Avengers Academy #2

While I would hesitate to call Avengers Academy "the best Avengers comic out there," in many ways it is the most interesting of the bunch.

That's because writer Christos Gage has created a really interesting mix of characters here, including the six young superheroes-in-training and their five instructors.

The really interesting twist to the story is the discovery by the students that they were chosen not because of their potential to become heroes, but out of fear of their potential as villains.

This issue focuses on the student with the most potential to make that turn - Finesse, a young woman with great intellect and amazing physical skills who struggles with her own morality.

We also get a good examination of Quicksilver, one of the instructors at the Academy and someone whose life has more than a few parallels with Finesse.

The art in this issue by Mike McKone is outstanding, with some great action scenes, strong character designs and lots of raw emotions.

The book takes full advantage of the school setting and manages to mix in that original X-Men / Harry Potter feel without coming off as a copy.

It's fresh, it's original and lots of fun. So far, so good!

Grade: A-

Batman #701

I started to write that this issue is something of an oddity, but then I remembered that the comic was written by Grant Morrison, so who would be shocked?

This issue takes us back almost two years to that confusing time between the Batman (Bruce Wayne) "RIP" story and his "death" at the end of Final Crisis.

At the time those issues were published, fans were confused, because we saw Batman apparently die at the end of "RIP," and then in Final Crisis we saw him being kidnapped by minions of Darkseid (an event that happened after "RIP"), and we saw him escaping and apparently being killed as he, in turn, killed Darkseid. Maybe.

Confusing, I know - trust me, I was there. Now, finally, as we're going through The Return of Bruce Wayne, we're going back to fill in the gaps in the chronology.

So this issue begins with Bruce surviving the fiery explosion that ended "RIP," and we follow him on the rather mundane events that followed (though of course his actions are fraught with purpose and foreshadowing - it says here).

The art by Tony Daniels is quite good, with loads of detail and strong layouts. At this writing they've just announced he's taking over this comic later this year (writing and art). The art he has covered. The writing end has me a bit concerned.

So this issue is recommended for those who didn't really understand what happened to Batman pre-Crisis. Everyone else can give it a miss.

It's not bad - it just seems unnecessary, since Morrison already explained this, if not in so much detail.

Grade: B

Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine #2 (of 6)

Two issues in and my original assessment of this mini-series hasn't changed: great artwork, but the jury's still out on the story.

For a team-up book, Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine doesn't feature much interaction between the two lead characters. Logan spends most of the book sulking (or fighting robots for practice), and Peter spends most of his time worrying.

They're both caught up in some kind of strange time-travel story, where their adventure last issue (set in the stone age) somehow changed history, and the (modern day) human race has been replaced by apish creatures.

We don't get an explanation for why the usual heroes and villains still existed, and why they left behind assorted artifacts - but hey, it's time travel, things are supposed to be wacky and unpredictable, right?

The art by Adam Kubert (with inks by Mark Morales) continues to impress, but there's really not much for him to do action-wise, although there is a wild splash panel revealing this issue's villain.

But the story is still murky, and plot elements just seem to fly into the picture randomly. But there's still time for writer Jason Aaron to make sense of it all.

Hopefully, that'll start happening next issue.

Grade: B+

Superman #701

So writer J. Michael Straczynski takes over the writing chores on Superman with this issue, and he obviously decided to do something... different.

So the result is this ongoing story of the Man of Tomorrow walking across the country (no flying except in emergencies or when he wants to teach annoying reporters a lesson).

It's an opportunity to bring the character out of the clouds (and the big, intergalactic, multi-issue event stories) and tell lots of real world stories as Superman interacts with regular citizens.

It's a bit early to tell if this is going to work for the long haul, but this first issue is pretty good. It's not perfect - Superman seems to spend more of the comic discussing philosophy instead of doing superheroic things - but that's the point, and it's fun to see him hanging around with normal people.

I like the art by Eddy Barrows and J. P. Mayer - it has a solid, real-world feel about it. Their interpretation of the iconic Superman costume is interesting - the cape design seems to evoke the original George Reeves costume, as in droops down below his neck in the back, and sweeps across his shoulders in the front. A nice, traditional look.

(Interesting to note the ad in this issue for Straczynski taking over the writing of Wonder Woman, who's depicted wearing her traditional costume.)

Anyway, a solid start here, but not a game-changer yet. We'll see where Superman's "Walkabout" goes from here.

Grade: B+

New Comics Today

Here's what I picked up at the comics shop today:

- Adventure Comics #516 - Mostly for the Atom backup.

- Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine #2 - Liked the first one's story, crazy about the art.

- Astro City: Silver Agent #1 (of 2) - Love this character and this series.

- Avengers Academy #2 - Liked the first one, so I'm back for seconds.

- Batman #701 - The story (two years later) about what happened between RIP and Final Crisis.

- Brave and the Bold #35 - What fan could resist a team-up between the Inferior Five and the Legion of Substitute Heroes? Not I!

- Conan the Cimmerian #22 - Beginning the adaptation of Howard's "Iron Shadows in the Moon."

- Doc Savage #4 - Wraps up the first storyline. Enjoying the Avenger backup strip more than the lead, sadly.

- Doctor Solar #1 - Good to see him back in action.

- The Invincible Iron Man #28 - This has been darned good.

- Richard Stark's Parker: The Man With Getaway the Face (prelude) - Just read The Hunter recently - looking forward to the sequel.

- Superman #701 - The beginning of the "Grounded" series.

- Thanos Imperative #2 (of 6) - Breaking out the big "G."

- Ultimate Spider-Man #12 - The Chameleon does bad things to Spidey's life.

The Classics - X-Men #1

Since this month featured another X-Men #1, it only seems right to look back at the last comic to carry that label (this one had a cover date of October 1991).

That issue also managed the feat of reportedly selling 8 million copies - although the fact that they printed it with four different covers probably didn't hurt those sales totals. (And yes, you'll note that I bought all four covers. What can I say?)

The sales weren't hurt by the fact that the comic featured two of Marvel's biggest creators - writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee (with Scott Williams inking).

So how does the issue hold up today? Frankly... not well.

By the time this issue appeared, Chris Claremont's style was wearing thin with me, anyway. Don't get me wrong, his early work on the title was fantastic, loaded with great stories, fascinating characters and loads of twists and turns.

But by this time, his stories - while professional and well-crafted - all seemed to be the same. (He left this comic after just three issues, so this was the end of his long run - at least until he returned to the X-Men family in recent years.)

This issue starts out with the surprising return of Magneto, and then we check in on an army of X-Men taking part in a Danger Room exercise, which rolls on and on.

That's followed by a big fight with Magneto, then a big fight with his mutant followers, and then a cliffhanger to bring you back for the next issue. Did I mention the tons of dialogue that fill the issue?

But while Claremont's star was fading (for me), Jim Lee's was really taking off. With powerful layouts, excellent character work, hard-hitting action and tons of beautiful women, Lee's art really made this issue sing.

Of course, by today's standards it also features some of the worst excesses of what would soon be known as the "Image style" - lots of scratchy lines, characters standing in impossible poses (especially the pneumatic women) and more focus on "poster" pages, rather than storytelling.

Still, there's no arguing with success, and Lee's work here led directly to his becoming one of the industry's top artists, and he was able to take that position and co-create a hugely successful comics company.

It's actually somewhat sad to realize that the X-Men haven't changed much in the 19 years since this comic was published.

Their adventures are more about bombast, action and angst, instead of focusing on the features that made the comic popular - great characters, big adventures and a manageable cast.

In some ways, this comic was the latest in the trend toward excess - it followed in the footsteps of X-Factor and X-Force. The more X-Men titles there are, frankly, the less interesting the team becomes.

In the interest of making a buck, too many comics companies make the same mistake. They forget that less... is more.

Grade: B

Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier #1

I have to admit that I'm not too crazy about Marvel's decision to keep Bucky in the role of Captain America, while recasting the "real" Cap as Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier (or, to be more precise, Steve Rogers: Nick Fury).

Thankfully, the writing is in good hands, as Ed Brubaker spins a story that hearkens back to Steve's origin during World War II, and manages to find a believable modern-day link to his beginnings.

It's a good mix of action and story as Steve tries to unravel the mystery behind a new generation of Super-Soldiers and shows why he's one of Marvel's most formidable fighters.

I was sorry to see Dale Eaglesham leave the Fantastic Four, but he's doing excellent work here. His art includes lots of detail, strong action scenes and some good character bits.

With that said, I have to admit that it's disconcerting to see Steve using a gun (even if it just shoots tranquilizer darts), and I'm still fighting to get used to his new uniform, which looks like a cross between his original togs, Fury's classic SHIELD gear, and the Fighting American's outfit.

But I enjoyed this issue, and I'll keep following Steve for the foreseeable future.

And hopefully, in future reviews, I'll learn to type the word "Steve" instead of "Cap" (which happened at least three times while writing this review)...

Grade: A-

Scarlet #1

On this creator-owned title, they're making it difficult to like the title character.

That's because the very first panel of Scarlet shows her choking a man to death, and smiling as she does so. We then find out he's a cop, and she takes the cash he has in his pocket.

If there's a good justification for her actions (other than her belief that he's a crooked cop), we don't see it in this issue.

What we do get is an interesting character study by writer Brian Bendis. The issue provides her backstory courtesy of the character herself, who "breaks the fourth wall" and talks directly to the reader.

It's a bit disconcerting, to be honest, since it's not played for laughs (as John Byrne did with the She-Hulk). But it's an interesting choice.

The art is by Alex Maleev, and he turns in some amazing work here (which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who's seen his work before). The art builds a world that seems intensely real, and characters who are very much alive. Sometimes vicious, sometimes sweet and touching, this may be the best work Maleev's done yet - and that's impressive.

I have to admit that I'm still on the fence with this comic. Part of me fears it's just going to be about a crazed vigilante out for revenge, and part of me is dying to see where it goes from here.

I'm going to hang around for a few more issues and see which way this thing is leaning. Whatever happens, it promises to be an interesting ride.

Grade: A-

Fantastic Four Annual #32

I somehow avoided any of the publicity about this Fantastic Four Annual, and that's fine - it reminded me of the good old days, before the Internet told us the endings to stories before they began.

I have occasionally bemoaned the fact that annuals these days are not the "big deal" they were when they first started appearing in the '60s - but thankfully, this issue is an exception.

It's not that it's a big story as much as the fact that it's a darned good story with amazing artwork.

The story is provided by Joe Ahearne, and it surrounds an event that we might have expected to happen a long time ago - a young woman shows up at the Baxter Building claiming to be pregnant - and that Johnny Storm is the father.

What follows is an intelligent examination of how that happened (pause here for "birds and the bees" joke), and whether the woman is telling the truth. That calls for an investigation into a possible plot by an old foe, a couple of "Fantastic Voyages" and quite a few interesting twists along the way. Best of all, the character voices are all "spot on," something not every writer can manage.

The issue also features amazing art by Bryan Hitch. As good as his work on the regular title was, this is even better, with delightful splashes (I love the first page, even though it has no members of the FF on it), incredible layouts and great character bits. Oh, and a powerful "Clobbering Time" page, too.

All is all, an annual that's a cut above the rest, and one of the best I've read in years. Which isn't as good a compliment as it should be, but what can you do?

This one is highly recommended!

Grade: A

Batman: Odyssey #1 (of 12)

The first time I saw Neal Adams' artwork credited was in 1969 on his first issue of X-Men (it was issue #56, I think).

He was following a short run on the title by Jim Steranko, and I remember thinking, "Why is Steranko pencilling under a different name?" (I eventually figured out that they were two different talented artists.)

Adams quickly became one of my favorite artists, as he turned in amazing work on titles such as the Avengers, Thor, Deadman, Green Lantern and (of course) Batman.

So when I heard he was returning to drawn a new maxi-series starring the Dark Knight, it was a foregone conclusion that I'd be buying it.

The art, of course, is fantastic. As always, it's incredibly detailed, lush and evokes a realism few others artists can approach. His layouts are unorthodox but powerful, as they guide your eyes across the page. The emotions of the characters are raw, and each page is just crackling with energy.

But while Adams may be a living legend for his artistic abilities, his writing resume isn't as robust, and this issue suffers a bit from having too many elements crammed into it.

We have a flashback to one of Batman's earliest outings, and like in the character's earliest adventures in Detective Comics, he goes into battle against crime carrying guns (which may seem at odds with his modern "gun hating" attitude, but it makes sense here).

We have an adventure unfolding with Batman and Robin (Dick Grayson) taking on the Riddler. We have a mystery surrounding the Man-Bat. And frankly, the last page in the issue makes almost no sense at all.

Perhaps it's better to have too much going on in a story as opposed to not much at all - but this issue feels overstuffed. I enjoyed the dialogue between the two heroes, but even it seemed too much.

Still, this issue would be worth picking up for the amazing art alone - and there's plenty of time for the story to catch up to the visuals. And I do enjoy the feeling of fun that runs throughout the comic - it's a rare treat in comics these days, especially for Batman.

I'll be back for the rest of this run. I've followed Adams this far, so there's no sense in stopping now.

Grade: A-

X-Men #1

I realize that vampires are the "in" monster right now, thanks to the Twilight series of books and movies, and the popularity of TV shows such as True Blood and even Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

But I never really cared for them as villains in the comics, because - well, they're just too easy. Their powers and vulnerabilities are well known, but in the world of superpowers, they're easy to kill and just as easy to resurrect - so any battle has almost no meaning.

And they're all interchangeable - they all have fangs, they want to drink your blood, and so on. They're like Nazis - an endless stream of evil characters to be knocked around by the good guys.

I realize this is not the popular opinion, considering the ongoing vampire craze - but I've never been on that bandwagon (although I do enjoy the Buffy series).

I was really hoping for something special from this comic, the first issue of a "new" X-Men series - but instead I just found it boring.

This story, written by Victor Gischler, is part one in a (no doubt) long-running series that will wind through several titles as it pits the mutants against the vampires. It features a group of vampires conspiring against the mutants (though we have no idea why).

The art by Paco Medina and Juan Vlasco is pretty good, but it suffers from a lack of variety in the "camera angles" - there are lots of medium shots, a couple of splash pages and just a minimal amount of action - it's tough to have dynamic art when most of the issue has people standing around and talking.

The X-Men should be about big adventures and great characters - of late, the team has just become a punching bag for whichever villain is attacking this month.

Sorry, but it's just not my cup of tea (of course, your mileage may vary). I won't be picking up issue #2.

Grade: C

Loads of Comics for a Thursday

Lots to choose from this week! Here's what I picked up:

- The Atom Special #1 (One shot) - Always liked Ray Palmer.

- Batman and Robin #13 - The Joker pays a visit.

- Batman: Odyssey #1 (of 12) - It's Neal Adams! I think I'm legally required to buy this.

- Brightest Day #5 - Raising the dead?

- Fantastic Four Annual #32 - Who's the Daddy?

- Hellboy: The Storm #1 (of 3) - Can't pass up Hellboy.

- Irredeemable #15 - A knock-down, drag-out fight with some surprising twists.

- Marvelman: Family's Finest #1 (of 6) - I've seen very few of these early adventures, so I figured, what the heck.

- Scarlet #1 - A new Icon title from Bendis and Maleev - had to give it a try.

- Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier #1 - Call him what you want, but he's still Captain America to me.

- Tom Strong and the Robots of Doom #2 (of 6) - A rough start last issue, but I'm still a fan.

- X-Men #1 - I hear this group has lots of potential.

Whew! And there were several I passed on that were really tempting. A big week!

The Classics - Marvel Premiere #10

(New comics day doesn't hit until Thursday this week - thanks a lot, Independence Day - so we have an extra "Classic" review for today.)

It's rare, but there are times when you read a comic book and think, "That was something special."

That was exactly my reaction to this issue of Marvel Premiere. That "try-out" comic had spent several issues featuring Dr. Strange in the latest attempt to revive his career as a solo character (this issue is cover dated September 1973).

For this venture, they tried to re-cast Strange as a lone hero standing against cosmic monsters of the kind made famous by H.P. Lovecraft. It seemed a half-hearted effort and not really a good fit for the character, who was more suited to intelligent adventures.

Luckily, the team working on this issue (and the one before it) quickly set about fixing that problem. Writer Steve Englehart and artist Frank Brunner were just beginning what would become one of the all-time best runs on Dr. Strange.

This issue was the wrap-up to the menace of Shuma-Gorath, a monstrous, one-eyed, tentacled entity who had merged with Strange's teacher, the Ancient One. His aged mentor was the key to the problem - the monster was using his power to enter our world, and the only way to stop that from happening was for Dr. Strange to kill the Ancient One.

The story took some impressive metaphysical turns and unexpected twists, and at the end, I distinctly remember thinking, "Wow."

And what made the story was the mix of a terrific story and amazing artwork. Brunner was relatively new to comics, and this issue - with the inking of the Crusty Bunkers - was a revelation.

The Neal Adams influences were strong (which makes sense - Adams may have done some of the inking, since the Bunkers were working out of his shop), but Brunner also brought his own, powerful style to bear, providing the story with a unique, ever-changing reality and a genuine sense of gravitas. The characters seemed three-dimensional, the emotions raw and the layouts powerful.

Brunner is probably the best pure artist to work on the character, and this was the issue that put him - and for the second time, Dr. Strange - on the map.

And there were even better stories ahead for this creative team. Their run was relatively short - about 10 issues - but it's some of the best comics work ever.

It's all available in reprints, and highly recommended!

Grade: A+

The Classics - Marvel Tales #1

These days we live in a Golden Age of reprints, so it's no challenge to track down the Silver Age origins of your favorite hero.

But in the early '60s, it wasn't easy. While comics would occasionally recap origins, it was rare to find a reprint of the actual comic.

As kids, we would play the part of different heroes, but because their origins were lost to the mists of time (having taken place as long ago as a year or two), we had to make up our own ideas to fill in the gaps. For example, when we "fought" Electro, we had no idea how he got his powers, so we dreamed up a device that allowed him to throw electric bolts (like Spider-Man's web-shooters). We were kids, what did we know?

But we were all thrilled when comics like this issue of Marvel Tales started appearing.

This issue was published in the summer of 1964, and it contained the origins of Spider-Man, the Hulk, Giant-Man (and Ant-Man), Thor, Iron Man (both his original armor and the sleeker red-and-gold version) and Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos.

What a treat, to be able to read all those origins in one issue! Some of the stories were complete reprints, while a few were edited-down, but this comic became one of my most treasured issues. You can see from the scan above how well-worn my copy is - I read it countless times.

The issue also featured a two-page photo spread with shots of the actual members of the Marvel Bullpen. Despite the terrible reproduction, it was something of a revelation to my young self that there were actually people who made comics for a living. Who knew?

It's difficult to realize how isolated fans were in those days. No Internet, no fanzine publications (that I was aware of), no email - these issues just appeared like magic at the newsstand, to be devoured by fans who were starved for any clues about the early days of comics.

How things have changed!

Grade: A

Green Lantern #55

Just for a change of pace, this issue of Green Lantern more or less tosses aside any concerns about story or characterization and just settles in as an old-fashioned, action-packed battle from start to finish.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I've never been a big fan of Lobo, but if you're going to use the character, this is the way to do it. He shows up in New York City hunting for Atrocitus, the leader of the Red Lanterns, and GL, Star Sapphire and Sinestro have to pool their resources in an attempt to stop Lobo... and that's really all you need to know.

The rest is fighting, punching, kicking - the usual. But all in good fun.

The art by Doug Mahnke (with three inkers) is outstanding as always - he just seems to get better with each issue. Each page contains lots of detail, great characters, frantic layouts and loads of energy.

There's also a back-up feature explaining the origin of Dex-starr, the world's angriest cat. Yeah, you read that correctly.

So all in all, a fun issue, and one that (despite my "no story" comment) sets up the next chapter in the Brightest Day story.

Green Lantern continues to be one of the best comics DC publishes, and this issue maintains those high standards.

Grade: A-

The Invincible Iron Man Annual #1

This is an interesting, twisted version of an annual. It's also quite good.

But you won't find much Iron Man in here - in fact, there's only a one-panel flashback scene featuring the title character. What we have instead is the story of Tony Stark's greatest foe, The Mandarin.

The problem with that character is that in his early appearances, he was a "yellow peril" type menace - the typical evil communist Chinese character from the early '60s.

That's made him a difficult character for modern audiences, since he could easily be looked at as a stereotype, a figure of racist derision.

Through a clever plot twist, this issue offers up the origin of the Mandarin, and ties him in with the changes China has gone through.

The villain decides he wants his life story told by a gifted Chinese filmmaker, so he blackmails the artist into creating a biopic.

Of course, the truth is an elusive thing and the Mandarin hardly plays fair. But he's a powerful foe thanks to the 10 alien energy rings he wears (with their abilities delightfully redefined here).

The real goal of this annual, written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Carmine Di Giandomenico, is to bring the character back to the forefront, and set him up as a foe worthy and able to oppose - and possibly defeat - Iron Man.

This dark tale does that very well indeed. I wouldn't recommend this issue to young readers, but adult fans will be riveted.

Grade: A-

The Flash #3

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

I probably should be reviewing Captain America today - but instead, let's focus on a comic that's been a favorite of mine almost since I first stared reading comic books (and before I even knew who Cap was) - The Flash.

I've mentioned before that I'm happy to have Barry (The Flash) Allen back in the title role, and this issue shows why - he's a sympathetic character (shown in his dedication to his work and his efforts to solve "cold cases"), his relationship with Iris is sweet, his real-world job is interesting (it's neat that the real world interest in C.S.I. has caught up with the Police Scientist), and he's very good at being a superhero. Best of all, he's a smart character who solves problems with his brain, not his fists - a welcome relief in comics today!

This time around he clashes again for the future version of the Rogues. This group is called the Renegades - they work for the law in the future and are determined to use their futuristic weapons to bring in the Flash, who's been charged with murder.

Also in the mix is the original Captain Boomerang, who's showing off some deadly new abilities and a determination to make his mark.

I like the artwork a lot. Artist Francis Manapul and colorist Brian Buccellato make a good team, and their style is unique. With strong, creative layouts, fluid figures and a lot of energy in their work, they make this comic a lot of fun and are a team to watch.

I also enjoyed the "Flash Facts" included in this issue - a good "in-joke" for longtime fans.

The creative team has managed to capture the feel of the original Silver Age version of this character (a serious compliment), while keeping the story modern and fresh - no simple task.

And I must say, it's great to see this comic back at the top of my reading list where it belongs!

Grade: A-

Justice League of America #46

The annual Justice League of America / Justice Society of America crossovers were always a favorite of mine during the early days of the JLA, and it's nice to see the tradition revived in the modern day (though it's not a once-a-year thing anymore).

This story's been building for a few issues now, and writer James Robinson brings it into focus with this issue.

The Starheart, an evil force that's the basis for the original Green Lantern's power, has attacked the Earth and is possessing assorted powerful heroes and villains, forcing the JLA and the JSA to split up into teams and try to keep the possessed from wreaking havoc.

The problem is, what we have here is just a series of brief battles, and at the end nothing much has been accomplished. The story just crashes along from one bombastic battle to another until we wrap up with the final shocking page. Hopefully it'll all start making sense soon.

Certainly artist Mark Bagley seems to be having a lot of fun, drawing an incredibly diverse number of heroes and villains, a task he seems to tackle with George Perez-like enthusiasm. His work here, as always, is outstanding.

Of course, we can't judge the series properly until we see more of it, and so far we've just seen a lot of action scenes. Hopefully we'll get some more story in the chapters ahead.

Grade: B

Secret Avengers #2

While I certainly like comics that tackle cosmic stories, I have to admit that I prefer them to have at least some kind of basis in the real world.

And yes, Marvel Earth is different from our Earth - but in this issue of Secret Avengers, the team flies a spacecraft to Mars (that part's ok) where they discover a mystery that's linked to the ancient Serpent Crown (still ok) and some other strange crown-like artifacts that are linked to it and having a strange effect on others (still ok). But all this takes place in a massive dig that an Earth corporation is managing on Mars! (That beeping noise is the alarm on my "baloney" meter.)

I suppose, given the scientific advances evident on Marvel Earth, one could make the argument that such a thing is believable - but for me, it takes us way outside the real world, where we're lucky to land a working probe on Mars that can motor around the general vicinity.

I could have bought into an alien race digging there - the Kree, the Skrull, whatever - but I don't buy this. So, long story short, this comic already has a strike against it in my book.

Getting back to the issue - we have the Secret Avengers splitting up into teams and investigating the mystery on Mars, which involves lots of fighting, tracking, energy blasts, enslaved minions and a big mystery man.

The art by Mike Deodato and Will Conrad is mostly good, though there seem to be an awful lot of dark shadows and silhouettes going on here. Perhaps they're going for mood, but the end result is: it's sometimes difficult to figure out which character is which.

We're still early in the story, and writer Ed Brubaker has plenty of time to bring this one home - but so far, for me, this series is on shaky ground.

Grade: B

Wonder Woman #600

It's interesting that DC celebrated three big anniversary issues within a month of each other, with Batman #700, Superman #700 and now Wonder Woman #600.

Of the three, the Superman issue was just average, the Batman issue had a good story and some great art - but only this issue really feels like a special event.

Part of that may be because it's nice to see Wonder Woman getting some long-overdue attention - there was a story about this issue on the ABC Evening News tonight (and probably the other networks as well).

The focus is on her new costume, of course. Some hate it, some love it, and some are indifferent. I guess I fall into the last category - it just seems like one of those things that all major heroes go through at one time or another - Superman, Batman, Spider-Man - name a hero who's been around for a while, and you'll find they tried on different togs at one time or another.

And you have to agree that WW's iconic uniform is a bit impractical (though few superhero costumes are practical, after all) - her star-spangled swimsuit has become skimpier over the years, and under the pencil of some artists, it's become just a step above Red Sonja's iron bikini.

So I don't mind the change, especially since I don't believe for a minute that it's permanent. I always liked George Perez's concept during his run on the title, that Diana had different outfits for different occasions.

And it's great to see Perez back on the cover and opening story of this issue, featuring a who's who of DC superheroines fighting together - and you have to love the sweetly sentimental ending of that short story.

The issue also includes a funny team-up with WW and Power Girl, written and drawn by the amazingly talented Amanda Conner. (To be fair, it's more a PG story than a WW story, but why quibble over such riches?)

The issue also includes nine outstanding splash panels / posters by some top artists, including Adam Hughes, Ivan Reis, Greg Horn and Phil Jimenez (though it's criminal that Jimenez's poster wasn't the center spread in the comic - the editor dropped the ball there).

The national focus is on the short story at the end of the issue, where writer J. Michael Straczynski and penciller Don Kramer preview their upcoming "New Look" version of Wonder Woman, wherein everything about WW's past is changed.

I guess you could call their work a success, because I haven't picked up this comic for years and years, but I'm willing to give it a try for a few issues to see where it all goes from here.

Oh, and I almost forgot - the comic includes an introduction by the real-life Wonder Woman, actress Lynda Carter. Hatchi Matchi!

Grade: A-