Much of Dear Becky comes across as rather dull. Except for the occasional flashback (one that is particularly gruesome, see warning), this issue consists mainly of dialogue that sounds exactly like what it aims to be: two grown men who have given up on life critiquing the world from a small town bar. While I recognize that the author is setting the stage for events to come, the pages that fill Dear Becky are tempting to skip. It could be, however, that I am too harsh a critic. It is, after all, a first issue. Perhaps the writer is setting up the dullness and complacency of Hughies life in order to contrast it with the rude awakening of dangerous secrets brought to light.

In the development of Inkblot, creators Rusty Gladd and Emma Kubert used the Marvel method, meaning that the dialogue is meant to supplement the artwork. As such, Inkblot has an especially old-fashioned feel in certain places, particularly when the Seeker monologues her way through action sequences across each panel. The fantasy setting and artwork of Inkblot have a whimsical quality that took me back to the hours I spent reading Cricket as a young child. This series is ideal for children or anyone wanting a break from extra gritty comics–not to mention, the cat is wickedly adorable.

I have recently been growing in my appreciate for the Daredevil character and universe, so I was interested to review this comic and get to know Elektra a little bit more. The Daredevil stories remind me of old-school Batman, with their themes of a dark city and a dark hero whose antagonists are underworld mobsters and former assassins. I think this particular issues strength is in the way it gives depth to Elektra as a female character before diving into the main action of the arc. It is a good read and worth pursuing if you are a fan of Daredevil comics.

I really enjoyed the political intrigue of this comic. The story of Joptis childhood, told in flashbacks, allows the reader to piece together the story in a non-linear fashion that builds the tension in an appealing manner. The artwork and paneling make the story easy to follow, and the aesthetic gives a loosely Medieval Middle Eastern setting to this science fiction story. Dune: Blood of the Sardaukar #1 is a great comic that converted me to being a Dune-appreciator.

The strength of this comic is its dialogue, which contains world and character building content. The artwork and panels are easy to follow, and I especially appreciate the panels detailing the hierarchy of the Eternals, their roles and relationship to the Machine and the Principles, and a brief timeline of the cosmos (limited to the purposes of the story, of course). What is particularly interesting about this issue is that is expounds on Thanos rationale for his obsession with death by having him talk to an ancestor who shares that obsession. Uranos theses on the Principles provides a detailed explanation of his motivation for omni-genocide and works within the context of the Eternals universe. I always appreciate comics that have a striking mythological bent, which is what draws me to Eternals comics and leads me to recommend The Heretic.

Furthermore, I liked the odd aesthetic details of the West house (e.g. a gargoyle statue, a crucifix painting which sternly overlooks John and Julie having sex, and roses scattered at random) which seem out of place in a suburban home and are perhaps meant to echo how out of place John West is outside of his native town. This series promises to be a good supernatural thriller, complete with monsters and some body horror. Its a brand that is right up my alley and I look forward to reading more issues.

Batman: The Smile Killeris an excellent read that is a refreshing change from the slew of purely action-based comics. It's a story that grabs the readers attention in the first issue and is perfect for both well-versed Batman fans and beginning comics readers.

Interestingly, That Texas Blood is the result of a long-time dream for Condon and Phillips, who initially conceptualized the story for film. For both writer and artist, this issue marks the beginning of their very own comic. Despite that Condon is from coastal New Jersey and Phillips is from the UK, they took an interest in Texas as the setting of their story out of appreciation for the way the location has inspired other neo-Western crime series. The result is an excellent comic, well worth reading.

Additionally, the paneling and artwork is simple and easy to follow, yet pleasing and not too minimal. As the oldest girl in a large family, I grew up relating closely to myths about oldest girls on quests to break family curses. As such, revisiting the Children of Lir in this comic retelling was somewhat emotional for me, yet wholesome and rewarding.

Finally, I thought the script was excellent. Comics that contain both good writing and good artwork are always a pleasure to read, and Im glad that my first Ghost Rider comic was one such.

This comic was my first introduction to Hellboy. Hopefully, it will not be my last.

I have always felt that the X-Men stories capture the mythical nature of comics in a unique way, with their emphasis on god-like humans, and death and resurrection. This issue is an exciting contribution to X Lives and Deaths of Wolverine, and I look forward to following Logans interactions with time and other X-Men in following issues.