Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Batman: Streets of Gotham #8 & Green Lantern Corps #44

Since I've got a few early classes tomorrow, I'm going to cut the small talk and get right into these two reviews. We'll start this post off with the most recent issue of Streets of Gotham, which is written by Mike Benson as opposed to regular series writer Paul Dini.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #8: Writer: Mike Benson. Pencils: Dustin Nguyen.

The gist of this issue is that some unknown party is killing several low-lives in Gotham City, which leads to Commissioner Gordon turning to Batman to figure out who's responsible. After checking out two of the bodies, Bats realizes that both of the dead men frequented the same sleazy nightclub. Upon further investigation, he discovers a picture of one of the dead men with one of the women who worked at the club. Bats decides to go undercover into the club in order to find the woman from the picture to see what kind of information he can glean from her. Upon finding the woman and setting up a "date", the two leave the club and are accosted by the woman's former boyfriend, who tells Dick that the woman will only bring him pain and misery. This issue concludes with Dick arriving at the woman's apartment just as an armed man prepares to kick the door in.

Eh. I was enjoying the Zsasz storyline, so I've got to say I'm a tad bit disappointed that nothing occurred in this issue to further that story. This issue was OK, but it's obviously a stock, filler issue to be used when the regular writer of a series is unavailable. I'll be looking forward to issue #10 when we get back to the Zsasz storyline. As for this comic, it was perfectly acceptable, nothing more, nothing less.

Score: 6 1/2 out of 10.NEVER get in Dick Grayson's way when he's on a *ahem* "date".

Green Lantern Corps #44: Writer: Peter J. Tomasi. Pencils: Patrick Gleason.

We open this issue with the battle between the forces of the Green Lanterns and their allies trying desperately to hold off the Black Lantern horde... Oh yeah, plus Guy Gardner is still a Red Lantern and is pretty much attacking everything indiscriminately! The Black Lanterns continue to focus their attack on the Central Power Battery, and actually manage to topple the entire structure. After the dust from the fallen Power Battery settles, Kyle spots Guy still cutting through the Black Lantern forces, and since it was Kyle's death that transformed Guy into a Red Lantern to begin with, Kyle decides to convince Guy that he isn't dead, and that Guy needs to let his rage go. Kyle is able to momentarily reach Guy, but before long, the red ring takes back over and Guy becomes convinced that the real Kyle Rayner is still dead, and that the man speaking to him is a Black Lantern trick, which causes Guy to attack Kyle. While this is occurring, Mogo(who had arrived near Oa last issue)decides to purge Oa, and sucks every organic being, Black Lantern and Green Lantern alike off of Oa and onto Mogo. Upon reaching the surface of Mogo, it sucks the Black Lanterns under its surface and sends them down to its core, where they would burn for all eternity... Wow, remind me to never piss Mogo off... Anyway, this issue ends with Red Lantern Guy Gardner approaching the Green Lanterns on Mogo, presumably to kill them.

As I usual, I thoroughly enjoyed this issue of GLC. While I thought the defeat of the Black Lanterns at the hands of Mogo was a little bit too neat and tidy for my taste, everything before that was top-notch. Peter has done a great job in his Blackest Night x-overs in showing the futility of the Green Lanterns when it comes to facing down their Black Lantern counterparts. If not for Mogo and to a lesser extent Red Lantern Guy Gardner, the GLC really had no answer for the Black Lantern forces. Next issue we get Guy Gardner vs the Green Lantern Corps, which should be a blast and a half!

Score: 8 out of 10.You know what? I think Guy is a much better fit as a Red Lantern then a Green one.

25 comments:

  1. I can't wait to read GLC vs. Red Lantern Guy. You're right, Guy is a hell of a Red Lantern. Hell he could give Atrocitus a run for his money.

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  2. I'm telling you, I'd be just fine if Guy remained a Red Lantern after Blackest Night and got his own series.

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  3. I'd damn sure read that. Hell I want him and John to get some type of comic. I'd read that with John as the Straightman and Guy as the goofball.

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  4. Well, you know, if Guy got his own series(as a not so crazy Red Lantern), maybe John could slide into his slot in GLC. I've never really understood why pretty much every Green Lantern in the universe has appeared in GLC, EXCEPT for John Stewart! I think the more straightlaced John and the emotional Kyle would have a pretty good dynamic.

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  5. I don't want John and Kyle together because I feel like it'd be the feel sorry for me because my woman died pity party. Lol not really I just felt like saying that. If Red Lanterns could talk without spewing blood I'd lobby for guy to stay as a Red Lantern.

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  6. Heh-heh, well, I have to say, there's NO way John could match Kyle in that area!

    Yeah, I'd like to see Guy stay as a Red Lantern, but as a slightly altered one. You know, a Red Lantern who is still(kind of)in control of himself.

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  7. Maybe he can be a Green/Red lantern? Um...what color would that be, brown or something? Either way if Guy can control his Red Lantern tendencies could be pretty awesome.

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  8. I guess he'd be the Christmas Lantern or something... Yeah, here's hoping Guy gets to wear both rings in the future.

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  9. All this talk has got me thinking, if you had to give rings to Hal, Guy, Kyle, John (besides Green Lantern rings), and just for curiosity sake Booster Gold, Two-Face, Oracle and Stephanie Brown what rings would you give them and why?

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  10. Huh, what an interesting question. Let's see, I'd give:

    Hal a Sinestro Ring, since he was once the most feared man in the cosmos.

    Kyle gets a Blue ring, because he's still hopeful, even after he's been faced with so much loss... If I were in his shoes, I'd have given up LONG ago!

    Guy gets a Red ring. The Red ring just fits him so well... Let's face it, Guy seems to have anger issues!

    I'm kind of tempted to go Red ring with John as well, since he used to be one angry dude, but I think I'll go Blue for him. Like Kyle, he's faced a lot of loss, but keeps on hoping for a better tomorrow.

    Hmm, for Booster I think I'd go Orange... He used to be INSANELY greedy back in the day, and even though he's changed a lot since his early days, I'm going to say that there's still some greed inside ol' Booster.

    Two-Face easily gets a Sinestro ring. Just look at the guy, even without a ring, he scares the hell out of me!

    I'd make Oracle a Green Lantern. With everything she's suffered through, she must have some kind of willpower.

    And finally I'd give Steph a Blue ring. She seems to be full of hope, what with the whole being a super-hero and all.

    So those are my thought, agree or disagree?

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  11. Excellent picks dude, definitely agree with them, I didn't see orange coming for Booster but it makes sense. Hm... lets see who else I can come up with. Lets say...Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Cyborg, Beast Boy just because I know you hate him, Superboy, Bart Allen, Wally West and last but not least, Superboy Prime. Gotta know, Sinestro, Red ring, Orange Ring?

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  12. OK, let's see:

    Bruce gets a Sinestro Ring, 'cause he strikes fear in the hearts of just about every criminal in Gotham.

    Dick gets a Green Ring, he's full of willpower, the guy practically never gives up. Personally, I still want to see Dick become a Green Lantern in the DCU.

    Cyborg gets a Blue ring, because he's kind of like the glue that was holding the (Teen)Titans together for the longest time.

    I'm going to give Beast Boy a Black Ring, because that would mean he was dead!!! ;P

    The old, 90's SB would get an Orange ring, but I think I'd give the current SB a Blue Ring. He's another character who seems full of hope... Huh, I'm giving out Blue rings left and right.

    Bart gets an Indigo ring because I've always seen him as really compassionate. He's one of those characters that wouldn't hurt a fly.

    I'd give 80's Wally an Orange Ring, but right now, I'd give him a Blue ring. If it's good enough for Saint Barry, it's good enough for Wally!

    Hmm, as for Prime, I think I'd go with a Sinestro ring. He'd easily fit Orange(with his comic collection)or Red(he's frigging nuts!)but I think he probably spreads fear more then anything else, especially considering how many Green Lanterns he killed.

    So there ya go, agree or disagree?

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  13. I definitely agree, especially with Grayson. I'd LOVE him as a GL, I feel like he'd be kinda similar to Kyle though in look and style. I think Prime could go either way but everything else seems cool, especially Bart being compassionate. This seems fun, gimme some to do. :P

    Also, you're out cold for what you'd give Beast Boy, lol.

    (Lol @ the word verification literally being rings)

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  14. "(Lol @ the word verification literally being rings)" Seriously?!? That's awesome, and kind of scary actually...

    Hmm, alrighty... How's about you try out Green Arrow, Black Canary, Catwoman, Hawkman, Deathstroke and just for fun, Damian Wayne! I already have in my head who I'd give what, so I'll be interested to see how we match up.

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  15. Lol yeah, It was so weird I took a screen pic of it. Like what are the odds?!

    Green Arrow - Ollie gets a Green Lantern ring from me, the guy is a fighter he's a strong believer in right and wrong and I think he's one of the toughest guys around.

    Black Canary - Dinah gets a Sapphire ring, not because she's a woman though. She's a very loving person as shown by taking Roy in and staying with Ollie after all his past (...and current) screw ups.

    Catwoman - Hm...I gotta give Selina a Sapphire ring too, she may not show it but she's loving, she loves Bruce, she loves her sister and she loves being Catwoman. :P I would've said an Orange ring if she was still in hear thieving stages.

    Hawkman - Hm...I'm torn on Hawkman, because I could easily go Red or Green ring with him. I could also go Sapphire because his love with Chayera however that's spelled is really eternal so...I'm conflicted. I'll go Red just because I haven't handed one of those out yet, plus Hawkman vs. Ollie with Red and Green rings intrigues me.

    Deathstroke - Another conflicting one, I'll go Sinestro corps because who doesn't fear Deathstroke. I could name the same reasons you named for The Dark Knight.

    Damian - Um...Red ring. Just imagine Damian attacking with blood dripping from his mouth and tell me that doesn't fit the Omen posterboy.

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  16. Very good JT, we were almost in 100% agreement here. First off, your reasoning for giving Dinah the Star Sapphire ring was genius! I don't think I would have thought that up, but it was 1,000,000% accurate.

    I'd still go Orange ring with Catwomen, since she does still run around stealing stuff, like in her Blackest Night comic. When I think Catwoman, I think thief instead of love. I love your pick for Damian, but I'm kind of torn with him... He's a real tough one. I'm just not sure that his motives are fueled by rage... But then, what else could he be? He's prob the toughest out of everybody.

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  17. Thanks, I was having a hard time with Dinah then i realized that she cares a lot about people.

    Good point, one could even say her love for Bruce could be more of a Orange Lantern "Mine!" obsession. And yeah Damian is really hard to place, we don't really know a lot about him at this point.

    Alright, lets see what you do with, Jason Todd :P, Power Girl, Harley Quinn, Ra's Al Ghul, Terra, Geo-Force, Cassandra Cain and The Huntress.

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  18. Alright, let's see what I can do with this batch.

    Jason gets a... Hmm, he's a tough one. I might just go with Red out of default... I mean, his whole thing when he came back was thet he was pissed that Bruce hadn't killed Joker after his "death", so he was fueled by rage, but now... Who knows? What are your thought on your namesake?

    Power Girl gets a Red ring. Surprised? She actually has a pretty good temper, and I could see her easily going all out Red Lantern if the opportunity arose.

    I think I'll give Harley a Star Sapphire ring... Man, these characters you gave me tonight are tough! She does seem to love Joker unconditionally, so that should mean something, I guess...

    As the head of the League of Assassins, Ra's easily gets a Sinestro ring. He's the type of guy most sane people would be terrified to cross.

    I'm going to give Terra an Orange ring, based solely on the fatc that she doesn't seem to care about anybody but her self. She did sell out her Titans teammates to Deathstroke, but like a few of the others, she's a bit tough to place.

    Before Outsiders #26 I'd give Geo-Force an Indigo ring, because he always had compassion for his sister, even after all of the terrible things she had done came to light.

    I'd give Cass the Sinestro ring, because she was one scary chick as Batgirl.

    The same holds true for Huntress, I'd easily give her a Sinestro ring, her entire thing is scaring mobsters, so a Sinestro ring would really fit her character/help with her mission.

    Man, some of those were tough! I can't wait to see what you gave a few of those.

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  19. I would've went with Black Lantern since he died... :P Yeah that's a cop out but oh well. Nah, I'd probably go with a red ring as well just because there aren't any other choices that really fit him. PG did surprise me but it makes sense, as well as Harley getting a Star Sapphire ring. As for everything else I definitely agree, I would name so more people but I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head, you?

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  20. Ha, you know, I was actually hoping you wouldn't name anybody tonight! After doing that Let's Talk About... post tonight(which took me 2 1/2 hours to finish!)I'm not in the mood to use my brain anymore! ;-)

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  21. Lol I don't blame you, that was a hell of alot of typing. I'm surprised you're even replying to comments. :P So any idea what your next Lets Talk About, will be on?

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  22. I have a few small ideas in the back of my head for the next Let's Talk About... post, but nothing solid yet. I'm sure in about a week or so, I'll have something fully developed

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  23. Hm...well If I may suggest something, I think you're informed enough to do something like The Teen Titans, Then and now. Comparing the current incarnation to the one with Dick, Wally and such, as well as random members like Ravager, Bart and Superboy.

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  24. You know, that's not a bad idea... When done right(Peter David in Young Justice & Geoff in Teen Titans), the Teen Titans are one of my favorite comics. I'll have to see if I can come up with enough of a post for that idea...

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  25. I figure I borrow so many of your ideas for my blog I may as well submit a few right? Lol

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