10
Red Hood & The Outlaws
Scott Lobdell & Dexter Soy
I wish Zack Snyder movies were more like this, although this may be more of a Guy Ritchie style. Sure, a lot of the character stuff is sped through, but there’s an economy to it. No one needs to be particularly deep except Red Hood, but I wouldn’t mind a little bit more time with the villain. Seeing as he’s already got a long history with Gotham, I think the symmetry of origin and theme between Black Mask and Red Hood makes the adversarial relationship work well enough. The binary pacing of action, background, action, background, works well, particuarly with the art. It’s not the most detailed comic artistically, but the character design and action panels hit every mark. The prologue issue promises Red Hood, Artemis, and I think Bizarro, so if they’re building an anti-hero Justice League, I’m all for that kind of fun. – tyrannoflores
I like Jason Todd a lot; for a Batfamily member he at least has the balls to go in for the kill on occasion. He does have a bad attitude, but it feels like it works in his new persona as the Red Hood. Another getting-the-team-together story too, which I love. – IP
First collection: Red Hood & The Outlaws Volume 1: Dark Trinity (May)
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9
Batman
Tom King, David Finch, & Mikel Janin
I’m into this. I think King is going to address the popular perception that the DCU is comprised of overpowered superheroes and villains, and the street-level heroics of folks like Batman and Green Arrow often get spun into what practically amounts to a separate universe. I don’t know if I’m sold on the new crime-fighting partnership, but I trust this creative team, and I appreciate the drama with which they open this arc. Who really needs saving? Gotham? Or Batman? – MMDG
I actually like where this story is going. It doesn’t feel all that original, but it is doing something with the city of Gotham, personifying it in a new way. I’m in. – IP
First collection: Batman Volume 1: I Am Gotham (January)
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8
Green Arrow
Ben Percy, Otto Schmidt, & Juan Ferreya
Loved the art on this one. The story does feel like it’s jump-starting when it could get things going a bit more organically. This feels like the beginning of a story that could redefine GA. – IP
Otto Schmidt is doing some damn good cartooning. I’m going to read just for his art but I’m digging the story too. Ollie does his best stuff as the social justice warrior and seeing him back with Dinah makes me happy. Their repartee is on point. My only complaint is the Shado attack at the end is played off like it means something to me which it doesn’t at this point. I do like the idea of Green Arrow losing his company and money though. Will read more. – BC
First collection: Green Arrow Volume 1: The Death and Life of Oliver Queen (January)
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7
Batgirl
Hope Larson, Rafael Albuquerque, & Christian Wildgoose
Batgirl is in Asia to compete in a fighting tournament. Tournament-based stories are one of my favorite conventions in anime, and now Batgirl is going to be fighting in one, in Asia, where Asian superheroes, (like the 104-year-old “Fruit Bat”) live. If that doesn’t pique your interest, than we might be too different to get along. It seems like Batgirl has always been a more cop-procedural type book, so trading one classic narrative style for another may not work for everyone, but I’m digging it. Hope Larson seems to want to show us a different side of Babs, and since I’m not too familiar with her anyway, I’m open to it. Rafael Albuquerque seems to have some problems with facial expressions, but his action scenes are great, and I really like Dave McCaig’s color palette. I don’t know what it is, but it definitely has an anime influence to it. Tournament stories are usually populated with colorful characters who each have a reason for fighting that reveals more about them, like saving a family business, or avenging a family member, and if this follows true to form, I’m excited to see Batgirl fit into that dynamic. – tyrannoflores
I enjoyed this, particularly because it is one of the few books in this Rebirth initiative that combines an intelligible starting point for new readers with a genuinely fun and interesting story. And I love the fact that we’re not in goddam Gotham. Jesus. That town is choking with shitty stories. – MMDG
First collection: Batgirl Volume 1: Beyond Burnside (March)
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6
New Super-Man
Gene Luen Yang & Viktor Bodganovich
Loved this book. This is what relaunches should strive to do: reinvent characters on a fundamental level. There are enough old-school comics out there that I don’t need more of; but I could use more of this. – IP
Bogdanovich and Friend are winning the DC art game. This has a nice Sunday comic-strip form with a really great color scheme that reminds me of Iron Man books. This doesn’t look like much else in the Rebirth series, and the story is an original subversion of the Superman tale. A lot of emphasis is put on Kal-el’s alienhood in the Clark Kent books, and I’m not sure how I feel about Kenan basically just being rewarded power. Gene Luen Yang seems to be putting more Spider-Man in this book than Superman. Kenan seems on the path to learning tough lessons about power and responsibility, but being set in China provides the opportunity for Yang to offer up his insight into a world that is foreign to most Americans. He’s got the playful nod to the original series down, and I’m digging the Golden Age character names like Laney Lan, Luo Lixin and Kong Kenan. It’s a very interesting premise so far that can live off its art, but I think it will be a bit of a balancing act of classic comic action and insightful cultural commentary. – tyrannoflores
First collection: New Super-Man Volume 1: Made in China (June)
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The Institute of Idle Time 