"'68: Bad Sign" has a solid premise on its hands but does nothing to back said premise up. The 20th century's most controversial year and most controversial killer are smashed together to make a mess that is so close to telling an interesting story but is more concerned with crying fetus corpses and mustaches. That may not be emblematic of "'68" as a whole, but "Bad Sign" makes a case for the whole series to be approached cautiously.

Marvel's been hyping Hank Pym's comeback with this issue and somehow" it actually worked! "Avengers AI" just went from least likely to glance twice at to earning a first issue try!

Like I said earlier, I've been a casual fan of "Aliens vs. Predator" for a while and pretty much expected this comic to be the same old. I was delightfully proven wrong by the implementation of Prometheus concepts, as vague as they may be, but some vestigial aspects of the typical "AvP" formula are reluctantly present. I can't say that I completely followed what was going on in this issue, but it did pique my interest enough to check out the previous Dark Horse series so I can follow along for the rest of the ride.

“Aliens/Vampirella” #1 is a comic I really do want to like. Both characters seem like they mesh pretty well together and, as someone whose favorite comic of the year thus far was “Archie vs. Predator”, I'm the last person to bash something for being an over the top crossover. Unfortunately, a lot of the book's details feel pretty undercooked. The beginning feels incredibly rushed and there's practically no justification as to why anything is happening. If “Aliens/Vampirella” can take a few seconds to explain what's going, those unanswered questions might stop distracting me from the really cool vampire/necromorph crossover that should be happening. I'm not even asking for much. Just give me a page of Vampirella saying something like “vampires have lived on Mars for hundreds of years and that's where I came from.” I'm not looking for Dostoyevsky here.

Even after all the development this character has received over the years (Filming X-Statix, joining the Jean Grey School, getting an ongoing series), Milligan finds something new in Doop that turns around a late ‘Battle of the Atom' tie-in into a promising experience. If you are a Doop fan, the final page makes this comic a guaranteed “must buy” if only for the purpose of seeing where Milligan takes Doop next. That said, if you did not like ‘Battle of the Atom' and would really just like the focus on Doop (you know, like the title implies) then you may want to wait a bit. The story seems like it'll spend less time being a retread of a pretty forgettable arc and more time on the actual title character as it moves along, but this issue isn't that movement. I can see it coming together really well as a trade after all five issues have been released, but it's a little disappointing at the moment.

Even better? There's no dialogue for this origin scene. There doesn't need to be; you get all the messages straight from Moore's faces and the hellacious flames surrounding our titular character. From that moment on you know this isn't just a pretty book. It's not even a simply well-written book. “All-New Ghost Rider” is an exhilarating journey of fast cars, sacrifice, and a burning sense of vengeance. Don't be fooled by the seemingly slow start; it's the traction to ground yourself to the floor so you're not completely blown apart by the second half of this comic. Even though there's a couple hiccups in the art from time to time, they're ultimately rendered insignificant by the rest of the comic. Tradd Moore is redefining what action scenes in comics mean, and with Smith's heartfelt script and Nelson Daniel and Val Staples' colors, “All-New Ghost Rider” has become the must-read book of All-New Marvel NOW!

The worst thing "All-New Hawkeye" #1 could've been was a continuation of the snarky Hawkguy and Pizza Dog series. There's definitely traces of that there when the action cuts to 2015, but it's paired up with a deeply passionate look-back on Hawkeye's beginnings. Beyond that, "All-New Hawkeye" #1 isn't just a good story being told, it's a good story being told smart. Perez and Herring are at the top of their freaking game here and I can't imagine an Eisner nod not being in their future. "All-New Hawkeye" #1 may not have everything set in place just yet, but so far it's looking to be a masterfully told tale of children, cruelty and compound bows.

Though it may be too early to say if this'll revitalize Marvel's Golden Age heroes in a way Robinson did with the JSA, or if that's even a mission statement here, it's fair to say that Robinson and Pugh deliver a great blockbuster that, in it's first issue, is only missing a bit more Namor.

Still, "All-New Ultimates" signifies a breath of fresh air that the Ultimate Universe has desperately needed. It's not perfect; though the art is great and the characters are sharp, the pacing and tightness of the plot loses itself at points. If you wanted to get into the Ultimate Universe for the first time, it might also not be your first choice considering the lack of exposition it gives to All-New readers. In spite of that, "All-New Ultimates" is a fun, visceral read that's brought down by an at-times murky plot.

"All-New X-Factor" is really taking its title to heart. If you're a fan of the "X-Factor Investigations" era, then be prepared for the fact that this series is an entirely new beast. Compared to the Madrox agency, there's a heightened sense of nobility here, even if they are working for a potentially evil corporation. In a lot of ways, this could be seen as a tonal merger between the two previous series.

The plot with Dr. Hoffman seems to flare and die, but if "Investigations" is any indication then it may only be the first piece of a puzzle that David's crafting with Di Giandomenico whose line work I find a bit too rough, especially when it comes to faces which seem oddly drawn at times. That said, I can't deny how kinetic his art is and how it makes for some great action scenes.

Let's just get this out of the way: "Hitman" is the best superhero comic DC ever published. You could make the case for stuff like "Swamp Thing" and "

"All-Star Section 8" #1 is a great throwback to one of DC's underrated classics and a lesson in how to make dangerously insane characters endearing. While it may not do much to attract new readers, "All-Star Section 8" is the perfect comic for anyone wanting to take a trip back to The Cauldron.

"Amazing Spider-Man" #1 is a fun and at times moving epilogue to the "Superior Spider-Man" saga but it seems like it's gonna take a while for it to build up some of its own momentum.

Anna Maria's becoming the breakout star of the series and Doc Ock's tentacles definitely haven't given up their last grasp on Parker's life, and if the final actions of this issue are indicated, his psyche. Good times are head of us, Spidey Fans. Good times.

Surprise surprise, we still love "Spider-Verse". Not only does it continue to make the weird multiversal vampire family hunting the Spiders a valid threat and give us things like Spider-Punk or Spider-Gwen, but it uses its dimension-hopping premise to dissect the nature of Spider-Man.

When “Ant-Man” moves away from the “Marvel Indie Comic” story of a hero trying to find work while getting into wacky circumstances to that of a father and daughter finally getting to reconnect after their clashes with death, it really finds its footing as one of the more heartfelt comics Marvel's published in a while. Though it is frustrating to see so much of Lang's recent development get wiped away, Spencer and Rosanas do a great job of setting up Lang to be, maybe not an A-Level hero, but at least a strong character that I would love to see more from. If Spencer and Rosanas can latch onto the emotional core that made “Ant-Man” #1 so compelling, then this series should proceed to be one of the better comics of 2015.

Continued below(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Final Verdict: 8.6 – Like I said earlier, this run of “Archie” is doing an awesome job of taking what made the original comic stand out (mostly its wacky high school plots) with the attention to character that makes you love Riverdale's students and actually want to laugh with them. My only real complaint is that Mark Waid seems to be really pro-Betty and c'mon man, at least give Team Ronnie a fair shake.

"Archie Meets Ramones" is a very fun one-shot that's pretty much what you'd expect from an Archie comic in 2016. The good news is that what you can expect from Archie in 2016 is a clever irreverent romp that manages to balance the line between Archie and The Ramones without making either look out of place. It's not "Saga" or any other comic that's going to change the industry but it's a great read if you're a Ramones fan, if you're an Archie fan, or if you're a dad trying to relate to their children what music used to be like in the 70's but you can only communicate through Archie comics for some reason.

If I seem irrationally upset at the events of “Archie vs. Sharknado” it's because I feel betrayed. Other Archie crossovers like “Afterlife With Archie” have proven to be quite good. Heck, I'd unironically recommend the first Sharknado movie too. And I'd probably recommend “Archie vs. Sharknado” if there was any thought or effort put into it beyond the premise. That might sound harsh, but I can't take any prisoners in a week where “Archie vs. Predator” was the best comic to be published. There comes a time when you have to get off your dead horse and find another one to beat to death.

Ultimately, that seems to be the great strength of "Archie vs. Predator": subtlety. No, I can't believe those words came together to form that sentence either. Rather than aim for an action film starring Archie and Ms. Grundy's flayed corpse or an overtly cutesy Predator comic, De Camp and Ruiz have crafted a comic that balances the violence of Predator with the wholesomeness of Archie. And when the two are set against each other, the conflict makes for some really funny storytelling. That's why (as the blood-splattered credits page demonstrates) this comic isn't called "Archie Meets Predator." "Archie vs. Predator" is the essence of what makes Archie comics work in conflict with what makes Predator work. It's literally Archie versus Predator.

If you've ever felt like some of Marvel's more recent titles have been content to strike off into their own consequence-free zones of the Marvel universe, then “Astonishing Ant-Man” might be your fix. Rather than ignore continuity, Spencer and Rosanas fully embrace the absurdity of Lang's history while gracefully handling the very real situations that have resulted from his madcap life. I can't think of a recent comic that so neatly balanced a character's personal life with their superhero one.

Rather than build on the rich mythology Remender has crafted over his tenure at Marvel, he clumsily walks from one retcon to the next, cleaning house for whatever Marvel needs for its next movie phase. Straight up, I don't know what this book is about even though I write 2,000 words about each issue per week.

"Avengers" may have been a bit of the black sheep for the Avengers family of titles, but this issue shows that it's now ready to be the series it was always meant to be.

Even though it sounds like I was a bit harsh on “Avengers” #19, it's still a pretty good book. While it's not nearly as strong as some of the other components ofInfinity,it's still an incredibly solid book on its own. It's a shame then that the story here seems to have transitioned from being the first part of Hickman's Avengers epic to a plot device to be used by his other crossover. Again, I'm not slamming Hickman, Yu, or anyone else working onInfinity,these are all really enjoyable books, but if I have to choose between chocolate and vanilla, I'm going to choose between the one with Thanos. Also the one that doesn't needlessly sexualize a cosmic demigoddess out of nowhere.

So though Hickman's “Avengers” hasn't exactly been the series I've been pining for, #24 seems like a step closer to the stories we all knew Hickman could tell. With the threat of The Builders seemingly over, and the Incursions relegated to “New Avengers,” “Avengers has become a more streamlined book, a change it definitely needed.

If I had to compare it to any other work, "Avengers" has, with this issue, reached the scale of Morrison and Porter's "JLA" where grand cosmic plot and character work has melded together quite nicely.

Without a sense of gravity, this current iteration of "Avengers" doesn't hold the significance that it genuinely deserves. I want to love this series, but it feels like "Avengers" is a series that doesn't want to be loved.

Seriously, since its inception I've been trying to fall in love with Hickman's Avengers titles the same way I did his Fantastic Four ones. And it's been a little disappointing or just straight up confusing at points but it seems to be finally coming together. Hickman is crafting a ludicrously huge storyline in his two titles and they are finally beginning to boil over. This might be an overstatement but if "Time Runs Out" really does reset the Marvel Universe, I would be totally fine with this being the story that does the deed.

Overall, "Avengers AI" is a little bit of a disappointment compared to the Age of Ultron tie-in from last week. It is, however, a fairly solid comic book that sets up some interesting directions for some characters you may not have otherwise cared about. Plus, they have a Doom on their team. Doctor Doom automatically wins respect points for any book.

At the time of its reveal, a ton of people accused of “Avengers Arena” of being a lazy cash-in onThe Hunger Games.While I'm still pretty sure the cash-in part is true (though I really have no opinions on that matter one way or the other) Hopeless and Walker have been anything but lazy. “Undercover” proves that without a gimmick leading them like Murder World. “Avengers Undercover” proves itself as a worthy, likely superior, successor to “Arena” and, even though I think there's one character in particular whose actions here are too much of a reach, it's an excellent example of Marvel's stable of skillfully-crafted young characters.

Oh, hell. Forget everything even remotely negative I said in this review. Go buy “Axe Cop: American Choppers” #1 now so we can pay for Malachai's Harvard tuition and make him president.

"Bat-Mite" #1 is a comic that doesn't leave an incredibly lasting impression. While the presentation and design are impressive, the content of the comic itself does little to back it up.

Over on the more Gotham side of things, Batman and Robin are trying to stop the Penguin who has escaped Arkham with the help of Olga. This angle is played a little more comedically, as you would expect from an Adam West Batman tribute. Still, there's a lot of underplayed humor that digs up a lot of unexpected laughs, like the unassuming "Maximum Security" sign hanging over the one door in Arkham Batman's villains broke out of. David Hahn's art isn't just reminiscent of the Adam West series, but it expertly handles the same campy style of humor.

So, no. In that respect, “Batman and Aquaman” isn't the Brave and the Bold reunion I was anticipating, but considering that the entire plot revolves around Bruce searching for his son's corpse, I doubt we were going to get Aquaman Family Roadtrips or cameos from Jeffrey Ross. A boy can dream.

Still, the Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? approach to storytelling means that we only get one city per issue, which means that the minuscule amount of insight we see into Berlin is all we're really going to get for future cities like Prague and Paris. There's a real passion in exploring European cities present in “Europa” #1, so it's sad to see that most of the comic still has to be made of regular Batman stuff.

Really, there's a number of reasons to check out this series. Bee and Puppycat are both hilarious characters and Allegri's art is downright gorgeous. Unfortunately, the slow abrupt pacing may turn off those who aren't already familiar with the original short. Despite this being a series that can (and honestly, definitely will) find its way into the upper echelons of great comic tie-ins, it's off to a noticeably slow start.

“Bill & Ted Go To Hell” is a perfect tribute to the classic movie franchise and a treat for anyone who loves pre-Crisis Keanu Reeves. It follows a completely deranged sense of logic, but it's an insanity that works perfectly for a follow-up to a movie about two teens, their princess wives, and their TARDIS.

As everyone else has already said, if you're a fan of hardcore sci-fi, "Black Science" is the book for you.

Evan Shaner's art is the real reason to pay for this comic, and I would definitely not mind seeing more of him on another title.The writers, Mike Gagerman and Andrew Waller, seem to be having a good time co-writing this book together, but they seem to be having a little too much fun. It's not a stretch of the imagination to say that a lot of Nick and Tree's dialogue are based in part on how Gagerman and Waller talk in real life. That's not a bad thing at all, the fact that I'm thinking that the lines come from a real place show their value as well written jokes, but maybe a bit more restraint could do “Blood Brothers” some wonders. It's got a nice premise with a solid hook, and the relationship between Nick and Tree is actually very intriguing, but the hollow plot and occasional too-much dialogue detract from some of the funnier moments and Shaner's art.

Granted, there's a lot of places this comic could go, but I'm not totally convinced it will live up to its potential. The idea of alien parasites invading sounds like a cool perspective to frame a new "Bloodlines" story from, but I could also just go read or watch Parasyte again. If you take one thing away from this review, it's that Parasyte is super worth your time.

There will certainly be critics of “Bloodstrike” who insist that it does not have the capacity to be self aware. That it's simply a 90's creator cashing in a quick nostalgia check by indulging bad comic cliches everyone else has agreed to let go. But that implies a cynicism in Liefeld which simply does not exist. He is a man of pure idealistic energy who wishes to go back to a simpler time. And it's because of you meddling SJWs that comics can't involve more cock screaming.

“Bob's Burgers” #1 joins the ranks of other tie-in comics as of late that break free from their source materials to just tell some really fun stories. If you're a fan of the show, it's a hilarious title that'll expand your views on the Belcher family. If not, maybe this comic will change your mind to try outFox's best animated series. That's right,The Simpsons.Someone said you weren't the best.On the internet.

All in all, “Book of Death” was a lot of fun, which is what crossovers are meant to be. And while I didn't get everything, I didn't feel stupid or left out for doing so. Vendetti, Gilbert, and Braithwaite know how to include new readers into their story while offering a lot of rewards for those who have been with them the entire time. It really is the best kind of crossover: one that showcases the greatest a universe has to offer while offering a new status quo for its permanent residents. “Book of Death” began at a slow pace in order to catch up new readers and lay out its own consequences, the board has been set for one hell of a war. And I'm going to make sure I see every step of it.

“Bravest Warriors” is still one of the funnest all-ages titles in comics, and with the new creative team even more so. Nothing but good times for these kids.

There's a lot to like about "Briggs Land" #1. The premise is strong and in a political climate where the radicalized right's voice is becoming more and more prominent, a look into the anti-government culture that led to events like the armed takeover in Oregon seem inevitable. "Briggs Land" takes that another step further by not portraying these characters as caricatures. Still, it doesn't present them as very interesting people either.

You'd be more prepared for Captain America: Civil War by declaring war on the North. Or, you know, watching the other MCU films.

If it sounds like I'm blowing up one small facet of “Captain America: White Means Right” for the sake of a review, you're overestimating how much substance this book has. Anything in this comic that isn't Cap remembering Bucky is the same World War II flashbacks that Captain America comics have been featuring ever since Brusker started writing the character. Hell, there's no real reason for “Captain America: White Lantern Power Ring” to exist when “Captain America: Man Out of Time” exists. That comic gives you a way better sense of Steve Rogers adjusting to the modern day without him sitting on a bench thinking about Bucky the entire damn time. You could also read literally anything else.

“Carnage” #1 is a comic that should be good, hell it should be a chance to highlight one of Marvel's most underrated/overexposed villains as the genuine threat they are. Instead, uh, the FBI lures Carnage into a spooky mine and act surprised when he starts killing them.

Skip, though it'd be a browse if this was the actual first issue and not part 8 of an insanely decompressed story that already cost readers at least $20.

And really, even if you're not an avid reader of this title's sister series, you still have to appreciate a cyborg chicken's bloody quest through a fantasy kingdom — especially the final page, which rocketed a certain crossover up my wish list for 2015.

Aside from superficial grievances like that, “Citizen Jack” is a very debut. Jack looks set to be a worthy character to carry the book, so long as he doesn't turn into an utter caricature. And though “Citizen Jack” doesn't seem like it has anything particularly profound to say about politics just yet, the potential is there for a good character portrait of one man, his dreams, and his demon.

"The Fallen" doesn't look like the kind of book that's going to upend any status quo (the ending even reminds you that most of this is going to get settled in "Totally Awesome Hulk") but it's still a suitable send off for the Green Giant.

Continued below(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Final Verdict: 7.4 – Is "The Accused" necessary to understand all of "Civil War II"? Probably not. There's a a huge chance that this issue's big development might not get followed up on in the future. And to be honest, it's not the kind of thing that needs to get shoehorned into the end of "Civil War II" at the last moment. That said, "The Accused" does a lot to add more to the "Civil War II" story, adding a ton of details that actually make this rift between the Avengers feel like an actual clash in morals. As far as crossover tie-ins go, "The Accused" hits that sweet spot of adding just enough to make the main story feel special without you needing to read it to understand the actual event on a base level.

Artist Ryan Kelly, whose work you might be familiar with if you read “The New York Five” or “Lucifer”, meanwhile does an incredible job in regards to how impactful the art at time feels. There's what you would expect, with the vicious werewolf attack that sets off Louise's journey coming and going in a flash. But there's also the sun-scorched base Louise's new unit arrives at that just feels hot looking at it. In fact, my favorite moment of the book, where Louise plays a concert gig after getting bitten, only to have the monster come out through her music, is a great moment that sets up the book's biggest conflict wonderfully and succinctly.

Though the monsters may be more of a distraction than a huge part of the story, this is still another strong issue in a soon to be missed series.

If there's anything to be taken from this “reboot”, it's consequences. Aside from the mini-mystery I talked a little about earlier, “Daredevil” is finally feeling like a true “Man Without Fear” simply by giving us, the readers, something to fear. The fact that we're seeing a Murdock who genuinely knows next-to-nothing about the environment around doesn't allow us to sit back and just think “Yeah, of course you're going to land it.” The shift to San Francisco, aside from giving Samnee a ton of opportunity to draw some incredibly stellar backgrounds, also revitalizes “Daredevil” in ways we didn't even realize it needed.

As has been the case for a while now, Waid and Samnee are the perfect match for Ol' Hornhead. Two creators at the top of their game who know exactly what they need to do to bring up Murdock's expectations before throwing them back down. Although there's some superficial things I'm none too pleased with (Matt's new look being first and foremost) this is still one of the more consistent books in the Marvel line.

As shocked as I am to say this, "DK3: The Master Race" #1 was pretty damn solid. Though it doesn't do many favors for newcomers, "DK3" offers a compelling mystery for longtime "Dark Knight" fans while offering up what may be my favorite art from Andy Kubert, working with Klaus Johnson on inks. Plus, Frank Miller's art in the Atom back-up story is a far cry from the truly god awful cover that precedes it. If you can get behind the (sometimes) intentional messiness of its anachronistic setting and art, then "DK3" could be the book that makes you a believer again.

In fact, “Deadly Class” #4 on the whole seems to be a sort of transitional piece for the series as a whole. It's become a bit less focused on just Marcus's story, finally bringing in the rest of the cast to the spotlight while offering a ton of timely humor (or 1987 humor at least). Expanding on the rest of the world where King's Dominion resides gives the series a greater level of depth, moving away from just Marcus's quest from vengeance into a more extensive look at adolescence, drugs, and punk rock. This is probably the first issue of “Pretty Deadly” that's bereft of violence and through that choice Remender and Craig give their series a ton of versatility. “Deadly Class” has always been a comic to have on your radar but with issue #4 it's elevated its quality even further. And if the end of the issue is any indication, the next few chapters of the “Deadly Class” saga are gonna be pretty damn wild.

Another solid entry from Remender and Craig. Kings Dominion never seemed like the safest school to begin with, but Marcus's actions seem like they'll tear everyone inside to pieces.

If you're a fan of Deadpool's current direction, “Deadpool & The Mercs For Money” is a great supplement to the side characters who aren't getting enough love in the main title. And even if you haven't read Deadpool, the concept of Deadpool running his own team is already pretty palatable.

The latest volume of "Deadpool & The Mercs For Money" starts off on a strong note, emphasizing the conflicts set this team apart in a way that doesn't feel overly contrived. And it's those conflicts that can turn a one-in-done rescue mission into a massacre. I don't know if I'd plunge right into the series just yet, but I'd definitely check to see if it's worth tradewaiting.

I've had many regrets in my life, but not catching up with the new "Deadpool" until now has been one one of the biggest.

We still get Deadpool vs. The TSA which is as good a reason as any to jump onto, what I humbly consider, to be the best Deadpool series since the Joe Casey run.

All that said, I'm loving what's going on with this latest “Deadpool” relaunch. It's smart, it's innovative, and it's doing more for a character who, honestly, has deserved a lotmore development than he usually gets. Aside from some rocky art, “Deadpool” #29offers another horrifying insight into the psyche of a man who's willing to jump off the edge so he won't have to look behind him.

Though the vampire subplot that's cropped up lately isn't too compelling, Agent Preston manages to salvage this issue.

Another solid issue from a solid team. If you're a Deadpool fan, you owe it to yourself to check this series out. If you're not, this series might convert you.

I hate to be vulgar, but imagine if you went to a really hyped-upcircusand fifteen minutes into the show the clowns came out and started jerking off to themselves. Then, before anyone finishes, they zip up their pants and claim they'll continue the show next week at the same extravagant price you already paid for with the intent of seeingtwo hours of circus. Now you have to go home and wait a week for the rest of the show knowing full well that you're still going to have to sit through another round of carnies jerking each other off. There's no promise of what the actual show will entail for the next three rounds; the only certainty you have in this situation is clown cock being waved in your face. Sure, they may get the circus's founder to come out and say some words about the show's early days but that doesn't excuse the groupof clowns circle jerking around him.

Once Deathstroke has decided to keep his head bucket on, the comic kind of ends. Wonder Woman and Deathstroke are determined to kick ass. That would honestly be an okay ending if this were “Deathstroke” #8 but it's an annual. This should be a chance for the “Deathstroke” creators to show my why I should be interested in their take on the character, no? Why waste that chance by doing the middle of a story without any beginning or end? I was going to make that Homeless Dad joke anyway, I've been saving it up for three years.

Dragotta does great work illustrating her elite status, her final actions in the issue especially, but he really gets to flex his artistic muscles with the B-story concerning Death and his comrades.

Overall, I'd suggest giving any of the books that relate to "Eden's Fall" a try before diving into this comic. It's a good comic with a great premise, but it's lacking the edge that makes me really ant to suggest it to people. That edge might be in "Think Tank", "Postal", and or "The Tithe" but I didn't really see it in "Eden's Fall" #1. Still, it's an interesting idea for three comics that are relatively realistic to have a big crossover like this, and it's the kind of thing I'd like to see more of in indie comics. As a first impression however, "Eden's Fall" left me wanting just a little bit more. That little bit just happens to possibly live in three other comics. Sorry that I don't have any final answer here, since I haven't read the other comics but I hope you enjoyed Schrodinger's review.

This might sound desperate, but please just buy it. If this issue is any indication, Spider-Gwen is the type of title that could work tremendously as a spin-off series. I was excited for "Spider-Verse" before with characters like Tokusatsu Spider-Man and (hopefully) Italian Spider-Man but Spider-Gwen has hyped me onto a new level entirely. If "Spider-Verse" is going to be more of this, then it might just be an instant classic of a Spider story. And I'd loved for "Spider-Gwen" to be one too.

Del Mundo's art is fast, sharp, and violent but rendered in an inventively beautiful style that makes this the most visually distinct "Elektra" series yet. And maybe with even a little more time, it'll become the most distinct "Elektra" series period.

A little messy, but maybe worth checking out when the all the pieces are in place.

Really, "Exit Generation" is hardly a bad comic, but it's one that definitely holds a lot of potential. Who knows? This issue may only just set up the story and follow more on the premise later. However, if the ending is any indication, future issues will give more focus to the whole alien invasion plot rather than exploring Post-Exit Earth. Read and Oliveira have a genuinely unique premise with the world they put their story in, and it would serve them much better to flesh it out than to go down a generic alien invasion story.

Really, I may sound frothing mad at this book, but I'm not, son. I'm just disappointed. Fantomex is seriously one of my favorite Marvel characters and to see him featured in such a disgusting book is really disheartening. I know that he's supposed to be part satire, and the MAX line is meant to be Sooper Dooper Mature,but if there's any self-awareness to be found here, it has escaped me. just as any interest in this book has from my mind. Sorry Fantomex, hopefully you can try for a new writer as part ofAll-Now Marvel Now!

Fraction and Allred's art is an anomaly in the Marvel NOW! landscape. It doesn't read like any other book being published and nor does it look like any other title. “FF” is the type of book that could only really happen with these specific collaborators and for that the story comes out so much stronger and with so much heart. The reason “FF” doesn't stand for just Future Foundation or Fantastic Four, or anything really, is because it isn't either of those books. “FF”, though clearly heavily influenced by some other styles, is its own title with its own unique story, characters, and feel. And for those reasons, it's one of the most stand-out books from either of The Big Two publishers.

Really, I think that's the mantra for “FF” going forward into the next issue. It's not the most coherent book out right now, but it's definitely one I've had a ton of fun with, and even then it still has a very compelling relationship going on between Scott Lang and his obsession with Doom. If you look past all the cosmic goofiness, there's a ton of heartfelt stuff to be found in “FF,” and for that I feel like it's going to be remembered as one of the most underrated Fantastic Four runs going forward.

Though not the best of all possible conclusions, "FF" is still one of the funnest Marvel titles released in recent memory.

"Fight Club 2" #1 is not only a sequel that's ready to adapt to a different time than its predecessor, but translate masterfully into an entirely different medium. While it may not retain the broken-teeth impact of the original novel/film/t-shirt, it does continue the dialogue for those who want to keep talking about Fight Club past the catchphrases of the first story.

So is “Fight Club 2” an egotrip for Palahniuk? Yeah, totally. But when taken into the greater conversation about Fight Club and what it means, both to those who read it years ago and to a generation like mine that has never known a world where it was a cultural landmark, “Fight Club 2” is a brilliantly clever cautionary tale about the stories we tell and how they will outlive us.

"The Flash: Rebirth" #1 is less of a story and more just an obligatory reminder that Barry Allen acknowledges what's going on in "Rebirth" and will address it there.

Overall, "Gamma" is a comic that you should absolutely buy whenever you can. Buy it so that you can experience one of the funniest, most heart-felt, stories of the year. Buy it so the sales will warrant further stories. Buy it for one of the most inspirational last pages to ever grace a funny book. "Gamma" is parody done right. Like "Young Frankenstein" or "Blazing Saddles" there is definitely a direct source of inspiration, several when you count in "Gamma's" easter eggs, but the actual story within is so solid that it uses the source material as a base, not a crutch. "Gamma" is one of the most beautiful, funny, and fun books of the year and you'll want to pick it up before everyone and their grandma starts talking about it.

Overall, Ghost Town has a lot of things going for it. There's a lot of promise within the writer and artist, the premise is stellar, and the confusing bits I mentioned earlier could blossom into something cool in the future. For now though, it's an unfocused project that could do with some tightening up in order to reach its full potential.

A strong epilogue to a strong direction in one of DC's best characters.

"Hadrian's Wall" starts off with a pretty strong premise and some seriously gorgeous art but it's up in the air whether or not there'll be enough meat to really support this miniseries. That said, "Hadrian's Wall" does have a little personality of its own that will just take some time to really show. This is one of those reviews that's kind of hard to do just because for "Hadrian's Wall", more than most series, it feels like I really should be reading the full story before I give a final verdict. So, uh, check back in a couple months for the trade.

What we're getting at is that we are incredibly grateful for “Hawkeye” to be back. You should be too.

As has been mentioned before "Head Lopper" #1 is a visual feast that manages to deftly build some characters without sacrificing its tone. The pace suffers a bit from an interlude with the stewards which slowed the action down, but "Head Lopper" is at its best when it's like a Nordic Samurai Jack. And for the most part, Andrew McClean delivers on that promise.

And for what it's worth, “Howard the Duck” #1 does have a lot of that unique darkish humor. And, occasional quirky randomness aside, Zdarsky does a solid job of introducing everything we need to know about Howard with the same type off-color humor you'd expect from a guy who looks amazing in a Garfield costume. But, for my money, this book could not exist without Joe Quinones. Not only does he have the smart sense of layout, design, and movement that make for a compelling book but he is straight crushing it on the humor. He takes his time with a lot of the non-verbal humor and, in each panel, seems to find a new way for Howard to look absolutely flustered and fed up.

"Howard the Duck" seems to be maturing into the book it needs to be after the mild awkwardness of this first arc. I'm starting to see where it's headed and the irreverent jokes packed into this comic are starting to land more with everything happening around them. Zdarsky and Quinnones are a nice pairing for Howard and I can't wait to see what they'll bring in October.

It's easy to say that Marvel's putting out way too many crossovers. And considering that X-Men: Battle of the Adam-X is running at the same time as “Infinity”, that might be true. However, “Infinity” really is an event comic that lives up to its name. Even with roughly 14 pages out of 56 that have been seen elsewhere, it's a comic that puts in as much as it can and delivers a story so big that it could only be told in a format like this. Yes, it certainly has the potential to bungle in the future, but for now, it's the event with the most potential in recent memory.

Infinityis the type of event that I have been waiting to read since I got into comic books. It's grand on an epic scale, it's taken characters I hardly cared about and brought them to the forefront of my attention, and it's just plain fun. Now, a good portion of the fun comes from being familiar with Hickman's work thus far and seeing all of his pieces finally click together; but ultimately,Infinitycontinues to be one of the best Marvel events in a long while.

Despite my Tyra rant earlier,Infinityis still a really good comic, especially for a comic book event. It's still sort of disapointing to see this whole crossover boil down to “Thanos takes Earth while The Avengers faff about in space” instead of the dual storyline it initially was. Even “Avengers” #22,which I thought would show The Builders' defeat,is essentially just everyone hanging out on ships until they show up to Earth, exactly where “Infinity” #5ended. Still, even though one ofInfinity'sbiggest strengths was its wildly massive story, this issue is still well written and certainly as expertly illustrated as prior issues. Though it has its faults, it's still the event comic I've always wanted. The one I'm rooting for.

These would be the same thoughts young Vic Perlman would think twenty years later, after Slott had caved in and released the tapes to the public and after Marvel unleashed the army of Christos Gages they had planned for such an occasion. Hiding for safety in his local library, which would be the only place that owned a copy of the collected "Inhumanity" one-shot tie-ins, he'd go on to note that "Inhumanity: The Superior Spider-Man" #1 was all in all a kind of interesting book with some neat art but not worth the $5 price tag or the fall of humanity.

I could do a more written-out conclusion on how “Inhumanity: The Awakening” is but in the spirit of the opening two-page splash where hashtags are used indiscriminately to describe the events occuring in “Inhumanity Proper” (#Gov't conspiracy does not function as a hashtag on multiple levels by the way) all I'll have to say is this: #hotmess.

So is “International Iron Man” good, with it's “realism” and what not? Maybe. I know that's a lame answer to give but “International Iron Man” #1 promises a lot of great things and establishes a solid mood, it's just a question of how slow future issues were going to be with it. That might be unfair, but it's Bendis we're dealing with here. While the dialogue isn't all over the place like it's been in some of his previous work, there is the possibility that future stories will get distracted by Cute Teen Tony. And the flashforward/flashback structure the book's in (where the flashback in 90%) of the story feels like the type of thing Bendis is going to use to all of his decompressed ability.

So really, even though “Invincible” is advertising its soft-relaunch in a couple months, it seems to be ultimately unnecessary. “Invincible” #108 didn't confuse me or make me wary about the series, if anything it made me want to read past volumes while keep up with the forthcoming issues. While a lot of books nowadays are giving in to the fad to reboot, it may not be ultimately necessary as “Invincible” #108 proves that it can still be a good idea to drop into a book at any random number.

The first part of “Iron Metropolitan” looks to be a promising start to an intriguing series. The biggest problem would probably come from the relative decompression of the issue, but it's a comic that would read much better in trade than in floppies.

"Iron Patroit" #3 continues to be one of Marvel's distinctly visceral books and a redefining of the character of James Rhodes.

There's a lot in "James Bond: Hammerhead" to like, especially if you're a traditionalist Bond fan. You've got your great chase scenes, beautiful women, guns, whatever. For the more experimental comic book fan, there's also the slight chance that Bond can get into some really heady sci-fi. Even if we're not going for a straight up Metal Gear Solid remake, a Bond story with the slightest influence from a game series whose main protagonists include at least two clones would make for an incredible read.

"Jonesy" #1 is a strong debut that introduces a heroine whose powers have a really neat twist. Although the humor can be a bit all over the place at times, "Jonesy" pulls itself together in a great ending that shows where the comic can go in its next three issues. I would probably hold off on buying the whole thing, but it's certainly worth looking at again once it's in a collected edition.

While “Jughead” #1 strays into some shallow territory with its “Game of Thrones” parody, the rest of the book promises to bring some depth to Riverdale's favorite sidekick, while fleshing out some more of the rebooted Riverdale. I don't think anyone expected a Zdarsky/Henderson book to not be a roaring good time and I'm happy to say they didn't dissapoint.

For better or for worse, this is DC's "Nextwave." I loved it, but I'm not sure I was supposed to love it for the reasons I did.

"Justice League 3001" feels weird and not in a constructive way. It has the potential to be good, but not in any way the creators initially intended.

"Justice League: Rebirth" #1 doesn't do a whole lot to signal a new era for the Justice League, but there are seeds there that could pay off in the future. It doesn't seem like the must-read series that's going to be on the top of my pull list, but I'll definitely check back in when the first trade comes out if there's good word of mouth.

That's not to say “Kaptara” isn't full with great bits. In just one page, motivational ball already seems poised to be the next Lying Cat. Though we are only offered a brief glimpse into it, the world of Kaptara seems to be thriving with a unique and colorful cast that will only grow as the book progresses and possibly shifts away from Keith. Overall, “Kaptara” #1 is a book overflowing with potential that just needs to unleash its imagination and focus more squarely on the planet its named after.

Overall, “Kick-Ass 3″ #1 is probably the most subtle book to ever be published about Dave Lizewski. Granted, there's a lot of the typical Millar crudeness, but it's matched with an amount of thought and heart that keeps the book from feeling too shallow. In fact, “Kick-Ass 3″ might just be the best of the trilogy.

I'm so sorry all .4 of you.

"Lady Death: Apocalypse" #1 fails at every level. The story is disconnected and messy, the art is disturbing, and any attempt at sexuality is met with gross violence. Lady Death is insulting to both women and a comics industry that is slowly but gradually moving past characters like Witchblade or Tarot with more progressive comics like "Ms. Marvel", "Batgirl", or "Sex Criminals". It's an anachronism, an anomaly lost in an era that no longer needs it, save for the neanderthals who can't get off without Double E sized breasts and women being murdered. Naturally, I'm going to write a monthly column about it for as long as I can.

If "Legendary Star-Lord" is going to become as long-lasting as its title suggests, its power won't be found in the action scenes that are sure to populate the upcomingGuardiansfilm. Not because Medina can't draw a competent action scene; he can, in fact, and draws some truly breathtaking visuals that stray further away from action and more towards the awe-inspiring. No, "Legendary Star-Lord" will live or die by its character study of Peter Quill, which is something that Humphries and Medina seem slightly focused on at the moment. Though the overall story is hampered by a sub-par Badoon sub-plot (that does pay off nicely with a sweet moment from Quill), it seems like Humprhies and Medina know exactly where they want to take Star-Lord on this galaxy wide adventure.

All kidding aside, “Agent of Asgard” is a great reconciliation between the fanon Loki that's been circulating the internet and the repentant tragic hero we saw at the end of “Young Avengers”to create a unique version of the character that definitely has Ewing and Garbett's mark on it. Trust ‘Em. This books' gonna be great.

"Loki: Agent of Asgard" continues to be one of Marvel's funniest titles with references to The Princess Bride and pretentious ladykillers aplenty.

If there's a fault to be had in “Loki: Ragnarok and Roll” it's the seeming lack of any stakes. Even though Loki's been banished to Midgard, there seems to be no reason for him to go back. There's hints of a great plot at work but they're hidden under an examination of what it means to be the rebellious son and LA culture. Honestly though, there's something to be said for books that take the time to relax the way “Ragnarok and Roll” does.

It's a shame that Longshot's big solo title for this year was not as great as it could have been. This is hardly going to bring the character into any spotlight, at least not a further one than he had with Peter David's "X-Factor." Nope, it seems Longshot will be forced to live in obscurity for another few years.

Still, even if some segments aren't entirely the gold standard of comedy, “Marvel Now What?!” is a unique departure from the status quo from Marvel that should definitely be encouraged. Some jokes, like Kalan's opening segment, may require some more knowledge in Marvel continuity, but it's overall accessible to anyone with an interest in Marvel. “Marvel Now What?!” isn't exactly the pinnacle of comedy, but it's still a very entertaining book created by some talented people, and in a format that will hopefully be utilized again in the future.

"Marvel Tsum Tsum" #1 doesn't always feel like it was made for product placement but it's hard to get that fact of of your head. There's some really great simple stuff like the cockney space trucker and Bert going Mr. Robot on himself with his bad language. And like I said earlier, the art is goes beyond and above what you'd expect from the 2016 equivalent of a Hostess Cakes ad. But it's hard to escape how that's what this is. Three impressionable young kids marveling at whatever cool product is going to end up making them die early, just like Hostess Cakes. You're a busy person, I'm a busy person, and we don't need to buy comic books that just serve as advertisements for other products. Instead, you can buy comics like "Suicide Squad: Rebirth" which also came out yesterday.

If you've read the Maximum Ride books than you're not really going to be missing out on anything here. If you've never even heard of Maximum Ride before this comic's going to make you wonder how enough people are interested in it to warrant an upcoming movie. Overall, it's not explicitly bad, just very underwhelming.

Not only are everyone's day to day much more prominent in “Morphin'”, but the villains feel a bit more real too. While the art doesn't capture the majesty of Rita Repulsa's maniacal laughter (what could?), it does ground the Rangers into a very real setting. The art doesn't try to go full hammy and play up the nostalgia factor, nor does it try to deconstruct the Power Rangers and make the Putty monsters really messed up. It's all played completely straight in a way that's incredibly satisfying. I should also mention, if you are looking for more campy nostalgia acts, Steve Orlando and Corin Howell are also doing a fun short back-up story featuring Bulk & Skull accidentally beating up a Putty monster for the chance to show up the Rangers. I don't exactly know where that's going but I am thrilled to find out.

That said, if I were someone who had never read “Miracleman” before I'd be a little upset at Marvel for skimping on the story that we all paid for. While I did enjoy all the bonus material, it's because I've already read the story before while plenty of others haven't. So, even though “Miracleman” is without a doubt one of the most historically notable comics ever made, and still a great comic in spite of 30 years of hype, Marvel kind of does a crappy job delivering it, especially at a $5.99 price tag.

Ellis and Shalvey's “Moon Knight” is an uncertain ride between the line of what's real and what's not. Dreamlike in the most literal of sense (though I doubt the ending is a fake-out of any sort, it feels almost eerily clean, like when you need to wake up from a nightmare and everything resolves itself in seconds.) Removed of the certainty that drives other caped heroes, Moon Knight has become more singular than he's ever been in a world that feels one-degree away of falling apart before our eyes. And for all we know it very well might.

Browse. Aside from the covers, it's nothing to really write home about; but there is a ton of potential here.

"Moth City" is arguably the most important digital comic being published right now. If you're interested in seeing where that medium is going to go, pick up this book. More importantly though, "Moth City" tells a beautifully heartfelt, and hella violent, story against a setting that's rarely been done in fiction. It's incredibly unique and unlike any comic you've read and, for that, it warrants at least a try. Granted, there are a lot of moments when the story becomes a little unclear, but that resolves itself should you keep moving forward with the reading. "Moth City" may not be a perfect comic, but it's certainly an innovative one that deserves your attention.

A comic that uses a crossover to further its own themes and storylines? Wild! And also really fun. Kamala's slowly but surely becoming one of Marvel's top heroes and this issue is a huge step forward for what the character can be capable of.

Williamson and Henderson have crafted a disturbing world with depth through “Nailbiter” #1. Half-horror story, half-crime story, and all-cultural satire it might just inform the direction of where true crime stories go in comics, if not in all media. It's often been said that mysterious characters become less interesting when you begin to explain them, but by placing the spotlight on the killers' hometown of Buckaroo rather than the actual Buckaroo Butchers themselves, Williamson and Henderson have founded a rich playing space for what has the potential to be one of the most visceral and cerebral serial killer stories comics has seen.

Overall, “New Avengers” #7 works well in setting up the future events of the series while still rocketing up the stakes. Hickman uses some breathing room, which doesn't slow down Epting, and is thus able to clear things up for the audience while still delivering a very exciting title. There's still a few kinks here and there (If Reed is able to come back to Earth, why hasn't he turned around and seen all the chaos happening in “FF”?) but overall the focus for where “New Avengers” may go in the forthcoming issues is as exciting as all of Hickman's ideas.

Even though this issue does have its faults there are very few of them to be honest; aside from what I said about the seemingly anticlimactic Thanos Seed story and Rockygon Boltagon there's not many huge flaws here. "New Avengers" #10 continues to delivery what the rest of Infinity already has: an event comic that truly delivers on the promise of being called an "event." There is stuff going on here that seems highly likely to actually cause a change in the Marvel Universe in a meaningful way. That may seem a little cynical, Marvel's definitely been shaking up their status quo in recent years, but usually as the footnote of a not-great story (AvX and Age of Ultron come to mind.) Here though, we're getting an amazing story that simply could not be told in a normal series. Infinity, and its tie-ins, are a genuine event and one you should be heavily invested in(human.)

A heavily interested browse. This is one of Marvel's most interesting and complex books, even if some of the mythos doesn't add up yet.

One day this Multiversal Cartographer/Black Swan thing will make sense. Today is not that day. Best wait for the complete story.

Though really, I feel like surprises are all “New Avengers” is surviving on. Without the bold new direction offered by The Great Society, I might consider dropping “New Avengers.” It's the type of series that really takes its time, slowly drowning the ready in a heavy wave of information. Sure, when it's all over and you've broken through the wave you can reflect on it as a great time. But inside? It's a terrifyingly confusing ride that makes you think you're missing a lot. Do I enjoy “New Avengers?” I definitely think I do, but a lot of that comes from the faith that it'll all make sense and become a truly satisfying story in the end. If you're the type of reader who needs instant gratification though, this might not be the book for you.

"New Avengers" has always been sort of slow but this issue's pace was a smooth slow burn, not twenty pages of plodding around.

As I said in the beginning of this review, ‘Everything Dies' is pretty difficult to talk about because of its size. Hell, everything I've described happened in the last two issues. But, I've also left out a lot of other plots and characters that make up the entirety of this story. Like I said, ‘Everything Dies' is massive and one of the few Marvel story lines that incorporates everything from its universe, if not multiverse. It's also a comic that is defiantly confident in its themes. Where other comics take for granted that the heroes will save the day, ‘Everything Dies' throws that all out the window. Now, with a problem greater than any they faced before, heroes must decide what they are truly willing to do to earn their happy ending. That assumes of course, that a happy ending is still possible.

As a first-time reader, I expected "New Suicide Squad Annual" #1 to be a solid gateway for me to get into the series. Instead, it showed me that what the title was doing was more or less par for course. Nothing really stuck out to me, save for a couple metahuman rampages, and any attempts at being poignant felt incredibly forced and cheesy. "New Suicide Squad" #1 isn't a bad comic, but it is my definition for a mediocre one.

As a comic, "Nova" did everything it was supposed to. It had a fun one-in-done adventure with some really great art. It also set up for a lot of interesting plotlines in the future with The New Warriors and the inevitable Infinity tie-in. Not only that, but it offered just enough continuity to get me interested in what had happened in the rest of the series and in what will happen in future issues. That saying that "Every Issue Is Somebody's First" works here, as I went from wanting to avoid Nova as much as possible to finding it to be one of the better books in the Marvel Universe. A really funny script, some great art, and a young protagonist who isn't constantly talking about how he should be on his smartphone or pager make "Nova" #7 a pretty darn good issue and actually turned me around on my opinion of the whole series. Good job, team.

That said, it's not always clear at what level we're meant to take Jared's attitude. On one hand, the overtly indulgent primer on how comic books work seems like it's in place for Say Anything fans who stumble onto this book because of Bemis's name. And yet, it feels like a writer giddily showing off his knowledge of comic history. It's interesting to see exactly where Bemis ends and Jared begins, as Bemis has noted in interviews that the series came from his anxieties in becoming a father. The line between fan and creator is always one present, even more so when that creator is a celebrity. The trick for Bemis and Faerber as this mini-series continues is to find the balance between telling a story about immaturity and telling one about how much they love comics. One story is compelling, the other's been done far too much.

"One-Hit Wonder" is a book with so much potential in its premise, and an entire wasteland of haunted pop culture imagery to really make something great. Instead, we're left with a husk with all of its charm sucked out, a victim of a system that glorifies edginess over substance; the same system it should've been pulling the trigger on.

Really the biggest problem with the book is the price tag. Yeah, this is “a big event” where Marvel could feel free to inflate the price, but what does that get us? There's one page of developmental work, with an excerpt from Gillen's script and Kubert's process, but that's only one page in a bonus section full of a cover gallery that I could look up online and an excerpt from “Origin” which I already read (and even if I didn't, wow thanks for spoiling me the first issue's big twist.) The story itself might be worth the price of this was from a future issue, but it feels a lot more like “Origin II: Prologue” than a chapter one. Again, there's nothing wrong with that, but it might relegate “Origin II” to being a better read as a trade than in floppies.

Overall, this was definitely one of the better first issues to an event series from Marvel lately. With a strong murder mystery vibe and a cast of fan-favorites under the pen of Aaron and the illustrations of Deodato, this looks like it could be a really interesting series that combines intrigue and intense action into a beautiful mix.

Really, I'd say most, if not all, of this comic is crazy. The set pieces, wild characters, and layers of deception would make for an unwieldy comic under another writer but Aaron manages to keep the plot focused enough to still be incredibly entertaining, and really, that's what seems to be the most important here. I have no idea what's going on with "Original Sin", I haven't got the faintest clue on who the killer is, and I can't possibly see where this series is going from here. But I am all in for this crazy roller coaster.

It wouldn't be a suspenseful thriller if we knew what was going on. Granted, confusing comics don't makegoodcomics (I read enough of the New 52 "Stormwatch" to understand that). But I sincerely believe that, even if this mystery turns out to be nothing but hogwash, the journey that Aaron and Deodato are presenting to us at the moment is a non-stop thrill ride that smartly skirts around the edge of event comic cliches (including a nice reference to the biggest event comic of all time) to make something that's incredibly exciting.

Overall, I wouldn't say"Thor and Loki: The Tenth Realm" is a bad comic, but I wouldn't say it's a good first issue. Sure, the plot with Angela and The Tenth Realm got outright spoiled forthe entire world and seemed to be an integral part of the marketing so it's hardly the fault of the creators. What they bring to these pages is very good, but without the mystery of Thor's sister or the tenth realm it all just feels directionless. It's the type of "first issue blues" that afflicts heavily promoted and spoiled event comics like this one. When we get past the stuff we already know and venture into unknown territory, "The Tenth Realm" has the potential to be an incredibly intriguing book. For now though, it's a wonderfully illustrated and well-written story that's been told to us through blatant covers, explicit titles, and press releases.

It definitely has next to nothing to do with "Original Sin" itself, (what the hell does in the first place) but it looks like it'll become an interesting forums for some neat one-shots to spring forth and, if they're anything like the Deathlok or Young Avengers segments seen here, we're definitely going to get some entertaining stuff.

There's a lot to praise in “The Immaterial Girl” (especially Clayton Cowles and his closed-captioning lettering for characters stuck in the TV world). Compared to the other entries in the “Phonogram” canon, it's the one with the most immediate sense of stakes. Moreover, it's the entry that really follows up on the series's major theme of people defining themselves with media. Kohl, Bingo, and even that Dexys Midnight Rider guy have all tried to define themselves through other's music with varying degrees of success. Now, it's Emily's turn. And this isn't the type of problem that can be solved by listening to Los Campesinos! for the first time.

All politics aside, “Prez” isn't just a particularly colorful episode of Bill Maher. It also happens to be funny. Darkly funny. Of particular note is Campbell's colorful gameshow where contestants are made to go through courses that make Ninja Warrior look like Double Dare 2000. One contestant, an immigrant from Mexico, makes it through all the death traps to find one last challenge: shoot himself with a handgun. In an other artist's hands, this could be the most horrific moment of the book. And while it's still surpassed every offensive thing DC has published in the past five years, Campbell's depiction of the vibrant crowd cheering makes it hard to not laugh. Maybe that's good old funny laughter, but it could also be laughter out of discomfort, shock, or fear. It's a real litmus test of a scene.

On one hand, I get it. West is a Lovecraftian character and since his story is so isolated from the others (because Lovecraft hated it but whatever) why not tie him into the whole Cthulu mythos? There's no reason not to but when all these elements are smashed together like they are in "Reanimator" #1, it feels suffocated. If Lovecraftia Horror is defined by dread, then how are we supposed to dread when every other page has a shocking twist that's laid out in increasingly plain ways. With all due respect to Randy Valiente, his art is just a bit too rough and immediate for my tastes. West preens evilly to readers and though designs for the Cthulu Club's masks are fantastic they're still offset by other characters having straight up yaoi hands.

"The Red City" has the potential to be a really intriguing comic. It's a noir story set on Mars, there's a thousand ways that could go right. Still, the creative team feels uncertain enough to truly dive into their world with full confidence. A gigantic world, full of planets and new interplanetary dynamics are reduced to one city and some characters mumbling about politics like this is Naboo inThe Phantom Menace.Maybe if Corey and Dos Santos trusted more in their story and allowed it to breathe on its own, rather than try and apply a narration structure that only hindered it, then maybe this could've been a really good title. For now, it's about so-so.

Frankly, I truly am having a rough time recommending “Sonjan” to anyone as it just feels so devoid of personality. Gail Simone in particular has been writing a pretty in-depth version of Sonja and a tiny bit of that shines through here though. Unfortunately, the cast of characters assembled in this comic feels more like a really tired LARP group. If you had a gun to your head and were asked to write a swords & sorcery comic in five minutes, this is what you would have produced. There's the wizards, the swords, the boobs, and just the barest amount of thought needed to avoid having your head blown away. That's what I think happened here. I think Dynamite tried to kill some of their employees.

In the end,the “Regular Show” comic is just that: a comic aboutRegular Show.If you're not already a fan, it's not likely to win you over; but if you are, it's a silly comic with a funny characters, some great art, and a lot of heart. The biggest complaint would have to be the lack of Pops, the show's resident gentleman, but other than that it's a good title. The only other thing missing from this book?

There's potential here, but it's buried underneath a substantial layer of grime.

We all read "Saga". It's in our hands, our homes, or dreams. Everywhere. And for all its hype, "Saga" still manages to keep its world fresh, exciting, and visually stunning.

So while Jock's writing debut may not have been his best work, his art is still completely stellar and the main reason to buy “Savage Wolverine” #9. Other than that, the story is somewhat strong, but would probably face a lot harsher criticism if it came from an unknown. Right now, this story arc is riding on the promise that Jock will deliver down the line. And in all honesty, he probably will. “Savage Wolverine” #9 honestly isn't that great of a single issue, but it's going to be a really good first chapter in the trade.

And that's a shame, because even though I mentioned that “Scarlet Witch” doesn't really stand out from its other Mystic Marvel counterparts on a story level, it definitely distinguishes itself on a visual one. Wanda's perception of New York is shadowy, closer to a Vertigo comic than an Avenger's one. Magic tears and bends through this world, either through the flashback to the violent stabbings caused by the demon's possession or in the Wanda's stories bleed into the world as she explains them. Demons emerge from their hosts, lit by green flame, and it's awesome or it would be if it didn't feel like something Wanda could hand wave away when it's time to end the comic.

"Secret Avengers" #12 shows that the series definitely has the potential to go from really good to one of the top-tier Marvel titles and in all honesty it's probably for the best that Kot doesn't just make a "Zero"-lite though that can only really be determined when the series is relaunched with him. For now, "Secret Avengers" is a promising start to the end of Nick Spencer's run on the title with the help of two other equally talented creators.

Just as with the first few issues of the "To M.A.I.M. A Mockingbird" arc have been, "Secret Avengers" #14 is another exciting espionage story set smack dab in the Marvel Universe.

With all the plots seemingly concluded, and so much more set up, "Secret Avengers" #16 is a sign that the future of the real Agents of SHIELD are in good hands.

Of course, the fun in this issue could always be just that: fun. And if so, great on Kot and Walsh. The two of them craft a thrilling comic book which is worth the price of admission alone. And with Deadpool on the team, that zaniness has only been increased tenfold, as has the potential for analysis now that our biggest hints are starting to flow in.

And it's a good thing Ribic's able to maintain some characters' humanity because Hickman does tend to skimp on them quite a bit. A large part of that is the narrative-heavy focus of his “Avengers” run and how much of the “Secret Wars” story was earned there. If you want to know why Doom and Dr. Strange were hanging out and what's causing any of this, you'll have to wade through around a hundred issues of backstory. That's lame for people who are – be it because of Age of Ultron or Free Comic Book Day – making this their first foray into the Marvel Universe. For those following along, the wait has been worth it as the full consequences promised back in “New Avengers” #1 are finally coming full circle.

As an overall crossover, with the delays and tie-ins and Armor Wars and yadda yadda, I would say it was pretty unwieldy. But as a continuation of Hickman's work on the Avengers and the Fantastic Four? This turned into a beautiful send-off for what will surely be remembered as a great era for Marvel comics.

Before I make any more regrettable jokes, I should close out by saying that "Sex Criminals" is one of the most essential comics of 2013. It's heartwarming at points, funnier at even more points, and real all throughout. Plus, the male lead's first words are the opening monologue to Lolita.I have no clue who showed "Sex Criminals" the way to my heart, but it's stuck there with little chance of leaving anytime soon.

Overall, “Shadow Hero” #1 is an exciting sneak peek at what'll probably become another classic from Yang and Liew. Yang's writing is heart-warming yet uncompromised and Liew's art breathes life into this world. If I had to describe “Shadow Hero” #1 in a word, it'd be honest. It's a heart-felt superhero story that focuses less on the cape and spandex and more on the bond between family and heritage. Though this is only just a preview, “Shadow Hero” #1 has shown that it's going to be one of the must-read graphic novels of 2014.

Overall, "Sidekick" is not a great first issue. I couldn't care less about any of the characters, it's trying way too hard to be serious, and the art is pretty good but nothing to shake a flying flesh stick about. Sure, it could turn around and offer on some of the promises its more intriguing pages deliver, but taken for what it is, "Sidekick" #1 is trying really hard to be a reinvention of superheroes that's been done a thousand times before.

It exceeded my expectations by being a fun book that fully believes in itself and the attitude its projecting.

Overall, “Sonic Universe” #53 is a delightful surprise. Yes it may not be as deep or philosophical as other comics and Sonic may make horrific jokes, but it's a ridiculous and harmless comic, and one that's fun to read too! This issue marked the end of Act 2 for the Worlds Collide crossover, so if you can get it out of your mind how insane it is for a Sonic/Mega Man crossover to necessitate a three act structure, it's not too late to catch the third act. And if the final few pages are any indication, the upcoming issues are going to be completely insane.

And that's probably for the best. “Worlds Collide” is a really good crossover for the kidduns who love Mega Man and Sonic and if I were eight years old it would be myTo Kill a Mockingbird.So if you have any spawn, be sure to let them take a peek at this issue. The writing's a little shallow but still endearing, the art's a little sloppy in some places but Eggman and Wily's faces are funny and most importantly it's that type of comic that never talks down to the kid reader which is alway something to be grateful for when found. Maybe it's not the most sophisticated crossover, but it's still a book that's having a lot of fun.

Also of note, one noticeable trick that Archie Comics have been trying lately has been the “alternate ending” page where they just put a note before the actual final page saying “This is the post-credits bonus scene.” I have no idea if this is really effective for fans but turning the page and finding the “twist villain for future stories” to be the aforementioned Snively (who I admit is a really underrated starter Pokemon) was more than a little surreal, like the rest of the comic.

However, not everything in this comic is aliens and fighting. What makes “Sparks Nevada” so engaging is how human the characters are, even Croach the Tracker. The caravan riders stop to pet Nevada's horse Mercury and comment on how cute he is, which makes Sparks proud. Croach, despite how aggravating and confusing it can be for all parties involve, deeply believes in his onus to Sparks and the friendship(?) that blooms out of that obligation is frankly adorable. Hell that's not even mentioning scenes like Ornery Lou handing the Butterfly Kid his little hat. I mentioned that J. Bone was great with action scenes but he really excels at making you go “D'aww!” at robot bandits too.

Of course, it would be a shame to talk about the art in “Spider-Gwen” without mentioning colorist and letterer Rico Renzi and Clayton Cowles. Rico's purple-tinted New York is utterly unlike any other depiction of the city in comics right now. It carries with it a sense of otherworldliness, suitable for a parallel Earth story, and even more suitable for a comic that looks like a music video at times. And what's just as interesting as Renzi's coloring is Cowles's lettering. Cowles has long been one of the strongest letterers in the game but his work in “Spider-Gwen” is really top notch. Sound effects in comics are really a lost art that Cowles has reclaimed, especially in the major fight scenes. The onomatopoeias crack with an electricity that sell the impact of the brawls as much as Rodriguez's art does.

Overall, "Spider-Verse" #1 is a fun addition to a crossover that's already off to a great start. If you like the 'Spider-Verse' story so far then dig in. If not, I don't know how the words "Steampunk Lady Spider-Woman" could have failed you. If anything, it's you who have failed us.

In addition to the three aforementioned stories there's two mini-stories from Dan Slott, Ty Templeton, and Kris Anka. They're adorable, especially Anka's about a video game Spidey facing off against a digital Morlun. What's even more interesting, however, is the story about two similar Spider-Men trying to determine what sets them apart. It's clever, and a nice way to acknowledge that the “infinite universes” idea means that not every Spider-Man is going to be a Captain Britain or Spider-Ham. It's a really witty side-story that would just feel distracting in the main series, but seems perfectly in place here.

Unfortunately, we were a little disappointed with “Star Trek/Planet of the Apes” #1. While the potential for greatness is there, from the creative team to the weird way in which the premise just works, there is yet to be enough commitment to make this comic truly entertaining beyond the “Primate Directive” subtitle. Of course, this is only the first issue of the series and it could finally indulge itself now that the Star Trek crew is on ape-torn Earth. In fact, the main reason why we believe this comic should be supported is the cover to next month's issue which features an aged, naked Charlton Heston holding a gun over a kneeling William Shatner. We try not to exaggerate on this site too much, but if the second issue of the series doesn't feature this scene to any degree then we may have to tearfully retract what we just said.

An old and naked Charlton Heston shot at Kirk with a rifle, put a sleeper hold on Chekhov and ran away with the USS Enterprise's space technology.

I don't know if that girl will come back to my store since I threw rocks at her when she tried to leave without paying. But still, this comic opened my eyes to a world of fun and innocence in comics that I sometimes forget exists, a world untouched by creepy people from the internet. "Strawberry Shortcake" #1 taught me the value of taking things at face value and not making everything a joke about fictional rapists.

Despite the laughs, despite the lack of the supernatural, “Stray Bullets” is a horror comic. And a damn great one at that.

"Stray Bullets" may be well known for its gritty storytelling (and that's certainly present here) but the fantasy premise behind the issue gives Lapham a lot more space to have fun, from outrageous shootouts to dystopian cities full of freaks, we get a lot of scenes that would never fly in the ultra-real world "Stray Bullets" usually finds itself in without losing the solid visual storytelling that's made it one of the best "new" series coming out of Image.

Unfortunately, it's still a real shame that Kot is leaving the title. In just three issues – heck, since the first few pages of his first issue – Kot has turned one of DC's least admired books into it's absolute best. That's not to disparage Matt Kindt or anything, he'll do a great job too, but the energy Kot brought on to “Suicide Squad” was wholly unique and probably won't be, as it probably shouldn't be, replicated by anyone else. It honestly feels like one of DC books that are enjoying themselves. The characters definitely have angst to spare and Zircher's artwork is incredibly dark, which all works very well, but all that is set against Kot's hilariously cruel dialogue and plot. It's having its angst, but not letting that drag the entire book down; a lesson some other DC books could learn something from. Ales Kot, you will be missed; and Patrick Zircher, keep up the damn fine work. Matt Kindt we really like you too.

All in all, “Superior Spider-Man” #31 was far from perfect. If anything, it was ultimately rushed with a lot of story threads not being given enough chance to breathe or explain themselves (Seriously, what was The Goblin King's plan aside from the one he states outright and “Mess up Spidey's day”? They're both solid plans but I don't see the implied connection both plans have.) Still, in spite of all its controversy, I'm really glad that we had a story like “Superior Spider-Man.” An arc like “Goblin Nation” could never have happened without the total freedom given by Doc Ockerman and hopefully that sense of freedom and creativity will make the transition into “Amazing Spider-Man.”

Another problem that just giving away what the coral towers are is that it just takes up so much space. As I mentioned earlier, no time is dedicated to any of Brieth's residents, save for an old lady whose job is to immediately ask Megumi for the 411. On one hand, yes the concept is incredibly cool and one i would want to show off too. On the other, there aren't any actual people developed enough to let the situation affect them. It kind of feels like the book is pitching itself to you as you read it.

"Surgeon X" #1 is a great start to a series that knows what it's talking about. Unfortunately, it tries to enforce what it's talking a little too much by doubling down on how sad sack everything is. Still, this first issue does a lot to establish what this world is, who its major players are, and most importantly why this all matters. On top of that, "Surgeon X" functions much less like a "An Inconvenient Truth" style powerpoint documentary, but explains why its problems matter without sacrificing the intrigue of the story.

More than anything else, “Swamp Thing” #1 feels like a throwback. After years of being used to “Swamp Thing” getting wrapped up in gigantic mysteries, it's definitely a change of pace to see Big Green just go after a zombie without any tension. But considering that most of Swamp Thing's fans came after Alan Moore and company changed the game, I can't imagine that many fans will give this issue anything more than a passing glance.

The Teen Titans don't' really feel young as much as they just feel like any other New 52 team. They have some “#More_attitude” as the cover states (btdubs, hashtags don't work that way)but so does everyone in a publishing line that has four titles about an evil Superman. This might be the first time a comic book would be improved by throwing in even more hashtags.

You know, for a lead character, I don't think anyone really likes John Connor. I'm not too familiar with theTerminatorfranchise, my adoration for The Ahnald extends pretty much solely toTotal RecallandKindergarten Cop, but I can still recognize that Connor's the main protagonist, not the T-800. Even inTerminator Salvation,which I didn't see but read the Wikipedia page for research, most of the focus seems to go to Sam Witwer's character and I rememberSarah Connor Chroniclesbeing about, well, Sarah Connor. And that weird poster of Summer Glau poster where she was a naked robot torso. So, essentially, John Connor's gotten the short end of the stick in terms of anyone wanting to actually write about him and this trend continues inTerminator Salvation: The

However, if you enjoy pure comic storytelling, the type where there's no limit in scope save for page count, then you might want to check out this annual. Honestly, “The Infinity Revelation” was something that was going to slip entirely under my radar but with this comic, I am now compelled to see what Starlin and Lim have cooking.

In the end, that's exactly what "Thanos Rising" is: it is the definitive story of who Thanos is and how he came to be. For new readers, it's a great introduction to one of Marvel's best villains. For older readers, it redefines the character in a way that still retains all of his old characteristics, but realigns them in a way that makes Thanos a much more solid character. The book is definitely not for someone looking to see a bunch of massive explosions or dismembered heads, but as of now is a medium-burn with the violence quick, quiet, and mostly off-screen. At the very least, "Thanos Rising" is a great jumping on point for all the readers who are going to want to know the Mad Titan after he appears in roughly everything Marvel makes for the next few years until Avengers 2.

Overall, Thanos Rising is a completely solid, though somewhat unmentioned, tie-in to Infinity and a great character study on a villain who, though treated expertly in the past, could easily fall into typical galactic conqueror tropes in weaker hands.

If you're the type of comic book fan who cut their teeth on “The Infinity Gauntlet” or can appreciate some retro cosmic Marvel, then you're the type of audience “Thanos vs. Hulk” #1 is meant for. It's a total aberrance in the current Marvel framework of books, almost all of which are self-aware in ways Starlin could never be. Hell, Jonathan Hickman's work on the Avengers books are the closest spiritual successor to Starlin's work – Hickman's creations even find their way here – but they never surrender themselves to the greater cosmos in the way Starlin does.

No seriously. Rob Liefeld, if you are reading this: please redraw the entirety of the First Testament.

"The Fuse" looks to be an incredibly interesting comic from Johnston (who has taken my PotW two times running now, and I promise its not due to nepotism) and Greenwood who's totally won me over through both his art and the solicitation describing him as a fresh-faced idealist. The mystery may not be totally set in quite yet, but there's enough in this world, carefully crafted by Greenwood and Johnston, to interest even the most tired fans of genre comics.

In the end, "Green Team" is probably the most "DC" book that's been relaunched since The New 52. It took an old, seemingly outdated concept and refitted it with modern sensibilities, characters with depth, and a lot of heart. As hard as it might have been for "teenagers who are exceedingly wealthy" to be dark and gritty, this book is one of the very few "fun" titles being published in the DC Universe right now. It's utterly stand-out from what the rest of the line is doing and joins Ales Kot's recent arrival on "Suicide Squad" as one of the company's newest and brightest gems. Here's hoping "Green Team" will be able to find an audience and stay in publication as long as it deserves to.

“American Dreams” does a solid job setting up some background information for the game it's tying into. However, due to the fact that the game it's supposed to supplement has been called “The Citizen Kane of Gaming” by pretty much everyone, it's a little hard for the comic to grow in its sibling's shadow. Read after the game, “American Dreams” helps fill in some blanks on certain characters' backgrounds while being sure to remind you of some rather painful moments in the main game. As a licensed tie-in, it does its job. However, on its own, “American Dreams” doesn't do a whole lot to separate itself from many other zombie comics, though its doubtful that someone would pick this up without getting the game. And you should get the game. Oh, you absolutely should.

It's heartbreaking, hilarious, and one of the few books with a genuinely epic scale. There are certain quirks that the creators lose themselves in, but I wouldn't trade them for the world. If you're a regular comic fan, buy it. If you've never read a comic book before, buy it. If you're a historian, buy it. If you're a historian that doesn't like fun, buy it and then you will begin to like fun.

But I liked it. So Pick of the Week.

For one, this issue is all about Yuri Gagarin, the one Manhattan Project Guy who is just a little boy trying his best who doesn't really care about taking over the world with science or whatever. After his dog, Laika, went missing in space, he has gone into the

Even though I'm not so hot on Yuri Gagarin stealing the spotlight away from the Einsteins, "Sun Beyond The Stars" #2 is still an incredibly fun heist of a comic that revels in the hypocrisy of all its characters.

Overall, “The Mocking Dead” is a very meta, pretty funny, and awfully clever comic. Don't let the title mislead you, it's really not a parody ofThe Walking Dead or anything really. If you're sick of zombies, and justifiably so, this may not be the book for you. In fact, the focus on zombies as the only problem the agency faces really is the book's weakpoint. A miniseries about nerd agency fighting zombies is alright, but an ongoing about a nerd agency fighting a bunch of fictional threats come to life through contrived circumstances? That honestly sounds like a really appealing book. Until then, “The Mocking Dead” is still fairly enjoyable. If anything, the main incentive to buying it is to get another series building on the Tinseltown Agency concept, but as a book itself “The Mocking Dead” is pretty good.

Truthfully, that's something that might throw off a number of readers. If you've ever thought Morrison was an overrated crazy hack then you're going to hate this issue. It's every post-“

As one of the “monsters” that are supposedly out to get older people, I enjoyedit. Though some people might find a greater resonance with the fear at the heart of “The Superannuated Man” I found it rather benign; a rant uttered by a talented artist who would do good to focus less time writing about the monsters coming to get him and more time working with the monsters that make his book so compelling.

I will bet five dollars that, when Cho finally starts acting like a real hero and clears his head, we'll see the Hulk rampage via analytic formula thing I was talking about earlier.

"Unbeatable Squirrel Girl" is quickly proving itself to be one of the most fun titles coming out from Marvel. I'll be truly surprised if there isn't a major fan base around this book by the end of summer.

An absolutely breathtaking book that sets up its world perfectly while leaving just enough mysteries to remain intrigued. Buy with all your heart!

"Thor" #1 is a lukewarm debut from an absurdly talented team. It's a series that'll definitely get better as the story goes along and we get into the mystery of who's wielding the hammer. It's Jason Aaron and Russel Dauterman, it has to be good. Hell, a month from now I'll likely be yelling at everyone to buy this book like their lives depended on it. Until then, the limited taste of Thor's future doesn't taste so satisfying ever since it came out Whoopi Goldberg's mouth three months ago.

Jane Foster is a worthy successor to the throne of thunder, but can't share the spotlight with the Odinson if Marvel wants this series to be as good as past "Thor" titles.

"Thor: God of Thunder" is the biggest and most genuinely epic tale of the Prince of Asgard in recent memory. It's huge and unapologetic in its scope and a new take on the titular hero that definitely deserves your attention. The only potential disappointment is the dropping of Gorr in favor of Malekith the Accursed in future issues; but, knowing Aaron and Ribic, that will be just as epic.

So, with “Godbomb” over, Aaron and Ribic have finished their first major story arc for Thor. Looking back on it now, “God of Thunder” truly has been one of the best books to come out of Marvel NOW! Two creators at the top of their game, telling a singular story that could only be pulled off with these two put together. Putting high stakes action, heartfelt emotion, and beautifully rendered art together, they've created a new Thor classic. With their initial arc over, there's nothing but excitement to be had for what comes next.

With “Thor: God of Thunder #17″, Jason Aaron returns to form with a hilarious one-shot story that also serves as an ironically sobering morality tale. Though I was reluctant to return to the series (more for monetary reasons than quality ones), I'm glad to say that “God of Thunder” has once again become one of the most epic and most fun titles coming out from Marvel, and though Pastoras's details are occasionally weird, he certainly fits the scope of the story in his art. Also, seriously, we live in an era where Marvel is straight up just publishing “The Hangover” scripts with Thor in them. This is an incredible reality to live in. Hopefully, “God of Thunder” will keep the quality streak it held before the “Accursed” arc.

"Three" #1 is definitely not your typical comic book. It's purpose is much more focused towards teaching the reader than it is towards entertaining. Not to a fault, however;"Three" is still a very well written and well-drawn comic. The real reason you should pick up this book, aside from Gillen's writing and Kelly's art, is because it is a tribute to a long-forgotten people. "Three" is a rebellion against the swallowing void of history by way of enlightenment.

And that light is the flare from a thousand Americans with stupid codenames firing missiles at robot/animal/car hybrids who may or may not team up with a terrorist organization whose only goal is snakes.

So, “The Twilight Zone” #1 is a pretty boring, weirdly drawn comic that could get better as more parts of the story come out. Then again, that last part flies in the face ofThe Twilight Zone's“One and Done” structure so let's just call it a bad comic.

"Ultimate Spider-Man" #200 isn't a game-changer. There's hints of what's to come but they don't matter in the face of the pure love flowing from both the characters and creators. If you're looking for an "in" for the Ultimate Universe you should probably wait until the eighth reboot in a couple weeks, but if you're a longtime fan of Spider-Man, be it Ultimate Parker or just the concept of Spider-Man in general, this issue is a bittersweet celebration of everything Peter Parker.

Really, even if you're not a fan of the fantasy genre, “Umbral” is definitely worth a try. Experimenting with genre conventions from Arthurian lore and Lovecraft, Johnson, Mitten, and Rauch have created a whole new fantasy world that is just ripe for stories. Even without the plot involving The Umbral, there are enough intriguing details, mysterious scars and knights who are gone in a flash to keep this series going beyond what the main arc has to offer; this statement of course keeps in mind that the main plot is already a creepy murder mystery/reality bender starring a likable young thief and some terrifying monsters. For a new creator-owned series it shows plenty of promise, and just as just as that last page says, “Umbral is coming.” And you're probably not going to stop hearing about it for a while.

"Gwenpool" really surprised me with how inventive it felt. I'm still iffy about how corporate the premise of the book feels, but "Gwenpool" #1 really played off my expectations to deliver something I did not see coming.

And that's what "Uncanny Avengers #7" is. It's an honest-to-goodness superhero book with big enemies, big soap opera drama, and big explosions. There's a lot to be desired when it comes to certain elements, but as an action ride featuring fantastic villains, it's a certainly thrilling one

"Uncanny Avengers" feels like a rather strange book. The concepts, as I've said previously, are definitely there. When Remender sets out to make up a villain, an evil plot, or just any idea for his books, they're out there in all the right ways. Unfortunately, those concepts end up being dragged down by his seemingly desire to craft a book that doesn't exist in the shadows, but stands in the light; which would be fine if the current plot wasn't a direct continuation of his earlier bloodier title. It's sort of like what would happen if Bendis took "Avengers" and used it to continue a plot thread from "Daredevil." The good ideas and intentions are definitely there, but both "Uncanny" books are dissimilar on enough premise that it feels awkward reading about Clan Akkaba and Apocalypse in a story by the "UXF" team that doesn't include Fantomex or Deadpool. The title as a whole, needs to go back to what it did in earlier issues and

Overall, "Uncanny Avengers" is a pretty good book with some problems. The plot itself is epic in scale but marred by the occasional hiccup in storytelling, the characters either have cool moments or are giving Ayn Rand sized speeches, and Daniel Acuna occasioanlly forgets how a face works. It's definitely a book that's worth picking up if you're a fan of the original "Uncanny X-Force" run, but if you're looking for pure Avengers or X-Men stories you may want to look elsewhere. It's not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination, but it definitely has a lot of awkward points it needs to iron out.

"Uncanny Avengers" #13 is definitely above-average issue of a series that's been trudging along for a while, but if you've been hoping for the title to move on so Remender and Acua can move on to new territory, the end is not likely to come anytime soon.

Really, Remender and McNiven are talented dudes, there's no denying that and it just feels like the former is just more interested in telling his grand sci-fi story rather than the race/LGBTQ/religious-relations one everyone said wouldn't get thrown out the window once Havok made a single misguided speech that apparently ended racism forever. Maybe if this were literally any other book I'd give it a pass, but out of every comic book this isn't the one that should remind me of a Dave Matthews concert and disregarding everyone who struggles with discrimination who relates to the X-Men is really just a terrible call.

Ultimately, "Uncanny Avengers" isn't bad. I think it's emblematic of the problems featured in the last volume. There's great art, some great concepts, and a pretty dope roster but the title seems way more concerned with playing with its toys than it does in telling a story about its characters. And when "Uncanny Avengers" does have to acknowledge its characters as anything more than plot devices, it cruelly treats them as cold harsh creatures. And I don't know about everyone else but I'd really like to see the growth of a Magnetoless Maximoffs and Rogue in a leadership position than pretend I should act excited and surprised for the High Evolutionary.

Well, you get the back-up story by Ryan Stegman and Ryan Lee. In any other comic, I would enjoy it: a quick little romp that doesn't take itself too seriously and gets a lot of plot accomplished in five pages. Yet, the back-up (featuring on the Nu-Humans who have popped up since “Inhumanity”) feels like a cop-out. Without getting too elitist over a fictional group of peoples, don't the Inhumans need to be sort of grown within their own culture? They have cool superpowers, yeah, but it's their culture and how they act as a result of their upbringing that makes them unique. Take that away, and all you have are a bunch of mutants insisting that they aren't.

All kidding aside though, even though the art is occasionally sloppy and the plot nonsensical,Battle of the Atomis still a very fun crossover and this issue of "Uncanny X-Men" is no exception, and if you're a die-hard X-Men fan, one definitely worth your time. If you're tired of crossover bloating though, you might want to just wait until this all blows over and you can return to your regular scheduled programming.

As the series goes on and narrows down its focus to the alien invasion storyline, I feel it'll make some pretty entertaining comics. After all, Sakai's been putting this series out for thirty years and hasn't skipped too many beats and I doubt he'll fail to deliver on aWar of the Worldshomage with his favorite character. Honestly, I just feel cheated out of the "

As I mentioned before, this issue focuses mostly on Thomas so I can't really judge it based on its team. That said, it's clear that Beremejo and Corona have a clear grasp on Robin's place in Batman mythology. There's this interesting theme throughout Snyder's work on various Batman titles about Gotham's citizens, or at least Batman, being symbiotic with the city. It's a living reflections of its inhabitants and their traits. The Gotham of 2011 on isn't just a setting, it's a character. And in “We Are Robin”, it's a character that desperately needs saving. And just as some Robin or other has been there to kick Batman back into shape, The Robins will do the same for Gotham.

"Wolverine and the X-Men" #30 does a very admirable job in setting up for the big story arc next issue. That's not to say nothing really happens here; a lot of truths are revealed, some great foreshadowing is done, and there are plenty of character moments to go around. Not to mention the quality art being put out by Pasqual Ferry here. It's going to be incredibly interesting to see what happens to the faculty and students of the Jean Grey academy in the upcoming months, but it certainly won't be pretty. It will, however, be a little strange, a little funny, and a little tragic; just like this title has been throughout its run.

Overall, Jason Aaron and Nick Bradshaw's work on "Wolverine and the X-Men" is the most energetic book in the X-Men line right now. It's funny, it's tragic, and it perfectly complements its high stakes and dire situations with a bittersweet light-hearted tone that keeps the title from falling into the typical X-Men pitfall of coming off too strongly. "Wolverine and the X-Men" is one of the funnest comics out right now and where it goes will be incredibly exciting.

Even though most of The X-Men titles continue to deal with Rebel Cyclops and The First Class Kids, "Wolverine and the X-Men" continues to be arguably the stand-out title of the family with its mix of Claremont eccentricies and modern sensibilities.

With Aaron now on "Battle of the Atom", it's continuing to be the fun event we were promised even with some characters' rampant cases of "Event Delusion." That said, it's a little disappointing to have this crossover cut into Aaron's storyline, but it's enjoyable enough.

And that's what makes “Wolverine and the X-Men” so great. Even though Aaron's run is winding down, he's still throwing out all these crazy new ideas beautifully illustrated by Larraz. This isn't just the “fun” X-Men book. “Wolverine and the X-Men” continues to prove itself as the leader of the entire line.

Basically, if you enjoyed the last volume, you should feel mostly at home. If you didn't read the last volume, then I'd spend a few hours on Wikipedia first. Trust me.

I don't know what any of this comic meant. It was the worst type of fan fiction: characters not acting like themselves in order to talk about how awesome a Mary Sue, Chris Consentino in this case, is. "Wolverine in the Flesh" should've just stayed in Consentino's headspace and not had money spent on its production. The only possible joy you could derive from this comic is being Chris's creative writing professor and finally being able to give him the C- he needed to just pass your class and never retake it. I honestly would not be half as harsh on this comic if it were just a bad comic, but Consentino's boorish personality oozes onto every page and attacks anyone, vegetarian or not, who might want to give him a fair chance. This is a weak comic book written by someone who should stick to cooking and illustrated by someone who should keep this title on theirrsumin point one font.

I don't know, nor will I ever. What I do know is that “Wynonna Earp” is the kind of comic where heroes spit milk into strangers' faces on their mission to keep Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton from purchasing brains off the black market so they won't revert to their zombie forms on the campaign trail. Honestly, I've heard of worst premises. But the execution of “Wynonna Earp” doesn't live up to its wild potential.

What has got to be Marvel's eighth X-Force team in four years marks its debut in "X-Force" #1! Will they be able to stand out a monist the crowd of renegade mutants? Read on to find out!Written by Si SpurrierWritten by Rock-He KimAlmost every sovereign state in the Marvel Universe makes use of sanctioned superhumans to protect national interests and pursue a covert agenda. The United States has the Secret Avengers. The United Kingdom has MI13. And mutantkind has X-FORCE. In this dirty, secret, no-holds-barred, deadly game of superhuman black ops, veteran X-Man Cable and his team will spy, torture, and kill to ensure that the mutant race not only has a place in the world"but also a stake in it.As I mentioned in that little intro blurb at the top of the review, there have been a TON of X-Forces to the point that a lot of them seem to just blend together. Hell, it was only a few weeks ago that there were two separate X-Force titles running simultaneously before concludin

"X-Men" #5 is a fun book, it just suffers from some Event Craziness.

"Battle of the Atom" may not be the strongest start to a cross-over with its relatively weak ending, but a good chunk of the book is still great. Sentinels? Stellar. Scott Summers? Superb. Kitty Pryde? Show-stealer. "Battle of the Atom" is, as far as we can tell, going to end up being a very fun storyline for the X-Men. This issue isn't the big boom it could be and a lot of it was already spoiled through promotion, but it promises a great start to an interesting story.

Even though Battle of the Atom is hardly the conclusion to the All-New story, it's better to think of it more as a season finale than the series finale it was being advertised as. The X-Men are going to be heading into some interesting places this upcoming year, and I'm furious that Battle of the Atom is driving me to shell out the money to pick them all up. While it's not the singular story crossover comics are truthfully never expected to be in the first place, Battle of the Atom is still a fun, if not troubled, story that set up a tapestry for the X-Men that's only upped the stakes.

Bonus: If you have the option to pick this series up in trade or in single issues, the singles are worth it alone for the letter column, “Sassemble” where Gillen constantly threats fans with atrocities like writing an issue completely in Comic Sans.

There's next to nothing wrong with this comic. The only real criticism is that the Skrull subplot gets rather quickly wrapped up, but that only leads to even better scenes of breakfast and smoochin'. This issue is all about the team and their interactions and nothing is more delightful than this ensemble of heroes. They're like a family in only the way that only young post-high school kids forced together can be. Honestly, while there is a ton of action on page, the plot for the issue is talking but it never feels like that. This book always feels like there's some beat bouncing in the background or an explosion happening somewhere; it never stops. Please, go read it. If you have ever been young, and we really hope you have been at some point in your life, this book will appeal to you. Maybe not in its (arguable) overuse of social media platforms and words like "probs," but probs in its passion.

Also: the possibility ofthis run ofYoung Avengersanytime soon gives me a whole bunch of anxiety that I may not be fit to deal with. So thanks for that, Gillen/McKelvie!

It somehow gets what it's like to be a young person right now. This book will probably be dated in ten, maybe even five, years but that will be entirely on purpose. This book won't be a relic, but a time capsule of what it was like to be young as a "post-millennial" or whatever brand our generation gets. Sidenote: Are we millennials? I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, "Young Avengers" #11 is the final chapter in what can be described as the rising action for the series. As the final credit pages showed, the final curtain is ready to rise as the presumably painful third act begins. Still, even though this story may have some ending in sight, it will still be the one comic I show friends my age that make them go "Yup. That's us."

Honestly, "Young Avengers" is one of those books that came out at the right exact time. For me at least, I'm an 18 year old who recently moved to New York City, so a comic like this is one I definitely need. It is, without a doubt, the most real and honest interpretation of youth culture and I am heavyhearted to see it go, but glad to know it will not outgrow itself and outstay its welcome, transitioning into the stale adults it's been fighting against. To be fair, Gillen and McKelvie would also probably never allow that to happen on their watch.

In any other case, I'd say I was surprised by how "Young Avengers" #13 completely stuck the landing but with the talent and passion Gillen and McKelvie have it's really not a shock. Gieron brings most of the threads from his run (not just on "YA" but "Journey Into Mystery" too) together in an engaging climax that'll satisfy everyone from hardcore Marvel fans, shippers, and those who just love to watch Loki suffer.

Finally, Annie Wu handles the last portion of the issue which serves as an excellent epitaph to theotherrelationship of the run. When I mentioned this issue finally making "Young Avengers" feel like "Phonogram," this vignette was the sequence that clinched it. Someone facing an ex, turning them down, growing up themselves, and facing an element that's seemingly come out of nowhere only to surrender to the power of music (which if the playlist is to be believed is Nelly's "Getting Hot in Here"?) Yeah, this is "Phonogram." Not just "Phonogram," but also one of the most iconic moments in the series that Wu renders masterfully. The Young Avengers dancing their cares away and yeah there's still stuff to be explained and yeah there's still plenty of problems to be had but in this moment, none of that matters. All that does is the music. All that ever mattered was the music.

"Zero" is far from lacking in ideas. Here, Edward's latest assignment is infiltrating "a Kickstarter for terrorists;" something that would have consisted of the main premise for another book is the background to Kot's story here. The way "Zero" works, with its nonlinear structure, prevents it from giving formal introductions to many characters and as such they're only presented in the moment of what they're doing. Even with no proper "dramatic entrances," Kot's writing manages to make each character memorable; even if only through the short phrases offered to describe each character in the inside of the book.

I urge anyone who reads this book to re-read it with the Psychic TV song Kot quotes on the final page. Really, every aspect of this issue works together.