Rounding out the Rot pairing, we have Animal Man aka Buddy Baker and his family coming in this week. Coming from a lineage of Vertigo comics into a fresh body horror take on how much it would suck if you lost your family, we get to go on an adventure into nightmare until things stall out to make sure the editorial vision can align. Let's take a narrative walk together as we devour Animal Man vol 1: The Hunt by Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman with additional art by John Paul Leon and Steve Pugh and colours by Lovern Kindzierski.

Next week: The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series

Current rankings:

1. Batwoman
2. All-Star Western
3. The Flash
4. Resurrection Man
5. Batwing
6. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
7. Blackhawks
8. Stormwatch
9. Voodoo
10. Captain Atom
11. Superboy
12. The Savage Hawkman
13. Birds of Prey
14. Superman
15. Teen Titans
16. Green Lantern: New Guardians
17. Supergirl
18. Swamp Thing
19. DC Universe Presents
20. Green Lantern
21. Batman
22. Batman: The Dark Knight
23. Batgirl
24. Justice League
25. Nightwing
26. Red Hood and the Outlaws
27. Legion of Super-Heroes
28. Men of War
29. Hawk and Dove
30. Blue Beetle
31. Justice League Dark
32. Grifter
33. Suicide Squad
34. Red Lanterns
35. Mister Terrific

When you think about horror comics or about the artistic highs of Vertigo, you probably think about Swamp Thing. So then its no wonder DC decided to take another swing at Big Green for the New 52, and put their best guys on the case. And now, in turn, we've sent our best scientists out to the marshes to see if the book's actually any good. Come along with us and wade into Swamp Thing vol 1: Raise Them Bones by Scott Snyder, Yanick Paquette and Marco Rudy with additional art by Victor Ibañez and colours by Nathan Fairbairn, David Baron, Val Staples and Lee Loughridge.

Next week: Animal Man v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series

Current rankings:

1. Batwoman
2. All-Star Western
3. The Flash
4. Resurrection Man
5. Batwing
6. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
7. Blackhawks
8. Stormwatch
9. Voodoo
10. Captain Atom
11. Superboy
12. The Savage Hawkman
13. Birds of Prey
14. Superman
15. Teen Titans
16. Green Lantern: New Guardians
17. Supergirl
18. DC Universe Presents
19. Green Lantern
20. Batman
21. Batman: The Dark Knight
22. Batgirl
23. Justice League
24. Nightwing
25. Red Hood and the Outlaws
26. Legion of Super-Heroes
27. Men of War
28. Hawk and Dove
29. Blue Beetle
30. Justice League Dark
31. Grifter
32. Suicide Squad
33. Red Lanterns
34. Mister Terrific

This week its time to check in on everyone's favourite team of bad guys and the bad they do, the Suicide Squad. Can this book live up to the lofty standards of all its media adaptations and strong roots, or is the subtitle for the trade an accurate description of how it feels to read? There's only one way to find out, as we go on a mission with Suicide Squad vol 1: Kicked in the Head by Adam Glass, Federico Dallocchio, Clayton Henry, Andrei Bressan, Cliff Richards and Ig Guara with colours by Val Staples, Hi-Fi and Allan Passalaqua.

Next week: Swamp Thing v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series

Current rankings:

1. Batwoman
2. All-Star Western
3. The Flash
4. Resurrection Man
5. Batwing
6. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
7. Blackhawks
8. Stormwatch
9. Voodoo
10. Captain Atom
11. Superboy
12. The Savage Hawkman
13. Birds of Prey
14. Superman
15. Teen Titans
16. Green Lantern: New Guardians
17. Supergirl
18. DC Universe Presents
19. Green Lantern
20. Batman
21. Batman: The Dark Knight
22. Batgirl
23. Justice League
24. Nightwing
25. Red Hood and the Outlaws
26. Legion of Super-Heroes
27. Men of War
28. Hawk and Dove
29. Blue Beetle
30. Justice League Dark
31. Grifter
32. Red Lanterns
33. Mister Terrific

We're back off for another book with everyone's favourite space cops, as this time, they revive an old no-name title and hand it off to Kyle Rayner and all the colours of the rainbow. Come along and see what happens when seven people who all have questionable displays of their emotions come together and try to make a team with a dysfunctional dynamic and a questionable leader, as we open up Green Lantern: New Guardians vol 1: The Ring Bearer by Tony Bedard and Tyler Kirkham with additional art by Harvey Tolibao and colours by Nei Ruffino.

Next week: Suicide Squad v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series

Current rankings:

1. Batwoman
2. All-Star Western
3. The Flash
4. Resurrection Man
5. Batwing
6. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
7. Blackhawks
8. Stormwatch
9. Voodoo
10. Captain Atom
11. Superboy
12. The Savage Hawkman
13. Birds of Prey
14. Superman
15. Teen Titans
16. Supergirl
17. DC Universe Presents
18. Green Lantern
19. Batman
20. Batman: The Dark Knight
21. Batgirl
22. Justice League
23. Nightwing
24. Red Hood and the Outlaws
25. Legion of Super-Heroes
26. Men of War
27. Hawk and Dove
28. Blue Beetle
29. Justice League Dark
30. Grifter
31. Red Lanterns
32. Mister Terrific

We've been drafted into the comics wars, even though none of us are trained readers, and sent straight to the front lines of the New 52. Ducking under the Sgt Rock barb wire, running into the George Saint bullets and dodging the Frankenstein artillery, all to deliver a podcast about how maybe making books about the military in the 21st century doesn't work quite the same as it used to. Get down in the trenches with us as we read Men of War vol 1: Uneasy Company by Ivan Brandon and Tom Derenick with colours by Matt Wilson and backup stories by Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Jonathan Vankin, James Robinson, JT Krul, B. Clay Moore, John Arcudi, Phil Winslade, Scott Kolins, Paul McCaffrey, Richard Corben and Patrick Scherberger.

Next week: Green Lantern: New Guardians v1, covering the first seven issues of 2011 series

Current rankings:

1. Batwoman
2. All-Star Western
3. The Flash
4. Resurrection Man
5. Batwing
6. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
7. Blackhawks
8. Stormwatch
9. Voodoo
10. Captain Atom
11. Superboy
12. The Savage Hawkman
13. Birds of Prey
14. Superman
15. Teen Titans
16. Supergirl
17. DC Universe Presents
18. Green Lantern
19. Batman
20. Batman: The Dark Knight
21. Batgirl
22. Justice League
23. Nightwing
24. Red Hood and the Outlaws
25. Legion of Super-Heroes
26. Hawk and Dove
27. Blue Beetle
28. Justice League Dark
29. Grifter
30. Red Lanterns
31. Mister Terrific

Taking it back to that Y2K spirit this week with the coolest and edgiest of Batman's wards, Jason Todd aka The Red Hood, his himbo archer friend Arsenal and their questionably leered at girl friend Starfire. We're going through a whole lore dump, some all new bad guys and a whole lot of odd sexual dynamics so its a jam-packed episode. Get on board as we hang out with Red Hood and the Outlaws vol 1: REDemption by Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort with writing assists from Joshua Williamson and colours by Blond.

Next week: Men of War v1, covering all eight issues of the 2011 series

Current rankings:

1. Batwoman
2. All-Star Western
3. The Flash
4. Resurrection Man
5. Batwing
6. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
7. Blackhawks
8. Stormwatch
9. Voodoo
10. Captain Atom
11. Superboy
12. The Savage Hawkman
13. Birds of Prey
14. Superman
15. Teen Titans
16. Supergirl
17. DC Universe Presents
18. Green Lantern
19. Batman
20. Batman: The Dark Knight
21. Batgirl
22. Justice League
23. Nightwing
24. Legion of Super-Heroes
25. Hawk and Dove
26. Blue Beetle
27. Justice League Dark
28. Grifter
29. Red Lanterns
30. Mister Terrific

Our little birdie bill continues with a very different kind of macho book about Leo Tolstoy's favourite subject, war and peace, and its representations on DC's earth, Hawk and Dove. There's so much lore you'll need to learn and then immediately forget here, so you'll have to get on The Rob's Wild Ride real quick. Come and take a tumble down with us on the very chaotic road of Hawk & Dove vol 1: First Strikes by Rob Liefeld and Sterling Gates with additional art by Marat Michaels and colours by Matt Yackey, Ross Hughes and Andy Troy.

Next week: Red Hood & The Outlaws v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series

Current rankings:

1. Batwoman
2. All-Star Western
3. The Flash
4. Resurrection Man
5. Batwing
6. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
7. Blackhawks
8. Stormwatch
9. Voodoo
10. Captain Atom
11. Superboy
12. The Savage Hawkman
13. Birds of Prey
14. Superman
15. Teen Titans
16. Supergirl
17. DC Universe Presents
18. Green Lantern
19. Batman
20. Batman: The Dark Knight
21. Batgirl
22. Justice League
23. Nightwing
24. Legion of Super-Heroes
25. Blue Beetle
26. Justice League Dark
27. Grifter
28. Red Lanterns
29. Mister Terrific

Its ladies night and we feel alright, oh yes its Birds of Prey night, oh what a night. We're looking at a little band of dysfunctional girlies working together to fight off a mind control scheme, and seeing if love, or at least comraderie, truly can bloom between Gotham's murdering women. Join us as we get along with Birds of Prey vol 1: Trouble In Mind by Duane Swierczynski and Jesus Saiz with additional adrt by Javier Pina and colours by Nei Ruffino, Allen Passalaqua and June Chung.

Next week: Hawk & Dove v1, covering all eight issues of the 2011 series

Current rankings:

1. Batwoman
2. All-Star Western
3. The Flash
4. Resurrection Man
5. Batwing
6. Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
7. Blackhawks
8. Stormwatch
9. Voodoo
10. Captain Atom
11. Superboy
12. The Savage Hawkman
13. Superman
14. Teen Titans
15. Supergirl
16. DC Universe Presents
17. Green Lantern
18. Batman
19. Batman: The Dark Knight
20. Batgirl
21. Justice League
22. Nightwing
23. Legion of Super-Heroes
24. Blue Beetle
25. Justice League Dark
26. Grifter
27. Red Lanterns
28. Mister Terrific