DETECTIVE COMICS #1004/ Script by PETER J. TOMASI/ Pencils by BRAD WALKER/ Inks by ANDREW HENNESSY/ Colors by NATHAN FAIRBAIRN/ Letters by ROB LEIGH/ Published by DC COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

With the identity of the new Arkham Knight revealed, Batman delves into their past, their training and how they came to hate Batman and blame him for the problems of Gotham City.

I’m torn on Peter Tomasi’s story here. On the one hand, this is a well-written story with a great idea behind it. On the other hand, this story doesn’t seem to fit the reality of the New 52, with a Damian Wayne who wisecracks like the Batman: TAS version of Robin and a timeline that is spread across the better part of two decades given the characters involved. Much as I love the idea of a girl growing up in Arkham Asylum and being beloved by the inmates (even The Joker!) it doesn’t really fit the current Bat-world.

Personally, I’m willing to write this off as a Legend of the Dark Knight style story but I know some persnickety types who will ignore this story if it doesn’t fit the current continuity. So consider yourselves warned. The rest of us can enjoy the good story along with the excellent art by Messers Walker, Hennessy and Fairbairn. This is an interesting one-shot that establishes one of the more intriguing Batman villains in years.

 

THE FLASH #71/ Script by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON/ Art by HOWARD PORTER/ Colors by HI-FI/ Published by DC COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

Finding himself in the future, the only thing that can save Barry Allen now… is Barry Allen. Can Barry make it back to the past and become the hero he is destined to become?

The second chapter of The Flash: Year One puts an interesting twist on the classic speedster team-up story, with an older Barry Allen mentoring his younger self and damning the paradox. Unsurprising, given that Joshua Williamson has been firing on all eight cylinders since taking over this series in the Rebirth era. Howard Porter and Hi-Fi match him step for step, with every page of this book being filled with energy. If you haven’t been reading The Flash, now is the time to see what you’ve been missing!

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #11/ Script by JAMES TYNION IV/ Art by ALVARO MARTINEZ BUENO/ Inks by RAUL FERNANDEZ/ Colors by BRAD ANDERSON/ Letters by ROB LEIGH/ Published by DC COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

The Lords of Order have issued an ultimatum to Earth’s magicians – give up your powers and all memory of magic or die. As Detective Chimp and Swamp Thing lead a retreat into the magical realms, Zatanna and Wonder Woman seek out the only means of help they have left – the Lord of Chaos, Mordru. Yet will the infamously willful wizard be willing to helpm even with the fate of all magic at stake in the wake of the Otherkin invasion?

The plot of Justice League Dark is not easily summarized . Thankfully, the story is just the backdrop on which James Tynion IV lets his characters run wild. And it is a joy to watch this cast interact with one another. Backed by the perfect pencils of Alvaro Martinez Bueno, the incomparable inks of Raul Fernandex and the complex colors of Brad Anderson, this is one of DC Comics’ best-looking books. In a better world, this would be the only comic determining the ultimate fate of the DC Multiverse instead of the plethora of Doomsdays were are waiting to have resolved in Heroes In Crisis, Doomsday Clock, Justice League and The Dreaming. Simply put, this book is a damn fine read.

 

STAR WARS: AGE OF REBELLION: JABBA THE HUTT #1/ Script by GREG PAK/ Art by EMILIO LAISO, ROLAND BOSCHI & MARCO TURINI/ Colors by ANDRES MOSSA, RACHELLE ROSENBERG & NEERAI MENON/ Letters by VC’S TRAVIS LANHAM/ Published by MARVEL COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

Tattooine is a harsh world and it breeds harsh people. Yet one being is able to instill fear in the hearts of all his neighbors and thus is turned to in times of trouble to keep the peace, fragile though it is. This tale demonstrates the cunning of the great Jabba, as he is called to aid the Tusken raiders.

Pak’s tale of Jabba as a fixer is good enough, despite Jabba barely figuring into the story at all. A larger problem is the artwork, which is handled by three teams, leaving this book with a very nonuniform look, despite the artwork being competently handled by all parties. I particularly like the more animated take on Jabba, who looks more like an alien being and less like the largely stationary puppet he was in Return of the Jedi. Still, there is little here for those who are not die-hard Star Wars fans who have to read anything and everything tying into the expanded universe outside the movies.