This candy-coloured dystopia combines a strong philosophical background, profound understanding of the characters, and measured shots of dread and just-plain-fun to create an alternate-dimensional story like nothing we've seen the X-Men face before. This just might be the story we've been waiting for. Reviewed by Bethany W Pope

Taken as a whole, this was the conclusion of an excellent experiment. One which, I hope, will not be completely erased by Hickman's upcoming venture in the Land of X.

This book is a complex mix of soap-opera-style drama, incisive social commentary, and a nuanced study of life on the fun side of a scary totalitarian regime. It's a hell of a lot of fun. And, yes, Nightcrawler is pretty danged Amazing.

This series asks some serious questions, hidden behind a compulsively consumable popcorn-flavored plot. If you aren't reading it yet, you are missing out.

This is the well-written, funny, occasionally touching penultimate issue of a wonderful series. There's a little, inadvertant, insensitivity to adopted families (and an odd focus on the importance of genetic family) but aside from that this book is well worth picking up.

This final issue masterfully builds to a conclusion which feels inevitable and devastating all at once. I haven't been so moved by a comic in a very long time.

Beneath the 60's-Chic design and happy happy faces inhabiting X-Man's perfect world lies a deep seam of dystopian fear. Witty writing and beautiful art combine to make this issue everything that you'd want from an X-Men alternate reality Story.

This story balances action, world-building and introspection to highlight the fact that when doubt is forbidden we all are made into fanatics. Welcome to the second issue of what will likely become the best series of the year.

In terms of both the story and panel-after-panel of beautiful art, this is an issue to read at once, in a breathless, admiring rush, before revisiting again and again to chew on all the meaty bits. This is an astonishing piece of work.

With the combination of a fascinating premise, innovative art and perfect pacing, these creators deliver the penultimate issue of Marvel's most ambitious series. I have never loathed an X-Man villain as much as I despise Nate Grey. That, in itself, is a remarkable achievement.

This series is a cure for the rainy-day blues, if ever I've seen one. Pick it up.

This issue serves as a bridge between episodes, but that's not a bad thing. Ragnarok is coming.

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, but at least there are jokes about Guliani. Pick this one up.

All the signs and portents have been read, the population of the earth is dwindling, and the dragons are rising from the depths. There's nothing left to do but sit back and wait for the end of the world. The final cycle of stories in the Mignolaverse are rapidly ramping up for their certain-to-be-bloody conclusion. Luckily there's room for humour --and a touch of tenderness -- amidst all of the destruction. This series is a lot of mythic fun.

King and Daniel construct a comic book that is as intricate as the inner workings of a clock while still packing the pages with plenty of spirit, heart, and fun. It's everything you want in a Batman book.

A deeply psychological story told with nuance, depth, and badass flair.

Some stories are fairy tales. Some stories are nightmares. This story incorporates elements of both and the results are explosive.

This is a remarkably clever, multilayered narrative which balances a measure of heart with an abundance of punching.

This is a well constructed issue designed to reveal the cleverness of Bane's machinations that largely succeeds though it is marred by a slight flaw.

Carefully constructed, psychologically nuanced, and tinged with humour of the blackest, bleakest variety, this issue adds another layer of paint to the mural declaring Tom King the best Batman writer in decades.

King starts off this new arc with a level of structural narrative complexity that is perfect for the medium and thus far unequaled in the form. There's also a surprising amount of well-executed violence.

This was a hallucinatory, nightmarish episode contributing a vital splash of blood to an interesting story. The art is worth the cover-price alone.

The stories that Tom King is telling with Batman will prove to be part of an historic run. This issue adds another piece to his unspeakabe puzzle. It is a masterful story.

Incoherent dialogue, a rushed pace, and a flimsy plot cannot, it turns out, be redeemed by good line art.

Despite the frankly heroic efforts of the visual artists to wrench coherence and beauty from this script, the writing was so abysmal that I cannot recommend that anyone spend money on this book.

Elegant, deeply-psychological writing paired with deliberately noirish art and at least one giant tentacle-monster. What more do you need from a comic?

The art in this issue is absolutely stunning. The dialogue is next to non-existent, but the theme is remarkably complex. Even if you don't approve of King's long (and I would say extremely successful) experiment with narrative, you are going to want to have this in your collection on the strength of the visuals.

Although the art is as arresting as the plot, the story (and its unworkable shift in perspective) leaves a lot to be desired. This is something of a low-point for an otherwise fascinating arc.

The circuitous narrative spooled out over the last several issues comes to fruition, here, when Batman finally finds the key to freeing himself from the labyrinth of fear. The art is stellar, as is the narrative. This is one to pick up.

Despite excellent dialogue and the usual (for this book) high quality of art, this issue felt unnecessarily bloated. It could have told twice the story in half the space, had the editing been a little more effective.

Although the script seemed to be a bit muddled in places its deficits were balanced by the strength of the dialogue and art. Clearly King is building to an emotionally-powerful conclusion. Lets hope that he sticks the landing.

This exceedingly brief issue is composed primarily of beautifully illustrated filler. You'll miss nothing by skipping it.

After the unfortunate waste of the previous issue, King jumps back in the saddle with this stellar exercise in narrative economy and astonishing art. This is one to pick up.

Balancing good psychology with roaring action is no easy task, but it is one which the team of King, Bellaire, and Janin have absolutely knocked out of the park. This issue more than redeems the somewhat weaker passages we had to slog through to get here.

After reading this issue I can say that (assuming that King can resist the urge to ruin the pacing by spreading the story out until it is thinner than a wet poppadom) City of Bane looks like it will be a very fun, very wild ride indeed.

We don't really need another contemporary totalitarian dystopia, since we're well on the way to living in one now, but this is proving to be a fun ride anyway.

A quiet, but not uneventful interlude on a beach brings Batman to a new level of self-understanding right before ripping the carpet right under his feet. This issue won't appeal to the folks who read primarily for the explosions, but it will be an important issue for just about everyone else.

Literary wit, astonishing action, and kneebuckling art all abound in this issue. What more could you possibly want?

With this issue, Tom Taylor has added another, fascinating, dimension to the Bat-mythos. Parental love, and the function of compassion, are the primary themes. Oh yeah. And Alfred beats up a bunch of baddies while wearing a Halloween mask. That happens, too.

Beautiful art is forced to work in concert with a mediocre script in Batman Annual #4 (King, Fornes, Norton, Steward, Cowles).

Issue #1 takes the series off on a strong start, pairing a tight narrative and strong characterization with a surprising amount of psychological depth and some well-planned art. This miniseries seems to be aimed at a slightly older audience than the show it is promoting, but that is more of a strength than a weakness. It's a good jumping on point for new readers.

This is a fun, fast-paced book whose noir surface hides a surprising amount of psychological depth.

The neo-noir tone of this comic is consistent throughout, but the careful character studies are a little let down by some pacing problems and a few instances of dubious art.

This issue served up a lot of introverted contemplation, disguised as an international police-chase. If you care about the characters, it's one to pick up.

Compulsive, cinematic action coupled with a good wallop of heart: what more could you want in a comic?

A miniseries about a zombie-like apocalypse has absolutely no business being this beautiful, touching, or straight-up fun. DCeased #6(Taylor, Hairsine, Edwards, Gaurdiano, Beredo)proved a fine conclusion to a wonderful event. Do pick it up.

Deadpool resets to his original factory settings, abundant pouches and unicorn undies included. This book is good for fans of musical theatre and pro wrestling.

Love him or hate him, there's a lot more to this Merc than obscure pop-culture references and a variety of pouches. Theres also a lot of punching and pretty unicorn-themed accessories.

A solid, slightly nauseating read. There are chunks in the vomit.

This was a cartoonishly-paced, gloriously-violent vacation in Weird World that is only occasionally let down by the art.

This book is the best there is at what it does and what it does is mix juvenile humor with cartoonish violence and references to films which came out decades before I was born. Mayhem. It's a good thing.

Stories about depression are rarely this much fun. There was an emotional honesty to this issue which shocked me, without reducing the quality of the humour.

The art is beautifully rendered and joyfully disgusting. The story is a bit like a Simpsons episode after a hit of meth. But hey. It's Deadpool. What more do you want?

Taken as a whole, this series is extremely solid, but far from unmissable. Those who enjoy it (as I do, beyond a critical capacity) will likely continue to do so for some time.

Vibrant colors and a dark, beautifully fantastic tone to Excalibur #2 (Howard, To), combine into a story that, despite its (many) flaws, is shaping into something very special indeed.

Excalibur hits its stride in this issue. Dragons, fairies, and special surprise guest stars abound.

The energy in this story is really ramping up in a satisfying way. If you enjoy druids and dragons, this book is well worth the cost.

The Very Good fire Fox is back and so is Rogue. This issue is a lot of fun, and exactly what you want from a fantasy X-Series.

This is a vibrant series of explosions, with some serious problems in the plot.

This was a dramatic and arresting introduction to a series which will certainly have repercussions for all of the X-Books.

This is an extraordinarily tightly-wrought, action-packed comic that is laden with character and balanced by finely-accomplished art. Pick it up.

This is an action packed, well-written (slightly familiar) story told and illustrated with style, verve and more than a few hidden jokes.

The penultimate issue is fast-paced and well-plotted, with enough action and banter to keep the readers entertained and anxious about the safety of their favorite characters.

The conclusion of the Extermination series combined tight writing with beautiful art and manages to tie off most of the loose ends created by the time-displaced O5.

This story is a popcorn read. Beautiful art, hinting at storylines which will, no doubt, come to fruition later down the line. It isn't an essential read, but it is undeniably fun.

This issue is full of beautiful art and fine characterizations. What more do you need?

This story is composed of lovely art, wrapped around a mystery. What more could you want?

Want a taste of the original Excalibur with a side order of jump-scares and a truckload of absolutely amazing art? Yes? Then grab this issue.

This is a dark, troubling, brilliantly illustrated story told with humor and a lot of heart. Be sure to save this dark angel some room on your pull list.

This is the beginning of a multifoliate, gorgeously complex story, one which looks like it will change the franchise for many years to come. The art is wonderful enough to live up to that burden. Pick this issue up.

Some stories go off like damp firecrackers. This one is a nuclear bomb.

House of X #3 (Hickman, Larraz) Add together action, heart, a good dash of sci-fi, a smattering of political intrigue, a giant explosion, and you get this book. There's a brave new world, right between these covers, and, O, what people are in it!

This is a beautiful, brutal, terrible read one that will serve as a reminder of the nobility at the centre of these characters and the love that makes them great.

This series is laden with a full measure of intellect and heart, a measure pressed down and overflowing. It is an absolute work of art.

After the darkest hour comes, at last, the sunlight. This issue is both joyous and deeply important to the future of the series. Pick up House of X #6 (Hickman, Larraz, Garcia, Curiel, Cowles).

The final issue of Koshchei the Deathless is a dark, sad, beautiful, and ultimately hopeful conclusion to a fable about a man searching for his soul. It's a good one. Pick it up.

New Mutants: Dead Souls #6 is a thoughtful, beautifully-wrought character study coupled to a flash-bang plot and seasoned with cursing and the promise of nudity. Along with X-Men Red, Astonishing X-Men, and Extermination, it is one of the best books that Marvel has produced this year.

This story balances on the knife-edge between humor and anxiety. It's a series full of guts, horror, and a lot of heart. Plus a few drunk Russians.

This issue is a perfect balance of humor, horror, and character development. I cannot recommend this series highly enough.

Groundbreaking, gut-wrenching storytelling and astonishing art marks the beginning of what will prove to be a very important X-Man story.

It's difficult to keep four plots spinning at the same pace over 34 pages, but Hickman manages it beautifully. The plot(s) all take a major kick-start in this issue, and the art is beautiful enough to be compelling on its own. If you haven't already, pick this series up.

Everything changes in this issue. Everything ends. Of course, knowing Hickman, hes just using this as an excuse to press our expectations even further. This is not a story that you want to miss.

Come for the delightful art and Sinister's delicious sartorial insults, stay for a revelation that will rock all fandom to the core.

This issue is an info-dump, but it is a beautiful, well-executed info-dump one which future writers will be mining for decades to come.

This is a stunning, heartbreaking, beautiful conclusion to a wonderful piece of work and like every ending it opens the door into a brave new future.

This issue struck a good balance between character and plot, but although the writing was tight, it was impossible to disguise the fact that this issue was primarily intended as a bridge to the next part of the plot.

This issue is wrenching and beautiful: the writing is heartbreaking, but undermined by one terrible flaw.

This is issue contains what is probably the most well-considered philosophical statement delivered by a comic this year.

Marvel is hitting it out of the park with their stories, just lately. This one is certainly a mini series that you'll want to watch.

The fascinating What-If? Narrative begun in the previous issue continues here. The script is tight, masterfully balancing the tightrope between profundity and silly fun, and the art is a beautiful fusion of the best parts of classical and contemporary form. Pick this one up.

It's amazing how much heart, plot, and generally amazing art are crammed into each issue of this incredibly-satisfying series.The fandom is lucky to have it.

The pacing in this series is nearly perfect. The script is an expert balance of action and introspection, with a real focus on character. Combined with fun, jubilantart, this series is one for the ages.

Spider-Man: Life Story comes to an end with a deeply touching, beautifully executed book that will leave every fan absolutely exalted and more than a little teary. Pick this one up.

If you're in the mood for some complex, surprisingly astute analysis of western colonialism wrapped in a patina of 1940's all-American pulp, pick up the first issue of Tom King's Strange Adventures. It's well worth the cover price.

Excellent art combines here with a thought provoking, extremely timely story. It's well worth picking up.

Aside from some narrative oversights which drag the tale down to the merely passable, this is a deeply enjoyable read.

Adroit art is, in this issue, unfortunately shackled to a grinding cog of a story. Let's hope that this is merely a workmanlike pause in the artistry, rather than the whole of the story.

Beneath the body horror, marvellously gory art, and genuine metaphysical terror of this book there is a story which has been told with love and honesty. It's difficult to read, in the very best sense, but well worth the effort required to endure it. Do pick it up.

Things fall apart. The center cannot hold. The Gods are scattered, war is coming, and Thor's having problems with his hammer. But what else is new? Read on to find out.

While this story lacked the subtext and narrative nuances promised by the first issue, it remains a rollicking adventure story, laden with beauty and wit. Pick it up.

Hel has frozen over, and someone has a wedding in it. A story this operatic needs a Wagnerian score and a deep draught of laudanum to wash it down with.

This was a dizzy, psychedelic sugar-rush of a finale punctuated with operatic violence and moments of real emotional weight. Pick it up.

This issue balances action-packed adventure, meditative philosophy, and some very well-done humor, creating a story that is trippy and fun, with just a hint of melancholy running through it. Pick it up.

A lushly drawn narrative set against a cosmic backdrop told with humor and a twist of pathos. This book is one to pick up.

This is a beautifully realised story with a terrible (and absolutely avoidable) flaw at its heart that the strong writing and art cannot quite compensate for.

This story (rather jarringly) shunts readers back to the present. The dialogue is good, and the art is magnificent, but the structure is haunted with difficulties not least the writer's depiction of women. Thori remains absolutely delightful.

This issue's beautiful art and stellar plot are tarnished by some rather insidious sexism. Reviewed by Bethany W Pope

This issue was more considered than the last, written with greater psychological depth and narrative nuance, possibly because Aaron was more comfortable with the characters. Even so, the only female role was occupied by a woman who was talking about her son, while literally in the kitchen. That's...not great. The art was, as ever, perfectly suited to the story. It's worth picking up.

This book is an action-packed entertainment gumball, undermined (in part) by an unfortunate take on mental illness. Nevertheless, the overblown, soap-opera elements were a lot of fun.

This is a fun, well-written adventure which is let down, in places, by the politics of the art.

This is a brutal, beautiful story which strips Wonder Woman down to the bones of the myth then polishes those ruins until they absolutely glow.

The opening issue of this relaunch is packed with keen characterisation, sharp dialogue, and absolutely fantastic art. If you like your X-Books to be a little darker and morally murky than Red or Uncanny, this is a great series to pick up.

This new iteration of X-Force combines tight plotting, cutting dialogue, and an intriguing mystery with exceptional art. Taken together, these elements build to a fun, engaging, and thematically-dark story. There's a renaissance happening in the X-Books right now. This is part of it. - Review by Bethany W Pope

Smart, fast-paced writing, 90's themes, and some rather extraordinarily nuanced art combine to produce exactly the kind of action-packed, morally dubious book that X-Force fans have always loved. Pick this one up.

Every time-travel story requires a flashback or two to flesh out the narrative. This flashback was set two-thousand years in the future, but despite such timey-wimey shenanigans the story was wonderfully clear. This was a good tale, told with sensitivity, and augmented by some lovely gory art. It has everything youd want in an X-Force book -- and its an excellent jumping-on place for new readers.

While not strictly an X-Force story (the crew are hardly in it) this issue presents a deeply satisfying glimpses into a possible future. It's well worth checking out.

The pace of this issue allowed for moments of superb characterisation while not stinting on moments of real dread. The art is effective and stylish. This is a series to pick up.

This story continues to be a fun, character-driven dark-toned futuristic romp. A good action comic need not be profound, so long as the flow is fast and the script is enjoyable. This is very much the case for this story.

This one-shot explors two heart-wrenching stories which explore the loss of a familiar hero. Cable never appeared as a grown man, even in flashbacks, but he was finely drawn in his absence. There was a gaping hole in the center of this narrative, and that hole served as the story's living heart.

Dawn of X starts here! Following the events of House of X/Powers of X, Hickman slowly establishes the new mutant paradigm inX-Men #1(Hickman, Yu, Alanguilan, Gho, Cowles).

X-Men #2 (Hickman, Yu, Alanguilan) is compelling, playing with high stakes and complex ideas, all of which will influence the entire Dawn launch, however it's let down by less than stellar characterizations and mid-range art.

This issue is SUCH a dramatic improvement from the first two that it might have sprung from another mind. Trust me. You're going to want to pick this one up.

Dinner is served! Your main courses are fine art, an excellent plot, and a heaping side-order of unexamined misogyny.

This issue combines truly beautiful art with top-notch storytelling and a firm handle on character voices which have been lacking in previous installments. It's a heart-stopping ride.

Uneven storytelling, and an egotistical desire on the part of the writer to cause furor among fans, lead to this being a controversial entry in the realm of X-Lore.

A popcorn plot combines with some absolutely amazing art in this surprisingly fun issue. Grab it, before The Brood grabs you!

A firecracker start fizzles to a damp squib conclusion in this story but any completist will still want to pick this issue up.

Read on for an extended commercial for future plots. Opt out if you actually want either story or answers.

This is a fun book, and an excellent study of Magneto as a leader, and a Hero, for the world.

This issue is crammed with interesting ideas, or ideas that could have been interesting, but the writing was not at all engaging, in practice, despite the heavy lifting done by the art.

This book perfectly balances complex themes and lighter tone to produce a story which is equal parts contemplative and deeply entertaining. When you add Dodson's masterful art to the equation, you absolutely cannot miss.

This book is a fun romp,painted in dayglow, with some unexpected answers buried in the seams.

This is a joyous, intensely fun, exquisitely executed reimagining of five years of X-Men lore condensed into one incredible story. Whether you're new to the fandom or an old hand, you are going to pick this one up.

A dense, joyous, occasionally frightening, often-hilarious reimagining of five years worth of X-Lore. This is an essential read for fans of all stripes. Plus, there's a panel in which Dr. Doom plays with a Barbie.