Happy New Comic Book Day! With another Wednesday comes a slew of new comic books to enjoy. For this week’s round-up of comic book reviews we will be spotlighting Batman & Robin #8, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #3, Napalm Lullaby #2, and Rat City #1. Find out how all these new releases turned out with our latest round-up of comic book reviews.
BATMAN & ROBIN #8
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Nikola Čižmešija
Colorist: Rex Lokus
Letterer: Steve Wands
Joshua Williamson is certainly not shy about drawing parallels between Bruce Wayne and Damian Wayne. Especially when it comes to the younger Wayne we are seeing Damian have his own Bat-Cat pairing explored with his relationship with Flatline. He gets a major test in Batman & Robin #8 as Flatline goes about not fully telling Damian everything about her mission to save her sister. The results are an experience that gets you more invested in the chemistry between Damian and Flatline. Batman meanwhile has a completely different type of team-up with Shush that does a good job at furthering the overarching Man-Bat storyline. Once we get to the end the cliffhanger creates several fun and interesting angles for the next chapter in this story to take.
Overall Rating: 7.5 Night Girls out of 10
GREEN LANTERN #10
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Jeremy Adams
Artists: Xermanico, Amancay Nehuelpan, and Kevin Maguire
Colorists: Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Rosemary Cheetham
Letterers: Dave Sharpe
Green Lantern #10 does an excellent job at setting the tone of the underground resistant approach Hal, Jo, and other Green Lanterns must take to combat the United Planets and their new Lantern Corps. The pacing of the entire issue gives the story Jeremy Adams, Xermanico, and Amancay Nehuelpan are building have a big event level feel. The fun back-up story featuring Guy Gardner added a needed contrast to the type of stories we can see from this series. All of this together continues to solidify the latest Green Lantern series as one of the best comic books DC Comics is publishing. Click here for full review.
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: THE RETURN #3
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson
Artist: Nico Leon
Colorist: Francesco Segala and Gloria Martinelli
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Continuing the backstory of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return universe, we get more insight into Seline’s origin as Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa’s daughter. In the process we see how this mini-series takes elements from the recent Once & Always special. Diving deeper into what happened during the final battle does make Tommy Oliver’s sacrifice an even greater development than it already was. It also shows how one character can shape the entire outlook of events as Seline’s growth to who she becomes shows. That did mean that Jason, Zack, Billy, and Trini still don’t get much development time. Though it does not take away from the hype of the debut of Tommy and Kimberly’s daughter as the new Green Ranger. The ending is one that sets up what should be an action heavy finale for this mini-series.
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
NAPALM LULLABY #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Bengal
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Napalm Lullaby #2 was the needed character focus chapter this series needed after its debut. Getting to know Sarah and Sam more as people helps ground the story that creates personal investment. With so many bleak future stories the way Napalm Lullaby can break away is by having this type of personal investment in the lead characters. It makes the moments where we see them use their powers and skills hit much better, which is the case when Sam has his rage out moment. While the world building still needs some work Napalm Lullaby #2 moves this series in the right direction to tap into the potential the setting has.
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
RAT CITY #1
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Erica Schultz
Artist: Zé Carlos
Colorists: Jay David Ramos, FCO Plasencia, Marcello Iozolli
Letterer: Erica Schultz
The Spawn franchise is one I’m relatively new in. Erica Schultz and Zé Carlos’ Rat City #1 felt like a good place to have a fresh start. A fresh start is exactly what we get with this first issue. Schultz and Carlos balance telling the origin story of our lead in a world that is already developed. Setting the story in the far future is well utilized to shape the technology however Schultz and Carlos want. It all makes Peter Cairn a good protagonist to experience this world through. The end result is Rat City #1 being a new reader friendly comic book with the elements you expect from a Spawn series.
Overall Rating: 7.5 Night Girls out of 10
TRANSFORMERS #10
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson
Artist: Jorge Corona
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Transformers #7 continues the excellence that this series has been known for from the very beginning. Daniel Warren Johnson nails what the aftermath of the first story arc of this series needed to be for the Autobots and Decepticons. Jorge Corona naturally stepped in to add to the intensity of this more personal story for the entire cast of this series. Every development created a greater investment in the characters and story as a whole. Click here for full review.
Overall Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
ULTIMATE X-MEN #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer & Artist: Peach Momoko
Script Adaptation: Zack Davisson
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Peach Momoko does a phenomenal job at continuing the momentum of this series with Ultimate X-Men #2. Hisako Ichiki continues to be developed as a strong lead with the addition of Maystorm making Hisako’s character and this story even better. The character focus approach is elevated by the continued horror storytelling that is being utilized to put over the first Ultimate X-Men villain. It all comes together to make Ultimate X-Men #2 drive home how quickly this title has become one of Marvel’s best comic books. Click here for full review.
Overall Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
UNCANNY VALLEY #1
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Tony Fleecs
Artist: Dave Wachter
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Uncanny Valley #1 is a wild start that leaves you excited to see what turn this ride will take you on. Tony Fleecs and Dave Wachter certainly deliver on getting you invested on the young lead characters journey. Watcher’s artwork in particular creates a lot of excitement for the possibilities that are to be had with Uncanny Valley. This is a comic book to pick up as soon as you can. Click here for full review.
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
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