The Front Page

Batman #713 (DC Comics)
By Fabian Nicieza, Steve Scott, Daniel Sampere, Andrei Bressan, Tony Daniel

This issue, the final issue of the original run of Batman, is easy to describe, but it’s hard to get in-depth. In short, it’s the story of Batman and Robin – all of them. An unseen narrator is telling the story of Batman and the four boys who wore the Robin suit (still no love for Stephanie Brown), how they came to him, how they grew up, and how the world of Gotham City changed with them. It’s a nice piece, it feels very much like Batman-as-fairy-tale, and the ending provides a very interesting bit of development for the current Robin as well. The ending loses a point for being a tad too cute about the point Fabian Nicieza is making, and it could have been avoided if the letterer simply hadn’t bolded the names of the audience members, as if to nudge the reader in the ribs and say, “Get it? Get it?” The three pencilers who tackled the issue all did a good job – the artwork is perfectly acceptable and tells the story cleanly and well, without giving the reader too big a jolt when they shift. It’s not the greatest Batman story ever told, but that’s okay. It’s not the “last” Batman story, either, even if it’s the last issue. But it’s a good place to look back at the sons of Bruce Wayne, smile at the family, and take a leap of faith into the future.
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Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies #3 (DC Comics)
By Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Agustin Padilla, Scott Clark, Dave Beaty

In the finale of Wonder Woman and the Furies, we see the events that brought England to its current mile-high state, then flash back to the present for Diana’s epic confrontation with Aquaman – and it’s the horrific discovery she makes beforehand. This issue isn’t bad. In many ways, it’s like a flip book with Emperor Aquaman, showing many of the same events from the other side. Terra’s reaction to the way Arthur is using her brother is particularly interesting – it shows off some things about the character that weren’t necessarily true in the previous DC Universe. Story-wise, the real issue with this book is scheduling. Somebody at DC got things really backwards. This issue contains a major event which was spoiled by Diana point-blank explaining it to Arthur in last week’s Emperor Aquaman #3, and when Diana appears we find out she’s fresh from a battle she engages in during next week’s Lois Lane and the Resistance #3. I know I’ve complained about there being too many of these Flashpoint spin-off books, but you’d think it would have been simple enough to arrange things so these three titles came out in the same order that the events of the books happened. The artwork, unfortunately, isn’t that great. The women’s faces all look very similar, to the point where in some scenes it can be difficult to tell who’s who. The scenes of destruction are probably the high point (which I realize even as I type is a very unusual thing to say). Not a bad book, but considering how it flows into last week’s issue, it doesn’t really feel like a satisfying ending to the miniseries.
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Flashpoint: Abin Sur-The Green Lantern #3 (DC Comics)
By Adam Schlagman, Robson Rocha, Felipe Massafera

With Abin Sur defying the Guardians’ order to find the White Entity and evacuate it from an Earth on the brink, Sinestro has been sent in to confront him. Abin, though, is determined to save the Earth, even if the Guardians are ready to abandon it. The end of this issue is interesting, but seriously unexpected. Considering that the Aquaman/Wonder Woman battle has factored into the conclusion of several of the Flashpoint miniseries so far, it’s not surprising to see that’s the case here as well. Unlike the other books that have ended with this battle, though, something happens in this issue that could have a direct impact on the main Flashpoint title, should Abin Sur appear in that book. While it certainly makes for a good way to end this book, I always feel like it’s a bit of a cheat to do something quite this big in a spin-off. Hopefully, even if Abin does appear, what happens to him won’t be used in such a way that the readers who didn’t get this issue will feel like they’ve missed something. As it is, it’s a strong way to wrap up Abin’s storyline. Rocha and Massafera deliver on the artwork – the cover is a knockout, and the interior pages aren’t far off from that quality. This is one book that really looks great. It was a good chapter in the overall Flashpoint saga. I just hope it wasn’t a vital one.
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DC Retroactive: The Flash-The 90s #1 (DC Comics)
By Brian Augustyn, Mike Bowden, Mark Millar, Pop Mhan

Going all the way back to the 90s, one-time Flash editor and later (with Mark Waid) co-writer Brian Augustyn returns for this special that follows Wally West through one of the tensest times of his life. Rattling through time following his battle with Cobalt Blue, Wally finds himself stranded at some point in the timestream with his memories in a shambles and his old enemy Kilg%re ready to take him on. It’s not a bad book, and this is perhaps the most fertile period of the Flash’s 90s escapades. The amount of time-travel that went on makes it very easy to craft a story that slips through the cracks. It seems Augustyn is trying a little too hard to justify the fact that the story has never been referenced before, though – the idea of Wally’s memory being shattered seems a bit unnecessary, as the whole concept of Linda being his anchor to reality was already firmly established at this point. The strange shift in Wally’s costume also makes no sense. The costume itself isn’t bad (in truth, I prefer it to the one he’s wearing these days when he actually shows up) but there’s really no reason for it to switch or switch back. What does his memory have to do with his costume? If it’s supposed to be a psychological thing (I don’t remember if, at this point, we were going with the conceit that Wally’s costume was made of solidified Speed Force, but let’s say that it was) it doesn’t really come across that well. The back-up story comes from Mark Millar’s brief run as writer on this book, with the first chapter of his Black Flash storyline, where Wally’s extended Speed Force family (Jay Garrick, Jesse Quick, Max Mercury and Bart Allen – then Impulse) worried that the Black Racer is chasing Wally down. It’s not a bad story, but its inclusion is really random – there are so many great stories at that time period, why would they go with something so obscure and so incomplete? As much as I was looking forward to it, this isn’t one of my favorite Retroactive specials.
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The Walking Dead #88 (Image Comics/Skybound)
By Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn

Carl wakes up for the first time since his gunshot wound, but Rick finds gaps in his son’s memory. As the two of them try to rebuild what’s left of their family, the rest of the community begins looking at ways to expand their territory and reconstruct their defenses. But not everybody is happy about their new plans. I really do love the way Robert Kirkman constructs these stories. We’re still in the down-cycle since the last major action arc (the splash of blood across the cover notwithstanding). But now that things are starting to come around – Carl recovering in particular – it’s time to start throwing in the sort of conflicts that could slowly evolve into major threats later on down the line. It’s a good way to keep the level of tension in this title consistent while at the same time never keeping things so tense and so bleak that the reader starts to lose interest. Adlard and Rathburn are still effective artists, making the book sharp and fun to read, although sometimes I do find the bearded characters tend to look alike. It makes it a little difficult to keep track of who’s who and what relationships everyone is in. But the book is as solid as ever, and still one of the best buys every month.
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Justice League of America #60 (DC Comics)
By James Robinson, Daniel Sampere, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Peter Steigerwald

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, many of the final issues before the big DC Relaunch have the feel of the writers showcasing what may have been had the writer been allowed to tell their stories as planned. Batgirl #24 has been best of these thus far, but Justice League of America #60 is a close second. Some indeterminate time after the end of last issue, Dick Grayson presides over the final meeting of the Justice League of America… well… of this Justice League. And as he does so, the League recalls some of the great adventures we, as readers, never got to see: Saturn at war with Thanagar, the return of Gemworld, and an unexpected pregnancy are just a few of the surprises here. James Robinson had a tough task with this book – taking surrogates for the Big Five JLAers plus the new Blue and Gold team of Starman and Congorilla and making them a real League. This issue, more so than anything else, made it feel real, and right, and in the end, terribly honest. The final dialogue between Batman and Donna Troy is wonderfully moving as a moment between two characters who have been friends as children, but it also serves as something of a fourth wall-breaking capper for this League and the whole pre-Relaunch continuity. Robinson has always been at his best telling long-term stories, and the end of this issue is wonderfully bittersweet, a feeling that we’re seeing the end of a story that barely started. I just hope his 12-issue Shade series isn’t the only new thing he has in the works, because this James Robinson is one I want to read every single month.
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Green Lantern Corps #63 (DC Comics)
By Scott Kolins, Joe Prado, Freddie Williams II, Daniel HDR, Tyler Kirkham, Batt, Nei Ruffino

The final issue of Green Lantern Corps before the relaunch deals again with the fallout of the War of the Green Lanterns, which (combined with the issues of Emerald Warriors and the Aftermath miniseries) will make the collected edition of the Aftermath books just about as long as the war itself. This isn’t a complaint so much as an observation. Scott Kolins writes this piece, which sheds a spotlight on several Lanterns who haven’t had the spotlight the way the humans have: Boodikka struggling with the restoration of her emotions, Salaak as he attempts to protect the still shell-shocked Ry’Jll from her fellow Lanterns, Tomar-Tu’s effort to stand up for Kyle Rayner, and the threat which ultimately pulls all of these shattered Lanterns together. It’s not a bad story. While the cracks in the Corps are still there and still prevalent, the conclusion is a nice way to make it clear that the Corps will go on, despite everything that’s happened. Each chapter of the book is handled by a different artist, each doing a very short chapter, and most of them doing it well. Joe Prado, Daniel HDR and Kolins himself all do solid work. The odd man out here is Freddie Williams II, whose chapter shifts drastically from the traditional look of the other chapters to more of a painted feel. To be fair, this is some of the best work Williams has done in quite some time (as people who remember his somewhat underwhelming run on Flash will attest), but the look stands in terribly stark contrast to the rest of the book. I rather wish either the whole book had been done in this style, or none of it. It’s nice to see this title end with the Corps as a whole. It’s fitting, it’s as it should be, and it leaves things in a good place to begin again in September.
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Avengers Academy #18 (DC Comics)
By Christos Gage, Andrea DiVito, Billy Tan, Leonardo Olea

Last issue the Academy kids returned home from battle, licking their wounds and thinking they’d have time to catch their breath. But before they could recuperate, they found themselves impossibly under attack by the ultra-amped Absorbing Man and Titania. This is about as all-out action as an issue of Avengers Academy has gotten yet, with a bit less time paid to the usual character interaction and development in lieu of some hardcore, blow-by-blow fisticuffs. And that’s all to the good. To be certain, this book wouldn’t be the star of Marvel’s lineup that it is without the character stuff, but taking a break from it once in a while for the sake of some serious action isn’t a bad thing at all. Christos Gage writes a strong action sequence, and Andrea DiVito nails the images. You get to see not only how dangerous the villains are, but also the potential of the heroes as well. Striker even manages to work in just a little bit of growth here, embracing part of himself that the book has tried to push aside in order to win the day. With an issue left, this is probably my favorite bit of Fear Itself to date.
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Review By: Blake M. Petit BlakeMPetit@gmail.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Rise of the Hollow Men Conclusion: The Neverending…
Rating: T

Superboy and his friends face off against an ancient evil beneath the streets of Smallville!

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Pier Gallo
Colors: Jamie Grant, Dom Regan
Letters: Travis Lanham
Editor: Matt Idelson
Cover Art: Karl Kerschl
Publisher: DC Comics

Tannarak and the Parasite have unearthed a demonic presence in the bowels of Smallville, and everyone in the town is in danger of becoming slaves to the darkness. The Phantom Stranger, Superboy, and his friends stand ready to fight – but will their efforts be enough?
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Is Distract-A-Methhead the next iteration of Confuse-A-Cat? This episode suggests yes, yes it is, and Jesse would be the perfect CEO. I have to admit, when this episode started, I thought I’d accidentally DVR’d a repeat of last week’s ep, but no, the opening sequence mimics last week’s opening sequence, but with a difference. It’s two guys hiding in the back of a Los Pollo Hermanos refrigerator truck, and they are ruthlessly killed by cartel men who this time employ smarts, locking them in the back and connecting a hose from the exhaust to the refrigeration unit, leaving the men inside to die horrible deaths while they stand outside, finishing the dead driver’s lunch. And all this death was simply for one single bucket of hidden blue meth. It’s an ugly world.

Speaking of which, Walt continues to be a dick, and he is absolutely right in all the wrong ways this episode. His mask starts slipping ...

Reviewer: Andrea Speed andy@cxpulp.com
Quick Rating: Great
Title: Flambe, Conclusion

Tony and Colby investigate a cult, while Savoy comes to an understanding.

Writer: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
Cover Art: Rob Guillory
Publisher: Image

One thing you have to love about Chew, along with its inherent and welcome weirdness, is its willingness to make calbacks. Sure, characters could simply be invented as need be, but often minor characters that you don’t think much about suddenly appear again, enriching the universe and making you wonder about storylines that you thought were already past. You find yourself wondering if maybe you haven’t heard the last of that.

Several plot points come together here, although a couple new ones crop up as well, as Tony ...