Reviews in Brief

Welcome to Tranquility Armageddon
Void shows a nasty future to Maximum Man. This comic is odd enough on its own. And while I know it's in the Wildstorm universe, because it's published under the Wildstorm imprint, it's still weird to see it actually integrated, more or less, in that universe. Fun, tho, if a bit unnecessary. Makes me wonder if after they finish with these Armageddon tales, we'll finally see WildCats return.

Countdown... 23
Mr. Mxyzptlk was never one of my fav Superman foes, but he was oddly sympathetic in this. That doesn't change the fact that this issue, like the one before it, feels padded so the story won't peak too soon.

Countdown to Mystery 3
Another solid Dr. Fate story and the Eclipso feature was fun, too. The inclusion of Spectre has led to some intriguing developments. I'm looking forward to the next issue, for both stories.

Shadowpact 19
No surprises, really, in the resolution to the Laura falls for the demon storyline, but it was a good, solid effort and the art was nice. I like the title page with the reflections in the scrying dish. And any comic with Detective Chimp is starting off right.

Flash 234
Parenthood isn't supposed to be this tough. I'm enjoying the family issues and the kids. They give the book a different, even fresh feel. The back-up feature, "The Fast Life," featured Barry and Iris this time and was a joy.

Brave and Bold 8
Teaming up Flash and the Doom Patrol. I missed reading the whole original Doom Patrol back from the dead story wherever it was, but it was nice seeing the old gang again, minus Gar/Beast Boy. I don't remember Niles Caulder being this nutty, but it made for a fun story, along with the rest of the DP being a bit on the side of odd. Using the Challengers of the Unknown and that infernal book of destiny as a framing device (and what is the mysterious Megistus, anyway, and how long til we readers get to find out?) keeps the overall story thread of the title humming along nicely. And George Perez' pencils are always nice to see.

Checkmate 20
Seeing Waller taken down, mostly, was delicious, and yet, she's free to cause trouble some other day, because, in her words, "I'm going to remember this." The political intrigue in this title hits all the right beats and I love how Waller was out-maneuvered. One of my fav titles.

Catwoman 73
Another of my favs. Pfeifer really knows how to ratchet up the tension. Selina's lost everything, but she's able to think on her feet. Just not well enough to get out of the trap set for her, perhaps? I love her makeshift costume and the creepy guy who keeps a collection of costumed villain costumes and paraphernalia. All that and another super Adam Hughes cover. Selina practically explodes off the page.

Birds of Prey 112
So far, Bedard is doing admirable work since taking over. I like Zinda, so having her featured as she attempts to honor Big Barda in her own, Black Hawk fashion, was a real treat. Cole and Hazelwood did a nice job on the art, making Zinda look a bit crazed, which considering her mood and how much she'd had to drink, worked well. I'm feeling a lot better, so far, about Gail Simone leaving the book. Bedard (except for a few missteps in his first issue) seems to be settling in nicely.

Spirit 11
Nothing like a thrilling zombie story. Denny's really had the crap beat out of him recently. One more issue by Darwyn Cooke. *sniff* I hope the new team can maintain the smart alecky tone.

Lone Ranger 10
A very striking cover fits this very striking conclusion to the main story arc. The Lone Ranger learns a serious lesson about misplaced trust without losing his sense of self. The art by Sergio Cariello, under the direction of John Cassaday, is superb in a book that relies on the pictures as much or moreso than on the words Brett Matthews writes. This is as good as a comic gets.

All-Star Superman 9
Superman returns to Earth to encounter a couple of arrogant Kryptonians from his planet's history who have wandered space til finding Earth and taking over his fortress, and yet, he still managed to humble them with his goodness. Another solid effort, to be continued.

Angel After the Fall 1
Finally, Angel, season 6. Los Angeles is a much darker place after the show ended than the rest of the world after Angel's sister show, Buffy, ended, as evidenced in that comic. A lot of intriguing bits are introduced but we'll have to wait for answers as to what happened during the big battle that ended season 5. I'm not immediately in love with this as I was with the first issue of the Buffy Season 8 comic, but I like it enough to keep reading.