Batman: The Dark Knight #1
“Knight Terrors”
Writers: Paul Jenkins & David Finch
Pencils: Finch
Inks: Richard Friend
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Sal Cipirano
Cover artists: Finch & Friend
Editor: Mike Marts
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99 US

I figured when it came time for me to write this New 52 review, I’d be able to refer to my review of the same comic book (at least in name and number) from several months ago. Yes, this is the second Batman: The Dark Knight #1 released by DC Comics this year, both meant as vehicles to spotlight artist David Finch. But this comic book doesn’t suffer only from the fact that it’s a mirror image of itself — it also reflects two other solo Batman comics to be released by DC as part of its New 52 line. The plot is clearly meant to jibe with Scott Snyder’s script from Batman #1, and it unintentionally offers almost identical scenes as Tony S. Daniel’s Detective Comics #1. Whether one enjoyed those comics or not, it begs the question: what do we (or DC Comics, for that matter) need Batman: The Dark Knight #1 for? All that’s left is Finch’s artwork, and while it’s appropriately dark and intense, it borrows heavily from other influences and offers a ridiculous gratuitous vision of a young woman with apparently no qualms about the potential for public (and pubic) exposure.

Green Lantern: New Guardians #1
“Green Lantern: New Guardians, Part One”
Writer: Tony Bedard
Pencils: Tyler Kirkham
Inks: Batt
Colors: Nei Ruffino
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Cover artists: Kirkham & Batt
Editor: Pat McCallum
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99 US

As I’ve noted in many reviews before, I’m a big fan of the Lantern Corps of Many Colors concept writer Geoff Johns brought to the Green Lantern titles in recent years, and of the four Green Lantern-related titles launched as a part of DC’s New 52, this is the one that capitalizes on the notion more than the others. That being said, it’s also weighed down by recent GL continuity more than those other titles as well (or just as much as Red Lanterns). That makes writer Tony Bedard’s choices in the opening flashback all the more puzzling. Ultimately, he’s trying to set the stage with this first issue, but as a result, one really doesn’t get a sense of what the story’s meant to be about. Obviously, the title and the cover image suggest the book will be about a team of Lanterns from each facet of the spectrum, but there’s no explanation of why they’ll remain a team or be dubbed the “New Guardians.” The art is capable and clear, but it’s a bit too extreme at times. Furthermore, it shows where DC is at in terms of creative influences and what it wants its super-hero books to look like overall.

Voodoo #1
“Keeping Secrets”
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist/Cover artist: Sami Basri
Colors: Jessica Kholinne
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Editor: Brian Cunningham
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99 US

Months ago, in a pitch meeting at DC Comics that I made up as gimmick to start this review… “So in the first issue, our heroine is a stripper… Yeah, a stripper. She peels off her clothes for money and does the whole ‘private dance’ thing in the back room, which could mean she’s willing to prostitute herself completely. It’s up to the reader’s imagination… What? Oh, she strips cuz she needs the money. OK, so she’s a stripper, but she keeps to herself. But little does she know does she know that government agents are watching… Yes, in the strip club. In fact, one of them gets off on seeing her strip and even pays for a private dance. He’s a real sleaze bag, which makes it OK when the heroine slices him up… Um, no, she doesn’t do anything particularly heroic in the first issue, but she kills a guy who’s all skeevy. Y’see, he went to a strip club and watched a woman strip, so he deserves to die! Get it? … I’ll tell you who’ll want to read it: 14-year-old boys with strong parental controls on their computers, that’s who.”