Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #5 – Jeff Parker, Writer; Lucas Ketner, Veronica Bandini, Artists; Marcelo Maiolo, Colorists
Ray – 9/10
Ray: DC’s epic holiday crossover concludes this issue, with Santa Claus (and an elf version of Mrs. Claus) joining forces with the League to take on the Silent Knight in an enchanted castle. This issue is as busy as the rest of the issues, with monsters and deathtraps aplenty. There are a lot of fun elements like a Yeti army that Santa has befriended over the years, and even time for some emotional moments like when Thunderheart finds out what’s become of her father. It’s pretty clear no events from this are going to stick in any major way, but that doesn’t mean the creative team isn’t having a ton of fun. I wish Santa had actually gotten a bit more screentime in this mini – he often seems to be just one element of dozens at play, and he’s a ton of fun. But the ending hints at more adventures to come, with Santa even joining the new expanded League and a new magical setting being introduced.
The Flash #16 – Simon Spurrier, Writer; Vasco Georgiev, Artist; Matt Herms, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: The most mind-bending of DC’s current main-line titles continues to refocus in the new era. There might not be a massive cosmic crisis at the moment, but the rewriting of reality that happened in the last arc has still had some fallout. Wally has now figured out how to essentially split himself into two, which allows him to devote himself to both League duties and a family vacation. Of course, that vacation has turned into work as well, with Weather Wizard invading Skartaris and using his newly upgraded powers to take over the fantasy kingdom. There’s some fun action here, as well as some interesting behind-the-scenes developments for Irey and Jai as they discuss the way their own powers have changed in recent months. This arc has done a better job with characterization than the first year of the title, I think, although it still has some serious pacing issues at times.
Harley Quinn #46 – Elliott Kalan, Writer; Mindy Lee, Artist; Triona Farrell, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: Harley’s quest to clean up Throatcutter Hill and return it to the people continues – and this time, the focus is on delivery vans. Not only are these ubiquitous vehicles in and out constantly, but many of them are blocking local businesses in the Hill. Naturally, Harley’s approach to this is to hit them hard with her trademark bat and chase them out – even though it soon turns out that many of the residents don’t want them to go. We know this all too well – we’ve gotten used to having our packages delivered very quickly. But Harley rarely thinks things through, so soon enough she’s doing battle with a cyborg deliveryman who seems to run the delivery vans with an iron fist. This comic has a really fun visual sense and a lot of action, as well as some amusing commentary about gentrification and homogenization, but so far three issues in it seems to be falling into a fairly predictable pattern.
Power Girl #16 – Leah Williams, Writer; Adriana Melo, Artist; Romulo Fajardo Jr, Colorist
Ray – 7.5/10
Ray: With Omen unconscious after a brutal beating by Ejecta, Power Girl is focused on one thing – revenge. PG has always been the most hot-tempered of the Super family, but this is the kind of super-rage that only comes along once in a rare while. The combination of Omen’s injuries and Ejecta’s connection to Power Girl’s own tormentor makes this a fraught battle – but it gets even trickier when you consider the reveal that Ejecta wasn’t an innocent victim of her “father”, she was chosen distinctly because of her sadistic leanings. A flashback shows she was dealing out horrible pain long before she was super-powered. The ending of this issue leaves her a potential threat to return down the line, and quickly switches tone back to being a much lighter comic. So the series is continuing, and this is one of the first glimpses we’ve gotten at a character who could be PG’s arch-enemy.
Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #3 – Rafael Grampa, Writer/Artist; Matheus Lopes, Valentina Napolitano, Colorists
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: It’s been a full year since the last issue of this series arrived, so I don’t blame you if you’ve forgotten a bit of what came before. Rafael Grampa’s art is still fantastic, although the colorists he’s paired with maybe sand off some of the rough indie edges of his art. The story, though, might be a bit more of an acquired taste. This book has delved into the idea that Bruce was a violent ticking time bomb as soon as he lost his parents – something that was sealed away by a mysterious doctor. Now he’s stalked by a strange society of ninjas that seek to unleash that hidden rage within him. Add in Jim Gordon haunted by a mysterious woman who may or may not be a ghost, and a tiny little girl in the desert who mimics the mannerisms of the Joker, and you have an issue where Grampa is throwing just about everything at the wall. It’s an odd book, and one that will likely read a lot better as a completed unit.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
