Superman #710 review

It’s been obvious for a few months that Chris Roberson knows how to write Superman. He’s been subtly, sharply, shifting the focus of Superman’s personality back to the heroic guy he’s always been, prior to J Michael Straczynski’s Grounded storyline. Now we see that he gets Batman too, as Bruce Wayne catches up with Superman in […]

Superman/Batman Annual #5 review

Doomsday has hunted down the Cyborg Superman, Hank Henshaw, at the JLA Satellite while, trapped inside with them, are Supergirl and Batman. Outside, Blue Lantern Saint Walker and Starman Mikaal Tomas are helpless as the station morphs into the face of, first, Henshaw, then Doomsday. Neither bad guy is much interested in Batman, so he’s sidelined […]

Secret Six #32 review

Last issue saw Ragdoll take the Get Out of Hell Free card from Scandal and descend to the Pit. As we join the rest of the Six in part two of a three-part serial, they’ve gained access to Hell thanks to Etrigan, the mercurial Demon. There they find that Ragdoll – who had intended to free […]

Too Lobo for Heretical Jargon

Image borrowed from Chris Sims’ Invincible Super-Blog The second episode of Jimmy Trapp’s Heretical Jargon podcast sees Jimmy and me chatting about current comics, orphaned superheroes, Peanuts, favourite creators and characters, Martian Manhunter … and we find out what happens when one of us dares to express dislike for Lobo.I’ve never been on a podcast before, so I’d […]

JSA: All-Stars #17 review

It’s a quiet day at the All-Stars ranch when a gaudily garbed stranger appears among them, claiming to be a member. What’s more, The Prince announces to Judomaster that she’s his wife – or was, before reality changed. The Prince is, he says, the son of Regent, the world’s greatest hero, who once led the […]

Word balloon busting

Jimmy Quentin Trapp of the Heretical Jargon Podcast has asked me on the show this coming Saturday to talk comics. Well, I shall do my best. It’d be great if you tuned in, and maybe took part too – details here.

Herc #1 review

How do you hobble a demi-god? Marvel manages it by slapping this first issue with a whopping $3.99 price tag. Yes, there are eight pages in the back recapping Hercules’ long comics career, but none of it is necessary to enjoy Herc #1. Everything a reader needs is on the opening page – the legendary […]

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #5 review

Back from the future, Iron Lad helps the Young Avengers in their quest to restore the Scarlet Witch’s powers and memories. This involves a trip back to the day the Avengers Disassembled, the day Cassie Lang’s father, Ant-Man, died, I’m not complaining that previous issues have been character and action-packed, but it is refreshing to […]

Fear Itself: The Home Front #1 review

Civil War: Front Line; Secret Invasion: Front Line; Siege: Embedded – Marvel’s gotten into the habit of publishing side series to show us how the big events affect the man – or minor hero – in the street. Or perhaps they’re intended as an illustration of the law of diminishing returns, as each has proven less enjoyable, […]

Fear Itself #1 review

You know summer’s coming when the big events start to arrive. DC has Flashpoint on the way, but Marvel gets in first with Fear Itself #1, the first of seven issues and umpteen spin-offs and crossovers. It should be a risky strategy – if the reader buys into the central conceit, they’ll purchase dozens of […]