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Hello! This week I’ve got a huge batch of books for you all. There are four, that’s right, four Bat-Books plus a Brightest Day issue that guest stars Batman. Then I have The Flash, Green Lantern, and Green Lantern Corps for you all. Enjoy, and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Minor spoilers ahead!

Batman #704
Writer: Tony Daniel
Artist: Tony Daniel
Cover Artist: Tony Daniel
Publisher: DC

Tony Daniel’s previous run ended with a high note, and now four months later he’s back at the creative helm. The issue starts up with Batman and Robin taking on Reaper, when they are interrupted by Kitrina Falcone, or Catgirl, as she wishes to be called. Bruce arrives to tell Dick that he needs to get rid of Catgirl and to inform him that he and Damian are to be the protectors of Gotham. Meanwhile, out of costume, Dick is approached by a new character, Sasha Lo, who is looking to purchase Crime Alley. The issue progresses with a guest appearance by Selina Kyle and a new masked hero/villain, the Peacock.
I thought that this issue was just great. I think that Tony Daniel has a great feel for Dick and Damian and he handles their relationship perfectly. In this issue he also does a good job of introducing new characters and bringing in past characters in an effortless manner. Daniel has also added inking to his bag of tricks starting in this issue, which works out great. His new style has a great sketchy feel to it that I think works well with the story. 4/5

Batman Incorporated #1
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist(s): Yanick Paquette and Michel Lacombe
Cover Artist: J.H. Williams III
Publisher: DC
Morrison’s controversial run continues with the launch of this new title. With Bruce Wayne announcing that he has funded Batman for years and with Batman taking his abilities to a global level, it looks like busy times for Batman. We start the international tour at Japan, where a Japanese detective crimefighter is killed and his protegé escapes. Batman arrives, accompanied by Catwoman, and the two work together perfectly. Though the two are ambushed, they are quickly able to overcome the skull mask-wearing martial artists. The two then are led to an apartment complex where they encounter even more trouble.
The first issue in this series starts out fantastically. The story picks up right out the pages of Batman: The Return and to be frank, this is the Batman/Catwoman team up you thought you would get in Batman/Catwoman: Follow the Money. The two of them work together effortlessly, and with Selina being as strong minded a character as she is, it proves to be an interesting pairing. For those of you that are sick of the sci-fi, thought-provoking Morrison, this series looks to be more of the straight forward Morrison we saw in Batman and Robin. There were some problems here and there, but overall the art looked consistently good throughout the book. To sum, this was a great beginning to the next leg in Morrison’s run. 4.5/5

Batman: Streets of Gotham #17
Writer: Paul Dini
Artist: Dustin Nguyen
Cover Artist: Dustin Nguyen
Publisher: DC

This issue starts off with a mind controlled Harlequin creating the opportunity for a Bruce and Selina reunion. The two touch upon a conversation they had in Heart of Hush, that was put on hold as a result of Bruce being lost in time. Bruce then informs Selina that Hush has been captured, though Bruce believes he was the intended target. Meanwhile, Hush quickly figures out who is holding him captive, but stays quiet long enough to figure out why Judson Pierce wants Bruce dead. After kicking some hoodlum butt, Tommy Elliot reveals to Pierce that he is, in fact, not Bruce Wayne, but he is more than willing to help take him down.
This issue is mostly meant to set things up for the upcoming battle, which may be to the death. Though mainly an issue filled with explanations, it is executed very well by both Dini and Nguyen. The Selina and Bruce reunion scene was perfectly executed and a much needed resolution to the events in Heart of Hush. The flashbacks that have been a part of this arc have been fascinating additions. They create depth, intrigue, and a dash of mystery to the story, and in this issue particularly save the issue from being too exposition heavy. 4/5

Batman: The Return
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist(s): David Finch and Scott Williams
Cover Artist: David Finch
Publisher: DC

For months now Bruce Wayne has been fighting his way back to the present, while his comrades have been fighting the good fight in Gotham. Now that Bruce is back, he is ready to hit the ground running with his new plans. He calls a meeting with his inner circle to give them their new jobs. Then he goes to Lucius Fox to discuss the development of some new technology that he will soon be needing. After a failed outing with Damian, Bruce decides that it would be best if Dick stays on as a Batman and Damian joins him in protecting Gotham. A possible new villain is also introduced that wishes to take on the new and improved Dark Knight.
This one-shot was fantastic from beginning to end. The story about the bat in the first couple of pages was a great touch. It adds to the story that Morrison has been telling with his entire run. Batman being portrayed in his multiple roles, as a team leader, as a business man, as a partner, as a master planner, etc., were all excellent portrayals of the many aspects of the character. The art in the entire issue looks spectacular. David Finch really does an amazing job, which hopefully is indicative of his series The Dark Knight. Overall, Morrison does a great job of wrapping up the past months while moving into the future. 4.5/5

Brightest Day #14
Writer(s): Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi
Artist(s): Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
Cover Artist: David Finch
Publisher: DC
Since being brought back from the dead, Boston Brand has been charged with the duty of finding the next protector of the Earth. Intent on ridding himself of the White Ring, Brand poured through possible hosts which ultimately led him to choose the newly returned Bruce Wayne. Unfortunately for him, the results were not what he expected. The Ring not only informed him that Bruce was not the host, but put the fear of death into him. Not ready to die so soon after being granted life, Brand pleaded the Ring for life and the responsibility of the job.
I have found Boston Brand’s portion of this series to be the most interesting and overall the most satisfying. That being said, this issue being focused solely on Brand was great. The flashbacks shown to us by the White Ring were a smart way of giving us a look into Brand’s life pre-Deadman, and that kind of back story is always great for a character. The art, done entirely by Ivan Reis, was great in this issue. While I think that this series works best with multiple artists, having an issue focusing on one character is best handled by a single artist. We’re past the halfway marker with this issue, so it’ll be great to see how Brand’s story will interact with the rest of the resurrected. 4/5

The Flash #6
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Francis Manapul
Cover Artist: Francis Manapul
Publisher: DC

Barry Allen is on trial for the final issue in the first arc of this series. For the first leg of this series Barry has been hunted for a crime he was supposedly going to commit. However, he vehemently argued his innocence to the judge and when that got him nowhere, he vibrated himself out of the handcuffs and escaped back to the present just in time to save Iris. In the end, the Top was arrested by the future police, leaving Barry Allen to question his ability to change the past. The final pages revealed too many things that have been going awry in the DC Universe, from Wonder Woman’s memory to Bruce traveling through time. This would lead up to the reveal on the final page, a new speedster.
I thought that this was a pretty good issue. With the memories of his mother’s death and his interaction with the future police, it is easy to see the direction that the next arc will be going in. I am surprised that Barry has such a strong notion of being unable to change the past, when the Legion has come from the future on numerous occasions to change something in the present, which is their past. All that aside, this issue wrapped up the entire first arc. Not only do we get to see Barry speeding through life as the Flash, but we also get to witness him in his non-superhero element, which is always great. Manapul does a superb job with the art; he does a great job evoking the energy filled into the issue. 4/5

Green Lantern #59
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, and Keith Champagne
Cover Artist: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, and Keith Champagne
Publisher: DC

Since the conclusion of Blackest Night, the Indigo Corps have been noticeably out of the spotlight, but with this issue that is no longer the case. The issue starts off with Barry Allen confronting Hal Jordan with regards to his new partners in crime, literally. Their heart to heart is interrupted with the arrival of the Indigo Corps, who, it turns out, weren’t always so compassionate. However, things truly heated up when the entity, Parallax, arrives and takes Barry as its newest host.
I, for one, did not see that last part coming. Barry becoming host to the Parallax was a shocking and great end to this issue. Overall I thought that this was a really good issue. With every passing issue, more and more of the other corps continue to make guest appearances, and for the most part I have no problem with that. However, as we get to know these other Lanterns I want to see more of them more often. Inevitably, I can see how this would be problematic for hardcore Hal Jordan fans. I thought that this issue jumped around a bit too much, but as a whole it was a good issue. 4/5

Green Lantern Corps #54
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artist: Tyler Kirkham and Batt
Cover Artist: Tyler Kirkham and Batt
Publisher: DC

We left off with Kyle Rayner pleading for Sinestro’s help in the form of a knuckle sandwich. This issue starts off with the two of them deciding to go at it sans-powers and Sinestro proceeds to kick Kyle’s derriere. Stubborn as ever, however, Sinestro rejects Kyle’s plea to help save Soranik, his daughter. The rest of the issue is split into two stories. The first follows Rayner, who goes to his Green Lantern  buddies and convinces them to go to Qward with him. The remainder of the story takes place on Qward where the Weaponer fills Soranik on his plans.
I thought that this was an overall decent issue. The Kyle-Sinestro fight was fun, albeit a bit pointless as it really accomplished nothing. Other than that the issue was mainly explanation heavy, which in this case wasn’t a bad thing. The evident skill and power that the Weaponer wields is fascinating, and it will be interesting to see how the Corps handles this situation. 3/5

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Arnab Pradhan
arnab@comicattack.net