THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week- #162 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, October 12, 2009

BATMAN: BRAVE AND THE BOLD #9: “The Tale Of the Catman!” (All Ages)

Landry Walker (w); Eric Jones (p/i); Heroic Age (c); Travis Lanham (l); cover by Jones

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Jumping out of your TV and into your comics comes the highly anticipated new cartoon BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD! Each month, The Dark Knight Detective faces challenges that only he can solve – with a little help from his DC Universe pals! Thrill as Batman visits new places and old friends. Chill as he chases down the most powerful villains in the DCU, armed with only his Bat-gadgets and his wits!

In this issue : Batman teams up with a mysterious figure to stop the Penguin and The Riddler, but is this anti-hero a friend or a foe? Be here for all of the cataclysmic catastrophes in "The Tale of the Catman!" (from dccomics.com)

Review: Actually, it's more like “a mysterious figure teams up with Batman,” since he suddenly shows up to help stop the Riddler. Who is he, where's he from, and what does he really want? Those are the questions Batman has to answer. Walker and Jones, who previously worked together on SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8 th GRADE, tell an entertaining story with an ending that's kind of sad.

G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS #2

Written and illustrated by Chris Giarrusso: color assists by Dave Giarrusso

Publisher: Image

Format: five-issue miniseries

Concept: Mini-Marvels creator CHRIS GIARRUSSO returns with a brand new G-Man miniseries!

In this issue: Wizard Glendolf Williams has bad news for G-Man. The magic in G-Man's cape has become dangerously unstable! And it's going to take more than the sorcery of Glendolf to set things right! (from grahamcrackers.com)

Review: It turns out that G-Man and company didn't retrieve all of the flight bands from last time, and having so many pieces of the magic cloth dispersed is taking its toll on the cape. But there's a problem: more people seem to have flight bands than G-Man thought! Where are all these flight bands coming from? Giarrusso continues to delight with his art and comic storytelling. I also have to give MAJOR points to Chris Eliopoulos, whose reprinted MISERY LOVES SHERMAN comic strips include the line, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to Twitter, does it actually happen?” GREAT line!

MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #55: “Why I Was Late For Class” (All Ages)

Paul Tobin (w); Jacopo Camagni (p/i); Sotocolor (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Skottie Young

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Bitten by an irradiated spider, which granted him incredible abilities, Peter Parker learned the all-important lesson, that with great power there must also come great responsibility. And so he became the amazing Spider-Man!

In this issue : When Captain George Stacy puts pressure on New York 's criminal underworld, they put pressure on him in return, using his daughter Gwen as a pawn in a vicious struggle for control of the streets of New York City . What Captain Stacy doesn't know is that he has an ally in Gwen's classmate, Peter Parker… the Amazing Spider-Man! Or, DOES he know this? And is Spider-Man a match for the enforcer known as Tombstone ? Find out in "Why I Was Late For Class," guest-starring Steve Rogers… Captain America ! (from marvel.com)

Review: Ever made an excuse as to why you weren't in school? Then you know how hard it can be. But few people have it as bad as Peter Parker. Telling the principal that you and Gwen Stacy had trouble with the mafia doesn't go over well. But that is, in fact, exactly what's happened…and with Tombstone ! Fortunately Captain America 's also on the case. It's to Lolli and Camagni's credit that I completely forgot about Cap even being in the issue until he sneaks up on Spider-Man, and then I realized that he actually made his entrance much earlier. I like that Cap really gives Spider-Man the benefit of the doubt; their dialogue exchanges are wonderful. I also like that Peter still can't quite keep his mouth shut around Captain Stacy, and that he really is on Peter's side.

SONIC UNIVERSE #6: “Mobius: 30 Years Later: Dark Siege” (All Ages)

Ian Flynn (w); Tracy Yardley! (p); Jim Amash (i); Jason Jensen (c); Teresa Davidson (l); cover by Yardley! & Hunzeker

Publisher: Archie

Format: monthly series

Concept: A thrilling new Sonic series that raises the stakes and expands the comic book world of Sonic!

In this issue: In this second installment of "Mobius: 30 Years Later," the stakes are raised to pulse-pounding proportions! King Sonic has received dire news from Silver: something that will doom the future is right around the bend! Things go from bad to worse when Lien-Da and her Dark Presence invades the castle! Who will escape, and who will be the first to fall? All this, plus another surprise returning character revealed! (from grahamcrackers.com)

Review: In the last issue, Mobius was celebrating five years of peace. One rocket aimed at King Sonic, however, means that the peace is no more. Silver confirms this with the news that something bad is going to happen. With that, a series of events is launched that lead to one character's return on the final page. Flynn balances the action with some great light-hearted moments: Sonic and Silver's time-travel discussion, Sonic and Sally's “argument,” and Sonic making Lara-Su laugh. And the artwork? As nice as always.

SUPER FRIENDS #19: “Head of the Class” (All Ages)

Sholly Fisch (w); Dario Brizuela (p/i); Heroic Age (c); Travis Lanham (l); cover by J. Bone

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Introducing SUPER FRIENDS - a brand-new series for younger readers to meet the heroes of the DC Universe, based on the hot toy line from Mattel! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and Aquaman are here to save the day - and be your friends, too!

In this issue: School's back in session! That is, Headmaster Mind's school for Super-Villains! And he's got a few lessons to teach the Super Friends about crashing his field trip!

Review: I'm in favor of a good education, but there are some lessons you just shouldn't learn. But if you really want to know how to be a bad guy, then Headmaster Mind's School For Villains is for you. Under his instruction, you'll learn the things that every good villain must know: sending clues, battling super-heroes, setting fiendish traps and making a quick getaway. You'll get to go on field trips, and class participation is required. Be warned, though: Mind may teach you a lot, but Fisch and the Super Friends will teach you the most important lessons: real friends don't make each other do the wrong thing, and villainy doesn't pay. Activities include “Hats Off,” “Straight To the Top,” in which you can make your own…top, and “Do the Write Thing,” which lets you write your own Flash comic strip story.

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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