Reading the first issue, anyone can find in Zane Pinchback a very relatable hero. Not a fearless one, not an altruistic one, a very human one with talent, ambition, and the will to overcome trepidation for the truth. And just as in Fitzgerald's depiction of the Jazz Age, that truth is never guaranteed to be convenient or gilded, nor its pursuit without sacrifice and heartache. But in the fading luster of pretense and the waning cheapness of veneer, it's the only enduring treasure. This book has a solid twenty-four karat heart.

Lemire's Black Hammer titles have been a consistent source of joy for me, even the tragedies. Sadly, brilliantly fulfilling was Doctor Star and the Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows (now re-christened as Doctor Andromeda); that's surely a form of four-color joy. Barbalien: Red Planet may surpass anything yet produced for the Hammerverse and its first issue signifies the intent almost flawlessly. Lemire allowing other powerful creatives onto his Black Hammer stage invites ever-increasing returns. This issue is proof.

The result is an inaugural chapter that will assuredly add more complexity to the overlapping, interconnected Hammerverse before the series is finished. It sets up the conflict and its long-term effect, then banks into a steep dive to strafe us with the pending sorrows as pride and anger overcome reason to reject wise counsel. All before the primary battle's even begun. Finally, we're left with our heroes facing a challenge sufficient to give an Odinson pause and leaves us clamoring for the next installment. It's may not be real aerial combat, but it's a top-notch feat of comic book derring-do.

After reading through #1 several times, there was a lingering awareness that boundaries had shifted, extraterrestrial horizons expanded. It wasn't unlike the first couple Sandman tales. Those shared elements from House of Mystery but was accompanied by a sense the field of horror, fantasy, and mystery comics had suddenly evolved. Far Sector leaves you with a similar glow, in emerald, regarding the status quo of science fiction comics and cosmic heroes.

Over the last five months, there have been quality issues from many companies. But Frontiersman #5 is, so far, my favorite wrap of any current story arc.

First issues examining vintage characters in a whole new way, while retaining the strengths and components that made that character memorable, do not come much better than this. My Green Hornet passion may have originated Old School, but this creative team has me thrilled. The New School is now in session.

It's not the Hulk of Hulk-Busters, of raging against the unrelenting fear of normal people, of seeking acceptance in a world wrongly deeming it a destructive fiend, of child-like innocence or of simple unbridled rage. It's an unfathomable green boogeyman earning every shuddered gasp from humanity assembled. This story brought back childhood memories of early Hulk, imprisoned behind layers of steel while Rick Jones maintained a vigil outside. A misanthrope which promised vengeance and payback while reminding its captor that it never stops. Never tires. And that it's coming for you.

#25 requires some patience. It unravels at its own pace. But overall, take the four Hulk tenets above and expand them exponentially. Immortally. Across the universe, over billions of years. When your mind catches up with Ewing's scripting, you're looking at a new designator for Hulk: Creation Breaker.

The historical neo-noir of Regarding the Matter of Oswalds Body #4 provides stellar emotional escalation before a genuinely cathartic payoff, even as situational storm clouds gather for our heroes. Weve transcended the decades and become a vicarious part of their crew, all through the efforts of an exceptional creative team.

In reminding us why we loved these teen humor comics so very much, Simone and Morrison create a bonafide, four-color cockle-warmer. They share a Madhouse full of fun exploring The Wrong Earth: Trapped on Teen Planet #1.

The Rod Serling shroud established so well by Lemire and artist Dean Ormston continues to hang over Rockwood and all its residents, each character vulnerable to a sudden case of death. Or at the least, a trip to The Cornfield without notice. Part of the mystery remains in just who their Anthony is"a vengeful past villain, another cosmic entity altogether, or maybe a member of the confined.

If starships on their last voyage can feel like a house with all the children gone, they must not be part of the Hammer-World. In their final voyage (for now), this crew makes a home. One filled with children and life and hope. And only a little regret. Parting with them is such sweet, satisfying sorrow.

Whetting our appetite for more of both these masterful noirish offerings quietly, with less cinematic bravado than restrained realism, the members of each creative team deserve bravas and bravos.

For those seeking a cerebral crime comic alternative, one which foregoes padded bullet ballets for intelligent, subliminal storytelling, Newburn #5 is your passport.

The first story speaks of the telltale Heart of the Stage, the driving desire to perform, and the ethos which should channel such hunger. The subsequent back-ups never lose sight of valid stagecraft principles buried beneath the festive "Boo!" The lessons they teach have value, in the arts and in everyday life.

The introduction issue is rocket fuel for our soaring imaginations. Lemire has a reputation for exceeding recommended absolute ceilings, to reach higher and brush stardust. This is a worthy ascent, one with his largest payload to date.

There have been other comic books based on Clue, and Clue: Candlestick is unlikely to be the last. But no others will have the same novelty Dash Shaw's packed into his series. They won't leave his individual history of each murder weapon ingrained. They won't change the way you view Miss Scarlet before passing her red marker to the next player, first turn be damned, to choose a safer color. Other Clue books won't see you dusting off the long-idle Mansion Board in your closet and proposing a family game night. Or fondly recalling past sessions, or the cards, the tokens, the worn dice. Shaw's will.

The first issue leaves you wishing for an ongoing instead of limited series, itself an unequivocal testament to the success of its creative team.

Oeming's determined to show us why Dick Tracy was the fountainhead for similar characters the decades since. How he still is. How he should remain so.

Some say dogs are our link to paradise. Dogs of London #1 may shoot somewhere south of that, given the criminal elements involved. But this title once more proves Aftershocks willingness to take chances with offbeat horror, sci-fi, and crime drama variations pays off handsomely.

Artist Alex Maleev knows those sorts of characters, and Bendis' style of storytelling (Daredevil, Moon Knight). He's also an experienced renderer of super-powered tales alongside Bendis (New Avengers). It explains why Maleev works well here. His action sequences can sprawl, focus, or shake the page as needed. Scenes of quiet discourse or verbal spars are just as varied. Measured precisely against Bendis' words in setting the stage, they create the mood. The impact of words.

Hawkman began as a Gordian knot of continuity needing a solutionist capable of loosening the bonds and enabling a classic hero to take wing again. Venditti, Hitch, and their creative alliance managed this miracle in a scant dozen issues. They posed: Could a hero be an alien police officer, a reincarnated ruler of Egypt, an Old West gunman, a knight errant, a warrior of Rann, a Kryptonian teacher, and thousands of others? Their answer became an unequivocal "Yes!"

There's a much vaster story than the reader is currently privy to, but watching the spidery scripter weave his web transfixes us, and we want to get closer, to see more of the pattern revealed with each forming strand. Even if that means we eventually witness it from the fly's point of view.

They've combined and entwined their contributions into a gem of a horror tale. Like Jeff Rice's The Night Stalker, they create a city setting real enough to visit, then beset it with a supernatural plague, depriving us any comfort produced by urban familiarity.

From the developments in Lunar Room #3, Sin and Zero strengthen their positions with potential for greatly upsetting the status quo, backed by canid howls for an overdue reckoning. It feels like the kind of change Solar Citys been waiting for.

With many parts of her story yet to be explored in the next four issues, I'm looking forward to the journey and deciding if any modern versions would also end with the condemned refusing a blindfold, defiantly but demurely staring down her accusers.

Todd Nauck's art for the introductory portion involving the SoL, Moon 13, and the Return characters proved an unexpected major plus for the book. The fun he's having morphing the show into comic book form is tangible. His pages warranted a second viewing after my initial read, just to admire the joie de vivre he invested.

Chasing our dreams is supposedly a good thing. But when your dreams stalk you back? Then you need someone riding shotgun who sees those frightful phantasms, too. Someone carrying their own shotgun and unafraid to use it. In Slumber #1, Stetsons that hero weve been dreaming for.

A new title sometimes reminds you of a first car. It runs, but the idle is shaky and the acceleration rough. Creative teams can institute a tune-up over several issues to get everything purring in concert. Strange Skies Over East Berlin #1 is more like the new car your parents spring for unexpectedly, straight from the showroom and primed for performance. You want to open it up, see where it will take you, show it off to your friends. Do the same with this book. Based on #1, BOOM!'s engineered a 1973 muscle car of a series.

We know these legends, Round Table et al. " just not this way. We're left eager to know more, and already lamenting that a mere four issues remain for Rodrguez to finish weaving his Merlin spell of remembrance.

The Closet #1 serves up subtle unrest, the sort experienced when viewing old closed-circuit footage and gaining intimate insights strangers werent meant to see. Nothing sordid, nothing unseemly. Except for that disturbing, indistinct shadow staring back at us from the depths of a murky closet.

It's a sly and foreboding beginning for an appealing horror imprint concept. The first issue showcases a steadfast love for the genre that won't be rushed, cheapened, or compromised for plot advancement. Rich ingredients simmer in the narrative cauldron, destined to come to a bubbling, toiling boil before story's end.

This is a lot of quality entertainment packed into a single issue. If it sets the standard for future issues, it's a steal given the cover price. If #1 comes in a special introductory size, it's a grand start to the series. Either way, it's helmed by people of amazing achievement and even greater potential as evidenced by sneak peeks at their other previews.

Algeria Is Beautiful like America offers something important and significant to the current reexaminations of national history and character.

Archie Meets Batman '66 #1 succeeds in doing what all first issues should, and that's making us long for issue #2 while simultaneously filling our imaginations with all that could lie ahead. Reggie, a Catwoman henchman? Hot Dog and Ace lending the heroes a paw (I know, Bat-Hound was never part of the show, but neither was Poison Ivy). Batman, Robin, and Batgirl cutting a mean Batusi to the soulful musical stylings of The Archies? The creative team has proven once again how versatile the Riverdale teens can be when it comes to crossovers, even the unlikely ones. Archie vs Sharknado happened, after all. This one, however, has been helmed to go together like chocolate and peanut butter. Or, if you're Jughead, the Sixteen-Hamburgers-in-One Burger.

Lemire's pace introducing the elements is a marinating, unrushed affair. The reader is granted ample opportunity to breathe the smoky air of an age hitherto undreamed, witness bloody, violent clashes of steel and sinew, before being led to the smog and urban decay of modern times. Lemire allows artist Mike Deodato, Jr. abundant panels and pages to make the first issue exceedingly visual. It's a wise use of talent.

A young undead turns humans for profit, not fun, and for provender in Blood-Stained Teeth #1. An elite class of vampire billionaires demand conformity to their edicts. Will Atticus Sloane comply, or topple their immortal regime through his journey and let fanged freedom reign?

Cursed Comics Cavalcade #1 reminds us what being that youthful comic book reader of supernatural titles was all about, especially if eerie tales incidentally involving superheroes were our joy. The adult fan in us will appreciate the added explorations into folklore, speculative science, and the characterizations of familiar heroes, some of whom don't truck with the mystical on a regular basis. As a collection, it consists of many more bite-size Mars bars than generic peanut butter kisses.

If youre on the hunt for cutting-edge cybernetics and untraceable hackmaster software nowhere else, come to Mazu Bay! If it leads you to two mercenaries dressed like the heroes of Fox and Hare #1, either run away or start a live feed using a pay-per-view platform. Youll draw an audience the same way this premiere should. 

Friendo has a thoroughbred in the race when it comes to contemporary speculative fiction of the 'Shortly Realized Unless Steps Are Taken' futurist category. What sets it apart from other similar smart books is the spirit with which it aims both barrels at our world of reality programming and manufactured media to pose the question, "Have we truly come to this?" Then having the hubris to answer by offering an online poll festooned with pop-up ads and clickbait.

The storytelling is tight, effective, and seemingly effortless. But in it resides great guffaw-worthy dialogue and a true sense of tabletop gaming chaos. Plus, Leth embellishes the various characters while also introducing each of their in-game D&D characters. The correlation of each revealed more about the Holograms through their player characters, organically.

It's a well-tailored exploration of two feature superheroes sharing a call to action, then finding symmetry in coordinating their efforts. Meanwhile, we're treated to vicarious shares of what's going on behind those masks, and that makes for a smart and superlative brand of team-up.

With My Bad #5 youll laugh, youll sniffle, you may even laugh til you tear up. But if youve cackled at the Hopeless Fruit Pies ads, felt giddy looking upon lamp-themed crimefighting wonder weapons, or accepted the Draw the Turtle Pirate Challenge in previous installments, dont miss the final chapter of this series!

If patience isn't your virtue of choice, the pace of #2 may put you off. Good news, Bendis has released cover art for issue #6 revealing a uniformed Naomi backed by members of Young Justice and the League. Oh, we're getting some answers in the next few issues. Just you wait.

Probably few launch issues should be done as a dialogue dance. But Kindlon, Tucker and Wallace have choreographically succeeded. Not always through just what the primaries say, but through what each, especially Richard, omits.

Lemire successfully contrasts the two time periods with elements that float apparition-like from the classic Adventure Comics era of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and the 'Five Years Later' Keith Giffen/Tom and Mary Bierbaum tales of LSH Volume 4. More, he delivers it in the heart-rending manner longtime comics fans familiar with the homage's source material have come to expect, poignantly and on-key.

The Event that led to the Catalyst Prime titles is referenced, characters from other books appear, but a reader can enjoy Quincredible #1 without cracking open additional Lion Forge books. This issue will make you want to, but it's not required going in. Instead you'll be relating to Quin's situation. This issue may even inspire moments that compel personal reflection. "So I have talents. Paltry talents, but still. What am I doing with them to make the world better?" It's an internal conversation we could all stand to have.

You may need a Red Sonja/Tarzan team-up in your life even if you think you don't, and Gail Simone is just the writer to prove it to you. She's orchestrated that rarity of a high-quality mashup able to please fans of both main characters. She's also added a villain to the Howard and Burroughs mythoi worthy of keeping dark company with the likes of Thoth-Amon and Nikolas Rokoff.

Yang, Tan, and Ruan know their protagonist's past, the path they've placed him on, and have a shared vision for expanding his family's origin alongside Shang-Chi's future. Their handling and timing will help the Master of Kung Fu finally take his rightful position as a primary Marvel hero.

In a period when companies tout the sensational death of an established character to move product, Shanghai Red #4 ends with this reader still uncertain whose corpses may lie shrouded beneath the last act curtain when it falls. It's simply part of a journey, one where life is cheap and life is tenuous, survival based on the whim of a cruel era and place. No matter the collateral damage, no matter the price or the sacrifice, expect Red and Jack to remain defiant until the bittersweet end.

The mystery widens, the danger mounts, and we're left wondering: Is Cthu-Lou harmless, or simply hiding in the open, biding his Master's time?

It's not a feel-good story. But if you've ever given the best parts of yourself to a career only to see it demand still more, you can relate. Like Peter, we soldier on. It doesn't get easier, but we're too committed to stop. Too stubborn to quit. Some say that's heroic. But we share Peter's feelings that the price eventually becomes too dear.

Those who have read the Zahn novel may feel a sense of familiarity from the storyline, but this creative team delivers the thrill you get seeing a favorite book realized on celluloid. They've tapped our mind's eyes for the graphics, channeled our inner reading voices for the dialogues, and conveyed Thrawn to a new innovative dimension of reality.

Tini Howard and crew are the taste engineers, and they've brought together an exceptional mix that packs a tangy zing. It's familiar, but with a pleasing difference.

There have been many attempts to re-imagine Jimmy Olsen into something other than what his 20-year ongoing comic series put into place. Some more serious, some attempting more connection to youth culture in that moment, others just dull. Fraction and Lieber have made Jimmy's youthfulness a factor but retained the never-dull 'Pal Dimension' of the Silver Age. While there's no zee-zeeing of the signal watch or Kirby krackled crossovers with Don Rickles, the best parts of the avant garde comic book style are intact, amusing, and sharp.

This team is proven, and Lemire commands my confidence. The turning point of #1 is Vic Sage leaving his usual element, his consciousness expanded. It's no trifle, setting him spiritually adrift. The rest of the series either dies on that hill or evolves the Question.

This particular kind of Special Issue has several objectives. To remind us of what was great in the previous tomes, to prepare us for additional sections of that storyline, to excite us with the new elements that will comprise it, and to introduce us to the folks who'll be shepherding us. The Sandman Universe #1 accomplishes all of that. The realm of Dream is reawakened, the braziers brightly lit once more, and the library ready for new patrons.

Undiscovered Country presents ample variables on perceptions of our global village taken to conclusions both logical and insane. Possibly jingoistically romping mad. The protagonists are on the clock, and midnight marks the death of humanity. Meantime, there's a whodunit in their midst, the question of who an invitation to visit America serves.

The blended genres and the creators' love for each sets Vinegar Teeth apart, the result posing the question, "What if Alfred Hitchcock produced a Cohen Brothers film, based on an H.P. Lovecraft story adapted by Charles Addams and John Huston?" The answer? We all win.

Ewing's dialogue does a tango with Simone Di Meo's artwork. Initially, the technobabble and officiousness of the chatter sit at odds with a beautiful, glorified style. Aesthetics harnessing the sprawling desolation and wonderment of an extraterrestrial frontier. As Ewing's coded words are revealed beyond their surface inference, possibilities outside the normal workaday of commercial space begin matching the visuals.

In interviews, Lelay's entertained notions of how characters from Jade Street Protection Services (with art by Lelay and written by Katy Rex) would stack up as a band. Thus, We Are The Danger might come off as mere wish fulfillment, and one that emulates other series concepts already being done. Except that he does it very well, well enough you don't care about all that. You just get swept up in the breakneck, youthful creative process of passion and possibilities.

What that leaves is a satisfying setup for seeing just how monstrous Constance and Dooley become when confronted by those hunting them. When their small, chosen family is threatened by different kinds of monsters, including the human sort pursuing their American Dream making an American Nightmare for others.  

Narrative-wise, it's a solid GL tale with revealing insights on where Jordan resides at this stage of his career, mind, and soul. But the character study doesn't hinder the developing plot, serving to accentuate it as events march onward. The change of setting from galactic patrol zones to a subterranean, labyrinthine world of undeath is refreshing. That's also where the art and color elevate the issue and make it truly satisfying.

The O'Neil & Adams run was an attempt by the DC of the day to present socially relevant concepts in their superhero stories, usually with the subtlety of a trowel. In The Green Lantern #8 we get a light dose of that as well. The book is an enjoyable re-creation of the era it embraces, and not afraid to take sniggering shots at some of the zanier elements abounding in the wayback.

If its been too long since a horror comic raised your gooseflesh or bestowed a case of jimjams, you owe yourself a look at A Town Called Terror #1. After the first read, go back and devour every page for its visuals alone. This titles beginning oozes atmospheric chimeras slavering and thrashing, ready to be unleashed. Even its cover logo is a thing of crafted, gothic elegance.

Adventures of the Super Sons#1 satisfies, especially if you enjoy the interplay between two very different kids who find themselves unlikely allies thanks to their parents working at the same job. Damian is a complex character written well and diversely across DC titles, but my favorite version rests here. The mixture of Jon's mother and father, their attitudes and personalities, are always in subtle balance with Tomasi's Superboy as well. Seeing him take center stage rather than used as a support character in other books is always a treat. If you've missed your monthly fix of these young gentlemen, get ready to experience an explosive Summer of Super.

If readers enjoyed the first series, they'll find sufficiently familiar threads with which to chart a new narrative labyrinth. The styling of several components, including overall tone, differs. There's no question Archie vs. Predator 2 is going to stand apart from what came before, and that's better than a warmed leftovers rehash. It's not more of the same, but whether it will be enough of the same with fresh-tastic side dishes is the question. It's smart, the pacing is steady, and its sense of horrific humor endures. That's not a bad beginning for a title such as this.

Issue #1 not only takes a fresh approach to a previous Archie-nate Reality without reinventing it, it surpasses the original in most respects.

This crossover, more than most, risked falling false and flat. Instead, Duvall's brought the protagonists together on their common ground. Ash stuck in Housewares drudgery until an undead threat looms and he rises against it. Elvis's dreams of being a hero waylaid by fame, and only realized in the twilight of life. This title is like a movie with split-screened Bruce Campbell working his mojo on both characters, allied and taking care of business.

Spectre of Tomorrow #1 is a building issue, not an action extravaganza. I expect this; Robo story chapters don't always drop the reader directly into a fray. They court patience to set up the Big Bad before our hero goes after it full tilt. That said, this issue would not lend itself well as a jumping-on-point for new readers. There is a very brief 'Where the Story Is Now' intro, but overall, it's taken for granted you're a returning reader. But if youare a reader who has come back for more, you'll find thatAtomic Robo has provided a warm welcome.

As readers, we've logged some familiar miles in shoes like Louise's. We probably won't be astonished at the path she takes. Still, it's a story very worth telling. Because in a time when parental abuse, bullying, and teen suicide statistics soar, apparently many of us have not integrated these empathic lessons into our everyday lives. Maybe the broken heart of an unloved little girl with tentacles will heal our own.

Good concepts launch the imagination. From a cover pitch, a mental parade begins envisioning ways and means for storyline elements to evolve. "Vampire Ninjas." It becomes an origami image, folding and unfolding and reworking into varied forms. When the handling ends up grander than any version in your imaginarium microburst, then you have this kind of series launch.

Whether you're a nostalgia fiend (guilty), or one who enjoys experiencing what new creative talents have wrought (also guilty), Bronze Age Boogie #1 feels your pain. Its struggle between eras strives to parallel your own and provide crooked smiles along with perspective. Mirthful snickers are spurred by delight with talking chimps. Others by fierce barbarian warriors unexpectedly bellowing battle cries born of situation comedies. No matter how inconsistent our devotion to nostalgia may be, the smiles from this book are unwavering.

It should be appealing entertainment for students seeking escapist fun, one that brings smiles along with an affinity to their own weekly travails. It may also be a balm for parents struggling with new school year registrations and schedules. For any reader, it's a witty display of character perspectives that plays to timeless roles from shared academic experiences. And that allows for a few lessons to be couched in the laughter.

The launch is rough around its edges. That's forgivable; the B-films it emulates were, too. Witchy warts and all, it makes a good Halloween season read.

With Cult of Ikarus #1, Wright, Slominski, and Esposito bring forth a bold and preternatural protagonist pairing in Hunter and Gracie. These two may be a part of the mystical, magical underground, but theyre also a duo ideal for Lestating the hell out of entrenched Evil Overlords.

Dr. Star's past milestones and mistakes, his resultant modern malaise, have all been set down. What remains is seeing what lengths he's willing to go to redress his current situation. And maybe work in some homage to a certain corps of ring-slingers along the way.

The solid selection for the Stephen Strange Rescue Squad (Wong's Hoodooing Commandoes?) includes some of my favorite Marvel heroes, too, like Moon Knight, Blade, Man-Thing, Iron Fist, Elsa Bloodstone, Doctor Voodoo, and the Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider. And an appearance by Bats the spectral hound guarantees I'll be saying, "Just take my money" for several Wednesdays to come.

Not every panel reads smoothly or glides effortlessly, but those few instances are a fair trade for what the team accomplishes. They create their own unique beat and tempo while keeping the joyous nucleus of this book intact. It may be fun, it may be funny, but it's also a celebration. Milt's an artist turning loss and talent into a positive force, a force to inspire, soothe, and entertain listeners. Ditto Gustin and his Experiments, though likely not thwarting an actual extraterrestrial invasion. But hey, this is 2020.

If DC is looking for something mature and divergent for an animated treatment, adapting Electric Warriors should top their proposals list.

Jessica Harrows afterlife and mysterious death pull her into the world of the reapers, though. And in Grim #1, with Phillips, Flaviano, Renzi, and Napolitano serving as our Charons, they ferry us right across with her.

Downside, it's still Big Events laden. But upside? Houser's in charge.

With a Gene Bomb as part of the original Invasion! storyline, a device that isolates superhuman metagenes and incapacitates those possessing them, can the capture of our protagonists and the unlocking of their super-potentials be imminent? Likely. Some I5 members had various metahuman abilities. They were just ham-strung by either their inability to use them effectively, or the weakness of the powers themselves. Both elements offer this creative team opportunities unrivaled.

Such vivid delights in the inaugural issue of Justice League Dark beguile, with imminent bewitching still to come.

Alexis Sentenac is an ideal artistic match for this story, his shadow play especially effective for the neo-noir vibe of the book and his blackened guttering as Grand's situation becomes intolerable is a strong indicator of the abyss the cop's life spirals into. Even in bright swatches of SoCal sunlight the setting is gritty, dirty, and unkept. Combined with the muted color palette, the reader feels ready for a long soak in a tub of scalding water once the first issue is finished. To shadow these lowlifes, to immerse yourself as witness to their world, be prepared to get dirty right alongside them.

Mary Shelley's actual life was an ongoing struggle. To support herself and her son after Percy's untimely death. To endure the loss of family members and friends. To be recognized for her talent despite the era's bias against independent women. Even to get permission over the protests of her father-in-law for publishing works of her late husband that secured Percy's literary legacy. Casting her as a fearless monster hunter is a natural extension of the real Mary. She spent her life fighting monsters of the realistic kind.

The path Abraham's on is never more uncertain than at issue's end. It's a notable way to pace the story presented so far. Lees will also leave you pondering how much of ourselves we've invested in defining our identity, and how much we've lazily allowed our possessions to fill in the blanks. The examination makes Mountainhead #1 a worthy addition to comics without capes and it earns our attention.

Like Jason, the opening match of this comic has heart. It adds in protagonist smarts and a story about overcoming that's as much a staple of great wrestling rivalries as other sports films featuring leads named Rocky and Daniel-san. It may be a preliminary for a legendary Main Event, told from both personal and ringside perspectives.

Reworking existing characters into their new universe looks good on Valiant. Their resurrections speak of top talent entrusted and unleashed, allowed to change or preserve the preceding concepts as fits their own stories. Other companies, take note. This is how to maintain a property stable well, not layering redundant variations on skeletal remains never properly fleshed to start with.

One striking image, a small Madonna encircled by a bramble of thorns, becomes a fitting centerpiece for sinister doings, not the stuff of jump-scares or hockey masks. It's an exploration of fear and foreboding as four parents unite in solving a supernatural mystery while entwined by the prickly challenges of parenthood. Now that is scary.

Groundwork is set in the last page for the next chapter in this budding, ongoing Buddy Story. We like Brenda and Mia. We want to see how their different flavors of reclusiveness, their individual loner statuses, mingle and affect one other. In that exchange, there's likely to be the fun of shadowy government ops thwarted, a bully named Serge made to suck it, and two wily, misaligned, kindred free-spirits aiming to misbehave. We're hoping they hit a bullseye.

Like a big, visually exciting summer blockbuster, it gets your attention. Holding it by keeping the plotline fresh is going to be predominantly the responsibility of Christos Gage.

Overall, this is a nostalgic, rearview visit to an earlier Spidey and a different period. It comes complete with clever riffs on movies and comics culture, a healthy dose of laughs, and equally sober moments of poignancy. The jury will have to weigh how those last two balance, for good or for ill. But if you liked the alien suit angle originally, first-run or from condensed collections of Spider-Man during those years, chances are you'll also find Symbiote Spider-Man #1 a rewarding read.

. In the end, Orlando has funambulated the story extremely well, without snapping the disbelief suspension. He deserves kudos for not playing it safe. Instead, we have normally nigh-infallible heroes facing unconditional defeat. Neither Batman nor The Shadow have ever been more vulnerable, nor an outcome for either been less certain.

Much as I wanted to like the first Vampironica run, as much promise as the concept had, as much as Greg Smallwood's art on the first issues made it a beautiful read, ultimately the series overall didn't satisfy. This marks a superior re-start.

They've begun well, with an issue showcasing a natural narrative flow, elegant art, and some twisty bits to simmer on. We want to know more, from the process by which artificials create their 'children' to how coping with the plague of Rust parallels or differentiates from sad human handlings of our own pandemics. There's even an overall fostering of hope for this future, that while far from perfect, the conjoined forces of man and intelligent machine will do better facing such challenges than we have on our own.

We Ride Titans #2 continues character-driven groundwork for deeper impacts in the clashes of Colossi soon to come.

The first issue is a stark, striking view of brothers caught up in intrigues not of their choosing, on paths that differ as they cope with treading a course without being overtaken, overpowered or overrun. The creative team has expertly shaped a dangerous, complicated natural world for them to survive. My curiosity lies in seeing if the unnatural, undead vampiric world is equally complex as the tale of two brothers continues.

The creative team has done what it set out to accomplish and did it well. Now they face their own second act, where revelations in the next issues can secure a place in the hearts of fans or leave them pining for the Champions that were.

Beach Blanket Bad Guys Summer Special #1 is a diverse sample platter of adversarial analysis, satisfying as ice cold melon slices, grilled ballpark hotdogs, and carnival midway funnel cakes. The diabolic nature of these main characters, however, may have you frisking the cooks rather than kissing them.

A quote from author Julia Quinn goes, "You always get more respect when you don't have a happy ending." I respect the massive creative forces behind Doom Patrol sufficiently to make me suspicious of issue #12 as the end of the run. Nostalgic and sweet, yes. But like finding your first TSR plastic 20-sider replacing the d20 of a new Meteorite and Opal inlaid artisan set, you consign yourself that they'll all still roll. It would just be nice if the set matched.

There's enough excitement in the first issue story stride, and adequate gentle departures from Ranger characterization found in previous incarnations, to keep readers following the series. Though light on some historical aspects, the issue makes up for it with a tale less gritty and more upbeat and quirkier than it might have turned out if grimly lifted from the chronicles of time.

By the finale, you admire the would-be superhero Gamma Rae for her commitment. You'll also hope that maybe she'll get committed, or at least find her way to a helpful anger management therapist. She forges ahead with her demolitions crew power set, trying to do the right thing against better judgement and voices of reason. If you like ultra-violent panels of pandemonium, lots of swears (proclaimed right on the cover), and comedies of errors you'll appreciate Rae even more.

It's telling that Victoria exacts no cash for services rendered this issue. Instead, she settles for being owed a future favor. Her earlier situation, one requiring an outside assist to prevail, has left an impression. PM's choice belies the serious confrontations she anticipates. The loner Lizard Queen may not want anyone's help, but she may not survive without it.

As the sagacious bards intone, Dont sit there in your room all alone, come sample our ales then stay cause youre prone! Quests Aside #1 is just potent enough that a second round will be hard to resist.

I've never been a connoisseur of hard science fiction, preferring writers with a talent for making incredibly complex technical concepts and their implications understandable to the layperson. Folks like the late Michael Crichton come to mind. Despite this, the consequences of a low-G Earth and how humanity copes with it fired my imagination afterburners.

This Six Million Dollar Man series gives the original action formula a bionic noogie. It's taking chances, always applause-worthy. Still, the comics-buying public may be split. Old-timers used to a taciturn Col. Austin may feel alienated by the Our Man Flint stretch. (If Derek Flint was played by a de-aged Steve Carrell instead of James Coburn.)

The conclusion satisfies without being simplistic, delivers poignancy sans Pollyanna.

This is a fun way to begin a fandom dream mashup, and it remains to be seen how David balances that with the serious tone of the 2004 incarnation. But I wrote BSG fanfic yahrens ago, so I'll be picking up the next installment to find out.

With issue #5, DC is piloting a good series " not great, but good. One now working toward a resolution of all that's come before, with several ways I can imagine it failing, and far fewer satisfying endings. My hope is that Johns, Frank, Anderson, and Leigh will continue to surprise us in all the right ways, will intensify their considerable efforts so that by #12, Doomsday Clock will have proven its significance on its own terms. It's the kind of hope their work on Rebirth has rekindled in this DC fan.

Orphan Age may realize such opportunities before all is said and done, but it's off to a measured, delayed start.

For a first issue, the missing element is character. Yes, we know them all well. Seeing them together is only part of the book's draw, and for many, not the greatest part. That lies in how these protagonists deal with one another, each in their obdurate, civilization's-rules-be-damned way. That portion is lacking for now. Lovers of great action sequences with little dialogue interrupting the virgin art may find this book to their liking. Readers seeking memorable clashes of titans to ground the series could be disappointed.

Not every comic book project (or TV show, or movie series) hits the ground in overdrive, and all the elements needed to make Vampironica an equal to the post-Afterlife with Archie line are present. In interviews, the Smallwoods have given a clear, inspired vision of what they want to achieve in their series, a vision they have ample talent to realize. If the creative team can shift things into higher gear as the series continues, there's no reason this couldn't become a must-have for the readership reveling in the updated Archie mythos.

Horror and comedy are double-edged blades either rendered cutting or dull. Gunter and Shannon aren't fashioning a razor just yet, but their first issue is edged enough for an enjoyable main character introduction. Valla is pure predator, with little interest in or concern for human lives; her former one, or the ones she now needs for sustenance. Her bloody rampage against those endangering her food supply with unsustainable abuse of our resources makes for enlightening entertainment.