I feel that Barker has been underrated as a writer, which is a damn shame, as he is great. I can still remember a short story of his I read fifteen years ago that still resonates with me, and few horror stories have that kind of staying power. Hellraiser fans should definitely pick this up and give it a look, but the art is a bit more impressive than the story, although Im curious to see if they can pull off what Pinhead plans, and how. Its either going to be brilliant or a disaster. Who wants to find out with me?

With the Sanjo samurai clan gone, the three survivors of the massacre seek revenge on Lord Gakushi and his retainer Araku - who engineered the whole thing - but the road to revenge is a rocky one, especially in Feudal Japan. While Jun and Katashi train and find trouble, they leave Yuko vulnerable to kidnapping, and as much as they want to set it right, Jun insists they cant, not right away. When they do get around to it, it seems their troubles are just beginning. This is a decent samurai soap opera, but I have to admit I found the narrative captions redundant and stilted part of the time, overselling the mood ideas at work here. Its still a decent read, and the art shines in the action sequences, which includes a few good training montages. I hope by next issue they work out some of the narrative blips, but this is a solid samurai comic for fans of the genre.

Kit is a teenage girl whos having problems with an on-again/off-again boyfriend that she feels wildly ambivalent about, except for when theyre out stealing things. Still, she feels the tug of guilt on one job, and decides its time to give up the crimes as well as him. But shes kind of said this before, although this is the first time shes promised her friends. And it seems theres a dark secret that continues to bug her, one about her mother. This is a very genial, easy to like comic with a sassy female lead who feels more realistic than most. The artwork has a spunky, punky feel to it, and its enjoyably breezy read. Those looking for a different kind of comic should give this one a try.

Its a good set up issue, but Drac is really going to have to make a kick ass appearance next issue to make me really excited about this series.

So if youre looking for some action packed and different, its worth giving this one a shot.

You can buy this comic at http://theillustratedsection.com/man-from-space or http://www.manfromspace.co.uk/ . Check it out.

It's unique, and if you want something different, with a decent sense of humor, you might want to give this one a look. Check out the website for more details.

Spongebob Squarepants seems to have been on forever. And why not? Its a sweet show that can be enjoyed by adults as much as kids, with goofy humor and occasional ventures into surrealism. (Im told stoners appreciate it on a whole other level, but Ive never done the research on that.) Im sort of surprised there hasnt been a comic book before this. And I had to check this one out because of all the indie comic people attached to it. But I must point out this really is a comic just for kids. It has the shows sweet sensibility and bite size stories, perfect for wandering attention spans, but theres really nothing here for adults, which might actually be a positive. Heres a comic kids can read, draw in, and mash up without adults freaking out about it, one they can enjoy fully without a hovering parent. The art generally sticks to the show template, although it occasionally wanders off beam to something a little more intriguing. Recommended for your little Spongebob fan.

A decent start, but Im looking forward to more horror.

I assume the intrepid are supposed to be teens, but they look like adults, especially in the main narrator's case. She looks like she should be parked at the end of a seedy bar, chain smoking cigarettes and asking rummies if they'd like to buy her a drink. (Perhaps I've been reading too much noir.) But a fairly breezy read, with an intriguing set up.

While there are some weaknesses, I am sufficiently intrigued to want to see where this goes from here. Is it wrong that I kind of hope Mulder and Scully end up vampires? Come on, that would be hilarious.

We get to know a little bit more about Jon and his predicament this issue, as well as what happened to him. It seems he used to be a CIA operative, but then there was some time at a facility conducting less than legal remote viewing experiments, a facility that burned down - it seems Jon was the only survivor. He thinks it was a CIA run op, but this issue hes told it wasnt, that he was abducted and someone else was running it but if its true, who was doing it and why? For what purpose So we get a tease about whats going on, and some action, but this issue does feel a little repetitive. Stretching for time, perhaps? Still, the European style noir tinged art by Zonjic remains very good, and really shines in the opening action sequence. An intriguing mystery, it just has a few narrative hiccups.

Am I saying buy this? Yes, yes I am. Support this with your dollars, and who knows? Maybe more publishers will be willing to put out female centric action comics, with actual females on the staff. I know it's a dream, but I can do that, can't I? (Oh, and check out Lumpy Space Prince on the cover! I do hope he gets introduced in the comic soon.)

A good series, I still recommend you support it. But I hope more stuff happens soon. Out this week.

I have to admit this is the first issue Ive read of this comic, and Im sure Im missing an awful lot of back story, but I found this to be an easy to follow, amiable slice of life comic with quirky art LDB has a surprise visit from his friend Drew, whos been off touring with his band. LDB is in the doldrums because he just broke up with his girlfriend, or is technically a break up if you were never really dating at all? He doesnt know, and its left him out of sorts. Drew then suggests a road trip to go see the Andrew Jackson Jihad (a real band, on Asian Man Records - I know this, because Im signed up to their email bulletins oh god, does this make me a hipster?!) but it seems theres some thing he didnt tell LBD about. And now his depressed little life gets a bit worse. The art has a loose, indie rock feel to it, which suits the storys slice of life/shaggy dog tale perfectly. A good read for this newcomer, I bet the regular readers will find it even better.

Lil Depressed (Im just going to call him LD) and Drews trouble fraught road trip to see the Andrew Jackson Jihad comes to a close, as they finally see the band. Along the way, Drew and LD discuss the Jazz situation, which is a timely bit of foreshadowing, and thats about it. Still, our hipsters deserve a happy ending, at least for the moment. The art has a bit more of depressed feel to it, which is apt, but theres also a humorous interlude involving LD imaging himself as Charlie Brown (of course Jazz is Lucy), which is really cute, and true to both the Peanuts style and the LDB style. A nice little comic for the emo hipster in us all.

If you can buy only one Nazi time travel comic this week, this is the one you want to pick up.

If you pick up only one Nazi hunting time travel comic this week, itll probably be this one. A fun read.

This is the first issue of this comic Ive ever read, but Ill give it credit for being relatively easy to follow, even though this is the fourth issue in. Reed, the titular bear riding cowboy, is seeking both a woman and a mysterious idol thats causing grotesque monster mutations in its wake. New to the big city and awestruck by it all, Reeds bear friend Sterling is mistaken for a monster, while Reed is basically dismissed, while a government agent is after the monsters and assumes Sterling is one. There are misunderstandings, fights, and escapes. Its a cute adventure, and certainly all ages. In fact, the more of a kid you are, in age or at heart, the more enjoyment you will receive. The artwork is colorful and kinetic, and its all pretty adorable. A lighthearted, charmingly goofy comic.

Take it for what its worth. Im not a huge reader of all age titles, and I generally dont like Westerns, but I would have no problem flipping through Reed Gunthers all day long. Its charming, and well worth your time. Out this week.

In this stand alone issue, Reed spends all his and Starla's money on improbable, fancy boots, and to make some money back, takes on the job of ridding a town of a dangerous werewolf. Reed's general, cheerful incompetence makes this prospect even more difficult, pretty much rendering their initial moral dilemma moot, and then they have to figure out if they can kill a werewolf or not. Because this is an all ages comic, there are scares that are slightly undercut by the overly sweet ending. Also the ending begs the question .... nobody noticed this before? I don't want to spoil, but the ending, while cute, felt just a little bit like a cop out. But saying that makes me feel like the black hearted bastard that I am. The art remains solid, with a vibrant cartoonish quality, that's as easy on the eyes as the story. This is a fun comic, but the story feels a little slight.

Out this Wednsaday, it's a good all ages comic that everyone can enjoy.

So thanks for the recommendation, Schatz, as this was a really good comic, and not what I was expecting at all. Give it a look.

A different, fun book, and it does have some kind of closure, even though this is the first of three. Itll be enjoyable to see where this one goes. Out this Wednesday.

If youre looking for a fun comic book, you should probably take a chance on this one. Out this week.

If youre a fan of Revival and have never read Chew, I dont know what youll think. I think it may come off as genuinely crazy, It is, so thats not a bad thing, Id just be curious to hear from those fans coming to the Chew universe for the first time. A solid crossover, but Id be surprised if either of these stories have consequences in their respective universes. Out this week.

Its always good to see Cal back in action, and if youre a fan of our drunken detective, you really need to pick this one up, because when you next see him, things might be a little different.

This isnt out until September, but I recommend it for all noir fans.

This continues to be an excellent genre mash of noir and supernatural mystery, and right in my own personal sweet spot. Its like someones writing a comic just for me. (To which I say its about damn time.)

Its a fun read too, what with its mash up of detective noir and the supernatural. Now I thought this was out in April, but it may actually come out in May. Either way, pre-order it at your local or online comic book shop. Wildly entertaining.

Youre running out of time to order this one from your local comic shop. So get a move on and order this one (Item Code: SEP151507) before its too late. Its a great crime noir/supernatural story, and Im enjoying it immensely.

Another good one, but just a little bit different than what you might expect. I see that as a good thing.

It's an intriguing start, and I can't wait to see where this one goes.

A breezy read, and great fun for all of us monster movie geeks. If only this issue had bad dubbing; then it would have been perfect.

A different, action oriented science fiction comic, worth a look when youre perusing the shelves.

Fantastic comic. If youre not reading this, you should.

So life is just getting rougher for Zack, and I suspect, before its all done, hes earning his Overkill last name all over again.

So the art is up to its usual fine standards, but the story feels a bit light. Still good, still worth your time, I just wish it was meatier.

While this has been a good series, this issue felt a little off to me. But dont let me discourage you from checking it out when it comes to hardcover, because you definitely should.

A good start to a new mystery/horror series. Ill be interested to see where it goes from here.

This is a low key horror comic, and Im not sure where it intends to go. But thats a good thing.

A solid mix between hard boiled crime and science fiction, the trade will probably be coming out fairly soon, and is worth a look if you missed it in issue form.

This series is so gleefully weird. How can you not love it? Out this Wednesday.

This remains a fun, weird series, one worth checking out if youre looking for something different, wacky, and slightly gross all at the same time. Out this Wednesday.

A plot heavy, somewhat somber issue, its still a good blast of macabre fun.

Buy Chew and help CX! http://www.amazon.com/s/?tag=comixtr...11&Submit.y=10

This might be a good jumping on point for newcomers, but you really need to pick up the previous trades, if only because this is one great comic. Out this Wednesday, just in time for Christmas.(Also, Mother Cluckers? I dont know whether to boo or applaud.)

If youre new to this series, this might not be the best place to start, but its not the worst place either. Thats not wildly helpful, is it? Out this week.

A terrific issue, well worth picking up. But I just dont see how Showtime can possibly film this. Out this week.

Out this week, pick it up and enjoy the true oddity that is Chew. P.S.: Theres also a special glow in the dark cover available at the SDCC for all you weird cover fans. Why not? I might like a glow in the dark cover myself.

Out this Wednesday. Itll be fun to see where it all goes from here.

If youre not reading this comic, I no longer know what to say to you. Heres your chance to check it out, when its released this Wednesday.

Whats happening now? What does it all mean? I have no idea. Its part of what makes this series so fun. Out this week.

A good issue, but like most Chews, not for the squeamish. Out this week.

Out thisweek, and a lot of fun.

Out this Wednesday. Always fun, if just a tad gross.

I think I have run out of ways to this is good, buy it. But this is good, and you should buy it. Out this week.

A bold move to jump out of continuity like this, and very much worth it. Out this week.

It's darn fun is what it is, and a great return to form. Check it out this week.

Notice I said precious little about what went on in this issue? Now that's how you do an advance review without spoiling anything. Out this week.

The art remains strong, and one scene isn't as brutal as it could be, although it's still pretty grim.

There's so much action this issue is a really quick read, which could be good or bad, depending on your point of view.

Another solid issue, and an important one.

The art is solid, although my favorite spread is one I can't talk about without spoiling. Let's just say it involves Pengthulhu, and yes, it's as assume as it sounds. Of course, the star of the panel is awesome too, but come on. A penguin Cthulhu? I'm there with bells on, whatever that means.

Dont get me wrong, this is a good issue, and probably fairly pivotal, but I kind of wish there was a bit more story.

I still have a few questions, but itll be nice to see how this one unfolds. Out this Wednesday.

Something of a game changer in the Chew universe, and a harbinger of things to come.

A solid issue, with an exciting take on the prison breakout story, but some of this did feel a bit like killing time until the big event. What big event? Oh, come on, Im not going to spoil it. But it really feels like were building towards something major.

A good issue that feels very much like setting up the end game. Out this week.

A fun issue, with a couple of answers, even more questions, and a couple of plot complications.

This arc seems to be setting up a big showdown, but in the meaning, enjoy the crazy show. Out this Wednesday.

The final twists leaves a lot of questions, but none I can bring up, as it might be a spoiler. So pick it up Wednesday, and well talk then.

Were close to the end now, and things are getting even more violent than usual.

While this really isnt the Hannibal finale, its a relatively close comic equivalent, at least in one respect I mean, everybody needed a valium and a hug after that Hannibal, maybe some Ecstasy. (Im really not overstating this. If you havent seen it, watch it if you dare.) This issue of Chew will probably not leave you suffering an existential emotional crisis. But you will watch this slow motion car crash wincing, wondering why they couldnt have waited. But you shouldnt wait to pick this up. Out this Wednesday.

Where do things go from here? I dont know. It really does feel like were sliding into home. Out this week.

So the fallout from the massacre continues. Some people are in a decent enough place, some people are in a bad place, but no ones in a great place. It was just too hard and too ugly for anything to be settled. Sounds about right.

Were building to the big boss battle, but if youre thinking its just against one boss, you havent been paying attention. Out today.

A fast moving issue that puts some plots to rest finally and opens up a couple of others. Out Wednesday (today).

I fear the end of Chew is in site. I dont know what Im going to do when it ends.

You could probably guess who lives and who dies with some certainty. But who else dies? Ooh, is that a spoiler? I hope not. Out today.

Out this Wednesday. Now excuse me why I get a little emotional over the whole Chu/Savoy attraction becoming canon. *sniff*

This comic is insane. Its the best thing thats happened to me so far this week.

This is a fun, funny, and genuinely strange comic. Even if you dont like it (who are you people?!), you kind of have to admire its commitment to full on, sheer insanity. One question, though - how does Sockarang eat or open a door? Thats really starting to bug me.

That pretty much sums up this issue and series. Deliriously weird, well drawn, and silly, this should appeal to the kids in all of us. Especially if your inner kid is a six year old boy.

Theres lightheartedness and a constant sense of humor that causes this issue to just fly, and makes some of the clichs in a set up like this work really well. It doesnt re-invent the wheel, but I was surprised by how much I liked this. Younger readers should like this one a lot, and older readers should find it pretty damn charming as well.

This is shaping up to be fun all age title, so if you haven't given it a chance, now's the time. Unless you're deathly afraid of clowns.

A breezy, fun read. Have a I said fun enough? Because it cannot be overstated. Out this week.

Okay, I admit Im inclined to like these kinds of stories. But at a buck, its hardly going to cost you anything to find out if you like it or not. If you dont, fine, more for me then.

Highly recommended, especially if youre a fan of hardboiled or supernatural mysteries.

A good issue, but so much exposition is bound to weigh down the forward momentum. Still, the ending should be a punch in the face. (I mean that in a good way.)

This is an excellent jumping on point for new readers, so if youve never read a Criminal comic before, why not start here?

If youve never read Criminal before, I can see this miniseries being a great introduction to the whole series. Its dark, its crime, and lets face it, no one is innocent.

Great first issue, and Im not just saying that because Fialkov sent me a review copy. (Although thank you, Joshua.) Once they reprint this one, you ought to pick it up.

This is an awesomely spooky comic. If you havent checked it out yet, you really should. Out this week.

Out this week, its surely the eeriest comic on the shelf. Give it a look.

Tense, unsettling, weird, and yet lovely in its way, this is a great horror series everyone should be checking out.

Out this Wednesday. If you missed this in comic form, you should definitely pick up the trade form of this bleak, unrelenting horror story.

I cant praise this series enough, and if you pick up this issue and like it, I highly encourage you to check out the Princeless back catalog. It is endless fun.

I havent covered everything in the magazine (nearly, but not quite), and I dont want to. I want you to go buy it and enjoy it for yourself. Its available in some stores now, or you can buy it online at http://devastatorquarterly.com/shop . For fans of comedy, and those who just love satire or cartoons, this is a must have. And remember, as Popeye said to Bluto, Now, just leans back and let me show you this little diddy I learned back in Dusseldorf.

Funny, fun, and pure horror eye candy, you should definitely pick this one up. And not jst for the sparkly vampire beat down, although Im sure thats going to draw in a lot of people.

Damn good fun. And remember, no luvin up the chickens. Just in case you didnt know the rules.

The well detailed art gives you some comic turns in the beginning before giving way to true horror, and overall it's beautifully done. A chilling and excellent piece of work.