Stealing has always been a big part of Catwoman’s life, and as #1 opens, it seems it is catching up with her as she barely has time to get her costume on to escape before masked assailants storm her apartment and then blow it up. Selina, and a carrier full of cats, survive the attack and must regroup. This begins a series of events that see Selina seeking shelter, seeking new stealing jobs, and unknowingly stumbling into an opportunity for revenge. She’ll have to stay under the radar if she wants to succeed, or does she?

The book is narrated by Selina as she analyzes her troubles, introduces allies and enemies, and gets to work on finding a heist. It’s all perfect because it is so in character. Winick does a fantastic job writing Selina’s dialog and creating the situations for her to work her way through, creating a few notable characters along the way that play largely into the developing plot of the book. Even the end of the book where Batman makes a pretty interesting cameo (and I won’t go further than that), while shocking to some, is perfectly in character with Catwoman.

The book has Catwoman being sexy and therein lies the controversy. I don’t plan to editorialize on this much other than to say, what’s wrong with having Catwoman be sexy? She is the leather wearing lady in a cat costume, complete with a whip. The book is rated T+ (Teen Plus) and isn’t meant for kids. Sexiness is in Catwoman’s character DNA, and Winick and artist Guillem March play up Selina’s sexiness to the hilt. It’s awesome to see.

Awesome also is March’s art itself. Formerly on the book Gotham City Sirens, March is no stranger to drawing the lovely ladies of Gotham City and the art, at times, is borderline cheesecake. Selina looks beautiful, tough, and intelligent. But it’s not all sexy stuff: there are also the distinct depictions of violence, such as the assailants seen at the beginning of the book and upon the individual Catwoman takes her revenge upon. Not to mention the rich backgrounds from posh hotels to underground clubs of the Russian mafia. It is all very stylized, detailed, and fantastic. It’s also worth mentioning the coloring job done by Tomeu Morey; the colors are almost surreal and add to the art’s style.

Catwoman #1 gives Selina Kyle the book she’s always deserved. She’s sexy, she’s tough,she’s crafty, she’s stealing and she’s making trouble for herself and others. The heady blending of excellent story with vibrant visuals makes for a great comic starring comics’ ultimate bad girl. And while you might think I enjoy Catwoman simply because I’m a guy going for eye candy or cheap thrills, I gotta say that my wife and Super-Flyer Jared Whittaker’s wife both enjoy this new Catwoman book immensely. The plot thickens in issues #2 and #3, and I’m happy to report that the quality seen in the first issue is maintained in those following issues. So give Catwoman #1 a try and you may become a fan too!

The book starts innocently enough, but quickly end up horrible as monsters rampage through the community of Bone Lake, Washington. The scene cuts to Frankenstein coming to S.H.A.D.E.’s new headquarters, the Ant Farm, which a miniaturized impenetrable super fortress flying over New York. Then there’s Father Time, who you’ll have to see for yourself. There’s really no time to ask questions, and all the craziness is accepted at face value by Frankenstein and the other members of S.H.A.D.E. as they enter a Matrix-like tech to go over the monster attack, and while it’s something that may have come off as stupid from another writer, Lemire pulls it and all the other surreal aspects perfectly.

A surprise cameo in the book is made by Ray Palmer, who is better known as the Atom but did not indicate any connection to that identity here. However, the reason he works with S.H.A.D.E. is his shrinking technology and it powering the Ant Farm. Then there’s Division M, better known as the Creature Commandos who appropriately are called in to fight the monster invasion. While I don’t know much about the Creature Commandos other than they date back to the 1940’s, you don’t need to know anything to see that this new version of the commandos is anything but campy; they are very bizarre but totally kick butt. There’s a merwoman scientist complete with a fish bowl helmet, a werewolf who’s eager to please, a vampire created by the offshoot of the Man-Bat serum, and a mummy, who is crazily (but somehow appropriately) the medic. To top it all off, Frankenstein’s four armed wife and fellow agent, the Bride makes an appearance too, but she has gone missing after investigating the monsters. It’s up to Frank and the gang to get her back.

The art, similar to Travel Foreman’s work in Lemire’s other DC book, Animal Man, is very different than your usual artistic fare. However, the art’s weirdness is perfect for the surreal world of Frankenstein and S.H.A.D.E. There’s a great two page spread action scene depicting Frank and the Commandos taking on monsters that is illustrated really well. I really like the Creature Commandos’ design and Frankenstein looks pretty intimidating. I really dig what I’m seeing here. Ponticelli is doing great work and Villarrubia’s colors add nicely to the mix.

Despite all the monsters and mayhem, horror’s not the driving force here. It’s more sci-fi, dark humor, great action and all around weirdness. With issue #2 now available (and also a good read), see for yourself why Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. should be on your pull list and what the fuss over Jeff Lemire is about. Lemire brings his best and has a great art team backing him up to bring out some pretty interesting characters and places in the new DC Universe. It’s weird, it’s different and it rocks because of it.

The book’s premise is that Mitchell “Mitch” Shelley has a problem: he comes back to life every time he dies. Each time he is reborn, he is born with a new and different super power, which also seems to guide his actions after dying. Why is this a problem? Shelley has died and been reborn so many times that his soul has become very attractive to individuals on both sides of the afterlife, and he must stay on the run. I really like how Resurrection Man’s powers are described. In fact, in the opening scene, Resurrection Man is coming back to life and the details he uses to describe coming back to life make for an inviting hook to read the rest of the book. The rest of the book continues to show these powers and the struggles Resurrection Man must go through.

It’s a really different super hero book, certainly one for more mature audiences. Like both Swamp Thing and Animal Man it reminds me of classic Vertigo while still being set in the DCnU and having a super hero feel to it. The book has such a cool vibe to it, that it makes me wonder why this character’s first series only lasted a couple years. Perhaps it was a bit ahead of its time in the late 90s? Whatever the reason, I hope people don’t hesitate to give the book a try now: it’s great.

Spanish artist Fernando Dagnino, who previously worked on Superman prior to the New 52 launch, has a presence that definitely brings a lot of fantastic energy to the book, with great illustrations of Resurrection Man’s powers, people, buildings, planes and a pair of hottie bounty hunters—whatever he draws comes to life well on the comic page. Resurrection Man doesn’t have much of a costume, as it seems he is always reborn naked, but the look of the character is someone who has been carrying on for a long time and is tired for it. The overall tone of the art is somewhat dark, but it suits the nature of the comic quite well.

The end left me wondering if Resurrection Man’s problems were only starting, and I was disappointed it came to an end so soon. It plays out great as a first issue though, introducing the premise, the character and the problems he has very well to first time readers. Lanning and Abnett do such a great job here that I’m hopeful DC capitalizes on the new series and releases some trade paperbacks of the original series so I can see their earlier work with Resurrection Man. I definitely wasn’t expecting to like Resurrection Man #1 as much as I did. I totally want to see where this book is going, so I plan to stick around. A grown up super hero comic, Resurrection Man #1 is a fantastic new series that is certainly going to be one to watch.

The story opens with the fall of Camelot, and it provides a quick origin of Etrigan explaining how his human form Jason Blood came to be possessed by the Demon form. Then it jumps to the Dark Ages where Etrigan the Demon travels with fellow immortal and his lady love, Madam Xanadu. They stop at a pub to get a pint and everything goes to hell. Things happen quickly, with the characters thrown together after meeting. Other notable DC characters that pop up are the immortal Vandal Savage and the Shining Knight, who is not all “he” pretends to be. It is really cool to see familiar characters existing in the past and associating with one another in this world of swords and sorcery.

Etrigan, Xanadu and the others find themselves in the way of a rampaging horde sent out on a mission to conquer everything in their path. The rulers behind the horde are the Lord of Chaos Mordru (who has fought the Legion of Super-Heroes and the Justice Society previously in different time periods) and the Questing Queen, a new character. Quickly uniting under the threat of invasion, the warriors visiting the pub quickly find themselves in over their heads.

Not everyone is introduced fully, as some characters don’t get much of a time to shine or are hidden in shadows. One character that doesn’t show up is Harry Tanner, Eminence of Blades, another immortal who was seen fighting alongside the Demon Knights in Stormwatch #1 (also written by Cornell) in a flashback. Regardless, the table is set for high adventure in a tale of gathering heroes worthy of a well executed Dungeons & Dragons game and the best fantasy novels. All of the characters are interesting and have potential to shine, and their adversaries are ruthless in their quest for power.

Cornell really writes an intriguing tale with these characters and it works well in entrancing the reader and ends with a compelling hook. The artwork is also quite good and is packed with detail. Etrigan sports a new armored look which suits the setting well, and Maiolo’s colors are especially nice, livening up Neves’ pencils and Albert’s inks. The creators’ work combines to bring about a great start to what looks to be a compelling series.

Overall, Demon Knights #1 provides a great fantasy story with an unlikely teaming of old and new DC characters who certainly will have their work cut out for them. You need not know anything for this book, and it does a good job of introducing Kirby’s Demon in the series’ setting of resistance against the overwhelming horde. Magic, mystery and swordplay abound as the issue comes together and make Demon Knights #1 an adventure worth taking.

First impressions are everything, and while Mister Terrific makes a great entrance fighting a power mad villain, things rapidly go south. He refers to himself as the third smartest man a couple times—once aloud in the intro—which makes him sound like an arrogant jerk. Mister Terrific’s first appearance is saving everyone on the London Eye (a giant Ferris wheel), introducing himself as the third smartest man, and after he’s asked about that by a couple of civilians he saved (“Who’s one and two?”) he retorts by saying “Actually, a simple ‘Thanks, black guy for saving us from a homicidal lunatic wearing weaponized body armor’ will do .” It just doesn’t seem like Mister Terrific would do that (especially when one of the people he is talking to is black also), but maybe that’s just me. There is another example of forced racial tension in a later scene where other characters feel necessary to point out their race in comparison to one another. While this certainly could have a place in a story about a black super hero, it feels drummed up here and just seems out of place.

One interesting aspect of the book where Wallace deserves some credit is Mister Terrific’s new origin. I don’t want to give anything away, but the reasons Michael Holt becomes Mister Terrific are very true to the character’s history and make for an interesting twist on his motivations. There’s also an element of mystery to the origin, which is a definite hook. Another welcome sight in the book is Karen Starr AKA Power Girl (who prior to DC’s New 52 had her own excellent series) though she’s purely in her civilian identity here—and apparently is worth 340 million. There’s an implication that Michael and Karen are “friends with benefits,” which plays out a little in the issue. Here’s hoping we see Karen back in her Power Girl guise before too long, as she does not go into action whatsoever at the sign of a serious dilemma later in the issue.

The evil at work in the issue is something that increases its victims IQ exponentially, which turns them into murderous jerk and while disturbing, it plays out kind of silly. Still, it is pretty cool to see Mister Terrific on the case using his intellect to decipher what’s going on. Other than the braggart moment where he wears race on his sleeve as previously mentioned, Mister Terrific is very true to his character. His new costume looks slick too, but isn’t that much different than the old one, it’s just sans the jacket.

The art is bad. Blunt but true. While it manages to do the job overall, there are parts where things just fall apart under casual examination and don’t look well drawn. Gugliotta does do a great job rendering the many various inventions Mister Terrific has created in his Sanctum in the 9th dimension (which he invented a way to travel into) but a lot of the other stuff is average or worse. With the almost universal high quality across the line of New 52 books, it’s almost surprising to see the occasional flagging artwork on display here. It’s not irredeemable, but it could really use some polish.

Super-Fly owner Tony Barry shared my disappointment about this issue, and was pointing out that this comic could have been a book featuring Zatanna, Power Girl, the JSA, the Secret Six or Captain Marvel (SHAZAM!). It could have even been a good Mister Terrific comic. Instead, we get a lukewarm book that delivers on the super genius of Mister Terrific and the resulting science, but also dishes out subpar art and a so-so story. On the other hand, store manager Jared Whittaker liked the book a bit and I’ve seen praise for the book elsewhere. For me though, a long time fan of the character, it just fell flat of its potential.

When the quality of Mister Terrific is considered, it’s quite out of place with the majority of New 52 releases on the low end of the spectrum. With some better art and less tacked on racial tension, Mister Terrific could be alright. There has also been some word that the Huntress mini-series will tie into Mister Terrific somehow, and there’s a good possibility Mister Terrific may have something to do with next year’s Justice Society project. For now however, the first issue fails to impress despite some really imaginative super science that Mister Terrific utilizes. As a big fan of Mister Terrific, I’ll definitely take a look at issue #2 to see if things improve but for now I don’t plan on buying any future issues.

The story begins on a plane, where grifter Cole Cash fresh from a con job starts to har voices and doesn’t know where they’re coming from. He comes to see that these voices come from something in human host bodies looking completely normal. When he realizes these voices know that he hears them, these creatures in human form target him, and Cole is hard pressed to survive. He ends up killing one of these demons in disguise aboard the plane and escapes midflight, automatically making him a wanted terrorist. From that point on, Cole is on the run. It’s interesting, but it takes a while to get going—practically the entire issue. It’s not a bad story, but it’s not super great either because of it being so drawn out. Perhaps thorough is a better word, as a lot is established.

Cafu is one of my favorite artists following his great run on T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and he does a good job here. There’s some crazy action scenes that look pretty neat, though I wish there was a bit more of it. While I was disappointed inker Bit wasn’t working on this book after all (but did help Cafu on the cover), Gorder does a good job in his own style. We don’t really get to see Grifter in costume other than the cover, but his design seems to be in line with his classic look. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the creatures when they are not in human form, but again with all the establishment going on in the first issue, it’s one of the things that will have to wait until future issues.

Overall, I think Grifter #1 may probably be one of the worst comics coming out of the New 52, or at least one of the worst #1s. But it’s not a terrible book, it just takes awhile to get going. It seems all of the actual adventures as Grifter don’t begin until issue #2, and while there are some thrilling parts, it reads like a drawn out origin story. I guess that’s what it’s supposed to be, but nothing is shown or mentioned about Cash’s Special Operations training that is only revealed to readers in the solicitation for #2—it isn’t even in the comic itself. Nor does Cash take on the Grifter role until the last page. I have to admit, I think this lessened my enjoyment of the book, at least on my initial read through. Reading it again though, I appreciated the story a bit more but still felt the hooks in the book weren’t strong.

Yes, there is promise in this book of things getting interesting, but for now it’s mostly a poor showing that fails to keep the reader’s attention. There are other origin stories in some of the #1s but all of them that I’ve read so far don’t take as long to get going—or at least get exciting. While Blue Beetle #1 pulled off revealing the hero at the end of the issue, Grifter #1 seems to suffer a bit from it. I didn’t like it so much the first time I read it, but reading through again I’m interested to see what happens next and I’ll be reading, but it didn’t make the cut on my pull list. Still, while it wasn’t my cup of tea, you may like it. But for me, I think the series looks like it might read better when it comes out in trade paperback. Certainly, if you’ve ever been interested in Grifter as a character, Grifter #1 does a good job of setting up a foundation of how Cash comes to adopt the Grifter identity and take his part in the DCnU.

The book begins in space with alien creatures even meaner than the Red Lanterns themselves! When one Red Lantern (not telling which one) tries to stop them, he gets captured leading to the Red Lantern leader, Atrocitus coming to save the day and kick some tail. It is really sweet to see him in action.

There is a big portion of the story dealing with Atrocitus’ origin and the reasons he hates the Guardians and Green Lanterns. But Atrocitus worries that his Red Lanterns are becoming mutinous, with them so angry and amped up all the time, they fight each other like wild dogs. Can Atrocitus control them? What new direction does he want to take the Red Lanterns in? And what exactly is happening on Earth that looks like it may involve the Red Lantern Corps in the not too distant future? The answers to these queries lay in issues ahead, so there are some good hooks in here to make you want to come back next issue. There’s also a part that features Dex-Starr, or as we like to call him around Super-Fly, Rage Cat, which definitely makes for a cool moment and provides kitty lovers a great reason to check out the series.

The art is lovely. Ed Benes, who worked with writer Brad Meltzer on the last volume of Justice League of America, does a fantastic job of bringing the Red Lanterns to life. There is an impressive display of detail which succeeds in making the Red Lanterns look mean mad and completely dangerous—even the petit feline Dex-Starr looks tough! Other Red Lanterns look out and out terrifying. Rob Hunter’s inks add depth and accentuate the Red Lanterns, and Nathan Eyring’s coloring job is vibrant and beautiful to behold.

While all well and good, there is one big drawback to the book: Atrocitus carries on like an angst filled teenager about his rage. I haven’t seen characters carry on so dramatically about something since Justice League: Cry for Justice, where characters literally cried out “Justice!” over and over ad nauseam. Here it’s the rage that burns within that is brought up repeatedly. Red Lanterns definitely has some cool parts and it is gorgeous to behold. I just feel I would appreciate this more if I were still an angst overloaded adolescent; with all the problems that period of life brings, Red Lanterns would be some great escapist fantasy. Now, I enjoyed it, but feel some of the raging was a bit overdone. During my first read, this really bothered me, but then I remembered that they’re Red Lanterns. Raging up like maniacs is what they do best. With the Red Lantern Corps, they are the avatars of rage—it should be expected that they don’t have very good anger management skills. So that is forgivable; any other characters it wouldn’t be though.

Red Lanterns #1 was an alright read, but it’s more so-so than exciting and is really weighed down by its emo protagonist, which is easy to get over but still distracting. Red Lanterns is hardly one of the worst books that have come out, but it’s not over the top great either. I do think it is a perfect starting place to learn about another Lantern Corps besides the Green one, and if you’re fans of the characters, you won’t be terribly disappointed with their portrayal. Red Lanterns #1 gives you everything you need to know about the Red Corps and sets the stage for some intriguing situations. Check it out—just be prepared for a lot of raging!

Hawk and Dove are based in Washington D.C., where a mad scientist terrorist takes over the internet to make public threats on the nation, then sends a plane full of monster zombies into the capital to attack. Luckily, Hawk and Dove are already on scene. Hawk is the Avatar of War, while Dove is the Avatar of Peace which is evident in the first few pages with Hawk busting terrorist and zombie creature heads while Dove struggles to try to land the plane safely.

While trying to have an open mind, coming across the introduction of H&D’s powers had me nearly laughing. Hawk’s powers are: enhanced vision, agility, strength, body density and healing factor, while Dove’s power set includes: enhanced intelligence, compassion, enhanced strength, flight, and danger sense. Since when is COMPASSION a super power?!? Inspiring compassion in others maybe? It just sounds a bit silly I guess. I do think it is cool that they have different power sets though, which could (and in the first issue does) lead to them to compliment each others’ powers in combat situations.

Hawk and Dove take care of the plane, but it doesn’t end perfectly. The characters’ different nature is not only in their powers, as they end up quarreling easily. They soon depart, and head into their respective lives. Hawk, AKA Hank Hall, sits at home complaining to his father about Dawn and how she doesn’t live up to his previous partner. Hawk isn’t getting mad just for the sake of it. He’s pissed he lost his brother and partner, Don Hall, the original Dove, and that Dawn has come from seemingly nowhere to take his place after Don was killed (in Crisis on Infinite Earths).

Dawn meanwhile is crime fighting with Deadman, who makes a cameo. He apparently hooked up with Dove during Brightest Day but don’t get too creeped out: Deadman was alive at the time. Here, towards end of the issue things start to get interesting. This part with Deadman was even more appealing to me than the last page cliffhanger, but you’ll have to read it for yourself to find out why.

Though I loved him growing up, I have to say I have not been a big Rob Liefeld fan in recent years. That said, the man has done a quality job on the art and the reports that he was so really pumped for this book and that his enthusiasm shows in his work is actually true. Go Rob Liefeld! There are also some instances of clever panel placement, especially the two page spread depicting Hawk and Dove’s transformation and origin. Gates overall wrote a good issue but it’s just a standard super hero tale with a dash of intrigue. With all the releases this past week, Hawk & Dove doesn’t really stand out from the crowd. However, it does establish who Hawk & Dove are for first time readers, and provides a decent hook to keep reading.

If you like the characters, you should really enjoy the book. If you’ve never heard of them, then you probably will like it too. If you’re familiar with them and not the biggest fan, this book probably won’t win you over. It’s just standard super hero fare. Not bad. Not great. However, it has some potential. Whether or not I pick up #2 will probably come down to my state of finances next month, but if I’m in a good place then I think I may get it—though I’m not ready to add it to my pull list. Gates and Liefeld do a better than expected job, making Hawk & Dove a book that is worth reading, but not outstanding in the massive amount of DC Comics that came out week two of the New 52.

The book starts out with an interview, revealing that Animal Man is now a public hero, an animal activist and recently, a movie star. Despite all this, his primary concern is his family and there are a few scenes with Buddy at home. Things start to get weird when he is called into action to stop a man who has taken hostages at the local hospital.

The plot is intriguing and Jeff Lemire seems quite at home with Buddy Baker (AKA Animal Man) and his family, but just as at ease in making things crazy for Animal Man. The story reads like a typical super hero tale and does a good job of introducing Animal Man as well as his wife and kids and the premise. But just as you think it’s a normal super hero book, things get really strange, and start to become pretty terribly horrendous. The source of all the problems seems to be coming from Buddy’s daughter Maxine, who is manifesting strange powers of her own.

Travel Foreman’s art is striking, for good or for worse is entirely going to be at the discretion of the reader. I’ve heard from people who hated it and some who loved it. I’m somewhere in between. The art seems a little distorted and is definitely weird—especially in the opening scenes with Animal Man with his family. I liked it at first, but it’s so different I felt the style was a little difficult to overcome at times. For example, there’s one scene in the hospital where Buddy is being examined where he looks like he has scars and pock marks on his face instead of lines of expression. But getting to the final pages where Animal Man has a nightmare, the art’s twistedness suits the moment perfectly and sets the tone for this horror series. If this is what we’re in store for, I can certainly get over the awkwardness which scenes of normality display. Though Foreman does work on the inking, Dan Green assists and the ink work compliments the overall art well.

I have mixed feelings on Animal Man’s new costume. It definitely suits Animal Man’s new role as a public figure, but I miss the goggles. It looks like Animal Man being Buddy Baker is public knowledge, so maybe he doesn’t feel the need to hide his face any longer. Touching on other fashion issues briefly, Animal Man’s son has a mullet, which in 2011 is a little disconcerting. Do kids still have mullets these days?

Lemire keeps the plot moving and the story at a brisk pace. Although the opening interview is unconventional, it covers a lot of ground and gets the ball rolling well and the following action keeps up throughout. The last page is truly frightening and sets the stage for the rest of the series, which looks like will map out a troubled time for the Baker family.

Despite some initial trepidation on Travel Foreman’s art, I came out of Animal Man #1 liking what I saw and the overall tone of the series. I’m a big fan of Lemire, so I definitely plan to stick around for at least a few more issues as I want to see where this is going. I also like Animal Man a lot and think this new take on the character suits him well. Even more than Swamp Thing #1, Animal Man #1 is a good mix of super hero escapades with chilling and disturbing elements seeped in. It’s like Vertigo PG-13.

So give Animal Man #1 a try and see what you think. There’s a great story, some art that is certainly unique, and in that regard standout among the DC New 52 books so far. Whether or not you’ll like it is, as they say, in the eye of the beholder. But even if you’ve never read an Animal Man story before, Animal Man #1 gives a great intro to the character, hits the ground running, and hooks you with a lasting impression. If #1 is any indication, there are some great adventures ahead, and this is definitely a book in the DCnU to read.

Batman himself hasn’t changed much, and is in hot pursuit of the Joker. Batman says something to the effect that the Joker has been around for six years, suggesting Batman may have been active a little bit before Superman popped up in the DCnU. However many years the Dark Detective has been operating in Gotham City, he is still considered an outlaw by the police. In fact, it’s worth mentioning that in nearly every New 52 title, the heroes in each book don’t exactly have the best relationships with police or the public, even five years after Justice League #1. Despite Batman’s tense relation with the cops, James Gordon still has his back and the two discuss the case.

The rest of the comic has Joker craziness, a visit with Alfred in the Batcave, Harvey Bullock up front and center with the GCPD and a mysterious plot afoot with a new villain. It all adds up to some pretty great Batman. It’s a fantastic introductory issue as well, as it doesn’t rely heavily on recent Bat-events to tell its story or weigh it down. From the get go is the classic Batman Joker rivalry and their struggle plays out throughout the issue. I also really liked that the issue hit the ground running, with Batman after Joker in a hurry. As soon as you pick up the book, you’re in the story, and you don’t need to know a thing about Batman to enjoy it, making it another perfect entry level book for new or lapsed readers.

Tony S. Daniel is no stranger to doing double duties on Batman, and he’s doing a phenomenal job here. It’s very well written and the art is incredible too. Not only is the art high quality, it is consistent. Daniel captures the sprawling gothic landscape of Gotham City and its inhabitants well, with night scenes looking especially great. Batman, Joker and other characters all look really detailed and expertly rendered. There is a great use of shadows that add the overall dark feel of the comic, and the inks of Ryan Winn work well with Daniel’s pencils. The color by Tomeu Morey is also popping.

Whereas I didn’t really get the sense Bats’ costume had changed much in Justice League #1, it looks much more revised and body armor like here, which I like a lot. There are some other cool touches such as the fact that Alfred has hair! Yes, it’s just a widow’s peak, but still cool. James Gordon’s hair isn’t white either, which is consistent with his look in Batgirl #1. It seems the de-aging of the DCnU was across the board for everybody.

As I said at the outset of this reviewing process, I haven’t been able to justify buying any Bat-books lately, but I definitely want to see the outcome here as it could change the status quo for one character forever (though it probably won’t knowing comic books). It’s also one of the best Bat-books to come out of the first two weeks of September, so I think I plan to add this to my pull list. If you like Batman at all, are interested in seeing why the character is so cool, a Bat-addict, or you’re a lapsed fan like me, Detective Comics #1 is a fantastic first issue that cements why Batman is one of the best fictional characters of all time.