Subtantz Reviews...

Birds of Prey #109: Stone Cold Knockout
Publisher: DC
Writer: Tony Berdard
Artist: Nicola Scott
Inker:


The issue starts out with Barbra and Diana talking about her soon to-be marriage to Green Arrow with flashbacks about their first meetings with Mr. Clueless (-snort-)

Knockout and Vandal Savage are cozy in a rundown motel until Savage tries to joke about her fight with Barda. Knockout doesn't take it well and storms out.

Barda talks with her hubby Scott about said fight. He warns her that someone is killing off the new gods as he secretly watches her outside the apartment. Misfit teleports into her apartment begging for help because Diana's kid, Sin is annoying her with Pokemon trading cards(HAHA) as Diana and Babs continue their conversation inside the dinning room. Then the funniest conversation in the book between Barda and Sin starts. Someone eyes Barda but gets taken out by Knockout (o_0 rhymes) but the mystery man reveals he wanted her, Knockout all along. She recognizes him, freaks out and gets blown off the roof of the building, the man catches her as Barda and the others hear the explosion and Savage tries to call her as she races down the street in her car (isn't that illegal?)

Diana and Babs finish conversation with Babs asks Diana , if she'll say yes. Diana says she's unsure but wants Babs to her maid of honor (awwww..). Sin rushes in saying something happened . Misfit and Barda reach the scene below viewing Knockout's dry blooded corpse. As Barda calls Scott, Savage drives right by the mess and eyes Barda.


Huh, this is a marriage/Countdown tie in and it takes place before Black Canary's mini. If anyone can take over after Gail Simone's run, it's Tony. KEEP HIM ON THE DAMN BOOK! But doesn't he write like 5 other books for DC? Whatever they are paying him, DOUBLE IT! The New Gods dying like flies doesn't matter because Grant Morrision is bringing them back like nothing happened. I was kind of surprised that Babs was playing devil's advocate because while Ollie may be a flirt and, she wants to look out for her best bud, he wouldn't mess this one up..would he? Scott's pencils worked in the issue and Roux's covers continue to amaze me

Story: 3/5
Art: 3/5
Cover 4/5

Subtantz Reviews......

Amazing Spider-Man #543: Back In Black, part 5

Publisher: Marvel
Writer: J. Micheal Straczynski
Artist: Ron Garney
Inker: Bill Reinhold

Pete talks to Aunt May telling her about the blood transfusion he gave her last issue to help with her with the wound, while MJ sleeps in chair outside. During the day, MJ asks the nurse about any changes. The nurse replies they are doing blood tests right. When in her office, Pete takes the file and tells MJ about finding out there was no change to her condition because her body built up an immunity (wow) and, MJ invites a priest over for possible last rites, will and funeral. At the police station, they assume that the shooting was deliberate. Peter and MJ discuss about what they'll do with Aunt May...what she would want them to do if she's really dead,

Meanwhile one of the detective's at the police station look over the report about the shooting investigates about May's shooting.When he arrives at the hospital, he question the nurse taking car of May. The nurse explains her birth certificate was her I.D., MJ's been with her 24/7, her blood has changed with levels of radiation and comments about Peter, giving her opinion on what she thinks happened (with an interesting re-enactment). Then says they lied about filling out a police report and they've been paying with cash, which the detective says they might be keeping May quiet to avoid running up the bill and by lying on the form and not filling the report, that's a felony.

He goes to the room while Peter and MJ try to figure out what to do next. Peter's spider-sense alerts him about Detective Delint. He tries to get in the room but Peter switches out the lights darkening the room. Delint handcuffs MJ to the doorknob, the Peter appears( covered by shadows) and wants MJ let go. When the detective tells him to get on the ground, Pete knocks him out and he and MJ transport May to another hospital. Peter breaks into a scrub locker room and steals clothes as MJ lies to get forms for May's transfer, then Pete steals an ambulance and sneaks May, MJ on route to the hospital. After May's admitied into the hospital, MJ asks Peter what's going to happen now. He tries to re-assure her that everything will be fine but he's thinking abut the crimes he committed and what he can do to end his personal nightmare.

Not bad. This is most a point A to point B issue for the "One More Day" and "Brand New Day" arcs which change Spidey's status quo, which has me VERY upset. Despite a very few miniorityold school readers against the marriage, I (like others) grew up with it. He doesn't need some life altering decision to make everyone happy, Aunt May "near death" is annoying to me, it had more meaning when we thought she was really gone. Instead we got that horrible recon. JMS does a good job of pacing with the issue and Garney's pencils are ok (He does capture Peter's anger in an interesting way) but I still hate looking at them and the cover.

Story: 3.5/5
Art: 3/5
Cover: 2.5/5

Subtantz Reviews

Catwoman #70: Life during Wartime

Publisher: DC
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Artist: David Lopez
Inker: Alvaro Lopez

Catwoman tries to prevent Magda (an amazonian terrorist) from dentonating a bio bomb which would wipe out Gotham. As She wrestles the bomb away from the amazon, she thinks of her daughter and, to make matters worse the cops are shooting at the two. If Magda drops the bomb it's all over. Catwoman manages to tie the amazon's hands up as the bomb is in the air. She catches it and stops t from going off but those damn cops shoot Magda in the head. She says she saved the city but they comment on how she knew she was the one that stole the bomb in the first place, was working with the amazonians and that she's an accomplice in Detective Lenahan's murder and their arresting her. Then in the coolest way possible, she realizes she has the bomb and leverage tells them that they WILL let her escape and they won't follow her.

Rena and Larra are back in the alley, with Larra needing some sisterly love, Rena says sacrifices must be made and kills her. Cops blame Catwoman and Rena moves back to Amazonian base where the leader chews her out for the failure with the bomb. Rena asks if they should be joining the other amazons in D.C. . The leader tells Rena she has to take of Catwoman.

As Selina relaxes with the paper, she heads out to find anything of value at the amazon base. Oracle calls her that one of the bana, Magda has gone missing and has info about a master hacker searching for Catwoman but the search terms changed to Selina Kyle. She asks Oracle if the hacker (Magda) can listen to the conversation, then asks if she could call Wayne Manor. At home with her daughter Helena, Selina vows to end her involvement in the war as she wait for Magda.

She comes in, seeing Selina sleeping and heads for Helena. Selina runs to the bedroom and triggers te gas bomb inside "Helena", stunning her allowing Selina to beat her up saying it would have been a fair fight if she just attacked her and not gone after her. After beating Magda senseless with a hammer, she calls Alfred and says she'll pick up Helena tomorrow morning. J'onn J'onzz (aka Martian Manhunter stops by and disables the cycaide tooth in Magda's mouth and he takes her and leaves. Selina thinks of the near disasters with Angle Man, Hammer, Sickle and, Flim Freak while she drives out of Gotham with Helena in the back seat.


Wow, this is a nice book and...wow. I think I love Pfeifer. He hits Selina dead on, I've re-read from #43 and I'm sorry I haven't been on board from day one. With this insaner-than-usual going through Selina's life with her friends and child is heartbreaking, this issue was a-ok but the "putting the child in danger" sthick is getting to me. Lopez's pencils are great, especially the fight scenes. Catwoman, you have my attention. And Hughes' cover for this is so...blah

Story: 3/5
Art: 4/5
Cover: 1.5/5