Sunday Goodness

Come one, come everybody!

So I just realized I forgot to do my comic reviews this past week, mostly because all I picked up was Batman and Robin, Criminal, and Justice League: Cry For Justice.

So here it is, better late than never.

Batman and Robin #5 gets 8/10
Criminal #1 gets 9/10
Justice League: Cry For Justice gets 7/10

Mauro Cascioli's gorgeous art keeps me reading an intriguing story but the so-so writing of Robinson's Cry For Justice. I really like Shazam and Supergirl having the hots for each other, being horny teens and all. But it still feels like Hal Jordan and Green Arrow have switched places. Maybe I'm just used to Judd Winick's characterization of GA as a loose cannon, and Geoff Johns' characterization of Jordan as the thrill-seeking cop, but Robinson has them in the complete opposite roles. WTF?

Brubaker scores another hit. I've never read Criminal or Incognito (but now I have to), so I loved Brubaker's thrilling and suspenseful plots having just reading Sleeper and Captain America. So I thought I'd grab the first issue of the new arc, which is awesome. I'm sure I'd have lots more to say and a better understanding if I'd read earlier Eisner Award winning Criminal.

What I really wanna talk about here is Batman. So good. There's a little nod to the Usual Suspects and I love the way the Red Hood is wearing his classic costume. It's like NFL teams wearing their old uniforms this season. Overall, I just really love the Dick Grayson versus Jason Todd dynamic. I thought that the idea of Dick Grayson and Tim Drake partnering up as Batman and Red Robin would climax with Jason Todd turning Damian back to the dark side, and the four of them would fight it out. But this is probably better than that. I like Scarlet, Jason Todd's new partner. And despite Quitely not doing the art for this arc, the aesthetic is held up pretty well by Philip Tan.

My question is, since when does Jason Todd have red hair? Is this a retcon? Does anyone know? I'm not very hip to the days when he was Robin and I don't remember it coming up ever before, but I don't know how I feel about it. I do like that Todd is worried about zits and balding and the gray hair he has from the Pit of Lazarus. I just usually have a vendetta against ill-advised and rampant retconning. Some writers can get away with it, others can't. The point being, in my opinion, that no writer should ever follow though with a retcon unless either at least one other writer agrees/approves of it or they plan to go back and fix it. That said, I still don't even think this is a retcon and it doesn't really bother me since it's such a small detail and it really adds to Jason Todd's resentment of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.

Well there you have it. Have a good week. Be productive, be positive and all those other things Sinorice Moss says on Twitter.

-Steve