Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The August 3 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Batgirl #1:  OK, I'm in.  I initially loved Fletcher and Stewart's run on "Batgirl," with its focus on Babs putting the Bat-family behind her and instead getting her Ph.D. and becoming Burnside's defender.  But, almost immediately, they deviated from this vision.  Babs seemed to have a new supporting cast and raison d'être every four or five issues.  Over the course of 18 issues, we went from Jeremy, Nadimah, and Qadir to Liam to Dinah, Frankie, and Luke.  We went from her trying to create a program capable of predicting crime as her Ph.D. thesis to her running a large corporation based on an idea she essentially stole.  Moreover, the characters' personalities changed to fit the story the authors wanted to tell.  Jeremy went from a hapless but endearing graduate student to a sullen and depressed criminal accessory.  Alysia went from an activist bartender with aspirations of becoming a professional chef to running Babs' corporation.  I could continue, but, like Babs, it's time to focus on the future, not the past.

Larson and Albuquerque make a great team as they re-imagine Babs as a woman backpacking through Asia on a journey of self-discovery.  Albuquerque is known for his darker themes, but he adopts this comic's unique visual style, embracing a manga sensibility for the characters.  (It's fitting since Babs starts her tour of Asia in Japan.)  Larson makes it clear that she's trying to separate Babs from her immediate past as quickly as possible.  We make a quick call to Alysia for an update, she tells Babs everything is going fine, and we're done.  I'm guessing we won't hear anything more about the company or the former supporting cast for a while.  It's a brutal yet needed transition.

In Japan, Babs' goal is to track down Fruit Bat, a Japanese heroine from the 1930s.  Upon arrival in Japan, she discovers her roommate at the hostel is Kai, a handsome but troubled childhood friend who draws the attention of a super-villain.  In other words, Larson makes us quickly forget about the past and excited about the future.   Rebirth, indeed.

Batman #4:  We'd been doing really well, but I have to admit I'm confused now.

First, Batman goes to see Amanda Waller after Gotham -- under Psycho-Pirate's influence -- kills 27 of her soldiers.  He's able to find her after Duke adds up the serial numbers on the soldiers' dog tags and they sum to 24 -- the corresponding letter of the alphabet is "X," for Task Force X, i.e., Suicide Squad.  Wait, what?  Why would Waller do that?  Was it a backdoor to make sure Batman found her in case something went wrong?  If not, it's way too comic book-y of a solution.  At any rate, we learn Hugo Strange used Gotham to kill the soldiers because Waller sent them to keep on eye on Strange.

Unfortunately for Gotham, one of the soldiers apparently survived.  He took a picture of Gotham's face after he took off his mask (a rookie mistake), ran it through Task Force X's database, and then killed Gotham's parents.  I get King is making Gotham even more of an analogue of Batman, but it's a little messy.  First, it's unclear what the time frame is of these events are.  It seems like this guy went immediately from the scene of the crime to Task Force X's base, ran the photo, and then bolted to the Clover's to kill them.  Didn't he have at least some sort of debriefing?  I know Waller doesn't care about people's mental states, but even she should recognize it's probably dangerous to the sole survivor of a massacre running around town.  Of course, based on a comment she makes to Batman, maybe she wanted Gotham to go crazy.  Did she send the guard herself?  I'm not sure we're going to get that answer.  It's also weird killing Gotham's parents is his first thought.  Is that the standard DCU response to having a beef with someone?  At any rate, Gotham kills the soldier in front of Bruce and resolves -- again, under the influence of Psycho-Pirate -- to raze Gotham before it hurts someone else again.

It's unclear to me how aware of his actions Gotham is.  When Bruce confronts him over the 27 dead soldiers, he actually recognizes that the body count should've been 28.  He puts two and two together and immediately flees the scene to make sure his parents are OK.  (Again, though, it's weird it's everyone's first response.  "Someone has a beef with me; I have to check on my folks!")  However, we also see Gotham reconstructing the bridge that the mysterious agents blew up last issue, so he still believes himself to be something of a hero.  I think we're supposed to believe Strange is screwing with him, making him alternate between heroic and terrible actions to maximize the psychological damage.  From a narrative perspective, it's hard to follow and it somewhat dulls the emotional impact of the story.  You're so busy trying to figure out which Gotham is talking that you skip past the empathy we're supposed to have for him.

Moon Knight #5:  Lemire is using Marc's increasingly weak grip on reality to full effect here, as Marc is forced to cycle through his various personae -- Jake Lockley, Steve Grant, and Moon Knight himself -- as he flees the mental-institution orderlies.  He eventually encounters Seth, realizing Khonshu wasn't telling him the truth when he said Seth was responsible for his plight.  Seth encourages Marc to face his enemy, and it's revealed to be Khonshu himself.

It was all a test, because Khonshu wants Marc to take the final step:  his body is dying, and he wants Marc to surrender his body and mind to him.  Khonshu plays it as a blessing, an opportunity for Marc to be at peace from his fractured mind.  Marc seems to consider it, acknowledging his mind is indeed broken.  At the end, though, Marc rejects Khonshu, hurling himself from the pyramid where their confrontation occurred.  We see him bleeding in the sand...and then awakening as Steve Grant in New York.  He sheds a tear, happy to be there.  But, Lemire isn't revealing what we're actually seeing here.  Is Marc Spector no more?  Is Moon Knight no more?  We'll have to see.

A lot of the energy in this issue comes from the team of artists.  That phrase is usually not associated with excellence, but the editors use them brilliantly to show the different personae fighting for dominance.  I still like Smallwood's renderings the best, for they're gritty realism, but I also appreciate the use of art to drive home the different visions of the world Marc and his personalities have.  I'm definitely excited to see where we go from here.

Nightwing #2:  Although I like where Seeley is going, I can't help but feel like he's rushing to get us there.  Case in point, Raptor goes from an amoral hired gun to edgy good guy over the course of just a few panels.  Last issue, he was basically the second coming of R'as al Ghul, but in this issue he's suddenly Batman if he were a little closer to Chaotic Evil than Chaotic Good.  That said, he does seem like a fun and intriguing new character.  He shares Dick's sense of humor, even if it's a little darker; I loved his devotion to branding, marketing, and advertising as the three irresistible forces of the Universe.  He's also clearly got a back story, since he also seems to be working against the Parliament in the long run, for reasons that I assume Seeley will eventually reveal.

But, again, it feels rushed.  Seeley essentially demotes Dick to sidekick again, seemingly ignoring the fact we're talking about a guy who led the Titans, served as Batman, and was a super-spy.  It's hard to square this circle, that a previously unknown costumed hero (villain?) could so easily school Dick.  Moreover, Raptor immediately decides to trust Dick as a partner and as a confidante.  It's one thing to believe that Dick will make sure you don't get killed on a mission, but it's another thing to confide in him that you're working to take down an organization like the Parliament of Owls.  It seems ill advised moment of trust for a morally ambiguous mercenary.  It would've been better if Raptor spent a few issues taking Dick's measure and then trusting him, as a partner first and then as a confidante.

The good news, though, is I still like where we're going.  Dick never really got his hands too dirty while he was working for Spyral, but Raptor makes clear they're going to have to accept doing the Parliament's dirty work (and hurting people) in the short run to defeat them in the long run.  It'll be interesting to see where Dick draws his lines in the sand tested, particularly since, as we see when he skips a date with Babs, he'll be doing it on his own again.

Spidey #9:  Nope, I totally didn't tear up at the end.  Nope.  Not at all.

Also Read:  Justice League #2; Tokyo Ghost #9

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The May 18 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Civil War II #0:  Bendis is uncharacteristically to the point here, making it clear that the dividing issue for this "Civil War" is going to be whether heroes should prevent threats before they happen.  He introduces the issue with She-Hulk as she defends the former Jester.  The police entrapped him, using an uncover cop to get him to reminisce about the good ol' days.  Jennifer unsuccessfully makes the case that you can't convict someone for thinking about a crime; simply because the Jester was a super-villain in the past doesn't mean that he'll become one again in the future.  However, Captain Marvel and Maria Hill disagree.  I hope that someone will eventually explain how Maria Hill is even allowed to see the light of day after the events of "Avengers Standoff."  Bendis makes it clear that she hasn't learned a damn thing when she informs Jennifer that the Jester was killed in a prison fight. Jennifer is horrified that he died without even committing a crime, though Hill believes that it's probably for the better, since he'd likely end up returning to crime anyway (as they all do, to her mind).  Separately, Captain Marvel tells a visiting Doc Sampson that she's obsessed with trying to predict future threats so that she can stop them before they happen.  If you read "Free Comic Book Day:  Civil War II" #1, you know that the answer to her prayers comes in the form of a kid named Ulysses, an Inhuman with the ability to see the future.  We see his "birth" in this issue, as the Terrigen Mists transform him; Medusa brought him to Alpha Flight in the "FCBD" issue to see if they can help examine his predictive powers.  The conflict of the upcoming event seems likely to center around him, though I'm hoping that Bendis has something more up his sleeve than a rehash of "Minority Report."

Spider-Man #4:  I've never considered Bendis to be the most nuanced of writers, but damn if he doesn't somehow manage to have Miles and Ganke argue about race and size in a way that didn't make me roll my eyes.  Bendis really conveys the pain that Ganke feels over his weight, and I was disappointed in Miles that he couldn't at least validate that pain, even if he's not wrong in saying that he's still pretty sure that he's got a tougher road to hoe as a blatino kid.  When Ganke outs Miles to Goldballs, Miles is convinced that he did it from a place of anger, whereas Bendis lets us know that Ganke did it from a place of concern:  he wants Goldballs to become Miles confidant, since he worries that Miles is struggling to balance being a hero and a teenager.  But, Goldballs might not get a chance to have that chat with him, since Hammerhead captures Miles on behalf of the Black Cat at the end of the issue.  I still have no idea why the Cat has singled out Miles for her ire, but Bendis does a great job showing us what it must be like suddenly discovering that you're the target of heat-seeking missiles while swinging over Midtown.

Spidey #6:  I was skeptical of this series at the start, but, honestly, I think that it's my favorite one on the market right now.  Thompson has elevated writing a teenage superhero to an art form, as Peter struggles over asking Gwen to the Winter Formal.  Thankfully, the Vulture stole some blue prints from Stark Industries, so Peter gets to ask Iron Man for dating advice.  (Wouldn't you?)  I think the secret to Thompson's success is a real mastery of the smaller moments that convey characterization and tone.  He plays with the fact that Iron Man is still known as Tony's bodyguard in this era.  It's a thinly veiled secret, one that even Tony isn't all that committed to keeping, as seen in his conversation with Agent Coulson.  But, Tony marvels at the fact that Peter is a kid, and he treats him with those gloves, urging him to be careful but then taking him to fight Fin Fang Foom to take his mind off Gwen's rejection.  (It's probably why it's a good thing Tony isn't a parent.)  Again, despite the light tone of the series, Thompson's characters express a wider range of emotions and feelings than most other authors can manage.  It's my favorite Spidey-related series on the market right now, and we're in boom times.

Uncanny Avengers #9:  I didn't read "Avengers:  Rage of Ultron," so the references to Hank Pym sacrificing himself to defeat Ultron have been news to me.  (That said, I am happy to see graphic novels serve as part of continuity.  I'd love to see Marvel revive its graphic-novel line.  It was always so exciting in the '80s and '90s when a new one got issued.)  Duggan does a great job in not only filling in the details, but showing why a Pym-controlled Ultron could be a problem.  Duggan reminds us that Hank's pretty healthy ego already made him feel like he was above humanity, even before he merged with Ultron.  As such, it's clear why Steve is treating Hank as a threat, not an ally.  The entire story is kicked up a notch thanks to Larraz's pencils.  I'm not familiar with him, but I hope he stays on this title for a while.  He seems a perfect match for Duggan.

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The April 13 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #9:  In this issue, we learn that Peter can not only survive a plunge to Earth from low orbit, but can also survive immediately getting a car dropped on him and later jumping off a high-speed train.  No problem.  Apparently he got Deadpool's healing factor at some point during the re-boot.  [Sigh.]  Also, the "Parker luck" seems to have changed:  he survives his initial fight with Scorpio because Scorpio had to leave immediately, unable even to pull the trigger on his gun.  Sure, Scorpio could've just shot Spidey in the head while he waited for the self-driven motorcycle that Gemini sent to whisk him to the train station.  Instead, he complained to Gemini via their comm-link about not having the time to shoot Spidey.  Unfortunately, the price for getting Deadpool's healing factor and Domino's luck is that he's apparently become an idiot:  we learn that he's turned over all of Parker Industries' secrets to Scorpio's civilian identity, Vernon Jacobs, because he's the company's largest investor.  I don't really think companies are run that way, where major share-holders can snap their fingers and get all the codes for everything.  But, then again, I didn't think Spider-Man could leap from a satellite in low orbit and survive the fall, so what do I know?  [Another sigh.]  It may really be time for Slott to go.

Illuminati #6:  I've been really enjoying "Avengers Standoff."  It reminds me of "Acts of Vengeance" and some of the other really well done cross-over events of the '90s.  It's just been fun.  Sure, you get the ethical debate between Maria Hill and Steve Rogers in the background, but we've been dancing that dance for years.  Until this issue, the only hint of emotion was the revelation that Maria Hill was planning on using Kobik on herself.  But, here, Williamson does the impossible, turning Crusher Creel into a sympathetic character as he deals with the repercussions of his time in Pleasant Hill.  Namely, Crusher has to confront the fact that it was the happiest that he's ever been, a happiness enjoyed in no small part due to his crush on "Eva," a.k.a. Elektra.  Eventually, Elektra has to stop him from killing innocent bystanders as he rampages through Pleasant Hill, and Henderson does an amazing job contrasting their fight scene with the dance that "Harold" and "Eva" shared the previous evening.  If you're reading this cross-over event, you have to read this issue, because it gives the event its heart.  Who knew even Crusher Creel had depths?

Spidey #4:  Um, I loved this issue.  Seriously.  Sure, it's jokey, but it's jokey because Peter's jokey.  Underneath the quips, it actually walks us through the challenges that Peter faced as an adolescent hero, particularly the loneliness that he felt at the start of his career, when he alone carried his secret.  Oddly, it's Doctor Doom and a boy wearing a Spidey mask named Owen that help him work through it.  Doom insists people like them are always lonely, but Owen reminds him not only why he does what he does (because he's a good guy, unlike Doom), but that he's got people that support him (even if they're just kids with jelly sandwiches).  It's a really touching story, and it makes me increasingly feel like Thomson really has something going here, continuity aside.

Also Read:  Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #4; All-New X-Men #8; All-New, All-Different Avengers #8; Darth Vader #18 and #19; Pathfinder:  Hollow Mountain #5; Spider-Gwen #7; Star Wars Special:  C-3PO #1

Spidey #2 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Thompson did what I hoped that he'd do here, focus less on re-telling Peter's origin story and more on telling stories that fall in the gaps of previous stories, like Slott did with "Amazing Spider-Man:  Learning to Crawl."  Peter is already familiar with Sandman here, so Thompson is able to step aside and let Bradshaw go to town.  And "go to town" he does:  this issue is beautiful in every way.  I wasn't really a huge fan of his run on "Wolverine and the X-Men," but I'm increasingly convince that he was born to draw "Spidey."  Thompson guides us through the fight via Peter's inner monologue, and I have to admit that I recognize the chatty, nerdy Peter here more than I do the arrogant, distracted Peter in the main title.  It might be a win by default, but it's a win nonetheless.

*** (three of five stars)

Spidey #1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

OK, long-time Spidey fans, we have a decision to make here.

On the one hand, we can reject this effort to re-write Spider-Man's history.  Now, Marvel may claim that it's not doing that, that it's just telling stories that we didn't see in the original Lee/Ditko run.  But, after reading this issue, it's clearly not true.  Bradshaw shows a number of moments that deviate from Peter's past as we know it:  we've got Peter walking on a wall (rather than down a hallway) while the famed thief runs past him, a dark-haired Flash Thompson, a visibly younger Aunt May, etc.  But, the changes aren't just cosmetic.  Thomsom also introduces a number of alterations to the mythos as well:  we're got Sajani as Peter's high-school rival, Gwen and him getting assigned to each other as study partners (her biology, him history), Flash and Gwen having an antagonistic relationship, etc.  Moreover, we've got the more modern setting:  Peter's slang ("Nailed it."), the African-American female principal, the tweeting, etc.

Particularly when it comes to the more modern setting, you have to wonder what Marvel is doing here.  After all, Slott already did that, to great effect, with "Amazing Spider-Man:  Learning to Crawl."  It updated Peter's origin story and cleverly avoided messing with the original stories by showing us scenes between the classic fights.  We had the tweeting, the caring teacher that acknowledged that Peter needed counseling, the more realistic Aunt May, etc.  But, Slott didn't change any basics, as Thompson and Bradshaw do here.  We could just consider this story to be the definitive update and call it a day.

On the other hand, we can accept it for what it is, an attempt to reboot Spider-Man in a way that makes him an even more compelling character for the modern era.  This arrangement will rely heavily on Thompson and Bradshaw not going too far.  After all, the changes that they make here are fairly mild.  OK, Flash isn't blond; he's still a bully.  Aunt May is younger; but, really, she was always too old to be Peter's aunt in the first place.  I think Sajani graduating from Peter's class might go a little too far, but, on the other hand, I'm intrigued how Thompson will try to streamline the sprawling cast of characters that various authors have introduced over the last 50+ years into an integrated unit.  Maybe making Peter and Sajani high-school rivals adds a certain...punch to their current relationship that it otherwise lacks.

That said, even if Thompson and Bradshaw don't go too far, Sajani's presence here raises questions about the connection that this book will have to the other books.  Will Peter refer to Sajani as a high-school classmate in "Amazing Spider-Man?"  Will we learn that Hobie dated Gwen in middle school?  I'm a little worried it's going to become very "Muppet Babies."

In other words, it's going to be about trust.  Peter easily takes out the White Rabbit on his way to school and later prevents Doc Ock from stealing information from Oscorp during a field trip.  (Thompson hilariously has Peter comment to himself that he needs to stop going on field trips.)  So far, they're in bounds.  It feels like a story that you could easily see Lee and Ditko telling.  (Sure, he Instagrammed a photo of the defeated White Rabbit, but we'll ignore that part for the time being.)  So long as they stay focused on the stories that we haven't seen and not changing the stories that we have seen, I'll stay with them.  We need to avoid Han not shooting first.  But, I'll be honest that I think we're looking at a high-risk enterprise here that could alienate more people than it attracts.  We'll see how it goes.  I'm here for now.

*** (three of five stars)