**AS ALWAYS BE MINDFUL THAT THERE WILL BE SLIGHT SPOILERS, READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL!!**

Thanos Rising #1 of 5

There are days I wish people would learn from the mistakes of the Star Wars prequels and understand why sometimes you don’t necessarily have to go back and tell us the story of how a character came to be.   That they exist should be reason enough.  Darth Vader’s malevolent mystique was destroyed when George Lucas decided to tell us what a whiny bitch Anakin Skywalker was.  Jason Aaron after doing such a great job of showing us how a maniacal god killing  being came to be in Thor: God of Thunder really whiffed this 1st issue of this book. Thanos returns to his birthplace and begins to reminisce about his childhood and how his birth was so psychologically traumatic (one of these kids is doing his own thing, one of these kids is not the same)  so much so that his own mother tries to kill him.  This is where the book starts to have its problems. It’s a familiar and flat story of how that one being gets ostracized from everyone else for being different and then something happens, society blames him and POOF!  maniacal homicidal genius, just add water or in this case, some lizards.   Simone Bianchi does the art, which is appropriate for a story of this type and puts me  at odds at how I felt about this book because I am one of those few people who actually like Bianchi’s work but it doesn’t help this story at all.  I can’t say that I care too much to see more of how Thanos becomes an unwitting pawn of Palpa…oh wait, wrong story.

Meh, either way, save your money on this book.

2 out of 5 stars

Detective Comics 19 (or 900)

John Layman as always really goes out to put together a Batman story and in this oversized book you get not just one but four stories.  As Batman comics goes into its Year Zero mode, this issue of Detective comics sets itself up to become more of a leading comic in the Batman series of comics.  And it’s full of Man-Bats.  The 1st story (re) introduces us to Dr. Kirk Langstram (who actually first appeared in Detective Comics #400 in 1970)as he helps Batman solve the problem of rampant Man-Bats that appeared when Talia Al’Ghul’s formula go awry in Gotham, which also in a sense ‘reboots’ how Dr. Langstrom becomes Man-Bat. There are other stories which gives readers a look at the power struggle between the Penguin and the up and coming Emperor Penguin. Mr. Cobblepot is none too pleased to be taken down and vows his revenge but whether or not he is in over his head is to be seen. There is another story involving Bane and his clash with the Court of the Owls which will continue in Talon #7, a short story involving Dr. Langstrom’s wife trying to find him to cure him and the decision she makes and also a story about the GCPD and how they feel about the Batman.  Also throughout there is some incredible pin up art by various artists which really makes this book overall a worthy pickup. Some may balk at the $8 price tag or may feel that some of the stories could have been more fleshed out but if you are a Batman fan it’s hard to deny that this issue is a fun read.

4.5  out of 5 stars

Action Comics #19

I have to be honest, Action Comics has always been somewhere near coming off of my pull list for quite some time and sometimes the closer I get to remove it, the more something comes up to delay its fate one more month.   Grant Morrison’s material is a bit of a hit or miss for me because sometimes, just sometimes his books require me to read through more than once for me to get it and honestly I sometimes don’t have that kind of time especially after the last story arc on which he ended his run as I didn’t particularly care for it. So with this issue, it’s really a shame that Andy Diggle and Tony Daniel will only do a few issues of this book but for the time that they are here, one may as well enjoy it because this opening arc was to the point fun and easily digestible.   This Hybrid story arc seems like Diggle will do the same for Lex Luthor as the Death of the Family did for the Joker and put Luthor front and center with Superman as it should. Luthor appeared early on in the new 52 reboot and has had a lesser role as time went on but that all changes.  While Lois and Clark cover a war story in the Middle East, some WMDs pop up and Clark as Superman investigates those weapons a fight ensues and all ends well or so we thought.  Lex Luthor’s plan (one that we all have probably seen before) starts to go in motion for his way to bring down Superman.  I really liked this book because it had a really comfortable feel for developing Lois and Clark’s relationship and even with its dialogue from Clark about him not wanting a relationship with Lois, you can almost feel that Diggle is giving us a wink and a nod to the reader telling us, “Well, you guys know what happened way back before this “New 52 stuff right?” As for Luthor, he really gets set up for being the insane mad scientist that I have missed for a long time. And let’s not forget the art as Tony Daniel really makes this book shine in all phases really giving me a reason to come back for #20

4 out of 5 stars

and a few honorable mentions this week:

Age of Ultron #4 – Nukes and She Hulk takes it to da head!  Ultron is out doing laundry. And no I am not crazy about the art change  2.5 out of 5

Superior Spider-man #7 – I hope ObamaCare cover Peter Octavius because the Avengers want him to see a doctor! Mostly a filler issue leading up to A v S-M  2.5 out of 5

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