Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Red Hood and the Outlaws – Dark Trinity | Comics

Establishing his new status as a villain, Red Hood decides to  take down Gotham's underworld while joined by a fallen Amazon and a faulty Superman clone.

Years before, Jason Todd was a street rat in Crime Alley who was stealing to survive and he was visited by Batman when he was trying to steal tires off the Batmobile. Never really found his comfort zone by working as Robin alongside The Dark Knight, Jason Todd eventually became an outlaw named Red Hood after he came back from dead.

While recalling these past events from his life, Jason came in his motorbike and shot the mayor on street before being confronted by his former mentor. These two fought a very brief yet intense battle and Red Hood then cheated his way out of the fight early on.

As he was having a drink in a bad-guy bar and got lost in thoughts from old days, a member of Black Mask's False Face Society approaches him to inform about their boss's invitation to join his cause. Jason then came saving life of a woman named Ma Gunn, whom he and Batman used to know from years before.

He stopped her from running criminal activities behind the cover of a Boarding School for Wayward Boys, which she used to run. Ma Gunn believes that it surely was Black Mask who gave the order to kill her for not joining in his recent mad schemes.

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Red Hood and the Outlaws– Dark Trinity | Comics

After catching up on old times, Jason learns from her that her place was about to open weeks ago and that means, the villain had planned for a mass-murder when he blew up her house. Still not giving in to his rage because of his promise to Batman, Red Hood decides to face crime-boss Black Mask about his offer.

The way he made an entrance by shooting at his guys and broke into his personal convoy impressed the villain. He actually opens up to him about his intention being different for Gotham City from the likes of Bane, Catwoman, The Joker, Killer Croc or The Penguin.

Jason has become a discussing topic among the bad guys of Gotham City these days for showing his raw boldness by publicly attempting an assassination on Mayor and a clash with The Dark Knight. All of these were what made the villain appreciate his raw talent and even offered Red Hood to be his heir since he has no kids of his own.

Before moving towards their next objective on expanding operation in Gotham City, Black Mask made an example out of his henchmen, who failed to kill Ma Gunn by blowing up their heads with pre-installed neuro-implants in front of Jason.

In order to secure a cargo for his new boss, Jason encounters fierce warrior Artemis of Amazons, who was here looking for an ancient artifact known as Bow of Ra, a weapon of immense power she has always longed for. After their initial encounter, she deduces that Jason is definitely onto something.

Also, Black Mask is not really after the artifact as these two have previously thought but he was eyeing for a more threatening specimen. It was Bizarro, a failed clone of Superman created by former villain Lex Luthor that he wants for his own. In quest of figuring out Black Mask's real plan, Jason feels lost in the midst of Artemis and Bizarro.

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Trinity of Outlaws

Here is your links to buy "Red Hood and the Outlaws – Dark Trinity" from DC Comics in issues on Amazon.

Red Hood and the Outlaws – Rebirth 01

Red Hood and the Outlaws V2 01

Red Hood and the Outlaws V2 02

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Here is your links to buy "Red Hood & the Outlaws – Dark Trinity" from DC Comics on Amazon.

Red Hood and the Outlaws – Dark Trinity

With first monthly series of Red Hood & the Outlaws debuting back on 2011, just as The New 52 wave started taking over DC Universe, the team comprised of anti-heroes and outlaws have changed their line-up recently. When Starfire left this trio, Red Hood and Arsenal quickly formed a new duo of bad-asses but that too has lived for a brief time.

It has come to an end because of circumstances and both of their conflicting nature to each other. However, we are in for an entirely different and all-new alliance up ahead of us where Jason Todd bands together with a fallen Amazon warrior Artemis and one of the many imperfect Superman clones; Bizarro.

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A Rampaging Bizarro

So, with DC Rebirth launching a new wave of change, comic-book writer Scott Lobdell (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Darkness) and artist Dexter Soy (Army of Two, Batman – Arkham Knight – Genesis) has band together to came up with some great alliance of beloved outlaws which they brought up in "Dark Trinity" storyline.

With issues #01-06 of second monthly ongoing volume of Red Hood & the Outlaws and the one-shot "Rebirth" issue, this storyline is a fresh-start for Jason Todd and his new allies in crime. Each three of them are given a fair share of flashbacks at how they ended up together for a same goal, which serves as an origin for the new incarnation of Outlaws.
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Justice League – Outbreak | Comics

An ancient being contracted of fear has struck over the locality and Justice League tries to stop it but the combined efforts of Aquaman, Batman, Cyborg, Flash, Superman and Wonder Woman seemed not to affect it. Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz were chose to became Green Lanterns after overcoming their own fears. Keeping that in mind, Cruz and Baz takes a last stand against the entity as the rest of the League joins them.

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Justice League – Outbreak | Comics

Eventually the day is saved by eradicating its presence. Cyborg offers everyone a transport back home, Arthur took Diana with him to work on something and Jessica asks out Barry on a date. Batman wanted to talk with Superman but he flies off to join a family dinner and Victor transports Simon away to a high school football game with him.

On their date, Barry starts taunting Jessica and during his diner with Lois and Jon, Clark acts erratic and loses his temper about Batman. Seems like, the being of fear still has some effects on their mind. Victor discovers his system compromised and Justice League Watchtower was moments away from hitting San Francisco. Then the virus took over Simon Baz's power ring and unleashed all sorts of horror on them.

At the same time, all weapons in Batcave goes online targeting Batman. Afterwards, he discovered a unique virus a.i. is behind these anomalies and tracks it to the source. The League is attacked by Count Vertigo, Fearsome Five, Major Disaster and many others set after them by the a.i. Among them is Amazo, who can duplicate the power of all League members.

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State of Fear

Here is your links to buy "Justice League – Outbreak" from DC Comics in issues on Amazon.

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Justice League V3 07

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Justice League V3 10

Justice League V3 11

Here is your links to buy "Justice League – Outbreak" from DC Comics on Amazon.

Justice League – Outbreak

The journey to 'Rebirth' continues in the second storyline of the Justice League monthly comics series. The story titled 'Outbreak' is comprised of issues #06-11 from the third monthly ongoing volume of the Justice League. Writer Bryan Hitch (Age of Ultron, The Ultimates) returns to deliver another Justice League book with assistance from artists Matthew Clark (Doom Patrol, Teen Titans), Tom Derenick, Neil Edwards and Jesus Merino.

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Fear of Unknown

As Rebirth continues to bridge between past and future, it does follow up a step from The New 52. When the 'Justice League – Origin' was released, the next storyline, 'The Villain's Journey' was mostly a follow-up that focuses on the aftermath of what happened previously. DC Comics has implemented the same maneuver with 'Outbreak', staging the whole thing as a result of 'Kindred Invasion'.
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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Action Comics – Welcome to the Planet | Comics

The day Doomsday got loose and wrecked Metropolis was also the day when Lex Luthor decided to become the new Man of Steel but met with a Superman from another world. The world saw that Clark Kent and Superman are two different individual whereas they used to think them both are the same.

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Action Comics – Welcome to the Planet | Comics

As Kal-El of Prime Earth died, Wonder Woman also discovered that a counterpart from an alternate reality has taken the mantle of his love. However, the world still remains dubious with the existence of this new Clark Kent who is not Superman.

Even Jimmy Olsen and Perry White are having a hard time believing what Clark is claiming. So, Lex Luthor, now president and publisher of Daily Planet calls for a press conference to clear out everything in front of the public.

As the people present in the conference didn't buy that Clark and Superman being two different person and a whack job ended up shooting at the former, they had to call it quits. Clark even undergoes a lie-detector test and passes.

He decides to investigate Geneticron, who were responsible for the release of Doomsday and he is rescued by Superman when he is thrown out of the roof, who takes Clark to his Fortress of Solitude to determine who Clark really is.

Meanwhile, Lois Lane of Pre-Flashpoint era decides to show up in Daily Planet and everyone is surprised to see her. Superwoman decides to pay a visit to her as she is yet not convinced of this new Lois. As they sorted out these mysteries around them, an enemy from the future secretly watches over them.

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Superman Meets Clark Kent

Here is your links to buy "Action Comics – Welcome to the Planet" from DC Comics in issues on Amazon.

01. Justice League V2 52

02. Action Comics 963

03. Action Comics 964

04. Action Comics 965

05. Action Comics 966

Here is your links to buy "Action Comics – Welcome to the Planet" from DC Comics on Amazon.

Action Comics – Welcome to the Planet

With the wave of change hits the DC Universe after DC Rebirth, Superman of New Earth reality finally took his own mantle again in "Path of Doom". In a continuation of that story, writer Dan Jurgens (Metamorpho – Year One, Superman/Doomsday – Hunter/Prey) has pitched the post-Doomday incident with artists Art Thibert (Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men), Clay Mann (Dark Reign – Elektra, Magneto – Not a Hero), Patrick Zircher (Green Arrow – New 52, Suicide Squad – New 52), Stephen Segovia (Green Lantern – New Guardians – Gods and Monsters, Poison Ivy – Cycle of Life and Death) and Tom Grummett (Robin, Superboy) in "Welcome to the Planet".


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Back at Daily Planet

Superman is having the trouble of his life in Prime Earth with the appearance of Super-Lex and a Human Clark, with whom he just could not cope-up. Comprising of issues #963-966 from Action Comics monthly ongoing series and issue #52 of Justice League series from The New 52, the story builds up onto two mini-stories. This story leads to the next arc titled "Men of Steel" that will feature a threat from the future called Godslayer.
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Tuesday, April 25, 2017

All-Star Batman – My Own Worst Enemy | Comics

In order to cure Harvey Dent to get rid of his villainous Two-Face persona, The Dark Knight takes on a cross-country trip!

In New Jersey, Auggie Mac's Diner was having a sunny summer day with its regular customers and patrons but then suddenly Batman comes crashing down through the window with two other hired guns; Firefly and Killer Moth following his tail.

He makes a quick work of them both by wrapping the former in his cape and incapacitating the latter by  stabbing into his wrist gauntlet as they were about to threaten the lives of civilians present there. Before he catches his breath, two mechanical arms of the mercenary and former Suicide Squad member Black Spider pulls him from behind.

He throws Batman into a nearby picket fence after dragging him off the diner thinking him outgunned but soon, The Dark Knight comes back at him with a chain saw to take him down. Firefly recovered and came back to take a shot at him when he is engaged but ran with tails between his legs after receiving a cold stare from the Bat.

Batman then finds himself up against the mob of locals seeking a bounty on his head and Two-Face appears from behind. As the crowd shoots him down, Batman quickly grabs Harvey Dent and cutting all communications, hits the road in a truckers' rig.

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All Star Batman – My Own Worst Enemy | Comics

It all started a while ago when Gotham's former District Attorney and an old friend of Bruce Wayne; Harvey Dent reaches out to him for his help to locate a formula which would allegedly got rid of his twisted Two-Face persona and cure him forever.

Despite his own doubts and Alfred's protests, Bruce decides to help his old buddy anyway to give him a chance to become normal again and takes off with Dent in his Batplane to a 500 miles long journey. Dent's alter ego secretly puts a back-up plan of causing an acid rain over Gotham in motion to make sure Batman never succeeds.

In addition, Dent's alter ego made an open offer to anyone who would stop them from reaching destination of paying a combined fortune of Gotham's three biggest crime lords and then a missile is fired at the Batplane, which knocks it down.

This is how they ended up on New Jersey earlier and now the Caped Crusader comes face to face with the crowd of heavy-hitters like Amygdala, Killer Croc and King Shark in his road-trip. This trio of muscles tried their best to crush their enemy into puddle for that huge stack of cash dent offered but they all eventually sought defeat one by one.

Moments later, Cheshire and Copperhead sneak attacks on Bats with poison darts, forcing him to jump off the train they were travelling. Upon resurfacing, more men came out of nowhere and shot Batman down before transporting them to a new location.

Meanwhile, Black Mask, Great White Shark and The Penguin of Gotham Organized Crime secretly meets master assassin Anatoli Knyazev AKA The Beast for a road kill. He agrees to one condition and asks them to clear the mess he is going to leave behind for this job. What these crime bosses didn't know is how messy it is going to be.

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Evil Over Good

Here is your links to buy "All-Star Batman – My Own Worst Enemy" from DC Comics in issues on Amazon.

All-Star Batman 01

All-Star Batman 02

All-Star Batman 03

All-Star Batman 04

All-Star Batman 05

Here is your link to buy "All-Star Batman – My Own Worst Enemy" from DC Comics on Amazon.

All-Star Batman – My Own Worst Enemy

With the Rebirth of DC Universe, two of most celebrated superstar comic-book creators of recent years have teamed up for an all-star saga of The Dark Knight. Featuring first five issues of the ongoing series, there was another sub-plot "The Cursed Wheel" by the same writer and artist Declan Shalvey (28 Days LaterMoon Knight) as well.

Acclaimed comic-book writer Scott Snyder (American Vampire, The Wake) and Eisner Award-winner renowned artist John Romita, Jr. (Superman – Before Truth, Superman – The Men of Tomorrow) finally unites to collaborate in their first adventure of All-Star Batman ongoing story titled "My Own Worst Enemy".

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Road-Trip Action

Batman's new young sidekick Duke Thomas played an important part in the main story and in additional sub-plot as vigilante hero The Signal. Also, the Caped Crusader went against Court of Owls, acting as Dent's goons while lesser-known villain Gentleman Ghost and Royal Flush Gang had a cameo appearance in the entire plot.

The key focus shifts on the menacing bad guy Anatoli Knyazev, once known as KG Beast and is seen as most ruthless than any iteration of him ever played before. This is probably because he is now a part of Batman legacy in DC Extended Universe and was quite intimidating in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
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Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Secret Empire | Comics

Captain America turned out to be a true believer of Hydra ideals and siege control from within as he planned out!

Running S.H.I.E.L.D. these days, Captain America sends Captain Marvel leading Alpha Flight alongside Guardians of the Galaxy on space to hold a line of defense when a huge Chitauri Wave shows up. From Helicarrier bridge, Steve sends Ironheart and Iron Man to work up a Planetary Defense Shield that was taken down earlier by a Hydra bomber.

In the mean time, a group of super-villain attacks New York who was all former prisoners of Pleasant Hill and The Defenders were sent to take care of them. Hyperion and Quasar goes down while Nitro explodes in the middle of Manhattan. Announcing a state of emergency, Secretary of Defense made Steve Rogers command of national security.

The Shield suddenly goes back operational and cavalry arrive at New York as Avengers Unity Division, causing the villains flee. Before they could celebrate this victory, Commander Sharon Carter receives transmission of a collision with another Helicarrier and within moments they are under attack by Hydra goons under control of Doctor Faustus.

Cap then steps up telling everyone to hold their fire and the Hydra agents hail him as their Supreme Leader before taking Sharon into custody, who is baffled to learn that Steve was a traitor. Carol tries to communicate about opening a portal to Earth but Rogers made it clear that he want them occupied behind the shield with Chitauri waves.

Before being ambushed, Tony Stark A.I. eventually figured out the Chitauri invasion was a ploy to lure out the heavy hitters off Earth and the shield was never down. As Baron Zemo engulfs the island of Manhattan in a Darkforce dome using Blackout's powers, Iron Man sends out a distress call for heroes to assemble and Hydra takes over White House.

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Secret Empire | Comics

In a new world order established by the evil empire, Inhumans are being forced to register and all mutants moved to New Tian. From his internment, Rick Jones passes a data to reveal the truth about Hydra Cap through a young hacker named Rayshaun Lucas to Ms. Marvel, Spider-Man, Totally Awesome Hulk and Viv Vision of the Champions.

Resistance against the regime is formed by Ant-Man, Black Widow, Giant-Man, Hawkeye, Hercules, Quicksilver, Rescue, Stingray, Thing, Tigra and Wonder Man. Cap has been leading a Hydra' version of The Avengers with Black Ant, Deadpool, Odinson, Scarlet Witch, Superior Octopus, Taskmaster and Vision to ruthlessly deal with any threats.

Neither Rick, nor Sharon agrees to swear loyalty to Hydra and when Rick is sentenced to death by a firing squad to make a statement, he dies saying "Avengers Assemble". Meanwhile, Steve reunites with Madame Hydra to acquire the Cosmic Cube and rewrite history of World War II. They then raze the entire city of Las Vegas with their Helicarriers.

Upon analyzing info sent by Rick, Tony came to conclusion on how the sentient Cosmic Cube named Kobik has altered Cap while saving him during "Standoff" fiasco after she was befriended with Johann Shmidt AKA Red Skull. Steve became a perfect soldier to Hydra, who then overthrew Shmidt to complete his own plan to rule the world.

So, he tried for Winter Soldier to join Hydra and his refusal led Zemo to launch a drone plane with Bucky in it. Kobik was shattered into fragments that got scattered in places and finding all of the pieces is the only way to turn things around as they once were. Cap is also actively looking for the Cube to reshape reality as he see fit in Hydra's image.

Natasha Romanoff takes it upon herself to kill off the evil Cap and the Champions tagged along to her help. Ant-Man, Hercules, Mockingbird and Quicksilver volunteered to go and retrieve all the Cube fragments with Tony and Falcon agreed to help them cross the border. However, he ended up taking his old mantle of Captain America once again.

Things started escalating as they show up at the doorstep of Ultron, now wearing the skin of Henry Pym. In the mean time, Hydra Cap struck treaty with enlists The Punisher as his enforcer and brings back The Incredible Hulk back from dead. All of these led to a grand showdown when the X-Men showed up right before an unexpected revelation.

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Dread of Distrust

For more information on Secret Empire event, you can check out these links below.

Secret Empire (Comics) Wikipedia

Secret Empire (Comics) Marvel Wikia

Here is your links to buy "Secret Empire" from Marvel Comics in issues on Amazon.

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Secret Empire 01

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Secret Empire 10

Here is your links to buy "Secret Empire" from Marvel Comics on Amazon.

Secret Empire Prelude

Secret Empire (Softcover)

Secret Empire (Hardcover)

In 2017, Marvel Comics hired writer Nick Spencer (Ant-Man – Second-Chance Man, Doctor Strange – Damnation) and illustrator Daniel Acuna (Uncanny Avengers – Avenge The Earth, Uncanny Avengers – Counter-Evolutionary) to conceive the plot for "Secret Empire" crossover event, which is collected in a limited series that ran for eleven issues.

Then there were a group of artists David Marquez (Defenders – Diamonds Are Forever, Defenders – Kingpins of New York), Leinil Francis Yu (Operation – Zero Tolerance, X-Men – The Hunt for Xavier), Paco Medina (New X-Men – Mercury Falling, New X-Men – Nimrod) and Steve McNiven (Civil War, Death of Wolverine) to fill in for some extra.

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Hydra Supreme Leader

Pages that are drawn by artist Andrea Sorrentino were the literal down point of the entire story as some of the characters were completely unrecognizable from their appearance. Artist Rod Reis on the other hand, did quite fine compared to the former.

Following the events of "Time Runs Out" and "Secret Wars", everything was restored and Steve Rogers came back to existence alongside many others. When trying to save his life after an attack from Crossbones, sentient Cosmic Cube Kobik actually created a new version of Captain America that was loyal to Hydra and the real one became a memory.

Turning Captain America into a fascist and altering reality to let Hydra assume control was a bold move by Marvel though, or maybe rather stupid one. Bringing Hank Pym/Ultron hybrid into the mix as well as the deceased Green Goliath was unnecessary. Turning Frank Castle into an agent of the uprising evil empire was also really uncalled for.
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