Look, there are a lot of comics out there. Too many. We can never hope to have in-depth conversations about all of them. But, we sure can round up some of the more noteworthy titles we didn’t get around to from the week. Today, Spencer and Drew discuss Grayson 1, Batgirl 33, Batman Eternal 14, Detective Comics 33, Superman Wonder Woman 10, Justice League United 3, Daredevil 5, Captain Marvel 5, All-New X-Men 29, Deadpool 31, Original Sins 3, Avengers 32, and Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm 1.

Spencer: I was recently discussing Grayson 1 with a friend of mine, a deeply devoted Nightwing fan who was worried about what DC had been doing with the character and especially about the decision to jettison his superheroic identity and turn Dick into a secret agent. My counterargument was that this book has so far been quite respectful of who Dick Grayson is, and I stand by that. Tim Seeley and Tom King depict Dick as compassionate, intelligent, humorous, and skilled, and pitting him against the Midnighter — an obvious stand-in for Dick’s mentor, Batman — is an excellent way to display just how competent Dick actually is. There’s been a lot of fuss about Dick using a gun, but Seeley and King actually use that same gun to reinforce that Dick’s morality is as solid as ever.

This is the only time Dick uses his weapon the entire issue, and he uses it in the least lethal capacity possible; Seely and King are showing us that Dick is still the same person he’s always been, while still leaving open avenues for the spy-world start cracking his morality. Artist Mikel Janin puts in some fantastic work as well, from the creative lay-out above to his absolutely gorgeous characters, and fortunately, the story’s just as fun. Hypnos wants to unmask all the world’s superheroes, saying that “with God-hood must come transparency” — it’s a compelling conflict and motivation, but it also allows room for some delicious irony considering that Hypnos themselves are a shadowy organization dealing in mind-control and memory erasing. I was initially as worried as my friend about this title letting Dick down, but I’m actually quite impressed with this first issue thus far.

While Dick Grayson begins a new era in Grayson, Gail Simone is starting to close the door on her run in Batgirl 33 as Barbara Gordon is forced to start assembling an army against the might of Knightfall, who is looking to kick every criminal out of Cherry Hill — or, if they don’t leave peacefully, to kill them all, and possibly civilians with them. Simone focuses much of the issue on Barbara’s recent habit of aggressive behavior and specifically on how she needs to move past that behavior and regain her composure to reach her goals — this comes through in her “interrogation” of Michael, her interactions with Huntress, and especially at the end of the issue as she has to play nice with a host of skeptical allies in order to put together the army she’ll need to take on Knightfall.

We’ve never been the world’s biggest fans of artist Fernando Parsarin here at Retcon Punch, and while his work improves over the course of this issue, the first few pages are particularly rough, featuring painfully askew faces, and posture and anatomy that would make even Liefeld cringe. It’s an unfortunate flaw in an issue that is otherwise quite exciting.

The excitement has reached a fever pitch over in Batman Eternal 14 as the gang war comes to a conclusion. This issue is all about the natural order of Gotham: Falcone feels like Gotham is supposed to serve him, but Penguin is convinced that it’s still his time to rule, even if he has to take things into his own hands to do so; Gordon feels like he’s no longer useful to Gotham, but his supposed successor, Jason Bard, has revealed a rather ruthless side of his personality by leading Penguin to Falcone and costing 12 men their lives in the process.

Batman is the only one holding tight to his moral code instead of what he thinks the city wants him to be. This gang war may have been only the opening salvo for Batman Eternal, but the philosophies of each character it’s helped establish will certainly continue to be important throughout the rest of the series.

I’ll admit to finding the story a little bit hard to follow in Detective Comics 33; I think there might be a few too many new characters at play here. That said, I’m loving the focus on actual detective work, and the way the clues start to fall together as the issue progresses is a joy to watch, even if it took a while to reacclimatize myself to the story. The best part of this book, as always, is the art and coloring of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, who bring their interpretation of Gotham to life with a dazzling moodiness and deft pacing:

Honestly, I think I’d read the phone book if these two illustrated it.

Drew: I think that’s a fair assessment — both of how fantastic the art is, as well as how coherent the narrative is. Honestly, I’m on my fourth read-through of that opening scene, and I’m still not sure who is who, let alone who they’re talking to. I love this creative team, and am inclined to give them all of the leeway in the world, but that Bullock interrogation scene is just straight-up hard to read — he does so much talking, it’s a wonder the perp ever has an opportunity to come clean in the first place. That said, Manapul and Buccellato do a lot right in this issue, giving emotional weight to virtually every action, I just fear that it may be too little, too late. These motivations may have been more pertinent when their effects were being felt, rather than late in the fourth act, where they have little opportunity to bear any real weight on the action.

I felt a similar inconsequence in the actions of Superman/Wonder Woman 10, which finds Superdoom recruited to rescue Earth from the Brainiac threat we only kind of new was forthcoming. My reaction to this issue can largely be summed up by Steel, who suggests that maybe this isn’t a job for Superman, though that only serves to undercut the herculean effort he made to personally inform Superman of exactly what the problem is. Honestly, the action here has nothing to do with Superman, making it totally about Wonder Woman, who is not respectfully drawn by the pencil team of Paulo Siquera and Pascal Alixe. Instead, they seem content to depict her with a massive chest and hilariously small sword.

I wish that was creative editing on my part, but that’s actually how Diana looks in this issue. I don’t know, Spencer, did this issue seem more logical (or at least more respectful) to you?

Spencer: More respectful? Definitely not.

Diana’s sexualized even when she’s being psychically attacked and is in pain. Ick. The writing is surprisingly icky as well, with Lois and Diana’s entire conversation revolving around “their men”. Beyond that, I’m not a fan of what Soule’s doing with Lois here in general; even if we can chalk it up to mind-control, Lois is still a character who has been underused and misused enough in the New 52 that her brainwashing just feels just one more indignity. Frankly, the “Doomed” storyline is starting to drag for me even beyond these complaints; this second act has been interminable, and this is coming from someone who was a big supporter of the storyline in its early installments.

As a contrast to this never-ending story, in Justice League United 3 Jeff Lemire and Mike McKone bring their first story to (somewhat) of a conclusion in the same fun, fast-paced style they’ve been operating in since the zero issue. This series continues to impress me with the way it creates friction among the team without making them unlikable or portraying them as incompetent (Animal Man and Green Arrow’s rivalry is still a killer source of laughs), as well as with the way it gives depth to its characters with only the smallest moments and actions. Supergirl gets much of the spotlight this month, with her anger acting as a source of both humor and pathos, but J’onn also gets a chance to show how his cool head and compassion can save the day — just because he’s stoic doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel.

Unfortunately, there was a moment or two that rang false to me. Hawkman backing down from J’onn, for example, felt out of character — when does Hawkman ever back down? — and J’onn invoking Justice League politics was an particularly empty threat, especially against Hawkman — again, of all people why would he care who the leader is? They’re not really a team as it is — I understand that they’ll be one probably by the end of the next issue, but still, every time J’onn or Ollie talked about their team like it was a legit thing it took me out of the story a little. Still, these are minor complaints; this book knows what it wants to be and is pulling that off quite well, providing a fun, solid blend of character and action each month without falling into the darkness that’s been permeating so many DC books this past year or so.

In Daredevil 5 Mark Waid and Chris Samnee tell a much smaller, more personal story, explaining why Matt and Kirsten have been faking Foggy’s death since the title’s relaunch. This is such a sweet issue, and I’m impressed at how well it tackles Foggy and Matt’s complex relationship — Foggy is rightfully annoyed by Matt’s manipulative ways, yet can’t help but to be touched by how much Matt cares anyway. Samnee and colorist Javier Rodriguez continue to bring the book to life with clear, expressive storytelling and lush colors, but the bit of art that stood out to me the most was the moment when Matt realized how he could let Foggy go out in a blaze of glory:

I love how devious Matt’s smile is — he’s getting what he wants, after all — yet everything he’s doing is not only for Foggy’s protection, but specifically to give Foggy the glorious “death” he wished for. This issue goes a long way to showing why Matt can be a handful, but also why the people who love him love him so dearly despite it all.

Drew: And I think it serves as a compelling case for why we like him so much, too. Asking your friend to pilot a self-destructing exo-suit in a sacrificial blaze of glory is reckless. Proximity to Hank Pym may mitigate the physical recklessness, but there’s no denying that Foggy thought he was about to die. It’s emotionally reckless — to the point of being downright inconsiderate — but it’s also strangely exactly what Foggy wanted. Being the man without fear means that Matt is willing to take incredibly stupid risks, but it also means he’s able to enjoy himself more than the average superhero (heck, even behind Spider-Man’s quips you’ll find a message about responsibility), which makes him a bit more relatable to comic fans. It also means he’s willing to pull ridiculous stunts like this one, though as we’ve already seen, the long-term implications may already be wearing on Foggy.

The first few issues of Captain Marvel impressed me with how subtle the politics were (and how out of her element Carol was in navigating those waters), as we were presented two sides disagreeing over what they thought was the best solution. Maybe it was inevitable that this study in grays would resolve to a much more black and white situation, but I’m almost disappointed that the missing piece of the puzzle — that Torfa is rich in Vibranium — makes out Spartax to be a monstrous, selfish empire. I personally found this series’ subtler exploration of multiple perspectives to be a defining characteristic, but I can see how getting a big bad (with an even bigger, badder fleet) into the mix allows for some more action.

While Carol is dealing with a suddenly much less complicated moral choice, the narrative of All-New X-Men keeps getting more convoluted. Issue 29 recreates “Battle of the Atom” in miniature, featuring yet another epic showdown between Xavier and Jean Grey, and once again finds the heroes winning the day. Sure, there are some changes here — incapacitating Xavier frees Molly Hayes, Beast, Deadpool, and even that Iceman golem — but I’m struck at how quick this issue is to seed the next encounter with Xavier, as he apparently is able to Doc Brown a message to himself in the future. Less an ending and more a stage-setting for Battle of the Atom 3, this issue left me largely unsatisfied narratively, but as ever, I’m loving Stuart Immonen’s pencils. His acting is incredible — every expression, gesture, and posture is clear and concise — and his action sequences are incredibly dynamic. Heck, he even sells me enough on the budding romance between X-23 and Warren to make me forget how little I care about either of those characters.

Come on! That’s downright charming. Throw in stealing Scott’s motorcycle, and I have to root for these lovebirds at least a little.

I wish I was as charmed by Deadpool 31, but instead, I found myself wincing through the whole issue. Writers Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn asserted their comedic chops in the first arc of this series, then showed their dramatic range in “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” arc, but this issue aims to find a balance between these extremes. It’s a noble goal, but rather then blend them, Duggan and Posehn seem content to allow these aspects to simply sit next to each other in the issue. I’ve complained of tonal whiplash with this series before, but this issue really goes to show how jokes about Deadpool’s bowel movements might undermine his rage when coming to the rescue of his estranged daughter — or how that rage might undermine our ability to enjoy the potty humor. Did that make you uncomfortable, too, Spencer?

Spencer: I actually thought the humor worked a lot better on my second read-through of the issue, Drew — the Deadpool/Dazzler/Vampire stuff is still charming if a bit overplayed, and there are a few inspired gags with the henchmen seeking leaders and Utler trying to play off the violence to Ellie and especially Ellie’s love of carnage (she is her father’s daughter) — but there were still aspects of this issue that made me very uncomfortable indeed.

I’m mostly turned-off by Agent Preston’s violent rampage, which doesn’t seem in character at all considering how she served as Wade’s conscience and as a constant opponent of needless killing throughout much of this series. Perhaps Preston’s change in personality/morality will be a plot point later down the line, but if it isn’t, then this is a seriously off note to hit with the character. Above that, there’s no humor to the violence; it’s just violence and gore for violence and gore’s sake, and John Lucas portrays the gore in the most stomach-churning way possible. This isn’t one of Duggan and Posehn’s more graceful issues, that’s for sure.

Meanwhile, I’ve found myself underwhelmed by the teaser-esque nature of Original Sins since it began, and while Charles Soule’s first story in issue 3 surpasses the usual “first story teasers” we’ve seen thus far in this anthology by debuting a new character named Lineage with a fascinating (yet gross) ability and giving Black Bolt a moment to truly shine, it still serves largely as a teaser for Inhumanity and not a lot else. The two-page stories ending each issue have fared better because they don’t have room to try to be anything more than set-up and punchline, and Dan Slott makes effective use of that space by delivering an absolutely delicious and completely unexpected skeleton from J. Jonah Jameson’s closet.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but the main reason I’ve been reading this title has been for the Young Avengers serial, and I feel like Ryan North has really started to find his groove with this issue. His characterization has finally clicked into place (Prodigy was far too chipper and hyper in the first part, but has now finally started resembling his more subdued, logical self again), and while I’ve always liked the humor (especially the joke at the end of each page), with this issue the humor has started to feel more character-based in a way it hadn’t prior. North still devotes too much page-time to the characters debating how to handle the Hood, but at least that debate is engaging, amusing, and in-character.

Speaking of teasers, Avengers 32 teases a possible future of the Marvel Universe as well as the outcome of the Incursion conflict over in New Avengers. Both threads are muddled (in typical Hickman fashion), and if you’re expecting any answers, well, you’re not gonna find them here (no matter what Franklin Richards promises). Besides a few cute character moments with Black Widow and Starbrand (and a super-cute surprise appearance of an old friend), the most interesting part of this issue is Franklin’s overwhelming sense of fatalism, a sense of fatalism he shares with Black Swan, who is supposed to be one of the bad guys. I’m not sure whether knowing that they face certain failure makes the Illuminati’s adventures more or less interesting to me, but I anticipate getting a lot of mileage out of this knowledge when reading New Avengers. What the events of this issue means for the Avengers-proper is a little less clear, but if you’ve stuck with the title this long, then you’re probably already resigned to waiting for answers. It’s just a part of reading a Hickman book.

Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm takes the opposite path, using its first issue to clearly lay out the conflict and backstory, assemble the cast, and get them to the Tenth Realm by the last page. It’s an impressive (and refreshing) bit of pacing, and Al Ewing does an admirable job of tying the book into Thor: God of Thunder and Loki: Agent of Asgard (the titles it’s replacing for the next few weeks), using continuity to advance the story instead of bogging it down. If nothing else, pairing Thor and Loki together always provides some fun scenes, and this issue is no exception.

Drew: I’m also impressed at how effortlessly this issue seems to bridge the gap between those two series — I wouldn’t have thought of them having a significant overlap in tone or theme, but Ewing and Jason Aaron (who shares a story credit) manage to find enough common ground to make this feel like it properly belongs to both series. Apparently, Old Loki is familiar with Old Thor, a simple, yet incredibly effective way of making any foreshadowing significant to both series, as Old Loki ends the issue anticipating some truly horrific stuff to come. I like both series enough that I was going to pick this crossover up, anyway, but this issue definitely justified itself — and its second issue. I can’t wait to read it.

The conversation doesn’t stop there, because you certainly read something that we didn’t. What do you wanna talk about from this week?