Joshua Williamson is a great storyteller, and the pieces that have been woven together, little by little, are finally starting to shape something tangible. The lead up has been intriguing if not fast-paced, but I promise, this is the issue where your focus will finally pay off. That said, if it's been a minute since you read #1-3, you'll thank yourself for rereading them so you can jump right back in without all the "oh yeah" and "wait, when did that happen" stuff.

The main flaws I see in this issue are the parents. They are the least interesting, realistic, and believable characters of the series, but development over time could help flesh them out more and make them as engaging as the others. And not to repeat myself, but the last panel. You guys, the last panel. Its a gorgeous splash, and its everything. Its absolutely responsible for why Im so mad about waiting two months for the next installment.

The art isstunning, with vibrant colors by Cris Peters and bold textures from Valentine De Landro. The dramatic differences in style and palette between Bitch Planet and the home world are wonderful" the home world is done in a much more traditional house line style, and the palette is a little more muted, while the ACO is awash with white screens and faded, almost-transparent backdrops, lending it an air of the surreal in the face of its brutality.

Bitch Planet might not be your cup of tea, but it is radical and it is important. You should be picking it up.

Because of the weird Gatsby party vibe, it's crucial for Moon's art to straddle 1920's decadence and slightly more modern spy grit, which he accomplishes by meeting somewhere in the middle" there's a very 60's feel to a lot of the textures, implying that Quinn is very much a man out of time in golden Hollywood.

So far this book has gotten better with every issuenot that after 2 issues thats a reasonable track record, but the way it is developing is engaging with the overall story and as a monthly serial narrative. Sometimes we pick up books, month after month, because we need to see what happens next, but we leave with an unsatisfying amount of narrative and another cliffhanger. Curb Stomp bridges the gap between satisfying narrative arc and satisfying single issues, and the future of the series looks brighter than its neon covers.

As amazing as all of that is, the cherry on top of this teen-angst sundae is the aptly-named Clippings section in the back, where the creators interact with us, the readers, as we share our awful stories of high school selves. Including pictures. Eyeliner pictures. Its as great as it sounds, I promise. Bonus: teenage picture of Kieron Gillen (Phonogram, The Wicked + The Divine) and his long hair and bass guitar.

In all the things this issue is doing right, its still very clearly an exposition issue. This isnt the story, this is the lead-up. Its paced very slowl

The art continues to be strong and consistent, creating an eerie feeling in the empty town even as the dialogue sets it up as off-putting.

There's a pretty good chance that issue #2 of "Sirens" could make issue #1 less confusing, less convoluted, less confounding. The problems I see with this issue aren't unresolvable. But unless it starts taking those steps, this is not a comic I would recommend. If you're thinking of picking it up, wait. Issue #2 comes out November 19th, and hopefully that's when it starts to get good.

If you're one of the people who have been on the fence about this series, and you've been waiting for something to just happen already, jeez, this isn't the issue to drop. Pick it up, this one's a game-changer.

Not all of the Arthurian references are clear, especially to people who didnt spend most of 4th grade avidly consuming every retelling they could get their hands on, and Im not entirely sure where this story is going, but its strong and clever enough that I will absolutely be getting the next issue.

As long as this story continues to question a binary construct of gender, I'll be reading it. Plus, the cover is clever and delightful and my favorite this week.

This issue, too, introduces a character who may be the audiences entry into the real Josie, beyond wife and mother, beyond spy; another woman who holds a similar position, who may have similar needs, but who first needs to trust and be trusted.

Whether youre buying for yourself or for a child, regardless of your gender, Princeless: Pirate Princess is a solid book and absolutely worth picking up this week.

This is a really enjoyable read. It would have been significantly more enjoyable, however, with different lettering choices. Theres text-in-panel narration in a scrawling, difficult-to-read font that

If you're trade-waiting on this series, you're missing the letters page, which is your usual collection of cosplays, fan art, and love letters"but this issue, we get to see Kurtis' new daughter, Willow Kate, and we get a recipe for a new "vomit inducing, blood poisoning [alcoholic] beverage," dubbed "Betty's Candy Coated Dreams."

This is an extremely effective comeback issue, and while it isnt plot-heavy, its easy to be optimistic about the future of this series.

And the art" oh my god, the art. It is hyper-realistic, it is visceral, it is so goddamn beautiful. Ashley Witter, has a very distinct style that is perfect for this title. The bloody realism removes all possibility for this to be a cute story about some fuzzy animals. Every panel is perfectly detailed, and the panel layouts are well-considered and creative. The images are practically in motion.

This is an extremely solid first issue, and with so much more to learn about this world, it's hard to have to wait another month for the next one.

With the cliffhanger at the end of this issue, I'm only mad that I can't get the next issue right now.

Overall, this quick, expressive, and clever book is absolutely worth picking up this Wednesday.