Comic Book Moments of the Week for 06/29/11

 

What does a flying dinosaur, a jumping shark, homicidal toys that don't like Lynyrd Skynyrd, and zombie children have in common? That's right, they're probably all part of the next Neal Adams  Batman story, but more importantly they're in this super-sized 4th of July edition of Moments of the Week! Hit the jump and light a sparkler to find out what else went down this week, from Uncanny X-Men, Detective Comics, Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors and much, much more.

Amazing Spider-Man #664

Mr. Negative's dealings as the newest crime boss comes to light similar to Norman Osborn during The List. If only his name was Mr. Positive, this would just be water under the bridge. Branding, people, branding.

Batman: Arkham City #3

If only it could have been Matches Malone. Batman sneaks into Arkham City to find out what areas the Joker and the Penguin have made their own, but what this issue is really showcasing is the geography of the City before the videogame drops this fall, and very clearly highlights things like the Iceberg Lounge and Joker's Funhouse.

Detective Comics #878

Best Dick Grayson characterization of the last 2 years? Of course. No matter who is under the cowl, Batman plans ahead. And this Batman can even admit when he's been beat, he's a very humble bat.

James Gordon has some really creepy scenes this issue, and you get a definitive answer of his true actions on the final page of the issue, which I didn't want to post because it would ruin all the buildup Scott Snyder has done since issue #871. If you haven't read this book, you've never truly lived!

Batman Inc. #7

Man-of-Batscave, with it's own wooden nickel. Got to love Bruce's smile and dialogue in that second to last panel. Batman Inc. to show up on Groupon in anticipation of the Leviathan series in 2012?

If it's open season on bats, good thing Raven is a bird, huh? Man-of-Bats is also ok, ancient bulletproof shirts and whatnot.



FF #5

Alicia does her best to get Ben out of his funk since Johnny died, and it looks like the two are getting back together again. Looks like it's snugglin' time!

Flashpoint: Green Arrow Industries #1

So the premise in this world is that Ollie Queen is a big time womanizer with multiple kids, who reverse engineers villain technology to sell back to the military. After having some generals fly out to his private island facility, the generals along with Roy Harper are killed by terrorists. Ollie picks up the weapons to go after the last surviving terrorist. In this reality Ollie is kind of a mix between his pre-liberal self and a pre-Iron Man Tony Stark, and doesn't even know how to use a bow, it's all a part of the company image.

See why I mentioned the womanizing (eight kids by seven different women, to be exact)? Ollie and Vixen's own kid was leader of this attack. The reason for the attack: while GA Industries is now making stuff on the island, they used to have weapons factories all across the country. Super-villains would attack those towns to get their weapons back, wiping them out completely. This is "the moment" when Ollie becomes more connected to the actions of his company.

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #1

King Shark has really good grip, maybe this explosion is what turns him from a great white shark to a hammerhead with the relaunch in September. A jet to the head would probably do that to just about anyone.

Gotham City Sirens #24

Poison Ivy also gets slapped around by Catwoman this issue, she's just having a really bad day. This is one of those plot points that kind of feels like it's going to be reset come September, so you might as well draw some kind of closure before then.

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #11

While it is never clearly stated, Guy goes back to his Warrior days a bit this issue, beating up everyone without his power ring. There is no Chuck Norris in the DC Universe, only Guy Gardner.

Marvel Universe vs. Wolverine #1

The prequel to the excellent Marvel Universe vs. the Punisher miniseries, as Wolverine narrates the plague spreading. First X-Man to bite the dust is Psylocke, by a flying superhero. My guess is rage zombie Sentry or Ms. Marvel.

Just a really good standalone page by Laurence Campbell, with Maberry nailing the monologue.

By the end of the first issue, with the plague spreading across the country now, Wolverine's kill count includes Doctor Octopus and all the X-Men.

Super Dinosaur #3

Gray Dinosaurs can't jump.

A flying Tyrannosaur! Without an F-14 even! Who also plays Portal! What kind of world is this?



Venom #4

Spider-Man really acts like a Spider-jerk this issue, making it all the harder for Flash to save Betty, so he totally deserves getting hit head on with a bus (lovely last panel by Tony Moore).

Spider-Man gets to Betty in time, and in the process the symbiote gives control back to Flash because it doesn't want to lose him as a host. It's learning manners.

Demonic devil dolls dispatch devious fireballs in baby talk. Yet it works. Bravo, Rick Remender.


X-Men: Prelude to Schism #4

We'll see next month if this big event is what happened in Schism #1, and what causes Wolverine to end this loyalty to Cyclops and what he's done for mutantkind. Scott probably said no more smoking on Utopia, and that was the last straw.

Uncanny X-Men #539

Crimson Commando kidnaps Hope in order to get his powers back. Hope responds like John McClane. Wolverine, despite being grumpy around Hope, goes after her and saves her after getting burned for the 100,461st time.

Wolverine does have a point, he's set the record for killing the most Phoenixes on the team. He got a little trophy and everything.

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