Who'd Like A Cocktail? #170

You have no idea how many times I've said that to my wife.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #168

Somehow, I can't see Batman ever saying that.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #161

Come on, Godiva, most of us would kill to be in space. Some of us have . . .

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #153

Adam shows he's not best at forward planning.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #149

Adam One's a bit thirsty at the dawn of time.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #145

Booster Gold shows he has limits.

Good News, Everyone!

Following the big announcement about the DCU reboot, we're getting more details as the time goes one. Just read this over at the DCU blog:

"A team of internationally-drafted superheroes fight each other and their bureaucratic supervisors as much as they do global crime in JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1 from writer Dan Jurgens and artist Aaron Lopresti. The cover to issue #1 is by Aaron Lopresti."

And here's the cover:

"Part Of Some Larger Purpose"

Justice League: Generation Lost finished up last week with a relatively satisfying end, at least from the point of view of a new Justice League International book being confirmed. Sure it would have been nice to have Max Lord brought to justice but the new team's going to need a bad guy to fight and he's the perfect candidate.

But one thing's still niggling at me and long time readers will probably be able to guess what it is while they stifle a groan: Ice's ret-conned origin. In #12 of Gen Lost, Winick revealed that Ice's whole background was a lie she had created to replace the supressed memory of her accidentally killing her father which I talked about at length here. And here.

In an interview with Comic Book Resources, Winick stated:

"As much as folks think we're doing it for shock value, nothing we did in the story was for shock value. In my opinion, everything that's done builds upon other things. The Creature Commandos don't show up just because I think they're cool, they show up because they are part of some larger purpose."

See that? Everything that was done in the series was done to "builds upon other things" which of course includes Ice's ret-conned origin. This leads me to ask what was the purpose for the ret-con? What built upon it or what did it build upon?

I probably have too much time on my hands, but I'd like to try and find out.

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? #102

Larfleeze shows why he's the one getting his own Christmas special this year

• BOOSTER GOLD #37 - you're almost left with the thought that either Giffen or DeMatteis is occasionally tapping the other one on the shoulder and saying "Didn't we have a plot we were following at some point?" This is still a great fun series but it does delight in wandering down various sub-plot alleyways before being wrenched back to the main one! And methinks we haven't seen the last of Estrogina!
• GREEN LANTERN #58 - finally, Carol Ferris slaps down Hal Jordan's expectations, reminding him of his girl back home while she gets on with her life. Meanwhile Salaak begins to get suspicious of Jordan's activities and hey, the Flash turns up.
• GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS #3 - the Red Lantern Bleez seems to be along for the ride, but at least she can speak now. Sodam Yat finds he's being hunted by his own father and that creepy, floating dwarf who's behind the draining of Lantern's rings shows up again.
• JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #11 - this issue's pretty much all about the Metal Men attacking Fire, Ice and Rocket Red which ends up with Ice being forced into her new persona, the origin of which we meet in the next issue and which I moaned about earlier this week.
• JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA 80 PAGE GIANT 2010 - I've said it before: the thing with anthologies is you have to take the rough with the smooth. The Obsidian story was well done though it was little more than an origin tale; Jesse Quick helps a battered woman (as an aside - a trash can lid can deflect bullets? I don't think so!); Mr Terrific's tale was a little empty; Cyclone battles through some some spiteful people and discovers a new power; Sand shoots a cop (but he deserved it); the Wildcats get closer to each other; and Dr Fate manages to help someone in death. Mostly okay stories, though the Mr Terrific one was, as I said, just a little less than the others.
• KNIGHT AND SQUIRE #1 - I've never picked up a book before on the strength of a preview, but had to give this a go. It's wonderfully British and I applaud DC for publishing it. Storywise it does little except establish some characters but does so with humour and charm. Well worth getting.
• UNTOLD TALES OF BLACKEST NIGHT #1 - basically an anthology so again a little hit and miss. I think the most pertinent thing to come out of it was the recruitment of Lyssa Drak by the floating, creepy dwarf from the Green Lantern titles.

And what made me smile:

Induce vomiting! Kiss her!

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? #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? #94

Booster Gold speaks the truth.

This has to be quick - I'm not here right now! But with the magic of the internet, I can still post this:

• BOOSTER GOLD #35 - you know, I think that's the first time I've read the word "knockers" in a DCU comic book . . .
• GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS #1 - I'm guessing conversation's going to be limited between Red Lantern Bleez and her new friends.
• JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #7 - as much as I've grumbled about Judd Winick in the past, I'm liking his Rocket Red. Admittedly, his characterisation of Ice is well off but on the whole this is still pretty good. Someone pass another slice of humble pie, please.
• PROJECT SUPERPOWERS: CHAPTER TWO #11 - it all rushes to the conclusion next issue and just what the heck has happened to the Death Defying Devil?
• ZATANNA #4 - Zatanna's in Las Vegas - where else would you find Mammon these days?

And what made me laugh:

The Devil and his Death Defying Dentures!