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DC Universe — DC Universe Panel at Comic-Con

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DC Universe Panel at Comic-Con

News

May 14, 2015

The CW has had huge success with its DC Comics adaptations. Arrow has just finished its third season and last year The Flash was spun off from Arrow to record ratings for the TV network. So it’s no surprise that another spinoff is coming, this one featuring characters from both Arrow and The Flash. It’s called DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and the first trailer for it has just been released. More

May 13, 2015

It was announced a while ago that CBS was developing a new live action series based on DC Comics’ Supergirl. Now CBS has announced that the show will premiere this November and will air at 8 PM on Mondays (putting it in direct competition with another DC Comics show, Gotham, on FOX). They have also released a very extensive near-7-minute long trailer for the show. More

Apr 17, 2015

The past couple of days has been a complete and utter treat for geeks the world over. First there was the official trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens that recaptured the magic of the original trilogy. Now, ahead of the previously announced April 20 release date, the official trailer for Warner Bros.’ Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice has reared its ominous and impressive head. More

First Look: Photo Reveals Actor Jesse Eisenberg in Character as Villain Lex Luthor

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Hits Theaters March 25, 2016

Mar 25, 2015

Behold, skeptics! This morning, a photo was released from Warner Bros. Pictures by way of Entertainment Weekly showing Jesse Eisenberg sporting a fully shaved head in our first look at the major villain Lex Luthor from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. More

Jul 26, 2014

At the Warner Bros. panel at the San Diego Comic-Con today the first photo of Israeli-born actress Gal Gadot in costume as Wonder Woman in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was revealed. We also have new trailers for season three of Arrow and season one of The Flash. More

Check Out Under the Radar’s Reviews of DC Comics’ New 52 Series

Read Every New 52 Review Posted to Date, Stay Tuned For More

Sep 23, 2011

This month DC Comics are relaunching all their titles in an ambitious project dubbed the “New 52” series. The whole DC Comics Universe is being relaunched in a new timeline/continuity after the events of the Flashpoint miniseries and every title is being relaunched this month under new numbering, each one starting with issue #1 again. We’ve been reviewing all of the titles. Check out all the reviews we’ve posted thus far. More

Sep 14, 2011

As if the “New 52” DC relauch wasn’t enough to get comic book fans’ hearts all a flutter, today Fox announced they’re developing a drama series based on The Spectre. More

Check Out Under the Radar’s Reviews of DC Comics’ New 52 Series

Read Every New 52 Review Posted to Date, Stay Tuned For More

Sep 14, 2011

This month DC Comics are relaunching all their titles in an ambitious project dubbed the “New 52” series. We’ve reviewed a bunch of the issues and here are links to all our New 52 reviews thus far. More

Art Brut’s Eddie Argos Releases EP for DC Comics-Themed Side-Project, Spoiler Alert!

Self-Titled EP Includes Songs about Batman, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle

Aug 13, 2010

Art Brut’s Eddie Argos has taken his passion for DC Comics to new heights, and has digitally released a DC-themed EP with the wonderfully named side-project Spoiler Alert! We have the details, along with streams of the songs about Batman, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle. More

Comic-Con 2010 Day 3 – Green Lantern Movie Panel

Ryan Reynolds, Geoff Johns, and Martin Campbell on the Anticipated Movie

Jul 26, 2010

One of the most anticipated comic book movies of 2011 is Green Lantern, the first big screen live-action film to feature a major DC Universe character other than Batman or Superman since 2004’s Catwoman (and we know how that turned out). Critically acclaimed Green Lantern writer and DC Comics’ Chief Creative Officer, Geoff Johns, enthusiastically welcomed the audience to the “first Green Lantern movie panel in history.” We have a rundown on the panel included director Martin Campbell (Goldeneye, Casino Royale), co-writer/producer Greg Berlanti, and several of the film’s stars: Ryan Reynolds (Hal Jordon/Green Lantern), Mark Strong (Sinestro), Blake Lively (Carol Ferris), and Peter Sarsgaard (Dr. Hector Hammond). More

Wonder Woman Gets New Costume, New Story

Still an Amazon Woman But With a Modern Twist

Jun 30, 2010

Wonder Woman’s newest incarnation is almost unrecognizable. She’s more dressed up, more hip, more modern. That’s what artist DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee who redesigned the costume, wanted to accomplish. This new costume comes just in time for Babylon 5 creator and writer J. Michael Straczynski and artists Don Kramer and Michael Babinski to launch Wonder Woman into an exciting new era of adventure. We have the new costume and info on her new storyline. More

Comic-Con Day Three Report: V, Fringe, True Blood

Plus: We Attend an Actual Comic Book Panel – DC Universe

Aug 05, 2009

A report from day three of Comic-Con 2009, including panels on the TV shows V, Fringe, The Simpsons, and True Blood. Plus: We attend an actual comic book panel, the DC Universe Editorial Presentation. More

Jul 30, 2009

Comic-Con took over San Diego, CA this past Wednesday through Sunday. We sent photographer Wendy Lynch Redfern down to capture the action. Check out her photos from day three of Comic-Con, includings photos of these panels: The Simpsons (Matt Groening and others), V (Scott Wolf and others), Fringe (Anna Torv and others), True Blood (Anna Paquin, and others). Also check out a bunch of cool people at day three’s events, most of them in full costume! More



Interviews

James Robinson

Creating a Metaphysical World

May 25, 2012

DC Comics’ much-anticipated Earth 2 landed in stores this month as part of the Second Wave of the New 52. Earth 2 writer James Robinson spoke with Under the Radar about the his big plans for Earth 2’s metaphysical environment, the historical allusions in his latest work, the day-to-day struggles of being a comic book writer, The Shade, and his thoughts on friends Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates. More

Jeff Lemire

The Beauty of Collaboration

Jan 20, 2012

Two of the surprise hits of DC New 52 initiative were Jeff Lemire‘s trippy horror series Animal Man and his action-packed Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Both made a big splash for the Sweet Tooth scribe. Here we talk for a spell with the inspiring young writer. He dishes back his thoughts on the collaborative environment of DC Comics, reluctant heroes, ceding control to artists, and remaining silent about the Mysterious Red-Hooded Woman. Also, see our discussion with his partner in crime, Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing). More

Scott Snyder

The Psychology of True Horror

Jan 19, 2012

Scott Snyder had a very successful year in 2011 with his creator-owned American Vampire comic, Batman: Gates of Gotham, and his excellent Black Mirror run for DC Comics’ Detective Comics series. He now writes for Batman and Swamp Thing in DC’s New 52 universe that rebooted last fall. More

Cliff Chiang

Horror in Paradise

Sep 21, 2011

We chatted with the DC artist extraordinaire Cliff Chaing (Green Arrow & Black Canary, Zatanna) about the overall tone of the new Wonder Woman series he is drawing, his thoughts on violence and female sexuality in comics, and the DC Comics - The New 52 Art Tour. More


Reviews

Batman, Incorporated #1

Written by Grant Morrison; Pencilled, Inked, & Colored by Christopher Burnham; Cover Color by Nathan Fairbairn; Lettered by DC Lettering

May 29, 2012

Grant Morrison’s Batman, Incorporated returned last week with a bloody and action-packed debut issue. It’s essentially the crown jewel of DC’s “Second Wave” of New 52 titles in terms of writing, but artist Christopher Burnham is no slouch either. More

American Vampire Volume 3

Writer: Scott Snyder; Artists: Rafael Albuquerque, Sean Murphy, Danijel Zezelj

Apr 16, 2012

American Vampire Volume 3 collects issues 12-18 of the ongoing series from Vertigo as well as the American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest mini. The contents are nothing short of stunning. More

Justice League #3

Written by Geoff Johns; Pencils by Jim Lee; Inks by Scott Williams; Colors by Alex Sinclair, Hi-Fi, Gabe Eltaeb; Letters by Patrick Brosseau; Cover by Lee Williams, & Sinclair

Nov 22, 2011

After an alright debut issue and an action-packed second installment, Justice League takes one step forward and two steps back as a marquee series this month. The cast of characters are almost assembled and Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, and Scott Williams hit their story and art beats with precision most of the time. More

Batman: Noël (Deluxe Edition)

Written by Lee Bermejo; Art and cover by Lee Bermejo

Nov 08, 2011

Writer/artist Lee Bermejo (Joker) tries to tap into the emotional core of the Batman character and mythos with the seasonal graphic novel, Batman: Noël. What could just be a Christmas Carol-aping curio at best, ultimately sheds a chiaroscuroed light on Gotham’s shadowy protector. More

Justice League #2

Written by Geoff Johns; Art and cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams; Colors by Alex Sinclair; Letters by Pat Brosseau

Oct 25, 2011

In last month’s pretty solid relaunch of Justice League, the all-star creative team of Geoff Johns (Aquaman, Green Lantern) and Jim Lee (All-Star Batman & Robin) set up all the game pieces with just enough flair. More

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice (#1 of 5)

Written by Gregg Hurwitz; Art and cover by Szymon Kudranski

Oct 13, 2011

Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot (aka The Penguin) is one of Batman’s more interesting rogues. He deserves a five-issue miniseries to delve into his origin story and the inner machinations of his shadowy criminal underworld. More

The Flash #1

Written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, art by Francis Manapul, colors by Brian Buccellato, letters by Sal Cipriano

Oct 13, 2011

The Flash #1 may just feature the best art of any of DC’s New 52 comics. Francis Manapul’s kinetic art truly captures “the fastest man alive” in movement, tapping into the speed force in a way few artists have. And Brian Buccellato’s gorgeous colors manage to somehow be both vibrant and muted at the same time. Even the lettering by Sal Cipriano is impressive. More

Batman: The Dark Knight #1

Written by Paul Jenkins; Art by David Finch

Oct 07, 2011

Wish I could say it was burnout from reading all of DC’s New 52 that led me to think that Batman: The Dark Knight #1 was a subpar comic. So I waited a few days, cleared my palate, and tried again. Nope, still bad. More

Blackhawks #1

Written by Mike Costa; Pencils by Graham Nolan; Inks by Ken Lashley; Cover by Ken Lashley

Oct 07, 2011

Blackhawks #1 is a poorly drawn and written action-military tale with a team focus. There are five main characters introduced here, but the most interesting things about them are their cool code names. More

Superman #1

Written by George Pérez; art by Jesús Merino (pencils and inks), Brian Buccellato (colors), George Pérez and Brian Buccellato (cover)

Oct 05, 2011

With DC’s New 52 re-launch the Superman books are shaking things up. In Superman #1 Lois and Clark are no longer together, The Daily Planet has questionable new owners, and Superman faces an alien made of fire. More

I, Vampire #1

Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov; Art by Andrea Sorrentino

Oct 04, 2011

I, Vampire is essentially a breakup story. Andrew and Mary—he’s a bloodsucker who wants to coexist peacefully with humans; she’s a bloodsucker who wants to fight for her right to consume them. More

Aquaman #1

Written by Geoff Johns; Art by Ivan Reis

Oct 04, 2011

In Aquaman #1, the decision of having characters throughout the book making fun of Aquaman in the same manner he’s been mocked in real life on television and other media over the past few decades is funny at first, but gets old. More

All-Star Western #1

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti; Art by Moritat; Colors by Gabriel Bautista

Oct 03, 2011

Of all the books in DC’s “New 52,” a line-wide soft reboot, All-Star Western #1 came out of the gate swinging hardest for the fences, and managed to connect on all levels. Home run. More

Voodoo #1

Written by Ron Marz; Art and cover by Sami Basri; Colors by Jessica Kholinne; Cover color by Sunny Gho; Letters by Jared K. Fletcher

Sep 30, 2011

Similar to last week’s controversial titles, Catwoman and Red Hood and the Outlaws, Voodoo #1 doesn’t soft-pedal its exploration of sexuality. More

The Savage Hawkman #1

Written by Tony S. Daniel; Art by Philip Tan; Colors by Sunny Gho; Letters by Travis Lanham

Sep 30, 2011

Carter Hall (aka Hawkman) is a DC character that benefits from his relative anonymity. More

Teen Titans #1

Written by Scott Lobdell; Pencils by Brett Booth; Inks by Norm Rapmund; Colors by Andrew Dalhouse; Letters by Carlos M. Mangual; Cover by Booth, Rapmund, & Dalhouse

Sep 29, 2011

The past few runs of Teen Titans were either boring, gimmicky, or filled with sub-standard writing and art. Writer Scott Lobdell (Superboy, Red Hood and the Outlaws) and artist Brett Booth (Justice League of America) seem to understand this team of teenage super-heroes on a deeper level. More

Green Lantern: New Guardians #1

Written by Tony Bedard; Art by Tyler Kirkham; Inks by Batt; Colors by Nei Ruffino; Letters by Dave Sharpe; Cover by Kirkham, Batt, & Rod Reis

Sep 28, 2011

Apparently, not all the Green Lantern books are steaming ahead with the old continuity. Tony Bedard (Blue Beetle, R.E.B.E.L.S.) and Tyler Kirkham (Green Lantern Corps, Ultimate Fantastic Four) are working up a slightly reconfigured origin story for Space Sector 2814’s Kyle Rayner. More

Justice League Dark #1

Written by Peter Milligan; Art by Mikel Janin

Sep 28, 2011

Justice League Dark #1 is a decent premise with a ridiculous title; a book with a beautiful cover (Ryan Sook!) and interior art that’s quite inconsistent; and a storyline that tries to inject the classic DC Vertigo history and sensibilities into the fertile NuDCU. What we get is a book that pulls you this way and that, and we’re not quite sure to what end. More

Supergirl #1

Written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson; art by Mahmud Asrar

Sep 28, 2011

Writer Jeph Loeb and artist Michael Turner already nicely reintroduced Supergirl into the DC Universe back in 2004 in Superman/Batman #8. That really wasn’t that long ago, so it’s curious that with the New 52, Supergirl is one of the characters they’ve decided to start from scratch with again. More

Catwoman #1

Written by Judd Winick; art and cover by Guillem March

Sep 27, 2011

Catwoman #1 gets the series off to a solid start, mainly due to the dynamic art by Guillem March, rather than the breezy and not overly complex story by Judd Winick. More

Birds of Prey #1

Written by Duane Swierczynski; Art by Jesus Saiz

Sep 27, 2011

While this book may not be as technically proficient as, say, the very good Wonder Woman #1, there is a lot to like in Birds of Prey #1. More

Batman #1

Written by Scott Snyder; Art by Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion; Colors by FCO Plascencia; Cover by Greg Capullo; Variant cover by Ethan Van Sciver

Sep 27, 2011

Batman #1 comfortably sits alongside the relaunches Action Comics, Animal Man, Batwoman, Justice League, Swamp Thing, and Wonder Woman. It’s one of the best examples that DC’s New 52 relaunch is an out-and-out success. More

Captain Atom #1

Written by J.T. Krul; Art by Freddy Williams II

Sep 26, 2011

As much as I was rather pleased to find that Kyle Higgins’ Nightwing #1 was far better than his Deathstroke relaunch, I was pleasantly surprised with J.T. Krul’s Captain Atom #1 in the face of his rather lackluster Green Arrow #1 from a few weeks ago.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #1

Writer: Scott Lobdell; Artist: Kenneth Rocafort

Sep 25, 2011

Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 is disappointing. Scott Lobdell employs strong and appropriate first-person narration from two different characters, which is a tricky thing to pull off. Kenneth Rocafort’s art is sort of like ‘90s-style done right; it’s very scratchy in parts, uses exaggerated proportions to its advantage, rather than to an annoying extent, and has lots of personality. And we have three strong, pre-existing DC characters as the main players and some pretty interesting brand new ideas. But there’s one thing that makes this book just go off the rails. More

DC Universe Presents: Deadman #1

Writer: Paul Jenkins; Artist: Bernard Chang

Sep 24, 2011

DCU Presents: Deadman #1 nicely splits the difference between honoring what came before and going off in a new direction. More

Legion of Super-Heroes #1

Written by Paul Levitz; Art by Francis Portela; Colors by Javier Mena; Letters by Pat Brosseau; Edited by Chris Conroy; Cover by Karl Kerschl

Sep 23, 2011

There are at least 16 protagonists in the first issue of Legion of Super-Heroes and writer Paul Levitz (Adventure Comics) fails to make us care about most of them. It’s not quite the train wreck of sloppy art and Michael Bay-esque action that was Legion Lost #1, but this story leaves much to be desired. More

Green Lantern Corps #1

Written by Peter J. Tomasi; Art by Fernando Pasarin; Inks by Scott Hanna; Colors by Gabe Eltaeb; Cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy

Sep 23, 2011

Peter J. Tomasi’s work on Blackest Night, Brightest Day, Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors, and the “New 52” relaunch of Batman and Robin, showed readers that he knows drama. More

Blue Beetle #1

Written by Tony Bedard; Pencils by Ig Guara; Inks by Ruy Jose; Colors by Pete Pantazis; Letters by Rob Leigh

Sep 22, 2011

Writer Tony Bedard (Green Lantern: New Guardians) and artist Ig Guara (Marvel Adventures: Avengers) spin a no-nonsense origin yarn for Blue Beetle #1. More

Wonder Woman #1

Written by Brian Azzarello; Art by Cliff Chiang

Sep 21, 2011

For those who appreciate a book that’s immediately accessible, yet rewards a close read, Wonder Woman #1 is the best-in-class of DC’s New 52 relaunch initiative to date. More

Nightwing #1

Written by Kyle Higgins; Artist by Eddy Barrows

Sep 21, 2011

A few days ago, I proclaimed that Deathstroke #1 was the dog at the bottom of DC’s “New 52” pile. Kyle Higgins, who wrote that questionable use of paper and ink, is also the writer on the new Nightwing #1. I’m very happy to say that Nightwing is much, much better. More

Superboy #1

Written by Scott Lobdell; Art by R.B. Silva (pencils), Rob Lean (inks), Eric Canete (cover)

Sep 20, 2011

Is Superboy a clone? An experiment? Half-Kryptonian, half-human? A ticking time bomb? A creature totally lacking human empathy? All of the above? Superboy #1 introduces all of these elements in a truly surprising first issuesurprising in that it’s quite good. More

Resurrection Man #1

Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning; Art by Fernando Dagnino

Sep 19, 2011

One of the more intriguing prospects in the DC New 52 relaunch was the return of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning to Resurrection Man; they were the original writers on the first series, which was on balance pretty good. In terms of quality of concept and characterization, they picked up right where they left off, though things have taken a turn for the Biblical that may dampen some enthusiasm for what feels like more of a sci-fi concept.

Grifter #1

Written by Nathan Edmonson; Art by Cafu

Sep 19, 2011

While Grifter #1 certainly doesn’t inspire awe, it’s enough off the beaten path, and the pencils are interesting enough, that it could be worth your time if the premise sounds like it’s in your wheelhouse. More

Deathstroke #1

Written by Kyle Higgins; Art by Joe Bennett (pencils), Art Thibert (inks)

Sep 18, 2011

Deathstroke #1 is easily my least favorite thus far of DC’s New 52. More

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1

Written by Jeff Lemire; Art by Alberto Ponticelli

Sep 16, 2011

With a serviceable plot, cool characters, decent interaction of such, and fun, mad concepts, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1 sets up a premise that has potential for producing a winner. More

Legion Lost #1

Written by Fabian Nicieza; Art and cover by Pete Woods; Colors by Brad Anderson

Sep 16, 2011

Legion Lost #1 is by far the worst of DC’s “New 52” titles that I’ve read so far. It’s also just a poorly plotted and drawn comic in general. More

Batman and Robin #1

Written by Peter J. Tomasi; Art and cover by Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray

Sep 16, 2011

One of the most-anticipated New 52 titles this week is the new Batman and Robin, which continues the excellent series launched by Grant Morrison. Lapsed Batman fans hoping to jump into this title with a quick introductory story or narration bubble might be left in the dust. More

Red Lanterns #1

Written by Peter Milligan; Art and cover by Ed Benes & Rob Hunter

Sep 15, 2011

Mega-rager Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps have their own series now. It’s bloody, horrific, and every other badass adjective you can imagine. More

Mister Terrific #1

Written by Eric Wallace; art by Gianluca Gugliotta (penciller), Wayne Faucher (inker), and Mike Atiyeh (colorist); cover by J. G. Jones

Sep 15, 2011

Mister Terrific (aka Michael Holt) is the third smartest man in the world, but towards the end of the old DC continuity a villain had reduced his intelligence in the final Justice Society of America issues to the point that he couldn’t even read anymore. More

Demon Knights #1

Written by Paul Cornell; Art by Diogenes Neves & Oclair Albert; Cover by Tony S. Daniels

Sep 15, 2011

Demon Knights is set in DC Universe’s Dark Ages, with Jason Blood wrestling with a very angry demon (Etrigan) inside of his body. Vertigo’s Madame Xanadu and the last Knight of the Round Table, Excalibur, make an appearance. More

Suicide Squad #1

Written by Adam Glass; Art by Federico Dallocchio, Ransom Getty, and Scott Hanna

Sep 14, 2011

As I neared the end of Suicide Squad #1 from DC Comics’ New 52 relaunch, the very last page raised the most important question of the issue: What have they done with Amanda Waller?!!? More

Green Lantern #1

Written by Geoff Johns; Art by Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, and Tom Nguyen; Colors by David Baron; Letters by Sal Cipriano

Sep 14, 2011

Green Lantern #1 picks up right where Geoff Johns left off, in the wake of his War of the Green Lanterns story arc. This bestselling title isn’t being rebooted because of “The New 52.” More

Batwoman #1

Written by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman; Art by J.H. Williams III; Colors by Dave Stewart

Sep 14, 2011

With a bit of the “weird,” a nice set up of the new supporting characters, and a flashback to what’s come before for the character intermingled tastefully with the plot, Batwoman #1 is a promising kick-off. More

Batman: Gates of Gotham (Issue #5 of 5)

Written by Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins, Ryan Parrott; Art by Trevor McCarthy, Graham Nolan; Colors by Guy Major; Letters by Jared K. Fletcher

Sep 14, 2011

The final battle between the Bat-family and The Architect is somewhat anti-climatic after the first four issues of Gates of Gotham held such steampunk-y promise. More

Hawk & Dove #1

Writer: Sterling Gates; Artist: Rob Liefield

Sep 14, 2011

It’s a pretty obvious sign that the first issue of Hawk & Dove didn’t especially grab me when the two things that most stuck with (and bothered) me about it were, 1. the new grey and red costume for Hawk (admittedly a dumb criticism, but it looks stupid vs. his classic red & white); and, 2. Rob Liefield draws a crappy Deadman. I mean, Deadman is one of the coolest looking dudes in DC’s menagerie, and in his supporting role here as Dove’s romantic interest, his face looks like a weird blob. More

Men of War #1

"Joseph Rock"—Writer: Ivan Brandon; Artist: Tom Derenick; "Navy SEALs: Human Shields"—Writer: Jonathan Vanking; Artist: Phil Winslade

Sep 13, 2011

Men of War #1 seeks to reset the Sgt. Rock war stories in a modern age, complete with DC Superhero trappings. The backup story (concerning Navy SEALs and meriting an extra buck over most DC Comics prices), is a story without those trappings, more of a conventional military specialist tale. One’s okay. The other’s not. More

Static Shock #1

Written by Scott McDaniel and John Rozum; Art by Scott McDaniel (pencils), Jonathan Glapion and Le Breau Underwood (inks), Guy Major (colors); cover by Scott McDaniel with Guy Major

Sep 13, 2011

In setting up the new status quo for Static, the electro-magnetic powered youth from the Milestone line of comics, as well as the star of a well-received cartoon, Static Shock #1 does a fine job. In generating interest beyond that, Static Shock #1 is surprisingly average. More

Stormwatch #1

Written by Paul Cornell; Art and cover by Miguel Sepulveda

Sep 12, 2011

I guess this is how DC is fitting in the Wildstorm characters into their revamped “New 52” universe. Stormwatch is the first of the titles featuring Wildstorm characters now integrated into the new DC Universe. The original ‘90s series centered on the eponymous, United Nations-sponsored super-team. That run eventually fell apart under the writing guidance of Warren Ellis and morphed into The Authority. This new issue is a sloppy amalgamation of both books and we learn next to nothing about these characters. More

Animal Man #1

Written by Jeff Lemire; art by Travel Foreman (penciller, co-inker, and cover), Dan Green (co-inker), and Lovern Kindzierski (colorist)

Sep 12, 2011

Jeff Lemire’s Animal Man #1 ties Grant Morrison’s Action Comics #1 as the best issue of the first full week of DC’s New 52 re-launch, which is fitting, since Morrison’s late ‘80s/early ‘90s run on Animal Man was so amazing. More

Green Arrow #1

(Written by J.T. Krul; art by Dan Jurgens (penciller), George Pérez (inker), and David Baron (colorist); cover by Dave Wilkins)

Sep 12, 2011

Green Arrow #1, written by J.T. Krul, is a by-the-numbers superhero/vigilante comic filled with all too familiar tropes. Globe-trotting billionaire who moonlights as a costumed avenger and doesn’t always see eye to eye with his board of directorscheck. More

O.M.A.C. #1

Writer: Dan Didio; Pencils: Keith Giffen; Inks: Scott Koblish

Sep 11, 2011

What a pleasant surprise. DC Comics’ publisher Dan Didio’s turns at writing have been a mixed bag. His run on Superboy when back when was pretty good, but his recent efforts with The Outsiders were, simply put, not good. Didio and Keith Kiffen team up to start exploring how fun a guy with a huge blue mohawk can really be. More

Batwing #1

Written by Judd Winick; Art by Ben Oliver; Colors by Brian Reber; Letters by Carlos M. Mangual

Sep 10, 2011

It seems as though Grant Morrison’s Batman Incorprated concept is part of DC’s new continuity. Good idea. For those that didn’t catch it, Batman, Inc. was the excellent series where Bruce Wayne opened Batman franchises around the globe. Batwing is an OK spinoff from that well-done series. More

Detective Comics #1

Writer and Artist: Tony S. Daniel; Inks: Ryan Winn

Sep 10, 2011

It sure is a good thing that Batman is already popular. The venerable Detective Comics relaunched with a new #1 this week, and it’s just bad. More

Swamp Thing #1

Written by Scott Snyder; Art by Yanick Paquette; Colors by Nathan Fairbairn; Letters by John J. Hill; Cover by Yanick Paquette, Nathan Fairbairn

Sep 09, 2011

Vertigo’s Swamp Thing is a treasured series for many comic book readers. Alan Moore’s iconic run is untouchable in my opinion, but the yarns spun by Rick Veitch, Mark Millar, Brian K. Vaughan, Andy Diggle, and Joshua Dysart left a strong legacy as well. Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Batman) knows this and isn’t screwing with too much continuity. You can tell, even from this debut issue, that he has plans for an epic story arc all his own. More

Batgirl #1

Written by Gail Simone; Art by Ardian Syaf (penciller), Vicente Cifuentes (inker), and Ulises Arreola (colorist); Cover by Adam Hughes

Sep 09, 2011

When it was announced that Barbara Gordon would be returning as Batgirl in DC Comics’ New 52 universe, the main question comics fans had was how they would deal with her being paralyzed back in The Killing Joke, if they’d deal with it at all. More

Justice League International #1

Written by Dan Jurgens; Art by Aaron Lopresti & Matt Ryan

Sep 09, 2011

Fans of the original Justice League International from 25 years ago will be pretty familiar with the overall story arc for this new issue #1. The proposed JLI roster and the pre-approval via U.N. sanctions are old hat. New fans just being introduced to a lot of these second and third string characters will most likely be lost. Unlike Justice League #1, Dan Jurgens (Booster Gold) does very little to acquaint you with this team or give you a strong reason to root for them. More

Action Comics #1

Written by Grant Morrison; Art by Rages Morales & Rick Bryant; Cover by Rags Morales and Brad Anderson; Variant Cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, & Alex Sinclair

Sep 08, 2011

The unstoppable writing machine that is Grant Morrison (All-Star Superman, Animal Man, Batman and Robin) returns to the Man of Steel this week. Alongside him is bold artist Rags Morales (Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Batman Confidential, Identity Crisis). Their postmodern vision of The Man of Steel with Action Comics #1 is obviously one of the most-anticipated New 52 #1 titles this month. More

Flashpoint #5

Written by Geoff Johns; Art by Andy Kubert and Sandra Hope

Sep 02, 2011

The final issue of Flashpoint bids adieu to the old DC Universe and ushers in their rejiggered line, dubbed as “The New 52.” If you have the choice, it’s better to skip this issue and pick up the OK Justice League #1. You won’t miss much. More

Justice League #1

Writer: Geoff Johns; Artists: Jim Lee, Scott Williams

Aug 31, 2011

Justice League #1 is the first salvo in DC’s line-wide relaunch, and how better to relaunch a line than with a book by storied DC muckity-mucks Geoff Johns (Creative VP; writer of a ton of stuff, some of it very good) and Jim Lee (Co-Publisher; penciller of more best-selling books than you can shake a rolled up comic at). It’s a flashback tale of how the world’s greatest super-team formed. More

Jul 19, 2011

What if you threw a soiree for some of life’s most epic personifications? Thus is the premise behind Delirium’s Party. Featuring diminutive characters based on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series,Delirium’s Party is as whimsical as the name implies—a child-like tale for all ages.

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Booster Gold (Issue #44)

Written by Dan Jurgens; Art and cover by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund; Colors by Hi-Fi; Letters by Carlos M. Mangual

May 31, 2011

After only being on store shelves for a just over 48 hours, DC announced that the Flashpoint tie-in, Booster Gold #44, was officially sold out and going back to press. The second printing will be available in June. This is a great sign that DCU’s “greatest hero you’ve never heard of” is starting to get some well-earned recognition. More

Secret Six: The Reptile Brain

Written by Gail Simon & Paul Cornell; Art by J. Calafiore & Pete Woods; Cover by Daniel Luvisi

May 23, 2011

Secret Six: The Reptile Brain, the latest Secret Six collection, doesn’t particularly stand out amongst the previous Secret Six books, but with good action, breezy plot, and great characterization, the book is a fine example of consistent, quality DC Comics. More

Flashpoint (Issue #1)

Written by Geoff Johns; Art by Andy Kubert & Sandra Hope; Colors by Alex Sinclair; Letters by Nick J. Napolitano; Cover by Andy Kubert, Ivan Reis, and George Pérez

May 20, 2011

The first issue of Flashpoint starts DC Comics’ big summer event on some truly shaky ground. Geoff Johns had recent homeruns with Green Lantern, Blackest Night, and parts of Brightest Day, but his attempts at transforming The Flash into a marquee star (I smell a movie in the works!) aren’t quite living up to The Scarlet Speedster’s legacy. More

Batman: Arkham City (Issue #1 of 5)

Written by Paul Dini; Art and cover by Carlos D'Anda; Colors by Gabe Eltaeb; Letters by Travis Lanham

May 13, 2011

Joker’s twisted (and weirdly eloquent) thoughts open DC Comics’ Batman: Arkham City five-issue miniseries. The series aims to connect the hit 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum and its highly anticipated follow-up, Batman: Arkham City. Veteran scribe Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series), who penned both video games, does an adequate job of tightening the dangling story threads from Arkham Asylum‘s foreboding conclusion like he’s wielding an ultra batclaw. More

Action Comics (Issue #900)

Written by Paul Cornell, Richard Donner, David Goyer, Damon Lindelof and more; Art by Pete Woods, Jesus Merino and more; Cover by David Finch; 1:5 Variant cover A by Adam Hughes; 1:5 Variant cover B by Alex Ross

May 02, 2011

Superman is the first superhero to race across the 900th issue mark. Such a big milestone deserves the press buzz and love its getting from DC fans. As a fitful celebration and anniversary issue, Action Comics #900 only works in spurts. There is a ton of extra content contained in this issue’s “96-page spectacular” and that’s almost worthy of the steep $5.99 price tag. The main feature’s Black Ring finale simply under-performs and nothing quite lives up to that gloriously dark cover by David Finch (Cyberforce, New Avengers, Brightest Day).

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Vertigo Resurrected: Finals

Written by Will Pfeifer; art by Jill Thompson

Mar 28, 2011

Knox State University is a college just like any other—Greek life, a winning football team, and, oh yeah, deadly final projects. Originally published as a four issue series in 1999, the heavily satirical tale—not for the faint of heart— is collected here in one volume for the first time. More

The Boy Commandos: Vol. 1

Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

Feb 14, 2011

War stories from 1942, created by industry legends Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, this archive from DC Comics certainly has some value as a historical object. But would a modern audience be interested in reading it as more than a curiosity? More

Saga of the Swamp Thing Book 4

Written by Alan Moore; Art by Stephen Bissette, Rick Veitch, John Totleben, Stan Woch, Tatjana Wood and others; Original Series Cover Art by Stephen Bissette & John Totleben

Feb 08, 2011

The latest Saga of the Swamp Thing hardcover edition (issues #43-50) would have easily received a higher rating if it weren’t for the faded newspaper-style paper quality. I know it’s recycled paper stock, but the colors and inks make this seem like a book that’s been sitting on my shelf for a few years instead of a brand-new edition. Regardless of this fact, Book 4 is a riveting and metaphysical trip. It’s also the culmination of Alan Moore’s year-long “American Gothic” storyline that he built up in previous volumes. More

Hellblazer (Issue #275)

Story by Peter Milligan; Pencils by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini; Colors by Trish Mulvihill and Lee Loughridge; Letters by Sal Cipriano; Cover by Simon Bisley

Feb 02, 2011

Several comic book series have their main protagonist getting hitched (Spider-Man and Superman come to mind). It’s typically a straight story, aside from some big mishap or a villain showing up to ruin the momentous occasion. In the Hellblazer universe, a chapel hosting John Constantine and Epiphany Greaves’ nuptials, of course, morphs into the demon Nergal’s “theatrical” battleground. More

Fables Vol. 14: Witches

Written by Bill Willingham; Art by Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, David Lapham, Jim fern, Andrew Pepoy, and Craig Hamilton

Jan 31, 2011

On the home front, the mystery and threat of The Dark Man deepen, causing Frau Totenkinder to reveal some of her roots and Ozma to vie for leadership of the Fabletown gang’s magic folk. There’s further intrigue as the presence of Geppetto jumbles up politics up on the farm. More

Batman Beyond (Issue #1)

Written by Adam Beechen; Art by Ryan Benjamin & John Stanisci; Cover by Dustin Nguyen; 1:10 Variant cover by Darwyn Cooke

Jan 15, 2011

$2.99. Ahh, it’s good to see that affordable price tag grace the cover of a new DC title once again. My wallet thanks you, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson. One of the marquee issues associated with the comic book company’s day-and-date digital marketing strategy is Batman Beyond. More

Secret Six: Danse Macabre

Written by Gail Simone and John Ostrander; Art by Jim Calafiore, Peter Nguyen, and Doug Hazlewood

Jan 06, 2011

Secret Six brings us strong writing, excellent characterization, good art, and slam-bang action. This title is the spiritual successor to the Suicide Squad, the standout series from the 1980s. More

Y: The Last Man (The Deluxe Edition: Book Four)

Written by Brian K. Vaughan; Art by Pia Guerra, Goran Sudžuka, José Marzán Jr., Zylonol, and Clem Robins; Covers by Massimo Carnevale

Dec 08, 2010

This fourth deluxe hardcover (issues #37-48) of Y: The Last Man begins with the journey Yorick Brown’s male Capuchin monkey Ampersand took since the last collection (issues #24-36) of the Eisner Award-winning series. The little guy’s genes may prove to be the solution to ending the worldwide gendercide, and much of the drama centers on ensuring his safety. Book Three saw writer Brian K. Vaughan (Lost, Ex Machina, Runaways) hitting a few narrative speed bumps and cul de sacs, but here he starts stepping on the gas. More

Team-Ups of the Brave and the Bold Vol. 1

Written by J. Michael Straczynski; Art and cover by Jesus Saiz

Sep 07, 2010

Every issue of The Brave of the Bold is a self-contained narrative that usually centers on one unusual team-up from the DC Universe (hence the title of this book). It’s a simple concept, but can prove to be quite engaging if done right. Team-Ups of The Brave and the Bold gets it mostly right. More

Batman: Arkham Reborn

Written by David Hine; Art by Jeremy Haun; Cover by Cliff Chiang

Aug 27, 2010

DC’s go-to psychological thriller scribe David Hine (Batman: Joker’s Asylum, Azrael) and artist Jeremy Haun (Batman: Streets of Gotham, Berserkers, Man-Hunter: Face Off) join forces on Batman: Arkham Reborn. The moody page-turner collects 2009’s Batman: Battle for the Cowl: Arkham Asylum #1, Arkham Reborn #1-3, and Detective Comics #864-865. More

Superman (Issue # 701)

Writen by J. Michael Straczynski; Art by Eddie Barrows

Jul 19, 2010

And so the new era of Superman begins not with a bang, and not with a whimper, but a series of whimpers. Yes, this is the “Superman walks across the country” storyline, finally here for us to read, not just scoff at based on the premise. Honestly, it’s better than I thought it would be. That, unfortunately, is not saying much. More

The Executor

(Written by Jon Evans; Art by Andrea Mutti; Cover by Lee Bermejo)

May 12, 2010

Vertigo Crime delivers another pulpy treat, this time in the form of Native American exploitation thriller The Executor. Writer Jon Evans (Dark Places, Invisible Armies) and artist Andrea Mutti (Break Point, Le Syndrome de Cain) team up for the first time to tell the story of former hockey star Joe Ullen. More

I, Zombie (Issue #1)

Written by Chris Roberson; Art by Michael Allred

May 10, 2010

Vertigo has this habit of launching new books at a $1 price tag. I, Zombie is the latest to get this treatment, and it’s certainly a better investment than other notable things you can get for a buck, like a McDonald’s Double Burger, for instance. I, Zombie is far meatier, brainier, and goes down a lot better. More

Solomon Grundy

Written by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins; Art and cover by Scott Kolins

May 06, 2010

While Scott Kolins has long been a fan favorite amongst a certain strata of DC Comics fans (with your reviewer being chief among that grouping), the Solomon Grundy miniseries, which this trade paperback volume collects, is the first testing of his chops as a writer as well. Sure, there was co-writing by DC writer supreme Geoff Johns on “The Curse,” the first chapter of this volume, but it’s largely Kolins’ time to shine…or not. More

The Flash (Issue 1)

Written by Geoff Johns; Art by Francis Manapul; Colors by Brian Buccellato; Letters by Nick J. Napolitano

Apr 26, 2010

The debut issue of Geoff Johns’ new Flash series draws most of its dramatic energy from a murder case that the resurrected Bary Allen must solve. Under the cover of having been in witness protection, he returns to the Central City Police Department’s crime lab. No sooner than he does, a mysterious man drops dead in the street wearing a Mirror Master uniform. The relaunched Silver Age hero finally feels fresh for once, and Adventure Comics artist Francis Manapul keeps the art as obliging as Johns’ dialogue. Even Allen’s romantic relationship with Iris gets a fresh coat of paint. More

The Creeper By Steve Ditko

Written by Steve Ditko, Don Segall, Dennis O'Neil and Michael Fleisher; Art by Steve Ditko, Jack Sparling, and others

Apr 01, 2010

The Creeper is an insane character to draw. He contains the fluidity of Ditko’s most famous creation, Spider-Man, The Joker’s manacial glee, and a Clark Kent-like day job. More

Power Girl: A New Beginning

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti; Art and Cover by Amanda Conner

Mar 30, 2010

The main reason it took me a long time to get around to reading Power Girl is because the covers looked quite silly. Sure, they had those Silver Age-esque colors popping out at you, and uh, Power Girl’s two main assets, but Amanda Conner portrayed our heroine in a vampy, sort of cartoonish manner. Don’t get me wrong, I love fun, self-aware titles (i.e. Booster Gold), but this just rubbed me the wrong way. Negative first impressions aside, the graphic novel collection Power Girl: A New Beginning is not too shabby. It collects the first six issues of the series and it’s a fairly fun and sometimes exasperating read. More

Green Lantern: Secret Origin

Written by Geoff Johns; Art by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert

Feb 18, 2010

The realistically drawn and emotionally written, Secret Origin, retells the beginnings of the Silver Age Green Lantern known as Hal Jordan. Geoff Johns (Action Comics, The Flash: Rebirth) and Wizard 2007 Artist of the Year Ivan Reis (Infinite Crisis, Rann-Thanagar War) deftly revisit Jordan’s childhood, Air Force recruitment, his fateful encounter with Abin Sur, and eventual training on Oa under the tutelage of Sinestro. More

Green Lantern: Agent Orange

Written by Geoff Johns; Art by Philip Tan, Jonathan Glapion, Ivan Reis, and Oclair Albert

Feb 02, 2010

These days, Geoff Johns’ work for Green Lantern (vol. 4) is almost beyond reproach in comcidom and even eclipses DC’s Batman and Superman series. Agent Orange is no exception. It stopgap miniseries further illustrates the blockbuster scribe’s adeptness for the comic medium after successful runs for 52, Infinite Crisis, Justice Society of America, and Teen Titans. And even as a prelude to the still continuing Blackest Night tentpole event, it is well written and expertly visualized space opera of the emotional spectrum. More

Joe the Barbarian (Issue 1)

Written by Grant Morrison; Art by Sean Murphy

Jan 26, 2010

In the debut issue of Joe the Barbarian we meet Joe Manson. His mother constantly berates him to get his head out of the fantasy world of his sketchbook, and like many geeky adolescent boys he gets bullied at school. More

Batman: The Cult – New Printing

Written by Jim Starlin; Art and Cover by Bernie Wrightson

Jan 21, 2010

One of the most underappreciated Batman stories is also one of the foremost examples of the superhero genre. That distinction belongs to Batman: The Cult: a miniseries created by writer Jim Starlin (Adam Warlock and the Infinity Watch, Captain Marvel), horror illustrator Bernie Wrightson (House of Mystery, Swamp Thing), avant-garde colorist Bill Wray (Punisher, Wasteland), award-winning letterer John Costanza (Swamp Thing), and the iconic editor Dennis O’Neil (Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow). More

Teen Titans: Deathtrap

Written by Sean McKeever and Marv Wolfman; Art by Fernando Dagnino, Joe Bennett, Rick Leonardi; Cover by Andrew Robinson

Jan 12, 2010

This lame crossover trade paperback collects the Deathtrap storyline, and includes Teen Titans Annual 2009, Titans #12-13, Teen Titans #70 and Vigilante #5-6. Writers Sean McKeever (Gravity, Sentinel, Terror Titans) and Marv Wolfman (Blade, The Tomb of Dracula) do little to rectify the creative funk this once-thriving second-tier series is in at the moment. More

Booster Gold: Blue and Gold

Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz; Art and cover by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund

Jan 11, 2010

Juggernaut-scribe Geoff Johns (The Flash, Green Lantern) and former film executive Jeff Katz (Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash) inject a ton of cheeky humor and witty plotting into Booster Gold’s second time traveling volume (finally available in paperback). The big thrill of reading Blue and Gold (issues #0, #7-10, and #1,000,000) is seeing artist and Booster creator Dan Jurgens (Death of Superman) return not only to Michael Jon Carter, but his lesser known 1990s creations. More

Batman: Monsters

Written by James Robinson, Warren Ellis, and Alan Grant; Art by John Watkiss, John McCrea, and Quique Alcatena

Oct 27, 2009

The quick and dirty critique for DC’s very seasonal paperback, Batman: Monsters, is that it’s an underwhelming string of fright fiction. The trade collects Legends of the Dark Knight #71-73, 83, 84, 89, and 90 and finds Batman investigating murders that seem to have been perpetrated by a werewolf, fighting bio-engineered soldiers (with a gun!?) and being caught up in a tragic retelling of archfiend Clayface’s origin. More

Sep 30, 2009

After the disappointing Green Lantern: First Flight, Warner Premiere needed a hit, and they have one in the brief but enjoyable Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. The direct-to-DVD feature (if you can call it a feature-its running time is 67 minutes) is based on the Superman/Batman line of comics from writer Jeph Loeb and concerns a universe where Lex Luthor is president and declares Superman and Batman enemies of the state. More

Aug 05, 2009

A report from day three of Comic-Con 2009, including panels on the TV shows V, Fringe, The Simpsons, and True Blood. Plus: We attend an actual comic book panel, the DC Universe Editorial Presentation. More

Saga of the Swamp Thing Book 1

Wrttien by Alan Moore

Feb 01, 2009

When British writer Alan Moore took over Swamp Thing in 1983, the title was a formulaic monster comic on the verge of cancellation. DC, thus, gave Moore free reign to revamp the series as he pleased, even though he was largely untested by American comics companies. What Moore ended up creating was way ahead of its time, and his work on Swamp Thing has had an influential impact both on comic writers and the potential of the medium. More