Comic Book Reviews: Night of the Owls Part 4: Nightwing #9 and Red Hood & The Outlaws #9

Wow, I am WAY behind on these reviews!

OK, so I have to catch everyone up over the next three entries on SIX books, so be prepared for a busy day of blogging.

Also, for whatever group of people was following AVX on here, I will not be continuing it. Nothing against Marvel, but I have a limited comic budget that does not allow for crazy stories that don't do much plot-wise unless you buy every freaking entry in the crossover (which, by the way, would probably cost me more than $60 a month).

So yeah, long story short, let's do Nightwing and Red Hood on this one.

Nightwing #9


Dick Grayson's part in this crossover ends here, but in many ways, he has been more of an integral part of this crossover than Batman.

This story shows it. In this issue, we get the second part of William Cobb's background and find out why the name "Grayson" was used.

I'll admit the backstory was something that I had never considered. I know many won't like the retcon because it adds a weird element to the Bruce and Dick stories of the Silver and Bronze ages, but as a lifelong Dick Grayson fan, I loved this.

Not only did it add a Gotham element to Dick's backstory, it makes the character even greater to follow, as he was a destined hero who rose above an assassin career that most thought was his true destiny. In many ways, it almost feels like the great background of Raven, except it didn't require Dick to be evil first. (Renegade DOESN'T COUNT.)

As for the battle itself, it was good, though Dick claiming he led Cobb into the tunnels didn't have the badass feel I think they were going for. It seemed more like an "Oh, I meant to do that" kind of moment.

The next arc to Nightwing's story should really give a feel for what the character truly is going to be in this New 52 world, so I'm looking forward to it.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #9


Since we talked the original Robin, let's talk the second Robin. (By the way, how cool will it be next month when all the male Robins meet up? But I digress.)

Jason Todd, Starfire and Arsenal make the trip to save Mr. Freeze from one of the Talons. One question here, though, is if sub-zero temperatures weaken the Talons' regeneration ability, how had Freeze not beaten this guy yet?

If you can think up a reasonable explanation for that, this is a pretty fun read. Kori and Roy learn a great deal about Freeze's motivations in life (though I don't think the whole backstory was given to Kori), though I will admit that the dialogue was really trying to force us to have sympathy for Freeze.

I don't feel it worked. Those who know the backstory already had sympathy, so this felt forced. New readers have no earthly idea what this "love" motivation is, so this little diatribe after the fight probably should have been omitted for the Batman Annual next week to explain.

Speaking of which, one thing I loved in this book was how it tied into other books in the crossover. Besides the annual, the last scene of this book doubled as the epilogue to the Batgirl story, and that was pretty cool. Heck, Batgirl may have been better drawn by Team Hoodie.

However, both these books made me think the Owls have some psychologically messed up Talons. The training must have needed adjusting quite often, because between the super-depressing Batgirl Talon, and this semi-suicidal Talon, I have to question how strong a society this group really is. It seems like their practices lead to quite a few problems.

(Though, to be fair, taking children and training them to be crime-fighters so early in life may be a problem. Jason's bloodlust for vengeance is a good example.)

Overall, this book is awesome and definitely worth the price. The depth added to it makes it an integral part of the event.

Comic Book Reviews: Night of the Owls Part 3 - Batman #9, Batgirl #9, and Batman & Robin #9

Batman: The book so epic, it takes up review space on weeks it doesn't come out!

OK, so for those who have yet to hit the comic stores, Scott Snyder moved his title's release date up a week (switching places with Batwoman) so that it is easier to follow the events of each story.

For those curious, I'd say that of the three today, Batman and Robin needs to come first in your reading order, as part of that scene is referenced in Batgirl. It's not key to the Batgirl plot, though, so those two could be interchangeable, but Batman absolutely needs to be the final read of the day.

I'd note as well that Snyder's book shows Batman take on two missions, but it skips to the second one. That is because the first mission was seen in Detective Comics one week ago. You can read about that here.

Well, there's the background. Let's get to the reviews!

Batman and Robin #9


I will review these in the order I just suggested, though I did read this second (after Batgirl). In this book, Damian Wayne (Robin) is the first to contact Alfred after he gives his announcement to the Bat-family.

He wants to help his dad, but Alfred sends him to save the head of the Gotham National Guard units. He is being stalked by a Talon who was supposed to kill his ancestors during the American Revolution.

I did enjoy one bit of subtlety in Damian's violent background. When the general told the soldiers to start loading live ammo, Damian actually had to ask what they had been using before. Because of his time with his mother, Talia al-Ghul, it could be taken that the use of blanks was not even a thought in his mind. Nice job, Peter Tomasi, though your "Robin Hears a HOO" title was partly clever, partly goofy.

This story was brilliant in so many ways and I deeply enjoyed the battle that ensued here. The change in artist for the two-page background on the Talon was a wise decision that gave the backstory the old-time feel it needed.

Moreover, it made the Talon a menace and a threat while bringing the relationship with his victim full-circle.

This story absolutely should be bought. Tomasi's team is doing brilliant work. It is Scott Snyder caliber story-telling without as much overarching into other titles.

Batgirl #9


I can genuinely say that by the end of this story, I actually felt bad for a Talon. And for once, the Court of Owls didn't simply behave like cruel jerks.

The Talon in this book was a victim of a Japanese paper balloon bombing during World War II. (Read it. It will make sense if you don't get it.)

This story made the mask of the Talon work as more than just a symbol of the Court. It became a connection for the Talon when fighting Batgirl.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Gordon is forced to keep silent at the Court's demand while news from attacks in the other books are brought in. Gordon's mental state and desire to still be a hero here is admirable.

What makes it even better, though, is that the Court anticipated it, making Gordon's actions the means that allow the Court to leave a stamp on the city.

This is the best Batgirl book since the first arc, so needless to say I was happy about this. Hopefully the month of Owl work has allowed Gail Simone to get the creative juices flowing, and this caliber of work will continue in the next arc.

Batman #9


As I said in the prelude of this blog, the biggest complaint that could be made here is that one of Batman's two missions is in another book, so you will have to buy two $3.99 books to get his whole story.

That said, this book was awesome. If Detective was not worth the extra dollar, Batman made up for it by probably being worth a dollar further (if only because it's the centerpiece of this event).

Batman's metal suit is barely holding as temperatures dip down in the cave. He is waiting for the regenerative serums in the Talons to be disabled by the cold so that the fight can finish.

Throughout this, Batman thinks back to when his family first bought the land and his ancestors solved their bat infestation by buying a bunch of owls to kill them. This is predictable, but it was really awesome and needed to be used. This whole story is about Batman being hunted by the Owls, so that parallelism is too easy not to use.

Anyway, Batman finally is able to defeat the Talons in the cave (even running one over with the Batmobile) and he asks for people to save. Alfred gives him the list, and only two people haven't either been saved or killed. The first person is saved in Detective, so the story jumps to the second.

Batman's conversation with Lincoln March (the second victim he went after) sets up a turning point in Bruce's mind, and it sets up the story from here well.

The backup story is the first of a three-part background on Jarvis Pennyworth, Alfred's father. This goes into  how he blames himself for something (to be explained) and how Alfred should never come to work for Bruce.

Unlike the Two-Face story, which is very uncharacteristic of the character, this piece focuses on a lesser-known member of the Batman mythos, so the characterization isn't bad. Moreover, it's still seen that Alfred's father did care for the Waynes, and he was regretful as to whatever was happening.

I won't be able to really judge it until it's finished, but it certainly has my interest.

I'll see you all for Part 3 next week! Also, since my wild-card portion had to be cut for Batman, and there will be plenty of books next week, I'll have a World's Finest and Dial-H review in the coming days.

What's all this now? A final page to close a chapter of my life?

When I left my college's newspaper at the end of 2011, there really wasn't much left for me. I had nearly tripled paid employment, saw the budget through a $60,000 debt, and became the first Editor-in-Chief in the paper's history to win multiple awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.

I had learned so much, and in all honesty, staying one more semester in any capacity would have been less about learning (which is the purpose of a student newspaper) and more about passing on information. I love journalism and learning about it. As such, leaving for a job where there was still room to learn really wasn't even a question once it was my presence would do little more than stunt the growth of my successor.

The one downside, however, is that I didn't get to publish my outgoing editorial (known at the paper as a "Chief Insight" when only the EIC writes it). Since this is a general blog still, though, I will post it here.

I wanted to make a memorable gimmick, so there are a lot of Beatles references. Try to count them all!

More importantly, I did make a few edits, but it is essentially identical to the draft and has the same points of advice.

But that will be posted in my next blog post. Something must be done first.

I wanted the piece to be my parting words for a campus, so there's not much in the way of thank yous there. As such, I am going to do that here:

The first person I need to thank is April Corbin, the editor-in-chief who took my application. If there's one thing I learned in my time at The Rebel Yell, it's that new writers have no idea what to expect and the attitude of the editor they talk to can decide whether they stay or seek other options.

When I thought about how I needed to treat new people, I looked to the way you talked to me and recruited. Add in all the areas where you helped me after I became EIC, and you really did have an impact on my work.

Next up is Matt Maxson, Sports Editor that year and my first editor. The skills you taught me early on about game reporting are still used by me today. Moreover, you taught me the importance of keeping on a deadline and made me always strive to reach them as often as I could.

To Jorge Labrador, my EIC predecessor, what can I say, you got me back into comics (which in itself deserves a medal). But most importantly, you had faith in the job I did and gave me responsibilities my second semester with you that gave me the confidence of a leader. I felt ready to take on the EIC job because you helped make me ready to do so.

To Yamini Piplani, my first Managing Editor, you epitomized what that position needs to be. You always acted in the best interests of the paper and were able to cover areas where I was weaker while making sure I knew how to do it when you left. You were willing to debate me when we disagreed, but in any case, you spoke vehemently as to the merits of our decision to anyone who detracted. I gained so much of my strength to manage through working with you.

To Leslie Ventura, you worked with me on more issues than any other staffer, and it was an absolute pleasure working with you. Whether it was single-handedly running the News section or taking the Arts & Entertainment section to new heights, you showed tremendous growth and evolution over your career. I know you'll have great success, and I can honestly say you are the model as to what a collegiate newspaper staffer should be.

To Maria Agreda (sorry, the computer won't allow me to do an accent mark for some reason), HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! SUCKER!

In all seriousness, though, congrats on winning the position for next year. It's absolutely well-deserved. I know how much you put into your News section and the SPJ award reflects it. I know you're entering with some challenges, but get the right person at your right hand and you'll be fine. Best of luck and don't stress; once you start having success, your detractors ... well, they'll get louder, but they won't have much of a leg to stand on :D


To Rick Velotta, Mary Hausch, Steve Sebelius, Catherine Bacos, Dave Nourse and Damon Seiters: Thank you all for teaching me the many varied skills that I was able to use both in the paper and in my other jobs. I am the journalist I am because of all of you. (and other professors. Thank you all too.)

Most of all, I want to thank the readers of the paper. You all are the reason I worked my butt off for seven semesters across multiple capacities: to provide you campus information. I know there were at least 2,000 of you at any one time, and when this paper was bad, you made sure I knew it. I might not have been as driven to produce a great product if not for all your support. Though the pickup I observed recently indicates many of you have left, I hope you all keep being discerning readers because you're that drive that makes layouts work to be a little crisper, stories to be more reader-driven and copy to be cleaner.

I could go through everyone else, but this blog is getting too long already, so I'll list as many as I can here and give a general message:

To Pashtana Usufzy, Maria Roncal, Eric Loy, Sage Sammons, Lisa Rush, Nikki Villoria, Jen Miller, Tiffany Allen, Haley Etchison, Maddie Edgerton, Vanessa Jaramillo-Cano (Gomez), Chris Dinh, Quinton San Diego, Samantha Lantefield, Pamela Williams (now Harmer), Jamie Bichelman, Ian Whitaker, Nathan Warner, Keith Nathan, Alexia Gyorody, Hannah Birch, Blaire Ritter, Steven Slivka, Alexi Layton, Danny Webster, Cole Peterson, Dany Haniff, Katrina Concepcion, Rob Ponte, Holly Walker, Kristen Stein, Lucy Glover, Priya Mathews, David Cleveland, Julie Ann Formoso, Matthew Jarzen (of Course!), Garrett Estrada, Shevelle Chambers, all the writers and photographers I missed and all the sources I've met:

(Breathes deeply to catch breath)

Thank you all for working with me in whatever capacity you did during my time at UNLV. It was a joy knowing all of you.

I realize I left some of you on any variety of terms ranging from excellent to poor, but know this: No matter what I consider you important to my life. If you're on good terms, sorry I couldn't give a more in-depth piece on you; if you're on bad terms, I am a person who doesn't hold grudges, and if you want to put the past away, all you need to do is ask; if you're on indifferent terms, well, you probably found this Googling your name and it's six months from now - GREETINGS FROM THE PAST!

In closing, I've been loved and hated throughout my collegiate career, which is the mark of either a really good or bad leader, and I'm grateful to be able to look at those I employed and what we accomplished and know where I stand. I'll leave you with my favorite Bible verse, though for those who aren't Christian, I'll secularize it right after

"Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2-3


Do not fear adversity, because through it you become a stronger, better person. - Sean's horribly simplified paraphrases #1.

I wish you all the best, and good luck to you all!

Comic Book Reviews: Night of the Owls Part 2 - Detective Comics #9 and Batwing #9

If you don't like owls, you're going to hate Batman comics for the next month.

Besides Batwoman and  the returning Batman, Inc., all Bat-titles (as well as All-Star Western) are involved in the Night of the Owls crossover event.

Kudos go out to Scott Snyder, who has produced one of the most exciting Batman storylines in quite some time.

It took me three comic book stores, but I've got the first two legs of the event here:

Detective Comics #9


This issue, according to writer Tony S. Daniel, serves as an interlude between Batman #8 and #9, and it shows quite the story.

The issue takes place on Arkham Island, where Jeremiah Arkham wants to remain in his asylum despite guards demanding that he evacuate before the Talons arrive with their kill order.

The story actually turns out to be quite useful for continuity, as it reveals one character still being alive, while confirming his history with Arkham. (If you know Jeremiah Arkham's history, you'll know pretty quickly who I'm talking about.)

Batman breaks into the Asylum to fight off three (yes, three) Talons who have come for Arkham. Inevitably, though, he needs to knock out Arkham himself (because he needs to be confined to his asylum in his mind than most of the people in the asylum) in order to get him out.

This book did a nice job teasing a whole bunch of upcoming books: Nighwing, Batman, Birds of Prey, each got noted here. It's nice to see the supposed flagship doing a strong tease job for so many titles.

The art in this issue was incredible, though the first exchange of dialogue felt pointless and needed a couple of read-throughs to make sense.

Additionally, the book is $1 more because of the Two-Face side story being continued here. The story is kind of interesting, but the art makes the story hard to follow at times. A man like Two-Face should not be hard to identify!

Moreover, the story is confusing at times and feels like stuff is missing. I know it's because the story is being broken up across issues and needs to keep interest, but it really drags it down.

Overall, I'd say the side story is not worth the extra dollar. The main story itself lives up to the traditional price, though. Read through it in the store, but only buy if you're collecting or if your store managers are weirdos who have issues with people taking the books out of their jackets in the store.

Batwing #9


Ok, so a brief story: I had gone to Alternate Reality Comics near my school to pick up the NOTO books, but they weren't available because DC short-changed them on their inventory.

So I went to Maximum Comics, where I keep a pull box. They had Detective but not Batwing because it had sold out. This forced me to go to a third store to get it.

Considering how many stores I had to go to to get Batwing, this means one of three things: 1. There's a huge market for a black Batman near Maximum. 2. This NOTO event is going to sell out any book that doesn't already plan for collectors (like Detective). 3. The story is really freaking awesome!

Thankfully, the third option actually is correct in this case.

Batwing/David gets a suit upgrade from Lucius Fox and then attends a dinner event where a government leader who committed vicious executions is present.

Eventually, one Talon (who was apparently fired for being too brutal) tries to take out Fox. When Fox is hidden, the Talon takes the Prime Minister hostage, leading to an important decision for Batwing.

A few questions were left for me, like what exactly this Batman, Inc. event was that had government leaders present, and how no one could deduce who was behind the mask.

That said, for those plot holes it was an enjoyable read. The art was good, the Talon was expertly detailed, and for once Batwing was really able to stand on his own without the Bat-family's assistance while in Gotham.

It's not as good as Detective, but it's worth a look and possibly a buy. And yes, it is only worth a buy because it knew not to add a bad side story and charge an additional dollar for such "entertainment."

Comic Reviews: Earth-2 #1, Avengers vs. X-Men #3 (and #2 finally!)

Ok, so although I have been waiting anxiously for the Night of the Owls event, DC royally screwed over Alternate Reality Comics near my school and short-changed them on their shipments.

So I'll start out by reviewing the AVX crossover that I missed two weeks ago and its latest installment, but first, let us examine the return of the DC Multiverse!

Earth-2 #1


I was curious how they would handle the Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman characters here since Earth-1 versions already exist. Luckily, the way they handled it made the comparison incredibly easy to summarize. Patrick, do the honors for me!

Thank you. Yes, the entire focus of the first issue is killing off the Trinity of classic heroes in the most epic ways possible.

So for those of you who actively seek the death of DC's heroes in their own books, you got the chance here. And I will say that each death was done amazingly well.

I think Batman's was the best because it was the most selfless and he knew from the start that it was coming. Superman's was next best due to the sheer volume of attackers needed to finish him. And Wonder Woman's, while it was quite possibly the most awesome kill page I've seen, was weakest in that it was basically over-aggression opening her up to a sneak attack

The last of the book sets up the Jay Garrick Flash and Alan Scott Green Lantern. Also, it becomes very clear why the Flash of this world uses the costume he does after seeing this book.

Overall, I loved this issue. It showed the Golden Age heroes being the heroes they always were and the clean art gave this whole book a Golden-Age feel.

I'll admit, part of me was worried about the return of the multiverse. DC just retconned its way out of a lot of its convoluted continuity, and even still it's hard to tell what is canon. Adding multiple earths to the mix could easily add to the problem less than a year into the New 52.

That said, the Justice Society of America seems to have a massive fan base, and I actually am interested in seeing how these incarnations of Flash and Green Lantern (two of my favorite versions of the characters, by the way) develop here.

It's an extra dollar, but given what is in this book, I'd say it's a well-advised investment of time and money.

AVX #2


Sorry for the delay on this one. I actually spaced on it until I picked up the one today.

I enjoyed AVX #2 because of its straightforward, "let's kick each other's asses" mindset and the issue was really just everyone beating each other up.

Additionally, seeing Hope go out on her own at the end sets up the drama of a search nicely.

The problem with this book is that no one seems to be likable. The Avengers are a little less insane right now, but they're all just being ridiculously brutal with each other, and the only people besides Hope who are likable are only that way because they haven't had enough screen time to be jackasses to each other.

This book is good if you plan on seeing the storyline through, and it's serviceable otherwise, but it needed to step up in Issue #3 if it wanted to keep my $3.99.

#3


And lo and behold, they actually stepped up... on the fight scenes and plot anyway.

Besides the fact that this is one of the most epic covers of the year, the storyline finally made use of the fact that Wolverine is really a 'tweener in this fight.

Once again, though, the whole unlikable thing reared its ugly head, as he may be the most deranged of all the characters. I found myself actually liking Captain America more simply because he was holding to a no-kill order while Wolverine was going all League of Assassins on us.

That quickly changed, however, when Cap has his boys gang up on Wolverine and KICK HIM OUT OF A MOVING AIRSHIP. I mean I guess they figured he would survive, but this is a serious problem with Marvel. All of their heroes are capable of being so unlikable by virtue of being so human simultaneously.

The thing is, when you have the ability to kill with your bare hands easier than most humans, actions like this don't make you seem human; they make you seem like a douchebag.

Why should I like anyone in this storyline? Hope is the only one sort of acting alright, and she'll probably end up blowing something up with people on it by the end of it if the Phoenix has its way.

I'm tempted to switch to the VS book so that plot and dialogue don't get in the way of the awesome fight sequences. (By the way, Cap vs. Wolverine is the only thing making this book worth the price.)

That way, I can enjoy what I came to this crossover for and not have to deal with Team Giant Douche vs. Team Turd Sandwich.

Comic Reviews: Night of the Owls Part 1 (Batman and Nightwing #8) and Red Hood #8

It's finally here!

The Night of the Owls crossover event began with Wednesday's set of comics.

The majority of Bat titles will all hold their parts of the event in May, and I'll be reviewing each of them as they come out. However, Batman and Nightwing are getting started this month.

Sorry for the delay in my reviews here. Between my last two research papers in this semester and a death in my family (no comments about this, please), I really haven't had much time to draft up blogs.

Nonetheless, let's get to the reviews!

Red Hood and The Outlaws #8


OK, so I am going to go out of order in the reviews this month because I want to take out the non-Owls story first.

I will say that I did enjoy this story, but it was the second part that really carried it. The first part was, well, fine, just not great.

Red Hood, Starfire and Arsenal head down to Gotham in this issue to save child hostages from Suzie Su. While  this did manage to get all three involved in a mission (and tease a Starfire-Arsenal relationship), I can't help but feel a little underwhelmed by the villain. It was Jason Todd vs. a 600-pound woman.

The woman was disgusting to look at, and I can certainly rejoice in the fact that this woman is dead and gone.

Her last monologue really didn't do much to give make a reader feel sympathy. It was basically, "I'm bad, don't want to change and will keep killing until I kill you." Although the killing is still not something the normal Bat-family would do, it's hard to blame Jason for this one. Maybe that's the point, and he's not supposed to look like a man who crosses the line whenever someone pisses him off, but this just felt like a caricature of an ethical crisis than an actual one.

The second half of the book was far better in my opinion. It led into the Night of the Owls, set up an awesome fight between the Outlaws and Mr. Freeze, and it showed some really nice insight into Jason's relationship with Tim Drake. I am definitely looking forward to Jason-Bruce and Dick-Starfire reunion issues.

On the whole, I would pick up this issue. The first half was weird, but it advanced all three nicely, and the second half is a good NOTO set-up.

Batman #8


I am SO GLAD the worker at Maximum Comics told me to read this before Nightwing.

Don't let the "Prologue" mantra on Nightwing fool you: This is where the storyline begins, and boy is it amazing.

Bruce's house is under attack and the Owls force he and Alfred into a hidden compartment of the Batcave to reorganize.

Batman fights in what I can only describe to be a robotic body suit while Alfred decodes the plans of the Talons. Everything about the last two sentences reeks of awesomeness.

Bruce's multiple storylines of stress and damaged body cause him to put his guard down for just a moment, and it costs him the high ground in this ambush. That armor of Batman's is EPIC and I love the concept of him racing the sub-zero temperatures to the end of the fight.

The book was $1 more because of an 8-page supplement, which actually was not a side story. It was actually the same story continued with a different artist, and it actually worked.

Obviously, the whole book was done well, but the change in art style really matched the hurried, desperate mood of the situation.

I loved this book and can't wait for next month.

Nightwing #8


As I said, this is called a Prequel, and in many ways it is. But it goes past the end of the Batman book, and what happens before isn't necessary to understand Batman.


So I read this second. Basically it's two stories: One of Dick Grayson's great-grandfather and the other on Dick trying to save the mayor of Gotham City.

Both are done incredibly well, and I love how the two stories collide at the end of the book to set up the next issue. My only complaint is that William Cobb's story was hurried toward the end. Not much detail is given as to the 'betrayal' he suffered, and I hope next issue fleshes that out more.

The art of this book is immaculate, and in many ways is right on par with Batman.


I am so excited to see where Dick's storyline goes after the NOTO crossover, but I am even more excited to see how this showdown turns out.

Sorry again for the whole delay, but I promise I'll be on my game for the May issues. I'll see you in the first Wednesday in May!

Just a brief update - OWLS!

My reviews of Batman #8, Nightwing #8 and Red Hood & The Outlaws #8 will be up this week, as the books come out tomorrow.

I figure now is a good time to let you all know that I will be doing reviews of each of the Night of the Owls books as they come out. I'm not sure whether they will all be purchased or whether I'll just get the gist from inside the stores, but I will give you all my thoughts on all the different Bat-books and their takes on the crossover event.

Also, that month will be my wild card reviews of Catwoman and Birds of Prey, so be ready to be immersed in the Bat-verse next month!

Finally, I am looking at reviewing all the Batman movies dating back to the 1966 Adam West film. This would be to get everyone ready for the Dark Knight Rises film that is coming this summer. Stay tuned for all the Bat-fun!