In less than a year of releases, the creators have established a living world in this small town. Each time they showed the, titular, black hammer laying unmoved near the limits of their prison, it evoked a sense of the weight these characters carry with them. Its amazing that this title, populated by so many recognizable comic book archetypes, has been one of the most unique releases this year. While I would suggest this book to almost any reader, long-standing comic fans will find even deeper layers to this story.

As we draw closer to the inevitable ending, Black Science ramps up the action. Remender has done a wonderful job of setting up his dominoes, now we all get to enjoy it as everything tumbles towards the conclusion. This was a particularly good issue, with one of the best cliffhangers I've seen in awhile, and a five-eyed, six-armed, interdimensional ape-god that wants to rip everyone's face off, for good measure.

I wouldnt have thought this book could live up to the high standard the movie set, but both creators do a wonderful job of adapting the property to this new medium. With proper doses of comedy and mystery, this was a delightful read, and the art style compliments the story perfectly.

This is somewhat of a bridge chapter, getting us from one place to another, but Daniels art makes it an enjoyable read. I wasnt quite as impressed as I was with the first issue, but anyone that knows this property understands things are going to go down eventually, so Ill stick with this title in the hopes that this was just some necessary rearranging of game pieces.

Making this and The Forge into a single 64-page event preamble, like Countdown to Infinite Crisis, might have helped this story read better. While inconsistent art and pacing also detracted from the overall enjoyment of this book, I dont think its going to scare anyone, who has followed Snyders Batman run this far, away. The premise is interesting, and Im still looking forward to the main event book, but a quick recap could probably give readers all they need to know without having to read these issues.

I have a hard time imagining who this book is for. If you're old enough to understand the subject matter then the presentation will probably seem a bit juvenile, but I dont think you would want your kids reading this either. Fans of the characters may not find much to cling onto, because theyve been so fundamentally changed. DC could have done something with their resident pilot, Hal Jordan, using Dastardly & Muttley as villainous foils, drawing on the history of the characters. His Lantern ring could have allowed for some cartoony visuals, staying with the theme. I hate to turn anyone away from the book because Mauricet is doing some impressive work, but my optimism got the best of me this time.

Extremity is a rich world, filled believable characters and motives. Things slow down a bit as the characters regain their footing, and we begin to see the new direction the book is taking. Some grey areas emerge from a story that has been black and white, thus far, giving us even more reasons to stick with the series.

A single mans vision, Extremity gets better and richer with each issue. While its a bleak world, compassion fights to get a foothold. The story mashes genres together, offering the fantastic while remaining firmly planted in the human condition.

Starting an unknown property at a higher price point is a risk, but I think the double-sized 50-page issue pays off. Many creator-owned titles seem to struggle with getting their story rolling in the normal 20-30 page format, but this issue lays it all out for us nicely. This chapter is mostly set-up, but we do get some action towards the end, promising a more dynamic second issue.

Boom Studios! has an incredibly unique book in Godshaper. Besides a great original concept, the all-around presentation of this book sucks you right into this world of personal deities. This issue digs a bit deeper into our main characters, Ennay and Bud's backstory, and the world is turned on it's head with a last page reveal. This book was suggested to me, and I'm passing that right along to you. You'd be missing out on something special if you don't check this title out.

Even with the shift in art, this was one of my favourite issues of the series. Full of both action and development, it fleshes out the backstory of several characters. I'm sorry this book only has one chapter left, but hopefully we'll see more from this creative team in the"future?

This issue had all the Bond tropes weve come to expect, but handles them incredibly well. It also manages to subvert some of those expectations, showing that even Agent 007 is human. The art is spot on and delivers on every front. It reads quickly, so Ill be happy to see the next instalment of this series.

This is a bit of a bridge issue, taking us from one place to another, but was still a great read. This creative team works in unison to bring the near-mythological secret agent to life as we remember him, while adding some wrinkles to make this story stand out from the pack.

This first entry moves lightning-fast, just like the films it emulates. I was surprised to find the last page so soon, but it does manage to pack a lot in. Pak handles the character with finesse, keeping him from being interchangeable with other one-man-army types. The art team has some highs and lows, but overall it was an enjoyable read. I especially enjoyed the catalyst that sets Wick off; mistreatment of animals is not advised in this mans vicinity!

It can be fun to explore these old pulp characters, but there are far better examples out there if youre interested. While, the art itself is of a high standard the storytelling within it becomes hard to follow. With no relatable characters or motives, I didnt feel like there were any stakes.Overall: 4/10

Both Naomi Franquiz and Brittany Peer do a wonderful job on art. It is reminiscent of BOOM! Box's other books, but that may not be a bad thing. It conveys its tone to someone who might pick it up in the store, without having to read a word. There's some great dialogue and character-building here, but I don't think they grab the reader with the premise. Leaning so heavily on your influences can seem like just re-treading if you don't present a new hook for people to latch on to. I think they've got a solid foundation, but I hope this book can come into its own in the coming issues, as it caters to an underserved population of comic fandom.

A familiar story, this book will definitely have an audience, but it will have to find its own identity to pull away from the pack. All the pieces are in place, and with a deep mystical bullpen to draw from at DC theres no reason it couldnt become a young adult mainstay for the publisher.

Not just an artistic showcase for Dustin Weaver, but a chance for him to flex his writing muscles, Paklis #1 is a great start for an Anthology book. If the continuation of these stories don't drive you to the next issue, then the interesting concept art for future entries certainly will.

This was a standard first issue. It gave us a clear view of the characters origins and set up strife to drive him forward. It was all done well, but I would have liked to see a little more personality to differentiate Ragman from similar heroes (particularly Moon Knight). From the beautiful cover by Guillem March to the tight interiors by Inaki Miranda, this is one of the better-looking books coming from DC right now. With so many series revolving around major events, its nice to have a self-contained story like this.

Whether you're a horror buff or not, Regression #1 provides an impressively illustrated, twisted journey through an otherwise normal man's psychotic break. The story is instantly engaging and gives the reader plenty incentive to pick up the next issue.

Though a bit confusing, even for a returning reader, the visceral art and storytelling shows why Kaare Andrews is a modern master. While some readers may not want to bring the real-world problems into their comic book escapism, others may find this as a (safe and legal) release for those same issues.

Even though there wasnt much action in this instalment, this was still one of my favourite issues of the series. There is some compelling character work that adds new depth to almost all of the main cast. Excellently paced, it had me hungry for the next issue, and even wanting to go back and reread the whole series.

Fans of neo-noir, like The Last Boy Scout or Hulus Shut Eye, will find an engaging story populated with rich characters. As much as we learn, there are still several threads left dangling for Panosian to pull on later. With artwork that matches the subject matter perfectly, this could be a great title for someone looking for a more grounded comic book.

This issue is the beginning of the end, and its what most readers have probably been waiting for from this story. With Roberta just getting started, we still have plenty of loose ends to tie off, and story to tell. This was one of the better issues in a cant-miss series.

This is an incredibly decompressed issue, only moving the story forward slightly, but is still immensely enjoyable. There really arent any other books that deliver on so many fronts right now (besides Images other title slots, maybe) so Im always happy to see a new issue of The Fix. It might read better in trade, but its only because Im always left wanting more.

This issue lays out an over-arching mystery of a puppet master killing and resurrecting people, but doesnt reveal enough to hook the reader. The issue isnt bad by any means, but it just doesnt stack up well against the previous series so far. There are hints that some well-known public domain characters may be making appearances, which is intriguing, but the next issue will have to do some heavy lifting to keep me reading.

While it's just the tip off the iceberg, this book has a beautiful art style and promises plenty of psychological horrors to keep you awake at night. Fans of "American Horror Story" or "Legion" will feel right at home in the halls of Saint Cascia. Some of the most interesting characters and aspects of the story are only introduced briefly, but give you plenty of reason to stick with this title.