Wagner is writing an intriguing story and only gives the reader bits and pieces as he keeps the character still shrouded in mystery. We discover how Cranston found his inspiration for his Shadow guise as he hears a story about actor Bela Lugosi portraying Dracula. We also get a peek at the Shadow’s inner sanctum, whetting the appetite for more to come.

Torres again handles the art chores and does a bang up job. The Shadow looks a little different than some might be used to, but that could be because of the interpretation of him in his early days. The dark backgrounds when he’s dressed as the Shadow add to his mysterious persona, and the trademark laugh is even brought to life on the final page.

Positive: An exciting new look into the origin of one of the greatest pulp heroes ever.

Negative: The extended wait between issues #1 and #2.

Plot: 4 out of 5

Art: 4 out of 5

Busiek, who has been ill for the past few years, (hence the prolonged absence of Astro City), has not missed a beat with his writing prowess. We bear witness to these super beings through the eyes of the common man and/or woman and how all lives on Earth are affected. His pacing and dialogue make this issue flow seamlessly and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

Anderson’s classic artwork is still amazing and allows us to believe that super heroes could walk among us. The art is crisp and clean, and the quick glimpses of past heroes give me the urge to reread old issues in order to enjoy his art until next month’s issue. Though I am not a big anime fan, I did like his rendition of American Chibi and I want to see how she will fit in among the other heroes.

Essentially, the Doom Maidens are still on the loose because Valkyrie has neglected to choose new shield maidens. I’m still not sure when that was supposed to happen, but, if you put that bit aside, it’s been a good story. Val, Hippolyta, and Dani Moonstar go to Brazil, to an old arena that, a bit improbably, is dedicated to Asgardians. In Brazil? They lure the Doom Maidens here for a two part trap. Part one is Misty Knight, using her Heroes for Hire computer and contacts from her last title. Stand by for a list.

Misty has brought: Black Cat, Hellcat, Tigra, Spider-Woman, She-Hulk, Elektra, Storm, Thundra, Tarantula, Black Widow, Captain Marvel, and Misty’s old friend and business partner, samurai Colleen Wing. A massive fight ensues with various jokes along the way. Not only is the dialogue amusing (She-Hulk to Hippolyta: Uh.. I know your ex. Awkward, Jen, real awkward), but the caption boxes introducing major characters are good, too (Mr. Raven: Murderous and paranoid– a lovely combination for a mercenary).

Part two of the trap is Valkyrie embracing the Doom Maiden she apparently used to be. She becomes the Maiden of Rage at the end of the issue. Great when she’s attacking the bad guys, but the heroes are wondering how to deal with her after.

Also present is Dr. Annabelle Riggs. She seems to be part comic relief, part lesbian love interest for Val, and, as of this issue, potentially one of the new Valkior that Val is supposed to select. I’m still not sure about what’s supposed to be going on with her, but I don’t have any problems with her so far.

Cullen Bunn’s writing is very good. Amusing and light hearted while not stooping to farce, and still allowing for a lot of action and plot movement. I’m going 4 out 5 for the plot here.

Will Sliney’s art is well done. He draws a lot of people in this issue, and executes them all well. Nothing really stands out, which happens a lot with massive crowd scenes, but it’s all quality work. I’ll say 4 out 5 for that, too.

Positive things here include humor, which is so often lacking in hero comics today. This is a FUN read. The action is good, the plot is original, and, so far, it all seems to be moving along well. I like the book, and am consistently both enjoying the issues and looking forward to the next ones.

Negatives are a few here and there. I’ve mentioned this before, and I may well again. I always find it odd when writers find the need to change a character’s sexuality after they have been shown another way for decades. Val seems to be bi now, which is new to this series. Disclaimer before someone jumps on me, I have no issue with bis, gays, or anything else, I just kinda think if you need a character to be that orientation, create a new one. That and, while I get Misty is trying to throw Valkior candidates at Val, she’s also calling up allies for a big fight, and the exclusion of any of her male contacts just seems odd to me.

I’m enjoying the book, and recommend it strongly. It’s nice to see actual fun hero stories again.

For more by this author, go to www.watchtowermansion.com

Marla Drake, our heroine, continues to pop through time apparently at random. Her “native” time is the early 1940′s, roughly the same era as most of the pulp heroes. She’s also having adventures in what seems to be two different versions of 2013. The time jumping is a bit confusing, but I’m not alone there. Miss F herself seems to be confused by what’s going on.

Basically, when you come down to it, this is a very action driven book. There are lots of fights, swearing, nudity, and sex. A woman in the usual tight costume with the expected model’s figure, fighting Nazis and guys in big mechanical suits is going to have a certain amount of appeal to some fans. So far, I’m more vaguely curious than anything else about the book. It’s been entertaining, to a point, but I’m not sure how long I’m in for.

For Rob Williams’ plot, I’ll give him a 2.5 out of 5. It’s an average score for an average story. It’s not bad, it’s not great. The time jumps are a bit confusing, and I’m not sure how the Nazis are doing it, too. Also not sure where the big mechanical suits are coming from.

Jack Herbert’s art is probably why I’m still getting the book. I’ll give it a 4. I’m not sure all of what’s going on here, but it’s fun to watch. Herbert draws the action, and the lovely Miss Drake, quite well.

I really sort of prefer the way Drake acted in Masks to this version, but I’ll check it out a bit further.

For more by this author, go to www.watchtowermansion.com

The first, Dirty Laundry, is drawn by Fetishcomix, as the artist chooses to be known. This is about an evil mimic and impersonator, “The Aktress.” who steals a bunch of superheroines’ costumes. Chaos ensues, with a lot of quick-changing identities, nudity, and a really kinky elevator scene. It’s a fun short story.

The second tale is “The Lake Swing,” which continues the origin of Molly Whipple’s Chickfighter character. Chickfighter already has something of a fan base on DeviantArt, and this fleshes out her background more. She’s definitely in the superhuman range, and we learn from her mentor and guardian, Masked Americana, why that is, as well as witness a very unusual reaction to CPR. This story will be continued later. Art credit on this goes to Lazaro Suarez, who seems to favor a water color like style. Given that the story takes place mostly on a lake in what looks like summer, it works pretty well.

Rounding out the trio is Power Doll versus Godziller, which is pretty much what it sounds like. John Corbis provides the art to accompany Molly’s story of a giant fire-breathing lizard fighting a flying, superhumanly strong heroine. Action, jokes, costume destruction, and a nod to Blue Oyster Cult’s classic rock hit spin a fun tale. There’s also a rather unique way to send the big guy back to the water.

As before, Danger Dolls is a fun, adult comic. If you have problems with nudity, sexual jokes, or silliness, then move along, there’s probably nothing for you here. But, if you like that kind of thing, you can have a lot of fun with this, which I am.

I’ll give the writing a good 3 out of 5. It’s enjoyable, and definitely doesn’t take itself seriously, which I find refreshing. Molly Whipple does a good job keeping things moving along at a fun whirl.

The art, I think, works better than last issue. This collection of artists turn in some good work, and I’ll give them a collective 3 for 5. Suarez’ art stood out particularly. I wouldn’t have thought, ahead of time, that watercolors would be a good choice for a comic, but it clicked for the story.

Positive bits would include a sense of fun that’s missing from so many comics these days. I know I’ve mentioned this in this review already, but hey, it’s worth repeating. I find this enjoyable reading, and don’t pick it up wondering which character is about to die, get mauled, maimed, or suddenly be revealed to be secretly evil.

I suppose the only negative, such as it is, is that there’s a lot of nudity and sexual situations. While this is a fun book, it is not one you can share with your kids, or ever really leave where they can find it.

Personally, I enjoyed this. I think Molly has fun with what she’s doing, and it shows. And I’d recommend it to anyone with a good sense of humor.

For more by this author, go to www.watchtowermansion.com

There’s a lot of action, and it’s well done.  Stunts, special effects, fights, everything you’d expect of a summer popcorn flick.  What separates just good action flick from something better, in my humble opinion, is the performance of the cast.  That can make or break the movie.  And this cast shines, both singularly and playing off each other.

The dynamics among the crew aren’t the same as the classic series, and yes, that can be a tiny bit disorienting.  But I think it’s very well done.  There are some great Kirk/Spock moments, and Pine and Quinto play off each other fantastically.  Simon Pegg makes a good Scotty, if he’s maybe used a bit too much for comic relief here.  There are also some great moments between Zoe Saldana’s Uhura and Spock.  Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely brilliant, and no, I won’t tell you who he is.  If you’re a Trek fan, you’ll know the name when you hear it, and probably suspect it before you do.  It’s a big enough cast that people get lost a bit in the mix, and Dr. McCoy didn’t get a lot of screen-time, although what he had was amusing, likewise Chekov.

It was also a bit odd for me seeing the Enterprise bridge manned by refugees from two recently cancelled shows I watched.  John Cho did a good job as Hikaru Sulu, nice to see him after hearing that Go On wasn’t renewed.  One of Bones’ best lines is actually directed at Sulu.  A newer character, Navigation Officer Darwin, appears briefly, played by Aisha Hinds, late of the CW’s Cult.  Noel Clarke also shows up, known to as “Mickey the Idiot,” to another branch of sci-fi fans (that’s what the Doctor called him, more than once).

In short, I’ll give Star Trek: Into Darkness an enthusiastic 4 out of 5.  It was a great ride, and a lot of fun.  This summer, heck, the rest of this year, looks like it has a lot of great sci fi, superhero, and fantasy movies coming out.  This absolutely lived up to that promise.  Go, get some popcorn, and watch the movie.  You’ll probably be glad you did.

Leading the development of the series is a creative team of exceptional talent. Screenwriter/producer Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class, Sherlock Holmes, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) is an executive producer on Star Wars Rebels and will write the premiere episode. He is joined by Dave Filoni as executive producer, who served as supervising director of the Emmy nominated Star Wars: The Clone Wars since 2008. Executive producer Greg Weisman brings with him a wealth of animation experience with credits such as Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man and Gargoyles.

Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, “The entire team at Lucasfilm has provided extraordinary creativity and innovation for over three decades, and we’re thrilled to be bringing the expansive and imaginative world of Star Wars to Disney XD’s viewers.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to explore new corners of the Star Wars universe,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president, Lucasfilm. “I think Star Wars Rebels will capture the look, feel and fun that both kids and their parents love about Star Wars.”

The action-filled series is set between the events of Episode III and IV — an era spanning almost two decades never-before explored on-screen. Star Wars Rebels takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape. Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point.

Star Wars Rebels will be produced by Lucasfilm Animation, featuring many of the key talents that made Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Fans attending Star Wars Celebration Europe will be the first to get an exclusive look at the new series. Casting will be announced at a later date. More information about this developing project will be found on StarWars.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/starwarsrebels.

Batman: Arkham Origins features an expanded Gotham City and introduces an original prequel storyline occurring several years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City. Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous villains and assassins, the game showcases a young, raw, unrefined Batman as he faces a defining moment in his early career as a crime fighter that sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight. As the story unfolds, witness identities being formed and key relationships being forged.

The film will be available as a Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and OnDemand starting May 21, 2013. It is now available to own via Digital Download.  Initial Blu-ray Combo Pack & DVD release will include an exclusive Lego Clark Kent/Superman figurine on pack while supplies last.

LEGO Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite provides the ultimate blend of action and humor guaranteed to entertain fanboys of all ages.  The film finds Lex Luthor taking jealousy to new heights when fellow billionaire Bruce Wayne wins the Man of the Year Award. To top Wayne’s accomplishment, Lex begins a campaign for President – and to create the atmosphere for his type of fear-based politics, he recruits the Joker to perfect a Black LEGO Destructor Ray. While wreaking havoc on Gotham, Lex successfully destroys Batman’s technology – forcing the Caped Crusader to reluctantly turn to Superman for help.

Preview Clip

Preview Images

Their retreat reveals that Hippolyta can now fly (she’s seeming a lot more like a certain Amazon from another company as time passes), and also that the bad guys have more than just evil valkyries at their disposal. Some sort of Cthuluoid horror chases after them, and Val uses her sword to teleport them all away (which I also don’t remember her doing before this series).

Unfortunately, at this point the issue sort of stops making sense. Val broods about all this being her fault, because she’s been supposed to choose new Valkyrie. Her failure to do so left some sort of power vacuum that allowed the Doom Maidens’ return. Odd that this never even crossed her mind during her recent time with the just cancelled Secret Defenders. Misty suggests they call in the Avengers, and Val says they won’t be able to help.

Let’s look at that a moment. Thor, Iron Man, and Captain Marvel, just to rattle off three big guns, can’t help, so this group, at least one of who has no powers or combat experience, is going to go it alone? Val stalks off to sulk, and Dani reveals she still has some mystic power from her time as a valkyrie. This happened during one of the New Mutants odder adventures many years ago, and I swear she lost all those powers, but maybe that changed again. I do find it odd that her Valkyrie look is part Asgardian, part New Mutant costume. Clever artistically, but doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

There’s another flashback of Val fighting Odin, Annabelle clumsily sort of expresses interest in Val, and the others plot and plan. Apparently, the plan is for Val and Hippolyta to go off on their own, reducing their power to an even lower level. In a somewhat clever bit, Misty calls upon her Oracle-like role from the last incarnation of Heroes for Hire to call in back up. But, again, if the Avengers can’t help, how are a bunch of independent, mostly second and third string heroes going to help Judging from the next issue cover, most of her old group has been scrapped for the still unexplained all female theme of the book. For example, Misty’s closest ally in that book was Paladin. But he’s male, and appears nowhere on the next issue cover, but females that never showed up in Heroes for Hire do. Making even less sense, several female Avengers are on that cover. You know, the Avengers, who they aren’t calling?

I loved the first issue of this book and the second was pretty good. This one seems to have lost a lot of the offbeat charm and gained a lot of “Wait, what?” moments. I don’t recall if Cullen Bunn has been the writer all along. If so, he’s lost something, and if not, get the other guy back! I’m giving this a 2 out of 5 for plot.

The art by Will Sliney was well executed, with nicely drawn characters, good backgrounds, and no glitches or anything that I noticed. I’ll give it a 3 out of 5.

I really liked this book to start, and I’m not sure what happened. I hope they get back on track soon. I’d also really like them to explain the female only rule, which was never really dealt with in similarly themed Birds of Prey either.

For more by this author, go to www.watchtowermansion.com

Meanwhile, the rest of the team faces off with robotic versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. Well, most of the rest. Even though he’s been on the other covers, and is now even shown in the little line up of characters by headshot and name, the newest Green Lantern has yet to actually show up in the book. This is getting ridiculous. Suffice to say the team wins, with the bickering and lack of trust among them that is so typical of the DCNU.

They do not find the mansion that undercover agent Green Arrow reported here, but do find a broken piece of shingle and stained glass. The headquarters of this new secret society seems to have wandered off. Since this attempt failed, their next idea is to make Catwoman look like she’s being chased and then captured by the JLA, so she can infiltrate the Society. This plan gets complicated by overly competent police and then the appearance of Green Arrow, who has already been told he can’t be on the team, but is tagging along anyway. Catwoman gets “captured,” escapes from Arkham (not where she’s usually put as she’s not crazy, another seeming error), and then gets captured for real by Blockbuster and Singal Man. She wakes up tied to a large wooden chair, similar to, maybe even the same as, the one GA was in back in issue one. There’s a back up piece about J’onn telepathizing Catwoman, which lets each of them inside each other’s heads, and Catwoman sort of freaks out. In addition to not wanting J’onn knowing her secrets, she sees a lot of things about his past. J’Onn hunts down some strange creature, I think back on Mars, and not only kills it but absorbs its memories. Creepy.

Geoff Johns is doing ok writing this, I suppose. I just foolishly like team books that are about TEAMS, not a group of bickering people who happen to be in the same place. Any teamwork here is purely accidental. I also don’t like the new, creepy, history for J’onn. I’m going to give the plot a 2 out of 5, as not much happens aside from the team arguing and actually attacking each other.

David Finch’s art is decent, although I don’t like a few of his takes, especially Blockbuster’s face. And, while it’s not his fault, I still don’t like the Nu versions of any of the costumes. I’ll give the art a 3 out of 5.

I though from the start this book had a really odd line up, and the plot isn’t going anywhere I like. This book is among my many DCNU titles that I’m considering dropping. I hope it gets better.

For more by this author, go to www.watchtowermansion.com

“We’ve devoted serious time and attention to revisiting the origins of Star Wars as inspiration for our process on the new movie, and I’m thrilled that returning to the UK for production and utilizing the incredible talent there can be a part of that,” said Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm. “Speaking from my own longstanding connection to the UK with films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Empire of the Sun and recently War Horse, it’s very exciting to be heading back.”

Earlier this year, representatives from Lucasfilm met with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in London to establish an agreement to produce Star Wars in the U.K. “I am delighted that Star Wars is coming back to Britain. Today’s announcement that the next Star Wars film will be shot and produced in the UK is great news for fans and our creative industries,” Osborne said today.

Star Wars: Episode VII will be directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Michael Arndt and is scheduled for a 2015 release.