The Brave and the Bald's Profile

Well, this is a very fun comic. A slap of Silver Age craziness with a dash of modern scripting that brings the best out of an artist who knows how to dazzle and bring anything in your imagination to life. It's silly and goofy, but has real tension and stake.

We can argue all day long over whether or not this is the Riddler's "Killing Joke", a definitive story, or "not my Riddler", but at the end of the day, what is here is a cat-and-mouse thriller that offers an interesting possibility for the Riddler's backstory. There are times when the exposition is a tad too much, but when it comes to Batman and Riddler confronting one another, it's just pure tension. It's a story about self-imposed restraints, and asks how far can we go once those restraints are removed.

An excellent start for a very promising series. The premise isn't the most original, but Zdarsky makes it work with sharp dialogue and strong character interactions. It's definitely one to keep an eye on, especially if you're not offended by Gotham Police being portrayed as corrupt (as was the case in Batman: Year One). People get outraged over the silliest things these days.

This is, by far and away, the best Batman book that DC is putting out, with maybe Killing Time a distant second. Chip Zdarsky has found the perfect voice for a young Bruce Wayne, as someone who's a bit of a hothead but also a stubborn moral streak. A comic that can jump from some locale to another without missing a beat is special. Zdarsky's raised the bar very high for his upcoming run on Batman.

If I had a nickel every time Tom King wrote an event tie-in that ends up becoming the best part of said event, I'd have a couple of nickels.

I've been enjoying this series, but I don't think this was the right time to have a flashback. Bengal's artwork doesn't complement Yasmine Putri's very well, and there wasn't enough backstory to necessitate an entire issue. As a result, it feels like the main story is just stalling. It's not bad, but it could just be better.

Whew, lots of heated opinions on this one! I'm not the biggest fan of Tom Taylor's AUs, but I think this series is managing to dodge some of the trappings of his earlier work. Everyone's talking about that one twist towards the end, but the more interesting development is the one that has been teased but yet to be shown. The seeds planted suggest that there's more going on than meets the eye.

These DC vs Vampires tie-ins have not been good, and seem to miss the tension and intrigue of the main series.

All in all, this was an event with an interesting premise, but shaky execution. It did not need to be weekly. It started too slow, and ended up feeling rushed. I'm more interested in where this goes next.

This issue by itself was a solid turning point in Chip Zdarsky's Daredevil saga, closing off some plotlines while opening the door for others, but Devil's Reign as a whole absolutely did not need to be an event. This whole arc was all about Matt and Wilson, and bringing in the rest of the Marvel universe did the pacing no favors.

Looks like another home run from Daniel Warren Johnson. It's big, bombastic action centered on a core full of heart and down-to-earth drama.

Hoo boy, lots of anger from the Twitter crowd on this one, over a few certain panels. Interestingly enough, there seems to be a lot more positivity from those who read this in full. This issue doesn't quite progress the investigation, but it does push the characters to a point of no return, greatly upping the stakes. It's an intense middle point that leaves readers on edge for the second half.

Jay Garrick is The Flash. Tired of these boring token replacements like Barry Allen.

Jurassic League is a dopey fun book that makes no apologies about what it is. It unashamedly embraces its inherent silliness and leverages its simplistic plot to showcase its creative visual designs. It's loud and dumb, but in a stark contrast to some of DC's other output, Jurassic League is perfectly aware of how dumb it is, and seeks to simply entertain instead of cheaply imitating Alan Moore or touting itself as the next Dark Knight Returns. How this charming comic has managed to anger the dark recesses of the terminally online into review bombing this, who knows. If you want something a bit more profound or intellectual, there are plenty of options out there, but judging by the merits and review histories of some of the bitter trolls here, it doesn't seem that intellectualism is anywhere on the agenda. The Internet is a mysterious place.

As a white man, this is not offensive to white people. Some terminally-online people just enjoy playing victim.

Newborn has taken a few issues to properly gel, but this book is really starting to hit its stride. This month's case is a look into the mob-police relations and just how much the crime family politics revolve around our title character. Zdarsky weaves an interesting web here. Highly recommend.

Like its lead character, this issue exudes charm and charisma in spades. It's light-hearted and earnestly optimistic at the same time, serving us a reminder of how much we can achieve with empathy instead of disdain for the poor.

A great satirical take that pumps out a healthy mix comedy and tragedy often at the same time.

It accomplished what it needed to do (ie, set up an event), but did we really need 40 pages for that?

An absolute masterclass in sequential art. Simon Spurrier is known for his carefully crafted prose, but here he provides a rollercoaster of emotional plot beats that Matias Bergera just draws the hell out of. There's so much character packed into every little event.

Okay but where did that other lollipop come from?

One of DC's best titles returns. This issue was primarily a re-introduction, but its pristine execution makes it a spectacular read nonetheless. The stakes are raised high, and Mike Perkins's art creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere for both the real world and the world of the Green.

Historia captures the atmosphere of a Greek myth told through oral tradition. There's an exquisite attention to detail, with the feeling that every action carries a great consequence. This is comic that deserves its prestige label.