COMIC SYNOPSIS : OCTOBER 12, 2011 - SUICIDE SQUAD 2, NEW AVENGERS 17, X-MEN: REGENESIS 1, UNCANNY X-FORCE 16, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 671

SUICIDE SQUAD 2 :

Story starts with Deadshot talking to boss Waller via satellite feed. The team is at a football stadium that has been shut down for quarantine. A random fan comes up to Deadshot and explain the events that led up to now which include people turning into zombieish as they start devouring fellow fans and players. After the story Deadshot puts on in his head and notes that he was infected anyways. The team gets a few seconds to ponder what to do when a mob of infected people attack them. Deadshot ends up having some blood spilled on his skin. Team splits up to counter attack the group. Once together again they confront a woman that is not like the others and is pregnant and they presume she is the main carrier of the disease. She mutates into some type of blobish tentacle thing until King Sharks comes up behind and bites her head clean off. They figure out that the unborn baby was the purpose of their mission as it is immune to the disease. Deadshot is online with Waller again and they both know that their needs to be a culprit to tie all this together like a super-villain, Deadshot turns and kills Voltaic which makes him the fall guy. Waller is then informs him that evac is on hold for 3 hours and that Deadshot must not get caught or killed and must protect the baby at all costs and that the rest of the team is expendable.

Rating : 3/5 - A good issue with no slowing down and the story moving at a great pace. Art is perfect for the type of story that is being told though still a tad messy. This is the Squad that I enjoyed back in the day and this series shows promise for longevity after a slowish first issue.

NEW AVENGERS 17 :

Story jumps right in with the team going to a scene where a big robot is destroying all its surroundings. Iron Man is on the scene before they get there and though he warns them to stand down as they jump out of a plane to attack the robot they are pushed back by force from the robot. Iron Man explains that any energy force against will be repelled right back at them. As they attack it using non energy hits Wolverine goes in for the kill slashing away at its "heart" and is promptly attacked from behind by a smaller robot who slashes his neck and takes a big blood sample. It then leaves the scene through the air and before they can catch it, it basically goes super sonic and disappears. We then go to another aircraft and see A.I.M agents talking to Madame Hydra and Norman Osborn who escaped imprisonment last issue with their help. They debate on how long their robot should stay and fight the Avengers as each moment that it is there raises the odds of them being discovered they are behind the attack. Norman once getting Wolverine's blood gives the order for the robot to self destruct.

Rating : 3/5 - Now that we are out of the Fear Itself storyline that the Avengers were involved it we can back to good old action Avengers style and this issue does not disappoint. From the first page to the last it is non stop fighting. I like where this storyline is heading as Norman and his new group have join forces to take over the world. No more divide and conquer but combine and assault. Knowing that the Dark Avengers are coming in future issues and Wolverine's blood being taken here, I think the foreshadowing is being placed here. Look forward to more issues like this.

X-MEN: REGENESIS 1 :

Book starts off with a little recap on what happened in Schism and how Cyclops and Wolverine would like everyone to chose a side or go on your own. Wolverine visits Iceman to persuade him to join his side which he does with some kissing up and a beer. It works. Next up is Psylocke and while she agrees to stay with Wolverine on the X-Force team which she can do in secret she can't do the same for him at the school he is restarting and in turn informs Cyclops that she will stick with him at Utopia. Next up is the couple of Peter and Kitty which is split up with Peter staying with Cyclops and Kitty going with her father figure Wolverine. He feels that kids are not safe around him. Beast gets an email from Wolverine and calls him and joins his side. At a nice little dinner Wolverine meets up with Polaris and Havok and they decide to join his side by getting back with X-Factor. Hope is talking to Mystique about staying with Cyclops but what to do with Idie. Though conflicted she feels that Wolverine can take better care of her than she has recently. Though never really in doubt Emma stays with Cyclops so she continue to work in San Francisco. On to some lesser mutants as they decide which way they are going until we get to the last big one which is Storm. She tells Cyclops she is going as she does not believe in what he is planning on doing. Through alot of begging she agrees to stay. The teams are set and onto a new chapter in the X-Men saga.

Rating : 3/5 - Good book. Obviously not really a story issue as it is all set up for what is upcoming in all X books. Art is good and interactions and reasoning behind all decisions are handled well. I look forward to how this plays out in the next year or so. A good starting point read.

UNCANNY X-FORCE 16 :

Part 6 of the Dark Angel Saga begins with Archangel readying the troops as members of X-Force try to break into the compound to stop him. Back in E.V.A. we see the recuperating Wolverine with Famine in who is handcuffed but not powerless as he blows up everything within and leaves Wolverine to burn. We see Archangel talking to the imprisoned Psylocke tell her to join him once more in the new world he is remaking. While Fantomex and Deadpool continue within the compound Blob falls from the sky and lands on Fantomex while Deadpool uses all his bullets to try to get him off of Fantomex. Up top we see Famine about to unleash some of his power til Wolverine, a tad healed from the blast, walk up behind him and slice off both of his hands. Archangel and Psylocke walk about and talk on how her love for him helped him ascend in secrecy but she responds by saying its her love that will bring him back. As he shows her what he plans to do Genocide's mother approaches and is mad that Archangel has allowed her son to become what has become. He silences her but slicing her in half. Wolverine mind links with Psylocke and discuss how this needs to end now as it is getting close to the point of no return. She takes a shot at him and misses. He knocks her out. We see Deathlok attempting to stop Dark Beast and Genocide begin the process of expanding Archangel's vision. Deathlok is knocked out by War from behind. Wolverine scales on outside wall trying to get to Psylocke who we see is being carried by Archangel to sacrifice slab. He lays her on it and injects the life seed into her back and proclaims she will be his Queen Death. We are left with Fantomex within E.V.A. contemplating what to do next.

Rating : 3.5/5 - Continuing a great run is hard to do but this book always delivers. Story is briskly moving with solid dialogue and art. This book makes Wolverine not the main character which I think makes him a better character within a team book. Though this story takes place before Schism and we know Pyslocke makes it through it is interesting to see how she will be affected by what is happening to her by a past love. Can't wait for next month.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 671 :

Right into the action as we see MJ with her new powers swinging into help some bystanders being attacked by a spider. Back to Spider-Man as he trys to restrain J.J. After accomplishing that he decides to go to Horizon where Reed Richards continues to work on a cure. Reed has his first patient to test the possible cure on but she is under the control of the Spider Queen which instructs her by mind to attack which she does. He is able to inject the serum and she changes back and we go back to Spider Queen who is infuriated that she has been cured when she was guaranteed by Jackal that any type of cure was impossible. Back at Horizon we see Anti-Venom being prepared to lose all his powers so all may be saved. This is being done by the mysterious number Six scientist up til now has been not been revealed to who they are. He starts the process with a hand scan on the computer which shows Moribus. Is this who it really is or is he just helping out this one time and moving on? Either way, he starts the process and leaves the building via the sewers. As Spidey swings towards the lab he comes across fellow heroes protecting the jammers that are keeping all the spider beings within the city limits. We pan back to the lab and it has been discovered that the same jammers holding the spider beings in is what caused Spider-Man to lose his spider sense. They decide that need to find a way to redirect it so Spider-Man can get his sense back. Spider-Man approaches the lab and trys to enter via hand scan but it says he is already logged in and before he can even finish his thought he is blindsided by the Spider-King aka Tarantula aka Kaine aka Peter's clone with the same DNA. The fight moves indoors and next to the vat of vaccine made of Anti-Venom's cells. We see Eddie Brock on the sidelines dazed and confused apparently un Anti-Venomed. Spider King attempts to contaminate the cure but Spider-Man webs up the capsule. Right before Spider-King drops him and the capsule into the vat Spider-Man's spider sense comes back in full force and he is able to overpower Spider-King and push him into the vat. He comes out healed from the Queen's control and mutation but it is revealed by doing all this has amplified the Queen's power and she now has the power of a God as she apparently she kills the Jackal for not doing his job. To Be Concluded.....

Rating : 3/5 - A lot of stuff going on here and to a point too much. The story has way too many parts and even though it works it is a tad overwhelming. The story has been solid but I think the whole is better than the parts. Seeing MJ for only two pages was a major disappointment considering she is on the cover. Next issue brings this all to an explosive end. Art is constent if not great.

COMIC SYNOPSIS : SEPTEMBER 28, 2011 - JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK 1, FURY OF THE FIRESTORM 1, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT 1, SECRET AVENGERS 17, NEW AVENGERS 16.1, VENOM 7, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 670

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK 1 :

We open with Madame Xanadu thinking to herself and pondering the cards that have been dealt to her and how to deal with them. Next we see a young obviously lost girl wondering the city and on tv we see duplicates of her being hit and killed on the highway. We turn to Shade the Changing Man who is in a room talking to a lady as she melts away. Obviously a person he mad so he had some type of constant human contact. We see the Enchantress locked in some old house in the middle of the field as she is being driven crazy by some unseen force. The Justice League ( Wonder Woman, Superman, Cyborg ) pick up on this and follows the trail to the house. They enter and are confronted by a mystical force they do not understand and watch as Superman is shown to be vulnerable to magic. They are consumed by it. Zatanna and Batman are back at Headquarters and they discuss going in to rescue the team but Zatanna gives a spell to ensnarl Batman for a little while as she goes to the house as this is her expertise. We are introduced to John Constantine as he is dropped from the sky into the streets of London. Madame Xandau is in some trance while Shade is holding onto her. Xandau tells Shade he must help out and he responds by saying the Justice League will handle it but she tells him they have already failed. We are left with her looking to the future and what she sees is a mountain of dead bodies including most of the Justice League.

Rating : 3.5/5 - A good read and one of the better #1's from DC. I like how this book will not be your traditional Justice League and is darker and heavier than their book. A lot of characters that need some fleshing out but it is off to a great start. Art fits the mood and tone of the book.

FURY OF THE FIRESTORM 1 :

Story opens up in Turkey with a family being held hostage by a highly trained group of what looks like Black Ops. Interrogating starts and in the end the father,mother and son are all murdered. We go back to the states and see Ronnie Raymond on the gridiron practicing in front of scouts. He is hoping this is ticket out to a better life as he knows he is not the smartest of the bunch. While in the locker room a reporter named Jason trys to interview him but is blown off after their personalities clash. Back home they both discuss what happened with their parents. At a laboratory we see a scientist confronted by the Black Ops group from earlier as they are hunting magnetic bottle which they have 3 of and searching for the last one. They proceed to torture the scientist. After they are done with him they go to the high school where we see Jason and Ronnie arguing about what Jason had printed for their "interview". The Black Ops group walks into the school and starts killing faculty. Jason says the words "Firestorm" and is transformed into said person but is confused by something that happened while transforming. We see two Firestorms instead of the normal one. The proceed to fight. After a few tense moments they merge into a being referring to himself as "Fury"

Rating : 2.75/5 - Always like the none traditional superheroes and Firestorm falls into that category. The issue was a decent set up. Not used to seeing two different Firestorms at the same time and them merging is an intriguing storyline. Hopefully there will be more back story on Jason and Ronnie as they just breezed into the big fight without much else happening. A good beginning but needs to improve to continue to be readable at a monthly basis.

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT 1 :

Issue opens with Batman flying towards a people and changing into civilian attire on the fly as he as presentation to emcee. After doing his speech he confronted by Gotham City Internal Affairs. They are finally interrupted by a lady going by the name of Jaina Hudson. We go to Arkham Asylum and witness a breakout by many super powered villains and the while the police try to control the situation Batman arrives on the scene. He suspects Two-Face is somehow involved and since he wasn't part of the breakout he insist on the police to find out where Two-Face is. As Batman battles the multitude of villains he makes his way towards Two-Face's cell and out comes a big muscled "person" with Two-Face's face and tells Batman to call him One-Face.

Rating : 2.75/5 - Only reason this book gets this high of rating is because it is Batman. Book is the weakest of the Bat books so far but holding out hope that it gets better. I guess DC expects us to be pretty caught up on all things Batman but being an issue #1 I expected more. Art is decent but story is a bit choppy as both the writer and artist are sharing both duties. Two-Face being something bigger and badder is a new twist which shows promise.

SECRET AVENGERS 17 :

The Captain is in a room with Sharon, War Machine and Valkyrie going over some footage of an energy blast taken in Serbia that was given to them by some back channels. Captain decides they need to investigate what happened and who is behind it. As they are flying over the area where the footage was taken they are attacked by crazed pilot in another plane. The team splits up as they split the plane they travelled in. They reconvene on the ground and chase after their target which is a big rig. They attack the truck and after many failed and frustrating strikes they take it and the drive down to the displeasure of the Captain. They go their other point of interest which is some camp that appears to once run by A.I.M but now looks like it is run by some shadow British agency. We are left with Captain and Valkyrie discussing what the place is and how they came into possession of the footage.

Rating : 1.75/5 - If you like cold war stories and single story issues that apparently have no real tie in to the rest of the Avengers stories then this book is great. I fall into the other half that likes everything to be linked together and other than the characters showing up in other Avenger titles these stories in this book have no connection to them. I am growing weary of this title and getting close to dropping it.

NEW AVENGERS 16.1 :

We are in the holding cell of Norman Osborn aka Green Goblin and we see him talking to someone and the view pans back and we see a manifestation of the Green Goblin. Obviously Norman is still crazy. The Avengers are informed that Harry is to be moved to another faculty and that whey will be the ones to escort them. Most of the them have reservations of doing it but in the end agree to it. Once on board of the transport Norman is asked by the security guards on where the rendezvous point is. Which means that there is some plan to return Norman to his previous position as head of H.A.M.M.E.R. It is revealed though that the Avengers thought this might happen and "Norman" really is Dr. Strange in disguise and he puts a spell on the guards. We go back to the real Norman and he has more of the security guards under his payroll and one takes a flame gun and totally burns off Wolverine's face. As he heals slowly the rest of the team trys to get to them before Norman can escape but it is shown that this was all well orchestrated and in the end Norman is able to gain his freedom. We are left with the image of Norman addressing followers within some building.

Rating : 2.5/5 - Not terrible but not great and just plain meh. Other than the actual escape of Norman there is nothing of note in the book. It is the basic escape out of confinement with words being exchanged between the foes. Since this is a Point 1 issue we should not expect too much and we don't get it either. Art looks rushed which takes away from the story. Though choppy this should set up a resuming battle with the Avengers and Norman for the foreseeable future. Look forward to it.

VENOM 7 :

Issue opens up with a father taking his young daughter that has mutated into a spider being to a church that promises to cure what is ailing people. That person happens to be Anti-Venom. He "cures" her and is being crowned the chosen one by crowd. Now inside headquarters of the Spider-Queen ( see Amazing Spider-Man review ) she is given the news of what Anti-Venom is doing and orders Spider-King to kill him. As he leaves it is revealed that Spider-King is actually Venom infiltrating the group. As Venom swings towards the church he is in contact with Betty who is still bedside with Flash's dad. His condition is worsening but Flash has higher priorities at the moment. Anti-Venom spots Venom amongst the crown and proceeds to attack him. The battle makes its way out of the church with Anti-Venom the aggressor. When Anti-Venom goes in for his healing touch Venom jumps off of Flash and trys to bond with Brock once more. Brock struggles while slowly losing the battle. Flash pleads and lies to the alien and finally it returns and re bonds with Flash. Anti-Venom is then delivered to the research lab where Reed Richards is working on a cure for everyone and Brock is willing to contribute to the cause. Flash goes to the hospital to see Betty and his father. Once bedside they come to grips with what happened between them and Flash forgives him and tells him he would never trade him for any other father as his father closes his eyes on last time.

Rating : 3.5/5 - This Venom book is a good complement to the main Spider book and if not improving issue to issue is always steady and does not get worse. Not a ton of action but the story moves forward and adds to the main Spider-Island storyline and we see chess pieces moving on the board. Closure on the father situation was perfect and probably help Flash have a little more focus on bigger matters without his father on his mind all the time.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 670 :

Things are still progressing worse as J.J. is still under locked down security while people at the Daily Bugle are mutating to another stage of the virus. It even affects Hawkeye of the Avengers as he is now spider like. We see Spider-Man witness the transformation of his girlfriend Carlie into a spider being along with others as they leave the scene of the battle from last issue with the Shocker. Mary Jane is seen running as she has yet to manifest any spider powers. The Spider-Queen finally leaves her secret lair to welcome all her transformed spider-beings into the fold. Spider-Man notices the mayors limo under attack and goes to help out but J.J. who left his locked down location is in no mood to be helped out by Spider-Man actually fends for himself with Spider-Man helping out. As J.J. decides to go back to the compound he falls under the control of the Spider-Queen as it is shown she has mental connections to all the spider-beings now. He instructs J.J. to lash out and kill. In another part of the city we see Anti-Venom and Venom battling ( See Venom review ) and Mary Jane finally obtains spider abilities in the nick of time of an oncoming attack. Back at the compound with J.J. attacking people, Reed Richards informs Anti-Venom he can help everyone but will have to give up all his anti-bodies to do so which in turn will cause him to cease being Anti-Venom. Back to J.J. he takes a potentially fatal bite out of a confined prisoner with Spider-Man looking on. To be continued....

Rating : 3.5/5 - Another all around good issue with a lot of plot movement. There are only two more main chapters of this saga and things are moving at a brisk pace now. Being Spider-Man's book he has seen the least amount of action/placement within the story which I guess is the point and if so is written perfectly. Art for the most part is good but like a few other issues looks rushed. With everything going on I am most intrigued with what will happen with Mary Jane and powers. She is Peter's better half. No Carlie or any other female will ever have that title.

COMIC SYNOPSIS : SEPTEMBER 14, 2011 - SUICIDE SQUAD 1, ACTION COMICS 1, BATWOMAN 1 , AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 669, UNCANNY X-FORCE 15, NEW AVENGERS 16, FEAR ITSELF 6

First off let me start of with a shout out and thanks to my LCS ( local comicbook shop/store ) Pulp Fiction in Long Beach. I have my pull list at this store and each week I run and get my weekly reads and out the store within 5 mins. Always pleasant. This month only for subscription members they have been giving out free copies of DCnU issue #1 with every issue #1 that is on your pull list. So even though I don't read Superman/Action and Batwoman I will review these as well. Thanks again to Pulp Fiction.

SUICIDE SQUAD 1:

We open up with Deadshot being severely tortured by a man under a potato sack. Page pans out and we see that more members of the squad are in the room on separate tables. While being tortured, Deadshot thinks back to a hit that went wrong as Batman interrupted the hit. He says to himself that was his first failure as a hit man. Next we see El Diablo on another table literally having salt poured onto wounds. He thinks back to an incident with him going into a house to punish some drug runners but find out while killing them he killed innocent babies. The devil with a conscience? Harley Quinn is up next and she remembers the good old days of being with the Joker and being heartbroken of being separated from him. King Shark is off to the side and the captors inquire to see if he is dead as there is no movement. Bad decision as one of them gets too close and loses a limb. Lastly we see Savant and it appears he is about to break as he starts with a back story of the Squad. He talks about how the Squad came to be and went on their first mission together to retrieve a rogue agent hiding out in the woods. The swarm the cabin and kill what they think is their target but upon closer review they realize that it is a robot of the target. They tried to exit the cabin but the robot explodes and the next thing they know they are here being tortured. Savant then asks to be released. The captors due that by killing him. Hours later the remaining members are awakened and asked for a final time who sent them. After each refuse it is then revealed that all this was a test and out of 37 only 6 didn't crack and they are now officially the Suicide Squad which is head by Amanda Waller. Their first mission is to kill 60,000 people in a sports arena.

Rating : 2.5/5 - Nothing much of substance in the issue as it is totally a set up for the series. Seeing as I always liked villain comics I will give this series at least 6 issues and go from there. Art is choppy at times so that needs to improve. I remain optimistic that this series will be good.

ACTION COMICS 1 :

As solicited this all happens 5 years in the past. We are introduced to Superman as he is interrogating a "business man" in his penthouse. He trys to get him to give a full confession to his unlawful deeds while standing over the edge. The local police barge in on the scene and tell Superman to put the guy down while he continues to defy Superman. After a little drop from the ledge he gets what he came for and Superman leaves the scene while the police try to detain him. Some underground group is seen tracking Superman and notes how he has grown faster, stronger since first appearing within the city. The group controls a demolition ball to destroy a run down building with people in it which draws Superman's attention. As he saves them tanks converge to the area to fire upon Superman. Obviously all a plan to bring him down. The group of people that Superman saved though stand up for them and block the tanks which allows just enough time for him to escape. He flys to his residence and changes into civilian alias Clark Kent. After some chit chat with the landlady and rent past due he calls his buddy Jimmy Olsen who happens to be with Lois Lane. They are on a bullet train that is has been rigged to blow and Superman races to stop that from happening. He gets in front of it and manages to stop it but at a cost as he is now pinned to the offices of the Daily Planet.

Rating : 2/5 - Never been a Superman fan ( Batman is my cup of tea ) so going in this did not hold my interest and the issues held ups it's side. I find the Superman in JL more entertaining than this and though I know this is an "origin" story don't we all know what that is and how he became to be? This is just a re introducing to the world. A fast paced issue with no lagging but nothing of interest or at least not for this reader. So for the Superman enthusiast it would be good but for me it was just meh.

BATWOMAN 1 :

Book opens up with a couple at a police station talking to Detective Swayer on an incident that happened where their three young children where taken from them by some "ghostly" entities. The couple states that Batwoman has promised to find them and return to them but the detective says she can't make the same promise but she does promise to never stop looking for them. As they leave the detective runs into Kate Kane and they flirt back and forth and say they will meet later in the evening. Obviously just some playing the game as they both reconvene at Kate's house and they both change as it is revealed that Kate is Batwoman. We are taken to a building where there is this skull faced figure that is talking to an Agent Chase and informs her that she has a new assignment to track down Batwoman. Now we see the police at a lake fishing out a 13 year old child that went missing. Commissioner Gordon is also there and is informed that people have taken to calling the killer/kidnapper The Weeping Woman. As Batwoman and Detective Sawyer go back to the house after a night's out of crime fighting Kate's father walks in. They discuss how her twin sister is dead and how her father didn't help out in trying to rescue her. She walks out and next we see her back at the lake where the dead child was found. As she is looking for clues Batman walks up and says he has a proposition for her.

Rating : 2.5/5 - I like that there is "different" feel to this "Bat" book than the rest of the family. I don't know much about Batwoman but this has me intrigued to where it will lead to. Having Batman involved doesn't hurt but they can't use that crutch forever. The art is the Vertigo style which is good for the tone of the book. This is a series to keep your eye on.

FEAR ITSELF 6 :

We have reached the second to last issue of this mini-series.and it opens up where we left off with Thor being carried out of the battle zone after his fight with the powered up Hulk. The make there way to Asgard where Thor says Odin can heal him and they can continue to fight. Cap and his men make it to Asgard and demand that Odin fixes Thor to which Odin is none too pleased with Cap's tone and teleports them away as he takes Thor back to his chambers. We go to Spider-Man out looking for Aunt May and he finally finds her while she is being evacuated from the city. Back to Asgard and we see Odin and Thor talking about how grim things have become. Thor says he must do what his dad can't do and that is to kill the Serpent. Though still injured he is outfitted with new body armor and instead of his traditional hammer he is given the Odinsword. They go and see Tony Stark as he has been building weapons for the upcoming battle and states he is ready. He jumps into a pool to be transformed into a weapon ( seen in previews ). We go back to Earth as we see Cap picking up a gun and manning the front line. The Serpent arrives and final battle is about to begin.

Rating : 3/5 - Overall not a bad issue but not much action. A lot of talking and not much else. I would like to see a more even balance but at least the story moved forward unlike a couple of issues ago. I expect balls to the wall in the next issue. Cap is being pushed to the extremes and Gods and Man are forced to worked together. What possibly could go wrong?

NEW AVENGERS 16 :

Well we are back again for the "interview" type of issue which compare to the last Secret Avenger issue (see past review) is a way better alternative. The team is discussing what is an "Avenger" and what it takes. Each with a negative point on their own record to prove anybody can earn that title. They are all talking about Daredevil and how on the surface he doesn't fit the profile. We now see (obviously the past) Daredevil fighting more of the Serpent's armed forces. Battle rages on with Daredevil even taking up guns. In the distance he notices Avengers Tower going down and knows he has to go there as there are no Avengers in the area. Now we shift to Avengers Mansion where it was under attacked last issue with Squirrel girl babysitting Luke and Jessica's baby. Daredevil leads them to an underground bunker. We fast forward three weeks and we see Daredevil taking an offer from Luke Cage to join the Avengers.

Rating 3/5 - I like these interview type of issues but I know this is now the last one. Good action in between the dialogue. Daredevil doesn't really fit the Avengers mold but that is the whole reason for the story and I am open to seeing how Bendis (writer) takes this further. Art is above average as usual. This and the main Avengers book are still a step above Secret Avengers and both are good reads.

UNCANNY X-FORCE 15 :

Opens up with Archangel and his cronies still at ground zero of the total devastation of the town they blew up last issue. Dark Beast plants "The World" that Fantomex was protecting in the center of the town. It is explained that this is where it all starts. Within "The World" they will open it up our world and integrated it and they will pick a time of there choosing to start anew for everybody. They watch as 130 million years of evolution happens within 24 hours our time. As this is happening Psylocke is trying to escape her captors and try to stop what Archangel is doing. Fantomex and Deadpool make it to ground zero but instead of seeing destruction of a town they see a jungle that is growing. Archangel confronts them a battle ensues with Fantomex actually hurting him with a sentient bullet to the head. Genocide comes to Archangel's side while Fanotmex makes his escape to meet up with Deadpool. Archangel meets up with Dark Beast in San Francisco which is being monitored by a Celestial which has summoned them to discuss matters. Archangel must chose a guardian and successor to him and states it is a simple choice as the last panel is focused back on Psylocke.

Rating : 3.5/5 - Still the best X book out there in my opinion. Issue moves briskly and advances the story at a great pace. The compliments the story. Even though the story is now 5 issues long it has been a good read throughout.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 669 :

Story starts off where we left off with Peter and Carlie breaking into a Jackal hideout and being attacked by super powered villains that were waiting for them. Carlie takes one on the chin and Peter reacts by taking the whole crew out in a quick minute. They are being watched by Jackal via remote camera in an unknown place. Jackal again is seen talking to an unnamed woman who now referred to her as "us". We are taken around the city in various areas with the Avengers handling some powered up civilians and Mary Jane watching in awe of everybody swinging around. We see J.J. being informed by Reed Richards that the virus is now airborne and bound to affect everyone. Anti-Venom is out "healing" people by taking away their powers which is not going over well with said people. Madame is being consumed by all the "spider" activity around the city. Carlie meets up with Spider-Man to discuss the Jackal situation and is miffed that Peter is not around. She asks if she matches teeth marks on Spidey's sandwich he is eating if they would match with Peter's? She is starting to put two plus plus together. They swing away to investigate an area when they are confronted by a now six armed Shocker. He reveals that he is trying to get help to change back to what he was. He doesn't want the Spidey powers. We pan back to Carlie and see her mutate into more of a spider as her face has been transformed. Last page we see Jackal kneeling before his master, Spider-Queen.

Rating : 3/5 - Good overall issue though not a lot of movement in story. Art is good as always but with the big reveal at the end I think things will pick up next month. Mary Jane not having her powers yet is interesting as through previews we know she acquires them. Are they dormant or just not acquired yet?

COMIC SYNOPSIS : SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 - DETECTIVE 1 , JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL 1 , NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL 1

DETECTIVE COMICS 1 :

As we start the issue we have Batman ( Bruce Wayne ) running along Gotham's rooftops and going over his past with the Joker from the past six years. With that timeline that would put his first encounter with the Joker a year or so before meeting Green Lantern to help form the Justice League. He received a tip on a probable location for the Joker and as he barges in he finds the Joker in a first fight with some thug that looks like he came out of a Hostel movie. Joker makes a few legal wisecracks then creates a diversion to escape but before Batman can go after him he discovers there is a young girl trapped in the building which is now on fire because of the bomb used by the Joker to escape. The Police Dept. arrives on scene and opens fire on Batman while he trying to get the girl out. He notices that she is being taken care so he takes his leave and we are left with Commissioner Gordon on scene wondering why Batman was being shot at.

As he drives back to Wayne Manor/Batcave he goes over in his mind what had just happened that night. Once in the cave he talks to Alfred and is informed he will be upgrading the Batmobile with some new software. He is also informed that he has stood up another young lady (typical) and asks for Alfred's opinion and in response he says maybe she lose the "cat" he as been hanging around lately. Obviously implying Catwoman (Selina Kyle).

Batman goes and meets up with Gordon as he was requested by him using the Bat Signal. He is informed by Gordon that the little girl who was saved actually was the niece of the man who the Joker was fighting with early in the evening. She is now out of police custody and back with her family.

Batman assumes his pursuit of Joker and ends up at a building which the police have surrounded and as the police approach someone sitting in a chair in one of the rooms Batman figures out it isn't the Joker but the police have no time for that same conclusion and find out that "the person" is really a big doll and blows itself up. Batman continues to track the Joker onto a train. The fight goes back and forth and makes it's way onto a building which after the Joker inflicts multiple knife wounds on Batman is finally thrown off and is defeated for the time being.

Joker is transported to Arkham Asylum (crazy house) and once alone is confronted by someone that is hiding in the shadows. Joker said you were going to send your best family member (referring to the in beginning of the story) and the shadowy figure responds by saying that was my son and you would have enjoyed working for him. Joker said lets get this over with and we are shown the figure to be verbally named the Dollmaker and has taken a nice to Joker's face and cut it off leaving both men to comment on this is a rebirth for the both of them.

Rating : 3.75/5 - Always loved Batman and having the Joker in this reboot is smart. I enjoy how Batman is shown as not polished yet and is not capable of doing everything correct all of the time. Having the Joker allow himself to be altered by someone is something new as usually he walks by his own drumbeat. But at the same time knowing him he has something in his sick mind that this will ultimately profit him in some way. A very good start of a series that should never been renumbered.

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL 1 :

The story starts off with a man named Andre Briggs standing in front of monitors of world leaders during a conference call. He states that now is the time to organize a group of super powered people to form an international team that works on its own and not under someone. They must be known people ( no masks, secret identities ) and are controllable to a point. The goes through a list of people ranging from Plastic Man ( no) Batman ( no as well ) to Booster Gold (yes) who Briggs sees as a leader he can control

Next we see Booster flying towards Briggs at the Hall of Justice saying he is ready to join up with Superman and Wonder Woman in the Justice League. He is informed that he is misinformed. He is then told he will lead this new "Justice League International" for U.N. sanctioned problems that need to be addressed that normal authorities can't handle. As he is walked towards a conference room we see the rest of the team has been assembled. Guy Gardner, Fire, Ice, Vixen, Red Rocket, Godiva and General Iron. Of course Guy is already complaining. Where is Batman when you need him to punch him in the face. On cue as Guy leaves the team and building he runs into Batman who trys to persuade him to stay and says Booster can lead the team which Guy again disagrees with. Guy believes this team is beneath him as Batman, Superman etc are on the "major" Justice League team. Batman suspects there is another motive behind this JL grouping by the U.N. and he plans to find out what it is.

The team is shown its new jet and all are impressed. They are sent on their first mission which is to find out what happened to a research team. Booser is having a problem finding a seat in the jet while airborne and is introduced to its pilot, Batman. We flash back to the Hall of Justice as we see two men set a bomb to one of the walls and explodes. As they run away they converse stating they won't know what hit them. Back to the team which have been attacked by what looks like lava men from under the ground. They fight them back and then all is quiet on the home front til a giant robot bursts itself from the earth as the team trys to escape it's grasps and regroup.

Rating : 2.5/5 - A decent start to the book. Having Batman in the book will only help. It looks like they are trying to have him set up as an unofficial member of the team that the U.N. does not know about at the same time allows him to keep tabs on this other "Justice League". Though a team book it really focused on only Booster, Guy (at present moment not on the team) and Batman. There was a little interaction with the other characters but this being the first issue I hold out hope that more depth will be allotted to the other members. Overall the book has promise but being "second" tier heroes they are already at a disadvantage.

NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL 1 :

Starts off with Wonder Man (Simon Williams) speaking to a group of super powered people saying that the Avengers caused or created the five most devastating things in earth's history. Ultron, Scarlet Witch, Hulk, Dark Avengers and the Civil War. The group consisting of Anti-Venom, D-Man, Atlas, Ethan Edwards, Goliath, Devil-Slayer, Captain Ultra and Century contemplate what he has to say and whether like him should be proactive instead of reactive as Wonder Man sees the Avengers as.

We next see Atlas and Anti-Venom in disguise outside the Avengers Mansion being directed by Wonder Man to spy inside to see what the Avengers are doing. As tradition when there is down time they are playing cards. Wonder Man decides it is time to attack and Atlas grows and literally rams himself to whole front of the mansion. Battle ensues as Wonder Man tells the Avengers the minute they stop he will stop. Victoria Hand trys to help the Avengers by doing recon on her computer to identify the threats and possible weaknesses. They are able to slow the team down a tad but the building has taken on so much stress it finally crashes down on the Avengers as Wonder Man's team is outside of it. The Thing pops up out of the rubble and one by one of Team Wonder Man takes a lick on him til Atlas finishes him off by pounding him into the ground.

Even though never named, The Revengers, sit back now and survey what the accomplished and pat themselves on the back. They want to unmask the Avengers but Wonder Man stops them and say he knows who they are but what matters is what they are. The Revengers ask Wonder Man what next and we see the team turn its focus to Avengers Tower in the distance. To be continued...

Rating : 3.75/5 - For an action issue I would rank it at least a 4.25 out of five as it was fast paced and with enjoyable destruction with no slow spots. But dialogue was little to be found as I read the comic in less time than the other two reviewed today. A Bendis special. Overall though it was great fun and it's nice to see a team that can stand toe to toe with the Avengers and hand them theirs. I look forward to how this story continue in the Avengers Annual.

COMIC SYNOPSIS : AUGUST 31, 2011 - FLASHPOINT 5 , JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA 1 , SECRET AVENGERS 16 , UNCANNY X-FORCE 14 , AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 668

FLASHPOINT 5 :

To start off, I haven't read a DC comic in ages as I have always been a Marvel person though I always kept up on Batman as that is one DC character I enjoyed reading. I decided to join the party and see how this new "DC 52" pans out and this was the issue to trigger the events to the "new" DC. So, I have no idea what has happened in the previous 4 issues but I can take an educated guess from what I read in this book.

Issue starts of the Flash ( Barry ) fighting it out with Anti-Flash in some world that was created by Barry when he went back in time to save his mom from being murdered by Anti-Flash. Never turns out the way its supposed to the hero's mind. Anyways, Anti-Flash or is it Reverse Flash?, makes Barry remember what he did and how that has made the bad Flash live outside any type of timeline that has ever been created by Barry or anyone else. He informs Barry that he can't be hurt by him at anytime. Might be true but Batman ( in this world it's Thomas Wayne, father of Bruce ) puts a quick end to that nonsense by taken matters end to his own hands with a sword no less. Batman, though victorious, falls as the battle takes it's final toll on him, but before dying he gives a letter to Barry with Bruce's name on it and tells Barry to make things right once more. As Barry starts to do just that he is drawn into a timeline where his mother is there talking about the end of the world. Barry wants his mother to live and fix the world at the same time but they both know that is impossible. Mom persuades him to let her go so she can be with her husband in the afterlife and so the world may be put back in order. Right as Barry is almost done doing that an unknown masked female states that there are three time lines and that to be put everything back to order that Barry must sacrifice everything. Flash wakes up and goes to see Batman ( Bruce Wayne ) and tells him what has happened and delivers the not that Thomas Wayne asked him to give. We are left with the assumption that the world is back together but Flash has memories of the other timeline and we do not know what the note said.

Rating : 3/5 - Don't know how this issue compares to the other part of the mini-series but this issue was fast paced and set up the new universe with some lingering questions on the past ones and if and why the other ones are combined to make only one as they never existed. A good jumping on point for new readers and from what I have heard from others a great point to jump off.

JUSTICE LEAGUE 1 :

Book starts off by stating that this is happening 5 years in the past as we see Batman running after some creature as he is being chased by authorities in helicopters. Batman catches up to the creature and is interrogating him but is then interrupted by Green Lantern who can't believe that Batman is a real person. The creature manages to get away and destroys the helicopters which Green Lantern then helps on damage control. Next few pages Batman and Green Lantern track the creature and get to know each other. Green Lantern is very arrogant and confident in his new found powers and can't believe that Batman is "just" a man in a suit while every other superhuman that has been spotted has had some type of power. We flash to a high school game where there is a young man that is just demolishing the opponent with all the scouts wanting to sign him to their college. Obviously has some type of power. This man will grow up to be Cyborg. As Batman and GL find the creature underground planting some type of computer to a wall GL and his attitude alerts the creature to their presence and decides to blow himself up while yelling out "For Darkseid". Thankfully GL has quickness on his side as well to everything else and contains Batman and himself within a protective casing. They decide to track down this super powered human which is also known as an alien, Superman. Batman states he has never met him but he is bad news as he has studied him from afar. GL states no worries and I can handle this. As GL enters a building where they assume Superman is, GL is shown to be forced physically out of the building by a red blur. Superman looks at a stunned Batman and states he is not easy to handle and what can he do for them.

Rating : 3.5/5 - A good starting off issue. Not much downtime per se and gets to the point of introducing us to part of the roster of the future Justice League. Other than Batman I never really liked these characters individually but as a group the interactions can be quite entertaining. I like how Superman comes off as a bad ass but GL's attitude will wear then if it stays this way for lone. No opinion on Cyborg as not enough to comment on. Overall, a very good first issue with enough to at least want me to finish the first arc which is stated to last 6 issues.

SECRET AVENGERS 16 :

I assume this issue is before the Fear Itself storyline as Steve Rogers is in his Commander getup but I could be wrong as he shown with Captain America's shield. This is a fill-in issue that may have some impact in future story lines. It starts of with the group of Steve, Beast, Black Widow and Moon Knight descending in a hidden city under Cincinnati. The reason they were able to detect it was that the Beast found trace particles from a Von Doom time machine. They decide to investigate under the belief that the Shadow Council might be doing something with it and that can only be a bad thing. Once they arrive they find an old Russian car that is atomic powered. They are chased through the city by jeep and through the air by a helicopter. After Black Widow takes care of the jeep Steve takes down the helicopter. They realize that the whole city is modeled after Von Doom's time machine and that as with his the city has four pillars to power the machine. Problem is that the pillars are hundreds of feet tall and are at least two miles apart from each other and heavily guarded. Figuring they only need to take one out for the machine not to work Beast is able to rewire the atomic car they have been driving into a sort of "dirty" bomb and set it on course for one of the pillars. They are able to escape the city through the passageway they came in from as they whole city is obliterated. Beast ponders on how many people he has just killed while Steve responds by saying how many people he saved instead.

Rating : 1.5/5 - The story was ok per se but with everything else going on in the Marvel Universe this issue seems like a story that does not belong and was just written til the Fear Itself storyline is done with and the rosters of the Avengers are reworked. I rather have had another of the "interview" story lines that have been running in recent Avengers books than this. Hopefully next issue gets this series back on track.

UNCANNY X-FORCE 14 :

Story begins the previous day from last issue with Archangel ( Warren ) and Dark Beast ( Hank ) flying towards home base within the North Pole discussing how the ascension of Archangel will change the world for the better. Warren insists on everyone treating him more as an equal, a brother in arms, than a Lord or Leader. We jump to present day with the X-Force group confronting Warren and his group. Fantomex trys to redirect Warren as Logan and Betsy debate on killing Warren. Warren was prepared for that and as Wolverine attacks Warren he is incinerated by Genocide. The battle is on between the two groups as it looks like X-Force is over matched and seeing that they are able to use a smokescreen to escape though stays behind and informs Warren she has not given up on him just yet. Rest of the group tends to Logan and debate on what to do next as Betsy takes a tour within the North Pole with Warren as they talk about Warren's gradual transformation into Apocalypse. Warren is called away by Hank informed that it was time to meet at an arranged meeting point. Warren is carrying Genocide to some Mid-America town and is dropped there as Warren talks to a little boy and tells him to go tell his mommy that he loves her. As mom and son hold each other's hand Genocide annihilates the town like a nuclear bomb was dropped on it as Archangel watches from above.

Rating : 4/5 - Yet another quality issue from the creative team. Though I didn't know where they could go with this story they just upped the ante. Mutants already have blown up a city ( see Civil War mini-series ) and we saw what happened after that. This can only be worse as there is a precedent already for doing this. Wolverine is on the shelf, Psylocke is locked away and it is looking grim for everyone. This book is one of the best right now and this issue does not disappoint.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 668 :

We jump right into the fight that had started at Bryant Park with the Avengers and FF fighting all sorts of spider people. Love the fact that they show a lot of Pete's old costumes. Peter is picked up off the ground and is confirmed to be the real deal but is sent away from the fight as to not confuse the other heroes on who they are fighting. As Peter mopes away from the fight he runs into Mary Jane and Norah and they end up watching current girlfriend Carlie assisting the police in subduing some more unruly spider powered citizens. We are taken to Jackals hideout while his having a conversation with the still unidentified lady that looks to be the head bad person in this event. Back to Peter and we see that he was able to convince people via a live news feed to be better people and that they couldn't allow the few spider powered people to continue to cause problems but to join up with him and police themselves. So with the help of the heroes they do just that. JJ Jonah arrives on scene and after giving a pep talk he deputizes everyone. Peter makes it back to work, Horizon Labs, and finds out that it has now be named the CDC for the epidemic that is happening. Reed Richards happens to be there and was working with the unknown scientist in Lab 6. Still no reveal though. Anti-Venom is seen swinging around "curing" people with their super powers. This does not go unnoticed as Madame Web watches from afar. Peter meets up with Calie at the police station and she informs him that she has a lead that the Jackal is behind all of this. They head out to one of his known hideouts. As they break in to investigate, within the shadows are enemies ready to pounce.

Rating : 3.5/5 - Nothing really major happened here but Slott makes it entertaining and with this being a long storyline this just fleshes it out a little more. Obviously there is more to come and it will get more intense as Jackal is a known thorn in the side and with Madame Web "knowing" what is going to happen and implying that Peter will have to kill this story will only get better.

COMIC SYNOPSIS : AUGUST 17, 2011 - AVENGERS 16 , VENOM 6 , X-MEN: SCHISM 3

AVENGERS 16 :

Issue starts with the ongoing interview/conversation storyline that has been running in all the recent Avengers books that obviously taking place after The Fear Itself storyline even though they are being published at the same time. This issues is Commander Rogers centric as it opens with him mourning the loss of Bucky Barnes (Captain America). He decides he is going after his killer which is Red Skulls spawn Sin. The intel he receives states she is in a Sweden castle so he enlists the help of Sharon Carter, Victoria Hand and Hill. They blast into the castle but instead of finding Sin they are encountered by a group of super Nazis called "The Exiles" ( no relation to the book of the same name but actually consisting of some of Steve's old rogues gallery ). The battle rages on til the castle comes crumbling down around them which looks like it takes out the Nazis as we don't see them again and a young lady named Daisy Johnson of S.H.I.E.D introduces herself to Steve. We find out that the castle came down courtesy of her earthquake powers as she was also looking for Sin under Nick Fury's orders. Book ends with Steve still trying to cope with Bucky's death but now back in his iconic Captain America garb.

Rating :  3/5 - Book was nothing special but not bad. Issue just fleshes out the main Fear Itself story to give it some depth and repercussions to what is going behind the scenes.

VENOM 6 :

Book starts of with Flash getting orders to take down a "Spider-Beast" that is attacking NY city that we find out has been quarantined due to the epidemic of everyone acquiring spider powers. As this is happening he is contact with his girlfriend Betty Brant while she is bedside with his dying father at a local hospital. Just like Peter does when he is off doing his Spiderman duties he comes up with an excuse of why he is not there with them. Venom confronts the beast and defeats him with Gravity's "help" who was there trying to assist in stopping the beast. After Flash takes the beast back to the shadow agency he works for and has him locked up in a containment tube the beast literally throws up thousands of spider and breaks out of the tube. The spiders are identified as the couriers of the disease that is affecting all the New Yorkers. The group of government workers and Flash sans the Venom suit run and hide into a back room. They organize a plan to take down the beast with an operation entitled "scorched earth" which was/is intended for Venom if he ever gets out of control and hopes that and some supped up shot guns will take the beast down. As the fight continues and Flash now merged back with the Venom suit goes in the for the kill a scientist discovers who the Spider-Beast really is and Venom has to take him alive instead of offing him right then and there. As this chapter ends Venom is shown taking on the Spider-Beast's appearance to sneak into the group who was controlling the beast.

Rating : 3.5/5 - Issue was good not great but it gets that extra .5 star for the identity reveal at the end. This issue makes you want to read up on the main Spider Island storyline if you weren't already.

X-Men :  Schism 3

Issues opens with Emma at the museum telepathically talking to Scott who is on Utopia. The link is broken by unknown source. Scott decides to use a rocket backpack to get to the museum to see whats wrong. All this as Logan is drinking at a local bar watching tv which just doesn't make sense. We get a flashback of the new leader of the Hellfire's Club and his round table of kids. All well to do who have a bone to pick with mutant kind. All the X-Men at the museum are now confronted by the kids. They include Magneto, Namor, Emma, Iceman and Colossus. Each and everyone is defeated and left with an alien sea slug attached to their head. How these powerful mutants can be taken down in the matter of a few short pages by these kids is beyond me. Even with powers no way no how should they have been taken out that easily. As Logan and Scott both try to get to their fellow X-Men they are linked with Idie who managed to get not get noticed by the Hellfire kids. Logan demands for her to run as Scott ends up saying do what you feel is right which turns out to her using her powers to take out the kids. Magneto, Namor etc can't take them out but she can? This makes Logan irate and as him and Scott arrive at the museum he pops his claws into his face. Before anything else can happen a bomb goes off in the building and all the metal around the vicinity flys towards itself and is forming a Sentinel.

Rating : 1.5/5 - This is now the third chapter of a five chapter story. I felt that the first issue was good set up and the second showed promise for the story but this one seemed out of control all things considered. The art is a downgrade from the first two. The "schism" that causes Logan and Scott to have different views after this is not realistic due to each other's makeup. I can understand being caught off guard but having some of the most powerful mutants in the world taken out by such means is unbelievable. There are two issues left and hopefully they get better as this mini in my opinion is turn out to be a dude.