Picked up Demon Knights 16, Batman 16, and Saga 9 today.
In others words, pretty damn good haul.
Demon Knights just switched to a new author and I was extremely worried that the quality would dip with the lose of Paul Cornell.
Turns out I was wrong because Demon Knights 16 feels like it fits perfectly into the world Cornell put together. Not only that, I, Vampire hinted that the Demon Knights fought and put away Cain, the first vampire. Well now we get to see that happen! Cain is rampaging across Europe thirty years after the Demon Knights stormed Avalon and fought off the hordes of Hell with the help of King Arthur...
Seriously how is no one buying this title. READ DEMON KNIGHTS DAMMIT!!!
And one of the team is trying to reunite his old friends together to strike back. The story moves at a rapid clip, letting us get acclimated to seeing out immortal heroes again while also showing how the years have aged the regular humans amongst their group. Adventures that happend in the 30 year gap are hinted at without being fully explained, and we get to see the twisted supervillain in immortal Vandal Savage seep out from his good natured facade. Good title, great read.
8/10
Saga...never dissapoints. It focuses on the interstellar bounty hunter, The Will, as he tries to save a little girl from prostitution on the world of Sextillion. Wallowing in self pity after losing someone he loves, he comes across Marko's ex fiance, Gwendoylen, and the two (along with The Will's partner Lying Cat of course) go to Sextillion to rescue the slave girl.
I'm so glad I replaced Dark Knight for this title. The Will is probably one of my favorite characters in Saga, and we get more of him being a total badass (Don't ever call his laser sword faggy. He'll kindly remind you it's a lance before he horribly murders you with it) and the ever lovable Lying Cat who comes off as a snarky bastard even though it can only say "lying". Finally, we get to me Gwendolyn, which was a big effing deal! And man was she worth it! Marko definitely has a type, and that's tall, dark and terrifying. The biggest surprise for me is that she doesn't come off as a one note spurned lover character. She wants to find Marko and make him pay, but you can also tell she genuinely loved him (and he did kind of use her engagement ring for his wife's wedding ring. Bad move Marko, baaaad move).
If you want to read some awesome, R-rated space opera/fantasy, then you should check in on Saga. It is totes worth it.
9.5/10 ( Was an amazing read with a satisfying end to a cliff hanger. Awesome comic, why aren't you buying it? The first volume is out for ten dollars! Come on people!)
Batman.
Oh my God Batman was terrifying. Remeber when I said Batman was a horror story?
Yes, yes it is. And Joker is the ringmaster. No more Scott Snyder monologues about architecture or pupil dilations. No this was a pure romp through high octane nightmare fuel. Joker's taken over Arkahm Asylum...again. But this time, he's done some...re-decorating. But Batman caught him in the middle of the most important part. Step by step, Batman makes his way through the asylum trying to take Joker off guard. But the horrors Batman encounters are nothing compared to what's at the end of the maze...
Very satisfying. There were a few hiccups. Not to spoil too much but Batman punches a horse in the face, and it just goes flat onto the ground. The scene was awesome, but I'm pretty sure he would have shattered his hand on the horse, gloves or not, the speed it was coming at him. There are some minor grips I could bring up...but they just don't feel that necessary. My only other problem is Joker. Joker's performance in here is phenomenally chilling and uncanny...but at times he just feels too powerful. It feels like Joker needs to be punished for all of the horrible things he's done in this arc. I hope Snyder doesn't just have him slink back into the shadows after this, because ultimately I want Batman to stop this psycho. I know Batman can't kill and I'm cool with that. I'd just like something a little bit more permanent than the revolving door that is Arkham Asylum. Don't let that undercut Joker though. This comic shows just how far Joker has gone to show his affection for Batman. And it really shows just how twisted and effed up Joker is and why he is such a terrifying foe.
The back up was really good too, and did an amazing job of deconstructing Two-Face as a character, as well as giving us a preview for what's to come. Definitely excited for the next issue.
10/10 ( Some very minor flaws outweighed by the amazingly creepy journey through Joker's new Arkham Asylum. Joker and Batman's dynamic continues to grow in the most effed up of ways and we get to see just how far Joker is willing to go to show his affection for his king.)
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