Levi Hunt Comic Reviews

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.

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.

Hank Johnson is a frontrunner for funniest comic of 2015.

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

After nearly a year, and The Omega Men can still be truly shocking. Sure, you already know to a certain extent that this won't be as easy of an ending as Kyle Rayner hopes it will be. But, Tom King is able to subvert so many of your expectations in such interesting ways, while still delivering on the obvious and inevitable turns that have to happen.

DC deserves so many thanks for reconsidering cancelling this little-selling but beloved book. Tom King and Barnaby Bagenda got a chance to fully tell their story and, let me tell you, it's one incredible ending.

Wow, what a showcase for Mitch Gerads. In this series finale, we get the story from the perspective of the Black Dawn Fighters as they are hunted down and slaughtered one by one. It's a technique that makes the issue feel somewhat akin to a horror movie, with The Punisher acting as a Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees.

It's so fun to watch people who are great at what they do, doing that. That credit goes not only to first-time comic book writer (and bestselling thriller author) Chelsea Cain, but also to Joelle Jones who reflects Bobbi's confidence perfectly in his clean, assured, and sprightly line work. Now, Marvel, please make this an ongoing series, because this was outstanding.

The events of this issue are extreme and sadistic, but if you haven't come to expect that from this book by this point than shame on you.

It's some of Kirkman's finest writing and Adlard's best "acting" on the series to date.

Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta's dark family drama hits a new high (or is that low?) with issue #4 as the tale turns from dark and foreboding to hopeless and melancholic.

The cold, calm, calculating way that Tom King can write the dialogue and narration in The Vision is maybe the most unnerving part of the whole series.

Vision is a clear contender for being the best book in the All-New, All-Different Marvel lineup, and this issue does nothing to reverse that trend.

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.

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.

Scott's renderings in this story are a special thing to behold. This is such an emotional issue, and as much credit should go to Greg Rucka's understated parallel storyline of Diana and Steve Trevor's origins, you get the feeling that the story wouldn't be nearly what it is without Scott's art.

The story is good and is getting more intriguing as it goes, but the art is on a whole other level.

Zero #18 is a satisfying end to a truly impactful series. Bravo.

Zero has been a book all about violence. That violence has been on display in all of the vivid, brutal, unending fights that have taken place over the course of the series. This final arc of Zero has taken a step back from the "how" of the violence, to the "why".

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

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.

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

Finally! After varying degrees of "ok" to "good" comic booking, we finally get an issue of Spider-Gwen that delivers on all the tremendous promise of the character's first appearance. This is an issue that embraces its destiny, absolutely oozing style in every single panel.

If the first issue is any indication, Han Solo could prove to be the best Marvel Star Wars mini yet.

Tokyo Ghost is a series that's hitting a whole new stride in its second arc.

This is the most emotional issue to date and Murphy exceeds every single challenge Remender's script throws at him.

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.

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.

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

Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde is a Disney movie of a comic -- and that's not just because Peter Quill spends half the issue singing Little Mermaid songs.

On both a writing and art level, the creators are reminding us why we once loved Superman and Lois Lane so much, and making us fall equally in love with Jon.

The events of Superman #4 are so breathtakingly, dizzyingly hectic that taken on their own they might have represented one big mess of an issue. But, in the context of a series that's worn its heart on its sleeve and made you fall in love with this version of the Superman Family, it's a triumphant turning point of an issue

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.

This series is off to an incredible start.

Guys, Steve Lieber is. So. Good! You really could "read" this book without ever even glancing at the word balloons. But that would be a disservice to Nick Spencer, who is writing some of the most compelling dialogue of his career in this book.

This is easily the wackiest Sex Criminals has gone yet and Chip Zdarsky really gets a chance to visually impress with this issue. But, most impressively, it still manages to keep that emotional core by intercutting those silly scenes with a moving college lecture and some character-defining scenes with Robert Rainbow.

Sex Criminals should just become a series of one-shots focusing on people's sexual experiences. That's what Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky do so well " they tell personal, honest stories about these scary subjects and they do it in simultaneously funny and tender ways. But it seems that they're also losing their grasp of the overall narrative.

Sex Criminals #15 ends the arc beautifully: wrapping up the individual arcs of all of our characters, giving our "villain" a truly sympathetic turn, and smoothly setting up future storylines.

There's very little given about the overall plot until the final pages, so where it goes and how it maintains this pace is still to be seen, but this is an incredible, attention-grabbing bang of a first issue.

There's no telling where the story is going next, each scene is more unexpected than the last, that layer of surprise and being along for such a winding ride is perhaps the best part of this gorgeously illustrated book.

These creators have brought together an engaging mystery and surrounded it with complex characters and an even more complex world.

What Sheriff of Babylon #4 lacks in comparison to last issue's big action, it makes up for in character moments and some unexpected storytelling choices.

A genuine achievement of comic book craft.

Where last month whispered, this month roars. The tension in this story is incredibly nuanced, but also frenetically thrilling. Tom King is able to craft dialogue with a deft touch, implying so much sinister intent with such docile words.

This is easily the hardest issue to get through yet, but as always, worthy of your attention.

This is by no means a bad issue, it's just that when you're delivering one of the most consistently great comic books, an issue that's merely good seems like a disappointment.

Sheriff will be ending its "first season" at #12, but the stakes have already ratcheted up to season finale level.

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.

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

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.

This comic has been so much fun already and has gotten just that much better with the addition of Doom to play off of.

Time travel in fiction is awesome in general, but it's doubly awesome when it's in a book like The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, where they can just go crazy with it.

Lord Doom Almighty, this is one beautiful book. Visually beautiful, that is, thanks to Mike Del Mundo's expertly realized, surreal vision of Weirdworld. Story wise, it's anything but beautiful, it's a tragedy of one man's desperate, improbable quest to find home.

Weirdworld is fun, imaginative, gorgeous comic booking through and through.

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

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 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 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.

Unfollow is another huge success in Vertigo's recent comeback.

This is a darkly funny and tense book that you should absolutely be reading.

The strength of this book is its ability to make you uncomfortably laugh in the face of its more serious moments.

This is a big book with big questions, and it just might be the heir apparent to Hickman's Marvel storytelling.

Ewing's boldness, perfectly paired with Kenneth Rocafort's knack for gorgeous cosmic scenery, makes this one of Marvel's quickest evolving and most exciting new books.

The word "Avengers" may not be in the title, but The Ultimates is every bit worthy of being Marvel's flagship title.

Christian Ward is an immensely talented artist, with an incredible sense of color, and some truly imaginative and wild interpretations of character and layout. In other words, he's the perfect guest artist for this one-shot issue of The Ultimates which focuses on Galactus and his attempt to free Eternity from its chains.

This issue is the closest this book has felt to a "traditional superhero story", but even so - the big ideas are still there. Better yet, it gives Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort a chance to show off their knack for character.

There's so much to recap, that half of this issue feels like a "previously on"" segment. That said, Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort are so great on this book that they even manage to make recaps interesting, and the scattered bits of new material (mostly focusing on the side Ultimates characters) are phenomenal moments.

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

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.

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.

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

Just because the book changed title from "Grayson" to "Nightwing" doesn't mean that the content within has changed. Nightwing is every bit the continuation you would want as a fan of Grayson, with some slight spy vs. superhero cosmetic changes.

Has there been a bad "Last Days" book yet from Secret Wars? Silk #7 doesn't quite reach the emotional highs of some of the other tie-ins, but it tells a compelling and heartfelt story of its own to keep the streak alive.

It seems like Jason Aaron has had some fun writing and rewriting the stories of Thor in his four-plus years working on the character, but The Mighty Thor #3 is something a bit different, it's Aaron having fun not just with the character, but with the publishing history and future of the character.

The way the creators wrap up the issue is absolutely brilliant. The Wicked + The Divine #13 is a devastating issue and should be required reading for anyone signing up for their first social media account.

The success of this arc has varied largely by the guest artist, and though this issue isn't as memorable as the last two in particular, the visuals are unforgettable.

It's not the most charming or fun read you'll have this week, but it's worthwhile and tells some of what we need to know about this character.

The Wicked + The Divine #21 is the last thing I ever expected to see out of this series - nonstop action and chaos with no mind for character. That probably all sounds like an insult, but Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie have earned this moment through their steady buildup over the earlier parts of this arc.

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.

Ed Brubaker's narration is as always tense and foreboding. Sean Phillips is as deftly able to show the beauty of the aforementioned "good" with the grime of the "bad".

This isn't to say that The Fade Out is suddenly a bad book " Ed Brubaker has maybe the best knack for dialogue in the business and Sean Phillips and Elizabeth Breitweiser are still delivering a beautiful, moody tone with each issue " but the book is in a bit of rut right now.

All of the character and plot developments are coming together in a way that's truly satisfying, even as we get more backstory on our two lead characters and their complicated past together.

In the back of a recent issue of The Fade Out, Ed Brubaker had compared what he and Sean Phillips were doing to a novel. He's right of course, and where some middle issues of the series felt slow, this last arc has proven that it's all been necessary.

Brubaker and Phillips have a lot of interesting things so say in this finale, and it's very well done, but some readers may feel let down by Charlie's role, and the air of familiarity to the ending.

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.

This is the kind of well done simplicity that make certain superheroes universally beloved.

It's great seeing Alphona back on this book. The other artists have been great, but Alphona draws the happiest looking sharks in comics, and isn't that what this is all about?

Ms. Marvel is succeeding in ways that few other tie-ins are.

As this is the start of a brand new generation of Rai, it's a perfect place for new readers to try out this intriguing series.

The Spider-Women event hasn't been as emotionally satisfying, or as fun, as all three titles tend to be on their own. Spider-Woman #7 may be the most successful of the lot, but that's because it mostly just feels like a regular issue of this series, but with slightly more Gwen Stacy.

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.

It's a return to form a bit for Revival, but it still hasn't gotten back to the great book it used to consistently be.

Revival #32 is this series at its best.

It's been over three years since Revival debuted and Tim Seeley is somehow still able to both add interesting new characters to the already impressive roster, and add further insight to the book's core mysteries.

The writing and art are converging at the top of their games in this issue of Revival.

Revival is so character and cast-focused that you can sometimes forget just how action-packed and tense Tim Seeley and Mike Norton can make an issue.

The conclusion shows that this installment isn't as self-contained as it originally seemed, and that makes a good issue even better.

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

Rafael de Latorre's art is just left of "cartoony" and is the perfect fit this wacky, but ultimately grounded series.

The balance between real life drama and surreal science fiction reaches a new height in this quickly paced and fascinating chapter.

Gilbert Hernandez and Darwyn Cooke brought their various plot threads and relationship dramas to such satisfying climaxes with last issue, that this final issue can't help but feel a little slight in comparison.

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.

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.

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.

This is both a beautiful ending to what's come before, and an exciting new direction for the series.

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

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.

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.

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.

Mighty Defenders is another success for the writer.

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.

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 purpose of Paper Girls is becoming clearer, and the series seems to be ramping back up.

For the last eight issues, Dan Jurgens has been channeling a hope and fun into Superman tales that still feel modern. This issue is the kicker of them all, telling a story that is just unconditionally sweet and heartwarming from beginning to end.

While not as immediately intellectually or dramatically interesting as a Southern Bastards or Scalped, The Goddamned has proven to be a viscerally thrilling experience.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

It's commendable how smoothly and naturally this Spider-Women crossover comes together. So often, these kind of crossovers can feel forced or uninspired. But, these three protagonists represent three of Marvel's current best titles and perhaps the most interesting corner of Marvel's current universe.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This first issue back doesn't reach the highs of the first arc, but there's a lot of great setup for future issues.

This chapter, The Voice's former disciples get the other end of human/"mutant" philosophy as we meet Heasley. His ideas are just as interesting and nuanced as you would expect at this point in the book, but as interesting as all this discussion is, the book needs to make the transition from debate to "action" soon to really test these dueling philosophies.

Eric Stephenson has done an excellent job at moving They're Not Like Us along at a lightning-quick pace.

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.

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.

As always, it's Chris Burnham's disturbing and gruesome images that really make this chaotic, hard-to-grasp book work so well.

This is a fun issue, but the series loses a little momentum when it's not barreling forward through its plot.

Overall, Runaways succeeds in its silly premise and fun characters.

Runaways #2 is another solid chapter in the series.

The series started out so fun, and it still is, but it feels like there's now an unnecessary rush to get to the end.

This second year of Vader hasn't been as exciting on a monthly basis as year one, but this continues to show that Gillen is capable of memorable moments.

Kot's characters and world-building are as intriguing as ever, but the book is lacking a core character or concept to latch onto thanks to so much of this over-sized issue being devoted to setup. The cliffhanger does show some potential for the future, but right now this issue is a slippery first step.

Wolf's disparate parts, namely the supernatural elements and the California crime aspect, still aren't jelling together into a cohesive whole as well as they should be.

Where the story goes from here is anyone's guess but it feels like the series finally has some purpose and momentum with this installment.

Latour seems to have a strong handle of the impressive supporting cast, and a new mystery that strikes at the heart of Gwen Stacy. Robbi Rodriguez's stylized, and exaggerated art continues to be the best part of the book, especially as paired with Rico Renzi's electric colors.

Wow, this post-Secret Wars relaunch was just the thing that Spider-Gwen needed. While the last volume felt a bit wandering and lost at times, the creators have used this opportunity to tighten their story.

Possible suspension of belief-breaking technology aside, this issue also struggles in a couple of other respects. It just feels too early and unearned for Gwen to be back to the 616 Universe, give the character some time to establish her own world.

It's almost concerning to see the pair burn through so much plot and development so quickly, but when it's this well done how can you complain?

The day Rodriguez leaves this book for good will probably be the day that this series should be retired, but it's good to know another artist can make their impact felt in-between Rodriguez issues

There are a couple of great moments between Jessica and Gwen here, but the issue is mired in too many jokes to form into a complete story.

"Spider-Women" has quickly changed into "Silks" with all the emphasis on various Cindy Moons of different worlds. That's a great aspect of this event, as Silk is easily the least known of the Spider-Women trinity in this event, but could also be off-putting to some Spider-Gwen fans who rightly expect more of Gwen in her own title.

This is obviously well-worn superhero territory, but it's written well. And the art, the art is fascinating.

The breathtaking, mesmerizing art makes this book one of Marvel's most exciting.

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.

Spider-Man #2 is a great, triumphant introduction to Miles Morales as a superhero. But, if you've already been with Miles on his journey as Spider-Man in the Ultimate Universe, why do you need another introduction?

With Spider-Man #19, the series continues to struggle to progress in meaningful ways but reaches one of its (admittedly low) highs by delivering on wonderful characterization in a handful of a great scenes.

Spider-Man #20 isn't substantially different from the rest of the series, but shows how drastically a change of scenery and a little narrative momentum can improve the formula. This is the most promising the series has felt since before Secret Wars.

Spider-Man #21 wraps up Miles' identity quest with a heartwarming reminder that his family is what makes him special. It's a story that reestablishes Miles' past and has some unexpected hints at the future. Now bring on Marvel Legacy.

It's simple, emotional, and angry storytelling told elegantly in both the writing and art. But the question is, how simple do you want your storytelling? What it has in raw emotion, it lacks in much nuance.

Silk is a great series, but this issue is kind of a bummer.

It's still baffling that they would start this relaunch with Stacey Lee on art for Silk #1 and then immediately transition to a new artist, but Tana Ford is an able replacement, if not quite the same caliber of cartoonist as Lee. Overall, Silk seems to be heading in a good direction

The story is a bit light, but that plays into Veronica Fish's artistic strengths as Fish makes the most of her oversized panels. This was a wonderful, if brief, issue.

Silk #6 is a powerhouse issue of complex, morally gray superheroics. It's a really exciting and encouraging chapter to see from the young series.

The writing keeps you on your toes and the art keeps you sympathizing with every character. If you're feeling some Marvel fatigue, look no further than Silk to reinvigorate you.

After nine straight issues of searing drama, Silk #10 comes as a bit of a disappointment. With so much backstabbing, uncertainty, and tension - this final issue wraps things up a bit too cleanly.

Overall, the creators take the long way around a pretty straightforward journey, but they make it worth the effort.

It's almost shocking to see this level of violence and gore in a non-Max Marvel title. Old Man Logan's showdown with The Reavers (with the life of a young, parallel universe version of his wife at stake) gets to be absolutely gruesome.

Old Man Logan #8 is a sweet, but ultimately unnecessary, one-off comic

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.

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".

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

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 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.

It's easy to get lost deciphering the story, but that's okay because you also get lost in the wonder of Ward's stunning, hypnotic images. The artistic storytelling here is some of the most captivating you will read in comic books today.

David Walker's story doesn't match up to his own humor or Greene's art yet (in fact Walker's portrayal of Jessica Jones is problematic here as she's not so much a character as an obstacle in the way of the men's fun), but if the story can catch up, this should become a runaway hit.

There are a lot of small problems with this finale to the first arc of Power Man and Iron Fist, but there aren't really any big, glaring ones.

The first arc of PM&IF had its ups and downs, but this issue is only the good from that first arc and none of the bad.

Power Man and Iron Fist #6 is a Civil War II tie-in, and it's probably one of the least important Civil War II tie-ins as it doesn't have any direct impact on that story. But, this almost completely unimportant Civil War II tie-in, is also one of the books that best sells the events of that story

Overall, this issue shows a few of the problematic quirks of Bendis's storytelling, but ultimately does enough right to make the coming end that much more bittersweet.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This first issue rushes too quickly through its concept, not allowing any time for the readers or characters plausible time to adjust and making for an awkwardly paced and unsatisfying debut.

New Romancer #4 moves with a gleeful energy, with Peter Milligan cheesing up the dialogue in the most delightful of ways as Lord Byron and history's other great Romantics prove themselves to be less than what you were led to believe.

At New Romancer #5, the series has evolved from a meet-cute quirky adventure to now Shakespearean-levels of farce.

Tamaki and Koh are a great pair but the series may not fully come together in the way I want until it can all be read at once.

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.

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

Siege #3 is chaotic, at times nonsensical, and a whole lot of wacky fun.

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

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.

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.

This is a period of Star Wars that hasn't been covered much, and the creators use that to their benefit.

Don't skip this series solely because of the prequels era it takes place, it's worth giving a chance.

As much good as the first 4 issues did for the prequel era, this final issue shows how hard it can be to tell good Star Wars stories in that era.

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.

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.

Planet Hulk is the perfect throwback for old-school adventure fans.

This book should be the summer blockbuster of Marvel comics. It should be the non-stop thrill ride of a Mad Max: Fury Road or Jurassic World. Instead it's becoming plodding, and with only the same variation of Bucky flashback each issue to keep us invested in the characters.

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.

The creators are firing on all cylinders and the concept/lineup are interesting enough to capture any Marvel fan's attention.

Because so much of this issue of Uncanny Inhumans is just about setting up its cliffhanger, you may feel better or worse about it next month. As is, this issue is mostly just one long fight scene between the Inhumans and the newest incarnation of Kang.

If you've been curious about the Inhumans, this is the place to start.

This is a fun issue to be sure, but it just fails to hit an even higher level that it could have hit with a bit more creativity.

This issue is about the election of a C.E.O. and the race to retrieve the corporation's technology. It's an interesting idea that could further develop the growing Inhumans world, but isn't nearly as interesting in execution.

This series has a lot to prove still, but it's off to a fun start.

Starbrand and Nightmask is off to a surprisingly fun start.

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

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.

Javier Garron is an artist who excels at character work, and his characters here are always a draw. His human faces communicate emotion in over-the-top, but ultimately relatable ways - you can't help but smile anytime Peter Quill is on panel.

There's still much that needs to be proven in the next few issues, and aside from a few nitpicks like the color being a bit too bright for a horror comic, this a promising start.

There's a good comic book here, but it's buried in an excess of horror elements.

This series is still good, it just needs a more stable shipping schedule and a little shot in the arm.

This was a pleasant first chapter, but we need some crazy new ideas quick so this doesn't simply turn into a rehash.

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.

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.