Well, it looks like DC Comics’ grand experiment has met with some major success. DC reports that 14 of their DCnU titles have sold over 100,000 copies, resulting in the best sales numbers that they’ve had in over 20 years. Whoa.

Check out my mini-reviews of Week 1 here on Nerdist if you missed it.

On to DCnU Week 2:

Batman and Robin 01

This titles opens with a bang: lots of great action and a mysterious new villain. The Robin/Damian Wayne character is completely unlikable which leads to me to believe that they’re paving the way for a lot of character growth.

Rating: 8

Batwoman 01

Wow. Spectacular spreads. This book was totally worth the wait and lived up to the hype. It looks like Batwoman is training her own “Robin/Flamebird.” Visual storytelling doesn’t get much better than this.

Rating: 10

Deathstroke 01

The tough guy aspect of this books feels a little forced. Middle-of-the-road art.

Rating: 5

Demon Knights 01

I’ve read this “group of strangers with varied skills/powers meet up in a tavern and are forced to join forces when local innocents are threatened” story 100 times, and so have you. Check it out if you’re a huge Demon or Madame Xanadu fan. If not, don’t bother.

Rating: 5

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. 01

The art is reminiscent of Heavy Metal Magazine. The story is very word-heavy. It’s nice to see our first glimpse of Ray Palmer (not as the Atom) and the Creature Commandoes in the DCnU. Sci-Fi+Horror+War Comics=enjoyable.

Rating: 8

Green Lantern 01

First, the art is beautiful. Poor Hal Jordan is a mess without the ring. Sinestro is a certified bad-ass. He’s one sociopath you can root for as he takes on the Corps he created. I’m so in.

Rating: 9

Grifter 01

A man-on-the-run story with aliens. Nothing new here. It’s missing the “this is why you should care” factor.

Rating: 6

Legion Lost 01

Really nice, clean art and great character/costume designs. It’s a “stranded in the past while tracking a mysterious pathogen” story with a few nice twists.

Rating: 7.5

Mr. Terrific 01

It’s a decent enough origin story. Unfortunately, the most exciting thing in the book is seeing Karen (Power Girl) Star and Jakeem Thunder in their civilian identities. Could that be a sign of things to come?

Rating: 5

Red Lanterns 01

It’s as violent and bloody as you would expect a title about a group of Berserkers in a blood-rage to be. I like violence but I’m not sure where this will/can go.

Rating: 6

Resurrection Man 01

Choppy art and storytelling. Demons are after his soul and the Body Doubles (a duo female assassins who appeared here and there in the old DCU) are after his body. Had to reread a few pages to figure out what I was looking at. There’s a lot going on.

Rating: 6

Suicide Squad 01

Gruesome, ultra-violent insanity. The DCnU Squad has a nice combo of classic and never-seen-before characters. Bloody mayhem.

Rating: 7

Superboy 01

This book features some great, heavily detailed art. We get a first look at the DCnU Rose Wilson (not as Ravager). It’s a sort of Matrix meets Truman meets Superman story. Good stuff.

Rating: 9

All in all, another solid week of titles. Also, please note, these books are NOT all ages: They are seriously dark, and violent. By the time you read this all of the first issues have gone into second printings and should be easily available at your local comic shop.

In a nutshell:

Do NOT Miss: Batwoman, Superboy, Green Lantern, maybe Frankenstein

AVOID: No book was “unreadable” this week.

The other titles are various states of medium and worth checking out.

Thanks for reading.

Your Pal,

Arnie

Follow me at twitter.com/yourpalarnie

Image: DC Comics