The Story: During the day, Bruce Wayne puts his fortune to good use, making strides to build up Gotham City and turn it into a respectable metropolitan area. By night, he dons the cowl of Batman and takes that fight to the streets. This time around, there’s a sadistic murderer on the loose who enjoys killing his victims slowly, one carefully placed stab at a time. Much to Bruce’s dismay, this case may end up hitting closer to home than he could have ever imagined.

The Verdict: It may have taken a few weeks to get it, but the amazing Bruce Wayne-starring Batman book we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived, and it’s not much of a surprise it comes courtesy of Scott Snyder. I’m honestly starting to think the guy has made a deal with the devil in regards to his writing skills, because the he has yet to write a comic that’s anything below above average. He picks up right where he left off with his amazing run on Detective Comics (and the mini-series Gates of Gotham) and delivers his first foray into the realm of Bruce Wayne with the same sort of grace and subtle panache we’ve come to expect. Unlike a lot of other writers, Snyder made his run with Dick Grayson as Batman in Detective Comics stand-out from when Bruce was under the mask; his stories actually conveyed the fact that someone else was playing the role of Batman. He does it again here, and it comes across feeling very different than the Grayson era, with Bruce focusing solely on the mission of cleaning up Gotham, whether he’s donning the suit or not. Basically, we get the Bruce Wayne we all know and love, but since Snyder has never written him before, it’s a real treat. Snyder shows how much he understands the nuances of all of these characters whereas other scribes write the suit and not the person underneath. We also get some great interaction between Bruce and his former and current roster of Robins, and the introduction of a new gadget: a contact lens that keeps Batman connected to the Batcave PC at all times. Pretty nifty, indeed.

While I was fairly confident about how well the book would be written, I was a little less so when it came to the art. I sort of fell of off the Greg Capullo bandwagon when he started drawing Spawn and basically perfectly mimicked Todd McFarlane’s style. I have no qualms with McFarlane’s artwork; I actually like it, as a matter of fact. It’s just I’d rather see him doing his own work than someone else emulating it. I knew Capullo had a voice all his own due to his work before Spawn, and thankfully he shows it off here. While there are still hints of McFarlane’s shadow looming, overall this stands on its own and perfectly embodies the tone of the book and the gritty streets of Gotham. In fact, this may be Mr. Capullo’s strongest work to date. His ability to sequentially tell the story from panel to panel really shines here, and as long as he can keep up with deadlines, his artwork should suit Snyder’s storytelling nicely for the foreseeable future.

The Outlook: As with anything with Scott Snyder’s name attached, things are looking very good. We finally have a top-notch series in the Batman family of books that has the man himself headlining, so all is finally right in the Bat-verse re-launch. And how was that final page for a cliffhanger? Great stuff!

The Story: The Gods of lore walk the Earth, and they have little use for humanity outside of using them for their own gain. A young woman named Zola finds herself in the crosshairs of the warring deities, and only one woman has the abilities to step in and defend her against them: Wonder Woman.

The Verdict: I’ve never really been a Wonder Woman fan; other than some memorable stories I read during John Byrne’s era, I’ve always been content to just get my Wonder Woman fix through other titles. Even some of my favorite scribes, such as Greg Rucka and Gail Simone, failed to rope me into solo Wonder Woman series. And while Brian Azzarello has yet to completely convince me that Diana is worth my time every month, he’s off to a pretty strong start. The odd thing is, Wonder Woman herself is barely in this issue; this is pretty much a fairy tale at this early stage, and that may very well be the reason I’m interested thus far. We haven’t been bogged down yet with Amazonian customs and God’s playing political grab-ass with one another. What we have here is the beginning of what should be a pretty epic mystery if all goes according to plan that involves Zeus mind-controlling socialites, killer centaurs out for blood and fallen messengers from Mount Olympus. If you dig Greek mythology, you’re going to enjoy this. Azzarello seems content at this point to explore those grand avenues rather than focus too heavily on Wonder Woman.

And that may be a sticking issue for hardcore Wonder Woman junkies, but like a lot of these first issues, I’m sure the character you love will be explored in depth before long. The newly introduced Zola, who seems to be central to the craziness that abounds, is basically the main character of the book, and considering she does look to be rather important, it’s a smart decision for Azzarello to focus the most time on her. Even newcomers are almost assuredly familiar with Wonder Woman, so establishing other characters early makes sense. For those that feel that Azz should only work with Eduardo Risso and Lee Bermejo, Cliff Chiang is here to change your mind. Azzarello is a pretty visual comic book writer, and Chiang is more than capable of handling the task presented to him, moving the story along from panel to panel with ease. Assisted by colorist Matthew Wilson, there’s a lot more detail here than you may grasp at first glance, but if you linger long enough, you’ll see just how nice the artistic side of this book is orchestrated.

The Outlook: Fairly strong. I don’t know if eventually I’ll be turned off, but the mythology vibe that’s going on here has me interested at this point. I’m also always interested in reading whatever Brian Azzarello has up his sleeve; in fact, I think this is his best work in the main DCU in the past few years. Even if you’re not a Wonder Woman fan, this is work a look.

The Story: Selina Kyle, otherwise known as Catwoman, is a popular lady, but not in a good way. Everyone that has fallen victim to her thieving ways are gunning for her, and her new house has just been blown to bits…and this is the second house in a row that’s gone up in flames. With everything lost, it’s time for Selina to make a big score. To do that, she has to go undercover at a Russian club full of mobsters and killers.

The Verdict: First off, I should get the good out of the way. This book is actually fairly decent. For the majority of the issue it’s well written and put together nicely. In fact, I’d say a lot of this is among Judd Winick’s best work in a single issue setting. We get in the mind of Selina and see how she lives on the razor’s edge, always ready for a thrill, but deep down inside she’s a fragile little girl with a dark past. Character-wise, this could be interesting for future storylines. I also like the addition of a grounded, normal best friend for Selina in the form of Lola, someone who knows she moonlights as Catwoman and also knows the best places for Selina to go about her craft. And then there’s Guillem March’s artwork, which is downright amazing. I’ve been a fan of the guy ever since I saw his work in a Poison Ivy one-shot, and he rocks it as usual in Catwoman. His style is very reminiscent of what is found in Spanish and French comics, and I think his talent gives a very distinct look to mainstream American superhero books.

But all of the goodwill I just threw out there is almost all lost thanks to the final few pages of the book. It’s hard to talk about without spoiling, but let’s just say we get our first encounter with Selina and Batman, and it’s pretty over the top. It comes off feeling forced as all hell, not to mention it’s kinky and very fetishistic. I for one totally understand the sex appeal of Catwoman, but I don’t see how DC thinks something like this is going to create new comic book fans. Isn’t this the sort of stuff that non-fans bring up as reasons why they don’t read comic books? And I could almost accept it all if it just didn’t come off like it was crowbarred in. In this new universe, we have zero back-story on these two character’s relationship with one another, so it all basically boils down to Catwoman looking like a slut and Batman looking like a lecherous player, with both of them enjoying role-play. Hopefully this can be explained gracefully in the next couple of issues, as basing it on this sole outing alone it’s incredibly awkward, and the first 15 pages of this book promised a lot more than what we ended up with.

The Outlook: I’m honestly at a loss on this one. The artwork is amazing and for the most part the issue is solid, but the ending has to be the most ridiculous I’ve come across in a comic in some time. What exactly is there to look forward to in the next issue? The cigarette after? I don’t see this doing a great job of converting those that have a preconceived notion towards comics, and sex can only carry you so far. Catwoman deserves better, and if Winick can explore what he set up in the first-half of the issue, then we may be fine. Otherwise, I’ll just dig out my old Brubaker and Pfeifer trades to remind myself why I like the character so much.

The Story: The Reach, an intergalactic race of aliens bent on dominating the universe, has unleashed a number of alien scarabs across the galaxy. Their purpose: to fuse with a user and create soldiers for the cause. In El Paso, TX, word is out that one of these scarabs is in town, and a number of villains want it for themselves. Meanwhile, high school student Jaime Reyes and his best friend Paco are on their way to their friend Brenda’s birthday party, and the battle for the scarab is about to fall into their laps. Jaime’s world is about to change forever.

The Verdict: Outside of the announcement of the “Dark” line of books for the DC re-launch, news of the return of the Jaime Reyes era Blue Beetle, in a new ongoing series no-less, was cause for most of my excitement. The 2006 series is, in my humble opinion, one of the best 3 or 4 books DC launched in the past 5 years, and I was sad to see it go. In preparation for this new series, I re-read the first 3 volumes of Giffen and Rogers’ series, and I must say this new incarnation from Tony Bedard and Ig Guara does it proud. This time around we actually explore Jaime’s introduction with the scarab and becoming the Blue Beetle a lot more deeply, and that helps keep things fresh for longtime fans. Interactions between Jaime, Paco and Brenda are just as great as they were before, and I think newcomers are going to find a lot to like in this trio of teenagers that have suddenly had superpowers, super-villains and intergalactic threats turn their world upside down. One small gripe I have is that almost nothing has changed from the previous series; outside of no sign of Peacemaker just yet, it already looks like Brenda’s aunt Tia, aka La Dama, is going to be the main hometown antagonist of Jaime, as she’s got goons on the lookout for the scarab before Jaime crosses its path. We also get a hint that the Green Lantern’s will eventually be involved at some point, just like with the previous series. I just hope this doesn’t retread familiar ground and Bedard can offer it all up in fresh ways.

One cool aspect found in this issue is a lot of B-level villains show up, most of which were thought lost in the new reboot. That’s one thing that I’ve thought has been lacking in many of the issues; either new villains or just the big heavy hitters that everyone knew would stick around have been used. DC has an amazing backlog of quirky lower-tier baddies, and it’s nice to see some of them show up here. We catch a glimpse of Warp, Phobia, Plasmus and Brutale, along with a couple more that are either new or redesigns of older characters I can’t place. Guara’s artwork is excellent, and suits the sci-fi, colorful tone of the book very well. I think longtime fans and new fans, even kids drawn in from Beetle’s involvement in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, will find a heck of a lot to like here.

The Outlook: As long as Bedard can manage to establish all of these characters without borrowing too liberally from the past, things are definitely looking up. Let’s hope this go around for ‘ol Blue is more successful than the last. His recent popularity stemming from The Brave and the Bold certainly can’t hurt matters.

The Story: Roy Harper, aka Arsenal, had the best of intentions going to Qurac to try and help the people overthrow an evil dictator. What he didn’t realize was the people were just as bad, and now he finds himself locked up and likely facing death. But he has a couple of friends: Jason Todd and Koriand’r, better known as The Red Hood and Starfire. Together they’re looked at as outlaws, but they do have the best of intentions. While kicking back on an island paradise, some news is delivered to Jason that will have him revisiting a part of his past he’d rather forget.

The Verdict: I was really excited about this book; I’m a huge Red Hood and Starfire fan, and after the debacle that was The Rise and Fall of Arsenal, I was looking forward to seeing his character reworked. I’m also a very big admirer of Kenneth Rocafort’s artwork. And while this issue isn’t particularly great and the main plot going forward is still a mystery, this serves as a good introduction to the three characters and really establishes their personalities well. I’ve always rooted for Jason, even though he was a “bad guy”, and I’m happy to see here Lobdell has made him a more well-rounded character that people should really dig. No more whining and crying about being left for dead; he’s ready to lead his trio of misfit “outsiders” without living in the past. Starfire may be a point of contention for some, coming off as more cold and sexually open than she has been before, but you don’t exactly want a sunny, bubbly girl on a team like this anyway. Lobdell explores her alien roots and misunderstanding of humanity more deeply than anything, which I find an interesting approach. While it all may feel a bit heavy-handed, I understand the problem of trying to introduce a character in one issue, and I feel confident she’ll grow in the coming months.

And now onto Rocafort’s art, which is fantastic. He draws amazingly well fleshed-out characters with tons of facial expressions and energy. I really like the idea of Red Hood’s mask now conveying emotion; a smart choice considering he’s the lead of the series. Only once did I notice an awkward shot where Red Hood’s legs looked cartoonishly wide, but otherwise this is a gorgeous book. Another thing that really impresses me about Rocafort as even with the strong focus on character art, his backgrounds are just as well done. The island scenes look incredibly lush, to the point where you’re gonna wish you could visit it. Throw in the eye-popping colors of Blond, and you have one of the prettiest books in the re-launch.

The Outlook: Unless Lobdell fails to define these character’s roles in the DCU as a whole (and of course if the main story that will kick in next issue isn’t interesting), this should prove to be a lot of fun. I already like it more than the last couple of Outsiders series.

The Story: Stuntman Boston Brand is dead; but not really, as his spirit still exists thanks to a mysterious god named Rama, who tells him due to the fashion in which he lived life (he was an asshole, for lack of a better term), he now must atone until he becomes the man he always should have been before he can find peace. To do this, he inhabits predetermined people to help them find peace as well. But with every new life he becomes a part of, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find what exactly his purpose in these peoples lives is.

The Verdict: Even though this isn’t a Deadman ongoing, the idea of a new 5-issue story-arc with Boston as the main character had me very interested. Throw in Paul Jenkins to write, and I know it’s likely going to be good. And it is good; very good, in fact. While Deadman veterans will find the set-up rather familiar, Jenkins infuses enough originality and mystical elements to make things interesting. Boston’s goal is different this go-around too, no longer looking for his murderer but living out other people’s painful lives to bring them balance. And this is where the book truly shines: in just 20 pages, Jenkins will have you feeling for this character greatly. When Boston inhabits these individuals, he doesn’t just know them from that point forward. No, he knows them completely, which means he experiences all of the baggage, pain and tragedy they've gone through from birth. And while that’s only supposed to stay with him until he moves onto his next assignment, these people’s lives are lingering with him. As much of a shit as he was while he was breathing, you can’t help but sympathize with what he’s going through. It almost seems like too much of a punishment. Imagine what you’d have to go through if you did something really bad during your time walking Earth.

Bernard Chang’s artwork is excellent, with great facial expressions that really compliment the tone Jenkins has set. The colors by Blond, in contrast, are a little at odds with everything else. While it’s hard to argue how great they look (seriously, your eyes will thank you for allowing them to drink it all in), they’re a little too bright and cheery for the vibe. That could very well be the intent however, and as I said, Blond’s colors are a treat any way you slice it. If I had my way and he had 20 heads and 40 arms, I’d have him color way more books every month. Oh, and for anyone wondering how this plays into Deadman’s role in Hawk and Dove, it doesn’t. This is an origin that obviously took place sometime previous to the current timeline.

The Outlook: For this initial focus on Deadman, things are looking great. Past that, who knows? Nothing has yet been announced about the second story-arc, who it will be about, and who the creative team will be, but it better be good, because this sets the bar high.

The Story: As a new, deadly threat looms in the galaxy, Sector 2814 Green Lantern’s Guy Gardener and John Stewart face something that may even be more frightening: trying to find a 9-to-5 job. The fact that they don’t hide the fact that they’re members of the Corps doesn’t exactly help matters, and before long they’re right back into the thick of things, investigating a planet that’s been completely wiped out of sentient beings.

The Verdict: I’m happy to have Tomasi back writing Green Lantern Corps, and he definitely delivers the goods in this initial installment. For new readers, this may very well be the most inviting of the Green Lantern line, as past events, outside of Hal being stripped of his ring, are pretty much shunned, and shockingly it works just fine. I’m very happy to see that John Stewart looks to be a main focus of this title going forward, as I felt he was woefully underused since the return of the Corps. I don’t know if Johns just didn’t connect with him or what, but it’s great to have him back. His scene on Earth, as well as Guy’s (wave that Baltimore sports team banner proud!), perfectly convey their personalities, and once they’re together they play nicely off of one another. Having these two pair up may prove to be the book's most impressive aspect.

One change that could be up for debate is Oa, which now more closely resembles this past summer’s film envisioning, with rocky outcrops and crystalline towers, over the emerald city that has been featured in the comics in recent years. I can’t say the redesign of a city affects me much, but your mileage may vary. The title doesn’t shy away from sci-fi butchery, with lots of pretty shocking gore, including bodies being bisected and impaled and entire colonies of beings falling dead. Artist Fernando Pasarin is more than up to the task of bringing it all to ghastly life, as he flexes his extraterrestrial drawing muscles in fine fashion. The guy knows his way around tentacles, bizarre anatomy and wildly twisted designs, and this may be among some of his finest work. I’m really looking forward to seeing his work on a monthly basis, and along with Tomasi’s above average record when it comes to the Corps, this title should have no issues with inferiority standing next to Johns’ juggernaut.

The Outlook: Very good. The only problem this book could run into is the same it’s occasionally had for years: not fleshing out the auxiliary Corps members enough for you to really care about them (at least five are introduced two pages before the end of the issue, which could leave newcomers feeling alienated). If it can avoid that more times than not, this intergalactic ship should be in for some smooth sailing.

The Story: Dick Grayson has resumed the mantle of Nightwing, more confident in his abilities than ever before. And while Nightwing may be heralded as a hero, without the suit Dick is in trouble. There’s a hired gun looking for him, but not for the usual reasons: he’s under the impression that Mr. Grayson is the deadliest killer on the streets of Gotham.

The Verdict: If you’re like me and had become accustomed to Dick as Batman and were finally happy with the growth and direction his character was taking (boy did he suck in the early 2000s), you can rest easy. The evolution of his personality is intact, as are his days as Batman. It all doesn’t exactly add up if you’re trying to fit it into the new universe: in 5-10 years Dick has gone from Robin to Nightwing to Batman (for a year while Bruce was away is the explanation given) and back to Nightwing again. Seems like a hell of a lot to do in such a short span of time, but I’ll take it anyway. My biggest fear for this book was we were going to go back to the Nightwing we had before Bruce’s “death”, and that was the last thing I wanted. Luckily we get a Dick Grayson who’s head is in a completely new place, confident in his skills, prepared to take whatever Gotham throws at him, and at home in his own skin. He even makes the comment, “it’s great to be me again”, and I think that sums up the approach of this entire book. Higgins really shows that he understands the leaps forward Grayson has made over the last couple of years.

Even though DC has said an attempt is going to be made to refrain from too many crossovers in the re-launch, a lot of what happens here plays in with what happens in Batman #1, but obviously from a completely different angle. It should prove for some very interesting storytelling. Eddy Barrows’ artwork is fairly strong, especially when laying out action panels. He’s definitely at his strongest showing off Dick’s aerodynamic abilities. While facially his range is a bit limited, there’s very little to complain about in the art department.

The Outlook: A good one. It’s not surprising that Higgins is taking a cue from Snyder’s Batman story-arc, considering their previous work together on Gates of Gotham. Let’s hope once he branches out completely on his own he can develop compelling stories from the ground up for Gotham’s #2 Dark Knight.

The Story: Charged by nuclear energy, Captain Atom can affect anything from big threats such as fire and flooding, to microscopic pieces of dust. The problem is, he’s still learning the range of his powers, and the strain on his body may be more detrimental than he realizes.

The Verdict: Well, this was sort of a surprise. I expected nothing out of this book (even with the incredible Stanley Lau cover) and got something pleasantly surprising. The first issue of Captain Atom isn’t without its faults, but what has been set into motion here could develop into one of those niche mainstream DC books that sadly doesn’t attract a ton of sales, but garners a rabid cult fan-base. And yes, I’m saying that about a book written by J.T. Krul. Finally DC has put him on a book that plays to his strengths; or maybe it’s just the fact that he’s not tinkering with a character that already has a well-defined personality that makes it work. I know there’s probably a handful of 1980s Captain Atom fans out there that think otherwise (hey, I dug the Wildstorm series!), but I think the majority of people coming into this would like to see Captain Atom given a new direction and focus, and Krul achieves just that. Unwieldy powers are always a great plot device, especially when the extent of those powers are yet unknown, and it should be fun learning about them as Cap does simultaneously. Krul actually does some internal exposition that’s rather graceful. No, I’m serious; give it a chance. You’ll actually feel like you know a lot of what makes up Atom’s personality by the end of the issue.

A lot of the book's personality and vibe comes courtesy of artist Freddie Williams II, who mixes his usual Tim Sale/Bart Sears heavily-inked style with a subtle approach taken when he draws Captain Atom. He’s hardly inked, with the shading reminiscent of colored pencil. It’s a great contrast and works amazing, and while it’s not quite as striking as what J.H. Williams III does in Batwoman, it certainly holds its own. What’s up with these numbered Williams’ boys and their mashed-up art sensibilities?

The Outlook: Common sense tells me this book probably won’t sell well, but content-wise it could be one of the more surprising entries in the “New 52”. As long as Krul doesn’t have Cap cradling a dead cat and getting strung out, that is (we’re never letting that go, dude!)

The Story: A reporter for the Gotham Gazette named Charlie Keen has been assigned to look into a rumored underground covert ops team that’s made up of female super-criminals, headed up by Black Canary and Starling. They aren’t actually criminals though, framed for a murder they weren’t involved in, but no one knows that, and they sort of like it that way; it instills fear in their opposition. Keen thinks it’s all an urban legend though, until the ladies fall right in his lap…in a church…with invisible henchmen trying to kill them.

The Verdict: I must admit I didn’t have much faith in this book. There were a lot of things working against it in my mind (even with the awesome Jesus Saiz providing the artwork), including holding it up to Gail Simone’s previous work, no Oracle providing intel or Huntress laying the smackdown, and Duane Swierczynski still being very hit-or-miss for me in the realm of comics. I love his novels unabashedly, but I always go into one of his comics with expectations in check. But wouldn’t you know it, this could be the start of something very cool. That’s not something I expected to say; I felt that way a bit about Suicide Squad, but for Birds of Prey I’m actually excited about what’s going to come next. Black Canary is already well written and picking up the pieces from before the reboot (although I could do without that costume; why does it look robotic?), Starling gets a very cool introduction, and Swierczynski weaves a non-linear tale that jumps back and forth from past to present, which is among his strongest abilities. He also writes some very nice banter here, a step up from the dialogue in some of his previous comic book work.

The main sticking point for some will likely be the same I had for Justice League; this comes off feeling like an introduction to an introduction, with only Canary, Starling, and the reporter making an appearance. No one else from the team is introduced (although we get to see a bit of interaction between Dinah and Barbara, which was a nice touch), so having Poison Ivy and Katana on the cover is sort of a bait-and-switch. Unlike Justice League however, this actually has some story and isn’t a 20+ page chase scene. Jesus Saiz just keeps getting better and better at that artist's desk, with this issue featuring some of the best work I’ve seen from him yet. Great action sequences, moody street-level atmosphere and emotive facial work. My only gripe would be it’s a little sparse in the background area, but the action-heavy tone of this inaugural issue makes it only a small discrepancy.

The Outlook: I for one am definitely excited to see where this is going. Love the dialogue and story structure Swierczynski shows here, and I can’t wait to see the entire team together and taking it to the streets. Time will tell if that level of enthusiasm can be maintained.

The Story: Following the worst disaster in their history and a thinning of the ranks, the Legion of Super-Heroes are in a rebuilding process, busy preparing many members of the Legion Academy for emergency assignment to the main team. Of course galactic threats never rest, and already a crew of newbies finds themselves in a jam when investigating a disturbance on the edge of Dominator space.

The Verdict: Attention new readers: do everything you can to read the previous volume of this series as well as Adventure Comics volume 3 (which includes issues 516-529; another case of a company reverting back to old numbering). It would seriously help in your understanding of this book. Legion of Super-Heroes is even less rebooted than Green Lantern, and while this is actually a halfway decent entry point, I’m fairly certain anyone that ends up liking it are going to want to go back and see what these characters have been through over the past two years. Unlike Legion Lost, which chose to just thrust possible newcomers straight into the middle of things, Levitz chooses to keep the intro text boxes around, which gives information on every major Legionnaire, and that’s indeed an inviting mechanism for the uninitiated. The problem lies in just how much from the past is referenced; Mon-El talks about his time with a Green Lantern ring, Colossal Boy mentions bad things that happened to his wife (he’s referring to the events of Legion Lost, but if you’ve never read any Legion books before, you wouldn’t know his wife is Chameleon Girl), and basically the Legion being in such disarray is a direct result of what happened before Flashpoint. While I do think some new readers will be able to enjoy this by itself (and I'm perfectly fine with it as I loved the last run), going back and reading what went down in the past few years can only enrich the experience for new fans.

The main problem with the Legion, something that isn’t just confined to this new series, is that with such a sprawling cast of characters, it’s damn hard to attract new readers. If you want to fully understand this universe, you have to devote a bit of time to research and familiarizing yourself with everyone before it starts to click. Once it does, it’s certainly rewarding, but I fear a lot of people aren't going to bother with so many other more accessible books to choose from. Long-time readers should be fine, but the issue does cater a bit more to establishing things for the new guy rather than set much up in the way of future storytelling. I’m sure Levitz will be delivering the goods in the next month or so though, and I envy him for having to attempt to clue in those with no previous knowledge. This is probably the best it could have come out. Francis Portela’s artwork is pretty great, and he manages to make every character look unique, a real testament to his talents.

The Outlook: Sadly I don’t think this is going to go a long way in bringing new Legion readers into the fold, but if you were along for the ride before Flashpoint, you’ll feel right at home. While this isn’t the most exciting issue, I think all of us Legionnaires know Levitz won’t let us down.

The Story: Another Kryptonian has crash-landed on Earth, and this one isn’t quite as friendly as the last. Enter Kara Zor-El, soon to be known as Supergirl. The last thing she remembers is being back home on Krypton. Now, she’s on an alien world with no idea how she got there, wearing a suit that she hasn’t earned yet, and being chased by guys in mechs. Not to mention the sun that’s about to rise, which will turn her entire life upside down.

The Verdict: This DC reboot has done wonders for my view on the Superman family of titles. Before, I only cared about Superman and related characters when they were on a team or when I read the occasional trade. I never followed any of the monthly books. Now, for the third week in a row, I’m interested in a solo Superman title. This time it’s Supergirl, and like Superboy last week, this starts right at the beginning, so new readers should feel extremely comfortable. Kara doesn’t even speak any Earth language yet, only Kryptonian. I love a good stranger in a strange land story, and this could very well be shaping up to be a good one. While the ending is a bit predictable, I can’t wait to see Kara’s attempts at acclimating herself to this new world she’s stumbled onto.

I haven’t read very much at all from writers Michael Green and Mike Johnson, but this has me curious to go back and find some of their previous comic book work. This issue contains what may be the coolest, most brilliant flourish in any of the books thus far. After the sun comes up and Kara’s powers begin to assault her, her super-hearing flares up. Unable to control it yet, she hears all sorts of things from around the world, including lines of dialogue from previous and upcoming books in the re-launch. The sense of cohesion amongst the creative teams that this shows, and the feeling you get that you’re reading books all taking place in one big self-contained universe is just flat-out great planning all around. Mahmud Asrar provides the artwork, and his character work is pretty strong. The main issue here is that likely due to time constraints, Dan Green is inking much of the book, and that doesn’t compliment Asrar’s pencils as nicely as when he does his own inks. Compare the second half of this book to the first (or to his work on Image’s Dynamo 5), and you’ll see what I mean. Backgrounds were a little sparse, but this is taking place off the beaten path of civilization. Hopefully things get a little spicier in future issues.

The Outlook: As long as the book can find its own identity, and not rely too heavily on Superman appearances (once you read this you’ll see why that’s already a concern), this could be a strong entry into the “New 52” line of titles.

Continue to week five reviews!