The Longbox Short-List - Week of May 25, 2016

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

Comics shipping this week

I guess summer comic season has officially started, because this is a massive week for me with lots of real big books.

• DC UNIVERSE REBIRTH #1 – I still have no idea exactly what this book is. It doesn’t seem to be another massive universe wipe, but exactly what DC will look like after Rebirth is still unclear. A lot of books (including Final Days of Superman and Titans Hunt) seem to have given us some hints, but nothing all that obvious. I really liked Convergence, so I am definitely real curious about this one.

• SUPERMAN #52 – Speaking of Final Days of Superman, I’ve really enjoyed this crossover, and it seems like Tomasi has a terrific vision for Superman moving forward. I haven’t been this excited about Superman in a very long time. This book should set the stage for Superman Rebirth, and I will definitely be a customer of the new Superman line if the quality stays this good.

• SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #1 – Never thought I would see Scooby Doo on my pull list…but when the Justice League 3001 team was announced for this book, it was pretty hard to pass this one up. I have no idea if it will be any good, but I still have to check it out.

• FLASH #52 – So, does TV’s Wally West or New 52’s Wally West become Kid Flash first (though I think TV’s Wally is a little too old to be called KID Flash)? Flash’s run during New 52 was pretty solid all the way through, and I’m curious where the series goes from here. I know a lot of people have hated some of the changes, but I’ve thought this was a pretty fresh take on Barry Allen, a character I never really liked all that much (Wally was already Flash most of the time I read comics).

• JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 – Because of delays, this book seems like it came out AFTER quite a bit of the aftermath, like Final Days of Superman and I assumed DC Rebirth. It’s not quite a train wreck like Marvel did with Secret Wars, but it’s still a little annoying for me. That said, Darkseid War was a really good story, and if this is the basis for the “New New DC,” that could be a very good thing.

• DISNEY’S DARKWING DUCK #2 – Because it wasn’t available digitally (at least not on Comixology, I wouldn’t even know where else to check), I had no idea the first issue even came out. But when I tracked it down, I really enjoyed it. Definitely true to the comic and a lot of fun. I honestly have no idea how someone can release a comic these days without a digital release. IDW does the same thing with their Disney line, and it makes it hard for me to keep up with those books too. When BUYING a comic becomes an effort, it’s hard for me to justify keeping it on my pull list.

• NIGHTHAWK #1 – Nighthawk?? How did that end up on my pull list? OH, DAVID WALKER! Objection withdrawn. All joking aside, David Walker has quickly climbed the list to become one of my favorite writers. I was kind of bummed out that he left Cyborg, but his work at Marvel (not to mention Dynamite’s Shaft) definitely makes up for that. I didn’t even read the solicit for this one. It’s Walker, it will be worth a read. End of discussion for me…

• CAPTAIN AMERICA – STEVE ROGERS #1 – I don’t know if this book needs to exist…I have really enjoyed Sam Wilson as Captain America. But since Nick Spencer is writing both books, I will likely pick them both up. I have no idea if the market can sustain two Captain America books. There was plenty of time when Cap himself wasn’t selling all that well to justify one series, much less two.