Hinterkind, Volume 1: The Waking World Review (Ian Edginton, Francesco Trifogli)

Hinterkind is the uneasy spawn of Sweet Tooth and Fables, both Vertigo books that were popular so Ian Edginton decided, why not smoosh them together? … Because you get Hinterkind, that’s why! 

Adventures of Superman, Volume 1 Review (Jeff Parker, Chris Samnee)

Like Batman’s Legends of the Dark Knight, Adventures of Superman is the digital series of shorts where you can see these iconic characters wearing those famous shorts (their new 52 outfits are sans outside-pants)!

Miracleman, Book 3: Olympus Review (Alan Moore, John Totleben)

That’s it, I give up! I’ve struggled for two weeks to get through this third and final book in Alan Moore’s Miracleman trilogy and I can’t do it; it’s too depressing. I gave up on page 62, just over the halfway mark(!), but I’m going to review it anyway partly because not being able to finish the book says something about it in itself but also because the 62 pages I read were some of the worst comics pages I’ve ever read. 

Storm, Volume 1: Make It Rain Review (Greg Pak, Victor Ibanez)

Like Cyclops and Magneto, Storm is the latest X-Man to get her own solo series – and it’s not bad!

Grayson, Volume 1: Agents of Spyral Review (Tim Seeley, Mikel Janin)

If you haven’t read Forever Evil (lucky devil!) and don’t want to be spoiled, skip ahead a paragraph.

Death of Wolverine: The Logan Legacy Review (Charles Soule, Tim Seeley)

Usually the rule is that the event comic is a pile of crap while some of the tie-ins are surprisingly decent, even good. I’m not sure about the other spinoffs but The Logan Legacy tie-in to the Death of Wolverine manages to be even worse than the underwhelming main event. 

Gotham Academy, Volume 1: Welcome to Gotham Academy Review (Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher)

When the New 52 launched three and a bit years ago, one of the biggest complaints was the lack of variety in the lineup - it seemed like DC was catering solely for thirtysomething white males who only wanted to see violence and women dressed in as little clothing as possible. And of course lots and lots of Batman! 

Deadly Class, Volume 1: Reagan Youth Review (Rick Remender, Wesley Craig)

San Francisco, 1987, and Ronald Reagan has ruined Marcus’ life. Reagan’s healthcare cutbacks meant suicidal schizos were set free on the streets, and one such sufferer decides to end their life by jumping off the Golden Gate bridge - shame Marcus’ folks were directly in the drop zone! Suddenly orphaned, teenage Marcus is living on the streets when he’s approached to join a secret underground assassin’s school: the King’s Dominion School of the Deadly Arts. Marcus’ dream of assassinating Ronald Reagan begins to take solid form… 

Desolation Jones: Made in England Review (Warren Ellis, JH Williams III)

Los Angeles, the city of angels, is full of ex-spooks. Former secret government agents who’ve done, and had done to them, terrible things and are now living out their early retirement years in LA - unable to leave. Jones is one such ex-spook, a survivor of the mysterious Desolation Project in England, who also freelances as a covert detective. 

FCBD 2015: Divergence #1 Review (Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo)

Happy Free Comic Book Day everybody! 

DC’s offering this year was Divergence #1, a collection of three shorts featuring their iconic trinity: Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. And, true to the title, they all showcase a new direction for the titles - though some are more compelling than others, and technically the Wonder Woman one is a Justice League storyline but whatevs! 

Batman: Earth One, Volume 2 Review (Geoff Johns, Gary Frank)

The main DC universe is Earth-0, which is where most of DC’s comics take place - Earth-One is one of dozens of parallel universes within DC’s Multiverse where the characters you know and love are different. Earth-One’s Batman is much less accomplished than the regular Batman though this is an origin series so he’ll get there eventually! 

Palookaville #22 by Seth Review

Seth is back with Palookaville #22, the series that started out as regular single issue comics and has since began appearing as beautifully produced hardcovers. The latest “digest” (as he’s now taken to calling them) features Clyde Fans, Part 4: 1975, a photo essay on his wife’s business Crown Barber Shop (which he helped design), and Nothing Lasts, Part 2, a stream-of-consciousness-type memoir of his childhood. 

Nightwing, Volume 3: Death of the Family Review (Kyle Higgins, Eddy Barrows)

It’s Nightwing’s turn for a Death of the Family tie-in - and it might be the worst of the bunch (though I’m betting Ann Nocenti’s Catwoman ultimately scoops that prize)! 

Suicide Squad, Volume 4: Discipline and Punish Review (Ales Kot, Patrick Zircher)

I guess DC were aiming for the Fifty Shades crowd with the subtitle: “Discipline and Punish”? The only thing masochistic about Suicide Squad is that I keep reading the series even though it’s never been good, including this one!