Review: Robin War #1: All of the King’s Horses and All of the King’s Men

This article was originally published at Comics Bulletin on December 30, 2015. I’ll give this to Robin War #1, it certainly lives up to its title. If the thing you have most fondly desired when looking at DC Comics for the past several years is to see all of Batman’s former wards and a bunch …

Cosmic Odyssey Part Five: Transcending the Superhero Event

This article was originally published at Comics Bulletin on October 27, 2015. “Superhero” “Event” “Capes” These words have become signifiers in comics for backhanded compliments, angry reprisals, and well-intentioned praise of substandard fare. Superhero comics, specifically superhero event comics, are the definition of corporate comics. They are born from a profit-driven motive and designed to …

Leading Question: Martian Manhunter and the Justice League

This article was originally published at Comics Bulletin on October 8, 2015. Every two weeks in a new installment of “Leading Questions”, the young, lantern jawed Mark Stack will ask Comics Bulletin’s very own Chase Magnett a question he must answer. However, Mark doesn’t plan on taking it easy on Chase. He’ll be setting him …

It Needs More Punching: A Review of Justice League #44

This article was originally published at Comics Bulletin on October 1, 2015. “Forever Evil”, the last Geoff Johns’ penned superhero event from DC Comics, was an unabashed shit show. It stretched two and a half plot points (a generous estimate) across a mini-series and various tie-ins, treated dialogue like something you solved in a puzzle …

Batman #44: Show Me a Superhero

This article was originally published at Comics Bulletin on September 17, 2015. Batman #44 is a unique addition to Scott Snyder’s wide array of Batman stories. The writer and his work on these series have become synonymous with grandiose epics that examine the nature of Gotham City, the Dark Knight, and his many allies and …

The Rising Tide: The State of the Comics Industry in 2015

This article was originally published at ComicBook.Com on July 5, 2015. It’s hard to believe, but we’re already halfway through 2015. And in case you didn’t notice, it has been a big year in the world of comics. Announcements have been flooding the internet over the past few weeks with Valiant Summit, Image Expo, and Marvel’s …

Which DC Comics Series Is Right for You?

This article was originally published at ComicBook.Com on July 2, 2015. Almost four years after DC Comics’ New 52 reboot, the publisher has crafted another relaunch. But this time, they’ve gone in a very different direction. Rather than starting practically from scratch in a single universe, the books of Divergence represent a wide variety of …

Black Canary #1 Is Gorgeous, But Should Take Some Advice From Elvis

This article was originally published at Comics Bulletin on June 22, 2015. Black Canary #1 is a beautiful debut, but that’s no surprise coming from artist Annie Wu and colorist Lee Loughridge. Even before the 8-page preview landed, there was little doubt that this dynamic duo would bring something very special to DC Comics’ Divergence …

Fastball Feedback: Comic Book Reviews For June 10

There are several great heroes in popular culture who rely on magic in their crusades against evil. And while Harry Potter is great and all, sometimes its more fun to see how some  of the dark arts are applied in the hands of a complete bastard. That’s where comic books come in. This week, Marvel and DC …

Fastball Feedback: Comic Book Reviews for the Week of June 1

Rebirth is the name of the game for this week’s Fastball Feedback, as we look into some classic characters and stories that are receiving new life. DC Comics published one of the best Superman stories since the launch of the New 52, while IDW Publishing re-imagined two of the biggest toy franchises of all time. Image Comics, …