NEW COMICS 4 THIS WEEK (01/31/24)
*All comics will be rated on a scale from 1 to 10*
Alan Scott: Green Lantern # 4 
Amazing Spider-Man # 252 (Facsimile Edition) 
Batman & Robin 2024 Annual
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2024 Annual
Incredible Hulk # 8 
Lilo & Stitch # 1
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars: Battleworld # 3
Spider-Boy # 3 
Batman & Robin 2024 Annual – Bruce and Damien Wayne on a camping trip! It’s true as the two of them get away for a little father/son bonding but things turn ugly as they find themselves in a hunting game where the rich hunt victims and it’s being led by Roulette and to make matters worse. Bloodsport is added to the mix. This tone in this annual feels more like that forgotten 1994 Ice-T movie “Surviving The Game” due to the concept that Joshua Williamson is going for and the dynamic between Bruce and Damien is still going strong what’s interesting about this annual is how this is exactly the situation that both of them would find themselves but it never leans on the whole father and son stereotypes. The only bad thing about this annual is the artwork. Usually, Howard Porter can produce such wonderful art. Still, for this story, his work looks sloppy and unbalanced, almost as if he was trying to channel Bernie Wrightson and Gene Colan but comes up short; It’s sad because it takes away from the brilliant and moody atmosphere that Willaimson set up with his script. The art hurts big time but the story is thrilling enough for fans to check out.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest 2024 Annual– This annual does a wonderful job of channeling the Silver Age with such finesse and glory that fans of this title will enjoy; The annual kicks things off with a group of fifth-dimensional imps led by both Mr. Myxyzptlk and Bat-Mite that leads into an arogument on how’s the most powerful Justice League member and it leads into the title’s next arc that looks to be promising; Other stories featuring Metamorpho, Bumblebee and The Challengers of the Unknown feel very timeless but with a modern twist that gives these characters their moment to shine. The World’s Finest franchise continues to be the pinnacle of good storytelling that gives both Silver Age and Modern Age fans the best of both worlds, giving this iteration of the DC Universe a bright future.
Lilo & Stitch # 1– The lovable Disney duo get their series that stays true to the characters and their status quo but it does feel more like a continuation of the movies and various shows that have been out for a while. The dialogue as a whole shines on every page, but the premise itself starts wearing thin. I can not blame Greg Pak, who always finds a way to make his stories compelling; It’s a shame, however, that the only good thing to come out of this plot is a set of aliens kidnapping Stitch which results in a gloomy cliffhanger ending. Still, I know that Pak has something up his sleeve so let’s hope that the next issue will be more promising.
Spider-Boy # 3– I’m still loving how the old-school direction is being embraced by its creative team. Dan Slott continues to deliver such fun and hilarious banter while Paco Medina is still making huge waves with the art; I enjoy how Slott makes Bailey Briggs just as important as Spider-Boy and the fact that he’s slowly building his own rogues gallery is sensational, especially when you take the lastest villain known as Killonaire, an influencer with his souped-up action figure aptly named “Toy Soldier” (a modern take on The Super Adaptoid); The battle between Bailey and Toy Soldier blends action and comedy with total perfection that makes this a great issue; The backup story featuring Thor may feel like a throwaway story but it manages to show us another side of Spider-Boy that allows his compassion to stand out which I feel will be extremely important as the series progresses. This series is still an excellent read and shows no signs of slowing down which is a relief since it now has its own identity outside of Spider-Man.
Well, that’s it for me this week. Thanks for sticking around and I will see you all next time.
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