My biggest problem with the first issue was that aside from the controversial "Dick Pic" the comic was pretty tame and didn't justify the Adult label. It could have been other vertigo book and felt right at home. 

This is more like it. 

This issue is intense and has the look and feel of an R Rated Batman experience. The art is simply stunning. There aren't too many artists in the same league as Lee Bermejo and this issue is a perfect representation of what he is capable of. 

The stories focus has also been tightened since the last issue. Batman doesn't believe that Joker truly is dead an continues his investigation. He is joined by John Constantine. Etrigan the Demon, Enchantress, and Deadman are also along for the ride. 

There is a running subplot relating to the troubles within Bruce's parent's marriage that add character to Bruce and why he handles situations in the manner that he does. 

All of these tidbits combined with the cinematic quality of the artistry make this issue the perfect representation of what this line can be. 

The ending encounter is just as shocking as the nude panel from the last issue but in this instance, it feels integral to the plot as opposed to a throwaway moment that never felt justified. 

Batman Damned exceeds all expectations and I can't wait to see how this story concludes. It makes a strong case for single issue of 2018. 

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The Silencer is one of the most frustrating comics on the shelves in 2018. One month it will be the best comic in your pull list. The next month it is stuck in limbo consumed by the problems that have been there since the series inception. 

In this issue Honor Guest and her family finally, arrive at their vacation destination. She quickly breaks away to continue her search for Talia Al Ghul's whereabouts. 

The investigation is split between Silencers search and Mr. Quietus. He's another member of the Leviathan's organization. Quietus ends up being betrayed by his team and is also looking for Talia. 

Eventually, the two encounter each other and a huge battle ensues. As the fight roars along it become's abundantly clear that the events are being influenced by unseen forces and the issue ends on a huge cliffhanger. 

The Silencer/Leviathan portions of this comic are great. Quietus is a certified badass and his power-set seems to be just as interesting as Honor Guest.  The art in this issue continues the trend of being impressive and the standout scene is Quietus's fight against his employees. _ really earned his paycheck this issue. The battles are excellent and Honor is pretty friggin hot in a bathing suit. Our Colorist gets a lot to work with this issue and the art direction is flawless.   

The problem with this issue and the series overall is that whenever Silencer drops into her civilian persona I feel like my intelligence is being insulted. 

I'm a married guy with kids. I don't know any husband that would allow his wife to disappear as often as Honor does with little or no explanation. The fact that this never comes up at all completely undermines the credibility of the situation. In fact, if the family element of the series was completely removed the story would flow so much better. It's sad, I really want to love this series more than I do.  more

Catwoman is a very hit and miss character for me. I only really can stand her depending on the writer. With Tom King being the primary writer of Catwoman for the past few years I naturally pivoted to the new series as he had a great voice for the character and I began to find her more tolerable. 

Catwoman #4 moves back and forth between past and present events. In the present Selina visits her sister Maggie. Maggie has been institutionalized after her Black Mask murdered her husband and tortured her to the point where she lost her mind. 

Selina recounts past events with her sister, meeting her husband and a kid from bullies at gunpoint when they were children. Salinas guilt permeates the entire issue. The comic ends as the hospital staff enter the room as Catwoman moves to the shadows to observe what happens next. 

There's nothing functionally wrong with this comic. We get a pretty tragic backstory for Maggie. There is also a bit of character development for Selina. Outside of that nothing really happens the script is fine. The art is okay. The issue just didn't connect for me. The comic isn't bad. I think the problem is that this is clearly a filler issue and the $3.99 for filler material doesn't sit well with me. Not enough real estate is covered. Although I don't have any problems with the actual comic I can't recommend the issue outside of it being collected in trade. 

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When the end of the year list is compiled of greatest or scariest villains It would be remiss if Agent Bishop doesn't make the cut. The guy is probably the most amoral character I've seen in recent years. He's evil to the point of parody but it's not funny and I genuinely worry about any of our heroes if Bishop gets his hands on them. 

Issue #87 continues with the rapidly escalating conflict between the EPF (Earth Protection Force) and the combined might of the Triceratons and Ultrons. 

The turtles teleport into the middle of the conflict and attempt to confront Bishop directly as he is in control of a living WMD, Slash. The plan goes well until it becomes apparent that Agent Bishop isn't quite human. 

The cover for the issues hints at what the reveal will be but it doesn't quite lessen the impact of seeing Bishop tanking killing blows and gunshots from the TMNT and Mutanimals. All of this is wonderfully rendered by _ and

The B plot of the story is that while the fight is going on Ch'Rell, a Krang loyalist is released from stasis in an attempt to turn the tide of the conflict. He puts together a group and winds up entering the fray at the end. 

There is a metric ton of action in this issue and I thoroughly enjoy seeing this war play out and the stakes continually raised. It's hard to imagine that we will come out of the next issue without seeing casualties. 

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Times like this I hate being a noob to a bulk of DC history and mythology. I know Martian Manhunter as the weird alien member from the Justice League cartoon and not much beyond that. This issue was unexpected.

It's interesting that this Maxi-series comes so close to the end of the Mister Miracle series. It covers a slice of life of this character and also seems to be giving us an origin along with a larger mystery. These deep dives into underrated characters and their histories are an appreciated detour that add flavor the landscape of the DC universe.  

On Earth, John Jones is a detective working a homicide in which an entire family appears to have been murdered. On Mar's J'onn J'onzz is a crooked Manhunter offering protection to criminals. In both lives, Martian Manhunter keeps secrets from those who know him best. This is a man burdened by the regrets of a past life that he will never be able to return to while being forced to hide amongst those that will never accept him for what he is. 

This is a fascinating premise for a series and although it may be an old hat to long-term DC fans the story is presented as mature and intelligent. J'onns is extremely empathetic which it helps him in his role as a detective but it contrasts deeply to his life on Mars where he's presented as a very morally compromised character.  

I'm not sure how public this information is but I was genuinely shocked to see that Manhunter was a crooked cop prior to coming to earth and becoming a hero. In fact, everything on Mars is weird. We even get what may be the most imaginatively weird sex scene I've ever seen on a comic panel. It harkens back to classic science fiction where anything was liable to happen when aliens got freaky. 

J'onzz is a loving husband, an officer of the law, and running a protection racket involving money laundering. It's hard to reconcile but the exact same scenarios happen every day in our society. Script-wise Steve Orlando knocks it out of the park.  

The art comes from Riley Rossmo and as mentioned above its weird. At first, I wanted to say that its ugly. It's not ugly, it's stylized. The good is that when we're on Mar's the art is amazing and extremely imaginative.  This has got to be one of the best sci-fi settings I've seen in years. The colors from Ivan Plascencia are gorgeous and bright and contrast nicely against the ugliness to which our lead characters find themselves. 

On earth the art doesn't really connect with me and feels mildly unsettling John's human look bothers me something seems off. The entire issue actually feels unsettling and I think that may be the underlying point. We're looking the story from the perspective of an alien and one issue deep I can't offer concrete critique on this aspect of the comic.

I am intrigued to see where this story goes. It appears we're going to be in for an emotional rollercoaster if this issue is any indication. 

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I enjoyed this book but the post read impression I had afterward was that issues 1-2 needed to be combined into a double sized comic. Audiences would have loved it especially since Rainbow Brite doesn't technically show up until this issue. 

Enough with the spilled milk. 

Wisp and Twink are on the run. After escaping some of the colorless creatures they stop and provide some exposition regarding the situation. Twink says that each "Color" has a guard but the color guards have been captured and the "Color" mines are being sealed off. This is why the locations have the washed out appearance. 

Wisp also explains that while each color has a guardian there is a champion that can control all colors "Rainbow Brite". He suggests that Wisp become Rainbow Brite. At first, she objects but he replies that she has all of the qualities needed and that he needs her help. Wisp relents and they make an attempt to obtain the Star Scepter and belt. 

We get another beautifully rendered cover by Paulina Ganucheau. Jeremy Whitley has provided an excellent script that moves the character forward but still feels like a legit origin to the classic character. 

The story has a lot going for it. The backstory is interesting and is surprisingly complex for an all-ages book. Wisp is a great character. She's charming and likable and most importantly empathic and selfless. These are qualities that we need to see more of in today's world as the classic hero trope appears to be dying off.

I also loved the contrast between the drained world and the power that Rainbow Brite is able to harness. It's a beautiful scene. In my last review, I said that the colorist would be the one to make or break this series and its nice to see that Valentina has nailed it. 

This series could easily translate into a rebooted animated series or movie and I'm beginning to pick up a "Kingdom Hearts" vibe with the setting. The pencils continue to grow on me and it's pretty epic once Rainbow Brite finally shows up. Outside of one weird panel I can't find much to complain about. I wish that this was either the first issue or that both were combined but on its own, this is another solid issue and I can't wait for the next one. 

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Well, that was uneventful...

Alien #3 is based on the unreleased screenplay from William Gibson. I'm excited to see where this story goes as this issue has already subverted events that happened in the 90's film. That being said this comic is really boring. 

***Spoilers***


What kills the momentum of the issue is the uneven pacing. It starts off fast but slows down to a crawl. Even with the interesting reveals it doesn't doesn't save the book. Newt, Hicks, and Ripley are all alive and the android Bishop makes an appearance. Any fan of Aliens will be happy to see them return. 

The problem is all of the other connecting tissue for the comic is bland. The atmosphere for the comic is creepy but the pencils and colors appear to be a bit too clean which lessens the horror elements. There are a couple unsettling moments in this issue but I can't recommend it except to Alien diehards and completionists. 
​​

Hopefully, the pace and excitement picks up next issue. It's not a terrible start but very underwhelming. 

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Bloodshot Salvation is another series I've followed closely but haven't really talked about much. It's one of the best series of 2018 and is one of the better ongoing narratives I've followed for any length of time. 

This isn't the best issue to jump in but it's entertaining nevertheless. Bloodshot and his dog Bloodhound enter the "Deadside" in order to save his daughter, Jessie. After the events of the last issue Bloodshot finds himself surrounded by demonic creatures but before he's overwhelmed there is a timely rescue by Shadowman. After they are safe Shadowman offers to take Bloodshot to meet "The Dealmaker, Baron Samedi. 

The plot detours a bit and we're provided with an update on the ongoing subplot with Danny and Peter. Danny has been injected with the same nanites that Bloodshot has running in his veins. He says he feels more alive than ever and offers to be Peter's weapon to fix the world. 

Bloodshot makes a deal with Samedi in order to save his daughter. Samedi wants someone killed to which Bloodshot agrees. When he asks who the target is Samedi's response is does it matter? 

With the arrangement made Bloodshot is sent to the year 4002 while Jessie is sent to the present, no longer an infant but a young girl. 

This issue is amazing from beginning to end. Jeff Lemire has a great take on these characters and the script is top notch. Special consideration goes to Renato Guedes. There is a ton of attention to detail all over this comic as well as a cinematic quality rarely seen in mainstream comics. 

The Deadside is also a very imaginative concept. With scenes and panels being scrambled to give the appearance that time, space and events are being replayed over and over again. 

We don't need Baron Samedi to tell us that time doesn't operate the same way in this realm. The art direction makes it clear. 

This is a beautiful comic and master class in team cohesion coming together to tell a great story. The only gripe I have with this comic is there isn't much to the recap. I won't hold it against the book because the comic opens strong and ends on an even stronger cliffhanger. 

Bloodshot #8 is a masterpiece!

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It came out on a Wednesday is an anthology series in the vein of Marvel's 90's comic series "Marvel Comics Presents" or classic series such as Heavy Metal or EC's Tales from the Crypt and Vault of Horror. 

It's hard to really critique a series that is possibly the best value proposition on store shelves. That being said the issue is 48 pages with ads for the price of 1.99. Simply put, you can't beat this deal. 

This issue contains has a beautiful Jack Kirby style cover from Bernie Gonzalez and features 6 stories that break down into 

1. Emergence
• Jordan Hart (Author) • Emmanuel Xerx Javier (Pencils)

Emergence follows a World War II pilot that has fallen through into a parallel universe and winds up 70 years into the future. He discovers that he may be the world's last best hope.

2. Inosculation 
• Cameron Riddle (Author) • Kostas Pantoulas (Pencils)

Jack's Mother always warned him not to wander off into the woods. It turns out the reason was more horrifying than he could ever have imagined. 

3. Mr. Crypt
• Troy Vevasis (Author) • Aleksandar Jovic (Pencils)

Mr. Crypt & Baron rat celebrate Halloween shenanigans ensue. 

4. Hellgorythm
• Jeremy Ferretti (Author) • SickJoe (Pencils)

The enemies are closing in on Xar and Sid. Will they survive? Loyalties will be tested.

5. The Highest Bid
• Eric Gahagan (Author) • Halil Mete (Pencils)

Edward and Jennifer shared a passion for collecting until Edward becomes the highest bidder on a painting with a haunting secret. 

6. The Wicked Righteous
• Terry Mayo (Author) • Dave Swartz (Pencils)

A prisoner in an abandoned cell block prays to his god for a sign. Will he take the opportunity when it presents itself. 

All of the stories in the issue are interesting with the standouts being the "Emergence" and the "Inosculation". Emergence covers classic sci-fi tropes in an exciting way. Inosculation is simply horrifying. 

Credit to all of the creators involved in this project. A series like this from the Big 2 (Marvel DC) would be $10.00 and that's not a hyperbolic statement. With mainstream publishers pushing monthly issue prices higher and higher to grift customer's and satisfy investors, Alterna Comics is a godsend. 

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If Shazam was a video game I would have started with a full life bar and ended at about 80% by the end of the issue. That's not to say the comic was bad by any stretch of the imagination but my interest drained as the issue went on.

I'm new to the Shazam mythos and have no history with the character outside of cameos and basic working knowledge of the character and his abilities. I was excited to see that the comics begins in a similar fashion to the movie trailer and felt familiar. I was totally onboard. 

I was then immediately annoyed when it turns out that Shazam will more than likely be a team book (Didn't see that one coming did ya?)

The team aspect actually works and the story is well told. All of the art and character designs are vibrant and fun to look at. There is a lot of detail in this comic and it reminds me of the art direction of Doomsday clock if the artist was ever able to cut loose. The characters also all have distinct personalities to match the colorful costumes. 

So what's the problem?

As stated above I don't have any experience with Billy Batson and issue is split with several other characters. It's like if Marvel launched a new Spider-Man book and it turned out it was Spiderverse. It's an example of false advertising. The comic should have been called Marvel family or something. This could all be a red herring but It too early to say at this point in the run. 

Outside of the minor/major gripe the book is well written and pretty to look at. Maybe a little short on action but entertaining nevertheless. I'll be back next issue but I'm not sure if this group of characters will carry my interest. It's not a bad comic, just not what I paid for. 

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After 2 really disappointing issues Sideways #8 gets the series back on track and allows Dan Didio to focus on the Superhero elements of the character. 

After being pulled into the dark multiverse by Zatanna and the Seven Soldiers of Victory Derek (Sideways) quickly finds that his powers do not work in this realm leaving them trapped in dangerous territory. 

They are attacked by the villain's minions, a horde of giant spider-like creatures. As the heroes begin to be overwhelmed Zatanna teleports Sideways away and into another potentially dangerous situation. 

I've been saying since #1 of this series that the weakest aspect of the Sideways character is his civilian persona. This issue proves it. As Sideways, Derek is brave, heroic, and funny. As soon as he removes the costume the magic is over and the cringefest begins. 

This comic gives us a glimpse of the dark multiverse and isn't as heavy-handed as other series that touch on the universe. It's an appropriately creepy place and the creatures there are horrifying.

I loved the designs of all of the characters and it's funny to see Mister Miracle in another series outside of the Tom King run. I'm pretty sure these aren't the same people despite the moniker. There is a ton of details in the background. Max, Ken and Dan do a great job with the art direction and the issue looks great.  The comic is well paced and a genuine breath of fresh air as the series was starting to  fade fast. 

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I enjoyed Jook Joint #1 and was pretty eager to jump back in to see where the story was going despite some reservations. We get some revelations regarding the women of the night spot. They are undead sirens brought back to life by Mahalia after being murdered by men who had wronged them in life. 

The last issue ended on a cliffhanger as Heloise contemplated having her husband murdered. Instead of being killed, he is captured by Mahalia, The madame of the Jook Joint. Her goal is to empower Heloise with the strength to kill him herself. 

Heloise offers to make other men suffer but doesn't have the resolve to kill her husband. After her daughter questions her about her father's disappearance Heloise begs Mahalia to set him free. She doesn't want to lie to her daughter anymore. 

Mahalia responds to her pleas by showing her a vision of the future in which she is dead at the feet of the man that is abusing her.

I had a really hard time writing this review. I want to love the story and in a sense I do. It's really different and brave. I do have some reservations despite the high praise I'm about to give. 

It would be really easy for Mahalia to ride in and solve all of Heloise's immediate problems by getting rid of her husband but it wouldn't really empower her or solve the underlying problem.  More than likely the next guy would do the same thing or worse. Heloise is weak plain and simple.

Its very easy to be the hero passing judgement on others but it's another thing in having the strength of your convictions. There is a scene in this issue where men are being brutalized but Mahalia won't allow Heloise to participate saying she's not ready. I don't believe that Heloise is not ready to kill. She clearly is angry but she's selfish in that she isn't ready to take on the same loss that she's willing to inflict upon others. For that theme, I can't praise this issue enough. 

My gripes are technical in nature. The premise is excellent but some of the writing for this issue is choppy especially for the men that fall victim in this issue. I'm not expecting much from these guys, they are clearly assholes and don't deserve sympathy. 

My concern is that when every man outside of the establishment is portrayed as a one-dimensional asshole it becomes a farce and takes away from the overarching message of the narrative. This is also an issue I took with Bordertown, another series with a heavy social justice message. It's not as bad as that series but it's in there.

I also didn't quite understand the point of the sex and nudity. It really jumps this time around. Maybe not pointless but totally unnecessary to the progression of the story. 

The art direction seems to be more consistent this time around. The gripes I had about detail and not being able to make out certain scenes are all but gone. Despite the hiccups, the overall plot is fine and if tightened up slightly could make for an amazing overall series. I have faith we'll get there. 

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The Walking Dead keeps trudging along to the inevitable conflict between our survivors and the CommonWealth. Dwight makes his position clear that he wants to take over while Rick doesn't want to run a system that works despite its inherent flaws. 

The entire issue centers around these two perspectives. Obviously, Common Wealth isn't perfect but is it worth tearing down. Dwight instigates a huge flare up between the citizens and the army which nearly leads to a riot. He's arrested but tells Rick that it was a test to see if the people of the Common Wealth are ready to take the next step. It's a weird situation where we have conflict could be easily avoided but is brewing anyway. It's a wonderful indictment on human nature.

Other than a not so subtle fourth wall break toward the audience there is no real stand out moment in this issue. The Walking Dead continues to be the model of consistency, another solid issue. 

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Okay, Mr. Hill, you have my attention. 

I rarely read Marvel anymore. Too many events, too much hype, too many relaunches, too many cash grabs. Killmonger #1 is easily the best Marvel comic I've read in years. It capitalizes on the strength of the Black Panther film yet feels right at home in the 616 Universe. 

The writing is very strong and grounded. Even as the fantastical happens around him Erik feels real maybe extreme but he feels like a real person with nothing to lose. Brian Hill has a firm grasp on this character's voice and I'm excited to see more. This will be the first Marvel series I add to my pull list since Secret Empire and I'm genuinely excited at the prospect.

The art for the series is dark, gritty and violent. It perfectly meshes with the story being told and the stakes for failure. The action is quick and brutal with the blows being hard-hitting and bloody. One particular sequence made me wince while reading. 

It will be interesting to see how this story develops since it apparently takes us so far into the characters past. The comic opens with Killmongers defeat of T'Challa and the reclamation of his birthright. I'm curious to see if we'll see much beyond that moment or if this series will just fill in the gaps up to that point. In any case, I'm totally onboard. The character has been criminally underrated in the past and it is nice to finally see him get the attention he deserves. 

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I haven't been giving the latest run of Justice League the attention it deserves and I promise to get better going forward. Its been great so far and I figured I'd start at the point where the plot came into focus. 

Justice League #5 gives us the origin of this incarnation of the Legion of Doom. After traveling 1000000 years into the future Lex discovers that he was correct in his core belief of self-reliance. His stance inspires humanity to stop depending on superheroes and eventually conquer the universe. 

Taking this knowledge back to the present Luthor doubles down on his efforts in an attempt to see the fruits of his labors in his own lifetime. 

As an origin story, this issue is great. It's always fun to get the story from the antagonist's perspective. The scale of the story is appropriately epic in scope. Its cool to see the Legion of Doom setup as a counter to the Justice League as opposed just being evil for evil's sake. 

The art direction from Doug, Jaime, and Wil is top notch. They manage to render deep pace, 1000000 AD, and the incidental scenes on earth with the weight needed to get the point of the issue across. Lex Luthor is about to take over the universe and we're all F*^ked. There is a synergy with this creative team that simply doesn't get enough attention in modern titles.


My only knock to the issue is that when the overarching plot comes back into focus its continuity heavy and may put off new readers. Every comic is someone's first and in this issue, it references Justice League: No Justice as well as the 4 previous issues. I have them all so it doesn't bother me but if you're a new reader it may be a bit much to keep track of.  

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Britannia #3 opens up immediately following the events of last issue with Antonius battling Catila, the Roman Legionary. They go back and forth a bit before Antonius dodges a swing and retaliates decapitating the giant. 

As the fight is going on the Wyrding woman, Bodmall casts a spell to find Antonius. 

The scene transitions back to Antonius as he contemplates his options in dealing with Catila's body. If the soldier is discovered Antonius would be executed. To avoid this situation Antonius dismembers the body so that it resembles the other bodies found in Britannia. This tactic would make it look like it had also been ravaged by the monsters in the area.

While in the middle of the task Antonius is visited by the visage of the monster from the last issue, Orkus. Orkus takes control of this mind and forces him to relive the memories of his wife's death during childbirth.

The demon taunts Antonius with the initial hatred for his son and tells him that he will feed on his emotions and force him to kill himself. 

Bodmall arrives and casts a spell to dispel the monster. With the threat gone they leave. 

Later, the Roman Soldiers discover Catila's remains and come to the conclusion that the gods are punishing them for allowing Antonius to desecrate their bodies during his investigation. Perfect Gabinius, the leader of soldiers says that he will question Antonius in the morning and declares that the detective's time in Britannia is over.  

As Antonius and Bodmall travel together she explains that in order for the people to defend themselves against the Romans she summoned the demon. She did this at the behest of her man Eryn, but they were unable to control it. Bodmall mentions that Eryn does not make requests easily, implying violence but, when Antonius offers protection she disappears into the woods. 

The next Day Antonius begins looking for Eryn. He questions some of the people and is given directions but told to stay away because the home is cursed. 

Upon arrival, Antonius discovers the door unlocked and finds a goblet filled with a red wine He makes the observation that the wine is better than what is typically given to the soldiers. Antonius moves to take a drink but the goblet begins to melt in his hands and then shatters on the floor. As this happens Eryn makes an appearance. 

Eryn confirms that the monster was conjured to protect his people but the darkness of the Romans gave it strength. The old man calls Antonius a coward revealing he knows of the detective's son and that he hides his identity as the boy's father. 

The taunts infuriate Antonius and as the detective is about to attack the old man his arm is transformed into wood. He flees the home and Eryn calls out to him telling the detective to keep his eyes off of his woman.

Later Eryn confronts Bodmall and accuses her of working to undermine his relationship with the Imperials. He tells her to go to Antonius. She resists and he begins torturing her into submission. 

The next day Antonius meets with Perfect Gabinius. Before Gabinius can begin his interrogation Antonius begins questioning him about the integrity of his men. This makes the Perfect uneasy and he tells Gabinius that he has two days to complete his investigation. 

Later that evening Antonius contemplates the case but fears he is running out of time. Bodmall bursts into the room. She tells him that she needed to get away from Eryn and the demons. Antonius offers to help and is quickly seduced. 

During their sexual encounter, Antonius gets a vision of his dead wife which gives him pause. Bodmall puts him at ease but as he begins to relax she transforms into a monster and reveals that she has been sent by Eryn.


Rumination


Britannia #3 is a fantastic read. The story picks up the pace from the last issue and eliminates the parts of the story that were lacking. Particularly the machinations occurring in Rome. 

Antonius's ability as a detective has also been dialed back to a more believable level. In the last issue, he seemed to pull solutions out of his ass. In this comic the solutions and observations he makes seem real and I didn't have roll my eyes or lose immersion in the story.

The story is a perfect blend of mystery, action, and also intrigue. The comic also provides answers which is also is lacking in many stories in recent years. Too many stories rely on the "Mystery Box" approach in storytelling where the mystery keeps growing and significant answers are never provided. (Cloverfield, The Last Jedi).

The art is gorgeous and manages to impress even though the Britannia itself is a drab locale. The scenes are still varied and the pencils and colors make every page detailed and interesting to look at. I have no gripes with this comic. It came together beautifully and ended on a great cliffhanger. Can't wait for the conclusion.

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I haven't purchased a Spider-man comic in a few years now and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse releasing in a couple weeks I figured this was as good a time as any to check out a Spiderman book. 

The issue focuses on Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, and Miles Morales. They are all competing for an internship at the Daily Bugle that happens to be sponsored by Tony Stark. 

As the characters are introduced to each other a group of mutated creatures begin attacking the city which leads to our hero springing into action to contain the threat. 

Right off of the bat this comic is geared toward an all-ages audience that will more than likely be looking for more spidey content after Spider-Verse comes out. I don't mind all-ages stories but I probably won't follow this storyline beyond this issue.  

The issue feels like the setup for Spider-man and his Amazing Friends 2.0 with Miles and Gwen standing in for Iceman and Firestar. 

The characters are all pretty much what you expect them to be. If this was my first comic I wouldn't be terribly disappointed. The idea of Tony Stark possibly playing mentor to these characters did sort of rub me the wrong way though.

 The art direction is very fluid and energetic with the colors being the MVP for the issue especially when Spiderman is in costume and doing his thing. 

There is also a mystery setup within the issue that will clearly be investigated further in the next issue. As a back to basics, continuity lite Spiderman story I can't really find any faults. I have minor gripes but those are mainly me projecting onto a series in which I'm clearly not the target audience for. 

The comic isn't bad, It's just not for me. 

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THE GOOD:

-This issue gets recognition for just being such a massive improvement over the previous issue. Whereas issue 54 felt like a pointless filler, this issue takes its concepts and uses them originally and sets up a great new status quo for Nightwing.

-Tony S. Daniel's art is excellent. He captures the characters well and portrays a variety of scenes with different feels and moods, expressing his wide talent.

-This issue proves that Tom King can be a great writer. This issue has an excellent juxtaposition that works really well. There are a few kinks to work out with the minutia of the writing, but I'll be kind and not ding the score for that.

THE BAD:

-I still dislike Nightwing's character. He's a poor combination of annoying and dumb. It doesn't work.

-This issue is a lot of buildup that I can't really settle on whether or not it paid off. Plot-wise, it barely chugs forward, but the buildup to the final scene is very well done. I guess we're dealing with a glass-half-full, glass-half-empty situation here. more

So after doing a deep dive into Batman and Nightwing's relationship in the last issue, Batman #55 starts off with a night on the town with our dynamic duo. 

The events of the issue are pretty mundane but beautifully rendered by  Tony S. Daniel and Tomeu Morey. The A Story builds off of the last issue. We get more character development and insight into the relationship between these two men. Batman is stoic as ever while Nightwing is constantly trolling Bruce to get a reaction. 

Occasionally the mask slips and we get the impression that Bruce has fun with Dick around but it's more of a subtext than anything that is ever outright stated

The other subplot involves the KGBeast making his way through Gotham and setting up shop and getting prepared for a job. The issue culminates with our heroes meeting with Commissioner Gordon as they have countless times in the past.

In this instance, as Gordon gives them the rundown Dick is shot in the head by the KGBeast as he leaves the scene.

I'm extremely late in reviewing this issue. The big cliffhanger is the only reason to pick up this issue. It comes out of nowhere but the impact is lessened because the solicits were already floating that Nightwing's status quo was about to change dramatically.

The rest of the comic is serviceable but is kinda meh in regards to Tom King's current run. We've seen better we've seen worse.

In Nightwing's series, he's had a name change and dealing with amnesia. I'm not a fan of the idea because we're just getting over a huge status quo change for the character.

If there is a legit story to tell here I won't write the change off completely but. I'm just not a fan of characters being brutalized in this fashion just to shock fans and sell a few books. 

This worked with TMNT when Donatello was nearly beaten to death. It didn't work when Black Widow as brutally murdered near the end of secret empire, time will tell. 

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"Freeze"

This issue feels like one of those one-shots that were inducted into the whole thing making 9 parts series. What I mean by that is that the story itself doesn't progress very much. Aside from one little revelation it practically doesn't progress at all, but about that later.

Through the first couple pages, I had to check the cover to make sure it's Tom King because it certainly didn't feel like him. But then I got to the therapy sessions with Sanctuary's A.I. and the repetition came into play and after that, there was no need to check the cover.
Booster's session was chaotic and a mess, it was maybe to show the mess in his head, but it was difficult to read. Lagoon Boy got shot with a laser. 337 times. That's a lot; seems like a lot; it is a lot; repetition. The only session I actually enjoyed was Wally's. Seeing him missing his family was believable and it lined up with things we saw in the Flash book.

Clay Mann takes a back seat this issue, making only two pages (two great looking pages), and makes way for Lee Weeks, who is great. The only bummer is that he did not get to draw Superman; it's what he does best.

SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

As for that revelation I mentioned at the beginning. We see Harley Quinn smash Wally West's head with her hammer, seemingly killing him. I do not like that. I don't want Harley to be the person who killed the patients. Even if she was brainwashed or mind-controlled. I just don't want her to be the villain, I imagine it's a sentiment shared by a few people. more

RiRi Williams is one of the most divisive characters in comics. She's cited as a diversity hire and one of the key targets when discussion comes up regarding identity politics at marvel comics or comicsgate.

What do I think about Riri? She's okay, in fact I think the whole identity politics debate happened more as a reaction to all of the changes at marvel circa 2016 than Riri Williams herself. 

What do I think about IronHeart #1? It's okay. The comics manages to be functional and does everything right but still didn't really resonate enough to keep me interested in the character or series. 

Eve Ewing was lambasted in certain circles for being a meritless hire. Coming off of the street and given a series of prominence. The truth is that the writing for IronHeart is solid and right in line with everything else at Marvel in 2018.

Riri is an introvert. She works better alone. She has a lot of trauma in her past and has a really hard time relating to people around her because of her extreme intelligence. Being a superhero and inventor is her outlet. 

We get a new villain and a reference to an old one that will be fun to see Riri deal with if Marvel plays their cards right. 

The art from Kevin Libranda and Luciano Vecchio make Ironheart and her world look distinct but nothing really stands out. Riri does looks great outside of the suit. I'm not a fan of the suit design as it looks more like an article of clothing than a suit of armor. There's even a panel where he costume transitions and underneath you can clearly see she's wearing a pair of converse. 

I guess the suit is in line with Tony Starks bleeding edge armor but I'm not really a fan of that either so, shrugs. My other complaint is that I'm really tired of the teen hero super genius trope. Marvel currently has Iron Heart, Moongirl and Shuri and they are essentially permutations of the same character. I'll never say that Riri doesn't deserve to exist. There are people  just like Riri in the real world but when you see the same concept over and over again it feels lazy.  

Overall if you're already a fan of the character you'll probably get more out of this issue than I did. For me the comic was bland. The issue looks good but overall the comic lacked any tension, danger or any "oh Shit" moments. 

It's a solid first issue and sets the foundation for the character. I may revisit the series when the first arc is collected into a trade. It's not a bad start you can do a lot worse. 

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Stranger Things #1 feels like a story we've been told before from a different angle. It delivers what you expect but not much beyond that. 

I haven't followed the story behind this series but it appears to be a prequel or companion piece to the hit Netflix series but I'm not 100% sure what direction the series will go in.  

The Story treads familiar territory. Will Byers is trapped in the "Upside Down" searching for a way back home while the Demogorgon stalks him. We get to see more of Will's attempts to escape from his perspective and we also get cameo's from the rest of the party. 

Will Byers is the star of the show for a change.
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The pencils from Stefan Martino add atmosphere are appropriately spooky but the colors are kinda drab throughout the issue. The comic feels like Stranger Things, just not as fun as the show. It's nice to get more insight into the events of Season 1 but I'm somewhat underwhelmed at the prospect of retreading familiar territory. 

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Blood Realm #1 is proof that you shouldn't read fantasy comics while drunk. I read the issue a couple days ago and passed out confused dreaming of hellscapes. I read it again the following day and loved it. 

In a last ditch effort to save the kingdom of men from total annihilation the queen of Voragoth dispatches the Sisters of Silence to obtain a relic powerful enough to stop the Evil General, Gorn.

Blood Realm is a very dense read packed into a single issue floppy. At times I was lost but always intrigued by the story and imagery. If you are a fan of "Dragon Age" "Willow" or "The Lord of the Ring's" you'll be right at home with this series.  

The art style is very stylistic so that may be a negative in some circles. I enjoyed it because it reminded me of the art direction from Dragon Age 2 and DA: Inquisition. The colors are a stark mix of black's, whites and reds that make the pencils stand out even more. Blood Realm is a beautifully dark fantasy setting. 

There is an addendum to the issue explaining the key characters and events for the series. I appreciate the world building being done in this issue. The storytelling is very efficient which brings me to my key concern for the series. How do you wrap up a world and story this complex in a 3 issue mini-series? 

I'm willing to give it a shot because I was thoroughly entertained but my god man!!!

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 I'm beginning to lose my patience with this series. It's not horrible but I'm questioning the point of this series. I was willing to give the creative team the benefit of the doubt. Tom King is one of the best comic writers scripting today and the art from Clay Mann and Lee Weeks is just as good as prior entries but the events found within can best be described as the following: meh, middling, mediocre, or meandering at best.
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We get to see more heroes in even more depressing situations and also get more insight into their mental states as well as the events leading to the deaths at Sanctuary. I have a theory regarding what's actually going on at Sanctuary but I'll keep that to myself for now.

If you have this series on your pull list It's not a bad enough issue to drop the series but there are better comics on the shelves right now that aren't getting anywhere near the attention that Heroes is receiving. 
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This comic irritated the hell out of me and unless a huge reveal is coming Heroes in Crisis is quickly becoming a waste of time if you're a monthly reader. I haven't given up yet and I have hope for the series but damn this issue was a letdown.  

What the hell is going on? 

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I continue to enjoy every issue of The Curse of Brimstone. Issue #5 was no exception. I'm a fan of the superhero genre as well as horror and this series has proven to be a perfect blend of both. 

In this issue, we're put into a "Village of the Damned" "Children of the Corn" type of setting where all of the adults have been killed and the horror comes from what would usually be the most innocent among us.  

The premise is great as we continue to see our leads running into one nightmare situation to another. The children are being brainwashed by another person transformed after making a deal with "The Salesmen".

At this point, the formula would be somewhat tiring but the villains have been so imaginative and beautifully rendered by the art team that I can't help but be intrigued and impressed. 

The only knock I have on this issue is that there's are two back to back pages where Joe (Brimstone) repeats the same line of dialogue. It's a glaring editorial oversight in an otherwise tight narrative.

Issue #5 is a great issue and the first part of a new story arc. If you're a fan or new to the series this is a great entry point to the series. 

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So we've reached the end of the first arc and well, damn this issue did not disappoint. 

**Spoilers Below**

We pick in the aftermath of last issues cliffhanger. Trish is dead and Leslie Blair is the prime suspect.  We get confirmation that Leslie's dreams aren't simply dreams but maybe memories of a former life.

We get the confirmation that the Wolf from her dreams is real and is the guy that's been following her since issue one. On top of the other reveals Leslie get the sad revelation that Derek, her other best friend has been spying on her. This happens right before he is then is gunned down by the mysterious group, the "Glance". Leslie and the wolf  manage to escape while the leader of the Glance plans to double down on their efforts to 

The pace of this issue is fast but not to the point where the story doesn't breath. All of the reveals fell natural, no pun intended. If you've been following the series to this point you probably felt some of these reveals coming and others coming out of nowhere. 

The art continues to be beautifully rendered especially the dream sequences. Mirka shows that she is able to handle action as well as the quieter more intimate scenes with relative ease.

Leslie is a strong and interesting lead.  Mirka elevates this character without cheating and relying on the Strong Female character trope. The characters all feel real, vulnerable and dealing with circumstances beyond their control. This feeds into an increasingly interesting and complex narrative.

Good on Mirka for closing the arc on such a strong note while also setting up more compelling questions for our heroine. 

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Sorry to be late, he hit europa only this week fox !
So what we have here. The last fight between Juno & bad guy. With one lost who did no sense (Elara was winning) and a beautiful sacrifice.

Cover - Nice but not related. 1/2
Writing - I find that good even if some part made no sense. Only there to let Juno be the one kicking the but of her foe with some sort of timey wimey Kamehaméa ! 2/3
Arts - Love the art. Beautiful & very dynamic. 3/3
Feeling - Even if it was sometime a little bit just, I don't regret try this. 1/2 more