2018.009 Batman - Detective Comics Vol 4: Deus Ex Machina

I like that James Tynion is rotating the focus of his arcs on this book to different members of the Batman Family.  Last time it was Cassandra Cain, this time it's Azrael.  I've never liked Azrael in the past, and this book does nothing to make me like him much more, but it was still an enjoyable read.  I

The biggest part of this book for me was seeing Zatanna again, back to her regular self.  It looks like the Justice League Dark nonsense was stripped away from her and she's the Zatanna we used to know again.  This book gives us a look at the secret history of Zatanna and Bruce Wayne.  They've known each other since they were teens when Bruce was studying and learning the things he needed to know to be Batman.  It's kind of cool seeing this connection they have from way back.

Detective continues to be a top notch Batman book and I look forward to more.

Batman - Detective Comics Vol 4: Deus Ex Machina

Written by: James Tynion IV, Christopher Sebela

Illustrated by: Alvaro Martinex, Carmen Carnero, Raul Fernandez, Karl Story, Richard Friend

DC Comics

079 All-Star Batman Vol 1: My Own Worst Enemy

This book was great.  In spite of John Romita Jr's art. (I'm really not a fan.  I don't hate his art, but I don't really like it either.)  It was non-stop action from cover to cover.

I'm guessing this is the Rebirth interpretation of Two-Face.  I don't really remember his being exactly like this previously (so if he was, my bad.)  He's more Jekyll & Hyde than ever before.  Harvey and Two-Face being two distinct people sharing the same body.  One emerges as the other one subsides.

The backstory is new, as far as I can tell.  Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent were childhood acquaintances and have a deeper history now than ever before.  

The story itself is nuts.  Two-Face has offered the fortunes of the top three crime bosses in Gotham to anyone who could take Batman down.  This all happens as Batman is taking Two-Face on a road trip of sorts in order to put an end to the Two-Face side of Harvey for once and for good.  And it's a great excuse to fit as many A, B, C and D-List villains into the story.  It's brutal, but it's fucking great.  I had a hard time putting this book down.  I love Scott Snyder's Batman.  

All-Star Batman Vol 1: My Own Worst Enemy

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: John Romita, Jr., Danny Miki, Tom Palmer, Sandra Hope, Richard Friend

DC Comics

010 Supergirl: Bizarrogirl

Another volume of the great Supergirl series.  This book gives us three stories.  The first one is about Bizarrogirl, the second features a modern retelling of Supergirl joining the Legion of Super-Heroes (and does a great job of picking the best parts of the original version of this tale) and the third features the Toyman.  For some reason I had stopped reading this book monthly by the time this came out originally.  I can't remember why I dropped the book, but reading this makes me sad that I did.  Still fun, still really interesting, still very well done.  I wish DC could put Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle back on the book to see what they can give us with the current version of the character (though, to be honest, I haven't seen what Steve Orlando has done yet.  Trade waiting his first arc.)

Supergirl: Bizarrogirl
Writer: Sterling Gates
Artist: Jamal Igle, Jon Sibal
Bernard Chang, Matt Camp, Marco Rudy, John Dell, Marc Deering, Richard Friend, Robin Riggs
DC Comics