Great finale! Loved this final issue, the sense of scale as the showdown approaches in the city. The energy of the artwork is compelling once again, and the sense of the individual standing up for themselves is really heightened. I wasn't sure what was going to happen and was kept on edge for 95% of the time! Hoping they don't revisit this, as the miniseries really worked well and I don't feel it would make sense to expand on what's taken place. I will re-read the 6 issues as I think they will probably read really well in one go. Will definitely check out the artist on this series again! more

I liked some of the action in this, but fundamentally this issue was hampered by the overall idea of this final series. Why introduce a great gang of characters only to then have no development for any of them, nor any for Baltimore? The seeds were sown for lots of cool characters a few series back and then they sort of neglected them in the end, and baltimore didn't really need them for anything other than body-fodder. Shame, because the Baltimore series has been one of my favourite comics ever but i get the impression that the cast expansion was kinda pointless when it comes to the final showdown. Looking back on his adventures overall, its most fun to think of him exploring solo, going against the weird baddies in their creepy black towers of shadows, he certainly won't be remembered as a humane 'leader' with depth in that regard. I'm glad that I just found the Joe Golem series, that's a good remedy for my malaise! fare thee well baltimore ! more

Great stuff, at the same standard as the last series. Less immediately supernatural which is fine. I think this might be one of my favourite mini series, hoping they stick to the 4 issue per series. I also like that time has passed visually. When the violence hits its incredibly memorable and shocking; serves to kick off this story with plenty of mystery and energy. The vestal virgins relationship with others is also morphing in this episode. Currently reading Murena issues alongside this, - what a marvellous stylish horrid bunch the romans were! more

This issue had one good scene. So it's an improvement on the previous two issues but still dragging. The red king entering the Vatican is a great moment that plays to the strengths of the gothic artwork, watching his intersect with history through the crumbling iconography was great. But chriiiist...it's like the Wacky Races elsewhere... One good scene surrounded by people sat in cars constantly chatting away like its a reality to show.. Come on! Let's have more epic ness! The final pages hint at some action...but who knows maybe it will turn into some auditors wanting to look through baltimore's taxes. more

As always brilliant. The artwork and dialogue and surprises are pure noir bliss. I feel like I'm watching old movies through a very accomplished (in some ways improved) premium comic. I think this team is unstoppable, Matz et Jef.. I wonder how the hell they've managed to pull this off!

Jeff Lemire is soon becoming one of my favourite artists and writers. I love Black Hammer, Descender, and After Death AD. The worlds he creates are so emotionally resonant and I find myself surprised by how quickly I care about the characters and how the story develops. So wow, this double issue is perfect and sets up a whole cast and an absorbing atmosphere. This is going straight onto my pull list with confidence. The expressions on the characters faces and the clever sketchy style are so satisfying and so what comics do so well, communicate! Love it !! more

Really good 2nd issue, the page designs in this are excellent. I like how there's a mini mystery that is solved within this issue, but the main plot has only just been touched on. Artwork's good, the characters are varied and the world our main character has to exist in is both psychedelic and totally down to earth. Eager for next one!

This is a great series so far. I'm very impressed with the stylistic look Eric Zawadzki brings to the book; there are many interesting layouts, as the artist makes a lot of interesting decisions i.e. the two page spread with the circular maze with Marlow within, surrounded by images of him struggling to push a boulder forward. So much is conveyed with his art; I love it. And the writer is giving us a classic detective story in a very different surrounding, and it's fascinating to watch Marlow struggling to make sense of the mysterious disappearance of the street people. Great comic. more

This series is so fun and the artwork is clean and welcoming and expressive. Everything feels really well done and I love the faces of the characters and how small gestures carry a lot of meaning. I think what's so good is that the series really develops and there's always a new sense of things moving onwards. Based on the cover for the next issue, it looks like there may be more to the villain that at first realised. How has he affected the timeline? Has he taken more forms? Admittedly he looks a bit like a member of the Dandy Warhols but it also hints that he's taken alternative appearances. I wonder if we know all there is to know about him yet..also..Very pleased to see the leader of the Kelodian Knights in a new fix. Solid issue, recommended! more

Super stuff. This issue was faster paced in terms of the visuals, it felt like I was getting a good mix of new information/action and a healthy dose of psychology from the main character. The only part that's not so clear weirdly is the baby, which kinda hasn't clicked for me yet, but it's still something that likely will develop. For me, the real pleasure of this series so far has been the artwork and the way it's so energetic and moody at the same time. The palette is like a modernist white noise of snow and then there's these really awesome fast whipping lines, such as a motorbike wheel spinning in the snowfall. It's brilliant to feel such claustrophobic atmosphere of winter contrast with humanities anger and willpower. This is a great comic that feels like resistance in various forms - physical resistance, political resistance, artistic friction and psychological struggle. Hurrah! This is like Mad Max in the snow, but everything, including the snow, is that little bit deeper and chilling. Hurrah! more

Gah, this is disappointing basically. The first issue of this final run was ok, but as I said in my previous review, it's trying to cover A LOT of ground and it's stretching itself thinly. This issue is much worse, for pretty much the same reasons. I LOVE baltimore, the dude is a legend, however he just seems like a project manager in this incarnation. The usual tropes of the series have revolved around his wandering either alone or with a terrified sidekick into various creepy gothic scenarios. In this issue he's more like an uninspiring facilities manager trying to get his people ready for the 'final showdown'. It's just him in a house with people coming and going, and the odd tantrum thrown by a inquisitor. I think this series would have actually been better if Baltimore had died and then his various team members have to try and fight off the Red King in his memory. At the end of the day, this is a final chapter that's trying to be a massive war to end all wars scenario. But Baltimore was never really about that, it was a revenge of one dude against a vampire and then a scourge that had spread throughout the world, but it always had momentum and always seemed depserate. I feel like the series has become swollen and lost its original strengths. This issue was about as exciting as a water cooler bubbling in an office. I am just holding out for lots of violence in the next scene because god knows i think this second issue was the comics equivalent of Elvis forgetting his words in Vegas. And don't get me started on the idea that there's moles in the enemy fleet, where the hell did they cook that idea up! The cover art for the first issue was so inspiring, the red king clasping the world. Instead, we're seeing lots of people chit chatting and nothing scary or gothic or exciting whatsoever. more

Ok, I havent read planetary yet but I have read quite a few warren Ellis things like injection, ocean, trees and a few others. In comparison to those, this is fine for a opening issue. I have not read the previous incarnations of these particular characters but I found it enjoyable to see the 'everyday' type of goings on for them. I must admit, I can see that there's loads of different spies but I'm not totally sure who's good or bad at this stage... did I miss something? I thought the dialogue was decent and I really loved the artwork for the opening scene.

Seems like this is only just getting started, but looks like there's plenty of potential for action and twists so I feel like this will require a few more issues to get into the swing of things. I think my view on this issue would be slightly different if I didn't already love Ellis and have confidence in it developing. more

This issue felt like we were witnessing the typical day for the characters, with not a lot happening, but I liked it nonetheless. I like the start of different character's storylines, I like the references to the past of WildStorm and I think that this comic will do very well.

Am I the only one who's not sure if this is actually all that good? I love the concept of the main character having Alzheimer's/dementia that is alleviated by the magic sword, but I'm not totally sure the art is expressive enough, and I kinda of don't get anything from the characters faces... The family characterisation seems sort of dry and grim, and the whole gods coming down to earth seems very 'normal'...like oh, here's a massive mysterious sword and here's a massive space Trojan god popping over to banter with the new protagonist. I really like the cover and the artwork is solid, but not sure what to think..I will give it a few more issues but seems a bit like it's missing something. It's weird, I feel a bit like Black Hammer does what this does but ten times better..perhaps it's because there are so few characters and they aren't really developed much beyond the blurb stage. The next issue needs to blow me away I think, just not sure how... more

This issue was awesome. The action scenes are inventive and I absolutely loved getting an insight into the douche bag villain. There's something very relatable about the main bad guy, he feels like he's almost a metaphor for comic book audiences. (Sense of control, loves explosions, know it all, needy, lack of restraint..haha) The context of this series is always shifting, and the final few pages has quite a shock, bring on the next issue! This is one of my favourite series.( If you want to read anything similar check out Lake of Fire, that's also super good and treads similar genre mixing. ) more

It doesn't get much better for me than this, - a Grant Morrison comic that doesn't fuck with my brain so much I feel self conscious..(although I do love most of his stuff)! This one shot is brilliant, I haven't got much to add other than I love the artwork, there's lots of interesting details in each panel and the mythology of klaus is fascinating to watch. Morrison has something amazing with this character. He's taken something that sounds naff and uncool and somehow made it A MASS OFF STUNNER! Important to note- I hadn't read the initial series (i've got it on order now) - and it still totally made sense and was thoroughly enjoyable. NB: I have been reading Tom Strong by Alan Moore recently and I must say, this one shot simply blew that out of the water. Keep up the Klaus, Grant!!!! more

Superb! The colours are beautiful, the art is distinctive and the world feels vibrant and darkly alive. The story is moving along nicely, lots of characters and you get a sense of everyone being out to get Roy as he investigates this seedy underworld. Some pages are simply fantastic examples of changing the scale of image, when he's driving around in the car it's really exciting, much more than a simple transition location to location. I'm loving the creepy eyes of Roy, and so far the action is excellently handled. Admittedly, the comic is firmly in the noir genre, it's not that experimental in terms of story..but the atmosphere and dialogue fits like a very comfortable glove....I'll be ordering the next issue for sure! Now excuse me, I've got a dark alleyway to slink into... (tips hat) more

Ok. So this is a bit like an epic re-cap / passing of time issue. There's some really expansive battle scenes and there's a slew of characters exchanging their ideas. There's a bit of mystery involving an old foe and the rally against the crimson king is beginning. However I feel like this episode is pretty epic and because of this it's not really typical of the Baltimore series which to my mind is very gothic, slowly paced and staggered as our hero explores. So this episode very much feels like a primer for the final push to a conclusion. There's tons to chew on here and it's great to see everyone develop in time, but it wasn't really what I typically love about this series. Artworks good, although I think Ben Stenbeck might be my fav artists so a shame he's only doing the cover for this one. So basically, YAH IT GUD BUT NOT AMAZING BUT HEY THERES LOTS TO DO AND ITS DONE DIDDLY DONE WHAT IT GOTTA DO RIGHT! Ahem. If you compare this to the plague ships, it's certainly interesting to see how far we've come with this series. Now I gotta go out and kill a vampire, excuse me. more

Superb mini series. Romans, witches, druids, vestal virgins and great big gruesome monsters!! This was pure awesome, and I loved reading the factual articles at the end of each issue. The quality of the paper and bindings were excellent and I'm so glad they're doing more stories for this one..!! There were so many awesome scenes, especially when they go into the forests and also the cursed village. If you enjoyed this and are feeling down about having to wait for the next series, check out Murena - a european comic that has been translated on Comixology, you'll thank me (laughs like a insane emperor by candlelight!) more