All the Appeal of an Ambulance Siren

Published:  October 28th, 2014

Gotham City Sirens: Book One

By: Paul Dini, Guillem March (Illustrations)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401251758

This graphic novel features the bad girls of Gotham City!  Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are tired of playing by other peoples' rules regardless of which side of the law they're on.  These tough ladies have a new agenda that's all their own, and they'll use any means necessary to pursue it.  But can they get along and work as a team?  And who will get hurt along the way?

Contains issues 1-13.

Review (HERE THERE BE SPOILERS, YAR!) 

I was enjoying myself pretty good for the whole volume, until that last issue. I was annoyed by the constant referencing of Hush which I've never read. But it wasn't so tied into the story that I couldn't figure out what was going on and it didn't really diminish my enjoyment -- so I was letting it slide. I also really liked the portrayal of Harley as a somewhat coherent adult, albeit one with major issues and tendency towards childish behavior. The holiday issue with Harley's family definitely gives some background on how she could've turned out so messed up. So, things were chugging along decently. Than in that last issue things got really BIZZARE! 

Selina's homeless sister Maggie, a former nun (who has been locked up in the mental hospital after going bonkers -- I'm assuming she escaped!), goes to see another nun -- a renowned exorcist. Turns out, she thinks Selina is being possessed by a cat demon of some sort and Maggie thinks she has to "free" her...then the nun's cat comes into the room and Maggie kills it and the nun, cause she's been "compromised." WTF???!!! Maggie then goes through her relics and gets possessed by an "angel" (probably not a real angel - they never are...), who wants her to kill Selina. Who she then doesn't kill, because when Selina ripped off a holy relic from Maggie's church when she was a nun, turns out she felt GUILTY and took it back. So there's "hope" of saving her...y'know, from the cat demon!!! 

I kind of want to know what happens to Ivy, who was on the verge of murdering a co-worker at S.T.A.R. Labs that learned her identity and was trying to kill her, but don't know if it's worth my effort now. Just, wow. What the actual fuck???

VERDICT:  2.5/5 Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Bite Sized Review: Lois Lane - A Real Work of Art

Published:  March 4th, 2015

Lois Lane: A Real Work of Art

By: Gwenda Bond

Capstone

ISBN-13:  9780000000

In high school art class, Lois Lane demonstrates her undeniable talent.....but not for painting.

This is an official teaser short story for the young adult novel LOIS LANE: FALLOUT that takes place before Lois moves to Metropolis.

Review

       I normally don't care too much for short stories, especially ones that are under 50 pages long.  I know that a lot can be conveyed in them if the right writer is guiding the ship -- but more often than not, these short stories and novellas for popular YA book series are just useless filler.  This was available on NetGalley, so I requested it and hoped for the best.  And I got it!  Lois Lane is exactly how I wanted her to be - sassy, smart, and self-aware.  Of course, she's a teenager, so there is some self-doubt.  Lois is constantly moving around as an army brat, and she's in a new town again.  All she wants is to figure out something that she's good at, something that can be just for her.  So, Lois decides to try out an art class, and manages to get into more trouble than you'd think possible.  If you're a fan of Lois Lane (especially as portrayed by Erica Durance on Smallville, who this Lois really reminded me of!), try reading this.  I am now super pumped up for the full-length book coming out in May.  I enjoyed Gwenda Bond's style and I will LOVE reading more of Lois' misadventures!  Highly recommended.

VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

*I received this book from Capstone, on NetGalley. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. This book was published on March 4th, 2015.*

Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Born to Kill -- Mini Review

Published:  July 4th, 2012

Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Born to Kill (Batman and Robin Vol. II #1)

By: Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason (Illustrator), & Mick Gray (Illustrator)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401234874

Batman begins battling evil with his son, Damian, at his side and now realizes that the hardest part of the job may be trying to work together.  As Batman and Robin try to adjust to their new partnership, a figure emerges from Bruce Wayne's past: his name is NoBody, and he's not happy that Batman Incorporated is shining a light on his own shadowy war against evil...

Review

       For those of you unfamiliar with Damian Wayne's back story, here is the short version: Damian is the product of a drug-induced night of passion between Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) and Talia Al Ghul (daughter of the head of the League of Assassins).  When Talia decides it's time for Damian to learn the bat-legacy from his father (who doesn't know he exists), she drops him off in Gotham.  Unsure in his new relationship with his son, who is a miniature assassin and the exact opposite of Batman, they try to forge a connection despite their differences.  In turn, they clash at every possible crossroads between good and evil, black and white.

       Damian is still struggling with who he wants to be, his mother's son or his father's. As someone who has never read a Batman & Robin title before (including Batman and any of the other four Robins before Damian!), but being aware of Damian's origin story etc., I didn't have much confusion about the contention in his relationship with Bruce. I liked that this shows Bruce attempting to bond with Damian in a fatherly way as well, such as buying him a dog (a Great Dane that Damian eventually names Titus), and playing catch in the backyard. But when they're out in the field as B&R, I felt like I wasn't necessarily convinced that Bruce would even allow Damian to work as Robin. It's kind of like he didn't learn his lesson with Jason Todd. Yes, Damian's a trained assassin, but he's still an angry ten-year-old boy and often refuses to follow orders. In the fight scene in this book we get to see the consequences of Damian's borderline reckless behavior and the ways it brings him closer (and yet further in principle somewhat) from his father. The connection with Bruce's own past to the villain, NoBody, was interesting if somewhat contrived to display the dynamic of good vs. evil between father and son. Overall, a decent read. But definitely NOT my favorite of the New 52's so far.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*

You Can't Choose Your Family

Published:  March 18th, 2014

Wonder Woman, Vol. 4: War (Wonder Woman Vol. IV #4)

By: Brian Azzarello, Cliff Chiang (Artist), Goran Sudzuka (Artist), Tony Akins (Illustrator), Dan Green (Illustrator)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401246082

Wonder Woman's father, Zeus, has disappeared.  Her family - aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, gods and demigods - form a pantheon of the most powerful beings in the universe.  Intent on seizing Zeus' throne, they will destroy anyone who can stand in their way -- including Zeus' infant son, who might just have the power to ignite the apocalypse.

But even as Wonder Woman and her few remaining friends scramble to protect the life of her youngest brother, her eldest has arisen.  Known only as the First Born, he has spent an eternity in exile, his might and malice growing by the millennium.  Now he will burn Earth and Olympus alike if it means he can be king of the ashes.

Reviews

       Not my favorite of the series. I really enjoyed the last couple of volumes (iffy artwork aside, especially Hades the person-candle and Poseidon the talking-fish dinner) and have been wondering how they were going to resolve the whole magic, world-destroyer baby plotline. In the last volume they brought in Zeus and Hera's son, the first-born of all the gods' children. He was banished from Olympus and buried beneath the Earth. His sister Cassandra unearthed him and got him started on the path to taking his birthright - Olympus. Of course all those idiots up on the Gods' Mountain Resort (that's what it's drawn like anyways) are still focused on the baby. In the last volume War helped Wonder Woman, Zola, Hera and Lennox get the baby back from Demeter and Hermes. In this one it's more of the same band-on-the-run bullshit.

Substitute Dawn's name for Zola's and you've got the picture.

       Some cool moments, such as the boom tube trip with Orion (who also pops back in from the last volume), a character death I wasn't expecting and one that was supposed to surprise me and didn't. Gotta say that ending was anti-climactic for me. I guess I was expecting more of a battle or something to resolve that storyline. The whole thing with Hera at the end was nice. But then again, it's always nice to see that our favorite bitch-queendoes have feelings, no matter how much she hides them. All in all this was very mediocre for me story wise and I'm really hoping that the next volume focuses more on Diana's newfound responsibilities and NOT the freaking baby or the power struggle for the Olympian throne!

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*

Just Go On Wikipedia Instead...You'll Thank Me Later - Trust Me!

Expected Publication:  February 17th, 2015

Secret Origins Vol. 1 (The New 52)

By: Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Greg Pak, Tony Bedard & Various

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401250492

At last, the SECRET ORIGINS of the World's Greatest Heroes in The New 52 can be revealed!  The beginnings of the most popular characters in the DC Universe are finally told here, in stories that fans have been clamoring for since September 2011.  Included here are the origins of The Last Son of Krypton and Kara Zor-El, Supergirl, plus the first Robin, Dick Grayson.

Written by a host of the industry's brightest talent including Jeff Lemire (Justice League: United), Greg Pak (Batman/Superman), and Tony Bedard (Green Lantern Corps) and painted covers by Lee Bermejo (Joker), this new series is a fantastic way to jump on with the DC Universe!  Collects issues #1-4.

Review

       Major disappointment is all I was really feeling when I finished reading this volume.  You'd think that as someone still slightly overwhelmed about where to start in a vast universe like DC Comics, I'd be grateful for a volume of origin stories.  You'd think that, wouldn't you?  Well, I did too goddammitt and boy, oh boy, was I WRONG.  Because it turns out, I pretty much knew everything these guys had to tell me.  I can point to maybe 2 or 3 of the stories total that gave me anything new that made it worth my while, even a little bit.  There is almost nothing in this book, even as someone pretty much brand new to comics, that I hadn't already gleaned from the USA's pop culture collective/episodes of Smallville/episodes of the Justice League cartoon.  I can honestly say that for a reboot, they sure played it safe.  And the things that were different were just dumb or confusing!

       Let me break it down for you a little further.  There were origins in this book for: Superman, Supergirl, Batman, Dick Grayson/Robin #1/Nightwing, Aquaman, Starfire, Batwoman, Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, Tim Drake/Red Robin, Harley Quinn, Green Arrow, Damian Wayne/Robin #5.  That is a lot of ground to cover in just one volume!  I was kind of excited for this, because I'm unfamiliar with Red Robin, Starfire, Green Lantern and iffy on Harley Quinn.  What I got was shitty artwork, origins mainly regurgitated from past runs (from what other people have said it seems that way, anyhow) and stories that were just boring or made the heroes unsympathetic to me, as a reader.

Superman:  One of the few I actually DID end up liking.  You can tell that even though it wasn't anything really new, the author(s) at least tried with it.  The dual narrative from both of Clark/Kal's mothers was touching and it was a nice little piece, if a bit sappy.

Batman:  Really???  This is what you do with the Dark Knight?  Show some dumb training montages and "over the years" panels, before actually having him don the cowl.  He only gets the idea after seeing a bat fly in front of his Dad's statue.  "Yes father.  I shall become a bat."  He has to be scarier, see, cause the criminals don't fear him.  *Scoffs*

Supergirl:  Okay, blah blah, incident with Kryptonian-a-saurus Rex, parental expectations, time in stasis, etc.  Then when she becomes Supergirl, she saves North Korean astronauts!  Yeah, suuurrreeee.  Talk about freaking random and unnecessary adjustments.

Dick Grayson/Robin #1/Nightwing:  Very slight, but I didn't mind this really as I didn't know much about him beforehand.  I would've liked something more interesting, but it wasn't a detriment to the character.  I had just read Nightwing Vol. 1 though, and this was a nice sidenote to it.  Practically obsolete though, after the 0 issue.

Aquaman:  Once again, 'A' for effort, but obsolete after the 0 issue I just had the pleasure of reading.  They are really similar, in a way that does nothing to recommend this one.  Just go read the Aquaman volumes instead, you really can get by without the origin.

Starfire:  A character I knew nothing about, other than her Teen Titans membership, and I feel like I still know nothing about her.  For instance, was she the big sister or the little sister?  This was really confusing and she came across a bit stupid as well.  Whatever.

Batwoman:  Nothing against Kate Kane, this was just something to get through for me.  I wasn't really all that interested in it, as I didn't care for Batwoman Vol. 1 when I read it.  I did like seeing how she met her police officer girlfriend though.

Green Lantern/Hal Jordan:  This I actually liked.  Probably because I was confused as Hell when I read the Vol. 1 of his New 52 story arc.  I went in knowing nothing about Hal or the Lantern Corps, and they didn't even pretend to reboot that one - they just continued straight from a past run.  This actually gave me his background, some motivation and showed me his Lantern training.  One of very few reasons I'm glad I read this.

Tim Drake/Red Robin:  What. A. Little. Bastard.  He goes out of his way to find out who Batman is, baits him using Penguin, gets his parents in witness protection and all he can think about is how great he'll be as Robin!  It's not like he had any real reason to want to be a crime-fighter either, other than a young boy's fascination.  Came across as a selfish prick.

Harley Quinn:  It was interesting to get a look into Harley's demented mind and see how she got so immersed into the Arkham side of Gotham.  I liked the artwork in this one too, and it's one of two (the other being Aquaman) that I can genuinely say that for.  Plus, telling your story to a captive audience that you blow up afterwards is such a Harley maneuver! :D

Green Arrow:  Really?  Now they're putting Diggle in the comics?  Talk about a desperate bid to cash in on the CW's tv show.  Mostly just boring though.  I'd have liked to see a more focused story, with it choosing either the island or just after, with more detailed flashbacks used to good effect.  Nothing I haven't seen before and they might as well have just called Naomi Singh by her real name, Felicity Smoak.  Seriously, why even try to hide it at that point?

Damian Wayne/Robin #5:  I don't know why they even bothered with this one.  This isn't even canon to the current run of Batman for the New 52, at least with how Damian becomes Robin.  In this, Dick is taking over for Bruce, who just died, as Batman.  Damian is just becoming Robin, and never even worked with Bruce.  This is confusing, because there is a WHOLE comic dedicated to the two of them as Batman and Robin for the New 52!!!  It makes no damn sense in the context of their 'rebooted' universe.

Overall, I don't know why I even bothered.  If I didn't know better, I'd probably let this talk me out of reading any of these characters' individual comics.  I do know it for sure hasn't made me want to read Red Robin or Starfire, who came across the worst in my opinion.  Also, this doesn't make me hopeful for Green Arrow, who I love.  I will be picking up Harley Quinn though, so there's that.  I also feel a bit more prepared to read more Green Lantern comics, without reading the last five to ten years worth of stuff to catch up.  I would NOT recommend this particular volume, except as a curiosity maybe.  Check it out of the library though, for the love of God.  Don't pay for the boring stories/shitty artwork contained herein.  You have been warned.

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

*I received this book from DC Comics, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on February 17th, 2015.*

Movie Review - Justice League: War

DVD Release Date:  February 4th, 2014

Actors: Alan Tudyk, Jason O'Mara, Michelle Monaghan, Shemar Moore, Sean Astin, Christopher Gorham

Director: Jay Oliva

Writer: Heath Corson

Producer: James Tucker

Run Time: 79 Minutes

Review

I think that my opinion is somewhere between the party line and the outsider, when it comes to what other fans seem to think. Here it goes: I flat out liked it, as a whole. As someone who has just recently (within the last three years or so) gotten into the DC Universe, including the various animated series and the comics [mostly new 52 stuff], I can't say I'm a die-hard fan. But I have always loved superheroes and the different journeys that they can take us mere mortals on. I have been recently watching the JL and JLU animated series - marathoning them to be more truthful. And while I appreciate other fans' take on Kevin Conroy (Batman), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman) and Tim Daly/George Newbern (Superman) being the definitive voice cast, I feel like the new voices are a nice change for a new direction in the storytelling.

Jason O'Mara as Batman - I love the serious, gritty voice acting on his part and the slight humorous edge they seem to be trying to convey with the animation in this one (though his face does seem almost overly surprised at times). I always thought Batman had a wry sense of humor about things. To me, O'Mara fits in with the new casting and is a worthy successor to Conroy.

Alan Tudyk as Superman & Michelle Monaghan as Wonder Woman - I'm grouping these two together, because it seemed like that's kind of what this movie did too. I loved the flirtations between the two of them and how obviously fish-out-of-water they were on Earth compared to the rest of the JL. That said, as other reviewers have pointed out, this film didn't quite succeed in making them three-dimensional characters. And Wonder Woman was overly Thor-ed in terms of characterization. Yes, puny mortals and all that. We get it. The whole thing with the ice cream truck made me chuckle, but it also made me shake my head in bemusement. THAT'S what you choose to do with one of the ONLY spotlight scenes for WW in the entire film, DC? Okay then...I found myself hoping that in "Throne of Atlantis" we get to see more humanizing aspects of our goddess and alien JL members. The voice acting itself, while solid, was nothing overly special or memorable.

Justin Kirk as Green Lantern - Wow, they came on kind of strong with the whole 'Hal is an arrogant prick' thing in this one. I liked the voice acting and the smarmy personality, to a degree. But as someone mostly unfamiliar with Hal (more familiar with Jon Stewart, actually), it got kind of off-putting. I did like the push-pull dynamic between him and Batman. Also, the interactions with Flash allowed me to see a glimmer of their friendship, which is something I really liked in JL: Flashpoint Paradox. Kind of interested to see what Nathan Fillion, who I really like as an actor, does with the role in TOA.

Christopher Gorham as The Flash - Got probably the least amount of screen time out of all of them, but was likeable enough. Curious to see if he'll get his own solo film, due to the popularity of the new CW show or if they'll keep riding the Batman/Superman train till it derails.

Shemar Moore as Cyborg - Completely unfamiliar with him before this movie. I knew he was part of the new Justice League and is (supposedly) going to have his own, live action film. I can honestly say that this character was the most likeable in the film. The connections to Billy Batson and even the Flash, through his scientist Father, before he got his powers made me curious. The scenes between him and Doctor Stone, that first fight scene with Darkseid's minions and the overall advantages to which they utilized Vic was really well conceived. In what is supposed to be the Justice League's origin, it's also a showcase of Vic Stone's metamorphosis from every-man to superheroe and how alone that makes him feel. The JL gives him a place to belong and a purpose for his life, after his football dream is obviously over. Obviously cliched in terms of story, but done with so much heart that I couldn't NOT like it! Plus, the whole interaction with Billy, which leads me to...

Sean Astin as Shazam & Zach Callison as Billy Batson - The New 52 origins for Shazam are a lot more relatable that his original, perfect and priggish personality. In this he's a street-wise, tough orphan who has been wrung out through the foster-care system and back. He is still untrusting and a little thief, even now that he's in a home where he can semi-relax. The only thing I wish is that we could have seen Billy get his powers, instead of him already having them. Also, do the other kids in his foster home know about the powers? In the comics they are in on the whole thing. But I get that due to time constraints they couldn't tell two origin stories in depth (and I'm glad they chose Vic, to be honest). To Billy, Vic Stone was a hero when he was just a football player. When he becomes Cyborg, he has this immature, overly musclebound magical guy named 'Shazam' chanting "Vic-tory!" in his ear and cheering him on. I don't think it really sets in for Cyborg that anyone can be a superhero until he finds out Shazam's identity. There are a couple great moments between the two of them near the end of the film. I also laughed when Wonder Woman commented on his acting immature and Billy's suggestion for a JL name and the others' reactions. It was a good choice to have different voice actors for the adult hero and the child alter-ego and both did a really great job, in my opinion. I just hope Billy isn't shoved aside for Arthur in the next film. I'd like to see him continue to be part of the League as well.

Darkseid - I was surprised they pulled out the big gun for something that was mainly an "origin" of the League. Also, the conflict just seemed a little overblown for how quickly it got resolved. I would have liked to see a different villain, on a grander scale. But the New 52 is what it is, and generally that's enough for me. Just didn't translate super great in terms of visuals in my opinion.

Overall, the animation in this was better for me than it was in the popular animated "Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox." I am especially glad to see that they've redesigned Aquaman for the next film. My brother, whom I watched both movies with, commented that Aquaman looked like he had a block for a head in JL:FP - and I agreed. Some people didn't like the design for Diana in this one, but I like that even while being an ass-kicker she still looked feminine (I can't stand the New 52 comic designs for WW and thankfully this didn't adhere to them). Probably the actual animation I liked the least, was the design for Batman. Like I said earlier in the review, I felt like the default face for him was a perpetual "O" mouth in surprise and he just seemed kind of underdeveloped in terms of detail. The visual representation on him wasn't so great for me. Not my favorite film, but I can honestly say I highly enjoyed it and I like the direction they are taking things in with this New 52 business and the new voice cast. Now, if only the Throne of Atlantis is as good as the trailer makes it look...

Aquaman, Vol. 1: The Trench

Published:  September 11th, 2012

Aquaman, Vol. 1: The Trench (Aquaman Vol. VII #1)

By: Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis (Illustrator), & Joe Prado (Illustrator)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401235512

The King of the Seven Seas Aquaman returns to his very own ongoing series for the first time in years at the hands of DC Entertainment Chief Creative Office Geoff Johns, who reteams with Green Lantern collaborator artist Ivan Reis!  Between proving himself to a world that sees him as a joke, Aquaman and his bride Mera face off against a long buried terror from the depths of the ocean!

Review

       So, before this I had never read an Aquaman comic book.  My only real big or small screen interaction with him was when A.C. Curry showed up in a couple episodes of "Smallville."  He seemed fairly likeable, if a little too obsessed with being kind to the environment (i.e. the ocean).  I did know that to most people Aquaman is a gigantic joke.  People like to dismiss him, because most of his powers are only usable in the Ocean/water.  They think he's useless when on land.  This comic book, a part of the New 52 relaunch of DC from a couple years ago, doesn't so much reboot the legend of Aquaman as it does revamp him a little bit.  We get to see the struggle of being a superhero and wanting to use your powers to help people, when they don't want you around.  The people Aquaman helps ridicule him, even after he saves their lives.  They don't appreciate his honor or his impressive powers.  Nothing he does is good enough to get rid of the stigma he faces with overwhelming public scorn geared towards him.

       The story, with the unknown sea monsters (they looked kind of like piranhas and were found to be some kind of ancient, weird offshoot of them) attacking Arthur's town, opened his situation to the reader and allowed me to jump in with ease.  We're also introduced to Mera, an Atlantean mermaid who was sent to kill Aquaman by Atlanteans who distrusted him, and fell in love with him instead.  Mera is a serious bad-ass, with the power to control ALL water (fire hydrants, water under the ground, in people's bodies, etc.).  Not to mention, she doesn't have quite the fondness for humans that Arthur does, at least not yet.  There is a great episode with her going out to buy a can of dog food and ending up arrested and causing havoc.  This volume leaves off on a cliffhanger of a greater mystery: why did Atlantis retreat underwater?  I liked the artwork, the story was really fun, and I'm interested in reading the next volume to see what's going to happen with the whole Atlantis thing.  I count this one as a win, especially since I'm sure a lot of these New 52 titles are going to be a hit or miss proposition.

VERDICT:  4/5 Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1 (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Year One Series)

Published:  November 19th, 2013

Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1 (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Year One Series)

By: Tom Taylor, Jheremy Raapack (Illustrations), Various (Illustrations)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401245009

From the makers of Mortal Kombat comes the critically acclaimed prequel comic to the smash hit fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us!

Things in the DC Universe have changed after Superman is tricked into destroying the one thing he loves the most.  Now unwilling to let crime go unpunished, the heroes of our world must choose if they are with Superman or against him.  But not every country will submit to his new world order and neither will Superman's greatest threat -- Batman!

Collects #s 1-6 of Injustice.

Review

       So, I am more of a casual comic nerd than anything else.  I have my favorites, just like anyone who gets drawn in by comics.  In general, I make it a point to read off the wall rando stuff like Panthaa or Vampirella just for the hell of it.  But my must-reads are Hellboy (Dark Horse comics) and Green Arrow (DC Comics), usually.  The rest of the DC Comics characters I could usually do without, although I have a casual interest in them.  I had been curious about the game (I'm a fan of the original Sega Genesis Mortal Kombat games - yes, I'm old!) and finally played some single-battle mode with my brother.  I'll stick to my Genesis gaming-wise, as there are too many damn buttons for an X-Box 360 fighting game.  The story still intrigued me though as a fan of anything to do with alternate universes, so when I was in Comic City the other day I bought this Volume to see what the hype is about.  I definitely understand now!

       

       God, what can I say about the artwork and the story that hasn't already been said?  It starts with Superman finding out he's going to be a father and asking Batman to be the baby's Godfather.  Than the Joker targets Superman (wanting to win for a change, instead of losing to Bats again) and basically tricks him into killing Lois (and the unborn baby) and blowing up the entire city of Metropolis.  So Supes loses his city, his wife and his child all in one fell swoop.  Mad with grief, he decides that the superheroes in the world should use their powers to force the humans to stop their wars - an enforcement of peace on earth and all that jazz.  So he goes out and starts enforcing.  Batman is against Superman's tactics (which veer into "violence for the greater good").  He manages to convince some of the other heroes to join with him and oppose Superman.  But who can really oppose a man with godlike powers, with others that are the same backing him up?

       

       It's got questions of morality, and focuses a lot on making the right decisions, i.e. when to interfere and when not to.  Batman understands that even without the fighting/weapons, the conflicts still exist and aren't truly resolved.  It surprised me to see Wonder Woman (aka Diana) as Superman's right-hand man and top enforcer.  The Amazons sent her there as an emissary of peace and she's fighting bloody battles.  I particularly like the interactions between her and Ares, God of War, who she impales and taunts harshly.  The scenes with Aquaman and Arkham Asylum reiterate the fact that no one is safe from Superman's self-imposed reign of peace/terror (depending on your views).  Batman protecting the villains wasn't surprising in and of itself, as he doesn't believe in being judge/jury/executioner like Supes does.  It creates some scenes of comic gold, especially between Harley Quinn and Green Arrow, who are thrown together when he agrees to protect her from death via Superman.  The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, with every one of the characters coming across as flawed and human.  I especially liked the sequence with The Flash, where he's running on that Australian road, thinking about a kid that was playing superhero that got paralyzed because of Superman's tactics/orders - and his compliance.  It's an amazing moment of self-introspection and probably one the things that stayed with me most after I finished reading.

       

       There are three main character deaths in this (four if you count Jimmy Olsen) and they definitely won't be the last if it continues the way it started.  And I really hope that it does.  It's a brave new world, with Superman as the antagonist (which doesn't necessarily translate to "bad guy") and Batman as the protagonist.  There is particularly interesting, if albeit a little preachy, scene with Catwoman and Batman visitng the President and telling him that he has to do better, for the people that voted him in.  I think that's something that speaks to the general feelings of the American public, in our actual world we live in right now.  The cliffhanger left me reeling, but hopeful for another truly interesting comic volume.  One that makes me think, gives my eyes beautiful artwork to feast upon, has beautiful and funny dialogue and it just plain fun.  I highly recommend this to people who love comics, a good story, and just long for something different! :D

VERDICT:  5/5 Stars

One Of My Favorite Scenes

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**