While I enjoyed Aquaman #10, I miss the straight forward adventure story that was presented in the first arc. I felt a lot of the supporting cast, especially Nemo are being sidelined in favor of exploring Arthur’s new powers. While this is fine and understandable I do miss the “Justice League: Blue” and the nuances they gave to the book. I did think Aquaman fighting ghost pirates was super fun, the only thing missing was Topo to make this a true classic. The mystery surrounding Atlantis and now Aquaman’s daughter are interesting … but not exactly intriguing. I’m still squarely behind this title, but am worried it might be drifting out to sea a little. more

Transformers #25 was exactly what it needed to be … it executed the story spectacularly - every beat was played to perfection. It’s strange … one can easily say “not much happened in this issue” while a the same time saying that “so much happened in this issue”. All the pieces were rearranged on the board to set a new status quo going forward and did so with out discounting anything that has come before. The characters were on point (though Prime was a little quite at parts). Not only did this book refocus the Energon Universe … it also expanded it’s world by introducing … no … that would be spoilers.

All in all Kirkman, Mora, and Corona delivered what they promised and then some. I am ready to see where the story goes from here and HIGHLY recommend this issue. Even if you didn’t read the first 24 issues … Transformers #25 is a great place to jump in. more

I am so close to dumping this series … but there is just something here that keeps me hanging on. I enjoyed last issue and where this issue started - but once Akeldama (Blood) showed up in the story again … I started to lose interest. The profanity and childish dialogue takes a book that features a somewhat intriguing plot and knocks it down a few pegs. I have the next issue waiting in my pull-box … it could be my last. more

Star Wars: Jedi Knights #4 was the weakest entry thus far. While the storytelling was competent, it lacked a bit of the prequel era vibe. This story focuses on a criminal - Phaedra who makes her first canonical appearance here, she first appeared in the Han Solo and Chewbacca series (also by Guggenheim) a few years back. I have zero attachment to the character and this book did very little to endear her to me. As a throwaway character I guess she’s adequate - but I felt her design was distracting, she looked more like a 2000’s junkie than an alien from a galaxy far far away.

Qui-Gon and Shaak Ti were the Jedi featured in this story … though they were just pawns for the “much smarter” Phaedra. There were appearances from some prequel era favorites like Aurra Sing, Zan Wesell, and Jango Fett, but they weren’t give enough to do. This should have been bounty hunter focused or Jedi focused … not both … as there wasn’t enough time for either.

There was a nice hint at the larger story arc, so I have to applaud Guggenheim’s ability to weave a new interesting tapestry in the middle of an already explored timeline. This is still the best Star Wars comic being published today and I still recommend it. more

I’m honestly shocked and very much confused by the positive comments from the Critic Reviews that are saying great things about Starship Godzilla #1. IDW keeps letting me down with these Godzilla comics and Starship Godzilla was no different. It read and looked like a low tier, self-published effort as opposed to an extremely popular licensed property from a “major” publisher. Outside of the “passable cover” nothing about this book seemed professional in the slightest, honestly feels like they are cranking out these books to try and justify the licensing cost.

I do NOT recommend Starship Godzilla #1. more

Absolute Evil was well written and clearly well thought out … but boring as heck. All this book did was expand the “Absolute Universe” giving it a history that resembles an upside down version of the standard DC Universe … and that’s ALL it did. Yes there are some well written character pieces and they did knock off an Absolute version of one of my favorite DC characters to up the flatlined drama. Clearly this book is setting up something that will come into play in the other Absolute books … but six bucks for a backstory that I’m sure will be retold down the road felt a bit like a grift. more

Fantastic Four #3 was better than the previous issue ... but that’s not saying much. The plot was fine and the “defeat” of Doom was interesting - but apparently will have zero affect on the Doom crossover event. The book was competently written and the plot made sense (even though it was tied to time-travel) however the characters (with a few exceptions) are entirely off. If you changed the costumes and names - a reader couldn’t tell this was the Fantastic Four. For decades the characters could clearly be tied to their Lee/Kirby origins, writers respected what had come before … but in the 21st century I guess anything goes. If you want to read a perfect take on Ben Grimm, The Thing - avoid this series and check out the recent Thing limited series by Tony Fleecs and Justin Mason - it’s so good.

Also why is Sue flying the Fantasti-Car instead of Ben, when did she learn how to fly? more

Batman #2 was a solid second issue, not as tight as the first. It was a little too Tim Drake - Robin focused … with an unwelcome side of Damian Wayne. The narrative was a little loose with flashbacks cut into the main attraction. Frankly the book would have been just fine without the flashbacks, the crooked-ish cop plot should have been enough carry the book. It’s a slight step down from the first issue, but I still recommend it, I’ll come back for issue three. more

Cold Slither #1 was fun … but not as fun as I thought it could be. The story seems set in the animated universe and that’s fine … but it was a weird story that I didn’t feel went deep enough into the lunacy surrounding the concept. All in all it’s very forgettable, unless you are a hardcore G.I. Joe fan, there isn’t much here for you.

Speed Racer #3 was as fun as the first two - Pepose & Tinto clearly know how to capture speed and motion on the comic page. The races always feel exciting. This issue gave more depth to the cartoony plot … but the Racer X spin-off book undercut all of the intrigue this story had to offer and frankly didn’t really mesh with the vibe of this comic. My only other complaint is how many times the character of Ace Deucey said his own name … that was weird. All-in-all … Speed Racer is delivering a fun and well written comic that anyone can enjoy, if you like all-ages escapism … Speed Racer is the book for you. more

Though not tied to the larger story, I found Star Wars: Jedi Knights #3 to be quite enjoyable. The story was told through beautifully rendered splash pages by Madibek Musabekov, each one a work of art. The story was pretty much all action and I was fine with that. The central characters were Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan … my two favorite Jedi so I was pleased to read another adventure with them. I still HIGHLY recommend this series … its the BEST Star Wars comic being published right now (at least up to issue 3 … I’m still catching up). more

I don’t want to trash this book … it’s clearly written for very little children and they deserve to have comics too, I just expected more, I also think that the target audience might be a little brighter than the writer is giving them credit for. I stopped reading at the staple.

Immortal Legend Batman #2 was 100% NOT written for readers with my sensibilities. There is very little character depth and the story just sort of happens. Innocent people die and Bruce/Batman sits and does nothing … this is the “hero” of the story? All flash and very little substance. I have no idea (outside of sales) why this character is named Batman … he hardly resembles any other version of the character … and this time he has a special-bat-sense … WHY? I’m out with this issue. more

Tony Fleecs and Justin Mason stuck the landing perfectly! This was a straight up street-level Thing story from beginning to end - not a Marvel Knight type of tale … this was much more fun! This is the best Thing (and FF) story I have read in years and hope to see these two return for a second helping. If you missed the single issues grab it when it’s collected - just good comics - highly recommend. more

Void Rivals #23 was a bit of a letdown ... the first in this series … it seems that Kirkman was racing towards an epic climax only to have the rug pulled out from under us. The Skuxxoid storyline is fun and somewhat interesting … but should not have been part of this issue - everything should have been focused on the Unity story. The Pythona and Wheelie meet up was over shadowed by what was happening (or NOT happening) in plot A. Still a well written issue … just wasn’t what was promised in the previous 22 issues. more

This series continues to impress me with its prequel era vibe. Another one-and-done Jedi focused story with a continuing plot thread. I even told my son how impressed with this book I am. Star Wars: Jedi Knights is so much better than the main Star Wars title. I highly recommend it!

I’m sorry … but Deadpool / Batman was a huge letdown … maybe I’m just not the right audience for Deadpool, as I found the dull and unfunny dialog a chore to read. The story is tired and uninspired. The rest of the stories were hit and miss - but none are really memorable. You would think with such a high profile book it would be so much better. There is a lot of great talent in this book ��� I feel no one brought their a-game.
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G.I. Joe #11 wrapped up the Baroness / Cover Girl plot nicely - leaving Major Bludd in a way that I’m not sure how the writers will handle the character going forward. The other plots wrap-up in a satisfying way, yet still have me wanting more. Plenty of fun, plenty of action, a great ending that sets the stage for what’s to come in issue 12. I continue to recommend this title along with ALL of the Energon Universe books.
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This is the best Star Wars book in a very long time. I dropped everything Star Wars last year. Bounty Hunters was the best thing they had going and they canceled it. Aphra started good and then became unreadable and placing the main Star Wars book between Empire and Jedi was just a bad idea. It messed with cannon too much and I dropped it. Doing a Jedi book outside of main cannon is a better idea. I like how they place themselves in the middle of a battle and then admit that they didn't get all the facts. We have an assassin after Jinn with a mystery attached. I hope they introduce a new Sith character, though that might break cannon. A good start.

My Comic Review Channel - https://youtu.be/ORebhVrMRQE more

I put off reading Star Wars: Jedi Knights #1 for the longest time … now I regret that decision. This is a great prequel era story that evokes the feeling of those classic Dark Horse books that rolled out in the wake of Episode I. This story is set at least a few years before The Phantom Menace, and follows the Jedi on a mission to broker peace between two worlds. There is a solid plot and plenty of action, with a bit of humor, along with … well … Jedi Masters talking - and I loved it. No modern spin on things, no agenda, nothing to distract from a really good Star Wars tale. The main story is wrapped up by the end - but there is a plot thread that will carry on into the series. Based off the first issue I highly recommend Star Wars: Jedi Knights.
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I gotta say Blood & Thunder #4 is keeping me on this title for one more issue. The story moved completely away from our titular characters and it was a breath of fresh air. While I believe this story takes place in the past, setting up our main villain … I still enjoyed it way more than the previous issue. I’m gonna hang on for issue five hoping that it continues to get better. Benito Cereno proved he is a better writer than the first 3 issues let on - so I am giving him another look. I still don’t recommend the series … but there may yet be a glimmer of hope.
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There was zero special about The Punisher Red Band #1 - I didn’t know he was supposed to be dead so his “return” didn’t move the needle for me. The storytelling felt like a run of the mill action movie - which is fine I guess. The standouts were the scenes with Kingpin, but even then - I’m not sure I care where that is heading. The reason this book was “red band” for “mature content” was the abundance of blood, not language or nudity … just copious amounts of blood (and some torture). Frankly the story would have worked the same without it … so again - nothing to really make this issue stand out. If you are a Punisher fan, I’m sure you will like it - but there was nothing here for me. I do not recommend this book. more

Racer X #1 … was fine enough, but didn’t really feel necessary. First off, it feels like in the Speed Racer comic that Racer X’s identity is supposed to be secret … but this book comes right out and tells you - so what’s the arc? The story was fine but after everything was OVERLY explained … I just don’t feel compelled to read issue 2.

While masterfully written by Jeramy Adams and perfectly illustrated by John Timms Aquaman #9 felt a little “less” than the previous 8 issues. There was nothing wrong with it, it’s just the last eight moved at such a fast pace - this one was much slower. This issue seemed more of a “bridge” between the last arc and this new one as opposed to the start of a new arc. I look forward to see where Adams is taking this series next, especially with that last page cliffhanger. On a side note - I prefer Arthur without the beard … so I approve the “new look”. This would be a great jumping on point for a series that I highly recommend. more

I did not know what to expect from The Blue Falcon and Dynomutt #1 - Dynamite has burned me in the past … great covers with mediocre interiors, but this issue was a nice surprise. It sets up a modern “more realistic” updated version of Blue Falcon while still retaining the fun of the old cartoon. This issue sets up the character perfectly and then thrusts the story into some action, coming out the other side with what seems to be the origin of Dynomutt. Jimmy Palmiotti did a great job with the plot and script, kudos to him for taking this cartoon and bringing it into the 21st century. The art by Pasquale Qualando was a bit inconsistent - on a few pages it was magnificent … but there were some less than stellar pages and (not to nitpick … but) there was an error on page 23 where Blu Falcon was holding a baton in one panel with his left hand and in the very next panel it was in his right … minor - but it stood out to me.

The biggest problem I had with the issue was the production and page count - $4.99 is sort of the standard, but this was a very thin book - primarily because of the paper used … so very thin. Paper aside the real problem was the page count - a 32 page comic with only 20 pages of story, I expect that from indie comics - but not from a licensed book published by a mid to large publisher like Dynamite. Still the story was great and I recommend this book … I will be adding it to my pull-list. more

Here we are - Transformers #24 - the end of the Daniel Warren Johnson run.
Was it perfect? No … but it WAS really good.

The action was amazing, the characterizations were spot on, and the ending was nice and tight. This was the best version of Optimus Prime we’ve seen in years - he was brave, strong, noble, and cared about others - not the murder-bot from the “live action” films. The dialog was well thought out and flowed naturally - even when borrowing lines from the 86 animated film. Most … not all … but most of the characters had a moment or two.

Around the midway point - there is a deus ex machina in the form of the appearance of a … large … character, that I’m pretty sure wasn’t hinted at in the slightest. The appearance of this character distracts Starscream and begins the tide turning … that ultimately leads to the conclusion. I felt this was an odd choice … but true to Starscream’s backstory. The fight rages on and there is a clear conclusion at the end of this book that puts a bow on the DWJ era, allowing the next writer to take the story in a new direction.

My major issue with this series thus far is that all of this war an destruction visited on TWO major cities in the United States, really doesn’t line up with what is happening in the GI Joe book and has even less to do with Void Rivals. I get the shared universe concept is a play here … but the connections are hard to find. Also though there is a conclusion of sorts … there are still many questions left unanswered … I won’t go into them now - to avoid spoilers … I just hope Kirkman will not let these plot threads dangle for too long.

All in all these 24 issues were a high-point of the last 40+ years of a franchise that I thought was long dead back in 89. Daniel Warren Johnson paid a loving tribute to what had come before while also crafting something new and exciting.
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I don't want to beat up on this comic ... but it would be so easy to do so. I'll simply say that it was a massive disappointment.

Fantastic Four Fanfare #4 wraps up this series of short stories with two emotional tales and one super silly one. The first story by JMS was a bit sappy - but written well with strong dialogue. The second story was a bit lighter - set when Sue and Reed first learned that she was pregnant, it was a nice little tale with no real impact, but evoked the FF of the time. The final one by Daniel Warren Johnson was a super silly wrestling story, where once again Namor is trying to win the heart of Sue Storm - the perfect way to end this series. While not as good as some of the other issues, this was still a fun read. When this series is collected I would recommend the trade for some Fantastic Four escapism. more

I’m only buying these books for the retro 90’s action figure covers … but decided to start reading them … a decision I now regret. This all has been done before and much better in the “old Expanded Universe” … now called Legends. I’m sure Segura is a fine writer … but he is missing the mark with this series, somehow he forgot that Star Wars is supposed to be fun. This might have been the flattest and dullest comic I have read in a long time. I’m pretty sure I skipped about 20% of the word balloons, I can not recommend this comic - sorry. Not saying that other people won’t like it - just that it’s not what I want from a comic called Star Wars. more

I wasn’t thrilled with the $7.99 cover price … however after reading the Marvel All-On-One one-shot, I felt it was worth it for the beautiful Ed McGuinness artwork. The plot was just silly fun and probably some meta commentary on video game programmers, but it was slightly over written. For a book that was all splash pages and an artist showcase - there might have been too many text boxes and word balloons. The real reason to buy this book is to see 50 pages of Ed McGuinness putting the Thing up against Marvel’s core characters, I would recommend it just for that.
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