Batwoman #3 – Greg Rucka, Writer; DaNi, Artist; Matt Hollingsworth, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Starting the story in the middle of the narrative was a big risk for this title, with Greg Rucka’s return to the character of Batwoman finding Kate Kane locked up in a mysterious sanitarium in the Mediterranean after the supposed death of her sister. But as the seemingly kind doctors try to help her find inner peace, things take one strange turn after another. A conspiracy brews in the background. Kate sneaks out at night to battle as Batwoman, while her father desperately conspires to keep her locked up – even barely surviving an encounter with Batwoman last issue. There are a lot of strong scenes this issue, but it maintains Rucka’s extremely deliberate pace. The return of Renee Montoya this issue is very welcome, but given how the issue ends, it only makes the mystery about what’s going on with Kate more worrisome – and all the more urgent.
Deathstroke the Terminator #3 – Tony Fleecs, Writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, Artist; Ivan Plascencia, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: This continues to be one of the fastest-paced books in DC’s stable, as Slade Wilson has everything stripped away from him. His friend is dead, his money is gone, and a massive contract has been put on his head. Now even his former allies are out for his blood, with Deadshot and former Wildstorm player Deathblow tag-teaming him. As the blows keep coming, there’s an excellent flashback segment to a time when Slade tried to organize the assassins of the DCU into something semi-respectable – a guild that abided by certain rules. Ra’s Al Ghul didn’t concur, and it soon turned into a bloody showdown, but he won out – however, it didn’t get him what he wanted at home. In the present day, Slade is confused by the ferocity of the hunt against him, but a shocking reveal in the cliffhanger reveals that just about everything we know might be false. Great action, and a good job of turning this despicable character into a compelling lead.
Lobo #3 – Skottie Young, Writer; Nicoletta Balardi, Jorge Corona, Artists; Jean-Francois Beaulieu, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: This creative team was always going to create something gloriously silly, but this issue takes it to another level. Is everyone ready for…Lil Lobo? No, not the one from YJ. This is a flashback issue, as Lobo has to undergo psychological testing to continue operating as a corporate bounty hunter, and part of that is an elaborate flashback with guest art by Nicoletta Balardi. After carving a trail of terror through Czarnia as a little boy, Lobo ruins a class trip by unleashing all the monsters so he can pet a Space Dolphin. There’s just one problem – Czarnia is a utopia, and they have no way of dealing with crime and punishment. That leads the society to call in a Lantern to deal with the boy – which, of course, means bad news for the Lanterns. This is played pretty broadly, with a lot of ultraviolence mixed with candy-colored chibi art in places, and it’s perfectly suited to this strange, hilarious series.
Catwoman #87 – Torunn Gronbekk, Writer; Davide Gianfelice, Artist; Patricio Delpeche, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: With Black Mask making his move against Selina Kyle, this arc seems to be dredging up a lot of nasty wounds from the past. Obviously, the last big showdown between the two was one of the darkest stories in Catwoman’s history, and all the characters who still experience trauma from it are back for round two. Holly has been kidnapped with the help of False Face, and has been taken to the group home where she and Selina spent time. Put in a sadistic trap with time ticking down, Holly nearly gives in to desperation while Selina races against time to try to save her. There is a great twist at the end about why exactly Holly is so scared of Selina, and I was glad to see Maggie Kyle return not as a victim but as a character who is ready to take her own revenge against the man who ruined her life. This whole story only takes place over a few hours, but it’s one of the strongest installments so far.
Sirens: Love Hurts #4 – Tini Howard, Writer; Babs Tarr, Artist; Miquel Muerto, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: It’s the conclusion to this oddball Black Label series, one of the funniest of the line so far (which usually trends pretty dark). Black Canary and the Sirens are on the trail of Horoscope, the deranged killer who has been targeting the women of Gotham. But as Dinah’s wedding approaches, they’re all dealing with their own personal problems as well, Dinah’s obsession with the case is wearing on Ollie, Selina has figured out a little too much about Batman, and Harley and Ivy aren’t exactly sure where they stand with each other. It all culminates in a massive blow-up at the wedding, where Horoscope makes one crazy final play to turn them against each other but – with the help of some surprising guest-stars – they manage to turn the tables. It’s a series that didn’t always feel like it meshed tone-wise, but its characterization of the Sirens is a lot of fun and the art is always phenomenal.
End of Life #4 – Kyle Starks, Writer; Steve Pugh, Artist; Chris O’Halloran, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: It’s the beginning of the end as Eddie Stallion plots to escape Pluto – and his old enemies step up their campaign to hunt him down. The heart of this issue is a fantastic showdown between a high-ranking liaison of The Menagerie and George Stallion, Eddie’s curmudgeonly father. The dying man knows exactly what the man is here to do, and he has nothing to fear by fighting back. We get a brief look into his brutal past before things go south, and what follows is one of the tensest segments of the entire series so far. Meanwhile, Eddie manages to alienate a few more people along the way, but there are a select few people he does care about in Pluto, and when one of them is put in danger, we see a different side of him come out. This has been the most straightforward of the Vertigo books, with no real genre elements, but that hasn’t stopped it from being one of the most entertaining.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
