Who'd Like A Cocktail? #79

Catman shows money is no protection in Secret Six #20

• Booster Gold #31 - the cover proclaims this issue is The End of an Era! as Dan Jurgens finishes his run as writer/artist on the title. It leaves things in a relatively tidy fashion for Giffen and DeMatteis to pick things up from next issue and starts to work in a little leeway with regards changing the past. Booster himself ends up feeling better than he has recently, Goldstar's back on the team and Rip Hunter's heading off to look for Batman. For me, though, the nicest touch was Booster visiting Siberia in 1908 to witness the Tunguska event without actually being part of it. Too often in time-travelling stories, the characters have to be revealed to be part of the event (witness Goldstar being the model for the Mona Lisa a few issues back) and it was just nice to have Booster and Rip watching something without the tired reveal of a twist. Anyway, sad to see Jurgens go but looking forward to Giffen and DeMatteis!
• Brightest Day #0 - a set-up issue as expected, this laid out the characters that have returned from the dead in Blackest Night, putting them in place for their individual stories that take place in either Brightest Day itself or other DCU titles. The ones holding most interest for me are Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Max Lord and the JLI, Martian Manhunter, Jade and the Green Lanterns, Firestorm and Sinestro.
• Green Arrow #32 - another end of an era as Green Arrow's story comes to a close. I'm a little peeved that he and Black Canary are splitting up again and that Ollie's becoming the lone hunter again but, for my sins, I'll be picking up the new series as well - it's the characters I follow more than the writer in most cases so I'll stick along for the ride. It was nice to see Canary vocalise what most readers have been saying, that Arrow's killing of Prometheus was nothing new and that he'd killed before.
• Magog #8 - as guest stars go, The Shield seems a little . . . C-list to say the least, and the Planeteers sub-plot rolls on.
• PunisherMax #6 - oh this is good! I don't know if the art of Steve Dillon just makes Jason Aaron channel Garth Ennis but this series is rolling along nicely. Bullseye's never a character I've had much to do with (not straying that much into the Marvel Universe) but this version works a treat!
• Secret Six #20 - hard to believe Catman was a joke character only a few years ago. Here he's driven, methodical and utterly ruthless. As the rest of the team go to help him, Bane and Jeanette look to hire others. I guess this means a second Six will be kicking around over the next few issues and when the originals return, there's bound to be a fight!

And what made me smile:

Bullseye does away with that whole "kill you with a toothpick" thing in splendid fashion!