One of the all time greatest single issue comic books of all time. Incredibly well-crafted and drawn. This book deserves an eleven.

With this issue, Pak has cemented himself as an equal to Peter David in the pantheon of Hulk writers. An amazing and haunting character study. Cathartic, fun, haunting, and haunting all at the same time, this issue is a stellar breakdown of Bruce Banner. Alan Davis does a wonderful, and his expressions are brilliant and convey Bruce's decent into madness really well. Best issue of the ANAD lineup so far.

This book is too good. Samnee is easily one of the best artist working today. No doubt a rising Titan is this industry. His sense of pacing, postining, paneling, and detail is astounding. Simple stories with great executions. BUY THIS BOOK.

Best issue Frank Miller has produced in years. Beautiful issue with some great moments. This is what Death in the Family should have been. Great take on the Joker. Awesome exploration of Batman and Jason's relationship. Romita produces his best work in years. Issue of the week for me.

Absolutely great book by Dini and Risso. Less a story about Batman, more of one of the most brutally honest comic books I've ever read. Dini bears his soul. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a huge dose of the feels at certain moments. Risso kills it with the art. Absolutely recommended for purchase.

Al Ewing and Ken Roccafort really should have been in charge of the ANAD Marvel creative direction, instead of Bendis with his post-modern shctick. This issue is a great way to address the continuity issues of Civil War II, while setting up each character's motivations. Great issue, and Ken Roccafort delivers wonderful as usual. Extra points for fixing Bendis' mess.

- Jason Aaron, take notes. This is what your Thor run should be. - Laura actually fits into the role. She isn't the classic Bubverine we all know and love, but she's a cool character in her own right. - Interesting Orphan Black type story is set up. - Lopez's art is great - BASED TASKMASTER - The biggest surprise of the ANAD Marvel. One of their best books. Breath of fresh air for the Wolverine franchise. 8.9/10

One again, Ben Percy pulls off another great first issue of a Green Arrow run. While his first issue on the first run was great, the run itself never lived up to it's potential. It always felt like something was missing. And here, we find out what it is. In this issue, Percy introduces Black Canary, someone with whom Oliver can play off really well. This premise of this issue is so simply, yet perfect. If all of Percy's issues are like this, than we're in for a great run. The story was fun and banter between Oliver and Dinah was great. Take notes Marc Guggenheim. Otto Schimdt's pencils were great; very reminiscent of Sean Murphy. But Schidmt is even better colorist. Holy crap the colors are great. Here's to hoping for the great Green Arrow run.

Arguably my most anticapated new DC title, Wonder Woman sees legendary writer Greg Rucka return to one of his most well-known works. Rucka sets up the new status quo for Wonder Woman while exploring the constantly shifting nature of her origin. The only problem with this issue is the fact that Rucka doesn't really do much with the story. It really seems like the only focus of this issue was to setup the upcoming "Lies" storyline. And while he sets everything up brilliantly, he does seem a bit too harsh on Brian Azzarello's run on the character. Apart from those small issues, this is a great issue. Easily one of the best Rebirth one-shots to date, Rucka does a great job exploring what makes the character so great: her duality. Rucka delves into the complexity behind Wonder Woman's character, examining her role as a symbol of peace and and as the god of war. The art by Matthew Clark is decent, but Liam Sharpe's pencils towards the end are great. Combined with the highly talented Laura Martin, Sharpe's pencils are perfect for this story. I'm still excited to see what's in store for Rebirth. Great issue, and definitely worth picking up.

Not a bad start to the series. Some of the dialogue feels pretty clunky in a few places, but the story moves along at a good pace.The interactions between the characters are a highlight. Otto Schidt continues to impress. If Percy can keep living up to his potential we have a great run on our hands.

Somehow, this is the best Rebirth book so far. Percy has gone from Scott Snyder-lite to a strong writer in his own right. This issue moves fast, has a great amount of action, and moves the plot forward without rushing through anything. Where was this Percy during his first run on the title. This is the Green Arrow run I've been waiting for. Juan Ferrerya's art is awesome. While it does have noticable influences from Francis Manapul's work, Ferrarya's art is a perfect fit for this book. It's energetic and beautifully colored. Ferrerya and Schimdt are easily the best art duo of the DC Rebirth line.

This title is still the strongest out of the Rebirth lineup. The action continues to build and Emi's role continues to grow. There's less Crank-level action and more focus on moving the plot forward. The re-appearance of Diggle was a bit awkward, but it's good to see him back. The setup for the next few issues is pretty intriguing, and the conclusion at Inferno is ramping up to be pretty explosive. Also, more Henry Fyif is good thing. Juan Ferrerya is a great artist, and DC should snatch him up as an exclusive.

Apart from one very grisly scene, this issue was stellar. I love the focus on Superman and his family. Feels like a unique but so natural angle. Gleason shines in this issue. The little he brings makes him so compatible with Tomasi. The two of them were made for each other. Great moments, and a wonderful setup for this run.

This is what I'm talking about when I discuss my wants in a Superman book. If the Rebirth books didn't have enough value for your money, this does. It has everything a good Superman book needs. Superman saving people in a Superman-esqe way (smiling, talking to the rescued, and being a nice guy), a cool action scene with a giant monster, some great interaction between Jon and his Dad, childhood romance, and the return of a classic villain. Gleason's art is awesome. Apart from instances where he almost draws the trunks and some faces that look like Mahnke drew them, the art is great. Can't wait for the next issue. This is a great title.

Apart from the "punch-first, ask later" take on Superman, this was another excellent issue. Gleason is the glue that makes Tomasi write great comics. The story here is very quick, and there's an emotional roller-coaster that involves a surprise character. The Eradicator's back story is a bit too long, but Tomasi's pacing has made this arc work. Also, Jiminez's style is perfect for a Superman book. Can't wait for the next issue.

A regression from the last two fantastic issues, this installment of the run is still an exceptional outing. The action is still balls to walls crazy, and Tomasi continues to move the plot forward at a fast pace. The pacing pattern is clearer with every issue and it should offer some interesting results. Seeing Bibbo once again was a treat for older fans, and it goes to show just how much influence Tomasi and Gleason are taking from the 90s. However Gleason ends up being the real star of the show. The imagery he's produced in this book has been just as epic as his work on Batman and Green Lantern. It's powerful and larger-than-life, just like the title character.

This book is coming along nicely. After a bumpy start, Waid gets the ball rolling with an adventure in space. The chemistry between the heroes is great, and Asrar continues to impress.

- Fun setup for what looks to be an enjoyable book. - Incorporates characters and elements from an awesome and obscure part of the Marvel lore - Artwork is exceptional. In the Erica Henderson style without the poor faces. - Tries a bit too hard to make the character seem "quirky". Backfires at times and doesn't always work (Hint: Despite this books claims, Evolution is in fact a theory). 8.5/10

Seeley's choice to continue the action-hero focus on Nightwing from Grayson is an interesting, but smart choice. He clearly knows how write action well, and his voice for the title character is spot on. The action continues in this book, and it doesn't look it'll stop anytime soon. Seeley is an action writer, as shown by his work on Grayson/Suicide Squad/G.I Joe, and his approach to this book has been to turn Nightwing into a larger than life super-hero. The banter between Nightwing and Raptor is interesting, even if it is a little questionable as to why Nightwing decides to really follow him. Apart from a questionable decision at the end, an overly dark take on Batman, and some odd pacing in a page or two, this was still a great issue. Fernandez's art won't blow anyone away, but his fluid and dynamic pencils belong with the action packed world of Dick Grayson.

Has a throwback feel to it. Almost like a 70s JLA issue. Sadly, Abnett's issue feels too clunky in several places. A lot of big action and fighting, but it fails to connect all of the dots in a proper manner. The art by Pelletier is pretty great though.

One of the more pleasant surprises this month. While James Tynion's Batman work has never really appealed to me, his Detective Comics run is off to good start. The main premise is a little 90s (it's hard to explain without including spoilers), but the idea of a Gotham boot-camp is sold well in this first issue. Tynion primarily focuses on the interactions between Batwoman and Batman, and their recruiting process. The issue moves relatively quickly, but there is a good amount of content to keep readers satisfied. The biggest surprise and the book's X-Factor is the induction of Clayface into the team. Tynion and Eddy Barrows deserve credit for making all of the Clayface scenes standout. Speaking of Eddy Barrows, his art on this book was stellar. It's dramtically dark, and beautifully colored by Eber Ferreira. It's a great looking book. Tynion's run gets off to a promising start with this issue.

Still going strong, Tynion continues to build one of the better Batman stories in the last few years. It's no Court Of Owls or Batman and Son, but it's still a great opening arc. Despite a lack of any signifcant progress on the story, Tynion uses this issue to put a spotlight on the Bat-family. While the villains come off as a ripoff of Batman Inc, the idea of military intervention in Gotham still has potential to lead to some great stories. The art by Martinez is fantastic, and Raul Fernandez does a stellar job with the colours. This art team has been excellent so far, and this is one of Rebirths best-looking books.

The action continues to build up as Tynion moves towards the final chapter of what has been one of the biggest comic surprises of the year. The action set-pieces and the story continue to work well, but Tynion's real strength is his ability to make small character moments standout. Whether it's Clayface's confusion about everything, or his love for Tim Drake (the best Robin), Tynion has shown that he has grown as a writer. Eddy Barrows returns on art and delivers a great-looking issue.

Fine issue overall. Quick first arc with a great battle between Manta and Arthur. Really not much to say. Abnett gets props for the resolution, but his execution was not as good as it could have been. The art is fine, but a new colourist could make it a lot better.

Another above-average issue from Abnett. The art isn't as medicore as before, but an A-list title for a DC linchpin character needs a better artist. The foreign-relations angle is explored to a bigger extent than Abnett has done before. There's potential for some intelligent, if not too subtle, political espionage. The Atlantis-U.S diplomacy theme could lend itself to some excellent commentary, but it hasn't really shown itself yet. There's more content than the last issue, but there's still a lot more Abnett could be doing.

Probably the best issue of the run yet. Abnett is really ramping up the diplomacy angle and it's working well. Also NEMO's motivations for controlling the ocean's resources is something unique and I look forward to seeing how Manta plays into the scheme. Mera should share the title with Aquaman, since she's practically the other main protagonist. This run has the potential to be unique and great. Let's hope Abnett delivers. Also, Briones' art is an improvement over the last few issues.

In my humble opinion, Dan Abnett's pitch for Aquaman is the most intriguing out of all the DC Rebirth titles. Aquaman has never been an easy character to write, and there is a sense that not too many writers approached the title with much interest. Writers like Peter David, Kurt Busiek, Geoff Johns, and Jeff Parker have given the character new-life. Aquaman may be the only character who was so underrated that he became overrated, to the point where he became underrated again. But, all that aside, Dan Abnett's premise for his run on the character might be the most original one I have seen in years. Adding an element of politics into the mix is a brilliant move. Out of all of the main JL members, Arthur Curry is the only one of them that rules over a kingdom. He's essentially a crime-fighting merman super-hero who doubles as the King of Atlantis. This issue serves to introduce new readers to the character. Abnett characterizes him as a man with an incredible responsibility: governing and protecting the world's oceans. The story involves Aquaman's efforts to stop an attack on the surface by an Atlantean terrorist group. The story moves along a decent pace, but it's Abnett's exploration of Atlantean culture that makes the book standout. Abnett sets his story up as one about the integration of Atlantis into the regular world. It's an interesting premise, and Abnett is an experienced writer who has the ability to pull it off. The scenes with Arthur and Mera are well done, and Abnett's explanation as to why Aquaman is very under-estimated by the surface world is clever and effective. The art work however, is clunky. Oscar Jiminez, Brad Walker, and Mark Morales deliver the most sub-par art on a DC Rebirth book to date. It's not enough to make this title a bad book, but it clearly needs work. The colours, on the other hand, are done well. Atlantis is covered in shades of blue, and it's a pleasant sight. Awesome premise, great story, mediocre artwork. Very good first issue.

Despite a slow first half, this issue finishes really well. A departure from the Batgirl of Burnside theme, this run will focus on a trip around Asia. It's an interesting premise that Larson does a good job at setting up. The art by Rafael Albuquerque is some of the best he's ever done. It's a good start to what looks like a fun run.

The title is still working pretty well, since it seems to have struck a good balance between the grittier Gail Simone issues and the very-hipster Burnside era books from the New 52. Apart from Kai being an obvious rebound love-interest, the book still manages to work well with a premise which isn't too flashy. Larson writes her characters well, and uses the right amount of action to keep the book interesting. The tattoo plot-line is awkwardly inserted, but it's a minor issues. Albuquerque's artwork is wonderful and it gives the a book a fun and energetic feel to it.

WHY IS NO TALKING ABOUT A CIA MAN WRITING A BATMAN STORY ABOUT CRASHING A PLANE. BANEPOSTING MAGIC IS REAL. Other than that, this issue was not too bad. Apart from some clunky moments, it`s an enjoyable little story where Batman does some ridiculous stuff. Jordie Bellaire shines here as she somehow makes David Finch's art look good. Not a shabby issue.

I don't think I've ever seen a book nitpicked to death like this one. Apart from some minor complaints, this was a solid book. Much more grounded than King's first two. The story is setup in an interesting way. The Gotham and Gotham Girl dynamic between Batman is interesting. There's a lot of Batwank, but I like King's idea of exploring the whole "what if Superman was in Gotham City" plot. Finch's art on it's own is subpar, but Jordie Bellaire makes it look so much better than it has the right to be.

The origin of Gotham and Gotham Girl is given the spotlight in this issue. The pacing in this installment is effective, balancing the backstory exposition scenes and the actual action well. King is setting up an interesting arc, but with 3 more issues to go, there's no real idea about where exactly he's going. Apart from some Batman-related cliches which have already been done so many times before, this story is going a unique direction. Finch's art is somehow better than before. Apart from some wonky faces, his art isn't too bad. But, maybe that's just because Jordie Bellaire is taking her skills to a new level.

I have to accept the fact that this more of a transition issue than it is a first act of King's first arc. Snyder and King collaborate on this "passing of the torch" issue. The story is interesting, and King's theme of Batman pushing himself to the limit is an interesting set up. The whole "Rebirth" theme isn't very subtle, and brings the book down. I personally liked the Calender Man re-invention (don't know why people hate it. guess there always has to be something at DC they need to bitch about). Duke doesn't much development, but I like the idea of his new role. The art by Janin is wonderful, especially his layouts. June Chung does a great job on the colors too. Good issue, but a little clunky here and there. Hopefully issue #1 will be something special.

General Thoughts (No spoilers): Surprisingly excellent issue. I'll wait till the end of the arc to make a complete judgement, but this is a promising start. Either Azzarello was doing an uncanny Frank Miller impression, or Miller has actually been monitored and reigned in by Brian. But it looks like Old Frank is back. The Atom tie-in is very good. There might a lot of stuff in this book that will rile some crowds. It's a very topical book. Some people will have a problem with this, but the original tackled similar issues. It's definitely not in the same vein as Holy Terror... yet. Andy Kubert proved that he was right for the job. People wanted Paul Pope and Mazuchelli, but Kubert does an insane job of replicating Miller's 80's style. It's insane. Brad Anderson demonstrates a lot of versatility, as he does a great job at emulating Lynn Varley's coloring without straight-up copying her style. However, the most unbelievable aspect of this book is the Atom back up. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that Janson probably ghosted this, but the artwork here is okay. Nothing like Miller's best, but okay. That Wonder Woman fight scene was pretty dope. It's a short book, and not packed with enough to warrant it's hilarious price. The Atom extra is good, but not completely worth the price. I read this on /co/, but I'll probably wait for the trade when it comes out (dick move, I know). I'm 50/50 on whether or not you should buy this book or wait for the trade. 8.8/10

It's a good issue, but not as good as the last one. The pacing slows down quite a bit, but the character moments are done well enough. The twist is moderately surprising, but it does work to set up key characters moving forward. Certain dark turns were harsh, but prove how dangerous things are going to get. Kubert's pacing and use of the nine-panel strucutre is brilliant and serves the story well. DC picked the right artist. The action is wonderfully paced and is classic Frank Miller. The backup story is good, and Eduardo Risso's artwork works quite well.

This book could easily be a lot better if Williamson could work on his exposition/narration/dialogue. The story beats are done well, and certain moments such as the Flash helping a girl learn to control her powers were great. But, Williamson's narration is clunky and unnatural. Everything else in the issue is still great. The characters are fun and the new-partner-every issue format can lead to some great story-telling. Giandomenico and Plasencia continue to improve on art. A great issue, but Williamson could easily improve by editing his narration more carefully.

Williamson continues to get better as the issue provides some breathing room after the events of the last book. The other characters get a chance to get the spotlight for a little bit, and the scenes between Meena and Wally are the highlight of the book. There's a silver-age vibe to the book with it's brand of fun science-fiction that hasn't been felt since Geoff Johns left. The art by Felipe Wantanabe is great since it matches Neil Googe's style so well, but Ivan Plascencia colours are the real show-stealer. He presents a different style for every-artist, and it works. His colours are bright and light-hearted, but not obnoxious.

Venditti is the most bi-polar artist writer working for the Big Two. His work on the Valiant line, and his work on the smaller DC titles was great. Unfortunately, his work with Van Jensen on Green Lantern and the Flash were aggressively mediocre. However, with Van Jensen gone, his newest work on GL has been quite good so far. Maybe Jensen was the problem all along? Venditti's Rebirth work has been far more optimistic and has featured the best take on Hal Jordan since Geoff Johns left. With a relatively simple premise and a clean slate, Venditti has turned this title into one of Rebirth's biggest surprises. Originally, I kept this book of my pull list when it was announced. But it looks like that was a big mistake. Rafa Sandoval has done an awesome job with the art. Three issues in, and he hasn't slowed down.

Very slow issue with little momentum. Saved by Quietly's incredible art.

- Surprisingly good series. Probably the best GL being released right now. - Sinestro/Black Adam friendship is unexpected and great - Art is very inconsistent - Surprisingly accessible. - Even with her poorly designed new costume, Wonder Woman's cameo is great. - Interesting setup for the future

This book is the best Marvel Cosmic book out there right now. Since Marvel can't publish ROM Spaceknight, they used Agent Venom as a surprising replacement. But, it works well. The book is fun, and the story is simple but sets up for more arcs down the road. Flash's character is well realized, and he is used much better here than he was on Bendis' abomination of a run on Guardians of the Galaxy. This book has been a pleasant surprise, and needs more attention. Ariel Olivetti's style has been hit-or-miss for me in the past, but it works well in this alien setting in a pulpy throwback fashion.

The biggest problem with the Lies storyline is the fact that it's completly overshadowed by the incredible Year One arc by Rucka and Scott. Not to say that Lies is a bad arc, but it's one that cold easily be better. Rucka decompressed the hell out of this arc, and it's been moving at a glacial pace. While he's worked with Liam Sharpe and Laura Sharpe to really establish an off-kilter mood, the story hasn't moved along too well. The dialogue is fine, and the premise is pretty solid, but the instance on stretching out certain scenes is unnecessary. Liam Sharpe's art is inconsistent. Certain pages work really well and pull of a strange horror-fantasy vibe nicely, but the pencils suffer from inconsistent details. Laura Martin's colouring has been stellar, and I've grown to appreciate just how much she's gone to establish the mood of this arc.

Once again Dan Slott barely explores some deeper character development for Peter Parker, but it's abandoned almost immediately. Slott seems like he wants to rush from one action scene to the next, and only sprinkles in a few personal tidbits (but seem to eat it up, so I don't see him stopping anytime soon). Slott's ideas are fun, and the dude could plot all of Marvels books quite easily, but his character work is sloopy and unnecessarily exaggerated. He takes the Geoff Johns principle of explaining certain things to the audience, and turns up to 11. However, it is an enjoyable book with a significant amount of content, which is uncommon in today's market. Camuncoli's art is much better than Humberto's Ramos; it's not phenomenal, but it's consistent and easiy on the eyes. Marte Garcia's colour palette is a bit off-putting. Not every book needs purple, yellow, and gold. However, it is kept in check and he doesn't go full Dean White.

Regent is still a dull villain. His banter with Harry was pretty fun though. This entire Iron Man arc was relatively forgettable. M.J's reasoning for leaving Peter was absolutely horrible. Camuncoli continues to kill it on art.

Decent. But Spencer still has a problem with subtly in his comics. His points lose a lot of impact because of how cartoony his delivery is. The stuff related to the speech was pretty great though. Uzenta's art is fine. Nothing amazing, nothing terrible.

Christopher Priest has been out of comic books for a while, so I'd understand if he's a bit rusty with his writing. That being said, his work on Deathstroke has had a good start. Less confusing than the Rebirth one-shot, this issue is a solid blueprint of what Priest is looking to do with this run. The action is fine, and Slade is written like the morally-grey character he should be. The stories seem to be pretty standard, but Priest injects his brand of political commentary into it. Despite a lack of subtlety, having undertones of commentary about political and social issues isn't a bad fit for the Deathstroke franchise. Pagulayan's art is okay, if not ordinary.

If anything, this one-shot might be the final piece of the over-stretched set up Peter Tomasi has made for his upcoming run on Superman. This story is very simple. Superman has some flash-backs about recent events, he meets Lana, and builds a statue. While the story was incredibly simple, Tomasi does have a great grasp on the appropriate voice for this Superman. This Superman is a lot older, more world weary, and a touch cynical. But there is still that inherent goodness in him that only Superman has. Tomasi does a fine job developing and understanding this character. However, Doug Mahnke steals the show. This guy always brings his a game to Superman books. His page layouts aren't flashy, but he's one of the best in the industry at organizing a page and making it flow. The Doomsday flashback scenes look amazing. Will Quintana is one of the most underrated colourists in the industry, and this book shows that he just keeps improving. With Mahnke, Gleason, and Quintana on art, Tomasi has a ton of backup on the story-telling side. Weak story, but great execution.

Solid issue. Neat introspective moments. Some parts come a little out of nowhere. Great to see Wally come back to the Titans. Booth is actually competent in this issue.

The definitive 90's Superman writer is back just in time for the quest for Action Comic's 1000th issue. While I would have preferred Joe Kelly, Jurgen's work on Superman:Lois and Clark wasn't too bad, and while I wasn't excited for his Action Comics title, I wasn't apprehensive. This issue is relatively simple. Luthor is the new Superman. Superman fights him. There's a new Clark Kent. And Doomsday shows. Kudos to Jurgens for introducing and balancing several new characters and ideas. While the execution (pacing, dialogue) isn't perfect, there is a lot of content in this issue, but it never feels too rushed. The art by Zircher is good. Zircher's pencils are relatively standard, but his polished pencils give the edge over other artists. I believe he also did the coloring for this book too, and it's also done well. Zircher primarily uses reds, pinks, and browns, which gives the book a warm and classic Superman type feel. I do feel that this issue did move at a clunky pace. Superman drops out of hiding immediately, just so he can fight Luthor (who they have little reason to distrust anyway). It's not the Superman book that the world may really need, but it's an enjoyable Superman book. The real deal's back, and I'm personally happy to see him.

The ongoing Doomsday fight has been going on for too long. Despite the fact that it looked like this thread would end, it resumes after a few pages. There's very little to truly critique, since there's little progress from the last two issues. Despite some issues with faces, Kirkham's art is still good enough.

Joshua Williamson kicks off his run on the Flash with this Rebirth one-shot. Primarily focusing on introducing readers to Barry Allen and the Status quo, Williamson explores the origin of Barry Allen and the re-introduction of the Pre-Flashpoint Wally West. While this issue is far from bad, Williamson's setup issue feels more like a recap of Rebirth than an actual story. The first half of the story examines the origin of Barry Allen, while the other half sees the return of Wally West from Barry's perspective. It's not a bad issue, but it suffers from an unnecessary amount of attention given to recapping Rebirth. Williamson may not be Mark Waid right off the bat, but he does a very good job with some of the smaller moments. There's a joke about Barry's horrendous punctuality, and the scene at the batcave with Batman is also an interesting look into Barry's pysche. While Carmine Di Giandomenico may share the same first name with one of the greatest artists of all time, Di Giandomenico's art is actually a lot rougher. While the pencils on this book are quite detailed and function well, Ivan Plascencia's colours seem like an odd fit for the art. Carmine DGs art on Ultimate Comics: Ultimates was a little smoother than it is here. Plascencia and DG do combine for some really beautiful scenes here and there, but it's evident that the team needs time to gel together. Overall, Williamson does a solid job on this one-shot, but still demonstrates that he hasn't quite gotten there yet. Ultimately a solid, but skippable issue.

While it's far from a bad issue, Rob Williams doesn't start off his run on Suicide Squad in the best way possible. While I understand that it is a setup issue, Williams demonstrates problems which are likely to persist for much longer. The dialogue is unrealistic, and a lot of William's jokes don't land properly. The pacing is a bit off, with the book throwing a load of action into the reader's face all at once. That being said, he does manage to write an above average action sequence, and his setup for the run is far from terrible. And while Jim Lee's art is much worse than usual, it's still quite good.

Mixed bag with this issue. The Simon and Jessice scenes are interesting and offer a neat look into the heads of two under-developed characters. However, all scenes with Atrocitus and his Lanterns are really distracting and corny. The art by Rocha is so-so, and does nothing special.

When Humphries isn't trying to tell "intelligent" stories, or ripping off Bendis, he can write a decent comic book. While his dialogue and narration is still awkward and unrealistic, the story and the way he writes these characters are not too bad. This run isn't anything special, but it's nothing terrible either. The art is still inconsistent as hell. This issue had around 458838358521598603 artists filling in, and it shows. If the dialogue and voices, as well as the art, can be edited a little better, than this book can easily improve in a big way.

If only Humphries could fix up his dialogue and narration. He clearly knows how to plot a story and develop his characters, but the text itself is still clunky and unrealistic. The story continues to move along at a good pace. The Simon-Jessica dynamic is great, and their interactions are the heart and soul of the book. Humphries flashes displays of great writing here and there, but he needs to polish his writing.

My biggest disappointment with this issue isn't the writing by the rookie Benson sisters, but the art itself. Claire Roe's art on Welcome Back made me think that she would be a breakout star from the Rebirth line. Unfourtunately, the art in this issue is sloppy, and lacks the cleaner style from her previous work. That being said, the Benson sisters are writing their first issue, and it shows. For a couple of very green writers, they aren't the worst. But, the narration, dialogue, and pacing needs practice. The "confession" scene was a notable low-point.

Was this meant to be the officially first issue of the run instead of the Rebirth one-shot? I have no idea how this Ted Kord got here, and how he got so much older than his last appearance in Forever Evil. There's a lot of history that we're missing, and it does help move the story along. The dynamic between Jamie and Ted is fun, and the teen hero-mentor premise could en up being quite good. Despite Cully Hammer's absence, Scott Kollin's art is serviceable.

Decent issue overall. Johns returns to the book that he changed forever, and the one that made him an industry megastar. The premise is simple if not effective. Really not much is shown in this issue. Simon and Jessica get some attention, but nothing much is done here. The story feels rushed. But the thing that brings it down is the art. Benes does a fine job as usual. Nothing spectacular, but his pencils are solid nonetheless. But my god has Ethan Van Sciver's art gotten worse. Ten years ago this guy was one of the best pencilers in the industry. In this issue, his pencils are really dissapointing. I did not like Van Sciver's art here at all. Overall, this was a passable issue. Probably the weakest of all Rebirth One shots to date. If Sam Humphries keeps his attention on developing the two leads and keeping things simple, then this book might be good.

Just to clarify. I've been reading comics for at least 14 years by now. I know a misdirect when I see one. The Hydra Cap thing was never going to last. My problems with the issue were not related to the twist. And my problems with this issue are not just with the cop-out, but with the story itself. Spencer did a stellar job with his Avengers:Standoff crossover, but his take on Captain America villains is way too cartoony. The story is decompressed beyond measure. It could have been drawn out in small spaces over other issues, but it's all shoved in here. It's a functional issue, but Spencer needs to refine his writing to fit a more traditional super hero mold.

I've been sleep-walking through the last few issues of this book. The pacing is glacial, and Spencer is taking too long to work through an idea that's quickly losing momentum. I don't expect non-stop action, but the story refuses to progress in any meaningful ways.

Jeff Lemire I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down. Dank LCD Soundsystem references aside, this book has been disappointing. Lemire usually writes very natural and simple dialogue, but this book seems like it was written by someone different. Characters are too expository and the dialogue feels unnatural, even though Lemire is gradually improving. For a 22 page book, this could have had way more content. Even the twist seems cheap, and will likely be a cop-out that will be resolved in the first five pages of the next issue. Marvel needs to stop using Ramos. Yes, he's dependable. But so are taxes. I can't take any character moments seriously when everyone looks an anime character. Hopefully the final issue might somewhat improve a mediocre and immensely disappointing opening arc.

The only reason this issue is better than the first is because of Tony Daniel and Sandu Florea. Hitch has the right ideas (big extinction level threat, banter, blockbuster set-pieces), but his execution is unbelievably awkward. The characters don't talk normally. Hell they talk to themselves for no reason sometimes. Apart from the GLs, I can barely tell anyone of the character's apart; most of the dialogue is easily interchangeable. Apart from the excellent art by Daniel, there's nothing of note in this issue.

Marginally better than the last, this issue continues the story of the Justice League's fight against some random alien invasion. I'm sorry if I can't properly remember the details of the issue, but it's hard to recollect such a boring story. Hitch has some good ideas here and there. The premise isn't too terrible, and a writer like Mark Waid/Geoff Johns/Jeff Parker/Kurt Busiek could do something fun with it and give it an interesting spin. But, Hitch lacks the skill and the creativity to do so. Also, the interactions between certain characters are alright, and there aren't any glaring problems in regards to how these characters talk. But that doesn't mean there's anything interesting about. And why haven't the JL asked Superman for help yet? And even more questionably, why hasn't Superman helped in a bigger capacity? It's poor plotting. But, if you just want to read a comic book with big set pieces and cool art (lets be honest, who doesn't?), this is a pretty good choice. Tony Daniel continues to be the best part of this book. His artwork is dynamic and larger than life. It's a shame he wasn't paired with a better writer, since he's the perfect choice for this book. Who knows, maybe Daniel would have been a better choice to write it too. Regardless, this book is still a big, flashy, epic, and hollow spectacle.

In all fairness, I must give some credit to Marvel. At least they were upfront about the fact that this event would be a cash grab capitalizing on arguably the biggest movie of the summer. Despite the fact that I've disliked most of Bendis' mainstream Marvel events (Secret War was good, House of M was alright, Siege was good, and Catacylism was great), I still went into Civil War II with an objective stance. And with that out of the way, I can say that Civil War II is a poor product. It's shame that there's a 2000 character max, because I have so much to say. While the first Civil War, despite it not being a good comic book, at least had some build-up to it, Civil War II comes out of nowhere. The "Road To" issues had barely anything to with this event. The fact that the FCBD issue contains a missing part of this issue is pathetic. Why not use that issue to cover the story of Ulysses. The entire build-up to the conflict is rushed. "We're the Inhumans. We're here to help. That's a good thing". Christ. The Inhumans promotion here is as about as subtle as a punch to the nuts. The issue has a terrible sense of pacing. In the FCBD issue, it shows that Ulysses has a random vision about Thanos when he's hanging out with the Inhumans. In this one, he wakes up in the middle of the night. HOW DOES A WRITER FORGET CONTINUITY BETWEEN TWO ISSUES HE BOTH WROTE? Tony's justification for his side is pathetic. The idea of an advanced system isn't a bad idea. It's not even that original. "MUH RHODEY" and "I TOLD YOUUU ABOUT THISSS REEEEEEEEE" (even though he never warned or opposed Carol at all. wtf?) are terrible reasons for his position. The biggest crime behind this story is the fact that Marvel knew that they would have to justify the existence of such a blatant cash grab. Civil War II's biggest flaw is the fact that it's complexly unnecessary. However, some of the more emotional scenes are done very well, and Marquez and Ponsor are one hell of an art team, so the book does a few

Worse than the last one. Tony "I can do no wrong" Stark still can't properly justify his actions. If you thought Man of Steel Superman was too violent, then wait till you get a load of Tony Stark literally going full Dick Cheney on an innocent Inhumans. I also love the Inhumans get so mad because someone did something bad to them, even though they're the ones withholding a cure to save the mutant race. Also the Hulk tease was a little awkward. And can Marquez draw a non-pretty face. Not everyone needs to look a sensitive soul on the verge of crying.

I`ll say it. This wasn't that bad. For the first time, an issue of this event wasn't too bad. I don't love it like Tumblr does (let's be honest, those people will love anything Marvel), but I guess I like it a lot more than most reviewers do. The characters all act realistically. Their actions are given actual repercussions instead of random reactions from others. The book's twist sets up an intriguing premise and a moral dilemma that's not black and white. This actually wasn't too bad.

It looks Bryan Hitch couldn't draw or write this issue properly. The basic idea is kind of cool in a throwback to the satellite-era kind of way. But, the pacing and the dialogue is the very definition of clunky. The book feels incredibly awkward. I feel awkward just reading it. The art is no better. Hitch needs to stop doing this. At least Ultimates 2 was a great story. I don't I'd like delays for a mediocre Justice League book. On the other hand, he absolutely nails the characterization of the two new GLs. So at least he has that. Tony Daniel can't come fast enough.

I honestly don't why DC is letting Vendetti/Jensen and Booth stay on this book. This book reads like the average mid-90's book, the edgy Marvel kind and not the awesome Mark Waid Flash-kind. There's nothing wrong with trying to copy the show (that's actually a great idea), but this book is so half-assed in it's creativity and consistency that it's mind-boogling that DC isn't trying to hide the fact that they don't give a crap about anyone named Batman. The Flash is the perfect hero to be the next big face of DC, so that they can replace Batman. But it seems like Vendetti and Jansen have no interest in writing this character. Vendetti's work on smaller books such as Etrigan is good, but his Flash/GL output is poor. It's been incredibly hard to follow this run. Not because it's confusing, but because it's really boring. Trying to do a darker take on the Flash isn't a bad idea of done right, but turning the title into a generically-edgy title simply doesn't work. Having the CCPD try and capture the Flash isn't the most original idea, but at least it was done right before. In this book, everyone acts like their in Dan Slott's Superior Spider-Man, since everyone is an illogical moron. The dialogue is incredibly generic and Zoom is wasted here. I just want Venditti and Jensen of the book. The Darkseid War tie-in wasn't perfect, but Rob William's script showed potential for a good Flash story. At least this is Brett Booth's semi-final issue. His work on Nightwing was okay, but his work on the Flash has been poor. It's a faux Jim Lee style that simply doesn't work, partly due to Andrew Dalhouse's coloring. 4.5/10

Nitpicks:Hellcat and her friend basically harass a literal fedora wearing neckbeard who was mean to his girlfriend. "Men are the worst!". Leth is truly one of the most subtle writers ever. But the obvious "niceguy" plot just scratches the surface. This book is weirdly paced. Some of the sequences could have been easily compressed, and some of the story beats are weirdly rushed. Leth is obviously setting up a longer story, so why does she rush certain things such as Patsy's new best friend, while decompressing this weird subplot about how awesome Wicked is (why are people so obsessed with that play anyway?)and her "crime-fighting" (assaulting an innocent citizen is okay if he's meanie neckbeard amiright?!). This weird chibi Patsy shows up and it makes no goddamn sense. The art is good though. This book doesn't just have poor fundamentals , but it's really bad at being subtle too. It's just another failed attempt at copying Ms. Marvel.