We've finally come to our final Gotham book, and we're going out in style with everyone's favourite animal-themed thief, Catwoman. She's got her bra out, she's got her toes out, she's got her childhood trauma out, its all here. Get on the job with us this week in Catwoman vol 1: The Game by Judd Winick and Guillem March with colours by Tomeu Morey.
Next week: Aquaman v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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We're taking it back to the 2010s taking it back to the 80s this week with the return of the Justice League International, all in new hands this go around. What if we switched up the team and the tone, but still tried to maintain the somewhat questionable association with the UN and the somewhat more questionable global cast straight out of Street Fighter. Take a round-the-world tour with us in Justice League International vol 1: The Signal Masters by Dan Jurgens, Aaron Lopresti and Marco Castiello with colours by Hi-Fi.
Next week: Catwoman v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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His name is Green Arrow. After 42 weeks in hell, we have come home with only one goal... to see if this book is any good. Now everyone has joined the crusade. And this crusade is the only reason why anyone would be needing to go back to this book, so its a perfect alignment of targets for everyone. Lets see how the shot landed as we read Green Arrow vol 1: The Midas Touch by Dan Jurgens, J.T. Krul, Keith Giffen and Ignacio Calero with colours by Tanya & Richard Horie and David Baron.
Next week: Justice League International v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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Its the week for Serious Deadpool, the aura farmer in chief, The Terminator (not James Cameron's) - Deathstroke. Will he win every fight? (Of course) Will he get paid? (Maybe) Will he learn how to be a good dad? (Absolutely not) These questions and many more are all to be answered in Deathstroke vol 1: Legacy by Kyle Higgins, Joe Bennett and Eduardo Pansica with colours by Jason Wright.
Next week: Green Arrow v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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Its taken this long but we finally got to one of the most-talked about books of the New 52, Wonder Woman, and we're all very happy for the break with another good book. There's reinventions all round for Diana Prince here, but best of all, there's lots of room for us to get into discussing Greek mythology, where our real enthusiasm sits. Join us going on our own odyssey as we read Wonder Woman vol 1: Blood by Brian Azzarello, Cliff Chiang and Tony Akins with colours by Matthew Wilson.
Next week: Deathstroke v1, covering the first eight issues of the 2011 series
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Somehow we are finally closing off our Batman-led books with the OG and the company namesake, Detective Comics. Now we can wonder no longer as to how it would be if Joker took inspiration from his second favourite Hollywood John Woo flick, and see exactly how he could take his face... off. Also all the rest of the things in the other six issues of the comics. This week we're reading Detective Comics vol 1: Faces of Death by Tony S Daniel with additional art by Szymon Kudranski and colours by Tomeu Morey.
Next week: Wonder Woman v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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And now we finally come to the end of our green light road, with the final of our four Green Lantern books, with this one all about the Corps and what they get up to. Finally, we can ponder if the militarisation of the Green Lanterns was a good idea, if characterisation should be more important than enhanced interrogation and if its cool to casually throw in celebrations of American war crimes into a superhero comic. Enjoy all this and more as we sign up for Green Lantern Corps vol 1: Fearsome by Peter Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin with additional art by Geraldo Borges and Claude St Aubin and colours by Gabe Eltaeb.
Next week: Detective Comics v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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You've heard of Batman, you've heard of Robin, but what if now there was Batman and Robin? And what if there was also a third guy and he was trying to get himself intertwined with the dynamic duo of father and son? These are some of the brave and bold questions raised in this here comic which we are discussing this week in Batman and Robin vol 1: Born to Kill by Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason with colours by John Kalisz.
Next week: Green Lantern Corps v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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Everyone's favourite nuclear transmuter is back and now there's two of him! That's right, its Firestorm (and Firestorm) time, the Nuclear Men are back and much like they're stuck together, we're stuck with them. If high school football and international arms escalation don't make a great pair, then I don't know what they were doing on this book. Let's see if ink can be turned to gold (or to shit) with us in The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men vol 1: God Particle by Ethan Van Sciver, Gail Simone and Yildiray Çinar with colours by Steve Buccellato and Hi-Fi.
Next week: Batman & Robin v1, covering the first eight issues of the 2011 series
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Rounding out the Rot pairing, we have Animal Man aka Buddy Baker and his family coming in this week. Coming from a lineage of Vertigo comics into a fresh body horror take on how much it would suck if you lost your family, we get to go on an adventure into nightmare until things stall out to make sure the editorial vision can align. Let's take a narrative walk together as we devour Animal Man vol 1: The Hunt by Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman with additional art by John Paul Leon and Steve Pugh and colours by Lovern Kindzierski.
Next week: The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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When you think about horror comics or about the artistic highs of Vertigo, you probably think about Swamp Thing. So then its no wonder DC decided to take another swing at Big Green for the New 52, and put their best guys on the case. And now, in turn, we've sent our best scientists out to the marshes to see if the book's actually any good. Come along with us and wade into Swamp Thing vol 1: Raise Them Bones by Scott Snyder, Yanick Paquette and Marco Rudy with additional art by Victor Ibañez and colours by Nathan Fairbairn, David Baron, Val Staples and Lee Loughridge.
Next week: Animal Man v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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This week its time to check in on everyone's favourite team of bad guys and the bad they do, the Suicide Squad. Can this book live up to the lofty standards of all its media adaptations and strong roots, or is the subtitle for the trade an accurate description of how it feels to read? There's only one way to find out, as we go on a mission with Suicide Squad vol 1: Kicked in the Head by Adam Glass, Federico Dallocchio, Clayton Henry, Andrei Bressan, Cliff Richards and Ig Guara with colours by Val Staples, Hi-Fi and Allan Passalaqua.
Next week: Swamp Thing v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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We're back off for another book with everyone's favourite space cops, as this time, they revive an old no-name title and hand it off to Kyle Rayner and all the colours of the rainbow. Come along and see what happens when seven people who all have questionable displays of their emotions come together and try to make a team with a dysfunctional dynamic and a questionable leader, as we open up Green Lantern: New Guardians vol 1: The Ring Bearer by Tony Bedard and Tyler Kirkham with additional art by Harvey Tolibao and colours by Nei Ruffino.
Next week: Suicide Squad v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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We've been drafted into the comics wars, even though none of us are trained readers, and sent straight to the front lines of the New 52. Ducking under the Sgt Rock barb wire, running into the George Saint bullets and dodging the Frankenstein artillery, all to deliver a podcast about how maybe making books about the military in the 21st century doesn't work quite the same as it used to. Get down in the trenches with us as we read Men of War vol 1: Uneasy Company by Ivan Brandon and Tom Derenick with colours by Matt Wilson and backup stories by Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Jonathan Vankin, James Robinson, JT Krul, B. Clay Moore, John Arcudi, Phil Winslade, Scott Kolins, Paul McCaffrey, Richard Corben and Patrick Scherberger.
Next week: Green Lantern: New Guardians v1, covering the first seven issues of 2011 series
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Taking it back to that Y2K spirit this week with the coolest and edgiest of Batman's wards, Jason Todd aka The Red Hood, his himbo archer friend Arsenal and their questionably leered at girl friend Starfire. We're going through a whole lore dump, some all new bad guys and a whole lot of odd sexual dynamics so its a jam-packed episode. Get on board as we hang out with Red Hood and the Outlaws vol 1: REDemption by Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort with writing assists from Joshua Williamson and colours by Blond.
Next week: Men of War v1, covering all eight issues of the 2011 series
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Our little birdie bill continues with a very different kind of macho book about Leo Tolstoy's favourite subject, war and peace, and its representations on DC's earth, Hawk and Dove. There's so much lore you'll need to learn and then immediately forget here, so you'll have to get on The Rob's Wild Ride real quick. Come and take a tumble down with us on the very chaotic road of Hawk & Dove vol 1: First Strikes by Rob Liefeld and Sterling Gates with additional art by Marat Michaels and colours by Matt Yackey, Ross Hughes and Andy Troy.
Next week: Red Hood & The Outlaws v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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Its ladies night and we feel alright, oh yes its Birds of Prey night, oh what a night. We're looking at a little band of dysfunctional girlies working together to fight off a mind control scheme, and seeing if love, or at least comraderie, truly can bloom between Gotham's murdering women. Join us as we get along with Birds of Prey vol 1: Trouble In Mind by Duane Swierczynski and Jesus Saiz with additional adrt by Javier Pina and colours by Nei Ruffino, Allen Passalaqua and June Chung.
Next week: Hawk & Dove v1, covering all eight issues of the 2011 series
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Its been so long since we last read our double bill of the big man of Geoff Johns at the very start of this podcast, and now we're back with one of his most famous works - Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern. Thanks to the New 52, we get to jump straight in at the last stretch of his saga, so join us as we see what four different levels of experience can piece together coming in pretty cold as we read Green Lantern vol 1: Sinestro by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke with additional art by Mike Choi and colours by David Baron, Alex Sinclair, Mike Choi and Tony Avina.
Next week: Birds of Prey vol 1, covering issues 1-7 of the 2011 series
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And so it happens with a randomised wheel, we're back this week with a book that's all killer, no filler as we come round to the New 52 relaunch of Batwoman. The gayest book in the line just missed Pride, but it was well worth the wait as we dig into all the comings and goings of Miss Kate Kane, Gotham's Boldest Buttkicker and Lovingest Lesbian. Come along with us to see just how peak peak can be as we pour over Batwoman vol 1: Hydrology by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman with colours by Dave Stewart.
Next week: Green Lantern vol 1, covering issues 1-6 of the 2011 series
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As much as we all joked about being commitment phobes to the scale of this undertaking, we made it halfway! A whole half a year of reading New 52 books and talking about them and producing Content about the experience! And now its time for us to be as backwards-looking and nostalgic as DC Comics themselves, and take a look back at what we've read (and maybe forward at what we have to come to). Much thanks to all our listeners, and we hope you enjoy this bonus treat.
We'll be back with your regularly scheduled programming on Wednesday with Batwoman, so keep on listening for a real treat.