Absolutely did not see this coming... Mark Waid returns to The Flash!

So, Mark Waid is returning The Flash?

And they're killing the current series and picking up with the old numbering?

And Daniel Acuna will be drawing it?

Wow.

I for one totally did not see that one coming! Read all about it here!

Although I think things have improved since Guggenheim took over the book, this is probably a smart move on DC's part. This should get one of their flagship titles completely back on track with a writer generally beloved by fans of the character.

I've actually never read Waid's original run, but I was a huge fan of what Geoff Johns did on the book. I may have to pick up the Waid trades now.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #30 Ramblings

First off, goodbye to Mark Waid and Barry Kitson, who overall did a great job on this current iteration of the Legion. This is actually the first time I've read a Legion book, and it was a blast.

It's too bad Waid and Kitson didn't get to work this story uninterrupted, but I thought the fill-in teams did a spectacular job of keeping a continuity of voice/style. My only real problem is that this issue has, at times, a "rush to pack everything we wanted to do in" feel to it. They could have almost used one more issue to wrap things up. I think I'm going to go back and read the whole story in one go and see how it all holds together.

Alright now, kids, spoilers ahead...


The resolution of the Wanderers/Dominators storyline completely works for me. Sure, the phantom zone is being used as a bit of a Deus Ex Machina here, but I thought it was well-played. And you just know there's no way Cos would kill a whole race outright. Plus, it keeps Mon-El out there to be used in the future.

But what I really wanted to talk about was the end. I'm sorry, but if you aren't geeking out about the Knights Tempus, Galactic Defenders Of The 41st Century, then you don't really care about the DC Universe, do you? :-)

Just how great is that? Of course there's more future in the DCU than just the 31st century, and this opens things up to more continuity/timeline insanity, which I'm growing to just embrace as part of being a DC fan. Here's hoping someone runs with this concept somewhere (the new Booster Gold series might be a good place to start).

52 Skidoo: The 52 Exit Interviews

Newsarama's Matt Brady has put the capstone on DC's historic (and overall excellent) weekly thrill ride 52 with a comprehensive set of interviews with the key personnel. Each one is fun and pulls back the curtain just enough to let fans in on what it looked like behind the scenes. My personal favorite is the interview with Grant Morrison, but that's probably not a surprise to anyone that knows my reading habits.

If you haven't had a chance to check them all out yourself, here are links to the complete set of interviews:

• Geoff Johns
• Grant Morrison
• Greg Rucka
  
• Mark Waid
• Keith Giffen
• Dan Didio
  

Architecture & Morality

So, yeah, I've completely stopped reading the Spectre part of Tales Of The Unexpected. I've just kind of lost interest. However, how about those amazing Dr. 13 backup stories?!? This is some of the most fun comics I've read in quite some time. Who knew the master of 100 Bullets, Brian Azzarello, had such a gloriously twisted sense of humor. And Cliff Chiang might just be my new favorite artist (Anyone know what his next project is? Do tell!). I'm thrilled to hear they'll be collecting this. It deserves its own trade for sure.

Now, good readers, spoilers ahoy for issue 6...


The mystery of the Architects is revealed! Who are these mysterious fellows? Why it's a giant walking Mount Rushmore with, once their disguise is uncovered, the heads of (as far as I can tell) Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, and Greg Rucka. Actually, I'm a little unsure about the Geoff Johns part, but I'm almost positive about the others. And if Messrs. Morrison, Waid, and Rucka are there, the logical choice for the fourth head is Mr. Johns. The Architects are defeated in a most amusing away, but I'm sure they could be back. Or perhaps behind it all is the Didiosaur or the Levitzatron....be here next month to find out!

PS: Red Skies!

PPS: 11:52

DCU Sci-Fi Rundown

Isn't it a great time to be fan of science fiction in the DC Universe?

Why...yes!

Here's my rundown of some of the great sci-fi goodness we've seen in the DCU lately.

Green Lantern

Geoff Johns is bringing his A+ game to this book and he's clearly having a blast doing it. I love all the ideas he's throwing into this book and the GL mythos as a whole. Every issue and storyline just builds on the previous work in the same way that Johns' landmark run on The Flash did.

It also helps that Johns is paired with Ivan Reis, who is just a perfect fit for GL.

Plus, there's more great stuff to come with the Sinestro Corps on the horizon.

Green Lantern Corps

Complementing the main book is the Corps title. I've really enjoyed what Dave Gibbons is doing here, and the cast he's building is top-notch. However, my favorite moment on the book so far is the three issue "Corpse" story written by established inker/up-and-coming writer Keith Champagne (issues #7-#9). Any self-respecting GL fans owes it to themselves to read those three issues.

Ion

I'm absolutely surprised at how much this book is working for me. I'm your standard Hal Jordan fan, sure, but Ron Marz (who clearly is operating with a mandate from DC editorial) is really making this an interesting ride. Crazy cosmic madness with the multiverse and the monitors looming in the background. This one is another must for GL and DCU sci-fi fans.

Supergirl and The Legion of Super-Heroes

This is the first time I've ever read a monthly LSH title, and it has become one of my favorite books coming out at the moment. There's a huge, intriguing cast to explore and tons of downright fun concepts. Mark Waid has really hit on a great vibe with this book with the help of artist Barry Kitson (though with Kitson headed to Marvel, there's a rumored creative team change on the way).

At the moment the Legion is having a serious run-in with the Dominators, and there's even a link to 52 being hinted at. Get your Legion on!

Mystery In Space

Recommended to me by FBC's own Mike T., Jim Starlin's story of the new, improved Captain Comet penciled by the excellent Shane Davis has turned out to be a great ride. In a smart move, Starlin is using the classic space station setup to great effect. Plus it has a strange cult, clones, a talking dog sidekick, and the looming threat of current DC baddie du jour, Lady Styx. And, hey, the backup feature of The Weird has some interesting stuff as well (it certainly helps that the two stories are clearly on a collision course). Starlin's storytelling can feel a bit old-school at times, but this is still a most enjoyable read.

Omega Men

Wow, what can I say about this one? I freely admit to feeling a bit lost when I read this book, but it just has so much energy and style that I can't help but enjoy it. Looking back over it a bit today, I realize it's probably a book that will read better all in one sitting rather than month-to-month.

One of the things that's probably contributing to my own confusion is how writer Andersen Gabrych happily delves deeply into Omega Men lore without wasting any time spoon-feeding the reader. I have to admire him for that. It's nice to have a writer who assumes that I can figure out the history I don't know (what's Wikipedia for, after all?).

Finally, artist Henry Flint is in a class by himself. He's absolutely perfect for this book and completely unique. I hope we see more from him in the future.

Blue Beetle
You aren't reading this book? What's wrong with you? Quit whining about Ted Kord and see what a fun book Keith Giffen and John Rogers have crafted (Note: Rogers has recently taken over as the sole writer of the book without a blip). The series also has a new regular artist in Rafael Albuquerque who seems like a perfect fit so far

While it's not all sci-fi madness, there's been a good amount of cosmic strangeness lately. We've recently had appearances by the New Gods, and issue #12 kicks off a new storyline featuring the mysterious alien race, The Reach.

So, there it is, my not-as-quick-as-I-planned DCU sci-fi rundown. Phew! Look to the skies....or something.

The Brave And The Bold #1

It's the return of The Brave And The Bold, the original team-up book, and I loved it. Mark Waid has managed to pen an intriguing and fun story wherein it actually makes sense to have two of my favorite DC characters (that would be Batman and Hal Jordan) team up. It doesn't hurt that the book is drawn by one of my all-time favorite comics artists, George Pérez. Pérez still has some of the greatest layouts you'll ever see and although he's still using a lot of the same tricks that made him famous, it doesn't feel stale or too old-school.

Speaking of old-school, I have to admit that this comic managed to make me feel a bit like a kid again (I love when that happens). It may be cliché, but this book really reminded of some of those old DC books I'd randomly pick out of the back issue bin back when I first got into comics. It just had that fun vibe where you get to see what happens when these characters team up. What if Bruce Wayne took Hal Jordan to a high-end casino? And, hey, who would win the blackjack game? A little silly, sure, but it worked. I felt a little bit like I was getting to watch Mark Waid live out his own fanboy fantasy team-up, which I figure is a good thing.

All that said, I also made a mental note to myself to save these comics for my young nephew when he gets old enough for these stories. It just kind of felt like the perfect book for someone exploring the DCU for the first time. We'll see if I still feel that way after a few more issues.

The one thing I'm curious about here is how they'll tie this book into continuity. Waid has said that these won't be throwaway stories and that they'll impact the DCU in the same way that Superman/Batman did when Loeb was writing it. That certainly raises my interest level even more.

Can't wait for more of this one (let's just hope it can stay on schedule).