Who'd Like A Cocktail? #150

Or gender, and rightly so.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #121

Negative Man lets us know who'll be playing Batman in the new movie

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #117

Just how does Batman prepare for every eventuality?

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #96

Bullseye gives a lesson in how to make a threat

• BATTLEFIELDS #9 - good god - a Garth Ennis hero who doesn't die at the end of the story! Okay, Anna Kharkova doesn't exactly finish her tale in the happiest of places but at least she managed to get out alive.
• GREEN ARROW #3 - it looks like Green Arrow definitely followed in his father's footsteps when it came to his lousy treatment of women while he looks set to battle his darker side.
• JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #8 - Winick continues to surprise me with his writing on this title along with Power Girl; maybe if he stuck to this sort of thing - fun, humourous stuff - people wouldn't hate his work so much. Rocket Red is turning out to be the unexpected star so far . . . and is Fire flirting with him?
• JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #48 - there were a couple of things that bugged me about this issue but I plan on dealing with them in a separate post, probably on Tuesday. Story-wise, it still seems a little all over the shop, blundering from one fight to another although the Supergirl / Power Girl / Congorilla entrance was kinda cool.
• PUNISHERMAX #9 - I missed this a couple of weeks ago, apparently, which is a shame as once more, this issue shows just how good this title is. Anyone got a magnifying glass for Bullseye's dialogue on page 7? And the "favorite color?" signs were just brilliant.
• TEEN TITANS #86 - yet another issue skimmed over without paying any real attention. I'm simply marking time till J.T. Krul takes over.
• Co-feature COVEN OF THREE - the three magic users are double-crossed by the Demons Three and wind up in Hell.
• TIME MASTERS: VANISHING POINT #2 - holy crap! Starfire's back! No, not the one from the Teen Titans that everyone knows, but this one! Couple that with Claw the Unconquered and it's like the 70's all over again!

And what made me smile:

An illegal arms dealer learns not to call the Punisher's bluff!

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #82

Booster Gold - considerate of even the worst beings in the DCU

Cocktail was slightly delayed this week due to attending a family get together over the weekend. But hey, you don't care about that, do you? You just want the comics:

• Black Terror #10 - this issue seems a little sprawling, not entirely helped by the art which manages to seem a little cramped. Black Terror goes up against the spirit of Pandora's Urn and ends up trying to kick his own ass as he fights against a doppleganger. For all its little faults, this series keeps throwing out the action scenes.
• Booster Gold #32 - the cover says it all: "Giffen & DeMatteis reunite" It's got the same whip fast dialogue, the jokes repeated throughout the issue, and more than a dash of drama. And I love it!
• Justice League: Generation Lost #1 - so this is it, spinning out of Blackest Night / Brightest Day we have Max Lord back as a villain and only Captain Atom, Fire, Ice and Booster Gold know who he is. I'm a little wary of Judd Winick's involvement but hey, I'm going to stick with this because it's Giffen and the JLI in all but name. Snell over at Slay, Monstrobot... already picked up on the big gap in Max Lord's plan - namely that even though he's made everyone forget about him there's tons of archive footage laying around waiting for someone to watch it. As I commented on Snell's post, though, I'm guessing they're playing with the idea that if Superman watches the press conference he gave on page 3 of this issue it'll somehow fail to register with him, that Lord's grande mind-wipe will prevent others even reading or seeing him in print or on video or whatever. All in all, not a bad start.
• Magog #9 - in a Giffen heavy week, this is probably the lightest in terms of content. Magog battles the Shield and Tommy Tomorrow turns up while sub-plots move along in the background. Not a bad issue, but nothing major either.
• Punisher Max #7 - Jason Aaron continues his excellent run on this series, touching briefly on the origin of Bullseye, ably assisted by the art of Steve Dillon.

And what made me smile:

Poor old Dan Jurgens!

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!

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #75

Gee, would you look at that - 75th edition of Who'd Like A Cocktail?

• Doom Patrol #8 - a quick one page summary of Blackest Night and Giffen's right back to his own storyline. It should be nutty enough to please fans of the old Morrison run but, for my money, nowhere near as needlessly pretentious. This is good, solid (if weird) superheroics.
• Justice League: Rise And Fall Special - poor old Green Arrow's gone and done a bad thing and all his friends are angry with him and "have to stop him -- before he kills again!" Strange as it's not the first time he's done it but there you go. I like the character so will tag along for the ride and see what happens.
• Magog #7 - with the whole Mother of Magog sub plot bubbling away, it looks like next issue we get a visit from Tommy Tomorrow and the Planeteers!
• Punishermax #5 - the Kingpin storyline concludes, nicely leading in to the next round where Bullseye looks to be getting a pseudo-Colin Farrell makeover. This is shaping up to be a cool series, and not just for the Steve Dillon artwork.
• Secret Six #19 - Black Alice and Ragdoll getting sweet? Awww, how nice! That last page, though? Can't wait for the next issue!

And what made me smile:

Never has a next issue box looked so good! (Giffen + Doom Patrol) x Ambush Bug = Awesome!