MY WEEKS IN COMICS - - - for the week ending Sunday SEPTEMBER 20, 2026
#353-#357 = ONE-PUNCH MAN, VOLUME ONE written by One with art by Yusuke Murata (Viz Media/Shonen Jump, 14th printing, April 2023)
Continuing my exploration of manga . . . . . .
ONE-PUNCH MAN pokes fun at superhero and battle-driven manga like Dragon Ball Z. The premise is simple - - an unassuming, physically mediocre, bald young man who is able to take down (and sometimes kill) his opponents with just a single punch. As you might imagine, that makes it hard for him to find someone he can really fight with. He says he got into the super-hero business for fun; and what's the fun in ending things so quickly? He is bored.
The only foe that lasts longer than one chapter is the Mosquito Queen, but that's because there was a delay in Saitama (One-Punch Man) actually getting to confront her. Meanwhile he takes on a sidekick who wants to learn from him - - the cyborg lad named Genos.
This is meant to be humorous, as evidenced by the crazy facial expressions and wild names for the villains as well as improbable situations. However, it just didn't click with me,. in the same way that SAVAGE DRAGON doesn't click with me. Just like that book, One-Punch Man is very popular and has survived multiple volumes of his story. I don't have a reason to care. One and done for me. THREE STARS.
EDITOR'S NOTE: I recently watched the first episode of ONE PUNCH MAN anime on Netflix and had a completely different reaction. Maybe it's the addition of audio and much better visuals that made it entertaining and funny. I will definitely watch Episode Two.
#358-#362 = CHAINSAW MAN, VOLUME TWO graphic novel/manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto (Viz Media/Shonen Jump, 13th printing, November 2022)
Continuing my exploration of manga . . . . . .
I picked up Volume Two because Volume One ended on a cliffhanger, and I wanted to see the final outcome of Chainsaw Man/Denzi versus the Bat-Devil. I enjoyed the battle scene but felt a little bit cheated as some of the outcomes at the end of Volume One seemed to be ignored and contradicted here. But, hey, this is meant to be a fun read - - and as it seems to be aims at a middle-school reader I'll overlook it.
Yes, this is fun . . . . but I don't think I need any more of it. How is Volume Two the same or different from Volume One? = More battle scenes. More gore, and bloodier than before. Denzi still has an annoying obsession with boobs.
There are new characters added, as it requires a full team to take down the Gun Devil. The addition of more females stimulates Denzi's obsession even more. The women figure that out, and tease that he can touch their chest, or kiss them (even offering some tongue) as long as he does certain tasks for them.
What saves this, and almost persuaded me to up my rating, are the final chapters. Gun Devil is a devious foe and traps the team in the 8th floor of a building that will not provide any exits. They are in an escape-room type loop. This one ends on another cliff-hanger, but I'm not taking the bait. THREE STARS.
#363 = BATWOMAN #7 by Greg Rucka and Dani (DC Comics, November 2026) A Batman: Bad Seeds tie-in. “Open Season, Part One” Continuing my exploration of the Batman: Bad Seeds cross-over event . . . . . .
Katie Kane (Batwoman) returns to Gotham after her overseas rehabilitation/therapy (and adventures) in Europe. She’s only back home one night before a giant tree limb breaks through her window and assaults her.
She dons the Batwoman costume and heads out on her bike into the Gotham night where she learns that in addition to the plant invasion, Vandal Savage’s T.U.C.O. squad (Tactical Urban Combat Officers) have a mandate to track down Bat-family members. She meets up with Batman, who fills her in on what Poison Ivy has done to Gotham, and asks her to head to St Dumas Cathedral to obtain a cartographic emitter so the Bat-team can communicate with each other.
She is followed there by the T.U.C.O. squad who surround and break into the Cathedral as the issue ends. Fast-paced storyline - - to be continued. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#364-#368 = JOKER: ONE OPERATION JOKER, VOLUME TWO graphic novel/manga by Satoshi Miyagawa and Keisuke Gotou (Kodansha / DC Comics, September 2023)
Continuing my exploration of manga . . . . .
This is one of the oddest Joker/ Bat-family stories I have ever read. It's a different take on the Joker character, and meant to be funny. The jokes are kind of flat; but overall this is really cute and sometimes heart-warming.
During a battle in Volume One, Batman fell into the same chemical vat that created the Joker. It transformed him into a little baby. Joker, not wanting to lose his rivalry with Batman, decides to bring the baby up himself and raise it to someday become Batman again - - and continue their rivalry.
He tries again to get Bat-baby accepted at free day care (via the Wayne agency, irony there) and persuades Harley Quinn to pose as his wife so they can be seen as a family. Rather than her messing things up, it's her words that persuade the counselor to accept them (while the Joker ineptly fumbled his chances). That should mean more free time for Joker to pursue his criminal pursuits.
While the Joker is trying to develop Bat-baby into a decent human being who becomes Batman - - it's the Bat-baby who through causing Joker to care for him seems to be softening up Joker's rough edges and making him more of an empathetic, caring individual.
More complications when Alfred, missing Bruce Wayne, decides to visit the Wayne Foundation daycare center and warms up immediately to the Bat-baby. Does he suspect?
I guess Volume Three may hold the answers, and I believe it concludes the series. Unfortunately, I don't have this in my collection - - so I have to decide whether or not I really want to seek it out. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#369 = DETECTIVE COMICS #1113 by Tom Taylor and Jeff Spokes (DC Comics, November 2026) Batman: Bad Seeds, Week 4, Part 2 “Toxic Skies”
This picks up the story from BATMAN #13, after Batman fights through several floors of T.U.C.O. agents to confront Gotham Police Commissioner Vandal Savage on the rooftop.
“A prehistoric bloom is choking the city, changing the very air as it terraforms the streets.” Batman arrives to warn Savage that “once sunlight touches the bloom, there will be no way to stop its growth” and appeals to him to supply the herbicide. No problem there, as Savage already has the airships loaded and plans to disperse it over the city in fifteen minutes. At the same time, Batman receives a message from Pennyworth Manor that the poison isn’t just toxic to plants - - its toxic to everything.
Sharing that message with Savage doesn’t deter him. The commissioner is willing to sacrifice many civilians in order to halt the growth of the bloom. It’s a race against the clock as Batman tires to stop the release of the herbicide. The story is enhanced by some dynamic art and colors from Jeff Spokes.
One of my favorite lines this issue is uttered by Batman to a police officer: “Good people disobey bad orders.” As the issue ends, Batman makes a discovery that offers hope, but he’s going to need to recruit an unlikely villain to accomplish anything. Continued in BATMAN #14.
There’s an extra story by Dan Watters and Scott Hepburn introducing a new villain, Rhetoric. He’s a armed vigilante targeting several Wayne Foundation charities following his misguided ideological views. Batman stops him, but he manages to escape. The last page reveals this is just an ad for Lego: Batman, Legacy Of The Dark Knight deluxe edition. If you buy it you can read more Rhetoric story.
Despite that blatant plug, this is still one of the better issue within the Bad Seeds saga, which I’m still enjoying, Overall, FOUR STARS.
#370 = CATWOMAN #91 by Torunn Gronbekk and Danilo Beyruth (DC Comics, November 2026) Batman, Bad Seeds: Week 4, Part 3 “The Ivory Towers, Part 1 of 2”
Selina Kyle/Catwoman is hiding from the police. So is crime family head Carmine Falcone, so he offers Selina a suite in his penthouse. But, naturally it’s not free. She has to perform a job for him.
When the plants invade and that and the Bat-family are keeping Vandal Savage occupied - it seems the perfect time for Catwoman to do the job. Only problem is the plants keep getting in the way, and she almost doesn’t reach her destination.
When she arrives at Icon Towers, the cooperating doorman cuts the camera feeds so she can make her way to the 32nd floor. But the target(?) is waiting for her and pulls a shotgun. Doesn’t matter, as the plants even reach this high, break in and cause some weird transformation in the apartment owner.
Is this really related to the Bad Seeds story? Well, sure — since the plants are part of the story. But, somehow I feel it was kind of easy for Gronbekk to add them and participate in the Bad Seeds crossover. Ah well. THREE STARS.
#371 = NIGHTWING #142 by Dan Watters and David Lapham (DC Comics, November 2026) Batman, Bad Seeds: Week 4, Part 4 “Downwind, Part 1 of 2” As the plant invasion of Gotham continues, the foliage releases airborne spores and particles which the wind carries across the river into the town of Bludhaven. Breathing or accidentally ingesting them causes civilians to become enraged berserkers.
When a construction worker loses his son to the spores, he blames Gotham, specifically Arkham Towers. He steals a truckload of explosives and begins his drive to Gotham on a suicide mission. NIghtwing is informed of the threat, and gives chase. Not easy when the roads are also being engulfed by prehistoric plantlife. Also more difficult when Gotham Police Commissioner Vandal Savage put out a reward for the apprehension (dead or alive) of Bat-family members - - and some thugs on motorbikes recognize Nightwing’s vehicle and chase after him.
A neat storyline, plenty of engaging dialogue and adventure enhanced by the street-smart art of Lapham, which gives everything a crime comic feel. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
