If there's a flaw with this over-sized issue, it's the steep $7.99 price tag. Some supplemental material is provided in addition to the story, but those variant cover galleries and pictures of the Locke and Key TV pilot set visit aren't quite enough to justify the extra cost. But if you're anything like me, you'll have run into your shop, paid for it, and then isolated yourself in a quiet place to read, with the price being a distant care compared to finding out what happens to the Locke family.

Simply put, it's impossible to imagine it ending any other way. There's only one thing left to say: Thank You, Joe and Gabe!

I will admit that I was not sold on the idea of "Swamp Thing vs Seeder battle for the title of the Green Avatar" that was presented last month. However, with this engrossing look into the history of the Green and the different personalities that comprise it, I can't wait to see what happens next.

This comic is so dense that it feels like it's twice as long as it actually is, and that's a good thing because you won't want it to end. Fraction uses Kate -- that other Hawkeye -- to make Clint rethink his choices, and that introspection echoes throughout the rest of the book to make this issue and all the ones before it amount to more than the sum of their parts. Also, you'll get your fill of Lucky the Pizza Dog, find out why Clint has that bandage on his nose, and be tickled to hear that just about everyone, including Wolverine, watches a TV show called "Dog Cops." Not to be cliche, but Fraction and Aja's genius comic book storytelling lands a perfect bullseye.

David Aja does his usual brilliant thing on the art. How great it must be for your status quo to be brilliance. And you've gotta love how colorist Matt Hollingsworth works purple into everything. Purple car, purple sunglasses, beanie with a purple H on it, purple robe with dark purple bullseyes on it. Red is no longer the color of love -- it's now Hawkguy Purple.

It certainly is clear that I loved this issue, and I think it comes to the perfect end at page 18. Only, it keeps going and those last two pages ultimately strike the wrong chord for me. Still, this is a Marvel comic book featuring a dog who loves pizza, and that alone makes it worth reading.

With the added elements of war-induced PTSD and the coming of the apocalyptic Caul, Lemire looks poised to deliver a love story unlike we've ever heard before.

Being both the artist and the writer gives Lemire supreme control over his story, which allows him to create visual parallels, add nuances to the characters' behavior, and pace it to perfection in a way only the best artist/writer duos are able to achieve. For a story about the possible end of the human race, it is given an extra layer of depressing sadness that this is only a 10-issue mini-series. We aren't even at the halfway point yet, but Trillium is looking to be one of the biggest hits of Lemire's already glowing career.

And while this issue is heavy in a lot of ways, you still have to hand it to Lemire for coming up with the best super villain name I have heard in years: Biowulf.

In another writer's hands, a fan might be able to complain that they have heard this same story before because they've been reading Batwoman from the start, and they wouldn't be wrong. What co-writers Williams and Blackman do so well here becomes apparent when you reach the end. They not only reiterate Kate's story, but add an extra layer of soul to the telling as she dissects her history in a way that only comes with the clarity of hindsight, like reading an old journal and seeing how wrong you were about your life and the people in it.

Grace's artwork is spot-on for this type of story. His action is huge and in your face, and he gets the feel of those classic video games down perfectly. There's even a sequence where the characters enter the Really Tall Building with the Boss Character at the top level and the comic turns into a 2D side-scroller, complete with "FIGHT!" popping up in big red letters. Burn the Orphanage repeatedly punches you with fists made of nostalgia and awesomeness, which is precisely why you need you need to let it kick your ass.

Grace's art is fluid and lively and an absolute perfect fit for the story they are telling. Even though there's an image of female nudity, it's done more to satirize the busty females of these types of games than to titillate the reader. There's also a police officer fighter, a dude with an animal head, and a creature that's not even human, none of whom would be strangers on any fighting game roster. There's even a tournament bracket with all the different fighters on it like you'd see on a fighting game loading screen. I could go on listing all of the awesome stuff these guys crammed into this book, but you're better off reading it and enjoying the hell out of it yourself.

The Dark Knight III: The Master Race delivers a pitch-perfect first issue, channeling the vibe of The Dark Knight Returns by telling a slow-burn story with mythic characters set against a modern day backdrop. The art pays homage to Miller's iconic world while improving and inventing where needed -- an impressive show of artistry on all fronts. While Miller is co-writing with Azzarello, it's Azzarello's voice that shines through, lending the book the crime smarts of 100 Bullets, the reverence for Batman's legend in Joker, and the epic quality of his Wonder Woman run.

The art by penciller ChrisCross, inkers Scott Hanna and Marlo Alquiza, and colorist Wil Quintana is a perfect fit for this huge galactic showdown. Sure, every aspect isn't without minor flaw, but the overall product succeeds wildly despite any errors. The grand battle is executed like the best Hollywood blockbusters while still managing to get in close for the intimate juicy bits. Page after page of payoff makes this an absolute joy for dedicated Green Lantern fans, and the cliffhanger will have you drooling for what comes next. Congratulations to Tomasi and the entire Lantern team at DC -- you rocked the house with the Rise of the Third Army conclusion.

Simply put, Lemire and Janin work together to create true comic book magic.

The members must face their first big monster attack by a classic Fantastic Four villain, and seeing them come together sets the uneasy tone of their team. Speaking of the classic Fantastic Four, their book is still tied to this one, although not without breathing room. This issue stands mostly by itself until the final sequence that will have you waiting with bated breath to pick up the next issue of Fantastic Four. Although, with the quality of both series measured thus far, I imagine most people will come for FF and stay for Fantastic Four, which is the opposite of how things used to be.

Staples continues to put out some of the most expressive art in the business. I can't get over how much I love bearded Marko and offended Giselle, not to mention the drunk cyclops in a bathrobe. Where she really nails it is the eyes -- or eye, if you're the cyclops -- because she makes everyone feel alive despite them all being drawings on paper.

Staples has done such extraordinary work with such uncanny consistency that it's starting to get hard to find a new way to praise her artwork. Her character designs are imaginative and functional, her settings are detailed and layered, and her storytelling is smooth as butter. I don't know how she does it so well month in and month out, but it's a probably a closely guarded secret between her and Daredevil artist Chris Samnee.

Sex pulls off a great feat by embracing familiar elements from past famous works while feeling wholly unique. It could have been titled anything, but I suppose it's Casey's way of reminding the reader that even though he's built this incredible new world, it's really all about one thing at the end of the day.

If you thought last issue was sex-filled, then wait until you get a load of the "community lounge." Yet for all of the T&A, Cooke remains sterile and unaffected. He's a man who wants something deep down, but even he's confused to what it is. His interaction with Annabelle keys us into his emotional state, as does the brief flashback we witness soon after, but there's still a long way to go until this nut is cracked.

There comes a feeling that there might be too much going on to keep track of, but given the overall strength of this debut issue, McCann has more than earned my trust enough to warrant buying issue #2. In fact, this book immediately joins Brian K. Vaughn's Saga as one of the most engrossing, must-read titles out there.

The artwork is as top notch as ever. The past scenes by Dan McDaid are the highlight not only for their content, but for their rough and stylized delivery. McDaid's pencil work might not be as smooth and polished as main series artist Rodin Esquejo's, but it doesn't need to be to be just as effective. My favorite pages from Esquejo have to be the opening moth pages that take you to a fantastical place full of white light that are as rich with metaphor as they are wonder.

One other point of contention is the lettering for the handwritten letters. Every now and then the cursive is too "real" to the point where you can't make out what some words are. But this and the other remark are just tiny hiccups in an otherwise expertly rendered piece of comic book storytelling. At only $1.99 per issue in its digital-only format, that's quite the bargain.

For as many elements as The Private Eye borrows from your traditional noir, it is surprisingly vibrant. There's the P.I. and a murdered client and her dangerously beautiful sister, but never before have we seen it all in such shocking pinks, greens, purples, and yellows. Colorist Munsta Vicente has given Martin's gorgeous visuals just what they need to stand out from the pack. Not that Martin's expressive character work, inventive settings, and endless array of masks didn't already stand out, mind you, it's just that the colors are what make this comic get seared into your brain the same way a hot iron brands a cow.

Azzarello's unique directorial style calls for an artist with gifted hands and Cliff Chiang has triumphantly risen to the occasion. The pages are filled with women who are beautiful yet strong, settings that are atmospheric and detailed, and supernatural elements that emerge wondrously out of reality. Chiang's ability to create a strong visual tone with creative and consistent characters has been a wonderful treat that has kept this series as one of DC's best.

At one point Wonder Woman gets knocked down into the mud, and, believe it or not, it doesn't turn into some awkward schoolboy fantasy. She looks rugged and battle-worn and every bit the Amazon warrior she's been made out to be. An interesting tidbit comes when Azzarello reveals Wonder Woman's age to be 23 years old. She looks a tad too old for that to be true, but given her ability to trade blows with a sun god, I won't be the one to mention that to her.

So many plots threads come together in such poignant ways that after my initial read through, I read it two more times just to see how Azzarello did it all so masterfully. There are themes of birth, freedom, loyalty, and spirituality that all wind together with the art to create visual poetry. DC is putting out a fair number of strong books, but with this conclusion to Birth Right, Wonder Woman crushes them beneath her boot.

Normally I feel jarred and a tad bit sad when regular series artist Cliff Chiang misses an issue, but Tony Akins and Goran Sudzuka do such a great job here that it's impossible to complain. The design of regular-sized Poseidon works better than his gargantuan form, and what goes on inside is a most welcome scene of utter badassery as the First Born dismembers a crab guard and uses his claw as a weapon. That might be enough for a normal comic, but Azzarello delivers an even better moment between Wonder Woman and Orion that just might go down as my favorite in the series.

With the First Born with his shirtless chest and spiked wrists finally caught up to Wonder Woman and the gang, we get not only a brawl to remember, but a few key reveals. They are all delivered with that signature Azzarello wit that makes his script read more like poetry than anything else. The way he sets up exchanges between characters is remarkable. There are so many plays on words, metaphors, and innuendo that it's a wonder the book flows as silky smooth as it does. Being a book called Wonder Woman, I imagine that's the point.

And that's what makes this comic so masterful. There's no visible gap between the writer and the artists. Chiang's crisp linework, Jared K. Fletcher's emotive lettering, and Matthew Wilson's impeccable colors work with Azzarello's narrative as one seamless force of creativity, unrestricted by everything that seems to hold most other superhero comics back. The result is a comic that is, well, wonderful.

Like I said, I didn't know what I was going to get with a Cheetah-centric story. Geoff Johns featured her in Justice League, and while he did soup up her powers, I never felt engaged by her. By showing the strange sense of honor in her ways and revealing the unsettling cult-like environment she grew up in, Ostrander creates a detestable yet somewhat sympathetic adversary. This is definitely one of the best Villains Month issues, and with it, I'm now a fan of Cheetah.

This issue is very much a piece of a much larger puzzle. It builds on what came before it and propels the overall plot forward a notch. There's something sinister going on with Apollo up on Olympus, so it's hard to imagine what Cassandra will find when she reunites with the First Born. Wonder Woman, on the other hand, appears to be surrounded by characters she can't trust, and for the first time in a while she offers a poignant piece of dialogue that lets us see the world from her point of view. You've got to hand it to Azzarello -- whenever you think you've got his take on Wonder Woman figured out, he throws in a curveball.

Hill doesn't waste a panel as he uses Scot's video project to let the characters shine with some heart-wrenching confessions. This issue goes light on the dark magic stuff, but we've been with Tyler and Kinsey so long that hearing them shed light on key moments in this story's history proves to be just as good as any of the key stuff. Hill has stacked the elements of his story -- Dodge, the keys, Tyler, Kinsey, Bode, the cave -- like a game of Jenga. You can see that they're all about to crash down in a horrifying way, but no matter how harrowing it looks, you can 't stop reading.

Rodriguez shines more here than ever before. The third page shows Rufus looking up in awe at the vaulted ceiling of Keyhouse, and so too was I completely enraptured by the image. I found myself turning the book this way and that to take in all of the details from different angles. The image taps into the deep mythology that has been built around Keyhouse, and for those who have been reading all along, it will evoke a reaction not unlike a religious experience. This is page three, people. Just wait until you see the rest of it.

It's hard to praise Rodriguez's art more than I already have. He handles Tyler and Jordan's romp with a restraint normally unseen in the notoriously flashy medium known as comics. His Shadow Key creatures are drawn with eerie intent, but seeing how frequently they appear, it's hard to say they're truly that scary anymore. Luckily, he makes up for it with the unsettling image of a hooded Bode with devil eyes. This series rarely takes a misstep like it does here, but its foundation built over the past five volumes is so strong that it still manages to turn out a solid chapter.

If he isn't already, Rodriguez ought to be named the master of double-page layouts. It's always a treat to open up to one of his cinematic two-pagers and soak up all of the details. So far, his best work has been the genius Head Key pages, but he might have outdone himself here with a certain surprise moment that, upon turning the page, made me exclaim several words that I'm not allowed to share with you on IGN.

It's worth noting that Locke and Key: Omega comes to a sooner-than-originally-planned close with this issue. The series will see its finale in two oversized issues titled Locke and Key: Alpha. This chapter, however, does not feel like the end of an arc in the slightest, but seeing how it's this freaking amazing, and the fact that the next two issues will be bigger than expected, it's tough to complain at all.

I will say that while this comic hits all the right notes, it also doesn't take any risks. That's a good thing if you're a purist, but the predictability might hinder someone's enjoyment if they're looking for deeper storytelling or a new twist. But honestly, if you've been dying for more Samurai Jack for almost ten years, then this comic is just what the doctor ordered.

Jim Zub channels Jack perfectly. He's polite and determined yet quick to reach for his sword when injustice rears its ugly head. I felt the first issue played things a tad too safe, but that was just a warm up. This chapter we actually see Jack take a fall -- a rarity for the master swordsman -- and the resulting development became my favorite part of the issue. Zub, Suriano, Burcham, and Lee have truly created a comic book that any Samurai Jack fan -- and Genndy Tartakovsky himself -- would be proud of. If you were a fan of the animated series, or maybe the thought of a time-traveling samurai sounds cool to you, then you owe it to yourself to check this comic book out.

Paolo Rivera's art continues to be a highlight of this series. His clever way of incorporating sounds into the artwork helps not only enhance the environment, but also gives the entire issue the unique flavor of the blind Daredevil. The fact that all of the children are blind allows for some hilarious images despite their dire circumstances: Matt leads them through a blizzard, his sonar sight disabled by the snow, with his bright red costume showing from underneath his tattered clothes.

Given Daredevil's dark past, Foggy no doubt has had reason to doubt Daredevil's positive new outlook on life, especially given what he found in Matt's desk drawer. Waid does not say whether Foggy or Matt is right, and for the time being leaves it up to the reader to decide. But to prove that despite his harsh actions Foggy has Matt's best interests at heart, Waid gives us a glimpse at what makes the duo one of the most endearing in comics.

Kaptara is an exciting and smart comic, one that hits all the right notes and utilizes a diverse cast of characters you can't help but latch on to.

Rodriguez dates his style as well by adding in some extra heavy shadows, but the action and framing are all his own. After building the tension to fever pitch, he executes each payoff with the horrific climax you'd expect, but also manages to surprise by using new imagery for old tricks. I'm looking at you, Ghost Key. The backup material of this issue contains the blueprints to Keyhouse used by Rodriguez throughout the series, annotated in conspicuous red ink by Hill. The intricate detail showcases the immense forethought that went into making this comic, and with fun entries like this to satiate us before the closing Omega arc, it shows all that planning was well worth it.

The new Ms. Marvel series dives right into the controversial material about the Muslim faith, but instead of being weighed down by serious discussion, young Kamala Kahn is put front and center -- and she is wonderful. The art works perfectly to depict her everyday life while surprising us with her quirky imagination. This issue is full of frustration and hurt feelings, but also the right dose of humor just when it's needed. An amazing debut that can be enjoyed by anyone, even people who aren't Muslims, females, or superheroes themselves.

Giving this story its fantastical signature look is Skottie Young. His settings are as simple as they are breathtaking. He has mastered the idea of "less is more" and uses it to great effect throughout the book. Just as masterful are his beautifully rendered characters, who laugh and look sad and get angry in the most captivating way. Young's Dorothy could give any Pixar character a run for most endearing cartoon character ever.

Speaking of the lawyer known as Partridge, he's a wonderful surprise that not only entertains with his Saul Goodman-meets-JJJ fast-talk, but his presence gives me confidence that Spencer has a few more aces up his sleeve to keep this series alive and fresh as time goes on. Spencer has a formidable library to his name -- Existence 2.0 and Morning Glories, to name a few -- but this just might be the best comic he has ever written. I'd raise a toast to its future success if only the Sinister Six hadn't drank all the booze.

With all of these macabre happenings going down, Ciaramella does not forget to indulge in a little humor. Witnesses mistake Eric for Criss Angel, while the image of him flying through the sky in a tattered cape and torn up jeans looks as obscure as it does absurd. Make no mistake; this man is not a superhero. Eric's drive and devotion might be as clear and focused as Batman's, but his goals are more on par with the Joker.

The premise that Edmondson created has been expounded on in this next chapter of the story. What was once the simple case of a man who listens to a little voice in his head has been cracked wide open and turned into a government science conspiracy story unlike I've ever seen. If you're looking for a comic that thinks hard, hits harder, and will keep you guessing until the end, then it's time for you to ask, "Where is Jake Ellis?"

Where Wood is going with this story, I can scarcely say. The final page of this issue was just as exhilarting and surprising as the first issue's, and for a writer who normally ends on a somber note or character beat, that is saying something. His control over the book's tone is enhanced by Mara's supporting cast, which continues to be varied and diverse. With stories like Lance Armstrong's in the news right now, a story like Mara's is more pertinent and relevant than ever.

Brian Wood's intense focus on Mara makes this title feel like a ticking time bomb. An uncomfortable scene with her on the phone has explosive results, which only makes you wonder what will happen the next time she's put under pressure. This issue ups the ante considerably as a mysterious force of antagonism is introduced along with a twist that shows Wood is wasting no time bringing his story to an extreme place where the heat goes from boiling to bonfire. All of this is juxtaposed with sad looks at how unavailable privacy has been throughout Mara's entire life. Jodie Foster would be furious.

One of the hangups on Brian Michael Bendis' New Avengers was that it seemed too similar to his main Avengers title. Hickman solves that problem by making this book distinct in tone, plot, and cast. And unlike Matt Fraction's Fantastic Four and FF books, Hickman's Avengers books seem as though they can be read independently with no consequence. Overall, Hickman kicks New Avengers off right.

While Hickman's main Avengers title isn't bad by any means, this book takes the cake. New Avengers is a dark drama that sets its small cast full of big egos against a reality-encompassing threat. It makes you feel desperate and sad due to the immense conflict these men face, but it also hits on any nerd's innate love of sci-fi mysticism. The kind that would make Jack Kirby proud, may he rest in peace, 19 years ago today.

Epting's images are draped in heavy shadows strong enough to send the happiest of clowns into a deep depression. This is a moody book that wouldn't be as strong without his masterful control over its brooding atmosphere. Again, I point to the Doctor Strange scenes. Just look at his face as he considers his glowing palm. And then look at how it changes in the next panel. That is an intense expression reserved for only him and Gandalf.

It almost seems strange that Avengers and New Avengers are telling two different sides of the same story. Or are they? It's hard to tell. The Avengers team appears to be on a wild goose chase for answers, while the ego-driven brain trust of New Avengers dives headfirst universe-sized answers and then fight to make sense of them. I couldn't begin to tell you where this is all going, but Reed, Black Panther, and the rest of them have me on their side thanks to Hickman's razor sharp scripting.

Hickman further expands the threat of the incursions by creating the villainous mapmakers, who are like Galactus but smaller as they consume entire worlds and leave them to explode. This threat has thus far been faceless, so it's nice to get a corporeal bad guy. This chapter has a lot of setup, but it's all done in an exciting way while maintaining the book's dark tone and core theme of, essentially, how far can these men go to save their world and still be able to call themselves heroes?

Speaking of Dr. Doom, it's absolutely wonderful to see him under Hickman's pen again. Much like how Rick Remender bringing characters from Uncanny X-Force into Uncanny Avengers has proven to be a boon, Hickman's New Avengers gets a great deal more exciting with such an unpredictable player now on the board. Having to deal with Doom while two of the Illuminati's members try to sort out a war is just adding more fuel to the fire, and it's precisely why this issue is so much fun to read.

So carefully crafted was the conflict between Namor and T'Challa that you'd be hard-pressed to choose a side. Hickman shows that war is an ugly thing not to be wished on anyone, and the gravity of the situation can be gleaned from the fact that Narmor loses his signature smirk for the first time in recent memory. Infinity looms large over these heroes, yet with so much strife between two of its members, it's a wonder how they'll survive each other, let alone Thanos. Now that's an event comic I want to read.

My favorite part of this issue was getting to see Thanos deal with the failure of Black Dwarf. It's about time we got to see the big bad do something aside from delve out orders and smile that wicked smile of his. Not that hearing him talk is bad or anything. In fact, Hickman's dialogue for Thanos is nothing if not dripping with epic evil sauce. While nothing can touch the original incarnation of the character, Hickman writes the best version of Thanos in the modern age of comics.

While the story is still top notch, the art goes down a peg. It's still effective in its storytelling, which is always a huge plus with writer Jonathan Hickman's twisting and twirling narratives, but it lacks its normal polish. Artist Mike Deodato does a great job on select scenes, but then there are some that lack his normal commitment to detail, plus Frank Martin's usually spot-on colors aren't as varied and textured as we're used to getting out of him. This is still a good-looking issue with a great story, but it must be pointed out that it doesn't reach the high mark of previous issues.

It's nice to see the inclusion of pretty much all of the Powerpuff Girls' most notable villains by the second issue. It really opens up the story so it can go in any direction Little wants. He's not playing it safe and that is certainly admirable. IDW Publishing also launched a Samurai Jack ongoing series, and I never thought I'd find myself thinking that Powerpuff Girls would be the one to push its limits and explore unpredictable new avenues.

Han Solo and Chewbacca also make an appearance, and that's where artist Carlos D'Anda shines. His framing of their short but brief chase scene was done with an excellent sense of speed and scope to give it that huge cinematic feel. There are just a couple occasions when his facial work takes a dip, but other than that this book has top notch artwork to match its top notch story. The Force is strong with this one.

Artist Carlos D'Anda comes into his own here, truly showing off what he's capable of with the opening double-page spread of the second Death Star. His superb use of depth and scale is enough to make you feel insignificant in this universe of ours, while the intimate moments on the following pages will remind you why life is worth living. The art may have tiny quirks here and there, but when combined with the engrossing narrative, it succeeds where many comics have failed in immersing you in the glory days of Star Wars.

Wood does a wonderful thing here as he grows the Star Wars universe from A New Hope to Empire Strikes Back right in front of our eyes. We're seeing more bounty hunters and hearing further talk about the nature of the Force, but in little juicy snippets that would titillate any Star Wars faithful. And that's just what this series is about: sending us on a grand adventure with new stakes, new characters, and new dangers, yet it all feels as familiar as your favorite pair of Star Wars pajama pants.

The cast has grown to include characters of varying alien races and genders, which gives this series the same sort of growing diversity that separated Empire Strikes Back from A New Hope. And whereas the original trilogy was stark black and white, good versus evil, this comic has players on both sides that you are rooting for or against. The result is a plot thick with emotion, intrigue, and lightsaber awesomeness.

Brian Wood has synced the tension between his many different plot lines and here he kicks them all up a notch at the same time. Mon Mothma flexes her authority, Colonel Bircher shows why his mindset is so dangerous for the Rebels, and Han Solo gets his flirt on. Leia has the most emotionally profound moment, but with the proverbial garbage compactor walls closing in, there's hardly time to do more than shed a tear.

Kano steers clear of aping Paquette's artwork -- which would have been a bad idea -- and shows off a clean style that emphasizes the setting's effect on the adaptable hide of Swamp Thing. You'll see desert Swamp Thing, micro Swamp Thing, and classic Swamp Thing, which frankly would all make sweet action figures. He's not afraid to use atypical panel layouts, and doing so keeps the visual flow of the story smooth and engaging until the end.

A pitch perfect Superman cameo combined with a look at Swamp Thing's subconscious makes for a scary yet fun read.

Artist Jesus Saiz delivers an amazing looking issue that uses intuitive storytelling to show off Swamp Thing's oftentimes mind-bending powers. Watching him travel through the Green is never a dull treat, and this time he does this frankly impressive visual that involves the cell structure of a leaf. The only curious element to the art is the design of Capucine, who bears a close resemblance to Abby. It's too early to tell if this was on purpose or not, so until we find out, I've got my eye on her.

This issue features John Constantine, a character who appears in every one of DC's Dark books whether you like it or not. I wasn't keen on having him guest star in Swamp Thing, but Soule has such a knack for writing true to character that I pretty much loved him by the end. This definitely isn't as humorous as Soule's previous issues of Swamp Thing, but when the horror is this good, it's best to just enjoy the thrill ride.

Like I said, Swamp Thing doesn't impress with the easy way he gets himself out of his horrible predicament, and then he just gives Constantine a free pass once the conflict is over. With so much potential set up previously, it's a bit of a letdown to see it end so predictably. That said, the most interesting part of the book is the other voice inside Swamp Thing's head compelling him to violently defend the Green, and that is something Soule provides in spades.

Guest artist Andrei Bessan keeps the visuals strong. He has a very down-to-earth style that allows him to make the magical nature of the Green feel natural despite the fact that, for example, Seeder opens up a plant-portal to the other side of the world. It seems standard for all Swamp Thing artists to use plants as panel borders, and while it's nothing new, Bessan makes great use of the technique by also incorporating the plants into the actual story.

I don't know what else to say except that this is a comic that any comic fan, horror fan, or botanical enthusiast would absolutely love.

The art from Saiz might also be the work of magic because it's unbelievable he can churn out such detailed, engrossing art month after month. There are too many amazing pages to point out them all, but my favorite pair has to be where a wounded Animal Man taps into the Red. The blood-paneling works on several different levels as it represents his wounded state and his connection to the Red, and from that the tables are turned on the next page, delivering one perfectly executed beat after another. Suffice to say, this comic is well worth your green.

There's so much to read into in the narrative and so much to discover in the art that you'll probably want to read this one twice. At least. Soule and Saiz are on fire, guys. Get it while it's hot.

The title may have changed, but Declan Shavley is still rockin' it on art duties. He has a great way of giving each character unique body types instead of making them all muscle-gods, as can usually be the case in super hero comics these days. He executes the battle scene with a rarely seen amount of clarity that is more focused on the execution of each strike than the actual impact. Combined with Parker's excellent script, Shavley delivers a great looking start to the next chapter of Thunderbolts. I mean, Dark Avengers.

The best thing about following a long-running series is experiencing the payoff that has been building up for months or, in this case, years. Parker does one better and not only gives satisfying closure to a couple major plot threads, but also fixes a plot hole from a completely different series by having an unexpected guest drop in. The character's identity is obvious to the reader, but watching the T-Bolts figure it out leads to a brilliantly executed climax guaranteed to make your nerd-continuity-endorphins fire off in excess. Mr. Parker, you are freaking awesome.

Artist Neil Edwards does an admirable job of keeping up with Parker's bulging narrative, although at times his layouts get the best of him. The scene where Man-Thing tries to generate a portal past the shield has an unrefined composition that throws off the focus of the page. That said, he comes through when it counts and maintains the unfiltered, unglamorous tone set by previous artists Declan Shalvey and Kev Walker.

Artist Neil Edwards is the icing on the cake. He nails the different armor designs of Iron Man's gang and puts them to good use in a brisk yet explosive action scene. His art remind will remind you of the stellar guys who have been tearing it up on Mark Waid's Daredevil. Clean, crisp, and fully emotive. He really gets challenged to go above and beyond by inventing entirely new visuals for this alternate dimension, and he rises to the occasion wonderfully. With so many titles getting a shakeup with Marvel NOW!, it's good to know that Parker and Edwards will turn in material that matches the high quality of their previous work.

Even when Williamson employs the tired old method of showing Jackson going around to recruit a team of supernatural experts to help him with the job, it works wonderfully because of Jackson's no-BS attitude. Do yourself a favor and pick this comic up. It will make you cringe, laugh, and cringe again.

The art is as strong as ever. Goran Sudzuka has some great character designs for the cast, not to mention some stellar designs for the setting. The "haunted" house is becoming a character itself, with dated architecture and enough shadows draped across the interior to make you think twice about stepping inside. There's a particularly astonishing moment when a character opens a door to a strange, strange place, and it's moments like that that will keep you coming back to Ghosted.

I am not one to seek out horror comics because, well, they freak me out, but I can't resist a story that's executed with great skill. Ghosted is a horror/caper story that goes beyond its concept to entertain, surprise, and humor you. I never know where it's going next and that's what I love about it so much. It's Halloween time, so do yourself a favor and pick this one up for a good scare and a great time.

Bendis and McNiven knock this one out of the galaxy. If you love the nerd adrenaline rush you get from superheroes and Star Wars -- and who doesn't? -- then climb aboard this book because it looks like it's going to rocket into the awesomesphere.

Yet for all that "happens" in this enjoyable issue, there's a sense that not much has happened. I'm all for slowly paced stories -- I'm currently loving Bendis' snail-paced Age of Ultron -- but only if each issue offers a fresh and meaningful development. This issue felt too similar to the first one, and the last page cliffhanger could have been guessed midway through issue #1. There's still plenty to enjoy here, from the gorgeous artwork to the character moments big and small, so forgive the repetition and go pick up Guardians of the Galaxy. If anything, you'll get to say you knew them before they were mainstream once the movie hits.

Rodriguez again provides an astoundingly high level of artwork to bring this masterful story to life. At this point in the story, many images from as far back as the first volume are seen again in a new light, so much credit is due to Rodriguez for his incredible ability to hide Easter eggs in plain sight that reward any who would go back and start from the beginning -- and with a series this amazing, it would be crazy not to.

Yes, the story is still taking place in the past in order to reveal how and why all this came about. Yet instead of falling into the trope of simply showing already-known events first-hand, Hill makes sure to add in a few surprise character moments and unexpected uses of magic. With one more installment in this fantastic Clockworks arc, Hill has readers waiting with bated breath to see the full origin of his depraved and murderous villain.

So why the high score? Despite any misgivings, this was a monumental capstone for the series. The execution of this arc was extraordinarily well-done. Not only did Clockworks answer big questions, but it simultaneously set up for the next and final arc of the series, Omega. Plus, Rodriguez's art is still as breathtaking as ever, with monstrous shadows and Herculean men coming to life on the page. That is an expression often used to praise well-drawn art, but Rodriguez earns it more so than any other comic book I have ever read. Whether he's showing the tears rolling down Rendell's cheeks or orchestrating a double-page climax with countless details to be taken in, his artwork transforms from paper and ink into something magical and emotive.

Simone Guglielmini creates an incredibly detailed world for Markam to operate in, especially the establishing shot of China Town, which is so well done it might as well be a frame from a crime movie. His style is gritty, but instead of falling into tired old noir/criminal tropes, he keeps his drawings fresh, dynamic, and full of life. Until someone gets shot, that is.

Consistently good art is a much sought-after quality, and Simone Guglielmini again delivers a lightly gritty style that showcases Markham's story in detailed settings populated with realistic characters. Markham would fit perfectly in any crime movie as he moves about with stern determination to find redemption. There's a somber scene in a church where he asks a priest for permission to kill a killer, and Guglielmini gives it perfect emotional weight, but also works in a hint of humor on the priest's reaction. It's a nice touch that reflects the drama of the series, but also the inherent humor in the idea of a hitman trying to be a hero.

With so much greatness packed into each issue, it is hard to believe that this title has not only been shipping on time, but sometimes at an accelerated schedule. The final panel will undoubtedly spark a wildfire of debate to what will happen in the next issue, but as Deadpool says, "I'm sure there won't be anything bad waiting there."

It is astonishing how Remender's love for the Age of Apocalypse can be so plainly seen on the page. More often than not, crossovers with old fan-loved stories are a sleazy way for publishers to earn a quick buck, but not here. The AoA characters make a reappearance that has incredible impact on the story and, more importantly, a personal impact to the members of X-Force. Not to mention it allows for an incredible clash of Apocalypse-Archangel vs. Phoenix, the stuff of fanboy wet dreams. All the while, loyalties are tested, hearts are wrenched, and the plot escalates to insane levels. Remender and the art team are in top form and are on track to complete an epic tale that earns its namesake.

From the beginning of this series, the characters have been weighed down with hard decisions. They swore themselves to secrecy and pledged to take out the world's most dangerous threats to mutant-kind, and they even contemplated the idea of having to take one another down, if it came to it. Remender brought those ideas to a brilliant crescendo, and now he looks poised to continue this series with the same amount of heart, viscera, and Deadpool toilet humor.

Mike McKone's art meshes well with the style of previous artists on this title. He emphasizes more realistic imagery that helps to sell the gravity of the plot as well as the gore of the violence. As the action ramps up towards the end, he offers up some excellent paneling that emphasizes the big moments, yet the last page falters. I'm not sure what happened there to cause the art quality to dip and resemble a cheesy reveal page from the 90s, but everything leading up to it was solid.

Phil Noto maintains the realistic look of Uncanny X-Force that has made it stand out as the darkest title amongst the X-books. Even though Wolverine puffs up to the size of the Blob, there's a grotesque realism to it. Noto also scores a laugh without the help of dialog that, for all intents and purposes, should not be that darn funny. I don't want to spoil it, but it involves the new skinless villain and the reaction shot of a man watering his lawn. The shot only proves that Remender is up to his usual memory-staining imagery, and Noto is ready for the challenge.

Remender gives readers a lot to chew on in this book. Even if you ignore the obvious implications of the timeline being royally screwed up, there's still a lot to be said about destiny and fate, right and wrong, and life and death. Then there's Deadpool making some hilarious jokes at the future Punisher. Is it just me, or has Remender not only written a knockout series, but the best iteration of Deadpool ever?

The Dark Angel saga was a huge event in scope and cast, but Final Execution looks to be the more personal story arc. Everyone has an agenda and a grudge -- even the heroes -- and the story feels as though it could twist into an unexpected direction at any time. Given that Remender's run on this series will end come December, there's never a better time for him to tell this violent and transformative tale.

Still making Remender look good is Phil Noto. While former regular series artist Esad Ribic's art had a painstakingly detailed look to it that you could just tell was incredibly hard to do, Noto makes it look easy. His images are clean and precise with powerful moments of action and subtle nuances in his character work that sell every word spoken. It may look easy, but storytelling this good doesn't happen over night. Fortunately, Noto will be there to end the series with Remender, and if this issue tells anything, it's going to be good.

Admittedly, there were some bumps in the road with an odd issue here and a mismatched art style there, but overall the series almost always had tight scripting and looked consistent, largely thanks to talented colorist Dean White. That this series will end and two will take its place stands as a testament to Remender's resounding success. It gripped us with its unforgettable opening arc, amazed us with its masterful Dark Angel Saga that earned one of IGN's rare perfect 10 scores, and filled us with emotions we never thought a mutant kill-squad could evoke.

Wilson, Lopez, and the rest of the art team turn in an astounding second installment of this wondrous mini-series that has shown just as much promise as other rebooted Crossgen titles such as Sigil and Ruse. All signs point to this title delivering an equally well-scripted character piece brought to life by incredible art.

In the previous two issues, Wilson did a great job of intertwining the stories of Giselle and her sister Genevieve, but here Viv is missing for all but a single page. Viv is acknowledged and missed by her sister, but her absence is felt. However, it is a credit to Wilson's ability to create a character so endearing that you miss her when she is gone.

Fialkov has blatantly detailed this event throughout his run, but he left just enough stones unturned that seeing it play out first hand becomes a rewarding experience. While many writers spell everything out, Fialkov and Sorrentino put emphasis on the art so that it enhances the story instead of providing a running commentary. The details of how Andrew becomes a vampire means something to the overall story, and that "ah-ha!" moment reverberates back to the main narrative, making this zero issue not only entertaining but essential.

To top it off, Andrea Sorrentino's art is off the hook. His shadowy drawings embellish the macabre nature of the subject material, and the transformation scenes look equal parts mystical and horrifying. Of all pairings for the New DCU, these two seem the best fit. Fialkov and Sorrentino have taken the unlikeliest of concepts and turned it into a surprise hit sure to have readers ready to sink their teeth into the next issue.

In perfect synchronization with Sorrentino's art is Fialkov's script, juicy as a freshly dead corpse. The way he makes the story so personal tugs on the reader's heart strings, yet when he reveals that the stakes are far bigger than just the fate of two vampire lovers, it is enough to make the blood rush to your head. It is strange that this book can accurately be defined as a vampire horror romance, especially when Twilight has lowered the quality of the genre by skimping on the blood and instead floundering in emotional woes. Fialkov cuts the sparkles and shows what is really behind such tortured relationships: manipulation, rage, yearning, backstabbing, and lust.

Sorrentino's artwork has been impressive since day one, but like the writer, he must now step up and offer something new. Nothing like Cain has been seen in these pages before, and Sorrentino creates an astonishing new visual to demonstrate his power. The presence of the Justice League Dark members give him a chance to play around with some lighter elements -- glowing coats and magic spells -- but he expertly keeps it all grounded in his wonderfully horrific style.

Fialkov delves out the narrative without a hitch. He is still crossing over with Justice League Dark, but he uses those characters to support and flesh out his immensely strong I, Vampire cast. Even better, despite all of the world-threatening vampire army business, he manages to bring it back to the love story. It is an atypical love story based off of power, lust, and violence, but hey, this is from the guy who wrote Echoes.

Andrea Sorrentino gets a chance to stretch his artistic legs and deliver a new kind of imagery. Showing a horde of vampires in broad daylight might seem non-threatening, but he uses what little shadow exists in that environment to create some downright creepy visuals. Over at the Van Helsing lair, he outdoes himself by creating a gigantic and imposing door adorned with their logo, but the real treat is what he shows off inside. Yikes.

The story's steely tension sustains itself through the action scenes, and then ramps up on the final page to make the next issue a must-buy. Fialkov has taken so many tropes of the vampire and horror genres and given them such unique and flavorful twists that I feel like I'm experiencing them for the first time. The old seems new and the cliche becomes chilling. With such excellent sensibilities about his material, I'm starting to wonder what Fialkov could do to help out a certain Big Blue Boy Scout.

Andrew has managed to keep his cool despite bearing the weight of the world's vampires, but here he starts to crack. Watching how he reacts to the Van Helsing's surprise attack reveals new facets to his character that fill this issue with impactful choices and consequences. Hats off to Fialkov for taking the tired old conflict of vampires versus zombies and refreshing it with lively dialog and insidious twists. He dips into his own original mythology of the Van Helsing clan to make a threat big enough to challenge the might of the magically supercharged Andrew. As much as we love seeing our heroes get new powers, it's strange how much we also love watching them fall.

Right on par with the stellar story is Andrea Sorrentino's gorgeously gory art. Even though there's a large-scale battle going on, his work never looks busy or lacks focus. He frames the characters with the carnage. Given the level of detail he employs on each page, the near perfect execution of his paneling, and the heavy yet measured weight of his inks, it's hard to believe he has never missed an issue. The idea that he is able to consistently churn out this high quality artwork boggles my mind. Or at least it would if there was anything left of my brain after Fialkov's epic plot twist made it explode.

Speaking of Deborah, she provides a new lens to which we view Andrew, adding an interesting layer to Joshua Hale Fialkov's violent vampire love story. Fialkov writes each character with a wit that could only come from someone who has read and written a lot of comics, which makes me curious as to why he went with a weak excuse as to why Andrew didn't choose to use his awesome power to end the conflict when he had the chance. Probably because the book would then come to its conclusion, and given how Fialkov delivers a twist worthy of a standing ovation every 6 issues, I would be remiss not to see issue #18.

The art will suck you out of the reading experience every time the style switches, which is often. There are some good pages here and there but overall this book is messy. At least Marcelo Maiolo's colors do an amicable job of trying to keep the pages looking consistent. Last issue Dennis Calero tried his best to emulate Sorrentino, but this is like a whole new book. Like I said, a travesty.

The supporting cast gets shortchanged as far as conclusions are concerned, but that is an acceptable negative given that Andrew and Mary got such a solid sendoff. Seeing how Frankenstein is currently lumbering around in the pages of Justice League Dark, it's not a stretch that we might see Andrew, Tig, and Mishkin the vampire-dog again before long.

This book has impressive comparisons to Kick-Ass and Chew, so the challenge will be for Jordan and Moore to keep up their great work. What is the nature of Luther's powers? Who is the guy who can spit his teeth like bullets? What will Luther use his abilities for? I'm not sure, but Jordan has me wanting to know, and I am sure I will find out with sufficient amounts of blood, guts, and violence.

Making all of this work like a well-oiled machine is Tradd Moore's incredible artwork. He has a sense of style that allows him to build a world full of unique characters and rich settings. All of the humor in Jordan's script would be lost without Moore's expert hands making sure the visual beats match the verbal ones. Funny aside, one page shows Luther's friend daydreaming about superhero fighting while Luther himself is haunted by a memory from his childhood. It is a quiet, emotional moment that shows what sets Luther apart from a normal person, and it is a wonderful reason for anyone to check out this comic.

Artist Tradd Moore's consistent quality has been a treat on this book. The action is huge and clean, yet personal and brutal. When Luther gets thumped across the page, you can feel it in your gut. Moore also gets big props for the four pages detailing the bloody history of the book that stretches throughout the ages. After reading this issue, the only thing that is strange is why someone would not read this awesome series.

Foreman's stark visuals are what give this title such a unique feel. The center splash page features a stunning montage of the origin of the Rot with no shortage of animals, monsters, and torn flesh. More so than any other DC titles, the villains Foreman draws are truly horrific and disturbing. Seeing them in their true form is bad enough, but watching one of the Rot attempt to masquerade as a human has stomach-turning results; he would give Hector Hammond a run for his money for most disgustingly enlarged head.

The family drama has reached fever pitch. Ellen hits her breaking point watching Maxine fearlessly demonstrate her (disgusting) power over the Red, while Buddy's mother-in-law, well, she's the only one genuinely freaked out by this stuff. Cliff also gets grossed out, but one gets the feeling he might be a little jealous of his super powered sibling, too. With talking animals, undead animals, and talking undead animals running rampant throughout, it is the quirky Baker family that grounds this title and continues to make it an absolute pleasure to read.

Steve Pugh does a great job conveying the weirdness of the Bone Orchard, making every panel look like a photo from the most disgusting issue of National Geographic ever made. His work is of high quality, but since it is following up Travel Foreman's unbelievably engrossing imagery, one can't help but feel his work lacks that special oomph. But that's not entirely Pugh's fault, and given the solid work he has done so far, there is no reason to not be happy with his presentation of Lemire's bizarre story.

Steve Pugh does an excellent job showing off the grotesqueness of the Red, especially the castle with a muscular structure that looks borrowed from an animal heart. While most of his artwork evokes the proper reaction -- a combination of being grossed out and delighted -- the larger zoomed out views lack the necessary details to be effective. That said, he no doubt put a painstaking amount of effort into these pages, and the high quality shows on almost every panel, making Animal Man's world the most engrossing of the entire DCU. Pun intended.

While most of this issue is strong, Ellen's character has changed from her usual spunky, determined self into a worry wart. Obviously she can do little to combat the Rot the way Buddy and Maxine can, but I'd love to see her do something aside from lament her situation to grandma. While Lemire has done a lot over these 11 issues to grow the world of Animal Man, he has at times lost focus of his protagonist. This issue brings it all together in a way that reminds the reader that this is Animal Man's book, and Animal Man is awesome.

Steve Pugh ups his game for this crossover issue and provides more minute details to the setting than ever before. Vines creep up a railing, haunting figures are showcased in front of an apocalyptic backdrop, and the first journey into the Rot has a sickening amount of bones, teeth, and flies. A montage detailing the interactions between the Green, the Red, and the Rot looks stunning with its veiny structure not unlike Yanick Paquette's plant-paneling in Swamp Thing. With the marrying of both art style and story concepts, the Animal Man and Swamp Thing creative teams have set up a crossover that I can't wait to read. Given general hate for crossovers, that is a strange feat indeed.

If a hiccup can be found, it's in the art. Steve Pugh has been kicking ass on art for a while now, but the pages by guest artist Timothy Green II and inker Joseph Silver do not evoke the same unsettling horror that Pugh's do. Cliff's spastic transformation hardly comes off as scary because it lacks the heavy blacks and detailed features that make Pugh's work so stomach-churning. Luckily, that team only works on the fairly simple flashback pages, leaving Pugh to wreak havoc over the rest of the issue with his hellish Hawkman and disgusting Rot-beasts.

Since when does impaling a zombie produce a "THOOM" sound? Ignoring that, Jeff Lemire continues to develop his oddball cast of characters, borrowing more than one from his amazing Justice League Dark series. Black Orchid and her mysterious connection to both the Red and Green proves to be the most interesting of the bunch. Now I'm dying to know more about the Taproot Project, whatever that is. Lemire has built a fascinating and disturbing world with Swamp Thing writer Scott Snyder, and as the crossover event builds towards a larger story, each chapter never fails to be inventive, wild, and extremely gross.

The Animal Man parts of this story are drawn by Steve Pugh while the Swamp Thing parts are by Timothy Green II. While Pugh's stylized drawings are as solid as ever, the paneling technique used by Green makes for a jarring page turn into the Swamp Thing parts. Green frames his panels with generous amounts of white space, and while this can be effective if it's self-contained, it works against Pugh's panels that use almost every bit of free space and even overlap at times. Still, both artists deliver big on the Justice League of Rotworld designs and give us an all-out gore-fest that's fun to look at in that sick sort of way.

But back to focusing what's in this book instead of what was left out. Namely, Steve Pugh's gorgeously grotesque artwork. When Maxine lights up, man does he kill it. He makes everything from the gross Rot monsters to the mysterious men in yellow wetsuits look vivid and obscure, like an R-rated episode of X-Files. The heart-wrenching final pages are all in his hands with little assistance from dialogue, and boy does he wring your heart dry.

Animal Man felt like it lost its way somewhat during Rotworld, but in one single issue it has brought itself back to its original high quality. While this issue has none of the title's signature horror elements, it still manages to stir up powerful emotions throughout. Lemire took a risk devoting an entire issue to Tights and it paid off beautifully. Given how nearly all other DC books always play it straight with little experimentation with format, this use of metafiction is wholeheartedly welcome.

Lemire uses a stream of Twitter-like posts to show what Buddy's fans and the media have to say about him, and it's used absolutely perfectly. They contribute to the story by helping build up the mysterious animal kidnapper while also adding in bits of humor to balance out the dark mood. Animalfan180 has got to be my favorite because regardless of whether s/he is praising Animal Man or insulting his detractors, each tweet ends with "God bless."

This issue also continues to explore Maxine's powers as well as her childlike naivety. It's sad as anything to watch her try to bring Cliff back, and it acts as a poignant parallel to Buddy's own trials of grief. For the Buddy scenes, Lemire continues to implement social media into the book, and while the Twitter feed bit isn't used as effectively as it was in a previous issue, it does help flesh out the celebrity element of Buddy's ever-fascinating character.

Albuquerque sinks his teeth into the visual stylings of Animal Man and injects it with his own twisted brand of awesome. You've got to hand it to him for the simple yet genius visual where Brother Blood's power blasts take the form of glowing red veins. Yet while he does a splendid job on the action, the more heartfelt moments are where he truly shines. I just can't get over little Maxine being hugged by Shepherd as the pirate crew -- including Captain Longneck, a gorilla with a nose ring, and the cutest dog ever in a long jacket -- look on with sorrow in their animal eyes.

The story ain't bad, either. There's a beautiful moment between Buddy and Ellen that's given the perfect amount of heart and realism. The scheme of the villains takes an unexpected twist. Not to mention we get to see the result of that acting nomination Buddy received. This two-part arc accomplished a lot for Animal Man by resolving some long gestating plots, yet at the conclusion we see it was set up for another arc that could be even crazier than what has come before it. I admit the cliffhanger threw me for a loop, yet Lemire has done such an impressive job on nearly his entire run that I couldn't help but smile and eagerly await whatever he's got coming up next.

Leonard Kirk is absolutely killing it on art, though. He has a clean yet dynamic style that helps fit this book nicely into the aesthetic of the rest of the Ultimate Universe. There's one double page spread of Galactus that's just mind boggling. Kirk's use of scale and epicness literally made me yell "WOAH!" and hold the comic out at arm's length to take the whole thing in.

The trio of Rick Jones, Silver Surfer, and the duty-bound Captain Marvel deliver some fun banter; Fialkov has an uncanny ability to slide in a joke when you least expect it, like Silver Surfer's comment on the beach. And helping land all the jokes as well as the huge cosmic-level action is the amazing Leonard Kirk. His storytelling is top notch in every way that matters. His characters are expressive, his action hits hard, and the flow of his paneling is seamless. If you dig the style of Sara Pichelli, David Marquez, and Stuart Immonen, then Kirk's art will be right up your alley.

Sara Pichelli's pencils look incredible this issue. The art quality has had its ups and downs since she started on the title, but here she outdoes herself. The reliving of Peter's final moments are every bit as emotional as the original, while she continues to help develop Miles through his bevy of solemn, determined, and at times snarky facial expressions. Her attention to detail is spectacular, especially the church, which looks so realistic that it could be mistaken for a photograph. She and Bendis have crafted this tale with great care, and while every twist might not be the best, the overall quality of the title continues to be a good reason to come back.

Sara Pichelli is missed, but David Marquez is not too distant from her art in style or quality. He makes a funny spectacle out of Miles trying to escape the rings while talking to Quaid, and creates a convincingly dark and moody scene for when Scorpion confronts Uncle Aaron. The scene plays out with moments of harsh action and surprise, and Marquez nails each one by upping the visual tension panel by panel. Even better, Miles sneaking back into school allows him to draw an excellent scene of adolescent hijinks and the silent exchange of knowing looks.

The dialogue and character development throughout the issue are stellar, but the repetitive nature of the big action sequence hurts the momentum of the story. Miles delivers a powerful blow to Scorpion, who pops back up in surprising fashion. Believe me that by the third time, it's hardly a surprise. All that aside, the action scene is actually really cool. Most bad guys take Miles for granted for being a little kid, but Uncle Aaron sees his potential and uses it against his enemies. The begrudging nature of Miles' relationship with his uncle keeps the tension high, making the emotional punches hit harder than the real ones.

With such excellent character moments throughout this issue, it is a shame Bendis again does not come through with action that matches their high quality. Like Miles's encounter with Scorpion, this battle suffers from repetition and lack of creativity. Aaron has proven to be a Jack of All Trades with his plethora of stolen super villain gear, so when he uses such straightforward tactics to combat Miles it makes him lose all the cred he built up. That said, the emotional beats in the issue were so strong that it doesn't hurt the issue too much. If anything, it puts the stakes of the fight above the fisticuffs, and isn't that what we're always asking for in comics these days?

And then Batroc shows up. I couldn't say exactly why, but Batroc the Leaper has developed a large and weird following, and now I see what all of the fuss is about. He's an old 60s villain made fresh who wears a ridiculous costume and has even more ridiculous powers, but his personality and French accent make him likable and fun to read. This issue also contains a subplot involving Captain America, but it gets buried underneath the more compelling content about Miles, and, of course, Batroc. You'd have to be an absolute eediot not to like him.

This might just be with my copy, but all of the pages that show the darkened warehouse are dirtied with the inks from the opposite page. Whether it was an error with the printer or just the nature of printing predominantly black pages, it ultimately becomes a shame that this good looking book encountered such a mucky mishap. Aside from that and the aforementioned non-crossover problem, this book continues to be everything you'd want in a comic about an inspired young boy striving to be worthy of the name Spider-Man.

While the big baddie does make an explosive entrance, J. Jonah Jameson steals the spotlight with a sentimental yet harrowing scene that shows the impact Spider-Man and Peter Parker had on his life and why protecting the identity of the new Spider-Man is so important to him. Pichelli's work on that scene is strong except for a minor inconsistency with Jameson's face, but the emotional power she puts into one panel in particular overshadows any flaws. It's a gut-punch for sure, and it'll stay with you after you shut the book, which is just one more reason you ought to be reading Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.

This issue is just one giant slam-dunk for Pichelli. She even breaks the glass of the backboard. Her Venom is off the hook with thick limbs sprouting dinosaur claws and long tentacles that whip furiously about. The way it moves is like a charging gorilla and a hungry alligator combined, which lets her show off the agile yet not-that-graceful movements of Miles. Miles knows how to jump but hasn't figured out how to stick all of the landings yet. And for all of this blood-pumping action, Bendis knows how to bring it all around to make it a personal affair in the end.

Shock, anger, sadness. Venom! Shock, anger, sadness. Venom! That's all artist Sara Pichelli gets to draw this issue. It all looks gorgeous and will earn every emotion out of you it seeks to elicit, but like the narrative, it will leave you wanting a little more oomph. This is a fairly solid issue that doesn't take any missteps, per se, but it definitely isn't the heartfelt all-star performance we're used to getting from the dynamic duo of Bendis and Pichelli.

Taking a step back further, you can see that Miles' decision to be (or not to be) Spider-Man comes from a wide range of experiences instead of just one single event. Peter's origin story is practically one-dimensional compared to all we've seen from Miles, who had everything from his family to his villains to S.H.I.E.L.D. to his best friend to an actual Peter Parker from another dimension influence him every step of the way. Miles Morales is not Peter Parker, and while Bendis is clearly making parallels to their lives as people and as heroes, their characterization is miles apart. And it's all for the better.

Ugh! Bendis goes for the feels so hard on this issue I can hardly take it. The presence of Gwen Stacy was a smart choice, and her exchange with Miles is one of the most heart-wrenching moments of his story to date -- and there have been a lot! This issue made my heart swell up for the guy to the point where I needed to get up and walk around to shake off the feeling. This issue has all of that, plus a beautifully tragic origin for Cloak and Dagger, and a reveal of the villains behind the recent mischief. If you want to get your money's worth and cry a little, then you can't go wrong with picking up Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.

David Marquez is in top form, which is nothing new for him. He has a wonderfully clean style that lets him produce well-crafted characters and populate his detailed settings with them. You can really tell he put a lot of effort into aging Miles so that he looks every bit the new Spider-Man he has become. Colorist Justin Ponsor tops the pencils off with his usual high quality coloring that helps texture and emphasize both the characters and the action. I don't know what books these fine artists will be working on from now on, but it's safe to say that those books will look great.

As far as negatives about the story go, it's hard to find any. It looks great, it reads great, and it'll leave you pumped for the next issue. Maybe that first page is too ambiguous or the last page is a bit out of left field, but those are more symptoms of this being the first installment than anything else.

Watching the X-Women work together through David Lopez's pencils is an engaging and entertaining experience. I've never seen Psylocke's powers used in such a creative way, and credit goes to Lopez for making it all look so cool. There's a few faces that look a tad strange -- Psylocke sighing, Wolverine making any facial expression -- but the rest of the comic is executed with expertise. There's a palpable sense of speed as the planes careen through the sky, and the closing pages create so much tension it'll have you holding your breath.

David Lopez fills the pages with his lean character designs that fit in nicely with the other artists handling the rest of Battle of the Atom. There is the matter of his backgrounds often being little more than a pop of color, which is a shame given how elaborate the Jean Grey School's set design is. As a saving grace, he draws a hilarious shot of a coffee-and-doughnut-wielding Doop frozen mid-chew as an alarm sounds throughout the school.

Wood has moved on from the events of Battle of the Atom without missing a beat. It feels as though he had to put his story on hold for two months for the crossover, but now it's over he's back to doing his thing as if it never happened. On one hand, I'm glad of this because as an ongoing series it feels more concise and contained, but I also wish the pricey 10 issues I paid for had at least a little payoff in all of the books it touched.

Avengers: Rage of Ultron is a spectacular story told by A-list Marvel talent, there's no arguing that. The story examines the ever-complicated relationship between Ultron, Ant-Man Hank Pym, and Vision, as well as a boarder philosophical argument about A.I. The art team delivers a mostly consistent graphic-novel length story with some truly stunning pages. It might be too steeped in current Marvel continuity for those who aren't regular Marvel readers, plus it feels incomplete due to ending on a (admittedly amazing) cliffhanger, but overall it still manages to be a cut above the rest of Marvel's original graphic novels.

As Batman and Superman enter this new world and meet their doppelgangers, we get several moments of unexpected humor. Lois and Catwoman add a much-welcomed sense of lightheartedness to the story, while the inner monologues of both Clark and Bruce keep it focused on the matter at hand. This is the last thing I expected from this title when I first heard about it, but it's proving to be quite endearing right out of the gate.

For a book called Dancer, there is little to do with the actual ballerina in the story. Alan is draped in mystery, but even less is known about the girl. In a genre already oversaturated with hard edged men hiding a hard edged past, this could prove to be a point of contention. However, given that this was the first issue, there is still plenty of time to see if she is more than a pretty face in need of saving. Edmondson and Klein's efforts combine to make a stand-out first issue that could teach other recent gun-touting thrillers like The Secret Service and Secret a thing or two.

Skottie Young's artwork is as masterful as ever. He is without a doubt one of most consistently high-quality artists in the business and never fails to turn in artwork that is as stylized as it is beautiful, and as dynamic as it is heart-warming (or heart-stopping, if he is drawing Venom). Here his standout character is Zeb. He is uneasy with all this stuff about other worlds and talking animals, which Dorothy is used to by now, and his apprehension shows on his face to earn many laughs. Thanks to his blue overalls, tatter brown hat, big mouth, and emotive eyes, every time he says "Gid-dap, Jim," it is hard not to smile at Young's charming creation on the page.

This issue is full of what makes the FF one of the best Marvel titles, but with so many plot strands constantly being laid down and picked up, it suffers from the monthly format and will most assuredly read better as a trade. That said, Epting's gorgeous artwork and Hickman's increasingly stimulating plot make it an irresistible treasure on the stands.

Artist Barry Kitson takes over interior duties from Steve Epting and offers up some stunning visuals. An orange planet with rings of light is a breathtaking backdrop for the menacing Kree fleet; a fiery meteor tracks past the citadel of Attilan, which looks as if the Disney castle was jettisoned into space and Susan tends to her plants with invisible constructs shaped like watering cans. His settings are gorgeous and he does an excellent job incorporating his characters into each environment. Also, in an issue almost devoid of action, he receives a special nod for the cinematic quality of his art that keeps the pacing alive with energy.

Hickman does tell layered stories and he does plant plot points early on, which a lot of people often complain about. But for those that have stuck with it, Hickman offers a great payoff. What is even better about his storytelling is how he builds to climaxes, yet that is never the end of the story. The war of four cities seemed like an incredible crescendo for the series, but it ended in Hickman's own unique way and the fallout of that crisis has led to something completely different, but with even higher stakes. He is steering this story with masterful precision and it is an issue like this that makes fans feel glad to be along for the ride.

This issue directly connects to the events in Fantastic Four #602, which stars the adults of this large family cast. Hickman has maintained the identity of the FF and has made it an unmissable companion to the returned Fantastic Four series. The art may vary between the titles, but the story continues to be solid throughout.

Steve Epting and Nick Dragotta do a terrific job showcasing the different members of the large and flavorful cast by using varied layouts and paneling. Everyone gets some spotlight, even those adorable Moloid children. They also offer up some impressive visuals, including the self-repairing Baxter Building, the aforementioned bit in space that creates tremendous scale and depth, and the spine-tingling end scene. But more than any of those, it is the glaring looks on little Valeria's face that enhance Hickman's writing and make the issue work.

This issue could have been a flop without Nick Dragotta's impeccable facial expressions. Much of this story is unspoken, leaving Dragotta to convey Peter's anger, Johnny's indifference, and the heinous enthusiasm of Blackbane the horse-alien. The best sequence features no dialogue at all and is definitely the selling point of the book. To pick a favorite moment would be hard, but I knew Dragotta had produced something special when I saw a panel with Peter passed out on the pavement, Johnny hitting on a mounted police officer, and Blackbane hitting on the horse.

Gabriel Hernandez Walta's artwork showcases the beautiful landscape of Wakanda. Lush jungles, native wildlife, and a cascading waterfall so gorgeous you'll want to jump right in. All of Hickman's jokes would fail to land if it wasn't for Walta's excellent execution. I have always liked Dragon Man, but Walta takes it to a new level by showing him holding a Zebra in his massive hands as if it were a toy. It's an endearing moment from Hickman, who continues to be one of Marvel's most consistently entertaining writers.

As much as the moments that emphasize size and scale continue to impress, Nick Dragotta proves to be a master of small moments. The look on Mister Franklin's face as he gets chastised for his bad driving is hilarious, while Val getting surprised in her bedroom with Bentley has just enough situational humor without going overboard. The only place where a visual oddity occurs is the first shot of Black Bolt. He's got crazy eyes that pop way too much. But then again, maybe he's just excited to have his conflict resolved before Hickman leaves the series this fall.

Jonathan Hickman's epic storyline came to a triumphant close months ago, and for a while it felt like he was spinning his wheels until Marvel NOW!, but here he shows that there are still some important moments to be shown. While this conflict lacks in scale is makes up for in emotional power. I could certainly be accused of complaining that Hickman has been tying up all of his loose ends, but with issues like this I am certainly glad for it.

The story overlaps too much with the events of F4 #610, and so it feels like time spent showing events we have already seen could have been used to focus on Bentley's journey instead. While the plot leading up to the conclusion with the Wizard lags, Hickman ends it all with an exclamation point that fits Bentley's character to a tee. Even better, the final note of the issue encompasses his entire run on FF: it's a little weird, a little touching, and a long time coming.

Hickman ended his run on Fantastic Four a couple weeks ago, but he left just a few hanging threads that allow this epilogue to be the perfect send-off not just for FF, but for his entire run on the Fantastic Four franchise that he brought to the forefront of modern comics. With him helming Avengers and New Avengers come Marvel NOW!, his future looks bright beyond measure, but it will always be this mind-bending, universe-sprawling, family-centric run on Fantastic Four and FF that showed everyone the brilliance of Hickman's writing. In a word, Hickman is fantastic.

The Guardians have been ranting about their scheme for a while now, so for everything to come to a head without a final piece of convincing motivation, this event has me cautiously optimistic. Although, given Johns' track record, he definitely gets the benefit of the doubt.

Writer Robert Venditti orchestrates this final issue like a summer blockbuster. There's a huge space battle against Relic, some great quips between characters, and at one point Jruk goes crazy with his axe. And that's the best part of this issue: despite all of the craziness, Venditti manages to creates moments for both the main and supporting characters that remind you why you love them and why you are rooting for them to win over Relic. Yes, Relic's lines are a bit corny, and yes, his final moments are too explanatory for their own good, but I still enjoyed this finale to Lights Out thanks to the huge plot twists and excellent work on the hero characters.

But didn't I say you'd be glad you picked up this book? I did. And here's why: it looks like art deco and The Jetsons. It uses negative space and dulled hues. It reads like noir and dystopian literature. It has cars from the '40s that fly and cigars that billow thick smoke. It sounds like thick city accents and big hand drawn onomonopia. It's Blade Runner and it's Felix the Cat clocks and it's unlike anything else on the shelf right now -- and if you happen to spot something that is, it's probably because Motter's work influenced it.

Wiebe has no trouble conjuring up perilous situations to put the boys through, but as Gilbert laments, Peter seems to like the danger. Toodles' narration tells how inspiring and uplifting it was to be around Peter, and that adds a delightful spirit to the proceedings. The boys sneak through sewers, plot their escape, and tangle with Nazis, but it all comes back to Peter's indomitableness, and that is what propels this story to the next level.

At times the characters behave illogically to provide an excuse for a neat action scene or plot twist, but overall they are faithful representations that are as entertaining to watch in the comic as they were in the movies. In fact, at times it feels like watching an unreleased Star Wars movie, and that's magic well worth the five bucks.

Even better, Tohm gets some much needed fleshing out along with Trachta as they swap "How'd you become horribly disfigured?" stories. Vader seems to surround himself with men as messed up as he is. This gives artist Agustin Alessio a chance to embellish in the macabre characters that populate this book. At times his painterly style feels unfit for this particular story, but when big moments go down he uses his talents to produce some emotionally striking imagery. Just look at the full page shot of the team's arrival at the Ghost Prison and you'll see what I mean.

I wasn't sure what to expect out of a comic like this, but so far it has avoided all manner of cliche when it comes to the actual relationship. Soule has treated it with maturity and intelligence while also delivering some hardcore fights that remind you that even though they are lovers, they are also heroes.

Mike Huddleston turns in some gritty and detailed artwork. The opening pages of the child's tale have a morose quality that embraces dark shadows to highlight the eerie aspects of the story, namely the tall man and the vile wolf-head of his cane. In the modern day scenes, he has a wonderful cinematic quality to how he plans his reveals to earn the maximum amount of surprise. The devil is in the details, and his intricate work causes the pages reek of something sinister, making an incredible start to this dark new series.

Reading this, I recalled the dissection scene from Blade 2. There is a similar scene here where a dead body is cut into and white milk-like liquid spills out. Gross. Del Toro enjoys the science of the monsters that go bump in the night and this issue is full of medical analysis that ultimately shows the reader that no one knows what killed a plane full of people, but something is still going on inside the corpses. David Lapham adapts the work with a detailed sense of urgency, but his effort is weakened by the numerous quick cuts to different characters and locations. It builds fear, yes, but the reader might be unsure why they are so scared.

Of all the terrible events to unfold over the course of Fear Itself – the death of Bucky, the destruction of the US Capital, the fall of Avengers Tower – this profound change in a beloved character is the worst to endure because of its consequences. Kitty is forced to make a heart-breaking decision, and her dialogue echoes back to Whedon's run, which has defined her character for the past several years. By honoring past material, Gillen expertly crafts a moment that shows while Colossus may be made of steel, Kitty has always been stronger.

But like I said, the story succeeds despite that, and a big part of the success can be owed to Immonen's spectacular pencils. The aforementioned mind-scenes channel the classic X-Men looks perfectly, while the large group scenes that take up the latter half are handled well by not losing focus of what's going on. If I had to pick at one thing, it would again be Beast. More than any other X-character, Beast has seen dramatic redesigns based purely on who is drawing him. We've seen lion-Beast and ape-Beast and everything in between, so Beast's new form only looks new in regards to how Immonen drew him a few pages earlier.

Then again, I seriously doubt young Cyclops would be so trusting of a woman who has a belt of tiny human skulls around her waist along with an even tinier human skull on her forehead. She needed a redesign. But other than that, the narrative goes off without a hitch. Cyclops and Mystique get into some serious stuff, yet Kitty Pryde bossing around young Iceman keeps things light and humorous. It's good to see Bendis on a hot streak again.

The scene between Jean and Kitty Pryde was pretty amazing. Bendis has taken careful measures to show us how immature and inexperienced this Jean is, which allows us to see her grow from her mistakes with the help of the veteran X-Men. Scenes like this make me see what Beast originally intended when he set this crazy plan into motion. Now if only someone would have a similar heart-to-heart with Cyclops, then some real problems might get prevented.

Also, the way he executed the big reveal at the end made me jump up out of my seat and spin around and then dizzily try and find my phone so I could talk to my buddy about what just happened. If you're a fan of the X-Men, then you don't want to miss this one.

Watching the present X-Men interact with these new future X-Men not only gives us delightful teases of information, but we also get some of the best character interactions yet. Young Iceman talking to Wizard Iceman is a hoot, while listening to Phoenix Quentin Quire reminds you that some people never mature even with age. The only interaction that seemed off-kilter was Mustachioed Colossus embracing Illyana. I could imagine something happened along the way to make him change his mind, but for Illyana to be so pleased at seeing her brother feels wrong given that they last time they were in the same company, Colossus wanted her dead.

Artists Mahmud Asrar and Brandon Peterson spilt art duties and it's generally seamless except when it comes to Jean Grey. She looks like two completely different people depending on which artist is drawing her. I like seeing the characters in action with their new costumes. The new digs are certainly more interesting to look at than black and yellow leather jackets. Although, X-23 gets a new costume, too. Does this make her part of the team? Or did Magik just want to get some more practice with her new fashion power?

While it's increasingly saddening that Fables is ending, it is going out very strong. Fables #142 is another great chapter of this series and as it inches closer to the end, the stakes are higher than ever.

It'd be hard not to compare what Waid is doing here to take on Daredevil. Daredevil was lightning in a bottle that resulted in an upbeat and charming Matt Murdock, so Waid treads carefully not to write Banner the same way. This Banner is seizing the day and putting his talents to good use instead of wasting his potential by being constantly on the run while looking for a cure. It's a refreshing change for Hulk, and if humorous and revealing stories like these are any indication, then Waid is on the right track to deliver another success.

Waid definitely plays to Simon's strengths, calling for shots of Hulk and Thor going to town on Frost Giants and the like. Like I said before, there are times when the more heartfelt conversations fall flat because a facial expression just doesn't convey the necessary subtleties, but these moment are far and few in between. The rest is a gorgeously rendered book that harkens back to the days where fun was the name of the game, and if fun is what you're looking for, that is what you will find in Indestructible Hulk.

This isn't your typical New 52 book. It's doing its own thing, and so far it is doing it well. It has a clear voice and defined style that allows it to stand apart from the pack while still feeling like it belongs next to all of the other DC comic books. If you want an entertaining book full of fun and mystery, or maybe you've been wanting to dive into a superhero team book but didn't want to get involved in things like Trinity War and Forever Evil, then Justice League 3000 is for you.

Artist Daniel Acuna's visuals are all sorts of glorious. The scene where Thor must destroy the falling debris looks straight out of a summer blockbuster movie. I can't count how many times I've seen Thor throw his hammer, but this is the first time I've held my breath in anticipation of its impact. And I've got to hand it to Remender and Acuna for having this take place over beautifully depicted Rio. It seems that 99.9% of all disasters occur in New York City, so I'm glad the creators are making this an international title in both its cast and its geography.

Artist Salvador Larroca takes the wheel from Daniel Acuna to deliver an emotionally expressive issue. The opening scene will have you cringing, while the Wanda/Wonder Man conversation will manipulate your feels with her sad eyes and his concerned anger. While the images in the foreground are impressive, the backgrounds are almost nonexistent in many panels. The art and the story both have their issues, but both also have enough redeemable qualities to make this an enjoyable comic book experience.

Paul Davidson's excellent pencils help sell the humor with spot-on facial expressions and reaction shots. Being an X-Men book, this series is not without a sense of wonder: as Dr. Nemesis descends to the ocean depths to discover the source of the contamination, what he discovers changes him in strange and beautiful and horrendous ways. It is a mesmerizing and memorable trip that only adds to the charm of this superb new X-title.

Paul Davidson's pencils are the perfect complement to Spurrier's sense of humor. Davidson's handling of the awkward opening scene earns a big laugh by using a static panel layout to express Dr. Rao's hilarious reaction. His style has a great upbeat quality that keeps the chatting scenes lively and the action scenes brisk yet memorable. And let's not forget he drew Dr. Nemesis riding a freakin' mutated hammerhead shark.

Artist Paul Davidson outdoes himself with the presentation of one of the more unique X-Men baddies: a Nazi with almost a dozen heads joined together from different dimensions, plus he has the Emperor's lightning powers and Forest Gump's legs. One could only imagine what his description looked like in Spurrier's script. Another standout visual is the pregnant Danger. She has a belly swollen with data and swirls of energy, and while the final product will undoubtedly be revealed next issue, it is a credit to Davidson's skills that any reader would be horrified to see the result.

Paul Davidson goes all out providing a visual climax, making all of last issue's insane imagery pale in comparison. Dr. Nemesis's transformation makes for a dazzling end fight, while the digital world created for the scene of Danger giving birth could have been borrowed from Tron. Even with all of the explosions and dimensional battles, Davidson still brings great focus to the characters and expresses what is going on inside. A special moment where Dr. Rao has an epiphany is intricately done, showing that he can do subtle, he can do big, and he can do science.

If there's going to be a point of contention for this book, it might as well be the art. Nuno Plati did a knockout job on his Amazing Spider-Man backup with FIalkov, and he delivers similar results here. His fluid and heavily stylized character designs might be too atypical for some, but I enjoyed his Gennedy Tartakovsky-esque drawings where everyone has a distinct visual look along with a pair of thick eyebrows. If you hated Alpha before -- and who didn't? -- then try this story out. You might be surprised that you come to like the little twerp.

Nuno Plati's artwork more resembles the last cartoon show you watched than the last superhero comic you read, but that never proves to be a bad thing. He uses simple-yet-distinct character designs to tell a clear story that expresses a wide range of emotions. During the monster fight, things do get a bit jumbled, but the encounter is so brief that it doesn't hold back the book much. Fialkov and Plati's great efforts here go a long way to show that Alpha is worth a second look, and that sympathy can even be found for a Grade A douchebag.

Nuno Plati's artwork is as stylized as Humberto Ramos', the man who originally designed and debuted Alpha in Amazing Spider-Man. Like Ramos, everything here has an atypical style, but the world is completely in Plati's hands. He manipulates the characters and settings in his pages with an intuitive sense that helps sell each and every panel. Even Alpha's hair is something to keep an eye on as it seems to react expressively to his current freaked out emotion.

Like I said, those quibbles are all small ones. Alpha has been through a lot to get to this point, yet for each step forward, life kicks him back two. Alpha is your buddy that you love to death but he comes off kinda harsh to other people and he doesn't realize it. His attitude isn't exactly in line with the morally pure Captain America, but you can't help relate to him as he tries to appease the girl he likes, while also figuring out how to be a superhero with some name recognition instead of repeatedly, hilariously being mistaken for Nova.

The standout feature of this book is the voice that Fialkov gives Alpha. It's truly unique amongst all of the superhero books out there, which is saying something. He's pretty blunt about how he feels about his responsibilities and his priorities aren't exactly properly in line, but he's all the more endearing because of it. As the title intends, Fialkov escalates Alpha to the big time, and he's here to stay.

As fellow IGN reviewers have said, the dialogue in Spaceman stands out. Most of the characters speak in a futuristic slang. I had to read almost every word balloon twice before I could understand what was being said. I found myself speaking the dialogue out loud so I could make sense of the phonetic spelling. However, this was never a bad thing. I can't remember the last time a comic had me this engaged with the world it created.

In this world, life as we know it is gone, but apparently text-speak and hashtags have survived. The smart use of social media allows for an interesting plot development, and also makes this strange place seem a tad more familiar. With the intriguing flashbacks to Orson's time on Mars, this mini-series feels like an elongated episode of Lost: each flashback reveals a small piece of why Orson is who he is, which effectively teases out the origin of the most likeable lunk since Sloth from The Goonies.

Bendis has certainly handled this story well. It's easy to imagine the many ways it could go awry, but he keeps it intimate and personal without crossing any lines. He sees the obvious humor in this strange situation and mines it for subtle laughs. The fatherly love that Bendis has for these characters can be felt on every panel and in every word balloon, and while it's not over yet, I'd wager this will end up being the sweetest Spider-Man story we've seen in a long time.

Bendis and Pichelli do this crossover concept so much more justice than anyone could have imagined. Part of me wanted the stakes to be bigger, the villain to be more maniacal, and the heroes to be pushed harder. The forces of antagonism hardly feel like they require two Spider-Men to overcome, let alone the Ultimates, Nick Fury, and a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. That said, all of the wonderful intimate moments would have been lost in favor of giant explosions and characters punching each other in the face, and there's enough of that currently going on in Avengers vs. X-Men to last a lifetime. Count me glad that Bendis and Pichelli chose to forego cheap adrenaline rushes in favor of delivering an emotionally resonant story that stays with you after you put down the book.

That's part of the fun of this comic. Siedell has a good time throwing out hints and teases about Vader's legacy instead of just telling us things we already know. I will admit that this first issue feels a little on the light side as far as content goes, like there could have been more progression to the story, but it achieves what it sets out to do and does so in an entertaining way, so it's hard to complain.

Another element that didn't quite work for me was the character revealed in the cliffhanger. Obviously, this person hasn't had any development time, so it's too soon to judge fully, but even at this point it seems all too familiar. I can't count how many characters of this type already exist, so unless Snyder has a profoundly new twist on the concept, it runs the risk of feeling redundant. But given how awesome the rest of this issue is, Snyder definitely gets the benefit of the doubt.

The scenes with Luthor feel detached from the main narrative, and so ending the issue on a Luthor-centric moment feels off-kilter. Obviously we won't know the reasons for his involvement until the story is complete, but currently it feels like he's here just because he's Superman's most famous foe. With two other antagonists already present, adding in this familiar face might be too much.

Even with the shipping delay, the art by Jim Lee has taken a noticeable dip in quality. He does turn in some iconic poses of Superman, but everything in between varies from looking finely tuned to somewhat loose. This is still a good looking book, but it's not as polished as what came before. Also, the design of Wraith is all over the place. He was clearly made to resemble Superman with the blue base and red accents, but the hood and excessive glowing makes him look like Darkseid with a Superman costume on, which I don't think was the intention.

Keeping this title looking on par with Ivan Reis's Justice League pencils is Paul Pelletier. The two artists share a similar style, and the cleaner lines of Pelletier's work makes following potentially convoluted action scenes a breeze. The last page has excellent composition with its many visual aids, yet for all the compliments I've given, I have to complain that the featured character lacks a certain oomph to sell the moment. Still, with the crazy plot twists and slick art, it looks like Throne of Atlantis has regained its footing and is poised for a strong conclusion in Justice League #16.

With nowhere to turn to, Aquaman seeks out consolation in the sea life he has sworn to protect. You've got to hand it to artist Paul Pelletier for giving a whale an expression so sorrowful that you just want to pet it. Where Pelletier really outdoes himself is the awesomely powerful double splash page where Aquaman reinforces his true purpose for living. The page is masterful in its composition and holds back just enough to create the somber yet striking mood the moment called for. It's just begging to be made into an Aquaman poster.

Artist Paul Pelletier has the unenviable job of filling the shoes of former series artist Ivan Reis, but he does so with excellent results. He gives a grand tour of the ancient structures of Atlantis, which look like a sunken ancient Roman city. The throne room is as glorious as it is solemn with its intricately detailed thrones made from all manner of shell and crustacean. Moody deep blues used by colorist Rod Reis create an atmosphere for this place that shows us its beauty while also reminding us that these are troubled waters for Arthur.

Whether scenes of two people chatting or a close quarters brawl, Pelletier makes it all look great. A lot happens here, so credit is due for telling a large story in a small space, a skill that no doubt comes in handy when drawing Johns' detail-intensive scripts.

Geoff Johns has scripted this issue so that revelations come up naturally through the dialogue and bonk you on the head at just the right time. However, there's one particular line of Urn's -- "But I will!" -- which doesn't quite make sense given what is said right before and after it, but it's not that big a deal. This title is still chugging along like a fully powered steam boat filled with ice magic and badass redheads and plot twists so big they could fill the Marianas Trench.

There are more than a couple standout moments in this issue. Artist Paul Pelletier delivers one breathtaking moment after another with his cinematic style that sucks you in like a rip current. The kiss, the monster, and that final page are all executed with finesse to deliver very different emotions that hit equally hard in their own way. Rod Reis absolutely kills it with his color work, creating a gloomy blue world that feels as expansive and mysterious as the depths of space.

Artist Claude St. Aubin does a superb job showcasing the tormented soul that is Black Manta. The dude just looks worn out and angry, yet he never loses that serial killer sense of calm. If you look closely at the details, which St. Aubin inked himself, there's some odd structure to his anatomy work, which causes some stiff looking characters. However, these instances are few, and the issue otherwise looks pretty stellar.

Artist Geraldo Borges has a style that fits right in line with current Aquaman artist Paul Pelletier, and thanks to Rod Reis' gloomy blue color palette keeping up appearances, it actually surprised me to see that it wasn't Pelletier who drew this issue. From the flippin' sweet opening splash page to the creepy facial expressions Ocean Master makes when he murders a human who showed him kindness, Borges hits all the right notes.

The one thing that bothered me was how Aquaman sits in a magic ice throne that reveals the information to him, but it's unknown whom or what is speaking. The icy caption boxes would infer the magic of the chair is narrating, but it sounded odd to hear it use such a modern term as "Ninety percent of the population"" But believe me when I say that this is the tiniest of nitpicks and that this issue of Aquaman is well worth the wait.

Parker's impressive character work has maintained its consistent quality along with Walker's detailed pencils, but the Invaders cameo combined with the confusion still not cleared up from the previous issue's cliffhanger hurts the overall narrative. What happened to the giant fiery Man-Thing storming through the city last issue? It is hard to say, but hopefully once the Nazis are done getting punched, someone will figure it out.

All of this goes down and Parker still manages to spend some time in the wondrous chamber holding the remains of Man-Thing. The scene is strange yet beautiful, and immediately gets gross when Mr. Hyde tosses in some "food" he collected. To mix sci-fi, biology, and mysticism might seem an odd choice, but all of the different characters and their abilities, along with some clever writing, allows it to happen seamlessly. What seemed like a hokey excuse to put the Invaders on the cover has turned into an excellent story that embraces the values of the era and uses Cap, Namor, and the Human Torch to entangle the T-Bolts in a conflict that literally means everything to them.

The visuals have never been better on this title. Kev Walker does a great job of maintaining a realistic environment for these crazy characters to operate in. The way he transitions from the snowy battlefield, up to the castle, inside a blimp floating in an unknown location, and back again is incredibly smooth, utilizing a stylized yet intuitive set of paneling techniques. His Mr. Hyde is especially well-done and he earns a few laughs through physical comedy and funny facial expressions. What started as a crazy and confusing story arc has completely turned around into a crazy and charming romp through time that was breathtaking, sexy, and hilarious.

Due to the trippy nature of this issue, it is hard to decipher what actually went down. Was the encounter with Ghost real? Where did the villains make off to? What is Luke Cage's new worst fear? It is hard to say, but even with Villains for Hire debuting last month, Parker continues to dominate the field as far as team books are concerned.

Parker does some intelligent writing here and develops a far more interesting story than just a simple fight. I'm a big fan of the legends of King Arthur, Merlin, and Lancelot, but Parker writes something new into the age-old story; something sinister and devious yet logical and undeniably Arthurian. It would be hard to call yourself a nerd and not love this book right now.

Kev Walker's pencils retain their astonishingly high quality. His paneling is lively and never repeats itself, making each turn of the page feel fresh and exciting. There are several standout moments in this issue, including the dragon, the blink-and-you-missed-it affair between Lancelot and Guinevere, and the courtyard battle, yet the same can be said about all of them: they are visually striking with incredible details, and each one is complemented by a touch of humor.

Declan Shalvey does a fair job of keeping the action toned down enough in order to let the story be told, but also knows how to dial up the visuals when called for, especially Mr. Hyde's jaw-dropping, nose-breaking leap and Goliath's subsequent revenge. While his pencils are solid, the inks detract from some images because they do not provide a sense of depth, especially in the opening pages. Still, his work makes for another fine entry in Parker's highly entertaining time travel story.

To go into the details of the plot would ruin the multiple surprises found throughout. This time travel story has been an incredible adventure that never ceases to find the absolute worst predicaments in order to tell the best stories this team has seen in years. Now that the T-Bolts are nearing their goal of returning to the present, the thought of ending the trip that created such genuine and endearing relationships actually saddens me. There's still hope that their time machine malfunctions again, right?

Young Avengers snaps its fingers to the drama of teenage life one moment and starts head-banging to raucous superhero action the next. It's cool and hip and relatable without trying too hard, and what's cooler and hipper than a feisty Latina, two gay teens in a longterm relationship, and knocking boots in space? Like any rock concert, it might go off-beat every now and then, but it's a pretty great time regardless.

It's easy to love this book for moments like the personal connection between the boyfriends and the way Loki makes fun of Wiccan's superhero name, but instances like the massive leap of unexplained logic at the end of the diner scene throw it off beat. This book is just a few practice jam sessions from being as amazing as it strives to be.

The plot is more akin to something you might see in The Office than a superhero book, but when the costumes eventually do come on in the end, we are introduced to one of the most mysterious and downright chilling villains in recent memory, brought to life with utmost creepiness by Brown. Seriously, I've still got goosebumps.

Ardian Syaf's artwork is incredibly detailed and flows perfectly alongside the story. Batgirl is constantly performing slick acrobatics and she looks great as she swings and tumbles across Gotham. He also pays special attention to her facial expressions, which help tell a great deal of the story by reinforcing the sentiments of her narration. The issue generally looks great, but there is one irksome element. The best formulas for storytelling are ones the reader does not notice, but Syaf and Simone have produced the same opening (a quick bit of action followed by a two-page spread of Batgirl doing something impressive) twice in a row now, and it is doubtful this is a clever wink at the villain named Mirror. With such a spot-on, entertaining book in their hands, the team should not be afraid to follow in Batgirl's footsteps by taking some risks.

Ardian Syaf's artwork makes Batgirl cool, sexy, and dangerous. He gives scenes with Barbara the perfect amount of heart and strength, especially when the lights from the Christmas tree play in her big blue eyes. But when she dons the costume to stop a group of muggers, she transforms into a dark, faceless creature of the night. It is some incredible stuff that allows the reader to sense the danger on the street, feel the impact of a hard blow, and cheer wildly when it is all over.

Regular series artist Ardian Syaf gets some help from Alitha Martinez on pencils, and while their styles are quite similar, it is hard to notice the differences thanks to the flashback mechanic. Syaf handles the introduction with a grittier style, Martinez does the flashbacks with a softer style better suited for the more personal scenes, and Syaf finishes off the issue, almost seamlessly leading back into Batgirl's hairy predicament in the present. There are a few inconsistencies on Martinez's part as far as faces and head sizes are concerned, but overall their combined efforts paid off with a nice looking issue.

Despite having three pencillers and two inkers, the issue looks admirably consistent throughout. One gripe that still persists from past issues is that Barbara and her mother look nearly identical, making conversations between them confusing. They both have the same face, same red hair, and are of equal height. Unless mom got some serious botox, her face needs to be aged appropriately, and she should probably get a shorter haircut, if just for clarity's sake.

Simone's addition to The Night of the Owls stands on its own without any other Bat-titles, and given its high quality, readers would be sorely missing out for not picking it up.

Alitha Martinez's artwork fits in well with the established style of the series. She is at her best when showing big moments of action, such as the brutal opening panel or the insane dive bomb into a window near the issue's climax. But when not given ample space some shots look off, like a facial expression unfit for the actions Batgirl performs during combat. Something that caught my eye was the standard "Bat-family character dynamically swinging through Gotham" shot, but this time Batgirl wears a pouty face because of the distressing night she's had. I loved it because that's so Batgirl. You'd never see Batman do that.

I've said it a thousand times, but it's Simone's perfect command over Batgirl's inner voice that makes this title a joy to read. Her stories have dark themes and sadistic villains, but Barabara Gordon's plucky spirit combined with a dash of humor always puts a smile on my face. Simone does her best when given the time to develop a character, so perhaps that is why this particular story does not feel as focused as everything that came before it. There's not only Knightfall but her three henchmen and then James Jr. operating in the background. It's a lot, but Simone does manage to make this overstuffed story work because her lovable Batgirl rises above it all.

I've been loving what Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are doing on the main Batman series, but when I heard the Joker was coming back, this is the confrontation I was most looking forward to. Luckily, Simone does not disappoint.

Yet the story carries on strong despite the art. Simone taps into a side of Batgirl we've never seen before, and every bit of it feels duly earned. Despite all of her hardships in the past year, Batgirl has always retained her spunky demeanor, but no more. Batgirl more than any other member of the Bat-family has generated the most apathy because Simone has you right there with her wanting to hurt the Joker for what he's done. With such a gripping and emotional run that has been well-received here at IGN by our reviewers and our community alike, it is a true shame that there are only a few precious issues to go before we see the last of Simone writing Batgirl.

Mikel Janin keeps up the great look for this book with detailed artwork that puts an emphasis on the unsettling features of the team. A closeup of Deadman has him looking as menacing as Faust, while Black Orchid looks downright dangerous no matter what she's doing. Hard to believe these guys are the heroes. The only one who does not look the part is Andrew Bennett. He appears neither imposing or dangerous as a hyper-powerful vampire should, leaving him looking more like a J. Crew model who wandered on the page. That said, Justice League Dark has immediately become a favorite and shows potential for becoming one of DC's best by harnessing the insidious side of the company's mythology.

Lemire has each of his separated heroes face off with their individual threats from last issue, only to be greeted by an even more overwhelming opposition. There are times when the dialogue gets a bit heavy, but it always gets back on track with another unexpected revelation that, like all the good twists, was right there all along if you cared to look for it. If Justice League Dark isn't on your monthly pull list then add it now, or I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!

Artist Mikel Janin delivers the cleanest and most consistent looking chapter of Trinity War thus far. His character designs are crisp and unflawed, and he does a good a job as anyone making every character look as stern and serious as possible. There's just one awkward panel where he shows a few heroes taking off into a run, but Trevor looks like he's about to run face-first into another hero. That aside, this is a great looking book put together by an artist who should be congratulated for being able to squeeze the members of three different Justice Leagues together into one issue without a single panel looking cluttered.

We do get a quick look at the aftermath of the A.R.G.U.S. explosion, and to avoid spoilers, I will just say that the reaction of the heroes is a redeeming moment for everyone present. In a story about heroes fighting heroes that takes place just before Forever Evil and Villains Month, it's nice to get a reminder of what makes someone a good guy.

Artist Scott Kolins has a mixed cartoony/realistic style that looks worlds apart from the steely space epicness of other Lantern titles, yet its one that fits the tone of the script to a tee. The book isn't the prettiest on the stands and it's not the tightest line work you can find, but it gets the job done. Larfleeze looks like a mohawk-sportin' punk rocker who traded in black for orange, which is a bit of a departure from his original, more alien design, but it fits this fresh spin on the character nicely.

The signature voice of Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis still carries the narrative along with a lighthearted sense of humor, but with Larfleeze engaged in a battle where he only gets to shout out a few lines, the book becomes the equivalent of a concert where the headlining band only gets to play one song. It was interesting how this issue was all about the servants who serve powerful masters, and Stargrave is pretty funny, so as long as this series puts the spotlight back on the main attraction, it'll be one to keep reading.

Equaling the uniqueness of the story is Scott Kolins' expressive and trippy art. He draws humanoids and dogs made of energy tangling with Larfleeze and the ethereal Wanderer, lending the fights a Saturday morning cartoon sense of abandon. His art is as integral to the fun as the dialogue and plot, and it's because all three elements work together like a well-oiled machine that Larfleeze is such a gut-busting success.

While this comic is a lot of fun during the Larfleeze scenes, the Stargrave/Wanderer pages aren't nearly as entertaining. Yes, there are a few humorous moments, but the pair spend too long recapping events and delving out exposition. It is of course a good idea to have something slower paced to break up the bright orange battle scene, but this doesn't quite to the trick. That said, Larfleeze still pleases overall and you don't even have to be a Green Lantern fan to enjoy it.

Esad Ribic goes overboard with the awesome, delivering balls to the wall visuals from Aaron's increasingly eccentric and hilarious script. I'm talking Avenger Thor getting struck in the head with a space-shark, and Young Thor looking downright aghast when Mjolnir is taken from his reach. My only quibble is that, in a universe full of gods for every occasion, why do they all have roughly the same humanoid size and shape? Where are the animal gods and the dragon gods and all that? Again, that's just a minor complaint for the series in general, but it's really hard to criticize this issue because, after all, space-sharks!

Artist Esad Ribic uses his immense pool of talent to send this arc off right. Key moments are given dramatic weight thanks to his superb true-to-life style. There's a particularly impressive two-page spread that shows Thor doing his Mjolnir thing, yet it cleverly uses only whites and grays against a primarily black background in order to emphasize the moment. It's quite beautiful. There are a few instances where the textured coloring looks a bit off, but it's hard to complain because this issue looks so epic. Or as it will now be known, Ribic. This issue looks so Ribic.

The visuals by Ron Garney are unfortunately not the best we have seen from the artist. Backgrounds are often faded or completely blank, and even some elements in the foreground lack a certain polish. Part of the blame might be on Ive Svorcina's colors, which attempt to add a rough, historic feel to the pages, yet sometimes overdo it. But it's not all bad. Garney is an excellent cover artist, so naturally the splash page moneyshots are worth drooling over. This isn't an awful looking comic by any means, but it could use some refinement.

The teacher-student relationship between Sabertooth and Kade seems apparent at first, but by the end of the issue, it is Kade who has figured out a more logical strategy to hurt Wolverine. Kade's development as a villain takes a big step up since he is not only learning from Wolverine's longtime foe, but improving on his methods. While Aaron's progression into more serious territory is not wholly unwelcome, it does sap the book's wild energy and quick-witted comedy -- two qualities that have made it such an excellent series so far. There are still fun moments to be had, but troubling moments of peril and destiny now linger over the characters.

Aaron defies the dreaded tie-in issue blues and manages to tell a cohesive story within his own title without leaning too hard on what is happening in AvX. The return of the Phoenix has curious ramifications for students and staff alike: Quentin and Rachel Summers suffer seizures, while Idie expresses her frank opinion about the Phoenix's involvement with her powers. This is what I wanted to see from an X-Men title during AvX. These mutants have had to deal with the Phoenix in different variations for years, and now instead of constant foreboding talk about it, we are finally seeing actual effects caused by its return.

Chris Bachalo does a great job as always. His panels are dense but not crowded, while his character designs are inventive yet instantly recognizable. But Aaron's script has him drawing disturbing images ranging from a violent prison beating to a young Kade pinning all manner of insects to the ground with needles. The content Bachalo draws goes against what he does best, and so the tone of the book suffers. This was a strange story for Aaron to choose to tell, and for me it did not pay off. My favorite part? The tease for next issue's title: Doop!

But let's not fret over that because the real star of this issue has no legs. He does, however, have a long list of obscene powers that have no rhyme or reason but still prove to be useful in various situations. He takes care of a Nazi bowling team the same way he once did Thor. And if having a Doop-centric issue wasn't enough, Aaron puts in a surprise cameo by probably the only character just as off-the-wall nuts as Doop. And that's just it: this whole comic is so off-the-wall nuts that it could not be dreamed up by another writer even after consuming hallucinogens and watching the Cat in the Hat movie. Whereas Geoff Johns has made a name for himself by rewriting oddball continuity, Aaron uses Doop to paint himself in it and run around the neighborhood so everyone can see.

But the story here more than makes up for it. Aaron layers in several different plot threads -- the hunt for Dog, an unopenable chest, the effect of the past on the future -- and weaves them together in such an emotionally impactful way that you'd be hard-pressed not to shed a tear. And yet in this dramatic story, he still manages to have you afraid for what happens next while also making you laugh unexpectedly. Aaron gives you everything you could ever want in a comic, but just watch out for the Terrifying Smile of Kitty Pryde.

The three-man art team puts out some nice visuals, and that is where this book is able to keep a somewhat lighter tone. The staff are pretty pissed at Quentin Quire, yet the fact that Doop is there giving him the stink-eye as the teachers yell at him make it read completely differently, i.e., incredibly hilarious. So with the narrative taking a turn for more somber times and desperate measures, it's the art that keeps this boat afloat.

This is all fun to experience, but there's not the clear sense of danger you'd expect for Quentin even though he's essentially an undercover agent. The art by Nick Bradshaw is as wildly creative as Aaron's kooky world. The new Hellfire uniforms look like something out of a rejected military design book (in a good way), and the school grounds are never without a morbid surprise. There are a few instances where the character work gets a bit too loose, but that's a tiny complaint on an otherwise stellar looking issue.

While the action is absolutely amazing, a couple scenes get dragged out in order to make room for all of it. Kade spends the entire issue trying to convince his cohorts that they haven't yet lost the fight, but it goes on a few pages too long to be believable. Also, Toad was being choked by Husk during last issue, and he's still being choked through the end of this one. That means when you pick up the next issue, he'll have been choked for three chapters.

This issue has so many moments where characters either get what's coming to them or dodge their fate that it becomes a rollercoaster of emotion. Aaron delivers long-awaited kisses, stabbings, and punches, but some come at a price so high it will have you pulling your hair out.

The art by Giuseppe Camuncoli is a mixed bag. He does a great job when the page only contains a couple characters because he gets to devote a great deal of attention to his character work. However, when there are several characters on the page -- and in this issue that's most of the time -- his quality goes down considerably. This is a decent looking issue, although this event has seen better looking chapters.

The narrative is spot-on, but I do have some gripes with the art. Pepe Larraz does an excellent job with paneling and composition, yet a few elements throw off his work. First, Wolverine looks so overly bulky and muscular that it's a wonder he can move. Of course nearly everyone in superhero books look like a bodybuilder, but this is too much. His monstrous physique all but voids the work Aaron did to humanize him throughout this series. Also, Larraz's style doesn't quite convey the wild lunacy that the Jean Grey School often exhibits, so the issue doesn't have the same energy this series is known for.

Artist Ed McGuinness is the star of this book. His drawings are full of an energy and charm that you just don't see often enough. Even though the heroes are in dire peril this issue, there's a wry smile underneath the pencils that tell you to enjoy what you're seeing because everything is going to be all right. You can tell McGuinness is having a blast drawing this book because there's a silly gag, awesome spectacle, or hard-hitting action sequence on every single page. Seriously, did you see Northstar zipping around the ship like Peter Pan fighting pirates? With something like that to feast your eyes on, maybe it's not so bad Nightcrawler wasn't around this time.

[Editor's Note: This is a collection of previously released digital material, available weekly from the DC Comics app!]

All of this continuity nitpicking means little in the end, leaving the real question to be whether this is an accessible title for a new reader or not. With a brand new sinister villain opening the story and an intriguing start to a new mystery, the answer seems to be yes. A new reader might wonder how there is another Batman in Moscow and why Damian is talking about those other orphan boys, but ultimately this tale is fresh, engaging, and a reason to breathe a sigh of continuity-relief.

For an exposition-heavy issue, Scot Eaton manages to keep the visuals as lively as the dialogue. His character work is spot-on, especially his expressive faces, which comes in handy during the closing pages of the book. He took what was surely a challenging script and managed to add the right amount of graphic content to sell the moment without going overboard. Now that the truth about Marcus is out, he will definitely be a character to keep an eye on.

Admittedly, it would be interesting to see the writers take on a continuing story. One can't help but wish there were a little more to each chapter of the book. Perhaps they'll try it down the road (though the next issue is advertised as an anthology as well). But when you get down to it, it's tough to find much to complain about when a book's debut is this much fun.

The Dream Thief concept is introduced with little explanation, but it is enough to get you interested. Although, from what this issue reveals, it seems like John is stealing memories, not dreams. But it's too soon to tell what Nitz has up his sleeve. The book gets into a nice flow and then a few elements throw it off -- the thought balloons, the awkward use of the Facebook "Like" icon, the rushed ending -- but its engaging writing carries it on regardless.

Hickman accomplishes here what other writers might spend a whole series building up, which leaves the door wide open for this imaginative story to go east and west and then north and south, to boot. With over 30 pages of pristine Dragotta artwork colored by the incomparable Frank Martin all for $3.50 -- and printed on that nice Image paper, mind you -- East of West is a hard book to pass up.

Phillips continues to do what he does best and puts together a dark and moody noir book with hard lines and heavy shadows. He draws Josephine with a classic, timeless beauty that looks sexy, statuesque, and mesmerizing. This gives her a strong presence on the page and also allows her to operate in the past and present seamlessly. For a book called Fatale, they definitely got that part right.

While nothing universe-shattering happens in this first issue, it effectively sets the stage for the shenanigans to come. More than anything, it allows the reader to take a deep breath after the ten-issue war story and focus on a more nuanced, personal story featuring the always-entertaining rivalry between Hal and Sinestro.

Much like his script for Justice League #1, writer Geoff Johns is using different conflicts to drive characters into unlikely partnerships and uncomfortable situations. The sparks that fly as Sinestro and Hal attempt to see eye-to-eye seem ready to start an inferno, yet their mutual interests keep the blaze at bay. Johns is crafting a character-based tale with high stakes driving the plot forward, which is exactly what he does best.

Since the launch of the New 52, Green Lantern has been entertaining month after month, but has yet to produce anything extraordinary. It is hard to argue with a series that is consistently great but does not offer a sensational payoff at the end. Johns has stayed away from the galactic-sized threats long enough to produce some juicy character work, so this change of pace is not unwelcome. Given that there are numerous moments of foreshadowing for a bigger event down the line, this initial story arc ought to be embraced before another 9-part event a la War of the Green Lanterns series shows up.

The return of Doug Mahnke is most welcome, especially since he delivers some of the most eerie and haunting imagery this series has ever seen. He plays up the mystery of the Indigo Tribe by using heavy shadows, hard lines, and hazy images. The Tribe seems to have good intentions, but when they arrive with ambiance borrowed from a horror movie, they stir up equal amounts of fear and awe. Colors are of extra importance in a Green Lantern book, and Alex Sinclair's work on this issue is spot-on. He embellishes Mahnke's drawings in order to make them glow on the page, giving this book that wonderfully unique Green Lantern feel.

Johns created a mystery for the Indigos over the years and now he executes the big reveal with a mastery he has not shown since before Brightest Day. When the Indigos first showed up, they were a great help to the heroes of Earth and seemed to be on the "good" side of the emotional spectrum, despite a few questionable actions (the most ominous being kidnapping Black Hand). Once readers reach the final page of issue #8, all of that might be just one big misconception. Or maybe not. Astoundingly, Johns has not even gotten to the big reveal yet, but provides just enough information and setup that makes the wait for Green Lantern #9 all the more unbearable.

Despite the not-quite-perfect execution of this installment, Johns gets props for continuing to provide more layers to one of DC's most consistent and entertaining comics. He never ceases to create a powerful emotional connection between characters, or shed new light on old prophecies that turn the Lantern universe on its head. The mythology is always transforming into something bigger and better, and given the destruction of the Red and Yellow Corps in addition to what happens here, it looks like all the Lanterns are in for their biggest shakeup yet.

A lot happens real fast in this issue, but not to the detriment of the overall product. A great deal of ground is covered as the story moves forward in a clear direction, and Johns mercifully does so with nigh a vague prophecy spewing out of the Book of the Black or the Guardians. Sinestro has gone from the series' villain to its lovable anti-hero, and the tough decision he makes in this issue weighs on the reader because they have come to care for the guy, demon eyes and all. The strong emotions felt for Sinestro, Hal, and their plight proves yet again that Green Lantern is a series worth getting invested in.

Johns continues to peel back Sinestro's layers, and this time we get a look at his "Batcave." It's a trophy room full of computers, devices, and trophies, and it goes a long way to further flesh out Sinestro's character based on what happens there. This is a good looking issue, and aside from a lettering error at the top of page 11, the tantalizing imagery alone is enough to make this issue worth a buy.

This issue falls right in step with the begrudging buddy cop scenario that Johns has been mining for laugh after laugh. I nearly lost my hat when Sinestro "accidentally" sliced into Hal's arm. Even better, Johns puts all the Lantern factoids he's spread throughout his entire run to good use, making for an excellent payoff for longtime readers. It's great that Johns has kept the story focused on Hal and Sinestro while also managing to escalate the conflict with the Guardians to a galactic scale, and that's what has me so pumped to read Green Lantern Annual #1.

Doug Mahnke provides the excellent story with what might go down as his best work on Green Lantern thus far. From Sira's icy reception at work to the street car race flashback, Mahnke does it all with superbly detailed pencils that play up the emotional elements of the story. By doing this, the sci-fi elements pop off the page with that much more oomph; namely, the surprisingly horrific scene that shows why the Third Army is something to fear. With both Johns and Mahnke working in perfect harmony, Green Lantern has reached a level of intrigue not seen since the Sinestro Corps War.

As for the Third Army, they have been relegated to attacking random people outside the main narrative for a bit too long for them to remain an interesting threat. However, some time with the First Lantern has me more worried about how dangerous he could be instead of them. Johns' story layers in several bits of interesting info, and even checks back in with the missing former leads, making this title the best its been since the start of the New 52.

The threat of the Third Army seems palpable enough thanks to Mahnke's art, but the actual concept feels flawed thanks to the weak motivations of the Guardians and the Third Army's ability to only hurt supporting characters. What has me more excited is the thought of what new stakes the First Lantern might bring. In classic Johns style, the revealed identity of the First Lantern resonates from a long forgotten point in Green Lantern history. But just like the reveal of the Anti-Monitor, Nekron, and Krona from events past, it makes perfect sense.

Artist Doug Mahnke does a solid job this time around, delivering effective pages that look as good as they have since the start. What drags some of the pages down is the coloring. While most are great with the soft Lantern energy glow, the details on Simon's masked face are lost in a void of blackness. Aside from that, Mahnke merges the grounded real-world elements with the space-squirrel B'dg holding a book bag. I enjoyed B'dg's presence immensely, if only because, in the face of all this drama, he reminded me of how fun Green Lantern can be.

Simon Baz starts the story with a flavorful monologue that excellently encompasses his unique outlook on life from being a young Muslim all the way up to becoming a Green Lantern. The metaphor that Johns demonstrates here is some of the best writing he has put down on paper. The rest of Simon's part in this story is him reacting to the horrors of Black Hand and the space prison, further showing us more and more about his character. While the First Lantern attempts to steal the spotlight, Baz is still the number one reason to buy this book.

With DC dishing out death like cups of water at a marathon with the likes of Batman Incorporated and Animal Man, Green Lantern also joins the macabre club by dealing with similar material. Things are definitely grim, but Johns still works in a few humorous moments thanks to Sinestro, the Darth Vader of his epic saga. Only instead of dying 10 minutes after rejoining the good side, we get to see Sinestro try to right all of the wrongs he did as a bonafide villain. With a turn of fortune in this chapter, we may get to see Sinestro's truly defining moment before this story's end.

Geoff Johns pulls off the impossible by finding an epic, thrilling, and satisfying ending to his Green Lantern run. Even though there are a few hiccups in the art, the overwhelming amount of quality and care that went into the rest of the book makes it a resounding success.

The book has moments that are pleasantly familiar, and it feels different in regards to the role of the Guardians and the state of the Corps, not to mention Hal's new job title, but some aspects are all too familiar. You get a sense that risks were not taken in favor of making an accessible and marketable first issue. While this new start does get the job done, it doesn't quite grip you as much as it just appeases you, leaving it as a good comic book that has the potential to be a great one.

Even though things are starting to go downhill fast for Hal and the Green Lantern Corps, this issue has a palpable energy to it. It's got space battles and scandalous betrayals and an awesome Fish Lantern -- what more could you want?

The one hiccup in this issue comes when we get a not-so-subtle look at what Relic is up to in New Guardians. It's a tad jarring the way it's brought about, but also succeeds in its mission to create some interest in the new villain. That leaves you to just sit back and enjoy this Green Lantern title as it continues to get better and better.

I'm torn about this issue because, while it does tell you everything you need to know about Relic and why he hates all the Lanterns, it doesn't give me a reason to love him or hate him or feel much about him at all. This story is all brain and no heart. This issue is completely dedicated to Relic, yet it focuses solely on the (admittedly awesome) plot without giving much attention to the guy whose name is plastered across the front cover.

Mongul, as drawn by artist Howard Porter, is a bit taller and leaner than the Juggernaut-esque version we've become accustomed to. He must have been put on the same diet as New 52 Amanda Waller and Lobo. Again, Mongul is all talk and no action, so aside from watching him command the destruction of a planet, you won't get to see him do much. Luckily, Porter uses creative paneling and layouts to keep the story lively and moving, which helps the pacing of this history lesson type story.

Artist Alberto Ponticelli does a fine job rendering the gaunt figure of Black Hand and the undead creatures that do his bidding, from humans corpses all the way down to tiny cockroaches. While most of his character work is well-done, there's an issue with how he draws eyeballs. They are often misshapen and the whites of the eyes are far too large, giving them an unintended goofiness. There are also instances where his pencils are over-inked to the point where you might mistake Black Hand for Batman.

Artist Dale Eaglesham frames all of the flashbacks as if they were actual pages in the Book of Parallax. The etched gold borders are actually pretty cool and add a sense of weight to the story. Unfortunately, Eaglesham isn't given much to do in the way of actual storytelling and is instead tasked with creating one-page highlights. They look good for what they are, save for whenever he draws a constructs that are confusing in both form and function. And not to be too big of a stickler, but the shot of Sinestro taking out the Guardians has him in the wrong costume.

This is an incredibly solid start to the Lights Out crossover given the short amount of time the new creative teams had to get their bearings, and with Venditti at the helm, it looks poised to deliver a game-changing story that will be strongly felt in New Guardians, Green Lantern Corps, and Red Lanterns, which are all a part of this crossover. I don't want to say you need to read all of those titles in order to enjoy this story, but I will say that I have been reading them all and my investment in this story has been richer for it.

Artist Billy Tan does an excellent job as usual, delivering on the soft notes during the campfire scene as well as the fun and creative action at the end. Inker Rob Hunter does a fairly good job throughout, although there's a bugeyed Carol in one page that mars the smooth flow of the storytelling for a beat. All in all, this is a great first step for the Green Lantern franchise into uncharted territory.

Visually, this is one impressive comic book. Artist Billy Tan spares no expense when it comes to rendering all of the different aliens that make up the Corps, with special note going to Lantern Gorin-Sunn and Lantern Iath. Gorin-Sunn looks like living lava while Iath could be an Ent of the forest. They look totally awesome, but I worry for them should the two partners ever decide to high-five.

The art by Kotz is generally solid, although there are times when I couldn't fully make out his drawings, like the cramped opening pages with the pixies. He does a stellar job designing all of the Santas with different hats and suits and facial hair. The main star of the book, the Krampus, looks like what would happen if Mr. Tumnus turned into the Hulk, and I mean that in the best way possible. He's eye-catching and funny to boot, so you're always waiting for the next scene with him. By all rights, this book is so ridiculous it shouldn't work, but that's exactly why it's so much fun.

Nelson Daniel's artwork helps create the hard, realistic tone of the book. He has such skill at sequential art that his pages feel more like a movie than a comic. The opening scene hits just the right amount of humor before the violence and mayhem take over. He shows men getting killed in the worst ways without overdoing it. It's just enough to have you grimace while touching your face, thankful that it's not half burnt off.

A notable point of interest for the first Cape series was its penchant for unexpectedly gruesome violence. A bear hasn't been dropped on anyone yet, but this issue features a tense scene that earns its disturbing-factor through the pure obscurity of the situation. Even better, Ciaramella's writing somehow makes the use of an F-bomb feel like the most genuine response Captain Chase could have to his weird predicament. It's that little piece of magic that I was hoping for, and the creators have delivered.

And boy does this book get twisted, but not in a blood-and-gore type of way. That can be attributed to Sean Murphy's scratchy and engrossing linework. Snyder's mystery is no doubt what brought many readers to this book, but it's Murphy's art that sucks you in and won't let go. The way he bends reality with the more surreal elements of the book is just fantastic, and if the disturbing closing pages are any indication, things are only going to get crazier.

Even though there have been 90 issues of zombie attacks, close calls, and surprise killings, Kirkman still manages to make the tension of a possible attack ever-present. There is one panel where someone simply questions where another character is, but the way it is scripted makes the reader wonder whether the person in question is just out of sight or being eaten by a zombie. Kirkman and Adlard are coming closer to the 100 issue mark of this incredible series, yet they continue to hit their stride with every gruesome and gutsy story arc.

The backup feature attempts to add a heartfelt look at Krypto's bond with Superman throughout his adventures. The story comes off sweet enough, and it acts as a nice companion to what we learned in the main feature. Best of all, Brad Walker has done great work on this title and shows off his excellent art yet again. It's also worth mentioning Krypto's new look in both stories: instead of resembling a white Parson Russell Terrier, he now appears to be a fierce white wolf. John Snow would be jealous.

Or it would have if the backup didn't make reference to how it takes place after the events on Mars. But that snag aside, the backup by Sholly Fisch and artist Chris Sprouse creates yet another poignant tale about Superman, this time letting us in on his age and showing a touching scene that shows how this alien has great humanity. Combining this story with the main feature makes for money well spent.

The backup looks amazing with Chris Sprouse's loud and energetic artwork befitting of the fifth dimension. Sholly Fisch's gives us a take it or leave it type of tale that shows a backstory I wasn't exactly clamoring for when I finished the main feature. It starts off interesting enough but by the end the writing gets out of sync and loses the momentum it had built, like a pianist ending a song on a wrong note.

Or would have taken it. It's hard to say how any of this will play out given that Diggle isn't writing the story anymore. Even though his plot will still be used for this arc, we all know it's how a story is told that makes it great. It could very well feel like a different book once the next issue hits. Given how well Diggle is able to write Superman by harnessing his most nostalgic elements while playing to Daniel's artistic strengths, it's hard to imagine a bigger shame for the Man of Steel.

There's also a backup story about Superman's Kryptonian parents meeting for the first time, as well as the New 52 debut of a classic Superman baddie, but it suffers from the same problems as the main feature, not to mention it has the longest villain monologue in recent memory.

Superman is pompous and sarcastic, yet never endearing, while the space knights all talk like they are Americans pretending to have medieval accents at a Renaissance Fair. The narrative goes from one extreme to another: Superman throws the first punch, the aliens go from hating to loving Superman in the blink of an eye, and the villain -- who actually has a cool origin -- winds up being all smoke and no fire. Scott Lobdell also uses this issue to bring up Superman's weakness to magic, but he more just notates it instead of exploring it in any meaningful way.

Artist Mike Hawthorne makes the new Cyborg Superman look great. That big nasty robot arm looks like a world of hurt. Hawthorne does a nice job handling the flashback/flash forward nature of the story with intuitive paneling that flows seamlessly from scene to scene. Daniel Brown's color work is of note for giving the entire story an excellent visual tone and providing that extra bit of polish for each character design. Cyborg Superman's origin might be one step away from one of Jigsaw's grisly Saw games, but it sure does look pretty.

The aforementioned shot of Zod gone native is insanely good because not only does he look like a badass Lost Boy, but it speaks volumes about the man he will become. He's covered in monster hides and he's fashioned weapons out of wood and vines and fangs. He's a deadly force no matter where he is. Good on Pak for thinking it up and good on Lashley for executing it with such masterful skill.

Artist Raymund Bermudez has a no-frills art style that works well for the clean-cut lifestyle that Lex is accustomed to. Lex's icy cool gaze is rendered excellently and Bermudez puts it to use when he plays it off the feeble expressions of timid prison guards and scientists. There's one explosive double page splash in the middle of the book and it's clear that it's only there so the issue can claim to have had action, but it's confusing layout instead makes it the singular blemish on an otherwise good-looking book.

Writer Sholly Fisch does his best to clean up the character's not-so-straightforward continuity and give him a new purpose in life. The reasoning as to why they use Kryptonite as a power cell makes little sense, and the same goes for a few other key details, but overall Fisch succeeds in making the character compelling and accessible. While I will admit that the New 52 Metallo isn't exactly the most intriguing of the DCU's villains, this issue does leave him in a place where he could very well become one.

Art duties are split between Tyler Kirkham and Jesus Merino. Their styles are similar enough that the book maintains a cohesive feel, although there are a few inconsistencies along the way. It's their efforts that take this underwhelming story and give it at least a few excellent pages of art to make it worthwhile.

The use of Lana Lang was a surprise here, but a wholly welcome one. She's gutsy and funny and brave, and Pak shows how being around her helped shape Superman into the hero he is today. There's also a neat little bonus story that puts Superman's super-hearing into a new perspective that you may not have ever considered before. If these two stories are the primer for Pak's run, then consider me one happy Superman fan.

It's almost hard to describe how pleasing it is to my eyeballs to watch a Superman story by Kuder unfold. Not only does he use creative paneling to whisk you from one action-packed moment to the next, but his character designs are as precise and emotive as can be. There's a new villain called the Ghost Soldier, and not even counting his sweet ninja-commando costume, his powers make for one of the most nail-biting Superman fights I've ever seen.

I am enjoying the notion that there's not an outright villain. The ghost soldier is back, but when he shows concern for Lana's safety it lets us know that he's not some one dimensional killing machine. We also enter a den of monsters, but by the end we learn that they are more than they seem, too. Best of all, Lana is back with all the bravery of Superman but none of his powers to back it up. She's the beating heart of this book, so thank you Mr. Pak for writing one of the best iterations of the character comics has ever seen.

With Rick Remender taking over this title next month with issue #21.1, Ellis could not have gone out on a better note. His run was short but memorable for its concise tales that fleshed out different characters and emphasized the fact that this covert team had to make tough decisions that were best kept secret.

Gabriel Hardman continues to deliver extremely angled panels surrounded by copious amounts of white space to emphasize the hard-hitting action. His pencils and Bettie Breitweiser's faded color palette combine to create a style reminiscent of the fast-paced action serials of days past. The Descendants are capable of some crazy powers, and Hardman displays them with sickening, visceral detail while avoiding any real gore. Best, he delivers one of the most chilling series of facial expressions that help sell the insidious twist at the end.

The art style used by Renato Guedes has me on the fence. On one hand, his sense of detail is admirable and he gives an unfiltered look at these events. But I can't help but think some of his characters come out looking, well, ugly. This is not a dig at Guedes, but he draws with such honesty that he leaves behind the glamorous side of superheroes in favor of hard looks and lean bodies. Take that for what you will, but even though it is off-putting at first, it had grown on me by the end.

Remender loves to bring back long-forgotten elements from a character's history and make them shine again, which he does to wondrous effect with Ms. Marvel. She earns the standout moment of the issue -- although Captain Britain awkwardly enters the fray and takes the spotlight away in addition to her narration duties, but seeing how she was drafting a letter to Tony, I have zero idea how that happened. With such great writing dedicated to Ms. Marvel in this issue, it is a wonder why Remender didn't spread the love in his other effort this week, Venom #19.

Going with the idea that anything can happen in another dimension, Pak assembles a curious and hilarious cast that includes a kid Nightcrawler, a cowboy Wolverine, and a few other alternate reality X-Men -- and at one point they all wear Magneto helmets. It's most definitely silly, but it all has a sense of drama to it that will keep the reader entertained and hooked. Alternate dimension stories can be a tough sell, but Pak gives the reader a good reason to put down their money.

Mike Perkins does a great job with all of the super hero action, but a few of his portrayals of popular characters look somewhat off. His best scenes are the ones that take place in New York City. Wolverine and his contact chat at a restaurant on West 73rd St, and you can almost feel the presence of bustling waiters, kids playing with their food, and an elderly couple quietly finishing their meal. Likewise, there was never a more authentic day depicted in Bryant Park. Northstar and Kyle have their lover's quarrel amongst tall trees, a stone fountain, and people sitting in thin patio chairs. His realistic imagery goes a long way to convey the three dimensional characters Liu has so expertly crafted.

On a more meta note, did Liu give Northstar a perverse sense of justice by having Wolverine get viciously attacked on his special day? That's some wedding present.

Initially, Liu's tendency to show events out of order turned me off, but she hits her stride here and makes the flashbacks catch up to the present in a huge way. Also, her dialog has a nice touch of sentimentality to it that shows these are X-Men, but they're caring beings, too. The characters act like teammates ought to with personal jokes and chummy behavior, which goes a long way to make Liu's version of the X-Men one of the most authentic out there.

No doubt in an effort to make her characters more authentic, Liu has them conversing about their personal lives while doing extraordinary things like examining explosive nanotech worms. This worked well in previous issues, but here the wordiness of the dialogue acts as friction to the story's flow. Liu does eventually get things back on track when she has the story turn, yet again, into a twisted new direction. There might have been a wedding on a sunny day in Central Park just a few issues ago, but now Liu has delivered to the X-Men one of their darkest days.

Then there's the matter of Dean White's colors, which normally lend any artist's pencils a realistic sheen. With Romita Jr.'s style of rounded features and extra big heads, hands,and chests, White's colors only work to point out how exaggerated and not realistic his character designs are. There are times when this isn't so bad, but it is noticeable, which only makes the art that much more uneven.

The final chapter in the 13-part Black Vortex crossover story has some great moments, but a few too many unresolved plot threads stop it from feeling as satisfying as it could have been.

Ninjak's debut issue was packed with potential, but this follow-up only mines a fraction of it, making it a solid read that signals that the best is still to come.

That story has reached a quizzical place because it is hard to say where it is going. Not that it ought to be predictable, but it lacks a central focus. The mutants are adding some new and familiar faces to their group while Stryker is unfolding his as-of-yet-revealed plan, but it is hard to point to a singular thread that all of these events are tied around. Spencer is gifted at telling long-form stories and likes to plant elements early on (try reading his excellent but maddeningly mysterious Morning Glories series by Image Comics), but looking at this issue by itself without being able to see the larger picture will leave the reader wanting.

The antagonist is well-done but misses the mark, and the same could be said about the art. Medina's art quality is sound, but his style does not match the tone of the series. With shootings, self-mutilation, and beatings going down in the pages, his cartoonish pencils drain the depicted scenes of their harshness. It should also be noted that a printing error occurred on four different pages that caused the colors to appear outside of the inks, resulting in blurry images. While the error may not have occurred in every copy, it symbolizes the main issue with this series: everything is a little off.

The art team has turned in another solid effort, and this time the more cartoonish elements of Paco Medina's style have been toned down to emphasize the violent reality of this hellish conclusion. Namely, an amazing splash page that shows off just how impressive Kitty's powers can be. There are many new mutants from a giant purple slug-man to a tiny blue Hellboy to one who looks curiously like Azazel, so while the story was lacking, at least there is some interesting art to look at.

Carlo Barberi fills Paco Medina's shoes on art duties, but their styles are so similar that a reader might not even notice. Medina had a cartoony style but kept the visuals grounded, but Barberi takes liberties in certain areas; mainly, the Scarlet Witch's chest. What was once one of the more toned down Ultimate character redesigns has been transformed into a doe-eyed beauty with proportions exaggerated enough to make Betty Boop jealous.

While the story is a vast improvement, the art has stayed the same, which is not a terrible thing. Carlos Barberi creates a cast of energetic characters operating in some cool settings -- the floating city and a cargo ship out at sea -- which does well to convey the story, but his details are off. Jean's face looks inconsistent throughout the issue, and the intended flow of action from moment to moment is unclear. All in all, despite any misgivings, this title's quality seems to be on the rise.

Paco Medina does a stellar job with the big shots in this issue. When he focuses on characters up close, there is a lack of detail that make his drawings come off as bland. But the gigantic Sentinels have never looked better. As they tower over the mutant camp, the intricacies in their metallic structure can be seen, making them look both dangerous and awe-inspiring. He even adds a nice touch to the image: a pigeon roosting on one robot's giant eye socket.

On the visual side of things, artist Alvaro Martinez does a nice job of rendering everything from bountiful Tian to the wastes of Utopia. He has a wonderfully simple yet evocative style that plays to the nuances of Wood's writing. There are a few panels where Kitty's eyes and facial features look off due to the coloring and inking, which is strange because just about everyone else looks spot-on.

Paco Medina's style previously did not jive with the serious tone of this series, but now he has got it right. His pencils look sharper and more subdued, allowing him to play up the emotions in his characters without getting into cartoony territory. A huge asset to the improved look of this book is Marte Garcia, who paints a gloomy and bleak landscape. A few panels appear too murky and lose some detail, but overall the refined look of this series matches Wood's dreary script to a tee.

Simply put, I'm loving every bit of this comic book right now. The lax limitations of the Ultimate universe have allowed Wood to create a scenario where the mutant plight has been multiplied ten-fold. These truly feel like the end times where if someone doesn't do something quick, then mutants will cease to exist. Kitty's determination to lead her race to victory drives the story forward with a page-turning tension that'll have you lapping up the story like a thirsty dog.

Pencilers Carlo Barberi and Agustin Padilla work together to strike a wonderful balance for this issue. The opening battle has visuals unlike any mutant battle I've ever seen before, helped generously by Marte Gracia's colors that paint the setting in bleak hues that let the vibrant mutant powers pop on the page. The artists do an excellent job, especially on my favorite page that features Kitty's version of a Fastball Special.

Kitty has not been written to be such a compelling character since Joss Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men. She leads with a cool head and strong conviction, dealing with the dissent within the ranks in a surprisingly reasonable manner. The rest of the cast is dotted with unique personalities and questionable loyalties, making the whole situation as dicey as can be. As amazing as can be, too.

Kitty Pryde carries this book in a way that would make Joss Whedon proud. He's the last guy to do her this much justice, even though that was back in the 616 universe, yet her indomitable spirit has been carried across universes and publishing imprints alike. Mach Two's followers are there to hamper Kitty at every turn whether she's trying to secure their reservation or just find a way to feed everyone. President Captain America had an interesting effect on the X-Men, so now that Tony Stark has shown up, I'm even more stoked to see what changes he brings to the table.

Carlo Barberi returns to pencilling the entire issue by himself and the title is better for it. There are a few problems with how he details wide shots, but the consistency he otherwise brings to his character work is much appreciated. Colorist Jesus Aburtov does a great job making the backgrounds into night skies with a nice navy blue to black gradient and adding pop to the huge, huge explosions.

Barberi opens the book with a scene that not only gives an exciting dose of action, but symbolically shows the relationship between Storm and Colossus. He really has his work cut out for him after that, with many pages detailing a quiet escape into the woods. He depicts sleepless nights and desolate landscapes in a way that will make you weary just flipping through the pages. This one-off flashback puts a much-wanted spotlight on everyone's favorite mohawked mutant, and now we can see just why she's a rebel with a cause.

Wood tells his story in a series of vignettes that each help to sculpt the political and social nature of Utopia, a place which becomes more and more like its namesake with each passing issue. The X-Men have become rulers of their own nation, and it feels more authentic than it ever did in the main Marvel Universe and their island version of Utopia. The lax limitations of the Ultimate Universe free its stories from continuity, the bindings of too many crossovers, and the status quo changes of other writers -- and Ultimate Comics X-Men is all the better for it.

Mahmud Asrar's pencils look pretty great. Some of his female characters have a case of Disney-eyes, but other than that he uses his clean style to create visually distinct characters in practical costumes. The coloring of Kitty's clothes -- or lack thereof -- creates a strange visual given that the rest of the book uses traditional coloring techniques, but that is a minor distraction amongst a whole book of solid visuals.

Artist Mahmud Asrar makes another excellent showing with his simple-yet-effective style. I'm still not loving Kitty's solid white shirt with no details drawn in, but aside from that every other character design looks top notch. There's a nice simplicity to it all. No one wears a costume or a mask. They're just refugees with the bodies of supermodels.

Mahmud Asrar kicks it into high gear this issue to bring the visuals in this Natural Resources arc to fever pitch. The battle between Psylocke and Jean is beyond amazing, plus you'll be surprised when a certain someone busts out some hardcore martial arts moves. It's all very visceral and impactful in a way that you don't always get in superhero comics. Asrar really shows the wear and tear on the characters; his punches and kicks and gunshots will make you wince. By the end of the issue, you'll feel emotionally and physically exhausted, which I imagine is just as Wood and Asrar intended.

Artist Mahmud Asrar keeps up his usual high quality work, although not without a few odd faces for Jean Grey here and there. But his jungle Rogue and Starscream-esque Farbird look amazing in every sense of the word. He has an excellent style that uses lean character designs and simple yet effective facial work. He also knows how to go big and elaborate, like we see on the gorgeous page featuring Tian. Overall, his artwork fits well into the feel of the other Ultimate Comics book while still maintaining its own identity that works quite well for mutantkind.

Alvaro Martinez takes the art reins and does a pretty solid job. He is absolutely gifted at drawing the various flowers, trees, and vines that grow around Utopia. You can practically smell the forest air as you flip through the pages. I noticed that Blackheath's hair changed from green to blonde, which is either an error or an unexplained change, both of which are nothing more than mildly annoying. Also, it is very nice to see Colossus back in the picture with his glorious steel muscles. They have been missed.

Artist Alvaro Martinez works well with Wood's thoughtful storytelling sensibilities. The opening where a mountain lion approaches Kitty Pryde in the forest plays just the right notes -- solace, surprise, danger, understanding, calm -- and the same can be said for the rest of the issue. The Storm versus Farbird battle takes place in a raging storm, but that doesn't stop Martinez from making it clear and exciting.

Artist Alvaro Martinez spares no expense on this conclusion to World War X. His settings are absolutely gorgeous. Whether he's drawing the lust forest of Utopia, Jean's fiery powers, or the crumbling Tian, it all looks spectacular. He also has a great subtly about his character work. He can make the characters speak with their eyes and their body posture in addition to the world balloons coming out of their mouths. This was an amazing looking issue that makes for a fine endnote to a highly enjoyable series.

That said, this issue has all the shenanigans one would expect from a book where the plot concerns Captain America's Bucky Bear being stolen by Cyclops, inciting a silly neighborhood brawl between both teams. All of the expected characters show up for the fight, but I was taken aback by the inclusion of a few currently deceased characters such as Nightcrawler and Banshee. If anything, their inclusion cements the fact that this book completely ignores all manner of continuity in the service of fun, and in that regard, A-Babies vs. X-Babies is a resounding success.

But -- and this is a Nicki Minaj-sized but -- the idea of children killing each other in stories like The Hunger Games and Battle Royale was for political and social satire in order to make us look at the world differently, and it is that notion that will make or break this series. As it stands, Arcade has created this deathmatch simply because he likes to watch people die. Does Hopeless have some bigger ideas behind Avengers Arena? Or is he just going to make us watch our favorite teen heroes kill each other to cash in on the popularity of other franchises? It's hard to say now, but in the meantime, Arcade makes a statement that Avengers Arena is a deadly place to be, and by the last page you will be convinced that this series has taken the kid gloves off.

Again earning this book a bulk of its score is artist Kev Walker. With the support of a solid inker and some talented colorists, Walker brings Avengers Arena to life. Everything from his layered paneling to his use of white space to his execution of big moments all work together to make an impressive looking comic book. These kids look as depressed as s*** and Walker will make you feel like you're one of them huddled around a campfire not knowing why you're probably about to die.

Walker's art has made this series look beyond amazing from the beginning, so you'd be right to get nervous with someone else filling in. Luckily, Vitti does a bang-up job with this issue and is kept in the same visual ballpark as Walker with some help from series colorist Frank Martin. Vitti is tasked with conveying a lot of information with numerous quick flashbacks, and each one does its job well. If Hopeless keeps this up, then by the end of the first arc he will have proved all of the naysayers wrong, myself included.

With a diverse cast featuring characters of different races, body types, and genders, Walker makes Avengers Arena reflect our real world more than a great deal of other books not set exclusively in a death arena. With this series alongside Young Avengers, Marvel's teen-oriented comics have rarely been stronger.

No matter how conflicted the story may make you, you'll feel no such thing for artist Kev Walker's absolutely stunning pages. The latter half of the book has some crazy moments that are sold by Walker's visceral details. The look on Katy's face as she went bloodthirsty made my stomach drop. You might not agree with the path Avengers Arena is taking, but it's hard to argue that it makes you feel something every time.

For Arcade's birthday, he invites a bunch of villains to party at his place. This is by far the best part of the issue. Seeing Batroc the Leaper chatting with the likes of Taskmaster and Constrictor is beyond amazing, and it's a shame Hopeless didn't mine more material out of the scene. Also notable is Arcade's female assistant. While I enjoyed her no nonsense characterization, it's a stretch of the imagination even in comic book world for this woman to be able to assemble an assortment of weapons so dangerous that Arcade could go toe-to-toe with Thor in such a short period of time, especially without the likes of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers taking notice.

The usually stellar Kev Walker turns in a mixed bag this month. His linework isn't nearly as crisp and detailed as it normally is, to the point where I thought another artist had taken over for this issue. There are some good bits, namely the scene in the desert, but aside from that things look a little rough. So Avengers Arena has some flaws that are plain to see, but it's such an addicting read because of its failures as much as its successes, and therefore I have to say that I do recommend it.

Watching the kids try and decide what to do with Tim is the biggest source of drama for the issue. A few of the characters gave interesting arguments, but at least one acted out of character, which was the start of some odd behavior. For instance, Katy killed Juston but left Nico alive. This seems in direct opposition to her crazy murderous ways. Although, maybe it's a good thing she acted out of character for some soon-to-be-revealed reason, otherwise she'd have gone all Rambo on everyone and this series would be over.

The only major element this issue suffers from is the loss of Kev Walker on art. Riccardo Burchielli does a solid job as his replacement, but there are more than a few panels that look downright awkward thanks to an attempt at a stylistic image totally missing the mark. But aside from those, Burchielli manages to bring it home in the end and deliver one heck of an ending for Hopeless' whiplash narrative.

This is somewhat of a "catch your breath" issue where the regrouped characters pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and assess the situation. They have a true villain amongst themselves in Apex, so the complexity of both their relationship with each other and with Arcade gets a new dynamic. This all forms around Hazmat's breakdown, which allows us to see these teens actually acting like heroes more so than we've seen thus far. Not in the saving someone from a burning building sense, but in the way that inspires others to do good by helping each other.

A great deal of this issue is action, but it's the good kind where your stomach does a backflip every time the tide of the battle changes. The nonstop action reminds me of an episode of Samurai Jack, where you could watch him chop up robots for days because it was all so well done. We also spy in on Arcade after a noticeable absence, and what we see there will provide the other talking point for this issue. It's been hard to judge this series, but this one is a clear winner.

Artist Karl Moline does a good job depicting the many talking heads of this issue without making it all appear too static. There are several instances where his pencils are over-inked, causing characters to have funny looking faces, namely Wolverine, but nothing so bad that it hurts the overall presentation. The script has a few moments that are intended to be surprises, but they seem added in in an attempt to generate excitement in an otherwise very talky issue. Moline does his best to make the moments work, and he succeeds quite admirably in the full page shot that takes place in Arcade's lair. You'll know the one because it's awesome.

If you were similarly stranded on a desert island, the number one thing you'd need to survive, after a satellite phone and some water, would be Walker's art on this series.

Kev Walker is again absent. Why can't we get more consecutive issues out of this guy? He's one of the best artists working today and the main draw of this series. Artist Karl Moline does a fine job filling in with a style that is in line with Walker's, but it's not as good as the real thing. To be fair, Moline has some excellent layouts and paneling that pick up as the momentum of the story reaches its surprise conclusion. Two more!

Continued in the back is the story of Billy Batson, who has still yet to become Shazam. Johns is deliberately taking his time developing Billy's character. He might be a foul little boy, but he is nonetheless entertaining to read. Gary Frank delivers another excellent round of small character moments that hit everywhere from sadness to disgust to awe-inspiring. Backup stories can be hit or miss, and a lot of the time they are an unwanted addition used to justify a higher price tag, but having the origin of Shazam in the back of Justice League for $3.99 is one heck of a deal, making it one of the most exciting and economical buys each month.

Justice League has its notable flaws, but watching Johns put these big superhero personalities in the same room has never proved to be a dull affair. He mines the dysfunctional team for fun and laughs despite the dire nature of the plot. The mystery of Graves becomes more clear as the team learns that he and his family were stricken with a sickness back when they fought Darkseid. The sickness has yet to be revealed, but I put my money on Stage Four MacGregor's Syndrome.

While the second Justice League arc did not impress beyond imagination, it had some solid moments towards the end. The final pages from Ivan Reis and David Finch offer up some super-teaser images accompanied by some tantalizing copy. Those preview pages put a smile on my face because they evoked the comic advertising tactics from an era long past. Johns' penchant for teasing has left me wanting to see what happens next in the worst way.

Jeff Lemire joins Johns as co-writer on the backup, On the Outs, which features Steve Trevor sulking in a bar over losing Wonder Woman and his job. It sets up Justice League of America #1 and adequately answers a few lingering questions close readers may have had. Brad Walker knocks the art out of the park like he has done in more New 52 backups than I can count. Why isn't he the regular series artist on Justice League?

This issue actually isn't all that bad, especially considering the still top-notch Shazam backup, but it's nowhere near the strength of its start.

Ivan Reis -- with some help from Paul Pelletier -- has the unenviable job of coordinating a huge sea/land battle featuring more heroes than you can shake a decoder ring at. Sometimes this results in overly busy pages like the first splash page. I'm tempted to say Ocean Master is the focal point of that image, but he's lost in the mix. And is Firestorm getting knocked away or is he flying awkwardly on his side? There's a ton of action that gets crammed into these pages, which allows for a particularly gorgeous full-page shot of pure payoff later on. The story and the art could have both come out a mess, but it all works together despite itself to end Throne of Atlantis with every bit of promise that it started with.

Those events in the imaginary war-torn Middle Eastern country of Kahndaq subtly tie into yet another slam-dunk Shazam chapter. Justice League has had its ups and downs, but Shazam has consistently been an engrossing, magical, and often times humorous story drawn by the ever-impressive Gary Frank. Johns authentically writes Billy as a child who shies away from the burden of responsibility -- and with good reason, have you seen Black Adam? -- and also one whose rash rush to solve his problem can only be explained by youthful exuberance.

There are so many moving parts to this series that it's hard to judge it all at the outset. It's not as dramatically personal as Identity Crisis, but it's off to a better start than Avengers vs. X-Men. It's more accessible than Final Crisis, even though it's missing a clear source of conflict like Civil War. This might not be a line-wide event like those stories were, but it's definitely got the scope and talent of one.

From that point, the story jumps from beat to beat so quickly that it loses focus. The narrator talks about the rise of Darkseid and how he came upon the Justice League, but it's all too vague and rushed to make a whole lot of sense. The changeup in the story can be felt in the art by Paulo Siqueira and Netho Diaz, as well. The opening pages are crammed with rich detail and epic scope, whereas the latter half is a blur of images that vary wildly in quality from page to page. Pak definitely has some great Darkseid material here, but nowhere near enough space to fit it all in.

Star Wars: Shattered Empire delivers a more steady and hard-edged story than any of Marvel's other Star Wars comics. Rucka commands the tone with honest and charming dialogue as lovers Shara and Kes grapple with post-war trials and tribulations. Despite a few quibbles with the coloring, the art is rather spectacular. Chechetto's gives a lesson in how space battles ought to be done, full of glorious action and thrilling momentum. While this comic doesn't answer every question you have about what happened after Return of the Jedi, it also doesn't promise to. What it does promise is a wartime romance story that makes sparing us of the original cast and subtly guides us to The Force Awakens, and so far it delivers in spades. Plus, the creative team makes Ewoks undeniably endearing, so there's that.

Star Wars: Shattered Empire takes a nosedive in its second issue. While the spaceship battles are still glorious to behold and the dread of war is felt throughout, focusing too much on Princess Leia, introducing a cartoonish doomsday scheme, and a few stumbles with the art stop it from maintaining the high quality of the first issue.

Star Wars: Shattered Empire returns to the greatness of its first issue, delivering an entertaining issue with sharp plot twists and fun character dynamics. The art is strong in this one, filling the reader with a rush of energy as battles are waged on the ground and in space. All that, plus a neat Phantom Menace reference, make this a fine penultimate chapter to Shattered Empire.

While it is nice to see that Luke is on a mission to restore the Jedi Order, it comes at the cost of Shara's character development, much like in previous chapters. We see her succeed in her missions thanks to her astonishing expertise, but we don't get that emotional hook that ties it all together. She's actually so good at everything, from flying to fighting to impersonating an Imperial officer, that there winds up being little tension or suspense to her story. The idea of Shara acting as a window through which we get to catch up with Han, Luke and Leia isn't so bad in the grand scheme of things, but it's hard not to finish reading Shattered Empire wishing her character was a little more fleshed out.

As S.H.I.E.L.D. attempts to attack The City, an explosive battle unfolds involving helicarriers, mech suits, and nuclear warheads. The scripting takes the reader in close so they feel every bombardment, gunshot, and hammer swing. Esad Ribic is the reason all of this works so well. He fills the pages with such dynamic action that each panel crackles with kinetic energy. With all he does right, Tony Stark looks eerily gleeful in one panel, while Nick Fury loses his confident demeanor a few times, transforming him into a scared little boy. It feels wrong to see Fury so afraid; he ought to look distressed and troubled, which is more in line with the man in charge we have come to know and love. Regardless, the art is as high caliber as the story, which has raised the stakes to inconceivable heights.

As far as the Ultimate Comics line goes, this is by far the best title. It continues to defy the conventions of the 616 Marvel Universe by reinventing characters and altering the status quo in ways that literally change the world. The direction of Ultimate Comics X-Men is curious, while Spider-Man's is a steady stream of solid issues, but Ultimates has risen to a place where the best elements of sci-fi and super heroes have combined into an unforgettable tale.

With all the doom and gloom of the plot, Hickman still manages to create a few moments of humor. Thor's take on reality TV is enough to earn a big laugh, and the back-and-forth between Spider-Woman and Captain Britain is equally funny. It is the small moments between the super heroics where Hickman truly shines. That is where he adds flavorful character moments and injects personality into his story so that when the action starts up, the reader is truly invested in his lifelike creations.

This is yet another excellent chapter in Hickman's run on the Ultimates. He has truly embraced the lax limitations on the Ultimate universe and exploited them to their fullest extent. Characters get to act on their extreme inhibitions, the status quo shifts wildly from issue to issue, and consequences have long-lasting effects. Almost every issue ends with a surprise that could never happen in the regular Marvel Universe, which at this point seems cool, but it is scary to think of what the world will be like once Hickman has finished waging his superhero war.

This is a slower chapter compared to the insane events of the past few issues, but it nonetheless entertains with tight dialogue and the continual development of a world-altering plot.

Luke Ross has his moments throughout this issue, namely the opening Giant-woman entrance and the closing image that I won't spoil here, but the pages in between have a few problems -- namely, his characters suffer from a serious case of wood-face. Because of this, the page that Hawkeye calls "an honest-to-God inspirational moment with a living legend" looks anything but. With a little more emphasis on developing the characters both in terms of writing and art, this title could very well reach the level it strives for.

Also, despite this being a new creative team, it's not the easiest jumping on point for new or lapsed readers. There's a lot of information thrown at you about the Infinity Gems, but you are asked to swallow so much of it without proper development that not all of it sticks.

Speaking of villains, this evil version of Reed was creepy enough with the giant tumor-brain thing going on, but watching multiple hands protrude out of his body to work an array of computers is downright sickening. From the guy who wrote Echoes, I'd expect nothing less.

Fialkov definitely has some big ideas about the Ultimate Infinity Gems, but the breakneck pacing and the uneven art hinder what he's trying to do. He also introduces the Ultimate version of a few well-known Marvel characters, but their presence only adds to the overstuffed nature of this storyline. Everything he's doing here could easily fill up a couple graphic novels instead of a few issues, leaving this as a haphazard story that could have been a whole lot better.

Di Giandomenico has the unenviable task of squeezing quite a bit of story into an issue already jam packed with a huge cast of characters. The result is row after row of narrow panels that struggle to clearly convey what's going on. There are a few big money shots, the best one being Thor in his new Stark armor, but with the story being so overstuffed, we never actually get to see him use it.

Greg Land's layouts sync excellently with Gillen's script to deliver eye-popping visuals on the narration beats. Helmet-maneuver aside, the fight between Magneto and super robot could have been more interesting than just a few missile deflections, but the battle ends on a great unexpected image. More than anything, Land has done a great job of showing the X-Men using their powers in creative ways that make the art as intriguing as Gillen's story.

Tabula Rasa has become a strange place with an energy pyramid, green tribal people, and forests with purple trees. Greg Land gives it all an obscure alien beauty with echoes from our own world. Bad-Apex's art chamber is supposed to show how he reached the apex of creative art, which is revealed to be a suspended glob of Gak and a giant crystalline abacus. I do not claim to understand modern art, so I will rest assured that in 65 million years, at least that will have stayed the same.

Greg Land continues to offer up impressive realistic visuals that make each mutant look their best. His superb work on each character's facial expressions does wonders to help sell the emotional beats hit throughout the issue. The top moment goes to the aforementioned scene involving Namor and a certain sea monstress, and if it does not make you go "Ick! Ick! Ick!" then nothing will.

Greg Land is a big part of why the battles in this book were so good. When Namor attacks Luke Cage underwater, the resulting explosion of water is incredible. You can feel the immense power of the hit. Same goes for poor Sunspot, who gets clocked so hard he flies over the other panels on the page. Even with all the action going on, he knows how to slow down just in time to deliver some unbelievably hilarious reaction shots. His art combines with Gillen's consistently entertaining writing to produce one of the better AvX tie-ins out there.

Dustin Weaver's pencils are sound, but it's Jim Charalampidis's faded color palette that sets the excellent Victorian-era look for the book. An issue featuring the brightly colored battles of the X-Men might not have worked as well in this style, but the open countryside and sprawling Sinister London have a painterly look to them that show the influences of Sinister's mindset on his new world. Melded with this dated look are sparse instances of glowing futuristic technology which all work well, save for the the journalist's coat. It looks like he stole it off the set of Tron: Legacy.

Daniel Acuna's painterly work always looks great, but a few of the liberties he takes with the character designs don't always work. Doesn't Namor suddenly bear a striking resemblance to Hammerhead? Given the colossal nature of the battle, his work on the big moments make this a beautiful book to buy. Even in the hubbub of the battle, he still manages to work in a few humorous moments. Emma asks, "Is there nothing the vile man won't turn into a weapon?" After seeing which barnyard animal he turns into an explosive device, I'd wager not.

Ron Garney does a fair job at rendering the events of the story, but at times his linework becomes too erratic and saps the sharpness from his drawings. There are a few standout moments, namely Colossus's Juggernaut rage-out and Scott's last two pages, but a lot of the smaller moments do not look as good as the big ones. While this issue does have a tidbit of interesting content, it ultimately becomes just another victim to the nature of event crossovers: you can hint at something cool that happens, but only the main event title gets to show it.

Artist David LaFuente does a cartoonier version of his already cartoony style for this story, which fits the tone nicely. This comic moves at breakneck speed and he makes it easy to follow with his expressive characters and intuitive paneling. I found myself enjoying the small details the most: the "Hellcat doesn't like mornings" coffee cup, the cute animal apron Cap wears to serve dinner, and the personal items that surround Bruce, Tony, and Natalia as they relax.

If you have a problem with stories that use deus ex machina, then this issue will drive you up the wall. I rather liked it because while a god-like force did save the day, the mysterious person behind the mask made it more interesting than a simple wave of the hand. With the main movie cast team and the extended team established in the first two issues, this chapter allows them to interact as a whole unit for the first time. The result is a surprisingly personal and humorous affair that clicks the final piece of this series into place: it's heart.

The actual story here feels like a throwaway used to showcase what Smasher can do and where she came from. On that level it works pretty well. Although, with any Hickman story it is safe to bet that this seemingly insignificant tale will have bigger ramifications down the line. Taking into consideration how this story connects the Avengers more intricately to the cosmic part of the Marvel universe along with Marvel's teaser for their Free Comic Book Day offering, it definitely gives you a reason to get excited.

Avengers #8 and the past few issues have suffered from being part of a long game setup -- heavy on secondary characters alluding to science-y stuff and light on character work featuring the main team -- but that doesn't excuse its shortcomings as periodic entertainment. What good is going on a long journey if you don't get to enjoy yourself along the way?

On the art side of things, Dustin Weaver makes a strong showing by delivering some excellent storytelling. His pages have a nice flow to them, and he knows when to go in for a detailed shot and pull back to showcase the action of the scene. It's a tad jarring when Mike Deodato steps in to deliver just a handful of pages -- his overly muscular builds and almost three-dimensional shading are hard to miss -- but overall the visuals hold up nicely.

Mike Deodato does a good job detailing the strange and admittedly creepy quarantine zone. There's strange vegetation, ruined buildings, and odd little yellow men. His gift for facial nuances help him sell the one funny moment of the book between Falcon and Captain America, but that's not enough to unhinge you from the dreary atmosphere this book pulls you into.

Artist Mike Deodato does a stellar job with the casino scenes. The body language, the facial expressions, the visual gags -- all executed with expert craftsmanship. Only the Shang-Chi parts had any snags. There's one page where he's fighting some ninjas and then he seems to have been struck, yet we don't see what happened and instead get a shot of the Chimera dude standing still. Aside from that, this is a great looking issue, it's just unfortunate that it's tone and subject matter stick out like a sore thumb when compared to previous issues of this series.

Nick Spencer joins Jonathan Hickman on writing duties for this issue. Truth be told, I couldn't even tell that he was on this issue. That's a good thing, right? It's always hard to tell which parts came from which writer in these types of situations, but the good news is the the dialogue hits hard, the pacing is great, and the message of this two-part story rings loud and clear by the end. This series has admittedly been hit or miss for me because it's being told in such a disjointed manner, but this is definitely a chapter I can get behind.

Artist Stefano Caselli is a beast on this issue. His style is more in line with Jerome Opena's -- the artist on the first, second, and third issues who got this series off to an epic start -- and the title is better for it. With such heavy burdens on the characters, it only seems right that the artwork evoke such momentous imagery. Everything from the eerie opening pages to the scenes of the heroes working together to save people are glorious to behold, making this a fitting prologue to what looks to be quite the big event.

While I did enjoy the plot development quite a bit, it began to ring a tad hollow because the story lacks a sense of heart -- a problem that can be traced back all the way to issue #1. The machinations of a universe-sized plot have overshadowed the people involved in it. Hawkeye and Black Widow have an exchange, but there's nothing there to make you truly care about them, and the same can be said for almost everyone else. This story is a lot better now that it has a clear focus, but it still has some work to do on the character front.

Pieces being set up is to be expected in a prelude issue, but only if it also creates an upswing in momentum towards the big event. If I asked you what Infinity was about based solely on what you read in this series, you wouldn't have any real idea. That makes it hard to say this was a true prelude at all. Certainly not a successful one.

Comic readers are right to be wary of tie-ins to big events because it's hard to tell whether it will be a loosely connected story cashing in on the event name, or actual required reading. With Infinity being seeded as far back as the first issue of Hickman's run, the Avengers tie-ins have a natural, intimate connection to the event. If you dug Infinity #1, then you won't want to miss this one.

Aside from that, Yu delivers an issue full of impressive looking aliens and epic shots of armadas floating in space. His grim visual tone fits the perilous nature of Jonathan Hickman's plot to a tee. With the main narrative of Infinity being rather broad and sweeping, this Avengers tie-in shows a closer look at the intergalactic politics and personal conversations between the likes of Captain America, Gladiator, and J-Son. Even better, mysteries that have been brewing ever since Avengers #1 are becoming more and more clear. With Hickman's longform writing style, that is a godsend.

As a matter of consistency, it seemed strange for the Alephs to go down with a single hit when at the beginning of this series it took the whole team to bring down just one. But Leinil Francis Yu draws the action so well that it's hard to complain. His imagery reeks of sci-fi epicness, making it a perfect fit for the likes of the muscular Gladiator, the giant Jabba the Hutt head that is the Supreme Intelligence, and the gathering of the Gardeners.

Artist Leinil Francis Yu does no wrong this issue. The best sequence comes when the Annihilation Wave is unleashed against a fleet of Builder ships. Yu makes it feel like someone kicked a beehive and stepped in an ant pile at the same time as countless insectoid creatures swarm about in space. So while Infinity hit a snag this time around, at least we got that.

The best part of this chapter has got to be when Eden expresses his doubts about the mission and Captain Marvel and Captain America give him a talk about how there is no fate and that it's only his choices that matter. Then after they leave, Thor -- a God among men, mind you -- lets him know that destiny has brought him to this upcoming battle. It's a great juxtaposition of ideas and by exploring both of them Jonathan Hickman manages to steer clear of cheesy-inspirational-talk territory and instead delivers something realistic and fantastical at the same time.

Artist Leinil Francis Yu shines best when he's draws spaceships dogfighting and heroes throwing punches, of which this issue has a lot of. I still get a kick out of heroes like Hawkeye and Spider-Woman going out to space to shoot arrows at ships and -- I don't know -- zap them with spider-powers? At least the Falcon looks awesome as he does it in an awesomely designed pterodactyl space suit.

The art by Andre Lima Araujo is a slam dunk. His lighter stylings go with the humorous tone of the script, allowing him to express various emotions at a whim and deliver bombastic action scenes with bountiful energy. A big credit is due to Frank D'Armata, whose colors accent Araujo's pencils to help achieve a fun and vibrant atmosphere. This is a great looking book that has a lot to offer in the visuals department.

How much you enjoy Convergence: Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes #1 will greatly depend on your nostalgia for the characters -- you'll either be weeping as they touch on the highs and lows that the team has faced, or you'll just wonder what all these Lads and Lasses are doing in such funny costumes.

Mark Bagley continues to perform well on art. I get the feeling he was saving his creative energies up while on Avengers Assemble, because everything here has been drawn tenfold better. The characters look like they have the buoyant spirits they are written with -- except lies-to-his-family Reed Richards -- although sometimes the adults look way too young. Save for the mysterious teleporting monkey, Bagley turns in a well-executed issue.

The five chapters do not tell a linear story as much as they jump around in time to reveal character motivations and the like. Chapter two by far earns the award for the most intriguing entry as it divulges how the Rogues went from criminals with super powered weapons to criminals with actual super powers. Captain Cold becomes the compelling backbone of this chapter and most of the others, so while this was a fine comic book, it means the Scarlet Speedster has some catching up to do.

Williams has taken his story in an unexpected direction that delivers enjoyable action, plot twists, and zombie jokes. Though this installment stumbles a bit in the art department, the new Ghost Rider series is shaping up to be an entertaining ride.

Artist Fernando Pasarin luckily gets to tell a more focused story that doesn't involve page after page of numerous Lanterns squished into each panel. He definitely doesn't skimp on the bloody violence that opens the issue, but he also delivers the best work I've seen from him when Guy has a tense scene with his father. It reminded me of the scene in Hook when Jack smashes dozens of clocks in spite of his father; with each strike you feel the emotion break free like the glass that fills the air.

While this issue had potential to be the perfect jumping-on point, it falls just short of it. Regardless, the result is a solid start to another GLC arc by Tomasi, and with Parasin's artwork, it looks like it is going to be good.

Fernando Pasarin's ability to draw evil ninjas and formidable corps members is strong, so it is a delightful surprise to see he is equally adept at drawing innocent creatures on alien worlds. Innocent and cute! I thought last issue's blue toothy manatee people were unparalleled in their adorableness, but here he shows off a new race that looks like a cross between your favorite puppy and a fuzzy chipmunk, which makes it that much more sad when they come under attack. He has developed a great visual style with many different elements, yet they all work together to create a nuanced universe of seemingly infinite possibilities.

Guest artist Geraldo Borges does a fine job of taking over pencil duties from Fernando Pasarin, although he does lack some of Pasarin's smooth character work. A treat of the GLC title has always been getting to see strange and wondrous new Lanterns, and here Borges does not disappoint. There is one that looks like a dragon, another that could be The Fly, and – my favorite – one that is nothing more than a ball of fire with the GL logo shimmering within its gaseous form. Tomasi did promise lots of action, and he certainly has delivered, but it feels like too much. Dialing back the action would be a welcome change, at least long enough to introduce that fire-Lantern properly.

Fernando Pasarin gets some points for the close up of the stripped-down captured enemy with his see-through form that puts his bare bones and eyeballs on display. It is a good thing they left his pants on. He also delivers on a stunning shot of the Emerald Plains that would send chills of excitement and dread down the spine of any Green Lantern fan.

The book keeps up its solid quality art. Despite any misgivings about the members of the Mean Machine, Fernando Pasarin does a great job of establishing their dark tone with a full-page introductory shot. Also impressive is the leader of the Keepers, who looks like a cross between Emperor Palpatine and Skeletor. As far as villains go, that is a big compliment.

Fernando Pasarin delivers in a big way with the extended battle scene. There is so much going on that it makes the reader feel stuck right in the middle of the fight with bullets, energy swords, and body parts flying everywhere. One continuity error caught my eye: in the first battle splash page, Bronchuk has a construct-arm, but his real arm does not get cut off until the next page. This does not make or break the issue, but it adds to the aforementioned problem of this issue feeling messier than it should.

Fernando Pasarin puts forth a solid effort with his pencils, but due to the flawed coloring of Gabe Eltaeb, the artwork does not match the high caliber of the story. Most of the pages feature so much green that characters become indecipherable from one another. Lots of green is expected in a Green Lantern book, but I can't recall having been this overwhelmed by it before. The book is starving for visual diversity. In fact, pages in the Planetary Citadel stand out as the best in the book simply because they utilize a wide variety of purples, blacks, and blues.

Tomasi's script delves deep to provide excellent discussion on the merits of Jon's execution and the ramifications it will have on the Guardians, the Alphas, and the Corps as a whole. Under all of this is a vague hint that there is more going on than meets the eye, but here's hoping that Tomasi sticks to his guns and reaches a satisfying conclusion to what has been his strongest arc, which means not resorting to magically bringing Kirrt back to life or somehow erasing John's crime.

I am pleased with the direction that Peter J. Tomasi is taking this story because it is wholly unexpected. John and Guy Gardner return to a location familiar to anyone who read War of the Green Lanterns, and revisiting this mysterious locale to explore further is what fuels the excitement. The only thing missing is reconnecting with a certain creature who dwells there. Maybe he hightailed it because he noticed the Guardians are deviously standing by and watching their Corps tear itself apart. Tomasi continues to develop the smaller scale conflicts along with the overarching plot featuring the Guardians that ties all of the Green Lantern titles together, making this an unmissable series for any Green Lantern fan.

The crux of this story is whether or not John is guilty of murder and what charges he must face. The power-corrupted Alphas sentenced him to death, but even though they were thwarted, that doesn't let John off the hook. The evidence against him is still out there, plain as day. Tomasi may be planning to resolve the conflict later on, but if that is the case then he failed to provide an appropriate cue to the reader that that is the case.

Artist Fernando Pasarin does a solid job throughout this issue, excelling most when we get to see his settings, such as Oa's buildings and the interiors of Guy's garage. As I've said before about his work in previous issues, some of his pages look too busy during the action scenes. It's safe to say that the opening splash page did not need to have every single piece of the shattered construct to be visible.