Cyborg #4 cover, via DC Comics.
Cyborg #4 — Morgan Hampton, Writer; Sean Damien Hill, Penciller; Anthony Fowler Jr, Inker; Michael Atiyeh, Colorist
Ray — 8.5/10
Ray: This has been an intriguing series since it started, delving into the mystery of Cyborg’s father Silas Stone and his experiments in artificial intelligence — up until the moment he died. Over the first three issues, Victor has to reckon with his father’s legacy, confront another unethical tech genius, and work with his father’s artificial avatar. But now he might have another crisis on his hands — a first date. The activist blogger Estelle, who had been Cyborg’s opponent for the first arc, was key to exposing Marcus last issue and is now willing to give Vic a chance. But as they bond, with some great segments involving how Cyborg’s half-robot body works and what drives him in Detroit, another threat emerges in the form of an army of robot avatars seemingly under their own control. This issue isn’t quite as compelling as the first three, but it does bring in some major Teen Titans characters that longtime fans will appreciate.
Fables #160 cover, via DC Comics.
Fables #160 — Bill Willingham, Writer; Mark Buckingham, Penciller; Steve Leialoha, Inker; Lee Loughridge, Colorist
Ray — 8.5/10
Ray: I honestly wasn’t sure when we would see another issue of this comic, with all the behind-the-scenes drama from the writer, but we’re getting to the end of this year-long epic and all the forces are finally in play. Peter Pan has struck against the son of the Forest God, and now the Forest God is awakened and looking for revenge. Amid all of this, the Wolf family is gathering their forces and has captured Tinkerbell — essentially putting a bulls-eye on the family as Pan prepares his next move. While we do get some side segments involving Cinderella’s jockeying for power, the main event here is a showdown between Bigby and Pan. It’s fairly rare to see Bigby unleash his full power anymore, so when he does you know a villain has generally really pissed him off. The long wait between issues and the decompressed plot hurts this season’s momentum a bit, but overall I think it’s a superior final act to the previous finale.
Batman: White Knight Presents Generation Joker #6 cover, via DC Comics.
Batman: White Knight Presents Generation Joker #6 — Katana Collins, Clay McCormack, Katana Collins, Writers; Mirka Andolfo, Artist; Alejandro Sanchez, Colorist
Ray — 7/10
Ray: It’s the finale of this side mini, which sends Jack Napier’s kids on a trip with their AI dad against some of the biggest villains in Gotham. And as it hits the end, it’s all gotten a little silly. The final threat is a Two-Face powered killer robot on a rampage, and Bryce and Jackie think it might be able to save their dad — but Riot needs it to save Ivy’s life. Needless to say, this kid-friendly road trip plot is a world away from the grit of Murphy’s original run, although Mirka Andolfo’s art is well-suited for the plot. From there, things work out just a little too neatly and send everyone home with a happy ending. It ends on a cliffhanger hinting at more adventures and revealing the identity of the DEO’s head, but it might be a while before we get those stories. Murphy is taking a break to work on relaunching Zorro, and that makes me wonder if this odd universe is running out of steam.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
