Green Lantern-Related Series Chronology: Part 1

Green Lantern: A Chronology of the DC Comics Franchise & Its Other Notable References: Part 1 - 1940-1989

1940's

All-American Comics (1939) 16-102 -- Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern’s 1^st appearance was in #16, cover-dated July 1940, of this series & he was a featured character in every issue until it ended with #102. Unlike the more well-known Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan and John Stewart, he was not a part of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps, a concept that was introduced in what is known as DC Comics' Silver Age, which began circa 1960's.

He instead was an engineer and victim of a train crash caused by sabotage by a rival, but was protected by his lantern revealed to be magical. Alan Scott's green lantern & power ring he fashioned are magic-based & decades later, it would be revealed that they were crafted from a piece of the mystical Starheart that had crashed to Earth as a meteorite. His ring's only weakness was wood, as odd as that sounds. Green Lantern Alan Scott would also become a founding member of DC Comics' first super-team, the Justice Society of America, about a year after his debut.

http://www.comicvine.com/all-american-comics/49-20663/

The power-lusting Lord Chang was also introduced in Alan Scott's debut, All-American Comics #16, though he appeared to have been killed then. When he resurfaces in Green Lantern vol. 2, it's revealed he survived a mob's attempt on his life and has been kept alive over millennia by a piece of the same green meteor that eventually became the train lantern that saves Alan Scott's life. When he vexes Alan Scott as Green Lantern, he has become known as the villain Green Dragon.

Green Lantern vol. 1 (1941) 1-38 -- Green Lantern Alan Scott's own solo series, which is also where he first used the classic oath in #9 that Hal Jordan & much of the Green Lantern Corps would later use as a rallying cry or pledge. http://www.comicvine.com/green-lantern/49-25944/

Vandal Savage, the immortal caveman once known as Vandar Adg, is a very notable villain, introduced here in Green Lantern vol. 1 #10, in December 1943. He schemes against many of DC's heroes, usually behind the scenes, using his vast knowledge to maintain wealth, various combat skills, & secrecy.  His end goal is world conquest.


Of all this Green Lantern's villains, Solomon Grundy is probably the most memorable. He is a monster formed in Slaughter Swamp from the remains of a mobster named Cyrus Gold. Grundy debuted in All-American Comics vol. 1 #61 & would not just plague the Golden Age Green Lantern, but also the Justice Society, their legacy team of Infinity, Inc., & other heroes.

All-American Comics #89 would introduce Molly Maynne, Alan Scott's secretary, and her other identity as the costumed criminal called The Harlequin! She would eventually also ally with Green Lantern on occasion, as her main goal was to get his attention. This also lead to their romance & marriage decades later.

Some other notable villains introduced in Green Lantern Alan Scott's early adventures include The Gambler, Sportsmaster, & The Icicle.

from Sportsmaster's 1st appearance
in All-American Comics #85, 1947

Alan Scott reciting his oath, G.L. v.1 #36

There's also a wealth of information on the character of Alan Scott and his early adventures here:

https://www.cosmicteams.com/jsa/profiles/green-lantern-alan-scott.html

1959-1960's

Showcase (1956) 22-24 -- Hal Jordan’s 1^st appearance and introduction as the new Green Lantern are both in issue #22, cover-dated September/October 1959, but #23 and 24 continue his first adventures. It was revealed after some time, that the Golden Age Green Lantern Alan Scott was from the Earth-2 alternate universe, & that Hal Jordan was a part of the Earth-1 universe & that these were part of a larger multiverse. This would change in 1985-1986 with the aftermath of Crisis on Infinite Earths, which stream-lined both of those universes & more into one with a singular timeline, as was conveyed in 1986's History of the DC Universe, but this also ends up becoming part of the nature of DC Comics' various crisis stories--the multiverse having various side effects.
In Showcase #22, when Abin Sur, Green Lantern from the planet Ungara, of Space Sector 2814, crash-landed on Earth & was dying, he willed his ring's energy to find an honest man without fear & test pilot Hal Jordan was the nearest candidate meeting that description & thus he became Abin Sur's successor over sector 2814.

As it turns out, this run on Showcase was also the first appearance of Hal's most consistent love interest, Carol Ferris, daughter of Carl Ferris, owner of Ferris Aircraft, where Hal works as a test pilot. 

https://comicvine.gamespot.com/showcase/4050-1770/object-appearances/4005-11202/

Hal would also become a founding member of the Justice League of America, as seen here.

Green Lantern vol. 2 (1960) 1-200, Special 1-2 -- This series highlighted Hal Jordan and the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps, of which he's a part. The 1st issue reveals that the Green Lantern Corps is a peacekeeping & justice-seeking force created by & overseen by the incredibly ancient Guardians of the Universe, headquartered on the planet Oa, which we're originally told is the center of the Earth-1 universe. There are 3600 space sectors in this universe, as established by the Guardians, each of which they aim to assign a Green Lantern to.
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/green-lantern/4050-2839/
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/green-lantern-special/4050-4005/

Hal Jordan encounters the Guardians of the Universe in G.L. vol.2 #1.

The 2nd issue introduced the Weaponers & Thunderers of the planet Qward from the antimatter universe, as you can see by the Thunderer on the cover. The Weaponers of Qward are soon revealed as the makers of the yellow power ring for former Green Lantern-turned-major-villain, Sinestro.

This same issue also introduces the Inuit mechanic at Ferris Aircraft, Tom "Pieface" Kalmaku, who Hal Jordan befriends right away & ends the issue with him becoming his close confidant & frequent co-adventurer. Kalmaku also shows up in the live-action Green Lantern movie of 2011.

The villain named Hector Hammond was introduced in the 5th issue & was a criminal who harnessed the transforming energy from a meteorite he discovered & used it to subvert 4 scientists, experts in just as many fields, to advance his own reputation as a "renowned scientist" until Hal Jordan & Tom Kalmaku foiled his scheme. With Hammond's next appearance (issue 22), he used the meteorite energy directly on himself which transformed his appearance closer to the large-headed, swollen-brain look comic readers are more familiar with. He's especially notable as 1 of the 2 antagonists in the live-action Green Lantern movie of 2011.

The 6th issue is the 1st appearance of the alien Green Lantern Tomar-Re, from the planet Xudar, in neighboring space sector 2813. He's worth noting since he was featured in the live-action Green Lantern movie of 2011, & he's the first alien Green Lantern Hal encounters in action.

 The next issue was where the rogue Green Lantern Sinestro debuted. He would eventually come to be known as arch-nemesis to Hal Jordan and major threat to the GLC. The Weaponers of Qward end up fashioning a  power ring imbued with yellow energy for Sinestro to take his fight to Hal Jordan & the GLC. Yellow is a weakness of the Green Lantern Corps' power rings due to an impurity in the Central Power Battery.

Issue #9 introduces the next set of alien Green Lanterns (though unnamed): Xax, of Xaos; Chaselon, of Barrio III; Rori Stroh, of Rojira; Larvox, of Sputa; & NautKeLoi, of Aeros; & of them Chaselon will feature most prominently, especially as a future Alpha Lantern.

Issue #11 introduced Stel, of robotic Grenda and Medphyll, of botanical J586 (though both then unnamed). Stel will be chosen to become an Alpha Lantern much later on, and Medphyll will have a fascinating story with Swamp Thing. He also will recite his own unique, earthen oath: "In forest dark or glade beferned, no blade of grass shall go unturned, let those who have the daylight spurned, tread not where this green lamp has burned."

Sonar, DC Comics' villainous master of sound, was introduced in issue #14. He is the leader of a small Eastern European country called Modora & his ambition is to elevate it to greatness through force. He not only repeatedly plagues Green Lantern Hal Jordan, but even creates chaos with Justice League Europe later on.













Issue #16 is Carol Ferris's 1st appearance as Star Sapphire, who starts out for a long time as a villain, but much later on becomes an ally to Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps. Carol goes through quite an evolution over the decades after her introduction.

The dual-personality villain Dr. Polaris, DC Comics' "master of magnetism", might not seem like much in his debut here, but he becomes a recurring threat. Upgrading his look, he almost kills off Hal Jordan (if not for his good side) in his 2nd appearance in #46, & he plagues other heroes & teams. 

The Tattooed Man makes himself known in issue #23 & he will vex Green Lanterns & even the Justice League of America with his animated tattoos.

A tiger shark irradiated by nuclear waste mutates into a new villain simply known as  The Shark in issue #24. He will terrorize Hal Jordan even more & unsurprisingly, Aquaman, & others also.

In issue #26, Hal Jordan discovers Abin Sur trapped a very mischievous wizard named Myrwhydden inside his power ring, with his own mystical landscape.



The self-titled "cliche criminal", Black Hand, first appeared in G.L. vol. 2 #29. After a revamping of his character decades later by writer Geoff Johns, he becomes the architect behind the major company-wide crossover event story, "Blackest Night".

The next issue was the 1st appearance of Katma Tui, Green Lantern of Korugar, the successor to the rogue Lantern, Sinestro, and the first female Green Lantern we're introduced to. She'll also become future trainer & wife of Green Lantern John Stewart, while becoming an accomplished peacekeeper in her own right.

                                           
Issue #37 was the 1st appearance of the cosmic menace known as Evil Star.


G.L. v. 2 #38 is where the villain Keith Kenyon, who would later be called Goldface, first showed up. After causing trouble for multiple Green Lanterns & The Flash, he eventually reforms & becomes an ally to The Flash for a while as Commissioner in Keystone City.

Krona, one of the original/pre-Guardian Oans, is introduced in issue #40, with his & the Guardians' origins revealed. He sought knowledge of the creation of the universe that was forbidden on Oa & he was banished as an energy being sent throughout the cosmos aimlessly as punishment for his meddling. The Guardians also reveal that it was this meddling that created the multiverse, instead of a singular universe. Krona is not just the villain that causes a conflict between Green Lanterns Alan Scott & Hal Jordan in this issue, but he shows up for big storylines later, involving both the GLC & a crossover between Marvel & DC Comics. It was cool to see the teamwork between Hal & Alan in this issue, though!

Keith Kenyon as Goldface! (#48)

The super-villain Major Disaster made his "catastrophic" debut in issue #43. He becomes a thorn in the side of Green Lanterns Hal Jordan & John Stewart, The Flashes Barry Allen & Wally West, Justice Leagues Europe & International. Much later, after doing time in the "Suicide Squad", he does reform & even joins the JLA for a while.

classic cover art by Gil Kane & Murphy Anderson

showing brilliant dichotomy between

Hal Jordan & Sinestro

In G.L. v.2 #55, Hal Jordan opted to deputize an actor named Charley Vicker as a temporary Green Lantern when Vicker's brother was murdered (due to mistaken identity) by an old foe of Abin Sur's & a gang of his out for revenge on any Green Lantern on Earth that they could find. The Guardians become so impressed with Vicker's assistance that he is given the role of official Green Lantern of another sector, 3319.

This issue is Green Lantern Guy Gardner's 1st appearance. It's a "what-if?" style of story, though, as it's shown that a phys. ed. teacher, Gardner, was the other fearless candidate for the dying Abin Sur's power ring, but that Jordan had received it as he was closer.

1970's

 And #87 is John Stewart's 1st appearance. He was DC Comics's 4th heroic black character introduced, preceded by Black Racer of the New Gods, Vykin the Black of the Forever People (also New Gods), and Malcolm Duncan, ally to the Teen Titans. Since Guy Gardner wasn't available, due to injury, Stewart was chosen at this time as a Sector 2814 backup Lantern to Jordan when he needed assistance.

In between these 2 character debuts, G.L. v.2 #76 began what would be referred to as the "Hard-Traveling Heroes" era with Green Arrow being co-featured for all the way up to #122, tackling some real-to-life issues, along the way, that gave the series more of a grounded feel for a time. At the start of this run in 1970, there was also a Guardian (known later as Appa Ali Apsa) who joined Hal & Ollie on their road trip around the U.S.

tough question in GL vol. 2 #76

Justice League of America vol. 1 (1960) 140-141 -- These 2 issues in 1977 reveal the intergalactic group of androids known as the Manhunters, who were the Guardians of the Universe's original enforcers of law & order before the formation of the Green Lantern Corps. The Manhunters will play major roles in other stories later on. https://comicvine.gamespot.com/justice-league-of-america/4050-2014/object-appearances/4060-55857/

1980's

The GLC defend Oa from an assault
by Sinestro & the Qwardians! (#127)

Arkkis Chummuck was a Green Lantern hailing from planet Toomey VI in Sector 3014, and was introduced in Green Lantern vol. 2 #130's back-up story in 1980. His first appearance involved being on trial for the ritualistic consumption of his fallen foe in battle, his GLC sector predecessor, Reever. Arkkis would become most noted for his selfless bravery, including his sacrifice in battle against Maaldor the Darklord, helping defend his fellow Lanterns.

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps (1981) 1-3, Annual 1
http://www.comicvine.com/tales-of-the-green-lantern-corps/49-3077/ - This was a 3-issue mini-series that followed an adventure involving the entire GLC facing a reconstituded Krona & the undead forces of Nekron, the Unliving. Nekron would end up being the big threat in "Blackest Night" much later. The 1st issue of this is also the first appearance of Arisia, who becomes significant as a lover of Hal Jordan's starting in The Green Lantern Corps #211.
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/tales-of-the-green-lantern-corps-annual-1/4000-128645/ 

K'ryssma, of Etrea, Sector 1890, & Apros, of 7pi, Sector 3,
are introduced as Honor Guards, alongside Tomar-Re in Tales of GLC #1

Eddore, of Tront, sector 1419, also makes 
its debut here, reciting its unique oath.

Nekron, Lord of the Unliving, introduced in
Tales of the Green Lantern Corps #2

Galius Zed

Penelops

In the back-up story in Green Lantern vol. 2 #148, Ch'p from the planet H'lven, who protected Space Sector 1014, was introduced. He's significant as serving on the Earth-based contingent of the GLC later on. He resembles a larger-than-normal chipmunk.

And #149 is the 1st appearance of the alien Green Lantern Salaak, of Slyggia, in Space Sector 1418. This coincided with Hal Jordan's 1st time approaching the Guardians about resigning from the GLC. Salaak will also join the Earth-based branch of the GLC later. Much later, he becomes the senior administrator of the Corps and Keeper of the Book of Oa. But, his cynism & snarky attitude here sets the tone for his character & also serve him well at other times.

Deeter

Hollika Rahn

Green Man

All-Star Squadron (1981) 25 -- On Earth-2, here's the 1st appearance of the power pulse-powered Jade (Jennie-Lynn Hayden) & shadow-powered Obsidian (Todd J. Rice), daughter & son of Alan Scott, the "Golden Age" Green Lantern in Sept. 1983, unbeknownst to him. They debut alongside their teammates of Infinity, Inc., made up of mostly sons and daughters of the Justice Society of America. Infinity, Inc. would receive their own series soon after this in March 1984.

The minor Green Lantern villain known as Javelin was introduced in Green Lantern vol. 2 #173, cover-dated February 1984, before becoming more closely associated with the Suicide Squad. He was even  included in 2021's live-action The Suicide Squad movie.

In G.L. v.2 #181, Hal Jordan chooses settling down on Earth with his lover, Carol Ferris, over remaining with the GLC. Katma Tui was especially upset with this decision as Hal had previously persuaded her from doing the same thing on Korugar with her love, scientist Imi Kann, early on. Jordan would eventually rejoin the Corps in #199.











The next issue, Hal Jordan's former substitute Lantern on Earth, architect John Stewart, was appointed sole Green Lantern of Space Sector 2814, while Guy Gardner was not available for the role then. Katma Tui is chosen for her valued experience to go to Earth to train Stewart when he is showing some uncertainty in his role. They end up falling in love starting with a kiss at the end of #189.

KT21

Tucked away in between all of that, there was a back-up story written by Alan Moore in issue #188 that introduced the sentient planet who is the Green Lantern Mogo. Mogo would play a much bigger role for the Corps later on.

   The 1st Infinity, Inc. Annual (1985) revealed Jade & Obsidian's mother as the villain Thorn (Rose Canton). She had given them up for adoption at birth, after running away from her newlywed husband, Alan Scott, whom she had married under the guise of "Alyx Florin".

Rose Canton's past being recalled

This issue also ended with Green Lantern Alan Scott & his former foe turned frequent ally, Molly Maynne, the original Harlequin, getting married.

After only getting the chance to serve as Green Lantern for 1 day, teaming up with Green Arrow in #116, Guy Gardner charged his ring into Hal Jordan's faulty lantern which then appeared to shatter & disintegrate Gardner, but actually sent him to the Phantom Zone with a serious concussion. There he was manipulated by Zod over time & even witnessed Jordan almost marrying his precognitive girlfriend, Kari Limbo, when they had bonded over grieving Guy's presumed death. When Jordan attempted a rescue with Superman in #122, Sinestro abducted Guy to Qward's antimatter universe, where Jordan did rescue him in the next issue, but Guy's mind was fractured & he was near catatonic. Guy was out of commission for several months until he regained full consciousness, during which time Kari repeatedly checked up on him. It was here in issue #195 then that a faction of the Guardians officially endorsed Guy Gardner as a Green Lantern having formed a lantern & power ring filled with their own energies when the Central Power Battery was malfunctioning. Guy took on a unique outfit in this reintroduction, as you can see.

Last Days of the Justice Society of America Special (1986) 1 - This one-shot special was to be the swan song for the original super-hero team, after the merging of the multiverse with the Crisis. As such, it was a very fitting story told by Roy Thomas, beautifully drawn by David Ross. The surviving members of the team, besides Dr. Fate, Star-spangled Kid, & Power Girl, are tasked with fighting a never-ending battle of Ragnarok in another dimension Dr. Fate summons his teammates to (including Green Lantern Alan Scott) to stave off the end of the universe that is set in motion by Hitler using the power of the Spear of Destiny in 1945. This was effective as a respectful shelving of the characters at the time.

 

Green Lantern vol.2 #200 is the aftermath of DC's game-changing Crisis on Infinite Earths & also brought the end of an era with the Guardians choosing to leave the planet Oa with their female counterparts, the Zamarons, to pursue relations in another dimension. This led to the remaining 2800 Green Lanterns breaking up into multiple smaller factions spread throughout the universe.

The Green Lantern Corps vol. 1 (1986) 201-224, Annual 2-3 -- The series' numbering continues with a title change & a much smaller Earth-bound iteration of the GLC, led by Hal Jordan, and based in California.
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/the-green-lantern-corps/4050-3600/
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/tales-of-the-green-lantern-corps-annual-2-escapist/4000-134743/
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/tales-of-the-green-lantern-corps-annual-3-in-black/4000-136849/

The Green Lantern Corps #201 then followed the adventures of the 7-member group (consisting of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Katma Tui, Arisia, Kilowog, Salaak, & Ch'p) that based themselves on Earth. That issue is also the first appearance of Kilowog, of Bolovax Vik, in Space Sector 674. He has later been known as a drill sergeant of rookie Lanterns and fond of the term "poozer" for those rookies.

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 introduced a slew of new characters, most notably the demonic Five Inversions, sole survivors of the Massacre of Sector 666, who would form the Empire of Tears, which they ruled from the planet Ysmault in Sector 2814, until they were imprisoned there by the Guardians of the Universe. Qull, of the Five Inversions, is who relays their story and more that they've foreseen to Abin Sur, which would years later lead to his crash-landing on Earth and passing his ring onto Hal Jordan. A Daxamite Green Lantern, Sodam Yat, is also introduced via prophecy in this issue. Qull also phrophesizes the Children of the White Lobe and Ranx, the Sentient City. 

T:D:H:D, the Mad God Sector 3600, was also introduced in this Annual, whose story was told by Sinestro, which also introduced Green Lanterns Cimfet Tau and Palaqua.

John Stewart & Katma Tui were married
in The Green Lantern Corps #212

Justice League vol. 1 (1987) 1 -- The original Justice League of America series ended in early 1987 with issue #261 after the events of the "Legends" crossover, which split up the Detroit-based version of the iconic team. With this new series began the Justice League International era & Green Lantern Guy Gardner was a founding & long-standing member of this iteration of the DC Comics' premier super-team. This era was known for a lot of humor at times & Guy was no small part of that, especially contrasting the others for a while with his overly cocky attitude.

https://comicvine.gamespot.com/justice-league-1-born-again/4000-105729/

In 1987's Swamp Thing vol. 2 #61, Medphyll's native planet, J586, is visited by Swamp Thing who is trying to re-establish a physical body from the lush vegetation of that world, unknowingly absorbing the sentient inhabitants in the process. Medphyll then has to figure out how to address this crisis while also not harming his plant-like neighbors.

In the 3rd Tales of the GLC Annual, from 1987, Katma Tui recounts the story of meeting & recruiting the peculiar Rot Lop Fan, from the Obsidian Deeps, of Sector 911, to the Green Lantern Corps. His species could not see color, but have excellent hearing, thus his distinctive oath.

Bynai Bruun

In Green Lantern Corps vol. 1 #217, we're introduced to the remnants of the GLC contingent of the Klyminade region, Flodo Span, Olapet, and Driq. These 3 Green Lanterns will reveal to the four Earth-based GL's they meet up with of Sinestro's murderous attack on them that killed the other five of the Klyminade group, and then together they take the fight to him and the Mad God of Sector 3600, who Sinestro had released from its Oan sciencell. Flodo Span proved instrumental in defeating T:D:H:D with his incredibly malleable form.

Millennium (1987/1988) 1-8 -- This was a big company-wide crossover event mini-series that had tie-in issues with many other DC titles & while the series was cover-dated 1988, it was all released in October & November 1987. The story centers around the Guardians of the Universe & their female counterparts, the Zamarons, having returned from their other-dimensional retreat & addressing a crisis involving the Manhunters, the Guardians' android creations from ages past.
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/millennium/4050-4011/ -- the mini-series
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/millennium/4045-40776/ -- the story arc & tie-ins

Rocket Red #7 was revealed to be a Manhunter
in Justice League International vol. 1 #9

G'nort, of the planet G'newt, in Sector 68, was introduced in Justice League International vol. 1 #10, during the "Millennium" event, as a goofball alien character, not really an official Green Lantern. He was conscripted second-hand by his uncle, G'newmann, through the Poglachians, who were posing as Guardians of the Universe working with the Weaponers of Qward seeking to discredit the Green Lantern Corps by filling it with incompetents. G'nort eventually was instated as a true Green Lantern with Guy Gardner's help.

The last 3 issues of The Green Lantern Corps (#222-224) in mid-1988 brought about the destruction of the Central Power Battery on Oa & the depowering of most of the GLC. When the GLC executed Sinestro for his many crimes, a bizarre twist revealed that if either the Guardians or their enforcers killed any male Korugarians, such as Sinestro, it would lead to the Battery self-destructing, via a pact the Guardians made ages ago, to curb their emotions when the Zamarons were procreating with Korugarian men.

Action Comics vol. 1 (1938) 601 -- A month later, Star Sapphire Carol Ferris, possessed by the Predator entity, murdered Katma Tui, former Green Lantern from Korugar and John Stewart's wife, just to spite Hal Jordan. Like I said, Carol as Star Sapphire goes through quite an evolution.
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/action-comics-weekly-601-and-the-pain-shall-leave-/4000-29632/

Priest

Cosmic Odyssey (1988) 2 -- This issue of this 4-issue event mini-series contains a pivotal point for Green Lantern John Stewart wherein he is complicit in the destruction of the planet Xanshi, through his own hubris. This event will have lasting repercussions. https://comicvine.gamespot.com/cosmic-odyssey-2-book-two-disaster/4000-30382/

Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn (1989) 1-6 -- This mini-series tells a reimagined origin story for Hal Jordan becoming a member of the Green Lantern Corps, protecting Space Sector 2814, reintroducing Tomar-Re, Salaak, Kilowog, & the Guardians of the Universe, & presenting a new threat in yellow armor known as Legion. Legion also serves as the cause of Abin Sur's ship crashing in this story.
http://www.comicvine.com/green-lantern-emerald-dawn/49-4189/

 

With the new "DC Comics 52" relaunch/reboot, these are the 38 titles I bought the #1s for along with links to my posts on the DC Comics Message Boards under the name "mr-e":

Action Comics - keeping on my pull list for now
All-Star Western - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261628&tstart=0
Animal Man - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000257660&start=45&tstart=0
Aquaman - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261590&tstart=0
Batgirl - keeping on my pull list for now
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000259318&tstart=15
Batman
Batwing - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000259717&tstart=15
Batwoman - tied for #1 favorite of the new DC
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000260199&tstart=0
Blue Beetle - keeping on my pull list for now
Captain Atom
Catwoman
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261601&tstart=15
DC Universe Presents
Demon Knights
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000260182&tstart=0
Detective Comics
The Flash - keeping on my pull list for now
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
I had a post on the DCMB about Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1 but the link doesn't work anymore so I think the thread somehow got deleted... This was the link: http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000260160&tstart=0&start=15

Basically, I LOVED everything about the issue, except the art style! Jeff Lemire did a great job on this 1st issue, just as he did with the Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown mini-series! There was a very creepy vibe set up with the first couple pages with a man & his son fishing in a small town called Bone Lake, Washington & then they are confronted by huge monsters in the woods behind them. It was nicely done though with no massively gory scene afterward.

The Atom of the old DCU, Ray Palmer, turns out to be a UN science liaison to SHADE with this book in the new DCU, and invented reduction teleportation to their mobile HQ called the "Ant Farm". In the "Ant Farm", there is SHADE City which looks futuristic & cutting-edge.

In it Frankenstein gets debriefed by the new incarnation of Father Time (who inhabits a body that looks like a young school girl) on how The Bride went into Bone Lake to exterminate the monstrosities there, but she lost contact with SHADE. So, Frankenstein is charged with retrieving her & containing the situation there.

He is joined by the same great Creature Commandos from the mini that tied into Flashpoint. The one addition to that team is a mummy named Khalis with healing abilities & others that aren't yet classified. The issue ends with Frankenstein & the CCs finding a large group of children hiding in a church basement in the monster-infested town. I highly recommend this book, though possibly not for kids
Green Arrow - keeping on my pull list for now
Green Lantern - keeping on my pull list for now
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261617&start=15&tstart=0
Green Lantern Corps - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000260914&tstart=0
Green Lantern: New Guardians - keeping on my pull list for now
Grifter
Hawk & Dove
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261120&tstart=0
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000260165&start=15&tstart=0
Justice League
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000253634&tstart=150
Justice League Dark - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261575&tstart=0
Justice League International - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000258260&tstart=75
Legion Lost
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261086&tstart=0
Legion of Super-Heroes - keeping on my pull list for now
Mister Terrific - keeping on my pull list for now
Nightwing - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favoites
Red Lanterns
Resurrection Man - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000260195&tstart=0
The Savage Hawkman - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261710&start=15&tstart=30
Static Shock
Stormwatch - keeping on my pull list for now & one of my top favorites
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000246577&start=135&tstart=30
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000258299&tstart=0
Supergirl - keeping on my pull list for now
Superman - keeping on my pull list for now
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261532&tstart=60
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261948&tstart=15
Swamp Thing - tied for #1 favorite of the new DC http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000258261&start=30&tstart=15
Wonder Woman - keeping on my pull list for now

about the new DC's top women:
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000261407&tstart=30

And this is a comment I left on a post about Aquaman #1 over at the "DC's supernatural heroes" facebook fan page:

"Aquaman was the best of the 3 books Geoff Johns wrote for the new DC 52!! I loved it! He really showed that the character is no joke! But I already knew that from Peter David's writing of the character & "family"! I really liked Johns' explanation in Aquaman's dialogue of his "talking to fish ability" ability & yet that dolphins were a different matter as that reminded me of Peter David's depiction of Aquaman being cared for by dolphins as a baby expelled from Atlantis due to the "Curse of Kordax"! I'm telling you if you've never read Peter David's run on Aquaman, the Atlantis Chronicles, & Aquaman: Time & Tide, you really should!! The character gained so much depth from all those stories.."

And this below was a very long-winded comment of mine from Sept. 16 on a post on the "DC's supernatural heroes" facebook fan page:

"I bought Batwoman, Demon Knights, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Green Lantern, Grifter, Legion Lost, Mister Terrific, Red Lanterns, Resurrection Man, and The Unwritten from this week's comic selections!
Here's my top 5 in order:
Batwoman -- stunning art, great reintroduction to the character, Bette Kane returns & debuts as Kate's sidekick with references to having been the former Teen Titan Flamebird as well, Maggie Sawyer asks Kate on a date, her past with Renee Montoya is referenced as well as past events from the Batwoman run on Detective Comics, and new villain La Llorona is deftly set up as a creey mysterious threat!

Resurrection Man -- I LOVED this book back in the '90s! I'm very happy that Abnett & Lanning are again writing this book & surprisingly, Fernando Dagnino's art is very similar to Butch Guice's from the 1st series that I enjoyed. The encounter & confrontation on the plane with the supposed angel named Suriel was almost worth the price of the book alone. But, then there's a surprise from JL Dark on the last age too!

The Unwritten -- I won't say much about this since it's not 1 of the new 52 #1s, but like most Vertigo books, it is an amazing, yet sadly overlooked series! I find it a cerebral pleasure!

Green Lantern -- I love Ivan Reis' art, first of all. But, I also liked seeing Sinestro not wanting to wear the GL ring & the confrontation he had on the orbit of Korugar with one of the Sinestro Corps' members. And on Earth, it was nice to see how Hal is adjusting to not having a power ring, and just how much he was out-of-touch with his civilian life! And there was the last page clincher with him & Sinestro...

Mister Terrific -- I really had no idea what to expect since I had not read any of Eric Wallace's run on Titans (hated it being turned into Deathstroke's assassins), and b/c this is a Mr. T with no ties to the JSA or Checkmate. So, considering that, this wasn't bad. I bought this mostly b/c I had been advocating for years that the fave character from JSA & Checkmate get his own series. This is interesting enough to keep me coming back, especially with Gugliotta's art style, and Michael still being credited as "3rd smartest man in the world" with his scientific knowledge showcased nicely here.

I actually would've placed Frankenstein in my top 3 for the week if it weren't for the art style I consider fairly sloppy. I don't know why they didn't just keep Ibraim Roberson from the Flashpoint mini for the character! But, aside from that, the storytelling, plot, settings, and characterizations were great! It's still a must-read!

I also enjoyed Grifter, Legion Lost, and Demon Knights for one reason or another, but just not as much as these other ones.
And Red Lanterns was just something I picked up more than anything b/c there will most likely never be a #1 for it again (though I could be wrong)."

Here's a thread on the DC Comics Message Boards I started about Xombi #5 now that I decided to start posting there again under the new screen name of "mr-e". Feel free to comment there or here!

Here's a thread I started on the DC Comics Message Boards back in April about the "War of the Gods" story...

What are some other people's thoughts??

Here's how I ranked the new books bought & read from June 22, 2011:

1 Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing #1 ***** 
2 Batman: Gates of Gotham #2 ***** 
3 Zatanna #14 **** 
4 Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #1 **** 
5 Green Arrow #13 ***1/2 
6 Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #1 *** 
7 Flashpoint: The Outsider #1 *** 
8 Action Comics #902 *** 
9 Justice League of America #58 **1/2 
10 Flashpoint: Reverse Flash **1/2 
11 Superman #712 ** 
12 Batman and the Outsiders #40 * just for Philip Tans's wonderful art -- I hated Dan Didio's pathetic excuse for comic book storytelling with his run on this book!




And this is how I ranked the new books I bought & read from June 15, 2011:


1 Legion of Super-Heroes #14 **** Saturn Queen continues to show how much of a bad@$$ villainess leader she is with this issue. At the same time, the intrigue with Harmonia Li is raised & it was great to see Mon-El leading the charge with Dawnstar searching for Saturn Queen & her Legion of Super-Villains.

2 Teen Titans #96 **** - This book was not on my pull since #87, but with this great spotlight on Beast Boy/Changeling, it just got added back until it sadly ends with #100!

3 Batgirl #22 **** - This book is not on my pull, but I picked this up because I love the Knight & Squire duo & this great stand-alone issue was a really fun adventure taking place in the UK! Cheers! 

4 Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons #1 (of 3) **** - This was a really great look at a still-living Boston Brand performing alongside Dick Grayson & his parents & beautiful art to boot! This mini wasn't on my pull, but just got added!

5 Power Girl #25 ***1/2 - I'm so happy about how this 2-parter ended! It was looking like the Arab metahuman might not get a good ending to his story, but thankfully that was not the case!  Justice was served with Batman's help  & I really liked the touching scene between the determined Rayhan Mazin & his father, especially with his father's last words to him. Winick did a solid here.

6 Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Abin Sur ***

7 Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #1 (of 3) ***

8 Batman #711 ***

9 Flashpoint: Wonder Woman #1 (of 3) * - This gets such a low-ranking score primarily because of Garth's terrible treatment in the flashback story. This & the Emperor Aquaman mini have NOT been added to my pull. 




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from June 8, 2011:


1 Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #1 ****1/2
2 Birds of Prey #13 ****
3 The Unwritten #26 ****
4 Booster Gold #45 ****
5 Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1 ***1/2
6 Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Tomar-Re ***1/2
7 Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Kilowog ***1/2
8 Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #1 **1/2 -- I'm just not understanding what all went down between Aquaman & Wonder Woman & expected that much to be shown with this issue. I mean why did Aquaman assassinate Queen Hippolyta??
I'm surprised at how there's only been 1 Flashpoint book I haven't bought yet when I only planned on buying the main series, 2 of the minis, and the Canterbury Cricket one-shot..




Here's how I ranked the books I had bought & read from June 1, 2011: 


1 Flashpoint: Secret Seven #1 *****
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?messageID=2006523564&#2006523564 - My review is there.

2 Superboy #8 *****
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?messageID=2006516991&#2006516991 - My review is here.

3 Flashpoint: Abin Sur: The Green Lantern #1 *****
Considering the only thing I've ever read by Adam Schlagman was the Animal Man story in the Untold Tales of Blackest Night one-shot, and Abin Sur has never really been fleshed out as a character at all, Schlagman really surprised me here by doing so so completely! He made him a very interesting character that I now actually care about, not just Hal Jordan's predecessor! Also, Felipe Massafera's art was spectacular from the first page until the last! I was wowed here! 

4 Flashpoint #2 ****1/2
http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000245479&start=15&tstart=0 - My review is here.

5 Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #1 ****1/2
Traci 13 is a surprisingly excellent character to use as the focal point of this mini & I'm interested in how she is the only one besides Barry Allen that has any memories (however vague they may be) of the previous timeline like how she was dating Blue Beetle III (Jaime Reyes). I really liked her interaction with Madame Xanadu in this issue too, although it was sad (and also foreboding) to see what happened to the good Madame after Traci's visit.

6 Secret Six #34 ****
Wow! I am SO glad Gail had the Six catch the b@stard that was about to kill Liana!! I literally almost cheered when Scandal dealt the final blow! I mean I don't usually get excited about seeing people kill other people, but that guy was truly a deranged monster & either way, these are villains/mercenaries that are dealing out the punishment. So, I am just still a little confused as to how Scandal found Knockout in Hell since I thought all the New Gods were revived on some alternate Earth. But, that's really my only gripe with this issue. Simone had some decent characterization otherwise like with Scandal's heart-to-heart with both Rag-Doll & Jeannette.

7 Strange Adventures ****
This Vertigo one-shot was just amazing!! There was a LOT of neat little stories packed into this!

8 Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance #1 ****
What shocking differences there are between the Thomas Wayne Batman & the Bruce Wayne Batman we all are familiar with!! He's killed a lot of his major enemies besides the Joker--Hush, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and as seen by the end of this issue--Killer Croc. Very interesting...

9 Static Shock Special ***
This was a decently done homage to the late comics pioneer, Dwayne McDuffie.

I just wish now that I had been able to buy last week's books last week as I know Xombi #3 definitely deserved to be ranked higher thanJustice Society of America #51 (even if I didn't read that issue of JSA). 


(Marc Guggenheim's "Supertown" was the worst JSA story I ever had the displeasure of reading & was what made me drop the book for only the second time ever. The first time was with JSA #83-87.)




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought and read from May 18, 2011:


1 Booster Gold #44 ****
2 Zatanna #13 ****
3 Legion of Super-Heroes #13 ***1/2
4 Batman: Gates of Gotham #1 ***1/2
5 Power Girl #24 ***1/2
6 Superman/Batman #84 ***
7 Justice League of America #57 ***
8 T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #7 ***
9 Batman #710 ***
10 Outsiders #39 no stars at all--just bad 




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from May 11, 2011:


1 R.E.B.E.L.S. #28 *****
2 Birds of Prey #12 ****
3 Flashpoint #1 ****
4 Superman #711 ****
5 The Flash #12 ***1/2
6 Batman, Inc. #6 ***

I was surprised at just how underwhelmed I was with Batman, Inc. this week...  It's been consistently my favorite "Bat" book each month it's come out, except this month now. The art was half the problem this issue, but the whole non-explanation with the Outsiders thing & especially having Freight Train still with them (ugh!!) were the top reasons this ranks so low this week/month. Also, who was that new "Batman" in Australia?? An explanation would have been nice. 




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from May 4, 2011:


1 Doom Patrol #22 *****
2 Freedom Fighters #9 ****
3 Secret Six #33 ****
4 Superboy #7 ***1/2
5 Adventure Comics #526 ***1/2 




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from April 27, 2011:


1 Xombi #2 *****
2 Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #9 *****
3 Batman, Inc. #5 ****1/2
4 Green Arrow #11 ***1/2
5 The Flash #11 ***1/2
6 Justice League: Generation Lost #24 ***1/2
7 Action Comics #900 ***1/2
8 Wonder Woman #610 ***
9 Brightest Day #24 **1/2
10 Justice Society of America #50 **1/2




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from April 20, 2011:


This week was full of entertaining reads!!

1 Zatanna #12 ****
2 Superman/Batman #83 ****
3 Green Lantern #65 ****
4 Power Girl #23 ****
5 Green Lantern Corps #59 ***1/2
6 Batman #709 ***
7 Gotham City Sirens #22 ***
8 Legion of Super-Heroes #12 ***
9 Justice League of America #56 **1/2 




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from April 13, 2011:


1) R.E.B.E.L.S. #27
2) Booster Gold #43
3) Superman #710
4) T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #6
5) Justice League: Generation Lost #23
6) Birds of Prey #11
7) Superboy #6
8) The Flash #10
9) Outsiders #38 




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from March 16, 2011:


Xombi #1
Knight and Squire #6 (of 6)
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #5
Power Girl #22
R.E.B.E.L.S. #26
Brightest Day #22
Batman #708
Superman #709
DC Universe: Legacies #10 (of 10) 




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from March 4, 2011:


I just purchased my pulled books from the local comic store for the first 3 weeks of March 2011 on Wednesday this week because I was given a 20% coupon that expires on March 20. SO, that's why I'm only getting around to ranking the books I bought & read for this week now....And, yes, I know it's too late to have my votes count..
And, here they are, though it was incredibly difficult to rank most of them as I definitely enjoyed them all:

1 Green Lantern #63 - Great issue!! It was very revealing to see the previously-untold story of how Krona was rejected by the Guardians of the Universe & how he first enacted revenge on them with the Manhunters! That was a surprise twist that actually really made sense! I also really enjoyed all the interaction between the 7 so-called "New Guardians" of the "Emotional Spectrum Corps"! I have really enjoyed this concept & still do so far. I'll post a full review on the Green Lantern boards.

2 Giant-Size Atom #1 - Wow!! This practically ties for the #1 spot! I've said it before in reference to the current Superboy series, but I'll say it again: Jeff Lemire really knows how to tell an exciting superhero story! I'm thinking this guy might be the new Geoff Johns. I would love to see him write a new Justice League International ongoing once Justice League: Generation Lost ends! I would prefer not to have Winick do so, when there's a real imaginitive, inventive, truly creative writer like Lemire around!
I'll post a full review of this special Atom issue elsewhere on the boards.

3 Brightest Day #21 - I haven't seen the ubiquitous Martian Manhunter kick this much ass since the "Trial by Fire" story in JLA #84-89! Good job, Geoff!

4 Freedom Fighters #7 - I can't believe this series is going to end with only nine issues! And I was so excited initially when the characters & writing team of the 2 Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters minis were getting an ongoing series. Travis Moore has been decent in the art department as well, IMO.
My review of this issue can be read here (at the bottom of the first page): http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/message.jspa?messageID=2006413725#2006413725

5 Secret Six #31 - I knew this had to happen though I wasn't expecting it! Simone rocks these characters each month! I love how instinctive Scandal was in going after Rag-Doll for the "get out of hell free" card! This whole issue just flowed wonderfully from that scene to the team taking the elevator down to hell. I'll post my full review on the Secret Six boards soon.

6 Azrael #18 - If you're gonna go out, go out with a bang! This series has been a real interesting treat & it's sad to see it go, though it definitely would seem to have had a proper ending. Man, this issue with the meeting of Fireball in Afghanistan was quite a unique introduction & after reading this, I am anxious to see how this story continues in Batman .

7 Batman: Streets of Gotham #20 




Here's how I ranked the new comics I bought & read from February 23, 2011:


1 Power Girl #21 - It was great seeing Bruce help PG out so thoroughly as in this issue. "Damn right!" The only sad downside of this issue was seeing the last of the takeover of Starrware as PG's company was the #1 thing I loved about Palmiotti & Gray's run on the book.
2 Action Comics #898 - This was Luthor showing his true ruthless side & I loved the interaction between him & Larfleeze.
3 Justice League: Generation Lost #20 - This finally showed us what Max Lord's motivations have been since his villainous side was first revealed in the Countdown to Infinite Crisis one-shot.
4 Green Arrow #9
5 Gotham City Sirens 
6 Justice Society of America #48
7 JLA/The 99 #5 (of 6) 

And the following was taken from the thread on the DCCMB where "rogerburks" had readers to rank the new comic books read from June 30th, 2011:

1 Xombi #4 ***** 
The plot thickens as Annie Palmer reveals her story & the details on the intriguing Strongholds. This book is just incredibly interesting in its uniqueness & journey through the bizarre! 

2 Flashpoint: The Canterbury Cricket ****1/2 
The all-but-forgotten former Global Guardian, Godiva of the UK, is featured in this fun one-shot! And the Canterbury Cricket's tale was quite interesting too, very different from most of the other "Flashpoint" stuff. 

3 Batman, Inc. ****1/2 
This was an excellent spotlight on Man-of-Bats & Red Raven, a Native American dynamic duo! 

4 Flashpoint: Hal Jordan **** 
I've heard before that "imitation is the highest form of flattery" & this tale of Hal Jordan's somewhat mirroring things seen in Geoff Johns' "Secret Origin" story shows that that story was an instant classic & this comic just built on some things with it. I still wish that the "Green Lantern" movie had done the same in closely adapting from the "Secret Origin" story... 

5 Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #11 ***1/2 
Guy seemed kind of devolved personality-wise in this issue & I was left wondering why a little bit. 

6 Gotham City Sirens ***1/2 

7 JSA 80-Page Giant 2011 *** 

8 T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #8 *** 

9 Green Lantern Movie Prequel: Hal Jordan **1/2 

10 Flashpoint: Green Arrow Industries **1/2 




I had also replied to poster "gothamstar06" on that thread with the following:


> 1) Batman Inc #7 - One of my favorite reads of
> the year, this done in one Batman on a budget story
> was gritty and compelling and very down to earth from
> Grant Morrison of all people! I know Batwing is
> getting a series but after reading this Man-of-Bats
> might be a better candidate.

I totally agree with this review! 

The following is taken directly from the DC Comics Message Boards when I replied to this thread http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000249456&start=15&tstart=0 where I ranked the new comics I bought from the week of July 6. I tried to regularly participate in these types of threads that "rogerburks" oversaw. Here was my post:

Man, it's REALLY difficult to rank this past week's books! They were all great reads! But, here we go! 

1 Superboy #9 ***** 
I LOVED the interaction between Simon Valentine & Lori Luthor (Lori: "Why do the frogs have to be pink?") & him & Psionic Lad (Simon suggesting he call himself "Psion" & PL telling his conspirator from the future that he's not going to kill his new friend Simon). And Superboy was shown as being very good at asking "Phantom Stranger" the right questions & I honestly was duped by the pretender for almost as long as Conner was too. I am SO going to miss this book in September! 

2 Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #2 (of 3) ***** 
The interaction between Traci 13 & Madame Xanadu was very well done & I still just really appreciate that MX was used decently in this mini at all. The trip around the world that Traci took was quite a good look at the "Flashpoint" DCU too & it was great to see a few like Changeling & Natasha Irons were not forgotten about there. Then, there was the very much surprise ending with Traci's father, Dr. 13, knowing magic & attacking her with it! It's so very ironic because he traditionally is a character who likes to disprove magic & thinks of it all as trickery & illusions. 

3 Flashpoint: Secret Seven #2 (of 3) ****1/2 
Amethyst shows up!! And she is used in the beginning of the issue in a very different, mature setting for the character as a teacher for refugee children to America! I was just upset that she was killed by the end of the issue! Rac Shade's inner monologue about June Moone/Enchantress was interesting, as was the interaction on the one page between punk/biker chick Zatanna & demonic-looking Raven. The Mindwarp character seems kind of interesting too, though I am left wondering why other already-existing mystic/magical/supernatural characters like Dr. Occult, Mr. E, Faust, Ragman, Blue Devil, Bloodwynd or others were passed up for usage in favor of this brand-new guy. Abra Kadabra throwing a wrench into Shade's plans for reunion has me intrigued though & really wondering how this story is going to wrap up nicely with just one issue left. 

4 Flaspoint: Abin Sur - The Green Lantern #2 (of 3) **** 
I LOVE the art in this mini!! That is THE BEST thing about it! I mean where in the world has Felipe Massafera been hiding all this time that I've never seen his work before at DC??? 
Ok, besides the art, what I liked about this issue is that we see what things might've been like in the DCU if Abin Sur had survived his crash landing on Earth originally & that is quite interesting to me! It was neat seeing him & Cyborg standing side-by-side with the President too! 

5 Flashpoint #3 (of 5) **** 
This was another solid overall look at what's going on in this altered universe & also great to see Barry get his powers back! It was great seeing his fierce determination to regain them! And I loved the last-second save he pulled on the "Flashpoint" Batman too! And, I may be in the minority, but as a hopefully temporary alternate timeline, I thought that the Superman introduction in this issue was very well-done! Poor Krypto, though a.k.a. "Subject 2"...  

6 Secret Six #35 ***1/2 
I LOVE the villain Bane, but I have to say, after having read Batman: Gotham Knights #47-49 where he completed a soul-searching journey of inner peace & seemed to have mostly made amends with Batman, this story is a little bit out of left field for me. But, if you forget about that 3-issue story, then Gail does a great job of explaining his motivations what with the Six's recent excursion to Hell & back. What has me a little confused though is why most of the team is all about joining him on his little venture. I would think that it would be something that Bane would want to embark on separately much like how Cat-man did when he was hell-bent on finding his kidnapped son. 
But, all that aside, there was a lot of fun dialogue & interaction in this issue, particularly between Bane & Cat-man, Knockout & Scandal, and King Shark! I mean these are definitely "bad guys" & Gail does not portray them any differently & just does a great job of getting us into their heads & seeing what could keep a team like this together! 

7 Adventure Comics #528 *** 

Soooo, it's been a long time since I last posted a new blog entry here. And since I dedicated this to blogs about comic books mostly, I thought my new post in about 3 years should at least mention that I'm returning to blogging here about DC Comics' books because I was effectively chased away from the DC Comics Message Boards, the almost solitary place I used to converse about my comic collecting hobby/passion/addiction...

It's sad, but there were several other posters there, namely "darkbatman1", "jokergas", "munkeypunk", and possibly to a lesser degree, "bcbdla", "stupidmultiverse", and "dvdkim", who made it very unenjoyable to discuss the books I'd bought and read (which is a considerable amount especially for being unemployed for a period of time) or anything else going on with DC Comics.

Those first 3 were definitely the worst, maddeningly so, really, but "bcbdla" also was like the "Red Queen" of the Resident Evil movie by acting like a mother hen moderator of the Boards trying to derail any & all negativity expressed by anyone toward anything DC did or was doing.

And "stupidmultiverse" on one thread aggravated me to no end seemingly on purpose by repeatedly asking me the same couple of questions which I answered very clearly & directly each time, while he/she completely would ignore questions I would ask like "Are none of the current teenaged heroines really not popular enough to have been included in the upcoming Teen Titans over the hideous Bugg & charcoal-briquette-looking girl??" I even listed practically ALL of DC's teenage heroines like Aquagirl (Lorena), Miss Martian, Speedy (Mia), Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, Squire (Beryl), Traci 13, Stargirl, and plenty of others, and instead of actually answering questions like that that I presented to him/her, he/she just turned things around on me making an argument that I treat DC's characters like they are real people & that I talk about them like they are real people.

I more than once pointed out how he/she needed to get off his/her high horse or pedestal talking to me like that as everyone on the Boards talk about fictional characters passionately, including him/her.

That kind of tactic being used by "stupidmultiverse" that I've also seen another couple of posters use before too to try to make themselves sound like they are somehow so much more mature than others on the Boards (when just posting on the Boards at all shows at least some level of immaturity to begin with) is such a hypocritical thing & a pet peeve of mine!

So, really it was a combination of too many posters over just the past couple of months making me feel like I had to only have good things to say about all of DC's books & would also personally attack or insult me even when I would not do so to them. The best examples of that were most definitely "darkbatman1" and "jokergas" on this thread http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?messageID=2006628479&#2006628479 and "dvdkim" on this thread http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000249654&tstart=15 .

The first thread I linked to was definitely the last straw for me though & what made the DC Comics Message Boards NOT a fun place to visit anymore. I will miss a bunch of posters there, especially all those that participated in the "Shadowpact Game" thread that I oversaw like "jaylayson", "ultron81", and "tremo77" and also others like "tamaranorbust", "srvihs", "robolivera", "chach-el", and even "steveaux"/"ianto" (those last 3 being the only ones I've also befriended on facebook so far, as well).

So, this is my ode/farewell to the DCCMB. I was "garthling" on there from 2002-early July 2011. It was fun for a long time, and interesting (for good or bad) the entire time.