What is Batman Beyond?
Batman Beyond was a Warner Bros./DC Animated television show that aired from 1999 to 2001. It was a futuristic, cyberpunk reimagining of the Batman legend. The story takes place 40 years in the future in Neo-Gotham, a dystopian, neon lit, post-industrial cityscape. Gotham is worse than ever before. There’s a general feeling of malaise hanging over much of Neo-Gotham’s citizens, and the rest are criminals and hooligans who represent a breakdown in the social order. The story follows Terry McGinnis, a Hamilton Hill High student who, with the help of an elderly but badass Bruce Wayne, carries on the Batman legacy.
Aquaman fights some sharks and, on the surface, has a high school reunion to attend.
Jeff Parker is starting to really solidify himself as writer of this series. He has continued to delve into the big moments which show why Arthur is the hero he is. We even see it done in a couple of ways in this issue. The first, more straightforward example of heroism, is when Aquaman valiantly dives after a stray diver being attacked by a group of sharks when his Atlantean soldiers do nothing. While diving in Arthur simply shouts “What’s your problem?! A man is dying in there!”
Issue 28 has the Corps continuing its search for a Durlan named Daggle. A former Green Lantern, Daggle is seen as the o`ne man who can help the Corps in their war against the Durlans. But does he want to help?
Van Jensen is finally going solo with Green Lantern Corps. His previous issues on Corps have all been co-plotted with Robert Venditti. Jensen takes full hold of this book with issue 28 and he delivers another fine outing!
Overview
Punisher #1 provides a fresh jumping on point for new readers. The newness in this “All-New Marvel NOW!” title is that Frank Castle now resides in Los Angeles. The story starts off with a special ops team saving what appears to be a prisoner of some unknown group in Togo. Then we come upon Frank Castle, who is brutally getting information out of some drug runners in Mexico. He means to learn to whom the drugs were going. Once he gets his intel, he kills his captive without a care. This intel leads to another person who points Frank to the cartel. Rather than sit back and discuss things, Frank decides to take a bazooka to their building and blow up his informant inside the car. The issue ends with the special ops team from the beginning, revealing themselves through their own conversation to be the Howling Commandos. Their mission: to kill Frank Castle.
Overview
Issue 28 serves up the third entry in The Outsiders War story arc. The end of the previous issue gave us the big reveal that Ollie’s dad is actually still alive. In that issue, Green Arrow and Shado headed back to the island where it all began for Ollie. There he came in contact with his father, who explained why he faked his death at the hands of Komodo. Mr. Queen also revealed the shocking truth behind Ollie’s desertion on the island: that he actually orchestrated the whole thing. He claims that he did it to mold Ollie; to prepare him for the Outsiders War that would inevitably take place.
It was revealed today that actor Ben McKenzie, of the O.C. and Southland fame, will be playing a young version of Jim Gordon in a pre-Batman Gotham. You can rest assured there will be NO BATMANas they were casting for a 10 year old Bruce Wayne. So don’t get your hopes up. But beyond that, we are still fairly excited. Jim Gordon being an interesting character in his own right, we look forward to seeing how Fox brings this to life.
This month’s issues of Green Lantern and Red Lanterns is featured in one double-sized flipbook issue, all for the price of one. We like two-fers, and so do you. What better way to treat our viewers than with a double-sized review?
First, I have to commend DC for releasing essentially two issues for only $2.99. Compare that to Marvel (how could we avoid it?), whose titles mostly go for $3.99 a piece, this is certainly one in the win column for DC. Because of this, Max Level Geek is giving Green Lantern/Red Lanterns #28 the best value comic of the week honors. But does the quality match up?