A great splash page depicting the death of Johnny Storm in his heroic endeavor to save humanity.   A truly great Fantastic Four run by Jonathan Hickman, and one of my favorite splash pages.

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The NEW 52: Hawk & Dove #1

Hawk & Dove is written by Sterling Gates and penciled by Rob Liefeld.  Gates has worked on several high profile characters including, but not limited to: The Green Lantern Corps, Superman-Prime, Superman, and Supergirl.  Interestingly enough one of Liefeld’s early works includes the limited 1988 series, Hawk and Dove, by Barbara and Karl Kesen.

The DC Comics website summarizes and plugs the first issue of Hawk & Dove with these remarks:

“Hank Hall is not happy. He's not happy to have Dawn Granger as a new partner in his war on crime. He's not happy that she's dating the ghostly Super Hero, Deadman. He's not happy to learn that someone is trying to plunge the United States into a new civil war! Now it's up to Hawk and Dove to root out the forces behind this conflict and stop them before they turn the U.S. into a wasteland!
 And who is the monster lurking in the shadows, watching Hawk and Dove from afar? Find out in this new series from Sterling Gates (FLASHPOINT: KID FLASH LOST) and artist Rob Liefeld (X-Force, Youngblood)!”

Personal Thoughts:  Truthfully I did not care for this issue so much.  The story was ‘meh’ at best and nothing has been altered to Hawk & Dove since the two heroes graced the pages of DC’s maxiseries, Brightest Day.  Essentially, DC Comics could have rolled out this issue the moment Brightest Day concluded, but in order to keep with the NEW 52 they waited to publish.  Hawk & Dove’s costumes, demeanor, and back-stories have not changed a bit and issue #1 primarily covers the stereotypical mad scientist, the angry anti-hero (Hawk), and nifty flashbacks pertaining to Hawk & Dove’s origin.  It may just be me, but it seems as if every Hawk & Dove comic and/or series that I have read is an origin story rehash.  The writing is not bad, but it is not riveting by any means.  The art is solid, but Liefeld seems to enjoy penciling Hawk with a grimace and with clenched teeth more often than not.  Matt Yackey’s coloration is wonderfully done and I really appreciated the bright colors.  The coloration accents Hawk & Dove’s duality perfectly by complementing each other’s design with the use of a lot of reds and blues.

I give Hawk & Dove three-out-of-five stars.  I most likely will not be picking up the second issue, unless I hear of something spectacular through the grapevine about the series. 

Check back here news and reviews about DC’s NEW 52 throughout the weeks of September!

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Authority #1 1:50 Variant

Just picked up Authority #1 1:50 sketch variant...woo hoo!

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The NEW 52: Stormwatch #1

Stormwatch #1 is written by Paul Cornell and penciled by Miguel Sepulveda.  Paul Cornell is most famous for his writings concerning the British hero, Timelord, and time traveler, Dr. Who.

Stormwatch is a Wildstorm property that DC is trying to blend into the regular DC ‘continuity’ by creating a regular serial by using DC’s new 52 as a proverbial launch pad.  Stormwatch is an organization that disbands the use of the term ‘hero’ and lives in secrecy in order to protect Earth from its greatest threats.  No one knows that they exist even though they have watched and protected Earth since the Middle Ages.

Stormwatch calls Jack Hawksmoor, Apollo, Midnighter, the Martian Manhunter, Jenny Quantum, the Engineer, Adam One, the Projectionist, and the Eminence of Blades as its members and seeks to combine Wildstorm, DC, and new characters into a super group that exists to protect and serve in secrecy.

Issue #1 opens with Stormwatch headquarters, dubbed the Eye of the Storm, floating through hyperspace and introduces readers to DC’s new characters Adam One and the Engineer conversing about the other members of Stormwatch and a new menace that seems to resemble a giant horn. 

The issue then flips to Earth as the Engineer peers into their teammates endeavors to recruit the antihero Apollo into their ranks.  Jack provides a detailed argument as to why Apollo should join Stormwatch, but Apollo resists and bolts from Jack and his companions, the Martian Manhunter and the Projectionist.  The three give chase as the issue segues back to Stormwatch headquarters.

The Eminence of Blades is geared up and heading out in an astronaut suit to gather intelligence on the claws that have recently begun to form upon the surface of the moon.  Once reaching the celestial body, the Eminence of Blades is sucked below the surface of the moon where he is confronted and possessed by an alien entity named the Scourge of Worlds.  Before possessing Harry Tanner, aka the Eminence of Blades, the creature claims to be the only being able to survive and combat the peril that theEngineer viewed earlier upon the Eye of the Storm.

Back on Earth Apollo is still running from the rest of Stormwatch by ducking and dodging down back alleys in an effort to lose his followers.  Jack, with his ability to alter and speak to the city around him, flips gravity thus sending Apollo crashing to the ceiling.  In his anger Apollo throws a punch at the Martian Manhunter.  The Martian Manhunter merely replies, “Impressive…,” and then proceeds to shape shift into a monster to battle Apollo more effectively.  Suddenly, Midnighter flashes into view striking down the three members of Stormwatch and the issue the ends with Midnight shaking Apollo’s hand and asking, “With your help, I can kill every evil bastard on the planet.  Interested…?”

Personal Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this comic book because it introduced and updated some great Wildstorm characters as well as adding DC’s Martian Manhunter.  Time will tell if the new characters added to the Stormwatch roster will gain popularity and really shine through the established DC and Wildstorm characters.  Paul Cornell’s style bleeds through excellently and catches the reader’s attention almost immediately.  He sets up the group’s dynamic nicely by splitting the issue into two interwoven plots and jockeying back and forth as one epiphany leads to another.  It was an excellent plot device that allowed Paul to introduce multiple characters efficiently and cohesively.  He blends science fiction masterfully with some truly rich characters.  The art was interesting as well.  The characters facial expressions were not as detailed as in some of the other new 52, but some abstract and really colorful pieces were sprinkled throughout the issue that made the art standout in just the right moments.  However, that being said the more grandioso moments such as the illustrations of the giant worm in the Himalayas, the images in space, and the Manhunter from Mars’ shift were done excellently.  The depiction of the Stormwatch headquarters in the very first panel is excellently colored.  The muted hues blended together to represent hyperspace really caught my eye.  Also, when the Martian Manhunter transforms, into a fearsome monster, to corral Apollo the art that showcased the Manhunter’s transformation was exceptional; the piece was excellently rendered.  I look forward to reading more and I will definitely be reading this serial continuously.

I give Stormwatch #1 four-and-a half stars out of five.  Check back here for more coverage on DC’s NEW 52 as the new issues release throughout the weeks!

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The NEW 52: Action Comics #1

Grant Morrison who just released his first book, “Supergods: Our World in the Age of the Superhero”, also wrote Action Comics #1 for DC’s new 52.  The issue is co-drawn by Rags Morales and Rick Bryant; Cover A is by Rags Morales with variants by Jim Lee and Scott Williams. 

The issue opens phenomenally with Superman implementing some rough justice upon criminal kingpin, Mr. Glenmorgan, in the famous city of Metropolis.  The art within the first several panels wonderfully depicts Superman’s raw power by giving the reader a police officer’s perspective as they proceed to raid the kingpin’s condominium after Superman’s onslaught.  Henchman are carelessly thrown into walls and furniture and left for the local law enforcement to round up and prosecute. 

Meanwhile a red-eyed Superman is outside, in cuffed jeans and a Superman t-shirt & cape, dangling the criminal overlord in an effort to coerce the corrupted police officials into doing their respective duties.  Superman threatens Mr. Glenmorgan into a confession by leaping off the condominium to an eager crowd below.  Proving that he is bulletproof Superman catches a bullet in his palm and taunts the police with his near indestructibility.  Afterwards the police try to apprehend him due to his little stunt, but the quick lipped and footed superhero bolts off into the inner city. 

With the aid of Lex Luther, the military are tracking Superman’s movements, while the police of Metropolis are pursuing Superman.  Suddenly he finds himself in an apartment building that is coincidentally about to be demolished.  With the sound of a wrecking ball and the shrieks of people who have not yet evacuated the building Superman saves the remaining families while simultaneously showcasing his power by demolishing several tanks with the very same wrecking ball that was used to destroy the building.  The people of Metropolis herald him as a hero and cover his escape while the military tries to press forward.

Quickly returning to his apartment rooftop Superman returns to his altar ego Clark Kent.  After conversing with his landlady Clark calls his new friend Jimmy Olson to give him a heads up about Superman’s latest exploits.  Apparently, Clark works for the Daily Planet’s rival and is the hard hitting reporter that seems to get the inside scoop onto the adventures of Metropolis’ new superhero, Superman, much to Louis Lane’s chagrin.  Before ending their conversation Clark warns Jimmy about boarding the local commuter train, but Louis’ stubbornness and pride gets the better of her and she ignores Clark’s warning and boards the train with Jimmy anyway.

Once the phone call concludes Clark transforms back into the series’ titular hero and heads off towards the speeding train.  The train seems to just be gathering momentum with no inclination to stop and only one man can stop it, Superman.  He breaks onto the tracks and throws himself into the speeding trains path.  He tries to stop the train, but its weight and momentum are far too great for a young Superman.  He saves the day, but the train derails and plows into the Daily Planet pinning Superman between the nose of the train and the building.  The final panel of the comic shows Lex Luther cavalierly brushing off General Lane’s remarks about Lex using Louis as bait and pointing to his obvious success…a still shot from a video camera showing a lifeless Superman pinned to the wall of a crumbling Daily Planet.

Personal Thoughts:  Grant Morrison is one of my favorite writers and he does a masterful job-revamping Superman for new audiences.  Morrison carefully orchestrates Superman’s youth and raw power throughout his writings.  Comparatively Superman is still more powerful than the rest of the DC Universe’s superheroes, but he is not invincible.  He has weaknesses and they can be exploited.  This makes the character more personable and I think will allow for some amazing story arcs.  The art was wonderfully drawn and after seeing Rags Morales variant for Flashpoint #5 I was very intrigued by the artwork for Action Comics #1.  Superman’s new look is interesting.  I like the jeans and t-shirt look, but the cape seems out of place.  Because Superman is so young and his powers have not fully developed Morrison and DC have omitted his ability to fly for the time being, which makes the cape rather pointless plus it does not mesh well with his updated attire.  I also like the fact that Clark Kent does not work for the Daily planet, but rather for their rival.  The only connection between Clark Kent and Louis Lane is Clark’s friendship with Jimmy Olson.  I think this will create an interesting dynamic between the trio and I like the fact that Clark holds his own merit as a newspaperman.  It has always seemed that Superman’s alter ego has always been a half-wit, some of which is necessary, but to be more personable I would definitely like to see his alter ego fleshed out more.  Also, the city of Metropolis seems more tarnished and gritty…a Gotham City-lite if you will.  This creates another interesting dynamic between Superman and the people Metropolis.  With corrupt policeman and politicians, and Superman’s lack of fully developed powers it should make for good story arcs. This first story is a good foray into DC’s new 52 and it does a wonderful job of re-introducing readers to Superman and the new DC Universe.  I wish that DC had released this along with Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1.

All-in-all I give Action Comics #1 a four-out-of-five stars.  Check back here for more coverage of DC’s new 52 throughout the week and the month as I review the newest and latest releases.

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Stormwatch #2

I love this piece by Miguel Sepulveda!  A great cover for Stormwatch #2.

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Animated Comic Book Films

My girlfriend and I are huge movie and comic book buffs, so we like to indulge ourselves by combining the two hobbies every once and awhile by watching DC and Marvel's animated films.  Last week we watched All-Star Superman, which just released this year, and today we finally got around to watching the Ultimate Avengers 2 (Rise of the Panther).

I have been on a huge Superman kick lately and I was really excited to watch All-Star Superman.  I just finished reading Superman: Last Son, Superman/Batman: Supergirl, and War of the Doomsdays.  However, my impressions of All*Star Superman was not the greatest.  It was an okay film, 'meh' comes to mind, and honestly I have not read the graphic novel so maybe my opinions are automatically jaded, but the story and the plot elements just did not seem to mesh properly.  Lex Luthor's change of heart at the end of the film and the causality of Superman's demise seemed far fetched even for a comic book.  Villains seemed to pop up out of nowhere and the conclusion was ambiguous at best.  The animation was slick and the voice acting was well-done, but it does not make my top five.  I will probably be giving the graphic a whirl soon, so maybe my opinion will change then.


As far as the Ultimate Avengers goes I was pleasantly surprised by the quality.  Although its predecessor was better Ultimate Avengers 2 is still solid and ranks above All*Star Superman by a good bit.  Having Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, Wasp, Black Widow, and Nick Fury with the addition of Black Panther is phenomenal.  I love the group's  dynamic, and with Iron Man and Thor being amongst my favorite superheroes it is cool to see them in action.  I would recommend this film as well as the first.  They are great animated flicks based on a great line of comics by Marvel.

If your a comic book fan I would highly recommend checking DC and Marvel's animated catalogue. Some of my favorites include:  Batman: Under the Hood, Ultimate Avengers, Iron Man, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.

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