Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!
It’s the end of the month! Summer is around the corner! Let’s talk comics!
Batman and the Signal #3
Written by Tony Patrick and Scott Snyder
Illustrated by Cully Hamner
This title has been great!
Duke Thomas as the Signal is a great addition to the Bat-family. In this book, he’s is shown to be more than capable of headlining his own book. He is well developed and likable.
However, in this issue, Duke is in a lot of of trouble.
In fact, he seems to be over his head. Gnomon and his crew are a little hard to find. Duke’s trying to track them down to no avail. He needs a bit of help from the Bat-family to get this villain!
Can he do it?
Gnomon also has a link to Duke’s past. It’s all very well handled by the writers. The art by Hamner is good and worth waiting for (this title was delayed).
All in all, this is a fine entry in the Bat-universe!
RATING: B+
The Flash #45
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Duce Fernandez
This latest storyline in The Flash called “Perfect Storm” has been great!
Gorilla Grodd has been used in quite an excellent way here. This has continually been fun and this issue is no different!
Grodd tears apart Central City. It’s up to the Flash to stop him and fix the entire mess. Lightning is raining down!
Turmoil is everywhere!
Can things turn around for Barry?
Or will Grodd win spinning the world into hell?
The story is tops. The characterizations are handled extremely well. The art is decent too. This is a great lead in to The Flash Wars! It should be very exciting!
RATING: A-
Doom Patrol #11
Written by Gerard Way
Illustrated by Nick Derington
This book has a frustratingly long delay between issues.
Then it comes out. And the reader is instantly charmed and delighted!
Gerard Way knows how to write a satisfactory book and it’s pretty damn wonderful.
This is is the ending of the “NADA” storyline.
The Doom Patrol fights Dada in this issue and it’s pretty damn crazy! Robotman fights someone we haven’t seen in quite awhile. And Casey and Terry go on a new exploration. All of this may have some deadly consequences.
The story is a blast. The art by Derington is just phenomenal. I’m obsessed with his art and I love the way he draws and tells a story. This is a great last issue of this storyline. Definitely a good read.
RATING: A
Batman Beyond #19
Written by Dan Jurgens
Illustrated by Phil Hester
This series has been great.
This latest storyline entitled “The Long Payback” has been tops. Jurgens has a great knack for writing these characters and it’s been highly enjoyable.
Melanie is in trouble from the villain known as Payback.
Terry is beaten up. Bruised. Hurt. Can he get himself together long enough to save her?
Or is Batman going to fail once and for all?
I love that Phil Hester is drawing this series. He did such a cool job on this issue. It’s something we haven’t seen before on this character which I love.
Where will it go from here?
I have no idea. But I’ll be reading for sure.
RATING: B+
Suicide Squad #40
Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by Eduardo Pansica
This is the finale to the storyline “Breaking Through The Wall.”
Nothing much happened in this storyline and this was a rather dull issue. Rob Williams needs to pass the writing reigns to somebody else at this point.
The Suicide Squad is facing off against The Wall. It’s a hell of a lackluster battle.
They have to beat him too.
Otherwise, the United States government may be demolished in the process.
The art is decent enough. But this book needs to pick up.
It’s been stuck in a funk for a long time and I know Williams can do better than this.
RATING: C
Raven: Daughter of Darkness #4
Written by Marv Wolfman
Illustrated by Pop Mhan
I really love this title.
Marv Wolfman is one of the great writers of the comic medium, and here he shows us why yet again. I love what he is doing here and it works really well!
There was an experiment at 2MorrowTek and it has awoken and broken free!
Guess who is on their hit list?
You guessed it! Raven!
What’s she going to do? Fight back of course!
Pop Mhan has never been my favorite artist but here he does some excellent work. The storytelling is sharp and exciting. The action sequences are what he excels at best.
All in all, it’s an enjoyable book.
RATING: B
Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. #2
Written by Jody Houser
Illustrated Ibrahim Moustafa
This book is weirdly great. Jody Houser is a cool writer who makes compelling stories.
This second series is a good time and perhaps even better than volume one. I’m glad because it’s a good character we have here.
Mother Panic has to rescue someone who is extremely important to her. Problem is, that person is inside of one of the hardest places to break into: Arkham Asylum!
She reaches out to Catwoman to help her. But will she?
This is a great alternative look at Gotham City. With Ibrahim Moustafa, this title may finally have the artist it needs. It’s visually cool, and the storytelling is wonderful. If he can stay on it, this could be a swell book to read in the coming year.
RATING: B+
Imaginary Fiends #6
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Stephen Molnar
Well, this is it. The final issue of this series. I won’t be sad to see it go as it wasn’t very interesting. Tim Seeley had a great concept that he didn’t really run with. And that’s a shame.
Special Agent Crockett has a final confrontation with Fraidy Cat and her gang! Can Crockett take them down?
Melba, meanwhile, must deal with the monster that is inside of her. Otherwise, her Imaginary friend, Polly Peachpit, will meet her fate!
I couldn’t wait for it to end. I lost interest in this about halfway through and couldn’t get it back.
The art is the best thing. I hope Molnar finds another, better title now that this is wrapping.
RATING: C-
Teen Titans #19 Written by Ben Percy and Illustrated by Scot Eaton
This is a title that needs a revamp. Or a new writer.
It isn’t that Ben Percy is a bad writer or anything. It’s just that this title isn’t the Teen Titans I know and care about. So, it’s a bit hard for me to get into on the outset.
Beast Boy is out of control. The Puppeteer has turned him into a villain who cannot he stopped!
But the Teen Titans will dare to try and stop him and save the day! Of course they will! Can they do it and in the process, stop the Puppeteer as well?
I’ve never been a big fan of Eaton’s art. Here is no different. It just doesn’t fit for me and makes the separation from these characters that I feel even deeper than before. Maybe it’ll pick up.
RATING: C
Motherlands #4
Written by Simon Spurrrier
Illustrated by Rachael Stott
This book has been pretty good thus far. However, if this keeps going the way it’s going, it could actually be one of the greats from Vertigo Comics.
Simon Spurrier could be on the verge of breaking out.
Tab And Selena literally hate each other here. Their relationship is deteriorating fast and has hit its breaking point.
They are forced to go their separate ways. Selena then, gets into a bit of trouble with the Braintrust. But she can’t exactly remember why!
The story twists and turns in ways I wasn’t expecting. The art is perfect for this title and moves it along at a rapid fire pace. The covers by Eric Canete are the cherry on top for this series. It’s got two issues left after this and I can’t wait for them both.
RATING: B+
Detective Comics #979
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Alvaro Martinez
This is part four of Tynion’s storyline “Batman: Eternal!”
Thankfully, it’s the home stretch of Tynion’s run writing this title. Fresh blood is needed here.
Ulysses Armstrong knows everything there is to know about Tim Drake!
He also knows how Tim is going to turn evil!
So Ulysses is off take Tim Drake down! If and when he does, he’s going to release a horrible menace!
The writing is just okay. It doesn’t have any real spark anymore. The art is okay too.
Let’s hope this turns around before the big issue 1000!
RATING: C+
