Who'd Like A Cocktail? #69

• Black Terror #7 - this series kinda seems to be stumbling from one big fight to another but does so with such abandon that I'm still enjoying it - plus it gave me this week's quote for the banner.
• Blackest Night: JSA #2 - oh, those sneaky, tricksy Black Lanterns! Who'd'a thought so many heroes could be so easily duped?
• Green Lantern #50 - Hal Jordan appears as Green Lantern and Parallax in the same issue and has the Spectre along as well. Jeez, it's like all his ex's turned up at once!
• Justice League: Cry For Justice #6 - was it just me or was this issue actually not that bad? Of course, we can all guess how it's going to turn out because of . . .
• Justice League of America #41 - . . . which takes place after the events of Justice League: Cry For Justice #7 which isn't out yet, but even this issue wasn't too bad. Poor old Reddy's been dismantled again but the time-travel aspect with Tomahawk and Miss Liberty looks like a nice set-up; even Green Arrow's grim hunt for Prometheus didn't impair it too much. For the first time in several months, this series seems to be picking up.
• Justice Society of America #35 - this was a really good issue; Mr Terrific's refusal to play by Mordru's rules; Wildcat's prison; even Dr Fate's drooling on the floor all worked superbly. Only one complaint: Flash's dialogue just didn't sound like Jay to me.
• Teen Titans #79 - have to admit this didn't work for me at all; it didn't flow at all, just jumped about everywhere: page 3, the Titans are all working out together and Static says he has to head home; page 4, Static's at his sister's apartment having travelled all the way to Dakota; page 5 and the Titans have just finished their workout. The rest of the issue's just as clumsy, really.
• Ravager co-feature - Ravager manages to break free of the bad guys but doesn't get the answers or closure she needs. Still better than the main story, though.

And what made me smile:

Never a truer word said.

Friday Night Fights - Not Again!

Over at Spacebooger, the Friday Night Fights must be won by the bad guys this time round and this week, I have what many would consider the first example of a bad guy winning:

The two eldest brothers in the business, ladies and gentlemen: Cain and Abel . . . and I think we all know how this is going to end:

Well that taught him . . . at least till next time.

Remember to head over to Spacebooger, check out the other fights and then vote for your favourite.

This filial flattening first appeared in The Saga of The Swamp Thing #33, cover dated February 1985, written by Alan Moore with art by Ron Randall, though the scans come from the Swamp Thing: Love and Death trade paperback.

All Caught Up

I've just spend the last hour or so catching up with some notes and things over at the Annotated Blackest Night.

Notes are now up for Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2, Blackest Night: The Flash #2 and Green Lantern Corps #44 and I've also updated the Character Map.

  

Sorry for the delay - just been busy as hell in work over the last couple of weeks.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #68

Been busy as all heck in work this week so am running well behind on the notes for Blackest Night tie-ins; will get them done as soon as possible, I promise! In the meantime: comics!

• Battlefields: Happy Valley #2 - Garth Ennis continues his war story about a bomber crew and their new pilot but I can't help but think it's all going to end badly.
• Blackest Night: The Flash #2 - a little more emphasis on the Flash this time round rather than the Rogues and I have to wonder whether the new Captain Boomerang can really bring back the old one.
• The Brave And The Bold #31 - another take on the Joker's beginnings, moving away from the "one bad day" to a point where he was apparently always weird. And didn't the Atom think of the irony of walking around the Joker's brains, contemplating on causing a blood clot and killing him? Isn't that basically what his crazy ex-wife Jean Loring did to Sue Dibny?! Pots and kettles, Mr Palmer, pots and kettles!
• Green Lantern Corps #44 - maybe this is why Mogo doesn't socialise!
• Power Girl #8 - so many funny moments in this issue; the "formal evening wear"; "that particular function"; the meal; the "pregno-ray"! Loved the nod to the Adam Hughes women of DC picture as well. Seriously, folks, buy this book - it's one of the best out there at the moment.
• Project Superpowers: Chapter Two #6 - it's all going mental as hero fights hero spurred on by Supremacy infiltrators while the threat of Zeus hangs over them all.
• Starman #81 - nice to see Opal City and the Shade again but, like the other fill in titles, this was all done in one - Black Lantern arrives, battles hero, is defeated.

And what made me smile:

Oh crap - I find myself agreeing with a crazy talking badger scientist. That can't be good . . .

Friday Night Fights - A Damn Good Hyde-ing!

I originally had something else planned for this week's fight over at Spacebooger, but a combination of re-reading The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and last week's entry from Marvel Flipside which featured Mister Hyde led me to this:

Edward Hyde takes on the Martians!

Why are there no three-legged animals on Earth?

Because some mad bastard can bring them down single handed, that's why!

Alas, his victory is short lived . . .

And that, dear readers, is the end of Mr Hyde.

Remember to head over to Spacebooger, check out the other entries and vote for your favourite.

This heroic end to a previously nasty piece of work first appeared in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol 2 #6, cover dated November 2003, written by the marvellous Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #67

• Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2 - missed this last week so picked up now; gorgeous artwork from Nicola Scott and Eduardo Pansica and despite knowing what was going to happen to Wonder Woman (having read Blackest Night #6) the story still held me . . . right up till the end. Even though Aphrodite's intervention was kinda fitting within the confines of the story, it was still "all just a dream." Disappointing.
• Booster Gold #28 - I can't help wondering, given the recent news about Giffen and DeMatteis taking over this title, whether Dan Jurgens is building up to a big finale - wouldn't be the first time he's had a hand in destroying Coast City!
• Blue Beetle - oh, Jaime, what have you done now? Looks like this, too, is building to a finale and it'll be a shame to see Beetle go.
  
• Catwoman #83 - have to admit I was looking forward to these resurrected titles but they seem to be fairly formulaic now - villain rises as Black Lantern, attacks hero, is destroyed after fight. Still, halfway through so I'll grab the rest.
• Green Arrow/Black Canary #28 - I'm just sticking with this title because of the characters now; I don't like Sienkiewicz's art, I don't like Kreisberg's writing though I do approve of his attempt to beef up Green Arrow's rogues gallery. But that's about it.
• Green Arrow - what do you know? A second feature that doesn't actually feature any of the main characters.
• Magog #5 - Giffen continues building up to the inevitable conflict between Magog and the Justice Society.
• Neonomicon prologue - all new Alan Moore! Just when you thought this week's comics were a little light on substance! Can't wait for the series to begin proper later this year.
• The Power Of Shazam #48 - again, a little formulaic as the Catwoman issue above but, to be fair, there's the slight spin of Osiris actually fighting against the black power ring from the start.
• Punishermax #3 - what is it about Steve Dillon drawing horrible old ladies?
• Secret Six #17 - the Six pretty much get shafted by Amanda Waller, the Suicide Squad and the Black Lanterns. Another tightly plotted issue by Simone and Ostrander.

And what made me smile:

Ah, Ragdoll . . .

Friday Night Fights - Bat-Buster!

Pre-Identity Crisis, no-one in the DCU had a problem with heroes mind-wiping villains. Hell, they were doing it every other day it seemed like. As I wrote a while back, you, me and everyone else alive in 1978 has been mind-wiped!

Which brings me to this week's Friday Night Fight which Spacebooger has decreed should feature a villainous victory. Before the eventual turn-around and triumph of the Justice League against the Secret Society of Super-Villains, the villains managed to defeat the League and swap bodies with them - hence the mind-wiping at the end of the story.

During that defeat, though, Batman goes up against an enemy who he ranks as "one of the few who almost frighten" him.

Almost frightens him, you'll note.

Still that doesn't stop him delivering a hell of a punch to the rampaging villain. But wait, weren't the villains supposed to win?

Oooooh, that's got to hurt! Batman's down for the count with a giant fist to each side of his head!

Remember to head over to Spacebooger and vote in the poll for your favourite fight.

This bout of Blockbuster beating Batman originally appeared in Justice League of America #166, cover dated May 1979, written by Gerry Conway with art by Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin.

New Justice League International Series!

I really enjoyed the JLI run with Giffen and DeMatteis all those years ago. It was one of the first real good fun series that I love so much.

To hear the news that he's back writing another JLI series (Justice League: Generation Lost) which will be co-written with Judd Winick (okay, that bit's less exciting for me as I'm not a huge fan of his stuff) cheered me up no end.

Strangely, though, the one line that really jumped out at me in the interview linked above was a response as to why DeMatteis wasn't co-writing the series with Giffen:

"Because Marc and I - along with artist Chris Batista - are taking over Booster Gold, that's why. And yes, it's exactly what you think it is."

Holy crap! Giffen and DeMatteis on Booster Gold!

2010's looking good from DC!

What Follows Blackest Night?

Should have seen this coming, I guess!

Sweet!

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #66

Oh yes! My Cocktail posts have a new banner where each week I'll be including my favourite quote from the comics I pick up!

• The Boys #38 - the origin of the Female as provided by Frenchie shows that the poor woman's as messed up as the rest of the Boys.
• Doom Patrol #6 - Giffen takes us through the various incarnations of the Negative Man in a wonderfully understated little tale.
• Metal Men - more Metal Men mayhem and mirth. I wonder if this is going to bite the dust along with the other Second Features?
• JSA All-Stars #2 - Ah, Matthew Sturges and Freddie Williams deal up more Justice Society larks with the villain behind the attempted abduction of Stargirl finally revealed. Really enjoying this series already!
• Liberty Belle & Hourman - an okay start to a murder mystery that pits the married couple of the Justice Society against the unmarried couple of the Injustice Society.
• PunisherMax: Get Castle - living about half an hour's drive from the setting of this story, it was kinda nice to read some believable Welsh-accented dialogue! Oh, and for the benefit of the Americans in the audience, when Kevin says to the Punisher "Alright, butt? How's tricks?" he's not calling him an "ass" It's a Welsh term that means "mate" or "friend." Don't say you never learn anything reading this blog.
  
• Red Tornado #5 - things come to a head as Red Volcano goes after Red Tornado's family. Only one issue to go to find out if Reddy manages to save Traya.
• Suicide Squad #67 - Blackest Night resurrects dead series as well as dead heroes and villains! Great to see Gail Simone and John Ostrander writing together with loads of guest stars dropping in as well.
• Weird Western Tales #71 - this one's not as effective as Suicide Squad as it seems solely an excuse to show some of the Old West DC characters but hey, nice to see Renato Arlem's work as I like his art.

Should have picked up Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2 as well but due to a snafu on my part, that's going to have to wait until next week.

And what made me smile:

Roxy, the All-Stars' new in-house AI messes with Power Girl's head!

Friday Night Fights - I Didn't Touch Her!

Friday Night Fights - where the bad guys win this time round. That's what Spacebooger demands, so that's what Spacebooger gets!

Softened up by a burst of light that leaves her "dazed and dazzled" Wonder Woman's in no state to deal with a giant playing card smacking into her!

Oh, but she's good! She can't see it, but she can still scruunch! it in two! And who's that leaping off the card?

Ah, the King of Spades of the Royal Flush Gang, the perennial Justice League bad guys!

But what's this? Without even laying a hand on her, the King has forced her to her knees! "It's what makes a king a king!"

And with a smack on the head with the flat of his sword, it's all over!

Remember to head over to Spacebooger and use the new poll system to vote for your favourite fight.

This damsel in distress was originally shown in Justice League of America #203, cover dated June 1982, written by Gerry Conway with art by Don Heck and Romeo Tanghal.

Blackest Night: JSA #1 Notes Done

Just published the notes for Blackest Night: JSA #1 over at the Annotated Blackest Night.

This brings me up to date with the Blackest Night annotations.

Enjoy!

Blackest Night #6 Annotations Done

They're up! Annotations for Blackest Night #6 are up over at (where else?) the Annotated Blackest Night.

Only Blackest Night: JSA #1 to do now and I'm bang up to date!

Blackest Night Character Map Updated

Just published the latest version of the Character Map over at the Annotated Blackest Night and think I've really come to regret colour coding the different characters following events of Blackest Night #6!

Notes for that issue, by the way, should be up in a day or so - I've done the majority of them and all I have to do now is name as many of the Black Lanterns in the two page spread with John Stewart that I can.

Any help gratefully accepted!

Old News But Good News

I'm up to my eyes annotating Blackest Night #6 right now plus have a couple of other posts half-prepared (what, you thought I just made this stuff up on the spur of the moment?) but thought I really should get off my arse and post about this story - DC History Explored in Legacies, History Of... & Who's Who.

It's been sat in my feed reader since December the 10th and I've been meaning to post about it since then but just not had the time. In a nutshell, more DC history stuff which is cool, but I'm really interested in the "all-new 12-issue Who’s Who, "profiling some of the best and lesser-known characters populating the DC Universe.""

I love me some Who's Who!

Notes For Green Lantern #49 Done

Just posted the notes for Green Lantern #49 over at the Annotated Blackest Night.

Next will be the full annotations for Blackest Night #6, then the Character Map update, then Blackest Night: JSA #1.

Because of that, anyone waiting for the annotations to Underworld Unleashed over at the Annotated DC Project (which I have started) will have to wait a wee bit longer!

Enjoy!

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #65

And the first Cocktail post of 2010 rolls in all too quickly:

• Battlefields: Happy Valley #1 - Garth Ennis's wartime stories returns with an established bombing crew forced to accept a new pilot straight out of training. Genuine characters with dialogue that's so liberally peppered with profanity that even the main character comments on it!
• Black Terror #6 - this mini-series has started to drag of late; it could probably do with being read all in one sitting which (if I'm lucky) I might find time to do.
• Blackest Night #6 - something of a holding issue, this one, as the Deputy Lantern Corps is created in time to fight back against the forthcoming invasion, but still a good read. And I'm so looking forward to the forthcoming resurrected series that are advertised in the back of the book!
• Blackest Night: JSA #1 - the JSA fight back against the Black Lanterns; Power Girl gets pissed off; and Mr. Terrific realises he's been pre-empted just a little too late. A couple of gripes, though: how come Kal-L is in his standard and not Black Lantern costume? And why does Power Girl refer to him as her cousin in one panel and then, four panels later, as her uncle?!
• Crossed #8 - man, this is one messed up world.
• The Dark Tower: Battle of Jericho Hill #2 - wait, nine years went by? Just like that? This General Grissom looks like he's being set up just to act as the bad guy for this mini-series rather than some one of any note. Still, as ever, the art's gorgeous.
• Green Lantern #49 - John Stewart deals with the return of Xanshi and his dead wife excellently, just in time to get a big shock as he leaves. Oh and we kinda/sorta get the origin of Nekron as a little extra as well.
• Justice Society of America #34 - no surprise who the guest villain turned out to be; love how Liberty Belle rationalises how her and Hourman can be on different teams but still be married; and really liked the Society having safeguards in place to prevent further infiltration.
• The Stand: Soul Survivors #3 - Fran and Stu get together, leaving Harold to scheme his schemes.
• Teen Titans #78 - Deathstroke and his family fight against the Black Lanterns with a team-up at the end that I didn't see coming.

And what made me smile this week:

Mera gets feisty facing off against Wonder Woman in Blackest Night #6!

Friday Night Fights - Economy Of Effort

Friday Night Fights return with a villainous slant this time round - Spacebooger, in his infinite wisdom, has decreed that the bad guys must win each battle!

Back before 52 and Countdown, before the Multiverse was reborn, Earth-8 didn't exist as a separate universe, it was only another dimension (because, you know, that makes all the difference) where bad things had happened. With the world torn apart by a nuclear holocaust that they had caused, the Extremists came to our world in order to conquer it.

Who could stand up to them? Why, Justice League Europe of course!

That's Power Girl landing feet first into the face of Dr. Diehard as Captain Atom streaks towards the Extremists' leader, Lord Havok.

Crimson Fox takes on Tracer; Elongated Man tangles with Gorgon; but the resident Extremist spellcaster, Dreamslayer, has no interest in "fisticuffs" with the Flash, oh no . . .

No, he has a simpler, more straightforward way of bringing this fight to a close.

With one skeleton revealing blast, Dreamslayer takes out the entire JLE. With the enemy down, Lord Havok rallies his troops and sets off toward world domination leaving the League a little worse for wear . . .

How will the League recover from this crushing defeat? Only Spacebooger knows!

Head over to Spacebooger before 11pm (EST) on Sunday and check out the other fights that are linked, then vote for your favourite.

This villainous victory first appeared in Justice League Europe #16, cover dated July 1990, written by Keith Giffen and Gerard Jones with art by Bart Sears and Randy Elliott.