It's all just a hodgepodge of dialogue with little direction or connective tissue.

The dimension-hopping plots is far from a normal Batman tale and it's beginning to be evident why that's fairly uncommon.

Night Club 2 reads like it was written by how-do-you-fellow-kids Steve Buscemi, a script catering to a younger audience without the wherewithal to actually land an adequate story.

Issue #5 is supposed to be this mini-series' penultimate issue and I still haven't the slightest idea of what's going on.

Now a third of the year into this run, Gargoyles has no focus. Given the first arc seemingly wrapped with the last issue, Gargoyles #4 is a mismatch of sizable proportions with a script that goes nowhere, nor does it know what it wants to be.

After two issues of Immortal Sergeant that have left me wondering "Why?," I think I've figured it out. This comic is a manifesto for those looking for a reason to yell at clouds or the kids trampling across your lawn.

If you want to keep the great memories of Strange Academy alive, stay clear of this iteration.

While the event itself has been intriguing with its warring dynamics amongst the various groups, this issue pumps the break so that Tony Stark can lead his own psyche through a round of therapy about the very same topics we've seen him battle before. It's tiring to the point of exhaustiveness, and it adds littleif anythingto the overarching narrative of the event.

Certainly a disappointing outing in an otherwise promising event.

This mini-series is only half over and it already feels like it's run its course two issues too long.

Plagued by delays over the better part of a year and some change, Batman vs. Ra's Al Ghul goes out with a whimper with the sixth issue this week.

Some emotional character beats help keep things afloat for a bit but Biker Mice From Mars #1 is largely hollow.

This coming-of-age tale has just enough charm and heart to make it a tolerable, but nothing more.

While everything eventually comes to a head, it's a little too late to make much sense at all.

The second you try treating this title like a serious comic is when you'll start having a bad time.

There's something about Crave that feels like wasted potential. Despite showing glimpses of brilliancy, most of the story has felt hollow and empty.

Practically a Deathstroke comic in name only, this issue sees the Teen Titans storyline carry over, for better or for worse. Slade continues finding himself imprisoned, and at this point in the run, it's plenty tiresome.

The book constantly bounces around between timelines and characters and the end result is a mishmash of storytelling that's clearly better off as an OGN or a binge-read, if only because the month-to-month release has created jarring cuts in an already jarring story.

It's not often you see a comic where the lettering is the best part of it all, but Steve Wands' work within Earthdivers #10 is substantially better than the story at hand.

Perhaps in due a worthy tale will be told but as of now, only a slight glimmer of hope shines through an otherwise murky story.

The potential is there for Antithesis to redeem itself, sure"it's just got a long way to go.

Some may love it for its nostalgic value but in an age where there's dozens of superhero stories to pick from any given week, Antithesis is largely forgettable and entirely passable.

Weisman's script pushes together every lingering plot thread possible to wrap things up far too quickly.

The dialogue is elementary, and things move at far too brisk of a pace to allow for readers any sort of comfort.

Celebrating the beloved DC icon, some of the character's best artwork is collected into an extended one-shot here loosely tied together by a "story" from Dave Wielgosz. Actually, story's probably putting it on a little too thick given there are roughly five dialogue balloons throughout the duration of the book.

Now three issues in, Hawkman #3 is beginning to plateau in terms of advancing any storyline.

At first glance, Weapon H seems like a character that was something dreamt up in a Liefeldian fever dream in 1995, but Hulkverines manages to expand on the character's depth in satisfactory ways.

This is a title collectors will buy to complete their Infinity Wars set but as of now, Weapon Hex #2 does little to nothing to advance any sort of storyline.

Invader Zim is good at what it needs to be, but it's a far-shot from ground-breaking, Earth-shattering serialized storytelling.

Throughout Tynion's run on Justice League Dark, there's been peaks and valleys on pacing"in fact, inconsistency might be the most consistent thing about it. That said, this issue might end up being the slowest, most inconsequential issue of this entire run.

Knights of X #2 shows a lot of promise and Howard's mini-world is something I hope gets explored further and soon. It's just unfortunate that exploration hasn't yet come in this very series.

What Murder Falcon lacks in a substantial plot and believable dialogue, it certainly makes up in creativity and originality.

Another issue of Nightwing and another rehashing of the time between his near-fatal gunshot wound and the present time.

If you've read Nightwing once in the past six months, you've read the same exact issue and little has changed along the way.

Jurgens and company were on a promising stretch for a while there but Nightwing #70 is several hefty steps backs.

In a series of stories that have had plenty of highs and lows, Norse Mythology III #4 might be one of those lows.

Four issues in, it still seems like a walking cliche and it blends in with most other comics on the shelves today.

Though one might hope all is revealed in due time, I'm not sure from what I've read yet the long haul on this title will be worth it.

Jeremy Haun, Seth M. Peck, and company have built a beautiful world but Realm just hasn't hit his stride yet.

This issue is about as neutral as they come, even for a Red Hood book. It's not particularly bad, but nothing stands out the keep you interested either.

For a book that wants to be Venom, it's rather aimless at this point.

After a better-than-normal fourth issue, Scarlet #5 misses the landing " pretty hard at that.

While seeing Commando Scrappy Doo blast away zombies and monsters with a machine gun is a stunning visual, it's not enough to outweigh the incoherent plot.

The story here begins to unravel a bit as it loses itself amongst its own twists and turns.

While there was much more plot progression here than in the previous two issues combined, it's just getting stale and stagnant by this point.

Finally back with Marvel to write a Spidey title, Christopher Priest's highly anticipated return ends up falling flat.

The concept remains intriguing, it's just a hard sell when three issues have been released and you're barely an inch further than where everything started.

While most of the mysteries are answered throughout, the breakneck pace is bound to give you whiplash.

Superior Spider-Man #1 simply doesn't move the needle any measurable amount. It refuses to inject new life into the concept, and so it simply exists. It doesn't want to stand out, nor does it lay the groundwork for an interesting story ahead.

With some gruesome splash pages and a premise that has an astonishing amount of potential, Freeze certainly has what it needs to be very solid read " it just needs to get there first.

Silencer knows exactly what type of comic book it is, and it embraces that fully. Continuous blood-pumping action mixed with gratuitous violence provides for a read that's certainly exciting.

This book reeks of nostalgia with it trying its damnedest to be the best '90s comics it can be.

While it ends on a feel-good high note, the rest of the issue feels like the same few panels repeating over the majority of 23 pages.

The last in a three-issue crossover, Typhoid Fever: Iron Fist is disjointed and lacking direction from the time you flip open the cover.

For a book nearing the end of it's run, it's getting pretty anti-climactic, bordering on the edge of stale.

As far as penultimate issues go, Yondu #4 slowed down the overall pacing of the series to a crawl.

While there's likely (hopefully?) more to the story, this introductory issue is about as flat as can be.

Like the title's first issue, Brynmore #2 is awfully light on spooks for being solicited as a horror story.

Brynmore ends as abruptly as it started, light on plot, action, spooks, and much of anything at all.

Though the change in artists between timelines keeps things fresh, the wheels of this story churn in place taking readers on the same journeys as before.

For being billed as a supernatural crime thriller, Dogs of London #2 spends all too much time on anything but.

Earthdivers #8 finds itself a bit all over the place with sudden jumps between scenes providing readers with plenty of whiplash.

Earthdivers doesn't reinvent the wheel, nor does it do enough to set one of its own issues apart from the next.

With an oversized page count, the pacing of Firefly 'Verses #1 matches that of a snail with a bout of the flu.

Though an over-sized issue, it's light on character and carries a painfully slow plot that churns little from front cover to back.

Already three issues in and the first arc of this new Gargoyles comic seemingly reaches its conclusion in unspectacular fashion as characters literally drop what they're doing mid-fight and go home as all if well.

Though the story moves forward in Gargoyles #6, it does so in a haphazard fashion.

The plot progresses, but it does so in such a jarring manner, this issue is a tough one to get through.

Though Drew Moss' lineart continues to do wonders for this animated-based property, which brings across the tone of the show it's based on exceptionally well, a lukewarm script does no favors at it drags readers in far too many directions with bizarre pacing and questionable paneling.

As has been the case as with the rest of the Dark Ages story, this finale is rushed and clunky.

Immortal Sergeant wears its heart on its sleeve, and that's something you ought to applaud it for.

Though the story fizzles out as it's stretched every which way, the action and panel-exploding punches are a sight to see, for whatever that's worth.

In contrast with the ongoing Nightwing series, this Knight Terrors-spinoff is all too predictable and haphazard.

In a "Reign of X" line that's already been exceptionally dense with its rich storytelling, Knights of X is the creme brulee of the bunch. You read all the mutant-related titles you can, then there's a book like Knights of X #4 that's too decadent for its own good, upsetting your stomach as you scoop out the last bit of remnants from the ramekin.

The issue feels relatively hollow in an attempt to shoo-in the Suicide Squad, a group of heroes with much better curb appeal than the Man-Bat.

This is a definitive bridge between two Masters of the Universe shows set decades apart, however brittle that bridge may be.

The rebellion against Mr. Sinister continues in a bombastic fashion while this story buckles beneath the weight of multiple worlds.

If anything this title feels like a series of one-shot teasers for an expansive sci-fi world that has nothing to do with Marvel or mutant lore.

The finale crams about three issues worth of storytelling into its 20 pages and the end result is a breakneck story that never gets time the breathe.

Rogue Sun barrels towards an epic conclusion in issue #15 and though the script tries to demand your attention, the end result is much too hollow.

It's tonally mismatched throughout and involves a few different plot lines that include some haphazard pacing that pulls the book in a few too many directions.

This faux reboot of Non-Stop Spider-Man picks up exactly where that series left off, and doesn't really do much to propel the story forward.

Even with a comic that largely runs on some shocking reveals, none of to be found here in this issue and the end result largely fills like a filler.

They're trying to flesh out a character's decades-long history within the span of just a few issues, and it's just not clicking.

This story doesn't really upset the status quo, only teasing ever-so-slightly some real deviations from how we've seen these stories play out before.

Time Traveler Tales is silly, goofy, and full of root beerand a story that bounces around enough to make your head hurt.

All these years later, Undiscovered Country continues to be its bloated self, releasing issues that are far too grand for their own good.

X-Force #1 neither sinks nor swims, it simply is and that much is the cardinal sin of the medium. The issue is unable to stand-out from casual superhero storytelling, and it's a rather tame debut to follow one of the best X-Men eras Marvel has ever published. It doesn't help that the team, and story itself, is framed around a rather insufferable Forge, a character who brings the whole issue down.

The wheels of X-Men: Days of Future Past Doomsday #3 churn forth every so slowly, at times seeming as if they're not even churning at all.

It's not a deconstruction of the superhero genre, nor does it feel like a small and intimate look at what it means to be a hero. Instead it just really feels like nothing.

X-O Manowar is coming to its roaring conclusion, and it seems peculiar to drop an issue full of exposition as the penultimate of the run.

For the most part, it's hard to shake the feeling that Action Comics #1005 is nothing but filler for a larger story arc.

Bendis has been relying all too much on cliffhangers as of late, and it's but a matter of time before these leave-ya-hanging issues with zero sustenance will get tiring.

While it seems like it's back to form for Spider-Man, it just feels like something is missing from this title.

The majority of this issue serves as the prelude to the latest book featuring Kraven on a massive hunt, and it's shaping up to be quite the event.

While this book is paced better than its predecessor, it's a bit muddied and tiring.

While a massive cliffhanger at the end is in store, this issue was, by and large, business as usual.

Daily Bugle isn't entirely necessary but at the very least, it's a solid-enough read to warrant a return to the second issue when it comes out next month.

The way this issue is plotted, it reads as a filler at it fights to churn the wheels of a story forward.

Out of the four one-shots they've done, this one might be the most inconsequential as it feels largely standalone with little connective tissue to the rest.

Antioch takes a step back here, slowing to a crawl as Kindlon and Ferrari weave a microscopic tale.

Though the issue ends with a totally gnarly semi-splash that's very applause-worthy, the rest of the comic is a bit too dry for the expected Hellboy fanfare.

While the classic style of Adams' art is on full display here, the plot seems to pull me every which way without building any story arc up to its full potential.

Though this issue takes it down a notch, enough happens to keep you interested.

Things finally come to a head in Birthright #40 in an incredibly powerful and epic issue. If you've been waiting for massive magical marvels, this issue has it all and finally, readers are taken to a spot they've been waiting for all series.

Birthright #48 is in a unique position where it feels like the book moves by at a rapid pace, even though the plot hardly inches forward in the slightest.

The issue does some interesting things to help deepen the world Lemire has built over the past couple of years but even then, the book still has a looming feeling of inconsequential storytelling.

At this point, it's hard not to think this issue could have taken place in half the issues instead of drawing it out a few extra issues.

More than anything this series ended as if it feels like part one of a two-part story.

The Eisner-winning pair of Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston have crafted a suspenseful tale and with a few sub-plots intertwined with each larger story, there's enough going on to keep anyone entertained.

With a little too much dialogue for my own tastes, I'm still not sold on this title five issues in.

Blood Stained Teeth continues to weave an intricate vampiric tale.

While Reynolds and Moore's neon-soaked artworks continues to be a delight, the story is starting to grow tired as it fails to make any serious progress forward.

Should the team manage to flesh out Jessie's introductory story arc in due time, they may have something special on their hands.

Featuring an ensemble cast, the story in this issue is spread awfully thin, almost to the point it breaks into nothingness.

Book of Shadows is a title that was simultaneously too short and too long.

"Captain of Nothing" continues with a pretty flat issue that fails to ever find its footing.

Straczynski's Captain America continues to put concept over character, for better or for worse.

By now, Capwolf & the Howling Commandos feels like it's largely just running in place.

This title knows exactly what it needs to be and it executes it perfectly. While it continues to be void of substance, it's damn entertaining at the very least.

One can't help but think this storyline is one big throwaway.

If there's an award for horniest comic of the year, Crave's already a frontrunner as it starts to blur the line between art and pornography.

Crave #4 gives a little substance to the story at hand, putting its horniness on the back burner for now in exchange of story and character work.

Danny Ketch: Ghost Rider #3 is where this story begins to crumble under the weight of its nostalgia.

While Herbert's layouts and lineart sync perfectly with Adams' pulp-style adventure, the Stewart story is a bit too small for its own good, especially when dealing with the idea of a multiverse head-on.

If it wasn't clear by now, Dead X-Men is a series born out of the need to connect the dots of the wider "Fall of X" event, even if it does make for some awfully jarring moments.

Rick Remender always make sure to pack a strong narrative into his stories, but even then, this issue almost read like a generic Fast and the Furious-type comic book.

While this issue in particular takes a while to lift off, Priest ends it on a note of promise moving into the next issue.

As with any storyline set in an insane asylum, you always run the risk of the end result appearing convoluted as the writer tries tie dozens of loose ends together. That's not necessarily what's happening here ,but two issues into this arc and I'm not quite sure they're executing the idea as well as they could have.

Several issues into the story arc, it's beginning to feel stale as the pace seemingly slows to a crawl.

Deathstroke's time in Arkham finally comes to a head, making Deathstroke #40 the most exciting book of the story arc.

Priest manages to go full-on Bond this issue, creating an intriguing premise that shows promise for the next story arc.

While Javier Rodriguez' artwork continues to shine through to the end, the story as a whole goes out with a whimper, little more than an overly-meta take on a story.

Hilarious, action-packed, and thoughtful " Domino #5 is just good enough to keep the Domino hype train rolling full steam ahead.

Travel Foreman and Hi-Fi team up to create art that's out of this world, and it'll have you marveling over it the entire time this issue is in your hands.

The pacing of this issue never quite clicks, and it seems to jump around too frequently, creating jarring transitions from scene to scene.

Four issues in and the creative team hasn't even scratched the surface of what's possible with these characters.

Orlando and company lay out massive world in this series, but it has yet to really execute on that premise, and there's only one issue left.

Despite rock-solid Captain America writing from Phillip Kennedy Johnson, it's still hard to shake the feeling the stakes or story from this Empyre doesn't really matter, either as a whole or to the larger Marvel event currently going on.

The Waid + Adams combo here makes it look like this book was ripped straight out of the Silver Age of comics, tone and all. While nostalgia can carry you pretty far, this story still isn't hitting the right notes.

While I didn't find much of substance within the pages of Future Quest Presents #12, I remained intrigued throughout mainly because of nostalgia.

Unfortunately for the title, the result is a rough comic that appears to not know what it wants.

The cameos from Marvel's edgier characters"you know, like Punisher and Wolverine"still feel really hollow; instead of diving into Danny Ketch's massive transformation, it feels the character is using the aforementioned A-list names as a crutch to hobble along.

Ghost Rider from Percy and Smith has been solid through and through; so much so, many would probably consider it one of the best stories featuring Ghost Rider told in years.

Just when you think you have it all figured out, Jeff Lemire throws a wrench in the forks and upsets the status quo. That's how it's been nearly every issue in this young run so far, and Gideon Falls #7 is no different.

With the usual twists and turns that come with this title, nothing particularly stands out this month, but thankfully it's apparent something massive is coming to Gideon Falls... Eventually...

At long last, the storylines of Gideon Falls finally begin to converge and it's as mind-boggling"or downright confusing"as you'd expect.

This title is a master class in creating tremendous tension but at what point does will that tension lose its impact? Its strong hold is starting to wane, that's for sure.

With such a strong streak for the better part of its run, this issue might be the first misfire of the title and one can only hope things are ironed out with the finale.

. If we want to compare it to television, this most certainly was a filler episode trying to help build anticipation for a future story.

Finally, things start materializing in this issue, even though it might be in the most predictable of ways.

There are some interesting developments here with Rich Rider, but outside of everything else, this mini-event really ended with a whimper compared the other entries in the line the past few months.

Hairball #4 goes completely off the rails in its finale in the most haphazard of ways.

Sure it helps to have Cowan and Sienkiewicz involved, but this latest story feels undeniably 90s, for better or for worse.

Now halfway through its run, Hawkgirl is starting to feel like a story that doesn't know what it wants to be.

After an intriguing first issue, Hawkman #2 ends up falling flat when compared to its predecessor.

A slight dip from the previous few issues, Hawkman #6 feels like a filler issue until the next story arc begins.

This issue's plot seems as if it could have been resolved in a handful of pages rather than dragging it out over an entire issue.

Coming off an arc that was bigger than it had any right being, it's no wonder Hawkman #14 feels like the smallest issue of this volume yet.

Part of DC's ongoing "Year of the Villain" event, it's unfortunate Shadow Thief is about as one-dimensional as a villain can be, otherwise this book would be an enthralling read.

For the first time in quite some time, the action-packed adventures of Carter Hall and company take a backseat to some exposition and a tad of world-building.

If you're looking for a page-turning, blood-pumping action thriller, this isn't it.

Continuing to build out the earliest days of the BPRD, this Hellboy spinoff certainly provides interesting storytelling to supplement the Hellboy-based tales.

The good thing is that Hulkverines knows exactly what type of book it needs to be " and it executes that pretty well.

A character-driven story can go a long way, so let's see how Icon and Rocket can carry this before we get a solid-enough plot.

Green Lantern #10 brings several running mysterious into focus into one colossal battle, and it all feels decidedly epic in scope, a threat perfect for a Corps such as the Green Lanterns.

While Niimura tries to make some lemonade out of the lemons of a character with his kinetic action pieces, Immortal Sergeant goes nowhere in its script, despite being oversized at 40 pages.

The creative team proves the potential this title has had all along before dashing hopes not even halfway through the issue.

In lieu of any meaningful character development, the cast here refuses to change for the better. In fact, if any change is to be had, most of them are regressing as the title moves along.

It's frantic at times, which matches the tone of the story yet even then, it seems to be a mismatch.

Quite frankly, this issue raised more questions than answers, paving way to an unsatisfying ending.

Albeit a bit disappointing, the issue doesn't include any Earth-shattering revelation despite the title and prior marketing.

Some people might find the antagonist Killraven one-dimensional and the artwork bizarre, but once all the pieces of the puzzle are placed together, it makes for an enjoyable read that knows exactly what its purpose is.

Though each of the three storylines ends rather abruptly, each character could have a future elsewhere should the House of Ideas decide to carry them out of Infinity Wars.

I'm not sure if it's because Gerry Duggan isn't behind it, but Infinity Wars: Iron Hammer #1 felt distinctly different than any of the other Infinity Wars outings thus far, and it rubbed me the wrong way

Sleepwalker's powerset combined with the various amalgamations of characters is a recipe for a bizarre comic, one which will either be loved or hated.

Sleepwalker is a character rooted in nostalgia, and although these Infinity Wars tie-ins have an awesome opportunity to do some cool things, Sleepwalker #3 falls flat.

Although the story seems rather rushed, with decades after decades of stories crammed into two issues, Infinity Wars: Soldier Supreme #2 is probably my favorite issue of these "warped" tie-ins so far.

As with the remaining titles, this issue suffers from trying to squeeze in more warped characters than necessary. Regardless, Infinity Wars: Weapon Hex #1 didn't leave me bored.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but Invader Zim #32 seemingly rebounds the title after a few...several...off issues.

Ah, Invader Zim. In a book in which we probably shouldn't expect much, this title imagines to exceed what little expectations I had in place.

At the end of the day, the powers that be know exactly what an Invader Zim comic needs to be, and they consistently execute that plan fairly well, for better or for worse.

For as inconsistent as Invader Zim can be, when it packs a punch " it packs a big ol' uppercut that'll knock you on your butt.

With just enough heart and the ability to land jokes right, Invader Zim #39 is a pleasant read " or as pleasant as an Invader Zim comic can be, at least.

I've never put a series down after one issue, so I'll continue reading to see where this goes but this issue is sufficient and that's about it.

There's simply not the space to flesh out all of these characters while having a cohesive story, and this issue suffers from that all too much.

It's here Heart of the Dragon begins to collapse under the weight of its ambitious plot and grandiose ensemble.

The script moves along quickly, and Cinar's lineart is the perfect combination of 90s era Fixit goodness with an added modern-day sheen. Still, it's evident this book doesn't really know what it wants to be just quite yet.

There's been a lot going on in Justice League Dark as of late, and while the story's start to tie up some loose ends, there's still a lot left to be desired.

Justice League Dark is starting to be pulled in a few separate directions and it's impacting the story for the worst.

From what started as an amazingly horrific tale has morphed into a one-dimensional comic starting to blend in with the rest of them.

Little happens plot-wise this issue but, thankfully, the conversations that do happen are necessary and meaningful.

This book is best when it's equal parts horror and magic and that's the exact tone it's giving off this time around.

If there's one thing for sure, it's that Justice League Dark #20 includes the largest tonal shift this series has seen. Though it's still very much horror and magic, it's much light than the past few arcs.

The end is near for this iteration of Justice League Dark and everything continues to move toward this arc's conclusion at a breakneck pace.

When it comes to Justice League Dark, issue #29 is really JLD in name only.

It misses a few too many marks to be the great oversized issue is was hyped up to be.

This issue has a lot to it, and it simply can't cover its bases in time.

Knights of X #3 continues to move forward at an ever-slowing pace, churning forth just the slightest throughout its featherweight page count.

While the riddles laid out may bring back fans of mystery thrillers, the premise and characters alike are a bit too vanilla.

Little Black Book jumps in headfirst on the mystery laid down in its debut issue last month a little too hard here.

One thing more noticeable in this issue than any other recent ones is Remender's ability to push Greg Tocchini to fit as much sequential storytelling on one page as possible with seven or eight-panel pages throughout the duration of the entire comic.

Dan Watters' Lucifer continues to be an astonishingly dense read that isn't for the faint of heart.

Sure, things are moving forward but between the aforementioned pivot and a pace that inches forward ever so slowly, Man-Bat #3 is a little tedious to get through.

One can never go wrong with more Gorilla-Man, and luckily this short story delivers. A bit of personal reflection combined with an epic ape battle, this is a splendid note to end the anthology issue on.

Logan out of his element is certainly a welcome sight, yet this story continues to slog, seemingly carrying no weight as it progresses forward.

An international espionage thriller of sorts, this short story sets up a massive arc for next month.

There were a few plot points all to predictable in the story this time around but thankfully, things seem to be in a perfect place for the right finale next month.

A little too much time is spent on the world-building here and not enough on character and story.

If anything, Masters of the Universe: Revelation #2 exists to get from Point A to Point B without providing a meaningful trajectory forward, a rarity this early in a comic arc.

After three dynamite issues, Mindset #4 seems like filler.

Maybe future issues will improve on the debut retroactively"you know, the Age of Ultron effect. In and of itself, however, Morbius #1 stopped short of wowing me in ways I expect from launch issues.

After a brilliant second issue, Morbius #3 finds itself suffering the same pitfalls that held #1 back from being an incredible debut.

While the dialogue and scripting are both still a bit lacking, the overall narrative with Morbius vs. the world is inching toward an interesting peak.

When it comes to creature feature comics, it's hard to beat Morbius #5. Loaded to the brim with all kinds of creepy crawlies, this issue does the perfect job of encapsulating the horror that is Michael Morbius.

If you"or one of your children"enjoy the brands included, it might be worth the read. There's no telling now if it's something worth sticking around for, however.

Both stories here are fine, though the first one""Pet Sounds"" as a slight edge due to its content and underlying themes, a storyline that provides at least the slightest sustenance other than ponies and Decepticons fighting it out.

An intriguing idea at first, the group of Nightwings haven't done much, if anything, to keep my attention held.

Little happens this time around, and it's most certainly a hiccup in the intriguing storyline the team has built of late.

The Nightwings saga continues, for better or for worse, and this issue includes a villain that's all too predictable.

For taking over the title in the midst of a story arc, Dan Jurgens does a killer job wrapping it up nice and tight.

There's some promise in this arc of the new Talon but it almost seems too predictable of a step to make.

On the bright side, it's jam packed full of peak comic book action. On the other hand, it comes with it's fair share of moments that certainly straddle the line of corny.

When it comes to Nightwing #68, it feels very much like the second part of a two-part story, largely anti-climactic.

With a supporting role from another member of the Batfamily popping up, Nightwing #72 introduces a fresh change of pace " at least much fresher than this book's been of late.

The arc ends in a way one likely sees coming and even then, it still carries more heart and courage than most of the past 20-plus issues. But again, the best part of the issue, by and far, is the fact Ric Grayson is dead"of course, until he isn't.

With the steamroller they got moving with the previous issues, this one here feels like a step back as it avoids everything the title has been building towards completely.

Nightwing's "Fear State" tie-in wraps up here after a few issues, and it goes about the way you expect.

While the names attached to Norse Mythology are some of the biggest in the history of American comics, a monthly comic book probably isn't the best way to frame these stories.

Again, this story doesn't have any jaw-dropping moments as it's a story that's been told thousands of times before. What this story does provide, however, is a fresh take that's just different enough from whatever's come before it to hold your attention even the slightest bit.

The second volume of Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology continues with another classic Norse tale, and it might be the first one yet that's not really made for sequential storytelling.

As with other entires in this series, the script is disjointed at times, thrusting readers around numerous places and scenes from panel to panel. That said, it's consistent in its storytelling, and Doran's folksy line art does wonder for this grim-yet-candid tale.

While the hijinks of the Guardians are always a welcome sight, there's something missing from this issue.

As expected, Oliver #2 starts to explore the massive world set up in the debut issue, though it still leaves a lot to be desired.

Equal parts Terminator and Rambo, Oliver hits its stride with this issue.

The world introduced here by Brown and Prenzy is nothing short of intriguing, but the plot and scripting does fall a bit short at times, finding itself written itself into the corner but somehow, it always manages to claw and scratch its way out.

There's definitely a world being built here, but even with a slight history lesson, it's shaky at best.

Though a single mystery has practically consumed the plot of the first four issues, things finally start coming to a head in this issue where moment begins to happen on the plot advancement front.

Despite this being the penultimate issue, the mystery of Parasomnia becomes murkier than ever. At its core, this title is awfully dark with its bloodshed and demonic characters yet it comes across as a light read thanks to the lighter artwork and thick lettering.

Little happens on any front, both plot and character-wise, as the wheels of story refuse to churn forward even the slightest.

Phantom Road seems to zig-zag more than any other Lemire-ian tale, with this issue possibly being the most solid evidence of that.

Phantom Road is the most stagnant it's ever been, with dialogue-rich issues that move the plot forward the smallest of amounts.

With tones of Avengers: Infinity War in tow, Project Superpowers does an excellent job of balancing an ensemble cast, making sure to give each character their own chance to shine.

While the story seems like a generic sci-fi action book set in an all-too-stereotypical dystopian future, Torres' art combined with bright, vibrant colors from Dave Stewart is a great combination with Lemire's plot.

As you dig deeper throughout the issue, flashbacks line the page that help create some much-need character depth for the title's protagonist, and that's what sets this book apart from the rest.

I'm not getting a great sense of character development from the title's two protagonists, and at the end of the day, it's hard to shake the feeling that I'm reading some generic science fiction tale.

As a standalone issue, The Quantum Age #4 isn't necessarily an issue to write home about, but in the larger scheme of things, it will hopefully set up some big payoffs in the end.

After two spectacular issues, this title takes a step back here as Quantum and Woody are entirely too overbearing.

While the script falters at times, the art is more than enough to carry the first issue to satisfactory heights. Huang introduces a gorgeous world that deserves to be explored more by the mix of heroes leading the story.

This book alone spans multiple genres " from action/adventure and fantasy to horror, The Realm #11 has something for everyone.

Part fantasy, part horror, Realm #14 takes a lot of pages to say little. Nothing in this issue sets it apart from the rest of the stuff hitting shelves this week, but it isn't inherently a bad issue.

Story-wise, it's a hodge podge of plot points that only have one thing in common: an unsuspecting victim being senselessly murdered by an alien troll.

It's always a delight to see Stephen Segovia's art, so at least this issue has that going for it.

While the title's plot really isn't furthered until the very end of the issue, it's still an enjoyable read that gives a little bit of a refreshment to a title that's been feeling stale.

Rogue Sun #17 is hectic and jarring because it has so much to balance, and it's too big for its own good. At the very least, some of the action set pieces work incredibly well and spice up a rather lackluster outing.

What we get is some heart laughs and disgusting Deadpool moments, and that's probably enough for what this is.

While some prefer the slow-paced expositional buildups, it's most definitely not my cup of tea.

For a one-shot Christmas special, this oversized issue has everything you'd need. Even then, the shtick started to run thin by the end.

While casual fans are going to see this and scratch their heads, there are dozens of Easter eggs in store for the die-hards, that's for sure.

This is the first issue of the title that it feels has let off the gas pedal a bit. Understandably so; the world introduced so far has been incredibly expansive, and it deserves to be explored in several issues.

This genre-bending tale makes you stop and scratch your head more than once through the 30-some pages, and the second you get into it, the issue wraps up for the month.

This book continues to deal with a tough subject, which oftentimes results in a completely convoluted story that always manages to get lost on itself and that much is apparent yet again.

It's right about here Cantwell's script gets lost in the technical side of the Star Trek universe, opting to go the route of being "too Star Trek."

Though a necessary read before going forward to the next issue, it feels like a lot more could have happened than what ended up in the final pages.

All in all, the plot's progressed significantly, it's just spread too thin amongst our dozen protagonists as the title powers forward.

While I found the introductory story featuring Katana dull at points, the final story featuring Klarion the Witch-Boy really stood out.

Keeping with the theme of multiple short stories in one book, this month's stories are direct continuations. The story that stood out this time involved Katana and her late husband.

While the story itself seems to know where its going, the characters lack any sense of direction and they just exist.

It's a solid return, but Sweet Tooth: The Return #1 leaves a lot to be desired.

You can tell Rosenberg and team are trying to stand out, but they're dangerously short from holding themselves back from that goal. At the very least, it seems like the book is moving in the right direction"it's just not quite there yet.

Task Force Z started out as a novel idea, but it's just getting thin nearly half a year in.

Thanos #6 is a fitting end for the series, though it's a far cry from the most exciting.

In the words of the great Michael Bluth, I'm not sure what I expected " but at the very least, this Gumball Spring Break special is as entertaining as anything.

Despite the most interesting character of the bunch ending up dead by the end of the issue, this debut caught my attention just enough to bring me back to it next month.

There's a sense of Mad Max meets the Freakshow and for that, I'll definitely finish the series out but as of now, it just seems things aren't going anywhere.

There's some character work that can be done here, thanks to the version of Strange still alive is without the development of decades worth of storytelling, but even then the surface has only been scratched.

The Death of Doctor Strange had promise, but it never reached the heights it could have.

In the end, the comic comes across pretty inconsequential, even though it lays the groundwork for some interesting origin tweaks.

Though the concept of Freeze continues to be original and intriguing, this issue feels like it was missing something.

Sure, there are some fun cameos throughout but the plot just keeps tripping on itself as it falls into a redundant mess. On the bright side, you can never go wrong with Joe Bennett on the artwork.

There's a lot to unpack in these six issues, and re-reads will likely be required as everything's quite dense and tiresome to get through.

Peculiar choices aplenty, that's for sure.

In terms of a plot and overall narrative, Silencer falls flat but come on, who doesn't enjoy car-crashing action fests?

The story for this Thing mini-series is a bit all over the place at the moment, but at the root of it all is an action-packed, rock 'em sock 'em tale.

The power battle between Rightwing and Miss Martian continues in Titans #23 and it overpowers the rest of the issue, for better or for worse.

Titans #24 takes the group to an interesting place with a metahuman with the most unique powers.

This issue is packed to the gills with action so you shouldn't find yourself bored with reading this. Other than that, Titans #25 seems to be just another run of the mill issue featuring Grayson and company.

The reintroduction of the Blood Cult provides for a thrilling issue of Titans that almost has Dick, Donna, and company straddling the line of being in a horror tale.

While this issue didn't stand out in particular, it'll definitely be required reading for those interested in "Drowned Earth".

DC seemingly keeps putting some of the best artists in their stable on this title and Jung, Dell, and Lucas team up this issue to make beautiful art.

With a temporary new addition to the team that should excite most fans, Titans #31 errs more towards a filler issue as it works to set up the next story arc.

While it will be sad to see Abnett and company wrap this book up next month, it's long past due " at least the past few issues have been worthwhile reads to end this all on a high note.

At the very least, Di Nicuolo's manga-inspired lineart lends itself splendidly to an epic fight sequence in this issue.

Just two issues in, I'm definitely holding out hope for a stronger future, but this storyline just doesn't feel like it's quite there yet.

In standard fashion, the pacing of the issue pushes forward with ease hopping around from one scene to the next in no time at all. That creates a sense of unease and confusion, which may or may not be part of the design.

Continuing with the Wakandan characters she began to write in Black Panther: Long Live the King last year, Nnedi Okorafor's ability to write Okoye and her Dora Milaje compatriots is uncanny.

Wastelanders: Doom is a book that relies a little too much on its surprises to help propel its plot forward. That said, the script does slightly carry its own weight with the content within, crafting arguably the most "different" Wastelanders story today.

The Web of Black Widow spins a deeper, more intricate tale with each passing issue but now, it seems like it's on the verge of getting lost in itself.

As far as Black Widow comics go, this issue is right in the middle of the pack"save for a pretty hefty cliffhanger, nothing particularly stands out.

At the very least, it was an entertaining read perfectly suited for a one-off book rather than a title I'd have to read month after month.

This issue almost moves uncomfortably fast, but on the bright side, you likely won't be bored with it.

As Wild Storm begins to wind down, the action starts picking up and this book as pulsating action on nearly every single page.

Perfectly campy, Wizard Beach left me laughing out loud more than once. though the issue lacks a substantial plot, the title still manages to be heartwarming and charming.

It won't take you long before you feel X-O Manowar #3 is a filler issue, providing content just to provide content as the overarching plot starts to falter.

X-O Manowar #4 seems to bring this run's first arc to an end"with a whimper, at that.

If you're looking for something with a lot of plotting, scheming, and exposition, this might be your favorite book of the week. If not, well... you get the gist.

It's flawed and imperfect, messy and jagged"it's exactly the art this character needs.

The story is still a bit too slow for my tastes, but I'm totally loving the tone"almost Mandalorian in a sense, the cosmic Western arc provides for a worthy tale.

Thanks to its fair share of twists and turn, this issue is pulled one too many ways to really stick the landing.

Like most other entries in this Marvel event, A.X.E.: Iron Fist #1 exists to help bolster a central title and make it bigger than it really is.

It's all too predictable, which is a shame for an entire issue that takes place over the span of a single fight.

Here, the events that unfold are a bit too drawn out as the action gets pushed to the backburner. Nonetheless, this final arc does appear to be wrapping up most of the outstanding questions in the series, so at least it has that going for it.

With Birthright #49 here, the story is quick to wrap itself up, bypassing the slow-burn methods of issues in the past for a brisk story that rushes to the end.

Black Hammer's familiar meta tone takes center stage in The End #3, giving readers a plot that's buried under what seems to be 20 layers of Black Hammer storytelling.

Things just kind of exist here as the universe tries to decide what it wants to do with Anti-God.

Compared to other Black Hammer, it's toned down and the pace moves at a crawl"that might be for the best here. The end result is an intense character study into the foul-mouthed hero that takes the form of a kid, even though she's actually an adult.

At the very least, it's another interesting addition that fans of this particular superhero franchise will enjoy, but it's not a must-read for those looking to jumping into it all for the first time.

At the end of the day, you can probably take it or leave it, but like many others in this line of storytelling, you don't need any additional Black Hammer knowledge before hopping in.

All things told, this issue takes its time moving forward, enough so it makes you wonder if this vampire angle is sustainable.

Gorgeous lineart and colors propel this story forward, I just hope the wheels of scripting get to turning.

Blood Stained Teeth comes to its roaring conclusion, ending only as a story featuring a character like Atticus Sloane could.

Stephanie Phillips takes the reins on the First Avenger, and the end result is something with a little more fluff than need be.

Crimson Flower has never been any gorier than it is now as #3 injects a splash of blood wherever it can.

Danny Ketch: Ghost Rider #4 ties things up nicely with a neat little bow, serving as the conclusion for a story that was 30 years in the making.

This Daredevil series begins to stall with its sophomore outing as the entire issue takes place within a single set piece.

Reading through Devil's Reign has been like watching master chess players duke it out. That's why it's infuriating the major turning moment here"the big reveal, if you will"happens solely by chance, and not by the calculating characters this title has built up.

The comic's Omega issue sets out to answer many of the loose ends left over by the main storyline and does a pretty adequate job on the front. What's more obvious, however, is that this issue serves much more like a #0 issue than part of the previous tale.

For being an event tie-in, Devil's Reign: Spider-Man #1 packs one heck of a bunch.

It's good at what it is, but it comes at the expense of sacrificing a story that's debuted to an incredibly interesting start.

In a title full of psychedelic art, Ferry and Moore pull out all the stops to make the art as multi-dimensional as possible. That said, there are some instances where some panels pull readers out of the story due to rushed line work and hurried shading.

Eight Billion Genies barrels forward here with another action-packed issue.

Just when you think you know where everything's going, Gillen and company flip the script on you and subvert any expectations you may have.

There are no large action set-pieces, yet Ribic's pages still manage to draw you in and hold your attention. But that's just it"this issue neither sets up the book's demise nor makes it an award contender. Eternals #8 just is.

While the vast majority of this issue falls in line with the rest of the series, with Gillen's dynamite scripting and lineart from Ribic and Guiu Vilanova, a reveal towards the end cheapens the story at hand a little bit.

At some points, this run as been a bit difficult to get through and Eternals #10 isn't an exception. This comic is overhauling a certain part of an expansive world and there's no way around it.

Guiu Vilanova's work here is welcome, close enough to that of Esad Ribic's that there's not too much of a departure of previous issues, yet new enough that there's a certain sense of freshness injected into the series as it winds down.

Here, it's more apparent than ever those in publishing are transforming the comic characters to look and act like those on the film studio side of things.

Because of the various different plots, the script does get quite jarring at times, yanking readers back and forth as the writer tries to jam as much as possible into one issue.

Despite this run from Percy, Smith, Peeples, and company already having been plenty graphic, Ghost Rider #6 takes it up a notch as it dives into monster horror with a few jaw-droppingly gruesome scenes.

Ghost Rider slows to a crawl this issue, one that largely goes out of its way to make itself a shallow springboard into the next issue rather than adding some meat to its own bones.

Though the story isn't as physically dark as this has been in the past, it's a psychological thriller that leaves you uncomfortable as it moves along.

There's a sense of mystery coursing through this issue, though it feels unneeded and unnecessary given we already know much of what the story is forcing itself to hide from us.

The Harbinger #3 is wild"for better or for worse.

The dialogue and pacing reads as a story that was shoehorned into being a four-issue tale, rather than giving it the time to breathe over a traditional five or six-issue arc.

The story and plot itself isn't anything to write home about just quite yet, another street-level superhero trying to take a one-percenter.

Regardless of the story or plot, it's hard to get past Cowan and Sienkiewicz on the same team. It just so happens they work seamlessly with Thomas' scripts so far.

The story is split amongst everyone, and that's where it begins to really falter, as things jump around far too frequently. Remove any sense of development, and Siege Society starts to begin hollow. Luckily, it has a main story to fall back on, making it a suitable (yet nonessential) read.

The story here takes a hard pivot into incredibly real-world issues and the ongoing opioid crisis and the effect is has on the various societal classes around the world.

Just two issues in and Gerry Duggan has already spun a masterful whodunnit as Tony Stark and Riri Williams have a quick team-up as they work to find who's impersonating Iron Man.

So far, however, the story has been pretty safe and Stark is living up to expectations. That said, little has been done to set this particular run apart from the others since the title's first issue last year began to change the status quo.

Though the overarching plot does eventually move forward by the end of the issue, this part of the tale largely focuses on a standalone story. Because of that, this read could be a hit with those that have a soft spot for all things Marvel 80s and 90s.

The reimagining of Iron Fist continues with Lin Lie's biggest fight yet, and it should be one for the ages. Instead, the plot skirts around the fight between Iron Fist and two Immortal Weapons and goes back into the main plot awfully fast.

If this mini-series gets some time to breathe sort itself out even the slightest bit, the end result could be something very special.

After focusing on Spider-Man for a few issues, Joe Fixit finally gives some time to the eponymous Avenger, and it's all the better for it.

The script of this finale was fun and full of excitement, and inar nailed the action sequences.

The story itself is an alright premise, I just wish it'd involved something other than the lowest hanging fruit of them all"evil Superman.

Some comics have a lot going on, and then there's something like Knights of X #1 that comes along and makes those stories pale in comparison.

After all, what's not to like about a super-meta take on Marvel's oft-forgotten monster characters?

Sure, it's an anthology with stories that likely won't go anywhere, but at least they're bite-sized and enjoyable.

And just like that, the anthology draws to a close with its strongest issue yet.

There was a lot of ground to cover throughout these four issues, and Tim Sheridan and crew managed to balance it all rather well.

Though the story is satisfactory, it ends up being dense just to be dense at times. It's more evident than ever that Pearson's stunning artwork carried it through to the end.

The script for this story is so microscopic, it's even a bit too small for Marvel's street-level heroes.

Grayson's character-work remains unrivaled, and the addition of Geraldo Borges on art is more welcome than ever, especially when it comes to a kinetic car chase.

The story itself is necessarily not something to write home about, since again, it's an adaptation of a centuries-old tale. At the very least, however, at least it's fun to consume in a sequential format.

It's issues like this one that shows just how bizarrely structured Norse Mythology really is.

. In a sense, this book has a shallow depthit has many layers to the story, but each of those layers is light on characterization and plot progression. They do, however, standout because of the top-notch lineart courtesy of Andrea Mutti, only amplified by the excellent watercolors throughout.

Even under the premise of a genre-spanning thriller, The Dreaming God #4 is a poignant tale of familialblood and otherwiseloss and the grief that comes with it.

This issue, in particularly, borders on the edge of being too quick of a read, with little progressing on both the character and story fronts.

Ben Percy's writing is good enough for a book akin to "Godzilla vs. Kong," where the spotlight should belong to two monsters fighting rather than any thought-provoking dialogue or meaningful human interaction.

This book still has loads of promise, and I hope we see more exploration in the coming pages.

This book is definitely heading the direction it needs to go to become a solid sci-fi entry, but it may be an issue or two too late.

Readers are quickly reminded of the teenager that leads the title, covering some of the exact same coming-of-age angles told earlier in the series.

Parrott continues helping flesh out the MassiveVerse with additional characters. The only problem there is that they're the same characters the title introduced last issue, and neither their story nor development takes a major leap forward here.

While new concepts and mythologies are being introduced, it feels like Dylan's progress takes a step back as he fills the shoes of the character we knew a year ago.

There's simultaneously a lot going on and nothing going on whatsoever as the story is pulled forward in three or four new directions. Alas, the tension is palpable we just don't know if the payoff is going to be worth it.

Rogue Sun blows the lid off it all in this non-finale that most certainly feels like it's wrapping things up for good.

It's humorous and clips along at a brisk pace, even though it runs into the trap of featuring an antagonist that's simply the opposite of its protagonist.

This is a breezy little comic that puts character first, even though it's starting to slightly err on the side of emptiness.

Issues of Strange Academy are few and far between these days, but when they land"they land hard.

Save for one of the title's classic surprise endings, this is one of the few Strange Academy issues that manages to blend in instead of stepping out ahead of the genre.

Something's building, and this issue is very much the first part of something else, despite being billed as a finale of sorts.

It's got potential, but it definitely isn't there yet.

All that said, Sweet Tooth: The Return #5 is that issue in a comic run"it exists for the exposition that will propel the plot forward. It's necessary, sure " but it does take away a bit from the stellar setup introduced last issue.

This story is massive and full of jaw-dropping art, one page turn after the next, so you've got to applaud the team for pushing the "comic booky goodness" envelope so far within the span of 40-some pages. All that said, the story here feels inconsequential from the leap.

Coupled with a few shocking reveals, Task Force Z is on the right path, albeit the journey there has been a bit too inconsistent.

While the writer uses a somewhat tired catalyst here"a solar flare, of all things"he manages to keep things moving with an ensemble most would consider far too large.

The first issue alone is a who's who of Marvel Comics' mystics and before you close the back cover, even the Avengers get involved. Despite all that, this introductory issue serves as an intriguing launch of something that might become something epic"or something that we've seen one too many times before.

As Rucka and Trautmann are handed plenty of extra pages in each issue for backing material, the sequential part of the issue rushes by with a brisk pace, allowing the tempo to match Henderson's high-octane, punch-ya-in-the-mouth lineart.

It was something needed to get from Point A to Point B, and Narcisse manages to tie things up nice and tight. On top of that all, German Peralta can draw one hell of a Gladiator.

If you can stomach the snail's crawl of a pace, the scripted intrigue and artwork should be enough to tide you over at least one more month.

Already half over, Unbelievable Unteens slows down a bit too quickly here, though the intrigue remains. As always, it doesn't get much better than Tyler Crook but y'all already knew that. His work is great here, as always.

Lemire's ability to swap between the classic methods of Silver Age comic storytelling and the tips and trick used in the modern-day is a sight to behold.

Time Traveler Tales #3 features a surprisingly light script based on rather dark and dreary subject matter. Scheidt handles certain themes with a certain lightness and the title is better off for it.

Though it's really an all-ages tale, there's a lot of darker elements the writer handles with a certain lightness, pulling the title far from despair.