Batman #709

          Batman is like Detective Comics in one way. The story quality varies from one arc to another. So far this has been a good arc. I don't really know much about Azrael, but it was still cool to see him appear in the arc. I didn't read the spin offs in Red Robin, or in Gotham City Sirens, so I was a tiny bit lost, and I might go back and read those later, but I was pretty much in the loop, and I still thought that it was a good arc.
       In this issue Batman goes to face Azrael since both Red Robin and Catwoman had failed. (That's the only part I was a little lost on. I didn't know how they failed, but it doesn't really interfere with the story) Batman meets Azrael, the Crusader and Fireball on top of a roof. Azrael brings the Prodigy forward. He explains that he was the best solo trapeze artist in the western hemisphere. But some guys didn't like him so they beat him up bad. Then Batman remembers. When he was little he didn't like the Prodigy either, and while people were beating up the Prodigy, Grayson just watched.  Azrael finds him guilty. But Catwoman and Red Robin bring Jenny and her kids to the roof hoping that this would persuade Azrael not to blow up the city. Jenny calls Azrael a monster , but the Crusader promises to protect Jenny. Then Batman convinces Azrael to use the sword of sin on himself. He does so and then no longer wishes to destroy the city. So when Fireball explodes the Crusader puts a force field around him, so that the city is safe.
     This was disappointing. I would have rather Batman defeated the Crusader, Azrael and Fireball then what happened. I'm all for happy endings when they are logical, but this seems like a sloppy ending for this arc. I've seen the villain seeing the error of his ways too many times now to enjoy this comic. This is the ending I had in mind, but it was too predictable. That's really all I have to say about the comic. Except that Dick Grayson was different because he wasn't as dark as Bruce and I liked that. But this arc and this issue made Grayson darker, and I don't want to see him  become Bruce Wayne. I like both characters, but Grayson should be Grayson and Wayne should be Wayne. So over all this ending ruined the arc making it predictable and also Hine did a bad job keeping Grayson from becoming Wayne. But since the quality in the arcs of Batman vary, I hope the next one will be better.





Grade: 6/10
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Batman #708

        I go on and off with this series. Sometimes I pick it up just because, but other times I won't pick it up because Bruce Wayne isn't in it. This time I was walking out of the comic store and this one caught my eye  so I grabbed it. Dick Grayson being Batman was something that I opposed strongly at the beginning, but now with the combination of Detective Comics and Batman, I'm starting to like him more.
       In this issue Batman takes down a minor criminal. He then flash backs to when he was beating up a circus kid named Prodigy. He flashed back because Azrael stabbed him with the sword of sin. The scar has turned into the shape of a bat. Batman then goes to fight someone called the crusader who is attacking people in Devil's square. Batman is joined by Catwoman and Red Robin. Azrael tell the Crusader to stop. He leaves Batman with a test. For Batman to find one truly righteous person in Gotham, or else he will destroy the city.  Then somewhere else Ra's Al Ghul loads up Fireball with electricity, also so he can blow up the city.
       This issue was incredibly enjoyable. I wouldn't say it was a great comic, but I did enjoy it very much and would recommend it to anyone. Azrael is a cool and interesting character, and I'm glad he's in this. The Sodom and Gomorrah plot could be really great, but I'm curious  how it's going to work. I really hope this arc doesn't solely consist of Dick Grayson walking around in broad day light looking for a truly righteous person. I also have my concerns about Ra's Al Ghul's plot with fireball, not because it looks bad, that could be really great, but it makes me think that Hine through that in to avoid Dick Grayson walking around in broad day light looking for a truly righteous person. Grayson walking around with the Fireball thing wouldn't be as bad if it were just Dick Grayson walking around, but the Sodom and Gomorrah thing could be really good if Hine does this right. I have to compliment the art in this issue. It was outstanding. Guillem March was incredible. The art alone is a reason to pick up this issue.  I did have one complaint, and that is making Dick Grayson very dark. I have said over and over again that I'm glad that Dick Grayson isn't exactly like Bruce Wayne. While he wasn't like that in this issue he came pretty close, and I hope it doesn't progress. But overall this was a pretty good issue and I recommend it. I enjoyed it very much.




Grade: 7.5/10
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Detective Comics #871

           The last arc in Detective Comics was really good, and I'm a little sad to see David Hine leave the series, but I am hopeful that Scott Snyder will really make Dick Grayson his own Batman, with some of the old villains, and some new ones.
           In this issue Dick Grayson is worrying that he's not worthy of being Batman. Then Jim Gordon uses the Wayne's forensic lab. A boy attacked any other kids at a pool, and he had the Killer Croc mutagen in his system. Gordon came to compare the one used on Croc, and the one used on the boy to see if the two are "from the same batch," Which they were. Batman goes and talks to the families butler. The boy, who is now in a coma, was practically raised by his butler. When the butler is about to say something, the mother comes in and shoots him, then she runs out of a window and dies. Batman finds the mark of the Mad Hatter on her neck. Commissioner Gordon sends Batman to an ex-cop who had a record of stealing evidence. Batman goes there, but when he is interogating him, a tree grows out of his mouth and kills him. But before he died he did say he was working for some one called "The Dealer."
            This issue had a lot of build up. It had the previews in the back of many comic books, it had the letter "As I Write This There Is A Batman Costume Sitting In A Box Beside My Desk," where Scott Snyder said "We'll be introducing a lot of new villains in the coming year." Essentially this is a copy cat villain, I've seen these many times recently. I've seen them in Batman #698, and I saw one of them in the last issue of Detective Comics, I can hardly see this as a new villain. Although if this is the same villain we saw in Batman #698 that would be much better, it was never really clear what happened and this could clear it up, but if "The Dealer" is a new person then it would just look like DC is running out of ideas. When I first saw Dick Grayson wondering if he was worthy of being Batman, it was a very "oh, this again" kind of reaction, but as soon as he said "I actually sleep worse in this place now that Bruce is back," it came across as a different approach. When Bruce Wayne was travailing through time it seemed like every one was wondering if they were worthy of being who they were, and now that Bruce Wayne is back all of those feeling stopped abruptly, and now Dick Grayson is still worrying about this which is interesting and could be a constant theme for a while. So this was a very decent issue with a few flaws, and the problem with the Copy Cat villain could go either way, but I do have to admit that I am doubtful.





Grade: 6/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Justice League of America #49

          I absolutely hated Justice League of America number 45, it was just plain awful, I think I gave it a 0. something. So because of that I didn't even read the past story arc because I hated the lead up to it and I just wasn't a big fan of the whole Starheart thing, so when this came I was exited to see what a normal Justice League story is like, and I was happy that this was a one shot, because there is no better way to start following a series.
          In this issue Donna Troy was called to San Francisco and she brought Jade. They were called to Alcatraz, because someone named Shadow Thief is going crazy, he keeps saying "soon he will come." Bogeyman (who has the power to control children's minds) asked to see Donna for no reason. Then Donna has mind games played on her when she's attacked by the original Teen Titans, and Jade is being told how disappointing she is buy Kyle.
          I always love it when mind games are played with Superheroes, that is why I like people like Mongul, Mysterio, and Boogyman, and it did wonders for this issue. This was just a great issue best comic I've read in October (so far) hands down. While I usually think Jade is annoying and a waste of space, Robinson did a great job with her. Before writers have made her emotions way out of proportion and have had everyone baby her, but this one she was kind of like that (so Robinson didn't just suddenly change her character) but she was more self dependent.
          The art in this issue was beyond fantastic, it might be some of the greatest art I've ever seen. Pow Rodrix did a amazing job with this issue, this is one of the only times where I opened an issue and immediately noticed the art.
          This issue is a must buy, I loved the story and the art, it was just a highly enjoyable comic. I didn't mention some bit between Supergirl and Dick Grayson, but that is the only part not worth mentioning, because it was kind of random and pointless, but maybe it will come into play later.



Grade: 9.5/10
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Red Robin #13

                This issue would be best described with a line graph, but due to the fact that I don't have a line graph I'll just have to describe it to you. This comic was about Tim Drake going after Lynx. The beginning was as good as I could have ever hoped for. It showed the average relation between Dick, Damian, and Tim. It's always good to have something like that every so often, if you start littering the series with it, the series becomes no good, but every so often is good. Tim decided to go after Lynx when the other two went after Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. To be honest I really wanted it to be the other way around, I have actually never seen the Tweedles in a comic, but I've always wanted to. To find Lynx Tim does the classic Batman interrogation, again something I loved. He also decided to make a show about beating Lynx. I thought this showed the knowledge that everyone in the "Batman family" knows about their villains. He knows that if people saw Lynx beaten she would be disgraced and loose all of her power. So I liked that. The part with Drake's and Fox's engagement  was just okay, I wasn't expecting much out of that, so my expectations were past, but they were low. I went on to DC.com last month just to see what was coming out, as I did I thought hey, why doesn't Red Robin ever fight classic Batman villains? Then I saw this cover and I was really exited. When I opened the comic, I thought it would be somebody like Mr. Freeze, but no, we got Lynx. I relies that Niceza did well with her, but I was still disappointed. People were very exited for Nicieza, but I like Yost a lot better, the stories were just more compelling. Lastly I though To's art was below average, he made the fight scenes look like Japanese anime, I understand that could be because he is dealing with a villain who uses a samurai sword, and who wears a samurai mask. But why does Red Robin also look like a picture from a Japanese comic. So overall not the best thing I've ever seen, but not the worst.

Grade: 6.5/10
 buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Justice League #45 and Kingdom Come

                Okay, I just noticed something. I just read Kingdom Come yesterday, and I saw some similarities between this and Justice League #45, and Red Robin.
This comic is supposed to take place in the future, ok cool, but in Justice League #45 at the end Alan Scott looks kind of like Parallax, and when I read KC he was wearing the exact same thing. Also Red Robin existed before Chris Yost, Dick Grayson is Red Robin in the future. So that makes me wonder... is Alan Scott going to do something bad while being possessed by the Starheart? If he does will he go into exile?
               And will something happen to Drake, so when Bruce Wayne comes back Grayson will take over the role as Red Robin? My theory is that all of recent comic events are just leading up to Kingdom Come.
Oh... Magog, will he turn evil? These are all thing recently happening in the DCU, and it is very suspicious.

Batman #698

           THIS IS MY 50th REVIEW EVER
      

           This comic was very good, except one thing that I will bring up later. This story is about a villain, who later I think will be called the Copy Cat Villain, (named by the Riddler) and Batman and Riddler were tracking him down. I do hope that the Copy Cat Villain will show up later in the Batman series. People who have just been let out of Blackgate have been murdered in the different styles of the Batman villains. Tallies, pecked to death by birds, frozen. This comic also started out with a dream of  Dick Grayson's where he was in the flying Graysons again, but instead of his parents there is Catwoman, Jason Todd, and Oracle. The art was also exceptional the sketchiness and the sketchy collar worked in such a way that was very pleasing to the eye.
           What I really didn't like is that Edward Nigma (Riddler) figured all of the clues out before Batman, and he ended up just sitting their like a dolt. Batman is the smartest person in the DCU, he can't be outsmarted by one of his own (ex) villains. I hate that Dick Grayson is Batman, and this just makes it worst, if Robin (not Batman) is playing Batman and isn't even smart, how am I supposed to like him. Although the comic was still very good, and at least he was still physically fit.



Grade: B
buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Batman #697

             I know a couple heroes pretty well, Superman, Flash, and Batman. Bruce Wayne is Batman, not Dick Grayson, i'm sick of Nightwing playing dress up as the Caped Crusader. If Bruce Wayne came back to the Batman series I would subscribe in an instant. That is the only thing that appeals about Grant Morrisan's Batman and Robin is that they are on the way to bringing Wayne back. I'm sorry for my venting, but I had to say that.
              The comic its self was almost acceptable. I would not read this unless you have read the Arkham Reborn series first, and if you haven't don't read any further.
              Of course the past several issues have been about the Black Mask, who is a villain I like, one thing I like about this comic that this comic took away was his classiness, he was a regular "Don Corleone"

This comic made it look like Ra's  Al Ghul wearing a skull mask. Flaw one.  Another thing that I didn't like is that this comic was just Dick Grayson, not Batman, beating the living crap out of every one who stood in-between him and the Black Mask. I do understand this is the last issue in a comic of a series that could be called the conclusion of Arkham Reborn, but Batman does not just use fists and immunity to beat the villains, he has to use a couple gadgets, if it's overdone it is not good, but neither if it's underdone. Once he got to the Black Mask, he dogged bullets and punched him, and that was it, that is how he beat one of his toughest enemies. The part that I liked is that when he got the skull mask off the Black Mask's face, it was Jeremiah Arkham. When the Jester made him go insane he must have taken over for the Black Mask. Although Black Mask was featured in Arkham Reborn so maybe Arkham was insane before the end of the series. Also, Arkham began talking to himself, one voice being himself, and the other in the Black Mask's, the was almost exactly like Two Face, which I thought was not good. Don't copy another villains thing.
                 I just have to say the one good part. The end, when Grayson was giving a monologue it was like the end of a movie, he started to get inside the process of passing the banner, which has happened many times in all villain families. That was the only good part.


Grade: D+
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Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin issue 7 (and others)

I subscribed to this series thinking it would be about either: Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, or Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake. This made me very exited, I really wanted (and still want) a return of Bruce Wayne. I did not look to see who the author was. If I had seen Grant Morrison's name written I would have immediately have known it was going to be Dick Grayson and someone else, and I would have not subscribed. I have been putting these comics aside to collect dust until today. I picked up issue 7, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed it. It was a story about the potential resurrection of Bruce Wayne, and it featured the Knight and the Squire. (see Grant Morrison's The Black Case Book to be as exited as I am) I will give any readers a fair warning: I was a little confused, but the comic explains the plot later on.

After reading this issue, I went back to my comic collection, and pulled out others in the series. These were also very good, some were even better than number 7. I do hope that Bruce Wayne returns to a full series, but this is a good space filler. (for the time being)

Before issue 7, the stories were about Jason Todd. (Aka: the Red Hood) His returns are

always dramatic, but never as serious as this. He took the name as the "Red Hand of Justice" and the motto "Let the punishment fit the crime." With his guns and knives he runs around the streets killing all major, and minor criminals.

These early issues go into: Jason Todd's resentment toward Batman, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson and even him self. He toys with the new Batman and the new Robin, until he goes [even a little more] insane [that he already is]. I thoroughly enjoyed every issue of this series [that I read], and do recommend buying it at a comic store. I do not recommend subscribing, I do not think these are the best comics I've ever read, and will probably get board with them relatively quickly.

Issue Grade: B

Series Grade: C+ (issues 1 through 3 lowered the grade)

Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com