Although I really liked the Deathstroke series when it first launched, I will say that this is one character that has taken a step back with the New 52. I'm hoping a creative team can breathe life back into this character and bring him back to the great villain he once was. I strongly recommend staying away from this book"even IF you're a big Deathstroke fan, because that may make it worse.

The story never gets better from there. Operative Cabbot, BloodStrike's version of Cable, is called in to save Operative Alpha and there's a scene with Bloodwulf that's blatantly excessive just to be excessive. There's cannibalism, decapitations and castrations over the course of this first issue and most of it senseless. If you're a huge fan of Liefeld, you may get some enjoyment out of this first issue, but I'm a fan of his and I found very little to enjoy with this first issue. If Liefeld embraced the satire and poked fun at the 90s style of art and story, I may have enjoyed this more. Unfortunately I think he was trying to be serious with doses of humor thrown in, and it just came off as ridiculous.

When the protagonist heads to a local bar, we see more of the horror themes that Craven promised when he came up with the concept of "A Vampire, a Werewolf and a Zombie walk into a bar"" as we meet all three by the end of this issue. That's the concept for this series, but it's a better as a concept than is realized in the actual story. Coming of Rage is planned for a five issue series, but I'm afraid that I won't be back for the remainder. If the idea of this series is to see what happens when a vampire, a werewolf and a zombie walk into a bar, I'm no longer interested in finding out.

If you picked up the first issue of this series and were waiting to see what happened, this issue will most certainly be a let down. So much more could have been done when you take a team of characters like Wetworks and Azrael and pit them against each other. It could have been a violent, dark and action packed story that is of it's time. Instead, it reads like any other superhero book with some heavy handed dialogue. The idea behind Convergence is a good one, taking a version of heroes and villains throughout DC's rich history and have them face off. This issue does that, but does so without embracing what made these characters so popular at the time.

If you're a fan of Fantomex, then seeing him in his own series may be what you've been asking for. It just wasn't the version of Fantomex I wanted.

It's difficult to imagine a book that provides more character and depth in stories that involve a raccoon and a tree than it does with two "normal" characters, but this book does. If you're a huge Guardians of the Galaxy fan, then this issue may be worth it for the Rocket Raccoon story alone, but if not, you can avoid this issue and get a better presentation of the characters in the on-going series.

The bright spot is Leonard Kirk's art. His rendition of both universe's Galactus' are great, and he's able to draw the big cosmic battles with a nice sense of scale. I'm also optimistic that this story has time to turn around as the character of Galactus himself is so interesting, hopefully we'll see more of him in the next three issues. Overall though, a really disappointing start to a series involving a character that deserves better.

Overall this issue is solid, but the series as a whole was a bit of a let down. If you're looking to jump on board the next Ultimates Event, this isn't a must read. You'd be fine reading that first issue's recap/setup page to know what you need to follow that series. I'm not sure what will happen with the Ultimates Universe post Cataclysm, but series like this shows that the Ultimate Universe is not the exciting and fresh universe it once was.

Overall, a disappointing first issue that you can stay from and not feel like you're missing an integral piece of the Infinity story.

Overall, the art doesn't make up for the confusing storyline and lack of a friendly introduction into the world. At the end of this issue, I knew what was going on with the main character and his son, but little else. If you were hoping for a series that welcomed you into its world with a story that's easy to follow, you won't find it here. I'm not sure if hard core Mortal Kombat enthusiasts would feel the same as I did, this is a book that looks to cater more to them and less to the casual fan. I don't know, it may even miss the mark with the hard core audience, I know I won't be back as a casual fan.

This new Suicide Squad benefits from a compelling and creative lineup of characters, but unfortunately the writing doesn't match. The plot lacks that same creativity, and the story fails to put these characters into more complex situations in order to create chemistry. Overall this first issue fails on the writing side and has trouble making me care enough to pick up the second issue, especially after the weak last page ending. Since it's only a first issue, there's still time for this series to turn around, but if the next few issues fail to deliver, I can't see this series becoming a success.

Ultimately this issue fails to deliver a conclusion that's fitting for Nightwing as a character, and this issue's only saving grace doesn't come until the final act. That final act shows a lot of promise for the upcoming Grayson series, but this issue was a sad way to see Nightwing end.

Spider-Woman #1 does most things wrong as a debut issue. It throws you into the deep end of a major event giving the reader who hasn't been following that event barely enough to get by. It puts more focus on the supporting cast rather than the character who the book is named after. It does little to re-introduce the character and her history in order to allow new readers to create a much needed and important connection. If you've been following the Spider-Verse story than you may enjoy this as a tie-in that adds depth to the event, but if you're looking for a fresh new start for a long time Marvel character, this isn't it.

The Coming of the Supermen is unfortunately not Adams at his best, but that's mostly so because of the writing. This issue would have benefited greatly from an editor stepping in and helping tighten/clean up the narrative.

Although the designs of the “evil” characters are creative and frightening, I think their lack of personality and depth make them work better in the advertised concept art than the actual story. For fans of The Evil Within game, this series may provide more depth to the story throughout its four issues, but the lack of an engaging story where I cared about the characters made it questionable on whether it would be worth my time investment in knowing more.

Titans Hunt is a book that left me shaking my head in confusion and frustration. These are not the Titans I wanted to see, and the Titans I did get, like Arsenal, are not the version of the character I wanted to read about. The two art styles throughout this book didn't add up to a more enjoyable whole, and after all is said and done I think this will add another layer of complexity for readers old and new. I will hold out hope that somehow by the end of this series we see a Titans team that's close to the iconic teams of the past, but after reading this first issue, I'm not sure we will.

Bendis may reveal a lot of these answers in subsequent issues, but for a reader that's been following Secret Wars so far, I'm not sure what happened or who's who in this first issue. Artist Mark Bagley does his best with the huge cast of characters and delivers an impressive opening splash page that showcases at least forty characters, but the art is never enough to clear up the confusion. New and long-time fans of the Ultimate Universe will be left scratching their heads on just where this story fits into the bigger picture. I'm hoping that Bendis has a plan to have this all make sense by the end, but I may not stick around around to see it. This first issue has little to do with the main Secret Wars event, and if future issues read like this one, it will truly be a sad finish to a once brilliant and promising line of titles.

The art by Salvador Navarro does a good enough job to suit the story, but much like the story there is a lack of excitement and energy to the art. The characters look static and posed and the action scenes, although only a couple of them, didn't impress. The ghost in the story is Navarro's best work, but the way the story unfolds doesn't make it that much of a threat. The story poses an interesting idea at the end, but concludes too quickly to explore it further (maybe this will be explored in other parts of the crossover). If you're a fan of the Lone Gunmen and Ghostbusters, you may find some enjoyment from this issue. Unfortunately, the lack of the main X-Files characters and a story that's average at best left me not wanting to read the rest of this Conspiracy storyline. After reading this issue, it feels a bit like IDW is forcing their licensed characters into a crossover to try to increase the audience, but by doing so I think they've weakened the individual brands.

Writer Simon Spurrier is telling a decent enough story, but not something that is a must read. Cable and his team, including the return of Marrow, are investigating a terrorist attack where mutants are believed to be involved. After rescuing a mutant from last issue who gives them a lead into their investigation, Cable and team have to perform a “favor” to ultimately get the man they want. Spurrier's writing is solid, but it may not be the book that mutant fans are looking for. It's a black ops story involving mutants more than it is a mutant superhero book. I may give this title to the end of this initial storyline to see if they can hook me, but with my feeling about the current art style, I'm not sure I'd be a fan no matter how good the story is.

DC has consistently taken this type of multi-creator approach to their over-sized first issues and weekly series, and at times it pays off like this one did with the art, but because of the amount of characters and story lines presented, this one failed to hit the mark with me on story content, which is disappointing considering how strong I've felt the main Earth 2 series has been. This is a series that can benefit in future if they don't try to fit every Earth 2 character into one issue. Allowing single characters time to shine so readers can become invested in them would be a smart path to follow, in my opinion.

I've enjoyed this series up till now, but this issue, despite the big villain on the cover doesn't read well. There was just too much going on and when comparing this to DC's other weekly series Batman Eternal that has a more focused feel, this series did not measure up. I'll be back for the next issue as Darkseid seems like he'll get more time. I'm hoping that this series doesn't end up the same way the Future's End series did, and that one is now off my buying list.

While there's a lot of references to the previous “Killable” storyline that brought Wolverine to this place, the story jumps around too much to make you care for any one scene or character moment. The best scene in the book is a quiet moment between Wolverine and Storm that could have gone deeper, making you really feel the changes that have happened to Wolverine. Writer Paul Cornell regrettably jumps too quickly to the next scene showing how and why Wolverine uses a gun. Then that scene also feels rushed, as Cornell doesn't get you to buy into Wolverine using a gun. This is a pretty big change for Wolverine so seeing all these changes happen so fast feels like they're rushing into the next adventure, without further exploring Wolverine's motivations and behavioral changes.

All in all this issue feels as though it's trying to be a lot of different things, and in that attempt it becomes something less than I thought it could have been. This really felt like filler waiting for the main event, which is Wolverine's “death”. I'm still looking forward to that event in September but the next few issues until we get there may be something I skip.

Javier Garcia-Miranda's art is solid for the most part, but like the writing of the characters, at times you can't tell them apart. There's a few panels where you don't know who's talking, and because of the issues mentioned above, it feels generic. His Alien creatures looks good and there's a wonderful scene of a Vampire and Alien fighting at the beginning, but the slow action and focus more on the setup doesn't play to his artistic strengths. I wanted to love this first issue since it has all the ingredients to be successful, but it never gets past the point of being just a cool idea. There's still time for this series to turn around, I just don't think I'm interested enough to find out.

So far this was a Jim Hammond story. That'd be fine, but Hammond comes off as dull and the dialogue throughout the issue seems a bit overdramatic. I've liked what Robinson has done in the past so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and follow this series at least through the first storyline. This is a comic that seems to have fallen prey to “first issue syndrome” and will likely read better when collected into a trade paperback. As the rest of the Invaders take on a bigger role within the story in future issues, I'm hoping Robinson's writing lives up to my high expectations of this series.

The writing isn't bad, despite Parker seeming to be just a bit out of character at times, it's just that the story never seemed all that interesting and the guest starring Santerians didn't have an impact that made their appearance all that worthwhile. Adding to that, Bianchi's art to me isn't a style that's fitting to a character like Spider-Man. His lines are too sharp, and in more than a couple panels, Spidey's head looks off, almost as though Bianchi was trying to conform the mask to Peter's face. I won't be back for future “point” issues in this series and once again, my knowledge and care for the Santerians will remain low.

There's still one issue left in this event so there's time for this to have a really strong conclusion, but it may not be enough to make this story stand alongside recent events like Infinity or Battle of the Atom. This issue, much like the event itself lacks depth which is disappointing considering Remender's work and lead up to this story in Uncanny Avengers. I'll be back for the final installment, but I find myself waiting for this series to end, rather than waiting for the next issue.

After all these years, I was glad to have finally read about a character I've always had a fondness for from afar. In the next issue preview, it's listed that Tony Akins, whose work I love, will be penciling the next installment. That may bring me back for at least one more issue, but after that second chance we'll have to see. I'm not sure how long I'll stick with this since the writing failed to connect with me in this debut issue.

What we do get in this first issue is a story that's setting up Bat-Mite to have interactions with DC characters and villains that aren't Batman, making Bat-Mite the star rather than the supporting character. This is a character that plays well against the straight-man and no nonsense Batman, and how he stands on his own remains to be seen, but Jurgens did pick a character for next issue that can potentially play that role. I'll be interested to see if this all ages book set in the main DCU can work, but so far I'm not confident it can.

Overall, this first issue works for three quarters of the issue. Unfortunately a weaker ending in both storytelling and art style left me not as excited for issue two. Because of the characters involved and the hope for Jae Lee's art throughout, I'll be back for the second issue. I just hope they can finish this first storyline off better than they finished this first issue.

The story will travel across Europe over the course of these four issues with Brian Azzarello writing and other artists lined up for the remaining three issues. Because of my lack of love for this first issue, I don't think I'll be back for the rest of this series. I was so excited to see it re-solicited and finally making its way into our hands, but I expected more after waiting 10 years. If you're a fan of anything Jim Lee or Batman, you'll still most likely be giving this a try, just be aware that it may not be either of the two that you're used to.

I guess this series will be introducing us to a group of new characters in the same way the DC Bloodlines annuals did back in 1993, but except for Eddie whose transformation we see in this first issue, that will have to take place in future issues of this six issue mini series. Although the story of Eddie on his own could have been worthy of reading, the extended cast is full of characters I just don't like and have no desire to read about in future issues. For me this event will be mostly unmemorable, just like the one that preceded it twenty-plus years ago.

With more time, I'm confident that Waid and Peyer will tie everything together and have it all make sense. But I just didn't like the characters enough to offset the odd choices in storytelling and don't want to wait it out until things start to gel for me. I won't be back for the next issue which is sad since I usually enjoy this creative team.

Although I enjoyed the Nick Fury story, I didn't enjoy it enough to continue purchasing this anthology book. Depending on the characters starring in future issues, I may come back to it if I can find them on the cheap, but spending $4.99 on one out of three stories that I enjoyed gives me little desire to return.

Civil War #0 delivers twenty-three pages for $4.99. There's nothing more that I'm used to seeing in previous books that cost the extra $1. No card-stock cover, no thirty-plus pages of story, no extras or reprints of the original Civil War series"and for those reasons alone I could not recommend this zero issue. If anything, read the "Free Comic Book Day" issue of Civil War II to provide a better and obviously more valued reading experience. Also, when comparing this issue against the “Free Comic Book Day” issue, this zero issue provides context but doesn't seem as required to enjoy what's ahead. Civil War II number zero isn't a bad comic, it's just not nearly worth the price of admission and has actually diminished my excitement for what's to come in this event as opposed to building it up.

Unfortunately, the confrontation between Danvers and Stark feels much too short as writer Brian Michael Bendis spends too much time with Ulysses' trip to the future and an underwhelming meeting between Captain America and Spider-Man. Ultimately, this issue fails to deliver until the final pages and while it looks as though the upcoming final issue may give us plenty of the missing details to questions we already know, I've lost much of the motivation to care. To me this event has gone on much too long and at $4.99 per issue, the extra issue stings just a bit more. I'm hoping for an amazing conclusion that can get me excited for the current series coming out now, and although I enjoy Sorrentino's art, hopefully David Marquez can deliver a conclusion that's exciting and memorable.

The highlight of this issue was the art. Guest artist Beni Lobel stood out to me as an artist to watch. His art has a Ryan Sook sort of feel and I really enjoyed his style on all the different characters he had to include within this issue. I wasn't familiar with his work prior to reading this issue, and since he's a guest artist I'll have to see where he shows up next. I'm not dismissing Constantine in the proper DCU just yet, but seeing him outside of the Vertigo Universe hasn't enriched this longtime status as a fan favorite character. I'm hoping that given more time moving him into the DCU will end up being the right choice.

A key reason I left Cyborg the first time was because of the numerous art changes and there's plenty of them again not only in this series, but in this issue! With five issues of Cyborg, we've had five different artists on the book. Paul Pelletier kicked off the series with the first two issues, then with each subsequent issue it has been a different artist with this fifth issue having two artists, Allan Jefferson and Derec Donovan. While Jefferson's art works for this book and the first half, Donovan's art in the second half really misses the tone with its cartoony and blocky style. It ends the book on a low note for me as the art does not match the dark and climactic ending. I'm not sure if Cyborg will stay on my reading list. I hope it does, but with all the changes in art and character I'm not very confident.

Overall, this first issue of Dark Souls was a disappointment to me and if it wasn't for me being such a huge fan of the series, I wouldn't be back for a second issue. I'm going to give this series one more try, but much like the game I'm scared of what might come next.

Unfortunately this first issue didn't grab me. Hopefully this book can turn it around quickly as Shang-Chi has proven that he can hold a series on his own in the past. Mike Benson needs to build the series on the core of the character and not rely on touchbacks to old stories that are not easily available to modern readers. The art needs to significantly improve if this is going to survive as an ongoing concern and not just be a throwaway 4 issue mini-series. Nothing here made me think that this is a “must read” comic. This does not live up to the high standards of the original series and unfortunately does not stand well on it's own either.

If the story was fun and entertaining then I may not have noticed all the errors and artistic shortcuts as much, but because the story failed to deliver for me I found myself looking more for these errors then I did just enjoying the art for what it is. Liefeld has never been a student of anatomy, but I still loved his work. Here, while there were certainly scenes and pages that captured that nostalgic feel for me, there were too many glaring mistakes in the art. I'd be more OK and accepting if this was a $3.99 book, but this OGN is $25, and for that price it made me feel bad about my purchase. Even if you love Liefeld's work and Deadpool, I'd still stay away from this unless you're getting it heavily discounted. For sure there are scenes and pages that will make you smile, but the uninteresting story and minimalist nature of the art may make you regret this comparatively expensive purchase as much as I did.

Finally in regards to the story, and this may be because I have not followed World's Finest, I wasn't really sure what was going on. Desaad is feeding off the fear and emotions of others, and he's after a tunneler into different worlds. He's also investigating a comic book artist, for reasons I'm just not clear on. Overall, although I will admit I was lost for not reading World's Finest, I didn't expect to be lost as I HAVE been reading Earth 2. I wanted to like this issue as I'm a fan of this character from the old DC, but regrettably this book didn't give me anything to enjoy. And honestly, this book should have been titled World's Finest. I'm not really sure why it wasn't"

The highlight of this issue is Superman's battle with the Atom. It works as well as it does because Nicola Scott choreographs the scene to perfection, zooming in and out with each panel to tell the story. I hope she'll be staying on this book for the foreseeable future as she and Taylor are the real dynamic duo of Earth 2. If you've stayed away from this book in the past because it was not the main Earth continuity of the majority of DC's New52 titles, or if you left after Robinson departed the title, I'd encourage you to give this book another chance. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite DC books.

Overall, the beautiful art isn't enough for me to recommend this issue. Given more time and future issues, Dustin Weaver may have been able to be more patient, slowly building this character up, allowing him to capture the reader's respect and attention. Instead, Weaver throws a lot at the reader and doesn't allow any one idea or concept to really connect. Weaver's art is beautiful throughout, packing the pages full of detail, but unfortunately his writing fell short for me and at the end of this third issue I wasn't connected with this version of Spider-Man.

Ultimately, Epochalypse read and felt to me as though it was a big budget movie without any great or meaningful performances, which is disappointing considering the talents behind the creation. It failed to make me care about anything beyond the concept. Given more time and more issues there may be more to come come back for, but this first issue didn't give me enough to want to revisit this world again. That's a failure for me in a first issue. A #1 needs to set up characters and a world that I care about and want to revisit, an interesting concept is not enough by itself to get me to come back.

The preview pages for Starlin's graphic novel called Infinity Revelation is a smart move by Marvel by putting the attention on Thanos, who fits so well into the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. The book is due out in August so the timing is right. The inclusion of the Spider-Man preview did have me questioning Marvel's decision to include it in this issue. There's little relation to the other two stories, and although the story will continue on in a series called Spider-verse, that won't be releasing until November. Marvel could have focused on their cosmic characters throughout the entire issue, but by spreading their focus too thin the overall package suffered.

Sears' and Raney's art is strong throughout and Sears' style in particular is more reminiscent of his Crossgen work on The Path, than it was of his work on Brute and Babe, although there are a few hints of that style as well. I didn't come away from this zero issue as excited as I hoped I would be, but I'm still a fan of these creators so I'll stick with the series for at least a little longer and see how things develop.

Overall, I think this first issue is taking Hyperion in a direction that doesn't capitalize on his strengths, but may appeal to readers who have no past experience with the character. Not knowing he's Marvel's riff on Superman may allow them to get to know him before the more "Super” qualities are revealed. Personally, I'm not sure how long I'll stay around to find out if he doesn't start living up to his potential as a character.

Overall, this is an average first issue with plenty of opportunity. I'm hoping Soule and Madureira duo can find their groove because the Inhumans really are such a rich part of Marvel lore. Unfortunately right now, they're not getting the treatment they deserve. My expectations for this series, especially with the Inhumans being put center stage in recent big Marvel storylines, were much higher than what I saw delivered here. This was good, not the the “great” it needed to be. It's right on the cover: “Marvel's Latest Epic Begins Here!” This did not feel like an “Epic”.

Although this series has been enjoyable from the start, this particular issue felt like a small step back. A slow middle issue for a story arc shouldn't keep you from giving this series a try, it's a solid read, but it may deter fans who have been on the fence with this title from the beginning.

Artist Garry Brown who's work I enjoy from the wonderful series The Massive at Dark Horse pencils this title. His line work is very simple yet tells a great story. I'm not sure if he's the best artist for this type of book, but I'm willing to wait and see more. There are some really great panels and flow to the story, but the action at the end fell a bit flat. That may be due to Jim Charalampidis' colors as he uses a darker and what seems to be a more subdued palette. The Iron Patriot doesn't leap off the page, and the “mud” monsters in this issue come off looking bland and boring. In the end, I'm happy to see that this long time Marvel character is getting back to basics, but I'm hoping that it doesn't take too long in getting him there and into more action-packed stories.

In terms of story, I liked the idea of Judge Dredd in an all new world trying to figure out just how he got there and how he's going to enforce the law when the people he's interacting with have no concept of the law. Dredd is portrayed just as he should be and Farinas and Freitas definitely have a good feel for the character. The ending was enough to pique my curiosity for future issues, but it's not a book I feel I have to read each month. If I can find this series on the cheap at next summer's conventions I'll pick them up then, but for now I'll let Dredd explore this new world alone.

It's a solid premise, but failed for me because of the poor characterization. Lobo is extremely violent and deadly in one page, but also romantic and charming in another. He's confident and funny in some panels, and thoughtful and deep in others. Throughout this issue he's a little bit of everything, which makes him feel generic. Whether you liked the old Lobo or not, there was something original and authentic about the character that's surely missing here. Cullen Bunn is playing the hand that was dealt to him, which seems to be writing a comic about a character changed for the New 52 by DC editorial mandate moreso than by some driving creative need. Another example of “change for the sake of change”? You be the judge. I won't be back.

Whether or not you'll be following the Axis event, this story doesn't feel as though it's required reading. Yes the Red Skull is involved and it does show what he's been up to, but the focus lies more with his S-Men, and Magneto's past. If you've been following Magneto since the beginning, then this issue although consistent with his current mission, feels as though it's been somewhat forced into Marvel's next big event. It's too bad we couldn't get an entire issue devoted to Magneto's past.

Although the art by Omar Francia is strong throughout, the writing never connected with me. Gillen chose to hold back too much information as he pushed the action in this issue. By the end of the issue I never really cared for main character Luiza, and found myself less and less inclined to pick up the next issue. I've found myself enjoying a lot of what Avatar has been offering lately, but unfortunately not here. The book assumes I will come back to learn more, but never does enough to make me want to.

Unfortunately, I'm just not that excited about this series. The monsters are too generic with little in the story to flesh them out. There are plenty of tie-in issues to this event where these monsters may be explored more (issues numbered “.MU” in a variety of Marvel series), but I avoided buying most of those since I didn't feel as though they'd be required reading. If I can find some of the tie-ins on the cheap at a convention this summer, that may give me a bit more of what I was hoping for. On the bright side, I can still go back to those great black and white magazines with the same name!

I enjoyed the art and the last third of the story hooked me to try at least one more issue, but be warned that the majority of this issue was extremely tough to follow, at least for me. I'm not ashamed to say that this is another Morrison book where I'll head online to try and find a web-site that will help me make sense of it. That's a requirement that most casual readers won't and, it could be argued shouldn't, have to meet. Based on my respect for the two creators involved I'll be back for #2, but I'm hoping that I'm better able to follow along and appreciate the story.

Neverboy takes a fabulous idea, and at times makes the most of it. The ending of this first issue provides a surprising twist that could have felt so much more impactful if Simon were able to take more time exploring the relationships between the young boy and his imaginary friend. At one time or another we've all gone through a phase of our life like this and I felt as though Simon missed the opportunity to explore that simpler time, in order to write more about the complexity of this story's concept.

The art by guest artist David Baldeon is a fun style that fits the story, but is a style that is reminiscent of the Marvel Adventures line of books that cater to all ages readers. Beta Ray Bill doesn't look as menacing nor as powerful as he could, and the action scenes don't look as dangerous or threatening. The art, while well done, even when compared to main artist Paco Medina's cartoony style, seems one more suited to a book targeted at a younger audience because of the lighter feel. This issue is well put together, but not something I'd recommend as a must read. There seems to be some big plans for Nova in the upcoming months as we get closer to the announced Original Sin storyline. This issue feels like a stepping stone to bigger things to come.

I'm a big fan of Rom the Spaceknight, although I'm sure not as big a fan as Ryall. You can see his love for the character throughout this first issue, but that passion didn't necessarily equate to great writing. Although the Rodriguez art is great as usual and he gets to let loose a bit with Onyx's costume and creatures that have been infected and twisted by the Spore, it's not enough to bring me back for a second issue. My love for Rom may bring me back at a later time to see how this series has progressed, but for now I'll go back to reading my back issues of Rom.

As far as the art goes, a different Kubert brother (Adam this time), is on the art chores and although the art is pretty, it lacked that painted feel that the first series brought. Previous colorist Richard Isanove gave that series what I felt was a distinct and mature look. Origin II's colorist Frank Martin does a great job, particularly towards the end of the issue, but to me it just didn't stand out as much. Only the acetate cover really stood out for me as making this more than just another Wolverine book. I'm on board for the remainder of this series as I have faith in this creative team. But, they only have four issues left to have this book be a worthy successor to the original Origin.

Adam Kubert's art is hit and miss in this issue. His panels that include close ups are well drawn and have a nice level of detail. The panels that show the action from a distance lose a lot of that detail, and really just look like they're nicer layouts. Faces lose their distinctive features and the backgrounds look bland. A particular panel in this issue shows Wolverine in front of a circus crowd where the crowd has no details whatsoever, and Wolverine and his captors are really just plain figures. It took me out of the story since it feels as though you're looking at a layout before the finished pencils. Overall, I just don't feel as though this series is living up to the expectations that the title Origin brings. It has two issues left, but I just don't think that'll be enough time to turn this series around.

That being said this is still Richard Corben and I would be tempted to buy a book of his even if it had no words in it at all. His style is so unique and original and it's a treat to see his continued output, even after forty plus years in the industry. Although I would have loved to have seen some more time in the jungle, or more different locales, it's still amazing artistic work. Corben has a heavy line that's not afraid to exaggerate the human form, giving his characters a look and feel all their own. Overall this book left me a bit confused and questioning my purchase of future issues. Based on the art alone I'll be back for one more and I'm hoping the writing can come together so I feel the same excitement for the story as I do for the visuals.

Although I enjoyed this first issue for it's writing and for the simple fact that Dr. Herbert West is back, I'm not sure I enjoyed it enough to come back for a second issue. The art just didn't click with me and despite the story infusing some classic Lovecraft themes, I didn't feel the need to see where the story heads next. Fans of Herbert West may want to pick this issue up to read new a new story about this cult classic character, but I'm not sure if this “reanimated” series will do enough to stay alive.

There's quite a bit of story in this first issue with the civil war that's going on all around Cal. We're introduced to Mercurians, Neptunians, and Venusians. It just feels as though there's too much. It's easy enough to understand, but because there are so many concepts and races introduced, none of them felt all that special or deep. Corey introduces some neat ideas, but with so much going on, it's tough to see it all coming together in a way that won't feel rushed, but time will have to tell. It remains to be seen if this series can take its time to touch on all the potential story ideas introduced, but as far as first issues go, it all felt a bit too generic.

All in all, Red Wolf is a comic that didn't disappoint me, but also didn't really set itself apart from the crowd, it was mostly “just there”. It was a non-memorable first issue that I think may have problems hooking new readers, but I'm hoping it pulls in enough interest to stick around for a while. I'm curious to learn about this character I have very little history with so it would be a shame for it to end too soon.

If you're a new Marvel reader, I can't imagine how it must feel to read this event. It can be entertaining at times like a certain scene with Star Lord in this issue, but there's just so much to wrap your head around that to me, feels like one big mess that got too complicated for it's own good. There are lots of characters and it's hard to tell them apart, I even forgot at first that the Tony Stark in this issue was the AI Tony Stark, signified by the red text in his word balloons, how would a new reader pick up on this? The bottom line is that this does not feel new reader friendly and it's hard for even this veteran Marvel reader to wrap my head around the story.

Gail Simone has a proven track record, especially for a book like this. Hopefully DC will get a consistent art team on future issues, splitting inkers with different styles in this issue really didn't work for me. With Simone's introduction of an all new cast that will hopefully pay off given time. I'll still be back for the remainder of this first arc, despite the lack of cohesion in art in this first issue. I'm hoping to see this new team gel and bring Simone's skills writing a team book back to the fore.

I'm not sure if the Secret Six book is something I want to keep following. From issue one until now the art has changed with almost every consecutive issue, characters I've known before are quite different, and some creative difficulties at the start made this book stumble out of the gate. At the same time, Simone has a great handle on the team's characters which is always one of her top strengths. I'd recommend anyone wanting to jump on board with this title to pass on this issue and see where she takes this series with the next arc. I'll wait for that arc to finish before deciding on whether or not I'll be back.

Mace and his team fights with battle droids who regrettably use the same level of eye rolling humor we saw in the prequels, which really put this on rocky ground for me. The issue ended on a cliffhanger that really failed to excite me, leaving me even less interested in issue number two, which is the opposite effect a cliffhanger should be having on me as a reader. I was hoping for more, given how much I've enjoyed all of Marvel's Star Wars material so far, but this looks as though it'll be the first Star Wars series I skip. This may be a series that resonates more with people who really love Mace Windu as a character.

Overall this issue failed to hook me into reading future installments of the Doomed storyline. I'm already reading Action Comics so I'll be forced into following Doomed into issue thirty-one of that title, but past that, I've seen enough. This is a DC crossover kickoff that has failed to bring me onboard as a reader of the entire event.

If you're a mega fan of Thanos and his mythology, you may want to read this story the way it was originally intended, digitally. Even then the story seemed to lack clear direction. On the printed page, and for casual fans of Thanos, this is something that is very easily “missable”. For my own self, it's a story I could have skipped and I won't be back for more.

The whole funeral and will reading scene didn't connect with me and it'd be more than fair to say it's because I've read so many issues similar to this one. For the price, I was expecting something more and/or something different. Also, while the cover by Leinil Yu does a fantastic job of conveying Hulk's "death", the internal pencils by Mark Bagley seem like an odd choice for a story like this, since they cannot help but feel clean and upbeat. I enjoy Bagley's art and style, but it clashes so much with the cover and it failed to capture that same dark tone I saw when first picking this issue up. If you want to attend the Hulk's funeral, then this may be a solid read for you. For me, it just missed the mark on so many levels and has me questioning my continued investment into these Civil War II tie-ins.

The story is set in an apocalyptic future where animals have gained the ability to speak, use tools and interact with one another after a referenced explosion that we still don't know much about. The animals have increased their size to that of humans, so picture Ninja Turtles as a reference. Jacob is on the prowl for Hunter the Tiger, a "King of the Wasteland" who Jacob feels is responsible for the deaths of his family mentioned above. It's pretty straight forward and although I did feel a connection to Jacob, the supporting cast don't feel as fleshed out. Despite its issues, Kings of the Wasteland is a decent first issue from a new talent, and that is always fun to see.

The reason for Restin jumping into the future is quickly revealed, but the way he finds who he's looking for is awfully convenient. Writer Steven Grant tells a mostly enjoyable tale, but it does have its slow points and was weak towards the middle. The end left me with some promising potential, but it was not enough to bring me back for issue number two. I'll be skipping these in single issues and wait for the first trade to be released. My excitement for reading more about the Rook will have to come from older issue of Eerie…for now.

It would have been great to see Phillips and DC take a more opinionated and driven character like Dorrie, and have her don the mantle of a character with the history that Vigilante has. Not only that, but the writing is structurally a bit jumbled as Phillips cuts the scenes rather quickly as he ramps up the "origin" to get to what will eventually be Donnie's tale as the new Vigilante. The scene jumping felt rushed and none of those scenes made Donnie any more likable as a character. Unfortunately the story just wasn't enough to bring me back for a second issue which is a shame since I was hoping Vigilante would make an exciting return to the DCU.

We Are Robin did enough to bring me back, but I wasn't blown away by this first issue. We've seen a lot of Robins or Robin-like characters in the past twenty years, so how this Robin sets himself apart will be a wait and see. Given time, Duke Thomas can be a character to watch, but he'll need an origin and a back story that differentiates himself from those that came before, and he just needs to be more endearing. I'll be back to see if Bermejo and Corona can pull it off and I trust Bermejo to do so, I just hope it's sooner rather than later.

In previous reviews I've also talked about Marvel's consistent plot point to turn its most popular villains into heroes; Venom, Magneto, and Dr. Doom just to name a few. To me it always lessens the character's appeal. Sabretooth being good just feels wrong. Pak's writing is fine despite this most likely being the first part of what seems to be a “recruiting the team" type story, it just wasn't all that exciting and some of the quieter moments of the book, like Wolverine researching at a library, seemed out of place. I usually love Pak's writing so I'm confident this series will be strong even if this first issue missed the mark for me. I'll definitely be around for the rest of this first storyline at the very least.

In terms of art, Mahmud Asrar is a perfect fit. He's makes this book look great with his ability to add character to each an every member of this cast, as well as portray action and character moments equally as well. He has just a dash of a manga to his art, which fits the tone of this issue perfectly. Plus, it's always nice to see when an artist not only draws the interiors, but the cover as well. It gives the book a consistent visual consistency that doesn't always exist in monthly books. Although this first issue can be confusing, I'll be sticking with it for the next few issues to see if Latour can get me to feel for these “new-to-me” characters. I have a feeling I'll still need to read the prior series though to understand these characters better, which is both good and bad. The good is that I'll finally catch up on a highly regarded series, the bad is that this first issue wasn't able to do so on it's own.

Overall Wonder Woman #36 a fairly enjoyable issue that's setting the stage for a couple major storylines. Given some time, these storylines will start to take shape, but they don't necessarily deliver in this opening chapter. Finch's art was a nice surprise in how well he's able to handle Wonder Woman. Azzarello and Chiang are a tough act to follow and it's always a challenge for a new team to step in after a run that receives a lot of critical acclaim. We'll see if this team can have the same level of success as the previous one, but so far it's a wait and see.

Kieron Gillen writes an afterword in this issue where he says "I hope you feel the need to re-read the run at this point. There's been a lot building to this point that may now be clearer." I think that says a lot. Reading this the first time, it just felt kind of forced and abrupt. By going back and reading it again, it may all tie together a bit better. I'm just not sure if I have a desire to. It will have interesting ramifications going forward and there's some great stories that can be told by this change, but as a single issue and conclusion to a multi-part story, it didn't quite work for me.

This story has promise. I'm sure this is what Gillen wanted to get to when he made the changes last issue. If he can deliver on this storyline, then those changes that he made may have been well worth it. I've gone from disappointed to intrigued.

The art in this issue by Agustin Padilla regrettably isn't much better than the story. Having the last few issues with Joe Bennett's art was a great fit for this title. It's not that Padilla's art is bad, I'm just not sure that his style fits the story. Padilla draws a strong Iron Man in the suit, but his human characters and other heroes in the book look rushed. His lines are a little more fluid and loose. Again, not bad, but not the best fit to my eye. I'm not sure after reading this issue that I'll still continue with this series, which is disappointing as I really like the Iron Man character.

I'll be back for the next issue as seeing Wolverine done in this style feels fresh, and I want to see how Jock handles his first storyline. If you're looking to pick this up you may want to wait for the trade, or understand that right now you're probably buying this issue mostly for the art.

I knew Jock's art would be great on this title, but I didn't expect his style to fit Wolverine so well. He's not pretty to look at and it looks as though physically, he's been through a lot. Which we all know he has. Jock has a gritty and unrefined line here and the colors by Lee Loughridge add to that grit. The color palettes go from a eerie green in the labs to lots of reds and browns to highlight the alien landscape. It's too bad that this story only lasted three issues as I would have loved to have seen Jock handle this character a bit longer. Hopefully he can come back again to not only provide more of his gritty art style, but to also wrap up some of the loose ends of this story.

Though the story is overwrought, it does what it set out to do, and the interest by the creative team in the X-Men side of Logan's complexities was refreshing.

It's no surprise that Isanove's art delivers for the story and setting involved. His colors will absolutely take you back to that Origin series as certain pages use that unforgettable orange/yellow palette. Unfortunately many of his faces lose detail and look rushed, which loses some of the emotional impact that the story calls for. There's also plenty of panels within where Isanove chooses to let the colors be the only backgrounds. The final scene could have had a more foreboding feel to it if he chose to fill the backgrounds with the proper set pieces. Sadly, I'm not sure if this story will appeal to the typical Wolverine fan, as there's not a whole lot of Wolverine being “the best there is at what he does”. It's a solid tale, but a tale that doesn't necessarily need a Savage Wolverine as its star.

If you were hoping to jump on board with Spawn here, I'd advise against it. This is a story where the purpose is to clean the slate in order to usher in something new. Existing readers may find this issue to be a very satisfying conclusion, despite the heavy script. While the very end of this issue left me excited for what's next, if you really want to jump back on board with next month's all new creative team, the journey to get there in this issue really does not need to be taken.

Many years ago I stopped reading Savage Dragon since Larsen's pencils were no longer appealing to me. Since McFarlane and Larsen are combining on the plot, script layouts, pencils and inks, I thought we'd be seeing more of McFarlane's style within the art, but Larsen's signature look is definitely overpowering, with only a few panels looking McFarlane-esque. Add in the Ant who I really have no history with and the fact that this issue will be crossing over with Savage Dragon next issue, that makes this most likely the last issue of Spawn I read for a while. Hopefully it's not too long before I'm reading Spawn again.

While this new story arc isn't bad, it unfortunately just didn't connect with me. It may be because I keep jumping in and out of this series and never really become invested in the ongoing storyline. I keep hoping that a creative team will come along that can hook me right away and get me excited to keep reading. Maybe that will happen next time I pick it up, hopefully it will get me back before issue number three-hundred.

Although it's tough to recommend this single issue, it shouldn't make you stay away from this series. Hickman has a proven track record and this summer's Infinity event looks like it could be something special. Hopefully the plot-lines introduced in this issue will pay off during that storyline, but as a single issue it just didn't satisfy now.

Finally, in regards to the numbering of this issue mentioned above, just for simplicity sake, I wish Marvel would just choose to go one way with the numbering of their series rather than try to please so many. When looking at the cover, it's not only a number 1, but it's Rogue Planet #1? And then when looking at the bottom right hand corner, it's also 024.NOW" As they attempt to gather new readers, that can be confusing. Looking at this month's issue of Uncanny X-Men for example, it's number 015 with a .INH underneath that, short for Inhumanity. Again"just confusing for a new reader looking to jump on board and something that can easily be avoided by simplifying. It's a minor complaint that has no affect on my enjoyment of this issue. Hickman looks to be starting another epic story and I'm eager for the next part.

I felt the book was"good, but with the two talents involved and Scott and Jim's proven track record, I was expecting great. I'll be back for the remainder of this first storyline and believe that Snyder's story will come together nicely, it's just that for this first issue I'm not as excited as I thought I would be when the book was first announced. The timing is perfect for this book's release with the Man of Steel movie out this past weekend and this year's celebration of 75 years of Superman. I have no doubt that this creative team will deliver a great Superman story given time, I just hope they slow down a bit to do so.

Although this series has yet to really capture my interest, this issue is a bit of an improvement over the first. By next issue we should start to find out a bit more about this mystery villain, what Lex Luthor's intentions are and maybe a bit more on who's behind all the attacks from these two issues's openings. I think the creators of this book have a proven track record and I'm confident they'll be able to deliver on this story, I just hope they start to do it in the next issue.

Although the premise of the story sounded good, the execution isn't working so I think I'll be giving up on this series for now. Let's hope the creative team involved can turn it around as these two together should be a winning combination.

Not only has Wolverine lost his healing factor due to a virus from the Microverse, but that same virus is also threatening to take over the entire earth. This part of the story comes off as the weak part in this concluding issue of the Killable storyline. Writer Paul Cornell has SHIELD playing a pretty big role in this story, but because Wolverine doesn't interact with SHIELD their appearance loses a lot of its impact. The story feels fractured and some of the guest appearances, like Mystique's and the villains before her feel forced. This is the last issue of this series as it will relaunch with a new number one with Ryan Stegman handling the art. If the preview image with Wolverine in armor and holding a gun is any indication, Wolverine may be without his healing factor for a while. It will be interesting to see how Wolverine moves forward from this story, and I'm hoping for a more engaging and exciting arc with the new number one.

For readers who may not be familiar with the Wrath, this issue should get you excited for what comes next. For those readers who are, the backup story may be a better reason to keep following this storyline. Overall, the introduction of the Wrath works, it's just a little too obvious in the way it does so.

Aaron Lopresti handles the art as regular artist Jason Fabok most likely leaves to begin his work on the upcoming weekly Batman Eternal series. Lopresti's art works for the story, but his lines looks much more angled and sharp than they have in the past. He's got a couple really nice splash pages within, including a nice double-page spread where Batman resembles Hannibal Lecter. Overall this issue is a fun read, but not something we haven't seen before. There's been plenty of “Batman locked up in Arkham” stories preceding this one, so it will be interesting to see if the rest of this story arc can provide us with something that's new and unique.

As mentioned above, the art works really well and is an exciting change to the character. Manapul makes Gotham dark, but not so dark as to feel depressing. The opening page welcomes you to Gotham with a view from a pier, with the sun shining and birds being fed. The next page is a beautiful two page spread with Batman swinging through the city with the caption, “It's a new start”. It does feel like a new start throughout this issue. It doesn't always work, but it's a fresh take on Detective Comics and I look forward to reading more.

Blanco's art has its moments as he captures Bullock and Gotham so well. On the flip side, Gordon looks extremely young which detracts from the realism presented in his actions and body language, and there's another cop who's drawn later in the issue that looks exactly like Scarlett Johansson, which took me right out of the story. Overall this issue has it's highs and low points which gives the book an inconsistent feel, and left me questioning what kind of book it's ultimately trying to be. I'm hoping for a GCPD book with a little bit of Batman sprinkled throughout but after the last page, I feel as though it's headed in the opposite direction.

The second and shorter part of this issue is called the "11 Curious Cases of Batman" and has eleven different pin-ups that tell a story referencing eleven covers from Detective Comics' past like issue 50, Norm Breyfogle's cover from 602, and Michael Kaluta's cover from 427. I loved the art and was able to pick out each of the covers it was referencing, but I also felt there could have been more information as to why these particular covers were chosen. Why, for example, was Frazer Irving drawing a recreation of Detective Comics number 70? A bit more context would have been appreciated even though I loved the story and the idea to use these covers to tell a story. I'm now curious to see if this is happening across all the other "50th issues", because if so, I'd be more inclined to pick them up and see what other artists have come up with to pay homage to these character's past.

All in all Convergence number zero wasn't all that I hoped it would be in terms of storytelling, but the art as well as some interesting ideas make it worth the read especially since it's leading into such a line wide event. The interesting ideas introduced are unfortunately stronger than the way their presented throughout the story. Longtime DC fans like myself will love seeing all the interpretations of Brainiac, but new readers looking to jump on in may be left scratching their heads and wondering if they really need to jump in just yet.

Carlo Pagulayan's pencils are strong in this issue despite the lackluster setting and world the group of Earth 2 heroes are trapped within. Pagulayan has to draw a lot of different characters and he makes it look easy, but despite the art it's never enough to make up for writing. When DC announced this series I questioned the choice of newcomer to the world of comics Jeff King, and so far it looks as though I was justified in those concerns. I'm holding out hope that this series still has time to turn around, but this is one event where the main series is the weakest point of the line-wide event.

The changes Convergence makes comes at the cost of essentially rewriting what is arguably one of DC's most important, if not the most important event in their publishing history. I won't go into spoiler territory here, but DC seems to have acknowledged their confusing publishing history, especially over the past ten years and in one way has made it even more confusing, while in another, has made it much simpler. Convergence number eight is a story that can be debated, discussed and dissected which is what an event should ultimately do to drive interest. It's now up to each individual reader to see how they feel about the change, and where these changes will take us in the future.

Robinson's abrupt switch towards the end feels almost like a different book entirely. If I hadn't read the 1872 Secret Wars title, I'm not sure I would have known that was the time period/world I was reading about. There are no caption boxes to hint at the transition, and seeing Hank Pym in this time period after seeing him in the flashback sequence adds a layer of confusion to a book that read so well in the beginning because of it's simplicity. The concept of this series is strong and I'll be coming back for more because of it, but hopefully we go back to where this issue started and back to the fun of watching robots versus zombies.

Despite my not loving this particular issue it's still a solid installment in what has been a great series, and one that I hope will run for quite some time. If you like the Aliens franchise haven't read this series yet, I'd encourage you to do so as you can now find the first collected trade. Although this may not be the best single issue, this series has become one of my favorite Aliens stories and that's saying a lot.

As a whole, the Fire and Stone event has been a fantastic read and this issue of Aliens despite its flaws fits nicely into the overarching story. Most of this issue deals with survival against terrible odds but the quiet moments with Russell stand out the most and provide the most fascinating parts of the story. With only one issue left in this mini-series, it looks as though a lot of the focus will be on Russell and his journey to find answers, and that's an exciting prospect as this mini-series moves towards it's conclusion.

Overall, Fear Him is shaping up to be an entertaining story even if it doesn't always feel like a Captain America story. It's fun to see the Scarecrow get some more attention, and Nomad starring in this book gets just as much time as Captain America. Although this was originally released as an Infinite Comic, it works well on the printed page and I'm looking forward to seeing just where this story goes next.

Bagley's art is exactly what you'd expect with a cast like this. I was brought back to his lengthy and fantastic Ultimate Spider-Man run, and he makes handling the large cast of characters here look easy. The colors Nolan Woodard uses are bright, but he's still able to make the Blob and some violent scenes involving him look gruesome. The ending of this issue will tie back to the series before Secret Wars so fans jumping on board with this new team may not feel the last page impact, but it did enough to bring me back for at least another issue before I decide if I want to keep reading about this teenage X-Team.

Overall, while this annual isn't a must read it's still a fun read. I wouldn't recommend paying the full cover price of $4.99 for this unless you're a Spider-Man completist. Best bet is to watch for this one to show up in the bargain bins at your local comic shop or convention.

I can't wait to see what happens next and how Nightcrawler comes back to the X-Universe. This is a fun and nostalgic book, with art that fits that feel and you can see how it all starts with the cover. Another surprisingly well done first X-Men issue"Marvel's X-Universe is on a roll!

This story looks as though it could be one of those classic X-Men tales though with X-Men and Alpha Flight teaming up, Colossus getting back into this team's rotation, and a classic marvel villain. There's a lot to like here as Kyle, Yost and McGuiness look to put the emphasis on action and fun with this Amazing X-Men arc, and fortunately we're just getting started.

Ultimately, despite a solid opening chapter of a story that will hopefully bring back the Juggernaut that most people know and enjoy, the art fell short for me. I'm invested in these characters though, and while the art wasn't necessarily to my liking, I'm confident that Yost can still deliver a fun ride while leaving some of the continuity baggage behind. I for one am ready for the return of the Juggernaut, let's hope Marvel and Yost feel the same way.

American Monster is well done, it truly is. It's just not a story that ever made me want to read more because of the completely unlikable characters that I couldn't make a connection with. I may visit this series again down the road since I love the creators involved, but it may be a while before I return.

Overall, a fun book that can be read by all ages. I'm happy I gave this book a try, and if you're a fan of Cthulu, this is a fun and different take on that mythos.

It's great to see Fernando Pasarin handling the art for this issue. His previous work was on the Green Lantern Corps and here he's just as strong. He's able to handle multiple characters on page, and make each character, most being out of costume, look different and unique. The only downside is that Batgirl is not wearing the traditional costume as she feels as though she's not worthy enough to wear the Bat-symbol with all that's happened previously. Having Pasarin on the art chores gives this title a combination of very talented art and writing. Let's hope they're able to bring Batgirl to new heights.

Again, if you're a fan of the 60′s show then you'll be pleased with how this book represents the material it's inspired by. If you were never a fan of the show, or prefer your Batman a bit darker, then this book isn't for you. I don't think this issue was enough to bring me back for issue number two, but it was fun to revisit this Batman who was such a big part of my childhood.

Despite the familiar origin story, how Arkham Knight is in the position he's in within the game is still something I'm curious about. I'll be giving the next issue a try to see how the story progresses post origin. I'm usually a fan of most of what Peter Tomasi writes, and I'm interested in seeing more of Borges' art since his work in comics is still rather limited. If you're a fan of the Arkham Knight game and not necessarily the Batman comics, then this should hit the mark for you for multiple reasons. If you're more a fan of the comics and not the game then this may not be for you, unless of course you want to see the Ratcatcher again.

This issue presents a nice entry point into this series and a great introduction to this long-time villain. Here's hoping that Hurwitz and Maleev can make their next issue as solid as this one.

As far as story goes, a new Man-Bat is attacking Gotham City. We've already seen Kirk Langstrom as Man-Bat and most recently in Detective Comics backups, we've seen his wife become a “Man-Bat”, and now someone else within the Langstrom family has taken the formula to use on them self. Regrettably, the story by writer Greg Hurwitz isn't the most original. That's not to say it wasn't entertaining, but yet another Langstrom family member using the serum, well it lacks a bit of creativity. And the ending although a cliffhanger for sure, is one of the most common cliffhangers in comics. That being said, Van Sciver's art more than makes up for the lack of originality in the writing and I'll be following this story into next issue because of it.

It's nice to see this group of Golden Age characters get the spotlight again and I'm hoping that Warren Ellis can do a good job of building a stronger world for these characters to survive in so another reboot doesn't have to happen in a few years. There's still a lot to be answered after reading this first issue, but Ellis has started this series off slow and is looking to ease readers into this world and its potentially large cast of characters. It will now be a ‘wait and see' on whether readers stick around for the story he has to tell.

I really enjoyed the art by Piotr Kowalski, but unfortunately his panels didn't always flow from one to another. There were a few times where the action felt as though it was missing some panels, or Kowalski missed the opportunity to lay his pages out differently to tell a clearer story. His full page splashes are wonderful though and the monsters are whet you'd expect from the game. I didn't enjoy Titan's attempt at the Dark Souls comic and dropped it after two issues, but I enjoyed this first issue of Bloodborne much more and plan to be back for at least a few more issues.

As much as I love Sale's art and have enjoyed the previous "color" books by these two creators, my enthusiasm for this series has waned. Paying $5.00 for material that I've seen before and a story that wasn't breaking any new ground is a let down, and one that has discouraged me from picking up the rest of this series “off the rack” as they come out. I'll be waiting to see if I can find future issues on the cheap at a future convention since the idea of waiting for the trade seems like I'd be spending way too much money on something I've already paid for twice.

This new Captain Marvel series is changing quite a few concepts within the Marvel Universe and although seeing changes like Alpha Flight not defending Canada is something I'm not quite sure I like yet, I enjoyed this first issue enough to give the creative team time to answer all my questions over time.

If you're looking for another solid issue in a series that's been enjoyable from issue one, then this issue of Captain Marvel may fill the bill. If you're expecting and hoping this issue will have greater importance in the Civil War II event, then you may be disappointed. This book seems like it's about a month too late in terms of tying into the event and fails to capitalize on Carol Danvers' importance to Marvel's future"but"it's still an enjoyable sixth issue that could have been better if released alongside or right before the first issue of Civil War II.

If you're a fan of the Ultimate Universe then this will be a solid read with some nice character moments with the Vision. If you're going to just jump on board for what may be the last Ultimate Universe mini-series, then you don't need to read this issue as not much changes from the end of Hunger, to the end of this issue.

Since the events of issue three, this issue actually felt as though it's required reading. Because of that and the entertaining story, I'd recommend this tie-in to the overall Civil War II event. Plenty of tie-ins, especially with Marvel events, fail to meet that "required reading" check box, but this one does. It answers the question of Hawkeye's trial and offers insight into the minds of the killer and prosecutor despite them both being heroes and friends. If you're reading Civil War II, then make sure to read this.

Artist Christian Zanier does a fine job with the art. At times his characters can look different from one page to the next, but his art is able to tell the story and tell it well. It will be interesting to see how his art style fits the over the top violence that this book is known for, but for right now his art works. I'm happy to say that this issue surprised me in it's ability to put story first, rather than the shock value of crazy grotesque situations. We'll see if Ennis can make the origin of the Crossed compelling enough to bring me back for the next six installments. Based on this first part I'll be along for the ride.

Despite some confusion regarding Cyborg's most recent past, Walker does a nice job throughout this first issue of balancing the "man in the machine" theme as Vic Stone deals with his evolving powers, as well as his strained relationship with his father. Cyborg number one seems like a long time coming for a character that DC wants to be front and center within the DCU. So far it seems as though they're on the right path by putting one of, if not their best artists on the book. Let's hope that Cyborg gets a long and successful run as he has so much potential and promise.

The three different art finishers with an additional three different inkers gave the book slightly different styles every couple pages, which was distracting. Also, the last page of this story gave me cause for concern that the changes to Cyborg will change one of the key characteristics that define him. I'm sure Walker has a plan for Vic going forward, and while it may end up not be something that I want to read, I'm willing to give the series a couple more issues to see.

As far as story goes, there isn't a whole lot new in terms of ideas. Deathstroke is given an assassination job, much like the ones he's had plenty of times before that lead him into a setup that becomes a little more than expected and also more then he can handle. It's pretty common for assassin or hit-man stories to have this type of formula, but that doesn't mean it's bad. I was still excited to read the story as it led to it's surprising and crazy cliffhanger, that will hopefully not lead to a permanent change for the character. The idea behind the story won't win any awards for originality, but it executes on what it sets out to do, and that's to show how lethal and violent a character with the name Deathstroke the Terminator can ultimately be.

There's a lot of creative and original ideas presented here, but at the same time, for a city that's made up solely of dreams you'd almost expect a bit more. While the “Nightmares” in the book are creepy and mysterious, the world as a whole doesn't seem creative enough. Artist Sid Kotian does a great job of telling the story through his panel work and designs, but I wish he'd take it further. The Dreamscape resembles a real city far too often. While there are glimpses of something more surreal and unearthly to the backgrounds, it just doesn't feel as though it's enough. It's only the first issue though and like I said at the beginning, there's a lot of potential for this world. I trust Straczynski has a plan for this series and I'm looking forward to seeing more. And with the last page twist, it seems as though there's a lot more story to tell.

With more time will come more answers, but for now the art is truly driving this story and is reason enough for the confused reader to come back and find the answers to the multiple questions introduced in this opening issue. This is a creative team that has proven they're more than capable of solid and entertaining storytelling, and I'm confident they'll be able to get this on track and deliver with Drifter.

Unfortunately the first issue of Venomverse missed the mark for me although I did enjoy Roland Boschi's art. Edge of Venomverse is a five issue series, followed by another five issue series called simply Venomverse that I assume will team all these characters up, with a one-shot thrown in between the two series. That's quite the investment for an event that so far, hasn't hooked me. I'm hoping later issues will turn my excitement around.

Fantastic Four continues to tell done-in-one stories that can be picked up and enjoyed without having to understand all that's come before. That's a rarity in today's market. Writer Matt Fraction continues to give us single issue stories that can stand on their own and this one is no different.

This meeting between younger and older Jean Grey takes a while to build up its momentum. Silva's art makes the most of the downtime with plenty of panels and different page layouts that kept me entertained. Ultimately though, this is a $4.99 book so you have to decide if this is something that you really want to read. Is it entertaining? Yes. Is it required reading for X-Men fans or for people who just want to know what's ahead for Marvel? I don't think so. I enjoyed this issue, but so far after two of the Generations one-shots, I'm regretting the choice of pre-ordering them all. I may have been better off finding these in a bargain bin at an upcoming convention, I'm sure they'll be in those bargain bins within the next year.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book and it was nice to read a Lantern story that isn't part of a line-wide crossover like the Third Army and Wrath of the First Lantern that have come before. I hope this creative team continues their work on this title together as they're starting to tell a compelling story, while adding some depth to some lesser known characters in the Lantern mythos.

I'll be sad to see this title come to an end as I've enjoyed this series and Justin Jordan's writing of Kyle and Carol. Although reading Godhead may be a bit of required reading to understand just where the monster in this issue came from, you'll still be able to enjoy this opening chapter in what will be New Guardian's final story. There's three issues left and I'm hoping that this series can go out with a bang!

Although this first issue is hampered by some clunky dialogue and a lack of depth to the characters, it's still an enjoyable read with some fun action that will hopefully bring readers back for more. Dan Abnett has proven many times over to be a fantastic writer, especially in the world of the Marvel Cosmic. Although this first issue didn't “Wow” me, it still provided a solid setup with characters that have proven in the past that they're more than capable of carrying their own series.

The story isn't the reason to pick this issue up, Adams' art is. The Guardians crash into Earth, the Avengers investigate, and a team-up ensues. Simple. Although there's not much depth, Art Adams still makes the story fun with his trademark style and ability to pack the page while never making it feel crowded. With a rotating cast of characters and creative teams, this series may not be a must-have monthly pull, being instead a title you jump in and out of depending on the creative teams and characters involved. Although Bendis' writing didn't make me eager to come back for the next issue, Adams' pencils most certainly did.

He-Man: The Eternity War is an exciting start to a new series that seems like a great continuation from the previous series, but may leave new readers guessing as to what may have come before like it did for me. Although it doesn't cater to the new reader as much as it could (and probably should as a #1 issue), the story was still enjoyable and includes plenty of the property's most compelling characters and ideas. Time to scour those back issue bins to catch up on all that I've missed.

This Rebirth issue is similar to DC's other Rebirth premieres. It's a primer for new readers and allows the creative teams to establish the tone for the series. Oliver and Moritat are able to do this. The ending seems a little too convenient, but also leaves the reader with questions as to just what type of person Constantine is, which I feel is a smart move. Yes he's a hero, but he's also kind of an untrustworthy jerk. Although I didn't love this issue, I like the direction it's headed and am confident that it'll get better now that Constantine is still part of, but farther away from the main DCU.

To be honest, I didn't even know this book was ending and I expected to see some future issues where more of the character back stories were explained. If I had known this was the end my thoughts on the issue may have been a bit different, but seeing that this book has now been cancelled felt as though much of the series' building up of characters won't see a payoff the creators I'm sure had intended. I can't really recommend this book if you haven't read the first five issues, but if you see this series collected, or see the series in a dollar bin, give it a shot and see Marvel's more obscure horror characters in a brighter light.

I Am Groot isn't bad, it's just not great and to me, not all that memorable. Baby Groot is getting into all sorts of mischief aboard the Guardian's ship Milano, and as his mischief gets worse, he accidentally stumbles upon a new planet that holds quite a few mysteries. In addition to the mysteries of this new planet, there's also a greater one that looks as though it will be explored throughout this series… why Groot is no longer growing? To me the story never captured my interest and at the end, I don't feel compelled to come back. I'll be getting my Groot fix in the main Guardians book and for now, that's enough for me.

This is not required reading in regards to the main Infinity event, but it's a fun book with quality art and storytelling. I'm a big fan of these Iron Man villains, and I'm looking forward to how they're portrayed the rest of the series.

It looks as though the Inhumans will be playing a pretty big role in the Marvel Universe over the course of the next year. This is a great introduction to these characters and to what's coming next.

Writer Matt Fraction's focus is on Medusa in this issue. She's looking to clean up the mess of her broken kingdom, and find her missing son and husband, Black Bolt. Meanwhile, the world is becoming aware of all the humans turning Inhuman after the ending of the Infinity event, and many are looking to capture the cocooned “superheroes” before they hatch. This doesn't sit well with Medusa and the Inhumans as they look to take action against those who would capitalize and take advantage of their people. The story feels jumbled at times, going from one location to the next, and you never quite feel the pain that Medusa seems to be going through. The weight of her now sole responsibility for the Inhuman kingdom can be felt in Bradshaw's beautiful cover, but unfortunately can't be found in Fraction's writing within.

Hitch's story has each of the Justice League team members, minus Superman getting two or three pages each. Because of this, the story feels disjointed. Only the Green Lanterns are together in this issue and unfortunately their dialogue comes off as a bit clunky. The League are all dealing with earthquakes across the globe as a force called the Kindred is infecting humans that attack the League as they try to help. Hitch doesn't explain too much as this issue is clearly a set up. As far as first issues go, this wasn't great, but I understand that this first issue is a first part of a larger storyline, and honestly, Tony Daniels art made it worth buying the book for me. Although I didn't love the story, I trust Hitch writing these characters based on his previous JLA series, and I'm more than pleasantly surprised with Daniels art so I'm looking forward to more.

Artist Howard Porter continues to use his new style on this book. It's a much different look than what fans may be used to from his work on the 1990′s JLA book. It's a rougher line that looks as though it shows the pencil layouts underneath. Although his line is not as clean as it was on JLA, he packs the page with backgrounds, and gives you a sense of the surrounding world. At times the pencils do look rushed and a bit messy, but the overall look works. I'm pleasantly surprised by this book and hope this creative team can continue to surprise. If they can, this could turn out to be an underrated hit. It's a book with the potential for anything to happen, and that's exciting and unexpected.

There's quite a bit going on in this first issue and overall it's an entertaining read that shows a lot of promise. We'll see where this book is at after its initial storyline wraps up, but with the wide range of characters involved and the great creative team, it has a really good chance to hold its own when compared to the other Justice League books.

Overall this crossover is still keeping me interested, even though this second part was not as strong. I'll be curious to see if Justice League Dark will be able to pick the pace back up, or if the story takes another step back. Let's hope this crossover doesn't lose steam and we can get back to the same caliber of storytelling as we did in part one.

Although the ending is a bit weak, I enjoyed this issue and look forward to what's next. This looks as though it will be a must read when taking into account the Forever Evil series, so I'm glad I enjoyed it.

If you like "getting the gang together" types of stories, then you'll enjoy Justice League of America: Rebirth, but be aware that this really isn't required reading for the story ahead, aside from assembling the team line-up nothing vital; happens here. While I didn't love this first issue for its story, the art and the potential of future stories with this team is what will have me coming back for more!

I trust Warren Ellis, he has proven he can write interesting and fascinating characters, but so far he's focused on showing Karnak in action. It's great seeing him let loose and finding the flaws in his victims, but we aren't given insight into his personality, though this may be Ellis's intent. Karnak is cold and calculating, and with little caption boxes or dialogue, we don't really get to know Karnak which is a shame since I was hoping Ellis would define his personality in a way we haven't seen before. I'm still confident that Ellis can make this character into something more than he is now, and hopefully we won't see more long delays between issues before we find out.

I enjoyed the story enough to come back and give the second issue a try, despite the weak art and corny dialogue. In part I want to support this company that supports the local comic scene in and outside of Chicago. But I'm also a fan of horror comics and small publishers so it's worth it to me in giving this title some time to develop.

Again, I'm glad that the Martian Manhunter is back in his own series, A hero with the strength of Superman, and an alternate identity as a detective can provide the right writer with a wealth of potential. Rob Williams touches briefly on some of these aspects of J'onn's life, but there's room to dive deeper. Although the first issue of Martian Manhunter has its moments, it remains to be seen whether or not this series will last. I'm hoping it does!

I appreciate the approach Dark Horse is taking by releasing a Predator series first, followed by the Aliens and Prometheus franchises to keep each story somewhat separate, while at the same time maintaining a consistency over the course of this story's seventeen parts. My confidence in Dan Abnett's writing, my love for these franchises, and Dark Horse's editorial approach to this multi-part story will keep me around to see how this story is going to turn out.

This issue has kept my excitement from when this crossover event was first announced. There's such a rich world to be explored here and adding Prometheus into the stable of titles at Dark Horse is a welcome addition. The pacing may be slow and the action at a minimum, but this serves as a setup to what will ultimately be a multi-issue and multi-title event. If you're a fan of these franchises, I'd encourage you to give this first issue a try as we hopefully get some answers to the questions that Prometheus the movie left unanswered.

Cloonan and Dillon's Punisher isn't all about the violence, even though there's a LOT of violence. Cloonan introduces a character from Frank's past that looks as though he'll play an important role in the overall story, but remains a mystery so far. A certain D.E.A agent looks to also have a big role in the book so hopefully the supporting cast will pick up some of the lack of depth in Frank Castle's character as seen in this issue. I'm definitely a fan of this type of Punisher so I'll be back for more, but at the same time I was hoping Becky Cloonan's take on the character would have a unique twist on the character that I haven't seen before. We're only one issue in so I'm not giving up yet, I just hope she's able to hook me with her Punisher before this first arc is over.

Hitch's art is as you'd expect, which is fantastic. He packs so much detail into each panel and the amount of detail in the opening double page splash is surprising, even for Hitch. It's not surprising to see Paul Neary inking Hitch's work as they've consistently been a powerful duo in the past, and the coloring by Laura Martin is perfectly matched. It's a great looking book that will hopefully not see delays that Hitch is sometimes known for. I'm hoping that Hitch can keep me guessing with what comes next. I wouldn't say that this book completely hooked me, but it has me intrigued enough for the next couple of issues to see what happens next. I know that the art will will deliver, that's not the question. It's Hitch's storytelling over the long run that still remains to be seen.

Overall I enjoyed this issue and will be back for the second issue. It has an interesting premise and based on the ending, the book will be taking an even more unique turn.

Although the art wasn't for me, the storytelling and characters involved were for sure. Seeing Jack O'Lantern teaming up alongside of Lady Deathstrike isn't a team-up I've ever imagined, but it works and makes me wish for more stories like this set in the main Marvel Universe. This is a concept we've seen plenty of times before, but not as often in the Marvel Universe so it still feels new. These Secret Wars spinoff titles continue to impress and Red Skull is yet another title I can't wait to read more of. Bring on the bad guys!

The simplest way I can describe Revenge is a B-movie horror flick that's intended to push the shock level in terms of violence, sex and gore. Much like the fake movie poster on the back cover that has the tagline, "30 years ago they left him to die. Now he's back with only one thing on his mind"Revenge!", it's supposed to be a bit satirical. If you can take the premise for what it is, it can be an entertaining read. At the same time, although some of the details are different, this is a story with characters that we've seen plenty of times before.

As a reader of the Batman and Robin series, this book seemed a bit unnecessary since this could have been handled within the main series. The Justice League shows up in this issue so keeping in tradition of the main Batman and Robin series, it could have been “Batman and the Justice League” for the next month or two's issues. Although you get some fantastic Andy Kubert art, I'm not sure this issue is worth the book's cover price of $4.99. It's a must read if you're hoping to follow Robin's story from here on, I'm just not sure if it required a stand alone one-shot with a $4.99 price tag.

I'll be back for issue two, but I hope they get back to the main storyline and Rocket Girl's true motivations. This could be a great book, but for that to happen the story has a way to go to match the art.

There are also two short stories at the end, both written by Larsen and drawn by Frank Fosco and Scott James. Both stories were entertaining and allows Larsen to showcase some of the more creative and fun characters he's created over the years. Larsen fills this issue with a lot of story, and you get your money's worth. If you've never picked up an Erik Larsen book before, his art style and fast paced writing may not be for everyone. But for me who has not kept up with this book in quite a while, it felt good to give it another try, and remember just why I enjoyed his work so much in the past.

Current fans of the Hulk may find that this book isn't consistent with what they know, since it is focusing on the Hulk from 1970, but that's part of the charm of this issue. The addition of the 1970 X-Men is an added treat. Fans of classic Hulk stories, classic “original team” X-Men, as well as fans of Alan Davis' art will not want to miss this.

I would still recommend this to Scooby-Doo fans, I think it's an interesting take on the characters, but you're enjoyment of this interpretation of them may vary. Although we got an origin for Scooby, he still had his lovable personality. Although I didn't love some of the design updates to the characters, Porter's art is really fantastic. Although I didn't love the heavy dose of sci-fi themes in the story, the ending gave me hope for a more traditional take on the characters. So"I'll be back for a second issue and hope that it makes more of a connection with me.

Artist Michael Walsh, whose work can be seen on Image's Zero title, may best be compared to Michael Lark. He has as simple style, using a thick line. His style purposely lacks detail, instead focusing on the character and action, along with facial expressions and layouts. His style also contributed to the lighter tone of this first issue, but it's a style that meshes well with the story. I'm excited to see how his work will improve and evolve over the course of this series. Although I didn't feel as though this series started as well as the last series finished, I'm optimistic that it can turn into something special.

Overall there isn't a whole lot new or "secret" here to make these stories must reads. There are a couple of little additions to the origins that add some flavor, but nothing that changes the characters in any significant way. If you're not as familiar with some of DC's biggest characters, then this book may be a nice entry into that world. For those that are familiar with the characters already, except for some great art there's really nothing that makes this book a "must read".

That team consists of other Inhumans Ms. Marvel, Moon Girl and Karnak. Not that it's a bad thing, but this so far feels like another Inhuman book with a touch of S.H.I.E.L.D. thrown in because of Daisy's leadership. The team works together well, and if you're loving the current Inhumans books and Secret Empire, this should appeal to you. On the other hand, if you're not reading any of the Inhumans books or Ms. Marvel, and adding in the fact that you do need to have an understanding of Secret Empire, there's quite a large potential barrier to entry for new readers who are not “all in” on the books tied to this one. The bottom line is this is not really a good standalone read, but may be more enjoyable if you're reading the other titles in the family.

Shaper creates a new world that looks and reads like a cinematic space opera. Although the art didn't always live up to my high expectations, it did enough to draw me in and serve the story. I've seen a lot of space opera books in the world of comics, so it remains to be seen if this one can stand out amongst the competition. So far I'll be back for another issue and hope that the story goes in a direction that's surprising and new.

There's a great cliffhanger to the book that opens up some great potential for future storylines which I believe Straczynski will deliver. Although at this point I may not be rooting for the characters in this story, I am rooting for the creators involved and hope they'll create something special.

I know this is a comic, but there were several things about it that broke my suspension of disbelief and made the whole thing seem unrealistic, even though I'm fully aware that it's a comic. With Silk number twelve the direction has changed, not necessarily for the worse, but not for the better for me as a reader. I'll have to see where this book goes in the next issue or so to see if it's something I still want to read. I'm hoping it gets back on track since I don't want to miss out on Ford's art.

At the end of the day though, Solo just isn't for me and I understand that my expectations wanted and were expecting something else. To me, Solo doesn't feel original. He feels like a character I've read plenty of times before, with a different origin and a bit of different window dressing.

While I enjoyed reading Spidey #6, I didn't enjoy it enough to keep this series on my pull list. If you haven't read a lot of Spider-Man books from the past I'd still recommend this, but for me, the simple fun stories without Bradshaw's pencils backing them up don't make me feel compelled enough to return.

Although I'm not a fan of the Attack of the Clones timeframe in the Star Wars saga, I'm hoping that writer Charles Soule can keep my interest and continue the high quality that I've now come to expect from every book in Marvel's Star Wars line of comics.

The art by Alti Firmansyah is a nice style choice for the tone of the story. His pencils are clean and almost cartoon like, but can still invoke that sense of seriousness when they need to. The colors by Jessica Kholinne are bright which also gives the story that more light-hearted feel. Despite Star-Lord being out of character in the choices that he's made, it's still a fun first issue that entertained me until the end. I'm not sure where the story is headed and if Peter's journey will lead to bigger things within Secret Wars, but I'm also not sure if that's what this series is about or if that was the intention. So far, Humphries and Firmansyah are telling a solid story and I'm ok with that.

In terms of story, Harley Quinn doesn't dominate the story or action which is good as Rob Williams balances the small cast that stars Harley, Deadshot, and Boomerang. They're tasked with saving and extracting a scientist out of China who has developed a meta-bomb that's capable of giving normal people powers for thirty-six hours, but it also negates the powers of super heroes for the same amount of time. Like the other Rebirth issues, this is a done-in-one story that is designed to attract new readers and I think the story definitely succeeds here. There's maybe a bit too much set up at the beginning with Amanda Waller and Rick Flagg, but it provides a mechanism for Williams to tell the Suicide Squad's origin. Of the two Suicide Squad related releases this week, Harley Quinn was the more enjoyable, but this issue had a solid story despite art that I just couldn't enjoy.

I'll be back for the second issue as I do like the characters involved, especially the one who makes an appearance on the final page. But if you're not a fan of Carnage or the Wizard, this book doesn't hold up to the other “Superior” books that have come out this month.

But, this shouldn't keep you away from this issue. This mini-series might be turning into something special, and who knew reading a story about the Wizard would be this fun. I'm now on-board for the remainder of this series and hope the next is as surprisingly good as this one.

The series wraps up nicely while at the same time sets the stage for the next step in Carnage's journey in 2014. Now that the series is over, I'd recommend giving this series a try. Although it has Carnage in the title, it's not necessarily all about him and that's a good thing.

Next issue is Tynion's last one on the book and it looks like he'll be going out with a bang. This has been a pretty solid title with a new hero, but I'm wondering how long it will last and will be curious to see the direction this book goes in with the new creative team.

This relaunch is definitely highlighting the creative differences rather than the character and story changes. There's nothing really so new or different in either the makeup of the team, or in the writing of these characters. It makes you wonder if this could have been branded a bit differently, keeping the same numbering, focusing more on the new creative team in it's marketing without having to cancel the previous series. Given more time Pfeifer and Rocafort can surely make this book a solid monthly read, but this first issue seems like it's more of what came before so why a new #1 (other than #1 issues sell better)? It's not bad by any means, but it's also not feeling different from what just came before.

In terms of the art, it was a pleasure to see Ron Lim pencilling the cosmic characters again. At times his characters and backgrounds lack details and depth, but he understands these characters and for so many fans, his Thanos stands out. It was fun to see him redrawing certain scenes from the Infinity events, and throughout this issue there's an abundance of characters where it was exciting to see him draw them again. This isn't required reading by any means, and fans of the Thanos that has been portrayed in Infinity and the Thanos Rising mini-series may not find as much enjoyment in this book. But for those who have enjoyed Starlin and Lim's work on the character from the 1990"s, it was like revisiting old friends.

I do feel that this issue is the best one yet. For me this series started off weak, but has been getting better with each subsequent issue. It was great to see the relationship between Thanos and Death explained, and the final page leaves you wanting to see just how this will end.

If you've never read any comics with these characters, you may enjoy this first issue as it is fun, solidly written and has some stand out art. But it failed to hook me and make me want to read more, especially since it feels disconnected from what I've read just a couple years ago from the Dark Circle imprint. So it is not that there was anything particularly wrong here, it was just a drastic change in direction from what I had come to expect from Dark Circle. I hope this series lasts longer than it has in the past and it finds the right audience of younger readers. Unfortunately, I won't be back to find out.

The art by J.Bone is cartoony and stylistic. I'm really enjoying this art as not only is it cartoony, but it has a lot of detail as well. Bone makes you feel the small town vibe and it actually feels like a real place. His alien is a bit frightening which is a nice change to the peaceful setting of the town and the look of the main character and the townspeople. This book has a unique feel to it and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Bone's art in future issues. The books looks to be set to explore an alien invasion and that's where I'm hoping the book will provide a twist to make this alien invasion different. For right now, it's not clear yet what makes this book different and unique"except for the art.

This is a book that because of the stylized art involved won't appeal to everyone, but for those that it does appeal to, it will exceed expectations. The art is as crazy, creative, and fun as it should be when combining these two storied franchises. This is just the start of the series that Scioli has big plans for and plans on staying with for the foreseeable future. Scioli and Barber are doing what they want with these characters and enjoying the freedom of a clean slate. As long as he and Barber can tighten up the storytelling, then this book should have the bright future that they, and fans both desire.

I do want to read this series, but I do feel like I have some catching up to do to enjoy this story. I'm curious to see what happens with the Transformers line after this event, and hopefully IDW can make me a consistent reader.

With the big Infinity and Battle of the Atom events that just ended, this series sometimes feels like it gets lost in everything else that's happening in the Marvel Universe. Ironically, this series feels epic almost each and every month.

Daniel Acua comes back to the title and his art is impressive. At times the art feels a bit too busy, but for the most part it works. His line is very free and as always with his art, it looks as though it was painted with watercolors. That said, I don't think his designs of the costumes are as strong as the originals, they feel as though they're from the future and fit into the modern design of the ship and it's inhabitants. Overall this issue is setting the stage for what's next, it focuses on just a few characters to ease readers into the story, but it looks as though that will all change and change dramatically next issue. When I saw some of those characters involved (who I won't name to avoid spoiling the surprise), I couldn't help but be very excited for what's coming.

Ultimately, this issue fell short of the greatness the title has shown in the past for me. As we get closer and closer to the Axis event, it makes sense to have an issue like this that makes the reader care for these characters even more. Unfortunately, it misses that opportunity, and the art inside didn't meet this reader's expectations when compared with the art of the previous twenty-plus issues. Hopefully this will be a small letdown in what's been an overall fantastic series, as Remender and team attempt to right the ship with the start of the next big storyline.

The potential of a team with a cast of characters like this is exciting and new, but ultimately the writing in this first issue diminished that excitement a bit. It is only the first issue though, and this seems as though it may be the start of another big story that Remender is known for writing since his time on Uncanny X-Force. So with that I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Although his Axis event fell short for me, I was a big fan of his previous Uncanny Avengers run and I'm hoping this story given time, can match or better it.

I'm looking forward to the next issue as Humphries is proving to have a good grasp on these characters. And here's hoping that he'll be able to make Bishop a character I want to read about again.

Overall though, this isn't required reading, nor is it something I'd recommend just giving a try unless you're a fan of the all the characters involved (X-Men/Iron Man/Nova). For $4.99 to get the 1st third of a story, choose how you want to invest your comics buying $ wisely and get this if the premise sounds really good to you.

Steve Orlando's story tells us about Redum Anshargal. He's from Atlantis, but no longer part of the kingdom. Unlike Marvel's Namor, he feels that there may be something better than Atlantis, and he's determined to build it. One of the most important missions in doing so is to go on a hunt for the mysterious creature called the Amphibian. He feels that the Amphibian can unlock the key of breathing both under water, and above it. Again, a much different take on Atlantis. After reading this issue I'm intrigued with the world that they're building, and to see if this Redum Anshargal is either villain, hero, or both. I've been pulled in by this issue's creative take on a world we've seen before, and I'm excited to read more.

Much like in Weapon X, this series' villains are the organizers of the Weapon X program, rather than the creations themselves. Ultimately I hope Greg Pak can create a compelling villain who stands out from the Weapon X organization that can stick around after this crossover event wraps up. I enjoyed this first part and will be back for the rest of this series. I know this will be a tough sell for Marvel if you're not reading either Totally Awesome Hulk or Weapon X, but this may be the story that can change that.

X-Tinction Agenda isn't a pretty book to look at, but it has a solid story that's similar to the event that ran from 1990-1991. If you weren't a fan of the original storyline, the inclusion of mutants like Rahne, Rictor and the villain may not connect with you, and the art may turn you off. But if you were a fan of the original event or that era of X-Men, you should definitely give this book a try.

I'm such a fan of the original storyline that I'll be back for the remainder of this series to see how else it will compare and differ. I'm loving Norton's art and although Bennet's story isn't as different from the original as I would have liked, it's still a solid read that will hopefully get better as it connects more with the larger Battleworld and other parts of Secret Wars. If you're wondering whether or not to read this issue and have never read the original storyline on which it's based, do yourself a favor and seek those out first, you'll be so glad you did.

Overall, I would say that if you read the death of Robin in Batman Incorporated, this issue will connect with you. If you haven't, then the emotional ending isn't enough to pick up this issue.

As mentioned above, I was really surprised at just how much I enjoyed this issue. It's got me excited for what's to come and I look forward to seeing what artist Jorge Lucas will do next. Here's hoping it's more Court of Owls stories!

Overall I've seemed to have liked more than I've disliked when it comes to the different titles coming out of DC's Villains Month. I'm hoping that the final week can finish on a high note. If so, I'd consider Villains Month a SUCCESS!

I highly recommend you give this issue a try, but you'll need to read issue twenty-four to enjoy this issue. So far this is a great re-telling of Two-Face's origin, done by one of the DC's best and most underrated creative teams.

As far as story goes, this feels like one of those older Brave and the Bold issues. The meeting between Aquaman and Batman seems convenient, even though the reason for their meeting is a chilling, yet smart idea. This issue doesn't have a whole lot of depth, but serves to move the Hunt for Robin story along while allowing for the partnership to happen. We also get a cameo of next issue's guest star, keeping to the team-up theme that this series has become known for. I'd recommend this issue for the Gleason art, more than I would for the story. This series is usually a must read for both the story and art, so hopefully next issue we'll see each component equally as successful.

Although at first I wasn't a Damian Wayne as Robin fan, the character grew on me over time and when he died, I was a bit sad to see him go. With him coming back now, I'm excited to see the father and son dynamic of Batman and Robin begin again. Tomasi and Gleason have become one of the most talented teams in comics, and I trust that their next chapter of Batman and Robin will be their best yet.

I am on board for this series due to the story and the setup that Geoff Johns has delivered. Although the book isn't the prettiest to look at, Geoff Johns rarely misses the mark with me and I'm hoping he won't here.

Writer Geoff Johns ultimately delivers a pretty solid issue in terms of the writing, but there's a lot of story still left to be told. We're just about half way through the series and so far Forever Evil has been good, not great. But because there's so much story still waiting to be told, I'm confident that Johns will deliver.

I've reviewed two earlier issues of this series so I don't have too much more to say about the art that hasn't been said before. But the art in this issue, and in this series remains inconsistent. Some pages are great, while others are kind of a mess. Proportions are off, especially in the hands on quite a few pages. If you look at the backgrounds you'll notice that they're as sparse as can be. At the same time there's a great two page splash of the batcave, and Finch's Batman always looks dark and dramatic. Overall the art continues to be the weak spot of this series. For the most part I'm enjoying what I'm reading and I'm looking to forward to what's coming up, especially with the last page cliffhanger. Johns is writing an entertaining event that's enjoyable and fun, despite the inconsistent art.

I've already expressed my opinions on Finch's art in previous reviews of this series. Not much different here as his characters and backgrounds are really lacking a clean and distinct line. Finch can definitely draw some great action scenes, but that action looks muddied and rough. This series hasn't been the prettiest to look at, but because of Johns' writing I've still been thoroughly entertained. I'm looking forward to this series concluding next month as Johns has still left one big question still left unanswered. I can't wait to see just who's on the other side of the red skies that has chased the Crime Syndicate to the DC proper earth, and see what Johns has in store for the DC Universe post Forever Evil.

No less than seven story ideas are introduced, or wrapped up, at the end of this issue. Most of these story ideas hint at exciting possibilities, but if Johns isn't the writer then it's a bit worrisome about how they'll be handled in other creator's hands. The pacing of this issue really picks up towards the end as Johns tries to wrap up so many character's journeys and at times it feels rushed. All together, Forever Evil has been an enjoyable event and despite the delay on this issue the conclusion delivers, and the ending of this issue has me hopeful for an exciting future.

If you're looking for a book with action(and you'd think that there might be some from the misleading cover), this is not that book. That's what makes this issue strong. It's an issue full of character moments and it's one of the strongest issues of Uncanny X-Men yet.

As we reach the midway point of this series, I'm ready for it to pick up speed again. After a great opening with the previous three parts, I'm hoping this series doesn't lose its momentum.

Cyclops is forced to address his killing of Professor X by rival X-Men and teacher at the Jean Grey school, Kitty Pryde. It's and emotional moment between the two characters as they both cope with Professor X's death and the ramifications of that tragedy. Not only that, but there's also character moments between Cyclops and a younger Jean Grey, as well as between Cyclops and his younger self. Meanwhile, the Uncanny X-team comes home to find that all is not right at home, setting the stage for next issue. All in all it's another solid issue by Bendis, made all that stronger by Marco Rudy's art. It doesn't necessarily move the main story forward, but the exploration of characters while getting there, well, that's what Bendis does best.

The issue closes on a cliffhanger that made me want to come back for the next part, but also made me wish I got a bit more in this one. It still remains to be seen how this will tie into Original Sin since we know for sure that we'll get more of the mystery surrounding Xavier's will. Bendis has stated that this storyline will alter the X-Men team in big ways, but this issue is clearly a prelude of what's to come. It's solid storytelling with emotional art, but it may leave some readers disappointed that the Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier won't actually be read until next month after the ‘tease' on the cover of this issue.

One of Bendis' main themes since taking over the X-Men books has been time travel and we get more of that here. Time travel tends to complicate things, but Bendis has proven that he's more than capable of simplifying the complicated with the big ideas he introduces to the reader. From art to story to the large cast of characters involved, Uncanny X-Men continues to be one of my favorite Marvel books and this is another example of why. In addition, if you haven't read the Uncanny X-Men Annual starring Eva Bell (Tempest), I'd recommend you do so not only for the great story, but it looks as though she'll be playing an important part in what happens next. Things look as though they're about to get a lot more complicated next issue with a final splash page that will have you wondering what comes next, and I can't wait.

I can't wait to see how this all wraps up and what's next for Cap after this storyline. I'm excited to see Captain America written in this tone and I hope this is just the first epic storyline of more to come.

In regards to the story, there are some nice character moments with Steve as a child as he copes with the loss of his mother, and how those losses relate to those mentioned above. We also get to see how Jet starts to fit into this new world, and B-level villain Nuke shows up which looks as though will lead Cap into his next confrontation. For the most part I enjoyed this issue, but the emotional beats of the story didn't have the effect it was going for and the appearance of Nuke felt as though it was just forced in to move the story along. I was such a fan of the first storyline that I'm on board to see what writer Rick Remender will put Cap through next, I just felt that this issue could have had some stronger emotional moments for all that Cap has been through and lost.

Writer Rick Remender tells a pretty strong story of Jet Black, but it's not very clear if she'll be a hero or villain, or something in between. As she adjusts to this world and interacts with the city and people within, we get some insight into her character and what she values, as well as her motivations. The story ends with a surprising villain that adds more questions to Black's immediate future. If Remender spent a whole issue exploring this character, I hope that this Iron Nail storyline includes her so Remender can keep her development going. This issue was a mixed bag in terms of overall enjoyment. The story was solid even though Captain America didn't appear in the book, but the art wasn't a great fit for me, I'm looking forward to getting Pacheco back on board.

I'm glad to see this book getting good again, and with a last page cliffhanger, I'm even more excited for the next issue. This is a fun book that's exploring a part of the Marvel Universe that has so much potential. Let's hope the inclusion of Angela adds to the universe, without unnecessarily complicating it.

Overall I felt as though this was an average issue, and this series continues to have its ups and downs. I'd like to see Bendis move a little more quickly with Angela's origin so he can focus on telling stories with the characters that headline the book.

Not much more to say regarding Francavilla's art. It's still a pleasure to look at and his Rocket Raccoon is fantastic. I will say it again though, I am not a fan of Star-Lord's new costume and wish they'd go back to the original from his first appearance in Marvel Preview, or at least to the version we saw in the Annihilation series. We get to see Francavilla's talents one more time on this series next issue and I'm hoping the story can suit his style a bit better, but after the last page reveal I don't have high hopes. But, I'll take his art any chance, or anywhere I can.

There's really no appearances from the rest of the Guardians team outside of Gamora in this issue, and that's unfortunately been the case for this series since Angela first appeared. As she's taken on a majority of the starring roles in this series, Bendis has pushed aside the other characters in order to flesh out her story and the mystery surrounding her appearance in the Marvel Universe . Outside of just a couple pages towards the end, Gamora and Angela are the only two characters who appear in this issue. If it wasn't for Maguire's art, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this issue as much as I did. I'll be back for next issue with the guest starring X-men, and hope to see the whole Guardians team at the forefront.

Dan Abnett and artist Gerardo Sandoval finish the issue strong with a tale starring the “original” Guardians from the 31st century. It was a pleasure to read these characters again, and hopefully this isn't the last time we see them. Yondu, Martinex and Vance Astro are great characters that deserve some more time in the Marvel U. Hopefully this is only the beginning and Bendis can include them along with the main team. Overall this is one of the better issues in the series. It's a nice jumping on point for new readers while giving long time fans some nice surprises as well. There's been a lot of focus around Angela and the X-Men lately. Hopefully now, the Guardians will be front and center.

Finally learning what happened with Thanos & Nova in the Cancerverse was made as exciting as can be by Bendis and McGuiness. Readers who missed out on the 2010 series “The Thanos Imperative” where these questions originated may not care as much, but they're still treated to some amazing McGuiness art and a quickly paced, action heavy issue. It may also lead those readers to go back and read that fun series by the writers who refreshed the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. If you're looking for these answers, or even if you're not, this issue of Guardians of the Galaxy will entertain.

Throughout this issue we also get to see some humorous interactions between Wolverine and Beast, as well as some fun with Cyclops and Iceman. It's a lighthearted issue that gives the reader a breather before the big X-Men crossover starting next month titled Battle of the Atom. Aside from the awkwardness, it's a well written issue that gives these "new" X-Men more depth. Bendis' writing style fits this type of issue perfectly. I'm interested in next month's event and feel that this issue may be the calm before the storm.

I really feel as though this series is the best work of Immonen's career. He is able to put so many characters on page, yet never make the page feel cluttered or tight. Each character is spaced to perfection and the battle scenes are clear to follow. He gives each character their own level of detail, and you can see the effort he puts into each page. That's why the pacing at the end is so disappointing. Immonen had a chance to show us something special, and we just don't get to see it. That complaint doesn't take away from my overall enjoyment of this issue, and this larger story. All-New X-Men continues to be one of Marvel's best titles, and I can't wait to see what's in store for next month's twenty-fifth issue.

Overall this first issue does what it needs to do to hook a new reader, it just does so rather quickly, and if you haven't been reading Batman Eternal then these changes in Batman's life and location will seem even more abrupt. This first issue sets up a murder mystery that will have Batman working in a familiar, but drastically different locale and just how this will affect him and those he's closest too. The ending cliffhanger will be reminiscent of story lines that we've seen before in titles like Shadow of the Bat, but it's still a solid setup that has a premise much like the one that this series has been built on for future stories.

Given more time on this title it feels as though Duggan and Crystal could have done so much more. There's potential inside the walls of Arkham Asylum no matter what building it's housed in. Hopefully DC will revisit the Manor again post Convergence, but even if they don't, these six issues provide a wonderful story and excellent art to revisit over and over again. If you happened to miss these issues as they were coming out, do yourself a favor and pick up the trade when it's released as you'll be able to get the whole series in one single volume.

I usually enjoy Mike Perkins' art, but here his pencils lacked polish. After a strong opening, the scene quickly changed to the mine and character faces and Carnage himself lack detail, and in some cases just look off. Colorist Andy Troy does a great job of setting the mood with a dark palette, but the pencils just missed the mark for me. This story looks to be taking a darker turn next issue and has the potential for a scarier second act. Despite my lack of love for the art, I'd still recommend this if you're a fan of Carnage and the symbiotes.

Although this issue borrows heavily from the Aliens movie especially towards the end, I still enjoyed it and the way Conway and Perkins are approaching this series. I didn't expect this series to be so good, but it has exceeded my expectations because I love all the nods to Marvel's more supernatural past. Not only that but the covers by Mike Del Mundo leave a lasting impression on me, especially the cover to this issue which may be my favorite of the run. If you're not reading Carnage and like Marvel's supernatural side, you may want to reconsider your choice not to. Conway has a handle on the character and is taking him places you wouldn't expect. I can't wait to see where he takes him next!

This is not a required read to enjoy the Forever Evil event, but it's shaping up to be a fun series that may further define the Rogues' place and impact in the New 52. I'm hoping that this creative team can build on the momentum of this issue as after reading this one, I'll be back for the rest.

Is it a big throw down issue"yes, but Buccellato makes sure that you're rooting for the Rogues. Although they're criminals, they still fight with honor and for what they feel is right. Mirror Master is fighting for his one true love while he copes with self doubt, the Trickster is fighting for revenge, and the Pied Piper for Justice. They're not typical villains and within this series you come to understand just how atypical they are.

I'd consider myself a new reader being introduced to Miles Morales and although the storyline didn't thrill me, it did enough for me to get to know the character and want to come back for more. I wasn't a fan towards the end of the Ultimate Universe, so it's more of an appeal to me now that Miles Morales is in the Prime Marvel Universe. Although I didn't feel as though there was too much different between a young Peter Parker and a young Miles Morales, the subtle differences that Bendis has presented will keep me around for at least a few more issues.

Much like when Ultimate Spider-Man first started many years ago, I may be enjoying the "Ultimate" version of Spider-Man more than the main Spider-Man book by Slott, but either way, it's proving to me that there's room for both Spider-Men in the same Marvel Universe!

I really think that the line-up of Uncanny, All-New and X-Men are better now than they've been in years. Although you may have to have a bit more knowledge of previous X-stories for this particular series, if you do then this new title is a must read.

Guggenheim and Tolibao are only on this title for four issues which is a shame since it looks as though they have a great feel for the material. This series can be tough for a new reader to get into, but Guggenheim is putting character exploration first and all the action and science fiction second. If you've been avoiding this series in the past, this may be a great time to jump on board as Guggenheim has proven to be one of the stronger writers in the business, and his characterization will help new readers gain a new appreciation for this all female team.

Sorrentino's art continues to shine and is a great fit for this book. I would compare his work to David Aja's work on Marvel's Iron Fist series from a few years back. It's a detailed, but unique line that uses color to highlight action and focal points. His pencils have a grittiness to them that fits Green Arrow's world, and I'm excited to see his work on this book in future issues.

Sorrentino's art is beautiful to look at in this book. He goes from the modern to the tropical settings of the island seamlessly. His art on the island in particular truly gives you scale, and looks like an island should. He puts so much effort into making it feel like an overgrown and untouched island that's both dangerous and beautiful. Marcelo Maiolo's colors add to the overall look by providing the atmosphere and right shades of yellows, greens and more. This is one of DC's best written and drawn books. This is a chance to jump on board if you haven't given it a try. You'll be glad you did.

Green Arrow continues to be a book you should be reading. Although it doesn't feel as big in scope as the previous run, it's beginning to feel as though the creative team is starting to find their groove. By catering to fans of Arrow, as well as using the DC Universe to strengthen it's core and fit into the New 52 continuity, Green Arrow is a book that's easy to follow for both new and old readers, and the last page guest star provides a perfect example of what the TV show is unable to do. I'm pleased that Green Arrow is continuing it's fine run that started twenty issues ago, and it looks as though this series will continue to aim for new heights.

This issue has been one of my favorite Villains Month stories and my only disappointment is that Rags Morales' art won't be seen in future Green Lantern books.

Overall though I enjoyed the issue. I'm a huge fan of this character since Johns re-invented him, and I'm curious as to when and where he'll show up next. And as I did get the lenticular cover, I will say that to me it was one of the better ones. There seems to be some great depth to the cover with the three different layers. And as a final note, I've really enjoyed the majority of the lenticular covers that DC has put out. Hopefully this becomes a yearly tradition as they've really been a whole lot of fun.

If you're a fan of Ethan Van Sciver or a fan of Black Hand and his connections to the larger Green Lantern mythology, then this issue does present some clues as to what will happen next. Regrettably though, Black Hand's appearance is all too short and this is not the same Hal Jordan as Green Lantern we've come to love. I'm willing to give this series a bit more time to come around, but I'm hoping that the Hal we're all used to comes back soon.

I thought this first issue paid off, but for someone looking to jump in here, or for someone who may not be as familiar with the Ultimate Universe, for example, it may all be a bit overwhelming (even I'm not sure why the Ultimate version of Reed Richards is a bad guy and I read a lot of comics). If you can get past this first chapter it looks as though the fast pace sets up the second issue for what's next in the Marvel Universe. It may be a while before we get back to the Marvel Universe we're all familiar with as this first issue seems to change everything, even though that's an all too familiar phrase we've heard many times before. Although I enjoyed this first issue, I'm actually more relieved that the three year journey that Hickman has led us on in preparation for this is, for the most part, over. We can now finally see and read about what's next.

Secret Wars has three issues left and after the last page of #5 it seems as though that's not enough time to wrap everything up. That being said Jonathan Hickman has proven with Infinity that he's capable of providing a satisfying ending. We know what's ahead for the Marvel Universe after Secret Wars and the slow feel of this issue may be intentional so we can catch our breath before heading into the final act. I trust that Hickman's pacing is intentional and look forward to what should be an exciting and rapid ride ahead.

The ending of Secret Wars has me thinking about the story long after I've read it and that's a good thing. There are certain panels from this issue and this series that I'll never forget due to Ribic's art and Jonathan Hickman's writing and for that I'm thankful. Although I loved this series as a whole, I'm excited to now move on. Secret Wars will be a book that I plan to revisit and read in its entirety without the long delays, but I think I'll wait a while and reflect on this ending and the Fantastic Four's possible future before I do.

Overall, DC delivers a great start to Batman Eternal. If you haven't been reading Batman since the New 52 launched, this may be the series that brings you in as you don't need to know anything prior in order to jump in and enjoy this first issue. That said, consistency will determine this series' ultimate success, we'll have to see if Batman: Eternal can maintain this level of quality every single week for the next year.

On top of that, although Dan Jurgens provides the layouts for this third issue's art, Mark Irwin's finishes don't positively add to the overall look. You can tell that this is a weekly series with the art, as it looks rushed and inconsistent. These characters have proven in the past that they're unable to hold a series of their own so it's smart for DC to try and shine the spotlight on them in hopes of boosting their popularity and showing how interesting they can be, but unfortunately their efforts are so far going to waste.

Azzarello, Lemire, Jurgens and Giffen are doing their best to try and make this story as cohesive as possible and although there were doubts at the beginning of this series, it looks as though over time they've begun to find their groove together. Frankenstein is investigating the death of the Stormwatch team while Mr. Terrific is learning that he may not be the smartest man on the planet after all. While the art isn't as much to my liking as the art of Batman Eternal, artist Patrick Zircher does an adequate job with the huge roster of characters involved. Overall, this book is getting better with each issue and if it's something you've been staying away from, it may be a book you want to give a second chance to.

This was an exciting finish to one of the larger parts of the Batman Eternal story, and with just a little more over a quarter of the way to go, it feels as though we're heading into the final part. Batman Eternal has built up quite a bit of momentum heading into this issue, and although it concludes quite a bit, there is still a way to go to the end. There's plenty of Batman and Batman related books on the stands right now and Batman Eternal is one of the books a Batman fan should be reading.

Batman Eternal as mentioned above has gone through the good arcs and the bad ones, but thankfully this series seems to be finishing on a high note as the creators have seemed to save the best for last. With just one issue to go in a weekly series that never missed a deadline, I'd say that for the most part this "weekly event" was a success. The last page cliffhanger in this issue is even bigger than the reveal in issue number fifty, and it has me grateful that I won't have to wait long to see how it all wraps up.

This issue has Simone Bianchi handling the art, and unfortunately this was the weakest part of the issue. I'm not the biggest fan of Bianchi's style, but I did like his recent work on the Thanos Rising series. Here, although some pages have a haunting feel to them, to me it's not a style that fits with all the heroes presented. Except for the Dr. Strange two page splash, which his style is actually perfect for, the art seems to just not work on an Avengers book. His close-ups on faces look a bit weird to me as he uses lots of lines and shapes to show definition within the face. It works for the alien faces and masks, but on the human characters like Reed Richards and Professor X, it makes them look strange. Although I didn't enjoy the art, I loved the story presented in this issue. There's a lot to think about here and Hickman's work on this series sometimes benefits from a second reading. And I'm looking forward to reading it again.

New Avengers is becoming a book where you continuously question the heroic nature of the characters involved. The story continues to be epic in scope with ramifications that will last long after this story concludes. Although this issue is a calm after the storm, it still moves the story forward, while also moving this group of characters further apart. Although the art doesn't do the serious nature of the story justice, this issue is still a must read to see how these characters cope with such difficult and emotional choices, as well as seeing how the Illuminati are slowly breaking apart.

Hickman's writing of Namor and Doom is the highlight of the book as their personalities are perfectly showcased, each acting exactly how you'd expect them to, with some nice moments as Namor realizes how much things have spiraled out of his control. As exciting as this single issue was, we still haven't seen just how it got to this place. There's so much more story to be told which makes my anticipation of future issues even greater. New Avengers is a “must read” for me, I'm all in on this storyline.

To be fair, I may have enjoyed this issue more if I could remember everything and everyone Hickman has introduced so far, but reading so many different titles per month, there are too many comic stories and characters taking up space in my head to properly recall every little detail of everything Hickman has been laying out. I think this issue would read much better as part of a collected edition, or when rereading this series as a whole, but on it's own I felt a little bit overwhelmed with thirty issues worth of those big ideas being referenced all in this single issue.

If you lost interest in or gave up on the Age of Ultron series, I would strongly recommend giving this issue a try. Unfortunately like the cover, the numbering of this issue is confusing and misleading and may keep readers away. This issue is all about Hank Pym and Ant-Man and only briefly touches on the storyline that the title is based on. Do yourself a favor and don't judge this book by it's cover. This is a fantastic origin story that provides a new and refreshing direction for this long-standing Marvel character.

It's a slow but enjoyable introduction to this world and it's characters so far. I really have no idea which direction this series will go next and that's exciting, I'm hoping they continue to take their time with this series, making us feel for these two characters that much more.

Rick Remender and Stuart Immonen deliver a fun, exciting and wonderful looking first issue that starts a new era for Captain America. Immonen shows just why he could be considered one of Marvel's best pencillers as this heavy on the action first issue allows him to choreograph some intense and exciting action sequences with a last page will leave you wanting more, as it looks as though things are about to get even tougher for Sam. We all know Steve Rogers will be back sooner or later, but for now it's good to know that Sam Wilson and this creative team seem more than capable of delivering some "All-New” stories about this “All New” Captain America. It should be fun while it lasts.

It's too bad that this series has to come to an end to make way for Secret Wars as I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was a huge fan of Remender's Cap series before this, and I honestly think I like this All-New series better. The good news is that this issue ends on a surprising cliffhanger that will lead nicely into a series focusing in on Hydra written by Remender, while the bad news is we won't be getting a monthly Sam Wilson as Cap book for at least a little while. We'll have to settle for following him into the All-New, All-Different Avengers book which I hope does him as much justice as this series has.

In this issue, Robbie Reyes (Ghost Rider) has a conversation with the Ghost Rider spirit, while Mr. Hyde searches for the stolen contraband that had been taken in the first issue. These drugs give the user the ability to turn into an all powerful monster, which is making Ghost Rider's life a bit more complicated. As far as villains go, this one is a bit lacking, but it's still a fun read and allows writer Felipe Smith time to flesh out this new hero, rather than focusing his time on a villain. I'm so excited for the future of this series and if you haven't already done so, I'd encourage you to check it out. Moore's art, while definitely not “Marvel super-hero standard”, is something that deserves a look, and then a few more looks after that.

Overall this is a solid first issue where we'll get to see David write not only some great super hero dramatics, but also explore how Serval Industries will fit into the larger Marvel Universe. Peter David's writing has always been consistently good, it looks as though he's done it again.

Some of the changes Peter has to deal with are played out within the main story, while others are covered in back-up stories, the best of the bunch being the one with Black Cat. Things didn't go well for Black Cat when Peter wasn't in the costume, and now it looks as though things won't go well for Peter now that Black Cat is back in hers. Since Slott also writes this story, you know this will be dealt with soon. There's also a couple of engaging stories by Peter David and Chris Yost that make this over-sized issue worth its price. I would have preferred something else Spider-Man related rather than the full Inhuman number one issue they included, but for those that haven't read it yet it's a smart move by Marvel as a promotional item. Although I'll miss Doc Ock in the Spider-Man costume, I'm excited for this new journey. Welcome back Peter Parker.

This is a fun first issue that both Venom and Spider-Man fans should enjoy. Although I hope after this story is over we get back to simplifying Venom, I'll be around for this storyline as I'm currently reading both titles. I'm just hoping I enjoy the rest of the storyline, despite the direction it took at the end, as much as I did this first part.

That decision also pays off due in large part to Rosanas art. Rosanas is able to capture age realistically and his clean lines make the whole issue look a bit animated, but realistic at the same time. He has a great handle on both body and facial language, and scenes involving both Scott and the Slug are pretty funny since he's able to render the characters so effectively. His pencils are minimal but effective and you can see his strengths in the choice to not include so many lines. What I didn't see coming is the ending, and although it seemed to have come a bit out of nowhere, the prospects for future stories are rich. Although its sad to see this series go, the creators will be back with an all new series starting in October titled, The Astonishing Ant-Man. The last few pages look as though they may lead into the next series despite the world coming to an end… and because of that I'll be back.

Overall, these complaints didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the title. When looking at the more "B-List" cast and personalities involved, you wouldn't think this title would work as well as it does, but to Humphries and Araujo's credit, they've made them gel together. However,because of the lineup involved, this title could turn into one of thosefan-favorite, butunder appreciated series. Here's hoping that won't be the case.

The art by Matteo Buffagni is a nice fit for the story as well as the characters with his clean, yet detailed line. Spider-Girl looks the age she is, adding to her endearment. Many times younger female characters can look older than they are based on the artist drawing them. Not so here. He's also able to draw the action scenes well, pulling back when the story calls for those great dialogue moments, using some slightly exaggerated facial expressions to sell the scene. Overall, this issue and this storyline has been such a pleasant surprise. I'm now hoping that we'll get to see more of this character as it just goes to show that with the right creator, there's really no such thing as a bad character.

The art by Mark Bagley is solid in its storytelling and does a nice job of keeping it exciting despite the majority of the issue being light on super heroics and costumes. Bagley's tenure with super hero comics shows just how easy he makes a story like this look. I'm not the biggest of Bagley fans, but he's such a solid go-to artist and I appreciate his abilities to tell a clear story with emotion and heart. Avengers Standoff has me interested in what's ahead with Marvels' next event, even though that event feels like it's coming on way too soon.

Hobgoblin is satirical and humorous throughout, but with a darker ending that will leave you guessing just what direction this book will go in. If you're a fan of the villainous and scary Hobgoblin, then this book may turn you off a bit as it's not your typical Goblin/Spidey story. It's a humorous look at the world of branding and marketing with a character who's now even more interesting than he once was. You don't need to be reading Axis to enjoy this tie-in issue, even though it says to in the book's opening page. Shinick and Rodriguez are telling a wonderful story that so for makes me sad it will only be three issues since there are so many great ideas presented, and such wonderful and colorful art to be explored.

Axis: Revolutions isn't a must read, but if you're looking for an entertaining story that ties into Marvel's current event to give you a little more flavor of the world, this third issue will satisfy that need. Both stories although short and quick reads are well done, making this issue the best of the series so far. Even if you were looking to avoid the Axis event and just wanted a solid read with an inverted version of character(s) you enjoy, this issue is more than worth it.

On the story side we don't know too much yet, but there's a lot of material introduced. The primary plot is the feud between the Whatleys and the Stubbs, but we don't know the whys of the matter just yet. We meet what looks to be the three main characters who all have distinct personalities, and there's a nice balance of time devoted to each of them to allow Bunn to flesh them out, and make each of them likable characters. As more issues are released, this book looks as though it will add a lot of depth and I'll be back to read all about it.

Cable #1 doesn't do a whole lot to give you a backstory for Cable, it instead assumes you have a knowledge of the character and throws you right into the action. If you're a brand new reader to Cable, you may be lost on who Cable is, but I'm a long-time Cable fan and so far I'm lost for different reasons, which is the point. I feel as though I'm traveling through time with Cable and the time jumps have me disoriented, but I'm confident that Robinson and Pacheco will clear everything up"over time of course.

Much like the story, Percio's art doesn't impress in the early portion of this issue. His faces look a bit plain and the full page splash of the Caliban ship fails to convey the size and scope of the ship, not to mention that it just looks downright ugly. Towards the latter half though when the horror starts to ramp up, his art becomes a nice fit for the story. The two scenes mentioned above are memorable due to Percio's art and design. If there's more scenes like these throughout this series, then this could turn into a surprise hit. This first issue builds a lot of momentum in the second half that has me interested in seeing where this story goes, and I'm happy I gave this book a chance.

I look forward to issue number two of this all new series because it was a solid debut for a character who has had his fair share of crazy, fun, and outrageous stories. That's what comics are all about. Thank goodness for that!

Readers looking for a satisfying end to this series may be frustrated and may need to find closure within the main Secret Wars title. This certainly isn't the only Secret War tie-in mini-series that lacks closure in its final issue. Despite the conclusion to this series on the final page, it still delivers an exciting action-packed story and I think it is one of the best series taking place within Battleworld. Now I'm interested to see what I missed with Captain Marvel before Secret Wars.

Chrononauts is attempting to simplify the complexity of time travel by highlighting the comedic and lighthearted feel of the relationship between the two doctors. In it's simplicity to appeal to everyone, the story falls a bit flat and into all too familiar territory. It's not a bad story, it's just that it doesn't really present anything new or different. Fortunately though, Sean Murphy more than makes up for it with his magnificent pencils. I'll be back for next issue because of Murphy and I'm hoping that Millar's writing provides a future where both the art and the writing are equally as strong.

This Civil War series is so far one of my favorites of the Secret Wars event, and that's saying a lot since there's so many great series to enjoy. There's plenty of call backs to the original event that are played out here, but on a smaller scale yet at that the same time, this mini series also feels as though it's just as big as the original. Soule and Yu are both in sync with one another as they come to the halfway point of the series and I'm looking forward to what looks to be even better second half.

Godlewski's art is a pleasure to look at and he does a great job of designing the all the different alien races we meet. He also nicely balances the alien and futuristic, while setting that against the “old” western background. The only issue I had with the art is that the world didn't feel as crowded as a spaceport like this should feel. The backgrounds feel sparse and doesn't feel as busy or in some panels, as alien as it should. Overall though, this is a strong start to a book that should have a bright future considering the success that Faerber has had in the past with previous series like Dynamo 5 and Noble Causes. Copperhead is another solid premiere issue exploring a genre in comics that's currently underused.

The third story is a fun one about one of the more quirkier moments in Daredevil's past, his alter ego/twin brother Mike Murdock. Karl Kesel and Tom Palmer have a little fun with the character and end the issue on a fun and happy note. It's here that I thought more could have been done by going a deeper into Daredevil's past to explore the future. Out of all the names on the cover of this issue, only a small handful, mostly from Daredevil's relatively recent past get the chance to contribute. The stories inside are so well done, but I wanted more. It's great to see this possible future for Daredevil, and I'm so excited to take the journey to get there.

If you're not familiar with these characters that's ok, the creative team on this book does a great job through both the writing and the art to give you everything you need to enjoy this first issue.

This new Deathlok series is off to a nice start and this second issue is stronger than the first with it's balance of action and everyday life. Edmondson and Perkins seem to have a real feel for the character and luckily for us, are just getting started. Although Luther Manning will always be “the” Deathlok, this new iteration of the character can potentially, given more time, stand side by side with the original.

The story in Divinity #0 is solid, but it's more of seeing how Divinity feels about each character he's had a run in with in the past. So, in a way, it does feel like a zero issue. It's meant to define the character and show you what makes him tick. Divinity's meeting with Ninjak for example not only shows what Divinity is thinking, but also does a great job of showing just how cool Ninjak is, a character who also happens to be written by Kindt. The end has a nice surprise and gives us a sneak peek at the next Divinity mini series which I'm really excited about. I'd definitely recommend this zero issue for the art alone, but Kindt does a really nice job of showing how this all powerful hero thinks and feels about all the major players within the Valiant Universe.

I would have liked to have seen Aaron make Strange a bit more eccentric and unique. Strange, from his very first appearance has always been cocky and conceited and here he's portrayed as that to a certain degree as well as a womanizer, but never all that different from one who's seen as much as he has. If you took out the "magical" parts of his internal monologue, I don't think you'd be able to tell it's Strange as opposed to Tony Stark, or some other hero. Not only that, but we also have no idea how he's here considering the role he's played in the Marvel Universe pre and post Secret Wars. Aaron is more than capable of writing a Dr. Strange that's well, just a bit more strange, and I'm hoping that more time will allow him to differentiate the Doctor and give him a unique personality all his own.

Doctor Strange: The Last Days of Magic has some great stories, but $5.99 is a hefty price tag to get over psychologically, even though we regularly pay $3.99 for 22 pages and here we get forty-five pages. I was entertained but other readers may find the price a bit too steep, especially since this isn't necessarily “required reading” to enjoy the main Doctor Strange series. Is this worth the price? To me yes, since I order these with a hefty discount on-line, but I'd have a hard time shelling out the the full $6 at the shop and would probably try to find it cheaper at a later date if faced with paying full price.

Writer Stuart Moore takes the idea of a superhero team and spins it in his own creative direction. The main character Deuce and his wife are putting together a group of superheroes that could compare to DC's Legion of Superheroes. As they put together this new team of heroes, there's a lot of story underneath the shiny exterior of this new team. Deuce is not exactly what he seems, there's a girl on a dead planet that feels the call of this new EGO team, and there's a super villain galaxy called the Masse who's killing off the old team. A lot of ideas are presented in this first issue and I'm on-board for what's coming next. Image can potentially have another hit on their hands with this title, assuming all these ideas can come together.

As this third issue comes to its conclusion, the ending seems a bit abrupt and surprising, but Blackman has earned my trust to follow up on that ending in the next issue. If you haven't been an Elektra fan in the past, this new series will do it's best to convert you, this series is something special. The art is something that can be enjoyed whether you're a fan of Elektra or not. So many comics tend to blend together with a certain feeling of sameness, this Elektra series is not like any other book on the stands and that is something to applaud. Give it a look next time you're in the comic shop.

My only complaint with Empress #1 is the speed at which the story read. Although entertaining with art that's beautiful, this issue was over all too quickly. At $3.99 it was tough for me to feel as though I got my full money's worth without any extras; letters page, sketches, text feature, etc. With this being a creator owned book, it would have been nice to see some of the creative process involved instead of a preview for Jupiter's Legacy 2. Empress is an exciting first issue that I've come to expect from talents like Millar and Immonen. While I don't feel strongly enough about this to read it monthly at $3.99 a pop, I will be back for the collected edition.

I'm interested to see more of the characters, and especially more of the mansion and it's previous owners explored further. Image continues to put out some great new series, and this one is no exception.

The Gentleman Ghost's updated look is provided by Christian Dulce who's art looks great from beginning to end. His pencil lines are thick, using plenty of shadows that's all the more distinct when colored by the gifted Lee Loughridge. Most of the story takes place at night and Loughridge is able to use a healthy amount of blues and purples to give the landscape that perfect mood. Dulce uses all sorts of random panel layouts to tell the story and he's an artist that can definitely tell a story. Annuals don't always get it right when it comes to a healthy combination of both art and story, but Gotham By Midnight does. It tells a done-in-one story that takes a long standing villain in the DCU and updates his look and origin. Although the updated look doesn't necessarily add to the villain, the additions to his origin definitely do

Grayson continues to be one of DC's best new titles and it's great to see an Annual with the same level of quality that the monthly series has delivered since issue one. Each issue of Grayson has been a stand alone tale with the story tying into the greater arc, and this annual is no different. Although one of the main story reveals requires you having previous knowledge of Batman's history, this story can be enjoyed all on its own. Grayson is a series that deserves to be read as King and Seeley continue to show how great a character Dick Grayson can be with our without Batman.

Godhead does a great job of delivering a compelling opening chapter to another Green Lantern mini-event. If you're not a fan of Green Lantern or the New Gods then there may not be enough here to sway you to jump on board, but if you are, this looks like it will shine a much needed light on the New Gods in the New 52 and add another exciting chapter to the Green Lantern saga.

If you weren't following Remender's work on Captain America, then this first issue may not be for you as it spends a lot of time referencing the previous run and deals with a character that has only been seen in that title. Not only that, but the ending may lose it's impact since it requires you to know Nomad's history and origin. For me, I enjoyed this book quite a bit as it picks up where the previous series ended, while of course tying into the larger Secret Wars event. Nomad presents us with a rare perspective of Secret Wars since he's born of an alternate dimension, has lived within and escaped from the destruction of the 616, and now finds himself in a domain of Battleworld. I'm excited to see just how that perspective shapes the remainder of this series.

If you're a fan of Hellraiser don't ignore this series just because it's an anthology, there's quite a bit to enjoy. The Hellraiser universe has a lot of characters, settings and concepts to explore so to see them being examined in an anthology title similar to those from the E.C. or Warren days is exciting. Hellraiser has been in good hands since BOOM! started publishing it, and they're proving that "they have such sights to show us".

Waid is writing a Hulk book that is both intelligent and action packed. He's bringing big ideas to this series that's generating all types of stories not seen in Hulk books before. This is a great jumping on point for any readers who have yet to give this series a try. It's one of Marvel's best books going.

Overall, this was an average issue of the Hulk that at times showed promise. I'm hoping that Waid can deliver on both aspects of the Hulk character, with a little more emphasis on Bruce Banner.

As mentioned above, the art is evocative of Kirby's so if you're a fan of that style you should love this book. Giffen may have a bit rougher and quicker line to his work, but effects like “Kirby krackle”, shine-lines, and hand drawn sound effects are abundant in this issue. The character designs maintain the “Kirby designed” feel which makes the style of this book all that more enjoyable. The New 52 seemed to have made changes to many of DC's most iconic characters just to make changes, many times to the detriment of the character. Here, the Kirby look is embraced and it works. This is a fun book that's refreshing to see from DC. Series like these have proven not to last so far in the New 52, but I hope that this book breaks that trend and stays around for a long time.

Steve Orlando creates a compelling story that as a fan of Shazam and the current Darkseid War storyline I wanted to read. At times the dialogue was a bit overdone and Billy came off as kind of a brat, but I was still entertained and interested until the very end which had a villain that I thought had potential for future stories. I've been a huge fan of the Justice League Darkseid War so I'm glad to see these spinoffs providing some solid storytelling and great art, and this issue starring Shazam is no exception.

There's little to no action in this first issue as Rosenberg spends most of the time developing the personality of Kingpin's potential biographer, while showing a softer side of Wilson Fisk as he has multiple encounters with her throughout the issue. Overall, this first issue is a great start to what I'm hoping will be a successful and long lasting series about one of Marvel's best villains!

The end of Lantern City will have you coming back to see what's next, but it's Magno's art that really makes this book come alive. Whether or not this becomes a television show remains to be seen, but I'm glad it's found life within the pages here. The production quality of the book is top notch with high quality pages and cover stock and although the cover art isn't as strong as the interiors, it's still enough to stand out and make you take a peek inside. I'm hoping this book finds an audience as I'm definitely interested in the world that's being built both out of and inside the world of comics.

After the success of the movie, Marvel continues to put a greater emphasis on the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise announcing a couple of new series and giving them a big event (Black Vortex) early next year. Legendary Star-Lord continues to ride the line between fun and action. Although this issue is heavy on the fun, it's still an important piece in Black Vortex, this series is laying the foundation for that event, but doing so in a way that doesn't feel heavy or dire. I'm excited for the upcoming event, and I'm having fun on the journey there.

Although $7.99 is a lot to ask of a consumer to spend for stories about B, C and with Sugar and Spike D-List characters, longtime DC fans may want to give this one a shot. At 80 pages of story, they are giving a lot of content for the cover price, too. I'll be back for the rest of this series and feel as though I got my moneys worth.

Although the future of this series is still up in the air post Secret Wars, it's comforting to know that this isn't quite the end for this version of Loki. Ewing and Garbett have created too smart a character to see him fade away. I'll always prefer the more evil version of Loki over the “attempting to change his fate” Loki, but it's made for a compelling read and an interesting take on a character trying to escape his predetermined fate. Loki is one of Marvel's most powerful villains, and this issue and the series as a whole has been a great examination of just what makes him so treacherous.

Luke Cage number one is a solid first issue that does all it needs to do to set the tone for the series. The ending of the story may leave some newer Luke Cage fans a bit confused, but to me it got me excited for what's ahead and I quite enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to seeing more of what this team has to offer. If you're looking for more Luke Cage, I think this is a worthy addition to all the other places he's been appearing lately.

There aren't any superheroes in costumes, nor monsters or robots. It's everyday people and settings that Fegredo is tasked with drawing, and all his characters have a unique feel to them that makes the book feel grounded despite the upcoming “super” themes. Fegredo's most impressive work though is seen through the latter half issue's depiction of speed. It's handled a bit differently than just showing speed lines, and I can't wait to see how he handles speed in upcoming issues. There isn't a whole lot to complain about with this first issue, other than the fact that we've seen this type of story before. Drugs granting the user powers is a story we've seen plenty of times before, as is super-speed as a power, both independently and from both Marvel and DC. It will ultimately be how Mark Millar makes these characters and situations stand out from their fairly generic origins that will define this series and make it stand apart.

Madballs number didn't deliver powerful or memorable storytelling, but it did succeed in making the most out of a disgustingly cool toy concept from the 1980s. If I had this book when I was younger I'd have loved it. Although the writing didn't connect with me that same way as an adult, I still loved it. The real test will come when I give it to my seven and four year old to try…

My other concern is definitely personal, but one of the things I loved about the early issues of Marvel's Micronauts was the characters interacting with the world around them, specifically their small and micro stature compared to the normal human world. Bunn has introduced us to these characters in a large space-opera sort of way and doesn't show their scale against the normal sized universe. We never get to see their true size which was such a memorable part of the first series. I'm expecting to see this addressed in future issues, but missing that hook in this first issue doesn't give this book that distinct feel that would differentiate it from a Guardians of the Galaxy type book. I enjoyed this first issue quite a bit and although I have my concerns about the art team inconsistency and lack of “micro” in the “nauts”, I'm confident that this book will get better and I'll definitely be back for more.

Fingerman's art is just as strong, if not stronger than his writing and that's saying something. There's plenty of detail on each page, and although his characters are not realistic, you soon learn to accept the style and embrace it as the world they're in. He uses a color palette of black, white and blue which also contributes to the overall mood and look. Rob always seems to stand out a bit more in his solid black t-shirt, keeping the focus of your eyes on Rob as it should…its his story. The ending sets the stage for a dramatic and funny second issue. There's a lot to like within this first issue and you don't need to know anything from the original series to pick this up, enjoy it, and laugh.

Gary Leach's art seems as dark as the story, with his pronounced and heavy line. Much like this character, I'm unfamiliar with Gary's work and that's unfortunate, as his art is a joy to look at. His panel layouts tell the story effectively, and he pushes the violence to a point where it actually seems real and scary. Not only that, but the modern restoration of coloring on this book serves his art well. I don't have the original books to compare, but the colors here still have a dated feel, while being clean and modern. Within this issue is also a story with art by Alan Davis and Paul Neary, a behind the scenes look into Gary Leach's artwork, and two 1950′s tales of Marvelman that dives into the character's rich, yet a bit corny history. I think I'd be happier with just a reprint of the Alan Moore stories for a cheaper price, but Marvel is doing a service to the character by giving us so much more.

Kate's art throughout works for this story and she includes plenty of jokes on the page. Mockingbird continues Marvel's purposeful approach in infusing humor into many of it's titles and it works here, mostly because of Kate's art. There's subtle humor in the waiting room scenes and Kate also draws the humor in the artistic props like "how do you feel" cards and more. Cain and Niemczyk have taken a risk with this first issue and for me, I think it was a smart one. Mockingbird isn't as innocent as a Patsy Walker or Squirrel Girl and would fall closer to Marvel's recent She-Hulk series which is a good thing! I'm on board for the rest of this mini-series and am glad I'll be reading it in single issues.

Monster World is a strong first issue, Steve Niles gets horror so the promise and potential of this series is high, and I'll be back to read more! Fans of monsters, noir, and classic pulp-type stories or horror movies should check out this new title from American Gothic Press. Ask your local comic shop to order a copy if they don't have it on the rack.

When the ComicSpectrum review team picked their favorites of 2014, it was a tough choice not to pick Ms. Marvel as my personal “Favorite New Series” (I ended up picking Gotham Academy but 2 other reviewers picked Ms. Marvel), rest assured it ranked right up atr the top for me. There's a reason there's so much critical acclaim for Ms. Marvel and if you've been on the fence on giving this a try I'd encourage you to do so. Ms. Marvel is a lovable young character who can be a tremendous role model for not only young girls, but for everyone.

I was very impressed with both Joshua Williamson's story and Mike Henderson's art. I'm a big fan of Henderson's character work. I feel as though his art comes as close to looking animated as it can, without looking cartoony. It allows his characters to have a lot of life within their facial features and body language which ultimately gives them movement. You can see this in the story's opening page and throughout this issue. That said, Henderson doesn't always “sell” the locations with his art. In a story like this, I think the settings can add so much and the generally plain backgrounds didn't give the town of Buckaroo a unique feel for me, which is unfortunate. This is minor and shouldn't be taken as a criticism that should keep you away from the book as the overall look and feel of the story worked for me just fine. There's so much to like though within this debut and I hope we'll continue to see some fascinating and disturbing characters introduced.

I'm hoping that the slasher's personality or lack thereof is explored a bit more than it was in this first issue, but I'm confident that Bunn will flesh him out in future issues. Bunn has proven he can write a solid villain, like he did in the Sixth Gun. I'm on board for at least the next couple issues and love the slasher genre Bunn and Bastos are playing in with Night Trap!

The new "DCYou" highlights a lot of new talent, and seeing Bagenda's work for the first time here was exciting. Having a brand new talent like Bagenda, and an up and coming writer like Tom King who's work on Grayson has garnered a lot of praise and attention reintroducing an underrated and underused team like the Omega Men has me excited for what's coming next post New 52. The Omega Men haven't been seen in a while and given time, I feel as though this creative team will make us realize just what we've been missing.

With the Agent Carter TV show recently debuting, it's a shame that there's no reference to Agent Carter on the cover of this book. Readers walking into a comic shop won't be able to tell just what this book is about from the cover, and those who weren't fans of the Original Sin event may stay away from this issue that uses the Original Sin logo. There's plenty to like in this first issue and I'm hoping that readers will be able to find this book on the shelves. With the Agent Carter show garnering a lot of positive reviews, this could be a sleeper hit for Marvel when more people start to notice who's starring in it.

Jim Cheung and Paco Medina both handle the art on this issue and to be honest, during my first read through I wasn't able to tell that there were two pencillers. The art is fantastic throughout and there are some really impressive splash pages that absolutely impress. Seeing Cheung's artwork here makes me wish that he was handling the art on the whole event, but I'm still looking forward to seeing what regular series artist Mike Deadato will do on a stage this big. Cheung and Morales make this book shine even with 5 inkers (including Cheung and Morales) and Justin Ponsor's colors bring the science fiction settings to life. This is a great issue that serves this event well. Again, it may not be required reading, but it's great great reading.

In terms of art, Mike Deadato is a great fit for this title. His rendering of the obscure villains like the Mindless Ones and the Exterminatrix are stylized and a bit scary, despite their overall goofy look. I was a bit skeptical when finding out his name was attached to this event, but his art works here and he's able to flex his style to fit the numerous amounts of characters involved. As far as single issues go, this may not be the best, but it does put the pieces and characters into place to tell the rest of the story. Aaron has six issues to go and next issue the story will start to pick up it's pace.

Since Original Sin has ended this may not make it into the hands of a lot of readers. If you were a fan of the Original Sin event or even if you weren't and just want a good story that explores a side of the Marvel Universe we haven't seen before, then don't commit the sin of not picking this up. This is a comic that's definitely worth reading by Marvel fans and many may skip it.

This first issue does what it needs to do by setting up Angela's origin and her world, and having it fit into the overall Marvel Universe. If you were turned off by the thought of Angela being related to Thor and including her background into that of Asgard's, you should think again. Jason Aaron and Al Ewing have a solid and well thought out plan so far, executing it nicely within this first issue. There's still quite a bit of story left in this series, but if this first issue is any indication of what's to come, this will be one of the better stories to come out of the Original Sin event.

AfterShock continues to impress me and while another zombie book may not appeal to you at first, Tieri's writing makes this one fun and Okunev's art is makes it exciting and memorable. I'll be back for more of Pestilence and I'm hoping the creators can give us something we may not have seen before within the genre. I'm confident they will!

Moore and Burrows drew me right into this world, so much so that I'm excited to dive back into their previous Neonomicon and Courtyard books. Providence takes it's time to draw readers in, and much like Lovecraft's writing, hints at a darker world not yet seen. I'm not quite sure where Moore is headed with this new series, but he's hooked me with this first issue. Providence seems as though it's going to take it's time in showing us the horrors that await, which is making the dread of what's to come that much more compelling.

For fans of Puppet Master, and there's quite a bit of them out there, this first issue does a great job of providing a “welcome back". The puppets Blade, Pinhead and Tunneler are all back and are all treated with the respect they deserve. I enjoyed this issue so much that I'm looking forward to seeking out the movie series once again, and trying to catch up on all the sequels I missed over the course of twenty-years! Puppet master, although firmly set in the world of horror is still a fun franchise with memorable characters. Action Lab and the creative team involved have rekindled my interest in the franchise and has me excited for what's to come!

At the same time if you are familiar with the character, seeing her interact with the devout Christian family she moves in with gives this book a bit of humor and depth. When Raven attends school for the first time, she encounters an energy that she knows isn't right. Just what that energy is and how it will affect her and those now close to her remains to be seen. This book is lacking the Rebirth cover dress so this may not make it into the hands of new DC or previous New 52 readers, but I'm glad I ordered it. According to DC's solicits, this takes place between Teen Titans #24 and the first issue of Rebirth but there is no mention of that and you really don't need to know that. Wolfman obviously understands this character and he'll keep me coming back for the remainder of this series.

Meghan Hetrick's art and portrayal of Isla adds to her being such an endearing character. She's drawn beautifully but realistically. Her red hair makes her stand out on the page and the designs of the characters are original and striking, though like the story, we don't see them too much. My only complaint is that at times the colors were a bit too deep, standing out too much when they didn't necessarily need to. That's a small complaint in an otherwise strong premiere. Vertigo continues to produce some fantastic comics and based on their upcoming releases I'm looking forward to more, they're not done yet!

If you haven't been following Gleason's work, I'd encourage you to do so. In my opinio0n, he's been one of, if not the most, consistent artists working today. He's been drawing Batman and Robin for years, and has had long runs on both Green Lantern Corps and Aquaman as well. It's a pleasure to see him now on the writing side, which allows him complete creative control. Although the structure of the story could have been a bit smoother, it was still a great read in a mostly done in one issue. Robin: Son of Batman is a showcase for one of DC's top artists and it needs to be seen.