Compelling characters in a seemingly familiar world.

Overall, this is the way Conan was meant to be! Howard's barbarian at his most savage and ruthless. Conan has always been one of my favorite characters in comics and I've often referred to the Marvel fare as Conan lite. Ablaze's Conan full and robust. If you've never read the original stories you may have to take it in small doses. But once you've gotten used to it by the gods! There isn't anything better.

Overall, Strange Adventures manages to be a strange book. Written with King's typical flair paired with two completely different artists this could be one to watch.

This issue closed with one hell of a cliffhanger.

The single best horror comic I've read in years.

A definite read for the fan of classic and modern sci-fi.

Mercy delivers on many fronts from story to art yet still manages to leave a lot on the table.

A great issue, action packed from the start with the occasional pause to catch your breath.

Mignola and Scott do a deep dive into the monster, questioning what it means to be a man, or, for that matter, alive.

Overall, while this issue didn't give Ripley Ryan the introduction to the superhero world she may have wanted. What it did give us is a dang good read. A fun read that while not a blockbuster should serve as a template for others. They're comics, people, pick one up. Read it and enjoy it for what it is: an escape from a crazy world. Ripley may not soar as Star in her first issue, but what she does may be just a little better.

Very seldom do you get a completely fleshed out world from the start.

The creators really have something here and it leaves you wanting more.

Valiant does it again with a great first issue that should please old fans as well as new fans of Bloodshot.

Overall, this really was a great issue of the Punisher. It fits nicely into the storyline and serves to move it forward as well as introduce a few new characters to the mix. The added bonus of a message whether you agree with it or not is just icing on the cake. There was a time when all comics were told with this subtle hand and comics as a whole were better for it.

Filled with Miller's trademark action and Scalera's deft hand Space Bandits should prove to be a runaway success for Image.

Overall, the latest Bettie Page adventure which proves to be the most fantastic yet, is a fun romp through the fictional world of Bettie Page. Written with a wink and a nod to some of the greatest comics and stories of the past. Everything is here, from Stanton's Muse to Lovecraft, Howard and Thomas. This is one for the fantasy fan just check your disbelief at the door.

After the end of issue three if you don't come back turn in your Marvel card!

WritingArt3.5Summary

Russell and Colak have delivered one for the fans.

A great jumping on point for new fans and old fans alike.

Cthu-Louise needs to be read.

If you've never read Captain America or were a long time reader who has fallen to the wayside now's your time.

Overall, this current volume detailing the work of Miss Page during the time she was employed by U.S. Government stands as testament to her indomitable spirit. Such things are needed to further shed light on the happenings of the past.

Ewing and Bennett have managed to change the Hulk forever, and heaven help the Marvel Universe.

A classic story lovingly adapted for a modern audience.

A great jumping off point for DC's new event.

Overall I'm going to have to give this one 10 out of 10 Dr. Manhattans!

About as perfect as you can get, an outstanding read for new and old fans of the Green Goliath alike.

The hallmark of a good adaptation: it expands upon the source material and makes you want to return to it.

The second issue of Catwoman highlights Jones ability both as an artist and a writer.

Bendis and Gleason have turned the spotlight square on the Man of Steel and I dare say he has not sounded or looked this good since Byrne.

Well rounded characters and naturalistic dialogue are two of the hallmarks of a great comic and and Unnatural excels at both.

Overall, I just don't see where you can go wrong with this issue. Here, Abnett echoes one of the 20th Century's greatest practitioners of weird fiction while putting his own spin on it. That coupled with outstanding art by Federici and Gho firmily ground Aquaman in the known world while straddling the unknown. Aquaman 37 is destined to go down as one of the great comic epics while laying the groundwork for years of stories.

An interesting issue that introduces new readers to a classic.

Christopher Sebela, Joshua Hixson and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou have delivered a perfect blending of words, art and color. Every so often publishers and creators deliver on their promises and I for one am glad they did. After all, sometimes it's cathartic to see someone finally get what's coming to them.

While it wasn't what I was hoping for it still managed to be a rather enjoyable read.

If you like Haldeman, as well as good classic Sci-fi lovingly illustrated, I would urge you to pick upForever Freeas it delivers in both categories.

A great first issue and I can't wait for the second.

Overall, this set of issues was such a welcome return for me to the Avengers.

Overall, Aaran and Dauterman have given us another stellar issue. They do this while also answering one of the biggest questions long time readers have had about the Lady Thor. This appears to be the last time we will see of the Lady Thor, but she will cast a long shadow on the title for years. They also set up the return of the Odinson as the one true Thor in upcoming issues. While divisive at times I felt that the Lady Thor was the best of Marvel's diversity push and it is kind of sad that it appears to be over.

Having more of a feel of a preview than a bold new direction, Marvel Legacy leaves a lot to be desired

Overall, there really isn't much here for me in the new Sheena Queen of the Jungle book. For every good panel or section of dialogue there were five bad ones. I simply adore comics as a whole and always try to find something redeeming in every issue I review as I just don't want to completely trash anyone's work.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read that is illustrated beautifully. The few flaws herein can and should be corrected in future installments. This will only serve to increase the value of such a noble work as Mr. Avallone and Worley continue to shed light on this time in Ms. Page's life.

Overall, I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this new take on King Kull. Being a longtime fan myself and having read the source material, as well as most of the comics adaptations that have come before, I'm unsure about this new take on the character. Perhaps my expectations for the story were too much for Waltz's story to overcome. Readers not as familiar with the character as I am may find a cool man out of time story. With all that said, I'm tempted to come back for the second issue just to see where he is trying to go.

Overall, this has really been a great story and series so far. The writing and art have been stellar and I look forward to more. My only warning to new readers would be to make sure you read the intro blurbs with each issue. They give a good synopsis of what has come before as Conan moves from one adventure to the next.

Overall, there really is a lot going on here and while not all of it is good, not all of it is bad either. Regular Valiant readers will probably find this issue easier to follow than occasional readers who may end up lost. It seems from reading this issue that perhaps it would be best to wait for the trade.

Overall, Transformers Salvation is a good read for new and old fans alike. I imagine that fans of the current series will have an easier time keeping up with this issue than fans of the cartoon will. This is because a number of things left me wondering what had happened in past issues that are not expanded on here. This lack of explanation is a double-edged sword as it may put off some readers while attracting others. Take those things in stride though as this is a one-shot and serves as a nice intro to the Transformers comics.

Overall, you can't go wrong with Black Hammer. It's one of the best comics being published today. This issue contains enough surprises to keep day one readers satisfied, yet it is written in such a way that new readers shouldn't have any trouble catching up. All that, and it is topped off with a cliffhanger. Lemire and company are reminding me of what it was like when you couldn't wait for the next issue.

Pakis' first issue is still a great success that I hope will spawn more anthology series. The beauty of the anthology series for me is that you get a few new stories every month. That, along with the occasional returning feature, would be a welcome sight in today's deconstructed comic book world. Today's comic books take six issues (on average) to tell a story and seems largely targeted at the trade reader. Most people don't have the fortitude to jump into the middle of a series and stick with it until the story resolves itself. Anthologies don't suffer from this, with a variety of smaller tales new readers can jump in anytime.

Overall, I can't recommend Black Hammer enough, both for new readers and long-time fans. Lemire and company have crafted a modern masterpiece that is surely only going to get better. Hop on, the bandwagon has only recently left and we have room for more. I'll even save you a seat.

Overall, I just couldn't get into The Blessed Earth. Judge Dredd has long been a guilty, but hard to find, pleasure for me and many of the U.S. versions of the character just don't fit. Judge Dredd to me has always been more robot than man. His relentless 24 hour enforcement of the law is the only thing that drives him. Additionally, Mega City One has always provided a good backdrop for the stories and is as much a character as Dredd is himself, and its destruction hurts the story. Here, everything seems off-kilter with all of the traditional elements of a Judge Dredd story missing. This would have served better as a futuristic wild west tale of a lone sheriff trying to bring order to a group of settlers than as a Judge Dredd story.

What really stands out overall is the attention to detail that Byrne put into the issue. I thought to myself as I read the issue that it must have been a chore to make sure the images he chose were consistent and helped tell the story. Byrne's work and dedication to the original series really shows and I for one will be back for more!

I think that Titan has a good idea here as the world of Dark Souls has always been rather ambiguous. This leaves much open for interpretation, but if they want to really make this a success I think they need to move beyond what is in the game. A number of characters within the game are discussed only in passing, and I think this is where they need to take the series. The time before Lord Gwyn became the Lord of Cinder should be the focus for this series. This would allow them to grow the series while filling in the blanks that From Software left intentionally within the game.

From the way in which Ms. Marvel is talked down to by both criminals and the police to Carol's standing up for her rights to J. Jonah Jameson, the book is very progressive and highlights some of the problems that women still face today. It also succeeds as a first issue as the story is captivating and leaves us with a cliffhanger, ending as Carol still doesn't realize she is Ms. Marvel by the end of the book. It's a great read, but I would strongly advise those who wish to read it search out a trade collection as single issues can be quite expensive and you don't want to be stuck not knowing what happens next!

Overall, if you are a fan of MLP I would tell you to pick this issue up as it finishes a running storyline. If you have never read MLP this issue is worth the read for the backup story as it is a nice play on a classic. It is a great family fun read you can get for small children if you want to get them interested in comics, and, like I mentioned before, it may stay with them for years to come. My oldest daughter has been reading this series for about four years and still looks forward to it every month.

There is a third story included in this issue but I am not going to discuss it, trust me and by the issue and read it for yourself. The writing and art for this issue overall is at a very high and consistent level. The story's all play out as very simple adventures that open and close within the issue. Here are no cliffhangers, no larger overarching story that connects to other issues and no convoluted morals. It is refreshing to sometimes just take a break and read something a little lighter. Uncle Scrooge has only two purposes in his life, making more money and protecting the money that he has. As long as that is what you expect and a few laughs you will not be disappointed. Pick it up as this issue serves as a nice break we all desperately need.

Overall, this issue is a great starting off point for new readers. It gives you a somewhat firm footing in what has come before while trying to get you up to speed and ready for another wild ride.

This issue of Dirk Gently also comes with a four page backup story entitled Albatross by Arvind Ethan David with art by Dani Strips and colors by Charlie Kirchoff. The backup story here is delivered with a much darker tone than the main story and seems to depict the descent into madness of a former rock star now trapped in some sort of asylum. The writing here is delivered in a manner that leads you to believe that the main character is ranting to himself about his current situation. Dani Stips' art is also vastly different than what is found in the main story as it relies on extreme close ups and larger panels to convey a much more ominous tone. Likewise, here Charlie Kirchoff's colors really stand out as they have plunged into the darker shades giving us a much bleaker story that makes for a great little read.