Reviews

Posted in

Batman Eternal #9 Review

 

Falcone’s after a cat, there’s a canary and two bats, a guy who’s Kingpin fat, and we’re introduced to somebody’s brat. Welcome to issue 9 of Batman Eternal, where all Asians are obviously the same kind of Asian, a super villain wants to make some craaaaaaaaaazy money, and women fill out leather suits like Bechdel never even existed. A quick DC wikia search will tell you why this issue is super special, folks.

First, I have to plead ignorance on this, but I’m not super familiar with the villain Roadrunner. I know he was in Snyder’s Black Mirror storyline but he didn’t leave a huge impression on me. Apparently he’s got a tricked out taxi, though, which he uses to get Commissioner Forbes to a rendezvous with our suit-on-top-of-wifebeater-wearing crime boss villain dejour. I wonder if this guy just parks in random places throughout Gotham from time to time, waiting for somebody to mistake his cab for a real lone, and then just blasts off with them. It’s sort of like that cash cab, but with horrible whiplash. I wonder how many people got into that cab before Forbes finally did, and if they had to pay for the ride at the end. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 107 Review

Episode 107, "Secrets of the Terrible Majin; The Man Behind the Curtain Appears!!
 

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Vegeta is angered by Goku’s desire to follow Kaioshin, as he was anticipating their battle in the tournament, but Goku assures him they can find time to do it later. Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo fly off, leaving Gohan in Kibito’s hands. Kuririn follows suit after telling 18. Kibito uses healing powers to revive Gohan, who follows him off, along with Videl. Kaioshin and Kibito reveal that they came to Earth to prevent an evil magician, Babidi, from reviving his father’s powerful creation, a monster named Majin Buu, who can destroy planets and even kill gods. It’s explained that Spopovich and Yamu were collecting energy to help Babidi release Majin Buu from his containment, and thus their entering the tournament and ultimately targeting Gohan. Kaioshin and Kibito allowed this to happen so they can follow the enthralled minions back to their master and stop him. Gohan notices that Videl, having only learned to fly recently, is having difficulty keeping up. He advises her to return to the tournament grounds. She agrees and flies back, telling him she’ll be waiting for him. Gohan and Kibito pick up speed and meet up with the others. Yamu and Spopovich finally reach the area where Babidi’s base of operations is. A short, green man with a large head and a very tall red demon with yellow eyes emerge from the entrance.
  read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Batman Eternal #8 Review

 

After the brazen murder of an innocent penguin (RIP, Commander Wilhelm) and the destruction of the Iceberg Casino, Carmine “The Roman” Falcone feels the force of Batman’s rage in this issue which begins with him pummeling some gangland scum. Of course, this doesn’t help any with Comissioner Forbes at the helm of the police, and Batman acts shockingly naive while Falcone’s puppet completely craps the bed at both police work and criminal activity. FFS, if you’re going to be corrupt, you don’t just let the criminals go right away, you have to at least pretend you’re processing them or the state will get sued up the ass by victims. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 106 Review

Episode 106, "Videl, Worn Ragged! Gohan’s Anger at its Limits!!"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Spopovich’s unrelenting assault on Videl continues, with her powerless to resist. Gohan seethes with anger over the merciless onslaught, transforming into a Super Saiyan. However, before he can interfere with the match, Spopovich’s companion to the tournament, Yamu, instructs him to finish the fight. Spopovich kicks Videl out of the ring and she loses. Goku retrieves some Senzu beans from Karin while Gohan takes Videl to the infirmary. Mr. Satan is dismayed that Videl is "dating" a "weak-looking boy" and doesn’t want her eating the offered Senzu. Videl eats the Senzu and recovers immediately. Gohan’s match with Kibito is next. Gohan’s classmates spot him without most of his disguise and figure Gohan simply entered the contest with Great Saiyaman’s name as a front. Kibito requests that Gohan transform again into a Super Saiyan. Kaioshin asks if Goku and the rest will allow them to use Gohan for something, with Piccolo revealing who he is. Gohan decides to go into his Super Saiyan 2 form, which astonishes the crowd, including Videl. Suddenly, Yamu and Spopovich fly into the ring and take hold of Gohan, who is doubly paralyzed by Kaioshin’s power, and steal energy from him. The pair then flee the arena and Kaioshin follows them, suggesting that Goku and his group do likewise. Goku finds the happenings interesting.
  read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Batman Eternal #7 Review

 

This issue sees the feathers really hit the fan in the Gotham City gang war, especially for poor Ozzie, who seems to lose everything in a matter of pages. But this Noah’s ark of an installment also includes a cat, a pig, a tiger shark, an orca, and for a short flash, a bat. Old MacDonald would be all hot and bothered by this issue, friends. This is Batman Eternal #7, and an empire crumbles into the deeps of Gotham harbor here.
 

“It was either you or Captain Stingaree. I couldn’t afford him.” read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 105 Review

Episode 105, "What’s the Matter, Piccolo?! An Unexpected Conclusion to the First Round"
 

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: The matches for the first round of the Tenkaichi Budoukai are decided. First up is Kuririn against a giant man named Punta, who he defeats in a single punch to the gut. Piccolo gets in the ring with the mysterious "Shin", but cannot bring himself to fight him. He gives up the match, much to everyone’s surprise. Videl’s match with the hulking Spopovich begins next, with Videl confident that her new skill and new ability will mean a victory. Piccolo inquires if "Shin" is really the Dai Kaio, but his attendant Kibito reveals that he is actually a being called Kaioshin, above Kaios. Kaioshin tells Piccolo not to tell anyone. Meanwhile, Spopovich proves to be inhumanely resilient and extremely brutal. Videl goes at him at full force, almost seeming to break his neck, but he recovers. It also appears he can fly, and Goku comments that he doesn’t sense any life in him. Videl is determined to continue the fight. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Batman Eternal #6 Review

Gotham gets just a little bit creepier in this installment of DC’s ongoing Batman weekly, when it looks like one of the worst characters in DC history is leading some kind of limb-chopping cult and The Spectre is on the case.

"I use an Nth Metal condom when I screw Zatanna. Or, at least I tell her that."
 

Batman is a skeptical fellow. A rational mind, even if he is, at his core, driven somewhat driven by emotion. The problem with that rationality is that it’s often in conflict with some of the more bizarre things in the DC universe. However, here we can see that even though he doesn’t necessarily understand the supernatural, he at least understands that those forces indeed exist, and has planned at least as far as using Nth Metal against forces like the Gentleman Ghost. It’s the young Luke Fox, Batwing, who seems to be even more skeptical, probably due to his lack of experience, thus making his buddy-cop team up with Jim Corrigan have a bit more flavor than just having the stern Dark Knight and a supernatural entity pair for a case. It’ll give Batwing something to do now that his book has been cancelled (I know I didn’t read it). read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 104 Review

Episode 104, "A Troubling Premonition… The Appearance of a Mysterious Warrior!!"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Mr. Satan realizes he will be humiliated if he fights Trunks in the exhibition match awarded to the Junior Division Champion. He attempts to fake an injury, then decides instead to make it look like he’s lost on purpose to look like a good sport. He invites Trunks to give him a playful "tap" to start the match, which sends Mr. Satan flying into a brick wall. However, the World Champion recovers and laughs it off, playing it up for the crowd, even though he’s genuinely in pain. The act goes over well and the crowd is convinced. The fighters eligible for the regular division gather, and Kuririn is concerned that there aren’t any worth opponents outside his group of friends. However, there are a few interesting characters in the mix, including two mysterious men clearly not from Earth, two pale men with strange marks on their heads, and a disguised Goten and Trunks, playing a fighter they knocked out so they can compete with the adults. Drawing numbers for the matches, it’s decided that Goku will fight Vegeta in the first round. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Batman Eternal #5 Review

 

This issue sees our favorite burger joint-named fugitive from the clutches of Scott Lobdell investigating the strange sickness the children from the Professor Pyg take down were suffering from. One of the biggest selling points to me for this series was that it was going to feature my favorite Robin in a capacity that might redeem his thus far unappealing portrayal in the New 52 continuity. It’s a bit telling that it took the death of Damian and the removal of Dick as Nightwing before he came back into the picture, but I, for one, welcome back Timothy Drake. And here he gets more than just a short cameo. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 103 Review

Episode 103, "Everyone is Shocked! Goten and Trunks’ Super Battle!!"
 

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Gohan and Videl are stuck behind waiting for new punching test machines while Goku and the others move ahead to watch the Junior Division of the Budoukai. Goten and Trunks easily work their way through the competition, much to the exasperation of a mother whose two sons are unlikely enough to face them in the competition. Naturally, the two young half-Saiyans make it to the final match, but have trouble keeping to the agreement made about not becoming Super Saiyans. Ultimately, Trunks manages to get a victory by ring-out. Mr. Satan frets about facing the Junior Champion Trunks in the exhibition match awarded to him.
  read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•