The Brave and the Bold #1 (April 2007)

In a universe filled with superheroes, it makes sense that they would team up on occasion. I'm not talking about the massive event comics; I'm talking about the kind of adventures in which a couple heroes meet up and help save the day together.

DC Comics had its fair share of books like that. Most notably, DC Comics Presents, which told tales of Superman teaming up with various characters around the DCU. But there was another team-up title that became iconic in its own right: The Brave and the Bold. For more on the history involved with that name, please give this a read. 

The comic we're looking at here is the third volume of the title, spearheaded by Mark Waid's writing and the pencils of the man, the myth, the legend, the late great George Perez. I miss George Perez. This version would not be a team-up between Batman and various heroes, this title would showcase heroes all over the DCU. So, how did it start? Let's find out in The Brave and the Bold #1!

The cover is a George Perez and Tom Smith piece. Naturally, it's awesome.

"The Lords of Luck (Part 1) - Roulette"
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciler: George Perez
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Colorist: Tom Smith
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Executive Editor: Dan DiDio

The story begins with two members of the Green Lantern Corps, John Stewart and Hal Jordan, flying in space, telling some team-up tales. Hal then heads towards his hometown of Coast City on Earth. The ring engages autopilot to the city, but Hal tells it not to. He's flown home with his ring so many times he can do it blindfolded. There is nothing that can surprise him on the way...

Page 2, Panel 1

Should have engaged the autopilot there, buddy. Hal contacts Batman in Gotham City, and he describes the body to the Dark Knight. The corpse is a Caucasian male, likely been dead for about twenty minutes. Cause of death was not exposure to space, but a gunshot wound to the chest. Body has no ID, and the fingertips are calloused. Batman seemingly channels his inner Sherlock Holmes and says the body has blond hair, is around 26 years old, and has a watch on his right wrist. But it's not because of some magic detecting powers Batman has (although considering that Batman is DC's resident Mary Sue, wouldn't surprise me if it did)...

Page 4, Full Page

"Found your twin brother, buddy. Sorry but, he's dead too."

...it's because Batman has the exact same corpse in his Batcave. 

(what)

No, he has not started collecting corpses. Batman is creepy, but he's not that creepy. The situation gets crazier from there. Hal brings his corpse to the Batcave. Bruce points out a map. Identical corpses have been appearing all over the world. But not just in any random places. They've appeared in places linked to various superheroes in the DC Universe...the comic book universe, not James Gunn's cinematic universe. Places like the Daily Planet, Atlantis, the Flash Museum. This guy was clearly either spying on superheroes...or trying to get one's attention before he was shot. 

Hal points out something: Even in a universe like this, how can sixty identical men be shot by sixty identical bullets? Batman found the answer: whatever hurts one body...also harms the others the exact same way.

Page 5, Panels 7-9

Also, to make things weirder? If a person can survive in space unaided, it's unlikely an earth pistol's bullet is going to do any damage to them. Hal agrees, noting there's strange radiation traces in the wounds. This wasn't a bullet; this was an energy blast. Batman finds the logo of a casino on his shirt, giving a possible clue as to where he was. However, the two get distracted by an attack by a yellow monster.

Page 7, Panel 1

The creature's energy signature matches the traces on the corpses. The attacker can't be Sinestro, as he is aware that Hal's ring now works on yellow objects. Yeah, that was a whole thing. It can't be Clayface as he has no idea where the Batcave is, and this thing is a lot tougher than him. Hal throws the big mechanical dinosaur from the Batcave at the monster. Batman is able to use the Batmobile's jet engine to incapacitate the monster, and it falls into the water, getting crushed by the giant penny that is often seen in the Batcave.

Unseen by the two heroes, some beings have bet on the battle. One grumbles the loss was unfair, as the "Haruspex" wasn't aware the Green Lantern's ring could affect yellow objects now. The two head to Vegas, in particular the Kismet Casino. As Bruce Wayne, Batman and Hal get into the casino, Bruce learning the owner had retired, and Kismet is under new management.

The two play a bit of blackjack, with Hal winning big. 

(woo-hoo)

Bruce learns that the new owner isn't taking any visitors. She hasn't left her suite for days. Even the discovery of a dead man outside the casino's front door didn't get her out. Bruce and Hal go to investigate. The two sneak into an office and find an interesting photo. 

Page 15, Panel 8

The new owner is Roulette, a supervillainess who fought the Justice Society in the past. And the man in the photo is the dead guy. 

(what a twist)

A door blasts open, revealing that Roulette is trying to burn a book. 

Page 16, Panels 2-4

Batman stops her, wanting to know what's going on. Roulette screams that she promised Drake she'd destroy it, but nothing she tries even made a dent. She swore she would not look in the book, but she could not resist looking in. She was clearly overwhelmed by the book's contents, ranting that Drake was trying to find heroes to warn about it. He was hired by aliens to steal the book, but he realized what it was. He gave the book to her instead of them, and the aliens killed him as a result. And now they're here.

Page 17, Panel 5

The aliens fight Hal and Bruce, revealing they are from a planet called Ventura. One of the aliens, Atum by name, blasts at Roulette, counting on Batman moving to save her over the book, and he figured right. Atum's partner, Neferto, is taken down by Hal. Atum gets away with the book. Roulette tells Batman that the book showed they'd lose it to the Venturans. You see, the book is no ordinary tome. It is the Book of Destiny. The Book is a powerful magical artifact that has all of time recorded in it: past, present, future. And whoever has the book has the power to change reality to its will. And now the Venturans have it.