Catwoman #47 – Tini Howard, Writer; Caitlin Yarsky Artist; Jordie Bellaire, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: Ever since Selina left Gotham, this book has become a lot more fast-paced, and now the team of Catwoman and Valmont are off to Europe for a secret mission. The various players in the Gotham mob scene are converging on the Swiss Alps, and one unwilling associate has been brought there to be assassinated. The two rogues rescue him and engage in a massive snowmobile chase that turns out to be one of the best action scenes of this run. The visuals are great courtesy of guest artist Caitlin Yarsky, but Valmont remains the weakest part of this run—too one-note charming and snarky. The secondary plot involving Selina’s friend and wayward mob scion Dario has some real intensity to it, as the young heir is taken advantage of by someone who means a lot to him—and finds himself in deadly peril with his savior half a world away. It’s a fun run overall, but I’m not quite sure who I’m supposed to be invested in long-term.
Duo #5 – Greg Pak, Writer; Koi Pham, Penciller; Scott Hanna, Inker; Chris Sotomayor, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: The penultimate issue of this Milestone series made me realize that of all the comics in this world, this is probably the only one that really doesn’t feel like it takes place in a shared universe. The story of a scientist couple that finds themselves sharing a body after a nanobot accident, it’s pitted them against a team of sinister immortals, a mad scientist looking to claim the nanobots for themselves, and a ruthless government. It always looks great and is a fun, fast-paced read, but what it lacks is a personal touch in many scenes. That changes this issue a little when the duo helps a group of homeless people cure their ailments with nanobots—only to potentially come across something they can’t help. It’s a strong change of pace for the series, but then we immediately dovetail back to an explosive action scene as we head into the final cliffhanger. These are some strong characters, and I don’t know if six issues was enough for this story.
DC Vs. Vampires: All-Out War #3 – Matthew Rosenberg/Alex Paknadel, Emma Vieceli, Writers; Pasquale Qualano, Haining, Artists
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: While the main series has our heroes fighting the apocalypse, this side series splits the action into several lesser-seen battles on the ground. Having rescued Azrael from the vampires and revealed that the plague can be cured with the Lazarus Pit, this issue introduces a major new player—Batwoman, who has been turned but has maintained some control of her mind thanks to training from Damian. But while she’s on the side of good, a new evil emerges—Baron Cinder, a mysterious cosmic vampire who uses Luthor’s armor to keep his form together and is keeping Starfire prisoner due to her unique immunity to the vampire plague. His castle is a setting that has more of a classic Gothic vampire feel, which is a nice wrinkle. It’s one of the most fast-paced issues of the series, but that doesn’t quite let it develop like the main series does.
Then there’s the second part of the backup, which shows us the brutal moment that Dick Grayson became the Vampire King. An ambush, a betrayal from someone close to him, and a surprising show of strength turn him from hero to monster, told in brilliant manga-style art from two creators who will likely be stars in the future.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
