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Detective Comics #877
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artists: Jock and David Baron
Cover Artist: Jock
Publisher: DC

Throughout the years Batman has found himself trapped in many confined areas; in this case it’s in a car lot that’s about to be flattened. He narrowly escapes disaster, but finds himself still a few puzzle pieces short of an answer. He decides to regroup with Gordon, only to be surprised by a visit from Sonia Branch. All of his clues lead him back to the sea, only to come upon the most unexpected submersible.
It really is a great time to be a Batman fan. Scott Snyder is doing a remarkably terrific job with the series. There’s action, drama, suspense, and most importantly there’s humor. It’s not just the story that’s great here; the dialog is smart, witty, and is effortlessly fun. The conversations between Dick and Tim have been hilarious, and the portrayal of Dick and Gordon’s relationship has been perfectly narrated as well. Initially I had a hard time with Jock’s art, but his art seems to be getting better. He handles layouts particularly well, such as the scene where Batman escapes in the beginning, which looked fantastic. If you want a book that’ll keep you enthralled, this is the one for you. 4.5/5

Gotham City Sirens #23
Writer: Peter Calloway
Artists: Andres Guinaldo and Lorenzo Ruggiero
Cover Artist: Guillem March
Publisher: DC

Prior to the last issue, which tied into a crossover, we last saw the Sirens torn apart. Harley had recently reunited with the Joker, while Ivy and Catwoman went their separate ways because of their priorities. In present time, Harley and Joker have started an uprising in Arkham, releasing inmates and killing guards. Catwoman spent the issue trying to avoid her relationship with the Sirens, only to be coerced into helping save Harley. Poison Ivy, hellbent on breaking Harley free from Joker’s hold over her, broke herself into Arkham and is ready to kick some ass.
This issue was great. Catwoman’s relationship with the Sirens has been rocky since the beginning. Which is understandable because Catwoman has a relationship with Batman, and the other two gals hate him. So seeing this relationship tested plays out really well. Also, it’s great seeing some of Gotham’s other criminals in the fray as well, especially Joker who felt much more like the Joker from my childhood than the one we’ve been seeing lately. Overall, I thought that this was one of the stronger issues from this series recently. 4/5

Green Arrow #12
Writer: J.T. Krul
Artists: Diogenes Neves and Vicent Cifuentes
Cover Artists: Rodolfo Migliari and Clayton Crain
Publisher: DC

The battle in the forest is over and the Swamp Thing reigns supreme. Unfortunately, that doesn’t solve any of Ollie’s problems. First on the list is Etrigan, who had been separated from his host, Jason Blood. To solve the problem, and accept his burden, Blood reabsorbs Etrigan into himself. That just leaves the bigger problem: Star City.
I’ve been saying it for quite some time now, but this book has been suffering because of Brightest Day. Hell, even Ollie is pissed that the forest didn’t actually do anything for this book. And while Krul has been able to keep the series afloat, I couldn’t be more excited that we won’t have to worry about that damn forest any longer. Now we can get back to Ollie, which is what this series should have been about from the beginning. 3/5

Green Lantern #66
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, and Keith Champagne
Cover Artists: Doug Mahnke and Keith Champagne
Publisher: DC

This is the start of three War of the Green Lanterns reviews. Luckily, they go in order, so there shouldn’t be too much confusion. The core story of this issue revolved around Guy and Hal, who were attempting to release Parallax from the Green Lantern battery. Unfortunately, they were confronted by guardians of OA, who had previously been possessed by the entities. Just as it seemed the two Earthlings would prevail, Krona appeared and claimed the two for his own use. Meanwhile in the dark book, the other Lanterns are being deceived and trapped.
I thought that this issue was OK. The portion regarding the individuals trapped in the book was interesting enough, but it felt relatively unimportant to the story at hand. As far as issues go, I thought that this one was good. However, as far as chapters to the event, not enough actually happens during the issue. At the end of the day no one has escaped the dark book, and Guy and Hal remain in captivity. 3/5

Green Lantern Corps #60
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artists: Tyler Kirkham and Batt
Cover Artists: Aaron Lopresti and Randy Mayor
Publisher: DC

While Guy and Hal are off attempting to free Parallax, John and Kyle’s mission is to stop Mogo. Not only is the planet a threat because of its power, but Mogo plays an integral role for the Green Lantern Corps dispatching rings to search for new Lanterns. Under Krona’s control, Mogo had been recruiting hundreds of unqualified Lanterns to join Krona’s army. After struggling to find a way to communicate with the planet and failing to break Krona’s hold over it, John makes the ultimate decision and destroys the planet.
This issue was absolutely fantastic. The death of the planet came as a complete surprise to me. I thought that that specific scene played out fairly well, and the fact that it was John’s decision was very fitting. The death of Mogo will have a lasting effect, and whether he is ultimately hailed as a hero or vilified, this is just the type of event to bring John back into the spotlight. 4/5

Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #10
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artists: Fernando Pasarin and Cam Smith
Cover Artists: Miguel Sepulveda and Gabe Eltaeb
Publisher: DC

As the event draws to an end, Guy finally gets his moment to shine. The issue starts off with the four Earthlings reuniting, after having been previously separated. The destruction of Mogo momentarily debilitates the rest of the Green Lantern Corps, as well as the Guardians, allowing the four to develop a plan. Ganthet’s plan is to wield the entire emotional spectrum’s power and shatter the Central Power Battery. In order to do this, Guy and Hal are given the task of wielding two rings. When Krona and his minions regain consciousness, war breaks out, and the only hope lies within Guy.
I thought that this issue was really great. From the beginning of the series I’ve thought that Tomasi has done an excellent job of writing Guy. From the beginning I’ve thought that if there was one human Green Lantern who loved his job too much to lose it, it was Guy. Of the four, I can’t imagine him not being a Green Lantern at this point. John’s actions, though they did bring him into the spotlight, might not be as easily accepted by his comrades as I feel he thinks. Overall this was a great issue, and personally I think this has had some of the best art of the entire event, as well. 4/5

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Arnab Pradhan
arnab@comicattack.net