DC Power #1 Cover

February is Black History Month and DC Comics released DC Power #1 yesterday. On the cover are eight black superheroes in the DC Universe. There are ten stories in this anthology one-shot special. First up is "Enduring Farewells" featuring Green Lanterns John Stewart and Jo Mullein. Next is "The Spice of Life" featuring Black Lightning's daughters Thunder and Lightning (Steel and his daughter are guest stars). Raphael Arce aka Bloodwynd aka the Superman from Hell stars int he third story titled "Pit Stop" (this one is my favorite). "Pure Blackness" features Calvin Ellis aka the black Superman of Earth-2. The fifth story is titled "Lost at Sea" and features Black Manta. Crispus Allen aka the Spectre stars in "The Session" (Renee Montoya aka the Question guest stars making this my second favorite story). "The Natural Order" sees Nubia helping Mr. Mxyzptlk. Kid Flash is featured in "Jump Shots and Loose Watts" (Red Arrow appears towards the end). Mister Terrific is the focus of "Fair Play." The Signal fights Chronus and takes a trip to the future in "The Light That Shines" (my third favorite story). As an added bonus, there are Who's Who files on Val-Zod (Calvin Ellis), Black Manta, the Spectre, Mister Terrific and the Signal. Overall, this was an enjoyable special collection of stories.

Cover of DC Power #1 from DC Comics

Justice League: Road To Dark Crisis #1

Justice League: Road To Dark Crisis #1 came out from DC Comics last Wednesday. The cover features shattered glass with shards showing Pariah, Darkseid, Flash, Hal Jordan aka Green Lantern, Jackson Hyde as Aquaman, Jonathan Kent aka Superman and Nightwing. The issue actually has multiple stories that deal with the aftermath of the death of the Justice League (all but one died anyway). The first story is about Nightwing and Jonathan Kent, who I still have a hard time accepting as Superman. The second story features Flash (Wally West) and Kid Flash (Wallace "Ace" West) that takes down Giganta and then tries to see who can stop the most crime. The next story features Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) following a space creature to Atlantis where he meets and teams up with Aqualad now known as Aquaman (Jackson Hyde). The story featuring Pariah has him being haunted by the memories of his dead wife, daughter and son before committing himself to building a machine to defeat the Great Darkness. Finally, Batgirl (Stephanie Brown) tries to stop Nocturna but ends up talking with her (Firefly shows up afterwards to offer the vampire a spot on the new Secret Society). The stories are not bad but not great either and they mostly feel like filler. I'm a little miffed that Kid Flash, Batgirl and Nocturna were not on the cover especially since Darkseid is not actually seen in any of the stories within the issue.

Cover of Justice League: Road To Dark Crisis #1 from DC Comics

Countdown to Halloween 2021 Day 7: Are You Afraid of Darkseid?

Are You Afraid of Darkseid? #1 is out now from DC Comics just in time for Halloween. The cover features Darkseid behind Robin as he is telling scary stories to the rest of the Teen Titans (Kid Flash, Crush, Aqualad and Red Arrow but Roundhouse is now where to be seen). This is their annual one-shot Halloween special but die-hard horror fans will be a bit disappointed as the stories found within are mostly for fun. The issue starts with "Are You Afraid of Darkseid?" as the Teen Titans camping and telling scary stories around the campfire. Red Arrow is first up with "Bloody Mary" that puts a New Gods spin on the urban legend that features Harley Quinn and Darkseid. Robin is up next with "Backseat Driver" that features Batman chasing Mad Hatter, who is riding a bicycle. Crush's scary story is "Escape the Dark Fortress" featuring John Stewart as Green Lantern with brief appearances by Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner and Katma Tui. Kid Flash takes his turn with "The Endless Staircase" featuring the Phantom Stranger. Aqualad's scary story is titled "The Ogopogo", which features him and Aquaman. Roundhouse doesn't want to tell a scary story so Red Arrow tells her second story, which is "Black Eyed Kids" featuring Vixen and Wonder Woman. Roundhouse changes his mind and decides to tell "The Celler" that finds Superman and Lois Lane looking for missing twins in Kansas (he gets his life force drained by a horrorifying female creature). The final page with the Teen Titans around the campfire is perhaps the scariest part of the whole issue.

Cover of Are You Afraid of Darkseid? #1 from DC Comics

Countdown to Valentine's Day 2021 Day 9: DC Love Is A Battlefield 80-page Giant #1

"BLAM! KRACK! POW! Look out-it’s…love?! Falling in love is rough, even for DC’s greatest. Watch as Batman and Catwoman, Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor, Mister Miracle and Big Barda, and all the rest of your OTPs fight in vain against the all-powerful forces of romance (and super-villains)! Even Amanda Waller fights the urge to bail on her mystery date. We guarantee that this Valentine’s Day, someone’s taking a shot to the heart-from Cupid’s bow!"

Characters and stories featured in DC Love Is A Battlefield 80-page Giant #1 include: Batman and Catwoman in "Perfect Matches", Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor in "Bittersweet", Amanda Waller and Perry White in "Loose Lips", Kid Flash and Red Arrow in "A Tale of Two Titans", Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy in "The Beginning", Hawkman and Hawkwoman in "Together Forever", Mister Miracle and Big Barda in "Anniversary", Nightwing and Starfire in "Ex-Position", Sgt. Rock in "Able" and John Stewart and Fatality in "The Heart Wants".

Cover of DC Love Is A Battlefield 80-page Giant #1 featuring Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy

Wally West Rejoins DC Comics In April

According to Wally West Makes His DC Comics New 52 Debut In April, the sidekick turned main superhero will appear in The Flash Annual #3. I have to wonder if he will start out as Kid Flash again or if he will even have powers. Either way, I can't wait to see Wally back.

McDonald's Young Justice Mini Skateboard #4: Superman

I went to McDonald's earlier this afternoon and picked up a cheeseburger Happy Meal. To my surprise, they had the new Young Justice toys in stock. There are six mini skateboards based on the cartoon and I received the fourth one, which is Superman. The others include Batman, Robin, Superboy, Kid Flash and Aqualad. I would have liked to see Miss Martin and some of the girls on the team featured but McDonald's seem to insist on only boy superheroes for their boys only toys nowadays. The bottom of the Superman mini skateboard has a picture of him while the top has the Young Justice logo. I like the transparent blue wheels.

The Happy Meal box had only one panel devoted to Young Justice with the "Get on your feet to defeat the villains" in large text. The question in the upper right corner is "What super hero feats can your feet do every day?" followed by "Run and leap", "Jumping jacks" and "Scooter, skate or bike". Kid Flash and Superboy appear on the upper left corner while Aqualad in on the opposite side.A punch out Robin with the following instructions "Give Robin a leg up! Punch him out, put your fingers in the holes & make him run and skate."

The current girls only toys are based on the Littlest Pet Shop. The next Happy Meal toy line will be based on the movie, The Rise of the Guardians, which will not be gender specific.