Let’s start this up.
Byrned Amazons Attack. I guess with the Grecian roots, a true Deus Ex Machina is somewhat appropriate, if still annoying as all hell. Not that this actually resolved anything, as opposed to merely punting the plot down the line to future storylines in WW, Countdown, et al.
Teen Titans #50: Not terribly impressed. I’m sick of pining for Bart and Connor. The Johns/McKone and Wolfman/Perez bits didn’t do much for me. Johns’ era was too recent for me to be nostalgic for, and he pretty much just recycled the only story he had were Bart acted like Bart. Wolfman/Perez was simply before my time, and this vignette simply wasn’t exciting enough to stand without nostalgia. The framing story showed promise. McKeever’s going straight for the sex and romance angle. I mean, two of those relationships predate him, but he stressed them hard, and even his take on Blue Beetle had him hitting on the girls from Albachusetts.
Countdown #35: Aw, man. And it was doing so well! Black Mary is getting a touch tiresome and the other stories didn’t do much for me. I did like one thing, the Monitors’ comment on Kyle: “Ah geeze, now he’s even ruining Parallax!”
Batman Annual #26: Not so much “the origin of Ra’s Al Ghul” as deleted scenes from a more complete orgin story. Should have passed.
Countdown to Adventure #1: “No honey, of course we shouldn’t tell Starfire’s friends that she’s alive, or try to have them bring her out of the coma she’s been in all year. The time I spent almost alone with her, mostly in close quarters on a spaceship but also together for several weeks on a tropical paradise planet, has given us a special closeness and bond. So I know that’s what she would want. Also, I’ve seen her naked on several occasions.” Buddy’s such a dope, but I can’t help but love it. Also, Forerunner had a more interesting background than her Countdown appearances hinted at, and it seems Captain Atom hasn’t turned bad after all.
The Four Horsemen #1: Here’s a gem that I almost overlooked. I really liked the interplay between Bruce and Clark (I like that for once Bruce is the cautious one talking down a borderline cocky Clark) and for perhaps the first time, the theology of the Crime Bible interests me. I’m also interested in what Cale’s up to. Highly recommended.
Action Comice #855: Not bad. Some clever bits. But not really anything I haven’t seen in a Bizarro story before, either.