Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #3 – Brian Buccellato, Writer; Christian Duce, Artist; Luis Guerrero, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: This continues to live up to its source material with explosive monster action from beginning to end, although it takes some rather strange directions along the way. For one thing…Superman is dead! We saw him hit full-blast by Godzilla’s nuclear blast last issue, and it seems to have finished him off. It’s odd to see this plot repeated after his more famous death, but I am amused by Batman’s utter skepticism about this turn of events—he’s seen this before. He’s not the only character to die here, which makes me think this is firmly out of continuity. But the monsters look amazing, especially when it comes to some of the original ones. Flash goes up against a massive Cthulhu-inspired crab monster that has turned Central City into a foggy zone of mystery, but the giant mammoth-like creature that invades Paradise Island is a gentler sort once Wonder Woman approaches it. Then there’s Kong, who is largely still off doing his own thing. Fun, but halfway through and the big showdown is still to come.
Catwoman #60 – Tini Howard, Writer; Stefano Raffaele, Artist; Veronica Gandini, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: Last issue set up a unique new dynamic for Selina, as she awoke from her close call in Gotham War to find that she now had nine lives—but one of them had already been used. This allows her to tie up loose ends and take on suicide missions that would be impossible otherwise—and this issue’s quest takes her to the twisted dungeon of Flamingo. The flamboyant serial killer has taken up with a criminal named The Producer who likes to perform snuff theater, and he’s looking for his next “Star.” Selina places herself in position to be captured, giving her access to both the innocent victims and the idol she’s on the trail of—which plays a key role in the twisted operation Flamingo has signed up with. Overall, this is a tense and pulpy issue with a fun last-second twist that keeps the format from getting stale, but Flamingo is a villain I never found all that interesting, similar to Pyg.
Hawkgirl #6 – Jadzia Axelrod, Writer; Amancay Nahuelpan, Artist; Alex Guimaraes, Carrie Strachan, Colorists
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Jadzia Axelrod has created one of the most mythologically dense comics out of DC in a long time as she tries to unravel the tangled web of Hawkgirl’s backstory while also giving Kendra her own identity. This final issue brings it home in a compelling way, as Hawkgirl enters the Nth World in dramatic fashion to take on Vulpecula—only to find that the villain has Galaxy in her thrall. While Hawkgirl is the star, it’s clear that Axelrod has viewed Galaxy as a co-lead and gets to show off just how powerful her creation is here. When the threat is gone, a new crisis still looms, and Kendra makes a sacrifice that brings her full circle with the Hawkman legacy in an interesting way. It’s all a little overwhelming, so Axelrod smartly brings things full circle with a great segment that takes place at Galaxy’s apartment with a Hanukkah party featuring most of the cast. This was such a unique series and I’m hoping it’s just the start for Aexlrod and the DCU.
Cyborg #6 – Morgan Hampton, Writer; Travis Mercer, Bruno Abdias, Artists; Michael Atiyeh, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: The core of this series has been the relationship between Victor Stone and his father Silas—which is a little surprising, since Silas died off-panel of a heart attack in the first issue. Thanks to the power of AI, Vic has been able to get some closure through teaming up with the digital ghost of his dad to uncover the mysteries of his father’s business rival Markus. Those secrets include a digital double turned villain named Solace, as the computer program has gained sentience and a mean streak. It doesn’t take long to figure out how this is going to end and what sacrifice is going to be needed, as it’s really the only way to bring this story full circle, but Hampton still manages to create a compelling story that fleshes out Victor Stone’s character. DC has been trying to make the character a solo hero and headliner for a while, and this mini was the first where I really feel like they had a good hook for him.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
