Tony Rakittke Comic Reviews

I've done a lot of complaining this year about the rising costs of comic and their perceived plummeting entertainment value. What I've never told you though is that, through all of my ranting and railing, Captain America has continued to be the one $3.99 comic I keep on my pull list because of its consistently high quality art and captivating, dynamic stories. For those of you who, like me, have been following Brubaker's run on the title from the beginning, you will be well-rewarded here with a comic that resolves long-standing plot threads and sets the stage for a whole new era in the world of Marvel's greatest hero.

Make no mistake: Casanova is essential reading. It will challenge you, amuse you, and give you some great things to think about. I strongly encourage you to take the trip and enjoy the ride. This is comics storytelling ay its finest and weirdest.

If last month's issue polished the blade and held it up to the world in defiance, this month's issue sharpened that blade to a razor's edge. The story is easier to understand and quicker to enjoy, and this comic is lethal, innovative, and a rare delight to read. I cannot recommend it highly enough. This is quality entertainment and not to be missed.

Criminal proves that variety really is the spice of life. This is a quality comic and great entertainment. Not to be missed!

Delighting in Parker's quest for revenge is the ultimate guilty pleasure. You know full well that Parker is as much a villain as the gangsters he's hunting down, and yet you can't help but root for him to succeed because part of you would love to be just like him, taking command of your life in a way that only he can. This is one graphic novel that needs to be on your bookshelf. Not to be missed!

Until they release the next issue, that is.

My requirements for a good comic are simple: I want to be entertained and I want to be challenged. A comic doesnt have to do both thing to merit my approval, but thats always encouraged. SHIELD does these things and more. Ive never seen a book like this from Marvel, but I will fight like a madman to ensure its survival. This is complex, intelligent entertainment, and absolutely worth your time and money. Not to be missed!

Whether you were a fan of The Sandman or just love a well-told story, I think this series will delight and impress you. P. Craig Russell reinterprets Gaiman's original story with a graceful style, and offers a lasting tribute to one of the best series in comics history. Not to be missed!

I like this comic. I really, really like it. I like seeing Bendis and Maleev working together again after their stellar run on Daredevil, and I like the way this book utterly pulls me into Scarlet's tragedy makes me sympathize with her rage against the same kind of injustice in life that you and I have experienced in life to lesser degrees but hate just as much. I don't give a shit about Avengers, but I'll gladly support this book. Not to be missed!

If you can justify spending the extra money for a story you may already own, this is an absolutely gorgeous hardcover to have on your bookshelf. Not to be missed!

Planetary is in many ways, a love letter to the genre we all hold so dear. It reminds us of where the superhero came from, and where the superhero is headed. It is a celebration of everything that is great and exciting about storytelling, and needs to be read by all comic books fans at least once. If this is indeed "a strange world" and Jakita was right in saying that we need to keep it that way, then please do your part and experience Planetary. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Reading this issue has been a bittersweet experience. I'm so happy I got to enjoy one more Planetary story, but I can't help but feel disappointed the story is now over. To Ellis, Cassady, and Martin I can only say thank you for reigniting my love of comics and giving all of us such fantastic stories. Well done.

In a year highlighted by shockingly mediocre storylines, I feel like Marvel may have finally struck gold with Realm of Kings, and I'm really excited to see what happens next.

If I have one complaint, it's that this issue was unfairly slapped with the "Faces of Evil" branding, which in my opinion has thus far proven to be a large disappointment. Green Lantern has proven itself to be an outstanding title that can stand on its own without needing to be tethered to such pointless marketing schemes. If you've been hearing the hype around this title, I want to assure you that you can believe in it. Go, pick it up!

Oddly enough, I think this issue delivers the excitement and energy that I felt was lacking from Blackest Night #1, and I suspect that as this epic storyline progresses, I will probably have the most fun following it in the pages of Green Lantern. With the skill and artistry of a master craftsman, Johns has built the foundation of "Blackest Night" over the years with an eye on this moment, and my God does it pay off beautifully. Johns excels at conveying the utter creepiness of the Black Lanterns, filling their scenes with fantastic character moments like their ability to identify the emotional spectrum in their victims, or the way the rings ooze black oil over those they choose to resurrect. Aided by the outstanding art of Doug Mahnke, whose work has grown by leaps and bounds since I last saw it in Seven Soldiers of Victory, this issue hits all the right notes. Manhunter's resurrection is a truly terrifying experience, and his relentless pursuit of the brave and bold duo

Green Lantern is a fantastic comic gripped in the middle of the greatest storyline of the year. There might be better ways to spend your hard-earned Yanqui dollars, but crack is evil and prostitution is only legal in Vegas, so why not try this comic instead?

Totally Random Sidenote: Has anybody been buying the Blackest Night action figures? If so, drop me a line and let me know if they really look as cool as they do in the advertisements. I keep thinking about starting a collection of the various Lantern Corps, but I'm not quite sold on them yet, so let me know what you think!

With Final Crisis coming to its cataclysmic conclusion and "Faces of Evil" in full swing, this was absolutely the right time for Prometheus to make his return to the DCU, and I for one couldn't be happier. Welcome back, you sick bastard.

Wow, I was not expecting to like this issue as much as I did! Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat have done the impossible and convinced me to actually care about Ghost Rider witha plot that is friendly to new readers and some dynamic, quality art. My only problem now is tracking down all his back issues!

From cover to cover, "The Last Stand" is solid entertainment that hits all the right notes; and more importantly, it succeeds in getting me interested in reading more about Ghost Rider. If a graphic novel can achieve that, I'd say buying it was money well spent, wouldn't you?

With a devastating, exciting blend of high-octane superhero action, military intrigue, and compelling human drama, Parker, Hardman, and Breitweiser have reinvigorated Hulk and turned this into a comic that demands your attention.

Millar has worked his naughty, evil magic yet again by giving us a comic full of guilty pleasure and sinful delights. Nemesis: More fun than pushing cripples down stairs. Not to be missed!

I generally tend to dislike vampires. I think they're boring, effeminate, fops and not terribly frightening as Bad Guys. But then I read this comic and saw tribes of vampires from across the globe uniting to form…what? A new world power? A supernatural terrorist front? Too early to say at this point, but Gischler and company have created a world that I want to learn more about, and I think I'm going to follow this story and see where it goes. Surprisingly good stuff!

Month after month, this is one of the few titles that I most look forward to. The Goon continues to impress with its deft mix of sly humor, drama, and horror. This is really great storytelling, and a perfect example of why we need to see more creator-owned titles being published and supported.

Ennis and Campbell seem to have done the impossible and made an already terrifying masked avenger more menacing than ever. I like that. Ennis' dialogue is razor sharp, Campbell's art is wonderfully atmospheric , and The Shadow's justice is uncompromising and brutal. This could be the start of something very good.

Guardians of the Galaxy continues to be the best book you're not reading, so go visit your local comic shop and change that already!

Guardians of the Galaxy stands at the forefront of great storytelling, which is good news for all of us as this comic is in the middle of wonderfully terrifying storyline. You want a comic that delivers? You want a comic that truly entertains you? Then this is the comic for you, my friend.

After a few slowl-paced issues, it's nice to see Guardians getting back on track with the kind of epic space action that we have come to expect from this corner of the Marvel Universe. The "Thanos Imperative" is upon us, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

There's no reason a comic like this should work, but it does and I'm grateful to have something new and different to read!

Fans of The Bourne Identity, Alias, and James Bond need to check this book out and give it the support it deserves. Swierczynski and Garcia are a solid team and they know how to make the Black Widow as lethal and mysterious as she is lovely. This really is a good book!

Rounding out this issue is a preview of Daredevil's role in "The List," and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the Avengers story, which is mind boggling since I haven't touched a Daredevil story since Miller left the title. Andy Diggle and Billy Tan seem to have a good handle on the character, and I was so impressed with the title's new direction, first revealed in Daredevil #500, that I'm now planning on following the comic! This one shot was a surprisingly entertaining issue and a great jumping on point for anyone that has managed to avoid the baggage of "Dark Reign" until now. I'm convinced that there's real potential to be found in "The List." I'm alsomore than willing to stick around and see what happens.

I've got to hand it to DC, this ring promotion of theirs is a complete success. Want to know how I know this? Because I've resolved to go back and buy the last nine issues of R.E.B.E.L.S., and after I've done that, I'm going to begin collecting this comic on a regular basis.

I was honestly surprised with how much I liked this book, and would love to see Marvel use this format more often to dust off some of their forgotten heroes. Can't go wrong with 48 pages of kung-fu goodness.

A below average epilogue to an otherwise amazing opening story. Fraction has proven he is more than capable of making this a great series to read, but this issue is irritating, due largely to Spider-Man's unnecessary presence. Save your money and wait for the next issue.

From Fraction's writing, through Larocca's art, and on down to D'Armata's lush colors, these guys have crafted yet another story that has all the feel of a summer blockbuster movie. Whether you pick this up in individual issues or wait for the graphic novel, you won't be disappointed.

Invincible Iron Man continues to be one of the best comics out there, and it is well worth your time and money. Not to be missed!

Cowboy Ninja Viking is a complex tale of action, espionage, and psychosis from a skilled creative team, and I'm definitely on board to see what happens next!

Is there a point to teaching each aspect of a person suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder how to be an assassin, or does it just make for some fun, brutal storytelling? I'm not sure yet, but I do know that I'm having a good time reading this comic, and at the end of the day isn't that what counts?

An incredibly average issue by an otherwise excellent creative team. Longtime readers of the title will find much to like here no doubt, but it's not a strong enough issue for me to recommend to the new reader.

Remender and Opena are an interesting team to bring on to Punisher, and "Dark Reign" isan idealstory for the character, so let's hope they use that to their advantage. I'll stick with this for awhile and see where it goes.

Remender and Opena are a fine creative team and by bringing their talents to this book, Marvel has convinced me that Punisher is a title worth reading.

This iteration of Punisher has been largely hit or miss for me. I enjoyed the first arc of stories, and then quickly lost interest afterwards. This storyline however hooked me in a big way, mostly because it was so absolutely and delightfully absurd that it left me grinning like a mad bastard; I want my comics to surprise me like this more often. I want them to leave me wanting more. It doesn't happen nearly as much as I want it to though, and that's a shame, but this issue, holy crap, this issue was too freaking off the wall not to enjoy. If Remender and Moore can keep up the weirdness, we're in for some good times.

Under the direction of Swierczynski and Foreman, the future of Iron Fist is in good hands, and this continues to be one title I look forward to every month.

The latest storyline of Immortal Iron Fist is solidly fun entertainment, even if Foreman's art keeps it from being great. If you've never read the book before, now's the time to give it a try!

This was by no means a bad issue, but it certainly isn't necessary to buy either. Spend your money on something else this month.

Also, I loved Robert De La Torre's art; although I would agree that the quality of his inks seemed inconsistent. Like Kyle, I'mexcited to see where Diggle and De La Torre go from here. I felt this was a solid start from a worthy creative team, and would strongly encourage any undecided Thunderbolts readers to pick up this issue and give it a try!

I should tell you about this issue specifically, shouldn't I? Well, Francesco Mattina's covers are dark and unforgiving, and I hope Marvel releases them as posters as soon as possible. Roberto De La Torre refuses to draw Osborn to look like Tommy Lee Jones, and for this I am grateful. And Andy Diggle? He has put this title in a choke hold and made it his own. This is one of Marvel's finest titles, and you'd be wise to give it a chance.

Fanboys take note: when somebody asks whether or not you dig the Bong, I promise you it's okay to say "YES!" This was my first introduction to artist Bong Dazo's work, and I was incredibly impressed. Although I believe his style is a bit to cartoonish and illustrative to be the regular artist for a dark and gritty title like Thunderbolts, it nicely complements Deadpool's appearance here. Dazo's artis loose and flowing, yet incredibly detailed when the moment calls for it, and I hope the industry takes note and sends more work his way! As for the story itself, I was surprised by how easily Deadpool took down the Thunderbolts, and disappointed by how utterly inept they came off looking. I enjoyed this issue, don't get me wrong, but when I finished it the first thing I said to myself was "wow, why is it I'm reading this title?"The ease with which Deadpool laid the smackdown on Osborn's team of covert cutthroats is embarassing, and it makes them lo

Parker and Sepulveda did the best they could with what they were given, but I never felt like they were capable of making the "Dark Reign" version of Thunderbolts as mean a book as it should have been. But with this issue they proved that they could hold their own and I suppose that's enough. Now that this whole fiasco is behind us, I'm more excited to see what next month's roster will bring. If you didn't buy this issue, I can't say I'd blame you.

As was the case with Secret Avengers I think this issue works best when you consider the potential it offers for future issues. This issue lays out yet another new direction for the Thunderbolts, but it's one that I'm expecting to thoroughly enjoy, due in no small part to the efforts of Parker, Walker, and Martin. Damn, these guys are good!

Wow, this comic keeps getting better! The creative team is pure dynamite and they've succeeded in crafting stories that are making me excited to read comics again, and that's what it's all about. Easily one of my favorite 'Heroic Age' titles right now, and I encourage you to check it out!

Love the creative team, love the characters, but the story's starting to wear thin. What's the point? Where is this story taking me? I'm wasn't sure, and that annoys me. A rare miss for me this month on a comic that I otherwise love the hell out of.

I'm prepared to stick with Bendis on this title for awhile. Definitely check it out, and remain cautiously optimistic with me as we see where he goes with this.

While Deathlok #1 did not benefit from its slow, potboiler plot, it featured enough great characterization and outstanding artwork to make me want to come back for next months issue. Im curious to see where the guys will take this.

The Brave and the Bold seriously impresses me with stories that are as entertaining as they are insightful. This is some quality storytelling here, and I have a feeling it'll just keep getting better.

The Brave and the Bold was a miss for me this month. It felt like JMS and Saiz had the right ideas in mind, but couldn't connect them to tell the kind of quality story they are known for.

Stories like The Umbrella Academy are why I read comics. Visually splendid and bursting with crazy, inventive energy, this bookwill reward readers with ideas and images they've never seen before. I can't wait to see where Way and Ba go from here!

Despite a vague, elusive plot, The Umbrella Academy continues to entertain due in large part to the artistic talents of Gabriel Ba and Dave Stewart. However, Gerard Way has proven he is a faithful student of Grant Morrison's madness and we are made all the better for it as readers.

I'm buying this comic for the art, the color, and the little bits of weirdness that are thrown in for good measure, but the story thus far does little to excite or entertain the way I hoped it would, and I question if that will change by the last issue.

I like where this is headed and hope Hurwitz and Opena can keep up this level of energy. Worth checking out!

Vengeance of the Moon Knight is moving along at a good pace and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

I'm really intrigued by what I think this comic has to offer and am willing to stick around for a few issues to see where it takes me. Samnee's art is dynamic and fun, and Langridge seems ready to reimagine Thor for a new generation. I'm willing to give him a chance to make that happen!

This is truly a delightful comic, but it isn't quite giving me the entertainment value that I need to continue buying it every month. I'm inclined to wait until this is released as a graphic novel; I think I might enjoy even more.

This is atitle that delights in huge action andfantastic villains, where Hercules and Amadeus seek adventure with a wink and a smile. Artists Henry and Espin perfectly convey that lighthearted tone with clean art that looks like animation and does a great job of expressing emotion. What can I say? Incredible Hercules is a pleasure to read!

An issue of great ideas that could have ended the storyline on a satisfying note, but chose to drag it on instead. Since Pak and Van Lente seem to be writing this for a graphic novel release, you might be better off waiting to read that instead.

A waste of the paper it was printed on. You don't need this.

I enjoyed the bold lines and expressive qualities of Stegman's art but felt it was often overpowered by Pallot's inks. Fortunately, the dynamic colors of Trevino and Sotomayor compensate for this and make the finished pages absolutely sparkle. With all the melodramatic doom and gloom running rampant throughout Marvel's "Dark Reign" snorefest, it's a real treat to come across that occasional comic that wants nothing more than to laugh loudly at it all and entertain. This is one of those comics, so be sure to check it out.

Incredible Hercules is a great book made even better witha stellar creative team now firmly in place. Longtime fans of the character, and anyone familiar with his rivalry with Thor,will surely bust a gut laughing throughout storyline. And judging from the last page, I'd say things are about to become funnier than ever.

A well-crafted story does not always make for an entertaining one, especially when there's barely enough story present to fill an entire comic. If you were to skip this comic and wait for the next issue, you wouldn't be missing a thing and I can't say I'd blame you.

Wow, what a damn good comic! You can't go wrong with picking up Incredible Hercules 136 this week. Not to be missed!

Incredible Hercules #138 marks the beginning of another solid story, but it doesn't feel like the kind of thing you need to rush out to the comic shop to buy and that's strange for this book.

I have a rule when it comes to new comics: If it can't impress me in three issues, it's not worth collecting. And I'll stick to that with this comic, but between you and me I don't think I'll need it. With its deft blend of superhero action and espionage intrigue, Brubaker has found a new direction for the Avengers franchise that will have readers coming back month after month to see what happens next. Secret Avengers is the comic I never knew I always wanted!

I think that as the plot thickens and we come to understand why Roxxon was searching for the Serpent Crown, this story is going to really take off. I didn't quite pick up on that this month, but still found enough to like about this issue that I can recommend buying it.

I thought this issue was a huge yawner, and after reading it I feel less confident that I'm going to continue collecting this series, which is a huge shame since I had such high hopes for it. The creative team is amazing, the premise of this book has all the makings of a beautiful summer blockbuster, and yet neither are delivering the entertainment value I expected them to. I'll stick around for another issue or two…. Maybe.

There are qualities I liked about this issue, and about this storyline in general, but not enough of any one of them to create that drive and need and incentive for me to want to continue buying "Secret Avengers" month after month. This can be a good comic, but I don't think I'll stick around to find out. Until things improve, I'm going to wait for this to be released in graphic novels.

Completing the "origin" story of this new team of Avengers, this issue finds Hank Pym, now calling himself Wasp in honor of his late wife, being challenged by none other than Tony Stark for leadership of the group, which has been mysteriously assembled to combat the ancient Chaos god Cthon. During the conflict egos clash, insecurities arise, a leader emerges, and the team's malevolent founder is revealed. In the sea of crap that Bendis has thrown the Avengers franchise into, Slott's opening storylineon this title is a much needed breath of fresh air. His script easily balances action, comedy, and characterization in ways that remind me why I've loved the Avengers for so long. Khoi Pham'sart works best on a large scale, and if you don't believe me, just check out the covers to his first three issues of this comic and tell me you wouldn't buy a poster of it right now if you could! Slott and Pham will need a little time to make this title their own,but I'm will

The Mighty Avengers is one hell of an entertaining book that harkens back to an older, more enjoyable tradition of Avengers stories. If you're fed up paying $8 a month for Bendis' Avengers books, I strongly encourage you to give this a try instead!

I hate to say it but for me, the honeymoon with "The Unspoken" is over, and I'm left wondering when this story is going to end so we can move on to better things. You don't need this.

Stellar writing and a richly-developed universe has convinced me that Nova is entertainment worth following.

This issue was a dark look at the thoughts and actions of one of Marvel's most notorious villains, and longtime readers of the series will probably enjoy the experience. To be fair though, it's not for everyone, and new readers may want to wait for the next collection to hit the stands before reading it.

Frankenstein's Womb had some incredibly lofty ambitions that I felt it failed to deliver on. Despite being blessed with stellar artwork, it was a rather lackluster story that you do not need to spend $7.00 to read.

Faithful fans of the larger story will enjoy this issue as it continues to advance the plot, but I suspect the casual reader will probably feel like they've walked in on the middle of the conversation, and would be better off finding more entertaining comics to spend their money on.

Although this issue was a weak installment in the "Faces of Evil" event running this month, it is still a solid and completely satisfying story.

A strangely subdued issue, but one full of potential that promises to deliver one of the most surreal adventures of Wolverine's career. This would be a good time to get on board, as Aaron's ready to take new and loyal readers on one hell of a ride.

For my own tastes, I'm at the point now where I need Aaron to either nut up or shut up (sorry, just finished watching Zombieland for the billionth time…is it just me, or is Emma Stone fucking gorgeous?). Aaron has thus far played his hand close to his sleeve and I get that, but the time has come to bring the story together and get to the point. That said, I'm having enough fun with this relaunch that I really do want to see where he takes this.

This storyline hasnt quite entertained me and it hasnt quite given me new insight into Wolverines character and measure as a man. So far, its been a very routine and unspectacular story, and thats incredibly disappointing to say about an otherwise solid creative team. Frankly, Im not sure Ill be buying this comic for much longer. Something needs to change, and soon.

I love Hawkeye. I love Mockingbird. You'd think I'd love seeing the both of them in their own comic, but wow did McCann take a great idea and do absolutely little with it. He wrote this like a 15 year-old fanboy giddy at the thought of taking on characters he grew up reading, but neglected to say anything about them that hasn't already been said many other times by many other writers. After reading this, I'm less inclined to buy the second issue, and will probably wait for the graphic novel to see if he can salvage this book. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed.

I love Hawkeye. I love Mockingbird. You'd think I'd love seeing the both of them in their own comic, but wow did McCann take a great idea and do absolutely little with it. He wrote this like a 15 year-old fanboy giddy at the thought of taking on characters he grew up reading, but neglected to say anything about them that hasn't already been said many other times by many other writers. After reading this, I'm less inclined to buy the second issue, and will probably wait for the graphic novel to see if he can salvage this book. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed.

Some reliably solid character moments are unfortunately lost in the mire of a ridiculous plot that Bendis could have easily fixed if he'd wanted to. This issue was good, but not great, and certainly nothing you need to spend $4 on.

I'm quickly losing interest in this series, but Ryp's art is truly a thing to be admired. If Ellis has a point to make, even if that point is simply to entertain the reader, I wish he'd get to it already.

Proof seems to fall somewhere betweencomparabletitles likeThe Perhapanauts and B.P.R.D, yet the latter two are so much more fun to read.IfImage is going to charge me a whopping $3.50 an issue for this, I need a more satisfying reading experience, and they did not deliver that here.

Captain America as James Bond. What's not to love about an idea like that?! I came into this issue with high hopes, but was disappointed with what I felt was an incredibly generic, uninteresting comic. The status quo has changed for Rogers and his future is waiting to be written, so why does this issue dwell in the past like it's something to be proud of?

This is a decent comic, but it's simply treading water when it should be making waves. The writing and art are solid but uninspired, and for $3.99 an issue, I don't know how long I can keep waiting for things to get interesting. I have yet to be convinced that this is a comic I need to collect.

I've never read any of Daken's early appearances in the pages of Wolverine: Origins and I'll keep it that way because I suspect the less I know about him the more I'll like him. Like just about everything else under the "Dark Reign" banner right now, Dark Wolverine is a one trick pony that cannot possibly last. Having just said that, I think Daken is nonetheless an intriguing character and if the creative team can step up their game and do something more with him, I think there is potential to be found here.

Daken continues to impress me as a character, but I'm not sure how long that will last before I get bored and move on. Way and Liu need to do something with this plot soon to reassure readers that it is actually going somewhere.

Dark Wolverine is a comic that's going nowhere fast. While its labyrinthine plots might make sense after they've been collected in trade, they fail to entertain as monthly comics. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be collecting this.

I'd like to offer Dark Wolverine #80 as The Worst Comic of the Year. I'm done buying this title and strongly advise anyone else currently reading it to do the same. We deserve much, much better than this.

A moody, pretentious first issue that goes to great lengths to convince you how dark and serious it's going to be, but forgets to be entertaining in the process. You don't need this.

Fortunately, Matthew Clark turns in some solid art, and if there's any reason to continue reading this, it's to see more of what he can do. On a final note, this is the first issue of DC's new pricing plan that I've picked up, and my first impression is that this can really work. Basically, even though this is Doom Patrol #1, you're paying $3.99 for 20 pages of Doom Patrol (2 pages less than a typical 22 page comic retailing for $2.99) and 10 pages of a second feature story. This issue featyred the Metal Men as the backup, which I thought was a ridiculous waste of time as I hate everything about them, but I nonetheless can appreciate that DC is at least offering me more content to justify their price, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for Marvel. Based on this first issue, I don't think I'll stick around to pick up the second, but I may come back to try the graphic novel if and when it's released. Buy at your own risk.

I was hopeful when Deathstroke suddenly mans up and manipulates his daughter into helping him escape Belle Reve, but that soon gave way to a bizarre monologue about Wilson needinga new purpose in life and wanting to become a "prophet of death", killing the people he feels that need to die rather than eliminating those he's paid to kill. The issue ends on a truly creepy, pedophilic note that left my wife cringing when I showed it to her. Hine and editor Michael Marts seem to be moving Deathstroke back into an anti-hero status quo, and under any other circumstance I'd be fine with that. But this is a "Faces of Evil" issue, and a grossly emotional one at that. If they're not going to write Deathstroke as the brilliant, manipulative villain that so many of us know and remembered him best as, then why bother releasing this issue now? Why not wait until after Final Crisis and "Faces of Evil" are over? Iwanted a return to Deathstroke's roo

Sensing a trend here? Practically everything happens out of the blue for no apparent reason, other than Loeb wanting it to at that particular moment. He constantly fails to set up these moments in ways that justify their existence, and as a result they come off feeling shallow and self-serving. Remember how I said Urich's goal was to find out who the Red Hulk was? Yeah, well, he suddenly decided not to. "If all you do is focus on the Red Hulk you're going to miss the big picture", Urich observes. Really? Looking at the solicitation, I thought the Red Hulk was the whole point! This discrepancy suggests that either Loeb deliberately misled his readers into shelling out five bucks for a cocktease, or he is losing the ability to tell cohesive stories that don't rely on shameful misdirections and obnoxious slights of hand. Either way, your buying dollars would be better spent elsewhere.

If this issue had come out a month or two ago, certainly before the release of X-Men #2, I think I could have been more interested in it as well as Blade's supporting role in this storyline. Sadly, it came out a little too late for me to care and I finished this issue feeling sorry that Swierczysnki couldn't find something more relevant to do with Blade. I'm hoping the Daywalker's role will be improved and expanded in the pages of X-Men. Until we find out, I don't think you should bother with this one.

This is a very talented creative team, and if they should produce another comic together I'll definitely give them another shot, but I can't find enough about this book in particular that is worth paying for. You don't need this.

The two teams battle so that the Young Gods can remind us, repeatedly, that the Eternals are little more than robots that can be downloaded into new bodies after they die, and that it is they who should be humanity's rightful defenders. The Eternals win the fight and the annual ends abruptly with everyone standing around looking moody and bored. Van Lente had 32 pages to work with here, but somehow he managed to waste every one of them. Furthermore it doesn't help that Alixe's art is so painfully unimpressive. Why did Marvel waste their time publishing this? Don't bother buying, you deserve better.

Ultimately, I can't decide if Morrison is a victim of editorial slavery or an advocate of the bad storytelling DC has been pushing down our throats since Crisis on Infinite Earths. I can say with confidence though that this series was not meant for the casual reader. It does not like you. In fact, it wants you to go away.

Rick Leonardi's art, while traditionally reliable on superhero books, seems incredibly out of place on a story that wants to be crime fiction. Leonardi tries to go for a dark, gritty, atmospheric look, but falls short. The one redeeming quality to this book is Walt Simonson's dynamic cover. If you can justify paying $3.00 for that cover, then I say go for it, otherwise please vote with your dollar, avoid this book like the plague,and let DC know you expect better than this.