Superman’s origin story is one of the most well-known stories in pop culture. Almost everyone on the street knows the basic details of his beginning. Dying planet, desperate scientists, loving farm couple, leads one to become Superman. The story has been re-told so many times, that many people prefer just to skip it.

Action Comics #5 is the DC New 52 version of his origin story, and it has all the familiar elements. Jor-El, Martha and Jonathan Kent, and even the Legion of Superheroes all make an appearance.

The exception of this re-telling is that it was written by Grant Morrison and complimented with dynamic art by Andy Kubert. This re-telling is anything, but stale. Action Comics #5 turns everything old new again by making Superman’s origin exciting, epic, and engaging.

When re-telling an old story, one can add a new element to it by simply switching the perspective of who tells the story, which is exactly what Morrison does. We get to see the origin through the eyes of a character that has never been voiced before in any version of the Superman mythos. We get to see the Superman origin through the perspective of his ship, the one that flew him to Earth.

In Morrison’s origin, Superman’s ship has A.I., and it generally cares for the young Kal-El. Its dialogue comes off as alien and machine like, but through the small paragraphs of prose, the ship expresses its duty to carry out its mission. It’s this fresh element that truly makes Krypton for the first time ever truly alien, and not just an Earth-like copy.

Stormwatch has the potential to be the best book of the DC Comics New 52 Relaunch. It combines the old school superheroes of the DC Universe with the crazy, forward thinking concepts of the Wildstorm Universe into one book. Members of Stormwatch have powers like the ability to talk to and control cities, and the ability to mold and control all media. Its brilliant ideas like that mixed with Martian Manhunter that makes this book rock. It is also its greatest weakness.

Stormwatch #2 picks up right where the last issue left off. Midnighter is trying to recruit Apollo to join him, and not Stormwatch. The Swordsman fights the moon, who wants to attack the Earth.

Yes, you heard me right; the moon is the enemy in this book. We learn that team leader Adam One was born at the beginning of time at old age, and has been aging backwards. While Martian Manhunter proves himself a badass in what I will name his greatest character moment in his entire history.

It’s all these moments and more that make Stormwatch so much fun to read. So many concepts explode in these pages that it boggles the mind. It’s almost too much. Paul Cornell, the writer, is a veteran of Doctor Who, a television show that confuses and delights in one hour more than most shows do in an entire season. So you can see where his writing style comes from. Sadly, what works well in an hour television show, doesn’t work as well in twenty pages of sequential storytelling.

There’s an old adage that says, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” If there was any character in the DC Universe that didn’t need a reboot, it was Batman. Batman had been strong before the reboot.

He fought Darkseid, traveled through time, discovered his lost son, Damian, and founded Batman Inc., an international corporation devoted to stopping crime funded by his alter ego, Bruce Wayne. The stories and characters of the Batman mythos did not need a reboot.

So how is Batman in the New 52 DC Universe?

I’m pleased to report that he is still awesome. In fact, Batman hasn’t changed much at all post-reboot. His costume is different, but every detail of his story is exactly the same as it was before the relaunch.

Batman #1 is truly meant for old comic fans, and people who have never read a comic before but know who Batman is. Although, the writer could have spent a little more time explaining who the various Robins were; the book does use a clever exposition device that gives you their name, their current code name, and their relation to Batman.

Yesterday, we brought you our first batch review of DC’s newest line of rebooted books, and today, we’re finishing up on the massive 15 books that were released.

Hawk and Dove #1

Written by Sterling Gates | Art by Rob Liefeld

Hawk and Dove #1 is the worst book of the DC ‘New 52″ week one. The plot is a mess as it mentions and references things specific to old DCU continuity. The art is only good if you like to see characters constantly grit their teeth in every panel.

Seriously, how is Rob Liefeld still getting work? Unless you have read Brightest Day, this story will not make any sense. Do not buy this book.

The first week of DC Comics New 52 has past. Following the release of Justice League #1, last Wednesday DC released its first week of full comic releases of the new relaunch. Excitement has never been higher for DC Comics, and one single question has been asked by comic fans, new and old, everywhere.

Are the books any good?

That’s what the DC Comics ‘New 52’ report card is here to answer! Each and every week, I will read and review each and every book of the ‘New 52.’ Letting you, the reader, know exactly which ones to buy, which ones you should avoid, and which ones you should give to your friend that has never read comics before.

So let’s get started. This week’s books are Action Comics, Animal Man, Batgirl, Batwing, Detective Comics, Green Arrow. All books will be graded on a scale of A to F. Check in tomorrow morning for our second half of last week’s comics. Withoutt further adieu, let’s get started with our first book: Action Comics #1.

This is it. This is the issue that everyone has been waiting for since DC Comics announced that it was relaunching its entire line with all number one issues. History is made as DC has swept most of its history under the rug. The characters are fresh, shiny, and inviting for the general public. As a first issue and introduction to the new DC Universe, how is it? Minor spoilers below.

Five Years Ago…

The issue begins with that tagline as we see the police chasing Batman who is chasing a cloaked figure across rooftops. The police fire on Batman and the cloaked figure. Thankfully, Green Lantern shows up to knock the cloaked figure off the roof, and save the Batman. Most of the book is spent with Batman and Green Lantern talking, and getting to know each other. GL quizzes Batman about what superpowers he possesses. While Batman proves himself by stealing Green Lantern’s ring right off of his hand, a brilliant character moment.

They Say He’s An Alien…

Batman and Green Lantern are able to track the cloaked figure. Who plants an alien bomb, but not before revealing who his master is. (Hint, think about a very tall Superman villain that was created by Jack Kirby, and whose name rhymes with rawhide.) The two survive, and decide to talk to an alien that lives in Metropolis and no longer wears his underwear on the outside.