The Brave and the Bold #2 (May 2007)

Back in August of 2025, I wrote about the first issue of The Brave and the Bold, a team-up comic whose name had a long history. You can learn more about that here. That comic was from the third revival of the title, which lasted until 2010. The title was started by the powerhouse creative team of writer Mark Waid and artist George Perez, and they showed their greatness in that issue. 

We were left in that issue with a bit of a cliffhanger. Batman and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern had been investigating an odd murder which led them to Las Vegas. When there, they discovered that the murder was over the powerful artifact known as the Book of Destiny, a tome that contains all knowledge of the past, the present, and the future. Such a book could not just make for interesting reading, but it would also be devastating in the wrong hands. And last we saw, an alien known as a Venturan had gotten their paws on the book, so that means our heroes are going to need some further help. So, where do we go from here? Let's find out in The Brave and the Bold #2!

The cover is a George Perez and Tom Smith piece. Naturally, it's incredible. It depicts the Hal Jordan Green Lantern and the Kara Zor-El Supergirl in the skies over the planet of Ventura. It's incredibly colorful and detailed. The planet is a casino and gambling world. Think of it as Las Vegas as a planet, and the art shows that well.

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

The story begins with the Girl of Steel, the Maiden of Might, Supergirl. This isn't the same Kara Zor-El that we last met on this blog battling Kraken. That version was erased from history. This is the post-Crisis version of Kara, a chatty teenager. She's flying in space with Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern.

"No, Kara. Superman said Khund coffee makes you crazy."

The two have some banter, and Hal catches her up (as well as us) on the last issue. Basically, an alien has made off with the Book of Souls, a powerful artifact that has all knowledge of past, present, and the future in its pages. Batman and Hal started the investigation, and the Dark Knight is continuing the investigation on Earth. Hal called in Supergirl to help track the alien...and the trail leads to the planet known as Ventura.

Ventura is, in the tradition of the "Planet of Hats" trope, is basically a massive casino. Their economy is based on gambling. Kara spots a man being tossed out a window...

...from a very high floor of a building. The Kryptonian powerhouse swoops down and saves the man's life. He begs her to help him, claiming that the casino swindled him out of his life savings. A cop tells Kara to not get involved and takes her away. It's revealed to be Hal Jordan in disguise, who explains to her that the man wasn't cheated, he was just unlucky.

You see, a planet of gambling has very strict regulations. Which is how it can be sustained. Hal shows her an example in the form of a time-traveler arriving at a casino. Now, he thinks he has an easy advantage, knowing future lottery numbers. Problem for him is...Ventura has regulations for that, too.

"Smithers...release the hounds."

They also are not fond of Green Lanterns, hence why Hal not only needed backup, he also had to go incognito. My guess is Ventura doesn't like Green Lanterns because their rings allow wielders to find ways to get around the various security devices they use to avoid cheating. 

Supergirl and Hal fly off, Hal pointing out that the perp is using the book to stay ahead of them. Hal cannot assume that they're going to fail, and that it's supposed to be that way. Let's look in on Earth, shall we?

On a nice night in the skies over Texas, a charter plane is flying. The pilot is talking with his wife about their anniversary plans. Batman has stowed away on the plane, and one of the beings that attacked Las Vegas in the last issue has a very nasty alien weapon locked on him. However, the Dark Knight has a savior: Jaime Reyes, the new Blue Beetle.

"Batman always has to be in everything, doesn't he?!"

He shows Batman where he took down the alien sniper...only to find that he's vanished.

And to make things worse, they're now both in the crosshairs. Back on Ventura, Hal and Kara continue their search. The book is in the hands of a powerful alien bookmaker. 

"Ladies, my new novel is a New York Times Bestseller! My thanks to you all!"

He's feeling good. With this book, he could make the biggest killing in Venturan history. He sees an image in the book change, and it leads him to wonder if the book...just rewrote itself?

Elsewhere, Kara and Hal are witnessing a fight between some aliens and a pair of gladiators called the Cragg Brothers. Well, it was a less a fight and more a brutal beatdown from said Craggs. When the Craggs fight, you do not pray to win, you pray to live. 

You see, Hal figures that the book thief were here. Most people would not gamble with small stakes if they had a book that knew the future. They'd want the big score. They want big money, and this arena deals with amounts of currency greater than some planets have.

Kara tries to flirt with Hal, but he's had enough of it. He awkwardly tries to get her to knock it off, but she just flies off in a huff, angry that Hal thinks she's a child. And things just got harder.

The announcer...announces that there is a new combatant in the arena tonight, fresh meat for the Craggs to slaughter. 

Kara planned to murder the costume designer.

Hal then realizes the Maid of Might has got a little plan going.

The Cragg Brothers charge at her, but being a Kryptonian, she easily makes the rocky warriors into piles of rubble. Hal grabs a betting robot and looks up who bet on Supergirl to win. After all, thanks to the Book of Destiny, a better would not only know that the Cragg Brothers would fight Supergirl, but that also she would fight them and win. The Lantern ditches his disguise to get the Venturan, but he's gone, his box a wreck. The Gambling Police arrive and start shooting at our man. Thankfully, Supergirl has his back. She spots him with the book thanks to her telescopic vision. Said Venturan looks through the book to see how he escapes, but it only shows him getting shot and killed. Which happens right then and there. And then someone else makes off with the book.

"Oh Zarquon, my horoscope said this would happen!"

Hey, it's that gambler Supergirl saved earlier! He flees, but Hal manages to catch him. It turns out that he's from the planet Rann, which is associated with the space-faring Adam Strange. He has adventures there. He's actually on Ventura because of a mission. He's a member of an underground rebellion. He came to Ventura to get funds for Rann's war against Thanagar. With this book, Rann could not only win the war against Thanagar, the Thanagarians could be destroyed. He tries to escape with a Zeta Beam, which ends up taking Hal as well.

Supergirl tries to rescue Hal but ends up eating arena floor. Her outfit got torn up, revealing that she was wearing her Supergirl outfit...complete with the Superman logo on it. One of the most famous emblems in the DC Universe. Yeah, she's in trouble.

I have to admit, like the first issue, I really enjoyed this one as well. I liked the exploration of Ventura. The idea that they have all these security features against telepaths and time-travelers and the like makes a lot of sense considering its hat is gambling. There are a lot of ways to cheat in the DCU, and for Ventura, a planet whose economy is clearly heavily dependent on gambling, preventing that is paramount. After all, who'd want to gamble at a casino where there's no fair chance to win? It also is a great subtle way to show just how powerful the Book of Destiny is. If it can foil all of these security measures, then it's something truly dangerous. 

I also got some laughs out of Hal's interactions with Kara Zor-El and Batman's with Jaime Reyes. Intergenerational banter is quite amusing. I couldn't help but feel a bit for Hal. After all, a teenage girl making doe-eyes at Hal and his awkwardness when trying to deal with this? Yeah, poor Hal just wanted to be professional about it.

The Venturan using the book to gamble on a disguised Supergirl winning makes a lot of sense. After all, if you had a powerful artifact that could tell you the future, the temptation to change things to make your own life better will come with it. Supergirl using this trope to her advantage is great as it helps show that she's hardly your stereotypical bubble-headed blonde. And of course, we got one exciting pair of cliffhangers, Hal on his way to Rann and Supergirl getting exposed. 

As for George Perez's art here, well...come on. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you all know how much I love his art, and how sad it is that he's no longer with us. The man left behind an incredible body of work, something to admire for any comic book artist. I hope that more budding comic artists discover his work and get inspired by it.  

If you want to read this story for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2024 trade paperback The Brave and the Bold: The Lords of Luck. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give my blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time! 

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. As is natural for Perez, it's incredibly detailed. You have the two heroes teaming up here front and center: Green Lantern and Batman. One thing I do like about this cover is the way that the two are placed. Hal Jordan, who uses light, and is a cocky test pilot, is front and center. His ring is glowing hot, ready to deliver some justice. Batman is behind him, cloaked in shadows. He looks like a monster ready to leap down on prey, which is how he messes with the heads of Gotham's criminals. It really helps show their characters. This would be a cool poster.

"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. 

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. 

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. 

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 this book, 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.

Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold #2 (November 1999)

The Brave and the Bold. To DC Comics fans, the name holds a great significance. The original Brave and the Bold was a long-running comic series that lasted 200 issues, from 1955 to 1983.

Originally, The Brave and the Bold started out as an anthology series that told tales of adventure set in the past. These stories would focus on characters like the Viking Prince and the Silent Knight (Hooooly niiiiiight...). With issue #25 (which introduced the Suicide Squad), the title would be retooled into what was essentially a "tryout" comic for new characters and ideas. It was during this time that the title would really become known for introducing some DC Comics institutions that still exist today:
- Issue #28: Justice League debut
- Issue #34: Silver Age Hawkman debuts
- Issue #54: Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash team-up, setting up the Teen Titans
- Issue #57: Metamorpho debuts
- Issue #60: Wonder Girl (Donna Troy) debuts
- Issue #79: Neal Adams' first work on Batman
- Issue #85: Neal Adams redesigns Green Arrow
- Issue #166: Nemesis (Tom Tresser) debuts

Indeed, the title was very important to the DC Universe. As such, even though the original series ended in 1983, the name never really went away. In 1991-1992, DC released a Brave and the Bold miniseries by Mike Grell and Mike Baron. It focused on Green Arrow and the Question. In 2007, another ongoing series of the same title was released. It lasted 35 issues. And then, there was the animated series Batman: Brave and the Bold, which had Batman team-up with various heroes around the DC Universe. It was a fun cartoon. It deserved more seasons. That cartoon also had a tie-in comic, which I looked at a couple issues of here and here.

The comic we're going to look at her is the second issue issue of the 1999-2000 miniseries, which focused on the Flash and Green Lantern. In particular, the Barry Allen Flash and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern. Each issue was set at different points in DC continuity, and it explored the friendship between the two men. So, with that intro out of the way, let's take a look at Flash and Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold #2!

The cover is pretty awesome. It's a Barry Kitson piece. I love the reflective effect on Hal Jordan and Barry Allen in the mirror traps. I also like that the mirror motif is repeated with the villains in their pose as they blast the pyramid. It's really cool. Also, the text "Introducing: Kid Lantern" and the font of it helps give the cover the feel that this is a comic that you could find on a newsstand back in the swinging Silver Age sixties. I love this cover.

"Lightspeed"
Writers: Mark Waid, Tom Peyer
Penciler: Barry Kitson
Inker: Barry Kitson
Colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Editors: Peter Tomasi, L.A. Williams
Executive Editor: Mike Carlin

The story begins with a dinner date. Former hotshot test pilot Hal Jordan is at a restaurant with his latest galpal, Eve Doremus. The two dated between the events of Green Lantern #58 (January 1968) and #68 (April 1969). Iris West is there, and she brought along her young nephew Wally.

Hal is visiting Central City, so he thought he'd come play catch up with Barry and Iris...even though Barry isn't here yet. Late as usual, our Mr. Allen. Hal mentions that Barry can't stop talking about becoming an uncle, thanks to his marrying Iris in The Flash #165 (November 1966). Wally was looking forward to meeting Hal, as he's never met an actual test pilot before. However, Hal has given that up, and is now an insurance claims adjuster.

Hal tries to explain the job to Wally, but the redhead is bored by it. Barry finally arrives...in time to pay the check. He wants to pay, but Hal insists on doing so. However...he doesn't have the cash on him, so he asks Barry to loan him some money. Hal needing to borrow some money from Barry was a bit of a running gag throughout this miniseries. Barry explains that the reason he was late was because he ran into something that he, Hal...and Wally need to look into.

The three drive away into an alley and suit up.

"You're darn right I'm Green Lantern, son!"

Yeah, this is evidently where Hal and Wally first learn the other is a superhero. There was a bank robbery earlier this morning. The vault was cut open, and the responsible party used some kind of energy weapon to do it. It left behind energy residue...that matches Green Lantern's ring. What could duplicate that energy so perfectly. Flash and GL get zapped before they can make any theories, and the responsible parties make themselves known.

"I was thinking of calling our team Mirrorhand, but Mirror Master threatened to punch me."

Meet Sam Scudder, the Mirror Master! You may know him from my Crisis on Infinite Earths reviews, in which he died. Scottish mercenary Evan McCulloch would end up taking up the mantle. And who's his partner? Meet William Derek Hand, the Black Hand! Hand has an energy device that can absorb Green Lantern's ring power and use it for his own purposes. Hal thought the device was drained. So did Hand. But Mirror Master had discovered that there was still some residual ring-power left in the device, so he used his mirrors to...enhance it somehow. I dunno. Silver Age science. Hand admits he did not expect to see the Emerald Gladiator in town. Kid Flash charges in, but Mirror Master creates a bunch of images of himself and Black Hand to throw the teenage hero off. Black Hand fires his power-draining beam at Hal, but Wally takes the energy bullet.

"AW GAWD THIS HURTS! WHY DID I DO THIS?!"

The two villains take advantage of the confusion to flee. Hal and Barry pursue them...but Wally can't keep up. It seems the young speedster has lost his speed powers. Barry then realized something. Why did Black Hand come to Central City? Green Lantern mainly operated in Coast City. It turns out he wasn't there for Green Lantern's power...he was there for Flash's power. Wally is scared, as he fears that his powers are gone for good. Barry assures him that they'll find a way to get his speed back, but he has to sit this out for now. Wally eagerly wants to help, so Hal gives him a way.

"Finally, I get to have a sidekick!"

Meet Wallace West, Kid Lantern! Black Hand and Mirror Master are flying on a giant mirror. The heroes chase after him, Wally enjoying being able to fly thanks to his new ring. To get the heroes off his and Mirror Master's trail, Hand zaps a police car with Wally's speed, causing it to careen out of control. Hal and Barry make a plan to stop the car, but Wally grabs the car in a construct of a racetrack. However, that doesn't slow it down. Barry takes apart the car's wheels, and the vehicle is able to stop.

Mirror Master fires at Hal and Wally with a mirror beam. The beam bounces off a building's window, and hits a pair of helicopters. Wally tries to catch one with a net construct, but the helicopter is yellow...and Green Lantern rings at the time were useless against anything yellow. Wally is able to quickly recover from his goof by using a piece of gray concrete to catch it. Hal and Wally are celebrating while Barry is helping the cops out of the car. The forensic scientist has concerns about their working together, but a call on the police car's radio forces him to table them.

Hal and Wally fly off, eager to kick some butt and save the day. Barry...is not feeling this right now. Meanwhile, what's happening with the girls? Well, they're hanging out in Iris's apartment. Eve just finished telling one of her stories about her misadventures in the high life, when she remarks that she finds it funny Barry and Hal are good friends, considering how different they are. Iris wonders what Hal sees in Eve...while wondering what she sees in Barry.

Barry fears Hal is being a bad influence on him. You see, he thinks that Hal is a bit jealous of Barry's having a rather stable life, and he's using this whole thing with Wally to try and mess that up a bit. Hal thinks Barry is letting his ego talk for him. However, it's broken up by Wally, who points out something's going down at the Central City Stadium. And no, it's not your typical hockey fight.

"This is pucked up!"

Wally goes to find the villains, much to Hal and Barry's consternation. The hockey players have been affected by Wally's stolen speed powers, so making sure they don't end up killing each other or themselves is the priority. Barry's having trouble running on the ice, but Hal can't help him because of yellow boots. Thanks, Parallax. The tension between them starts to rise until...

"Huh. So that's what it's like to see other people get concussions."

Ouch. Normally Hal is the one who gets brained by things. Mirror Master sends out a mirrored pyramid-like device that traps the two heroes. Hal tries to blast his way out, but it's no good. Barry is still a bit dazed...and likely has a concussion. Mirror Master and Black Hand gloat over their victory...but Wally is still free. He tries to engage them, but his ring putters out. With Green Lantern trapped, Wally is cut off. Black Hand prepares to use his gun/wand/cigar-shaped weapon to speed up Wally's heart until it explodes...but the weapon is empty. Wally somehow drained its energy...restoring his powers.

"Room-a-zoom-zoom!"

Kid Flash is back! Black Hand tries to shoot him again, but can't get a bead on him. Mirror Master flees with a mirror, but GL stops him. He traps the two villains in a cage construct. Barry is wondering one thing...how did Wally beat these guys? Well, Wally explains it. He had caught up with the villains. But before they spotted him, he used his ring to get Black Hand's power-absorbing weapon, and them replace it with a fake. He then fired the weapon at himself...and Kid Flash was back!

As the cops take the two villains away, Hal notes that they did all this havoc for seemingly nothing. It's like they cared more about feeding their egos than getting rich. Barry's hoping it stays that way. Otherwise, Wally's going to have his hands full in the future when he retires. After all, who else is going to fill Barry's boots when he's in a nursing home HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, Barry won't get to retire.

As Kid Flash signs some autographs, Barry and Hal apologize to each other. Barry should have given the benefit of the doubt, and Hal cut Barry off at the knees in front of Wally. Hal wonders why he didn't use his ring to stop the trap before it caught him and Barry. The Flash believes that he wanted to save them with his speed to show that at heart, he's a Flash.

That night, the three go to a diner for dinner, alongside Iris and Eve. Iris points out that they didn't take Wally home. The three try to make an excuse, but they're saved by Eve. She spits out her coffee and complains about the diner being a pigsty. The comic ends with Barry and Hal sharing a laugh, while Iris is just confused about the whole thing.

This comic was rather fun. I highly recommend it. The story had a real Silver Age feel to it, which is rather appropriate for this story. I loved that Waid and Peyer remembered that back in the Silver Age days, Black Hand was fond of spouting clichés. Nice attention to detail there. Also, I have to give props to Barry Kitson's art. I love his art here. It's very clean and expressive. I also liked seeing Mirror Master and Black Hand team-up. It's really cool seeing supervillains we don't often see joining forces doing so.

Another nice touch is the tension between Barry and Hal. Barry had just become a part of the West family at this point, so it makes sense he'd want to be a positive influence on his new nephew Wally. It is understandable why he would be concerned about Hal suddenly, and unintentionally, undercutting him by giving Wally Lantern powers for a while. I also have to give a shout-out to Barry Kitson's art. It's wonderful to look at. It does not outright imitate the art of Carmine Infantino or Gil Kane, it does have an appropriate feel for a more lighthearted Silver Age-style story like this.

I only have a couple of complaints about the story. One is how Kid Flash got his powers back. Black Hand's power-absorbing weapon is yellow. At the time this story was set in, Green Lanterns' power rings were ineffectual against anything that was yellow. Heck, the story showed that. So, how did Kid Flash lift the weapon with his ring? He should not have been able to do that. Also, Iris's wondering about her relationship with Barry goes nowhere.

There is also a bit of a timeline goof-up here. You see, Hal states in the story that he's been dating Eve for 2 months, one week, and 3 days. If we went by comic publishing dates, the story should also be set between The Flash #176 (February 1968) and #187 (May 1969). However, Barry and Iris are married, but she seems to be unaware of his being the Flash. So, that means it's also set between The Flash #165 (November 1966) and #174 (November 1967). Whoops. It's just something that I felt I had to point out. It doesn't hurt the story in any way, so it's not a big deal.

If you want to read this story for yourself, I got it from the 2006 trade paperback Green Lantern: The Greatest Stories Ever Told. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please drop a tip in my Digital Tip Jar! Next time, we take a look at the formation of a unique new Justice League team...

All New Batman: Brave and the Bold #14 (February 2012)

When it comes to team-ups, Batman is rather known for them. For decades, he's joined up with various heroes to help protect the innocent and battle the forces of evil. Heck, he's had entire series dedicated to him teaming up with various heroes, including World's Finest and its most recent takes: Batman/Superman, both titles basically just Batman and Superman teaming up for crazy adventures. The concept of Batman having regular team-ups became so ubiquitous, it even got an animated series dedicated to the idea, which I did talk about here.

And since the holiday season was on the minds of people recently, I thought I'd look at one such Batman team-up that focuses on a holiday celebrated this time of year. So, let's take a look at my final comic review of 2018: All New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #14!

The cover is pretty awesome, showcasing Ragman front and center. It does have a bit of a spooky vibe to it, which is a bit unusual for the holiday season. I think its because of the tilted angle, and the way Ragman's eyes are drawn. I also like that the dude on the cover is like, "Yeah, maybe we should not get involved in this." Yeah, it's a great cover.

"Small Miracles"
Writer: Sholly Fisch
Penciler: Rick Burchett
Inker: Dan Davis
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Editors: Sarah Gaydos, Jim Chadwick
Executive Editor: Eddie Berganza

The story begins with the supervillain known as Crazy Quilt announcing his return.

In a rather...obvious yet brilliant move, he has teamed up with Doctor Spectro and the Rainbow Raider to somehow prevent another white Christmas. Luckily, Batman has some backup in the form of the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle. What is this terrible trio's evil plan to prevent another white Christmas? Well, they plan to color the snow. No, I am not kidding.

Color the snow. So to prevent another white Christmas. Batman and Blue Beetle are naturally...unimpressed. So they give the three a thrashing. Well, Batman does, because he's a gloryhog who won't share. As such, Christmas was saved...if it ever really was in danger from those three. So, we shift our scene to a small shop in Gotham.

A rabbi named Samuels is talking to the shop's owner, one Rory Regan. Samuels is selling his father's old watch. Regan doesn't want to take the watch, instead offering to just give the rabbi some money, and he can pay it back when he can. You see, the rabbi is trying to raise some money because the synagogue needs some repairs and there's a big Chanukah celebration tomorrow.

Samuels notices a dust and cobweb-covered menorah on a shelf. Samuels recognizes it as belonging to Rory's father. He suggests Rory take it down and light it. Chanukah is almost here, after all. Rory says no, as he's not really a religious man. Samuels thinks it's nonsense. He knew Rory's late father, Jerry Regan, an immigrant who was born Jerzy Reganowicz. Despite that, he still would light his menorah. A cry for help is heard outside. Samuels goes to investigate, telling Rory to call the cops. The shop owner decides to help in another way, as magical rags wrap around him.

A man is running off, stealing a shopping cart full of items, thinking nobody's going to help her in this neighborhood. Well, he's wrong. This neighborhood does have a protector: The Ragman.

Ragman downs the thief with a Mighty Punch, and gives the items back to the woman, whom he knows as Lucy. She's happy that Ragman got her stuff back, as she spent all day looking for those bottles. There's ten dollars' worth in there. Batman comes by and compliments the Ragman for his good work. However, Ragman isn't exactly too happy to see the Caped Crusader. Batman is wondering what the Tatterdemalion of Justice is mad about. After all, he just fought for justice.

However, Ragman doesn't see it that way. You see, Batman mainly works in Uptown Gotham, stopping supervillains and other criminals there. In Ragman's part of Gotham, though...people don't have it so good. People in Ragman's part of town don't have much. Poor Lucy has to find bottles just to get enough money to get herself some dinner for the night. Where's the 'justice' in that? Funny enough, this makes me think of another thing Batman once said to Green Arrow in Justice League Unlimited: "Those monsters you don't fight? They tend to step on little guys." In a world where such monsters do exist, someone had to deal with them.

Batman finds himself recalling his debates with powerful heroes who fight planet-level threats. In those cases, he finds himself in Ragman's position. Who fights for the little guys? Ragman explains his origins, without revealing his identity. His father owned a junk shop in this part of town. It didn't make him a rich man, but he still was very charitable. Ragman himself got the shop when his father died. He also inherited a mystical costume made of rags, which is why he's the Ragman.

Batman tries to console him with some advice he heard once: We can't always save everyone, but we do what we can. Ragman wonders what point is there to being a superhero in a part of town in which people have to go to soup kitchens to get a meal. He points out a building with a sign on it announcing that it's being developed by the MacGuffin Group. Ragman points out that crime in the area has gotten worse lately. The MacGuffin Group has also been buying buildings in the neighborhood and refurbishing them into luxury apartments that the people in the neighborhood can't afford to live in. Where are they supposed to go if only the rich can live in town?

A gunshot forces Batman and Ragman to table the discussion for now, and they go seek the source.

A pair of goons bother Rabbi Samuels in his synagogue. They want him to leave town, but the old rabbi says he isn't going anywhere. The goons say that the neighborhood is theirs now. However, the two heroes and some of the neighborhood residents disagree with that. One of the goons fires, but Ragman is able to use his cape to protect people from the bullets, and the two of them deal with the goons. Amusingly, Batman notes that next time he meets up with Blue Beetle, he'll have to tell them that he left one for Ragman to punch.

Batman asks the rabbi why they were bothering him. Samuels is unsure, as the synagogue has anything worth stealing in it. A despondent Ragman asks the old rabbi why he stays in this part of town. He explains he stays because he's needed there. However, Rabbi Samuels senses that Ragman's more asking about himself. He then tells the story of Chanukah.

Over 2,000 years ago, the Greeks had taken over the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. However, the Jewish Maccabees were able send them packing, despite the Greeks having more men and better weapons. As they repaired the Holy Temple, they found a problem. The temple's menorah, being a symbol of their faith, was supposed to remain constantly lit. However, the Greeks ruined much of the oil the menorah needed to light up. There was only enough to light the menorah for one day...and it would take eight days to get more oil. However, a miracle happened. That oil was able to keep the menorah lit for eight days.

Ragman scoffs at the story, saying miracles aren't exactly in great supply around here. The rabbi points out that all the people who are helping clean up the synagogue are miracles in their own way, and so is Ragman. The Tatterdemalion of Justice finds that hard to believe, as he doesn't consider himself a real superhero. The rabbi points out that the point of the Chanukah miracle is that God always gives us what we need.

Batman finds one of the goons' phones, and notes something odd: They've received a dozen calls from the same phone number...the number of the MacGuffin Group, the same real estate company that has been buying up the neighborhood and building luxury apartments. Rabbi Samuels recalls they wanted to buy the synagogue, but he refused, saying it was not for sale. Ragman puts two and two together, realizing the MacGuffin Group must be causing the increased crime rate in an attempt to drive people out.

He decides to go pay them a visit, but Batman convinces him otherwise, basically saying "Hey, I mainly work Uptown, I'll look into it for you." Besides, Ragman has a neighborhood to protect. Batman is able to track down the evidence needed for the head of the Group to get arrested. It was a good day. Justice was served, and the old neighborhood had their hero back.

Later, Rabbi Samuels comes to Rory Regan's shop, returning the money Regan lent him. Regan is confused by this. Samuels explains that an anonymous Good Samaritan *coughBruceWaynecough* made a generous donation to the synagogue.

I like the little detail of the Batman-shaped shadow. The donation was not only enough to pay for the synagogue's repairs, but also enough to fund the big Chanukah celebration that night. As the Chanukah miracle says, we always get what we need. He's hoping to see Rory there. And with that, the old rabbi wishes him a Happy Chanukah. Rory eyes his father's old menorah, high on the shelf, colleting dust and cobwebs. The story ends with him bringing it down and cleaning it up. He puts a couple candles in it. The shop owner lights one of the candles and says a prayer in Hebrew. Outside, Batman notices the menorah through the window of the junk shop.

This was a wonderful little one-shot tale. It gives a bit of spotlight to lesser-known heroes (something the Brave and the Bold animated series and comic tie-in was very good at), and it's a very heartwarming little story in its own way. It's also really neat learning about the origin and meaning of Chanukah. I also like that it showed that there are problems out there that costumed heroes can't easily solve, but they still try to, as Batman says, "Do what [they] can." The art is really good, rather reminiscent of the cartoon, but also has a bit of originality to it, like the cartoon's art style underwent an evolution.

This was a nice little story to enjoy at this time of year, and I highly recommend you check it out for yourself. I have it collected in the 2013 trade paperback The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold: Small Miracles. An appropriate title considering this story. Next time, to kick off 2019, we stick with the Dark Knight as he faces the madness of Hugo Strange...

All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #6 (June 2011)

Batman: The Brave and the Bold. From 2008 to 2011, this series depicted Batman (voiced by Diedrich Bader), teaming up with many various superheroes throughout the DC Universe. I loved this show. It told fun stories, gave spotlight to lesser-known characters, and presented a lighter-hearted, more fun version of Batman. Naturally, this series, like much of DC's animated content at the time, got itself a comic tie-in.

The comics lasted for a couple of years, getting rebranded as the All-New Batman: Brave and the Bold with issue #22. And with that out of the way, let's take a look at All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #6!

The cover is pretty cool-looking. You got Batman leaping at Clayface in horror. You got Clayface himself putting his fist right through the heart of the screaming Martian Manhunter, who is standing in fire, which is the thing hat can weaken him.

"Now You See Me..."
Writer: Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Rick Burchett
Inker: Dan Davis
Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Assistant Editor: Chynna Clugston Flores
Editor: Jim Chadwick

Our story begins in Gotham City. Detective John Jones is pointing out a man, saying he committed a crime.

The bald man denies it. However, Jones knows that the man robbed the store, shot the clerk because he refused to hand over his watch, which was a gift from the clerk's daughter, and hid the loot in his home, under a loose floorboard in the bedroom. The man is shocked, asking how Jones knew this. Is he a witch? No, he's a detective.

John's partner, Diane Meade, is awed by his perfect arrest record, and asks how he does it. Jones explains he has...unique methods. She heads out towards a car, but notices that Jones is walking away. She asks where he's going, but he tells her to go ahead to the station. He'll meet her later. Jones walks into an alley.

John Jones is in actuality, a Martian police officer known as J'onn J'onzz, the noble, heroic, Chocco-loving Martian Manhunter. Elsewhere, Batman is fighting the villainous Calendar Man, a criminal who plots crimes around holidays. Calendar Man tries to blast the Caped Crusader with Fourth of July-themed fireworks.

I'm just including that panel because I love Calendar Man's costume. J'onn appears by going through the wall, much to the villain's shock. Batman takes advantage, and kayos the Calendar Man out of season with a Mighty Punch. Batman jokes that today is Boxing Day for him. Heh. Funny. Batman asks J'onn what's up, J'onn is hoping to learn something from Batman's deductive skills. The Dark Knight is confused by this, as J'onn is already a detective himself. J'onn explains that he fears he has grown a bit too dependent on his telepathy. That makes some sense. If you can read minds, why would you need deductive skills?

Batman asks if J'onn wants to shadow him as he solves cases, but J'onn has a better idea. One that could also give Batman a challenge. J'onn can use his shapeshifting powers to look like anyone. He'll disguise himself in certain places in Gotham, and Batman has to find him. Batman is intrigued by this, so he accepts the challenge.

The first site is Gotham Square. Batman notes that over a million people pass through the place every day, so J'onn is easily able to hide. He looks around and is able to spot the disguised Martian.

How did Batman know that lineman was J'onn? Look at his hands. He's not wearing gloves. The streetlight was on, so the wires J'onn was working on were live. However, his disguise did not include gloves or insulation. No experienced lineman would take that risk, because you know, electric shocks can kill. But J'onn is invulnerable, so he wouldn't have to worry about it. Observation and deduction.

The next day, Batman comes to Robinson Park, in his Matches Malone guise. He looks around and can't seem to find the Martian Manhunter. He observes some kids playing, a couple walking by, and even a squirrel. He then figures it out and lights a match.

J'onn was the bench. How did Batman know? J'onn's bench form had no graffiti on it. J'onn can change his shape, but he can't hide his weakness to fire. Later, Batman heads to the Gotham History Museum. Batman immediately finds the disguised J'onn. How? His disguise was writing with his right hand, but his hair is parted on the right side, and his belt buckle is facing right, which is common among left-handed people. Yes, Batman found a shapeshifter, but it's not J'onn.

It's Clayface, everybody! I love that this incarnation of him looks like the Batman: The Animated Series version. DCAU 4 Life! Clayface had wanted to rob the museum, but he's going to now have to give Batman the Hulk treatment. Clayface smash. J'onn changes back from his old lady disguise and take on Clayface. The Malleable Menace slashes at the Martian Manhunter with a chainsaw arm, but J'onn uses his intangibility power to show how unimpressed he is with Clayface's Ash Williams impression.

Clayface recalls seeing Firefly being able to hurt Martian Manhunter at a big brawl during Batman and Wonder Woman's wedding (Which occurred in All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #4). Forming his hand into an axe, Clayface smashes a propane tank in a food cart. The flames that result have the effect on J'onn that Kryptonite has on Kryptonians, weakening the mighty alien.

Batman tries to stop Clayface by tossing a capsule of liquid nitrogen at him. However, the freezing agent isn't able to work fast enough, and Clayface gets away by turning into a bird. The Caped Crusader uses his cape to put out the flames, allowing J'onn to quickly recover his strength. He then goes after the Shapeshifting Scoundrel.

J'onn pursues Clayface to an exhibit on African animals. He asks the guard if he saw a bird fly in here, and the guard says no. J'onn looks over the exhibit, thinking about where he could be...and who or what he could be posing as.

Batman comes in and asks if J'onn has found him. The Martian Manhunter believes that he just may have. He guesses that Clayface is the stuffed tiger in the exhibit. And he's right. Realizing he's been exposed, Clayface turns into a blue-scaled monster that looks like it came from the mind of Jack Kirby.

J'onn easily dispatches the villain by telepathically telling him to sleep. Clayface does so, collapsing on the spot, and taking a trip to Dreamland. Batman asks if J'onn found him with telepathy. Nope, J'onn used observation and deduction. Clayface impersonated a tiger in an exhibit of African animals. Tigers come from India. Well, they also can be found in Southeast Asia, but you get the point. No natural history museum worth its salt would put a tiger in an exhibit about African animals.

Batman does note that J'onn did use his telepathy against Clayface to stop him from smashing the museum. J'onn explains that, well, he's improving himself, not stupid. Bystanders were in danger, and Clayface was a dangerous criminal on the loose. Best thing to do there was take him down quickly, and his telepathy could let him do that.

The story ends with a suspect in custody. Diane Meade tells the suspect, Bruno, that she knows that he broke into a garage and stole a car. Bruno denies it, saying that he was at home, watching TV. J'onn, in his John Jones guise, knows otherwise. Meade asks if it's that "magic" of his. Nope. Observation and deduction. John points out oil stains on Bruno's shoes. Oil stains that are still wet. If the crime lab tests those stains, he'll bet they match the oil on the floor of the garage the car was stolen from. Meade is impressed, and says John is the world's greatest detective. John answers that he considers himself more of a manhunter, and there is only one World's Greatest Detective.

This issue was really good. It's a well-told tale that teamed up two of DC's greatest crime-solvers. J'onn's issue is an interesting one. Although I will admit, it got me confused at first. If you were a detective with telepathy, why would you not use it to solve crimes easier? Upon further thought, I began to realize something.

Memory is not the most reliable thing in the world, which is what I assume J'onn is looking at when he reads minds. Observation and deduction can be skills used to help obtain more reliable evidence, like the final scene with the oil stains show. J'onn could have easily read Bruno's mind, but it may also have not been admissible in court. The oil stains would have. Improving yourself indeed, J'onn. Not to mention, it would help him maintain his secret identity.

Despite that, it's a very fun issue. The art does a very good job imitating the style of the show in general, but it also feels a bit more cartoony, allowing it to stand out a bit.

If you loved the cartoon, hunt down the comics. They are really good. At least, the ones I got. Next time, we'll take a look at the beginning of one of my favorite eras of one of my favorite superteams. That's right, after the events of Heroes Reborn, we're going to look at the beginning of the Kurt Busiek/George Perez era of Earth's Mightiest Heroes...