Forever Evil # 4 Spoiler - Who Joins Lex Luthor and Co.

There's a surprise addition to the Lex Luthor's gang of villains in Forever Evil and it's a pretty impressive addition if I may say so. So here we go, FOREVER EVIL # 4 Spoilers.

It begins with a foreshadowing during a conversation between Batman and Catwoman inside the Batcave.

Then Batman & Catwoman encounter Lex Luthor who are trying to break into a S.T.A.R. Labs compound to raid weapons.

Before exchanges of unpleasantries happen, a Power Ring-led hit squad enters the scene.

During the battle, Batman goes with the mantra "Fight Fire With Fire"

Yep for a brief period of time, Batman once again becomes a member of the Sinestro Corps. He sucks at ring-slinging though.

And then Sinestro officially enters the battle for Earth.

FOREVER EVIL # 4 is now available in your favorite LCS.

Forever Evil ARGUS # 2 Spoilers - All of ARGUS' Secret Rooms

I've always been curious how many rooms DC's version of SHIELD has in the New 52 Universe and it gets answered in the most unexpected of places, FOREVER EVIL ARGUS # 2

What's in the issue:

- Deathstroke and his Society goons versus Steve Trevor
- A daring presidential rescue
- Dr. Light is still alive!
- Killer Frost and her longing for Firestorm

and of course, a nice reveal on how many rooms does ARGUS have in their disposal. I like the idea of the President having the only key to all the rooms. And to refresh your memory, we've already seen the Red Room which was where Batman brought Cyborg. There's also the Black Room which we first see in Justice League Dark. Here are the rest of the scans.

(Red Room, Black Room and the Circus)

They also have the Green Room which is a magical panic room for Obama.

Oh and there's one other special room that Steve Trevor likes to keep for himself... The Wonder Room.

It's where some Wonder Woman related stuff gets stored, partly as trophies and partly to remind Steve that once upon a time, he had Diana in his arms.

I want to know more about this. Hopefully DC Comics gets to focus more on this.

Here's the New 52 Metal Men for the Silver Age Geeks!

The solicits for the Justice League books for February 2014 have been released and it featured something retro...

So yeah, it looks like Will Magnus has finally completed the Metal Men...

Here's the solicit:

JUSTICE LEAGUE #28
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
1:25 Steampunk variant cover by DAN PANOSIAN
On sale FEBRUARY 19 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

“FOREVER EVIL” continues! With the Justice League gone, new heroes continue to rise up throughout the DC Universe! The Crime Syndicate tried to kill him, but now Cyborg is back to settle the score — and with him are The Metal Men!

This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

*** I like the fact that after being a failure of EPIC proportions in Justice League # 18 Platinum returns to lead the Metal Men and with Cyborg to boot. 

Oh yeah and there's still the matter of Forever Evil.

FOREVER EVIL: ROGUES REBELLION # 1 Review

Quick review for DC Comics' FOREVER EVIL: ROGUES REBELLION # 1 by Brian Buccellato, Patrick Zircher and Scott Hepburn.

There's a nice premise hidden in this little gem of a book. Never mind that it's the New 52 version of the Flash's Rogues, there's still some hardcore Rogues action here in the book written by Flash-man Brian Buccellato together with switching art team of Patrick Zircher and Scott Hepburn.

Captain Cold returns to Central City to find it in ruins in the wake of the events of the Gorilla Grodd issue of Flash for 'Villains Month'. Snart together with his gang of miscreants venture towards the hospital in the hopes of checking on Snart's sister and then more bad guys arrive and a fight ensues. The issue also ends with a hook with the Rogues having the need to deal with these guys from the Crime Syndicate.

Story and dialogue seems serviceable enough thanks to the plotting of Buccellato. I'm good with that but the art for this issue is what's truly polarizing. When you pop open the page, you see this gorgeous recreation of that infamous scene from FOREVER EVIL with the Crime Syndicate handing important trophies from the fallen Justice League teams. Zircher's work is always top notch. This guy's been on my radar ever since I saw his interior art for "Secret Avengers" years back.

A couple pages later and I'm kind of dissuaded due to the really cartoony artwork provide by Hepburn. It's nice and cutesy but it fails in the sense that you've been handed something from Zircher and the art styles suddenly change. It's confusing and a bit sad.

hey and look, they even brought in Plastique which was last scene in TRINITY WAR Chapter 1.

While FOREVER EVIL: ROGUES REBELLION # 1 might have flaws, I was still entertained by this. Hopefully the succeeding issues really shine as opposed to just glowing, which this issue did.

VERDICT: C

FOREVER EVIL: BLIGHT is an 18 Part Epic from DC

DC Comics just announced that they will be pushing the envelope when it comes to new stuff which will tie in to their FOREVER EVIL storyline. To do so, they plan on doing an 18-part crossover entitled FOREVER EVIL: BLIGHT.

The series will revolve around four titles from DC's Dark imprint namely CONSTANTINE, JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK, TRINITY OF SIN: PANDORA and TRINITY OF SIN: PHANTOM STRANGER.

Some of the characters you can expect to find in this story arc includes perennial favorites SWAMP THING and JOHN CONSTANTINE to some of the newer guys like NIGHT NURSE and PHANTOM STRANGER (which I last saw being accepted into heaven during TRINITY WAR).

The crossover will be written by Ray Fawkes and J.M DeMatteis. 

Forever Evil # 2 Spoilers

All the interesting things from this month's FOREVER EVIL # 2 by Geoff Johns and David Finch.

Here we go.

1. OTIS from Superman the Movie makes a cameo

Johns is really a Donner fanboy. He's so much the fanboy that he stuck in Gene Hackman Lex Luthor's bumbling sidekick from the Donner "Superman the Movie" and made him a legit character.

2. The Teen Titans are back in San Francisco

Last I checked the Titans were living in a boat that was docked in New York. So now that Johns is writing the Teen Titans again, did he just transplant the young heroes to their original habitat? I want that. So many mistakes DC's done over the past two years and here's me hoping that the Teen Titans get the Titans Tower again in San Francisco.

3. Power Ring is sick...

Figuratively and literally. He needs Deathstorm (which lets assume is an evil Earth 3 version of Professor Stein) to keep whatever the hell infection at bay while doing his jome with the Crime Syndicate.

4. So many Earth 3 Questions

Who is the masked man? What did he do? How did he betray the team? What is this creature the Syndicate's so afraid of? A bigger threat or next year's main villain?

5. Classic Love Triangle

Johns takes the classic Superwoman is married to Ultraman but is in love with Owlman and turns it sideways by giving Superwoman a baby to care for and conceal. It's not Ultraman's kid too, it's Thomas Wayne Jr.'s...

Guess we need to call in Maury down the line.

6. Earth 3 Dick Grayson

Wayne and Alfred of Earth 3 are fixated with Nightwing aka Dick Grayson. We read snippets of Dick's Earth 3 counterpart and now we pan our attention to the topic once more. Could they have brought alone the good-evil version of Nightwing?

7. The Real Bizarro

Cool! The real, honest-to-goodness Bizarro is here. Whether that's cool or not, it's really up to you.

8. Goodbye Otis

Thank god Lex Luthor had Bizarro kill Otis. Thank you!

9. Johnny Quick versus Kid Flash



Always wanted to see these two fight. And now that I did, I can definitely say that Bart needs a lot of training.

10. Titans Lost in Time



Similar to that Teent Titans and Legion of Superheroes crossover that Geoff Johns did years ago, the writer has sent the teens to parts unknown thanks to the Speed Force in Bart's veins. This should be interesting. SHOULD.

11. Luthor Gears Up. Needs Kord's Tech

Luthor explains that he needed something from Kord Industries but he's willing to set that aside in order to fight Ultraman and the Crime Syndicate together with Bizarro.

12. Batman and Catwoman survived

And they brought along Victor Stone who incurred massive damage when Grid appeared out of nowhere.

Kinda slow if you ask me. Still plan on reading this through although I'm already seeing some cracks in the armor so to speak...

BATMAN AND ROBIN # 23.2 - COURT OF OWLS Review

Quick review for BATMAN AND ROBIN # 23.2 featuring the Court of Owls by James Tynion IV and Jorge Lucas.

The Court is back or rather retreating in the midst of the chaos that the Crime Syndicate has unleashed in FOREVER EVIL. This issue stands as both a way to introduce us to follow the Court of Owls and at the same time show us their dark and sordid history. 

In this issue we find out how they take out their enemies, how they effectively coerce their pawns and shows us how deep the relationship is between the Court and their Talons. Tynion writes some grim and gritty scenery splattered throughout the book and raises reader curiosity. 

But while the art works fine in this tale of tragedy and resilience it still rubs us as a bad version of Howard Chaykin. Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure Mr. Lucas can do great stuff given a happier mood but the pairing of the story with the artist just went too far for. Too perfect in fact, that it started to look weird. Not bad, just weird. 

There's also the opening pages which harkens back to the good old classic suspense/ horror movies of old where the characters turn around and the killer is already behind them, draped in darkness and ready to kill for whatever nefarious reasons. Tynion IV excelled in those particular scenes, heck the little kid reciting the Court's classic poem added more 'creep' factor IMHO.

Reader/ buyer beware as there's just a lot of bloodletting in this issue. Just letting you know. 

The premise was concise and clear and shock of the climax for this issue proves us that just because the members of the Court of Owls are mere mortals and rich people wearing creepy masks; they also have the penchant to murder and maim when the chance presents itself. Finally the mystery behind "the first Talon" is definitely something I want to get back too especially since I think TALON is such an underrated Bat-book. 

JUSTICE LEAGUE # 23.2 LOBO Review

So it's finally here, the controversial issue featuring the emo-looking Lobo with the cover featuring the fan-favorite Lobo. So what gives?

"Deep in the dark corridors of space lives a black-hearted being of unimaginable power. He’s witnessed horrors beyond description and committed unparalleled evils. In all of history, no being has ever been capable of as much chaos and terror as this lone individual. This is the story of the man called Lobo. He’s coming. And he’s bringing all of hell with him."

Written by: Marguerite Bennett
Art by: Ben Oliver
Cover by: Aaron Kuder
Color/B&W: Color
Page Count: 32
U.S. Price: 3.99
On Sale Date: Sep 11 2013

In this issue we find out that there's two Lobos running around the galaxy. Don't be fooled by the cover as while we may be seeing the Main man himself in the cover, the interiors feature the "other" Lobo, the one that looks very, very emo-ish and the one that got bashed alot the moment DC decided to hype up the release.

Can't blame them though. Although I really did reserve judgment till the issue was released.

The approach of the LOBO one shot is to show readers how this Lobo operates, how he sees things and how he reacts to specific situations. Writer Marguerite Bennett plays those bits rather well. Move past the fact that this is supposed to be the 'real' Lobo.

If there's anything this new Lobo shows that's different is that he's devoid of compassion and remorseless in a bad kind of way. The old school Lobo was all of that and more but he showed kindness once in awhile; and I do mean once in a while. This one's just as cold as ice. Think of the film "The Transporter" except that Jason Statham placed Shu Qi back into the trunk of the car rather than letting her go pee.

And it's this kind of thing that kinda makes you not warm up to the guy. Sure he looks cool as hell (not digging the Twilight comparison, although I admit he does look like a child of a Goth dad and an emo mom.)Lobo was fun in a controlled violence kind of way and it's really not here with the New 52 version. What I'm seriously waiting for however is the impending meeting between the 'real' Lobo and the 'fake' Lobo on Earth. 

Oh and on a final note, if your looking for any ties for Forever Evil, there's none actually. DC just used the 'absence' of the Justice League as a time to explore other characters. That's really all there is to it. 

I'm still giving props to Marguerite Bennett and Ben Oliver for a surprising good issue they churned out but I still need more New 52 Lobo appearances to pass judgment because this alone cannot cut it. 

GRADE: -B

BATMAN AND ROBIN # 23.1 - TWO FACE Review

Took me awhile before I got my hands on BATMAN AND ROBIN # 23.1 - TWO FACE by Peter Tomasi and Guillem March. But here it is.

Written by:
Peter J. Tomasi
Art by:
Guillem March
Cover by:
Chris Burnham

"Two-Face is approached to join the Secret Society! Which side will his coin land on?"

So what hooked me here is that it's a book that literally surprises readers in a lot of aspects. Let me list down and point out the various two-sidedness of this stand alone issue.

Two-Face always intrigued me, but DC never had great stuff for the character and as such he was always relegated to the sidelines. Jim Lee's Hush gave us a chance to start liking the 'reformed' Harvey Dent and for awhile he really did kick ass both as Gotham's top district attorney (it's a long story) and as a vigilante of sorts. Then DC decided to throw it all out by returning Dent to the Two-Face persona we all know and love to hate.

That was it. Back to being a one-trick pony and a sub villain for major arcs. There were those brief moments when we almost saw Dent as a good guy once again such as during the initial tease for "Batman Reborn" and "Battle for the Cowl' but that was all a ruse and nothing more. Then the New 52 came and cemented Dent once again as a bad guy.

Whew, such a long intro I apologize but all that has a point. You see in this issue, what basically happens is Dent goes on mulling the possibility of joining The Secret Society which leads to that four page spread from FOREVER EVIL # 1. Before that though we see a little of Harvey's noble side. The dude postulates that Gotham needs a protector or a destroyer. As the story progresses we see that Mr. Dent actually has the capacity to do both.

March's panelling here is exquisite much less his art. Around the middle of the issue, we're already being treated to a two-faced panel of sorts with the top focusing on the violence and chaos that the Crime Syndicate has presented to the criminal scum of Gotham. On the bottom panel is the order and justice that Harvey Dent once walked proudly on. Yes it's amazing. 

The last part is the standard denouement for Dent who makes a chilling choice and a stronger case of insanity. His perversion on the fairness of a coin flip and it's play on the Secret Society's mode of communication and teleportation. 

If DC's mission statement for the FOREVER EVIL tie-ins is to let us peer into the mind of a killer I can definitely vouch for Batman and Robin # 23.1 for it's insanity and grit. Go, grab this book. 

GRADE: A

More Details for DC Collectibles Crime Syndicate Action Figures

DC Collectibles has released added information regarding their upcoming CRIME SYNDICATE wave of Action Figures based on these baddies appearance on FOREVER EVIL. 

Personally though after seeing what they'll look like, I'm kinda NOT getting this. Perhaps just Owlman to add to the growing Batman collection but other than that I might pass. I guess the design plus the translation to figure just ruined it for me. Check out the other photos below:









Also I notice that they didn't include DEATHSTORM in the list of figures they've crafted. Here's the tentative release date for these figures:

- Johnny Quick with Atomica Action Figure – March 2014
- Owlman Action Figure – March 2014
- Power Ring Action Figure – February 2014
- Superwoman Action Figure – February 2014
- Ultraman Action Figure – February 2014

Source