With Rebirth now in full swing and so many exciting new titles to try, we can’t blame anyone for needing a reminder of what happened in the last issue. Or maybe you’re looking to add a new book to your list and need to get caught up on earlier chapters? Either way, we’re here to help. Every Tuesday, we’ll be recapping the prior issue of that week’s new Rebirth and Hanna-Barbera comics, as well as sharing our favorite moment. It’s a quick, easy way to ensure you’re up to speed and ready for New Comic Day. We hope you find these recaps helpful, but be aware that they do contain some spoilers!

 

 

Nightwing: Rebirth #1

by Tim Seeley, Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn

The events of GRAYSON and ROBIN WAR have left Dick Grayson with a few loose ends to tie up. His career change from superhero to super spy is proving difficult to reverse, his former boss Helena Bertinelli is ghosting communications, and the Parliament of Owls believes him to be the true heir to their international illuminati. To make matters even worse, to ensure Dick’s loyalty to their cause, the Parliament implanted an explosive device in the brain of his adoptive brother Damian. Lucky for Dick, his life as a super spy left him pretty well connected. With the help of Midnighter and the technology of the God Garden, Dick is able to remove the explosive from Damian’s head quickly and easily without alerting the Parliament to any tampering. With that out of the way, Dick’s able to start taking the next steps towards striking at the heart of the Parliament to take them down from the inside. But to do that, he’s going to need to step back into some familiar colors and reacquaint himself to an old codename. Goodbye Agent 37, hello Nightwing.

Unforgettable Moment: Midnighter and Nightwing’s antagonistic-yet-flirty friendship finally has a name—or, well, two names, depending on which of them you ask. According to Dick, they’re “arch frenemies,” but according to Midnighter, they’re “nemesisters.” Dick’s not so sure how he feels about that one.


Titans: Rebirth #1

By Dan Abnett, Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund and Andrew Dalhouse

The events of TITANS HUNT awakened the memories of the former Teen Titans, but left them feeling like something—or someone—was still missing. That something, it turns out, was Wally West, who returned from outside space and time in DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH #1. With the help of the Speed Force, Wally is able to shock memories of his existence back into his friends with physical contact. It’s a touching reunion, tempered by the realization that whatever is responsible for taking away their memories and their relationships is still out there. And to make matters worse, in all likelihood, it’s going to happen again. It’s up to the Titans, finally together again as a team, to stop it.

Unforgettable Moment: A full-page splash featuring a big group hug between all the Titans is the perfect way to cap off an emotional few weeks in the life of Wally West. He may have taken the long way around, but he’s finally back where he belongs, side by side with his family. He’s finally home.


Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps Rebirth #1

By Robert Venditti, Ethan Van Sciver and Jason Wright

The Sinestro Corps is the absolute force in the galaxy with Sinestro controlling Sector Zero from Warworld.  In a remote part of the cosmos, Hal Jordan has had prolonged exposure to the Gauntlet—a rock of super powerful energy that the Guardians hid away.  It’s changing Hal to an unstable being of pure willpower.  In order to avoid being lost in the emotional spectrum, Hal begins to forge a ring out of the Gauntlet—an ability previously only thought to be possible by the Guardians.  Back on Warworld, Sinestro speaks with Parallax about granting him absolute power.  After finishing his ring, Hal recites the Oath and heads out in search of the Green Lantern Corps.     

Unforgettable Moment: Sinestro calling upon Parallax can only mean bad things for Hal and the Green Lantern Corps…and we can’t wait to see them!


Wonder Woman #1

By Greg Rucka, Liam Sharp and Laura Martin

Wonder Woman finds herself in the depths of the Banakane rainforest as she searches for answers to her ever-changing reality and a way back to Themyscira. In the small town of Bwunda, not far from Wonder Woman’s location, Steve Trevor and a crew of soldiers, under the remote command of Etta Candy, hunt down a warlord by the name of Cadulo. As Wonder Woman pushes deeper into the dark, twisted labyrinth of the rainforest, she encounters a pack of ferocious wolf-like warriors. Just as she takes out the barbaric combatants, she is attacked and confronted by their leader…Cheetah.

Unforgettable Moment: In a great week of comics, Wonder Woman #1 gets our vote for best last page. The Cheetah reveal is phenomenal…as is her feral new look.


Action Comics #959

By Dan Jurgens, Tyler Kirkham and Arif Prianto

Superman and Lex continue to battle Doomsday in an issue that’s all about…well, action!  Jimmy Olsen pleads with Clark Kent to help out, but Clark remains rigid in his claim that he is not Superman.  Jon and Lois watch the news as the fight rages on.  Superman takes Doomsday into the sewer system in order to buy time for people to get to safety.  Clark inadvertently falls into the sewer with the two.  He exchanges with words with Superman—both leery of the other.  Lex, who questions Clark’s unwillingness to admit he was Superman, gets him to safety just before Doomsday blows a gas main.  As the dust settles, Doomsday emerges from the chaos with monstrous fists ready to crush Clark.

Unforgettable Moment:  When Superman tells Lex to get people as far away from the fight as possible and Lex agrees (although begrudgingly) it shows that he’s actually capable of not always thinking about himself!


Detective Comics #936

by James Tynion IV,  Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez and Brad Anderson

After Batman is intercepted and taken in by an army of highly armored combatants using military combat techniques, Batwoman and the team are left with some tough choices to make. Kate takes it upon herself to assemble the group and tell them the entire story—a mysterious group called the Colony, who have now clearly and publicly bested the Batman, has been stalking them, tracking their movements and their abilities. This is why they were chosen, and why their training is so important. Now if they’re going to save Bruce, they’re going to need to call in the help of an expert. Kate contacts her father, Colonel Jacob Kane, believing his military expertise will be just the boost they need, and for a second, it looks like she’s right. The moment is short lived, however. Colonel Kane reveals himself to be the acting leader of the Colony’s forces. In Colonel Kane’s eyes, Batman has been fighting the wrong enemies, and it’s Kane’s duty to correct this mistake. Even if that means betraying the work of his own daughter. The world is at war, and that war is coming to Gotham, whether Gotham is ready for it or not. 

Unforgettable Moment: Kate Kane and Renee Montoya are finally reunited, but it’s a moment as bittersweet as it is brutally honest. Some part of Kate wants to try and reconnect, to find someone to talk to. Renee, however, can see right through Kate’s hardened and sure persona and she’s not ready to traverse these waters again. Before she leaves, she offers Kate some advice: “You make the best decisions when you just listen to yourself.”


The Flash #2

by Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Diandomenico and Ivan Plascencia

There’s a new speedster in Central City. Barry’s friend, Detective August Heart, was struck by lightning in an incident that nearly mirrored Barry’s own origin story, granting him access to the Speed Force and a life turned upside down. Now it’s up to Barry to help August control his new gifts and, more importantly, figure out what exactly he plans to do with them. Meanwhile the scientific terrorist organization, the Black Hole, has kidnapped Iris West after her investigative leads pry just a little far into their activity for comfort. Barry and August are able to intervene and rescue Iris before she’s hurt, but not before the sky above them crackles and splits yet again. It’s another storm, surging with the same lightning that gave both August and Barry their powers, and it looks like this one may pack even more of a punch. Bolts of energy rain down from the clouds and a portion of Central City’s population suddenly find themselves much, much faster. It looks like the Flash is about to have his hands full with new speedsters to train.

Unforgettable Moment: The younger Wally West has been experimenting with his own speed abilities in secret, but he’s starting to feel like he’s on a ticking clock. His speed powers seem to be fading by the day. But when the most recent speed force storm hits, Wally is among those struck by the lightning. What happens when you grant speed powers to someone who already has them?


Future Quest #2

By Jeff Parker, Doc Shaner, Ron Randall, Jonathan Case and Jordie Bellaire

On the planet Amzot, a team of heroes battle against a parasitic force known as Omnikron, which is set to absorb anything it touches. The fight results in Omnikron losing its physical form, but the massive expulsion of energy tears rifts in space and time, creating the vortexes that Dr. Quest and his associates have been studying. Back on Earth, Jonny and Hadji find the wreckage of an alien spacecraft that was pulled through the vortex in the last storm. Inside, they find an unconscious girl, Jan of the Galaxy Trio, and attempt to pull her to safety. Dr. Zin’s forces are hot on their heels, however, and it’s not until Race, Birdman and Dr. Quest intervene that the boys and the alien girl are truly able to make it out safely. Back at the lab, Dr. Quest takes stock of the situation—they may have outmaneuvered Dr. Zin through this storm, but it’s clear that Zin is still several steps ahead, and considerably more prepared. To make matters even worse, the girl that Jonny and Hadji rescued wasn’t the only survivor of the storm. Zin’s henchmen uncover the unconscious body of another alien from the vortex, not far from the earlier crash site. They take the alien and the wreckage of the ship back to Zin’s lair where the evil doctor is preparing to send yet another agent out into the field—the deadly Jezebel Jade.

Unforgettable Moment: The crash and the vortex apparently did more than just send the aliens and their craft through space and time. When Jan regains consciousness, she confesses to not remembering anything about what had just happened to her, and upon seeing Birdman, realizes that while a flying masked superhero looks familiar, she can’t place why. With Space Ghost unable to maintain contact through the vortex, it might be harder to jog any memories or get answers about the vortexes and the approaching threat than anyone realizes.
 

We'll be back in a week with another set of Reader Recaps. Also, don't miss our weekly new comic book unboxing every Tuesday on Periscope for an exclusive preview of the week's new comics!