Forever Evil #5 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist: David Finch

Can Batman and Lex Luthor get along for the greater good? Read on to find out.

The official description from DC Comics:

With everything to lose, Lex Luthor and his Injustice League raid the stronghold of the Crime Syndicate with consequences so devastating, the DC Universe will never be the same!

I feel very much like a broken record when it comes to talking about Forever Evil, as despite it always being good it has yet to transcend into the category of greatness. This however isn't a bad thing and the fact that the series remains strong is what really matters.

Geoff Johns has really started to give some great developments over the last couple of issues, and the series is definitely starting to show promise for further progression. What I loved most about Johns' writing in this particular issue was how he handled the interaction between Lex Luthor and Batman, with the attempted coexistence being extremely entertaining. There is also some amazing action and suspenseful build-up throughout, all of which adds to the overall quality. Added to that the defining notion that even on the side of good, evil still rules and the series' concept just becomes better and better.

David Finch's artwork throughout this series has been nothing short of wonderful, and it continues to amaze me yet again. The terrific layouts along with the dynamic action make this a breathtaking issue, which is both exhilarating and intense. Finch also adds a lot of depth and tone through the facial expressions, with his art helping to increase the tension during the Batman/Luthor interaction. Added to this the brilliant inks by Richard Friend and outstanding colours from Sonia Oback and the final finish to this issue is simply astonishing.

Forever Evil continues to be a success and with the dramatic dialogue and explosive action this is a series that everyone will enjoy. Highly recommended.

Rating: 8/10

Forever Evil #4 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist: David Finch

Will Forever Evil continue to be a strong event for DC? Read on to find out.

The official description from DC Comics:

It’s all-out chaos as the DC Universe continues its march through darkness! War erupts across the Earth between the villains! Allegiances are formed! Rivals are murdered! And at center stage it’s Lex Luthor versus Batman—and their fight couldn’t come at a worse time as Deathstroke’s Hunting Party closes in on the world’s only hope against the Crime Syndicate!

So far Forever Evil has been moving a little slowly in my opinion, as even though the series has consistently been brilliant, there hasn't been a huge lot of progression so far.

This would start to change slightly in this issue, as Geoff Johns starts to implement more interesting developments, utilising previous Justice League material perfectly. Johns would also continue to add a lot of suspense and drama in this issue, and with it still lacking ever so slightly in the development region this would be a much needed addition. Johns would also start to bring more of the big time players together in this issue, cultivating in some fantastic character interactions. On top of that Johns would continue to develop the Crime Syndicate perfectly and it should only be a matter of time before the series pays off big time.

David Finch would also do a fantastic job of the artwork in this issue, with his work in this issue possibly being his best yet. The detail in Finch’s artwork was simply outstanding, as despite the usual minor imperfection it would be very impactful. The best part of Finch’s art however had to be the layout, and especially during the sequence with Batman confronting Luthor, as the shadowy nature of Batman would add a lot of intensity to the sequence. The only main negativity I have with Finch’s art is with the cover, as though it was very good it felt slightly awkward.

Forever Evil is slowly starting to get closer to the quality of Trinity War and whether it tops Trinity War or not, it is looking to be yet another terrific event from DC.

Rating: 8/10

Forever Evil #3 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist: David Finch

Although it hasn't been as astonishing as Trinity War was, Forever Evil has been a very exciting and entertaining series, being the perfect continuation to Trinity War, as well as being a brilliant event in itself, re-introducing the Crime Syndicate in a big way.

Plot

As Batman and Catwoman take Cyborg to get help, Lex Luthor with Bizarro's help finds the location of Ultraman and sees his fight with Black Adam.

Review

This was yet another fantastic issue, and although the series has been progressing slowly, it continues to be very exciting. Geoff Johns once again did a terrific job of developing this story involving the Crime Syndicate, as although I'd have hoped for a little more development by now, he is still doing an amazing job of keeping the story entertaining, and the set-up in this issue has me excited for the next. I also loved how Johns managed to have most of the developments within this issue flow into each other, as it makes the development in the event so far feel more connected. The character interaction and action in this issue would also be fantastic, adding a lot of drama and excitement to the issue, as well as more depth.

The artwork on this issue would also yet again be brilliant, as although there was a couple of things that annoyed me, overall David Finch produced some fantastic art. The detail throughout would be mostly consistent, as although there were minor imperfections, there weren't many, though a couple of them were rather jarring to look at. The layout on the other hand would be perfect throughout, adding a lot of depth and tone to the issue, as well as making it a bit more intense at times. The action sequences would also be amazing, though the Ultraman/Black Adam sequence would have couple of awkward panel that let it down a bit.

This issue would start with Batman and Catwoman taking the remains of Cyborg to his father Silas Stone in the hopes that he can once again save his son. This however wouldn't be the part of the sequence that would interest me the most, as that would go to Batman learning that the Crime Syndicate have revealed Nightwing's (Dick Grayson) identity, having me excited for the future development of this. I also enjoyed the interaction that Catwoman would have in this sequence as it would lighten the tone slightly.

Lex Luthor would also continue with his plans against the Crime Syndicate getting Bizarro to help him get one of his satellites back in working order. Now this sequence didn't do a lot for the story besides set-up the next sequence brilliantly, as well as the last part of Luthor's appearance setting up the next issue. I did however enjoyed the interaction between Luthor and Bizarro and how Luthor's tone would change every now and then to get Bizarro to do what he wanted. This interaction would also add a lot of entertainment as fin to the issue as well.

We'd also get to see the continuation of the Ultraman/Black Adam fight that started in Justice League #24. Now I thought the fight in that issue was amazing, and was looking forward to it continuing in this issue. I will however say that it would have been bettwer if the full fight was shown in one issue or the other, as although both were exciting, they'd have felt much more so if in the same issue, as much like the part of the fight from Justice League #24 this didn't feel long enough. I did however find it to be very exciting and enterating, and Ultraman's attitude throughout added a lot of depth as well.

Final Verdict

Although the series is progressing slowly it still manages to be very entertaining and exciting, with this being no different. This issue would also have some interesting character interactions, and the way the story would develop would be extremely interesting. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue and the event so far, and can't wait for the next issue.

Rating: 8/10

Forever Evil #2 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: David Finch

This crossover event kicked off brilliantly with it's opening issue last month, teasing the future of the DC Universe. Now that Villains Month is finally over I personally look forward to seeing the affects that Forever Evil has on the DC Universe, and what better way of starting that than with another issue of the main event, Forever Evil itself.

Plot

With the Justice League dead the Crime Syndicate make preparations to keep this world for themselves. As this is happening both Lex Luthor and the Teen Titans make their own plans to stop the Crime Syndicate.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and a fantastic continuation to this even. Geoff Johns did a great job of showing how bad the world has went now that the Crime Syndicate have taken over, also setting up other branches of this crossover brilliantly. Another thing that I loved about Johns' writing was that although most of this was set-up work, he managed to keep it very exciting and entertaining, also adding plenty of suspense. Johns also did a fantastic job with the dialogue, as it was simply amazing, being humorous at times, overall making some slower sequences much more exciting. Johns also set a brilliant tone in this issue, with some mystery in the background, and overall I can't wait to see what he does next.

The artwork in this issue was also spectacular, and David Finch did a fantastic job. The detail throughout this issue was simply brilliant, as although there was the odd rough patch here and there, the majority of the issue was to a very high standard. The facial expressions on the other hand were a little awkward at times, something that tends to happen in Finch's art a lot. It doesn't however take much always as there are plenty of great things that overshadow the minor flaws. Finch also once again had some brilliant layouts in this issue, that added a lot of depth to the issue. There was also one character in particular that Finch did a good job of, but I won't spoil the surprise appearance of this character by naming them.

This issue would kick off with Luthor continuing his plans to fight back against the Crime Syndicate, going down to sublevel 13 of Lexcorp Headquarters to attend to a project that he's been working on. Now this was a brilliant development, and it was nice to see Otis again as well, as even though he was in a different role it was nice to see him and Luthor interact with each other again. It was however Luthor's project that interested me the most, as although I won't reveal who it was (it's easy to work out) I was very happy when it was revealed, and it has me very excited for the future of this story.

The Crime Syndicate were also making there own plans, with a hooded man tied up in the Justice League Watchtower with them. I really enjoyed this sequence, as it showed a bit of dysfunction between the members of the Crime Syndicate, something that was bound to happen sooner or later. I did however also like some of the mysterious background developments, and how it continued one development in particular that was brought to our attention in Justice League #23.4 Secret Society. I am also now looking forward to see what the Crime Syndicate has in store next, and if they'll manage to continue working a team.

The Teen Titans would also make an appearance in this issue with Red Robin (Tim Drake) saying that now the Justice League are gone that it's up to them to take the Crime Syndicate down. The Teen Titans would then get into a fight with Johnny Quick and Atomica. I personally liked seeing the Teen Titans in this issue, though I would have loved their appearance to have been a bit more meaningful, as it basically seemed to be a way of setting up their part of this crossover. I did however enjoye seeing Red Robin act as the leader he is, as well as their encounter with Johnny Quick and Atomica, but it could have been better.

Final Verdict

This was a fantastic issue, and a great continuation of the story. It also does a brilliant job of setting up the crossover storylines in this event, also having some brilliant developments for the main series itself. There was also brilliant dialogue, with some exciting sequences as well as a bit of mystery as well. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue as well as the first and can't wait for the next.

Rating: 8/10

Forever Evil #1 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist: David Finch

With the way Trinity War ended how could anyone not be excited for this event. With it making a massive change to the DC Universe, being the first company wide crossover since the start of the New 52 I'm expecting a lot, and I'm sure it won't disappoint.

Plot

With the Justice League presumed dead, the Crime Syndicate plan to take over this world, recruiting as many villains as they can to do so.

Review

This was a fantastic issue, and although it wasn't quite as good as I hoped it would be, it was a brilliant start to the story. Geoff Johns did a great job of continuing from where he left of at the end of Trinity War, but at the same time made this easy enough to get into, as although people that didn't read Trinity War, who also avoid comic news may be shocked, Johns quickly brings things together, and story wise this looks to be shaping into something that's simply amazing. I also loved the tone of the issue, another thing that Johns did a great job with, as it flowed smoothly, having plenty of drama, and suspense when needed. It was however slightly lacking in excitement, but I'm sure Johns will make up for that with the next issue.

The art from David Finch was also amazing, being some of the best art that he's done for a long time. The detail in Finch's art was outstanding for most of this issue, as although there was the odd imperfection, it was generally fantastically handled. I also loved the layout from Finch in this issue, as although not very unique, it did add a bit of a dynamic tone to the issue, adding more depth, and helping the story to flow smoother. I also really enjoyed the fold out artwork in the middle of this issue, as due to slightly disliking parts of the cover, feeling that it was too many characters in to short a space, he has made up for it here, with this phenomenal assembly of villains.

This issue would start with Lex Luthor, showing him trying to take over Thomas Kord's company, then noticing the changes that the Crime Syndicate have caused. It was already established that Luthor would play a key role in this story, but it was extremely interesting the way that he was introduced into it, as following his short time in Trinity War I was really excited for this. The thing I liked most about Luthor's appearance had to be his reaction to the carnage, as considering just how far he's willing to go to get what he wants (as shown in this issue), I was shocked by his reaction to the Crime Syndicate, and this just goes to show how bad things are now that they are here.

Another character that was established to have a vital role in this storyline would be Batman original sidekick, Nightwing (Dick Grayson). To be honest he didn't have quite as bog a role in this issue as I expected, as although overall he had a huge role it wasn't for the reason that I expected. Nonetheless it was still extremely interesting, and very entertaining, and I loved seeing him step out from Batman's shadow, taking the limelight now that he's not around. I am however interested to see what role he will have in the future of this story, as so far it's been amazing.

The Crime Syndicate themselves were awe-inspiring, as although they didn't appear as a team as much as I would hope for, they certainly showed that they meant business. Their first goal would be to gather up all the villains that they could, no matter what it took, and the meeting between the Crime Syndicate, and the other villains was simply outstanding. Now I won't go into any details, as to avoid spoilers, but this is exactly what I was hoping for with this series, not disappointing, and if things keep up like this, as well as adding more excitement it has the potential to be one of the best events ever.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing start to what I hope will be a wonderful event. It had the perfect tone, setting everything up perfectly, allowing people who've missed Trinity War the perfect chance to see what changes it would cause. It also has some interesting sequences, and brilliant dialogue, and I for one can't wait for more, and would highly recommend it to anyone, even if you missed Trinity War.

Rating: 8/10

Justice League of America #3 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: David Finch

In this short time this series has been very interesting, and exciting, and is shaping up to be one of the best series in the New 52. The way Geoff Johns has expanded the Justice League from one team, to two has been amazing, and I can't get enough of it, with this book slowly starting to trump Justice League.

Plot

After dealing with the Secret Society of Super Villains' fake Justice League, the Justice League of America plan on infiltrating them by having Catwoman infiltrate their group.

Martian Manhunter Back-up

The Martian Manhunter probes Catwoman's mind learning about her life, and that she's trustworthy, whilst Catwoman herself gets a look in to the Martian Manhunter's past.

Review

This was an amazing issue, and although not quite as good as the previous two it was still very well written, and has kept me interested in the series. Geoff Johns once again shows why he's one of the best writers in the business today, as although like most of his individual issues this isn't perfect, its still to the very high standard that you expect from Johns. The way Johns has handled this series as a whole has been amazing, but the way he managed to continue develop the characteristics of the character's, whilst also keeping the story suspenseful, and entertaining was brilliant, and although this at times slowed the issue down, it made it so much more realistic, whilst also adding more depth. Johns also handled the action, and mystery in this issue perfectly, and knew exactly how to keep each to the right proportion, by having enough action to make it exciting, whilst still having the mystery want you returning for more. I also loved how Johns made the events of Catwoman #19 slightly worthwhile, as his writing of the sequence that lead into the main events of Catwoman #19 was much more interesting, but I'll talk more on that later. I also loved how Johns continued the development of the team as a whole, as Johns makes it clear that they've been put together quickly, and it shows.

David Finch once again amazed me with his artwork, and I'm really glad that he's back to doing what he does best, as his stint as a writer on Batman: The Dark Knight really didn't do a lot for him. The detail in Finch's art is simply amazing, whether in the character's, or the backgrounds, and although Finch still has a small problem when it comes to facial expressions, it doesn't take much away from the rest of his brilliant art. The way Finch draws the character's is also once again phenomenal, and this time I even like how he drew Catwoman, as although it's still a little too revealing, it wasn't quite as revealing as in the previous issues, and it looked much more realistic. I did however have a small problem with how Finch drew Blockbuster, as he didn't really look like the same character that Nightwing (Dick Grayson) used to tangle with, but as I don't see Blockbuster having a huge role in the rest of the story, it's easily forgettable. I also loved how Finch handled the action, and this is the thing that really makes Finch's art stand out, as he draws some of the most explosive, and dynamic fight sequences I've ever seen.

This issue started with the continuation of the fight between the Justice League of America, and the fake robot Justice League. Now this was a very exciting, and entertaining fight, and although it was nothing compared to what a fight between the two teams would actually be, it was still very entertaining, and fun, and an interesting concept considering the series is in it's early stages. The thing I personally found most enjoyable throughout this fight was the conversation between Vibe, and Steve Trevor, as without going into any details as to avoid spoilers, it really made the fight more interesting, and unique, whilst also making it more fun. I also loved the attitude of certain members of the JLA, and how they couldn't trust everyone.

As I said earlier, the Catwoman part of this story was previously shown, and expanded in the nineteenth issue of Catwoman's solo series, but this much shorter version of the event was more entertaining, and actually made Catwoman #19 slightly wothwhile. Now I'll start by saying that Catwoman itself has been horrible, and Anna Nicotie hasn't done the character justice, but thankfully the character's getting a chance to show he stuff in this series, and it's nice that she's being used the way she is. I also like how she's getting a big part early on, showing that although she's probably the most volatile member, she can also be the most valuable.

This issue also saw Green Arrow (Olive "Ollie" Queen) insert himself more in the series, making himself a proper part of the team. Now I won't go into details as to how Ollie did this, as to avoid spoilers, but it was inevitable that he'd be a proper member, especially considering the fact he's classed as a member of the JLA in his solo series. Anyway I was ecstatic that Green Arrow inserted himself more in this issue, and Johns handled it perfectly, as Green Arrow being a part of the team has been what I've been most looking forward to in this series, and I'm glad it's finally happened.

This issue also saw a quarrel between Stargirl, and Amanda Waller asWaller wants Stargirl to be the press member of the team, not taking action, whereas Stargirl wants to be a proper part of the team. Now I found this development very interesting, and it really showed the type of character that Waller is, as it's typical that she'd manipulate this team into being what she wanted it to be. The argument itself was also very entertaining, and dramatic, and I really look forward to seeing it developed more as the series progresses.

The Martian Manhunter back-up story by Matt Kindt was once again very interesting, and entertaining, and I'm really happy that this is a feature in this series. To be honest at the start of this story I felt it was very slow, and dull, but as it slowly developed, showing more layers to it, I really started to enjoy it, and although overall it wasn't quite as good as the back-up in the last issue, it was still amazing. The art this time was done by Manuel Garcia, as sadly Scott Clark who provided the art for the last issue passed away in February this year. Anyway Garcia did a wonderful job, and although I personally preferred Clark's art, Garcia was a perfect replacement, and his art really suited this story. What I liked most about the story was that although it went into Catwoman's past, something we've seen a few times before, we also get to see some of the Martian Manhunter's past, which really interested me, and made this back-up story as good as it was. I also found it fitting that Catwoman would share the spotlight with the Martian Manhunter in this back-up story, as with her playing a key role in the main part of this issue it was appropriate.

Final Verdict

Although not quite as good as the other two issue in this series, this issue continued to show how good the series was, and the developments of both the character's, as well as the mysterious nature of the story really intrigued me. The continuation of the action from last issue, as well as some new action of it's own also made the issue exciting, and dynamic, and I honestly can't wait to read the next issue. I would highly recommend both this issue, and the series so far, as it's been a blast, and the future, as well as it's involvement in Trinity War shows a lot of promise for this series to get even better than it already is.

Rating: 4/5

New Avengers: Secrets and Lies Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: David Finch, Frank Cho, Rick Mays

Recently I've decided to go through my Avengers graphic novels, and comics since Brian Michael Bendis started his long run in the various titles, reviewing them as well, and plan on reading and reviewing the events that happen in between (Civil War, Secret Invasion, Siege, Fear Itself, and Avengers Vs X-Men). This is now my fourth review Bendis' Avengers run, and third from The New Avengers series.

Plot

Captain America tries to get Daredevil to join the team, and help them capture Silver Samurai, but still not wanting to put them in danger he puts Cap in touch with someone who has the same skill sets as him, and the question becomes, who is Ronin? Also Spider-Woman secrets come out.

Review

This was an amazing story and although the last volume was probably slightly better, this one wasn't far off. Brian Michael Bendis once again produced the goods, and like the previous two volumes in this series, this was an amazing story. Technically this was two stories in one book, but both stories kind of merged together, as the end of the first one set-up the second one. Either way they were both good, and I loved that the mystery that's been though the series has continued, as well as it getting revealed. Now Bendis run on Avengers in general gets a lot of criticism, and although I personally like his run as a whole, I can understand why people feel this way, as most of his work after the start of The Heroic Age was poor, and some even before that, but I still prefer to remember the good times, as there were plenty of them. Anyway, besides the mystery factor that hanged over this volume as a whole, it still contained plenty of action, and emotion, and although it wasn't quite as emotional as the previous volume, it still had plenty of it, and Bendis knew exactly when to put it in, which was brilliant. I also liked how Bendis showed the team spirit in this volume, both out in the field against The Hand, and in Avengers Tower prior to there press conference, and I really liked the way he also continued to show the different characteristics, and personalities of the team.

This volume saw three artists working on it, with David Finch returning to make his final contribution to the series in the first story, Frank Cho making his first contribution with the second story, and Rick Mays who's art from Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1 featured in between. I'll start from the start with Finch, who I was happy to see return, even though I preferred Steve McNiven's art on the last volume. I've really liked Finch's art throughout the stories he's featured on, an although he's not the best artist on things like facial features, he can't half draw an epic action sequence. The dramatic tone of his artwork is also brilliant, as it really makes the art feel more alive, and exciting. I also love the way he lays out his artwork, as it also make the story more dramatic, and exciting. Overall Finch's art is brilliant, and although he has his small problems, like facial expressions, he makes up in other areas, and his art as a whole is outstanding. I'll next talk about Mays, an artist who's work I don't really know much about. I won't go into detail on this as it didn't really take up much of the volume, but I will say that I wasn't a fan. Mays' art appears to suit the more fun style stories, and although you could say that this was fun in some ways, it was also serious at times, and Mays' art didn't suit that. I also didn't like how he drew the character's emotions, as it looked too unrealistic, and although I feel that's the aim of his artwork, it's just not for me. I finally get to my favourite artist working on this volume, Cho. I've really enjoyed Cho's art over the years, so seeing it in this book was amazing, and the art itself was nothing short of stunning. The detail was simply outstanding, as everything looked amazing, and perfect, even the small details. I also much preferred how he re-drew one of the sequences Mas' drew in the Spider-Woman story, as it looked much more realistic, and dramatic. I also loved how Cho drew all the characters as everyone looked amazing besides the Sentry, who just looked a little odd, and not the powerful godlike character that he is. Overall Cho's art was phenomenal, and easily the best in the volume.

The first story sees the New Avengers travel to Japan to capture the Silver Samurai, but get more than they bargained for. I've loved how Bendis has continued this story true to the way it started, and how he's been able to give some interesting stories along the way. Although the main story itself in this wasn't overly interesting, the action during, and the story that was getting developed in the background with HYDRA, the Hand, and S.H.I.E.L.D. was, and it made this one of the most intersting, and unique conspiracy stories that I've read in comics. Now it's not the best conspiracy story, not by a long shot, but the suspense throughout, and the curiousness I have whilst reading it makes it very dramatic. I also liked how we saw a confused, and slightly conflicted Silver Samari in this story, as it made a change from the serious, and deadly one that we usually see, and although I would have still liked to have seen him in action, it was nice how he was used in this story.

It was revealed in the first volume of this series that Spider-Woman was working for someone else, and this volume reveals who. I don't know if any other series had said who Spider-Woman was working for, and although I knew anyway, having read later issues this is the first time I think it's properly revealed in this series. I won't spoil it for anyone who doesn't know, but I will say how I felt on the sequence where Spider-Woman talked to the person. It was very dramatic, and suspenseful, and you could really see the difference in characteristics, as well as the timidness, and conflict in Spider-Woman, which was very interesting. I also liked how this added to the mystery that I talked about in the previous paragraph, and it builds more tension up in the series, and when I first read it, it made me want to find out more, which was brilliant.

Who is Ronin? This new mysterious character featured in the first story, and when I first read through this is what I kept thinking, and that was the whole idea. I won't reveal who it is for anyone who knows nothing about this character, story, or anything related (people who've read the story, or know the character will know anyway), but I will say how I felt this time round, and how it compared to my original read. First time through this was a total mystery, and even when it was revealed I still didn't know who it was, as I hadn't seen them before. After reading it again it's more obvious, obviously, but it was still slightly suspenseful, and dramatic. I did however have more questions, as there were things about the character in this persona that I felt was questionable, as now that I know more about the character there were just things that felt odd. I wont mention specifics as I'm sure it will give it away, but anyone that wants to know more leave a comment and I'll PM you.

The middle story from Giant-Sized Spider-Woman although slightly interesting wasn't really needed, as it was retold throughout the second story, but it was nice to see it in more depth before hand, and it gave more impact to the second story, as it gave more background, enhancing the emotions within, although you could still skip it.

The second story featured heavily on Spider-Woman's secrets, and how the public would react to the New Avengers. I already talked a bit about Spider-Woman's secrets in a previous paragraph, but seems they're two different stories, and two different circumstances, I felt that I'd expand on it. Again I won't give away spoilers, as it'd defeat the purpose of avoiding them before, but again I will say how I felt. This was much more dramatic, and shocking than what was learned earlier, and it made for a brilliant twist to the overall story. Although the secret itself was the most interesting thing in this story, seeing Captain America grilling Spider-Woman for information was brilliant, and I loved how you could see the conflict within her. Overall this secret was what interested me the most in this volume, and I look forward to reading more (even though I know what happens).

The final issue also featured Ms. Marvel, visiting the New Avengers prior to the press conference What I liked most about her appearance was that her thoughts was in the form of a blog, which was very unique, and a clever addition from Bendis. I did however find it a bit mean that he didn't allow her to have any comments on it, as I'd have thought a superhero's blog would have ton's of hits, and comments. Anyway besides this I liked her appearance as it showed the transition between old, and new, as although she was offered a place on this new team, she understands that it's a new time, and change is needed, and that she needs to be a solo hero, which was brilliant.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing volume, with two amazing stories, that merged together nicely. Although both stories were very different, with one being mainly action based, and the other being more emotional, they both were very mysterious, and I loved the way Bendis handled that, as well as the way he revealed the mystery, whilst also leaving some doors closed. I would highly recommend this volume, as although Bendis' run on Avengers has had bad criticism overall, it started amazingly, and had ton's of brilliant moments, with this being one of them.

Rating: 5/5

The next Avengers book I'll be reviewing will be New Avengers: The Collective.

New Avengers: Breakout Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Finch

I've been trying to go through my graphic novel collection, re-reading, and reviewing certain series', and the most recent series I've decided to review is all my Avengers since Brian Michael Bendis started his long run on the various teams, and I plan on reviewing all that I have, and any of the Marvel events that come along the way. This is now my second Avengers review following my review on Avengers Disassembled.

Plot

Daredevil (Matt Murdock), along with Luke Cage, and Foggy Nelson have arrived at The Raft to visit the Sentry (Robert Reynolds), and are getting shown round the huge supervillain prison by Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), but during that Electro starts a breakout that results in a huge fight that also involves the hero's already at the Raft, plus Captain America, Iron Man, and Spider-Man , which also allows 42 prisoners to escape. After this Captain America manages to gather all the hero's involved in the fight, bar Daredevil, and Sentry, forming the New Avengers.

Review

This was a brilliant book, and one of the best opening stories I've ever read, especially from an Avengers title. Brian Michael Bendis has done a fantastic job in continuing from where he left of at the end of Avengers Disassembled, whilst also showing that there has been some time in between. As I said in my review for Avengers Dissasembled, there was a lot of controversy around the changes that Bendis was making, and I'm sure most of them fans would either be going into this story as a sceptic, and most likely finish disliking it, but I personally felt that it was one of the best things that could have happened for the Avengers, and although a lot of people consider Bendis' run on the Avengers as inconsistent (me included), I still think that it was a brilliant run, and there were a lot of great moments, with this being one of the better ones. What I liked more about this story to Disassembled was that it had more depth to it, as Disassembled was basically just a huge action packed story, showing the demise of the Avengers, with not a great deal of background for the better part, and although I still liked that, this story having so much depth, and development throughout makes it so much better, and the way Bendis gradually brought all the pieces together, whilst also paying a small homage to the original team coming together (in The Avengers #1) was nice, and really made this story special.

The artist from Disassembled, David Finch also continued working on Avengers with Bendis in this new series, and his art was simply phenomenal. I've always liked Finch's art, especially on Justice League of America, Ultimate X-Men, and Batman: The Dark Knight, and although there's usually at least one thing that bugs me about his art, in general I love it. l Although I loved the way Finch drew the spectacular action sequences in Disassembled, I much preferred his art in this story, as it was much more dramatic, and overall gave the right tone that the story needed. The main thing that I didn't like about Finch's art in Disassembled, and the thing that's one of his downsides in general is the way he draws facial expressions, as they can sometimes look awkward, and unrealistic, but this time not as much, as although there was still the minor expression that looked weird, overall most of it was brilliant, and much better than Disassembled. Although there wasn't quite as much action in this story, as opposed to Disassembled, it didn't mean that the art on them sequences was any less phenomenal, as in a way they were even better. I also loved the way Finch drew the scenery, as with the main catalyst of this story being set on an island, during a storm it needs to be fantastic, and Finch did more than that, as it looked nothing short of epic, giving the perfect tone for the story. The other thing that I didn't like about Finch's art was the way he drew Matt Murdock, as if it wasn't for the dialogue and the fact that Foggy Nelson's with him I could easily mistake him for Cyclops.

With the main catalyst of this story being the breakout itself, I thought I'd talk about that next. What I liked most about this was that it wasn't your typical villain that was used to create the breakout, and although Electro is a big time player in Spider-Man comics, I can't really recall him having anything huge to do with the Avengers (besides this obviously). To be honest he's probably the best person for this type of job, as who better to break someone out of a high tech prison than someone that can travel through electricity, and use it at his will, as it'd be easy for him to turn the power off. Also having the series start with over 40 supervillain prisoners breaking out of the Raft is brilliant, as although it would have made putting them there in the first place redundant, it does allow a realistic way to release them back into the open, giving more characters to play around with in the future. Plus it also makes for a good reason to have the Avengers back on a permanent basis again.

The bringing of the Avengers together in this series was brilliant, and the only time I felt more excited about a new Avengers team was when I first read Dark Avengers. What I liked most was that most of this teams members had never been Avengers prior, either that or not for very long, and although you needed the likes of Captain America and Iron Man to give structure to this team, having so many new members was brilliant, and seeing them work together was even better. As I said earlier, I really liked how Bendis took homage to how this Avengers was formed, by mirroring how the original team came together, and this was probably the best apart about this story, as it was very dramatic, and also had fun moments, making for a truly epic story.

There was a sequence with the New Avengers together talking, and getting to know each other, which I felt was brilliant. I was debating over whether or not this was a spoiler, but as it doesn't really reveal any of the plot development, and the fact that the story's almost a decade old, I felt that it'd be safe. Anyway the most significant thing about this meeting was that it marked the opening of Avengers Tower, which has been the key meeting spot for most Avengers team since. After the destruction of Avengers Mansion in Disassembled, what better way of given the Avengers a new meeting spot as a skyscraper, basically upgrading the Mansion to a more modern style of building. Anyway I'll finish this part of the review by saying my favourite thing about the meeting, and that was the discussion between Spider-Man, and Spider-Woman. This was a very fun, and entertaining conversation, and I loved how Spider-Man, like his jokey self, talks about her letting other people use the Spider name, saying that he wouldn't have allowed her to use it otherwise. Anyway it's better if you read it yourself, but this was very entertaining, and Bendis in general writes both characters brilliantly, having also written them fabulously in the past.

This issue also planted seeds for things to come, and although I won't mention them, as to avoid spoiling it for people who know nothing of the series, I will say that although I recognised them the first time, it's much more noticeable with each additional read through (although that's expected). Anyway the first time I read through this series I didn't read up on any of the stories, so went in with no knowledge, as if I was reading them when they were released, and I found the mystery in these teasers was brilliant, and finding out how it developed was even better, but I won't go into any more detail.

Final Verdict

This was a phenomenal start to what would become a brilliant run on the Avengers, even if it was inconsistent at times (mainly after the start of The Heroic Age). This was a very dramatic, and entertaining story, and both Bendis, and Finch did a fantastic job on it, giving one of the best opening Avengers stories I've ever read. I would highly recommend this, as even if you didn't like Bendis' work on Avengers near the end, I'm sure that you'll love this.

Rating: 5/5

The next Avengers book I'll be reviewing will be New Avengers: The Sentry.

Avengers: Disassembled Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Finch

With Brian Michael Bendis' run on the Avengers officially coming to an end with Age of Ultron, I've decided to go through all my Avengers series since he took over the reigns with this ground breaking story that was the foundation for a new era for the Avengers.

Plot

Jack of Hearts returns after being dead, and causes an explosion that destroys Avengers Mansion, and kills Ant-Man (Lang). After this the Avengers are attacked by both Ultron's, and the Kree, with everyone wondering if all this is connected.

Review

This was a terrific book, and truly a great way to bring upon a new era for the Avengers. There was a lot of controversy over this story when it first came out, as a lot of fans weren't happy with the drastic changes that the story brought, but having not read the story then I can't really make a fair comment on that. What I can say is that having read most of Bendis' run on the Avengers prior to this I was happy to read his first story, and have now enjoyed reading it for a second time, being able to take a lot more in. Although Bendis' run on Avengers got a bit sketchy after the start of The Heroic Age, his work on The New Avengers, The Mighty Avengers, and Dark Avengers prior to that was brilliant, and although his final Avengers story Age of Ultron has been far from impressive (it's been extremely disappointing), I'll remember Bendis' run, which lasted the better part of a decade for the positives, as although the last few years of this run have been sketchy, overall it's been brilliant. As I was saying before talking about Bendis' run in general, this was an amazing book, and a brilliant opening chapter to Bendis' run, and although I can see why long time fans at the time may have been upset about the way the Avengers were treated in this story, I personally liked to see them getting put through the mill, as what better way to introduce a new fresh look for the Avengers than totally and utterly decimating the current team. I also loved how Bendis handled the whole emotional side to this story, as with all the things happening during this story, the Avengers weren't half on an emotional roller-coaster getting attacked right, left and centre, and overall not knowing what to do. Bendis also did a fabulous job of making this story run smoothly, as with all the action that is taking place in this story, along with all the characters featured, it'd be easy to let things go astray every now and then, but Bendis managed to avoid that, keeping the story focused.

The art from David Finch was brilliant, and although at times the facial expressions felt slightly awkward, his artwork was overall phenomenal, and really made this story vibrant, and dramatic. I've been a fan of Finch's art for a fair few years now, and although there are ton's of artists that I prefer over him, I still enjoy seeing his art, as I loved seeing it in Ultimate X-Men, Batman: The Dark Knight, Justice League of America, Ultimatum, X-Men: Second Coming #1, as well as other series, or individual comics. Anyway, Finch's art on this story was nothing short of amazing, and although there were the odd moment that felt odd, it's easily forgiveable considering that the rest of the artwork was fantastic. The action was probably the best thing art wise, as he made everything look explosive, also adding yet more drama, and suspense. There was however one piece of artwork that I was a bit worried on, and that's when it showed Iron Man in his suit, but it appeared that he was standing in front of a large console. I'm pretty sure that this has been done by other artists in the past, and I personally don't understand it, as although it looks very nice, it's not very realistic, as the console would fill at the most his helmet. There were other artists that worked on Avengers Finale montage sequence, ranging from George Pérez, Alex Maleev, Steve Epting, Eric Powell, Darick Robertson, David Mack, Gary Frank, Steve McNiven, Jim Cheung, and others, all adding there unique styles, creating one of the best montages that I've ever seen. Olivier Coipel also produced artwork for the past sequences in Avengers #503, and although this wasn't his best artwork, it was still a nice touch, and made them sequences feel more innocent, giving a brilliant transparency between the two periods of time.

This book didn't waste any time getting into the action, and it would continue like this throughout. The book started with Jack of Hearts returning, and blowing up Avengers Mansion, but this wouldn't be all that would affect the Avengers, as they would later be attacked by a bunch of Ultron's that used Vision to arrive, and then by the Kree army, not giving the Avengers any chance to breath. This made for a very entertaining story, and it also added mystery, but what it did however also do was not give much chance for development. Fair enough I loved all the action in this book, and overall it's an amazing story, but I felt that this was just meant to be one huge exciting, action packed story to destroy the Avengers, so as to make room for the New Avengers, and due to that we didn't really get much background as to what was actually happening, and causing this until the last issue of the story (not counting the Finale issue). I could however still look over this fact, as this was still a very fun, and energised story, but the lack of background story was however the only thing that made this story less than perfect, although it was still very good.

She-Hulk went ballistic in this story, and although it was explained later in the story, it was still very interesting, and kept the excitement, and drama that this story oozed with flowing. Besides that what interested me the most about this is that I for one can't say that I've seen She-Hulk as angry as this, as although we know her cousin the Hulk can get stronger and stronger being much more powerful that She-Hulk, I can't recall actually seeing She-Hulk this powerful, as she appeared as strong as her cousin, and looked quite like him at times also. It was the art from Finch that really did it for me, as although it was slightly strange seeing She-Hulk similar to her cousin, it was what was needed for this story, and Finch showed it perfectly.

A call to arms. After hearing about the troubles that had befallen on the Avengers, past members including Black Panther, Beast, Spider-Man, Namor, Moon Knight, Wonder Man and more, as well as other hero's including the Fantastic Four, and Daredevil, and more. This was a brilliant thing for the story, as it added more hope for the team, as with both injuries, and fatalities for some members of the main team, it shows that in their hour of need that they're not forgotten about, and that they have friends. I also liked this as you got to see more characters in the story, and although I mostly feel that too many characters weaken a story, in this case I feel that it's made it stronger, as with this being the last story before the new series, that would have new characters, it was nice to see some old faces, with members that have been Avengers, and members that people have wanted to be Avengers, as it was a fitting this to do. I also liked how it would show things that would come in the new series, as although not doing this directly, we got to see characters that would feature in the new series, which would have made the transition between the teams more smoother for fans at the time.

Who was behind all these events? I won't spoil this for anyone who knows nothing about this story (people who've read/know the story will know who I'm talking about), as it's the big mystery throughout, but I will say what I felt about this situation. I have to say it became quite clear at one point who was the main person behind all these catastrophic events that the Avengers went through, and it became even more clearer just before it was revealed. I thought this was a fun twist, as it showed that even the Avengers could be surprised. I also liked how it was handled, as you could see the emotional toll it had on certain Avenger members, which made the ending more emotionally touching, and fitting.

Although Avengers Finale was visually stunning, the issue itself was also brilliant, and a fitting way to end the series. Although the story itself had finished in the previous issue, the finale issue features the remaining Avengers reminiscing over previous moments, including the Kree/Skrull War, the Avengers pulling Captain America out of the ice from The Avengers #4, the origin of the Avengers from The Avengers #1, and more. What I liked most about these flashback double pages was that it gave new readers a chance to get caught up on some of the more key moments in the Avengers history, and as I already said all the different artists that featured on these double page moments were brilliant, and although there were some I preferred more, they were all good.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant start to Brian Michael Bendis' run on the Avengers, and although the development of the back story prevented this from being a perfect story, it was still very exciting, dramatic, and was action packed throughout. I would highly recommend this story, as although Bendis' final Avengers story, Age of Ultron has been poor, he did do some amazing stories, and this is one of them.

Rating: 4/5

The next Avengers book I'll be reviewing will be New Avengers: Breakout.

Justice League of America #2 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist: David Finch

I was really looking forward to this series, and the first issue didn't disappoint. Although I still prefer the original Justice League members, I found the whole concept of a group of controversial characters protecting America was brilliant, and Geoff Johns, and David Finch did a brilliant job with the first issue.

Plot

The Justice League of America come together, and although certain members like Green Lantern (Simon Baz) are absence, most are together, and they have their first mission, to stop the Secret Society of Super Villains.

Martian Manhunter Back-up

Martian Manhunter explains how he's able to camouflage himself, and infiltrate places like the White House, whilst showing why the President (Barack Obama) as well as America need the JLA.

Review

This was a terrific issue, and with the first issue being such a brilliant taster, I'm happy that it's followed by an even better assembly issue. Geoff Johns is one of the best writers in DC, and although he doesn't produce brilliant stories all the time, he can make any character or series brilliant, having made Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Flash (Barry Allen), and Aquaman brilliant characters once more, as well as doing a tremendous job on the JL books, and Batman: Earth One. I loved the way he wrote every character, and more so that you could see all the different personalities shining through. I also liked that he's giving us teasers of things to come, whilst also giving us an interesting issue, which looks to be a brilliant series, and so far has been better than the other Justice League series (but it has only been two issues). It was also nice to see a bit of team spirit, even if they haven't really work as a team yet, but I'll talk a bit more on that later on in my review.

The art from David Finch is once again phenomenal. I've always said that art is where Finch belongs, and although he also did art on his Batman: The Dark Knight series, the poor writing let it down. I love the way he draws all the characters, but I don't like the way he draws Catwoman this time. I actually didn't mind the way he drew Catwoman in the first issue, but for some reason I don't like on second glance, and feel that it shows too much flesh, and that's saying something when it comes to Catwoman. I did however love everything else about his artwork, and all the other characters were brilliantly drawn, with his best art coming from Martian Manhunter, and Hawkman. I also liked that he was able to draw Scarecrow, as I loved the way he drew him in his last story arc on Dark Knight. The detail throughout Finch's art is also brilliant, and although there is the very odd imperfection, is easily forgiven, and doesn't take away from his tremendously brilliant artwork.

What I loved most about this issue was the return of the JLA table, with each members insignia emblazoned on their respective chairs. This was a small detail, but the members having their insignia on their chairs was something that I always felt made them feel more of a team player, and gave a personal touch to them, so it was nice to see this in this issue. The meeting that happened at the table was also very interesting, and I liked that Vibe acted like a total fanboy saying how honoured he was to be part of such a team. I also liked that Baz was absent, as it makes the timeline feel so in sync, with him being trapped in the Dead Zone in Green Lantern.

The Secret Society of Super Villains is also becoming a more interesting group in this issue, and with them having Scarecrow in their back pocket it has the potential to lead to and interesting face-off with the JLA. I also find the person leading this society to be very interesting, and I love the mysteriousness of the character. I don't think he's appeared before, but as there hasn't been much said about the character himself, I can't say I recognize him by his appearance. I did however find it interesting that Professor Ivo also appears to be a part of this society.

One of the minor things that happened in this issue was Catwoman kissing Steve Trevor. Although this isn't much, and we've seen Catwoman do random things like this in the past I found this sequence interesting as she steals his wallet, and what she finds leads to a very interesting comparison. In Trevor's wallet is a picture of him with Wonder Woman, which reminds her of her own fling with Batman. This was a brilliant comparison, as with Wonder Woman recently breaking things of with Trevor, to protect him, it reflects how Batman refuses to have a relationship with Catwoman due to similar reasons. I also liked that you could see this emotional reaction in Catwoman's face, as it made the sequence have more feeling, and purpose.

Green Arrow also featured in this issue, and although he's not an official member yet I know that he will be, as he mentioned being a member in Green Arrow #18, whilst taking to Trevor over the phone. I won't talk about the details in the Green Arrow appearance as it'd spoil the issue, but it did have some interesting developments, and makes me even more eager to get the next issue. I also liked the references to Green Arrow's past.

The back-up story featuring Martian Manhunter written by Matt Kindt was also a very good story, but it wasn't amazing. Don't get me wrong the story was very interesting, and I really enjoyed it, but I wasn't expecting this type of story, and it wasn't very exciting. The art from Scott Clark was however brilliant, and I hope he continues working on the back-ups as I would like to see more of his work. Although the story wasn't exciting I did like that it delved into the workings, and actions of the Martian Manhunter, and it made for a great accompanying story, especially considering it tie's in with the main story to a certain degree. I also have to add that I've never been a huge fan of Martian Manhunter, and have never understood why he gets the mass following, but since reading this series, along with this back-up story I have started to understand the character a bit more, and am growing to enjoy him as a character, and I look forward too seeing even more of him in these back-up stories, but I still don't think it's the right time for him to have his own solo series.

Final Verdict

A brilliant continuation of last issue, this issue brings the team together, and sets them on their first mission, giving some interesting, and exciting sequences. The back-up story featuring Martian Mahunter was also interesting, and with all that I'd easily recommend both this issue, and the previous issue, and look forward to reading more.

Rating: 5/5

Justice League of America #1 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: David Finch

This has been a series that I have been looking forward to for a long time now. Ever since it was announced at the end of Justice League #12 that this series would be coming out I was very happy. Although there has been multiple Justice League series out previously at the same time this is the first time I have gotten more than one, and that's mainly due to Geoff Johns writing both series, and the big event that was teased in DC Comics - The New 52 FCBD Special Edition #1 featuring both teams.

Plot

After the events of Throne of Atlantis Amanda Waller finally sees an opportunity to start her own Justice League, the Justice League of America, but here reasoning's are very questionable. Former Justice League liaison Steve Trevor is enlisted to help put this team together, a team which consists of Martian Manhunter, Catwoman, Katana, Green Lantern (Simon Baz), Vibe, and Hawkman.

Review

This was a brilliant start to the series, and if the series follows in this pattern I'd be surprised if it doesn't become phenomenal. Johns has done brilliant work in the past, but I can see this series being amongst his best work. I must say that I really wanted to give this issue a 5 star rating, but unfortunately there was one thing that stopped it from being perfect, and that was the lack of team. Fair enough you need a set-up to start a brand new team, but that's what took away from the suspense, and also loft no teamwork, meaning that so far it's not much of a team book, but that should soon change.

I'm really happy that David Finch is back as a proper artist. Don't get me wrong it's not that I didn't like his art in the Batman: The Dark Knight series, it's just that his bad writing made the series bad, and not even his art could make up for that. There are some artists that aren't cut out for writing, and although I'm not saying that Finch isn't capable of writing something good, it's just that if Dark Knight was his best effort he should stick to art. I've loved Finch's art in everything I've seen it in, but I have a feeling that his art in this series will be the thing I love the most. I really like how he draws every character, and that although he's keeping to their design that he's adding his own unique touch. I do however hope that he doesn't try anything to extreme like he did in Dark Knight, as I didn't like his versions of Two-Face or Penguin, which was done to extreme changes. I also love the detail, and emotion in his artwork, as it is very suspenseful, with a dramatic tone to it.

The thing I was looking forward to the most in this issue was the members of the team. Although they'd already been shown in advertising artwork in the past, I was still looking forward to seeing them in the series, probably more so now that I know who they are. The thing I really like about this team is that it has character that I'd either not read in solo series, or are in poor solo series (Hawkman, and Catwoman for instance), so it's nice to see them in a series where they have a chance to shine. What I never thought whilst waiting for this series was what characteristics the members of the new JLA have with the members of the other League. I obviously knew that Catwoman and Batman had a lot in common as they know each other very well, and it was also obvious that this league would have their own Green Lantern in Baz to counter the other League's Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, but besides that I never gave it a second thought. There is however a page that shows the members lined up against their counterparts, and some of them are interesting, and logical choices, but others don't make much sense. The only question I do have is that due to this League having more members than the others where do the extra members fit in, or are they just back-up.

Although I said a bit about this earlier I will talk a bit more about it now. One of the thing I'm happy about with this series is that Hawkman may finally have a chance to be brilliant again. I've been getting his solo series, but before hearing it's cancellation was going to drop it anyway, as it was very disappointing. Now knowing there are only four issues left I will probably get them, but I hope that this is a much better series for him, as I really enjoyed him in the JSA series. Another character that I will be happy to see in a decent series is Catwoman as her series is also very poor at the moment. It will also be interesting to see what Baz will have in the future of the …series, cause unless the series can handle both Hal, and Baz without losing quality I'd prefer Hal getting the series back, with Baz being one of the main focuses in this series.

What was also interesting was the way Waller, and Trevor got along in this issue. It's obvious that they both have very different personalities, morale's, and opinions, so it was interesting to see them working together, and actually agreeing on some things. I will however be looking forward to their professional relationship in the future of this series. Also the Suicide Squad reference was also a nice touch, although expected.

The absence of Green Arrow in this issue was something that caught my eye. I noticed that Waller and Trevor talked about him being a member of the team, but ultimately decided against it. This was an interesting thing as I expected Green Arrow to be the leader of the new team so was shocked that he wouldn't even be in it. I will however say while trying not spoil anything that this doesn't mean that he won't be in the series, as he's clearly stated in the cover, and other artwork. Talking about the leader of the team that is also an interesting question. Although the other team has no official leader it's regarded that Superman is the closest thing to a leader, but with this team it's more questionable. Although Waller, and Trevor are commanding the team it looks like Martian Manhunter will be leading them in the field, but with all the other different personalities flying about will everyone agree with this. On the other hand I may be looking to far into this, and Waller, and Trevor will most likely be fully in charge, especially as it looks like Trevor will be out i n the field with them, but with all the personalities it'd be a wasted opportunity to not at least have a sequence discussing it.

There was also a mysterious character in a mask going about during the issue. I won't talk much about it as the finish of the issue involved him, and was very shocking, but I will say that the addition of this character in this issue really added to the tension, and suspense, and I think it was a really good choice, all be it slightly weird. There is also a group of villains skulking about that appear to be the Secret Society of Super Villains. They don't really do much in this issue, but it does add more questions, as well as more suspense to the series. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in this series, as it should be very interesting, and entertaining.

Final Verdict

This was a terrific start to this series, and giving the type of series it is it couldn't be any better. I wish I could give this series a 5 star, but it's not quite their due to it being a bringing together/introduction issue, but it's still very good, and I expect it to have a 5 star issue very soon, if not the next issue. I would highly recommend this issue, and am looking forward to the next one, as I'm very interested in this series now, more so than before.

Rating: 4.5/5

Batman: The Dark Knight #15 Review

Writer: Gregg Hurwitz

Artist: David Finch

This series has overall been disappointing, and although this story's been better than the rest it's been far from perfect, and I was actually considering dropping the series, for the second time, if it wasn't for this decent ending, and the next story featuring Mad Hatter (one of my favourite Batman villains).

Plot

This issue sees Batman trying to save Gotham City, which has been affected by Scarecrow's Fear Toxin. He realises the only way to make an antidote in time is to syphon it from his own blood (as he's built up an immunity, hence storing a cure).

Review

I was pleasantly surprised about this issue, as it was a brilliant ending to a mediocre story, and especially considering Scarecrow is barely involved. Despite the overall story being mediocre, I do have to thank Gregg Hurwitz, as he's taken this series, which was doing very poor, and turned it into a decent series, and I have ever faith that he'll do a better job in the next story. What I really liked about this story was that it was a bit more up beat than the rest of the story, as most of this story's been dragged out, with very little action. I also loved that Hurwitz made Batman a hero in this issue, and showed that he was willing to do anything to save Gotham. Although I think this story's been too long, and focused on Scarecrow to much, I have liked the new take on Scarecrow, and hope to see a more of him in the future.

Although he wasn't a brilliant writer on this series, David Finch was however a fabulous artist, and I will miss his art on this series, but will be looking forward to seeing his art on the upcoming Justice League of America series. I've always loved his art, and it's brilliant for a Batman series. Although I wasn't overly keen on the gigantic Two-Face, and Joker in the earlier part of this series, Finch has wowed with the rest of his art, and I have especially enjoyed it during this story. I love his take on Scarecrow, as he makes him look like the evil, psychotic individual all Batman fans will know, but at the same time makes him look innocent, and almost as much a victim, as anyone else. Besides that he's done an excellent job drawing all the other characters in this issue, whether it be Alfred, Damian Wayne, or anyone else. I also loved his version of the Bat Plane, and all the action sequences. There was also ton's of detail throughout Finch's art, and in backgrounds.

Toxic Gotham

Seeing Gotham in this state was brilliant, but I questioned if it was at the right time. With Gotham also in peril throughout the Death of the Family storyline, it wasn't necessarily the best time to have a similar, yet completely different scenario at the same time. Besides that small complaint I loved the sequence, and thought it was brilliant seeing Scarecrow turn an entire city like this. I've not read a lot of Scarecrow stories, mainly due to him not appearing much over the last few years, but none of them had him turn out this psychotic, and it was nice to see him cause all this chaos. At the same time I loved how Batman handled this situation, and like the true hero was willing to sacrifice himself in order to save Gotham. The thing I probably liked the most during this sequence was that despite Alfred's pleads for Damian to bring Batman back to the cave, that Damian wouldn't because he promised that he wouldn't till everyone was saved. I liked this part because it shows the respect Damian has for Batman, and that despite his love for his father, he'd rather honour his wishes.

Scarecrow Caught

I was however slightly disappointed that Scarecrow was barely in this issue. Between the big fight Batman, and Scarecrow had last issue, and the way it ended, with Scarecrow poisoning the whole of Gotham, I expected a bigger fight between Batman, and Scarecrow, but we didn't even get one. Although I would have preferred a fight, I did like that the sequence featuring Scarecrow showed that he himself was a victim, and that if it wasn't for what his dad did to him as a child he wouldn't have done the things he's done. It was also nice to see Scarecrow timid and scared, but not intimidated, as he doesn't want to go to get captured, but at the same time doesn't want to show his fear.

One Happy Spectator

It was also nice to see Natalya in this issue, as I've enjoyed seeing her throughout this series. It reminds you that Bruce Wayne has his playboy image, plus it's also nice for him to have someone to care about, besides his family. The way Bruce entered Natalya's performance was also very interesting, as once everyone leaves, due to her terrible playing, he enters saying that he loved it. I hope that we get to see more of this relationship in the future, and that it's not overshadowed by the main stories, although at the same time I don't want it to take to much away from the main stories.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant end to a mediocre story. Although I've enjoyed the new origin for Scarecrow, it was stretched over too many issue, and I hope that Hurwitz doesn't do this with the next story. Although this was a good issue, due to it being the end of a story I'd only recommend it to people who have the rest, or parts of the story, or are considering getting the rest of the story. I'd also probably recommend the entire story, as it had a brilliant start, and ending, but unfortunately dragged in the middle. I'd probably overall rate this story a 4/5.

Rating: 4/5