such things these days.

I just don't think Gail's heart, or maybe her mind, was really on this one. I just learned hours ago Gail is about to be off this book. I wonder if she's just rushing to wrap things up.

I like Batman as a character. This arc has been uneven, and this issue wasn't a great one for me. I've come this far, I'll ride the rest of it out.

I like Snyder's work, and his Batman can be amazing, but I'll be glad when the Zero Year is over.

Snyder tackles some societal issues here, and does it well. He's not preachy, he doesn't get all holier-than-thou. He makes some good observations, and shows that even Batman isn't perfect about some things.

This version of Corrigan was fun. If the next issue features him as well, I may get it.

I've been a fan of Dr. Fate for decades. This is an interesting spin on him. So far, I'm enjoying and sticking with it.

After a far-too long period of watching Evil Superman kill people and destroy things, it was nice to see the heroes come out ahead on, well, anything.

Good planning on the Rogues' part. Mirror Master is believably distraught about Glider, and you can see his desperation. Weather Wizard comes on strong as well, and he really isn't someone you want to mess with by the end of the issue. Also, the reinforcements brought in by the Rogues were nicely played.

The entertaining randomness and lovely art will keep me coming back for a while, at least.

Harley Quinn continues to be a fun, lighthearted, if very violent, book. I'm enjoying the change of pace.

Harley is a lot of fun to wind up and watch go. Her scenes with Ivy were entertaining and sexy. The new characters all have some potential.

Connor and Palmiotti have a great sense of humor, and they do some great twists here.

It's silly fun in outer space. Harley is a force of chaos, and it's amusing hearing Power Girl be the voice of reason. Much as I like PG, she's usually the one pushing things, not trying to rein them in.

This is a lot of fun, and they work in a lot of good references.

I still miss the old team, but this one has a lot of potential. I'm along for the ride for the foreseeable future.

Gail places all her characters in an interesting moral dilemma, and there are no easy answers. Happily, she doesn't try to force one. There's a lot of grey here, but it's well done grey.

The Movement tried to change the world. They didn't manage it, but they tried, and we got to see them try. I'm going to miss these guys.

This was an interesting one shot. I suspect it may only appeal to the major geeks, like me, who like to have things identified and sorted out.

Multiversity is showing a lot of strange stories, and this is up there as one of the stranger ones.

It's an interesting idea, the many Robins at once. The mysterious leader, if done well and not left dragging too long, could be a good mystery.

The violence and savagery of the fight was vintage Hex. The contrast I mentioned from the modern era to the Old West was great. I really enjoyed the way they handled it. This really seemed like a Western for the first time in quite a while.

I've always liked the character of Dr. Fate. I'm not sold yet on this version, but I'm sticking around a while longer.

I liked this book when it started, and I keep hoping it will got back to something approximating it. This very long interlude of darkness, destruction, and death needs to end.

I'm worried about the future of Earth 2, but I'm glad to get to see some more of it.

I don't know why Earth 2 has to be the one place in the DCNU darker than the main DC Earth, but I'm kinda getting tired of it.

I like the series overall, this just wasn't one of their best issues. Still fun, though.

This is a madcap, screwball story, and the mini should be a lot of laughs. I'm definitely on board till the end.

The membership of this team could be interesting, but they don't seem to be doing as much with them as they could. I hope that changes soon.

By all accounts, my time on this book is drawing to a close. It hasn't been the best run for Karen and Helena, but I'll miss them.

Hex is back in his own time and place! I really can't say how much that pleases me. Now if they can just leave him there and not instantly undo his facial surgery, I'll be really impressed. I also liked how Gina, despite being so sure of herself, found out almost at once she wasn't ready for the rigors of life back then.

I enjoyed the issue and am glad they're back to the old west and the original format.

I've enjoyed and will miss this book, this issue not withstanding. I'm hoping it gets better again for the final few issues.

I gave this a shot. Between the history I mentioned and the story not grabbing me, I won't be back for issue two. This just didn't impress me enough to make the cut for either time or budgetary considerations.

Silver is new and different, with an understandable delusion. The many threads tie together nicely in this story, and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go.

A lot of surprises and twists. A new name for an old character. And the return of someone I've been missing a lot.

I still don't like this title in general, and will continue to only get it for some guest stars, like Jim Corrigan and Steph Brown.

I'm still not sold on this as an ongoing, and will keep getting it only when they have someone I'm interested in, like Corrigan and Steph.

Well, we know who Red Arrow is, and the heroes are almost all in the same place now. Hopefully they will get themselves together and DO something soon.

I liked the way this title started. It'd be nice to get back to that someday.

As I've said, this story jumps around too much to gain any traction anywhere. I don't see how Earth 2 can survive what it's already been put through. And there are still so many characters connected to the Golden Age they haven't gotten to; I hope they get the chance before this world meets its rumored end.

I still fear for the future of Earth 2 in general, and none of this is reassuring.

Clever dialogue, good characterization, and some pretty good fight scenes. I like how they handled the Luthor group/villain clash, and the Batman/Luthor dynamic is interesting, especially if the rumors are true and Luthor is joining the League after this event.

I liked the idea behind this title when I first heard about it. I just really didn't care for the execution here.

They have three more issues of this story to go, and I'm not sure I see where it's likely to get to at this point. It's ok, but it's not really gripping me. This title is one I keep thinking about dropping. For now, they have me because it's the only place I can see the Legion. After that? We'll have to see.

I'm not sure I'm going to be continuing with this book. I get trying to appeal to a new audience, but this seems like a pale shadow of a book I used to love.

This is the Movement's first run in with an actual superhero, and, for all the almost required posturing, it spins out in a realistic and well done fashion.

I've enjoyed this title, and am sad to hear it's going. This wasn't the best issue of it, but it certainly wasn't bad.

This was a badly written issue. It's a simple statement that just overwhelms everything else that happened here. I'm hoping this was just an off issue and that they're going to get back to last issue's quality soon.

I could have lived without yet another crossover, but I'm curious to see how this plays out.

I'm just not wild about this main story. I think it will be worth it if we get Steph back in any of her costumed identities, but they haven't confirmed that will happen, and I'm worried. This is the DCNU, and they are not know for happy endings.

It's an interesting idea, building a new world mostly from scratch.

The long held captives are finally free, which is nice. The heroes are pulling together and working like a team against a common foe.

I think things look bad for Earth 2 in general. I'm hoping we're not about to see either a wholesale slaughter or a massive evacuation with the characters being shoe-horned in to the main Earth. I guess we'll see before too much longer.

When I picked up this issue, I was talking with the staff at my Local Comic Shop. I mentioned I wasn't sold on the concept, and thought I might be dropping it soon. One of the LCS guys immediately said, "I wouldn't blame you if you did." I do believe I will.

I think of the League as a gathering of heroes, and this isn't it.

This was an odd outing for the Legion, and not the best one for the JLU. It sort of left me with a "Was that it?" feeling.

This isn't a bad story, but they're dragging it out a lot longer than it needs to go. I'm ready for it to be done, as much as I do like seeing the Legion again.

I'm really sick of this arc, and, if the next one is as drawn out as this one, I may well decide the book isn't worth it anymore.

The Martian Manhunter has long been a favorite of mine. This just didn't do well by him. I'll get the next issue, but unless the impress me a lot, I think I'm done at that point.

It's been an interesting ride, this book. I'm sorry, but not stunned, to see it go. Things that make people think, which this does, aren't incredibly popular these days.

It wasn't Watchmen, and it wasn't the Charlton heroes, it seemed like it tried to be both and didn't manage to be either. Morrison could have done anything with these stories, and we got a weird hybrid of earlier ideas.

Series like this are always a hard sell. I'm not sure why they are trying this when DC seems to be canceling titles left and right. I suppose because with the mess they've made of their history, they are trying to clear some things up.

Sorry, Batman. It's been fun. I've been getting this book since the reboot. But this is where I get off.

I am a fan of Fate in general. I'm not sold on this incarnation, but I'll give it a bit to convince me.

We're seeing less of the "re-imagined JSA" in this book, and more of what feel like detours and filler.

I decided I'd give this two issues to be fair. But there are too many holes in this book. I'm done. Hopefully Dick will be back to being a hero, as he was meant to be, before too long. I look forward to that day.

It's almost over, and we're getting more on Stargirl's history. Of course, as they feel the need to do with about everyone in the DCNU, her history is dark and painful. Does anyone become a hero because it's the right thing to do anymore, without some murder and mayhem lurking in the background?

I hope the Justice League United book fixes the problems this one had, but with so much of the same lineup, I'm not sure it will. Yet another incarnation of the JLA is over.

Justice League of America, the title before this, never really got off the ground between crossovers and a questionable line up. I'm wondering if this one is going to suffer a similar fate.

This will be a powerful team if it manages to get going. A Martian and a Kryptonian right there are powerhouses, and several of the others seem to fluctuate a bit depending on who is writing them.

They made a big point of making Talon part of Batman, Inc a little bit ago, so I suspect we'll be seeing him again. It was a book that started strong and faded out as it went. I had some high hopes for it. I guess we'll see what the future holds for Calvin Rose and his band of adventurers.

Well the status quo of the book is about to undergo a major shift. Of course, Power Girl and Huntress are about to go one of the few places even darker than the DCNU's main Earth right now. I wonder if they'll be happy to get home when they see what's happened?

This didn't impress me at all. Barring them using some characters I really like, or a new plot that doesn't feel like dj vu, I won't be getting future issues.

I'm thrilled about Steph's return (clearly), but I won't be getting the issues that don't have her without a lot of changes. And please, keep the art team from 3, not 4.

I was looking forward to the return of Wally. I didn't like what they did.

I like some of these characters, and was curious how they were going to replace Justice League of America, which disintegrated into the J'Onn and Stargirl show. So far, this seems to be teetering on the edge of doing the same.

I'll likely stay with this to see how the team origin finishes out, but after that, unless there's a major improvement, I'm dropping this one. Sad, as I like many of these characters, but not this way.

I've been hoping about since the book started that we'd see Talon do something that wasn't connected to the Court of Owls. We finally get that. And, while I hope they get everything straightened out with Casey and her daughter, I'm just as glad for them to be mostly off screen for an issue or two.

Letting PG and Huntress learn that home was still around was good. Batman was used well, skulking in the shadows.

I'm enjoying Aquaman, and glad to see him getting some of the respect he deserves. I'm sticking with this series and looking forward to seeing what happens next.

I liked how Earth 2 started, years ago. I hate what happened along the way.

This was just kind of a mess, and I'm not so much looking forward to next issue as glad it's about over.

I like the Rogues. This is my first real exposure to them since the reboot, and I don't know if it's I just don't like how they were tweaked, or this series simply wasn't to my tastes. I won't say it wasted my time or was completely without merit, but I found it disappointing and certainly had a lot of room for improvement.

This was another in the long line of fun stories about Harley and company. Strongly recommended if you enjoy silly fun with a few hints of adult themes.

Most of the time, books suffer from being dragged into huge crossovers. That has certainly been the case here.

Too much coincidence, too many little bits that didn't connect well. I don't want Nightwing to go away, but if it has to, I want it to be on a high note, not this bit of oddness.

I'm a huge fan of Dick Grayson, have been as long as I've been reading comics. I just can't see following this one.

As with the last run, the Secret Six is delightful twisted. I'm looking forward to seeing where Gail takes the team of misfits.

This book continues to teeter on the edge of me dropping it. I keep hoping Levitz will return to his former skill at writing and DO something with these characters, one of whom he created. But I'm starting to doubt it will happen.

I like the idea behind the team, and I've been enjoying what they've done so far. This is one of the few remaining DC books I'm getting, but I think I'll be sticking with it a while.