We Built this City
Astro City #3
A small mountain village in Ecuador has been revealed as the secret headquarters for a gang of international terrorists and mercenaries called the Skullcrushers. They’re laying waste to the local police forces, the army, and the villagers — and Marella Cowper, the newest employee of the secret dispatch center that helps the Honor Guard respond to global emergencies, is convinced that it’s all her fault, because she assumed that an emergency call a few days ago was merely a domestic situation instead of a supervillain crisis. Wracked by guilt, she takes several days off work so she can use the Honor Guard’s teleportation systems to volunteer as an aid worker. Can she ever forgive herself for her mistake? Can she find the family who originally called her for aid? And when it turns out that all the Skullcrushers haven’t been captured yet, can she even survive?
Verdict: Thumbs up. An outstanding story, worlds of suspense and drama and compassion, grand characterization, very nice action, and so much more. If you love comics, you need to be reading “Astro City.” But all you guys already love comics, so you’re already reading “Astro City,” right?
Batman: Li’l Gotham #5
In our first story, Mr. Freeze has been diagnosed sane and discharged from Arkham Asylum. He’s very pleased with what he sees of Gotham — everyone is happy and friendly, even to a former supervillain. And since everything has gotten so nice, he decides he wants things to stay nice forever. And that means he’s gotta freeze everything. Looks like the Bat-family is going to have to drag Mr. Freeze back to Arkham again. Meanwhile, in our second story, everyone’s celebrating Cinco de Mayo, mostly by fighting Bane and his gang of luchadors and… making tacos?
Verdict: Thumbs up. Very cute and funny all-ages comics. Both stories have a ton of action and humor, but I probably enjoyed the Cinco de Mayo story a lot more. And how nice is it to have stories that spotlight Damian, Oracle, and all of the pre-Reboot members of the Bat-family? It’s very, very nice, that’s what it is.