DC Comics New 52: The Top 11 (11-1)

New 52 November goes into the final countdown! Be sure to check out: The Bottom 11, The Low 10, The Middle 10, and The High 10 in that order.

The Top 11 are my favorites!

11. Demon Knights Vol. 1 Seven Against the Dark (2012) By: Paul Cornell and Diogenes Neves
A group of unlikely heroes team up to protect a small village and defy a great power. Etrigan, the demon, is bonded to Jason Blood by Merlin and the two struggle for control. Madame Xandu acts as a lover to both Etrigan and Jason and guides them. Vandal Savage is an immortal who is a traveler before joining the fight. The Shining Knight is an androgynous warrior from Camelot. The Horsewoman is a mysterious traveler. Al Jabr is a master tactician and mathematician. Exoristos is an amazon warrior.

The first volume of the sword and sorcery adventure is quite entertaining. It has a slow build that allows most of the characters to be introduced and given their own flavor without rushing. This has the same basic story as Seven Samurai with seven reluctant warriors teaming up to defend a village. This also reminded me of the first session of an awesome DnD campaign (yeah, I'm a geek, I know). This starts a brand new story, so new readers can start here. This serves as a start to a much more epic tale. Something that I think that fits the high fantasy genre this comic is going for. I'd recommend this to lovers of fantasy.
7.5/10

10. Batwing Vol. 1 The Lost Kingdom (2012)
By: Judd Winick and Ben Oliver
Wayne Enterprises is funding a Batman in every corner of the world. David Zavimbe, an African police officer, is selected as Batwing, the Batman of Africa. When someone begins to kill off Africa's legendary superheroes, Batwing must discover the culprit and stop him before Afirca's heroes die.

This was one of my biggest surprises in making this list. This springs out of a prior storyline in the DCU, but it doesn't feel like it. David is a unique character with his own supporting cast. He struggles with his secret identity and dealing with crime in one of the most corrupt places on earth. You see his backstory and come to understand why he was chosen. The African superheroes are also well portrayed. They all have cool superpowers and understandable motives. Massacre is a fantastic villain and he provides a worthy threat for Batwing's first volume. He's a brutal foe for a brutal land. Batman fans should definitely check out this spin off. Unfortunately the arc doesn't end until the next volume. Check out this different spin on Batman.
7.5/10

9. Batman and Robin Vol. 1 Born to Kill (2012)
By: Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
Batman is adapting to having his son, Damian, as Robin. Complicating the matter is that Damien was raised by his mother Talia Al'Ghul and the League of Assassins. When a villain called NoBody begins targeting the Batmen of the world, Batman and Robin respond. But, when NoBody targets Robin, Robin must choose between being a hero or a villain.

This comic does what it needs to get new readers up to speed on the modern world of Batman. We are given the rundown on Damian's past and Batman Incorporated before the plot really gets going. We also see Damian's struggles to conform to his father's code as he takes out his frustrations on criminals and animals. It can be disturbing at times, but it is well worth it in the end. I've heard this volume covers eom groud that prior comics have already done, but this is necessary stuff for new reader. NoBody is an interesting villain, but I think he'll be quickly forgotten. Hopefully future arcs will contain some classic villains or create one of its won. Batman and Robin is not the best bat-book, but it certainly deserves a place in the top ten.
8/10

8. All-Star Western Vol. 1 Guns and Gotham (2012) By: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Jonah Hex is a frontier bounty hunter who has come to the big city. Gotham City. Amadeus Arkham, future founder of Arkham Asylum, contacts him about tracking down a serial killer. The pair then set out to uncover the person behind the murders. There a also some other western themed short stories.

This is an excellent Western themed mystery that has several interesting tie-ins to the Batman universe. They explore both the elite and the underworld of Gotham. Jonah Hex does a great deal to redeem himself from the terrible movie adaption. He is a kick ass, no-nonsense, hard edged lawman who doesn't let things lie. Amadeus Arkham works well as the more Holmesian and analytical sidekick, even if he can be a bit timid sometimes. The stories occasionally slip into cliches, but for the must part provide excellent wild west entertainment. THe backup stories are alright, but provide characters I hope to see in the future. This series begins a new story and should be a must get for Western fans.
8/10

7. Batwoman Vol. 1 Hydrology (2012) By: J.H. Williams III, W. Hayden Blackman and Amy Reeder
Kate Kane is an heiress and former military officer. She is also the Batwoman. Now she must deal with her cousin wanting to become her sidekick, her father's machinations, and a mysterious power stealing babies.

Much like the Flash, this series pushes the level of art in comics. The panel work and storyboarding are incredible and once again push this higher than it may have otherwise gotten. Not the the story is bad, but it is a pretty strange story and involves the supernatural. Now, I normally don't like that in my Bat-books, but Batwoman is much farther removed from Bruce Wayne than say Red Hood. Batman is in this, but acts in more of a guidance role. This isn't exactly a reboot, but it gives all the information needed for new readers to understand Batwoman's side of Gotham. This title also features the only lead homosexual character in the New 52, since Kate is a lesbian. So, check this awesome volume of one of DC's leading ladies.
8/10

6. Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Vol. 1 War of the Monsters (2012) By: Jeff Lemire and J.G. Jones
Frankenstein is a poetic beast who's been a soldier for a great many years. His wife is a six armed femme fatale who keeps Frank at arms' length. Velcoro, a were-bat vampire, and Griffith, a werewolf, act as comedic soldiers. Kharis is a mute mummy with incredible mystical power. Dr. Nina Mazursky is a merwoman and the group's scientific advisor. Father Time is an old soul in the body of a young girl who runs S.H.A.D.E. Together they combat strange threats throughout the world. In this volume they face a town overrun by monsters, O.M.A.C., and the original Creature Commandos.

This is a fun action adventure series featuring a band of super powered heroes based on classic Universal monsters. It certainly owes a debt to Hellboy, but the similarities stop at premise. All the action is nicely offset by humor. This series is enjoyable with lots of over the top action and interesting characters. They only really delve into Dr. Nina Mazursky, but I have high hopes for the continuing series. The next arc hints at more development for Frankenstein and his estranged wife. Unfortunately, the series is set to end at issue sixteen which is a shame. This series is pretty much all action and may not be some people's style. However; I'd recommend it to anyone who likes action or comedy or horror motifs.
8/10

5. Batman Vol. 1 The Court of Owls (2012)
By: Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
Batman knows Gotham City. He has been raised in the city. He has protected it from multiple threats. But he's missed something. Someone has been controlling the city his whole life.

This one has come out on top of many other New 52 lists, but it didn't make it quite as far in mine. While I enjoyed this start to the Court of Owls arc, I wasn't completely blown away by it. It has great art and an interesting premise, but I've read it all the way to its conclusion and that is a bit weak. Batman is made younger in the reboot and most of his old timeline is compressed. However; fans of The Dark Knight trilogy should have no problem navigating this tale. I think the biggest problem I had was that Batman has shows some weaknesses of character that don't really mesh with my idea of the dark knight. Conversely, it does have a good amount of mystery and detective work. The Talons are an awesome new set of enemies. If you're going to read one Batman volume in the New 52, this should be it.
8.5/10

4. Wonder Woman Vol. 1 Blood (2012)
By: Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang
The Iliad with Wonder Woman is about the shortest summary I can give this book. Wonder Woman must protect a woman impregnated by Zeus who is caught in the middle of a battle for the throne of Olympus. 

I'm sure you can tell by the name of the blog that I have read my fair share of Greek mythology. This Wonder Woman story blends new sensibilities with old world myth. It is Epic stuff, but the one thing that dissatisfied me about the whole thing was issue 3, Clay, which revealed Wonder Woman's boring new origin story. I understand the revision in the context of the story: to connect her more with the gods and create a new 'family' for her. I still dislike it. The rest of it is grand storytelling on an epic scale. This volume is a fresh look on Wonder Woman and is a great introduction for new readers. It is an ongoing story, so it isn't concluded in this volume or the next, but don't let that stop you. I recommend it to fans of legendary epics and fans of Xena Warrior Princess.
8.5/10

3. Aquaman Vol. 1 The Trench (2012)
By: Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado
Aquaman and Mera, his wife, are trying to get back to a normal life. That doesn't prevent him from fighting crime, unfortunately the citizens and police think of him as a joke. But, when strange ocean creatures start snacking on locals, it's up to Aquaman and Mera to stop them.

Color me surprised. Aquaman was engaging, funny and clever. All this was managed without a real villain. We got to see the human side of Aquaman and his desire to protect humanity. Mera, however, is the more interesting character. She is fiery and doesn't understand Aquaman's mild temper. Mera even got her own issue which made me like her character even more. I must commend Geoff Johns for using our expectations to enhance the story. The jokes and Aquaman's response make the story hilarious.  It is helped by brilliant art and a properly inserted backstory. I did not expect to like this comic as much as I did, but I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys comics.
9/10

2. Swamp Thing Vol. 1 Raise Them Bones (2012)
By: Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette
Alec Holland is a botanist who could be Swamp Thing. Unfortunately, he doesn't want to become the monstrous creature. The Green, force for all plant life on earth, is under attack by the force of death and corruption, the Rot. Assisted by Abigail Arcane who fights against the taint of her family, Alec must come to terms with himself and stop the agents of the Rot.

Swamp Thing is sort of a Romeo and Juliet tale with crazy zombies and hulking undead monstrosities. We are given a good introduction to Swamp Thing that gets us up to speed on what has happened. They leave out anything that overcomplicates the plot, so much so that new readers can easily jump in here. This is far more than just another zombie tale. The family dynamic allows for the Arcanes to become so much more than another group of villains. The  Also, like Flash and Batwoman, this has gorgeous art and unique paneling. This series also links up with my number one choice. I recommend reading them both, though they don't intersect for quite awhile. This is not a complete tale, but it does set the stage for a war. This unique blend of hero and horror is one I think anyone can get into.
9/10

1. Animal Man Vol. 1 The Hunt (2012)
By: Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman
This volume starts off with a magazine article that tells us about Buddy Baker: family man, animal rights activist, vegan, actor, and superhero. He has the ability to take on the ability of any animal through the Life Web. After stopping a hostage situation he begins bleeding from the eyes. What is happening with his abilities? And what will happen when his family gets drawn into the action.

The first New 52 comic I read is still my favorite. I'd read some great reviews of the first issue and the praise didn't stop coming, so I picked it up. My summary contains about half the first issue because the cliffhanger at the end of issue one is something that should not be spoiled. Unlike most of the other superheroes, Animal Man gets to keep his family and this is definitely to this series' benefit. His family drives the stakes as the Rot threatens the keepers of Animal Man's Life Web, the Red. We also get much more delightful envoys than those of the Green from Swamp Thing. Socks the cat provides humor amidst the horror. I liked the art, but it has gotten mixed reviews from others. I feel it enhances the bizarre and often horrific tone of the story, but the ordinary scenes are also imbued with this strangeness. I see this as the bizarre touching even the normal world as it soon does, however some dislike it. This volume sets the stage for the Red's war against the Rot and connects to a much longer ongoing story. If you're interested in comics, check this one out.
9.5/10

I plan to keep up with some of these series and hopefully check back in with major crossovers and when the New 52 Second Wave gets released in Graphic novel form. Marvel has also done its own relaunch with the terribly named Marvel Now and I hope to do a countdown of those for next year. Until, next time. Happy Reading!

DC Comics New 52: The High 10 (21-12)

New 52 November is almost over! I hope everyone in the U.S. had a Happy Thanksgiving! Be sure to see the first three lists before continuing: The Middle 10, The Low 10 and The Bottom 11.

The High 10 are comics that I enjoyed and above number twenty I feel comfortable recommending to anyone.

21. Catwoman Vol. 1 The Game (2012)
By: Judd Winnick and Guillem March
Selina Kyle is a master theif living a life of luxury and danger. Unfortunately, she's stolen from the wrong people and ends up getting in over her head. She faces the criminals Bone and Reach while being tailed by some of Gotham's finest (and not so finest).

This is another comic that really shouldn't be as high up as it is. The first and last issues in this are pretty bad, but the middle I actually found quite good. Catwoman has be revamped and seems much newer to the game. She still has a relationship with Batman, but sadly it is one of the weakest points of the volume. When we actually get into the consequences of Selina's thievery during issues two and three, I found it much more compelling. The issues following were alright, but the concluding cliffhanger was even weaker than the first issue. Also you may have noticed the large amount of cheesecake on the cover, that is the standard in this title. The art is good, but there is quite a lot of it that cannot be excused. This book is an uneven introduction to the world of Catwoman and might be good for those who like more adult heist stories.
6.5/10

20. Suicide Squad Vol. 1 Kicked in the Teeth (2012) By: Adam Glass and Frederico Dallocchio
The government assembles a team of super villains to do high risk black ops missions. In order to keep them in line they are each implanted with bombs that will blow if they get out of line. Can the team actually work together to vomplete their missions or are they really just committing suicide?

I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The 'one member dies every issue' schtick got a little old, but I think they're going to ease up on that. Plus I don't think many of them actually died. With the exception of issue two (zombie mission *roll eyes*), I enjoyed their missions. The gore was a bit excessive sometimes, but this is an adult book about super-villains turned government assassins. I was surprised at how involved I got in the members who lasted more than an issue. Deadshot turns out to be and intelligent and capable if ruthless leader. El Diablo manages to have a nice anti-hero vibe to him as does Black Spider. King Shark works as a crazy monster and sometimes comic relief. Harley Quinn is actually in good form despite some unnecessary changes to her backstory. As for the others, I'd like to see Voltaic back because he seemed interesting. Light seemed a puzzling choice, but I like where they could go with her. Amanda Waller is pretty forgettable as standard hard edged government agent, but I think its a role that needed to be filled. I'd recommend this to fans of super villain teams and quirky assassination squads.
6.5/10

19. Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1 Fearsome (2012)
By: Peter J. Tomasi and various illustrators
This is another one that isn't really a first volume, but gives you enough about the characters that it can be a gateway into the Green Lantern Universe. Guy Gardner and John Stewart must face a group of resource stealing assassins that the Guardians claim to know nothing about. These villains destroy a whole world easily and use powerful willpower based weapons.

At the start this is a typical Corps story, but at the end there are some very nice touches that make it more complex. This is definitely worth a read and might be the best intro of all the New 52 books to the Green Lantern series. I really enjoyed the focus on how John and Guy's real lives have been affected by the Lantern Corps. This allows readers a look at the characters without needing to read all the continuity up to this. To anyone familiar with the DCU: It is weird seeing Guy and John not recognize the Martian Manhunter after the Blackest Night event, but yeah weird semi-reboot. This is definitely one to check out if you like the Green Lantern.
7/10

18. I, Vampire Vol. 1 Tainted Love (2012)
By: Joshua Hale Fialkov and Jenny Frison
Andrew Stanton was sired long ago by Mary and they shared a passionate undead love. Unfortunately the two became divided when she sought to lead vampires to their 'proper' place of dominance. Now Andrew must assemble allies and go to war against his former love.

I actually read the first two issues and gave up awhile ago, so I was pleasantly surprised that the whole volume is actually pretty good. The first two issues get a little 'emo vamipre-ish' for my taste, but the third issue gets better with he introduction of the supporting cast. The fourth issue is by far the best of the lot. Constantine's cameo is a welcome influx of humor to a rather serious book. I have mixed feelings about the last two issues. Does EVERY New 52 book have to have a Batman cameo in volume one... I think I'll do a count at the end. Anyway, Batman brings some interesting ideas, but I'd rather have some more character development of the core cast. Plus his role as a justice straw man is pretty ridiculous and more than a little eye-rolling. Overall this falls into a solid, but not my style vein of comic book. New readers can easily get into this and it is not at all in the Twilight vein of vampirism. I recommend this to fans of vampire fiction.
7/10

17. Captain Atom Vol. 1 Evolution (2012)
By: J.T. Krul and Stanley Artgem Lau
Captain Atom used to be an air force pilot before an experiment transformed him into a demigod. Now he struggles with his power over the very forces of creation itself. Unfortunately, he is not the only one they performed the test on and he must face the another creature like himself.

This version of Captain Atom is heavily influenced by Dr. Manhattan of the Watchmen who is based off the classic Captain Atom. Not that you need to know anything about that to follow the story, but it is an interesting loop. There is a simple elegance to this story that is also present in many of the best Superman stories. It focuses on about five characters and has nice arcs for all of them in one volume. Its problem is that it is not the most original fare, but it does ask some interesting question without leaving you feeling too ponderous. However, the cliffhanger at the end is annoying and I really wish it hadn't been added. This is a nice reboot to the character as well as a solid single volume that anyone can pick up and read.
7/10

16. Birds of Prey Vol. 1 Trouble in Mind (2012)
By: Duane Swiercynzski and various illustrators
Dinah Lance aka Black Canary and Ev Crawford aka Starling are vigilantes who uncover a strange conspiracy, lead by new criminal called Choke, involing brainwashed sleeper agents. In order to stop this threat they ally themselves with the possibly insane Katana, the villainous Poison Ivy and the newly active Batgirl.

Mind control plots are tricky to handle, but Birds of Prey manages to do it with a fair amount of success. We get a decent enough introduction to the characters, most of whom I had little prior knowledge of. I think Katana stuck out the most for me due to the awesome amount of comedy she brought to the table. Black Canary makes an interesting enough leader, but I felt they could have expanded a bit more on why she was wanted for murder. Starling was alright and stood out enough as second in command. Poison Ivy had the least reason to join the team, but it seemed like she had enough to gain by helping them. Batgirl's involvement seemed the most arbitrary and a bit distracting. The villain, Choke, manages to be mysterious and interesting. There are some great cliffhangers that really left me wondering how they were going to get out of his clutches.There is also something to be said about having a team of ladies in a male dominated universe (just look at the Justice League line-up below). I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to read a decent girl power comic.
7/10

15. Justice League Vol. 1 Origin (2012)
By: Geoff Johns and Jim Lee
Green Lantern and the Flash encounter Batman while investigating some strange alien technology. Believing it is supernatural in origin they decide to consult Superman. Soon Cyborg, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman are drawn into battle against the threat of Darkseid and his minions on Apokalips.

I have to give this book some props. The slow build actually gives us some time to get to know the characters (though we already know most of them) and this is an actual issue 1, so we don't have so much continuity in the way. Also, each hero is given the chance to be bad ass and have a nice team dynamic. It does have its problems. Batman stealing Green Lantern's ring was stupid. Darkseid went down way too easy. I enjoyed Cyborg, but his dad having a 'hot and ready' suit all prepped was a little too plot convenient. Overall, I wasn't as blown away as I wanted to be, but it was a solid start as well as a good way to get an introduction to the Justice League for new readers.
7/10

14. Supergirl Vol. 1 Last Daughter of Krypton (2012)
By: Michael Green, Mike Johnson, and Mahmud Asrar
Kara's planet has been destroyed. Her family is gone. And she must find out what happened!

It's like everything I hated about Superboy was fixed in Supergirl. We get Kara's thoughts, but she constantly has a purpose and a drive. She wants to find out what happened to her world and about who she has become. We focus on essentially one villain at a time and neither is a figure cackling from the shadows. The first is an eccentric billionaire in the vein of Lex Luthor, but by the end of his arc he struck me more like the main villain of Batman Beyond (a good thing in my opinion). The second villain is Reign, leader of the Worldkillers, who may have been developed by Kryptonian science to conquer worlds. Neither villain is outright defeated, so they will return. Setting up two interesting recurring villains in a row: Awesome! We also get flashbacks of Kara's life in Argos City that mesh really effectively with her current events. The only drawback was her uniform which looks kind of stupid, much like a lot of her enemies' outfits. That aside Supergirl is a fun superhero romp that's great for new readers.
7/10

13. Batgirl Vol. 1 The Darkest Reflection (2012)
By: Gail Simone and Ardian Syaf
Barbara Gordon has spent three years confined to a wheelchair, but now, thanks to some hard work, she is back on her feet. But, is she ready to face life back in the cowl? A new super villain called Mirror is targeting people who should have died, including Barbara. The second villain, Gretel, targets Gotham billionaire Bruce Wayne.

Gail Simone is much more up to her usual standards than on the mediocre Firestorm. Barbara Gordon has some great scenes and her struggle is very relatable. Her insecurities and fears help to make this book one of the more real takes on a character in the New 52. This isn't quite a reboot, but it does give you a solid picture of Barbara's world and it should be easy enough for new readers to get into. The biggest let down of this volume are the villains. Mirror was definitely superior to the forgettable Gretel, but even he wasn't too interesting. This highlights the overall problem of this issue that these are not big even stories. These are much smaller stories. However, I do think the ongoing series is in good hands. Bat fans should definitely check this book out!
7.5/10

12. Green Lantern Vol. 1 Sinestro (2012)
By: Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke
Hal Jordan is no longer a Green Lantern, but he can't go back to his old life. Even his old flame Carol Ferris, the Star Sapphire, has trouble with helping him out. However, Sinestro now has a power ring and he has come to his old enemy, Hal Jordan, with an offer he can't refuse.

Okay, this is not a 'Volume One,' in fact you probably need to read at least Green Lantern, Vol. 6: Secret Origin, Blackest Night, Blackest Night: Green Lantern, Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern, Vol 9. Brightest Day, and Green Lantern: War of the Green Lanterns to understand how Sinestro, Hal and Carol got to this point. This book is all about the mistakes the three characters have made and how they feel they should go about fixing them. In that respect this comic succeeds fantastically. It is a well written drama about the characters' struggles. I found it a bit strange that none of the other lanterns comes to check on Hal in this series. I guess they had better things to do. Once again this is a great read and deserves this lofty post, but it is shut out of the top eleven since new readers will be lost in this title.
7.5/10

Only one cancellation in this set, so maybe economics do work in my favor sometimes. Only a few left and you can figure out who's left by process of elimination. How do they stack up against each other? Head on to The Top 11.

DC Comics New 52: The Middle 10 (31-22)

New 52 November passes the halfway point! Be sure to see The Low Ten and The Bottom 11 before reading on.

The Middle Ten bridge the gap between average and good. I enjoyed a great many of these, but they were definitely flawed.

31. Blue Beetle Vol. 1 Metamorphosis (2012)
By: Tony Bedard, Ig Guera, JP Mayer, and Ruy Jose
High school student Jaime Reyes gets a scarab attached to his body. This scarab gives him the ability to transform into the Blue Beetle, an armored warrior. Unfortunately this scarab is meant to be a tool to dominate the Earth. Can Jaime deal with the threats appearing around him while living a normal life?

This one could be placed below the Teen Titans, but the flaws in that book force me to place Blue Beetle here. The thing is that I actually enjoyed Teen Titans more. It should be better, but it is just so play by the numbers superhero that it bugs me. Mostly crappy evil villains. Hero fights destiny. Hero has secret identity. Hero fights villain with same powers. Hero has trouble getting with love interest. This is a full reboot of the character so anyone can come to this book and some new readers will likely enjoy it. The art is interesting, but it just didn't work for me. I doubt I'll read volume 2.
5.5/10

30. The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men
Vol. 1 The God Particle (2012)
By: Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver
A pair of high school students, Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch, are accidentally transformed into Firestorms. Unfortunately, government agencies are after them and even more bad news happens as the mystery of the god particle falls into unsavory hands.

This is another full reboot of a character that I knew nothing about. Jason Rusch is a smart kind and Ronnie Raymond is a jock. Naturally they have some stereotypical moments, but I think they managed to move beyond that. I was a bit exasperated by another book with a secret government organization (What is this number 5?) and the bad guys weren't all that impressive. However; this could be interesting for some and it definitely a different concept from other books.
5.5/10

29. Green Lantern: New Guardians Vol. 1 The Ring Bearer (2012)
By: Tony Bedard, Tyler Kirkham, and Batt
Lantern Rings begin flying from their rightful owners and heading to Kyle Rayner. Lanterns from their respective Corps including Saint Walker, Fatality, Arkillo, Bleez, Munk and Glomulous begin appearing to get them back. They must unite to discover who is behind this strange phenomena and why they are doing it.
 
None of the Green Lantern stories have rebooted. This volume makes a very good attempt to be a true Volume one by showing Kyles backstory and tying it in with the main story arc. It gives enough information on the other Lanterns that it might even be accessible to open minded new readers. The problem is that this volume doesn't tell the whole story. It is a decent start to a story though the villain, Invictus, is a bit uninteresting. It also sheds some light on Larfleeze's past and reintroduces him to new readers. The story has a lot of potential, but the end did disappoint me. I think people who have seen the Green Lantern movie and have an idea of their powers, so new readers beware.
6/10

28. Red Lanterns Vol. 1 Blood and Rage (2012)
By: Peter Milligan and Ed Benes
This book tells the origins of several Red Lanterns while Atrocitus is having a crisis of rage. Atrocitus unsure of the direction of his Corps gives Bleez back her intelligence. After this he feels she may have betrayed him so he gives three others their intelligences. Meanwhile an old man is killed on Earth leaving two brothers fighting over how to grieve. Also, Krona the mad lantern and object of Atrocitus' rage disappears.

None of the plotlines are really resolved in this book. The closest is the Earth Red Lantern, John Moore aka Rankorr, who is drafted in the Corps near the end. This is a number one at least, but like Green Lantern: New Guardians, it does not contain a full story, but sets up several ongoing ones. Also the timelines are a bit fuzzy between Red Lanterns and New Guardians as to how Bleez has time to do all the stuff she does in each book. She gets around. I'm not sure this is a book for new readers, but if you like Bleez pinup shots every other page I mean, if the Red Lanterns intrigue you, you might want to check it out. For new readers, you can check this one out as it doesn't really rely on the past too much.
6/10

27. Legion Lost Vol. 1 Run From Tomorrow (2012)
By: Fabian Nicieza and Pete Woods
Several heroes from the 31st century are stranded in the twenty-first when their time ship crashes due to a strange event. Tyroc, Tellus, Brin, Wildfire, Dawnstar, Timberwolf and Chameleon Girl. They must contend with an alien virus that morphs people into aliens. They must stop their future from being destroyed and find a way to get back to it.

I enjoyed this more than the main Legion of Super-heroes. This title benefits from having half the number of characters and a more streamlined plot. It was a decent splash of super heroes and more of a volume one than its sister-title. The characters are a little on the overly good side, but they are from a utopian future. Anyone can jump into this adventure with no knowledge of the other title or Flashpoint (the event that caused them to crash). This issue leads into a tie in with Teen Titans and Superboy, which then spawns a new title The Ravagers. So, if you get into this series, there may be quite a bit added to your list if you start any of those.
6/10

26. The Savage Hawkman Vol. 1 Darkness Rising (2012) By: Tony S. Daniel, James Bonny, and Phillip Tan
Carter Hall burns his Hawkman wings and gives up being a superhero. However, the Hawkman refuses to go down and bonds with him. Carter is an archaeologist and his newest discovery hides a terrible new force called Morphicius. Then the Hawkman faces the villainy of the Gentleman Ghost.

Maybe it is because I know less about Hawkman, but I found these stories not too bad. I wish Morphicius had been a little more badass and I wish that the Gentleman Ghost saga had been fleshed out a bit more, but overall it was decent. I also enjoyed the art, which brought out the Savage part of the title much more than the writing. I might consider reading more if the nect arc had not been taken over by Rob Liefeld. Ah well. It has also been noted that Hawkman had a hero career prior to this, but no one seems to know who he is. So, there are some minor inconsistencies. It is quite friendly to new readers and even works a somewhat standalone volume.
6/10

25. Men of War Vol. 1 Uneasy Company (2012)
By: Ivan Brandon, Jonathan Vankin, and Tom Derenick
Sergeant Joe Rock is the grandson of a legendary soldier who takes command of Easy Company, a group of privately contracted soldiers. They a landscape torn by war and the supervillains of the DCU. It also contains other military style stories.

This book has kind of a strange ethereal quality about certain stories. I enjoyed the main story of Sgt. Rock leading his commandos against superhumans. Some of the backup stories were good, celebrating the lives of our actual soldiers. Other backup stories were overly preachy. Issue 8 switches tone entirely and gives us a World War II tale of Frankenstein (Future Agent of S.H.A.D.E that I'll cover later). I enjoyed the Frankenstein section, but it was a definite tonal switch from everything else. I'd recommend this to new readers who like strange military stories; however you shouldn't buy this for the Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. story since it's included in the second collected volume of that series.
6/10

24. Action Comics Vol. 1 Superman and the Men of Steel (2012) By: Grant Morrison and Rags Morales
Superman is not the beloved hero of Earth. Clark Kent does not work for the Daily Planet. Superman struggles for the common man and faces Lex Luthor, a military scientist, and the alien supercomputer Brainiac. He also gets a view of the future.

I said in the previous list that I am not a big fan of Superman, that said Grant Morrison has written some great Superman stuff in the past (All-Star Superman). This one doesn't live up to that standard. I thought the Superman/Occupy Wall Street thing was kind of forced. I got really confused during the Legion of Super Heroes back story thing because i thought their time bubbles didn't work... Wasn't that the plot of Legion Lost? So which am I supposed to follow? Anyway, the end thing with Brainiac was nice, but I feel like most of this is stuff we've seen. The one thing that I thought was really interesting was the part with Krypto and the Phantom Zone. This is definitely something new readers can get into and I'd probably recommend this if you like Superman.
6/10

 23. The Flash Vol. 1 Move Forward (2012) 
By: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
Barry Allen is back as the Flash, fastest man alive. He works as a cop and has recently started dating Patty Spivot. In this volume he faces the Mob Rule who are trying to kill his old friend Manuel. Then he deals with his old enemy Captain Cold and a mystery of the speed force.

The art and panel designs are gorgeous in this book. I'd recommend the read purely based on that. The story is not so great. It contains several very comic book plots with some barely explained stuff all thrown together in a giant melting pot. Also, I didn't find much humor in this title. Isn't the Flash supposed to be funny? He tackles the now typical superhero issue of his powers doing more harm than good, but that is overshadowed by the multitude of events going on around him. There's his friend issues, girlfriend issues, job issues, Mob Rule, Captain Cold, time vortexes, and Turbine all competing for their part in the story. I think the problem is the pacing and the out of sequence storytelling. It makes it harder too focus on the characters who are for the most part fairly weak. I can't say I really cared for or much liked them. I know this is the Flash, but the story needs to slow down and focus on something for more than a second.
6.5/10

22. Resurrection Man Vol. 1 Dead Again (2012)
By: Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett, and Fernando Dagnino
Mitch Shelley is a man who can't die and every time he resurrects with a different power. Angels, demons, the government, superheroes, and supervillains alike are after him, but all he wants to do is discover who he is.

The first half of this reads very similar to Grifter except replace aliens with angels and demons. People want him because of his power. What makes Resurrection Man a bit better is that he finds out part of his past and doesn't like it. He struggles with his current feelings and has a bit of a crisis about it. He also develops his powers and has to figure out how to use them (not always successfully). This creates a character that is one of the more interesting of the New 52. He also has an interesting supporting cast that gets developed over the course of the series. Rather than killing many of them off like some other titles. This book has been cancelled as of issue 12 (or issue 0 which comes after it), but this book does have actual ending in its second volume! New readers are quite welcome with this title and I think it is worth a read.
6.5/10

I think this section of the list got re-ordered more than any of the others while compiling it. While writing it up I came pretty close to bumping Teen Titans up to 30. This would bump down Blue Beetle and Firestorm. I read all three of these very early in my read through, but I remembered way more about Teen Titans. I may have to update after I post the Top 11.

Another four series cancelled and we're onto series I actually really enjoyed. Ah well, capitalism tends to side against me anyway.

I continue the countdown to number one on Friday!

21-12 The High 10
11-1 The Top 11

DC Comics New 52: The Low 10 (41-32)

New 52 November continues! Be sure to check out the Bottom 11 before reading:

The Low 10 This set has its flaws, but the biggest crime here is just being so typical. Nothing here strikes me as anything more than filler or typical origin stuff. I realize not everything can be new and different, but even the characters in most of these are pretty shabby.

41. Superboy Vol. 1 Incubation (2012)
By: Scott Lobdell and R.B. Silva
Superboy is a clone, but he doesn't know where his DNA comes form. One half is presumably Superman and the other is from an unspecified human donor. Superboy hopes to learn as much as he can about the mysterious organization called N.O.W.H.E.R.E. that created him and by doing so learn his purpose. Even if he must hunt other teen heroes to do so.

I have never been a big fan of Superman or his affiliates, but there were a lot of good and potentially interesting routes they could have taken with this. Unfortunately, they made a lot of bad choices in execution. The first few issues move somewhat slowly as we go through some stuff that really doesn't seem that essential to the plot. Did we need that jarring random VR sequence? No. They could have just shown us that later. The writers try to build a mystery about Superboy caring where his DNA came from, but he is very dispassionate about it. Over the next several issues we have pointless fighting, a lot of random pointless antagonists, and incomprehensible decisions by both good guys and bad guys alike. Did we need to set up a prison break to test Superboy's powers? Why did Fairchild attack him and blow her cover? Why does Superboy risk his neck to save her? Why did Supergirl show up and plot dump about his destiny? The worst part is Superboy monologues over every comic. He is whiny and boring. It is difficult to care about someone when we don't know who they are, it is even harder to care about someone when they don't really seem that interested in finding out. Also crippling this series are the tie ins to Teen Titans and Supergirl. They make the story incomplete and seem just like an annoying way to make you buy the other comics. This has been handled better many other times (like Superboy's cameos in Teen Titans). All you have to do is focus on your character and how they experience things, Superboy frequently fails to do that.
5/10

40. Stormwatch Vol. 1 The Dark Side (2012)
By: Paul Cornell and Miguel Sepulveda
Stormwatch is a team that protects earth from alien forces and from the knowledge of alien forces. The team consists of: Jack Hawksmoor who can talk to cities, the Engineer who can control electronics, Jenny Quantum who can control dark matter, Adam One who is some kind of immortal, the projectionist who can control the media, and the Martian Manhunter a shifting telepath. They encounter the Midnighter, who has super armor, and Apollo, a superman clone, who want to be rebels, but may join the team. They work together to try and stop a creature from absorbing the Earth. They also face betrayal by Harry Tanner, the best swordsman in the world who also the power to tell believable lies.

Stormwatch is trying way to hard to be epic and gritty. It doesn't help that I didn't read its first iteration because we only solidify who's in the team at the end of this volume. It is an okay book. We get a good amount of character interaction from most of those who stay on the team, but it is daunting trying to keep up with who is on what side. Other than that, this is pretty standard comic book fare and nothing special. New readers can read it without prior knowledge, but it has the potential to be confusing.
5/10

39. Grifter Vol. 1 Most Wanted (2012)
By: Nathan Edmundson, Jason Gorder and Cafu
Cole Cash is Grifter an ex-special forces member who hears strange voices before being attacked by people. He got this ability after being abducted during a con. His girlfriend, Gretchen, and brother soon get drawn into his struggle. Are these Daemonites real or all in his head?

The final question in my summary is one I'd wish they'd held onto for this whole volume. We know almost right away that they are and find out very little about them over the course of the volume. We also find out little about Cole other than he is resourceful, he is a former con man, and he may have abandoned his brother. This is a nice action packed book, but I didn't feel much of anything for any of the characters. It is a full reboot, so new readers are welcome. However; Rob Liefeld (Hawk and Dove) is taking over as plotter and its been cancelled as of issue 16, so I don't think the story is going to improve any. However; fans of action mystery may get a kick out of this. So, much like Deathstroke, I can't write this one completely off because it definitely isn't my genre.
5/10

38. Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 1 REDemption (2012) By: Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort
We start with Jason Todd, Red Hood, and Princess Koriand'r, Starfire, bonding as Jason recuperates from a battle. They rescue Roy Harper, Arsenal, from a death sentence. Jason then heads to face a new foe that wiped out a previous organization he worked for.

Jason, Roy and Koriand'r are reworked into the New 52 universe. Jason is made into an antihero after coming back to life, though he still has an antagonistic relationship with Bruce Wayne. Roy Harper has lost his family baggage, but gains a falling out with Green Arrow. Koriand'r claims to be a warrior with open sexuality, but she comes off more as an emotionless real doll. I think the writers realized this mistake as the collected edition starts with the more emotional meeting of Jason and Starfire that is used to build her relationship with Jason. This is before heading into the much reviled first few issues where she barely distinguishes between Jason and Roy. Even her relationship with Roy gets better as the story moves on, but the stain of those first issues is a hard one to erase. The organization that Jason used to work for is also very mystical in nature and works with his whole coming back to life thing, but against the much more practical or sci-fi swing to the rest of the team. New readers may feel like there's some backstory missing here, but the continuity is mostly rebooted. It contains only a few mentions of Starfire's past with Dick Grayson (Nightwing) and Jason's coming back to life after being killed as Robin.
5/10

37. Justice League Dark Vol. 1 In the Dark (2012) By: Peter Milligan, Mikel Janin, and Ryan Sook
The Justice League has been defeated. A powerful enchantress is destroying the earth. Now earth's mightiest mystic heroes must team up to stop it. 

How do you screw up such an awesome concept? Well... The characterization of our heroes is all over the place. I am most familiar with John Constantine and Zatana, but neither is presented in a way that makes them interesting or compelling. Constantine should have been more wise cracking and less caring. Zatana is supposed to be fun and charming not an annoying terrified vixen. As for the others, Deadman gets the most development in these issues. He seems like kind of a hard-luck jerk, but I could give him a chance... It's certainly better than his representations in DCU Presents and Hawk and Dove. His girlfriend, the superhero Dove, also gets a lot of development especially since she's not part of the team (though I had no idea she was Dove until issue 4...). Changing man seems interesting, if only we got more time with him. Madame Xanadu spends her time whining about the terrible future and how she shouldn't use drugs... And Mindwarp (apparently a brand new character) runs around in his astral form(?) doing... stuff? I dunno. Also, we get a bunch of random spells, terrifying magical events, a weird nursery rhyme and a bunch of crazy blond chicks... instead of a plot with a clear motive and villain. The ending is explained with "it's magic!" and we're evidently not supposed to care what happened to the Justice League who disappear after issue one. The problem is that the writer spends all his time giving us random magical craziness while our team just wanders around bickers whenever in close contact. There are some amusing moments mostly between Deadman and anyone else, but the others are really unsatisfying. The art on the other hand is gorgeous. Mikel Janin provides a feast for the eyes making all the spells appropriately creepy and the characters visually dynamic. Its kind of a shame he has to illustrate such crap. I plan to continue reading because Jeff Lemire (we'll get to him later) takes over in issue 9 and I have faith he can turn this around. These first six issues may as well be an artbook though.
5/10

36. Static Shock Vol. 1 Supercharged (2012)
By: Scott McDaniel, John Rozum and Chris Brunner
Virgil Hawkins is Static and due to his special powers his family has moved to New York City. He faces the Slate Biker Gang, Piranha, and the Pale Man. The Pale Man, Piranha and their gang of mutants face Static as he interrupts their crime spree. Also, his sister and her clone figure out who's real and Virgil helps them deal with it.

This is another one of the New 52 that is not so new. This continues story lines from previous static books and is not a true first volume. Even so, it could have done a better job of getting new readers caught up on the past. Instead it's bit of a mashed up experience with most of the important backstory occurring as a dump at the end. I did find the section dealing with his sisters to be the best of this volume. Otherwise the story if fairly decent, nothing great, but decent. If it had managed to be an actual new start I would have likely given it a higher mark and likely pushed it up a point, but as is, I cannot.
5/10

35. Superman Vol. 1 What Price Tomorrow? (2012)
By: George Perez and Jesus Merino
Superman fights an invisible alien and the damage raises some concerns in Metropolis. Then aliens begin possessing people and giving them extraordinary power. The Daily Planet also switches from being a print to a digital publication.

Yeah, this one just wasn't really impressive. It seemed to kind of lean on Action Comics for much of its story which is funny since apparently Grant Morrison (writer of Action Comics starring Superman) was stingy on giving details to Perez. But we're left mostly with Superman battles Aliens. They had some interesting ideas with the Daily Planet merger and the Daily Planet saving Superman, but overall it was pretty average stuff. This one is accessible to new readers and Superman fans should get at least some enjoyment from this. However, if you want a better and more acclaimed take on Superman you can check out Action comics which appears a bit higher on my list.
5/10

34. Voodoo Vol. 1 What Lies Beneath (2012) By: Ron Marz
Priscilla Kitaen aka Voodoo is an alien agent sent to retrieve information on Earth's superheroes for her alien overlords. She's tracked by agents Fallon and Blackjack of the Black Razors. Voodoo begins to question her choices when her telekinetic powers begin to give her human feelings. So she heads to her bosses to find out.

I think I liked this a little more than I should've. She starts off as a stripper. Classy. Plus, Voodoo uses her feminine wiles a lot, perhaps too much to complete her missions. However; this is subverted later on. Aside from the large amount of cheesecake, I liked most of the ideas about acquiring empathy after taking something's shape. There are also references to The Thing and Alien films that serve as nice small touches, but don't distract from the main story. This series is only two volumes long, but sadly the next volume doesn't provide a decent ending, more of a tacked on story and a to be continued. Plus the Blackhawks' leader Andrew Lincoln takes over half the story. Shame.
5/10

33. Justice League International Vol. 1 The Signal Masters (2012) By: Dan Jurgens, Alan Lopestri, and David Finch
Booster Gold, Guy Gardner, August General in Iron, Fire, Ice, Godiva, Vixen and Red Rocket are the United Nations sponsored team the Justice League International. With their Justice League liaison Batman they go off to find some missing researchers as their first assignment. They end up discovering a cosmic force that could wipe out the planet.

The first volume does a nice job of giving us an impression of pretty much everyone on the team with the possible exception of Vixen who didn't seem to get as much. I like Booster Gold, but as leader he doesn't get to be as much of his fun loving self. The biggest issue is the ineptitude that surrounds the handling of this team. They meet and after no training or even real introductions are sent on a mission? Then when the mission proves far bigger than anyone could anticipate, the UN bosses yell at them? That part of the story could have been handled far better. The story itself is pretty standard stuff. The cliffhanger at the end is dumb. So, really the best part about this is the superhero characters who manage to give a nice team vibe. Unfortunately the ending bleeds into this series net and final volume which is just a mess as O.M.A.C. wanders randomly in from his cancelled book and half the characters we just got used to are put out of action.
5/10

32. Teen Titans Vol. 1 It's Our Right to Fight (2012)
By: Scott Lobdell, Brett Booth, and Norm Rapmund
Tim Drake, the Red Robin, watches as young metahumans around the world are captured. It turns out an organization called N.O.W.H.E.R.E. collects young heroes and plans to collect Red Robin as well. He blows up his apartment and escapes. Then Red Robin rescues Cassie Sandsmark aka Wonder Girl though she doesn't like to be called that. Cassie and Tim then save an insectoid girl called Skitter. Meanwhile Kid Flash and Solstice break out of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. While getting away Red Robin and Skitter encounter Bunker who can make psionic bricks with his mind. Kid Flash and Solstice are brought to Red Robin's group by a strange street. Then they see Cassie being attack by Superboy and head to help. They unite during the fight and call themselves the Teen Titans.

I think the biggest problem I had with this were the weird flaws in Red Robin and Wonder Girl. Red Robin doesn't do his research, gets tailed by Cassie, and doesn't notice a giant mechanical creature sneaking up on him. Batman would be ashamed. Cassie seems oversexualized and it's not just how she's drawn. I'm sure every teenage girl lets guys know her breasts are real after she tells him off for staring at them... Then she mentions how Robin should have noticed "her ass in those jeans" when she tailed him. Making Red Robin look doubly stupid. Solstice and Skitter get less attention, but seemed more real in the interaction they do have. Kid Flash is kind of annoying especially with all the dialogue, but I think that's always been Kid Flash's role. Bunker actually has some funny lines and is my favorite. Superboy doesn't get much of a character intro, but he has his own series anyway. The characters got better as they went along as well, so this series could turn out better than its first volume. The story is quite solid and it does contain a complete arc and then cliffhangers in the midst of a follow-up at the end. This mostly reboots the team and is a good place for new readers to enter.
5.5/10

Once again four of these have been cancelled. I also noticed while typing this up that all three of Scott Lobdell's series are on this list (#41 Superboy, #38 Red Hood and the Outlaws, and #32 Teen Titans). I can't say I enjoy his writing particularly yet he's still on all his series and they're still going so he must have some fans.

Also, I've noticed that I grade characters I have a history with a bit harsher treatment. I still stand by the fact that while I dislike many of the new incarnations, I like a fair amount of them too. Don't worry Bat-fans there is still plenty of good Batman to come!


33-22 The Middle 10
21-12 The High 10
11-1 The Top 11