Vishal Gullapalli Comic Reviews

Age of X-Man: Omega #1 is a satisfying, complete conclusion to a great event, and does a great job tying up most of the threads of the event while still leaving a lot of potential for stories about its fallout.

Prisoner X is a fantastic story on its own and one of the strongest parts of the Age of X-Man.

While the issue is definitely rushed to reach a certain endpoint, it is still an enjoyable experience with magnificent art.

This bombastic finale was just as explosive as Jubilee herself, and is an excellent showing from the entire creative team.

Alienated #1 packs a lot of potential for what will likely be yet another incredible series from BOOM! Studios and all of the creators.

This issue is an excellent showing from Spencer, Ottley, Morales, Rathburn, and Fairbairn, and sets up an incredibly tense confrontation in the near future.

Every page of this issue shines in its own way, celebrating the past as well as setting up the future, with each creator putting out some of their best work.

Ascender is an excellent sequel to Descender, as both Lemire and Nguyen have improved upon their craft to release a comic that's better than the majority of its predecessor.

A masterful standalone experience that conveys the everyday existence of Batman as a character.

Tom King's callback to earlier within his run is incredibly effective, and the entire art team is operating at a sublime level.

King, Janin, Bellaire, and Cowles all work in perfect harmony to elevate the quality of this issue and set up an incredibly tense finale to the arc.

King, Janin, Bellaire, and Cowles all do a fantastic job developing this issue, resulting in a conclusion to the arc that is one of the strongest single issues throughout the entire run.

This is an absolutely incredible start to City of Bane, setting the stage and stakes for an intense climax.

King and Daniel are crafting a proper epic to cap off this legendary run on Batman.

As usual, King has written an issue that tells its own complete story within the larger narrative of the arc. The issue is an excellent character piece on Damian, Bruce, and Selina as King is putting out some of the best work of his career on this title. Daniel and Janin along with their inkers and colorists are stellar artists on this issue, bringing King's story to life in an incredible way. It's a satisfying complete product, and a meaningful step forward for the story as it heads towards its climax.

Once again, Tom King is showing that his entire run has built up to this event, and has been masterfully crafted since its first issue.

This issue is a much-needed rest and victory for Bruce and Selina, and provides a triumphant note to herald their return to the City of Bane.

The writing and art in this issue feel lacking compared to prior issues of the run.

While it's a bit difficult to read, King's writing makes this issue well worth reading for everyone enjoying his run and this arc.

With fantastic art and tight writing, this issue is a satisfying climax to a conflict that has been building for years, with an ending that changes the entire dynamic of the story in a meaningful way.

King and Janin bring the feeling of grief into this comic in a way that makes it one of the most impactful books they've ever created.

While this issue basically pauses the ongoing story in the middle of the climax to provide exposition, the exposition it gives is essential to understanding the story as a whole.

This is a strong conclusion to Tom King's run while also providing some interesting lead up to James Tynion's forthcoming run.

This issue is an excellent start to what is looking to be yet another standout run on the main Batman title.

This series very much feels like it will be the ultimate coda to King's Batman run, for good or for ill.

Batman/Catwoman is a strange experience, one that likely will not be worth it for people who aren't already heavily invested in Tom King's Batman story.

This issue is an excellently made conclusion to its miniseries, providing a satisfying conclusion that rings true to the story that began two years ago.

This issue is a solid start to the series with a lot of potential directions to go.

The Batman's Grave has the potential to grow into a more intense narrative, but for now its more subdued style is quite refreshing.

I genuinely have nothing positive to say about this book. It's a terrible attempt at synergy with a movie that's remarkably feminist, going all the way in the opposite direction to wind up feeling misogynistic. The dialogue is terrible, the plot is awful, the art does not do its job well, and this doesn't do anything interesting. For the price point, I'd already be hesitant to buy this issue regardless of how good it was. But based on its quality, I don't think anyone should spend even a dollar on it. There are far better things to do with that money than buy this terrible comic.

For fans of Bloodshot's character development prior to this series, this issue will feel like a regression to his bland status quo. For newcomers, this book will likely not stand out at all.

Bog Bodies is a moody, scary book that feels incredibly fresh in how it evokes these feelings.

Some minor gripes aside, this is another strong entry in what has been one of the strongest Captain Marvel books.

Everything about this issue is masterfully crafted. From Brubaker's writing to Phillips' art and Phillips' colors, and even the letters, there isn't a single line out of place in this issue. It's difficult to achieve perfection, yet Brubaker and Phillips seem to consistently do it every issue of this series. Criminal is a must-read comic every issue, and this one continues the trend.

Death's Head is a very fun book with excellent character writing and plot and gorgeous art. Fans of Death's Head, the Young Avengers, or just Marvel in general would do well to pick this series up.

Doctor Mirage is already poised to be a modern classic.

'Fire Power Vol. 1' takes all the necessary exposition and setup for the future of this series, packaging it into a very digestible and gorgeous graphic novel.

This book is a solid beginning to an interesting new story, but it ends up being bogged down by its desire to rush into the meat of the story.

Whitley and Robson have delivered a wonderful return for the team, showing exactly what makes them stand out from the rest of the universe and why they're so fun to read.

As always, Gideon Falls is a masterclass in visual storytelling. The plot has ramped up rapidly since the first arc, and Lemire is doing an excellent job giving answers that only serve to create further mysteries. Sorrentino is putting out the best work of his career, and improves with every issue. The layouts and artwork throughout are exquisite, and serve to enhance the story in an incredible way. Each scene's tone is defined by how Sorrentino lays out the page, and the entire issue is a structural masterpiece.

Gotham City Monsters is a book with a lot of style and heart, and is exactly the kind of offering that DC has been lacking for some time.

Just read this book already! It's so, so worth it!

House of X #3 provides the first taste of Hickman's voice for the X-Men, and it is excellent.

House of X #4 is possibly the strongest issue of Hickman's work on the X-line so far. It is incredibly emotional and hard-hitting from the very beginning, and by the end its purpose and message are clear. It's also a stunning display of the potential of Hickman's proper X-Men ongoing once House of X and Powers of X wrap up. Based on the last two issues, Hickman's X-Men will be incredibly well-written and enjoyable, with both plot and character writing to outshine near every writer on the line prior. While the future for the X-Men has never looked darker, the future for the X-line has never looked brighter.

This issue's implications will be dissected for quite some time, or at the very least until the next issue of Powers of X.

This issue is an excellent conclusion to House of X, firmly establishing Krakoa as a nation and leaving enough unanswered to make the future of the X-line intriguing.

James Bond #1 is a fun comic that would be well worth reading were it not for the title, cover, and opening three pages.

The issue as a whole does a delightful job setting the stage for Jimmy's latest and potentially greatest adventure. Each member of the creative team adds their own unique flair to the book, creating a very unique offering that's a hilarious read from start to finish. The issue sets up a great hook to drive the series, giving the maxiseries a sense of purpose. There's a lot to dig into in this issue, and a lot to keep readers coming back next month.

Killer Smile is a triumphant return to DC Comics for both Lemire and Sorrentino, and has the potential to be Black Label's strongest showing.

Fans of Swamp Thing will have a great time with this issue.

The book is still well-written and gorgeous, but the stakes have lost their meaning.

Rucka's writing with Perkins' pencils and Mounts' colors build a world around Lois Lane that's just as tough and down to earth as she is.

This is an excellent follow up to the stellar debut issue, as both Rucka and Perkins are putting out some of their best work yet.

This issue marks a new beginning for Loki, where he has more to lose than ever before, and sets up an incredibly compelling long game. It's friendly to newcomers and seasoned veterans alike, and has enough to keep anyone hooked.

This issue is a compelling and hilarious start to a new adventure for Loki, with a lot of potential going forward.

Being boring is a capital offense. Thankfully, 'The Ludocrats' has no intention of being found guilty.

Orlando, Rossmo, and Plascencia are doing a wonderful job on this series, and adding something wholly unique to the Martian Manhunter's story.

Thompson and Henrichon have crafted a delightful small story that makes the entire universe feel just a bit bigger, and whether or not you've seen Captain Marvel, it's a fantastic read.

Layman and Chan do not miss a beat in the triumphant continuation of this stylish, unique story.

Powers of X #4 is an excellent continuation of the two series, with some of the funniest, most enjoyable X-content to date.

As always, this issue of Powers of X feels incredibly revelatory, with some fun interactions between characters and strong implications for the past and future of the franchise.

Powers of X #6 is an excellent conclusion to the opening salvo of Hickman's X-books, leaving many questions unanswered and a lot of room for the ongoings to move.

Second Coming is absolutely delightful from the start, and it remains laugh-out-loud hilarious through the final scene.

This issue is an excellent continuation of the series, and has plenty of meaningful things to say about religion, heroism, and masculinity.

Snow Angels feels soulless, like even the creators aren't really interested in the world they've created. The artifice is palpable throughout the issue, and the last page's reveal was the least surprising way to close the issue imaginable. I expected far better from both creators, but unfortunately Snow Angels doesn't feel like it has any inspiration behind it. It's a dull, frustrating beginning that I can only hope is not indicative of the rest of the series, but I don't have high expectations.

Soule and Saiz combine the epic with the personal to deliver a fantastic opener to this new Star Wars run.

While there's a lot in this book that should clearly have come from the movies, this is an engaging and compelling read from start to finish, and does an excellent job fleshing out one of the most interesting characters in Star Wars.

Soule does an excellent job filling in this gap, but is hampered by forces outside of his control.

This comic will likely not change your mind on Tom King, but for his fans, it's exactly what you've been waiting for.

Bendis is starting to shrug off the lethargy of the past few issues while Reis is just absolutely incredible.

This issue has its flaws, but as a whole I'd say it's the strongest single issue that Bendis has written since he came over to DC.

An issue with a lot of good but just as much bad.

This book is a perfect entry point for readers unfamiliar to the question while also being a love letter to the character that his fans can completely enjoy.

This is a unique and excellent offering from all the creators involved.

As Zdarsky and Anka's first major foray into fantasy, this series has been a massive success, and readers can only hope that there will be more content in this universe.

The issue as a whole is an excellent way to allow the events of the previous issues to breathe and really get their importance and impact across. Ruckley's depiction of Bumblebee's grief and disillusionment is excellent, as it feels palpable throughout the issue. It also handles the loss of the point of view character very well. Rubble was the lens through which the reader could experience this new Cybertron, and his death could easily have resulted in a loss of perspective and focus. Instead, the book takes this loss in stride and uses it to flesh out the perspectives of all the other characters. This issue sets up a lot to look forward to, and does a great job depicting the apparent fall of Cybertron.

Undiscovered Country #1 is an interesting first issue to a series with a lot of promise.

This still a decent book, but the disparity between what it is and what it should be has only gotten wider since #1.

While there's still some improvement the book needs, there's no denying that this is the strongest issue so far in pretty much every way.

I wish the creative team had anything worthwhile to say in this book.

This issue finally lets the book come together into an enjoyable experience.

For readers old and new who are interested in Jane's new direction, this is an excellent starting point.

Wynd is definitely a book worth looking at, but if you're able to wait for it to be collected, that's probably your best option. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment.

X-Men #2 serves to further illustrate the new status quo as well as push it forward in a meaningful way, but its strongest aspect is its ability to convey that the X-Men are home.

If you're looking for something in the vein of the last two great runs on the character, give this one a pass.

This issue is ultimately a weak return for both Paul Jenkins and Black Adam, who have both proven they have the potential for better stories than this.

As a whole, this issue is a delightful conclusion to an incredibly unexpected adventure. The team truly feels like a team, and has a very clear reason to stick together after their opening adventure. Bendis, Timms, Eltaeb, and Abbott are all clicking in place, and the future of Young Justice looks incredibly bright -- although, maybe not for the team just yet.