This was NOT an easy comic to read - while I enjoyed the art … the story was … um … in my opinion … near-unreadable. It’s a shame it was so important to the overall Absolutely Power storyline.

I used to really enjoy Dazzler back in the 80s - so I thought I would pick up this book #mistake - the art was decent, but the story felt like it was some poor fan-fiction written by a middle schooler. It was a huge let down. The dialog was painfully obvious and uninspired - the writer kept beating the reader over the head trying to make a point - I had to force myself to finish it. There was nothing interesting about this book & no plot thread that would make me come back for a second helping.

DC is quickly losing me again … I want to like these new All-In stories in this soft reboot … but … after reading Poison Ivy 26 … I’m ready to bail. The art and story felt like some weird webtoon fan-fiction and not a professional main-stream comic that ties into the larger DC Universe. The story just meanders around almost directionless. Ivy goes for a bike ride from Gotham into the wetlands and ultimately the abandoned town of “Marshview” … all this is just a bike ride away? I’m going into All-In with a super positive attitude … however Birds of Prey 14 and now this … I don’t think I can take much more. This book was a total flop for me.

I really want to re-embrace DC Comics again and after how much I enjoyed Absolute Power - I started to dig in with these “All-In relaunches” - but this Birds of Prey issue 14 isn’t helping. This was just a pointless comic, I guess if you are invested into these characters you might want to read this … but for someone just jumping in this was an unmitigated miss. None of the characters seemed likable and it didn’t really seem to be under the shadow of Absolute Power … it just was a big fat nothing burger. The story of the missing Amazon women wasn’t captivating enough to make me come back for a second helping … I do NOT recommend this issue and will NOT be getting issue 15.

have never been a fan of Godzilla comics (at least not since the 70s Marvel run) … but I read this NEW Godzilla issue one from IDW with a very open mind … and I didn’t like it - not one bit. Godzilla appears in the first 8 pages and then the story turns to the American G-Force … a group of “heroes” with special powers on a mission to stop Godzilla. All this would be fine if the characters were interesting and not goofy weirdos. Things happen, but none of it is given enough time to be interesting, or clever, or worth my time. The writing is very sub-par for Seeley … and the art by Cizmesija is a bit messy and grossly inconsistent … however … the book really fails in the coloring department - everything is too dark and very muddled. I honestly couldn’t tell you what’s happening on the last two pages of the book and I have it sitting right next to me as I write this. I literally forced myself to finish reading it and I’m worse off for it. The thing is … with a team out to destroy Godzilla in a book called Godzilla … that’s not a recipe for success. If you are a fan of Godzilla comics, maybe this is in your wheelhouse. Perhaps I was expecting too much from this book … I was expecting more Godzilla and less silliness. I’m out on this one.

I liked this book … for the most part. At first I couldn’t tell if this story was set in the future or modern day Marvel until the Fantastic Four showed up. Frankly I am more interested in the Silver Surfer and not the new character Kelly Koh. I don’t have an issue with her … but I would rather the Silver Surfer be the focus, as it is his name on the cover. The art is very serviceable and Sumit Kumar really captures the Surfer and his chill cosmic vibe. The writing is solid, the dialog is tight, and the over all plot moves at a great pace. Considering the writer is Greg Pak … I wasn’t surprised with the character revealed on the last page … this did nothing to make me want to pick up the next issue. In fact there was very little in the story or ending that would motivate me to grab issue 2. I unfortunately have already purchased it so … I guess I’ll be back for the next chapter.

Well … I made it about halfway through Death of the Silver Surfer #2 before putting it down. Pak is being way too heavy handed with his “subtext” - saw it brewing in #1, but hoped for the best … the best is NOT what I got here. I strongly do NOT recommend this comic.

Finally read the newest in a series of Fantastic Four first issues … … it was alright. The Ramos art was fun and the story was decent enough, but not very exciting. While this wasn’t a “bad” book … it 100% failed as a first issue - the story opens already in motion … this is fine … but it ties into the previous run and a Doctor Doom event. A first issue should reset the story for new readers and this failed miserably. The better Fantastic Four book is the Thing limited-series, I would recommend THAT over this issue. Question - how is Sue the leader of the FF and not Reed?

I have been a Fantastic Four fan for as long as I have been reading comic books (and I started at 5 years old) and I can honestly say that I have no idea who this woman in this comic is. Granted I checked out of the FF about 2 relaunches ago and something could have happened to Sue in that time where she suffered some personality swap … but this character resembles Sue Richards in appearance only. Also … why is Reed calling her Sue Storm … are they no longer married? Ultimately this comic was an absolute waste of Humberto Ramos’s talent, he is too good for a story this bad. The plot felt pointless and Sue’s narration was way over written. I was going to give this book 4 issues before considering jumping off … but after this poorly thought out story - I might jump now. I highly recommend that if you are an FF fan that you avoid this book and pick up the Thing limited-series by Tony Fleecs & Justin Mason or even the anthology Fantastic Four Fanfare, it is infinitely better.

Sectaurs issue two was an improvement over the first issue but still fell a bit flat for me. These books feel like they were created to be packaged with toys as they seem to be written at a 10 year old level. I have no problem with all-ages books, but this very basic story has been combined with stilted and way over written dialogue. It feels like a Star Comic from the 80s with dialogue from 1960s Gold Key Comics. I will say the story moved from scene to scene in a well paced way, there was a sense of urgency to everything. The art by Ramon Bachs was well done - above average for a licensed comic based on a failed toy line from the 80s. At the end of the day - unless you are nostalgic for this property (or are 10 years old) there just isn’t enough meat on the bone here. I’ll stick to the end, but cannot recommend this comic.

This felt like a Saturday morning cartoon gone a little off track. Nothing to really dislike about it … but it all felt a little silly and when it tried to get a deeper, the goofiness undercut the drama. It was a “middle of the road” comic, in many ways it reminded me of the Superfriends comics I read when I was little - they had that Saturday morning vibe with a little something extra. This comic is not for me … maybe if I were 12 I would dig it … and I do hope some 12 year olds read it and enjoy it … but I won’t be back for issue 17.

Absolute Superman was a bit of a miss for me - I think it was the weakest of the Absolute books. All of the writer’s not so subtle “sub-text” was too on the nose, to the point of being annoying. I mean gosh I wonder what he feels about mining and the people who run those operations? The hamfisted storytelling aside, I felt way too much time was spent on Krypton and not enough with the actual main character. Not that I have a problem with all the world building, in fact I would have liked the issue better if it was all set on Krypton, I felt the character of Superman was short changed in his own book. I don’t feel the writer gave the reader a sense of who he is. I was left feeling that there was zero reason to read issue two except for the “look how clever I am” twist ending. All in all - I will be back for issue two out of curiosity not because this book floored me, After Absolute Batman and then Wonder Woman … this book was a total letdown.

What can I say about the SIXTH relaunch of The Amazing Spider-Man … it was good … but it really wasn’t great. Ha, ha Peter Parker can’t get a job … that's the joke for about a 4th of this issue. They introduce a new character of Peter's past a middle school buddy - Brian Naring … I like seeing new characters - but this is either some overblown red herring or he's going to cause troubles for our favorite wall-crawler. There is a plot about some new “drug” that Rhino took and made him go crazy … that plot is interesting as Peter investigates … but there is just too much noise (for lack of a better term) to find a solid narrative. The last few pages (which don’t even feature Peter) were my favorite part. All in all it would be a decent issue 965 but not as a first issue. I’ll read issue 2 - because I already have it and I really like the art, but this book didn’t win me over.

Gave this “new” Amazing Spider-Man run two issues - I’m out. The writing is competent, the art is really good - but nothing here is compelling. This whole “drug mystery” is pretty much played out midway through the issue. Also for a “relaunch” it provides no real clues or context for characters & story beats that tie to the previous run. Not saying this issue is inherently bad … just nothing here to keep me reading … it makes me want to spend my money on other books.

After reading Ghost Pepper issue one … I don’t think it’s for me. The art is fun & exciting and the story is hyperkinetic … but it felt disjointed. The whole food truck aspect might seem clever or “cool” to some readers - but to me it was almost an unnecessary element that only drove (pardon the pun) the plot so far. So many concepts were introduced that are all working to create a big stage - but the story seems a bit lost in the mix. The real let down were the colors - too small of a pallet. The art is great but the coloring isn’t exciting and only serves to make the art less interesting. Ghost Pepper is 100% NOT a bad book … just not what I enjoy.

While I found the writing to be well done (if not OVER written) I just didn’t feel like there was any point to the story. It’s obviously “out of continuity” and that would be fine if this was a light fun story of a lost X-Men adventure, but that’s what is going on here. Claremont is laying down the groundwork for some later Kitty Pryde turn … maybe it happened … maybe it didn’t … I just couldn’t be bothered to care. Apparently this is a reprint of a one-shot Claremont wrote in 2021 … again … nothing to really care about, unless you are an X-Completist.

Finally read the first issue of Blood & Thunder - the plot was solid, the art was great … but the dialogue, it left me underwhelmed - it felt like teenagers trying to swear as much as they could while mom was out of the room. The story brings nothing too new to the table and the world building isn’t as clean as it should be, but that is forgivable because the book is singularly focused on the primary protagonist - Akeldama “Blood” Bledsoe with comic relief provided by her sentient gun … Thunder. While I didn’t “hate” the book I can’t say I recommend it - but I am going to read issue 2.

More so than issue one, issue two was fast paced & fun - actually liked it much better than the first. Looking forward to seeing where things are headed in issue 3. If you don’t mind profanity in your comics - this one might be worth checking out.

I might be out on Blood & Thunder - it’s all sort of random and pointless, almost as if the writer is making it up as he goes along. Also the profanity is just way over used to the point of sounding juvenile. The escaped prisoner isn’t written very interesting and the coloring makes him look very drab and boring. Since I liked issue 2 … I’ll see what issue 4 brings - but I can’t recommend issue 3. Not saying it’s “bad” just not for me.

More late night Absolute Power, Green Lantern 13 was a mixed bag - the Hal Jordan stuff was great … but so many other plots kept pulling away from Hal and the shark guy (Karshon?). No clue why Hal doesn’t seem to have his ring but it didn’t hurt the story one way or the other. I always liked Jessica Cruz as a Lantern from the Rebirth stuff … but her story left me a bit confused. There was more Absolute Power stuff with what seemed like Infinity Inc … but then we cut to some dude named Sorrow followed by an alien called Thaaros. Seeing as this was a tie-in, I would expect the writer to better introduce things to a new reader. But all that aside - I would softly recommend this as a good addition to the overall Absolute Power story, though I’m pretty sure it won’t have a huge impact.

Alright … I’m sorta still processing this comic - I will say that This Ends Tonight is by far the weirdest comic book I have read all year. As it went along it began to border on being nonsensical. It starts off with a straight forward concept told in a very cinematic style, then by the staple things are getting a little kooky. I think I liked it … I don’t really know. The art is fun and moves across the page … but I’m afraid the story was just too fragmented and a little too far “out there” for me to recommend.

I sort of checked out of the current Marvel Star Wars books … they are cranking out just too much - it became a chore to keep up. Well I thought I would give this new “post-Jedi” 2025 relaunch a shot … I was so disappointed with the first issue, I dropped it, Star Wars just wasn’t for me anymore. But then … then, I spotted these 1990s Power of the Force action figure variant covers and I just couldn’t resist. I was buying the book for the cover … however curiosity caught me and I ended up reading issue two … and it was a major improvement over issue one. First off the Phil Noto art is exceptional - really captures the characters without feeling like he is tracing film stills. The story was pretty decent in this second issue, a straight forward quest by Luke Skywalker to find some Jedi McGuffin - with a few interesting side characters. It was a nice full story, with a few random turns that rolled out of nowhere. The major drawback for me as a long time Star Wars fan is that THIS era of Star Wars cannon had already been explored to death in the original Marvel run, the Dark Horse Comics run, and countless novels. Meaning all of this feels like been-there-done-that. Especially considering that they brought back the Nagai - who were so much cooler in the 80s … but then EVERYTHING was cooler back then. All that being said I am carefully optimistic about issue three (again I only bought it for the cover) … so we’ll see if Alex Segura can keep this up.

I didn’t dislike Star Wars #3 - but it all felt a bit too familiar. So many member-berries, and I feel maybe the old Expanded Universe did everything you could with these characters - nothing feels new or interesting. The plot shifts from Luke to Han as he is called back to Cloud City by Lando because an old Nagai friend of theirs is dying. It’s a fine story and the art by Phil Noto is great, but it feels like remix of things I’ve already read … and WHY is Valance still around … I never liked hm in the 1970s as a kid … I still don’t like him now. So many nods to the original Expanded Universe in this issue - there was a YT-2400 (like Dash Rendar’s Outrider), the 1990s toy based on McQuarrie’s early designs for the Cloud Car makes an appearance, along with a literal flashback to The Empire Strikes back … these are all fine - if they were wrapped in a more original story, heck even the Nagai are a retread from the original Marvel run. All this being said … again … it was a “fine” story. In closing - while I like seeing Han NOT just wearing the same clothes he wore in the movies … I can’t help but feel he’s dressed like Princess Leia from issue 73 of the original Marvel run.

Absolute Wonder Woman issue one … was good, very good in fact - but not great. There was nothing wrong with the story lots of action and two page spreads … it just needed more meat on the bone. For such an important launch - I felt it should have taken wider swings and given us more of a story. In comparison to the PACKED Absolute Batman issue one this fell very short. I’ll give it one more issue to WOW me.

This weekly All-In Action Comics #1070 was a great way to start in with the new status quo … only it wasn’t … as it takes place after Absolute Power but before the All-In Special - that bothered me. The reason I take issue with the timeframe is because the stakes are lower as we already know that everything will turn out fine. That being said - this was a fun story … the ultimate resolution with where Superman goes at the end feels very done before - but that didn’t take away from the fun. The battle against the Kryptonian mutant was exciting and felt like a good classic comic that anyone could pick up and enjoy. The crazy colored Kryptonite reminded me of the books I used to read back when I was real little. So there is something here for everyone - hence why I would recommend this book. Also I should mention the art by Clayton Henry was just as fun as the script. Now for the bad … I didn’t care for the Supergirl backup story … it was so thin - I actually forgot it was even in there. Also it felt very out of step with the main story (seeing as she was literally in the second to the last page). No digs on Mariko Tamaki … perhaps on its own this story would be better received by me … but held up agains the main story - it was a total miss. The fact that the backup story caused a weekly comic to feature a $4.99 cover price hurts the product as a whole.

The “main story” in Action Comics 1071 was top notch … a real winner for the All In initiative! The “a bit too familiar story” of Superman in the Phantom Zone played out much better then I expected after the last issue. Also the baseball game with Superboy and the Superman from China (not sure who that is) was classic superhero comic book fun, with a great “sub-plot cliffhanger”. The twist at the end of the main story will have me coming back for more … for now. I cannot get over how miserable the Supergirl backup story is to slog through. I almost just skipped it this week. It’s so dull and uninteresting especially paired with such a solid main story - it pulls my rating for the books down a notch or two. DC needs to cut the backup nonsense and drop the price to $3.99 or they might lose me as a reader.

Action Comics #1072 was another fun read - traveling the Phantom Zone with Mon-El on a floating ship while fighting off monsters - is exactly what I would want from this comic! The heroes are on a straight forward journey and so is the narrative … but there is something to be said for a story that knows where it’s going. The b-plot involving Superboy and Kong Kenan (Super-Man?) Feels very familiar - yet still a fun diversion. There are a lot of cool easter eggs in the museum (including a nod to Invasion). The Supergirl backup … why is this here??? This was probably the best installment and it was still dull. This is a top tier All In title … if not for these Supergirl backups it would rank much higher.

Supergirl backup aside - I really liked Action Comics #1073. The narrative kept moving to it’s ultimate destination. Lots of fun Superman action in the Phantom Zone … it’s just a great book that I am enjoying. NO SPOILERS but I fear just like Detective Comics #1090 they are about to retcon something from Superman’s past for no apparent reason - move forward not backwards. I find writers obsession with meddling with characters histories (and that of their families) to be boring. The b-plot reeked of “The Most Toys” (Star Trek), “Command Performance” (The Orville), and about two dozen silver age comics … but I still enjoyed it. The protagonists were fun and had some great interactions. This Supergirl backup has become torture to read. I am only reading it to try and justify the $4.99 cover price. But seeing as it is at the end of the comic it always leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Also - I think this and the previous cover should have been swapped.

It’s well written and well illustrated, but Action Comics #1087 did zero for me. I’ve never been a fan of Clark as Superboy, to me it undercuts his first outing as Superman - setting this story in Metropolis undercuts that even more. The appearance of Ma & Pa Kent was also confusing … I know since Smallville they have been seen as younger … but they way they were drawn here, it looked like Ma Kent was Clarks younger sister. I like Waid’s writing and I really wanted to like this book … but I just can’t bring myself to embrace this new Suberboy. It’s no fault of the creative team … it’s just not my bag, so I’ll rate it accordingly.

Read my first All-In book tonight - Batman 152. The art was great - the story was good, but lacked that “fresh start” feeling and some elements felt very “done before”. But I’ll probably hang on for the next issue before passing final judgement.

Batman 154 is a solid street level story that lets Batman actually be a detective. There is a mystery at play … who killed the mayor? Batman working with Bullock inside the law and Jim Gordon outside the law plays out very nicely. Not 100% sure how Vandal Savage is the police commissioner … I know of the character but not much about him. I of course have to ask why are both Detective and this series screwing around with the history of Thomas Wayne? I mean TWO Bat-titles rewriting Wayne history at the same time!!! Didn’t the editors talk about this? Also WHY disparage Thomas like this - it makes no sense 80+ years out from his introduction and subsequent death. All that aside - a confusing yet sharp cliffhanger will have me coming back for the next installment!

Trying to stick with DC’s ALL IN program has proven to be a mixed bag … however Detective Comics #1090 was a high point. There were no references to the events of Absolute Power or the All In special, while not tying into the bigger picture (or the events of the Batman title) it makes a great jumping-on point. The script by Tom Tayler was tight and very sharp, paring that with great art from Mikel Janin made a really great package. It kicks off a strong mystery and a relatable subplot about Bruce aging. The biggest drawback I see with this story are the Thomas Wayne flashbacks. It seems that they are retconning part of the Batman mythos … something they have done so many times over the years. It’s tired, dull, and 100% unnecessary, I wish writers would stop falling into these same old ruts … look forward not back. That being said it was still a very enjoyable read.

Speed Racer issue one was a pleasant surprise - the Free Comic Book Day preview wasn’t my cup of tea … I’m not saying that this comic is totally in my wheelhouse - but I was impressed. The character’s weren’t too deep but in a comic like this it’s not necessary. What I liked was the pace of the book … there was a sense of speed in the art and storytelling that I really enjoyed. The sequence racing to the hospital really sucked me into the pages and I felt a sense of motion between the panels. When the book ended I was surprised it was only 26 pages … David Pepose really packed a lot of story into this book! I think I’ll be adding Speed Racer to my pull list.

Staying All In so I checked out Titans #16 … so many questions, but first - I enjoyed this issue. I have to say that I loved that it started on the Watchtower right after the (lackluster) events of the All In special. I like when continuity is on-point. I’m not that familiar with the character - but I didn’t really understand why the Question was acting so irrationally. Her behavior was beyond the scope of a normal person. Not much happened in this issue, mostly all setup, establishing the new status quo. The thrust was establishing the team and getting them back to Titans’ Tower to meet up with the baddie for this story arc. It wasn’t action packed, yet at the same time it was never dull. I haven’t read Titans since around the time of the New 52 relaunch - and I’m confused. Starfire seems de-aged physically to younger than she was in the 80s - same with Raven, yet Nightwing & Wonder Girl seemed age appropriate - I don’t get it. Also last time I saw Beast Boy in Dark Crisis - he lost an eye and was traumatized … I guess he got better. Even if the characters seemed off - it was worth the read and I’ll be back for issue 17. My only real complaint was that some of the coloring choices were distracting.

Fantastic Four Fanfare issue one was an anthology featuring three FF stories. None were earth shaking or ground breaking … but were just fun. The Mark Waid story was the standout - it was a very basic Ben and Johnny tale that depicted the characters perfectly. While the Ramon Rosanas art is great at blending classic comic style with modern technique … I couldn’t help but think how great this story would have been if illustrated by the late/great Mike Wieringo. If you haven’t read the Waid/Wieringo FF run, I highly recommend it. Alan David wrote and drew a fun FF adventure set underground that reminded me of the Fantastic Four books from the 70s. The final story by Andrew Wheeler was the weakest but still enjoyable and depicted the Mole Man so much better than in the recent movie. If you are a fan of the Fantastic Four - this book is for you, not sure you could pick it up with no knowledge of the FF … but it was a fun read for me, I enjoyed it more than the first issue of the latest (2025) relaunch.

Fantastic Four Fanfare #2 wasnot nearly as fun as the first issue, this collection of stories was still enjoyable. The weakest was the first story - Hickman’s FF run was a confusing mess and his interpretations of the characters were a little “off” to say the least. This short tale is on par … the silly “twist ending” left me cold. The second story was sort of take it or leave it, nothing earth shattering or groundbreaking, but enjoyable none the less. The art was clean and cool, I wouldn’t mind seeing more FF one in this style. The third entry by Mark Buckingham was probably my favorite with its classic Fantastic Four style. It was more a tale of two of Doctor Doom’s henchman trying to win the good graces of their boss. Though funny and clever it had a very 1970s FF vibe and I totally dug that. The editors note has me curious about FF #144.

The second issue of GI Joe in the Energon Universe builds on the foundation everything that came before, delivering a story that’s intriguing yet feels slightly unsteady. While I found this issue more enjoyable than the debut, the narrative pacing for the Joe side of this shared universe seems to be dragging its feet. There was an urgency to launch the series, but now, just two issues in, the direction feels a little off track. Without diving into spoilers, I have to say that killing off an iconic OG Joe so early in the run was a bold choice. It certainly grabbed my attention! Additionally, the introduction of a new character has left me feeling both off balance and eager to see where the creative team is taking the narrative. My guess is the “new guy” is really Zartan. Despite these hiccups, the series is still in its "honeymoon phase," and there’s plenty of potential for things to evolve. I highly recommend GI Joe #2 to fans of the franchise, both new and seasoned, and even to the more senior Joes among us. Yo Joe!

G.I. Joe issue three was a super fun read - it was so fast paced, it almost felt too short. The Clutch plot line is really good, feels like a an 80s episode of the cartoon - modernized and much more grounded (well not totally). No major story points - but this book set up what I hope will be some killer action next issue. Also I have a theory on who this Risk character actually is … but I don’t want to be right and spoil anything. Highly recommend - Yo Joe!

G.I. Joe issue four had a good amount of action and an equal amount of story. It’s giving me 1980s Joe vibes with the Commander’s outlandish plan and Duke trying to stay one step ahead. This as a super fun issue! There is one thing - the Joes do keep losing … what’s up with that? I do hope that by issue 6 that changes and Duke and his team come out on top. I still highly recommend this series.

This was an amazingly awesome stand alone story - had a Special Missions feeling to it. I would like to see more like this, interesting, fast paced, and fun (with thin ties to the larger story). Highly recommend this issue, even if you haven’t read any Energon books thus far - this is a great place to start! Also …Night Force!!!

Where issue 7 was an interlude, this issue also felt a little like a side-quest until the final few pages, when things heated up. Good character stuff with Baroness & Cover Girl - I highly recommend this issue & series.

GI Joe 9 by Joshua Williamson with art by Andrea Milana did not disappoint! This issue featured a fast paced story that was character focused and yet still tied into the bigger Energon tapestry. The page where Raptor gave his backstory normally would have me rolling my eyes - but somehow worked within pace of the story. Nice twist at the end - this is how you make comics that people keep coming back for! I have my own theory about the Baroness’s parents … I’ll keep those to myself so I don’t accidentally spoil anything. I highly recommend this book!

A solid issue with three plots running simultaneously … The “A Plot” deals with Baroness and Covergirl at the mercy of Major Blood. Things play out as expected … leading into the next issue. This plot is the most interesting as it deals with characters and their motivations. Also never expected to like Raptor as a character (as a kid I thought he was a pretty silly toy) but there is a real danger to him within Williamson’s script. The “B Plot” follows Clutch and his Autobot friend Hound as they investigate Cobra weapons and their connection to Energon. I don’t normally like it when the Transformers are tightly intertwined into GI Joe stories, but Clutch & Hound make a great pair. This plot also drops in the newer Joe character Risk … who I believe is more than meets the eye. The “C Plot” has Destro trying to suss out the machinations of Cobra Commander and this plot is probably the most … strange … as it seems to be dipping back into the Cobra-La side of the Energon Universe. I didn’t like that aspect of the animated movie … but it’s not as silly in the comics, so I’ll go with it. Destro’s mission for Mercer (speaking of the animated movie) brings plot B & C together for the cliffhanger at the end. A good, if not somewhat predictable issue. I will continue to highly recommend this series and all of the other Energon Universe books. Also … not a spoiler … but a guess … I’m putting this out there now - I believe that Risk is Zartan - let’s see if I’m proven wrong in the months that come.

Just read Dust to Dust issue one from Image Comics and I enjoyed the heck out of it. It felt very cinematic in presentation and storytelling. This first issue is mostly setup slowly introducing you to the characters - primarily the Sherif, everything revolves around him as he try’s to keep a hand on the small dust bowl town of Cimarron County, Oklahoma. The story is set in 1935 at the height of the Great Depression and it weighs heavy over the motivations of almost every character. The seeds of a mystery are planted in this issue in the form of some bones found on an abandoned farm - beyond that tiny subplot the book is mostly a character study. It’s well written and paired with illustrations that convey an atmospheric feeling. You really must read this book for yourself to understand what I mean. It has an almost visceral vibe to it … I highly recommend reading this one as a physical book. There were a few inconsistencies with the art … but they were very minor. This book is the whole package and I HIGHLY recommend it.

Superman 19 was a clean fresh start for the series. It was a super fun read with some stellar artwork. It did leave me with a ton of questions … mainly about how the heck is Lois now Superwoman - when last I saw her (Absolute Power and Action Comics) she DID NOT have any powers. To be honest I find the whole concept of Lois as Superwoman to be silly … something I roll my eyes at, but the writing is good enough that I will be back for issue 20. Also … ALSO … the twist at the end was amazing!

Just read the new Uncanny X-Men by Gail Simone … much to my surprise I really liked it! The first half was a fun bit of action, that tied into the larger Marvel universe (though I had no idea what was happening on the first 4 pages). The second half of the book got a bit dark … but well written. The book was also beautifully drawn by David Marquez. This first issue did exactly what it was supposed to do - it left me wanting more - I will be picking up issue 2. Though I have 2 questions - How could Wolverine be in this book (set in Mexico) and also in adjective-less X-Men #1 (in Alaska) at the same time? Also … how is it that Rogue can touch everyone now?

I started to feel that Void Rivals was meandering and going nowhere until this issue (21). Right off the bat we are jumping into the beyond bizarre Skuxxoid story, really fleshing out this character … or rather characters. Then it’s back to the main story and in just a few pages there is a quick status change for one faction. What we really came for was the story of Darrk and Solila - their relationship is nicely reestablished before the real action starts. This series finally feels like there is a march to a final conclusion for all of this setup. With characters like Hot Rod, Springer and Skuxxoid - this series continues to be a love letter to the weird third season of the Transformers and I love it. Nostalgia aside - this is honestly a great book and worth the price of admission.

This issue finally feels like the story is moving forward, not just slicing and dicing robots. Lots of characters and plot pieces at play in this issue and everything seems to be moving toward a “final” confrontation in Chicago and I’m looking forward to it. Daniel Warren Johnson has proven is ability to handle a big cast of characters without taking away from what makes them special - his Optimus Prime might just be the BEST version of this character ever to appear in comic book form.

Daniel Warren Johnson and Jorge Corona nailed it with transformers #23! Megatron’s frustration with Starscream is turned up to 11 in this issue, though much more intense it echos the G1 cartoon perfectly. Prime’s journey through the Matrix reminds me of the season three mini-series Five Faces of Darkness where Rodimus Prime does the same, however the corruption of the Matrix makes this journey more interesting. The final fate of Sparkplug (Sparky) and Spike seems to come to it’s conclusion with this issue and though it’s hurried it is satisfying. Ultra Magnus is written so well and drawn even better … the BIG two page splash was epic. Without revealing too much - I’ll just say - THIS is an issue you will not want to miss and it should be on top of your “to read stack”. I highly HIGHLY recommend this issue and the entire series up to this point!

Being unfamiliar with Jeremy Adams I didn’t actually know what to expect from this new Aquaman relaunch. Spinning out of Absolute Power and the All In Special - I knew that Arthur’s powers had been changed ... and I have to say I like it. This was a solid start to a brand new era for Aquaman. It featured some great superhero action, a mysterious plot, it touches the larger DC Universe (putting Batman and Wonder Woman in the story), and part of the issue is set in Daytona, Florida - like the Micronauts of old. This is really a top notch comic with Adams story and Jon Tims art coming together to exceed the sum of their parts. I highly recommend this book!

I am totally digging this new Aquaman run from Jeremy Adams & John Tims! Last issue they took Arthur away from the ocean and away from earth. In a dry barren alien world - his new powers still work - pulling water from the mud … and other “odd” places. It’s high adventure and some well illustrated action as Arthur comes face to face with a brand new villain who wants to bleed him dry. Also …. ALSO … the return of a surprise character - that I didn’t know even survived all the crisis and New 52 events. I highly recommend you read this series - a great comic from DC.

Man, Jeremy Adams & John Tims are killing it with this new Aquaman run! Issue 3 was another banger! Heck, the first splash page was worth the cover price. The narrative is tight and Arthur is driven by his love for Mera. This new corner of the DC Universe and the “Blue” really are coming into focus. Though worlds away this well crafted story still finds a way to tie into the larger DC Universe. Yet another surprise character makes a return, one I saw die in the OG Crisis, but didn’t remember her being in a post Crisis DCU! Don’t sleep on this series!

Aquaman #8 was a spectacular conclusion to the “blue” story! The focused moved entirely on to Arthur and that was a perfect choice as this was his battle to fight. Starting with a flashback to one of Arthur’s early attempts to be a hero was a nice way to open the issue and set the tone for what was to come in this book and I believe what will happen in the next. Three major deaths were featured in this and the last issue … will they stick or will Arthur somehow reverse time? I dare not speculate. For now I will just sit back thankful for the incredible ride. If you are not reading this Aquaman run because the character has a spotty history … you are doing yourself a disservice - this is the BEST book DC is publishing.

Believe the hype! 
 Absolute Batman is 100% what everyone says it is, easily one of the best comics I have read in a long time. Snyder delivered the goods with an assist from artist Nick Dragotta (who I am now a huge fan of). This was an excellently paced story … not too fast and not too slow - it was literally perfectly paced. The choice to reveal this new character …no this is NOT the Batman you are familiar with … Snyder used an outside character to reveal Bruce Wayne to the audience … and this was a brilliant decision on his part. That one factor pulled EVERYTHING together into a “page-turning highly” enjoyable read. Snyder took everything you know about Batman and turned it on its side for a brand new experience that had a tinge of familiarity. He reformatted many of the villains and other Gotham citizens into all new characters that have completely different relationships with Bruce and the book is all the better for it. I don’t want to spoil a single moment as the less you know the better. The only drawback that I can see is what’s coming next … this world built for Absolute Batman should be just for Batman … but I know Absolute Superman and Absolute Wonder Woman will connect with this title and I feel that has the potential to throw off this perfect vibe. Even worse - this may all be rolling into that silly Darkseid story that was introduced in the All-In Special, if that’s where all this is going - I will be very disappointed. However for right now - if you can find a copy go out grab it and read it … do not let it be spoiled for you.

As with the first two issues - issue three did NOT disappoint. It’s not some BIG cosmic story - it’s a straight forward street level action adventure with real heart. This is easily the best version of the Thing I have read in a while. Tony Fleecs gets right to the core of what makes Ben Grimm work (he’s doing a much better job than the film did). Justin Mason’s art evokes the classic FF stories that were fun and exciting. Marvel needs to bring back Two-In-One with these guys on it. I highly recommend The Thing!