This one didn't get me as much as the first two issues, but it was still a lot of fun. It's kind of heavy on exposition, but Ryan Ottley makes it interesting regardless. The idea of a separate Peter Parker and Spider-Man isn't exactly original (Is that other Clark Kent still running around in Superman comics?), it's done in an interesting way. I just hope that this is a story that wraps up in another few issues, and we don't have to live with the split. But, I am really liking this new Spidey relaunch. Also, the Steve Ditko tribute at the beginning was very well done, a great testament to the man who co-created my favourite comic character of all time, my man Spidey. Love you Ditko!

I kind of came into this issue thinking this series has been kind of a disappointment so far, but I ended up really enjoying this one. I still don't know when Jen Walters turned into a traditional Banner-type Hulk, but it's not really annoying me any more--the moment she breathes/kisses life into Thor was cool. I just was pretty captivated from the start to the finish. The art was pretty solid--I liked it, though in some panels I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking at. Overall, I like the cast, this story is getting more interesting, so ... I'm on board of this thing.

I see that this arc is getting little love from fans or critics, but I enjoyed this kind of "Elseworlds" story. I was captivated by pretty much the whole arc, and this issue is a fittingly good ending. Leonardo Romero's art is a good fit for this story, and while it may not "matter" because there's no Steve Rogers, how much do most individual issues or plotlines of a comic series matter anyway? I liked this.

I wasn't sure what to think about halfway through this book, but by the end I was, "Okay, that's pretty awesome." I'm a fan of Cullen Bunn's work, from his old Magneto series a few years ago to "Harrow County," which has just concluded. It's an interesting concept, the ending is super cool, and the art is top notch. I've never heard of Mustafa Karusu, but this comic looks great. I'm excited for the next issue!

"Paper Girls" always is an entertaining read, and this issue is no different. This series is pretty fucking weird, but i am really invested the characters and their relationships with each other. Also, Cliff Chiang is just awesome. I fell in love with his work on "Wonder Woman" with Brian Azzarello, and he's just producing fantastic art every time. Read this.

This is, well, a pretty dull issue. It doesn't really feel like there are real stakes with these zombies anymore...I'm not feeling the threat. Anyway, nothing much happens here.

This book was pretty fun and enjoyable. It's not really bringing anything new to the table, but it is a cool story to read. I was delighted to see Eduardo Risso on pencils, as he's easily one of the best artists in the industry. And I'm Canadian and this is taking place in Canada, so, yeah! Fun book.

This is a pretty awesome issue of "Deadly Class," fast paced, action-packed, but also containing great character moments. The Wes Craig art is perfect for this series, and he does his usual great job again here. This is one of my favourite series, one I am always excited to read.

I've been with "Descender" since #1, and now it has reached its penultimate issue. The stakes are really high...apocalyptic, really. Things are coming to a head and humanity is on the brink of being eliminated. The art, as it has been from the series' inception, is fantastic. I've enjoyed these characters, and am excited to see how things wrap up next issue.

I dunno. For all that was going on, I was bored and struggled to finish the issue. I don't think this book is necessarily bad, I just think it's not for me.

This issue was super fun and interesting to read. I loved the Counsel of Reeds and the conversation Reed has with Victor, and the Victor vs. Victor battle was cool as well. Chip Zdarsky has done a great job writing a secret "Fantastic Four" book with "Marvel Two-in-One," and this is one of the most entertaining series I'm currently reading. And the Declan Shalvey art is just...fantastic! Great stuff.

This is a strong conclusion to what I think has been a really great series...I love the world and the characters of this book, and things come to a fittingly epic conclusion here. Credit to Bunn and Tyler Crook for creating this compelling little county of haints and ghouls and a dark, dark history. I'll miss reading this!

Holy fuck! This is a powerful, emotional issue of "Saga," taking the story in a direction I did not anticipate. Fiona Staples work here is amongst her best ever, a sequential masterpiece--a lot of this book takes place without dialogue or captions, and it totally works and flows and is dynamic and powerful. Staples character "acting" is so great too--the facial expressions she captures are so powerful and evocative. This book is going to disappear for a year or so, but this book is not going to fade from readers' memories anytime soon. Just...wow.

This is a fun and interesting comic book--I'm enjoying Nick Spencer's tone and voice on this and the Ryan Ottley art is pretty great. I'm liking the fact that Pete and MJ are together and the whole back to school thing. This has become one of my favourite reads.

This is a quick paced, exciting issue, with a cliffhanger ending I did not see coming. The art is beautiful, the writing has us fully invested in these characters...great book.

I've more or less enjoyed this series, even after dropping "Blue" and "Gold," and have been excited about the return of Xavier. But instead of Xavier, we have his new incarnation as "X," who is ... meh. I dunno. I want OG Xavier. The art was pretty solid. Lots of splash pages conceal the lack of story, though. Not great. I guess I'll try the new direction the book takes next issue, but this book is on thin ice for me.

This issue of "Immortal Hulk" is a bit different than the last two...it features a cast of rotating artists, which I found slightly jarring, though I can't say I disliked any particular section. There was just some art that, stylistically, I didn't envision seeing in a Marvel comic book. The artist for the bartender section has a real indie feel. It certainly isn't bad, but it was unexpected, and the differences between the art styles kind of distracts. All said, I did like this, I did find it interesting. Just not quite as captivating as the first two issues.

This was an average comic book, with inconsistent art and a kind of meandering plot. I was surprised about the reveal at the end, which was cool and will have me back for the next issue. So there you go.

"Death of the Inhumans" #1 is a really great book--I didn't know quite what to expect, but I was riveted from page one till the end. The story is dark in tone, and Donny Cates does perfectly with his narration. It seems like an old-school comic book method, but it really worked here. The art by Ariel Olivetti is super--I don't know if I've seen his stuff before, but this comic really looks great. And it focuses on the most interesting Inhumans, not all those nuhumans I didn't care about. Great stuff!

This is a really great issue of what has been an unexpectedly great series. The adventures of the Fantastic Four, not our FF, but an alternate universe Reed and Sue...and Doom. This is a book with big, crazy ideas, and it a lot of fun to read. And, Jim Cheung returns to do the art, and remind everyone he is one the best artists in the industry. It's a great looking book.

This is a really fun launch to the new "Amazing Spider-Man," the first time in a long time we've gotten a new creative team on the book, with Nick Spencer and Ryan Ottley taking over. It was a good read, pretty funny and entertaining. It also has that trademark Parker luck working its best to bring Spider down, but by the time the main story ends, I'm pretty sure things aren't looking too bad for Pete, despite the world coming down around him. I really dug Ryan Ottley's pencils here, it's a refreshing look and I really liked "Invincible" ... all told, not perfect, but an entertaining launch to the new series with some neat surprises at the end.

I enjoyed "Catwoman" #1 quite a bit. Joelle Jones' art is absolutely gorgeous--her backgrounds, her facial expressions, the movement in her panels--she's one of the best in comics. The story worked for me as well--Jones only addresses the wedding in subtle ways through the story, not giving us explicit explanation of why she did what she did, so that the plot with the Catwoman imposters and the heaviness of what just happened (or didn't happen) with the wedding work together well. Of course this series is in my pull list--this is gonna be pretty cool.

Wow, this issue is pretty great! I am loving this iteration of a Hulk book--it's really a lot different than any Hulk I remember reading. The horror vibe that Ewing and Bennett create is really working for me. I also love the way the issue came full circle from Bruce's initial thoughts on how his senses, the basic things that are so powerful, are the way he can basically find some meaning in life. It leads to the bitterly ironic ending. And this Hulk is a guy with a strict sense of morality, who isn't afraid to match the cruelty of his victims. I really loved everything about this book!

I'm not really into this series, or this team, so far. The story seems surprisingly flat from Aaron, who doesn't seem to have the handle on making each character of the team stand out. I guess I am also tired of these team books with enormous stakes all the time, especially since we're coming off a 16 issue space extravaganza. I liked that book more than this one. One other thing that irked me is this iteration of She-Hulk, or just Hulk now...her personality and humour was always the best thing about her, but now she's Hulk-dumb. I dunno. It's not terrible, certainly a solid book, but I don't think it stands out in any way.

This is a really good issue, and it features some awesome Ryan Stegman art. His splash page a couple of pages in with Venom standing over a beaten Miles Morales is scary and awesome. I really liked the way that conflict plays out. The guy at the end, the Lord of the Symbiotes, I'm not sure about, but this is definitely an interesting read.

Wow, this issue is receiving a violent reaction from the fans here...I thought it was pretty good. First--yeah, it's a bit of a sham that the wedding doesn't even happen. Yeah, it was a bit of a letdown, and the idea that Catwoman steps away because Batman needs his misery to be who he is kind of shitty. But maybe that's true? Anyway, the art was absolutely great, with several pages that could be framed on the wall. The page where Bruce asks Alfred to be his best man (or whatever) was great...I don't really think people want to read the adventures of married Batman, if it would have gone down that way...I was entertained, loved a lot of the pin-up pics, and am gonna keep reading so...yup, I pretty much liked it.

I read this and gave it a pretty harsh 6.5 review, but I read it again a few days later, took more time with it, and I kind of think my first review was way off. I did really enjoy this the second time I read it (the first time I read it digitally, because my copy hadn't come in the mail yet). I liked the introduction, showing the history of the character without heavy exposition, and I like the fact that he's unfit for Valhalla, and Baby Thanos...this could be cool. I really missed the bus on this with my first read, but now I'm pretty excited for what's coming next.

The main story here is just great--this isn't a mere collection of random stories that have been collecting dust at Marvel offices, but a funny and poignant story exploring Peter and J Jonah Jameson's relationship, past and present. Chip Zdarsky's decision to have Peter reveal his identity to Jonah has really invigorated the character of JJJ, in my opinion. For a guy that is way too easy to portray as a caricature, this Johah has heart and depth, but is still funny to read. Mike Allred's art here is pretty great, and the back-up tale, while slight, had nice art. Really pleasant surprise from an annual.

This isn't bad, but it isn't very interesting either. "Man of Steel" is kind of falling flat for me. The villain (Rogor Zaar) is kind of a dud, and, despite Bendis' arrival, there doesn't seem to be much of a point for this series. It's like just another Superman story, not something really warranting a mini-series delivered weekly. It's pretty flat.

This is alright I guess...I'm not even sure why I added this to my pull list...I think because I recognized Bret Blevins name from X-Men books in the 90s. It's just not really noteworthy. I read it about an hour ago and I already kind of forget what happened...I think I'm out

This is a really good launch to the new "Thor" series, a big issue with two cool stories. The first is a continuation of what has been going on in the book with Jane/Thor, and it has fun moments in the fight with the Juggernaut and Thor facing the Sub-Mariner, even is the latter is only one page. I liked Del Mundo's art...I am familiar with him from "Weirdworld," and the 12 issue "Elektra" series he did a few years ago, and I guess a bit of "Avengers" stuff last year. He has a distinctive style that I think might work well here. The back up story was cool too. Good stuff!

This is alright. I dunno. I'm going to keep reading it, but nothing in this first issue was really captivating. The music thing was sort of dumb. I'm gonna stay on, but this book is kind of on a short leash.

Well, I didn't know what to think of this, wasn't going to read it, but then decided to at the last minute, and...it's nuts! In the best possible way, this is a pretty crazy comic. This is almost the first time that I've felt the same aesthetic as Matt Rosenberg's indie work ("4 Kids Walk in to a Bank") in his Marvel stuff, and it was because this is a pretty fun and funny comic book. The craziness is added onto by the characterization of Maddox, and it is really well done. He's a funny, likeable guy, and I dug the laughs from frustration all the other characters felt with him. His riffing with the other X-Men is pretty great. The art is kind of...rudimentary? Seems like indie art, things are slightly askew, but I didn't find it distracting or off-putting. I'm off the other X-books, but this is a cool reminder about how much potential this corner of the Marvel universe has, if it can find the right voices.

Liked the first "Ether," but this bored me. Didn't like this elf sidekick. Didn't want to finish it. Dropped.

With this story and what he's been doing lately in "Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man," Chip Zdarsky is on a real multi-universe crossing trip--here Ben and Johnny find Reed and Sue, but it's a broken Reed who has failed to save a universe on the brink of extinction. Victor Von Doom is also on the scene, both as reluctant teammate to this sort-of FF, and as the destroyer himself, Doom as Galactus! Fun, well-paced, great characterization, solid art...really cool stuff going on in this book!

This is a terribly paced, plodding storyline, and I am not even sure what's going on because it seems Azzarello is giving us plot scraps rather than anything coherent. The issue ended well, but I'm still lost. I loved "100 Bullets," but this series has been seriously underwhelming. Rizzo's art is great, but I have taken to think of reading this as a chore when I see it in my pile, which can't be good.

This is a really powerful issue of "Royal City." It is captivating from the start--I was absolutely fixated on the book the whole way through. It's a credit to Lemire that I feel I know these characters enough, after only 11 issues, that the plot twists really hit home--I care about these characters. It is kind of a downer that this series will end with issue #14, but it looks like Lemire is trending towards a really awesome/devastating conclusion to the title.

I'm not a magic guy, I've never read a Harry Potter book or watched a Harry Potter movie, but this enticed me due to the creative team. And it was pretty cool! The opening is devastating and awesome. Magic is employed in an interesting way. And the Olivier Coipel art looked great. I'll keep reading this.

I'm kind of torn on "The Weatherman." I wasn't really liking it, and I was kind of feeling that it was boring, and kind of decided to just flip through the rest of it. But when I saw what happened, I was like "Oh shit, I better read this!" The premise is sort of interesting, but the mystery of what happened didn't really even play that big a part here. Halfway through the book I decided I was going to drop it, but now I'm on the fence. I'll read issue #2 to see where this goes.

I get what King is going for here, with each page of Catwoman and the Joker lying in a pile of rubble, bleeding out, talking to each other treated as a separate segment--but what it lacks is the power of a real conversation, and one could argue that the Joker could never present a coherent argument, but it still seems sorta...gimmicky. And lacking real substance, and reading between the lines, there's nothing too deep here. There are some clever references to Batman past, but I wanted to like this more than I did. I must say, Mikel Janin made an issue with two characters lying in ruins conversing look really great. So, yep.

Good issue of “Black Hammer: Age of Doom” in which we see some of the subplots that have been ambling along pick up momentum. Dean Ormston’s art is great here, with one really cool visual nod, and a creepily exciting final page.

I liked this issue. Tense and interesting throughout. I thought this Solo dude made an interesting nemesis. He's kind of a cliche, but it's well played. JRJR's pencils were strong. Nothing too deep going on here, but a fun read.

"Descender" is approaching its end, and this issue is a powerful lead-up to that moment. The action was fast paced and interesting throughout the issue, and the Dustin Nguyen art was beautifully done as always, but the reunion between Tim-21 and Andy was so well done, it was a great payoff for people like me who've been with this all the way. Again, Nyuyen renders this two-page reunion masterfully. Great stuff.

I've read "East of West" since issue #1, and it's continuing quality is still remarkable. That said, there have been 37 issues over that last five years, so sometimes certain elements of the plot escape me from issue to issue. But this one was a slow burner, a suspenseful prelude to a whole lot of bloodshed. Anyone who reads this series regularly knows that certain issues are going to emphasize mood, or the emotion and feel of a pivotal moment over a lot of action. And that makes certain action issues (issue 22 is an almost wordless action-dominated story that is one of the best examples of sequential art out there) all the more special. The most underrated guy in the industry has to be Nick Dragotta, who delivers amazing, amazing art time in and out. Great stuff.

Wow! This is a really fantastic book! I'm late to the game reading this, having had issues 2-present in a pile waiting till I got no.1. So now I can't stop reading this title...it's amazing how Chip Zdarsky has 2 of Marvel's top books right now to his credit (this and "Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man"), and what strikes me about both is how natural a rapport Zdarsky has with the characters...all of the voices really ring true...this truly captures the vibe of "Legacy" with an amazing story crossing realities to solve a mystery that has hung over the Marvel universe for a couple of years. Also, Valerio Schiti's art is crazy good here--I've liked his work a lot in the past, but this issue is some next level stuff. Great, great book!

This is a simple, sweet, and heartfelt goodbye to “The Amazing Spider-Man” for Dan Slott after a decade writing the book. It’s a look into who Spidey is and how he touches so many of the lives of those he helps. Dan Slott powerfully gets to the core of what heroism is. The art here is by Marcos Martin, who brings his a-game and delivers some of his best work yet. This dude was made to draw Spider-Man, a classic Ditko-esque style that is still modern and all his own. Gorgeous stuff here.

The last issue left me unmoved, as It seemingly offered little that seemed new or different. But writer Mark Waid steps it up here with a much more interesting an issue, one defined by character interaction over heavy 3rd-person narration (still there, not as all-present as last issue though). I liked Talla (I think that’s it) as a companion for Stephen on his journey through space. This fun well-paced issue has definitely got me coming back for more after I was really uncertain about issue #1.

I kind of found this bloodletting issue to be a bore, and for the first time since the debut issue, I felt the art did not really fit what was going on--or else the tone just did not work for me. What has me excited is Jeff Lemire (cool!) and Eduardo Risso (holy fuck!) taking over next issue...this I am down with...

We’ve been without new adventures from The Fantastic Four since the end of “Secret Wars,” but we do get something close here. Zdarsky does a great job writing Ben Grimm, who is the star and focal point of the issue. His rapport with the other characters is really well done, and Zdarsky’s got Ben’s voice down. The pencils are by the extraordinary Jim Cheung, so this is incredible to look at. Beautiful, sentimental, well-paced issue. I’m gonna be reading the rest in a binge...

"Marvel Two-in-One" #2 is a great issue, face paced and fun and really funny--Chip Zdarsky has got the voices and rapport of Johnny and Ben down, and though his Doom is far more abrasive than Bendis' version, it fits well with these characters and their history. I love the sense of history this has, referencing issues from the 80s and 60s. The sentiment here is just right--it feels good seeing these guys go on their adventure together. And we won't get Jim Cheung art again for a few issues, but, omigod, this is just stunning! This is a pretty, um, fantastic comic!

Awesome, fun issue as Johnny and Ben continue to look into the source of their depleting powers, and, maybe, just maybe, a hint of what happened to Reed, Sue, and the kids? The art switches from Jim Cheung to Valerio Schiti in this issue, and, I'm sorry Valerio, it's not your fault, but damn, Cheung's pencils were incredible. Still a super fun issue, and I'm going to read the next one right now!

For the first time in this whole time-travelling arc, I kind of felt it was getting old, so, appropriately, it ends here, and it ends in a cool way. I was pretty tentative through the first half of the issue (and I believe I rated every other issue of this storyline 8.5-10.0), but I think it rounded out nicely. The Spidey from the upcoming PS4 game looks sorta stupid, not for the white spider, but for the clunky wrist and anklets. But the concluding page was super cool. As a whole, this arc doesn't really go out with a bang, but certainly not with a whimper either.

I liked this issue of "Man of Steel," a powerful, action-packed, fast-paced issue that also packs an emotional punch as key parts of Superman's history and heritage are destroyed. This Rogol Zaar dude is kind of plagued by 1990s design, but Bendis certainly does a nice job of establishing him as a threat, if not a unique, distinct character. And Ryan Sook's art was really cool. I don't know how much of him I've seen before, but I'll keep an eye out for him now.

This issue is a tense, slow burn as we see Rex reveal a bit of the history of the symbiotes and the monster that feeds upon them. This book has done a really nice job so far settling into a dark horror vibe, and the art by Ryan Stegman does a great job in helping establish this tone. The writing is top notch, as this is a really thrilling read despite the amount of exposition in it. Really liking Venom's new/old direction!

Judging from the comments that have preceded this one, hordes of Batman fans are absolutely up at arms about the direction Tom King has taken this book. However, I found this one pretty cool. I liked King's Joker, who talks up a fury in this issue, and is disjointed in just the right way. The opening pages are scary and stunning. I personally kind of enjoy an issue like this probing into the psyche of a character over some random action. It was interesting, and, with Janin on art, stunning to look at. I liked it a lot!

I really loved this issue, as the girls try to get a grip on where and when they have been transported. These first issues of a new arc strike some as too slow, but I actually really enjoy the way this team segued to this new locale. I found the art with classic Cleveland buildings dwarfed by futuristic marvels really cool. And I liked the banter between the characters. The ending of the story pulls something interesting in what I'm sure will be a major conflict in the group: can Mac save herself, and will it happen at the expense of the other characters ever returning home? Vaughan and Chiang kill it every single month, and to me, this is a great intro to the new story arc.

“Deathbed” continues to be fun and entertaining, with really interesting visuals and a charmingly arrogant protagonist. Great read!

This series remains pretty fun and interesting, despite some heaviness in the character of Doctor Star and his family's sense of his betrayal. I liked the part where The Green Lan--sorry, Star Sheriff Squadron shows up and it is revealed how Star has shaped their entire society. I think this is only 4 issues (?) but I look forward to seeing how Lemire wraps this up.

This issue is surprisingly dull. "Monstress" usually maintains a strong sense of tension and suspense, but this instalment doesn't really offer much intrigue. It's pretty looking, but also pretty dull.

Chip Zdarsky continues his excellent run on this series as Spidey, Teresa, and Jonah are again hurtled through time, now to see the consequences of their last interaction with this universe's Peter Parker. This issue is fun and exciting, and Zdarsky is doing a nice job with Jonah's characterization, as he realizes Spider-Man is an entirely different thing than the imaginary villain he has been waging war against for years. The Kubert art isn't as sharp and refreshing as Joe Quinones' on the last arc, but his style seems to be getting a bit rougher and maybe a bit more interesting. Great book!

Kind of a flat issue of “Sex Criminals” for me. This focuses on the supporting cast quite a bit, characters far less interesting than our 2 leads. Not bad, but not up to usual standards either.

Hey, what's going on with Lois Lane?! I don't really care, which made this issue less than thrilling for me. It is still generally well-written, because it is Bendis, but nothing much of any consequence happens here (because it is Bendis). We see more of the staff of The Daily Planet (Holy shit! Newspapers are in trouble!), but I don't really care about Jimmy or Perry, or the Planet, or whatever. I realize that makes a pretty poor review, and that I'm a Marvel guy, but at many points since "Rebirth" I really enjoyed Superman stories with Jon and Lois; so this is okay, but nothing about it is captivating me and making me care like some of those comic did.

Strangely enough, I continue to enjoy this prelude to an event miniseries--fun, exciting, interesting writing and art, Guardians of the Galaxy fix, cool new ideas in every issue. I like it a lot!

This, the second last, is a stunning issue of "Kill or be Killed." Sean Phillips creates the perfect backdrop for these scenes with his brilliant depiction of the winter streets and the claustrophobia of the mental wards. The philosophy is clearly established in the first few pages of narration by Brubaker, and his story almost allows Dylan a moment of nihilistic victory, before a conclusion that reveals we have almost come to an end with all of this. This comic was just so intense and so suspenseful, I was captivated throughout. Awesome stuff.

I really liked this arc of "The Walking Dead," and this issue in particular. I have found the strategic exploration on behalf of Rick's people and the Commonwealth interesting, and this issue does a great job in cementing the conflict that will guide this book in the future. I love the clash of ideas--Rick's New World Order vs. The Commonwealth's Old World Laws. And to see Michonne falling on one side of this equation and Rick on the other is an interesting move. I still find the Rick-centred issues the best, and this is another great exploration of the character and his beliefs. And the cover is fantastic!

I have been enjoying this arc, but this issue fell a little flat for me. I did really enjoy seeing Alan Davis' pencils for 5 or so pages, a really great scene which reminded me of Neal Adams' art. I'm also digging Romero here, but I think I'm almost ready for the Cap relaunch. I don't object to this Cap-free arc, but this one felt a bit like filler.

My only Judge Dredd memories are reading some Simon Bisley issues---never really left an impression, except maybe being kinda weird. But, seeing Mark Russell doing this intrigued me, and I checked it out. It's okay. I'm not quite sure what to make of it yet. I'm hoping that Russell will flesh things out more in the upcoming issues. The art was solid, pretty nice. This didn't blow my mind, but I'm interested enough to put it on my pull list.

I've never read an extended Justice League run because somehow the book has never captured or captivated me enough to keep me coming back. However with this relaunch I thought I'd try it again, but, looking at the Justice League assembled in the psychic boardroom did not get me. I just was kind of bored here, and the heavy-handed narration is just a further reminder that Scott Snyder's style has evolved into something I don't really like reading. The Jim Cheung art is rougher than usual, but still pretty awesome. But he's gone next issue, and so am I. I don't care enough about anything going on here to read issue #2.

I haven't read "Moon Knight" since Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood left a year or two ago, but I picked this up, and...it was totally bizarre and I loved it. The opening scene with The Collective left me curious as to how this could be a threat, expecting them to be a comedic foil in the issue, but they truly morph into something terrifying--the page of the Collective swallowing Moon Knight is awesome--which leads me to the art, by Paul Davidson, which is a weird kind of Rob Guillory/Todd MacFarlane hybrid. It took a few pages to get use to, but by the end I loved it. And I don't remember if I've read Max Bemis comics before, but I dug this, so I'll definitely add this to my pull list!

I liked the first issue of "Barrier" but have continued to be befuddled by it with each issue, largely due to the Spanish captions; for some of this I hit "GoogleTranslate," other times I muddled through--this issue, though, was more comprehensible in that it fills in the background tragedies that each of our main characters is dealing with. It ends in a surprising way which, when you think about it, is not surprising at all in that we have had the fate and lives of our characters obstructed throughout the series, so this fate is kind of in tune. If kind of disappointing, to sort of overemphasize his themes of the barriers of language. Marcos Martin's art was the best since the first issue--a certain 2 key scenes were expertly portrayed in best tragic form. A kind of okay end to a series I really thought and hoped would be a bit better.

This issue is a stand-off between angry gun Bruce Wayne trying to prevent the death of his parents, but really descends into an endless skit with Booster Gold being...uh...funny?...well something like that. And we get a bit of the suicide riff King keeps revisiting here to make it more tedious. This sounds like I'm a King-basher--quite the opposite, I've enjoyed his Batman run, in general, more than Snyder's. It's just that Tony Daniels can't stand with some of the other artists we've been getting on this title anymore, and Booster's presence makes this King's weakest arc. But I'm excited for the wedding, regardless of this kind of lame-duck story.

This is a really great looking book. Jesus Saiz' work on "Steve Rogers Captain America" was pretty great, and this painted style is really cool. The first few pages are exciting, as Stephen does some cool magic, and then....ehhh. It seems as if Mark Waid (or the editors) failed to read Jason Aaron's run, because he's lost the magic once again. Add in a heavy handed narration from Waid chronicling the magic-free life of Strange, and this issue really loses its way. Perhaps its greatest offence is how boring it is. Maybe Mark Waid is stretching himself thin writing, I don't know, 5-6 books, but this is really uninspiring.

"Saga" is great this month, a fun issue full of great character moments (but what issue of "Saga" does not?) with great art and again, a killer Brian K. Vaughan end to a single issue. Great stuff.

There are elements to "Man of Steel" that I really liked. What first caught my attention was the way Bendis created a credible and understandable conflict in just the opening couple of pages, and then I next was really thrilled by the page where Superman catches a stray song in his and tries to focus on it, only before it is drowned out by the screams for help in Metropolis. It shows his fantastic powers and humanizes him at the same time. Perhaps this is just a small sample of the kind of writing Bendis can bring to the character.nIvan Ries' art was great. I'm pleasantly surprised here. I felt that Bendis generally went down with a thud at Marvel, but I'm excited to read more!

Wow. This comic is fucking awesome. I loved Al Ewing on "The Ultimates" 1 and 2, and he really brings it here. I loved this issue. The opening scene is one of the most tense and tragic I have witnessed lately--absolutely suspenseful. And this Hulk doesn't seem like any Hulk I've read before, in a good way. He's immensely scary in this. And he is intelligent and vengeful. I think its a smart stroke from Marvel to rebirth the character in this new/old way, and making a genuine horror comic. And with a being as powerful as the Hulk, it's amazing that the story of a convenience store robbery gone wrong is a powerful and captivating challenge. I'm also really excited about Joe Bennett's pencils, while seeming a bit kind of old school, were really powerful and cool. Great facial acting--the Hulk looks scary as fuck! I am so on board for this...buy it!

This issue is a lot of fun, with lots of interesting vampire folklore. Veronica is charming and vulnerable in a really humanizing way for a newly born vampire. Dalton, also, was explored in a fun way. It's not an issue in which the plot takes giant leaps further, but, given the recent events for Veronica, we needed an issue to explore exactly what she now is. On top, the artwork of Greg Smallwood is beyond comparison. It's just amazing. He did art, inks, colours, and its just great. I love his facial acting, if you know what I mean, the way his characters emote. And the cover is dead stunning. If you aren't reading this, what's your problem?

Yeah, sorry, I don't know what the fuck is going on here. Sorry Brian K. Vaughan, I need to understand the dialogue in my comics. I get that by making the audience illiterate in a certain language it puts us in the place of the characters. And I guess there is a theme emerging of understanding humanity beyond simple language barriers? If so, that's too simple, and this is too frustrating to read. And, to really get to the nitty gritty, Marcos Martin's work on "Private Eye" was better than this. So, yup, it was okay, but ultimately disappointing.

I am enjoying this story, even if it will be lost in the annals of comic time as the brief interim before the death of a series and its rebirth. But this is suspenseful and a lot of fun. I am really liking the art, as Romero has a Samnee-esque style I really like, and getting to see Chayken draw Marvel again was really cool. I'm digging on this.

This was a lot of fun! All of the stories clicked for me except the kid-Thanos cute thing, which I had to quit reading and skip, because I was not feeling it. The other stories are all quiet little tales of Thanos' destruction of entire worlds and individual lives, bound together by narration from Cosmic Ghost Rider. Marvel has long served up lame, inconsequential, and bland annuals--this, while not earth-shaking, was a great read, and not some superfluous junk they just needed to publish. Highly recommended!

"Monstress" #15 has a real sinister feel to it, as we grow to learn more about the duplicitous motives of Master Ren, as he is tasked to deliver our beloved Kippa to his masters. This series continues to be gorgeous, suspenseful, and fun.

Though nothing really happens in this issue, I liked it. Lemire has given us characters that I find interesting and care about, so an issue that is mainly spent on these characters just talking to each other and being themselves is interesting. Lucy's journey is still pretty mysterious, but I love the addition of Jack Sabbath, and even though the plot doesn't really propel forward here, when I put down the book I knew I had a fun time reading it. So, is Lemire stalling on the plot a bit? Yeah. But this is a lot of fun. Oh, also, Dean Ormston is awesome. Great looking book!

This was an interesting book. At first I was captivated by the style choice here of showing the same scene repeated throughout history, with slightly varying, but mostly the same outcome. But it went on a bit too long for me. Then, the issue changes style and direction, and we find out some pretty devastating stuff. This is a weird one, but I feel like this is a move forward the book needed, and I like it.

I really enjoyed issue #1 of the new "Black Panther" by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Daniel Acuna. This comic is really suspenseful and action packed, creating some very interesting questions to create a really great hook for a first issue. The mood and tone of the book are super cool, as I found I was really drawn into this new galactic world while I read this issue. Acuna's action scenes have a great sense of movement, flow and momentum, really great sequential storytelling in these scenes. I tried to like the last "Black Panther" series, but I eventually just found it too...thick, if you know what I mean? Too stuffed with ideas to really work as a narrative. But this issue is a fantastic new chance to get into T'Challa...highly recommended!

This is an exciting, action-packed, violent issue, and is a really good read; I still tend to like the slower, more character-based issues more, but I know this series will continue to deliver top line action along with some of the most interesting, funny characterization because of the creative team--Remender and Craig never seem to go wrong.

This issue serves as the conclusion to not only the whole, slow-building Norman Osborn/Red Goblin saga, but Dan Slott's whole "Amazing" run. This was an entertaining issue, if not quite meeting the high expectations established in the build-up to this finale. I must say I expected more Immonen art here, and while his pages look great, there aren't quite enough. The dialogue here is well-done, with a lot of funny/groan-worthy lines, and the pace is not bad for an 80 page issue--it's exciting enough that it rarely feels like there are too many pages here. I also like the way the Spidey/Jonah relationship is going. While all of this is good, I felt the Red Goblin didn't quite live up to his billing here; issues 797 & 798 established such a creepy threat, it doesn't exactly evoke the same menace here. And the stupid-looking eyes on Spidey/Venom drove me nuts. But overall, a good end to what has been a really great Slott/Immonen run.

"Descender" #29 is a fast-paced, action-packed issue. It also propels the final story of this series along, showing the kind of momentum the series has lacked in the past. We do get a strong sense of character here, in these moments of action, perhaps attributable to the previous arcs which featured character development over story. Whatever inconsistencies, this has been a really good series and I am excited to see how this wraps up in the upcoming months.

I was shocked and disappointed when I first heard Bendis was leaving Marvel (my faith even surviving "Civil War II), but after his farewell tour, I'm kind of like...thank fuck. This issue is woeful. It's like Bendis just sweeps all his post Civil War II Iron Man work away in an issue that substitutes solid storytelling with an absolute fuckload of exposition via dialogue. Riri and Victor have been the subject of some great comics in the last year or so, but she is nowhere to be found and Victor has the entire post-Secret War slate supposedly reversed. And, and Rhodey is alive again, because exactly no one was clamouring for his return, but, back to square one. I think I'm so turned off by this horseshit that I am considering skipping out on Slott's Iron Man relaunch. If you enjoy comics that are good and make sense, please do not read this.

This was a good issue. Lots of action and tension, and a clever plot point referring to last issue to save Kick-Ass's...well. But I found JRJR's characters look a lot a like, confusing me a bit in the midst of the action.

This was an awesome end to Donny Cates run on "Doctor Strange," a fun and funny issue that wraps up the things that have been going on in this book since the beginning of Jason Aaron's run and the introduction of Selma. This issue is very entertaining, with Spider-Man adding a lot of laughs. The two-page comic strip of Spidey talking to an actual spider (and skipping stone) drawn by Chip Zdarsky is great Frazier Irving does the pencils on the rest of this issue, so of course it looks great. I wish Cates would have stayed on this character longer, but it was fun while it lasted.

"Avengers" #2 was a pretty solid issue. The Avengers are scattered across the globe battling celestial villains, which I'm sure will ultimately lead to a giant team formation issue. I liked the Robbie Reyes bits; I haven't really read much of the character since the first six or so issues of his original series a couple of years ago. I'm not sold on She-Hulk; I don't think it's ever been explained why Jen hulks out in the more traditional sense now, becoming dumb and brutish. We know she has PTSD, but I think this change warrants more of an explanation than that. And Loki's back, in a more traditionally evil garb. Good book. But I miss "No Surrender."

“Gideon Falls” is still on a slow burn as of issue #3, but it’s deeply rich in terms of creating a mood and tone of dark fear. There is also interesting characterization here, a given for Lemire. The showstopper is still the gorgeous, complex design and layout by Sorrentino. This book looks incredible. I reread the first two issues before this one, and together they make a brooding, suspenseful read, leaving me excited for the further development of this story.

"Black Science" #35 begins the final arc of this epic saga, and it starts with an issue focused on character and emotion...what we have here essentially boils down to a therapy session as Grant must face his failures, and Sarah must face her reliance on men like Grant in her life. It's pretty powerful stuff, but it is also a great and suspenseful read. It's easy to forget how amazing a series like this is when it is pretty much awesome every issue...but wow, look at Scalera's art, feel the depth (and shallowness!) of the characters...this book is a great one.

This issue did a solid job of establishing the world of "Flavor"... I felt at one point it was growing a bit tedious in its exposition, but then the cool ending happened, in which a shocking act of violence is counter spliced with a cooking montage. Because of this last scene, I'll read issue #2. But my main complaint is, where was the cooking? The editorial brags of having a "food scientist" as a consultant, but any cooking scenes are indistinct, just one off shots with no ingredients shown...Listen, this may seem geeky, but "Starved," from 2 or so years ago (?) presented a distinct world and making the food, as well as the characters, the star. I'm hoping this series (though a million miles away from "Starved" in terms of look and tone) can do the same.

Wolverine is back! And there are clues! I probably wouldn't have gotten this if not for the David Marquez art, and, sure enough, his pages look great. The story of Logan's body going missing is mildly interesting. The back up tale, kind of skippable. But, hey, Guardian shows up! Is it me, or wasn't he killed in Alpha Flight #12 in 1984? Anyway, this is followed by four mini-series surrounding the mystery of Logan's location, none of which I will be reading. So...yeah.

I'm kind of surprised by how much I like the new "Kick-Ass," but Patience is a likeable character, and this brings the mix of humanity and brutal, crushing violence that the original series did so well. This is a fast, exciting read that leaves me wanting more. And what more do you want from a comic than that?

This issue is weird, but I also really liked it. I found the artwork of Adam Hughes, even if it only was 4 pages, to be gorgeous, and I also really liked Leonardo Romero's kind of Chris Samnee/Darwyn Cooke style. The part where Jack gets caught in the office and has to escape is so well drawn--it's just excellent. This may be kind of an Elseworlds thing, but that doesn't matter to me. It seems like an interesting way to wrap up this series before the new one relaunches soon.

I'm glad the creators left room for what is essentially an epilogue issue, dealing with the ramifications of the epic event that just went down. I really liked this issue. What struck me first is how great the Pepe Larraz artwork was. I remember being sort of ambivalent about his work before, but it seems like his style has developed into something great. I also loved the tone of this, of course, jubilant and victorious and, especially, hopeful. I also am grateful this series restored Bruce Banner, though in a new kind of iteration. All told, I got on board this thing halfway through, but I will definitely fill out the story for myself by getting those original issues I missed, or, more likely, shelling out a lot of bucks for a nice hardcover with this whole story.

This issue is pretty ridiculous, but I had fun with it anyway. The ending surprised me and actually made me laugh because it was so unexpected; the Catwoman in this universe is apparently, if not mute, unable (or unwilling) to utter anything besides "Meow." The mystery of the Batman that showed up interests me, as did the world of adult Bruce alive in a world where his parents never died. It's tragic/hilarious that Booster Gold's plan goes where it does. So, I know it's silly and definitely not perfect, but I really liked it and I am wondering where it will go next.

This is a set up issue, but it is a good one. We join Duncan Dragon as he recruits the hard-living Larry to find Gert. Looks great, fun read.

I wasn't looking forward to this, still wary of Marvel events, or in this case, a pre-event series, but it was really fun! Loved Aaron Kuder's artwork. His style seems to have developed into a really clear, not minimalistic, but Samnee-esque approach to detail. And it was fast paced and really readable. I forgot I missed the Guardians! My faith in this series is restored!

"Deathbed" #3 is a well-paced, funny tale in the life of Antonio Luna...the scene where the nature of his cult followers is revealed is well done, and the character remains likeable in his arrogant self-centredness...I haven't really been a fan of Rosmo's art before, but this perfectly fits, and helps create, the mood and tone of the book. Good stuff.

"Southern Bastards" #20 is a pretty riveting issue, and is pretty hard core with violent action. However, the story's resolution felt a bit off to me--it didn't really seem to work with Roberta's story arc so far. Her decision seems to serve the progression of the overall story, and doesn't really give her rage justice. Of course more awesome "Southern Bastards" issues lay ahead, but the close of this arc for me is really good rather than great, and great is kind of where they've set the bar.

I've never been a big Venom guy (well, except when I was a teenager), but I am a big Donny Cates guy, so I had to try this. It was pretty cool. I liked the way Cates portrays the relationship between the symbiotic and Eddie, and he did a really good job with the dialogue and the constant struggle between them. Having it described as Eddie having a screaming angry voice in his head is really effective, and the scene where Eddie shuts the symbiote down as it utters death threats against him is creepy. I also enjoyed Stegman's art here--he seems a really great fit for this book. Excited for issue #2!

I don't know quite what is happening here as this series moves towards its climax, but I have enough of a clue to still find the issue enjoyable. It was cool to see the scene from the very beginning replayed here. This is one of those books that is seeming like it would be better in trade, as the erratic schedule is hurting my enjoyment of it a bit.

The story with the Joker awaiting his invitation to Batman and Catwoman's wedding is beyond awesome--it is a tightrope throughout, but I also felt the nervous tension made it more funny as well, in a weird way--Tom King does a great job of capturing the Joker's disconnectedness from reality. It's a bit different than most of the takes I've seen on the Joker lately, which was interesting. The Clay Mann art here was also incredible. Tom King continues to show himself to be a master of short tales--he has done a number of great one-shots in "Batman," and this and other shorter stories like "Good Boy" show he can tell a great story in even a limited number of pages. So, I loved this story. There were also two other stories that were noisy with dialogue, and busy in design, and boring in character. I kind of was reduced to skipping by the end of the last two stories because they were dull and I didn't care. I've come to realize that I have grown to really dislike Scott Snyder's bombastic post-Batman stuff. "Heavy Metal" was an incomprehensible mess, and it seems like most of Snyder's writing in the last couple years leans in that direction. This used to be a guy who could tell stories with subtlety. His new stuff, it's not for me. But 25 cents for a wicked Tom King/Clay Mann Joker short? Fuck yeah!

"Harrow County" #26 is a riveting, captivating issue. As we build towards a climax to this series, the stakes seem--and are--huge. Hester displays a power that reveals why she was so feared, and the scene in which Emmy tries to clean the blood off herself in the water is reminiscent of "Macbeth." I can't wait till they meet to give this series its epic conclusion. This has been a great horror series, and it's a testament to the creators that, even as it approaches its end, its as good as it has been throughout the whole run.

"Come Into Me" raises some interesting ideas about identity and body and privacy, but the real thing that makes it stand out is that it is fucking creepy. This is some really unsettling shit.

"Ice Cream Man" #4 stands as a great example of a horror comic as it was kind and touching in some areas, but absolutely dark and depressing in others. The scene in hell when Chris watched his father, over nine panels, leave over and over again, is pretty devastating. And it managed to be funny too. Really fun/dark issue of a series that I'll be definitely picking up the next issue of in July.

The final Bendis issue of "Spider-Man" serves as an analog of Bendis' illness this past year, which unexpectedly almost took his life. It's sentimental, but not overly so, and serves as a nice outdo to his Miles run. Thankfully the Sinister Six plot plays a minor role in this, and we see the people in Miles life rally around him. I really liked the ending with Ganke, Curiously, Miles himself seems to be stepping away from the role of Spider-Man, as Bendis himself is walking away from the character. I feel like I got on the Miles bandwagon too late, and missed most of the really great stories Bendis did with him, but I certainly appreciate the character and am curious to see where Marvel takes him next.

Uhhh, I don't know what's going on here exactly, but I know I hate Booster Gold...I haven't read this guy since I was a kid, but I am unimpressed...no more alternate realities please...the ending was sort of a thing, I guess? Alright. When is this Booster Gold thing done again?

Umm...Part 7 in this endlessly boring tale of "where is Tony Stark?" I'm waiting for the 2020 sequel, "Tony Stark is Missing Again: Dare You Give a Fuck?" I don't really care about this at all. It's kind of crummy to see the two Bendis' titles on Victor and Riri succumb to this...boringness? I'm even thinking of opting out of the new Dan Slott Iron Man title, because...enough of this guy. Which is a weird way to think when he actually hasn't been here for a year. Except, oh yeah, his a.i. self was here, so it was like he was never gone...And then Leonardo! Fuck off, Bendis. Yeah, I didn't like it.

Another great issue of "Kill or Be Killed." This one is measured in pace for sure, but definitely amps up the storyline in that our Detective sharp has singled her focus on Dylan as the true culprit. I liked the character, but perhaps Sean Phillips goes overboard on her arching her eyebrows in a curious Spockian way? Other than this, the issue looked spectacular, and the case of the imitation killer is really interesting to me as well. I really liked it.

I was sorting through my latest shipment of comics, and when I saw this, I was, "Ooh, Ron Garney!" And, indeed, Garney is the highlight of this book with his rough and raw pencils. I have enjoyed his work in "Daredevil" over the last couple of years, but quit that book, so it's nice to see his return here. With his work on "Daredevil" and "Men of Wrath" with Jason Aaron a few years ago, this guy is seriously underrated. The artist-of-the-month thing has brought us good and bad, but here it brings us awesome. The story was fun and exciting too. I have enjoyed this series a lot more than I thought I would!

This was pretty good. Strangely enough, for all the excitement over Marvel's Fresh Start, this is kind of less entertaining than the 16-week mega-event that proceeded it. Still, it was entertaining enough, and Ed McGuinness' art was way more solid--not just solid, but cool--than I expected. The cover is a bit iffy so I didn't know what to expect. This was certainly sweeping in scope, and I'm pretty cool with the new line-up, except that She-Hulk's action-less, excitement-less solo title wearied me on PTSD Jen. Good idea, frustrating execution on that series. But, overall, this comic book was enjoyable.

"Black Hammer: Age of Doom" #1 is a good, entertaining read. It's nice to see Dean Ormstrom back on art, and it's nice to visit these characters again, but aside from the character work, not a lot goes on here. It's a bit slow. I did, however, find Lucy's placement in another mysterious environment which appears like an unescapable loop pretty cool. I feel a bit of momentum was lost in the interim between this and the last issue of "Black Hammer," along with the interceding spin-offs, but I am still definitely intrigued to see where the main title in this universe goes.

The "Amazing Fantasy" arc ends with another great issue from Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones. I can't overstate how much I love Quinones' work on this book--his style is clear and cartoony and just an awesome fit. This continues to be a lot of fun, while amping up the tension. The nods to Spidey moments in the past were also a special treat for fans. The ending leaves me wanting to return to this past iteration of Peter/Spidey in the future. Really great stuff!

"Redneck" #8 is an action packed issue, a tense and fast-paced spree of violence in the culminating moments of the second arc. The art is great here, even if I continued to have the problem of differentiating between all the characters. That makes something like the key death that happens here a bit less impactful to me. That could be on me as a reader or it could be on the storytellers. Maybe both. Anyway, my slight confusion didn't keep me from enjoying the issue overall. Maybe "Redneck" is one of those books that reads better in trade, but I'm enjoying the singles enough to keep picking this up when it returns from its hiatus in a few months.

Another really good issue of "Saga." This series is on a roll, with each issue containing great characterization, and the relationships between the characters is the thing that drives this issue, and the whole series really. "Saga" is a great book.

I enjoyed this issue of “Hit-Girl” with its over the top violence and cartoony art. The plot with the Padre and the Colombian gangs is interesting enough and the issue was paced well. Loved the art—the page where Mindy and the assassin guy are riding the back of the train is great—Roderigo Lopez Ortiz brings an incredible sense of movement to his panels here. One would think Mindy and Big Daddy’s code would prevent her being friends with this dude, kind of odd, but this has also gotta end with a showdown between the two...Anyway, I liked it!

Kind of a quiet, regrouping issue of "Monstress," this nonetheless had some strong points--the art is awesome, as always, and the fox camp was interesting. We didn't see enough of this, but the preview for #15s cover suggests it will get closer treatment. Not as dynamic as always, but still a really good series.

After last issue kicked this conflict into overdrive, Slott pulls back here in an issue that focuses more on Pete's Amazing Friends than Spidey himself. It's pretty good, though after all the spider-events over the last few years, none of the Spider-family really excite me. But the Immonen art is beautiful, and next issue looks like it'll be crazy. So, yeah.

"No Surrender" continues to be a fun event, and this issue is a particularly good one. It's fast paced, which is paradoxically not always true on a book that features a guy running around the world really fast. But there are other cool moments, like when the Hulk arrives. I'm not quite yet sure what to make of this iteration, but he's back, and he's Banner, but he's still different so...cool. And, I've ragged on Mark Brooks covers in the past, but I really dug this one. "The Avengers" continues its roll.

The penultimate issue of "No Surrender" is a likely climax to the the story, big and sweeping, and full of feel-good Avenger moments. I have to say that Pepe Larraz's art looks better now than it did when I first stepped on board this arc, and I think this serves as a note for Avengers writers as to the right tone and mood for the book. I think a lot of the good here comes from the really fun villains, and the cosmic-ness of the story. I never would have thought I'd say this, but the new Jason Aaron "Avengers" book has some big boots to fill.

I really enjoyed this issue, which follows Catwoman's search for the perfect wedding dress in a night on the town while Bruce sleeps, juxtaposed with scenes playfully exploring their changing relationship over the years. It's a fun issue, but the showstopper is the art; Joelle Jones beautifully handles the scenes with Catwoman's night, while Mikel Janin does these cool retro scenes that look absolutely great. Sorry, I'm shipping Batman/Catwoman.

I really enjoyed this issue of "Kick-Ass"-- it's well-paced, violent, funny, and has heart, just like the original "Kick-Ass." Romita Jr.'s art was good, and I like Patience as a character so far. Fun book.

I don't really know what's going on here, and that may be on me, but this comic does little to fill us in as to what has been occurring. Could a simple lack of a recap ruin this book for me? It's certainly not helping. I pieced it together enough to get a grasp of things...Lou's "Cool Hand Luke" thing was okay, and we got to see a single shoe fly in the air with the sound effect pow, just like Charlie Brown in "Peanuts"! So, yeah!

Issue #2 of "Doctor Star and the Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows" is a good read, though it is steeped in tragedy. Star is confronting the cost of his life of space adventuring, his loved ones left behind, thinking he had gone forever. Lemire lays the "Cats in the Cradle" stuff on a bit thick early, and the art seemed a bit...off, occasionally...but this is still plenty worth reading.

"Deadly Class" #33 is a pretty awesome comic, and a pretty awesome second chapter of an arc. The issue opens with Saya and her brother in a hard-core brutal scene...this book is not for the faint of heart! Then, Marcus and Victor engage in a fight that is awesomely portrayed by Wes Craig, who never fails to make this book look amazing--the sequencing of the fight is excellent. Finally, we kind of get the origin story of Z, which is shocking in typical "Deadly Class" style. Love this book.

I missed issue #50 of "Astro City," but knowing it was shutting down soon, gave issue #51 a read; it does, after all, have a creepy old-school monster cover. This issue is just great. I should have known with a writer as skilled as Busiek I wouldn't miss a beat despite missing an issue, and this is certainly so. This is the story of the unknown victims of super-heroic exploits, the friends, relatives, lovers of the killed, missing, and disappeared. Having the story narrated by one of these victims is well done, as is the reveal of what happened on that fateful night. The host of a support group, Michael, is left with ghosts and the shadows of memories from a universe realignment that took the life of his love. This is certainly powerful stuff, a different way of looking at heroes and villains, as "Astro City" so adeptly gives us.

This book is notable mainly because of the artist. Not much happens to move the plot, as this issue is mainly a giant psychic battle between the X-Men and Proteus, but it is a dynamically portrayed psychic battle. Aco, who stood out for his awesome and stylistically innovative work on “Nick Fury,” really makes his pages come alive. This comic’s revolving door artist policy has brought us a few duds, but issues like this make it worth it.

This issue of "The Avengers" slows the pace to allow the players in this story to regroup, and for the writers to explore themes of redemption and...well, forgiveness? There's a nice talk with Jarvis and Bruce Banner in which Jarvis challenges Bruce's ideas on himself, and we gather for the final push. 3 issues left!

"The Search for Tony Stark" is a dud. At this point, I don't really give a fuck where Tony is, I know he'll be back for his relaunched title in a couple months. So we get to watch Victor being bested by a host of clownish b-villains, and Riri make friends, and it looks nice, but man, Bendis' Iron Man story is flaming out. Wasted potential from what was a really intriguing storyline a few months ago.

Important revelations come with this issue of “Redneck,” a story of family, trust, and betrayal. Things will never be the same for Perry, even as she continues to grow more and more powerful.

This is my favourite episode of "Sex Criminals" in a while. It's a quiet issue, exploring depression and alienation and its relationship to sex. It's like some of the key characters here are suffering from a sexual ennui--unhappily going through the motions, in some cases, an attempt at happiness that seems empty in the midst of the characters' individual suffering. I really like the subtle nature of this issue, the facial acting employed by Chip Zdarsky...this is a really good issue.

This was a pretty enjoyable issue of "The Terrifics." I don't really care for these DC d-listers, except maybe Mr. Terrific and Phantom Girl--Metamorpho and Plastic Man are too Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm for their own good. That said, the scene where Phantom Girl describes her origin is a wonderful look at old comics, and I'm interested enough at the end to read issue #3. And the art is brilliant. So...yeah.

"Deathbed" is crazy, whirlwind fun...it's a book that is not quite like any other with a protagonist that is not quite like any other.

"I Hate Fairyland" is always fun, and this month we get a Duncan Dragon-centred issue. It's all good here--but Skottie has created what looks like the most fearsome foe yet in the series. I'm interested to see Gert and this new baddie interact.

Wow! For a while I thought this series was meandering, but this last arc has really won me over--it's a perfect meeting between teenage Peter Parker and current Peter Parker. The way that Zdarsky is handling the story here is fantastic--full of suspense, moving the story forward, creating shocking and powerful moments. The final few pages of this issue, the last confrontation, held me breathless. And Joe Quinones art is just perfect for all this--he's such a great fit for this book. This is a really fucking great comic!

I liked this issue as almost a kind of one-shot; of course we are deeply immersed in the larger storyline, but this issue shows us Dylan conceive and execute a plan, with plenty of hiccups along the way. The side characters and subplots, even the main driving plot, fall away as we follow Dylan's focus...or obsession...with making his kill. The artwork is especially beautiful here, with many scenes set in snowy New York...beautiful Philips artwork to go with a compelling Brubaker plot.

Fifty issues in "Saga" continues to be excellent. Remarkably consistent, even after 6 years, issue #50 shows why Vaughan and Staples never slip--the issue is filled with character moments, is funny, is beautiful looking. Not a lot happens in terms of propelling the grand plot--but somehow, issues that would seem like filler on other books are "only" 8.5s for "Saga."

This issue certainly twisted in several directions I did not expect, and I went from thinking, "This is stupid," to "This is stupid, but it's fun," and I certainly didn't expect anything this silly from this book. The ending left me kind of like, "Eh," but this is a really good series that brings something different in every issue.

This was a fun arc of "Paper Girls," and it ends on a surprising note, showing us that Vaughan and Chiang have ways to take this series in new and different directions. Great story, great art.

This was an incredible comic. The saga of Jane Foster as Thor has been a big part of Jason Aaron's epic, sweeping run with the character, and it's hard to imagine it coming to a more bittersweet ending than this, as Thor sacrifices everything to save those she loves. The action in this book is unbelievable--it could be the best work that Russell Dauterman has ever done, and the best fight seen I can remember reading. I don't often shed tears reading a comic book, but I did here, dammit! I've read every issue of Jane's run, and it is sad/happy to see her end so tragically/heroically.

What a great issue of "Amazing Spider-Man"! The long build-up to the reveal of the Red Goblin proves to be worth it here, as he arrives with devastating consequences. The battle between Spidey and the Red Goblin is beautifully drawn by Stuart Immonen, as he really captures the brute terror and violence of this Carnage/Norman Osborne creature. The art is top notch here throughout--check the acting on the page where Jameson is struggling for release, cursing himself for giving up Peter. Jameson's anguish is so clear. The design of the Red Goblin is cool as well, and the Carnage-bombs go from cute to horrifying in a second. The colouring is incredible, when Peter crashes into the warehouse, the contrast of the Red Goblin with the darkness. Slott's dialogue was dead on and the story is really tight--no fluff. Anyone sleeping on this is missing an incredible arc of Spidey stories.

That was another really fun issue of "The Avengers" as "No Surrender" marches to its conclusion. This new iteration of the Hulk takes a few unexpected turns here that make the character more interesting and complex than he at first seemed. The action is fast paced and exciting. Good stuff. Oh, and I really liked Wonder Man and thought his narration was well done.

Bendis' run on Miles Morales' "Spider-Man" seems to be ending with a whimper as opposed to a bang. This Sinister Six, possibly the most dull collection of villains ever, continue to...uh, steal stuff, and then the Champions come, and...I was pretty bored. The drama between Miles and his Uncle is not really interesting, largely because there is nothing special about his Iron Spider. If you asked me to summarize this plot, I'm thinking I might have trouble locating key points to highlight. Nothing much is happening here. Move along.

This is a pretty solid read. The take on Boyzarro coming from a dysfunctional family is kind of funny, and I liked the scenes with Boyzarro and Superboy. And Robzarro was kind of funny. Pretty good.

This is a good issue, with typically good character beats. The Commonwealth continues to be an interesting new adversary, with many ominous signs presenting themselves here. One note: sorry, Princess has not won me over, even after this issue. She is an annoying cliche. She is the Poochie of the Walking Dead.

"Doomsday Clock" #4 is an interesting read, delving into the origin of the new Rorschach, and filling us in further about what went on in the aftermath of "The Watchmen." This doesn't really move the plot forward really, however, as things still seem to be in low gear with the series a third done. Gary Frank's art makes this worth the price of admission alone, so this is definitely a really solid book.

From the fantastic, retro cover to the last page, this issue is amazing. Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's Captain America is so definitively Captain America, it's crazy. This is the Steve Rogers we have known for so long. The story, with the creepy weird-headed villain is silly, but awesome comic book silly. I loved the appearances from The Thing and Banner Hulk (who arrives with no explanation of what's going on in "The Avengers," and that's okay). Ben calls Mr. Fantastic "big-brained Reed." Classic. I think this series is the one that really got to the heart of what Marvel was trying to achieve with "Legacy." It has all the warm and tingly things old school Marvel fans like me love. And I can't fail to mention the art--Chris Samnee is possibly the best in the business. His work here is classic cartooning, skillfully capturing movement and momentum in his sequencing. And old school sound effects. This comic is fuckin' great.

I feel hesitant to give this too poor a mark, because there was some okay things here, like some of Belanger's art, but I was utterly lost, and the shit going kept getting weirder and weirder, leading into a direction with the ending that doesn't really interest me. I'm out.

This issue uses the conceit of having Norman Osborne "interview" someone intimate in Spider-Man's life in an attempt to get this identity, and then builds up to the point where we begin with flashbacks. It's not an overly original trope, but it works to good effect here, building up to the reveal at the end. The "breakup" with Peter and Mary Jane seemed entirely unoriginal, and kind of unearned here, but any off points are settled through Immonen's art, as this one is another beauty to look at.

This has not been a great arc, but putting aside the premise where Poison Ivy can control the whole world, and all the super beings (including aliens) on it with relative ease, I was pretty down with the issue until the end, where there is a surprise last minute revelation and Ivy is redeemed, so...yay. Seems kinda phoney, and kind of negates the seriousness of Ivy's suffering, I think. Hmm...what else? I guess Harley and Ivy are an item....I never knew, but all right, that's fine. This seems like a harsh review for an 8.0, but Tom King's excellence has established a precident. It doesn't have the same impact King's best Batman issues have. But its really good filler. Great looking art throughout makes the whole thing a lot more palatable.

A new arc kicks off in this issue of “Deadly Class,” as we pick up the action in what seems to be Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight.” In just one of the awesome things in this book, Remender and Craig mirror the voice and physical action of Miller’s seminal work, as our heroes face a cascading onslaught of ninjas. Craig is insanely good at laying out action scenes that flow naturally and logically. This issue is pure “Deadly Class,” grabbing the reader by the throat early and not letting go.

In the early pages, I was very sceptical about the art style of Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, but before long I had fallen for his work here, sketchy, rough, cartoony. The story worked well enough.

“IceCream Man” #2 is a stunning, powerful, and complex look at addiction. We start the story with a young couple whose lives have come down to stealing for the next fix, anything to feel better. But Prince and Morazzo complicate things by presenting another side of addiction as a counterpoint, a man who has become an addict based on pain prescriptions and the woman who bears the brunt of his frustration. It’s a difficult issue to explore, but it is done here with attention paid to all of the nuances surrounding addiction. Great, tragic stuff.

“Moonshine” is back, and, I must say I am somewhat baffled by the events here, it’s been so long on hiatus. Welcome to modern comics. The creators have got to get the reader back in tune with the plot and characters, something not really effectively done here. Russo’s art is beautiful, and the book succeeds in mood/atmosphere, but I wasn’t floored like I feel I should be after a book with this caliber of creator.

It's perhaps a bit easy to underrate Brian Vaughan and Cliff Chiang's "Paper Girls," a comic that is able to maintain quality like few others on a monthly basis (or near monthly). But this issue is great! It's full of great lines ("Want to take it down a notch, Peppermint Patty?") and really great character moments. Chris and his girlfriend Future Tiffany are a funny reminder of turn of the Century, & the subtle conflict between Mack and K.C. after K.C.'s revelation about her sexuality is in play here too. That's the funny thing: for a book with giant futuristic robots battling each other, this is remarkably human stuff.

This arc has had Tommy communicating more with the audience through the “narration” of his journal. This device is worked particularly well at the end of the book, raising more questions for those that have been answered thus far.

This is a pretty fucking badassed comic. The fight between the 2 Thanoses and the Mjolnir-wielding Silver Surfer is beyond epic, and fantastically drawn by Geoff Shaw. With this run, and "God Country" to their credit, Marvel have a great tandem in Gates/Shaw...let's hope they keep working together! There are surprise elements in here that reward the reader every few pages (i.e., the return from an imposing figure seen earlier in the series, the dramatic ending); with all the awesome new iterations on classic characters, this series has been an absolute blast. One issue of the awesomeness left.

“The Fix” #11 is an amusing book, as it does feature a grief-stricken man snorting lines of cocaine off of a horse’s behind. This aside, I’ve kind of lost the story thread here—this book comes out infrequently enough that I have only an overview of what this is. Other gags, like the ultra-trendy lefty boss who is, on the side, a treacherous psychotic, are starting to fall a little flat. Liked it, but they are losing me with the erratic shipping schedule.

I skipped much of this event before being drawn in last issue by the resurrection of Banner Hulk, in the guise of The Immortal Hulk, which, as a Banner/Hulk fan, is pretty fuckin' cool. Who would have guessed that, after so many misbegotten purchases of terrible Marvel events or mini-events (I'm looking at you, "Death of X," you merciless bastard!), here is one that is a bit crazy and a whole lot of fun. I just really enjoyed this read. It's more or less all action, but done at a really reader-friendly pace. Also, I missed like 9 parts of this story, but the writers don't make me feel like it. If anything, I want to read the issues I missed cause they look cool, not because I need to in order to understand the plot. For 3 writers, it's pretty seamless. And Paco Medina's art is not breathtaking, but never had me wincing or wishing someone else drew this. I think it's a testament to all involved that, after starting a storyline at parts 10 and 11 of 16, I'm absolutely down.

This issue was all right, though I don't really buy Poison Ivy's power level, in taking over, well, the world, and in turn, Catwoman seems disproportionately powerful--how exactly does she defeat 3 Flashes in seconds?? Anyway, it was sorta cool and shocking to see Superman punch off half of Batman's face...and it looks really good. Just not one of the most interesting arcs in a series that has had few misses as of late.

I haven't been reading "Damnation," but kudos to Donnie Cates and Niko Henrichon for keeping this more or less comprehensible, and more importantly, enjoyable, on its own. The appearance of Clea brought me back, and the whole premise of the issue and how it ends is really well done. There's a sense with Marvel titles lately, like, well, it'll all start over again in a couple of months, so does this really matter? This is one where I'm trusting the creative team to bring it, even though its all ending.

Somehow, "East of West" is still an interesting and captivating read, even as I begin each issue a bit unsure of where the last one ended. The pacing of Hickman's series, slow, somewhat challenging, somehow works in a way that the actual chronology of the story seems less important than the overall progression of the great, major story. It provides an allowance for me being occasionally lost. A large part of this book's charm is the great work of Nick Dragotta, who provides another clinic in storytelling here. The bits we get with Death and Babylon (and Balloon) seem generous, and also build up the inevitable momentum of the series. Great title.

Not sure what to make of this series, but I liked the prequel issues, and, whattaya know, it was pretty fun! Kuder's art is great, and it's a fun little reunion with he and the Guardians, coming after a pretty fine run on the belated "All-New Guardians of the Galaxy." These things can be a slog of too many characters, so I like that Duggan chose to focus on a relatively small cast. I'll be back for more next month!

"Strangers in Paradise" suffers from heavy, heavy exposition--it starts with Katchoo in a dire situation, and then reels back how we got there. But it is so text-heavy, I felt like I was reading a synopsis. My interest revived somewhat with the brief introduction/mash-up with "Rachel Rising," but it only kind of made me wish I was reading something as good as that series instead. I don't have a long background with the "Strangers" characters, having read most of the first super-thick omnibus of the original series (40 or so issues), and I must say I enjoyed "Motor Girl" and "Rachel Rising" more than I am this. It seems sorta dated to me. Anyway, Moore's art is gorgeous, so it's worth it for that, but I gotta say this series is sort of just "pretty good" so far.

"Jessica Jones" has come to an end, or at least Jessica Jones as we know here has, as Brian Michael Bendis is moving on to DC. This issue is not what I expected the conclusion to be, but it was wonderful and amazing, a fantastic one-shot that really epitomizes everything Jessica Jones is. Bendis smartly equates Jessica with the issue's not-really antagonist, and the way they mirror each other and learn from each other in their conversation is just great. Michael Gaydos absolutely just brought it here for the finale, and this one looks so good...his versions of Spider-Man and Ben Grimm left me dazed. This is a great end to a great run.

I was a bit wary of this after finding that "Astonishing" #8 was a terrible looking mess of an issue, but surprisingly, I really enjoyed this one, a big bounce-back for the series. The action and script were tight and moved along at a good pace, and the mystery of X deepened in an intriguing way. Perhaps the characters could use a bit more definition from each other, but that is a quibble I kind of ignored in the face of what I found to be a good read. Maybe all the difference is in the art: we go from amateur to awesome as Matteo Buffagni draws the hell out of this issue, and Yu contributes a great cover. I liked this a lot.

"Monstress" is back with a plus-size issue, and after a bit of time clearing the fogwebs from my brain and aligning the characters in this fantasy story of political intrigue, but it is really an interesting issue with a lot going on, and, you know, full of beautiful art and fun to read. The expanded size works well here to re-establish things for this arc, and there are major shifts in the playing field that will need to be reckoned with in this arc. I don't read many comics quite like "Montress," (I'm not sure there are any!) but this is a satisfying read that is always one of my faves when I find it in my new stack of comics for the week. Go "Monstress"!

I dropped off "The Avengers" before "No Surrender" started, but have noticed the positive buzz this storyline has been getting. What drew me back, though, was the re-emergence of Banner Hulk, in the form of "The Immortal Hulk." And this issue is pretty fun! It's a testament to the creative team that this is so accessible to new readers despite being the 10th part of a 16 issue arc. I settled in and enjoyed the spectacle. This read like an old school 70s comic to me, and I mean that in the best way. The story is kind of wacky and high stakes and just goes for it. I don't know if I'm gonna go back to read parts 1-9, but I'm going to pick up the next issue anyway. Good stuff.

This issue of "Descender" is interesting enough, functioning as a stand alone story of sorts, but one that will provide illumination for the series as a whole, It's a good read, but the standout is the jaw-dropping watercolour art of Dustin Nguyen. This is breathtaking stuff, one of the best looking issues of the series so far.

"Vampironica" #1 is a new entry in Archie's horror line, following in the footsteps of the incredibly awesome "Afterlife With Archie." Like that series, this has top notch talent to hook the reader--Greg Smallwood's art rules the show here, as this is a beautiful looking book. Check out the scene where Veronica discovers her parents. Super chilling. It is creepy and funny and creates suspense for the next issue. I'm in.

This book is fuckin' creepy, man. It is a little bit unsettling in its weirdness, which is good thing for a horror book, I think.

Man, this issue is a lot of fun! I have been sort of ambivalent towards Chip Zdarsky's run on this book, but when he brings it he can really bring it. This issue features Spideys of two eras come together, and the results are sweet and funny--for a lifelong Spider-Man fan like me, it really hits home. I also really liked Jonah's reaction when future Jonah tells him Spidey's identity...Zdarsky is doing a really nice job with the character. Joe Quinones is perfect for this book, his style kind of emulating Steve Ditko's in the depiction of young Pete's world. I loved the differences between young Peter and now Peter. It's not often a book is this endearing and fun. Absolutely loved it.

Well, I'm not sure what this exactly is, but it was creepy as fuck! The whole scene where the kid comes home to his parents while the effects of the spider-bite are narrated to us is really effective (if not a bit reminiscent of "Kill Bill 2," when Ellie kills Bud with the Black Mamba), and the ice cream man character seems pretty sinister. For a first issue, it gives enough intrigue, and raises enough questions, to bring me back for more.

"Deathbed" #1 was a fun and unexpected debut issue. I found the story interesting for sure, and the protagonist was a lot of fun. I thought the monster/zombie faces framing a lot of the panels were building on the introduction to build atmosphere, but things certainly take a turn. Riley Rossmo's art has always been hit or miss with me, and this one falls in as a hit...he's got a very moody, dark style. I'm excited to see how this adventure develops with issue #2.

This issue of "Redneck" is particularly awesome, using the trope of the police investigation room to allow us to explore the history of Phil and Evil, deepening their connection to the Bowman clan. It's a captivating read, and is made all the more so by the art of Lisandro Estherren and Dee Cunniffe--one of the most underrated books out right now.

It turns out this book is really more interesting for its character stories than the outrageous sex bits that made it famous--the scene with Suzie looking at her mother's attempt to recreate the past in this new house, and her striving to connect with her lost father is really good. And there is the sense that both of these souls, Jon and Suzie, are ultimately lost without each other. And I liked the scene with the dude with the beard (yeah, sorry, forget the name) is left behind by his lover, only for the ghost of another woman to appear at his side. This is pretty good.

Jason Aaron's sweeping story of Thor is reaching a conclusion of sorts, as the Thor we've been following for the last few years is facing a choice between the hammer and the worlds she has been defending and her own health--her own life. There is a grandeur to the scenes with Jane, even as she has been devastated by cancer, a nobility that stands in the face of death. These scenes are mirrored by Odin and Odinson's last ditch struggle against Mangog. All of this is epic, and all of this is absolutely beautifully rendered by Russell Dauterman, who has emerged over the course of the last few years to become one of the absolute best in the industry. This is a great individual book in what has been a great series.

This is a strong start to the new arc of "Saga," and there are a couple of developments here, including a pretty cool ending, to hook the reader for the next several issues. After all this time, not many series are able to be as focused and consistently compelling as this.

It's been a while since I checked out "Superman," having drifted away during one of the crossovers in the past 10-15 issues. But, there's Bizzaro with family American Gothic style, so, there you go. This was fun, though the Bizarro-dialogue had my head swimming a bit. Most impressive is Gleason's art here. He's got a way with this book. I think I'll be around for the next issue.

Mixed feelings on this one...I don't care about Theresa Parker...this story has been going on forever and won't end...really, the Tinkerer? Fuck, man...at the same time, even though it was brief, I enjoyed T'Challa's appearance, and I liked the Jameson parts a bit. Kubert's art was solid. The Martin cover is excellent. It was pretty good. I probably would have given this a 6.5-7.0, though, if not for the cover gallery, which was annoying in the fact that it gave us postage stamp sized cover images, but also brought back floods of nostalgia for this 43 year old Spidey collector...one of the very first issues I remember buying, #91, with a cover of Spidey and the Black Cat fighting the Blob (June 84). Looking at these covers reminded me about how integral a part of Pete's life the Black Cat was, how prominently she was featured in this series. Then, the back up story, has so much more impact, and the Goran Parlov art is mind-numbingly good. Despite numerous flaws to be found here, I really enjoyed this issue.

I liked "Gideon Falls" #1, but at the same time didn't love it like I thought I would. Sorrentino's art looks great, but I didn't always know what was going on in this book, be that attributed to the artist or the writer. The ending was intriguing, and I'm sure Lemire will answer the questions this issue raises in cool ways, so I'm totally down with this series. I just think, with this creative team, greater things are to come.

Having fallen off the show last year, it's quite something that this book has me still interested, and in issues like this, captivated, 177 issues in. This is a good one. I find the new "threat" interesting, as Kirkman peels the layers to let us slowly see what this society is about. Michonne's reunion with her daughter is touching, as is the bit with that kid and Rick and the poetry. I would have rated this a 9.0 but I didn't recognize who that one dude is in the final scene--I don't know if it's one of the many bearded characters that I'm supposed to know, or just a guy, or whatever, but it was a small hiccup at the end of the issue for me.

This series has more or less been a major disappointment as of late, as the the whole Sinister Six thing is kind of run of the mill for me. This issue, while nothing spectacular, kept me interested enough to hang in till the surprise conclusion, which actually has me interested to read this next time, for the first time in a while.

This is a really great spin-off in the "Black Hammer" universe, the classic trope of the obsessed scientist whose ambition has unintended, tragic results. This issue has a powerful ending that closes the issue with force, a sad, impactful ending I didn't see coming. I really liked Max Fiumara's art here...he gives the protagonist, the aptly named James Robinson, a really palpable anguish. Dave Stewart's colours gave this an even more dynamic look. I almost slept on this series...don't miss it!

This feels like a last issue. Jessica's struggle with the Purple Man comes to a close, albeit a somewhat underwhelming one. I'm not even sure if this series will continue post-Bendis, but there is at least one more. This is a little too conversational (too Bendis-y?), even if it does have great Gaydos art.

Robert Kirkman's new series "Oblivion Song" opens with a bit of a challenging first issue...I kind of felt my way along the story trying to make sense of it all...Kirkman does not offer a lot of exposition, which is a bit disarming at first, but by the end the story finds its place and ends with a cool hook that has me curious for issue 2. The Lorenzo De Felici art was a bit of a surprise to me, but I really liked the look of the book and Felici's storytelling. I liked it!

This issue is not good. The first few pages are beautiful to look at, but very little of interest happens here. Doom falls to the Wrecking Crew, who seem to me like goons who are not at Doom's level. And Riri is going to get her armour back. And Tony is still missing! The thrills never end...

While this issue is entertaining and fun, I'm kind of pissed to be having to read a tie-in to another fucking event. I like Donny Cates, and he does a really fine job making this issue work on its own (I haven't read "Damnation"). But does this mean I have to read that to get the continuation of this story? It totally slipped by me and I didn't add it to my pull list! I'm getting tempted to say, as good as Cates has been on this, fuck it, see you in May with a new creative team, Doctor Strange. So, in summary, this was actually a really good read. But I think I just might drop this anyway. Well, one more issue...? Thanks, Marvel, you #@&!!#$ers!

I actually started reading this unenthused, wondering why I wasn't reading a real Fantastic Four comic, and wondering if this thing being tied to DC's "Metal" event would make it a drag to read. I was pleasantly surprised. Lemire gives his characters FF traits for sure, just switching up the roles of each character type (Plastic Man, unlike Reed, is a goofball). But it was fun, and Lemire kept the reader interested and informed through the action and dialogue--reading "Metal" is not necessary for this (I have given up on that bit of bloated nonsense). The art is good. It's pretty good!

"Astonishing X-Men" is my lone X-title after I dropped "Blue" and "Gold," and it has been surprisingly good. But this issue is a dud. It is all talk. The reborn Xavier, annoyingly dubbed "X," is kind of not working for me, and, curiously, he is smirking evilly like a super villain in the first few pages, which is weirdly distracting. I guess the art overall was distracting in that it was not good. At all. The rotating cast of artists offers us a chance to see various stars every month, but Siquiera's figures are stiff and dull...this is kind of IDW quality stuff. Hopefully this thing can turn itself around next month.

This issue of "Batman" is a great read, in my opinion. The way King frames the story is great, and the art of Mikel Janin is awesome (check out the double-page spread of Ivy amidst a beautiful tangle of vegetation overtaking the city). This book is blessed to have several of the game's top artists working on it--this level of quality on a bi-weekly basis is incredible. Ivy here is rather omnipotent, which is perhaps a stretch of credulity, but I found myself not worrying about it and going with the story. It's a lot of fun.

“Redneck” is not your average vampire story...by focusing on character and the family and the mysteries of Perry and Grandpa, the creators are giving this supernatural tale a more grounded, impactful feel. Donny Cates is burning it up on all his titles the past year...for any fans of his Marvel work, this is a must read.

Robert Kirkman's "Invincible" comes to an epic close here in the extra-sized issue #144. Having started the series through trades early last year to catch up around the "Reboot" in the #120s., I have read a whole lot of "Invincible," and this conclusion brings the series full circle. Not many series, certainly not superhero series, allow us to view the whole scope of a man's life, his failings and his victories. Mark was never perfect, and that makes him, and the universe Kirkman, Ottley, and Smith have built around him, believable. This was a truly unique series, and I'm gonna miss it.

This issue is an okay ending, but I can't help but think that this series is kind of going out with a whimper. I don't know. This series maybe touched its potential, but it's ending so fast I can't help but think of missed opportunities. This works better as an emotional goodbye to Bendis than as a story. Perhaps I'm also a bit sour because this issue is a reminder of all the top level talent fleeing Marvel right now. Bendis is Bendis and David Marquez is incredible. Sheesh.

This comic isn't bad, but it didn't hook me enough to come back for the rest of the series. I liked the premise of the "haunted" characters, and the ending is pretty damn cool, but some of Sharpe's dialogue seems awkward ("the rutting of the beast with two backs"...ugghhhh) and I really felt the folklore stuff to overly wordy and overly full of goblins or whatever, which is not really what I was looking for coming in. If you're into the Celtic folk stuff, this series probably has a lot to offer, but it's not my bag right now.

Dan Slott's "Amazing Spider-Man" run is approaching its end, and as I was reading this I thought not that it was bad or anything, but seems kind of just another of the same kind of story...the same vibe or feel, which has kind of gotten tired at times over the past couple of years. Like this Goblin Squad or whatever...I'm tired of these guys. That said, I did like Jameson's interactions with Spidey, I did say wtf when I saw Peter's interactions with MJ, and I did enjoy Mike Hawthorne's Spider-Man scenes, even if some of his faces weren't that great...after what seems like a minor chapter in this arc, things look to pick up next issue.

Although not much is really happening here, the point being to give us a heads up on the location of each of the stones, I enjoyed this issue. The opening scene with Wolverine was fun, and Mike Deodato's art looks great. The backup bit with a history of the stones led me to skim a bit, but it's accompanied by a great sampling of old Avengers art. For a prelude, I was pleasantly surprised.

This is a great chapter of "Kill or be Killed" has Dylan, and the reader, unsure what is real and what is not. I was stunned by the developments of the book by the end, and can't wait till the next issue. This series continues to be great.

I wasn't feeling this issue of "Archie." Or the series as a whole of late. Here, the physical gags fall a little bit flat and the script seemed somehow off a bit. Perhaps, some 25 issues of "Archie" in, to go with several issues of "Jughead" and "Betty and Veronica," I'm just feeling a bit of "Archie" fatigue.

This issue kicks off an interesting arc that finds Cap unthawed in a future in which 9/10 of the people on earth have died, all the heroes are gone, and America lay in ruin...seven years from now! This kind of sci-fi twist is cool, and the Waid/Samnee run continues to be refreshingly simple and awesome. Speaking of awesome, has Samnee ever been better than this? His storytelling is great, and his style reminds me of David Mazzuchelli's version of Cap in "Daredevil" all those years ago. With all the turmoil behind the scenes at Marvel, there are hints that this run will soon end (issue #700)...that sucks, but I'm going to appreciate this while its here.

When I picked this up, I was like, "Ugh, I don't want to read this." Such is the quality of most Marvel annuals that it is only natural to assume this would be shitty. But, it's not terrible! The first story actually kept me interested enough to finish, and though it's pretty run-of-the-mill, it's innocuous enough, and I liked Cory Smith's art. The second story featured a version of the spider-sense as a series of headaches varied by degree, which is inconsistent with every other depiction of Spidey I've seen or read ever, and mildly enraged me. So, I wouldn't really recommend buying it, but if it lands in your pullbox because of your "Amazing" subscription, as it did for me, it's not all that bad.

Bendis’ time with Marvel is almost done, as we see the series he writes reach their conclusion. This is trademark Bendis, an issue built around a conversation—but it’s a very interesting conversation that leads to a rather unexpected conclusion. Time is almost up—I’m savouring Bendis writing Jessica for what may be the last time.

Tom King has emerged as one of the best writers in comics, and his great run continues with the "Swamp Thing Winter Special" #1. Coming off of his captivating Swamp Thing story in "Batman" #23, King again features a sad, wistful, tragic hero. His journeys through the cold and snow, protecting a boy from the "monster" that pursues them, are powerful, growing almost mythical. Again we are left with a Swamp Thing who is tortured and alone. The twist to the story leads to this powerful ending. The second story, with the script printed afterwords, features Len Wein's last Swamp Thing writing. All told, this special is well worth the price. Even more impressively, DC is continuing a trend with some really great stories in annuals and compilations, showing that these issues don't need to be high priced throwaways (looking at you, Marvel).

The Mangog is tearing up Asgard, Odin and son are reunited, and Hera steps up in a surprising way, but the main bring-home of this issue is Jane’s struggle with her responsibilities as Thor and that her transformation into the Thunder Goddess is accelerating her cancer. Jane’s struggle, her bravery, are movingly portrayed by Aaron and Russell Dauterman, who draws an absolutely gorgeous issue. This is a really great book right now.

This plot picks up a bit with a strong second instalment. Although I felt a bit of “this again” when the new group exhibit hints of an oppressive regime, the narrative of Michonne’s daughter being alive drives the issue forward. “New World Order” is getting interesting.

Scottie Young's "I Hate Fairyland" continues to be a fun, entertaining series...this issue had me giggling a bit, and I felt real emotion (you got us Skottie) when Gert reunites with her parents, but that just makes what follows all the more effective. After 16 issues, it seems this premise should have run itself out, but Skottie still makes it vibrant, funny, and interesting.

The comics internet collectively lost its shit when it looked like Batman and Wonder Woman might hook up last issue, but that issue is solved relatively quick in what is really a tale of love and fidelity. I found this to be an enjoyable read, but the real star of the issue is Joelle Jones. The two-page spread on pages 2 and 3 is absolutely gorgeous, and her facial work, the expressions of her characters, does as much as King's dialogue to bring impact and meaning to the story. She's one of the best.

"Kill or Be Killed" has been one comics' best series over the course of its 15 issues, and though this one isn't as perfect as some entries, it does open the new arc interestingly. The ending was surprising and left me wanting to read the next issue now. As for its weaknesses, I felt this issue relied a bit too much on the demon haunting Dylan. I'm sure this was deemed necessary by Brubaker to make Dylan's descent into madness make sense, but it's always been a bit of "less is more" with the demon, in my opinion. He pops up everywhere after Dylan here, eventually striking me as more annoying than scary. Still, good issue, great book.

This issue was okay, exploring Jon and Suzie's adjustments to lives of banality without each other. I think the tone of the book, unrelenting as it is, can be a bit much at times, and this was the case here. And I'm not sure how much I care about the cast of characters outside Jon and Suzie. But I am interested enough to keep reading.

This is a solid one-shot issue, but the most interesting part is the ending, which is admittedly badassed, and the return of Stuart Immonen on art. Looks like this will take an upward swing with Part 2.

I don't know...I don't think this series is for me. It reads as too didactic to me. The conversation between Snugglepuss and Huckleberry Hound is sort of interesting, but none of this has the cleverness of Russell's "Flintstones" or "God is Disappointed in You." I need something more to make this bit of moralizing palatable.

Despite its lengthy delays, "Southern Bastards" continues to make an impact with each issue, and this is a dynamic one. Coach Boss has been down lately, but this issue shows he's not out, even with a series of people out for his head. The violence is palpable here in perhaps one of the most violent episodes of the series, but all of this seems in line with the escalating stakes for Coach Boss and our other key players. Also great here is the art of Jason Latour, who outdid himself here. Labour's style is such an awesome fit for the story--like nothing else out there, "Southern Bastards" is one of the best comics being published today.

Even though this is a slightly down issue, this arc continues to be awesome. The revelation of the Cosmic Ghost Rider's identity doesn't really work for me, despite the explanation given. The conversation between Thanos the King and current Thanos is interesting, and leads to an amazingly cool final page, in which one of my favourite characters appears looking totally awesome and badassed. Good stuff.

I haven't read an issue of "The Flash" in a while, but decided to give this one a try. First off--the cover is seriously awesome. The power of Grodd here is imposing. Next, it was a pretty good read--there is one moment in the book where things get eerily quiet and the atmosphere established by Williamson and Di Giandomenico is really creepy. As always, when Di Giandomenico draws this, it becomes a much more dynamic book. The ending has me looking forward to a very cool arc.

In an odd turn, issue #9 of "Royal City" ends with a character's earning a victory of sorts, not the stuff a reader usually finds in this series of memory and regret. Strong characterization and art, as usual, make this a good read.

This series hasn't been great for me, as I am a little tired of the tech based storyline and don't care about Theresa Parker or whoever she is, but this particular issue was a fun, nicely paced read. I liked the Adam Kubert art quite a bit here, as this is one of his better looking issues, and I was pleasantly surprised by the cool reveal at the issue's end. Nice cover too!

The penultimate issue of this hobo epic features a large-scale hobo free-for-all brawl, as Jackson gets a little help from his friends to face the bulls...and the devil! This has been a fun ride.

This is an awesome series… It has the vibe of a great Batman tale, but is unlike any of the other Batman titles coming out right now. I am really enjoying Kurt Busiek’s story, as we see Bruce Wainwright coming to terms with what he has wrought, and John Paul Leon is incredible in terms of character and atmosphere. Great stuff.

Chris Samnee delivers a master class in sequential art in this issue—the storytelling from panel to panel (i.e., Cap vs a Jaguar, the momentum of Kraven’s traps. Samnee and Waid have created magic together for a long time, but their Marvel-method style on “Black Widow” and now “Cap” seems both fresh and timeless. Great book.

“Paper Girls” Gets back on track here with a strong character issue… I have felt the story to be too convoluted at times, but this issue got me back into the story through the character interactions, which are, in my opinion, the strongest part of this book.

I really liked Jeff Lemire’s issues, but Donny Cates is taking things to another level—he was born to do this series, instilling every page with badassery (Old King Thanos, Cosmic Ghost Rider). Add in Shaw’s great pencil work, and “Thanos” is one of the most underratedly awesome comics coming out today.

Sorry. I liked it. I saw the comments from fellow readers and was kind of surprised that this issue is provoking so much vitriol. I kind of understand some of the complaints, but would be disingenuous if I said I thought about any of that while reading and enjoying the issue. I like the idea of Batman and Wonder Woman, even as I really enjoy Bruce and Selena's relationship. And the art of Joelle Jones is, as always, breathtaking. This is a good read.

I like Chris Bachalo's art, but I found this hard to get through. The art looked pretty good, but it terms of storytelling, was kind of confusing. Storewise, lots of wacky stuff happening, but I just found it boring. Sorry.

I'm not sure where "Doomsday Clock" is going, but the first two issues have definitely hooked me. This is an interesting one with many cool moments...the bank robbery starts off rough with the flimsy "jerk boss" character, but then the scene turns for a funny moment. The confrontations of Ozmandias/Luther and Batman/Rorschach are fascinating, leading well into the next issue, and the book ends with a shock I did not see coming. I felt a bit of the dialogue from Johns was rough, but he does also include these aforementioned cool points to make this book good--and Gary Frank is awesome again. I thought his facial expressions, the "acting" of his characters, is really well done.

“Harrow County” #28 seems like the culmination of a couple years of story, as Emmy and Kammi comes to a final head. At the same time, it feels as if the major conflict in this book is only starting now, given the ending. Bunn frames all this in a cool way as we see Hester devouring the intestines of her victim, only to see the same scene repeated later in the book, in a shocking twist. This continues to easily be one of the top horror comics today.

This is an interesting issue of "Astonishing X-Men," as Professor Xavier is reborn...sort of. I must say I found this new incarnation a bit weird, and even a bit like X-Files Ghost Mr. Burns talking of peace and gifts for everyone. I did like the scene with Betsy and Fantomex, and the scene with Bishop analyzing the green sun over London was cool. As was Phil Noto's art. After dropping "Blue" and "Gold," "Astonishing" is doing a good job keeping me into the X-Men.

Great detective story here, as Tom King continues his run of awesome one-shot issues. This is maybe a bit reminiscent of "The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man" from "Amazing" #248, but in a much different way, to understate things. I wasn't sure at the outset of the issue how Travis Moore's pencils worked for me, but I was soon really enjoying them and think he did a great job laying out the issue (though a lot of that could be King, i.e., nine panel grids, etc.) And the final panel kills it... awesome.

“Batman: Creature of the Night” is an enthralling read, an-Elseworlds style tale of a young Batman fan who suffers a similar death of his parents, falling into anger and grief. These feelings are manifested in a new, terrifying form of “Batman.” The art of John Paul Leon is amazing; in a cool bit he echoes the artistic style of early Batman comics, and in general, owns every page here. Busiek maintains mystery over the inature of this creature, whose appearance reminds me a bit of the demon in “Kill or be Killed.” I can’t wait to see where this goes.

This issue looks pretty and is interesting, even if it feels a bit like treading water. I found the opening with Victor and his discovery interesting, but the whole bit with Riri's shit being stolen was kind of pointless. The art from Caselli, and especially Maleev, is pretty great here. And the ending suggests the story will be making a bigger advancement with the next issue--I only hope Bendis has enough time to give this big story he's crafted over the last few years properly.

I approached this issue with some X-event trepidation, my mind haunted by IvX and so many other lame events that preceded it...but Charles Soule isn't here for this (and, to be fair, has been doing well on "Astonishing X-Men") and this event definitely shows a lot of promise. Around when Kitty deploys three teams, the issue really picks up, doing a great job keeping us in the moment of all three scenes at once. And when you get to see Wolverine go bonkers against this group of X-Men, it is awesome. The art here by Yu is top flight--these battle scenes look great. The lenticular cover is a blurred mess, though, not exactly worth the extra buck...they do a way better job with the lenticular "Marvel Two-in-One" ad on the back cover!

Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov are a dream team on the Punisher, and "The Platoon" continues to be awesome. The most interesting thing about this is the behind the scenes look at the motivations behind the war, on the home front, in the field, and in the land they are fighting to overtake. It' s a smart, complex look at war that is far more fascinating in its depth. This is great stuff.

"Redneck" is one of the more interesting books coming out today, and Donny Cates and Lisandro Estherren deliver a fast-paced, suspenseful issue here in the second of the arc. The tension is high here as JV is missing and family is starving, but the killer for me is the twist with Landry at the end. This is super cool stuff.

This series continues to sputter with this new Sinister Six plot, which is leaving me questioning how much I need to be reading this book. The opening with Ganke (Ned?) and his new girlfriend was interesting and funny, but the rest was just a bore, with tedious dialogue I had struggle not to just skim. And, sorry, these Patrick Brown covers are as gaudy as shit. Skip this.

This series was a dud. In a weird way it doesn't even seem like there a big stakes here, as I guess the big thing in this series is Miles coming to terms with his identity. And the ending, pencilled by Mark Bagely, made me cringe a bit (due to both the content and Bagley's art). Even the Sarah Pichelli art in this issue seems below her usual standards. Not recommended.

This was an okay issue of "The Walking Dead," though the "take me to Stephanie or shoot us," "No, cooperate or we'll shoot you thing got stale, and I must say I find this new "wacky" character, Juanita or "Princess," grating at best. On the plus side, the revelations near the end of the issue are interesting and have promise for a strong arc ahead.

I really liked this issue of “Black Magick,” as things slow down a bit to let Rucka and Scott further develop Rowan’s sense of confusion and amp up the tension for the next issue. Scott’s character “acting” is great, and so emotive. And, the ending was just gravy. Read this.

I kind of went in to this issue with a bit of trepidation, thinking "I am already pretty lost as to what is going on in this series...Will I have to reread the first 4 issues?" A lot of this story's ambiguity is intentional by King and Gerads, of course, but I still got a greater sense of the story here in issue #5 than I have gotten from the first four issues. There is a lot of tenderness between Scott and Big Barda here, and the development of their relationship is a great part about this issue and the series as a whole. And, while Marvel is already down, Funky Flashman makes his long-awaited return, only to...well, it ain't pretty!

This is an amazing issue of "Royal City"...the ambient, atmospheric style of Lemire's art and colours makes this visually amazing. Lemire lays out the issue in a way that seamlessly blends the present, memories, and even a possible flash to the future. His scene with the car has stylistic features that suggest movement, capture the mood of being a mid90s teen..."anywhere but here." The character work here is incredible...the characters seem like living breathing people. A great issue in what has been a pretty damn good series.

I liked the intro special, but this sags a bit, focusing on the gang led by Felicia, the group of which I am growing quite bored. I am also not brushed up enough on my symbiotes...how many are we dealing with here? I dunno. The art was strong, but this event has hit a snag in issue 2.

This is a fucking awesome comic. I noticed early on how much I loved Goran Parlov's art, and how expressive his characters' faces were...he seems to be getting better and better...and I loved the reflection on war and killing in this issue; the page where one of Castle's men reflects on the impact killing has, and will always have, on a man is so great. I just love Ennis' rendition of the Punisher. He knows this character so well...Frank is shrouded in mystery here, where the viewpoint is from his old platoon...he remains an enigma to them and to us. This is also one of the most brutally violent comics I can recall, but this just makes the subtext about what killing really means stand out. Fantastic comic.

This issue is pleasant enough, a loving exploration of Batman and Superman's high school crush on each other, but stands out mainly due to the awesome Clay Mann artwork. This book looks great. It's a testament to King's writing that he is able to surround himself with only the best artists, on every arc, of this Batman run.

I'm not entirely wild about Steve's post-"Secret Empire" journey across America, but I ended up really enjoying this issue. The Swordsman turned out to be a pretty cool villain and the moment with Steve at the dam summoning every ounce of his strength played a bit like Lee and Ditko's legendary "Amazing Spider-Man" #33. Chris Samnee's art here continues to be spectacular, leaving me surprisingly excited for the next step in Steve's journey.

Donny Cates is already shining in his run of "Doctor Strange" after 2 issues, delivering a fun and interesting story. This arc takes a bit of a different turn than I expected by focusing on Stephen over Loki; Stephen's relationship with Bats the talking dog makes this issue. Gabriel Hernandez Walta's art has never looked better. He continues to knock it out of the park after "The Vision."

I've dropped off "X-Men Gold" and "Blue," but I have been pleasantly surprised by "Astonishing X-Men." I'm not really a fan of Charles Soule (understatement), but I like what he's been doing here, especially the last couple of issues. The return of Xavier is a nice twist and long overdue. The art by Mike Del Mundo is good, though it can't match the work of Roman Rosanas from last issue (if only this title could continue with him as the regular artist!). Overall, this is quite an enjoyable title so far.

This issue is a pretty solid story with absolutely jaw-dropping work by Jesus Saiz. This is worth it for the art alone.

I didn't really plan on reading this, but it landed in my pull box, so...I am quite pleasantly surprised. I haven't really cared for Venom as a character since his his early days (when I was a teen reader); I read issue #1 of the new "Venom" series and was not really impressed at all...but I liked this story. The pull of the symbiote towards Flash and Eddie is really well done here; a large part of this book is the art of Ryan Stegman, which is excellent. This is a really great looking book. So, I will naturally be reading the next part in "Amazing," and, in all likelihood, be picking up the next couple of issue of "Venom" as well.

I haven't read a "Justice League" book since early in the New 52, but with the new creative team, decided to give it a spin. And...it's fine. Pete Woods art is, for the most part, pretty strong here, and I felt the book was nicely paced at first, but by the end, I felt like...well..."ehhh." I wanted to be grabbed here, like I was by the awesome cover, but I don't think I'll be adding this to my pull list.

Things reach a conclusion of sorts here, even as Dylan assures us that this is not the end. Brubaker and Phillips continue to knock this out of the park, as we see Dylan wishing for a normal life, but the return of a friend ensures this is not so. This is excellent stuff. Great cliffhanger. Go buy this!

This is a really interesting read, from the makers of "Fury Max." I absolutely loved that series (I haven't read "Punisher Max") and the issues that guest star Frank. This is another excellent bit of war story, setting up a big conflict around the Tet offensive. Goran Parlov's work is great here, almost reminding me at times of Eduardo Risso (minus the glorious inkwork). Looking forward to what he and Ennis have cooking up here.

This is, by all standards, a disappointing comic. To call the new Sinister Six underwhelming would be an understatement--the jokey nature of this crew paints them as, well...a lame bunch of b-listers. Too much of this issue is their (boring) scheming. But nothing much happens after we switch to see Miles' goings on, either. This seems to be Bendis phoning it in--I have really liked his work, but this issue just tastes stale. Also, enough with the terrible Patrick Brown covers...they are beyond gaudy.

This is a pretty strong issue, focussing on Negan and his lonely life of exile. It is touching how Negan reaches out towards his dead wife, his narrative to her the only thing giving him peace. Is it possible for Negan to be turned into, if not a good guy, then an antihero, as opposed to villain? I'm not sure if it will work, but watching Negan's transformation has been interesting, at least.

This might have been my favourite issue yet of "Seven to Eternity." Jerome Opena returns to art after taking the last couple of issues off, and this is just a sight to behold--Opena's work is absolutely stunning. The story took a cool turn as well and hooked me, in a series where I have sometimes struggled to stay connected to. It feels like everything is coming together in a really exciting way here. Great issue, and I'm anxiously awaiting the next arc.

This is a really nice love story between Batman and Catwoman, tracing their relationship from its beginning to its end. Lee Weeks does a really spectacular job here, with Michael Lark also providing great pages. Batman is in the midst of a super strong run under Tom King...who'd of thought an annual, after reading so many throwaway annuals and specials, would be so good?

I had a lot of fun with "Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man" #7. I really enjoyed the action scene with Pete under assault without any spider toys to help him. I haven't been wowed by Kubert's art so far in this series, but he kills it in this sequence. I didn't like the first arc much at all, but the last two issues are moving this series into a zone I like...important events are happening in this book (unveiling identity to JJJ last ish), and it is offering a closer look at Parker's life. I have restored faith in this series...

The second arc of "Redneck" begins with style in this issue, as we spend time seeing the Bowmans adjusting to life on the run; the issue has a moody and claustrophobic atmosphere, building up to a stunning ending.

I was a little surprised, but I totally loved this issue. It was great to read a Professor Xavier-centric story again. I also really enjoyed Ramon Rosanas' art here, especially the kind of minimalist linework; I'd love to see more of him. I enjoyed this more than any other X-Men issue lately. Great read.

This is a really good issue of "East of West," focusing on Death and his son, Babylon. If someone had told me that an issue of this series would feature an extended father/son fishing scene, I would not have believed it, but there you go. The family moments are bookended by a really awesome opening and a really awesome ending, with great Nick Dragotta art throughout. It's a testament to Dragotta and Hickman that "East of West" keeps delivering.

"The Fall of Parker" ends on an upbeat note, as things actually seem to be going okay for Pete, despite circumstances. He and Bobby are a fun team (even if their banter was on the edge of being too much for me), and its nice to see Pete happy in a way he didn't seem to be in the weird Tony Stark/Parker era. Plus, Stuart Immonen is awesome, so this continues to be one of my favourite titles of late.

"The Rules of Engagement" finishes off in nice fashion, even if I think I liked the previous two issues of the arc a bit more than this one. Joelle Jones continues to excel on art here (I can't wait to see her next DC project) and the story is pretty fun, more dialogue and an extended fight scene. It stretches credulity a bit that Catwoman would be able to dispatch Nadia in sword work, but there are a lot of fun moments here.

This issue is excellent, which is no surprise, since every issue of "Black Science" is excellent. This is action-packed, but not at the expense of character development or dialogue, which Remender does in his sleep. This is an emotional issue as well as one of the cast doesn't make it out alive, and the stakes are generally raised across the board. Powerfully drawn by Matteo Scalera. As always. So, yeah.

I liked this issue better than the last, as the story was quickly paced and interesting. I found the art to be uneven, though; I like some of To's images, like the splash of Ant Man, but in most panels the figures are small, the background emphasized. The art was so good during the "All-New Guardians of the Galaxy," this is a pretty big comedown for me. I'm kind of on the fence on this series.

This was a really solid issue that opens with a pretty cool action scene, leading to a pretty viable premise for Frank to get the War Machine armour. The art is alright, and the cover by Clayton Crain. I'm up for this if it lasts for an arc or something as opposed to being the new normal, but I liked it and am on board next issue.

Not much actually happens here, but this issue does a good job establishing a melancholy mood, coming from our knowledge of Tommy's destiny.

Not the greatest issue, but things are bound to be weird between these two after "Secret Empire". I picked this series up after a few months off because of the Chris Bachalo art, which made this worth its while. Looks really great and was a solid bit of fun so I'll stay on board.

"The Walking Dead" keeps moving with a pretty exciting issue. I've missed the last couple, so this is the first time I've seen the new cool-chick character, who more than anything reminds me of Poochie from "The Simpsons." So, yeah.

Well, that was pretty fucking awesome. Opening the book to see the side-by-side splash pages, Batman and Catwoman back to back in front of a hoard of swordsmen, I was in awe. Joelle Jones is so talented, and here, in some panels, she seems to go for fewer lines, with more thick lines, a bit more cartoony, as evidenced in the double-page spread of Bat/Cat following the 2 splashes. I enjoyed the small bit with Damian and Dick, which was touching and threw back ever so slightly to their relationship in the Grant Morrison "Batman and Robin." I loved the depiction of Talia. I love that this whole arc reminds me of the classic Neal Adams art of "Batman" #244. This is a great book.

This is a pretty fun, wild series by Sean Murphy ("Punk Rock Jesus"), and it's differentness is working for me right now. Once we get past a punishing opening of exposition, things pick up fast. Harley Quinn kind of steals the issue, as we get a meta look at two Harleys. Murphy's art is great. That cover is spectacular. I am more into "Batman: White Knight" than I am "Metal" right now.

Sorry. I was bored. i went from reading to skimming half way through. I loved the "All-New, All-Different Guardians of the Galaxy," but, this didn't really work for me.

This issue is a nice, if not a bit saccharine, look at Cap returning to a town he saved long ago to find some love he has lost in recent times. The story is a bit slight, so Chris Samnee's art really shines as the star here--his art style here is pretty minimalist and pretty great. I feel a bit, however, like this isn't really something I want for 6 issues--a drawn-out apology for "Secret Empire"--but I'm counting on the creative team to keep things interesting.

Well, I do not know what the fuck that was, but i am perplexed by "Deadman" #1. The art is as-advertised Neal Adams, but the plot was incomprehensible. That being said, I'll be back for issue #2. It is Neal Adams, after all. Note: I've adjusted my score from 5.0 to 6.0 (after about a week) because the more I think about it, the more I am actually looking forward to the next issue, as much of a mess as this is.

We're back in proper time after "The War of Jokes and Riddles," and this issue is an exciting kick off to the new arc. I'm a bit of a sucker for the idea of Batman and Catwoman being together, and I enjoyed their chemistry in this issue. It has funny moments in the Bat/Cat team-up as well as with Alfred and the Robins. Joelle Jones draws this issue, and she absolutely floored me. She shined on "Lady Killer" Parts I & II, "Superman: American Alien" #3, and "Supergirl: Being Super," and it's great to see her get a shot at DC's flagship title, right where she should be. Oh, and I love that final page! Can't wait for next ish.

I picked this up because Deadpool's part in "Secret Empire" was interesting, and I was fascinated by the new direction the book is taking. I kind of liked Deadpool with a heart from the last few years (see #20 for the best example), but, it turns out this is a pretty fun issue. I like the frame as Cable talks with his captor as Deadpool approaches, and the fight at the end is certainly interesting. Duggan and Koblish do good Deadpool, and I think I'm gonna stay on with this to see where it goes.

This issue seems a bit light, especially after the kind of arc ending's we've gotten lately. It has a nice tale with Ghus and Robot's kid looking for some creature, and their conversation is fairly interesting. Looks great, and has some nice family moments, but a bit slight.

I feel like issue 13 was perhaps a more fitting ending to the series, and that this issue isn't entirely necessary. That said, it is a very good issue and a good conclusion to one of the greatest series I can remember. Slott and Allred's "Silver Surfer" is unlike anything else that has come from the last few years, so fun and full of intelligence and heart. Dawn Greenwood will always be remembered by Surfer fans.

This is a fun and exciting issue, as Miles is in a bit over his head in Japan. The action here is excellent, and Nico Leon is killer on art...I love the two-page spread after Miles falls through the roof into the room full of Inhuman Ninjas. Tomoe is an interesting adversary for Miles. And the scene with Miles mowing through all these Ninjas as his dad talks about Bruce Lee clearing through opponents was fun. Aside from the cover, which is done in a style that is really not for me, this was a really cool issue.

I felt this was a pretty so-so issue. The fallout of Parker's collapse continues, but the Clash threat is a minor (and uninteresting) threat, and I've gotten my fill of Spidey/Torch hanging out in "Spectacular Spider-Man," and nothing new is added here. With the exception of the amazing art, a disappointing issue.

I loved this issue, a big pickup from last issue which kind of tread water. And sure, seeing these kids get all fucked up on drugs is not exactly new, but this issue is exciting as hell as things fly to this arc's conclusion. This issue has a lot going on while still taking time for the dialogue and character building that make this one of the best series in comics. And...Wes Craig absolutely destroys the universe with his art here. He is working in a different stratosphere than most artists. This is going away for 4 months, but I can't wait for the return.

Yeah, I dunno, I don't wanna hate, but, I didn't really like this...I didn't really dislike it either, I just am not very into it. There's too much going on for me to care about much of it. But Porter's art was pretty good.

This is a pretty straight up tale of how Drax turned pacifist, and it's a perfectly fine story. But Greg Smallwood's art elevates this book. His star has been on the rise since his run on "Moon Knight" with Jeff Lemire, and he is one of the finest artists working today. So, good story, great art. Pick this up.

This is a really strong issue that benefits from seeing Tim-21 imbued with some mysterious new ability to read what is going on all around him--we're set up for a helluva conclusion. The pace of this series has led to some frustrating moments, but it's all paying off here. Once again, Nguyen just gives us a beautiful book. Great stuff.

This title has largely been a disappointment. I don't care about Peter's sister-or-whatever; the Vulture just smacks of weak villainy here, despite his big screen badassednes; the art is, frankly, average at best; the writing is all over the place, and most important, not really funny. I was expecting much more of Zdarsky, and am on the verge of dropping this. Maybe this will turn into something soon, or eventually, but I don't know if I'll still be aboard by that point.

This is a great fucking book...things have built up for five issues and Cates and Estherran bring us an explosive end to the first arc. This is a great read, and Estherran really brings it in the finale. His depiction of Grandpa is twisted and scary. At times I got a little confused about who's who in the previous issues, but that's not a problem here. The arc ends with the strongest issue of the series to date, leaving me in anticipation for what comes next for Peyton and her lot.

This is a fun wrap up to the series, taking us back to the setting of Sterako's classic "Hound of the Baskervilles" take in "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." #3. It is a visually stunning issue, which is no surprise given the way Aco's established himself with the pencils in this book. It looks so, so good. The design of the scenes is creative and original, at the same time throwing back to 1968. I still bristle a bit at this version of Nick Fury, but this is the first time I got a sense of who this Nick is. This is gonna make a fun, beautiful trade.

I was reading this when I stopped and thought just how much I like the cast of this comic, and how great it could be if they keep Victor (and Maleev!) involved in the Iron Man universe. Caselli's art is great, and there is a cool, genuine sense of mystery over where Tony has gone. Strong work.

This is a beautiful looking issue with contributions from several fantastic artists; although the styles vary wildly at times, it all works and doesn't negatively distract the reader. Likewise, Jason Aaron does a great job of flowing from storyline and timeline to story time and timeline smoothly. It also looks great to see that nice #700 on the cover. This is a really good book.

As a general hater of prequels, I was slightly hesitant about this series, but I found the first issue very entertaining. I liked David Rubin on "Ether" and "Black Hammer" #12, and his work was just as good here. Lemire does a good job creating a story that is compelling even though we know Lucy's future. The scene with Lucy and Megalobolt (or something that is definitely not that, but something kind of close?) is powerful and moving. I'm digging this so far.

"Paper Girls" returns and this is a great issue. It's fast paced and feels like an exciting pick-up from the last arc, which was kind of so-so for me. This continues to be strange, but the narrative feel a little more on point. Chiang's art is outstanding...the 3-panel page where the cop car hits the robot (ah...comics!) is beautifully done. I'm excited for more. Let's see what 2000 has to offer!

This is a really strong issue of "Royal City." It was a great idea for Lemire to give us the story opening in the present day before cutting back to high school...the scenes are more heavily weighted, the sense of tragedy is in the atmosphere. The depictions of Tommy's struggle to sleep and his crippling headaches are powerful. This series has a new sense of direction with this issue and is a great read.

I've got a pile of unread copies of "X-Men Gold" and "X-Men Blue" here, having a hard time staying on top of the relentless X-schedule. I haven't read since #4 or #5...? Anyway, I cut in with this issue, and it was...okay. It was okay. The Mojo bits were amusing, but having just finished reading it, I can't think of much that stood out, storewise. The Mike Matthew art looks good at times, other times pretty dicey. It kind of feels like someone attempting copy the vibe of X-Men books from the 90s rather than writing organic stories, which I guess is what it really is. So, yeah.

This is an interesting enough twist on the relationship and place of Batman and the Joker in an Elseworlds-type story. But what really won me over is the art of Sean Murphy. Moody, atmospheric stuff.

This is a generally well done issue, even if nothing really happens. The killer ending leaves a strong impression, and has me thoroughly creeped out/pumped for the next issue.

This was okay. It settled into a fairly standard plot, but I generally liked the interactions between the characters. Jesus Saiz is pretty fine on pencils. Oh, and I almost skipped the little 3-page Avengers origin synopsis at the back, but I read it and found it charming. So, there you go...solid, but I'm sure better lay ahead

The penultimate issue of what has been a sweet, weird, powerful comic. I'm disappointed this is ending all so soon, but it has been a delight to read. Terry Moore mixes the silly with the deadly serious with great deft. I am looking forward to the finale.

This issue was pretty good. I like the chemistry between Peter and Bobbi, and the opening scene where Peter is wearing her t-shirt made me laugh out loud. The story itself isn't that much, and the anti-Parker stuff sometimes seems heavy-handed. But it is an entertaining read. The art of Stuart Immonen continues to destroy the competition, making this book a must for that alone.

In terms of story, this comic is kind of light and inconsequential. However, the artwork of Ramon Perez is absolutely breathtaking. Perez mimics the style of Steve Ditko for this issue set during Ditko's original run on "Amazing," to terrific results. This book is a treat just to look at.

This series is pretty muddled. After a strong first ish, it hasn't really gone anywhere. This month we get a flashback explaining Miles' father's background, which was pretty entertaining in its own right; it doesn't really seem like it should be the centerpiece to a 5-part story. There's a serious lack of momentum going on, and, as for the central conflict/idea of the story, I don't care so much.

Bendis fails badly in the lacklustre #12 issue that has been, until now, a deeply fascinating title. The story that gained momentum over the first near-dozen issues crumbles at the end, with a rip-off quick ending that wraps up the necessary plot lines in a cheap and unsatisfying "Mephisto did it all!" Ending. The breaking of the 4th wall by Mephisto was beyond belief dumb. An interesting series that shits the bed at the end.

This issue rounds out the whole Maria Hill mystery, in an issue that is above average largely for its art. Michael Gaydos does his usual outstanding job drawing Jessica in gritty, modern-day style, while Javier Pulido's clean lines draw us to the past with an early meeting between Hill and Nick Fury. The contrast works great in dividing the story's past/present. I have found this arc inconsistent and occasionally frustrating, but it ends on a higher note, with the ending revealing an explosive hint of what is coming.

This is a dark, intriguing second issue; we are still left very much into the dark surrounding what is exactly going on here, but this issue is creepily captivating. I wasn't sure what to think after the first issue, but this installment roped me in. I love the Del Ray art, and am fascinated by the world Bellaire has begun to build.

Another great issue...this has been my favourite of the Young Animal line, and this issue perfectly wraps up the first year of story; the major plotlines are wrapped here, Shade's goodby with Lepuck is sufficiently moving, and we are ready to move with Shade to many more outlandish, mind-tripping adventures. I'm hoping that DC is patient with their Young Animal line, because they have a special title here as written and drawn by Castellucci and Zarcone.

A solid, but more or less average issue. Nico Leon's art is nice, holding the issue up a bit higher than the plot (which is pretty standard fare) does. And, hey, a cover that has absolutely no contextual tie to the book inside! That's always neat!

The art in this issue is just not for me--I like cartoony artwork at times, but this looked like stills from a cartoon from the 70s. It totally threw me off, and there was not enough there with the story to keep me hanging on. This series is listing a bit.

This is a pretty great issue. I didn't know how this series would deal with the more intense storyline of Betty's being paralyzed, but this is a mature, realistic look at the issue, focusing on the financial weight that accompanies serious injuries. Betty is resilient throughout, until a page late in the book that shows her frailty. Added to the hope-inspiring ending, I loved it. Mark Waid and Audrey Mok rule in this issue.

"Marvel Legacy" is getting a lot of comparisons to "DC Rebirth," and they certainly have a lot in common. One of these things is that they both play to their base, respectively giving both Marvel and DC heads a lot to geek out over. Is "Marvel Legacy" as good as "DC Rebirth," in terms of story told, and building anticipation for the future? Probably not; "Rebirth" feels tighter and more focussed, and it's hard to top the idea of the Watchmen entering the DCU. But is it awesome in its own right? Fuck yeah. There is a lot going on here, and, yeah, it doesn't work as a narrative piece as well as "Rebirth" did, but, as a Marvel guy, I loved it. The 1,000, 000 BC Avengers is a great way to open the issue, and I did get a real sense of the heart of Marvel in it. I'm not one of those fans who have been shitting on Marvel's recent performance; I don't like Gwenpool, or Moon Girl, and I miss Bruce Banner and good-guy Steve Rogers, but I don't buy the idea of the MCU as being misguided and just not that good; I still collect four more times Marvel than DC just because I like the universe more, and probably, a lot of fanboy nostalgia. Which is where "Legacy" comes in. New and old characters in the MCU are represented here, and the issue does a good job of making it seem like Marvel has just been being Marvel with its influx of new characters or new iterations on old hits. The art in the issue is stellar; there are super-cool moments throughout (Wolverine placing his beer in a dead Frost Giant's guts to keep it cool; Lady Thor and Falcon Cap making out) and Jason Aaron does a great job capturing the voices of the many characters here. "Marvel Legacy" does its job...it has me pumped up for not only a lot of titles I really like already, but some I've cancelled over the last year. Make mine Marvel!

Another great issue of "Saga," I liked the way Vaughan told the story here, with his torturer extracting unexpected truths from the Will. The opening pages do a great job in character building. Fiona Staples has never not been awesome throughout the 47 issues of this series. It's easy to underrate this book because of the lofty heights it has reached over the past few years, but this one shows that even the average issue of "Saga" blows almost the rest of all comics away.

I didn't quite know what to expect from this issue; I didn't like Latour's writing on issue #12, and I ended up rather strongly disliking his and Chris Brunner's "Loose Ends." Despite my trepidation, this issue was really good; after such a build up, it's kind of great seeing Roberta kick some ass, though I don't trust Aaron and Latour to give her a happy ending. This is violent and jarring, but in the best way. It also provides some background info on Earl, which seems like the first time in a while. And Brunner's artwork worked out well. Latour isn't a writer I really care for, but I have the sense that both he and Aaron have so much invested in this book that they won't publish a sub-par issue; even though its a bit jarringly not Aaron, I think it's the best writing effort from Latour I've read yet.

Things get more claustrophobic and helpless for our heroes, as life in isolation threatens to overtake them. An interesting look at Madam Dragonfly here, and an ending that promises the next arc carries on the excellence. Dean Ormstrom regains his rightful position as artist. "Black Hammer" looks and reads just great.

I have the last few issues of "Cable" in various piles around my house, and rather than hunt them down, I just read #5 on its own. It was mild fun. The art seems like a throwback to generic Marvel art of the 80s...not good, not bad, but solid. While I enjoyed a few moments (Cable enlists the support of dinosaurs!), I can't help but think a series featuring Cable should be more bad-assed.

This series has been pretty damn good, but this issue is a disappointment. It's basically a space/time-filler before the Legacy relaunch next month, and it reads like filler. The women of Tony's life gather to discover he's not a total asshole after all! I found the multiple artists here jarring--they really took me out of the book. When your regular artist is Stefano Caselli, any drop in quality is shocking. There are a few pages of anime style big eyes near the end and I was like, "Nope. No no no." This is probably just a blip in the quality radar, but there's nothing that will be missed from skipping this issue.

A kind of trite one-off focussing on Jon and Superman's relationship. I liked it enough, though its pretty inconsequential. Not really good, not really bad.

I kind of like this series more on the slow-broil moments more than the big war issues. Another very solid instalment here.

Powerful, intense, startling issue of "Harrow County," as we see the stakes raised with devastating results. Bunn and Cullen are the perfect team. This book continues to fly under the radar as one of the best in comics.

This series continues to shine in an action and intrigue filled issue. Brubaker has done a great job in his characterization of Dylan, once hesitant to commit violence, now a cold killer. The beast, if it exists, seems to have taken a back seat as Dylan no longer needs its motivation to kill. Great story, great Sean Phillips art.

This is a weird, but curious and entertaining series so far. Perhaps my lack of knowledge of the New Gods is leaving me a little more in the dark than other readers, but I find the mystery and ambiguity of the story absolutely fascinating. The highlight here for me was the sadistic Granny Goodness. Yikes! Mitch Gerads continues to kill it on art.

Cool one-shot featuring Norman Osborne searching for the madness that has consumed him all his adult life. The story is fun and interesting but the real treat here is the Greg Smallwood art. With Stuart Immonen as the regular artist, it's not likely to find a fill-in who is in the same league, but they've done it here. I think a tandem of Immonen/Smallwood as ASM artists is any Spidey fan's dream.

Ed McGUinness art! That's...not very good? I was disappointed by the look of this issue, where Morales inks seem to kill McGuinness work. The story was okay, but Old Man Logan is coming close to being as overexposed as the original Wolverine before he died.

Fun issue with Riri subbing in as Queen of Latvaria. This is silly, of course, but an enjoyable read. Caseli kills it on art once again.

Because of the slow pace of this series, it is easy to criticize it for what it doesn't do rather than celebrate it for the things it did. While the tendency to ask for more action and plot movement is there, this series has been endlessly fascinating as a study of Doom's character and his relation to the rest of the Marvel universe. Bendis accompanies this great characterization with interesting dialogue, and when paired with Maleev's exemplary pencils, this series has been one of my favourites over the course of its run. With only one issue left, I am sad that it is over; surely this is the test of a fine series.

This is a bit of a placeholder issue, a background history of Lucy, but is still powerful and resonant and fits in with the grand narrative. David Rubin seems to be established as Dean Ormstrom's official back-up, and while nothing in quite as good in "Black Hammer" if it's not done by Ormstrom, he's a great choice.

Joelle Jones continues to be a revelation, one of the most talented people working in the comics industry right now. "Lady Killer 2" wraps up with a bloody battle that does the series justice, with an ending that suggests we are not through with Jose. Jones has, I believe, gone exclusive with DC, and her work on "Supergirl Being Super" really delivers; let's hope, though, it doesn't keep her from creator owned work like "Lady Killer" for too long.

Always strong, this book again delivers. The scenes with the Endwife were creepy cool, and the interaction between Hazel and her little brother were bittersweet. Art and writing so awesome that they've almost made awesome pedestrian.

This issue is a road trip story, but lacks the insane action the road trip in issues of #4-5 of the book. Granted, there is no acid, but still. The arguing about race and power dragged a bit for me--generally interesting, but it feels like Remender's done the exact same thing already. This is still a good comic, it just doesn't hit the lofty heights most issues of "Deadly Class" do.

This is a really fun and, in the end, a really moving book. This series has been a very pleasant surprise for me, really capturing the charm of our heroes, in this case Star-Lord. His connection to music is explored in a really great way here. Add in super special guest pencils from Chris Samnee, and this one is spectacular.

This is a great issue, full of music and rebirth and how they connect. This is a fantastic series.

This was an interesting outing. I was a bit jarred by James Harren's art at first, but ended up enjoying it. Good suspenseful read.

This series continues to be a great read, with one-shot stories that are clear and concise and well-told, accompanied by the stellar artwork of Aco. I think this series has a limited lifespan with Marvel's upcoming revamp...I just hope they've got Aco signed to a company contract. He's too good to let go.

Tommy and his dad do the ghost of Christmas present thing, checking in on each member of the Pike family, looking at where they are now. Perhaps because we only spend about 2 pages or so with each family member, this issue seems a bit more slight than the others, but it is still an intriguing story with great art.

I'm a little torn on this. After a build-up that seemed at times to take forever, the ending seems rushed. So many questions are left unanswered. Kobik reinstating a better reality seems like an unimaginative way to conclude. But good Steve picked up Thor's hammer and knocked the shit out of evil Steve, yo! This issue is receiving a lot of condemnation and vitriol, and, yes, I am a sucker, but I generally liked it. It was a wildly inconsistent event, but Spencer and Steve McNiven did a great job here in delivering an utterly predictable but cheer-worthy ending. I know that, all things considered, I probably shouldn't like this, but what the fuck; I liked it!

This issue is a fun, exciting read, as things are happening fast for our gods, the world coming undone around them. This issue keeps building the suspense as the search is on for Sahkmet, fresh off a killing spree. Great book.

I'm not fully invested in the fringe characters of the DCU (yes, including Hawkman), so a bit of this may be lost on me. I wasn't sure about the start of the book, and the big Voltron moment, but by the end I had warmed up to this story and was having a good time. Part of this was a surprising, and thrilling, final page. I'm skipping everything but the main title for this, so I just hope it can deliver a coherent enough story without all the supplementary stuff. Good art, interesting script, a pretty entertaining book.

"The Ultimates" has come to an end. But while it ran, this has been one of Marvel's most original, most interesting series. The story of the "Cosmic Avengers" has had a look unlike any other book, thanks to Kenneth Rocafort and now Travel Foreman. It's too bad it's ending, but it goes out on a high note, a powerful, optimistic, life-affirming conclusion. This is, and has been, a pretty great book.

This series is so good. This issue in particular is beautiful and moving; the romance between Dawn Greenwood and Norrin Radd has got to be one of the most powerful in comics. In this issue, we see their love played out over a lifetime. With one issue left, it's easy to be sad, but I'm instead going to wait and see what the final story offers, and just be thankful that a series as wonderful and amazing as this exists.

This book continues to be entertaining and fun, but this issue, while pretty good, isn't a standout. Valeri Schiti's art doesn't seem as good as usual here, and the Queen of Cinders' boasts grow stale.

The plot doesn't really advance here, and upon closer inspection, Batman's plan doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but, what the hell! I really enjoyed this. I liked the framing with the serving of the different dinner dishes, and the strangeness of the situation made it very intriguing and fun. Mikel Janin continues to kill it on art. A very different, enjoyable issue.

"Descender" is on a role. This issue is action-packed and a great read. The final page is a super-cool cliffhanger. Great stuff.

The story moves forward here plotwise, to the effect of focussing on secondary characters and not giving us a good dose of Sam and Mike interaction. Sam's history of trauma is further fleshed out, but I kind of missed the more subtle character moments that have defined this series and made it a stand-out. Still good, but not "Motor Girl" at its best.

Things continue to spiral for Coach Boss, as he suffers on and off the field. This series is endlessly fascinating, with its dark and deplorable characters. The reckoning of Earl's daughter continues on slow burn, but the stakes and tension continue to get higher.

I really liked the first issue, but this issue...what's the point? We were left with a cliffhanger, as Peter looks shocked, stunned to discover...a Google search that goes nowhere! I like the rapport between the Spider-Men, but aside from being pretty to look at, there's not much to this issue. And...Peter only 3 years older than Miles? What the fuck is that?

This was a light, fun issue. Rick Leonardi helps these animal heroes emote; this kind of story could go wrong in a million ways but it goes right under the hand of Kurt Busiek.

This isn't the kind of comic I usually read, but it continues to be interesting. I'm staying with it.

This is a great issue of "The Defenders." The action scenes between Diamondback and Jessica/Danny are creatively and very effectively laid out. The dialogue is sharp and the plot is tight and crisp. Bendis and Marquez are really delivering with this series. The producers of the Netflix show could learn something from this series.

This issue uses a creative flashback, using Javier Pulido's classic Steranko-esque art to bring us back in time. I did find, however, the flashback a bit hard to follow. Moreso, however, is the fact that I don't really care about Maria Hill, so this arc is falling a little flat for me. This series has been wildly inconsistent, ranging from excellent to solid to frustrating. I'd say this is one of the solid, but unspectacular issues.

This issue is pretty great. I had a lot of fun reading it! I loved Rocket in this issue and the interaction between the group as a whole. The Collector is well-done here, and the ending is quite intriguing. In addition to the excellent writing is the fine art of Aarron Kuder. This is fun, entertaining comics.

I liked the opening pages with the narration by Otto Octavius, and of course seeing Vision and Scarlett Witch together, but the actual story here is slight, to say the least. An interesting turn near the end is rendered moot by a lie told by one of these makeshift Hydra Avengers. An interesting concept, but little comes from it.

The opening scene, as Gordon is called to see both the Joker and the Riddler, respectively, is well done, but the rest of the issue features Batman providing exposition over colleges of action. Something like the battle between Deadshot and Deathstroke could have been told in a more exciting manner. Good, but the kind of issue that makes me wonder if this story needs 12 issues to play out.

Things continue to fall apart in this arc, as Jon and Susie can't find ground to stand on. A solid issue in which Zdarsky's art does more of the storytelling than Fraction's words.

This series continues to be outstanding, as Shade leads us to reflect upon life, love, death. This issue packs quite a surprise, and moving exploration of a life that has reached its end. The extra "Life With Honey" piece at the end is charming and adds to the book. There's nothing else quite like this out there.

Strong conclusion to a strong arc. "The Beauty" is a book that makes you think about what is valued by our society and what that means to we who live in it. I hope this isn't the last we see of Thomas Nachlik, because his art is a perfect fit for this book. After a disappointing second arc, the third one excelled, and I am excited to see what comes next.

Still dealing with the aftermath of the Whisperer War and Andrea's death, this is a quiet but powerful issue, as the different communities pick up and try to carry on. There's lots of tension and intrigue here. Really strong issue.

This is a good comic. The two-page spread showing Archie and Betty's history beautifully shows their relationship. The comic is filled with dramatic tension. But I'm not sure if this is the tone I'm looking for in an Archie comic. I loved the show "Riverdale," but the comics are a different thing. The light, comic sweetness of most of the series, echoing all the Archie books of the past, was what I wanted. I'm still on board, but seeing where this all goes.

I'm not usually a fan of Charles Soule's work, but with art by Jim Cheung, I had to pick this up. And...it was good. The story as well as the art. I liked the way Soule introduced the major players of this X-team in the opening pages, and the central conflict is introduced in an interesting way. And the art was awesome, of course.

This issue has good moments but an ending that is pretty unclear and muddied. The scene with young Victor and his mother was interesting, and I really liked the scene with Ben Grimm looking through the ruins of Doom's castle, and the encounter he has. This book has a strong Fantastic Four feel. It has good characterization. But things continue to move at a snail's pace.

The Inhumans intrigued me since way back when Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee did the awesome 12-issue limited series. But they've underwhelmed me since. Lately, with the battles with the X-Men and the endless stream of Nuhumans, I've grown to downright dislike them. But, since this deals with the original, core members, I thought I'd check it out. And it's pretty good. An interesting start to the series, a refreshing break from the nonsense that started with Marvel trying to force them down our throats, and awesome Phil Noto art, which makes it worth looking at alone.

This is an all-battle issue, with some really strong art by Ryan Ottley. And there are casualties. The stakes seem to be getting higher and higher as we approach the end.

Donny Cates uses a very smart device to explore the past here, as Perry goes inside Bartlett's mind...it's a good choice to have the two of them conversing when she is exploring what exactly happened. Lisandro Estherren's art helps establish the mood of the book, working excellently with Cates' script.

This was a good issue. I'm really liking Hammerhead as a nemesis, and it was awesome to see Golfballs go all-out here. The characterization in this series continues to be really strong, and Oscar Bazaldua's art is a great fit.

It all comes tumbling down here, as Peter and Otto match minds, and Peter shows the extent he's willing to go to in order to keep Parker Industries out of Otto's hands. Strong art from Immonen, as always. So the "Secret Empire" crossover ends, and judging from the preview of the next issue, it'll be a doozy.

This is a pivotal part to the main plot of "Secret Empire," so perhaps that is where this story should have taken place, as the tides are finally starting to turn. A good read with good art.

This is a great issue, the start to the third arc. Brubaker and Phillips storytelling is exemplary here...the way the words work with the pictures is just perfect. I hope their creative partnership lasts forever. We get back to the beginning here, and focus on Dylan's continuation of killing after the demon is revealed to be a creation of his un-medicated mind (or so he thinks). It's just a great looking, really fascinating book. The way Brusker coreographs actions scenes is incredible. A pretty perfect issue.

Having grown up with Marvel, I don't know these characters, but, nonetheless, "Mister Miracle" #1 is absolutely captivating. It's dark and fascinating and I don't know exactly what's going but I could not put this down. Tom King is probably the best writer in comics today, and he creates a world of ambiguity here, augmented by the fantastic art of Mitch Gerads. This is book is strange and wonderful, and I can't wait to see where this goes.

Another issue of "Secret Empire," and a whole bunch of stuff going on. The plot is building up, and it's getting more exciting, but I still have trouble with the series initial premise. Sorrentino's pages look great, but his action scenes can be a little confusing. Not great, but pretty good.

Suffers from what the whole series has so far: too many characters, too busy, too much dialogue. That being said, it, like the other issues, has a killer surprise ending. The art is a bit average, but those who found all of this too gloomy will be pleased to see the heroes refuse to quit in their battle against Hydra. Inconsistent, but also with some pretty good parts.

A fun issue introducing a whole different cast of seedy space characters. A good read, with strong Kev Walker art.

"God Country" #6 blows its comic competition out of the water. A powerful, moving, emotional conclusion to this epic tale. There is so much good about this issue, but a double-page collage of a father passing on his experience, the story of his life, to his son stands out. I was almost moved to tears reading this, which something that almost never happens when I read comics. This is so great. The creative team has been locked down by Marvel, and I can't wait to see what they bring to the House of Ideas.

I totally loved this issue. Great cover. Great to see the return of Kev Walker on pencils. It was a very interesting issue from start to finish. Coming off of the disappointing "Star Wars" crossover, this is such a breath of fresh air. It revitalizes Doctor Aphra as a character. As well as the kill-droids...after kind of existing as comedic sidekicks, it was easy to forget their brutal nature, but that ends here. And the ending of the issue is a kick-ass surprise. Awesome.

I found this issue kind of hard to follow. I like Jenkins artwork, but this issue is all about action scenes, and his art is kind of confusing. Still a solid book, but nearly as good as the more contemplative issues.

A quieter issue (well, it's still pretty damn violent), this explores the Maestro and his Hulks in closer detail. It's good at character building. However,Mike Deodato's art is the real draw here, as this issue looks fantastic.

I really liked this. It has an intriguing opening sequence for which we get no explanation this issue, but that's okay. It has a charming sequence with Miles and Ganke and a girl Miles is crushing on. The premise of another Miles existing in this universe is an interesting one, though it takes a bit of effort to combat alternate universe fatigue. But the killer is Sara Pichelli's gorgeous art. This issue reads, and looks, really great. I had a lot of fun reading it.

Another ghostly issue about aging, and the inevitability of seeing the dreams of our youth, our youthful selves, ebb away. The characterization is strong and Lemire's art is fantastic.

Didn't really care for this. Too many small panels with lots dialogue to go with the fighting. Wasn't effectively done in my opinion. Though there is a possessed cow smoking a cigarette, so...that's cool.

This was a good issue. It gets us to know the characters better, and develops the storyline. I like the part with the "Prairie Dog" and her father. Great ending. An entertaining read.

"Descender" 22 is a good read...exciting, action-packed, and suspenseful. I feel like this series has spent too much time treading water, not moving ahead fast enough, but this is a good sign for this arc. All the slow issues in the past year are so have helped build to this, and it looks like a lot of significant things happening.

This was a damn exciting conclusion to the first arc of "The Old Guard," a series in which almost every chapter has been great. This is all non-stop action, as The Old Guard asserts itself and kicks (or, kills) ass. There is a lot bloodshed here, but it's done in a stylistically cool way. I wasn't familiar with Leandro Fernandez before this series, but his art is absolutely brilliant. Great book.

Another frustratingly inconsistent issue; it wasn't bad, but there were parts (heroes arguing with each other) I just wanted to flip through. I liked the Cap/Banner part, and then the Hulk part. Curious characterization continue to be problem. I don't know why Odinson is doing this. It's like they are all chess pieces that are moved around in whatever role they need to be to service the plot. I did like Yu's art. But why does A.I. Tony grow a beard? I get his whole consciousness is now A.I., as the book tries to explain, but...sigh. Okay.

This issue is pretty great. The tension is high as Joker and Riddler wage war on one another. King's Joker is especially twisted. A stand-out in this series has been King's often unconventional choice of narration, and his choice for this issue really works. Add to that Mikel Janin's all-star artwork and this issue is a killer.

This issue is really weird, and really fun and interesting too. It's safe to say there is nothing else out there quite like "Shade, the Changing Girl." I love the way Castellucci fits Rac Shade's poetry into the narration to add depth and further develop the story's meaning. And Zarcone's art is a great fit for the story's tone. Great stuff.

This was a really good issue of "Star Wars." I've been a big critic of this comic as of late, mostly finding it to be a big disappointment, but this one was a really fun, interesting read. I enjoyed the narrative style, as Leia reflects upon her current adventures through the veil of having lost her home world. Larroca's pencils are spot on...this book looked really good too. It's nice to see a simple one-shot that tells an impactful and meaningful story; here's looking to more of this in the future.

This is a really good issue with a beautiful and touching ending. It also has badass moments, like when Thor grabs the bolt of lightning. The narration choice ends up being a very good one, and Del Mundo kills on art. Great stuff.

An okay issue. Not much happens, but it's not boring either. More excellent Gaydos art. Not great, but not bad.

It's been so long since the last issue that I forgot a lot of details that probably would have helped this issue stand out more, but Frank Quitely's art makes it good enough. Of course it is a great looking issue, and it has an optimistic ending. At some point I'll probably reread all five issues in a sitting, which will probably make this instalment stand out a little more.

Well, this whole series has been fucking great. I've not really read Supergirl before, but this was absolutely charming. Tamaki is fantastic in making fully fleshed out characters--Kara seems like a real girl, not some comic writer's cliched version of a teenager. And Joelle Jones has got to be one of the finest artists working in comics today. I've loved her work on "Lady Killer" and "Superman: American Alien," but she really knocks it out of the park here; this book is gorgeous. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Setting things up for next issue's big battle, mostly, this felt disjointed for me, as seemingly every page cuts to a different faction readying for war.

This is a very entertaining issue as the first arc culminates in our heroes locked in jail with all odds against them. The story is clever, the action is fun, and the continued look at hobo life continues to be fascinating. I had my reservations after the first couple of issues, but now I'm sold on "Rock Candy Mountain."

This issue deals with Peter trying to build a last defence for Parker Industries, which is pretty by the numbers. It sets the story elements in place for what looks like a more thrilling next issue. What elevates it here is the phenomenal art of Stuart Immonen, who somehow seems to be getting better by the issue.

This is a really interesting, and greatly structured, issue. Bruce's narration works to set up this flashback story. The scenes with the Joker auditioning stand-ups and the Riddler executing his escape from prison are great in creating a chilling atmosphere. And, Mikel Janin's art is simply phenomenal. Great start to this arc.

This issue uses a situation from "Secret Empire" to plunge the Champions (or 3 of them) into action; it turns out to be an okay issue, as they find their youthful optimism regarding the freeing of refugees disrupted by the complexities of the situation. It turns out to be a solid issue of a series that can be infuriatingly inconsistent.

This comic, and the premise behind it, are fucking stupid. Matt's thinking that having heroes testify in court will stop crime is ridiculous, as is the idea of someone anonymously testifying in a uniform. The idea of having Matt prove he's Daredevil for the court is a dumb gimmick. The defence attorney is a cliche, as are all the other courtroom players. The Sudzuka art is average at best. I am thinking I need to just drop this title and come around when Charles Soule is gone. I hated this.

This is a really great book. It features an excellent method of exposition by Bendis, having the people of New York narrate the history of Diamondback and Luke's beef...I was thinking it almost went on too long, until it merges with the action as the Punisher makes an awesome (and brutal) entrance. I really liked the two scenes that end the book, with Daredevil and Cage taking on Punisher and Iron Fist and Jessica taking on Diamondback. Then the issue ends in a bit of a shocker which may or may not be a tribute to one of Batman's most famous scenes. And David Marquez continues to deliver.

Continues to be strong in characterization and art, though the story seems a bit plodding. But when the first two of these elements are done so well, I'm not complaining that much. The Johnny/Ben Grimm interaction was great, and makes me long for a return of the Fantastic Four by Bendis.

This is a creepy series. The conversation between Bennett and the mysterious (but now revealed) Grandpa was great horror, as Grandpa's state of being somehow makes him seem all the more threatening. I sometimes get confused about who's who in terms of the characters, but I still enjoyed this issue and am looking forward to the next.

I thought this was a somewhat ho-hum addition to "Saga"--which, by its own standards, still means pretty good--but the last few pages and ending were very effective and intriguing, rescuing what was one of the lesser instalments of a stellar series.

Ugh. After the strong start this series had with the "Screaming Citadel" one-shot, it ends with me just being thankful it's over and wondering if I need to keep buying the Star Wars titles. To call these titles inconsistent would be doing them credit. Here, Broccardo's cartoony style just doesn't fit, and I was just frankly bored by the story, uninterested in its villains, uninterested by the Aphra/Sana Solo relationship, and just wanted it to end.

This is a great conclusion to what has been a surprisingly great series. There is no clean resolution for Arnold, there are no fixes, but, in a series as complex as this, a "happy" ending would be trite and out-of-character. After reading it I thought, how could it end in any other way? One of the best series of the year.

I sort of liked 2 of the 3 parts of the story here, but found it was burdened by a lot of explanatory dialogue on ominous warning of darkness and destruction. And the narration during the Hackman part was boring mumbo-jumbo. That being said, I don't know shit about Hawkman...but this did not inspire me to learn more. The Jim Lee cover and his third of the art looked nice. So, yeah.

I enjoyed this issue. Immonen's art is, well, amazing, and I liked the return of the Superior Spider-Man. That was a great series and this new iteration of Otto/Spidey works with me. Also, it fits in well as a "Secret Empire" crossover as it works independently as its own story.

This is an interesting issue, full of conversation musical and cultural expropriation, and race divisions. It's a great calm-before the storm issue, as Remender continues to flesh out these characters in an interesting, funny, and sometimes sometimes touching way. And Wes Craig rocks.

This is a good, action-filled issue that still has time for Bendis-style characterization. I like the cast of characters in this book (even if they are a promotional item for the upcoming Netflix show) and I like the way they are interacting. I didn't expect Blade but it makes sense for him to be here, and the Punisher is badassed. It's nice to enjoy Marquez art without the accompanying sour taste of "Civil War II," so, yeah, two issues in there is a lot of promise here.

"Kill or be Killed" continues to be an awesome read. This issue finds things growing further out of Dylan's control, and the deep narrative in this issue effectively made me question his sanity. Sean Phillips art is stellar once again.

What saved this issue was an ending that genuinely took me by surprise. Shock ending(s) notwithstanding, this issue moves along at a rather slow pace. There are still five issues left and an epilogue, but I can't help wondering why this whole thing couldn't be done in, say, 6-7 total issues. There is a surplus of characters, but because of this they don't really get deep characterization. That being said, I am interested in reading #6.

Goddammit, this series is good. This issue was very powerful and very touching, a reflection of death and the way we love people after they have died. Mike Allred's art is fantastic and Dan Slott's story is so emotional without ever being cloying. It is so bittersweet. As someone who has recently lost his parents, I was incredibly moved. This is a series that is a step above almost everything else being produced in comics right now.

A fun issue that sort of serves as Larry's origin story before veering off into an alternate version of his life, this time without Gert, in which he emerges as an even more misanthropic character.

I read the ending and, holy fuck! "Black Hammer" continues to be the best comic coming out today. There are multiple mysteries going on, and the whole book is filled with intrigue and characters that are so fleshed out they seem real. Add to this Dean Ormston's fantastic art and you've got a modern classic here.

I'm torn on this. I get what Waid is trying to do, create an Archie comic that has stakes, not just laughs. Nonetheless, I don't think it was my bag. I liked "Riverdale" (the show), which is pretty serious in parts, but that is its own thing. I don't know if I'm looking for deadly serous stakes here.

This series continues to be pretty damn good, though I feel it to be the least effective of the 7 issues (this series and last) so far. I loved the first half of the book with Achillia; it, and she, are awesome. So, when it comes to the Detectioner going on the hunt to find his boy, I was less interested. The statue of Apollo come to life struck a bit incredulous, which is weird, since this book is filled with the wyrd. That being said, I am looking forward to the next issue, and many beyond that; I just think Achillia is too interesting a character to be shelved.

Well, this was surprising. Tom King's clever script immerses us in the world of Porky's bar, and introduces us to a group of lowlives resembling the Warner Bros gang. He cleverly interjects pieces of dialogue from the cartoon, a wink to all of us who watched Loony Tunes as kids. The story is serious enough to be very interesting, though, and Lee Weeks does a great job with the art; there is a dark, brooding mood to the visuals. Sometimes comics are more fun when they catch you off guard, and I ended up having a great deal of fun with something I assumed would be a throwaway.

The ending delivers promise for next issue, but other than that, nothing much about this issue really grabbed me. I'm not much of an Azrael fan, so maybe that plays a part, but, there you go.

"The Button" brought me back on board with "The Flash," and I'm glad to be back. This issue was really good, and felt really high stakes, the prelude to a big Flash storyline. I love Di Giandomenico's art on this character. Question: when Hal forms a bar and bottles and glasses with his ring for he and Flash to sit at, are real drinks created by his ring? Or is it all props?

Big battle issue, with random other Marvel heroes appearing in fight scenes. Rachel confronting her dead parents in her head. I wasn't as interested in her internal struggle as the author would like. She's not really a strong enough character to carry the issue. Other than a fleeting moment with Storm and Gambit, there's not much here.

This is a pretty good first issue, uniting the four main characters in an organic way. Bendis has the voice for these characters down and the art by David Marquez (who saved "Civil War II" from being a total disaster) does a great job on art.

More style than substance so far, but man, do they ever do the style right. This issue looks absolutely great--Aco is a revelation in his innovative design, and the colours pop to make this a visual tour de force. We get a greater sense of who this Nick Fury is in this issue, as we see a bit more of his charm and humour; this series has been doing single issue stories that don't feel slight or incomplete, a rarity in times when 20 pages can fly by without much happening at all. Robinson and Aco are a great team.

This issue explores Spock and Uhura's relationship, and their suitability to each other as human and Vulcan mates. It does so in the backdrop of a plot which stresses the differences between the two species. Not great, but pretty good. Tony Shasteen returns some stability to the art.

Not great. Perhaps this isn't the fault of Soule or the book (certainly not Camuncoli, who draws Vader well), but I am not really interested in seeing the jedi lore of the prequels expanded further upon. Also, cool as he is, Vader is a tough character to hold down a solo book. Keiran Gillen developed a strong supporting cast in the first series to balance a character who seldom speaks and for whom an inner narration would be almost absurd, something missing here, as we have to have Storm Trooper banter guide the story. I'm just not feeling it.

I don't fully understand what's going on here, as Hickman is building a typically deep, mysterious world, revealing things piece by piece, but it is dark and fascinating. It's a credit to the creators that the book is always interesting in spite of many questions that linger.

This issue had highs and lows. I liked the Rafeal Albuquerque art, but wasn't really feeling the black-ops Alfred thing or his narration about his dad. I kind of sighed when I saw the back-up, because with these 8-page instalments I never remember what happened in the last one (I read a lot of comics!), but I got into this one. So, not great, but pretty good issue.

A not-quite but sorta terrible issue. Steve goes full-fascist, grimacing and pounding his fist in a speech warning all others they shall fall in Hydra's wake if they do not comply. I thought it was a bit over-done. I did like the appearance from Black Panther, which provided the highlight of the issue. I don't think Steve has been characterized consistently over this event, sometimes earnestly wishing the world would see the truth he knows in some, sometimes a finger-wagging, overblown tyrant, like here. The art rose a bit above the wretched levels of the last couple of issues at least. So, yeah, it only kinda sucked.

Riri continues to be a pretty charming character, and her chemistry with A.I. Tony continues to provide fun moments. Bendis effectively uses flashback scenes to develop Riri's character. And Stefano Caselli really delivers on art. "Invincible Iron Man" continues to quietly be a pretty damn good comic.

This is a fun, light-hearted debut issue. It's clear Zdarsky will be bringing the jokes, but the story itself here is a bit...meh. Nevertheless, I liked the Ant-Man and Human Torch appearances and the Adam Kubert art is pretty sharp. Having dropped "Renew Your Vows," it's nice to get a second Peter Parker book.

Awesome, heart-breaking issue. The scenes with Volstagg and the Elven orphans are very touching, and really bring home the reality of this war (in this universe). Russell Daughterman owns this comic, but when he steps aside, Valerio Schiti is quite capable of filling in...this issue looks great. After feeling bogged down for a bit, this series has picked up with 6 or so great issues in a row, and the revelation at the end (and, well, on the front cover) promises this will continue.

Expecting this to be more pointless "Secret Empire" crossover (see last issue), I was very pleasantly surprised by this comic. Maybe the surprise added to the overall impact, but this was a great read. To see Galactus and Ego as they once were, in their original forms, was great. Al Ewing really knocks this issue out of the park. And the art of Aud Koch, which so did not work last month, is integral to the story here. He does a great job. Fantastic issue.

Ehhh. After 3 issues, I suppose we get some kind of direction on what this story will be about, with the war or whatever, but not enough for me. It looks pretty good, but I just am not feeling the story. The narrative isn't giving me enough. The more I read of Jason Latour's writing, the more I am convinced it's just not for me. I love his art on "Southern Bastards," but this is just confusing me and not paying off for me.

Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo's run on "Doctor Strange" ends here in an issue that seems to bring things full circle. I like the decision to make Zelda the focus here as she moves on to a new role in this adventure. There is a sense of a new start even as things end. This is the longest I have ever read a Doctor Strange book, and it was at its best when it was at its weirdest. I'm excited to see where Bachalo turns up next, as he delivered a bizarre set of visuals that looked totally awesome and unique. It was a good run.

"Harrow County" always brings the creepiness, but this issue has a dark and fascinating ending that promises things are only going to get darker. I love the dialogue in this book, the characters' manner of speech; it seems to transport the reader to a different time, which adds a lot to the atmosphere. Great stuff.

Anyone who has made it through the harrowing Shawn Crystal era (issues 4-6, of which I read the first two and then decided to just skip #6 and wait) is richly rewarded by the gorgeous artwork of John Paul Lyon here in issue 7. Goddamn, this book looks fucking awesome. His style fits the tone of the book, and as a result this is the strongest issue yet. There is some mystery brewing about Violet and what drives her, and the body bag killer was creepy. The final scene is captivating as well; I am pumped to have "Mother Panic" back to what it should be, and can't wait for the next issue.

This is a strong start to the new creative team; if Brisson's story seems a bit unoriginal at this point (figures emerging from Logan's dystopian future/past for vengeance), it is made up for by Deodato's excellent art. Plus, the Hulk brothers and Maestro are fascinating villains. This is keeps the general tone of Lemire's run and does a good job of following quality up with quality.

I'm not entirely sure what's going on here, but I enjoyed this nonetheless; it's building up to something, and my interest grew throughout the issue until the climax, which left me "Huh?" but again, excited to figure out what's happening. There are several of DCs heroes who don't have books currently popping up, which didn't excite me as much as I figure it excited DC heads, but it made this feel more exotic and interesting. As I a Marvel guy, I thought the deep-DC cast might be alienating, but that wasn't so. I may not know much about Hackman, but I've read the Outsiders and Mr. Miracle before. I expected the art changes to be jarring, and was surprisingly not jarred--the book looked good throughout. So, I am down with DCs first big event. This was a fun read.

"Grass Kings" feels like it has been on a slow boil that looks to erupt into violence...that is certainly the sense here. Kindt is doing a good job building the suspense, assisted by flashbacks that add to the growing sense of uneasiness. Tyler Jenkins' art is also rough, sketchy, and fantastic looking. This is a good book.

I picked up this series because of Matthew Rosenberg's work (I like it), and I am glad I did, because this was as good as any mini-series on the Kingpin that could be expected. The book took a turn towards the Kingpin's more conventional characterization here, but it makes sense due to what Rosenberg established in the first four issues. The ending takes on a more sinister edge because it isn't quite what I expected from the last page. Series' based upon a villain can be tough, but the team did a pretty good job here.

In this issue Thanos feels the weight of being mortal, and is sad. And he battles a giant rodent-monster. And is sad. I missed Deodato's art here, though Peralta does make the plot easy to follow in an issue that is mostly dialogue-free. So, yeah, it was alright.

Pleasantly surprised by this issue, and "X-Men Blue" as a whole. I sometimes get bored by action-dominated issues, but Cullen Bunn keeps things tight with sharp and witty dialogue, and the Julian Lopez art was excellent, keeping the action interesting. I like Miss Sinister and her band of misplaced mutants. The presence of Jimmy Wolverine doesn't seem superfluous, and I like that there is a mystery with Magneto in the background as well. Burn hinted at alterior motives for Magneto in a previous issue, but isn't forcing the point. I like the subtlety. This is just a really good read.

Strong issue, as Aric struggles with his own nature; is he a man of peace or a man of war? One aspect I really liked was the opening 4 pages, giving the history of the rise of the Cadmium empire and their subjugation of other races; it added a lot of context to the story, outside of the action scenes. Issue #4 starts a new arc, and though I will miss Giorello's beautiful art, I am fully on board.

This was a fun issue, a nice conclusion to the story. It was funny to see Betty Hulk-out, and, most importantly, it looked absolutely fantastic with Adam Hughes' art. I hope he sticks with this series, even if it means only 3 or so issues a year.

This series has been pretty great, and it has an ending that is fitting and exciting and true to the whole story. This series turned my expectations around throughout, proving itself with every issue's originality. Max Landis' "Superman: American Alien" was an exceptional series and he followed it up so well here; I can't wait to see what he does next. Also, so reliably excellent, Cammuncoli nailed it in this issue and the series as a whole. It's a bonus to see that issue #9 really does stick the landing.

I dropped this title after the first arc, but not fast enough to avoid getting this one, so, yeah. The story was kind of annoying. Thanks for the meaningless Hellcat visit. Jen herself has outworn her welcome for me. And the guy makes the toxic (or whatever) cake after his boyfriend watches some dude pour green stuff out on the ingredients, so...this comic has wasted my time for the last time and I don't really like Jen Walters anymore and I'm not reading this lame nothing-ever-happens book again.

Well, it can't be denied that this series is a shit-show. I still don't really understand the motivations behind anyone being on the side they are, and A.I. Tony just acting like a normal dude, leading the defiance, really, still irritates me. But I love an old-school Avengers dinner scene where the sparks fly! This was weird, but I liked Ultron/Pym here. Lienil Yu's art wasn't quite up to his usual standards, but it was still plenty good. For a book with so much stuff going on, at least I was entertained.

The "Vader Down" crossover was really good, as was the "Screaming Citadel" one-shot, but this crossover has kind of fizzled out, in my eyes. This issue was okay, but I think I would have preferred this to be a Luke/Aphra solo team up story, without dragging in the supporting casts. I think the underlying problem is that Jason Aaron's "Star Wars" hasn't been consistently good in a very long time, leaving me to think he's running in place regarding interesting things to do with this property.

Keiran Gillen's "Darth Vader" was so good, this series has a lot to live up to. It makes itself its own thing by exploring rookie Vader, but....I didn't really care too much for this. I mean, it wasn't bad, but it didn't have the coolness or badassedness of its former iteration. I also thought Camuncoli's pencils would work better than they did. I'll try issue #2, but I'm not really sold here.

The two Black Hood series in the last couple of years have been criminally underrated, perhaps due to being released on Dark Circle, Archie's crime comic label. In this issue, things happen a bit too fast to conclude the story, but it is quality nonetheless. I have enjoyed Swierczynski's dark stories, and Greg Scott's pencils here, and hope this isn't the last time we get to see Black Hood.

While I'm enjoying the main event (well...mainly), this "Secret Empire" crossover clearly illustrates why event crossovers so often suck. It's just a fight against a black bubble and (yet another) portal opened to let in nameless, bland creatures. Jacinto's art is strong, but it's wasted on this boring, meaningless battle issue. I thought I was done with "Monsters Unleashed."

I left this issue sitting on my stack of comics unread for a while, but now that I've read it, wow, it's a really great issue. I loved when Tillie stepped forward to take over the narration from the Broken Man and the idea of her creating The Gentleman as a psychic projection, and holding on to her childhood forever was really interesting. This was a super-charming issue and yet another example of how "Astro City" is just great comics.

For a moment the tense mood breaks and there is a bit of levity, but this is very serious, and, sorry, not a whole lot of fun. The quest is striking me as being a bit tedious. I love "Deadly Class" and "Black Science," and I know the positive reviews for this are overwhelming, but this is kind of missing the mark for me. I don't not like it, but I feel like I should be wowed but am not. Worth picking up for the art, but I hope the story itself picks up too.

I picked up this issue because it was the only one I was missing from this run, and like all these issues, it was great. I love Norrin and Dawn together, and the stories Dan Slott is cooking up for them are like classics from a bygone era of comics, but timeless in the sense that they work so well today. So much fun. This series (and the adventures of the Surfer and Dawn?) are rounding to a close (Noooo!), but it this is another reminder of how this series always makes me happy.

"Black Bolt" #2 doesn't answer a whole lot of questions, but I like the supporting cast, and Christian Ward's art is absolutely out of this world. I'm a Black Bolt fan, so it's nice to get a dose of the character without being subjected to a series of insipid Nuhuman characters.

I really liked this series, for the most part, and this issue is no exception. It does feel like everything wrapped a little too quickly, something having more to do with the business of comics I think than Gail Simone's plan for the series. Anyway, I found the character of Astrid the most interesting part in this series, and she shines in defeating the demons here. I like the ending of the novel, and even though the overall story didn't play out in as much depth as I expected, it's good enough.

Well, this didn't all amount to much, but this issue in itself is a solid conclusion. It seems to set the table for more Dark Knight, which is, well, um...yeah. It had it's charming moments, like Batman warming to the new Batwoman, and the surprisingly optimistic mini-comic, with Miller pencils that didn't look horrifically distorted. So, there it is.

Meh. Spoiler solo story isn't very interesting, with her monologue growing quite tedious for me as the issue went on. I get it, you hate heroes. So act as a hero in disguise, because that makes sense. The art was also rather mediocre. So, yeah.

Strong issue of "East of West," with the framework of burning leaders, and different reasons why. Because of the nature of this book, the depth of this world, I sometimes feel I am missing something I might get by rereading a whole pile of previous issues, or that this might read better in trade, but it doesn't feel this way here. Nick Dragota's art is, as always, spectacular. "East of West" continues to remain interesting as it marches along.

Well, this was pretty good, my favourite "Champions" in a few issues. I liked the cab ride with Viv and the driver, and the Red Locust was entertaining enough, though I thought of "Kick Ass" for some reason. I kind of groaned when I saw that she will probably join the team as a permanent member, but, okay, whatever.

The end of all crime in NY! Because the legal system! Um, yeah, Matt...let's get serious. This issue was kind of not great. I found the idea of Matt dancing around acting out action scenes for Echo to be a bit ludicrous. Not really a super-fan of Sudzuka's art, especially after Garney. Can't say I'm exactly looking forward to this plotline.

Well, Jen finally hulks out, and it's pretty underwhelming. I've enjoyed Nico Leon's art in this series, but it seems pretty bare and rushed in the fight scene. After all this slow build up, this barely feels like a resolution, as, well, nothing is really resolved. Maise goes to jail. Whatever. I gave this six issues, but the fascination it held for me in the beginning has turned to impatience. I'm dropping this book.

"Jessica Jones" can be frustrating, and yeah, not a lot of plot happens, but this character issue truly delivers. It's a lot of fun and shows us what's really going on in the mind of these characters. This is the good that comes with the bad of Bendis. We feel the great chemistry between Luke and Jessica for the first time in a long time, and Gaydos kills it. With this, and his work on "The Black Hood" last year (?), he is really on top of his game.

This is a really strong issue, filled with interesting and powerful moments. The words in Anderson's speech to his new flock reminded me of Leo's fervent speeches in "The Wolf of Wall Street." Both characters are consumed with a passion, a belief in what they say. The conversation between Kyle and Anderson was also very intriguing. Both Kyle and Anderson take the evidence in front of them to fit their already-existing belief systems. Also, I liked that Anderson seems to be drifting a little closer to the edge. The character work by Kirkman in this issue is outstanding.

Not much is resolved here in the conclusion to the third arc of "Paper Girls," which should really stand as no surprise. This book is still enjoyable, but this third arc didn't resonate with me in the same way as the first two (especially the 2nd, which was so good) did. Perhaps because of the pre-historic setting. But the conclusion of this issue offers an interesting set-up for the next arc; of course I'm on board for some Y2K action!

This series kind of ends with a "meh." It's probably because I enjoyed the first couple of issues so much, and thought there were a lot of interesting places the series could go, but Millar kind of switched over to fantasy by rote. This issue is entirely predictable; there was never a sense of dread from the "black messiah" with his constant warnings of "You will die!" He really becomes a cliche. The art is, of course, really good, but this series seems like it just settled into mediocrity. It ends with "End of Book One." I don't think I'll bother with Book Two.

This was a good issue, about music and what it means, and how it feels to watch the bands we love get older, and grow old ourselves. Pretty much a standalone issue, this is a good example of Shade's appeal.

This arc stretches credulity a bit (i.e., all of this going on under Superman's nose with him none the wiser; Superman just letting Jon be kidnapped), but well, fuck it, I like it anyway. This was an exciting read, with a nice fight scene, and the art was pretty darn good. Looking forward to Superboy Black next issue.

This is a great issue in terms of plot and moving the story forward. Haun, Hurley, and Nachlik do a great job conveying Vaughn's struggle, and the concept of the Narcissus Killer is just downright creepy. Nachlik is doing a great job on this book; I hope he stays on past the end of this arc.

When I saw the cover to this I thought, "Aw, fuck, the Sentinels." I didn't really like issue #4, but things picked up for me here in what I found to be the strongest issue in the series to date. Marc Guggenheim's writing seemed a little sharper and I enjoyed the artwork of R.B. Silva. The team had a good rapport in this issue and Kitty got to stretch her leadership muscles. A pleasant surprise.