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ALL NEW MONTHLY VIEW #001

By @vintagelaureate

All New Monthly View banner
The world of comics is constantly expanding, and for the modern reader there is so much choice and variety out there it can be difficult to appreciate all the genres, characters and creators presented each week. With a multitude of publishers available comics exist now very much outside the core ‘Big Two’, indeed Image over the past few years have gained so much market-share due to their high quality produce there is an argument that now exists for a ‘Big Three’.

The purpose of this new monthly column, produced in conjunction with the UK`s Premier Comic Retailer Inter-Comics.com, is to pick some of the highlights (in my opinion, and discussion is welcomed!) out from forthcoming solicitations which will be available to order online and my ‘quick picks’ to pull. Due to the vast amount of comics available monthly these days, there will be a focus on Marvel, DC and Image; although there will no doubt be honourable mentions to such juggernauts as IDW, Boom, Dark Horse and hopefully all manner of ‘indie’ publishers.

Before we start properly, perhaps it is best to introduce myself for those who are unfortunate (or as some would say fortunate) enough to have avoided my presence for so long! I am a massive comic book fan; I was introduced to comics at a tender age as I was lucky enough to have an Auntie who owned a store in Canada who would ship boxes to me every so often. These musky boxes contained all types of characters, and I remember in the late 1980`s and earlier 1990`s being introduced to the likes of Lobo through the pages of L.E.G.I.O.N, Barry Allen as The Flash and, of course, Batman. This led to me having an obsession in my teenage years, and although I gradually read less as I got older and was introduced to the social extravaganza that is the teenage years, I always had a fixation with comics and pop culture in general. I was ‘re-introduced’ to reading comics again properly a good few years ago now, and like any ‘new’ reader this led to me mass buying back issue after back issue to catch up on everything.

Now, eventually, several years later although there are still things I want to read and catch up on, each month I find myself now eagerly scanning the solicitations to make sure I don`t miss out again on the next great read or the introduction of some brand new iconic characters. This has led to me building a not so insignificant pull list, but thanks to the new subscription service from Inter-Comics.com all that is needed is a few quick lines of text and they do the hard work for me and I just get the enjoyment that comes when freshly printed, crisp and bagged comics lands through the post box.

So with that brief introduction, and the formality that goes with it over and done with, it`s time to get scanning those previews and taking a look at what`s to come in November 2014.

Marvel

Following on from what promises to be an epic month in October, Marvel look to have raised the bar further with some of its published solicitations for this coming November. Readers are set to see the introduction of a different kind of Iron Man, a familiar character take over the mantle of Captain America, the continuation of the Axis event and all manner of ‘Spider-Verse’ books.
A much maligned variant cover has detracted somewhat from the return of a Jessica Drew solo series but Spider-Woman #1 from the team of Dennis Hopeless and Greg Land has the potential to be a great read. Of course this ties in directly with the events of the two issue series Spider-Verse, with #1 out in November. So if you like all things Spider-Man; or simply want to learn more about their world then these two books are definitely worth checking out. Of course, these aren`t the only Spidey related titles this month; highlights include the continuation of Dan Slott`s Amazing Spider-Man with issues #9 and #10, Spider-Man 2099 from acclaimed writer Peter David, another new book in Michael Costa`s mini-series Scarlet Spiders #1 and the finale of Nick Spencer`s fantastic run on Superior Foes of Spider-Man with issue #17. All these titles; and much more are available to pre-order from Inter-Comics.com.

November 2014 is also the month that Sam Wilson takes over the mantle of Captain America, and not only does he get to do it in his own solo series All New Captain America #1 from Rick Remender, but he also gets a good old fashioned team up book from Al Ewing in Captain America and The Mighty Avengers #1. It will be interesting to see how Sam copes with the added pressure of taking over from Steve Rodgers, but it is great to see Marvel bringing a much loved character to the forefront. Speaking of Avengers, November also sees the launch of Superior Iron Man #1 from writer Tom Taylor; which will see guest appearances from Daredevil and others as the reader is introduced to a character “more stylish, more confident, and more cunning than ever before.” Hopefully this will take Iron Man in a completely new direction, and serve to refresh the character to the same effect Superior Spider-Man had on its own title character.

Other Marvel highlights for the month include the Guardians of the Galaxy #21 where the Guardians will be visiting a world full of symbiotes, the continuation of Hickman`s epic run on Avengers with issue #38, the next issues in Thor and Bucky Barnes: The Winter Solider both on issue #2 after being introduced in October 2014, the brilliant Magneto from Cullen Bunn and if you liked the Guardians of the Galaxy movie be sure to check out Skottie Young`s all ages series Rocket Raccoon.

Each month I will highlight one book from each publisher that I simply urge you to pre-order and pick up from Inter-Comics.com; so consider this my Marvel quick pick recommendation for November 2014:

All New Captain America #1 Monthly

  • All-New Captain America #1

Written by RICK REMENDER • Art and Cover by STUART IMMONEN

• This is it! The all-new, Spy-Fi, highflying adventures of Sam Wilson Captain America and Nomad begin here!
• Hydra is growing, the terrorist band have has infiltrated the Marvel Universe completely! But what is their ultimate goal?
• United by Hydra, Cap’s rogue’s gallery gathers to take down the new untested Captain America and Nomad!

32 PGS./Rated T+

DC

After what is predicted to be a stellar October for DC, November 2014 sees a creative shift on one of the New 52`s more consistent books and the arrival of another Batman related title.
Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang have been turning in a high quality book, loved by member of the Inter-Comics Podcast, month after month in the form of their Wonder Woman title. With issue #36 the title is set to face a significant change in direction. The creative team of David Finch and Meredith Finch will be taking over, and are set to introduce characters such as Swamp Thing into a new ongoing arc for Diana Prince. For those wanted to dip into the world of DC`s Amazonian Legend ahead of her introduction onto the big screen in Batman Vs, Superman: Dawn of Justice, this is the perfect jumping on point!

Talking of jumping on points, November sees the launch of a particularly interesting title for lovers of all things Bat-Family and the horror genre. Gotham By Midnight #1 is an all new ongoing title which will look at the ‘paranormal’ side of DC`s most famous city. From a creative team with a background in horror, Ray Fawkes writing and Ben Templesmith on art, this could take Gotham in a previously unheralded direction.

Other highlights from DC for the month include the continuation of Grant Morrison`s The Multiversity, with the release of The Multiversity: Pax Americana #1, in which the acclaimed writer will continue to do what he does best and give the reader a complex and compelling  narrative that keeps you coming back. Cullen Bunn`s Lobo will continue with issue #2, as will the other books introduced in October such as Klarion, Trinity of Sin and Deathstroke, which will hopefully develop the characters to both new and old readers.  Scott Snyder’s next big Batman story ‘Endgame’ continues in Batman #36, alongside the regular plethora of Bat-Family titles such as Batman Eternal #31 – #34, Batgirl #36 which continues with the new team of Cameron Stewart and Brendan Fletcher and the impressive Grayson from Tim Seeley with issue #4.

Also this month, DC continues its variant themes with the introduction of Lego covers for several books across the New 52. These covers are impressive and highly collectible, when Marvel did a similar range they flew off the shelves, so don`t forget to pre-order them at Inter-Comics.com.

Continuing the pre-order pick, the DC title that is not to be missed in November 2014 is;

Gotham By Midnight #1 Monthly

  • Gotham By Midnight #1

Written by RAY FAWKES
Art and cover by BEN TEMPLESMITH
1:25 Variant cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

Strange doings are afoot in Gotham City! Look out, though – Jim Corrigan is on the case in this new series by writer Ray Fawkes (CONSTANTINE, BATMAN ETERNAL) and artist Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Ten Grand).

32 pg, FC • RATED T

Image Comics

Image is probably the publisher hardest to write for monthly; they are constantly producing new top-quality titles month after month. Guess what? It appears November 2014 is set to repeat that trend with the launch of several new titles from brilliant creative teams, and the continuation of some already well-established favourites.

One obvious stand out title comes from Matt Fraction and Christian Ward and according to Image is a ‘psychedelic sci-fi retelling of The Odyssey’. ODY-C #1 will look to appeal to all readers of sci-fi, lovers of cosmic chaos and could well be the next Image ‘must-have’, following on the mantle set by titles such as East Is West, Black Science and Manifest Destiny.

Whilst discussing ‘must-have’ titles, the previews of new fantasy title Tooth & Claw #1 from Kurt Busiek look superb. The first double-sized issue launches this November and has been described as a ‘high-fantasy epic’, if you’re a fan of Game of Thrones or fantasy in general be sure to pre-order this title as its set to be a big seller.

November looks to be a big month for Ray Fawkes, previously mentioned with Gotham By Midnight #1, he launches Intersect from Image too and has complete creative control over the books as he is on writing, art and covers. If you are a fan of his work, or are just looking to ‘dip you toe’ into the Image world this may be the books for you.

Other new titles launching this November from Image include mind-bending sci-fi series Drifter #1 from Ivan Brandon, the crazy looking The Humans #1 from Keenan Marshall Keller, Sinergy #1 from Michael Avon Oeming and Taki Soma which has the potential to become a sought after indie gem, and American Legends #1 – #5 which will see Image take a crack at the ‘weeklies’ market with a title depicting some stalwarts from America history of a madcap quest to take on Napoleon!

Every Image title is worth checking out and November sees the next issue of Rick Remender`s relatively new series Low with #5, Manifest Destiny continues to serve up thrills in issue #12, the brilliant horror series Nailbiter features a guest appearance from non-other than the legend that is Brian Michael Bendis in issue #7 and the ever popular The Walking Dead continues with #134, just what has turned the whispers into screams?

If you only want to buy one Image title this month and you’re looking for something new, the quick pick recommendation is the already mentioned ODY-C #1 from the brilliant Matt Fraction;

ODYC #1 Monthly

  • ODYC #1

Written by MATT FRACTION
Art and Cover by CHRISTIAN WARD

An epic 26 centuries in the making: In the aftermath of a galactic war a hundred years long, Odyssia the Clever Champion and her compatriots begin their longest, strangest trip yet: the one home. A gender-bent eye-popping psychedelic science fiction odyssey begins HERE, by MATT FRACTION (CASANOVA, SEX CRIMINALS, SATELLITE SAM) and CHRISTIAN WARD (INFINITE VACATION, OLYMPUS). INCLUDES SPECIAL EIGHT-PAGE FOLDOUT!

40 PAGES / FC / MATURE READERS

To see this and the full range of Image Comics titles available for November, please check out Inter-Comics.com and reserve the titles using their new subscription service to ensure you never miss an issue again!

Other Titles of Note

In November 2014, Boom! Studios are launching two particularly noteworthy new titles. Deep State #1 comes from the mind behind Image Comics Spread and Dead Body Road, Justin Jordan and looks at conspiracy theories in an all new light. If you know your Koba`s from your Caesar’s and your Chimps from Orang-utans, then the new min-series Dawn of the Planet of the Apes #1 may be of interest. If you loved the recent film, why not continue the experience in print?

IDW continues its marketing ploys by combining two of their more popular titles with the publication of Transformers Angry Birds #1 from John Barber. This is more of interest to see exactly how it works; but will certainly appeal to children, how exactly will the ‘Allspark’ work on Piggie Island? This bizarre unification could lend itself to this being one of the years more somewhat ‘interesting ‘reads.
Dark Horse have published some must read mini-series` recently and November sees the conclusion of some of those;  both POP from Curt Pires and Dark Ages from Dan Abnett conclude with their respective issue #4`s.  Yet as some good things end, November sees the dawn of a book with some superb potential. Following on from his previous series Grindhouse, Alex de Campi brings readers its sequel; Grindhouse: Drive In, Bleed Out #1. If all those comics weren`t enough, and you and the kids’ weren`t taken with Transformers Angry Birds offering from IDW, Dark Horse are bringing us Itty Bitty Comics: The Mask #1 from Art Balthazar which is the first Mask comic in over a decade and with its cutesy art is sure to be a big seller.

So if you’re looking for a title outside the usual big hitters, the quick pick recommendation that should find its way onto your pull is Grindhouse: Drive In, Bleed Out #1;

Grindhouse Drive In #1 Monthly

  • Grindhouse: Drive In, Bleed Out #1 (Of 8)

Written by Alex de Campi
Art and Cover by R. M. Guéra

Grindhouse is back from the dead, and it’s meaner, badder, and dirtier than ever! In the first of four new exploitation opuses, Scalped’s R. M. Guéra joins series writer Alex de Campi for “Slay Ride,” a brutal holiday tale of revenge and supernatural terror in the driven snow!

FC, 32 pages

To Conclude

November looks set to be another month of non-stop comics, with something to appeal to everyone across all publishers and genres. I hope that you have enjoyed my look at some titles; and don`t forget if you see something that appeals to you they are all available to pre-order at Inter-Comics.com, the Uk`s premier comic retailer.

Don`t forget to check the fantastic range of premium toys and figures available in previews, as well as the ever expanding world of Pop Vinyl Funkos all available to order via Inter-Comics.com; please contact them if you are looking to order something not featured on the site and they will do their very best to accommodate your order. The guys from the Inter-Comics Podcast will be offering up their weekly picks so please tune in to them to see what they believe you should be buying.

Until next month, thanks for reading, and if you’re not bored enough of my ramblings you can catch more on Twitter @vintagelaureate. Have a great month!

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Posted on September 8th, 2014
Category: ALL NEW MONTHLY VIEW, PREVIEWS & UPCOMING RELEASES
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ORACLE OF COMICS #032 – BATMAN ETERNAL #21 – TEN FORTY-EIGHT

By Luke Abbott

Batman Eternal #21 Bullock
Halfway through Issue #21 of Batman Eternal, you think that you are reading a filler comic. It isn’t bad, but is one of those issues that this series churns out every now and again, where the story is slowly built upon, but is mainly an excuse to add some character development to proceedings. Good, but not essential. However, when the comic hits the halfway point, it speeds right up to the maximum, hitting us with a terrific scene with Alfred, a brand new villain entering the fray (no spoilers, but he is one of my favourites!), and a twist that will shake the foundations of this story.

If it seemed that I was criticising the slower first half of the comic, I wasn’t. I like that the side characters were developed. We got to see a few tender moments from characters that are often overlooked in the grand scheme of things. Harvey Bullock has been on exposition duties from day one, but this issue, we get to see his take on the events of the last twenty issues. We get a sneak peek into the private life of Bard and Vicki Vale. Falcone turns out to still be a player in the conspiracy (he is much better now he is not centre of attention, but allowed to just show up and be menacing from time to time). These small moments might seem like they are time-wasting, which they might very well be, but it does make Batman Eternal feel like a bigger thing. Everyone is a three-dimensional character and it makes the events that unfold have a much more dramatic read.

Batman Eternal #21 Falcone
Also, how badass was Alfred! Out of all of the supporting cast that never get truly explored in Batman, Alfred is usually the first to be dropped. He serves well for the origin and all of the stories that are closer to home, but for a lot of Batman stories, it’s hard to think up a reason to include him. Today, Alfred gets to show off. He is given an extended scene, where he just screams awesomeness from every angle. He has some great dialogue, handles a weapon impressively and somehow unleashes the Vulcan grip to put someone to sleep. I am glad that now Eternal has a bit of free time to explore new story avenues, Alfred was chosen to be a key part in the next one. I hope we get more moments like this from him.

Batman Eternal #21 Alfred
And that twist at the end! I am still not sure what to think of it. It definitely surprised me, but I might need to go over a few of the previous issues to decide if it makes sense or not. I hope it is a planned twist and not something thrown in to make Eternal more jaw-dropping. The next few issues on this twist be fully handled will be make or break for Eternal. Like last issue with Spoiler’s reveal, it does have the same annoying effect of the civilian characters either becoming superheroes or bad guys, rather than just being ordinary for once. But at least with the latter, it has the promise of doing something genuinely interesting. For now, I am glued to Eternal and unable to guess what this story has in store for us.

Quote of the Issue:

Alfred: You have broken into my home. You are a threat to my family. Master Wayne might have a predilection against firearms… but I’m afraid he isn’t home right now.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on September 1st, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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ORACLE OF COMICS #030 – HARLEY QUINN #10 – THERE ARE NO RULES

By Luke Abbott

Harley Quinn #10 Ouch
Harley Quinn finally goes to Skate Club, where she is allowed to unleash her full Harley carnage on her opponents, without any repercussions. I had dedicated this entire paragraph to explaining the plot, but… that is about it. Um… next paragraph!

There Are No Rules is a pretty weak addition of Harley Quinn. I just don’t like the skating stories I think. They are predictable and don’t hit the mark quite as well as you want them to. I still stand by my point of the jokes being the same, but slightly bigger each time. Yes, the Skate Club format means that the bloody kill for a punchline is more gruesome than before, but it’s still the same format of joke. Harley takes a sport and turns it violent. We have laughed at this before. The banter between the team mates instantly isn’t as funny as it could be too. My biggest problem with this issue is that it feels separate from the rest of the characters, who are much more amusing to spend time with. The skater girls don’t really have their own personalities and just become a tool for the writers to fire jokes off of. If they never showed up again from this issue onwards, I doubt anyone would actually notice or care too much.

Harley Quinn #10 Stars
However, there is one sequence which is phenomenally funny. Harley gets knocked out and her mind travels to a galaxy far, far away, where we are treated to an extended sequence of an extra-terrestrial space fight. It is so random and out of the blue, (a new art style is used to highlight this), that you find it terrifically funny. The writers manage to tie it into the overall storyline by the end of the comic, but part of you didn’t want them to. I just wanted this four pages of alien nonsense to be a stand-alone gag that served no other purpose than to be wacky and zany. That is the Harley Quinn comedy I like.

I think this kind of issue comes with the territory of this kind of comic. Harley Quinn is a series where you are meant to sit back and just laugh. It doesn’t have the larger story arc or mystery that I get with Batman Eternal, but I accept that. It just means that every now and again, one of the issues doesn’t quite work. That’s OK, because I know that the next issue will probably hit the mark perfectly.

Harley Quinn #10 Quote
Quote of the Issue:

Isabella: (talking about Jaws) That film was propaganda against sharks. They are very misunderstood creatures.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on September 1st, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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ORACLE OF COMICS #029 – BATMAN ETERNAL #20 – WILD ANIMALS

By Luke Abbott

Batman Eternal #20 Croc
Wild Animals continues the streak of action-packed fight scenes. I slightly prefer the last issue, but at least Eternal seems to be picking up the pace at a rapid rate. Here, we get the conclusion of three storylines and the birth of another one.

We start off instantly with Batman, Croc and Bard taking on Ten-Eyes and his army of spectres. This storyline is tied up a little too neatly for me, but it does feature some neat set-pieces. I assumed that Ten-Eyes’ abduction of Gotham citizens would tie into Deacon Blackfire’s schemes, seeing as they both having ghostly figures lurking around the sewers as an integral part of their plot. Sadly, it seems that Gotham is just unlucky enough to have two supernatural invasions in one night. (While we are mentioning Blackfire, where has he got to? That imminent threat was a cliffhanger a couple of issues ago that has been shoved onto the back-burner). Essentially, reviewing this entire three issue story, we can chalk this up to a simple distraction from the ongoing story, which does make this finale a little flat. We wanted it to be another part of the conspiracy, yet now this entire side of Eternal is dead in the water. At the very least, it did give us some time with Killer Croc, who is always a fun character, and Bard’s development continues strongly. I can’t say I hated my time with these three heroes.

Batman Eternal #20 Pluck
Gordon’s story comes to an end rather abruptly. It is all good, but I assumed there would be four issues worth of Falcone-fighting to get through. Gordon is apparently too efficient a hero for my liking. That being said, it is nice seeing him take on an army of goons using his wits. He hasn’t got the gadgets that Batman has, so it is rewarding to watch him hold his own in an action sequence. The downside of this story being cut short is that we never really got any more time with Falcone or the Penguin. I was hoping that they would get a few monologues out of their characters being mentioned again, maybe some more rationalisation with the wardens of Blackgate. I felt that would have been an interesting feature to have, but sadly the return of these two villains wasn’t so much of a return, but more of a prolonged cameo. On the plus side, there is a great twist to end this story, that I didn’t see coming. It adds a nice after-thought to the gang war saga that doesn’t bring too much to the plot, but adds a neat little layer of intelligence and development to the series.

Batman Eternal #20 Batgirl
Finally, Batgirl catches up with Falsario. This storyline suffers the most, as there is simply no time to do this one justice. I would have relished in Batgirl’s character a little more if I was writing this chapter. She is always threatening to break into her dark side and this fight would have been the ideal time for her to maybe go too far with the vigilante persona. As it stands, the sequence is cut drastically short, although it does add some more questions, which will keep Eternal on the watch list for comic-readers everywhere. I just hope that the ending development doesn’t mean that Batgirl’s arc has come to an end, as she was the most interesting sub-character of the lot.

And then there is one twist to end the comic. I don’t like it. A side character essentially adopts a superhero alter-ego and I didn’t see the point. I loved this character as a civilian, helpless against the corruption of Gotham. It was a new dynamic, yet now this character is yet another Robin knock-off. This storyline is now no different to the rest of Eternal. Not every character needs to be a superhero, yet the writers don’t seem to want to have a civilian develop without donning a costume at some point. I will be watching this side of Eternal with very judgemental eyes.

Quote of the Month:

Row: Go pluck yourself, Cobblepot.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on September 1st, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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OUT OF THE LONG BOX #042 – BATMAN #34

By Chris Fenn

Batman Vol 2 #34 Help
Thank you Gerry Duggan; this is what I’ve wanted to see in my main Batman title.

Batman #34 is a wonderful one issue story called ‘The Meek’ which is a welcome break from reading some really long story arcs. The plot is your standard find the murderer book, but instead of using copy-cat killers or any of the usual big names we get a nameless, disposable villain; which in my opinion does the book a lot of favours.

The book felt very ‘Black Mirror’ to me, especially in terms of tone, which is interesting as Scott Snyder is credited as co-writing the story to this issue. One observation I have made on Snyder’s work before is that he doesn’t write about Batman, he writes about Gotham and features Batman within the book, but I don’t think I can honestly say the same about this story.

Batman Vol 2 #34 Dr Thompkins
I found that the art style of this book was also similar to that of ‘Black Mirror’ and both really fit the narrative of their stories. What I really like about the art in this book (by Matteo Scalera) and Black Mirror (Jock) is both artists can really build tension and atmosphere without making anything feel over the top. I also loved Scalera’s Batmobile, it seemed like a beautiful mixture of the Killing Joke Batmobile, the Tim Burton Batmobile and the Tumbler.

It has to be said that Batman doesn’t get the most ‘screen time’ this issue, but his dialogue and actions make him feel like a benevolent and vengeful guardian of Gotham, which to me makes him closer to the core of the character, rather than the anger filled Batman we’ve seen in the bigger story arcs. I actually found this issues Batman more in line with the Animated Series interpretation.

To focus more on the comparison to the Animated Series; when Batman ultimately apprehends the villain of the story he doesn’t just lock him in Arkham, he adds a twist to the punishment so the villain doesn’t get any ‘reward’ from his actions. Touches like that that made me fall in love with the animated series, and if Snyder can continue to produce good characterisation like this then I’m eagerly awaiting his newer issues.

Batman Vol 2 #34 Jokers Cell
Even though I am a reader of Batman Eternal, I found the two page spread at the start of the book a brilliant way to recap what had happened in the Batman world before and during the publishing of Zero Year; it wasn’t an overload of exposition and it felt natural to the events of the plot.

For anybody looking to get into the New 52 Batman titles without having to wade through back issues or pick up a bunch of trades I would certainly recommend this to you, and for anybody up to date on their Batman titles I would recommend this as a brilliant story of Batman being Batman.

For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989

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Posted on August 17th, 2014
Category: OUT OF THE LONG BOX, REVIEWS
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ORACLE OF COMICS #028 – HARLEY QUINN #9 – SOME NERD RAGE WITH YOUR BIRDCAGE?

By Luke Abbott

Harley Quinn #9 Badoink
Out of all of the upcoming Harley Quinn issues previewed online, this was the one that I was a little unsure about. The brief summary tells us that Harley Quinn will be covering as a burlesque dancer at a bar. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes; I love Harley Quinn, but I really didn’t want to see the writers try and use the comic to act out their Harley Quinn skin suit fantasies.

The first part of this issue plays out exactly like that. Harley is getting ready for a show and we already see her half-nude, essentially becoming the male fantasy for the night. She goes on stage, takes off most of her clothes and kisses another woman. In fact, she nearly rips the clothes off of her co-dancer (who was already pretty scantily-clad), in one frame. It is all a little too voyeuristic for me. It is clear that the male readers are meant to be sitting back and enjoying some Harley skin, but it doesn’t sit right with me. There is nothing wrong with being attracted to Harley Quinn, but there is something degrading about seeing the actual character reduced to some eye candy. This series was doing so well at giving us a strong Harley figure, but this has just taken the ‘sexy’ trait to the character too far. For me, this does not work and is not something I want to see in future issues.

Harley Quinn #9 Rat
Thankfully, the burlesque club is actually little more than a narrative device to get the real story rolling. Harley, in a punch-up in the burlesque club, gets knocked out and taken hostage by a police officer. Or at least, she thinks he is a police officer. It turns out that he is an obsessive stalker that wants to lock Harley into a cage, until she falls in love with him. Of course, Harley Quinn has a way of making the madcap, even madder, so it isn’t long before she is treating the cage like a throne and having her hostage-taker run errands around town. This was a really funny scene and showed Harley in a position of power. If I was to pick hairs here, I would have to mention that this story still revolves around how hot Harley is. The writers try to cram in as many euphemisms for ‘ass’ that they can. I don’t mind this form of sexual innuendo in the comics, as here it degrades the men in the story, rather than Harley, but seeing as it does closely follow the burlesque scene, it feels like a small improvement, rather than winning me back over.

Harley Quinn #9 Caged
Thankfully, Harley Quinn is never anything less than laugh out loud. It always has a joke just around the corner to keep me entertained. Sure, the burlesque scene annoyed me, but the hipsters in the crowd were worth a chuckle. The hamster still has a bullet hole taken out of him from a while back. The endless Staten Island jokes. It was hilarious to watch Harley break down the Miranda rights in such a funny fashion. The gags keep hitting the mark so well, how can I truly write this comic off. Harley Quinn is a tough character to write for and no matter how good previous issues have been, we must respect that this is always a tricky challenge. This is one particular issue where the writing lost its way, yet the jokes kept it on a steady enough course to avoid total failure.

And one interesting note: the first page introduces a new over-arching storyline. One of Harley’s tenants has a son in prison and has a plan to spring him out that involves Harley. Just a taste of what’s to come, but it helps keep us riveted.

Quote of the Issue:

Hipster 1: I’m going to titter how dismayed I am to all of my followers.

Hipster 2: Me too! I’ll insta-slam the ass off this place.

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Posted on August 16th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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ORACLE OF COMICS #027 – BATMAN ETERNAL #19 – BREAKING BAT

By Luke Abbott

Batman Eternal- #19 Croc
First things first: best title ever.

And now onto the rest of the comic. This was quite a jam-packed issue, but in the right way. It cleverly picks up three stories that each have something different to offer. Batman carries on from last issue, tracking down the mysterious kidnappers in the sewers, teamed up with Killer Croc and Bard. It is nice to see these three great characters, even if they do little more than lurk around and look awesome (the artwork for Croc is terrific). Then we have a brand new plot-line with Jim Gordon. Falcone and Penguin are continuing their gang war from inside Blackgate Prison and Gordon finds himself in the position where only he stands between the convicts and the lives of several prison guards, taken as hostages. It is a triumphant return for an important, yet sometimes overlooked character. Finally, all chaos breaks out, when Batgirl, Red Hood and Batwoman take on Falsario, one of the biggest leads we have been given yet.

Batman Eternal- #19 Gordon
The pacing works, because we have a beginning of a plot-line, the middle of a plot-line and then, a massive punch-up. We need to get through the opening exposition of Gordon’s new story arc and we also need to progress with Batman’s descent into Arkham, but the writers understand that this should never sacrifice fun. The truth is, none of the readers overly mind the slow exploration of Batman Eternal, but we just need some action to spice things up a bit. Therefore, when we are given a great fight between a brain-washed Batgirl, a slave to her anger, and Red Hood, we don’t mind breaking away occasionally to spend long scenes with little more than exposition. We never hated any of the story-building or scene setting; we just needed something a little more to make picking up a certain issue worth it.

Batman Eternal- #19 Folsario
But best of all, I am barely able to wait for the next issue. This Blackgate prison riot is a side of the Batman universe that I love, especially if we don’t have Batman to help save the day, but need to rely on a cop, who has had his hands behind his back from the very start of this series. The cliff-hanger is pretty epic and I hope it promises another great punch-up next time around. One without the supernatural illusion tricks that made the last Batwing finale a little mediocre. And while the action was certainly more hyped than usual, the Batgirl investigation isn’t over. She still has to track Falsario down, who is an interesting figure, as he does have the powers to make Gordon think he saw a gun on that subway station. Despite that arc being up and down, I think that is the advantage it has over every other plot-line: it brings the mystery right back to Issue #1, grounding this massive serial of a Bat-story.

Quote of the Issue:

Red Hood: Me, I only remember what’s important. Like the day I met Batgirl.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on August 16th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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ORACLE OF COMICS #026 – BATMAN ETERNAL #18 – A NIGHT ON EARTH

By Luke Abbott

Batman Eternal #18 Decided
This was a much stronger effort from Batman Eternal, mainly because we finally got to see Batman be Batman for an extended time. The issue is split fairly between Batgirl’s investigations in Brazil, as she teams up with Red Hood and Batwoman (why did Batgirl and Batwoman have to be sent on the same adventure? This is far too confusing for novices like myself!), and then Batman’s pairing with Bard. There is also a nice sprinkling of Jim Gordon, a character we must not forget is at the heart of this entire saga.

Batman Eternal #18 Killer Croc
It is good to see Bard back in good guy duties. As much as I liked his darker tone in the last few issues, I don’t want him to become a villain. I prefer him as one of the good guys, just someone who is willing to go down a slightly darker route than Batman. Here, he is thrown out of his league, as he takes on one of the more infamous figures in the Batman rogue gallery, the Killer Croc. It is a nice position to have Bard in, because at the end of the day, he is your typical police officer, way out of his league. This issue reflected that nicely, especially when contrasted with Batman’s cool and steady demeanour of going about things. It is great to see Batman get reintroduced to his own story, especially when pitted against Croc. As much as I like discovering less known Batman villains like Deacon Blackfire and the Joker’s Daughter, it is nice to have an issue grounded with a more prominent villain. Killer Croc ticks that box excellently, fantastic in every frame he is in. Croc is interesting throughout the entire arc and as the writers point out in one ghostly frame, he is no longer the scariest thing lurking in the Gotham sewers.

Batman Eternal #18 Shadows
The Batgirl storyline has been dragging its feet for some time. I liked Batgirl’s arc, because unlike a lot of the Robins that have been shoe-horned into the plot, she has a genuine reason to be involved with Eternal. However, despite the interesting premise, the storyline hasn’t really gone anywhere. One issue went for comedy over drama, while there hasn’t been a strong enough villain for Batgirl to face off against. She is paired with two characters that I don’t care much for. Red Hood is intriguing, but hardly someone I am clamouring to find out more about, while Batwoman hasn’t shown any personality as of yet. Her appearance feels like it is referencing her as an ongoing figure in the Batman universe, rather than giving her anything worthwhile to do. However, the issue does make me think twice about condemning this strand of plot. The issue ends with Red Hood reflecting on Batgirl, juxtaposed with frames of her beating up a bunch of goons. It is a terrific sequence and a great read.

Then we have Jim Gordon. His storyline doesn’t really progress, but it does offer up some nice details. We see a glimpse of Falcone, which is a nice touch. I don’t like it when villains are defeated and then written out of the plot. Eternal has been good with that, as evidenced by Professor Pyg. This issue is great with the small touches and I think that is what takes a comic book from good to great.

Quote of the Issue:

Bard (about Batman): Does he always talk to himself like that?

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on August 11th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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ORACLE OF COMICS #025 – HARLEY QUINN #8 – PIES IN THE SKIES

By Luke Abbott

Harley Quinn #8 Mutant
This week, Harley Quinn backs away from story-telling and returns to its usual nonsense self. The issue pretty much just has a few sketches of Harley getting up to mischief. While it is a little disheartening that little happens here, it still provides enough laughs to keep us invested in the story.

First Harley takes on some thieves who break into a pawn shop, which she is selling some jewellery stolen from a dead victim in one of the previous issues. This is the best of the bunch, as it features that sort of humour I like from Harley Quinn. She is a deadly killer and this series lets us have a rare glimpse into the funny side of that. The scene where she gives her target a chance of convincing her to show mercy is hilarious and everything I want from this comic. It also features some pretty nifty dialogue. Sometimes Harley’s dialogue is a little poor (hell, later in this very issue, she is given some doozies). She is a bizarre mix of childlike, sexually active and homicidal and occasionally that clash of different personalities does not work. It takes a good writer to blend them well enough to entertain the reader, so when it is managed, it deserves some form of celebration.

Harley Quinn #8 Quinnzilla
Then there is the tying up of the roller-skating club. I like that this strand of plot isn’t forgotten, but I will be glad to see the back of it. The joke is always the same: it is a violent sport, but Harley takes it to the next level. Here, she is given a worthy opponent, Big Bertha, and the two fight on the pitch. It is a fun moment and the madcap style of humour we expect from Harley Quinn. However, the story never progresses in these scenes. At least with the other sketches here, little details build up the bigger picture, but the sport scenes are a simple distraction. Fun, but I don’t need them. The writers give the sports team a good farewell scene and I hope the mysterious ‘skate club’ provides better jokes and more chances for future plot points.

Finally, we get some good old toilet humour. Harley invents a catapult for her block of apartments to deal with all of the animal poop that her large array of pets have built up. I hate toilet humour usually and poop as a joke device seems immature and tired. But god, some frames are gloriously hilarious. It does make sense that Harley would first shirk poop-cleaning duties and when confronted by the other lodgers, she would jump to a childish and immature method of disposing of the faeces. What follows might come across as distasteful, but it suits the tone the previous issues have set and, admittedly, works here. We also get one of the best kills of the series so far, which is always becoming a harder category to top.

Harley Quinn #8 Kitty
Quote of the Issue:

Female Lodger: I am so glad I am on her good side.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on August 4th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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ORACLE OF COMICS #024 – BATMAN ETERNAL #17 – THE SAVIOR

By Luke Abbott

Batman Eternal #17 Deacon
Last issue, Deacon Blackfire was revealed to be the master behind the strange going-ons at Arkham and this issue handles his further invasion of Gotham. Jim Corrigan and Batwing try to fend off the first wave of his minions from the deep, but with the Joker’s Daughter and the endless numbers pressing against them, they are really struggling against the odds. Also, in other news, Bluebird and the Red Robin confront the man behind the nano-technology, always pushing closer to discovering if Jim Gordon really did hallucinate the gun in the man’s hand.

Batman Eternal #17 Cleanse
This issue is little more than atmosphere-building. Looking back through the pages on a second read confirms that not a lot actually happens here. We are still underneath Arkham, Deacon Blackfire is still bringing his minions together for an attack on Gotham and everyone is still in danger. We could argue that Issue #17 brings little to the table in terms of story. Bizarrely, I didn’t mind this as much as I minded the last few issues of Batman Eternal. Mainly, this is because its goals as a comic were very clear. We were meant to put down this comic, mind blown and wondering how anyone is meant to take on the power of Deacon Blackfire. The comic achieved that goal very well. The last page is eerie and creepy. We have no idea what is going on with the supernatural throwing us all out of our comfort zone. We are lost and this means that we are also part of the nightmare. The supernatural also gives artist of the week, Dustin Nguyen, several opportunities to show off his artistic skills.

I enjoyed breaking away from the story to see Blackfire’s origins. This was clever because of two things. One – I know nothing about Blackfire, but I left this issue moderately up to speed with the man. While we didn’t get to cover how he got his supernatural powers, we left understanding his motives, and for me, that is far more important. Besides, writers have a tough job of getting newcomers, like me, up to date with the canon, without boring the veteran readers with details they have already heard hundreds of times before. Batman Eternal, on this occasion, handled exposition well. The other good thing about Blackfire’s origins was that it gave us some time with the actual Batman rather than his crew. Not enough Batman for me, but he gets a cool moment, it has a pretty neat bit of misdirection and I left this comic, feeling as though I read a Batman comic, rather than a Robin comic. Good job, in my books.

Batman Eternal #17 Kick Ass
Quote of the Issue

Batwing: I’m supposed to accept the supernatural. I accept it, okay? And now I’m going to kick its ass!

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on August 4th, 2014
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ORACLE OF COMICS #023 – BATMAN ETERNAL #16 – THE MONSTER MACHINE

By Luke Abbott

Batman Eternal #16 Harper
This issue focuses more on Arkham Asylum, keeping other stories to a few pages, but there is so much going on in the Asylum that this issue feels just as all over the place as some of the other comics. Jim Corrigan takes on Mr. Bygone, a cursed man who has become maddened and vengeful from his incarceration in Asylum. He wants to inflict his hordes of spectres on Corrigan and make him unleash the Spectre, his alter-ego that he seems terrified of letting out into the open. Meanwhile, the Joker’s Daughter has kidnapped Batwing and seems determined to carry out the orders of a mysterious benefactor. Logic dictates that she is idolising the Joker, but as events spiral out of control, it becomes clear that the mastermind behind this nightmare is able to dabble in the supernatural. Also, Bluebird and Red Robin finally get a major lead as to where the nano-technology originated, but will they survive long enough to truly get to the bottom of this mess?

Batman Eternal #16 Pyg
Arkham Asylum’s storyline is a welcome change of pace from the gang war. I have never been a fan of the supernatural in comics and as characters like Mr. Bygone and Dr. Phosphorous arrive in Eternal, villains I have never heard of before, I feel on the back foot when it comes to the other readers. However, the material is approached well. The creepy exploration into the Asylum, more prominent villains like Scarecrow and Pyg reduced to helpless victims, slowly sheds light on the horrific truth of what is going on. The tension is dialled right up to the maximum. This is far more exciting than corrupt cops and gangster, which is the norm when it comes to Batman. This is the 75th Anniversary; we need something to break the mould and the supernatural definitely does that. I just wish that it took its time a little more. Eternal never stops to take a breather and relish a moment. We are always racing to the next plot point, which wastes the potential of this chapter in this 70 issue story. Maxie Zeus cameos here, but he never really makes an impression. He is just a pawn in this massive game, because no time is given to explore him.

Batman Eternal #16 Jokers Daughter
Eternal is much better with the smaller beats. Let’s forget last issue’s back-step and talk about how interesting Jason Bard is. A massive flaw with Batman is that few characters are given the space to develop. They are not really characters; they are symbols. The Penguin will always be a greedy gangster with violent tendencies. Scarecrow will always be fascinated by fear. No one ever changes in Batman, because then they will become something that new readers don’t recognise, excluding the wider audience. With Jason Bard, we are finally given a character arc that excites us. Bard started as a Gordon copy, but he has become a character in his own right. His relationship with Batman, and now Vicki Vale, has changed and this has made him the one to watch in this whole comic. While I am glad he has been side-lined for a moment, so other stories can be explored, he is the best thing I have seen from Batman Eternal as of yet.

On more depressing news, Batman is once again cameoing in his own comic series, which is a massive shame seeing as it is his anniversary week. Surely, this goes against the whole point of Batman Eternal: the comic celebrating 75 years of Batman.

Quote of the Issue:

Red Robin: You idiot. You are going to get us…

Bluebird: …saved. I’m going to get us saved!

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on July 26th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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INTER-COMICS PODCAST – EPISODE #049 – ROBOT JESUS

By Jack Chambers, Daniel Cole and Free Costin

Click HERE to listen to the Inter-Comics podcast – Episode #049

INTER-COMICS PODCAST – EPISODE #049 Transformers
This week the gang is joined by John-Paul Bove. JP talks about his work, the role of colourists and which comic book characters he’d marry, kill or fuck.

The gang also look at the big news announcements from the week, talk about their best/worst comics of the week and discuss a double helping of 52.

Sit down, relax and enjoy!

Click HERE to listen to the Inter-Comics podcast – Episode #049

Click HERE to view all the podcast episodes

Follow on Twitter! – https://twitter.com/intercomicspod
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Posted on July 26th, 2014
Category: INTER-COMICS PODCAST, NEWS & VIEWS, PREVIEWS & UPCOMING RELEASES, REVIEWS
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OUT OF THE LONG BOX #041 – ROBIN RISES: OMEGA #1

By Chris Fenn

Robin Rises Omega #1 JL
I’m finding it quite difficult to think how to word this review. I love Tomasi’s work, and I think his work with Gleason has been consistently the best Batman book since the launch of the New 52. I also love the Fourth World and am instantly interested any time they become a focus in a book. The difficulty I have is that this issue has quite a few things I really dislike with it.

First of all I both love and hate the opening to this book. I love it because it gives a very clear and concise summary of the conception, life and death of Damian Wayne; which must be nice as a new reader and is also a good refresher to people already familiar with the story. What I truly hate about the introduction, though, is using pre-Flashpoint events as an origin to New 52 stories.

Now I am quite a large lover of canon and continuity; I love non-canon stories, Elseworlds and one-shots but I also really appreciate a set and established order of events, and my understanding of resetting a universe is that DC decide to start from scratch; the problem with starting from scratch is then relying on material that occurred before the reset. One huge glaring example in this book is showing Batman get hit with the Omega Sanction, an event which occurred in Final Crisis; and for anybody that hasn’t read Final Crisis [SPOLIER ALERT] this is the event where Darkseid dies in canon, yet this is used as a prequel to a story where Darkseid has only been fought by the Justice League once.

Robin Rises Omega #1 Grappling
As to not dwell on that particular aspect of the comic I’m going to point out a few other parts of this book that I disliked, and they seem to hinge on the artwork more than anything. There is one particular sequence where Batman shoots, who I think is Glorious Godfrey, in the head with, what I think is, a grappling hook; now as you may tell from how I describe it, the image isn’t very clear and just feels cluttered.

The final thing I’m going to moan about is how Batman seems to act at times. Through the bulk of the book Batman and Ra’s are fighting parademons and Batman cuts both hands off of one and gouges the eye of another. Now I know parademons aren’t human, but that seems really overly brutal for Batman; does this mean he can inadvertently kill mutants, aliens and animals? I also really hated the way he clunkily said “Knowing Ra’s, probably not deep enough”, come on Tomasi; you’re better than that!

Robin Rises Omega #1 Godfrey
Now the things I really enjoyed about this issue basically boil down to two events; the first is when the Justice League arrive. Now it was obvious something was going to happen when Godfrey began to scream but I thought it would be Ra’s, not the amazing two page spread of the Justice League saving the day; this really epitomizes what I want to see from a superhero team.

I also love Batman’s loss of temper, particularly his outbursts against Luthor and Shazam. I feel that when he lashes out in these instances they are justified, considering he has travelled across the world to try and get his son back, only to lose him at the last second to a madman on another planet, I also love the assertive and committed speech he gives on the final page.

Robin Rises Omega #1 Luthor
Despite my grumblings this is a good issue; it isn’t as good as Tomasi’s other work, and pretty much anything I haven’t mentioned is good. I think this upcoming arc will bring out the best in Batman, the Fourth World and Damian.

For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989

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Posted on July 18th, 2014
Category: OUT OF THE LONG BOX, REVIEWS
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ORACLE OF COMICS #021 – BATMAN ETERNAL #14 – NATURAL ORDER

By Luke Abbott

Batman Eternal #14 Penguin
This weeks issue handled something very interesting: a finale of sorts. The end of the Penguin vs Falcone subplot. Interesting, yes. Good, no.

The problem with handling a franchise as massive as Batman is that it leaves you very restricted with where to take new stories. For example, the writers here felt very restricted by the fact that they were unable to kill off Falcone or the Penguin. It would have made a very bloody end to the gang war and would have made the build-up justifiable. However, seeing as there is the possibility that the fan base (as well as the writers themselves), would revolt if one of the more intriguing bad guys was written out of the canon, they felt unable to make that risk. As it stands, the gang war fizzles out rather than coming to an explosive end. The solution Bard came up with felt like the writers tying off an arc, rather than giving us a great ending to one of the main storylines of Eternal. The Penguin got to scene-chew, Falcone got what was coming to him and the gang war is finally over. As a reader, I wanted more. The Batman felt like an outside force rather than the hero of the story; I was happy with Bard doing the heavy work for a change, but Batman needs to actually progress some of the action, as it is his comic book series.

Batman Eternal #14 Bard
When we are dealing with a series as long as Eternal, we want assurances that the finale will be good, otherwise there is little point to investing time and money into the series. On the other hand, one good thing does come out of the finale: Bard’s character is a very interesting one. I actually thought he wasn’t going to make it. Seeing as I assumed Falcone or the Penguin weren’t going to be biting the bullet, I thought Jason Bard would be the major shock of the issue. Blossoming romance, check. A force of good in a corrupt town, check. A character minor enough to be killed off but major enough to deliver emotional impact, check. Maybe it is a good thing that the comics didn’t do the obvious thing, because now the Batman and Bard have an interesting relationship. Bard committed a crime to bring down the bad guys, something Batman couldn’t allow. It was a justifiable crime and the loss of life belonged to mobsters; it just doesn’t match up to Batman’s black and white morals. This brings the two major good guys at loggerheads, which could make some of the following stories much more interesting.

Batman Eternal #14 Jokers Daughter
And now all eyes are turned to the Asylum. It has all but been forgotten about, but the Joker’s Daughter reappears for the final frame, kidnapping the Scarecrow. And when the Scarecrow begins getting terrified, you know you are in for something good just around the corner.

Quote of the Issue:

Mayor Hardy: (insulting) You’re just like Gordon, kid…

Bard: Thank you.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Posted on July 11th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
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INTER-COMICS PODCAST – EPISODE #048 – MILKING THANOS

By Jack Chambers, Daniel Cole and Free Costin

Click HERE to listen to the Inter-Comics podcast – Episode #048

Milk Thanos
This week the trio let you guys decide the content as they answer your questions.
Topics include: Their pulls lists, spoilers, character defining creators and which superheroes they would marry.

So sit back and enjoy this bumper sized episode!

Click HERE to listen to the Inter-Comics podcast – Episode #048

Click HERE to view all the podcast episodes

Follow on Twitter! – https://twitter.com/intercomicspod
Follow on Facebook! – https://www.facebook.com/intercomicspodcast?hc_location=timeline

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Posted on July 10th, 2014
Category: INTER-COMICS PODCAST, NEWS & VIEWS, PREVIEWS & UPCOMING RELEASES, REVIEWS
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