Batman #48 review

Gotham City is becoming Bloom County. Twisted plant villain Mr Bloom is taking over the streets, having captured Jim Gordon’s Batman. And across the city, Bruce Wayne’s calm moment on his favourite park bench has been interrupted by a stranger. A stranger who looks like the Joker. And talks like the Joker. Writer Scott Snyder doesn’t […]

Scooby-Doo Team-Up Chapter #27 review

Scooby, Velma, Fred, Daphne and Shaggy are on a cruise. They’re also on a mission, which comes as something of a surprise to Shaggy, who’s only there for the non-stop buffet. Just think of all the Scooby snacks that can be made with saltine crackers and Swiss cheese… The captain is worried by a spate of recent […]

Scarlet Witch #2 review

It’s tough to get on with writing a review when you can’t stop looking at the art. It’s only the second week of January and I’ve no doubt Scarlet Witch #2 will be one of the best-looking comics of 2016. Just look at Marco Rudy’s work… Wanda has travelled to the Greek island of Santorini […]

Earth 2 Society #8 review

Earth 2 Society is a Wonder Woman of a book for me, a series I want to like, something I try occasionally and always end up setting aside. I cannot for the life of me understand why DC would retool legends so as to make them nigh unrecognisable, but the original Green Lantern, Flash and […]

Batman/Superman #28 review

There’s a giant on the moon. A dead giant. Superman needs Batman’s investigative skills to help solve the mystery, so goes to Gotham to find him. The Caped Crusader is in the middle of a fight with Clayface, so might be expected to be grateful for a super-hand. Not so. And Batman doesn’t cheer up […]

Paul Kupperberg’s Secret Romances #1 review

Who doesn’t love a spot of romance? Comic readers over the last several decades, if the publishing schedules are anything to go by. Once the biggest-selling genre in the medium, Romance went out the window in the Seventies as superheroes began knocking off all competition. But interest in the storytelling form is alive and well, […]

Swamp Thing #1 review

A monster stalks the swamp. And another, less friendly freak creeps around the college. It’s Swamp Thing versus a zombie named Lazlo as the big green guy gets another series from DC. This latest run is a six-issue deal only, but as it’s by Swampy’s co-creator Len Wein and master of the dark art Kelley […]

Action Comics #48 review

Woo-hoo, now this is what I want from my Action Comics! Noble heroes, dastardly villains, fantastic fisticuffs, big emotions… Greg Pak, Aaron Kuder and co bring us their best issue in ages as Vandal Savage declares his endgame. Or perhaps that should be Vandal Suave? Isn’t he the dapper caveman? I’m not sure what’s going on […]

Superman/Wonder Woman Annual #2 review

The big problem I’ve had with the Superman/Wonder Woman romance is that I just didn’t believe it. They seemed to have nothing in common other than their role as superhero. Now, just as they’ve broken up in their regular book, we get an extra-length look back at moments in their relationship. The framing sequence has […]

Superman Annual #3 review

The origin of Vandal Savage forms the backbone of this annual. Longtime DC fans know a meteor turned a caveman into the immortal villain, and that’s still the story. What’s new in this retelling is that the rock which empowered him with immortality originates in the Krypton system. This extra-length story alternates vignettes from Savage’s […]