Powers of X #1 is a really good comic but it doesn't feel like an X-Men book despite the X-Title. What this issue most reminds me of Is Grant Morrison's last arc on X-Men, Here Comes Tomorrow. That arc was also a non-traditional X-Men story with a similar thematic backdrop. 

In the Morrison story, the reader is transported into a far future in which a ragtag band of X-Men has to take down John Sublime, who had possessed Beast at some point in the timeline. The most notable thing about the story was the art from Mark Silvestri. It's not a story referenced often and usually only gets any mention at all because the linework was absolutely stunning. 

"Here Comes Tomorrow" is similar to this story. Once again we're transported into a faraway dystopian future and following a ragtag band of unfamiliar X-men.

The issue itself is great. Hickman is simply a master at worldbuilding as noted in House of X #1. Once again I found the most interesting aspects of the book to be the lore sections,  which work to fill in the background of the setting. 

The lore segments mostly resemble Role-Playing modules. They flesh out the setting and make the events feel bigger than they would otherwise as noted in House of X. I'm pretty sure Hickman would have been a god-tier dungeon master.  

We learn in this issue that the New Mutants introduced aren't directly related to any characters that we know. They have had their powers blended together via the machinations of Mr. Sinister. Most of the events in this book are a direct result of his experiments. Because of the Lore dumps, Sinister has a huge presence here without actually being in the comic. 

The comic splits up into four distinct segments Past, Present, Future and Far Future. There isn't much connecting tissue established here but there is enough information provided to hold the audience's attention.

I'm not an avid Marvel reader, but I want to know what the hell is going on because I'm intrigued. I haven't been interested in an X-Men Comic in over a decade. 

I enjoyed the art from R.B. Silva. He gets a lot to do throughout the issue. Running the gamut of different time periods. The periods are all distinct and credit must also be given to Marte Gracia for setting the tone of each time period.

 There are also a few callbacks throughout the comic that connect to earlier scenes and House of X. The blended X-Men are visually striking and part of the fun is guessing which established X-men the power sets are pulled from. It's almost as if Hickman created these characters via a dice roll system. 

There isn't much overlap between the series yet, but there is connective tissue established throughout the book and eventually, the stories will weave together to form a cohesive whole. 

The only negative I can give the book is that although it's a great comic it doesn't really feel like an X-Book. It also suffers from the same problem that the Morrison Arc ran into, the events are so far removed from the present day that it's hard to connect with whats going on.

In fact, if you changed the names and power-sets of the characters involved in this comic it could have been an entirely new series unrelated to the X-Men at all. 

Those gripes may be big or small depending on what you're reading the comic for, but for me it's too early to pass judgment. It's still in the setup phase and passing definite judgment at this point wouldn't be fair to the creators involved. It's a good book and I invite you to check it out and form your own conclusions. more

i'm sorry but the idea of a human mutating into a ninja turtle because of a blood transfusion is just STUPID beyond belief!!
it's forced, contrived, and just plain LAZY!!!

the worst part is it absolutley ruins everything you built over 200 + issue between ongoing series, side-series, mini-series, one-shots and and any other issues in-between.
FOR WHAT? just so you can pander to nostalgia for the people that actually liked TMNT Next Mutation?

this cheap SLEAZY publicity stunt has really soured my interest in this series!!

it's bad enough that the series has been plagued with TONS of unresolved plot threads for YEARS!

so what now? are we going to have Tons of people mutating now because of mutant blood transfusion?
they pretty much just broke ALL their sense of suspension of disbelief! TERRIBLE STORYTELLING!

there were many other distracting problems that took me right out of this story.
but whatever... i just don't care anymore!

as a loyal long time money spending customer, i cannot say that i am very happy right now.

thanks a lot for wasting my goddam time and money! more

I figured that this book would be more of a filler issue. It's not filler to the point that the comic is inconsequential, but the action has definitely been dialed back. Last month ended on the huge cliffhanger and reveal that Jennika, long time agent of the Foot Clan has been mutated into a mutant Turtle.

I wish I could make a big deal about the new Turtle, but I can't. In-universe there's no time, and the Turtles need to move. I'm pretty sure we're going to get a decompressed issue down the line that gives the character and event's the space it needs. I pretty sure this is coming with Sophie Campbell being announced as the new writer for the series. She's one of the best character writers that has been attached to this series since its inception. 

Even with the change, the Turtles have even larger hurdles in front of them. With Jennika being out of immediate danger the turtles still have to deal with Metal Head, The Earth Protection Force, Old Hob's bullshit, and Karai's machinations. 
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Splinter is shown to be increasingly ruthless in dealing with his enemies and his actions are a sharp contrast to his sons with one caveat. His behavior reminds me of an aged Raph more so than any other. This may lead to a pretty ugly conclusion for the character unless there's a timely intervention next issue.

One of the points driven home in this arc is that Splinter may be on the side of the Turtles but he is no hero. He may be just as Karai at the end of the day.

There are a lot of moments that will have huge implications for the series going forward. Some play out here others will develop as the series goes on. Jennika gets a heart-wrenching scene with Casey that effectively ends their potential romance and we also check in with most of the other principal characters of the arc. 
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The issue ends with a massive confrontation between Karai's forces and The Foot Clan, with Splinter being completely isolated from his top lieutenants. Things don't look good for Splinter going into the next issue, stay tuned.

That's not to say the art is bad but it's not as exciting as the previous three issues which operated at a breakneck pace. Mike seems to get the beginning of the action sequences and the clean-up issues. I'm not sure why. He drew one of my favorite TMNT stories last year with the Michaelangelo Macro-Series, which featured a full-on fight between Splinter and Mikey. It's not like he can't put a fight sequence together.
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City at War is currently one of the best arcs of the series. It appears that more casualties may be looming. We'll see how the story develops next month. 

For More: https://www.gtmediareviews.com/ more

Leave on the Light #1 begins like most classic Slasher films, with a murder. After the opening massacre, the comic shifts and introduces the reader to the principal players and sets up a potentially supernatural case for our lead detective. 

The comic is a lot of fun, especially if you're a fan of horror and the macabre. Gary, the gruff, tough as nails Detective has seen murders like this before but lament's that it's impossible because the killer was executed months ago. 

Has the killer returned from the grave or are we looking at a copycat situation?
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The covers paint a grim picture and the interior art is just as brutal. The dialogue gets cheesy at times but the comic is still entertaining, especially if you're a fan of horror movies from the late '80s, early 90s. 

I genuinely want to know where the story is going. I feel a misdirect coming, but I'm not 100% sure. In any case, Leave On The Light is worth a read if you can find a copy. 
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House of X #1 is the highly anticipated X-Men Comic from Jonathan Hickman, one of the greatest writers in modern comics. The comic is really good on its own merits but wasn't quite what I expecting. House of X #1 Feels more like a Zero Issue or -1 than an actual #1

The general premise is that Xavier has discovered a Miracle drug and will exchange it with humanity in exchange for a sovereign state for mutants. 
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Right off of the bat we've seen shades of this story before, Most notably when Mutants operated out of "Utopia". What sets this story apart is that Hickman is a truly special writer. The narrative is so dense it's hard to not to be entertained and also intrigued by the morsels dropped throughout the issue.

The comic is broken up into segments and separated by Lore dumps. I found these segments to be the most interesting aspects of the book. 
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Sidenote: I'm reading Excellence by Brandon Thomas. He and Hickman use similar narrative structure in their storytelling. Most of the lore segments of House of X reminded me of Excellence. It's not really relevant at all as the stories presented in these series are totally different.

As a narrative device though, it's really cool because it makes the comics feel bigger than they actually are, and add a lot of world-building that would otherwise be untold or pushed into another mini-series.

Excellence, by the way, is one of the best comics on the shelves and the narrative structure of both series is part of the reason I think that these comics have immediately connected with an audience.
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Most of the chatter surrounding this comic revolves around the official listing of Omega Level Mutants in the 616 Marvel Universe. People have been debating the "who's who" of omega level mutants for years and although I understand the excitement, this isn't really all that interesting or surprising to me at all. 
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When Omega Level mutants were first introduced in the 90s it was simply a means of categorizing mutants that had such an extreme level of power that they could potentially affect the planet if they were left unchecked in the use of their abilities. 

Beta: noted mutants that had abilities that were inherently physical in nature. Colossus, Wolverine, Beast, Forge. 

Alpha: would be characters such as Cyclops, Dazzler, Gambit because their powers manifested externally and could affect the environment, etc.

The Omega list is pretty much what I expected it to be and I'm not sure why anyone that was a fan of X-Comics would be surprised by the listings. It's cool to debate who's more powerful, but at the end of the day why people are so intrigued by the list. 
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My favorite scene of the book involved Cyclops and the Fantastic Four. Sabretooth, Mystique, and Toad steal a device and in the midst of escaping Sabretooth kills several guards. Being that the conflict takes place in New York it draws the attention of the FF. Mystique and Toad escape but Sabertooth is captured by the Invisible Woman.

Cyclops arrives and asks to take Sabretooth off of Reed's hands and Reed rightfully refuses. Rather than fight, Cyclops allows the Fantastic Four to take Sabretooth into custody. it's a simple scene but it works because it establishes respect and history between these characters. It also allows Cyclops to deescalate a situation without conflict. Cyclops is a warrior but is also one of the de facto leaders of the mutant race. Seeing him score a victory here diplomatically was great. 
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Under a lesser creator, the scene could have descended into ideological warfare or an outright fight between the heroes. Here we have a beautifully written scene and ends with a cherry on top of Cyclops inviting Franklin Richards home to spend time with his Mutant family. I also really liked seeing The Fantastic Four matching up against some of my favorite Mutant villains. 

There are some other nice scenes with Magneto but there isn't much action and Pepe and Marte don't get much to do outside of set the table for the rest of the series. Pepe can clearly convey action as noted in the brief Brotherhood vs Fantastic Four scenes and If this is a sign of things to come we're in great hands. 

I enjoyed the comic for what it was and can see a significant portion of the fandom reading this issue and enjoying it while another segment decides to hold off on the rest of the series until the trade drops. Not because it's bad because of the story decompression.
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House of X feels more like an alternate take on X-Men than an actual X-Men Story.  If you're looking a classic X-Men story in the vein of Joss Whedon, you won't find it here. This issue feels more like an extension of the Grant Morrison run with its characters and depictions. It's a good company to be in regardless. The Morrison run was different but it was also amazing. 

This issue is oversized and is about double the size of a normal comic. I believe the comic justifies the cover price. It's not exactly what I was looking for, but it's an undeniably good comic. Check out House of X #1 and judge for yourself. 


Rating A


Addendum: My theory is that these are not the Real X-Men and that we may be looking at an invasion of the Body Snatcher's situation.

I also believe that this is not Xavier and that the villain behind this series is The Maker. It's actually kind of obvious. Let's hope Hickman subverts expectations with the reveal. 

Let me know what you think.  more

It's been months since I reviewed TMNT: Urban Legends. I don't remember most of the issue off of the top of my head but I do remember the cliffhanger of Shadow, Casey Jones daughter being kidnapped. 

This issue picks up that thread and puts the focus on Raphael as he takes the lead in investigating the disappearance. The comic is a lot of fun and we get some great development for Raphael. 
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The evidence points to the Foot Clan being behind the disappearance. We discover that Raph has been running with the Foot Clan for a while and has a friendly relationship with them. He makes the point to his brother's that he's the only one of them without a life outside being a Ninja so it only made sense that he would take up being a Ninja full time.

When Donatello makes the argument that the Foot Clan are a group of killers. Raph counters that all of the turtles have killed in the past which is a nice nod to the original Mirage Comics. 
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Raph ends up getting involved in an assassination mission with the Foot Clan that goes bad and we get another solid cliffhanger as the situation goes from bad to worse. 

The comic was a lot of fun. TMNT Vol: 3 got a lot of flack for some of the choices made during the run but one thing that is undeniable was that it did a great job of moving the turtles forward. They feel more mature and it makes sense that they would be at the beginning stages of finding their own direction in life. 
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The colors also really enhance the art. The original series was really hard to read in places. The colors don't fix the issues I have with Frank Fosco's linework completely. but it does help distinguish what's going on in any particular scene. 

Loved the issue, I'll try to get the reviews for the series completed sooner.  more

Last week I reviewed Mark Russell's and Richard Pace's Second Coming. This week I'm covering Sheldon Allen's Crucified. The differences between the two titles are night and day. What's really weird is that Jesus is trending in comics in 2019.

I happened upon this book randomly. Every week I ritualistically hit my Local Comic Shop and then I browse the store to see whats new. Crucified's cover immediately grabbed my attention. I rarely see Jesus in comics. It's even rarer that you see a variant of the messiah that is depicted as a person of color. I flipped through the comic and decided it was worth trying out. 

This is an excellent comic and I immediately reached out to my shop and added the series to my pull list. The issue doesn't have many supernatural elements and never outright says that "The Christ" is the actual son of God. It's is however heavily implied that there is more to the man. 

After quelling a 2-week old race war between Blacks and Mexicans in California, "The Christ" gets the attention of the hidden hand behind the riots. The riot was intended to be prolonged for weeks with all of the planning was thrown out of the window once "The Christ" intervenes. The Christ is seen as a potential threat to the establishment and an assassin is then hired to take him out. 

One of the things I really liked about this book is that it doesn't waste time with an extended setup. By the end of the issue, we know most of the principal players and their motives. The mystery of whether Christ is the returning Massiah is interesting but more interesting are the characters and subplots surrounding him.

This isn't a parody or a mockery of religion. The question is asked, What If? and in leaving the answer up in the air an interesting premise is established. 

Art direction for the issue is decent at best. The linework is exceptionally clean and expressive with nothing appearing out of place. Armin Ozdic pencils remind me of Steve Dillon in that the figures looked great but the backgrounds were always sparse. 

The reason I almost passed on the book was because of the lack of background and color variation. The comic looks bland and every page looks the same. It doesn't matter if it's an interior shot, outside,  or one of the few action sequences. The direction works tonally but it forces the writer to work harder to land scenes via dialogue as the story progresses. I really hate that I can't give Crucified an A+.
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The story is top-notch but the issues with the art direction cannot be ignored. I can easily see this story being adapted into a television series based on the first issue alone. The story is paced well, the writing is superb. The art isn't the greatest but its the story across.

Despite its minor flaws, the comic is worth reading, be sure to check it out.
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When it was announced that Christopher Priest was gonna be writing Vampirella I raised an eyebrow, but still wasn't interested. I've never been a fan of the character. She's one of those characters like Shi, Lady Death, or Kabuki, from the bad girl era. You know them when you see them but you never brought their books. 


What got me on board with buying the title was an interview with Newsrama in which Priest was forced to push back hard on the idea that Vampirella should be changed to fit the current political climate. Paraphrasing, Priest stated that he wouldn't be changing the or costume and he had no interest in telling that story. 
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I respect the answer, especially in the current year. I also wish that we had more creators protecting these characters rather than molding them to fit whatever neurosis they are dealing with at the time. 

This issue was really good. I'd never downplay Priests writing ability but even then I was skeptical about a serious take on Vampi. The character has always been goofy to me and I didn't expect much. The issue is basically a two-person play with flashbacks. Vampi is the survivor of a plane crash and currently under the care of a psychologist assigned to help survivors deal with the trauma of the events. 
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The interplay between Vampirella and Dr. Chary is the strongest aspect of the issue. She tries to convince him that she's a vampire from another planet while he's pushing back and tells her that she's full-a-shit at every turn. It's basically the response of any reasonable person.

The only notch I can levy at the issue is that the art is inconsistent throughout the issue. To be fair priest, doesn't give Ergun a lot to do outside of a few pages. There's a lot of dialogue and exposition but not much action. This may be a turn off to some readers, but since we're obviously setting up the status quo I didn't find any fault with the art direction outside of the inconsistency of some of the linework. Some of the art is great so I think rushing to judgment would be premature.
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It's a solid start and another win for Dynamite comics. With the exception of Rainbow Brite, Dynamite has been coming up roses. The Lone Ranger and Turok are great. I hear good things about James Bond all the time. Dynamite is a publisher on the Rise and Vampirella is a worthy addition to their lineup of titles.   more

Shredder in Hell #3 is one of the most beautiful comics on the shelves. It's also one of the most confusing stories I've read in a while. I made an almost identical observation with Batman Damned a couple of weeks back. 

Both stories are somewhat marred by impenetrable plots. I chose the title of this review because once you get past the awesome linework and colors the story is a bit of a mess. 

The story feels like a fever dream of various disparate elements coalescing into a semblance of a story but not sticking the landing. There is a lot of weird stuff in this issue and although I got lost at multiple points while reading, every page is fun and interesting to look at. 

The issue see's Shredder continuing his journey through the afterlife. He encounters his father and the prior incarnation of himself and does battle along with Splinter. I don't have much more to say about the plot because I'm missing the context for why any of this is happening. I imagine that any new reader that picked up the issue because of the cover would have an even harder time. 

What I really do appreciate is the softer take on the character of Shredder. I'm hoping that he sticks around beyond this series just to see him interact with the TMNT, Splinter, and Karai. 

Although I have a less than stellar reaction to this issue, it's hard for me to call the comic bad. I will say that this series may read better in trade though. The script is weak but the art is God-Tier. There is one issue left, the rest of the series has been solid. Hopefully, this issue was just a bump in the road and we get a satisfactory conclusion. more

Dick Tracy Forever #2 moves the classic detective further along in the timeline. Time Changes but crime remains the same. The story is again broken up into a couple of vignettes. The first is a simple story that plays off of the mythology surrounding Dick Tracy's 2-way Radio, it's a fun intro and blends right into the second story. 

The second story follows Dick Tracy as he questions  Broccoli Rabi, an informant about a Nazi plot potentially brewing in the city. It turns out the Nazi's have already infiltrated and are in league with Pruneface and The Brow. 
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Broccoli has a cool design. We also get the appearance of a new Detective by the name of Bricks. He fits right in with Tracy right down to the hat, fedora, and wristwatch. The difference between the two characters is that Bricks wears purple, is Black and his watch is a camera, it's a nice subtle way to show the progression of time. Bricks are also unnaturally strong which fits nicely with the mythos surrounding Dick Tracy.

The only weird aspect of the art direction is that Dick Tracy doesn't appear to have aged but Pruneface is noticeably older.
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It doesn't appear that we're ever going to see much depth in a Dick Tracy Comic. The story is entertaining but with the stories being so simplistic I question why Dick Tracy Forever wasn't just released as a Graphic Novel. I know IDW wants revenue from floppies but this feels overpriced. The page quality and design elements are appealing but it doesn't make me feel any better about the 3.99 cover price. 

If you're a fan of Dick Tracy the issues are worth reading. If you're a casual fan I'd wait for the trade it's really that simple. If the book was a dollar cheaper I probably wouldn't have had any problems with the comic at all. Go grab an Alterna Comic instead and wait for the collected edition.  more

TMNT #95 is arguably the most talked about issue of this series since Donatello was practically murdered in issue #44. That was when I jumped onto the series and I'm pretty sure we'll see a lot of new fans after this one. 

Getting the big reveal and spoiler out of the way up front, we have a fifth turtle, and it's a girl. In a last-ditch effort to save Jannika from death, Leonardo and Donatello save her by facilitating a blood transfusion using Leo's blood. I don't feel bad spoiling the issue because Tom Waltz spoiled it the day the issue dropped, ha. 
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The beauty of all of this is that

A. Jannika is not a new character.
B. Tom Waltz didn't just pull this one out of his ass. 

The actual logistics of how we arrived at a fifth Ninja Turtle is sound. 

With the spoilers out of the way let's talk about the rest of the comic. The book initially subverted my expectations because the first few pages started with everyone standing around talking. This is usually the sign of a filler or bottleneck comic. 
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 A few pages letter and Boom! Metal Head crashes the scene with Agent Bishop and the Earth Protection Force Backing him up. 

The book isn't quite as intense as the prior issue but the pace still brisk and there aren't any real lulls in the issue. Issue #96 will probably be a breather issue as Jannika's transformation is further explored. 
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If the creative team decides to slow down a bit I don't blame them. City at war has so many moving parts it's hard to keep track of everything. Ironically the series that TMNT most feels like lately is the recently ended Walking Dead. 

There's a reason these are some of the longest-running series out there with the exception of DC's legacy titles, they are just that damn good.  more

I flirted with reviewing TMNT #94-95 together since I was late (As Usual) but decided to review the issues separately since there was so much going on in this issue. 

The cliffhanger for #93 was pretty severe with Jannika being stabbed by Karai in a double cross and bleeding out.
 
This issue covers the aftermath and the escalation of the city at war story arc. 

The adage is that Pressure Bursts Pipes and the turtles are getting pressure from all sies as they deal with multiple wars progressing on multiple fronts. 

In the midst of all of this turmoil, Raph decides that he's tired of being reactive to all of the events happening around him and decides to join up with Old Hob and the Mutanimals who are technically the most well-armed faction involved in the conflict right now with the exception Earth protection force. 

I read a lot of comics and few are as amped as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is right now. 

There is a two-page conversation in this issue of Leonardo giving Splinter a call and those pages are just as intense as anything else going on in the issue. In short the comic is excellent. 

Dave Wachter and Ronda Pattison also do an incredible job with art direction. Nothing feels wasted or boring. We see what we need to see and the story moves forward. It's very efficient storytelling and a marked improvement from just a few issues ago. Also, this cover is probably the best rendition of The Mutanimals we've ever seen. I'd love to have this print or have the original art on my wall. This is a highly recommended comic and one of the best comics you'll read this week.  more

In the past two years, Mark Russell has become one of my favorite comic book writers. He wrote my favorite series of 2018, Snagglepuss. My favorite single issue of 2018, Lex Luthor & Porky Pig. He also recently concluded an excellent Lone Ranger mini-series with Dynamite.

Second Coming may become a great series now that the setup is out of the way, but this issue is off. The main problem with the issue isn't the obvious religious riffs, it's the humor. The book is working entirely too hard to get laughs. 

One of the reasons I love Marks writing is that he's a master of pulling laughs out of a painful situation that most of us can relate to in modern American culture. In Second Coming, the jokes fell obvious and tired. The irony is still there, but the observations of the contradictory nature of old and new testaments have been popping up for literally thousands of years. Nothing new is being said about the nature of religion so why mock it?

There is one particularly bad joke in which the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil has been replaced with genitals. It's an attempt at a joke but it's pointless. If I was offended by anything in the issue it would have been there. 

I think the series has potential to be really good or be really bad. The premise has always been strange. Jesus being sent back to earth to learn how to be a god from a modern Superman type hero feels totally pretentious. However, Jesus returning and attempting to deliver his message in 2019 is a brave and inspired choice. 

I didn't care for the portrayal of "God" in the issue. He's not evil but he reminds me of Peter Milligan's Nero from Britannia minus the insanity. I did like the depiction of Jesus and the stories hero, Sunstar. Sunstar is clearly a Superman riff but he has very basic human problems. Which contradict the very reason that Jesus is sent back to earth in the first place. 

Jesus is likable and all of the scenes with are pretty good when he's not speaking with modern inflections, its forced and not funny. For example, I never liked the cross as the symbol of Christianity but I understand it. It's just weird that the symbol of faith is a torture device.

Obviously, Mark feels the same way but the fact that his Jesus is "triggered" by the sight of a cross is weird. Especially when the art doesn't covey any short of emotion. 

Speaking of art, it's a mixed bag throughout the issue. Richard pace shines in the flashback scenes of Jesus during his first visit to earth. but fumbles everywhere else. 
I mentioned that I like Sunstar, the character, but I don't like the design, it's too generic. Pace doesn't really give the guy any musculature. That in tandem with the characters personal issues make him come off as weak when the outward depiction of the character should be awe-inspiring. My mind keeps going to the Fleisher version of Superman when I see Sunstar.

Wrapping things up, Second Coming isn't the worst thing ever. It has some decent and cringy moments. Hopefully, Mark and Richard work those things out because there is potential for a decent story here. The dicks and over the top portrayals of god is more lame than anything and needs to be toned down immediately. 

If the focus stays primarily on Jesus and Sunstar bonding and learning and developing together this could turn into a great story despite the initial offering.  more

Full disclosure, I cheated with this review. I was totally lost after reading this issue. I went back and read it again and was still fuzzy. At that point, I said f*ck it and watched Comics Explains rundown of the issue. 


I typically never watch other content creators opinions prior to sharing mine for fear that their opinions may influence my own and diminish the credibility of my review. 

Considering I got clarity from Rob It's only fair that I link his video. 

​​If you don't mind spoilers the link is an excellent assessment. 

Batman Damned has been the most uneven series I've reviewed since I got back into comics in 2015 with possibly the exception of Bebop & Rocksteady hit the road from IDW. 

The first Book was confusing and weird, introducing us to Batman's dick. The second book was excellent and had one of my favorite cliffhangers of the year to date. This issue isn't bad it's just disjointed. Batman Damned is the equivalent of reading Shakespeare in 2019. The story is great but you have to work for it. 

The most consistent aspect of the series is the artwork from Lee Bermejo. This is the most beautiful book you will pick up and in my humble opinion is worth the cover price alone.
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My favorite aspect of the Book is the rendition of the Batsuit. The detail in the armor is great. It looks worn and I love that you can make out the armor scales in the suit. The damage that is affecting Bruce becomes more pronounce the longer that you look at the pages. The more you look the more you see and it's amazing. 

On the flip side, Brian Azzarello script is possibly the most confusing story you'll ever read. The plot is hazy and to be fair it's an intentional narrative device, but it hurts the flow of the story and diminishes the impact of the project and its conclusion.
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Even with my mixed reaction to the series, Batman Damned does justify its existence. We also have no idea how much of the story was altered after "Penisgate". I'm not sure who to blame for the series inconsistencies, Brian or DC?
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I'd love to get alternate takes on the ending since apparently, I'm an idiot. I'm currently ruminating on Wacky Raceland and I'm debating on making Batman: Damned my next series to deep dive into, if only for my sanity. more

I recently reviewed Silencer #11 and now I'm reviewing Sideways. Sideways was canceled months ago. The last issue of the Silencer shipped last month. 

The sad thing is that both of these issues along with Damage #11 and the always awesome Curse of the Brimstone had all hit their stride. 

The cancellations, in my opinion, are based more around the lack of faith in these characters and the shit general marketing of the comic book industry. 

I also have a sneaking suspicion that "The New Age of Heroes" books were largely ignored because of the decreased cover price. It's probably unfounded but it's a lot harder to justify a $3.99 book when a $2.99 title of similar quality is right next to it. 

Sideways #11 is another solid issue. What's also disappointing it's plainly obvious that Dan Didio genuinely loves this character. The story picks up immediately after the events of the last issue's cliffhanger with Ernie being captured by the villainous bolt and Sideways needing to save her. 

It's a pretty straightforward story. The leads get great action sequences and the minor characters get fleshed out with some nice character development. 

Bolt is a nice contrast to Sideways with the main difference between the characters being that he can fly while Derek (Sideways) can travel through other dimensions. 


The cancellation of Sideways may be 2019's biggest WTF announcement based on the trajectory of this issue alone. It's really hard to believe that comics this well written get totally ignored. It also speaks to the general health of the industry, it's not good. 

Not much else to say, the story is engaging, Kenneth Rocafort's art is awesome, the action is great and the $2.99 is a solid entry fee. 

If you can find a Sideways back issue or trade it may be worth a read. The series is coming along nicely.  more

Brian Michael Bendis may be one of the most polarizing men in comics right now. He constantly gets so much hate directed at him it's hard to believe that at one point he was comic book royalty. He's still one of the most notable creators out there but the general consensus is that he's past his prime. In some circles, the consensus is he should be put out to pasture. 

Apparently, he's destroying the Superman titles. I can't judge the situation because I'm not reading Superman. 

I am reading Naomi and issue's #1 and #2 have been an absolute joy. This comic has its issues that we'll get into but it also has the strongest 5-7 opening pages I've read in years. 

The comic works primarily because Bendis and _ know that if you're invested to this point you want to know what the hell is going on with Naomi and Dee. It's pretty obvious there's a connection, but what?

Aside from the narrative bombs dropped in this issue we firmly establish some core personality traits for our chief protagonist.

1. She doesn't back down from confrontation. Dee is twice her size and looks like he's done a hard time. Naomi still presses him for answers an eventually gets them. 

 2. Naomi constantly jumps to conclusions. 

Both of these traits are potential strengths but also potential weaknesses as she is further established in this series. 

This issue gives us our answers about Dee and takes Naomi further down the rabbit of her origins. 

I have to admit that I didn't get the answers that I wanted and the potential direction of the series Isn't as strong as I was hoping. 

We're still in the origin phase of the series and I'll reserve judgment until this arc is complete. 

The opening scenes are amazing, the middle interesting, the conclusion of the issue is meh. I'm still invested in the conclusion of this arc but my expectations have definitely been lowered 

Jamal Campbell continues to get some nice material but in this issue aside from a few flashback scenes, there isn't much to be impressed with. He does amazing work conveying emotion necessary for the opening scenes but the back half of the issue is pretty bland. There's a lot of talking and confrontations but not much action which is his key strength as an artist. 

To be fair there hasn't been too much action at all in the series but this issue seems off. 

I'm neither blown away or disappointed in the issue. Hopefully, this is just a bump in the road and not a downward slope.  more

After it was announced that we were getting a legit Ghostbusters 3 I was so excited that I announced publicly that I would begin collecting the Ghostbusters comics. 

My first book was Ghostbusters 20/20 and the enthusiasm went about as limp as your grandfather is right now. 

I saw the announcement that the Ghostbusters would be teaming up with Transformers and my eyebrows perked up once again. It's a weird Idea but considering that the Ghostbusters have teamed up with most of the licensed characters across the IDW line, I guess we shouldn't be surprised. 

I'm happy to report in this inconsequential blog that the comic is really good. It respects the source material from both franchises and weaves the material into something that's easy for new readers or casuals like myself. 

The comic opens with a pretty obvious homage to the original Ghostbusters movie with the Decepticons squaring off against Gozer. This time taking the form of a Transformer. The Autobots have already left the planet at this time so Megatron and his forces are ironically the best hope for Cybertron.

Gozer tells the Decepticons to choose the form of their destructor. Starscream, standing in for Ray Stanz chooses a giant version of himself and the planet is subsequently destroyed. 

Pretty bleak huh?

The Book picks up thousands of years later with the Ghostbusters on a routine bust. The job gets stranger when one of the ghosts that they encounter turns out to be a Decepticon. 

This was a fun read and the kind of material I was expecting when I said I was gonna start reading the comics. It even got me to look past the art style which for years now has the biggest barrier for me in picking up a Ghostbusters comic. 

I've never liked the designs chosen for the Ghostbusters in the IDW canon, but the linework and colors from  Dan Schoening and Luis Antonio Delgado mesh well. Also to be noted is that the colors for the issue are absolutely amazing, no matter what's being penciled. The scenes are bright, spooky in places and by the end, you'll believe that the characters are from the same universe. 

The humor is great and the personalities are spot on. The Decepticons versus Gozer will probably go down as one of the funniest moments of the year for me. It highlights the thought and care that Erik has put into the integration of the two franchises. 

My only gripe is that the Transformers do not formally meet the Ghostbusters until the very last page of this issue. It doesn't lessen the quality of the book but it's another example of decompressed storytelling or in this instance, writing for the trade. A few more pages, a cliffhanger and I would have had no complaints with the issue at all. It's still a solid start and I cannot wait for the next issue.  more

Of the 4 New Age of Heroes titles that I review regularly, The Silencer tends to be one of the weaker series. Aside from some really high spots the series gets grounded by a few basic problems outside of its control.

we'll touch on some in this review, but we get a reprieve from my normal complaints regarding the series this time around.

The book is worth reading primarily because of the value proposition in relation to other series. At the time of publishing, Silencer was still 2.99. For the price, it's better than most of the books that DC or Marvel is producing right now. I know that the last issue of the series came out last week and the cover price eventually jumped to 3.99. I figured I would keep reviewing the series because I'm curious to see if the comic actually achieves some of its potential.

This issue begins a new Story-Arc but honestly just continues the last one. Silencer and her makeshift team travel to the Leviathan stronghold in an attempt to prevent Talia Al Ghul from being resurrected.

I'm not sure it's actually a spoiler to announce that our Anti-Heroes don't make it in time, Whomp Whomp!!

What we get is decent action and minor development. To be fair Talia get a fairly dramatic speech that would be amazing if the overall story didn't feel so inconsequential.

I don't think that DC ever really cared about the series enough to really give it a chance to succeed. Talia was killed a few months ago but I'm pretty sure she was solicited appearing somewhere else during the same timeframe.

When a major character is killed off and it's not news outside the parent series you know the publisher's continuity is trash. Talia's death and resurrection happen so quick that Batman doesn't even get a chance to acknowledge it in his series. You'd think it would be the perfect time to shine a light on Bruce and Damian's reaction at least.

Aside from the general complaint about DC Comics, the issue is quite good. In fact, if this wasn't a DC comic with ties to the lines continuity I would have given the issue a B or maybe even an A-. Jack Herbert is on pencils and the setting instantly feels bigger.

There doesn't feel like much of a difference between Jack and Patch but I prefer this art over the last several issue. The action is good and there are even good moments with The Silencer's husband which is something we haven't seen in this series to date.

The comic isn't bad but it's pretty clear that DC has abandoned the series at this point. If they don't care why should we. more

I just reviewed The Walking Dead #190 last week and upon reading that issue I never got the impression that the series was about to end. I'm fairly behind on my reviews as you may have probably noticed if you check out my timeline. I saw that something big happened in #192 but I managed to avoid spoilers. You would think that the events would have been bigger than they are. 

I haven't seen anyone covering this issue which is surprising. 

I was on twitter and totally got blindsided by the announcement that the series was ending. It was actually surreal and kind of shocking that a series would end so close to a perceived milestone, IE #200. 
 
There's no way to offer an actual review without spoiling the major plot point of the last few issues. In issue #192 Rick Grimes was killed.
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Carl discovers him the next morning in his room turned into a walker and has to put him down. It's a pretty sad moment especially considering Carl also had to kill his mother. It's also bittersweet because the inciting incident that led to Rick's death also allows the world to really begin rebuilding.

Issue #193 does something that few long-running series are able to do, give a satisfying conclusion. I walked away from the issue very satisfied. The setting shifts from post-apocalypse to post-post-apocalypse with the world on the verge of recovery. 
 
I began reading The Walking Dead with the Commonwealth storyline so I missed the seminal events of the series such as Woodbury, Negan's introduction and the Whisperer war. 

Although there are a few issues during this arc that meander heavily I think this arc is solid with the last few issues standing out as being pretty amazing. 
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 I'm not sure if this is the definitive end of The Walking Dead. Even with the zombie genre slowing down the setting has so much potential that It's really hard to believe that we'll never see another comic in this universe. 

I also want to shout out Charlie Adlard, the unsung hero of the series. He doesn't produce the most dynamic art but he's a solid storyteller and the series would be completely different without him providing the linework. 

It's gonna be very strange going to my comic shop and not picking up the next issue of The Walking Dead. It's been a fixture of my pull list for the past 2 years and the series conclusion leaves a huge gap. Not only in my pull but the overall comic industry in general. Who or what series will step up to fill this void. Only time will tell... more

Damn, this issue was awesome. That being said this is the shortest review I've done in a while. I'm not too heavy into the characters here or the lore of the setting but Ron Marz is an amazing writer and sells all of it.  I also liked that we're shown not told why Turok is such a dangerous threat or ally. 

I just finished reading Mark Russell's Lone Ranger, also from Dynamite and its really cool that we got to see three Native American heroes featured so prominently this year. 
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The bulk of the issue centers around Turok, Andar, and the Soldiers hunting them reacting to the new world they now find themselves in. There is a lot of action in this book and its glorious. 

The plot isn't especially deep. The action is dynamic and moves at a brisk pace but not fast enough where a reader would feel ripped off. It's also a lot of fun as Roberto and Salvator leave a lot of visual candy on every page.
 
​​The dinosaurs are varied and dangerous. We also get a few other elements thrown into the mix that I wasn't looking for. My expectations have definitely been subverted. 

I really enjoyed this issue and want to see more. I legit have no complaints. This is a great single issue and I imagine that Turok will read great in trade once it's released. Dynamite is quickly becoming one of my favorite publishers with series like Turok leading the charge. more

Marvels is without a doubt my favorite series of all time. It's what all comic books should aspire to be and expresses the magic of Marvel Comics and the medium in general. 

Kurt Busiek was God-Tier throughout the series and Alex Ross was in his prime delivering some of the best art of his career. To this day I'm amazed at just home much ground was covered in these four issues. The passion, knowledge, and respect these men had for these characters is part of the reason I'm so down on modern Marvel in 2019. Something clearly has been lost in translation. 

I also love that the series touches on the political climate of the eras of the time periods covered in each issue. It's not heavy-handed or divisive. The politics are there and add context to the narrative. 

Marvels captures the idealism of the men and women of the time and blend real-world events with fantastical elements. I know it's popular to paint anything prior to the civil rights era as problematic, and there definitely were issues, but there are also good men and good women working together to make the world a better place. 

We shouldn't lose sight of that even when litigating past discretions. 

I'm not going to review Marvels. Full disclosure I wouldn't give any of the issues less than the highest of marks so I won't waste time drawing out the foregone conclusion. 

What  I want to discuss is my feelings regarding key characters and events discussed in these issues and how they resonated with me personally. 

I'm not the biggest fan of Marvel right now or their pricing practices but even with those disclosures I think that the quality of these books along with the additional content justify the 7.99 cover price. 


Marvelous Moments 

1. Phil Sheldon

Phil Sheldon is amazing. Marvels wouldn't have worked without Phil as narrator. The highest praise I can give for the series was the idea to shift the focus of the series from the point of view of the heroes and villains and aim it squarely on the little guy and his reactions to events.

Phil is more than likely your grandfather or great grandfather depending on your family line and is a product of the greatest generation. He feels real and relatable and is what I imagine our forebears to have been like if we view the situation with those rose tinted glasses. 

2. Jim Hammond Finally gets his Due

The first comic from Timely (Marvel) featured The Human Torch. An android that would spontaneously combust when exposed to oxygen. Most people today probably have no idea that there was a precursor to Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four. We rarely see Jim outside of one of the Many Invaders reboots that pop up every few years and even then the character tends to be an afterthought.

In Marvels #0 the creation of the Human Torch by Phineas Horton is treated as the catalyst for the rest of the events in the series. The story is treated as like a modern retelling of Frankenstein with the Torch standing in for the Monster. Ross even sets some of the panels up to resemble Mary Shelley's seminal work. 

The character was never given this level of respect before or since and prior to reading the Marvels trade paperback in the 90's. I only knew the character at all, because the Marvel tsr roleplaying game featured 2 versions of the character and one of them was Jim. 

3. Namor

Namor is awesome. One of the things people tend to forget is just how long Namor - The Submariner has been around in the Marvel Universe. Marvel does a great job portraying the character as hero and villain. He's just as bi-polar as ever. One minute he's fighting Nazi's with the allies. The next he's flooding Manhattan. My favorite pages of the entire series is when the flood happens. It's scaled perfectly and shows just how dangerous Namor can be when he's in a mood.  

4. Agency

The theme of the issue for me is how Agency has been snatched from our central characters in what I think can best be described as "The Lex Luthor dilemma". Prior to the Human Torches arrival man was in control of his own destiny. 

With the emergence of heroes such as Namor, Torch and even Captain America the best a normal person can do is get out of the way. 

At one point in the issue, a bunch of the journalists are huddled in a bar listening to a broadcast breaking down the fight between the Human Torch and Namor. It's a really pathetic moment and illustrates how small man is in relation to these bigger than life characters. 

What hope can a normal guy have against a guy that can melt car engines or another guy that is bulletproof. 


Other thoughts

There are other moments in the issue that were worth mentioning but didn't deserve a bullet point. It was nice seeing Captain America. A young J.J. Jameson and Nick Fury before they fell into their Iconic roles. 

Alex Ross also added cameos that I never noticed prior to reading the annotated edition. If you look closely you'll see Lois Lane, Clark Kent, The Shadow, Doc Savage, Billy Batson, and even Popeye in the issue. 

These Cameos and easter eggs make the book even more fun to read. There is a palpable layer of optimism throughout the issue and even when the characters suffer losses there is a greater victory a few pages later. 

This is one of the most beautiful comics I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Thanks for sharing this experience with me.  more

I am a huge fan of Robert Kirkman's Marvel Zombies and to date believe I have every one-shot and mini-series related to the event. I even have the Ultimate Fantastic Four comics in which they were introduced. 

When I heard that DC was doing its own version of the zombie apocalypse, I had mixed feelings. The story feels about 10 years too late. Marvel Zombies has been shelved and The Walking Dead, also by Robert Kirkman has seen better days. The Zombie craze has waned with the exception of a few projects popping up here and there. Sony PlayStation recently released "Days gone" a triple-A new IP that was released to mixed reviews. 

I'm a fan of horror and Love zombies so picking up DCeased as a no-brainer. I'm curious about the story and the direction the series would take even though my eyes were dangerously close to rolling. 

What really sold me on the issue was the Yasmine Putri Variant cover homaging the 2018 version of "It". The cover is gorgeous and also gives a nod to the classic Batman: Death in the Family storyline. 

The story itself is typical for the zombie apocalypse. If you've read Marvel zombies meets Ash I think you'll have a decent idea how this issue progresses. It's not a direct rip-off but you won't be shocked or surprised by anything that happens in this issue. 

The angle Tom Taylor decided to take for the inciting incident that caused the outbreak is interesting and I'm pretty sure I never would have thought of it. 

I also think he may be making meta contextual commentary about our culture in 2019 considering what causes the outbreak and how fast it spreads. 

The art direction is creepy throughout the issue. Nothing is particularly scary but there are some pretty horrific and brutal scenes depicted and I loved it. These scenes got my attention and I'm pretty excited about what's to come. 

The comic is fun and I did enjoy the pace of things. I'm glad that the setup was confined to issue one and that the story isn't being decompressed. It's a solid opening chapter even though it's nestled within a genre that is over exposed at the moment. 

I will also note that if you're a casual horror fan or have not been plugged into all of the zombie content that has been released in the past decade you'll probably get more enjoyment out of this issue, I'm just a bit jaded right now.      

The issue is worth a read regardless of your background and I expect the series to only get better from here.  more

I first heard of Chelsea Cain's Maneaters via comicsgate. Around the time of the release, there were videos floating around reviewing the book and ripping it to shreds for being awful, gross and pushing feminist propaganda. I even considered joining in on the act and picking the book up for some of that easy, sweet, sweet clickbait. 

I decided against it mainly because  I just didn't have the interest in investing time into a series. The preview images and covers gave me an Ewww vibe I couldn't get past. 

The videos came and went and for whatever reason, the book and creator kept coming under fire, specifically from the trans community. 

This got pretty ugly and eventually, after months of back and forth, Chelsea said screw it and decided to leave Twitter. 

At this point, I was intrigued. I'd never heard of a project that was scorned by mainstream audiences and comicsgate. I decided to check out the series and had my Local Comic Shop add Maneaters to my pull list. 

I had to know if it was bad as everyone was making it out to be. The story focuses on an awkward young girl on the verge of adolescence. Unfortunately, in this setting young girls have a host of problems more serious than acne or getting attention from pimply faced boys. 

In this particular setting Toxoplasmosis X exists. Toxoplasmosis exists in the real world but in the setting of Maneaters, it interacts with the XY chromosome specifically and causes some girls to transform into panther-like creatures and eat people, hence the title. 

One of the tell-tale signs of danger is menstruation. In fact, the fear is so real that at the first sign of menstrual blood kids are sent to be treated and possibly quarantined. 

On top of this, chemicals are pumped into the water supply to prevent menstruation altogether, further demonizing the natural progression of childhood to adulthood in young girls. 

The setting is horrifying and would be even darker if Chelsea had had not chosen a cheeky tone for the characters. 

I'm not gonna come in and shill and say that the story of Maneaters is a masterpiece. What I will say is that the comic at least the first Volume is one of the most unique Ideas I've ever seen in comics and should be applauded for swinging for the fences. 

Once you get past the initial shock and unapologetic feminist perspective the story is pretty good. 

The jabs at the patriarchy seem out of place considering most of the of them come from a 12-year-old. Do 12-year-olds feel oppressed by anyone outside of their parents?

The characters are all likable and relatable. Maude's parents are divorced. They both work in law enforcement and are investigating Cat Attacks, not knowing that a potentially dangerous situation is developing right underneath their noses. 

Dad was called out as being a stereotypical soyboy by some critics but I disagree. My marriage is often shaky, I still collect comics, action figures and Drive a Yellow Fiat SUV. Objectively I'm in pretty much the same situation as Maudes father. I even have a 13 year old daughter that recently started having regular periods. 

Please Pray for Me. 

The art is also cool throughout the series and perfectly captures the tone Chelsea was going for. As mentioned earlier if you change a few lines here and there and bring in Greg Capullo this is a full-on horror story but it works nevertheless. 

There isn't a lot of action in this volume but Chelsea substitutes action with a focus on developing interpersonal relationships between characters and setting up a constant air of danger in the background. 

What elevates the book for me is the auxiliary material. Throughout the book, there are a collection of poems written by young girls. These poems are cute, funny and often inspiring. 

I also loved that the story isn't caping in hoping to appeal to a male audience. This comes across very quickly. At one point there is an entire page that painstakingly details how to use a tampon. Initially, I have completely grossed the hell out but I thought of what my daughter goes through monthly and stuck with it. The story just grew on me as it went on. 

There are also a series of parody ads throughout the Volume. Issue #4 is full of them and they are all disturbingly hilarious. The advertisements reminded me of the parody ads in classic films such as Robocop and Starship Troopers. They also belie an undercurrent that strong women are to be feared. 

The elephant in the room is the outrage surrounding this project. The trans community came out in full force to demonize Maneaters and Chelsea Cain over her lack of inclusiveness within this series. 

On a purely biological level, they simply don't fit into the story. This a young woman's coming of age story. Forcing the issue or playing identity politics here would only diminish the story being told. 

The Trans experience is not the same as a young girls experience and we need to stop ignoring the obvious. There are elements here that we can all relate to. The feeling of alienation. The feeling of awkwardness during puberty and the finding of one's voice in dealing with overbearing parents. 

That's what's important here. I hope to one day read a story that captures the transgendered coming of age experience. This story simply isn't it. 

Overall there is a lot to unpack in the setting and I enjoyed Maneaters vol: 1. I'll be picking up Vol: 2 in a few weeks and seeing how the series develops. 

If the blatant digs at the patriarchy weren't in the book I would have given the book a perfect score. The setting itself makes the point clear so the obvious jabs are unnecessary. 

On that note, the story has some minor issues but the concept is unique and its heart is in the right place. The art is solid and the presentation is excellent. 

I recommend Maneaters despite initially being grossed out. I read the book and immediately gave it to my daughter who loved it. It's a good comic, saying anything else is being disingenuous. 

I've read bad books, terrible books (Heroes in Crisis), this ain't it chief. 
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How sad is it that I'm still reviewing comics from 2018. I know its weird but I truly feel that It's worth my time because comics are in a rough spot in 2019, and maybe you've missed this issue or any other on this blog. Maybe it inspires you to visit your local comic shop and pick up the issue or trade. 

Drowned earth is a pretty obvious Aquaman centric story. This issue was released in advance of the Billion dollar movie and works as an introduction of the character to new readers and advance the Justice League vs Legion of Doom that has been going on since the beginning of the series. 

I've never been a big Aquaman fan. Not because I dislike the character I'm just fairly new to DC comics and never got into him. The material I've seen featuring the character has been decent and this issue is no different. 

The gist of the plot is that invaders from cosmic oceans come to earth to invade and begin flooding the planet. Aquaman and the League must deal with it. 

It's a serviceable plot and nothing stands out as bad but the story feels kinda generic. I feel like we won't remember drowned earth about a year from now other than as a random arc. 

As an intro its solid. I had fun seeing Adam Strange and Firestorm even though they don't get much to do. They get the best lines of the issue. The art is okay but nothing depicted in the issue is particularly memorable. The story may get better but I'm not expecting much. The issue feels like filler and I'm getting the impression that the arc may be as well. 

Sorry, I can't give much of an in-depth review but there isn't much here other than a McGuffin search and a cliffhanger ending. 

Hopefully, we'll have more meat to discuss in the next part to this story arc.  more

Now I can't prove it and DC Comics will never admit it but I totally believe DC editorial messed up the sequence of covers for Damage #11 and #12. 

Damage #11 Features the character going up against the Justice League. This issue features the fight with Superman promised last month. One of my complaints on that issue was that the cover was misleading. If the covers got mixed up, it makes sense. 

Damage #12 is simple yet completely satisfying. The book still featured a $2.99 cover price and dollar for dollar was possibly the best value at DC the month it was released. 

One of the longest-running debates in comic fandom is who would win in a fight between Hulk and Superman. We don't get a definitive answer in this issue but the outcome is pretty much what I'd expect if the crossover actually happens one day.

The issue is a lot of fun and seeing the Back and Forth between the characters is simply a joy. Right now DC comics are in a dower spot with most of the major storylines focusing on villains and villainy. The characters her all feel like the best versions of themselves. Aaron and HI-FI work well together and the tone of the issue feels brighter than I remember for the series. This change is fitting since it pits Damage against DC's symbol of hope. 

The ending of the comic is rather predictable if you've been following the series but its nice to see the character continue to scale up to DC's biggest powerhouses. I have no doubt that if the general health of the comic industry had been a bit better than Damage would have not been canceled. 

Aside from DC fatally goofing up the cover of the last two issues I don't have any complaints. If you want to see a Superman Vs. Hulk fight pick up these two issues, you can't go wrong.  more

Walking Dead #190 brings something to the table that has been missing for a long time with this series, Momentum.

There has been a drastic improvement in the comic in the last few issues and it involves Robert Kirkman finally getting to the point with the CommonWealth. 

Mercer has staged his coup and seems to be forcibly dragging Rick to his side. 

While this is happening a massive zombie horde approaches the town which threatens to make the entire conflict moot. 

Maggie shows up out of nowhere with the Hilltop to assist and we end up with the biggest cliffhanger that I've personally read in the book. I started reading the series with the current storyline so I'm not being hyperbolic. I also realize that I'm a couple of months and that there is a huge death coming. 

I live for urgency and tension in my comics and I feel that this comic finds the perfect balance. I believe the problem with this series is that the story is too big and has to cover so much ground and split the focus between so many characters that the narrative is going to be unwieldy at times. The television series has many of the same issues. I'm not sure if the book needs to be canceled but I think going smaller scale in the storytelling may benefit the series at some point.  more

Being that I've never been the biggest Transformers fan or followed the lore too closely I can say that this series is easily my favorite take on these characters to date. 

The issue ironically feels a lot like my previous review, Justice League Odyssey #3 just executed better. The story picks up immediately following the prior issue's cliffhanger. Brainstorm is dead and nothing will ever be the same again, at least that's the impression I'm left with for the setting. 
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 The issue can be broken into three parts. The first part covers the murder of Brainstorm and the mystery surrounding his death. The second part of the comic covers the continual development of the relationship between Bumblebee and the newly forged transformer Rubble. The final aspect of the issue focuses on the developing situation with Megatron and the Ascenticons.

The comic is great and is probably one of the few examples of decompressed storytelling in recent memory and feels like a thought out story rather than just another book paced for an eventual trade paperback. There isn't a ton of action but its made up by the excellent script, intrigue, and worldbuilding. 
 
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The strongest aspect of the book are the parts focusing on Rubble and Bumblebee. Their relationship reminds me of the relationship between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan in that Obi-Wan tries his best but he's probably not the best teacher for Rubble. This story also takes place before Bumblebee joined the Autobots so it will be interesting to see how the story gets him to that point.

The stuff with Megatron and the Ascenticons is the weakest story element but it doesn't hurt the series. The problem is that it kind of feels like Megatron's role as villain is set in stone so it's hard not to see where his story is heading. Aside from that tepid complaint, I don't have much to gripe about with the story aside from minor gripes with the art. 

The pencils aren't the strongest but they are bailed out by Joana and Josh who do an amazing job with the colors for this issue. They both do a great job in conveying the wonder of the setting and elevate the linework tremendously. The pencils aren't all bad some pages are truly breathtaking when everything comes together. 

Colorists rarely get the attention they deserve but this team does an awesome job melding the art direction with the script and should be acknowledged for tying the threads together here.

This is another solid addition to the new series and I'm intrigued to see where the story goes from here.  more

One of the hardest parts of being a comic reviewer is encountering a string of mediocre comics. Good comics you're typically excited to get your feelings out there. Bad comics tend to be easy to poke holes into and format into a review. With books that fall into the meh category, it's hard to find motivation at all. 

I actually forgot I owned this comic, it got mixed up in a long box by accident. I guess I know why now. Justice League Odyssey #3 isn't terrible, it simply exists. 
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The comic picks up after the cliffhanger of the last issue with Starfire being out of control and the makeshift Justice League having to deal that. 

Sadly the cover and first few pages are the most exciting aspects of the issue. The rest of the book features continues building the setting of the Ghost Sector and also focuses in on character development and interactions within the team. 

It sounds good on paper but the book isn't terribly exciting. We're three issues deep and the series is still in setup phase which means we're officially pacing this series for the trade. 
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Ironically, I just finished reading Transformers #2 from IDW. The book is totally different but feels similarly paced but that series feels fresh while this one feels as bland as Karen's potato salad. 

The art from Philippe Briones is detailed and varied throughout the issue but something isn't landing for me. I think it's more to with the generic story being told here than the art direction. A new villain is introduced in this issue by the name of Rapture. Not much information is given about him but he seems to have a connection to Azrael.
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The series actually reminds me of X-Treme X-Men, a series that followed a group of X-Men operating independently searching for the diaries of Destiny. A villain that could see the future. That series was also pretty bland and didn't last long by the standards of the time. 

The story of Justice League Odyssey plods along similarly and ends on another cliffhanger. I want to like this series, I may finish the first arc and see how it turns out but it's not holding my interest. It's too early in this series lifespan to be firing off filler content.

Also, despite the cool Stjepan Sejic cover's suggestion, Darkseid does not appear in the book. 
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