My pull list hasn't had a Superman book on it since the original Doomsday arc, but there's issue #2 now...

The direction here is different and interesting, without being disrespectful of the character's history and symbolism. I can't help but wonder where it's going to go, given some of the.. let's say historical challenges to the goals these characters have set. I'm warning myself that there is a lot of room for this to go wrong, to get preachy or awkward, etc., but for now, I'm intrigued by the setup, I'm loving the tone, and I'll be back next issue. I really liked it. more

I've really been digging this run and this issue is no exception. We get some solid action out of it, the culmination of one of the plotlines that's been layered through the last few issues, and the same great artwork we've come to expect from Ortiz (aside from that one feature panel of Molly lookin' a mess). I was worried that I wouldn't like Peacekeeper-01, as he is a bit tropey, but he works well as a piece of the puzzle here.

This run probably isn't a revolutionary story that they'll teach in schools in 40 years, but it's at least as entertaining as a summer blockbuster, and the writer occasionally finds space to go a tiny bit deeper in ways that don't feel forced or hokey. more

This series, which started off really strong, is starting to feel like it's circling itself a little bit. I was hoping this would really get me interested in a side of the Marvel universe I didn't know a lot about, and the opening issues really made me feel like that's where we were headed, but now it seems we're in "suspect of the week" territory and it's not quite as exciting.

There's still something to it that I can't quite put my finger on. Dialog is really well done, Ribic's art would be top of the game if only someone would get him an eye reference that wasn't inflatable, and there's still a sort of interesting mystery going on here. So, I'm definitely going to be pressing forward with it, but I really hope things pick up a little soon. For what it's worth, it already seems like the next issue might be putting us back on track. more

This series continues to feel special somehow, and so I will continue reading it, but it does seem to be slowing down a little bit with this issue. Ribic's hollow, lidless eyes continue to weigh down his otherwise gorgeous art.

Cates writes dialog with the best of them, but his story and character "developments" are very much not for me. The art is fine here, and there are a couple of neat nods to Venom's past (which has been kicked in the nads and then spit on over the course of this run) but, overall, this is an unredeeming end to what's been some of my least favorite work on the character.

This series has been fun so far. I’m especially digging the unexpected relationship between Silk and Jameson. However, despite a sort of Batman-esque vibe to the mystery behind them, the villains just aren’t really grabbing me here. I’m going to push forward with it and hope that the primary conflict can catch up with this one’s overall positive impression.

This arc (NM #3, 4, and 6) was pretty bad, and the conclusion here doubles down on everything I didn’t care for about it. It feels pointlessly, 90’s style edgy, and just to set up what might be the least interesting set of villains I’ve seen introduced in a Marvel book for some time. I’m ok if we just forget about these guys, and this arc, entirely.

This story started out fine, but took a weird, unappealing turn for me. It was ok.

I dearly love the premise this issue starts with: Compassionate, friendship-driven check-ins with less-famous mutants. It shows a nice slice of day-to-day Krakoa business, and it achieves a tone DoX hasn't really touched on yet: heartwarming.

But then it all goes down the crapper at the end thanks to the arrival of a dishwater-dull antagonist, drawn in the unique style that I almost believed Flaviano had put behind him. (Namely, a roided-up, colorblind pimp who would get cut from Street Fighter for being too tacky).
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This was a really solid celebration of Darkhawk's history, and a little bit more. The three short stories are set in the character's street hero days, his cosmic era, and his future, respectively.

The first is both written and drawn in the style of his early 90's issues, and even makes clever passing references to things that were going on in the series at that time. By modern standards, it probably seems a little cheesy, but as an homage? It's just about perfect. This is a story that really would fit in nearly seamlessly with the era it's celebrating.

The second story does a similar thing with what DH was up to in the 2000's, paling around with Nova in space and such. I don't have quite the same nostalgia for that era, but the story worked. The closing story concerns me a little bit as to the character's future, but the conceit used to tie all the stories together was kind of neat.

If I had come into this without much familiarity with Darkhawk's history, it probably would have felt like the sort of haphazard content I usually expect to find in something like an anniversary one-shot. As a longtime fan of Darkhawk, however, it exceeded my expectations. more

I liked it. I’m not very familiar with the Eternals, or with Gillen and his much-lauded works, but this has been an interesting introduction to both. The tone is kind of unique. It has hints of Hickman, but is somehow both drier and more lighthearted than Hickman’s usual style. I’m tempted to say that some of the humor isn’t landing, but I’m not always sure it isn’t intentional, given the inhuman (not Inhuman.... you know what I mean...) nature of the characters speaking.

I’m not crazy about Ribic’s faces, which often feature unnerving, oversized eyes and exaggerated, almost grotesque structures. They’re a stark contrast from typically idealized comic book faces and, though the faces aren’t my favorite part, I do find his style refreshingly different overall.

I worry a little that the surprise of this issue is going to mean this story isn’t as fresh as it seems so far, but I’m definitely intrigued enough to stick with it and find out. more

I liked it. I grew up near the namesake Proctor Valley Road and was pleasantly surprised to find several authentic local myths about the place represented in this issue. The character motivations are a bit hokey, in keeping with a horror story tradition, but the art and dialog are solid, and the setup is enough to make me want to see where it goes.

This series started strong and I thought it might have been some kind of mistake. This is Power Pack, after all. We’re now four issues in and it has consistently delivered perfectly paced, refreshingly fun, surprisingly clever adventure that, in my opinion, is among the best content hitting the spinner racks.

If you’re looking for the gritty 90’s revival, look elsewhere, but this book does a great job of showing that thoughtfully crafted characters and meaningful stakes can be achieved with a lighthearted tone. I don’t love the premise of the “Outlawed” event, which feels a little bit too familiar, but this creative team seems to have figured out just how to make it work. I really like it. more

It was fine. I’ve been enjoying this series overall, but this issue wasn’t a highlight. The dialog and artwork were great, as always. The plot felt pretty thin here, however. It seemed propped up by guest appearances that ultimately didn’t mean much, and a moment with Viv that felt kinda unearned. If I had felt this way about the first issue, the series probably wouldn’t have made my pull list. As is, I’m hoping it’s a fluke. more

As someone who loved Tom King's run on Batman and had to be disappointed by the decision he wouldn't get to tell his full Batman story, and honestly I have been very indifferent with Tynion IV's take on him so far... I loved this. The presentation was amazing, from the way the chapters are introduced, to the great looking art and costumes.

I already know a common complaint is going to be how convoluted it seems with all the plots happening at once, but it really is simple. Since it is a Christmas story, remember there is a Past, Present, and Future... kind of like A Christmas Carol. I have no idea if that was intentional. more