Wonder Woman/Conan #5 - A Review

The good news is that Diana's sisters on Themyscira have finally located just where in time and space their princess has become lost. The bad news is that their window of opportunity to save her is limited. Now, as a band of Amazons enter the world of Hyboria, Diana and Conan must struggle to survive a while longer as they plot just how two shall save many from a duo of blood-thirsty war goddesses.

There is little I can say about this issue that will not spoil it's rather shocking and historic conclusion. I can say that if you're a fan of Wonder Woman's supporting cast and miss the many Amazons that used to be a regular part of the series... or wished we had seen more of the Amazons in the Wonder Woman and Justice League movies, you would do well to check out this issue. Simone and Lopresti are knocking it out of the park and if there's any justice in this world they'll be brought on to handle Conan's adventures when he moves to Marvel Comics in 2019.

The Final Analysis: 10/10.

Injustice 2 #30 - A Review

The plan to free Diana from her prison on Paradise Island has hit a snag. Kara has been discovered by the new Wonder Woman and subjected to the Lariat of Truth. Thankfully - for Black Adam and Damian Wayne, at least - they are not alone in wishing to free the Amazon princess.


Those who enjoyed the Wonder Woman movie this past summer and wished to see more of The Amazons would do well to read this issue of Injustice 2. Tom Taylor runs through an all-star list of prominent Amazons and handles them all with his usual skill. This is particularly gratifying given that the Injustice version of Wonder Woman - who seems to be motivated by an unrequited love of Superman and little else - is far and away from the Diana most fans admire.

Sadly, Mike S. Miller's work this week isn't up to his usual standard. It is not that his artwork is bad but many of his character poses seem forced and awkward. There's also very little sense of continuity between panels, such as the above sequence where Diana is suddenly standing and in a defensive pose after having been sitting with her hands around her knees in the previous panel.

The Final Analysis: 6 out of 10. It's a solid story, but Miller's artwork is a little awkward this time around.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #23 - A Review

What remains of Superman's Regime storms Themyscira with one goal in mind - defeat the Greek Gods now laying siege to the world! They receive some unexpected help from Batman's Insurgency. But that will not help them against the nuclear missiles The United Nations have just launched!


Mike S. Miller is a fine artist but this is not his best issue. There are several points where the poses are awkward and the pencils seemed rushed. Still, there are some scenes we see what Miller is truly capable of and J. Nanjan's colors are fantastic throughout.


Brian Buccalleto remains on point with the script. This issue is largely one big action sequence but it proves to be a well-paced one. And the final page will leave you hungry for next week's issue.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #21 - A Review

As Zeus declares war on all other religions and the United Nations ponders extreme actions against Olympus, the political pundits ask one question - where has Superman gone? The answer lies on the planet of Apokolips.  For it is there that Superman finds the true architect of his recent troubles... Darkseid, the New God Tyrant!


Brian Buccellato's script for this issue is a thrilling one. There's a good sense of balance between all of the players and it's gratifying to see the world's response to recent events after so many extended fight scenes over the past few issues. My only quibble lies in some of the character responses. I find it hard to believe, for instance, that Hippolyta and Billy Batson - both captives on Apokolips - would be so quick to abandon Superman as they escape through a Motherbox portal.  Harley might, but definitely not a warrior like Hippolyta or an idealist like Billy.


I have similar issues with aspects of the artwork by Tom Derenick.  Derenick is a fine artist and the action scenes of this issue, where Superman fights Darkseid, are spectacular. Yet there are some little background details that bother me, such as Billy Batson not seeming at all bothered by the cold of the Himalayan mountains where he and his fellow escapes arrive on Earth, despite being in a t-shirt and shorts.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #19 - A Review

Condemned to the prison plane of Tartarus (more like Tartar-ASS, given the way it smells), things are looking bad for Billy Batson and Hippolyta. Luckily, they've got an expert in escaping from prison with them - the ever-lovin', blue-eyed Harley Quinn!  Unluckily, they're being closely watched by the architect of their imprisonment - Ares!


After several issues of doom and gloom, it's a real treat to see an issue centering upon something as silly as the idea of Harley Quinn escaping from Hell. And yet, despite the humor of the concept, Brian Buccellato does not belittle Harley's competence while mining the situation for its obvious comedic potential. Quinn is a stone-cold badass in this issue and holds her own alongside the queen of the freaking Amazons in a brawl to say nothing of being willing to throw down with the God of War himself!


Would that the artwork equaled the concept!  Xermanico's work on this issue is uncharacteristically sloppy and the issue's action sequences suffer for it. The colors by Rex Lokus, however, remain a high point of the series as does Wes Abbott's lettering.