I didn't much care for the main story; the characterization of Marceline felt off, though Bubblegum and Finn's lines seemed to fit well with their TV selves. I know Marceline was supposed to feel a bit off due to her being bummed out, but it just didn't make for an enjoyable story, since Marceline's my favorite character in Adventure Time and I'm picking up this series to see her be awesome. Also, while the art in the main Adventure Time title seems like it could be right out of the TV show, the art for this issue felt very distant at times from its origins. Overall I give the first story 2 out of 5 stars.

As much as I wanted to like Deathstroke, this series is really not aimed at me. If you've come this far in the review then you can probably make an informed decision whether or not you'll enjoy this book based on my description, but for my part I can only give Deathstroke two out of five stars.

On the "Next Issue" preview it seems like things in Wolverine and the X-Men may be settling down, though I'm not really sure why it's accompanied by a "Save the Date" advertisement for a date that's about three weeks past. Of all the issues of Wolverine and the X-Men so far, this was one of them, and since that's about all I can say about it the issue gets 2 stars. The story was well-written but quite clich, and the art left no lasting impact on me at all. Overall a below-average issue, and if next month's doesn't impress me I'll probably have to drop this title.

While the way they handled Ollie's origin from a story aspect is fine-it will tie in well with the CW's Arrow TV show in a nice display of corporate synergy-it just fell flat as an issue of a comic book. Winick's writing was a pleasant change from Nocenti's, but even then there appeared to be some sort of miscommunication or editorial meddling that took the book off track. That, coupled with abysmal inking, means this book can only get one and a half stars from me. I wanted to love Green Arrow #0, but it didn't return my affection.

All in all, I think this could be a great start for Green Arrow. I didn't expect to like this issue (J.T. Krul has burned me one too many times with Green Arrow), but he may have finally found a version of Ollie that he can write. I'm on board for the foreseeable future, or until Green Arrow grows mutton chops for real, at which point I am hitting the eject button. 3.5 out of 5 stars for Green Arrow #1, and a cautious optimism for the future.

I came into this book really really wanting to enjoy it. After the first page, I decided I was going to suppress my feelings on the art and just try to enjoy the dialogue. After finishing the book, I wasn't really sure what to think. I can see to a degree where Nocenti seems to be going, and while I'm not positive that I like the aspects of Oliver Queen she's chosen to emphasize, I am hopeful that I'll enjoy this run on one of my favorite characters. I really hope the art improves drastically by the next issue, as that could very well serve to break this title for me-as of right now, I can only give Green Arrow #7 2.5 out of 5 stars.

I liked this issue, though maybe not as much as Batwoman this week, and certainly not as much as Demon Knights. Tomasi has done good stuff with Batman and Robin with his White Knight arc, but I am not sold on his interpretation of the Bruce/Damian dynamic. I am cautiously optimistic, and as such give this issue three stars.

From the dual art credits on this issue, I am assuming that Dan Jurgens has been pressed for time with writing the JLI ongoing title and penciling Green Arrow (which he is now co-penciling with George Perez according to the solicit for issue 2), so Ig Guara was brought on board. This gives the issue some severe problems with finding an artistic identity, as the two artists were clearly not on the same page with some character elements. In Jurgens' pages General Adam looks respectable and fierce, with thick white eyebrows and a strong chin. In Guara's pages, his eyebrows are thin and black, and he looks like a mildly constipated Charles Xavier hooked into Cerebro. Guara has also given Booster Gold hair even floppier than Matt Smith's, and while the floppy haired Doctor may have grown on fans, the floppy haired Booster serves as an illustration of why DC's mandate of three-in-the-can is negatively impacting their current product. Dan Jurgens art gets a solid 4.5 stars, but from what I ca

The story in this issue is nothing we haven't seen before, but that's not unexpected given that it's a superhero comic. Hutchison's writing shows a lot of diversity in tone between scenes, and is a very different entity from the other Big Dog Ink book I've read, "Wicked West: The Legend of Oz." Ossio's art has potential, and since this book is a monthly ongoing series I'm hoping that this book will really help him hone his craft. Overall, while I see a lot of potential in this series, this issue is just average, garnering 3 of 5 stars.

I give this issue three out of five stars, with the recommendation that for less than a dollar for a #1 issue, it's definitely worth trying. I'll probably be around for at least one more issue, and hopefully some of my concerns will be addressed.

This issue tries to do a lot, but unfortunately just sort of stumbles to the finish line that is the last page reveal. The art is great, and I'm going to go back and read the first two issues to see if maybe there were some callbacks to previous issues that I missed. The major revelations of the issue were all incredibly predictable, and the pacing was really sporadic. It's not all bad, however; this is a series with potential, and I'd like to see where it goes. On the merits of the art, this issue gets three stars out of five.

Brian Wood is a good writer, but he's not the reason to pick up this first issue of Mara. Ming Doyle's art, beautifully complemented by Jordie Bellaire's colors, are the driving force in this series so far. I'm hoping in issue two Wood gives us a bit of explanation over some of the strange happenings in Mara #1, and hopefully we'll have a bit more reason to like the characters aside from what the prolific narration boxes have told us, but until then Mara #1 gets an average three out of five stars, the sub-par Wood characterizations bolstered by Doyle and Bellaire's beautiful art.

Other than the aforementioned Demon Knights, I haven't really read many comics in the Fantasy / RPG genre. Having read Pathfinder, I don't think the genre as a whole is really my schtick; it is enjoyable when tasted sparingly, but I just wasn't all that interested in this issue. Still, looking at the comic from a technical standpoint it certainly was at least average, earning Pathfinder #2 from Dynamite Entertainment 3 out of 5 stars.

The more I think about how this issue dealt with the implied rape of the main character, the more I am bothered by it, and I wish it just hadn't happened, because I liked everything else about this story. The writing was witty and clever, the art was polished and nuanced, but I can't help but feel that a publisher that often comes under fire for the perceived injustices to women on the cover of their comics ought to be a bit more sensitive to how they actually treat the women in their stories. From the Major Spoilers interviews that have been done with Zenescope editorial staff they really seem like genuinely nice comics creators, but the use of rape as shorthand in a comic story always bugs me. Without that, this probably would have been a four to a four and a half star issue, but with it all I can give Robyn Hood #1 is three out of five stars. I liked it enough to give issue #2 a try, but it's going to be on thin ice in terms of how it treats the women in the comic.

This is a good filler issue, getting a perfectly average score of 3 stars. There's no specific reason to pass it up, but neither is there any special reason to get it. If you've been reading Zatanna you might as well finish off your collection, if you have been wanting to read Zatanna you might as well pick this up as it doesn't require any history with the character, but if you don't care about Zatanna this issue won't convince you otherwise.

If you haven't been following Green Arrow, you might be a bit confused, but this issue does a good job of wrapping up the existing plot while setting up for the future. I think a new reader could follow the issue moderately well, as long as they understand they may not know what is happening with all the characters immediately. If you have been on board with Green Arrow, this is definitely NOT the time to get off. As of the last several issues, the Krul train is definitely rolling, and looks to only gain from here-hopefully this will be a new era of strong Green Arrow comics to make up for the latter half of the Green Arrow / Black Canary series. I give the book three and a half stars out of five; definitely worth the $2.99.

This issue of Green Arrow earns 3 stars from me; I feel like a broken record, but I'll go ahead and say it one more time-the issue was good, not great, but that's oftentimes the best case scenario for a filler issue. I enjoyed it a lot more than I enjoyed the Adam Beechen Zatanna filler issue this week, though a lot less than the Zatanna filler issue by Matthew Sturges and Stephane Roux a few months ago (Zatanna #12, I believe). I was hoping for more, but expected less, and am hesitantly optimistic about the rest of this arc.

Overall, putting aside my frustration with the misrepresentation of the crossover event, this was a fantastic issue. The development of Max is handled superbly in the issue, and the art (as always from Marcio Takara) is GORGEOUS""and I really like the Garry Brown cover. I'm still bitter, but not so bitter that I can't give this issue a well-deserved four out of five stars. I really enjoyed it, and if you've been reading Incorruptible you absolutely should read it. Mark Waid is a great writer, and Incorruptible from beginning to now has been some of his best work in my mind.

One thing I was particularly looking forward to in this issue was the art of Marcio Takara, which I've grown to love over his run on Incorruptible. Instead we have Damian Couceiro, and I'm not sure whether it's his pencils or his inks, but the art in this issue just seems washed out""a stark contrast to the bold inking of Marcio Takara that we've gotten used to. Nolan Woodard's colors are great as usual, but I was constantly distracted by how different the art was in this issue.BOTTOM LINE: Not the Conclusion I Was Looking For

This issue didn't do anything to change my opinion on the zombie genre, but the irreverent sense of glee that serves as the book's pulse was as infectious as the zombie plague, and I found myself enjoying it more than I expected to. That being said, the euphoria wore off quickly after I finished reading it, and I don't know if I'll be back for more or not. The book was written well (given the style it was working in) and the art fits the book-though there are some spots of shifting anatomy-so overall I give Fanboys Vs. Zombies #5 an above-average 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Ironically given the progressive nature of Manapul's artistic layouts, this title's story has been very reminiscent of Silver Age comics, in a very good way. I like how Manapul has been introducing the Rogues, and am excited for him to be back on art with the next issue, assuming that is indeed the case. Overall I believe The Flash #11 deserves an above average three and a half stars; the solid story helps make up for my disappointment in not having Manapul on art.

I don't think I'd pick this up if I wasn't already a fan of Invincible, but if you are a fan of the adventures of Mark Grayson I recommend this. If you tend to be a trade-waiter for Invincible, there really isn't anything in this series (so far) that would spoil anything that hasn't already been on a cover of Invincible, so you could pick this up as a monthly and get your Invinci-verse fix! Hester's writing is off to a good start, and hopefully he'll be able to avoid the potholes inherent to a large team title. Nauck's pencils and inks have developed, and I look forward to seeing how he continues to improve as an artist. Overall this title gets 3.5/5 stars from me, and it absolutely has a place on my pull list!

It was nice to see Geoff Johns return to writing Booster Gold, considering the quality of his post-52 run (sidebar; It gets really confusing referring to things in relation to both the story 52 and The New 52. I've had several conversations over the past three weeks in which people have tried to correct me thinking I was referring to the other event). This issue was far better than Dan Jurgens' JLI, but while it had some really satisfying moments upon reflection it didn't really redeem the JLI, as they basically just failed again. Perhaps that's supposed to be the story beat-the down on their luck Justice League that can't catch a break, but I'm tired of seeing characters I love lose. The setup for a new Brother Eye story and its probable tie-in to The Trinity War is exciting, but it still isn't enough to push this book above three and a half stars-not a bad rating, but it wasn't quite the issue I was hoping for.

This issue is only a dollar, and is easily accessible for both new and old Peanuts readers alike. The art is great, the writing is decent, and the bang for your buck is wonderful. There's also a brief preview of the Peanuts graphic novel, which is also a good read. I recommend picking up a copy of Peanuts #0 at your local comic shop if they still have some in stock, and then if it's to your liking, buy the ongoing once that starts coming out! Between this book and Snarked, Kaboom! is doing some great work for kids comics, and while the loss of the Disney properties is a bummer, it's clear that Boom! Studios is looking ever forward. I'll give Peanuts #0 3.5 out of 5 stars; they're doing exactly what they should be with this 0 issue.

This book changes a lot. Kid Flash is no longer associated with Flash (at least not yet), Tim Drake has wings, and Cassie Sandsmark stole a shiny red convertible, lies a lot and doesn't want to be called Wondergirl. But the writing is snappy, the art is great, and if you are coming on as a new reader I think you will really enjoy this. Lobdell has impressed me so far, and I am interested to see where he goes with his titles. 3.5 out of five stars.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot, and recommend that anyone who's a fan of the grandiose cosmic tale or general space adventure story pick it up. The art is decent even though it wasn't my thing, and the writing is great. You should try to pick up issue one as well, but it's not absolutely necessary to have read issue one in order to follow this issue. Overall I give it three and a half out of five stars.

The story for this issue was enjoyable, and Sterling Gates continues to write a solid space opera. The new artist bumps this book up a bit from last issue, earning this four out of five stars from me.

Overall I really enjoyed this comic. Tiny Titans never fails to brighten my day. It may be aimed at kids, but as a 20 year old college student I love this title as much as the 5 year olds that were mobbing Art and Franco's table at C2E2. If you've never given Tiny Titans a try, this may be a good issue to jump on with. There hasn't been any word yet on what's happening to Tiny Titans in the relaunch, (Art and Franco said on twitter that they may be rebooting and reshoe-ing the characters) but hopefully the title will be here to stay with Art and Franco on it for as long as the two of them want to make it! A solid 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

If you were considering picking this book up to get a small Stephanie Brown fix, I cannot recommend this. If you were wanting to see the Secret Six again, they really don't get much characterization either, Catman being the only one of them who even says anything. As much as I wanted to love this book, I can only give it 2.5 stars out of 5.

Tiny Titans #50 does everything a final issue is supposed to, ranking it favorably with other recent finales such as those for Bryan Q Miller's Batgirl and Gail Simone's Secret Six. Even if you haven't been reading this title, if you are interested in all-ages comics (and keep in mind all-ages doesn't mean it's just for kids-this book has plenty of jokes for adult comic fans as well!) you should pick up this issue and Art and Franco's next venture, Superman: Family Adventures! I give Tiny Titans #50 a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars for concluding one of my favorite series and making me believe Beast Boy can fly (even when he's not a Pterodactyl)

This is a fun issue, with snappy dialogue, solid art, and an intriguing plot. It does a good job of setting up for the conclusion to the series that will come out later this month, and doesn't spend too much time lollygagging like some penultimate issues do. If you've been reading the series already, you'll absolutely want to get this issue, whereas if you haven't, you could probably start with this issue and understand the gist of what's occurring pretty quickly, but would be better off buying the previous three issues as well-they're absolutely worth a read. I give this issue four stars-it's one of those nice, light-hearted bat-titles that are needed every now and then.

I loved Catwoman #9, and so did my wife (though not QUITE as much as I did), so Judd Winick succeeded in creating a book showing the organic nature of Gotham City and the New 52 bat-books, this event giving them a sense of continuity that the first 6 issues of The New 52 really failed to do. The art on this issue is also enjoyable (though the cover is a particularly tasty example of the way comics contort women to show breasts and butts); I was a little disappointed to see Guillem March back on the art after loving how Adriana Melo handled filler-art duties, but March is back in top form and proved my disappointment misplaced. All in all I give this book 4 and a half stars; this is my favorite issue of Catwoman so far in The New 52.

If you didn't realize it, this issue marked the end of Judd Winick's run on Catwoman. He's received a lot of flack for his portrayal of Selina Kyle, but even new writer Ann Nocenti (most recently notable for writing an orgy scene in Green Arrow involving three girls who were functioning primarily as sex dolls and somehow not enraging every person who criticized the oversexualization of Catwoman and Starfire because Ann Nocenti is a girl and therefore is apparently allowed to sexualize women) has acknowledged the reckless fun way Selina has been written is a good direction for the character. This issue ends an arc which has seen an evolution of Selina's responsibility and simultaneously wraps up some loose ends to prepare things for Ann Nocenti's run. If you haven't been reading the title, this isn't a good place to start, but it was a good issue. Catwoman #12 earns three and a half stars out of five; it was above average, but the art dragged it down.

If you're a fan of comedy, you need to be picking up this book. If you're a fan of zombies and horrifying art, you need to be picking up this book. If you're a fan of Deadpool, you need to be picking up this book. This book appeals to a lot of different audiences, and appeals to each one in such a way that it shouldn't alienate the others. From the very title of the issue "Dr. Strange Lives (or how I learned Deadpool was da bomb)" you know this book is going to hit you with a ridiculous level of puns and one-liners, and Posehn and Duggan deliver it with an incredibly tight script. It's clear these guys have experience in writing for television, and I'm really glad they've made the jump to comics. Deadpool #3 gets a solid rating of four out of five stars for being a goofy and enjoyable comedic popcorn-flick of a comic book.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the relaunch, and the one that has done the best job of meeting my expectations. Action Comics stalled out a bit, though it has shown signs of picking back up. Batwoman's art has fell off with J.H. Williams III taking a break, and without the art his story just isn't quite the same. Demon Knights hasn't tried to be more than it is, and while there was one or two issues with some weaker art, they seem to be settling in and working well with the Paul Cornell story. I am excited to see where the title goes from here, and this issue gets a strong 4 out of 5 stars.

I would give the story a solid four and a half out of five for catching my imagination and allowing me to invest in some of the characters. The art I give a three because, while Risso's layouts and detail to Gotham are impeccable, the inconsistency with the already established Kubert version of Thomas Wayne pulled me out of the story entirely a few times. Overall I believe the comic deserves a four out of five stars; very much worth reading, plus you get a nifty pin!

This comic served its purpose well; as the nominal prologue to the Rise of the Third Army, it got me very excited to see where the crossover goes. I like how DC is handling their crossovers so far in The New 52 with family titles crossing, as it largely seems organic given the content of the books. The writing in Green Lantern Annual #1 was good, although there were some clunky moments necessary for exposition to new readers.The art in the first story was great, but I wish van Sciver could have done the second part of the story as well. Overall Green Lantern Annual #1 earns 4 out of 5 stars, and hopefully the rest of the event will be executed as well as this issue!

Overall, this is a well-written one and done story that is a fine way to conclude the series for now. It doesn't try to do anything spectacular, but it tells a fun story with some clever dialogue, and gives a great shoutout to long-time fans with the one punch reference. Well deserving of 4 out of 5 stars, and could've been bumped up to four and a half with better art.

If you have been following Irredeemable (as you should be), then issue 27 is a must read. Waid has worked through his mid-series slump, and things are picking up to be back on par with the excitement of the early issues. I'm very intrigued by where he'll go with it, and am definitely on board for this story, whereas 5 or so issues ago I had been wavering. Overall a solid 4 out of 5 stars for Irredeemable 27.

Overall, I feel like this issue would've stood as a 4 star comic if it had been the first of the crossover. As it stands as the third of four, I have to dock it some points, leaving my final score for Irredeemable 33 at 3.5 stars.

Irredeemable and Incorruptible are both, month in and month out, some of my most enjoyed titles. With the series drawing to a close I wouldn't recommend jumping on with this issue, but if you haven't been reading the title I would absolutely go pick up the first trade from my local comic shop. Irredeemable #35 was a fun comic with some interesting twists, and deserving of 3.5/5 stars.

Many writers don't get an opportunity to end a series on their own terms; Mark Waid showed us what Neil Gaiman showed us with Sandman"how powerful it can be to simultaneously have a real ending, and yet have it be the ending that doesn't end (one might say Gaiman's Sandman was" Endless). Even more powerful, I asked Waid over twitter if this finale has been the endgame since he first began penning the series, and he confirmed it.

Overall the story seems to be going somewhere interesting, and the last page serves as a bit of a shocker, where Madame Xanadu's years of seeing a non-linear timestream have left her a bit rattled, and we see things from her point of view. Janin's art is absolutely gorgeous; DC really has it together with their art in this relaunch. From Manapul's Flash to Lopresti's JLI, Asrar's Supergirl and Basri's Voodoo, there is a very diverse range of artistic styles (Liefeld's Hawk and Dove, anyone?), with MOST of it being really good. I give Justice League Dark four out of five stars; the story is probably closer to a 3.5, but the art really pushes it up a few notches.

It's sort of funny that this book has Justice League in the title, as comparing Justice League Dark to Justice League is like comparing Avengers to The Dark Knight Rises-they set out to accomplish entirely different things. That being said, I'm enjoying Justice League Dark more than Geoff Johns' Justice League right now-in fact, Justice League Dark is amongst my favorite DC titles being published right now. This is a solid issue of a great book, and I'm looking forward to seeing the continuation of this story. It loses half a star for art inconsistencies on John Constantine and the confusion with Steve Trevor, but still gets an easy 4.5 out of 5 Stars from me!

I really enjoyed this issue, despite having to go over it several times to get myself up to speed. Averaging out the story and the art gets 4.25, so I'm forced to round either up or down... If I had read the previous issues I probably would round up, but because it isn't super friendly for a new reader jumping on, I'm going to stick with a strong 4 stars out of 5. If you've been reading the series, I expect you'll enjoy issue 2, but if you haven't been reading it already I'd probably pick up at least issue #1 first, maybe even the zero issue if you can find a copy.

This issue does something I don't know that I've ever really seen in a comic book; it does a fantastic job of wrapping up the mini-series that it's a part of, but it could also easily be read as a stand-alone "zero issue" to set up the new ongoing Legend of Oz: Wicked West series that hits in October. If you have any interest in the Wizard of Oz franchise or this title, you should try to find this issue at a local comic shop or through a digital distributor, and then pick up the new series as it comes out this fall! While this issue does have a few flaws, falling into cliches every now and then and struggling to find its footing on art in the first few pages, it all comes together as a strong finish earning it 4 out of 5 stars.

Overall I really enjoyed getting to see Static again; I liked his brief tenure in the Teen Titans, even if he was terribly underutilized, and hope his ongoing gets into a lot of hands. I would love for Virgil Hawkins to be DC's Peter Parker, and I think moving to New York may be the right first step for that path. I give Static #1 four out of five stars.

I really enjoyed this issue. It's a very different take on the turtles from the late 80s/early 90s cartoon, and is probably more similar to the original comic books (which I never read, being born in 1990), but it is quite enjoyable. Unfortunately it's priced at $3.99, which I don't like paying for a comic book. I don't think TMNT is going to make the cut on my already over-budget pull list, but I will be keeping an eye out for this series when it hits a bargain bin, and I might use future reviews to justify an additional purchase of the title here and there. Overall I give Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 four stars out of five; it was a good issue that provided enjoyable back story, some good action and a good bit of nostalgia.

Overall I'm glad I picked up this issue; I didn't have too hard of a time getting into it, and really enjoyed the lighthearted insanity of the dialogue and the grotesque beauty of the art. I will have to go back and pick up some trades or back issues of The Goon, because if this issue is any indicator, it's a high quality comic. 4 out of 5 stars from me!

This title is hilarious. It's sort of the same chaotic and youthful storytelling as Axe Cop, but with more depth and significance of plot. I hadn't read anything from Ryan North other than Dinosaur Comics, and so wasn't entirely certain he could do 16 pages of connected story a month, but he excels on this book. I don't know if he plans to write any other print comics besides Adventure Time, but I could definitely see a major publisher picking him up in the future. Despite having very little knowledge of Adventure Time going in to reading this issue, I would absolutely consider myself a fan of the franchise now, and once I go through and watch all the episodes of Ninja Warrior I currently have filling up my DVR I'm going to be putting Adventure Time in the schedule! In terms of a rating, this issue loses half a star for making me squint when reading the bottom text, but that still means it gets a phenomenal four and a half out of five stars!

Gail Simone is listed amongst my favorite writers for a reason: She consistently delivers quality dialogue and an intriguing story. Yet in this issue I feel she falls into a minor pitfall that many authors do-making a minor villain who has had little to no impact on the DCU somehow able to take down major heroes without some explanation why. Junior is a Gail-created character, and as such it's understandable she has an affinity for the character. But the idea that Junior-who has no discernible superpowers other than extreme creepiness, and triple-jointedness-wouldn't be completely destroyed by a Justice League-level fighter like Black Canary is absurd. Gail does touch on this slightly, having Barbara demote Canary from field leader of the Birds and appoint Huntress in her stead (a fine choice; I love how much Helena has grown under Gail's care). The reason given is Canary not being the same, and not having her head in the game after her divorce from Green Arrow (note: an official divor

Hypernaturals is building an incredibly rich universe for BOOM! Studios, with the potential to be the best title from BOOM! since Irredeemable and Incorruptible. I wasn't entirely on board with the first issue, but all of a sudden the magic took hold and I got wrapped up in issue #2. There are still a few things that could be improved, and I'm still confused as to the whole Clone 45 / Clone 46 thing, but Hypernaturals gets a strong four and a half out of five stars from me.

Abnett and Lanning do a masterful job weaving several storylines around each other and not letting any character get the short stick while doing so. Hypernaturals #3 is a stellar performance from both a story and artistic perspective; overall earning 4.5 out of 5 stars.

While the last issue of Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man was a let-down for me, the combination of what seems to be a newly reinvigorated Sara Pichelli and Bendis getting to write an issue that was mostly my favorite characters talking to each other means I was incredibly pleased with this issue. This is the reason everyone should still be reading this book even without Peter Parker and with its somewhat awkward title (seriously, Ultimate Spider-Man just rolls off the tongue so much better), and Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #21 earns a nearly perfect 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

Batman: The Dark Knight #0 had a lot to overcome with the frightening solicits, but the story it ultimately told hit on everything I wanted Batman's origins to be. If it weren't for the weirdness of the bum still having Thomas Wayne's watch years later, and the head-bursting pool cue, this would be a five out of five star book for me. As it is, it still earns a great 4.5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend picking up this issue for the new defining moment of Batman's backstory. DC Comics and Gregg Hurwitz made the right choice with the direction they took here.

Batman: The Dark Knight is a title that has sold incredibly well, but has not fared well in reviews due to poor and inconsistent writing. This marks the dawn of a new era with an incredible writer and the same gorgeous art that the title's always had. DC Comics is putting out a bevy of fantastic Batman books right now, with Scott Snyder's Batman getting the most critical acclaim and Morrison's Batman Incorporated getting in gear, but I have a feeling the Bat-book I'm going to be most excited for on a month to month basis is Batman: The Dark Knight, issue 10 of which I give a full 5 out of 5 stars.

The Dark Knight 16 is a great start to a new story arc, and while I have a few nit-picky moments, I really enjoyed it. I wish the Hatter himself was a little less creepy looking, and maybe by next issue Van Sciver will have shortened the ears on the cowl, but I have a lot of faith in this creative team and am looking forward to the next issue.

The plot advancement in this issue doesn't take up much of the story, but it will have some real consequences in the immediate future. Allen discovers the Viltrumites are living on Earth now, and as leader of the alliance it is his duty to do something about it, even if it means Earth is destroyed. He wants to use the Scourge virus that worked well against the Viltrumites once, while Omni-Man tries to convince him that just as Earth changed him, so could it change the rest of the Viltrumites. This exchange sets up the main conflict of the next book, as Omni-Man will be battling Allen over the fate of the Earth.THE VERDICT: Not much happens, but it's a lot of fun!

Every contributor to this book is on top of their game right now; with the Scourge virus taking its toll on Mark we're really getting to see the rest of the cast shine. Dinosaurus has been made into a compelling character who I hope we continue to see more of, and (Major Spoiler Alert) it looks like we're going to get to see Invincible back in action next issue "" if you've been a fan of the title in the past and dropped off, this is a great time to get back into the world of Invincible! I'm giving Invincible #90 a full 5 out of 5 stars for being a perfect synthesis of great writing and fantastic art.

This issue is one of my favorites in the entirety of the Invincible series. Kirkman took a build-up that had been stalling a bit and really drove EVERYTHING home, and gave us those small character moments that have made Invincible great over the years alongside the epic story he has crafted. Kirkman also managed to deliver an incredibly tight plot in this issue, giving us all the superhero moments we love while avoiding the tropes that major publishers find necessary and fans always complain about. The incredible range of Ottley's art is at its most evident in this issue, and really Invincible 100 delivers on every level. Also worth noting are the wonderful inks of Cliff Rathburn and the John Rauch's colors, making Ottley's art pop on every page. This team has become a well-oiled machine, and Invincible #100 benefits greatly from it, earning 5 out of 5 stars.

Overall Batwoman #5 continues to be one of the top books of the relaunch, getting a perfect 5 out of 5 star rating.

Batwoman #12 is masterfully crafted, and though I don't care for how Williams draws werewolves, he has given us the second best Wonder Woman art in The New 52.

This issue stands out to me as one of the best issues of the run, ranking up there with issue 18 (the Klarion team-up) for my top two. The art is incredible, and it gives the perfect sense of closure. Anyone who has been reading Batgirl HAS to buy this issue, though people who haven't been reading the series probably wouldn't get much out of it. This issue resonated with me with practically every page, and even the rushed nature of the Cluemaster sequence wasn't Miller's fault, since he had to end things with this issue. I give Batgirl 24 a full five out of five stars, with the hope that Mr. Miller gets put on at least one title in the relaunch (a Brave and the Bold revival, anyone?)

I have been enjoying Scott Snyder's work on Batman, but I've been eagerly anticipating this book ever since the New 52 began. This is an absolutely perfect book, incredibly well-written and with fantastic art. Easy five out of five stars from me, and if you didn't pick this up already you certainly should do so. Morrison and Burnham are the best writer/artist pair in comics right now.

As I mentioned, this is my favorite Flashpoint tie-in so far. It accomplished everything I could've asked for it to do, and was an extremely enjoyable read. You don't need to know anything coming into the book, though a cursory knowledge of Green Arrow's personal continuity is particularly helpful in catching some of the nuances of the book. I highly recommend this, and am proud to give 5 out of 5 Stars. What're you waiting for-go buy a copy!

While DC has been putting out a number of excellent titles since their relaunch (Batwoman, Demon Knights, The Flash), Penguin: Pain and Prejudice has consistently been my favorite. Gregg Hurwitz and Szymon Kudranski have given us a truly powerful story told equally through words and art""the ultimate expression of what the comic book has to offer as a medium. Needless to say, this book gets a full five out of five stars from me, and I hope to see much more from both Hurwitz and Kudranski at DC.

Despite Boom! Studios sending us review copies, I have Snarked on my pull list each week because this is a title that I want to ensure continues. The price tag is a little steep in my mind""$3.99 for 24 pages""but it is absolutely worth every penny. This is a book I'll be holding on to so that some day I'll be able to read it with my children. I'm giving Snarked a full five out of five stars, and eagerly anticipating more Lewis Carroll-y goodness.

The conclusion to the Death of Spider-Man arc brought tears to my eyes, and I wasn't sure if Bendis could ever top that. Then he went straight back to the roots of what made Spider-Man a compelling character and introduced us to Miles Morales, and I was able to push aside my sadness and embrace the sheer joy of the new character. Now he's simultaneously giving the Death of Spider-Man a more complete conclusion for Aunt May and Gwen, as well as using the opportunity to bring growth to Miles. Additionally the continuity between this title and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man has been a true joy to watch, as Bendis nimbly dances the stories around each other without explicitly telling us where the timeline of each one falls. This is by far the best issue of the Spider-Men mini so far, and one of the best Spider-Man stories I've read in a long time, earning it my highest praise and a full five out of five stars.

DC's grand experiment with the Zero Month has had some great hits and some serious misses, and Wonder Woman stands with the former. Azzarello and Chiang simultaneously make this issue feel 100% as if it's "Before the New 52″ (well before) and add to Diana's history, while also adding something that advances the overall story. While this is certainly a done in one issue, we'll be seeing the ramifications of it in the Wonder Woman ongoing from here on out, I'm sure. Wonder Woman #0 does everything a zero issue should, and did it with flying colors, earning a full five out of five stars.