Picks of the Week - September 28th, 2011

It’s the last week of September and the last of DC’s new 52 roll out this week.

The Keepers

Aquaman #1 –  I have to admit that I have never been a big Aquaman fan.  I always thought he was the lamest of all the major super heroes.  surprisingly, a lot of what I thought about Aquaman made it into this book.  Geoff Johns works in a lot of the comments and lack of respect into this story which elevates the story to a new level.  All the while, he shows Aquaman in a new light, showing exactly how powerful the king of the seven seas actually is.  And even then, he still doesn’t get the respect he deserves.

Batman The Dark Knight #1 – Like Batman the week before, this title focuses on the duality of Batman and Bruce Wayne.  Naturally, for a book dealing with duality, the central villain is Two Face.  This issue is an action-packed roller coaster.

Green Lantern New Guardians #1 – This issue begins with a recap of Kyle Raynor’s GL origin, then moves back to the modern-day as a new mystery of the rings begins.  Across the galaxy, Lanterns of every color are finding themselves abandoned by their rings, and somehow, they all lock in on Kyle.

I, Vampire #1 – Probably one of the darkest of the new 52 books, I, Vampire brings new light to vampires in the DC Universe.

Justice League Dark #1 – Like the first new 52 book, Justice League, this title deals with the formation of a new super team, assembling under the guidance of Madame Xanadu to face an opponent that has already defeated the Justice League.

Superman #1 – Superman enters the 21st century as this title deals with his “return” to Metropolis to find his world turned upside down.  As Superman fights an alien menace made of flame, Clark Kent deals with the situations that plague many newspapers in this day and age: their fate in the modern world of television and internet news.  This book speaks more to me because of my own personal connection to the news media.

Teen Titans #1 – Someone is targeting the young heroes of the DC Universe, and it is up to Red Robin to find out who while protecting his fellow young heroes.  Like Justice League, this issue builds on the action, with Scott Lobdell choosing to assemble the complete Titans team in the first issue.

Voodoo #1 – If there is a book this week that will spawn the controversy that Catwoman and Red Hood and the Outlaws created, it will be this book.  Wildstorm’s Voodoo crosses into the DC Universe as much the same character as she was before: a stripper with a dark secret.  Warning, this book is so very much not for children.

We’ll See

All Star Western #1 –  Jonah Hex takes center stage as he comes to 1880s Gotham City to help the police solve a violent murder.  Many of the names of the modern Gotham appear as their ancestors, from Dr. Arkham to Mayor Cobblepot as Hex learned there is a lot more to the murders than meets the eye.

The Savage Hawkman #1 – Carter Hall attempts to put his life as Hawkman to rest only to find it’s not that easy to do so.  Definitely one of the weaker of the New 52 books, but there is a curiosity stirred as to what exactly is going on with the nth metal.

The Flash #1 – Typical speedster action, but the latest incarnation of the Flash starts to rise up with the mystery of Barry Allen’s connection to a dead criminal.

The Fury of Firestorm #1 – Firestorm is brought back to square one with this title.  All the Firestorm names are present, from Ronnie Raymond to Jason Rusch to even Professor Stein.  Definitely a lower tier new 52 book, with some elements that don’t seem to make sense in the story that will hopefully be explained in later issues.

Blackhawks #1 – The Blackhawks are completely reimagined in this title as a paramilitary strike force similar to G.I. Joe or DC’s own Checkmate.  Some curiosity of the title present, but otherwise a typical action comic.