While this particular issue may not be exactly what readers are expecting, what with one of the main characters being absent for the majority of it, it is definitely an interesting start to the series. Personally Im not completely sold on the redesigns our two stars have received in the wake of The New 52, my initial impression is that this is going to turn into a pretty fun buddy hero book.

There are a lot of interesting things going on across the Secret Wars event, but by placing characters in such direct conflict with the will of Doom, Brian Michael Bendis is positioning Ultimate End to be the most important title outside of the main series. Its a good thing then that it makes for such a fun and entertaining read.

It could be argued that one of the failings of the original movie trilogy (if there really are any) was that there wasnt a whole lot of evidence of the cracks in Vader and Palpatines relationship before Return of the Jedis conclusion. Well, one of the things this series does best is put those cracks on full display and this issue is a perfect example of just that. I am certainly looking forward to seeing that play out even more as the series continues.

Ive been a supporter of at least the ideas behind this series since the beginning, but after four issues, from where Im sitting things seem to have peaked with issue #2. This issue in particular feels like it was the biggest detour from the direction the story should be going in. Hopefully things will turn back around in next months concluding issue and whatever plan Mark Waids Princess Leia has for dealing with the Empire turns out to be a satisfying one.

This is definitely an interesting iteration on a classic X-Men story, and so far it is certainly looking as if it will be worthy of the name. What Im most curious about, other than the particulars of Camerons parentage, is whether or not time travel is going to factor into this story like it did the original and how that will work on Battleworld. Until we find out though, Im looking forward to the ride.

So thats it. Convergence is finally behind us and its time to look forward to what comes next for the DC Universe, like, maybe some answers to what we just spent the last eight weeks reading. Or, my own personal, honest hope is that we all just collectively forget the last two months of DC Comics even happened and get back to some stories that actually have a point.

For a story focusing on characters I have no connection to and with only a limited, at least at this point, attachment to the story its hearkening back to, I had a lot more fun reading this issue than I ever would have expected. With, as I said, things looking to get bigger, in one issue Ive gone from no expectations for this series to high hopes.

Its good to see Old Man logan back and with a brand new mission, but while the references to the rest of Battleworld were few and far between in this issue, by the way things end, and simply who Logan is, theres really no way he doesnt play a larger role in the larger story of Secret Wars. So, maybe this wont be the standalone series I would like to see, but I did enjoy this issue, and when Brian Michael Bendis is on his game he puts out some very good stories, so for now Ill try to not let my fears outweigh my hopes.

No, this isnt a particularly bad issue, it just pales in comparison to the potential demonstrated in the first half of this particular tie-in. This is definitely one of those stories that suffered not for the characters, plot, writer or artists, but rather for the amount of time it had to be told (or lack thereof). Its not a complete loss though, if Marc Andreyko accomplished anything with this story it was making me interested in going back and reading older Batman and the Outsiders stories to find out more about the characters.

Ive long thought the most interesting part of this event would end up being whatever spilled out the other side of it and after seven issues Ive yet to see anything to change that opinion. Its a strange thing to say after seven weeks and seventy-seven issues with the word Convergence on the cover, but it really feels like Jeff King and Scott Lobdell just have not had the time to tell the story that theyve been trying to tell. Who knows though? Maybe the final issue will bring things together in a nice, satisfying conclusion.

While not quite maintaining the excitement of last issue which introduced such interesting plot threads, this issue was still a lot of fun. Really the biggest knock against things here is that it didnt pay off those threads and we have to wait at least another month for that satisfaction. But is being left wanting more really a bad thing? There are definitely some interesting things going on in this book, that I am very much looking forward to seeing come to fruition.

In the end, if youre here for the action, theres a good chance youll be disappointed, but if you have affection for any of these characters or are just a fan of some good family drama, you, like myself, will probably find this to be one of the better Convergence tie-ins. Personally, I would love to see these four get together again, away from this event and with the time to really explore whatever story theyre telling.

I know, Im being hard (and a little snarky and sarcastic) on the contents of this issue and the Convergence event as a whole, thats been my status quo when it comes to the main series, but I do have to admit, Im actually a fan of this turn in the story. Since the city vs. city stuff wasnt exactly getting any attention in the main series anyway, I am totally behind the idea of lining up a massive hero vs. villain battle. Lets just hope the payoff turns out to be worth all of the preamble.

With less than seven months now until the release of The Force Awakens, there is plenty of speculating to be done about what the future holds for the Jedi and the Sith. The ideas brought forth in this issue, even though the story is set between Episodes Four and Five, are certainly an interesting glimpse of what we could have to look forward to. Im certainly looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

There are certainly some interesting ideas here, its just a shame that they werent able to have the time to be properly explored. The main thing this story has ended up accomplishing, at least for me, is making me wish our three Bat-heroes would have had more time together in more recent years.

Shockingly, there is still the potential for this event to go somewhere interesting. I even think positioning Deimos as the main antagonist is a good idea, it just should have been that way from the beginning if thats what they wanted to do. That seems to be the thing with this series. It will get where its going, once it figures out where that is, but there are going to be a lot of hiccups along the way.

While lacking a bit in the climax department, this did turn out to be a fun story with a very cute ending. The problem comes when you think of it as Batgirl vs. Catman for the survival of their cities, and then realize how many other pre-Flashpoint and Flashpoint Gotham characters are running around in Convergence tie-in stories. It makes you wonder where they all fit in the grand scheme of things.

Its honestly hard to take this series seriously when it seems significantly incapable of adhering to its own ruleset. Theres still a touch of hope though. As out of left field as it was, the reveal at the end of the issue does have the potential to become something very interesting. I did just say that about what they did to Dick Grayson though didnt I.

While Im not ready to put this story at the top of the heap of Convergence tie-ins just yet, but with Dicks internal conflict, Helenas shoot first attitude and the return to the world of Red Son, there are definitely some interesting things going on here. In the end though its going to come down to the storys second half to see what the real value is here.

Ok, my moment of Artoo hate is done. Honestly, I enjoyed this issue, I just feel like things could have been executed a little bit better. With two issues remaining, I have a feeling that is going to be an overall problem for me with this mini-series. With all the time we are spending with Princess Leia some interesting things are being raised about her character and making me want to spend more time with her, but i am losing faith that it is going to execute on the points it is raising with Leia, and even less so with Evaan. Hopefully Im wrong though.

This one isnt going to be for everyone. As I said, no villains until the very last page and not one punch thrown. For me though, this is exactly the kind of story Im most interested in getting from this event. I want to see these heroes adjusting to life in the dome and struggling with the drastic changes Telos experiment has forced upon them. I cant wait to see where things go next month. My only real disappointment with this one is that we are in Gotham City again. All these cities on the planet Telos from all across the DC multiverse, and so far weve spent most of our time in two versions of Gotham City and a version of Metropolis. That seems like just a bit of a waste to me.

Between Earth 2, Earth 2: Worlds End and now Convergence, there has been a lot of time spent building Thomas Wayne and Dick Grayson into something and this issue is the first time ive actually felt worried that it was all leading to nothing. Yes, I can see where things might be going, but that doesnt make it feel like any less of a waste. Thats kind of my opinion of convergence as a whole up to this point. Whats the point of the whole thing?

For a franchise built on space battles and lightsaber fights, its definitely a refreshing change of pace to see such a plot heavy issue setting up things to come. Clearly some sort of conflict (or multiple conflicts) on Tatooine are on the way and I cant wait to see how they play out.

If youve read my reviews for any amount of time, you know Batman is one of my absolute favorite characters. I want to love every Batman story that comes out. I wanted to love this issue, but its just not there. There are good pieces here that can hopefully make the second half of the story something special, but for now, Im more interested in finding out about who Batman and Azrael are going to have to fight than I am in Batman and Azrael themselves.

This is exactly the thing about the Convergence event that interests me the most. Getting to meet characters I never have or alternate versions of the ones I know, and to be introduced to timelines Ive never experienced. The only possibly unfortunate thing here is that things are aligned to force Oliver and Connor set aside their differences and work together rather than have this dynamic play out more naturally.

I still have a lot of doubts about this issue as a whole, but even if it winds up just being a collection of cool moments like the one we got in this issue, that could very well be satisfying enough. And after the long, slow buildup of the Worlds End story, this issue gave me hope that we may actually get to see Earth 2s Dick Grayson become something more.

Yes there is a violent end to the conflict in this issue, but this is a very different kind of Red Sonja story. The focus is more on her strength of will rather than her martial prowess. Its this type of playing against type that always leads to the most interesting developments in this book. After the way last issue ended, I was genuinely interested in seeing where things would go from there and the creative team did not disappoint. They almost recreated that last moment at the end of this issue, but this time knowing another issue is coming did lessen the shock value. i have no doubt next issue will have its own interesting elements as well though.

With this core team added to the always imposing presence of Darth Vader, I think this series is definitely headed in the right direction. Vader looks cool and is great in action sequences, but he needed characters around him to interact with to really give this book life and now it seems like hes got some good ones. Doctor Aphra alone is exactly what he needed, a character who will talk a lot to counter Vaders talk only when necessary personality. Im sure the droids will provide plenty of entertainment as well though.

Too often with major event/crossover stories like this one, you can reach the end of things and find that there werent actually any consequences to what happened in the story (see Age of Ultron for a good example). So, while Im not exactly sure how I feel about what happened in this issue, i am glad to see something happen that will clearly have a lasting effect (unless everything somehow gets reversed because; the power cosmic). i do still have a little trouble seeing how this story is going to continue over six more issues, but thats why Im not writing it.

This issue was very focused on setting up the heroes for their next phase of their journey and while seemingly not a whole lot happens to push the action of the story forward, Im very rarely going to complain about Brian Michael Bendis taking the time to let these characters play off each other and develop their relationships. That said, I could go for a nice, drawn out action sequence sooner, rather than later. The sequence that ended this issue, while lovely, just wasnt enough.

Having read nothing about this series but the issues themselves, the introduction of these characters came as something of a disappointing surprise to me. On the plus side, interacting with Divinity could lead to some interesting insights about the members of Unity. On the negative side, connecting the series to the greater Valiant world isnt likely to lower the already rather high barrier to entry on this title except to those already deeply invested in Valiant Comics. perhaps this could still be the sci-fi epic I hoped/thought it might be, I just have a little bit more trouble believing it can reach that potential now.

For what disappointment there is in this issue, there was far more to make me happy. As we head into the second half of this mini-series the plot and the conflict therein has been well established and I for one am finding it very intriguing. While the issue does end on a bit of a cliche, I cant deny that its going to make next issue very interesting. If this series lacks anywhere, its in the lack of drama surrounding Leia herself since we know she survives the series to appear in the Episode 5 movie. But that doesnt mean this journey isnt going to be entertaining.

As you can see from the confusing nonsense that was the previous paragraph, my feeling on Detective Comics #40 are still pretty up in the air. I think that the best way to really describe it, is a well-written, well-delivered conclusion to the story, it just disappointed my own personal expectations. I wanted Anarky to be something bigger. I wanted him to have the grand plan. I wanted him to be more than just another Batman villain who was crazy, bent on revenge or both. At least for now though, hes not.

I dont want to be too harsh on this arc, there were some good ideas involved, and there are even some fun moments in this issue. Really though, the main conceit of this story seems to have been to bring the comic more in line with the TV show by introducing characters like Felicity Smoak and Mia Deardon (who is Thea in the show apparently, im not actually up to date). I said it when this arc started and Ill say it again. Thats just a weird idea since DC Comics already has a comic book based in the world of the Arrow TV show, so with The New 52 as we know it on the verge of ending, whats the point of aligning the comics and the shows now, especially when theres no indication of plans to do the same with The Flash comic or the Batman books. Thats just my opinion though, you may read this and feel completely different about it.

I cant say that this series is off to a perfect start, but what series ever does get off to a perfect start? There are definitely some interesting ideas here that im looking forward to see develop. In the official Star wars canon as it exists today, Princess Leia is one of the more prominent characters who really hasnt been explored all that much, so its nice to see that this series is going to give us more of her, and in an interesting fashion.

Overall, this is an interesting and fun collection of stories that Im glad I picked up. My curiosity for CM Punks ability as a writer has been (mostly) happily satisfied and my taste for Noelle Stevensons work has been piqued to the point that I may now have to go check out Lumberjanes. This was a nice way for Marvel to bring attention to new or less prolific writers, but now Im definitely ready to get back to trying to find out just who the Goddess of Thunder is under that helmet.

All in all, the summary here is that I couldnt help but feel this issue was just killing time before we move into the middle section of the Black Vortex arc. There are still some interesting ideas going on in the arc, but this particular issue doesnt really do anything to push them forward. At least one of the new characters joining the proceedings this issue though could lead to some very interesting developments in the issues to come.

Its an interesting and odd thing, but despite the action present in this issue, Id describe it as being a bit quiet, with the focus more on subterfuge than brute force. Coming into this series, it was a simple thing to expect Darth Vader the Sith Lord powering his way through events with his lightsaber and Force powers. It was definitely a pleasant surprise seeing a focus put on his intelligence and tactics. Its a development that gives me a lot of hope for this series that could have been a throwaway cashing in on one of the franchises most prominent characters.

Overall, i definitely found this to be something of a weak issue, but it did have its moments. Im certainly looking forward/hoping to see more of Carmen in the future. Her powerset could make for some interesting circumstances and there is some indication shell be going to train at the New Xavier School. And as I said above Im also looking forward to seeing what comes of young Henrys apparent change of focus. In the end, this issue is probably better for the potential of where it could be leading than for its actual content and its probably for the best that we now have this arc behind us.

I wouldnt say that this story has reached its potential just yet (it is only the second issue, so thats nothing to worry about), but this issue was certainly a step up from last weeks debut. I can definitely say that I am now a lot more interested to see where this story is going than I was before I read this issue.

Divinity #1 could very well be the beginning of an epic, but that kind of promise brings with it a somewhat lofty barrier to entry. As I said, it can be hard to wrap your head around or to get a read on what exactly is going on here. I wouldnt be surprised to hear that people picked up this issue and then walked away from the series because they were unwilling to put in the time it feels like it will take to see the full scope of this story. For myself though, there is enough interesting and intriguing going on here that I cant not continue forward.

Now, there is another potentially significant event that took place this issue, but both to avoid spoilers and because the result of the event is left unconfirmed for the time being, Im going to leave it alone and you guys can see it if you pick up the issue yourselves. There is definitely still a whole lot of potential in this story, but Im not sure its lived up to it quite yet. I am very intrigued however, to see how things will play out next issue.

From the looks of it, this is another of those villain gets the uber-weapon (cosmic cube, infinity gauntlet, etc.) and tries to take over everything stories, but right now, what seems to me to be the most intriguing thing thats going to come out of this story is the opportunity to see dark, and probably corrupted, versions of heroes we know and love. What scares me after this issue though, is that Gara, the last of the Viscardi, and probably the most interesting part of the issue for me, isnt going to be heard from much, if at all, going forward. I cant worry about that now though, because with this story tying into Nova, Cyclops, Legendary Star-Lord, Captain Marvel and Guardians Team-Up, Ive got some catching up to do.

All in all, Im still loving this series (I know its only two issues in), and not just because its Star Wars, but because its actually good Star Wars. The biggest compliment I can pay the team that put this issue together is that the majority is content I would love to see animated or in live action. Thats how good these pages look and feel.

So yes, Gail Simone and Team Red Sonja definitely built on the potential displayed last month. Talking about last issue I posited that this may be the most interesting arc of this series to date. This month, I daresay that this may just be a masterpiece in the making. I cant wait to see the consequences and repercussions of this issue that come along next month.

No, Im still not sold on the idea of Damian Wayne now having superpowers, or even his return to the identity of Robin. Personally I was a fan of the idea that upon his inevitable return hed take the opportunity to take on a new identity much as the previous Robins have. That said though, I have to say, this was a very strong issue that did a very good job of making me interested in where things go from here.

In all honesty, this issue was a bit of a mixed bag, with the lack of action and the rush past the actual Planet of the Symbiotes acting as the counter to the vastly interesting idea of hive-mind space samurai bonding with intelligent hosts. If that idea appeals to you though, its definitely a worthwhile read. And who knows, now that Flash will seemingly have a greater connection to the Symbiote hive-mind perhaps the homeworld will be revisited at some point in the future.

I know, Ive probably done a terrible job here of telling you what goes on in this issue and why its awesome, but the important point here, is that it is awesome. This issue on its own is good enough to make me glad I stuck through the past three and to make me really look forward to the next issue. Its a very strange place for me to be in to actually hate the character that Batgirl/Barbara Gordon has become, but absolutely love the narrative that is going on around her, but thats where I am with this title, and i think Im okay with that. I just hope that when the villain of this arc is ultimately revealed, he/she is as creepy and terrifying as Ive built them up in my mind to be reading this issue.

With the next issue being titled The Age of Adventure and the preview page at the back of this issue seeming to promote the idea of high seas heroism it definitely has my attention. Yes, Im already a fan of both of these characters and this kind of world, but beside that there are some interesting ideas here that have me intrigued. I just hope this team can pull off the story told through different periods of time better than others who have attempted the concept in the past.

Heres the breakdown guys, the dialogue is on point for the franchise. The art is beautiful. The characters look like the actors who played them in the movies but without being that almost too real, too painted style that was featured in dark Horses The Star Wars (which I read very recently which is why its on my mind). Yes, Im a Star Wars fan, which is why I had high hopes when this series (and the three others set to debut in the next few months) was announced. having now read the book, I can safely say that i at least was not disappointed. I cant wait to get my hands on issue #2 next month.

All in all, even with my slight disappointment with certain aspects, I cant say that this Anarky story has really let me down up to this point. It has been as interesting as Id hope, and this issue ended off with plenty of potential for things to get even more interesting in the coming issues. Issues i am definitely looking forward to.

Maybe this arc isnt hitting the heights it potentially could just yet, but as I said, Ive been made to care enough to hate the villain, so thats something. But when the guest star whos disappearing at the end of the issue is one of the more interesting aspects of your story (the same seems to have been true of Merlyn last issue) then maybe its time to reprioritize whats getting the attention on the pages you produce.

Overall, there are definitely some interesting things going on in this arc, but i feel its definitely hampered somewhat having to switch between so many character perspectives in only 20 pages. Bringing more of the characters back together sooner rather than later would probably be a good thing. And actually letting the guest stars shine would be a good idea as well, otherwise, whats even the point of having them there?

Yes, its back to the month-to-month business as usual for the Guardians of the Galaxy this week, but its anything but status quo. This one is a whole lot of fun with a whole bunch of crazy thrown in and some interesting and intriguing plot ideas sprinkled on top. That sounds like a pretty good recipe to me.

So, nearly two years later, Im not sure how I feel about the direction Ive heard things are going to be going in, but as far as this issue itself goes, it really is as satisfying as it possibly could have been. And it even has a nice twist and cliffhanger at the very end. The only thing missing was Dick Grayson. Its unfortunate that other story circumstances prevented him from being present in this one.

No question, this is a strange issue, and fits nicely in the description I mentioned earlier of having little to do with the overarching narrative of the main title, but i found it to be well-written and entertaining. The framing sequences with Captain Marvel alone are worth the extra $1 to me. Whether or not that is true for you is up to your own discretion.

Its not perfect. There are moments when characters dialogue doesnt seem to match up as if they are having two different conversations, but there are definitely some interesting ideas here. If you enjoy historical fiction at all, this book is probably going to be right up your alley. I know im going to be sticking around to see where this story goes.

Theres something here. I know there really is. The overarching story of the person(s) who know Batgirls identity and are working against her is a very interesting one. And the slew of hireling being thrown in Batgirls way as she chases after the real villain is an effective way to draw the story out and build towards the conclusion. I just wish it wasnt such a struggle to fight through everything thats surrounding the quality plot at the foundation of this arc.

I admit, part of me feels like I came into this issue wanting to find things about it to dislike, so absolutely take what Im saying here with a grain of salt, but to me, the Kingdom so far is coming off as a good story that could be great in the hands of better writers. Hopefully that will change in the coming issues and the story will live up to what i think it has the potential to be.

As I said, while this perhaps isnt a great issue itself, there is plenty here to foretell what has the potential to be a great story by the time its done. and it ends on a lovely little cliffhanger to make sure readers are left itching for the next installment. A cruel, yet brilliant device for this medium if ever there was one.

Yes, The Delinquents #4 is fun and entertaining. Im not going to tell you that I didnt enjoy reading it, because I did. But I just dont feel like it lived up to everything that preceded it in this series, which was definitely disappointing to me. And the tease for more at the end of the issue really didnt help with the anti-climactic feeling. If youve read the rest of the series though, theres certainly no reason to skip out on this one, you will get a lot more of everything youve come to expect from this series.

Never being able to forgive seems like such an insignificant thing. Sonja herself dismisses it initially, and then shes actually faced with a situation where it affects her, and its situations like that which have the potential to make this the most interesting arc of this book to date. My hopes are high, this could really be something special. Now I just have to be patient and wait for the next issue.

I have to say, Im still not totally sold on the new tone of the book, but the art style is starting to grow on me (despite Barbara looking like a kid) and as I said, the overall story here is definitely intriguing to me, so were moving in the right direction here. If this thing doesnt end with a full-costume Batgirl vs. Batgirl fight though, im going to be very disappointed.

Green Arrow is far from perfect right now. There are definitely still things I dont like about the books new direction, but this issue was absolutely an improvement over the last. I do have to say though, its a very strange feeling to be reading a main line DC Comic and find myself wondering what (if any) implications the comic might have on the TV show, and I definitely had that feeling with the villain reveal at the end of the issue (a reveal that plays nicely into a theory I have about where the current season of Arrow is going). Hopefully things will continue on this trajectory and just keep getting better.

I cant help but feeling there was a lot of missed potential with this story. There are some interesting ideas here, such as trapping Batman in an area, theoretically forcing him to do some real detective work to solve the problem and the idea that Magnuson is a walking vaccine (an idea that is mentioned and then explored far enough to have Batman draw his blood). I had some high hopes after last issue, I just wish I could say that this story turned out better than it actually did.

I admit, Im coming at this issue from a pretty skewed perspective and you should absolutely take my opinion here with a large grain of salt. But for readers such as myself, who tired of Lantern events in the vicinity of a year ago, and who are coming into Godhead Act 1, Part 6 having not read the first five parts but instead the first five issues of Sinestro, there really isnt a whole lot here to make it worth reading.

While this is a fun and interesting issue, I do have to say that its very much setting up whats to come. Obviously some set up has to happen, but getting each character into a situation that has to be resolved next issue seems to be the entire point of this issue. I would like to make a request though. It may be because i read both this and the previous issue in the same day, but can we take a break from the whole pretty telepath girl around horny teen boys joke? It needs to just rest a little bit so it can be more fresh that next time it inevitably happens.

Ultimately, I feel like the heavy/emotional nature of this story, and this issue in particular, was a detriment to things in the end. Im not saying theres anything wrong with an emotional stories like this one, they absolutely have their place. Im not even saying that Brian Michael Bendis cant pull that kind of a story off. The problem though, is that Guardians of the Galaxy is at its best when it maintains its light-hearted, fun and even sarcastic core. With characters like Peter Quill, Rocket Raccoon and for a brief time Tony Stark, how could it not be? Sadly though, that core seemed to be virtually non-existent in this issue. And with that gone, if the emotional beats dont hit the way they are supposed to, then the story misses its mark. I am looking forward to seeing how things play out with Gamora though.

Release/continuity errors aside, this book really does have an interesting premise, and while it may be a touch cliche, Gerry Duggan does a good job of setting things up in this issue. I look forward to seeing where things go, I just hope DC can keep their releases in order from here on out so im not having to juggle issues of this book and Batman Eternal.

Im not necessarily saying that this issue wasnt needed to tell the story, or that I regret buying it when i could have as easily just read the review copy and left it at that. Honestly Im glad it exists for the montage scenes alone. Im just saying that this is unfortunately the low point in the series so far I think. That doesnt mean its bad though, only not as great.

There is a lot of interest for me going on in this series. What Will Pfeifer is doing with Bunker and the Wonder Girl gang in particular has me very intrigued. And Im loving seeing Raven (and Bunker) getting more time in the spotlight. She has always been my favorite Titan since seeing the 2003 TV series (which was my first real exposure to the group). The one weak point for me with the book right now are the villains. Im just not finding a lot of appeal in Manchester Black and Algorithm , given time though, perhaps that will change.

Were definitely headed in the right direction with this story now. Its finally starting to feel like the more personal, intimate story that Ive been saying for months now it should be. Not just for Batman, but for the entire Bat-Family. My only hope now is that the payoff is worth the amount of buildup that has been going into it. Counting Hunt for Robin, this story has been going for seven months now and were not done yet.

As a final note, the last scene of this issue, featuring Martian Manhunter acts as a prologue for the books next arc, The Infinitus Saga. While Im not a huge fan of the Legion of Super-Heroes, it is nice to see them get some attention now and then. And despite the cliched hero vs. hero bit thats at least going to kick off The Infinitus Saga, it should prove to be a interesting story. Hopefully, now that weve got the books biggest origins-related exposition dump out of the way, it can return to just being a fun, interesting Justice League book.

As much as Ive harped on this book, I will admit that for what it was the story was fairly well put together (despite making Barbara seem kind of like a terrible friend/person). The real problem for me year seems to be that the new direction is geared towards a younger audience, and as I said at the top, Im just not sure if this title is for me anymore. Ill give it a few more issues to see if things get any better but it may be time to move on.

While the abruptness with which we are thrown into the past with this issue is a bit disconcerting at first, Im really glad Kurtis J. Wiebe chose to tell this story (personally i might have placed it somewhere else in the series, but maybe theres a connection to the current arc Im not seeing yet). Like Dee, it can be easy for Violet to be overshadowed by the abrasive Hanna and super cute Betty and slip into the background, so it was definitely nice to be able to spend this time with her. Now, lets get back to the giant demon squid coming out of the sky and the naked, battered and beaten man being forced to watch its attack, shall we?

A new beginning with a new writer, new artists and what looks to be a very interesting story. Not that it ever lost it, but Detective Comics and everyone involved has definitely done a good job of piquing my interest in the title this month. I will certainly be looking forward to the next issue.

All in all, this blending of The New 52 and television versions of the character and his world (artistically he even looks more like his television counterpart now) feels so very weird to me. And what makes it even stranger, is that one of DCs digital first titles is a series that acts as an extension of the TV show (currently being written by Arrow executive producer Mark Guggenheim). Whatever Andrew Kreisberg and Ben Sokolowski have planned for this series, this was definitely not a strong start as far as Im concerned.

I honestly dont think this arc could have come to a better end than it did here. the journey was long. It was certainly odd at times. But when you get right down to it, it really was all worth it. If youve been enjoying this arc at all, or if you have any affinity for the character of Red Sonja whatsoever, youd be doing yourself a disservice if you let this issue pass you by.

I cant very well call this a fun story as it tends much more towards the dark and heavy, but it does have fun moments and is an interesting read. The major fault here seems to be when things shift from Thanos as the main villain of the story to the Cancerverses twisted version of the Avengers, called the Revengers of course. I get the idea behind dark versions of the Avengers, but it just seems cliche and boring to me. On the upside though, considering how the issue ended for the Revengers, there is certainly potential for interesting things to be done with them next issue.

After the brutal fight Malgam and Bloodshot initially have in this issue, the way it all ends just left a bad taste in my mouth. After the previous two issue I was really hoping for better from this one. i still have a growing interest in the character, but not enough to follow him to a series I havent been ready next week.

Now, I know I didnt give them much attention above (because Archer and Woody were the highlight for me), but Quantum and Armstrong definitely have their moments to shine as well. Honestly, from cover to cover, this book is a thing of beauty and it had me legitimately laughing out loud at times. If you want to laugh, if you want to be entertained, then The Delinquents is well worth your money.

The reality is that this issue probably raises more questions for readers than it gives answers as far as the Robin situation goes, but im sure that was probably the idea. For my part, Im certainly interested in seeing how all of this is going to play out, and I was on the verge of dropping this book not too long ago. But I want to learn about Duke and see him become Robin. I want to get the story of the Heretic. Just please DC, dont make us wait three years as this issue implies before we start getting those stories. I may go insane if you do that. Nearly five years real time would be far too long for Batman to be without a Robin.

A weekly series can be a bit of a hard sell to people im sure, especially considering the sheer mass of comic books that are available and the cost they all carry. However, with the return of Hush and apparent elements of major Batman arcs Knightfall and No Mans Land (and probably others I havent picked up on), this is seeming like THE Batman story of The New 52. If youre a fan of Batman or any (and I mean ANY) Bat-related character and you arent already reading this series, you really might want to think about changing that, because I have to imagine that very big things are on their way.

There were definitely the seeds of a very good story here, but unfortunately they were only there to be trampled under the boots of a far more average one. Saddest of all to me though, is that the most interesting and affecting moment in the entire issue, featuring the Earth 2 Lois Lane/Red Tornado only got one page before being completely ignored. Im sure it will probably be touched on again in the main Futures End story, but I still found it disappointing.

For whatever weight and meaning Nick Spencer attempts to put into the narrative laid over the breadth of this issue, and I admit, he did manage to get some in there, its hard to call this one anything but filler, with the origin vignettes seeming to be there as much to take up space and stall for time as to illuminate the pasts of the characters involved. It doesnt give me a whole lot of hope for how the Ascendant are going to be treated when they take the spotlight next issue.

Flash forward stories can very easily miss their mark, but for mo this one seems to have served its purpose well, increasing my interest in both the future of the Green Arrow series itself and in seeing where Futures End goes over the next 34 issues. We can only hope the rest of the Futures End tie-ins this month (of which there will be many, it is September and this is DC Comics after all) serve their purpose as well.

The best thing I can say about this issue is that my biggest problem with the book to this point, that Sinestro just doesnt seem to understand that hes the villain, was a non-factor this time around. I have little doubt its something thats going to come up again as the series goes on though so Ill save that for another time. While not a great issue, there are good ideas here that could become something given time, so if this series interests you at all, you might want to think about picking it up for no other reason than to make sure DC continues to let a Sinestro solo series be a thing.

I know, I was pretty harsh here, and maybe I went in looking for problems because as I said, this isnt a story I want, but a lot of it comes from me just really loving this series and wanting it to be great. At the end of the day, this isnt really a bad issue, it just isnt a good issue. Pick it up because you love the series, because you love Bendis dialogue, because you need the Ultimate Universe exposition or just because you really need to see that super-important last page cameo. Otherwise, Im not kidding when I say Ive already you most everything you need to know about this issue, you can probably skip it without missing that much.

I started reading Revival in trade paperback format around Christmas last year and since then it has been one of my favorites due to its very compelling subject matter. While this is by no means the series best issue, if youve been enjoying this series, youll enjoy this issue, even more if you manage to do a better job unjumbling the narrative than I did. As I said before though, if you arent already reading Revival, do yourself a favour, dont start here, pick up the first trade instead.

Despite feeling a little rushed in places, overall this is a very solid issue that does the job of pushing the story forward and getting Batman headed to where he needs to be for whatever is coming with the possible resurrection of Damian Wayne. I have to admit to being a little disappointed that the next segment of the arc appears to be much more of just a Batman and Robin story and not the Bat-Family story last issue made appear it was going to be. I have little doubt however that when the Apokolips segment is over, the Bat-Family will find their way back into things.

While I cant imagine this issue was a huge stride forward for the overall Armor Hunters saga, it did push Bloodshots section forward as much as it really needed to and was a very fun ride while doing so. Is there really any more that needs to be said about a comic other than I enjoyed reading it and it made me look forward to reading the next issue? I think that says plenty all by itself.

As a whole the ever-shifting perspectives has caused this book to feel somewhat disjointed at times, but as the varying plot tines draw closer together that is getting better, and I cant deny this book has certainly brought some intriguing new characters/teams to my attention, the Ascendant, Euroforce, the Next Avengers. Im definitely interested to see just what exactly this is all building up to. If you like the Next Avengers from their previous appearances or are unfamiliar with but curious about them, then this issue is certainly worth a read. Now, give us some quality time with the Ascendant already would you Nick Spencer? Please?

While not the best issue of this run, those last few pages are certainly a satisfying conclusion to this part of the story and do a fine job of getting me excited to see where exactly Barbara Gordons life goes from here. On the off chance that I dont end up covering next months Futures End tie-in, just let me take this opportunity to thank Gail Simone for what has been a superb run on the title. Before reading this series, the last time I actually cared about Batgirl was when I was a kid watching reruns of the Adam West Batman TV series, so clearly you did something right.

Its not particularly violent (though it has its moments), its certainly lacking in the humor department for the most part with Sonja being forced into a much more reserved and polite role, but even so I believe this may have been one of the best put together issues in the series to date. Im sure ive said this before, but itn would have been so easy for this to be a throwaway action series that felt more exploitative than anything else, but Gail Simone continues to bring far more quality to these pages than you may expect from just looking at the covers.

While at their simplest elements the plot points in this story, at least those revealed in this first issue may seem somewhat cliched, but with James Asmus and Fred Van Lente at the helm and the wholly unique characters involved, the potential is definitely here for this to become something highly entertaining and truly great.

In a week where more eyes than ever should be on the Guardians of the Galaxy, this issue is an unfortunate disappointment to me. While not particularly bad, it wasnt nearly as satisfying as it probably should have been. And, being the end of a pre-existing situation as it is, its not even a very good starting point for new readers who run to their local comic shops after seeing the movie. Maybe I was expecting too much here, but thats only because this book has lived up to those expectations so many times in the past.

No, this issue probably isnt wholly representative of the average issue of Red Sonja, but when you get past the somewhat off putting (at least to me) beginning, it becomes a rather fun issue and actually a surprisingly sweet semi-love story. That phrase in and of itself is rather strange to say in relation to this book, but there you have it. I hope this issue succeeds in its purpose of grabbing up new readers and that people arent too thrown off when things return to their more typical form next issue.

While Im not yet certain how I feel about the inclusion of Apokolips and Darkseid in this story, I cant complain about them taking things in a different direction than the standard Lazarus Pit resurrection. What really made me happy about this issue though is that there are indications throughout, and particularly at the end, that Robin Rises is going to be the deeper, personal story that I was hoping Hunt for Robin was going to be.

In retrospect, weak may have been the wrong word to describe this issue. There are definitely strong aspects to it. The Blue Marvel/Ulana scenes as I described above, and of course the books trademark humour. Whatever you may think of Al Ewing as a writer, youve got to give him credit for sticking with his gags. Shining examples of this; for the series as a whole, the never-ending to be blanktinued gag that ends each issue, and for this issue in particular, the Deathwalkers legions of were-everything. In the end, this is certainly a fun read, at least in places. Where it really falters, is its inconsistency of quality.

My biggest complaint about this issue is that between its brevity (I swear it felt like it took about 5 minutes to read at most) and the all too obvious absence of Captain Marvel, the issue, at least to me, felt incomplete. I dont want to harp on the cover swerve and I certainly wouldnt say I felt ripped off by the issue, but Id be lying if I said that upon finishing the issue I didnt feel like Id somehow skipped over a few pages. This should have been a great issue, but that feeling that sent me running to the internet to see if Id missed something is a mark against it that just cant be ignored.

Honestly, I dont think Ive ever read an installment in an ongoing series that felt more disconnected from the previous issue than this one did. Between the complete changeover in creators from one issue to the next and the entirely of Forever Evil evidently taking place between issue #29 and #30, it really feels like reading an entirely different book. For me, I think the best way to look at things, is to call issue #29 Nightwings last issue and instead think of this as a #0 issue for Grayson. That doesnt mean this was a bad issue, it just means it really wasnt what I was expecting or what I wanted from a series ender.

All in all, re-establishing Stargirl aside, this issue really doesnt do much more than serve its purpose of ending this series and setting up the next one. If youve been reading the series to this point, its a fair enough send off for the book, but if you havent, its hardly what I would consider essential reading. And in the end, I cant help but feel this would have been a lot stronger if Id read it a month ago just before reading Justice League United #0.

With the final confrontations between present day Thor/the Minotaur and King Thor/Galactus looming, I am really looking forward to next issue. Every issue may not be a hit, but overall Jason Aaron is building something very special with Thor: God of Thunder, and I hope anyone reading this who isnt already reading this series decides to give it a chance. And as a final note, I know this is a Thor book, but the slightly deeper look at the Girls of Thunder this issue has made me really want to see them step out from supporting roles and feature more heavily in an arc down the road.

Again, I dont think this was really a bad issue, but for what will likely prove a very important piece of the overall story, I just dont think it came off nearly as well as it could have. Overall this is still undoubtedly an intriguing story, a few factors just seemed to conspire here to cause this particular issue to miss its mark.

No, , while I personally wasnt itching to see the Brotherhood return just yet, this looks like its going to be anything but a rerun, and now that theyre here, Im definitely happy to see them, even if it does seem like they are going to wreak havoc on my two favorite X-Teams. If you arent reading this series yet, now is as good a time as any to get started as this has the appearance of becoming a very important story for both the All-New X-Men and the Uncanny X-Men.

I may be alone in this thought, I dont know, but this issue confirmed, in my mind at least, that its only a matter of time before Barbara reveals her alter ego to Alysia, Id guess within the next couple issues. If nothing else, Alysia is at least going to have to question how Barbara was so easily able to contact Batgirl (Im betting on the commissioners daughter excuse). Whether or not my predictions are right though, this is still one of the best titles DC has going and Barbara Gordon/Batgirl one of the most interesting characters. If you arent keeping up with this one, you might want to do something about that.

As much as I may know about this series after reading all twenty-two issues to date, I have to wonder if I really know anything at all at this point. And I dont expect to know anything for certain until I finish reading issue #24, if then. If youre not reading Fatale, do yourselves a favor, pick this one up and get a feel for the tone and bizarre nature of the series. Actually reading an issue will make things far more clear about this one than I ever could. Then, if you like it, do yourselves a bigger favor and go find the series first volume. Now if you are already reading the series, then I dont have to tell you how good it is, just go and enjoy this rather unsettling look into the life and mind of The Bishop.

This is a very solid issue and continues to build on my hope from last month by actually having the Worlds Greatest Detective spend a reasonable amount of the story doing in the field (not the Batcave) detective work. Add to that the very sparse amount of new information revealed about Icarus, an intriguing subplot that no doubt will come crashing to the fore before long and a last page that had me asking Is that someone significant or just a failed experiment, and you have the makings of a very interesting Batman mystery story. And its all because Bruce Wayne wanted to build Gotham City into a nicer place. Go figure.

Ill say it again, this may be the best issue to date in the current run of this series. At the very least, its my favorite issue of the current arc. And Im not just saying that because its all about courtesans, though that probably did help a little. More than that though, its just a really well written story that also happens to carry a strong message. There were hints of a possible future arc in this issues closing and I truly hope it comes to pass as I would very much enjoy seeing Sonja and Aneva continue as companions. Ill now begin holding out hope that we see more of these two in the future, and you should probably check this one out so you can join me in that.

Im sure Ive said this before and Im sure Ill say it many more times in the future, but the dialogue and character interactions are my favorite part of Brian Michael Bendis penned titles. The amount of tension and anxiety in this issue with no real physical danger to any of the characters until the late pages is frankly an impressive feat for a medium so often propelled by non-stop, high octane action.

I cant say Ive ever been a huge fan of Poison Ivy, tending to think of her little more than just a bad girl and sex appeal character. Gail Simone worked wonders in changing my opinion here however. Ive never been more interested in Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy as a character than I am after reading this story and frankly I hope writers in the future take cues from this depiction of the character and make use the elements Ms. Simone has put in place.

The true villain of this arc may not be abundantly clear at this time, but right now thats ok, because right now the personal drama of whats going on with Banner is far more compelling than most any hero/villain dynamic. Im not sure that Ive ever been more interested in a Hulk book than I am right now. I cant wait to see just what the status quo will be once this arc is finished. Will Mark Waid let things go back to normal, or are we in for something all-new?

All in all, this may very well be the best issue in this series to date. It also makes for a great jumping on point for new readers, despite be wrapped up in 100 issues of history. And on the topic of history, if you do pick this one up, take my advice and refresh your memories as to the creators of the original Guardians of the Galaxy, it will put an extra smile on your face when you reach Dan Abnetts story.

I do have to admit though, as much as Ive been tearing into the arc here, overall it is fairly well written (excepting the villains backstory and some bad dialogue here and there), and if this wasnt the best of the storys four parts, then its definitely a close second. While I may not like Frenchy and Marion as characters, theres no denying Richard Isanove had them pull off some very villainous and personal acts, and the way he brought everything around and wrapped it up at the end, while being a somewhat odd moment for a character like Logan, did have a certain beauty to it.

I really have to hand it to Charles Soule here. Exactly how much he has turned this book around since taking over the writing duties has never been more evident than it is in this issue. Whenever a story goes from being just entertaining to eliciting an actual emotional response, clearly somebody is doing something right. I also have to give Paco Diaz and Israel Silva some praise here. For a long time I had serious issues with the art in this series (outside of Julian Totino Tedescos beautiful covers), but between possibly the saddest looking Wade Wilson you will ever see and the page-six shocker, Diaz and Silva have this book at its visual high point so far. This may not be the best start point for new readers, what with the teams current mission starting last issue, but this arc is looking like a nice payoff for long time readers such as myself as at least one plot thread has been building since all the way back in the series first arc.

Yes, I am being rather harsh here. I admit there is some good/touching/philosophical dialogue in this one, but that doesnt make it any easier to temper my disappointment. When you take on a story like this, you have to understand the expectations Batman fans are going to have for arcs revolving around the Robin character/mantle between the death of one Robin and a new/old one stepping into the role.

I may be overselling things here, but to me, what Mark Waid did in this issue may just be a game changer (a terrible buzz word I know) on par with what Dan Slott did in Amazing Spider-Man #698. Yeah. Im serious. Fact is, right now Im both excited and terrified to see how long Mark Waid plans on letting this story play out.

For all the disparate pieces of DC Universe pulled into this issue it could easily have wound up a trainwreck. On the contrary though, it actually all comes together quite nicely with each part serving its purpose nicely without distracting too much from the fun of the overall story. And then theres the final reveal, which both gives us some slight insight into the purpose behind the aforementioned aliens and gets me supremely excited for next issue.

Overall, this one is a bit of a mixed bag and that makes it hard to recommend. The story of the issue, while well done and stirring interest in where it will go past this issue, is anywhere, is really just a single scene and not an actual story and right now it feel like missing it wouldnt be a huge loss to the overall story of the book. On the art side, its going to be hit or miss depending on your personal preferences. I cant say this is a truly bad issue, I feel its one that even amongst fans of the series, as many people are going to hate it as love it.

Taken on its own, this really isnt a bad issue, and theres little doubt in my mind the intention here is for it to serve as a prologue, providing us with more background for the story arc to come, however I cant help but think it would have benefited from present day scenes at the beginning, end or both to better connect it to the issues that preceded it. On the positive side of this drastic perspective shift though, this probably makes for a pretty good jumping on point for new readers as the issues plot doesnt really rely on previous issues in the series at all. Unfortunately this is harder the titles strongest entry and may not be the best representation of the series as a whole to the unfamiliar.

This was most likely the most uncomfortable thing I have read in comics (or saw, as the act itself doesnt have much dialogue). The best comparison I can think off for how uncomfortable this scene made me is the pictures in The Killing Joke. While no indication of rape is present in that story, anyone who has read it knows what Im referring to and can probably understand the discomfort Im trying to get across. As much as I want to hate this issue for how it made me feel, the fact is, I really cant argue against how well done it is from beginning to end. The fact that pictures, words and fictional characters on a page can make me feel what I did reading this speaks volumes about the talent of everyone involved. I may hate each of you a little more than I did before I read this (which was not at all), but I absolutely applaud what you managed to do here.

This issue shows a lot of potential for the arc to come and Manapul and Buccellatos run on the book as a whole. Between the prominence of gangsters and organized criminals throughout this one and the slightly crushing last scene, its seeming like this is going to be a story where the Worlds Greatest Detective actually lives up to that name. Im not afraid to say this one just might be a classic in the making so you might want to check this one out.

Yes, this book is completely ridiculous, but it is genuinely one of the funniest books that I at least am reading right now. Im not going to say this is the best issue of the series (come on, there was a whole arc revolving around anti-government hillbilly gun nuts), but it is a very good and intriguing one. And as the start of an all-new arc!, its an excellent place to join the insanity.

Overall this is a very well done and entertaining issue. The only real gripe I can raise about it is that, as I just said, things play out a bit faster than they should have/needed to in my opinion. I understand though, that the structure of this arc appears to call for each artist Sonja is seeking to get one issue before we move on. I wouldnt be surprised to see a couple get paired into a single issue though, as six plus issues may be asking a bit much out of this story. This one is certainly worth a look if you already like or have any interest in the character of Red Sonja, just keep my initial warning in mind.

While far more interesting, at least to me, than the books first arc, Eternal Emperor has taken on a bit of a point a (last issue) to point b (this issue) to point c (next issue) formula to Gilads quest and that leaves this issue, lacking a true enemy for the Eternal Warrior to battle, as something of an expositional bridge before the more action-focused events that appear to be on tap for next issue. While that doesnt mean this is a bad issue, it certainly isnt the best example of how much fun this book can be.

All in all, while I dont think this story arc necessarily lived up to the high hopes I had for it after the first couple chapters, it ended probably the best way that it could have without having to kill off a bunch of characters. This issue itself was a definite step up from Guardians #12, feeling entirely more significant to the progression of both Guardians of the Galaxy and All-New X-Men. And really, if nothing else, it succeeded in the ultimate goal, of making me want to know what happens next.

I really cant say enough good things about this series and this may have been the best issue since Year Two kicked off. While it is anything but action-packed, it is thick with rising tension and hints of larger conflicts to come. The worst thing I can say about this issue is that with 42 issues (counting the Year One annual) in the storys past and a game in the storys future, this isnt a great jumping on point, but again, if you arent already involved in this series, I highly recommend picking up Year One. If you have any interest in DCs Elseworld-type stories, I feel fairly certain this one will pull you in.

I cant say this issue was actually bad in and of itself, but by taking on the story it is, it cant not take on the expectations that have built up over the last year and suffer for seeming to go about it in the wrong way. I think back to the Requiem stories in the Bat-books that followed Damians death, and while I wont claim they were all gold, they at least featured stories about characters with a connection to Damian dealing with their loss. The Hunt for Robin may be the Batman story Ive been waiting for, but this isnt looking like the story I was hoping for. Its entirely possible other people will find a lot more merit in this issue than I dead, but for my part, I can only see it as lacking and unsatisfying.

With each issue my hopes for this story only get higher. Admittedly there hasnt been anything about this story that screams out for it having to be a Kyle Rayner story rather than any other character or any other universe. But thats not a knock, that it just feels like a good story and not specifically a good superhero story is probably a statement on the quality of the writing. I look forward to seeing where things go next issue.

While I wont go so far as to say this was the series best issue, it was definitely a welcome change and freshening up for the book, with the new team injecting new life both into the writing and the art. Even the impending guest role for Frankenstein cant make look forward to next issue any less.

I understand this entire premise as a plot device, and I cant deny that team on this book pulled it off very well, with my first sense something wasnt right not arriving until seeing Batman amongst the trapped heroes this issue. On a personal level though, its difficult not to be frustrated by this entire situation. Mark this as one more reason Im well past ready for Forever Evil to be over.

This book is doing an excellent job of straddling the line between being serious and funny, making for a very entertaining balance that i cant get enough of. I personally hope this trend of letting one or two of the team members shine per issue continues, so long as they keep alternating and doesnt focus too long on any one character. I dont think were in any danger of seeing that happen here though.

In a word, this is really a very cathartic issue. I dont know whats planned for next months finale, but I honestly would be satisfied if this had been the books final issue. Now, before I go, I really just need to throw some last bits of praise the creators way. First, to Kyle Higgins for, despite nicely lining up the lives of Bruce, Dick and Jen last issue, not pressing the idea (perhaps because the book is ending) that Jen may be slipping in a Robin-role to Nightwings Batman. And second, to Russell Dauterman and Pete Pantazis, because in the first moment we see Jen this issue, holding Nightwings escrima sticks, they actually made me believe, if only for a second, that this little kid was about to do something amazing.

As I said, this isnt a terribly bad issue, its entertaining enough and its gets its job done, but it all just feels very routine and disappointing. I cant recommend this one to anyone who isnt already buying every issue of this title. If however youre curious about seeing Gothtopia shine, I do recommend the Batgirl and Catwoman tie-in issue as they make far more interesting reads.

Im not going to deny how ridiculous this issue is, but it really does work. Its fun, funny and really just a good time to read. Maybe this isnt the best starting point for the series since you wouldnt already be acquainted with Goat, but if you were to start here, there is definitely a segment of people out there, the ones that get past the fact that its a story about a goat, who would really enjoy this one.

This really is a hard sell at twenty pages a month (or two, in this case) for a world that thrives on instant gratification. But if you take the time to read it, knowing what it is, knowing everythig isnt going to be answered all at once, then I really think you will enjoy it. I know that I certainly am.

No, this isnt the greatest story ever told, and certainly doesnt touch the impact the last issue made on me, but for what it is and how long I have been waiting for it, it is a satisfying tale and it does have me interested in seeing what happens next.

Once again, this isnt actually a bad issue, is just suffers a bit from too much history and having to kill time before the final act of this arc kicks off. Can you skip this one? Honestly, so long as having a hole in your collection and the risk of having missed a few tidbits before jumping into parts five and six of The Trial of Jean Grey doesnt bother you, yeah,you probably can skip this one without much worry.

I had said that last issue was definitely not the books best, well, this one may just be. Its certainly up there. If nothing else its definitely a nice salve for anyone who might have been a bit disappointed by the lack of action last issue. And it has given me high hopes for the rest of the arc.

Im not ready to say yet that this will be the most original arc, but by the end of the issue I was certainly happier than the beginning gave me any hope of being. And if nothing else, New Guardians does continue to benefit from its separation from the rest of the Lantern titles. Thank the Gods for no one being supposed to know Kyle Rayner is alive.

Once again, not really a bad issue, part of my disappointment here is certainly my own fault for getting overly excited for what I should have realized would just be a henchmen fight, albeit a large scale one. However, if not for the devolution of the Superior Spider-Man into a one-note character this could have, and should have been a better issue.

All in all, this is actually a very good issue. Taken on their own, both sections of the book are well done and do an excellent job of making me want to read the next issue. I am left to wonder though, how much better it could have been if the backup story had been sprinkled through the lead story as it typically would be.

It would have been very easy for this arc to fall into the trap of same old thing, but to this point Brian Michael Bendis has managed to to keep things fresh enough that it doesnt matter that the X-Men (though technically not these X-Men, or the Guardians) have been in this situation before. And with the development at the end of this issue, I am very interested in seeing what happens in the next chapter.

You would think this far into the series I wouldnt still be impressed with how good this run has been, but Posehn and Duggan really do continue to surprise me with the narrative they are weaving and the places they are taking Deadpool, who can so easily become just a joke character. And all the while they continue to plant the seeds for whats to come with things like Deadpools potential daughter and the continuing saga of Crossbones in the hot air balloon. As always I look forward to seeing whats coming next in this book, and if you havent yet, you really should give this one a chance.

Every comic is somebodys first comic, but if this is going to be your first, you may want to start somewhere else. I think its fantastic, but there is probably just way too much history wrapped up in this for a new reader to get the same satisfaction out of it. If you have been following the series though, then you are in for a treat…or a heart wrenching nightmare, depending on your perspective.

Yes, the cover bugs me. No, this was not at all the story I was expecting. Despite both those things though, I cant really imagine enjoying this issue any more than I did. Honestly folks, if you enjoy fun, usually humorous adventures on a cosmic scale and you havent started reading this series yet, I really think you are doing yourself a disservice, and this issue is as good a place as any to jump on board"that is why theres a big (somewhat misleading) number one on the cover after all.

As much of a payoff as this issue is for long time fans of the series, its also a pretty good starting place as well. Even without the background of 107 issues, I cant imagine anything in this one being to hard to follow, and from what I can see, it appears to be the start of a very interesting story arc and one that will have major ramifications on the series going forward.

You dont have to have read Venom or X-Factor to understand anything that happens this issue, but take it from me, if you have, this one will be all the more satisfying. Honestly, now that Ive laid it all out here, Im even more impressed by what Charles Soule managed to do here and that much more interested to see where he takes things next.

All in all, this is certainly isnt a bad issue, just a bit of an odd one, what with the time distorting explosion and the title character being a bit of a non-presence (except through narration) for a significant section of the story. If anything, what it seems to me that this issue probably is, is a slight valley between a very exciting previous issue and a potentially very interesting next issue.

As this story has slowly built up in the background over the past number of months, Id be lying to say I havent been looking forward to it. But coming into this issue, I had no idea how very much I would actually enjoy it, and how genuinely excited it would get me for the impending, true kick-off to Goblin Nation. Whether you like the Superior Spider-Man or not, if youve ever been a Spider-Man fan, this is looking like an arc you are not going to want to miss, and it starts right here.

My assumption at this point is that The Trial of Jean Grey is going to another punish Jean Grey for the crimes of the Phoenix story, but this issue, the inclusion of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and how much I have enjoyed both this title and Guardians up to this point gives me hope that there will be enough freshness to the arc to make it more than worth reading.

Despite a certain amount of conclusion to the Marionette story, I sincerely hope we havent seen the last of her, especially given whats just around the corner for Dick, it would be so easy for her to make a bad situation worse. All in all a very intriguing and compelling issue, despite the very replaceable role the Mad Hatter plays in the story.

Ive been very high on Charles Soules work on this title since he took over the writing duties, but in all honesty it just felt like he was just going through the motions in this particular issue. Even Deadpools few jokes come off as half-hearted and fail to breath any real life into this one. The only real positive I have here is that the bulk of the set-up should now be out of the way and we can get to the fun stuff next issue.

Yes, the majority of the story focuses on the Batman/Superman/Mongul situation, and while it is entertaining enough on its own (It is a Batman vs. Superman fight after all), without the more ground-level, human story that bookends the superfight, this issue would not have had nearly the impact on me that it did. I have to commend Greg Pak for giving us a rare glimpse at the toll our favorite superheroes take on the world.

All in all, this issue is pretty much end to end action. And in those moments when it isnt, Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan are sure to fill the time with classic Deadpool-style humour that, as groan-worthy as it can be, is still very entertaining. Now is a great time to jump into this series, because if they keep it up, this arc is only going to get better from here.

I know from this it may seem like I dont like crossover stories, but thats not the case at all. They can be fun and entertaining, certainly, but when they are happening every few month it becomes overkill and all it really serves to do is detract from the quality of the individual titles involved. They story that has been cued up in this issue should have me excited, but instead it just has me dreading the issues Im going to have to pick up that I normally wouldnt just to get the full picture.

The other side of the coin for that disconnect however, is that this issue would actually make a pretty good jumping on point for anyone who isnt already reading this series. Which, you know, you should be, because in my opinion at least, its one of the best things Marvel has going right now.

Overall, All-New X-Men is one of my favorite books going and rather than have ill effects on that opinion, this issue and the additions of X-23 and the Purifiers has only served to reinforce and increase my enjoyment of this title.

I probably sing the praises of these guys most every time I do a Deadpool review, but Posehn and Duggan continue to keep this book fresh, entertaining and one of the strongest titles going in an event heavy Marvel Universe soon to be rife with relaunches. Well be lucky to have this book for as long as they can keep up this kind of quality.

Im rarely a fan of event tie-ins, but Inhumanity Bomb seems to be well on its way to being a very big exception to that opinion. Whether you come for the dynamic between Stark and Banner/Hulk or to see the Hulk smash and run around with an appropriately Hulk-sized bomb, this one is definitely worth the price of admission.

The best part of this issue is that I was able to say all that about it and not even mention the corporate espionage with Inhuman ties subplot that began to develop and the inevitable conflict that Spider-Mans ego and superiority complex have created leading directly into next issue. This isnt really the most high profile Avengers team, but its quickly becoming one of my favorites every month, and if they can manage to stay relatively street level with the amount of magic thats sure to be flying around, even better.

Right up to the last page reveal, which was an interesting development in the story that I really appreciated, this issue was very much about Nightwings relationships and the people in his life, and as long as those relationships continue to grow in interesting ways, then this is a path for the book that I wholeheartedly support.

For what amounts to a dream sequence revolving around the team member I care the least about, this issue is far better than it really has any right to be, especially with Deadpool not speaking a single word. And with Ghost Rider showing up next issue and everybodys problems with Mercy finally about to come to a head, despite myself, Im starting to get excited about this book again.

In all honesty, this entire story should probably be far dumber than it is actually turning out to be. All the credit in the world to Greg Pak for managing to write a superhero story wrapped in a video game wrapped in a superhero comic that makes any kind of sense at all and is even entertaining and interesting. I for one am certainly curious to see how things play out.

Now, I do want you to understand, Im being a bit hard on this issue, but it did make me laugh, I did have some fun reading it, I just didnt find it to be nearly the kind of coherent story I enjoy. I do have to wonder though, issue #7 was really the kickoff to the Vetis storyline which ran from issue #8-12, and issue #13s flashback carried into a present day one-shot in issue #14. So what elements from this story are we going to see bleed into the next issue(s) of the series. Well just have to wait and see I guess.

This issue could have been terrible. So many big event tie-in issues are, and with the addition of the scheduling foul-up, this one probably should have been as well. But, if this is the result of five weeks between releases for this team, Im completely fine with that as a plan going forward.

Clayface is definitely the star of the show here, with Batman very much taking a backseat, being left to shine only in his interactions with Commissioner Gordon, and especially with Alfred. This isnt high action, and again, it isnt the most complex Batman story youll ever read, its not even really a Batman story, it is however, beautifully written and well worth the time.

Dont get me wrong, the issue is intriguing. If nothing else, seeing how this new team comes together, or doesnt, should be very interesting. As best as I can tell, none of the six members actually likes any of the others, so…yeah, interesting. But with so much story on the horizon here, I cant help but worry about the sustainability of such an intangible villain.

There are so many layers of conflict in this series that seem to be quickly bubbling up to the surface that I wont be surprised to see the Teen Titans joining the Justice Leagues in getting revamped team rosters in the coming months. Batman trained or not, I dont think Red Robin can stop the implosion thats coming their way. The next few issues should be very interesting.

Again, this isn't really a bad issue, just a disappointing one. A cool idea that just seemed to fizzle out in the end. It should be easy to recommend an issue featuring an Uberhulk on its own merits, but it don't feel like I can do that here. Without having read the rest of the arc I expect it would come off as far mor nonsense than what entertainment value is there s actually worth.

While this issue nicely draws "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" to a conclusion, that doesn't mean it wraps everything up neatly, choosing instead to plant seeds that will for possible future stories and that will undoubtedly weigh heavily on Deadpool in the meantime. The last page in particular, which I presume to be foreshadowing for the next arc, still has my mind reeling. If you've been reading and enjoying this book, then this issue is definitely not one you want to miss. And if for some reason you aren't reading Deadpool, while this isn't the place to start, I highly recommend picking up the trade with this arc in it when it comes out.

Alright, so this turned into being more about the series as a whole than just this last issue, but in all honestly, other than 'I was disappointed with it', I didn't have very much to say about this issue, it was just forgettable. Could it be mindless fun? Sure. Could it be entirely enjoyable? Sure. But for me, it was just one stab too many at the same old joke.

I said it in my review of issue #7 and I have to reiterate it here, it's issues like this one that have me excited for the Guardians movie next year. And frankly this issue actually has me interested in the conclusion to Infinity as well. The main story and tie-ins for the event, while certainly have their moments, have been pretty hit or miss for me. This tie-in is definitely on the hit side and has me looking forward to seeing what comes next.

Without question, for me at least this issue is the peak of the "Agent of T. I. M. E." Storyline to this point. We can only hope that next issue will ge even better. And personally I hope that the paradigm shift (best term I can think of) that happens at the end of this issue, is indeed something that stinks around, at lest for awhile.

Marvel seems to have mastered the art of stringing me along with this book. Whenever I start having thoughts of dropping this book they plant seeds of what's coming that intrigue me just enough to keep me interested. This time around? Come February the book is getting another new artist, and a new co-star in the form of Ghost Rider. With any luck, and the removal of Venom (please), Thunderbolts may actually become something really good.

For its length, this may honestly have been one of the most entertain dialogue-centric scenes I have ever read. It's issue like this that serve as perfect examples as to why I'm excited for the Guardians movie next year. If the dynamics between these characters are captured half this well on film, then that should be a hell of a fun addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I had been worried, due to the rather narrow focus of issue #17, that this issue would be something of a waste, a bit of filler to get us from last issue's heavy action to next issue's conclusion. Happily those worries were unfounded. This issue was anything but a waste of time and it did an excellent job of fuelling my excitement for the conclusion of the arc next issue.

I could try to be optimistic about next issue here, it has been set up to be something of a bloodbath. But, while that could be entertaining, odds are it's going to be another Infinity tie-in and that does nothing to inspire confidence for me. Who knows though, this is a superhero comic, miracles do happen right?

Despite that last small worry, I really do have high hopes for the next two issues. This arc continues to live up to the expectation I'd had building since it was first teased earlier in the series. At this point, the Deadpool creative team has done nothing to make me doubt their ability to close out this arc satisfactorily.

Despite the slightly heavy handed attempts at establishing Angela's place in the Marvel Universe, the fight sequence, which takes up the majority of the issue, and the loveyl dialogue, mostly from Rocket and stark, make this one well worth the price of admission.

All in all, this wasn't a bad issue, of a bad end to a series I didn't realize I had become so attached to until reading this final issue. It's a little sad that, with the likely exception of Becky, Brownsville and all it's inhabitants will likely go on to be no more then a footnote in Morbius' history the next time he shows up in the Marvel Universe.

I really believe that this title can find its footing. Charles Soule's writing is solid. Now we just have to get it away from the Infinity event, and have Jefte Palo draw characters far away as little as possible and we'll be rolling.

Look, I can't say enough good things about this issue and the current story arc as a whole. Frankly, if you're interested enough in Deadpool to be reading this review, then you really should be reading the current issues. By no means have I read everything Deadpool, but I believe issues #15-16 of this series may be the best that I have read.

Were Hulk: Agent of T. I. M. E. to become an ongoing series, I thing I'd be okay with that. Given the proper tie it could make a very interesting story. But as a short, contained arc within another Hulk series, I just don't think it has the room to be done as well as it could be. It is still fun though. And I am still looking forward to the jump into the Hulk's past next issue.

Perhaps I'll change my mind with the final issue next month, but I think Marvel has officially run the "Deadpool kills"" idea into the ground and its past time to let it die itself. If you aren't already invested in this limited or the Killogy as a whole, I'd say you can safely give this issue a pass. There were far better books out this week to spend your money on.

Quite possibly the best issue of the Marvel NOW! Deadpool to date, this is a perfect place to start if you still aren't reading this series. While they would provide a bit more insight, you don't have to have read the stories in the series' first two trades to understand what happens this issue. The scenes with Wolverine and Captain America alone should be worth the price of admission for most readers. I will consistently mark this series as, along with the likes of Hawkeye and Superior Spider-Man (don't hate), as the best books Marvel has going right now. Every issue isn't a hit, but this one definitely is.

While this may not be a great issue, it definitely gets the ball rolling and gives us a better idea of what to spect from this storyline. Not a fan of the old west setting? Don't worry, next issue we get a whole new time period, new supporting characters and undoubtedly new conflicts. The fun has only just begun.

I have to admit folks, as much as I enjoyed reading this issue, sitting here analyzing it and talking about it is pretty bittersweet for me. This issue is, in a nutshell, a demonstration of the potential this series had and where it could have gone. Morbius, his would be "sidekick" Becky, and all "Mike's" old monster friends (making I believe, their first appearance in the series). There have been a number of books I was reading ending recently, but this may be the only one I will be legitimately sad to see go. You all really should give it a chance if you haven't already. Better late than never.

One last issue of note here, the Infinity banner on the cover. Maybe it will mean something next issue, but here it basically just serves as an excuse for the real Avengers to be out of town so the "Selfish Avengers", as Deadpool refers to them, can hit New York unhindered. Overall, despite my problems with the art, this isn't a bad issue. So, maybe the writing can sustain me, maybe I'll get used to the art, but I am starting to lose hope for this book again.

Honestly, I can't recommend this issue. As worthwhile as the ast few pages were for me, they aren't worth the main story of this issue if you aren't already into the series. Want to jump into the current run of Deadpool? Next issue should be a much better jumping on point as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly story kicks off. In the meantime, pick up the first trade, the Dead Presidents story is actually a lot better then it should have been. But do yourselves a favor and let this one pass you by.

I don't know how large of a role Neil Gaiman actually played in the writing of this issue, but it doesn't matter. Whether it was all Brian Michael Bendis or a collaboration between the two, all of the Guardians, as well as a few others, were given moments to shine, and they all flt exactly as I would hope for them to, even Drax, who only actually appeared in one panel. This issue is a fun read and undoubtedly the start of some big events in the book.

So, despite my initial fears, and despite a large portion of this issue bing exposition to get Hulk into time travel mode (don't worry there's definitely a "Hulk Smash!" Moment or two), this really is a worthwhile read, if you can handle all the timestream talk.

This may not be the best issue of Posehn and Duggan's run on the book, but it is very entertaining. I can't really think of a reason why anyone who already likes Deadpool wouldn't like this issue.

As I said, this issue felt very subdued to me, but it was also very entertaining. I'm going to be sad to see this book go. Joe Keatinge has given us characters in The Rose and Nikoleta Harrow who of they aren't new, they're new to me, and he's made me interested in them. He's made me actually care about Morbius in a way that, before picking up this book for the first time, I never thought I would. I know I'm selling hard here and a know its already to late, but I love this series and I'm absolutely looking forward to seeing what comes with the conclusion in a couple months.

I like this. I really do. I know this is a team book and the team has five members, I'd when Mercy makes her presence known, and seven if you count the Leader, but I'm definitely in favor of seeing this stripped don issues focusing on two or three characters more often. I think we're there folks. For those of you like me who've been hanging on and waiting for this book to hit it's stride, I think we're there, or we're very close. And for those of you who dropped off earlier in the series o ho haven't picked up the book yet, this issue s just as good a jumping on place as last issue. Yes, I picks up on a plot thread from earlier in the series, but anything you need to know about the "earlier" part is explained and the story is bogged down by being the middle of a larger arc. Now's the time folks. All aboard the ThunderSub! (That's mine, I know it's bad. Don't hold it against Charles Soule).

I really cannot say enough good things about this series. With the exception of the rare stories like Planet Hulk and World War Hulk, I've never paid a whole lot of attention to the Green Goliath. No though, Mark Waid has done wonders for my opinion of the big guy, and while I may not be ready to call Hulk one of my favorite Marvel characters yet, I can definitely call Indestructible Hulk one of my absolute favorite books these days.

Whether or not this insanity will actually work for the whole four issues is yet to be seen, but I for one am looking forward to the ride. We've got Deadpool, Deadpool Pulp, Golden Age Deadpool, Lady Deadpool, Kidpool, Dogpool, Headpool, a microwave, chainsaw sense, and what I can only refer to as Gimppool. This really looks like it's going to be Deadpool turned up to eleven in all the right ways. All aboard the Bea Arthur kids! Actually, kids probably shouldn't read this, the reason is in the list above. Everyone else though, grab a manwich and enjoy the crazy.

As with any fin issue, this is not the place to start if you haven't been reading the series already, but if you've been following along since the switchover as I have, this really is one of the more satisfying issues of the brief run. I'm truly surprised to admit that it left me a bit disappointed the series was finished. I'll be looking forward to seeing what's in store fr Red She-Hulk in the future.

I'm a happy camper here folks. I make no judgements on Daniel Way as a writer, his other work may be fantastic, I honestly don't know. But for this particular book, change is definitely a good thing. If you've been hesitant to pick up this book up to this point, now is the time. This issue gives enough of a glimpse into he past and the future of the series while still telling its own story to be a perfect jumping on point. Hopefully Charles Soule can keep up the momentum going forward. We'll find out in just two short weeks.

All in all, this is a decent enough issue. If nothing else it does its good of saving the road for future events. And it does have its entertaining moments, particularly the aforementioned Tony Stark incident and exchanges that Rocket Raccoon has with Stark and Groot. The latter representing everything I'm hoping for from these two outwardly odd characters both in future issues if this book and in next year's feature film. Hopefully now that we've got a little bit of set up out of the way, the fun factor will get amped back up next month.

This really is a good one folks, a fight scene that balances emotion with excitement, character development and of course, actual story progress. My one complaint would be that this story takes place before current issues of Batgirl, so her state here doesn't exactly line up with where she is in her own book, and because I've been enjoying that title so much lately, that took me out of this one just a little bit. That's a personal gripe though, chances are it won't effect your enjoyment of the story.

I really hope that something in what I've just said appeals to you and that I've done the book justice because it really is a fun, exciting book while still being a little bit dark and gritty making it a pretty interesting read for slightly older, more mature readers who don't want to get to deep into the darkness.

If for some reason you aren't already reading this series, I think this may be the issue folks, especially if you already happen to be reading and enjoying Daredevil. Mark Waid is doing a fantastic job with this series and this may well be the best issue yet. And if it's not, then it's very close.

The best part of what I've focused on here, is that it's really only the top line of what's going on. It's the conflict, it's what gets people's attention, but there are deeper things at play here that I don't want to get into for fear of spoiling them for you. The important thing to take away is that this issue and this series are worth reading. I have become a fan of Joe Keatinge and Michael Morbius over the last six months and personally I am very excited to see how this "Cure Everything" storyline develops and I think you should be too.

There are a few glimpses of what can be good about this book. The interaction between Deadpool and Venom and Red Hulk's action sequence were alright, but suffered from the same aforementioned problems. And then there was a nice last page reveal that I won't spoil here just in case you actually decide to pick this one up. All in all, as I said, it's not good, but there's just enough here that I at least will be back next issue. And hey, all hope isn't lost, starting in issue #14 we get a brand new creative team.

This issue of a Batgirl is really a beautifully scripted character drama. Yes, it probably plays better to someone like me who has read the entire series and even relatively recently The Killing Joke, a story that still plays heavily on the character of Barbara Gordon even post-reboot, but I believe that there is enough information conveyed in the initial pages that even if this is the first comic book you've read, you'll be able to understand the deeper nature of what's happening here. And even if you don't, the confrontation with The Ventriliquist is itself certainly something to witness, though I wouldn't be surprised if it made son people as uncomfortable as it did Batgirl.

I cannot express enough how fun it is to see how well Brian Michael Bendis plays this group of characters off of each other. These interactions alone are worth the price of this book. That you get a fun, action-packed space drama on top of that is just icing on the cake.

Is any of that a bad thing? No, it really isn't. The truth of the matter is that the ideas present here are executed quite well. By no means is this a bad book, it's just not a book that, knowing what I know now, I would run to pick up. I'll give the book another go next month, an hopefully find a great deal more gun-toting gorilla. Who knows, this may yet turn into something amazing.

Overall, theres not really a better way for me to say this other, issue #21 is probably the most fun, entertaining and compelling Batwing story Ive read. If youve been curious about this book but havent picked it up yet, nows the time. I have a feeling next month things are going to get even crazier.

Alright, I think I'm there now folks. I think that I am a believer in this book. I wasn't sure after issue #1, but last issue was a step in the right direction. And this issue, Phil Hester showed me it doesn't have to be about throwing everybody into the story for something big and bombastic. He showed me that he can strip these issues down to just being about one character and still make them entertaining. If the Invincible Universe continues to deliver issues like this one, then I'll be sticking with them for as long as they have stories to tell.

Perhaps if this issue took place in between larger storylines I could be more accepting of it. I think it would have worked much better if it were allowed to exist as its own story without the loose ties to the books current arc. As it is though, it really feels like Jeff Parker wanted to write Man-Thing, with a somewhat unsettling Gambit-esque southern drawl, so he did his best to shoehorn the character in. Personally I just hope this story arc comes to a close soon and we get back to Betty Ross being the revolutionary/insurgent she seemed to be in issue #58.

This isn't a great issue by any means. It's definitely more about solidifying the questions already raised in the series then it is about answering any of them. That said, if you enjoy these characters or this series, you'll probably find something to like here, even with the lack of action. I did. However this probably isn't the best place to start if you aren't already reading this book.

Perhaps due to being nearly 40 pages, this book manages to be both narratively deep and particularly action heavy, superbly balancing itself between being both fun and heavy and ends up coming out as the better of two particularly interesting annuals released this week, the other being Batman: The Dark Knight. If you're a fan of this series or of Arsenal in particular, this ne actually is worth the extra cost. If all you want to do is look at Starfire, you won't be disappointed but you'll do better just using Google.

What can I say, I just continue to enjoy this book. I look forward to seeing what new adventure next issues guest star will bring to the Green Goliath's doorstep. I will miss Mr. Simonson's art however. I've rather enjoyed the slightly more old school feel to the book over the past few issues. I'm tempted to deduct half a point from my score for lack of hammer-propelled Hulks, but I won't, because frankly, our boys flying with fists and hammer raised looked almost as cool.

As strange as it feels for me to say this, Joe Keatinge has managed to make Morbius to Brownsville what Daredevil has always been to Hell's Kitchen. We've come along way with this character in just five issues. He may not be an A-list hero just yet, I mean, he isn't even willing to accept that he is a hero yet. But what is for sure, is that it's time to jump on board here folks, because Morbius isn't just a supporting character anymore. They creative team behind is book continues to prove that yes, the Living Vampire can in fact stand on his own.

I can't sing the praises of this book enough. It's quickly climbing the ranks of my favorite books, new or old. Given enough time it may even top the list. Do yourselves a favor and just give it a chance, better yet, read it with your significant other. Do it. Come on. You know you want to.

This may not be an action-packed slugfest, but it is that start of a very emotional journey for Calvin Rose. The rematch with Bane is certainly in the future and Batman is almost certain to make an even more substantial appearance in Calvin's story then he already has. But before we get to that, Calvin first has to make it through what's coming in the pages of Birds of Prey #21 and Talon #9. So, if you don't want to miss out on what's going on in the slightly less Bat-heavy corner of Gotham, you might want to pick this one up.

I don't usually set out in these reviews to convince anyone who reads them to pick up whatever book. Happen to be talking about, but in this case I honestly hope that I did a good job in getting you to at least consider checking out The Dream Merchant. If you have any interest in fantastical stories in more or less contemporary settings, I truly believe you'll be happy if you give this one a try.

Ok, so when you get right down to it, Birds of Prey isn't a bad book, and issue #20 certainly isn't a ba issue. For me it wasn't great, at least not until the final reveal, but it was definitely net resting and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story progresses. I should note though, that the imact of the reveal at the end is of course entirely dependant on how much you recognize of care bout the revealed character.

All in all, this isn't a bad issue, it just feels like the book lost a little bit of its momentum here. Hopefully the creative team will be able to pick it back up sooner rather then later. I'll be sticking with it of course because I'm still of the opinion that eventually this team has to implode, and that's something I don't want to miss.

So, overall, maybe not the best issue of the current run, but definitely a strong outing and very enjoyable. It definitely left me looking forward to the next issue.

Yes, the more timey-wimey aspects of Superboy's history can make my head hurt, but overall I've been enjoying the character and the book to this point. While this isn't a great issue on its own, it is mostly action oriented making it rather entertaining, and it does serve as the kickoff point for what seems like it could be a very interesting storyline.

Listen, I love this book. You'd be hard pressed to convince me there's a better title on the market today. As good, maybe, but not better. And this issue is jam packed from beginning to end. It's not all action, but it's all entertaining and definitely a good read. If you haven't picked this one up yet, now's the time, something big is coming in the next few issues.

So, like I said, on its own issue #19 was a bit middling, but it did give us some interesting plot threads to lead not the next issue. Hopefully Aquaman won't continue to take somewhat of a backseat in his own book, however. At least not too often.

I was a bit unsure after issue #1, but if Phil Hester can continue with what he did in issue #2, presenting us with a large scale view of the Invincible Universe while still coming in to give us a more intimate view of individual characters, then this could prove to be a very interesting title. He and Todd Nauck evidently have a lot of characters they can play with so this one could have legs for a very long time.

Indestructible Hulk was an interesting book to begin with, but this current arc just seems to have turned up the fun factor a few notches. Maybe it's the Walt Simonson art, not that I have anything against Leinil Yu of course. Maybe it's the old school Thor. Whatever it is, I'm looking forward to the conclusion of the arc next month.

On the very limited plus side of this issue, it does feature conflict with some very big names in the Marvel Universe. Unfortunately this too is trampled under the same problems I had with the rest of the issue. In the end though it all did seem to produce a new villain I'll be interested to see used in the future. I do still have hope for this series, looking at the cover of issue #66, it appears to feature a battle between Red She-hulk and She-Hulk, with some sort of involvement from the Man-Thing, but as for this issue, it just was not something I can recommend.

Look, I want to like this book. I want to like every comic I pck up, particularly Batman titles. Batman Incorporated is just a bit off a hard sell right now. It's not especially bad, it's interesting, it's entertaining, it's just a bit off. As for this issue in its own right, well, the last page may be worth the price of admission by itself. You could just look it up, but to really appreciate and comprehend it, you have to read the issue.

Yes, it is indeed a new dawn for the Viltrum Empire, and for Invincible. I explained last month my less then enthusiastic reception of the Death of Everyone arc but I continued on through last month and into this month's issue because I love this series and because Robert Kirkman is a great writer. And I can tell you now that I'm glad that I stuck around because issue #102 definitely reinvigorated my love for this book and already has me looking forward to next month.

The team behind this series continues to produce a quality book month after month and on top of that, rather then playing steady as she goes, they seem to just keep ramping things up. I have to say, Morbius is quickly becoming one of my favorite books. It's definitely on I'll be looking forward to next month.

I'll be upfront here, I haven't been a big fan of this series to this point. Maybe it's the cosmic scale, something which generally speaking doesn't appeal to me in my superhero books. Perhaps it's the sheer abundance of characters covered in the book that for the most part I'm coming in unfamiliar with. Or maybe Legion of Super-Heroes is just sitting in the shadow of Legion Lost which I found to be a much more entertaining series. Whatever the reason, this issue is an exception. Maybe at this point I just enjoy watching the Legion get beaten into oblivion, but there was definitely something in this issue that appealed to me and I actually quite enjoyed it.

So, by no means is this an optimal jumping on point for anyone not familiar with the novels or already following the series. If you're already reading the series, then odds are you don't need me to sell you on this issue because you're going to pick it up if you haven't already. And if you've read theEye of the World novel in the past but haven't picked up any of the comic book adaptations yet, well this issue is actually probably one of the most interesting of the series and is a good place for you to start if you want to see if the comic is something you'd be interested in reading. For my part I've enjoyed the Eye of the World Series so far, I enjoyed the New Spring graphic novel and I'm interested to see if after issue #35 Dynamite continues on with an adaptation of the second novel in the series, The Great Hunt.

Alright folks, I think we're just about there. I think we may be just an issue or two away from Thunderbolts reaching that place of absolute insanity that I've been looking forward to since issue #1. I can't deny, I started reading this series because of Deadpool, and it seems to me he's about to be let off the leash. This isn't the best place for you to start if you aren't already reading this series, but if you are, then let the train keep rolling down the tracks, not only is I a good read, but surely you want to see hy I fully expect the Regeneratin' Degenerate to be in a very bad mood when issue #9 comes around.

A month away from the conclusion of Wrath of the First Lantern and I'm starting to rethink I'm position on the storyline as it finally seems to be picking up. I am a bit torn though, I don't want to get my hopes to high for the remaining issues as going in with low expectations seems to be working out. So, between this week and last week, I'd say Green Lantern was more interesting, but Green Lantern Corps #19 definitely continued the momentum as we draw ever nearer to the story's conclusion.

Bottom line, I only scratched the surface of what's going on here. Don't let the title through you, this is a very interesting book that I believe is set to only get more interesting, complex and probably graphic as it continues. So if you're looking for a new book, an interesting read, and a very different superhero title, by all means, get yourself some sex.

So, I wasn't sure hat I was going to get with Fearless Defenders when I picked up the first issue, but it continues to prove itself a fun, entertaining title and is quickly working its way up the list of books I look forward to reading every month.

For the first time in a few months I'm actually looking forward to the next issue of Green Lantern, though I do still have my doubts about the rest of the Lantern books until the end of this arc, but we'll see if they can follow up on this issue in the coming weeks. I want say this issue going to change anyone who's of the same mind as me on Wrath of the First Lantern, but if you've been following this series, now definitely isn't the time to stop.

Now, this was a relatively light book on the Hulk side, but that seems to be out of necessity. First, Banner is without question needed in the first half to get all the pieces in place for the rest of the story. Then second, the peculiar interaction between Banner and Thor is a clear set up of things to come in the next two issues. Hulk, however, does show up in time to do what he does best, and more importantly, to feature on the last page of the issue and give me my biggest smile of the issue. I'm not going to spoil it for you here, but if you picked up the pieces I laid out for you here, you can probably guess it, if you want. Bottom line? Hulk + Thor + Simonson = SMASH!!!

Ok, I can't deny it, the story sounds ridiculous, it sounds gross. But it works. It absolutely works. I truly believe Bendis may be at his best when he's writing this series.

Ok, so that's a lot of focus on what was really a very small portion of the book, but frankly, other then some set up for next issue and maybe a few issues down the road, nothing worth talking about really happened. Plus, the court hearing and an escalating conflict with the US government is an interesting idea. However, more often then not, Superman is just more interesting when he has something he can hit, and preferably something that can hit him back, like H'el for example. But I guess we were due for a little break in the action. Chances seem pretty good that next issue will feature a knockdown, drag out fight though. Either that o a few punches followed by the realization it's all a big misunderstanding. We'll just hav to wait and see which it turns out to be.

While this isn't the best issue of the book so far, I could at the very least have done without the Twilight reference, it's still a good read, it still moves the story forward. Speaking of the story, the idea so far has been that Morbius, recently escaped from prison in one of the last issues of Amazing Spider-Man, has found himself in Brownsville, which seems to be a dead end town filled with low level criminals, with the idea of laying low. But what kind of book would this be if that worked out, so obviously his life has just gotten more complicated with each passing issue. Add to this that Joe Keatinge writes Morbius with a self-deprecating self-awareness that comes off at once as charming, funny, and believable and while you don't have a typical super hero book, you do have a worthy addition to the Marvel line up. Give Morbius a chance folks, I think you'll enjoy it.

On the topic of those long fuses, what I was most expecting out of this issue was, trapped on a submarine together as they were, that the situation between Deadpool, Elektra and Punisher was going to explode. A natural assumption I think, because wh expects Deadpool to be patient? While Daniel Way didn't give us that xeplosion yet, he did lay more groundwork for it in the future. And in the meantime he did give us a smaller explosion, albeit one lacking a bit in the execution, but it's just another fuse I think we are only seeing the beginning of here. My advice? Keep reading, be patient, enjoy the slow burn. The ay off is coming, we're just going to have to wait.

While there isn't anything particularly wrong with this issue, and I can't fault anyone for enjoying it or Wrath of the First Lantern as a whole, it just isn't working for me, I'm ready to move on to the next story. Unfortunately, it looks like we have at least another month before Volthoom has been dealt with.

This particular issue focuses more on Banner then the Hulk, but it works, in no small part because as I said, today's Bruce Banner has a sense of humour. And when the Hulk does take over he fills his role beautifully in some wonderful and appropriately Hulk-like action sequences. What really made the issue for me though, was how Mark Waid and Leinil Yu framed the Hulk section of the book. I'm not gonna to spoil it, but check it out, I think you'll enjoy it.

Presumably big things are coming for Invincible and everyone around him, with Invincible Universe debuting in just two weeks, and this issue does a great job of getting us ready. Though relatively light on action, there is enough recap here to get new readers up to speed, continuing plot lines to keep old readers interested and foreshadowing to me us all want to see what comes next.

While Thunderbolts #6 is certainly not an action-heavy issue, it does serve to mostly tie up the teams mission on Kata Jaya, to give us a bit more insight into the motivations of Red Hulk and Madman, and to prepare us for what's coming next in just two weeks. I can't say this is a good place to start the series if you haven't already, but if you've been reading from the beginning like I have, and especially if you're a Deadpool fan, I think you'll enjoy this issue as much as I did. I can honestly say I'm looking forward to the next issue as much as I was the first issue.