American Vampire 1976 is off to a great start. The partnership between Snyder and Albuquerque is on full display as they know how to move the focus to what is important for the readers and is an opportunity to showcase each other's talents. The story does get daunting and intimidating for new readers with all the characters. It doesn't distract from the story but it makes you want to reread or start reading it from the beginning.

Without reading Avengers #750, some of the main plot points are confusing or misunderstood. Hopefully, as a companion to the main Avengers series, the two will allow the overall event to build up coherently.

Hill and Leomacs create a great partnership in this debut. It was important for Basketful of Heads to come out swinging as a lot is riding on the partnership DC has with Hill. As it was mentioned at the Diamond retailer event, DC Comics is going all in with Hill House and it looks like a great decision

When Basketful of heads was first announced it seemed like it would be another Hack/Slash and that's the furthest from the truth. Hill and Leomacs have crafted a story and as each issue comes out it is starting to become a constant to read and review because of how good it is.

Overall the issue is a fun, wild trip. The humor and action are well balanced with both the story and art. The visual gags are balanced and well placed throughout the issue.

Overall, Batgirls maintains the chaotic nature that makes the series fun and entertaining. The art is vibrant and expressive and matches the tangled web that the story is unraveling. The series does have a few flaws, but they do not deter from how great a ride it is.

Batman #91 was a weak entry in the Their Dark Design story line. I don't see the need to rush it and it might be worth going monthly to allow the artists to relax and not rush to meet deadlines. Sadly this issue falls flat and hopefully with the hype of upcoming books they don't suffer the same fate.

Batman #92 isn't the best in "Their Dark Designs" . It might be due to the hype involving Joker's newest partner. Punchline has been the reason copies of Batman #89, Year of the Villain Hell Arisen #3, Joker 80th anniversary and this issue has sold out and is hard to come by. So does the hyped encounter in this issue live up to the speculations?

Over all this issue has improved and is back on the right track. Jimenz's art doesn't feel inconsistent and haphazardly thrown together with backgrounds and characters looking flat like in previous issues. Tynion IV story is solid and doesn't feel over encumbered with too many moving parts. This was a solid issue and shows a lot of promise with the payoff if they can keep it going this way. 

Batman #98 is a great lead up to issue #100. With many different parts now moving together holistically, it doesn't feel like a jumbled mess. When Punchline's hype was at its peak the story was suffering, and was very evident with all aspects. The past few issues have started to rectify those missteps and is showing how great the story truly is and how it was buried under mediocrity.

Overall, Batman Anual 2021 is superb and hopefully brings Ghost-Maker his own series. Tynion has been on a roll with creating new characters with the potential to be new favorites. Lopez and Tynion's balance for the issue works to help develop who and why Ghostmaker was created. The only knock on the issue is how long it took to be concluded.

Batman/Superman: World's Finest is a great first issue. Waid and Mora help set the stage for the upcoming DCU event while still including underappreciated and used characters. The only downside to the issue is that it is another Batman/Superman story and will need to fight for attention amongst their other ongoing series and titles.

Overall, Batman vs Robin is a fun read and sets the foundation for the series. If not for the few surprises, the story is pedestrian and almost a paint-by-number Batman event. We have the betrayal from someone he trusts, the people that could quickly fix it are incapacitated, and the main orchestrator is a potential reveal. The story is still a fun read but has the potential to be better, especially with Waid working with characters directly from the archive.

Overall, Murphy has been able to stay consistent with his storytelling, and it is evident in Batman: Beyond the White Knight #1. For fans of the previous two installments, it is worth staying on and picking up this issue. As he can manage new and old readers without giving one or the other preference helps develop the new story. I still have some reservations that there might be too much going on for him to explain everything adequately, but we have learned not to underestimate his storytelling.

With everything playing out slowly, Murphy can focus on each character and how they have changed over time. We see how characters have drifted apart and some spicy revelations at the end. My previous concerns from issue one are still relevant as Terry's storyline seems to be more of an afterthought with little growth. With Batman Beyond in the title, we can hope future issues will focus on him, his father's work, and the Beyond suit.

Overall, Batman Killing Time is an excellent start to the mini-series. With a unique McGuffin being introduced, King can focus on Batman's detective skills and solve the case. With the art balanced by Marquez's fantastic work, we can only expect more of Batman's Rogue Gallery to make an appearance.

Overall, the issue nails the theme that someone else's dream isn't always your dream. Using Mary to transform into Miracle Molly is relatable to many as many people want to quit their jobs and follow their passions but are too afraid to try. Tynion and Dani's story takes the idea of dreams and forces the reader to decide if it was theirs to even begin with.

Overall, the issue misses the marks the marketing set up for it. Tomlin's story isn't well constructed and lacks cohesion with all the themes. Sorrentino's art lacks consistency for each page, which is evident when a statue is prominently jammed as part of the background, with mostly dialog moving the story. Unfortunately, this issue tried to remake the wheel, and it ended up as a square instead.

The complexity of the story and topics are balanced wonderfully throughout the issue. The concept of right and wrong is used wonderfully with Jason Todd and him killing a Joker. Johns and Fabok have built and created a great story that is only going to end with a Bang!

The story is a great conclusion to the Three Jokers. It doesn't answer all of our questions but it does allow the readers to feel connected in DC lore. Johns and Fabok were able to establish a Joker story that can fit in any time period, allowing readers to revisit past stories and compare the Jokers. Similar to Doomsday Clock, each generation has their Joker and each one is going to be different.

Black Adam overall is a solid entry with a lot of potential but needs not to rush the story. With everything in this issue, you would think it was a 6-part mini-series, not 12 parts. If they can slow it down and flush out the story, there is a fantastic story. Priest and Sandoval are building something new and unique for Kahndaq and Black Adam, but there is no need to rush and create unneeded confusion.

Black Badge is unique in the settings and idea of the story and if they can overcome the hackneyed character personalities then this could be a potential hit for Kindt and Jenkins.

There is a lot of potential with Captain Carter, as she is a unique character in an unexplored setting. If McKelvie and Cresta can work out and start delivering a consistent product, I do not see this series going for much longer. 

Cates and Shaw are taking a massive chance with Crossover. The story is similar to a reverse Gwenpool, where instead of one person entering the world of comics, all of comics enter the real world. With many hints and nods to the rumor of iconic DC and Marvel characters being used, it'll be a unique story that few creative teams can handle. This would be a concern if not for Mark Waid's involvement in it. He has worked at both companies, creating iconic stories and is considered as one of the best comic historians.

Crowded is off to a great start. If the creative team can keep up with the commentary of current culture and not rely on it to be the driving force of the story, Crowded can be a great series for Image. This series is one of which I will be looking forward to reading each month.

Overall the issue is solid. Not answering the burning questions right away does leave you desperate and annoyed. Yet, you are going to come back to finally get the answer that Margert and Ruby are looking for.

If this was under a different name I would gladly give it a higher score. Yet it is supposed to be tied into a game that hasn't been released yet and not having that reference to understand the story makes this issue a disappointment. After the game is released this is something worth revisiting as it will make more sense and should be graded on a complete scale rather than the partial one I am forced to use. 

Overall, the story doesn't lean too much into horror in this issue. It is more of a social commentary on religion and lower class life instead. The issues ending does open the gates to horror.

It set up the villains and conflict nicely while allowing for some mysteries to build behind the scenes. Using established creatures and characters will enable them to cultivate the story instead of being burdened with creating an epicenter and cause of the destruction. Schmidt doing the colors and art for the issue gives it a cohesive and natural feel.

Overall, DC vs. Vampires issue 2 is solid and doesn't go for the easy way by killing Batman right away. By explaining why they are using villains as perfect vampires are not talking down to the reader. Tynion and Rosenberg show they have done their planning and answer some of the questions readers have. Schmidt art adds the needed depth to the story, especially with the subtle details.

Overall, DC vs. Vampires' conclusion was a letdown to everything built before this issue. All the deaths and sacrifices made just for the story to be untouched do no justice to the readers. The injustice was the number of issues involved with the series just to have the first part almost repeated. 

Issue 3 has kept up with high standards and has improved upon expanding the story. There is little fault in any of the execution with developing the main characters and the world of Die. Gillen and Hans have a great partnership and it shows with the series so far.

Overall Die #5 is a strong issue that helps push the story forward and gives us a new challenge for the party to overcome. Gillen and Hans have been able to create their own interesting world for 5 straight issues and the story doesn't look like its slowing down any time soon.

Future State Wonder Woman is one of the stronger titles from the Future State line so far. It feels the most complete as everything is simply explained and shown within the first few panels. This simplicity and break down of the mythos of Wonder Woman allows any and all to join in with little fears of getting lost.

Wonder Woman has been the standout series from the Future State titles. Not having to rely on a shared setting or environment was what made it unique. Everything from the setting, characters, creative team and mythology blends together with a unique harmony. Here is hoping this is picked up and continues as an ongoing series.

Overall the series isn't the worst from the Future State titles but it is the weakest. This could be the creative team trying to do too much with too little. It would be interesting to see what one or two extra issues would have changed the creative team's approach or it would just be the same and rushed over the extra issues instead.

Geiger is a unique comic as this is an unusual first for Johns. His historical knowledge of superheros is rendered useless and allows him and Frank to create whatever world and narrative they want. Hopefully as the series continues, they are willing to take more risks and explore different elements they might not be able to utilize if this was a superhero comic.

Gideon Falls #5 is a good set up for Issue #6. The feeling of dread from the Black Barn that you get from reading the issue is awesome, and I hope it transfers to the next issue and frightens us some more.

Hopefully, Gogor can fix the issues and improve as a family friendly fantasy story that is needed. By taking the entire comic on, may ultimately cause its demise.

Having two highly regarded creators on a book can backfire on you, but so far Morrison and Sharp have a great relationship and its showcased in this issue and series so far. It's exciting to see how far each other can push Hal Jordan and the Lantern Corps in both art and writing. My one big concern is that Morrison doesn't go too experimental with the story. But with his recent work that doesn't seem like too much of a concern.

In conclusion, Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour. was decent but the flaws and cracks were evident. Franklin and Sarin try to make it their own but having to follow the events in the series distracted them from gaining their own traction. With everything from the series out of the way, issue two should be the true indication of what their series will be about. If it keeps trying to be an animated series in comic form, the story will suffer as it did in this issue.

Overall, Haunt You to The End offers an intriguing start and has the potential to further develop its unique environmental backdrop. Despite the somewhat uninteresting characters, the story is an enjoyable read with captivating themes and ideology to explore and ponder on. Hopefully, in the next few issues, they will delve deeper into Isla Lodo and unravel the truth about ghosts and the location.

Hawkman #3 has been able to keep its connection to the Metal event. The presence of the journal helps with keeping the story aligned. It's a strong issue showing the determination of Carter finding out who and where he comes from and the ending alluding to more progression in the plot.

I didn't hate the issue but it just felt like it was one that we've seen many times before. I see a lot of potential in the series when they are able to expand on the characters. I will read issue two as they gave enough to keep me interested in what happens next. But if the next few issues become a paint by numbers heist story, then it won't be a memorable story.

What I liked most about the issue isn't just the story, but also the first-person perspective and behind the scenes of how the story came to be. Particularly interesting is the tale of how Layman and Jok met in Uruguay at a comic convention.

Justice Society of America sets the stage for the series moving forward. Both Johns and Janin experience with team books allows for each to show off and complement the other. Hopefully, with 80 years of story to pull from, we don't see the same characters or have it become another Batman book.

Lois Lane has an excellent start and is in the hands of a very skilled creative team. Rucka and Perkins are able to utilize the character's strength, making Lois's story unique and about her. This allows us to enjoy how great of a journalist and character she is.

Overall, Lover Everlasting is a phenomenal first issue but with some flaws. One of them is how expressive the art is but constrained by the repetitive panel layout on each page. Beyond that, the issue establishes the main character, conflict, and theme from the start. With the conflict set, King and Charretier can explore multiple stories while allowing Joan to figure out what is happening to her. 

Monarch is a unique read as it feels like multiple stories, with one ending and another beginning. Barnes brings his experience with writing different mediums into this issue with how it ends on cliffhangers, forcing readers to come back to the next issue to see what happened with the aliens and Travon.

Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood was interesting and enjoyable. The shorts touched upon each aspect of the character and gave readers a chance to see his many different variations of him. If the first story were more transparent or less dense, it would be an issue that any fan would need to read.

Overall, Moon Man #1 is an impressive debut for Kid Cudi. The thematic exploration of sci-fi elements intertwined with real-world issues, such as space exploration and corporate interests, resonates with contemporary concerns. Seamlessly incorporating these themes into the narrative demonstrates the series' potential for expanding and exploring diverse storylines within this universe.

Marcelo's art feels repetitive once you go past a few panels. It gives you a sense of dj vu as the first few pages look the same. Everything starts feeling the same as the tricks and characters are overused. Shadows are overused trying to build suspense and the characters started looking the same from panel to panel. As the issue only has two settings, it's hard to not make the background look the same but with a bad perspective, it becomes redundant quick. Overall Morbius is not a good book. Trying to find redeeming qualities in it was daunting and unaccomplished. Every aspect of it felt rushed as if trying to maintain a deadline or to keep the rights to the character. I do not see this comic sticking around for long and sadly there is a reason the Legacy number for Morbius hasn't gone past 50.

Overall the issue is decent for a setup to the climax of issue 6. The conclusion was predictable with how everything in the story moved. The art and story were mostly filler to get everything set up for the next issue.

The series is great and this issue helps bridge the many subplots that have been introduced. Having similarities to Hawkeye hasn't deterred from the overall story as both are different. This issue is what sets it apart as we see Dick start becoming who Alfred always knew he could be.

The issue overall is amazingly presented and brings a cleaver to take that keeps Nightwing a step above the other DC titles. Taylor and Redondo's unison in storytelling allowed these fun ideas to play out to be one of their best issues.

Once & Future has a lot of potential and is hitting the marks to be an impressive story. One of the more cautionary notes is to not overload with myths and legends; as they should only use them to progress the storyline. With such a huge wealth of them, it would be an easy cop-out as a story filler instead of creating natural conflicts and revelations.

Pearl #2 falls flat in execution and moving the story forward. We get glimpses of potential development but its overshadowed by needless cutaways and useless dialog. Hopefully, in the next issue, this gets corrected as the story does have potential as tattoos and Yakuzas do go together in Japanese culture.

At the end, this is an improvement over the last issue. We get to start seeing a forming of a story just the pace is taking us some time to arrive. If the pacing is improved in the next issue Pearl will be a great story. If it's more of the same as this issue, then it will be a middle of the road story.

I was one of the few who wasn't all onboard this comic each issue. I loved the concept, setting, characters, and themes. It felt that Bendis and Gaydos were lost in narrowing down what they wanted it all to be. But we finally get an issue that ties that's keeping the good, while slowly eliminating the bad at the same time. This hopefully isn't a one-off but the continuation of a great story that took a little development to get there.

The issue isn't good at all. It relies heavily on stereotypes and wants to bring awareness to a social issue. The series has the potential to be good, but the creative team needs to figure out what type of story it wants to tell. Is it a social commentary on life as a minority in America or a superhero story about those who suffer from being different and oppressed?

Plastic Man #3 is cosmetically perfect, however, the story itself is a jumbled mess. With a shortened jammed packed plot it feels that it would do better with less and not try to jam as much content into an already solid start. I do hope they can continue working on Plastic Man as that might be the true equal to Deadpool that DC has been looking for.

Overall, Public Domain is a great read and looks at the comic book industry's inner workings and ugly side. With the massive popularity of superheroes, creators deserve what is due to them for their work. Zdarsky blends his unique humor and tone in this issue to give readers a reason to stick around.

If the purpose of Refrigerator Full of Heads was to mock the absurdity of 80's horror sequels, it did the job. I just hope that the following issues bring clarity to a complicated disaster.

Overall, Rogues is a fun read, and a small real-life look into some of the many issues ex-convicts deal with trying to reacclimate with the real world. From the parole officer giving Snart grief just because to Bronze Tiger having to teach self-defense classes in a park because no one will rent a studio to him. Besides the overused one last score and misplaced panel, Rogues mixes comic book supervillains living with real-world issues perfectly. Issue two can not come soon enough as we want to find out what the last job will be.

Scales and Scoundrels #11 is strong and has followed the path of the second story arch to expand on the universe and showcase the different struggles found in it.

Shade has kept up the story that we were introduced before the Milk Wars. A new chapter begins as we are drawn further into the many layers that Cecil Castelucci has built throughout the series so far. The biggest downside is that the issue gets bogged down by trying to be too existential. This is evident with how Loma Shade dealt with the issues around her most notably getting her heart together and dealing with the Megan dilemma.

Overall the issue is fun and helps set up the story for new and old readers. With She-Hulk, having this duality between the Hulk and Jen Walters, balancing that dynamic is complex. Rowell and Antonio can have fun and understand the difference between them. The issue dramatically references and reinforces those differences, creating an excellent start to a She-Hulk comic.

Overall, Silk is an excellent issue for first-time readers or long-time fans. The story builds up the contrast between Cindy Moon and Silk. That contrasts gives the readers a unique look at how she has navigated life after getting out of the bunker back in Amazing Spider-Man #1 (2014). Kim and Miyazawa's story and art blend perfectly in this issue, giving us a promising start to the series.

Star is a strong entry in the Captain Marvel spinoff universe. Ms. Marvel has been a major staple for Marvel and from what Thompson and Pina have created, it sets a strong foundation for the series and the character. There are some flaws, as readers need to read or be familiar with the story line from Captain Marvel. The flash backs give little details and makes readers do their research if they just picked up this issue.

Issue 3 matches the strong story that Soule and Sinly have set out to create. The words and art blend perfectly and the story does not feel out of place or rushed. The only criticism I have, is that I wish this comic came out before Rise of Skywalker. It helps build on why Ben became Kylo and gives the audience that connection that was missing from the movies.

Ther series overall, is a slow unraveling of whodunit without knowing the who or what part. We know Aleea Strange is the main focal point to both stories' conclusion. This issue is that we got nowhere near to the answer but a lot more questions on what truly happened.

Overall, Dog Days is a solid issue and brings something new to the fans of the series. We are shown how some of the dogs were abducted, and the after-effects show why Stray Dogs is one of the best new comics.

Overall The Deadliest Bouquet is an enjoyable read but with its flaws. The story has an excellent foundation to be satisfying, but the art sometimes distracts from it. With the two parts out of alignment, the issue relays on the story to drive it. If the art can get polished and cleaned up, then Deadliest Bouquet can be a powerhouse series. 

Overall, Last Barbarians biggest flaw is how badly the world and story are set up. We know next to nothing about the town, little information regarding Sylv and Shadow's origin or history, and going at a slow, painful pace. The issue sometimes comes off as a storyboard movie pitch instead of a comic book.

Overall, Nightmare County is a solid horror entry into The Sandman Universe. The only major problem with the issue is how messy or chaotic it is. The story and art sometimes felt out of place or more confusing, especially with out-of-place side narratives over-explaining things. It took me a few reads to understand what was happening and why.

The White Trees it is a good story. Since the story is only two parts, it is short and to the point. Zdarsky and Anka have done a wonderful job with the characters and the art. With the second part coming out next month we can see a quick end to a story that most authors would try to prolong, adding longevity without reason.

Titans United: Bloodpact is disappointing, given the creative team involved. Everything about it feels rushed and pieced together to meet a missed deadline. The issue has some good, like the art and character banter, but those are muddled and hidden. Overall, it is not good; hopefully, future issues can be saved.

Overall, the series is a fun read, especially for new and old Doom Patrol fans. The inclusion of new members opens the story up to explore new areas and ideas. The story that Culver and Burnham are cultivating is off to a great start, and their work complements each other nicely.

Overall, Void Rivals is a great start to the Energon Universe. By using a standalone series as the starting point, it gives the creators control over when and how to introduce different characters. By focusing on Darak and Solila, we become invested in their story, and the Jetfire cameo doesn't detract from the overall narrative. The main concern still remains how much involvement Image characters will have and their role in the universe.

The after effects of the Drunkla incident still weighs heavy on Jayna and helps push Russell and Byrne to explore that theme. We not only see it with Jayna but also with Gleek overcoming his past. With so many themes being handled its no shock that Wonder Twins is one of DC better books right now.

Some of the saving graces' are that the story does have potential. The writing needs to be fleshed out better and have the characters use a full emotional spectrum. The art already nails giving characters individual traits, it just needs to extend to the main players not just the ones in the background. Overall the first issue didn't impress or inspire to anything other a flimsy halfhearted effort. The lack of emotion and character development hurts the story. In the end it feels more like an outline than an actual story and when they figure it out WYRD has a lot of potential to be good.

The biggest drawback from this issue that it's not long enough. It gives us a taste and makes you want more. You realize how good the series is and forces you to read volume one to be hyped for it again. This gives us a good understanding that the next volume is going to be good. Hopefully.