Samnee's artwork does so much to help with the world building and creating a sense of danger around the Batman villains being utilized.

It all comes together for what is the best Daredevil issue of Saladin Ahmed's run.

Stephanie Phillips has really nailed the pacing for the latest Jean Grey series. Phoenix #5 is an excellent example of that as the scale of the story is appropriately larger than life.

The quicker that Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider moves on from this story the better it will be. If not then this title may be a short lifespan.

Storm actively looking for an answer to what is going on with her drives the story in an intriguing direction with a cool addition to the cast of this series at the end of the issue.

Titans #17 is an early statement comic book for John Layman and Pete Wood as the new creative team for this series. They do an effective job giving Clock King a two-issue story to put him over as a threat while showing the strength of a Donna Troy-led Titans team.

Immortal Thor #17 juggles various storylines in a way that compliments each other. In the process multiple characters are put over beyond Thor, adding more interest in where all these paths are leading us to. The final page brings back a character that we never thought we see again. Their presence in the story creates a greater sense of unknown in the journey Al Ewing and Jan Bazaldua are taking us on.

Ultimate Spider-Man #11 continues the excellence this series has been known for from the moment it started. Peter Parker operating as a solo hero created a lot of intriguing developments both for his personal and Spider-Man lives. How that trickled down to what goes on with the Sinister Six showcased the multiple layers this series has. It all leads to creating the feeling of wanting to read the next chapter of this story as soon as possible.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto #1 delivers a comic book that was an absolute joy to read. Caleb Goellner and Hendry Prasetya create magic with how they blend the Ninja Turtles and Naruto worlds. The cohesive package shows that these franchises were made to have crossovers with each other. An absolute must-read for fans of these franchises.

Power Rangers Prime #1 presents us with an exciting new universe filled with possibilities to take the franchise in a whole new direction. The world building done by Melissa Flores and Michael Yg makes you want to learn all the ways this universe is different from what we know of the Power Rangers franchise. Everything about this comic book leaves you hyped to want to find out what characters, new and old, could appear in this series and the form they will be in.

Absolute Batman #2 keeps up the strong momentum established by the first issue moving forward. The world that Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta has such a unique vibe even with so many things' fans may be familiar with. It's that familiarity that makes how different things are from Bruce Wayne's relationships to how the state of Gotham City is so much fun to discover. Where everything led to by the end created even greater excitement to read the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #61 got "The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man story off to a rough start. Going back into the well of the typical Peter Parker presentation kept this story parked for much longer than it should have. It wasn't until the second half of the issue that the story finally started to get going. Now that we got all the set-up out of the way hopefully it is all up from here for the "The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man story arc.

G.I. JOE #1 grabs your attention as soon as you open the comic book and does not let it go until you reach the shocking final page. It is an experience that expertly builds off its Energon Universe siblings. The experience is such that it will grab both new and long-time fans all the same. A must-read for sure.

Aliens vs Avengers #2 does such a great job continuing to develop its own unique universe that merges both franchises well.

Batman #154 is that odd chapters where there are certainly important things that happen but the way it gets there doesn't hit the way it fully intends to.

Birds of Prey #15 is a great example of how to mix several different storylines with a team titles.

Even though Williamson along with artists Sean Izaakse and Amancay Nahuelpan do there best to do just that the timing was just not here for this type of finale to a creative run.

X-Men #7 is the fill in the blanks issue that this series needed, specifically for Cyclops and Magneto's characters.

Batgirl #1 has all the pieces to make it a strong debut. Unfortunately, how all those pieces are assembled makes the structure fall apart even before the final piece is placed. This simply comes down to the overcompensation in Tate Brombal writing trying to prove he knows who Cassandra Cain. This leads to Takeshi Miyazawa never getting the chance to properly compliment the story and showcase Cassaindra Cain as the badass she is through the artwork, creating an uneven reading experience. It's a shame that it doesn't all come together as it should because this title certainly has a ton of potential, something that we get many hints of in this first issue.

The Ultimates #6 is easily the best issue of this series thus far. Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri drove home how big of a threat the Maker's Council is through the overwhelming might shown by The Immortal Weapons of Hulk. This eye opening experience should be a big wake up call for the Ultimate Universe heroes.

Absolute Superman #1 is a phenomenal start. Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval provide a lot of depth to Superman's mythos in the Absolute Universe. The way that we deep dive into Krypton's class system and how that alters the House of El's origin created a greater connection between Kal-El and his parents. That connection leaves us with a lot of questions for the present-day status quo of Superman and what is happening on Earth. This all works together for a must-read comic book experience

Ranger Academy #12 delivered a conclusion that was reminiscent to a series finale we would get for a Power Rangers TV show. Every character arc we have followed throughout this series had some sort of payoff. It all culminated in a final battle that once again showed why Dark Specter is one of the franchise's most terrifying villains. If you are a Power Rangers fan and have not read this series make sure to fix that by picking up Ranger Academy when it is collected in trade paperback form.

Ultimate X-Men #8 accomplishes its goal of setting the stage for stronger chapters in this second story arc for the series. Peach Momoko does so much good character work by understanding when the dialogue or artwork should carry different moments. It is a balance that still makes this a comic book you are invested in while reading it.

Power Rangers: Across The Morphin Grid delivers a fun ride that showcases the variety of stories that can be told with the franchise. There will certainly be favorites from this anthology one-shot, personally Billy Cranston and Tanya Sloan stood out, but all the stories together created a fun package for fans to enjoy. Hopefully this isn't the last time we get this type of Power Rangers anthology comics and future versions give time to shine to other Power Rangers (Ninja Storm and SPD please!).

Wolverine: Revenge #3 delivered the most balanced storytelling of this entire mini-series. Jonathan Hickman and Greg Capullo found ways to inject heart into this revenge tour that Logan is on. Those touches of emotions created a greater sense of drama for what continued the violence Wolverine committed to in order to get revenge he promised himself to deliver. By the end we are left wondering how this story will conclude after the dust settles from what happened in this third chapter.

Creating such a big mystery is enough of a hook to come back to read what will be revealed after everything that was set-up in Detective Comics #1090.

Though the obvious twists at the end of this issue does put into question what the actual payoff will be after the big villain reveal takes away any sort of level of suspense for what we could expect.

Scarlet Witch going solo has been a real opportunity to show how her chemistry with a wide variety of Marvel characters can drive a story. Scarlet Witch #5 is another example of that with this one-shot style story guest starring Daredevil.

As he has done in the previous two issues, Jason Aaron showed he understands the individuality of each Turtle as he focuses on Leonardo being a spiritual character. How that leads to showcasing what makes Leonardo such a badass was awesome to see.

X-Men #6 is a transition issue between storylines. That does not mean there weren't any sort of developments.

It all wraps up a comic book that will definitely be a strong contender for the best comic book released this year.

With Green Arrow #17 Joshua Williamson is able to begin to tie-up some loose ends he'll wrap up in the upcoming annual and hand the keys over to Chris Condon and Montos to takeover. Through this transition issue we are able to delve further into the aftermath of Absolute Power and what the results of that event means for Oliver Queen's future. While that does not lead to the cleanest of send offs to a year plus creative run the new foundation that is left behind leaves a lot of potential for Green Arrow's DC All In direction.

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is a kick ass start to what is already a must-read comic book. The chemistry Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey displayed as a creative team was phenomenal. There are so many incredible moments in this debut issue that just consistently remind you that you're reading something that is special. This is easily the best Wonder Woman has been in a long time. It's certainly a comic book to make sure to pick up as soon as possible.

Void Rivals #13 is an intricately crafted start to the series newest arc that integrates even more elements from around the Energon Universe. Robert Kirkman makes every word spoken resonate to create a strong foundation for this new story arc. Add in the excellent artwork from Lorenzo De Felici and Void Rivals #13 is yet another home run issue for this series.

The Spectacular Spider-Men #8 delivers a well told character focused story around the impact the series first storyline had on Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and their supporting cast. If that was the pure focus of this personal storytelling without the general superhero action this would've easily had been the series best issue. Now hopefully this second story arc isn't as long as the first.

Nightwing #118 is an excellent conclusion to Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo's incredible creative run on this series. The way Dick Grayson defeated Heartless how the trust he has in others and others have in him is what makes Nightwing a top-tier superhero. This will certainly go down as one of the most memorable creative runs from DC Comics.

The story in Wonder Woman #14 drops the ball on every level of writing. The only saving grace is the artwork that even then can't avoid being brought down by the narrative decisions for the story direction. The only thing this issue succeeds in is making this the final issue of this Wonder Woman run I'll be reading. Thankfully we got Absolute Wonder Woman to look forward to.

Destro #5 concludes this mini-series with a lot of world building storytelling to strengthen the foundation of the Energon Universe. Through all the world building Dan Watters and Andrei Bressan put over Destro as one of the characters to watch moving forward. It all comes together for a mini-series that builds a lot of excitement for the future of the Energon Universe.

There are a lot of good payoffs that move the franchise to its next phase and the DC All In direction.

I Heart Skull Crusher! #6 is a strong reminder of why this series is one your happy to come back to reading every month.

The lack of distinctive characters is what makes this world not be as fleshed out as the art style makes it look. Unfortunately, the story not clicking is something that makes this series one that I won't be reading monthly.

Phoenix #4 is exactly what I expected when it was announced Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo were working on this series. There is such a great balance between character storytelling with action.

This is a must-read series for everyone.

After all the big things that have gone on in this series Transformers #13 takes a step back to tell the origin story of Starscream.

As a team-up comic book between Captain America and the new Hawkeye, The Ultimates #5 succeeds in what its goal was. Ultimate Hawkeye is put over as a strong new member to The Ultimates, while also showing great chemistry with Captain America. Though the lack of a superhero team vibe continues to cause The Ultimates come across as a series that is not hitting its full potential.

Absolute Batman #1 is an outstanding beginning to a brand new beginning. Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta do an excellent job with the presentation of the Absolute Universe version of Gotham City. Everything is so picture perfect that you can't help but want to read the next issue right away. This is everything both new and long-time fans could want.

Batman #153 acts both as a new starting point and continuation of the narrative Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez have been working on during their creative run. There is a feeling that Gotham City has entered an entire new era with the decisions made by Bruce Wayne and Edward Nygma.

Whether it was intended or not Birds of Prey #14 sells the idea that now is the time for Cassandra Cain to get a new ongoing Batgirl series.

Daredevil #14 is a very introspective issue that deals with the aftermath of both Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchios dealing with the Seven Deadly Sins they've dealt with. With that Saladin Ahmed proves he can tackle personal storytelling well.

DC All In Special accomplishes everything it sets out to do in creating the new foundation for the DC Universe.

The drama and action are just not there because we've seen things on a much grander and important scale. Maybe things will change in future chapters of this story but right now the feeling of this being a filler story hurts the overall momentum of this series.

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #6 is an example of how long-term villain plots aren't always for the best.

There are enough major developments in the story to keep things moving forward to set up the escalating scale of the battles we will see in future issues of Ultraman x The Avengers.

Storm #1 does an excellent job at showcasing what makes Ororo Munroe one of Marvel's most compelling characters. The depth of character goes beyond her Omega-Level mutant powers. How she utilizes her leadership and compassion to inspire others provides a strong foundation for what is to be expected from this series. That foundation provides Storm with strong potential to be a top-tier solo series.

X-Men #5 does a good job at giving Psylocke and Kid Omega the spotlight while establishing the greater threat our heroes are facing. Ryan Stegman's artwork stuck out with how the psychic adventure turned into having a horror movie tone with what was discovered. Now that the X-Men have learned about the threat they are facing it'll be interesting to see where things will go from here.

Absolute Power #4 was an amazing way to conclude the latest DC Universe. From character arcs to storylines, Mark Waid and Dan Mora did an incredible job paying off everything that was built during the Dawn of DC direction. When all was said and done it truly felt like the end of a giant story and the beginning of a brand new and exciting journey. Leaving the reader feeling that way makes Absolute Power exemplify what big comic book events should be.

It all calls into question how the end result of Absolute Power will end up impacting his future direction. That all creates a comic book that you feel fully invested in.

Phoenix #3 by far does the best job of showing the range Jean Grey has from powers to personality.

If this is an example of what we will be getting from The Horizon Experiment one-shot anthology series, then these will be comic books that comic book fans shouldn't miss out on.

Overall, as an ending to a story itself Taylor has left the Titans in spot where they can continue to be presented as one of DC Comics premiere superhero teams.

Ultimate Spider-Man #9 continued to do more set-up for what Peter Parker and Harry Osborn's approach to being superheroes are. That led to a big fight against Walter Hardy's Black Cat that could have big ramifications to the end results of this Sinister Six story. In the middle of all that we get some solid character development for the supporting cast as well. All of that comes together for another strong issue of Ultimate Spider-Man.

Given the name of the title it would've been easy for Jonathan Hickman and Greg Capullo to have this just be a showcase of Wolverine unbridled rage filled revenge. That is not what we get.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Usagi Yojimbo is pure fun. Ryan Parrott, Shawn Daley, and James Fenner hit a home run blending these two franchises together for a story that will have you smiling from beginning to end. With how fully realized this story is you can't help but want to read even more stories with these two franchises having even more crossover stories in the future.

Ultimate X-Men #7 is a strong world building start to the second story arc for this series. Peach Momoko does an excellent job with how the introduction of Ultimate Mister Sinister and Psylocke are each handled. They each bring something different to the table that opens up the series to explore different avenues of the X-Men world that is being built. That along with other developments in this issue show that the momentum for Ultimate X-Men is going to continue to grow strong.

Tom King drops the ball on tapping into the potential Absolute Power provided him to tell a cool prison break story in Wonder Woman #13. The choice of focus on Wonder Woman's relationship with Steve Trevor ended up superseding all the potential of this type of story. Add in how King has seemed to lost steam on narratives around the Trinity back-ups and this is comic book best forgotten.

The Graveyard Club #1 delivers a story that blends of suspense, mystery, and horror extremely well. R.L. Stine crafts a narrative around a cast of characters that are all engaging with the way they are presented. The vibe that Carola Borelli, along with colorists Francesco Segala and Gloria Martinelli, provide the story through fantastic artwork hits on moments the grounded setting surprises the reader with horror elements. It all comes together for a must read for fans of classic horror and suspenseful mystery stories.

That payoff solidified this as one of the memorable comics of the year.

It doesn't make up for the rushed Dinosaur Island wrap-up but it is enough to make this a solid conclusion to Williamson's run on Batman & Robin.

Whereas Raphael had it rough being in prison Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 shows a completely different path for Michelangelo.

Transformer #12 exemplifies how to end a story arc in the biggest, most impactful way possible.

An idea that Bryan Hill and Stefano Caselli does well in exploring with Ultimate Black Panther #8 is how much experience matters.

Wolverine #1 establishes that Saladin Ahmed understands how to write Wolverine. For first issue that builds confidence in knowing the writer understands the character, especially if Nightcrawler is a permanent supporting cast member. Though the story itself does need work.

The main story of Green Lantern #15 is a strong tie-in to Absolute Power. From the uncle and nephew dynamic between Hal Jordan and Wally West to major developments for Carol Ferris as she makes her Star Sapphire return, there was a lot to enjoy in this story. It all drove up greater interest for what could happen next in this series post-Absolute Power.

Uncanny X-Men #2 is strong follow-up that showed Gail Simone and David Marquez great understanding of the franchise. They progress Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, and Jubilee in a logical way in this post-Krakoa era. The new kids introduce add a lot to the mix as their personalities are all given time to shine so you get interested in what they bring to the table. Add all that with solid progress on the villain side of the plot we have an issue in Uncanny X-Men #2 that solidifies this as one of Marvel's premiere titles.

All in all, Batman #152 is exactly what tie-in comic books should look to be by enhancing what is going on in Absolute Power.

Kelly Thompson and Gavin Guidry stick the landing for the finale of the "Worlds Without End story arc.

When it comes to scale of a final battle Steve Orlando and Jacopo Camagni tap into the unlimited potential when magic is involved.

The way things end with what Storm Shadow finds ensures the finale of this Scarlett mini-series will play a larger role in the G.I. JOE side of the Energon Universe.

At the heart of Juni Ba's The Boy Wonder series it was about Damian Wayne's relationship with his family. Whether it was with his blood-related family in Bruce Wayne, Talia Al Ghul, and Ra's Al Ghul or his extended family in the Batman Family. How all these familial relationships shape Damian as a young kid is where this mini-series has shined and it was at its brightest with the finale in The Boy Wonder #5.

Absolute Power #3 is an excellent penultimate chapter to the DC Universe latest big event. Whether it's characters conversation with each other or action sequences, Mark Waid and Dan Mora keep finding ways to deliver one big moment after another. That leads to having the maximum level of hype to find out how Absolute Power will end and lead to even bigger things in the future.

Immortal Thor #15 is strong conclusion to this story arc with Hercules, Nyx, and Loki. Al Ewing and Jan Bazaldua fully tap into the different dynamics Thor has with various characters. The breaking point reached with Thor and Loki in particular puts a lot into question for the direction of this series. Those questions generate strong momentum for what will be coming next in Immortal Thor #15.

The Ultimates #4 is an excellent origin story for Ultimate Reed Richards. The tragic fate of the Ultimate Fantastic Four makes Reed Richards' Doom one of the most fascinating characters in this Ultimate Universe. Unfortunately that investment in Ultimate Doom is at the cost of the rest of the characters in this series take a backseat in a title that's supposed to be about a team. Hopefully we see Deniz Camp find balance between telling personal stories that also develop the greater team as a whole.

Minor Arcana #1 delivers a fascinating character study as the lead character, Theresa St. Pierre, returns to her hometown. As the layers are peeled back about why she returned the world opens up in interesting ways. It all leads to a hook ending that leaves you wondering exactly what is going on in Theresa's hometown.

It speaks to where the interest is in this Green Arrow run that it was the Arrow Family who are carrying Joshua Williamson's final arc. While there is a lot of interest in what role Oliver Queen is playing in Absolute Power when it comes to the Green Arrow series Williamson has built his run around the family aspect.

Stephanie Phillips and Paolo Villanelli are really maximizing Spider-Gwen being the person out of time, though in this case it's the Spider out of universe.

When it comes to the artwork Ultimate X-Men #6 continues the trend of this series one of the most visually stunning an imaginative series there are. Though when it comes to the Shadow King the ending for his story isn't necessarily satisfying.

Void Rivals #12 acts more as an epilogue chapter than a conclusion of a story arc.

The artwork in this series does so much to show how Zatanna handles dealing with such crazy events as she can't avoid her destiny. It all further solidifies this as a can't miss series from DC Comics

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Black, White, & Green #4 solidified the must-read nature of this mini-series. The four stories in this final issue highlighted the variety of stories that can be told with this franchise. If you are a TMNT fan this is absolutely a must-read comic book.

X-Men #3 delivers a lot strong developments, specifically for Cyclops and Temper. The one-shot style storytelling worked to build the credibility of this X-Men team. This approach of storytelling also once again emphasized the variety of threats the X-Men face in this new era. If you're an X-Men fan this is one comic book to pick up.

Nightwing #117 did exactly what it needed to position Dick Grayson back to a form where he can take the fight to Heartless.

Phoenix #2 for better and worse keeps up the pacing from the first issue. When this comic book is at its best the focus is on Jean Grey as the Phoenix interacting with the greater Marvel cosmic universe. Adding in Corsair into this adventure added some light-hearted bits needed to balance out the more serious approach Jean as Phoenix is taking to being a cosmic protector.

The presentation of this story is certainly a breath of fresh air in Power Rangers storytelling. Though Sam Humphries does end up swinging and missing with this story that leans more into the Super Sentai side rather than Power Rangers.

Scarlet Witch #3 is a visual delight. Steve Orlando shows great trust in Russell Dauterman and Jacopo Camagni creating a presentation that keeps the reader engaged on both sides of the story in this comic book.

Titans #14 is exactly the chapter that The Dark-Winged Queen storyline needed.

No one is doing world-building better than Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto on Ultimate Spider-Man.

Jonathan Hickman and Greg Capullo deliver an absolute must-read comic book with Wolverine: Revenge #1. They do not waste any time in setting the stakes as this alternate Marvel Universe deals with being sent to the dark ages after a major event created a global crisis. Those stakes are further elevated by what Wolverine and his allies are put through. By the end, you're left wanting to see Wolverine live up to the revenge aspect of this series in addition to saving the world.

Wonder Woman #12 may very well be the best comic book issue from Tom King's creative run on this series. The story is a simple interrogation issue that focuses more on exploring Diana Prince and Damian Wayne's dynamic rather that furthering he greater Absolute Power event. This choice works to the strength of the story King and Tony Daniel told. Diana and Damian share a unique dynamic that sees them open up in ways they don't normally with others. Definitely a comic book to check out if you are a Wonder Woman or Robin fan.

Blow Away #5 is an excellent conclusion to the narrative Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo got us invested in from the first issue. The main character's journey is rewarding as she puts all of her skills to work in order to find out the truth. If you are into suspenseful mystery stories make sure to check out Blow Away when it releases in trade paperback

Destro #3 is an action-packed comic book. Destro's fight against the Chameleon is choreographed in a way that you are constantly guessing how it could end. All of the action has a sense of purpose that gets you even more invested in how this series developments will factor into the greater GI JOE plans in the Energon Universe. The cliffhanger creates a lot of intrigue to find out what will happen in the second half of this mini-series.

Ultraman x the Avengers #1 did its job in getting you bought into this crossover between the two distinct franchises. Focusing on the Ultraman Universe with the Avengers go to that world rather than the other way around was a great call. It naturally led to establishing the credibility of the larger-than-life threats the Avengers will be facing alongside the Ultraman characters. If you're a fan of either franchise make sure to give this mini-series a shot.

X-Men #2 was a solid follow-up to the debut. This second issue further put over this series tapping into the more traditional superhero team vibe it is going for. Compared to what the other X-Men titles are doing this honestly helping it standout. Though hopefully we see the team fight more credible threats than the random aliens than they did here.

The Ultimates #3 was a solid world building third chapter for this series. Exploring the impact of Hulk's origin had on the world further added to how unique this Ultimate Universe is. While the lack of the full team appearing in this issue the introduction of She-Hulk lifted up the quality of the story.

The sense of immersion that Transformers #11 creates is off the charts. Daniel Warren Johnson and Jorge Corona continue to be on their own level with their work on Transformers. From all the emotional story beats to the design choices for the Autobots and Decepticons, the emotional investment continues to grow.

S.I.R. #1 is strong start to the latest series to join the BOOM! Box publishing line. Fell Hound taps into the magic that comes with slice-of-life webtoons and shonen-style anime. The presentation gets you immediately invested in the story being told with the two series leads. That most importantly creates a feeling of wanting to read more after finishing the final page.

It is the example of what tie-in comic books should be in advance both a big event and its own series narrative.

While it is certainly time for this story arc to end when we get chapters like Birds of Prey #12 the fun had supersedes the feeling of how long this arc is.

It speaks to the strength of Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder as a creative team that after twelve issues their intro arc is still going strong.

Scarlett #3 delivers exactly the payoff that the first two issues of this series has been building towards.

The previous three issues set such a high bar that not reaching those same levels was felt.

Weisman and Ramos style as a creative team would be much better with short two to four issue story arcs. Six issues in and still no end in sight makes this feel like every Spider-Man title we are getting in the Earth-616 continuity.

Uncanny X-Men #1 is a strong debut for one of the main series in the franchise. The dynamic established between Rogue, Gambit, and Wolverine drives the investment in this series. That along with the long-term villain plot quickly made this one of the best X-Men titles in the From The Ashes direction.

Absolute Power #2 does an excellent job of not just continuing the momentum of the debut issue but also elevating the story even higher. There are so many great moments throughout this second issue that builds on all the storytelling we've been getting since Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths. It all helps to create greater investment in this story that Mark Waid and Dan Mora are crafting together. Which in turn makes this a must-read comic book event.

Stephanie Phillips and Goran Suduka nail capturing the reader's attention with the presentation of the world where Red Before Black #1 takes place. The way the cat and mouse game involving the series leads, Val and Leo, is developed gets you engaged in their respective stories. Every element of this debut issue works to create questions about the characters and world to make you want to come back to find out what exactly is going on with Val and Leo.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 delivers a satisfying ending to the epic story Melissa Flores, Simona Di Gianfelice, and company created. More importantly, the scale of this finale hit on what the payoff needed to be for the eight-year journey we've experienced from all the creative teams that worked on this franchise under BOOM! Studios. It all further highlights why this entire run something that all Power Rangers' fans should experience.

Ultimate Spider-Man #7 delivers even more world building as Peter Parker and Harry Osborn learn from their earlier defeat at the hands of Kingpin Wilson Fisk. This gave the impact of the first story arc greater impact as its not just Peter and Harry who are dealing with the current status quo. It all led to an ending that connects this series to bigger things going on in the world, creating even more excitement for what's next in the Ultimate Universe.

Deadpool & Wolverine: WWIII #3 gives readers exactly what they are looking for from a comic book adventure involving these two lead characters. The chemistry between Wolverine and Deadpool shine through. It is all carried by the excellent artwork from Adam Kubert, who reminds us all that no one draws a Wolverine comic book like him. If you're looking to get a comic book to read to feed further into the Deadpool & Wolverine hype this comic book delivers on that.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle #1 is a home run start to this new era for the franchise. Jason Aaron and Jolle Jones nail this story of Raphael in prison to set the foundation for the series moving forward. There are a lot of great moments that have you looking forward to finding out what's going on with not just the Hamato Clan but also other characters in this universe. Definitely a must buy comic book.

Hello Darkness #1 delivers a cool immersive experience. The six stories within this comic book all had a hook that leaves you wondering what is unfolding. Even if not every story is a hit for everyone there will be several stories here that will capture different fans attention. That is where the beauty of Hello Darkness lies, every reader will have a different takeaway of which mix of stories they'll engage with. Hello Darkness is definitely one comic book you don't want to miss out on experiencing this year.

Kyle Higgins, Brian Buccellato, and Geraldo Borges nail the conclusion of this Massive-Verse series with No/One #10. The ending provides a strong payoff to all the chaos that was created in this world throughout this comic book and accompanying podcast. It's a payoff that leaves you even more invested in what will happen next with the Massive-Verse. With this conclusion No/One establishes itself as a must-read noir thriller for every superhero fan.

After two issues of build up we get really into the meat of the "Fallen Grayson story arc.

Phoenix #1 nails what it needed to get over Jean Grey as a cosmic solo superhero. The scope of this series creates a lot of excitement for the future direction of this series with strong potential. If it wasn't for one distracting narrative choice this would've been more highly viewed. If you're an X-Men fan make sure to pick up this comic book.

Scarlet Witch #2 is such a refreshing reading experience. The biggest reason for that is how Steve Orlando and Jacopo Camagni maximize tapping into the unlimited potential of Marvel's magic realm.

For as interesting as it was to see what Peter Parker and Miles Morales "dream lives were at the end of the day what makes this series special is the chemistry they share as a pair. The Spectacular Spider-Men #5 is a reminder of that unique element within the Spider-Man franchise as even when Peter and Miles are fighting each other there is a great amount of fun.

Other than the opening page and final three pages Titans #13 is largely a filler chapter in the "Dark-Winged Queen storyline. That is not a good thing considering those pages are the ones involving the Titans themselves.

Five issues in we are finally starting to get a picture of what the Ultimate X-Men team will be looking like.

Wonder Woman #11 accomplishes exactly what readers looking to check out tie-ins to big comic book events will want. Tom King expands on what we saw in Absolute Power #1 by giving us what felt like director's cut content that provided insight into Wonder Woman's side of the story. In the process King and Tony Daniel deliver what is easily the most fun issue of this creative run to date.

I Heart Skull-Crusher! #5 delivers an energetically fun conclusion to the first story arc of Josie Campbell and Alessio Zonno series. The presentation alone emphasizes what has made this one of the standout new comic books released this year. The way this first story arc concludes it leaves you wanting to read more stories in this world. If you haven't had the chance to check out this series yet make sure to pick up the trade for I Heart Skull-Crusher! first story arc when it is released.

In the war we see play out of Destro vs Xamot and Tomax there are no sides to be on. And that is where the magic of Destro #2 is shown. This comic book unapologetically nails what would happen when two villain groups fight it out in all out war. The results create even greater interest in what is going on in the GI JOE side of the Energon Universe.

It speaks to how well Ryder is developed as a lead character that even in a world so fantastically brought to life by artist Jorge Corona and colorist Jean-Francois Beaulieu your attention is still always on what Ryder is doing.

Batman and Robin #11 is all about setting the stage for the Dynamic Duo vs Bane and Vengeance. This is a fight that has been a long time coming and that is exactly what is put over in this issue.

Daredevil #11 is an example of how much chemistry can carry a story.

The Ultimates #2 is an important comic book to understand the greater history of the Ultimate Universe.

Green Lantern #13 is a tie-in comic book at its best. Jeremy Adams and Fernando Pasarin maximize their page count to both further the long-term narrative of this series and what's going on with Absolute Power. This is absolutely the example that should be used of what a tie-in comic book should do amplify the journey we see the characters of the series going on.

Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman deliver must-read debut issue with X-Men #1. Everything you can want from a superhero team book is here. And for fans of the franchise MacKay and Stegman make sure to deliver a story that builds on what came before them, living up to the "From The Ashes direction banner for the franchise. The entire presentation works to welcome fans both new and old. Make sure to pick up this comic book asap.

Transformers #10 is purely incredible from beginning to end. There is no comic book that is hitting on an emotional or action level like this series. Daniel Warren Johnson and Jorge Corona take the Autobots vs Decepticons war to another level with this issue. The developments here could very well be felt across the Energon Universe. It all creates greater excitement to find out what will happen next in this series.

All the momentum that was created by the end of the Dark Prisons storyline is completely taken away from this series. Even for how much work Chip Zdarsky makes this side story involving a random character is just that: Random.

Thompson and company find a strong pace in the switch between the three settings to keep you engaged the entire time. It helps to elevate the stakes when things really pop off in the last few pages of Birds of Prey #11.

As we see with The Boy Wonder #3, Damian and Tim Drake are never going to be the closest to one another as this was more of a basic team-up rather than one that deepens their ties. That works for the arc that Juni Ba is taking Damian Wayne on as not every issue needs to bring him closer to his brothers. But what we do get to see is how they compliment one another when things breakdown.

Scarlett #2 nails putting over the title character as badass fighter and spy. Establishing that was key in making the infiltration of Clan Arashikage work. Where things are left create even more excitement to see how Scarlett can survive and be successful in the mission she was given.

Absolute Power #1 is a grand slam of a start for the DC Universe's latest big event. Mark Waid and Dan Mora nailed making this start work as a culmination of all the storytelling with Amanda Waller since Dark Crisis On Infinite Earth #7's epilogue. This is a must-read comic book for fans of the DC Universe.

Given the places Darkest Hour has gone Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #121 focusing on the major gamble Billy feels like has to take adds to the stakes at hand. While this is great for Billy's character arc it doesn't do much for all the others involved in this story. There are so many characters involved in Darkest Hour that it's been odd to see so many just shuffled to the side.

Bringing in Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Cindy Moon was a big step up for Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #2 compared to its debut issue.

The mix of tension between the strong action and drama surrounding our lead characters shines a light on how great of an artist Lorenzo De Felici is. The way Felici choreographs what Robert Kirkman writes to happen gels incredibly well.

The Spectacular Spider-Men #4 has a lot of heart thanks to its story. That is thanks to how Greg Weisman and Humberto Ramos utilize Peter Parker and Miles Morales deepest desires to provide meaningful character insight. Now hopefully with where things are left off the villain side of the story gets cleaned up to tap into the full potential of this storyline.

Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1 did exactly what it needed to do to establish the Trinity of Evil with Amanda Waller as its leader. In doing so the creative team behind this one-shot were able to bring together various DC Universe storylines to work under the united timeline seen in the Absolute Power. This is certainly a comic book fans interested in DC Comics latest big event must pick up to understand what is about to happen.

Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1 is a phenomenal comic book from start to finish. Mariko Tamaki, Javier Rodrguez, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou have created a fresh story that is brimming with creativity. This is a must-read comic book you should make sure you pick up and read immediately.

Batman #149 is 100% about tying up loose ends on the Bruce Wayne side of the Dark Prisons storyline rather than setting up Absolute Power.

Immortal Thor #12 is the type of comic book where you want to just enjoy the ride without thinking what is ahead. That has been the case with Al Ewing's entire Thor run and there is a real magic to that.

Todd McFarlane and Szymon Kudranski did as good a job possible making the new mini-series starring Cyan Fitzgerald strike the new reader friendly and continuing long-term character development.

It is a testament to the high standards set by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo that even with several questionable creative decisions Nightwing #115 still has a lot to enjoy.

It all made great use of the superhero slice-of-life approach this creative run has done so well in bringing to life.

Ultimate Spider-Man #6 is yet another example of the excellence that is Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto run. The way they wrap up the first story arc created even more interesting in not just the plans for Spider-Man and Green Goblin but the direction the entire Parker family will take from here. This easily the best Spider-Man comic book we've gotten in years and Marvel's best series right now.

Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer did an excellent job at moving the Dark-Winged Queen story arc forward with Titans #12. The way T.O. Morrow and Vanadia were utilized to push the story forward gave greater depth to the latest developments in is story arc. The hook ending creates even more interest in what happens next in this Raven-led Dark-Winged Queen story arc.

All that can be said is thank the goddess that this Sovereign storyline is over. Whether forced to end due to Absolute Power or because this was the intended natural end point doesn't matter. The failure of this story arc built around a poorly developed villain is finally over. And that is the only positive that can be said about the story itself. We at least had another great example in Wonder Woman #10 that showcased why Daniel Sampere is one of the best artists in the industry. So, there is that as well.

Destro #1 is another great addition to the Energon Universe. Dan Watters and Andrei Bressan nail how to tell a story around a villain as the protagonist of the series. The way things are developed around Destro leaves you intrigued by what this will mean for the leader of M.A.R.S and the greater impact it'll have on the G.I. JOE side of the universe. This a must-read for G.I. JOE and Energon Universe fans.

Deadpool & Wolverine: WWIII #2 is ultra-violent fun. This is the type of comic book that as soon as you open it you turn off your brain and just enjoy what is going on each page.

Though this is titled Giant-Size Daredevil it is a one-shot that the Man and Woman Without Fear are supporting characters at best. This is really a Wilson Fisk comic book to continue reestablishing himself as the Kingpin of Crime again. In terms of that, Saladin Ahmed and Paul Davidson accomplished their mission statement.

Green Lantern #12 solidified this series being the best comic book DC Comics is currently publishing.

Scarlet Witch #1 is very much a continuation of Steve Orlando's Scarlet Witch run, which includes the 2023 ongoing and Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver mini-series. As a fan of both, Scarlet Witch #1 does a great job at continuing Wanda Maximoff modern day development.

Ultimate X-Men #4 does a phenomenal job continuing the Shadow King storyline and having big developments for Hisako Ichiki. The way this issue concludes creates a lot of intriguing possibilities the direction this series will take from here. It all once again highlights why the unique comic book reading experience Peach Momoko has created is must-read.

Batman and Robin #10 delivers an ending that unfortunately does not live up to all the build that went into this finale. The way Man-Bat's plot was resolved came across as a step back from where things started. Luckily the final third of this issue lifted up this comic book thanks to the strong dynamic Damian Wayne shares with Bruce Wayne and Flatline.

Transformers #9 was a banger of a comic book. Daniel Warren Johnson, Jorge Corona, and Mike Spicer waste no time in delivering a battle between the Autobots and Decepticons that had a controlled chaos energy to it. Every issue of this series has been must-read and Transfomers #9 was no different.

Its one of those necessary evil chapters where this story arc needed these details to be laid out. But that does not excuse how by the end of Birds of Prey #10 we don't progress further than when this issue started.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Alpha is exactly what it needed to be: a teaser for the direction of IDW's TMNT Universe.

Ultimates #1 is a foundation setter. There are a lot of big ideas presented for what the series will be tackling for the greater Ultimate Universe.

With how things went with Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X, X-Men #35 did its best to provide the Krakoa Era its final chapter. This final chapter was at its best tapping into how sad it is to say goodbye to the Krakoa Era. Though there are many moments that felt like the creative team was stretching the story rather than fully honoring what this era meant for the X-Men. Hopefully the foundation set for the future of the franchise is followed up well by the new era.

The Boy Wonder #2 is a must-read comic book. It's as simple as that. This comic book is brimming with style and personality. But most importantly it has a lot of heart. The way Juni Ba explores Damian Wayne and Jason Todd's dynamic makes this one of the most memorable comic books DC Comics has published this year.

Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimnez knocked it out of the park with how they concluded the "Dark Prisons story arc. From beginning to end Batman #148 had everything to make all the build up to this final battle against Zur-En-Arrh worth the journey. From Bruce Wayne's personal growth to the reunion of the Batman Family, this was a great ending that builds greater excitement for what Zdarsky has planned next.

As soon as you open Scarlett #1 Kelly Thompson and Marco Ferrari get you immersed in the cool spy thriller they create. The mission that Scarlett sets out on continues to strengthen the G.I. Joe side of the universe. It all comes together to another must-read series the Energon Universe is being known for.

All the story and character payoffs lead to a satisfying ending for what is easily a must-read Avengers story.

Pine & Merrimac #5 does some of the best work tackling the emotional toil death can have on a person.

If nothing else Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #4 gets over how terrifying Wanda Maximoff is when releasing her limiter and fully embracing her Chaos magic powers.

The deeper we get into the story of W0rldtr33 the more the feeling that this should've been left to be a six issue mini-series grows stronger.

Rise of the Powers of X #5 is unfortunately a mixed bag for being the penultimate chapter of the latest X-Men crossover. Kieron Gillen could not avoid falling into the trappings of how convoluted things were to tell a fully satisfying final battle involving Phoenix, Enigma, Charles Xavier, and Moira X. The way things end leaves a lot of responsibility on Uncanny X-Men #700 to ensure the Krakoa Era gets the great ending it deserves.

Ultimate Spider-Man #5 is a world building issue centered around Harry Osborn's Green Goblin origin story. While the absence of the Parker Family is certainly felt, Jonathan Hickman makes up for it with more great character and world building. The one-shot style pacing helped to maintain interest in what goes on to look forward to where the developments involving Harry, Gwen Stacy, and Otto Octavius will lead to.

Green Arrow #12 delivers all the moments for fans of the Arrow Family that made conclusion to the Merlyn Multiverse plotline satisfying. While it is disappointing that Amanda Waller didn't factor into this ending, it was understandable given the plans for the Absolute Power event. The focus on the united Arrow Family, including one of the best endings to a Green Arrow comic book issue, made this a fun read.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #4 delivers an ending that balances out fanservice with many great character moments. Amy Jo Johnson, Matt Hotson, and Nico Leon create so many great moments that when the story reaches its conclusion your left wanting more. If you are a Power Rangers fan make sure you pick up this mini-series asap.

Continuing the momentum from its debut issue, Blow Away #2 nails making the reader feel like an audience member. The pacing of this second issue felt like you are experiencing a mystery-thriller movie.

Rainbow Rowell does not hesitate in tapping into a character's history to progress them both as a superhero and personally.

The Spectacular Spider-Men #3 is a frustrating comic book. It has a lot of elements and concepts that would make for a fun and thought-provoking story. Unfortunately, the structure of jumping between timelines and reality makes it to much of a mess that you tired by everything its attempting.

Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer have found the secret sauce to make the latest story involving Trigon making Raven his successor engaging.

Darak and Solila continue to be two of the most interesting series leads. Lorenzo De Felici artwork especially shined getting over where Darak and Solila are at in this point in their journey.

Fall of the House of X #5 does its job of wrapping up the threat of Nimrod, Omega Sentinel, and the Sentinel City. In the process the X-Men ashow what makes them a strong team with their epic win over Orchis. The way this concludes sets up the final two chapters of this X-Men crossover to deliver a true end for the Krakoa Era and begin something new.

While this does not take away from how great Darkest Hour has been this is easily the weakest chapter of the later Power Rangers event.

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #1 struggles to be new reader friendly due to Earth-65's Gwen Stacy complicated Multiverse history. Once Stephanie Phillips and Federica Mancin move past the opening to focus on building the larger creative direction and showing Gwen in action this comic book comes into its own. Hopefully the momentum created by the second half of this debut issue is carried forward by future issues.

Nightwing #114 was pure set-up for what the "Fallen Grayson will be about. This set-up was especially needed to establish Heartless as the endgame villain for Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo's final story arc in their creative run. All of the developments did their job in getting over what this story will be about. Now hopefully the remaining chapters will focus on moving forward in the present rather than stuck in the past with more flashbacks.

Wonder Woman #9 is all style and zero substance. By far this is one of the best looking comic books you will see right now. The work done by Daniel Sampere is purely amazing. This makes it even more unfortunate that for as incredible as this comic book looks, the writing does nothing to match that quality. All of the problems with the narrative just leaves you hoping this wraps up as fast as possible and we move far away from the Sovereign story.

Joshua Williamson and Andrea Milana deliver an incredible conclusion to Cobra Commader. Seeing the rise of Cobra throughout these five issues perfectly complimented what went on over in the Duke series. Cobra Commander #5 ending will make you even more excited to experience what will happen next in the Energon Universe.

It all falls on the generic writing and inconsistent artwork that just does not tap into a comic book that every page should feel like an epic big event you are experiencing. Once your done with this second issue the feeling this could've been more is what comes to mind right away.

Green Lantern #11 is one of those comic books that you are just along for the ride for. The surprises won't blow your mind but what they do is maximize what the moments with plot twists happen they are impactful.

The storytelling gets the job done to make sure Peter Cairn big moment at the end of Rat City #2 changes his life moving forward.

Ultimate X-Men #3 continues the great world building through the reveal of Mei Igarashi's origin story of how she became Maystorm. The other plot beats aren't as successful but Momoko does enough with Mei's origin to keep your attention to want to read where the story will go next. It helps that the artwork continues to be excellent, with a lot of jaw dropping visuals throughout this issue.

Batman and Robin #9 does a great job balancing the dark plot involving Man-Bat's rise to power with the more light-hearted high school adventures of Damian Wayne. Through it all Joshua Williamson delivers great progress on the multiple storylines going on in the "Cult of Man-Bat arc.

Ain't No Grave #1 is a great example of how you build a world around a character. The western setting is so reflective of who Ryder is, both past and present.

Birds of Prey #9 is a lot of set-up for this roadtrip through the Multiverse to save Barbara Gordon. With this being more of an intro to this new story arc the narrative is carried by the Birds of Prey chemistry and the way they react to the first world they visit.

The world is grounded enough that when there are elements that appear supernatural it leaves you wondering what is going on. But while a mood is certainly created the characters that exist in this world just don't capture your attention.

Daredevil #9 does a lot to push Matt Murdock out of his bubble and back into fully stepping back into the importance of his mission as the Man Without Fear.

This is absolutely a must-read for TMNT fans.

The Amory Wars: No World for Tomorrow #1 has all the elements that fans that have followed decade plus long saga from the beginning. It gives off the vibe that things are reaching their end point. For fans looking to get into The Amory Wars you'll be better off reading the previous volumes that came before rather than jumping in at the end of the saga expecting to understand everything.

The Boy Wonder #1 delivers a unique superhero story that embraces the opportunity of having a title under the Black Label imprint has.

X-Men Forever #3 is easily the best issue of this mini-series by far. That is thanks to the way the direction Hope Summers, Destiny, Mystique, and Nightcrawler arcs are developed. These four characters carry the story in this issue to feel important to what is going on in the Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X titles.

Batman #147 is exactly the chapter that this Zur-En-Arrh Saga needed to move forward with. Batman of Zur-En-Arrh moves his plans forward in a way that both work to escalate the narrative Chip Zdarsky is crafting and builds towards the Absolute Power event. It's a delicate balance that ends up working to make progress for all the players involved to have greater importance.

Transformers #8 is an incredible display of storytelling. Daniel Warren Johnson and Jorge Corona make sure the reader understands how seriously they must take every character moment and event that takes place in this series. This is truly a must-read comic book.

For fans looking to get their Deadpool and Wolverine fix ahead of this summer's movie this is the comic book to pick up.

Magno absolutely makes sure the action shines as the power Thor and his Roxxon counterpart radiates off every panel. It all comes together to remind the reader this is one of the best comic books being published monthly.

As with previous issues, Ranger Academy #7 delivers the episodic-style storytelling you expect to see from an anime. That format does lead to certain story beats to be more predictable than they likely intended to be due to following this format.

Whether it's long character interactions or environmental storytelling there is a lot of good world building. All of that pays off with an hook ending that you wonder what the thing the lead character discovers changes the trajectory for The Whisper Queen's world.

Gerry Duggan and Joshua Cassara deliver a comic book in X-Men #34 that builds momentum for how Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X will end. This did as much as a tie-in can do to progress the narrative of the main story being told in the two core titles telling this event. Now the stage is set for the conclusion of Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X to set-up the new path forward for the franchise.

Every action sequence has a sense of importance to how things ultimately end. The ending leaves things open for fans to look forward to if and when this version of Zorro will be revisited.

Nightwing Annual 2024 achieves its goal of making Bea Bennet a fully realized character. The way Travis Moore told Bea's origin story gave her character a lot of layers. With where this story concludes this annual leaves Bea's character in a spot where she can appear in other DC Comics titles. Breaking the chain of being a Nightwing supporting character makes this annual a big success.

Daredevil #8's ending is so big that it can have consequences that go beyond this series. That alone makes this a must read for Marvel fans.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #119 is the calm before the storm issue. It is certainly needed after what has gone down in the first eight chapters. Melissa Flores does a lot of quality character work, in particular with the different main pairings she has been developing during her run.

The rush in development for the antagonist drags Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #3 down a bit. Though this is a reflection of the quality expected from this series as while this issue is still solid overall it does not reach the heights of the first two issues.

Each decision Abe makes in his final days has a drastic impact on how the world is responding to his current status. That said, this issue does show signs of the problems of having such a large cast. There isn't on character that is completely grabbing you as the reader.

Luckily the artwork by Luca Maresca does a lot of work to make character moments look good at least. It is too bad that the impact is hindered due to the tie-in nature as the ending of X-Men: Forever #2 isn't the home run it could've been otherwise.

Rise of the Powers of X #4 is easily the best issue of this half of the latest X-Men crossover event. Though there are still certain plot beats that do not as intended the major moments accomplish what they need to. The decisions Charles Xavier makes in particular drives home the endgame state not just the X-Men are in but the entire Marvel Universe.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #150 is a strong end to Sophie Campbell incredible run on this series. Donatello and Venus journey honored everything that came before it to make this final issue feel like things came full circle. As a fan there is no way to not have felt incredibly happy to have been along for this ride Campbell, Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, and all the creators who worked on this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series created for us to experience.

Jonathan Hickman and David Messina show their strength as comic book creators that they can make a superhero comic book that's all about character conversations compelling. That is what they accomplish with Ultimate Spider-Man #2. In the process they plant seeds that will sprout into intriguing plotlines for different combinations of the cast members of this series.

Green Arrow #11 does a lot to get over Oliver Queen and Merlyn's historic rivalry. In the process, Merlyn gets a fresh start as a villain that establishes why he should be Green Arrow's #1 nemesis. The way Sean Izaakse, Phil Hester, and Eric Gapstur different art styles are utilized strengthens the narrative direction Joshua Williamson took for this issue. It all leads to a strong ending that leaves us wondering how Green Arrow will factor into Absolute Power.

Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! #1 delivers an engaging start to a story that will find readers immersed in as soon as they open the comic book. Dan Watters and Ram V develop a story that is naturally developed with each turn of the page. It makes the story be something that you are uncovering alongside the lead character. For fans of the Universal Monsters franchise this is a comic book to make sure not to miss out on.

Duke #5 is a phenomenal, action-packed ending to Codename: G.I. Joe. The way the story ends gets you not only excited for Duke's future but also for the future of the entire Energon Universe. How this finale sets up G.I. JOE franchise success within the Energon Universe should excite fans with how things end. Definitely make sure to pick up this series, whether it's the individual issues or the trade paperback when released.

The results of Avengers: Twilight #5 is a compelling penultimate chapter to drive interest in the finale for Chip Zdarsky and Daniel Acua's mini-series as high as it can be.

The big reveal moments just don't hit like ones made in previous issues. Maybe if the moment in this issue was switched with the reveal at the end of the first issue it would be more impactful. Even then Cobra Commander #4 is still a very good comic book that adds to what is going on in the Energon Universe.

Fall of the House of X #4 is a strong penultimate issue to this mini-series. There were plenty of moments of payoff, especially with Apocalypse actions. The surprise turn by Charles Xavier elevates the stakes even more as we are at the endgame of the Krakoa Era.

If you have already, make sure to pick up I Heart Skull Crushers! #2 along with the first issue. This is a ready experience not to be missed out on.

For Spider-Man fans simply looking for a fun title to check out The Spectacular Spider-Men #2 delivers just that.

There is an art to one-shot style storytelling. That is especially the case when using the one-shot method in an ongoing series. Titans #10 by Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer is an example of how this style of storytelling can enhance the bigger narrative that is being told in a series.

The results is Ultimate Black Panther #3 driving home this being the Black Panther series to read and helping make the Ultimate Universe the best publishing line from Marvel.

Nightwing #113 is a phenomenal comic book to celebrate the character's 300th comic book issue. The chemistry Nightwing has with his cast is on full display. A touching scene between Dick Grayson and Marv Wolfman took this comic book to the next level. This is a must have for every Nightwing fan.

If Wonder Woman #8 was a standalone issue without any sort of history behind it the creativity would've made it a winner. Unfortunately, Tom King has dropped the ball so hard with making Sovereign a credible threat that the story in this issue falls apart almost immediately. The saving grace is the continued excellent artwork by Daniel Sampere that carries the entire story to at least be a visual showcase.

Blow Away #1 absolutely nails how to use the setting to get the reader invested in the main character and story. The chemistry Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo showed as a creative was top notch. If you are looking for an intense mystery thriller, make sure to check out Blow Away #1.

Joshua Williamson is certainly not shy about drawing parallels between Bruce Wayne and Damian Wayne. Especially when it comes to the younger Wayne we are seeing Damian have his own Bat-Cat pairing explored with his relationship with Flatline.

Continuing the backstory of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return universe, we get more insight into Seline's origin as Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa's daughter. In the process we see how this mini-series takes elements from the recent Once & Always special. Diving deeper into what happened during the final battle does make Tommy Oliver's sacrifice an even greater development than it already was.

While the world building still needs some work Napalm Lullaby #2 moves this series in the right direction to tap into the potential the setting has.

The end result is Rat City #1 being a new reader friendly comic book with the elements you expect from a Spawn series.

Peach Momoko does a phenomenal job at continuing the momentum of this series with Ultimate X-Men #2. Hisako Ichiki continues to be developed as a strong lead with the addition of Maystorm making Hisako's character and this story even better. The character focus approach is elevated by the continued horror storytelling that is being utilized to put over the first Ultimate X-Men villain. It all comes together to make Ultimate X-Men #2 drive home how quickly this title has become one of Marvel's best comic books.

Green Lantern #10 does an excellent job at setting the tone of the underground resistant approach Hal, Jo, and other Green Lanterns must take to combat the United Planets and their new Lantern Corps. The pacing of the entire issue gives the story Jeremy Adams, Xermanico, and Amancay Nehuelpan are building have a big event level feel. The fun back-up story featuring Guy Gardner added a needed contrast to the type of stories we can see from this series. All of this together continues to solidify the latest Green Lantern series as one of the best comic books DC Comics is publishing.

Transformers #7 continues the excellence that this series has been known for from the very beginning. Daniel Warren Johnson nails what the aftermath of the first story arc of this series needed to be for the Autobots and Decepticons. Jorge Corona naturally stepped in to add to the intensity of this more personal story for the entire cast of this series. Every development created a greater investment in the characters and story as a whole.

Uncanny Valley #1 is a wild start that leaves you excited to see what turn this ride will take you on. Tony Fleecs and Dave Wachter certainly deliver on getting you invested on the young lead characters journey. Watcher's artwork in particular creates a lot of excitement for the possibilities that are to be had with Uncanny Valley. This is a comic book to pick up as soon as you can.

The team chemistry and the way the setting is utilized make this the best issue of this Birds of Prey series thus far.

All of this leads to Immortal Thor #9 giving the vibes of being on an unknown adventure that is fun to just be in the moment and enjoy.

The cast chemistry leads into an ending that makes Ranger Academy #6 a solid transition chapter to the next phase of Sage's character arc.

There is just way to much hand holding in the first half of Sensational She-Hulk #7 that gets in the way of enjoying what is going on in the scene.

It all leads to the blend of detective noir and sci-fi elements The One Hand #3 utilize work together to build greater investment in the story.

X-Men #33 does a great job acting as a director's cut to the events seen in Fall of the House of X #3. Between Wolverine and Shadowcat being showcased as badasses to the X-Men taking down the founder of Orchis, this issue accomplishes a lot to further the current crossover. It all leads to making the next phase of Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X feel like we are at the endgame now.

After a strong opening chapter Batman #146 drops the ball with how it attempts to continue the momentum for the "Dark Prison story arc. Right away this comic book opens with an oddly timed recap prologue/back-up story. From there the story never recovers the momentum started by the first chapter of this story. The only saving grace is some great visuals from Jorge Jimenez that would've been even better if the writing matched the level of the artwork.

Void Rivals #8 is an exhilarating new chapter that firmly establishes Proximus as a Predator-like threat. This along with the character work for Solila all build greater investment in the world building of this series.

Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder knew exactly what the job of delivering a comic book featuring Daredevil and Wolverine fighting needed to be.

Local Man: Bad Girls pays great homage to what fans of 90s comic books remember reading. In the process it showcases how we've only scratched the surface of the potential for the universe.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #118 is a great example of how to make a transitional chapter as important as any other in a story.

Rise of the Powers of X #3 continues down the Charles Xavier focus that has both been the strength and weakness of this mini-series. There is no doubt that Kieron Gillen writes a compelling Charles Xavier. The face-off against the young Moira MacTaggert did deliver on the intensity you expect from when Xavier is making the choice to alter everything

Dead Lucky #12 acts as the final installment that appropriately wraps up this series while leaving the door open for more stories in the future.

Ultimate Spider-Man #3 continues to the pure fun that this series has been since it launched. Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto nail all the different dynamics between the cast. The relationships, especially Peter and May Parker's father-daughter dynamic, make it easy to get lost in experiencing how the story develops with each page you turn. It all works to elevate to have the final moment between Spider-Man and Green Goblin maximize the impact Hickman and Checchetto were going for.

Green Arrow #10 is a mixed bag. On the Oliver Queen and Roy Harper front, the strength of their relationship helps to move the greater story around Amanda Waller forward. Though it is a story brought down by the fact that the Green Arrow Family as a whole lacks the history to make their big reunion hit as intended. The lack of development from past creative decisions impact scenes that are made to look important but lack punching power. That all leads to an overall story that feels rushed because of lack of time.

Duke #4 is an intense ride from beginning to end. Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, and Jordie Bellaire maximize every panel and page they have to spotlight what makes each character special. It all further elevates how Duke and Baroness in particular are positioned as the leads of this chapter in the story. The way things end get you even more invested in wanting to find out how this story for Duke will end.

Ethan Parker, Griffin Sheridan, and Robert Quinn continue to do an excellent job at melding the dark fantasy and horror genre together.

Overall, a good start to what has the potential to be a contender for best new comic book of this year.

Steve Orlando and Luciano Vecchino maximize the pure comic book villainy of Wizard and the Frightful Four Hundred. The results are a true challenge for Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as they must think on their feet to take on this threat.

The story has now gone from the succession of Abe's empire to the grander impact of what his absence will mean for the world. That leaves us in a spot where, as the reader, we must be ready for whatever crazy development may happen next in The Infernals.

Titans #9 continues to have the team deal with the fallout of Beast World by doing what they do best: saving people in need. Rather than simply talking about what they need to do to turn public sentiment around the Titans are actively showing the world they are there to protect everyone. Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer make sure this is the emphasis from start to finish.

This isn't groundbreaking storytelling but certainly a refreshing change of pace that further drives home the Sovereign story needs to wrap up sooner rather than later.

Timing is everything, especially with the story going on in Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X crossover. X-Men: Forever #1 is an example of how timing can impact a story. If this comic book was released a month earlier, its intent would've strengthened the story in the latest X-Men crossover. But because it was released now the story that X-Men: Forever #1 largely focuses on is a giant swing-and-miss. Hopefully future issues of X-Men: Forever will focus on the plot beats that were most effective in this series debut.

Batman/Superman: World's Finest #25 delivers on a story that proves why Lex Luthor and Joker are to be known as World's Vilest. Their pairing is one that shows why having chemistry is not always a good thing. The type of chemistry Lex and Joker share is one where you know that this pairing is doomed to fail, as it does in this story. That led to great examination of Batman and Superman's greatest villains while setting the foundation of the next big story arc of this series.

Nightwing #112 is yet another example of what has made this series consistently one of the best comic books DC Comics publishes on a monthly basis. Tom Taylor and Sami Basri nail what makes the dynamic between Batman and Nightwing special. Their chemistry makes you further invested in them both as individuals and as father-son. By the end we get another story that further showcases why Nightwing is a top-tier hero.

Cobra Commander #3 kicks things up a notch with the Dreadnoks proving to be excellent antagonists for our titular character to face. Joshua Williamson and Andrea Milana create a story that enhances the strengths and weakness of every character that appears on screen. The chemistry created between Cobra Commander and the Dreadnoks makes this a must-read comic book.

Ultimate Black Panther #2 moves at a good pace that strengthens the foundation of this series. Bryan Hill and Stefano Caselli take more chances with the characters and setting of Wakanda to provide further depth to the Ultimate Universe. There are major character-focused developments that have multiple paths they can each go depending on the decisions made. That leaves for greater interest on the overall direction of Ultimate Black Panther.

Fall of the House of X #3 is easily the best issue of this X-Men crossover thus far. The story had a much more focused presentation. This helped make the war between the X-Men and Orchis have its maximum impact. The spot this issue leaves us increased the curiosity of how things will turn out when all is said and done.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #2 is an excellent follow-up to the debut issue of this mini-series. Learning what happened during the final battle against Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa hit on how epic it would be. Everything from the scale of the final battle to the emotional character beats where back-to-back home runs. This is something all Power Rangers fans should check out.

Batman and Robin #7 is made by the presence of Flatline. Her dynamic with Damian Wayne is undeniable. Seeing how Bruce Wayne recognizes this and lets Damian and Flatline go on their own adventure was cool. It led to this series now have two concurrent storylines with the developments by Man-Bat and Flatline's family. They compliment one another well for another fun issue of Batman and Robin.

I Heart Skull-Crusher! #1 is an excellent start to the sports journey of Trini as she look to go pro in Screaming Pain Ball. From the moment you open this comic book your attention is captured by the world Josie Campbell and Alessio Zonno create for you to experience. It will hit you as hard, as exemplified by the opening double page spread, that you are left wanting to read more.

Transformers #6 is a phenomenal end to the first story arc of this series. Daniel Warren Johnson packs a ton of emotion during a chaotic finale showcasing how big of a threat Devastator is. All the chaos creates a moment that will have fans talking about for a long time. Where we are left is in a spot where the investment level in the Transformers and Energon Universe is even higher.

Tom Waltz and Kevin Eastman do not miss a beat with their work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II Re-Evolution #1. This first issue provides a strong foundation for how The Last Ronin story is being followed up on. Casey Marie Jones and the new generation of the TMNT all shine with several storylines set-up to be invested in what happens next.

The Spectacular Spider-Men #1 is a solid start to the Peter Parker and Miles Morales-led series. Greg Weisman and Humberto Ramos capture the chemistry of the Spider-Men well. The one-shot style storytelling helped establish the foundation of this series. It was certainly a fun Spider-Man comic book, which is all we can ask for.

Peach Momoko delivers a unique reading experience with Ultimate X-Men #1. Everything from the design to storytelling approach gets you enamored with what Momoko is building with this series. While more X-Men elements need to be added so this doesn't feel like a solo series, the foundation that's been created has a lot of potential. It all leads to Ultimate X-Men being a strong addition to both the X-Men and Ultimate Universe franchises.

Batman #145 is a strong return to form for Chip Zdarsky's run on this series. The latest developments by Batman of Zur-En-Arrh created ripple effects that make the entire franchise compelling. Artists Jorge Jimnez and Michelle Bandini enhance this story with excellent flow to how the story is frame from panel to panel, page to page. It all makes this a great start to the "Dark Prisons story arc.

Birds of Prey #8 waste no time in getting right into the mystery surrounding Barbara Gordon's future fate. The chemistry between everyone with Oracle and Vixen added to the team shines throughout this issue. It all gets you further invested in this series.

Void Rivals returned with purpose. That purpose was delivering more compelling storytelling with Darak and Solila at the forefront. With Void Rivals #7 Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici created a strong foundation for the new story arc for this series. Which leads to even greater investment in the Energon Universe.

Between Al Ewing's gripping dialogue and Martn Cccolo incredible artwork Immortal Thor #7 was another home run of a comic book. This issue does an great job building up the Utgard Gods through the chemistry shared by Thor and Loki. All the while setting up even bigger things to be excited for in future issues.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #117 is a strong start to the second half of the Darkest Hour event. Melissa Flores, Simona Di Gianfelice, and Marco Renna deliver so many great character and story developments throughout this issue. It all works to get even more excited for what comes next.

Green Arrow #9 maximizes the fallout of Titans: Beast World to further the greater narrative involving Amanda Waller. How Oliver Queen and Connor Hawke factor into these great plans for the DC Universe makes Green Arrow an important title to follow. That importance carries this title to be one DC Comics fans should have on their pull list.

Duke #3 does an excellent job introducing Baroness and building her chemistry with Duke. Every character shines, which in turn makes the Energon Universe even more compelling. The way this issue ends creates a lot of intriguing questions for what could happen next.

Rise of the Powers of X #2 has a lot of good character work. Unfortunately, the pacing lacks the urgency this event should have after everything that happened in Fall of X. We basically end this issue where we started. There's been to much set-up that happened in the lead up that this latest X-Men crossover should be going all out from beginning to end. It doesn't fully feel that way four chapters into Rise of the Powers of X and Fall of the House of X.

Ultimate Spider-Man #2 is a wonderful follow-up to the stand-out debut of this series. Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto nail the story of an older Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man. What that means for Peter and those around him provides plenty of potential to play off from. That is shown throughout this issue, building a comic book you are excited to see how it continues in the future.

Tom Taylor and Sami Basri do an excellent job bringing the focus back on Heartless with Nightwing #111. The surprise development with Nightwing and the dynamic with Batman makes this another standout issue in this run.

When it comes to delivering a cinematic experience in comic book form there is no one that does it better than Daniel Sampere. The artwork in Wonder Woman #6 is absolutely stunning. It makes the fact that Tom King's intrusive writing doesn't work to enhance the wonderful choreography created by the artwork that much more jarring. The book report-style writing drags down both the story and villain that King has been trying to build up this entire time.

Cobra Commander #2 is an amazing ride from beginning to end. You are so immersed in the experience created that when you reach the end, you're left with the feeling of wanting to read more. Getting the reader to feel this way shows the home run hit by Joshua Williamson and Andrea Milana.

Fall of the House of X #2 is a massive improvement over the first two issues of the latest X-Men crossover. The X-Men are no longer holding back and we see that with their attack on Orchis in this issue. Though we don't get much progression in the overall story there is now genuine momentum for this event following Fall of X. Hopefully its momentum that future issues of Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X will be able carry forward.

Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #1 fully taps into the potential of Wanda and Pietro's dynamic. Steve Orlando and Lorenzo Tammetta embrace the history of both characters to create a story that brings in fans of both characters. This is a Marvel comic book to have on your pull list.

Batma #143 is unable to fix the filler vibe The Joker: Year One story has. The story here is just a reminder that this is all a distraction to buy time before the next chapter in the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh narrative. Even when there are connections made to Batman of Zur-En-Arrh they just leave you wondering if it was necessary for Joker to be involved. Luckily this story will be don before this month is over.

Daniel Warren Johnson works his magic with strong character work and action sequences in Transformers #5. Starscream and Optimus Prime continue to stand out as two very different leaders. The newest Transformers introduced into the story get you even more exciting for what happens next. It all leads to Transformers #5 being another incredible showcase for why this series is must-read.

In all honesty, I wasn't a huge fan of this issue. It simply didn't fully catch my attention as so many other comics are able to do. It was fun, and there's no doubt about that. Yet, even with all the things that got set-up in this issue, that do seem interesting.

Amy Jo Johnson, Matt Hotson, and Nico Leon put a lot of great care in crafting this alternate future Power Rangers timeline. They honor the original team while presenting something that is new and exciting. It all leads to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #1 being a must-read comic book for all Power Rangers' fans.

X-Men #31 did what tie-in comic needs to do in expanding particular character arcs from the main event. The placement of this story happening before Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X both helped and hurt the overall ending of this two-part story. It'll be interesting to see what stories this X-Men will amplify from the crossover and if it can be more than filler content.

Batman #142 is a mixed bag of two Joker-centric timelines that each hit on the opposite sides of the intrigue scale. The Joker: Year One story is just a blended-up smoothie of Joker stories we've gotten for over eight decades. Luckily, the DCeased-like possible future Joker creates interest about finding out what Chip Zdarsky has planned with this story arc. Its enough to buy into this Batman story that'll be told over the next three weeks.

Ram V, Laurence Campbell, and Lee Loughridge craft a fascinating detective noir story that you don't want to stop reading after opening the first page of The One Hand #1. Everything from the vibe of the world to how Detective Ari Nasser is written gets you invested in the "One Hand Killer case. This is a comic book not to miss out on picking up.

With a great reveal of who is running the current status quo of the world Avengers: Twilight #2 is a strong follow-up to the world-building from the first issue. It created even more questions about whether Steve Rogers's return as Captain America can be what turns things around. The answer to that question after this issue appears to be no. Which creates a lot of intrigue into how the narrative will be developed from here.

Ryan Parrott, Rachel Wagner, and Daniel Bayliss hit a home run with Power Rangers Unlimited: The Morphin Masters #1. This issue once again proves why the Ranger Slayer version of Kimberly Hart is one of the best characters in the Power Rangers franchise. Her journey through the Morphin Grid increased the excitement for what is to come in the second half of the Darkest Hour event.

Coda #5 delivers a satisfying conclusion to this chapter in the lives of Hum and Serka. At the same time, the door is left open for more stories to be told in the world of Coda in the future.

Titans: Beast World #6 does a fantastic job wrapping up the DC Universe's latest big event. The heroes do what they do best in saving the world. At the same time, the fallout of what took place is immediately felt. That aftermath leaves you excited for everything that will be happening in the DCU in the aftermath of Titans: Beast World. If you didn't read Titans: Beast World when it was released monthly I highly recommend picking up the trade collection.

Duke #2 delivers a strong follow-up to the spy/action thriller set-up by the first issue. Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly build on the investment in Duke's character journey through his interactions with other G.I. Joe characters. These interactions build towards a memorable ending that makes you want to read the next issue right away.

Kid Cudi and Kyle Higgins get off to a very good start to their new series with Moon Man #1. Ramon is given a lot of layers as a lead character. The mystery around his unexpected hero's journey complimented the world that we were presented with. For those looking for a new sci-fi story to pick up Moon Man #1 is one to check out.

Immortal Thor #6 is carried by the incredible chemistry between Thor and Loki. Al Ewing and Martn Cccolo did an excellent job at elevating that chemistry with a story that creates a lot of questions as to what comes next. That follow-up will be an important factor in this second arc either being a filler story or a strong continuation of this young creative run.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #116 does an excellent job at closing out the first half of the Darkest Hour story. The battle between Lord Drakkon and Ranger Slayer are as intense as you expect. The result, along with Dark Specter's latest move, create even greater excitement going into the second half of Darkest Hour.

Titans: Beast World #5 does a great job acting as the penultimate chapter of the DC Universe' latest big event. Amanda Waller's anti-superhero agenda is shown in full force. She forced the Titans into a corner where they were left in a no-win scenario. It led to a great surprise reveal that elevated Raven to be front-and-center for the finale of this event.

X-Men #30 does a lot to strengthen the stories in Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X. This issue works as a prequel that gives greater weight to where we find Cyclops, Firestar, and Synch in the X-Men crossover. This is exactly what you want from a tie-in comic book to complement a big event.

Wonder Woman #5 solidifies the fact reading this series on a monthly comic book basis is not the best way to experience Tom King's run. As fantastic as Daniel Sampere and Belen Ortega's run is, the pace of King's Wonder Woman story is best experienced in a collected format. The core concept of Diana interacting with Donna Troy, Cassandra Sandsmark, and Yara Flor is a good one. But a concept is only as good as the execution of the idea and Wonder Woman #5 just didn't hit the mark.

Cobra Commander #1 is an early contender for comic book issue of the year. Joshua Williamson, Andrea Milana, and Annalisa Leoni do a remarkable job with the world building around the Rise of Cobra. This adds yet another quality title to the strong Energon Universe.

Rise of the Powers of X #1 hits on what a story for the end of a major era for a franchise should feel like should begin. Kieron Gillen and R.B. Silva give weight to everything that we've seen go down during even before Fall of X. With that the end of the Krakoa Era does feel like it will get a satisfying ending. That is all we can hope for from the start to an event that's the culmination of stories and character arcs developed over several years.

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 delivers on the exact promise that comes with the Ultimate Universe. It's a fresh start for both the characters and readers. Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto do a lot of excellent character work for Peter Parker and his cast to create this whole new world. In it you are left feeling that Ultimate Spider-Man is a series rich with potential that the creative team will be tapping into. It's an accomplishment that makes Ultimate Spider-Man #1 must-read.

Titans: Beast World #4 is another excellent chapter in the latest DC Universe event. Tom Taylor does a great job at positioning the Titans and other heroes to do what they do best. The way Amanda Waller is brought in to further the greater Dawn of DC direction creates several surprise moments, including an impactful ending. And once again Lucas Meyer delivers artwork that makes every page and panel have a sense of importance. It all comes together for another must-read experience.

From the momentum you open Transformers #4 your attention is grabbed and not let go of until you finish the comic book. Picking up where the previous issue ended, the race to save Spike's life is felt right away. The incredible chase as an injured Optimus Prime race to save Spike while being chased by the deadly Starscream. This concerning situation carries the entire Transformers #4 the best issue of the series thus far.

Fall of the House of X #1 is a by the book start to an X-Men event. The stakes are made clear as the X-Men fight for the survival of mutants against Orchis. Though several questionable story and character choices left this start with a lot to be desired. Hopefully future issues of this and Rise of the Powers of X pick up the pace of this end to the Krakoa Era.

Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jimenez, and Dustin Nguyen made sure to begin Batman's 2024 as big as possible. The fight between Bruce Wayne and Batman of Zur-En-Arrh concluded the "Mind Bomb storyline with a lot of developments that will drive this series forward for the rest of the year. There really was no stronger way to begin a new year than how Batman #141 kicked things off.

Kyle Starks and Fran Galn hit a home run right out of the gate with Pine and Merrimac #1. The main characters of this series are engaging with a story you will immediately be invested in. If you are looking for a new comic book to pick up to begin the year make sure to look out for Pine and Merrimac #1 at your comic book shop to be one to add to your pull list.

Melissa Flores and Simona Di Gianfelice deliver an excellent fifth chapter to Darkest Hour with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #115. The chaos created by Dark Specter and his forces makes it feel like things are hopeless for the Power Rangers. This sets up the second half of Darkest Hour to have even bigger moments than the first half.

The Sensational She-Hulk #3 does a phenomenal job establishing multiple major storylines for the long-term future of this series. We get some incredible character work for She-Hulk and Hulk. It all comes together to make Sensational She-Hulk one of the must-have comic books Marvel is publishing right now.

Green Arrow #7 is a tone setter for this series moving forward. Back from his Multiverse adventure Oliver Queen takes steps to be proactive about being part of the bigger Dawn of DC direction. In the process several characters arcs and plotlines are developed that should make Green Arrow one of the most important titles for DC Comics.

Titans: Beast World #3 is another incredible chapter in the latest DC Universe big event. Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer did an excellent job at showing how our heroes go from reacting to taking action in the face of the Garro crisis. The developments with the Titans and Amanda Waller sides of the story build even more excitement for what will happen next.

Nightwing #109 delivers a ton of great character work that wraps the pirate adventure while building the foundation for the next big phase for this series. The addition of a strong villain debut adds to why this another can't miss issue in DC Comics best series.

Uncanny Spider-Man #5 is a well earned finale for Nightcrawler's solo adventures during Fall of X. Throughout this journey Nightcrawler's character has further been strengthened as a solo hero. His chemistry with Silver Sable and Mystique further helped to put him over. The end results prove to be an important victory the X-Men needed during the dark times they have faced during the Fall of X direction. This series was certainly one of the gems of the Fall of X direction that X-Men fans should all check out.

Wonder Woman #4 showcases both the strengths and weaknesses of Tom King as a creator. The Wonder Woman portion works as a standalone story. Though it does not work in the context of everything else going on. The sense of urgency for the world turning against the Amazons needs to be picked up. Luckily King has Daniel Sampere and Belen Ortega for both stories in Wonder Woman #4 to lift the storytelling up.

Batman and Robin #4 does a good job at wrapping up this first part of the Man-Bat and Shush storyline while leaving the door plenty open for it to continue as a long-term arc. The dynamic between Bruce and Damian Wayne continues to shine and carry this series. It all comes together for what is in contention for the best Batman series right now.

Spider-Gwen: Smash #1 is a refreshing return to form for Earth-65 Gwen Stacy. Gwen's chemistry with her dad and friends shines throughout this issue. The classic mystery story around a band on tour is a good direction for Spider-Gwen to take. It helps to continue to bring in other versions of classic Marvel characters, like Dazzler, into the Earth-65 Universe. If you are a Spider-Gwen fan make sure to pick this comic book up.

X-Men: Red #18 is a strong end to what has been Marvel's best comic book series since Al Ewing started this series. Along with artist Yildiray Cinar, Ewing delivered on the epic scale the end of the war for the future Planet Arakko needed to have. If you did not read X-Men: Red during its run make sure to pick up the collections as this series as soon as possible.

Titans: Beast World #2 does an excellent job at keeping the momentum from the debut chapter moving forward. Tom Taylor and Ivan Reis constantly keep the tension high as our heroes don't have a moment to rest. Everyone is on full "save the world mode as the Beast Boy Starro infect more and more people with each passing second. It all leads to yet further proof why Titans: Beast World is a can't miss comic book event.

X-Men #29 had every element to be a successful chapter in the Fall of X direction. Unfortunately the positives done with how Doctor Doom's X-Men were put over is undone by a terrible ending. All that we can hope for is the next issue provides context to this ending and we get proper development for the underutilized X-Men.

Birds of Prey #4 is pure fun with a lot of great action and character moments. The pacing of the story led this story gave time to properly present Wonder Woman as an antagonist for the Birds of Prey and then quickly shifting the story to its next big phase. Everything comes together for a can't miss comic book from Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero

Turning Joker into a plot device to push the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh to its next phase was the best decision made for this "Mind Bomb story arc. There are certainly some questionable story choices but there is no doubt with how Batman #140 ends we are left in a spot where we can be excited by all the possibilities for Bruce Wayne's future in 2024.

Transformers #3 takes the shocking ending of the previous issue to deliver an excellent, emotionally charged third chapter to this series. The conflicts in this story are escalating at a natural pace with the humans brought in ways that add layers to the Autobots vs Decepticons war. The ending creates even more weight to what happens next, setting up 2024 to be even bigger for the Energon Universe.

Green Arrow #6 does a good job at wrapping up Oliver Queen's multiverse journey. His return was given the proper payoff while reestablishing his archenemy's previous status. Now that this story is resolved we can see the rest of Team Arrow integrated into the story better that elevates the entire franchise and not just Oliver Queen.

X-Men Blue: Origins #1 delivers a story that builds a stronger connection to Mystique, Destiny, and Nightcrawler's family bond. Si Spurrier, Wilton Santos and Marcus To add new layers to all three characters, with Mystique once again showing why she should be a lead of her own comic book. Hopefully we see Mystique, Nightcrawler, and Destiny's story continue to be followed up on post-Fall of X.

Titans: Beast World #1 is an excellent start to the latest DC Universe big event. Tom Taylor and Ivan Reis nail what the scale of a DCU event needs to be. The story is framed around the Titans, specifically Starfire and Beast Boy, helps to further elevate the team as the premiere superhero team. If you are a DC Comics fan make sure to pick up Titans: Beast World #1 this week.

Alice Never After #5 is a thoughtful ending to the story Dan Panosian, Giorgio Spalletta, and company craft. The chaos created by all those around Alice in both London and Wonderland settings made the payoff in the finale to leave you hoping this isn't the last of this story. If you didn't check out the individual issues of this series make sure to pick up the collection when it's released.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #114 continues to do an excellent job at pushing Darkest Hour to be the biggest event the franchise has had. If how all of the Power Rangers history coming into play is enough to drive that point home then just take a look at the final page of this issue. The ending alone drives up the hype for the next chapter in Darkest Hour.

Rainbow Rowell and Andres Genolet have quickly established Sensational She-Hulk as Marvel's best title right now. Sensational She-Hulk #2 confirms that being a fact with an incredibly layered story with Hulk. This added more to the relationship shared by the Hulk cousins. If you haven't checked this series out yet make sure to rectify that by picking up this and the first issue up asap.

Uncanny Spider-Man #4 has all of the elements that have made this one of the best Fall of X stories. Si Spurrier and Lee Garbett have done a great job at exploring how the Fall of X direction impacts Nightcrawler on multiple levels. Unfortunately, the unnecessary promotional angle for a different comic stalls all the positive momentum this series has created. Hopefully the final issue can recover its momentum and end Uncanny Spider-Man as strong as it started.

Nightwing #108 keeps up the high stakes though the predictability in the plot did remove some of the excitement. Tom Taylor and Stephen Byrne strength as a creative team keeps you investment in where Dick Grayson and Bea Bennett's story goes. Add in a fun ending to the back-up story by Michael Conrad and Serg Acuna provides more value to this comic book.

Wonder Woman #3 was a massive step-up from the disappointing second issue of the series. Tom King and Daniel Sampere did a great job presenting Wonder Woman as a badass who gets the job done to progress the story forward. The Sovereign side of things is more of a mixed bag due to the narrative choice King decides on going. Still, when you add in an incredibly fun back-up with Damian Wayne, Jon Kent, and Trinity this was a good recovery by King and company.

Void Rivals #6 is an excellent conclusion to the first story arc of the series. From beginning to end Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felice have you completely invested in Darak and Solila journey. The immersion created keeps you in the moment so your paying attention to everything that's said. If you haven't checked out Void Rivals yet make sure to fix that by picking up these first six issues or when collection for this first arc comes out next February.

Outside the stellar artwork by Simone Di Meo, Batman and Robin #3 was a filler issue. All you need to know is that Dark Man-Bat appears. Everything else felt inconsequential, which definitely hurts Shush as a new villain. Hopefully the next issue picks things back up for the series.

The Immortal Thor #4 delivers an epic recruitment of the Thor Corps. While the Thor and Storm interaction dominates the issue Beta Ray Bill, Sif, and Loki get great character moments. It all combines to create the maximum amount of hype going into the battle against Toranos the Utgard-Thor.

The Outsiders #1 does exactly what it needed to do to sell its Multiverse concept led by Batwoman and Batwing. Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly showed a good basic understanding of the characters and concept. They do have to shake their Marvel training and remember they are now working in the DC Universe. Hopefully with more experience writing in the DCU and keeping up the one-shot style story format Outsiders can become a strong addition to the Batman franchise offerings.

Lotus Land #1 is a very good start to the cyberpunk world Darcy Van Poelgeest and Caio Filipe introduce us to. The environmental storytelling is as good as the character interactions. It all comes together to leave you wanting to find out what happens next.

The Deviant #1 is one of the most impressive first issues of a comic book we've had in 2023. James Tynion and Joshua Hixson knock it out of the park creating story you can't help but be immersed by. This may be most terrifying version of Santa Clause we have seen. It's definitely a must read for fans of horror.

X-Men: Red #17 does a lot to set elevate the players involved in the war that has consumed Arakko. During this set-up we get a lot of incredible scenes involving Storm and Apocalypse. By the time this issue is done the hype for what comes next in the Genesis War is at an all-time high.

Birds of Prey #3 builds on what the two previous issues built to create the best comic book reading experience possible. By doing so Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero are quickly establishing Birds of Prey as one of DC Comics best comic books. If they keep up this momentum that "best comic book title won't be something they are contenders for but champions of.

Batman #139 gets the series back on track in the post-Gotham War world. Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez do an excellent job at examining Bruce Wayne's character in and out of being Batman. That examination is elevated by the presentation of Joker to create a new chapter in the iconic rivalry. Add in a Vandal Savage back-up story that shows potential, Batman #139 is a great fresh start for the series.

Transformers #2 draws the reader in with incredible character interactions that pull on all the emotional heartstrings. Daniel Warren Johnson understanding of the Autobots, Decepticons, and human characters of the Transformers franchise is clear. Add in the intriguing ties to the greater Energon Universe, and Transformers #2 is yet another can't miss comic book.

Scarlet Witch #10 ends this series on a high note. There was a great mix of action and emotion throughout this finale. Steve Orlando and Sara Pichelli proved that Wanda Maximoff can carry a solo series that has all the elements of a great superhero comic book. This ending leaves the door open for more adventures led by Scarlet Witch and hopefully we see more of after the mini-series with Quicksilver.

Taking a personal approach with this Supergirl Special by exploring Kara Zor-El's mentality tapped into the potential presented by the current Superman Family status quo. Mariko Tamaki and Skylar Patridge maximize the time they are given to tell a full story in this one comic. In doing so they create an even stronger foundation for a future Supergirl series to start with right away.

Ultimate Universe #1 accomplished everything that Ultimate Invasion tried but failed to do. That is to create genuine intrigue into the new Ultimate Universe that is set on Earth-6160. Jonatan Hickman and Stefano Caselli did a great job with Doctor Doom, Iron Lad, Thor, and Lady Sif as the leads of this story. How the world responded to their actions in this issue leads to greater interest for three titles that will develop this Ultimate Universe.

X-Men #28 adds further interest with how things will end with Fall of X. Orchis continues to be put over as the endgame bosses they are. Which made the actions Firestar takes to get the X-Men information they need even more important. Now the X-Men are left in a spot where the sense of urgency increases even more. That all leads to another good chapter for the Fall of X storyline.

Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War Scorched Earth put an end to the most disappointing story of 2024. There isn't a single character involved in this story that came out of this better or with more interest behind their futures. The best thing that can be said is that Gotham War is over and we can all move on.

No/One #6 is an intense thriller that takes the reader on an emotional ride. There are so many individual decisions made by the entire cast of the series that keeps you guessing where things will go next. It all leaves you in a spot where once you are done reading No/One #6 you want to read the next issue right away.

Green Arrow #5 is a solid issue that delivers some strong character work for Oliver Queen. Oliver tackles his Multiverse journey that stays in the type of character he is. Though the limitations placed on the other characters involved not named Oliver Queen is a mixed bag. While some like Black Canary and Arsenal maximize their screen time others are just forgotten. Having a better balance with other characters' involvement would improve the story of this series.

Captain Marvel #1 was a solid start to Alyssa Wong and Jan Bazaldua run as the new creative team. Both Carol Danvers and her new nemesis conflict was established well out of the gate. As long as this tone is continued Wong and Bazaldua's Captain Marvel can compete for Marvel's most fun series.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #113 is a strong third chapter of Darkest Hour. The emotions run high as the Power Rangers across the Multiverse deal with the threat of Dark Specter and Mistress Vile. The story just continues to escalate and creates even greater excitement to find out what happens next.

Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War Red Hood #2 solidified this series as completely skippable. This Red Hood mini-series only accomplished to confirm how the lack of build up hurt Gotham War as a whole. If you are reading the Gotham War event in Batman and Catwoman save your money as this Red Hood mini-series was an unimportant part of the event.

Wonder Woman #2 is a massive dropping of the ball from a story perspective. Tom King failed to push the story forward in a meaningful way. Luckily Daniel Sampere stepped up big to make Wonder Woman appear as the badass she is with big event-level artwork. The Amazons Attack back-up by Josie Campbell and Vasco Georgiev at least saved things from the story side as we got some development for the bigger direction of the franchise. Hopefully King steps his game up in the next issue to push the story forward.

Alice Never After #4 does a good acting as the penultimate chapter of the story. Dan Panosian, Giorgio Spalletta, and the rest of the creative team balance out Edith and Alice scenes to establish the stakes of the latter's situation. It leads to a strong set-up for Alice Never After's final issue to deliver a memorable ending.

James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds create an immersive reading experience with Universal Monsters: Dracula #1. Every character shines in their own that you are fully invested to the parallel journey they will be on. If you are a fan of Dracula or the horror genre this is a comic book to not miss out on.

Sensational She-Hulk #1 is an absolute joy to read from beginning to end. Rainbow Rowell and Andres Genolet are at the top of their game with how they present She-Hulk along with her supporting cast and world. The pacing is excellent, and it all leads to a strong hook ending with the appearance of the Hulk. It all comes together for a must-buy comic book.

Daredevil #2 carries the momentum from Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder debut forward. Matt Murdock's new life combined with his return to being the Man Without Fear is given a lot of intriguing layers. It all gets you further invested in the bigger plans the creative have in store for their run.

Nightwing #107 is pure comic book fun. Tom Taylor and Stephen Byrne immediately add stakes to this pirate adventure that brings back Bea Bennett better than ever. Add in the fun Dick Grayson and Jason Tod back-up story by Michael Conrad and Serg Acua, and this is another winner for DC Comics best series.

Catwoman #58 continues the massive disappointment that Gotham War has been as a whole. Every problem with this Batman and Catwoman crossover appears here. The sooner this crossover is wrapped up the better it'll be as the Batman franchise can move on to what's next.

Local Man #6 continues the momentum created by the first story arc as if we didn't have a break in-between new issue. Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs don't miss a beat with how they handle the progression of Jack Xaver's life and the world around him. The first story arc was the spark to a greater conflict in the world that was waiting to begin. If you haven't picked up Local Man yet make sure to fix that. Local Man #6 is an example of why this is a must-have series on your pull list.

Coda #2 delves even deeper into the fascinating world with intriguing developments done by Hum and Serka. Simon Spurrier and Matias Bergara's chemistry as a creative team shines from beginning to end as it feels like anything is possible with this imaginative story.

Kill Your Darlings #2 is an incredible follow-up to the strong debut in what is quickly becoming one of the best titles in 2023. The creative team of Ethan Parker, Griffin Sheridan, and Robert Quinn deliver a lot of quality character development to make you care even more about Rose as the lead character. The way the dark fantasy elements are integrated into the story creates an even greater investment in what happens next.

No Marvel comic is hitting the big event feel like Al Ewing and Yldray nar's X-Men: Red. X-Men: Red #16 is yet another example of that as the intensity is further picked up with the showcase of the Four Horsemen and Storm. The ending with Apocalypse provides a hook that makes you want to read what happens next right away. All in all, another can't miss issue in Marvel's best series.

Green Lantern #4 was exactly the issue that this series needed to get readers fully invested. Jeremy Adams and Xermanico fully tapped into the rivalry between Hal Jordan and Sinestro. At the same time, they also delivered a fun team-up between Hal and Barry Allen. Along with a enjoyable back-up story involving the debut of Sinestro's unknown son this was an overall fun comic book.

World's Finest: Teen Titans #4 delivers fantastic character study storytelling with the pairing of Garth, Wally West, and Roy Harper. The rest of the Titans cast is also highlighted well. It all comes together for a can't miss comic book for any DC Comics fan.

Batman and Robin #2 is an excellent follow-up to the debut issue. Bruce Wayne and Damian Wayne's chemistry as the Dynamic Duo once again shines. Shush is presented as a incredible new villain you can't wait to see more of. All of it comes together to quickly establish Batman and Robin as the best series in the franchise.

The Cull #3 does a wonderful job diving deeper into the fantastical world Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis have created. The cast shine individually and as a group with what they go through in the mysterious world they are exploring. Their experiences are elevated by the amazing visuals that continue to steal the show and make this a must-read series.

Birds of Prey #2 is a vast improvement over the debut issue. The team chemistry for the roster Black Canary assembles shines. The mission involving a heist set in Themyscira is given the high stakes expected from a premiere superhero team. Along with great looking arc the potential of Birds of Prey becoming one of DC Comics best series shines here.

X-Men #27 does a great job bringing the attention back to the way the team is tackling the war with Orchis. Shadowcat once again steals the show with her rescue attempt to break out Cyclops and Juggernaut from Orchis' facility. That along with how the ending of X-Men/Fantastic Four was brought back into play made this another strong comic book in the Fall of X direction.

Batman #138 does not fix any of the problems with Gotham War. If anything chapter four further highlights all the problems with this crossover. The entire Batman Family conflict caused by Gotham War is just poorly executed. Though at least with the Vandal Savage and Batman of Zur-En-Arrh developments there are a few positives take aways from this chapter. That along with Jorge Jimenez great artwork saves Batman #138 from being another bust in the Gotham War crossover.

Maria Ingrande Mora and Jo Mi-Gyeong understood the assignment and delivered a beginning to Ranger Academy #1 that instantly draws Power Rangers' fans in. The main trio we are introduced to are each brimming with personality that makes their chemistry natural. If you're a Power Rangers fan then do yourself a favor and pick up Ranger Academy #1.

Transformers #1 delivers an exciting new beginning for the franchise. Daniel Warren Johnson honors what has come before, while tapping into a sense of wonder by all the possibilities created by the Energon Universe. This excitement is increased by where the Autobots and Deceptions are left by the end of this first issue. It all results in Transformers #1 being a must-read comic book.

Avengers #5 was not designed to push the overall Impossible City story forward. This was more about getting over the Ashen Combine over as they overpowered the Avengers. The way that was accomplished will be good for the long-term and builds greater confidence in Jed MacKay being the correct choice as the writer of the main Avengers series.

The deeper we are getting with this intro Multiverse arc for Green Arrow the more the ambition is showing to be to great for the story to handle. There are a lot of cool elements, such as the Legion of Super Heroes and Parallax usage, but the story is just not hitting with Oliver Queen at the center. Hopefully the way Green Arrow #4 ended will be a sign this story will finally start having positive progress forward rather than going in circles.

The first issue of Jean Grey was more about establishing the general direction of this mini-series. Now with Jean Grey #2 Louise Simonson and Bernard Chang were able to go all in with tapping into the potential of the series' foundation. In the process Simonson and Chang are able to take the "What If? concept to give greater insight into Jean Grey's character as her role in Fall of X develops.

Gerry Duggan and Juan Frigeri deliver on answering the "Why? question around Tony Stark and Emma Frost sudden marriage. Invincible Iron Man #10 embraces how forced the marriage is to elevate the roles Tony and Emma are playing moving forward. Which in turn leads this issue to achieve the goal of the marketing around this X-Men and Iron Man crossover story within the greater Fall of X storyline.

Melissa Flores and Hendry Prasentya do an excellent job getting across how bad things are already at the start of Darkest Hour story throughout Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #112. All this is accomplished without the need of Mistress Vile or Dark Specter physically appearing in the second chapter. The overwhelming numbers in the villains army is enough to get over the hopeless situation all the Power Rangers find themselves in. It all lead to an ending where even more questions as to how the Power Rangers can overcome everything thrown their way that makes you want to read the next chapter asap.

Steve Orlando, Kath Lobo, and Bob Quinn work together to deliver a strong Donna Troy story in Tales of the Titans #3. Everything emphasized how Donna can stand on her own just as well as she does as a lead in the main Titans series. The ending is hopefully something we see followed up with in some way in the Titans series, possibly as a long-term sub-plot with a big character payoff for Donna.

Ultimate Invasion #4 solidified how big of a disappointment this entire event was. So much is expected from a Jonathan Hickman comic book that this left a lot to be desired. The entire execution of The Maker and new Ultimate Universe storyline failed to generate interest. The story was as meaningless as all the clone vs clone climatic battle we got in Ultimate Invasion #4. That leaves us with an Ultimate Universe that is not fresh and exciting. Instead, you're left questioning if the investment in another Marvel Universe will be worth it.

Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War Red Hood #1 is nothing but a pure disappointment. This is by far the worst chapter in the Gotham War crossover event thus far. Which is saying a lot given that Gotham War hasn't gotten off to a good start. If you are reading Batman and Catwoman's Gotham War crossover save yourself the trouble by skipping this Red Hood tie-in mini-series.

Giorgio Spalletta and Cyril Glerum steal the show with how they bring Wonderland to life in Alice Never After. The stunning visuals make how Dan Panosian continues to explore how Alice interacts with both Wonderland and the real world reflective of her mental health state. With a strong twist Alice Never After #3 sets up the second half of the series to be even stronger than the first half.

As every piece moves around Bibi the more compelling the story in Dead Lucky becomes. Melissa Flores and French Carlomagno are doing a great job at exploring the ramifications there are with the emotional connection Bibi shares with the cast of this series. Which is made even more compelling by an old friend from Bibi's past shaking the foundation enough to question what comes next.

Nightwing #106 accomplishes many things. It contains the best story angle for the Ric Grayson saga with how it leads into a greater pirate adventure. The bigger storyline involving Heartless and Tony Zucco is progressed. And we get the best Batgirls story in over a year. Combining all that together Nightwing #106 does everything to get fans excited for what comes next.

Uncanny Spider-Man #1 is a solid start to the new status quo for Nightcrawler during the Fall of X direction. Si Spurrier and Lee Garbett highlight how even in this situation Nightcrawler is a superhero at heart and wants to live a life protecting others. Balancing that out with the heavy emotional weight Nightcrawler is carrying after what Orchis did to mutants is something with a lot of potential to explore during this mini-series.

Catwoman #57 is the start of the possible turn around the entire Gotham War storyline needed. The story still feels rushed but the introduction of Vandal Savage was a much-needed addition to the story. Hopefully Gotham War focuses more on the strengths shown in Catwoman #57 moving forward.

Tom King is in his bag with the political and social commentary in Wonder Woman #1. That may not be for everyone, but King clearly has big plans for his run-on Wonder Woman. As long as he can tighten up some of pacing issues with his writing, King has set the stage to tell an epic story. It helps that Daniel Sampere is on this title. Sampere artwork is spectacular throughout Wonder Woman #1, presenting the series as one of DC Comics premium titles.

Rare Flavours #1 is a unique comic book experience through the world of food culture. The dynamic between the two leads shines as much as the food presentation. It all comes together for a comic book experience that leaves you wondering what is next.

If you're a fan of Janet Van Dyne and Hank Pym then Avengers Inc. #1 is a comic book you'll want to check out. Al Ewing is on a mission to bring both characters back into the spotlight. That does mean this isn't a new reader friendly first issue. But if you can just accept, you'll be learning as you follow the series Avengers Inc. is set up to do some big things.