Best and Worst of Last Week

Let's get the worst candidate out of the way first this week and be done with it.

Worst Book

Superman/Batman #34 - The first issue involving the Metal Men and featuring art by Pat Lee. Okay the art sucked, the story is convoluted and why has this book been a constant disappointment. Just really a poorly executed job of which is essentially a re-introduction of the Metal Men.

Best of the Week

This week in addition to the books mentioned also included Invincible and X-Factor, which because almost every issue is a gem, could have easily been included, but they are great series all the time.

Flash #11 - Wow, this book is what it should have been from the start. Bart really is starting to become a character whose voice is being heard as you read the book. Often characters feel generic and that has changed now for Bart. Tony Daniel is the new artist and he has done a great job in upping the quality of the book. Marc Guggenheim in three short issues has taken this from a crap book into one of the better series on the shelves. It an exciting ride right now and I can't wait for the next issue.

Hellblazer #231 - The art has always been good as long as Leonardo Manco is drawing the book, but Diggle has made Constantine the coolest bastard around again. I hadn't even noticed how somewhat lost Constantine had become, the last couple of writers had done okay and told some good stories, but John had lost his edge. Well Andy Diggle has changed all of that and John is the consummate bastard again. He may do you a favor, but be careful what you wish for. Summarizing the plot of the last two issue is pointless, but if you left this book, come back now, if you never read Hellblazer, then come on in and try it out.

Fallen Angel #15 - New artist and since last issue a whole new energy is back in this book. Peter David is the writer and it has constantly been a good book, just not always one of my favorites of the moment. This issue we learn more about Angel's predecessor and it appears to be David's Supergirl from his DC work (the Linda Danvers/Matrix character). Obvioously it can't actually be her, but it is her. I'm not sure if this was his idea all along or if it was a recent inspiration, but it is playing out really well. Kristian Donaldson's artwork is a much lighter style then the previous artist and I believe fits this new storyline better. Great time to jump on this book.