DC Comics Quick Takes for the Week of February 5, 2025
There’s not always time for a full review, but you know I’ve probably got something to say! That’s what the Quick Takes of the week are for! After last week’s very few offerings, we’re back for some DC Comics from the week of February 5, 2025. Be sure to check out the regular reviews here at DC Comics News!
Shazam! #20
Jon Kent hasn’t been relevant since Brian Michael Bendis aged him up in Superman #6 (2018). He’s unable to carry his own series, and has become a tag-a-long character with the Super-family. With that move, Bendis eliminated all the potential for stories of Superman and Lois raising their biological son, an idea that was unique, different and fresh for the Superman franchise. In addition, he had Jon unbelievably pass through puberty and those important formative years without any guidance and produced a Jon Kent with perfect morality and a social conscience. Shazam! #20 serves both in story and in a meta way to reinforce the fact that not only will we never get a young Jon Kent, but that the sole reason for his existence is LGBTQ+ representation, and token representation at that. Real representation comes from characters care about because they are great characters and just HAPPEN to also be inclusive. Michael Holt Mr. Terrific and Kate Kane Batwoman jump immediately to mind. After the reader is drawn in by the compelling aspects of these characters the reader realizes, “oh, this really awesome character is black/lesbian/hispanic/asian…whatever.” Jon Kent’s appearances have devolved into niche romance fiction. He has no purpose any longer. He’s not Superman and he’s not Superboy, he’s just redundant and useless. This is obviously a fill in issue and an issue designed to stick it to fans of Jon Kent and the Super-Sons.
Two-Face #3
Writer Christian Ward scratches the surface of the dichotomy in Harvey Dent’s brain. There’s the seed of a solid story here as Harvey discovers who’s behind the efforts to sabotage the White Church. However the whole bit with Baby Doll played for laughs isn’t funny. It’s just weird and twisted and not in a way that works. This series is a hard sell, period. I think you have to go all serious to make this work, because that’s what this concept is. It’s not executed at a high enough level to bring me back for more.
Batman: Off-World #6
Despite the out of place setting that recalls the weird ’50’s sci-fi Batman comics, Jason Aaron really nails Batman’s character. This issue works because of that. There are some expected story beats that one can see coming, but it’s actually satisfying because they fit batman’s character so well.
Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #132
It’s probably expected to update a property like Scooby-Doo, but Sholly Fisch captures the voice and feel of the original 50 year plus old cartoon. There’s some genuine humor that will make you smile, and there’s even some clever names that will give adults a chuckle. This is definitely an all-ages comic and it’s nice to know there’s something appropriate with which to introduce younger readers to the medium.
Batman #157
Some great art graces the pages of Batman #157, there are some really enjoyable and entertaining action sequences. One has to question some of the status quo changes in Zdarsky’s Batman run. The theme here seems to be that not even the “good guys” are good. Jim Gordon can’t just be a good man, Thomas Wayne has to be dragged through the mud. It’s a trope of modern storytelling that is painful to read. It doesn’t add to the story and makes it difficult to come back. If you don’t believe that people can simply be good and that there are heroes, maybe super-heroes is not the genre for which you should be writing. The overall feel of the issue is pretty good, with a lot of classic Batman action, but there’s a bad tasted left in the mouth by these weird changes that don’t add anything positive to the Bat-mythos.
Well, that’s it for this week. What comics did you read the week of February 5? What was your favorite. Be sure to leave a comment below and come back next week for more DC Comics Quick Takes!
