Matt Herman Comic Reviews

Action Comics #1018 is a continuity nightmare.

Action Comics #1025 is an alright issue, but could seriously benefit from an art overhaul.

Abnett's writing and Federici's art combine for an strong conclusion to a story that might have went on a little too long.

Aquaman #44 is well written but doesn't really feel like an Aquaman story.

Hollow dialogue and unnecessary character developments make this issue a disappointment for both Batman and Nightwing fans.

Overall, this issue is in a weird place. Instead of picking up where the previous issue left off,Batman #61seems like filler. It doesn't help that this new character feels like a rehash of other Gotham villains.

Alfred whips Bruce into gear with a heartwarming pow-wow from beyond the grave.

Joker War's penultimate issue is all setup for the climatic finale in Batman #100.

Batman #100 is a good Batman story. But this is issue #100, I'd rather a great Batman story.

Batman #101 sets up an interesting premise. We'll see how well it sticks to it in the future.

Batman #102 throws the audience right back into the action, but perhaps a little too quickly.

Death Metal #4 sets up a wonderful premise with questionable execution.

Dark Nights: Death Metal Infinite Hour Exxxtreme #1 is an absolute Czarnian blast brought to you by the one and only Main Man.

Half pointless and half integral to the main story, Trinity Crisis #1 is a bizarre tie-in. Hey, at least Francis Manapul is on art duties.

Detective Comics #997 is a solid Batman issue but doesn't push the characters in any new or exciting direction.

Detective Comics #1002 is the first confrontation between the Batman and the Arkham Knight. While the fight doesn't impress, there's plenty to like in this issue.

Tomasi creates and interesting and natural backstory for the Arkham Knight in this issue.

Doomsday Clock #7 finally picks up the pace. If we get this level of quality in future issues, they'll be worth the wait.

The heroes of the DC universe finally face off against Doctor Manhattan in an issue that brings many of the book's plot threads together.

Event Leviathan #4 is jam-packed with dialogue and lacks enough action or story to keep the reader interested.

Unfortunately, Event Leviathan #5falls victim to the same problems of previous issues. Bendis offers about a hundred times more word bubbles than plot points in this series. And in a story so heavily focused on dialogue, Bendis does little to break from his choppy writing habits. The occasional humorous or cleaver line is overshadowed by the sheer slog of dialogue to get through (or more realistically, skim over). Event Leviathan #5feels less like an event and more like a game of Guess Who that's gone on too long.

Following the excellent Flash War story, The Flash #52 is sub-par filler that hopefully leads to something more interesting in the future.

Commander Cold and Barry Allen take on the Trickster in an issue filled with action, adventure, and cold puns.

The Green Lantern #2 is full of great ideas and great execution.

Green Lanterns #52 is a decent issue, but not something I'd feel the need to reread in the future.

Green Lanterns #53is a step in the right direction for Dan Jurgens. While previous issues left something to be desired, this issue offers great action and intriguing concepts.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #48 builds towards the conclusion of a solid run by Robert Venditti.

Hawkman #3 is full of great action, but leaves little room for story.

Instead of answering questions or moving the plot forward, Heroes in Crisis #3 throws more bodies onto the pile of beloved characters.

Lex Luthor takes center stage in an issue of excitement, origins, and villainy.

Justice League #9 is a tour through the Hall of Justice, full of new locations, familiar faces, and plenty of Easter eggs.

Scott Snyder sets a promising start to this new arc.

Justice League #11 is full of fun action and ancient Atlantian lore.

Justice League #17 reveals new secrets about Martian Manhunter and Lex Luthor's pasts.

Overall, I enjoyed the history within this issue. But at the same time, there are still plenty of problems with this book. Hopefully, Snyder and Tynion can make the Legion feel like a team again instead of just villains who betray each other or get relegated to the background.

Despite its predictability, this new arc of Justice League is off to a great start. Snyder is doing a great job of keeping the focus on the characters. And I can't wait to see the Justice League face off against their future selves!

Justice League #21 is full of twists that make me excited for what's to come.

Justice League #22 reveals the origin of the DC Universe. This is an ambitious issue that succeeds in some areas and just misses the mark in others.

Justice League #23 is a nice change of pace in an otherwise crazy and bombastic story.

While overall fun and entertaining, Justice League #24 is full of questionable character decisions.

Justice League #32 is full of action and fun, just like any good comic should be.

Justice League #33 is full of bombastic, manga-esque moments. Even in the year of the villain, it puts heroes and fun front and center.

Snyder pulls out all of the stops for a climactic penulimate issue.

Snyder continues to bring his A-game in the concluding story of his Justice League run.

Although Snyder constantly jokes that every story, "is the one that everything's been building towards", this time it's 100% true. This is the payoff for over a year's worth of buildup. Get hype.

Nothing surprises or impresses the reader in this issue. But like I said, Snyder can stick a landing. And I have as much faith as Luthor does in Perpetua that he'll offer a satisfying conclusion in the next issue.

Although Justice League #38 is pretty straight-forward, you can't help but love superhero action like this.

Vendetti kicks off his Justice League run with a decent but whelming start.

Justice League #41 is your typical Justice League story. You won't find anything wrong with it, but you won't find anything exciting either.

This issue is everything I want out of a Justice League crossover.

Bland characters and rushed art make Justice League Odyssey #2 a mediocre issue.

Steve Orlando brings his worldbuilding A-game in this issue with Riley Rossmo's beautiful pencils backing it up.

Shazam #3 is full of fun, family, and Ferris wheels. If Johns can keep it up, this run is shaping up to be a classic.

Shazam! #4 is a fun issue full of videogames, theme parks, and talking animals.

In a universe full of darkness and drama, Shazam #7 is a breath of fresh air and fun.

Shazam #8 is full of setup, making for an unexciting issue.

Superman #4 is a mix of great action and off-putting dialogue.

Superman #17 features a ridiculous concept with surprisingly sensible dialogue.

This issue is great re-imagining of The Death of Superman with above-average Brad Walker art to boot.

If you're looking for a Batman story that is a little more grounded, this could be right up your alley. I'm really looking forward to what Snyder and Jock have in store for this series.

The Batman Who Laughs #2 is another solid chapter of this story. We get to see Batman doing detective work and unraveling the secrets of Gotham City. Throw in a few Batmen from alternate universes and you got a pretty great story.

This was a fantastic issue. If you're wondering what Black Mirror would look like with Bruce Wayne instead of Dick Grayson, I recommend you check this one out.

Scott Snyder is 4 for 4 so far with this series. This issue has plenty of horror and suspense to hold you over until the finale.

Overall, this issue was a great exploration into the Grim Knight. Just like the rest of the Dark Knight tie-ins, Snyder does a great job at building interesting characters. But this issue doesn't really add anything to the story

Liam Sharp ends his mini-series with a great story and even greater art.

The Dreaming #1 is a welcome return to some of the greatest characters in all of comics. This issue is great for new readers and Sandman fans alike.

Black Adam: Year of the Villain #1 is a great check-in on Black Adam and the world of Khandaq.