Another Big Week

It's been a big comics month for me. And most this week were quite entertaining, so let's get to the reviews.

Black Canary 11
I really don't know much about the New52 version of Dinah, but this comic is a joy to look at. In this issue, we get into the heart of the story and maybe next issue, we'll learn the truth about her parents. I don't care all that much, but the ride has been fun, with a strong, musical motif.

Dream Police 9
Hot on the heels of issue 8 -- really! It's been only a month since issue 8, which came out 8 months after issue 7 -- this issue really delivers. Joe's former partner, Frank, meets Joe and Joe's current partner, Kate, in the Verge, where he tells them what's really going on in the Dreamscape, mainly, who really make up the Dream Police. I hope by the time this story concludes, we learn who the people in charge of the whole thing, the ones in control of dreaming, really are. But for now, getting some answers and the promise of maybe having the story conclude this year has me back to thoroughly enjoying this story.

Harley Quinn 27
Featuring the Red Tool, a takeoff on Deadpool. As advertised on the cover, instead of the Merc with the Mouth, we get the Fool with the Tools. And he's got a love/hate thing going on for Harley. The usual crazy amped up a bit. I love this version of Harley because she's nobody's fool.

Ms. Marvel 6
Captain Marvel and some Avengers stop by to help out when the clone Kamalas get out of control. Even Loki puts in an appearance. And Kamala learns an important lesson about not trying to be everyone's hero, time management, and the need to sometimes say "No." Fun stuff.

Saga 36
End of the story arc/brief hiatus time, and what a last page! The main thing, story-wise, though, is that Hazel is reunited with her parents. Let's all say it together: "Awwwwwwww......"

Avengers Standoff 001
Assault on Pleasant Hill. Lots of baddies. Lots of Avengers and others. Lots of fighting. Setups for what's coming up in the Marvel 'verse. Not as many character bits as I would like, but enough to balance the battles. I bought this for Bucky, but it was a decent story.

Star-Lord 6
Kitty and Peter have broken up, hate each other or so they each claim, and both insist on being Star-Lord. Yeah, this is going well. Not. And when they're convinced to team up on a mission for Stark, well, that doesn't go well, either. I'm glad we're back in the present, but the story seems kinda forced, the broken romance overblown. I'm reserving judgment on this. I much preferred the last version, before Marvel revamped things.

Strange Fruit 3 (of 4)
So glad to finally get the next installment of this story of racial tension after the Civil War. The art is stunning, the characters all too realistic, and the levee about to rupture adds a sense of urgency. A really good story.

SuperZero 5
Dru is finally getting an adventure, aboard the space station after stowing away on a NASA launch, but gaining superpowers seems as elusive to her as ever. But something sinister is going on as this comic takes a swing away from feeling current day realistic. I have mixed feelings about where the story is going. I love how grounded the story has been even as Dru is anything but grounded, so getting her into a situation that is anything but grounded in current reality means this might end up being something different. I'm hopeful it'll remain awesome, but the turn of events caught me by surprise. Not that I don't like being surprised, only that it changes the tone of the book. I'm still loving Dru, though.

Velvet 14
This got really real, with real-life figures showing up, as Velvet kidnaps President Nixon for a heart-to-heart chat. Tying the story into real-life events -- in this case, the Watergate break-in -- gives the story more realism and urgency than ever and puts Velvet in more danger than she had been or had anticipated. This book is an excellent take on the spy game in the early-'70s.