A1‘s return is anticipated by many and it is off to a good, if not “triumphant” beginning. Previous incarnations of the anthology series have been strikingly original, but even the non-resurrected sagas presented here feel familiar somehow as if either borrowed or played for safety in sales. In short, we're looking at a ton of beauty in A1 #2, but just barely enough originality for it to earn the name. That said… there are a couple of cliffhangers Elliott has left me with that will keep me looking for A1 #3.

Redmond has proven to truly be the embodiment of the Thief of Thieves, fully living up to that name. All the while Martinbrough seems to be living up to the name of Image itself. Thief of Thieves is one of the more beautifully drawn and colored books Image has to offer in its current lineup. On the bright side, Kirkman, Asmus and Diggle have an excellent setup for a compelling new story arc to introduce us to, possibly equal to the art that tells this story. On the more shadowy side, they're taking their sweet time to tell this tale and stretching it out over as many issues as they can. To be fair, however, with Shawn Martinbrough and Felix Serrano on the title, even the slow pace proves to be the scenic route.

The Dream Merchant works as a new and potentially challenging angle on a subject that seemed to have no room for competition. Truly, if Novosadov and Edmondson were aiming at the throne of Sandman, they would fail and fall. But for taking a unique sub-genre and breathing new and different life into it, they deserve at least a read.

Kirkman and Adlard are both greatly talented in their storytelling abilities, but here they seem to almost be distracting the audience's logic detectors with what could be easily described as "balls out action". However, they do this very well. Is it possible for all of these dominos to fall exactly as planned and the good guys to come out smelling like peaches while the bad guys stand in line for their dunce caps? Sure. Is it likely? Or, is the better question "Does it matter?" Closing Walking Dead #116 is a satisfying experience, at least as much so as watching a great episode or action film. Nitpicking the "logic" in a horror comic about reanimated deceased people bringing about the end of the world may be an exercise in futility (or, at least, missing the point), but with Kirkman's track record as a logical and capable storyteller, logic leaps of this kind do tend to stand out.

Much like a 1940s serial, Fatale #14 is packed with thrills, chills and derring do, with the added ingredient of some terrifying paranormal mysteries. Brubaker remains one step ahead of the audience at every twist and turn and manages to deliver a very surprising and sexy horror adventure tale with classic artwork and very modern storytelling. This may be part of a bigger trend with Image and Dark Horse, to give uncommon (and even throwback) sagas a chance at the comic rack, but that doesn't mean that there is any stagnant sameness to these titles. There isn't really another title like Fatale on the racks today and while Josephine stands with her less common brethren, Fatale is not following other trends, but is a part of its own.

Such is the greatness of Fatale. Ed Brubaker has the writing skills to tell a story that the reader may well find difficult and unpleasant, but completely irresistible and impossible to look away from and the combined visual effects of Phillips and Breitweiser bring Brubaker's story to a deadly kind of life that is both beautiful and grotesque. The greatness of Fatale is found in its intricacies. Those intricacies are a treat for the reader who has kept up with the issues leading up to #18, but will almost certainly be baffling to new readers attempting to plumb the murky depths of Fatale #18‘s evolved story. This may well be a story of (currently) inexplicable madness, but the involved reader will easily see that there is a method to this madness.

Lost Vegas #4 goes on sale July 17, 2013. My advice is to catch up on the first three issues ASAP. When you hit the cliffhanger at the end of the third issue, you will not want to miss the conclusion.

To be fair, I am far from trashing this final issue. Repeat readings are hard to resist when a comic is this good and McCann is meticulous in his efforts to address each loose end (even, and especially, if the way these are tied up is far from what the reader expects or hopes for). The final analysis of Lost Vegas is that the gamble paid off and Image readers are walking away with a big win (if a few chips short of the jackpot). The final analysis of Lost Vegas #4 itself will depend largely on what, if anything, comes later. If McCann dreams up a sequel and picks this promising story up where it left off, #4 will be remembered as one hell of a launchpad for what could be a real epic. If this is the true final hand, however, it's hard not to ask for just a little more.

These colors are at their most intense during the sparse flashbacks of action detailing both Grey's descent into the Abyss (paved, as you could guess, with good intentions) and Hellboy's recent and possibly most significant foray into violence (in a recent issue he may or may not have actually murdered Satan). Again, this is no "action" issue. These brief frames constitute exciting, but mostly informative fillers of gaps or reminders of this expanding plot. Like any good expository episode, Hellboy in Hell #4 certainly answers a great many questions surrounding this saga, but also introduces several more unraveling mysteries. This is a hint that Mignola is nowhere nearing an end with Hellboy (the series taking place in Hell is ongoing) and that everything remains on the table except formula.

Growing up as comic collectors, we often come across single issues of interesting comicbooks that have a full backup and a continuing lead story. And as enthralled as we are by the lead story, we are equally frustrated by not knowing the rest. This was an ironic thrill all-but-erased by the existence of the internet and the availability of reprints from many sources. Somehow, Mister X fits well into this peculiar place of memory. Eviction is a new comicbook, yes, and it may be confusing and frustrating to readers unfamiliar with the backstory of the characters. Like the best of those rare collector's finds of the old days when we might not find the continuation of the tale or the issues that came before the one we laid our hands on, there is somehow enough in this throwback called Mister X #1 to give us that thrill, even without reading more. That may not be a sign of a great comicbook of today, but maybe it should be.

Witchblade is still around after 168 issues because of its rich and evolving storyline over the years and the very balance between the surreal and the believable. Yes, this title is “Classic Image” (or, at least, “Classic Top Cow”), and the key word has proven to be “Classic”. Witchblade has been well-honed and is sharper than ever. Best of all, as exemplified in “Absolute Corruption Part Two”, Witchblade is still one hell of a lot of fun to read.