DC Universe Streaming

I've been debating whether or not to pull the trigger on pre-ordering the new DC Universe service that will start on September 15th. There are many pros and cons to pre-ordering and I can't seem to make up my mind. In case you are in a similar state, I thought I'd share what I've learned about this digital endeavor and maybe we can make up our minds together by the end of it.

It is no secret I love DC Comics if not the direction the company has taken in the Dan Didio era. I think Rebirth was a success while the Nu52 was a failure. (I don't care what the numbers might have said, at least, in the beginning.) The DC Universe digital service seems perfect for a fan like me. So why am I hesitant?

DC Preview Reviews For March and April – It Really Is You – You’ve Changed

Jim: So I decided that I need to get more current with the DC Preview Reviews since the April solicitations just came out I figured might us well tackle both months. Plus I hate what DC is doing right now. I’m concerned that the group of characters that I really loved at one point are being abused and misused.

Where Marvel seems to be coming to the table with book after book after book with a plan of attack and a one or two year plan for stories or a story, DC is constantly changing on the fly. Announcing Gail Simone on and off Batgirl, announcing creators and pulling them before they even get started and other head scratching decisions is driving me away from the books. The cancellation of I, Vampire was a bleak announcement. Joshua Fialkov says he got to write his ending which is a good thing, but it smacks of DC not supporting critical favorites like they used to do. Heck the trade sales were off the charts, so it must have been making money.

In April the Vertigo offering was down to Unwritten, the two Fable titles and the last issue of Saucer Country. Vertigo was a big part of what I got from DC and with that and Before Watchmen off the table it is almost down to Snyder and Lemire books being all I want or care to read. I will still follow some stuff here and there but my hope that DC will turn this around has faded. Instead of turning it around I believe that it is going down the toilet.

Shawn: I was always a huge Vertigo supporter, but even with the Snyder and Lemire books coming out this year, I think the imprint's days are numbered. I am hoping DC offers Fialkov more books, and Sorrentino is partially illustrating the last issue of I,Vampire. Perhaps Fialkov will spin some of the characters out of that title into a new book. I'll be honest, I like Lemire and Fawkes, but Fialkov would have been my choice for Justice League Dark. But if they don't give him anymore work, that's ok. Dynamite and Marvel already have. 

I was turned off by the last minute creative shuffling, and I have been less than enthusiastic about many of their announcements lately. Ending Hellblazer? Gah. With all due respect to the work Lemire has been doing in JLD, that guy is not Constantine. Especially after that horrible Zero Issue. After the Simone fiasco it really does seem like the Powers-That-Be are running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

DC Comics Preview Review for February 2013 – It’s You Not Me

Jim: So instead of the normal preview review I have decided to look at a bunch of DC titles and remark about my current feelings on the books. I think what DC did was a great marketing stunt and has generated a lot of interest. DC also gave Marvel a kick in the pants and made them review what they were doing and implement so long overdue changes. Success often breeds sameness as when you are winning, you do not want to change. Still I think DC’s idea was implemented too fast and with a lack of planning. The downside of what DC did was they broke the connection any fan of DC had with the Universe. That Universe is dead and gone. Also they started five years into the new Universe, so whatever we think we know we do not know. Characters have the same names, but not the same history. Some events have occurred, others have not and we have no clue what did or did not happen. So when a character refers to a past event we are supposed to know about we can’t even be sure it happened. Hell they are retro-conning as they go along as Tim Drake was a former Robin and now was not. It is with this framework that I want to review and comment on the state of the DCU as we look forward to February 2013.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: DOLLAR BILL #1
Written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by STEVE RUDE
One-shot • On sale JANUARY 30 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS

BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN #4
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art and cover by ADAM HUGHES
On sale FEBRUARY 6 • 32 pg, FC, 4 of 4, $3.99 US

BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH #4

Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art and cover by LEE BERMEJO
On sale FEBRUARY 13 • 32 pg, FC, 4 of 4, $3.99 US

BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN #6

Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art and cover by J.G. JONES
On sale FEBRUARY 20 • 32 pg, FC, 6 of 6, $3.99 US

BEFORE WATCHMEN: OZYMANDIAS #6
Written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by JAE LEE
On sale FEBRUARY 27 • 32 pg, FC, 6 of 6, $3.99 US

Jim: I think it speaks volumes when my favorite part coming under the DC banner is the Before Watchmen material. As this stuff comes to a conclusion I’m curious to see what DC will do to replace it. The quality of the creators is what drove this project and I would hope DC would be bending over backwards to get these creators to sign up for more projects, but I doubt is. The take away here it that my favorite material from DC has nothing to do with the new DCU.

DC Preview Review for January 2013

Jim: As long as that Mayan Calendar prediction is wrong we should be rolling into another new year very soon and this is what DC has to offer.  Of course right now we are still doing the reviews without Gwen (hi Gwen, hi Henry) as she is off being a new Mom.

While the new way DC is handling their lineup makes the picks a little harder to handle as new series are not always a monthly thing I have to give them credit as they aggressively try to manage the line up and make each book better. I think they miss as often as they hit, but they are trying and try to keep the genre fairly well mixed.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #16
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
Backup story art by GARY FRANK
Variant cover by LANGDON FOSS
1:100 B&W Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
“We Can Be Heroes” Blank variant cover available
On sale JANUARY 23 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with five covers. Please see the Order Form for details.
• “THRONE OF ATLANTIS” continues!
• Aquaman can barely hold on against Ocean Master even with the League by his side!
• The United States loses faith in the Justice League and enters the battle against Atlantis, setting in motion the creation of the Justice League of America!
• More on the Superman/Wonder Woman alliance! 
• Plus: In the backup story, the origin of SHAZAM! continues!

Jim: I can’t believe how much I don’t like DC’s flagship title. It has been poorly written and the characterization of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman don’t lineup with their other books. Also I prefer Marvel’s deal that if they charge $4 you get a free digital copy.

DC Previews for December

Jim: A bit of news, my daughter Gwen used to do these with me, but work and real life has taken her away from being able to do anything with the blog for awhile. One of those “things” was the birth of her and her husband’s son on October 7. So I now have the task of making sure Henry is a comic book fan also.

Lee:  Stepping up to take Gwen's place is... none other than... drum roll please... me!  I haven't done DC in a long, long time so this will be interesting.

Onto the DC preview review. One important question how long does it get to be the “New 52”? Is that still going to be the cover blurb forever?

BEFORE WATCHMEN: MOLOCH #2
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art and cover by EDUARDO RISSO
Backup story written and illustrated by JOHN HIGGINS
1:25 Variant cover by OLLY MOSS
On sale DECEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, 2 of 2, $3.99 US
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US • MATURE READERS
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
“We are doing great things here, Edgar. Amazing things.”
And don’t miss the latest chapter of the “Crimson Corsair” backup feature from writer/artist JOHN HIGGINS!

Jim: Not sure why they needed an additional two books in the Before Watchmen group and oddly JMS’ work has been looking like the weakest of the books. A pretty good set of books when JMS’ stuff is the weakest. While I look forward to JMS’ work I know he has misses as well as hits in his stuff. Risso on art is an exciting addition. All in all I think for all the hand wringing by people over the BW stuff, it has been well done and entertaining. I think, heck Moore’s work was derivative and built on other people’s work, so what if someone builds on his stuff. And…. Watchmen was not the greatest comic of all time (I can hear the cries of heretic now.).

Lee:  I think you are giving this group of mini-series way to much credit.  Silk Spectre is very good but after that... ummm, it's ok superheroes.  It can be argued if Watchmen was the greatest ever, but it's is still one of the greatest.  I think you judging by today's standards and forget what it was like at the time.

DC Comics Preview Review for November

So during the hiatus I have skipped a month or two and we missed all of the zero issue stuff. I will say that the zero issues will be where I pick up a book or two that I have dropped off of just to see some origin type material. As with other preview reviews I set it up with just solo commentary by me and invite my cohorts to chime in only if they feel like it.

The current DC set up does not allow for a lot of new launches as they have decided 52 is their magic number. Of course they added Before Watchmen and other mini-series, but the idea that 52 is the perfect number is an artificial construct, but an interesting game to force them to cut weak books faster Perhaps. Time will tell if the idea is a good one or not.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #14
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by TONY S. DANIEL and RICHARD FRIEND
Backup story art by GARY FRANKVariant cover by JASON FABOK
On sale NOVEMBER 21 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
• The second chapter of a tale that lights the fuse that will ultimately explode in 2013's TRINITY WAR.
• The League must fight the mysterious Cheetah… AND a monstrous Superman! The result will radically change the dynamics of the entire team!
• Amid all this, where is Green Lantern?
• Plus: The next chapter of the SHAZAM backup epic by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

Jim: This book has so many problems. Number one Johns’ JL writing was horrible and I dropped the book. Next the idea of Jim Lee doing this series was never going to last, he has way too much to do with his other job and I think he has like seven kids, so he needs to help out at home. Second the book is already being used as a prelude to a cross over. I hate that neither DC nor Marvel is competent enough to make all of their books good enough to stand on their own. Third the book is relying on a backup to fill up the pages. Most modern writers take six issues to have anything happen. With a large cast the extra pages could be used to make this book something special, the backup will be collected and sold later as its own thing. I admit I am very down on most core DC books and have gone from being a Geoff Johns fan to being a Geoff Johns detractor. His best works appears to be behind him.

Lee:  I don't know if it's all that bad.  Except for the "I'm Bruce Wayne" debacle this has been decent enough.  It's a giant slug fest every month with little to no plot.  If that's what you want from your superheroes (and lots of people do) then you are getting what you pay for.

DC Preview Review for August

Jim: I’m so tired of DC this will be a one day event. Not only are the capes boring me into an apathy coma, the hard cover offerings are a drag. The quality of the hard covers has been lacking and often they are the advertised books collected together with no introduction or any bell or whistle. Next month we should review the Bluewater Production books. They have VSS: Russian Roulette, Vincent Price: Tales of Darkness and The Misadventures of Adam West. Now there are some awesome sounding titles.

Gwen: I am also a bit burnt out on a lot of DC. Most of what I still enjoy is more in the Vertigo line.

 

iZOMBIE #28
Written by CHRIS ROBERSON
Art and cover by MICHAEL ALLREDOn sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS • FINAL ISSUEAll questions are answered in this final issue! Will Gwen make the ultimate sacrifice before Xitalu consumes every soul on Earth? Will Gavin and Spot make up before it’s too late? Will Ellie and Frankenteen find true love? Will Horatio get his original hair color back? With art and colors by Eisner Award nominees Michael and Laura Allred!

SCALPED #60
Written by JASON AARON
Art by R.M. GUERA
Cover by JOCKRESOLICIT • On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS • FINAL ISSUERetailers: This issue is resolicited. All previous orders are cancelled.
IT ALL ENDS HERE.
Jim: All good things must come to an end and both of these have been very good series with Scalped being possibly one of the all time great series. I just think in Scalped no one gets out alive, but I could be wrong. iZombie has been the successor to the Buffy type of vibe for me and I will miss both series.
Gwen: I am looking forward to seeing how Scalped is wrapped up. It has been a great series and I love building up to an actual ending point. I will miss iZombie though. It's such a fun book.

DC Preview Review for June Part 2 of 2

 

As promised we have the second part of 2 part, which is therefore the conclusion of the June DC Preview Review.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN AND ROBIN: BATMAN REBORN HC
GRANT MORRISON
Art by FRANK QUITELY, DAVID FINCH, PHILIP TAN, ANDY CLARKE, CAMERON STEWART, JONATHAN GLAPION, DUSTIN NGUYEN, RYAN WINN and SCOTT HANNA
Cover by FRANK QUITELYAdvance solicited • On sale NOVEMBER 21, 488 pg, FC, 8.25” x 12.5”, $99.99 US
• The entire run of BATMAN AND ROBIN by writer GRANT MORRISON is collected in an oversized, slipcased ABSOLUTE EDITION!
• The DYNAMIC DUO battle the CIRCUS OF STRANGE and investigate the abduction of a child by the mysterious DOMINO KILLER!
• With BRUCE WAYNE absent from GOTHAM CITY, the new Batman and Robin must deal with the deadly return of THE JOKER!
• Collects BATMAN AND ROBIN #1-16 and BATMAN: THE RETURN #1!

Jim: That sucking sound you here is me being drawn in for a high end hard cover. This was a fantastic run and now I regret that I purchased the deluxe hard covers. I know they are going up on E-Bay soon.

Gwen: Ah the continuation of the hardcover escalation game!

DC Preview Review June Part 1 of 2

Jim: Damn, these things come around like clockwork. When I think of DC now I think Elseworlds (the new DCU), Vertigo (great stuff) and hardcover disappointment as so much of their library is untapped and the quality of their hard cover program has gone in the crapper.

Gwen: Vertigo, one of the only things I still thoroughly enjoy from DC.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: MINUTEMEN #1
DARWYN COOKE
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by DARWYN COOKE
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
1:25 Variant cover by MICHAEL GOLDEN
1:200 Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale JUNE 6 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
“Little did we know that poor boy would lead to the end of us all.”
Plus: Don’t miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!

Jim:.I get that people think Watchmen is some sort of story that should never be touched, but let’s remember the work that Moore did was derivative itself. Alan Moore took analogs of the Charlton characters DC had purchased and made them over. On the good side DC is doing preludes as opposed to trying to continue the story. Plus Watchmen made Moore a ton of money and probably the reason he is allowed to be the crotchety old crazy guy he is today. Finally Darwyn Cooke is a fantastic creator so I’m sold.

Gwen: No way for me. While the original Watchmen was a great story (if for nothing else that then the bad guy explaining things only after his plan already happened) I could care less about anything happening before Watchmen. It wasn't the setting I enjoyed from the original material but the quality of the story.

DC Preview Review for May Part 2

 

I told you we would be back.

BATMAN ANNUAL #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by JAY FABOKOn sale MAY 30 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
• MR. FREEZE is introduced to The New 52!
• What is Mr. Freeze’s relationship to the COURT OF OWLS? Is he an ally – or do they want him dead?
• “NIGHT OF THE OWLS” continues here!

Jim: I have never been a big fan of annuals for years because they were events, themes or almost pure filler. This is the type of annual that I loved as a kid. It was a larger story to spotlight something and often was critical to the main story line or gave us some back story.

Gwen: Mostly I just like the "Night of the Owls" title. I mean, every once in awhile a title actually makes me more interested in a story.

DC Preview Review for May Part 1 of 2

Jim: ZZZ…., OMG I have to do another Preview Review. DC is doing little to excite me anymore and more often then not their books are the one I put off reading. Still, once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.

Gwen: I feel like I only enjoy a very few comic books right now and not many are cape books.

EARTH TWO #1

Written by JAMES ROBINSON

Art by NICOLA SCOTT and TREVOR SCOTT

Cover by GREG CAPULLO

1:25 Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADOOn sale MAY 2 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.

• First issue of an ongoing series from writer JAMES ROBINSON and artist NICOLA SCOTT!

• Who are the heroes of EARTH 2 – and what befell them?

• Starring ALAN SCOTT, JAY GARRICK and many others!

• You may think you know Earth 2…but this is DC Comics – The New 52, where anything can happen!

• Don’t miss the extra-sized debut issue!

Jim: Wait, can it be, can my heart be beating with excitement? Has my beloved JSA being given a second chance at life? WTF, the cover has different version of DC’s Trinity. Oh and look at the marketing hype, this is the new DCU anything can happen. Which means, they have kept the names and any history we think we know is suspect, back to sleep, false alarm everyone.

Gwen: You know why I enjoy this new DC stuff less and less? Because they are rewriting entire characters (characters that I like by the way) and often dropping some of my favorite stuff about the character. The only thing that's still there is the name. Kind of like why I'm pissed about Disney's awful John Carter movie. Of course I may be a bit biased at the moment.

DC Preview Review for April Part 2 of 2

As promised or is that threaten, Part 2

I, VAMPIRE #8
Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
Art and cover by ANDREA SORRENTINOOn sale APRIL 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
As the Justice League Dark team faces the end of all magic – and perhaps life itself – only one man can challenge the dark force known as Cain: Andrew Bennett. He’s back from the dead, but whose side is he on? Regardless of the answer, nothing will be the same for either series when “Rise of the Vampires” is over!

Jim: Absolutely love this series. It has mood, it has a good story and it has some damn fine artwork. I got that this is Vertigo style books done in the DCU. What I find so appealing about this book is that we have different creators then we normally see in the DCU and we have a great story. At first shoehorning it into the DCU felt like a bad idea, but Fialkov has made it work.

Gwen: I would also expect this to be a Vertigo book but I guess as long as the creators make it work... I am a little burnt out on vampires at the moment though.

DC Preview Review for April Part 1 of 2

Jim: So once more into the breach. These used to be fun but right now absent my interest in Batman and a few other books, DC no longer owns my heart. This latest reboot changed something, a switch was thrown and we will see if it is an irreversible change or not.

Gwen: I have to agree with Jim, I have a feeling I'm not going to be as into DC cape stuff for the foreseeable future.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #8
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by CARLOS D’ANDA
Backup story art by GARY FRANK
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by MIKE CHOI
1:200 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale APRIL 18 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
In the five years that the Justice League has been a team, Green Arrow has never once been a member. And he intends to rectify that right here, right now! One member against his candidacy: Aquaman!
Plus, in "The Curse of Shazam" part 2, Billy arrives in his new foster home just as an ancient evil is uncovered halfway across the world.
This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

Jim: So issue #5 of this book turned me off it pretty bad. I was getting two copies of this book and sending one to Gwen and one to Jamie, after issue six I’m only getting one copy and that is only to give the book one last shot. I agree with Matthew that the jump the shark moment was when Batman revealed his identity to Green Lantern for absolutely no reason. Add to that it was 20 pages of story and art for $4, they are doing three covers and doing the stupid digital combo packs, this book is not for the real fan, it is a marketing tool only. Finally the art is now by Carlos D’Anda, Jim Lee could not even make it for a year.

Gwen: I could care less about Green Arrow. So any JLA story about GA holds little interest for me.

DC Preview Review for March Part 2 of 2

Onto Part 2

THE GREEN LANTERN ARCHIVES VOL. 7 HC
Written by JOHN BROOME and GARDNER FOX
Art by GIL KANE and SID GREENE
Cover by GIL KANE and MURPHY ANDERSON
ADVANCE SOLICITED • On sale AUGUST 22 • 256 pg, FC, $59.99 US
In these high-flying tales from GREEN LANTERN #48-57, Green Lantern battles the evil of villains Sinestro, Major Disaster and many more!

Jim: I hate that I’m buying this book as I have been swearing off hard cover collections, but this was one of my favorite all time Green Lanterns stories as a kid and the nostalgia is just too much for me to overcome. The silver age material will be pretty much left alone when I do my hard cover sale starting February.

Gwen: Ah, back when there was a Green Lantern firing squad. This cover is fantastic! Especially considering that I'm sure whatever Hal did can't possibly be as awful as what he did as Parallax.

DC Preview Review for March Part 1 of 2

Jim: So I’m growing tired of DC comics like I never have before. Oh I still love Snyder, Lemire, Tomasi and other people’s work, but my love for the characters has been severely hurt but this re-launch. I no longer have the connection I used to have with my beloved characters. I still believe allowing true change and growth would have been a better way.

Gwen: Honestly I have to agree with Jim. I find my interest flagging with the relaunch.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #7
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by GENE HA and GARY FRANK
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by GARY FRANK
1:200 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEEOn sale MARCH 21 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Now that the team’s origin story is complete, starting with this issue we shift to the present-day Justice League! What has changed? Who has joined the team since? Featuring artwork by Gene Ha, the story also reintroduces the team’s greatest champion: Steve Trevor!
Also starting in this issue: “The Curse of Shazam!” featuring a story by Geoff Johns and art by Gary Frank! Discover Billy Batson’s place in DC Comics – The New 52 as we reveal his all-new origin story!
This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

Jim: A combo pack – who cares, I don’t want both versions, print please. Well Jim Lee drawing a monthly comic did not even last a year, so let’s switch to Gary Frank. Good luck with that, Frank seems to have the ability to still do a monthly for around four months. Next, for the first modern day story arc they are tackling the whole Shazam thing; please just give me a solid JL adventure. I’m ready to drop this book.

Gwen: I can't remember the last time I really enjoyed the JLA. I may have to go as far back as the Blue Beetle/Booster Gold years.

DC Preview Review for February 2012 Part 2 of 2

Jim: For Part 1 we touched on the heavy hitters for part 2 I’d like to look at the collected editions offerings. I have recently cut way back on what I’m getting, but I still have orders for stuff coming in. I also plan to sell via Ebay a ton of my trades and hard covers. What was once unique and rare has been overplayed.

LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT: JIM APARO HC
Written by BOB HANEY • Art and cover by JIM APARO
On sale APRIL 4 • 512 pg, FC, $49.99 US
DC collects Aparo’s classic run on THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD in hardcover for the first time! These stories feature Batman’s team-ups with Robin, Green Arrow, Black Canary, The Teen Titans, Deadman, Wonder Woman, The Demon, The Joker, Aquaman, The Atom and many others, from THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #98, 100-102 and 104-122.

Jim: This is a good example. I got the Marshall Rogers book of his Batman art and it is very nice and certainly slick enough, but there are zero extras. No essay on who Marshall Rogers was (as he died a few years book) no commentary on his art, no comments from the writers, nothing but a straight reprint of his work. For $50 retail price tag more work needs to be done. Not getting this book.

Lee:  I'm actually not getting this either but for different reasons.  One comment, a collection like this isn't for today's collector.  It's for you and I.  We know who Aparo is, that's why you picked it and why I was interested.  If you love DC from the 70's, specifically Batman from the 70's then this appeals to you.  I can't stand Haney's writing which is why I will pass.  But I really want to see Aparo's art because it's fantastic.

 

DC Preview Review for February 2012 Part 1 of 2

Jim: This column has become a lot harder since the DCU reset button was pressed. I find that my interest in the DCU is still there, but my investment in the characters has changed. For Part 1 let’s look at the big guns.

Gwen: Reading DC is a bit Twilight Zone-ish at the moment. I like the new take on some of the characters but even after several months I feel that I'm still adjusting.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #6
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by ADAM HUGHES
1:200 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
The Justice League is united at last against Darkseid! The awesome consequences of this high-stakes battle will resonate within the series for years to come! Geoff Johns and Jim Lee end their historic first arc with a bang!
This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, poly-bagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.
Jim: I have been unimpressed. I guess if I was a new fan walking in the door I would have thought this was pretty cool, but as a long time fan this is jumbling the characters up more then is tolerable to me. Johns has tried to create a sense of newness, but I think even he has a hard time writing this as if it is the first time since he knows the characters so well. Jim Lee and Scott Williams have very good art and action packed and I’m sure it will look great in an oversized edition; I just won’t be buying it.
Gwen: As much as I enjoy Darkseid as a villain I get turned off by these solicitations that promise things like "awesome consequences... will resonate for years to come". It's just fluffed up hype that tells me little to nothing about the actual book.

DC Preview Review For January Part 2 of 2

Jim: Let’s get back to the regular books and see if there anything worth commenting on. I think I will pick on marginal books that I may drop to at least point out what I find as flaws in the new DCU. Books already dropped are not eligible for picking.

Gwen: Wait, why do we have a second into? You know I'm awful at finding something to say for these :(

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #5
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN
Cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale JANUARY 4
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
RATED T
The JLI has one last chance to stop the alien powerhouse known as Peraxxus before he and his SignalMen bring about the end of the world. Will the team be able to work together, or will they bear the responsibility for Earth’s destruction?

Jim: On one hand I miss some to the old DCU continuity, but on the other hand if you are going to blow everything up, why do a super hero group book by the numbers. Don’t get me wrong, it is professional and in general a well done book, just not creating any buzz or striking me as anything new.

Gwen: Ah the world of comics, where the Earth is on the brink of destruction everyday!

DC Preview Review For January Part 1 of 2

Jim: So the new 52 has done pretty well with me so far as I’m reading the third issues at this point and I have only dropped six titles. They are Static Shock, Men of War, Hawk and Dove, Captain Atom, Savage Hawkman and Fury of Firestorm. I’m still not 100% sold on a lot of these series and the odd familiarity and yet strangeness still keeps bothering me. Plus I have no clue how the new DCU fits together. All in all I guess I’m happy with it, but my connection to these characters is not as strong as it used to be.

Gwen: I never know what to say for these introductions. *Drumroll* And now here's your DC solicitations, with your hosts, Jim and Gwen!

BATMAN VS. THE BLACK GLOVE DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by ANDY KUBERT, J.H. WILLIAMS III, TONY S. DANIEL, JOHN VAN FLEET, RYAN BENJAMIN, JESSE DELPERDANG, JONATHAN GLAPION and SANDU FLOREA
Cover by ANDY KUBERT
On sale MARCH 28
384 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875”, $29.99 US
Comic-book legend Grant Morrison (ACTION COMICS) joins forces with top artists including Andy Kubert (FLASHPOINT), J.H. Williams III (BATWOMAN) and Tony S. Daniel (DETECTIVE COMICS) in this new hardcover collecting BATMAN #655-658, 663-669 and 672-675!
First, Batman receives the greatest shock of his life when he discovers that he has a son. And sparks fly when the new addition to the Batfamily is introduced to Robin, the Boy Wonder. Which young hero will carry on the legacy as Gotham City’s protector?
Then, Batman and a group of global heroes face a killer on a mysterious island, and Batman relives an adventure in the life of young Bruce Wayne: the hunt for his parents’ killer.

Jim: I’m starting off this month backwards by doing the back end of the solicitations first. The reason is it plays into a problem I have with the reset button being hit so hard by DC. I was really into the Batman stuff and it feels like it was changed a fair amount. It was changed enough that my desire to have this material in a high end hard cover has been diminished. I wonder what this type of change does to the back end trade market.

Gwen: I can't say I was terribly interested in this before so the new 52 hasn't impacted my opinion that much. I love Batman and all but I'm just not a big Morrison fan - although it should read much better as a trade.

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.