#at the last panel of each arcs - they have such a cool pose/scene for it like damn

[aqqleshiqqing-archive]

steven saving ruby in the R/S arc:

and then ruby saving steven from getting his mega stone snatched from zinnia in the ORAS arc: (read from right to left)

[comicsnsuch]

Tales from the Dark Multiverse

Hi! Thanks for finding this tumblr. The plan is to share and write about comic books, comic book art, other things that interest me and such, thus the name of the tumblr. Maybe you share some of the same interests, or maybe you’ll discover something new.

I’m going to try to post as frequently as possible, but that frequency will vary depending on what real life is like week to week. On slow weeks, there will be more stuff, on busy weeks less.  You get it.  Hopefully if you check in now and then you’ll find some new content.

I work (worked?) in a comic book shop, but as I have been recently reminded, due to the COVID-19/Coronavirus epidemic, I am non-essential.  Thanks State Government! Always good to have a self esteem boost! 

Anyway… I love comic books, reading them, talking about them, (thinking about) making them and so on. Always have, always will. I wanted to have an outlet for sharing that while I can’t be in the shop doing it face to face with customers and random strangers. 

I’ll be writing short reviews for what I’ve been reading, new stuff, old stuff, posting pics, etc.  

 Feel free to comment, but please keep it friendly. Assholery will not be tolerated.

To start with I just finished reading all of DC Comics Tales of the Dark Multiverse one shots. 

                                     I made this in MS Paint!

These started coming out in 2019 and the last one was released in early 2020. The idea behind each is Tempus Fuginaut, a sort of Watcher type character for the DCU (who I think debuted, or at least I fist remember seeing in the Sideways ongoing, a Dark Nights Metal spin off) observing the multiverse and introducing a story that takes an important moment in DC history and asks “what would have happened if things had gone differently?” DC’s version of What If?  in a nutshell.

       That’s Tempus Fuginauts big ol’ head in case you were wondering

 As the “Dark” in Tales of the Dark Multiverse might imply, these are not happy stories.

The first one shot that was released was Tales of the Dark Multiverse Batman Knightfall by Scott Snyder and Kyle Higgens with art by Javi Fernandez.  

This was probably my least favorite of the five issues. Since the “No Justice” mini series event I’m over Scott Snyder. I feel he has so many ideas rattling around in his head that he begins one story, gets too excited about the next one and leaves you underwhelmed with the current arc but dying to read the next. (That being said I of course checked out Batman Last Knight on Earth, having read his and Capullo’s entire New 52 Batman run I didn’t want to miss their “final” word on Batman, but have not read his just wrapped run on Justice League which I hear was quite good). 

I read this one right when it was released a few months ago, so my memory of it might not be the best.  

This one centers around the Knightfall event where Bane breaks Batman’s back and Jean Paul Valley/Azrael takes on the role of Batman. In this reality Bruce never recovers and Jean Paul remains Batman becoming Saint Batman, a Bats Azrael mash up. Javi Fernandez does a great job on the art and Snyder loves chopping people up. 

                                                      Gross.

Definitely worth the read if you’re interested in it or are a fan of Batman or just the Knightfall era. If you grab this series in collected format it’s not so bad that I recommend skipping it, just not my favorite from this batch of books. 

Next up is Tales of the Dark Multiverse Death of Superman by Jeff Loveness with art by Brad Walker and Andrew Hennessey. I really enjoyed this one, it was a good quick read and had a nice arc to it. One of the better issues from this series if you’re asking me.

Right after Superman dies defeating Doomsday in the Death of Superman story arc, the rest of the Justice League shows up, literally as the blood is drying.Ten seconds too late. Lois Lane blames Supes’ death on the heroes for not being there to aid him. 

She makes her way to the Fortress of Solitude and thanks to the Eradicator gets herself all the powers of Superman. She then goes about dishing out justice, with extreme prejudice, to the villains the heroes normally let the revolving doors of the DC justice system handle. This involves a couple of great scenes with Batman and Lex Luthor. Loveness nails the dialogue and the character arc he puts Lois on is great to read. 

                                  Walker and Hennesey do it again!

There’s more to this story than I’ve put here, but I don’t want to say too much and ruin your enjoyment of it if/when you read it.

Special shout out to the art team of Brad Walker and Andrew Hennessey. I feel like they don’t get enough love. They killed it on the Demon Hell is Earth mini, and from what I can tell are crushing it on Detective Comics. Dudes can draw. Spread the word!

Then we move onto Tales of the Dark Multiverse Blackest Night by Tim Seeley and Kyle Hotz. 

This one was a bit wordy, but a lot of fun! I would put this one in the middle of the pack. 

Seeley brings together an interesting bunch of characters including Sinestro, Dove, Lobo and the New Gods! The plot is a little complex, but basically after the Color Corps lose the battle against Nekron in Blackest Night, Sinestro is looking for a way to undo the damage done and becomes a pawn in Scott Free’s plot to do the same. 

Give Seeley a Lobo book or a Hawk and Dove book, or a Mister Miracle book!. He gives each character a unique voice which makes their joint travels through the plot that much more fun to read.

Kyle Hotz’s  art in this issue reminds of a 90’s Image Comic in the best possible way. Lots of detail and cool poses. I also see a lot of Bernie Wrightson in there with Hotz’s heavy use of black and the sinewy musculature of the characters. The book is worth the price of admission to see his renditions of Dove and Mister Miracle. 

                                                          kewl!

 I’m glad to see Hotz working more or just seeing more of Hotz’s work. I don’t know if he fell out of the industry after drawing the original The Hood mini for Marvel with Brian K. Vaughan, working with Eric “The Goon” Powell on Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Odditys, doing art on Carnage Mind Bomb and more I’m sure ( I just can’t remember it all), or I just wasn’t paying attention to what he was working on. If it’s the later, shame on me, if it’s the former, welcome back Mr. Hotz, you’re crushing it and I look forward to seeing more from you. Check out more Kyle Hotz work by following him on Instagram @kylehotzcomics.

Let’s not neglect the oft overlooked inkers! I’m not sure who inked what, but on a guess, Dexter Vines and Walden Wong brought a smooth, cleanness to the proceedings with lots of nicely tapered lines. Again just guessing here, because I don’t know for sure, but Danny Miki used a finer line bringing a scratchy-ness the others didn’t but also amazing detail and clarity on some of the portraiture in the later half of the book. 

Who’s next? Why it’s Tales of the Dark Multiverse Infinite Crisis!

This one may have been my favorite. When the original Infinite Crisis series came out it was a period  where, due to personal lack of enjoyment, I wasn’t reading much of DC’s output, but I did read the Countdown to Infinite Crisis one shot this issue takes as it’s jumping off point. After having read this issue, it makes me want to go back and read Infinite Crisis. I would say that’s the sign of a good issue.

In this alternate reality Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, kills Maxwell Lord instead of vice versa, making himself the head of Checkmate. He then goes about trying to prevent the coming crisis. It’s kind of a tale about absolute power corrupting absolutely, it’s also an underdog tale about getting in over your head.

                Sorry if these images aren’t the best, I’m new at this!

James Tynion IV does a great job catching you up on any old DC continuity plot points you may have forgotten or never knew about in the first place.If you’re reading Tynion’s current run on Batman, or his work on Detective Comics and Justice League Dark, you know he can handle a complex plot like this and does a great job condensing it all down to a single issue.  Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan handle the art and they do a great job. Always happy to see Lopresti’s name on a book I want to read.

Bonus points: You can never have too many Ted Kord, Blue Beetle comics, especially when Booster Gold pops up, even if only momentarily. 

If this series leaves you wanting more Blue and Gold action may I direct you to Booster Gold (2nd series) #32 thru about 38ish for some quality comics.

Final one, Tales from the Dark Multiverse the Judas Contract!

I’m not as old as my writing may imply so I had to read the Judas Contract in collected format about 20 years after it was originally released and after having seen it on many a fanzine’s (Wizard) best of list.  When I finally got to read it I wasn’t super familiar with the Titans of the era and already knew the big twist in the story, so it just washed over me without any great effect. None of the shock that someone who was reading it fresh in the 80’s might have experienced. 

I ended up liking this twisted take on the Judas Contract much more than when I read the original. “Sacrilege!” I know, I know, but like I said there was no surprise when I first read it, while this one zigged instead of zagging multiple times and kept upping the ante in scale. 

Kyle Higgins and Matt Groom do a great job reinventing a classic that I’m sure many people had high expectations for. This was a fun faced paced tale.  I enjoyed the hero moments Dick Grayson and Wally West were given. Like the Knightfall one shot Higgins co-wrote with Snyder there’s no shortage of dismemberment and disfiguration, which is neither a plus or minus in this situation, just thought it was worth noting.

Tom Raney handles the art chores here and he does a fine job.  Some of the figures seem a little squat, and their heads are too big in certain panels. Could I do better? No, so who am I to say anything? I just noticed it, here and there, it took me out of the flow of the story every now and then. That’s all. Big fan of his work on Stormwatch and Outsiders with Judd Winick. I also hear he’s super nice, so if you’re ever at a convention where Tom Raney is, seek him out! 

                                      They seem squat, right?

It’s worth mentioning these books are all done in DC’s prestige format and are extra long at about 48 pages each. All covers are by the fantastic Lee Weeks. A nice way to spend the afternoon.

There’s the first post. A little longer than I thought it would be. If you made it this far, I hope it was clear and you understood what I was saying and I hope you liked it and want to return for more. 

Until next time!

[questionofdarkness]

some things I noticed during the latest chapter (aka you all knew this was coming because 199 was made for me!)

So, why did this take me so long? Well, obviously, there weren’t only a handful notable panels for me this time! Also I was really busy and I wanted to do this on my PC so that I don’t have to split it up in multiple parts again. So… chapter 199, huh? What a great time to be alive for all my fellow birb boy stans out there! Though I must say, I am a tiny bit disappointed in one aspect: I don’t think they brought across Toko boy’s character as well as they could in this chapter. Where were all the angsty one liners? Where was the edginess? There was a lot of hood Hawks and more amazing pictures than I ever imagined, but… yeah, it just didn’t feel as much like my boy as I hoped it would. Nevertheless, I am obviously really excited that we get to see so much of him - I’ve been waiting for some insight in the Hawk’s internship since it was first confirmed that Toky also had taken one and all the fanons that became canon! But let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

Starting off strong with a beautiful Hawks! Amazing! 10/10!

My poor boy, look at his little legs! 

Wheeze wheeze indeed! Again, confirmation that Tokoyami really wasn’t in the best phyical shape (compared to the other 1A members that is!). I really like how they subtlety show us development in characters like the bird boy through panels like this one. Also don’t you think these two sidekicks look like half a Tokoyami each? Like, we have the “beak” and the black clothes. That means the whole group is actually more like a 1.5 bird, right?

Tokoyami, starting to stand up for himself! That’s the good stuff!

I think we all lost our shit at this panel, right? I mean. Holy fuck! I think horikoshi just goes to the bnha tag on tumblr when he runs out of ideas and goes like “Yeah, that’s stupid, let’s put that in!”. Also Hawks giving no single shit is my aesthetic. 

What kind of response is that???? Also Toky is so fucking done I’m crying 

(Did anyone else notice the braclets? Do they serve a purpose? I don’t think so. Oh boy. Also the choker. I was kinda hoping he had painted nails as well, but I guess we can’t get everything straight away, right?)

So first of all - yes, yes he does! 

Secondly “birdman”? Man? Really? You wanna call this 5′2 goth teenie a man?

Fierce! 

Poor boy, I feel you though.

I love how this is phrased. “He decided to take me again”. Because to my understanding, the students have to seek out their employers themselves - they don’t get offers like they did during the week long internship. That means Tokoyami was the one to contact Hawks and ask him to take him under his wings again (pun intended). Although he said he had learned nothing last time! Although he went into the internship with the mindset, that Hawks was just interested in his connection to class 1A. 

So Tokoyami conciously sought him out to prove him and himself how much more he had in him than Hawks had realized! And I love this aspect of my boy, because it has never been shown before. He always was trying his best, but he never really displayed such a direct, stubborn will to prove himself. Again, I love how subtly Horikoshi lets side characters grow. It’s one of the things I love most about bnha.

TENEBROUS ABYSS BODY!

No but seriously, look at his eyes, look at that determination! How can people not love this boy? Also at least we get an edgy “nay” here, so good job!

Recognition!

Look at them smirk, I fucking love Hawks!

You know what I really like about this panel? Normally, when Tokoyami uses his Black Ankh, you don’t really see his eyes but mainly those of dark shadow. But here it’s the opposite. For me, that again represent his growth - he isn’t hiding behind Dark’s strength anymore! That goes along really well with the overall message of this chapter. Gotta love hero aca for it’s story telling.

And the next second he looks like a tiny precious bird again. His beak is so round! Ugh, i wanna hug him so much right now!

And again, everyone looses their collective shit.

one whole bird!

But i’ve literally seen fanarts exactly like this before this chapter came out! What the fuck, Horikoshi??

I do not like the implication that Hawks might not have asked for Toky’y permission and just picked him up though. But then again I guess we just weren’t shown. I can’t wait for this to get animated!!

Also “We’ve become one with the wind!” is also a respectable Tokoyami line.

“!” “?”

Hawk’s using Tokoyami’s real name while everyone else calls him Tsukuyomi is also great. I wonder if he has done that before or if this is the first time. But I also wonder what it might imply. Maybe it shows that he doesn’t see him as but a trainee, or maybe that he can’t really recognize him as a hero yet. I’d say I hope to see more of their relationship in the future, but to be honest, I doubt it.

I can’t wrap my mind around the way my boy is drawn here! On one hand I love it - look how fluffy his feathers seem! - but it’s also a tad strange. But again, fierce Toky speaking his mind!

Mentoring!

Also look at how tiny Tokoyami is!!! God I love this boy!

Why does it make me laugh every time when Hawks talks about them being birds?

Hawks looks so damn cool here! 

But aren’t we gonna talk about how Toky clings to the mast? I mean good decision, but I still find it funny. Hawks is all dramatic, staring into the distance, and Toky’s like “yeah I really appreciate the advise and all but if I fall I will die!”

Still dramatically raking off his cape!

Also same, it sounds fucking awesome!

Momo, could you please stop being so gorgeous? Also please change your costume, it’s winter and this is very impractical to begin with! But still, I will always love that they actually give my girl some fat rolls!

Still at it with taking off your cape? Also again: cape buddies!

And Tokoyami looks hot from this point of view as well. Does that make me a furry? Am I being a furry? 

Oh, and Toru gets some lines! Not gonna lie, kinda forgot she was there for a second.

The edgelords are back at it!

I absolutely love how they show that fighting isn’t only about punching stuff and strategy isn’t only observing. The manipulation factor is fascinating and I love how they give this trait to a side character like Kuroiro. He’s generally an interesting guy this far - I hope we’ll see more of him in future chapters.

They didn’t even try to add Toru to the picture! Poor Toru stands, hoping she’d get some more screen time during this arc…

Also I love how for once it isn’t Aoyama who’s being eccentric. 

And my boy still looks so fierce and those arms!

PHAHAHAHAHAH THIS IS BLOODY AMAZING I LOVE THIS PANEL SO MUCH OH MY GOD!

Cue to me crying in the background

(Same)

Ok but this panel is hilarious. I can’t even fully tell while but just… look at his pose!

I love seeing my boy improve (obviously) and it’s again a nice reminder of how much happens behind the scenes in this story.

Ambitious!

Also every Tokoyami/Aoyama shipper is probably crying right now as is Aoyama because his cape got ripped in half

Up up an away my boy!

More gorgeous Momo! Her eyes! Her hair! God I’m so gay!

Quod erat demonstrandum!

Also “Keep flying around freely” is a line I never dared to hope to hear in relation with my birb boy. This chapter is a dream come true.

I will never get tired of seeing Dark and Tokoyami interact. I wish we knew more about those two!

RRRRMMMBBBBBBB

Aoyama is so pissed look at him! My poor dude!

He just… plops out of the shadows. Yeah, how’s life going?

Ah, my girl, my beautiful girl! You sure do think of everything - one of my favorite traits of you. Also it’s nice that Hagakure gets some lines. She has really been neglected this chapter. Then again, I assume 200 will be about Momo’s fight with Kinoko (which I find really surprising - I was sure 200 was going to be Midorya centered! I’m not complaining though), so maybe Hagakure will get to show off against Manga? But then again, there’s also Kendou who I think will be a Momo opponent as well (seeing how the two got history and, as even mentioned last chapter, have a friendly rivalry). I sure am excited to see how this arc will develop, though I am still scared that this group of class A might have to loose in order to maintain a balance to make the final battle and therefore the clash of Izuku and Shinsou count. 

Looking foreward to next week and thank’s to everyone, who stuck around for this rant :D

[sparda3g]

One Piece Chapter 898 Review

There is no Super Sentai Theme Song for Germa 66 in here since well, paper, but those guys do get the chance to shine as Sanji and Luffy make their great escape. As straightforward this chapter is, it was pretty entertaining from start to finish. The Whole Cake Island Arc is drawing near to its end.

While it is early to comment, I got to say the artwork in here is very solid. There are plenty of details and ongoing event that is happening in one panel; very lively in the surface. Perhaps it can get too busy, but I found myself amazed by the amount of characters in the surrounding. It also helps that many of which look identifiable, showcasing Oda’s talent in character’s unique design.

That all said thankfully, this was an action packed chapter with solid visual. It’s hard to say if we are supposed to say, “Apology accepted,” to Germa 66 if we go by this chapter, excluding Judge, but I have to give them a credit for being the showcase of flashy badass. The island practically becomes a battlefield of the two families. Charlotte Family actually believed that they were killed off already, but the number one lesson they should have learned already is to never underestimate your enemy.

The news finally begin to spread about Germa 66 pulled a fake news to the Family to believing that they were killed off by Nusstorte and others. One of the best aspects of the series is to witness the villains to receive their karma effect and how they react towards it. Oda always created the enemy to be vile and repulsive people that you hate in a genuine way. With the exception of Katakuri since he was designed to be a true sportsmanship, the rest of the Family begin to lose their mind. The momentum starts rolling with Strawhats Crew sailing towards to Sanji and it would only get wilder.

To top it all off in terms of breaking news, Brulee cries out to everyone that Luffy has defeated their undefeated brother, Katakuri. I love how everything got silent from that mere fact alone, like time just stops while Sanji can still run. It finally pays off after series of hype machine that the Family keeps bringing up on his power and his undefeated streak. I know that feeling all too well; now, I feel like old wound has resurfaced.  It does create the situation worse because it only motivated them to react with anger and denial; the worst combo a man can be in.

On the plus side, this transition to the barrage of Germa 66 in action and this was pretty damn impressive. Oven wastes no time to reach to Sanji and before he was about to pull another murder scene, Ichiji shows out of nowhere and deliver a badass pose with a beat down. That was damn cool on how he just attacks all of them in that great panel shot.

Just before Yuen was about to pull a déjà vu from the last chapter, Yonji breaks that boulder size weapon like nothing and shoots his mechanical hand to do a chokehold. Instead of chocking him to death, he starts swinging him and knocking everyone in the surrounding area like a scrub. Damn, if they weren’t such prick early on, I would have been completely amused by their action; still, I admit that it was great.

Of course, Niji gets his part as well. When I thought he would be just escorting Sanji, he blitz run the enemies and cut them up with his light speed sword. It’s almost baffling of me to believe that they weren’t this good back when they were about to get assassinated. On the other hand, they were close to the gun, which sort of leaves you in hostage position, and not to mention, they didn’t care about their life. This whole scene is like the polar opposite. It’s worth noting that they were really helping Sanji out, though it’s unknown on how they all feel about each other. I don’t know if this is their “apology” or just a coincidence timing to help out, but perhaps after this skirmish, we’ll get a better outlook.

The only one that shows true emotion is Reiju, who shoots out Pink Hornet, which almost look like a one-hit kill. It was given since we knew that she can consume poison as well as spreading it. That said it is safe to say that her connection with Sanji is genuine as well as her words. It’s rather nice to be reminded that she once told him to never come back and run away, since it align with this moment all too well. This time, everyone in the family excluding the father did help him to escape; almost like coming in a full circle. I don’t know how Sanji feels about this, but here’s hoping a clear closure.

The arc does feel like it’s really close to the end when Strawhats Crew is close to the island and know that Sanji is really close to his exit. It does have a good feel moment and I was feeling a relief. It only lasted short because I thought to myself that if it ended there, it could mean a surprise may happen instead. It could be Big Mom out of nowhere intervene the happiness and more madness ensue. It could be other reinforcements make a surprise attack. Maybe it could be all around good news and Sanji will make it out safe as well as Luffy.

Overall, this was a pretty entertaining chapter. Germa 66 was pretty impressive with their unique skills. The reactions and downhill spiral for Charlotte Family was satisfying. The action visual was very solid with plenty of double page spread with great amount of detail. It’s amazing that Oda can produce with some many characters with unique design in one setting. The ending looks reassuring, but I got a bad feeling about it. The arc is almost over. Hang tight.

[renaramblesaboutcomics]

Wednesday Roundup 18.10.2017

When it comes to a variety of genres... I honestly wasn’t very variable this week to be honest. Superheroes and Giant Robots, or otherwise known as two of the three ingredients alongside furry animals and a dash of Chemical X which are required to create a Rena of your very own. But in this contest of Heroes and Robots, the real question is who is going to come out on top? Or at least it should be because people love pitting things against each other and gamifying everything. Or so I’ve heard.  

DC’s Batwoman, DC’s DC Comics: Bombshells, DC’s Super Sons, DC’s Titans, DW’s Transformers: Lost Light, Lion Forge’s Voltron Legendary Defender Vol. 2

DC’s Batwoman (2017-present) #8 Marguerite Bennett, Fernando Blanco, John Rauch

I was already fully on board with this storyline for Batwoman last month when it was revealed that the Needle was the Scarecrow all along and Kate was in a fear toxin induced fever dream for most of the out there visuals and flashbacks, but that grounding came through in full force this issue as Kate proved herself to not only be a badass and to get herself out in the most seasonally appropriate and cool one-liner of comics this month, but also while never undermining the threat that the Scarecrow poses. 

One of my problems with how the Scarecrow has been underused is that not only is he almost always the underling to some greater plot and easily tossed to the side within the narrative -- I could even make a good argument that this is still the case in this storyline -- but the existential threat of having a psychiatrist who is more fascinated with abusing his knowledge and position of power over those he examines, and forcing confrontation of someone’s worst nightmares and fears, is just a fascinating subject that has hardly received its dues in decades now. 

And Marguerite Bennett, who has always been someone I trust with a focus on character first, understands that potential and shows that brilliantly over the course of these last two issues. Really, Kate’s character and history has been the focus of this entire run thus far, sometimes even to the detriment of the pacing considering that we take so long to -- for something like the tenth time in half as many years -- retell her origin story, which is something I was pretty critical of, but it is something I appreciate so much more now.

Bennett is truly making Kate her own, and all the backstory, all the set up, helped make the fears and anguish of the fear toxins feel that much more earned within the comic itself when we showed them. Yes, if you’ve been following Batwoman for the past decade which... well, I have -- you can infer a lot of these things without all that set up. Her relationship with her father being complicated, her mother’s death and sister’s kidnapping her original trauma, even the turbulent romance of her year abroad. She didn’t need these things, but having them all presented within the run and really allowing for an insulated story experience for new readers and old alike, frees Kate of so much of the baggage one might have otherwise expected from her at this point. 

And it works as it gets us to the gates of a true confrontation with Scarecrow himself. Kate Kane’s traumatic life before and as Batwoman has always been the source of her unyielding attitude and her drive forward. It defines her far differently than the other members of the Batfamily. So facing her fears and overcoming her trauma may have just unleashed a Batwoman that the Scarecrow is even less prepared for than he realizes.

The art in this issue, as the art for this entire series so far has been, is just excellent. It’s stylistic and weaves in and out of traditional paneling to complex, interwoven dreamscapes and I love that we can have that level of detail and understanding without sacrificing readability, which has been a critique I’ve had of Batwoman stories as far back as Elegy itself. 

Just overall this was a really inspiring read and it feels especially powerful during the Halloween season. So fantastic timing.  

DC’s DC Comics: Bombshells (2015-2017) Vol. 5The Death of Illusion Marguerite Bennett, Laura Braga, Mirka Andolfo, Elsa Charretier

I am not the huge fan of Bombshells that most of the people I know are, and as such I’ve not really gone out of my way to comment on the last few volumes, but it felt a bit incomplete this week to not mention Bombshells since it did come out this week and is taking us to the “new season” that is currently being published. 

There are too many artists to really get into on an individual level so I’m instead going to focus on the formatting, as the adaptation from a Digital First to a printed volume is something all the issues share regardless of artist or style. I just want it noted that while I do enjoy the retro pinup style for some characters, I don’t always like it for all characters, and it’s also a judgment call on how well it adapts from artist to artist. 

Strangely enough, it feels like the comics that are the least exploratory with being a part of the digital medium and instead are drawn like comic strip-sized panels that are then stacked for physical publication and volumized format are usually the ones that read the weirdest. That continues to prove true in this comic especially since, as overstuffed as this cast is, the limitations of being drawn like they only have half the page to start with, means we get lots and lots of pages where everyone in a scene are crammed in together -- which you can sort of see in the panels I chose to post above. And that inhibits something that Bennett, as a writer, is usually exceptional at. And that’s building female characters from and around their environment. 

Look at those last two panels and think of how much more impactful that sense of loneliness and being surrounded would feel for Ivy if there had been more space to allow that sense to come across. 

And that bleeds right into a general writing issue I’ve had with Bombshells since the start. I, on principle, love all the characters and I love the world and the world building. There is precious little that is not inherently appealing to me about this series. 

But I feel like I have so few central characters to focus on because of how bloated the cast is and how intertwined all the characters and events are, that I’m left almost annoyed at the fact that we can’t say who, in any one issue, is the central protagonist. And even if that’s a problem I’ve had a sense of from the start, it’s becoming more of a problem in this volume than any of the one before because they’re fitting so much in any one issue. We had the introductions of at least ten characters that I can remember who are obviously going to be prominent, the concept of this universe’s Suicide Squad, and the idea that Hugo Strange is working for all sides and countries at the same time while cloning Kara even though.... Russia had had her loyalty before and... I don’t know. It’s a lot. It’s a whole lot at once. 

And even though this is counter to my main argument, I’m getting really damn annoyed that every Batgirl and Batgirl adjacent character in the damn world has been featured now as a Batgirl or otherwise now except for Steph and Cass. Like. Why. What’s the point. 

DC’s Super Sons (2017-present) #9 Peter J. Tomasi, Jorge Jimenez, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Alejandro Sanchez, Ivan Plascencia

Super Sons wraps up yet another arc but this time around we have a bit of a juggling act being performed with the artist chair. This isn’t to say it gets completely distracting, but there are a few transitions that were not nearly as smooth as they could have been. I am more of a fan of books who switch artists at least attempting to maintain a theme, but as far as getting the job done story wise, Super Sons more than steps up to the plate. 

But of course that leaves the question of what I feel about the storyline and... I still enjoy it! I stand by my consistent criticisms that without Gleason, Tomasi tends to invest more in Jon being the Perfect Child foil to Damian rather than digging into his own insecurities and flaws, and that definitely applies here where he moralizes to save the day and also drops the very interesting thread of plot that actually had me hopeful that we would be seeing more angles to Jon’s naivety, what with the possibility of Damian finally revealing that it was Lois who asked Damian to befriend/train Jon all along, but does it work for having our two young heroes inspiring an entire future of heroes for a parallel dimension?

Sure! I would think so. It feels like Jon and Damian’s new friends and this parallel world are going to be the Legion of Superheroes to Jon’s Superboy which is honestly a pretty exciting idea and is neat to see in the context of modernizing an old idea with a whole new spin and within the current comic landscape. 

Or we’ll never see any of this again because comics do that sometimes. It’s hard to tell. 

Personally, I enjoyed the ending, even if it was mostly action and explosions, but it’s like I always tag here on the blog -- Every Story Needs an Explosion!

.... I also have a tag on this blog that is “Sun Bleached” for characters who are whitewashed and goddamn DC, you have got to get a memo out to all your colorists on rather or not you’re going to commit to Damian being dark skinned or not. And don’t think I don’t notice that he and Talia both shift between “white” and “brown” depending on the morality they’re showing at any one time. I’ve seen the panels of Batman #33. I see you. 

DC’s Titans (2016-present) #16 Dan Abnett, Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dalhouse

I’ll be honest.... this wasn’t the best issue. And it’s not that it’s bad it was just that it felt entirely skippable. Young Wally shows up but we don’t at all get any time with him to have more than a surprised reaction -- there’s no time to see him mourn or get angry or anything. And the rest of the Titans don’t really have that time either. They’re just more angry than they had been in the last issue and... judging by solicits Wally’s going to be back so the emotional stakes and catharsis were pretty much all we had for this issue. 

Instead it was purely fighting and not really even fighting that came to a conclusive end. After all, we still have another issue to go and none of the possessed Titans were freed either. Instead it just leads to.... well an Evil Donna reveal which... I don’t know what that’s going to lead to because I’m still wondering what we’re going to be doing about Wally and Wally!

Overall I still like Titans but this is one issue that really gives me nothing to add or even to say that I haven’t mentioned in previous Roundups because, for me, this issue didn’t do a great job of adding anything writing or art wise. 

Just gotta wait for next month then.

IDW’s Transformers: Lost Light (2017-present) #10 James Roberts, Jack Lawrence, Joana Lafuente

In all honesty, the last couple of issues of Transformers: Lost Light have made me feel things that I haven’t since James Roberts’ “First Season” of MTMTE. It really, truly feels like he is back on his A-game and that we’re getting places where his original outline had us going before the whole Dark Cybertron stuff jumped into the fray. 

And if it wasn’t obvious from my Batwoman review, it’s because i really really love fridge horror and mind trips and just in general when stories shock me with where they’re willing to go with their characters. Because this is dark. Arguably this issue reveals itself to be darker than almost anything else that Roberts has shown us in his Transformers yet. 

Which, again, is saying something. 

And it’s darkness an passing a moral event horizon that is really necessary to get us on board with having Getaway and other mutineers as bigger villains than the likes of every other antagonist that the Lost Light crew has encountered so far. I mean, that’s a hell of a direction to take us and yet it’s managed because we’re now beyond just the hatred for what he did to Cyclonus and Tailgate, we’re down the moral sinkhole where his actions are not justified at all. Where you arguably could see the reasons for mutiny when they did so in the last arc of MTMTE. 

Now he’s just. Straight up a villain? Though that comes with some questions of its own because before he didn’t seem to be happy that the Black Block Consortia was going to destroy all of them. He jsut... wanted them to not be on the Lost Light? Or so I thought? He did call the DJD, but specifically he thought it was just for Megatron so idk. I literally don’t know but I’m fascinated to see things from Getaway’s perspective.

And speaking of perspectives, I already adored First Aid but he was so good in this issue, and this his discoveries and the further and the further and further down the hole things went from there felt like my stomach was dropping each time. To the point where I wanted to just scream “it’s a trap” multiple times. 

It’s just good stuff, I really enjoyed this issue and am on the edge of my seat for what’s coming up.

Lion Forge’s Voltron Legendary Defender Vol. 2 (2017-present) #2 Tim Hedrick, Mitch Iverson, Rubine, Beni Lobel

Okay. All my skepticism before, all my complaints, all my concerns that both art and characterizations were lacking in this story compared to the actual series? I take it back because... I had an absolute blast reading this issue. 

So along with our art change, we get something in this issue that we honestly haven’t even gotten from the series, and that is non-food related Hunk centric storylines with him being hailed as a hero to an entire species, having girl problems, and people literally fighting for the right to marry him. Even if those people are more like... sexy female Knuckles and Sonic. 

Anyway. This issue pretty much addresses everything I was worried that we were missing before. There’s a coherent plot with a clear need for the individual paladins as well as Voltron all together, there’s jokes but not so much at the expense of a character’s dignity, and Hunk... Hunk is treated better in this issue than he is for the majority of episodes for the last three seasons of the show and I’m genuinely kind of floored by this fact.

There’s a scene I absolutely loved where Hunk, baffled at his own situation, even goes to Lance and they have a whole page dedicated to their heart to heart. Lance ranges from jealous to sarcastic, to genuinely helpful and it’s the first time that any of the franchise has remembered they were friends and roommates first before anyone else. 

I was genuinely surprised with how much I enjoyed this issue and if I could give a reward for the single most improvement from one issue to the next it would go to Voltron this week.

Though I will say, c’mon artists, backgrounds are a pain but you have to treat them like your friends. You can’t rely on gradients 100% of the time.

So while there was some harsh criticisms I had this week, I think overall it showed to be a pretty good week for comics, and more than a couple of surprises came up to really make me sit back and reflect on things. But with little doubt, my pick of the week has to be Batwoman because that series and Marguerite Bennett just as a writer on her own have managed to really redefine a familiar character and make her story her lore, and her personality stand proud and alone from all the strings of continuity that has been supposedly holding her back for all these years. I absolutely love it and can’t wait for the next issue.  

And those are the comics for this week! Did you happen to agree with me? Disagree? Think I missed out on picking up a comic that was good? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

But before I let you go, I have to (yes have to) plug once more:

I have exactly a month to pack up everything I own and move halfway across the country again which is not helping those financial crunches I mentioned before either.

As such, I really would appreciate if you enjoy my content or are interested in helping me out, please check out either my Patreon or PayPal. Every bit helps and I couldn’t thank you enough for enjoying and supporting my content.

You could also support me by going to my main blog, @renaroo, where I’ll soon be listing prices and more for art and writing commissions.

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[a-wayne-at-heart]

[Robin Panels] The New 52's "Batman and Robin Eternal" (2015)

I don't know about you guys, but Batfamily-wise, the New 52's "Batman and Robin Eternal" is just a gift that keeps on giving.

Be forewarned: this is going to be long and panel-heavy. I want to highlight precious, character-revealing moments from the series, and there are a lot. Thus, panels won’t be arranged chronologically, but thematically. 

Most of it will be focused on Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne, though. But, story-wise, Cassandra Cain (then Orphan) and Harper Row (Bluebird) play central roles. Barbara Gordon (as Batgirl), Stephanie Brown (as Spoiler), Duke Thomas (then a "Robin"), Jim Gordon (then "Batman" in a mech suit), and Azrael, as well as others Batfrenemies, make appearances, too. So, yeah. Definitely a Batfamily affair.

I love this series. By writing this, I'm going through it for the second time. 

Just like in the "Robin War" story arc, we see that Bruce manages to unite his family even in his absence. (Sure, they sometimes do so out of begrudging respect, but they really do love him!)

A little backstory (and SPOILERS):

Throughout the series, the present is juxtaposed with the past.

“No more secrets. No more lies.”

The story revolves around a villain that Bruce Wayne first encountered in his early years as Batman, way back when his Robin was still an enthusiastic, fresh-faced Dick. Simply referred to as "Mother", her goal is to produce "perfect" children. Believing that overcoming intense personal trauma is the key to pushing a child towards his or her full potential, she targets children, murders their parents, then takes them under her wing. With the help of brainwashing (and Scarecrow's fear toxin), she molds them into human weapons intent on pleasing her. Rich and powerful clients in search of ideal children avail of her, um, services.

To investigate deeper, Bruce posed as a potential client and pretended to be dissatisfied with his ward. 

While Robin continued to fight alongside Batman on a daily basis, Bruce purposefully left Dick in the dark about Mother. Later on, we find out why: dealing with Mother revealed some truths that Bruce was ashamed to face. Perhaps he was no different from Mother? That he'd been using the death of Dick's parents to mold him into Robin? Did he really want to replace Dick?

Take a gander at a very handsome younger Bruce Wayne undercover as... himself.

But before Batman could shut down Mother's twisted operation, he "died" and came back amnseic - but not without leaving a trail leading to Mother behind (in true Batman fashion).        

At present day, when parents turn up dead and children become orphaned, a mysterious vigilante (okay, it’s Cass!) leaves Dick a digital device containing Bruce’s confession to him and the file on the Mother case.  

“I’m not the man you think I am. I failed you. I failed all of you.”

And so, he enlists the help of his brothers to investigate and hunt down this “Mother”.

MORE, MORE, MORE UNDER THE CUT:

So, let's start with the eldest, the original, the legendary Dick Grayson, our beacon for all things Robin.  

In spite of all the masks Dick has worn over the years - Nightwing, Batman, Agent 37 -  he never forgets his superhero roots. He's still Robin at his core. 

So much so that even while wearing his Spyral uniform, he prioritizes Batman’s mission....

... and calls on the best. Back-up. Ever. (Who we’ll be discussing later on.)

He takes charge of the mission at the get-go, and his brothers know better than to argue with that. They respect his seniority and trust in his leadership (and for good reason).

Nearing the climax of the story, he delegates tasks to the rest of the Batfamily, then takes on the most dangerous one on his own. Not out of bravado, mind you. It's just the selflessness that comes in the Dick Grayson package. This is also personal to him, after all. An unfinished mission from both his and Bruce's past that's come back to haunt all of them.

A gazillion miles away, all alone, and he still manages to mother-hen everyone else. 

And in the final showdown, when Mother tries to turn him against Batman - tries to convince him that Batman failed the Robins -  he doesn't sway.  In spite of the secrets that Bruce kept from him, he still trusts in his former mentor's intentions. 

(Of all of Bruce's children, I do think Dick understands him the best. Over 75 years of partnership? Come on.)

As for Dick calling for back-up...

There's our "reformed" Jason, who's clearly enjoying being part of the Batfamily again... 

... even to the point of abiding by Batman’s “rules”. It's been so painful watching him fight his way in, then out of, and then in the family again, that it's such a breath of fresh air seeing him... back home.

He provides a lot of the levity in the series by way of self-deprecation and playful banter with both heroes and villains.

He's our resident street-smart former "street rat". (A lot more sophisticated now, though.)

He's matured quite a bit, too. Biting his tongue, holding back his punches. Using his own past failures to encourage others (like a brainwashed Harper trying to kill Cass).

I can't help but think that, for better or worse, Jason being portrayed as the venomous - villainous, even - antihero in the past makes all of his moments in this series (heck, even in DC's "Rebirth") much sweeter.

(I mean, if all his monstrous transgressions are still canon in this timeline, then he truly does have a lot to make up for. Maximum security jail time in the real world, really.)

Then, there’s Tim. When did our self-conscious, sleep-deprived Timmy get this confident? This... manly?

With Batman out of commission, he's currently the "World's Greatest Detective", expediting missions through brilliant strategies and A+ geekiness.

He's still a teenager, though (and apparently has to remind Jason of it). 

He's still cool, still calculating. But, somehow, more sure of himself, I guess?  

Let's take a few moments to appreciate the partnership between Jason and Tim in this series...

... and we'll see how much good comes out of two brothers outgrowing their resentment towards each other.

They go on assignment to Egypt in search of answers from the Order of St. Dumas. While Tim poses as an acolyte, Jason is subdued by its members and infected with a bioprogramming virus they created called “Ichthys”. 

Whammied, Jason dreams of his final moments with the Joker. But, this time, instead of being defenseless, he turns into a Red Hood-like version of Robin and mercilessly beats the villain up. 

However, as Jason overcomes his most traumatic experience, he also loses himself to the virus (as Mother intended). Tim quickly realizes this and forms an alliance with a disgruntled Azrael (who just found out he’s been betrayed by his own order) and...

“And your not just the man under the red hood. You’re a Robin.”

Oh, and this one right here!

Speaking of banter in the middle of a life-and-death situation... we weren’t gonna leave Dick out of it, were we?

The ladies have them, too!

Last, and certainly the tiniest but not the least, our egotistical li'l darling Damian.

Although his superiority complex is perfectly intact, he's become more cooperative, more willing to concede to his brothers (just not, you know, out loud), for the sake of the mission.

In some ways, he just might be the most grown-up of them all. (Perhaps it has something to do with his recent accomplishment of the "Year of Blood"?) When his brothers start giving in to helplessness, he calls them out and reminds them of the legacy that he’s inherited.

Now, I think it’s important to discuss these parallels because they sort of address a polarizing issue.

“We chose to be a family.”

Jason sees the Robins as Batman’s army-turned-family...

... but Dick sees it very differently...

... and so does Bruce.

Oh, wait, do you remember this scene from an episode of “Young Justice”?

Wonder Woman: “You indoctrinated Robin into crime fighting at the ripe old age of nine.”

Batman: “Robin needed help to bring the men who murdered his family to justice.”

Wonder Woman: “So he could turn out like you?”

Batman:

(P.S. Please remember that this is fantasy, people. Not the recommended real-world parenting method.) 

At this point in the comics, the Batboys have already overcome a lot of their personal issues with one another - and with Bruce. They've all gone through enormous character development in their respective titles. (Writers seem to be making up for a lot of emotional damage to the fans over the years.) So when we experience them together like this, we find that they're more mature (which may come off as "gritty"), more accountable for other people, more efficient as a unit. And, dare I say, more grateful for Bruce's role in their lives.

“We’re Robins. And our work isn’t close to being finished.”

Big brother Dick puts things into perspective one last time...

“Sounds like a job for Batman and Robin.”

Of course Bruce is back before the series concludes. And this last part? I can't ask for better reunion panels.

Intense. Emotional. Action-packed. 11/10 would recommend.