Happy National Coming Out Day

The whole world just recently celebrated #NationalComingOutDay, on October 11, 2018.

Whether you knew about this, in support of this or just plain indifferent to the whole thing, we all have to understand that the coming out process is not for everyone and that it all depends on the individual concerned and who they come out to.

And it’s because of this, I did a little re-read on this graphic novel that was released in December 28, 2016 and it’s called, “Love is Love”.

This is a comic book anthology compiled for the benefit of the survivors of the Orlando shooting on June 12, 2016. On that fateful night, a 29 year-old security guard named Omar Mateen, killed 49 people and left 53 wounded in a terrorist attack at a gay nightclub called Pulse. He was shot and killed after a 3-hour standoff.

There are indeed no words for that act.

But many artists, writers, inkers, directors and fellow Creatives had a lot to say about how this tragedy affected us all and how Love is truly Love, no matter how you look at it. No matter from whatever corner of the world we live in.

Director Patty Jenkins provided the Introduction and the entire anthology was the brainchild of Marc Andreyko and featured the works and words of who's who like actor Matt Bomer; Green Lantern artist, Ivan Reis; my favorite Buffy writer, Christopher Golden; X-men and current Justice League artist, Jim Lee; Marvel and Image Comics writer, Mark Millar; Wonder Woman writer, Gail Simone; Thriller novelist, Brad Meltzer and more.

With Wonder Woman herself on the cover and holding up the rainbow flag, the entries ranged from single paged stories to two-paged reflections on how the tragedy has affected everyone. One page showed Batman telling Nightwing how the victims were heroes and that they were not so different from the two of them, as some had to create identities to protect who they are and that those who hid their true selves actually found strength in what they had to conceal. It was simple but effectively written by Golden Globe and People’s Choice Award winning actor, Matt Bomer.

Marc Guggenheim (ARROW, LEGENDS of TOMORROW, GREEN LANTERN, PERCY JACKSON) also had a single page entry showing Batman at the scene of the crime and how the cops deduced that if the World’s Greatest Detective could not solve how the crime came about, then no one can.

Ivan Reis’ panel was a single paged black and white sketch depicting the Earth members of the Green Lantern Corps standing proud and showing solidarity with the colors of the rainbow shining outward from behind them. Batwoman, who will be the major focus of this fall’s CW crossover between Flash, Arrow and Supergirl was also in a panel comforting a kid who lost his mother in the shooting. She told him that the best thing she did as a costumed hero was to be true to herself. She acknowledged the grieving kid’s pain and that his own mother was equally brave to live her life in truth. She added that because of that, she was a hero herself and that her bravery will live in him.

These are the kinds of stories you will be reading in this 144-paged anthology, the proceeds of which will go to the victims, survivors and families of the affected tragedy through an organization called Equality Florida.

Say what you want about being gay, about being in the closet, about how hard or easy it is to find that one person to connect with and eventually share you life with. You would soon come to realize that the process is the same for everyone. We all want the same thing. We want the same feeling of joy. We want the same thrill of being in love and free from the pain of heartbreak when we fall out of love.

We all want the same things. We just want different ways to package it.

My love is not dependent on your approval. And yours doesn't require my vote either. All our journeys are different. We all just to accept that and allow everyone to live and accept their own reality.

We all may not be engineers, physicists, teachers, Olympic athletes  or coaches but we all can at least agree on one thing when we see it.

And that is, Love Is Love.

Period!

Let’s make it so!

Batman: Damned

The road to darkness has been mapped and it is currently being engaged…

That may be the feel of late for the DCEU or the Worlds of DC as they would prefer to be called, but the tone of the different titles of the comics have kind of reflected that same grim theme in the films; from their current crisis, Heroes in Crisis, to the upcoming Witching Hour as a 5-part crossover between Wonder Woman and the current incarnation of Justice League Dark, and to the latest offering of the new label called, DC Black Label.

The Black Label, as it certainly purports to everything less than cheery or Pollyanna-ish, is DC’s new publishing imprint that is dedicated to stories that are separate from the DC continuity and aimed at mature readers and those who are most open to the challenge of reading new stories that aim to deviate from the norm. One such title is the first offering called, Batman: Damned.

It is just one of the stories being planned and this salvo of a title is written by Brian Azzarello, a veteran of Vertigo comics, another previous “mature” DC imprint and Lee Bermejo, who was responsible for drawing the popular title, Batman: Noel in 2011. As of this writing, this limited series of which three are planned, is a sequel of sorts to Bermejo’s own graphic novel of the Joker in 2008.

The story opens, bleakly, as it is in most Batman storylines, with our caped crusader in a daze, bloodied and wounded and escaping from an ambulance that is bringing him to a hospital. He collapses in the alley and  is shocked to find out two things as he awakes in a hotel room, that his rescuer is none other than the supernatural con-man himself, John Constantine, and that the Joker is dead! Yes, finally Dead!

For the longest time, readers have always known and accepted that the Joker will always be the foil to the Bat, and no matter how cruel, twisted and maniacal the Joker’s schemes are, Batman will never resort to killing him. If this is his need for validation as the hero that Gotham needs, then keeping the Joker alive, no matter the toll is, fuels and cements that very same validation. For how can one be a hero, if there is no one who will serve to oppose that very same sense of heroism and thus perpetuate that same validation? Validation is validation whether it comes from the self or from others.

Finding out the truth in this mystery is top priority. But if Batman’s head is clouded and is beset by visions of his childhood wherein the Enchantress, a evil and powerful sorceress who is known more for her association with the Suicide Squad, has appeared to him more than once, then can his own mental faculties even be counted on to solve the crime of a lifetime? Could he have done it and not remember? Or could a higher and more potent supernatural force have tricked him into performing the one act that will literally damn Bruce Wayne for the rest of his life?

The issue brilliantly uses Constantine as a narrator and observer of the proceedings. It is his vantage point on things and of the supernatural that makes him the best person to drive the story forward and clue in the reader as to what Batman himself has been possibly missing. Batman, or as R’as Al Ghul calls him, The Detective, seems to always have had that “inhuman” quality of always being one step ahead of others, even against members of the Justice League. But what happens if his skills fail him because the supernatural is one mystery that he himself cannot prepare for and cannot comprehend? Just like Dante, he therefore would need his “Virgil”, his guide, into the gothic and paranormal underworld of Gotham City. Take this as the beginning of a journey, one that would both test the mettle of Bruce Wayne, both as the Caped Crusader and as a man dealing with his own past and re-examining his reasons for doing what he is doing and has done. 

The artwork by Lee is as real it gets. Gritty with vein-popping realism. The key to appreciating horror or at least understanding it, is to look at it head on, and not to turn away. And the art and penciling, not to mention the inking gives you more reasons to stay on the page, rather than away from it. Yes, dark reads! FTW!

The maiden issue also has drawn flack for showing Batman undressing in his Batcave and not just showing his rear side, but a glimpse of his  manhood, flaccid and dangling. Honestly, there is more to the story than just getting incensed about Batman’s “Dark Knight”. The label is for mature readers. And if people can’t look at a male organ without blowing up the internet, then DC should just pack it up and go and admit that this new imprint is a sham and not worth your time. But alas the comic titan has succumbed to pressure and DC has openly acknowledged the backlash and has promised to censor future reprints of the issue. So while, there are still maiden issues being sold, it is advised to quickly grab hold of one or settle for the scaled down version in future reprints. The issue itself has also increased it’s retail price in the US and is being sold at $60!!! You do the math!

As the Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu says, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” then what more for a man who is in doubt and at the risk of being damned. One step may not all be what is required of him. He is to rise above his doubt, his mortality and learn to accept the horrors of his past and the true horrors that happen alongside reality and live just outside the fringes, looking from the outside, hoping to find a way in.

Issue #2 of Batman: Damned is expected to drop on 11.21.18

Heroes in Crisis

Growing up we always felt that our childhood superheroes were extraordinary and perfect. All they needed to do was suit up, answer a call for help or fight injustice and go back to heroes headquarters after their work is done.

Who cares about their private lives? They don't need one.

In fact, we all thought that they never deserved one. Because they were heroes...our heroes who could fly, see through walls, punch a big hole in that same wall and perform feats that perpetuated our fantasy. That our heroes were gods and they were perfect.

But as time wore on, we found out that they were far from the shining beacon of hope that we pegged them to be. In truth, they were just like us. Human. Able to feel pain and would need some consolation and “Me-time”, when circumstances dictated it to be necessary.

That was the goal of Sanctuary; a place of healing and recovery for all heroes in the DC Universe. Created by the Trinity of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman, it was the one place where our heroes can have their personal quality time to recuperate and recharge.

                                                                               

                                                     * S  P  O  I  L  E  R  S  *

That is until Superman arrives to find all of them dead!!! From Hot Spot to Blue Jay to Arsenal and even to the Flash (Wally West), all murdered in cold blood!!!

Meanwhile in another part of Nebraska, at a diner we see Booster Gold having a moment with Harley Quinn before we see them duking it out after Harley stabs him with a steak knife. He claims that she killed the heroes in Sanctuary. But Harley maintains that it was he who is off his rocker and that it was, He, Booster Gold, the superhero from the future, who killed them all. Granted that Harley Quinn herself was a former paramour of the Joker no less, she may be off her rocker herself.

And thus the mystery begins.

Written by Tom King, who is an ex-CIA counter terrorism officer and who wrote storylines that centered on violence and war for different titles like THE OMEGA MAN, THE SHERIFF of BABYLON, MISTER MIRACLE, VISION and GRAYSON and Clay Mann who has both worked for both DC and MARVEL, this is the kind of a first issue that shows a lot and yet does not. The kind of issue that urges readers to ask more questions than they are given answers. But that's the whole point of this former 6-issue but now turned 9-issue mystery of a mini-series. We don't know much about the history of Sanctuary. We don't know who were the other heroes that were treated and primarily who went berzerk and decided to dispose of their comrade-in-arms as summarily as he, she, or they did. What was the motive?

Compared to IDENTITY CRISIS by Brad Meltzer this first issue certainly angered fans who felt that some heroes needed to stay alive. But in a war for sanity and order, where casualties are bound to pile up and where post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) looms in every corner for every hero, every breakdown and case is a crisis in itself. And if our Heroes did not have someone else to turn to deal with their own issues, to a point where their inner demons take over their heroic persona, then we indeed have a crisis right here.

Issue #1 of HEROES in CRISIS now available in all local comic book stores. 

Issue #2 which features Harley on the cover using the Lasso of Truth on Batman will be available on October 24.

The Year of Magic. Time for Injustice Year 3- Vol 1

 I’ve always been attracted to magic; in all its forms and incarnations. Imagine my delight when its finally given the chance to stretch its muscle into the DC Injustice storyline.

Fresh from the onslaught of the sentient Green Lantern planet named Mogo and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps (Year 2, Vol 2), casualties are abounding and humanity is left to deal with the damage. Be they humans, metas or magical folk, someone has lost someone in the aftermath of the war against Superman, as waged by Batman who recognizes that the Man of Steel has become the opposite of what he stood for; a dictator who is willing to pay the price just to impose and enforce his "kind" of peace. Since the previous issue, a lot of things have happened. Superman broke Batman's back. Oliver Queen, aka. The Green Arrow has died as well as Black Canary; but not before filming her own demise and Superman's magical confession and broadcasting it out into the world for all to see. Along with that, Superman has received a Yellow Ring from the master of Fear, Sinestro, who has taken sides with Superman. I take it that he is living vicariously thru Kal-El as the events remind him of his own reign as sole ruler of his home planet of Korugar. Add to this list of changes, Wonder Woman is also out of commission due to some magical maneuvering on the part of one man who orchestrated the battle at this stage of the game. 

One such person is John Constantine. Yes the radical Mage whose unorthodox methods border on the Machiavellian. He comes to aid Batman in his crusade to stop Superman while uncovering answers on his own. And since Superman has a weakness to magic, this was the perfect element to bring to the battle to ensure victory. And to do that certain things must come into play. First, Raven, needs to be taken out. Second, other magical users like Dr. Fate, Zatanna, Klarion, Jason Blood, Phantom Stranger needed also to be brought into the fold so that magic can have their day in the battle and tip the scales in Batmans favor. Third, Superman needs to be disabled with the use of magic.

Like in previous issues Tom Taylor has once again given us a fun and action filled read that collects the first 7 issues of Year 3. Constantine is his ever manipulative self and would go head to head with Batman as to who is calling the shots. (Yes, can’t have two manipulative folk in the same room) And a con man, pretty much like a leopard, never changes its spots so our charming but selfish mage, wields and deceives until he has quenched his thirst for revenge against Superman for brining the war to Earth, which claimed the life of Constantine’s wife.

  Wait, what? John’s married?

Okay, I give you permission to scratch your head. And he has a kid named Rose, who may or may not have some magical gifts herself. I sincerely hope that they explore this further. For now, I’m just gonna leave it here and because Constantine orchestrated this whole magical element into the fray, expect some twists and turns and no easy way to the the end goal. And any goal that is worth fighting for, is worth gunning for. Like this collected volume, its worth reading. Better yet, its worth keeping. I did.

Dark Knight Vol 1- David Finch

Because I am returning this to the owner asap..I am making this short....if not Too short.

The drawing from Finch is a stunning, brilliant & allows the Bat to be a winner in every panel that he is in. For the artwork alone, this deserves a 5. 

But for writing it didn't have the ending I was hoping for. It kinda left me with more questions than answers. 

Still kudos to Finch on undertaking both drawing and writing duties.  And for giving us another look at Bruce's childhood the people who have indelibly made a mark on his life. This time around it is socialite
Dawn Golden and her recent disappearance has gotten our Caped Crusader all rampaging around Gotham in trying to find her.

As it is, the ending may not have given me the one I wanted but the drawing is superb as his drawing with purple demons closing in on Dawn and the Bats atop a building took my breath away. But alas the only sample of that drawing is the panel that follows it and not the one that I wanted to show you. But nonetheless, you so gotta read it to see it.


So far Finch is here to stay as he is slated to helm more supernatural adventure arcs for our beloved Bat. But I hope next time, he doesn't put his characters through the ringer too much, only to let them go in the end.


Oh and by the way, he is coming to Manila on March 11.


I will be with my family of Justice PH. See ya there.

Justice League #5- The New 52

            If you’ve been following my previous Justice League New 52 entries, then you know the new Big Bad that has finally come to town, but should you not want to and have yet to read it, then just go to the first entry. But if you don’t mind the spoilage then I thank you for reading on.

So with the arrival of the Big Bad by way of Darkseid in the last issue, our heroes, just by looking at the cover by Jim Lee are all in readiness and awaiting the fray. As you can see it is, it’s a group shot and Vic Stone, aka. Cyborg seems to be on the road to fully embrace his new path as part of the “League”. The league as we know it has yet to be officially formed as our fallen heroes have yet to deal with their initial defeat and are reeling from the arrival of a foe that none of them have ever encountered. I guess, Geoff Johns wanted a big event to be the catalyst that would bring our heroes together. And you don’t get any better than Darkseid.

But the issue opens with almost all our heroes all down for the count save for Flash. In his recovery, he witnesses Darkseids Omega beams (coming from his eyes), take down two government aircrafts. So, it’s not a match.

 By this time, the Man of Steel comes around and is ready for some action but Flash, after seeing what Darkseid did, knew better & scuttles him out just before Darkseid sends out two more beams to take them out. Here the running pair, find 
out for the first time what we already knew (prior to the New 52) which is, that Darkseid's eye beams can follow you around till it makes contact.


Flash & Supes split up in the hopes of evading it, but only Flash got the idea of diverting the beam to a group of Darkseid's creatures before Superman himself got hit by the beams and gets carried out by the winged creatures to the tower that rose up from the sea in Issue 3.

By this time, Hal has taken upon himself to be "the hero" by engaging Darkseid directly, hitting him with a “green mace” and shielding himself with a green shield after Darkseid retaliates. To Lantern’s surprise, and ours, he hardly flinches, as Hal’s constructs have no effect on the huge and menacing interloper. In addition to that, Darkseid probably regarding our Green Lantern as a pesky and troublesome gnat, grabs him and breaks his arm! (okay, Shock #2) In just a few panels and with the damage that he has wrought so far, Darkseid is proving to be much of the daunting villain of this issue as he doesn’t talk much and simply lets his might do all the talking. After dispensing with the “pesky” Lantern, he simply turns around and walks away, pretty much the stance of a confident and all encompassing villain.

 At this point the action tapers down and I find myself surprised (yes, again), as Batman does something that is something considered out of character, and that he reaches out to Hal, telling him that charging this otherworldly foe is not doing the “bright” thing and he wonders out loud what propels Hal to do what he does as he feels that they are similar. In a gasp-worthy moment, Batman tells him who he is, how his parents were murdered as he takes his mask & cape off. But instead of marveling out loud at the revelation, and probably a result of him being too ensconced in his life of a bubble in Coast City, Hal Jordan remarks that he doesn’t know who Bruce Wayne is. Yes, the brag-mouth doesn’t know the “enigma”.

Bruce feels that they are alike & what is going on is bigger than any one of them. He adds that its time for them to be a team and then goes off.

  

 Lantern then rounds up the rest of the heroes and decide to follow Darkseid into the city while keeping out of sight. Of course, another banter-set, courtesy of Hal & Barry ensues as the remaining heroes decide to distract Darkseid while buying Bruce some time in his reconnaissance mission. The Lantern and Flash exchange clearly follwing Hal's Battle cry of "We Got This" shows us readers the ease and the candor between these two friends, as it has always been them two who have gotten along even prior to the New 52. Batman, or in this case, Bruce Wayne for his part allowed himself to be taken by the winged creatures and finds himself entering another portal and sees another city, one that can be mistaken for a refinery of an oil plant, or a big giant industrial furnace of a city, replete with pipes, smoke, burning pits of fire, but, for a change, more winged creatures.

So care to take a guess where they are exactly? ;)

            Well, like you I am equally guessing and getting antsy for Issue #6.

Justice League #4- The New 52

Throw a King into the mix, via Aquaman certainly uppes the ante in anyone’s books and thus leaves room for a little more focus on the remaining member of the group who has yet to fully embrace his evolution and journey to become a new man. That new man is Victor Stone whom we all know as Cyborg and who at the start of this issue finds him deep in the Red Room at Star Labs undergoing a painful transformation, or more aptly, the grafting and replacing of the metal Prometheum with his damaged tissue from the previous issues.

And just when the metallic winged hounds of Darkseid penetrates Star Labs does he get first hand of his transformation as his hand automatically goes into defense mode and blasts one creature away, blowing it to bits. But by the end of the panel, we see that it is not only the monster that is blown away, but also the traces of a bond between father and son as Dr. Stone can only call out to his transformed cyborg of a son, Vic, as he breaks away in rage, and in disappointment at what his father has done to him and at the monster that he has become.

Back at Metropolis, the newly acquainted heroes are having mixed reactions at having met a new super being in their midst and with the revelation at that, that these creatures set some kind of device and tore open a hole in the water that eventually ushered more creatures out from it. He assumes that the land-based heroes before him have gathered to fight them but does not see a leader in their midst.

This is where the lines get snappish and acerbic once more as each hero quips a line (or two) that reveals further much of their persona; or like Hal Jordan who blurted out that he thought Aquaman, was a sketch on Conan O Brien (insert LOL #1), gives them ample smart-aleck highlights under the klieg lights of a building catastrophe. Batman, for his part, has his line of asserting leadership as he alludes that Aquaman was not looking at him when he was looking for a leader. Aquaman assumes leadership status as he is the rightful heir to the throne of Atlantis.

Of course, this doesn’t bode well with our Lantern, who apart from having issues with taking orders, doesn’t appreciate Batman, another wananabe super-hero giving out orders and bossing people around. With that said, he goads the Sea King to prove his worth to which Aquaman does via his telepathic connection with various aquatic lifeforms. Yes, it does shut Hal up. But I don’t know about you but Hal is getting more cocky by the issue. Heck if he keeps it up, he could give Guy Gardner a serious run for his money.

Vic Stone, aka. Cyborg, unaware of the chaos around Chicago stumbles outside and manages to help a woman who was being attacked by the winged creatures and somehow assimilates information from them and showed him how Darkseid was conquering one world after another by harvesting and processing organic materials and turning them into the creatures that have just attacked Chicago, Metropolis and other cities around the world. Lucky for him, and for us readers, his self defending and pro-active armor traces the signal being emanated by these creatures and transports him via a portal to Metropolis to join our heroes in the fray against them; just in time to warn them of who is behind the attacks and how he goes from world to world and is coming to Earth. And on cue, the Big Bad of the issue makes a grand and disastrous entrance for all the world to see.

     All in all, I am loving the elements of the storyline so far and how each and every piece of the puzzle is being fitted to complete the big picture. But like in the past issues, there were still some room for unwarranted but much welcomed humor to dispel the seriousness of the storyline like Batman laughing after Hal inadvertently admits that what he does is solely to impress people especially, Wonder Woman.  But Hal doesn’t really readily say it just for honesty’s sake, his hand was just absentmindedly touching Wondy’s golden lasso, which makes one tell the truth. (insert LOL #2)

      Now to break off from the funnies, one line that struck me in this issue was what Superman said to Flash as he flew off to divert attacks being made by government choppers on them. Supes said, “You seem to be someone who wants to do the right thing, but the same can’t always be said for everyone in positions of authority.”

         This observation about people in power holds much truth for me as we all know that too much of it corrupts even those with the best intentions. Of course, unless you have the heart of Mother Teresa or you’re a strong willed leader who knows what he wants to accomplish and sticks by the means to doing so, then at least that alone grants the exemption to this notion. But unless people in government, without the need to say about ours, do certainly acknowledge and know their responsibility and accountability are to the people, then, there will always be a cycle of repeat offenders. There will be be some who think that they can go above the law, much less rewrite it. Good thing there are heroes in their world. How about ours? How many heroes have we got?

And how many heroes will be left standing after Darkseid's arrival? Time to check out the next issue.

Justice League #3- The New 52

Having gotten the first 3 issues first of the new JLA, as part of the new 52 launch last year, I knew I had to continue reading and discover for myself what new things lay behind this new Wonder Woman. Now this change comes in the wake of J.Michael Strazynski's own take of our beloved Amazon that ended in her 611th issue before joining the new 52. With my own knowledge of Diana Prince, from the early TV series, the animated Justice League series, past readings of Gail Simone and George Perez as well as previous animated incarnations of her and the League, I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the Wonder Woman I knew.

For starters, issue 3 opens with our Diana breaking out of the Pentagon office in pursuit of what she deems is a harpy after having seen on TV that a winged monster has begun terrorizing downtown Dc. This time our Diana dons silver wristbands and the gold that once adorned her now all red and ribbed bustier is equally silver. Along with that she carries a sword that could be mistaken for Frodo's Elvish sword, Sting, given to him by his Uncle Bilbo. But once more I digress. The love of more than one fandom does have cross-referencing advantages I must admit. J

Ok, moving ward, Diana quickly discovers & relates to Col Trevor that while this new world she’s in has wonderful things like ice cream and rock and roll, there is also Darkness here. As if on point, the Winged monster appears atop a building, sounds off a Ping sound and opens a portal, thereby ushering more mechanical Winged Demons. At this time the same terrifying scene is equally happening at Metropolis and most recently at Detroit. Back at Star Labs Dr. Silas Stone is unable to leave his injured son, Victor, and instead ushers him down to the Red Room and administers the grafting of a metal called Prometheum as well as the injection of  nanobyte tech into his son’s body, who at this point looks more like the nuclear burned kids from Resident Evil. Oops, sorry, I did it again. Cross fandom reference.

The Metropolis carnage now being kept at bay by the combined efforts of Supes, Flash and Gl has been made more effective by the arrival of Diana, aka. Wonder Woman to which Flash is wowed and Lantern calls dibs. And just when they think that they’ve scared the Darkseid-Chantng creatures away, our heroes could only stare at their false conclusion as a massive structure suddenly looms out of the sea before them. And in their presence finally comes another formidable hero we know as Aquaman. But with a Kingly demeanor to him, how well do we know the King of the Seas?

Like the previous two issues, this next one is not without action or quips. Flash couldn’t believe that Batman has no power and initially thought he was a Vampire.  Superman acknowledges Diana's strength to which she nonchalantly responds, I know. I don’t know about you but for me, I was getting some subtext stares between Supes and Wondy. Can we expect a “pairing” between the two inspite of the “couple” status insinuated between Batman and Diana in the animated series?

Anyway, all this banter plays well with the addition of anther would be JL Member. So what happens to a group of powerful indivduals when you bring a King into the mix? Well, we’re gonna find out next in Issue 4, aren’t we? 

Justice League #2- The New 52

And so with the promise of a fray between Batman and Superman, I dive in and read on to Issue #2. By the cover alone, I was already rewarded with the promise of a great read. Plus seeing Bruce and Clark go at it like there’s no tomorrow with Hal by the sidelines trying to keep Superman at bay with green chains was just great.

The second issue opens with criminal lab guy, Barry Allen, trying to divert attention of his boss to a case that for him was more important but higher ups want him to unravel the identity of the Flash. Good luck there.

The battle continues in Metropolis with Batman trying every trick in the book, or in this case, his belt, in the hopes that it stops Superman. But to no avail as we all know the only thing that will take Superman down. But if case, you are a new reader and you don’t know, heck, I am not telling. But don’t fret either as our heroes don’t know it as well. Just your luck as you’re not the only one in the dark.

Now, it was only with the intervention of Flash did the battle stop for Batman to get a word in and convince our Man of Steel that he and Hal are not in league with the monsters that equally attacked different parts of Metropolis. They came to the city in the hopes of finding more about these things because they are “alien”. So since Superman is one, he’d know them too. Now this if viewed negatively, this may sound racist to some and would go along with the concept that every chinky-eyed Asian would know every chinky-eyed Asian that passes by and they’d shake hands and sing some common national anthem. But I digress so allow me to get back to the topic.

The intel session continues with Batman showing Supes the box that he had with him in an abandoned printing press plant. As it is, the caped Kryptonian doesn’t have a base of operations and all of this talk is operating on the level of trust that they can extract from one another. Hal for his part, carries on with his cocky I-Can-Do-This attitude and suggests to Flash that they ditch “Black and Blue” because Batman is a pain in the ass and Superman doesn’t know shit about the box they brought in. How’s that for cooperation? 

Hal and Barry Allen's bond and banter carries off well into the new 52 and I'm glad they retained that. Much of the superheroes on this timeline had to hide themselves from the law and are considered a threat by the law. Needless to say, most of them go to great lengths to keep their identities secret. Until, Hal slips. LOL! (again)

The intel continues with each hero finding things about what they can do and Flash is surprised that Superman can see into things to which he pointedly asks Batman what he can do. And you know Bruce will have a retort to that by saying that he can “Keep us all on point.” LOL! Nice one Bats!

Apart from trust, lack on info is another element that keeps our heroes going and learning what they can from each other and the box that seems to elude any further discovery. Of course, they pretty soon learn that the box activates itself and “Pings” again and brings in more of those metallic creatures in that eerily chants, “For Darkseid”. Like the innate detective that he is Batman’s fears of having another box out there in the city is not far from the truth, as one was certainly being studied in Detroit within StarLabs by scientist Dr. Stone who currently was trying to have a decent and rational conversation with his son Victor when the box blew up and caught Victor in its wake. 

Here the issue ends with the image of a burning high school kid who earlier had simple wishes that his father come to his football game and share in his success.


Clearly that’s not going to happen as Victor will soon find out after this that his life is now not his own and that we will be meeting another super human in Issue #3 named, Wonder Woman. 

You know her right?

Justice League #1 - The New 52

When I first got wind of the Retcon that DC comics was going to do and it consisted of 52 titles, I had to admit that I shook my head both in disbelief and in bewilderment. Everything was doing well for me, for both as an outsider and a reader, so what was the change in the DC Universe for. But then again we’re not Geoff Johns or part of the DC management and no amount of internet protests would swing vote in my favour and also for those who felt the same way as I did.

But nonetheless, I was still excited and anxious of the surprises that the stories would have for me. I know my favorite, Green Lantern was not exactly a major casualty of the reset-storyline but more of re-numbering wherein the issue once more goes back to #1 and continues the flow of events following their most recent crisis of which I love, and that was War of the Green Lanterns.

So I only most recently decided to catch up with our favorite Justice League over the Holidays, having heard good things about it. Plus I also got curious after seeing the official picture of the newly re-formed and re-drawn Justice League. What stood out was obviously the absence of Superman’s Red Underwear and he was wearing an all-blue “tights” with more detail and a mechanical chiselled look. Like Green Lantern and Batman’s boots, the drawings were more contoured and had a modern look to them. No doubt this was part of the re-marketing of the DC Universe to the newer generation. And with that I forged on ahead.

Issue #1 of which I was able to get the variant cover instead by David Finch and not the Jim Lee original as my source ran out of stock, began with a narration that began 5 years ago when Superheroes were not called as such and they were viewed as a threat by the public and equally hunted down by the government, in spite of the heroes’ best intention to help and curtail crime. Such was the scene we witness at the beginning of the issue and set in Gotham City with our Batman in one of the building rooftops and in pursuit of a mysteriously cloaked figure. In the chase that ensued the figure turns out to be a humanoid of some kind that later was dispatched easily by an arriving Hal Jordan, aka. Green Lantern who like the populace viewed Batman’s existence as a myth and got the “surprise” that the Batman was real and flesh and blood.

They team up and chase the figure down the sewers which had already changed and developed mechanical wings and legs to which Hal quips and referenced the creature as a “Transformer.” See, what I mean? Definitely a ploy to bring new and younger audiences into the DC fold. What I liked was the antagonistic attitude between Hal and Bruce and the development of that dynamic playing out when Hal freaked out after finding out that Batman can’t fly, has no super strength and merely was a guy in a Bat costume. LOL! That reaction was priceless! 2 more “priceless” interactions for me between Hal and Bats were when Bruce casually slips off Hal’s ring and examines it and deduces that the ring doesn’t have any buttons and most probably works on concentration. Puzzled, Hal asks how was Batman able to do that to which our Caped Crusader smirks under his cowl and smartly replies, “You weren’t concentrating”. LOL! (Yes!)

And some things never change in spite of the resetting of the DC Universe, Hal is still as cocky, Batman is still thorough in his research. After the creature blows itself up and attaches a mechanical box to the wall, Bruce says that the box is indeed alien tech to which Hal references Superman and that all of this is somehow connected to that “Alien in Metropolis”. With that said the pair fly off to Metropolis in a bright green jet amidst Batman’s mild protest afterwards because of the lack of anonymity flying into the city. Hal effortlessly quips, “You can’t fly. So how else were we going to get there? Talk in a Deep Voice?” LOL! (again)

Now Hal’s cockiness doesn’t stop there as he safely encloses Batman into a green box while he goes into a Lexcorp building as his ring is a “magnet for extraterrestrials”. But the search finds him instead as Supes comes rushing out of the building in a haze of red and blue for he “doesn’t do easy”. In this last panel we see the new Superman minus the red underwear with the same semi high collar and with the cape sewn into the costume. Like Hal and Bats his boots are more chiselled with equally the same recessed detail drawn into it and with raised piping at the center of the boots and with equal red piping at the edge of his sleeves. This is obviously a new Superman greeting new and old readers and sets up the next event billed in Issue #2 as Batman Vs. Superman.

And with these dynamics to play on, add into the mix the development and history of Vic Stone as his journey to being Cyborg comes into play and the Justice League members slowly come to meet one hero after another and find that their goals are not at all disimilar and perhaps unlikely as it is in their line of work, working together may just be the breakthrough they need to find out the meaning of this new threat or slogan as the robot creatures cry out just before detonating oneself. What was the battle cry? It was....For Darkseid!

 So whatcha waiting for? Get Issue #2! Now!