"At the End of Your Tether" is a somewhat disappointing experience, squandering a compelling mystery premise in an intriguing genre with some tonally flat exposition.

As setups go, "Bang!" #1 checks the essential boxes with lead pipe efficiency, seemingly content to save most of its more outlandish concepts for later installments.

"Batman" #44 is a fun, if a bit too brief, romp through the history of Bruce and Selina that says as much about who they once were as it does about who they've become.

Tom King and Company have delivered an event-style "Batman" issue that transcends the hype by counterintuitively focusing on tiny kernels of monumental truth.

rise run on its visual audacity alone.

"Batman: Curse of the White Knight" gives compelling evidence in its first issue that the well-deserved success of Murphy's preceding series was no fluke.

Snyder, Capullo, and company have built an elaborate series opener that's promising and preposterous on many levels, but as the surreal narrative of "Last Knight on Earth" unspools, it's almost impossible not to trust their instincts with the character.

"Batman Universe" #1 may not be new for some who got their hands on those "100-Page GIANTS!," but for those that didn't it should feel like a breath of fresh air wafting through the city streets of Gotham.

Sean Murphy's unapologetically gonzo and gritty miniseries comes to a close with a lot of loose ends, but it's still a satisfying conclusion to a series that was unafraid to take some narrative and stylistic risks with venerable intellectual property.

"Batwoman" #14 is a good-looking book with a super villain plot that is pure comic book ridiculousness, which is not to say that it's not enjoyable, especially if it helps jettison some of the ghosts that haunt our hero.

Final Verdict: 7.5 " “Black Badge” veers into new territory with issue 4 just as readers might have presumed to know where Kindt was heading. It's literally a whole new game.

After a somewhat underwhelming lead-in issue that nevertheless gave the series underdog a chance to shine, "Black Badge" #8 ratchets up the stakes. If you've wandered away from the series, it's time to find your way back.

The first issue of "Blackwood" contains a ton of narrative detail and visual delights, but each aspect is in service to an intriguing horror story setup that feels more promising with each page turn.

Final Verdict: 9.0 " Rarely does a premier issue manage to elicit as many left field laughs while managing to hook readers into the narrative as effectively as “Bronze Age Boogie” #1 does. We need more books like this.

"Brothers Dracul" is a nice-looking book written by a prolific comic book pro at the top of his craft, but it hasn't set its teeth into readers just yet.

"Bubba Ho-Tep and The Cosmic Blood-Suckers" #1 trips over its trippy concept in this first issue. It should be more fun than it is.

Boom! Studios's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" gets off to a nice start with a solid first issue that hopefully sets a course for more outlandish and creative risks to come.

Final Verdict: 7.5 " “By Night” #2 is another meaty and rewarding read from Allison that makes up for the lack of an emotional punch with escalating creativity and endearing character interactions.

There are truly impressive things going on in "Calexit." Unfortunately, at this point, it's not the story.

Fantasy enthusiasts looking for a fresh take on an old genre will find "Coda" #1 a dazzling read, but the inventive premise, flawless narrative execution, and eye-popping visuals may even win over the most ardent fantasy-phobes.

"Coda" remains a raucous and irreverent delight even as it wears its love story heart on its sleeve, but with issue 4, Spurrier and Bergara remind us that love can be messy, even in fantasy worlds.

"Coffin Bound" #1 is engrossing series launch with art and script that beautifully complement each other, raising the whole enterprise to the level of comic book perfection.

It might be easy to overlook the standard of comic book excellence that "Deadly Class" has maintained throughout its run, but issue 33 makes it difficult.

Final Verdict: 9.0 " Matt and Sharlene Kindt are at the top of their storytelling game, and “Dept. H" #24 is a moving swan song that reveals the depths of the series' true mystery.

"Doomsday Clock" #4 is a good looking comic that attempts to humanize a central character, but it feels like we've been here before.

provoking approach that respects readers' patience.

The first issue of "G.I. Joe: Sierra Muerte" is mostly style over substance, but man, what style!

"Gogor" #1 is sequential storytelling at its finest. Don't be fooled by its all-ages charms or overlook its sophisticated presentation.

"The Green Lantern" #1 is not just a near perfect first issue, but it's also a near perfect superhero comic, and it should delight both fans of the character and the uninitiated alike.

For now, "High Level" gets relatively high marks for its beautiful artwork and willingness to throw ideas at readers. Whether the series has legs may depend on a more focused narrative thread, however. Luckily the final pages of this first issue provide that source of focus.

Final Verdict: 7.5 " “Infinite Dark” #1 may leave its readers in the dark as to what is actually going on by the end of this first issue, but that's certainly not a bad thing.

"Infinity 8" #1 has the makings of a fun and sexy space opera, a welcome diversion from heavier science fiction fare.

worthy concepts at the reader, none of them quite stick yet. It's a bummer, frankly, because there's a cool story in here begging for better execution from some very promising creators.

May get under your skin just as easily as it may be dismissed as a book unconcerned with what readers think about it. There's an admirable quality to that, but for a first issue, it may be a foolhardy way to hook readers.

"MCMLXXV" #1 reads great and looks even greater. Pamela Evans and this book are forces to be reckoned with.

"Mister Miracle" continues to find new ways to recontextualize superhero comics, and issue 10's finale will leave fans of this series anticipating the final two issues with as much excitement as dread.

"Mister Miracle" #12 caps off an astonishing series that humanizes some of Jack Kirby's most popular DC creations. If there is one quibble, it's that this remarkable series is over.

On the surface, 'Origins' is pretty effective storytelling. Underneath, it feels like a bit of balderdash"earnest balderdash, but still balderdash.

"New Challengers" is a promising series start and another nice entry in DC's The New Age of Heroes line, but it might be best to check any nostalgia for the old team at the door.

mouthed debut that certainly has room to be more than this first issue portends.

"Prodigy" #1 introduces a character and sets up a premise that is perfect for comic book storytelling, a medium that is very forgiving of the relatively minor flaws this book possesses.

Issue 6 is another hauntingly beautiful but difficult read. It is not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for a happy ending, this might be the happiest "Redlands" can or wants to deliver.

"Rick and Morty Presents Krombopulous Michael" is a nicely-executed book, but reader's enjoyment will likely depend on their appreciation of the darker thematic aspects of the Rick and Morty television series.

"RoboCop: Citizens Arrest" skillfully embraces the look and themes of the character's origin story while updating it for a new generation of readers. Older RoboCop fans should appreciate the take on the future that seems more prescient than ever.

While readers might be clamoring for RoboCop to start kicking some OCP ass, Wood and Company are content to play a longer narrative game, perhaps showing how Murphy's brand of heroism must change to be effective.

"Tales of the Solstar Order" succinctly tells a somewhat paint-by-number but reverential sci-fi tale. At its heart, it's ROM at his best, but the book itself feels extraneous. Who is it for?

"Rom: Dire Wraiths" makes no bones about flaunting its space race meets space opera meets sci-fi horror vibe. It would be easy to dismiss it as corny balderdash if it wasn't presented with the utmost earnestness and handmade care.

Nocenti's examination of murder, memory, and themes of gender equality in small town rural America is off to a solidly effective start thanks in large part to its flawless spin on noir and to its visually sumptuous artwork by Bondi and Loughridge.

These guys make good comics look easy, and this is assuredly very good comics, especially as it charts a course for a richer story and a new and more noble crusade for Rathraq and Company.

This issue sets up an intriguing mystery for the boys of Baker Street, but it's derailed by artwork that is a complete mismatch for the material.

Continued below(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Final Verdict: 8.5 " “Steeple” #1 finds John Allison back at the helm of another series about young people on the cusp of change. Fans of Allison shouldn't dare miss it, and anglophiles unfamiliar with Allison's work could do worse than this introduction to his quirky humor and accomplished cartooning.

If you can overlook the DC hype machine's hard sell in the wake of their other recent publicity tomfoolery, "Strange Adventures" #1 seems to be the start of another winner from Tom King and Mitch Gerads. Evan Shaner's contributions are excellent as well, and the whole thing feels important by not trying to be, a sin perhaps committed in the creation of "Heroes in Crisis."

Economically and thrillingly does what every good first issue should do, make you want to come back for more.

"The Man Who Effed Up Time" is a boilerplate albeit expertly presented time travel story on the surface, but if we know Layman, he's got some other tricks up his sleeve for future installments. A relatively new artistic talent along with Layman's past credentials and well-deserved successes should make this a draw.

"The Marked" #1 that might have had more to say if it dwelled on how science and magic are at cross purposes, but it's a fun premiere issue as long as you don't think about it too much. In fact" nope, I'm done.

While it is a bit of a letdown after the dizzyingly inventive first issue, it is only by the smallest of degrees as the storytelling tension builds very quickly in this follow-up issue. This is a series to watch.

Milligan and Lorimer offer an intriguing opening salvo for this new series based (perhaps more loosely than first thought) on the short-lived cult classic television show. Only time and more issues will tell how much the comic has in common with the show, but for now, that information is top secret. Don't worry. We'll eventually get it out of them.

Dynamite's "The Six Million Dollar Man" #1 is an update to the bionic man mythos in name only, and if not for the disconnect it would make for a relatively fun comic book romp. Readers new to the property might dig it, but fans looking for a sophisticated update of the '70s series beware.

"Terrifics" #2 is a fine super hero comic, and its fun tone and likable characters allow readers to overlook some early narrative hiccups.

This disappointing comic may send X-Philes to Netflix to revisit better adventures in Florida (s2e20 and s5e4) and to a dictionary for a definition of antimacassar.

"Trust Fall" #1 may signal the beginning of a series that will be a uniquely acquired taste, but the more it rolls around on your palate, the more you appreciate its complexity.

"Vampironica" #1 is comic storytelling perfection: beautiful to look at, a joy to read, and more comforting than any vampire story has a right to be.

"VS" continues to be a beautiful and imaginative high concept book, throwing information at the reader at a breathless pace. Ultimately, we're not sure yet what it has to say.

In a fair and just world, we would always get comics by Allison, Sarin, and company. In a wicked and depraved one we'd get them too.