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Giant-Size Graphic Breakdown: ‘Suicide Squad’ Improves! ‘Deathstroke’ Still Great! ‘Supergirl: Being Super’ Soars Toward Best of 2017 & More!

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s Wednesday yet again and we are back talking about Comics!

Here we go!

Teen Titans #5 
Written by Benjamin Percy
Illustrated by Khoi Pham

The art by Khoi Pham is the highlight of this book.

It is deeply rooted in animation and is a tad cartoony. Yet it works very well for this book, and it makes the story flow well. It’s almost too clean but it works and that’s a good thing.

The final showdown between the Teen Titans and the Demon’s Fist is here!

Will the Teen Titans rally behind their little leader? And will Ra’s al Ghul let anyone walk away alive?

The story by Percy wasn’t half bad. He’s a capable enough writer. I wish there was as much excitement behind the scripts as there is clearly behind the art.

Still, it’s worth a look if for the art alone.

RATING: B-
Detective Comics #951 
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Christian Duce Fernandez

James Tynion IV is really cooking on this title. He’s getting up to the Scott Snyder level. This book has been thrilling month in and month out and this new storyline is killer for sure.

The next big Detective arc explodes here as the League of Shadows goes from mysterious rumor to deadly fact!

What’s their plan for Gotham City? And how will their actions affect Batman and his team?

The story has been damn cool. The art on this works in tandem. By the end of the issue, things get fairly nuts…but in a good way.

Definitely put this one at the top of your reading list. It’s damn good.

RATING: A-
Deathstroke #13 
Written by Christopher Priest
Illustrated by Joe Bennett

Man, I love this title. Christopher Priest is such a fantastic writer. This is comic books at their best. The structure of each issue is so appealing and I applaud the way this title is written.

It’s part two of the Twilight storyline!

In order to obtain criminal evidence against his ex-wife, Adeline, Deathstroke helps Raptor and the Red Lion steal an aircraft carrier! But, will Slade use the evidence to convict Adeline or to save her?

Meanwhile, haunted by a terrible decision, Deathstroke’s son, Jericho, is losing his grip on his own sanity.

The art by Joe Bennett is fantastic as well. Priest’s script and his art work so well together. You can’t help but love it. I say this month in and month out: this is one of he best books on the stands. Pick it up. Well worth your time.

RATING: A
Supergirl: Being Super #2 
Written by Mariko Tamaki
Illustrated by Joelle Jones

Now here is another book that is just plain awesome.

Mariko Tamaki is great. Having her writing mainstream comics is just a joy. I love this and everything about this. The script is truly cool and I can’t wait to read the whole series together.

Midvale has been torn apart by a devastating earthquake, and the death toll has hit Kara Danvers hard.

As she begins to put the pieces of her life back together, Kara’s developing powers kick into high gear, and her memories of a world that shouldn’t exist begin to surface.

The art by Joelle Jones is truly something else. I love her art. It’s genius putting these two creators together. Pick it up and read one of the best book of the year! (already I know!)

RATING: A
Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #15   
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver

I have to say this for this title: this may in fact be Ethan Van Sciver’s best work to date. The art is pretty fabulous here and the storytelling is concise. I liked it for that reason and that reason alone. The story? Wellllll….

Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner’s mission to find the Blue Lanterns brings them to a world on the brink of destruction. How can they find hope in a place devoid of any? Meanwhile, the Green Lantern Corps begins to track down the most dangerous members of the Sinestro Corps, but Guy Gardner flies off to settle his own grudge!

The story makes my anxiety act up. I can’t tell who is what. What’s worse is I hardly care. There needs to be a stronger direction on this series. Otherwise, it’s going to fall down a black hole.

RATING: C
Kamandi Challenge #2 
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Illustrated by Neal Adams

This is the coolest experience In comic books right now: a 12 issue series where each issue has a new set of creators. And every issue picks up from the cliffhanger of the last, using Kamandi, an underused character. This is great! I can’t recommend it enough.

Kamandi must save Tiger King Caesar and his people from impending doom. Will he be the hero they need? Or will he use the chaos of the situation to escape for good?

Tomasi writes an enjoyable story. It puts a smile on your face.

And Adams? Man, he’s still turning out decent artwork after 50 years being in the business. You have to hand it to the guy. He’s showing no signs of slowing down either! Good for him. And good for us to be able to still get quality work from him.

RATING: A-
Suicide Squad #12 
Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by John Romita Jr. and Eddy Barrows

Suicide Squad has gotten interesting! Williams is doing a lot better now that Jim Lee is gone from the book. And he’s got two great artists to work with here. The book is definitely headed in the right direction.

Determined to unmake all the world’s institutions of governance and control, someone orchestrates a series of prison breakouts across the DC Universe, forcing Harley Quinn, Deadshot and the rest of the Suicide Squad into their most dangerous mission yet: keeping their former super-villain comrades in jail.

The two stories in each book format has got to go. It’s kind of annoying.

Romita Jr. does good on the art here in the Ford story…but it’s the backup that really shines.

Eddy Barrows really kills it. It makes for some of the more memorable comic book reading of the year.

RATING: B+
Future Quest #10   
Written by Jeff Parker
Illustrated by Ron Randall
Published by DC Comics

Jeff Parker does a great job writing this title. I’ll tell you, I literally can’t stand most of the Hanna Barbera titles. Yet, each month I’m excited to read this.

Parker writes a great story each month and it really is a heck of a read.

Not since the time of Mightor has planet Earth seen titans battle like this! The towering mechanical might of Frankenstein Jr. hurls megavoltage at the largest creature ever to stride the planet’s surface! Race Bannon fights with power no Terran has ever possessed! The Herculoids arrive from the far reaches of time and space to join the fray!

And then, it all goes wrong…

It’s good to see Ron Randall drawing regularly as well. Randall is one of the more underrated artists out there. He also does a great job.

Pick this up. It’s guaranteed to give you an enjoyable read.

RATING: B+
Clean Room #16 
Written by Gail Simone
Illustrated by Walter Geovani

Gail Simone is someone who really has a handle on the comic book medium. She makes this book very interesting, even if you haven’t read it before.

I still have to go back and catch up on this, but what I see I really like.

A  new power player in Washington comes to the Mueller organization for guidance, but journalist Chloe suspects the man holds a secret so grotesque that even Astrid won’t touch him.

Politics, passion and pain collide in “The Fetish.”

The art is pretty good.

The whole series is pretty good of what I’ve read. Still, I should pick this up from the beginning and see the full picture.

RATING: B
And the rest…

Frostbite  #6   
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Jason Shawn Alexander
This exciting, visually striking series comes to its conclusion! The writing by Williamson is very good and the art by Alexander is top notch. Pick up this entire series. It’s a hell of a ride!
RATING: A-

Batman Beyond #5 
Written by Dan Jurgens
Illustrated by Bernard Chang
Another good time by Dan Jurgens and Bernard Chang! The character is awesome the way he should be. This is the issue where they really hit their stride. Pick it up!
RATING: B

The Flash #17 
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Carmine Di Giandomenico, Neil Googe and Davide Gianfelice
This issue was pretty cool overall. The Di Giandomenico Illustrated parts are damn good. The other parts get a little cartoony. Still, this is a fine issue. Pick it up!
RATING: B

Astro City #41   
Written by Kurt Busiek
Illustrated by Brent Anderson
Brent Anderson is back on this title and all is right in the world!  This was a great issue…it’s also the 100th issue of Astro City through all the different series. This used to be my favorite book and this made me happy.
RATING: A

Batgirl #8   
Written by Hope Larson
Illustrated by Chris Wildgoose
The art by Wildgoose is plain awesome and the story isn’t half bad either. I’ve enjoyed these last two issues immensely. Let’s hope it continues!
RATING: B+

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