What I Read This Week III

Finally caught up!  Except I am going to the shop today to buy more comics!  ARRGH!

Doom Patrol #5 -- On oolong Island, the arrival of the Black Lanterns has put this normally bizarre tropical burg on the path to pure chaos!  And back in Evansville, the Clique demands that Will Magnus help them get makeovers!  The juxtaposition of the Doom Patrol and Metal Men has never been greater, and never more appreciated, that in this issue.  The front of the book features one of the best "big event" tie-ins I have read in years, giving equal attention to the stars as well as the gyest baddies, while still moving the overall plot forward.  (Bonus: An extended cameo from Hawkman baddie Ira Quimy, AKA IQ!)  And the Metal Men backup is a hoot, same as it is every month, with the best line going to Mercury's "those guys are still alive?!"  All around excellent comics right here.

Red Robin #7 -- Tim Drake has messed up, and it will cost the life of an innocent young woman unless he can stop the Council of Spiders!  Action-packed issue as Red Robin has to fight off Council members while trying to keep Tam Fox from feeling the sting of their venom.  Yost and To do a good job balancing the fighting with the flashbacks, and deliver a nifty third act -- I'm certainly piqued for the conclusion next month.

The Shield #4 -- In Brazil, a rash of mysterious disapperances are seemingly tied into the HIVE facility which the Shield shut down in Bialya... but what's the connection to the Great Ten?  Meanwhile, the Inferno stands revealed as federal agents -- and the Nuetralizers -- surround him!  Another solid Red Circle issue, with an insane, Kirby-on-Cap style lead (Nazi robots abducting natives in Brazil for some evil purpose?!  Heck yes!), and a backup that closes out of the opening story while introducing a classic DC character to the mix.  The Shield feature also has some very interesting dialogue by General Latham about one General Lane, heh.  This series continues to impress.

War Machine #12 -- The blowoff to the series, this issue certainly leaves it all on the table, with Team War Machine pulling their biggest gambit yet to save Rhodey and make sure the Bainsville Ten get what is coming to them.  If you are going to end a series, this is the way to do it -- with a ton of action, and answering/solving/completing the hero's questions/mysteries/quest which was the basis of the title.  I enjoyed this title while it lasted, but now it's just one more Marvel title I liked canned in under two years (New Invaders, Nightcrawler, Heroes For Hire, New Excalibur, et al).  Looking forward to seeing Rhodey over in Invincible Iron Man, hopefully.

Re-Read pile: Doom Patrol, The Shield.

The Pick of the Pile is Doom Patrol, which delivered just about everything I imagine you could want from a major event tie-in while still remaining true to the feature itself.  But the other 3 titles were all very strong as well.