DC Preview Review for December Part 2 of 2

Told you we would be back with more………….

SWAMP THING #4
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by VICTOR IBANEZ
Cover by YANICK PAQUETTEOn sale DECEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
All across the world, those with a primal connection to the forces of life and death can feel that something is very wrong. The war between The Green and The Other has begun, and the knights of decay walk the Earth unchecked – but without Alec Holland, the Green has no champion strong enough to fight back!

Jim: Vertigo seems to be in some weird state of flux. A lot of books have been canceled, but new projects still keep popping up here and there. At the same time I think under the DC banner a sort of Vertigo has “taken root” in the DCU. This consists of Swampy, Franky, Buddy and Andrew. Swamp Thing #1 was a miss for me, but the second issue sold me on this new series. Scott is honoring what went before and yet doing his own spin on the character and making it just as fantastic a twist as Alan Moore’s classic rethinking of the character. This is shaping up to be another great series from Scott.

Gwen: I never cared much for the Swamp Thing character but if anyone can make me interested it's Scott Snyder.
Lee:  Ooohhh lookeee here.  I take over one day and suddenly L'il Miss Jealous Pants wants her spot back.

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #4
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI
Cover by J.G. JONESOn sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
“Monster Planet” comes to its world-shattering conclusion as Frankenstein and Nina take on the massive Sea Monster, while Lady Frankenstein and the rest of the Creature Commandos go head to head with the colossal Ogre Titan. Plus: Don’t miss the debut of the G.I. Robot Squadron and the new War Wheel!

Jim: This book is flat out madness and fun. The second issue ends with Franky and company finding his wife being held hostage on a world filled to the brim with monsters. Jeff is doing a great job keeping this book action packed and adding characterization as he goes. Ponticelli’s work is sometimes almost too busy and feels a little rushed, but the energy is great and the story telling is rock solid.

Gwen: You can never go wrong with a Sea Monster.
Lee:  Sea Monsters are so passe but the return of the War Wheel?  Now that's cool.

ANIMAL MAN #4
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art and cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
After coming face to face with the mysterious Totems, Buddy learns the truth about Maxine’s destiny – but it may be too late, as The Red is infiltrated by agents of The Other, and Buddy struggles to control his new, unfiltered powers with deadly results! Meanwhile, Ellen and Cliff must face the last Hunters alone!

Jim: Book three of the new “Vertigo” and this book has that total Vertigo vibe as Buddy Baker is in over his head and being led by his young daughter Maxine as they explore the red. The art by Travel Foreman has a great feel to it and I’m in for the long ride on this book.

Gwen: I've always liked Animal Man and I've been pretty happy with DC launching this version with their 52.
Lee:  Animal is such a hard character to 'get right' as they say.  He really does have a goofy power so making it work is just difficult.  But, so far Lemire's been up to the task.

I, VAMPIRE #4
Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
Art by ANDREA SORRENTINO
Cover by JENNY FRISONOn sale DECEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Straight from the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK comes John Constantine! Problem is, rather than help Andrew in his war against the Queen of Blood, Constantine figures it would make more sense to just wipe out all of the vampires, including Andrew!

Jim: Loved the first issue, the art had a Jae Lee feel to it and in one issue we established Andrew’s long term love affair and his war against Vampires. I know Gwen is at a disadvantaged as she has not seen all of these books, but with this series DC has started using Joshua Fialkov as a writer and new voices need to be used.

Gwen: Wow, I feel like I'm special needs now =/ I'm all for John Constantine in any book - he's always a fun character.
Lee:  Letting the special needs comment go, I am letting the special needs comment go, I am... not above pointless comments.  You got married all those needs should be filled now.  Sheesh.

THE RAY #1
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by JAMAL IGLE and RICH PERROTTA
Cover by JAMAL IGLEOn sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, 1 of 4, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Get ready for a brand new Ray! Lucien Gates’s life is changed forever when he is struck by a mysterious beam of energy that turns him into a glowing gladiator – and being a human ray of light comes in handy when his city is suddenly under attack from giant, building-sized monsters. Unfortunately, light powers are less than handy in keeping his girlfriend happy.

Jim: This will be the third Ray and since he is not a major character DC is happy to be a new name under the mask. Gray and Palmiotti are great story tellers so this should be a good series. Plus in the new DCU this maybe the only Ray that ever existed.

Gwen: I liked the second version of the Ray back when I was younger so I'm interested to see this book. Although the last line of the solicitation cracked me up.
Lee: Now it feels like a return to just publishing for the sake of publishing.  I really like alot of the new DC books but this gets close to being too many again.

DC UNIVERSE: SECRET ORIGINS HC
Written by VARIOUS
Art by VARIOUS
Montage cover
On sale FEBRUARY 22 • 320 pg, FC, $39.99 US
The classic Silver Age titles are collected in hardcover for the first time, including SECRET ORIGINS #1, MORE SECRET ORIGINS #1, EVEN MORE SECRET ORIGINS #1 and WEIRD SECRET ORIGINS #1! Don’t miss the origins of Wonder Woman, the Superman/Batman team, The Challengers of the Unknown, Martian Manhunter, the Justice League of America, Aquaman, The Flash, The Atom, Bizarro and more!

Jim: This is pure nostalgia for me, the classic secret origins of a ton of DC characters all in one book. This will be a great book to pull off the shelf and read a story or two at a time.

Gwen: This is some pretty cool material and should be a lot of fun.

Lee:  I've got to disagree.  This is gonna be junk unless you remember it the first time around.  The story telling in going to be contrived and the origins hokey... ugh.  Not for me.

Jim: In a couple of months I can get back to more commentary of the direction of series as opposed to pure comments on each item, but the DCU is still reforming at this point. So far I’m enjoying this new DCU, but I’m also whittling away what titles I keep getting. So far Static, Men of War and Hawk and Dove have been cut.

Gwen:Well I missed the first part of DC but at least I came in for the finish!
Lee:  I decided to wait for the trades on all of these titles to see what would stick.  Sadly, it looks like more than half of it is, by general consesus, good.  Next month or the month after I am going to get crushed in trades.