Category Alternating Current

Cross-talks on individual issues.

May 4 2012

Dial H 1

Today, Patrick and Peter are discussing Dial H, originally released May 2nd, 2012.

Patrick: The first issue of any series has an awful lot of work to do. When Drew and I started these things, we covered the first 3 issues of a series. This was partially because it was November before we got our asses in gear, but there’s also the legitimate benefit of having something to evaluate. Set-up can be tricky, but most of the New 52 titles circumvented the laborious expository process by relying on known entities: Flash, Batman, Green Lantern, whatever. Even those titles that were super new to me – like Batwoman, Batwing and Captain Atom – still had their roots in time-tested franchises. Dial H has to build its world, its premise and its main character from the ground, up.
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May 4 2012

Animal Man 9

Today, Shelby and Drew are discussing Animal Man 9, originally released May 2nd, 2012.

Shelby: We’re all getting pretty wrapped up in the Night of the Owls. We’ve got a lot of really talented writers and artists working on it, and with Scott Snyder at the helm, well, it’s easy to get wrapped up in it. One could almost forgive me for forgetting about some of these other story arcs DC has going on right now. I say ‘almost’ because there’s obviously no way to forgive not thinking about The Red, The Green, and The Rot. This month’s Animal Man reminds me of why that is; the title page features Buddy, traveling through the Red after dying at the hands of the Rot and literally unraveling. Organ by organ, muscle separating from bone, bone separating from other bones.

God damn, I love this title.
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May 3 2012

Earth-2 1

Today, Peter and Shelby are discussing Earth-2 1, originally released May 2nd, 2012.

Peter:  We have officially reached the Second Wave of the New 52. With it, we see the reintroduction of the DC Multiverse, and thus alternate versions of some of our favorite super heroes. We begin here with Earth-2 #1, which will then lead us into the rest of this brave new world.
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May 3 2012

Batwing 9

Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing Batwing 9, originally released May 2nd, 2012. This issue is part of the Night of the Owls crossover event. Click here for complete NotO coverage. Not caught up on Batwing? No problem! Get up to speed with our video Cram Session.

Drew: Last month, we took Batwing to task for its bat-family cameos; when the hero is still winning over an audience, placing him alongside one of comicbookdom’s biggest draws will necessarily divert our interest. As I looked ahead to reading this issue, I wondered how removing Batman from the equation would work. Batwing is still in Batman’s city, and is now fighting one of Batman’s villains, but without Batman’s presence, would the issue feel lacking? Continue reading →

May 1 2012

All-Star Western 8

Today, Peter and Drew are discussing the All-Star Western 8, originally released April 25th, 2012.

Peter: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have obviously become pretty close to mastering the character of Jonah Hex. They’ve held his reigns for so long that they know exactly how to write him. This new issue of of All-Star Western pushes Jonah dangerously close to the line between hero/anti-hero and villain. Hell, I’m not always sure which side of the line he normally falls on anyway.
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Apr 30 2012

Green Lantern: New Guardians 8

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing Green Lantern: New Guardians 8, originally released April 25th, 2012.

Patrick: After seven months of telling a fairly insulted story about a band of emotional misfits zooming across the galaxy, Green Lantern: New Guardians has to remind us that these characters don’t really work for the same team. They serve seven different masters, and most of that leadership is in various states of decay. So there are a thousand different motivating factors at play, and writer Tony Bedard handles what could be an incredibly complicated issue with aplomb.
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Apr 26 2012

Aquaman 8

Today, Shelby and Patrick are discussing Aquaman 8, originally released April 25th, 2012.

Shelby:  Geoff Johns first impressed me with Rebirth, the retold origin arc of Hal Jordan as Green Lantern. His narratives combine epic, sweeping action with a much closer, personal look at the characters. He has a knack for writing emotion that doesn’t diminish the super-humanness of these characters. Lately, I haven’t been quite as impressed; both Justice League and Aquaman have felt a little….pedantic. It’s true, I have fallen away from Johns somewhat with the relaunch, but I feel like this Aquaman arc is beginning to get back to what it is I first liked so very much about his writing.
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Apr 26 2012

The Flash 8

Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing the Flash 8, originally released April 25th, 2012.

Check out Drew’s exclusive interview with Francis Manapul here!

Drew: Last month, Patrick voiced some concerns about objectively judging this title. Maybe we want to like it too much to say whether we actually do. After putting this issue down a little disappointed, but deciding that it was brilliant before starting this write-up, one could conclude I’ve already crossed the line of objectivity. However, I’d like to make the case for why this seemingly eventless and exposition-heavy issue actually carries the torch of thematic unity that has made this title so fantastic.

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Apr 24 2012

Birds of Prey 8

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing Birds of Prey 8, originally released April 18th, 2012.

Patrick: Birds of Prey found such a strong, clear voice early in its run. I knew who Dinah was, I knew who Eve was and I understood their dynamic. They even had a cool villain that could control minds and make heads explode. As the team grew, so did my enthusiasm for the series. But the narrative waters are getting murky, and when my expectations grind so violently against the book that was delivered, my enthusiasm wanes. Continue reading →

Apr 23 2012

Green Lantern Corps 8

Today, Shelby and Peter are discussing Green Lantern Corps 8, originally released April 18th, 2012.

Shelby:  We talk a lot on this site about the balance of action and plot in the titles we read. Comic books have a fine line to tread, between providing enough action to keep things interesting and also creating a plot that’s deep enough to keep things interesting. Last month’s issue of Green Lantern Corps was one of those action-light issues, and I thought it was boring. More specifically, I thought the necessary plot points that were executed were done so in a overwrought and cliched way. This month we have another action-light issue, but happily Peter Tomasi has written a story that advances the plot into the next arc in a way that keeps me interested.
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