Even if you dont have much familiarity with the Dark Horse regulars of Hellboy or BPRD, Id highly recommend giving “Abe Sapien #12″ a look. This is a very smart comic from Mike Mignola and company. Im excited to see the depths of humanity Abe Sapien explores next.

End of the day, I'm giving "Archer & Armstrong #20" a slight pass because of the potential this story arc may ultimately have. As single issues go, though, the series has done a lot better. This isn't the end. At least not yet.

I like this concept a lot , but the first issue doesnt do a lot for me. This team of hunters feels underdeveloped, and theres undoubtedly plenty of opportunity with a whole new team of cosmic warriors capable of fighting the X-O Manowar armor. Matt Kindt was able to give character and meaning to small teams of psiots in mere pages in Unity, and we need some of that same character-building here. Looks like this will be crossing over into Unity and X-O Manowar #26, which gives Valiant a chance to expand on this world and situation.

Id like to declare “Astro City #13″ an instant classic, but this one definitely needs time and a few more reads to determine its status. The richness and depth of detail in this book are outstanding, only outshined by Kurt Busiek and Brent Eric Andersons ambition. Ive been on the fence about this relaunch of Astro City, but the last three issues have really rewarded this book staying on my pull list.

In all, though, if you've been enjoying Batman: Eternal, issue #5 will continue that streak. This is a fun weekly series if you're a fan of the Bat-verse, and it's a welcome return to modern Gotham for those of us locked in Snyder's Zero Year within the pages of Batman.

Im hoping Cloaks will take more chances as the 4 issue miniseries progresses. Theres potential for a great adventure/heist/magic mash-up within these pages, and to its credit, the first issue largely sets the scene for the action to come. That said, I think Monroe and Navarro are at their best in this issue when theyre experimenting with the form and letting the magic of comics take control. Heres to hoping “Cloaks #2″ has more behind the curtain.

Ultimately disappointing first issue from IDW and a comedy writing team out of the Always Sunny camp. There's definitely potential with Doberman's ridiculous tough guy routine, so here's to hoping the new direction of the series taps into more of that.

The scary thing about East of West is it might be the most accurate dystopian future ever imagined. The segmented cultures and populations feels like a very distant, yet very real failed future world. Bringing all those elements into the same issue " an issue which doesn't even reference our protagonist Death, or many supernatural elements at all for that matter " makes for a stunning cap on the world-building we've seen across these first 12 issues. East of West is filled to the brim with potential, and is undoubtedly a classic comic in the making.

The worst tendencies of a great series all rear their ugly head in a sprawling issue that moves the needle but fails to capture an interesting storyline. East of West is a very good comic book series with the potential to be great. I just suspect its going to take a long while, and on a month to month basis this means some comics are going to be a slog.

Here's to hoping that leads to some more dramatic story-telling than what we have in "Eternal Warrior #8."

All in all, Fatale is steamrolling towards its conclusion in issue #24, and "Fatale #22" is a much needed peripheral story to account for The Bishop and his motivations.

Harbinger is in a great place right now, although it will be tough to see which one of the Renegades pays the ultimate price. Even dating back to its original 90's incarnation, Harbinger was never shy about taking out characters, so I don't expect Valiant to sugarcoat a story arc committed to the death of a character.

"The Death Card" is a fascinating entry in the Hellboy catalog, and stands on its own as a self-contained gem. It comes as no surprise that Mignola's style is so well-worn and tonally perfect that you're completely immersed with Hellboy in Hell. Cartographers and card sharks probably aren't the first creatures that Hell brings to mind, but Mignola's craft is so polished there's never any doubt this is straight from the bowels of the pit.

The solicits for Imperial label it a, “superhero comedy”, which is a bit misleading. This isn't laugh-out-loud funny material ala Sex Criminals. That said, it's an incredibly fun and pleasant book to read. There's a lot of strong characterization for a first issue, the plot is easy to follow, and the book is taking a look at how comics can come between you and marriage. Ok, I may be inserting my issues into the thematic resonance there, but Imperial is good, fun, comic book entertainment worth a shot.

Letter 44 is a political drama with ambitions of alien invasion, and frankly its one of the better overtly political comics youll find. Much like The West Wing, Letter 44 gives a human face to the American White House, only this time the leader of the free world needs to contemplate how to manage the threat of aliens from outer space.

Moon Knight is one of the best comics Marvel is currently publishing, and “Moon Knight #4″ is my favorite of the series so far. If you like crazy yet totally believable advanced science, the best costume in all of herodom, and guys telling moon gods to put them to sleep at will, youll love “Moon Knight #4″.

“New Avengers #19″ is a transitional issue, and theres admittedly a lot of exposition and set-up. Weve been working our way to the epic throwdown with The Great Society for months now, and it appears that “New Avengers #20″ will finally deliver. Nonetheless, New Avengers has never been all about the action, instead driving the pace with thought-provoking and piercing ethical conundrums. Somewhere theres a wonderful Ethics 101 professor adding Maximus the Mad to their lectures, and lets face it, that alone makes New Avengers well worth a read.

All in all, “Quantum & Woody #10″ is a fairly low stakes issue with some quality humor from Woody. If youve been a fan of the series, youll certainly want to continue the trend here.

Rai is off to a great start, and its a huge gain for comic fans to have his character and future back in the Valiant Universe. While the book has been action-first to date, theres a lot of opportunity here to further explore the impact of rapidly controlling digital lifestyles, as well as absolute faith in abstract entities.

It's clear that the End Times are going to mark a significant shift in the status quo for Shadowman. Although the series has been strong since inception, more than twenty issues in, this is a welcome change, and I look forward to what it means for Shadowman's place in the Valiant Universe.

Shadowman – End Times is not for everyone. This book is for long-time readers who are immersed and committed to the Shadowman experience. If you cant tell a Boniface from a Bonaduce, I wouldnt necessarily recommend Shadowman – End Times. But if youre a regular Valiant Universe reader and want an essential peek into the Shadowman legacy, this is a must-read.

Allreds art is always a hit for me, and Dan Slotts humor and light-hearted cosmic playfulness creates a joyful three-part entry into the Silver Surfer. If you love Doctor Who, or have simply been craving solo Silver Surfer stories, youll enjoy what Slott and Allred are doing with the character of Norrin Radd and his new companion Dawn.

One of the most pleasing elements of "Southern Bastards #1" is that it doesn't push for too much, too fast. The darkness, the grit, the violence, it's all a few layers beneath the surface, clearly there, but only rearing its head in selective spurts in the opening salvo. Not only does this world already feel fleshed out and real through one issue, but the pacing makes it clear Aaron and Latour have a long-term plan.

The concluding splash page, and Tubbs inability to convince the clearly corrupt law enforcement of Craw County that Coach Boss is an evil influence, clearly sets up some more time in Craw County for Tubb. Heres to more football, more Earl Tubb, and more Southern Bastards.

"Star Mage #5"isnt for everyone, but for a select set of younger adventure fans, I could see Star Mage being hugely important. Everyone is always asking: Where is the next Harry Potter? As it turns out, maybe hes in space.

The script from Jeremy Barlow and art from Juan Frigeri is plotting towards a big confrontation with both Darth Sidious and a certain relative in Darth Mauls life (apparently he has a strained family relationship). Mostly, though, this is just good, clean, fun, Star Wars action with one of the worlds most interesting characters. When you have a Sith Lord who says things like I have become indifferent to pain, theres really only one thing to do, and thats to buy the comic already.

If you even kind of like Star Wars, I cant imagine a better comic book series to introduce you to the world of Star Wars comics. Rebel Heist features all your favorite characters, but from the point of view of an everyman in the Star Wars universe. I wont spoil the surprise, but next issue promises another all-time favorite, so now seems as good a time as any to catch up on one of the more entertaining books on the shelves.

If the Frederick Werthem Comics Code were alive today, they would hold up “Auteur #3″ as the leading example of the corruption of the innocent. They wouldnt be wrong, but then again, they never were very much fun, were they?

Much like the darkly comedic work of Warren Ellis (ex: Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.), Auteur finds a way to laugh at Hollywood excess without solely making fun. Nathan T. Rex has finished his film, Presidents Day, which means the first volume of this willfully bonkers comic is just sitting there for the taking. It will be interesting to see if Auteur stays in theaters past this five issue run. The story would clearly have to change, but based on this run, creators Rick Spears and James Callahan have plenty more dirty, dirty tricks up their sleeves.

Theres nothing I dont like about The Delinquents #1, aside from perhaps the amount of times I had to type treasure butt map in this review. Asmus and Van Lente understand Quantum & Woody and Archer & Armstrong like the backs of their maps, and Kano is bringing a remarkable amount of passion and design to a book that could have been relegated to cheap crassness. Im more excited about The Delinquents #1 than I have been about any Valiant title since Rai #1, and I highly recommend you give this one a shot.

Its not easy to pull off horror in comics, but the “Empty Man #1″ is all kinds of scary. This is a mysterious and gruesome disease in the vein of Michael Crichtons Andromeda Strain, and watching Cullen Bunn and Vanesa R. Del Ray build this world together is thrilling so far. Highly recommend this new first issue from Boom! Studios, whether you enjoy a good scream or not.

Cullen Bunn and Vanesa R. Del Rey got me over my fear of the supernatural with "The Empty Man #2". I wasn't sure about this comic's direction, but now feel confident that BOOM! Studios has a genuine star on their hands in The Empty Man.

Additionally, Bunn continues the mystery of the preacher, so far opening each of our three issues on this preacher whose influence was grown from a condemned farmhouse to a stadium full of the rabid faithful. His connection to the empty man virus is still unclear, but this particular mystery remains one of the most tantalizing elements of The Empty Man. A single issue dedicated solely to this character would be extremely satisfying.

Manhattan Projects is at its best when the absurdity is blaring full-steam ahead, but its nice to have an issue that resembles a familiar narrative arc. Manhattan Projects has been pretty viscerally violent lately, so its actually nice to have a relatively straight forward clean adventure where Laiku escapes capture and undergoes some enhancements along the way. If youve been reading Manhattan Projects, issue #21 is a no-brainer, and if youre on the fence about the series, give the first volume (6 issues) a shot. Id expect you wont be disappointed.

I love The Superannuated Man #1 the way I love Russell Hoban or the GZA. This is an ambitious book, filled with passionate black-and-white world building art and story from Ted McKeever. I fully acknowledge that this comic will not be for everyone, but if youre a fan of literary oddities, The Superannuated Manis going to make you pause to consider whether this is your new favorite comic.

When The Wake comes to an end, I fully expect the ten issue series to be a highly recommended trade collection, with universally great reviews. I can't let issue 8 slide, though. This is a frustratingly secretive issue that creates more problems for The Wake's conclusion than it does build anticipation. Snyder, Murphy and colorist Matt Hollingsworth are far too good a comics team to create anything near a bad issue, but by The Wake's high standards this is disappointing. Here's to hoping it's only the calm before the storm.

At the end of the day, a series like The Wake is going to make or break on its tenth and final issue. Nonetheless, issue #9 tears down a lot of previously constricting narratives, hopefully in order to build back something even more interesting in the final issue. Snyder and Murphys The Wake has the chance to go down as an essential graphic novel collected edition. Heres to hoping the final issue delivers.

All in all, this is a good kick-off to a new arc from Diggle & Martinbrough.

This is just pure comic book fun, even if the energy is so kinetic the story takes a fierce backseat to action. The art is hands down some of the most enjoyable Ive seen in 2014, and the cover features a G.I. Joe in a #14 football jersey shooting a bazooka at Optimus Prime. Come on. A child could pick up this issue today and be immersed in comics forever, and any adult could find him or herself remembering why they fell in love in the first place.

"Trees #1" intentionally leaves behind a number of questions, which feels appropriate for an opening issue. Whats the deal with the Special Cultural Zone outside the City of Shu? What happened in Lower Manhattan? Why on earth is their a police-led gun chase through the streets of Rio de Janeiro? Now if it turns out these questions remain unanswered as the book progresses, well have a real LOST-riot on our hands. In the meantime, Im very interested in finding out what Ellis and Howard have in store.

If this book wasnt a Warren Ellis production, wed be reaching the point in the analysis where I basically gave up. This is an immensely slow, slogging second issue, and if it werent for the assumption of some sort of fantastic pay-off (or the deliberate and carefully structured avoidance of a pay-off) theres no way Trees #2 gets a positive rating. Nonetheless, because of the pedigree, Trees as a comic has the same elements of mystery and intrigue that the Trees of the book offer humanity. The Trees havent done much of anything yet, to the point that we have no idea why theyre here, or what theyre even capable of. Heres to hoping we find out.

Im rating this as highly as I am because of how outstanding this series has been to date. The Dr. Silk story line as a whole is closer to a 9.0 out of 10. They had to wrap up the issues presented in Dr Silks plan with a big action episode, and lets face it, Ninjak stealthily fighting mysterious agents in the snow looks great with Cafu drawing it. I expect Unity to pick things right back up, meaning this is a series you want to check out.

We get Velvets super-spy origins, the possible secret of her move from field-agent to secretary, and a new layer of espionage from the highest ARC-7 levels spanning years. Its an appropriate conclusion to our introductory arc and sets the course for what is hopefully a long run.

Ill admit it; I was wrong. "Zero #10" is a great single issue, and every time Ive taken a look at an issue of Zero Ive been uniformly impressed. With so many comic books mired in their own continuity and plotting, churning out a single issue that anyone can pick up and enjoy is tremendously impressive, and Kot and Gaydos have done that here. Check out Zero. You wont regret it.