I'm not convinced that the fight needed to be two issues, but judging the issue on its own merits this half of it was VERY exciting. I don't think the cover is terribly well executed, but I do love the idea of using it like a connecting freeze frame at the end of a TV cliffhanger that unfreezes at the start of the next episode. It really helps feel like the action has already started before you read the first page. more

Really cool. This long action scene reminds me of something from Mission Impossible with being so incredibly long and tense throughout. It just holds your breath and does not let you take it and I like this, every moment looks like it could be a deal breaker. it's simple, but it breaks the monotony and it holds weight because this arc from its beginning was way more grounded and raw and here it goes hard in this rawness and accentuates it. I like this approach to this whole arc a lot. more

Another fantastic issue that feels perfectly at home in an X-Men catalog while still being fresh and new. Kitty vs Emma is a classic conflict and having these new, young mutants kinda falling into Kitty's lap is an entertaining way to drive the story, as opposed to the typical "seeking out new mutants to mentor" path they usually take. The writing has been impeccable and the art has been pretty good.

I like all three of the new characters, with the chatty girl from #1 being my favorite so far probably (their names haven't stuck with me yet). The athlete from issue #2 is a little annoying, but a common character trope and a good character while the moody dude who just wants to be left alone is another common character trope but his personality matches his [apparent] power set. When other peoples' emotions and problems are constantly bombarding you, of course it gets tiresome. I very much look forward to seeing where they go next, and if there will be any more new mutants. Is Emma building a new Hellions team? Issue #2's mutants seem to fit the type, though the chatty girl doesn't so much. I'm intrigued. more

I'm completely hooked on Exceptional X-Men, and issue #2 only solidifies my love for this series! Eve L. Ewing and Carmen Carnero are crafting a captivating, street-level X-Men story that's quickly becoming one of my favorite “From the Ashes” titles.

At the heart of this series is Kate Pryde, who Ewing expertly writes as a complex and deeply human character struggling to come to terms with the traumas she experienced throughout Krakoa. Her begrudging attitude toward mentoring is a sad reminder of the scars she’s carrying after everything we went through. Ewing conveys Kate's inner turmoil, but ultimately lets her natural inclination to help those in need shine thought. I also loved the additional story beat featuring Kate’s date and frustration with getting a parking ticket. It's a beautiful portrayal of a character who's flawed and resilient.

But Kate's not the only star of the show – the introduction of Axo and Melee, and the continued presence of Bronze is absolute perfection! Their interactions later in the book are adorable, and their unique personalities shine through in when they start discussing their connections. I'm thrilled to see this generation of new mutants getting the spotlight, and I'm convinced they'll have a long and exciting shelf life. Between this trio and the Outliers in Gail Simone's Uncanny X-Men, the future for new mutants X-Men universe is looking more promising than ever!

Carmen Carnero's artwork is a huge part of what makes this series so special. Her facial designs and body language bring the characters' emotions to life, adding even more depth and nuance to Ewing’s story. The details in every panel are meticulously crafted, from the characters' appearances to the environments they inhabit.

Overall, Exceptional X-Men #2 is a delightful, character-driven issue that continues to set the stage for a new group dynamic. With its focus on slice-of-life storytelling and its cast of lovable, complex characters, this series is becoming a must-read. The final page brings Emma’s role in the series even closer to the forefront and the early previews for the next issue indicate we’re about to see the dramatic events of Kate and Emma’s reunion. more

I found this to be a terribly frustrating start. It's filled with wonderful moments (the "Until you see the one that finally succeeds" bit was perfect) and powerful ideas about trying to navigate when justice and truth are at odds with one another, but it skims past the details so quickly that it feels like large portions of the story are missing. (Did the young mutant at the core of the story ever even get a name?) And then we hit a cliffhanger that seems like the intrusion of not just a different story, but a completely different genre.

Overall this is a promising start and I can see it becoming a great book when it finds its feet, but even so, this issue felt like a strong draft in need of editorial guidance. more

The creative bankruptcy of modern superhero comics epitomized in just 25 pages, arbitrarily squishing together elements you remember from long ago, playing Weekend at Bernie's with the corpse of your lost childhood. No purpose to anything except to swaddle you in memories of when you used to buy comics because you loved them, desperately hoping that you'll pay to chase those fading traces the way an addict endlessly reaches for the beautiful feeling of that first high. Sometimes I worry that superhero comics are dying as their aging readership does; reading this comic makes me feel like it's time to take them out back and put them out of their misery. more

This comic epitomizes what is wrong with DC. You have two mercenaries in Snyder and Williamson leading the pack of mundane and uninspired writers. These are cannibals, picking at the feet of their betters, scraping the tombstone library of story-past for any epitaph to sustain an event or story arc or whatever you want to call the derivative droll they put out.

Long gone are the days of wonder, the imaginary beyonds of Fox and Broome and Haney and Kanigher.

Julie Schwartz would be turning in his grave. Jack Kirby too.

There is a reason for the alienation of true auteurs in this industry: Morrison, Moore, Gaiman. Because even as they try to bring comic books back to their roots of poetry and mythology, the Empty Hand manifests itself to reap. They came, they conquered, and they departed after realizing there were better things to do than play back & forth with the carrion crows who run DC.

DC has been hanging under the fangs of the Empire of Mammon since the Golden Age, when Liebowitz and Donnenfeld stripped the company from its original owner, Major Wheeler-Nicholson.

What's happening now is more insidious. An ultra-pollution of the narrative, a sacrifice submitted to strobe-torture before being disemboweled. These people are going to ruin everything just to feed their wallets.

If you don't believe me, read this book:

"WHAT IF EVERYONE JOINED THE JUSTICE LEAGUE?"

"WHAT IF DARKSEID AND THE SPECTRE MERGED?"

"WHAT IF DARKSEID FOUGHT EVERYBODY AND BEAT THEM WITH HIS LAZER BEAMS?"

"WHAT IF HE MADE A BAD UNIVERSE WHERE EVERYTHING IS BADDER AND MORE BAD?"

"wait, don't we already have Earth-3 and the Antimatter Univ-"

"WHAT IF EVERYBODY WAS A DARKSEID AND THEY HAD HIS LOGO?"

"WHAT IF EARTH ONE WORKED OUT BECAUSE IT WAS WRITTEN BY US AND WE MADE EVERYBODY TOTALLY EDGY AND ULTIMATE AND MARK MILLAR AND METAL AND FRANK MILLER AND BRIAN AZZARELLO AND SO COOL?"

"DO YA GET IT? 52 DAYS EARLIER? 52 DAYS LATER? REMEMBER THAT WEEKLY BOOK WRITTEN BY TALENTED WRITERS? REMEMBER THAT PUBLISHING INITIATIVE THAT FUCKED EVERYTHING UP?"

"WHAT IF DARKSEID WAS MAD ABOUT BEING DARKSEID, BUT WHAT HE REALLY WANTED WAS TO BE DARKSEID IN DARKSEID LAND, WHERE BEING DARKSEID WAS COOL?"

"WHAT IF ALL OF OUR CHARACTERS EXPLAINED EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING AND SAID EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE THINKING AND FEELING AND THEIR MOTIVATIONS WERE SIMPLE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND? MAN, WRITING COMICS SURE IS EASY!"

"HEY, IT'S THE MIRACLE MACHINE! REMEMBER THAT? I READ A GRANT MORRISON COMIC GUYS! I LOVE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE PRETTY PICTURES IN THAT GRANT MORRISON COMIC!"

"DARKSEID DARKSEID DARKSEID OMEGA BEAMS DARKSEID APOKOLIPS I DIDN'T REALLY GET FINAL CRISIS BUT I READ THE DC WIKI PAGE DARKSEID DARKSEID DARKSEID!"

If there is one redeemable quality, it is the art. Sampere and Craig are very talented. It's a shame they have to waste their time drawing absolute nonsense. At least they get a check. more

The main story was a trifle, but a solid one, let down only by Eddy Barrows's inconsistent storytelling. But the real gem for me was the backup; I would eagerly buy a Rowell-scripted Lois & Clark slice-of-life comic

Really good issue. I liked both stories. The main story continues to be consistent with its previous parts - it's a pretty simple story, but well-executed with beautiful artwork. The Superman's characterization is totally on-point, the emotional beats were satisfying, and I enjoyed the human characters having roles, including Cat Grant's brief but bold appearance. Ultimately, this storyline was too basic to feel  great, but it's still very good.

I've generally found the backup even more interesting, and I still really enjoyed it this time, but I was disappointed that we didn't actually get a resolution to what's happening with Atomic Skull. I hope it gets addressed soon in AC or Superman, but honestly, it should've been addressed here. I far prefer comic arcs to feel like complete experiences. House of Brainiac still felt complete despite having aspects for future stories to complete, like Lex's amnesia and Brainiac Queen getting away.

That said, I still liked the second story quite a lot. I LOVE a good Lois & Clark conversation and I LOVED the Lois & Clark kiss page, despite generally not being wowed by the art of these backups. more

The art is better than the previous issue which definitely enhances the already stellar story from writer, Stephanie. This issue sets the stage to the exciting upcoming match up between Phoenix and Thanos. This series is still one of the best from the ongoing X-Men relaunch lines.

Much better than the first two issues in my opinion. The art and writing both leveled up a bit. I enjoyed the interactions between Jean and Corsair, though Corsair seemed to be portrayed as a bit more cowardly and comical than I remember him usually being. This issue seemed to redirect the series to trend upwards, so I'm hoping it continues this trend. I'd love an ongoing Phoenix book that is actually done well. more

I don't think ten-year-old me fully appreciated how funny it was that Stern had Doomsday decide to go to Metropolis because wrestling kayfabe made it sound like fun

Wells delivers an intense enough fight to distract from the fact that the plot doesn't progress, but JRJR stumbles after a couple of stronger issues. The idea of #59's cover being a continuation of the cliffhanger is fun, but unfortunately the actual cover is terrible

This issue is exactly what it marketed itself to be. Brutal fight between Spidey and Tombstone.

And I'm completely fine with it. I got what I wanted from this issue.

A really, really strong second issue. Michaelangelo is full of depth here but he still feels familiar.

The art is the real star of the show. everything Alberquerque touches turns to gold for me. Some have some qualms with how he renders the turtles but I love it. I love all of it. It has a gritty griey realism to it but he knows how to do excellent flashes of light and kinetic action scenes.

Let's hope this next issue keeps on this trend. more

absolutely floored with how good this run is

Incredible, just absolutely amazing. This relaunch has been brilliant. The art was very good and the writing was impeccable. I love the set up that's being built here, showing the turtles alone and struggling. This issue and last both had me on the edge of my seat reading them, just great great stuff.