Hello again GEN readers! It’s Jill a.k.a. The Nerdy Bird back with another installment of DoubleDCoverage.  I’ve got two hot-off-the-presses number ones for you today and more different, they could not be. Reviews for Final Crisis Aftermath: Run! #1 and Power Girl #1 are ahead, also, check out my star ratings for my other pulls from last Wednesday!

FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: RUN! #1 (of 6)

On a list of awesome supervillains, the Human Flame is holding on tight to the bottom of the barrel. He has no powers, no real smarts and shoots fire out of several makeshift nipples on his costume. A long time ago he was arrested by Martian Manhunter and was released from prison shortly before the events of Final Crisis. His new claim to fame is filming MM’s death at the hands of Libra with his cell phone. It was his hearts desire to see his enemy dead but what he didn’t expect was to be ostracized and hated by his fellow villains for it.

Upon waking up in the hospital, the Human Flame’s (Mike Miller) first reaction is to hit the ground running. He meets up with a low-level thug and junky named Joey to score a job that will make him some quick cash. Unfortunately Joey, shaky from drugs, shoots a member of the Kyrgyzstani mob they planned on robbing. Mike, who’s extremely hairy everywhere except his head by the way, continues the firefight in order to not get killed himself. It flows over into a fast-food playplace filled with kids. “Kids are short and they run fast. They’ll be fine,” he says.

None of the kids gets hit but Joey isn’t so lucky - he winds up dead in the ball pit. Mike makes a makeshift flamethrower with a can of hairspray and a lighter and eventually takes off (running) with the money. He heads home to his wife Jan and daughter Emily and just when you think he’s about to do right by them, he ties Jan up and heads to the basement to suit up in his old prototype. Meanwhile, Jon Stewart and a wrongly colored (I assume) Caucasian Firestorm check out the crime scene and confirm Mike is the culprit. After stealing his wife’s car and his daughter’s bike, Mike thinks he’s made a clean getaway. Too bad there’s a bounty on his head and the first takers, the Kyrgyzstani mob, catch up to him. He gets to test out the suit but there are still a few bugs to work out.

Like I said, the Human Flame, not a very cool character as far as they go but with Matthew Sturges writing him like this I’m inclined to stick around for the ride. The pathetic aspect of this character is comedic putty in his hands just waiting to be molded into something awesome. I’m a little confused as to why Mike would have started running immediately when he was a sitting duck for the villains in the hospital though. It would be pretty funny if it turned out no one was really after him and he just made enemies along the way. The first Final Crisis Aftermath story is worth a look if you dig Sturges’ writing or laughing at miserable villains.

POWER GIRL #1


Quick! What has two huge attachments that could sell a book all on their own? The answer is Power Girl, the new ongoing title from DC. The attachments of course are Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner. Pfft, what were you thinking perv? (Yes, I know Justin Gray is on this book too but that would have ruined my wonderful intro.)

PG is looking for a fresh start in New York City. Since she’s been replaced by another version of herself on her home planet of Earth-2, this is her home now. So when clockwork robots with psychic attack capabilities threaten the city she’s quick to act and the public is already behind her. Turns out the Ultra-Humanite is behind the bots. He’s using his mental powers and some sort of machinery to take Manhattan hostage…by picking the entire island up into the sky. His demands are simple – he wants in PG’s body. Let me rephrase that, he wants to transfer his brain into PG’s body. You know, he likes that sort of thing.

Of course the first issue of Power Girl wasn’t all about the action, she’s also trying to reestablish her secret identity, Karen Starr. She’s reopened Starrware Labs who’s main objective is to find “solutions to the planet’s growing ecological and environmental problems.” She brings in Dexter Nichols, a young go-getter with experience in nanotechnology who she seems happy with but another guy, Xander Belvin? Not so much. He wants to genetically reengineer the human race, something Karen Starr wants no part of. She also wishes he’d stop messing with her globes. Her SNOW globes. Sheesh, again with the gutter thoughts.

Gray and Palmiotti definitely succeeded in establishing a good foothold for PG to stand on. She’s had some great stories in Justice Society of America and a few other books but it’s about time she had the spotlight all to herself. I look forward to seeing her grow as a character now that she’s got room to breath. And Amanda Conner? I cannot praise her artwork on this book enough. She’s absolutely outdone herself and I don’t think there is a better fit out there to draw PG. Also, props to Adam Hughes’ alternate cover which is very reminiscent of classic Doris Day charm.

BATMAN: BATTLE FOR THE COWL- THE NETWORK – How many heroes does it take to fill the shoes of Batman? A lot.

THE FLASH: REBIRTH #2 (OF 5) – Cave drawings – not just for Batman anymore. I’m so happy I called the Black Racer reveal.

SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #3 (OF 12) – Superman lays the smackdown on Gor. But, uh oh, someone’s in trouble – the Green Lanterns are here.


TRINITY #49 – Krona’s got the whole world in his hands. Bad stuff happening everywhere. Yup, that sums it up. (1 star)

So, what did YOU think? What are you excited to be reading and what could you live without?

My pull list for next week:

ACTION COMICS #877
AZRAEL: DEATH’S DARK KNIGHT #3 (OF 3)
BOOSTER GOLD #20
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: ESCAPE #1 (OF 6)
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #36
ORACLE: THE CURE #3 (OF 3)
SECRET SIX #9
TITANS #13
TRINITY #50

Which two should I review for DoubleDCoverage #8?

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• DoubleDCoverage #13
• DoubleDCoverage #31
• GEN Interview - Amanda Conner
• DoubleDCoverage #19
• DoubleDCoverage #10