Batman #22

Written by Joshua Williamson

Penciled by Jason Fabok
Cover by Jason Fabok
Published May 3, 2017

   In an alternate reality caused by the Flash trying to save his mother, Bruce Wayne's father Thomas is Batman. He's fighting a war against Wonder Woman and Aquaman and was recently told by Flash that he was supposed to die in that alleyway - not Bruce. That gave him the hope that one day he'd see his son again. Now the two apparent rogue Justice League members have joined forces to come for him. They attack Wayne Manor, and just as Thomas plans a suicide bombing to kill them all, Flash and Bruce walk from the well into Thomas's Batcave. There father and son gaze upon each other though from different timelines.
   Thomas thinks it's a trick but Flash explains that it isn't. The timeline was repaired but someone else - possibly the Reverse Flash kept the flashpoint going. This world they're now in should no longer be here but is being held in place by someone. He tells them he aims to fix in but Thomas says there's no time. Aquaman and Wonder Woman's forces are upon them. Thomas tells them he'll hold them off while Bruce and Flash fix the treadmill home but Bruce says he's coming with them. Bruce has so many question about the letter his father wrote him and his father tells him there will be time for answers later. And so fists it is. Twin Batmen from different realities fight trident and sword carrying adversaries while Flash works quickly to rebuild the machine.
   He completes it quickly. Thomas asks Bruce if he remembers what he told him so long ago in these caves. Bruce tells him barely - he was whispering because he didn't want to scare the bats. Flash tells them it's time to go. As the timeline begins to shatter, Bruce tells his father his letter was the greatest gift he could give him. If he could tell him anything one day, it was that he - Thomas Wayne is a grandfather. Flash tells him they have to go now and Bruce begs his father to return with them. Thomas throws them towards the treadmill. Flash promised he would save him. Thomas tells his son that the moment he saw him as a baby, he knew that every choice he ever made was right. With time for one last thing - he tells his son to not be Batman. Give it up and let the bat die with Thomas. Bruce screams that he can save him and as they vanish, Thomas says that they already have.
   Thomas throws the trigger against the cave wall. A few more panels reminisce about when Bruce fell into the well only to be saved by his father. And as the cave crumbles into light, he reveals what he told his son. Sometimes they fall, "but Wayne's never stay down... We rise" and he leaps into the light. Bruce yells to Barry they must find a way back there but he tells him time is crumbling. Someone stole time from them to hurt them. As he's explaining to them, Reverse Flash passes them up. Barry explains that this Thwane is from the past. He tells him if he keeps going, he's gong to die but Reverse Flash keeps going. He knows who the power of the button belongs to and they've never seen something like him. With that we're left to be continued.
   After really not paying a lot of attention to DC through the years, I finally now realize how much of a mistake that truly was. Marvel will always be MY publisher. The characters they have are sown into my existence. But these stories - Tom King's touch.. it really is something amazing. This book continues building an amazing picture of Batman and it keeps getting better and better. Were they this good before? Were they better before? Worse? I don't know. It really all started for me with this book. As far as this issue, and really this series as a whole so far, I give it a 10/10 and I think it can only get better - if that's really possible.

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All New Guardians of the Galaxy #1

Written by Gerry Duggan

Penciled by Aaron Kudar
Cover by Aaron Kudar
Published May 3, 2017

   On Citiopia, two oddly shaped beings discuss business and the prospects of moving assets to the impenetrable security of the planet when Galactus shows up. Chaos ensues and people run for their lives. As the devourer of worlds get closer, his head opens up and falls against the weapons battery, destroying it. The Guardians of the Galaxy fan out, pleased their plan worked and make their way to the vault. One of the aliens plotting escape sees them running towards him. He realizes they've been tricked but Rocket throws baby Groot at him. The tiny tree looks up and before the guy can pull his weapon, Gamora kicks him in the face.
   Drax the newfound pacifist thinks he'll teach Quill a lesson, but when he destroys the wall the space pirate just immediately grabs the loot and makes a break for it. On the way back to their ship, they have a laugh at a lonesome couple who thought they'd have one more run in the sheets before the apparently now fake Galactus kills everyone. They board the giant ship and speed away, with no seat belts much to the others' chagrin.
   Safely back onboard the Milano, they prepare to rendez-vous with their customer. As they continue on their long wait, they're eventually swallowed by a humongous fish. They exit Quill's starship, ready for anything when they're introduced to the Grandmaster, owner of the most exquisite collection in the Galaxy. Determined to give even the Collector a run for his money, he explains to the Guardians that now it's time for the REAL challenge.To actually steal a Monarch Egg from the Collector himself. Gamora tries to kill him but he zaps her to the floor. Explaining to them that that's the deal, he leaves them. Eventually they all accept that it's either this or wait for the Collector to punish them for sealing form him in the first place.
   The issue wraps with Gamora training and asking Rocket why it is that Groot has been regenerating so slowly. He says he was afraid nobody would notice but he doesn't really know why. He's weaker and sleeps more often. As the page pans out, we see a man in a robe planting what appears to be hundreds of thousands of little Groot twigs and urging them to grow big and strong - and with that we're left to be continued.
   As it's pretty much been discussed ad naseum, this reboot was entirely unnecessary. This is the Fifth relaunch of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the third since 2013 which is ridiculous. If they had brains, this would be at worst the 47th issue from the launch just 3 and a half years ago. But alas, it is what it is. Gerry Duggan - most notable in the past few years as the main guy behind Deadpool - takes over Marvel's most recent film property. And it's not bad. It's pretty much exactly where the other issues were going, short of returning Kitty Pryde, the Thing and Agent Venom to their respective home teams... except for the Fantastic Four of course. Either way, it's probably better than what Brian Michael Bendis was churning out. Where is it heading? Who knows? But I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. I give this one a 6/10.

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Justice League #20

Written by Bryan Hitch

Penciled by Bryan Hitch
Cover by Bryan Hitch
Published May 3 2017

   The Flash cradles Green Lantern Jessica in his arms as she dies. Amidst a pile of rubble, the apparent bomber asks why he should live when she didn't... while the others didn't. Enraged, Flash charges at him. In an instant he's back in a diner with Jess. As they talk, he feels like they just had the same conversation when there's an explosion. They both attack in their costumes as a madman yells about how they killed them all. Again - something about it is oddly familiar to the Flash. Jessica leaps up to defend her friend and the madman strikes her with the weapon he's holding... "A life for a life" he screams. When Flash catches up with her, she's dying again... exactly like she did before. He charges again and in a flash of light, he's back walking to the diner to meet Jess.
   As they talk, Barry knows this has happened before. He tries to put it together when this time in the street, the mystery man attacks. This time Flash runs towards him before he can kill Jessica. Suddenly he's back on the street - this time calling Jess before they meet up when the attack occurs. Every time, just a little different than before. This time he comes to running by the building emitting strange energy patterns the day before. He goes inside and the building is in shambles. The same madman screaming about how "he" killed them all. This explosion is even bigger. He works his way to the blast core and grabs it.
   Finally Flash comes to the full day before. He tells the rest of the Justice League that Jessica is in danger. He's been stuck in some kind of Groundhog Day loop and convinces them to follow. Back in the now non-bombed building, the man at the center of it all meets his family right before the big demonstration. Shortly after, he shows the crowd his creation... a device able to harness zero point energy. He moves to demonstrate it when the Justice League pops up and attempts to stop him. Superman tells the crowd that this device is a weapon of mass destruction. The scientist disagrees when Cyborg picks up an energy spike occurring from Flash's speed force...
   Without warning the blast is blinding, deafening and massive. When the dust settles, he searches for his wife and children but he can't find them. Flash is confused - asking the man what happened. His speed force somehow interacted with the device. Wonder Woman and Superman scan the rubble but can't find anything. Flash tells them all that he thinks they inadvertently caused this man's family's death. Again, he rants about why they should live when his family doesn't. He raises the bomb up and Flash tries to stop him and with that - we're left to be continued.
   The first thing that stuck out in this issue is that Bryan Hitch both wrote it and penciled it. How awesome is that? You wanna talk about differences in the Marvel vs DC model but there's a massive one. This would never happen in the house of ideas. And to be honest, Hitch's pencils are by far just as good.. if not batter than any of his artists have done work in this series. As far as the dialogue goes, it's still extremely heavy but it's what I've come to accept in ensemble team comic book like this. Again I'm still hooked here and can't wait to see where it goes. I give this one a 10/10.

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Spider-Man #16

Written by Brian Michael Bendis

Penciled by Oscar Bazaldua
Cover by Patrick Brown
Published May 3, 2017

   A couple of local hoods sit around the safe house talking when from out of nowhere, the wall explodes and in walks Hammerhead. He introduces the room to a REAL supervillain, Black Cat, who tells them that she's gonna burn the place down as a message to their boss - a mysterious Mr. D. They all run away and she tells Hammerhead to take what they want and light it up like the 4th of July. He explains to her that she's pretty much officially declared war.
   In the park, the now estranged Rio Morales meets with her son to ask a few questions. He tells her where he got his powers - a genetically altered spider. Where did a Brooklyn boy come across a genetically altered spider? Uncle Aaron. So he's not a mutant? No - but would it matter if he was? He tells her the only person who knew was Ganke because he figured it out. Still very upset, she tells him it all reminds her of a movie and she excuses herself. He runs behind her and buzzing overhead is none other than the new Iron Man, Riri Williams.
   Back in the dorm room, Ganke tells Fabio how lucky he is to be a mutant and he needs to use his powers more. A restless Miles tells the two he's going out. He puts on his costume and goes swinging out the window.. even though he has a geometry test in the morning. Flying high, he stops a purse snatcher who using a knife is able to cut out of his web. He makes a break for it and Spider-Man tails him into a bar.  Hit after hit and punch after punch, he eventually takes out a little more than his intended victim. Pausing for a minute, he sees the majority of the bar laid out.
   Later on outside the school, we see Ganke meeting with the YouTube viral sensation who's always ragging out the new superheroes. She asks him how he knows things and he says he can't say. She agrees to call him Ned as a code name and he moves in for a kiss.. and with that we're left to be continued.
   Good issue. Of everything the Bendis is currently working on, it's good to see him still spending a little time on this one. Since moving on from Sara Pichelli on pencils, the art hasn't skipped a beat with Oscar Bazaldua picking up the slack. After the recent issues with all the time hopping, it's good to see Miles be able to take a little break and get some downtime and with this issue he's treated to just that. I give it an 8/10.

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Old Man Logan #22

Written by Jeff LemirePenciled by Eric Nguyen
Cover by Andrea Sorrentino
Published Apr 26, 2017

   Wolverine fights Hulk and the Wendigo in his classic yellow and blue costume when he sees the amulet. Not being able to understand why he's saying the things he is, he claws the Wendigo and later goes against Hulk - wishing he could tell him this whole ordeal started from him trying to save Banner's grandson. Hulk throws the amulet and Wolverine runs after it. He finds it just as the Hulk slams him down, and is luckily pulled through the timestream just in time. Unfortunately for him though, it's another memory he doesn't really care to live through again.
   The Dark Phoenix floats above Central Park, controlling the flames and sending the X-Men tumbling away. Logan swore he'd never watch Jeannie die again. As she prepares her final blow, Wolverine tries to call out to her but all he can do is watch. Watch as she leaves in flames and realizes he can't change the past - all he can do is watch. Refusing to see anymore, he grabs the amulet and this time, awakens in his tan and yellow costume in Japan.
   Now this is something he can get excited about. With claws drawn, he takes out scores of Yakuza... this time finally enjoying one of his old memories. Before he can port again this time, there's someone he needs to see. Removing his mask he sees the love of his life - Mariko Yashida. She asks him if he's ok and he said he just missed her. God how he missed her. He kisses her one last time and realizes now he can go. Every leap gets him closer to the wastelands. This time he comes to in the sewers of Madripoor. Patch would recognize that scent anywhere.. And with that we're left to be continued.
   Like I said before, all this makes me want to see is Logan back in one of his "past lives", except all the time. This is a decent change of pace but the more this story develops, I only hope him finding and saving baby Hulk somehow changes enough in whatever alternate timeline to allow him to return to his old self. Much respect to Laura Kinney, she belongs in some other uniform. There's only one real Wolverine and if these issues don't make that point, I don't know what will. I give this one a 9/10 and can't wait for the next one..

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X-Men Blue #2

Written by Cullen Bunn

Penciled by Jorge Molena
Cover by Arthur Adams
Published Apr 26, 2017

   Two months ago, Magneto and Jean Gray stand in a junkyard where she reveals she doesn't trust him. He tells her that he understands, but that there's still threats to Xavier's dream that must be dealt with. He needs the original X-Men and he's willing to let her read his mind to see he's sincere. She does so and a tears up, agreeing that they'll try it his way - at least she will anyway. The others may need a little convincing.
   In the present, three of the X-Men practice in the Danger Room against Magneto. Jean boosts Cyclops and Angel's powers telekinetically but it doesn't seem to be working. Magneto defeats them by throwing railroad cars and they collect themselves - ending the simulation and erasing any logs of it existing. Jean tells them she's disappointed in Bobby and Hank missing the exercise. Warren agrees to speak with Iceman while Scott leaves to speak with Beast. In his laboratory, Scott knocks and walks in asking who Hank was speaking to and he tells him it was to himself. He apologizes for yelling about the magic Hank used in the last issue, and before he leaves, some other hidden being replies back to Beast.
   Warren walks by Bobby's room as he's on the phone, leaving a message for his unknown presumed superhero boyfriend. Later that evening Magneto walks into Jean's quarters asking about their training session. They discuss any future villain fighting opportunities when we see in a flashback what Jean saw in Magneto's mind. She sends decoys into different staircases to protect her from him seeing what she's looking at and she finally sees. The image of a lonely Jewish boy in a concentration camp. The thought moves her just as she notifies the team of Sentinals in Spain. They ready the Blackbird and takeoff with Bobby taking a few digs at Magneto. Once arriving the giant robots welcome "fellow mutants" throwing them for a loop.
   The issue wraps back at Madripoor with Magneto accompanying Ferris the butler into the basement. The robot tells him all is going according to plan. The last page is of a gigantic green platform charged with energy. The robot tells it's master that soon he'll be able to send the X-Men back in time to their period of origin and with that, we're left to be continued.
   Like the issue before it, this book is still doing pretty good work. Cullen Bunn continues the high standards All New X-Men had already been adhering to and this one is no exception. Although they've been in the present for a good while now, it's still an interesting dynamic to watch how the original X-Men work with each other in a juvenile way compared to the more older X-Factor stories of the late 70's and 80's. I like where its going. I give this one a 9/10.

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X-Men Gold #2

Written by Marc Guggenheim

Penciled by Ardian Syaf
Cover by Ardian Syaf
Published Apr 26, 2017

   Lydia Nance from the Heritage Initiative gets a phone call in the middle of the night. Directing her to turn on the TV, she watches as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants attacks the X-Men in New York. Former New Mutant Magma burns Logan as Kitty directs Nightcrawler to port him out of trouble and she calls for backup. Only problem is that Prestige and Colossus already have their hands full. Kitty asks for a "TFS" and Colossus delivers as a telekinetic fastball special right into former Morloc Masque. Rachel Summers tries to psychically reach them, but they're obviously working with some other telepath.
   That telepath turns out to be Mesmero, as Nightcrawler and Logan bamf into his path. Invading Kurt's mind, he teleports him away and looks down at the former Wolverine. Back at the fight, Kitty calls for Storm to give them a chance to regroup and in the duststorm, the Brotherhood teleports away before a SHIELD squadron appears. On board the Helicarrier, Captain America congratulates Kitty Pride for being the new leader of the X-Men and shows her footage of Lydia Nance. He then goes through the intelligence on the Brotherhood with all signs pointing to most of them being pretenders. All but the former X-Man Magma.
   Prestige walks in and tells Kitty they've found Nightcrawler. Logan however remains in the custody of Mesmero. Back in the lower east side, a costumed villain hunts down a mutant while in Madripoor, Kurt explains to his team that Mesmero kept him teleporting until he was exhausted. That fact reveals the reasoning behind Magma's brainwashing when Rachel walks in with a new problem.
   At Gracie Mansion, it appears the Brotherhood has once again struck - this time kidnapping the Mayor with threats to execute him. Of course, Nance is on TV within the hour threatening Mutant deportation. Young students watch with Storm looking on. Back in custody, Logan reminds his captors that even though the chains binding him may be adamantium, the chair is not. He springs into action, incapacitating Mesmero and very soon after, taking out the rest of his squad.
   Back at HQ, Rachel uses a version of Cerebro she's not used to while talking with Kurt about Nance's newest scare tactic. The issue begins to wrap when Colossus walks into Kitty's office while she hacks the web. The Brotherhood just doesn't seem to be tracking while he tells her of the students' anxiety about the deportation rumors. She says they're gonna right these wrongs when the phone rings. Logan calls an address she's gonna need to write down and with that, we're left to be continued.
   This is still one of the worst X-Men books - especially at least within the realm of issues of a newer launch that I've ever read. Bad writing, bad art. The only thing that keeps me going is the fact that Gambit is on the cover in a few issues which maybe indicates a return to normal. At least they got rid of this horrible artist in coming issues. As far as this particular issue, there's no redeeming qualities. Still further down the totem pole than it's predecessor Extraordinary X-Men. I give it a 6/10 with hopes it can at least get on par with it's counterpart X-Men Blue in some coming issues.

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