This week's pickups:
Bryan Hill builds off his very strong run in Detective Comics [see issues 983-987]. That run is worth picking up and reading on its own merit as well as to provide context for this new title. Batman has assembled a side team, as he is wont to do, to run missions when he cannot be directly involved. The catch for The Outsiders is that Batman has picked Black Lightning to lead this team specifically to challenge his decision making, where appropriate, and to train The Signal [Duke Thomas] and Orphan [Cassandra Cain].
Two questions often come up: “What comic can I pick up and just read without knowing anything else?” and “It’s just a comic book, what can it really offer of value?” his issue by Tom Taylor is great selection to give to someone the next time those questions pop up.
This week's pickups:
My take on Heroes in Crisis is that its message is easier to understand if you have gone through major trauma in your life. I think it is harder to digest if you haven’t. We see Wally West struggling with his place in the Rebirth universe. He is all too aware of what he had before and what he no longer has—his family.
We continue the adventures of Peter Parker as an aging Spider-Man realtime through the decades. In this particular chapter, we’re introduced to the Cold War tensions of the 80s. Remarkably, Chip Zdarsky is able to balance the seminal points of Spidey history from the 80s: Secret Wars, the black suit, the symbiote, and Kraven’s hunt.
DCeased #2 picks up fairly immediately after the events of the first issue. The world is quickly descending into chaos with the spread of the “zombie-fied” version of the anti-life equation. In this particular issue, we have a couple of establishing character moments with Poison Ivy and Harley before Harley goes to face off with the Joker and a scene between Green Arrow, Green Lantern, and Black Canary camping out in the woods. Tom Taylor shows deft handling of all of these characters in the limited panel time; all feel like they should.
Spoilers ahead. Usually, I try to avoid discussing too many spoilers in these reviews. This particular issue, it is quite impossible to do so.
Lots of people may be upset at Tom King for this issue. I am not. People’s feelings are valid, since they are their feelings. So many people love Wally West. I do too. Wally is my Flash; I grew up with him. So, I can get why there are some strong feelings about the very idea that Wally murdered people, even albeit accidentally. That said, I think they are missing the point.
Picking up immediately from the events of the last issue, Batman is at the feet of the Arkham Knight, about to face decapitation. Naturally, Batman escapes, with a little help from allies. In this issue, we learn a little bit more on how the Arkham Knight’s forces were able to overwhelm Batman, and we see Damian Wayne go on a recon excursion, only to end up face to face with the Arkham Knight.
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