This is a boring, generic issue that does nothing to enhance the Aquaman mythos. At the $4.99 price point, its definitely not something worth grabbing. If this is the quality of work that Ostrander is going to bring to the title, Aquaman fans have reason to fret.

It doesnt get much worse than this. Months of buildup end in a whimper, not a bang. DC should re-evaluate whether or not they want Lobdell to continue establishing bad lore for their intellectual properties.

There is some value in seeing the councils disregard for their king, but honestly, there should have been more to this issue than that. Jeff Parker really needed to start his run off with a bang, but with Aquaman #26, he certainly did not do so.

Lobdell and Barrows bring the action this issue. But with boring villains, little to no story or character development, and no discernible desire for change in the way the Teen Titans will handle a Trigon arc, its hard to recommend issue #21.

The art is wonderful and the humor brings laughs, but at the end of the day, this comic isn't worth the $2.99 price point. Trigons sudden departure is insulting to readers, and the rest of the comic has been done before. Heres hoping that the next arc might bring some fresh new story ideas and characterization.

Lobdell makes promises he doesnt keep, but still shows some good development for Cassie. Also, Bunker is seemingly cut from the team which shouldnt hurt anyone too bad and should help the comic in the long run. The art is good, but the rest of the writing doesnt hold up. Its hard to see so many good characters being utilized so little in this comic, especially after the cancellation of Young Justice.

It is unbelievable how much momentum was built up before this issue, and how it was all wasted. The story is still interesting, and its hard to not be interested in the next issuebut it should have all exploded this issue. It feels like unnecessary stretching of material in order to guarantee another 2.99 next month. As a fan of Johns run on Aquaman so far, it is hard to say that this was the issue where he lost me the most, as it was the issue I was most excited about.

While its nice to see a Villains Month issue directly deal with current events and Forever Evil, Black Manta #1s approach may be too direct. Simply transferring the majority of the issue from events established in both Aquaman and Forever Evil, the comic is lacking in new substance. That being said, fans of Manta arent shorted, and the issue does a great job of characterizing him, even if it is sort of re-characterizing him. Seeing Mantas reaction to the death of Aquaman is great, and hopefully so will seeing his campaign against the crime syndicate in Forever Evil.

Unfortunately, this issue really seems to fall at the wrong time. After a rapid-paced Villains Month, Aquaman #24 feels very stale. We also get to see very little about Aquamans current situationjust a glimpse into his past. However, the issue does illuminate the Dead Kings motives, it shows the sinking of Atlantis, and it brings the revelation that Arthurs descendants were the cause of the downfall of Atlantis; all important aspects to Aquamans overall mythos.

The comic itself is written well enough and the art is rather good, but without any development, I cant rate it higher than a 3 standard comic fare. Nothing changes, no alternate takes are presented, and really, the comic just keeps moving forward. The issue is solid for a one-shot, but it doesnt deliver much considering its potential. The lack of Bizarro is a real disappointment, but re-establishing the characterization of Luthor is a tolerable substitute.

The beautiful art and interesting story are great, but it is still exposition heavy and still contains the decision to make General Lane forget that he wanted Superman to know nothing about his Salt Flats installation. Hopefully Issue #4 explains this nonsensical change in the character.

A slow issue with some weird revelations, Superman Unchained #5 is probably the lowest point of the series thus far. Snyder does raise some interesting questions for the Man of Steel, but these questions are lost in the haze of trying to figure out Ascensions motivations. Lees art is still stellar, and there is some great dialogue to be had, so dont get too disappointed. Hopefully the next issue will resolve some of the problems with this chapter.

Surprisingly, this issue feels like an episode of Justice League, and thats a good thing. The issue has some dark themes, but it also is pretty fun along the way. We see some conflict within the team, even within Red Robin himself, and the set-up this issue is leading towards what could be a great story arc. The team still doesn't feel fleshed out however, and these paper-thin characters drag this issue into mediocre territory.

Metallo is a villain that both makes sense, and doesnt. It makes sense that a sociopath who is part of the army might become an even more violent character without the rigid structure of a military, but Metallos hatred of Superman and Lois Lane seems petty. Either way, the issue does a good job of showcasing Metallos hatred, desire for revenge, and his determination, all while being an entertaining read.

Johns and Pelletier show their talents, and mostly, they shine through. The problems with this comic can be healed through future issues, but on its own, the issue stands as imperfect. Still, next month is going to be an exciting month for Aquaman, with potential for some of the greatest moments in the current run.

This is a brutal, action-packed issue that also takes a few moments to breathe. Its pretty crazy how much content was packed into 22 pages, and how stylishly Gleason portrayed both story and action. It is unfortunate that the new character was uninteresting, and nearly the entire issue focused on her. However, the comic is still refreshing for Batman & Robin readers, as an issue without a grieving Batman is necessary at this point.

While Batman & Two-Face #25 sports beautiful art and is expertly written, story exposition has a way of slowing things down. This is an issue for learning and flashbacks, with a healthy side order of brutality. Writer Peter J. Tomasi is succeeding at getting readers interested, but its how he continues to write that will determine the greatness of this arc, as this issue is simply setup.

Batman & Two-Face has been good so far. If youre a Bat-fan and you havent been reading it, you are certainly missing out. Tomasi is crafting something that has capabilities of greatness, but for now, Batman & Two-Face is definitely worth checking out, though not yet a must-read.

It seemed impossible that after Teen Titans #24, readers might get a breath of fresh air. While this issue was about a dark future, at this level of quality, the future of Teen Titans has a chance to be bright. With Scott Lobdell at the helm, readers probably shouldnt hold their breath, but issues like this show that there is hope even for him.

While there are definitely some hiccups in the plot, this satisfying ending to Johns run is enough to earn a perfect score. While not everyone is a Geoff Johns fan, and Aquaman may still be the butt of some jokes, Johns spent two years reminding readers that Arthur Curry is worthy of fandom. While this isn't news to everyone, Johns run was popular enough to sell out at many comic stores and outsell everyones expectations, if only to show aqua-doubters how wrong they are. While it is sad to see him go, Johns leaves us with a great issue #25, and a solid two years worth of undersea gold.

While the issue is just another origin story, this is an example of one way to make for interesting reading. Putting the narration of the story in the hands of the villain, and have a character, representative of the reader, question his story. This is a more creative way to show the difference between what a villain thinks and what is actually going on, rather than just spelling it out for readers. This storytelling style also allows for readers to empathize with the villain, even if that empathy only sprouts from the villains own embellishment.

Snyder and Lee have started off Unchained with style. The comic is worth the $4.99, not because of the poster, but because these two comic greats have started something exciting for Superman. If the art and the writing stay at this level, Superman Unchainedwill be what the variants signaleda new great era for Superman.

Snyder and Lee continue to show why they deserve so many fans. The comic weaves a few new plot lines while keeping the main plot clear and in focus, looking beautiful the whole time. Next month will be an interesting one.

Scott Snyder reveals enough this issue to keep readers going, and entertains with a delightfully written Luthor, along with some explosive action. The expert writing and artwork dazzle, and the breadcrumb trail left in this issue is leading to what should be a great climax.