Summary: When a series of young girls go missing in Burma in 1923 the clues lead Sergeant Geoffrey McAllister and Constable Sandhu deep into the jungles of Siam after the elusive cult of the Black Flame.

Plot: While it's true that the works of Mike Mignola in the Hellboy Universe have spanned almost 25 years of continuous narrative that can seem too rich and dense for new readers to just jump in and pick up there has in recent years been a rise in one and done stories that are only tangentially related to the main series. These stories often feature an entirely new cast of characters and no real back ground information to digest so they have a great appeal to someone just looking for a good horror book but with enough subtext to the larger Hellboy universe that they do not feel like filler for the existing readers making them great launch pads and the Black Flame is definitely another great book in that mold. 
     In the Rise of the Black Flame we're introduced to two colonial constables in Burma, Sergeant Geoffrey McAllister and Constable Sandhu, and although they are entirely new characters and the setting itself is in-fact wholly unexplored in the Hellboy universe there is such a depth in them that they are instantly likable and the setting just lures you in and for returning readers there is no sense of disconnect either as although they have never been seen on page they somehow come off as feeling like characters we just haven't met yet than characters that have never existed before. Not only do they have an organic feel to them but they have a subtle connection to the larger Hellboy universe in that McAllister briefly recounts a time when he crossed paths with witchfinder general Edward Gray which is deepened further when he and his partner encounter Sarah Jewell and Marie-Thérèse LaFleur who, again while new to this book, draw you in and make you feel as if their is a wider world outside the pages of this narrative while not distracting from the story at hand. In short this is a story that is beautifully woven between the rain drops of the world of Hellboy that gives both a new perspective to that world while also maintaining it's own unique feel making it a compelling read for both new readers and returning ones.

Art: As great as the story and cast of characters were for me what was even more stunning was the work by Christopher Mitten. He's a guy I've never seen before but somebody I think everyone should track down in the near future because his work here was fantastic. Where Mignola's work is great because of its ambiguity and imagery Mitten's art really stands out due to his ability to pack in the detail while maintaining a clean, uncluttered look. The best way I can truly explain it is his art comes off like a wonderfully staged play, the back drops are slightly vague but with enough detail to suggest a wider world behind the actors and the actors themselves have a wonderful way of gesturing, drawing attention with the focus of their eyes and expressions and use of props that distinguish themselves perfectly on the stage making them both unique and memorable. All of that of course would be commendable in a play...but in this instance we are talking about a work of one man in 20 or so pages which is just astounding to think of. This is a guy who really spends a lot of time thinking about the structures of power in the stories he's telling with his art and the characterizations of the people he's bringing to life and that effort really pays off.

Conclusion: all in all this is a fantastic issue, about the only thing that keeps it from being a ten out of ten is the ending. Rather a real suspenseful cliff hanger or natural stopping place the narrative just kind of stops.

Grade : 9/10

Summary: In the wake of her brother's death Gotham Girl goes out night after night, her life's essence ebbing from her with each adventure, while Batman tries to figure out how he can reach her and save her from herself.

Plot: Solicited as an epilogue to the "I am Gotham" story arc that took up the previous five issues it doesn't do much to satisfy the definition of that literary term. While it's true that of the two heroes introduced by King as an impetus for the story Gotham Girl was the one that got far less page time and development making the focus on her in this issue a welcome move the issue still didn't satisfy as an end to her ordeal. We follow her through a week's worth of adventures fighting D-list villains from Batman's past and witness her fall into madness from the effects of her brother's death and the ill defined abuse of the Psycho-Pirate and Hugo Strange and see Batman's repeated attempts to "save" her fail. All of this culminates in Batman drawing Gotham Girl to the rooftops with the batlight and revealing his identity to her and explaining that he's hurt too as they embrace. It's obviously meant to be a powerful moment, and while it's not as terrible as it sounds when summed up as I have, it lacks the emotional punch it deserved due to the issue's see-sawing tone between the bitter sweet feeling of Gotham Girl's one sided conversation with her deceased brother and the more comedic interactions with such D-List villains as Colonel Blimp and Kite-Man. That clash of tones just didn't allow for the appropriate emotional tension to build to the point where Batman's roof top meeting could really resonate with the reader.


Art: Although I normally enjoy Reis' work and he does do a good job of taking us on Gotham Girl's decent into madness with a fantastic way of illustrating her changing moods with subtle facial expressions the flip flopping inkers give the issue an inconsistent, muddled look that is almost unrecognizable as Reis which does nothing to help the tone of the narrative.

Conclusion: There are some decent ideas by King here and although I liked Bruce getting personal to reach out to an obviously troubled young hero it's inconsistent tone and art didn't give it time to earn the emotional ending it gave us.

Grade: 6/10 

Summary: Supergirl is busy trying to find a balance between a normal life as a teenager on Earth, a superhero and an agent with the DEO when her father, Cyborg Superman drops back into her life.

Plot: After reading the initial rebirth issue I was ready to drop this book but in a strange reversion to my childhood buying habits I decided to give it another go because I liked the cover...and unlike the other times in the recent past when I've fallen for a snazzy bit of cover art the story inside was actually worth it. While the bloated in its attempt to add in the DEO and the Danvers from the Supergirl show made the story feel bloated but with the way that there was no effort to try and explain why they were thrown in forcing you to just roll with it just made it feel more balanced and natural. More than anything else it's probably that feeling of balance that made the issue work the best, Orlando managed to find a way to explore Kara's past on Krypton, a look at her life at school, her relationship with her adoptive parents, and her responsibilities with the DEO and as a superhero. It seems like a lot to handle in one story but none of it felt forced and each element had it's space to breath and contributed to the overall story. About the only negative was the ending with Cyborg Superman, I never cared for the revelation that he was Kara's father and his presence here was one element that didn't feel in sync with the rest of the book, feeling more tacked on because they couldn't find a proper ending than a contributing part of the issue.

Art: Aiding in reestablishing Supergirl Brian Ching's big eyed angular art gives the book a sleek modern feel which is perfect in separating this book from the previous runs. It's light, airy and fun which is exactly what I want out of a book exploring a young hero trying to figure out who she is.

Conclusion: All in all this was a satisfying first issue for Supergirl; it fully established who Kara was, her new supporting cast and for better or worse the thrust forward with her father.

Grade: 7/10