CRIME SYNDICATE #2 DC COMICS
Andy Schmidt’s story continues to entertain but the new personalities of this current incarnation of the group have taken a little wind out of my sails. While still worth reading, I was hoping that the version of Starro here would be more like the original just more detailed in it’s (their?) appearance by the talent pencils of Kieran McKeown. You remember, the starfish that stuck to your face just above your mouth. Instead, we get the updated body hugging version from the L.E.G.I.O.N. days. And in all seriousness, the facehuggers were much more scary in my opinion. Another issue is the character of Power Ring. There is very little difference in the personalities of the evil John Stewart/Power Ring and the real one. In many of his scenes, John is talking and acting like his cartoon Justice League Unlimited counterpart. The best parts of the book come from the Owlman short at the end of the book and a wonderfully slap in the face to the readers when in a small unassuming text box, we are told of a comic that was never published! I give this a 7 out of 10 Grahams. 
EXCITING COMICS #9 ANTARCTIC PRESS
This issue returns us faithful readers to the normal anthology format that we love. And introduces us to some new features. First up, we have writer David Furr and artist R.I.R. opener featuring the new Cat Girl. While featuring the classic father/daughter hero premise, this is still an interesting look at these heroes. Dan Sehn and Elon Thomasi’s Big House Blues has an amzing bit of potential and could act as a point of interaction between other tales featured here. The idea of the prison where super-villains are sent could act as a ongoing concept throughout future issues. Finally, following in the footsteps of Odd Man and the Creeper, Dan Sehn returns with Eduardo Vienna to start us off with the new hero called Weirdo! All of these stories could easily be found in a 1940’s 64 page comic which makes me appreciate it all that much more. I give it a 9 out of 10 Grahams.
