Agasicles Stamas Comic Reviews

1872 is an enjoyable Elseworld or ‘What if…?' kind of tale; the kind that we do not get a lot of these days. It is nice seeing these anachronistic renditions of familiar heroes who are de-powered but still built of the same moral stuff. Scenes with Ben Ulrich and mentions of Aunt May give the strange setting a definitively Marvel theme to the backdrop. And in a very nice touch, the map at the beginning of the comic, with touches of Marvel hero and organization names laid out showing properties, ranches, farms, and establishments is a warm and inviting way to get everyone settled in their seats for a creatively courageous riff on the norm. This one is a keeper, and should play out well. It is unfortunate that we know this cannot continue beyond the end of Secret Wars/Battleworld, so enjoy it while you can.

Solid work, just shy of greatness, results in what is still a great pull in my stack for this week. And it's nice to see that Action Comics is still where you want to go for the best Superman stories being told.

All-New Captain America #3 receives a 10 out of 10 on the Geeks With Wives Comics Rating scale for this week. It is an inspiring tale. One which displays Sam Wilson's strengths and flaws, and, in doing so, makes him a relevant Captain America for the 21st century. For those who doubted, this issue might go a long way in convincing you that Remender and Marvel have got something to go on here. For those who still doubt, keep watching. You might yet be convinced.

Fans of Hawkeye should definitely stay on for the ride. I'm just not sure if it does much to grab new readers to this character. Still, overall, an excellent read.

There's a lot wrong here. This book is very similar to Iron Man International #1, which I also felt had not found it's footing. Marvel seems to be struggling in its effort to reboot and re-imagine some of its mainstream characters in the wake of Secret Wars. In a similar vein, DC seems to be struggling with seminal characters like Green Arrow, as creative teams try to outro those characters inpreparationsfor rebirth. This issue did not encourage to me to get onboard this new ongoing. I think I'll continue to pan around the Marvel-scape for other interesting things to put on my pull-list. This story seems to be overly bent on taking on the religious right, but is doing so with a Spider-Man that slips from Deadpoolesque in one minute, to Daredevilish in the next, and none of it feels right. Hopefully there will be a different vector after this arc is done, but right now this does not feel like anybody's favorite web-head.

My problems with this issue are not with the subject matter and idyllic setting, but with a shifting tone that does not ever let me square up and settle into a set of expectations that I felt I could rely on. I know and have read some great issues in this Mark Waid run, but this one feels a bit off creatively; almost clunky.

A confusing mix of seemingly random story-telling that left me with very little to hold on to, nothing that really encourages me to go read the back-issues, and no emotional response to the storyline. There's a glimmer of interest in the art, but it's not the kind that grabs your attention right off the bat.

Grab yer backpacks, kids. It's time to go to school. Del Mundo and D'Alfonso are at the chalkboard showing everyone how it's supposed to be done. While nothing much happens in this issue, exquisite craft in story-telling is on display, providing a clear and present danger that the subsequent issues are ensured to be some of the greatest Avengers tales ever told.

If this is the last issue (it seems that I'm writing that opener in a LOT of DC and Marvel reviews these days) of Batgirl, then this is one hell of a send-off. [It's not BTW, we've got two more to go]. Art and story here blend in a masterful intermix that fuels the highest level of adventure burn. Say whatever you want about Stewart, Fletcher, and Babs' entirely fresh take on this character since the younger Gordon exited stage left from Batman Eternal and wound up in Burnside. But they are most definitely on-point as they prepare to wind this story up and leave behind a legacy that is likely not to be revisited for some years. And that's ok. I believe that this creative team has this variant of Batgirl on lock, and I'm not sure that I would want anyone else to try and capture the lightning in a bottle that has been the new normal since Batgirl #35. Well done, team. Feel free to wow us with your double-encore.

Fletcher's story did generate some interest in me for this character's adventures. though. Let me skip to the end and say that a certain head of an organization shows up and that signals that this is an important story arc. Despite the number of transitions that occur in this book, it is pretty light in its overall activity, and you're not made to feel like you are being overwhelmed to multi-task all of the various story threads. The scenes with Bo and her kidnapee are endearing, despite the Stockholm Syndrome it represents. Dinah and Bo never fight, so my hope is that that is coming in a BIG way!!!

I'm not interested in this. And if it pops in my pull again, I may just bypass it. Usually I give any title at least two tries before I write it off, but this is a special case. I just couldn't stomach another issue of this. I'm hoping that BP gets back to a MU base. Again, I'm not sure what this is supposed to be, maybe it's like a 4-issue "What if?" segway. But it's hard for me to keep my composure and be respectful of this book, because I do want to say it is a professionally done piece of work. There isn't anything careless or negligent in this, it's, just really...not for me

Bloodshot has been in great hands for the last three years. My drop-in checkup on maybe my second-favorite Valiant character tells me that there's no risk of that changing as long as Lemire stays on the job. Nice stuff.

Overall, Blue Beetle #6 felt like a ho-hum issue that I marked up a half-point because of the cameo and where it looks like the book is heading at least for one issue. Maybe, to make things fair, this comic is pointed at a younger demographic and just isn't made for me. I loved me some circa 1986 Ted Kord Blue Beetle. But this issue did not leave me with a compelling reason to on-board for the current 2017 ride.

Buffy has a firm legacy and Whedon and Gage own it, wield it, admit to it where it is rough around the edges, and use it to its fullest. This is gonna be a fun ride. And I'm on it until the end. Bravo.

This is just a great bit of storytelling packaged in a wonderful period piece setting. Despite it not normally being my thing, I will eat this up as long as Loeb, Sale, and Stewart can keep the quality at this level. It is entirely set within the WWII backdrop right now. I'm interested to see if they bring it back to later eras and focus on some of the initial Avengers stuff, which I think this team would do well. This has been added to my ongoing pull-list, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds.

In a year in which I have been highlydisillusionedby Marvel as a company, and question the focus of their strategic direction (or lack thereof), this series has stood out as being representative of what Marvel comics should be. A story that is full of heart, a villain who is absolute darkness, and the guilt driven angst of the world's greatest hero (at least in Marvel)…there are fewformulasfor success that could compare to what this book is consistently doing from issue-to-issue. I would not mind seeing this as an ongoing. Nope. Not. One. Bit.

There are really just too many things to mention about this book that had me enamored with it. I am strongly considering shoving something on my current recurring pull-list aside to make room for this. While I typically do not manually monkey with my pull-list except at specific trigger events, this series has grabbed my interest with the strongest pull since the Warren Ellis " Declan Shalvey Moon Knight debut. I highly recommend that you check it out, even if it is just to look into this single issue. If I do not jump on this, I will certainly be on the lookout for the trade. Simply superb.

Conan the Avenger #24 leaves you hungry for more Hyborian high-adventure, and you can see solid underpinnings for many great tales woven into Van Lente's backdrop. And being that it is Van Lente, you can be confident that such adventures are forthcoming. It's just that this issue feels almost like a break from the action. And there's not a lot of Conan in it. Sprinkle in one or two great supporting characters, and lean on the myth of Conan, and this could be ok. As it is, there is more myth than meat, and that leaves the issue feeling sparse and empty.

The whole book from a setup standpoint is kind of nonsense. There is a place for just mixing up a hodge-podge of characters that would not normally be seen together to answer those questions of "who would win in a fight between"". But those stories generally appeal to a much younger reader. If that is what you are looking for, this is worth a read. For readers looking for meatier plots and more intricate story (and art), you might want to skip this one. It does not do anything wrong, per se, it just does not stand out in a sea of books when the market for eyeball time is so competitive.

I hate events. I hate them even more when I have basically been on a two month sabbatical from nerd-dom and know even less about what should be going on in them than usual. Despite those general sentiments, Convergence Aquaman #1 has some upside that evades those initial negatives. Are those positives enough to carry the day? Almost. Almost.

Overall, I am pleased with this issue. If I am going to be on the Aquaman ongoing after Convergence (undecided), then it is good that I will have this lore in my back-pocket. What I take away from the issue most of all is the human/hero story between Arthur and Dane Dorrance of S.T.A.R.S. that is put on display. There is also a wonderful line where Dane stoically conveys that while Batman is the one most people worry will turn bad, that it is Aquaman that is the truly the dangerous one. Overall, this issue is a skosh more solid than the last. And I wish they would stop letting Becky Cloonan paint covers.

There is a down-check here for an Alfred program that is clearly a rip of the MCU' Jarvis. But the emotional twist in the book's climax erases this as well as any other perception of story missteps. This is just a great example of what DC can do in a 2-part story unencumbered by the riggings of rigid continuity and heavy-handed editorial oversight. I still like my world's where everything is connected, but there is certainly room for both when they are done well in either vein. In this case, Gray, Randall, and Eltaeb nail it. Well done, gentlemen, and thank you.

In this issue we are kind of presented a Water World-Mad Max -Walking Dead mash-up. Again, the main problem here is that every story element presented can seemingly be traced back to another work of fiction that had a similar setup and covered that ground already. This is not a bad book. I just cannot put my finger on anything that makes it remarkable or, really, even unique from something else that has not been done, and done better. If you are looking for great non-super hero comics, there are others. If you are a dyed in the wool fan of post-apocalyptic or zombie apocalypse plot content, this might be in your wheelhouse. I would say you might want to hold out for something better.

More than anything, Cyborg #23 is about Vic Stone the man, rather than being about Cyborg the techno-hero, which is a very difficult thing to pull off amidst things like Pacific Rim-sized robots. It's a solid example of what Wolfman did for two decades at DC, complimented by some solid craft from his supporting cast.

Daredevil has never been one of my favorite heroes. In fact, there was as time when I simply would not pick up a Daredevil comic because I found the character boring. But over the last couple of years, I've grown fond of the treatments he's been given. This is no exception. In fact, it tops the cake. I have been a bit conservative in my final score, simply because this issue did not have any big reveals or especially heart-warming (or ripping) moments. I know those are coming. And since I'm most certainly adding this book to my monthly recurring pulls, I need to give Soule time to ramp. Because I know he's not blown the cap on the potential he has working on this classic character. I consider it a high mark, regardless, when an issue gets me to add a book to my pulls, so consider that a high compliment. Mr. Soule? Ya got me.

With one of the best creative teams going today, Daredevil #17 starts to pull back the curtain on how Matt Murdock did the voodoo that he did do to get back his secret identity. With a great story that allows us to peer inside and see just how Matt was impacted when he went public, this is an insightful tale further breaking down the man that is Daredevil. While not a lot happens in this issue, it is masterfully written by Soule and unfolded on a page by Garney and Milla. Wonderful stuff and a great appetizer to warm us up for the unraveling of a mystery starring one of Marvel's best loved heroes. If you were looking for a place to jump on, here it is.

Overall, I liked this book. It has a certain, genuine charm to it. But I came away not particularly engaged in any of the stories other than the Batwoman one. I'm not adding this to my regular pull just yet, but I would not avoid it if it came up in my weekly random picks that augment my regular pulls. For those who really like period pieces or who have a nostalgic yen for comics stylized from previous eras should like this issue just fine.

Duggan weaves an excellent tale here, scripting Deadpool into less of a caricature and more so humanizing him than other writers have. The scenes with 'Pool and Rogue are excellent, Deadpool revealing his daughter to Rogue and asking her to look out for the kid should something ever happen to him. The book's high points are mostly in these quiet scenes between the two. I have rarely even liked a Deadpool comic, much less been left fiending for the next issue. Keep it up, guys, this is great stuff!

As of this writing, I have only gotten through a bit more than my three review issues this week out of my total pull of ten books; about 3.5 issues. But this has been the best thing going so far. The book has been scoring a 7.5 or higher over the course of the Duggan run that I have read; I've been on this ongoing since Issue #15. That is a solid run, and in my opinion is quickly becoming the defining run of a comic with this character. Deadpool has been groomed for some time to become a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe, via widespread appearances in multiple capers with many teams and stand-alone team-ups with individual heroes. But it has not been until this run that I felt there was a comic that made the character of Deadpool worthy of Wolverine-level status in the Marvel Universe. When you are done here Mr. Duggan, I hope that you are able to take a nice vacation. You will most certainly have earned it.

This New 52 Deathstroke series could have easily been walked out on the arm of some swanky model (and, truth be told, it looks like there may be one or two more regular issues coming), with plenty of sexy sword and gunplay and artful banter. I am sure that someone toyed with the thought that he would face Batman in the final battle of this run. As it is, this annual is very off-tone for what you would expect to see from a super-hero comic. Sure, he's a villain, but he's still a costume at the end of the day, and I was expecting kind of a tropish exit. But I'm glad to see DC take this closure in a different direction. Long live Deathstroke. And bravo to this creative team, indeed.

Deathstroke #15 is a solid issue, where the art grabs your attention a bit more than the story. But the story is solid. Just don't expect anything Berlanti-like. And I'll admit that is a bit unfair with regards to a single issue. Although we write these reviews as the monthly issues incrementally drop, the truth is that it is in the whole arc as a single cohesive tale that a writer's cred is most weighted. If you are looking to check in on Deathstroke and see if it is something interesting, issue #15 is a fine place. For fans of Wolverine, Lobo, Winter Soldier, Elektra, Black Widow, and similar solo, mercenary/assassin/spy redemption/revenge tales, you'll likely be interested in sticking around to see if this should become a permanent part of your pulls. For others who are not so genre -engendered, your mileage may vary.

Still, Deathstroke #16 is a pretty fun roller-coaster ride. And there were several moments that had me holding my breath. Regardless of my feelings on the artwork, Deathstroke vs Red Hood is a fight that I'll pay to see any day, and this one did not disappoint. The fight was also well-choreographed. There may have been one panel where I was like, "How they hell did they get there from the last panel?", but just one is no crime. Things are going pretty well for this series. Deathstroke was canceled in a previous ongoing back in 2013, I believe. I have not heard any word of this title being shaken out in the midst of the Rebirth announcements. Let's hope that remains true.

I'm not sure that I like this run as much as the New 52 one. In fact, I am pretty certain that I do not. But, it does have the espionage hook with you never being clear who exactly knows what. This issue felt like it was a bit of a recall to the "DC hero cameo of the week" approach of the New 52 run, and I would rather this book try to remain its own thing. Yet series is pretty consistent, from issue to issue, and that says a lot these days. You pretty much know exactly what kind of story you can expect, and the fact that that story will be a topsy-turvy whodunit mix-up of crazy malicious assassin's honor anti-hero mischief with an occasional DC cameo thrown in (as long as it stays occasional)...that ain't too bad.

This issue was interesting for the momentary intrigue, but not fully satisfying all around.

Deep State does not necessarily leap off the page with tons of excitement and wonder. And in a week that is jam-packed with some pretty incredible single issues, this one is likely to go unnoticed by the mainstream crowd. This series should read very well in trades. But even if you want to jump on now just for a quick X-Files/MiB kind of fix, the story and setup leaves plenty of room for new readers to step in without needing a lot of the background from issues #1 and #2. Deep State is a nicely contained story amidst a sea of convoluted messes that populate a lot of the landscapes of DC and Marvel. While not revolutionary, it does provide a nice detour for those looking for something other than capes and tights. Sci-fi intrigue fans might want to check this one out.

In conjunction with last issue's prologue content, this is a good, solid opener to a new arc, especially one with the weight of its title driving high expectations. The creative team is wisely leaning on many of the tools and powers you get when given the opportunity to work on the Batman. Quick, punchy dialog that has the weight of decades of history to round it out without the need to write a lot of words. The capes and shadows. Painting in lots of reds into the blackness. Kate's signature hair. A nice, cerebral reveal at the end.

When this issue was all over, I had to take a breath. It was tense, with big drum beats and reveals along the way. It felt like watching a season finale of a CW show, yet this is only the second issue in this arc (discounting the preview that was in the recent anniversary issue). So now it's up to Tynion to continue delivering the same caliber of entertainment for the remaining 4 issues. A tough feat to pull off, but as this has become what to me is the headliner Batman title*, I believe Tynion has the chops to do just that. He is relatively young in comparison to the current industry luminaries, but make no mistake. This is Tynion IV's best work, and he has definitely been growing and working his craft to arrive at a point where he can pull a story like this together. It's good stuff, and I can see even greater work in his future.

This is shaping up to be a good mini-series. Thompson gets things moving right off the bat with a healthy bit of action, and throws a magically weakened Dr Strange into arm's length of danger, forcing him to fight with his axe as much as the small amount of magic that he has left. Thompson could have easily opened this tale with a talking heads issue and I was glad to see him not make that creative choice. Thompson does not have a lot of writing under his belt at Marvel. But this limited series looks to be in good hands. And with the added splash of Bellaire's colors, this oughtta be a good ride.

Burnham and Culver spit out a pretty damned good script here. It is always tough whenever you have a book with a dozen X-Men on-screen at a time. It can be tough to juggle. And while your mileage may not go but so far if you do not immediately recognize some of these characters, you should still enjoy the snappy dialogue. There is a LOT going on here. First shocker: creepy gross old Magneto sleeping with one of the Cuckoos. Aren't they, like, 14 years old? And now there are five; weren't there three? It doesn't matter. B&C are doing what many Marvel writers are in this time of Secret Wars/Battleworld, taking plot license to do as they will with what many of us think of as “our” continuity. Either way it all works. It's knitted together and packaged nicely. And the final scene will make you breathless with anticipation for the next issue. It's an excellent closer, and the type of thing I look for to grip newcomers to one of these tie-ins. It certainly encourages me to st

Burnham and Culver spit out a pretty damned good script here. It is always tough whenever you have a book with a dozen X-Men on-screen at a time. It can be tough to juggle. And while your mileage may not go but so far if you do not immediately recognize some of these characters, you should still enjoy the snappy dialogue. There is a LOT going on here.

It would be a bit overly to demand that this run be as good as the last Elektra run. This is something different. It feels and looks a bit more mainstream, whereas the last volume was similar to Black Widow, where the events were off-track and outside the concern of the mainstream Marvel Universe.

Escape from New York #15 is not the best issue in the series. Story-wise, it is not a horrible place to jump on. I'm just not sure that the average reader would find a lot to endear them to the notion of adding this to their pull. If you have a yen for seeing the continuing adventures of Snake Plissken, this is certainly worth a read. If you are on the lookout for dystopian fare, you may want to peruse a few more options before making a final decision on what title to add to your recurring pull.

It's a really remarkable thing when a limited series that I have not been on is able to impress me from a drop"in read of the final issue.

Bringing these characters from my childhood into comics, and especially into DC Comics, has provided some heartfelt moments. Just seeing those characters' names in print, and seeing them go through entirely less-cartoony scenarios...it's something to be commended. This issue is deserving of levels of praise, as well. There is a solid plot and the reveals are given solid setups. There is smart, well done craft in art shown here in scenes where the artists clearly knew how they wanted it laid out and went for it. It just lacked some of the pizzazz and sharp punctuation I was looking for.

In aggregate, this is a solid issue that apogees just a bit above the norm, and is a great little story. The setup was solid, and the high adventure escape in the closing pages felt as uplifting as a scene from an Indiana Jones film or an episode of the A-Team. This is one of the better tie-ins going on around Secret Wars and Battleworld and is certainly worth a read. In fact, for other readers who were on-board for last year's All-New Ghost Rider, it is essential.

It is a good thing that this issue has a solid beginning and end. Marred a bit by the middle, the janky parts are not enough to turn me off to the series entirely. It is one at-bat out of many, after all. I will keep an eye out for these issues still. The series is pretty dammed popular among the GWW staff. Here's hoping that next issue tightens things back up a bit. It might be time to take some of the action out of the vehicles so much and ground things a bit. It would be a refreshing change after the Mad Max-esque feeling of the first three issues.

Gold Key: Alliance #1 leaves the series with some serious challenges. I am sure that the series and the creative team, has the umph to overcome them. As it stands, I'll have to hope for a more adventure-oriented take in next month's issue.

All-in-all, Green Arrow #50 is a decent issue, with some knocks for a slightly jumbly story, some pacing problems as they constantly shift around who the conflict is with, and a lengthy issue that might have been tighter if it was normal-sized. I don't regret having read the issue, but, regardless of the impending flip of the New 52, this book would not have encouraged me to onboard this to my pull-list. It also leaves me feeling like this entire 50-issue run may not have been my thing, given where it looks like Arrow is winding up and what my notion of a "Green Arrow for me" would be defined as. Fans of the book should hook in and stay on for the final ride. Others who have a passing interest in the Green Arrow character are fine waiting to see where the DC reboot takes Ollie.

I really liked checking in on Green Arrow this issue. I've read a handful of the Rebirth issues and have always felt they were pretty steady. This creative team will need to work on keeping their focus nailed down to the core elements of this arc. I feel like they have had a tendency too get too cute for their own good at some junctures. This issue is a great example of managing a lot of talking heads as well as a lot of exposition and still keeping the issue as a pretty well wound-up knot. Please keep it up.

A solid-story with above average art that fails to stick the landing mainly because it tries to echo certain elements of the show without fully committing to it. DC really needs to un-cuff this creative team from any editorial direction that might be forcing the TV stuff into the mix. This book is close to being one of DC's killer apps, but the commercialization of the plot-line is skewing it away from being the slam dunk that it could be.

This issue still shows good stuff, even though not a whole lot happens here. Some of the blame for that goes to the pain that shows through when there are two issues coming out in a month. Not every issue can move the story forward in a great leap, and so these inch-stone issues are going to happen. But I really need the creative team to bang the drum next issue.

This is a book that gets a certain amount of cache based simply on the setup. Abook like this can get some good mileage by simply not screwing up a great idea.One significant nod I will give the writing team of Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco,and Pat Shand is that these guys know how to do depict social media in a comicwell. It is not overly contrived and feels genuine. The current creative team onDC's Batgirl could learn a lot from the GFT team. Grimm Fairy Tales #107 followsthrough on a great premise and offers up some pretty decent craft along the way.This series is one to keep an eye on. Slow and steady often wins the race, andthe formula for just such a run is clearly and evidently in place here.

With a feel reminiscent of Hellboy and B.P.R.D., I really like what I am seeing here from Bunn and Churilla. Not enough to add it to my pull-list just yet, but I'll be checking in on it from time to time. This is a story that I think will read incredibly good in trades, so keep an eye out for those. And if horror books and the supernatural are in your wheelhouse, or if you are just looking for a solid genre book to add to your pulls, you would not go wrong by adding this one. Great stuff.

Heroes: Vengeance #1 is put together with a bit more production quality than I had been expecting. It's good to see that the budget was applied well and that the right talent was secured to be the caretaker of this particular story. If the creative team can tighten a few areas up, they might just have a winner on their hands.

I feel like if Spurrier can just lock down the tone on this, it will be a much more interesting series. I am ok with a mix of tones to a piece of work, but I feel like there needs to be at most one primary and one secondary. It feels like there are three or four tones here, all competing for prominence. I myself would prefer a mostly horror-driven story, with a salting of something else that keeps it from being a direct mime of a Peter Benchley tale. But whatever it is going to be, I just want the story tightened up and focused a bit more tonally. As for the art, don't change a thing. Doyle and Brusco have got it on lock, and there's very little reason to shake that up. Overall, this is a good start, and 80% of the formula that an issue #1 needs to achieve to get readers interested in staying on board. Hopefully the team will capture the other 20% in Hookjaw #2.

Hot Damn #1 is far and away distant from your typical comic, even for a horror comic. This story has legs. Infinite legs if focusing on Teddy is just an arc and not the ongoing theme for the entire run, as swapping out the imprisoned and their sponsor in a sort of religious horror buddy comedy could go on forever. I'm looking forward to seeing just how far this series will go. It's off to a great start. Ferrier could have made the mistake that I've seen in many recent launches of new series from the big two, in that those issues have been all setup and NOTHING HAPPENS. But Ferrier and Ramon get you moving with a good drum beat and have left themselves a comfortable amount of room to throttle up or down. Wonderful work gentlemen. More. Please

I had a good time reading this adventure comic. It's not quite up in my stratosphere of books that earn an 8.0 or above review score. But it is solid, solid work and highly entertaining. If this book has been canceled, it's a shame. Here's to high hopes that this team finds its way back or keeps trucking along. If it is just a roll-off the creative team given the completion of the first arc, I hope that they put it in equally caring hands.

Needless to say, I really loved this issue. It has everything I look for in a landmark issue. Several reveals, a bit of comedy, a bit of tragedy, wonderful character development, solid, while not groundbreaking, art, and a clear, tight story. This is equal in my mind to the Captain America #3 issue, and so it gets the same score, a…

I'll be sure to ask someone how this series is shaking out in a few months, but I do not see this being on my personal pull anytime soon.

After an issue that was pretty much all talking heads, Bendis hits back with an issue that is a bit Ocean's Eleven, mixed in with the A-Teram, and a smidge of Tango and Cash. And each step of the way, the con feels real. So much so that at the end of the issue, you are not sure who used who and who got conned. It's a wonderful setup for what should now lead into the story of what happens to Jessica's marriage to Luke and custody of their child. Make no mistake. Things are about to get real. And I cannot think of a writer better than Bendis to helm that tale.

It is nice to see Dynamite trying to honor this character. This issue, at least, leaves the legacy of John Carter worse off than if they had not done a comic on him at all. If the entire series has been like this, then hopefully it will end soon. The insipid story is the worst kind of 1980's schlock. It is a warm artistic read, with colors that are pleasing to the eye. However the story is a hairy jumbled up mess that goes nowhere. To Mr. John Carter, my deepest regrets, sir. We wish you better in the future.

While we are a good bit into this series, I would strongly recommend it to fans of Watchmen and, yes, BvS. Issue #3 is an issue where nothing really happened in terms of fists being thrown, and yet I find it the most artistically intricate and superb issue of the three released so far. I'm hoping that this is the new groove for this run and that we have nothing by upside left to see. Mr Millar and Quitely, to the moon and beyond, gentlemen.

This is probably the limited series that I am most pleased with staying on through the whole ride since Kingdom Come. I will be sad to see it go. With one issue left, the biggest stakes in the game hang in the balance, and I am certain that Millar is not going to give us a typical Hollywood ending. There'll be a twist, and while tragic, the story will still be delivered in that whitty style that makes it feel like it could be a family-friendly prime-time comedy. If not for the occasional violence. Millar, Quitely, Gho: bring it. I'll be working my abs until then.

Despite my criticism, this is a great jumping on point for those who have not been reading JL and want to get in now. It is not a talking heads issue; despite everything that is communicated in character dialog, exposition, and thought, there is a ton of action in this issue. It's a good League story and a good setup. It just does not achieve much more than I have come to expect in a bridge story commencing a new Justice League arc. Fans of the team will not be disappointed, most likely. But those looking for a compelling reason to on-board this title to their recurring pull-list do not have much to grab onto other than the closing panel cliffhanger. That will be enough for some. For others, it may just leave them continuing the search for the next title to add to their pull.

First-comers looking for something a bit more 21st century may want to wait and check out DC's New Age of Heroes books, simply because this Justice League, for me, feels close to the classics, but not quite there, and so investigation of something new might be warranted.

This is a solid issue and there is no question that I am staying on Justice League. These first opening issues are, very much, what I want from a Justice League comic. We're getting at the heart and soul of the relationships that make the League great.

While the first issue got a bit thick and verbose towards the end, and last issue left me a bit underwhelmed, this issue is spot-on the mark.

If you've been reading along with this storyline from the beginning, this is a great payoff issue and it's still not even the finale. Snyder is making excellent use of the Justice League, not featuring any one member so much that we get bored of seeing them, while also including lesser known league members who we yearn for but can wait for some space to develop to and flesh out good storylines for them.

So far in my stack, this is the most engaging story I've read this week (as I am writing this I have also read through Justice League Dark / Wonder Woman #1 as well). This is, as I have been saying, the exact type of crisis that requires the Justice League, with big consequences, and some scary ramifications that may come out of the setting of the new status quo. I was not all that thrilled or interested in what the fallout of Metal was, but this? I am waiting with bated breath and have high hopes that the complexity of outcomes is commensurate with the weavings of the story

In the end, I'm not sure that I was happy about reading this this week. It was a LOT of filler, didn't feel like a lot happened, and it seems like the consequences, save one, have lived their life and decayed. I'm not really pleased about Diana having seemingly expired some usefulness as a JLD cast-member with no continuing connection to the world of Magic. Not sure where we go from here, or if Wonder Woman has a place in this darker, more scary corner of the DCU

Regardless, this issue is just shy of being something that would make me jump onboard the ongoing. It's as classic a JLA tale as you can get without the questions of "why?" and the jarring ending and Wonder Woman art. I do look forward to hearing how this arc rounds out, and hardcore JLA fans will eat this up. It's fan-service hero stuff at nearly its best with a few nittinoids. Long live the JLA.

This book isshazam panel just flat out fun.

I usually associate Francis Manapul's name on a comic with exquisite art. I do not like the art in this book as much as I liked Manapul's stuff that I read earlier this year in in Detective Comics. But that's because he is not doing the art in this book. Bong Dazo is. Manapul is writing. But let me tell you, this is an absolute clinic on how it should be done. It is an opportunity to present the Man of Steel in a unique way, and this creative team nails it in tone, in spirit, and in the hope that a man who can fly, and falls, can fly once again.

When I finished the book, I was a bit exhausted. It was long, and that had a lot to do with it. But it was also complicated at times. And, like I mentioned earlier, there were some points where I followed a thread to the wrong conclusion and had to go back and flip through some pages for it to make sense. Still, this was an awesome, atypical experience in what I usually get in my weekly pull-list.

I am a sucker for fantastical retakes of a standing body of IP. But Hutchinson, Borges, and Finnegan are on their game in this series, regardless of my potential bias. It is a shame that Aspen does not get much circulation, because they really put out some awesome content. I've enjoyed a bit of Four Points this year, as well as Jirni. Again, the studio is built sort of in the Zenescope model as far as their product offerings. Still, they have their own unique marque, and The Legend of Oz remastered fits right in line with the type of high quality content that Aspen is known for. If you are a big fan of revisionist fairy-tale fantasy, The Wicked West will be right up your alley and I strongly recommend you take a look at this series. Issue #2 gets high marks for gorgeous artwork, wonderful story-telling, and snippy dialogue. Tasty.

This creative group has a huge set of shoes to fill. Re-telling one of the most important comic book stories ever told in the history of the genre"that takes a wealth of chutzpa. While I am not familiar with these creators, the story is solid and a good head above the norm and average. I love all of the small nuances and the wind ups to the main sticker-points of philosophy in this issue. While there is a lot here thematically that we have seen before (Children of Men, The Road, The Last of Us"this is kind of a big escort mission story), it is executed with polish and its own particular style. I wish that I had discovered this when its limited run started, but issue #3 was fine for a quick hop-on. And I'll definitely keep my eyes out for this in trade format, where it should be a great read. If you liked Rai and enjoy a bit of Usagi Yojimbo, this should fall within your ballpark.

Having Khamala in a team-book had a chance to do well as a buddy-hero movie, but this one just didn't grab me enough to stick with it. I'm hoping that we see better stuff for Ms Marvel in other issues this summer.

I loved seeing the possible futures of Ms. marvel in Bruno's machine, especially with her as President, but do we really need yet another time-travel centric hero in a comic book? I really hope that they put this tempest back in the box. Ms. Marvel does not need to be street-grounded like a Marvel Knight, but I don't know that I need her time-travelling and/or cosmic

Issue #31 was smart, witty, and only slightly jarring in the transitions between artists and writers across the multiple sections, and that's nothing easy to pull off.

Ms Marvel #33 is a fine drum beat in the overall series. For those who have this ongoing in their regular pull, there shouldn't be any qualms. Even those doing a check-in or new readers with a firm footing in Marvel lore, enough to get the inside baseball jokes with the Shocker, will certainly find this enjoyable.

Neverboy #5 shows a bit of the series' promise, whether it is an ongoing or a limited series. It is a book tackling a tough premise. Time-travel, interdimensional travel, or parallel universes, it is always something you can trip yourself up on and lose time and reader engagement. The creative team does a decent job constructing a story. But I do not think this was a great issue overall. The score assigned reflects that.

I have to admit that I was not entirely certain that I was doing the right thing by allowing this to take up one of the precious 12 slots in my monthly recurring pull-list. This is not squarely in my typical interest target area. Needless to say, my decision has absolutely been justified if this is the work I have to look forward to (at least for the next two months until Rebirth and a new creative team take over). This is another series I'll have to enter into the same category as the recent 15-issue run on Batgirl"what turns out to be a great comic in the New 52 series that I never got around to. Luckily, at least I am discovering some of these now. When all is said and done, I think we may all look back on the New 52 and decide that this age may not have been as bad as some of us have tried to say it is. If you don't believe that might be the case, all you need do is pick up New Suicide Squad #19, and let Seeley and Ferreyra convince you otherwise.

Overall, the pace of the book felt really slow, and it actually caused me to take the first 4 days of the reading cycle to read this, which caused me to be behind in my reading the rest of my pulls. It's not bad, it's just not for me, not right now.

There have been some strong openings forlimitedseries this year in the tier 2 publishers. The Killer in Me. Jupiter's Legacy Volume 2. Nafieh's Night's Dominion stands shoulder-to-shoulder with them. I'm not sure that I am going to have room to sneak this into my pull list, but I will be looking in on it from time to time. And I'll definitely have an eye out for the trade. There was a time that we got a lot of genre-specific content in this setting, now there is very little of it. Or if we do get it, it is overly gimmicky or too traditionalist. Nafieh has stricken a great chord with a genre mash-up that is enticing in its premise, and very sharp in its execution. I cannot wait to see more.

This issue could have gone bad. Or at least come off as very tepid. But a major reveal midway through the book and some on-point fighting sequences lead me to be a bit more forgiving. This story wraps up solidly and sets up well for the next adventure. And the relationship between Rich and Sam is becoming a thing to be admired in super-hero storytelling. Props to Perez for some innovative panel layouts, too.

I really like what I see here in Occupy Avengers #2. It is the best Hawkeye story I have read in a long time. As the issue wraps up, Hawkeye invites Wolf to accompany him on his redemption road-trip. I have serious hopes that the Fireheart brothers also join up. Occupy Avengers might be THEoff-beat winter storyline that provides the most interesting hook in the Marvel Universe as we turn the corner into spring. If my snowy days have to be filled with tons of inside time, I hope this title maintains this creative quality. Nothing wrong with one more solid comic to while the winter days away.

A bit of a quiet note, the hopes are that this is a sandwich issue before a more in-your-face action issue next month? One can only hope. While this issue was certainly not "bad", it felt like a drop-off from the last, and the focus needs to expand outside of just the main character. There are dozens of Amazon warriors in this book. Let us get to know them, too. With art that is solid but not revolutionary, Odyssey of the Amazons #2 slipped from something I was strongly recommending to the general comic book public, to a thing I would only recommend to Wonder Woman fans. But keep an eye out for Issue #3, as tweaking this thing might not be that much of a do.

I kind of wanted more of a sense of high adventure, and so maybe I needed to feel like this was more of a challenge for the Hawkeye's, like they needed to get a little bloody and I needed to have more of a visceral sense of them being in mortal danger.I think I am coming around to being happier that I read it as I close these notes out

There's just a hint of smart humor that keeps it from feeling like 1986's Cobra. And there are dribs and drabs of reveals or insightful panels that pull back the curtain on a few things that are going on in other books, or just the Marvel greater.

While the book is strong in its own right, there are not a whole lot of critical events that occur in this issue. It is primarily a setup issue for later events. That being said, the art exceeds almost everything that I have seen so far this month. In story, Kindt is creating an amazingly nuanced world which could sustain interesting adventures for years to come. I tip my hat to you, gentlemen. What you are doing here is truly something special.

This issue is good stuff. It should be good for readers who are fans of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, event books (as Realm War is basically a big continuing event), and dark fairy tale fans. This ain't your daddy's Grimm Fairy Tales, but that is a good thing. A really good thing.

I've only read a couple issues of Realm War. If you have not been able to get on it for all twelve issues as they came out, I think this will read great in trade. I'm excited to see what happens next, as an unexpected ally shows up at the end of issue #10. Realm War #10 is as good a fairy tale as I've ever read or had read to me. This series, as well as many others that Zenescope is publishing, are excellent safe havens if you want to sit on the sidelines while DC and Marvel work out whatever they want their universes to look like.

Overall, Red Hood and the Outlaws #25 did not work for me as well as the issues that got us here.

Despite my relative malaise with this issue overall, I am going to stick with the mini-series to see where it goes. The creative team and the general work at Archie Comics has earned enough of my faith that I am willing to give it a second or third issue to see if it surprises me. For fans who are into Archie Comics, this one should hit you straight in the belly as it's sort of like Sinestro getting his own comic. For comic readers who tepidly dip their toes into this kind of content as a reprieve from capes, westerns, war, romance, thriller, and horror comics, I cannot say it's quite time to check this one out. We'll let you know in a month if it's safe to test the waters.

Resident Alien: the Man with No Name #1 is a good start to a non-capes genre book. It will serve those well that are always in the hunt for this kind of stuff; the not-quite-mainstream that seeks to do something different than tights and eyebeams. In that vein, I like where this is heading. I just wish some more of the backstory would get fleshed out. But if you are ok with that being a gap, you should feel comfortable jumping right in. And I'm sure this will be a good as a trade, also.

All-in-all, I liked this issue a heck of a lot better than I thought I was going to. I typically find Damian nauseating and I was expecting more of the same. It is good to see that Gleason plans on moving the character along and aging him a bit (which is what I wish they did with all characters). This book is just a bit off from being truly excellent, though. Damian needs more emotional context by interacting with some other characters that are truly relevant. The relationship between he and Goliath could get there, but right now it is just a boy-and-his-dog sort of fare. Partnering up with the mysterious Nobody could lead him down that path. With a couple of heartstring hooks in the gamut, Robin Son of Batman could be a great run.

This was a really rough issue for me. If I had not read the previous issue, I may have put it down entirely. I may seem wrapped around the axle about fight choreography, but, yeah, it's one of those things that used to plague comics when they really were written just for children, and whole pages of panels would be laid out that made zero sense in how the combatants would have gotten from one panel to the next. I need more than that from comics in the modern age.

Saga is no doubt worthy of being on anyone's pull list. It is a sparkling display of craft. While you'll definitely get more out of the series if you read it monthly, you will still appreciate the art and story if you only drop in occassionally. Feel free to grab this issue or any other from time to time. You'll not regret it.

Valiant takes some risks in doing a stranded-on-an-island adventure comic. There's tons of potential here, but issue #3 just does not tie it together as well as it could have. It's a fresh venue, and that is needed on the comics landscape today. A bit more consistency in some of the artwork styling and this series will be nailing it. As it is, Issue #3 comes in just shy of taking the ribbon.

I like it. But even I wobble a bit as I am going through an issue and question if this is what I really want out of these characters. It's also an ensemble cast, and so getting enough time with each character is also difficult.

I was really pleased that I dropped in to take a peek at this. DC has something nice going on with these just outside the inner circle new creations in the DCU"Sideways, the Silencer, Immortal Men. I'm almost surprised that I am saying this, but I actually hope that we get to see a crossover event with all of these characters that as far as I can tell came out of Metal? While this issue slides just shy of greatness, it was a pleasant read and a nice way to get my stack started for this week. I'm hoping that it comes up in the randomizer for another drop-in soon.

While not the strongest issue in this defining run by the great creative team of Jason Aaron, Salvador Larroca, and Edgar Delgado, this Yoda tale comes off surprisingly well, weaving a story of the legendary Jedi Master that reveals the character's deep empathy, sorrow, and humility. 

Starbrand and Nightmask #4 is an enjoyable post-adolescent romp that hurtles through space, time, and college. The pacing and nuanced transitions from one of those locales to the other is handled superbly. The book never felt disrupted or fragmented. And just the right amount of levity is applied at the right time (“Not a word”, “It's the thought that counts”, “I hope Maria Hill thinks so”). Seeing Sunspot in this book is refreshing, as I have absolutely loved Sunspot and Canonball as Avengers. This is a solid book and feels like it is not a bad idea for interested readers to give this one a shot in their pull-list. It's a college-buddy super-hero comic, and who does not like one of those?

Issue #1 of Strange Fruit ranks up there with other great first issues such as Kingdom Come. I cannot wait to see what JG Jones and Mark Waid have in store for us in the next installment of this series.

I think this comic will likely well suit fans of the franchise who are looking for something that mirrors the tone of the game. For those who are not as deeply vested, there are probably other titles that will make a good fit for their needs.

Suicide Squad #43 was not strong enough for me to onboard with it as one of my recurring pulls. But it remains an ongoing that I love popping into from time-to-time to check it out. Good stuff.

Romita Jr's presence on this title continues to bug me. I feel like he is an artist suited to Spiderman, but not so well suited to Superman. But there have been incremental improvements over the year or so that he has been on the book. Maybe there is hope. The inconsistencies are distracting, though, and take away from my enjoyment of the story. Lang's scripting is pretty tight and it looks like he is setting up some good stuff. I think he has a handle on this version of Superman, which has been cast very differently than past versions of Supes. I was not crazy about this issue overall, but it looks like the series could be on an upswing. If they can just tighten up the art! As promised by the “DC You" publishing imitative, it is a great jumping on point. Let's just hope things get a bit better over the course of the arc.

A bit of a muddle, Superwoman #7 attempts to tackle a swarm of plotlines and does not really do any of them well. Lana's monologue did appeal to me, but I'm not sure it will ring true with female readers. Who is this book for? I'm not certain the creative team has quite figured that out, which I was hoping they would do by the 7th issue. The road ahead may be quite rocky. I wish the series the best; I feel like this is a book that DC needs in its lineup, but it is definitely not clicking on all cylinders after this issue.

‘Swords of Sorrow' may be over, but it was an event that needed to happen. These great characters earned their place among any at the Big Two and some predate even those. Does the event always succeed? No, but there's more goodness to derive from it than not. Simone's great ambitions pay off by bringing together so many talented women and creating a platform for overlooked characters that prove themselves to be as compelling as any in comics. As for issue six, Simone smoothly ramps up the tension and action to conclude the epic battle between good and evil that satisfies while defining what it means to be a female warrior.

If you are looking for a crime comic, this is definitely one to get. The genre has had a great run this year, with things like Assassin's Creed Templars and The Black Monday Murders paving the way prior to this book's release. Wait. Funny how all those comics have Black in their title or have a main character named Black something or other. I guess it's a thing in 2016. Anyway, I can easily recommend that readers check out Black Hood Season 2 #1. It's solid, and a great jumping on point. And if you feel the need to go back, there is a trade coming, although I have not been able to nail down an availability date yet. And of course the Season 1 singles are available all over the place.

That these are all masters of their craft, such that the slightest difference in how they lay pencil or brush on the page, the merest shift in dialog, yields a vastly different reaction to a given passage. And that it is so nuanced that you do not even detect exactly what it is that caused you to react or feel something different. The book is likely headed for greatness. The only thing needed is a bit more emotionally. Something that makes the reader compassionate about one of these characters so that they feel something whenever a tragedy might strike or a victory be gained. It's a little thing, but it might be the small difference between excellent and superb.

As bridge issues go, The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #2 does it's job. It just does not do it in any spectacular way. There are not any continuity mistakes or weird choreography, and the art does more than just meet my minimum consistency standard; it kind of headlines the issue. Faces, clothes, cars...all of the art pieces that are often not done well in comics; Conrad and Nunes nail them down with aplomb. The detail in the ball-drop scene that opens the issue is just amazing in its detail, lighting, and shading. I just hope that the series picks up as it enters its middle-third.

Overall, this is one of those books that I mark down as being something that I am really happy that I read, as a matter of reading one of the industry's seminal works. It may not offer the things that every comic book reader needs, but there is no denying its mastery of the art form.

Conclusion: Sharply and boldly executed; there is a scene of one of the Leviathan faction leads being brutally eaten by a giant monster cat, which is straight up Abnett right there. I can feel some of the writer's schtick shining through, and I like the subtlety with which Abnett handles a character. Be might be the master of nuance, but I guess I would call this series very digestible. It's not doing anything mind-blowing right now, but I also give credit to creative teams that deliver steady issues of repeatable quality month-after-month. That's some of the sinew you need to put together a solid run

30 Days of Night brings with it a gore level that is artistic. The blood splatter and stained snow isn't just splashed on a page. Artist Tom Mandrake and the colorists Royer, Eltaeb and Gonzalez worked wonders to bring Mulder and Scully's celebrity faces to the comic book world and have them interact with monstrous creatures of the night. The entire book was done very well from start to finish. It made me feel like I was enjoying an X-Files episode where the 30 Days of Night world exists in the same space. Even if you are not familiar with either franchise, you can pick up this dark paranormal investigating case and enjoy it for the story and art that decorates the pages with mystery and gore.

Throwaways #5 was a very lukewarm start to the new shipping week after a high-mark from the previous week with several top-notch issues having been in my pull. It was hard for me to find a hand-hold onto something that would make me come back. The book was fine, with the story carrying more of the weight than the art for me. But overall, it would be hard for me to make room in my pull-list to read this among the crop of more interesting and more deeply detailed books that are being fired out in high-volume every week.

The plot and the setup are really the story here. This is a comic that requires a solid commitment, as checking it out from time-to-time or even just jumping on are tough. If you are looking for something that is a bit Harrow County meets CSI, this is right up your alley. The arc may boil all the way up to a high temperature and it may be one of those quirky things in your pull that pays back way more than you invest. It is an interesting take on a few different common themes, and you are going to need to stick with it for a bit before you really get a feel for whether or not it is a keeper. Tomboy #4 shows solid effort and a bit of a hook, but it may not net any big bait. It's good sophomore level storytelling, but it did not grab me and shake itself out as something distinguishable from the pack beyond the plot. For fans of the crime-story genre, it is a definite keeper, though. You just have to be in that particular line to get the most out of this.

Whether you like the creative direction Marvel has gone by subordinating the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises and raising the Inhumans to prominence or not, there is no denying that this is a sharp book. Well drawn, beautiful colors, strong story-telling; it is not a book that knocks past works off of their stools, but it definitely is something to take notice of. This run is likely to go for a long streak. If you were looking for that one thing to hop on with the hope of it sticking around a long time, this is it. And it is good.

A masterful telling of a short vignette in the quiet of war. While two men fight for their lives, their comrades prepare in grim silence to take the fight to the enemy. It is expert in its craft, relaying the significance of every beat of life in times of war, even those times when you are not under fire. Perhaps, this book says that some of those are the most important times. Whatever the intended message, Ennis and Aira deliver a roundhouse kick to the emotional plexus, inciting emotion in the coldest of hearts. If you weren't onboard before, you oughtta be now.

There are a great set of character interactions going on here, along with a healthy stench of distrust, and a redemption seeking anti-hero to root for.

This book more than any other is likely to do this week left me sad that Charles Soule's Star Wars: Poe Dameron took the last slot in my recurring pull-list roster last week. If you wanted blend of Alice in Wonderland + Elektra + New Mutants, this is it. A gorgeous book wrapped around a solid core story"there is not much more you could ask for. Sure, it's off-path from primary Marvel continuity, but in an age where I could not define what "marvel Continuity" is, it is worth dropping off all the costumes and capes fare and making some room for this title. Bravo indeed.

Soule has a lot to juggle here, but he does so with aplomb. A solid, well-knit story, coupled with solid art and pretty damned amazing colors. I once said that nothing good came in the wake of the Death of Wolverine. I thank the creative team on Wolverines for proving me wrong.

I'm keeping this on my pull-list for now. I'm hoping that the Charles Soule issues are better, and that the series gels a bit better over time. I really hope we're not heading down a Batman Eternal route where the issues are horrifically inconsistent in terms of quality from week-to-week. Wolverines #17 is a solidly average issue, with some quirky inconsistencies that create a level of distraction from just reading the story. Let's hope things pick back up on the quality front next week.

That leaves us with the story. London does not grip me as the new stomping ground for Diana. The city setting does not immerse me more in the story the way it is written; it just feels like AnyCity USA, so I don't get the need for it to be a thing that she is now operating out of London. The primary villain in this arc, some whiny disgruntled cast-off offspring of one of the Olympians, just does not feel like a threat. OK, so somehow he got hold of arrows forged in Hephaestus' smithy. But in one panel the guys is talking about going to play Arkham Knight on the PS4, then he shows up in the last panel as if we are supposed to believe this guy is a total bad ass. He's inexperienced, unproven, does not really know his powers, and is armed with some special arrows (which will eventually run out), and he's taking on the new god of War. He's about to get his ass kicked, so we can please just get on with it and move on to the next arc?

This issue definitely gets a new reader engaged and anticipating the next issue. For those who like their action laced with a healthy amount of medieval leger Shakespearean dialogue, Eternal Warrior should be right up your alley. And it will lead you into the wonderful world of the Valiant Universe, which is one of the best but more compact hero universes in comics. The only shortfall in this issue is that not much happens action-wise. It is a lot of talking, and I get why it is needed in an arc, but it did not get me amped up as much as a more adventurous issue might. As an adventure comic, Eternal Warrior is one of the best, and I am sure that there are great things to come. As it stands this is the best of solid, well-written and drawn comics, and a great ramp to what I am sure will be an epic follow-on issue.