PICKS OF THE WEEK! Wednesday, May 26th

Robin #2

After the great first issue cliffhanger, which saw an overly confident Robin to challenge Flatline to a duel on Lazarus Island, only to have her literally rip his heart out of his chest, Temple of Doom style. At the start of issue two, Robin suddenly wakes up, his wound healed and very much alive. Waiting for him is Ravager, daughter of Deathstroke, who has her own reasons for being on the island and for infiltrating the tournament.

Ravager then explains that after they all watched Robin die, the full rules of the fighting tournament were explained. Apparently all fights are to the death, which Robin learned the hard way, and all the fighters only get three deaths total, after which their soul leaves forever, with the last survivor gaining the prize of immortality. Robin resents that both his parents kept the knowledge of the island and tournament from him, and sets out to find out its secrets, and to prove himself.

As with his long running Flash run, Joshua Williamson definitely knows how to write a compelling story. Two issues in, and I’m very interested in not only what Damian is doing, but also Ravager and the other characters as well. It’s very Enter the Dragon in its plot, with a flare of Mortal Kombat as well, and is extremely entertaining so far. If you’re looking for a new book, and a fun story, this is a great place to look.

Stargirl Spring Break Special #1

This is a comic I’ve been very excited for recently. A bit ago, I read the Geoff Johns Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. run, introducing Star Girl, and have since began reading the Johns run on JSA. Courtney Whitmore, aka Stargirl, has fast become one of my favorite characters in comics. This new Spring Break special is also written by Johns, and perhaps even more exciting, serves as a lead into an upcoming new Stargirl series!

So, the backstory is this; Courtney moved from Los Angeles to Blue Valley, Nebraska after her mom married a nice guy named Pat Dugan. Quickly, Courtney discovered Pat was actually the sidekick of the Golden Age hero, the Star Spangled Kid. Repurposing his costume, and rebranding herself as Stargirl, Courtney eventually came into possession of a cosmic staff, went on adventures with Pat, inside a robot called S.T.R.I.P.E., and even joined the JSA.

This issue picks up when Pat and Courtney are summoned by an old member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and they get involved in a new mystery and adventure. A really fun one shot, and I am very happy to find out that Stargirl is returning for a new series! There was also an epilogue giving a possibility of a new JSA series, which would also make me very happy. One thing DC seems to be doing well, is while they keep going in new directions, with new characters, they still make room for the older characters too.