Comic Book Reviews for 2/8/12
Deadpool reaches a landmark, Robin makes a choice, the Joker Meets Harley Quinn and more.
February 9, 2012 February 9, 2012 February 9, 2012
Yeesh, what a week! Not only does this week bring us the splintering of Batman and Robin, but we also get to see the Joker's first meeting with Harley Quinn, a new artist on Batwoman, the Penguin get his own definitive tale, and, perhaps most bizarrely, Hal Jordan have a good day.
At Marvel, Scarlet Spider returns for round two, the clock winds down on the adventures of Frank Castle in PunisherMAX, Deadpool hits #50, and Wolverine and the X-Men turns into a trippy Magic School Bus adventure. Remember the Magic School Bus? Well, this is better.
As always, if you want to participate in the MyIGN comics reviews next week, stay tuned to Joey's MyIGN blog for information.
As always, we grade on a 20-point scale from 1-10, with a longer analysis for the most anticipated books of the week.
Batgirl #6
Written by Gail Simone | Art by Ardian Syaf
"Batgirl remains an unexpectedly flawed series as it wraps up its second story arc. Certain elements have improved in the last two issues, such as the superior villain and the more straightforward handling of Barbara's recovery. But other problems have cropped up in their stead, such as the inconsistent quality of the artwork and some clunky storytelling decisions." -Jesse
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Final Score:
6.5
Batman and Robin #6
Written by Pete Tomasi | Art by Patrick Gleason
"With the tensions between Bruce and Damian at an all-time high, it all came down to this issue to see if Peter Tomasi – and Damian, for that matter – would pull the trigger. Of course, the outcome is rather expected, but nonetheless it proves why Damian is truly a chip off the ol' block. As engaging as Robin's teeter-totter on Bruce's 'unbreakable line' is, the impact of Nobody on Damian's psyche is somewhat lessened by Tomasi using flashbacks in these last couple of issues to explore the relationship of Bruce and the Ducards." -Joey
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Final Score:
7.5
Batwoman #6
Written by J.H. Williams III & Haden Blackman | Art by Amy Reeder
"Batwoman #6, while slightly moving the plot forward inches, feels more like an interlude to catch readers up on all the players involved in this series. The book is essentially a series of vignettes that touch base with the various members of our cast, everyone from Batwoman to Jacob and even the men behind creating the 'Weeping Woman' from last arc. We get to see how all the pieces fit together; but because of that, the forward moving plot is put on hold outside Kate getting to test out a new suit of armor, effectively turning her into Superwoman." -Erik
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Final Score:
7.5
Deathstroke #6
Written by Kyle Higgins | Art by Joe Bennett & Eduardo Pansica
"It's truly unfortunate that Kyle Higgins won't be writing Deathstroke much longer. This series gets a little better each month, proving you can craft an enjoyable book starring a villain that doesn't have to ignore characterization. A good chunk of Deathstroke #6 is focused on flashback material, as readers learn more about the Wilson family dynamic in the new DCU. No matter what continuity is at play, it's clear Slade doesn't make for the most loving of parents, but these scenes do make the character more sympathetic as he fights to learn the fate of his son in the present." -Jesse
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Final Score:
8.0
Written by Paul Cornell | Art by Diogenes Neves & Robson Rocha
"Demon Knights #6 represents the third plateau in my enjoyment of the series so far. I came into issue #1 without much familiarity for Etrigan or the book's fantasy setting, and I didn't particularly respond right away. After giving it a chance and moving through a period of grudging acceptance, though, I've arrived at wholehearted endorsement with this issue. The topsy-turvy flashpoint revealed in issue #5 drives this book's adrenaline, but it's really the character development of several supporting characters that managed to hook me on this title." -Poet
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Final Score:
8.0
Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Alberto Ponticelli
"Jeff Lemire and Alberto Ponticelli kick off a new story arc in Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #6; one that sees 'The Zoo,' a micro prison within the Ant Farm, unleashed. That story on its own would have been enough, but Lemire actually does one better by featuring a secondary story in the pages of Frankenstein #6, showing the Creature Commandos on a field mission to take out a rogue agent from the late 1960s. This side story might not have been the book's main draw, but Lemire makes it the standout tale of this issue with a touching story about a man who can't accept his fate as a monster." -Erik
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Final Score:
8.0
Written by Geoff Johns | Art by Mike Choi
"Geoff Johns' story for this issue is present more for the purpose of turning the gears of a larger machine, but it's still an enjoyable read. Johns lets readers enjoy Hal's happiness with him for a moment before introducing turmoil that is, in a bit of a departure from the norm, not Hal's fault at all. The dynamic is an expansion on that which has defined the series so far. In this issue, however, it seems much more palpable, as Sinestro's coercive modus operandi clashes with his respect for Hal as Johns springs his trap on the final page. As I mentioned, the majority of the book is a mechanism to send the book off on its new course, and, as a result, the sections with Starstorm and Lyssa Drak seem a bit clunky and perfunctory." -Poet
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Final Score:
7.0
Written by Gregg Hurwitz | Art by Szymon Kudranski
"And just like Kerri Strug in the '96 Olympics (yes, old school reference), Gregg Hurwitz and Szymon Kudranski stick the landing. Thanks to Penguin: Pain and Prejudice, I now respect Oswald Cobblepot as a true, fully-fledged Batman rogue; he's no longer the laughing stock I thought him to be, or that many writers write him as. Gregg Hurwitz has painted Penguin as a mentality fragile child who wants nothing more than to prove how seriously he should be taken. Remind you of anyone else in Gotham?" -Erik
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Final Score:
9.0
Written by Adam Glass | Art by Clayton Henry
"With the Joker being 'dead' in the pages of Detective Comics, it's nice to get a book, six months into the New 52, that finally lets us see the Clown Prince of Crime in action. That's the heart of Suicide Squad #6, part one of "The Hunt for Harley Quinn." While Deadshot and the rest of the team track down the trail of Mr. J's main squeeze, Harley reminisces about her first sessions with Joker back when she was a psychiatrist at Arkham. It's ground that we've seen covered before, but writer Adam Glass manages to display a quality of the Joker's that is the toughest to convey: his sheer brilliance in manipulation." -Joey
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Final Score:
8.5
Superboy #6
Written by Scott Lobdell & Tom DeFalco | Art by R.B. Silva
"When I cracked open Superboy #6 to the expected onslaught of caption boxes that have been ever present in Scott Lobdell's New 52 work, I didn't think much of it. When I turned the page to the issue's credits to discover that Lobdell was only listed for 'plot' while Tom DeFalco handled actual scripting duties, I had a hope that perhaps DeFalco could find a focus (read: less words) that Lobdell couldn't grab. Alas, no such luck. If anything, Superboy #6 is more overwrought with needless inner monologue than before. That said, at least the plot is moving forward to the point where Superboy might actually be somewhat likable and not a puppet of an organization that we know little about." -Joey
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Final Score:
6.0
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