Firestorm: The Nuclear Man #31: As with the Green Arrow (#68) out this week, this issue of Firestorm too is mainly a fight scene, albeit one with more ‘live’ talking than internal monologue (as in Green Arrow #68). The truth about Gehanna is finally spoken aloud (i.e. her being a clone), Henry Hewitt makes his move, only to fail and get the livin’ daylights beaten out of him, as does his ‘Pupil’. As for the art, although both Freddie and Jamal are excellent artists, the continuous flipping between the two…not only does it make for confusion, it is a downer. It was the same with the previous issue as it is now. All I can say is, with this title slated for cancellation, it looks like DC is just going through the paces now…just to fill the numbers.

Conclusion: Next issue, the last of this arc, also seems to be the last of this series. What will happen to Firestorm and more importantly Jason and his supporting cast after that?

RATING: 6.5/10

Gen 13 #2: The breakout issue. That is what we get here. Not in the ‘quality’ sense, i.e. there isn’t a great (or even small) jump in the quality, but rather the Gen 13s break out (escape) from the clutches of their captors. Having just about the same quip, funny, action scenes as the previous (first) issue, the story here is still as clichéd as that one. Lunch also shows up and though with a ‘clean’ i.e. unscarred face at first, he soon enough gets scratched, courtesy of Roxy (whom he shoots). As for the other bad guys, including their mysterious head/senior, they too maintain their level as last month. Level as in, I do not think my interest in them can go to a lower level…unless I let go of this title, something I will decide after the next issue, when my ‘Trial of Three’ ends.

Conclusion: The breakout too…it happened just a bit too easily.

RATING: 6/10

Green Arrow #68: As expected, this issue is little more than Ollie Queen’s rendition of the ‘lone wolf’. From last issue’s ending (assassins landing on the island, under orders to kill every human on it), to them being chumped, it is a simple enough story, one told (mostly) from Ollie’s narrative. Even McDaniel’s artwork does not seem to be up to its usual excellence. This whole arc could have been done in a single issue (or at most, one and a half). Stretching it out to three only made it feel…decompressed.

Conclusion: We also get a (possible) reason for Ollie’s ditching the Robin Hood-esque ‘hat’.

RATING: 7/10

Stormwatch PHD #1: With this (first) issue, the number of Post-Armageddon WSU launches reaches seven. Interestingly, five of those seven (Gen13, Stormwatch PHD, The Authority, Wetworks, WildCATs) are ‘team books’. So…what does Stormwatch have that sets it apart from its four siblings. Well, for one, its first issue is more of a team builder than any of them had, even Gen 13. A big battle scene, lots of death and destruction and in its fallout a group, the PHD, Post Human Division set up by one man, Jackson King. For anyone who has read the One-Shot Worldstorm special, this issue won’t be all that special. However, seeing as how much a waste of money Worldstorm #1 was, I am not sure how many readers would have got that. As tight and fast paced the writing is, so is the art. Though a bit rough, it does seem suited to the ‘street’ setting that this particular incarnation of Stormwatch seems to set up with.

Conclusion: Have not read anything Stormwatch before, I am a complete newbie here…and although the opening was good enough I am not sure how long I will stick with it. Then again, with five team-titles from the WSU, I think that this is expected.

RATING: 7/10 (Almost 7.5)