Titans #26 – John Layman, Writer; Max Raynor, Artist; Matt Herms, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Picking up after Deathstroke’s attack on the Titans, this issue shakes up the status quo a lot, with two members on the way out. Vanadia has chosen to leave Earth, seeking her future among techno-beings in the stars, and tries but fails to get Cyborg to come with her. Arsenal, meanwhile, has returned to Star City. Beast Boy is planning to exit as well – but first, he and a struggling Cyborg take a road trip to the one place he always feels safe. That’s right, the Doom Patrol are back, and it’s great to see Coagula guest-star in her first appearance since she was brought back from the dead in a tribute to her creator, Rachel Pollack. But the focus is on the youngest member of the Doom Patrol, Beast Girl, who is seeking new and unique animals to learn about a shapeshift into – and winds up accidentally leading the duo into an encounter with one of Beast Boy’s deadliest enemies. Fun, fast-paced issue that follows up on a lot of plot threads from Beast World.
Catwoman #78 – Torunn Gronbekk, Writer; Danilo Beyruth, Artist; Patricio Delpeche, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: This is the tensest issue of the series in a while, along with being slightly oversized, as Selina has the most powerful weapon of all at her disposal now – information. She knows exactly what Mitya wants from her, as well as his mother’s connection to the secret, and that’s enough to get him to call off the assassins. But that’s not enough for her – he killed an innocent girl to get to her, and he needs to pay. So it’s time for one more infiltration, and along the way Mitya sits down with his mother and lays out all his evidence. This issue has a bit of a soap opera feel to it for obvious reasons, but in a way that still packs a big emotional punch, and the last few pages are one of the bloodiest and most brutal segments I’ve seen in a DC comic in a while, as Selina bids farewell to one villain – and maybe gets a far more brutal one in return before she can return to Gotham.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
