Comic Proportions

Published by DC Comics. Written by Paul Dini. Pencils by Dustin Nguyen. Inks by Derek Fridolfs.

The Deal: The Paul Dini-penned Batman comic rolls on to its fourth installment, and this one's sort of a done-in-one issue. Oh, and there's a second feature (as usual) starring Manhunter ... with Huntress along as a guest star.

The Verdict: At first I had a hard time figuring out what set this Batman book apart from Batman & Robin and Batman, but now I get it: Streets of Gotham is basically Paul Dini's Detective Comics with a new title. I mean, I guess with Batwoman in the regular Detective book, the brass at DC wanted Dini to keep doing Bat-centric work that they obviously enjoyed. So, if you read this series, don't expect some unique concept; it's just a Batman comic. That being said, it's a damn good Batman comic — great dialogue, great characterization, great cast, action, mystery, pathos, etc. If you dig Batman, you should be picking up Streets every month. Oh, and the Manhunter second feature is interesting, and it's a great bonus for folks who buy this book, but I see why it never took off as a regular solo series.

Published by DC/Vertigo. Story and art by Jeff Lemire.

The Deal: So far, it seems like this comic is a post-apocalyptic-flavored tale of a young human/deer boy trying to survive with the help of a tough stranger.

The Good: The success of Sweet Tooth hinges on the comic’s strong characterization. Writer/artist Jeff Lemire injects a ton of personality into the book, instantly making you care for the lead character, Gus, and fear for his safety on almost very page. But although Gus is hunted and wanted, he doesn’t come off like a victim. He views his journey into a vast, unknown and dangerous world as an adventure — and we, the readers, can’t help but be bitten by his enthusiasm and trepidation. Lemire’s art is from the “quirky” school — and not everybody is going to dig it. Look past the unconventional illustration style, however, and you can see he’s got a full grasp on all the fundamentals: storytelling, camera angles, lighting, pacing, emotion, etc.

The Bad: Although I attempted to describe Sweet Tooth in my opening sentence, I can’t say I know exactly what this book is about yet. But that’s not such a bad thing.

The Verdict: I think Vertigo has a new hit on its hands. It’s a strange comic, but I recommend buying it.

Reviewed materials provided by Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find: www.heroesonline.com.

Haunt No. 1

Published by Image Comics. Written by Robert Kirkman. Layouts by Greg Capullo. Pencils by Ryan Ottley. Inks by Todd McFarlane.

The Deal: Todd McFarlane and Robert Kirkman finally release their long-awaited series about a murdered spy who returns to the land of the living as a ghost — a ghost who jumps in the body of his brother, granting him superhuman abilities.

The Verdict: There's a lot to like in the first issue of Haunt. The art — by Capullo, Ottley and McFarlane — is detailed, kinetic, gritty and stylized; it's a great blend of flash and depth. The story is incredibly action-oriented and fast-paced — which is kind of odd for an "origin" tale (not that I'm complaining about that). One problem I have with this debut edition is how the introduction of the book's supernatural elements is handled. When we first meet the ghost, for example, the whole scene is downplayed in a way that takes much of the drama away from what should be a big deal. Anyway, so far so good. I say pick it up.

Reviewed materials provided by Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find: www.heroesonline.com.

Written by Geoff Johns. Pencils by Doug Mahnke. Inks by Christian Alamy.

The Deal: This newest issue of Green Lantern is also the latest chapter in the ongoing epic "Blackest Night" storyline and features a big slugfest between super bad guys Sinestro and Mongul.

The Verdict: Just when I thought I was suffering from "Blackest Night" overload ... and just when I thought the main Green Lantern title was becoming a superfluous book not worthy of a monthly read, writer Geoff Johns and artist Doug Mahnke make me a believer again with an awesome, action-packed issue. The coolest thing about this month's edition of GL? Sinestro proves once and for all that he's a big-time bad ass. Buy it.

One last thing: Anybody remember when Green Lantern used to be one of the lamest books on the stands? Johns really turned this comic — and this character — around.

Reviewed materials provided by Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find: www.heroesonline.com.

Published by Marvel Comics. Written by Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost. Art by Mike Choi and Sonia Oback.

The Deal: Marvel's mutant black ops/wetworks team is back for another blood-soaked issue.

The Verdict: I'm lost. Really. This issue basically consists of a few separate story lines, but I couldn't begin top explain them to you — and I read this book every month. The art is attractive (although a little stiff in places), but the story — which relies on knowledge of decades-old X-Men lore — could be a little more reader friendly.

Reviewed materials provided by Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find: www.heroesonline.com.

Published by Marvel Comics. Written by Jonathan Hickman. Art by Alessandro Vitti.

The Deal: Marvel rolls out the latest issue of its spy-flavored comic, which picks up on a cliffhanger left at the end of Thunderbolts No. 135.

The Verdict: This issue illustrates the pitfalls of crossover stories. I haven't been reading Thunderbolts in awhile (gave up on the book after two issues into Diggles' run), so I was lost as soon as I opened up this comic. Sure, I was able to go back and read the summary page, but ... you know what I'm saying. More than likely, I won't be picking up Thunderbolts , so I'm just losing a chunk of this adventure. Regarding the art, Vitto must be the fill-in guy. He's pretty good, but I was just starting to like Stefano Caselli's pencils (who is returning to the book, by the way). All in all, this issue wasn't a disaster — but not as good as the previous seven.

Reviewed materials provided by Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find: www.heroesonline.com.