
HEROES IN CRISIS WRITER TOM KING GETS PERSONAL AT SDCC
Press Release
There’s a new kind of crisis threatening the heroes of the DC Universe, ripped from real-world headlines by New York Times bestselling author Tom King: How does a superhero handle PTSD? How do DC’s Trinity – Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman – handle massacres and mass shootings? This September, King explores these themes in HEROES IN CRISIS with artists Clay Mann (BATMAN) and Mitch Gerads (MISTER MIRACLE).

Review: Mister Miracle #9
By Kelly Gaines
Mister Miracle continues a streak of comic excellence in issue #9 as Scott and Barda’s new parenthood and intergalactic mission collide. We’re coming to the end of the Mister Miracle miniseries, and the next three issues promise to wrap up what has been an emotional and vividly told story. The golden couple of the DC universe has a critical choice to make, one that will decide the future of thousands.

Review: DC Nation #0
By Hunter T. Patrick
Finally. This is a word to describe the first story in DC’s anthology sampler in time for free comic book day. The trouble with this book though is it is a luxury item if you try to get it during free comic book day as it is the very large cost of 25 cents. Is it worth it? Beyond a doubt. If this review factored in price, then this will easily be a perfect score. This review does not, and instead will look at all three stories and grade them individually before the big reveal for the score of this issue!! (spoiler this issue is a 4/5).
Review: Mister Miracle #6
By Kelly Gaines
For fans of the current run of Mister Miracle, The depth of the relationship between Scott Free and Big Barda has been both refreshing and melancholy. After issue #5 broke our hearts with the sweet normalcy of Scott and Barda’s life on earth amidst their otherworldly battles, Mister Miracle #6 manages to give readers a similar feeling of innocent monotony walled in by extraordinary circumstance. Issue six picks up with Scott and Barda as they navigate the impending doom brought on by Scott’s death sentence.

Review: DC Holiday Special 2017 #1
By Jonathan Edwards
It’s December, so that means ‘tis the season for holiday specials like this one, and ‘tis the season for starting reviews off with the phrase “’tis the season.” In the wake of Rebirth last year, I was looking forward to DC’s DC Rebirth Holiday Special #1. It seemed like a great way to celebrate the season and the overall success of the relaunch. Unfortunately, if my LCS had gotten any copies (I didn’t ask, but I’m sure they did), they’d sold out of them before I got there. This was also before I started reviewing for Comic Bastards (if only barely), so I didn’t have access to any review copies. Oh well, I told myself, and I figured it maybe wouldn’t have turned out to be that good of a read anyway. In retrospect, that seems like an unnecessarily sour attitude to take during the most wonderful time of the year. And, the best way I can think of to make up for that is to take an optimistic look at DC Holiday Special 2017 #1.

Review: Mister Miracle #4
By Justin McCarty
Mitch and Tom continue to elevate comics to the high art we all know it can be. They continue to provide a superb example of literature as comics. Issue four maintains the pace of the previous issues, mostly due to that continuous nine-panel grid. If you aren’t on this comic by now you then it probably isn’t for you. That’s okay. If you have any interest at all in this comic you should be reading it. This is a comic that will be referred to again and again, like Watchmen, as an inspiration for many comics to come.

Review: Mister Miracle #3
By Justin McCarty
Mister Miracle continues to be a fascinating read unlike pretty much any other book out right now. This issue takes us further into the psyche of Scott Free as he tries to understand his true purpose. Barda is still just trying to get through the war. The larger issues at stake here come into focus with the increasingly tyrannical Highfather Orion doing all he can to keep his people under his thumb. Scott and Barda may be headed into a trap. Watch out for Dr. Bedlam and his paranoid-pill!

Review: Mister Miracle #2
By Justin McCarty
What is it about the nine-panel grid that automatically gives a comic book the feel of literature? It feels like King, Gerards, and Cowles are elevating the art form. Every element stays true to the point of the story. Just like in the first issue, what is on the surface is wholly juxtaposed to what is just beneath. After almost dying in his most dangerous stunt yet Scott and Barda are off to New Genesis to deal with invading Apokalips armies.

Review: Batman #29
By Daniel Vlasaty
DC, man, you're killing me with all these "wars" and "events" and on and on and on. This is the ever-increasing problem I've been having with superhero comics as of late, especially those from DC. They're all trying to do too much. And in the process, we're losing little bits and pieces of the characters. We're losing the things we love about these characters to – what I'm going to call – the Hollywood movie mentality in comics right now. Big stories with action and energy but not much else. What ever happened to focusing on the smaller things. What ever happened to character development. Not everything has to be END OF THE WORLD motherfucking huge. Not everything has to be earth shattering. But I digress.

Group Review: Mister Miracle #1
By Daniel, Jonathan, and Dustin
Welcome to the latest Comic Bastards group review. Everyone loves Tom King so we thought we’d tackle his latest DC series Mister Miracle, with a group review. Each of the participating reviewers will give their thoughts and individual scoring for the issue so enjoy.
Synopsis: Darkseid is…

Preview: Mister Miracle #2
Press Release
From the team behind THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON, written by Tom King (BATMAN) and illustrated by Mitch Gerads (The Punisher), this is a MISTER MIRACLE unlike any you’ve read before. When MISTER MIRACLE #1 was announced (gallery now updated with an extended preview), series debuting on August 9, you saw Big Barda and her beloved Mister Miracle (Scott Free) stand face to face with Orion. But what do you do after the most death-defying act of your escape artist career? You go to war, of course!

Review: Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1
By Shawn Warner
There have been some strange pairings or ‘Odd Couples’ since team-ups entered the collective consciousness, in fact DC Comics has mashed their top tier characters with those of Hanna Barbara’s storied past and now June has seen the publisher do the same with the Looney Tunes gang. Since DC and Looney Tunes are both properties of Warner Brothers it would make sense, at least commercially that, to paraphrase Spyder from Powerman 5000, these two worlds eventually would collide. Not too long ago the Looney Tunes characters graced the covers of the upper echelon of the New 52, at least variant covers, but now it’s time for actual crossover team up action between serious super heroes and largely large headed cartoon characters. Sure, it’s happened in the past; Scooby Doo meets Batman and Robin and the like but, again this is the big time and mostly not for laughs.

Review: Batman #25
By Daniel Vlasaty
Batman’s back and he’s fighting in a new “war.” This poor guy, he just can’t catch a break. He just goes from one villain to the next. One war to the next. And when he runs out of villains to go through, the cycle just starts itself over again. This time around it’s the War of Jokes and Riddles. So obviously the two villains he’s going to go face-to-face with are the Riddler and the Joker. I know a lot of people hate the Joker as a character, and I’m wondering if that’s just because he’s getting kind of played out. If that’s the case, I can understand. Because I can see that. Personally, I’ve always liked the Joker. But I can see how he’s getting overused in storyline after storyline after storyline. There is an interesting (kind of) twist to his character here so I am going to hold off judgement on how his part in this “war” is going to play-out. I used to review every issue of Batman for this site. And I’ve always read Batman. Sometimes it’s bad and sometimes it’s good. Although after issue #18 I stopped reviewing it because I was basically just writing the same review over and over again every month. But I didn’t stop reading it. And now we’re back with issue #25 and here’s a review of it.

DC Announces Mister Miracle
From the team behind THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON and the Hugo Award-nominated writer of Vision comes a unique take on Mister Miracle, one of Jack Kirby’s most beloved New Gods. Beginning this August and running for 12 issues, new series MISTER MIRACLE from writer Tom King and artist Mitch Gerads will take readers on an episodic roller coaster of death, resurrection, mystery and intrigue.

Review: Batman #18
By Daniel Vlasaty
After two issues of pretty much straight set-up, we’re back to the action in Batman #18. From the opening page spread of Batman and Bane arguing and fighting in the rain all the way back to their respective childhoods this issue really packs in an emotional/action-packed punch.

Review: Batman #17
By Daniel Vlasaty
Batman #17 is the second issue of the “I am Bane” storyline. Issue #16 had a more light and comedic tone (except for the last page), and there is a definite tonal change from that issue to this one. Here it is back to business as usual as Batman continues to prepare for the coming of Bane.

Review: Batman #16
By Daniel Vlasaty
Let me first say that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to review Batman this month. As you know, if you read my review of Batman #15, I was not a fan of that issue. I didn’t like it, but I do feel like I might have been needlessly hard on it in my review. But this issue is the first issue in a new arc (called I Am Bane) so I figured I’d give it a shot.

Review: Batman #15
By Daniel Vlasaty
Batman is supposed to be transporting Selina Kyle to Blackgate Penitentiary to serve out her sentence of life without parole for the murder of 237 people, but instead, they are having sex on a random Gotham rooftop.

Tom King Is The New Geoff Johns, Taking Over On Rebirth Mystery Book
By Dustin Cabeal
Wow, they're just getting back to this huh? I honestly forgot about the "mystery" surrounding the rebirthing of DC. Still not sure how the Comedian's button fits into everything... because wouldn't he be dead? And if I fucked with your universe, why would I leave a calling card? Whatever, I hope you're in love with Tom King like everyone else is because DC got tired of waiting for Johns to write this shit and gave it to King.

Review: Batman Annual #1
By Chris Tresson
We’re nearing the end of the year and that means it’s annual season in the comic book industry… Since becoming a comic book shop owner, I’ve been paying more attention to annuals (I’ve picked up a fair few this year purely because I can.) Before that all I ever got was Daredevil annuals and Batman annuals.
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