Fantastic Universes

“Utopia,” Part One Writers: James Tynion IV & Christopher Sebela Artists: Carmen Carnero, Ulises Arreola, Kelly Fitzpatrick & Sal Cipriano Review by Steve J. Ray I love comics. They’re like little movies with an unlimited budget. They have colorful characters with complex histories, getting involved in fantastic situations. One issue character pieces, multi issue story arcs, long ongoing sagas, or combinations of all of the above. If done well, they’re great pieces of entertainment.  Detective Comics  #963 – “Utopia,” Part One – is a comic done well. Delivering two issues a month cannot be easy, for comics writers, and especially for comics artists. Some titles suffer from inconsistency in the artwork, but ‘Tec has developed a near perfect formula. I’m one of those long standing comics fans that can name an artist just by seeing a page of their work. I like having the characters keep a consistent look, from issue to issue.  Detective Comics ...

“Intelligence,“ Part Five Writer: James Tynion IV Artists: Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Raül Fernandez Fonts, Brad Anderson and Sal Cipriano. Review by Steve J. Ray If there’s any book in the DC Comics Rebirth range that has been on a roll of late, it is  Detective Comics . To maintain this level of excellence with a bi-weekly release schedule is nothing short of astonishing. “Intelligence,“ Part Five is not only a terrific ending to a fantastic story, it’s another rock solid example of what a good comic should be. The way James Tynion IV gives every character a clear voice and identity is inspiring. I hear some critics say that for a Batman book  Detective Comics  doesn’t focus enough on Batman. I must heartily disagree. Even in issues where Batman doesn’t even appear, he is a  presence . His authority, his leadership and will are paramount and  felt . Remember, this a team consisting of a former  Bat girl, a  Bat woman and  Ba...

“Intelligence,“ Part Four Writer: James Tynion IV Artists: Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Raül Fernandez Fonts, Brad Anderson and Sal Cipriano Review by Steve J. Ray I’m so glad that I don’t have to wait a whole month for every issue of  Detective Comics . Sometimes even the short wait of two weeks is exquisite torture. “Intelligence,“ Part Four was  so  worth waiting for. This title honestly brings back the emotions that I felt as a child or teenager. Back then reading comics was fun, exciting and exhilarating. I sometimes wish that my favorite titles still had letters pages, as a teenage me may have written something like this: London – July 1983 Dear Detective Comments. I’ve just read issue #961, and all I can say is… wow! I really love the way that you’ve brought back Azrael. When he first appeared I thought he was mega cool, but he was a horrible Batman. I know that was the point, with everyone wanting a darker Dark Knight, one that dealt with his...

“Intelligence,“ Part Three Writer: James Tynion IV Artists: Álvaro Martínez, Raül Fernandez, Brad Anderson and Sal Cipriano   Review by Steve J. Ray What is magic: A means to an end? A tool? A crutch? A safe bet? Too dangerous to consider? All of the above? In “Intelligence,“ Part Three writer James Tynion IV attempts to answer these questions. There is no denying that during his career Batman has suffered many losses; his parents, Jason Todd, and now – seemingly – Tim Drake, AKA Red Robin. His entire crime fighting career is based on trying to prevent others from suffering the way he has. There is also no disputing that Bruce Wayne has many tools in his arsenal: a keen mind, a near perfect human physique, martial arts prowess and empathy for all life. Has his latest loss provoked a response that will make him go too far? Is the pursuit of magic – a tool he once decided  not  to use – the first step down a road that he should  not  take? Th...