Injustice: Gods Among Us Vol. 2
by Tom Taylor, Mark S. Miller Tom Derenick, Bruno Redondo
Publisher: DC Comics
Pub. Date: July 1, 2014

ISBN: 978-1401246013
Pages: 224
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Do recall the old Mortal Combat games where you battle it out against another warrior? Well, the creators of Mortal Combat took that idea and created the video game Injustice: Gods Among Us, set in the DC Universe. In January 2013, a weekly digital comic book prequel was released, shortly followed by print versions of the issues.

Injustice: Gods Among Us Vol. 2 contains issues 7-12 and the Injustice: Gods Among US Annual #1. The overall plot details Lex Luther becoming the Justice League's new ally, pulling their strings to create his own alternate universe. A world where Lois Lane is dead and Superman takes vengeance into his own hands by killing the Joker. 

Superheroes pick sides -you are either good or evil! Green Arrow, Black Canary, Huntress, Captain Atom, and Catwoman choose to follow Batman. While Wonder Woman, the Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Shazam, and Robin are teaming up with Superman with the idea that lives have to be lost to restore justice to the world. 

Hellboy In Hell Vol. 1: The Descent
by Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart
Publisher: Diamond Book Distributors
Pub.Date: June 3,, 2014
ISBN: 978-1616554446
Pages: 144
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

While Hellboy has been in the comic book world since 1993, I have only been exposed to the films starring Ron Perlman in the title role. I was excited when I saw this title was available to review on NetGalley, I eagerly signed up to review, as this was my chance to read a Hellboy tittle.

This summer's release of Hellboy In Hell Vol. 1: The Descent combines the first four issues (The Descent, Pandemonium, Family Ties and The Three Gold Whips) of the Hellboy In Hell series into one volume.

"Shortly thereafter he fought a dragon and was killed."

The Girl Who Played with Fire: A Graphic Novel
by Denise Mina
Illustrators: Leonardo Manco and Andrea Mutti
Publisher: Vertigo Comics
Pub. Date: June 3, 2014
Retail: $29.99
ISBN: 9781401237578
Pages: 272

Review

The Girl Who Played with Fire is the graphic novel adaption based on the late Stieg Larsson's second installment in the Millennium series. All three books have been adapted into feature films in Sweden; while the first book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was adapted into a feature film in the United States in 2011, starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara.

After the events of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander, mysteriously disappeared from Sweden. Her state legal guardian, Nils Bjurman, (who had raped her and in turn she sexually assaults him and then tattoos the words "rapist" on his chest and stomach) is searching for her, mainly because she is in possession of the videotape she had recorded of him abusing her.

Lisabeth is actually taking a long vacation on the Caribbean shores of Grenada, where she meets an American tourist, Dr Forbes, and his wife, whom he has been abusing. Lisabeth quickly gets involve with the situation.

Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell
by Paul Dini
Illustrator: Joe Quinones 
Publisher: DC Comics
Pub. Date: May 27, 2014
Retail: $22.99
ISBN: 9781401210540
Pages: 144

Review:

The DC Comics Universe is full of a variety of male superheroes, but there are also many female superhero characters as well, including Superwoman, Batgirl, Supergirl, etc.. And of course, many of you have probably heard of the character Black Canary that has been appearing on the CW's Arrow this season. In the series, Black Canary's real identity is Sara Lance, while in the comic book it was her sister, Dinah Laurel Lance; though I do have a feeling that Dinah will become Black Canary 2.0 in near future.

The character was first introduced in 1947 and she is normally paired up with the Green Arrow; as you can imagine the character has had many different makeovers over the years, with the most recent occurring in the New 52 reboot. Another character that got a makeover was Zatanna, who first appeared in the DC Comic Universe in 1964. Both of these ionic characters are teaming up for the upcoming graphic novel, titled Black Canary and Zatanna: Boodspell.

Besides from watching Black Canary on Arrow, I'm not to familiar with the character; and I've never even heard of Zatanna before reading the digital graphic novel this morning, which I received from NetGalley. Unlike a few recent DC Comics graphic releases, this isn't a combination of past issues, but instead it is a one-shot, 144 pages issue; giving the readers a glance into the origin of how these two female characters first met.

Batgirl Vol. 4: Wanted
by Gail Simone
Illustrators: Fernando Pasarín, Daniel Sampere
Publisher: DC Comics
Pub. Date: May 27, 2014
Retail: $24.99
ISBN: 9781401246297
Pages: 192

Review:

Comic books may seem like the thing of the past, but thanks to a surge of superhero blockbusters and hit television series (Arrow), not to mention reality TV (Comic Book Men), comic books are starting to become popular again. Publishers have finally entered modern times with digital comic books. 

In the comic book world, superheroes never age, as the comics eventually get rebooted, giving franchises a brand new start. This is exactly what happened with DC Comics with the launch of their New 52 line in 2011, including everything Batman related.

Thanks to NetGalley, I got to review an advanced digital copy of Batgirl Vol. 4: Wanted, which consists of issues #19-25, as well as Ventriliquist #1.

Being a superhero has its ups and downs, and Barbara Gordon has hit the lowest-part of her crime-fighting career with the recent death of her brother, which her alter ego, Batgirl, had a part in his death. She is a complete mess and she has even turn to drinking to try to help with the pain. Nothing seems to help her do deal with what has occurred, even visiting a shrink isn't helping her. To make matter worse, her father, Commissioner Gordon, has a personal vendetta to hunt down his son's killer, Batgirl.