JSA #18 - Rated 9 - Some of the members learn Gog's gifts aren;t all they are cracked up to be. Plus one of the JSA dies and is reborn as Magog! Good stuff!

Catwoman #82 - Rated 8 - Selina is trying to figure out what to do with her life while having Bats chase her. She comes to the conclusion that just like Bruce, she's Catwoman to the core. Thisis the final issue of the series. This series started off great and got somewhat generic once she had a kid, but over all a quality run.

Teen Titans #62 - Rated 6.5 - Marvin and Wendy find a new dog they dub Wonderdog. Miss Martian leaves to deal with some probelm (can we PLEASE get a core team for more than 2 issues). Later, while the Titans are training, Wonderdog turns into some huge beast dog and kills Marvin and Wendy! BOOOOO! Looks like Ares is behind it all.

Teen Titans Y1 #6 - Rated 6 - You read a Y1 title and ususally it's a telling of the first misssion or whatever. This has been more like an ongoing that got cut. This issue... didn;t serve a purpose aside from reassuring Robin he's a good leader. What about the stuff between WG and Speedy? I was disappointed with the conclusion.

Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge 2 of 3 - Rated Bada__

Johns is going to have to cover a lot of ground in the finale of this little mini, but this issue was not lacking in story. Zoom is training Inertia on behalf of Libra and all the Rogues are being manipulated on a scale they are clearly not aware of... all the while proving why they are really a fun group of bad guys to read about.

Trinity 13 Rated 8. - Man Trinity is finally hitting its stride. Loved this issue. Supes puts the smackdown on the CSA's trinity all by himself using Wonder Woman's warrior's edge and drive and Batman's calculation. Enigma, watching this freaks out. He tells Despero and La Fey to raly the troops and go after the Trinity. They question his disision since he told them to keep their hands of the antimater U, but agree to do it wanting answers. Enigma teleports away to his headquarters in the antimater universe without answering them, to a orbiting headquarders. The reating he receaves ther strongly conferms he's origonally from the antimater U. Meanwhilerest of the JLA easily take out Johny Quick and Power Ring while the Trinity question the CSA Trinity. Using Superwomans lasso, they fins out the whole thing was a trap. Sups then uses the trap on the captive the CSA, exiling them to an interdimentional void. Black Lightning then tells then that word of the CSA's fall has gotten out and anarky is breaking out all over the world.

In the backup, Oracle is sending groups out to keep the anti-Trinity's forces from getting their hands on the last item they need; something representing Wonder Woman's enemy. Hawkman and Gangbuster stake-out Maxwell Lord's grave, since Hawkman feels a strong pull there. The pulls corect and the bad guys show up their. Hawkman attacks, slicing the tattoed sun guy. Gangbuster then calls Oracle and she sends everyone there (JSA, Bat allies, Teen Titans and Outsiders) to stop them. Unfortunently, the sun guy starts to go nova.

All I have too say is Rogues Revenger is so good that its a shame its only 3 issues and is tied to this Final Crisis garbage.

They already killed Marvin and Wendy? Darn it. I thought Johns had come up with a really fun way to work them into continuity.

Reign in hell anyone?

Its Annhilation in HELL!!

Superman Beyond made me feel like I was playing Black Jack drunk off of Mojito's screaming "Hit Me! Hit Me! Hit Me! Hit Me! Hit Me! Hit Me!"

I think I'll read it a few more times.

That's awesome. But, they broke her when they made her have someone other than Bruce's kid.
They killed Marvin and Wendy! You .... actually, I think that's sorta funny.

Agreed. I never really understood why the Rogues were loved by so many fans until I saw them beat down the punks who tried to replace them.

Ambush Bug: Year None #2 - rated 8.5
"Beige is the new pink, people, so get ready to remodel those bathrooms once again! Teak and mahogany are yesterday's woods! Say hello to your new friend, knotty pine!"

People who complain about Final Crisis confusion should read this comic! When they get confused here, they won't care because everything is so funny! In addition to great home decor advice, this comic has the Amber Butane Corps, the many principles of Rama Kushna, the illegitimate love child of a certain speedster, Grundy in manga, cancan torture, Go-go chex's maulted surprise, Jann Jones tips for proactive editors, and the Comics Code Authority driven to drink.

Trinity #13 - rated 7.5
"The power of death is among the strongest served for mystic incantations...this is where they will strike."

A stellar CSA battle takes place in the main story that will be remembered for some time to come. Enigma loses his cool and takes a risk. We also get to see Ryan Choi and Ray Palmer. Hawkman continues to rock the backup story as he and Gangbuster continue their pursuit of the Dreambound. This time they bring in help, but will that just create a bigger body count when things go nova?

Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge #2 - rated 7
"These thugs think they can claim our weapons. But the weapon doesn't make the rogue."

Captain Cold and the Rogues meet their appointed replacements. They fail to get along. Trickster and Inertia get advice from their more experienced peers. We discover that even the Rogues are not immune to family concerns. Scott Kolins continues to be one of my favorite artists. One panel aims our vision down the barrel of Heat Wave's gun, and a goofy gadget like that has rarely seemed more terrifying,

Superman Beyond 3D #1 - rated 7
"...but you see, now that they know something can happen, they think anything can happen!"

I wasn't sure how to rate this comic. It is interesting,...but I have only an inkling about what is going on. People complaining about confusion in Final Crisis are going to blow a spark on this one, which makes that comic read like like Dr. Seuss. Mojitos, did you say Pax? I definitely need one now. The Monitor from Final Crisis takes Clark outside of time to join her team in order to save the cosmos. Ultraman and Captain Marvel are part of their team that travels through 4-D space in the Ultima Thule, chased by a destroyer 70 miles long, attempting to crash land through different realities. If that didn't whet your whistle, this comic also guest stars Merryman.

Reign in Hell #2 - rated 6.5
"Continue about your atrocities. Know that you are damned. Penance is obedience. All hope abandoned."

The war continues. A council of heroes discusses options. A few heroes decide that taking sides serve their interests. Detective Chimp has a t-shirt that brags about what he is not doing. Yellow Peri and Prince Ra-Man show up. This issue wasn't as great as the first, but the action is continuing to build, and nothing here makes me want to give up on the story.

I'm liking Reign is Hell, though I'm still disappointed they are chucking the previous mythology of Hell away. I'm also upset to see Bryne's idea to jettison Etrigan's rhyming seems to be sticking. Finally, I didn't buy some of the motivation for the "heroes" to sign on, the ones depicted are too smart to fall for a "Devil's bargain".

Other than that, I liked how they pulled in the three rookies (Fate, Ibis and Sargon) and had them come of as distinctly different characters. I also liked seeing Zatanna as the lead player in the prequisite "meeting of the mystics" these things always inspire.

Superman Beyond 3-D #1 - 8
Because Morrison himself is writing it (and Manhke is drawing it), I was always going to get this one, figuring it would be a bookend to Final Crisis. And in asmuch as it is, it's also extremely metatextual, as if you are a part of the story and it kind of explains the multiverse 'outside' of the multiverse. I'd give it a 9, but...the 3-D #### really takes away from it. I hate 3-D comic books.

JSA #18 - 8

Well, there you have it....the coming of Magog. Gog certainly seems to be who he says he is at this point, but even his good intentions seem misplaced in the world of today. Also, an update on Power Girl on Earth-2, and the Earth-2 debut of an Earth-0 hero....so to speak. Great characterization as usual.

Killing Marvin and Wendy? WTF? I mean, I'm no big fan of the characters, but what's up with the stupid emo, dark, let's-kill-off-characters-for-the-sake-of-killing-off-characters ####?

It's stuff like this that keeps me sticking to X-Men: First Class.

Superman 679 - ugh. Weird and clunky. Superman gets trounced (no surprise there), but Steel goes down in 1 panel with no dialog (why bother), Supergirl appears and disappears, Lana gets fired by her computer (she'll get fired from her next job by a hand-puppet shadow on the wall, methinks), oh, and you can shoot your employees after you fire them, if they don't leave in like 5 minutes. But Krypto's got it all covered. Like I said, weird and clunky...

This is gonna be a long one, because I loved the one issue so much.

Legion of Super-Heroes #45 - Rated 7
"Eww! Stop thinking what you're thinking! I wouldn't do that...! Never!"
So M'Rissey, the Legion's new Business Manager cleans up all their legal trouble and gets them diplomatic immunity in the process. But oh noes, a new planet has arrived in our solar system and is going to throw everything out of whack and cause it all to be destroyed. But Brainiac 5 can fix it with Light Lass and Star Boy. The field teams return, with a couple of them pretty well injured. Light Lass and Star Boy agree to help anyways. Lightning Lad wants Saturn Girl to help too, but she refuses outright because she hasn't slept for days and recently had a wall fall on her. At the healing centre, Colossal Boy notices Atom Girl is missing. He finds her taking out her anger on a punching bag. He tries to console her and help her feel better about the fight she lost, but comes across like a jerk instead. Lightning Lad meets the President. Ultra Boy shows Saturn Girl he can be psychic too. He knows she has low self esteem and she's upset about how Lightning Lad's been treating her since he became leader. And she can also tell what Ultra Boy thinks about her. The word "babe" is used. And the word "pervert." Brainiac 5 saves the solar system. Princess Projectra is let out of jail and is a real ##### about it. And Invisible Kid goes looking for Ultra Boy in the kitchen. His ring's there, but he's not. But there's noises and nudity in the pantry. Oh my.

DC Universe: Last Will & Testament - Rated 10!!! Comic of the week.
"I still have your sword."
Words can't begin to express how good this issue was. Mostly, it follows Geo-Force. His powers are at their height now. He's ready to fight Deathstroke. And it's the perfect time for it, because everyone thinks the world is going to end tomorrow (Final Crisis?). Even Superman. Diana and Donna bury some coins and Donna's wedding ring in an old Greek tradition. Something to dig up when the fight is over. Something to come back to. Black Lightning tries to talk Geo-Force out of fighting Deathstroke. Geo-Force has been planning it though. He wants to use Slade's family against him, like Slade constantly does to them. Like Slade did with Terra. In Gotham City, Starfire visits the Grayson's grave, waiting for Dick, but he doesn't show up. Elsewhere in Gotham, Dick joins Bruce and Tim as they prepare to leap from the rooftops and finally get to fly. It's Tim's favorite part. Elsewhere, on Challenger's Mountain, Rocky Davis has set up a sort of confessional for superheroes. Grace goes to him because she knows what people assume she'll spend her last night doing, and doesn't like that. He makes her realize she shouldn't care so much about what others assume. Then Brion, Geo-Force goes to him, trying to get someone to say his plan against Slade is okay. But it's not. It's murder. And heroes don't murder. In New York, Deathstroke is at the meeting place Brion invited him to. He knows who's coming for him. Brion attacks first. Slade dodges and fires a dart at Brion. It misses, but it was just a feint. Brion has 3 in his thigh. He loses his powers and begins to fall. Over 20 stories, into a dumpster in an alley. Brion chose the alley on purpose. It's where they slit Slade's son's throat. Where Slade actually lost a fight. Brion tries to play on that, charging Slade. And he gets a sword through each leg for it, pinning him to the dumpster. But Slade doesn't want to kill him. He's playing Brion like he played Terra, Brion's sister. He knows Brion's getting angrier. Short-tempered. Eventually, he'll lash out. Stirke the ones he loves. Strike his team-mates. The Outsiders. The Justice League. It'll be Slade's greatest victory. But Brion fights it. He pulls the sword from his one leg and swings at Deathstroke. And misses. And Deathstroke spits on him. So, with tears in his eyes, having failed miserably, Brion slits his own throat. Deathstroke runs to catch him, reminded of watching his son die in the same alley. This is his greatest victory and he won't let Brion die and take it away from him. But he got close. And Brion still has his sword, so he stabs Slade through the chest.
Brion wakes up hours later, in a hospital. Black Lightning's there. Neither of them died, but Brion did it. He beat Deathstroke.
And elsewhere in the DCU, Ollie wants to spend his last night with Lian, his granddaughter. He's been training her. Wally promises Linda he'll be okay. Barbara promises Jim she'll be okay. Wildcat promises Wildcat he'll be okay. Liberty Belle and Hourman shack up. And then Wally meets up with Hal.
"I know Clark says this's the end and all... but what do you think?"
"What're you talking about? This is the life, Wally. I'll see you tomorrow."