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DC’s New 52 – Month 2 review

The second month for DC Comics has come and gone. I was kind of hoping for there to be more on the mysterious woman in red, but alas she nearly disappeared out of this month, showing up in only Batman #2 as far as I could tell. Toward the end of the month, in the editorial, they did put in a piece about her and said that more would be coming from the Justice League comics, which I’ll have to read from a friend as I don’t care for those myself.

The second month for DC Comics has come and gone. I was kind of hoping for there to be more on the mysterious woman in red, but alas she nearly disappeared out of this month, showing up in only Batman #2 as far as I could tell. Toward the end of the month, in the editorial, they did put in a piece about her and said that more would be coming from the Justice League comics, which I’ll have to read from a friend as I don’t care for those myself.

All-Star Western
It doesn’t seem promising to me that I don’t particularly remember this comic and it was in the last week of the second month. Still it wasn’t a bad comic and I really like the theme and that it reads like Sherlock Holmes. These things alone are likely enough to keep me for another month even though it is slightly more expensive. I like the concepts. If the third month has the same issue as the second, I will be done.

Animal Man
This was easily one of my favorite comic books from the first month largely because it concentrated on a hero who had to deal with real life issues as a hero. I thought it was hugely interesting and really well written. The second month totally lost me however. It just became really really weird and I lost all interest in it. They didn’t really concentrate on the family at all. I mean Animal Man does go off with his daughter… but it’s just strange. It is hard to explain. I won’t go for this one anymore.

Aquaman
I still really like this one, and it is amazing to me considering what Aquaman has been. I think it really comes in the jokes of the comic making fun of itself. I don’t particularly like the monsters looking for food (people) and this has turned me off to the point that I won’t buy the next installation, but it is a really good book. If you can get past the monster villains, I highly recommend this one. 

Batman
As mentioned before, the red woman shows up in this comic, though I don’t know why just this one, it didn’t seem particularly special. I have gotten confused by the Batman storylines. They all seem to be happening at about the same time with no crossover at all and I just end up getting confused between the books. I think there are too many Bat Books out there and unfortunately this one may be dropped by my buy list largely because it is fairly forgettable.

Batwoman
This comic continues to hold on to being a great beginning. It gets a little weird so I don’t like it quite as much as the first comic. But she definitely has a ton going on in her world with her father, her girlfriend/sidekick, Batman being on her case, and some weird agency trying to out her. Again, great art and great story. I generally don’t like alternates of other super heroes but this ones is stellar.

Birds of Prey
I wanted this one to pick up in the second book, because I really love the concept. Instead it slowed down. It is too bad. I have decided I don’t like this one.

Blue Beetle
This book has similar issues to Birds of Prey. I like the concept with the internal struggle with the suit and this leads to some funny parts. But overall the story isn’t grabbing me like I would like it to. I still have hope on this one more than Birds of Prey and this might lead to a third purchase, but I also tend to think it isn’t worth it. Another series that it is too bad that they just can’t pick it up a notch.

DC Universe Presents
Not quite as good as the first book in the Deadman saga. I am still curious enough to pick up the third. The first book had a lot going on, but this book almost seemed like filler which seems sad to me considering how early in the series it is to me. Unfortunately nothing really happened here, and many points of the second book were made in the first book. Very redundant, I hope it rights its coarse for book 3.

Detective Comics
Another solid showing for this series. The series continues to be dark and brooding. A new villain shows up and yet another “Wait what?” happens at the end of it. I am very intrigued by the series. Good writing, good art, just all around tops. This is very much my favorite of the Bat books.

Green Lantern
I have to say, I love Sinistro. Like Atrocitus, he actually thinks about his place in the universe and his powers and his duty. He is very insightful and intelligent. I like him far more than Hal Jordan who seems to be nothing more than a tool. Unfortunately, I am sure that the series is leading towards Sinistro joining the Sinistro Corps again and becoming a villain again. But so far, I don’t see him as a villain, even as I watch him controlling Jordan. Just great really.

Green Lantern Corps
This remains my least favorite of the lantern books and I won’t be picking it up for a third month. This is disappointing to me because I am very interested in the concept of seeing other lanterns in action, in particular non-human ones. You would think this might be the place for that, but sadly even though the team contains non-humans, only the humans get the right to say more than a sentence and develop character. Even the story of some never ending force that is out killing worlds to collect elements seems overly bleh.

Green Lanterns: New Guardians
This remains my favorite Green Lantern comic. Focusing on the most interesting human green lantern and he is actually doing really cool things. I also like that there is a representation from each of the ring corps in it which allows them to explore other sides of the ring universe. I find this one extremely compelling and look forward to it every month. If the different ring holders started acting like a team I’d say this would also be my favorite team comic, but I kind of like that at the moment they are at war with each other and that there is a tension there

I, Vampire
I checked out I, Vampire largely because I like vampire stories and I heard this one was good. This has a great concept and I am interested to see how the vampire’s war with the super heroes works out. It isn’t a bad concept, though I often found myself lost. It wasn’t overly cohesive, but the art was cool.

Nightwing
I actually like this series. You got Nightwing inheriting a circus which could be really interesting, a villain who knows his true identity and seems to match up well with him, and him struggling with life after being Batman. It is a good story, but it isn’t blowing me away. That my friend is buying it and I can read his for free, and that I don’t feel very strongly about it means the end of the line for me. That doesn’t mean it isn’t good, it just isn’t great.

Red Lanterns
My friend who pointed me towards Green Lantern in the first place won’t even read this book without paying for it. I am not sure why. The second month was even better than the first. It was full of introspection and thought. The main character Atrocitus is great. So far the main failing of the series is the lack of any sort of character for him to really interact with or villain for him to deal with. Although it seems like both of these might change very soon. I really do like this series and definitely suggest picking it up if you haven’t already.

Suicide Squad
This remains my favorite “team” comic book from DC and it continues its streak. As they promised, someone did in fact die and they actually promise another death next month too. They really are keeping to their name, but I feel that they are going to have to start adding more to the team if they are going to keep this rate up. I don’t think anyone in the DC Universe would allow Harley to get offed by this series. Unfortunately Shark dude is not one of the ones who got axed, but there is always next month (I don’t think he will die next month either but I do hope).