Nick Spencer and Ramon Rosanas set the bar for new Marvel books in 2015

A perfect comic in every way, Snyder and Capullo have created an issue that will stand the test of time

Greg Capullo pencils his heart out in Batman #40. The climactic battle between Joker and Batman is bloody and visceral. Years of hatred pour out of every punch and wound with rage that has been building for years. While he still has a grin, there is all fear in Joker's eyes as he sees the Dionesium slip from his grasp. Much like life, and Bruce's time as Batman, it ends on a quiet note. Simple and iconic, the final scene sticks in your brain. As Julia tells Alfred about the death of Bruce, Capullo brings so many emotions into the eyes of Alfred. Hatred, confusion, sadness, helplessness, they are all there as he ponders what he is going to do with his life next.

Simply put, Bitch Planet #1 is a brilliant comic

Remender and Craig create an engaging world that stuns on every level.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ends on a perfect note. #19 is easily the best issue of this volume so far.

Andrews' artwork continues to feel like nothing else at Marvel. IRON FIST has felt like s 70s kung fu movie, and #12 embraces that concept to it's fullest. Danny's fight with Brenda flows wonderfully, and readers can really feel the hatred and conflicting emotions in Brenda's fighting. There are few scenes where a line or two could have been placed to make the image look more finished, but the style works so well I didn't care. Andrews uses silhouettes more this issue, but never over does with the gimmick. The intentional degrading of the images never overstays it's welcome, and I love it for that. The fight between Brenda and Danny tells you everything about their intentions without ever having to read a line of dialogue. Brenda's intense focus while Danny seems to be going through motions really sold their motivations in the fight.

Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez create a perfect ending for one of comics best series.

Funnier than the first issue, Loki: Agent of Asgard #2 finds a way to one up itself.

A thrilling end to the first arc and quite possibly the best issue of the series so far.

Francesco Francavilla's artwork is beautiful. There are quite a few redheaded people in the group now, coupled with Francavilla's red tones, causes a few identity problems. This is the only slight problem I can see in a chilling comic that entertains on every level. Archie feels tired, emotionally and physically, as he walks through the hotel. All the characters do. They all slouch over slightly as the months of despair start to weigh on their minds and bodies. Once Archie has his big reveal at the end of the issue though, there is a shot of life into the characters that we haven't seen since the first issue. Francavilla relies heavily on blues, which further solidifies the title moving into a cold, ghostly new direction.

The new creative team takes the “back to basics” approach to heart and crafts a great issue.

ARCHIE #1 is a strong start to the reboot. It's easy to jump in while paying homage to the past decades of Archie Comics.

With the first arc over, its safe to say that the ARCHIE reboot has been a full-blown success. Wait & Staples have created a comic that has makes the month long wait in between issues feel that much longer.

The Original Sin tie-in ends on a great note.

Snyder and Capullo find new ways to make the Joker creepier

Williamson and Bressan continue to light the stands on fire, with arguably their best issue to date

Annie Wu's artwork feels like nothing else at DC right now. It's got a personality all its own, and seems perfectly suited for Dinah and her fighting style. Choking demons with a microphone cord shouldn't work, but Wu makes it look natural in Dinah's hands. Wu keeps the focus on Dinah in the fight, which means there is a distinct lack of backgrounds. Wu adds just enough detail to make it easy to figure out where everyone is in relation to each other, and where Dinah is on stage. Using white backgrounds is always hit or miss with me, but I loved the way Wu used them. Sparsely Lee Loughridge's colors use an interesting pallet, but never verges into a schtick. The flash colors look great when Dinah is kicking ass on stage, but the way Loughridge turns the colors down in intimate scenes impressed me. It gives the issue a cohesive feeling that I couldn't stop looking at.

Gage and Isaacs continue their great work in the Buffyverse with a brilliant #1

Great pacing, plenty of humor, and an emotional end. Quintessential Buffy comic.

A somber, but powerful read. Buzzkill is one of the best titles Dark Horse is publishing.

A fun issue that knows how to make a great sci-fi comic successful: interesting leads

You have little reason to not pick up CYBORG #1. Even if you weren't the biggest fan of Victor Stone, this issue will change it. It's one of DC's best new books in a while.

A well built universe plus an interesting protagonist creates one amazing comic

DIVERGENCE was a good Free Comic Book Day book for DC. While Marvel had a misstep in trying to get people read for SECRET WARS, DC focused on their characters and why should love them.

Elenora Carlina's pencils are perfect for a licensed property like DOCTOR WHO. She captures the look and feel of David Tennant without being a slave to pictures of the actor. I'm hard pressed to find a panel where the Doctor doesn't look exactly like David Tennant did on the show; full of life and loving every second he's on Earth. The little green aliens aren't the most original design, but those expressive little jerks add a lot of visual humor. Hi-Fi's colors are perfectly suited for the vibrant nature of the 10th Doctor. The noise wales compliments the look of awe that Carlina draws on the Doctor and Gabby. The small army of letterers do a great job of varying up the different type faces to keep the noise pollution from becoming visually boring.

A hysterical issue that feels like nothing else at Marvel right now

Hickman and company find a way to make the event even better. A turning point indeed.

The penultimate issue sets everything up for one hell of an ending.

Erica Henderson is fantastic for JUGHEAD. Her bright, expressive pencils feel at home in the Archie universe. I loved her facial expressions for Jughead, getting a good laugh every time I read through the issue. This is going to sound weird, but she actually drew hamburgers really well. I actually got a little hungry after reading the issue. Her pencils feel more classic Archie than the ARCHIE series do, but it still fits well into this new universe. Henderson's colors are bright and welcoming, making Riverdale a place you want to visit. I could be wrong, but near the end of the issue it looks like Henderson added Squirrel-Girl in. Minus the teeth of course.

Jason Fabok continues to be a godsend for JUSTICE LEAGUE. His artwork has a kinetic energy too it that makes every scene, talking or battle, feel like a blockbuster film. The Flash seems to be oddly slow, with Fabok going for the "Flash appearing multiple times on the page" without actually showing any motion for him. Even if it's a light outline of the Flash running across the page, anything than just three Flashes on the page would have been a better representation of his speed. It's funny that I describe Fabok's artwork as "kinetic," and his Flash feels stiff.

Imaginative and beautifully drawn, Moon Knight #1 is what fans of Khonshu's servant have been asking for.

Bottom line, you should be reading NAILBITER if you're already. #12 is just another great addition for one of Image's best series.

Cracked up multiple times, Asmus and Lieber continue the high quality we've come to expect from Quantum & Woody

Filled with B-movie tropes, Sally and the Wasteland #1 is a lot of fun

SECRET WARS #1 is a tough egg to crack if you're coming into the story blind, but those who have done their homework will know that the hype was true. At least for this one issue.

SECRET WARS is shaping up to be one of the best Marvel events in recent history. After a couple of bad events, they needed this to help restore faith in readers.

While waiting for SECRET WARS to be released has sucked quite a bit, the final product is worth it. Hopefully #7 will come out before the rest of All-New All-Different Marvel hits the stands.

Esad Rib's gorgeous artwork continues to deliver in #9. The battle between Black Panther and Doom feels intense, and the abstract nature of a few panels adds to the grand scheme of their fight. Without reading a line of dialogue, Ribic sucks the pompous feeling that has been with Doom this entire time. The terror in his eyes as he realizes that Molecule Man has removed his powers just ignites a feeling in my comic reader blood. The real spectacle is the splash page of Reed and Victor's faces. Not only is it visually stunning, it demonstrates who alike the two foes are in a great way. Ribic's inks feel a bit off at points, although this is a minor gripe. There is some deeper shading and line work when the issue starts, but gradually gets softer as the issue goes on. It's hard to tell if this was an artistic choice or because of the numerous delays.

Sex Criminals #1 is a great start to the series. Very relatable, even with a character who gets powers by orgasm.

She-Hulk looks to be another stellar series from the House of Ideas

She-Hulk looks to be another stellar series from the House of Ideas

Spider-Gwen jumps into her ongoing in perfectly style. A great book through and through

Effortlessly captures the charm, and wit of the original trilogy. Star Wars #1 is one incredibly fun book

It's been a good run for Otto, but it's time for Peter to come back.

Geoff Johns' final issue on the series is a well written analyzation of what makes Superman Superman

So close to being perfect, but the ending slips just the tiniest bit.

An amazing start to a new miniseries

With a better balance of heroes than #1, The Valiant #2 is a brilliant read

Jorge Molina's artwork is full of kinetic energy. The action feels big in scope, and flows like a blockbuster film. The panel layout seems a bit cramped when looking at the page as a whole, but provides intimate looks into conversations between characters when reading. Characters are quite expressive, even when they are specks next to a gigantic shark. Molina's She-Hulk looks fantastic. Powerful and in command, but conflicted by the power she wields in Arcadia. Laura Martin and Matt Milla's colors are bright and full of life. The colors give A-FORCE #1 the feel of a Mediterranean village. Every little light shines bright

#40 is a funny issue with a nice message, and whets you're appetite for the upcoming Bizarro ongoing

The other half of AVENGERS FCBD #1 is a preview of UNCANNY INHUMANS. I've been tepid about INHUMANS since its start, but UNCANNY grabs you in quite fast. Charles Soule has the team rescue an Inhuman with some dramatic flair in India. The smaller cast already seems to be helping, with each person getting a nice moment to shine. The final page gives a surprising revelation, and actually ruins the plot for SILK #4 in the process. Inadvertently I should add, but still ruins it nonetheless. Brandon Peterson's artwork is good, if a bit stiff. While the Inhuman powers look fantastic, everyone poses like Peterson took a picture and traced over them. Part of the problem is Justin Ponsor's colors. If the shininess was toned down, the artwork would look fine. Similar to when Peterson was penciling ALL-NEW X-MEN for a short while. Now we just need a solicitation for #1 and we'd be all set.

Even with a few problems, Amazing Spider-Man #2 is a very entertaining issue.

The first part of Spider-Verse is a lot of fun, and shows a lot of promise for the event.

The first part of Spider-Verse is a lot of fun, and shows a lot of promise for the event.

A good ending to the Spider-Verse event. Slott continues to prove he's the best at writing Spider-Man events

Adam Kubert is more on his game this month. Annie's age doesn't wildly change from panel to panel, and she consistently looks like a six year old. Kubert's penciling of Annie is great, adding a nice mixture of MJ's and Peter's facial structure to make it believable that it's their child. He could have just left it at "give her red hair" and most would have been fine. Character's faces have a more consistent look compared to #1. Kubert has always been a great Spider-Man artist, and ASMRYV #2 doesn't change that. Spider-Man flips through the page with ease, with an agility that that can be hard to convey. My personal favorite panel was Peter telling Annie to get back in classic Spider-Man fashion, by giving her a smile through his hoodie and saying stay back. You can barely see the smile on Peter's face, but it says everything about Peter's personality and how he saves people.

Lemire and Albuquerque start their run off in a great way. Fans of the title will be happy to see this team together.

AQUAMAN #41 is a great start to Bunn and McCarthy's run on the title. I'm reallye excited to see what they have in plan for the future.

Even with the extra $1, #35 is an exciting issue that will get readers ready for “Time Runs Out”

The final issue of the volume is a fitting end to Hickman's series

A fitting ending to the title.

Nick Spencer sets Avengers World apart from Hickman's main book, making World a lot fun to read.

This one and done welcome Gerry Duggan in seamlessly with a creepy story.

A one-shot that minimally ties into the weekly series. Recipie for a good issue.

A fitting end to the year long series that has a real sense of finality

A quick, fun comic that is a great example of how anyone can enjoy all-ages books

Taking on his second book in the Valiant Universe after The Valiant, Jeff Lemire is here to create a new look with Bloodshot. Bloodshot Reborn #1 is a great start that hooks in fans and non fans of the character.

Mico Suayan's artwork is good, even with a few hiccups. His tendency to photo reference a lot becomes apparent when Kay's face changes shapes a few times. When she should be looking at Ray, she's instead looking off into the distance. Ray's face also seems to change a few times. Other than that, BLOODSHOT REBORN #2 is a great looking issue. Ray's fight with the fake Bloodshot flows quite well. Suayan's attention to detail is incredible, down to the slight dripping of Ray's recently spray painted Bloodshot shirt. Normally I hate all color backgrounds, but Suayan and David Baron, the colorist, make it work. They never interrupt where the characters are in relation to each other, but further along the character's relationships or plots. Baron's colors feel subdued for a superhero story, and that works wonders. The color of the woods feel realistic, and the blood is a nice mixture of purple and red to give it a life like color.

Robert Gill and Doug Braithwaite handle artwork on BOOK OF DEATH #1. Gill's artwork blends the zaniness and normality well. The first big splash page hits really well, and set sup the level of threat that we'll be expecting in great fashion. While we are in the suburbs, Gill puts a decent amount of detail into each page. Once we transfer to the desert, Gill unfortunately doesn't have as much to pencil. His facial work is good, and suits the story well. The final battle was the highlight of the issue, with Gill penciling a fairly busy sequence without dropping quality in pencils. Braithwaite's pencils are exactly as I remember. Characters are too muscly at times, but it's a small complaint. I'm not sure why he has Bloodshot as a Hulk like creature on the double splash page, but then looking normal on the second. Gill and Braithwaite blend surprisingly well, even though their styles should clash.

Another great issue for the new season. Gage and Isaacs cram a lot into 24 pages without it feeling stuffed.

Season 9 officially ends. It's not as great as Angel & Faith #25, but it's still a good issue. The future is bright for Buffy

C.O.W.L. starts off with a great issue and shows this series has a lot of promise

Captain Midnight is a ton of fun to read. Williamson and Francisco have created a fun comic that one of Dark Horse's better titles

Whomever designed Telos could have thought of better filler areas between the cities. The desert areas feel boring after reading only a couple of tie-ins and the main series. This is the least of CONVERGENCE's problems though.

Adam Gorham's artwork is the shining star of DEAD DROP #1. The artwork feels ripped out of a spy movie with how intimate and close the panels are. The smaller panels put into larger panels makes the reader feel like they are flying by and only catching quick glimpses of something bigger. Gorham has the action flow like a storyboard, guiding the eye. Groom's artwork jumps from Jason Bourne style running scene to Star Trek aliens without one seeming out of place to the other. The constant use of moving backgrounds, lines with vaguely defined colors, normally doesn't work for me. Gorham uses it wisely by not using it on any large panels. The quick cut panels are the main use, and it creates a great sense of motion. Michael Spicer helps out considerably by adding slight colors to fool your eyes into feeling the motion. Spicer uses a muted palette with his colors that help set the story apart from other Valiant super hero titles. Its down and dirty in a morally grey mission.

A strong start that builds on the original concept in interesting ways

While the Doctor doesn't show up much, there is a lot to love about this issue

Francis Portela and Marguerite Sauvage (fantasy art) make a great pair on the book. Portala goes for broke with Faith taking on a Clark Kent persona, and it really works. You can feel the every day persona melting off of her as she takes off the scarf and wig. There's a good sense of motion with Faith, and her body language shows a sense of inexperience. The use of stagnant panels that are cropped into three parts spices the visuals up a bit. While Sauvage's artwork is funny, and has a nice contrast to Portela's more grounded artwork, it seemed strange to have Faith suddenly look like Adele in these pages. The consistent coloring by Andrew Dalhouse for Faith's costume was a nice touch. The colors really pop with the slightly thinner lines, especially the sunset reflects incredibly well off the buildings.

Fantastic Four has been a bright book as long as I've been reading it. This makes Leonard Kirk (pencils), Karl Kesel (inks), and Jesus Aburtov's (colors) artwork stand out that much more. Fantastic Four #1 is a dark comic. The darkness seeps in gradually through the issue, constantly pecking at the happiness the Fantastic Four are enjoying.

Its great to see Cameron Stewart on interiors again. His clean styling of pencils has a classic look that I never get sick of exposing to my eyes. Without reading a line of dialogue, the reader can tell when Tyler Durden is slowly starting to seep into the narrator's mind, as the panels start to become cramped and chaotic. I'm not completely sold on the pills and roses being strayed across panels, blocking the text. I get what they are going for, but the end result is more annoyance than interesting. Dave Stewart's colors really capture the prison that the narrator sees himself in. The grays suddenly give way to brighter colors when Durden is around, as if the narrator is finally living.

While very entertaining, we are half way through this event and there has been minimal plot development

Lex Luthor and Captain Cold steal the show away from the Crime Syndicate in a great issue.

Williamson shakes up the status quo in a fun way that proves Ghosted isn't a one trick pony

Even with a couple of artist, and a lack of plot development, Guardians of the Galaxy #6 is still a great read.

#0 is a very entertaining book, but doesn't completely give readers a grip on who Harley is as a character

Infinity #2 continues the strong writing by Hickman. The visuals continue to impress with Opena and Weaver sharing art duties. A couple of flaws keeps it from being perfect though.

Infinity continues to be the best Marvel event in a long while. While not perfect, it's still damn fun.

While I liked the air of mystery that INJECTION puts into every scene, a bit more to grasp on the story would have been ideal. This isn't Gran Morrison level of confusion, but there are so many acronyms and organizations thrown at the reader that it becomes difficult to understand it all. Thankfully, Ellis and Shalvey have proven their worth as storytellers, so it's an easy fault to forgive. There are a few hints and teases of what everyone is capable of, which Ellis' dark sense of humor leaks into INJECTION, with the final page's IT joke cracking me up.

Kirkman keeps the focus on the Graysons and their familial problems, while teasing some interesting arcs for the future.

Robot quickly becomes a memorable villain for the Invincible Universe. Mark is in for a world of hurt

Kirkman and Ottley continue to ride the upswing in quality on Invincible with another entertaining issue

Far from perfect, but INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 is a good start to the new volume. As someone who didn't like SUPERIOR IRON MAN, its great to see the Tony that we all know and love.

A great start to the new volume. Andrews takes us to places we haven't seen Danny before.

Iron Fist returns from a short break with a very fun issue

Iron Fist returns from a short break with a very fun issue

Another great addition to the Valiant line of books. Ivar, Timewalker is a lot of fun that makes sure the focus is on fun.

Johns and Mahnke create a great origin for Owlman, making him of of the best members of the Crime Syndicate in the process

New Warriors #1 establishes quickly that it's something the main Avengers books don't offer.

A very fun start that blends James Bond and super heroics

Gabrielle Rodriguez completely knocks the issue out of the park. Rodriguez wears his influences on his sleeve, with the entire issue feeling like a spiritual successor to an ALIEN comic. The tech never feels overdone, but enough to aid everyone in this society. The monsters are a nice representation of the spore idea that Ryall develops. As per usual with Rodriguez, characters are incredibly expressive with reader's able to understand a lot about them from their eyes. There is so much life to the way Rodriguez pencils people. Onyx's design is sleek and not overly complicated with metal or gadgets. Jay Fotos colors feel slightly muted compared to what we saw on LOCKE & KEY. The monsters and Onyx certainly pop off the page, but everything else somewhat blends together.

A good start to the series that scratches an itch I didn't know I had for comics.

A different take on superheroes in the Cold War that hooks the reader in fast

Sally continues to be a funny series that is filled with B-movie glory.

Gail Simone is back with Catman and an interesting new direction for the cult series

Gail Simone is back with Catman and an interesting new direction for the cult series

While it doesn't hit the lofty heights of #1, SECRET WARS #2 is a great issue that continues the quality we expect from the names Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic.

Serenity: LotW is a great start to the new miniseries that will please new and old fans.

While I didn't like the cliffhanger ending, I really enjoyed the final issue of this miniseries

A surprisingly great comic that exceeded my expectations

The best issue in the series by far

Not without a few problems, Spider-Man 2099 #1 is a good addition to the Spider family of books

A worth addition to the Star Wars line of comics at Marvel.

The extra page length helps the Darkest Hour end on a entertaining note

The Goblin War starts off on a high note, as Slott and Camuncoli create the final test for Otto as Spider-Man

If you weren't excited for Spider-Verse, you will be now

While not as great as the initial ending, Superior Spider-Man #33 is a good issue that sets the tone well for Spider-Verse

Christos Gage proves that he is the best writer when it comes to portraying SpOck as a truly “superior” Spider-Man

John Romita JR has used the time off from CONVERGENCE well. His artwork has a crisp feel to it that I haven't seen since his time on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN with J. Michael Straczynski. His reliance on tons of lines is gone, and characters feel finished. The characters don't feel as blocky and the cheekbones on women won't kill a person if they look at someone wrong. Klaus Janson's inks seem slightly heavier thank on previous issues, which Romita's pencils have always needed. Dean White's colors are great, but seem a little dark for a Superman book. I'd like to see them lighten up a bit and look like the opening page more. White's colors remind me of the pallet he used while coloring UNCANNY X-FORCE, and the darker image of the book was enhanced by the colors. Here, a sunny day still looks like a cloudy one.

John Romita JR seems to have turned a page with his artwork. His lines are more crips compared to his work with Geoff Johns, and he seems somewhat less reliant on filling each page with lines. We can really feel the connection that Clark and Lois has as she stabs him with the fork and they discuss their significant others. There are still a few panels that leave something to be desired, such as Lois' face when she reveals that she broke the story of Superman's secret identity, or Clark's general reaction to the news. I found it easy to overlook these moments when generally the artwork has improved over the past few months. This may be his best work since working on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN with J. Michael Straczynski. The army of colorists (Dean White, Leonardo Olea, Blond) blend together nicely. I didn't realize there were multiple colorists until I checked the credits.

Soule and Seiz create a fitting end to Swamp thing, if only it actually counted

A very funny romp that had me in stitches laughing

Hickman's ease at world building is at it again. TD&TD is a great #1 that hooks it's premise into you and doesn't let go

High concept, but Grant Morrison gives us enough to sink our teeth into.

A Robin Hood style comic that never feels like that, and surprised me in some great ways

A book that oozes charms and exceeded my expectations. Quirky in all the right ways.

While some of the sting from AXIS is still there, Remender captures the charm of what made the first volume so beloved

A good start to the new series, but doesn't find a way to express the purpose of the new series

Cullen Bunn and company finish off the current volume of Venom in great fashion. Sad to see this title go.

WE STAND GUARD is a great start to the series. Vaughn and Skrocehave a sure fire hit on their hands.

All-New Invaders #1 is not without some faults, but is still a lot of fun.

Best issue of the Black Vortex crossover so far, but the event is still lacking

Slott and company improve Silk's characterization while Electro's gets a demotion.

A fun issue that is slightly bogged down by wrangling together the tie-ins

While Amazing X-Men #1 is a fun read, it fails to distinguish itself from the other X-books on the market

If you liked the film, this would be a good issue to jump into the comics and not be lost

ARCHIE VS SHARKNADO #1 is a fun enough one-shot. It's zany, even though it's a bit rough around the edges.

Some lingering questions about the series direction are brought up, but it's hard to care when the artworks is this beautiful

BATMAN ANNUAL #4 was a good annual, even if it had a few wrinkles that could have been ironed out. I'd like to see Tynion and Antonio work together again on a Batman book.

Doomsday's Villains Month issue isn't the best that Villains Month has to offer, but it's better than most of the titles being released by DC this month.

Ethan Van Sciver's artwork has the grand scale that an event comic like this needs. The giant Braniac is filled with detail, and has the menacing feel of an event villain. The big city scenes have a nice chaotic feel to them, although it was a little hard at points to tell what was going on in the background. It looked like random pictures of buildings were meshed together instead of having a rhyme and reason to them. I noticed that Superman's beard disappeared a couple of times. Much like the writing, the the artwork feels a lot like Blackest Night. The designs of the different Braniacs aren't afraid to be a bit odd and strange instead of grounded and realistic. It all feels very comic book-y, and this is something I wish DC had done a while ago.

While not as accessible as some events, Convergence #0 is a fun start to the event

The character work is great, but the story is a little lacking

Some stories are great, but the $10 price point is beyond stupid.

This issue of Deadpool is great. Minus the $4.99 price tag

Neil Edwards' artwork continues to perform well, with a few panels feeling stiffer than normal. Edwards isn't a slave to the look of the actors but keeps their personality on the forefront of his pencils. There are a few panels where are characters are screaming that look traced on, and don't fit the scenery around them. These are few and far between, but really take you out of the reading experience. The scenery and architecture feels like classic DOCTOR WHO sets, and helps bring the reader into the issue. Edwards' inks are light, with the thin lines giving everything a slightly more realistic feel. Specific praise is needed for Ivan Nunes' colors. He combines the bright worlds of the 10th and 11th Doctor with the slightly darker world of the 12th Doctor effortlessly.

A few hiccups keep #2 from being on level with #1, but it's still a fun issue

If you picked up EMPIRE: UPRISING #1 and was even slightly interested in the series, I highly suggest getting getting Volume 1 before #2 comes out next month.

Charming and beautifully illustrated, Figment #1 is a lot of fun even if you haven't been on the ride.

While Luthor's plot line is beyond fun, the Crime Syndicate side doesn't receive much development.

The writing could have been edited down, but Guardians of the Galaxy #11 is a fun issue.

While I would have liked some more plot development, McGuiness' artwork makes up for it

A fun, light continuity story that feels a bit light on content

While I was very frustrated with the ending, most of #114 is what makes Invincible such a beloved title. I'm excited for the future, but would like Kirkman to work out of this pattern he's put Invincible into over the past two years.

Kirkman tackles a tough topic in a unevenly paced issue

Kindt's story is a tad hard to follow, but Rudy's artwork is worth the price of admission. And then some.

Bunn shows he has a good grasp on the character, but Ackins artwork needs some work

Mike Deodato's artwork is good, if a bit uneven at points. Molecule Man seemingly jumps from normal to insane looking, even when the dialogue doesn't call for an inanity look. When it counts though, Deodato delivers. We don't often see a look of fear in Doom's eyes, and Deodato captures that look well. Reed's look on the final page is one of complete dread. Deodato nails the eyes and posture of Reed to convey everything the read needs to know without reading the bubble. The use of body language in the final scene puts the final nail the coffin when it comes to finding a new way to solve the incursion problem. Deodato makes the Panther seem at ease, which compliments Hickman's deathly script well. The Black Swans seem a bit under detailed, but Deodato gives enough variety to group. The Black Swan Doom first recruits seems to have hip problems with how much they change. The Beyonders look a tad stiff, like action figures that Deodato posed for the panel.

I'm not the biggest fan of Juan Jos Ryp's artwork, but he's turned my opinion with NINJAK #4. The weirdness of Roku's turn to an assassin fits his style perfectly. The demons have grotesque feature that makes it impossible to look away. Roku waking up in the ground gave me an uneasy feeling that I've never felt like that before. That feeling of claustrophobia and not being able to escape. The scope that Rype gives to the scene really sells how screwed she would be if Roku wasn't more talented. The stupid costume for Roku continues, but at least Rype keeps it from ripping apart at convenient places. While it's logical that the costume will rip, having it hang just off her boobs and covering her genitals was stupider than the costume. Clay Mann's couple of pages are good, although Roku looks pregnant in the first page.

The real draw of OLD MAN LOGAN #1 is the artwork by Andrea Sorrentino. Wolverine's epic fight scene with thugs feels like a movie with the flashes of brutality. This splash page uses the "quick flashes of violence in a fight" more effectively than most action movies. Every panel, even two characters just talking, has a sense of motion that makes the issue feel like it's moving at points. Emma's death has a sense inevitability, and finds moments of quiet amongst the chaos. Sorrentino's color palette is a nice mixture of browns with flashes of the bright spandex of old. The lighting really impressed me, as it lightly reflects the former Iron Man mask that Gladiator wears. It's a small touch, but it shows the attention to detail that Sorrentino has with his artwork.

A decent start to the event, but some questionable artwork keeps it from being good.

The ending is a red herring, but the ride there is quite enjoyable

An entertaining tale that is quite light on plot, but makes up for it in striking visuals

The real tragedy is that the book won't be coming back until spring of 2016. Dorinson builds a lot of momentum towards the end, only to have it cut short. I appreciate that the two issues are bigger than normal, but that still doesn't change that it seems odd to make a two issue miniseries and wait a year.

The focus isn't completely on the team, but the series has a lot of potential

While a few hiccups keep this from being great, Secret Identities #1 offers enough to recommend

Only one story needed to be told out of the three, but it's still an entertaining issue.

The other half of SECRET WARS #0 is a crossover with the popular manga ATTACK ON TITAN. It's a fun, albeit short story. It feels like this could have been more developed as not much happens. Quick fight, quick fight, then the end of the issue. Good on Marvel though, they include ways to read further into ATTACK ON TITAN if you are so desired. It probably won't make that many fans of ATTACK ON TITAN or the Avengers if you already weren't, but it's fun to see synergy like this every once and a while.

Southern Cross #1 is technically sound, but it's unlikable lead takes away from a gorgeously drawn visuals

The set up is sound, but there are some rushed story moments that keep the book from being great

While we may not know exactly how this ties into THE FORCE AWAKENS, Rucka and Checchetto have given us enough reasons to stick around for this miniseries.

While the issue is a lot of fun, the snail like shipping schedule ultimately hurts this book

THE SHIELD has a lot of promising qualities, but it fails to convey them to us a readers.

Even with a few issues, THE SHRINKING MAN #1 is an entertaining comic. Considering how difficult it can be to translate a book to comic form, it's easy to look past a few issues.

Russell Dauterman's pencils make up for the lighter story with some gorgeous artwork. The battle looks great of course, but Odinson's heart to heart with the new Thor is the crowing jewel of the issue. Besides Odinson's odd looking eard, the scene is filled with emotion and fear. Even with fully black eyes, the reader can feel every emotion Thor is feeling while Odinson continues to pry at her identity. Matthew Wilson's colors set the mood well. The battle scene is filled with bright colors and fantastical energy beams. Once the battle ends and we are back down to real life, the colors become more subdued. It brings the focus well onto the two hammer wielders and their conversation.

The spirit of Superman is there, but the ugly artwork keeps this one-shot from soaring.

While the premise is sound, All-New Ultimates has an uphill battle to prove itself.

Amazing Spider-Man #4 brings in a new character, which I'm very happy about, but the execution is quite sloppy. None the less, I trust Slott enough to create an interesting character with Silk.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #18, and this arc, had some good ideas that unfortunately had to be cut short because of event tie-in. It's enjoyable, but could have been better.

With a big character change and little plot development, AXIS continues to be mediocre.

BOOK OF DEATH: THE FALL OF BLOODSHOT #1 is fun, but ultimately feels like a wasted opportunity. With how well Lemire has been writing the character of Bloodshot in his ongoing, it would have been a blast to see him write these crazy scenarios.

A transition issue that does only slightly more good than it does bad

Marsters knows how to write Spike, but has issues with everything else.

CHRONONAUTS #3 is a very fun comic that is worth your money, I just really wish it was more of what hooked me in at the beginning instead of veering off into generic time travel romp.

Lenil Yu somewhat saves the issue with his pencils. The big superhero battles give Yu plenty of room to stretch his muscles a bit. There are a few places where Yu loses detail if someone isn't the focus, and there is only instance of it hindering the panel. Sharpe's face suddenly disappears when Steve and Tony sit down, creating a humorous panel that wasn't supposed to be. The issue's main twist feels oddly stiff, and without little reaction from Tony or Steve. It just happens and that's it. Gerry Alanguilan's inks keep Yu's pencils from seeming untamed at points. I forgot how awesome Iron Man's Extremis armor looked, then Yu and Alanguilan reminded me. Sunny Gho's colors are good, especially when the spandex hits the fans in the opening pages. Once we hit the desert though, there isn't much of a color pallete. Not Gho's fault though, as that's the desert.

Too much time is spent retreading what happened #0 instead of moving the event along

The artwork for CONVERGENCE #6 feels quite rushed. Ed Benes and Eduardo Panic handle the pencils this time around, and it's hard to find where one penciler ends and the others start. It's one of the few good points in the series. Fight scenes seem stiff, with no sense of motion behind the punches. The final scene, with lots of villains joining Deimos, raises a few questions. I notice we have Kingdom Come Superman and Wonder Woman amongst a lot of villains? Was this on purpose? It seems uncharacteristic for the duo considering everyone around them are complete villains. There are a few coloring mistakes from Peter Steigerwald, with costumes not retaining the same color scheme from page to page. The army of inkers creates an uneven style. The Earth 2 Flash running with Barry Allen looks great, and captures the motion of the Flash well, but then we see Deimos contacting villains and it looks like there are barely inks.

Jeff King and Scott Lobdell spend more time this week on the New 52 heroes, even if they have nothing to do with the event so far. It feels like a last ditch effort to connect the fans who started reading DC comics after the New 52 launched. They should have been a bigger part of this event in the first place. The character work is decent enough once the focus is off Deimos and Telos. The New 52 characters fair the best, which makes me wish they were around in the comic more. Kind and Lobdell can't find a single thread of interesting character development for Telos, who continues to be a vanilla wafer of a character.

Worst of all, the artwork is a mishmash of styles that create an ugly looking comic. Stephen Segovia's pencils feel incredibly rushed, with many weird faces and body stances that look laughably stiff. Carlo Pagulayan fairs the best of the group, with his handful of pages looking tight and having the epic feel that a title like CONVERGENCE needed. I'm not 100% sure who did the two splash pages of different universe (as DC doesn't say), but they needed more time to finish. Shoulders are almost Rob Leifeld size. It also makes me wonder if ALL universes exist, as the ghostly images of heroes makes it seem like only current universes exist.

DEJAH THORIS #1 isn't a bad start, but it doesn't reach the highest of RED SONJA #1, where I was sold on the character and book by the final page. It shows promise, which will keep it around in my pull list for a few months.

The artwork is great, but The Weeping Angels don't transfer well over to the comics

The real appeal of DRIVE #1 is the artwork by Antonio Fusso, Emilio Lecce, and Jason Lewis. The expressive pencils of Fusso, and the subtleties in the facial expressions of the Driver, speak mountains about his personality. How Fusso kept hiding the Driver talking started off well, but became a little obvious and almost humorous by the end. The quick fight scene was handled perfectly, showing that the Driver isn't a perfect fighter, but gets the job done when he needs to. It's amazing work between Bendetto and Fusso. Lecce's inks capture the shadow and evil that lurks around every corner in Los Angeles, and really sells the seedy side of the city without diving into cliches. Lewis' colors are beautiful, balancing the neon well without it being over powering or annoying. It feels like something a tourist would talk about when they get home from a trip to LA and have only seen the shiny side of the city.

The world of EMPTY ZERO is ambiguous as the characterization of Corrine. It seems like a generic dystopian future with nothing really of note. Except that some people have cat tails. THE FUTURE. Alexander uses the "show us the future then rewind to show how we got here trope," but it's not implemented well. Or, Corrine was having a dream. I can't tell after a few readings. All I could say once I was done with EMPTY ZERO #1 was, "Ok?" What does any of this mean to Corrine? Alexander seems to be setting up some dark exploits for Corrine in the future, but we don't have any context as to what they mean to her or these evil looking people. EMPTY ZERO has a few interesting ideas that if developed properly, could lead to a great comic.

Filled with great ideas, but there isn't enough room to properly develop one

While there are a few shining point, overall it's a bland end to Forever Evil

The character that we know and love is there, but everything around him doesn't work. But some beautiful artwork makes up for it

BLACK VORTEX OMEGA #1's main draw is Ed McGuinness and Javier Garron on artwork. Much like McGuinness' work on NOVA, he's suited for space. The strange surroundings, massive spaceships, and funky costumes suit his pencils perfectly. Garron handles Peter's proposal to Kitty, and by god did he nail the reactions of Peter and Kitty. Speaking from someone who proposed to his (now) wife recently, the emotions are exactly how I felt. The quick panel with everyone celebrating make it hard not to smile. While the event left some bad taste in my mouth, at least the artwork left me happy when putting the issue down.

The shining light of #24 is Valerio Schiti's artwork. Schiti packs every page with an incredible amount of detail. Not a single panel seems rushed, which is incredible considering Schiti hasn't missed an issue since he started on the series. The new uniform designs look great, and I wish Marvel would take advantage of series like this and make some figurines. Schiti uses the cramped panel space effectively to pump up the growing tension amongst the teams in a way the script fails to do. I absolutely loved the way Schiti penciled Gamora's quick smile. It speaks volumes of the character without ever having to read a word.

This #1 wasn't the start I was hoping for, but there are enough good elements that I'll continue to check the series out.

Inhumans #1 suffers from a clear change in writers and some artistic choices, but still has a lot of potential.

Inhumanity: the Awakening is an good start to a mini-series, but a few points annoyed me to the point where it became just an ok start.

Multiple unnecessary time jumps keeps #109 from being a great issue.

A bloated issue that needed to slow down.

While a good issue, there is a distinct lack of Justice League in Justice League

Bryan Hitch brings his cinematic style of penciling to the DC Universe well. Lots of characters seem to talk without moving their lips much, but that's par for the course with Hitch. The rest of the issue feels flat out epic, with pages that have a natural flow to them. The Flash actually feels fast under Hitch, which is something everyone else at DC is currently having troubles with. Hitch was clearly given the time he needed for this title, as I'm hard pressed to find a single panel that doesn't look rushed. It's near impossible to tell the difference between the three inkers (Daniel Henriques, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Andrew Currie). While the story didn't impress me so much, the artwork impressed me so much that I'll probably give JLA a few months before making a decision on adding it to my pull list permanently.

JLA is far from perfect, but the artwork continues to be the main selling point. Let's hope that Hitch can figure out the writing issues in the months to come.

The artwork seems to be improving, but the plot continues to wallow in mediocrity

I originally didn't like this issue that much. After a couple of read throughs in preparation for this review, my opinion did soften a bit. It's a decent enough issue, but could have been a GREAT issue if it had stuck to one direction. Either way, the creative team did a great job overall on this volume.

A good issue, but more a spotlight for Ms. Marvel then Coulson and company

SM&TXM #3 is too quickly paced for it's own good. The jokes continue to be quite funny though

As with any issue penciled by Greg Land, the artwork keeps the script from being as good as it should be

The premise of Kara being a Red Lantern is enticing, but Lobo keeps #28 from being a good comic.

While the protagonist is interesting, the rest of the issue can't seem to muster up many reasons to come back for #2

Mark Bagley is nothing but consistent with his penciling, and ULTIMATE END #1 is no different. A couple panels look rushed, but otherwise the issue looks great. I found it funny how many heroes on the splash page have their eyes closed when they are about to jump into a massive battle. Bagley is still one of the premiere Spider-Man pencilers in the industry. He's able to convey emotions so well even with the mask on and not emoting the eyes on the mask. Bagley pencils Scarlet Witch's new costume just fine, but it reminds me how she still needs a functioning costume redesign. The boob window with shoulder holes is awkward to look at and feels unnecessary. Scott Hanna uses a slightly thicker inking style, and it gives Bagley's work a more finished look. Bagley's HULK artwork had thiner inks, and it gave the artwork an unfinished look that didn't compliment the pencils well.

Mark Bagley's artwork continues to seem rushed. Numerous panels have little to no backgrounds, which makes it difficult to figure out where everyone is in relation to each other. Tony seems to be wearing older armor than his Superior armor. Add two more continuity questions on the pile that the dialogue created. When it counts though, Bagley nails the scene. The two page scene with Peter and Ultimate Aunty May and Gwen captures the awkward emotion of everyone in the room well. The Tonys scene works well, and Bagley effectively shows the veteran status of 616 Tony in the way he carries himself. He's a leaner, and feels older in his face. Subtle, but good work to show experience in the character.

Daniel Acua continues to knock it out of the park on artwork. The battle scenes feel chaotic and on a scale that only this team can tackle. Quicksilver's powers haven't looked this great in a while. With Doctor Strange getting a new ongoing, maybe we can get a Brother Voodoo ongoing/mini-series with Acua on pencils. Voodoo has looked fantastic this entire volume under Acua, and his mystical powers have such an eerie sense to them. The direct colors of Acua really accentuate the strangeness of them.

The issue fairs badly as a #1, as I a few big plot points are left unexplained.

While it shows some decent ideas, the Finches can't seem to get above mediocrity

While it shows some decent ideas, the Finches can't seem to get above mediocrity

Neil Edwards artwork is serviceable, if a bit rushed. The page where Charlotte is getting herself up after exiting the Animus, there appears to be someone behind her who disappears from one panel to the next. Character faces can be over exaggerated, but also lacking. These are small issues that I've noticed when Edwards doesn't have the time he needs, such as on HERC or FOUR DOCTORS. The real issue is the coloring by Ivan Nunes. The colors are more vibrant than they need to be, causing the people and action to look fake. Edwards' artwork can feel stiff, but adding the fake looking colors cuts any sense of motion that Edwards' put into the pencils.

Some poor art keeps Avengers #16 from being a decent issue.

A frustrating comic that squanders it's potential

The one improvement for #5 is that Andy Kubert is on artwork. His clean, classic line style creates the look that CONVERGENCE should've had from the beginning. Kubert's detail gives the background a life that the previous four issues didn't have. I'm actually interested in the world of Telos and how it looks. A few panels of Morgan fighting lizard people feel rushed, but even rushed Kubert is better than Stephen Segovia before. Dick seems to draw a perfect Bat-symbol on his chest made of ash, which is a bit comical. Continuing my idea that Braniac should have been the main villain, the Superman foe feels frighting with Kubert. Kubert makes the villain feel huge and all powerful. I was sad to see that Kubert won't be on #6 but Ed Benes is a good step. I'd even like Carlos Pagulayan back, as his artwork was great.

Stupidly priced, but the main story is worth the read

Valerio Schiti's artwork somewhat makes up for the lack of story in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #27. The big Chitauri battle gives him lots to work with, and hits the scope that Bendis is going for. Gamora is powerful as all hell with Schiti, and he really captures the epic nature of her new power set post "Black Vortex." His hyper expressive Rocket and Groot have become the standard I hold others at Marvel too when penciling these characters. If GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY comes back post-SECRET WARS, I'd like to see Schiti come back on the title.

The slip in quality continues as Harley's adventures continue to be scattered and unfunny.

Jed Dougherty's pencils are the only thing I 100% liked about Justice League Futures End #1. The artwork is chaotic but never to a confusing point. Dougherty's artwork seems more in line with Marvel's house style instead of DC's house style. It's brighter and has a slight cartoony aspect to it that I really liked. Some of the interior battle scenes are a tad cramped, but Dougherty uses the space effectively so that we always know where a character is in relation to another. I'm a little surprised that Flash and Cyborg didn't get some type of costume change with the five year jump ahead. That seems to be the general trend for this month. Got to give the toy division something to work with.

An almost pointless penultimate issue. Proof that this event could have been shorter

The issue is so bad I'm glad to see the event end

Mitch Gerads artwork continues to be good, if a bit stiff at points. What irked me the most is how the artwork is inconsistent with what is shown on the recap page. We see how the Punisher looked in the bar when killing the super villains, so why is he dressed differently when exiting the bar. This seems like a bad oversight. I liked the use of static panels and seeing the Punisher slowly creep up and kill enemies, giving a nice sense of his training and power. While we know he's great with guns, it's nice to see him be tactically smart as well. A few moments, such as the Punisher killing a guy then turning feel awkwardly stiff. Gerads uses small lines to convey motion, but there is TOO much motion conveyed. A simple sprint is fine, but the Punisher sprints forward, then turns. It just seems off to the brain.

Doesn't show enough promise to bring readers back next month

Romita is an artist who needs to solely focus one thing. Once his attention is divided, his artwork suffers, such as when he was working on CAPTAIN AMERICAand KICK-ASS. It's clear in SUPERMAN#40, where his artwork suffers quite a bit. His reliance on lots of lines rears it's ugly head, which creates some pretty ugly scenes. While intended as a joke, Aquaman hiding Superman's naked body from Wonder Woman felt a little odd. They've been dating for a while. I think if anything it should have been the other way around. As Romita is rushed, his reliance on blocky characters makes for some ugly talking head panels. Also, Batman seems to be missing his cape in every scene. Dean White's colors are as gorgeous as ever. Klaus Johnson does his best to hide the failings of Romita filling every scene with lines.

While the writing is good enough, the gratuitous cheesecake artwork sinks the issue

Bane doesn't fare well in this Villains Month Issue. Thank god it's almost October

Stephen Segovia takes over on art this issue, and his work is decent enough. The action looks well, but the lack of background/sky makes it difficult to tell where everyone is in relation to each other. This an issue with the event though, not Segovia's artwork itself. Segovia doesn't have a wide arrange of faces, sometimes not matching the dialogue as well as it could. Segovia does (somewhat) solve one of my gripes with CONVERGENCE, and that is not knowing which version of characters we are seeing. Segovia makes a point of showing that Earth 2 Batman is fighting Pre-Flashpoint Batman villains. It started to see the fun that CONVERGENCE originally promised and got excited. Unfortunately the issue ended and my excitement was cut short.

Convergence continues to stall and set up with no payoff in sight

Some very ugly artwork keeps the ending to this arc from being any good

Bring the focus back to the Punisher instead of these new Howling Commandos

Infuriating at points, SM&TXM continues to squander it's potential

This story should be good, but instead it's a mess that can't find a reason for readers to like Tony

Filled with old ideas churned out again, I expected better of JMS and Peter Woods.

The potential is there, but the Finches can't seem to bring that potential to the surface

Battle of the Atom ends on a bad note, feeling rushed and unnecessary to what is going on in the X-Men part of the Marvel U.