Issue #117: Comic Books For The Week Of Wednesday, April 13, 2011:

Superman #710 (DC)
Adventure Comics #525 (DC)
Cinderella: Fables Are Forever (Vertigo/DC)
John Byrne's Next Men #5 (IDW)

Superman #710 (DC) *  *  *


In this issue Superman has his second encounter with Batman during this Grounded storyline, but this time he encounters the original, Bruce Wayne. Half of this issue is a flashback to a previously untold story of when they first met, before their costumed superhero days. Batman gave the Man of Steel some heat felt advice. It was a touching scene. The only thing that bothers me is that it shows how faulty the Grounded storyline is. The less the issue is involved with that plot the better it is. Thank goodness it's almost over.

Adventure Comics#525 (DC) *  *  *  *


Chemical Kid gets a rude awakening, and the senior class of Legion Academy take their final exam. It's a great issue of action and character development, which writer Paul Levitz delivers with each issue. At the end of the issue is a second feature about the Black Witch and Blok, and her struggle to contain the evil wizard Mordru. It was a very touching story. I'll be sad to see this Legion Academy storyline come to an end.

Cinderella: Fables Are Forever (Vertigo/DC) *  *  *  *  *


Cinderella continues her quest to hunt down her deadliest enemy, the Silver Slipper. What I like about this series is that intercut with the action are flashbacks which reveal their past encounters, as they relate to Cinderella's present situation. They add depth to the story as Cinderella makes her way through the underbelly of the Fables' world.

John Byrne's Next Men #5 (IDW) *  *  *  *  *


We learn more about Bethany's role in the future, as well as more about the brutal lives of the other Next Men  in their various eras of time. Just when I thought Toni couldn't have been mutilated any more in the Confederacy, she suffers more. But eventually, there's no holding her down. Nathan goes from prisoner of one army to another, and Jasmine suffers from the plague. The next issue teaser features a scene that was mentioned in an earlier issue of this new series. John Byrne is doing a great job of slowly unveiling the story while keeping my interest high.

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