New Comics - 22nd February 2012

Only two books this week, both from DC. Wasting no time, here we go...


Superman #6

After feeling pretty let down by the quality of issue 5, my expectations weren't very high going into issue 6. And of course, Superman failed to deliver. Issue 6 disappointed on nearly every level, the only saving grace being Nicola Scott's fantastic artwork. It's a real shame her talent is wasted away on such a mediocre story because her pencils deserve better.

Now that this opening story arc is finally over, I can safely say I've learnt the error of my ways; never will I be purchasing anything written by George Perez ever again. I am so over Perez's antiquated style of story telling. I don't need everything spelled out for me by some news reporter. In fact, this issue made the previous five issues completely redundant because Perez spelled out absolutely everything for us. George, let the art tell some of the story for Christ's sake! I don't normally have a problem with dialogue-heavy comics, but when the script is this dry, reading soon becomes a chore. Even though the story was tied up in the end, was it interesting? No, not really, not for me. It's really sad because I love the character but awful writing like this will force me to cut this book sooner rather than later. Bring on that new creative team of Giffen and Jurgens, because Superman desperately needs a breath of fresh air.

Rating: 2/5 (it would be 1/5 if it wasn't for Scott's art)

Aquaman #6

Aquaman has, for me, been one of the best books of DC's New 52. Issue 6 takes a slight deviation from the norm and focuses on Aquaman's wife, Mera, as she steps out into the world in search of dog food. Sound a bit silly? Well yes, it is, but issue 6 was really nicely put together and provided a great deal of detail on who Mera is, where she came from and what her role might be concerning Aquaman. This is an enjoyable story and I like where Johns is going with this, building on Aquaman and his family whilst beginning to delve into their past as well.

The only problem I had with issue 6 was the art. It's only nit-picking really, because most of the time the art was fine, but you could tell these pages were not created by the talented Ivan Reis we've been accustomed to. Joe Prado, the series' regular inker, took over pencil duties for this issue and whilst his work was good most of the time, his faces and close-ups were inconsistent. One moment Mera would look graceful, the very picture of Atlantean beauty, then in a different panel her face would appear gawky and awkward. It wasn't a massive problem but when we've had five issues of Ivan Reis' Aquaman, Prado's unpredictable pencils stood out a bit. Reis is back on for issue 7, which I can't wait to get my hands on.

Rating: 3/5

Thanks for reading.

New Comics - 15th February 2012

Apologies for the late post. Since picking up my books on Wednesday morning, I then went away for a few days on a mini holiday so I didn't really have time to review them. Nonetheless, there are five books for me this week, and the reviews are better late than never, right? Let's get to them then...

The Amazing Spider-Man 679.1

So apparently Marvel's Point 1 books are all about getting new readers onto their books. A single issue which is supposed to be the perfect jumping on point for somebody who hasn't read the character before. Well I didn't get that feeling with ASM 679.1. The story by Dan Slott and Chris Yost was fine, but I'd hardly say this was a great story for new readers to fall in love with Spidey.

First of all, right from the start there was a huge reference to Spider-Island, the epic story from last summer. Are new readers supposed to know what that is? It's kind of explained here but still, is that really the best way to start an issue aimed at newcomers? In my opinion, no. Second of all I'm not really a fan of Morbius, the big baddie featured in this issue. Finally, why are some of the characters wearing huge hoodies and baggy cargo pants? This isn't the late nineties/ early noughties anymore, so I don't expect Peter Parker to look like my 12 year-old self when I used to hang out at the skatepark. It looked pretty bad and the art suffered as a result.

Overall this was a pretty mediocre issue and failed in it's mission to appeal to new readers. If this was the first issue of ASM I picked up, I wouldn't be jumping on for the long haul. This issue had 'filler' written all over it and I doubt it'll have much effect on the upcoming issues and storyline Dan Slott has cooked up for ASM #680.

Rating: 2/5

Nightwing #6

I've got mixed feelings about issue 6 of Nightwing. Despite the story progressing and Dick finally finding out who Saiko is, it felt like something was missing. I can't exactly put my finger on it but I'm not loving Nightwing anymore. Why is that? Well I'm a little tired of the whole circus thing now. I'm hoping Kyle Higgins can wrap this up pretty soon and move on because I'm getting a little bit bored of Haly's Circus.

I also have some problems with the story in issue 6. When the Haly's Circus team reveal that they're hosting a special anniversary show in Gotham to remember Dick's parent's deaths, Dick protests and rightfully so. But then the team say: "You may "own" Haly's, Dick, but that doesn't mean we're going to let you drive us into the ground. Hire whatever extra security you want, but this tribute is happening -- whether you show up in Gotham or not". So instead of Dick laying down the law and saying 'no means no', the show goes ahead as planned. Nightwing's parents were murdered in Gotham and the idiotic crew want to "remember" them with a show in the same place they died? Not very sensitive to Dick's feelings are they?

There's not much more to say here, apart from I can't wait for this arc to finish up so the Court of Owls crossover can bring a bit more spark into Nightwing's life. Eddy Barrow's pencils are still fantastic but this book needs a bit of a kick in the backside to make it shine.

Rating: 2/5

Daredevil #9

It's becoming increasingly difficult to come up with new ways to praise this book. I'm running out of superlatives and adjectives to describe how amazing the duo of Mark Waid and Paulo Rivera are when it comes to Daredevil. Issue 9 marks the beginning of a new story, where our hero has to delve underneath New York City to find out why coffins are going missing, including the casket of Matt Murdock's father. Matt quickly discovers who's responsible for thieving so many corpses and can't stand back and watch the desecration. Naturally this lands DD in a bit of a pickle...

It's safe to say by now that Mark Waid really gets Daredevil. It didn't take 9 issues either, you could tell Waid was born to write Daredevil from issue 1. He understands the character completely and his script is always a joy to read. It's so much fun to find out how DD turns his blindness into an advantage and how he uses his powers. Coupled with Rivera's unique way of depicting Matt's radar sense, you really get a sense of knowing exactly what Daredevil is going through, bringing you closer to the character. Issue 9 is another fantastic example of the comic-book medium firing on all cylinders. This is Daredevil at his best and long may Waid and Rivera stay on this book. Flawless.

Rating: 5/5

Batman #6

Batman is easily my most anticipated book every month. After the fantastic issue 5 last month, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this month's issue, and Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo definitely didn't disappoint. After issue 5 saw Batman begin to lose his grip on reality, as well as the Talon finally getting to him, things didn't look to good for the Caped Crusader. The first page of issue 6 re-enforced this:

As Batman takes a serious beating and is on the verge of death, we see Bruce finally give up and give in to the pain and suffering. Capullo's art during the first few pages is horrifying, especially when the 'Owls' descend from above to pick apart Batman piece by piece. It isn't until Bruce spots a photo of his great-great-grandfather Alan Wayne, and realises that he went through exactly the same brutal experience, that Batman begins to fight back. And in some style too, as he goes toe to toe with the Talon, unleashing all his fury on the masked assassin. Again, Capullo's art excels here as we see the pent-up rage explode from Bruce. Batman just about escapes from the Owls (but not completely it seems) and it's going to be interesting to see the fallout from this issue. How will Alfred, Nightwing and the rest of the gang react to Bruce's reappearance? Surely Bruce must admit he was wrong before about there being no such thing as 'The Court of Owls'? And what of the final page, where we discover there was more than one Talon - that there is in fact a whole room full of them, ready to be unleashed upon Gotham. Things are about to get really interesting from here...

The highest praise I can give this book is that it always leaves me wanting more. The Court of Owls is about to explode across the entire line of Bat books and I can't wait to see how it unravels. Gotham is in store for some action, that's for sure.

Rating: 5/5 Pick of the Week

There was a bonus book this week too...

Secret Avengers #22

Secret Avengers #22 was a book I wanted last week but unfortunately I wasn't quick-minded enough to contact my local store and get one put by for me. Well I wanted to give it a try anyway and thankfully Nick at American Dream ordered a copy in for me.

Now let me make this clear; I have never read an Avengers book before. To be quite honest, I don't really like the Avengers very much. If somebody asked me to choose between Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League or Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Avengers, it's no competition for me. My DC allegiance shines through and I'll take the Justice League every day of the week.  But in the build-up to the Secret Avengers #22 release, I'd heard that this is the book for people who don't really like the Avengers, the anti-Avengers if you will. This interested me and the fact Captain Britain makes an appearance (a character I've wanted to read about for a while) was an added bonus.

Unfortunately, for me, this issue didn't live up to the hype. The story was ok but didn't really get me excited or interested enough to make sure I pick up the next issue (which I probably won't). I really liked the concept of having a covert team of heroes, out to prevent disasters before they happen, but it was all downhill from then on. The first few pages where we see Captain Britain being recruited into the team were decent enough and I didn't even mind the silly moment when Hawkeye shot a sticky arrow into Captain Britain's mouth. What annoyed me most was a major problem I had with Rick Remember's plot. The scene where mini Avengers sprouted from that woman's back was ridiculous and I felt it was unnecessary and stupid. It completely killed any good vibes I was having whilst reading this issue, and the situation wasn't improved by Gabriel Hardman's confusing art.

For the majority of the issue I enjoyed Hardman's artwork, particularly the panels when the team first came together. This is the first time I've ever read anything pencilled by Hardman, and I know he has many fans, but to me his work has the look of a poor man's Michael Lark. The scene I mentioned previously about the mini Avengers was only made worse by Hardman's scrappy pencils, which by that stage in the issue were looking very messy indeed.

To top it off the issue felt like it finished rather abruptly and that was the final nail in the coffin for me. I enjoyed certain parts of Secret Avengers #22 but overall it didn't live up to the hype and I don't think Marvel will be getting my $3.99 when the next issue is released. It's sad because I really wanted to like this book a lot, but it fell short of the mark.

Rating: 2/5

Thanks for reading.

'Superman: Brainiac' Review

There isn't any of my monthly comics I buy this week so I thought I'd review a trade paperback I picked up recently instead; Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's excellent Superman: Brainiac.

Lately I've been going through a bit of a renaissance when it comes to reading about the Man of Steel. Superman has always been one of my favourite characters, there's no denying it. In fact he might possibly be my favourite character overall. It's not a popular thing to admit, even in the world of comics, because despite being the most iconic comic book character ever (he is, at least admit that), the stories involving Superman are traditionally known as not being very good. He's the man that can do everything, who can stop anyone and can't be harmed but this makes him pretty one dimensional and in many people's eyes, boring. Yes there's Kryptonite, that radiated rock that can kill him, but come on, there's only so many stories creators can tell using that angle. The Kryptonite thing has been done to death and I appreciate it's difficult to come up with new ideas to keep Clark Kent and his red and blue alter ego relevant in today's world. The most common argument against Superman is that he is almost impossible for readers to relate to. Not only is he an alien but he's pretty much invulnerable and most of his stories involve a sci-fi twist, featuring characters from out of space and giant monsters. Honestly, Batman is much easier to relate to and it shows, because the character is infinitely more popular in both comics and the wider world, thanks largely to Christopher Nolan's films and their focus on realism. Put it this way; isn't it easier to imagine yourself as Batman rather than Superman? A sense of realism is important to the majority of comic readers and most of the time, Superman falls short of the mark.

Nonetheless, that doesn't stop Superman claiming a place amongst my favourite comic book characters of all time. I was essentially raised on Superman. Saturday evenings as a kid involved dinner in front of the TV with The Adventures of Lois & Clark on the box. I grew up watching Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel, and I'd play those VHS tapes to death. As a really young kid I remember having a Superman pop-up book I adored. One summer's day sat in a paddling pool in the garden, I used that book to try and re-enact the scene in Richard Donner's Superman The Movie when he gets chucked into the swimming pool with the Kryptonite chain around his neck. Superman taught me a valuable lesson that day: cardboard and water do not mix (I was devastated, that book was everything to me). So it's safe to say I've been hooked since a very young age and Christopher Reeve is largely responsible for that.

So when I saw Gary Frank's rendition of Superman, I knew immediately that Superman: Brainiac, along with Superman: Secret Origin and Superman and The Legion of Superheroes were definite purchases. In fact Superman: Brainiac was the final book out of the three that I read and I thankfully left the best until last. The book is rather slim in size (it does collect 5 issues though) and feels about half the size of Superman: Secret Origin, but that doesn't mean it's half as good. That's definitely not the case, as Geoff Johns and Gary Frank are on the top of their games here. It's an easy book to finish in one sitting but Johns has packed a lot in there. I'm not gonna go into any detailed plot lines but it's essentially Superman finding out he has never really fought the true Brainiac before and he has to protect Metropolis from ending up in Brainiac's collection of bottled cities. The whole gang is along for the ride, including Lois, Jimmy, Perry White, Ma and Pa Kent, as well as a rather buxom Cat Grant (who is involved in a very funny scene with Supergirl, who detects "some weird plastics" in Cat's chest with her x-ray vision). The story races along but it flows seamlessly enough and Johns does a great job with the pacing - despite being a small book it doesn't feel rushed at all. After finishing it's clear Johns really understands the character and has remained true to Superman's core traits whilst also breathing new life into old characters to create a fresh and interesting story. I've loved everything Johns has written involving Superman so far and I really hope he comes back to the character some day soon in the future.

But Superman: Brainiac, for me, is all about Gary Frank and his gorgeous art. In my opinion Frank is the definitive Superman artist - the character has never looked so good. Curt Swan, John Byrne, Dan Jurgens, Jim Lee - I'm sorry guys but Gary Frank comes out on top as the best of the bunch. I know that Frank's obvious reference to Christopher Reeve is not to everyone's taste. Hey, there are some strange people who don't like the Superman films. Regardless of that fact, you have to admit that Frank's pencils are of the highest quality. Just look at the detail he puts into facial expressions for proof. Every character's face is distinctive which is actually a rarity amongst comic artists and illustrators. If Gary Frank was the permanent artist on the monthly issues of Superman or Action Comics, I'd buy every single issue, regardless of the writer. I really hope Frank returns to drawing Clark Kent soon. I suppose that's enough gushing for now...

Overall, despite being a mere 128 pages (according to Amazon), Superman: Brainiac provides plenty of bang for your buck. Johns has crafted an exciting story that draws you in right until the end. This is a very easy book to finish in one sitting, not because its short in length but because it's hard to put down! Frank's artwork is to die for and if you're not convinced about buying this book, just get it for the art because you won't regret it, not one bit.

Amongst The Panels Rating: 4/5

Thanks for reading.

New Comics - 25th January 2012

This Wednesday saw only 3 comics purchased, all from DC . New issue 5's for Aquaman, Superman and the delayed Justice League. Let's get to it (possible SPOILERS ahead):

Superman #5

When the new DC 52 first began last year, I thought I'd try both Superman and Action Comics for my monthly fix of The Man of Steel. After 2 issues of Grant Morrison's Action Comics I felt that his series wasn't really for me. George Perez's run however, although never setting my world alight and being slightly old-school in it's story telling, became my Superman book of choice. Am I regretting that decision now? Maybe. It's not that Perez's story arc is necessarily bad, it's just lacking that little something that makes it stand out. In all 5 issues of Superman, not once have I sat back and gone "Wow, that was good" (or words to that effect). At times it feels like Perez's dialogue can get a bit lost and somewhat bogged down in the details. I don't need everything spelled out for me George, and this old fashioned way of storytelling can get a little frustrating on occasion. 

Despite this, I was glad to see Nicola Scott back on art duties this month, after her impressive work on issue 3. I'm not saying Jesus Merino (the regular artist) is bad, in fact Scott's style is somewhat similar, but it's clear to me that Scott's pencils are just that little bit more refined, more polished. Unfortunately Scott's beautiful art couldn't save this issue from it's mediocrity. As I turned the pages I felt a lot of the story going over my head and I was struggling to get through it; the incessant need to narrate the story through a TV reporter started to grate on me and this issue felt very reminiscent of the overly-wordy debut issue that wasn't as awful as some made it out to be, but took forever to get through. To summarise, I feel that this issue finally made me realise that George Perez doesn't do it for me as a writer. I'll be there for issue 6 to finish off this arc but the arrival of Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens can't come soon enough. A breath of fresh air is desperately needed for what really ought to be one of DC's priority books.

Rating: 2/5

Aquaman #5

Just before DC relaunched all their books last year, I picked up a free mini guide to the new 52 in my local store and for some strange reason the piece on Aquaman inside interested me. I decided to give it a try and I haven't looked back since. I never thought I'd be buying an Aquaman comic every month but after the fantastic first issue I was hooked. I knew next to nothing about the character apart from the obvious - protects the sea, talks underwater to fish etc. But the team of Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis have kept me on board and I've really enjoyed the series so far, especially Reis' gorgeous art. Issue 5 marks the beginning of a new arc, where we find Aquaman in the one place where he's most unsuited for: the middle of a desert. 

So, what's to love about issue 5? Well Ivan Reis never disappoints and this issue included some of his very best work. I'm a big fan of Reis since his tremendous work on Green Lantern and Blackest Night and he reached similar levels of excellence here. Let's not forget there's a story going on too, as Geoff Johns' script doesn't let us down either. I think part of the reason I'm finding Aquaman so enjoyable every month is because this is all completely new territory for me; I've never read any Aquaman before aside from his small role in Blackest Night. So Johns is doing a great job at keeping me guessing and I can't wait to see what he has in store now it looks like Atlantis is going to be playing a big role in the near future. Overall this was another enjoyable issue of Aquaman and I'll be buying this as long as Johns and Reis are performing at the peak of their powers.

Rating: 4/5

Justice League #5

After 5 issues of DC's flagship title, things are finally beginning to kick off in Justice League. The last four issues were used to introduce each character and that often involved a fight or two. Now that the team has finally been established, this book can get on with the story and the Justice League can face off against their first major villain, Darkseid. This issue came a week late and although the reason why hasn't been released, you can see throughout the book that it probably has something to do with Jim Lee's art. Known in the industry as one of the premier artists in comics history, Lee has a history of missing deadlines. To be fair, with the amount of detail he puts into his work, we have to expect some delays because it must take the bloke bloody ages to finish some of those pages. In issue 5 we can see there are certain panels and pages where Lee's artwork looks slightly rougher around the edges than what we're used to. Don't get me wrong though, this actually turns out to be a nice touch as the action on the page probably warrants a more unrefined look. Paired with Scott Williams' signature inking style and Alex Sinclair's vibrant colours, there were moment in Justice League #5 where Jim Lee's characters have never looked so good. Particular praise must go to Lee's rendition of Green Lantern, who takes centre stage in this issue. If Jim Lee ever decides to sign up for a run on the main Green Lantern book, I'll be there to buy it.

Overall, Geoff Johns and Jim Lee are hitting all the right notes with Justice League. It's non-stop action combined with witty dialogue that makes for a fun and entertaining comic, and on a team-up book like this that's all I can really ask for. My only gripe is it always feels like it finishes too soon but that's undoubtedly a sign of my impatience rather than the quality of the book. I just hating waiting another six weeks between issues.

Rating: 4/5 Pick of the Week

Thanks for reading.

New Comics - 18th January 2012

This is traditionally my biggest Wednesday of the month, what with Batman and Nightwing always shipping at the same time, and normally Daredevil or the bi-monthly Amazing Spider-Man making an appearance too. I would have had even more to read this week if Justice League was released on time (rumour has it issue 5 will be out next Wednesday, the 25th). So let's get to the reviews of this week's purchases (there may be SPOILERS ahead, naturally).

Batman #5

We're 5 issues deep into Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's run on Batman and it has been sublime so far. Every issue has left me wanting more and this week's edition was so no exception. Snyder has crafted one hell of a story here and Capullo's artwork bowls me over every month. This book is haunting, pure and simple. Issue 4 saw Bruce fall into the Court of Owl's lair and this week is the fallout, seeing Batman trapped in their labyrinth. I've read that some readers found this issue frustrating, because we didn't learn anything new and meaningful about Talon and the Court. I can understand their frustration but good things come to those who wait right? I'm certain Mr Snyder will reveal everything at the precise moment to cause maximum effect. This was all about seeing Bruce as a human being, stripped down and vulnerable, a man slowly losing touch with reality. This was a horrifying issue as we had to watch Batman be chipped away mentally, as the Court of Owls tortured and teased until our hero began to break down. Don't get me started on the whole "turning the pages" thing; it really weirded me out and for a second there I thought there was something wrong with my individual issue, like it had been bound wrong. The scene with Damian at the end was pretty touching, and it was nice to see him show some emotion for his father. I just hate how I have to wait another 4 weeks into I can find out what happens next; the suspense is unbearable.

Rating: 5/5

Nightwing #5

After 5 issues I've been enjoying Kyle Higgins' work on Nightwing. It's not knocking my socks off but its solid, entertaining stuff and a good read overall. However this week Nightwing seemed to take a bit a step backwards. The whole fight with a demon thing irked me a bit and I felt it didn't make for a great story. Eddy Barrows' art was the saving grace on this issue, possibly his best work on the book so far. Overall issue 5 wasn't great but the reveal at the end has kept me intrigued and I'm very interested to see where the plot goes from here. Dick Grayson is one of my favourite DC characters so even if this book was awful (which it isn't) I'd no doubt buy this book regardless of it's quality, such is my love for the character. Here's hoping the story heats up a bit from now on.

Rating: 2/5

The Amazing Spider-Man #678

Ever since the enjoyable epic that was Spider-Island came to an end, Amazing Spider-Man seems to have gotten a bit lost. After a couple of filler issues involving the Vulture, the dismal issue 676, and the first part of "Devil and the Details" which concluded in this month's Daredevil (I'll come to that), I was hoping Dan Slott would get the show back on the road and that's largely what we got this month in issue 678. I have to admit I was slightly disappointed this issue didn't mention or remark on the events that occurred in Daredevil #8 but I suppose its not really important in the grand scheme of things. Humberto Ramos returned on art duties and in some style too. A lot of people are a bit "marmite" when it comes to Ramos' style; you either love him or hate him. I am very much loving his take on Spidey and I feel he draws a brilliant Peter Parker, bringing some much-needed fun and humour to every issue. Despite his cartoon-ish ways I really enjoy Ramos' art and coupled with Slott's witty take on the wall-crawler, it all makes for an entertaining read. Keep it up please.

Rating: 3/5

Daredevil #8

Quite possibly Marvel's most celebrated title at the moment and I'm proud to say I've been there since the start. Well, if we consider issue 1 last summer to be the start. Mark Waid is still firing on all cylinders and continues to bring fresh and interesting stories to the life of Matt Murdock and Daredevil. This issue concluded the story that began in Amazing Spider-Man 677 and wrapped it all up beautifully. Waid made sure there was a bit of everything; some humour, lots of action, even some romance. I look forward to this book every month as it never fails to deliver the goods. This panel in particular made me burst out in laughter: 

Filling in for Paolo Rivera this issue was artist Kano, who did a stand-up job in the art department. His pencils were perfect, very Rivera-like and kept with the tone previously set by Rivera and Marcos Martin on the series. I hope Marvel can get Kano to fill in every time Rivera or Martin can't make it. Overall this was a great issue and a lot of fun. I enjoyed it so much that Daredevil narrowly edges out Batman as my pick of the week. It had the perfect blend for me and it seems Waid can't put a foot wrong at the moment. Long may he reign on Daredevil.

Rating: 5/5 Pick of the Week

Thanks for reading.

'Batman: The Black Mirror' Review

Batman: The Black Mirror contains issues 871-881 of Scott Snyder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla's acclaimed run on Detective Comics last year. It's been hailed by IGN as the "definitive Batman comic of the 21st century" and I can't really argue with that. I'd been looking forward to reading this for a long time. I unfortunately got back into the world of comics at the wrong time, just as Snyder's run on Detective Comics was coming to it's end. In fact I remember standing in my local store the day the final issue was released, after I'd read an article by the folks at iFanboy urging people to pick up that final issue. I had a quick flick through the pages but decided against buying it, since I'd already missed the entire story and didn't want to spoil the ending before I even knew what the beginning was all about. But it stuck in my mind nonetheless and I knew I had to get my hands on the whole run when it was released.

It took a while though. Christmas came and went without The Black Mirror so I turned to the trusty Amazon for a copy. 24 hours after my order their availability status changed to 'Temporarily Out of Stock' (which it still says at this current time). It wasn't looking good and I couldn't stand to wait much longer - everywhere I looked people were raving about it, every review full of praise. Through my workplace I managed to get one transferred from Chelmsford and within a couple of days I finally had The Black Mirror in my hands. And boy am I glad I didn't wait any longer.

I was already somewhat familiar with writer Scott Snyder's work, as his current run on Batman is blowing me away every month (issue 5 came out yesterday and is staring at me right now as I type). And I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed with his skills on The Black Mirror. His script is second to none, a powerful mix between a terrifying horror story and an old fashioned crime/detective narrative. For me, Snyder has supplanted Geoff Johns as the golden boy on DC's writing staff. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Johns' work, especially his Superman stuff, but Snyder's ability to immerse the reader into the gritty world of Batman is incredible. I feel like out of all the Batman stories I've read over the years, only an elite few have ever really got what Batman is all about. You can tell when the author really understands the character and successfully relays Batman's world to the reader: Snyder is up there with those elite few, there's no doubt.

I mentioned earlier about The Black Mirror being part crime, part horror; I wasn't kidding about the horror part. There were moments when I was genuinely shocked, where I had to stop and say out loud "God, that's pretty wrong right there." My girlfriend was not impressed when I showed her one particular page (I won't spoil which one, but it's downright nasty). And this is where the artists have done such a great job. The pages have been shared between British-born artist Jock and the Italian Francesco Francavilla, both of whom help to bring Snyder's epic words to life. Jock handles the majority of the Batman orientated storyline and Francavilla covers the Jim Gordon areas. I wasn't familiar with either artist's work before this and on that day I picked up the last issue in my local shop, I was put off a bit by Jock's unconventional style. His work isn't the traditional realistic look I'm accustomed to but I put any misgivings I had to the back of my head and immersed myself in the work, which quickly won me over. The Black Mirror soon turned me into a big fan of Jock's work and he captured Batman and Gotham City perfectly. Francavilla's art is distinctively different to Jock's but equally effective in it's execution. Francavilla must hear this all the time but the subtlety in his work is very reminiscent of David Mazzucchelli, one of the greatest Batman artists ever. Many of the pages reminded me of Mazzucchelli's haunting work on Batman: Year One and of course that is a very good thing indeed. Combined together, Jock and Francavilla are exactly the type of artists for this kind of story and complement Snyder's script perfectly.

After turning the last page I was sad to see this book end. It truly belongs up there in the pantheon of top Batman stories. It's clear that Snyder can become (if he's not already) one of the master storytellers in the DC universe and I am very tempted to start reading the American Vampire trade paperbacks, Snyder's other renowned work. In fact I might just go and do that now...

Amongst The Panels rating: 5/5

Thanks for reading.