Levi Hunt Comic Reviews

It's been awhile since Marvel had a good western book, but boy does this scratch that itch.

4 Kids Walk Into a Bank is an exciting new book, that feels like it has limitless potential going forward.

The action here is breathtaking, and the closing pages are grand in their scope. There isn't anything particularly "special" about this first issue. It's simply fun, superhero event storytelling.

It gives this whole issue a feel as hollow as its villain, focusing on the wonderful mech designs and explosions, while losing sight of the characters at the center of the conflict.

The issue is a really quick read, but that plays well to the story. It's not what you might have expected, but this is another compelling issue of the event

A-Force is hitting a roadblock that a lot of Secret Wars titles seem to be hitting in their home stretch " we've gotten enough time with the characters to care about them on a surface level, but not enough to fully invest, especially with a cast this big.

A&A #5 is probably the sweetest, cutest book you'll read this week regardless of whether or not you've ever even read a Valiant comic before.

Action Comics #42 draws on recent confrontations between citizens and police for a standoff on behalf of the Man of Steel. But, it's a parallel that just doesn't work as used in this issue. The out of sequence storytelling of the Truth arc hasn't bothered me so far, but with this issue I finally feel like I'm missing part of the puzzle.

Greg Pak's Action Comics pre-identity reveal had been some of the best character work on a Superman title in years, but a feeling of repetitious storytelling post-reveal is starting to diminish a once great book.

This book's so-so issues are made even more frustrating than an average series because of its frequent brushes with greatness.

This issue contains plenty of the same problems that have been present over the last six months of this title, but it also manages to tell a simple battle story in a vibrant and sweeping style that is perfectly befitting of ideal Superman stories.

This issue has fun moments, but is also weighed down by its crossover obligations.

Action Comics #958 is an exercise in non-stop, superheroic storytelling. This issue doesn't give you a second to catch your breath, as all of the various mysteries and threads from the first issue converge in one giant thrill ride.

. Hopefully this arc can finish as well as it started, but this middle issue feels like it was thrown together just to stretch out the arc.

Age of Apocalypse lives up to its original namesake and has plenty new to say on the event. Fans of the '90s event will find this series true to the original while adding in plenty of twists and turns. Newbies should be pulled in by the web of intrigue surrounding such heavy hitters as Apocalypse, Sinister, and Magneto.

The direction the series is pointed continues to be promising, but this issue just had a couple extra storytelling hiccups.

This may be a "setting the table" kind of issue, but the cliffhanger promises that this impressive series will go out with a bang.

The plot reaches its climax here and despite the slight disappointment on art, the story is strong enough to make it through as another satisfying issue.

Age of Apocalypse #5 is a disappointingly bad conclusion to what started out as a great miniseries.

This series' identity and purpose still don't make sense at this point, as so much of the TV-inspired side of the comic book fails to work.

From cover to cover, this issue is a bummer.

Many of the old flaws are still here, but the book is moving in a positive direction.

The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic book has both failed to make its cast very interesting in their own rights, and to make that cast sound or act anything like the TV show it's based on. So, how do you fix a problem like a bland cast? Easy, fill it with guest stars.

All-New, All-Different Avengers #8 is a chaotic issue. That chaos is clearly what Mark Waid was aiming for with his script, but that doesn't make the issue any less jarring.

It's a fun close to a short and sweet arc.

The flashbacks were some of the least compelling parts of the last volume of this series, and the flash-forwards now are proving to be even worse - both because you know they are essentially meaningless and will be wiped away in no time, and because Ramon Perez's style in those jumps lacks the wow-factor of his usual art.

As any other issue of the series, it's good. As a finale, it's a bit unsatisfying.

All-New is the X-book you should be reading if you're a fan of Marvel's merry mutants.

Hopeless and Bagley have shown a strong sense of story, character, and purpose in their first two issues so hopefully this issue is just a growing pain.

If you can get on board with Laura's attitude, you'll find an interesting and fair portrayal of a possibly-doomed relationship. This is the kind of melodrama that, when done well (and it's done very well here), is the cornerstone of any good X-Men run.

Hopeless gets this team overall and has an enthralling take on these youngsters, there are just some unfortunate shortcuts still being taken.

There's a sense of inevitability to all the events that occur in this finale, and it's not even a "tragic" or "beautiful" kind of inevitable but a more or less boring one.

Amazing Spider-Man #1.1 is Marvel's latest attempt to trick you into buying a Spider-Man miniseries through confusing numbering.

Amazing has started to grow back into the ensemble book that it tends to be at its best. What isn't as good, is the stuff involving Regent.

If you're looking for a comic book fix of Ant-Man, try volume one of this series instead.

There's comedy, action, or emotion in every panel. Last Days of Ant-Man should leave fans excited for October's Astonishing Ant-Man.

There are more layers to Bunn's story than there initially appeared to be. That being said, the constant shifting between time periods gets to be a little hectic and the twists and turns are happening too fast.

Ultimately, it doesn't feel like a lot happens in this issue, but what's there is good.

The "new" that this story promises will largely have to wait for the future, but this is still a fun issue in itself and is promising for the series overall.

Who knew Aquaman: Political Drama could be such a thrilling series idea?

Dan Abnett's core idea for the book continues to be enough to propel this book, but it's starting to suffer from story slowdown and artistic problems.

This is still 100% an Archie book, even while feeling like something entirely new.

It's a disappointing way to debut a promising series.

Armor Wars #2 gives more of an emphasis to character, while still maintaining some of the more problematic aspects of the first issue.

You could skip over this issue and be just fine next month at #4

This has been the biggest problem with Armor Wars from its beginning, James Robinson's overuse of narration and exposition. None of the plot twists wind up being shocking, the biggest one being fairly obvious and disappointing, and the amount of time spent on the exposition makes for an uninteresting finale.

It's a bit too jokey at times, and the plot seems to slightly get away from the creators at times, but this is a fun issue that sets up some future fun and should be read by anyone wanting one last glimpse of that incarnation of the FF.

Marvel and DC have been doing a great job over the last several years of reinventing their comics in humorous and fun ways. That effort has been greatly appreciated and has led to some of the best stories in recent years. But there's also a point where that goes too far. Astonishing Ant-Man #4 is that point, an issue that just tries to be too cutesy, and then spirals out of control from there.

Ant-Man continues to be one of Marvel's most reliably enjoyable books.

This issue succeeds in being yet another enjoyable installment of Ant-Man, and in remaking Cassie into a fully realized character again.

Nick Spencer and Ramon Rosanas' Ant-Man series was already great, but it has been getting even better in recent months by adding Cassie Lang as a main player in the story.

If you loved Superior Foes of Spider-Man, and for some weird reason aren't already reading Astonishing Ant-Man, you absolutely have to pick up this issue.

This is a highlight issue of one of Marvel's best series.

Remember all the fun you had reading last issue's goofy Ocean Eleven antics? Well, hopefully you don't, because that will make this issue much more refreshing as it is essentially that same issue over again but with some minor tweaks.

Merino's style is a subdued one that fits the down-to-earth story. It's always weird when Brent Anderson doesn't do an issue, but Merino nails the one-shot story.

Astro City has been on a roll of strong, character-focused work as Kurt Busiek and his guest artists have been telling one-shot origins or spotlight issues for the various heroes of this universe.

It feels like this series needs a little kick in the butt to keep from burning readers out.

Astro City deserves so much credit for all the original ideas it brings to superhero comics, this just isn't one of them.

Spend just five minutes in Astro City and Kurt Busiek will having you lamenting the constant reboots of current superheroes and pining for the days of old. Astro City is a world where history has been allowed to fully play out, heroes have been able to grow and age and change.

This is a wistfully nostalgic comic that will make you curse DC and Marvel's unwillingness to let their characters age.

Shane Davis is up there with some of the industry's biggest guns in terms of his art, as evidenced by the weight and grandiosity he lends to both simple character drama and over-the-top action.

After successfully making Batman cool, Bat-Mite has made it his mission to improve the other heroes of the DC Universe. And if there's one hero who is in need of a major image overhaul, it's Hawkman. Dan Jurgens ably juggles poking fun at the past incarnations of the hero while also telling a fun, old-school brain swap tale.

It's a fun critique of the different styles and attitudes of superheroes and the best issue of Bat-Mite yet.

Bengal draws the main part of the story, an almost-reunion between Barbara and Dick. That story is fun and works well, but the issue starts to fall apart once Batgirl teams up with other Bat-characters in the other parts of the story. Instead of feeling like a consistent plot, it just starts to feel like an advertisement for DC's other Gotham books.

Babs Tarr is getting better with every single issue. The whole Batgirl experience is awesome, but the art is the star by a mile. Now, can you please get Robot Batman out of my Batgirl comic?

DC has had a problem in recent months of throwing too many artists at a book in order for that issue to make a deadline. Batgirl #49 uses no less than 6 artists to tell this regular-sized story, and yet, the series doesn't miss a beat for it. In fact, it's possibly better because of it.

You won't have any more fun this week in comic books than you will with Batgirl #50.

We'll miss this run of Batgirl and hope the book will be able to keep up this artistic consistency post-Rebirth.

Greg Pak continues his superb characterization of a depowered Superman in Batman/Superman #21. But what's marked Pak's run across this title and Action Comics as something special is how well he integrates all of Clark Kent's supporting cast into the titles.

Greg Pak has done an amazing job writing the Batman/Superman dynamic with Bruce Wayne under the cowl, but it just feels off with Gordon.

After a few issues of great Superman work, but subpar Batman, Greg Pak has finally made both halves of his superhero title work.

None of the Superman titles have done much to differentiate themselves in meaningful ways, other than artistically, and Cliff Richards's style is too cold and clinical to make this title noteworthy

This issue of Batman/Superman focuses entirely on the build up to a fight with Vandal Savage, as the heroes methodically plan every move. That may not sound interesting, but it is due to the quality of dialogue and smattering of character moments throughout.

Ultimately, the story winds up as a bit of a jumbled and rushed mess paired with some muddy action art, but there's just enough there to remind you of what a strong voice Pak gave to this duo.

Taylor doesn't take any real chances at his first swing on the characters, but in doing so he still manages to tell a solid and engaging team-up tale.

With Batman/Superman #29, Tom Taylor definitively proves himself capable of being on DC's biggest stage.

This story has such a frustratingly rigid structure that you can guess the entire outcome of the book by taking the story of the last four issues and then applying the characters on this issue's cover to that formula

It's fun to see all of these various Bat-characters together, some of whom we haven't seen interact in years (or in some cases, ever). The focused in narrative is beneficial for that reason, though it could still use some more tightening " specifically the flashbacks, which so far play out no differently than any past encounter we've ever seen with the Scarecrow making them feel like a waste of pages.

An overly cartoony FBI-agent aside, this is another solid issue. The chess pieces are coming together and once they do, the book should make the leap from "solid" back to "great" again.

Bitch Planet is ruthless. Not just the jail or the characters who surround it, but the actual book itself. The art of Bitch Planet is ruthless - the action of the book is fast and furious and unrelenting, the sport of Megaton is rendered with both dynamic skill and cruel violence.

As always, Bitch Planet mixes your anger and heartbreak in provocative ways, but this issue also manages to have the sweetest and kindest moment yet for the series.

Black Canary #5 is a disappointment on the writing side, even as the art is anything but.

Wu should be commended for a great execution in this issue, but if a few pages had managed to convey sound even better, it may have been something more than "just" a great comic.

. As far as fill-ins go, this one is enjoyable and worth a look.

Unlike some other DC books that are seemingly just spinning their wheels until Rebirth comes along, Brenden Fletcher is using these final months to catapult Black Canary through an epic story exploring the hero's past and a mystery involving her mother.

For a book so defined by fun and hope, this is one bleak and depressing issue. Fans of this series will find a very unsettling tone as this story goes on, as we see the entirety of Dinah Lance's life to come pass in a very soulless fashion.

It's a rough series to judge as it feels like we've just barely scratched the surface of what it actually is, but it's certainly attention grabbing enough to bring you back for a second issue.

Strip away everything about Black Magick that truly makes it unique - strip away the magic, strip away the brilliant color technique and flourishes - and what do you have left? Well, what you're left with is Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott doing what they do so well in the most compelling possible way.

Black Magick's first arc comes to an end with this issue, and makes it pretty clear that this storyline has just been the tip of the iceberg. That's nice in some ways, maybe a slightly frustrating in others.

Black Science #16 is the last issue of the book's third volume, but more than that, this extra-sized issue feels like a season finale " bringing all of the dangling threads and character drama to a head.

Black Science had 21 great issues before this, but this is the perhaps the most exciting and promising the book has ever been.

What Nathan Edmondson does with the Black Widow series finale is the exact opposite (but equally brilliant) to what he did with his Punisher finale last week. Where Punisher was all about going out with a bang, Black Widow shows how the gun was loaded.

The series has possibly reached its peak of abstractness and weirdness and the art is right there along with it.

Christos Gage writes these character moments nimbly, fully embracing the soap opera that the series can be. But the biggest kudos goes to artist Rebekah Isaacs and colorist Dan Jackson.

Dialogue is clunky, with the same goal of referencing past issues and episodes. If you're already caught up on Buffy, you can skip this issue entirely.

Buffy Season 10 #17 is just as stuck in the past and caught up in the same Angel-Buffy-Spike triangle as #16 was, but there are more demon fights " so I guess that's an improvement?

The Angel guest arc of Buffy is finally over and, luckily, it ends much better than it began.

It's a welcome, back to basics kind of issue that benefits from the surprising appearance of Buffy's rarely-mentioned father.

This issue of Buffy is the perfect example of what the TV show used to do so well " it tells a story about life in general then makes a monster metaphor for those problems.

This chapter is simply a cage match with a vampire. This relationship drama is in dire need of a resolution, or at least a distraction, because it's starting to spin its wheels.

Buffy is finally ramping up again as the season continues to move toward a conclusion.

This issue has some serious developments on both fronts and makes for one of the more satisfying issues of the series in some time.

The story ends in some interesting plot advancement, but at the cost of a well told narrative.

This is just the latest frustration in what's proving to be Buffy's most frustrating season to date.

Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #9 is beautiful, life-affirming, hopeful, and inspiring. In other words, it's everything a superhero comic should aspire to be.

The book also occasionally dips into stereotyping as a means of brevity in this packed issue. These problems are perhaps excusable at this point, especially when considering how good the issue as a whole is, but they are problems that have the potential to explode this promising book.

The tone Nick Spencer established in his first two issues of this series was of an inspirational, political hero with a sense of humor, but in this issue every little thing is simplified into just a gag or one-liner.

This issue constantly shifts scenes, hardly managing to devote three pages as at a time to a situation. Yet, the book's pace still crawls with a snails pace because those scenes are all so overly wordy and ultimately don't accomplish much.

Overall, this would be a fantastic issue if not for the art. Angel Unzueta's digital approach is simply too stiff, too rubbery - and the muddy colors don't do this lively script any favors either. But if you can look past the artistic flaws, this is a promising story direction for a book that's suddenly in a pivotal "do or die" scenario with Steve Rogers back.

This issue gets by on a well-meaning and interesting premise, with some real passion from both creators, even if it doesn't all work.

Where last issue slowed down the pace of the series, this issue rockets the plot forward to some interesting and surprising places.

Mighty Defenders is another success for the writer.

This issue spends too much time trying to explain something that no longer needs explaining.

Overall, most of the various plots felt a little bit cheated for space by all the other plots " but not enough of a good thing is a pretty good problem to have.

These creators will be missed as their run wraps up in the next few issues.

Catwoman #46 marks the end of Genevieve Valentine's run on Catwoman. The run has been one of the better ones on Catwoman in years so it's a shame to see it go, and even more of a shame that it ends on an underwhelming issue.

There's little good to be found in this issue that has nothing original to say, fair superhero art, and a general lack of forward momentum.

More probably could have been accomplished in the penultimate chapter of this story arc, but this timeout to focus on the sillier bits of Chew is welcome with such a big confrontation coming up.

Chew has featured numerous battle scenes through its history, but perhaps none so traditionally like a superhero comic book as this one. This is, in every way, our hero coming face-to-face in one climatic battle with his arch nemesis.

The series is as silly as ever but you get the feeling that as the creators approach the end, they're getting a little sentimental.

Sure, some of this may be a bit indulgent, but it's actually earned, and it's very entertaining.

This book continues to roll along at its usual great pace.

With a wicked sense of humor, incredible character art, and smart political satire Citizen Jack officially has our vote.

Citizen Jack #3 is an indication that the series has more on its mind than it may have initially appeared.

The creators have made an enjoyable romp of a book, but it's also a book that's already beginning to grow stale and predictable.

Charles Soule and Leinil Yu tell an emotional and intriguing war story but only if you can suspend so much belief. Inconsistencies and vast jumps in logic hurt the story whether or not you care that it undermines the original comic series.

The events of Civil War #3 are just too dark and morbid. The deaths, the gruesome transformations, the coldhearted attitudes " it's relentless. It all just winds up being too much, and with unrecognizable and unappealing versions of some of Marvel's best characters.

This story is such a jumble, as it seems intent on bringing in new readers who didn't already read that previous Dan Abnett Hercules story but it also overly relies on your prior knowledge of the cast of that book.

It's hard to argue that Civil War II: Kingpin amounts to much more than crime movie formula thrown into the world of superheroes. It's also hard to argue that that's a bad thing when it's done this well.

This second issue is an improvement over the first one in just about every way and an indication of what the series can become.

This series keeps coming up just short of greatness.

For all that Constantine has done right before this, the first arc's conclusion can't help but feeling a little"off. Most of those defining characteristics are still present in this finale, there just isn't the sense of urgency or impact that this conclusion should have.

This current volume of Constantine has been really strong every issue, but it's absolutely great when Riley Rossmo is on art.

This chapter is a fun diversion, but the character drama is where this series really succeeds.

This isn't the first time John Constantine has had to escape from Hell, nor is it nearly as memorable as that first time around, but it's fun to see a contemporary twist on something that was done a few decades ago.

The fight for John's body is one of the best artistic sequences you'll see in comic books this week. Foreman makes sure this wonderful book doesn't skip a beat.

His characterization of the "British Punisher" being a prime example of how the talented writer can make most scenarios relatable. But the novelty of throwing characters from different series together has more than worn off at this point.

The first issue was really interesting, especially from the Red Son Superman perspective as we saw how he struggled to maintain order in his country without his superpowers. None of that is present in the final issue " it's a silly fight, with over-expository language, a hackneyed lesson learned, a predictable ending, and characters who even acknowledge to the reader how out-of-character they're acting.

A lot of that pathos is thrown out the window in this brawl issue as the JSA are offered one last chance at their youth. It's half an issue's worth of fist-pumps as the JSA are given an action-packed farewell.

It's a bit of a slower issue, but it showcases what the book can do with its two sides.

After putting in the work to humanize Vic Stone over the last two issues, David Walker opts for a more action heavy issue this time around - it's fun, but it's also a quicker read than previous issues with less to chew on.

Cyborg has been a fun series so far with great potential in the future, but this issue feels like a wasted opportunity.

Cyborg #9 is all about the passing of proposed regulations and discussion of cybernetic theory, yet somehow, it's an issue that never feels bland.

What a wonderful book, I'm glad there are still a few issues left.

It's another brilliant job of intricate, twisting plotting by Waid and dynamic, expressive action from Samnee. In other words, it's another issue of Waid and Samnee's Daredevil.

In the first two issues, the creators put a big emphasis on making Daredevil feel new again. They introduced a new villain in Tenfingers, gave Matt a brand new job as a prosecutor, and even gave the book a fresh new visual look. It's only the third issue, but suddenly those changes aren't quite feeling new enough.

This may be the best issue of the series yet.

Charles Soule's premise of Matt being unable to read the cards, but rather his fellow players is really clever. Unfortunately, it makes for an underwhelming visual experience, and there's a struggle to pace out the story over the whole issue.

Remender and Craig are leaving nothing behind in this arc.

It's cliche at this point to talk about how much of himself Remender seems to put in these plots, but it can't be avoided because of how brutally honest this all feels. This is maybe the most emotionally-complex issue yet, and that allows Craig to show off in more ways than usual.

This issue has all of the over-the-top action you might want after experiencing the high of that movie, but just doesn't deliver on the comedy in the way that Gerry Duggan is capable of giving us.

This is fun whether you were a fan of the 2099 universe or not.

Deathstroke Annual #1 isn't the god-slaying confrontation you might have hoped it would be. In fact, Deathstroke doesn't even get a chance to face the evil he has unleashed. Instead, this is yet another dream-like issue that DC has done so many times in the past where our heroes have to face their greatest fears.

With this current opportunity to start fresh on the book, it's a bummer to see that Tony Daniel and James Bonny fail to address any of the shortcomings of previous issues.

Deathstroke #8 isn't a bad comic, but it's disappointing that it didn't live up to its big potential.

The biggest recurring problem with Deathstroke throughout the course of its series has been that the promising concepts get squandered in their execution

Let's give Dustin Nguyen some more credit, because he deserves all that we can give him. The amount of world building that Lemire and Nguyen have been able to accomplish together in such a short time is amazing, but especially on Nguyen's side.

Too many characters have unclear motivations at this point in the series. It's meant to be compelling but just winds up being yet another frustration in this book that could be and should be better than it is.

Detective Comics continues to struggle with its identity in the new Gordon-as-Batman world.

Detective Comics #49 is a solidly told and engaging mystery.

This is a entertaining and well done Batman arc from top to bottom.

The mystery does meander a bit too much, and the lead up to Gordon's reveal should have come earlier, but it's still a nice mystery.

This run of Detective Comics is tapping into that Bat-Family feel of the '90s and early 2000s - the feeling that each individual Bat-character actually mattered.

By passing its second month with flying colors, Detective Comics is working its way up the Rebirth power rankings.

Remender is playing with some smart ideas here, but he is executing them better in the somewhat ideologically similar Tokyo Ghost.

This is a fun story, but it's starting to look like "fun" is all it's really intended to be.

The comic has its share of familiar trappings, but the differences are big enough, and the story told well enough, that it's hardly a problem. One bit of advice though " the free 8-page digital Sneak Peek of this issue is a necessary prologue. With that in mind, this is a new book worth supporting.

Despite generally being a lithe and charming monthly read, Doctor Fate has struggled a bit with its archetypal storytelling.

This chapter's pacing is awkward at its best, and baffling at its worst. Worse, the uninteresting cliffhanger leaves little reason to come back for another month of this story that feels like it has already gone on too long.

Doctor Fate has tremendous pieces that still haven't come together in a fully satisfying way.

This run is proving to be a highly entertaining take on a character who is tough for most creators to grasp, but this particular issue just proved to be a bit too repetitive.

The story doesn't jump significantly forward here, but as a way of solidifying the intangible, it's a spellbinding read.

This issue mixes all the best elements of blockbuster movie thrill rides or TV show season finales into comic book form.

As beautiful as the art is, and as much as I appreciate the nods to one of my favorite eras, this title doesn't offer much of anything new -- something that isn't helped by poorly flowing dialogue.

This series probably won't work for you at all if you've never read the initial run, and even if you have it still won't work entirely, but it is an achievement of ambition and zaniness if nothing else.

Chris Burnham, Dennis Culver, and Ramon Villalobos's madcap homage to Grant Morrison's New X-Men comes to a conclusion with this issue, and one can't help but marvel at everything those creators were able to pack into four issues.

Jeff Lemire is a nuanced, powerful writer so it's hard to be believe that this book will continue to flounder for long, but for now it's hard to grasp what this book's goal is.

In many ways, this is yet another setup issue, putting all of the chess pieces in their place before the finale - but it's more or less satisfying in doing that.

This slightly new direction of The Flash is a mixed bag. Brett Booth remains a great choice on art, his exaggerated style partnering so well with Andrew Dalhouse's bold and vibrant colors. The action is electric. On the other hand, the script feels like it's trying to emulate the CW television show, but only repeating the most tedious bits of it (do we really need another scene of Barry promising his father justice and freedom?) while leaving out the compelling side characters that make CW's The Flash so successful.

The heart is in the right place here, the execution is just off

Remember Spider-Totems from Amazing Spider-Man? If you liked those, you're going to love this storyline of The Flash! Ok, it's not that bad yet, but it's disappointing that just as this series was finally making a few minor strides forward, it takes one giant leap back with "the lightning chose us".

The only thing that makes The Flash comic book series more disappointing is comparing it to how great the television series.

This chapter doesn't mark any kind of substantial turnaround for the series, but it's a start in a nice direction.

Pitting the police-supported Rogues against a wanted Flash has created the most fun and compelling writing this book has seen in a few years. Unfortunately, some misguided decisions mid-way through this issue might ruin that and make this book unreadable for some.

Flash/Riddler should be an automatically interesting fight, as long as The Riddler's plot is clever enough. The problem with this story is that the execution isn't nearly as good as the concept, there's nothing clever about Riddler's plot here.

The problem with this issue, just as with the last issue, is that Van Jensen simply doesn't write a clever or cunning enough plan for The Riddler.

This is a fantastic read, though to get the real weight of the book you probably need to start with the first series.

Future Imperfect #1 offers a nice bit of alternative reading from the typical Secret Wars tie-in. Just like most of the other tie-ins, this issue focuses on a dystopic world, a cruel leader, and the rebellion. But in Future Imperfect's case, we at least get the other point-of-view.

Future Quest is Crisis on Infinite Earths for the Hanna Barbera Universe. This is a comic book that mashes together piles and piles of otherwise unrelated characters, revels in the chaos, and is not afraid to be exactly what it wants to be.

The Ghost Racers miniseries plays as a finale to the run Felipe Smith had with his new character and the cliffhanger promises a fitting end.

This is a fitting conclusion for a character that left his mark on a small handful of readers.

Giant Days is proving it can sustain the jump from miniseries to ongoing.

It's a world well worth exploring, and hopefully we'll be able to come back between semesters.

It's worth the purchase for the art alone, but it feels like a cover's worth of humor has been stretched over 20 pages.

Gotham Academy is a success throughout and if you haven't already started reading this series, it's about time you did.

This book continues to deliver spooky, funny, and sweet in equal measure.

It's impressive when a newer series can tie in to an event without losing any sense of its own identity, and that's exactly what Brenden Fletcher is able to accomplish in this issue.

This short burst, anthology storytelling almost works better for the book overall than the multi-issue arcs. Hopefully this is something they'll keep in mind heading into the book's next semester.

Gotham Academy was born to be an anthology title. Sure, the series had been great before this, but never as consistently enjoyable as it has been with this arc.

They didn't necessarily save the best for last, but Gotham Academy's "Yearbook" still proved to be a blast to read

The tone of Gotham by Midnight is perfect for anyone missing the days of Vertigo's prominence or mourning the recent cancellation of NBC's Constantine.

Juan Ferreyra is making himself into a star artist on Gotham by Midnight. The smooth, clean lines he uses to illustrate his characters and backgrounds are one thing, but his eerie, water color-like coloring is something else entirely.

Gotham by Midnight has been taking what felt like an unnecessary turn from the supernatural half of the book, to the detective half.

As Gotham by Midnight approaches its end, it's proving to be a series worth sticking with.

This is the perfect jumping on point for anyone wanting more fun in their comics.

What could've made for a tense, or at least fun, showdown winds up feeling uncomfortably like stunt-casting

With Grayson #16, the comic jumps from being a funny superhero book to DC's answer to Archer. This is easily the goofiest issue of Grayson yet: the dialogue is quippier than ever, there are now 100% more cutaway gags, and there's even an extended Bond theme song inspired musical section.

Benjamin Percy has taken a really unique tone on his Green Arrow run. The socially conscious commentary is still there, along with some of the usual crime and superhero stuff, but most interestingly he's infused the whole thing with a horror vibe.

Green Arrow #42 is such a drastic swerve from last issue that it's hard to reconcile what works and what doesn't. The horror vibe from last month's issue is replaced by some Big Brother paranoia and UFO shaped crime-stopping robots.

Benjamin Percy and Patrick Zircher created such a fascinating mood and atmosphere over this three issue arc that it almost feels like a waste to have it all end so quickly.

It's an unusual story, and regardless of how jarring you may or may not find the transition, it's not a particularly well told story.

Green Arrow #45 is a bit of a mess, but even the messes in Benjamin Percy's run have been mesmerizing thanks to his enigmatic storytelling.

This book deserves another look from anyone who left along with Jeff Lemire.

So much of the story is silly (made even sillier without the context of October's Green Arrow Annual #1), but it almost works due to Percy's poetic narrative style and his sheer ambition and determination.

Hopefully Percy has more up his sleeve for next month's big issue 50, because this chapter failed on all levels to live up to the recent standards of this book.

The story is moving along nicely, and Ferreyra is almost equally as breathtaking as Schmidt - but the editorial choice in artistic change draws too much attention to itself and makes the overall product weaker on both sides of the art change.

This is a comic that can fill the Guardians of the Galaxy or Firefly hole in your hearts.

It's a fun issue, though the fight winds up ending a bit too quickly and easily. The more glaring problem with the issue comes from the split art duties.

Robert Venditti has done some great cast work over the course of a really good Green Lantern run, but this whole issue just fell completely flat

Martin Coccolo's sleek art gives the book points for a solid fill-in artist, but otherwise this issue does more harm for the series than good.

It's of course disappointing that Ethan Van Sciver couldn't finish this series, but as gifted a talent as Van Sciver is, Ardian Syaf drawing over Aaron Kuder's layouts is an impressive sight to see. This issue is still strong, despite losing one of DC's best creators.

It's refreshing seeing two rookies playing at being superhero, without all the usual baggage (Jessica basically shrugs off the Emotional Spectrum in the book's first page). Their dynamic is entertaining too, mirroring any antagonistic (but probably, eventually buddy) partner relationship you've seen in movies like Rush Hour.

The book overall, much like the art, mostly works and is promising enough to forgive its few wonky spots.

Despite the art, Green Lanterns continues to be a surprisingly strong story.

Once again, Jeff Loveness is able to write a chapter of Groot that is simultaneously humorous and fun, but also a little too light.

For all intents and purposes, Groot is a comedy. Jeff Loveness peppers the book with a steady stream of one-liners and silly situations while Brian Kesinger animates the book with a lively and light-hearted tone.

The story in this issue could have used more space to develop. This feels less like a typical one-in-done story and more like an arc that had to be condensed in time for Secret Wars.

This book is big space action in the best possible way.

Guardians of the Galaxy is one series that so closely follows what came before it, that the emotional stakes are almost impenetrable for anyone who didn't read (or hasn't forgotten much of) the previous volume.

If this kind of storytelling keeps up, The Thing and Rocket Raccoon could become one of the Marvel Universe's next great bromances.

Valerio Schiti's art is as charming and energizing as ever, but it doesn't quite forgive a ho-hum plot

Obfuscation can be a compelling tool to use when telling a story, but after four straight pages of Drax just mindlessly yelling, "Where is she?" and punching things - the readers could really use some idea of the stakes of the mission.

It's a pretty bombastic issue with plenty of fist-pumping moments.

Overall though, it's a fun story that fits right in Remender's wheelhouse if you want to say goodbye to his Marvel work.

Hail Hydra is proving to be another worthy addition to Remender's impressive Marvel library

This book is a strong lesson in taking what you're given and putting your all into it.

Hank Johnson is a frontrunner for funniest comic of 2015.

Hercules seems like a strange series to launch amidst so many Avengers and X-Men premiere issues. But don't let the hero's C-list status keep you away from this book in favor of those bigger hitters " Hercules is a fun and well written book that finds a few ways to stand out in the current tidal wave of "fun and light" comics.

Despite its heart this book is in major need of a compelling antagonist, the fights against nameless creatures can only last so long.

The current day action feels inconsequential as El Vengador's mind is stuck in the past, while the flashbacks do nothing to justify or inform his leap from fan to hero.

Overall, Horizon #1 is a quiet and ponderous start to a series that is more promising in setup than execution.

It's an unexpected and welcome breath of fresh air, perfectly complemented by Marco Failla's own energetic drawings.

The various power struggles, coups, and plots all make for some fun royal backstabbing adventure. Unfortunately, these clever moments are offset by some silly moments.

Much like Spider-Gwen or Unbeatable Squirrel-Girl, think of this Howard the Duck as season 2. They've had one season to do the comic they wanted to do, figured out what worked and what didn't, and fix those things going forward.

This is an excellent bit of cartoon comic book storytelling.

It has all the charm and space adventuring joy of Guardians of the Galaxy, but with it's own unique brand of humor and visual identity.

This issue is uneven and disjointed in that sense, even when it's a hilarious visual treat of a comic.

After all these years, Kevin Maguire still has it.

So what is this book? Where's the hook to keep us coming back for more? So far, there isn't one.

The story is small - quaint by Mark Millar standards - but it's that focus that's making this such an enjoyable ride.

Rafael Albuquerque is the main draw (as he's been all series) and this issue is even more beautifully and dynamically illustrated than the last five, but there are some key stumbles in the script that fundamentally undermine what the story is trying to accomplish.

This book is cute, funny, gruesome and maybe the best Young's art has looked. Again, go buy this comic!

The obvious appeal of this book first and foremost is Young's wild imagination and the humor that comes from that, this series is an unquestionable success under those two criteria. The problem is in the longevity of the story " how long can we follow around a goalless character?

The art for this series was always the draw - it's fluffin' gorgeous - but now we have a story reason to keep coming back.

The way Skottie Young has transformed this book from a series of hilarious, but ultimately similar, jokes into an actual storyline is pretty amazing. Suddenly this book has some real forward momentum to go with that incredibly beautiful art of his. There's no telling what this book can accomplish next.

The end of that arc promised progress, as Gertrude was forced to become Queen of Fairyland. But, all that progress is wiped away in a single issue designed to make being Queen the most boring duty Gertrude could possibly have. Skottie Young explains his intentions in the back pages, and they're all reasonable, but it makes for a very deflating return issue

It's too early to tell if this can really be the Superior Foes spiritual successor but it's off to a fine start.

Illuminati cribs enough successful material from other similar books to make it entertaining, but doesn't do anything to make itself stand out.

Walker is phenomenal talent that is perfect for a book with this mix of humor and action. Unfortunately, that's not enough when the characters and story continue to fail to leave an impression.

While a lot of plots seem to end suddenly, there's no denying the catharsis of the story's tensely drawn final act.

The original X-Men Inferno event was so beloved, and the concept at the heart of this modern Inferno #1 (Colossus venturing back into Hell on Earth to save his little sister) is so immediately captivating, that it's a real shame and surprise that this issue doesn't pack more of a punch than it does.

There's not a lot here, but what's there is fun and a visual treat.

From the beginning, the story of Inferno has been really fun, but also just a bit too cluttered and chaotic for its own good. But where the story suffers from too many divergent ideas and scenarios, the art flourishes.

Don't believe that cover. This isn't the story of the Nova Corps and Star-Lord taking on Thanos in cosmic battle. At least, it isn't yet. What it is now is the story of a broken family, desperately trying to survive the destruction of their world. You might not even know this is a Marvel Universe story if not for the periodic references to the Nova Corps and that last page reveal. And that works tremendously to this book's credit.

Much like the debut issue, issue #2 is more exciting family drama than anything else, the newly enlisted Bakian's forced to learn the Nova Corps ropes on the fly. This structure serves to increase the overall urgency of the piece, even if some of the character interactions feel a bit rushed as a result.

What started out as such a promising family survival tale has since been repeatedly dragged down by the need to make things too "superhero-y".

The first one had all the charm of early 20th century gangster tales, the second one kept the charm but also threw in some compelling spy vs spy espionage. Inhumans: Attilan Rising #3 loses all the charm and just devolves into a generic all-out battle

This fourth issue is just about as uneven (good and bad) as the three that came before it.

Those frustrated with the obtuse storytelling in the first two issues should find a bit more to grasp onto here.

This is very much an info dump issue. Declan Shalvey's character work is tremendous, the emotive facial features tell the story in a compelling way that Ellis just isn't able to live up to in this issue.

Warren Ellis's abstract ideas are finally starting to solidify enough for readers to grab onto in this first arc's final issue.

Injection #6 leaves behind our main cast to focus on Headland, a Holmesian rich detective who is particular about his sandwiches. This strange swerve in the narrative further muddies an already unclear view of what this book is, but if you can put that aside, this is a gleefully fun issue of Ellis doing what he does so well.

This issue passes the new Injection review scoring equation of Vivek-Injection=Review Score, but it's unclear much longer this series will be interested in achieving those marks.

This was both one of the the most entertaining issues of Injection yet, and maybe a breaking point for some. Warren Ellis loves to play coy with his stories, and that's been the case for the entire run of Injection. In many cases, Injection included, style can be higher on Ellis' priority list than substance.

This is another decompressed issue, which could prove problematic to the series soon, but works for now.

Unfortunately, it feels like a lot of space in the first half of the book was wasted with recap in order to get to the second half. Ultimately this issue is half filler and half compelling drama.

This is one of those issues of Invincible (they are pretty much a regular occurrence at this point) where the story just flies by, and the ending comes too soon.

It's unclear how exactly this issue is part of "The Road to Civil War II", but regardless, it's a pretty good jumping-on point. Invincible Iron Man #9 is a series of vignettes of most of this book's major characters reacting to Tony Stark's disappearance. It reminds you that Brian Bendis has a lot of different, and interesting, balls in the air in this series.

Invincible Iron Man is a series that has been frustratingly decompressed at times over its short, 10-issue life, but that's something that works surprisingly well in the book's favor this time around.

Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko often talk about their love for old movies, and it's that love that comes across in Invisible Republic's painstakingly-realized human characters and intricately-plotted world.

This is another funny and clever issue of Jughead, but the real star of this book is artist Derek Charm. Charm draws maybe the cleanest line of any of the Jughead artists so far, this is a beautiful cartoon of a book.

The second mini-arc of Jupiter's Circle comes to a close in just as problematic a way as its first arc did.

Some exposition problems and not enough focus on the antagonist aside, this was an entertaining and promising starting issue.

There's plenty of potential in this title, the creators just haven't found it all yet.

The idea of Justice League United is so much fun " throw together a disparate group of heroes and villains from every corner of the DC Universe and see how they react. That idea is beautifully executed on in this issue with so many interesting character interactions and silly twists, but it's everything around that idea that falls flat here.

If you've been loving this event, this is worth a read, but a bit too messy.

This issue is just a real head-scratcher, what's the point of this bleak rehash in a world that's supposed to be bright and innovative?

Kaptara #1 was a bit of a surprise in how well it balanced the outlandish and goofy elements with characters you couldn't help but fall for. Kaptara #2 veers a bit more into the goofy, outlandish concepts as Keith is content to let his crewmates fend for themselves while he indulges in his wacky new life.

The emphasis of this series is on the humor, but when emotional stakes and basic storytelling are trampled over to get to the jokes sooner, those jokes better be worth it. Unfortunately in this issue, they just aren't.

Klaus has been a fun and somewhat slight series so far, but #4 has some moments of peak-Morrison.

It's said that the worst reaction you can have to piece of art is none it all. Sorry, Korvac Saga, but that's the reaction I had to you. You are not good, and you are not bad. You are just fine.

Korvac Saga #2 shows improvement over the first issue.

Korvac Saga had its problems in the beginning, most notably a slow build that didn't seem to be going anywhere particularly interesting. Some of those early issue problems still remain, but in retrospect, that slow build was worth the brilliant conclusion offered in this issue.

Years ago, a mysterious attack made the entire United States population infertile. The beauty of this series is that it doesn't focus on those attacks, who made them, why they happened, or anything like that. It just takes that premise " one of the world's richest countries has lost their future, making children the world's most valuable commodity " and tells a story of people dealing with it.

There's still a lot about the fascinating world of this series to enjoy, but shifting the focus from the intimate, morally gray storytelling of its premiere issue to this over-the-top genre adventure takes away from what was once truly special.

There's an amazing series to be made in this world, this "action thriller" just wasn't that series.

This is another incredibly crafted chapter.

It's a testament to this book's world building and character development that even though the main character only appears in a handful of panels, this issue is just as intriguing and thrilling as any other.

Reviewing Lazarus #22 is a very weird experience because it's like reviewing the first four pages of the next chapter in a book. Lazarus is as good and intriguing as always, but similar to only reading several pages of a chapter, reading a single issue of Lazarus is sometimes unfulfilling in and of itself.

The up and down pace may not always please everyone, but Lazarus is going places, and we can't wait to see where it ends up.

Limbo takes place in a world between ours, a sin city filled with ghosts and monsters. Despite that intriguing premise, Limbo fails to ultimately leave any kind of impression.

This is a fun, bounty hunter brawl set in space and featuring some compelling races of aliens with unique power sets. In those ways, it feels like a Star Wars expanded universe tale.

Lobo #10 is another fun issue of bad guy fisticuffs.

Overall, this is another successful Last Days issue from Marvel.

It's not for everyone, but if you can stomach the despair, it's ultimately worth the read.

This is maybe the book's best issue yet.

It seems like Low may have been lost in the shuffle of Rick Remender and Image's works lately, but it is every bit as worthy of being on your pull list as anything else from that writer, and even the rest of the publisher.

While difficult to pick a best Remender book, Low is often the most emotionally rewarding.

Holly Black and Lee Garbett are taking a really interesting approach with their Lucifer series - they're continuing the story right where Mike Carey and Peter Gross left off, but they're also telling something brand new and all their own.

Lucifer #3 succeeds in both the stories it's telling, but fails to bring them together in a satisfying way.

Lucifer is a series that can be heartfelt, relatable, cruel, and fun. Unfortunately, it seems like it can only be those things when Lucifer isn't on the page.

Lucifer #5 is the issue where all of the book's mysteries are revealed, the issue that should finally sell you on the book and give you an idea of the series' shape to come. Unfortunately, all of the issue's reveals fall flat, and everything surrounding the revelations are a complete mess.

But even when an issue of Magneto fails on theme, it always succeeds with characterization. Bunn was born to write Magneto.

There have been many wonderful stories that have been written about Magneto's past -- how and why he has become what he has become. But Cullen Bunn's Magneto series is one of the rare books in current years to examine who Magneto is now and why he keeps doing what he's doing.

Bunn and Walta end their run in the same fascinating, complex way they started it.

Manifest Destiny #19 is a great jumping-on point for this fascinatingly weird comic book

This Martian Manhunter series is quickly turning into a fresh twist on the Invasion of the Body Snatchers story, with that last page cliffhanger promising something completely new to the genre.

Martian Manhunter is a book that thrives off of its mystery and mystique, and Rob Williams is at his best when he's leaving you guessing and wanting more.

Martian Manhunter is becoming an even more interesting and twisting series with every issue. Rob Williams has done such a intricate job of mapping out J'onn's personality into all of these different forms, and the way that they interact is proving to be even more enjoyable.

The streak of brilliant twists and startling cliffhangers continues in the final chapter of this incredible first story arc.

Volume 2 of Martian Manhunter doesn't appear to be off to quite the same propulsive start; instead of picking up where the momentum of volume 1 left off, they seem to be starting from scratch and building up a whole tempo.

It feels like Martian Manhunter is quickly racing towards a conclusion and it's heartening to see it ending as well as it started.

Martian Manhunter #10 is a brilliant series of revelation after revelation, twist after further twist. This issue is the distillation of everything that has made this series so enjoyable over the last year into a single issue.

Martian Manhunter #11 is another dramatic high note in this series, but Ben Oliver just isn't able to convey the emotional depth that Barrows brought to this wonderful series.

The ending may be a bit divisive, but we're ultimately sad to see this complex ride come to its end.

The latest incarnation of Marvel Zombies is as humorous and grotesque as fans of the past series could ask for. Even better, there is finally a truly great character at the center of the story this time around. Ultimately though, it doesn't feel like the journey quite begins in this first issue.

Marvel Zombies is not only one of the best books of Secret Wars, but also one of the best books ever to feature the "Marvel Zombies" title.

Marvel Zombies is the whole package.

We've already had a peak at All-New All-Different Marvel and how some aspects of Secret Wars will seep over into their new continuity. If they're smart, they'll have a book by Si Spurrier and Kev Walker starring Elsa Bloodstone, because this series was absolutely incredible.

The direction that the story is going in remains a complete mystery, but it's so masterfully told that it's hardly a problem.

The experience of reading Material is like being a voyeur -- the scenarios all feel so real that they often border on mundane. But if you've ever people-watched at a local grocery store or parking lot, you know that there can also be something hypnotic about the mundanity.

The story's dream logic movement will frustrate some, and confuse almost everyone on an initial read, but there's so much emotion and intrigue in the opening chapter that it'll be nearly impossible not to come back to learn more.

Mirror #2 isn't even remotely a bad book (though it advances its storyline too quickly, these large events deserved more buildup), but it's just not nearly as special and exciting as that first issue was.

Mockingbird is very much the Network Television comic of the Marvel Universe - little of the flash or substance that makes an HBO epic, but there's nothing wrong with a well crafted, popcorn ABC drama.

The story is complex, nuanced, and never once holds your hand. Issue 1 is a complete, satisfying, moving story in itself, maybe one of the year's best, and the fact that we have more to come only makes it that much more exciting.

The storytelling, pace, and indelible visuals make this one of Image's most unique reads.

With the art as beautiful as ever, and the story continuing to unfold in exciting new ways, this remains one of the best new series around.

As fascinating as this world is, it often feels like you need an encyclopedia handy to really enjoy it. The great stuff is so spectacularly great that it's worth the effort, but more can be done in the future to humanize the rest of Monstress' enormous world.

The revelations and character turnarounds are satisfying and perfectly timed. Even better, the art continues to be top-notch. Sana Takeda has an approach and style that's almost entirely unique in Western comic books, it's so easy to get entranced by the winding, grand scale design choices.

The execution of the story, as has been the case in most chapters of this volume, is almost entirely on the shoulders of the art team. Ron Ackins delivers some impactful action scenes in this book, and the continuing motif of the smiles works well. Unfortunately, the colors just haven't been the same since Jordie Bellaire left and this is perhaps the least distinctive use of color since she left.

The art is great, and the ideas presented in this second issue are even more interesting and exciting than what came in an already good first issue. Color us intrigued.

Moon Knight #5 makes it clear how this volume is going to be definitively different than any other Moon Knight series - it's never coming back down for its dizzying heights.

Gerry Duggan has maybe done the best and most consistent work on Deadpool since Joe Kelly's legendary run in the late 90s. Unfortunately, this issue has none of the character or charm of his ongoing series.

Ms. Marvel is avoiding any kind of sophomore slump by further pushing what made the book so great in the first place.

This volume of Ms. Marvel is showing no signs of a sophomore slump.

Ms. Marvel #4 is another excellent issue of family dynamics and goofy superhero scenarios.

This is one of Ms. Marvel's most fun issues yet.