Greg Capullo keeps delivering phenomenal issue after phenomenal issue. Capullo gives Bruce the stature of a real fighter, and one that has fifteen plans if one of his plans doesn't go through. Even when panels start to zoom out to accommodate for all the acton, characters are expressive, with readers being able to read what the characters are thinking and feeling in each situation.

Batman #17 is going to be one of the best issues of the year. If you haven't been reading Death of the Family, go pick up the issue right away. The Bat-books know how to do an event.

Daredevil: End of Days is the type of series that doesn't come around very often. It's a brilliant read, and one of the books that Marvel has put out years.

If you haven't been reading Journey Into Mystery, go pick up every trade and read it ASAP. It's quite possibly the best book that Marvel has been putting out, and a run like this probably won't come around again. Kieron Gillen, thank you for one amazing run

Hawkeyeis going to be a great series. Fraction and Aja prove that lightning can indeed strike twice.

This might be the last time I review Hawkeye, as it's a difficult book to review. Much like Daredevil, there are only so many things a person can say each month to get people to read this book. If you like Immortal Iron Fist, please pick up this book.

I'm not familiar with Jonathan Ross and his writing, but I want to be. While America's Got Powers #1 doesn't revolutionize comics, it's still fun to read. Ross throws a lot of things at the reader, but never do they feel overwhelmed. Ross frames the story in a way that slowly peels the layers back on the history while also subtly throwing hints at the way the world works. The reader's point of view is used through Tommy, the only person who hasn't received powers in the group of people who have. While it's clear that things won't be the same for Tommy by the way Ross introduces him to us, it's still great to see what happens at the end of the issue. The rest of the characters are given enough time to have the reader figure out who they are. While only superficial, it's nice that Ross quickly establishes these characters to a point where, as a reader, I'm interested to see what happens next.A lot of time is spent on explaining the rules of this world and why we should be invested in it.

After Superman: Earth One, I wasn't hopeful for this type of graphic novel. The Marvel Season Onebooks haven't done much to warrant these, even if they sell well. But Batman: Earth Oneshows that they can work out well, if done correctly. Even at $22.99, it's filled with greatness.

Chew #32 is classic Chew. Filled to the brim with call backs, while balancing humor and emotion brilliantly. Fantastic issue.

Chew: Secret Agent Poyo#1 is a great addition to the Chew universe. Poyo could easily support his own mini-series. #1 is pure fun.

We are two books into Marvel NOW!, and both have been great issues. Let us hope the rest of them are this stellar.

Cloonon conveys an astonishing amount of emotion on the character's faces. Anna's face is filled with regret, fear, and terror in one panel. Not many artists can pull of black and white, but Cloonan's art flourishes in it. The inks are stunning. The dark inking becomes more prevalent as the story takes a turn for the darker. On story alone, Demeter is a very quick read, but it'll take you forever as you soak up every page. The ocean plays a big part in this story, and the panels flow like the ocean. There is one page where there doesn't seem to be a traditional panel on the page. The water breaks the "panels" up, but doesn't affect the readers line of sight when reading. I'd like to see her go back to Swamp Thing do this kind of intricate panel work on that series.

At this point in it's run, Fatale is up there with Saga, Daredevil, and Locke & Key with series that should not be missed by any comic fan. Pick up the first two trades and any single issues needed to get caught up.

IT Came! is an acquired experience, but it's very enjoyable once that experience is done. I can't wait for the second issue.

Mind the Gap#2 is another strong entry into the series. With this book added to their publishing list, Image continues to have one of the best selections of comics.

Steve Lieber's artwork is well suited for this book. While there are plenty of spandex, the majority of the issue is filled with normal people. When the spandex do show up, they seem out of place with what is going on, drawing more attention to the people wearing them. But this ends up being a great sight gag, as seeing Shocker wear a trench coat and hat while in costume is just plain funny. Yeah, like it's hiding anything. Lieber's facial cues are superb. Comedic comic writing is only as good as the artist who sells the jokes.Read more: http://www.comicbooktherapy.com/review-the-superior-foes-of-spider-man-1-153799#ixzz2YCWEteng

Swamp Thing fans should be happy that Swampy was brought into the new 52 in style. Snyder and Paquette's run will be considered a classic when all is said and done.

Fialkov and Infurnari have created a suspenseful, and intriguing comic in The Bunker.

The Private Eye is a great start to a series. If you have a PayPal account, you owe yourself to buy this comic.

Trillium is a mind bending, time traveling tale that has you hooked a few pages in.

David Marquez, who can do no wrong recently on pencils, is damn near perfect. Every character is full of personality and detail. The constant grief on Miles' face sells every sentence of Bendis' dialogue. Bendis has always had a knack for writing to the artist's strength, and it shows in issues like #23. Gwen's looks towards Miles are penciled with a detail you don't see in much from the big two. Gwen's eyes are worth a thousand words. Their full of emotion that Gwen only wishes she could speak. Miles are cold, and are trying to deal with things beyond his age. All-New X-Men was great for elivating Marquez's stature as an A-list artist, but his penciling panels that make a career in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.

Chris Samnee is one of those artists, when you see their name on the cover, it requires you to buy it. His artwork has always been brilliant, and that continues with this issue. Characters clearly look their actor counterparts, but Samnee is giving them all his own take. His artwork suits a fantasy book well, as shown on Thor: The Mighty Avenger. While I love his artwork on Daredevil, I wouldn't mind him staying around on the title for the occasional fill in work. As always, characters are borderline lifelike with how expressive they are. The book couldn't have been lettered and the reader would be able to get an idea of what is going on in this book. The numerous monsters look fantastic. If you had any doubt that Samnee is going to be one of the best artists of this generation, look no further than here for reasons why. Then go read Daredeviland see even more.

Angel & Faithcontinue to be the best of the Buffy books. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Angel & Faith has been consistently strong since the launch last year. If you loved the Angel TV show, do yourself a favor and catch up on the series.

While Season 9 has been great for Angel & Faith, issue #20 is the creme de la creme. Fans of the Buffyverse, just read this book already.

Ghosted #1 had a problem or two, but the series has a lot of potential. I'm already looking forward to issue #2.

Williamson and Sudzuka continue to impress on Ghosted. It's quickly becoming one of Image's best titles.

The Movement is off to a great start, and fans that love books like Gotham Central should buy this series.

The Movement is one of, if not the best book DC is putting out right now. Don't wait, go out and but it.

Thief of Thieves is a compelling series that keeps getting better each issue. With all the pieces in place, this book is only going to get better.

Thief of Thievesis a great series that is worthy of getting it's own show, even though it's such a young series.

Shawn Martinbrough's pencils continue to amaze. The entire issue looks like a storyboard for a potential episode. AMC probably loves this, as it gives them a great idea for what the episode should look like. The always talk heavy issues cater to Martinbrough's strengths, as it gives him a chance to draw characters with lots of personality. Readers can get a great read on who they are and how they will react in this situation. The body language use rivals Chris Samnee as some of the best in the industry. While the issue has a realistic feel, the heavy line use gives the issue a comic book feel. Too often artists try to be as realistic as possible, forgetting where the story is being published. But Martinbrough gives us the best of both worlds. As a reviewer, I can see this book becoming a bitch to review, as it's going to be harder and harder to find ways to say “this book is great and you should be reading it.”

Thief of Thievesis a great series that will no doubt get better with time. With James Asmus (Generation Hopeand Gambit) joining the writing team next month, I'm nothing but excited.

While I was curious about this book, even the whole event, some of my weariness has subsided. If DC had editorially mandated all these stories onto the writers/artists, the quality would be quite apparent right away. But Minutemen#1 has made me rather optimistic about the event. It's way to early to tell if this is going to be an artistic success. If you were thinking of reading these books, at least give Minutemen#1 a chance.

Characters are expressive, even when in the background. Phil Noto colors the issue beautifully. He compliments Cooke's pencils and inks perfectly. Some of the pages look a tad rushed, but it's hard to tell if it's the penciling or inking that made the pages look this way. There were few color smudges on the final page, so this very well could be caused by the printer.

Minutemenis still the only Before Watchmentitle that I suggest fully. It's worth your money.

I feel like a broken record at this point with this series. ReadBefore Watchmen Minutemen. If you were on the edge of the entire event,Minutemen will show you why this event was made.

I sound like a broken record at this point, but Minutemen has been the best Before Watchmen book. Pick up the past few issues, and enjoy.

Star Wars #1 is a good start to a series, and a great starting point for fans of the movies. I'm glad I can add a Star Wars comic to my ever growing pull list.

There is a slight hiccup in Carlos D'Anda's artwork. When Luke is rescuing an X-pilot, the pilot somewhat looks like Leia. But when we get back to the hangar, Leia walks up to the X-wing, and it's a different person. D'Anda's characters all have similar facial features, and can occasionally cause problems like this. It's the only problem in an otherwise pristine issue. D'Anda fills every scene with minute details. The double page spread of the Death Star being build is astounding. I brought up a picture of the Death Star from Return of the Jedi, and D'Anda changes it every so slightly, to show that it isn't at the level in that movie. It's something you might not notice from the first read through, but made my jaw drop at the second. Gabe Eltaeb does a great job on colors. The books feels lived in, as if these people have been here for years. Coruscant is filled with lights that reflect of everything.

Star Wars continues to be a solid book. It may have a bump here or there, but it is worth your $3.99 each month.

Age of Ultron is off to a very good start. Let us hope that it can keep the high quality through the event.

If you have been hating on Dan Slott for his major changes, do yourself a favor and give the issue a shot.

At this point in Slott's Spider-Man run, you either love Humberto Ramos' pencils, or you don't. I'm more toward liking them, but they have problems. But when given enough time, his pencils can be brilliant.

Astonishing X-Men#50 is a great story, and continues Marjorie Liu's great writing. Thanks to Greg Pak and Liu, Astonishinghasn't been at this high creatively since Joss started the book.

Even with a $4.99 price tag, Batman Annual #1is worth your money. Bat-fans won't be disappointed.

After reading Before Watchmen Rorschach#1, I'd say that this is another series that fans of the original series need to read.

As I look back on many of the reviews I have written forBefore Watchmen, my complaints seem to be the same for each series. The writing could be better, but the art is great. And when this is all said and done, I'm sure that's all everyone will remember. But we still have a few months left ofBefore Watchmen so we shall see.

As with every other Buffy book,Willow starts off on the right foot. The Buffy books add another stellar series.

Dial H #1 is off to a good start, and fans looking for something different in their super hero books should give it a shot.

Clayton Mann was a great penciler on Spider-Girl. His pencils aren't as superhero-y here, with the fine inks and soft colors giving the book a grounded look. The inking works well for establishing a human story, but we are dealing with super heroes here. I'd like to see Sean Mann's inks become a tad bolder as the series goes on. With most of the book being banter, Clayton Mann focuses on nailing the facial cues. The eyes can be a little hard to discern, as many are wearing sunglasses. Characters retain their facial features even when the panel zooms out, which has become a lost art in superhero books these days. I'd like to see Mann pencil some of Gambit's powers more, as the quick appearance of them looks decent.

Guardians of the Galaxy is another win for the cosmic side of Marvel. Cosmic fans rejoice.

Todd Nauck has been a comic staple for years. His artwork is consistently great and he never falls behind when it comes to deadlines. That great reputation continues with Guarding. Facial expressions could use some help, as different people have the same expression when talking in different tones. The same could be said with the look of some characters as well. Characters like Britt stand out, but the woman don't fare as well. It doesn't distract from an otherwise great issue, but something worth noting. Nauck switches between big action and quiet moments without missing a beat. With the Invincible universe being back to basics, Nauck's artwork fits this mission statement better than most artists. The pencils have a classic look to them that is always appealing to a reader.

Indestructible Hulk is the title that may convert people who have been skeptical of a Hulk book. Another great start for a Marvel NOW! book.

Jonathan Hickman starts Infinity off on the right foot. The first issue is a great read, and has me hopeful for the rest of the event

Justice League of America #6 continues the mystery of the first part of Trinity War in a great way. Doug Mahnke pencils great in an issue filled with expressions of emotion and big two page splash panels.

Rucka and Lark continue to impress on Lazarus. Eve needs slightly more characterization, but otherwise a stellar issue

Morning Glories #18 keeps the consistency of high entertainment we have come to expect with this book.

Morning Gloriesis one of those hard books to review. The reviewer doesn't want to give the plot away, but that is a big part of this job. Bottom line, old fans will like this book, and new fans will want to catch up as soon as possible.

Joe Eisma's art has been improving exponentially since this series has started. Characters are expressive and full of personality. Eisma uses different camera angles to build tension effectively. There are a lot of characters in each scene, but Eisma makes every one stand out. Eisma's strength has always been talking heads, and this issue is nothing but that. The few gruesome scenes hit really hard, and a lot has to do with the colors of the blood. Eisma has always had an astonishing attention to detail, and each scene shows off this great talent. He uses the blank backgrounds sparingly, and they help the dramatic scenes hit their emotional marks.

Morning Glories #26 starts off season 2 on a high note. Side note, I'm glad Spencer and Eisma decided to keep the original numbering, and not revert back to #1 for the second season.

If you are a Nova fan, and were worried about this book, don't be. While it is only one issue, I can at least rejoice to see one of my favorite characters back on the stands.

Creative changes can bring a series down sometimes, but this doesn't seem to be one of the cases. Nova is in good hands.

Numbercruncher #1 is filled with old tropes, but is still a great read. Noir fans should give the title a read.

Series like Sagaare the bane of a comic reviewer's existence. It's hard to find new ways to say “this book is great” each and every month. Sagais a great book that should be read by each and every comic reader. Much like Y: the Last Man, this book has the makings of greatness. It might not live up to Y, but it's going to try it's hardest.

With more and more big writers at DC and Marvel writing more creator owned books, Saucer Country looks to be one of the brightest. If you aren't reading this book, pick up #1 and hop aboard. Science fiction fans will love this book as well.

Khoi Pham has been a great artist on Scarlet Spider. #16 is one of his weaker issues though, as it seems rushed. But the characters are still expressive, and his pencils help sell the humor. There are a few jokes in the background, which gave me some hard laughs. Look at Annabelle's entrance to see a great example of this. Once the group makes it to the rodeo, the crowds had to be the last thing that Pham penciled. If you look at certain panels, it looks like Pham started to pencil the crowd, then the crowd wad digitally added over it to save time. The inking by Pallot & Olazaba is thinner than normally. When Pham's pencils have thick inks, they just look better.

Snapshot #1 is a good start to a miniseries. It's pure fun, and beautiful looking. Give this book a shot.

Mark Texeira's cover sets up what the reader should expect perfectly. But what surprised me was that the interiors had the painted quality as well. The B-movie esthetic is on every page, with some panels looking like classic B-movie posters. The ships and bars are cheesy looking, as well as the space suits. The Venom symbiote looks great attached to the Brood. The black hole sucking in a huge army of Venom looks as awesome as that sounds. But Texeira still nails the quieter moments. Frank is expressive, even if most of the expressions are him trying to be mean. The plethora of alien beings make this lived in universe feel more lived in. I was hesitant to buy #2 of this series, but on Texiera's art alone, it will be worth it to stick around.

Spider-Men#1 is a good start to the mini-series, and looks to be a lot of fun.

If you were scared by the ending to Amazing Spider-Man #700, do yourself a favor and give this book a chance.

Ryan Stegman proves again that he is going to be the Spider-Man artist for this generation. His energetic pencils fit the world perfectly. Spider-Man swings through air with such ease and fluidity. Spock has a slight smugness in his expressions, where Peter's are all genuine. MJ's eyes stood out to me, especially when Spock refuses a kiss. The reader can feel the sadness and confusion in her eyes. Every page is incredibly detailed, even the characters that are in the background. I with this book would slow down, shipping once a month, so Stegman could pencil every issue. Edgar Delgado colors a great issue. The ghostly color of Peter is perfect. Spider-Man books have always been bright and splashy, and Delgado nails that tone.

Superior Spider-Man #9 is somewhat of a retread of Amazing Spider-Man #700, but it's still a good issue. Now that Slott has moved on from a few plot points, we can get on with the story.

Avenging Spider-Manis a book that needs to have a constant creative team. I long for the days when Zeb Wells wrote this book. The team up genre is one that can be fun, but constantly changing up the creative team is going to create a sense of unevenness. Unless Zeb Wells is going to be on one of the Marvel NOW! books, I'd really love for him to come back. He is one of the best Spider-Man writers right now, and deserves to be writing the character more regularly.

The Black Beetle was a big surprise for me. I wasn't expecting a fun short story. But I now have another book added to my ever growing pull list.

What is there to say about Francavilla's pencils at this point? The book is beautiful. Many pages could be framed. Francavilla's panel usage is perfect. Black Beetle feels like a movie at some times. The sewer scene is the standout scene for the book. The new villain might not have much in explanation yet, but he has a great look too him. I was quite tempted to scan the image and solve the puzzle on him. Black Beetle is a book that becomes a bore to review, as I have to dig out my thesaurous each month to find new ways to say, "Francavilla's artwork and you should buy this book so it stays around."

The Massive is Brian Wood at his best. If you love his Marvel work right now, pick this book up. My pull list is constantly growing (much to the chagrin of my wallet), but The Massive has earned a spot in my list.

Uncanny Avengers is a good start to Marvel NOW! Let's only hope the rest of these books can live up to the high quality that Remender and Cassaday have show us here.

Uncanny Avengers continues on a strong note, as does all of the Marvel NOW! books (that I have read).

David Acua has been one of the unsung heroes of superhero comics. His work is suited for the spandex wearing heroes, with his colorist style artwork. Acua has the same problems that have been in his artwork before: characters have zero facial features once they enter the background, which makes it impossible to tell how they the inflection behind their dialogue. But his pencils have improved in the past few months. Backgrounds are much more detailed, and characters expressions are better than ever. The backgrounds in particular, have improved vastly. Sinister London looks fantastic, and rivals Dustin Weaver's on scale. While Weaver didn't separate each of the Sinisters well, Acua gives each Sinster slight variations. If Uncannydidn't ship so often, I'd say Acua should join on as the main artist. With Marvel NOW! coming in a few months, Marvel needs to put this guy on a high profile book regularly.

With such big shoes to fill, Cullen Bunn starts his run off on the right foot. Look for this book to only get better (until Jeph Loeb takes over for a few months with #310)

Chris Bachalo's artwork is great here. As always with his pencils, occasionally they get to hectic for their own good, but considering this issue is mostly talking, this doesn't happen much. One panel has a problem of issues with perspective, and that is Cap being attacked by the danger".school? Do we call it the danger school? The rest of the issue is a great showcase of Bachalo's work. Characters are expressive, and bursting with energy. It's clear that Wolverine is feeling a lot of pain and confusion with what is going on with the Avengers and X-Men. Wolverine & the X-Men has been arguable one of the best books art wise (with Daredevil taking the #1 spot), and #9 is another great example. I miss Nick Bradshaw's art, but who cares when Bachalo is this on his game. With next issue looking to feature more fighting, hopefully Bachalo will be able to convey the chaotic nature of the battles without sacrificing the reader's ability to understand what is going on. Or make i

Georges Jeanty returns this month on art, and his art has never been better. The three months off gave Jeanty plenty of time to work on the faces, which look closer to their actor counterparts. There are many close ups of Buffy, and she looks as close to Sarah Michelle Gellar as she ever has. One of his bigger problems is facial details on characters that somewhat enter the background. Not a problem here. The quick action scene in the beginning works better than the few we have seen so far this season. Jeanty's action scenes can seem stiff and action figure life. One panel sadly suffers from this, but the rest has a slight sense of motion to it. Buffy's reaction after being shot at was one of the better facial expressions of this issue.

Billy's first appearance could have been better, but it's a good start. Welcome to the Buffyverse Billy. Let's hope you stay around for a while.

Georges Jeanty is back on pencils this month. The extra time off has helped his pencils immensely. At this point in his Buffy career, you either like that Jeanty doesn't stick to the exact look of the actors or you don't. Funny enough, the character on the final page looks exactly like their actor counterpart. It's funny, as every time I've seen this character, the penciler can't seem to nail down the actor's looks. The action scenes flow well, and Jeanty's panel progression is better than in recent issues. There are plenty of dustings When Jeanty is rushed, many of the characters lose their detail in the big fight scenes. He'd do well on a bimonthly book. Dexter Vines, one of the best inkers in the industry, inks a great issue. The numerous dustings must have been time consuming. Michelle Madsen's colors are good as always. The flu color for Dawn was sickening, but very funny. Same with the puke from her.

Buffy is starting to wrap up season 9, and it's looking to have more dramatic changes than big battles. And this is good for the Buffy universe every now and then.

Buffy hasn't been somewhat uneven in Season 9, but #24 is a knockout.

I'm not familiar with Paul Lee's pencils, but he has certainly left an impression after the first issue. The majority of this issue is internal monologue, and Lee handles it well. He has Spike make small facial movements to match the thoughts, that I'm surprised more pencilers don't do. While the artists on Buffyhave been having trouble matching the look of the stars who originally played the characters, Lee nails the look of Spike. He looks exactly like James Martsters. Lee has the comedic timing needed for a book like this. The quick action scenes look great, and the monster designs giving the book a different feel than the rest of the Buffybooks. Paul Lee has suddenly become a penciler to put on my watch list.

Spike is a great series for Buffyverse fans, which continues to be one of the strongest franchises in comics.

Spike #4 is has a few hiccups that keeps it from being a great as the past few issues. But with the ending coming up, the creative team will no doubt get back on track.

If your a fan of the character Spike, do yourself a favor and check out this series. The Buffy books have been on a role as of late, and Spike continues that.

All-New X-Men #1 isn't the smash hit that Marvel was no doubt hoping for, but it does show potential.

All-New X-Men had a rough start, but it's worked out the kinks by the second issue. I assumed this would take a few months. Well, you know what happens when you assume.

All-New X-Men has been firing on all cylinders since the start. I'm excited to see where this series goes.

It's hard to decide book is the flagship title for the X-books. Wolverine & the X-Men might be the leader for now, but All-New X-Men is giving Wolverine & the X-Men a run for it's money.

Stuart Immonen seemed to be having trouble with the increased shipping schedule in #4. But #5 is back to the strong pencils of the first three issues. While some characters have similar facial features, they all have something that sets them apart from the other characters. The new look for Beast isn't that big of a change. He looks a little like Swamp Thing to me. The double splash page of Jean experiencing her entire life is amazingly detailed. The panel structure is quite complicated, but the reader never has a problem following the panel flow. It rivals Yanick Paquette's panel work on Swamp Thing. Wade Von Grawbadger gets some help this month from Craig Yeung, and a reader can't tell where the change in inkers took place. The same can be said with Marte Carcia and Jason Keith on colors. The double page spread is masterfully colored.

After a string of strong issues, #15 feels like a misstep for All-New X-Men. Especially with Battle of the Atom coming next month.

Avengers is off to a good start, but I never doubted that for a second. Marvel NOW! keeps bringing more hits.

Avengers still has a few problems, but is still a great book. The rotating artists wasn't as big of a problem as I anticipated. I thought they might clash.

Readers looking for something a little different than super hero fighting should check out Bedlam. Highly recommended.

Bedlam #3 is slightly weaker than the first two, but still an enjoyable comic. Not every issue can be amazing.

Another issue, another Crimson Corsairback up. The art does look good so far, although I haven't had a chance to read the two back ups back to back.

The story might have some faults, but Amanda Conner's art is beautiful. She sticks to the nine panel set up more than the previous issue, and uses it perfectly. The few fight scenes gain the most from the structure, and never feel cramped. Like the script, the surroundings feel like the times, but never feel gimmicky or clich.

Amanda Conner continues to pencil the hell out of this book. The acid trip extravaganza on the first few pages uses some of the best panel structure I have seen.

Silk Spectre is one of two series that I would say Watchmen fans should read. It elaborates on Laurie's past in an interesting, and entertaining way. If you are waiting for the trades, pick this one up.

Invincible Universe #1 could have started off better, but it's a solid start. It's the best Invincible book I've read besides the main book.

Fans of Invincible should pick up this series if they are looking for another dip into the Invincible universe. I'm excited for this series, even with it's couple of hiccups.

Fans of Invincible have no reason not to be reading this book. It's lots of fun, and keeps getting better.

After a sub par issue, Invincible Universe finds it's feet again in one of the best issues of the series to date.

While not the worst issue, things to change fast in this series if the event is going to be saved at all. With JRJR finally getting a break and Olivier Coipeltaking over on art duties, it's time for the event to turn it around quality wise. My fingers are crossed for Act 2.

Event books are always constant. If the quality starts to dip, usually it's hard for an event to turn around from bad issues. But Avengers vs X-Menis the first one I have seen do it. It helps that the series is double shipped, but the quality alone has changed. I'm actually excited for Avengers vs X-Men#7, and the event in general. And that's the first time since the first issue.

The biggest point in the “good” column is that the book has become more self contained. While reading tie-ins would help, it's not necessary with this issue (and #6). While I have been reading a fair number of tie-ins, it's good to see an event become more self contained.

Avengers vs X-Mencontinues to be on an upswing. With only three issues left, I'm just getting more excited for each issue.

Andy Kubert rocks this issue. His facial cues work well, even when the panel zooms out. He's penciling more issues than originally planned*, which makes his un-rushed pencils that much more impressive. The dragon looks bad ass. The panel that made me put the issue down and stare was when Hope let loose on Cyclops. It has a 3D quality too it. The chaos fist is a worthy name for that punch. Kubert uses stagnant panels quite a bit in this issue, and it suits his pencils well. He nails the timing of the punches and kicks in these panels, giving them movie like qualities. Maybe someone can explain, but is Captain America crying when he is talking to Professor X? I can't tell if it's sweat or if Cap is actually crying. Hopefully Marvel will find a book for Kubert to join for Marvel NOW!

Avengers vs X-Men as a whole has been a fun event. Having the issue double ship each month helped, as there were a few issues that were less than favorable. But I'll remember this event fondly, something I can't say about Fear Itself. The only thing that could have been changed was the magnitude of writers. A great idea when trying to build the event, but bad when going from issue to issue. Many of them, mainly Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction, have their distinctive voice that comes out when the write. The rest of the writers, can mold their writing style enough to work with others. The big thing is having all the mutants come back. Some aren't going to be happy with this, and some will. I fall into the "happy" category, as it opens up a lot of new stories. It gives Bendis and other X-writers new characters to work with.

Ryan Ottley continues to destroy the art on this book (in a good way). He switches from bombastic action to quiet scenes without missing a hitch. His characters have always been very expressive, and that continues here. I recently went on a Invincible reading spree, and it's amazing how much Ottley's art has improved over the years. Not to say his art was bad before, but it's just that much better now. The action scenes are great as always. Someone times Ottley's bodies can be a little exaggerated, but Eve's body has stayed surprisingly the same. Even with some added weight, Ottley gives her a great amount of confidence and sex appeal. Dinosaurus has a great amount of detail. While the book hasn't been shipping on time for a while, it's better to have to wait a while and have the art look better than have it ship on time and have the art suffer.

Ryan Ottley and Cory Walker share penciling duties on this issue. Ottley pencils most of the issue, with Walker handling the story parts that detail Monster Girl and Rex in the alien world. Ottley's pencils are, as always, gorgeous. Characters have a stunning mount of personality when they speak. And while he fight scene wasn't exactly needed, Ottley knocks it out of the park. He never ceases to amaze me when it comes to penciling new villains

Invincible is going to be a great book to read in the upcoming months. Next month would be a good time to jump on.

Invincible is looking to have one epic of an anniversary issue. If you haven't been reading it, #98 is a good issue to start reading. The first arc is quite accessible to new readers.

Let's hope that Kirkman and company can turn around a good ending to "The Death of Everyone." Creators are allowed a bad issue now and then, but the timing of this one isn't good for them.

Invincible #100 isn't the astounding issue that this series deserved, but it's still a good issue.

Invincible #103 is a great issue, but a few things keep it from being a perfect issue. But the series continues to shake it's status quo up in great ways.

Avengers Arena has a lot of potential for a series. If you liked Avengers Academy, give this book a shot.

Constantine is off to a good start, even with a few bumps in the road. Lemire, Fawkes, and Guedes have crafted a fun book though, and I'll be along for the ride (for now).

The Flash has always been a beautiful book, with Barry Allen speeding around everywhere. But in this issue, with Barry only walking around, Manapul and Buccellato bring us a beautiful world. The transparent faces and scenes behind them are simply gorgeous on every level. It's easy to get lost in this book each and every month. Much like the Flash, Turbine's powers look great. Readers can see and feel the speed that Turbine is cranking out. The quick shots of King Grood and his world are great as well. Manapul packs a great amount of detail into them; with the reader being able to see every hair on their body. Seeing issues like this can make one nervous that Manapul or Buccellato would have to take a month off to achieve this level of detail.

Green Arrow #17 isn't the home run that many were wishing for, but it shows that Lemire has a lot of plans for Ollie. It's a good time to be a Green Arrow fan right now.

The Shadow starts off right, but could have been a lot better. But it's safe to say that anyone who reads the book will be around next month to see what happens next.

Action Comics hasn't been a massive disappointment, but a disappointment none the less. Maybe my hopes were to high for this series.

Andy Diggle writes a great issue, and delivers the best issue of any Superman book in the New 52.

Tony Daniel's artwork is great to look to look at. When he isn't writing a book and penciling, his characters become much more detailed. Characters are very expressive, and Daniels uses body language very well. The main enemy in this issue, besides Luthor, doesn't have an inspiring look. Daniel would have been a great artist to work alongside Diggle. The last few pages, when we see the inherent chemistry between Lois and Clark, is fantastic. You can feel the air crack around them. But Daniel is off to do another book for DC, and we are going to get…..well it doesn't matter who is on art, because Scott Lobdell will be writing. Ok, enough Lobdell bashing. It could be a good issue for all I know. Batt and Norm Rapmund ink Daniel's pencils well. It keeps them from getting too scratchy. Tomeu Morey is a great Superman colorist. He finds the optimism in the character, and each scene is full of color and life.

The Crimson Corsairback up continues, and I'm loving the art. While the story is slightly hard to follow, considering only two pages can be read at a time, the art is leaving an impression.

While the story is bad, J.G. Jones artwork shines. The facial problems from #1 are gone, with Bobby Kennedy seeming genuine. Much like the dialogue, the Army guys blend into the background, but that may be on purpose. Jones nails the atmosphere of Vietnam. Much more than script. It's a gritty dark war, and so is this issue. Jones continues to be the only person to not stick to the nine panel structure. In fact, he's the only person to not follow any distance pattern. It sets itself apart from the rest of the books, but that's not necessarily a good thing. One of the things that gives each books its own feeling is the panel structure. It immediately gives the reader a feeling of what is about to come. But Comedianjust feels like another comic book. Overall, his artwork has improved. While not worth the cover price, Jones' pencils at least soften the blow.

Much like the rest of this event, the art on Dollar Bill is the one redeeming factor. Steve Rude gives the book a classic feel. Dollar Bill has the look and feel of the original Watchmen. This is helped by Rude's amazing lettering. In the vein of Chris Samnee, Rude's pencils are amazingly simple, but are filled with a great deal of emotion. He doesn't follow the nine panel structure that most of the artists have been following, but the issue still works. The white framing around each page is a nice touch, adding to the retro feel. Dollar Bill might not be one of the best written issue, but Rude's art makes the $3.99 price tag a little easier to absorb.

The story may only be ok, but Adam Hughes art is worth the $3.99.

Nite Owlis far from a failure, but it still needs to figure out it's purpose soon.

Earth 2 #1 could have been a hell of a lot better, but it also could have been worse. It's a book to watch in the future, to see if it's quality improves.

Noctua has some potential, and some will want to stick it out with the title. But with the number of titles I read each month ever growing, it would be hard to add this indie title to my pull list.

Savage Wolverine is going to be a bubble book for some time. If the writing can improve, and the tone can shift a little bit, we have ourselves a great book. But if not, we have a dud.

The name change ends up hurting the once great Spider-Man comic. Spock's characterization is downright annoying

Sibling Rivalry is a good story for a crossover. Very entertaining, and requires both titles. But Yost needs to figure out how to write Otto again.

Doug Mahnke and an army of inkers create a great looking issue. Baz's greenness (pardon the pun) to the Corps is evident in his eyes. As usual with Mahnke, the action flows very well, with every Lantern construct popping off the page. The First Lantern has a great look to him. Black Hand is still the only Lantern enemy that I truly like, and that is due to Mahnke's creepy pencils. There is an aura of deadness to him, even when time shifts and we see him as a young guy. For the prologue, we have Dan Jurgens on breakdowns, and Phil Jimenez finishing up. The art looks identical to Jimenez's work, to the point it is difficult to tell that Jurgens' actually broke down the scenes. It has a great, cheesy 80s quality too it, although I`m not sure if that was the intention.

Not the worst start for a video game comic, but this could have been a lot better.

X-Treme X-Menis going to be a book to watch at Marvel. If #2 and #3 continue this trend of not realizing the fun potential, then this book is going to be on the bubble.

While I was in Walt Disney World last week, I couldn't get around to writing a review for Nite Owl#1. But as you can tell from the first paragraph, it wasn't a good issue. Before Watchmen Nite Owl#1 gets 2/5.

Ozymandias, and other series for that matter, are starting to falter. The writers need to find a focus and purpose fast, or these last few months will be a bitter memory.

Just stay away from this series. It could have been a lot better, but instead we got a generic series that doesn't add anything to the Watchmen universe.