batman: hush, volumes 1 & 2

batman: hush, vol. 1
batman: hush, vol. 2
jeph loeb, jim lee & scott williams
graphic novels/mystery/crime
dc comics
published 2003

Batman: Hush is a thrilling mystery in which Batman sets out to discover the identity of a mysterious mastermind using The Joker, The Riddler, Ra's al Ghul and the Dark Knight's other enemies - and allies - as pawns in a plan to wreak havoc.

I've got to say that some of my favorite Batman books have to be when multiple heroes & villains make an appearance.  I was not disappointed there!  Catwoman, The Huntress, Nightwing, Robin....so many peoples!  Then it just seemed like an endless parade of all the major villains stopped by to give the Bats a hard time in some way or another.

And the art, dang.  I loved the watercolory flashback scenes best and I'm always a sucker for full color books.

I read these two much faster than it's taken me to read The Long Halloween (which I'm still not finished with).  The story was much faster paced and it kept me pretty hooked!

harley & ivy

harley & ivy
paul dini, judd winick, bruce timm, joe chiodo
graphic novels/crime/humor
dc comics
published 2007

The sexy, madcap super-villain duo of Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy plan to take down Batman once and for all in this uproariously funny volume.  But first, Harley has to convince Ivy that she has what it takes to be a villain in Gotham City!

A quick and fun read centered around my two favorite DC villainesses (is that a word), Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.  Silly and cute and just what I needed after the darkness that was Death of the Family!

And now I want a Harleycopter.

death of the family

batman, vol. 3: death of the family
batman the new 52 issues 13-17
joker: death of the family
catwoman the new 52 issues 13-14
batgirl the new 52 issues 13-16
suicide squad the new 52 issues 14-15
batman & robin the new 52 issues 15-16
detective comics the new 52 issues 15-16
nightwing, the new 52 issues 15-16
red hood & the outlaws the new 52 issues 15-16
teen titans the new 52 issues 15-16
writers: scott snyder, adam glass, kyle higgins, john layman, scott lobdell, ann nocenti, gail simone, peter j tomasi, james tynion iv
illustrators: greg capullo, eddy barrows, ed benes, brett booth, andy clarke, fernando dagnino, jason fabok, patrick gleason, jock, timothy green, rafa sandoval
dc comics
published 2013

After having his face sliced off one year ago, The Joker makes his horrifying return in this new epic that features Batman's entire network of partners in crimefighting, including Batgirl, Catwoman, Nightwing, Robin, the Teen Titans and more.  While The Joker threatens the very existence of Gotham City, these heroes - an villains - must find a way to survive.

Now here is some phenomenal Batman story writing.  Snyder certainly has a thumb on the pulse of what is The Joker and what makes him tick.  The story is so dark and yet uplifted by The Joker's brand of humor now and then or a quick quip from Dick or Jason.

For me, Damian is a hard sell.  The kid is too serious for a 10 year old although his loyalty to his father is the one thing I can believe.  There are some truly great moments in these 23 issues.  I read them as they would have come out issue by issue instead of sticking to a whole series and finishing it out that way.  I think I like it better reading it as it should have been read instead of waiting for the compilation book to come out.  That being said, is it necessary to read the entire arc or just The Batman issues?  I'd say no, but I think you're missing some great stuff if you skip over everyone else.  Especially the Suicide Squad issues.  Harley and The Joker together again is something not be missed.

suicide squad, vol. 3: death is for suckers

suicide squad, vol. 3: death is for suckers
adam glass, henrik jonsson & sandu florea
the new 52 issues 14-19
graphic novels/crime
dc comics
published 2013

As the Suicide Squad closes in on Basilisk leader Regulus, Deadshot and Harley discover multiple Basilisk sleeper agents within their ranks.  Regulus, makes one final desperate gamble to save himself by controlling Harley's mind, but Deadshot makes the ultimate sacrifice for his teammate.  Harley's lost "love" the Joker casts a poisonous rain over Deadshot's funeral, leaving only Harley conscious to face the clown prince of crime.  Angered and unable to trust Harley because of her relationship with Deadshot, the Joker tests Harley's loyalty, a test which may cost both of them their lives.

The Joker's back and he's a little pissed that his lucky lady has moved on.  It doesn't matter that Deadshot is six feet under, Joker still has a score to settle.  He wants to make absolute sure that he can trust Harley.

Always happy to see the Joker!  And they went all out with the title because truly, death is for suckers.  It seems that everyone has died at least once since the beginning of the series, some characters twice.  There's something Waller is doing to the Suicide Squad members, but none of that has been made perfectly clear yet.

Suspense and action and a bit of a cliffhanger at the end.  Who survives to the next round?

suicide squad, vol. 2: basilisk rising

suicide squad, vol. 2: basilisk rising
adam glass & federico dallocchio
the new 52 issues 8-13
graphic novels/crime
dc comics
published 2013

As the surviving Squad members attempt to recover from their disastrous Gotham City mission, we learn a dark secret that has been festering in the team since issue #1: a traitor stalks the Suicide Squad!  The saboteur's mission: assassinate Amanda Waller, expose the Squad and leave Task Force X in ruins!  The Basilisk strikes!

Another action packed volume!  Saboteur's abound!  Mind control!  Guns!  It's all in here.

I thoroughly enjoy these Suicide Squad books.  Harley plays quite a central role and Deadshot is the best male anti-hero around.  The art is good, the writing is edgy.  What more could a girl want?

suicide squad, vol. 1: kicked in the teeth

suicide squad, vol. 1: kicked in the teeth
the new 52 issues 1-7
adam glass, federico dallocchio & clayton henry
graphic novels/crime
dc comics
published 2012

The story begins with the Suicide Squad defeated, imprisoned and being interrogated about their newest mission.  Harley Quinn, King Shark, Deadshot and company must make it out alive without revealing who's pulling the strings behind their illegal operations.  Who will be the first to crack under the pressure?  More importantly will they make it all out alive?

There's a lot going on in this first volume of the New 52's Suicide Squad.  Zombies in a stadium, prison riots, bad guys chasing bad guys for other bad guys....and Harley Quinn's on the loose.

There can't ever be enough Harley Quinn as far as I'm concerned.  She's creepy and crazy and I just love her.  In the last two issues of this volume Harley's escaped from Belle Reve and she's headed to Gotham to find out if what everyone's told her is true.  The Joker's dead and GCPD has his face stored away.

Deadshot and the other members of the Suicide Squad are tasked with bringing her back dead or alive.  Easier said than done for a girl who doesn't have any 'powers'.

It's fun to watch the bad guys not being completely bad.  Plus, there's this never ending pool of villains to grab from so we're exposed to more characters with each mission.  This series is a keeper.