Who Was Who Is Who #8

Check out the new logo!

So for want of anything better to write about on a Monday, and with DC's New 52 well under way (how long are they keeping that title do you think?) I'm going to go through all my copies of Who's Who and see if I can predict who will make it over to the new DCU by the end of this year, who might make it and who hasn't got a Chris KL-99's chance.

CATWOMAN - like Batman, there was never any real doubt that some version of Catwoman would appear in the new DCU. That the current Selina went and shagged Batman on a Gotham roof in her first issue cause the internet to melt down, however, making a lot of people wonder what had happened to the Catwoman they knew and loved. Not being a Bat/Cat reader, I wasn't particularly worried. With James Robinson's forthcoming Earth-2 title, however, I'm curious as to whether the Catwoman of E2 will still be married to E2's Batman and whether the Huntress (due to appear in the forthcoming Worlds' Finest) is going to be their daughter. So, E1 (or whatever) Catwoman in place, E2 Catwoman a possible.

THE CAVALIER - ah, the swashbuckling Batman villain. Nah, can't see him turning up.

CAVE CARSON - the DCU's resident spelunker, Cave hasn't appeared anywhere, except for the odd cameo, for a good few years now; for some reason, caving adventures appear to be further down the list of marketable comics than war stories, medieval knights or cowboys. Will we see him by year's end? Afriad I'm going with a no here.

CELSIUS - ex-wife of the Doom Patrol's Chief, she appeared out of nowhere, bummed around with the Patrol for a while before apparently dying during the Invasion a few years later. Aside from a few cameos, I don't think we've seen anything of her since then and with the Doom Patrol currently MIA from the New 52, I can't see Celsius re-appearing either.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #105

See, there are worse things than pelicans

• THE BOYS #48 - with one of the best pastiche covers ever, the new Boys storyline gets underway. The Homelander's plans seem to be underway and Butcher's previous bastardry comes back to haunt him.
• BRIGHTEST DAY #13 - a Hawkman-heavy issue is never a bad thing even when all he's doing is beating the crap out of things which, let's face it, is what he does best. A quick cameo by the Resurrection Man reminds us that Deadman still has a mission to find the Chosen One and as a certain Batman has recently returned, there's no prizes for guessing who next issue will feature.
• CROSSED: FAMILY VALUES #5 - for a moment at the start of this issue there was a flash of what the Crossed world offers to writers: an exploration of how normal people deal with the extreme crap they find themselves in. Then they had to go and bring the corseted and stockinged mother into things as a cartoon villain out to get them. Ah well, not long to go now.
• DOOM PATROL #16 - would it be remiss of me to mention that I've met Brian Keene, author of this issue? And that he's a good friend of my mate Tim? Probably, so I won't. Even though it's something of a fill-in, this is still a good fun issue with some wonderful Giffen artwork. It manages to further Robotman's character as well, pushing him towards the horrible realisation that he may be turning into the Chief. Talking of Robotman, just about any other issue would have ended with that wonderful splash page of the alternate reality Cliff roaring in and I'd have been happy with that. Carrying on with an excellent next panel was just laugh out loud funny! A damn fine issue.
• FREEDOM FIGHTERS #3 - Phantom Lady turns out to be the ace in the hole to get rid of the renegade shamans before Firebrand's conspiracy theories take over. And hey, Miss America's back! Another cool issue of paranoid politics and superheroics.
• JSA ALL-STARS #12 - despite the cover depicting a big space battle, the vast majority of this issue deals with Cyclone and her attempts at leading a normal, de-powered life in university. Until not one but two apparent clones of her super-powered self turn up . . . or do they? Neither Roxy nor one of Cyclone's university friends seem to notice the doubles . . .
• LADY MECHANIKA #0 - finally managed to get my hands on this even though it's been out for a couple of weeks. The art's gorgeous and the steampunk genre is one I enjoy so I'll be sticking with this. The only slight quibble is Benitez's dialogue. Mostly it's okay but every now and then it's just a bit clunky and forced. But hey, it's an introductory issue so here's hoping it'll improve.
• SECRET SIX #27 - both teams go berserk in Skataris and Catman makes a passable Warlord. It's all a bit hectic, to be honest, and I'll be glad once they're back in the real world again.

And what made me smile:

Recipes at the back of Lady Mechanika! This is what we want!

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #101

You won't find Anna Fortune getting teary eyed with nostalgia

• THE BOYS #47 - aw, crap . . . Wee Hughie loses it with Starlight in a scene that had me cringing. You know you're emotionally invested in fictional characters when you just want to grab them and say "Stop f*****g things up!"
• BRIGHTEST DAY #11 - Firestorm throws down against his evil counterpart while Aquaman and Black Manta have a huge fight. Oh, and the Black Lantern version of the twelve resurrected characters reappear. Strangely, the best part of the issue for me was that last two page spread of a huge forest covering the surface of Mars.
• DOOM PATROL #15 - the Chief goes completely off the rails as the Kryptonian powers he's absorbed send him more than a little crazy. The fight between the Doom Patrol and the Chief is touching and sad though I somehow doubt that this is the end of Caulder. And who'd have thought a pelican could look so startled?
• FREEDOM FIGHTERS #2 - another solid issue as Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters go up against the renegade shamans from the past . . . and get their butts kicked. A little standard, plot wise - issue 1 introduces the threat, issue 2 the threat beats the heroes, issue 3 the heroes try but fail to beat them before realising/finding a key idea/item, issue 4 the heroes beat the threat - but no less enjoyable because of Palmiotti and Gray's cracking dialogue and the lovely art by Travis Moore. Once passed this story which is establishing the team for new readers, I've no doubt this series will really kick into gear.
• JSA-ALL STARS #11 - did Atom Smasher miss the meeting about giant-sized fights in the middle of a city? Can't help thinking that's not his brightest move. Elsewhere, Cyclone's back, Power Girl recuperates (how else is a solar powered hero going to recharge other than by sun-bathing!) and Atom Smasher and Anna Fortune start some serious flirting.
• Co feature LIBERTY BELLE AND HOURMAN - so this story that's been drawn out a little too long comes to an end. As I've said before, it's good - the characters are well written and the art's great - but it's just felt a bit stretched. But hey, a nice resolution.
• SECRET SIX #26 - if ever there was a place where Bane fitted in, it looks like it's Skataris. The two teams go head to head a lot sooner than I'd expected and that last page . . . not sure where that's going to go next issue.

And what made me smile:

Oh, Ambush Bug, you are a one.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #98

Screw-on Head has the nation's safety at heart when disposing of criminal geniuses

• THE AMAZING SCREW-ON HEAD - Utter genius. Some friends had bought me the animated version of the title story of this collection last Christmas and it was crazy and brilliant enough that when I saw this collection advertised, I just had to have it. Mignola's art is just gorgeous and the stories are simply wonderful - The Magician and The Snake manages to be both funny and heart-wrenching in just five pages while The Prisoner of Mars is simply elegant. An excellent book thoroughly recommended.
• BOOSTER GOLD #36 - Giffen and DeMatteis manage to squeeze in a Justice League: Generation Lost tie-in almost in one caption as well as bringing in the Giffen written summer cross-over event from years back, Invasion! Chances of getting Snapper Carr and the Blasters to show up next issue?
• DAWN: NOT TO TOUCH THE EARTH - Delayed by months, this book finally lands and I have to think why? I like Linsner's longer works - the Dawn series are pretty good - but this smacks a little of self-indulgence. It doesn't bring anything new to Dawn as a character nor is it a particularly fulfilling one-shot. Bit of a disappointment, really.
• DOOM PATROL #14 - Ahh, what's not to like here?! From Ambush Bug's opening song recapping the last few issues, to Rita hurling Mento out over the ocean, to the team finally, really bonding. And then, of course, there's the Chief absorbing Kryptonian powers and completely losing it. I love this series!
• GREEN LANTERN #57 - The Predator's back in town! I've always like the Predator, at least the look of the thing - wonderfully 80's. True it's been through a couple of incarnations but Geoff Johns appears to have decreed that this is what it is: the entity behind the Star Sapphires, as Ion is to the Green Lanterns and Parallax to Sinestro. And why's Jordan so pissed that Carol Ferris had to kiss the Predator's host? It's not like he isn't seeing Jillian Pearlman. Remember her, the girlfriend we haven't seen in months?
• JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #9 - Rocket Red once again steals the scene as Max Lord's scheme seems to show its first sign of fragility. Not a bad issue all told, but not that hot either.

And what made me smile:

Now that's an ambition!

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #89

Robotman gives Negative Man fair warning in Doom Patrol #12

• THE BOYS #44 - I swear, seeing the Homelander singing the Bee Gees almost made the Cocktail post this week! Garth Ennis mixes in evangelical Christianity with his take on superheroes and I think we all know it's not going to be pretty. And that last page . . . poor Hughie and Starlight . . .
• BRIGHTEST DAY #5 - Mera and Aquaman are attacked by a foe from the past, forcing Mera to reveal a secret she's been keeping for nigh on fifty years; while Deadman is forced to attempt a resurrection; and the Hawks... the Hawks don't look as though they're in a good place right now.
• DOOM PATROL #12 - the Doom Patrol have their behinds kicked while behind the scenes the Chief is forced to compromise. The end of the first year is traditionally a round up of a major story arc but that doesn't happen here; instead more hints are laid for upcoming issues. Here's to the next year!
• JSA ALL-STARS #8 - still one of my favourite reads every month, a superhero team that works well together and, while having plenty of action, also has characters that develop as well: Anna Fortune drops a nice hint about her origins when she says "The only flying machines they've got in my day are hot air balloons." Really enjoying this title.
• Co-feature LIBERTY BELLE & HOURMAN - for me, it's the character interaction that still leaves this story rattling along; I've long forgotten what the plot is about this book and statue the heroes and villains are after. Still, I'm not complaining as it's a quick, fun read.
• SECRET SIX #23 - a done-in-one guest slot from John Ostrander was something I was looking forward to. As it is, it's a little disappointing. A not entirely original set-up and the Six are very quickly shown to be in no real danger so we pretty much know nothing's going to happen to them. All in all, nothing special.
• THE STAND: HARDCASES #2 - As Flagg continues to draw his followers to Vegas, this adaptation continues to be solid and dependable.

And what made me smile this week:

Roxy gives the All-Stars plenty of warning!